Hello, readers! :)
EllieStone (who is just plain lovely and awesome!), Jett-Wolfe98 (who is the coolest!), Barking Lizards (who is clever and kind!), Daft Prince (who is :D and grand and accepts my writing, clichés and all!), hamaiasa (who is thoughtful and enthusiastic! I always spell your name incorrectly!), and jibblitmuffins3675 (who is positively first-rate): Thank you for hanging in here with me!
And to everyone else who may be reading and hasn't reviewed yet: I really, really hope to hear from you by the time this is finished! Even if it's just one word, if you hated it; I want to know! :)
All original characters and storyline belong to Scott Westerfeld; I own nothing!
:)
Deryn felt a jolt and inhaled sharply, opening her eyes. She was met with blue; bright, beautiful blue. So bright it was that she had to close her eyes again immediately for fear of being blinded. She waited a moment and cautiously squinted, this time taking it much slower until she adjusted to the brightness. The same blue was still there.
It took her a few seconds to realize what she was looking at. She'd know that color anywhere: she was looking up at the sky. Slowly, she turned her head to the side to see that she was apparently lying on her back in grass. She sat up, taking a moment to adjust to being upright, and saw that she was in what apparently was a field. A field with the greenest, most glorious grass she'd ever seen. It was nearly as tall as she was; she couldn't see much from the ground.
Slowly and carefully she got up for fear that her injuries might act up, but her caution seemed to be rather needless. She stood and felt... Nothing. Her knee, her side, her head; everything felt fine. More than fine, actually; she felt quite well and strong; better than she ever had in her entire life. In fact, though she remembered what had happened on top of the temple, how she'd gone over the edge and faded away while in Alek's arms, all of that seemed like it had been a dream. She wasn't… Dead, was she?
No, she couldn't be. If she was dead she wouldn't be able to feel the grass or the warmth from the light coming down from the sky.
Using her hand to shield her eyes from the brightness, she looked out. She saw that she was surrounded by lovely, rolling hills speckled with white flowers (upon closer inspection, she discovered they were daisies). It didn't look like anyplace she'd ever seen before; it was all very majestic. She turned around and saw that there was a large rowan tree covered with pretty green leaves a hundred or so yards behind her.
Deryn had always liked rowan trees. They were fairly common in Scotland, but the one in the Sharp family's backyard was the best one of all. Its trunk and branches were thick and twisted, positively perfect for climbing. She and Da and occasionally Jaspert used to have races to see who could get to the top first (upon thinking about it now, she was certain Da had always let her win). And sometimes she used to sneak out and sit on the tallest branch just to feel close to the sky. She often did that after Da had died. She'd always loved that tree.
She figured she might as well go over to it. Staying where she was seemed just pointless and besides, she was feeling lively and in the mood for a nice walk. And she didn't want to walk in the direction of nothing; towards the rowan tree seemed the most logical place to go. She took her time getting there, choosing to relish the swish of the green grass on her legs and let her mind stay still. She'd been thinking so barking much lately; she was perfectly content to let her mind be stationary for a few moments. And it was a nice place to do so. She ran her hand over the tips of the smooth, green blades of the grass. It was especially soft to walk on; nothing like the grass at home.
Speaking of home, where in blazes was she?
Suddenly an odd thought struck her. She turned and looked up and all around the sky, but she couldn't seem to find the sun. Not that it was dark; everything was illuminated as though it were midday. But she just couldn't see the sun anywhere. There were no clouds either; just pure, blue sky. It was the queerest thing, but she brushed off the thought and walked onward. As she continued, she also noticed that there was no wind and no noise other than the swish of the grass as she walked. Queerer and queerer this place was.
Deryn could see the tree much better now. This one was much, much taller than the one back at home and almost just as perfect for climbing. Its leaves were bushy and heavily laden with red berries. She squinted against the light and saw something beside it. It looked almost like a hot-air balloon, strangely like the one Da had last been in. But that couldn't be; that one burned up.
Still, though; she was curious, so she quickened her pace and jogged up to it. It was tethered to the ground and in perfect condition, and it was definitely Da's. But how did it get here? She went to loosen the tethers – perhaps she couldn't get a better idea of where she was if she could be up higher - when she was interrupted by a voice.
"Deryn Sharp, what did I tell you about sneaking off in balloons without permission?"
She froze. It was impossible. Involuntarily, the word came out of her mouth. "Da?"
She turned around and saw him smiling at her. She put a hand over her gaping mouth and just stared at him.
He put a hand on his hip and feigning exasperation said, "Really, Deryn; all these years and you're just going to stare at me like that? Give us a hug!"
And she threw herself into his open arms. He lifted her off the ground and spun her around, just as he used to when she was little. She couldn't help but laugh; it was completely mad and wonderful all at the same time. He set her down and she had to step back just to get a look at him. He was exactly how she remembered him: light, sandy hair; the wrinkles at the corners of his mouth and eyes; and his big, bright, happy smile. His round reading glasses peeked out of the breast pocket of his shirt (along with his handkerchief if she remembered correctly) as they always had.
She put her hands once again over her gaping mouth, trying to process the scene in front that had just taken place. "Da! Are you really here?"
He threw his head back and laughed joyfully. Deryn had missed it so. Just hearing it out loud gave her goosebumps. "Of course I am, lass! And I'm right in front of you; there's no need for that hollering!"
"But… I don't understand! She glanced up at the balloon. " You…How?"
He smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "If we have time, I'll explain that to you. But I want to hear about you! How are you, lass?"
"But," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper, "you died."
"It's all right to say it out loud!" he laughed.
"Then how are you here?" Then a thought struck her. "Am I dead, too?"
He didn't answer right away. "That's a bit hard to explain right now. If you're here long enough, you might just figure it out. Now, sit with me?"
And so they sat beneath the rowan tree and Deryn filled her father in on everything she had been up to since the last time they had been together. It was odd, very odd at first, but Deryn soon forgot the bizarre manner of the circumstances and babbled to Da about everything. She told him of how Jaspert had helped her sneak into the Air Service (Da's chest got a bit puffed up at that part; "That's my boy!"), about the Air Gallantry Cross she'd received just like Da ("That's my girl!"), that lunatic Tesla; all of her adventures right up until what she remembered in Congo.
"Aye, that Dmitri's a bum-rag," he muttered once she was finished. "He's got no business handling you in any way!"
"Barking right," she answered. She had told him about Dmitri, but she hadn't said his name. "How did you know?"
"Oh, did I not tell you? I've been watching you!" he said. "I saw you sneak aboard the Leviathan and all that," he said as he got a sly look on his face. "And I've seen you and that Alek, too."
She felt herself blush a bit as she looked down at the grass and started absentmindedly picking at it.
"Aye, and he seems like a good lad," Da said softly.
"He's daft," she whispered without thinking, feelings of guilt creeping in. It wasn't Alek that was daft, though; it was her. No doubt wherever he was likely very upset with her.
"When he's plenty daft to fall in love with you, that's for sure," Da teased. "And he does love you; I can see it! Not just anyone would travel halfway across the world on a hunch to come looking for you, mind."
The one bright light began to gradually fade all of the sudden.
"Ah," Da said. "I was wondering when that would happen."
"What's happening? What are we doing?"
"We aren't doing anything," he said as he stood up and stretched. "It appears that you are waking up."
"Waking up? You mean I'm not dead?"
Da laughed. "No, lass, you're not dead."
"…Is this a dream?"
He smiled. "Of sorts. And your time here's just about up."
"Da, no! I don't want to leave! I want to stay with you!"
"You can't, love. Not right now, at least." He smiled. "It isn't my decision. But we'll see each other again someday."
"You haven't even told me where-"
It got a little darker.
"There's no time for that now. Now go home and take care of your Ma! She's sick with worry from missin' you! Be good to your brother-" Deryn rolled her eyes. "-he does a lot for you," Da finished. "And don't you forget to tell that Alek how much he means to you," he said, taking her hands. "I can see it in your eyes. You have a wonderful life ahead of you, Deryn Sharp. Don't you let anyone tell you different."
Deryn nodded. "Aye, Da, I won't. But will you answer me just one question?"
He thought for a moment, then answered, "Aye, lass. Anything, but only one."
She thought for a moment. She had wondered from the moment she had seen the hot air balloon, but had just now remembered. "Can you fly up here?"
He threw back his head and laughed once more. "Aye, lass, of course you can."
She smiled. She felt his grip on her hands slipping. She tried to hang on tighter, but it made no difference.
"Deryn! Deryn!" she heard as she saw her Da fading away. "Deryn! Deryn!"
She felt like she was being shaken.
She felt another jolt and saw bright, white light. As her eyes adjusted, she turned to see Jaspert sitting with his face mere inches from hers. He had a wild look in his eye. She made eye contact with him, still not sure what was going on, and winced when he yelled at the top of his lungs, "It's Deryn! She's awake!"
