And I love her (for CaptainL)

[RedShinigami]

George was silent, usually he could go on hours and hours, talking about this and that, about wrestling, about drinks, about england, the royal family and so on and so on and so on...
Now he was silent and ate with Chelsea, enjoyed the peacefulness of it all.

Still he saw the match that was fresh in Chelseas bones. He had seen it. Every minute of it and it had hurt him. Sure, Chelsea and Molly had started this whole ordeal and had challenged the Carnival Girls time and time again, using every dirty tactic they could, but what went down he just could'nt overlook. Even if they were the bad guys, this reaction that they got was too much even by a heated crowd. And what went down at the end with Shaina, George would have loved to be there and show this little runt a few of the tricks of the cane he had worked on as a hobby. But in the end it was a wake up call both for Molly and Chelsea. This was the wrong way that would bring them no success.

George still could see some slight, almost faded bruises at Chelseas face and sighed. If he could have been there, helped her...if he just could help her. And now George too looked at his meal with long sighs, his gaze absent and brooding until Chelsea mentioned, true working class style, that his food was delicious. George smiled. "Thank you sweetheart.", he said and wanted to take the dishes when Chelsea got up. "How about we do that together. Later.", he smiled and brought the dishes over to the sink.

"The left door, the bath is the right door.", he said. "I take a shower and make us some popcorn then.", he said and went to his drawer. "There we go darling.", he smiled and gave Chelsea one of his shirts.

Then he left to clean the day off of him. She was staying, she was really staying. What did this mean. Did she just need it or... George did'nt want to think about it. The last thing he wanted was to take advantage of Chelsea so he showered extra hot to get all those thoughts out of him. When he came back into the room he was only wearing his pajama pants and rubbed his hair dry before putting it over his shoulders. "I make the popcorn now. Just take a seat. Have a beer...", he said and opened the refrigerator to throw a bottle in Chelseas direction.

Soon the sound of little canons could be heard and the characteristic smell of hot butter and salt filled the air as George opened the bag and filled popcorn into a bowl he took with him. He took a seat next to his friend and smiled. "You look nice.", he grinned before turning on the TV. "Those streaming services are great. Every series you want... One click away." And now they started their adventures with Count Duckula, Igor and Nanny, trying to escape this harsh reality for some time. Of course one beer followed the next and after an hour the laughter became louder and slower.

" I... I remember this episode... That was great...", George cackled and almost fell of the couch. "Really... I..."

He found back his balance and went forward only to drop against Chelsea but instead of shifting away he stayed where he was, he could smell her hair, felt her warmth, felt her curves that were hidden under the thin fabric of the shirt he gave her." Are you having fun?", he asked and softly laid an arm around her and then took a deep sigh. "Chelsea, you are not worthless.. ", he said. "Worthless would mean without any worth to anyone and this is'nt true... You are precious... To me.", he said, barely keeping his balance.

[CaptainL]

"Mm. Thanks..." Chelsea followed George's directions, turning down the hall and into the bathroom after she took the shirt he passed her. The first thing she did after she closed the door was to turn on the sink, splashing some cold water in her face. She had to be kidding herself if she really thought any of this was going anywhere, she thought. She didn't care about George; he just happened to be one of the only people around who could understand her. If she met any Britons who were any modicum less obnoxious and transparent about their flirting, she would have cut him off in a heartbeat and saved herself the trouble.

Yet, Chelsea couldn't help but linger on the thought, staring into her reflection in the mirror as the water dripped off her chin. She let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping against her exhalation. No matter how much she tried to tell herself otherwise, she couldn't shake one thought - she knew that George's understanding of her went beyond their shared mother tongue. Everyone else Chelsea knew had brushed her off as a brute, a lout, someone who was just looking for a drink and a brawl. She'd always been too distant, too antisocial; she never seemed to make any effort to extend a hand to anyone, so they felt there was no use in trying to extend a hand to her. It had been that way ever since she was in school, throwing fists at anyone who looked at her funny. She found she needed to harden her heart in order to survive, lest she be too soft to defend herself from those who were out to get her. But everyone around her saw her heart was frozen solid, and no one would care to look at what lay beneath the ice. They didn't care what she felt. They didn't care what she longed for. That, deep down, she was jealous of the love and attention her sister got, and that she asked herself time and time again what she was doing wrong. She was just Chelsea Forster, the rough, tough, trash-talking Scouser. No one bothered to ask how she was doing. No one bothered to ask how she was feeling.

Except for George, anyway. Like no one else had, George had come forth to her. He wanted to reach out to her, to help her, to understand her. He had made it clear that if Chelsea had no one else, she at least had him to be a hand she could hold onto, a voice to laugh with in the good times, and a shoulder to cry on in the bad. Hadn't that been all she'd wanted, all along?

With a huff, Chelsea stepped back from the sink to pull off her old clothes, folding them neatly on the countertop. She pulled George's shirt over her head; it covered her nicely, though she still wore a pair of panties underneath just to be safe. Then, she slipped the ribbon out of her hair, shaking her head out to let her tresses fall loose around her shoulders. She let out a long, slow sigh. She just needed to get comfortable and relax. Maybe doing that once in a while would do her good...

Chelsea went back into the living room, and not long after George came into the room too, bare-chested and drying himself off. Chelsea looked up toward him, and as her gaze settled on his body, running up and down along his form, a blush came to her cheeks. She had to admit, for as annoying he could be, he wasn't too bad on the eyes...but she soon bit at the inside of her cheek, turning her head aside. She didn't need him noticing where she was looking, because she knew he wouldn't shut up about it. Instead, she caught the bottle of beer he tossed her way, and she looked back over at him with a smirk before she flopped on the couch. "Mmf-! Good show, dat..."

Soon, the TV was running, the popcorn was steaming, and Chelsea was seated on the couch. Every once in a while, she reached over to grab some popcorn or a sip from her bottle, and on more than a few occasions she burst out laughing at the jokes - even, from time to time, laughing at the same jokes he did. For once, everything felt right with the world. Chelsea's prior losses wouldn't bother her, not now. They seemed far away, and this was the only thing that mattered. Even if she was hundreds of miles away from home, here, she felt like she had never left. It was warm. It was familiar. It was comforting. And perhaps...that was all she had wanted, in the end.

George would catch himself as he nearly fell off the couch, leaning in against Chelsea. At first, she blinked, looking back at him with some confusion. But she didn't fight it. What was there to resist? She felt good here, she felt happy here. Her head came to rest on his shoulder, and she let out a long sigh as she nestled in closer beside him. "Yeah...oh, yeah, I'm having fun..." Chelsea said, her voice coming through suddenly soft and clear, as though all the anger and the tension had left her body. If George looked back at her, he would notice her smiling - only by a little, but it was still there, as she settled into a place of peace. Even as his arm reached around her side, Chelsea let him. She just wanted to be held; she didn't care by who. And even then, there was something about his touch that just felt right...

But as Chelsea heard the next words out of his mouth, something felt...off to her. She stiffened ever so slightly, and when the two were so close, George could no doubt notice her muscles going taut. "Eh..? Who said...I was worthless..?" She looked off, staring down at the floor; she couldn't stand to look George in the eye. Did he know how she felt about herself? And if so, how? It was one of Chelsea's deepest secrets; she wouldn't dare let on about her angsts and her insecurities. Those would only make her weak. They were holding her back from really shining. She couldn't trust anyone with the knowledge that such thoughts even existed in her; if they came out, she would never be taken seriously again.

But maybe...with George, just maybe, they were safe. Her expression softened, and her cheeks flushed. Ordinarily, she would have called him out for being so sappy, but...the thought that she was precious to someone didn't feel so bad after all...

[RedShinigami]

Maybe it was this cold heart, maybe it was her attitude, maybe the fact she was british through and through or her pretty looks that were hidden under pouts and angry grimaces but George knew all to well that it was everything combined in the person that was Chelsea Forster. He fell in love with her the day she came into his pub and started to chat with him.

George of course was never the person to hold back with his emotions and immediatly flirted the best way he could only to receive slaps, punches, tantrums and insults only to go back into offense again. This was how he was in the end. George Fortunato was no quitter. Still he was a gentleman and when he saw that Chelsea had enough of his nonsense he would stop, bring her another beer and get the conversation elsewhere.

Still he loved her and very much so. Also she seemed to be one of the first woman who would'nt get soft knees at his charme. Of course this played a role but it was hardly what George was looking for. In fact, George, even he had ties to each and everyone in this world, felt lonely. The casual adventures with some women were intresting but not fulfilling. What they had done today was living like a couple. Chelsea came homes, talked of her work, George would greet her with a drink, they would have dinner and then they would be on the couch until they would go to sleep or doing other things involving a bed.

George had enjoyed this evening. In fact this was one of the nicest evenings he had since he moved out from home. He sighed and pressed his face in Chelseas locks that made her look so beautiful now they were open. His head was already a little spinning, making him more honest then he would be without alcohol in his system.

He felt Chelsea leaning on to him and the arm around her slim midsection hugged her closer. The soft smell of George shampoo, popcorn and beer filled the air as they got close. And then George just went for it. He knew he had to say it and if Chelsea thought that something so obvious was'nt clear to him then he just could shake his head. "Darling, its ok.", he whispered as he felt Chelseas muscles stiffen. "Shhh... No need to blush. Just wanted to tell you that even if you think no one cares. I care.", he said and pulled her back closer, holding her head against his chest so Chelsea could be soothed by his heartbeat.

Duckulas Adventures went on without both of them really noticing and George got a better idea. He turned down the the television and leaned back, taking Chelsea with him. Before Molly could finish it that idiotic good for nothing brats had interrupted something dear to Chelsea and this was what made George really angry. Whatever had happened. It was important to Chelsea and he felt her body getting softer again he started to sing "You never walk alone", the official anthem of the FC Liverpool, Chelseas Home Team. He took his other hand and began to stroke her hair as if it was a nursery rhyme.

Spoiler

https://youtu.be/OV5_LQArLa0

It was quiet, the weather outside had'nt gotten any better, cold wind was blowing against the windows next to them. Nothing of that was important. They had each other as George started to sing. "Come Darling, you know the lyrics.",he cheered her on before going on with the song.

[CaptainL]

As she leaned in closer to George, letting out a long sigh as her body eased against his side, Chelsea felt the slightest hint of a blush coming to her cheeks. This felt...like a date. No, more than that; this felt as though the two of them had already been together for years, like they were an old married couple. They ate together, they watched TV together, Chelsea came to complain about work, and George was there all the while to hear her out, to understand, to be an ear that could listen and a shoulder she could cry on. If she had been faced with this any other time, the similarities certainly wouldn't be lost on her. She wouldn't even want to be within ten feet of anything suggesting that she and George had something going - not to the world around them, and certainly not to George himself, who would surely take this as a cue to double down on his annoyances. Tonight, though...Chelsea didn't care. She knew that there wasn't any use in fighting it. Whether she liked it or not, she needed something like this, and there was no energy she had left in her to resist.

She let out another sigh, listening to George's words. He definitely liked her - that much was obvious. He was a shameless flirt and a womanizer, but Chelsea knew that as far as she was concerned, it went beyond his usual antics. He cared about her on a deeper level; there was a true emotional connection between the two of them. If he didn't care that much, he wouldn't have gone to all the lengths he did tonight, to help her, to make her feel better. And at least...it was something. She had something. And when that was all she had, she knew it was worth treasuring. The softest of whispers left her mouth, barely anything above a breath, but as close as George was to her, he could make out the single word that left her throat: "Thanks..."

Then, as he turned down the volume on the TV, Chelsea looked up at him. She wondered what he was planning on now - but then, he began softly humming along the words to You'll Never Walk Along. The same song that had become iconic to the legendary Liverpool FC, and the same song she had used as the British Bunnies' entrance at We Are LAW - before the Carnival Girls had to ruin it, of course. The Bunnies' showy display had gotten a fair amount of jeers from the fans who thought they were wasting their time, but deep down, it meant more to Chelsea than that. Making it onto a PPV was a big moment in their career. It meant they were picking up steam - that they were going somewhere. Their future looked bright, and she wanted to make sure that when they made their entrance it was with an impact that no one could forget. When everyone brushed it aside, it frustrated Chelsea even more...but now, she knew that there was someone out there who recognized all the work she'd put in. And when she thought on that, she smiled just a little wider.

She nodded to George, scooting closer against his side. If they were going to sing...it was time to do this right. Chelsea reached for his hand, gently stroking his palm with the surface of her thumb, but she was quick to launch into the first verse: "When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high...and don't be afraid of the dark..."

The first thing George would notice, as Chelsea began to sing, was how different her voice was. While he had only heard her through gruff, angry grumbles, when she sang - when she put her effort into it - her voice was soft and clear, carrying the tone with perfect rhythm and wavering her cadence gently with the rise and fall of the tune. It was the voice of a trained musician - a look into the life Chelsea might have had, had circumstances not pushed her into wrestling. She had everything she needed to succeed there - but no one believed in her, not even herself.

And, as she went through the next line - "At the end of a storm, there's a golden sky, and the sweet silver song of a lark..." Chelsea took a pause, for just a few seconds, to look back at George, and her smile grew just a little wider. It wasn't until the words were in her mouth that Chelsea realized it. Perhaps she was walking through a storm - but maybe she really wasn't alone, after all.

"Walk on through the wind...walk on through the r-rain..." Chelsea's voice began to falter ever so slightly, her tone wavering as a tear welled up in her eye. But this wasn't a tear of sorrow or despair, like those she'd been crying through the rest of the night. No, this time, Chelsea knew she had what she'd always wanted. She was too happy to contain herself.

[RedShinigami]

George shifted a bit so Chelsea could come closer, a invitation the blonde girl immediatly took. George got his arms free and wrapped on of them around the slender midsection of his friend and the other one would be taken by Chelsea soon who listened to Georges soft words.

George started the famous anthem of the Reds and waited for Chelsea to join in. Its lyrics were full of joy and hope, something Chelsea could really need now. George knew much about the life and the sorrows of the Liverpudlian but there was still more to explore and with every kind word and every friendly gesture, the "rough, brutal brawler" Chelsea Forster showed more and more of her, letting George know what made her sad and what made her happy.

As for the Londoner, he just wanted Chelsea to be happy, to smile and be glad to be alive. And if he could be part of this life it would be all the better. And then suddenly, every thought was driven out of George mind when he heard Chelsea sing...

That was Chelsea? His Chelsea? That just could'nt be true. He needed to make sure that he was awake but what came out of the sweet mouth of the Blonde next to him left no room for questions. He felt Chelseas hand stroking softly along his and a blush came to the womanizers face. This was what it meant to be in love, truly in love, he thought as Chelsea went on.

His arm tightend around her waist and he just listened to the words coming out of Chelseas mouth, so soft, so beautiful, so clear. And without even noticing, tears started to form in his eyes too as he listened. Then he heard Chelsea crack for a second and looked down to see if she was upset. She was'nt. The angelic face of his friend was relaxed and a smile could be seen on her lips.

Still, George knew that now was the time to join in. He shifted again and suddenly they were forehead to forehead on the couch, his arm holding her tight while is other arm embraced her too...

"... For your dreams be tossed and blown..."

"Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone"

"You'll never walk alone... "

"Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone"

They looked into each others eyes, tears welling up in both of them. Tears of joy and affection. But there was something in them that meant even more, something that had formed a bond for them that went deeper as just fellow countryship. And so they went on to sing this last words...

"You'll never walk alone..."

And then, George did'nt even think twice about it, he closed the distance and kissed Chelsea, here on this couch, in a stormy march night. It was a long, deep, meaningful kiss and George was not afraid of what could happen. He had too much alcohol in his system, was much too emotional and touched due to Chelseas sudden revelation and what was the most important thing, he was much too happy to ever have any doubts.

[CaptainL]

Chelsea could feel her heart beating faster as she joined George in song. She knew that it was so contrary to every image she put forth for herself - the Chelsea Forster of the British Bunnies, the one that everyone knew, the trash-talking, brawling, no-nonsense Scouser, would never do this. She'd never get this sentimental with anyone, and she wouldn't do anything so ridiculous as getting lost in a duet. But...for once, Chelsea could leave that part of her behind. For now, it didn't matter. Now, she didn't need to be the Chelsea everyone knew. She wanted something to hold onto. Something that made her feel a sense of place when her world was constantly shifting and changing too quickly for her to keep up with, when she wasn't even sure of herself. And she had found that in George. For as annoying as he could be, for all his flirting and teasing and obnoxious comments...this felt right.

Chelsea was at peace, here with George, their voices joining one another in a harmony that seemed so perfect, so in tune with one another, that it seemed impossible that this could have been their first song together. Chelsea thought that when her attempts at getting into a musical career hadn't worked out, she had turned her back on them for good. Wrestling was what really called to her, she thought - it was where her talents could truly shine, where she wouldn't need to worry about other people not accepting her for who she was. But she hadn't quite lost that part of her she'd turned her back on - the softer side, the gentle-voiced girl who just wanted to let her song be heard. That was still in her, buried deep down. And with George, she finally felt like she could let it show, without worrying about being scorned for it.

As the two finished their song, Chelsea drew back from George with a sniffle. The tears welled up in her eyes, but she let them trickle down her cheeks, with no attempt to hide the emotions she felt. It didn't matter if George knew the part of her she tried to hide. She trusted him with it. It would be okay. And, slowly but surely, a smile crossed her face as she let out a breath, her muscles slackening and her features softening. Maybe...she really could count on George. She didn't know if it was the alcohol, or the depression, or anything else, but...she was glad to have him.

When he leaned closer to meet her with a kiss, Chelsea didn't even fight it. In fact, she let out a long, slow breath as she relaxed into his embrace, her body pressing closer up against his as she scooted closer into his lap. She wanted to get closer to him; she wanted to hold onto this forever. She was lost, alone, hopeless. But George had shown her the warmth, the care, and the love she had always wanted, more than any amount of victories or championships she had pursued in the name of proving herself could ever compare to. This, in the end, was all she needed.

At last, when the two of them broke away, Chelsea looked up to George with a smile on her face. Her eyes were glowing softly, and her cheeks flushed a faint red - she was barely recognizable as the same stern, boistrous woman she was in the ring. But as she pulled her arms closer around George's sides and scooted futher to press her head into his chest, she didn't care. For just this once, she was content to be who she was, with him.

"George...thank you..." she whispered, "really, thank you so much...I really don't hope you mind if I..." And, realizing that no words could finish her sentence better than actions could, Chelsea pulled herself further up along his body, hoisting herself from around his waist to plant a kiss of her own on his lips. After all he had done...it was the least she could do.

[RedShinigami]

George was stunned by what he had seen and heard today. This was not the Chelsea Forster that anyone at LAW knew, it was like as if Oliver Reed suddenly had turned into Princess Diana. And it was all reserved for him. This Chelsea, this softspoken, beautiful english girl with the voice of an angel sang just for him, as he did for her. George, always being the entertainer, had a fine voice of his own and thei soft sounds of their vocal chords filled the air of the cozy little flat located over an english Pub in Tokyo, thousands of miles away from where George and Chelsea originated. Both in a strange country, both searching for an anchor that kept them over the surface, so they would'nt drown in the culture of this land.

George felt Chelseas breath at his lips as he sang with her, eye to eye, her blue orbs big and glimmering, filling with soft tears that escaped them. The Eastender made sure to catch everyone of them while they sang, his thumbs constantly went up and down her cheeks as they sang together. It felt warm, it felt right. George knew, he always knew of course, but now he really realized it that this girl, flawed as she was, was meant to be with him, flawed as he was. So they could be flawed together. What was perfection anyway? It was endless boredom. The Carnival Girls would like to be perfect. Tch, those living skittle candies...

He smirked a bit but never let his performance slip. George would'nt allow that. He was an entertainer extraordinaire after all. He was always dressed right, always been prepared and when he had to improvise even that went smoothly. George never had experienced any form of stagefright or any nervousness before one of his acts. He had grown up as son of an italian circus artist, he knew what was to do, to make the people laugh, gasp in awe, cheer and give everyone a good time. Often he had used it to get deals with his countless contacts or getting ladies into bed, scheming and lying his way into their hearts.

But not with Chelsea. Everything the Londoner did was absolutely true and honest. Yes, of course he had seduced her a bit with the soft music and the bodycontact but still it was more about making Chelsea happy then to get her into his bed. And now it seemed that all his efforts bear fruit as Chelsea opened up to him. He smiled and looked into Chelseas eyes as they sang together. It was easy for George, he always had heard the song in the pub of his grandpa and in his own. Even if he was an Arsenal Guy there was no denying that the Reds where the absolute masterclass in english football and deep inside every true brit was proud of them. And after the devastating match, giving Chelsea so much frustration and pain, George had decided to double his efforts in making Chelsea feel at home.

They ended their song and for a moment they looked into each others eyes dreamily before George finally got the courage to do what already seemed only a formality now. They kissed. For the first time they kissed and George wrapped his arms tighter around Chelsea as to bring her closer, an effort the liverpudlian seemed to support as she scooted closer. And then as they broke it, George almost wanted to say something before Chelsea hushed him, looking him into the eyes. And now George was close to tears. What Chelsea said to him, was so genuine, so honest and also, he never had her seen like this. Her hair was open,her features were'nt pushed into a hateful grimace, an arrogant grin or anything that any LAW fan would see and immediatly recognize. This Chelsea here was an angel. Like her sister she was a natural beauty and now that all of her depressing thoughts and the hate against life left her, at least for this night, she was the most beautiful girl in the world to George. No not just to him, she was the most beautiful girl in this world.

And before George could answer, Chelsea kissed him of her own free will. The eyes of the young pub owner went wide with surprise but soon he had wrapped his arms tighter around her as this kiss got deeper then the other one before. Was the first one a kiss of sweet meaningsfulness, their first kiss, a promise of love, then this one was a kiss of two lovers, knowing that they were made for each other. For a second George felt as if he was standing in a place with soft green grass, blooming trees and flowers and he and Chelsea kissed, far away from everything that could hurt her.

When this second seal was broken, they both sat there on the couch, hugging each other tight, not speaking a word. Only the wind that blew against the windows could be heard. George sighed and decided that fumbling words and questions around would'nt do. It would only confuse them, maybe make them unsure. So he just grabbed for Chelseas behind, got up and dragged his friend over to the big bed, standing in the room. It was big enough to get five other people in, especially as neither George nor Chelsea were particulary big.

There George lifted the blanket, put Chelsea down and then plaved himself next to her, never breaking their bodycontact as he still held her hand. He sat at the edge of the bed, the blanket was still open, waiting for him to come under it. And still, after all he had sworn himself a minute ago he sighed. "I am an english man. No more, I am an english gentleman. To break my promise to a lady would be a greater sin then to wear a hat inside...", he started and smiled a bit as he squeezed Chelseas hand. "If you want me to be with you. I stay. If you want me to go, mylady, I will leave you at peace now.", he whispered and did'nt seem to break the promise he gave Chelsea.

[CaptainL]

Chelsea couldn't help herself. She needed this. She'd been alone for too long. Even before she'd come to Japan, even at home, she was alone. She might have had her sister, yes, but that was it. Molly was the only one who understood her; the only one she could turn to, who she could trust not to judge. Every time she'd tried to get close to anyone else, it had only led to fights, to shattered opportunities, to bruised egos and blackened eyes. Eventually, Chelsea realized it was hopeless to keep her heart open to the world. If the world was telling her that she couldn't rely on anyone but herself, then she'd at least have herself, and she couldn't worry about whatever anyone else felt.

Yet even then, she was left asking herself if any of it was true. She didn't know if she had Molly - with her sister focusing on her studies, it seemed as though the two of them were drifting further and further apart. Molly was away at school, and Chelsea was away at pubs or training at the gym. It was only when they came home at the end of the day that they saw each other - and when they were in the ring. But that didn't seem to help, either. The British Bunnies were starting to rise through the ranks, slowly but steadily; they'd made it onto We Are LAW, and they'd garnered quite a bit of attention in the leadup to that match. But that whole time it had been Molly who they'd cheered for, who was getting all the press, the attention, the followers online - even if Chelsea told herself that didn't matter as long as she could still wrestle, it still stung. If the two were both trying their hardest to succeed, and yet Molly was the golden girl even in spite of her inexperience and in spite of all the times she'd been unable to keep up, while Chelsea only received scorn and disdain, did she even have Molly? Were they destined to be driven apart, out of Chelsea's own inability to still her jealousy? Should she even have been so jealous in the first place of her own sister - was that, too, a sign this wasn't meant to be?

And, for that matter, did Chelsea even have herself? She'd told herself that as long as she could wrestle, as long as she could stay on top of the game in her matches, then it wouldn't matter - she was still doing something successful with her life; she had something to be proud of. Yet she couldn't deny that she had more losses on her records than wins. Almost every match against the Carnival Girls, no matter how close things came, still ended in the Bunnies' defeat. What was there to be proud of? She'd gotten onto We Are LAW not by her own merits, but because people wanted to watch her lose. No matter how hard she tried, it still wasn't enough. The more Chelsea lost hope in herself, the more she drew away from the world, grumbling, lashing out, getting drunk and passing out on the couch and waking with a bad hangover the next morning just to forget about everything for a few minutes. She was left alone with herself, and yet, it was her own self-loathing that had gotten her there in the first place - it was herself that was driving her even deeper.

If there was anyone Chelsea had...it would be George. George, who always listened to what she had to say. Who was always trying to cheer her up, no mater how eccentric his methods might have been. Who never questioned Chelsea for feeling the way she did, and who only cared that she felt it. And George, who had led her here, who had shared this moment with her, just so that she could have a chance to smile.

As Chelsea broke away from the kiss, her face had softened, her lip trembling nervously and her cheeks running with tears. But still, a smile came to her face. She was always afraid of being soft, of showing this side of her to the world...but she was safe with George. Here, she'd be okay. It would be okay. And George, no doubt, would realize that Chelsea had never smiled like this before, a smile so soft, so gentle, and so honest. This was the smile she'd always wanted to show the world, but was always too afraid to. But if there was any time she could show it, it would be now.

She clung close to him, never questioning it for a moment as George led her to the bed. She didn't even question its size; all she did was settle in against the mattress, feeling its soft surface sink beneath her weight as she let out a sigh. George tried to explain himself, telling Chelsea she didn't need to do anything she didn't want to. But the Scouser didn't hesitate. She held firm to George's hand, and she was already pulling herself closer as she slipped underneath the blankets, pulling herself tight around George's chest as her arms looped around his back to join in a hug.

"No, George..." she said softly, the tears running from her eyes. "I...want to be here. I want to be with you...at least, just tonight. Please. I...don't want to be alone, tonight. Not when I can have you..."

[RedShinigami]

George, next to Molly, was the only constant in Chelseas life since she left London, hell maybe her entire life up to that point, but George soon noticed the cracks in between the relationship of the sisters. Chelsea and Molly, who were very different anyway saw each other in the evenings to eat and talk about their day and that was it. George knew about this. They trained, they ate and that was all that connected them. And as terrible as it sounded, this was the reason for their unimpressive victory ratio, their constant losses against the Carnival Girls even if they were close to win...

The British Bunnies were no unity anymore. Even if they knew their moves and worked together, if you saw their matches you knew that something wasn't quite right. The moves of the Carnival Girls, untalented fruit loops as they were, where like dance, choreogeaphed, hardhitting and never failing. Meanwhile the Bunnies were much more sloppy, having the talent but concentrating much too much on bragging and sucker punches. George would never chastised Chelsea for it. She was a heel, that was what heels did. But in this last match, there was so much sadness, so much loneliness in the scousers eyes and when she got beaten up by that little freak show runt, unable to help Molly while the fans cheered their destruction, George saw something break in Chelsea and he knew, deep insidey that he should have been with them to even things out. To zap the lights out of that little shit and let Chelsea and Molly beat her into a pulp. How grandios would that have been, the best punchline ever...

But then again, how would that been helping Chelsea? Sad as it was the Eastender had to admit to himself that it would have thrown Chelsea only deeper into the hole in which she got trapped. In the end it was'nt about the Carnival Girls, not about Molly, it was about love. Love for the miunderstood Chelsea Forster from Liverpool, England.

George sat down again as Chelsea clung to his body. He could'nt leave her alone, not now, not ever. He knew what he felt and he knew that his feelings were real. And then he said something both would forget in the morning hours as it had'nt been said but deep inside their hearts would know what had been engraved to them this evening.

George wrapped his arms around his friend, protecting her, shielding her from sorrow, anger and pain. And that was when he said it the first time...

"I love you..."

There was much to much beer in George system to really comprehend the power of his words. But he meant it. Sober or drunk. He got into the bed with Chelsea, his big, kingsized bed where he had tons over tons of meaningless sex, saying girls and boys alike what they wanted to hear and threw them out after breakfast. But not here. Chelsea was'nt anyone, she was the one.

The girl of George Fortunatos heart, his love, his life...
"I love you... From the first day you came into the pub, ther first time I laid eyes on you...", he said and looked her in the eyes. "And my love for you only grew. Chelsea, it is'nt true that you are alone or unloved. I, George, I love you.", he said and kissed her while the weather outside turned into a blizzard it seemed as the storm let the windows rattle.

"I never leave you again. Whenever you need my help I will be there, watching over you.", George said while their forheads met after their next kiss. "I just... Want to be around you. You make so happy Chelsea. So incredibly happy...I am sorry I was'nt there to help you. I am truly sorry Chelsea. "

[CaptainL]

I love you.

Hearing it shook Chelsea to the core. It shocked her; as though it were a knife being plunged straight into her heart, it left her whole body tingling with the thought of it alone. Her body tensed up, and her heart quickened. Had she really heard that? Had George really meant that? Did he feel that way...about her, of all people? He was handsome, he was personable, he had swayed more people than Chelsea could possibly count to his side. He could have anyone he wanted. And he chose her - a short-tempered, hot-headed, trash-talking lout. There was no way anyone could possibly love her. Why would he want to?

And yet...despite it all, Chelsea couldn't argue with it. There was some part of her, something deep within her, that heard everything he said, and knew that every single word was sincere. Why else would all of this have happened? That he'd invited her to stay, that he'd made her dinner, that he'd dried her tears and listened to her as she cried...it had to be true. And the way he said it, the way he was opening up this way to her...it wasn't his usual wry, sarcastic tone. No, this was coming from the heart. It wasn't often that George spoke so seriously, and so openly. But that was enough to tell Chelsea that he meant this. That it was something special, something he'd only show now, just for her.

She couldn't hold herself back any more. Chelsea pulled her arms even tighter around George's sides, guiding herself closer. She buried her head into his bare chest, and her tears tickled at his skin as she let herself sob. "No one...would ever feel that way about me...like you do..." she sniffled. "I don't deserve it...I shouldn't...but...I want this, George. All I ever wanted...it's right here, now...this is all I ever thought I needed to be happy. And you've done it all for me, and I don't even know why..."

When he leaned in to kiss her, this time, she returned it without a second thought. She let out a sigh, her body going slack and at ease against his own; she draped herself over him, and he could feel the weight set into her body as she rolled over to lay on top of him, staring into his eyes. He could see hers, too, welling up with tears; one of them fell off of her cheek and onto his. But her eyes were soft, open, caring. This wasn't the fierce Chelsea that had taken on the Carnival Girls out of sheer desperation to set the record straight. This was a Chelsea that, above all else, just wanted to be loved - and now that she had gotten it, she couldn't help but cling to it, never wanting to let go.

"You...don't have to be sorry, George..." she breathed again in a soft voice. "You've already...done more for me than I could ever deserve..." And with that, she leaned in closer, going to plant a kiss of her own against his lips.