A/N: Sorry for the delay and thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter!! This is the penultimate chapter OMG :O a bit of a depressing one too lol I can't believe this story has gone on for so long and thank you for all the support :D xx
Valley stepped forwards nervously as Gene subconsciously and protectively pushed Alex behind him. It was almost as if the action had stopped as the few remaining pirates gathered together in what could only be described as panic as they watched their leader lie dead on the ground. Ray, Gene and Alex stared at Valley in disbelief as Chris, Lily, Scherazade and Freddy peaked over the rocks in the cave. All eyes were on the tribesman.
Valley shifted awkwardly, the gun still smoking in his hand. Tentatively, he placed it on the floor and stepped towards Alex, a move which caused Gene to create a barrier between them.
"Hunt," Valley said quietly, "I'm not going to hurt her…I…I'm sorry…Alex, I…"
But before Valley could utter another word, Alex had barged past Gene and flung her arms around Valley's neck, crying softly into his shoulder. Valley rubbed her back soothingly and stroked her soft curls, breathing out in relief as Chris, Scherazade, Lily and Freddy looked on in confusion and Ray and Gene looked furious.
Finally, Alex and Valley broke apart as she stared gratefully into his eyes. "Thank you, Valley," Alex whispered, "I…I don't know what I would've done if they…they…"
"Did what I tried to do," Valley said sadly, almost too quiet to hear. Alex swallowed and Gene's blood boiled. If the bastard so much as touched Alex…
"I'm so sorry," Valley said solemnly, "I don't think you'll ever forgive me. But I had to come here. I had to help. To prove I was ashamed and regretful."
"Well yer did help."
Alex whipped around and Valley looked up to face Gene, whom had stridden forcefully towards them and placed his arm lightly around Alex's waist.
"If yer didn't show up when yer did, Bolls could still be in the clutches o' that bastard and we'd still be fighting," Gene admitted, "so for that, Valley…thanks."
Alex squeezed Gene's hand gratefully as Valley's eyes widened in surprise.
"Yeah Valley…thanks," Ray nodded.
"Welcome back on the team, mate," Chris smiled, stepping out of the caves with his bandaged arm.
"Knew you wouldn't abandon us, Val," Scherazade grinned at her friend, shoving him playfully.
"Well isn't this just lovely."
They all whipped around in panic to spot the handful of surviving pirates standing a couple of meters away, facing them threateningly with their knives, swords and guns out.
"Shit," Gene hissed, "Bolls, Chris, get back in the cave with Lily and Freddy!"
"NOBODY MOVES!" the pirate with the most tattoos roared, waving his gun around madly. "NOBODY MOVES OR WE SHOOT!"
The team froze. Lily and Freddy ducked behind the cave rocks in fear. Gene and Valley shifted slightly so Alex was blocked from the men and Ray and Scherazade stood by Chris, ready to help their injured mate if needed.
"Ya see, we don't take too kindly to a bunch of British bastards and their little sluts shooting our leader," the pirate growled as they all took a step closer. "Malcolm Miners. Notorious pirate…and you…you…"
"Shot 'im," Gene spat, "well done, sunshine, now if you've quite finished –"
"Gene!" Alex panicked.
"SHUT UP!" the pirate seethed. "SHUT – UP!"
Gene stepped forward bravely, ignoring Alex's insistent tug on his arm to pull him backwards.
"Oh stop playing wi' guns, you bunch of nancy-boy, sissy, weirdy-beardy poofter pirates," Gene snapped at them, "your leader's dead. Give up and go an' cry to Mummy or go back ter play-fighting wi' sticks. It's over."
"It's not," the pirate snarled, "it's never over."
"Yer know if I want another sword fight I'd join the cast of Peter Pan!" Gene barked. "So sod off and go and play pirates somewhere else."
The other pirates began to raise their weapons as they all eyed different members of their opposing team. Alex tried to suppress a whimper.
"You'll pay," the pirate growled, "you'll ALL PAY!"
Valley noticed the pirate's control wavering as his finger shook dangerously by the trigger. Gene was right in the line of fire.
The unmistakable click of the gun getting ready to be fired was heard as the gang yelled in panic and noticed something on their Guv's face they didn't think they had ever seen before – fear.
Gene was frozen to the spot as the pirate began to shoot.
"NO!" Valley screamed, diving forwards and shoving Gene forcefully out of the way as the gunshot echoed throughout the jungle, merged with the screams of Alex, Ray, Chris, Scherazade, Lily and Freddy.
Gene landed with a sickening thud and was joined by Alex flinging herself on top of him, sobbing uncontrollably. He clung to her, but noticed that there was no pain running through his body. There was no blood.
Gene looked up and then it felt like the breath had been knocked out of him. It was Scherazade's screams that brought him back down to Earth.
"Valley! Valley! Valley! No, no, please! No…VALLEY!"
Valley was lying in a pool of his own blood, his breathing raspy and his eyes wide and laced with fear.
The pirates looked on in horror. Attacking an Azlia tribesman meant only one thing – the island's tribe were going to seek their revenge. And with very little of them left, they knew they had to escape as they fled from the caves and descended down the hills in panic, leaving the dying Azlia warrior with their bullet in his chest.
"Valley!" Freddy screamed.
"Lily, keep him away!" Gene roared, collapsing to his knees at Valley's side.
"Of course, Gene," Lily said timidly, "Freddy…Freddy, come on…"
"Ray, Chris, out o' the way!" Gene shouted desperately. "Give him space…"
Ray and Chris backed off to watch and pray from a couple of meters away with Lily and Freddy. Tears were staining their faces as even the quiet dogs knew something awful was happening.
"Valley…Valley…" Scherazade wept, holding her friend's hand tightly, "I'm here…I'm here…"
"Sch-Sch-hera-zade," Valley coughed weakly, his breathing erratic, "where…"
"I'm here, sweetie, I promise," Scherazade sobbed as Gene clutched Alex's hand supportively, feeling her tears on his shoulder as she clung to him, "I won't leave you, Valley…I won't…"
"Hurts," Valley said weakly, the most vulnerable anyone had ever seen him, "hurts…"
"I know, sweetheart, I know…" Scherazade cried softly, "we're going to help you, just stay still…stay still, Valley…oh my Valley…"
Valley winced in pain, a few tears trickling from his eyes as they became hazy.
"Don't you dare," Gene muttered, "don't you dare, you bastard. Yer stronger than this. You 'ear me, Valley? Yer stronger. You fought tigers, shot the notorious pirate Malcolm Miners…yer saved Alex, come on yer daft man…"
"Alex," Valley rasped, "Alex…"
"I'm here, I'm here, Valley," Alex said softly, tears leaking from her eyes. She stroked his face tenderly as Scherazade clung to his hand, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Sorry…Alex…" Valley breathed hoarsely, his face contracting in pain. "Sorry…sorry, Gene…I tried…"
"No!" Scherazade cried as Valley's eyes began to droop. "No…no, no, no, no, no!"
Valley's last breath stuck in his throat as his hazy eyes finally clouded over and drooped close, no energy left to hold them open. His racing pulse came to a sudden holt as Scherazade broke down, flinging herself over the body of her friend in tears. Alex was enveloped in Gene's arms as her tears came quick and fast, hot over Gene's bare torso. Lily hugged Freddy as the little boy wept, and Ray and Chris hung their heads low in respect.
The once brave warrior, the cocky and arrogant womaniser, the man who had taken advantage of Alex and fought Gene but then redeemed himself by saving them both – was dead.
----
It seemed the world had stopped still. Everything had come to a halt. The pirates had gone, Lily was safe, and the others only had minor injuries. They had won the battle. But nothing seemed worth it as they had lost Valley. The man who got them Azlia's protection had gone.
Chris approached Scherazade tentatively as the island princess began to erupt with erratic sobs.
"C'mon love…it's over," Chris said softly, pulling her away gently.
"No!" Scherazade sobbed. "I have to be with him!"
"You were with him right to the last second," Chris reminded her, "it's time to let go…c'mon."
Scherazade let Chris help her to her feet, shaky and uneasy. Taking another look at Valley's lifeless figure, she buried her face in Chris' shoulder as she cried some more. Following Chris' lead, Gene pulled Alex to her feet and guided her over to the caves, leaving Ray, Chris and Scherazade with Valley.
Smiling weakly at Lily and Freddy, Gene guided Alex to a private corner of the cave and sat her down. He then took her face gently in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs sensitively.
"No more tears, Bolly," Gene said softly, "the man died like a hero."
Alex nodded, numb. Nothing seemed real.
"It could have been you," she whispered, her eyes glistening, "it…it…"
"Come 'ere," Gene whispered, pulling her towards him. Gene wrapped his arms around Alex lovingly, closing her off from the outside world in a tender, full hug. "Come 'ere, sweetheart. It's okay. It's okay. Shh, shh. I'm still here. I'm okay."
Gene pulled away slightly so he could kiss Alex's forehead, stroking her hair tenderly. "That bullet was meant for me, but Valley took it. That brave man saved me, Alex. He saved us all. Once the pirates realised they'd killed an Azlia tribesman, they pissed themselves. They're gone. You're safe. I'm here. Valley was quite often a bastard, but he didn't deserve that. He died in honour."
Alex hugged Gene back, feeling the reassuring bulk of him.
"Oh Gene," Alex whispered, "I love you."
Gene's mouth ran dry. His heart thudded and his stomach bubbled. "I…I love you too, Alex."
Their eyes met in the dimness of the cave and Gene's flickered down to Alex's full, red lips. His hand caressed her face as she clung to him passionately, looking longingly into his eyes. Gene began to dip his face lower to meet her lips when –
"GUV! GUV!" Ray hollered, hardly containing his excitement.
"What, Ray?" Gene roared. "Can't you leave me alone for five bloody minutes? A man 'as just died and I want five bloody seconds to comfort Bolly 'ere and you –"
"It's a ship, Guv! It's a ship!"
