Hay Lin, Irma, Taranee, and Cornelia flew quickly to the Silver Dragon to wake Yan Lin. Caleb ran after them, Will cradled in his arms. Ever so often, he glanced down at her unmoving form. He was worried. They had fought Cedric many, many times before, but never had he seen a guardian receive a beating this bad. He ran faster, hoping that Yan Lin could help.

Everyone was crowded downstairs waiting for Caleb and Will, while the four other girls explained to Yan Lin what had conspired. She was worried too. Suddenly, Caleb came though the door.

"Caleb!" Cornelia said.

"Is Will alright? Has she woken up yet?" Hay Lin questioned.

"No. She's still unconscious. Her breathing is shallow too."

"Oh, this is serious." Yan Lin fretted. "Here," She said as she led Caleb to a cot. "Place her here. I will take a look at her."

Caleb placed Will gently on the cot and stood back as Yan Lin bent over her. The four other girls, along with Caleb and Blunk stood back quietly as they watched Yan Lin examine Will. An eternity seemed to pass. Hay Lin was nearly jumping up at down, burning to ask questions about Will's condition, but she held her tongue for fear of breaking the silence. Finally, Yan Lin spoke, "I have never seen a guardian receive such wounds like this before. Whatever Cedric was after, he doesn't want you guardians to find it. I'm assuming he was hoping to take Will out, our at least injure her enough to prevent you guys from following him."

"Oh my gosh!" Irma said. "That is horrible. Not unpredictable, but still, horrible." She shuttered.

"That is not all." Yan Lin continued. "She has several broken ribs, bruised bones, and cuts."

Everyone gasped wide eyed

"I will be able to heal her, but she will have some nasty bruises due to the broken ribs. The way in which they cracked caused some minor internal bleeding. But don't worry, she will be fine in the end."

"Oh, Cedric is so going to get it when we run into him next." Irma said.

"You all are welcome to stay, but it is going to take most of the night and some of the morning for me to heal her.
" Looking at her granddaughter, Yan Lin continued, "Hay Lin, go call Ms. Vandom and tell her Will will be spending the weekend with us."

"Yes Grandma."

"The rest of you, make yourselves comfy."

Yan Lin worked though the night and into the morning. Thanks to some tricks she had learned when she was a guardian, and watching a lot of medical shows on T.V., she was able to heal Will. It was around 10 in the morning when she finally finished. She sat heavily in a chair and sighed. "I've done all that I can for her." She said as she closed her eyes. "I must go and get something to eat and rest. Will someone please stay with her?"

"I will." Taranee said.

"Someone should go and get Matt too." Cornelia said.

"I will." Irma offered.

The friends all dispersed in their different directions, Irma off to find Matt, Cornelia and Caleb to grab some breakfast for everyone, and Hay Lin with her grandmother, thus leaving Taranee to sit with Will.

***********

Matt came rushing though the door, followed quickly by Irma. "Will." He cried as he jumped down the last couple of steps and rushed to her side. Her chest rose and fell evenly as her eyelids fluttered rapid with movement of someone asleep. Matt's eyes ran up and down, looking at her still form lying on the cot. "Is she alright?" He asked, turning to Taranee.

"Yan Lin did all she could. She said Will had several broken ribs and some other injuries. But she was able to take care of the broken ribs. The most damaged part of her body are healed but there are going to be some nasty bruises."

Matt took Will's hands and held them gently in his. "Oh Will…" He said quietly.

"You'll be OK here?" Taranee asked.

"Yeah." He replied as he watched Taranee leave with Irma right behind.

****************

It wasn't until mid day when Will finally woke up. Her eye's opened slowly as Matt's face filled her vision. "Matt?" She said in a raspy voice. His face lit up as he cupped her face gently. "How are you feeling?"

She coughed and then struggled to sit up. She winced and gasped for breath. Matt helped her lay back down. "I guess I'm Ok. Everything hurts. A lot." She closed her eyes for a moment, steading her breathing then opened her eyes again and looked at Matt. "What exactly happened?" She asked.

"Well, from what Irma, Taranee, Hay Lin, Cornelia and Caleb said, you were fighting Cedric when he became too much for you and they came to your rescue. You took a pretty bad beating. You had a few broken ribs and some other injuries. Yan Lin patched you up saying you would be all right, but you would have some nasty bruises."

She sighed. Then her eyes grew wide. "Oh my gosh, what am I going to tell me mom?"

"Don't worry. Hay Lin called your mom saying that you would be staying the weekend with her." He smiled.

Will relaxed as she looked up at the ceiling drifting away in thought. Matt frowned. "Will," He said quietly. "Talk to me? What is it?"

She sighed before she began. "I've never felt so much anger come from him before. I was actually scared for my life. Like my powers were not enough to save me. I never felt some much anger and evil emit from one being before. Not even Phobos. I was scared that you guys wouldn't get to me in time."

Matt looked down at Will. A flood of emotions washed though him: concern, anger, fear, rage, love… He just couldn't settle on one yet. He was glad that Will was safe; he just couldn't stand seeing her like this. She seemed so vulnerable; like she could break at any moment. A few moments passed before she struggled up into a sitting position. "Come on, I want some food and I want to get way from the basement." She chuckled then winced at the pain it caused.

Matt stood up and to his place by her side, waiting to catch her if she fell. Will rose from the cot and stood still for a moment. It hurt to breath and move her upper body. So, taking a shaky breath, Will took a step forward then wobbled before she started to fall. Matt caught her and helped her stand up straight. She winced and coughed slightly as she fell into him. Matt tried to touch her gently, to inflict as little pain as possible, but he still winced as he watched her expression.
"Man, I've got to come up with a good story this weekend to explain my condition or else my mom is going to flip." She laughed again, but it sounded more like a donkey braying. Matt cringed.

***************

The weekend passed uneventful. Will was able to walk on her own without much trouble. She still couldn't laugh much and the bruises that were on her body were ghastly. From her chest to her stomach and over her back were big patches of blue and black. It was truly a sickening site. She had to make sure her mom see; She would freak out.

The week rolled by and then the weekend came again. It was Friday night and the gang was once again at the Silver Dragon in the basement. They all sat in a circle discussing the events of the previous weekend. They were all puzzled about Cedric's actions and when he would strike again. But the biggest question was who or what was he after?

"We know it can't be Elyon because she's already been discovered. So who else could it be?" Cornelia stated.

They all sat in silence mulling things over in their minds.

"Maybe it's not a person, maybe it's an object of some sorts ." Hay Lin said.

"No news of a powerful weapon or object has reached the ears of the resistance." Caleb said.

"OK, so we can probably rule out a magical object," Matt said. "What's next on the list?"

"Well, we could got back to the idea of a person." Cornelia said. "Is there any news of a valuable being that could give Phobos power?"

Cornelia's words hung in the air as an idea suddenly came to Will and Matt at the same time. "I know." They said in unison. Will and Matt looked at each other while everyone looked at the couple. "You do? Who is he after?"
Hay Lin asked. "Or what is he after?" It was a moment before Will broke the silence. "Me." She said quietly.

"What?" Irma said. "How do you know? What gives you that idea?"

"Think about it." Matt said, taking over the conversation. "We have something Phobos doesn't. The heart. He could become much more powerful if he was to capture Will and take the heart from her. No doubt destroying her in the process. It's the only explanation as to why Cedric was attacking so brutally. It was only a matter of time before Phobos resorted to this tactic and captures the bearer of the heart."

Everyone was quiet as they took it in.

"Wow." Irma said.

"But Phobos already tried to steal the heart. I thought he learned his lesson the first time." Cornelia said. "Why come after the heart again all of a sudden?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that there is nothing we can do about it. We can't take me away from the fight nor hide me. If we were to do so, you guys wouldn't have the power to fight off Phobos." Will said.

"The only thing he can do, since his plan here didn't work, is to draw you out some how. Maybe even all of you. Get rid of the guardians in one foul swoop." Caleb said.

"All we can do is be on our guard." Will said.

"And make sure that Cedric and Phobos don't get to you." Taranee added.

The group left the Silver Dragon and walked down a deserted street. Will hung in the back, thinking things over in her mind. Matt stayed behind with her to make sure she was OK. He held out his hand for her, but she was too deep in thought to notice. He sighed. "If it makes you feel better Will, I can stay outside you apartment until morning."

Will looked at him with a bright smile. "That is very kind of you Matt, but I don't think he'll do the same thing twice. Phobos is too smart for that. No, he'll draw us to Meridian and take us there. But we'll be ready for him. We know what his plan is, so that gives us the advantage."

Matt smiled at her. She smiled back and took his hand.

The group reached the corner where they would go their separate ways. Irma and Taranee went together while Hay Lin started back to her place. "Aren't you coming Caleb?" she asked. He shook his head. "No, there is something I want to take a look at first."

Hay Lin waved then went on her way home. Cornelia went to her home while Will and Matt began walking down the street towards Will's appartment with Caleb following behind.

"I thought you had something to look at Caleb?"

"I do. I want to take a look around Will's appartment and make sure that both of you are safe."

Will nodded as she continued walking. As she did, Will found herself leaning heavily on Matt, using his side for support. He let go of her hand and wrapped him arm around her shoulder, keeping her upright. The walk didn't take very long. They were nearly a block away when Caleb stopped. Will stopped too, suddenly aware that there was something different. Something was wrong. "You two stay here." Caleb said as he ran to the front and rounded the corner. Will grasped for the heart of Kandrakar around her neck while Matt held her tightly, ready to phase into Shagon if he needed to.

Caleb came back and smiled. "It's alright. Nothing up there." Will let go of her necklace as they continued walking, still clinging to Matt tightly. "Something still seems off." She said quietly to him. "I don't like it."

"Don't worry. You have Caleb and me to protect you."

She continued walking, without a response.

They were half a block from Will's house when it happened. Out of no where, Matt and Will found themselves flying backwards while Caleb was flung to the side. "Will!" Matt cried as he hopped up and ran to her. She lay crumpled on the ground. She struggled to sit up, clutching her side as she did so. A might blow had landed against her chest, hitting her weakest and painful part of her body. Grasping the heart she cried, "Guardian, unite, me." Brilliant light filled the air as Will transformed into her Guardian form. Matt phased into Shagon and Caleb recovered and held his sword at the ready. Will flew into the air, unable to fight as she watched Caleb and Matt battle Cedric. She was greatly confused. Caleb said that the coast was clear. Maybe after they had left, a fold was made.

She hovered in the air, watching the battle unfold below. She was so transfixed that she barely heard when Caleb cried out, "Will! Look out!" She twirled around, just in time to see one of Phobos' men jump from a nearby building. She cried out as they both tumbled to the ground. Will flapped her wings as quickly as she could to help slow their decent, but they still hit the ground hard. She winced as she struggled to sit back up, but the army man was too quick for her. He bound her ankles and wrists as he slung her over his shoulder and made his way back to the fold. "MATT! CALEB!" She cried out. They both pivoted around and ran towards the guard. Matt shot his laser vision at the guard and watched him tumbled to the ground. Will whimpered as the weight of the guard landed on top of her. She struggled to get away, but Cedric was too quick. He grabbed Will with his tale and shoved the two boys out of the way. Then they were gone. Back into the fold.

"WILL!" Matt cried as he flew to the place where the fold had been. He banged his fists against the wall sending little flecks of brick down to the ground. He yelled in anger. Phasing back into his human form, he turned to Caleb. "We have to go after her!" He cried point to where the fold had been.

"I know. But we need the other guardians and Blunk."

"But how are we supposed to fight? With Will gone, the others can't transform."

"We'll manage. They can still use their power and you can phase to Shagon. We'll just be at a little of a disadvantage. We need to get her back now. Phobos is going to drain the heart's power. Along with that, her power will be drained from her as well."

Matt looked at Caleb with wide eyes.

"Taking Will with him." Caleb said quietly.

Author's Note: I hope you guys like it so far; This is my first W.I.T.C.H. fanfic. Please tell me what you think. I value your input!