Monday morning, Hannah Frost is heard singing over the shower behind the bathroom door. Her roommate, Lori Fitzgerald, comes up and knocks on it. "You know for someone who's afraid of water, you spend an awfully long time in there," she jokes with a smile.
The singing immediately stops. "I'm not scared!" Hannah shouts, indignant. "I just… never learned how to swim. I don't know why I told you about that if you were only going to harass me." There is a pause before she adds, "Plus it hasn't been that long."
Lori rolls her eyes. "You told me because after my break-up and three pint of ice cream you wanted our bond to become one for the ages that inspires things that would otherwise go unsaid!"
"I'll come out there and wash your mouth out with soap!"
"Sure you will," Lori answers. "I just wanted to tell you I'm off to class. My first day of class post boyfriend in fact. I can see all the looks now- especially since he got to all of them first. It's be like I'm some sort of kicked puppy," she says frowning.
"Stop being melodramatic. You'll be just fine."
Lori seems less convinced, putting a hand on the door. "Yeah. I hope so. I'll see you for lunch. Have a great day."
"You too!"
"And it has been twenty minutes. In my house you would have had the hot water turned off on you by now." She exits through the front door and after a moment the water shuts off. Hannah emerges a minute later with a towel around her waist. She frowns in the mirror at her reflection and fluffs her wet hair only to give up.
"I guess it's a headband again today." A knock sounds from the door. "Lori, did you forget your key again?" There is no answer but knocking again. She looks down at her state. "Lori, I'm- could you wait a minute. I'm just-"The knocking persists and she lets out a groan. She sighs and grabs the key off the hook in the bedroom. "Alright, I'm coming. There's no need to be so-"
Standing at the door is Brett Edwardson and she instantly goes completely red. He instantly becomes put off as well- diverting his focus to the wall next to him. "Oh… I… I'm sorry…" She manages a scream and slams the door shut.
"There's visiting hours for a reason!" she bellows at the wood, pulling the towel tighter around her- humiliated beyond belief.
She hears him clear his throat, businesslike as always. "Listen… I just…"
"Just go!" She hears footsteps walking away and starts pacing, nearly hyperventilating at what has just occurred. Knocking sounds a moment later. "I said-!"
"Hannah, I forgot my key," Lori says from the other side. She narrows her eyes and opens the door just enough to deposit it in her hand. "Thank you, Hannah." She merely sighs dramatically and heads into the bedroom. Lori rolls her eyes from the other side of the door and starts back down the hallway. "Well, somebody's in a bad mood today."
XXX
So follow me down
Lori stands with the glowing Disney Encyclopedia. She sighs and pulls out her phone.
Where to?
Outta this town
Charlie examines his map and grabs his flashlight.
With you
Girl, you're movin way
Hannah is typing away at her computer.
Too slow
So follow me down
Michael grabs his first aid backpack and throws it on his shoulders.
Which way?
Down, down, down
Ben looks at his phone, adjusting his tie.
I'll show you around
Kaity is drawing pictures of the group absently in her dorm room.
Okay
There's a place we gotta go
Finch puts the two fingers to her temple and her eyes glaze over.
Follow me, follow me
Lori, Charlie, Hannah, Michael, Ben, Kaity, and Finch are running through the preserve, freezing once on each of their faces.
Fa la la la la
Follow me, follow me
Fa la la la la
Lori comes to a halt and the others crash into her, sending them all to the ground.
Lori Disney? (Not Likely!)
Episode Six: Lost Your Senses Completely
XXX
Charlie Prescott exits his eleven o' clock class and is instantly confused that no one is there waiting for him. He exits the building into a rare spring day and heads for the library. In the alcove off to the side sits his best friend Lori who is staring off into space. He takes a seat next to her.
She registers after a minute and raises an eyebrow. "Did you get out early?"
"No," he answers honestly.
She looks at the time on her phone and instantly becomes apologetic. "Sorry. It appears I lost track of time. I really didn't-"
"It's okay," he assures her. "We should head over to lunch in a minute though." She nods and he can instantly sense not only that something is wrong but what exactly it is. "It was worse than you were expecting?"
"He told everyone he dumped me- which is true. I wasn't expecting it. But… he also told them it was because I was emotionally unavailable- which I suppose in his mind is true," she admits, though clearly hurt.
"Then why's it bothering you so much?"
She kicks at the ground. "That's exactly what Jeremy said to me. The long distance thing stood no chance at working because I wasn't ready for something like that," she parrots exactly as she heard it. "That I never talked to him. That I refused to open up. That I wouldn't let myself feel anything because of Cody and my parents and…And it sucked then but it really sucks now. Because I'm not that person anymore," she says, voice cracking slightly. "Being here… I'm completely different. Or at least I thought I was."
Charlie puts a hand on her knee after a minute, voice stern. "I don't even think I have to dignify that with a response." She smiles and ruffles his hair as Michael Harms comes up and sits on her other side.
"I know. I was just throwing a pity party for myself. I need to stop being so pathetic."
Michael sighs. "At least you haven't been avoiding your girlfriend."
Both of them give him look with Lori vocalizing their feeling first. "Why the hell would you be doing that?"
"Because she kissed me and now my mind is freaking out that though it was the greatest thing in the world for me that she was probably disappointed that I'm not taking initiative," he admits. "I'm a coward."
Charlie feels his phone buzz and sees it's from Ben. "We should really get to lunch. The others-"
"You are, Doctor," Lori tells him, showing no sympathy. "You're being a big fat cowardly lion and it's probably confusing the poor girl- which we've learned not much gets past her."
He gives her a look. "Thanks Lori," he says sarcastically.
She raises a finger. "Let me finish. But if you just talk to her and tell her the truth about this being your first relationship-"
He buries his head in his hands. "Then I'll be pathetic on top of things!"
"But you'll be honest," Lori counters. "Girls really dig that!"
Charlie sees he now has a text from Hannah as well. "Guys, I think between the two of you I've been convinced to swear off relationships. They just seem to be more trouble then they're worth." He rises. "Now let's get going."
Michael shrugs. "I'll figure something out."
"Let's get to-"As she rises her backpack starts to shake, causing her to shrink back farther so no one notices, before letting off a burst of light. She looks at Michael. "If this is Aladdin, I swear you're handling this solo." They all start heading towards the cafeteria.
XXX
That evening, Finch Hale places her hand on the keypad in front of the gym. Once the light turns green Kaity Klingbeil opens the door and they both head in, cautiously looking around. "I hope this one's easy," Kaity admits. "I have an art project I should be working on right now."
Finch nods, looking around a corner before beckoning her down the hallway. "I'm hoping the same thing. I'm starting to accumulate quite a bit of homework. It takes me minimal time to get through it-"
"Well, aren't you special?" Kaity can't help but say sarcastically. They pass by a set of stairs, still seeing nothing. "Most of us don't get computer brains and have to solve things ourselves."
"Help me!" a voice shouts from down the stairs. Kaity immediately turns.
"Did you hear that?"
Finch shakes her head, confused. "Negative."
"Help me!" The voice shouts again and Kaity bolts down the stairs. Suddenly, a younger version of herself approaches her. "He's after me! The bad man is after me! He'll break your heart." Kaity realizes what's happening and draws back.
Finch comes down next to her and sees her expression. "Kaitlyn Klingbeil, what-?"
"He doesn't actually like you," another voice says from the top of the stairs. Kaity turns to see a version of her exactly as she is now. She walks down the stairs, cruel smile on her face. "He just feels sorry for you. "
She claps her hands over her ears. "Stop it." She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath to steady herself.
Finch looks up the stairs, trying to put things together. "You appear to be communicating with things that aren't there."
Kaity looks up to see the other her is gone and sighs, relieved. "It happens occasionally."
"Ben doesn't love you," a voice sings. She is now behind her. "No he doesn't love you," she sings again, gleeful.
"How should we proceed?" Finch asks, wary.
Kaity steps through the hallucination, holding it together. "I'm fine. Just don't mention it to anyone." They walk down the hallway but she comes to an abrupt stop as she sees herself covered in blood crying over and unconscious Ben.
"It's all my fault," the hallucination cries. Kaity takes step and sees a knife under her foot. "I killed him."
She instantly turns around, tearing up and unable to take anymore. "On second thought, go ahead," she practically pleads with Finch before starting the other way. "Please tell her."
"Affirmative," Finch answers with a glance at the empty hallway before following her, clearly at odds on how to handle this type of situation.
XXX
Meanwhile, Ben Prescott unlocks the library door and enters with Hannah right behind them. "And then it's Brett!" she tells him as they start looking the place over with their flashlight. "I'm in a towel and he's at my door outside of visiting hours mind you!" she says, clearly angry.
Ben shrugs. "We break that rule all the time," he reminds her. "Just this past weekend you had two boys spend the night in your room."
"That's different… somehow." She groans at his logic. "Why are you taking his side? You're supposed to be with me on this one. I'm the reason you have a girlfriend right now."
"I like to be objective. Plus, it can only humiliate you if you let it bother you."
She snorts. "That's easier said than done if I ever heard it."
He turns to face her, serious and tired of her lamentation. "Hannah, you've told me he's a tool and a plethora of other terms I don't dare repeat. In that case he shouldn't even be worth wasting thought on. We have a task at hand."
They go back to searching, but finally she gets to the heart of it- more vulnerable. "It's just… Kenny…"
"Oh, he's worth less than a thought," Ben tells her, unable to hide his hatred. "He was an asshole and you shouldn't listen to a single thing he said about you because we know he wasn't right in the head. At one point I had the bruises to prove it." He gives her a look as if asking her to challenge him.
She merely leans against a shelf, putting a hand to her head. "God, you're so obnoxious when you're right." A moment later she musters a smile though. "Thanks."
"Anytime." They head up the stairs to search the second floor. "And thanks for getting me a girlfriend. She's pretty great."
"You're not worried too much… about her condition."
"It doesn't make her different than any other girl," he responds automatically.
Hannah can't help but beam at how strong his feelings clearly are. "I'm glad. You're both pretty great and deserve each other."
They reach the last row of that floor as well. "It doesn't look like anything's here. Should we head out to the cafeteria?" Hannah nods and they start back down. "We are never mentioning this functional conversation to anyone."
"Hell no," she agrees instantly, both of them smirking as they exit the library.
XXX
Lori, Charlie, and Michael are the final group at the same moment searching the slightly thawed preserve. They arrive at the lake and search it over with their flashlights to see nothing obvious.
Charlie does notice something though. "Does it look higher than usual?" he observes, noting how the bank is closer to the trees.
"It's probably some of the snow melting and going in there," Michael explains. "It should be back to normal soon enough." They start walking away when Lori sees a glint in the dirt at the edge and stops. "Coming?" Michael calls from the trees with Charlie.
"One second. I think I found something some kid lost when they came here. It might cover some of my tuition," she jokes, dropping down to her knees and sticking her hand in the water.
"Come to me," a female voice whispers, enticing and seductive. "Come to me." Michael and Charlie don't appear to hear it, nor do they see yellow smoke creep from the water and enter her eyes causing them to glow as her back is to them. She freezes instantly. "I can help you, Lori." She shakes her mind clear, eyes becoming normal, and rises with a nickel in her hand.
She shows them and frowns. "Not even worth my time." She throws it back into the water and walks off with the others, failing to notice the water bubbling once they're out of earshot.
"Come to me," the voice repeats.
XXX
The next day, Hannah enters the café only to halt at the sight of Brett studying at a table right in front of her. She tries to turn around and sneak out without him noticing, but he looks up and sees her. She takes off, but he catches up to her on the bridge.
He begins, breathless from the short run. "Yesterday-"
She tries to keep walking, ignoring him. "I don't want to talk about it."
He puts a hand on her arms and she whirls to face him, eyes narrowed and clearly pissed. "I had some trouble with my computer," he explains. "I knew your skill set and thought you might be able to lend a hand. I have since taken it to computer support."
She pulls her arm free. "Good, because I probably wouldn't have helped you anyway. I was humiliated," she tells him. There is a pause as he just looks at her. "Here's the part where a decent human apologizes."
He clearly doesn't understand. "Why would I? You were the one who answered in that disgusting state."
She is now close to tears, but channels them into rage as she pokes at his chest. "Disgusting? Wow. Screw you," she tells him with absolute disgust and bile.
He merely gives a sigh of boredom. "Must our conversations always end with you swearing before storming away?"
She backs off, hands up. "They do when someone's a complete tool like you are. Leave me alone." She turns and walks away from him, and he merely turns and walks back into the café without paying her a second glance.
XXX
Meanwhile, Lori is studying Organic Chemistry in her dorm room atop her bed. She suddenly sits up completely straight, eyes glassy and yellow.
"Come to me," the whisper beckons. "Make your troubles-"She shakes her head clear and keeps reading, unaware of what has just occurred. A moment later Finch enters, but she doesn't look up.
Finch clears her throat. "I have something I need to speak to Lori Fitzgerald about."
"Is it about DIZ?" she asks, distracted by a problem.
"Negative. There has been no action on that front. They still appear to be reeling and grappling with your decisions and the best way to proceed forward. This is about our search last night."
Lori taps her pencil on the page, still concentrating on that. "You didn't find the character and then keep it from me, did you? Because that is probably the best way to piss me off right now."
Finch shakes her head. "Negative. I would never neglect your duty from your knowledge. It was the behavior of Kaitlyn Klingbeil that alerted me. She began seeing and speaking to things that weren't really there- hallucinations she called them." She now has Lori's attention as she closes her book and looks up. "At first she swore me to secrecy, but then turned around to make me vow to tell you."
Lori runs a hand through her hair. "That's not good. We'll need to talk to her right away."
"If you don't mind my question, why did she want me to tell you?" Finch can't help but ask.
"Because she knows how serious this is," Lori tries to explain. "And she's not taking the easy way out this time by trying to suffer through it alone. It's a cry for help, and I'm certainly not going to ignore it." She rises from her bed and grabs her phone.
"How is suffering alone taking the easy way out? It seems it would be much more difficult if anything," Finch asks, clearly trying to comprehend.
Lori turns to her, in full on lecture mode. "But it's not being honest about the disease she has and the fact that people care enough to help her. Taking the easy way out is doing what makes you feel the best the quickest rather than doing the right thing. In her case-"
"In her case it would be refusing to confide in friends and family, instead pretending she's perfectly fine for continued social acceptance and approval," Finch deduces. "She still worries showing her true depths will cause her friends to remove themselves. But by confiding in me to tell you she was growing and trusting in her friends enough to care about her no matter what."
Lori smiles, proud of her. "Exactly. And you say-"Her eyes flash yellow and she holds them.
Finch is immediately at her side, concerned. "Lori Fitzgerald?"
"Come to me," the whisper coos. "Make your troubles vanish. I'm waiting for you at the lake. Come to me."
"Lori Fitzgerald?" Finch says, touching her arm. Her head shoots up and because her back is to Finch the projection fails to see her eyes are completely yellow.
"I'm sorry, but I need to get to the lake right away," she says in a monotone. "Stay here."
Finch pulls her hand away, lost. "But Kaity requires-"
"I'm sorry, but I need to get to the lake right away. Stay here." She puts on her coat, back still to Finch.
"Lori Fitzgerald, are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm sorry- fine," she forces out, voice still monotone. "I'm fine, but I need to head out just for a minute. Can you go find Kaity and bring her here?"
Finch nods, clearly concerned but not wanting to disobey an order. "Affirmative. Are you sure I won't be of assistance to you-?"
"I'm fine, but I need to head out just for a minute. Can you go find Kaity and bring her here?" Finch nods unsure and Lori heads out and down the hallway at a robotic pace, eyes glowing.
"Come to me. Come to me."
Finch takes a minute to reflect before starting to head out to collect Kaity. She encounters a still raging Hannah at the door, who instantly pulls her feelings back at the sight of her.
"Hey. Where'd Lori go?" she asks, seeing they're alone.
Finch debates but then chooses to say something. "I fear something is wrong with Lori Fitzgerald's behavior, but I must go get Kaity and-"
Hannah blocks her from leaving, arms crossed. "Oh, no you don't. Start talking."
XXX
Lori comes to a stop in front of the now even larger lake which is right at the tree line. She stands there frozen as the water swells and ripples. A cauldron rises from the water with a triumphant Ursula a few moments later, smiling a winner's smile.
"Well, honey, it took you long enough to get here," she begins, regarding the girl in front of her with disdain. "Though I must admit you're stronger than I gave you credit for. It took that buffoon Prince Eric mere moments to fall for my charms, but you- over half a day is really a feat." Bottle comes up on jets of water and she starts to sort through them.
"What do you think of my set-up? It was getting a bit cramped in that pond so I expanded!" Lori is still standing rigidly still, and she clucks out a laugh. "Oh, that's right." She throws something in the cauldron and Lori falls to her knees in the water, back to herself eyes and all.
"What-?" she asks, dazed. She then looks up and sees the seas witch, who waves. "You brainwashed me!"
"Oh, don't be so dramatic," she says with a wave of the hand. "I just planted a suggestion up there- to come to me alone without the book or the sword. And you did!"
Lori rises and tries to run the other way, but the water forms a wave that pushes her onto the lake as she falls on her back. Ursula goes back to her ingredients. "There's no need to run. I merely want you to hear me out. You see, that suggestion also allowed me a peek inside your head and what I saw there was really quite fascinating."
Lori jumps back on her feet and turns to face her. She throws her hand out to the side but nothing happens, so she tries again. "No," a whisper in her ear tells her.
"Why-?"
"I told you why. The suggestion is still up there. You're coming here without the book or the sword, so you can't summon it."
"But-"She tries again desperately.
"No," assaults the whisper. She grabs her head in pain.
"That would just make things messy after all. The point is that you seem to be suffering from a broken heart." Lori merely glares at her, unable to do anything but listen. "It seems that your love hurt you very badly and is making you question all sorts of things about yourself. He told you that you weren't worth it- that he was better than you," she mocks. "You are making yourself absolutely sick over it."
She folds her arms, holding strong despite her darkest thoughts being fired at her. "And what's your suggestion? Going to brew me up the perfect man in there in exchange for letting all your friends through?"
"We'll get to the payment at a later time," Ursula dismisses, dancing around the cauldron on a constant stream of water. "Right now let's focus on you. You don't need a miracle… you just need someone to stitch those pieces back together." She throws in some potions, clearly enjoying this.
She looks up at Lori. "Well, what are you waiting for? Come on over." The waves knock at her legs and push her right up to Ursula and the cauldron despite her struggling, being held on top of the lake. "Now, how does this feel?" A pink smoke emerges and hits Lori's heart, her instantly grabbing it.
"Lighter," she admits with the trace of a smile.
Ursula claps, delighted. "Great!" She then leans over, a little more wicked. "Now, payment,-"
"No thank you though," Lori finishes and the smoke leaves her chest before evaporating. This wipes the smile right off the sea witch. "But my pain and thoughts are my own," she tells her with confidence and strength. "I need to work through them by myself, otherwise I'm not doing anyone else any favors- especially the guy I meet somewhere down the line."
"But-"
"So there will be no deal. I'm going to do the right thing and move on by myself. My friend promised me I'd find someone worth it. Well, I need to be worth him too. And this is certainly not the way to do it." She turns to try and force her way against the water and leave.
Ursula thinks of something and throws in a mix of other potions desperately. "How about an alternate idea?" The water in front of Lori spring up and takes the shape of Shawn Zimmerman, her ex-boyfriend. "What if we make it so that you don't have to find someone else at all?" Ursula attempts.
Shawn smiles at her in pure adoration. "Lori… I love you."
She merely narrows her eyes, making a fist in her right hand. "No," the whisper barrages her. "No. No. N-"She shuts her eyes and concentrates, the voices dying. The sword appears in her hand and she cuts right through Shawn- him turning back into waves that splash around her.
She turns back to Ursula, sword casually over her shoulder and smile showing she knows she now has the upper hand. "I'm also not in the business of illusions."
"No!" the witch cries. "How-?!" Lori just stares at her, amused at her unraveling. "You should be under my control?! My spell has never failed before!"
"I'm texting my friends to bring me the book," she tells her matter-of-factly. "This is it. You lost." Ursula narrows her eyes, no longer pretending to have a shred of decency and lapsing completely into villain territory.
"They said you always pick the hard way, Lori Fitzgerald. I thought I would be able to get you with some simple tricks, but I should have listened and observed their downfalls more carefully. No wonder you have us all so riled up."
The water starts bubbling all around. "And now I can certainly see what they mean about the girl with the sword and the book whose nobility means she always picks the hard way." The water swirls about her to the point where she can't move and some of her confidence is lost as Ursula advances. "You should know your opponents though. You should have gotten out of the water while you had a chance. "
Lori is suddenly pulled down under the water, Sword clattering uselessly to the bottom. Ursula cackles madly and dives under to a lake that has now expanded to be at least thirty feet deep. Lori is pulled by the currents to the very bottom and held there despite her furious struggling and attempts to swim up.
She realizes it's useless and glares at Ursula who now practically dances in front of her. "What's that? You can't breathe underwater? What a shame. I thought our friend the mermaid would have taught you that lesson by now!" She tries to swim up again, but it is no use and she is running out of air.
"Lori!" a voice sounds from above. Hannah comes running through the trees at breakneck pace with the book under her arm only to grind to a giant halt at the huge lake and the monsoon of waves it has become to hold Lori down. She leans in close and sees two figures at the bottom of the depths.
"Lori!" she cries, desperate and frightened. She looks behind her, panicking. "Finch is getting the others. They won't be here in time," she tells herself. She looks down and takes a shuddering breath, near tears. "Lori! Lori!"
This quickly becomes useless and she pops back to her feet, grappling with what needs to be done and the fear that is overtaking her. She stands at war with herself, when one thought suddenly settles her features to determined. "She would do it for you." She sets the book by a tree, picks up a large rock instead, mentally steels herself, takes a deep breath, and leaps into the water.
She sinks like a stone because of the rock and starts sputtering, but gains grip as she sees Ursula dancing around a barely conscious Lori who cannot even struggle anymore. She manages to make her way over in a very uncoordinated and bumbling manner in a way that neither notice. Once behind her she summons all her strength to bring the rock down on the sea witch's skull. This is enough to throw off her concentration and her control of the waves.
Lori instantly starts swimming up, but before Hannah can follow Ursula has regained enough sense to grasp her around the neck and hold her under. She struggles but quickly falls unconscious from her already limited breath.
Lori sticks her head above the water and takes the largest of breaths- gasping and sputtering. Seeing no Hannah emerging, she immediately takes another and heads down, sword appearing in her hand. She swims up to Ursula, who lets go off Hannah to meet her with her eyes a complete frenzy. The two meet each other and she jabs only to miss with the current pushing her. She charges and the two lock arms, pushing against one another. She tries to stab, but is again pushed back away from Ursula by the water. This dizzies her, but she swims out of the sea witch's grasp and swings again only to miss.
She looks and can see that Hannah is floating there and desperately needs her. Ursula grabs her from behind, but she manages to break free, turn, and give a final lurch of the sword that pierces her right through the stomach. She goes unconscious and electricity crackles through the water. Lori holds on and swims behind Hannah, pulling her up to the surface expertly. She swims for the edge and pulls her to the grass behind the tree line, both of them dripping and completely wet. She listens at her mouth while checking for a pulse on her neck.
"Heartbeat but not breathing," she mutters between deep exhausted breaths. Despite this, she still kneels down and administers two breaths, frowning when her chest doesn't move. "Airway's blocked. Goddammit, Hannah. Why'd you have to do something so stupid?!" She does five chest compressions and breathes again. "Still not going in," she cries, frustrated. She goes back to chest compressions, emphasizing her words on each one. "Hannah, you are not dying on me today! You hear me! I am not losing you because you were so stupidly noble that it was stupid!" On the last one, Hannah coughs and spits water into the grass. Lori pulls back in relief as she starts taking sharp shallow breaths just as the other Companions comes running up to them.
They take the two in, Michael speaking up. "What happened?"
"Are you two alright?" Charlie adds.
"Get me the book," Lori orders. Ben grabs it from the tree, but all freeze as Ursula emerges from the water. She pulls the sword from her chest and throws it into the trees, face enough to scare all of them. The water begins to bubble.
Lori is on her feet instantly. "Everyone stay out of the water! Help me move her back!" She and Michael pull Hannah back as the waves creep forwards to try and grab them. As it reaches the tree line the group find themselves separated with Hannah, Michael, and Lori in the center with Finch by herself on one side and Kaity clinging to Ben on the other. Lori gets as close as she can to Ben, hands outstretched.
He tosses her the book, and she just manages to catch it before being forced to back up. She throws it open to a glowing poem and smiles.
"It doesn't have to be like this!" Ursula shouts, eyes locking on all of them individually. "I can help you! All of you!"
Lori just glares back at her, a storm of her own showing through. "You should have thought of that before you tried to drown my roommate, you piece if sushi!" She looks down and starts singing. "If you want to cross a bridge, you witch You've got to pay the toll"
Ursula cries out before vanishing in a burst of darkness with the cauldron.The lake shrinks back to its normal size as Lori takes a deep shuddering breath. The Companions all meet back up again behind her.
She turns to them, knowing she owes an explanation. "She got in my mind… when we were here yesterday. That's why I came out here alone. I tried to fight it, but-"She and Kaity lock eyes.
"It's not your fault," Kaity tells her. Everyone nods in agreement. "You just got dealt a bad hand," she says, clearly providing a double meaning meant at herself as well. Lori nods.
Hannah shakily tries to stand, and Ben instantly helps her up and supports her. "You okay?"
She coughs. "I've been better. As long as she's okay." Lori comes up to her and Ben takes a step back. "You can yell at me all you want, but the only reason you're alive right now is because I went in there," she tells her roommate.
Lori raises an eyebrow at her lack of fear. "And then I had to save your life because you can't swim."
Hannah holds her ground. "Then we're even."
"You're scared of water," Lori reminds her, dropping the mad act in favor of a more curious one.
She shrugs, nonchalant. "Yeah, well I'm scared of losing my roommate more. What can I say?" They just look at each other a moment before Lori hugs her.
"I love you," Lori whispers.
"I love you too," she whispers back.
"You are the bravest and single most stupid roommate someone could ask for."
"I learn from the best." They pull away and Michael drapes a coat around Lori's shoulders.
"I'm just glad everyone's alright. Let's get you two back before you freeze." Ben does the same around Hannah and they start back.
"Is she out of your mind now?" Charlie asks.
Lori smiles, relieved. "Nothing left but a slight echo. It's fading fast though."
He gives a quick hug around her waist, relieved and not worried about getting wet. "Good."
XXX
The next evening after class, Lori is finishing up her homework in the living area of her dorm room before class with Finch doing the same beside her. "We still must deal with Kaity," Finch reminds her.
"I know. I have a feeling that after last night she'll come to us though."
Finch looks up at her. "From what you said, Ursula offered you a lot but still you refused it."
"Never take anything from a villain," Lori lectures, pointing her pencil dramatically. "That's an important lesson to store away up there."
"Negative, it was more than that," Finch continues. "You chose the hard path as well. You chose bravery and facing your heartbreak over an easy solution. You chose pain."
Lori nods. "It's something I have to work through. Pain isn't always a bad thing," she tells her. "There's a lot we can learn from it." She takes a moment before speaking again. "Shawn said I wasn't worth him. And if I had forsaken that the easy way I never would've learned the truth."
"And that is?"
Lori can't help but smile, floored just remembering yesterday. "That I'm worth facing a fear over. That far outweighs anything he said to me." There is a knock. "It's open!" Kaity enters sheepishly.
"I'm sure she talked to you." Lori nods. "But I know I need to say it myself." She holds up a packed duffel bag. "I need you to take me to the hospital."
Lori is on her feet in an instant. "I'll text Hannah and she can drive us right over. Can I text the others as well?" Kaity gives a consenting nod. "Alright then." She puts a hand on the small girl's shoulder. "I'm proud of you."
"I know. Thank you… both of you." Lori turns to Finch.
"She's right. You deserve a lot of thanks and appreciation here. You said your were having trouble with human emotion complexity, but you've been doing great since the whole being cut off from DIZ thing Finch. You should be proud of yourself too."
Finch smiles a genuine smile. "Thank you. That means a lot."
Lori heads for the closet. "Let me get my coat and we'll get moving."
XXX
Brett opens his door to find Hannah standing there in a bikini just staring at him. He tries to look past her. "What-?"
"This is me," she declares. "You turned this down last semester and now here's what you're missing. So go ahead and take a good look at it before you tell me I'm disgusting. Because it may not be perfect but it is mine and you are an idiot for hurting me like you did."
He meets her eyes, words finally seeming to click. "Hannah, I-"
She just stares him down, unafraid. "You were the first guy to see this since Kenny and he made me feel ashamed about everything. I wasn't good enough for him and he was abusing me. And then you dumped me for a prank. But this is who I am and screw any boy who tells me to change it!"
He glances down but meets her eyes again. "Hannah, you're embarrassing yourself."
"This makes her smile. "It would only be that if I let it bother me, but I'm not." Her phone rings and she sees a text that makes her go white. "I have to go. My friends need me. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did." She takes off and Brett can't help but watch her go.
"She sure is something," he has to admit, voice full of admiration.
XXX
Michael sits at the café sipping hot chocolate across from his girlfriend Jolene Dean who is doing the same. "So aside from some trouble involving a sea witch with the game, that's why I've been so cagey and weird," he finishes. "I really like you and I don't want to screw this up, but I've never done anything like this before."
She smiles at him, clearly happy at his honesty. "Relax. You're not chasing me off anytime soon. I get it. I was a wreck in my first relationship too," she tells him kindly, putting a hand over his. "I'm also really flattered at being your first date and kiss, by the way. My ego needed that boost." She gets serious for a moment. "We'll take it as slow as you need it to go. This relationship is about both of our feelings, not just mine."
He can't help but sigh, a weight having been lifted from his shoulders. "You wouldn't believe how relieved I am to hear that."
"You can always tell me stuff. I'd rather talk about big things than run out of stuff and just desperately mention the weather or something." She takes a sip. "And I'm really glad everyone's okay in the game. Just be careful. I'd hate for something to happen to you."
"Lori keeps us safe, often at her own expense." His phone buzzes in his pocket. "Can I-?"
"Absolutely. It's kind of like dating a super hero." He rises upon reading it, clearly troubled. "What's wrong?"
He starts grabbing his coat, fumbling a little. "Kaity. Lori checked her into the hospital. She was having hallucinations-"
She helps his arms into the sleeves. "Common with bipolar disorder."
He starts texting back, but stops. "Not for her though. That means it's pretty serious. I should call and-"
She puts on her jacket and grabs her purse. "Go ahead. I'll drive."
"You don't have to."
"I'm well aware of that. I want to. Come on." He just looks at her for a long moment. "What?" He kisses her quickly, putting a smile on both their faces.
"You're the best."
"I'm well aware. Let's get going." They head out hand in hand.
XXX
Everyone is sitting around the waiting room, all obviously stressed. Ben looks the most out of sorts and is pacing back and forth in front of everyone.
Michael looks at Lori, who is playing with her phone by turning it over and over in her hands. He nudges her and speaks what's on his mind. "We got lucky… last night. I don't know how much longer we can keep relying on luck before it runs out."
Lori leans back against the wall. "Rachel was the last time I was in a hospital, and she told me that I was doing the best anyone can do given the circumstances," she recalls. "I just have to keep believing that and that because of it things will work out. Because if I don't- well then I really don't stand a chance to begin with."
He takes this in and nods before switching to another subject. "You did a good job with the Rescue Breathing. It was pretty much perfect. And saving Hannah- getting a person out of the water can be pretty difficult."
Lori can't help but look a little smug and proud of herself. "You might not be the only one who knows CPR. I was a lifeguard in high school," she explains, to his shock. "Charlie's the only one who knows. I don't like to talk about it." At this moment a Doctor emerges and attracts all their attention.
"We contacted her parents and they're on their way. We can't release any medical information to the group of you at this time. She wants us to send one of you back there though."
Everyone turns to Ben and he steps up. "I'll go."
The Doctor frowns and looks at the chart. "I'm sorry, but she requested Lori Fitzgerald and Lori Fitzgerald only until her parents arrive." Everyone looks confused, none so more than Ben, and gradually all eyes drift to an uncomfortable Lori.
Ben persists. "But, I'm her boyfriend. I need to-"
The Doctor gives him a look. "Unless your name is Lori Fitzgerald then I cannot let you pass." Ben steps back and sits in a chair, sullenly looking at the floor as he fumes. Lori slowly rises.
"That's me."
"Follow me." She starts to follow him, Charlie passing her a homemade card as she goes. She gives him a nod and a ruffle of his hair. She gives everyone one last small smile while heading around the corner after the Doctor. Ben is clearly very upset and grappling with what is going on.
XXX
Lori enters a hospital room to see Kaity dwarfed by her hospital bed hooked up to various monitors and wires. She is trying to hide it but is clearly terrified. Lori doesn't waste a beat before climbing into the bed and wrapping her up in a hug.
"It's going to be alright," she tells her, earning the smallest of nods from Kaity. She doesn't see what she does- the bloodied version of herself staring her down. She buries her head in Lori's shoulder and she runs her hand through her blonde hair. "You did the right thing and you're in the right place where they can help you. I promise it's all going to be fine. We just have to keep our chins up and be brave like we always are."
XXX
Tune in next week and Ben and Kaity struggle with their first real relationship hurdle while Lori has to hide the most recent character she's none too pleased to be stuck with from DIZ.