Ask Me No Questions, I'll Tell You No Lies
Chapter 20: Reunited
Ugh I have a full, and I mean FULL schedule. I'm gonna have to update less for a few months, but don't worry, the updates WILL COME. No lie.
SliverofExistence: Don't worry, they'll realize they're made for each other sometime…
Jordan-Troy Bolton: I'm glad you're taking an interest in my other stories! kthx!
Aljinon: Luckily for you, end does not mean the end of the story, but that would seem kind of obvious as you have the latest chapter right in front of you.
SylphJr: Oh my gorsh I LOVE brownie-flavored cookie dough! So now I love YOU! And I know, I totally thought that my early Englehorn was like that dude from RE2 too! Also, I didn't really feel like leaving Englehorn to be a baby on the Venture so I made him go with the crew. My world is like playing with dolls…but the dolls are like, fighting a stuffed monkey and Barney® and some gummy worms.
Marinawings: You are honestly my most loyal reviewer and reader. I dub thee best friend on fanfiction. Except, you know, I have no idea who you are in real life…oh well.
Just a little advert for you guys: I've published a new C2 and anyone who wants in can message me for an invitation. Basically what I do is find stories that need improvement and if the writer wants to improve, they can just ask! Much easier than reviewing someone without knowing whether they'll accept advice, don't ya think? Message if interested!
Alrighty, here's the next installment of Scarlett and Lukas's Adventure in Wonderlaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand! –not really-
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"You can't possibly go back there, Captain!"
"I must, and I will," Englehorn shouted impatiently.
The sudden ruckus woke me. Creeping nearer to the door, I listened to hear more.
"It's hopeless, sir! They're dead."
"We don't know that!" The Captain's German accent grew more pronounced the louder he became.
"Hey, what's going on?"
"Baxter. Are you ready to prove your bravery?"
"I was just about to get some breakfast but-"
"You are coming with me to find the others. That is final."
"Englehorn, you can't just-"
"FINAL!"
"What about the girl? What will we do, Captain?"
"You'll watch her, Joseph. Keep her safe and out of trouble, understood?"
"Yessir. But I still think this is a bad idea."
"With all due respect, if your opinion meant anything, you wouldn't be a cabin boy, would ya?" Baxter's voice snickered, contradicting the otherwise serious conversation.
"We leave as soon as we can, Baxter. Gather some able-bodied men, Joseph."
"Yessir." Joseph's footsteps, a heavy footfall and the thud of a wooden cane, grew fainter as he moved away from the door. I leaned against the rough wood, filled with worry for Jack, Ann and everyone else.
And Lukas. He was so important I forgot him.
All of a sudden, I felt the door I was leaning against being pulled back. I slid along with it, my reflexes not keeping up. I fell onto a pair of beat-up boots.
"I thought you would have been listening." A pair of strong seaman's arms dragged me up and set me upright again.
"Are you really going to go back there?"
"I must, Scarlett. They are my crew and passengers. It is-"
"Your duty, by any chance?"
"Yes. Obviously we have been near one another for far too long."
"There is no too long, Lukas."
He let a small, slightly sympathetic smile grace his features, showing creases by his eyes and lips. He tipped his hat and, clearing his throat, left me to lean against the doorframe. I caught my eyes following his behind, my head leaned toward the side.
Can't remember ever doing looking at him like that before…
I stopped looking and willed my brain into thinking about my plan of action. I couldn't stay here and wait for them to come back!
I could just dress up as a boy...no, I would stick out in a smaller group.
I could follow unseen…and get eaten by some animal or trip and fall down a bottomless pit?
I could…I could…dammit.
I was nonplussed. The only other thing I could think of was to seduce Lukas, but I'd tried that before and that really didn't go so well. And besides, if he fell back in love with me, he would be more likely to make me stay behind.
I had to think quickly. I could hear him yelling to the others about lowering the lifeboat. To my chagrin, all I could hear in my head was a chorus of crickets chirping.
Cheep cheep…cheep cheep…cheep cheep…
"Cast off!" The cry resounded in my ears. Running up to the deck, I kept searching for a solution. A splash was heard, and I lost hope. I saw Joseph, the oldest crewman on the ship, hobbling toward me.
"The Captain ordered my to keep you on the ship, miss. I can guess that you want to save your friends, but it's my duty to follow Englehorn's orders."
"Sure. You totally understand." I would've been appalled at my tone, once upon a time, but now I just wanted to get off the Venture and onto the island.
"Now, miss, I think you'd do well to pay heed to the Captain's word. It's for your own safety."
I sighed in defeat and stomped down to the brig. My head hurt from all the attempted thinking. It felt as if a large, slimy thing was clamped onto my head.
Ugh…I need to sleep…
The disappointment of having to stay put threw a blanket of sleep over me, and I felt my knees buckle under me. I fell fast asleep in the middle of the corridor.
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"Scarlett! Scarlett! We're back! Wake up!"
"Uuuungh…" I opened my eyes, and instead of bright light forcing me to close them again as I'd expected, a cluster of heads blocked any light there might have been.
I sat up fast as a speeding bullet.
"Jack? Ann? Jimmy?" The three heads nodded enthusiastically, kneeling by me. It was then that I realized that I was in no longer in the corridor, but in what appeared to be Ann's room.
"And Lu-Englehorn? What about him? And Denham? Lumpy? And Hayes?"
Jimmy's eyes clouded when I spoke Hayes's name.
"Oh. Jimmy, I'm so sorry…" I knew Hayes was like a father and an older brother to him. He nodded and faked a smile.
"But your lover-boy's back! Unfortunately, Denham is too…"
"Lumpy's gone too," Jack added lamely. I ignored Jimmy's "lover-boy" comment and looked concernedly over to Ann, who was still in her silky white nightgown. Mind you, it was no longer silky and no longer white, either. Come to think of it, it was barely recognizable as a nightgown, as well.
"Ann," I got all choked up, and before any of us knew it, Ann and I were clutching each other and sobbing uncontrollably.
I spied Jack's eyebrow rising in surprise and bemusement, and I knew that if it wasn't for saving face in front of Jack, Jimmy would have joined in the bittersweet embracing.
"I…I-I thought you w-were deeeeeaaaad!" I wailed.
"I th—thought I would be d-dead the whole t-time!" Ann cried.
"I thought women only cried like this in the films," a familiar voice sliced through our tearful greetings.
"Lukas?" I asked, phlegm clogging my throat.
"I would have thought you recognized me, Scarlett. I've been gone for less than a day."
His sarcastic, derogatory humor never sounded more welcome.
I leapt up and hugged him, crying into his chest as if he were dying in my arms. I could practically sense the bemused looks that accompanied the concealed chuckles that my three friends were concealing…badly.
"Scarlett, uh..."
"Come with me. Now," I pulled him outside into the empty corridor, surprised to feel to restraint on his part.
"Lukas, please listen. I-"
"I know what you are going to say. And-"
"You don't feel the same way."
"Of course I don't." I looked away, feeling disappointed tears welling up inside.
"Because you couldn't possibly love me more than I love you."
My eyes snapped back to his, my face slack in complete disbelief.
"Pardon?" Disbelief always brought out the lady in me.
"Mein Gott, Scarlett, are you going to make me say it again?"
A silence followed, but strangely, it was not at all awkward. After a moment, I squealed and wrapped my arms around his neck, savoring the feeling of his hands gripping my waist. Our lips met and I instantly felt a bout of déjà vu. I'd played this moment over and over in my mind for days. I pulled back and leaned my forehead against his chest.
"What caused the change of mind?"
"A bug." I was utterly confused.
"Do I remind you of a bug?"
"No, of course not. It sounds ludicrous, I know, but on the island I saw a bug eat a man's head," My nose wrinkled in disgust, "And that man gave up right away. That was Lumpy, and he died, Scarlett."
"Lukas, how does this have anything to do with-"
"He gave up. The bug kept fighting for what it wanted, and if Lumpy just fought a few minutes more, he would have had a chance of surviving. But he didn't and he is gone."
"So if you keep fighting for us, then-"
"We'll survive."
"That is the most elaborate lie I've ever heard in my life, Lukas Englehorn. Speeches like that don't even happen in the movies."
"I know. I just needed a better reason than saying 'I felt like it'."
"Why is that so bad? I thought men liked things simple."
"And I thought women were simple. But they are like a autumn leaf, ever-changing and-"
"Oh my God," I snorted, "Just shut up and kiss me,"
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End.
Sweet Davy Jones, it KILLED me to write that bug thing, since I love Lumpy and I HATE those cheesy movie speeches which actually do happen in movies. Especially those starring Hugh Grant. Oh my God, I've just realized Englehorn is wayyyy to OOC. Don't kill me! I'll fix it!