Ahoy! I'm new to Fanfiction! I've read stories on here for years, but have never written or posted anything on here until now. This is my first short story! Any comments/reviews are always appreciated, and I hope you'll enjoy this different interpretation of that brief, yet emotional scene from the movie.
*Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Jim Henson's Muppet Treasure Island. I own only the character Miranda.*
Author's note: This is a slightly different take on the scene when Long John Silver (who's in his mid to late 30s here) leaves with the treasure, and if Jim was actually a young woman in her early 20s. Trying to keep it real and not creepy...esque. ;D Enjoy!
Miranda was feeling restless due to the countless thoughts that plagued her mind and heart during the voyage back to England. She never imagined that she - at 22 years old - would have the adventure of a lifetime in just a matter of several weeks if not months. And yet, she faced so much danger at every turn, and even grew up since she left home to join Captain Smolett's crew to find the much desired treasure. However, pursuing that treasure alone very nearly cost her own life and the lives of her friends. But sadly, it did cost her her friendship with the most unlikely person she never thought she would grow to care for. But it didn't matter now; he betrayed her. He used her as a means to fulfill his insatiable greed for the treasure. It was too late to berate herself for allowing herself to trust him so easily, and it didn't do her any good, either. These thoughts spiraled over and over again in her mind until she felt sleep had finally come to claim her, but suddenly she was awakened by a loud splash. As she laid there quietly, not quite sure where the source was coming from, she decided to get up and investigate.
As she looked out into the water, which was illuminated by the partial light of the moon, she wondered if a crew member had fallen overboard. Instead, she found what she didn't expect to see. Trying to make out what was happening, she slowly and quietly crept down the stairs, realizing that someone was leaving the ship with the entire treasure in tow inside a little boat.
"Silver!"
Silver looked up, hearing the young voice calling his name, and saw Miranda standing there watching him, with the sea breeze blowing her long dark hair.
Like a cat with a bird caught in its mouth, Silver froze after realizing that Miranda could see all the treasure loaded up in the dingy, alerting her that he was planning to take it all in the dead of night. Feeling slightly sheepish for being caught - but none-the-less determined to vanish with this stolen booty, Silver sat there in the boat, spellbound that she had to see him leaving like this. In all his life, Silver didn't care much for the opinions of others, nor did he seek it. He was a pirate: pirates pillaged and plundered, and took what they wanted, whenever and wherever they wanted. But seeing Miranda standing there witnessing this spectacle of his last desperate attempt to take the treasure back, made something inside of him ache with shame and disappointment in himself. He had let her down. Again.
Mustering up the courage to use his old charm on her once again, he said "I suppose you'll be blowin' the o'l whistle on me now, won't you Miss Hawkins?"
"I suppose I will. You have to return to Bristol to stand trial," Miranda answered in her best stern voice.
He let out his quintessential Long John Silver cackle. "Oh, I'm sorry Miranda. I've got a terrible fear of hanging," raising his hidden revolver, pointing it at her.
Miranda slowly raised her whistle to her lips, determination written on her fair, luminous face. With sudden panic that she would actually sound the alarm of his escape, Silver stood up quickly, still pointing the gun at her. "We're shipmates aren't we, Miranda? Lady and gentleman of fortune, together!" Then adding with sad desperation in his voice, "Give us one more chance." His dark eyes expressed so many emotions, imploring her to not give him away.
Seemingly unaffected by his words, Miranda touched the whistle to her lips, standing as still as a statue.
Silver cocked his revolver, readying for any moment when his old friend would betray his escape to the ship's crew.
As Miranda's lips began to tighten around the whistle's mouth, tears glistening in her eyes, Silver let out a deep sigh, dropping his gun down to his side: "Oh hell, Miranda!" With sudden relief, Miranda lowered her whistle down, too, as her unshed tears finally ran freely down her face.
"I could never harm you, my beautiful lass. I've loved you since the first moment I saw you. You're honest and brave and true. You didn't learn that from me," finally admitting these long kept feelings to her.
"I learned it from my friends, Mr. Silver. All you've ever cared about was obtaining the bloody treasure. Now that you've got it, take your oars and row away. I never want to see you again, ever." Miranda pleaded, fighting back more tears and the pain that was evident in her trembling voice.
Her words were not a request, but a command, leaving Silver heartbroken by her admission for her broken feelings towards him.
Silver never imagined in a million years that he could hurt his young friend like this. He had to concede that his treatment of her was dastardly, even for a pirate. Kidnapping and threatening her life all for the sake of fulfilling his lust for gold, was not worth it in the end. He couldn't blame her for not wanting to ever see him again.
In all his years of piracy, he had met women all over the world and broke many hearts along the way. Miranda was different though; she had an innocence and a natural curiosity for the outside world that only made him want to be the only one she sailed with across the Seven Seas. But he was a pirate; a selfish, greedy and cunning pirate. It was in that moment, however, that he realized - too late - that the real treasure he wanted was not gold or jewels, but in the woman standing there, looking down on him. And she was sending him away with a heavy heart.
With a resolute face, and barely holding his feelings and hers together, he sat back down into the dingy and made ready to leave.
Miranda had begun to turn her sight away from him when Silver felt something in his pocket and he called out to her.
"Oh, Miranda!"
Her tear-stained face jerked around and she saw that he was throwing something to her. Not knowing what it was, Miranda caught it in both of her hands - something heavy and familiar.
She looked down and discovered her father's old compass. The only thing that her father left for her after his death and Silver gave it back, knowing full well that it was special and important to her. A last minute gesture of goodness from him that she didn't anticipate or foresee.
She looked back up at Silver as he was starting to row away, slowing disappearing into the early morning sea fog.
" 'Tis a shame, really," Silver cried out. "We would've made a great team, Miranda." And then he quickly added, "I'll always love you!"
And he was gone.
Miranda let her tears fall more in abundance now as she realized she had lost her best friend forever.
"And I'll always love you, too, John," she whispered quietly to herself.