FanFic: The Predicament

[The Count]

Ditto to what Beth said above, just wasn't able to post till now.

Rully loved how intense the chapter's vibe got... So much to worry about, Doc and Gobo and Red...
Loved the little nod to "Scat Cat" from Sesame...
And I'm wondering just who it is he lost, Ms. Ardath or someone of the grizzlier nature?
Rully like how this story's coming along. Hope to chat with you guys later tonight.

 

[Java]

House, MD is a wonderful show! This chapter is great at incorporating the silly creatures medicine into Fraggle medicine. Gee, I wonder what the ventilator will sound like - or will they have to continue to do it "bag" by hand - yeesh, scary! Thank goodness that Red would be considered to old to be in my unit - I wouldn't be able to handle it seeing her there.

I digress though, this was a wonderful chapter. Poor Gobo worrying so much about her. It's nice to see the plumber concerned with Doc as well. Can't wait for more!

 

[ReneeLouvier]

Chapter Nine

Gobo stayed by her side, for all the night. After they had attached what House had called a "ventilator", Red was breathing quite normally, and easier now. Healer and House had both stressed to Gobo to make sure she dosn't try to take it out, because that could hurt her. He didn't understand why, but he listened to them. They were older then him, House even more so then Healer, and he respected what they said.

"What's happening to me?" Red wrote down on the small pad of paper that Mokey had brought her; so she could communicate with them all.

"We don't know Red...House and Healer are doing all they can to help you." Gobo said softly, his hand still clasped in hers.

The caverns were mostly silent, with the exception of the many fraggles grumbling as they took to cleaning up the damage that the water had done. Healer was sleeping in the room beside them, while House was working on various herbal tinctures and poultices that could help Red.

"Do you know if I'm going to get better?" Red wrote, her eyes filling with tears. "Healer said she may have to do...surgery. I don't even know what surgery is, Gobo!"

"I think it's supposed to help, Red. Uncle Matt's mentioned it a couple of times, in some of his postcards." He replied, giving her another kiss on her cheek.

Red was silent for a few moments, her free hand resting on the pad of paper. She wasn't sure what to say to him. This feeling was new to her, but was it desperation? Or was it real? She figured she would give it a try.

She tapped Gobo's hand, indicating she wanted him to listen, or rather be ready to read what she had to write. "Do you love me?" She wrote down, showing the pad to him.

"Why would ask that? Of course I love you." He smiled at her, and she smiled back at him from around the ventilator's tube. "I love all of my friends, Red. Why would you think any different?"

Her smile fell, but Gobo couldn't notice it. Closing her eyes, she kept writing arduently. "I mean, do you really love me?"

Gobo read what she wrote, and he wasn't sure what she meant, until he looked at her face. Full of hope, and expectation. Her eyes brimming with tears. But were they happy tears, or sad? He didn't like that he couldn't tell exactly what was going through her mind. He wished he could talk to her, and not just have to write on a piece of paper what she wanted to say.

"GOBO!?" The pad of paper had his name scrawled huge, in bold letters and underlined across it, as if she were yelling.

"Yes, I do love you, Red." He finally said, hoping against hope it was true love she wanted; and that she wasn't scared out of her wits because of the position she was in. He would understand of course, if that was the case; but he didn't want to think of how scared she might have been...if she was seeking something to comfort her. Instead of true love.

"Go to the caverns then." She replied, sketchily writing on a pad of paper.
Gobo started at what she wrote, he loved her; yes. But he wasn't sure if he could go without her. They had both been playing around with each other, and they'd known each other for most of their lives, but to go to the caverns without their mate, had never been heard of before. And he wasn't even sure he would marry her yet. But his heart was nearly in his throat, as he looked down at her in the bed.

"Bring back a nightlily, Gobo." She wrote again, staring at him. She wanted to say so much, that couldn't be conveyed on mere paper alone. She wanted to speak, give him a kiss; thank him for what he'd done for her. Her hand traveled to the tube in her mouth, Gobo never noticed it happening. He had stood up, and had his back to her; she knew she would only have a few moments, before someone shoved the tube back down, denying her words to flow forth. This was the only chance she had.

Gently snaking the tube out of her throat as quietly as she could, she coughed a couple of times into her hand. "Gobo?" Her voice was raspy, and strained; unused for hours on end with an irritating tube down her throat.

"Please...pick a nightlily for me. Show me you love me....I...I love you."
He was staring at her now, the saliva coated tube laying across her chest; her breaths coming shorter as the seconds ticked by. She managed a broad smile at him, her firey hair draping across her shoulders; looking the very image of a fraggle goddess to him, if they had had one.

"Please, Gobo." She took another deep breath, speaking slowly and with little force. "I love you, and I've...I've been a fool. I've wanted to be close to you, for quite sometime now...and I've let it slip away. Bring back a nightlily for me."

"I can't take you to the caverns with me, Red. You're too weak, you wouldn't make it." He replied, ready to call for House or Healer, should something happen.

But calling them was not nessecary, as they were right there in the room; at the edge of the door. Watching them both.

"She needs that back in her, Healer. She's going to pass out soon. Her lungs aren't strong enough yet." House was muttering, as Healer held him back from entering the room.

"Let them speak, House. They need this. Unless something happens, we shall wait for Gobo to leave, then we'll reattach her." Healer said, with a slightly firm tone to her voice. She knew that those young fraggles needed this, and desperately.

"Please, Gobo?" Red asked, feeling weaker by the second as her oxygen levels continued to decrease rapidly. She was soon going to pass out, but she willed herself to stay awake, until Gobo answered her. No matter how long that would be. Love overpowers all, she's always believed in it; and it wasn't going to fail her now.

"I can get the World's Oldest Fraggle to help us, Red. I'll get you the nightlily, and if we have too; we'll get married in the Healer's cavern!" He stated, giving Red an ever-so-gentle hug; then bounding out of the room to get what was needed.

The two older fraggles rushed to Red's bedside as soon as Gobo's tail had left the doorway. House was glaring at her, while Healer was positively beaming.

"That was a stupid idea, young fraggle." House scolded her, as he got a clean tube and bag for her. "You could have passed out and caused some damage you know."

"Oh, don't mind him, Red. He's just never known what love is before." She playfully chided House, as she checked out Red's vitals. "You are doing better, sweetheart."

Red smiled at them, settling back on the pillow. "Love always triumphs..." She mused out loud, watching as House came back over with a clean setup. She willingly opened her mouth and accepted the accursed tube down her throat, she didn't gag this time however. And soon the ventilator was working it's wonders again.

'I just wonder how far love will take us though?' Red was thinking, as she watched Healer puttering about the room tidying up, and House writing down some information in her chart.

***​

"Junior? Is that well working yet?" Pa Gorg blasted from the front door, angry that it still hasn't worked in the past hour.

"I'll try it again, Daddy!" Junior responded, as he finished up picking the radishes from the garden. Ambling over to the well, he set the much-used bucket underneath the spout, and began to pump and pump as usual. This time, water came out!

"Daddy! It works! It works!!" He grabbed the full bucket of water, and came running inside, almost tripping over his own feet, until Pa caught him.

"Good job, son! We finally got some water." He poured three tall glasses of ice cold water, and handed the first one of Ma, who took it graciously, and drank it in one gulp.

"Oh, wonderful job, Junior! Thank you." She said, smiling at her son. Pa poured her another glassful, and she sat back, finally feeling cool again once more.

"Aw, shucks Ma. It wasn't anything on my part, I just pulled the pump, and out came the wata!" He replied with a smile, as he sat in his chair, beside the fireplace.

"Well, we should be thankful it finally started working! It was those nasty little fraggles that caused this too!" Ma stated with a frown across her face. "I can't believe that they would let this happen..."

Pa grunted, looking down into his glass of water. "They probably turned off the water, just to try to kill us in this heat!"

Junior wasn't sure what to think about the fraggles. They were scared of him, yet some of them wanted to be friends. He would try to scare them away with trying to thump them, but they still kept coming back, usually to steal radishes from the garden. Instead of trying to really think deeply into it, which made his head hurt a little; he just sat back and drank his water while listening to his parents. The King and Queen of the Universe didn't seem to have much of a hold on what those little seemingly insignifiant fraggles did to them, he thought.

 

[MarkFraggle]

Ack! Toying with emotions!

Red and Gobo ... So happy, and warm and fun ... until you remember she's on a ventilator and near death. Then it's all sad and dark. Then happy, then sad. Love, death, love, death. Aaaaaah!

And hahahaha, Junior.

 

[The Count]

Wow Sara... That's some of your most powerful writing there.
Loved the scene between Gobo and Red in the Healer's cavern. A bit of gender pronoun miscues, but it comes across great nevertheless.
Rully loved when Red wrote down her true question/request of Gobo... And the drama when she removed the ventilator tube...

Oh I do so hope she'll be all right. And I'm looking forward to the new adventure Gobo will have trying to get a nightlily.
Please... Post more soon!

 

[Fragglemuppet]

Another great and intense chapter Sarah! Kind of funny and a little sad at the same time how Doc was watching Sesame Street, and yes, I can see how that particular song wouldn't be good for a headake!
I can't wait to find out what is going on with Doc; I think I may have an idea, though I don't like to think about it.
Really sweet how Healer and her assistant, (wouldn't want to misspell his name) had the opposite reaction to Red talking to Gobo.
Enjoyed the gorg scene, although you might want to work a bit more on them. One particular thing I thaught was interesting regarding that, was that I don't believe I've ever heard Ma speak badly of anyone...outsidee of her own family that is.

Apart from that, the only tip I wanted to give you was thart I noticed you switching tenses from past to present every now and then. Other than that, great job! As usual, can't wait for more!

 

[crazed gonzo fa]

Wow! I didn't see that coming. 'Cause somebody's getting married today!

 

[Java]

This is getting better and better. Hope I have adequate time to respond to the next update. More please!

 

[muppetwriter]

Man! I love the recent few chapters that were posted, Renee! The story is beginning to go into that same dramatic direction that your "Sadie Stories" went into, which is pretty cool. You are the true master when it comes to writing dramas...no joke!

Can't wait to read more.

 

[The Count]

Yes... Please do post more soon Sara.
Hey Sean, sent you an E-mail reply, hope you find it.