Who We Became Without You

Italics are Icy's dreams or memories

Warning: mention of selfharm

Chapter 4: We Might Be Falling

When she woke up the next morning, Darcy found Lily still snuggled against her, sound asleep and the weight of something heavy on top of her feet. She carefully untangled herself from Lily and sat up to investigate, only to find Stormy draped over the
/end of her bed, wrapped in her own blanket.

Darcy smiled faintly. What would she do without her sisters?

She watched her younger sisters sleep for while, all crammed onto the tiny dorm room bed, until she realized her feet were asleep from Stormy laying on them. As she attempted to free herself without waking her sister, Stormy grumbled and slowly opened
/her eyes. Oops. Oh well.

"Morning, sleepy witch." She greeted.

"Morning" Stormy suddenly sat up, eyes widening. "I'm sorry - I - I -"

"Stormy." She said. "It's okay. Do you remember the night after mom and dad died?"

Stormy nodded, remembering that long ago night when things had first started to crumble. They had all ended up in Icy's room, curled up together on Icy's bed. They hadn't wanted to be alone. Didn't want to brave the long, cold night by themselves. Scared
/that if they did, their parent's killers would strike again, and they couldn't bare to lose each other, as each other was all they had left.

"Yeah."

Darcy smiled. "You'll always be welcome Stormy. No need to apologize."

Stormy smiled back, just as Lily began to stir. "Bout' time! We thought you'd sleep the day away!"

Lily sat up and looked around groggily. "Can we go see Icy now?"

"We have to get ready first, silly." Said Darcy.

"I don't care what Griffin says. She can't keep us locked up forever." Stormy added.

When 16 year old Icy found herself standing in the kitchen with Darcy and Stormy the next morning, she had a sick feeling that something was wrong. Their parents had gone out on a dinner date the previous night and had yet to return home. They hadn't heard a word from them since they'd said goodbye and walked out the door at about 6:00 pm last evening, and it was now 10:00 am the next morning.

15 year old Darcy gave a sideways glance towards 5 year old Lily, who was playing with some toys in the living room. "I'm sure they just got a hotel room for the night or something." She said, but she didn't seem convinced.

"They would have called though." Reasoned 14 year old Stormy. "Right?"

Icy jumped as the toaster popped, pulling her out of her thoughts. Darcy turned around and started to butter the toast distractedly, and she moved to check the eggs cooking in the pan behind her. Stormy pulled out three glasses and a plastic cup for Lily and filled them with juice.

They all sat around the table, eating in silence. Lily looked around at the worried faces of her three big sisters. "Where's Mama and Daddy?" She questioned innocently.

Icy looked up from her plate. "I don't know sweety. I'm sure they'll be back soon." She forced a smile.

The words had barely left her lips when the doorbell rang. They looked at each other, wondering who it could be.

"I'll get it."

She got up and went through to the entrance. When she opened the door, she paled. She wasn't expecting their parents - they had a key - but she wasn't expecting the uniformed police officer either.

"Good morning miss, I'm very sorry to disturb you. Are you Icy, by any chance?" He said.

"Yes. . . Is this about my parents?" She replied.

He looked at the ground for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. "I am afraid it is. May I come in?"

"Oh, uh, of course." She moved aside to let him enter, and as he did, Darcy, Stormy and Lily appeared in the doorway leading to the other room. Darcy and Stormy froze at the sight of the officer.

He looked between the four of them. "I understand they didn't come home last night?"

Icy shook her head. "No." She felt sick. Her breathing quickened a bit. She new what was coming next.

"I am sorry girls. But I have some rather disheartening news." He said.

Darcy looked down at Lily. "Why don't you go and play, ok?" She suggested.

"But -" she was about to protest.

"Lily." Darcy warned.

The little one pouted but turned and ran off.

Icy walked around to stand with her sisters. She could see Stormy trembling slightly, but Darcy was now as still as a statue.

"What happened?" Icy asked weakly.

He sighed. He hated this part of his job, but he new it was better to just get it over with, rather than beat around the bush. "Gloria and Andrew's bodies were found by a passerby in an alley this morning."

Icy covered her mouth, as tears formed in her eyes. Stormy gasped, turning pale. Darcy didn't move. She was frozen.

"W-what?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

The officer fiddled with a button on his uniform. "They were both found dead just after dawn. We are still trying to determine what happened." He said. He rubbed his forehead. Sometimes he despised his job. "I'm going to need to ask you some questions."

Icy nodded but was no longer paying attention. His words were barely even registering in her mind, and neither was anything else. The room seemed to fade around her, as her world crumbled and fell away. She didn't notice as Stormy leaned against her, or when Darcy led the way to the den. She didn't hear the questions he asked or the answers her sisters gave. Only when the door clicked shut behind him and Stormy dropped to her knees in tears, did she snap out of her trance.

She sunk to her knees and Stormy threw herself into her eldest sister's arms, sobbing into her chest as Icy rubbed her back soothingly and rocked her gently, all the while forcing her own tears back. She watched as Darcy continued to stare at the door, unspeaking, unmoving and unseeing. Just. . . Staring, as tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"Sisters?" Lily's little voice sounded from behind them.

Darcy dropped to her knees then, burying her face in her hands. It took every ounce of Icy's resolve not to burst into tears. What were they supposed to tell Lily?

After three fast showers and a quick breakfast, they went down to the school's bus stop. There was only one other person on the bus (the bus that ran the school route was always empty on week days) and, unfortunately, it had to be a certain sun fairy.

"Long time, no see." Stella looked between the three witch sisters.

"Yeah." Darcy replied dully. She didn't feel like getting into an argument with the fairy.

"What's with the long faces?" Stella continued. "You look like you just got back from a funeral."

Stormy glared at her. "Why are you so cheerful?" She snapped.

"I'm going for full day of shopping! Although no one wanted to join me. . . Not even Bloom." Said Stella.

Darcy rolled her eyes. They sat in silence for a while, until Stella spoke up again.

"Hey, where's Icy? She didn't want to join you?"

Darcy and Stormy suddenly became very interested in their shoes, and Lily, who was sitting between them, bit her lip as she held back her tears. It obviously wasn't the reaction Stella had expected.

"What's wrong? Did something happen to her?"

"That's none of your business!" Stormy snapped.

Darcy shook her head. "You don't want to know."

"Try me." There was something - concern? In her voice as she moved over a seat, although she'd never admit it to anybody. Stella might have been loud and she might seem insensitive at times, but that had always been a mask to protect the sensitive girl
/underneath.

Stormy crossed her arms and looked away, but Darcy glanced up, a pained look in her amber eyes. "She's in the hospital. We don't know if she's okay or not."

"Seriously? What the hell happened?" Stella questioned.

"Old enemies." Darcy sighed. "Whoever killed our parents and kidnapped Lily, I think they're back to finish the job, whatever it may be."

"Are you saying somebody tried to murder her?"

Darcy nodded, and then the story was flooding from her lips as she failed to stop herself, the horrors of the previous night breaking free from the confines of her mind and piecing together in gruesome detail. Stella found herself rendered speechless
/as she listened.

"Hold on. You said Lily found her like that?!" Said Stella, after Darcy had finished.

There was a collective nod from the sisters.

"Dear Lord." Stella said. The poor girl would be scarred for life! That girl had gone through more than any ten year old should! Losing her parents, being kidnapped, seeing her eldest sister like that? Dragon. No wonder the Trix were the
/way they were.

"This is our stop." Darcy's voice snapped her from her thoughts. The three sisters stood and made to depart.

"Well I didn't think I'd ever be saying this, but I hope she's okay." Said Stella.

"Yeah." Darcy said softly. "Us to."

With that said, they got off the bus and walked down the sidewalk towards the hospital. They walked in apprehensively and questioned the nurse at the reception desk. She directed them up to the ICU.

When they got there, a couple of nurses were busy tending to Icy. They stood outside the room, peeking through the door window until they were interrupted by a kind male voice.

"You must be Icy's sisters."

All three of them turned to see a middle aged Doctor with short, dusty brown hair and green eyes.

"Yes. . . That's right." Said Darcy. "I'm Darcy, that's Stormy, and this is Lily." She motioned to each of her sisters in turn.

"Pleased to meet you, ladies." He replied. "I'm Dr. Webb."

He led them into the room just as the nurses were finishing up and heading out. He walked over and checked the monitor, giving a satisfied nod, before turning to his patient. She was very pale, her skin being almost as white as her long hair, which had
/been washed and brushed. She looked so small and fragile, laying there unconscious.

"Will she be okay?" Lily questioned, looking fearful.

"Well, she's not out of the woods yet, but she is definitely a strong one." The doctor replied. He proceeded to answer their questions and explain the situation.

"Aside from the stab wound, we also discovered some other injuries, all healed, but they look self inflicted." He looked around at the sisters.

Darcy bit her lip as Stormy looked at her, teal eyes widened and Lily looked from the doctor to her sisters questioningly. Darcy gave him a glare. They weren't supposed to know that! The only reason Darcy new was because she'd once walked into
/their dorm room to find Icy cutting herself. Icy was horrified that she'd been caught, and had pleaded with her not to tell Stormy. She hadn't, of course, but now this foolish doctor had.

Darcy walked down the corridor until she came to the door she was looking for, and pulled out her key to unlock it. As she pushed it open, her ears caught the muffled sounds coming from within. She closed the door and looked around. She walked around the room until she discovered Icy, huddled in a corner between Stormy's bed and the wall. Silent tears were running down her cheeks as she slid a blade, that shone eerily in the dim light, against her arm, forming angry red cuts.

"ICY! What the hell are you doing!" She screamed.

Icy jumped, dropping the blade, her eyes snapping up to meet her sister's. "D-Darcy. . ."

Darcy dropped to her knees in front of her sister. "What has gotten into you? I know you're hurting, we all are, but -"

"It's my fault, Darcy! It's all my fault! I was supposed to protect her, and I-I failed!"

Darcy sighed. "Icy, oh Icy, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known they would go after her."

"But I-I should have - if I hadn't turned my back - If I had kept a closer eye on her -" Icy was full on sobbing now.

Darcy shook her head. "We were all there, Icy, it wasn't just you. Stormy and I are as much at blame as you are."

"No, you aren't! I am the oldest, I was meant to be watching over you."

"I won't deny the truth in that, but we were all meant to be watching Lily. None of us thought looking away for a moment would -"

"Lily." Icy buried her face in her hands. "Mom and Dad probably hate me now. Lily was their baby, and I was supposed to protect her now that they're gone and now they hate me because I couldn't."

"Stop it, Icy! They don't hate you! They could never hate you!" Darcy exclaimed.

"Yes they do! How could they not, when I'm such a failure!"

"You are not a failure, Icy. Now calm down and let's get you cleaned up before Stormy gets back." Darcy stood and pulled her sister up with her, before leading the way to their bathroom.

"Please don't tell Stormy about this. She doesn't need to know, she has enough to deal with." Icy pleaded.

"I won't, Icy, but don't ever scare me like that again."

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed and please review. I love to hear what you think!