Healing In-between

Head Above Water

(Non-canon)

(Hello! I am once again making a one-shot with ReadingFluffAndAngst characters! If you need some context for the new character that will be introduced and the pools check out their recent one-shot! Alright, here we go!)

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The Smiling Critters couldn't swim. That was an understood fact since they were ginormous plush toys. They weren't built to swim, so for the most part, they stayed away from the water.

Hopesong also knew that she couldn't swim like Sera ,who she called Gigi, could swim, but that did little to curve her curiosity. Everything the Smiling Critters visited the pools. She would get close to the edge and look at the water. It was enchanting, it was so blue, it was also very cold when she touched the waters surface.

But before she could take the plunge into the waters depth Dogday or Sera would call for her, so she would have to drag herself away from the waters edge and back to her family.

However, this time, she wanted to swim. She wanted to see what the water looked like from under rather than just admiring it from afar. Hopesong asked the other children how they learned, and most said they just jumped and figured it out.

So, that's what she was going to do.

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Hopesong brought the children for their weekly pool visit. Sera was there to greet her and the children and directed them to the pools they would play in. Usually, this would be a sign for Hopesong to go back to the school, but she stayed a little longer so she could go to a secluded pool.

With Sera distracted with the children, she could finally try to swim. Hopesong stood at the waters edge watching the blue waves sway almost invitingly, but something made her hesitate. Something in her screamed to not dive into the waters below, that she could drown if she did.

But she silenced that screaming.

The children swam in the pools with no problem, so if they could swim, she could swim too! With a final push of courage, she leaped into the waters.

It was an odd feeling at first to be fully submerged. It was cold yet comforting. Hopesong didn't feel any panic or fear in the waters. In fact, it was a pleasant feeling as she held her breath, looking around the clear underwater, memorizing the blue tile and the way the light reflected the water at the pools bottom.

However, soon, she needed to swim up for air.

Hopesongs lungs started to ache from the lack of oxygen. So, doing what the children told her she tried paddling to the surface, but that's when she made the dreadful realization she was sinking further and further away from the surface.

She started to panic, flailing her arms, attempting to push herself up but only continued to sink. Hopesong couldn't scream and yell for help. Otherwise, she would let the water into her mouth and lungs, but her lungs started aching for air, making her fight the urge to open her mouth to intake.

Hopesongs wings also started to flap in an attempt to push her up, but her wings did little to help as she hit the pools bottom. Eventually, her vision started to darken, and her body felt numb. Unable to force herself from her instincts, she opened her mouth and allowed the water to enter her mouth and lungs.

Her vision started to be enveloped with black spots as she stared at the light at the surface of the water. A weird sense of peace fell upon her as her thoughts wondered to her family and how she didn't get to say goodbye.

Before her vision became engulfed by the black dots, a familiar cat shape swimming towards her was the last thing she saw.

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"OH GOD, HOPESONG!"

Was the first thing Crabby and Dogday heard when they arrived to pick up the children. Dogday looked around, and his heart dropped at the sight before him. Catnap was soaked, breathing heavily as her sat beside Hopesong, who was also soaked but was unresponsive, Sera was in her pool shaking Hopesong and trying to wake her up tears going down her face.

"No, no, no! Sweetheart!" Dogday yelled in despair, running over to Hopesong and cradling her in his arms. He fell deeper into despair at how cold she was. "Hopesong, S-Sweetie, this isn't funny. Please wake up!" Dogday shook her, trying to get a response, growing more desperate at the lack of one.

Crabby had stayed frozen in place for some time, staring at Hopesongs body until she snapped out of her frozen state. She hurried over to Hopesong and took her from Dogday, laying her on her back, and started performing CPR. She transitioned from pushing on Hopesongs' chest and breathing into her mouth several times. It had to work it just had too.

After what seemed like hours, Hopesong convulsed and coughed up the water in her lungs, gasping and taking in long breaths of air. Dogday cried in relief and pulled Hopesong into a hug "My little girl!" Hopesong weakly hugged him back and soon Crabby and Sera joined the hug. Catnap stayed to the side but was relieved Hopesong was ok, however once everything calmed down Hopesong was in for the lecture of her life from not just Dogday but from Crabby and Sera too.

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Hopesong laid in bed bored out of her mind. The scientists checked her over and said she had to rest for a few weeks and Dogday grounded her for a month. She didn't protest but she was still a little mad about it.

Hopesongs ear twitched when she heard a knock at the door. She looked and saw Crabby with a tray of chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate with some crayons and paper "Hey peanut, brought something for you" Hopesong smiled and scooted a bit so Crabby could it down.

Crabby played the tray down next to Hopesong and sat down at the end of the bed. After a bit of silence Crabby sighed "Look I know you're tired of being lectured but I just...Why did you do that? If Catnap hadn't saved then...Then..I don't want to think what could've happened.." Crabby shuddered at the memory of Hopesongs lifeless body.

Hopesong held a cookie in her hands and sighed wrapping her wings around herself "I just wanted to swim like the children....I wanted to have fun in the water too.." Crabby looked at Hopesong and sighed parting her wings a bit so she could rub her cheek "I get it, peanut. You wanted to play and have fun with the kids, but you could've died in that pool, Hopesong. That's why your dad says you can't swim with the kids your body wasn't built to swim. I know it sucks but don't do reckless things like that..." Crabby said softly rubbing Hopesongs cheek comfortingly.

Hopesong looked at Crabby and nodded a bit tearing up "I'm sorry Auntie Crabby..." she whimpered eating her cookie as tears went down her face.

Crabby wiped away Hopesongs tears "Shhh, it's ok we're just glad you're ok peanut" Crabby said and hugged Hopesong who returned the hug.

Hopesong still loved the water and one day she'd figure out how to keep her head above water, but for now land wasn't so bad.

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(I am so sorry this took so long! Finals and work were kicking me in my behind but it's done! Hope you all enjoy!)