This is a very short, one-shot, what-if story: what if Fiona had decided to come with the Baudelaires instead of staying with Olaf? The characters belong to Daniel Handler, not me.
Fiona Hesitates
"Are you going to take us to the brig?" Klaus asked.
"No. I'll let you escape -- if you can. You'd better hurry," said Fiona.
The Baudelaires described how Violet would set the course, Klaus would read tidal charts, and Sunny would serve cake. It sounded so warm and friendly, so much like real family. Not like Fiona's family: Fernald who had grown so bitter and cold he was almost a stranger, her stepfather who had deserted her, and this new gang of criminal strangers that Fernald associated with.
Fiona looked around the Main Hall sadly, "Take good care of the Queequeg," she said, "Aye! I'll miss it."
"I'll miss you," Klaus said. "Won't you come with us, Fiona? Olaf has the Medusoid Mycelium and we'll need all the help we can get. Don't you want to finish the mission? Find the sugar bowl? Find your stepfather? Or even finish the food code we were going to invent?"
Fiona walked to the wooden table. Contrary to her personal philosophy, she hesitated for a moment... and then a moment more.
"Aye!" she said at last. "I'll come with you!"
"Yes!" exclaimed Klaus. He gave Fiona a warm hug.
Sunny babbled a happy welcome.
Violet smiled, but seemed to be holding back. Fiona realized it would take time to regain her trust.
With Fiona's help, they quickly located waterproof glue in the ship's repair supplies to fix the broken porthole. With her help, they had no trouble steering out of the passage, eluding the horrible question-mark-shaped shadow, and setting course for Briny Beach.
All night long they steered together, consulted the charts, and ate slices of Violet's birthday cake. Fiona began to feel she had made the right decision, even though she would never see her brother again.
In the morning they arrived at Briny Beach. They walked up from the sand to the road without meeting anyone. Fiona had not stayed to tell Olaf that the Baudelaires were headed to Briny Beach, so Olaf had not telegrammed Geraldine Julienne to send a note to Mr. Poe signed "J.S." (her real initials), and so Mr. Poe was not there to meet them on the shore that morning.
They found the taxi and opened the door. The woman in the driver's seat was wearing a black coat buttoned up to her neck, and white gloves on her hands.
"I'm Kit Snicket," she said, and then stared at Fiona. "Who are you?"
"I'm Fiona, M'am. Captain Widdershin's stepdaughter."
"Your family is too volitile. This V.F.D. mission calls for the Baudelaires, not you," said Kit harshly.
"Please let her come," Klaus said. "She helped us escape Olaf!"
"Why is she wearing an Edgar Guest uniform? He had limited skill and wrote hopelessly sentimental poetry," said Kit.
"She joined Olaf's crew temporarily, but then she changed her mind," said Violet.
"See what I mean? Volitile! Now choose," said Kit. "Either you three Baudelaires come with me, or I leave you all behind with Fiona."
The Baudelaires pondered in shocked silence. They looked at Fiona, then one by one dropped their eyes.
"Sorry, Fiona," Klaus finally said. "It's our only chance to find out what really happened to our parents."
"Sayonara," said Sunny, meaning "Goodbye."
Violet didn't know what to say. She just kept looking down.
Klaus gave Fiona a kiss. "When you think of me, think of a food you love very much," he said.
The Baudelaires drove off with Kit, turning the tables of their lives and breaking their unfortunate cycle for the first time.
Fiona remained alone on the beach, tears in her eyes.
She had hesitated, and now she was lost.