Disclaimer: Because nobody got me the ownership rights for Fairly Odd Parents for my birthday, I still have to keep on doing these disclaimers.
Authors Note: I've made you wait a long time for this chapter (and no, it's not because I hadn't written it). This is a big chapter, so I decided to wait for my birthday to post it. Some people have noticed that Cosmo has changed, saying that he's more angry and less stupid. There's a good reason for this, dear readers, and it's revealed below. So enough of my chatter, let's get on with the story!
A month passed. Wanda's tummy got steadily bigger as the baby grew inside her. However, something else grew that Wanda didn't want to be there at all; the distance between herself and Cosmo. She had thought the pregnancy would bring them closer together, but that hadn't happened at all. Instead, she felt she barely knew the fairy she was married to. He was acting so strangely, so unlike her Cosmo, she wondered if he was deliberately doing it to push her away. Cosmo, however, was doing it for an entirely different reason. He was doing it to draw her in, to secure her from the clutches of Juandissimo. He had almost forgotten the fairy he used to be, but the sacrifice was worth it if it meant Wanda would stay with him.
He thought this as he watched Wanda sitting on their couch in the castle living room. To him, she looked worried, distant and unhappy. What would Juandissimo do to make her happy? Cosmo thought quickly. The answer came to him almost immediately. He flew over to the sofa, sitting down close to her and starting to kiss her. Wanda pushed him away.
"No Cosmo…" She felt tired and was still feeling sick. She wished Cosmo would do something funny or stupid to make her laugh and take her mind of how awful she felt. It would also reassure her that the fairy she had fallen in love with was still there, somewhere, behind those green eyes.
"I'm tired. I'm going to bed," she told him, floating off the couch.
"I'll come too," Cosmo said quickly, rising with her. Wanda didn't bother to argue. For the past few weeks, wherever she had gone, Cosmo was right behind her, like a shadow constantly fretting over her comfort and safety. When they were alone, Cosmo offered her love, but not the type she needed.
His change had affected their godson too. Cosmo and Timmy's relationship had always been close, but even it had begun to suffer. Cosmo was less fun to be around, and less willing to grant stupid or outrageous wishes. It hurt Timmy, because (even though he loved Wanda a lot), he and Cosmo had a special bond, a 'guy thing'. Wanda could read Timmy like a book, and saw how much he missed his second father figure.
As Wanda thought of this, she'd put on her nightgown and gotten into bed. Cosmo got in right next to her, and held her close. Wanda was indifferent to his touch, wondering miserably where the old Cosmo had gone.
Cosmo felt her lying there, unresponsive. Even now, was she there next to him, planning to leave him for Juandissimo? The idea made him angry.
"Ow, Cosmo, you're hurting me!" Wanda cried out. Cosmo hadn't realised he'd been squeezing her arm so tight in his rage. He loosened his grip and pulled her closer, kissing her gently. He'd make sure she never felt the need to go back to him. However, he couldn't ignore that she didn't react to him touching or holding her. She lay like a dead weight in his arms, not even noticing his kiss. I'll just try harder tomorrow, he thought with determination. He sensed that Wanda was lying awake, but he started to drift into sleep.
"Cosmo honey, I've got something to tell you," Wanda said, beckoning him closer. He floated towards her. "What is it pudding?" he asked.
"I know how hard you've been trying to keep me with you, but it's just not good enough."
"What?" Cosmo stopped dead, hardly believing what he was hearing.
"I've decided to go back to Juandissimo," said Wanda, as the Latino fairy poofed up next to her. Juandissimo pulled her close and placed his hand possessively on her swollen tummy.
"Si, little Cosmo, my Wanda wants a real man to raise her child and to be with her." He kissed Wanda passionately, right in front Cosmo, and they both poofed away, laughing, leaving Cosmo shattered and empty behind them.
Cosmo woke up with a start, sweating and shaking. He had let go of Wanda in his sleep, but now he clung onto her desperately, as if afraid she might disappear if he didn't. Wanda, who had fallen asleep, stirred with discomfort. Cosmo eased his grip a little, and she settled again. He stayed awake along time after that, planning what he could do tomorrow to make sure she'd never leave…
Wanda woke up the following morning to find Cosmo wasn't in bed. She was a little surprised, but enjoyed the solitude; she had gotten so little of it lately. After a while she got up in search of him. After doing a lot of thinking last night, Wanda had something she wanted to say, and she'd rather say it without Timmy having to hear. She followed the noises she could hear into the kitchen "Morning Wanda!" said Cosmo cheerfully. "I'm making you breakfast this morning. What would you like? Waffles? Sausages? Eggs? Muffins? Bacon?"
"I'll just have some toast thanks," said Wanda. As she nibbled at her breakfast, she thought about how much harder this would make it for her to tell Cosmo what she needed to. The idea made her sick and nervous, so she had barely eaten half her toast before she put it back on the plate.
"Cosmo, we need to talk…" she started to say delicately.
"Is that Timmy calling?" Cosmo interrupted quickly. "Coming Timmy!" he yelled, and poofed out of the kitchen. Wanda sighed and followed him. This was not going the way she'd hoped.
Timmy had just finished getting dressed when Cosmo and Wanda poofed into his room.
"Morning guys!" he called cheerfully, rummaging in a corner of his room for a book he needed for school that day.
"Cosmo, please, I need to talk to you alone," Wanda whispered to him, pulling on his sleeve.
"Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of Timmy," said Cosmo loudly. Timmy turned to them, a questioning expression on his face.
Wanda scowled at Cosmo, but his trick wouldn't work. If this was the way he wanted it, then this was the way he would get it.
"Cosmo, you may have noticed we haven't been very close this past month…"
"What are you talking about, we've been plenty close," said Cosmo quickly, a note of panic in his voice.
"…so I just think it would be a good idea if maybe…"
"No, Wanda, please, stop!" Cosmo begged desperately, not wanting her to finish.
"…If maybe we spent some time apart to sort things out." she finished firmly.
"No…no…" Cosmo stuttered. His horrible nightmare was coming true. "Wanda, you need me! I've been taking care of you…"
"You've been smothering me, Cosmo,' Wanda said fiercely. "I feel like I hardly know you anymore!" She could feel tears coming, but she forced them back.
"But…but…" Cosmo stammered, but he knew it was no good. "Fine!" he snapped. "Go back to him! See if I care. I…" Cosmo started to feel faint; he shook his head to clear it. "I…" He went completely pale. "I…" His eyes glazed over. Then Cosmo fell out of the air hard onto Timmy's floor.
"Nice try, Cosmo," Wanda muttered.
"No, I think there really is something wrong," said Timmy, who had run over to his fallen godparent as soon as he'd hit the ground. Concern overcame Wanda. Cosmo did look kind of pale, and the way his body just lay there on the floor, crumpled and kind of lifeless…Wanda had never seen a dead fairy before, but she was pretty sure it would look something like Cosmo did now. She flew down to him quickly. She couldn't feel for a pulse or a heartbeat, because they weren't indicators of life in a fairy. They could, however, detect a life force in each other. Wanda desperately searched for Cosmo's now, pressing her hands against his chest. She could feel it faintly.
"He's still alive," she told Timmy. "But only just. He needs help now." She used her wand to send an emergency distress signal to the Fairy World Hospital.
"They'll be here soon," she said, to comfort Timmy and herself.
"Will he be okay?" Timmy asked.
"I just don't know," she whispered. She clung onto Cosmo's shirt, desperately hoping he would be okay. He had changed, it was true, but she still loved him so much. Now she might get their time apart. How could she live with herself if Cosmo died and her last words to him were such a horrible, horrible argument? She fought back tears, trying to be strong for Timmy's sake, but she had a horrible gut-wrenching feeling she was about to loose her soul mate. Just then, the fairy emergency response unit poofed into the room. As two fairies lifted Cosmo onto a stretcher, another asked Wanda what had happened.
"We were arguing…and then he went pale…and his eyes glazed over…and then he…he…" she gestured helplessly at the floor.
"You'd better come with us," the fairy said. He pointed at Timmy. "Is that your godchild?" Wanda nodded, afraid that if she said something she'd loose control and start crying. The fairy turned to Timmy. "They'll organise a temp and have them sent over straight away."
"But I don't want a temp!" Timmy cried. "Wanda!"
"Be brave Timmy," she said, fighting back tears. "I'll be back as soon as I can." The five fairies poofed out of the room. Timmy stood there, shock overwhelming him. At that time, Mrs Turner walked through the doorway. "Hurry up Timmy, or you'll be late for the bus." She noticed how pale Timmy looked, and how he seemed to be shaking slightly. "Timmy?" she asked, worried.
"I don't feel so good today Mum. Can I stay home?"
Yes, yes of course Timmy," she said, concerned about her son. "Is there anything I can do for you sweetie?"
"No, that's okay. I think I'll just go back to bed."
"Oh, okay honey. If you need anything, just call."
When she had gone, Timmy crawled into bed, and cried.
At the Fairy Hospital, Wanda waited outside the emergency room. She didn't notice anything about her surroundings. All she did was stare ahead of her, replaying Cosmo's collapse in her mind, and trying not to think about what would happen if he died.
The doctors inside the ER spared little thought for the distressed pink-haired fairy, as they rushed to save Cosmo's life.
Timmy had been lying in bed for he didn't know how long. He had used up all his tears, and just stared, numb to everything around him. He was just able to notice a 'poof' as his temp arrived. He didn't care though. If it wasn't Cosmo coming back, healthy, laughing and as stupid as ever, then he didn't want a fairy at all.
"Hey kid, shouldn't you be at school?" said a voice Timmy knew. It took a while for the voice to register in his numbed brain. Eventually it clicked. It was Big Daddy. Not Cosmo. Who cared.
"Hey, I'm talking to you," Big Daddy said more forcefully.
Well, I'm not talking to you Timmy thought, and he rolled over so his back was facing Wanda's father.
"Well at least tell me where Wanda is," he said. "I haven't seen her since the party. I guess she's a bit bigger now, eh?"
It took Timmy a while to work out what Big Daddy had said. He sat up and turned to look at him. "You don't know what happened?" Timmy had always assumed that someone with Big Daddy's connections would know about something the minute it occurred.
"No," Wanda's dad answered, sounding worried. "Why? Did something happen to Wanda and the baby?"
Timmy shook his head. "It…it's Cosmo."
Big Daddy looked less concerned. "Oh. What did he do to himself this time? If he hurt my Wanda…"
Timmy shook his head again. He wanted to hit the stupid fairy to make him understand, to make him feel sorry… but instead he swallowed hard and took a deep breath.
"Cosmo and…and Wanda were having an… an argument…then Cosmo collapsed…and they took him away to the hospital. That's…that's where Wanda is now…to see…to see if he'll be okay…or not…" Timmy trailed off, feeling close to tears again.
"Oh, right," said Big Daddy, sounding a little more sorry.
Timmy looked at him more closely. "What are you doing here anyway? I didn't think you were in the god-parenting business."
"I'm not," Big Daddy answered. "But I knew you'd be up for a temp when Wanda had her baby and I wanted to be as close to her as I could. So I called in a couple of favours I had with some powerful fairies and they got me this temping job."
"But I thought you needed thousands of years of training to be a fairy god-parent," said Timmy.
"Usually you do," Big Daddy admitted, "but I…persuaded…the right people that I didn't need training."
"Right," said Timmy, staring into the distance again. His mind was back on Cosmo. When Wanda came back, would she bring good news or bad?
Wanda was thinking the exact same thing as she stared at the wall opposite her. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard doctor Rip Studwell say her name.
"Yes, what is it doctor? Is he okay? What is it?" she asked desperately.
Doctor Rip Studwell fixed a serious expression to his handsome face. "I'm afraid Cosmo has developed a very rare condition called Sustained Mental Personality Replacement."
"What does that mean?" Wanda gasped.
"When someone has SMPR, they first start out resolved to change something about their personality for whatever reason, usually during periods of emotional stress. They then find another fairy who has a particular trait they'd like to have. By the way, do you have any idea whose personality Cosmo was trying to copy?"
Wanda thought back to the way he'd followed her around, being extremely possessive and protecting. She remembered the passionate way he'd kissed her, that had so reminded her of someone else…
"I think I can guess," she said dryly.
Doctor Rip Studwell continued. "Anyway, they then devote their minds and bodies to behaving exactly like the fairy they want to imitate. This requires a lot of energy, and will leave them drained and exhausted."
Wanda thought back. She had caught Cosmo looking tired when he thought she wasn't around. Wanda didn't need to see it though. After living with Cosmo for 9,895 years, she knew he didn't have the energy or spirit he usually did.
"After they've been keeping this act up for a while, they eventually collapse. No one can keep up the performance for long, and it's especially hard when the fairy is a little…slow… to begin with."
"Will he be okay, doctor?" Wanda asked anxiously.
"It's still to early to tell. He could pull through, but he could relapse, and then…" Dr Rip Studwell trailed off. A nurse opened the door to the ER.
"We need you in here doctor," she said.
"Excuse me," Studwell said to Wanda. She didn't even notice him leave. At least now she knew why she had felt distanced from Cosmo over the past month. But how could that help, if he didn't pull through for her to make everything better? Her eyes filled with tears again. How could all those years of love and commitment end so horribly?
Wanda floated there for an eternity longer. After a lifetime had passed (but it was really just a few hours) Dr Rip Studwell came out of the ER.
"Wanda," he said carefully. She jerked out of her reverie and turned her fear-filled eyes to him.
"Cosmo has just passed into a coma. We can't tell at this stage if he'll pull out of it or not." Wanda felt as if someone had just ripped out all her insides, leaving her empty and hollow.
"I suggest you go home and try to get some sleep. There's nothing you can do here."
"I want to see him," she croaked, and flew to the window in the ER door before Dr Studwell could stop her. She could see a bed, surrounded by beeping machines and nurses. But all she could focus on was Cosmo lying there on the sterile white hospital sheets. He looked so pale and small, with his hair limp and droopy and his eyes sunken and closed. Wanda felt helpless. She had promised herself, from the day they had married, that she would always be there for Cosmo, looking after him when he needed it. But now, when he needed help the most, there was nothing she could do. Eventually she tore herself from the window and poofed home.
Timmy heard Wanda arrive and looked up at her quickly. Her face was pale and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She sunk down onto the end of Timmy's bed, pulling her knees up as far as her pregnant belly would allow her and staring straight ahead with unseeing eyes. Seeing her like this, Timmy was sure Cosmo was dead.
"Wanda," he said in a small, frightened voice, "what's happened?"
She looked up and focused on his face.
"Cosmo is… Cosmo's in a coma. They don't know if he'll make it or not." She buried her face in her knees.
As much as Big Daddy disliked Cosmo, feeling he had never been good enough for Wanda, he could finally understand how much she loved him. He had thought she had just pitied him, and had never thought that Wanda, or anyone, could love anyone that stupid or moronic. But now he finally realised she did.
Big Daddy flew down to Wanda, picking her up and holding her like he had when she was a little girl. If Wanda hadn't been so distressed she would have questioned her father as to why he was there. As it was, she just accepted his presence and snuggled into his hug.
"There, there Wanda, it'll be okay," he said softly, rubbing her back. Feeling her daddy holding her so protectively helped Wanda to calm down.
"What are you doing here anyway?" she asked finally.
"I pulled a few strings so I could be Timmy's temp when you were having your baby. I didn't realise I'd be needed so soon though."
Wanda hugged him, grateful he was there. Suddenly she felt exhausted. She had come so close to losing her husband today, and she still wasn't sure she hadn't.
"Do you want to sleep, honey?" Big Daddy asked, noticing her fatigue.
Wanda nodded. "But not in there," she said, pointing to the fish bowl. She couldn't bear to be in their castle, not knowing if Cosmo would ever come home to it again.
Big Daddy poofed up a mattress on the floor of Timmy's room, with plenty of blankets. Wanda crawled gratefully into the makeshift bed and let sleep take her away from the emotional pain and exhaustion.
Big Daddy turned to Timmy. "You should probably get some sleep too," he said gruffly.
"I wish Cosmo will be okay," Timmy said as he too felt an emotional weariness
creeping up on him.
"I wish I could grant you that Timmy," said Big Daddy, looking at his sleeping daughter.
"I really do."
The next day, Wanda felt totally drained. Cosmo being sick and weak had a serious effect
on her magic. Plus there was a horrible feeling inside her whenever she thought of Cosmo not pulling through. It made her heart feel heavy and her wings falter, making her flight unstable. Big Daddy decided to stay on as Timmy's godparent.
"Are you sure you want to Daddy?" Wanda asked.
"Sure," he said. "I've always been called a Godfather in my line of work. Now I can really be one." Wanda didn't have any choice in the matter anyway, because her magic was weakened too much for her to do her job properly. Besides, she really didn't feel like doing it.
"Have some breakfast Wanda," Big Daddy encouraged, poofing up some toast.
"I'm not hungry," she said, her throat tightening with emotion. Cosmo had made her toast yesterday morning. Was it really only yesterday? It felt like she'd been separated from Cosmo for a million years. "I'm going back to bed."
Big Daddy watched her with concern. He hoped Wanda would be okay here by herself while he was with the Turner kid at school. Wanda had insisted Timmy go, even though Timmy had tried to convince her to let him stay.
"There's nothing you can do here sport," she said. "Go to school. Your education is important, and it might take your mind off things."
Timmy and Big Daddy didn't like leaving Wanda by herself when she was so miserable, but they had no choice. Timmy didn't want to upset Wanda by arguing against going to school, and Big Daddy, as his godparent, had to go with him. So they both said their quiet goodbyes to Wanda, and left. When she had heard the school bus take them away, and was sure Timmy's parents had left for work, Wanda began to cry. Sobs that shook her entire body took control of her, until she could cry no more.
Then she just lay there, drowning in a grief that couldn't be expressed with tears. What would happen if Cosmo didn't pull through? How could she look after their child properly if she was grieving for him? She was sure that if he did die, she would never properly recover; a piece of her would always be missing. Wanda knew then that it wasn't just Cosmo's life hanging in the balance; it was also her own and their unborn child's.
When Timmy and Big Daddy came home that afternoon, they found Wanda lying exactly where they'd left her.
"We can't just leave her there," said Timmy. "What if my parents came in?"
"You're right," Big Daddy admitted. He floated over to Wanda, and gently touched her shoulder. "Wanda, honey?" She didn't respond. "Wanda, you've got to move. It's not safe out here." Wanda lay as still as ever.
"Do you want to lose Timmy too?" he asked, rather more harshly than he'd intended. Wanda sighed, sitting up. Her father was right, of course. She raised her wand and poofed herself into the fishbowl. Just this relatively simple piece of magic left her totally drained. Big Daddy poofed in next to her. "Wanda, have you eaten anything today?"
She shook her head. How could he think of eating at a time like this?
"Wanda, you have to look after yourself," he said sternly. "Do I have to remind you that your's isn't the only life you're responsible for? That you're pregnant?" He sighed; he hoped he was getting through to her. "You won't be much help to Cosmo if… I mean, when he comes out of his coma, if you're just as sick as he is."
It was Wanda's turn to sigh. She knew her father was right. It wasn't like her to be so emotional and impractical, but yesterday had really shaken her.
"I am a little hungry," she lied. Big Daddy smiled and poofed up a sandwich. She pushed her sadness to one side for now. Cosmo wasn't dead, and she had to look after herself so he'd have a reason to live.
Authors Note pt. 2: Will Cosmo make it out of his coma? Was the update worth the wait? I only have one more chapter of this story written; writers block struck before I could do any more. So there may be a few delays before any more chapters are posted. Oh well.
I am so stoked with the number of reviews I've gotten for this story. It's truly awesome. I'd like to thank the reviewers of my last chapter; WLiiAfanatic (I have vague ideas for the baby name, but if they fall through, I'm coming to you for help!),Danny'sGhostGirl (thanks for the review, and dude, get some sleep!), Ginger Charpentier (there'll be more Juan later, I promise),Atemu's Sister (I will write more, and i'll try to keep up the good work),Blue Eyes Shining Dragon (I like you! You obviously have excellent taste in writing), Fairly-Odd-Parents (now you know why Cosmo was not a little more stupid than angry. Bet you didn't see that coming, did ya?), Commander (I love that bit in chapter 1 as well. And with Cosmo's views on being a parent,I just tried to 'find my inner green-haired-idiot'), Novalae (see my message for Fairly-Odd-Parents. Oh no, wait, that sounds too impersonal. Uhm, sorry, I should say; I appreciate your input as an individual, and have written you a personal message to reflect that.), Soneka the Hedgehog (I forgive you, and as for the baby, that's for me to know, and for you to wait and see.), and last, but certainly not least, SashaJay (glad you liked it, and I hope you read and review again!). Phwew, I'm beat. I'm sick of typing, and your probably sick of reading, so until next time, adieu!