"What happened? Where's Sage?" Pepper pulled Rosemary into a tight embrace, feeling her sister's body tremble violently against her. Rosemary's words were muffled against Pepper's chest, so she gently pulled away, trying to catch her gaze.

"I can't understand you, Rosemary," she said, looking into her sister's bloodshot, tear-stained eyes. Fear spiked in Pepper's chest, growing heavier with each passing second.

"She... she was on the floor. I don't know what happened, Pep." Rosemary's voice trembled as she looked away. "I was outside in the garden, and it felt like an earthquake. Maybe that's how it happened, but Sage didn't feel it. How is that possible, Pep?"

"What? You're not making any sense." Pepper's grip tightened on Rosemary's shoulders. "I haven't heard anything about an earthquake. We don't get earthquakes here. Where is Sage?"

Rosemary sniffed, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "She went for coffee. We've been here all day. If I'd only been there, Pep…"

Before Pepper could respond, a voice came from behind them, strained but unmistakable.

"Well, one of the prodigal daughters returns. Hi, Pepper."

Pepper turned sharply, her breath catching in her throat as she faced Sage. Her sister's face was puffy and tear-streaked, but there was still fire behind her eyes.

"Sage, what... what happened?" Pepper pulled her into a hug, feeling the resistance in Sage's body before she relented, sinking into the embrace.

"How'd you get here so fast, Pep?" Sage asked, twisting her head slightly, confusion etched in her tired expression.

"I was already on my way here," Pepper said quickly, pulling back to search her sister's face. "What happened to Mom? Can I see her?"

"On your way?" Sage blinked, her brow furrowed. "After all this time?"

Pepper hesitated. "The doctor...?"

"The doctor's in with her now. They think she slipped in the kitchen and hit her head on the table. There was water everywhere. Thank God Rosemary found her when she did," Sage said, the anger in her voice fading, replaced by exhaustion.

"Yeah," Rosemary mumbled. "They said she might not have made it otherwise."

Pepper looked between them, her heart thudding in her chest. "Mom is lucky to have you two."

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed from behind them. "What happened?"

The trio turned in unison, their expressions shifting from disbelief to shock.

"Poppy?" Sage said incredulously. "The sky must really be falling."

Poppy took a hesitant step forward. "Is Mom okay? I need to see her."

"Haven't you done enough?" Pepper snapped, her voice filled with barely concealed rage.

"Oh, come on, Pepper Pot," Poppy shot back, her lips twisting into a bitter smile. "We both know I didn't corner the market on hurting Mom."

"Stop it!" Sage's voice cracked, startling them all. "You both left. You left Mom. You left us. It's been two years since we've seen either of you, so you don't get to fight out here while Mom is fighting for her life!"

"I'm just glad we're all here. I think it'll help Mom to see us together," Rosemary whispered, hiccupping through her tears.

"Rosemary…" Poppy stepped past Pepper, her arms outstretched. "I missed you, Pigpen! Still playing in the dirt?"

"There's always dirt under my nails." Rosemary smiled weakly, hugging Poppy tightly. "Oh, Pops, Pepper, I'm just glad we're all here."

Before they could say more, the door to Holly's room opened, and Dr. Lucas Hemmings stepped out quietly, closing the door behind him.

"Lucas," Pepper said, her voice sharp.

"Pep?" Lucas looked surprised. "How'd you get here so fast?"

"How's my mother?" Pepper's words were clipped.

"How's our mother? Hi, Lucas," Poppy interjected, forcing a smile.

"Poppy?" Lucas smiled despite himself. "Welcome home, ladies." His tone shifted, growing serious. "Holly's in and out of consciousness. We think she has a concussion, but I'm sending her for an MRI just to be safe. Her health issues complicate things."

"What health issues?" Pepper's eyes snapped to her sisters. "Why didn't you tell me Mom was sick?"

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Lucas raised a hand. "Let's keep things calm, Pep. You can see her, but keep it short. Don't upset her."

As Lucas left, Poppy opened the door first, her usual bravado falling away when she saw their mother. The girls filed in behind her, the sound of machines beeping softly in the background.

Holly's pale face was a ghostly contrast to the vibrant, strong woman they knew. Her chest rose and fell slowly.

"Mom, we're here," Pepper whispered, taking her hand. The coldness of her mother's skin sent a wave of panic through her. "She's so cold," she murmured.

Sage grabbed a blanket from the chair and placed it gently over Holly. The four sisters sat on the bed, watching their mother stir.

"My babies…" Holly's voice was barely audible. "All together again."

Holly asked for water, and Pepper held the straw to her lips. After a small sip, Holly swallowed hard and tried to sit up.

"No, Mom. Stay still," Pepper whispered, easing her back down. "You need to rest."

"Not this time," Holly breathed, her voice weak. "I should've prepared you."

"Don't talk like that!" Rosemary sobbed quietly.

Holly's eyes fluttered, her breath ragged. "When I'm gone…"

"Mom, please don't!" Poppy choked on her words.

"When I'm gone, take my ashes and pour them into the well…"

"God, she's delusional," Poppy whispered.

Suddenly, Holly's eyes flew wide open. "Your Aunt Ginger is coming. She'll help you." She gasped and fell back against the pillows.

The machines blared, alarms echoing through the room.

The alarms on the machines started blaring, jolting the sisters into action. All four stood up in unison, their faces a mixture of panic and disbelief.

"Mom? Mom!" Pepper cried, clutching Holly's hand tighter, her voice growing more frantic. "Wake up, Mom!"

"No, no, no!" Rosemary wailed, her voice breaking as Sage grabbed hold of her, trying to keep her from collapsing to the floor.

Poppy stood frozen in place, her eyes wide, unable to process the scene unfolding before her.

"This isn't happening!" she muttered as if saying it aloud could make it true.

"Someone go find Lucas!" Pepper shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.

Poppy blinked, shaking herself out of her daze, and stumbled toward the door just as Lucas and four nurses rushed into the room. One of the nurses gently but firmly corralled the sisters into a corner.

"Please, step outside for a moment," the nurse said, her voice calm but urgent as she guided them toward the door.

"What's happening?" Poppy asked, choking on her words, the tears finally spilling over.

"We're doing everything we can," the nurse replied, ushering them out. "Just give us a few minutes."

The door clicked shut behind them, leaving the sisters standing in the sterile hallway, their minds reeling.

"Why is this happening?" Rosemary sobbed, her whole body shaking.

"I don't know, but it's going to be okay." Pepper tried to keep her voice steady, though her fear gnawed at her. She pulled Rosemary and Poppy into a tight embrace. "We'll get through this. We have to."

Sage stood behind them for a moment, her fists clenched, watching her sisters break down. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around them all, enclosing Rosemary and Poppy between herself and Pepper. She locked eyes with Pepper, and in that shared look, neither needed to speak. The grim reality was already sinking in.

"I am so sorry," Lucas's voice broke through the tense silence. The door to Holly's room opened, and he stepped out slowly, followed by the nurses. His usually composed face was strained, his dark eyes rimmed red.

Pepper was the first to pull away from the group, her breath catching in her throat as she walked toward Lucas.

"What do you mean, sorry?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "What... what are you saying?"

Lucas swallowed hard, his gaze shifting to the floor before he met her eyes again. "We did everything we could," he said softly. "But she's gone."

Poppy let out a small, strangled cry as Rosemary dropped to her knees, covering her ears as if to block out the words.

"No!" Rosemary screamed. "No, no, no!"

Pepper's legs wobbled, and for a moment, it felt as though the world tilted on its axis. She took a step forward, her knees threatening to give way beneath her.

"I need to see her," Sage whispered, stepping forward and brushing past Lucas.

"You haven't done everything you could!" Pepper suddenly yelled, her voice cracking with fury. She stormed up to Lucas and pounded on his chest with balled fists. "You go back in there, and you wake her up! Do it, Luc! Wake her up!"

Lucas caught her wrists gently, his face drawn with grief. "I'm sorry, Pep," he whispered, pulling her into a tight embrace as she shook violently in his arms. "I can't fix this. You know I would if I could."

Pepper sobbed into his chest, her knees finally giving out as she clung to him. "I'm sorry, baby," he whispered again, gently releasing her.

"Go ahead," he added softly. "You can see her."

Pepper, Sage, and Poppy exchanged a look before slowly walking toward the door. They paused, turning back to Rosemary, who was still on her knees, her hands pressed against her ears as if to block out the reality of what was happening.

"I can't," Rosemary whimpered. "I don't want to see her like that."

Sage walked over and knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around Rosemary's trembling frame. "We have to, Ro. This is our last chance to see her."

"I can't," Rosemary repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You can," Poppy said gently, taking Rosemary's hand and helping her stand. "We'll be with you."

Together, the four sisters walked back into the room. The machines had been turned off, and the only sound was their quiet footsteps. Holly's face was still, her body now covered by the thin hospital blanket.

"We don't have a mom anymore," Rosemary whimpered, her voice breaking as the door clicked shut behind them.

They stood in silence, the weight of loss hanging heavy in the air. Pepper's breath caught in her throat again, and she clenched her fists, fighting back tears.

"Mom..." Sage whispered, stepping forward to place a hand on Holly's cold arm. "We're all here. Just like you wanted." Her voice cracked, and she wiped away a tear.

"We're going to make you proud," Pepper added quietly, reaching for her mother's hand. "We'll take care of each other. We promise."

Poppy stood at the foot of the bed, her heart heavy with unspoken words. "I'm sorry, Mom," she whispered, biting her lip as tears streamed down her face. "I'm so, so sorry."

For a few moments, the sisters stood there, the silence between them filled with everything they hadn't said and everything they now couldn't.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Sage took a deep breath and nodded. "We should go."

"She told us what to do," Pepper said, her voice low, almost as if speaking the words aloud made them too real. "She said... her ashes. We have to take them to the well."

"That's crazy," Poppy murmured, her face pale. "She wasn't making any sense."

"Maybe she was," Sage said quietly. "Maybe she knew something we don't."

They stood in silence for another beat, the reality of their mother's last words sinking in.