We're back!
MC: Bringing you another chapter.
Yep, this is have some heartfelt moments, plus we'll see if Cory will respond to the letter Kari gave him.
MC: I sure hope so.
Me too! So, with that said, enjoy!
Disclaimer: We own NOTHING but our OC's. Plain and simple.
Chapter 4: Too late..?
Blake made his way through an alley, as some sort of spirit appeared, looking similar to a certain tyrant, "Well, master. Looks like I've broken the little brat. Now she won't even be happy for the Thanksgiving dinner, let alone her friend dying." He said to the spirit. "But now the dinner is somehow ruined, and Jake thinks I was responsible."
The spirit just remained silent, because when it comes to communicating with him, his only responses were grunts and groans. Of course Blake can always tell how the spirit responds, depicting on how he sounds, "I can tell that you may know who is responsible. But rest assured, by the time of the dinner tomorrow... everything will be a disaster, and you will make your grand entrance... and you'll talk as well."
But to Blake's surprise, he heard the figure grunts regarding that last bit of the sentence Blake just said, "Okay, fine. You don't have to talk... but rest assured my lord... this Thanksgiving... will be the worst."
The spirit groaned deeply, so deep it would scare anybody.
Meanwhile, we see Jake, Izzy, and Kari in the kitchen, making some pies. And boy was Kari feeling a little better, for she enjoyed making pies with her parents. Really though, this was for the Thanksgiving dinner, to make up for the lost food. The community has volunteered to make new and improved food for it (With Alexa's family cooking the turkey).
"I think it's nice that we're helping for the dinner." Kari said, "Do you think Cory would like some pie?"
"I'm sure he will, sweetheart." Izzy replied. "It's the least we can do if he doesn't make it to the dinner tomorrow."
"And I'm sure a piece of pie will cheer him up." Jake added.
Speaking of Cory, Kari wondered if he read her letter yet, she hoped that it didn't hurt him too much. She then thought about how the Thanksgiving dinner. She thought it would be a miracle if Cory somehow got well and was able to join the others for this dinner. Then again, it would be most likely that he would get so well so quickly.
As for Jake, he still wondered about who ruined the dinner in the first place? He still thinks it was Blake, but he needed more proof to make sure.
"Jakey-poo. What are you thinking about?" Izzy asked sweetly.
Jake smiled at the nickname she gave him, and responded to her question with a nickname for her, "Nothing Izzy-boo.."
Izzy giggled, "Oh come on, honey pie. What's on your mind?"
"Nothing important really."
Kari shook her head. Her parents always had those puppy talks when she was around. Later on, as the food was being cooked, Jake and Kari decided to go visit Cory at the Hospital real quick. Kari ran all the way to his room, and upon entering... she gasped.
Cory... looked worse than before. His skin looked a bit pale, he had bags under his eyes... and he looked weak. The China boy smiled as he saw his friend, "Hi, Kari..." He greeted weakly, before coughing Kari was horrified, seeing how Cory looked today.
She began to back away, "No..."
"Kari, what's wrong?" Cory asked.
That's when Jake came in, panting a little, "Man Kari.. you always manage to run faster than me." Suddenly, he was ambush by a tight hug. Kari was sobbing uncontrollably. Jake was about to ask what was wrong until he took a look at Cory. "Oh god."
"Hello, Mr. Hutchinson." Cory greeted.
At that moment, Cory's mother walked in with a glass of orange juice, "Oh, Jake. Kari. You're here." She said with a smile, "Cory's been dying to see Kari today."
Kari cringed upon hearing the word 'dying'. Jake then spoke, regarding Cory, "Why is that?"
Mei sighed, "I'm afraid... that Cory may not make it... the doctors say that his conditions seemed to have gotten worse overnight... and he only has until dawn to live..."
Dawn? That meant tomorrow morning.. but that means?!
It's Thanksgiving morning...
Kari screamed. And for a good reason...
She began to sob even harder in his father's chest. Jake, realizing that Kari was extremely distraught, he picked her up, told Mei that they would be back, and he quickly left the room, and the building, as he sat down on a bench outside, and desperately tried to calm down his hysterical daughter, he knew that she was completely heartbroken, from this was the one morning and moment she feared and hoped would never ever happen.
"Kari.. I know how shattering and devastating this is.. But believe me, Cory is not truly gone forever. Cause he will always be here with you from your heart, and through fun filled moments you two have shared."
Jake was being completely honest, trying to sooth his daughter's sudden depression. But to his utter and massive shock, Kari actually went on and did the unthinkable. She pushed him away.
"NO! It's NOT okay!" She sobbed, "Cory's gonna die, and it's all my fault! I'm the one who kissed him! I'm the one who gave him that illness! I knew I was sick, but I was stupid and kissed him anyways! I killed Cory! I murdered him! I'm a terrible friend! I'm an awful person! I'm a murderer-"
Jake couldn't take it anymore. He would not stand there, and let his daughter beat on herself. He grabbed her tightly, and began to shake her a little to stop her, "You. Are. Not. A. Murderer!"
Kari then looked at her father, as he continued to talk, "I've known you long enough to know that you would never intend on murdering anybody, by accident or otherwise. I know you love Cory and you couldn't pass up on the moment. But all I know is that you're not a murderer, that's all that matters!"
He thought that it would snap sense into Kari, but then. His worst nightmare, one he thought would never happen.. happened.
"God DAMN it, Daddy! Don't you freaking get it!" Kari screamed, punching him all over his chest, "Mr. Blake was right! I am a murderer! I killed Cory! He's gonna die because of me! All because I made a foolish decision to kiss him, even though I know I was contagious! I AM a murderer! I'm a horrible girl! I'm the devil's spawn-"
SLAP!
Did.. did Jake just slap Kari?! He did..
The nine year old felt her cheek. It was warm. She looked back at her father in shock, as he glared back at her. He was already irritated that she called herself a murderer, but down that she had the nerve to call herself the devil's spawn, that was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Suddenly, Kari ran off.
"Kari wait!"
Jake facepalmed, mentally cursing himself for what he just did, Why did he have to go and do that for?!
Suddenly... he heard a voice in his head... a sinister tone that he recognized. "I hope you're proud of yourself."
Jake growled as a spirit appeared in front of him... a spirit who was a certain evil tyrant, And Jake had a good reason to growl, for this was a tyrant Jake loathed most. For he practically destroyed his home Neverland, and killed all of his closest friends in one attack.
"You?! Why won't you ever leave me alone?!"
"You should feel rather proud of yourself Jake, especially with that you have just committed moments ago, the slap to your daughter's face has broken her trust in you."
Jake covered his ears, "Shut up! She was saying about how she was a murderer, and she was not. I was trying to snap her out of it."
The spirit chuckled as he walked closer to Jake, but Jake began to step back as the tyrant began to explain... some plans for him, Kari... and Cory, "The moment Cory dies, the ultimate humiliation and soon death of your daughter shall follow. Leaving you to wallow in your own deep depression."
The former pirate was confused, what was the spirit even talking about here?!
Suddenly, the spirit disappeared, and reappeared behind Jake, "I plan to hospitalize your daughter tonight, and leave her to die in a Hospital bed. Just like Cory will tomorrow morning."
Jake glared deeply at the villain, "You're not going to have things go your way again. Not after the Hell you already put Kari through before."
The spirit only smirked back, "I have a score to settle, and I'll be damned to pass on this one and only opportunity for revenge."
Jake growled again, oh how he wanted to grab the tyrant's neck and choke him out. But since he was a spirit, that would be impossible. So Jake just said this to him. "Get the hell out of my sight, and stay away from my family.."
Suddenly, WHAM!
Jake was pushed to the ground as the spirit said this before leaving, and he just growled in response. But was a bit stunned that the spirit managed to shove him down. That's when the spirit disappeared as Jake sighed.
Later on, that night, after getting chewed out by Izzy, Jake walked into Kari's room, where she was sitting down on the bed, "Hi, Daddy..." She greeted softly.
"Hi, sweet face..." Jake greeted back as he sat down beside her, "Listen, honey. I'm really...really... REALLY sorry I slapped you earlier. I just couldn't stand hearing you call yourself names like that."
Kari blushed, "You don't have to apologize, Daddy. I deserved it. I was going out of control... I... I'm really gonna miss Cory."
Jake pulled his child into a tight hug, "I know, Kari. I know how much he meant to you... and about what happened today. I went through the same thing."
The nine year old looked up at her father in confusion as he explained, "Back when I was still young in Never Land, I managed to defeat that evil tyrant who kidnapped you. But even though he was gone and destroyed, I felt awful, because everyone was still dead, and Never Land was still destroy. I felt that I was responsible because I had wished for everyone to get to safety before Shawn destroyed everything. Even I called myself a murderer."
"Like father, like daughter, I guess." Kari responded.
Jake chuckled, "Yeah, but someone special helped me realized that it wasn't my fault, and I could change the ways things were."
Change the way things were.
Kari thought about what her father just said. He managed to change things... so... could she change things. Could she save Cory? "Daddy... if you could save Never Land... can I save Cory?"
Jake was confused, "What do you mean?"
"Maybe it's not too late! Maybe Cory can still live! If I could do something that could change the events... if only..."
"Kari... I don't think it's possible." Jake told her.
"Daddy. I'm a Super Pirate just like you. Can't I use my powers to heal him?"
"I... don't know."
"Well, it's worth a try..."
She seemed quite determined that there was still hope for Cory. She asked if they could go to the hospital again, and Jake agreed. However, as they drove to the hospital, Kari was concentrating on her powers, she needed to make sure she was ready for it.
After training herself for a bit, they made it to the hospital, and before Kari knew it, she was in Cory's room, "Hi..." She greeted.
"Hi, Kari. Are you feeling better?" Cory asked.
"Better than you are." Was her reply.
The two nine year olds chuckled a little, as Kari made her way to his bed, "I just want to say something, Cory... you're my best friend..."
"I know that, Kari. We'll always be friends." Cory told her. "One more day until the Thanksgiving dinner. I just can't wait to get out of here..."
Kari just remained calm and smiles at Cory, "I know you do... hey... do you want to know something...?"
The boy nodded, as Kari leaned in, keeping her hands behind her back, for they were glowing. "This is something I've always wanted to tell you ever since we met... you've been the bestest friend I've ever had. You've always stuck by my side. Supported me whenever. Rubbed by back whenever I was unhappy. In short... you're an amazing boy... and I love you."
With that... she gave him a small kiss... on the lips. Now that was one she just couldn't avoid doing.
Cory smiled, "Thanks, Kari. I'd say the same for you..."
Jake walked into the room, having seen the whole thing. And he smiled. Despite the situation Cory was in, those two were definitely made for each other. He just smiled as he watched Kari share her love with Cory, until he looked at the time, "Kari.. We got to get going now."
"Okay." Kari said before turning back to Cory, "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Same here, friend."
With that, Kari and Jake exit the room, leaving Cory all alone once more. As the father and daughter walked outside, Kari noticed something in the sky, "Look, Daddy. That star is very bright. It's a wishing star."
Jake looked up and smiled, "Hey you're right. How about making a wish on it tonight?"
"Yeah!"
Kari looked up, put her hands together, and softly said... "Star light... star bright. First star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might. Have the wish to wish tonight... I wish... that my best friend Cory would feel better in time for the Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow... please... help him get well..."
She was wishing really hard, and from the heart. Jake watched her silently. He hoped that whatever Kari wished for comes true. As soon she was done wishing, she and her father left and headed on home. There, Kari was in bed, waiting for her father to tuck her in. As she did, she looked at the picture she drew for Cory. She still had yet to give it to him.
"I love you, Cory." She wrote in crayon.
That's when her father came in, "All set for bed Kari?"
The child nodded as her father sat beside her, "Daddy... everyone's gonna be at the dinner tomorrow, right?" She asked.
"I sure hope so." Jake replied.
"There will be turkey... and cake... and pies... and chocolate puffs."
"I know."
"Plus people in our community... nearly everyone... even Cory... right?"
"I'm sure of it."
With that, Jake pulled the covers on her as he kissed her forehead, "Goodnight Kari."
"Goodnight, Daddy. I love you."
"I love you too."
With that, Jake left the room. As for Kari, she sighed very deeply. For tomorrow, she had once chance to save Cory's life. And she had to make it count. "Please... God... make Cory feel better..." She whispered. "I love him too much..."
And we still don't know Cory's reaction to Kari's letter.
MC: And I was hoping we would find out.
I have a feeling that next chapter.. we'll find out.
MC: Yeah..
So, until then! We shall see you guys later!
