Chapter 34: A Place to Rest

Diablo stepped out of the car before I could reach for the handle and opened the door for me.

As I climbed out, he regarded me with his usual composed expression.

“I will have the results within three days, My Lord.”

“I know you will.”

There was no reason to doubt him.

If Diablo said something would be done, then it would be done.

I gave him a small nod before turning toward the house.

Behind me, the engine came to life, and by the time I reached the front gate, the car had already disappeared into the darkness, leaving the street silent once again.

The moment I pressed the doorbell, I heard hurried footsteps from inside.

A second later, the door opened, and Helen stood there.

The worry on her face melted away the instant she saw me.

“You’re back,” she said with a relieved smile before asking, “How was your practice?”

“It went well,” I replied.

“It was… helpful.”

“I’m glad.” She stepped aside to let me in before asking, “Did you get the money in time?”

“Yeah. Thanks to you.”

“That’s good.”

After slipping off my shoes, I walked straight into the living room and dropped onto the sofa.

The moment I sat down, it felt as if every ounce of strength I’d been holding onto throughout the day finally abandoned me.

My shoulders felt heavy, my mind wouldn’t stop racing, and all I wanted was to close my eyes for a while.

Helen noticed almost immediately.

“Do you want me to warm up dinner?” she asked from the kitchen.

I slowly shook my head.

“No… I’m not hungry.”

It wasn’t exactly a lie.

I was hungry, but the thought of eating made my stomach churn.

Every time I tried to clear my mind, today’s events forced their way back in.

My first kill.

Malik collapsing in front of me.

Charles Xavier and the possibility of telepaths reading mind.

The plans I had to make, the dangers waiting ahead, and everything Diablo and I had discussed during the drive home.

It all blended together until I felt mentally exhausted.

More than anything, I wanted to tell Helen what had happened, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it tonight.

I just wanted this day to end.

“I think I’m just tired,” I said quietly, rubbing my eyes.

“I just want to sleep.”

Helen looked at me for several moments without saying anything.

She didn’t ask what was wrong or try to force an explanation out of me.

Instead, she walked over with the same patient expression she always had.

“You should still eat something,” she said gently.

“Even if it’s only a little. You haven’t eaten since lunch.”

I gave another slow shake of my head.

“I really can’t.”

A quiet sigh escaped her lips before she finally nodded.

“Alright. I’ll put your dinner in the fridge. If you wake up later and feel hungry, just heat it up in the microwave.”

“Thanks.”

I leaned farther back into the sofa and closed my eyes, hoping I could simply stay there until morning.

The cushions felt far more inviting than climbing the stairs, and I was already half-asleep when Helen’s voice reached me again.

“Chris, you’ll be more comfortable in your room.”

Without opening my eyes, I muttered, “I think I’ll just sleep here. I’m too tired to go upstairs.”

There was a brief silence before she answered, her voice calm but firm.

“No. You’re sleeping in your room.”

I opened my eyes and looked at her.

She wasn’t angry, but the expression on her face made it obvious she wasn’t going to let me argue.

After staring at her for a second, I let out a tired sigh and pushed myself to my feet.

“…Okay.”

Dragging my feet toward the staircase, I paused halfway up and looked back over my shoulder.

“Good night, Helen.”

A warm smile spread across her face, though the concern in her eyes hadn’t disappeared.

“Good night, Chris.”

Helen POV

I remained in the living room for a few moments after Chris disappeared upstairs, listening until I heard his bedroom door close.

Only then did I realize how tense I’d been.

The moment he walked through the front door, the knot in my chest had finally loosened.

I’d spent the entire evening telling myself there was nothing to worry about.

Chris wasn’t reckless, and Diablo had been with him the whole time.

Even then, every passing minute had made me wonder if he’d come home hurt.

Maybe that fear wasn’t really about Chris.

Maybe it was because of George.

There had been far too many nights when George came home bruised or bleeding, acting as though it was nothing.

He always expected me to believe a smile and an “I’m fine” would somehow erase the hours I’d spent worrying about him.

It never did.

Even now, after all these years, those memories still found their way back whenever someone I cared about walked into danger.

I let out a slow breath and pushed the thought aside.

Chris wasn’t George.

He thought before he acted, planned before he moved, and I trusted him far more than he’d probably ever realize.

But trust didn’t stop me from worrying.

He was only seventeen, yet every day another responsibility seemed to find its way onto his shoulders.

I just hoped he remembered that he didn’t have to carry everything alone.

Before I could dwell on that thought any longer, hurried footsteps echoed down the staircase.

Gwen appeared a moment later, almost jogging into the living room.

The first thing she did was look around the room before her eyes settled on me.

“Where’s Chris?”

“He went to bed,” I replied with a small smile.

“He said he was exhausted.”

The disappointment on her face was immediate.

“Oh… I thought we’d have dinner together.”

“He could barely keep his eyes open,” I said sympathetically.

“Let him get some rest. You’ll see him tomorrow morning.”

She gave a reluctant nod.

“…Alright.”

I smiled and gestured toward the dining room.

“Come on. Dinner’s getting cold.”

We ate in comfortable silence for a while, though it quickly became obvious that Gwen wasn’t paying much attention to the food in front of her.

Every now and then, her eyes drifted toward the staircase before returning to her plate.

Seeing that, I couldn’t help smiling.

“Don’t worry,” I said gently.

“He made it home safely.”

“I know,” she replied, though her attention quickly returned to her plate.

For a few moments, neither of us spoke.

She absentmindedly pushed her dinner around with her fork, a thoughtful expression settling on her face as if she were replaying everything that had happened that afternoon.

Finally, she looked up.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

She hesitated, as though trying to decide whether the question was worth asking.

“Do you think… Chris actually needs my help?”

The question caught me by surprise.

“What makes you ask that?”

She let out a quiet laugh and shook her head.

“Just… everything that happened today. One minute he was talking about buying the entire neighborhood, then he was making plans for a laboratory, and after that he mentioned bringing over his cars as if none of it was a big deal. Listening to him, it almost felt like there wasn’t anything he couldn’t accomplish once he decided on it.”

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Starting today, I’ll be resuming DC: Reborn with the Dread Core.

Since that was my first fanfic, I know it isn’t perfect, but it means a lot to me.

If you started reading my work because of that novel, I’d really appreciate it if you checked out the new updates.

And if you’re new, feel free to give it a try!

I’d also appreciate any constructive criticism if something feels out of place.

It was my first attempt at writing a fanfic, so there are probably mistakes that I overlooked.

I’ll do my best to improve them as the story continues.

As always, thank you all for your support.

It truly means a lot to me!