Trrmo77: Indeed, this is a short chapter, but there's a big twist here!
Chapter ten
"Ned!" Nachelle said walking forward, being careful not to move her arm in the sling too much. He'd just walked into the conservatory and he looked tired. She frowned, "you look tired."
"bet I am!" he snapped. "that Nemo!"
"now Ned." She said soothingly.
"jailing me up like a…prisoner."
"technically, you are." She said rubbing his shoulder with her left hand. "try to obey in the future Ned."
"look, I didn't intend for it to happen."
She smiled, "I know that. But I do see how it could have been somewhat prevented. He did warn you."
"does your arm hurt much?" he asked diverting the subject.
she shook her head, "whatever that stuff Nemo put on it, it's got my wound completely numb."
"I'm surprised you let him see the wound. You could have waited for your uncle."
She sat down on a chair, "why?" she asked. "if there were poison, uncle wouldn't have known what to do. he's a scientist, not a doctor."
"Nemo's no doctor." He said sitting on the floor beside her.
"no, but even you must admit he's a genius. If he had the brains to create this ship, then he has the brains to take care of a wound like that. I'm still alive and twitching so that shows for something."
"yeah." He said fiddling with his hat.
She frowned, "Ned, what's wrong?"
"is there something between you and Nemo?" he asked abruptly.
She stared at him, "no Ned. We're just friends."
"that ain't what I heard!" he said.
"what have you heard?"
"I heard about you two holding hands, laughing like you was the only two people in the world! I've seen the looks between you two as well!" Ned's eyes blazed. "he didn't imprison me because of his crew, it was because you got hit with an arrow!"
"Ned!" she said. "you don't honestly believe that do you?"
"what other explanation could there be between you two! He had bloody murder in his eyes yesterday, but one word from you and he instantly changes his mind. he wouldn't do that unless there were something between you!"
"Ned!" she said. "listen, we are honestly, really, good friends. He understands me and I understand him; we both have a mutual respect for each other."
"mutual respect?"
"yes, respect Ned!" but for some reason those excuses were sounding very feeble to her ears.
he made a face. "I'm not as well bred as him, but my feelings haven't changed."
"neither have mine," she said honestly. "you're still my friend. We've had our occasional differences, but everyone does."
"but that's just it!" he said. "I don't want to be just friends!"
slowly, a weird feeling filled her stomach. "Ned."
He gripped her hand, "my feelings haven't changed at all." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. She gasped and Ned's tone softened considerably. "I returned everything…except this. I didn't have the heart to."
She held the ring in her hand for a moment and several things hit her hard at once. But one hit her harder than the other; particularly because she wasn't aware of it.
She wasn't in love with Ned but….with Nemo. And she had no clue of when or where it had happened.
Ned suddenly took the ring out of her hand, "never mind." he studied her face. "I know. You just realized it."
"Ned," her voice cracked and she wiped her eye. "I'm sorry. I-I didn't."
"that's life!" he said. "you take it as it comes! Excuse me."
"Ned, please." She said jumping up. "I am so sorry."
"yeah I know," he said shaking his head as he paused in the doorway. "who'd have figured? You'd actually fall in love with an insane murderer?"
"I didn't plan on it Ned! Honest! He may be a murderer but I see him as more than that. I've see him kind, concerned and considerate. He has got a temper on him, I know that but I also see a man who's been brutally hurt by the world and…even if we were set free…. I don't think…..I could leave."
Ned frowned, "does he know?"
"no." She shook her head, "how could he? I just found out now."
"are you going to tell him?"
she shook her head, "no."
"too bad." Ned jerked his head behind her, "he knows now."
Ned slammed the door and tension filled her shoulder's as she turned slowly. Please. Don't let Nemo be standing there. Please. But as she turned around, she saw him standing there with surprise in those cold dark eyes of her. embarrassment flooded her and tears filled her eyes.
Suddenly, the alarm went off and Nemo jumped into action. She sat on the couch and cried. It was then that an explosion shook the ship. Another explosion and the ship rolled violently as if it had been hit. She fell off the couch, striking her head on the edge of the table there and everything went black.
