Archive of Our Own ^beta

Ryan was excited to say the least. Listening to Kim was paying off, although he hadn't found a rock like the one Cleo had, he had found some leads that could possibly take him to the exact place where Cleo got hers

As he kept looking for more leads he stepped away for his equipment just a few feet, to pick up a rock that had similarities with the one Cleo had, it was just a couple of minutes but when he returned his magnetometer had melted as if it caught fire.

He turned around when he heard a noise and saw a couple of bushes move, he got out his gun and went after whatever was running, he thought they were bandits. In his mind he was after criminals, he already had a possible explanation as to why there would be criminals in Mako, they would logically go to remote places to do drugs and just be without the fear of being catched by the police, he didn't know he was just running after two teenagers who just wanted to protect the island and a magical secret.

They kept slipping right through his fingers and he was getting frustrated.

He caught a glance of one of them and took his shot with a loose aim as to warn them, it resonated in the entire island, there was a few seconds of silence in which a flock of birds flew out and then a wail.

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Rikki and Will were trying to lose Ryan. At first they tried leading him away from the cave, but they would need to cross the river and Rikki wouldn't have enough time to hide,so they had to run to the other side of the island she and Will where already in the rocks near the entrance when they heard the shot, both stopped in their tracks, then she felt her top getting wet and her knees getting weak as she started to fall. She heard Will scream her name, he caught her mid fall or so she thought because she didn't feel an impact.

'Rikki, oh God!'

She was trying to talk but she couldn't, both of her hands were on her stomack, Will had a hand of top of hers while he was trying to hold her with his other arm.

' Help! Somebody help!'

That is when Ryan got out of the bushes still aiming. Upon seeing the two teens he lowered the gun.
Will was afraid but wouldn't let go of Rikki

'I'm sorry, I didn't know. I thought you were trying to steal from me I swear!' stated Ryan starting to back up

'No, we were not trying to steal from you, we just…' Will shook his head

'I need to get her out of here' Said Will with tears in his eyes

Ryan was panicking, he was in Mako without any authorization from Sam. He was going to lose his job all because of a stupid obsession. He had to get out of there, so turned and ran out to the beach in search of his boat.

In the meantime Bella and Cleo where on their way to Mako, they wanted to see if Rikki was right about Ryan, when they were near the shore they did catch a glance at Ryan leaving on his boat

Bella en Cleo decided to first look for Will and Rikkin in the forest before going to the moonpool, Cleo used her powers to remove the water particles from their bodies so they could dry quickly, and they started walking into the forest, that's when they heard Will desperate cries for help. They looked at eachother and started running, they could hear Will getting close, they found him running towards the beach with Rikki in his arms, her head falling back, her arms hanging limp to the side and blood all over Will's shirt and Rikki's clothes.

Both Cleo and Bella looked at them in horror

'Will what happened?' asked Cleo
' He shot her, Ryan shot her, we were running so he couldn't see us, he said he thought we were thieves, we need to get her to a hospital, please help me!'

The three of them ran to the beach where Will had his boat. He started it while Cleo and Bella were looking over Rikki who was unresponsive and barely breathing.

' The bullet went right thru her, she has a wound on her back and her front, she is loosing a lot of blood, we need to make it stop or she won't make it to the hospital' said Bella trying to keep her composture
e
Cleo looked at her wide eyed and with tears already running down her cheeks
' Bella please try to clot both sides of the wound just so that she doesn't bleed out'

Bella, a little bit unsure but wanting to help her friend, reached out with her hand, concentrating and trying to be gentle so that she didn't accidentally cause more damage. After a few seconds she successfully stopped the bleeding.

Will was going as fast as his boat could go and Cleo called an ambulance as soon as she had reception, by the time they reached the dock an ambulance was waiting for them, they only allowed one of them in the ambulance, Cleo went with her as she was the one who knew more about her medical record, Bella and Will took a taxi to the hospital

After Will and Bella arrived, they decided to call Zane, Although their relationship wasn’t the best he was still Rikki’s boyfriend and although Zane could be a pig he loved Rikki.

Of course Zane arrived ready to start a fight but Cleo put an ending to it before it escalated

‘Look Zane, Rikki is in there fighting for her life and she doesn’t need her friends or boyfriend getting kicked out of the waiting room because you have to make this about yourself, so you either pull your head out of your ass or I will have security kick you out’

Zane gaped at her and nodded, both him and Will sat away from each other, after what felt like an eternity to them a doctor finally came out.

She lost a lot of blood, we tried everything we could but the bullet did a lot of damage, I’m so sorry but we lost her.

The teens stood there, Cleo let herself fall on her seat, Bella next to her, tears already making their way down their faces, both of them too shocked to even say anything. Zane punched the wall letting out a loud scream, Will sat there spacing out, his hands still stained with Rikki’s blood.

The funeral was held a week later giving time to Emma and Lewis to be there.

everything felt somber. The circle of friends was devastated and without a way to comfort each other, only Lewis spoke at the funeral, the others couldn’t. Unable to speak due to the lump in their throats that had been permanent since Rikki’s death.

the funeral was private, just the people that were part of Rikki’s life

‘When Rikki and I first met, we would be throwing sarcastic remarks at each other’ said Lewis with a bitter smile

‘ She would keep me on my toes and would always have a comeback ready, but behind her tough and sarcastic exterior Rikki was a loyal friend, the most loyal friend, she was fierce and also kind,always stood up for what was right but so true to herself. she had this self confidence that was contagious’ Lewis voice was braking at this point ‘ she was pure fire’

He looked at Rikki´s ashes that were going to be thrown to the sea

‘Rikki my friend we are here to say goodbye, just for now , know that we will always carry with us the memories, secrets and adventures, the laughs and the tears, I know we will find each other some day, I will miss you, We will miss you, nothing will be the same, the sun may rise and the ocean will be there but your spot will remain empty, you are taking a piece of us with you and leaving an empty space that nothing will fill ever again. Swim safe my friend’ by now tears were running down his face.

The small circle of people that were lucky enough to be part of Rikki’s Life stood there with ashes in their hands and a sadness that felt so endless.

After everyone who didn’t know about their secret had left, the girls jumped into the ocean to have one last swim with their sister.