Gina flew steadily across the Atlantic Ocean as Seabrook Island came into view.
Tracey woke up, but due to the medicines he was on and his empty stomach, he was very loopy. With his eyes barely open, he chuckled and told Gina, "I see triple Ginas."
"Triple Ginas?" she asked telepathically. "What are you talking about, Tracey?"
"Are we riding on a rainbow?" Tracey questioned. "Are we in the Land of Rainbows?" He hugged Makenna's surfboard.
"Rainbows?" Gina inquired. "No, we're on our way to Seabrook Island to help Makenna. We're almost there. Just go back to sleep, okay? You need the rest."
"What are you talking about?" asked Tracey. "I feel great. I feel like I can take on a dragon."
"Well, good, but we're not fighting dragons. We're on a rescue mission." Gina flapped her wings and soared faster.
Finally, she arrived at Seabrook Island. Gina landed and slid Tracey and Makenna's surfboard off her back. They landed on the sand and returned to their normal heights.
Tracey rested on his front, Makenna's surfboard beside him. He examined his hand, which was in a fist, and met Gina's eyes. "Um, why are we here again?"
"To find Makenna," Gina answered.
"Oh," voiced Tracey. He chuckled a loopy chuckle. "Right. We're trying to save her life."
"Let's first go to her house," Gina told Merlin's apprentice. "There, I'll probably be able to get you something to eat. You need to get some food in you, Tracey. You haven't eaten since Tuesday morning."
"I don't want food," Tracey mumbled, chuckling again. "I want to fight a dragon."
"Dragons are in Canada," Gina explained. "I'm not taking you all the way there, Trace. Come on, let's get you to Makenna's house." She pushed Tracey's shoulder with her forehead and forced him to his feet.
He groaned and slumped backward, asking, "Are we flying to the end of the rainbow, Gina, to pick up a pot of gold?"
"We're going to Makenna's house," said Gina, grabbing his shirt sleeve with her beak. "Come on, young ninja." She tugged Tracey forward. "Think about the Tunnel of Rambuka. Remember how much fun you had in it? You're going to have fun here, too. Don't forget Makenna's surfboard."
"Surfboard?" Tracey questioned. "Is a surfboard at the end of the rainbow instead of a pot of gold?"
"No," answered Gina. "The surfboard is by your ankle."
"Ankle?" Tracey searched his body up and down. It was as if he had forgotten what his ankle was. "I'm so sorry, Gina," he whimpered. He reached for his forehead and sank to his knees. "I feel awful. My head is spinning like a top."
"I know you do," Gina remarked, hovering before him. "That's why we have to hurry and save Makenna. It's so you can rest afterward. It's been nonstop action for you and her. You're also dizzy because you haven't eaten." She flew to Tracey's head and again landed on it.
"I'm just going to fly to Makenna," whimpered Tracey. He began lifting his shattered wings very slowly.
"Wait, Tracey!" Gina yelled. "You can't fly!"
Tracey flapped his wings and lifted into the sky, but almost immediately, he yelled and fell to the ground.
Still resting on his head, Gina stomped on it. "Tracey, you're impossible! You're only hurting your wings more if you try to fly! Let me carry you."
"No," groaned Tracey, trying to stand. "I'm fine, Gina. I'm just tired." He got up on his knees, but dropped onto the sand again.
"Of course, you're tired!" Gina snapped. "You have broken wings! Don't try to walk or fly, Tracey. Just let me carry you. Please."
"Fine." Tracey performed the Shrinking Spell on him and Makenna's surfboard, and Gina caught them.
"We're going to Makenna's house," she said. "Maybe somebody there can help us." Gina lifted into the air and soared on the air currents. Tracey hugged her back, and Makenna's surfboard was under his arm.
The tern soared toward Jenkins Point and squawked at seabirds who got in her way.
Gina soon stopped to hover. She turned her neck and examined Tracey. "Tracey, I'm going to be honest. Most likely, you are going to wind up in a hospital."
"What?" Tracey weakly yelped. "No, Gina, no!" He frustratingly bumped her back with his fist. "I don't need a hospital! Don't take me!"
"I didn't say I would, but that probably will happen. I don't want to scare you, Tracey, but fairy wings as broken as yours are serious. I really don't want to scare you, but"—Gina stuttered—"you-you may have to get them amputated."
"Amputated?" Tracey screeched. "No! Not happening! My wings are not going to be amputated!" He grabbed his wings and hugged them tightly. "They're fine! They just need time to recover!"
"Your wings are never going to recover, Tracey," Gina said. "That's just how it works. But wings as broken as yours can put a fairy in a lot of danger unless they're amputated. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but it's a possibility. The doctor's coming in later. He'll figure out what to do with you. For now, let's just focus on saving Makenna."
"My wings are not going to be amputated!" Tracey cried out. "They're not! Just watch, Gina! They're going to recover! They're going to recover!" He closed his eyes and rested his head on Gina's back again.
***
"We're here!" Gina announced. She and Tracey just made it to Jenkins Point, and Gina hovered before Makenna's house. She carefully slid loopy Tracey onto the cement and squawked at the house to let Makenna and her family members know that she and Tracey had returned.
No one answered.
"Huh, that's funny," said Gina. "Come on, Trace, let's enter from the front door."
Tracey had returned to his normal height, the same as Makenna's surfboard, and sat in the driveway, playing with his fist. "I really want tacos," he said. "I'll share them with the birds who live next door."
"Tacos?" Gina questioned. She gasped. "Hang on a second!" She whirled around. "Are you saying you're hungry, Tracey?"
Tracey didn't answer. He merely stared into space with his glassy eyes.
Gina shook her head and admitted, "Oh, Tracey, you're a mess," through telepathy. She soared to him and knocked on his forehead. "Come on! Wake up, Tracey!"
"What is that feeling?" Tracey asked. He flinched and peered back at his wings, grabbing them.
"It's pain," Gina answered. She sighed and cleared her mind. She then urged Tracey to his feet and led him toward the front door of Makenna's house. They left her surfboard behind and climbed the stairs, stopping at it.
Tracey lifted his hand and knocked on it. "Hello?" he asked in a slow, feeble voice.
Suddenly, from inside, Tony barked and scratched at the door. It made Tracey's head spin even more, and he reached for it.
Finally, he lifted his hand and rested it on the doorknob. Tracey turned it, and the door swung open.
The interior of Makenna's house was revealed. No one was home except Tony. He stood at the front door, tail wagging.
Tracey patted Tony and rested his other hand on the wall. Then, his hand sliding on the wall, he stumbled toward the kitchen.
Gina and Tony followed him.
They entered the kitchen, and all three friends searched the area. The only sound they heard was the drip of water from the sink.
After a bit, Gina said, "It's too quiet. Where is everybody?"
"Maybe they went to Canada," Tracey mumbled. "I heard they have amazing pumpkin pie there."
Gina ignored him and continued to scout.
Tracey stumbled and almost fell, but Tony pushed against his leg and caught him.
Still hovering, Gina turned to Tracey and Tony and explained to Tracey, "I'm going to get you something to eat, Trace, and try to figure out where everybody is. You, on the other hand"—Gina gestured at the living room couch—"will lie down for a few minutes."
"Lie down?" Tracey sleepily asked. His eyes were barely open. "That's sissy talk, Gina. I don't want to lie down. I want to fight a dragon. I also want some tacos. I want to live my life."
"Just for a few minutes?" Gina begged. "Please, Tracey. You look like you're about to collapse."
"No." Merlin's apprentice shook his head. "I want to live my life."
Gina was finally given no other choice. She nodded at Tony, and they pushed Tracey toward the living room.
"What are you doing?" he fought.
"We want you to lie down," Gina elucidated. "Please, Tracey." She and Tony got him into the living room and onto the couch.
Tracey fell onto his back, and his head hit some pillows. He tried his best to ignore the pain in his wings, but it wasn't easy.
Gina and Tony pulled a blanket over him, and then Gina landed on his tummy and peered into his face. "Just hang here for a few moments, Trace. Tony will keep you company. I, on the other hand, am going to figure out where everyone is." She flapped her aching wings and hopped off his tummy.
Tracey watched as she left him. Once Gina disappeared into the kitchen, he groaned and closed his eyes.
With one hand, Tracey reached for his burning forehead and grabbed his wings with his other. "Wise bird," he grumbled. "She thinks I can't take care of myself."
Tony stood on one side of the couch and nosed Tracey's elbow, whimpering.
Tracey felt Tony's wet nose and dropped his hand from his forehead. He petted Tony and said, "Thank you, Tony. Maybe a little nap won't hurt."
Tony nodded.
Tracey soon removed his hand and placed it on his stomach, taking a deep inhale. He again closed his eyes, and his head fell to the right.
Instantly, Tracey fell asleep, leaving Tony to plop down beside him and rest his head on his front paws.