Not Alone

At some point, Enid had lightly dozed off, resting her aching head on the rails of Wednesday's bed while Morticia sat next to her, flipping through the books of spells she had brought, presumably to find something else that might help Wednesday. Morticia had wanted her to try again to have a proper nap in the other bed, but Enid refused. She was still too shaken about her vivid nightmare that she had now mostly forgotten. She couldn't remember it, but the sinking feeling of dread remained. She had slept almost an hour, that was enough - for now at least. She was still so exhausted. Thing, meanwhile, continued his vigil perched on Wednesday's uninjured shoulder, only leaving his spot to hide when nurse Gina came to check on her.

The latest update, according to her was that Wednesday was still improving, but there wasn't significant enough change to determine if she was actually getting better but they would have to see what Dr. Milford said. Morticia had asked when another doctor was going to give their opinion but Gina just said "soon".

Those little interruptions and the constant aches in her body kept Enid from properly dozing off, but she lost sense of how much time had passed before Gomez and Pugsley returned.

Enid startled when Gomez entered and announced, "We're back!" but quickly relaxed.

Meanwhile, Morticia stood to greet them, "Darling, did you get them?" She kissed Gomez, then the top of Pugsley's head.

"We got the arrow, but there was no sign of any staff," he said. He was carrying a large bag and set it on one of the empty chairs and opened it, taking out the arrow which was wrapped in a black cloth.

"Are you sure?" Morticia asked.

"We looked through the list of items collected for this case, nothing meets that description."

"That is concerning," Morticia frowned, "if it's the source of his power…I would hate if it got in the wrong hands."

Enid immediately thought of Magnuson but then tried to get that thought out of her head.

"I also learned something that is…unsettling," Gomez added.

"Oh?" Morticia frowned, "What's that?"

Gomez looked around, like he wasn't sure if he wanted to say anything in front of Enid and Pugsley but he just sighed, "Well, while we were there and Pugsley was scoping out the place, I figured I would talk to Deputy Santiago to thank her for helping Enid and to file a complaint against the officer who assaulted her."

Enid flinched at his choice of words, even though he wasn't wrong for calling it out for what it was. It just felt like a stronger word than she wanted to confront. It was easier to downplay it in her mind.

"I hope that was OK, Enid," Gomez said, sensing her distress, "I don't want to overstep my boundaries, but something needed to be done. This is not something that should be swept under the rug."

"No um, thank you Mr. Addams," she stammered, "for doing that."

"Please, call me Gomez, you're one of us now!" he said.

Enid wanted to cry. They had been so good to her; she wasn't sure if it was truly deserved. She saved Wednesday's life, true, but if she had more of a backbone and took Wednesday to the hospital when she first found her unconscious, maybe she wouldn't be lying in a coma, unable to breathe on her own.

You're such a disappointment…

She wanted to cry, but instead, she just gave a small smile and said, "Thank you, Mr. Add—I mean, um, Gomez." It felt weird to call him by his first name.

"So, what did you find out, darling?" Morticia asked.

"Well, when I made the complaint I also said I wanted him off the case. There was some minor pushback because the murders and attack at Nevermore is an 'all hands on deck' kind of case. Deputy Santiago said she already talked to him about his behaviour and said that he previously worked in the NYPD before moving to Jericho about a year and a half ago. She said he was used to violent perps and tended to overreact sometimes…. Anyway, the excuse didn't sit right with me, so I told her again that if he's not taken off the case immediately and a full investigation isn't made, I would make it happen. So, she said she would look into it."

"Good," Morticia said, "I'm glad you had the chance to complain about him while you were there."

Gomez grinned but it quickly fell, "I also told her that he wasn't to come near Wednesday again, either. Santiago seemed confused by that, so I told her about what happened before we got here, when Wednesday had her 'seizure' and he threatened Enid in the hall. She didn't know what I was talking about, so I reminded her that he had been there to take pictures of her injuries for evidence." Gomez's face shifted to a terrifying, quiet rage, "That's when she said that they had already done that in the ER before she was transferred to the ICU and that Officer Magnuson was never supposed to actually be in here."

Enid felt dizzy and choked out, "What? Then why…?"

"Santiago was equally unsettled by this and has promised that she would investigate the matter further."

"If he wasn't supposed to ever be in here," Morticia said, "then what was he doing, alone with Wednesday when she's…" she gestured to her unconscious body in quiet despair, unable to finish her sentence.

"Thing, are you sure he didn't do anything while he was in here?" Gomez asked.

Thing signed that he thought he was sure, but now he had some doubts and signed an apology, clearly as upset about the revelation as everyone else.

"It's OK, Thing. You didn't know. You had no reason to think he might've had ulterior motives, no one can blame you if you missed something," Morticia said, "and maybe he didn't do anything. But the fact he was essentially alone with her when he had no business being here, that's quite disturbing."

"He's not getting near her again," Gomez promised. "Or Enid, or any of us."

"Not if we can help it," Morticia agreed.

"Don't worry, I'm just waiting to hear back from a judge to issue a restraining order against him to make sure of it. And if he breaks that order, I promise you, Tish, I cannot guarantee his safety."

"Nor can I," Morticia took his hands, kissing him. "He touches a hair on anyone's head, Wednesday, Pugsley, Enid…you, he will regret ever being born."

"Tish, I love it when you get protective," he said, kissing her hand, "It ignites such a fire in my soul."

"How is Wednesday doing?" Pugsley asked, staring at his sister with a look of fear on his face.

"She's holding on," Morticia said, "and, the nurse said that she's improving slightly. The poultice is working."

"Wonderful news!" Gomez exclaimed, "I know my precious viper is a fighter. I'm so glad it helped give her the boost she needed."

"She did say not to get our hopes up though," Morticia added, "since the change isn't significant enough.  She said that she was not out of the woods yet, but considering she had been getting worse, I'll take any win we can get, however small." She took the arrow, still safely wrapped in its cloth, "Hopefully this will give us the answers we're looking for."

She set the arrow on the table next to Wednesday and carefully unwrapped it without touching it. Enid flinched at the sight of Wednesday's blood coating the arrowhead and a bloody handprint on the shaft, but the Addams Family did not seem phased by it.

Gomez took Morticia's hand and kissed it, "You got this."

She kissed him in return and then placed her hand on the wooden shaft, closing her eyes, but then Morticia frowned.

"Anything Tish?"

"Nothing."

"Don't force a vision, my love," he said, "we can find another way."

"No," Morticia said, "there is no other way. Even with the poultice, we don't have time to find another way." She glanced at Wednesday, "I might be able to get a vision from her. I'm just…worried about what that might do to her – to us - if I try."

"What do you mean?" Gomez asked.

Morticia didn't answer, her eyes were fixated on Wednesday, a lone tear fell down her cheek

Gomez placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned in until his eyes locked with hers, "Why? Morticia…is there something we don't know that you're not telling us?"

She flinched and shook her head, "No. It's ridiculous but…there is such a dark energy coming from her, I never felt anything like it. It frightens me."

"The curse?"

"Yes…well, maybe. I honestly don't know," she said, "I mean, it must be, right? But I'm not experienced with curses or dark energies, I've only studied them."

"Is that why you've been afraid to touch her?" Enid asked, worried. Morticia had seemed so confident before, the fact that she had doubts was upsetting. Then again, considering what – who was at stake, maybe it was normal for even someone as self-assured as Morticia to have doubts.

Morticia nodded, "I don't know what might happen. Probably nothing, but I'm not used to sensing such negative energy, I'm not as attuned to it like some Ravens are so this is unlike anything I've ever felt. It's not my area of expertise. And seeing my baby girl like this…I'm scared to take any risks or chances of doing anything that might potentially cause her more harm."

"So, you believe that touching her will hurt her?" Gomez seemed confused.

"I don't know. Probably not…I don't think so, but there is a small part of me that is afraid nonetheless."

"Cara mia, I have the utmost faith in you and your abilities," Gomez said, taking her hands and kissing them, "your poultice is working, Wednesday's improving thanks to you. Don't lose your confidence now. Grandmamma taught you well, and you are…" he kissed her hands again, "the most talented and capable person I know."

"Thank you, mon cher," she said and he kissed her again. "But every time I get close to her, I am struck with such fear that getting any closer would be dangerous. But I don't know if it's because I have never sensed anything like this, or…I don't know, something else."

"Um, it's a curse, right?" Pugsley said, "Didn't you once say they sometimes have a mind of their own? What if whatever you're sensing isn't danger for you or Wednesday, but the curse itself? Maybe it's like a, I don't know, defensive thing?"

Morticia smiled at him, 'You may be right, but I don't know if I want to take that risk. Maybe if she wasn't so deathly ill..."

"It might be worth trying," Pugsley added.

"Perhaps, but given the choice I would rather risk myself than Wednesday," Morticia said, grabbing her medicine bag of potions and spells and digging out two tiny vials, double-checking to make sure they were the ones she was looking for. "At least for me I know the risk of something truly awful happening is low."

"Tish…" Gomez pleaded, clearly unhappy with the idea.

"Gomez, darling, I have made up my mind," she said, "and I know I will be fine." He started to object but she said, "Me and Wednesday are trapped in a burning building. You can only save one. Who would you save?"

"I would sooner throw myself into the flames than to lose either of you."

"I know, mi amour, but that's not an option. Who do you save?"

He hesitated, distressed by the hypothetical question that was rooted far more in current reality than they would like, "Please don't make me choose."

She gave him a stern, yet pleading look.

After a moment of quiet deliberation that was clearly upsetting to him, Gomez sighed, bowing his head, "I would save our daughter."

Morticia smiled, "Thank you." She kissed him on the lips and handed him one of the vials. "I will be fine, but in the very unlikely event something bad does happen, you know what to do."

"What is that?" Enid asked, motioning to the vials, worried about how distraught Gomez was.

"This," Morticia said, holding up a small vial in her hand, "is a poison…"

"What?!"

"…and it will temporarily open my mind so I will be far more attuned to both the light and dark, and it will enhance my psychic gifts, making me far more susceptible to visions," Morticia explained.

"What's going to happen to you then?" Enid asked, worried. She watched Pugsley shift uncomfortably, clearly not happy with the idea of his mother risking herself for a vision.

"Nothing," Morticia promised, "if anything does happen the most likely scenario is that I will be under the weather for a little while."

"Or you'll never come out of the vision and we lose you both," Gomez said with a frown, "Or everything gives you a vision and I lose you to madness. There are so many things that can go wrong."

"And most of them are minor. Psychics have used this to enhance their gifts for centuries…"

"Never without consequence," Gomez frowned.

"Again, more often than not it is minor," she said, "those worst-case scenarios you're worrying about are far more unlikely outcomes – it's only truly dangerous to those who abuse it. Besides, that's why you have the antidote." She kissed him again, wrapping her arms around him, "I will be fine."

"Small dose then."

"Gomez, my darling, do you trust me?"

"With my life."

"Then let me do what I need to do to help save our child," she said.

"But what if…"

"Gomez."

He sighed, "Whatever happens my love, I've got you."

"I know," she said with a solemn smile, kissing him, "Always."

Enid watched the exchange nervously. She wanted to do whatever it took to save Wednesday, but if it meant Morticia taking poison, wasn't there something else they could try first?

Morticia took a deep breath, giving Enid a small warm smile, taking Puglsey's hand and kissing his forehead.  She looked Gomez lovingly in the eyes and brought the vial to her lips. Enid caught a hint of fear and doubt flash across her face before she leaned her head back and drank its contents. Her face contorted in a deep expression of pain, her eyes watering as though it burned. When the burning sensation seemed to pass, she approached the arrow that was sitting on the table at Wednesday's bedside and grabbed the shaft with one hand.

At first, it seemed like nothing was happening. But then she stiffened and went oddly still, like she was in a trance. It wasn't sudden or violent like Wednesday's visions were, but Enid could tell she was having one. She just hoped that it was showing her what they needed to know. But then her head jerked back violently, this time it did look more like Wednesday's visions and Gomez stepped forward in alarm, ready to catch her if she fell but she remained standing.

Morticia's free hand then blindly reached for Wednesday and grasped the upper part of her right arm and she seemed to convulse as though she had just grabbed onto a live electric wire.

"Morticia?!" Gomez cried in alarm. He reached for her, noticed the vice grip she had on Wednesday's arm and tried to gently pry her fingers off but Morticia was unresponsive and wouldn't budge.

"Mom!" Pugsley exclaimed, "Stop!"

Wednesday's pulse quickened, her heart monitor beeping rapidly, not quite enough to set off alarms, but enough to show them that whatever was affecting Morticia was affecting her too.

Tears were streaming down Morticia's face and Enid watched in horror as the tears turned to blood. Gomez shakily tried to open the vial but dropped it. Fortunately, Thing was close enough to quickly swoop in and catch it. Gomez took the vial back from him, a grateful look on his face just as Morticia suddenly let go of Wednesday and the arrow and went limp.

Clutching the vial tightly Gomez wrapped his arms around her and went down with her, breaking her fall and once on the floor he held her tight, cradling her on his lap. He gently wiped some of the blood from her eyes and brushed her hair back, "Morticia, wake up, speak to me my love," he said.

Pugsley started to go to them but Enid held him back. They needed their space.

Gomez opened the vial and held it to her lips, pouring the contents down her throat. They waited a moment, he shook her gently, "Tish, please!" Her eyes remained closed, her body still and paler than usual. He kissed her forehead, her cheek, her lips and shook her again, "Please…" he whimpered. After a moment, he turned to Enid and Pugsley, "Someone, get a doctor…"

Enid nodded, about to go when Morticia let out a gasp, her eyes shot open and she sat up but sank back into Gomez's arms, exhausted.

"Cara mia…" Gomez said, "for a moment I thought I lost you. Are you all right?"

She reached a shaky hand and cupped her palm to his cheek, he leaned into it, taking her hand. "Yes darling," she said softly, though it came out as a shaky whimper.

"Did you see what you needed to see?"

"Yes…I saw everything…" she said. She glanced pointedly at Enid, the whites of her eyes near her tear ducts were red from some broken blood vessels and there were twin trails of blood staining her cheeks. She turned her gaze back to Gomez, "I saw her battle against Crackstone…"

"And?"

"She was magnificent," Morticia said proudly with a sad smile that didn't reach her eyes.

He smiled back, the pride and fear he had for his daughter evident in his face. "I'm not surprised."

"She didn't hesitate to take that arrow to save the Thorpe boy or yank it out to get back in the fight. She had every disadvantage, she was weak from getting hurt, her sword was broken and he…he tortured her with the power from his staff, but she still won. She had help from another girl, and Wednesday used that distraction to stab him and destroy him with a broken piece of her sword."

"Did you find out what kind of curse it was?" Pugsley asked, worried.

Her face fell, "I did."

"What did you find out?"

She let out a sigh and shakily sat up, motioning to Gomez that she wanted to stand. He helped her to her feet, holding her steady as she faltered, but then silently indicated that she was OK. She wiped the tears from her eyes and seemed surprised to see blood on her fingers.

"It was, as I suspected, a Death Curse – but it was more than that. His intention was to kill that boy, but he wanted Wednesday to suffer. He cursed that arrow to destroy whatever it hit. If it hit Vincent Thorpe's son, he would've died instantly as he was the target and it was not designed to miss. If somehow it hit the ground instead, the foliage around it would die, never to grow back again. If it hit stone, it would eventually crumble to dust. But when Wednesday stepped in front of it… even if it was only a minor scratch, she would've still ended up here, like this, it just might have taken a little longer," Morticia said.

"Crackstone was using a power he did not understand. The magic in his staff carried out his intent. He didn't even know that Wednesday was a dead girl walking when he fought her. He tortured her, he told her he would send her to Hell and…" She glanced at Wednesday's face, she reached for her again her hand hovering over Wednesday's head. She took a breath and hesitantly brushed Wednesday's bangs from her face and when nothing happened she choked out a sob, kissing her hot, sweaty forehead, before turning away, weakly leaning into Gomez's embrace, "She looks so peaceful…but she's in agony. He wanted her to suffer and cursed her to die a painful death."

Enid took everything in. She was overwhelmed by everything that happened, the new revelation that Wednesday was suffering awoken a fragment of her forgotten nightmare of finding Wednesday lost in a dark, hellish landscape. It explained why her doctor said that her brain activity indicated feeling pain despite painkillers. Enid had taken comfort in thinking that, like Eugene, she felt no pain, but to find out the opposite was true was too much to bear. They needed to act now.

"How do we stop it?" she asked.

Morticia shook her head in despair, "I…I don't know if we can."