A/N: Song Lyrics are in 2 astrics (**blah blah blah**), and the thoughts are in 1 (*blah blah*) k?
White, all was white. White drapes, white walls, white light... white. She stood before a glowing ball, looking inside intently... as if watching a movie. "Jack... wake up Jack." She whispered inside as she watched his eyes open slowly. The scene unfolded before her eyes-- there lay Jack sleeping, only to wake up to the ringing of the phone. He picked it up carefully to find his sister on the other end. They talked for about 7 minutes and... Jack's face turned from groggy to formidable. She could hear everything he was saying... even what his sister and daughter were saying on the other end. She leaned into the glowing globe and whispered,"Find her... Find her..." She watched him throw pants on and run. *Run Jack Run.... faster, you haven't much time left! Run!* He ran down a block and tripped as he turned the corner. *Goodness Jack... run!*
"THELEN!" A thundering boom filled the room. Annie whirled around to see a tall dark-haired man gazing at her with furious eyes. "Annie," this time his voice was soft, "we didn't arrange to have you up here to fondle with fate's plans. You can't stop it. You can try all you want, but it's best if you don't. Jack wont make it in time..." Annie averted her gaze back to the ball in horror after she heard a gunshot. "...She WILL die."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I knew a man once who said death smiles at us all. All we can do is smile right back."
From 'The Gladiator'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In Front Of The Bank~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**I'd like to watch you sleep at night
To hear you breathe by my side
And although sleep leaves me behind
There is nowhere I'd rather be **
As soon as he heard the gunshot he fell to the ground. Not of fear that the bullet might be flying anywhere near him, but because his legs gave out on him. Jelly. That's exactly how they felt. His stomach churned and bile rose to his mouth, leaving a bitter taste of fear. Fear for his loving wife... fear for her safety, for her life.
**And now our bed is oh so cold
And my hands feel empty
No one to hold **
The store clerk ran behind Jack and found him on the ground. He slowed down when he realized he was curled up in a ball, rocking back and forth. "E-excuse me sir, but are you okay?" Jack just kept rocking. When he didn't respond the clerk went on. "I-I heard the gunshot. I called the police, they'll be here any second. I ran... I ran right over." Just as he said the police surrounded the bank within seconds. The station was right down the street. An officer made his way to Jack and put a blanket over his shoulder. Yes, it was hundred degree weather, but Jack was shivering.
**I can sleep what I side I want
Its not the same with you gone
Oh if you'd come home**
The police worked fast as they got a sniper positioned to see the inside of the bank. Within moments two gunshots were fired and the police made their way inside. Jack followed with the escort of an officer. The first thing he saw when he got inside were two bodies on the ground. One who Jack and the others thought was a robber, and the other...
"Hey boss... you better come look at this." The officer with Jack started walking toward the woman on the floor. Jack followed silently behind him, and as he recognized the body he gripped the blanket in horror. *Jelly.* He fell right to the ground, next to Gabe. His face next to the pale expression.
"Baby, Gabe... Gabe... open your eyes," He pleaded in denial. "Baby open your eyes." Tears threatened to fall, but he held them back. "Come back to me... come back, open your eyes..." He trailed off, replacing the pleas with quiet sobs. He wiped the blood off her chin, noticing her skin was still warm. With his glassy eyes, he noticed a case in her hand. Controlling his tears, he sat up, and grabbed the case. With care he opened it, as if inside contained a bomb. Once he saw what was inside he broke out crying openly.
**I'll let you know that
All you want
Is right here in this room
All you want **
He held one photo so dearly in his hands. Through his tear-shielded eyes he saw his family and him, smiling brightly... happy to be with each other. He set his gaze on the woman next his daughter. She was so happy, so beautiful, so full of life. How? How could this happen? But mostly, of all people... how could this happen to her?
**And all you need
Is sitting here with you
All you want**
They headed back to his hotel, almost ripping Gabe from Jack's grip. They handed him a cell phone, but he couldn't speak. He wrote down the number that would contact Fi, and an officer told them the news.
~~~~~~~~~~~~In The Van W. Fi & Anna~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ride was quiet, and the air was still. Soft music played from the speakers of the minivan. Anna watched the scenery out the window for an hour and a half and suddenly noticed where they were headed to.
"Aunt Fi, why are we going to the hotel so soon?" Fiona was silent at first to Anna's question, but glanced at her for a moment with sad eyes.
"W-we're going to cut the vacationg kinda short Anna... we need to see your dad." Her reply was quiet, in a melancholy tone.
"What about mama?" The question hung in the air, and Anna waited patiently for Fi's response.
"Sweetie... why dont we wait til we get to your dad. Your dad and I will answer any question you want when we get there." Anna nodded her head. "Just know..." Fiona trailed off, regretting she even started the sentence. She looked over at Anna to make sure she didn't notice she had said anything, but sure enough Anna was listening to her every word. "Just know... I mean know that your mom... she's always watching." She turned to Anna and gave a grim, weary smile.
Anna looked down, confused. She listened to the music for a few minutes, and started humming along.
"Anna..." She looked up and noticed it wasn't Fi who called her name. *Aunt Annie?* She turned around to see Annie sitting in the back of the van, giving the same weary smile. Anna looked back to Fi. Apparently she didn't notice her. "She can't see me Anna... only you."
Anna turned to Fiona, "Aunt Fi, I think I left something in the back, can I go back and find it?" She turned back around, her eyes searching the back.
"A-all right hunnie," her reply still sad.
Anna made her way to the very back seats, next to Annie, and she stayed low on the ground. "What's wrong?" she whispered silently so that Fi couldn't hear.
Annie looked at her with deep, sad eyes. "Y-your mom, she's gone on her own vacation." Her eyes looked glassy, as a tear streaked her cheek. "B-but... one day, you'll see her again. So... so dont' worry about her. She'll be fine... sh-she's in g-good hands." Anna only nodded. She closed her eyes as Annie bent down and lightly kissed her on the forehead. "Take care of you dad..." The voice drifted off, and as Anna opened her eyes the angel was gone.
"I will... I always will..." she whispered back into air.
Within moments Fiona called back to her. "Anna, we're here." Anna didn't move, but she heard Fi's door close, and in seconds Fi opened the sliding door. "I hope you found what you were looking for."
*Uh-oh* Anna thought as she looked around frantically. To her surprise, under the seat, was the seashell project she and Fiona made for her parents. *Thanks Aunt Annie* She smiled and held up the glued together shells triuphantly. "Yeah, found it!" She climbed out of the car, and in minutes they were in front of Jack's hotel room.
They were encountered by an officer, questioning them on who they were, and if they had any reason to come.
"Fiona Phillips. I'm here to see my brother, Jack. This is his daughter, Anna." She pulled Anna close as the officer opened the door. Once inside she spotted her brother sitting in chair in the corner, and a woman trying to talk to him. As they neared Jack got up and Anna ran straight for him. Fiona made her way to the woman, and noticed she was a psychologist. They started their own conversation as Jack and Anna hugged each other tightly.
Jack noticed the craft in her hands, and took it lightly. It was a picture frame, and inside the picture was of Jack and Gabe on their wedding day. Anna smiled, "Aunt Fi gave me the picture. We woke up early this morning to make it." Jack only stared at the picture with hot tears theatening to fall.
"Daddy... where's mama?" Her deep blue eyes stared straight into his... longing to see her awaited mother. Jack could see so much Gabe in her. He knelt down next to her so they were both at eye-level.
**Its been three years
One night apart
But in that night you tore my heart
If only you had slept alone
If those seeds had not been sown**
"Mama... mama's going to be gone for a while," he chokedout. A tear streaked his cheek as Arianna looked at him confunsed. She wiped his tears away with her miniature doll-like hands and kissed her father on the forehead.
"It's alright daddy... dont' cry. Mama would hate to see you cry.Besides, Aunt Fi said that mama is always watching. Please daddy... smile for mama." Her bright blue eyes twinkled with hope. Jack cracked a grim, but faith and hopeful smile. He embraced his daughter in a tight, long hug, and implanted the moment in his mind.
**Oh you could come home and you would know that
All you want
Is right here in this room**
As Anna faced the corner Jack was once sitting in, she saw two figure-- Aunt Annie and Mama Gabe. Gabe gave her a proud smile as she disappeared holding the angel's hand. She was more beautiful than ever. "She's in good hands..." she whispered into her father's ear. "I know she is."
**All you want
All you need is sitting here with you
All you want**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sheriff: It's good to be your father.
Sam: It's good to be your daughter.
From 'Here On Earth'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimers: Quotes from 'The Gladiator' and 'Here On Earth'. The song 'All You Want' is by Dido.
A/N: Dedicated to my mom and dad. I know they're out there watching me =).
White, all was white. White drapes, white walls, white light... white. She stood before a glowing ball, looking inside intently... as if watching a movie. "Jack... wake up Jack." She whispered inside as she watched his eyes open slowly. The scene unfolded before her eyes-- there lay Jack sleeping, only to wake up to the ringing of the phone. He picked it up carefully to find his sister on the other end. They talked for about 7 minutes and... Jack's face turned from groggy to formidable. She could hear everything he was saying... even what his sister and daughter were saying on the other end. She leaned into the glowing globe and whispered,"Find her... Find her..." She watched him throw pants on and run. *Run Jack Run.... faster, you haven't much time left! Run!* He ran down a block and tripped as he turned the corner. *Goodness Jack... run!*
"THELEN!" A thundering boom filled the room. Annie whirled around to see a tall dark-haired man gazing at her with furious eyes. "Annie," this time his voice was soft, "we didn't arrange to have you up here to fondle with fate's plans. You can't stop it. You can try all you want, but it's best if you don't. Jack wont make it in time..." Annie averted her gaze back to the ball in horror after she heard a gunshot. "...She WILL die."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I knew a man once who said death smiles at us all. All we can do is smile right back."
From 'The Gladiator'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In Front Of The Bank~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**I'd like to watch you sleep at night
To hear you breathe by my side
And although sleep leaves me behind
There is nowhere I'd rather be **
As soon as he heard the gunshot he fell to the ground. Not of fear that the bullet might be flying anywhere near him, but because his legs gave out on him. Jelly. That's exactly how they felt. His stomach churned and bile rose to his mouth, leaving a bitter taste of fear. Fear for his loving wife... fear for her safety, for her life.
**And now our bed is oh so cold
And my hands feel empty
No one to hold **
The store clerk ran behind Jack and found him on the ground. He slowed down when he realized he was curled up in a ball, rocking back and forth. "E-excuse me sir, but are you okay?" Jack just kept rocking. When he didn't respond the clerk went on. "I-I heard the gunshot. I called the police, they'll be here any second. I ran... I ran right over." Just as he said the police surrounded the bank within seconds. The station was right down the street. An officer made his way to Jack and put a blanket over his shoulder. Yes, it was hundred degree weather, but Jack was shivering.
**I can sleep what I side I want
Its not the same with you gone
Oh if you'd come home**
The police worked fast as they got a sniper positioned to see the inside of the bank. Within moments two gunshots were fired and the police made their way inside. Jack followed with the escort of an officer. The first thing he saw when he got inside were two bodies on the ground. One who Jack and the others thought was a robber, and the other...
"Hey boss... you better come look at this." The officer with Jack started walking toward the woman on the floor. Jack followed silently behind him, and as he recognized the body he gripped the blanket in horror. *Jelly.* He fell right to the ground, next to Gabe. His face next to the pale expression.
"Baby, Gabe... Gabe... open your eyes," He pleaded in denial. "Baby open your eyes." Tears threatened to fall, but he held them back. "Come back to me... come back, open your eyes..." He trailed off, replacing the pleas with quiet sobs. He wiped the blood off her chin, noticing her skin was still warm. With his glassy eyes, he noticed a case in her hand. Controlling his tears, he sat up, and grabbed the case. With care he opened it, as if inside contained a bomb. Once he saw what was inside he broke out crying openly.
**I'll let you know that
All you want
Is right here in this room
All you want **
He held one photo so dearly in his hands. Through his tear-shielded eyes he saw his family and him, smiling brightly... happy to be with each other. He set his gaze on the woman next his daughter. She was so happy, so beautiful, so full of life. How? How could this happen? But mostly, of all people... how could this happen to her?
**And all you need
Is sitting here with you
All you want**
They headed back to his hotel, almost ripping Gabe from Jack's grip. They handed him a cell phone, but he couldn't speak. He wrote down the number that would contact Fi, and an officer told them the news.
~~~~~~~~~~~~In The Van W. Fi & Anna~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ride was quiet, and the air was still. Soft music played from the speakers of the minivan. Anna watched the scenery out the window for an hour and a half and suddenly noticed where they were headed to.
"Aunt Fi, why are we going to the hotel so soon?" Fiona was silent at first to Anna's question, but glanced at her for a moment with sad eyes.
"W-we're going to cut the vacationg kinda short Anna... we need to see your dad." Her reply was quiet, in a melancholy tone.
"What about mama?" The question hung in the air, and Anna waited patiently for Fi's response.
"Sweetie... why dont we wait til we get to your dad. Your dad and I will answer any question you want when we get there." Anna nodded her head. "Just know..." Fiona trailed off, regretting she even started the sentence. She looked over at Anna to make sure she didn't notice she had said anything, but sure enough Anna was listening to her every word. "Just know... I mean know that your mom... she's always watching." She turned to Anna and gave a grim, weary smile.
Anna looked down, confused. She listened to the music for a few minutes, and started humming along.
"Anna..." She looked up and noticed it wasn't Fi who called her name. *Aunt Annie?* She turned around to see Annie sitting in the back of the van, giving the same weary smile. Anna looked back to Fi. Apparently she didn't notice her. "She can't see me Anna... only you."
Anna turned to Fiona, "Aunt Fi, I think I left something in the back, can I go back and find it?" She turned back around, her eyes searching the back.
"A-all right hunnie," her reply still sad.
Anna made her way to the very back seats, next to Annie, and she stayed low on the ground. "What's wrong?" she whispered silently so that Fi couldn't hear.
Annie looked at her with deep, sad eyes. "Y-your mom, she's gone on her own vacation." Her eyes looked glassy, as a tear streaked her cheek. "B-but... one day, you'll see her again. So... so dont' worry about her. She'll be fine... sh-she's in g-good hands." Anna only nodded. She closed her eyes as Annie bent down and lightly kissed her on the forehead. "Take care of you dad..." The voice drifted off, and as Anna opened her eyes the angel was gone.
"I will... I always will..." she whispered back into air.
Within moments Fiona called back to her. "Anna, we're here." Anna didn't move, but she heard Fi's door close, and in seconds Fi opened the sliding door. "I hope you found what you were looking for."
*Uh-oh* Anna thought as she looked around frantically. To her surprise, under the seat, was the seashell project she and Fiona made for her parents. *Thanks Aunt Annie* She smiled and held up the glued together shells triuphantly. "Yeah, found it!" She climbed out of the car, and in minutes they were in front of Jack's hotel room.
They were encountered by an officer, questioning them on who they were, and if they had any reason to come.
"Fiona Phillips. I'm here to see my brother, Jack. This is his daughter, Anna." She pulled Anna close as the officer opened the door. Once inside she spotted her brother sitting in chair in the corner, and a woman trying to talk to him. As they neared Jack got up and Anna ran straight for him. Fiona made her way to the woman, and noticed she was a psychologist. They started their own conversation as Jack and Anna hugged each other tightly.
Jack noticed the craft in her hands, and took it lightly. It was a picture frame, and inside the picture was of Jack and Gabe on their wedding day. Anna smiled, "Aunt Fi gave me the picture. We woke up early this morning to make it." Jack only stared at the picture with hot tears theatening to fall.
"Daddy... where's mama?" Her deep blue eyes stared straight into his... longing to see her awaited mother. Jack could see so much Gabe in her. He knelt down next to her so they were both at eye-level.
**Its been three years
One night apart
But in that night you tore my heart
If only you had slept alone
If those seeds had not been sown**
"Mama... mama's going to be gone for a while," he chokedout. A tear streaked his cheek as Arianna looked at him confunsed. She wiped his tears away with her miniature doll-like hands and kissed her father on the forehead.
"It's alright daddy... dont' cry. Mama would hate to see you cry.Besides, Aunt Fi said that mama is always watching. Please daddy... smile for mama." Her bright blue eyes twinkled with hope. Jack cracked a grim, but faith and hopeful smile. He embraced his daughter in a tight, long hug, and implanted the moment in his mind.
**Oh you could come home and you would know that
All you want
Is right here in this room**
As Anna faced the corner Jack was once sitting in, she saw two figure-- Aunt Annie and Mama Gabe. Gabe gave her a proud smile as she disappeared holding the angel's hand. She was more beautiful than ever. "She's in good hands..." she whispered into her father's ear. "I know she is."
**All you want
All you need is sitting here with you
All you want**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sheriff: It's good to be your father.
Sam: It's good to be your daughter.
From 'Here On Earth'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimers: Quotes from 'The Gladiator' and 'Here On Earth'. The song 'All You Want' is by Dido.
A/N: Dedicated to my mom and dad. I know they're out there watching me =).