Three Days

By Dannette

He lost his sister on the eve of Christmas, and now he has three days to change history, and hopefully save her


***

{ Start Intro }

[ Voice Over - Annie ]

"Christmas."

"Christmas is supposedly a magic time of the year, a lot of magical things have been recorded to happen on this time of year, but is Christmas so magical that you can turn back the hands of time to change history? What if something happened that you would give anything to change? Would you give up the ultimate Christmas present to save that person you loved? What if you had three days, three magical days to prove how much you really do love that person ... would history repeat itself? Or can you change it?"

{ A single picture of Fi and Jack when they were younger floats in the air and falls onto a wooden table }

[ End of Voice Over ]

***

"What do you mean you CAN'T come?" Jack said, a little harshly, into the black cell phone he was speaking into. "You've been gone a whole year Fi, for a whole year you've been in Seattle with Aunt Melinda, and now that Christmas has finally came around, you call me to tell me that you can't make it?" Jack exploded. "It's Christmas Fi." Jack said, a little more serene.

"I know!" Fi said, sitting on the big sized bed in her room at her aunt Melinda's house, in Seattle. "But it's storming here, and aunt Melinda is out of town for the week. It'll be crazy to try and drive the way it looks. I'm sorry Jack, but I don't think I can make it. I'll just be there the day after Christmas or as soon as I can, what else am I supposed to do?" Fi asked.

"Make it." Jack said, running a free hand over his face. "I haven't seen you for a year, I want to see my little sister. I want to see you, I don't want to go another year without seeing you, and it's Christmas, you should be here!" Jack exclaimed, he pushed Carey over a little and sat down on the couch. "Clu is already here, he came all the way from college to make it, he had to drive through the storm as well, it's not that crazy. At least get half way to the house, and I'll have Carey pick you up. Fi, there is no way I'm going to let you ditch out on Christmas." Jack said, sighing. "I don't know why you drifted away from us, but we're family."

"I know we are." Fi said, petting 'Snowball', her fluffy, white and over spoiled pet cat. "But you don't understand Jack, things are kind of crazy here. I have been going through a change this past year, and I thought you understood that. You know I wanted to see you on Christmas, you know I would do anything to be able to get there on Christmas ... " Fi started.

"Then do it." Jack said determined.

"Fine!" Fi said, groaning, she sat up in her bed and began grabbing stuff. "God Jack, sometimes you don't realize how hard it is for me. To grow up in a house, with all these boys and to pack all my stuff up and go on tour. And you didn't realize how hard it was to leave and go to Seattle last year, just for once will you stop thinking about yourself?" Fi asked. "Christmas isn't about the exact day, it's about just being with your family when it counts and you make it like I HAVE to be there the exact day."

"It would be nice." Jack commented. "And I don't always think of myself, actually I usually think of you, but you wouldn't know that would you? You're too busy living miles and miles away from your family." Jack replied. "Just make it."

"I'm leaving now." Fi replied, slamming the phone down. She loved her big brother and all, but sometimes he demanded so much of her, she understood that he missed her, and that they hadn't seen each other in a whole year, but didn't he understand that sometimes things happened for a reason? Fi rolled her eyes, grabbed her stuff and ran out the door.

Jack sighed as he closed his cell phone, he looked around the house and saw everyone cheerily talking, everybody looked so happy, it was Christmas Eve, and the one person Jack needed to be here wasn't here. "She'll be here." Jack reminded himself, he had every bit of faith that Fi would show up, that she wouldn't NOT show up on Christmas morning, she would show, she would.

***

Fi sped down the road, as fast as she could, she briefly glanced down at her watch and groaned. She was working on short time, she peered through her windshield as best as she could, the snow was getting thicker, she swore she could feel the icy wind from inside of her car. "Geez, he couldn't wait." Fi mumbled, she rubbed her eyes, when she looked back up at the windshield, she froze when she saw a car heading straight for her. Fi tried to swerve out of the way, but her car slid on the icy roads. Fi felt the control of her car slide from her fingers, and her red Accord went crashing into the black Honda ... then everything went black as Fi slumped over in the car, a huge gash was on her forehead and she was bleeding from it, there was commotion outside of her car.

"Oh my god!" A girl screamed, as her and her husband tried to get Fi out of the car. "I don't think she's breathing."

***

"No, this can't be happening." Molly said, tears leaking out of her eyes as the police officer, sadly gave her the horrible news that her only daughter had been in a car crash. The car crash had been fatal, and Fi had died immediately.

Jack sat on the couch, his dark eyes lowered to his hands. This was all his fault, his sister had been rushing out in the storm to get to their house, just because he had thrown a fit, he should have listened to her, the storm was too wild, she should have never been driving in the weather like that. He had been selfish, he had wanted her to be here for Christmas, she was right ... he wasn't thinking of her or how his mom would react if she had gotten hurt, he was thinking of himself, how he had wanted to see his little sister.

Annie stood in the background, her hand covering her mouth as she tried to stop the tears. Fi was her best friend, Fi was the only girl that understood her gift, that shared a gift like her. Fi was so special, Annie couldn't believe that Fi was gone now. Why her?

Carey sat in his room, his eyes narrowed at a picture of him, Fi, Clu and Jack; It had been taken last year. This wasn't fair, Carey had always known life was unfair, but to take away Fi, who was so young, and so full of life, and especially on Christmas Eve, it just seemed TOO unfair. Carey looked out of the room and caught a sight of Jack, Jack who must be dying inside. After all, it had been Jack that demanded that Fi go out in the storm and try to make it to their house in Hope Springs, for Christmas.

Clu laid on the other bed in the guest room, as he tried to get control of his emotions. Fi was dead? His Fi? His Fi-Pod? His best friend? His everything? He had just talked her to the other day and everything had been okay, they had made plans for them to hang out after Christmas, just the two of them ... but now she was gone? How could she be gone, when it felt like she was still here?

***

"Fi, wow what can I say about my little sister?" Jack started, staring at all the people, he wiped his tears away with his left hand. "She was always special, I always knew that. I'm not just saying that because she's my sister, I'm saying it because it's the truth. Fi held this magical glow about her, whenever you spoke to her, you always had to feel intimidated, because at such a young age, she seemed like she knew more of the world then even my own mom, or the oldest man. She had such a courageous insight into the world, that I was afraid to look into, that was what made Fi ... she had the ability to look outside the box, she could see something and even though it was impossible, she believed it. She had such a gentle kindness to her, she always tried to help people, even people she didn't know, that was who she was. We fought a lot, and I regret that. I regret all the time we spent away from each other, if I had known I would be losing her at such an early spot in our lives, I would have held on to her like there was no tomorrow. There were so many things that I would have said to her, I would have told her how much I love her ... I always thought there was another day to tell her, but now I realize, of course now, that there isn't ... " Jack's voice droned on as he spoke at the funeral.

Clu stared at the lifeless body of Fiona "Fi" Phillips, she looked like she was sleeping, peacefully sleeping that she would wake up at any moment and start yelling at Jack, for speaking so loud. Clu choked back a sob, as he tried his best to not cry a river of tears. Clu looked up when a man, a tall, mysterious looking man, coughed loudly. "Can I help you sir?" Clu asked.

"Why yes, good man, I was looking for Jack Phillips." The man said, with a soft smile.

"That's him, up there." Clu said, pointing to Jack who still giving the speech. "I'm Clu Bell, by the way."

"Nick Patrick." Nick said, shaking Clu's hand, Nick looked down at Fi. "So young, and such a beautiful young woman. I am very sorry about your lost, it's such a sad thing, and pity you never got to tell her you loved her. Yet, you came so close when you talked to her a week ago, sometimes life takes us by surprise." Nick said, walking away from Clu.

Clu stared after Nick. "How did he ... " Clu said, staring after Nick's retreating form, with a look of amazement on his face.

***

"Jack?" Nick said, walking up to Jack, who standing alone.

Jack turned around and stared at Nick, he furrowed his eyebrow as he tried to remember the man's name.

"You don't know my name, so don't feel bad." Nick said, with a soft laugh. Nick took off his black hat and held it in his hands as he watched Jack stare at him a little oddly, and for good reasoning. "Oh don't be scared mister Phillips, I just wanted to talk to you. I am incredibly sorry about the loss you have received today, she was your sister, you must be hurting inside."

Jack nodded slowly. "I don't know you ... "

Nick nodded, he put his hat down on the table next to him and Jack. "Yet." Nick said, smiling. "I came all this way to give you something Jack, something very special. I hope my trip wasn't worth nothing, I came all the way from a very far away place to speak to you." Nick replied, smiling softly at Jack who looked puzzled. "Come." Nick said, as he started walking.

Jack slowly followed him, not completely sure why he was following this stranger. "I don't understand."

"You wouldn't, would you?" Nick said, with a soft laugh, almost hardly audible. "Your sister was always the more understanding one, she had more patience, more belief into the unknown ... very special girl, your little sister Fiona was. The gods blessed her with that gift of hers, boy she did cause a ruckus last year did she not?" Nick said, smiling. "You were constantly worried about her, and for good reason, your sister is an adventurous one, never knows when to give up, I guess that is why they wanted to take her down."

Jack stopped walking and faced Nick. "What are you talking about? How do you know all of this? I don't even know you."

"Jack, you lost a important part of your life, it is not the time to question things. Like I said, I came a long way to give you something, I hope you will take this gift with an open mind Jack, if you will do one right thing in your life, this should be it."

"What gift?" Jack asked, cautiously.

"I'm giving you three days." Nick answered.

"Three days?" Jack questioned.

"I'm giving you three days to make your sister realize where she belongs in this world, you have three days to tell her how much you love her and to make amends for all the times you didn't say it." Nick replied, he took out a clear crystal ball and handed it to Jack, Nick then leaned forward and touched it, making the ball begin to glow. "Please don't be skeptic, you really don't have the time to be skeptic Jack. You have three days, use them wisely ... you can waste these three days and not believe in the gift I am going to give you, or you can use your three days wisely and possibly save your sister's life, her soul, and even yours." Nick replied.

Jack looked down at the glowing ball amazed. "I don't believe in this sort of thing ... "

"It's your three days Jack, use them how you will." Nick said, he smiled. "To see the truth, you must look outside the box."

Jack looked up and watched Nick walk off, Jack's eyes sparkled with confusion ... he couldn't believe this, he was the logical one, Fi had been the one that believed in all of the paranormal stuff, that wasn't his deal, this wasn't what he believed. But then Jack looked back down at the glowing ball, his dark eyes reflected into the ball, and the faint image of Fi danced in the clear ball.