Her Fate

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone from ADJL; I only own those who I make up.

Rating: PG-13

It Has Begun

Eight days.

It's been eight days now since Rose left the hospital.

But it wasn't over. Miss Ruby knew that… "It's only just beginning." She spoke aloud as she hobbled over to her kitchen table and poured her late night tea into a cup.

She took a sip. A chill ran down her spine. Something was not right.

She set her tea down and grabbed her cane. She walked into the living room… the television was on; nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

She walked into her dining room, her slippers cuffing at the hard wood flooring. She clutched her powder blue bathrobe tightly with one hand.

Nothing in the dining room.

She heard her TV cut off and she hurried as fast as she could back into the living room. No one was there.

"Who's in my home?" Miss Ruby asked.

No one answered.

She shook her head and walked up the stairs to her room. As soon as her foot touched the top step, a woman dressed as a ninja flipped in front of her.

The woman placed her index finger on Miss Ruby's forehead…

"Boo."

FLASH

It had been five days since Rita joined them.

Five days since a truce was forged between Rose, Gracie, Haley and Trixie.

Five days since an understanding between Jake, Trixie and Haley was created.

Rose smiled. They were stronger now. There was trust between them all and acceptance. They could take on the Huntsclan and those dragons.

She knew it.

The phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Rose Connor?"

"Yes, this is she."

"This is Dr. Hirakitosho."

"What do you need, Doctor?"

"This is about a Miss Ruby Jacobs."

"What about her!" she asked, fear evident in her voice; all traces of her previous buzz of happiness erased.

"Well, she's here at Bellevue Hospital Center; she wishes to speak to you."

"Is she all right?"

"…I think you should come."

FLASH

She rushed to the hospital, hailing the first taxi cab she saw.

When she got there, she found Dr. Hirakitosho waiting for her. He immediately led her to Miss Ruby's room.

When she entered the room, she saw her old friend lying on that bed, tubes going into her nose so she could breathe, the morphine going through her veins through the IV… the dark circles under eyes.

"Miss Ruby?"

The old woman smiled a weary smile at her. Rose barely recognized her. Where was the vibrant laughter in her eyes? And her face looked worn and tired… she'd never seen her like this before.

"What happened to you?"

"The woman…" she coughed, "wore a mask… she used s-some… staff…" she trailed off wheezing for breathe.

"Marissa." Rose spoke without hesitation. She used the staff of the Huntsclan on her. Rose knew what power that staff held…

"Rose, child… you… don't unders-stand… it's going… going to g-get w-w-worse…"

Rose nodded, tears in her eyes. "I know."

"Be careful." Miss Ruby told her, almost forcefully, eyes quaking.

Tears fell freely down Rose's face as she nodded. "I will."

Miss Ruby took Rose's hand and squeezed it tightly. "You are… a good girl…"

The line went flat.

Rose stared at the machine as doctors and nurses rushed in. She sat back in the chair, tears spent. One of the nurses grabbed her shoulder and led her out of the room, telling her she was sure Miss Ruby would be fine.

Rose didn't bother with a reply. Miss Ruby was dead.

And it was Marissa who killed her.

It was beginning.

She started it.

And Rose would be damned if she didn't finish it.

She glared at the sky as she walked out of the hospital. All she saw was Marissa's damnable face.

'I'm ending this, bitch. I'll take you, my uncle, all of the Huntsclan down. You did this to get my attention, you got it. You may have hurt me…'

"But I'll hurt you much worse."

Chappie 30 is down. Hope you enjoyed it. Not very long, but it's 1:30 in the morning, I'mtiredand it covered what I wanted it to. It almost killed me to kill Miss Ruby, but I really had no choice. Only two or three chapters left! Please review.