The Maidens, United

"Shit!" Davis yelled from the wheel house.

The engine sputtered and died.

"We're out of gas," the trawler captain called out.

"Bollocks," Edmonds muttered. "Adrift at sea wif no petrow and no way to singnow 'elp"

He and Angie stood at the stern and watched Shikoku Jima sink slowly into the horizon. At that moment, the sharp-eyed Husky called out a contact directly astern.

"Where away," the captain replied.

"Low in the water, directly behind us," Angie called back. As his eyes adjusted to the spot Angie pointed out, Edmonds also made out the low shape in the water as it moved toward the trawler.

"Wot'cher think?" he asked Angie. "They could be unfriendly, pirates, even."

"Or a dead ship," Angie replied reluctantly.

"Wait and see," Davis called down from the wheel house.

Tense minutes passed as the unidentified vessel approached the trawler. Slowly, it resolved itself into the oddest ship Angie ever admitted having seen. Edmonds whooped for joy.

"Cor Blimey!" he shouted. "It's the Inscru'abow. Thank the Lord, we are saved!"

The trawler captain fired off a signal flare. A few seconds later, an answer flare launched from the submarine.

Alex was carefully taken aboard the Inscrutable with an anxious Misa close behind. The rest of the group spent the cruise in exhausted relief as the trawler was taken in tow and the makeshift fleet sailed on toward Ikeijima.

Asuka and Shaun met Alex and Misa aboard the Ark Royal after the latest transfer. Alex was placed into the care of the ship's surgeon. Captain McElroy joined them shortly afterwards.

"Tell me the truth," Alex said point blank. "Am I going to lose my leg?"

Looking her leg over, the surgeon smiled.

"You are a very lucky young lady," he said comfortingly. "I can safely say you are going to keep it a long while."

Sighing in unison, Alex and Misa thanked the surgeon for all his efforts.

"I had to scrape out some dead tissue, but you are going to be just fine." The surgeon continued. "You will need some physical therapy, but all in all, you won't be inconvenienced in the least."

McElroy and the surgeon then left the proxy family in peace.

Asuka broke into tears and gathered the girls into her arms.

"When you didn't come home last night, we feared the absolute worst," she sobbed. "I couldn't sleep at all."

She then took Misa's face into her hands.

"Misa-chan. You swear to me on everything you hold sacred and dear," she begged. "Never ever, ever do anything so foolish again."

Tears welled in Misa's eyes as she made her vow. "Hai, Onee-chan!"

"Alex-chan," Asuka rounded on Alex, taking her hands into her own. "If you or this girl ever concoct another scheme like the last one, I will break your legs. The both of you."

"Hai, Onee-chan!" Alex parroted Misa.

"Good!" Asuka smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Now that I have both my girls safe at home, Shaun and I have news we would like to share."

She flashed her left hand and squealed with joy. A ring of hammered brass encircled Asuka's left ring finger as she wiggled it slightly.

"Captain McElroy offered to perform the ceremony," Shaun informed the girls. "We would be honored to have you join us."

Alex and Misa shared in the enjoyment as congratulations were spread around.

That night, the whole neighborhood was unwilling witness to Asuka's wedded bliss. Alex and Misa elected to stay aboard the Ark Royal to give the newlyweds their privacy.

"Thank you," Misa said, as she curled into a chair beside Alex's bunk.

"For what?" Alex asked.

"Everything," Misa replied. "For being there, for protecting me and getting us home."

"You should thank Corporal Davis," Alex sighed. "I was ready to give up this morning, remember?"

"That was just stupid talk," Misa hand-waved. "I didn't believe it for a moment."

Alex smirked to herself.

"I meant, thank you for protecting me this whole time," Misa clarified. "If you hadn't been at school right then and there that afternoon, "I would most likely…be-"

Alex cut Misa off by pulling her into an embrace and claiming her lips. Misa offered no resistance as she gave herself body and soul to the girl who had stood watch and guarded over her.

'The people can sleep easy in their beds knowing that rough men stand ready to do violent acts on their behalf.'