Chapter Eight: I'm Ready
Author's Note:
Hey guys! This chapter features Angela Michael's "I'm Ready" from the Kim Possible Soundtrack. Enjoy! And I'll leave Chapter Nine to Lightening816! See ya later! Oh, yeah. And, I don't know if Lightening would want this but, no flames allowed! ;-)
-CelestialTime93
Matt stayed beside Inez that night, never losing sight of her, incase she acted up again because of her illness. Why her? Why did it have to be a young, fragile girl like Inez?
"Why wasn't it me?" Matt wondered out loud.
Inez gasped in her sleep. It almost sounded like a sob.
Matt held onto Inez's hand tightly, swearing to himself that he will save Inez's life, no matter what.
"Don't worry." Matt reassured, "I'm here. I promise, I will never leave you."
Inez's hands twitched, as she woke up from her ill sleep.
"You promise you won't leave me?" Inez asked, "Even when I leave this place?"
"I promise." Matt replied, "Even if it means killing myself just to be with you."
Inez smiled weakly, but the smile soon faded. "Matt, I know I won't be here for a long time. But I want to spend some time with you and Jackie."
"Well, I'm right here." Matt said, "And, Jackie can come over."
"No." Inez replied, "I meant that we go somewhere. Hang out. Have fun, while I still live. Something that will make me forget about this horrible illness."
"But your parents won't let you take the chance." Matt reasoned.
"My parents didn't even give me a shot when I was born." Inez counteracted, "Why should I let them tell me what to do with the remains of my life? It doesn't seem fair."
Matt thought about it, then sighed. "Okay." he replied, "As long as we stay away from the bad air, and we keep you in the cool shade. Deal?"
"Deal." Inez replied, "So, how about tomorrow?"
"Let's ask Jackie tomorrow morning." Matt replied, "But right now, you need to get some rest."
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"Matt, wake up." Inez said in a sing song voice the next morning.
"Huh?" Matt awoke from his deep slumber. He looked up to see Inez's pale face. Yet it had a smile on it. Excitement jumped around in Inez's eyes. It wasn't hard to tell that Inez was happy about today.
"Oh, right." Matt remembered, "Okay, let's call Jackie."
Inez dialed Jackie's number.
"Hello?" Jackie asked on the other line.
"Jackie," Inez said, "We're going to the park today. Wanna come?"
"Sure." Jackie replied, "Want me to meet you guys at your place?"
"Sure." Inez replied, "I'll see you there."
When Inez hung up, she realized she couldn't move her feet.
"Uh oh..." Inez frowned, "I cannot move my feet..."
Matt thought of something. He stood up, scooped up Inez from her bed, causing her to scream and laugh, and carried her downstairs.
Inez was still wearing her lavender silk nightgown. She almost looked like a faerie or a goddess.
"Matt!" Inez laughed, "I cannot go out dressed like this!"
"Then let's get you changed." Matt smiled, and went back up the half of the staircase he already went down, and back into Inez's room.
"Okay, which dress do you wanna wear?" Matt asked, looking in Inez's closet.
"A dress?" Inez exclaimed, "I do not have to go out looking fancy."
"No, but I do want you to at least look like a princess." Matt said, "Here we go!"
"My silk dress?" Inez smiled.
"What, is there something wrong with silk?" Matt asked, putting the lavender silk dress up against Inez, seeing how she'll look.
"Just that I wore it to my cousin's wedding last month." Inez replied.
"Doesn't hurt to wear it again." Matt shrugged, "Need help getting changed?"
"MATT!" Inez screamed, snatching the dress from Matt.
"Okay, got the message." Matt said, holding up his hands defendingly, "I'll wait in your room's washroom."
A few seconds after Matt entered, Inez called, "Matt! Help!"
Matt sighed and went into the room, looking down.
"I'm not lookin'!" Matt cried in defense.
"Matt, I am dressed in an undergarment." Inez laughed.
"It's not just a bra and a pantie, is it?" Matt asked.
"It is a dress." Inez replied, holding back her laugh.
Matt took a peek, and sighed in relief. He looked up completely. Inez was just wearing a metallic purple dress with spaghetti straps. The dress reached down to her knees.
"Okay, let's get you in the dress." Matt said, and helped Inez put the dress on.
When they were done, Matt couldn't help but whistle. "Maybe I chose a dress that's too good."
"This is fine, Matt." Inez replied, "Can we just get this over with now?"
"Okay." Matt said. Without notice, he scooped up Inez again, causing her to just scream this time, and took her downstairs completely.
"Next time, warn me!" Inez laughed.
"You have a wheelchair, right?" Matt asked.
"I have one that she can use." Matt's mother replied, walking into the room, pushing a wheelchair.
"How did you know we'll need it?" Inez asked.
"Just a little accidential eavesdropping." Matt's mother replied. And with that, she walked away.
"Okay, now let's get you in." Matt said, and placed Inez gently in the wheelchair. He grabbed an umbrella from the coatrack, opened it up, and handed it to Inez.
"A parosel for shade." Matt explained.
"You are so considerate about my health." Inez smiled, placing the umbrella between her arms.
"Well, if I want you to keep on living, I have to." Matt replied, kneeling down to Inez's level, "If you want to die early, I can stop."
"No, please. Do whatever you have to." Inez laughed. Then she said, "You are so funny."
"What, is funny bad?" Matt asked.
"No." Inez replied, "It's okay. For me, at least. I really need humour and laughter right now."
"Well, I'm your man." Matt answered, "Er... I mean, boy."
"I'll go with man." Inez said, as if she was deciding.
Matt and Inez gazed into each other's eyes for a while. Then, they were about to kiss, until...
The doorbell rang.
"I'll go get it." Matt replied, trying to change the subject. He stood up and opened the door.
"Are you guys ready yet?" Jackie asked.
"Hold on." Matt said, and ran back to Inez. He pushed to wheelchair out the door while running. Inez whooped with laughter.
"Hey!" Jackie cried, "Wait up!"
When Jackie caught up, Matt noticed that there were foot rests at the back of the wheelchair for the one that was pushing.
"Jump on!" Matt called.
At the same time, Matt and Jackie jumped on the foot rest, as the two went downhill at a semi-rapid speed.
The three screamed and then laughed when they made it to the end of the road safetly.
Finally, they made it to the park. There was a carnival going on.
"Now this is interesting." Matt smiled.
"This is the Autumn Festival." Inez explained, "They hold it every year in the park, just for the fun of it."
"Why don't we get ourselves some cotton candy or something." Jackie asked.
"You go with Inez, I'm gonna get something." Matt said, giving the handles to Jackie, "Meet me at the bench where we can see the lake!"
"Now that is one weird boy." Jackie frowned.
"But, he is funny and charming." Inez replied.
"Since when was he charming?" Jackie asked.
"Well, he's charming to me at least." Inez answered.
"Whatever." Jackie shrugged, and asked for two cotton candies from the stall manager. She payed for them, gave one to Inez, and soon, they were at the bench by the lake.
Meanwhile, Matt was at the Floral Stand. He bought a dozen yellow roses and a red rose that was arranged to be in the middle of the bouquet.
Next, he went to the souveniers stand, where he bought a charm bracelet for Inez. It was made by a medicine man. But he also bought a necklace made of wood and seashells for Jackie.
"Gracias." Matt said to the stall manager, and walked to the bench where Jackie and Inez were.
"Where is Matt?" Jackie wondered out loud, "I hope he didn't get himself into trouble."
"I'm right here." Matt said.
"What took you so long?" Jackie asked.
"Just had to get a few things." Matt replied. He kneeled down infront of Inez, and presented the bouquet of flowers to her.
Inez gasped. "For you." Matt said.
"Oh, Matt, you're so sweet!" Inez squealed.
"And, Jacs," Matt said, handing Jackie a package, "This is for you."
Jackie accepted the package and unwrapped it. "What a very beautiful necklace!" Jackie exclaimed, "Now, what is this supposed to be for?"
"According to the stall manager, I think it's for fortune telling or finding out what the future is." Matt replied.
"A very unique arrangement of roses, Matt." Inez commented.
"The red rose is you." Matt said, kind of embarrassed.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Inez asked.
"Inez, I'm someone that blends into the crowd too easily." Matt explained, "But you, you're different. Not because you didn't get a shot when you were born, but because you're you. I'm just like everybody else. I'm an ordinary flower in the daisy patch. But you're the unique, beautiful rose in the daisy patch. You're different from everybody else."
"I hope that's not just a line you're saying to hit on me." Inez said.
"I'm telling the truth." Matt replied, "You are different, in a good way. Sometimes being different is good, and being like everybody else is bad. I hope you think the same."
"I will keep those words with me forever." Inez replied.
Things are crazy these days
Time's slippin' away
I got the world ahead of me
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause there's so much to do
And I'm gonna get through
'Cause I'm ready
Yeah, I'm ready
Ready to take it on!
"Also," Matt said, taking out the bracelet from his pocket, "This was made by the city's medicine man. According to him, it's supposed to help with illnesses, according to legend. But, there's only a 50/50 chance that you'll make it with this. But, I'm gonna give it a shot. I'm willing to take the chance, if you are."
Inez thought about it, then held out her right arm. The arm that had the bruises on them.
"I'm ready." Inez replied.
With that, Matt placed the bracelet around Inez's pale wrist. It shimmered for a second, then returned to normal.
I'm ready for you
Are you ready for me?
I'm invincible
And I can do anything
I'm ready to go
Are you ready to see?
Don't you know that it's impossible
To stop me!
"I'm glad you're at least taking the chance." Matt said.
Inez smiled. She took a piece of cotton candy off of the bush of cloudy sugar and handed it to Matt. "Want some?" she asked.
Matt laughed quietly and accepted. He nibbled it, and it took him almost 30 seconds to finish it. Inez laughed as she watched him.
"What?" Jackie asked.
Then she saw Matt finishing up the last bit of cotton candy. She ended up cracking up laughing with Inez.
I hope you agree
With my philosophy
Sometimes you gotta do
What you gotta do
Anytime that you fall
Just give me a call
And I'll be ready
Yeah, I'm ready
Ready to take it on!
I'll be there
Whenever you need me
After the two girls finished eating their cotton candy - and a few pieces of cotton candy for Matt from Inez - they continued to enjoy the rest of the festival. They played games, and just had fun.
Suddenly, Inez had another attack.
"Inez?" Matt asked the coughing girl, "Inez!"
"Oh my god, she's having another attack!" Jackie cried.
"Inez!" Matt said, placing his hand on Inez's cheek, "Listen to me! Just tell yourself that you're ready to take on this illness and defeat it! You can make it, Inez, you can make it!"
"I can't!" Inez coughed.
"No, Inez, you can make it!" Matt cried, "Inez, please! Fight it! For me, please!"
Inez closed her eyes, and held back her coughs. One thought echoed in her mind.
I'm ready, and I'm not afraid anymore.
And soon, the urge to cough, and the strange feeling subsided.
I'm ready for you
Are you ready for me?
I'm invincible
And I can do anything
I'm ready to go
Are you ready to see?
Don't you know that it's impossible
To stop me!
"Inez?" Matt asked hopefully.
Inez opened her eyes. She looked at her two friends.
"I made it, didn't I?" Inez smiled.
Matt smiled, relief washing over him, and hugged Inez tightly. Jackie hugged Inez as well.
"I'll never let you down." Inez said to her friends.
I'll never let you down
I'm always ready
I am, I can
Everything I need to be
I am, I can
Nothin's gonna stop me
I am, I can
Everything I need to be
I am, I can
Nothin's gonna, nothin's gonna
Stop me!
There wasn't another attack for the whole day. But still, Matt stayed alert for any signs of the illness' attacks.
"Matt." Inez said one time, "Don't worry. I'm ready to take this illness on. I may lose a leg, I may lose an arm, I may even lose my voice, but I'm willing to pay the price to fight this thing. Don't be scared, Matt. I'm ready."
I'm ready for you
Are you ready for me?
I'm invincible
And I can do anything
I'm ready to go
Are you ready to see?
Don't you know that it's impossible
To stop me------------!
Yeah!
Matt smiled and said, "So am I."
I'm ready for you
Are you ready for me?
I'm invincible
And I can do anything
I'm ready to go
Are you ready to see?
Don't you know that it's impossible
To stop me!
At sunset, Jackie went home, but Matt and Inez stayed at the park a bit longer, even after the carnival closed.
"It's beautiful." Inez commented, "I wish I could live longer to see this more often."
"You will." Matt said, "You'll see this forever. Who knows? You might even create it."
"Promise?" Inez asked.
"Promise." Matt replied.
There was a short silence, then Inez sighed. "I wish I can get out of this thing, even for one second!"
Then, Matt lifted Inez from her wheelchair, and spun around, while he held onto Inez's waist and Inez held onto his shoulders. The fragile girl's useless legs swung in the air with her fluttering dress.
Then, storm clouds appeared and it soon began to pour rain down on the park and the two kids spinning.
The two stopped spining and gazed into each other's eyes. Soon, they found themselves in a loving kiss as the rare rain fell continued to fall.
I am, I can
I'm ready for you
I can, I am
Are you ready for me?
I am, I can
I'm ready for you
I'm invincible
And I'm ready!