Disclaimer: SwanDestiny doesn't own the 39 clues. It's a fact.
Summary: "Do the right thing." She said in a hushed, sad tone. "Save the world Dan." Dan is faced with an impossible decision: Amy or the world. Sometimes these choices were just the hardest to make.
Amy. The leader of the Cahills, a smart, brilliant, wise girl. A girl who is looked up to, someone everybody could rely on. The head of the unstoppable Cahills.
Trapped in Pierce's hands.
Tears were streaming down from her eyes as a knife was pressed against her heart, her usually fierce jade green eyes now seemed shattered and miserable. Her tears were like smashed diamonds, constantly filling her eyes. Her jade green eyes seemed defeated, yet they be strong, urging them to do the right thing, even if meant the greatest sacrifices. Her burning red hair was worn down into a dull, mousy brown shade. Her skin was almost the color of parchment. A single sob escaped into the silent room.
He never thought it would come to this. No, he always thought they would make it out together, successful, saving the world from horror. He thought they would always be the Cahill kids, Amy and Dan, brother and sister. Now it would only be Dan, and Amy would only be a ghost of the horrible past. She would be away from this world. Gone forever.
His sister... Gone... Dan shook his head. There was still hope, he might still be able to save her. Might... The world was so unsure right now, and so was Dan.
She was so strong, like a thousand barriers protecting her. She never showed any vulnerablities, and she was more than a 16 year old girl... Now Amy was vulnerable, and it was all his fault. A knife poised at her heart, Amy looked like what she was before: A 16 year old girl, a teenager with the stress of the world, a burden never lifted from her.
Dan kicked himself in the head. He forgot that side of her was there. He was so ignorant, so oblivious not to see that. If only he was there to stop Pierce when he kidnapped Amy in the night. He should've been more careful, more cautious. Amy could only handle so many things. He was a terrible brother.
Dan could only watch in pure fear as Pierce smirked, his features contorted with pure evil.
"Not so good now, Dan Cahill. This is what makes you all so weak... Love. Something you could treasure so dearly, only to have it die right in front of you."
Dan looked around him. Jonah and Hamilton were standing in a corner, helplessly looking into Amy's terrified eyes. "No..." Their eyes pleaded, looking desperately at Pierce, their usual upbeat spirits now broken down.
Sinead stood beside them, trying to formulate a plan in her mind but tears replaced them instead. Her blue eyes were pooled with shimmering tears as they flowed from her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Amy." Her blue eyes seemed to say, her ingenious mind halting to a stop.
Ian stood there, shocked, a sign of complete horror shining in his eyes. "Not Amy!" Amber eyes spoke, searching for a way to bring back Amy safe and sound.
Atticus looked to his friend, a mix of emotions flashing in his eyes. Amy was someone who was like him, crazy about history and books. Now, she'll just be taken away from him.
Lastly, Jake stared into Amy's jade green eyes with bitter-sweet love. He was someone who understood Amy, the 16-year old girl trapped in the dangerous world of the Cahills. Jake cared so much for Amy, and now, now she was like a legend that faded away.
Everyone was broken. Shattered. Blown to dust. Every bit of hope they held tightly in their hearts was crushed, and their will to fight dispersed. Everything in their world was falling down. Their opponet captured a vital part of their indestructible team.
It was all his fault, Dan relentlessly blamed himself. This... This was truly the end. Dan couldn't wrap his mind around it. His sister, his family. Amy... gone?
A tear trailed it's way across Dan's cheek as he threw himself before Amy's feet.
"Amy!"
Pierce let out a laugh. "Oh, dear, dear, Amy. What a true leader she was, an important part of all our hearts." Pierce said with mock sympathy.
Jake somehow found the strength to glare at Pierce. Dan could only wish that glares could kill Pierce. Everybody directed their hatred towards Pierce, but it would do nothing. A knife would be pressed against Amy either way.
"Dan..."
Amy's voice came out as a whisper, like an ancient rattle. She coughed, wincing at the blade against her.
She looked down at him.
"No!" Dan cried, swatting at Pierce. Pierce grinned, taking the knife away as it glinted in the dim lights of the hall, gleaming with the sharpest point, bringing an end to whoever found themselves on the otherside of the knife. Dan shivered.
"Well then," Pierce taunted. "You could save your sister's life-"
A light returned to everyone's eyes as tears were put to an end.
"If you give up the antitode."
Everybody immediately returned to their miserable state, staring at the ceiling, floor, or walls, wishing this was only a nightmare.
If only it was.
Dan's eyes darted from Amy to Pierce.
The world or Amy. How could he choose? He had to take a path to save his sister, or the world. Painstaking memories returned to Dan, memories of Amy and his past together. How close they were.
"I-I..." Dan stammered.
Pierce smiled. "Better make your choice now, time's running out for the world and Amy."
How could he do this? This was an impossible choice.
Once again, Dan blamed himself. He should've been more careful. If only he could go to the past...
It was useless. He had to make a choice.
Amy made one last pull at her shackles. Dan's heart wavered at the sight of her tied up, so open to the world.
"Dan..." She croaked.
Dan's eyes snapped up to meet hers for one last time.
"Do... Do-" Amy coughed.
"Do the right thing." She said in a hushed, sad tone. "Save the world Dan."
She let her eyes flutter shut, taking a deep breath.
"Remember that I love you. Don't make my death burden you. Be free, Dan... Hopefully, this is the end."
With every word Amy said, Dan teared up even more.
How could he let Amy go?
Seeing the storm in his eyes, Amy cupped Dan's cheek with one shivering, fragile hand.
"Dan." She whispered, before lowering her head, casting her eyes to the floor... For the last time.
Dan drew in a shaky breath.
He had to do this.
The tears prevented him from saying anything more to Amy, like a dam blocking his flow of words. He wanted to say so many things. Sorry for messing up. Sorry for existing. Sorry for bringing your death.
Wordlessly, Dan just clutched his vial of the antitode harder. Sinead saw this, and with a single tear, she ran outside, Jake following her behind, reluctantly leaving Amy.
"No." Dan managed to say one word, causing Pierce's gaze to harden.
"Your plan... It failed."
Then Dan came up with a brilliant idea. He ran up to Pierce, holding up the vial before bringing it down, the needle sticking into Pierce's arm in a shot, all in one quick motion.
Pierce looked momentarily confused, and then he laughed. "You think that'll save you?" Another maniac laugh.
Dan silently prayed for it to work. Pierce reached a hand for the dagger, but without even reaching halfway, he dropped down, unconcious.
The following day, Ruthord Pierce was arrested.
~V~
Amy was rested on the white hospital bed, her breathing coming out in ragged breaths.
"Is it true that Ruthord Pierce threatened innocent Amy Cahill with a dagger, making her live in very harsh conditions?"
Reporters swarmed Dan as he almost laughed at the term "innocent Amy Cahill".
They were anything but innocent.
But right now, they were just the closest of brother and sister.
"I love you Amy." He whispered to a sleeping Amy. "I'm sorry I did this to you... I love you."
"Dan... I love you too. This isn't your fault. And if I don't make it-"
Dan's breath caught on the words "If I don't make it".
He wanted to tell her that she was going to live. That she was going to live a wonderful life, and that she was very much alive.
But he knew that wasn't true.
So Dan silently waited for Amy's next words, knowing she was going to pass on the job of being the Madrigal and Cahill leader.
"You'll be the leader of the Madrigals, but I'm assigning Ian the job of the leader of the Cahills. You mean the world to me, Dan. I don't want to experience being the leader of the Cahills."
Next to Amy, the heart monitor came with steady, slow yet going quicker, beeps.
Beep... Beep... Beep...
Then she took one ragged breath.
Dan's heart felt warmth at Amy's words. She loved him, she cared about him, even after what he did to her, what he didn't prevent. His heart dropped at the sound of her troubled breathing.
In a stormy day, there was a glimmer of hope at the end of the sun's ray.
I know you're safe now.
Alive or not, you're out of harm's way.
Heal your wounds, and restore yourself.
I love you, forever and forever.
SwanDestiny: Does Amy live? Does she die? I don't know... Stop asking me!
Well, actually I do know. If you want to figure it out, there are tiny hints, and use some logic to figure it out!
SwanDestiny: Review, follow and favorite! I hope you enjoyed this one-shot!