A couple of announcements:
1) I start school this week, so I'm going to be a whole lot busier soon. I'll do my best to keep updating regularly, but there will be more time in between posting chapters.
2) It is IMPORTANT that you check out the music for this chapter, if only the song that has lyrics. I'm using a cover of a certain song so that it fits with the story, and the lyrics are slightly altered.
I encourage you to use the music that I've posted for every chapter; the term "mood music" doesn't exist for nothing ;). Now, read on!
Chapter 11
Silver and Jim sat in the galley, peeling potatoes. Silver was using his cyborg hand as a peeler, while Jim made his contribution with a small knife.
Silver shot Jim a mournful glance, one of many recently. The night after they escaped the black hole, Silver had had a talk with Jim about the day's events. Jim seemed to have come to better terms with the loss of Mr. Arrow, but he was inconsolable about losing Ali. It had been two days, and the boy wouldn't speak to anyone but Silver, and even then only when he had to.
Jim stopped peeling and looked up, gazing through the holes in the grate above the galley. His blue eyes were darkened by a deep sadness.
For the past two days, he had been running through countless questions, thoughts and memories of Ali. He remembered the shy, too-skinny girl who had turned up at the inn six years ago. How she had eventually opened up and shown her incredible spirit. How she had trusted him and his mom with her past and her secrets. How she had become an irreplaceable part of home.
He wished he had spent more time with her before he had lost her. In the past few weeks he had been so caught up in his connection with Silver, he had neglected the person who had mattered to him far longer.
What was the last thing he had said to her? "Your lifeline!" He wished he had made her come down and get a new lifeline. He wished he had dragged her down from those shrouds and tied her up so she wouldn't go back into the rigging.
Ali would probably scold me for thinking like this. She'd probably say it wasn't my fault. Jim let his head droop down. Too bad she's not here to tell me that. A myriad of details about his friend rushed through his head. How she preferred singing sentimental music, especially love songs. How she had a smile ready for anyone who needed it, as well as a repertoire of cusses that could impress a sailor. How she could read him like an open book, and didn't give up when it took her some time to understand the words. How he had never envisioned a future that didn't have her in it. Now, though, he would have to start living that future.
He recalled when Ali said she had wanted something to remember her mother by. When he questioned her about saving his mom's locket, she had said, "I just get what it's like not to have a memento." Now he understood all too well how that felt.
ooOoo
"Stop here," Ali said quietly.
Despina halted, allowing Ali to get off her back and face her again.
Ali glanced over at the ship, now within much closer range. "Are you sure they can't see us from here?"
"Yes," Despina replied. "But why did you have me stop?"
"We need to figure out how we're going to do this." Ali paused. "Until we come within range of the watchman's telescope, we need to stay low. Otherwise we could have guns fired at us."
Despina winced. "We'll stay low, then. And once we're within range?"
Ali shrugged. "It won't matter much then. They'll know we're here, so we should be able to fly straight in."
"Can we make it dramatic?" Despina begged. "I hardly ever get to show off."
Ali laughed. "I wouldn't mind making a dramatic appearance. You need to make sure no one sees your face, though. I don't know what will happen if anyone on that ship links me to a sirenial."
"Got it." Despina moved behind Ali and wrapped her arms under the human girl's arms.
"Um, Despina? What exactly are you going to do?"
"You'll see."
ooOoo
Up in the crow's nest, Mr. Onus was laying back, the stalks of his many eyes drooping in different directions. On his left side, one of his eyes spotted a speck in the distance.
He picked up the telescope and raised it to his center eye. The contraption didn't help much in identifying the speck. Whatever it was, it was headed for the ship, and fast.
Lowering the telescope, he ran to the edge of the crow's nest. "Captain!" He shouted. "Unidentified object, approaching on the port side!"
As he repeated his call, it reached the ears of others on the boat. Sailors paused in their work to try and glimpse the reported object. Jim and Silver abandoned their potatoes at the sound of shouting and came up on deck. Finally Captain Amelia emerged from her cabin.
"What in blazes is going on?" She demanded.
"Something's coming in on the port side, Captain," Mr. Onus repeated.
"Well, what is it?"
Mr. Onus looked through the spyglass again. "Two people, it looks like, Captain. One of them flying, the other being carried."
Captain Amelia frowned. "What the devil…" At that moment, a soft melody came to her ears. It flowed over the deck and around each person like unseen mist, making conversation cease.
The music grew louder as the two figures reached the ship. They were one flier and one passenger, just as Mr. Onus had said. They hovered a dozen feet from the ship, and the music continued to flow, mysterious and beautiful.
Many on deck closed their eyes, mouths open as if drinking in the sound. Hardened sailors felt the music reach inside them and play their heartstrings. Even Captain Amelia's expression was uncharacteristically relaxed, her eyes looking at something far away.
The spell was promptly broken, however, as the flier swooped over and dropped her passenger straight down.
Ali yelped as she was dumped onto the hard wood of the deck. She made first contact on her rear end, and then let herself slip onto her back so the impact wouldn't cause any serious damage. Slowly she sat up, wondering where she would find bruises later.
"Did you have to just drop me like that?" She shouted.
"Sorry!" Despina called back. "Are you all right?"
The crew stared at the beautiful creature that floated above the deck. Her lithe figure was clothed in a shimmering gold dress, her feet bare. A curtain of blonde hair obscured her face, but every word from her mouth rang clear as a little bell.
Silver's eyes narrowed as he looked at her, but he said nothing.
"I'll be fine," Ali responded. "Thank you for all your help!"
"My pleasure. Good sailing to you, Ali!" With that, Despina turned and flew away.
Ali brushed herself off and got to her feet…only to be tackled by a very familiar boy.
At the sight of his best friend being dumped onto the ship, Jim had frozen, afraid to believe it. But then she had spoken, in that voice that was undeniably hers, and he'd found himself moving towards her. He didn't think he'd ever been so happy to see someone in his life. Now he wrapped his arms tight around her, squeezing like he never wanted to let go.
"Jim…I can't…breathe!" Ali gasped.
Oops. "Sorry," he replied, loosening his hold a bit.
Ali breathed in and returned her friend's embrace, resting her cheek against his chest. Relief at being with him again washed through her, and she closed her eyes. "Oh, Jim, have I got a story for you," she whispered.
Jim pulled back to look at her. An elated grin dominated his face, but his eyes shimmered with moisture.
Ali's lips parted. "Jim, are you crying?" She said softly.
""I thought you were..." his voice caught. "I thought the black hole had gotten you. And now you're here."
Ali smiled. "Yeah, I'm here. And I missed you too, Jim." She pulled him back into a hug. "You know how I once said that you're too stubborn to die? Well, I'm too stubborn to go before my time."
"Miss Ali!" Silver lumbered over, and the two teenagers reluctantly released each other. "What a wonder to see you here, lass! We had all given you up for lost."
Ali exhaled. "So had I, at first. But I got lucky this time."
"What happened to you out there?" Jim asked.
"Indeed, Miss Wood, I believe we would all like an explanation," Captain Amelia said, a command posed as a request.
Ali told them a modified version of the story: she had been thrown off the ship without a lifeline—she made sure they knew that flying debris and her own choices had caused that—, farther from the black hole. A lone sirenial, a kind one, had rescued her, and Ali had eventually convinced the sirenial to bring her back to the ship.
An awed silence followed her story. It was a wild tale, but the beautiful woman and enchanting music from earlier certainly supported it. Everyone there—except maybe Delbert, who had appeared only moments after the captain—knew about sirenials, which also helped the story go down.
As Ali scanned the stunned faces around her, her stomach gave a loud rumble. She blanched and put a hand on her stomach. "Silver, can I have some food? It's been a while since I ate anything."
"Of course, lass! Come down to the galley and I'll fix something for you." Silver headed towards the stairs.
"Thank you." Ali started to follow him, but as she stepped forward, her knees buckled.
Jim caught her before she could hit the deck. "Are you ok?" He asked worriedly.
"I'm fine." Ali sighed. "I've been flying through space for the past two days, so my legs haven't gotten much use. That's all this is. Can you help me catch up with Silver?"
"No, Ali, I'm gonna leave you to crawl after him," Jim joked. He kept one arm around her waist to support her, and she wrapped an arm around his neck for better balance. Together they made their way to the mess deck. Rather than continue to the galley, though, Jim set Ali down at one of the tables.
Now seated, Ali rubbed at her legs and flexed her toes, hating the weakness she found in them. She huffed. "Take my advice, Jim, and don't spend entire days in open space."
Jim sat down beside her. "What was it like?"
"Terrifying, at first. I mean, I was alone and within range of a black hole." Ali bit her lip, the memory fresh in her mind. "I really thought I was going to die." Jim squeezed her hand in comfort, and she gave him a grateful smile. "After I was rescued, though, things changed. It's amazing out there, Jim! We flew past stars of all different sizes and nebulae in colors I never knew existed. There are plants that can survive on the most barren asteroids, and other beings that depend on those plants. And you know how we have these concepts of day and night, light and darkness? In some places the light never leaves. In those places the light is so vivid and bright, it's like a beacon."
Jim shook his head. "I wish I could've come with you."
Ali laughed. "That would be cool in theory. I don't think my rescuer could carry both of us. Speaking of which…" Ali looked at Jim head-on. "There's something else to my story. Something I didn't want the crew to know."
At that moment the galley door swung open, revealing Silver with a tray in his hands. He came over and set the tray on the table. Ali examined the contents of the tray. There was bread, purp juice, and what looked like Silver's bonzabeast stew.
Ali looked at the stew suspiciously. "You didn't put anything funny in here, did you?"
Silver adopted a wounded look. "Now, Miss Ali, would I do that to you?"
"Yes," Ali said flatly.
Silver chuckled. "You needn't worry; there's nothin' worth frettin' over in this batch."
Deciding not to question further, Ali dug in. After a few moments of shoveling food into her mouth, though, she forced herself to slow down. She had no desire to get indigestion.
"Geez, someone's hungry," Jim commented.
"I haven't eaten in two days, Jim. Of course I'm hungry." Ali took a sip of purp juice, relishing the cool liquid on her parched throat. "So, Silver, when do you want me to go back to work?"
Silver frowned. "Are you sure you're fit to be workin' right now, lass?"
"Well, maybe I could—"
"Ali, you couldn't even walk without help," Jim interrupted. "You need to take it easy."
Ali smiled. "And here I thought I was the caretaker of us two. All right, I'll take some time off."
Silver shook his head. "It's a strange t'ing when a young 'un always wants to work."
"I just like to stay busy," Ali protested. "I don't just work!" But Silver had already disappeared into the galley.
Ali rolled her eyes but returned to her food.
"Ali?"
Ali looked at Jim. "Yeah?"
"You were going to tell me something?" Jim prodded. "Something…" he glanced towards the galley and lowered his voice. "Something you didn't want the crew to know about?"
Ali gave a secretive smile. "Yeah." But she didn't elaborate. Jim hated being kept in the dark, and this was the perfect chance to mess with him.
"So what is it?"
"Well…you know, Jim…"
"What?"
"I'm not sure if I should even tell you…"
"Ali!" Jim hissed.
"Yes?" Ali said innocently.
"Come on." Jim made a face, and then added, "Please?"
"Well, all right, since you asked so nicely." Ali leaned closer to Jim. Her expression went from mischievous to awestruck. "I met my distant ancestor," she whispered.
Jim stared at her. "What?"
"She's the one who rescued me."
The gears in Jim's mind whirred. "You mean…the sirenial? She was that ancestor?"
"Exactly. She's still alive, after all this time. And Jim, she looks just like me! You should've seen the moment when we came face to face." Quickly she filled him in on her conversation with Despina, keeping her voice soft. Silver was still in the galley, and she only wanted the people closest to her to know about this.
When she finished, Jim was silent for several moments. Then he grinned. "When you take a side trip, you don't mess around," he said in amazement.
Ali winked at him. "Of course not. If I did, I'd have to clean up the mess."
Jim groaned at her wordplay, but then laughed in spite of himself. As he watched her mop up her remaining stew with bits of bread, a new thought struck him.
"Ali, you said you haven't eaten for the past two days. What about sleep?"
Ali winced. "I tried to sleep at one point. It didn't end well." She had lost her grip on Despina's shoulders and gone tumbling backwards. After that, she had fiercely resisted the notion of rest.
Jim raised his eyebrows. "Then maybe you should get some sleep now."
"But it's hardly afternoon yet." Even as Ali said it, fatigue swept through her.
"Silver gave you the day off, didn't he?" Jim stood up and held out a hand to her. "Come on, I'll help you with your hammock."
With Ali's exhaustion and weakened legs, Jim's offer of help turned into him hanging up the hammock and Ali climbing in. As she lay her head down within the hanging fabric, Ali finally closed her eyes and allowed herself to rest.
Ali slept through the day and into the night. When she woke, it was morning, and she could hear Silver starting on breakfast. She sat up, stretched and flexed her legs until she was sure they would hold her, and headed to the galley.
ooOoo
Over the next few days, Jim's routine changed again. He used his breaks to visit Ali, and sat at the same table as her during meals. Most notably, he kept a much closer eye on her.
"Jim, take it easy," Ali chuckled one day as they scrubbed the upper deck. After getting lunch done early, Silver had sent her up to help Jim. "I'm not going to evaporate." She had caught Jim looking at her for the sixth time in the past five minutes.
Jim knew logically that Ali was back, that she was alive and well. It didn't stop him from sneaking countless glances at her, reassuring himself that she really was there.
He had told her what had happened with Mr. Arrow. The moment he finished, she insisted that it wasn't his fault. She told him he had done everything he could, adding that Arrow's lifeline might have been broken in the same way hers had. He was grateful for that suggestion. He couldn't feel ok about Arrow's death, but the idea of a cause that wasn't his fault eased his guilt a little.
In the meanwhile, Ali was acutely aware of the attention Jim paid to her. Much of it was a return to the amount of time they had spent together before the voyage. The watchfulness, however, was something new.
At first she was touched and somewhat amused by the attention. The times she caught him at it, she fired off teasing comments or just said gently, "I'm right here." She supposed if he had returned after she had thought him dead, she would be reassuring herself the same way he was.
But sometimes, she would catch him in a different kind of look, one that lasted longer than a simple "I'm checking up on you" glance. When this happened she would look away, fighting a blush, and wonder what he was thinking.
Keeping a close eye on Ali had Jim noticing things that he hadn't noticed before. Like how you could tell Ali's mood at a given moment by the music she was making. Or how her eyes shone like emeralds when she was genuinely happy. Or how months on the boat had shaped her physique, her slim legs toned underneath her leggings. He had to quickly halt his train of thought on that last detail.
Silver was glad Ali had survived, and glad for the effect her return had on Jim. He really was. But if there was any chance that they still had suspicions—about him, about the crew, about their real reason for being there—, he couldn't let them share those suspicions with each other. After a week he stuck Ali back in the kitchen full time and set Jim to grunt work, making sure they had none of the same breaks.
Two weeks later, Ali was stationed in the galley, listening to Silver's instructions for the night's meal. She sighed, wiping her sweaty brow with a spare rag.
The day had started out fairly well. She had been asked to make breakfast for Captain Amelia, which made her feel both honored and nervous. When she had brought the food up to the captain's cabin, Amelia had actually praised her on her cooking.
But then the sailor with multiple stomachs, who was apparently getting sick, had puked up his lunch. She had had to skip her own lunch to clean it up—not that she had an appetite at that point. Then he had puked again, right when she would have taken her longest break. Now she was stuck in the hot, stuffy galley, trying and failing to take in Silver's instructions. If she didn't get out of there soon, she felt she might burst.
As she watched Silver lay out ingredients for dinner, though, she got an idea. Fixing a grimace on her face, she pictured images of foods that grossed her out to make her act more convincing. "Silver? That's not cassava root, is it?"
Silver turned around at Ali's tone. The girl was staring at said item like it might bite her. "Aye, it is. Is that a problem?"
"You could say that. The thing is…I'm allergic to cassava."
Silver frowned. "How allergic?"
Ali winced. "Let's put it this way: the last time I tried to cook with it, my stomach got empty real quick."
Silver's eyebrows shot up. The last thing he wanted was someone tossing their innards in the galley; they'd had enough of that on the mess deck. "You better get on out of here, then. Get some fresh air. I'll make your grub without the cassava."
"Fresh air would be helpful. Thanks, Silver."
"I'm doin' both of us a favor, Miss Ali," Silver replied.
Ali laughed. "Yeah, I guess you are." With that, she turned and headed out the door.
ooOoo
Jim sat quietly in one of the shrouds, alone on deck but for Mr. Turnbuckle, who was occupied at the wheel. The other sailors usually on deck about now had made off with a cask of ale, retreating inside the ship in an effort not to get caught. Jim was supposed to be keeping watch, but his thoughts weren't on the night sky. Instead, they were focused around a certain blonde-haired girl.
He had found himself thinking about Ali more and more often as the days passed. Losing her and then getting her back had shown him that he was lucky to have her. When he looked at her, his eyes would often linger for longer than was necessary. Ali sometimes caught him at it. The first time she caught him, she had blinked and quickly looked away, and Jim had been surprised to see her cheeks turn pink. She looked pretty when she blushed. Not that she wasn't pretty when she wasn't blushing…
"Hey, sailor!" A voice brought him back to his current location. "Any dangers on the horizon?"
He turned to find Ali standing on the deck, hands propped on her hips. He grinned and hopped down from the shroud. "Does open space count as a danger?"
"Only if you get the urge to jump off the ship," Ali replied breezily. "Are you on watch?"
"Yep. What are you doing up here, though?"
"I had to get out of the galley because Silver was cooking with cassava root. You know how allergic I am to cassava." She patted her stomach with a meaningful look. She didn't want anyone hearing that she had fibbed, in case it got back to Silver.
"Oh yeah, it's not pretty when you get close to that stuff," Jim said, taking the hint.
Ali giggled and took her hands off her hips. Closing her eyes, she started a wordless melody, tapping her foot to keep the beat.
"Do you ever stop singing?" Jim laughed.
Ali opened her eyes. "I have lately. I haven't been in a position to sing since we got on this ship. All I've done is hum, and even that gets interrupted every two minutes by Silver's cooking instructions. Just let me have my fun now, ok?"
Jim smirked. "Fine, go nuts."
"Thank you." Ali abandoned her previous melody, and started another song.
"When your legs don't work like they used to before
And I can't sweep you off of your feet
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?"
"And darling, I will be loving you 'til we're seventy
And baby, my heart could still fall as hard at twenty-three
And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe just a touch of the hand
Well, me, I fall in love with you every single day
And I just wanna tell you I am"
"So honey now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
I'm thinking out loud
Maybe we found love right where we are"
Ali started moving in time with the music, humming the instrumental part. Jim laughed as he watched her. Ali had no idea how to dance. She was just making up moves, even if it made her look goofy. She shot him a happy smile, and the glint in her eyes—emeralds—made his laugh hitch in his throat.
"When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades
And the crowds don't remember my name
When my hands don't play the strings the same way
I know you will still love me the same"
"Cause honey, your soul could never grow old, it's evergreen
And baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory
I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe it's all part of a plan
Me, I keep on making the same mistakes
Hoping that you'll understand"
Ali closed her eyes again. Arms out slightly, she started spinning, twirling in time with the music that was both inside and outside her head. A few moments later, however, she spun right into Jim. Her friend stumbled and made a startled noise, but caught her by the shoulders to steady her.
Ali opened her eyes to thank him…and realized how close they were. They stood toe-to-toe, faces inches apart. Her eyes were drawn to his lips, and her face reddened. But she didn't step back, or say anything. She just kept singing.
"But, baby, now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Oh darling, place your head on my beating heart
I'm thinking out loud
Maybe we found love right where we are"
Jim shivered, feeling Ali's breath on his neck as she sang. He was finding it very hard to think.
"We found love right where we are"
Ali's voice had grown softer as the song came to a close. Now she voiced the last line, almost whispering:
"We found love right where we are…"
Her voice trailed off into silence. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Almost unconsciously, her hands moved to rest on Jim's shoulders. And now Jim was leaning in, tilting his face down towards hers.
"Ali," he murmured. "I…"
As she felt his breath on her lips, Ali looked up, into his glorious blue eyes.
Dazed blue eyes.
No! She reeled back, hands flying to cover her mouth.
"Ali?" Jim frowned, confusion sweeping over him. He took a step toward her. At the same time, she took a step back, and a bit of hurt joined his confusion. "What's wrong?"
Ali could barely think, could only panic as the implications of what she must have done hit her. "Oh stars, no," she whispered.
Jim's stomach plummeted. Apparently he had made a mistake. "I'm sorry," he muttered, turning away from her stricken face.
"Jim, no! You don't understand. I'm the one who needs to apologize." Ali said the last part harshly, more to herself than to him.
Jim turned to face her again, more confused than ever. "What are you talking about?"
Ali's hands were fisted under her chin now, fingernails digging into her palms. "I used higher-level sirenial song. I didn't mean to, I didn't even realize it, but…" she squeezed her eyes shut, face crumpling as she tried not to cry.
"Hang on, how do you know—" Jim stepped closer and reached towards her. She backed out of his reach, though, and tears started to leak from the corners of her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Jim," she choked out. "I'm sorry." She turned and ran, needing somewhere, anywhere to hide.
Jim could only stare after her, mouth open. He wanted to follow her, but bewildered shock had frozen him in place.
His mind was furiously trying to figure out what had just happened. His emotions weren't helping; they muddled his thoughts like fog on a window.
He had felt a lot of things during Ali's song: fondness, fascination, giddiness, and when she had gotten close to him, longing. And he had felt them more strongly than usual. But, Ali hadn't really used her sirenial power on him…had she?
ooOoo
Ali wanted to kick herself. She wanted to kick herself somewhere painful. Not that it would do any good, but still. She sank deeper into the longboat, hugging her knees to her chest.
Thinking about Jim had been puzzling lately. She could call him her best friend without hesitation, but there was something about him lately that caught her off-balance. There was the funny feeling she had gotten when he held her hand before the longboat ride. And how it only took a look into his eyes for her to regain control during the supernova. And, most recently, the feeling when she returned to the ship and saw him again: relief so strong it was almost painful, and a sense of coming home again.
All these clues had been right in front of her face, practically spelled out for her. But it was only tonight that she had been able to make sense of them.
So yes, she had…feelings for Jim. Strong feelings. And if she had played her cards right, maybe something would have come out of it. But she had just ruined that possibility.
At the beginning of her song, she had just been having fun; it had been great to really sing after so much time without it. That song was one of her favorites, which only added to the fun.
But then she had ended up so close to Jim. It had happened so suddenly, and her emotions had really flared up. She had felt giddy, thrilled, and somehow safe alongside that thrill. And looking at his mouth, she had really wanted to kiss him.
But knowing what she had done changed everything. Jim had acted like their proximity was also affecting him, like he wanted to kiss her too. But with her sirenial power involved, she couldn't trust that.
Maybe he had actually liked her. But even if he had, she doubted he felt that way anymore.
And what did this mean for them as friends? Ali slumped down a little further.
Let's think about it. I blatantly hit on my best friend. I made him feel emotions that weren't his own, compelling him to do things he wouldn't normally do. I don't know how much, if any, of his feelings back there were his own, and he probably doesn't know either.
Ali couldn't see their friendship coming out of this unscathed. Even if they claimed they were still friends, there would be a wall standing between them. Jim would have a hard time trusting her, and she would feel constantly guilty and afraid of something happening again. There was also the issue of her one-sided feelings for Jim.
"Friendship" would just be a title. What was the use in keeping up a façade? Ali bit back a sob, and the sound escaped as a whimper.
Ali didn't want to lose her best friend. The thought of it was like an icicle inside of her, making chilling cuts in her heart. She wished she knew a way to fix this.
But she didn't know a way. What could she do that wouldn't just make things worse? She couldn't influence negative emotions, only positive ones. And look where that had gotten her.
Letting it come gradually would cause a lot of prolonged pain. She didn't want that for either of them. Better to make it a clean break.
She needed to separate herself from Jim.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
This turned into a very dramatic chapter O_o. Well, I am adding romance to a sci-fi adventure; I suppose it's a given that drama would ensue.
Please leave a review! With how busy I'm about to become, I'll need the encouragement to keep writing!