Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

«It's been seven months since we escaped from this place. Not everyone made it out, but Tabitha and I did it, and that's the most important thing.
After that, the "Agency" sealed the Mist, so that no one else could get here ever again.
The fate of those who were on the killer side was different: Some were considered victims of circumstance, others were imprisoned, and some were given a second chance to redeem themselves.
Initially, they wanted to imprison as a dangerous person for society. I don't deny that I deserved it, but Tabitha… Even now, she hasn't abandoned me. Thanks to her, I was given this probation period. Not everyone was pleased with this decision, especially that police officer. But I didn't care.
And now I'm writing this diary as a form of cognitive therapy, on the advice of Dr. Hoffman, who is, like me, also on probation.
Tabi and I arrived at the sea together on her initiative. Perhaps here, we can finally find a peace.

10.02.2031»


It was the last bag full of clothes that the couple lay out. The hotel room was spacious and cozy, with a view of the sea from a high floor. After everything they'd been through, it was a real paradise.

“Do I really deserve all of this, after all that I've done?” Wren was thinking about while he looked out the window at the beach, where guests like them were vacationing.

“What are you thinking about, honey?” Tabitha asked, walking up behind him.

“It's just... I think,” Wren sighed as he felt Tabitha put her arm around his shoulders, “There’s a lot of stuff bothering me.”

Even now, Wren couldn't think of some things without feeling guilty and ashamed. But thinking about the past was harmful and, in the end, pointless.

“Just like me, mahal,” Tabitha replied, gently stroking his shoulders. “But we can do it. The worst is over...”

It was hard to believe, because it was too good to be true, but it is. No more trials, punishments, murders, or deaths. They escaped. And the only thing Wren wanted right now was a fresh start. Not as a bloodthirsty and crazed murderer, but as a loving and caring husband.

“And since we still have the whole day ahead of us, how about we head to the beach? What do you think?” Tabitha offered her idea in a softer tone.

The woman understood and saw that he was lost in his troubling and painful thoughts, and she knew that he needed to be distracted from them.

“Sounds nice,” Wren agreed, lightly grabbing her hands.

After getting the answer, Tabitha gave her husband a kiss on the cheek and led him away from the window.

***

Every day after being rescued from the Mist now seemed like a miracle. Fresh air, morning bird song, rustling leaves, and a blue sky. The noise and smell of the vast sea surrounded the couple as they strolled along the shore. The sunlight, under which the couple stood, gently brushed against their skin, and the warm sea water lapped at their feet.
But it wasn't that important to Wren. Tabitha is the most important thing in his life right now. They're together again, safe and unharmed, holding hands. Unfortunately, their children cannot be returned after that night. The couple still miss them very much, but they will still be with them, in their hearts and memories.

“The sun looks so… beautiful,” Tabitha sighed, looking at what seemed to her the eighth wonder of the world.

“Yeah… I never thought that we would see it again,” Wren replied in a lowered tone.

Besides them, other guests were also relaxing on the beach, who weren't burdened by such a tragic and traumatic experience. Sunbathing, swimming or just playing together. That's exactly how life looks and sounds. Right? However, Wren doesn't feel it.
But seeing how Tabitha looked at the world with curiosity, Wren understands that he wasn't alone and that together, they would gradually learn to be okay. The man smiled gently, lightly stroking the woman's hand with his thumb. Despite what they had to go through together and the pain they experienced in the Mist, they are still together and still in love with each other. And Wren promised himself that he'd do anything to make his loved one happy and safe, no matter what

“Oh, Wren, look at this shell!” Tabitha exclaimed as she squatted down to pick up a seashell that was half-buried in the wet sand.

It was a palm-sized shell, which looked clean and whole after the woman washed it with water to remove the adhering sand. It shone white with brown striped patterns.

“Dad! Look what I found!” The voice of little Kaya, holding a small shell in her hand, flashed through the man's mind.

“Yeah, it's really handsome,” Wren agreed with her, “I think we can take it with you to the hotel if you want.”

“I think we can take one.”

When Tabitha gets up, she notices her husband looking a bit down. She grabs his hand and gives him a comforting smile, letting him know that everything will be alright.

“While we were walking, I noticed an ice cream stand near the beach. Wanna get some?” Tabitha offered, still holding her husband's hand.

“Alright,” Wren agreed, “I'll have chocolate then, what about you?”

“Well... I'll have strawberry ice cream then.”

After kissing Tabitha on the cheek, they walked towards the same ice cream stall, where a small group of people had already gathered to enjoy some ice cream too.

***

Tabitha suddenly realized that removing a thick layer of makeup was quite difficult. This is quite tiring. But in the end, the makeup was removed, and in front of the bathroom mirror, she could clearly see many scars on most of her face, reminding her of their origins for years.
No matter how hard the couple tries to live a new life, the past will never disappear from their memory. It will painfully hit the weakest points at unexpected for them moments.

“Tabby-cat?” She heard a familiar voice behind her, which brought her back to reality, “Are you okay?”

“It's... nothing, as always in my thoughts,”

After answering, Tabitha felt a gentle hug from behind, which made her smile slightly. In the mirror, she saw not only herself, but her husband too, who had managed to change into his home clothes with a light stubble, a scar on his right cheek which he also hiding with makeup and the bracelet with an integrated tracker through which the Agency tracks his location.
Clasping the man's arms, Tabitha felt a sense of bliss as she realized that she still love him, no matter what.

“The movie is ready to watch, the fruits are cut. Want some juice?”

“Mhm,” Tabitha nodded.

Then they left the bathroom and went into the bedroom. The curtains were already closed, making the room a bit darker. But even behind the fabric, there were noticeable orange shades of light. This meant that the sun was already sinking below the horizon.
There was already a plate of fruit on the bedside table: Apples, bananas, grapes, strawberries and peaches.
While Wren was in the kitchen getting juice, Tabitha changed into her pajamas and laid down on the bed. On the other side of the room there was a TV on the wall. It showed that a cartoon called "Frozen" was ready to start.
Tabitha still didn't understand why she chose this cartoon. Maybe because the kids were really waiting its release? Probably...
Wren quickly returned to the bedroom with two glasses of apple juice. He gave one of them to his wife. When he lay down next to her on the bed, he turned on the movie and they began to watch it.
During the many years that the couple had been trapped in the Mist, the world had changed dramatically. And the first thing they felt when they returned to normal life was heaviness. This includes socialization in a new society, moving to a new place, registering new documents with new personal information... dates... names.
There is also the exploration of current technologies, new films, TV series, and music and so much more in the new world. The very concept of virtual space scared the couple, especially Wren.
One of the main reasons why they decided to go on vacation at sea was to catch up on all the things they had missed and to adapt to new realities in a relaxed atmosphere. But there was a feeling that their whole lives would not be enough to catch up.
Gradually, as they watched the cartoon, it had already completely darkened outside the window, but the TV screen and the table lamp lighting up the bedroom. The plate, which was placed in the middle of the bed, between the couple, became empty, as did the glasses for drinks. And "Frozen" was finished, although it seemed like only a short time had passed for Tabitha.
The cartoon was wonderful and... fantastic. It was heartbreaking to realize that children would not be able to see it.

“I wish that cartoon had been released a few months earlier…” Tabitha was thinking as she got up from bed to put away the dishes she'd be washing the next day in the kitchen. She was very sleepy right now, “Wren?”

Turning her head, woman noticed that he was already fell asleep. It was fascinated and relieving. She knew about his insomnia and how he couldn't sleep at night because of anxiety and the past, which he was struggling to deal with. But it seems that the trip to the sea was exhausted him so much that he fell asleep in the middle of watching. However, Tabitha knew perfectly well that Wren needed rest and sleep in his state. After all the dishes had been put in the kitchen sink, she went back to the bedroom and lay down on the bed next to her husband, wrapping her arms around his torso.

“Good night, mahal,” Tabitha muttered as she closed her eyes, quickly falling asleep.

Chapter Text

“Today is my wife's birthday and Christmas Eve is coming tomorrow. We can finally celebrate holidays in a safe and stable environment, without fear for our lives or eternal punishments. Tabitha really enjoyed the knitting kit that I gave her as a gift.
However, we decided not to buy a large Christmas tree for our first holiday, but instead bought a table one. And we decorated our room with garlands and decorations.
I really hope that everything will be alright… and nothing bad will happen with us.

23.12.2031”




Today is Christmas holidays. Tabitha just finished putting on an outfit: Christmas red dress, nylons, and santa hat.
All that remains is to put on makeup. But... she no longer wanted to stand in front of the mirror and do makeup for half an hour just to hide her scars. And, in the end, she remains the same person to others, especially to Wren, who has repeatedly told her that she is beautiful, no matter what. Smiling slightly, Tabitha took mascara and lipstick from her huge makeup bag and started applying her makeup.
Meanwhile, Wren also finished changing his clothes: A green shirt, a christmas tie, christmas reindeer horns and a light coat were still lying on the bed.
He was ready too. All that remains is to apply makeup to cover his scars. His wife usually helps him with this, but she was busy too. And he understands perfectly that it will take much more time for her transformation than it does for him, because he has fewer scars than she does. Still, he was ready to wait for her as long as it took. But Tabitha had already left the bathroom. Dressed up, with painted lips and eyelashes, but without her makeup. This surprised Wren a little, because she never openly showed her scars.

“How do I look?” Tabitha asked, showing off in front of him in her new outfit.

Wren smiled softly, relaxing as he watched his wife continue to enjoy every small thing in life. No matter how she looks, Tabitha will always be the most beautiful woman in his eyes, and he would never trade her for anyone else or anything in his life.

“You look gorgeous,” Wren replied with a thumb up.

Tabitha smiled at his reply. Soon, she came closer to her husband and gently grabbed his shoulders.

“You are so wonderful,” Tabitha said, kissing her husband on the forehead, “Let me help you with your makeup and then we can go for a walk.”

Wren felt a mixture of fear and shame after her words. After all, his beloved wife was going to leave the hotel room for the first time without makeup, leaving her scars unmasked. He wanted to support her decision and also go for a walk without makeup. But he was terrified of how people would react to him. He thought that just by looking at him, people would know who he was and all terrible things he done in the past.

“Wren?” Tabitha called him, “If you don't feel like doing makeup, that's fine. Let's just skip it.”

“No, no, it's not about that, it's just... I do not know. I'm... still ashamed to reveal my scars because they remind me of my past and who I was, but I don't want to leave you like that either.”

His answer made Tabitha smile ruefully. Despite his fears and doubts, Wren wanted to show that he support her choice. So Tabitha should let him know that she'll support any choice he makes.

“Wren,” Tabitha gently cupped his cheeks. “If you want to do makeup, that's fine, I understand your decision. I... also didn't find the strength to give up on makeup immediately.”

And yet, if Tabitha finds strength not hide her past or pain and accepts them, Wren be able to find courage to follow her example too. Grabbing her wrist slightly, he replied:

“I'll be fine, Tabby-cat. One day without makeup won't hurt us, right?”

“Of course, mahal,” Then she kisses him again, this time on the lips, and releases his cheeks, “Then for a walk?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

***

Every Christmas morning always starts with unpacking presents under the tree. This is exactly what Kaye and Jacob are doing now after waking up, while Tabitha was cooking breakfast, and Wren was sitting on the couch in his Christmas pajama not far from children.

“Wow!” Jacob let out a shout of excitement as he took a toy figure out of the box, “An Iron Man figurine! Just what I asked Santa for!”

Wren chuckled. None of the children know that at night, while they are sleeping, it isn't Santa Claus who puts presents under the Christmas tree, but their parents who bought what they want with their own money. Before the holidays, Wren worked a lot to earn more money and create a Christmas magic atmosphere for kids. At those times, he felt like a wizard. Anything for his beloved and precious children.
After Jacob, Kaia also managed to unpack the gift and there was merch with her favorite K-pop band inside. The girl only smiled modestly and, turning to her father, said:

“Thank you, Santa,” and she winked at him.

Wren winked back at her.
The girl was already old enough to understand who was giving them gifts, but she was also smart enough not to ruin the fairy tale for her younger brother.
At this moment, Tabitha enters the living room and sits next to her husband on the sofa.

“So, how are things there?”

“Everyone enjoys the Christmas,” Wren responded, wrapping his arm around her waist, “Merry Christmas, Tabby-cat”

“Merry Christmas too, Wrennie,” Tabitha snuggled close to him and kissed his cheek, “Cocoa and pancakes are ready and waiting for you to enjoy.”

“Yay, pancakes!” Jacob ran into the kitchen, holding a toy in his hands.

“Jacob! Jacob! No toys on the kitchen table!” Wren shouted, but the boy had already run off to the kitchen.

Wren chuckled again. There was no way he could be angry at his son on this wonderful holiday. Kaia leaves her merch on the floor next to the Christmas tree, gets up from the floor and goes to the kitchen next to her brother.

“So, let's have some breakfast?” Tabitha grabs her husband's hand.

“Yeah, let’s go.”





Memories of the past flooded Wren's mind as he looked at the Christmas tree in the park. Children were having a great time around it, enjoying the holiday. It was sad and painful for them to realize that those moments in their lives would never happen again. The couple really miss their children and the times when everything was fine. But life moves on, and Tabitha understands this perfectly well. They'll be fine. Not now and not soon, but they will be.

“Tabitha, will you close your eyes?” Wren asked, turning to her.

“Y… Yeah, sure,” she nodded, closing her eyes.

After making sure that she couldn't see anything, he pulled out a small box from his inner pocket. Inside the box was a silver snowflake necklace with a blue gemstone in the center.

“Don't peek,” he said fleetingly, while walking around her side.

Standing behind her, Wren puts this jewelry around her neck. For a second, it flashed through his mind how, instead of putting jewelry on his wife, he was cutting the throat of some criminal. This made Wren frown slightly.

No. Not now. Don't fucking think about it...

When everything was ready, he allowed her to open her eyes. When Tabitha saw what adorned her now, she smiled and exclaimed:

“Oh! How beautiful!” Turning to Wren, Tabitha gently took his shoulders and gave him a brief kiss on the lips, “Thank you, mahal.”

The reaction of his lover made him smile slightly. Placing his hands lightly on her shoulders, very familiar music started to play from the speakers.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
Since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

They recognized it. In the distant past, Tabitha loved listening to this song with her husband and children. And even now, when she heard it for the first time after so many years, she still adores it. This song is a part of her fond memories of this holiday, spent with her family and loved ones. And now, she's sharing that warmth with the man she loves dearly.

It doesn't show signs of stopping
And I brought some corn for popping
The lights are turned down low
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

It was their first Christmas Eve for a very long time, which they spend outside the Mist. And the only thing the couple want right now is to spend time together. Soon, they began to dance smoothly to this music, still holding each other. At that moment, they felt more free than ever. Like birds fluttering in the rhythm of happiness and joy. It was both amazing and amusing.

“Look! It's Santa Claus and the Reindeer!” A child's voice was heard.

The couple stood still, listening to the environment, thinking that they probably had imagined it. But when a group of kids ran up to them, the couple realized that they were calling to them. This amused Tabitha and confused Wren.
The children looked cute in their costumes: Elf, Rabbit, Fox, Cat and Snowman.

“Oh… hello there, little ones. Where are your parents?” Tabitha asked, releasing Wren and turning to the children, “Aren't you too young to walk alone?”

“Small, but mighty,” The boy in the elf costume replied.

“Heh, I already like them,” Wren chuckled, crossing his arms.

“Miss, you look very beautiful,” The girl in the bunny costume made Tabitha feel a little bit embarrassed.

“And... where did you get these scars?” The boy in the snowman costume asked.

This question put poor woman in a stupor.
It was pretty obvious that people would have questions about their looks and whisper behind their backs, but they never expected to get asked about it directly.
Although this question no longer causes strong triggers, but it's not worth dedicating small children to this living nightmare.
What should they tell them?

“This is our battle scars,” Suddenly, Wren took the lead, “We received them while protecting Christmas and your childhood dreams.”

Wren's answer elicited children's delight. Now they wanted to hear more details from the fairy tale that he was currently composing for them. And he tell them a fairy tale.
About how they fought with "nightmares" and banished them back to their world, sealing them there.

“...it was only thanks to Santa we were able to prevent those nightmares from realizing their evil intentions and get rid of them once and for all,” Wren completed the story.

“So… there will be no more nightmares?” The boy in the fox costume asked.

“Never again.”

“Wow! Santa Claus is so cool!”

It was obvious that the children really liked the story invented by Wren, and it made show Tabitha smile on the face. These moments of happiness not only distracted his mind from memories of the past, but also allowed Wren to feel like a parent again for a while.
Soon, one of the kids had a notification on his phone. Taking the device out of his pocket and reading the text on the screen with no buttons, the child's face became slightly puzzled.

“Oh, it’s my mom. She texted that everything was ready and we could head back to the hotel.”

“Good luck to you and have a happy holiday, kids,” Tabitha waved goodbye to them.

“Thank you, you too!”

Soon the children ran towards the hotel, leaving the couple alone. But they didn't have any heavy feeling in their hearts. In fact, they felt lighter and more relaxed. After experiencing these events, the couple learned to appreciate small, seemingly insignificant moments spent in freedom with a loved one.

“And when did you manage to read the story?” Tabitha asked, hugging his arm.

“Invented,” Wren shrugged his shoulders, “But every fiction has a bit of truth in it, right?”

And it really is. After all, if Santa saves children by protecting their dreams from nightmares, then Tabitha saved Wren from himself, protecting him from irreversible turning into an amoral monster.

***

Night had fallen. Palm trees and buildings were decorated with colorful and bright garlands. The first fireworks started going up in the sky, and more people came out for a walk with their families.
Only the beach remained that small island of peace and quiet where the couple were walking now. They were currently sitting in one of the deck chairs, relaxing after such a long walk and enjoying the nighttime view of the ocean. It got colder, but not enough to get freeze. Still, Wren puts his coat on Tabitha to make her feel comfortable.

“Thank you, Wren,” She nodded, resting her head on his shoulder, “Oh, look, I think I see Sirius!”

As students, they really liking to watch the night sky full of stars during their dates. Wren knew their locations well, and he could spend hours talking about a particular star and the constellation in which it might be located. And even after all these years, Tabitha still remembers the locations of some of them. Besides, it's winter now and Sirius is most visible at that time.

“Yeah, I can still see Procyon nearby, and Betelgeuse too. Guh... turns out I  still remember something after all these years.”

Wren felt how her hand lightly placed on his. This sign meant more than a thousand words. And he rested his head on hers too.

“I love you, Tabby-cat.”

“I love you too, mahal.”

Sometimes, night reminded them about the Mist with its endless darkness and an unnatural large, dim moon. But this night... it was more natural and lively, decorated with bright stars and the snow-white moon.

“Let me take a picture.” Tabitha said, taking out her camera from her handbag.

“Uh-h… yeah, sure. Why not?”

Wren didn't liked to be photographed, because every time he looked himself in the pictures, he saw not a middle aged man, but a monster. But every time he agreed, because he knew that they had almost nothing left that could remind them of their past lives. And now, Tabitha is filled with idea and desire to create new memories from a scratch.
The camera was quite old for the current time, and a few days before the flight, they managed to purchase it for a relatively low price.
Having made herself comfortable on a chaise longue, Tabitha pointed the camera lens at herself and her husband. Snuggling up to each other, the couple smiles and she said:

“Say cheese!”

After that, there was a click and a flash came out of the lens, luckily it's not that blinding as Eiji's flash during the trials. Photo was ready. Tabitha was pleased with the result. But the woman was worried about Wren's unnatural smile. But her wariness quickly melted away as soon as she heard a group of three people walking past them.

“Oh, hello there, pretty princesses!” One of them shouted, raising his hand in greeting.

Wren was alerted. Intellectually he understood that there was nothing they could do anything against them, but his inner fear for their safety and well-being made him cautious and prepared to protect Tabitha, who seemed amused by this situation.
And wait a second… pretty princesses?

“You’re an idiot! It's a man and woman!” The second person made a comment to him.

“Oh shit for real?” He took a closer look, “Oh I’m so sorry bro! I got a little confused, but you're pretty too!”

After his remark, Tabitha's laughter became even more intense, causing Wren's cheeks turn red.

“Let's go already!” The girl exclaimed, taking his hand and continuing to walk along the beach. “I’m sorry, his kind an idiot.”

“Hey!”

“That’s okay,” Tabitha nodded at them, calming down a little, “Merry Christmas to you all!”

“Thank you. Merry Christmas to you both too.”

After that, the company continued to walk, leaving them alone. Wren relaxed, they are no longer in danger.

“You look cute,” Tabitha said, starting to look at the photo on the camera display again, “What about to take another photo and then head back to our room?”

“Only the last one,” Wren smiled.

***

The couple just finished watching "Home Alone". Even after all these years, this Christmas movie still remains iconic. And in the old days, they loved watching it with the whole family.  
When they are done cooking Christmas dinner, Tabitha quickly goes into the bedroom and takes out a well-hidden gift bag from the closet, which she had been working on for a long time. She also takes something special out of the closet and puts it in her pocket.
Hiding the present behind her back, Tabitha returned to the kitchen, where Wren was finishing the final preparations.

“Wrennie,” Tabitha called out to him, smiling.

“Yes, Tabby-cat?” Wren turned to her.

“This is for you,” she handed him a present.

She was excited. The first Christmas, after so many years, that they spend together. Wren, sitting on a chair, begins to unpack the present he has received. Inside it was a neatly folded Christmas sweater in chocolate shades with white patterns. It felt soft and warm, and it felt handmade.
This brought back a warm memory for him of their first Christmas together, when they were dating, and how she had given him a Christmas sweater that he carefully kept it until he went into the Mist. Unfortunately, it hasn't survived like most things from their past live.
This made him smile a bit sadly. He missed those days.

“Thank you, Tabitha.”

This sweater really suited Wren, which he put on himself. This made the woman very happy. He looks so cute.
Wren pops the cork from the bottle and pours some drinks into two glasses, one for him and one for his wife.

“Well... for the Christmas Eve,” Wren clinked glasses with Tabitha, who was sitting next to him.

The couple disappeared for 18 years in the real world, but in the Mist time passed differently and they stayed there much... much longer. It's still hard to get used to the fact, but now they have a great chance to rebuild their lives from a clean slate. And yet, it's easier for them just not think about it anymore, especially during the holidays.
The champagne itself tasted light, refreshing and sweet, not cloying. The dinner was delicious too. Such delicious and satisfying dishes after so many years imprisonment.

“Wren, can you take a photo of me?” Tabitha asked, handing him the camera.

“Sure.”

Wren grabbed the camera and pointed it at the woman. When she looked into the lens, he clicked button, capturing the moment. She looked amazing.
While he was looking at the finished photo, Tabitha took a very special object from her pocket.

“Honey,” She called out to him in a playful voice.

“Yes, Tabby…”

Paying attention to her, Wren noticed how Tabitha was holding a Christmas mistletoe between her fingers, causing him to blush.
Christmas mistletoe has always been seen as the guarantee to happiness and eternal love. And if people meet under the mistletoe at Christmas, they have to kiss each other.

“Uh… I…” His blue eyes darted from the mistletoe to his wife, “Tabi…”

But she grabbed Wren by the shoulders, still holding mistletoe and began to approach him. For a while, he looked at her with a dazed expression, but he quickly accepted her invitation and allowed Tabitha to lead him to her, touches her soft lips and her eyes closed instinctively.
Despite the challenges they have faced and the terrible things Wren has done in the past, there is still love between two of them. But sometimes, he feels like he doesn't deserve her love, warmth, and affection. Didn't deserve to be with her. She definitely deserved something better and more. But still... she was still by his side. She didn't leave him behind and believed in him when he didn't believe in himself at that time.
They slowly pulled away from each other. The couple looked at each other lovingly for a while, until Tabitha spoke:

“Merry Christmas, Wren.”

“Merry Christmas too, Tabby-cat,” Wren replied, kissing her on the lips.

Tabitha's hand reached for his hair and began stroking it. So sweet. Outside the window, people were shouting and having a good time, while Christmas music continued to play from speakers. However, couple no longer paid attention to them. They felt good and comfortable in each other's company.

“I love you,” Wren whispered, placing his hands on her shoulders.

“I love you too, mahal.”

This Christmas night belongs only to them. No one and nothing can take away this magical moment from them.


Even the most darkest and desperate moments in their lives.