Life had been relatively normal for Stephanie and her boyfriend as of late. Nothing relatively interesting had been happening since she had accidentally regressed her grandparents on Jackie's side of the family. But something had been bugging her since that whole ordeal, now as she sat on the passenger side of her Mercedes while Travis drove them one day, she kept looking over at him, but wasn't sure exactly how to begin.
"Okay, what's on your mind?" Travis finally asked as he looked over at her.
"How do you know something's on my mind?" Stephanie asked in surprise.
"Come on, I know that look you get when you look over at me a few times and open your mouth, but can't get the right words out, so just take a moment and collect yourself before you...."
"Am I enough for you?" Stephanie suddenly asked as the two were driving towards an old covered bridge that looked as old as it was and it seemed any day the bridge would fall apart.
"Wh-What?"
"Am I enough for you? I don't have super powers like Miranda, I'm not a fairy or vampire or anything like that, and everyone in your family is a god or goddess and I'm just....human. I've got nothing special about me, so why out of everyone in the world, did you choose me? I'm not special, at least sometimes I don't feel it, I feel like I'm a nobody." Stephanie said looking down at the car floor in doubt.
"Stephanie, you're...." Travis began to say before he stopped thinking he heard a noise. "Did you hear something just now?"
"Come on, don't change the subject because you can't give me an answer, all you have to do is say yes or no.....OHHHH!!!" Stephanie shouted in a panic when the car suddenly tilted to the right as they both realized that the bridge beneath them was starting to collapse.
Travis was trying to keep calm while he noticed Stephanie was starting to hyperventilate.
"It's okay, it's okay. I'll just slowly drive out of the bridge, it will be easy, just take it nice and.....NO!" The Mercedes suddenly fell into the water beneath the bridge.
Travis and Stephanie were in the water now and he noticed his girlfriend seemed to be hyperventilating even more than before. "Steph, Steph, look at me, it'll be okay, look all we have to do is open the door and swim out of here." Travis said trying to remain as calm as he could for his girlfriend's sake as she regained as much of her breath as she could.
But as Travis tried to open the car door, he found that it wouldn't open, it seemed to be jammed. Travis then reached over to try and open Stephanie's door but found that it too wasn't opening. "Can't you do anything in this situation?" Stephanie asked through her heavy breaths.
"There's not really anything either of my parents taught me for a situation like this. Don't you have your battle suit on you?" Travis asked as Stephanie's eyes bulged a little at him. "Why would I take my battle suit on a leisurely drive with my boyfriend?!" "Okay, okay, uh...your moms! What about your moms? They're nearby, right?" Travis suggested as Stephanie hit Jackie's number on speed dial.
"Mom? Travis and I....we're over by the old covered bridge, we...we...fell into....into the river....the doors won't open....oh my god, I can feel water coming in....MOM, GET ANN, AND COME HELP US, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, HELP, I'M SO SCARED!" Stephanie said as she began to panic loudly into the phone and tears began forming in her eyes.
Travis scooted over closer to Stephanie to hug her for comfort as he took Stephanie's phone. "Mrs. O'Toole-Kirkman? It's Travis, I think Stephanie's really in shock, I've got her right now, but she's right, we could really use the help."
Jackie and Ann had been getting groceries and had just walked through the door when Jackie got the phone call from Stephanie.
"Hi swee....what? What? Oh my god, okay just....just stay on the phone, alright, we'll be right there. I know sweetie, we're on our way. Ann, Stephanie and Travis are in trouble, we've got to go help them!" Jackie said urgently to her girlfriend.
Ann dropped her groceries in surprise as Jackie handed the phone to Ann who stayed on the phone talking to her while Jackie got in the driver seat and almost floored it out from their driveway as they drove off in a hurry to find the bridge.
"Stephanie, sweetie? We're almost there, it's the old red covered bridge, right?" Ann asked trying to stay as calm as she could for her daughter's sake.
"Yes, there's....there's more water....mom, please help us." Stephanie begged through her tears.
"Jackie, stop, I see them ahead!" Ann said through the phone as she and Jackie drove their car up to the bridge and quickly exited rushing over to the lake as they could now see the car slowly sinking into the water as more water was filling into the car. Jackie analyzed the situation and came up with a plan as she took the phone from Ann.
"Travis, I'm going to wish it, so you can kick the door open, ready?" "Ready, Mrs. OTK." Travis replied as they both counted on three as Jackie used her magic so the door could be kicked open.
Travis pulled Stephanie out of her car seat and they both swam up to the edge of the road to see Ann holding onto Jackie as hard as she could and was reaching out her hand for Travis to grab onto. Travis held tightly onto Stephanie as he grabbed onto Ann's hand and Ann and Jackie managed with their hidden strength both pulled the young couple out of the water onto the road. Travis and Stephanie both coughed up water as they regained their composure and Ann and Jackie both breathed heavy sighs of relief.
Stephanie now began crying as they all sat up on the pavement. "Stephanie, you're okay, do you hear me? You're okay. You're alive and you're okay." Travis said hugging his girlfriend who was still in shock. Stephanie through her tears pushed Travis off as she stood up quickly.
"Am I? Maybe that was the universe telling me I should have died with my parents all those years ago? Maybe that was fate telling me I don't deserve you....or my mothers, am I really worth all this?" Stephanie asked crying through her tears as she held her arms.
"You're worth it to me. I never knew how much I'd come to love you as a daughter, there's nothing I wouldn't do for you, I'd move heaven and hell to see you live as long as you can." Ann said as she began to cry and held onto Stephanie's shoulder.
"Stephanie, you've made me see what I can really be as a mother and these last few years helping raise you has shown me how stressful, but how joyous it can be to be your mom. I love you like I raised you from a baby, there's no other girl I'm proud to call my daughter." Jackie said too as she cried alongside the two of them.
Stephanie looked over at Travis now for his answer.
"You asked me before if you were enough for me. I've dated girls in the past, but the more I got to know you, the more I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Stephanie O'Toole-Kirkman, I love you more than life itself and I don't just mean my mom." Travis said as Stephanie now began to chuckle and the three of them hugged Stephanie tightly. Stephanie was never more happy to be part of a family like this one.
"Sorry about the Mercedes." Stephanie apologized as they all stood up and looked into the river.
"It's okay, cars can be replaced. You're irreplaceable." Ann said as she kissed Stephanie on the forehead as did Jackie.
None of the four noticed in the far distance how Casseus had observed the situation and watched the young couple drive onto the old covered bridge and noticed how corroded the bridge had become, and knew that if he made it weaken just a little more the two might have drowned but they were instead saved by Stephanie's parents. He left now without anyone noticing as he had other things to do.