Inner Strength
Summary: When tragedy strikes Joan she gives up on God, only to have her faith restored by an unexpected person.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Joan Of Arcadia belongs to Barbara Hall and CBS. Although I wish I could borrow Chris Marquette and Kris Lemche...but that will never happen so I'll just write fanfic. Yes, that will have to do.
Spoilers: Everything up till the last episode. And little hints of DTM (in the Joan/Adam sense.)
Rating: PG-13 for the mild violence in chapter one.
A/N: Yes! Second fic! I am breaking through the writer's block slowly. I actually started this story backwards, well somewhat backwards. I have like the third chapter written, and I think there is probably going to be about four so I just have to write the others and do some tweaking to the third. Okay well enjoy.
"Literary symbolism, yeah okay Grace," Joan Girardi said to herself as she was trying to get through Kafka's "The Metamorphosis." The starlight bookstore was completely empty, as it usually was. It wasn't as if Arcadia was a hopping town, in all actuality it was closer to "Buffy's" description of Sunnydale as "a one Starbuck's town." Giving up in frustration Joan put the book down and looked down at her watch. She groaned. "Where is he?" The 'he' Joan was referring to was Adam Rove, her best-friend-turned-boyfriend since a few weeks ago when he and "Baby Voice" had broken up. He was supposed to be here by now. Joan figured he had probably gotten held up working in his shed. She looked down at a pile of books that she had to put away or face the wrath of Sammy. What the hell, Joan figured, might as well do something to pass the time. She was just finishing putting away the last book when she heard someone come in.
"Okay Rove, you're such a dead ma-'' Joan stopped dead in her tracks when she realized the person who came in wasn't Adam at all.
"Get behind the counter now." The guy had a gun and looked serious about using it too. Joan froze like she was a deer caught in a car's headlights. She didn't want to think that this was really happening; after all, was she not an instrument of God? Would God really put her in danger? "Do you think I'm playing with you kid? Get behind the damn counter!" Suddenly he was up in her face and the gun was against her. He grabbed her by the arm and brought her over to the counter and pointed to the cash register. "I want $500 and I want it now. Any stalling and I will use this." Joan gulped. She couldn't think of the code needed to open the register. She had so many thoughts going through her mind. Adam! What about Adam? What if he walked in and? Joan had to focus but she couldn't.
"I...I can't open it. I don't remember the code," she said sobbing between her words.
"Well," he said clicking the trigger, "maybe this will give you some incentive."
"Please," Joan sobbed even more, "please don't. I have a family...and..my boyfriend's supposed to be coming here tonight."
"I don't care if God's supposed to be coming here tonight just open the damn drawer!" he screamed. Finally Joan focused and remembered the code; but her heart sank when she realized that they did not have even close to $500 in the register.
"I don't think we have enough."
"Then give me whatever you have. Are you *that* stupid?" He grabbed her head and slammed it down against the counter. Joan's head throbbed in pain. Just as he was finishing up putting the money in the bad he loosened his grip on Joan's arm. She saw the fire extinguisher and decided to make a go for it. But the man saw Joan going for it and fired his gun. It had hit her stomach; Joan fell to the ground in pain. "I told you, I wouldn't be afraid to use it." And with that the man took his money and ran, leaving Joan on the floor, bleeding heavily. She kept telling herself to stay awake, but her eyes closed and Joan drifted off.
Summary: When tragedy strikes Joan she gives up on God, only to have her faith restored by an unexpected person.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Joan Of Arcadia belongs to Barbara Hall and CBS. Although I wish I could borrow Chris Marquette and Kris Lemche...but that will never happen so I'll just write fanfic. Yes, that will have to do.
Spoilers: Everything up till the last episode. And little hints of DTM (in the Joan/Adam sense.)
Rating: PG-13 for the mild violence in chapter one.
A/N: Yes! Second fic! I am breaking through the writer's block slowly. I actually started this story backwards, well somewhat backwards. I have like the third chapter written, and I think there is probably going to be about four so I just have to write the others and do some tweaking to the third. Okay well enjoy.
"Literary symbolism, yeah okay Grace," Joan Girardi said to herself as she was trying to get through Kafka's "The Metamorphosis." The starlight bookstore was completely empty, as it usually was. It wasn't as if Arcadia was a hopping town, in all actuality it was closer to "Buffy's" description of Sunnydale as "a one Starbuck's town." Giving up in frustration Joan put the book down and looked down at her watch. She groaned. "Where is he?" The 'he' Joan was referring to was Adam Rove, her best-friend-turned-boyfriend since a few weeks ago when he and "Baby Voice" had broken up. He was supposed to be here by now. Joan figured he had probably gotten held up working in his shed. She looked down at a pile of books that she had to put away or face the wrath of Sammy. What the hell, Joan figured, might as well do something to pass the time. She was just finishing putting away the last book when she heard someone come in.
"Okay Rove, you're such a dead ma-'' Joan stopped dead in her tracks when she realized the person who came in wasn't Adam at all.
"Get behind the counter now." The guy had a gun and looked serious about using it too. Joan froze like she was a deer caught in a car's headlights. She didn't want to think that this was really happening; after all, was she not an instrument of God? Would God really put her in danger? "Do you think I'm playing with you kid? Get behind the damn counter!" Suddenly he was up in her face and the gun was against her. He grabbed her by the arm and brought her over to the counter and pointed to the cash register. "I want $500 and I want it now. Any stalling and I will use this." Joan gulped. She couldn't think of the code needed to open the register. She had so many thoughts going through her mind. Adam! What about Adam? What if he walked in and? Joan had to focus but she couldn't.
"I...I can't open it. I don't remember the code," she said sobbing between her words.
"Well," he said clicking the trigger, "maybe this will give you some incentive."
"Please," Joan sobbed even more, "please don't. I have a family...and..my boyfriend's supposed to be coming here tonight."
"I don't care if God's supposed to be coming here tonight just open the damn drawer!" he screamed. Finally Joan focused and remembered the code; but her heart sank when she realized that they did not have even close to $500 in the register.
"I don't think we have enough."
"Then give me whatever you have. Are you *that* stupid?" He grabbed her head and slammed it down against the counter. Joan's head throbbed in pain. Just as he was finishing up putting the money in the bad he loosened his grip on Joan's arm. She saw the fire extinguisher and decided to make a go for it. But the man saw Joan going for it and fired his gun. It had hit her stomach; Joan fell to the ground in pain. "I told you, I wouldn't be afraid to use it." And with that the man took his money and ran, leaving Joan on the floor, bleeding heavily. She kept telling herself to stay awake, but her eyes closed and Joan drifted off.