Disclaimer: I do not own Treasure Planet. But I do own Katharine Kayser and her story.
Chapter Twenty One:
Kate was dumbstruck.
One minute she was arguing with the infuriating James Pleiades Hawkins the next he was attacking her with his lips. Albeit rather gently and it felt nice…no, correction it felt incredible. A fire had erupted somewhere in the lower regions of her stomach and was quickly spreading throughout her entire body. And half of her mind was shouting for her to push him away and the other half was screaming for her to reciprocate the kiss. Unable to make out the voices in her mind she simply just stood there letting Jim do as he pleased.
Jim was frustrated.
He wasn't getting any response from Kate as he proceeded to kiss her. Jim had assumed that his assault on her lips would have illicit some reaction from the dark eyed girl. But no, she just stood there unmoving which not only infuriated Jim but also made him worry that she did not want this. Fueled by his anger at her stillness he deepened the kiss which earned him a small gasp of surprise from Kate. Suppressing a grin he tilted her head slightly and with his other hand pulled her close enough to come in contact with his body.
Kate had to stop a moan as Jim kicked up his at first gentle kiss to something more demanding. Jim's other arm had found itself on the small part of her lower back as her arms were still at a limp by her sides. She knew why he was doing this. Jim was trying to prove his point that she had to keep herself alive no matter what the cost was. He wanted her to live. To survive. To fight.
The hand that Jim was using to tilt her head was a gentle pressure and he had started to caress her face with his thumb as his lips moved expertly on hers. And Kate wondered for a fleeting second how many girls he had kissed before her because he certainly had the experience. Then his tongue met hers and only one thought was present in her mind:
Ah why the hell not?
Kate eagerly met his challenge which had Jim taken aback for a small moment. She had moved her arms around his neck and started to fight for dominance in the kiss. It was Jim's turn to suppress a moan that was beginning to build up in his throat and he wound his hand in her dark auburn locks to distract himself.
"Ahem," a loud fake cough interrupted Jim and Kate, and they sprang apart as if repelled. They both turned towards the entrance and found Edmund leaning casually against the doorway wearing an annoying, knowing smirk. Kate gaped at the blonde and looked at Jim who had recollected his cool, nonchalant look.
"Yes Ed?" He asked his friend casually but Kate could hear the slightly angry tone in his voice. Eddie had the decency to look a little guilty before responding to Jim.
"Sorry to uh, interrupt," he smirked again toward Kate who was busy looking very interested in a longboat's sails. "But Jim you need to see something," Eddie's voice quickly turned to a tone of seriousness which made Kate snap her head back up at him in curiosity.
Jim narrowed his eyes at Eddie in thought about what could possibly be so important; thinking it was probably best to go with his friend Jim tried to catch Kate's attention but she adamantly avoiding him.
"Fine," he agreed giving up on trying to send a silent message to the stubborn girl. Letting lose a deep sigh he walked out with Eddie who was grinning broadly from ear to ear.
"Well," Eddie wiggled his eyebrows at Jim who playfully shoved him, "that just made my night more interesting. How did that happen?"
Jim shrugged not really having an answer for Eddie who gave him a disbelieving look. "Do me a favor Eddie."
"What?" He asked still not pleased with Jim not answering his question.
"Don't tell anyone what you saw." At this demand Eddie pouted.
"But that's all part of the fun," he exclaimed in a whine.
Jim gave him a stern look. "I'm serious Eddie, what you saw..,"
"Yeah, yeah it wasn't the first time," Eddie finished what he thought was the truth but Jim shook his head.
"No, that's the thing, it was the first time and if you go around telling everybody it might scare Kate away," Jim confessed.
Eddie's eyes widened. "Wow, okay mate I won't say a thing," he promised. They walked in silence for a few moments before Jim got curious.
"So what is so damn important that you had to interrupt?" Jim asked casually but still frustrated that he had left Kate like that after he kissed her.
Eddie ran has hands through his hair looking guilty. "Sorry about that, but I wouldn't have interrupted if it wasn't important. And Jim," Ed stopped walking and looked at Jim with a grim expression on his face, "what I found it's so bad that the only person I thought to go to who I thought was trustworthy enough and could actually do something about this is you."
Jim furrowed his brows. "You couldn't have gone to the Captain or Silver?" Jim whispered back.
"I know you trust them Jim, but I've known Captains with ulterior motives," Eddie confessed in a hush whisper, "and Silver…," Eddie seemed reluctant to admit it but Jim knew.
"He's not a pirate anymore," Jim said acidly defending the only father figure he had ever known.
"I know he was pardoned of all charges Jim, but that doesn't mean you stop being what cha been for most of your life," Eddie said confidently. "But who knows? I may be wrong, but I don't want to take that chance, so come on."
Jim groaned dreading the severity of what Eddie had found if it had him questioning the Captain and Silver. They entered the same small communications room that Jim had been in only the day before and Jim leaned against the wall as Eddie locked the door making sure they weren't overheard.
"I was thinking since we are getting real close to the treasure any day now that it may not be a bad idea to make sure we were alone out here," Eddie recalled as he turned a small circular machine looking thoughtful.
"Smart," Jim commented gruffly.
"Thanks," Ed said after a long pause. "So I found this sonar machine and turned it on for a while." He took another long pause as the machine buzzed as it worked. Eddie eyed the machine for a couple minutes then motioned Jim to come over and look.
"We're being followed," Eddie said grimly and Jim narrowed his eyes at him.
"For how long now?" He asked immediately.
Eddie shook his head. "There is no way to know." He pointed to the small lighted blimp on the sonar screen that circling around the edges of the sonar map. "You see that?"
Jim nodded. "Yeah, whoever is following us is staying way out of sight."
"Which made me think at first that they weren't actually following us; just going on their own way," Eddie thought out.
"I hear a 'but'," Jim stated angry that somebody else was after them.
"But," Eddie continued, "they've been heading in our same direction for way too long for it to be a coincidence."
"Why would somebody be following us when Kate is believed to be dead?" Jim questioned out loud.
"Either they believe we know something about the treasure even with Kate dead or..," Eddie trailed off.
"We have another traitor," Jim finished as he slammed his fist against the wall.
Jim Hawkins took his time as he walked back to the engine room after his meeting with Eddie. He had convinced him to go talk to Captain Amelia about what he had found. Jim had understood his fears of not trusting neither Captain Amelia nor Silver but he still found the idea ridiculous. Silver was Kate's godfather. He had been protecting her for years. Jim could even see Kate giving Silver some of the treasure for all that he has risked for her safety. So what gain would Silver have in betraying Kate?
And Captain Amelia as a traitor…that was even a more ridiculous notion that Jim could never see happening. He could never picture those two mentors of his ever betraying them. Jim thought it more likely that it was somebody else whom he had not known for very long amount of time was behind this. Somebody they trusted…but he could not figure out whom.
He was so immersed in his thoughts that he did not notice Kate until it was too late. She jumped on him as soon as he walked through the door and started to hit him hard anywhere she could reach.
"What the..?" Jim exclaimed in shock.
"James Pleiades Hawkins," Kate started with a punch, "you intolerable, arrogant, stupid, stupid, man!" Then she ended with a series of hits in which Jim struggled to grab her fists.
"Hey! Whoa…Kate," he ducked as he nearly escaped one of her swings toward his face. "Those actually hurt!"
"Good!" She shouted back at him. "I cannot believe you did that!"
"What?" Jim exclaimed as Kate finally stopped hitting him looking at him breathlessly. "Do mean the kiss?"
Kate rolled her eyes. "Of course I meant the kiss, you fool. Why would you do that to me?"
"You weren't so keen on objecting to it earlier," Jim told her astounded at her accusing tone, "hell, Kate, you kissed me back!"
"Due to a lack of judgment and oxygen," she said in a scoff and Jim could see a tint of pink creeping on her cheeks. Kate was very interested in the floor suddenly and Jim raised his eyebrows.
"Right," he said in an unconvinced tone and then he took on a serious tone. "Kate I don't just go around kissing girls and if I had a hint from you that you did not want that, then I would have stopped."
"I was surprised," she explained in a rush, "I didn't think you would ever-," Kate cut herself off and leaned her back against the wall.
"Ever what?" Jim questioned. "Kiss you?"
Kate nodded silently. "I mean I could tell you liked me," at this statement Jim flushed, "and I like you too Jim; at least I'm pretty sure I do." She bit her lip and Jim stared at her with embarrassment gone. "If I didn't like you I probably wouldn't have kissed you back."
Jim gave her a pointed look. "But hitting me afterwards..,"
"…was fun." Kate finished for him smiling for a second. "But I never thought you would attempt to act on your feelings. I wasn't planning on it and I just-"
Kate was prevented from talking any further when Jim took two long strides toward her and captured her lips with his. He cupped the back of her head to stop it from colliding with the wall and placed his other hand firmly on her waist keeping her close. It didn't take too long this time for Kate to respond to the kiss and she had her hands bundled up in Jim's shirt.
She mumbled something into Jim's mouth and he chuckled as he broke the kiss. He looked at her curiously. "What was that pumpkin?"
Kate grimaced at Jim's choice word for endearment and rewarded him by stepping on his foot again. "Please…," she started breathlessly, "stop doing that…I-I can't…"
"Can't what?" Jim was irritated at Kate's indecisions and her preference of stomping on his left foot.
"This," Kate pointed back and forth between the pair of them, "us. It can't happen."
Jim stared at her in utter disbelief. "Why?" He asked in a whine and Kate gave him a stern look but then it softened.
"Don't be childish Hawkins," she commented.
Jim ran a hand through his hair. "I just don't understand Kate. If you don't like me then just say so-,"
"No!" She told him fiercely. "I can't…no I won't let myself care for you any more than I already do. It will make losing you so much harder. And I don't think I can handle losing anybody else that I care about." Kate walked away from him so she didn't have to see his face.
Jim could have slapped himself. Of course, Kate wouldn't want anything that he was hoping for; according to her everybody she has ever cared for has died or been killed. He knew she counted herself extremely lucky to still have Silver. Her parents were both gone. Those kids on Persephone were burned alive. Anybody who has helped Silver and Kate out in their attempt on not being caught somehow ended up dead.
"Kate..," he sighed warily as he turned to face her.
"No Jim," she told him fiercely, "don't tell me you're not going to die and don't promise it either, I'm not that foolish." Kate made a dash toward her room but Jim grabbed her wrist and gently guided her toward him.
"That was not what I was going to say," he said softly. "Don't let that or whoever is hunting you down stop you from what you want, ever." Kate bit her lip thinking over what he said as Jim kissed the top of her head and wished her a good night.
They both went to bed that night; both liking where tonight ended up but Kate was still uncertain and too stubborn to let herself get hurt again. Jim realized that he was going to have to give Kate some space until she figured out what she really wanted. Maybe when all this is over, we'll have a shot, Jim thought hopefully as he drifted off into pleasant dreams.
In the galley, however, Zoë was still awake scrubbing pots and pans while desperately trying to keep her eyelids open. Edmund had come to galley hours earlier seeking out Silver while giving her a quick goodnight kiss on the cheek. She could tell something was bothering him but didn't have the time to ask him anything about it. As soon as Silver could excuse himself away from the galley Edmund was gone too. Apparently Eddie needed to talk to Silver privately. Whatever it was though, it was bugging Edmund.
Zoë sighed tiredly as she finished her last huge pot and got up to stretch before she crashed into bed. She stepped into her small bedroom, only having the patience to kick off her boots before diving into the soft, warm bed. But something had caught her eye so Zoë suddenly sat up and looked out her porthole thinking that whatever she saw was out there. Zoë didn't see anything at first and was about to try to sleep again but then she heard something. A light, scrapping sound coming from the bottom of the ship.
She shrugged it off as nothing, knowing that Eddie was on watch tonight and would immediately know if anything was not right. Putting her trust in the blonde Zoë fell asleep with a smile.
Malcolm was not happy. Not only was he uncomfortable on a metal floor with nothing he could use for warmth but he was hurting. Kate and Jim's beating had bruised him to the point where his body ached. Malcolm scowled thinking about that girl. He could not wait to get his hands on her again.
He was getting impatient.
But then he heard the slight, scrapping sound coming from beneath him.
And Malcolm smiled.
The red-headed dwarf smirked as he moved across the ship with purpose. They were so incredibly lucky to get on board Serenity without being seen and his skills in stealth earned him the duty of fetching that idiot Malcolm and then the girl. He reached the brig with no difficulty and opened it up to find Malcolm waiting for him.
"It's about damn time," he grumbled.
"Yer lucky we got ya at all but we need yer strength ta get deh girl outta here," the dwarf replied back grimly as he opened the cell Malcolm was in.
"I'm gonna need one o'yer daggers, Bentley," he told him in a dark tone.
"O'course ya do," Bentley reached into his jacket and handed Malcolm his sharpest weapon. "We can't hurt her," he told Malcolm seriously and at his raised brow Bentley added, "yet."
"She killed yer friend, Heath, and ya don't want ta take yer vengeance?" Malcolm questioned solemnly.
Bentley narrowed his eyes. "No question about that," he told Malcolm in a growl, "but cap'n would prefer deh girl in one piece when we bring her to him an' 'sides tha' it'll be easier ta take her if she ain't tha' much in pain."
"Fine," Malcolm reluctantly agreed. The pirates slinked out of the brig and silently reached the engine room. Right before they got to Kate's bedroom Bentley turned to Malcolm:
"You can keep her silent an' still, right?" Bentley sounded unsure.
"Easily," Malcolm assured the dwarf in a rough voice.
They opened the door to find Kate asleep and they both grinned.
It was Sebes' turn to take over watch and he was not happy. He hated the shift he got stuck with. The one right in the middle of the night…in the middle of his sleeping time. He groaned as he made his way up the crow's next to tell Eddie to go to bed….but the blonde was not there.
He hurriedly looked around the ship for any sign of him but could not find Eddie anywhere. Then, Alayne appeared seemingly out of nowhere. She walked purposefully across the deck of Serenity toward a dark shadow lying towards the starboard side of the vessel. Alayne crunched down next to shadow and it struck Sebes that the shadow must be Edmund.
Sebes did a quick scan of the ship and its surroundings; and then he heard it. The sound of a longboat engine off the port side. He looked over quickly and found, a longboat not of Serenity's, driving off farther and farther into the darkness of space. Sebes squinted to get a closer look and he could faintly make out the pirates that attacked them a month ago holding a captive. Kate Kayser was sitting gagged and cuffed by their former prisoner, Malcolm.
Sebes let out a loud curse and then proceeded to ring the warning bells. Everybody on board Serenity scurried on deck as fast as they could get out of the bed. Silver came out fully alert his pistol already charging ready to fire, if the need came. Captain Amelia came on deck next quickly scanning the ship for alarm, finding seemingly nothing except for Eddie lying on the deck unconscious.
"What is the meaning of this?" She questioned looking up toward Sebes who was quickly climbing down from the crow's nest. He handed her a telescope, with no explanation, and pointed toward the general direction of where he last saw the longboat heading toward.
She gasped and pressed her lips into a thin line when she saw what Sebes rang the bells for. Tossing the telescope to her first mate she said, "Follow that longboat. Now."
Mr. Copper nodded and without any explanation of the Captain's reasoning behind it, he did what was asked of him. Amelia than turned toward Jim who was standing in shock, his hair still ruffled from sleep, and a look of agony on his face. Silver looked at him too, and at the moment, the cyborg knew Jim was already blaming himself for Kate's absence.
"When was the last time you saw Kate, Hawkins?" Amelia asked with no patience for pity or blame. She needed to get a timeline.
"Ju-just before first watch started," Jim barely got out before rushing toward where Eddie and Alayne were on the starboard side.
Captain Amelia nodded at this and then turned towards Alayne. "What happened to Mr. Downey?"
"He wasn't attacked," she responded in a monotone, "I believe that he fell and hit his head on the side of the ship. He's been unconscious for a while, but I healed his head wound the best I could." Amelia looked at the unconscious boy under less scrutiny than before, but still thought of him as reckless.
Zoë was holding Edmund's head in her lap, quietly running her fingers through his blonde locks. Her eyes met Amelia's and then she stated in a sad voice, "You believe Kate's gone because of Eddie."
"I do not know what to believe yet," she responded dryly.
Jim had his back facing the others as he glared at the pirate ship he knew was in that general direction. Silver placed his non-cyborg on Jim's shoulder, comfortingly, and told him, "It will not help Katie if yeh start blamin' yerself, lad."
Jim shook his head at this. "I should have told her."
"Told her w'at?"
"About the damn pirate ship that has been heading our way for past couple of days!" Jim said loudly but then swallowed and said in a quieter voice, "Maybe then she would have been better prepared."
"Per'aps," Silver allowed. "But t'is is not yer fault. Ya hear me boy! Instead o' puttin' deh fault on yer shoulders try ta focus on helping us gettin' Katie back, eh?"
"And how exactly do ye plan on tha' happening, eh?" Questioned Andreas who had been listening in on their conversation. "As far as I see it," he told everybody in his booming voice, "deh only choice we have is ta follow them to t'at planet. From there…uh we'll weigh our options."
"'Weigh our options?'" Silver repeated his cybrog eye turning red as he turned toward the sheepish looking dwarf. "Kate's been kidnapped by bloodthirsty pirates an' yeh want us ta be weighin' our options on whet'er o' not ta go an' get 'er?"
At the end of Silver's rant Andreas seemed to have gained some more confidence. "I'm just sayin' that we need a plan before we do anything and ta not be too rash!"
"Andreas isn't wrong, Silver." Amelia said in her commanding voice. "We cannot act rashly. We are going to have to wait for the right timing." Silver's fury slowly ebbed away to the point to where his cybrog eye stayed a mild yellow.
"Then what are we going to do?" Doppler asked warily.
"For now," Amelia said in her calm commanding tone still, "we wait."
Jim sharply turned his head at this. "So we do nothing?"
"Of course not," Amelia said crossly, "we observe and wait for an opportune moment."
She turned to face them all.
"Then we strike."
A/N: HAPPY HAPPY HOLIDAYS my loyal readers. I wish you all a happy new year. My next update should happen sometime next month. I have already started to write it so it's like 25% finished hah. However next semester…holy cow I'm SO busy, if you don't hear from me in a couple months after the next chapter….I may be dead. Nah, I'm just kidding I'll be alive…barely.
Oh yeah! Before I forget OMGitsEMILY and myself have created a combined account on fanfiction to write together on. It's mostly all going to be TP stories so check it out!
Dear Reviewers,
Your comments make me smile. :D Please don't stop reviewing. You have no idea how much they mean to me. I would love to give y'all something in return because you and your comments mean so much! So here is a happy holiday gift…a new chapter! YAY! I hoped you enjoyed it.
Responses to Reviews:
Mikhaila Stillman: Yeah, I'm in love with cliffhangers, I admit it. Thank you for all of your compliments especially that one about my story being one of the best in the genre…OMG that is crazy-freaking-ness!
Karin Matthews: Oh wow thanks for devoting time to read my story. I'm glad you read it all! I hope you are not too disappointed with the status of the Jim/Kate relationship at the end of this chapter.
Randomwriter118: OMG. First of all thanks for all the compliments…secondly I would love to know your theories! PM me or something…or if you don't want to tell me that's fine too. :D
amalimrock: Yep, they kissed lol. And I had no idea I updated in time for TP's anniversary, thanks for telling me. Please keep reviewing!
Lenixxx: Glad to be back. I'm so happy you enjoy my chapters so much. Thank you!
OMGitsEMILY: I'm glad you liked that comic relief there cause some shit is about to go down. Yeah yeah yeah they finally kissed but things are never that easy. Thank you so much!