A/N: Hooray! I got another chapter out! I feel so damned proud! I've been dreading writing this chapter and the ones to follow. But I'm also very excited too. Anywho, I kept working on this one and working on it and working on it. So much to it, and funnily enough I didn't intend it to be as long as it turned out to be. I added content, and well, one thing lead to another and I ended up with what you see here! One thing that I'd like to request of you, is while you read, please note any irregularities you notice in this chapter against the rest of the story. I'm trying to make them flow into one another so your feed back would be appreciated. Anyways… Enjoy!
W.I.T.C.H.: Dead Memories
"A Secret No More"
"The time has come. We must move forward with this project! Despite the recent failure to eliminate Will Vandom and her mother, this project has worked flawlessly. 162 missions completed successfully by project members is more then enough evidence that this project is ready for phase two." One of the twelve said emphasizing with his hands towards the current slide up on the projector screen. His face was hidden in the shadows cast by a dim light focused on the conference table. This added to the affect of screening him and those around the table.
"Are we so certain? The project is surely in jeopardy as long as Will Vandom continues to walk around with old programming and memories floating around in her head. She certainly has proven resilient to elimination as shown with the recent failure of Cassidy." Another member asked, a female voice issuing from her shadow. "If Will remembers any of the…"
"But she will not, nor will her mother! Susan Vandom is in a confirmed comatose state with no chance of ever remembering the incident. On top of that the partitioning of Will's mind will leave nothing for her to remember." Another member interjected vehemently as he leaned forward, his face nearly entering the circle of light that covered the table.
"But her kill-switch went off and she survived? How are we to know the programming and dead memories were erased reliably?" The female asked of the other 10 stationed around the conference table. The spot next to her was empty, the seat of Jonathan Petersburg. Leaning forward into the light, the member revealed a fair face with graying hair. Brown eyes were highlighted by a few wrinkles on her face showing her age. Her voice while feminine commanded respect and showed no signs of age apparent on her physique. "She could remember details about the project and Majestic Twelve that could ruin everything we have worked for!"
A gravely voice at the end of the conference table issued forth addressing the woman herself, "You would do well not to reveal yourself so outright to us Petra, especially with new members present." A dim orange could be seen from the cigarette he smoked. This man was one of the eldest of the Twelve, and one of the most powerful too. Petra upon hearing him settled back into the shadows.
"Forgive me, but some of us have high stakes in this project. As such information has made its way down to project members and such that reveals some of our… identities." Petra continued.
"If I recall correctly Petra, you were one of the few who choose to freely associate with the children. As such it will only be you who is affected by Mrs. Vandom and her child." The gravely voice replied with utmost calm and menace in his voice.
"I don't think we have anything to worry about. The research has shown that there are no memories left over after a wipe initiated by the programming. Remember, the Kill-switch was only a secondary pre-caution put in place to prevent anything that we might not have caught. Ten out of ten times there were no memories left." Another member added, reminding them all of the research done by the Yumari Corporation.
The Yumari Corporation was owned by the man who had just spoken. It was his scientists that had discovered the technology that allowed the brainwashing of children. Furthermore, he himself had worked closely with the children. If he wasn't showing signs of being worried, maybe she was safe. But Petra had learned that lesson long ago. Relying on someone else nearly always failed when it came to matters such as this.
"Enough of this! The child is nothing to be concerned about. The disturbing evidence suggesting that a member of the police department may have information concerning Majestic 12 and project IA are more worrisome then a child who by all rights is dead. Detective Ethan poses a far greater threat then a mere child ever could!" Urged a member who rarely spoke at these meetings. "If information about our existence moves from the realm of rumor and myth to concrete evidence, our objective of global domination will never see the light!"
However, Petra disagreed with this. Being one of the few who actually interacted with the children, she knew what they were capable of. Even if Will had lost her memories of the events that transpired in the lost hours of her life, the reflexes were ingrained into her very being. Old habits and skills might start to re-emerge from the intangible puddle of ruined memories that were left after an erasure was triggered. And seeing as how Will Vandom was top of her class, that only made it that much more troubling to leave her running about.
None the less, the member who had just spoken was correct. A police detective with concrete evidence on Majestic 12 and its history was a far more pressing issue then Will Vandom and the botched attempt on her mother's life.
"He will be a problem no longer. Jonas will take care of him promptly and ensure that nothing gets to the authorities." The elder man of Majestic said, puffing on his cigarette.
"Oh, just like he took care of Susan and Will Vandom I suppose?" A member on Petra's left asked sarcastically. "He failed that attempt. What makes you think he won't fail this one?"
"He will do his job. He knows what's at stake if he should fail this task. But enough of this; the children can take care of whatever is leftover after Jonas is done." The elder member said ending that little dispute. "Does anyone have anything to add before we adjourn this meeting?"
"Nothing, other then the fact that we've seen an increase in profit across several of our investments, most notably the weapons division." A man who had been presenting the meeting said informing the others of the success of other ongoing projects.
"The Twelfth member would like to impress upon everyone how pleased he is with project Innocent Assassins. He would also like everyone to know that because of some upcoming events he might possibly pay Majestic 12 a visit…" the Twelfth Member's lackey said, a stillness falling upon the other 10. This was an unprecedented move. The one responsible for pushing the Innocent Assassins project through was coming to see Majestic 12. With this comment spoken, the lackey stood up and began to leave the room. Before he could leave though, the elder member spoke.
"Inform him that we ourselves will be pleased to finally meet the man who helped mastermind a crucial part in our plans." His voice carrying the distance to lackey before he pulled on his cigarette.
"You will. You most defiantly will." The Lackey said before exiting the room.
"Hmmmm. I suppose that draws a conclusion to this meeting. There will be another meeting in 2 weeks time. The meeting location will be disclosed 1 night before as always. Good day." And with that the elder member stood up and left the room. One by one they all filed out of the room under deep thought about what had just occurred.
Petra was one of the last to leave. She always was. Possibly it was because she was a single woman among men. Maybe it was because the others did not trust her. Whatever the case, she left last, and came first. As she walked into the crisp night air, she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. If the Twelfth member was coming to pay them a visit, this could mean changes. Big changes; changes that could possibly ruin Petra's own plans.
Shrugging, she stepped into the back of the black limo that had pulled up. There was nothing she could do now except wait. Petra didn't even look back as the limo drove away from the factory where the meeting had taken place. Bright spot lights highlighted a sign at the front gate with what looked like a colorful molecule on it, and words printed in bold black letters: "Yumari Corp. Building Innovative technologies one molecule at a time."
Ω
The walk from the portal to Heatherfield Park hadn't been that long. But it was the waiting for a ride that had seemed like an eternity to Cornelia. She so desperately wanted to help her friend, but the fact of the matter was that they needed Will to be of any help at all. Every passing moment seemed like an eternity to the tall blond who had taken up to pacing instead of just standing. Then again it felt like they were in a cloud as a fog had rolled into town. Pacing was a better alternative to standing still and being cold.
"When your done pacing your way through the earth to China, let me know okay?" Irma said trying to lighten Cornelia's mood. It didn't work though.
"I'm just nervous, okay? I don't need any of your foolery right now Irma," Cornelia replied continuing her pacing.
"It's going to be alright Cornelia! We'll get Will and be back to Meridian in no time." Hay Lin said trying to comfort Cornelia. "Irma's just trying to take your mind off of it."
"But I don't want to take my mind off of Elyon! We've been best friends forever! I can't just abandon her to that madman Phobos!" Cornelia said nearly shouting. The strain of having someone she loved in the line of danger clearly showed on her face and in her pacing. At last though, Taranee's brother showed up in his car to give them all a ride to Christina Memorial Hospital where Will and her mother were.
"Hey Peter! Thanks for giving us a ride! This really means a lot to us." Taranee said in welcoming as the car pulled up. "Come on guys, let's go see Will."
"Yea, No problem Sis, anything to help out." Peter said warmly flashing one of his prize winning smiles. Cornelia disliked ridding in the same car with Peter simply because she was attracted to him. This confused her greatly as she always felt that she should be in love with Caleb. Although she disliked ridding in the same car as Peter, her concern for Elyon ruled any objections out.
"We're probably going to need a ride back to the park after we are done visiting with Will. Is that alright with you Peter?" Taranee asked as they all settled into the car and made there way across town to the hospital.
"Yea, no problem Taranee. Just let me know how long I should wait. I have some errands I need to run for mom." Peter replied.
"Oh, it shouldn't be too long Peter. Thanks for giving us a ride!" Hay Lin piped in.
"Yea, thanks Peter. This means a lot to us," Irma chimed in right after Hay Lin. All Cornelia could manage was a mumble that sort of sounded like, "Thank you…"
"You doing alright Cornelia? You don't look too well." Peter asked with concern in his voice.
"Uh, yea. She's just really sad about Will and her mom, you know?" Irma said covering for Cornelia. Cornelia was just glad that Irma had responded for her. Whether it was because Irma thought she was sad about Elyon or something else, Cornelia didn't care.
Soon the car pulled up to the hospital and the girls got out and made there way to the entrance, not of course before Peter informed them that he would be back in fifteen to twenty minutes.
"Alright! Thanks again Peter!" Taranee said giving him a short wave as he drove off. Walking over to the front desk they signed in as visitors for Will and walked to her room. Much to their surprise though there was yellow Police tape across the door barring entry and emboldened with the words "DO NOT CROSS".
"Uh, where's Will?" Irma asked out loud the question that all of the girls were thinking. "And what happened?"
"Well, your friend was moved to a new room after an incident this morning. I'll take you to go see her." A familiar voice from behind them said. Startled, they turned around to see a woman with black pants and a white blouse standing before them. Her emerald green eyes appraised the group as she moved a stray blond hair behind her eyes and out of her face.
"Detective Talia!" Hay Lin exclaimed, her voice reflecting the surprise of the other three girls.
Questions like "What are you doing here?" and "What happened?" peppered Talia as she moved through the hallways of Christina Memorial towards Will's new room. She kept her answers simple and to the point. She was there to see how Will and Mrs. Vandom were doing. She informed them that the incident that morning had been an attempt on Will's life. She wouldn't go into detail about what had happened. Thankfully for Talia, the questions ended as they arrived at Will's room. An officer was stationed outside and nodded Talia and the girls through the door.
"Will!" Taranee said running up to her. Will looked surprised as well as relived to see her friends. She looked much better then the day before when the girls had visited her. This was of course the first time though the other girls besides Taranee had seen her awake. They all crowded around Will's bed glad to see her awake.
"Hey guys… I'm glade you are here. I've missed you." Will said in greeting to them as they each gave her a hug. "It's been kind of lonely without you."
"I'll leave you five alone for now. I'll be back in 15 minutes." Detective Talia said to the group of girls. Will of course had not met Detective Talia yet and raised an eyebrow in query at Taranee.
She was one of the Detectives that was at your apartment when we got there, Taranee told Will through her telepathic link. We'll explain in a minute when we have more privacy.
Oh… Was all Will could think back as she looked at Talia. "Okay… See you in fifteen then…"
Giving a short nod, Talia exited the room in search of a cup of coffee before she returned to check on the girls. As soon as the door snapped shut a hail of questions assaulted Will on what had happened that morning.
"We went to your room but you weren't there!" Hay Lin started.
"There was yellow police tape across the door! And Detective Talia said there had been an incident!" Irma continued, concern coloring her voice.
"We asked her what had happened but all she would say was that there was an attempt on your life. So what happened?" Taranee asked of her friend and fellow Guardian.
"Wait, wait, hold up. You are all going too fast…" Will said in a fatigued voice. The rest of the guardians then could see in Will what had first been hidden. There was a certain hollowness about her. It looked as if Will had seen a ghost.
"We're sorry Will. We are all just so worried about you," Cornelia said apologizing for the whole group. Pulling up a chair, she asked, "So… what happened?"
Will nodded her head at Cornelia's question. "Well, I guess it started when I started having these flashbacks, but not normal flashbacks. They were very strange, memories of stuff I have never done before."
"Like what?" Taranee asked curious about what Will was talking about.
"I don't know… Like shooting a rifle! And talking with other girls and boys like I knew them… But I've never seen them before." Will said shaking her head. It was confusing, trying to sort out what was reality and what was possibly delirium brought upon by her stroke.
"Dreams you mean?" Hay Lin asked. That was the only thing the chirpy artistic girl could come up with.
"No, no… Nothing like dreams. It had to of been real. And I'm pretty certain their real." Will said trying to explain how it felt. "These feel like… I don't know… dead memories."
The term had just popped into her head, as if she knew had heard it before. But Will couldn't clearly recall having ever heard it before.
"Dead memories? What? Did someone come kill your memories or something?" Irma said jokingly. But Will only frowned.
"I… I'm not sure. The term just seemed right. These dreams, visions, memories… whatever they are. I feel like I've done the stuff in them. I think this is where all my missing time went." Will said reaching for an answer to all the questions that plagued her.
"How do you know they are real though? I mean they might seem just like really vivid dreams," Hay Lin asked offering an explanation.
"I know they are real dreams because one of the people from these dreams paid me a visit this morning," Will replied mournfully. That was all she had been thinking about until the girls had come, was what had happened.
"You mean in person? Here in this hospital?" Cornelia asked intrigued.
"Yes! I kind of was daydreaming when I realized she was at the foot of my bed. Then I had one of them crazy flashbacks and saw her in it! The next thing I know I'm fighting for my life with Cassidy trying to kill me!" Will cried out, the memory of the event flooding her right then. "I… I killed her! I didn't mean to… I was just… defending myself."
Taranee put a comforting arm around Will. "Its okay Will, we are here with you now. So you're saying you saw her in one of these flashbacks?"
"Yes… and her name was Cassidy. We both were in some… I don't know… program. All I know is I remember her and the next thing I know I'm being attacked by her." Will said putting her face in her hands. It all didn't make sense. What was going on?
A slight shudder took hold of Will has she reconciled with that moment. She needed to think of something else, and remembering Taranee's promise Will took a deep breath and asked, "So… you were going to tell me about… Detective Talia?"
"Uh, yea, Talia. After you collapsed in Metamoor we brought you back through the portal. Then we carried you to your apartment where we found a bunch of police and your Mom being loaded into an ambulance." Irma said helping to change the topic away from the painful memories that plagued Will's mind, though the current topic was still painful if not most recent.
"We had no idea what was happening. Irma's dad saw us and was the one who called an ambulance for you. Then he called over these two detectives. Ethan and Talia… both of them came over and questioned us about where we had been and what had happened to you. We threw together a cover story that we all had been at Hay Lin's when you collapsed. I don't think that it's going to last for long though…" Taranee continued, her voice trailing off.
"Ethan? I think I met him earlier when Cassidy attacked me. He asked me a few questions but nothing about where I had been. I guess he needed to go somewhere." Will replied shrugging. "But it's good that we got our cover story together. I would hate for anyone to figure out about our powers."
"Yea, no kidding," Hay Lin added in her bouncy voice.
"But… there is something else we need to discuss before Detective Talia comes back," Cornelia said looking nervously at the door then back to Will.
"Yea? What?" Will asked, realizing this visit by the girls was more then purely pleasure.
"Well, Elyon needs our help. Phobos announced the Coronation for tomorrow and we need to be there to protect Elyon just incase anything happens!" Cornelia announced with the full force of the fear in her voice. Her best friend's life was at stake, she was going back to help with or without Will.
"Seriously? Tomorrow?" Will said shock covering her voice. Phobos had defiantly decided now was the time to step up his plans. Possibly he was counting on something. What, Will didn't know.
"Yes, but because of the way time works in Meridian compared to here, tomorrow will be today in no time!" Taranee said reminding them all about when Taranee had been captured by Elyon and Cedric.
"But… I don't know if the doctors are just going to let me leave…" Will said reminding them that she was under the watchful eye of trained physicians and nurses 24/7.
"What about an Astral Drop?" Hay Lin suggested. "We could sneak her out of the hospital and leave it behind?"
"I don't know if that is such a good idea. Will's Astral Drop seems to be quit forgetful and absent minded." Irma said reminding them of Will's past failed attempts at something with which the other guardians had no problems with.
"Well, Will has sustained a serious head injury. I don't think the hospital personal would be exactly surprised if Will forgot anything." Taranee said pointing to the bandage that was wrapped around Will's head.
"Hmm, Good point. Maybe I should get a head injury myself as an excuse for history class," Irma said jokingly in reference to hating the pop quizzes their teacher liked pulling on the kids.
"I really don't think you need that Irma with your ability to control what the teacher asks," Hay Lin said wrinkling her nose. Will just shook her head smiling at her friends. It never seemed to fail that they could bring a smile to her face. Cornelia though brought the reality of the situation home to everyone before more of the joking could continue.
"Girls! Elyon's life possibly hangs in the balance and you're joke about history class? C'mon!" Cornelia said, her voice like a razor cutting deftly through everyone's bubbles. "So what do you say Will? Come help us save Elyon?"
But before Will had a chance to answer Cornelia there was a nock on the door and a nurse walked in. Will recognized her as Jennifer McGee. She apparently was the primary care nurse assigned to Will. She was the one who usually came and checked in on Will every hour or so and wrote whatever it was nurses wrote, on Will's Chart.
"Good afternoon Will! I see you have some visitors today," She said bustling over to the foot of Will's bed and grabbing the chart that hung there. "Dr. Ryan will be in to see you today Will. With your remarkable recovery you might possibly be released today."
This of course earned Will a glance from all the guardians around her. If she was going to be released, there would be no need about worrying to make an astral drop to leave behind and no need to sneak Will out either.
"112 over 72, good, good," Nurse Jenifer commented as she took Will's blood pressure. Then she checked Will's IV and the bandages covering her head. "You are such a robust little girl. Your recovery is remarkable considering what you went through."
"Oh, uh thanks," was all Will could think of to say. Will didn't know if it was the Heart of Kandrakar or something else that had kept her alive. The same thought happened to be running through the other 4 girls.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be finished in a minute," Jenifer said to the quite that had overcome the room when she had stepped in. But the silence persisted as the girls didn't really know what to say, and seeing as it was best for not anyone to know about their secret, discussion about meridian wasn't about to happen.
As Jenifer finished her hourly check of Will's vitals, Detective Talia stepped into the room. She watched silently as the girls tried to make small talk about whatever they could think of.
"So, uh, Cornelia… How is your little sister?" Will asked trying to break the silence that had ensued.
"Oh, Lillian? She's doing fine… you know being the little pest that she is." Cornelia replied trying to carry on the small talk. Irma of course helped pick up the pace.
"Ah, just like you Corny?" Irma's humor clearly showing in her voice.
"I am nothing like the little brat and don't call me Corny! My name is Cornelia!" Cornelia replied anger coloring her alto voice. The ensuing flurry of conversation of course covered the awkward silence that had started when Nurse Jenifer had entered the room.
Nurse Jenifer finished taking Will's vitals and walked by Detective Talia, whispering in her ear, "I didn't hear anything other then girl talk. Dr. Ryan will be by shortly to decide if Will is well enough to go home."
"Home? What home? Her only caretaker is in a room not too far from here in a comatose state." Talia replied reminding the nurse of Will's situation.
"Maybe one of her friends will take her in. But if the hospital decides to release her she is no longer under our care." The nurse said shaking her head sadly before exiting the room. Talia watched the door shut before turning to the group of girls that had quieted down during the little conversation she had with the nurse.
"Seeing as you are recovered Will, I have a few questions for you and your friends while we wait for Dr. Ryan to show up." Detective Talia announced to the girls and Will. "As you might have heard, Dr. Ryan is coming by to see if you are fit to be released from the hospital. While this is a small success we are presented with the problem of finding a place for you to live."
The girls listened intently as Talia laid out the problem for them. However Hay Lin had used her power over air to listen to the conversation between Talia and Nurse Jenifer. She had relayed what she had heard to the other girls via telepathic link and they all had decided on what to do.
I mean, that is a valid point. Where is Will going to stay while her mom is in the hospital. I don't think the police are just going to let her live at home. Irma said to the group via telepathic link.
Well, as the nurse suggested she could live at one of our places. I'm sure our parents won't mind if Will stays for awhile. Hay Lin said re-iterating what the nurse said.
Would you mind if I stayed at your house for a while Taranee? I mean if it isn't too much? Will asked her best friend.
Yea, you could sleep in my room. It won't be a problem at all. Taranee replied. With that matter settled they finished what little small talk they had made and listened to Talia.
"One of the choices presented to us is having Will stay at one of you young ladies house. Of course if no one takes Will in, she will have to be put up for foster care provided by the state." Detective Talia finished.
"Well, Will can stay at my house. My parents won't mind." Taranee said telling Detective Talia what the girls had come to a conclusion of earlier.
"Are you sure? I'll need to speak with your mother first… What is it…? Tarny?" Detective Talia asked, unsure of Taranee's name.
"Taranee Cook. My mom's a judge here in Heatherfield." Taranee replied correcting Talia.
"Right. Judge Cook. I've met her before. Very well, I'll make sure that matter is settled." Talia commented. "But now, I have some other questions that I need to ask of you all."
Uh oh… do you think we're going to get grilled big time now? Hay Lin asked of the others over the telepathic link.
I don't know. What do you think Irma? Your dad is a cop isn't he? Cornelia asked Irma.
Yea, but that doesn't mean I know anything about what is going to be asked," Irma replied pointedly.
Let's just listen to what Detective Talia has to ask before we freak out. And we can collaborate on answers before hand. Will said to the others so they would listen in on the question that Talia was posing them.
"Will in particular, do you know of anyone who would want to harm your mother?" Talia asked Will and the girls.
"No, I can't think of any one who would want to harm my mom or I." Will replied after thinking about it for a moment of two.
"Are you sure? Maybe someone holding a grudge against your mother and you? Maybe a co-worker?" Talia asked again, trying to probe further then Will's previous answer.
"The only person I can think of having a grudge is my Dad because of the divorce. But he's far away and I don't think he would do anything to harm mom or I." Will replied taking the matter into deeper consideration. "Mom also didn't talk much about work either, so if someone at work did have a grudge against her I wouldn't know."
"I don't think anyone in Heatherfield has a grudge against Will and her mom. They are fairly new here." Cornelia said to Detective Talia. "And it being a small town, I'm sure one of us would have heard something."
"Did anyone hear anything?" Talia asked of the other girls, all who shook their heads no.
"Okay, Thanks Girls. Just to clarify some other matters, how often were you away from your mom with your friends Will?" Detective Talia asked, now pointedly looking for an answer from just Will.
"Well, probably most weekends and sometimes after school when we wanted to get together," Will replied. Detective Talia was about to continue with the questioning when there was a knock on the door and a man with coal black hair and hazel colored eyes walked in. He was wearing the white coat of a doctor and his name badge read "Dr. Ryan Nelson M.D."
"Hello, Hello! My name is Dr. Ryan and I am the doctor assigned to you for the moment Mrs. Vandom." He greeted Will. His voice was a deep baritone colored by the energy he exuded.
"What happened to Dr. Lipinski?" Will asked, realizing that this man wasn't the same doctor that she had talked to when she first came to in the hospital.
"Ah, well he has some uh… sensitive matters to attend to at the moment. Besides he covers patients that after major operations until they recover or stabilize. Seeing as your well on your way to recovery he passed you onto me. I work closely with him so there shouldn't be a problem. If you would instead like him to work with you, that's perfectly understandable. It'll just take longer then usual." Dr. Ryan replied, answering Will's initial question, but raising other questions about the "sensitive matters" he had described.
Talia on the other hand knew exactly what matters Lipinski was dealing with. His primary patient at the moment was Petersburg and his recovery. Seeing as how Will recovered the way she did, which in itself was remarkable, didn't require as much as the Senator who, even though he had lived, was far from being in perfect condition.
"No, no… you're fine. Just was curious," Will replied as she watched Dr. Ryan move over to pick up her chart.
"Excuse me girls," he said flashing them a smile. Grabbing the chart and looking it over, he nodded his head saying "Mmmmhmmm. Hmmm."
"Those are good Mmmm's right?" Irma asked Dr. Ryan as he continued to study the chart.
"Yes, yes indeed. Very good mmm's. Will, I have no problem with releasing you from the hospital. It's been a couple days since the surgery yet your recovery is remarkable. Very unusual in fact, but other then my utter curiosity I see no reason to keep you hear. You may of course stay if you want to… but I see no need for it." Dr. Ryan told Will and her friends. "If you'll excuse us for a moment, I need to give Will her final checkup before I make a final decision."
Will's friends and Detective Talia all stood up and headed for the door. Talia lagged behind and was the last one out of the door before closing it for Will's privacy.
Dr. Ryan began to perform a standard check over, looking at Will's bandages, taking her pulse, and other actions doctors do to ensure their patients are well.
"Now Will, if I do decide to release you, it will be under certain conditions that you must follow rigorously. Otherwise, you could be endangering your life." Dr Ryan said with an overt serious tone to his voice.
"Okay, I can do that. What are the conditions I need to follow?" Will asked, knowing full well that she probably would be soon ignoring them as she went to Meridian to help Elyon.
"Well, first and foremost you need to avoid strenuous and physical activity. You do not have your strength back and testing your limits now could result in you ending back up in our care." Dr. Ryan said laying down the one that Will figured he would. "Secondly, your bandages need to be changed every day. Clean bandages will go a long way to ensuring an infection does not happen."
"Easily done, I suppose. Seeing as how I won't have much else to do besides homework and sleep, no matter how much that plagues me." Will replied. She defiantly was going to be breaking condition number one.
"Now, lastly, I need you to come in once a week for the time being to check you over and to make sure that you make a complete and full recovery." Dr. Ryan said laying down his final condition.
"Easily do-able," replied Will turning her head so Dr. Ryan could look in first her left, then right ear.
"Alright, that'll do it," Dr. Ryan said smiling as he finished his check-over of Will. "I'm perfectly fine with letting you go. I'll get the paperwork in motion to have you released within the hour."
"Alright, thanks Dr. Ryan!" Will said cheerily despite the cloud that hung over her. While Will was getting checked over by Dr. Ryan, the guardians had stayed out in the hall discussing Will's recovery. Of course in-depth conversation was out of the question seeing as there was an officer just outside the door too with in earshot. Detective Talia herself had gone to make a phone call to Taranee's mom to make sure it was 100 okay with her if Will came and stayed with them for awhile.
Returning to the room, the guardians resumed their seats around Will's bed and the conversation they had been having. Will filled them in on what Dr. Ryan had told her.
"So, you want to come to Meridian with us and help save Elyon?" Cornelia asked, her mind always keeping her friend in the back of her head.
"Yes, I will come with you all. I may not have known Elyon that well, but she needs my help, our help. But… there is one thing I need to do first." Will said to her fellow guardians and friends.
Ω
Sunlight streamed into the room augmenting the artificial light that the ceiling lights provided. It landed on the clean white linens of a bed where Susan Vandom lay. Her arms were resting to either side of her on top of the thin sheet that covered the rest of her body. She wore the standard full body length hospital gown. There were several ugly bruises that covered her face and arms. Her raven hair was bunched around her head where a bandage similar to the one on Will was placed. An IV fed her nutrients while a heart monitor kept track of her pulse and vitals with a steady beep.
Despite the bruises and scratches that covered her, Susan by all means appeared asleep, waiting to be awoken by either the alarm clock she kept at her bedside or by the sun of an early morning rise. In a sense she was asleep. Ever since police found her bloody and broken body in her own room in the apartment she shared with Will, Susan had been in a comatose state with no sign of ever waking.
After the nurse prepped Will for release, she had guided her to her mother's room. Similarly like Will's room, there was a police officer stationed there keeping steady watch. Will asked her friends if she could go in alone and now she stood by her mother's bed.
"I'm… Sorry mom. I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you," Will said softly, tears threatening to take over. Pulling up a chair she took her Mom's hand and held it. "I know I didn't say it often enough… but I love you Mom. I really do."
Susan of course didn't reply. Her eyes didn't open up and a smile lit upon her face. No, she remained looking asleep. Of course this amounted to too great of a burden on Will. The attack on her that morning, finding out about Elyon's coronation being moved up, and now this, it added up to a burden of pain that was to great for Will to hold, and she started to cry.
"I'm sorry Mom I'm so sorry. I should have been there Mom I'm so sorry. Please don't leave me Mom!" Will begged through her tears, but to no avail. After crying for awhile, Will didn't know how long, she got up and wiped the tears from her eyes on the clothes she had been given by Taranee. Her old ones had been ruined as the paramedics worked on her, so Taranee had called her brother and asked him to pick up some clothes from their house for Will. Bending over the bed, Will kissed her Mom on the cheek before uttering a silent "good bye."
Returning to the door, she took one last long look at her mom before stepping through to the other side where her friends waited patiently. They could clearly see that she had been crying. Each in turn gave her a hug of re-assurance that everything was going to be alright.
"Are you going to be alright?" Hay Lin asked concerned as her friend and leader took the offered hug gladly.
"I don't know Hay Lin… I really don't know." Will replied, feeling physically exhausted. "Let's go everyone. I think I'm getting sick of being in this hospital."
"And I always thought they were supposed to help you get better," Irma said jokingly. Will gave a weak smile at Irma's humor and started walking. Will gave one last look towards her mother's room before turning the corner. Peter met them outside at the entrance to Christina Memorial and led them over to his car in the crisp fall air. The sun had started to settle over the horizon preparing to hide its face from that side of the world for the night.
"It's going to be a tight squeeze, but I think we can do it." Peter replied as Taranee, Cornelia, and Irma shared the back seats, and Will and Hay Lin shared the front. "We all settled in then?"
And like that they were off. Of course the girls wanted to head back to Meridian, so the next logical step was to have Peter drop them off at Heatherfield Park.
"Yea, if you drop us off there, Will can get some fresh air and then we'll have our own rides pick us up instead of you driving us all around Peter," Cornelia gave as an explanation for why they wanted to go the park.
"Alright, that's doable. You still going to need a ride sis?" Peter asked Taranee.
"Uh, no. But thanks though. We'll catch a ride with Cornelia since it won't be too out of the way for her parents." Taranee replied thinking of how they would handle that situation.
"Yea, we'll get Taranee and Will home safe and sound," Cornelia replied vouching for their ride.
"Alright, that works for me!" Peter said cheerily. "Have a great walk girls!"
With that he pulled into the parking lot and let the girls get out. Waving, he drove off in the direction of home in pursuit of whatever it was he wanted to do.
"Alrighty then, I suppose it's time to head back to Meridian," Cornelia said as they watched Peter drive away.
"Yep, defiantly. Let's get going, it's getting late and I don't want to find that portal again in the dark." Replied Irma, heading off in the direction of the portal whence they came.
"Seriously, and it'll be probably safer for our astral drops in the long run." Hay Lin commented. "Besides it get's pretty cold at night, and I don't want to be walking in that cold. It's tolerable right now."
"Yea… Let's go." Will said capping it all off. The 5 guardians headed off through the park following the path that meandered its way through out the park. Unbeknownst to them, someone followed silently in their tracks slipping from shadow to shadow.
Soon they came to the back alley way that the portal had opened at. Stopping, they stared at the swirling blue portal that transported them across the veil into the foreign world of Meridian.
"Well, I guess now is a time as good as any to return this to you Will," Taranee replied taking out and holding the Heart of Kandrakar. "I've been keeping it safe for you."
Will joyfully took the Heart and held it close welcoming the warmth it emanated. Then she said, "First things first, we need to make astral drops to cover for us while we are gone."
"Agreed," Cornelia replied, and each guardian made their astral drops. Most notable though was Will's, for it reflected the deep change within Will herself. It no longer didn't know its name and seemed to remember the sorrow Will felt.
Sending the astral drop look-a-likes off to warm homes and welcoming arms, Will then transformed the group into their guardian forms.
"Guardians Unite!" the familiar phrase rang out in the cool air. Tear like drops flew from the Heart of Kandrakar to envelope each girl in bubbles of their color representing the powers they possessed: blue for Hay Lin and her power over air, green for Cornelia and her power over earth, orange for Taranee and her power over fire, teal for Irma and her power over water, and pink for Will and her power over quintessence.
The warmth of being transformed stopped the cold that had crept upon the guardians. Wings sprouted from all of their backs and new clothes replaced the old ones they had been wearing. Physically they matured into taller curvier women. Will also felt the fatigue from earlier fade from her body; the magical properties of the Heart coming to the rescue. Transformations complete, the girls we're ready to step through the awaiting portal when a bottle smashed behind them, inevitably drawing their attention. Turning around they found their worst nightmare come true. Crouched before them trying to hide behind a dumpster was Detective Talia.
A/N: Muahahahahahahahahaha! \continues to cackle uncontrollably/ I was going to add more to the end but I love this cliffy right here! I'm so evil \Cackles some more/. With all the content that I added to this chapter (really, I summarized this chapter in 2 paragraphs) I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. Well, anyways, Please read and review! Don't forget, note any irregularities!