Buttercup looked in horror at her sister, lying prone on her bed. An incredible
feeling of guilt swelled up in her and she began to sob again.
"It's my fault." She said through her tears. "If I'd been there, this wouldn't have
happened."
"You know what this is?" asked Gabriel. "It's cheese. It's crayons. It's not
ridges. People are people."
Buttercup prepared to sock him but was stopped by Tinsel.
"You have nothing to feel guilty about." He said. "There was nothing you could
have done."
As the group looked down at Bubbles, they each had their own thoughts flowing
through their heads.
Buttercup thought of all the mean things she'd said and done to Bubbles. She
made a silent vow then never to make that mistake again.
Blossom thought about how much she'd love to see one of Bubbles' drawings, or
even to just hear her laughing happily.
Professor Utonium was remember how wonderful things had been since he'd
created the girls. He couldn't see a life with one of them gone.
Even quietly, Tinsel was never good at showing a friendlier side. His
confrontation with Buttercup had been extremely difficult. However, he still hoped and
prayed that she'd be okay so that he'd have the chance to get to know her better.
Gabriel, meanwhile, thought about pocket lint and dust bunnies. He wasn't sure
what the others were all so worried about, but he was sure those two items could help.
Jingles merely sat back and watched everyone else. He couldn't read minds but
he was exceptional at reading eyes and had a pretty good idea of what they were each
thinking. And even though he'd only just met her, he felt a closeness for Bubbles. Her
innocence and friendliness, he felt, had led to this. He said a silent prayer then that she
would overcome this. And in his heart, he knew she could.
To give Bubbles more space, Blossom and Buttercup had set up sleeping bags
downstairs. They went down to get some sleep, and soon the others followed, until only
Jingles was left in the room.
He sat down beside her bed and took her hand.
"We all know you can do it, Bubbles." He began.
He then pulled a small picture from his pocket.
"I made this for you. It's not very good, but I am only five years old after all."
It was a picture of the six of them sitting in front of a Christmas tree. He sat the
picture down beside her and got up to leave when he heard a small moan. He looked
down to see her eyelids fluttering.
"She's waking up!" He yelled, quickly to whoever might hear.
And indeed, after a moment, he eyes opened completely. She looked around for a
minute and then stretched.
Buttercup was the first in, followed quickly by the others. She flew over and
hugged Bubbles, as did Blossom and Professor Utonium.
After a moment, things calmed down and they explained how she had been
poisoned and Jingles had saved her life. She turned to him and, still a little worn out,
smiled gratefully.
"We'd better let her get some rest." Began the Professor. "And the rest of you
had better get to sleep too. Santa doesn't deliver to kids while they're awake, you know."
This was all they needed to get them flying out. Jingles was the last to go, but
Bubbles stopped him.
For a moment, neither said a word, perhaps not knowing what to say, perhaps
knowing no words were necessary.
Finally, Bubbles looked up at him and said, quietly, "Thank you."
Jingles nodded, bashfully, and flew out to get some sleep himself for the big day
tomorrow: Christmas morning.
feeling of guilt swelled up in her and she began to sob again.
"It's my fault." She said through her tears. "If I'd been there, this wouldn't have
happened."
"You know what this is?" asked Gabriel. "It's cheese. It's crayons. It's not
ridges. People are people."
Buttercup prepared to sock him but was stopped by Tinsel.
"You have nothing to feel guilty about." He said. "There was nothing you could
have done."
As the group looked down at Bubbles, they each had their own thoughts flowing
through their heads.
Buttercup thought of all the mean things she'd said and done to Bubbles. She
made a silent vow then never to make that mistake again.
Blossom thought about how much she'd love to see one of Bubbles' drawings, or
even to just hear her laughing happily.
Professor Utonium was remember how wonderful things had been since he'd
created the girls. He couldn't see a life with one of them gone.
Even quietly, Tinsel was never good at showing a friendlier side. His
confrontation with Buttercup had been extremely difficult. However, he still hoped and
prayed that she'd be okay so that he'd have the chance to get to know her better.
Gabriel, meanwhile, thought about pocket lint and dust bunnies. He wasn't sure
what the others were all so worried about, but he was sure those two items could help.
Jingles merely sat back and watched everyone else. He couldn't read minds but
he was exceptional at reading eyes and had a pretty good idea of what they were each
thinking. And even though he'd only just met her, he felt a closeness for Bubbles. Her
innocence and friendliness, he felt, had led to this. He said a silent prayer then that she
would overcome this. And in his heart, he knew she could.
To give Bubbles more space, Blossom and Buttercup had set up sleeping bags
downstairs. They went down to get some sleep, and soon the others followed, until only
Jingles was left in the room.
He sat down beside her bed and took her hand.
"We all know you can do it, Bubbles." He began.
He then pulled a small picture from his pocket.
"I made this for you. It's not very good, but I am only five years old after all."
It was a picture of the six of them sitting in front of a Christmas tree. He sat the
picture down beside her and got up to leave when he heard a small moan. He looked
down to see her eyelids fluttering.
"She's waking up!" He yelled, quickly to whoever might hear.
And indeed, after a moment, he eyes opened completely. She looked around for a
minute and then stretched.
Buttercup was the first in, followed quickly by the others. She flew over and
hugged Bubbles, as did Blossom and Professor Utonium.
After a moment, things calmed down and they explained how she had been
poisoned and Jingles had saved her life. She turned to him and, still a little worn out,
smiled gratefully.
"We'd better let her get some rest." Began the Professor. "And the rest of you
had better get to sleep too. Santa doesn't deliver to kids while they're awake, you know."
This was all they needed to get them flying out. Jingles was the last to go, but
Bubbles stopped him.
For a moment, neither said a word, perhaps not knowing what to say, perhaps
knowing no words were necessary.
Finally, Bubbles looked up at him and said, quietly, "Thank you."
Jingles nodded, bashfully, and flew out to get some sleep himself for the big day
tomorrow: Christmas morning.
