Summary: An unexpected and rare curse has been released on Virginia. Unfortunately, there is only one cure and no one wants to tell Virginia what it is. Jet, Gallows and Clive, however, must act quickly before the curse consumes their fearless leader and turns her body into ash. The circumstances? They're pretty embarrassing. How will they manage to find a way to 'cure' her before it's too late? A Jet/Virginia fic.

Disclaimer: Ha. Hahahaha....HAHAHAHAHA!!!! Me? Own Wild Arms? Muahahahahahaha...yeah right! Whew...wipes tears (No, I don't. I DON'T, OKAY? breaks down sobbing)

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Alright, hate me if you want. I've decided to take a break from KOW just to write this short fanfiction that suddenly popped up in my head while talking to my friend on the bus. …

I am warning you now. There is no lime or lemon in any chapters of this story, so if that's all you're here for, scram. You can laugh, squeal and/or stare slack-jawed at your screen foo endless hours while you read this, but I solemnly swear that I have written this out of respect for Virginia/Jet/Clive/Gallows and I am not planning any character bashing.

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The Gorg's Curse

It was under the hot, midday sun that Jet stood, watching the window where Virginia was being hospitalized. The warm air was irritating; he was otherwise accustomed to it, but today was different. Today, everything was wrong, out of place and uncomfortable. Everything that had been white was now black; all that was good was now bad.

Try as he might, he couldn't shake his thoughts of it. Had he acted just a little sooner, Virginia would not have…

But no, it had been no one's fault. When the dying monster had attached itself to her back and sunk its venomous teeth into her flesh, no one had been able to act. Even though Gallows shot the creature dead, the damage had already been done. Now Virginia was stricken, doomed to her bed with some unidentified curse possessing her body, threatening to take her life away at any moment.

Upon admitting her to Cheville's care, the three 'men' had been directly ordered to stay outside while the doctor ran the more personal tests required to pinpoint the source of Virginia's ailment. At the moment, Jet couldn't find a place better suited than outside the window. Clive had gone home to see to his own affairs, and Gallows…

Jet grimaced bitterly. He didn't care where that slow-witted oaf went. Right now, all Jet wanted to do was watch the black curtain on the other side of the window.

Wasn't like he had something else to do.

The sound of approaching footsteps drew his attention towards the north end of town. Both Clive and Gallows were coming towards him, wearing matching expressions of concern for their sick leader. The sniper appeared especially troubled, apparently thinking on two unpleasant subjects at once. In fact, it dawned on Jet how worse the stress in Clive's behavior had become over the past few days.

"How's our fearless leader?" said Gallows, far from being his normal, cheerful self.

Jet looked at him coldly. "How should I know? Nothing's happened yet."

"What?" Gallows frowned. "It's been like what, two hours? How long does it take to diagnose a patient, anyway?"

Clive adjusted his glasses, turning his attention to Cheville's house. "It has been a lot longer than I expected," he said. "Even though Virginia's case is rare, the actual process of analyzing a disease should not take any more than one hour."

"Damn. Should someone check, just in case?" inquired Gallows feebly.

"Not yet," said Clive. "We do not want to intrude on anything that will place us in an uncomfortable position."

The Baskar scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully. "…Good point."

They did not have to wait very long. After a few, brisk moments of waiting patiently for Virginia's diagnosis, the door to the house creaked open to reveal the slightly flushed, worn out face of the doctor.

"Thank you gentlemen," said Cheville, wiping her brow with her sleeve. "You can all come in now. She's resting."

Jet exchanged glances with the others, reading their expressions with emphatic calculation. He then moved himself forward and up the steps towards the temporary clinic with Clive and Gallows close in tow.

The three Drifters filed into the house while Cheville motioned for them to be quiet. Both the Baskar and the sniper took a seat at the table in the middle of the room; Jet found a suitable place to lean against the wall nearby. The door to Virginia's room was closed and a kettle was quietly bubbling on the stove in the corner.

Cheville waited until everyone was settled before taking a place at the table as well. She was fidgeting slightly, wringing her fingers together and refusing to make eye contact with any of the men surrounding her. After an uncertain silence, she sighed and placed her hands on the table.

"I...think I've found out why she's been sick," she explained quietly. "I'll try my best to explain...but please, don't interrupt me before I'm finished..."

"Hey, wait-" interrupted Gallows, sitting rigid in his chair. "Are we talking about something serious? Ginny's, uh...gonna be okay, right?"

The female doctor began to fidget again. "Yes, I believe so..." she went on carefully. "There is a cure for the Gorg's Curse..."

Clive gestured wth a gloved hand. "There is? Please tell us, so we can track down its ingredients immediately."

"Um..." Cheville lowered her head. "I'm afraid it's not...that kind of cure."

Everyone blinked at this. Clive was, of course, the first one to speak. "If not a remedy of some sort, what type of cure is there?"

"It's, um..." She fell silent, hesitating with her words. She opened her mouth, but closed ti soon after. Her eyes darted wildly, as if searcing the room for the right thing to say.

"Just spit it out!" snapped Jet from his part of the room. When everyone was unconditionally staring at him, he side glanced and snorted. "Geez..."

"The Gorg's Curse," said Cheville, spilling her words like an avalanche ready to explode, "is really simliar to the Curse of the Gorgon...see, um, Gorgons were terrible, demi-human creatures in the ancient times...they preyed on young woman, raped and killed them."

No one had a response for this. And seemingly satisfied that she would not be interfered with again, Cheville gathereed her wits and continued.

"This is different," she said with a little relief. "Virginia's curse is extrememly rare...because once exposed to the victim, it proves only fatal to those who are...um..." She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. Why did she have to explain this to three men? "...immaculate."

This, of course, had no effect on either Gallows or Jet. Clive, on the other hand, stared openly for a full five seconds before turning a brilliant shade of pink. Trembling slightly, he re-adjusted his glasses and spoke. "You are positive?"

"Yes..." Cheville sighed again, relieved that she had made her point to someone who understood. "Given the date of her infection...unless she's cured in forty to sixty hours, her body will dehydrate severely and she's quite literally turn into...dust."

"What?" Gallows' face twisted in confusion. "Wait a minute, what's wrong with Virginia? Fill us in, Clive!"

Cheville coughed slightly, realizing that she must be blushing severely as well. "Immaculate means...um, well..."

"A virgin," finished Clive. He was surprisngly calm as he said it.

The Baskar's face fell considerably. Instead of blushing, however, the blood drained from his face as the new information finall sunk in. "....oh..."

Jet stumbled to keep his balance, trying to make sense of the awkward situation. "Hold on," he said warily. "Are you saying, in order to cure...we have to..."

"Don't say it!" growled Gallows. "I don't even want to think about it!"

"Is there some other cure?" inquired Clive, practically ignoring the stone-cold glare he was receiving from his silver-haired teammate. "Or perhaps an alternative procedure?"

Cheville shook her head and sighed for a third time. "No," she said wearily. "And no...sorry. As a doctor, I can't do anything without putting the patient at risk.."

Gallows was leaning back in his chair, looking sullen. "Does Ginny even know?"

"No," came the doctor's apologetic reply. "I thought maybe...it was best you told her. There's nothing I can do to help her, after all."

Another awkward silence drifted by. Gallows and Clive looked at each other seriously. Cheville glanced from Clive, to Gallows, and then to the wall where she glued her eyes. Clive looked at Cheville, and to Gallows once again. Gallows stared at Virginia's door for a moment before glancing back to Clive.

And then, slowly, their eyes travelled to Jet.

He stared at them, unblinking.

"....What?"

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Ah, it's just a prologue. Anyway, remember. No lemons. No limes. Sorry to disappoint you...

And join us in the next chapter, where there are yet more awkward silences! There must be discusing about what must be done! And Virginia has no clue what's wrong with her teammates.

Sigh...