The Unheard Of: Part 4

~8:00am~

Countdown: 15h: 59m: 59s

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ woke with a pounding headache. No, it was a migraine. She felt it in her forehead and behind her eyes. It throbbed in pain like she ran head first into a brick wall!

She heard the girls crying and forced herself out of bed. Knowing it was probably a diaper cry or hungry cry. But as she stumbled into their room, they were still fast asleep. She blinked in confusion and went to the bathroom. She went to the medicine cabinet, taking the stuff for her fever & a cough drop. ᎷᏋᏝ stipped to check her temperature, frowning as she looked at the thermometer. 110°F. (Or about 43°C) She looked to the mirror for her reflection. Her skin was painfully pale and her hair was sweaty. That's when she noticed chunks of gray throughout her hair. The poison was draining...everything from her. Even the color from her hair. "Shit." She groaned and put her hand to her head. Then started coughing, until the cough drop popped out of her mouth. Along with more purple ooze.

When the coughing seemed to cease, ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ cleaned her face and the sink. She was feeling gross and hot, so she took a cold shower. Wanting to reduce the fever as well. She checked her temperature again, but there was little change. She noticed her hair had even gotten grayer! ᎷᏋᏝ dressed warmly and laid on the couch under a few blankets. Trying to sweat the fever away. As she laid there she soon fell asleep.

• • • •

Echo and Finn found time to train and were sparing in the backyard using long sticks.

"So how did talking to Savia go?" He asked, swinging his stick to her side.

Echo spun to block it with her own stick. "Well, she is being bullied. Already. Glued those kids to their chairs."

Finn chuckles. "Classic. You told her why it was wrong though, right?" He asked, smacking her other side with the stick. "Hm, you're off your game today."

Echo winced and took a breath. "And you're chattier than usual." She commented and readied herself to start again.

Finn shook his head and lowered his stick. "We've been at this since 6am. Let's take a break."

"I don't have time to take...a break.." Echo glanced off behind Finn, who turned around. Destiny stood there and waved the two over. "This can't be good." She began walking over to Des.

Des looked at the two, a sad smile on her face. "Good morning...at least, I wish it was."

"What's the problem?" Finn asked with an arched brow.

"ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ is." Des looked to them. "She is dying of a poison that was made by seawitches to kill seawitches. And quickly."

"What? How quickly?" Echo asked in worry.

"By midnight tonight, her insides will have liquified and her lungs will drown on her own blood." Des told them.

Echo put her hands over her mouth, that was more information than she had asked for.

Finn put a hand on Echo's shoulder and looked to Des. "What about a spell or potions? An antidote?"

"This poison was made to target any magic. It increases the speed of her organs liquifying. Sadly, she is at the strongest she has ever been. The poison is having a field day with her magic. As far as an antidote goes, none currently exist." Des tells them.

"So we have until Midnight to try and figure this out?" Finn asks.

"There is no figuring it out...that's why you're telling us, isn't it?" Echo asks softly.

"Yes." Destiny nods her head. "ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ will be dead at midnight...I wanted to prepare you two for this. There's so m-" She started but Echo shook her head.

"Stop...stop. Stop! Stop talking!" She raised her voice and paced a bit.

Finn looked to Des with a frown. "Thank you, for telling us. But i think we need a minute to process this."

"I understand. But-"

"Please, just give us a minute." Finn interrupted her. It made Des frustrated. She had more to tell them, it was important, but she looked at Echo. Echo looked broken. Des remembered how these things can feel.

Destiny sighs and nods. "I understand. Take your time." She teleported away.

Finn walked over to Echo and Echo grabbed her stick back up. "I'm ready to continue."

Finn gives her a small look. "You sure? We could talk about it?"

"I don't want to talk, I need to hit something. Pick it up, let's go again." Echo told him. The two continued to spar until Echo had to get ready for work. Echo's performance actually improved as she got her frustrations and sadness out.

~11:53am~

Countdown: 12h: 6m: 43s

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ woke up, but wasn't sure she was even still on the couch or in her room...maybe the hospital…

She didn't have long to figure it out. She woke up with a stomach ache and a wave of nausea. ᎷᏋᏝ rushed to the nearest bathroom and was vomiting. But she wasn't vomiting out food or stomach waste. It was more purple ooze...and blood. She used her sleeve to wipe what was on her face. If Liv was nearby or talking to her, she didn't know about it. Her head seemed elsewhere.

Then she felt hands moving her hair away from her face and turned. She saw Morganna's face. "M-mother?"

"Oh, guppy, what have you gotten yourself into?" Morgana began cleaning her face.

"You...can't be here...you're dead." She said in confusion.

"You're not far from death yourself." She commented. "Does it hurt?"

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ sadly nods her head. "Yes...it's the worst pain I've felt...ever…"

"I'm certain that is to be expected." Morganna helped her stand, looking at her hair. "You look like a sick, old lady. You should return to bed."

"N-no.." ᎷᏋᏝ frowns. "I want to be with Liv, and my girls.."

"Letting your heart rule your actions again? You're just a lost child, aren't you? Even after all of this time." Morganna rolled her eyes.

"I was never lost...you took me." She argued with a weak glare. Wincing as her stomach aches again. "Liv made sure I w-wasn't lost."

"So pathetic, guppy." She heard Morganna laugh, and it felt as though Morganna had pushed her over. Then she was gone.

No one had pushed ᎷᏋᏝ as Morganna wasn't actually ever there. She is hallucinating. Seeing things. Her mind falling ill to the poison as well. ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ moved to stand back up, but her insides hurt. They burned. She heard a loud yelp, not realising it was her that made the sound.

Then everything went dark as she had blacked out on the bathroom floor.

~2:18pm~

Countdown: 9h: 41m: 29s

There was beeping. It was loud. Lights were bright. Blinding. People might have been talking, ᎷᏋᏝ couldn't make it out. She couldn't even tell which voices it was. The smell in her nose told her she was at the hospital, or at least that is what she thouwght the smell was.

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ felt light headed and in pain. She managed to turn her head to cough. Her throat aches, like she had swallowed acid. Her cough was horse and awful. She felt someones touch and heard voices but everything was cloudy. A blur. She saw nothing but light and color, her eyes even looked hazed over. As though she were going blind. Her organs slowly heating up was making her system start shutting down. Though ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ wasting just laying there, taking it & giving up. She was fighting it, clinging to her reason to stay alive. She grunted, wanting to form words but her tongue felt like it weighed a ton. She was unable to form words.

Her breathing felt heavy, like someone was pressing on her chest. There were more voices, more talking. She could hear it in a mumble. No words and she couldn't tell who's voices she has been hearing.

Then ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ felt like someone was moving her, but no one was touching her…

No, no one was moving her. She was moving, she was having a seizure. She felt her body moving and squirming uncontrollably. ᎷᏋᏝ felt like it would last forever, but that didn't last as she began to black out again. Of course she kept holding strong, kept fighting. Trapping herself in a comatose state, where she will continue fighting.

• • • •

Echo and Finn summoned Destiny back after they had time to process. Although, they had to wait until Echo's lunch break.

"Okay, we're sorry we cut you off earlier. It seemed important. What was it?" Echo asked.

Destiny nods, moving closer. Starting to whisper. "Okay, I'm being watched so I have to be very careful. I'm not supposed to tell you this, but…" She leaned in closer. Softly telling them the message she had earlier. Echo and Finn stood there in shock, they weren't really sure how to respond to that.

Echo nods her head. "Yeah...that makes sense. I can see that, I think she could do it."

"Guess that's up to her." Finn nods. They both watch Destiny freeze.

"I feel the force of death near...check the hospital if you go searching for her...I'm sorry, I must go. I've been in this realm too long." Des looks at them. "Don't lose hope, but don't tell anyone. Okay? All will be revealed in time."

The twins exchange a long look, but then nod. "Not a word from us." Echo agreed.

"Won't tell a soul." Finn also had agreed with this request. Destiny nods, rushing to teleport away. Finn looked back to Echo. "Does that include Liv? I mean, this is her wife."

"Liv is still a soul, and we promised not a word. We are keeping that promise." Echo tells him. "She'll find out soon enough. Let's head to the hospital. Liv and the girls may need us, now more than ever."

Finn sighs, but nods his head. "Good idea." The two then quickly head to the hospital, they didn't teleport in case they were arriving too early. By the time they arrived, ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ had slipped into the coma state and her in room visiting limit was already reached. The twins waited in the waiting room, pacing.

Echo glances to her phone. "My lunch break ended 5 minutes ago, I can't sit here and keep waiting. I could get fired. And I need my jobs right now."

"You know, I was meaning to talk to you about that. We turn 18 this year, you'll legally be an adult. You can purchase a place." Finn tells her.

"I don't need to, I'll stay in Gran's house." Echo shook her head.

"Gran's house is too big for one person." Finn pointed out.

"Not one, two. I'll be legally adopting Savia." Echo nods. "And once her human soul is restored, she'll just be a little girl. Lost and scared, I'll help her feel loved and wanted."

"That's...surprising. But I like the idea, Gran's house is still far too large, and expensive, for just you two. Maybe you should sell her place and look at a two bedroom apartment?"

Echo shot him a look. "Sell Gran's house? Are you crazy?! No, I-I couldn't. Do you know how many memories are in that house?"

"I lived there too, you know." Finn tells her. "She wasn't buried there, no one else was buried there. At the end of the day, it's just a house. You should not have to work three jobs to cover funeral expenses and her house."

"I'm not talking about this right now." Echo shakes her head.

"Do you talk about these things ever? We still have several hours until midnight. Talk to me in the meantime." Finn encourages.

Echo sighs and gives her brother a look. She points a finger at him, opening her mouth to speak. But quickly shuts her mouth again. She's silent a moment, then shrugs. "I just don't have anything to say."

"Sure you do. It's you, Echo, you always have something to say." Finn replies in disbelief. "Just tell me, you know you'll feel better once you do."

Echo shifts uncomfortably, her hands rubbing her arms as she paces about the waiting room a bit. "I can't afford to break down right now. I need to head back to work."

Finn stopped her from leaving and pulled out his phone. "I texted your manager on the way. Told her we have family in the hospital and she gave you the rest of your shift off. That's why they're not calling or texting you right now for being late. Now just stop and talk to me."

Echo frowns but nods her head. "I...I know I have to grow up and be my own woman. I'll one day have to move out and make my own living, and I still want to help others as I do...but I never thought it would be so...so soon. Staying in her house...it's like a comfort, I guess? I...I dunno."

"I think I get what you're saying." Finn nods his head. "I know it feels better staying there, but you're screwing yourself over in the long run. Selling her place and the items you don't really need, getting a more accommodatable place, it will help. The money you make off the house and the stuff, it will help you with a deposit. A few months rent, possibly groceries. She'd want you to survive and to thrive. You're not going to if you stay in that house, even with the three jobs."

"I…" Echo went silent again. "Maybe you're right...but not right now. Not this week."

"There isn't a rush, but it is something I think you should consider." Finn sighs. "I don't want you struggling when I leave to be king. Especially if you'll be adding a child to the mix."

"I know...I have to put her first." Echo nods. "But we still haven't figured out how to get her soul back. I...I just need time, okay?"

"Of course, you have all the time you need. You know I'm here if you need me...it's okay to be broken sometimes." Finn tells her.

"I…I don't remember what it's like to not feel broken. I hate it...so I just ignore it." Echo shakes her head and sits in a chair. "We need to focus on being here for Liv and ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ. We may know what is going on, but they don't. They're just as scared and broken, if not more."

Finn nods, sitting beside Echo. "Then we will be here for them."

~6:47pm~

Countdown: 5h: 13m: 44s

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ sat on the couch, one of the girls in each arm. She cradled them carefully, making silly faces to make them smile. Keeping an eye on them as Liv cooked in the kitchen.

ᎷᏋᏝ has never felt.more happy, being able to spend the day with all of her girls at once. No interruptions, nothing after them, no one having to go to work.

Just one, perfect day.

It wasn't until they were seated and eating that ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ realized something was off. No matter how much she ate, the food tasted like nothing. It didn't even have a texture. She was literally eating air. ᎷᏋᏝ looked at the plate for a while. She then knew and remembered.

She hasn't spent the day with her family, she's spent the day dying. ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ jumped up from the table and looked up. The scene had changed. No Liv, none of their children, not their house. ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ wasn't even standing anymore! She was floating in water, and she had her tail.

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ couldn't help but chuckle, swimming around in a circle. As being in water always made her happy, but then shook her head. "No...wait...this isn't right. Wake up, wake up!" She tells herself, her eyes looking around.

"You look awake enough to me, let's go. We'll be late, angelfish." It was Morganna again, looking annoyed with ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ as usual. They swam to their underwater cave. She couldn't believe her eyes! Ursula was there too! With Estelle, her grandmother, and Ellra (her other aunt). Then her eyes met Arachne, not the one she knows now. The one she knew growing up, the one that was her aunt and died.

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ seemed to let go of what was going on and just went along with it. Perhaps she was asleep and dreaming?

The dream would change and she'd be in her old cottage with Liv and the girls. Her mother too, whining about everything. Her aunts giving them 'pointers' to toughen up the kids. The grandmother watching in disdain. Everything just felt...perfect.

She doesn't know she has slipped into a coma and is slowly passing away. This dream keep her from the truth. 

• • • •

Finn and Echo finally had a chance to come in and see ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ. They couldn't believe their eyes.

She was pale, and attached to wires and beeping machines. A breathing tube in her throat. Echo frowned and looked away, while Finn gently held her hand. "What do you think she sees right now?" Finn asked.

"I...don't know. Maybe nothing? Just darkness and sadness as the end approaches." Echo replied.

Finn nods. "I hope that's wrong. I hope she dreams sweetly. This pain her body is taking is enough."

"Yeah." Echo replied, then glanced at the clock. "Come on, let's head down to the hospital cafeteria for some coffee."

The twins would give ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ a hug, and head down to the cafeteria.

~10:13pm~

Countdown: 1hr: 47m: 02s

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ watched her perfect dream melting away. Her mind couldn't keep the dream function going as her organs and blood boiled.

The poison had turned most of her blood a glowing purple. If any blood was drawn, it was so hot the syringe melted. Even ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ's skin was hot to the touch. Her body gave off steam from how hot she was compared to the temperature in the room. The machine that monitored her heart rate was off the charts. The fact that she still was able to hold on was a miracle! With what the heart monitor told the doctors, she should be dead already.

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ could hear now, and heard the doctors and nurses talk about her condition. She could hear everyone that spoke, but it was like being trapped in a concrete room with no door. Only ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ and a speaker that played everyone's voices. All she could do is sit and listen, she heard one of the nurse talking softly about ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ's condition.

"Poor thing, to be in this kind of pain...I'd be surprised if she lasted the night." Those words hit ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ like a knife. It was getting closer, she was at death's door!

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ would try to scream or call out. Telling herself to wake up!..but no one could hear her. She could hear crying, was she the reason? Was it Liv? She wanted so much to comfort her. To tell her it would be okay...but ᎷᏋᏝ can't.

"I'm sorry." ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ declared to her empty head space. "I promised to be there for you forever, and i couldn't keep my promise...but not a moment in my afterlife will pass that you aren't on my mind or in my heart…please don't stop living because I did. Stand tall for our girls, tell them my story. Never let them forget that my love for you and them were the best thing I ever had…" Outside of her body, tears slowly poured from her cheeks. She had no way of wiping them off though. "Don't remember me like this. Remember me as the strong bullheaded witch I used to be. I love you, Olivia Moore, live on for me."

• • • •

Echo checked the time again and again. "We have less than 2 hours….I-I hate this." She began pacing around the waiting room. "We checked all of the books? And you're sure you grabbed all of them?"

Finn sighs. "For the tenth time, yes. I grabbed every book from your shelf and we spent the last few hours checking them all."

Echo nods, then after a moment picks a book up. "I am looking again. I can't just sit here and wait for midnight like some horrifying New Year countdown. I...I need to work."

Finn nods with understanding. "I will give you a hand." He offers, reaching for a book he knows he's already read through. However, he knows this helps her deal with this. So he will do what he can to help.

~11:50pm~

Countdown: 0hr: 9m: 40s

Loud beeps and alarms went off in ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ's room. Her body began spazzing and seising, she was having a seizure from total organ failure. Doctors and nurses rushed to hold her securely, making sure she doesn't harm herself worse. When the seizing stopped, her heart rate became dangerously low.

They began CPR, trying to get ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ stabilized. But their actions appeared to only make things worse.

In ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ's head, everything suddenly got very bright. She tried to cover her eyes, but that seemed to do nothing. Then a hand gently tapped her shoulder.

"ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ, it's time." A voice told her.

ᎷᏋᏝ looked up to see Destiny standing there. "You...I remember you. You're not death related, why are yoy here?"

"To give you what you want. A chance to be with your family again." Des nods. "There is a catch, of course, but you'd be back. As yourself, with a few slight changes."

"What changes? What exactly is this catch?" ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ wanted to be sure the catch was something she would be alright with having. Especially around Liv and the girls.

"Well, you will die. I cannot return you to this body. But a new one will be made in its image, so you will look and sound the same. You just won't be a sea witch anymore. See, I have been doing recruiting lately and-"

"You want me to be an angel of destiny? But you aren't allowed to meddle with people's lives. Which means i won't be able to be around them much, if at all." ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ commented, cutting her off.

"You didn't let me finish. I'm actually pretty well backed up with destinies. What I am low on are guardian angels. This job is much more hands on, you will guide your charges to the path that is less likely to lead them to death. Your charges are people that are younger and have potential to do great things in their upcoming years. Like your children, for example?" She told her.

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ blinked a bit. "So i get to be with my wife and children and the only real catch is I can't be a seawitch anymore? And I have to protect them? Where do I sign?"

"No signing needed. All you have to do is take my hand." Des replied holding out her hand.

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ looked at her hand. "Just know, if this is some kind of trick, you won't enjoy what I'll do to you."

"There are no tricks, I'm a friend. Not an enemy." Des tells her. "I'm probably breaking every rule to do this, but I'm doing it anyway. You neat this poison once, it isn't right that you should die now because of it. Nor does this pitiful death do you justice. Take my hand, guardian, and rise anew."

Hearing those words made ᎷᏋᏝ pause for a moment. She still isn't sure she trusts Destiny, but her only other option is permanent death.

So, ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ reached her hand out and grasped Destiny's. The two faded away in a swirl of bright lights.

ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ's monitor began flatlining. The doctors prepared a defibrillator and tried shocking her heart back to life. But ᎷᏋᏝᎾᎠᎩ's soul was long gone and no heartbeat returned to her. All signs of life gone from her face. "Call it." The doctor replied with a grumble, securing the defibrillator to its proper place.

A nurse glanced down to her watch. "Time of death...midnight."