PART IX—THE CHALLENGES
CHAPTER 2-B: KIARA'S and JIMMY'S CHALLENGE
THE HOSPITAL
Looking. Looking is all he could do… all he can do. Well, that and pray.
Jimmy Olsen gazed down helplessly at Kiara's still form. She wasn't breathing, but the doctors, much to their own amazement, said that she still had a strong pulse. Her fever was high, and not at all descending. They said that she had slipped into a very deep coma, and chances of her surviving without any permanent damages were pretty slim. In fact, they even believe that Kiara surviving at all would be a miracle in itself.
The doctors and nurses were asking too many questions… most in which Jimmy himself couldn't answer without sounding like a complete lunatic.
Thank God that Prue and her sisters arrived in time to handle all the inquiries. They've been down this road before, unlike Jimmy whose still a novice in all this magick business.
"She has to pull through, Jimmy." A gentle hand was laid on his shoulder. Fiona knew that this was killing the young man, and she wanted to remove the horrid pain in his eyes.
He took Kiara's hand, feeling the light slip out of him. "I can't lose her, Fi. I mean, I know this sounds selfish, but I don't want to lose her. I know I'm not the only one going through hell over her," He managed to stray his eyes outside to see the Halliwell sisters trying to logically explain the situation to a bunch of doctors. "They love her like a sister. And I'm sure that Leo feels the exact same way. I just can't get over the fact that I could have prevented this. That she wouldn't have to lose her life—"
"Over me." Fiona said.
"No, Fiona. I didn't mean that…" Jimmy replied, looking up at her with the most saddest eyes she has ever seen. "Fi…"
"No, Jimmy. I know what you mean, but you have to admit, she wouldn't be in this much danger if she had just backed away from this whole protecting Fiona situation."
Jimmy grabbed a hold of Fiona, "Listen to me, Fiona. What makes Kiara Kiara is her huge heart. She would risk her own soul for the safety of others. I know I haven't known her, or you, for very long, but I do know that when it comes down to it, you two are willing to sacrifice your very beings for the countless lives of innocents."
Fiona's heart broke as she took in Jimmy's words. She pulled him into a hug, into which he gladly returned.
"You won't lose her, Jimmy." Determination was evident in her voice. "I'm going to make sure of that."
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Prue needed to sit down. She was so wiped out with having to think up a reasonable explanation as to why Kiara was in the state she was in.
"How are you holding up, Prue?"
She looked up, smiling wearily at the face before her. "Okay, I guess, Jack."
Jack gazed into the hospital room where Fi was with Jimmy and Kiara. He smiled bitterly, "It's just not fair, Prue. Kiara is in there fighting for her life, and we can't do a damn thing about it." He thought about his sister, and his anger towards the situation grew. "And I know it's killing Fi. It's eating her alive knowing that she can't do anything to heal Kiara."
"Jack," Prue placed a hand on his arm, "Fiona is a strong young lady. As long as she knows that you're by her side, she's going to come out on top." She also looked into the room, "It's killing all of us. Kiara looks so helpless… and I feel so helpless."
"And you hate it." Jack said, a small smile on his face.
"Yeah. I do."
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"C'mon, Kiara. Please come back to us," Jimmy brushed a loose strand of her dark hair from her face. "Come back to me."
Fiona sat on the opposite side of Jimmy, watching his every affectionate move.
Jimmy placed a tender kiss on her forehead… when his whole world came crashing down.
Her monitor wailed frantically, her pulse flat lining.
"Kiara?!" Jimmy jumped, startled. Fiona followed suite, fear and concern on her face.
A code blue was called over the P.A. Doctors and nurses flooded into the room, forcing Jimmy and Fiona out.
"But—wait, I—"
"Jimmy? What's happening?" Jimmy turned around, seeing the worried look on Prue's face.
"I don't know." He sighed, his eyes turning back to where Kiara was.
He felt like he was watching his world shatter in just one single moment. The doctors were trying their best to revive Kiara, but her heart monitor was still flat lined.
"This can't be happening." Phoebe murmured, feeling the tears start to emerge from her eyes. "She's too strong, too young to die."
"Phoebe," Piper comforted her baby sister with a hug, holding her tight.
Prue felt a pair of strong hands on her shoulder. She turned to see Leo, mirroring her own worries and fear.
Jack placed his arms around his sister, who was beginning to break down at the sight before her. Fi took comfort in her brother's presence. "It's okay, Fi. She's going to make it."
"What if she doesn't, Jack?" Her eyes met his, "This was her test. What happened to her, she was being tested. And so was Jimmy… and so was I. If she dies… we fail."
The young man was a lost of words. He looked over at Leo and Prue, who could hardly met his own gaze without revealing sadness in their eyes. Jack just held Fiona. That's all he could do.
"Don't give up, Kiara." Jimmy whispered. "Don't leave us. Please…"
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CHAPTER 2… part C
"Baby? Fi? Can I come in?"
Molly Phillips gently opened the door, peeking into her daughter's and Annie's hotel room. No lights were on, no windows were open, only darkness.
She crept in and took in the fallen form on the bed. Her heart broke over the sight of her daughter.
"She's dead, mom."
Molly made her way towards Fiona, "I'm so sorry, baby." She sat down, tenderly brushing her daughter's hair aside. "Fiona,"
Fi turned over, revealing her tear-soaked face. "It's all my fault, mom. She's dead because of me."
Molly was taken aback, "What?"
The young woman started to sob, "She… she wouldn't… she'd be… I'm to blame…"
"No, Fiona. Don't you dare think like that, baby." She pulled her little girl into a hug, not daring to release her. "How could you believe that you had caused Kiara's death? You didn't kill her, Fiona. You couldn't have… you're not that type of person to do something like that… you're too good a person. So don't think like that, Fi."
"Mom, she died because of me. Because she knew me and because she wanted to help me." Fiona pulled herself out of her mother's embrace, and fell back onto her bed. She refused to talk any further about it… letting her guilt eat her alive.
Molly was left confused and saddened by her little girl's state. She was about to ask her why she felt such burden, when someone entered the room.
"Mrs. Phillips?"
She looked up, seeing a young man at the door. "Yes?"
"I'm Jimmy Olsen. I'm a friend of Fi's… may I speak to her? Alone?" Jimmy stepped further in hesitantly.
Molly was about to turn him away, feeling that she needed this time to talk to Fiona, when Jimmy said something to her that otherwise changed her mind.
"I was there when Kiara died. Both Fi and I saw her… I just wanted to talk to her about it."
Molly glanced back at Fiona, then sadly smiled back at Jimmy. "Okay, but only for a while. She needs her rest."
"Thank you, Mrs. Phillips."
She got up and went to him. She placed a comforting hand on his arm, "I'm really sorry to hear about Kiara, Jimmy."
"So am I." He couldn't met her gaze, for fear he would break down right in front of her. "So am I."
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Molly closed the door, letting the two speak in private. In the hall, she closed her eyes. How could something like this happen? When she opened her eyes, she saw her son approach her.
"Hey mom." Jack looked at the door, "How's Fiona?"
"She's so distraught over Kiara's death, Jack." She looked at her son, "Jack, do you know why Fi is blaming herself over it? I can understand why you guys would be so upset over this, seeing as you two became good friends with the young lady, but I don't understand why Fiona is acting this way."
Jack thought his words over. He wanted to straight out tell his mom the truth… but he knew he couldn't do it without some major consequences following. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed them and shrugged. "I don't know, mom."
Molly had a lot of faith and trust in knowing that her children can be honest with her about everything and anything. Yet as she took in what Jack said, and his actions when saying it, she was saddened with doubt.
Sadly smiling at him, she placed a hand on his shoulder, "You know you can tell me anything, Jack. No secrets, okay?"
With a very good facade, he focused all his inner strength to look at her blankly. "I know, mom."
"Jack…" she began, "Why do I have a feeling that you're keeping something from me that concerns your sister?"
"I don't know why." He shrugged, his face still blank as a white board. It was eating him up inside to have to lie to his mom, but he had to. If his mom knew the truth, she would be at risk. It was bad enough that he had to worry about the chance of losing his sister, but he couldn't handle having to lose his mother as well. He had to keep the truth from her. He just had to.
"What makes you think I'm keeping something from you, mom?"
"I don't know, baby. Just a mother's instinct, I guess." She pulled him into a hug, causing his guilt to fester.
"You would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you, Jack?"
"Yes, mom." He said, partly lying through his teeth. He would tell her, unless certain circumstances were called for…
=====================================================================
"Fi?"
"Jimmy, don't." Her voice was muffled against the pillow, but her message was still loud and clear.
"It's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault… except the beings that killed her."
Jimmy waited for Fiona to answer, but she didn't. He made his way towards her, sitting himself on her bed where Molly was a few minutes ago.
"Okay, Fi, I know that you don't want to talk to me… and I won't force you to." He sighed, "So I'll do all the talking, and you'll just listen."
Fiona stirred, but still didn't say a word.
"Don't believe that you are at fault, Fi. And you know that. You know that you're not to blame… but it's your guilt that's telling you otherwise. And they would love it if you believe your guilt over your heart. Fiona, you cannot let it get to you."
"I failed, Jimmy. I know that it's stupid to still think about their test towards me, but it's my life at stake." She turned over, facing him. "I didn't want to believe that the forces against me were that cruel as to actually kill to get to me… but they did." Fresh tears began to form, "You heard that woman in the alley. All three of us were being tested. Kiara didn't have to die. We could have saved her… but we didn't. We failed."
Anger and anguish began to boil within her. Looking towards the heavens, she cried, "You hear that?! We failed! I failed! You might as well take my life as well!"
She looked at Jimmy again, "They could have just taken my life like that," Fi snapped her fingers, "But they decided to kill me slowly by making me watch the people close to me suffer."
"Fiona!" He shook her, "Don't! Please don't think like this!" Jimmy begged.
"If you let your guilt and your anger eat at you, you will fail."
"I already have, Jimmy."
"No you haven't. But you will if you believe all these words that you're saying."
"So what should I do, Jimmy? They killed Kiara. Who will they get to next? You? My brother? Clu? They could get to anyone…"
"They already destroyed a huge part of myself when they took Kiara away from us." Jimmy gently grabbed a hold of Fiona.
"Fi, you and I are still being tested. You didn't fail. I didn't fail. We have to take this tragedy and use it against them and not us. Kiara's death shouldn't be in vain, Fiona. And you know that! You know what needs to be done in order for us to pass this twisted game they're playing."
She took a deep breath, taking in his words. Fiona needed to take a moment. Getting up, she walked over to the window of her hotel room.
"I did a lot of thinking, Fiona. I am angry, hurt, devastated, pissed off, and above all, extremely determined to bring her killers to justice."
Fi turned around, the tears swept away, and the determination shining in her eyes. "So am I, Jimmy. And you're right. The only way I could truly fail is to let the blame destroy me… and I won't let it. To many people need me to be there for them… and to succeed."
For once since the whole tragic incident, Fiona found the silver lining. She immediately opened the curtains, letting the light shine through. Staring at the sky, which was beginning to truly open and smile brightly. Turning to Jimmy, the trademark Fiona Phillips' grin on her face, "Let's go kick some evil forces' butt."
CHAPTER 2-B: KIARA'S and JIMMY'S CHALLENGE
THE HOSPITAL
Looking. Looking is all he could do… all he can do. Well, that and pray.
Jimmy Olsen gazed down helplessly at Kiara's still form. She wasn't breathing, but the doctors, much to their own amazement, said that she still had a strong pulse. Her fever was high, and not at all descending. They said that she had slipped into a very deep coma, and chances of her surviving without any permanent damages were pretty slim. In fact, they even believe that Kiara surviving at all would be a miracle in itself.
The doctors and nurses were asking too many questions… most in which Jimmy himself couldn't answer without sounding like a complete lunatic.
Thank God that Prue and her sisters arrived in time to handle all the inquiries. They've been down this road before, unlike Jimmy whose still a novice in all this magick business.
"She has to pull through, Jimmy." A gentle hand was laid on his shoulder. Fiona knew that this was killing the young man, and she wanted to remove the horrid pain in his eyes.
He took Kiara's hand, feeling the light slip out of him. "I can't lose her, Fi. I mean, I know this sounds selfish, but I don't want to lose her. I know I'm not the only one going through hell over her," He managed to stray his eyes outside to see the Halliwell sisters trying to logically explain the situation to a bunch of doctors. "They love her like a sister. And I'm sure that Leo feels the exact same way. I just can't get over the fact that I could have prevented this. That she wouldn't have to lose her life—"
"Over me." Fiona said.
"No, Fiona. I didn't mean that…" Jimmy replied, looking up at her with the most saddest eyes she has ever seen. "Fi…"
"No, Jimmy. I know what you mean, but you have to admit, she wouldn't be in this much danger if she had just backed away from this whole protecting Fiona situation."
Jimmy grabbed a hold of Fiona, "Listen to me, Fiona. What makes Kiara Kiara is her huge heart. She would risk her own soul for the safety of others. I know I haven't known her, or you, for very long, but I do know that when it comes down to it, you two are willing to sacrifice your very beings for the countless lives of innocents."
Fiona's heart broke as she took in Jimmy's words. She pulled him into a hug, into which he gladly returned.
"You won't lose her, Jimmy." Determination was evident in her voice. "I'm going to make sure of that."
====================================================================
Prue needed to sit down. She was so wiped out with having to think up a reasonable explanation as to why Kiara was in the state she was in.
"How are you holding up, Prue?"
She looked up, smiling wearily at the face before her. "Okay, I guess, Jack."
Jack gazed into the hospital room where Fi was with Jimmy and Kiara. He smiled bitterly, "It's just not fair, Prue. Kiara is in there fighting for her life, and we can't do a damn thing about it." He thought about his sister, and his anger towards the situation grew. "And I know it's killing Fi. It's eating her alive knowing that she can't do anything to heal Kiara."
"Jack," Prue placed a hand on his arm, "Fiona is a strong young lady. As long as she knows that you're by her side, she's going to come out on top." She also looked into the room, "It's killing all of us. Kiara looks so helpless… and I feel so helpless."
"And you hate it." Jack said, a small smile on his face.
"Yeah. I do."
=====================================================================
"C'mon, Kiara. Please come back to us," Jimmy brushed a loose strand of her dark hair from her face. "Come back to me."
Fiona sat on the opposite side of Jimmy, watching his every affectionate move.
Jimmy placed a tender kiss on her forehead… when his whole world came crashing down.
Her monitor wailed frantically, her pulse flat lining.
"Kiara?!" Jimmy jumped, startled. Fiona followed suite, fear and concern on her face.
A code blue was called over the P.A. Doctors and nurses flooded into the room, forcing Jimmy and Fiona out.
"But—wait, I—"
"Jimmy? What's happening?" Jimmy turned around, seeing the worried look on Prue's face.
"I don't know." He sighed, his eyes turning back to where Kiara was.
He felt like he was watching his world shatter in just one single moment. The doctors were trying their best to revive Kiara, but her heart monitor was still flat lined.
"This can't be happening." Phoebe murmured, feeling the tears start to emerge from her eyes. "She's too strong, too young to die."
"Phoebe," Piper comforted her baby sister with a hug, holding her tight.
Prue felt a pair of strong hands on her shoulder. She turned to see Leo, mirroring her own worries and fear.
Jack placed his arms around his sister, who was beginning to break down at the sight before her. Fi took comfort in her brother's presence. "It's okay, Fi. She's going to make it."
"What if she doesn't, Jack?" Her eyes met his, "This was her test. What happened to her, she was being tested. And so was Jimmy… and so was I. If she dies… we fail."
The young man was a lost of words. He looked over at Leo and Prue, who could hardly met his own gaze without revealing sadness in their eyes. Jack just held Fiona. That's all he could do.
"Don't give up, Kiara." Jimmy whispered. "Don't leave us. Please…"
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CHAPTER 2… part C
"Baby? Fi? Can I come in?"
Molly Phillips gently opened the door, peeking into her daughter's and Annie's hotel room. No lights were on, no windows were open, only darkness.
She crept in and took in the fallen form on the bed. Her heart broke over the sight of her daughter.
"She's dead, mom."
Molly made her way towards Fiona, "I'm so sorry, baby." She sat down, tenderly brushing her daughter's hair aside. "Fiona,"
Fi turned over, revealing her tear-soaked face. "It's all my fault, mom. She's dead because of me."
Molly was taken aback, "What?"
The young woman started to sob, "She… she wouldn't… she'd be… I'm to blame…"
"No, Fiona. Don't you dare think like that, baby." She pulled her little girl into a hug, not daring to release her. "How could you believe that you had caused Kiara's death? You didn't kill her, Fiona. You couldn't have… you're not that type of person to do something like that… you're too good a person. So don't think like that, Fi."
"Mom, she died because of me. Because she knew me and because she wanted to help me." Fiona pulled herself out of her mother's embrace, and fell back onto her bed. She refused to talk any further about it… letting her guilt eat her alive.
Molly was left confused and saddened by her little girl's state. She was about to ask her why she felt such burden, when someone entered the room.
"Mrs. Phillips?"
She looked up, seeing a young man at the door. "Yes?"
"I'm Jimmy Olsen. I'm a friend of Fi's… may I speak to her? Alone?" Jimmy stepped further in hesitantly.
Molly was about to turn him away, feeling that she needed this time to talk to Fiona, when Jimmy said something to her that otherwise changed her mind.
"I was there when Kiara died. Both Fi and I saw her… I just wanted to talk to her about it."
Molly glanced back at Fiona, then sadly smiled back at Jimmy. "Okay, but only for a while. She needs her rest."
"Thank you, Mrs. Phillips."
She got up and went to him. She placed a comforting hand on his arm, "I'm really sorry to hear about Kiara, Jimmy."
"So am I." He couldn't met her gaze, for fear he would break down right in front of her. "So am I."
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Molly closed the door, letting the two speak in private. In the hall, she closed her eyes. How could something like this happen? When she opened her eyes, she saw her son approach her.
"Hey mom." Jack looked at the door, "How's Fiona?"
"She's so distraught over Kiara's death, Jack." She looked at her son, "Jack, do you know why Fi is blaming herself over it? I can understand why you guys would be so upset over this, seeing as you two became good friends with the young lady, but I don't understand why Fiona is acting this way."
Jack thought his words over. He wanted to straight out tell his mom the truth… but he knew he couldn't do it without some major consequences following. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed them and shrugged. "I don't know, mom."
Molly had a lot of faith and trust in knowing that her children can be honest with her about everything and anything. Yet as she took in what Jack said, and his actions when saying it, she was saddened with doubt.
Sadly smiling at him, she placed a hand on his shoulder, "You know you can tell me anything, Jack. No secrets, okay?"
With a very good facade, he focused all his inner strength to look at her blankly. "I know, mom."
"Jack…" she began, "Why do I have a feeling that you're keeping something from me that concerns your sister?"
"I don't know why." He shrugged, his face still blank as a white board. It was eating him up inside to have to lie to his mom, but he had to. If his mom knew the truth, she would be at risk. It was bad enough that he had to worry about the chance of losing his sister, but he couldn't handle having to lose his mother as well. He had to keep the truth from her. He just had to.
"What makes you think I'm keeping something from you, mom?"
"I don't know, baby. Just a mother's instinct, I guess." She pulled him into a hug, causing his guilt to fester.
"You would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you, Jack?"
"Yes, mom." He said, partly lying through his teeth. He would tell her, unless certain circumstances were called for…
=====================================================================
"Fi?"
"Jimmy, don't." Her voice was muffled against the pillow, but her message was still loud and clear.
"It's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault… except the beings that killed her."
Jimmy waited for Fiona to answer, but she didn't. He made his way towards her, sitting himself on her bed where Molly was a few minutes ago.
"Okay, Fi, I know that you don't want to talk to me… and I won't force you to." He sighed, "So I'll do all the talking, and you'll just listen."
Fiona stirred, but still didn't say a word.
"Don't believe that you are at fault, Fi. And you know that. You know that you're not to blame… but it's your guilt that's telling you otherwise. And they would love it if you believe your guilt over your heart. Fiona, you cannot let it get to you."
"I failed, Jimmy. I know that it's stupid to still think about their test towards me, but it's my life at stake." She turned over, facing him. "I didn't want to believe that the forces against me were that cruel as to actually kill to get to me… but they did." Fresh tears began to form, "You heard that woman in the alley. All three of us were being tested. Kiara didn't have to die. We could have saved her… but we didn't. We failed."
Anger and anguish began to boil within her. Looking towards the heavens, she cried, "You hear that?! We failed! I failed! You might as well take my life as well!"
She looked at Jimmy again, "They could have just taken my life like that," Fi snapped her fingers, "But they decided to kill me slowly by making me watch the people close to me suffer."
"Fiona!" He shook her, "Don't! Please don't think like this!" Jimmy begged.
"If you let your guilt and your anger eat at you, you will fail."
"I already have, Jimmy."
"No you haven't. But you will if you believe all these words that you're saying."
"So what should I do, Jimmy? They killed Kiara. Who will they get to next? You? My brother? Clu? They could get to anyone…"
"They already destroyed a huge part of myself when they took Kiara away from us." Jimmy gently grabbed a hold of Fiona.
"Fi, you and I are still being tested. You didn't fail. I didn't fail. We have to take this tragedy and use it against them and not us. Kiara's death shouldn't be in vain, Fiona. And you know that! You know what needs to be done in order for us to pass this twisted game they're playing."
She took a deep breath, taking in his words. Fiona needed to take a moment. Getting up, she walked over to the window of her hotel room.
"I did a lot of thinking, Fiona. I am angry, hurt, devastated, pissed off, and above all, extremely determined to bring her killers to justice."
Fi turned around, the tears swept away, and the determination shining in her eyes. "So am I, Jimmy. And you're right. The only way I could truly fail is to let the blame destroy me… and I won't let it. To many people need me to be there for them… and to succeed."
For once since the whole tragic incident, Fiona found the silver lining. She immediately opened the curtains, letting the light shine through. Staring at the sky, which was beginning to truly open and smile brightly. Turning to Jimmy, the trademark Fiona Phillips' grin on her face, "Let's go kick some evil forces' butt."