Chapter 21 - All of Bloom

Daphne was kneeling next to the body of her baby sister and crying. Bloom was so still, so quiet, so unlike the Bloom Daphne was used to seeing. Bloom's usually expressive blue eyes now stared up at the skies blankly. To see her sister like this was near unbearable. "Bloom, Bloom! Wake up…" Daphne begged. But Bloom didn't respond.

Mathias was sitting next to her, a grim expression showing on his face. He'd tried to resuscitate Bloom several times. But after the several attempts he fell back and calmly stated, "She's in Death's hands now." Hearing him say that only made Daphne cry harder. Bloom was gone.

Across from them, on the other side of Bloom, was Sky, who was still clinging to Bloom's hand. He said nothing, just looked past Daphne with as blank an expression as her baby sister. It seemed as though every time Bloom died, something in him died as well. Daphne could see it and feel it. She wanted to comfort him, but she needed comfort herself. The one person she loved more than anything in the universe was gone. Her supposedly wonderful parents she'd adored weren't exactly what she'd thought they were. And a terrible creature fashioned in her sister's image was terrorizing everyone, tarnishing her sister's precious name.

"I'm so sorry, Daphne…" Mathias murmured. She remembered then that he was alive and, at that moment, was probably the only good thing left for her. Daphne threw herself into his arms and cried. As far as she could tell, he hadn't changed. He just held her and said nothing, stroking her hair in a comforting manner. And Daphne was most grateful to him for that.

Beyond them, the Winx were all teary eyed and mourning. The Specialists were all somber and quiet, some of them comforting the Winx. Miriam was inconsolable as a mother ought to be, while Oritel walked away from everyone, his hand covering his eyes, a gesture of both shame and grief. They were all struggling with guilt and sadness. Knowing that Bloom was really dead this time really took the will and happiness out of everyone.

There was a noise and Daphne pulled away from Mathias to see Flora helping Vanessa over. Vanessa looked pained and sad as she looked upon her daughter. "This was one of my worst fears…when I sent her to Magix…" she choked on the words and turned from the view to Flora, who wrapped her arms around the distraught woman. "I should have known this would happen!" Vanessa sobbed. "Mike and Bloom are gone… gone…"

Daphne bit her lip and leaned over her baby sister. She placed her lips on Bloom's forehead like she'd done so many times when Bloom was a tiny baby. "I'm sorry, Bloom." Daphne whispered. This time she couldn't save her from the evil. This time she couldn't have sacrificed herself and given her baby sister a chance. This time, Bloom's fate was out of her hands. And it tortured her to know it.

When she couldn't bear to look at Bloom's empty eyes any longer she felt compelled to close them. She moved to do so when Bloom gave a sudden jerk and gasped, her blue eyes suddenly snapping to focus. Daphne yelped in shock and fell back from her sister, adrenaline rushing through her. Bloom quickly sat up then, her now focused eyes wide and her hand at her throat. "Bloom!" Daphne stared.

"Daphne!" Bloom coughed. "Ow!"

Noise erupted from beyond them and there was a mad scramble of people trying to get a better view. "Oh, stars! Bloom!" Stella shrieked. "Stop dying on me!" Cheers and laughs resounded throughout the group as everyone crowded around her.

Bloom coughed in response. "Actually, I've only technically died once…" Bloom pointed out, her voice sounding raw. Before she could pounce on her baby sister, Daphne watched as Sky pulled Bloom into his arms. "Easy, Sky… I'm okay…" Bloom muttered.

"To hell you are!" Sky growled. "That's the third time since we've been together I thought I'd lost you forever. You have no idea what it does to me to watch you get taken away again and again…"

Bloom pulled back from him and got to her feet, raising an eyebrow at him. "Right… I wouldn't have the slightest idea what that feels like," she said sarcastically. Then she sobered as though something horrible had occurred to her and she dolefully looked down into Sky's eyes. She clenched her fists and struggled as she spoke, as if the words were too hard to say. "And I'm… I'm afraid… you're going to have to lose me again, Sky."

"What?" Sky scrambled to his own feet and snatched Bloom's arm. "No, no more of this!"

Bloom just gave him a sympathetic look and tried to explain herself, "It's why I'm not dead, it's why I've got this chance. I'm sorry, Sky. But I've got to stop myself…"

Before she could go on Daphne interrupted her. "Stop talking about that horrible creature like she's you!" she snapped irritably. Bloom kept referring to that thing as being a part of her and Daphne was tired of telling her otherwise. That creature was not Bloom. She rose to her feet and locked eyes with Bloom. "That…that thing is not you. There is no way in the magical universe that horrible monster can be you! You've gone nothing in common with her but your appearances and your powers…"

"But she is me Daphne!" Bloom insisted as she pulled from Sky's grip. She faced Daphne, a look of knowing reflected in her pale features. "I'm not everything you thought I was, Daphne. Everyone has a good side and a darker side…"

"I know about you being Dark Bloom!" Daphne felt her anger beginning to subside and be replaced with frustration. She didn't want to hear any more about her baby sister being evil. "Mother and father told me! I know Darkar forced you to be that terrible creature with dark magic!"

Bloom shook her head. "Deep down I always had those terrible feelings of hatred and destructive tendencies. I knew it too. I always knew it but I didn't really want to accept it." She placed her hand over her heart and gazed at Daphne with an intense look. "Dark Bloom was always a part of me until our escape from the Death Realm. The escape along with my immensely growing powers managed to separate her from me. You know the rest." She turned her gaze from Daphne and looked around at all her friends and family. Pain sounded in her voice as she spoke her next words. "A darker part of my being has been running around threatening everything and everyone I love and care for! Ergo, everything that's happened is my fault!"

Everyone stared at Bloom with looks of shock. Daphne was even surprised. Bloom was saying that she was responsible for every action of Dark Bloom's because she'd been dark once and she was capable of them herself. "No, Bloom… it wasn't…" Daphne began.

"She… she was a part of you…" Stella said slowly. She was apparently still trying to comprehend just what it was Bloom was getting at. "And you did all those things…"

Suddenly Bloom wasn't sympathetic anymore. She was obviously tired of being doubted, of everyone questioning her every action and statement. "Yes!" Bloom said exasperatedly. "So dealing with her is my responsibility." She returned her determined gaze to Sky. "I've only come back to do anything and everything to stop her, whether you want it so or not. I'm going to stop her and save Mike." Bloom threw a look at Vanessa, a look that said 'I promise'. Then she met the gazes of all her friends. "And you're all going to stay here while I do it."

"No!" Layla shoved forward and glared at Bloom, standing face-to-face with her to better get her message across. "You can't just die on us then get back up and saunter off to save the universe like it was no big deal! And no more of you doing this alone! We're the Winx and we stick together…"

"No." Bloom answered stubbornly. Before Layla could start arguing with her she turned her back on Layla and began walking away. "Dealing with myself is why I'm back. This is my responsibility, not yours…"

"Princess Brat, this isn't a good idea…" Riven warned. Daphne noticed that he looked ready to follow her, but at the same time he seemed ready to follow her orders to stay.

"It's the only idea," Bloom answered coldly, not even slowing her pace. She was intent on handling the situation on her own and it seemed as though nobody could change her mind.

"Bloom, don't!" Sky shouted. He looked desperate all of a sudden and started to follow her. "Please… I can't lose you again!"

At Sky's plead, she halted for a moment then faced them again. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She obviously didn't want to go, but something gave her that driven look, like she was compelled by some greater power to do this herself. "I can't waste any more time. Mike needs me… I'm sorry… but I only do what I have to because I love you… understand that." Then there was a bright flash of blue light and Bloom was gone.

Mere seconds after she left everyone began to stir and argue amongst themselves. Stella and Layla were pleading with Tecna, trying to get her to track Bloom. Tecna was scrabbling with some device and trying to talk Stella and Layla down. Roxy and Musa seemed to be conflicted with what they ought to do and squabbled with the others on whether or not they should interfere. The Specialists were conferring with Timmy, trying to convince him to follow Bloom with the ship. Oritel and Miriam were having a heated discussion with one another away from everyone else.

Only Daphne, Mathias, Sky, Flora, and Vanessa were apart from the pandemonium. Flora remained quiet and merely supported Vanessa. Vanessa looked so pained and exhausted it was a miracle she wasn't in tears. Mathias was walking around the area, as though he were searching for something. And Sky stood off from everyone, suffering with loss and heartbreak.

Daphne walked up to Mathias, who'd stopped in a particular spot and was staring hard at the ground. "I don't know where she's headed, but she's determined to fix everything at any cost…" Daphne said sadly. "She's so stubborn and headstrong, yet at the same time she's compassionate and brave… Do you think she actually knows where Dark Bloom has gone with Mike? Is she actually strong enough to handle this on her own? What if she actually needs our help? What can we do? Oh Mathias…" Daphne wiped at the tears of despair beginning to form and looked at Mathias comfort for… buts he was apparently still preoccupied with staring hard at the ground. "What could you possibly be looking for?!" Daphne exclaimed.

Mathias met her gaze. "The Fate Token. The one I'd used to banish Baltor to the Death Realm…" his voice trailed off as an alarmed expression overtook his features. "Shit…"

Daphne frowned at the expletive. "What is it?"

"She intends on upholding her end of the bargain." he said grimly. He faced Daphne, his gray eyes serious. "She plans on sending Bloom to the Death Realm. All of Bloom…"