I Got Present! - Cabin in the Swamp

He leaned over and kissed her with a smile. "Glad Bethy happy"

She kissed him back, but kept her hands to herself. She really wanted steak.

"What are Chet's plans for the future?"

"For the future?" he said curiously "Whatcha gettin' at?"

She smiled and shrugged.

"Don't know."

"Ain't rightly thought of it" he said while dishing up the eggs, potatoes and bacon. "Steak soon. How does Bethy want it?"

"Bloody. And what would you do if you could do anything?"

It was starting to sound like her tongue was not entirely under her control.

The steak soon was dished up, quickly seared and seasoned on both sides. Browned, but plenty bloody.

"Who ah speakin' with?" he said after a moment's thought

She smiled and took the plate to the table, sitting.

"I'm Liz. Don't speak up much."

A lopsided grin formed on his face. "Ah remember ya Liz. Been a long time now ain't it? Ok, whats on yer mind? Guessin' the cabin and swamp thang ain't sittin' as well with ya 'all now as it used ta'? Or ya thinkin' we should just be drawin' up some long term goals here?"

She smiled as she began to feed their body.

"Long term plans. If we're out in the world, we should have a plan."

"That we should. Ya remember Leslie, the baby Gangrel? We met with the scourge, see about doin' some work for her. Scourge's deputy is an idiot lasombra, so we done flipped him the bird and took off on our own. Long story short, we had an idea ta go out an help folks some, kinda play super hero iffun ya will."

he scratched at his head in thought and continued

"Figger we gotta find a niche in this place if we gonna be out here in the world again. And ah reckon helpin' folks be a sight better than killin' 'em. Sick o' that shit. But gotta keep the reputation up, keeps folks off our ass."

She nodded.

"That would be good. But what of us?"

"Ya want ta' stay here, or be more social with folks? We could get ourselves a place in town. What do ya' all wanna do? Learn somethin' new, just be with folks?"

She seemed thoughtful for a moment.

"No, we are happy with our solitude. It might be sufficient to have a place to stay in the city so that you have a place to go to ground there."

"Mmmm yah, in case ah can't get back out here before dawn. Well, that doesn't satisfy the question o' us now does it though? We got our solitude, an' our books and thangs. But we done spent a decade just restin' and relaxin'. Need us a long term project."

She nodded.

"And this is not the usual sort of relationship. We cannot get married, have kids, and grow old. We have eternity. And all of us love you."

"Ah love all o' ya too. Even the one's ah probab'ly ain't yet met. It is a usual sort o' relationship fer a kindred and a ghoul though, and ya 'all were raised fer that. An I be in no position ta' try an embrace ya, and really don' want to take the sunshine away from ya even if ah could."

She smiled.

"So where does that leave us?"

"At a loss ah reckon. Ah would like ta' see Bethy grow some to be honest. She is sweet, and been hurt so much, but it's safe for her now, she can grow some. Mebbe we should become a bit more social, without playing the Game. Draggin' Malks in is dangerous, most folks leave us alone that way. Keeper be a Brujah, mebbe she need an assistant?"

She nodded.

"Perhaps. It would be good for her. She has grown comfortable out here, though. Things should not move too fast, or El will be riled."

"Good safe place fer her, it's what ah hoped for. Ah think even if we just took ta' bein' socialites fer a while we could at least figger out what this place has to offer all of us, an' how we can best plan fer the future."

She finished the meal with relish.

"I think that will be a good idea. But she should not be away from you for long. She gets so very lost without you."

He nodded "She be a good girl, an' stronger than she were before"

Liz stood and took Chet's face in her hands.

"All of us love you, but she most of all. You are her world. El would never say so, but she will protect you from anything. Beware that, as she will risk her life for yours."

He smiled and wrapped his hands around her waist

"Ah figured as much, ah be careful when El comes out, she's a little too extreme. Yano, ah always wondered what it would be like with ya' all wrapped together as one person, but ah kinda like havin' the lot of ya too. Gives me a lot of you to love and cherish."