Jim's head was spinning as he walked back up the stairs to the ship's deck. He wasn't anywhere near ready to go to sleep and figured the fresh air would clear his head. He rubbed his tingling cheek with his hand. He hadn't expected anything that had happened tonight, especially not for her to kiss him like that.
"What's on your mind, Jim-bo?" Silver's voice called, breaking Jim from his daze.
The old cyborg was lounging against the railing, looking out at the ocean.
"Nothing really…" Jim said anxiously.
He walked over and joined the cyborg at the railing. Silver looked at him skeptically.
"The look on yer face says otherwise," he protested. "Might it be Ms. Ariel? You two seemed to be having a bit of a moment…"
Jim looked at his old friend, sighing.
"I don't know what's wrong with me," he began, running his finger through his hair. "She just makes me feel so… so confused. But yet, happy, all at the same time."
Silver tried to suppress a giggle.
"Sounds like yer fallin' in love, boy-o, if ya ask me…" he said, a smile spreading across his face.
Jim slammed his hand down on the railing.
"No!" he yelled. "I can't be falling in love! I mean… she's…she's what I'm giving up in exchange for the treasure on Treasure Planet…"
Silver sighed.
"She don't know, does she, lad?" he asked, looking at Jim with his soft, brown eye.
Jim shook his head.
"No… She's just… so nice… I couldn't tell her something like that… I figured I'd just… you know... hand her over to Ursula when the time comes… why make her worry?"
Silver gave him his skeptical look again.
"I suppose… just be sure to think this one over, Jim-bo. Some things are more important than treasure…"
"All hands on deck, now! A storm's a coming!"
Jim's eyes shot open at the sound of Silver's voice above deck. Around him, the entire crew was in a panic to get out of bed and rush up to join the cyborg. Quickly, Jim threw off the blanket and threw his legs over the side of his hammock. He quickly laced up his boots and rushed up the stairs to join the rest of the crew.
All around him, wind raged, tearing at their backs, and rain drops poured from the skys, piercing them like a thousand knives. But he didn't have time to worry about the pain. He rushed over to the mast, pulling on the ropes so that the men above could secure the sail. He could barely see - the rain was making it impossible. He could faintly hear Silver's yelling orders to the crew over the cracks of thunder. Lightning flashed, turning the sky a ghostly white for just a second. He looked around him, trying to see if there was anything else he could help with. Then, he saw it – a flash of bright red out of the corner of his eye – Ariel had emerged from her bedroom and joined the crew on deck.
Jim rushed over to her. Her crimson hair was a mess, and her pink nightgown clung to her skin, soaked with rain water. Her eyes were wide with fear, looking around her at the raging storm.
"Ariel, please, go back to your room! It's dangerous up here!" Jim demanded as he reached her.
Ariel looked at him, biting her lip.
"But… I want to help…" she protested.
Jim sighed.
"I know, but it's too dangerous. I can't…"
He was interrupted by a howl from one of the other crew members. Jim spun around to find that the sail had come unfastened and was now blowing fiercely in the wind.
"Someone get up there and tie it down, before we lose our sail!" Silver screamed over the crash of thunder.
Jim looked at Ariel again before rushing away.
"Get back inside, Ariel!" he called over his shoulder.
He rushed over to the rope ladder that led up to the mast. He quickly climbed up and carefully made his way over to the sail. He grabbed the ropes and pulled them, tightening the sail. He fastened it, letting out a sigh of relief. He got up and turned around, ready to head back down the ladder, when suddenly, the ship jolted violently. Jim flailed his arms around, trying to keep his balance, but it was too late. His legs gave way and he tumbled down.
A sharp pain went through his shoulder as he hit the side of the ship. He scratched at the wood, trying to grab a hold of something, anything to save himself. He could feel the freezing cold, raging water tearing at his feet. In a matter of moments, the water consumed his entire body. Everything went very dark. He felt his body going numb. He gasped for air, panicking as his airways filled with the ice cold water. It seemed like an eternity had passed.
Just calm down! He told himself. He tried to relax, closing his eyes. It was obvious that no one was coming to save him. He would just let himself pass out – at least he would die peacefully.
He lay there, his body weight dragging him down to the ocean floor, waiting for consciousness to leave him. Suddenly, he felt something touching him. It wrapped around his body, pulling upwards. Jim opened his eyes. It wasn't something grabbing him, but someone. He just barely glimpsed the shadowed face of his rescuer before passing out.
If only you could know
The things I long to say
If only I could tell you
What I wish I could convey
It's in my ev'ry glance
My heart's an open book
You'd see it all at once
If only you would look
A song. A beautiful song. As consciousness returned to Jim, he listened to the sweet voice. It sounded so… so familiar.
If only you could glimpse
The feeling that I feel
If only you would notice
What I'm dying to reveal
The dreams I can't declare
The needs I can't deny
You'd understand them all
If only you would try
He had heard this voice before. He was positive.
All my secrets, you would learn them
All my longings, you'd return them
Then the silence would be broken
Not a word would need be spoken
If only
Jim, the numbness finally leaving his body, slowly opened his eyes. Hovering over him was the blurred outline of a woman. He blinked a couple of times. As his vision cleared, the woman's face became easier to make out. Her blue eyes were focused intently on his face, her red lips shimmering as they shaped to each syllable she sang; her crimson hair was flowing beautifully around her oval face. Jim gasped as reality hit him. The girl hovering over him, singing for him, was Ariel.
"A...Ariel?" he struggled to say.
Ariel smiled that adorable grin of hers.
"Jim!" she squealed. "You…You're alright!"
She moved off of him, helping him to sit up. They were in Ariel's cabin – he was lying on her bed.
"What happened?" he asked.
"You don't remember? You fell off the ship and into the sea during the storm," Ariel said hesitantly. "You would have drowned if…"
She was interrupted by a knock on the door. Jim looked towards the doorway to see Silver peeking into the room.
"Aw, Jim-bo! You've finally come to, huh?" the old cyborg exclaimed as he came into the room. "Gave us quite a scare ya did! Ya probably would'a drowned if it weren't for our dear little Miss Ariel, here."
"Ariel?" Jim said, looking at her with surprise.
She smiled, looking away shyly.
"Yes-sir," Silver continued. "The minute you fell into the water, while the rest of us were panicking and trying to find a way to rescue ya, Miss Ariel here jumped right in after ya. I don't know how she found ya- none of us would have even survived that raging water. She's a brave one, I'll tell ya that!"
Jim just looked at Ariel, baffled. She looked at him, her blue eyes shining.
"Land ho!" one of the crewmen called from above deck.
"It sounds like we've made it, Jim-bo!" Silver laughed, heading for the door. "Best be getting up!"
And with that he disappeared out the door. Jim and Ariel looked at each other, a smile spreading across both their faces. They had finally made it!