The Claim

Is This Home Now?

They arrived at the house and Eloise couldn't help but think that she was being hidden away. She hated the feeling of helplessness that was now starting to fill her heart. She followed Jensen inside, now paying more attention to her surroundings than when she first came to the house. She could see how big the house really was and yet, it had a homey feel to it. Under different circumstances, this was a house that, despite its size, she could actually see herself living and raising a family in.

Eloise continued following Jensen, now to the first floor, and to a door at the end of a long hallway. Jensen opened the door and signaled for her to go in first. Eloise was stunned by the room. It was as big as her apartment, painted and decorated in light colors and with a balcony that oversaw the beautiful garden in the back of the house.

"This isn't so bad.", she thought, trying to convince herself that this was a good thing. She was standing in the middle of the room when Jensen joined her.

- "This is your room. If there's anything you would like to change, just change it. You don't have to ask for my permission. I want you to feel comfortable here, Ellie." - Jensen said, trying to make her feel at ease.

- "The room is beautiful, Jensen. Thank you. Look, I'm sorry for the way I reacted. I was just upset about the whole situation."

- "You don't have to apologize, I understand. Listen, this is your home now. I'll show you around once you're settled in."

- "Thank you, I appreciate that."

- "I'll leave you to unpack and once you're done, come find me downstairs." - Jensen tells her, smiling softly at her. - "One more thing. This morning I received an invitation for a christening from a neighboring family that's happening in a few weeks and I thought that, since we need to be seen together, we could attend it. Would you like to go with me?"

- "Do you think it will be safe?"

- "Yes, it will be perfectly safe. Well, if you don't count the hundred questions that we're going to be bombarded with."

- "Let me guess. Everyone is going to want to know all about our 'relationship' and if we have any plans to be the next ones walking down the aisle and having babies."

- "Exactly." - Jensen chuckled, already expecting that exact question to come up.

- "I mean, like you said, we need to be seen together and a christening is a good way to do just that. There's just one problem."

- "And that is?"

- "The money I was paid from the diner isn't enough to buy a dress for it and I don't really have anything remotely appropriate for a christening."

- "That's not a problem at all."

- "It's not? Unless you're telling me that the dress code is jeans and a t-shirt, I don't have anything to wear to a christening, especially when we need to convince people that we're together."

- "Well, the dress code is semi-formal, so that implies that jeans and a t-shirt aren't exactly a choice, but, with that said, that doesn't mean we can't go. I'll give you my credit card and you can go shopping, sweetheart."

- "No, nope. Not doing that."

- "Ellie, it's okay. Besides, if we're together, it's something that's expected of me. I should be spoiling you. See, problem solved."

- "Jensen, you're not spending any money on me, especially because we're not actually together."

- "Sweetheart, listen, think of this as a way to show everyone that we're together. I placed a Claim on you, and like I said, I'm supposed to be spoiling you with gifts and such. So, just think of it that way, okay?"

- "On one condition."

- "And what's that?"

- "You'll let me pay it back."

- "Ellie..."

- "Please, Jensen. I have no control over anything else, let me have some control over this."

- "Alright. If it will make you feel better about it, then okay."

- "Thank you."

- "Once you're done here, come find me so I can give you my card and you can go shopping with Misha and David."

- "Okay. And Jensen, thank you. For everything." - Eloise said as she watched him walk out of the room.

Eloise sat on her new bed and let out a breath. This was going to be her new house, for the time being at least, and she knew she had to find a way to adjust to, not only the house but, her new life as well. If she understood Jensen right, he is supposed to be giving her gifts, as a way to show her, and everyone else, how much he loves her and that is something that Eloise isn't sure she can accept.

She was never one to want for material things. Sure, she liked seeing what the stores had in stock and would even save up to buy a new dress or phone, but she always did it herself, with her own money, and was never ruled by trends or what was "hip". She only bought what she wanted and, more importantly, needed, never what others said was in fashion.

Eloise knew that she would have to talk to Jensen about the whole gift situation, making sure that he knew that she didn't want him to spend his money on her. Once Elijah is no longer a threat, she will be unClaimed, so why spend money on her at all. After all, this is a temporary situation, right?