I don't own any of the characters in the Chuckyseries, I am just an admirer writing some fiction as I suffer from inspiration and writing addiction. Hello readers, I'm back with another and the absolute final chapter and I apologise that you've had to wait this long for it. I've been a very busy lady. Writing this story has been a long journey and I have really enjoyed it. I hope you've enjoyed it too. I had no idea this story would be so impressionable, thanks for every comment and follow. All of your comments are very encouraging for me as a writer. Please leave a comment with your thoughts and if you have the time you can look at some of my original work where you can find the link on my profile. Thanks again Skin readers! -EA.

Skin

By EerieAlice

Part VII

Summer 1985

The drinks were going down swimmingly and the dance floor seemed like a haze as the warm night drew on. Meredith Lambeth was enjoying the ball at the hospital. She'd brought her boyfriend along with her, Charles Lee Ray. He looked phenomenal dressed in his suit with his long dark hair flowing and those ice blue eyes when he showed up outside her apartment. He'd mingled perfectly with her work friends, making jokes, asking questions and the general anxiety she had been feeling beforehand had vanished.

Meredith felt dreamy.

She felt happy.

She felt at home.

"My love must be a kind of blind love, I can't see anyone but you..." The Flamingos filled the hall space and the couples flooded onto the dance floor.

Meredith smiled to herself as she felt Charlie's arm curl around her waist like a snake. She stared into his eyes and moulded her own body to the feel of his chest against hers. He held her tight, his palm on the small of her back keeping her safe and close.

"What are you smirking about?" her boyfriend asked. "I think somebody's had a little too much to drink."

She could taste his breath on her lips and it sent her heart beat flying sky high. "N-nothing," Meredith replied, remembering to move her feet. "Can't I smile?"

"Of course you can. She look prettier when you smile and you're always beautiful."

"Well, I think you're beautiful too," Meredith said.

"I know you've said, Mer. You love my eyes..."

"I do." She stroked the black wires of his hair. "They really are something..."

"Okay missy," he laughed. "You've definitely have had too much punch!"

The sultry words of The Flamingos's I Only Have Eyes For You poured from the speaker and the dancing couples. The scene was soft and sweet. Tears stung at Meredith's eyes.

His fingers touched and stroked the edge of her chin. "What are you thinking?" he asked quietly.

She stared back at him; words weren't needed so she just smiled. That beautiful smile that sent him crazy.

The scene and the song melted from his memory and Chucky opened his eyes to the reality burning and dissolving in front of him. Tiffany stood before him; her eyes glowed against the fire. His ex-fiancé's blood was splattered all over her dirty white dress. She really did look amazing and he'd underestimated her. Deep down he loved the sight of the fires tearing up the room; it was spectacular to see and utterly beautiful. He was proud of his wife for creating it all. He knew she was always hankering for a way to show her skills seeing as she was married and chained to the professional. He knew she hated living in his shadow. Yet he hated her guts also and his thoughts turned into utter disgust of her. This was my territory, it was mine. If I was going to burn this place down, it was going to be my job.

The rage curdled within him and Tiffany's eyes darkened. She walked towards him and she stroked his cheek where the new weakness was showing. He couldn't say anything as his throat was tight and dry.

"You never cried over me..." Tiffany whispered to him.

Chucky pressed his rubber lips together.

"I always thought I was the only woman that mattered to you..."

His lips twitched and then he felt the blow before he could react.

"You bastard!" Tiffany yelled.

Her knuckles shunted against the side of his head and he fell to the ground. The rage he felt sent shivers over his body. He could feel that devilish smile spreading over his mouth. The laugh escaped his core and he stared up at her. "Come on, baby."

"Shut up!" she shouted and she punched him again.

Her nails cut his lip and he felt the blood pour from the wound. He'd never tasted his own make before, it was sweet and salty. The laughter crackled louder and crazier this time and the tears Meredith cursed him with still poured down his cheeks. "Come on, baby. You can hit harder than that!"

Pain erupted in his belly as Tiffany kicked him. She moved to hit him again; Chucky grabbed her arm and yanked her to the ground. It became a scuffle of fists and feet. Chucky managed to shove his weight onto his wife and he pressed his hands and legs into her rubber limbs.

"Wait, wait, stop it. Wait!" Tiffany moaned.

"See you in Hell sexy," Chucky whispered.

He grabbed one of her arms and pulled as hard as he could. The flames were dancing closer, and he heard her scream. Her arm broke free from the socket and he cast it into the fire. He glanced up at Meredith, everything around him slowed down. He couldn't hear anything, not even Tiffany's painful wails.

Her gaze held him to the spot.

Her vivid green eyes, her pale skin.

The fire in the room made her skin glow, highlighting every aspect of her beauty which drove Chucky crazy.

Meredith…

The wound Tiffany had placed upon her was fatal. A part of him wanted to help…yet he knew there was nothing that could be done.

He hauled his hands underneath Tiffany and without looking; he threw his bride into the fire. For a moment, the room around him brightened. Meredith's eyes flickered and her body jolted from the trauma.

Chucky moved over to her and he stroked his tiny fingers against her cheek, feeling the heat from the flames edging ever so closer. He placed his other hand over her chest, barely touching the wound but close enough that his fingers grew wet with the texture from her blood.

Should he have been saying something in her final minutes? If he had to, he didn't know what to say to her. You shouldn't have known me. His fingers curled into her hair. You shouldn't have betrayed me. You...y-you shouldn't've have loved me...

Meredith stared at him, those eyes echoed everything and Chucky could feel his dead heart awaken.

"I'm sorry Mer..." he whispered.

The colour in her eyes faded at the sound of his words and her heart silenced. The noise of the flames around him grew more intense. Chucky knew he couldn't stay, the house would be ash shortly and he had to get out. Meredith's hand slipped from his fingers and he crawled away on his hands and knees. The heat was drying his face and he couldn't look back. He didn't want to.

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The police weren't doing a good job as he'd hoped. They didn't know who or what had started the fire. Dylan Carter had been off school for a couple of weeks and he felt the walls were drawing in on him. The police had drilled him with questions, were you happy at home? Did your mother and father fight alot? Did he mess with matches? Their questions were ridiculous and he blew them off with the same treatment.

His sister Amber wasn't coping either, how could a little girl deal with the death of her mother and father?

Dylan felt eyes watching him as he sat in the cafe. He had to get out of his grandparents house. They were doing their job lovingly, but he was getting annoyed when they constantly asked if he was okay or not.

No, he wasn't okay. His mother and father were dead and he didn't know what had happened to them.

"Excuse me," a voice said.

Dylan looked up. "Yeah?"

A man stood before him wearing a grey t-shirt and black denim jeans. He had a round face with light brown hair and beard. He looked like a typical gamer, nerd, couch potato. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

Dylan shrugged back. "Sure, take it."

"Thanks," the man said and he sat down. "You're Dylan Carter, right?"

"Why are you asking?"

The man leaned forward towards him. "I know who killed your Mom and Dad..."

Dylan's fist tightened. "Get the fuck out of here."

"No, I'm telling you the truth."

"What's your name?"

The man smiled pleasantly. "Andy Barclay."

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Chucky had managed to hitch a ride back to Chicago and the rain had decided not to stop. Chucky moved around the back drops of the city where the bums and the drunks hung around. He had to get away from the news as the murder of Sam and Meredith Carter were constantly being broadcasted.

He found shelter in a doorway of some old building. He was still covered in blood and the rain brought along the smell of piss and misery. Under the road bridge he saw a bunch of homeless people crowding around a fire, huddling from the rain. From the corner of his eye, he saw a figure.

She was tall, her face and body were covered in black. Chucky scrutinized her. Her hands were pale and she turned slowly, almost eerily. The homeless bums were completely oblivious to her.

"What the fuck do you want, lady?" Chucky whispered under his breath.

Her motion stopped and she turned her veil covered face slowly towards him. She ushered him to follow her. Chucky rolled his eyes, whoever this was, whatever she wanted to show him was not foreboding well. He'd witnessed the death of two of his lovers, he could still manage some blood and pain anytime.

Chucky followed her reluctantly and the woman stopped outside a particular building. His dead heart skipped a beat and he recognised it all too well.

"I'm not going in there..." he whispered to her.

The woman moved inside, disappearing out of sight. For the first time in his freaky life, Chucky actually felt anxious.

"Sunday is gloomy, my hours are slumberless, dearest the shadows, I live with are numberless..." Billie Holiday's voice seeped from the stairs.

Chucky moved up the stairs and the further he went up, the louder her words became to be. The woman in black was not there. A beautiful scent washed over him and it doused his senses. He fell against the wall, trying to support himself. He saw the apartment door before him, his hands were actually shaking. Was this fear? What was happening to him?

The door opened slowly all by itself.

Charlie...

The sound of her voice sent shivers up his spine.

Charlie...

He edged nearer to the door; her smell was there and then he felt his mind fall back into memories.

She shivered in the midnight summer breeze. Billie Holiday played sombrely on the radio. Meredith looked sweet, she looked innocent. Chucky placed his hand on the small of her back as they kissed. His hand moved along her leg, cupping her soft thigh.

"I don't know if I can do this," Meredith whispered against his mouth.

Chucky pulled back, quietening his voice for her. "You'll enjoy it, I promise."

"But I don't know what I'm doing..."

He leaned towards her, his desire bubbling up. "Don't worry, let me deal with that."

Their kiss became more passionate and he coaxed her to lie down. Chucky unbuttoned her blouse and he ran his finger down her navel. "You're so beautiful."

Chucky stood in the middle of the apartment, it was old now, run down, abused. A drug addict snoozed in the middle of the floor, another fire brewed in the centre. He felt the warmth on his face.

The woman stood behind the fire, staring at Chucky.

"What do you want?" he asked her. "Who are you?"

The woman pulled the veil away and he saw her red hair fall and spill over her shoulders. Her green eyes shined against the flames, and Chucky loved the sight of her. If only he'd realised that when she'd been right in front of him. If only he hadn't hurt her...

Chucky pushed his hand out wanting to touch her; the flames latched on and burnt him. He didn't care anymore.

Fuck all of this, fuck everything, fuck everyone.

He stepped into the fire. The flames rose up his legs and the pain engulfed him. He stared up at her. Meredith watched him and a little smile tickled at the corner of her mouth. Chucky opened his arms, the flames washed over him and he embraced his fate.

The drug addict awoke from his dreary sleep. For a moment, he thought he saw a pair of eyes in the fire and a woman in a black dress with blood red hair. He'd seen plenty of freaky shit in his time but that was just creepy. He blinked several times, and the eyes from the flames and the woman had disappeared. Oh well, it must have been his drug addled head. He wasn't worried about it though, he'd get another hit in a couple of hours.