One of those random ideas that popped into my mind at a random time… Oh, how I love randomness XD

Dedicated tomusic is freedom,who was always there to chat :) (By the way, check out her stories!)

Disclaimer: Once and for all, I do not own The 39 Clues. :((

It all started in 1507, in the time of Gideon Cahill.

The Black Death was already killing hundreds. Gideon Cahill, an alchemist well-known for his kindness and perseverance in his quest of finding a cure for the plague, had just finished visiting his former friend and now enemy Damien Vesper.

It was an ordinary day in the Cahill family home. Olivia and the children were busy doing household chores and all that, along with the assistance of their housekeeper Maria. Gideon was in his laboratory, conducting what seemed like the millionth experiment.

Seeing that his latest test results weren't too good, he sat on the nearest stool, placed his elbows on the desk, and his head in his hands.

I cannot give up, he thought.I must keep trying.

Gideon raised his head and stared at the beakers and vials and all the other apparatus. He heard the soft sound of liquid dropping drop by drop, slowly…

His eyes quickly scanned the dark room, and he spotted the source of the sound. He stood and walked over to that set of glassware.

Wait, he thought. What's this?

He intently watched the liquid drop and did some mental math. A smile slowly spread across his face.

"This might work," he murmured. He took a notebook and restarted, energized with a new hope.

"Father! Father!" twenty-three-year-old Luke Cahill whispered.

Gideon jumped at the sight of his eldest child. "Luke, what in the world are you doing here?" he demanded. "You aren't supposed to be here!"

"Scold me later, Father," Luke said breathlessly. "Vesper's coming!"

"What?" Gideon glanced around his laboratory. Damien couldn't possibly… but then again, this was DamienVesper. He wouldn't let anything stop him from stealing Gideon's research.

"I'm not lying!" Luke insisted. "Vesper's coming, and—"

Boom! Boom! "Open in the name of Lord Vesper!" a gruff voice commanded.

"Quick, Luke, wake up your mother and siblings," Gideon told his son.

Luke frowned. "But they won't trust me. They'll think—"

"Luke. Listen to me. You're the eldest, and you have to hold everyone together. Be strong. I believe in you," Gideon told him, holding his (Luke's) shoulders. "But there are some things I want you to give your mother and siblings."

He opened a drawer and pulled out six necklaces.

Luke was surprised and confused. "Father, what are these?" he asked, holding one up.

"All I managed to finish," Gideon replied. "Give the green one to Jane, the blue to Thomas, the yellow one to Katherine, the tiger's eye and diamond necklace to your mother, and the red one is yours. Go now, Luke. May God be with you."

His son nodded. "Y-you can count on me, Father," he promised. "I love you." He went back out of the laboratory, holding the necklaces.

Gideon took a deep breath as the hinges of the other door to the lab shook. Vesper was almost in. If Luke made it, Olivia and the children would manage to escape.

Keep the necklaces and the ring safe, he thought.

Luke held on to the hand of his youngest sister, Jane. "Come on," he said. "Just a little further!"

Katherine was helping their mother, Olivia, with Thomas's assistance. She glanced at her eldest brother. "Where's Father?" she demanded.

"He's in the laboratory," Luke said, still holding the six necklaces which he hadn't shown to anyone—not even Jane—yet.

"Save him!" Katherine cried. She was about to run to the lab, but Luke held her back with a viselike grip. "Luke, let me go! We have to save Father!"

"No," Luke said, his voice strained. "Katherine, Thomas, Jane, you have to trust me now. Just this once." He showed them the necklaces.

Olivia came to them. "What are those, Luke?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder to see if Vesper had already broken into the lab.

That was when the door broke. Olivia and the children gasped as Vesper and his men charged inside.

"No," Olivia whispered.

"No," Katherine cried.

Luke pressed the green necklace into Jane's hand. "Keep this, my dear," he said. "Father's last gift."

Jane nodded, clutching it tightly.

"Mother," Luke said. "Father wanted me to give you something."

"What is it?" Olivia asked.

Luke brought out the diamond necklace and tiger's eye necklaces and gave it to his mother. She nodded and wore both of them. "I'll give Thomas and Katherine theirs," Olivia said, taking the remaining necklaces.

He nodded and took his red necklace, made of ruby, he thought.

Jane tugged his sleeve. "Luke? What are these for?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, Jane," he admitted. "Father just told me to give them to you."

Olivia gave the blue necklace to Thomas and the yellow one to Katherine. "Wear them," she told her children. "This is your father's gift. It will keep you safe."

"How?" Thomas asked.

Olivia pursed her lips. "He hasn't told me that yet, but he did say they would come in handy in the future."

Katherine's hands flew to her mouth as smoke started coming out from the laboratory. "Father!" she screamed.

"Hush," Olivia said.

Her daughter's eyes blazed. She glared at Luke. "You snake," she spat. "This was your idea! You took these necklaces and claimed that they were gifts from Father!"

"They are!" Luke insisted.

"You started the fire, and look what you've done!" She pointed to their burning home. "Father is trapped inside with Vesper and his men!"

His hands balled into fists. "I don't care what you think, because Iam telling the truth, what Father told me to say. It's your choice." He turned around and started to walk away.

"Luke!" Olivia called.

Tears stung Jane's eyes. "Luke, don't leave!" she cried.

Luke ignored his favorite sister's pleas to return and continued walking. He wanted Katherine or Thomas to call for him, to apologize, but they never did.

One day, you'll see that you've made a grave mistake.

After Luke disappeared into the night, Jane stopped calling his name. She just sniffed and cried.

"Serves him right," she heard Katherine mutter.

Jane's eyes widened and she stared up defiantly and angrily at her elder sister. "Look whatyou've done!" she shrieked. "Now Luke left, andit's all your fault!"

"Enough!" Olivia commanded. "Stop fighting!"

Hot tears streamed down Jane's cheeks. "I won't let Luke go alone," she whispered. "I'm going with him!"

"Then go," Katherine said without looking at her.

Jane picked up her things and ran without a goodbye.

Luke and Jane were gone. Olivia hoped that Katherine and Thomas would stay too, but they got mad and decided to leave their "cursed" family.

She had begged her remaining children to stay, but they adamantly refused and left as well.

Now she was alone. The sun had begun to rise, so she decided to inspect the ruins of her home.

Olivia immediately headed to the laboratory. She made her way through the carnage, searching for her husband's body.

She saw Gideon lying on the floor, his hair covered with soot (which sort of made him look younger) and looking as calm and relaxed as ever.

She blinked back tears while sitting down and holding her dead husband close. Stroking his hair, she whispered, "They're gone now. All of them."

Looking up at the heavens, she imagined Gideon's face smiling down at her. "I wish you were here," she said softly.

Olivia's hand touched her belly, where the unborn child was. "I will name you Madeleine," she decided. "You and I will preserve this place and bring our family back together."

She eased Gideon's head off her lap and took a shovel, getting ready to dig her husband's grave.

I am pretty sure this sucked.

Still… please review… I'm so lonely nowadays D: (Haha,music is freedom, AUAnuborus18, PJOpinkypatrice333)

I had to checkVespers Risingfor that last part :)

Well, yeah, still, please review ;)

~Sam