Chapter 2 - Over in a Second

A/N: Hey thanks for the reviews. I'll go ahead and relieve some of the suspense :)

By the way, the asterisks indicate a shift of scene.

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Reggie and Raymundo were obviously having some discussion about the trip to the doctor. The news had not been real good and both were debating the decision she had made during the visit.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this, Princess? It sounded like the doctor had some other less drastic options," Ray inquired of his daughter.

Reggie replied in her raspy voice. It was becoming harder and harder for her to speak for long periods of time. "Dad, do you know how it feels to wake up morning after morning, feeling like you couldn't survive the day? We have to do this! Besides, it sounds like those other options might not work as well."

"I don't know, Reggie. I still don't know how you have the guts to go through with this. Nobody in our family's ever had to go through with something this serious, except your mother. I mean, you've never even had a single broken bone (knock on wood!). Aren't you scared?" Ray asked.

"Raymundo, you heard what the doctor said. One quick second, a little pinch, and then, boom..."

"Boom?"

"Boom...no more pain."

"I guess you're right, sweetheart," Ray admitted. "It'll all be over before you know it."

"Besides, it can't be any worse than living with this," Reggie added.

"OK. I guess we know what's going on Saturday morning," her concerned father commented. "The doctor said 8AM, right?"

By this time, Reggie's throat was so painful from all the speaking that she couldn't say another word. Instead, she nodded.

"Hang in there, Rocket Girl. I know you can. Why don't you lie down on the couch and I'll make a milkshake for you."

Reggie nodded and smiled slightly at Ray's suggestion. She rested her head on a pillow and turned on the TV to watch her favorite channel while Ray disappeared in to the kitchen.

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As Otto listened to the conversation, every word made his heart feel heavier and heavier. His breathing became heavy and his face lost most of its usual color.

"This can't be happening," Otto thought as reality sunk in. Was his older sister, the one who helped him whenever he was in trouble and was right by his side during all of his triumphs, dying? He had already lost his mother when he was very young; he didn't want to lose Reggie, too. Sure, he sometimes fought with his sister, as most siblings do, but he still loved her.

Maybe he should have ran downstairs to confirm with his sister and dad what he had heard, but his emotions overrode any reason he had. He ran back to his room and threw the door open. Tears were welling up in his eyes as Twister and Sam stared at him in confusion.

"What's going on?" Sam inquired, obviously concerned about the look on Otto's face.

"It's Reggie. She and Raymundo were talking downstairs. It...it doesn't sound good," Otto replied.

"What do you mean?" Twister curiously asked.

"She was talking about being in lots of pain. It sounds like something's going to happen to her because she said 'One quick second, a little pinch, and then boom...'"

"BOOM?" Sam and Twister looked at each other with a puzzled expression.

Otto couldn't take it any more. As tears began to fall from his eyes, he continued in a low, emotional voice, "'No more pain.' Raymundo said it would all be over before she knew it"

Twister, being his normal self, added, "Does this mean someone's going to hit her over the head?"

"No. They're going to...going to...put her to sleep...just like a dog!" Otto cried.

"Otto, that's impossible. They wouldn't do that to Reggie, let alone any young person. She just can't be that sick," Sam assured his friend, although he himself looked as if he were in denial.

"That's what I heard. I swear!" Otto rebutted.

"Oh my gosh. Poor Reggie. She's so young. Why are they taking her away?" Twister began to ask, also looking ready to cry.

"Guys, I know you feel like a 10-ton truck just fell on you, but I think we need to talk to Raymundo or Reggie about this," Sam quickly added. Despite his concern that they were possibly right, his reason was still as sharp as ever. An investigation needed to be conducted before this could be assumed true.

"OK. Just give me a second to calm down. I don't want Reggie to see me like this. We can't make her any more scared than she must be right now," Otto replied.

Once they were ready, they left Otto's room and made their way to the stairs. They knew what they were about to ask would confirm or disprove their worst fears.

Unfortunately, they had just missed a crucial conversation between Ray and Reggie, which contained a very important piece of information that Otto had not heard.

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Sorry, had to make another cliffhanger.

Again, please don't say anything about what's happening to Reggie if you have figured it out already. Otherwise, you'll know soon enough (next chapter to be exact).

Also, sorry that the chapter may make references to putting pets to sleep. I know it's a very sad experience for the owners, but the situation works well here.