[Much like the apartments you already have. Again, a sticky key is left for you. Ew.]

::Andrea walks in with Chloe. She finally lets her hand go, which she'd been gripping very tightly. Putting the key on a small coffee table, she wipes her hands on her hospital jammie bottoms, not sure why they suddenly feel so greasy. She walks over to the window and briskly draws the curtains, letting the warm sunshine pour into the room, and turns around to look at Chloe, silent, feeling uncomfortable.::

::After an intense silence, Andrea sighs.::

"Chloe, uh, listen, I'm gonna go out for a bit. I think I maybe need to clear my head."

::Swallowing, she approaches Chloe and leans in. She pauses. Pecks her on the cheek. She goes into the bedroom and gets changed into the conveniently there clothes. She smiles grimly at her girlfriend and scratches the back of her neck.::

"I won't be too long, okay? Settle in or something."

::Exits to the hallway.::

::Lets herself in.::

"Honey, I'm home..."

::Chloe, who's been sitting on the couch, doesn't really respond, although her stomach jumps at the sound of Andrea returning. After a few moments of silence, she speaks.::

"I hate it when you leave. I just sit here, hoping you'll come back."

"I'm sorry. You should've said."

::Andrea walks in further and then heads over to Chloe, sitting on the floor in front of her, looking up into her eyes.::

"How are you?"

::Chloe fights making eye contact, her gaze shooting about the room. Her eyes finally rest on Andrea's.::

"What can I do to help you? Can I touch you? Can I hold you?"

::She sighs, holding her head in her hands for a moment. She drops her hands, returning her gaze to Andrea's face.::

"I don't want to end up losing you because I do something wrong... cross a boundry or something. Just... talk to me."

::Taking a deep breath, Andrea puts her hands onto Chloe's knees and looks down.::

"I feel bad, Chloe. Every time someone lays a finger on me I notice it and it makes me feel uneasy. And it makes me feel stupid too because I know the last thing you want to do is hurt me."

::Tries to not cry but fails.::

"But I can't help that every time I go to kiss you I think of her, and what she did, and it hurts so much."

::Starting to sob now, Andrea's back bends forward so she's curled up into a small ball.::

"It just hurts and I don't know if I can take it."

::Chloe knees on the floor next the Andrea, tears streaming down her face. She hesitates like mad, tears streaming down her face. After about a minute she asks,::

"C-can... Can I hold you?"

::Trying to swallow the huge lump in her throat, Andrea continues to sob, feeling utterly desolate and just desperate for Chloe's affection, but unable to ignore this huge barrier she now feels between them. She nods, crying heavily, and collapses into Chloe's arms, just forcing herself to deal with it, feeling as much discomfort as she does solace in her girlfriend's hold.::

::Chloe rocks Andrea carefully, tears continuing to stream down her face.::

"It's okay, Andrea... You'll be okay."

::Cries even harder, really breaking down.::

"I don't think I can, Chlo."

::She chokes, hardly able to make proper words.::

"I can't stop thinking about what happened and it's so horrible I just can't handle it anymore."

::Chloe shakes her head, her tears becoming angry.::

"No, you will move on. You can't let that bitch win. You can't let it take over your life, Andrea. You can't. I won't let it happen."

::She sobs, guilt sinking in.::

"I wasn't able to protect you, so now I have to help you heal."

::Sniffs and wipes her eyes, shuddering into Chloe's arms.::

"Okay."

::Nodding a little, she pulls away and sits on the floor, shivering with sudden cold.::

"Okay."

::Chloe wipes her face quickly.::

(I have to be strong. I've got to be the strong one.)

::She shivers at Andrea's shivering. She stands and rushes to the bedroom, wrenching the quilt off the bed. Chloe returns and kneels next to Andrea, places it around her. She then scoots away a bit, sitting and holding her knees, giving Andrea space.

Her thoughts drift to the cause of her love's pain.::

(She deserves death.)

::Wraps herself up a little tighter and breathes deeply, looking at Chloe.::

"Can we go lay down or something?"

::Chloe jumps slightly, her attention returning to Andrea.::

"Yes, of course."

::She breathes, vaguely disoriented for a moment, then stands. She takes the few steps towards Andrea, then helps her stand, taking her to the bedroom. She just kind of... stands in the doorway, unsure of... stuff.::

::Andrea throws the blanket on the bed and takes off her jeans. She glances sidelongs at Chloe then darts over to her, grabbing her and throwing her onto the bed. She jumps on top of her and holds her down, smiling thoughtfully at her. Leaning down, she places soft kisses all over Chloe's face, then begins to lay lingering ones on her lips, closing her eyes and pressing her lips down onto her girlfriend's.::

::Chloe kisses back passionately, but then stops Andrea, holding her face in her hands. She studies her eyes.::

"Are you sure?"

::She gently pushes a stray strand of hair behind Andrea's ear.::

::Whispers.::

"I don't wanna..."

(She thinks I...)

"Um..."

::She pulls herself into a sitting position instead of laying on Chloe and smiles softly at her, deciding not to answer. Instead she leans back down and kisses her again, eyes closed, gentle smile on her lips.::

::Chloe squints vaguely.::

(Did she think I thought she...? Fuck...)

"Ands..."

(Don't question it, fuckwit...)

::She kisses back softly.::

"I don't either..."

::Andrea chuckles and smiles down at Chloe.::

(It's okay. It's okay. You can do this. You have the control.)

"I don't want you to feel afraid to touch me. I'm... coping."

(And just because kissing you is hard doesn't mean I won't do it.)

::Smiling what looks to be a genuine smile, she leans down again.::

::Chloe frowns slightly, then forces a more happy expression.::

"Okay."

::She presses her lips into Andrea's slipping her arm around her waist to pull her closer.::

::Sensing Chloe's suspicion that she might not being one hundred percent honest, Andrea shifts her hips and falls down beside Chloe, pulling her further up the bed, until they're lying on it properly. She tugs the covers over them and disappears under the sheets, fumbling with Chloe's pants, pulling them down and then kicking them out onto the floor. She resurfaces and nuzzles into Chloe's neck and slides a leg on top of her, cuddling into her and sighing.::

"Will you stay with me, Chlo?"

::Chloe speaks softly, her voice breathy.::

"I will."

(But would you let me take your pants off without you having a panic attack?)

::Chloe sighs.::

"Mmm."

::Nuzzles a little more into Chloe's neck, half laying on top of her. Their breathing synchronises; Andrea relaxes and begins to doze. Her lips press into Chloe's neck over and over, affection and warmth slipping from one girl to the other. She quickly falls asleep.::

::Chloe holds Andrea gently, feeling herself falling all over again. She places dozens of kisses on her forehead, then looks thoughtfully at the sleeping figure. She speaks quietly to her.::

"I love you so much..."

::She places one last kiss on Andrea's forehead, then allows herself to drift off to sleep.::

::Wakes up with a yelp, sweat on her brow. She sits up, ruffling Chloe all over the place, and looks frantically around for any sign of Carys.::

::Hunos makes his way in, all beetly and such. With a smooth movement he changed back to his default cat state. He makes his way over to the bed, where Andrea is currently sitting up and looking all frantic.::

"Are you alright, miss Andrea?"

::Gasping a little, Andrea stares at Hunos for a while before registering who he is.::

"Cat."

::Steadies her breathing and looks around more, unused to this new home, before her eyes come to a rest on the sleeping Chloe beside her.::

(Good, I didn't wake her up.)

::She looks back at Hunos.::

"I'm okay... how're you?"

"I'm fine, Miss Andrea, you just looked a little upset."

::He scampers into the kitchen and returns a moment later as a chimp, holding a glass of water. He places it on the bedside table and transforms back into a cat.::

"Here, take a drink."

::Andrea sighs, disconcerted at seeing Hunos shapeshift in front of her, and picks up the glass of water.::

"Thanks."

::She positions her pillows so they're leaning against the headboard and rests against them, petting the bed beside her.::

"Come sit up here with me, cat."

::With a soft purr and a nod of his head Hunos leaps onto the bed and with soft footing makes his way to where Andrea patted. He sits, looking rather uncomfortable and faces Andrea.::

"Is there something you'd like?"

"Just to stroke you."

::She holds a hand out, then pauses.::

"If... that's okay, of course."

"If you'd like to..."

::He pushes his head into her outstretched hand, purring and twisting.::

"One of the pros of being a cat."

::Smiling, Andrea rubs Hunos' head and scratches him behind his ear, then suddenly pulls him onto her lap, bringing her knees up so he's resting in the crook of her body. She strokes down his back and rubs his chest with her other hand, and softly begins to cry.::

::Huns begins to purr softly, stopping when the muted sounds of Andrea crying reach his ears.::

"Miss Andrea?"

::Tries not to sob.::

"It's okay, cat, I'm fine, just ignore me okay?"

::Her body starts to shudder with grief as her tears catch in her throat and she can't stop the choking sobs coming out, curling forwards closer to Hunos and wrapping her hands around him, her tears soaking into his fur.::

::Hunos can't help but feel the sting of a tear in his feline eyes. Wanting desperatley to change into human form to console her he has to settle for nudging his head against hers and placing a paw gently on her crown.::

"There, there Andrea."

::He snuggles up to her in a small attempt to lend some comfort.::

::Hunos' affection comforts Andrea more than she can tell him. Animal contact makes her feel much more at ease than human, but Chloe's presence isn't hurting her either. She sniffs and rubs him behind the ear, swiping at her eyes with her bare arm.::

"Did Chloe tell you what happened while I was out?"

::She askes with anxiety in her voice, unsure what Hunos might think of her and finding this idea to be very unnerving.::