Disclaimer: I do not own Darkwing Duck, Scrooge or any other Disney character.
This is a stand alone what-if type story that has no bearing on any of my other fics.
From the author: Little reading aid here. The 'scenes' that take place in LaunchPads mind are written in bold italic to make the story easier to follow, I hope.
PHENOMENON Part 2
Dawn broke over the city of St. Canard, the terrible storm still plagued the residents.
The hospital was unusually busy with patients due to the damages done by the severe weather.
In a dark room in the recovery unit, Darkwing, battered and exhausted stood next to his daughters bed. She lay quietly sleeping. Her head was lightly bandaged and she had a slight concussion, but the doctor had assured Darkwing that's she'd be fine. She'd been given something to help her sleep. Satisfied his child would be alright, Darkwing leaned down and kissed her gently on the cheek. He walked out of her room and down the hall towards the Emergency Room to see his friend, who wasn't so lucky.
LaunchPad lay eerily still in his bed. He was hooked to a life-support system. Darkwing sat down in the chair next to his sidekick's bed. He wished that the doctors had been as certain of LaunchPad's recovery as they had Gosalyn's. "He'd been under water too long." That's what the doctor had said. "I'm sorry I don't have better news for you. Does he have any next of kin that should be notified?" As if he were already gone!
Darkwing leaned heavily back in the hardwood chair and sighed wearily, replaying the events of the night before in his mind. Was there something more he could have done? When the tidal wave hit the ThunderQuack and drove it into the sea, the impact had shattered the jets windshield. Water flooded the ThunderQuack in a matter of seconds. Both LaunchPad and Gosalyn had been knocked unconscious.
The ThunderQuack was already submerged under the cold ocean surface. Somehow Darkwing had managed to pull the inflatable liferaft from the compartment in back. He made the only choice he felt that he had at the moment. He took his daughter out first, swimming with her to the surface of the raging waters. He'd gotten the raft inflated as quickly as possible and placed his daughter in it, then dove back under. It had not been easy to pull the pilot from the still sinking jet. It had taken all the strength Darkwing had to finally get LaunchPad above the water, to fresh air. It had been a struggle to get him to the drifting raft as he fought against the tossing waves.
The raft had not been adrift on the rolling waves long when help arived.
Ironically, it had been the very hydrofoil that he'd been sent to search for that had found them and had gotten them to the main land as soon as possible.
Leaning forward in the chair, Darkwing spoke softly to the pilot. "LaunchPad, can you hear me? Are you still with us, old buddy? If you're in there LP, give me a sign."
In the recess of his subconscious mind, LaunchPad McQuack became aware of Darkwing's voice beaconing to him. He listened and tried to answer, to go in the direction of Darkwing's voice. He couldn't move, however, he couldn't see or speak. He was cold. Where was he. Everything was dark. Maybe he was asleep. He tried to open his eyes. As he did, he became aware of his surroundings. He was ......in the ocean! He was still in the ocean! The rain was still coming down hard. Where was Darkwing? LaunchPad looked around him at the restless black sea. No sign of Darkwing or Gosalyn. But he'd heard DW calling to him, didn't he?
"DW ...Gos, where are you?"
What was going on? The tidal wave! The crash! Had they gone under with the ThunderQuack? He dove under the cold water, searching desperately. Nothing! Nothing but black. He couldn't see. He resurfaced, gasping for breath. Now what!? What could he do.
"Darkwing! Gosalyn! Can you hear me!?" No answer. In a panic he screamed out into the night "Help! Please help!"
Through the down-pouring rain and roaring ocean, he thought he heard somebody answer him. He listened intently.
"Hello. Is somebody out there?!" came a faint voice from the pitch black .
"Here!" LaunchPad called out "Over here!"
He heard the sound of water being displaced as though something huge was moving over the surface of the ocean. Slowly, the hulking form of a ship swaying on the restless waters emerged from the veil of darkness.
LaunchPad heard somebody cry out "There, I see him in the water."
In a matter of moments, LaunchPad was pulled aboard the ship.
Crewmen helped him onto the deck. LaunchPads legs buckled and he collapsed. He looked up at all the people,dressed in everyday casual attire standing around, watching. The ship must have been a cruise liner. The rain was falling hard and the ship was wavering unsteadily on the harsh waves. Still, people had dared to be out on slippery deck to see who was being pulled from the sea.
"Is he alright?" LaunchPad heard somebody ask.
"What was he doing out there?"
"are there any others?" Everybody asking questions s they looked on.
"Enough now, give him some breathing room." Came one voice above them all. A voice LaunchPad new very well. He watched as a small distinguished duck, dressed in a suit and tophat stepped out from the crowd.
LaunchPad gasped in utter surprise "Mr. McDuck?!"
to be continues....