A/N: Hey, so this is my first Joan fic that I've posted. I took a few months away from writing cause uni started but I couldn't stand it any longer. It's set sometime in late season 1 I think. And it was started before season 2 so the remotely similar things are just coincidence. In fact, I've only seen to The Cat although we are having a marathon on Saturday woop! If you're wondering why, I'm Scottish, I download JOA as I don't want to wait till march and someone stopped putting up the Mpeg format and the avi don't play in sync, ever. So if you have the capability to do Mpegs, please do!
The title is basically inspired by Grace's Operation Ivy jacket. Think I've said enough. RR dudes. Thanks.
P.S. sorry for the rant, I'm over excited.
Unity
Joan Girardi rushed towards her first class, Trig. She was running so late all because she didn't get all her books ready the night before. Amazing how books just seemed to grow legs and become world-class marathon runners over night.
"Sup Joan."
Oh that really was enough to stop her dead. God had just said 'Sup', a word that shouldn't be used by anyone, especially not God.
She silently noted he was in his mascot boy body. "Can we just do this quick, I'm late as you well know!" she said remembering his omniscience.
"I want you to give blood."
Joan sighed loudly, "fine, whatever. Go share the mascot spirit with someone else, I'm late for class." With that she walked off giving God a wave without looking back, see how he liked it.
As she hurried to class she thought of what God's request was about, probably to force her to overcome her hate of needles. That would so be his style, force her to overcome one silly fear because he had nothing else to suggest to her this week.
"Miss Girardi"
Crap.
Adam, Grace and Joan walked out of the local video shop satisfied with their choice of rentals for the night: Garage Days, Dangerous lives of alter boys and But I'm a cheerleader. The only way for them to ever get out of the store was to pick one each.
Now it was back to Joan's. The parentals were taking a weekend break to see family, Richard to be more exact. They'd finally talked Will into visiting his half brother and decided it was best if only he and Helen went, leaving Kevin 'in charge'.
Joan watched as a man walked towards them. He was shaggy looking; she wandered if he could be God. Maybe he'd give her a knowing wink or smile. As he got closer she could tell from his hardened face he wasn't the Deity. He didn't seem to be moving to go around them. Grace and Adam were talking about something and hadn't noticed but she wished they would, she was completely freaked by this guy.
She nudged her best friends as she was in the middle and nodded towards the man who was almost at arms length. The three stopped as the man kept walking until he was right at them then he pulled out a nasty looking knife.
"Give me all your cash." He said through a clenched jaw.
The three teens stood almost in shock. Adam quickly realised he had to protect Joan and Grace. He eased in front of them as much as he could before the guy noticed.
"Don't move! I'll kill you if you try anything!" He shouted becoming agitated.
"Look dude, we don't have anything. We're 16 year olds who just spent their collective $10 on movies." Grace told him trying to be nonchalant. He was just some junkie; he'd probably get scared and run off.
He looked between them for a moment. "Empty your goddamn pockets!"
Adam began to plead. "Please, just forget this, we don't have anything, we can all walk away, yo."
The guy punched Adam, sending him to the road. "Shut up, kid. I want everything you have."
Joan fought her urge to help Adam and quickly pulled her phone from her bag. She dialled 91 before the guy realised and grabbed her arm throwing her on the concrete beside Adam.
Grace stood face to face with there now mugger, the knife in between them. As she watched Joan get thrown to the ground it had finally dawned on her this was real and unless they conjured up some money to give to him, things were looking bleak.
He stood looking at the blonde in front of him. He had gone to far to come back now. He'd just wanted to make a quick buck and now he was in way to deep.
"My dad is Will Girardi, if you let us go, he doesn't have to know about any of this." Joan said from the ground
The guy looked at Joan with a sudden chilling calm. He took two large steps and loomed over her. They knew what was coming next. Joan knew this was it. But Grace wasn't accepting it. She grabbed his arm and tried to pull him away but he was big, too strong for her to shift and he swung around and lunged at Grace embedding the knife in her stomach before hastily pulling it back out and taking off. His only plan was to run.
Grace stood stiffly in place, her hands had instantly gone to her wound. It was warm and sticky with blood. She was scared, too scared to look down so she just stared straight ahead.
Joan rushed towards the blonde, as her rigid stance seemed to crumble and tried to ease her friend to the ground. Her vision was blurred with tears as she witnessed her best friend's trembling and bloodied hands. Grace stared up at her and she fought back her cries. She knew that she was meant to put pressure on the wound so she quickly rolled up her scarf and pressed it over the bleeding hole in her friend.
Grace whimpered as Joan pressed down on her wound. Her entire middle felt like it was burning. Everything was so unclear and confused. She just wanted to be complaining about Adam and Joan's coupliness and watching movies. She didn't want to die on the sidewalk. As she watched Joan try to help her and tell her it was ok she couldn't help what escaped her lips.
"…Joan…"
It was so weak and vulnerable it made both of their hearts sink. The meaning wasn't lost either. Grace had never called her Joan.
"It's ok. Adam's calling help." She said through her tears.
Grace was beginning to lose her battle with consciousness. Joan tried to keep her awake. She was scratching her forehead in an attempt to hold her attention.
"Grace? Don't do this. Just stay awake until the ambulance gets here. Polk! Be stubborn." She shouted in a last try to keep Grace focussed on her but her eyelids had fell.
