Shattered

Chapter 25

Krystal sat in tears, hovering over the unmoving form of her lover and life. He had died to save her, because she was not quick enough. The vixen felt a deep self-loathing begin to quicken inside her furred breast. She had come here only to end up getting him killed. To compound on her suffering, he had retrieved his memories and had talked to her. It was a bittersweet end, more along the lines sour then bitter, the corrosive irony was not lost on her.

Krystal cradled his head, all too reminiscent of herself in that underwater base on Aquas. Yet something was fundamentally different here, a concealed thought nagged the vixen. There was a thing here she was not grasping. But what was it? And then it hit her like a runaway freight train. If Alex was truly dead, she would be back in the real world, instead she was still in his mindscape. That could only mean one thing...HE WAS STILL ALIVE!

She grabbed his head and shook him thunderously, and screamed into his ear. The response was somewhat unexpected...and comical. She felt a hand throw her bodily away and a loud voice cry out, "JEEZUS!" He painfully sat up and looked to her angrily. "God woman, I didn't think your voice could be louder than a banshee's." He muttered with an amused tone. "Seriously, some asshole throws me across the room and I can't even take a nap." He scolded.

"B-but...I...uh...it...slam...you...dead." Krystal stuttered, incoherently wringing her paws in embarrassment. She was happy he was alive, but had not expected this.

"Did you even check?" He wondered aloud.

"...no."

"..."

"What?"

"Really?"

"It threw you into a wall!" She retorted sullenly, suddenly getting an urge to send him back to the grave.

"And...this is all in my head, how exactly would that kill me?" He asked her with a grin that made her want to smack him upside the head, so that's exactly what she did. "OW! What the hell was that for?" He demanded, massaging his wounded head.

"For being an ass!" She growled, but it was more playful then genuine anger. She was just too happy to see him not dead that's she couldn't find the energy to stay mad.

"Well I'm a living ass!" He teased, sticking out a tongue rudely.

"Oh yeah?" She said quietly, building up to something. "Well not for long!" She yipped, tackling him to the ground and seizing his lips with her own as she sat in his lap, tail swinging hazardously with glee.

"Mmmrph!" He mumbled through sealed lips in surprise. She did not release him until she was satisfied, many long minutes later. "That was supposed to kill me?" He asked mockingly.

"No, but I could use it to suffocate you!" She warned dangerously, making to leap at him again.

"Okay! Okay! Okay! Point taken." He said quickly to the fiery vixen sitting on him. They sat there in companionable silence, until Alex said the next obvious question. "So...I don't suppose you know how to get us back?"

The vixen's grin slid of her face. "Well... It has kinda been awhile." She replied sheepishly. Needless to say, Alex was not amused.

"..."

"What?" Krystal demanded blushing profusely, ears splayed back. "It has been a long time okay, just give me a minute!" She snapped.

"Fine, fine." Alex placated. "(Must be that time of the month.)" He uttered under his breath sullenly.

"What was that dear?" she asked, way too sweetly, turning to him with burning emerald eyes and showcasing her sharp...sharp, needle teeth. (Did I mention they were sharp)?