Disclaimer: I do not own A Series of Unfortunate Events.
3:00 PM PDT
Quigley Quagmire felt so dazed, as he opened up his eyes. The last thing he recalled was calling out Violet's name, as he was being sucked into The Great Unknown. After that, he had lost consciousness. He wondered how long he had been knocked out.
"Everything will be fine, Quig," Hector commented, very soothingly. "I quite have no idea where the Baudelaire orphans are right now, but I really do hope and pray that they're okay. I mean, I just feel bad about everything that they've gone through."
"Where are we?" Quigley mumbled, as he looked around. "Is Violet Baudelaire around here, by any chance - or Klaus or Sunny? The thing is, I've sure been terribly worried sick about them, just like I've been worried sick about Isadora and Duncan. I sure am worried that they might... might..." Tears of sorrow began to fill Quigley's eyes.
"Just try to relax, Quigley," Isadora replied, soothingly. "There's no telling how much Duncan and I have simply missed you. I mean, we really have never been separated this long before - and, well, being called 'twins' was always a real sore spot with us."
"We thought you were dead," Duncan added, as tears filled his eyes. "I'm so terribly sorry to say that the Baudelaires aren't here. Kit Snicket did rather tell us about how they were at the burning Hotel Denouement, and I... I just hope that they're okay."
"I sure hope so, too," Quigley replied, as tears filled his eyes. "I know I've quite met them under very unfortunate circumstances, but I simply feel something for Violet. I mean, it's just that... well, I've never felt that way about another girl before. I sure desperately want her and her siblings to be fine." Quigley began to weep silently.
"I understand just how you feel, Quig," Duncan said, as he drew his brother close to him. "I grew very fond of them, as well - when they showed up at Prufrock Prep. I'm feeling worried about them, too. Nonetheless, I'm very happy that you're still alive."
"You're all safe, now," added another man, who was dressed as a captian. "It turned out that The Great Unknown was a submarine. It was actually just nothing we should really be scared of. I sure hope Kit Snicket really is okay. She ended up not joining us on the... the thing. We're on land, now - so just take it okay. Go ahead and relax."
Quigley was a little uncertain of who the man was, but he appeared to be on the side of good. He still felt very uneasy about the Hook-Handed Man being there, but it just seemed as the man was very miserable. Did he actually have a change of heart?
"But, Stepfather," protested a teenage girl. "What's this you're always saying about he who hesitates..." Turning to Quigley, she added, "I've quite met the Baudelaires, too - and, well... I really feel so ashamed, when I think of what I've done to Klaus."
"Good! You should feel that way!" Isadora added, as she was glaring hatefully at the girl. "I honestly don't believe you feel sincere of your remorse. If you were, you sure wouldn't keep begging us to forgive you - and insist that we be very nice to you. You would accept the fact that you're the scum of the earth, and that you deserve to..."
"Isadora!" chided Hector, firmly but gently. "I understand that you really feel angry with Fiona, but this is just not the time for such strife. Right now, we really do need for all of us to stick together. The last thing we need is to have is another war."
"Hector is right, Iz," added Duncan. "I'm really not saying that what she did was right, but it's not good to be holding so much anger and hatred inside of us. If you just think about it, this is what creates people like Count Olaf. It's better to forgive and forget."
As Quigley continued to weep broken-heartedly, he thought of how he usually agreed with his brother's pacifistic views. Still, it was rather hard to forgive someone who was responsible for endangering the lives of your friends. Anyway, it sure wouldn't be real fair to his friends to forgive the very people who managed to endanger their lives.
"I don't quite blame her for being so angry," added The Hook-Handed Man. "Although, I'm really the one she should be angry with. I mean, I've actually done a lot of horrible things over the last few years. Fiona only joined, so that... so that she could really be with me. I never got along with my stepfather, so I ended up running away from..."
"Let's not worry about that, Fernald," the captain said, gently. "Anyway, we all make mistakes in life. Speaking of mistakes, it sure turns out that I was rather wrong about many things. The Great Unknown is actually what saved all of our lives, everyone."
"It's so great that we're all alive," Quigley replied, as he lifted his tear-stained face. "I sure can't help that not everything is quite okay, however. I mean, I quite have been thinking about Violet - and I was just hoping that we could start a new life together."
"They've really saved our lives," added Isadora, as she sounded a little tearful. "You know, it's rather good to see that you're alive. We've missed you terribly, and it was rather terribly sad to think that we might never see you again. You know, I've never really even gotten a chance to tell Klaus just how I felt about him. I think I really..."
"So what exactly happened here?" Quigley asked, quietly. "The Hook-Handed Man is named Fernald, and this girl named Fiona is his sister? I'm just not quite sure what to make of this. I try to be a non-judgemental person, but just what has Fiona done?"
"Fiona joined Count Olaf's troupe," Duncan explained, "so that she could be with her family. She sure wasn't in the troupe for long, and she actually never really did harm or kill anyone. Iz is still rather angry with her, though - that she would even consider joining a group of people who engage in criminal acts. I could see how Iz would..."
"We've all done things in our lives that we need to atone for," replied the captain. "I haven't really been a great father, myself. Granted, I always felt that my intentions were for the good - but you know what people say about what hell is paved with."
"The captain is absolutely right," Duncan replied, softly. "It really is a useless thing to hold gudges, and doesn't do anyone any good. Izzy and I have quite suffered at the hands of Count Olaf's troupe, but we certainly can't let that stuff break our spirits."
"We didn't quite have it as bad as the Baudelaires did," countered Isadora. "Think of what all they've really gone through - and just think of how shitty Vice Principal Nero has treated them. Anyway, I didn't realize it at the time - but I think I'm just starting to feeling something for Klaus. I mean, he simply had those gorgeous green eyes."
"You think you're in love with Klaus?" Quigley asked, gently. As Isadora nodded, he added, "You know, I sure don't think I've ever really loved anyone in the same way as... as I love Violet. I mean, I love you and Duncan dearly - but it's just that..."
"We understand what you mean, Quig," Duncan replied, as he threw his arms around his brother. "I quite simply can't tell you how much I've missed you. I mean, I must've cried just about every night. It was just like there was a great big hole in my heart."
"I've certainly felt the same way," added Isadora. "We've just felt rather incomplete without you. I mean, I've hated it - whenever people would refer to us as twins. It's just not right to... to act like you suddenly don't exist. You know, if we ever find the Baudelaires - they should live with us. We could maybe even move to California."
"Where in California?" asked Quigley. "Are you thinking of maybe... maybe Hill Valley? I do remember my parents talking about what a great town it was. Maybe our cousin, Brent, might like to go back with us. I really would like to be able to see him again."
"I've always wanted to visit California," Fiona replied, dreamily. "If you guys aren't so mad at me, maybe I could move there with you. I mean, I think it'd be so nice to start a new life. You know, I really would like to think this world isn't such a bad place."
"I can't really speak for Isadora and Quigley," Duncan replied, gently, "but I wouldn't really mind. I'm not so sure if will move there, too - as much as we'd really like to. We simply can't run from our problems like that - and, well, we also certainly need to look for the Baudelaires. We can't exactly abandon them, after all they've done for us."
"To be frank with you," added Isadora, "I am still very angry with you - and, even if the Baudelaires do turn out fine, I'm not too sure if I'll ever be able to forgive you. I think what you did was inexcusable. Still, I am willing to be civil and polite with you."
"It would be a lie to claim that I'm not extremely disappointed with you," commented Quigley, softly. "However, I do try to find the good in everyone - and I sure believe we have enough hatred in this world already. So I'm willing to give you a chance."
"Thanks, I guess," Fiona replied, gently. "I've really scewed up badly, haven't I? The thing, I wish I could go back in time - and undo this whole thing. I just felt bad, when my stepfather seemed to mysteriously disappear. I rather wouldn't expect you to be my closest friends, and I guess I don't even deserve your friendship. I feel so bad."
"I trust that you're genuinely remorseful for your actions," Quigley replied, gently. "I try to be sympathetic, and I rather can't bear to make enemies with anyone. I guess you truly do love Klaus, but I'm quite afraid your rash decision has broken his heart."
"I won't quite get involved in your issues," Hector explained, gently. "I wanted to say, I'll look for a nice apartment for us - and the three of you could just live with me. After we find the Baudelaires, they can also move in with us. How does that sound, guys?"
Quigley glanced over at Isadora and Duncan. He then put his arms around then, as the three of them smiled. It would be good to have a family again. He was real glad that he reunited with his triplet siblings. With all things considered, it just looked like there was a light at the end of the tunnel. He then felt a sudden glimmer of hope.
