The Fairy

Chapter 9 - The Warmth

"Hello?" answered Patrick after picking up the receiver.

"Mr. Fitzgerald, it's Nicole"

"Nicole? Well, how's your son? I don't think I used the right words-"

"He's gone to rescue Penny. I tried to stop him, but he insisted that she needed her"

"What? How does even have the means of finding her?"

"This "Rob" guy he's apparently known for months has got it under control. I'm not sure about this myself, but I just wanted to let you know"

"Thanks.. Are you crying?"

"No, that's Richard. But I actually might be tearing up myself because I might lose my little Gummypuss because he wanted to save your daughter. Goodbye"

After Nicole's slowing cracking voice stopped, the receiver beeped before going dead silent.

Patrick didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to think. His daughter being abducted by some evil being was bad enough, but the very idea that Gumball was going after her was something he did not think would end well seeing the mess this kid got her into previously. Yet the fact that he was apparently risking his life to rescue her and bring her home against any odds was what sparked an epiphany. It wasn't particularly a big one, as it didn't really affect what he thought about Gumball or the fact that Penny loved him, but it was something that he heard earlier in jail from Nicole.

Choices are almost like groceries. They come at a cost. The key difference between them is that it's up to you if you can afford to pay it.

Not that he was comparing anyone with shopping items or prices or anything like that, it was more about the "choices and decisions" part. Something about whether or not they're his to make. He was her father, so he should know what's best for her. But she's 12 and is capable of doing things on her own and he knows that. So that means he should let her decide whether or not this 12-year old classmate was the one or not.

Though this epiphany did not change his view on his daughter's relationship with Gumball, it (sort of) changed his approach to it...

Back on the ship in the Void...

Penny was still too weak and ice-cold to walk on her own. She could barely even stand on her two wobbling legs. She was warmed emotionally by Gumball's comforting words, but the rest of her body had yet to function properly. The stinging pain in her ankle from that fall wasn't making anything better. So until she was able to walk on a decent balance, she had to rest her arm over Gumball's shoulder while he walked her down the dark and (hopefully) empty corridors to the hangar (if it had any means of escape).

"Was it painful?" asked Gumball, breaking a short silence.

"It was j-just c-chilly" said Penny in a shivery voice, frost leaving her mouth. "I-It felt like I was b-being locked inside a s-supermarket cooler and let out after c-closing time [achoo]"

"Gesundheit"

"T-Thanks [sniffle]"

"You might need a warm shower when we return to Elmore," said Gumball, pulling her closer to keep her warm.

Penny's nod in agreement was a bit stiff, though her trembling body was slowly recovering.

Another silence followed... before Gumball spoke up again upon noticing Penny's downcast and still guilty face. "You know, you didn't have to give your powers away. Like I said, I would love you regardless"

Those words for some reason sent a warm tingling feeling from within Penny. It wasn't a blush forming in her cheeks or butterflies fluttering in her tummy, but it was something else. It seemed to be making the warmth in her body stronger and speeding up the healing of her freezing body. Placing a hand on her chest, she felt the centre of this warm feeling enveloping around her heart. She didn't understand what was going on, but it didn't feel abnormally bad or anything like that. It felt more... comforting, especially when it felt like it was connected to Gumball's soothing words.