Inspiration: "It's the eye of the tiger, it's the cream of the fight, rising up to the challenge of our lives" –Eye of the tiger, Survivor.
Dedication: I have decided to dedicate this chapter to anyone who has ever been in a bleak situation yet they decided to fight for a better outcome despite anything. And, of course, my other readers as well :)
I also just wanted to clarify that I do know that the skull wasn't stolen in the books, and it was destroyed along with Black John, but in this story it wasn't destroyed, it was only weakened. I'm sorry, I should've told you all this at the start of the story. The truth is, I kind of forgot in the first chapter.
Chapter 9 –Rising up to the challenge.
Laurel POV.
I was holding the book protectively in my arms, hugging it to my chest as we all tripped over each other in our haste to get out of Chris's beat up old car and into the hospital.
Deborah was already halfway to the main entrance, as she had ridden her motorbike here.
This was one of those rare moments where I wished I had a motorbike as well.
I hurried to catch up to her. "Deb wait!" I called.
"Hurry up. Cassie is waiting." She barged in through the automatic doors and I heard her steady commanding voice asking a nurse to show her the way to Cassie's ward.
I huffed. She never listens!
I picked my pace up, tearing my way in through the doors and sprinting to catch up with Deb before she disappeared behind a corner.
I heard the rest of the coven marching in after me.
We were still all on a slight high from actually discovering a spell that could work. I could feel the smugness radiating off The Henderson Brothers as we all trooped down the corridor, following this young nurse with long black hair that was escaping form her bun.
"Excuse me?" I asked politely. "But do you know how Cassie is doing?"
The nurse gave a sullen humph and just strode faster down the corridor, her long legs stretching out in front of here. I saw Chris shoot them and admiring look and I dug my elbow into his ribs.
Trust guys to be thinking of that at a time like this.
"Alec." She snapped, tapping a young man with light brown hair on the shoulder.
He jumped and almost dropped his clipboard but he regained his reflexes at the last minute and caught it. "Yes?" his voice wavered slightly, clearly nervous.
I smiled slightly. This girl reminded me of Faye when she goes after some poor guy in school.
"Take these kids to Ward three. Room 4." She turned on her heal and strutted off. No please. No thank you. No 'I-hope-your-friend-is-okay'.
I decided I didn't like her.
"Who is that?" Deborah said her voice disgusted.
The young man smiled apologetically at us. "Elena Harris."
"And that explains…what exactly?" Deborah demanded, folding her arms over her chest in an intimidating way.
The man swallowed. "She can be quite stroppy sometimes."
Deborah snorted. "She seems to be quite stroppy period."
The man shrugged.
That's a yes than.
"Anyway." Adam interrupted quickly. "Can you please show us ward three, room four now?"
The man seemed delighted by the change in topic. "Of course!" he ushered us all over to the elevator and stabbed a few buttons.
Not two minutes later we were all squeezing out of the lift and out into a bright white corridor.
"There is it!" Deborah lashed her finger out at an ugly grey door with a small window in.
I trembled in anticipation.
Throwing a quick "Thank you!" over my shoulder I darted after everyone and followed them through the door.
"Cassie!" I heard Susan trill. "We have some_"
"_What is going on?" Deborah demanded.
I stopped trying to burrow my way past Chris and Doug so I could actually get into the room and froze, listening to the weird conversation going on.
I heard a quiet sob whisper through the room.
"Cassie?" I burst out, digging my elbow in between the two brothers and shoving my way towards the front of the room.
Cassie had her faced buried in Nicks shirt and she was jerking slightly. Her brown hair was mused and her hand clutching Nick's shirt was clenched so tightly it looked like she was trying to tear the material to pieces.
Nick was holding Cassie protectively; his strong arms wrapped tightly round her shoulders. He had his head half turned into Cassie's hair, and I could just make out his lips moving rapidly.
"What's going on?" Adam demanded in a harsh hiss, striding forward so that he was just in front of me.
Nick flicked his gaze towards him, raising his eyebrows, but otherwise remaining emotionless.
Adam jerked his hands forward, slamming them onto the metal bar at the bottom of Cassie's bed. The metal shook at the sudden assault.
I cried out and grabbed his arm. "Calm down Adam_"
He lashed his body away from me. "Tell me." His eyes were hard and irrational looking.
"She is paralysed." Was all Nick said.
"So?" Doug asked, confused. "I thought we already knew this. What's changed?"
There was a horrible moment of foreboding silence before Deborah stated slowly, "She won't recover."
Nick met her gaze, and an unspoken answer flowed between them.
Things broke out into chaos then.
Adam staggered back from the bed, his face paling so that it was the colour of milk. His orange hair looked too bright on his head.
Melanie started babbling about it not being true, while Susan sank into a near by chair.
The Henderson Brothers looked angry. As angry as when Kori was murdered.
I swallowed thickly. "Well, we have something that may be able to help for now." I stepped forward and crouched down so that I was at Nick's level.
"Cassie?" I reached out and gently touched her arm. "Come on, try this." I grabbed her hand and beckoned Melanie forward.
She gently placed the amethyst stone in Cassie's hand and curled her fingers round it.
"Now, are you listening? You need to say this." I gave Nick a little discreet shove with my hand.
He looked at me. I made an encouraging gesture with my hands, but it turned out Cassie didn't need any encouraging. She pushed away from Nick slightly and used her free hand to wipe her eyes.
Sniffing loudly, she cleared her throat and took a deep breath. Finally, she looked at me, and she looked determined and concentrated.
I smiled reassuringly at her. ""Bright light, shining light Heal my hurts with all thy might."
She clutched the stone tightly in her fist and obediently murmured the incantation.
While she settled back against the stark white pillows I muttered to Nick, "Why don't you go clean up? I mean, shower…change…sleep_"
He was already shaking his head before I had even finished my suggestion. Idiot. "I'm not leaving Cassie." His voice held a note of finality to it.
I frowned. "You can come back Nick. I just don't want you in here on a few hours sleep and smelling!" I gave a persistent tug on his arm.
He sighed, shooting me an annoyed glare before seeing sense and ducking down to place a chaste kiss to Cassie's forehead. "I'll be back soon."
Cassie waved him away, smiling weakly. She was still clutching the stone like a lifeline.
Diana POV.
"What?" Mrs Blake shrieked, struggling to sit up on the sofa. Her arms and legs flailed round, and if it weren't such a serious situation I would've laughed.
"I'm sorry to have to alarm you like this Mrs Blake but Cassie_" I tried to keep my voice calm and soothing but she sprang up off the sofa and seized me by the shoulders.
"Where is she? Take me to her!" she gave me a little shake.
I tried to detach my self from her grip as I said, "If you would like to come with me to my car then I would gladly drive you." I didn't think she should be driving. She was in so much shock she would probably reach the main road and forgets how to work the car.
She swallowed a few times, closing her eyes and rocking back on her heels. "My poor baby." She mumbled.
I removed her hands from my shoulders and griped one tightly by my side. "I'll take you to see here. I'm sure she would love to see you. She was doing fine when I last saw here, and Nick and the others are with her now. They will look after her…" I kept up a steady stream of comforting things as I strapped her in the car and started the engine.
The ride to the hospital felt like torture. It was almost impossible to keep up a happy conversation with Cassie's mother. Every time I tried to steer the conversation down a more positive route she would burst out something like, "Its awful!" or "My poor, poor baby!"
Finally, we reached the hospital and we both tore through the car park and into the hospital.
I nervously twisted my hair round my finger as we both stood in the elevator, waiting for the doors to close and take us to the correct ward.
Cassie POV.
I was in the middle of talking to Chris about things we could do in the summer while Laurel brushed my hair, when the door swung open and Lydia, my nurse walked in.
"How are you feeling hon?" she asked, with a kind smile.
I smiled back at her. She really was a nice old lady. "I'm better. The…shock had worn off now."
She nodded before turning and addressing my friends. "Can I speak to Cassie alone for a minute please?"
Everyone in the room seemed to tense and become ready for some sort of attack at her request, and I had to actually give Chris a reassuring pat on his forearm before he relaxed.
"Its okay guys. I'll call you back in and tell you all about it once its over."
With a begrudging grunt from most of the people in the room, they eventually all tripped out of the room and I heard them all pushing and shoving and arguing over who got to stand and place their ear against the door.
I smiled fondly after them. They had their moments where they could annoy the hell out of you but in the end, when things mattered most, they were always there for you.
And that's why I love them.
Lydia caught my smile and chuckled. "They seem like very nice people," she stated, while carefully perching on the edge of my bed.
"They are. All of them." I interlocked my fingers and placed them on top of my stomach, waiting patiently.
"Cassie, you understand that you are now in a position where you are unable to do certain activities?" she asked me, turning serious.
I nodded. "Yes."
She licked her lips, a nervous gesture no doubt. "There are a few operations we can do to try and repair your legs. If we do it immediately then there will be a small chance that your legs will mend themselves and then_"
I blinked.
What?
They were already talking about operations? Wasn't there meant to be a gathering before this when they explain that I could try and…oh I don't know…strengthen my legs before I have to undergo surgery?
This was all wrong.
"_So if we could just have your consent then we can book you an operation tomorrow morning." Lydia looked at me and smiled, what I'm sure was meant to be a comforting smile.
I was shocked.
"No." I blurted the word out awkwardly.
She reared back slightly from me, as if getting slightly farther away from me would change what I had just said.
Yeah right.
"Cassie, do you understand exactly what is going to happen if you_" she tried desperately to reason with me.
I shook my head defiantly. "No. I want to try and strengthen my legs and see if I can walk again. I don't want to think about an operation."
"The scan showed that your legs are too badly…" I could practically hear the gears in her head grind as she thought for the appropriate and kindest word to describe my situation.
I decided to say it for her. "…Broken."
She cleared her throat before continuing. "Yes, broken, to be able to do anything with them. Cassie please just listen to me_"
"No." I repeated simply.
She sighed. "Maybe your mother will make you understand."
I soothed the covers of my bed down calmly. "No."
I felt the bed shift slightly as she stood up. "Your boyfriend then." She pressed.
I smiled at that. "He will stand by me no matter what."
"We'll see." She sighed, before hobbling her way over to the dull grey door. She placed an old withered hand on the knob before turning back abruptly. "Cassie, please just_"
It was my turn to sigh now. "I appreciate your concern but my answer is still no."
She looked at me helplessly. As she opened her mouth I quickly and sternly replied, "No."
She exited the room in obvious unhappiness.
She'll come round…I assured myself. She's a nice lady…she'll listen to me…
Chapter end.
Review please. Thanks for all your reviews on the last chapters. I love reading them. Keep 'em coming!
Hugs xoxo