Hours
Title: Hours
Author: not_from_stars
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: FH Women of the Otherworld // Fantastic Four // Charmed // Roswell
Character(s): Savannah Levine, Johnny Storm, Eve Levine, Wyatt Halliwell, Chris Halliwell, Isabel Evans
Words: 3,263
Summary: "Been given 24 hours to tie up loose ends, to make amends"
Notes: This fic started out as a bunny to the JEM song "24". I said I wasn't going to write it, but then christinenj fed the bunny carrots and helped me figure out what would cause Savannah to be in the position where she was counting down the hours left in her life. This is a very rough draft, posted to keep me from deleting it in a fit of frustration.
In 24 hours they'll be
Laying flowers
On my life, it's over tonight
144 Hours Ago --
Savannah was staring at the film playing in horror.
The images weren't strange to her. Nothing on the film was anything that would upset her.
What upset her was that the film was nothing that she or any of the subjects on the screen in front of her had shot. None of them had been aware that they were being filmed whenever they were.
Johnny. Isabel. Eve. Sean. Wyatt. Chris. Summer.
Her friends. Her family. The people she loved more than anything.
Johnny. Isabel. Eve. Sean. Wyatt. Chris. Summer.
The people that she spent so much time with, sharing their lives.
Johnny. Isabel. Eve. Sean. Wyatt. Chris. Summer.
When the cell phone rang, her hand shook as she picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Are you enjoying the movie?" The voice on the phone wasn't one that she recognized.
"Who are you? How did you get this?"
"Now, now, Miss Levine, I think you're forgetting that you're in no position to be making demands."
Savannah's hand tightened on the phone until pain went through her wrist from the pressure. "What do you want?" Her voice was a low growl of anger.
"You're going to listen to me, Miss Levine. If you promise to do what you're told, then no one else will ever have to know about this little feature of ours."
"And if I refuse?"
"Well, then this little movie becomes the feature story on every news station across the country."
Savannah felt the fight draining out of her as those words circled around in her brain. The people she loved... for them to have their biggest secrets exposed...
She swallowed. There was no way she could let their lives be destroyed if she could do something to prevent it.
"What do you want," she asked again, struggling to keep her voice level. She was backed into a corner and they knew it.
"I knew you would see reason," the voice continued. "Now here's what you're going to do..."
Plans that I made
Start to fade
The sun's setting gold
Thought I would grow old,
It wasn't to be
96 Hours Ago--
Savannah had been careful. More than careful.
She had lied.
She had lied to everyone that cared about her. She had spun a major lie and by the time anyone figured out the truth, it would all be over.
The phone conversation with Johnny had been the hardest. However, it as the only way she would have been able to tell him goodbye. There was no way he would have believed her lies if they had been face to face.
"So why do you have to go right away, babe?"
"Because right away is when they want to see me, sweetheart. There are many other artists that would kill at a chance like this. If I don't go now..."
Johnny sighed. "I get that. I'm just going to miss you."
A tear slid down Savannah's cheek. "I know, Johnny. I'm going to miss you, too." She swallowed. "But I'll be back soon." She had to force the lie out, and it felt awful.
"Be careful, all right? I don't like the idea of you flying halfway around the world to meet a bunch of strangers. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"I will be," she promised. "Johnny?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too, Savannah. I'll see you in a few days."
That should have been the end of it. She had already told everyone else about the non-existent interview with a gallery in Europe who wanted to show her work. It had been the best cover story she could come up with to explain her absence. They had believed her. After all, as far as they all knew, she had no reason to lie to them. By the time Chris realized she was missing... well, they would all be safe and nothing else would be able to be done.
But...
But her conscience wouldn't leave it at that. It wasn't fair for them to think she disappeared and for them to never know what had become of her. She couldn't do that to them.
That would be why she had slipped the package with the film and a note through Isabel's mail slot.
"Isabel, I couldn't just disappear, no matter what they said. This film...I promise you that no one but me has seen this. They guaranteed it and the spell I cast said they weren't lying. It's not that big of a price, you know? I kept them from exposing all of you because of me. I was able to do that much at least. I love all of you. You've been my best friends and my family. Please take care of him, Isabel. I don't think he'll understand why this was what I had to do and he'll be hurt and angry. I don't want him to hate me... I would never have hurt him if like this if there was any other way. Love, Savannah."
She had waited until she saw Isabel's car pull up and then she had left. She was assured that no one but Isabel would see that package. Brushing tears away from her face, Savannah returned home. There was a package waiting on her doorstep and when she went inside, she sat it down on her kitchen table. She stared at it for a long time before opening it. Inside the package was a large vial of blue fluid. When she read the note, her stomach dropped.
Drink this and you'll disappear from your Whitelighter's radar. We're watching you, so don't try anything.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, before tilting her head back and swallowing everything in the vial.
Is there a heaven a hell
And will I come back
Who can tell
Now I can see
What matters to me
It's as clear as crystal
72 Hours Ago--
The room was dark and quiet, and Savannah was glad of the darkness. She didn't dare turn on a light because she was afraid that one of her friends might drive past and see it. If they saw lights on when she was supposed to be out of the country, they would investigate and their lives would be over. She had to protect them. She had to keep them safe.
That thought caused fresh tears to start and she buried her face in her knees as she gave in to the tears. It was her fault that they were in danger. If they hadn't cared about her -- if she hadn't brought them into her life -- they would never have been threatened by her enemies. She was selfish in that. She never thought about the danger that her friends could be in because of her and now she was going to have to pay for that.
"I don't want to do this," she whispered. "I'm not strong enough for this."
She didn't want to die. She was still so young and had so much that she wanted to do. So much she wanted to share with the people she loved.
"Stop that," she said angrily, trying to will the tears away. "Stop being so selfish. You have to do this. No one else can protect them but you. What would Johnny say if he saw you falling apart like this?"
Johnny.
Johnny would calm her down, promise he'd protect her and then go looking for someone to set on fire. If he knew the truth about what was happening, there was no way that he would let her do this. He'd risk himself to protect her and keep her safe. He would never let her go through with this and would go after the ones causing her this misery.
"I can't let him do that," she whispered through her tears. "This time, I have to be the one to protect him. I have to be the strong one."
The problem was, she wasn't feeling all that brave. She wanted nothing more than to pick up the phone and call for help. She knew she couldn't endanger Johnny and the others like that, but it didn't stop her from wishing he was there to hold her and make her feel safe again.
"Johnny," she whispered, tears starting to slide down her face again. "I love you."
I'm not alone, I sense it, I sense it
All that I said, I meant it, I meant it
48 Hours Ago--
"What in the hell do you think you're doing?"
The voice startled Savannah and she lifted her head. The room she was in looked exactly like the room she had been locked in a few hours ago, except for the angry blond that was standing near the locked door. "Isabel?" Savannah shook her head wildly and tears filled her eyes. "No. NO! They swore you'd be safe. You can't be here." She dropped her face in her hands. "I did everything they told me to do."
"Who, Savannah? Who told you to do what?" She frowned at her. "And while we're asking questions, what made you think that leaving me that kind of message was going to be okay?"
Savannah looked up at Isabel. "You saw the film?"
"Of course I did. You wanted me to see it."
"I didn't think they'd get you. I thought you'd be safe." She ran a hand through her hair. "The said they'd leave you all alone if I..."
"If you what?"
"If I surrendered myself to them," she mumbled.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN MIND?!"
"Isabel, they'll hear you! You don't want to piss them off." Savannah got to her feet and leaned against the wall.
"Savannah... what have you done? You told us all you were going out of the country for a few days... Chris can't sense you... you left me that package..." She moved closer to her friend. "Start talking."
Savannah ducked her head. "Last week, I got that film in the mail. I hadn't know who sent it or where it came from. I was watching it for the second time when the phone call came over my cell. They knew all of us... knew the things that you guys wanted to be kept secret. They told me that they'd make sure that the film was on every news station if I didn't do what they said."
"So they blackmailed you." Isabel's voice took on an edge of anger. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"You saw the film," Savannah said dejectedly. "You know I couldn't." She swallowed. "As long as I surrendered myself to them, you guys would be safe. Nobody was supposed to know the real story. I was just supposed to disappear."
"So you lied to us?"
She nodded. "But then I felt even worse when I realized that afterwards, you guys would never know what happened to me if I just disappeared off the face of the Earth. I couldn't be that cruel. I love you guys too much."
"Chris would still have been able to sense you..." When Savannah looked away, Isabel's eyes narrowed. "Savannah..."
"A potion," she mumbled.
"Excuse me?"
"A potion," she repeated. "It masks my presence."
"For how long?"
"Until the end."
"SAVANNAH!"
"I couldn't let them hurt you guys," Savannah tried to explain. "You guys have lives that you're living. I couldn't sit back and allow them to destroy everything you guys have been working for."
"Do you honestly think that we'd want to keep our lives safe and secure the way they are at the cost of yourself?"
"I knew if you guys knew what was happening, you'd endanger yourselves to help me." Savannah slid back along the wall to sit on the floor.
"And what makes you think we still won't?"
"Because it's too late. I'll do what they want me to and then..."
"And then?" Isabel prompted.
Savannah shrugged. "I have two days," she said quietly.
Isabel clenched her fists at her sides. "Why me, Savannah? Why did you tell me the truth and not your mom or Johnny?"
Savannah met her eyes. "Because I knew you wouldn't let them do anything to get themselves killed." She swallowed. "I knew that even if you were able to show them everything in a short period of time, it would probably be too late."
"You really can be such an idiot sometimes, Savannah."
Savannah winced. "I'm sorry that you have to be the one to tell them what happened... if they even let you out of here after I --" She swallowed.
Isabel crouched in front of her. "Listen to me, damn you. You are not going to die. We are not going to let that happen. We're going to get you out of here, and then I'm going to strangle you."
Savannah gave her a sad smile. "There's no way out, Isabel. I've tried." She looked down, closing her eyes.
"You always keep forgetting one important thing, Savannah," Isabel said quietly. "You're not alone and we're not going to let anything happen to you."
"But Isabel ---"
Savannah's head jerked up and her eyes opened. The dark room was as empty as it had been since she had been put here. She swallowed hard and leaned her head against the wall. "I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you guys everything before this," she said softly.
I need your blessing
And your promise to live free
Please do it for me
24 Hours Ago--
Savannah looked down at the chart on the table. "I don't know if I can do this."
"What do you mean you don't know? We told you would happen if you didn't agree to do what we said."
"I'm not refusing to do it," Savannah snapped back. "I said I don't know if I can! I don't know if I have enough physical strength to funnel that much power into this thing. I've never done anything like it before."
"You tried when you were younger."
"And look how well that worked," she reminded them. "I called several demons up and destroyed the house I was in -- not to mention killing my father."
"You're stronger, older and more powerful now." The smile was not friendly "And you don't dare allow yourself to lose control because your family's lives will be at risk."
"You said you gave me the only copy of that film!"
"I did, but that doesn't mean we can't do something worse to them if you... slip."
Savannah's shoulders slumped. "You're going to see me die no matter what."
"True. But would you rather die protecting your friends or betraying them?"
She bared her teeth at them. "I can't wait to see the lot of you rotting in Hell."
"Would that be before or after we send your friends there to meet you?"
"I'll do the best I can."
"You'll do better than that."
"That much power could burn me out if I get one thing wrong!"
"Then you'd better make sure you don't get anything wrong, hadn't you?"
In just 1 hour they'll be
Laying flowers
On my life, it's over tonight
One Hour Ago--
Savannah was sitting cross-legged on the symbol in the middle of the floor. They had brought her into the room not too long ago and had given her everything she needed to do the spell they were demanding that she do. She could feel every nerve in her body vibrating as the cone of power started to surround her and then spread out across the symbol on the floor. She had to work to contain the magics in this area before she could move on to the next component of the spell. She took in a deep breath and felt her own powers reaching out to mix with the wild powers she had called to her. Her own eyes drifted closed as she started sinking into the nexus of the magics moving around her and through her. She was beginning to relinquish her own being to the rising power as she started trying to shape the spell her captors were demanding she cast. She felt ice and then fire move through her body and the intensity of it caused her to scream in pain.
"Do you think we should do something to help her?"
"She'll be fine."
"And if this kills her? She's the only one with enough power to bring him back."
"Then we find a necromancer to communicate with her and try the spell again. She knew the risk involved."
There was a crash and more people entered the room.
"Wrong. If this kills her, we'll kill you."
As she called up more energy, Savannah screamed again. There was so much power moving through her and it was more painful than she thought it should be. Her head was thrown back and the streams of power moving around her were changing colors rapidly. As everything went black around her, she wondered if this was what death felt like.
Head spinning round
No time to sit down
Just wanted to
Run and run and run
Here and Now--
Savannah was disoriented when she woke up. She wasn't in the room she had been forced to cast the spell, and she wasn't in the room that had served as her cell, either. She closed her eyes for a moment and the opened them again when she felt arms shift around her. She found herself looking up into worried blue eyes.
"I should bend you over my knee and spank your ass for doing such an idiotic thing." There was no teasing in the tone.
"Johnny?"
"Damn right." He shook his head, tightening his arms around her. "You scared the shit out of us, babe."
She frowned in confusion. "Us? Where am I?"
Chris came into her line of sight. "You're at Halliwell Manor," he explained. "Wyatt and I thought it was the safest place for you until you woke up." He frowned at her. "And for us to find a way to counteract that damn potion you swallowed."
Savannah gave him a stubborn look. "You were in danger."
"We've all seen the film, Savannah." Wyatt shook his head. "Why you would think that you should turn yourself over to some blackmailing assholes..."
"She wasn't thinking," Isabel came over and sat down next to Savannah and Johnny on the bed. "She was scared."
"I had to protect you guys," she said softly. "I didn't want them to hurt you or tear your lives apart."
"Shouldn't we have gotten a say in that?" Johnny demanded.
Savannah set her jaw. "I had the ability to keep you safe."
"By risking your life?"
"It was worth it!"
"Not to me! Don't you think I should have gotten a say in whether I wanted my secrets kept or my girlfriend dead?"
"You would have done all you could to protect me!" There was the start of fear in her tone.
"Of course he would have," Eve snapped, coming close to the group. "You're worth more than all of that shit on the film becoming public knowledge."
Been given 24 hours
to tie up loose ends
to make amends
His eyes said it all
I started to fall
and the silence deafened
Author: not_from_stars
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: FH Women of the Otherworld // Fantastic Four // Charmed // Roswell
Character(s): Savannah Levine, Johnny Storm, Eve Levine, Wyatt Halliwell, Chris Halliwell, Isabel Evans
Words: 3,263
Summary: "Been given 24 hours to tie up loose ends, to make amends"
Notes: This fic started out as a bunny to the JEM song "24". I said I wasn't going to write it, but then christinenj fed the bunny carrots and helped me figure out what would cause Savannah to be in the position where she was counting down the hours left in her life. This is a very rough draft, posted to keep me from deleting it in a fit of frustration.
In 24 hours they'll be
Laying flowers
On my life, it's over tonight
144 Hours Ago --
Savannah was staring at the film playing in horror.
The images weren't strange to her. Nothing on the film was anything that would upset her.
What upset her was that the film was nothing that she or any of the subjects on the screen in front of her had shot. None of them had been aware that they were being filmed whenever they were.
Johnny. Isabel. Eve. Sean. Wyatt. Chris. Summer.
Her friends. Her family. The people she loved more than anything.
Johnny. Isabel. Eve. Sean. Wyatt. Chris. Summer.
The people that she spent so much time with, sharing their lives.
Johnny. Isabel. Eve. Sean. Wyatt. Chris. Summer.
When the cell phone rang, her hand shook as she picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Are you enjoying the movie?" The voice on the phone wasn't one that she recognized.
"Who are you? How did you get this?"
"Now, now, Miss Levine, I think you're forgetting that you're in no position to be making demands."
Savannah's hand tightened on the phone until pain went through her wrist from the pressure. "What do you want?" Her voice was a low growl of anger.
"You're going to listen to me, Miss Levine. If you promise to do what you're told, then no one else will ever have to know about this little feature of ours."
"And if I refuse?"
"Well, then this little movie becomes the feature story on every news station across the country."
Savannah felt the fight draining out of her as those words circled around in her brain. The people she loved... for them to have their biggest secrets exposed...
She swallowed. There was no way she could let their lives be destroyed if she could do something to prevent it.
"What do you want," she asked again, struggling to keep her voice level. She was backed into a corner and they knew it.
"I knew you would see reason," the voice continued. "Now here's what you're going to do..."
Plans that I made
Start to fade
The sun's setting gold
Thought I would grow old,
It wasn't to be
96 Hours Ago--
Savannah had been careful. More than careful.
She had lied.
She had lied to everyone that cared about her. She had spun a major lie and by the time anyone figured out the truth, it would all be over.
The phone conversation with Johnny had been the hardest. However, it as the only way she would have been able to tell him goodbye. There was no way he would have believed her lies if they had been face to face.
"So why do you have to go right away, babe?"
"Because right away is when they want to see me, sweetheart. There are many other artists that would kill at a chance like this. If I don't go now..."
Johnny sighed. "I get that. I'm just going to miss you."
A tear slid down Savannah's cheek. "I know, Johnny. I'm going to miss you, too." She swallowed. "But I'll be back soon." She had to force the lie out, and it felt awful.
"Be careful, all right? I don't like the idea of you flying halfway around the world to meet a bunch of strangers. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"I will be," she promised. "Johnny?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too, Savannah. I'll see you in a few days."
That should have been the end of it. She had already told everyone else about the non-existent interview with a gallery in Europe who wanted to show her work. It had been the best cover story she could come up with to explain her absence. They had believed her. After all, as far as they all knew, she had no reason to lie to them. By the time Chris realized she was missing... well, they would all be safe and nothing else would be able to be done.
But...
But her conscience wouldn't leave it at that. It wasn't fair for them to think she disappeared and for them to never know what had become of her. She couldn't do that to them.
That would be why she had slipped the package with the film and a note through Isabel's mail slot.
"Isabel, I couldn't just disappear, no matter what they said. This film...I promise you that no one but me has seen this. They guaranteed it and the spell I cast said they weren't lying. It's not that big of a price, you know? I kept them from exposing all of you because of me. I was able to do that much at least. I love all of you. You've been my best friends and my family. Please take care of him, Isabel. I don't think he'll understand why this was what I had to do and he'll be hurt and angry. I don't want him to hate me... I would never have hurt him if like this if there was any other way. Love, Savannah."
She had waited until she saw Isabel's car pull up and then she had left. She was assured that no one but Isabel would see that package. Brushing tears away from her face, Savannah returned home. There was a package waiting on her doorstep and when she went inside, she sat it down on her kitchen table. She stared at it for a long time before opening it. Inside the package was a large vial of blue fluid. When she read the note, her stomach dropped.
Drink this and you'll disappear from your Whitelighter's radar. We're watching you, so don't try anything.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, before tilting her head back and swallowing everything in the vial.
Is there a heaven a hell
And will I come back
Who can tell
Now I can see
What matters to me
It's as clear as crystal
72 Hours Ago--
The room was dark and quiet, and Savannah was glad of the darkness. She didn't dare turn on a light because she was afraid that one of her friends might drive past and see it. If they saw lights on when she was supposed to be out of the country, they would investigate and their lives would be over. She had to protect them. She had to keep them safe.
That thought caused fresh tears to start and she buried her face in her knees as she gave in to the tears. It was her fault that they were in danger. If they hadn't cared about her -- if she hadn't brought them into her life -- they would never have been threatened by her enemies. She was selfish in that. She never thought about the danger that her friends could be in because of her and now she was going to have to pay for that.
"I don't want to do this," she whispered. "I'm not strong enough for this."
She didn't want to die. She was still so young and had so much that she wanted to do. So much she wanted to share with the people she loved.
"Stop that," she said angrily, trying to will the tears away. "Stop being so selfish. You have to do this. No one else can protect them but you. What would Johnny say if he saw you falling apart like this?"
Johnny.
Johnny would calm her down, promise he'd protect her and then go looking for someone to set on fire. If he knew the truth about what was happening, there was no way that he would let her do this. He'd risk himself to protect her and keep her safe. He would never let her go through with this and would go after the ones causing her this misery.
"I can't let him do that," she whispered through her tears. "This time, I have to be the one to protect him. I have to be the strong one."
The problem was, she wasn't feeling all that brave. She wanted nothing more than to pick up the phone and call for help. She knew she couldn't endanger Johnny and the others like that, but it didn't stop her from wishing he was there to hold her and make her feel safe again.
"Johnny," she whispered, tears starting to slide down her face again. "I love you."
I'm not alone, I sense it, I sense it
All that I said, I meant it, I meant it
48 Hours Ago--
"What in the hell do you think you're doing?"
The voice startled Savannah and she lifted her head. The room she was in looked exactly like the room she had been locked in a few hours ago, except for the angry blond that was standing near the locked door. "Isabel?" Savannah shook her head wildly and tears filled her eyes. "No. NO! They swore you'd be safe. You can't be here." She dropped her face in her hands. "I did everything they told me to do."
"Who, Savannah? Who told you to do what?" She frowned at her. "And while we're asking questions, what made you think that leaving me that kind of message was going to be okay?"
Savannah looked up at Isabel. "You saw the film?"
"Of course I did. You wanted me to see it."
"I didn't think they'd get you. I thought you'd be safe." She ran a hand through her hair. "The said they'd leave you all alone if I..."
"If you what?"
"If I surrendered myself to them," she mumbled.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GODDAMN MIND?!"
"Isabel, they'll hear you! You don't want to piss them off." Savannah got to her feet and leaned against the wall.
"Savannah... what have you done? You told us all you were going out of the country for a few days... Chris can't sense you... you left me that package..." She moved closer to her friend. "Start talking."
Savannah ducked her head. "Last week, I got that film in the mail. I hadn't know who sent it or where it came from. I was watching it for the second time when the phone call came over my cell. They knew all of us... knew the things that you guys wanted to be kept secret. They told me that they'd make sure that the film was on every news station if I didn't do what they said."
"So they blackmailed you." Isabel's voice took on an edge of anger. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"You saw the film," Savannah said dejectedly. "You know I couldn't." She swallowed. "As long as I surrendered myself to them, you guys would be safe. Nobody was supposed to know the real story. I was just supposed to disappear."
"So you lied to us?"
She nodded. "But then I felt even worse when I realized that afterwards, you guys would never know what happened to me if I just disappeared off the face of the Earth. I couldn't be that cruel. I love you guys too much."
"Chris would still have been able to sense you..." When Savannah looked away, Isabel's eyes narrowed. "Savannah..."
"A potion," she mumbled.
"Excuse me?"
"A potion," she repeated. "It masks my presence."
"For how long?"
"Until the end."
"SAVANNAH!"
"I couldn't let them hurt you guys," Savannah tried to explain. "You guys have lives that you're living. I couldn't sit back and allow them to destroy everything you guys have been working for."
"Do you honestly think that we'd want to keep our lives safe and secure the way they are at the cost of yourself?"
"I knew if you guys knew what was happening, you'd endanger yourselves to help me." Savannah slid back along the wall to sit on the floor.
"And what makes you think we still won't?"
"Because it's too late. I'll do what they want me to and then..."
"And then?" Isabel prompted.
Savannah shrugged. "I have two days," she said quietly.
Isabel clenched her fists at her sides. "Why me, Savannah? Why did you tell me the truth and not your mom or Johnny?"
Savannah met her eyes. "Because I knew you wouldn't let them do anything to get themselves killed." She swallowed. "I knew that even if you were able to show them everything in a short period of time, it would probably be too late."
"You really can be such an idiot sometimes, Savannah."
Savannah winced. "I'm sorry that you have to be the one to tell them what happened... if they even let you out of here after I --" She swallowed.
Isabel crouched in front of her. "Listen to me, damn you. You are not going to die. We are not going to let that happen. We're going to get you out of here, and then I'm going to strangle you."
Savannah gave her a sad smile. "There's no way out, Isabel. I've tried." She looked down, closing her eyes.
"You always keep forgetting one important thing, Savannah," Isabel said quietly. "You're not alone and we're not going to let anything happen to you."
"But Isabel ---"
Savannah's head jerked up and her eyes opened. The dark room was as empty as it had been since she had been put here. She swallowed hard and leaned her head against the wall. "I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you guys everything before this," she said softly.
I need your blessing
And your promise to live free
Please do it for me
24 Hours Ago--
Savannah looked down at the chart on the table. "I don't know if I can do this."
"What do you mean you don't know? We told you would happen if you didn't agree to do what we said."
"I'm not refusing to do it," Savannah snapped back. "I said I don't know if I can! I don't know if I have enough physical strength to funnel that much power into this thing. I've never done anything like it before."
"You tried when you were younger."
"And look how well that worked," she reminded them. "I called several demons up and destroyed the house I was in -- not to mention killing my father."
"You're stronger, older and more powerful now." The smile was not friendly "And you don't dare allow yourself to lose control because your family's lives will be at risk."
"You said you gave me the only copy of that film!"
"I did, but that doesn't mean we can't do something worse to them if you... slip."
Savannah's shoulders slumped. "You're going to see me die no matter what."
"True. But would you rather die protecting your friends or betraying them?"
She bared her teeth at them. "I can't wait to see the lot of you rotting in Hell."
"Would that be before or after we send your friends there to meet you?"
"I'll do the best I can."
"You'll do better than that."
"That much power could burn me out if I get one thing wrong!"
"Then you'd better make sure you don't get anything wrong, hadn't you?"
In just 1 hour they'll be
Laying flowers
On my life, it's over tonight
One Hour Ago--
Savannah was sitting cross-legged on the symbol in the middle of the floor. They had brought her into the room not too long ago and had given her everything she needed to do the spell they were demanding that she do. She could feel every nerve in her body vibrating as the cone of power started to surround her and then spread out across the symbol on the floor. She had to work to contain the magics in this area before she could move on to the next component of the spell. She took in a deep breath and felt her own powers reaching out to mix with the wild powers she had called to her. Her own eyes drifted closed as she started sinking into the nexus of the magics moving around her and through her. She was beginning to relinquish her own being to the rising power as she started trying to shape the spell her captors were demanding she cast. She felt ice and then fire move through her body and the intensity of it caused her to scream in pain.
"Do you think we should do something to help her?"
"She'll be fine."
"And if this kills her? She's the only one with enough power to bring him back."
"Then we find a necromancer to communicate with her and try the spell again. She knew the risk involved."
There was a crash and more people entered the room.
"Wrong. If this kills her, we'll kill you."
As she called up more energy, Savannah screamed again. There was so much power moving through her and it was more painful than she thought it should be. Her head was thrown back and the streams of power moving around her were changing colors rapidly. As everything went black around her, she wondered if this was what death felt like.
Head spinning round
No time to sit down
Just wanted to
Run and run and run
Here and Now--
Savannah was disoriented when she woke up. She wasn't in the room she had been forced to cast the spell, and she wasn't in the room that had served as her cell, either. She closed her eyes for a moment and the opened them again when she felt arms shift around her. She found herself looking up into worried blue eyes.
"I should bend you over my knee and spank your ass for doing such an idiotic thing." There was no teasing in the tone.
"Johnny?"
"Damn right." He shook his head, tightening his arms around her. "You scared the shit out of us, babe."
She frowned in confusion. "Us? Where am I?"
Chris came into her line of sight. "You're at Halliwell Manor," he explained. "Wyatt and I thought it was the safest place for you until you woke up." He frowned at her. "And for us to find a way to counteract that damn potion you swallowed."
Savannah gave him a stubborn look. "You were in danger."
"We've all seen the film, Savannah." Wyatt shook his head. "Why you would think that you should turn yourself over to some blackmailing assholes..."
"She wasn't thinking," Isabel came over and sat down next to Savannah and Johnny on the bed. "She was scared."
"I had to protect you guys," she said softly. "I didn't want them to hurt you or tear your lives apart."
"Shouldn't we have gotten a say in that?" Johnny demanded.
Savannah set her jaw. "I had the ability to keep you safe."
"By risking your life?"
"It was worth it!"
"Not to me! Don't you think I should have gotten a say in whether I wanted my secrets kept or my girlfriend dead?"
"You would have done all you could to protect me!" There was the start of fear in her tone.
"Of course he would have," Eve snapped, coming close to the group. "You're worth more than all of that shit on the film becoming public knowledge."
Been given 24 hours
to tie up loose ends
to make amends
His eyes said it all
I started to fall
and the silence deafened