Testing the Waters

Chapter 3

AN: So here is Chapter 3. Let's hope that Toby is okay.

Toby had been moved to a separate room whilst Nick, Lucas and Razzle looked frantically through the tome for something that could possibly help Toby. Jessica sat watching, sighing as they desperately went through the book, determined to find something that might be useful to them.

"Found anything yet?" Lucas asked Nick, hopefully. Nick shook his head in response, looking frustrated.

"No. The answer could be right in front of us and we wouldn't know!"

Jessica, in that moment, looked at Toby's orb. It was now almost completely black. Making her decision quickly, she picked up the orb and walked into the room Toby was in.

Nick and Lucas watched her leave, both of them wanting to say something to comfort her, but they didn't know what they should say.

"She's taking this pretty badly." Lucas commented.

"Well, she loves him." Nick said sadly. "I don't think she'd be able to bear it if he-"

Meanwhile Jessica was sat beside Toby. She looked at his orb and saw it was totally black. Frantic, she checked for a pulse, then started to sob when she couldn't find one. She collapsed on top of him, sobbing as a sharp pain attacked her. As she continued to sob, she didn't notice that they were being surrounded by a pink and blue glow...

Back in the room, Lucas suddenly gasped before snapping his fingers. "Of course! That's it! Why didn't we think of it before?" He yells as he looks at a page.

Nick was confused. "Think of-" he suddenly realised what Lucas was getting at. "Jessica! How did we not realise?"

Lucas did not reply, for he was too busy racing toward the other room. Nick immediately followed. He was absolutely elated that there was a possibility they could save Toby's life.

They reached the room where Toby and Jessica were. For a moment, they stood panting, in order to catch their breath.

"Jess!" Lucas shouts but she doesn't reply and holds onto Toby tighter than ever.

"Jess?" Nick asked gently, kneeling down beside her. "What is it?"

Jessica looked up at him. She looked awful; tears were streaming down her face like a rainstorm. "He-He's d-dead, Nick! He's dead and he isn't c-coming back!" Her tears started falling anew, splashing onto Toby's unnaturally still body.

Lucas then gasped and shook Nick furiously, trying to grab his attention. Nick turned to him and frowned at his inconsiderate behaviour.

"Look!" Lucas hissed. Nick sighed but followed Lucas' gaze then gasped when he saw what Lucas was seeing.

A faint pink and blue glow was surrounding Toby and Jessica. Lucas suddenly picked up the book and said, "According to the tome, to save Toby, we have to find his soulmate and they have to perform an act of true love. That's the only way we can save him."

Jessica looked at them, shaking with sobs. "What if it doesn't work?"

"You're our only chance, Jess, and he loves you. If you love him too, that should be enough." Nick said encouragingly.

Jessica sighed and turned to Toby. "I hope this works. I already dreamt I lost you. I love you too much to lose you now." She then kissed him with all the love she felt for him, pouring her heart into the kiss, praying it would work.

At first, nothing happened. Jessica once again started crying, not wanting to believe that she had failed him. All of a sudden, the glow surrounding them became brighter before Toby slowly opened his eyes.

Jessica gasped and flung herself on him, sobbing with relief. Nick and Lucas grinned at each other. Toby extricated himself from Jessica's enthusiastic embrace. Confused, he asked, "I'm sorry, but do I know any of you?"

He looked at each of them as they exchanged worried glances. They might have saved Toby's life but more had to be done to save him completely...

AN: Well, that was an unexpected twist! Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter.