Sean's eyes widened, feeling the heat radiating off Darkiplier. Sitting up off of him, Dark shouted so loudly in anger that Sean was jerked straight out of his dream. Sitting up on his bed, he panted out uneasily. "Oh, crap..." Putting a hand to his pelvis, he swallowed and tried to calm his racing heart. Subconsciously, he rubbed the soft skin there and whispered aloud. "Are you ok? Daddy is... is in a mood." Exhaling all his tension, he slid off the bed and headed out. He felt like a good walk would help him relax. While part of him wondered if he could see Dark's rage from miles out. He imaged volcanos erupting or hills wreathed in flames. There was nothing. Outside was beautiful and sunny. Following a stone path through a garden, he came upon a large pool nestled around beds of brightly colored flowers. Glancing around, he stripped down to his underwear and slipped into the clear cool water. After feeling sweaty and stressed for so long, it felt good to just take a minute for himself. Swimming from end to end over and over, he let the water wash his worries away. He couldn't recall the last time that he'd been in a pool. Just as he was beginning to enjoy the soft sounds of crickets and sloshing water, he heard Marvin ask him coolly. "You don't think very highly of me, do you?"

Continuing to swim laps without looking at him, Sean admitted honestly. "Hard not to. You kidnapped me. Hold me against my will. What am I to think?" Stepping into his line of sight, Marvin told him just as honestly. "I didn't kidnap you. HE did. He's trapped you in that place. Can't you see how bad that is?" Stopping to tread water in the center of the pool, Sean retorted bluntly. "Dark didn't trap me there. I live in England. I can return whenever I want. You caught me down there because I'm... Nevermind. You don't want to hear it." Sean began to swim again as Marvin asked seriously. "Tell me. Help me understand why you want to go back to him so badly? I can provide everything you need here. Everyone else is content here... Why can't you be?" Huffing, Sean blurted out. "Are you sure about that? They seem pretty pissed off to me." Crossing his arms, Marvin stated flatly. "They were a lot happier not having to worry about Anti. Now they worry that bringing you here has put them all at risk. But you're family." Spitting water at Marvin, Sean shot back. "Anti is family too, but you axed him. Us corrupted fuckers must stay together." Rolling his eyes, Marvin sighed back. "Anti and your demon KILLED Chase's family. Anti has possessed Chase. How am I supposed to forgive that? Are you blind to the misdeeds he's done?"

Sean ignored the question, prompting Marvin to say softly. "You've seen and don't care. What is it about him that draws you in so deeply?" Grabbing the edge of the pool, Sean coughed water before answering. "You wouldn't understand. I know what Dark is. I know better than anyone what he can do. But... deep down. He's more than that. I'm attracted to a man that would burn the world down to save me. I can't help but love that he desires me so much that he blinds those that look upon me unless I say otherwise. I... I love that even though he holds the whole world hostage... I'm the one he can't bare to lose." Shrugging, he chuckled out to Marvin. "After years of feeling like I'm invisible... Dark, makes me feel seen. When everyone else forgets me... Dark doesn't. He's always there." Kneeling, Marvin asked him seriously. "He chased your girlfriend away. Your friends... You feel this way because he's isolated you." Drifting back from him in the water, Sean told him honestly. "Yes. He did. I won't deny that. Dark... has his moments where he is a bit... excessive. But Anti was coming for me. He wanted him to love him again and he found me." Shaking his head, Marvin told him boldly. "He doesn't love you. He loves Anti then. They are meant for each other. Not you."

Staring him down, Sean retorted icily. "Mark was Dark's vessel. I'm Anti's. Dark is meant to be with me. Anti... he doesn't want to love Dark anymore. He wants to be free. Something he can't be because he's linked to me... and I love Dark. Somehow, we'll make it work." Marvin groaned, but Sean shot out defiantly. "You can ground me. You can chain me in my locked room. You can imprison me here for eternity, Marvin. But I'll never stop loving him and the harder you try.... The longer he'll torture you when he arrives. So, please, Marvin. As family... let me go. I'm trying to save YOU." Marvin rolled his eyes, prompting Sean to grab his wrist. Marvin jerked in surprise, but Sean refused to let him go as he informed him in a low voice. "Marvin, listen to me. Khaos wants Dark to destroy the world. To start over. Only... this time... WE, our family, won't be in it! She hates Anti and me because Dark LOVES us. He'd do anything to save us. You can't let her win, Marvin. Or we'll all die." Marvin inhaled deeply, averting his eyes. Pulling his hand closer to his chest, Sean pleaded to him. "Marvin, whatever she told you. It isn't true! You have no reason to trust me... but TRUST ME! Dark is in the middle of a power struggle in hell. He needs me to help put her in her place or we're all dead!"

Marvin shifted uncomfortably, adjusting his hand to look over the ring on Sean's ringer finger. After a moment of looking it over in silence, Marvin mumbled out distantly. "She lied to me... She said Dark put the ring on you and she took it off to save you. She said... the ring had convinced you to marry him. To be his prized whore." Staying very still, Sean whispered back firmly. "She doesn't want me to marry him, Marvin. I bring out things in him that she doesn't want him to be. Losing me... Marvin, Dark is dangerous when I'm not around. Please. He can't be left alone to worry, or he'll do things that she WANTS him to do in order to get me back!" Swallowing, Marvin reluctantly asked him with bright worried eyes. "I've foreseen your future. Every path. Every choice... You always go back to him. I can't stop it. I just... I see us dying. My visions don't tell me how to stop it. I... don't know what to do. How do I keep them safe...?" Squeezing Marvin's hand, he told him confidently. "Lower the barrier. Let Dark through. Just him. I'll do the rest." Getting to his feet, Marvin told him seriously. "Get dressed. Follow me. For all our sakes... I hope you're not wrong about this."

Dressing himself, Sean excitedly followed Marvin out to the front of the house. Staring out at the sinking sun in the distant horizon, Marvin told him cautiously. "I can lower the barrier enough to summon him here, but its risky... It will drain my power to let summon a demon like him through. I might not be able to put the barrier up behind him." Biting his lip, Sean blurted out. "Then don't summon him! Create a portal like you did to grab me. Let Dark come to me on his own." Marvin's jaw dropped as he said distressed. "What?! Summoning him allows me to bind him! To keep him from hurting anyone. If I just let him through... Are you crazy?! Even on a good day, Dark's power is ancient! If he loses control, I'd have no way to stop him!" Stepping closer, Sean told him firmly. "I'm your way to stop him. Open it." Marvin hesitated, but let out a curse and raised his hands to open a portal in the yard. With the portal opened, Sean grinned before it faded. Dark was standing with his back to the portal, all around him the place was burning. Catching sight of the portal, Verine yelled out to him in a panic. "SEAN! CLOSE IT! DARK IS-!" Hearing his name, Dark turned and Sean gasped sharply.

Dark was almost unrecognizable. His long sharp black horns were out in full glory. His thick black hooves crushed bones to dust beneath them as he turned. He snorted a mix of fire and steam from his nose and his eyes were darkened to an abyss of blue and red flames. He looked angrier than he'd ever seen him. Dark's long tail snapped wildly behind him as he turned to face the portal, baring sharp fangs and exhaling thick waves of heat. Sean recognized the place behind Dark. Gossip's realm was burning to the ground. The hundreds of souls she had were screaming in agony as they burst into cinders. Dark had gotten so angry that he couldn't kill Khaos... but he could kill the person who betrayed him. Gossip squirmed in Dark's hold on her throat, pleading desperately. "Let me go! Look! He's fine!" Dark paid no attention to her. Instead, A distorted scream tore from her as her pink skin broke out in fiery red cracks. Lava leaked from every hole of her body, but she didn't die right away. She clawed at his arm, screaming louder before he snapped her neck with one hand and charged toward the portal! Verine jumped out of the way, screaming out to Sean. "CLOSE IT! NOW!" Marvin tried to close it, but Dark's hands grabbed the edges and pried it back open by sheer force! Marvin lowered his hands, mumbling out in fear. "Oh, fuck!"

Stepping through, the portal shut behind him. Leaving Dark standing menacing in the open yard. The grass burning to ash from the heat rolling off of him. Dark's tail swayed wide and threatening behind him. His fiery eyes locked ahead with a rage that made Sean shake. Dark stood almost twelve foot tall in this form and his skin was dark grey. Sean stepped to the side, thinking Dark was mad at him about something. Only to realize that Dark wasn't looking at him. He was looking at Marvin! Letting out a deep growl that rattled the windows of the house, Dark scrapped a heavy hoof across the ground like a bull and braced to charge at him! Marvin glanced at the house, lifting his hands to cast as Dark charged straight for him with one of his powerful hand ready to swat Marvin into the dirt. Realizing Marvin was going to die, if Dark landed the blow, he ran out between them. Marvin could only scream his name as Dark reached them at a full run with a hand ignited in pure white flame! Turning fearlessly to face him, Sean shouted at Dark "STOP!" Everyone held their breath as they watched from the windows. Dark's hooves suddenly dug into the ground and his fiery hand slammed into the ground at Sean's feet to keep himself from sliding into him.

Gesturing with his hand for Marvin to back up out of sight, he told Dark calmly. "Dark? I'm ok. Let's talk?" Dark looked beyond speech as he growled and tilted his head to stay locked on Marvin like a predator with only a single thought. To kill. Marvin nervously backed up, warning him cautiously. "Sean... He's not... You should..." Sean shushed Marvin over his shoulder, stepping into Dark's line of sight, telling all the Septiceyes confidently. "Just don't move. He's fine." He inched closer, feeling Dark's heat lessen and his body restlessly shifted. Taking a risk, he reached out to grab his heated horns and exhaled as the horns stopped radiating heat when he touched them. Leaving them pleasantly warm to the touch. Using them to direct Dark's attention on himself, he ordered him in a loving voice. "Dark? Damien? I know your mad... but I need you. We... need you." Dark's fiery eyes faded to his solid black ones, his gaze dropping to Sean's stomach. A shiver ran through him as Dark's expression slowly changed as his meaning sank in for him. In moments, Dark was back to his normal size and his horns vanished into puffs of smoke. Dark was panting heavily now, but as he rose to his feet, Sean grinned brightly. His Dark was back. Without a word, Dark wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into a protective hug.

The way Dark buried his face against his neck made Sean feel warm and fuzzy all over. Sliding his own arms around Dark, Sean felt how badly Dark was shaking. Rubbing his back, he whispered how much he missed him and loved him. Anything to help him stop shaking before anyone else saw. From the outside, he was sure they saw Dark shaking with what appeared to be angry aftershocks. However, Sean could feel the difference. It was a subtle difference, but Dark's fingers pressed hard into him and his breathing was shallow. He was afraid. Afraid he wasn't going to make it? Afraid something would happen to him if the others learned that he was pregnant? Kissing Dark's neck, he relaxed in arms and asked him innocently. "Do you need to lay down, Sweetheart? I know it helps calm you down...?" It was a flat out lie, but he only said it in case Marvin was listening and watching. Easing off him just enough, Dark nodded but kept him close to his body. Taking his hand, Sean casually led Dark toward the house, telling Marvin nicely. "I'm gonna calm him down. Then we can talk. Ok?" Marvin nodded, jumping back when Dark's eyes flared to flames again as their eyes met. Slipping between them again, Sean pushed Dark to keep walking, telling him sweetly. "Kill him later. Dark...? Please?" Dark snorted but obeyed.

As he led Dark up the stairs, he overheard Flynn as someone in a low voice. "How the fuck did he do that?" Jack-a-boy let out a light chuckle, answering just as surprised. "Boy is a damn demon whisperer. How should I know?" Letting Dark walk into his room, he quickly closed and locked the door. Pressing his hands to the door with a relieved sigh that felt like a hundred-pound weight. He had no idea if Dark would stop. It was just a gut feeling. He could have easily died with the rest of them. Sean inhaled slow and deep as grey hands slid around his sides and rubbed up and down his torso. Pressing his head to the doorframe, he mumbled out to him in a whisper. "I'm ok. I just need a minute breathe." Against his throat, Dark's voice was rough but beautifully deep when he told him. "Breathe. I've got you." Sean hummed, tilting his head back to Dark's shoulder as Dark's hands moved lower to his pelvis. When his warm hands pressed to just the right spot, he inhaled a bit sharply. He felt a sudden tingle and warmth there that made him spread his legs a bit. While against his ear, Dark purred to him a bit guilty. "I think scaring you, scared it... I'm sorry." Guiding one of Dark's hands under the hem of his pants to the same spot, he whispered into his ear in return. "It's ok. You're just... you're being a protective dad."

Dark purred and Sean had to hold his breath as the baby responded to it with soft vibrating of its own. Dark's purr stopped short, having clearly felt it himself when he said a little surprised. "Did you feel that?" Letting out a light giggle, Sean nodded, telling him cautiously. "Careful... you make it do that too much and I'll pee." Dark grinned so beautifully, hugging him close and purring loudly and affectionately against his neck. While his warm hands moved over his pelvis to feel the lesser vibrations he got in return. Rolling his eyes, Sean told Dark with a smile of his own. "As tiny as it is... it purrs as strong as you do." Kissing his cheek, Dark asked gently. "When did you find out?" Patting Dark's leg, he honestly told him. "Same as you. Only Dr. Schneeplestein knows. Did Verine...?" Dark shifted restlessly, coaxing him back toward the bed, when he admitted. "I didn't get a chance to talk to him. I... I lost control. The thought of her using you and... Sean if she learns of-" Before Dark could finish, they froze as Khaos' voice coyly stated aloud. "Learn of what? That Verine found a way to spite me after years of devouring his children for my youth?" Dark turned, keeping Sean behind him as he growled.

Sitting lavishly in the window, Khaos turned her eyes on Dark, adding blissfully calm. "Thanks to that ring. I know all about Sean's little demon." Dark's hands grabbed Sean's hips, sneering out. "This has gone too far. Stop this." Khaos inhaled deeply, before sighing out. "I'm willing to concede this fight...in exchange... I want your child, Darkiplier." Sean's gut twisted as he huddled closer to Dark, allowing her to state with glinting eyes. "You can always have Verine make you another. It's a simple solution. I'll stop and let you... bind yourself. And all it will cost is that babe when it pops out. Do we have a deal?"  To Be Continued...