Night of Death Flowers - Graveyard and Some Concerns

[mpart]

Hi guys! This is my rewrite of My Another Labelle Story, this story will be loosely based off of it. The reason I have rewritten this story is because I wrote myself into a corner. My Another Labelle Story accidentally turned into a legacy which I didn't mean for it to at all. My Another Labelle Story was meant to explore my main antagonist's past in my main story, Labelle's Perfect Genetics Challenge, and show that she isn't actually a horrible person. Turns out, Fate, is a terrible person and it is hard to sympathize with her at this moment.  I never expected to get so attached to Clarissa and Liam and another character in the story, Maleficent. I wanted the story to be her's too and unfortunately when I was planning on turning it into a legacy it wouldn't have made sense. In this story I hope to give each character the justice they deserve. A lot of things in this new story will change but I personally adore the changes myself. This story is also a stand alone story so if no one has ever read my main story or my collaborator's story, Reaper's Genetic Legacy Experiment, you can still read this one. While this story will be based loosely off the old one, please do not rely on knowledge gained from the previous story. Pretend as though it doesn't exist as I would hate to confused anyone. Anyways, I'm done rambling and I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I have and continue to read what happens to Clarissa and Liam. I just want to give @LivvieLove a huge thanks for helping me rewrite this story and continue to have this story live on. She will be a huge part of this story as several character's dialogues are written by her and after all, she did help me come up with the name of this story. 

                 
                                                    *This is a full collaboration between LivvieLove and I*

                                                                                           
Chapter List
Chapter 1 - Midnight
Chapter 2 - Everything is Better with Cake
Chapter 3, Part 1 - Sweet Dreams
Chapter 3, Part 2 - Sweet Dreams
Chapter 3, Part 3 - Sweet Dreams
Chapter 4, Part 1 - You Love It                
Chapter 4, Part 2 - You Love It
Chapter 5 - Carina



Other Stories By Me:
Labelle's Perfect Genetics Challenge         
                                                                         
Stories By @LivvieLove   
Reaper's Genetic Legacy Experiment             
Risen From The Ashes                                             

[mpart]

All credit goes to LivvieLove for the screenshots except the first two. She did Esmerelda, Liam, and Olivia's amazing dialogue and I can't thank her enough for it. I hope you enjoy this first chapter and many more to come. 
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Clarissa watched as the wolves surrounded her. She stared at the road, anger consuming her. She laughed darkly. She died because of a pillow. A pillow. She had been too weak to do anything when she showed up and smuggled her with a pillow. Clarissa still remembered her face perfectly like it was only a second ago. Her blonde hair with pink highlights that had been cut rather short and her blue eyes that would seem to shift to silver as she grinned when she reached for the pillow. She wanted revenge more than anything. She would get her revenge. She closed her eyes as the wolves cautiously walked towards her.



Green eyes. She was holding on because of him. She hadn’t exactly known who he was but she had known that he was important to her. The thought of him was the only thing that kept her going and to keep running from the she-wolf. She smiled as the she-wolf stepped out of the shadows, her eyes seeming to glow with anger. Her eyes widened in surprise. It seemed Clarissa was standing in the presence of a goddess. What did she want with her though? Clarissa laughed as the last wolves came out of the shadows. The wolves bared their teeth, slowly making their way closer to Clarissa. This was how it ended, this was how it always had been meant to be. The she-wolf’s eyes darkened as she stepped closer to Clarissa, her eyes hardening with each step she took.

You will never replace me.
Clarissa laughed. “I don’t plan to.” Her hands clenched into fists as she whispered commands under her breathe as the first line of wolves fell in agony. She stepped closer to the wolf. “The only thing I have in mind is taking you down with me.” Suddenly a ball of light appeared out of the shadows, causing Clarissa to snap out of her thoughts. She stared at it curiously, unable to comprehend why it was there. She shook her head as another line of wolves fell down.
Clarissa, Clarissa. A strange disembodied voice seemed to speak suddenly as a wave of pain overwhelmed Clarissa’s system. She fell down in pain, unable to remember why to get up again. Him. He was important to her because? She shook her head. She didn’t know, did it truly matter though? She just needed to stay alive because of him at the end of the day. She would. She hauled herself to her feet as she stood at the ball of light. Her eyes widened as her feet processed what to do before the rest of her did. She suddenly started running past the haunted trees that threatened to keep her in this desolate place as the light lead her down familiar paths that seemed to be haunted with the past threatening to close in.



Her feet came to a stop as she stared at the portal the light had disappeared into. She wiped dirt from her face, her hand already revealing a thin trail of blood from a cut she had suffered from earlier. She hesitantly stepped into the portal, unable to imagine what was one the other side. All she knew was that she had to keep running from the she-wolf.



She jerked up as her eyes widened in surprise. This wasn’t where she belonged. The room was covered in a daunting white as Clarissa struggled against whatever was keeping her there. She searched around the room, her gaze never seeming to leave the wall. New faces entered her mind as she continued to struggle against the restraints forcing her to not run.



Her gaze suddenly met a familiar face with green eyes that seemed just as shocked as she was to be there. Her face softened, unable to comprehend why she stopped trying to run when she saw him. She couldn't bear to tear her eyes from the man with green eyes. His eyes slowly filled with desperation and relief.



"Clarissa..." His voice was familiar to her. It was there - somewhere, but she couldn't figure out where. Where did she know him? Why was his voice comforting? Why was there so much pain and sadness in those green eyes that kept her from death's door?



"Clarissa?" It was another voice and Clarissa didn't want to look away, but she reluctantly did. A woman - thing? - dressed in all white stared at her. She looked like a woman, but something was very off about her. Her skin tingled from the magic that she radiated. She was looking at her with concern etched into her face. Another woman with black hair and bright blue eyes stood directly behind her.  "Can you hear me, Clarissa?" The woman in white spoke again. She stepped forward delicately. "We're not going to hurt you."
"Olivia? If she can't hear you... she won't know that you're not going to hurt her." The black-haired woman chided, putting a hand on her hip.
The woman in white shot her a glare before her face softened again and she turned back to Clarissa. "She just came back from gods-know-where." She shook her head softly.



She wanted to reach for him but couldn’t as she struggled even more than before to get to him. She couldn’t lose him again. Not again.



Her voice croaked,”I can’t move.” Panic showed in her eyes as she stared at the woman hesitantly before turning her gaze back to him.



 The woman started to speak as Clarissa suddenly felt power rush back to her body as she climbed off the bed and felt her arms close around him tightly. The man seemed shocked by the sudden movement. Clarissa could feel every muscle that tensed at her touch. She couldn't bear to let him go. She knew him somehow. She knew he meant something to her, and even though she didn't know what it was - she needed this. Just as hesitation started to creep into her thoughts, his arms came rushing around her as he crushed her to him.



"Clarissa..." He whispered and she could hear the tears and emotion that broke his voice. "My... my Clarissa." His shoulders heaved with heavy sobs as he clutched her closer. "You came back to me." He pressed his face into her shoulder and sucked in harsh breaths. She felt her arms hold onto him tighter, afraid she was going to have to run again. She felt herself breaking in his embrace as an unexpected sob came out of her.
“I’m tired of running from them. All of them.”



She felt him pull her tighter to him as he slowly sunk all the way to the floor. "I'm never letting you go again." He whispered. "Ever."
Clarissa could feel him gripping at her shirt as he cried harder. Oh, where did she know him from? Why did this hurt her so much?
"I love you." He whispered into her hair then, his voice barely a whisper.
The words came easily to her even if she didn’t realize where he was from. Why did it matter so much where she had known him from anyways? She loved him and that was all that mattered. He had been the only reason she had stayed alive.



“I love you too.” She shook her head as an unreadable emotion came into her mind. Rage. “Of all the ways I die I get smuggled by a pillow. A  pillow”
The man holding her stopped then and pulled back slightly to look at her. His bright, green eyes still held sadness in them as they searched her face. "Who did that to you?" He whispered darkly.
The woman in white quietly cleared her throat. "Liam, please. I don't know if she's fully collected her thoughts yet." She closed her eyes shut as she thought on his question.
"Short, blonde hair with pink highlights in it and blue eyes that turned grey." She hadn't known why she had to tell him. She had just wanted him to know what happened wasn't his fault for some strange reason.



The woman in white shared a glance with the black-haired woman. "We can worry about that a little later." The woman in white stepped closer to Liam and Clarissa before looking at them gently. "Clarissa... do you know who I am?"  She asked the question with concern in her voice, as if she could see Clarissa's confusion.  Clarissa stared quizzically at her.
“A spirit.” That sounded right Clarissa thought but something was still missing. The woman hesitated as the room got quiet suddenly.
“How much do you remember Clarissa?” Clarissa squeezed her eyes shut as the words started spilling out.



“I was smuggled by a pillow by her and I need to get back to, to…” The words suddenly stopped coming easily. “My name is Clarissa because that was what they were muttering and they were trying to kill me I think?” Confusion dawned on her face as she tried to make sure he didn’t pull away from her. She didn’t want him to. She would have to start running again if he did. The woman in white nodded gently before pulling a chair over and sitting.
"My name is Olivia. I'm a spirit of protection. I'm here to help you." She gestured to the women behind her. "This is Esmerelda, she's my friend."



Esmerelda, the woman with piercing blue eyes smiled slightly and waved. "Welcome back to the land of the living!" She said jokingly.
Olivia kept her gaze on Clarissa levelly. "You were killed by a woman named Amelie - at least, that's what we think. There was a bounty on your head but you are safe now. How do you feel?"



Clarissa laughed, her voice still sounding strange to her.
"I feel like a crazy goddess is after me for some reason." Olivia frowned slightly and sighed.
"That's not far from the truth, but we'll get to that. Your name is Clarissa Kwa. You're a hybrid Werewolf and Magical Source. You are skilled with stable magic as you were trained under the Reaper family where you met and fell in love with Liam Reaper. Does this sound at all familiar?" She paused and looked at Esmerelda hesitantly.
Esmerelda stepped forward, speaking levelly with her beautiful voice that Clarissa was sure had to be magical somehow.



"Do you remember what you were doing right before you died?" Everyone was looking around and even Liam seemed to tense further as he held Clarissa closer. They all seemed to be waiting with anxiety at her answer. She nodded and took a moment to try to figure out how she should answer. She wanted to answer her, no she needed to answer her. She frowned, knowing her answer wouldn't be good enough.
"I was weak and then I was smuggled by a pillow?" The room was tense and Clarissa could feel the eyes shifting as they all struggled to decide who should be the first to tell her. Olivia opened her mouth but Liam stopped her by holding up one hand briefly. He brought that same hand back around to caress Clarissa's cheek. He took in a long breath.



"I love you, Clarissa. No matter what I have never stopped loving you. I'm so sorry this happened." Clarissa had seen his eyes many times, and she could feel the truth in his words. He continued taking slow breaths before he closed his eyes slowly. "You were in the hospital when... when you died." He seemed tense as he recalled everything. "I wasn't there fast enough and I'm so sorry." He took his hand that was running along get cheek and let it run through her hair. "But... Before..." he swallowed and looked at her intensely. "You had just given birth to a little girl. You're a mother, Clarissa."

[LivvieLove]

And we're live! =D This is so exciting! Thank you for the wonderful mention, but you did most of the legwork here, dear.

So the Night of Death Flowers begins!

[mpart]

And we're live! =D This is so exciting! Thank you for the wonderful mention, but you did most of the legwork here, dear.

So the Night of Death Flowers begins!

I'm so happy it is finally up! I just wanted to give you the credit you truly deserve.  Another chapter coming your way. (Already XD)

[mpart]

Thank you once again Livvielove for the amazing photos and Esmerelda, Olivia, and Liam's dialogue. She deserves all the credit for the photos and their dialogue.
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Clarissa laughed lightly as she stared at each person in the room. This was a joke. This was all a joke. Suddenly as she stared at Liam she realized it wasn’t. She cleared her throat to convince herself and everyone else in the room that she hadn’t lost her mind. “I’m not exactly…” She searched for the right words to explain the situation. “....the motherly type.”



She sighed before staring at Liam worriedly. “She is your’s though...right?” She was surprised how much it worried her if she wasn’t his. Every word came easily when she spoke around him. He was the only thing keeping Clarissa there at that moment and she knew that she loved him. It was one of the only things she was sure of. She didn’t know why or how she just knew.
Liam nodded gently. "She has your hair and my eyes." His voice was soft and sad. "We agreed to name her Carina."



Olivia sucked in her cheek and took in a breath. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?"
"I told you we should've gone with the cake idea." Esmerelda shrugged. Olivia turned to look at her and Esmerelda's brow furrowed. "What? It was a good idea."



Clarissa sighed with relief and found herself relaxing in his arms. “Okay. Just checking. Wait..what cake idea?” She was tempted to chuckle as she realized she still had sarcasm on her side. “Congratulations! You just died and have a kid but don’t worry, you don’t remember?” She paused. “Cake does make everything better though.”
Esmerelda held her hands out in front of her firmly. "I told you!" She leaned against the furniture then and pursed her lips. "Nothing says 'Welcome back to life' like the sweetest dessert we can find!"



Clarissa rolled her eyes. "Of all the ways I die I get smuggled by a pillow. A pillow. That must be the most pathetic way to go out." She paused, her thoughts racing. She spoke quietly,"Why was I killed?”
"Now that's a great question!" Esmerelda turned and pointed to Olivia. "Isn't it, Olivia? Really good question." She nodded.
Olivia looked uneasy in the spotlight momentarily before nodding. "Well, it's a long story, and-"



"You're a goddess." Esmerelda interrupted. "See, it's as long as you want to make it."
Olivia gave Esmerelda a warning glance. "I suppose that is the easiest way to explain it. You are meant to replace one of the gods in the pantheon."



Clarissa tensed up. “Are you serious? You mean a bunch of old people sitting around a table plotting wars and destroying people’s lives?” She was suddenly enraged. “Why the heck would I want to become one of those people?” Clarissa found the words coming out of her mouth strange. It was as if the mention of her being a ‘goddess’ had brought up a memory she had forgotten. Suddenly she stared at everyone, confused.
Olivia nodded and frowned. "I know it certainly does seem that way from the outside, but there's so much more to it than that. According to the Book of Prophecies, we are entering a dark era, and we will need all the strength we can to keep this world from collapsing in on itself. You may not want to be a goddess, but you will be one. We cannot stop what the Essence of the World has selected - we can only arm you with information and hope that you will rise with few complications."


Clarissa stared at her blankly, unable to comprehend exactly what Olivia had just said. It was all strange, too strange to her. She tried to not think about it too hard and instead tucked it away in her mind for a later hour. She made more questions that she needed to have answered. “Why and how are we entering a dark age?”




Esmerelda slumped to the floor and fiddled with her necklace. "Depends on who you ask." She pointed to Olivia. "That one seems to believe it's because the gods have gone mad with power and are out of control. Some claim it's something controlled by the goddess of Fate. Some argue that it's like the changing of the seasons - something inherent. You want to know my opinion? Well, it sucks to be you because you're going to get it anyways." She let her necklace drop and she looked at Clarissa with her weary eyes. "My opinion is it's all a load of crap and it doesn't matter what color or how bright an 'era' is. You can only deal with what's in front of you, and girl, let me tell you, you've got a lot more to worry about than investing in a bunch of lamps."

 

Olivia's brow furrowed. "Lamps?"
Esmerelda shook her head slowly and sighed. "'Dark' era? Get it? No?" She grumbled. "I can't tell you anything."
Clarissa sighed. “Okay. Dark era or no dark era it doesn’t matter. Got it. So who the heck am I suppose to replace? What do you want me to do? If I am meant to be a goddess why was I killed?” She paused. “Thank you for getting me out of whatever that was. I didn’t think death was suppose to be so-” Surely being a goddess couldn’t be worse than being chased around for the rest of eternity by wolves while forgetting everything you once knew Clarissa thought.



Olivia nodded. "I'm sorry it took me so long. It wasn't exactly easy to find you. You see, you hadn't died at all, but you were stuck... well, the easiest way to explain it is 'in-between.'" Olivia paused. "Those who are magically can use the 'in-between' as a way to teleport from one area to another, however without a body it's impossible to open any of the doors on your own. When a god's body 'dies' the spirit will wait until the body is 'healed' enough to return to it or it will find another host. Most of the time they can manipulate the 'in-between' so that they can move fluidly from realm to realm without getting stuck, but unfortunately you haven't mastered your own magic yet - so you were stuck to the whims of Nyx." Olivia stopped then and weighed something in her mind. "Does that make sense to you, Clarissa?"
Clarissa nodded, the information seeming to help her relax a little. “My body wasn’t healed enough so I had to possess another’s body or my body itself had to heal enough for me to return to it? I was stuck in one place because I have no idea how to use my own magic?” Confusion clouded her mind. “Who is Nyx?”
Olivia nodded in return. "That is... the easiest way to explain it, yes." She shifted in her stance. "The goddess, Nyx, is the goddess of the Moon. She was killed rather recently; however, it seems she has kept plenty of ways to keep herself around through horcruxes. These horcruxes could be anything - an item, a food, a person."
Esmerelda nearly choked and shook her head. "You're going to overwhelm her, Ms. Book-Smart. Basically, Nyx was a goddess, and now she's not, and she's mad at you."
Clarissa nodded as she checked that Liam was still there even though his arms were still around her. She had this fear that if she didn’t make sure he was there he would suddenly disappear leaving her to face the darkness once again. “So Nyx is the goddess I am suppose to replace and she doesn’t like that?” She made sure to remember everything she could, afraid that if she didn’t it would disappear. “The goddess of the Moon, right?”
"Precisely! See, this god-business is easy!" Esmerelda clapped.



Liam tightened his grip around Clarissa. "Maybe we should take a break... You should rest and let the information sit for a bit." He looked at her with concern. "I don't want you to be overwhelmed." 



Clarissa hesitated before relaxing again. She needed to know everything. She had been in the dark for too long yet apart of her agreed with him. She wasn’t exactly unstoppable at the moment and the knowledge she was learning was becoming more and more overwhelming. She nodded. “Sounds good.”
Clarissa watched as Olivia and Esmerelda walked out of the room before Liam’s started talking again.“Clarissa I-” Clarissa rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. She wasn’t leaving his embrace if she didn’t have to. He would have to be the first one to pull away. She knew it wouldn’t be her.


A question popped up in her mind that she didn’t know the answer to.  Her voice was calm and level as she asked him. “How did we meet Liam?” Liam rolled his eyes and grinned arrogantly at her.
“Well I saved you from a group of the most dangerous nutters single-handedly.” Clarissa laughed lightly.
“What are nutters?” Liam's eyes went wide briefly before a hint of sadness filled them. Slowly Clarissa watched it be replaced by a gentle warmth as he looked at her.
"'Nutters?'" He chuckled. "My family is closely tied to the god of Magic and..." He resisted grinning. "Insanity. They all act a little looney, so I made up the word 'Nutters' one day and it stuck as their nickname. Clearly I'm an impressive wordsmith and you thought it was amusing so it was a win-win for me." Clarissa grinned before shifting uncomfortably.



“Sorry I don’t remember too much. I just-” Clarissa couldn’t explain it. She didn’t know exactly when she had lost her mind but every second she was running it felt as if she was fading. Clarissa took a deep breath, wanting to get as much information as she could about Liam. “Why was I with a group of ‘nutters’, Liam?” Clarissa asked teasingly. Liam looked at her warmly before pressing his lips to her forehead.
"Don't you start stressing about this. You hear me? I'm not going to let you. Your memories will come back in time if they're meant to come back, but until then you're stuck listening to me talk which couldn't possibly be a bad thing." He gave her a sly grin. "So, anyways - it's story time!" He cleared his throat. "The god of Insanity and Magic wanted you for something, so he had his son, the Nutter Ringleader, drive to your house and kidnap you. Why he drove I have no idea, considering he's supposedly the best with teleportation, but I'll be honest with you, sweetheart, the King of the Nutters - the god of Magic and Madness, that is - once had me make him pancakes so he could smash them into the carpet. These people don't think very clearly and it's just how they are." He sighed dramatically and pursed his lips in thought. "So the Nutter Ringleader tossed you in a trunk and drove you back to Nutter Central - the house where I was living, and I valiantly rescued you from all the crazy people! The end!"



Clarissa stared quizzically at him before grinning. “That sounds a little over exaggerated you buffoon.” Clarissa paused before frowning. “I’m sorry...you have already done so much for me and I shouldn’t be doubting anything you say.” She paused. “You maybe the only real thing here.” Liam pulled her against him tighter and shook his head.



"No, no. Clarissa, please don't apologize. I need you there to make sure I stay in my place... and that my head doesn't get too big to fit through doorways." He chuckled and stroked her hair gently. "Ok, so I was exaggerating a little." He rested his head against hers. "Sheogorath Keeper, the son of the god of Magic collected you and dragged you into my house that I share with my pseudo-family and I helped calm you down and we got you situated until the King of the Nutters could speak to you. Well, Majnun, the Nutter King, was out on an errand with my pseudo-brother and his girlfriend, so you got stuck with my extended family for a few days where I... fell in love with you hopelessly and realized that I needed to be with you. You saw the Nutter King, he sent you back home with some knowledge that I, to this day, still don't know about and I couldn't stand to be without you so I followed you. You never kicked me out so I never left." He grinned at her before giving her a squeeze. "I'm never letting you go again."



 Clarissa closed her eyes and smiled.“I’m not going to let go of you either.” She paused before speaking softly. “I don’t have to keep running, right? Right Liam?” She just wanted someone to tell her if this was real or not. “This isn’t a dream, right?” Clarissa felt tears falling down her face. “She isn’t just messing with my head, right?”  Liam pulled her off from him gently and wiped the tears that fell.



"Hey.... hey now, sweetheart. Everything is ok. You're home now. You're with me." He took in a deep breath as his eyes clouded with sadness. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Clarissa, but I am now. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."
He gently picked up her hand and placed it over his heart so she could feel it pulsing in his chest. "This is real, Clarissa. This is real and you're safe now. You're safe and I'm never letting you go again." Clarissa rested her head on his chest again. She closed her eyes and finally ended up letting exhaustion take over her as Liam’s arms tightened around her.
“I love you Liam.” She whispered as she finally drifted off into a restless sleep in his arms.

[Magpie2012]

OMG! Yayness! This is going to be EPIC, I can just feel it! So, as per usual, my BlackBerry is a piece of dog-doo and I couldn't see any of the images, but, guess what?!? IT DIDN'T MATTER! Yup, this was amazing, even without visuals (but, I'm definitely going to go online later with my laptop to check them out lol)

Moar please and thank you XD

Sent from my BlackBerry 9720 using Tapatalk

[LivvieLove]

Oh man, Esmerelda's sass reaches new heights. XD I love her so much.
Poor Clarissa has a lot to take in, you know, waking up and being a goddess and all. Hopefully her and that lovely green-eyed boy can figure it out.

[mpart]

OMG! Yayness! This is going to be EPIC, I can just feel it! So, as per usual, my BlackBerry is a piece of dog-doo and I couldn't see any of the images, but, guess what?!? IT DIDN'T MATTER! Yup, this was amazing, even without visuals (but, I'm definitely going to go online later with my laptop to check them out lol)

Moar please and thank you XD

Sent from my BlackBerry 9720 using Tapatalk

Awww! Thanks! I have to say one of the characters in this story was giving me a lot of trouble, but I'm really enjoying writing it. I have four chapters currently done and three ready to post so I hope I can make up for the lack of chapters. 

Oh man, Esmerelda's sass reaches new heights. XD I love her so much.
Poor Clarissa has a lot to take in, you know, waking up and being a goddess and all. Hopefully her and that lovely green-eyed boy can figure it out.

I love her so much too. XD I just find it fascinating how she deals with everything. I like to think she gets some of her amazing character traits from her mother, Mercy Labelle, some may argue that isn't a good thing though I disagree. Oh I love him. Never seen him before though.  (Just kidding.)

[mpart]

This chapter is going to be several parts because @LivvieLove too so many amazing pictures of Windwaker Island for me that I was determined to use as many as possible. Thank you as always, Livvielove! She also did Esmerelda, Olivia, Liam, and Tragic's dialogue. I really appreciate it. Yay for long chapters!
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Clarissa slept peacefully in Liam’s arms until she was jerked into a place she didn’t know. It didn’t seem uncommon these days to never know where she was. Clarissa was in Bridgeport with a strange dog. She stared at it cautiously.



 It bared its teeth at her as Clarissa watched as more strange dogs came out of the shadows. Her eyes widened. They were wolves or something similar to them it seemed. She frowned at them as she took a step back. She didn’t think Bridgeport had wolves. These wolves didn’t look like anything she had ever saw before in pictures. Perhaps they were a strange mutation of sorts? Clarissa was tempted to laugh. She was just imagining things now. She avoided eye contact and carefully picked herself up when the first one lunged for her throat.



Clarissa grabbed her things and skirted towards a familiar house which was suddenly too far away. She looked at her watch as she was running for her life. Five minutes. She had five minutes to go.



Clarissa tripped as the wolves circled her. This had all been a trap. Everything had been a trap. Clarissa was tempted to laugh. Death by wolves. She laughed as she wiped the snow off of her red hoodie.



“What do you want? I have nothing for wolves.” She laughed. The wolves seemed dumbfounded by her.



The leader of what Clarissa assumed was the pack stepped forward as a strange symbol appeared onto her skin and the rest of the wolves disappeared.



Ignorance will be the death of you.



The leader disappeared along with the symbol on her skin. Clarissa shook her head as she stood up, trembling from everything that had happened. She was seeing things now. She was going insane. She had absolutely and utterly lost her mind.



She took a hesitant step towards the familiar house which hadn’t been as far as she had thought. She knocked on the door with a smile plastered on her face when a woman with eyes that had the moon in them answered. She smiled sweetly as wolves came out of the shadows again and attacked her. The only thing that could be heard was Clarissa's screams. She screamed for Liam. She tried to scream for others she could no longer remember but couldn’t until the only thing that was left was darkness and a woman’s sickly laughter.
"Clarissa! Clarissa! CLARISSA! Wake up, sweetheart!"



Clarissa jolted awake as she stared at Liam. Liam was stroking her face with panic in his eyes. "It was just a dream, sweetheart. Everything's ok. Everything is ok, Clarissa. I'm right here."



Clarissa clung to Liam like a child as she stared at the unfamiliar symbol on her skin and tried not to sob. Liam rested his cheek against her head and hugged her tighter.



"Just breathe, sweetheart. You're safe here. I'm never letting anything happen to you again." He whispered to her.



Guilt was clawing at her as she wiped away the last of the tears that had managed to escape. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this, Liam.” She said quietly.



Liam's hands brushed over her cheeks gently after her own as he wiped away what remained of her sadness. A bright smile filled his face. "You never dragged me anywhere, sweetheart." He whispered. "You're a piece of me. I can't be without you... so I'll go wherever you do." He kissed her forehead gently.



"What's going on?" Olivia came rushing in with a strange man following close behind her. Clarissa was speechless and showed her arm where the symbol was still glowing hesitantly to Olivia.



"Crap, Olivia, that's the Wild Hunt. I know that marking. Looks like dear Nyx is stretching her reach from beyond the grave."



Olivia stepped over to her and touched her arm gently. "Does it hurt?" She turned to look at the man hesitantly. "How can Nyx still have control over the Wild Hunt? I thought they went rogue...?"



The man sighed. “It is Nyx’s mark which means she is still alive enough to control the Wild Hunt and Clarissa has a big ol' target painted on her back. They will stop at nothing to kill her.” The man paused. “I think you're right, Olivia. Nyx has got a horcrux she's hiding in.” He pursed his lips and nodded.



Clarissa stared at the odd man, confused. “What are horcruxes?” The man opened his mouth only to shut it as he looked at Olivia.



Olivia pursed her lips slightly and her eyes narrowed slightly as she debated what to say. "Horcruxes are complicated pieces of magic. It holds..." She frowned as she struggled to find the right words. "Basically-"



"Who was screaming?!" Esmerelda jumped then before looking around the room.



The man rolled his eyes. "Late, as always." He muttered. Esmerelda stuck her tongue out at him in response.


Olivia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm so glad you could join us within a year of becoming concerned, Esmerelda." Her face broke into a grin and she laughed before shaking her head. "I'm trying to explain horcruxes to Clarissa."



Esmerelda leaned on the wall and shrugged. "Easy. It's your restart button. You know when you're playing a game and you die in game so you get to restart? That's what they are. By the gods, Olivia she doesn't need to know how to make one, she just needs to know that they are how some powerful people stay alive." She frowned then. "Wait... why are we talking about horcruxes?"

[mpart]

"Welcome to the conversation, Ezzie. So glad of you to finally join us." The man remarked with heavy sarcasm.



"Shut up, Tragic." Esmerelda scowled.
The man with the perpetual frown, Tragic, sighed. "Nyx likely's got a horcrux hidden in the world that she's using to manipulate the Wild Hunt." He shrugged casually.



Esmerelda's face remained flat before she bust out laughing. "Well, aren't you full of sunshine today, Tragic?" She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Right, this isn't good news."



Olivia straightened. "Well, Nyx being alive through a horcrux explains why you were caught in the in-between, Clarissa, but this would imply that your life is still in danger until you can rise completely."



Tragic sighed. "I'd hate to be the one to have to finish killing her off. The crazy woman can't seem to stay dead."



Clarissa’s eyes widened. “Rising?” She took a deep breath. “I need to start learning everything about my past as soon as possible.” Clarissa was tempted to close her eyes and shut them all out. She didn’t want to go back to wherever she was. She would rather die. If she was truthful, she wasn’t sure if she was the type to be a goddess. She didn’t know if she was good enough.



Liam shook his head. "There's no rush, sweetheart. We can do this together."



Olivia smiled at them sweetly. "I agree with Liam. The more you push yourself the harder learning will actually be." She paused. "The good news is you are safe here with me. Nyx cannot hurt you. The worst she can do is give you petty nightmares."



Esmerelda snorted. "You say that like Nyx won't sink down to doing more petty things."



Clarissa shifted uncomfortably. “Is there a way to destroy the Wild Hunt? Has anyone successfully killed the Wild Hunt before?” Clarissa asked quietly.



An unexpected source, Tragic, spoke again. “It is quite possible to kill the Wild Hunt as it has been done throughout history. The most effective way of destroying Nyx’s Wild Hunt is creating one of your own and the first thing you should do is find your Wild Hunt leader.” Tragic paused as he seemed to check that the information wasn’t overwhelming Clarissa. “All the leaders start with no supernatural backgrounds and are gifted with a specific strand of the werewolf DNA from a spring where the first god of the Moon rose and created the Wild Hunt.” Clarissa rubbed the symbol of the Wild Hunt on her skin nervously.



Esmerelda was giving Tragic a funny look when he shrugged. "What? I wasn't buried alive my whole life, I did exist before that happened, you know."



“Okay. Wild Hunt Leader? That seems pretty specific, I don’t, I can’t….” Clarissa felt as the weight of everything threatened to crush her. Buried alive? This man was buried alive? How was he still alive?
“I think someone already has that covered for you.” Tragic said with a light chuckle. Clarissa stared at him, confusion quickly replacing the anxiety she was experiencing.



Olivia smiled brightly. "If you turn slightly to behind you, I believe you will have a volunteer."



Liam's eyes narrowed slightly before he smiled. "How is that possible...? I..." He paused and pursed his lips. "I would do anything for her but I didn't become a Werewolf from any spring..."



Olivia kept smiling, "well... no, not directly..." She shrugged and folded her hands together in front of her. "You were born the only living child of Kaida Reaper and Taj Diwan. You were born a mortal destined for great things, Liam. Of course, Clarissa, you do have other options, but I don't think there is anyone more loyal or dedicated than the man who's sitting right behind you."



Esmerelda chuckled, "she only nearly got herself killed to get the correct stand for him. No pressure, Clarissa."



Clarissa pursed her lips. “Are you sure about this, Liam? I don’t want you to get killed for me because of Nyx.” Clarissa paused and spoke quietly. “Any of you.”
"Don't worry, we've all nearly been killed by the gods at one point or another, at least this is us volunteering for it." Tragic smirked.
Esmerelda nodded in agreement and Olivia looked at both of them sternly.  "What he means is, we're happy to help you in whatever way we can, Clarissa. Please do not worry for us. We're very capable, and we want to help."



Clarissa smiled warmly at them as Olivia turned her head back towards Clarissa. "We can talk more about it later. Liam, it seems the choice about becoming the Wild Hunt Leader is up to you."



Liam looked at Clarissa warmly, his fingers reaching up to touch her cheek. He looked back to Olivia. "Clarissa is everything to me. I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. I'll do any ritual. I'll fight any enemy." His gaze fell back onto Clarissa once again. "I can do anything so long as I have you."
Clarissa bit the inside of her cheek and rested her head on Liam’s shoulder. “What is the ritual to become the Wild Hunt leader?”



“He has to kill everyone in the last Wild Hunt. Alone.” Tragic answered simply.
Clarissa took a deep breath. “What happens if-”
“-then he dies in one of the worst ways possible.”



Clarissa pursed her lips again, not knowing what to make of the situation. She didn’t want Liam to do it. She couldn’t have him do it. She knew he could though. It was a gut feeling she didn’t doubt. “Then he won’t die.” Clarissa said smoothly.
Tragic nodded. “Establish him as the next Wild Hunt leader and getting rid of the last one will be your first step in rising.”



Liam smirked. "Kill them all, alone? Here I thought it would be something difficult like knitting each a personalized sweater." He chuckled. Esmerelda, Olivia, and Tragic then left the room to deal with other problems occurring at the moment.

[mpart]

“You have an ego the size of the moon, Liam.”  Clarissa grinned as she said the unfamiliar saying. “I like that saying. I’m keeping it. Deal with it.”
Liam looked at her gently as a bright smile pulled on his lips. "I knew my Clarissa was still in there somewhere." He leaned down suddenly and planted a familiar kiss on Clarissa's lips.



Clarissa rolled her eyes and smiled as small pieces of her old life started to slowly piece itself back together. “How did you ever survive without your personal nuisance?”
Liam's eyes watered and he swallowed hard. "I have no idea." He whispered.



Clarissa stared at him worriedly. “I promise that everything will get sorted out and that I will be back to normal again. Well, as normal as I can be with being a goddess and everything.”

 

Liam smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "There's no rush. I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart." He grinned slowly. "I'm just one lucky servant to the new goddess of the Moon, it seems. Command anything of me, my lady." He gave her a cheeky smile.
Clarissa grinned as she rolled her eyes and reached for a pillow before whacking him with it. “I don’t listen to peasants.” Another familiar feeling surrounded her as she said the words. Her memory was slowly but surely repairing itself it seemed.



Liam grinned at her, "well, excuse me your highness." He grabbed a pillow and whacked her back. "I would never wish to upset my lady!"



Clarissa shook her head and whacked his head lightly with the pillow. “You lie, peasant!”



"I do no such thing!" He retorted as he batted at her with his pillow. "I am a man of honor... and valor... and... uhm..."



Clarissa rolled her eyes as she whacked him with the pillow. "...and arrogance."



Liam dropped his pillow and covered his chest with his hands. A feigned, worried expression filled his features. "You wound me, my lady!" He paused and dramatically laid back on the bed. "It might... be... fatal..."
Clarissa laughed before kissing him lightly. “Better?”
Liam smiled and it slowly turned into a grin. "It seems I have been saved from the brink of death! Though... if my lady is offering her healing touch, I must say it still hurts a bit... you know... right here." He pointed to his lips and he raised his eyebrows.
Clarissa sighed and rolled her eyes before kissing him again. “Over dramatic much?”
"Absolutely not!" Liam said with feigned indignation. He paused and started grinning then. "Ok, a little - but only when it involves getting kissed by you." 



Clarissa smiled softly. “Is our daughter as arrogant as you? As she got herself into trouble yet?” She wanted to know everything about her daughter. She had already missed too much.
Liam laughed loudly and shook his head. "Oh no, on the contrary, sweetheart, Carina takes after YOU." He pointed while he grinned. "She's got more attitude and sass than both of us combined... And she knows who's boss in the house... which is her." He rubbed his face as he smiled a warm smile. "She has an obsession with duct tape - she thinks it fixes everything. Grandpa Jack-" He paused, "well, Jack, the man who raised me after my mom... lost it... is her favorite person and she's got him and everyone else all twisted up around her bitty fingers." He smirked. "So, my dear, she's definitely your daughter."

Clarissa laughed lightly. “Oh man. I can’t even begin to imagine her as a teenager.” Clarissa bit her cheek. “Do you think I will ever be able to meet her?” Clarissa said softly.
Liam smiled a soft smile at her. "Of course you can. You can meet her whenever you're ready. She's with her grandpa Jack and uncle Jupiter right now. Likely knocking around her dear uncle Jupiter." He smirked. "You know, her first words were to tell my brother that he's an idiot?" He laughed. "Of course she wasn't that serious about it, but it was still funny."
Clarissa laughed again. “Of course my daughter’s first words would be to insult her uncle.” Clarissa bit her lip. “I want to meet her, I’m just worried that with everything going on and my memory a mess that I will never be able to be there for her like she needs me to.”
Liam smiled and nodded. "You're going to be great, Clarissa. Trust me. We're in this together. We can do anything together." A smile tugged to Clarissa’s lips as she stared at the ceiling. Everything was a mess in her life but slowly it was coming back together. She had Liam and she was going to meet her daughter and that was what mattered.

[LivvieLove]

I love Clarissa and Liam together so much! They're such an adorable couple. I think they could survive anything. Meanwhile, Carina is adorable. I'm prepping my duct-tape!

Also, leave it to Esmerelda to show up and tell it like it is. I love that woman.
Now all Clarissa needs to do is get an angry goddess off her back. What could possibly go wrong?

[mpart]

I love Clarissa and Liam together so much! They're such an adorable couple. I think they could survive anything. Meanwhile, Carina is adorable. I'm prepping my duct-tape!

Also, leave it to Esmerelda to show up and tell it like it is. I love that woman.
Now all Clarissa needs to do is get an angry goddess off her back. What could possibly go wrong?

They are probably one of my most adorable couples ever by far. Carina is special. I adore her so much. Esmerelda is something else and deserves happiness. Please. Pretty please. I don't know how anyone could be angry at Clarissa. She is just too adorable like some other characters not introduced yet..

[mpart]

Liam and Olivia's dialogue is done by LivvieLove and she deserves full credit for her amazing characters. All the pictures taken at Windwaker and the flashbacks are done by Livvielove too. The flashbacks are from her story Reaper's Genetic Legacy Experiment where Clarissa was introduced into her story for a few chapters, which resulted in the beginning of our collaboration. If you haven't already, go check out her story! It is an amazing story really and I completely recommend it but it is not required to understand this story. Anyways, this chapter is split into two parts because I tend to use more screenshots than the forum allows. I hope you enjoy the chapter! 
===================================================================

Clarissa stared at the unfamiliar ground covered with snow ankle-deep. She felt as if the world was threatening to crush her but everything seemed to be clearer when she stared into Liam’s familiar face. His bright green eyes seemed to soften as he looked at her. He would be leaving the unfamiliar place, Bridgeport, to have a fresh start. He deserved it. He deserved it more than anyone to be able to forget his past and leave everything behind for a better future. Her mind screamed at her to do the best for him as her legs carried her forward.  She didn’t listen to it though. She just simply didn’t care about what was the right thing to do anymore or that the strangers in the house could see. She didn’t care about anything anymore.



She pressed her lips gently to his and pulled back immediately. She shouldn’t have done that. Her mind was clouded though as all she could think of was that kiss. “That was...foolish.” Very foolish. She took a step back and stared at the snow again. “I’m so sorry.” She said softly.



Liam’s bright green eyes never seemed to leave her. “The only thing foolish about that was not doing it sooner.” He closed the gap between them and pulled forward, crushing her lips to his.



Clarissa opened her eyes as emotions that weren’t hers flooded her mind. Happiness and love that seemed seemed to bring a smile to her face. 



“Liam, Liam.” She said softly and frowned when he didn’t wake up. She pressed her lips gently to his before pulling away. “Liam?”



Liam's eyes flickered open. "Well, good morning to you too." He chuckled.
Clarissa smiled softly. “My memories are returning I think.” She paused before rolling her eyes. “Well, I hope it was a memory.”
Liam smiled back at her. "What did you remember, sweetheart?"
Clarissa pursed her lips. “This is going to sound absurd if it was just a dream. I was standing in snow ankle-deep and you were there too in Bridgeport, I think? You were going to leave Bridgeport for something better.” Her smile faded. “I kissed you and well, it was foolish.” Clarissa said lightly. “It was foolish and then you kissed me.” Clarissa rolled her eyes. “Ignore me. I must have just had a strange dream.”


 
Liam grinned at her. "I think I remember that - that was the first time you ever kissed me. I remember because I had that smooth one-liner about the only foolish thing was 'not doing that sooner.'" He winked at her.
Clarissa scowled at him as she felt warmth and happiness cloud her mind. She pursed her lips and spoke quietly. “Liam, I’m confused. I feel happy, but it isn’t my feelings.” She stared at him quizzically. “I mean, I am happy, but it isn’t me?”
"It's... kind of a new thing. We're werewolves and..." Liam shrugged as he gave her a sly grin. "You're my mate, and I'm yours, so... we're connected in that way. Does... does it bother you?"
Clarissa, stared at him, confused. “Wait, werewolves? What does that mean? Does that still mean I’m a human? Can I turn into a wolf now too?”
Liam's eyes went wide with surprise. "Oh... I uh... I figured you would know?" He pursed his lips. "Sorry sweetheart, I didn't mean to drop that on you suddenly. But... yeah, I guess that's a way of looking at it. We can both turn into wolves. You've also got magic in you too, but that's not supposed to be a common thing. I uhm..." He shifted and smiled awkwardly. "I'm still getting used to it myself."



Clarissa laughed lightly before rolling her eyes. “So what you are saying is that I’m really not human?”
 He grinned at her. "You're too pretty to be just a human, sweetheart."
“Well your handsome yourself, Wolfy.” Clarissa winked at him.
Liam smiled lightly at her. "Why thank you! Tell me something I don't already know?" He winked at her.
Clarissa rolled her eyes before whacking him with a pillow. “Peasant.”
"Have mercy, dear Clarissa!" Liam laughed as he held his hands up in front of him. "I think I may have something better we can do." He gave her a bright smile.



Clarissa stared at him curiously as a pang of guilt and anger hit her at the word “mercy.” She didn’t think about it for long as she grinned back at Liam. “What is that?”
Liam cleared his throat and straightened himself. A strange look came over his face as he rubbed his neck idly. "Wow, this is harder than I thought it would be." He took in a breath. "I would like to take you out, actually..." He struggled to find the words. "On a date, I mean." He paused and worry filled his eyes. "I mean, if that's ok with you. I don't want to rush you at all. We can go as slow as you'd like, or as fast. I just... I love you, Clarissa. I always have, and I want to show you that so that you'll always know just how I feel about you. Whatever you're most comfortable with..."
Clarissa smiled softly at him. “You were there for my daughter when I couldn’t be and you-” Clarissa couldn’t even start to explain what he was doing for her. He was waiting patiently for her after all these years and had been willing to die for her, even after she lost every single memory. “-anyways, I would love to go on a date with you.” She stared at him quizzically. “Is it possible to leave Windwaker Island?”
He smiled even wider. "Of course, just, leave it to me. Come on, I've got something I think you'll love."
Clarissa laughed lightly as he took her hand and led her into an unfamiliar library in Windwaker Island.



Olivia was in the room smiling as she read a book.



Clarissa peered over Liam’s shoulder. The book was called Where the Willow Walks and looked like a cheesy romance novel.



Olivia smiled at Liam and Clarissa before opening a portal to who-knows where.



“Have fun!” Clarissa walked behind Liam who seemed relaxed by the fact they were suppose to walk through a portal. Clarissa was baffled but went through the portal when Liam did. Clarissa opened her eyes as snow fell down slowly and seemed to cover the entire world except for the icy lake and Liam. Liam’s bright green eyes seemed to stand out in the frozen world as if the first sign of spring had finally made an appearance.
Clarissa smiled softly at him as another curl seemed to escape from underneath his hat. “Where are we?”
Liam shrugged. "Somewhere familiar. Come on, sweetheart, we're going ice skating."
Clarissa grinned. “Ice skating-”

The word brought her into yet another unfamiliar memory as she slipped and fell backwards for the fourth time. She was tempted to roll her eyes but bit her lip instead to keep a yelp of pain from coming out. Liam skated around her. “You okay there, sweetheart?” Somehow the comforting word seemed like an insult then.
Clarissa grumbled and mocked him under her tone,”are you okay, sweetheart? Hmph.” She slowly got to her feet. “I think it’s official. I’m not good at ice skating.” That was an understatement for sure. She was absolutely horrid at ice skating. She crossed her arms.
Liam came to a stop next to her,”if it makes you feel any better, at least you look pretty while you’re skating.” He winked at her. It did make her feel better but she was never going to admit that.
She rolled her eyes,”you can stop making fun of me now.” She grumbled.



“I was being completely serious.” She wanted to stay upset with him for keeping her on that wretched ice that seemed out to get her, but she couldn’t help the smile that crept up onto her face.

“Ha! I got you to smile! Admit it, you’re having a good time, you just want to give me a hard time about it.” He teased. Yes. Yes she did. She was too prideful to admit that though.
She shrugged, “I can’t help if I’m good at that.”
“That’s it! I have it!” He skated backwards in front of her as she was tempted to roll her eyes again. “You can quit that silly lab job of yours!” Job? What silly lab job? She would have to ask Liam later. Apparently she had known about it then but hadn’t known what he had been talking about.
She scrunched her eyes,”what are you talking about?”
“You’re already my personal nuisance. I don’t see the point of you having two jobs.” He winked at her as her heart seemed to stop.
“Har, har, har.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “You think you’re so hilarious. Don’t you?”
He bowed to her,”I do try my best.”

Clarissa’s grin became wider as she was jerked back into reality after seeing the memory flash through her mind. -”you mean because I was so amazing at that last time I kept falling on the ice while you skated around me?” She smiled softly at him. “I remember.”
Liam stared at her with a softness in his eyes. "I love you." He whispered to her. Clarissa smiled softly at him before hugging him tightly. “I love you too.” It was one of the only things she firmly remembered and believed. She loved him. She interlaced her fingers into his as she couldn’t resist the small giggle that came out of her as she tugged him forward. “Come on! This time I’m not going to fall.”
"Whatever you say, sweetheart." Liam teased, yet the softness never left his eyes. "Hey, even if you do, you know I'll always be there to catch you." His eyes became mischievous. "Or laugh at you, but only once I make sure you're not hurt."
Clarissa rolled her eyes as she stepped carefully on the ice, still holding Liam’s hand. “I’m not going to fall this time, Liam.” Clarissa smiled mischievously. “You are though.” She shoved him lightly as she released his hand for a second and watched as he regained his balance perfectly. Clarissa frowned. “Darn it.”


Liam laughed. "My, my! Someone's up to some trouble it seems! Here I thought you loved me!" He skated backwards away from her, raising his eyebrows as he did.



Clarissa scowled as she became more and more familiar with ice skating. Now she was determined to make him fall.



She raced after him as quickly as she could and finally caught up with him where she shoved him firmly and laughed as he easily avoided it. “Ugh! Well, now I have to, Liam.”



"You have to, huh? You have to knock me down? You can't possibly just enjoy skating with me, huh?" He spun around her quickly before skating backwards around the pond.



Clarissa pursed her lips as she thought of what to do and smiled.



She skated towards him and pressed her lips to his gently before shoving him firmly once again.



Liam looked at her stunned for a moment before he grinned. "One fall for my lady, coming right up." He grinned deviously as he gripped her waist tightly and yanked them both down to the ice, landing so that Clarissa landed entirely on top of him. "Happy now, sweetheart?"
Clarissa rolled her eyes before grinning. “I made you fall down! It worked! Yes!” She frowned. “I fell down though...are you okay, Liam? You didn’t get hurt, right?”



Liam closed his eyes as he laughed. "I love you and your thought process, sweetheart. 'Let's shove him over! Oh wait, are you hurt?'" He teased and he took in a breath as he grew serious. "Of course I didn't get hurt. I've got you. I'm invincible."



“Oh you know you love it.” Clarissa said softly before she kissed him again and closed her eyes.



It was snowing again as Clarissa was lurched into another flashback. She was still sore from ice-skating but didn’t mention the fact as she felt all her worries fade away with him. “No! I want to take our picture before we head back!” Clarissa said firmly.
“What? Why!” Liam whined.
“Just shut up and smile.” She said stubbornly before pulling him close.



“So bossy.”
“You love it.” Clarissa shot back with a wily grin. She walked a few paces ahead to the point she was out of earshot. This time she caught what he said though.
“Indeed, it seems I do.” Liam spoke quietly.

[mpart]

Clarissa’s eyes fluttered open again as she pulled away from Liam for a second. “It seems you do.”
"I always have." He said to her gently.
Clarissa laughed lightly. “Even when you were taking a picture with me and whining.”
"Especially then." He laughed with her. His face grew more serious. "How are you doing with... everything?"
Clarissa took a deep breath. “It’s a lot of good things and I’m so happy. I just...I’m sorry for putting you through everything, Liam. I know that it’s a mess.”
Liam shook his head, "hey, there's nothing to apologize for, sweetheart. We can get through anything. Even crazy... godhood stuff." He shrugged.
Clarissa grinned. “You are as crazy as a nutter and it seems I love you even more for it.”

"Of course you do. What's not to love?" He grinned, all seriousness escaping his features.
Clarissa rolled her eyes as she rested her head on his chest. “You are arrogant and have an ego the size of the moon but I wouldn’t have it any other way. You are perfect.” Clarissa sighed. “Now your head is just going to get even bigger.”



"The only perfect person I see here is you, Clarissa. You're stuck with a big-headed, muscular, handsome, amazing me." He grinned and laughed and shook his head. "I have no idea how I got so lucky, but now you're stuck with me. No take-back-sies."
“I wouldn’t trade you back for the world.” Clarissa said softly.
"Good. Now shall we go back to ice skating, or are you getting hungry?”
Clarissa closed her eyes. She was happy anywhere he was. “Hmm? Oh, you choose. I will be happy either way.” 
"Yes, well, I'm starving, and you know what they say about wolves when they're hungry." He closed his eyes dramatically. "I could be wasting away here." He grinned before pulling himself and her to their feet effortlessly. "Let me take you someplace to eat?"
Clarissa grinned. “Sounds good.”
They went out to eat at some fancy restaurant and Clarissa smiled so much that her face started to ache. It was worth it though. Clarissa and Liam ate too much food to the point they both thought they were going to burst. Well, Clarissa thought it anyways. At the end of the day Clarissa was exhausted as they walked through the portal and she climbed into a comfortable bed at Windwaker after taking her shoes off. “That was fun.”
"We should do it again, but... I have a proposition for you, sweetheart."
Clarissa nodded. “Hmm? What proposition?”
"The next date you let me take another little lady out with us. She's... yay tall and very fond of duct tape." He lowered his hand to close to the floor. "She's used to being doted on so if I don't take her on at least one date with us I know she might kick up a fuss." He looked at her hopefully.



Clarissa’s eyes widened in surprise. “Of course! How is Carina doing? Is she okay?” Clarissa pursed her lips. “I’m sorry for dragging you away from her.”
Liam carefully pulled Clarissa to him and hugged her. "She's just fine, I promise you. Jack's with her and she loves Grandpa Jack. Who we should be worried about is her Uncle Jupiter. Our perfect little angel is not afraid to put poor Uncle Jupiter in his place." He laughed as he ran his fingers through Clarissa's hair. "We shouldn't stay too much longer away, but I know she'll be excited to meet you."
Clarissa nodded. “You are right. I just want to be prepared for Nyx if I can possibly be.”



Liam carefully stroked her cheek. "We can and will be prepared for anything life throws at us. Olivia is working on ensuring that you won't need to worry about that stupid Nyx anytime soon, ok? I can help you with learning the gods and the pantheon - I've done plenty of studying on them myself from before we even knew each other. I've got an arsenal of chemical weaponry, and one personal duct-tape-holder... I honestly think anyone who challenges us will be sent running for the hills before I even need to blow a war-horn." He grinned at her.
Clarissa smiled before kissing him again. “How did I get so lucky, Liam?”
"You're beautiful, powerful, and the woman I love more than anything. I'm pretty sure I'm the lucky one in this equation." He kissed her forehead and smiled.
Clarissa smiled softly. “I’m not going to leave again, Liam. I promise you I’m here for the long run.”



"I'm not going to leave you either, Clarissa. You'll always have me." Liam's voice was warm as he spoke.
Clarissa nodded sleepily before climbing back into the bed. She closed her eyes. “Can I use you as a pillow again?”
"You don't need to ask, sweetheart. I have many jobs and personal pillow for Clarissa Kwa is one of them." He smiled before following her onto the bed and tugging her against him. "I'd be anything you need me to be - just let me be with you."



Clarissa smiled. “I have no plans of you leaving my side anytime soon anyways. I love you Liam.” Clarissa said before falling asleep.
"I love you too, Clarissa."  Was the last thing she heard. She was happy even if the world was falling apart around her.