And he watched a crying, desperate Chuck transform into a beautiful white unicorn and break the glass.
His desperation was heartbreaking.And Theo understood.
The images faded into shadow until all there was, was light.And so Theodore chased the light, until he found the man it was emanating from.
Theo reached out for the man, offering him his hand.
“You’re not alone,” he said.
The man, thin and pale, looked scared.His blue eyes were dull and his hair, not shiny or well kept.His horn glinted off the light emanating from between them.
“But you’re never going to find what you want unless you let go of the past and let someone elsein.”
The man fixed his gaze on Theo.“You just want me to let go of her so you can have her.You just want to take the last bond I have left because you want her for yourself.”
Theo sighed.“I came here because of that, yes.But that’s not why I’m here, now.”
The feeling of despair and pain and loathing pervaded in the space.And Theo knew exactly what he needed to do.Because it had been done for him, twice.
Once when Trick took him under his wing, and once when a hellhound drove him home.
So, Theodore Lange held his hand out to the bitter pegacorn.
“Hi, my name’s Theodore.Like the chipmunk.But you can call me Theo.”
Chuck looked at his hand as if it were a snake.But Theo did not remove it.He kept it still in the space between them.
Chuck looked at him, then his hand.And then Theo felt the warmth of Chuck’s hand in his.
“Name’s Pegasus.But everyone calls me Chuck.”
Theo smiled and shook his hand.“Nice to meet you, Chuck.”
And just like that, the world dissipated into reality once more, and Theo blinked, noting Mars, Lorelai, Spike, Izzy, and Calliope were hovering over him...and Pegasus—er, Chuck—along with many other people.
For the second time that night, he sat up, and Spike held his shoulder.“Easy, you two took a fucking fall.”
Chuck groaned beside him as Mars helped him up, squeezing his shoulder.
“You all right there, Chucky?”Mars asked, the concern evident in his voice.
Theo noticed how Chuck looked different.His eyebrows were furrowed, his expression softer.
“What happened?”he asked, and even his voice was different.
“Theo knocked you out with his superpowers, obviously,” Izzy murmured.
Chuck looked at Theo, his blue eyes sparkling with something that wasn’t there before.
Hope.
“Theo...”he said Theo’s name, and it was not harsh, but rather as if he was truly hearing it for the first time.
Calliope’s gasp pulled all their attention.
Theo lunged forward, grasping for Calliope, needing to feel her in his arms.
“Theo, look,” she whispered, and it took Theo far too long to actually look because he was too caught up in her scent, her hair, her flesh, her mouth...
