Instant Family (SWSH Fanfic)

Falling Into a Rabbit Hole and Other Activities to do With Loved Ones

"ALLISTER—"

The world seemed to move in slow motion for Bea. Her angry grip on Gloria's collar loosened as she saw, to her horror, Allister's small frame wobble forward. Her eyes widened as he tried to steady himself, his body sinking into the den.

Oh my g—

Bea blinked, her eyes reopened. Suddenly she saw Gloria's body lunging in front of her, diving head-first into the den.

The ringing in her ears stopped, life began functioning in real-time again.

NO TIME— ONLY DO—

Bea hurtled over the edge of the well-shaped den with hard-shut eyes as she prepared for the worst. She hooked the top of her feet to the edge and stretched her hands down in a wild grab. Her hands clapped loudly, grasping firmly on Gloria's ankle, she snapped her eyes open brightly.

"Gotcha—" her voice echoed ominously in the pink, illuminated den. She winced, the inertia of Gloria falling yanking her shoulders almost out of her sockets, "—OOF." Dust from the sandstone beneath her feet scattered down, her hook method slowly beginning to fail. She put one hand in front of the other, painfully heaving Gloria closer.

"Allie!??"

Gloria swayed a bit in her grip, swinging Allister to the side sheepishly.

"...Gloria caught me... 'm f-fine..." his little voice rang in eerie rounds against the cavernous walls. Gloria put her chin to her chest, looking up at Bea, wincing at her vice grip.

"You two—" she put one hand ahead of the other, reeling Gloria upward, "—are in so—" she flexed her foot up as her hold began to slip, "MUCH TROUBLE." Her left hand squeezed at Gloria's calf, she let out yelp in pain. More dust fell on the three of them as Bea continued to exert herself.

A violent, pink flash of light exploded from the core of the den, followed by another rigorous quake.

Bea flexed as hard as she could, holding on for dear life.

-•-

Gloria had put zero thought into the situation, acting purely on horrible, unsafe instinct. She found herself in a head-first free fall into a cave.

Mistake number one: diving head first into a den.

She waved her hands wildly in front of her, hoping to hit any sort of limb attached to Allister. She felt a skinny forearm slap against her palm, her fingers tightened instantaneously.

YES.

Allister's face snapped up to look at her, his small fingers wrapping around her arm as well.

Wind still whipped around them both.

Oh. Mistake number two: no plan.

They both let out yells as they continued their free fall until Gloria felt her body jolt to a sudden stop, her ankle getting caught. Bea's familiar voice rang throughout the den.

"Gotcha!"

A sweet wave of relief washed over her body as she strengthened her grip on little Allister, who was swaying beneath her. She heard Bea call out for him, and using all of her might, swung him to the side for Bea to see.

Allister mumbled a bit, Gloria ducked her chin to shoot Bea a sheepish smile, preparing herself for a hero's reception. She was surprised at what she saw.

Uh oh.

Bea's eyes glowed with rage as she started to yank her back up towards her. She rattled off a slew of scolds, Gloria wincing at each painful grab. She felt dust tickle against her legs.