Disclaimers: I own nothing or anyone associated or affiliated with TNA. I own only the original characters. This is just a fictional story that came from my imagination.
Chapter Content & Trigger Warnings: Violence

Chapter 40

Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed brightly through the room as Ella and Miracle went over their plan again and again. They finally heard Fournier approaching the exterior door outside the cage and knew the time had come to put their plan into action.

"Here he comes," Ella whispered. "We've got it down, right?"

Miracle nodded. "I won't let you down, Mama."

Ella hugged her daughter close. "I love you, baby. No matter what happens. Remember I love you more than life itself."

"I love you too, Mommy," the girl said softly.

Fournier was in the room then and leisurely entered the cage just as another loud crack of thunder sounded.

"Well," he asked. "Have you come to a decision?"

Ella nodded, and discovered she didn't have to work at looking frightened. "Yes. Let Miracle live. Please."

He nodded slightly, and pulled out the hypodermic needle he'd failed to use on her earlier.

"As a show of good faith, I need your arm," he said softly.

"Is that the paralyzing toxin," Ella asked, her way of alerting Miracle to the fact that should she get stuck with the needle, she'd be rendered unable to move.

"Yes," he answered. "Now, give me your arm."

Ella raised her arm for him, and shot her gaze to Miracle when Fournier was focused on finding the vein in the crook of her arm. She winked at her daughter to let her know it was time to fight. And in the next instant, she grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the needle and used Fournier's leverage against him by yanking his arm as hard as she could and slamming his head into the wall behind her. The syringe went skidding across the floor and underneath Ella's bed.

Miracle flew into action then and helped tackle him to the floor. Ella climbed on top of him hoping her weight would be enough to hold him down. "The key is on his belt loop, baby. Hurry."

Miracle was already plucking the key chain from the loop on the waistband of his slacks and running for the cage's door. She quickly discovered he'd not locked it when he entered. Nearly crying out with joy, Miracle swung the iron door open and turned around to find Ella struggling against Fournier with a vengeance.

"Leave her alone," Miracle screamed as she ran back to aid her mother. Fournier shoved Ella onto her back and slammed her head against the concrete floor. She went limp instantly.

"You're not going anywhere, Ella," he taunted her unconscious form. "You're mine!"

"Leave my Mom alone, you freak!"

Miracle lunged around his neck and jammed the key into his eye socket, hindering his attack for the moment.

Fournier screamed, holding his hand to his eye and climbed to his feet. In the next instant, he'd pulled a pistol from his jacket.

Miracle had knelt beside her mother and checked her pulse when she heard the click of a gun being cocked. Slowly, she turned around to face Fournier's triumphant smirk, a handgun pointed at Ella.

"Come. Here," he growled, his rage evident. "Or I kill Ella, right now."

Her heart racing, Miracle stood to her feet and approached Fournier. She couldn't take a chance on her mother's safety.

"Leave her alone," Miracle said, resignation on her face. "Kill me instead, but please, leave my mother alone."

Fournier grinned.

"Exactly what I had in mind. Killing you will hurt her much more than anything I could ever do to her."

A tear spilled from Miracle's eye.

I won't get to say goodbye to Mom and Daddy or my new family. Or even Finn... But if it will finally end this once and for all, I have to accept it.

In the next instant, Fournier pulled another needle from his jacket pocket, uncapped it and plunged it into Miracle's neck, emptying its contents into her system. She gasped, and stumbled backward from the force he'd used. Her neck began burning horribly, and she brought her hand to her neck. When she brought her fingers away, blood was smeared across them.

"You don't have long, little girl," Fournier said, his voice low. "The little bit of time you have left is going to be full of agony. I only wish your mother was awake to see it."

"What did you give me," Miracle asked, already feeling breathless. She couldn't be sure if it was her frayed nerves or whatever Fournier had given her.

"A mixture of cobra and rattlesnake venom, with my own little special addition—insulin. In a high enough dosage, the insulin alone will cause a heart attack. You're in for a lot of pain, my dear. And I'm going to relish watching you die."

At least I have his attention off Mom, Miracle thought, noting the sharp little pains in her chest. I need to get him away from her completely though.

She turned and tried to run for the door when she felt a harsh burn sear her upper arm, then heard a loud pop from behind her not even a second later. She cried out from the pain, and ran out the door, immediately hurrying up the long flight of steps. She tried to raise her arm but it was heavy and numb and barely moved at all.

"GET BACK HERE, MIRACLE! YOU WON'T ROB ME OF YOUR DEATH!"

Miracle sobbed softly, and continued up the steps till she reached the upper landing. Looking around, she realized she was standing in a kitchen—a rustic kitchen.

A cabin, she wondered.

Her mind growing foggy, she started to make her way through the kitchen to the front of the house in hopes of escape, and leading Fournier further away from Ella.

In the next instant, she felt fingers curl into her long hair and roughly drag her up against a body. "I WILL watch you die," Fournier growled in her ear. He spun her around and gripped her arms tightly in his hands. The sudden burst of pain in her wounded arm forced a shriek from her mouth and her legs nearly buckled. Her pulse raced and she knew the mixture he'd pumped into her neck was beginning to take affect.

"Hurt," he taunted, squeezing her arm tighter.

The girl screamed again and then drew her leg back and threw her knee up into his groin as hard as she could. He howled in his pain and collapsed against the wall. Miracle turned and forced herself to run—out of the kitchen, through the living room to the front door and then out into the middle of a thunderstorm. The shock of cold, wet rain mixed with the frigid air was enough to steal her breath and set her teeth to chattering. Soaked within seconds, she inhaled and exhaled, trying in vain to slow her heart rate. Got to find help, she thought, her gaze darting over her surroundings.

Fire shot through her chest suddenly and unrelentingly. She fell to her knees, grabbing at her heart and crying out. She shivered in the grass, no longer able to defend or protect herself. Another stab of pain took her to the ground completely.

"Hurts, doesn't it," Founier chuckled from above her.

She sobbed, and attempted to crawl away from him, but his hand latched onto her wounded arm again and pulled her back, ignoring her scream of pain.

"You're already burning up with fever," Fournier commented casually. "That toxin works particularly fast. Tell me..." He squatted down beside her. "How badly does it hurt? I need to know if I should keep that one in my arsenal."

"GET AWAY FROM 'ER!"

In the next instant, a dark blur dove at Fournier, and tackled him away from Miracle.

She managed to turn her head and saw Finn standing over Fournier, his gun drawn and aimed at the psychopath's head. Her head collapsed against the ground in her relief to know Fournier was finished.

"Make ano'der move an' I'll put a bullet t'rough y'r head," Finn said, his Irish accent growing thicker. He kept his eyes on Fournier but asked Miracle, "Are ya okay, l'il lass?"

When she failed to answer, he turned his head to glance at her, and heard Fournier chuckle while he noted how pale Miracle had become. She writhed in the wet grass, crying out in pain and grasping at her chest.

"I think you need to worry less about me, and more about her," Fournier continued laughing.

Finn looked back at him, fury brewing in his blue eyes. "I t'ink ya may be right." With that, he aimed his gun at Fournier's left knee and fired.

An animal-like scream of pain tore from the man's lips and he fell back against the ground, all but sobbing.

"What did ya do to 'er," Finn demanded. "TELL ME!"

Fournier managed a pained smirk.

Finn fired his gun at Fournier's remaining knee then. And ignoring his scream of pain, shouted, "WHAT DID YA DO T' HER?!"

"Finn..." Miracle managed to speak, her voice soft and tired. When she felt Finn kneel down beside her, she continued. "He said... It was a mixture of cobra and rattlesnake venom along with insulin—to induce a heart attack. He injected it at my neck..."

"Dear God," Finn whispered, his chest rising and falling rapidly in his panic. "No, lassie..."

"It's okay," Miracle said, smiling softly despite her pain. Resignation settled in her eyes. "Mama and Daddy's safe. So are you. It's over."

"No, Miracle," Finn shook his head, his sapphire eyes pleading with hers. "Don't ya dare give up. I-" He shook his head again to clear it and grabbed his cell phone and quickly dialed a number. "This is Officer Finn Bálor wit' Seattle P.D. I'm at Sloan's Lake. I have a young woman down. She's been shot, and has been poisoned wit' snake venom—cobra and rattler—and also insulin. I need ya t' get a MediVac copter or an ambulance—whatever is the fastest—and get this girl some help. I also have the suspect apprehended so send your Denver P.D. He's wanted by the U.S. Marshalls. Do it NOW." He disconnected and put his phone away, then immediately lifted Miracle up, supporting her back and knees with his arms. "Miracle, sweetheart, I need ya t' cough—hard. Okay? And keep coughin'—every few seconds. It's similar t' CPR, it'll keep yer heart more regular until help comes and then d'ey will have d'a equipment t' help ya." He headed for the cabin, noting how hot her skin was as he carried her.

Miracle let out a cough and winced.

"I know, lass. I know it hurts. But ya have t' do it."

She managed to keep coughing as he got her inside the cabin and quickly laid her down on a sofa. "Ye're burnin' up," he whispered.

"C-cold," she whispered in reply, and then resumed coughing.

Finn snatched a shawl from the back of the sofa and wrapped it around her, then grabbed his cell again. He hit the button to call Joe and waited till the Samoan answered.

"Finn?"

"I'm here," Finn said. "I have Miracle. I haven't located Ella yet."

"Okay, we'll arrive in the next few minutes," Joe replied anxiously. "How's Miracle?"

Finn swallowed hard, not knowing how to break the news to him.

"Finn?"

"She's not doin' good, Joe. Fournier poisoned her. Are the Marshalls bringin' medical help?"

Joe was silent for a moment, and then he answered with a simple, "Yeah."

"They need to be prepared to treat her for snake venom and insulin. Fournier poisoned 'er with the intention of giving her a heart attack."

"Where is Fournier," Joe asked a little too calmly.

"He's out in front of the cabin wit' two destroyed knees."

"We can see the cabin now, we're starting to go down."

The line went dead at the same time Finn heard a noise coming from the kitchen.

"What are you doing to my daughter?!"

Finn turned around to find Ella Seanoa looking dazed, very pregnant, and pointing a gun at him.