Volume III: It's Not About You

Shrink, Shrank, Shrunk: Part 5

There, sitting before me, was the Eye of Agamotto with a note attached to it.

I couldn't help but look into the future and I realized you will need this. Be careful, please Kate. I have faith in you, but I couldn't see past the moment you opened this note. I love you.

-Dad

I blinked a few times before taking my cloak off and setting them both on my desk.

"What are those?" Scott's voice rang out, making me jump. I had forgotten he followed me for a moment.

After I caught my breath, I looked to him. "That's my cloak, which is a relic and my closest companion. And that is something very powerful which I can use to practice the spell..."

"Ah, yeah, right, of course."

I had to sit down, putting a hand to my head. "Dad, why?" I rubbed my eyes and face, dumbfounded.

"He must trust you," Scott chimed in. "I know I'd trust my daughter."

I laughed a bit. "Maybe..." I took a deep breath. "I just hope I can do it."

"Sure you can," Scott said.

"Tomorrow," I replied.

Scott smiled. "Okay. Goodnight, Katelyn."

"Goodnight, Scott," I replied with a small smile as he left. I locked my door quickly, shut and locked all the windows and closed the blinds. I then called my father.

"I know what you're going to say," was his answer as he picked up.

"Dad, hows Peter?"

"That's not what I thought you were going to say." My father sighed. "Peter is in ICU now. Only May can visit him at this point."

"Is he okay?"

"They got the bullets out and stabilized him."

"You're holding something back."

I heard my father sigh once more over the phone. "Kate, you need to focus."

"Dad."

"Katelyn."

"I thought I was coming here because I was a good student and top of my tech class and maybe I'd learn some cool stuff, but it was all a ruse. I don't care about being here anymore, dad. I only care about what's going on where you and Peter are. Please."

"Kate, he's okay."

"He's in ICU. There's no way he's just okay. Dad, whatever you're holding back, I can take it."

"Fine." My father took a deep breath. "He's in a coma. Christine doesn't know if he's going to recover. He was shot three times. One in the hip, one in the abdomen, and one through his collarbone. Luckily the first two weren't too bad but the one near his collarbone shattered it on his right side. I know he has more strength than the average person and his body heals faster, but it doesn't just regenerate. We don't know what's going to happen."

I stayed quiet, swallowing a lump in my throat before speaking. "Okay..."

"Katelyn, I want you to rest. Rest and restart tomorrow. Do a time loop and perform the spell. I'll walk you through it, okay? I have faith in you, Katelyn. I love you."

"I love you too..."

With that, my father hung up and I laid down in my bed. I covered the Eye of Agamotto with my cloak, so it was out of sight and protected. Rolling over, I shut my eyes, only to find that I couldn't sleep. Whether it was because of Peter or my current situation, I had no idea. My anxiety level was steadily rising, so I grabbed my phone and played a game to get my mind off it until I finally got too tired to think and fell asleep.