Careful what you wish for
Disclaimer: I make no money from these fics and recognise the sole rights of the original creators to do so.
Chapter 1 - The Wish
"Wheeler I am busy! Your childish amusements will have to wait for later!" The beautiful Russian said irritably, brushing her companion aside.
The American glared, "Since when is surfing childish?"
"I was referring to the flirting." She replied rolling her eyes. "If you just wanted someone to join you in a sport you could have asked one of the others, and either way you did not need to comment on how I look in my bathing suit."
Wheeler looked a little sheepish but didn't answer so his lovely friend continued. "Now are you going to let me get back to my analysis? These soil cultures are very important to the future of the farming community."
"Whatever." The American hunched his shoulders and stalked from the room muttering under his breath. "Later she says, like there's ever a later!"
Linka shook her head and returned to her task. It is not as if I really mind. She thought. He just does not know when it is time to work. He needs to learn what is really important.
Instead of going surfing, Wheeler headed over to a remote part of the Island. It was rocky there and the others tended to avoid it, Kwame had even declared it dangerous… which made it the perfect place for Wheeler to go when he wanted to be alone.
It seemed to the fire planeteer that he was spending more and more time alone, just thinking, instead of spending time with his friends. A thinking session usually followed a conversation with Linka of course, and those conversations seemed to nearly always end in an argument recently. I don't know why I do it to myself, I should just give up and move on. She's made it plenty clear that she's not interested and yet I can't seem to help myself. Every time I decide I'm done, she'll smile or say something and I'm right back where I started.
Wheeler hadn't reached any conclusions by the time he returned that night and though the anger had subsided, it had left him depressed and listless.
"Hey Yankee, how were the waves?" The beautiful blond asked as she approached from the lab. Having a few hours to think over the matter, Linka had decided that she had over-reacted and that Wheeler had meant well. Feeling a little guilty, she determined to make it up to him.
"Same as always." He replied vaguely, he had after all been watching them.
For some reason, this time her cheerful greeting annoyed Wheeler and instead of making him forget how often she hurt him, it bolstered his resolution. This time, I'm not going to cave, I'm giving up!
Catching his tone, Linka's temper flared. "Do not sulk Wheeler!"
"I'm not sulking!" He yelled, then closed his eyes and took a breath, saying through gritted teeth. "Can we just drop this please?"
Linka turned to face him, putting her hands on her hips. "It is you that is making an issue out of it."
"Whatever." He glared back at her. "Now I'm dropping it."
Linka struggled to keep her voice level. "Fine!"
Turning away, she began to stalk towards the kitchen but then appeared to change her mind. Facing him once more, she said in an even, though slightly superior voice. "It is time you grew up Wheeler. Our mission here is more important than amusing ourselves, and getting grumpy every time you cannot have your own way is..."
"Damn it Linka!" He interrupted suddenly, closing the distance between them until he was staring down at her. "Don't you get it? All I wanted was to spend some time with you, and okay so I flirted, but you act like that's a crime."
"I was trying to work." She said, no longer sounding quite so sure of herself as her guilt started to return.
Wheeler shrugged. "You could have just said that."
"I did!" She protested.
The fire planeteer nodded. "Yeah, but you didn't just say it. I got a whole lecture..."
"It was not a lecture!" Again she stopped him, but in the back of her mind she was wishing she hadn't reacted, knowing it would only make things worse. Bozhe 'moy, how does he trigger my emotions so easily?
"Whatever you call it." He growled. "I've had enough. You don't wanna know, fine, I'm sorry I ever bothered you..."
"Wheeler..." the young girl wondered how she could explain.
The American wasn't listening though. "I'm just sorry that we're stuck here together that's all, believe me if I could put some distance between us I would, in fact I've been thinking about doing just that!"
The colour drained from Linka's face. "You mean leave? You could not..."
"I can't leave for good because I know what the consequences would be for the planet and I've given my word to protect it. I just wish… I wish that it hadn't ever been necessary for Gaia to recruit the Planeteers, then at least I'd never have met you."
In his head, he added silently, I'd never have known what real love is either, but under the circumstances I'd take my chances.
Linka swallowed, unable to speak, but he didn't notice. Instead the red head turned on his heel and walked towards his cabin, calling back over his shoulder. "Tell Kwame I'm not hungry."
The lovely Russian stood there staring after him for some time, and then turned and headed back towards the lab, Wheelers words still ringing in her ears.
Linka sat in the lab playing idly with a test tube. When Ma-Ti had come to tell her that dinner was ready, she had pretended to still be working and asked him to leave something for her to heat up later.
He has made a fuss about nothing! It was just a fight, we fight all the time. But did he really mean it? He wishes he had never met me…
Her thoughts were interrupted by Gaia's voice calling them to the Crystal Chamber and though Linka was glad of the distraction, it also meant being in the same room with Wheeler, which she wasn't sure she was ready for.
"Planeteers, I have news." The spirit of the earth greeted them cheerfully.
Gi was the first to ask. "What is it Gaia?"
"Long ago in the time when Atlantis was the centre of the modern world, there was in existence a crystal, so magical that it could grant any wish." Seeing a mix of wonder and disbelief on her teams faces, Gaia laughed. "Well that is the legend anyway."
She indicated the planet vision, which shimmered and showed an image of a large clear crystal, set on a tall pedestal. "There was an earthquake in the pacific this morning and the entranceway to this chamber has re-opened."
"Gaia, you don't really expect us to believe all that bullshit do you?" Wheeler asked, looking as if he didn't know whether she was being serious or not.
Linka had been watching him surreptitiously. Normally the fire planeteer would be trying to get her attention or teasing her, but now he was quite plainly avoiding her gaze.
Gaia smiled at the American. "No. But the fact remains that the Atlantians created some very powerful technologies, most of which utilised crystals in some way."
"And if they created that crystal, we cannot risk it falling into the wrong hands, whatever it does." Kwame realised.
"Exactly." The spirit nodded. "They set it up on a pedestal for a reason, and I would rather know that whatever power it possesses is safe from the eco-villains."
Gi added. "Doctor Blight especially would like to get her hands on some Atlantian technology."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Ma-Ti asked and led the way to the eco-sub.
The Russian planeteer sat quietly at the back of their craft while the others talked excitedly about the possibilities. It seemed that she could not get her friends words off her mind, they just kept playing over and over, and it surprised her just how deeply she was bothered by it. Have I really been so horrible to him? I was busy… I never meant to push him away…
With Gaia's directions, the cave was easily found and the Planeteers wasted no time in entering the underwater passageway and climbing out into the cave above.
The light from their torches reflected off the large crystal in a blinding flash of light, and they had to be careful not to shine their lights directly onto the perfect crystal.
"There's some writing behind it on the wall." Gi pointed out, and they all moved to inspect it, though of course, none of them could read the script.
Gaia appeared behind them. "It says, 'The Crystal of Infinite Possibilities is the opening to your hearts desires, touch it and state your wish and you will instantly be transported into the land of your dreams.'"
"We can use it to fix all of the pollution in the world!" Ma-Ti suggested excitedly.
Gi nodded, "And bring back those species that have gone extinct through mans interference."
"Let's not get carried away here." Wheeler protested. "We don't know exactly what that thing does, and besides, it's just a little too good to be true."
The others were not in a mood to listen however, and began discussing the wording of their requests.
Linka took no part in the discussion, instead she stepped up to the fire planeteer and said quietly. "Wheeler, about earlier I…"
"Forget it." He replied quickly. "It's done with."
He moved forward to join the others conversation, away from Linka and the crystal.
The Russian lowered her gaze and remained silent, trying to ignore the growing pain in her chest, until the others started discussing who was going to make the wishes.
Linka made a sudden decision. "I will do it." Before they could object, she closed the distance to the crystal and placed her had upon it.
The wind planeteer raised a pair of sorrowful eyes to Wheelers and held his gaze. "I wish that it had not ever been necessary for Gaia to recruit the planeteers."
"No! Linka I..." Wheeler shouted, moving towards her. His face was pale and he was clearly shocked, but it was too late.
His words were the last thing Linka heard as the world faded to black....