Jlyfishluver: Good ideas, although I don't think I'll elaborate on the whole "Molly's parents" plot. It's not really necessary for the story. As for Jack being a reincarnated knight...hmmm....maybe if the story calls for it... sits down and thinks
Thanks to Jlyfishluver, B Oots, Fiona12690, and Cory (LOVE your site by the way) for the great reviews!
Sorry this took so long! It took a while to get it just right.
Irene stood there for a few minutes, just staring. Finally, she was able to move her mouth. "Molly! Fiona! Everybody get in here now!!!!"
Molly, Fi, Jack, Ned, and Carey bolted out of their seats and ran into the living room. "Irene, honey, what's the matter...." Molly's question died on her lips as her gaze fell on Rick. "Oh my God."
Instead of staring in shock like everyone else, Fi ran and threw her arms around her father's neck. "I missed you so much Daddy!"
"Fi, you just saw me a month ago." Rick laughed and hugged his daughter back. (A/N: For those of us who didn't catch on, this takes place a month after "Twin")
"She did?" Jack asked, after finding his voice. He couldn't believe it. Right in front of him was his father, who was supposed to have been dead for twelve years. Part of him shouted that this defied all reason; that there had to be some logical explanation for this. However, a much bigger part of him knew that this was real, and that this is his father. For once, he decided to follow his gut instinct and believe.
"I promise I will explain everything later." After prying Fiona off his neck, Rick continued to hug Irene, and then Jack, Ned and Carey, disregarding their offer of a manly handshake. Lastly he came to Molly.
Without hesitation, she jumped into Rick's outstretched arms, tightly wrapping her arms around his neck. "I can't believe you're here." Like Jack, she knew this was devoid of logic and reason, but she just knew it was him. There was no mistaking his body, his face, his lips... (A/N: I know I said no mushy stuff, but come on! Molly just saw her husband who's been dead for 12 years! There's gotta be something!!! P.S.: I'll tell why Rick's body isn't see through in a minute)
Ned cleared his throat. "I think this is our cue to leave."
Remembering the others were here, Rick reluctantly pulled away from Molly. "No, don't go. You need to know this too."
"Know what?" Now that Fi was over the shock of seeing her father again, she was impatient to know why he was here.
"I think you all better sit down." Heeding Rick's instruction, Molly, Fi, Jack, and Irene sat on the couch, Ned sat in the arm chair to the left, and Carey in the one on the right (A/N: I'm not exactly sure how the Phillips' living room is set up, so I'm kind of ad-libbing here. If anyone happens to have pictures of their house, or a floor plan, I would greatly appreciate it). Rick looked at their expectant faces, and couldn't help feeling a little nervous. He remembered his last encounter with Fi, and couldn't help thinking Why am I always the bearer of bad news? Can't I ever be allowed to stop by just to say hi? Swallowing the sudden lump that formed in his throat, Rick started with, "You are all in a lot of danger." Great start. Could you have been any more direct? He silently chided himself.
Being the one most used to this sort of situation, Fi was the first one able to find her voice. "What do you mean?" After a minute, realization dawned on her. "You mean that demon thing?"
"Exactly. Let me tell you, he was extremely mad when he found out I pulled you up."
"Either of you mind telling us what you're talking about?" Carey's question, and his face, showed that he was thoroughly confused.
Fi briefly told them about her meeting a three-headed, huge black shadow creature. She made up most of it and didn't tell them about her falling off the roof of a multi-storied New York City building. They didn't need to know that she would have died, had not her father pulled her back up to safety.
Unfortunately, she forgot her brother was there. "Oh yeah, I remember that. But that's not what happened. We were about to go downstairs, when suddenly the door closed, leaving you on the roof and me and Aunt Rachel inside. When we realized you were trapped up there, we went to the floor directly below. We looked out one of the windows, and then saw you flip over the side and hang on to the ledge. Until now I never knew how you were able to get back up."
Irene stared at Fi. "Were you ever planning on telling us about this?"
"No, not really." Fi mumbled, then said aloud, "Back then, would any of you have believed I was attacked by a demon, pushed over the ledge, and that Daddy helped me back up?" Fi took their silence as a "No". Then she looked at Molly, "Mom, are you ok?"
"Yeah, baby, I'm fine. It's just...I knew you were in trouble. I think I had a...premonition." Molly looked unsure of what she was saying, as if deciding if it was true or not.
"Oh yeah. You looked totally freaked out right in the middle of your song." Carey confirmed. At the time, they had all been in New York, visiting Rick's twin sister Rachel, and because Molly had appeared on a talk show.
Ned directed his attention to Rick, "What did this, 'demon', want with Fiona?"
Fiona answered for him, "Because I knew too much about the spirit world, right Daddy?"
"Right, but there was also another reason that I wasn't allowed to tell you then. It wanted your powers." Rick looked pointedly at Molly as he was talking.
Jack voiced what everyone was thinking. "What 'powers'?"
Molly sighed, knowing it was her turn to give an explanation. (A/N: I know, I know, all they do is talk. I totally promise there will be more action later on.) She gave Ned, Irene, Jack and Carey the condensed version of what she told Fiona earlier that day, leaving in only the most important information. (Jack was relieved when he found out he wasn't a witch. He couldn't help thinking, Man, it's good to be normal.)
Rick was surprised to hear that Molly gave up her powers for him. "You did that...for me?" He explained that soon after he died, he learned of his wife's secret past, and was more than a little shocked. However, he had not been informed of why she had made that decision.
"Of course I did, sweetie." For a moment they looked at each other adoringly.
Fi cleared her throat. "So...about this demon..."
Snapping out of it, Rick said, "Oh, yes, that. Well, it's called the Protector Demon. It was originally part of the Centorium, or the governing body of the spirit world. It's job was to keep mortals from finding out about them, and to "take care of" the ones that did. Well, eventually it was assigned to deal with me, since in my later years I had gained much information about the spirit world and its inhabitants. Which is why it took my soul, and then made the car crash to make it look like an accident."
At that, everyone just stared at him in shocked silence. Fi whispered, "I knew it!" under her breath.
Letting the information sink in, Rick continued. "When the Centorium found out about this, they were furious. You see, they're not evil. The Protector was just supposed to erase my memory, like it does in other situations like this. However, for some reason, which is a mystery to me, he couldn't do it. So, I guess in a frustrated attempt to get his job done, he killed me. After that, he was thrown out of the Centorium into the underworld."
"So I guess he has some serious revenge issues." Carey concluded.
"Exactly. Which is why he is after you guys. But mostly he's after Molly and Fi. He's not stupid – he knows power when he sees it. In fact, half the underworld would give their front teeth just to get a shot at you two."
"Wow. We're that powerful?" Fi was surprised. Sure, she knew certain demons were after their family. But she never knew they were that popular.
"Yes. At first he was after you guys because of me. But when he realized who you were, he figured 'why not kill two birds with one stone'?"
"How can we defend ourselves against a powerful demon?" Jack was still a little skeptical about this whole thing, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
Rick smiled. "That's the good news. I'm to have to stick around here for a few weeks, maybe even a month. I need to help you two get a hold of your powers,"Rick looked at Fiona and Molly, "and I need to get the rest of you in shape for combat. Even though this is a shadow demon, he's not going to attack at once. He's going to send waves of human-shaped monsters to try and wear you down. Most likely you won't know when an attack is coming."
"So you're going to stay?" Molly was thrilled at the idea of getting to spend time with her husband, after being away from him for so long.
"Yes." Rick tried to keep his face calm, but inside he was jumping for joy. He was getting a chance to see his family again.
Irene glanced at the clock on top of the TV. "Well, it's getting late. We should be going."
"Maybe you guys should stay here tonight." Molly suggested. "Incase of any attacks." She looked at her husband for approval.
"That would be a good idea. Now that you're aware of the situation, there's nothing holding the Protector back."
"Alright then. Fi and Carey, you go upstairs and get the blankets, Jack, you go and get extra pillows. We're all sleeping in here tonight." Molly stood up to lock the doors and windows, and everyone got ready to go to bed.
As the group was settling into bed, Rick called out, "Rest up everyone – training starts tomorrow."