I'm gonna continue putting the disclaimer here just be sure that everyone is aware of where this story originated.

This story isn't 100 % mine. I have transformed it into a story from an interactive story app called Choices and the creators are Pixelberry Studios.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

{Chapter 3}

The pale moonlight silhouetted a woman leaning against the railing at the prow of the ship. She turned toward us and smiled.

"Bella!"

"Victoria?" I said questioningly. I had already known that she was alive, courtesy of the Endless, but I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that she was actually here, on the ship.

"Ohmygod," Benjamin breathed out next to me.

Kate shook her head. "It … it can't be, can it?"

"You were hit with a rocket! We saw you explode!" Emmett gaped.

Edward who, like me, knew that Victoria had survived the blast wondered something else. "Hang on. Are we talking to Ariel … or Ursula?"

Victoria puffed her cheeks and tried to not look hurt by the question. "It's me. Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt anyone."

I immediately rushed forward and wrapped my arms around her. She rested her chin on my shoulder gratefully.

"It really is you," I exclaimed happily.

"Of course, silly," she replied, equally happy. She grinned at me before pulling away and gazing at the rest of the group. "I'm so glad to have finally found all of you."

"Have you seen any sign of the others?" I asked with cautious hope.

Leah huffed. "Clearly not or they'd be here, too," she said, and I instantly felt stupid, but Benjamin jumped in to defend me.

"You don't know that, Leah! She could have information!"

Victoria nodded. "She is right, though. Unfortunately, I don't know where anyone is at this point."

"Oh," Benjamin said dejectedly.

I looked at him encouragingly. "Hey, we're gonna find them soon. For now, we're just happy we have Vicky back."

Suddenly, Victoria winced. She doubled over and braced herself against my shoulder.

I grasped her arm. "Are you okay?" I asked her worriedly.

Leah narrowed her eyes and turned angrily toward the male pirate. "Janvier, if you hurt her—"

Victoria shook her head. "It's not him. It's..." She looked over her shoulder as if there was someone behind her; someone unwelcome.

I looked at the spot she was looking at, but I couldn't see anything. "Is it..." I started carefully. "Is it that thing that gave you your powers?"

She met my eyes and a mixture of relief and loss danced across her face. "You make it sound like I'm a superhero. The things I could do before … I doubt I'd be able to do again."

"Why not?"

She sighed. "I lost my connection to the Presence after the rocket hit."

I gaped. "Really? How do you know it's gone?"

"I tried reaching out to it again," she said and shrugged. "I wanted to fly, to see if I could find everyone, but … I couldn't."

I swallowed hard and wondered what that meant. "So what does that mean for your health? Has your Rotterdam's come back?" I asked with a slight quiver in my voice.

She shook her head. "No, but there's something else." She bit her lip. "I constantly feel … hollow. Incomplete. Like the most important part of me got taken away."

Kate walked up to us and stroke Victoria's back. "What do you mean?"

Victoria's eyes filled with both fear and yearning, and she quickly turned back toward the sea. "I'm so sorry, all of you," she said and gripped the boat's wooden railing tighter. "I remember everything … what I did … what I felt when it was controlling me." She paused for a moment and then squared her shoulders before facing us again. "The Island's Heart is broken into two halves. The Presence wanted to find them desperately."

I nodded. "That would explain … a few things. Then we need to get the piece Cullen took and then try to find the rest of it."

Benjamin's eyes widened and he looked at me in shock. "We do?"

Victoria turned to him. "The Heart contains so much energy, more than you could imagine. If Cullen gets both halves, he'll be able to alter time however he wants."

She clutched her chest and staggered a little. Kate and I steadied her.

"Ugh … it's like I'm chained to it, and anytime it pulls at me, it hurts," she explained.

Edward looked at Victoria with a worried expression. "We gotta fix this," he mumbled.

Benjamin looked around, unsure of what to do but obviously wanting to do something. "It's okay! Everything's gonna be alright! I'm sure there's something we can do … Right?"

Leah crossed her arms and looked back toward the shore of the island. "There is. We can start by getting the other half before Cullen does."

Jacorel mimicked her stance. "Agreed. The Hydra has no right to command the Heart."

I agreed with them, but I was also sure it wouldn't be easy. "How would we find it, though? It wasn't exactly a cakewalk getting to the first half at Elyys'tel."

"I think I can bring us to its location," Victoria said.

Janvier growled a little under his mustache and crossed his arms tightly, and it caused Angelique to roll her eyes.

"Zut alors, Jan, are you truly so thick-headed?"

He glared at her. "I don't care what kind of bet we made! This is still my ship! You lot won't be usin' it for your goody-two-shoes nonsense!"

"Mon dieu, I really can't believe you..." Angelique huffed, but then she smirked. "In any case, this is not your ship anymore. We are going to help Bella's friend whether you like it or not."

Janvier grinned mirthfully. "So it's a 'we' now, Angie? Since when did you reduce yourself to traipsing about with children?"

Edward tightened his hands into fists and glared deadly at the pirate. "Watch it, Davy Moans. You're a little outnumbered here."

Janvier gritted his teeth and stepped up to him and Edward immediately got into his face. However, before a fight could break out, Angelique used her pistol to shoot a warning shot into the air.

"Arrete!"

She walked over to me and whispered in my ear. "We have two choices, cherie … love or violence. Either I knock Jan out … or I knock Jan out, oui?"

I chuckled. "Well, I don't put myself above knocking some sense into a person when it's necessary, however, a more subtle approach might be the way to go this time," I said, and Angelique smirked.

"My pleasure," she said and sauntered back to the two men with a sway in her hips.

Edward immediately noticed and looked over his shoulder at me. I winked at him, and this time, he chuckled, obviously having understood what was about to happen.

"I think you'll want to cooperate with mes amis enfants, Jan," Angelique said sultrily.

Janvier straightened his imposing height and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Oh? And what makes you say that?" he questioned challengingly.

Angelique pulled on his lapels to hunch his posture to her shorter stature and whispered something quietly in his ear. As she finished her hushed statement, Janvier pulled away with a shocked face.

"You wouldn't dare! You detest me!" he exclaimed.

She grinned. "Perhaps … or perhaps I could be persuaded..."

We all watched in dumbfounded silence as the two exchanged furtive remarks in hushed French.

Benjamin leaned over to me. "You could slice the tension out here with a curved blade," he breathed out.

After a few moments, Janvier raised his sour gaze to the rest of us. "Alright, we'll have it your way, but you'll follow my instructions all the way there! This is a pirate ship, not a playpen!"

Edward mockingly saluted. "Aye aye, Cap'n Crunch."

Janvier grumbled and took a flask from his coat and gulped its contents. I inched my way over to Angelique.

"So … what did you say to him to make him change his mind?" I asked as I got increasingly more curious.

She laughed and winked at me. "I never kiss and tell."

Janvier put the flask back in his coat. "God help me. Beds are down below, so out with all of you!" he told us and then turned to Victoria. "Witch, stay put for navigation."

Victoria walked over to the steering wheel and began turning it with all her diminutive might. "Welcome aboard, everyone!"

The rest of us went down to the lower level of the ship and grabbed a hammock each. I passed out the moment I lay my head down.

I woke up the next morning to the sound of water splashing onto someone's face.

"No! Don't eat me!" Emmett exclaimed. "I know my name is on the menu, but that doesn't mean I—Oh. I was asleep."

"Up with you!" Janvier growled. "There's work to be done! This is a pirate ship, not a lodge."

Emmett, dripping wet, sat up in his hammock. "I'm up, I'm up! Geez, dude."

Kate got out of her hammock quickly and moved away from Janvier and his vicious bucket of sea water. "Rude," she muttered underneath her breath.

Janvier turned to me and held up the bucket threateningly. "And you? Will you also need encouragement?"

"Don't you dare," I said, narrowing my eyes and glaring at him as I got up.

He glared right back but didn't throw the water at me. "Arrr, out! All of you!"

When I reached the deck, I saw the rest scuttling to and fro on the ship.

"Ahoy, Bella!" Benjamin exclaimed. "Looks like it's a pirate's life for us!"

"Scrawny one, I told you to clean those scuppers!" Janvier yelled at him angrily.

Benjamin's bright mood dampened. "Okay, but you never explained what 'scuppers' even are..."

Angelique's legs dangled from the top of the crow's nest, dozens of feet overhead. As I approached, she waved with her spyglass. "Bonjour, Bella!"

Near the prow, Edward and Emmett were organizing bundles of rope, and as I walked over to them, I saw Edward demonstrating an elaborate, many-looped knot.

"It's not that hard, Pineapple Express. You're overthinking it."

"How are you so good at this?!" Emmett exclaimed while looking at the rope like it was a foreign object.

"Naval Academy taught a little, but I kept learning as a hobby," Edward replied with an easy smile. "You'd be surprised at some of the situations where it comes in handy."

"Is that so?" I asked, making them aware of my presence.

Edward looked adorably surprised to see me. "Oh, Princess! Didn't see you there."

"Please. I'd love to hear about all of the practical applications of tying rope," I said with a smirk. I knew we were both thinking about the night of New Year's Eve when he had definitely displayed his abilities.

Before Edward could reply, Angelique shouted urgently from the crow's nest.

"Mes amis! You'll want to see this!" She slid down a rope, gracefully alighted on the deck, and offered me her spyglass.

I looked in the direction she indicated and saw two familiar faces on the shore.

"It's Garrett and Peter!" I told the others, and Kate gasped.

"You see them?" she asked me.

The guys were bound and gagged, but it was clearly them, and they were surrounded by Arachnid soldiers.

"They're being held captive," I once again relayed to the others.

I passed the spyglass to Leah who clenched her jaw when she looked through it.

"Look who's with them," she said and handed it back to me.

I looked again and this time, I noticed Alistair and Jazz without his helmet on. They were standing a short distance away, preparing to board a military speedboat. The other soldiers were dragging Garrett and Peter toward the vessel.

"They're getting them on a boat."

Edward glared at the dots on the shore that wasn't very visible without the spyglass. "Not on my damned watch. Let's board them. Now."

I turned to him. "Edward, Jazz is with them," I said carefully, and he stiffened. "He's tried to kill us before … are you sure we can stop him?"

He sighed and then looked at me determinedly. "I can't not try, Bella. I can't. Just focus on getting Garrett and Peter. I'll handle Jazz."

Janvier let out an impatient growl. "Arrr, quit your gawkin'! There's much to do!"

Victoria shoved his arm and he most likely only allowed her to do so because of her 'Witch' status with him. "Gawking?! Our friends have been kidnapped! Are you really gonna try to stop us from rescuing them?"

He frowned. "Stop you? I'm gonna help you!" When all of us looked at him with various states of confusion written all over us, he laughed. "This is a pirate ship, not a peace vessel. You wanna raid a ship? You're speaking my language."

Angelique looked at him with amusement. "Nice to see you in bonne humeur for once, you sludge-eating flatfish."

He huffed. "Don't play nice, you conniving harpy! You'll not take more booty than me! Miss Witch, take us starboard!"

"Changing course!" Victoria yelled out and turned the wheel.

I checked through the spyglass again and noticed Alistair glaring toward the ship and hurriedly ordering the Arachnid soldiers around.

The troops took up formation on the speedboat and raised their guns. The engine revved to life.

"They're making a run for it!" I exclaimed. "We'll never catch them with this ship!"

Janvier sidled up to me. "Aye? Then I'd say it's time to even the odds..." He looked toward Victoria. "Miss Witch, bring us in! Angelique, catch the sail to the wind!" He then turned his narrowed gaze to me and pointed to a pile of giant chains and a spear tip the size of my head. "Quickly, now. Hook the spearhead to the boom chains, then load it into the cannon!"

I immediately went into action, doing as he told me and deftly hooking the spearhead onto the heavy chain, then loaded it into the cannon and fastened the first chainlink onto the barrel.

Janvier prepared the flint and looked down at me. "Listen carefully. Once I light it, aim at the boat's broadside." His head whipped around to the others. "Cover your ears and hold onto something!"

He struck the flint and brought the fuse to life.

I kept the aim steady to the side of the boat, and Janvier chuckled.

"Aye, we'll make a salty dog out of you yet! Now hold on!"

With a loud boom, the spearhead launched with the chain trailing behind it. Just when it looked like the speedboat was getting too far ahead, the sharp blade pierced its metal-clad hull.

The boat lurched wildly as it got snared by the boom chain, and I heard Alistair and the Arachnid troops shouting.

Janvier leaned toward me, an excited gleam in his eye. "I got three things to tell you about raiding, Bella. One, don't die."

Arachnid soldiers took aim at the boom chain, but their bullets ricochet harmlessly off the heavy links.

Emmett tossed swords and daggers to all of us from an armory cabinet. "So what if they got guns! We're gonna slice, dice, and julienne them!"

"Over here, Em!" I waved at him to toss me a weapon.

He tossed me a cutlass and I took a few test swings.

"Secondly," Janvier continued. "The sea's as much a weapon as any blade. Use her to your advantage.

The stretch of water between us and the speedboat was closing quickly.

Edward pulled out a rope net covered in iron weights. "This looks good in case we need to subdue a bunch of 'em..." he mused.

Janvier shook his head at him. "And three, take no prisoners!"

Benjamin cleared his throat. "Except, you know, our friends. Who are prisoners. We want them."

Angelique and Janvier grabbed a couple of free-hanging ropes. Leah, Emmett, Edward, and I did the same.

"A l'abordage!" Angelique cried out.

Hoisted on a rope, I swung onto the Arachnid speedboat.

Garrett and Peter's eyes widened as they watched us land on the rear deck, and they struggled against their bonds.

"Enemy sighted," a soldier said to my right.

"Stop!" Alistair yelled. "Don't shoot! All of you, stand down!"

"What?!" the same soldier exclaimed in shock. "We're literally being attacked!"

"I represent Carlisle Cullen here, and I order you to stand down!"

The soldiers looked across one another and reluctantly complied.

Alistair's eyes scanned us and his expression was riddled with shock and disbelief. "Y-you're alive … you're all alive!"

"No thanks to you," Leah spat at him.

He shook his head sadly. "Father said you tried to escape. That you were all gunned down. That you'd all rather die than be his prisoners."

Edward scoffed. "Get a grip, Malfoy. For how smart you act, you're good at playing dumb when it's convenient."

"That's not—" he started to defend himself, but Edward wasn't done.

"Think about it. Your father has lied to you your entire life. Why would this be any different?!"

I was still holding my cutlass at the ready in case any of the soldiers decided to defy Alistair's order, and while I kept an eye on them, I turned to Alistair. "Cullen tried to kill us the moment you left with Tanya. He told Alice to do it."

Alistair's hands started to shake, and his chest caved as if he'd been punched. "I … I didn't know. I swear. I'm so sorry!"

"Like hell you are," Leah gritted out, not accepting his apology. "Is you're so 'sorry,' why are our friends tied up and held at gunpoint?"

He nervously ran a hand through his hair. His eyes frantically darted between all of us. "It … it's complicated."

Jazz strode up to Alistair, his bionic eye glinting menacingly. "Sir, the hostages are our first priority."

I noticed how Edward had a hard time looking at him, and his voice shook slightly when he spoke. "Jazz, you'd never go along with this. Is any of you left in there? Wake up, man!"

Jazz remained still as a statue, save for his arm, which leveled a gun at Edward.

Janvier waved his pistol restlessly. "This is an awful lot of talking for a raid. We fighting or not?"

Alistair looked at me pleadingly. "Bella, please just walk away. I don't want to hurt you."

I frowned. "We're not leaving without Garrett and Peter."

Alistair sighed. "So be it." He looked at his soldiers. "Guards, capture them! Keep them alive!"

The Arachnid troops took up a defensive position around Alistair, Peter, and Garrett.

Janvier looked at Angelique. "Angie … you still got your 'perfume'?"

She smiled and winked at him. "I never leave shore without it." She procured a small ball with a pin in the center.

Janvier took it, bit the pin, and threw it. A smoke screen poured rapidly from the bomb, creating confusion around the soldiers.

"Stay together!" One of them called out.

Through the haze, I saw two fists crackling with electricity coming into focus.

"Ready to dance, kid?" the soldier asked me, and I readied my cutlass.

Janvier's ship rocked hard into the speedboat from the tossing waves. A metal pail rolled across the deck beside me, and I got an idea.

The Arachnid soldier, who had fallen over, recovered and bounded forward to throw his electric fist in my face, but I was already ready. As she aimed her punch high, I crouched and swiped my leg at her feet, throwing her off balance.

It caught her completely off guard and she was flung into the railing. I used it to my advantage and grabbed her ankle and tossed her into the water.

Peter cheered appreciatively through his gag.

A sudden wind cleared the smoke from the ship and revealed the chaotic battlefield.

Jacorel climbed toward the helm of the ship to engage Jazz. A flurry of expertly thrown blows and dodges flew between them.

Toward the prow, Janvier and Angelique were peppering the surrounding soldiers with their pistols.

On the rear deck, Leah bent backward to dodge a punch, and Edward, who stood behind her, closed his hands around the fist and sent the soldier reeling. Emmett hid behind them, clutching the weighted net.

Two guards suddenly cut off my view of the rest of the boat. One had a baton, the other a pistol.

I knew I wouldn't be able to handle both on my own. "Anybody! I need some help here!" I cried out.

"On it, Princess!" Edward said, rolling under a guard Leah had speared down and flung a dagger to catch one of the Arachnid soldiers in the hand.

The soldier dropped his pistol, and Edward wrestled him to the ground.

I kicked the baton from the other soldier's hands and rammed the butt of my sword into his head, and he slumped over, out cold.

With the path cleared, I finally reached Garrett and Peter.

Jazz, who'd been beaten back by Jacorel, aimed his gun at me when Alistair shoved it from his hand.

"Do not kill them!" he said furiously.

I quickly removed the gags from Garrett and Peter's faces. They started to cough and stretched their jaws.

"Bella! You're here!" Garrett said, still in shock.

While Edward, Angelique, Janvier, and Jacorel held our defense, I cut through the guys' ties. Before I could do anything else, Garrett's tall frame arched over me.

"Duck!"

As I ducked down, he caught an Arachnid operative by their baton, twisted it from their hands and smacked them hard over the head. The soldier hit the deck, unconscious.

With his chest heaving, Garrett gazed down at me. "Bella … I'll never let you down again," he said with a somber expression.

I startled with a frown, not following what he referred to. "Garrett—"

In the distance, a second speedboat with more Arachnid troops rushed toward us.

"Fucking hell," Edward cursed under his breath. "How many people did McKenzie recruit? Being Arachnid used to mean something!"

"Take Alistair!" Leah called out. "They won't harm us if we have him!"

Angelique aimed her pistol at Alistair and gestured toward the Dorado. "Cross over to our ship."

"I've already tried to tell you—" Alistair started, but Angelique didn't listen.

"Va! Tout suite!"

Alistair reluctantly jumped the narrowing gap between the two vessels, and Angelique covered the rest of us as we escaped.

When I jumped onto the deck, Alistair was already being tied up by Kate.

"Ow! Th-that hurts!" he complained.

"Good!" she replied angrily.

"Kate!" Garrett gasped.

She whirled around. "Garrett!" she exclaimed, but after that, she appeared speechless. She shuffled a bit before speaking again. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Before Garrett had the chance to reply, Peter yelled out by the railing. "Guys, we gotta go. The other ship is coming."

Edward disagreed, though. "We're not going anywhere without Jazz," he said with a clenched jaw.

Benjamin pointed at a figure hovering in the sky. "I, uh, think he feels the same way..."

Jazz's jetpack brought him down onto the deck. "Return Alistair to the Arachnid vessel," he said expressionlessly.

Edward placed himself in between the two and glared at Jazz, or more specifically, his bionic eye. "Or what?"

Jazz engaged his jetpack to punch Edward, who quickly ducked and grappled him to the deck. They rolled together, trading haphazard blows.

"This isn't good," Leah muttered. "The longer this fight draws out..."

I nodded. "Yeah, you're right." I looked at the two men and cupped my hands around my mouth. "Edward, make him remember something!"

"I'll try," he grunted out before rolling on top of Jazz and pinning his arms down. "Remember that time in basic training, when we filled the shower heads with sand, and we had latrine duty for weeks?" he asked, but Jazz's face was as blank as ever. "Or how about that time we got our C.O.'s radio stuck on the kids' channel and had to listen to Dora the Explorer for two hours on loop?" he tried again, a hint of desperation seeping into his tone.

Jazz remained stoic.

Edward's angry expression fell and he looked close to tears. "Or the crap McKenzie did? Or how he almost killed us for finding him out? Or my fucking name?!" He punched the floorboards and screamed out in frustration. He looked ready to turn away when something glimmered in Jazz's normal eye.

"Grandpa..." he breathed out, and Edward's eyes widened.

"Jazz? Jazz, can you hear me?"

Seeing an opening, Jazz leaped to his feet and punched Edward square in the chest, and sent him crashing at my feet.

"Edward!" I cried out and crouched down by his side.

Kate rushed over when he started to cough up blood.

"Mouse, stop!" Alistair ordered. "That's enough!"

"No more time. We must go," Jazz said, once again coldly.

The others gathered protectively around me and Edward, but before Jazz could grab Alistair and get away, Garrett stopped him.

"Wait!" He stepped forward and stared at Alistair.

"Garrett? What are you doing?!" I exclaimed in shock and fear. Edward was still coughing, and on Kate's orders, I had propped him up in my lap, so that he could properly cough up the collecting blood.

Garrett didn't listen to me. He was focused on Alistair. "We never spoke much, but … I know what it's like to live in someone's shadow," he said. "You don't owe your father anything, Alistair. His praise isn't worth this."

He held out his hand, and Alistair looked at it with a surprised expression.

"Wh-what?"

"Come with us," Garrett encouraged. "Try to make up for your mistakes. Help us win this."

Kate stared at Garrett as if he was crazy. "Garrett, two seconds ago, he had you at gunpoint!"

Edward frowned angrily. "You sure picked … cough … a great time to have Stockholm Syndrome, Pretty Boy."

I agreed with them fully. "He'll only betray us again," I said. There wasn't a single part of me that trusted Alistair at this point. "Garrett, how can you even suggest he come with us? After all that he's done?!"

Garrett looked at me disapprovingly. "He told people to stop shooting us! Look at his eyes! The Alistair we know is in there!"

Edward scoffed. "Or … cough … he's been getting manipulation lessons from Daddy."

"He chose his side," Leah agreed. "Appealing to his morals is a lost cause now."

Alistair hung with his head and sneered. "I knew you imbeciles wouldn't be able to understand..."

Jazz grabbed Alistair's arm and pulled him to the other Arachnid boat that waited in the choppy waters. "We must go, now!"

Alistair's eyes glanced my way before they hardened to a glower. "I'm clearly not wanted here. I won't stand this pointless drivel any longer." He grasped the straps of Jazz's suit, and Jazz immediately engaged his jetpack and spirited both of them toward the approaching speedboat.

Edward coughed violently. "Jazz..." he grunted, and tried to sit up.

"Edward, you may have a bruised lung," Kate cautioned him. "I need you to stay put for right now, okay?"

He heavily leaned back against me, and I brushed his hair away from his eyes. "Just try to rest," I said, and he weakly nodded.

As the second Arachnid boat disappeared into the distance, Edward held his chest and turned his head to the side, causing his hair to once again fall into his eyes.

I grabbed the hand on his chest and rubbed his other arm in an attempt to comfort. "We'll find him and we'll fix him. I promise," I said, even though I was less convinced of the possibility than ever. I said it purely for Edward's sake.

The others started to gather on the prow and talked among themselves. I couldn't hear their conversations, but I didn't care. Edward was my priority, and I wasn't going to leave him until he felt better.

I smiled when Peter and Emmett embraced in a typical bro-hug complete with slaps on the back.

"Bella," Edward said with a raspy voice. "I'm fine. Go welcome Cap and Drax back."

"Hush," I said gently. "They're back now so I can always talk to them later."

He sighed. "You don't have to take care of me, you know."

I wanted to roll my eyes at that, but I knew that his more somber mood had to do with Jazz, and so simply tightened my hold on his hand. "I know I don't have to, but I want to, so sue me."

He frowned, but when I started to run my free hand through his hair, he closed his eyes and relaxed, finally accepting my doting. Maybe he understood I needed it as much as he did.

Garrett came jogging up to us, and I looked up to meet his eyes. He crouched down and patted my shoulder as if he was checking that I was real.

"You're really here," he said in awe. "You really made it."

I smiled at him. "So did you."

His face immediately fell. And I noticed the sunlight reflecting against the wet tracks on his cheeks. "Bella, I'm sorry," he said.

"Uh … for what?" I asked, confused.

"What do you mean, for what?!" Garrett exclaimed. "I wasn't there when you fell out of the helicopter. I didn't have a plan. I couldn't protect everyone."

I sighed. "Garrett, really—"

"It's not your fault," Edward said from my lap. Garrett looked at him with a sad frown, and they exchanged something in silence that I didn't get.

Peter came up to us next with a devastated expression. "Guys, you haven't seen Rosalie yet … have you?"

We all looked around at each other before shaking our heads.

Peter stared down at the floor of the deck while Kate rubbed his back and offered a comforting smile.

"Rosalie's the smartest out of all of us, Peter. I'm sure she's out there," she told him.

He nodded, still sad. "She better be." His sadness suddenly turned to rage. "Cause if she's not, Cullen's gonna pay! I know she's tough, but after all these weeks—"

Kate stopped him. "Hold up, weeks?" she asked. "It's only been a few days for us."

Victoria stared at her. "It's been a month since I've seen all of you."

I frowned. "Wait, we've all been experiencing different wavelengths of time within the island?"

"Have we ruled out being in the Matrix?" Benjamin asked with wide eyes. "Or is that still a possibility?"

"Something's changed," Garrett muttered. "El Jardín wasn't like this before."

I looked down and met Edward's eyes, who gave me a meaningful glance, obviously telling me it was time I told the others what had happened.

I cleared my throat. "There's something I should probably tell you guys—"

Victoria suddenly started to breathe heavily and she leaned on the railing for support. "Ugh … it's … happening again," she groaned.

Garrett and Peter looked at her with concern.

"Is Victoria okay?"

"Not exactly," Benjamin told them. "It's actually why we came here. A piece of the Island's Heart is nearby, and when it calls to Vicky, it seems to hurt her."

Kate and Leah helped Victoria to her feet, and she pointed tentatively toward a large atoll along the coast.

"It wants me to go there."

Janvier shook his head in protest. "The reefs are too dangerous t'ford with the ship. We'll have to send her in a rowboat."

Victoria gaped at him. "S-send me … alone?"

Leah stepped forward. "Nobody goes alone. I'll go with her."

"You're both basically sisters to me," Kate said. "And sisters don't split up."

"If you're all going, I wanna go!" Emmett said determinedly.

Everyone else quickly declared they were going, too, and Janvier grumbled in annoyance. "A tamed monkey could do this task alone! Why're all of you doing this?!"

"We all lost each other once already," Leah said and glared at him. "I don't think we want to split up after just finding each other." Surprised faces turned to Leah, who blushed a deep red and cleared her throat. "I mean, probably. I wouldn't know."

Edward grinned. "Guys, I think Katniss's finally opening up to us."

Leah huffed. "Pff. Whatever."

"I think what she's trying to say is that we're all in this together," Benjamin jumped in. "So nobody gets left behind, or forgotten."

"Okay there, Stitch," Edward said and shook his head, but couldn't help but grin affectionately. "If we're all going, fine. Two boats should do it. I can swim down to get—" He was interrupted by a coughing fit.

"Edward, in your condition the last place you should be is underwater," Kate told him.

Peter clapped a hand on Garrett's shoulder. "Looks like you're up, brah!"

Garrett's face fell. "I … don't know if I'll be at my best right now."

"Then I'll go with you," I said reassuringly. "You haven't let anyone down, Garrett. Together we can do this."

I helped Edward up on to his feet, and once I was sure he could stand on his own, I turned to Garrett and held my hand out to him.

He stared between me, my hand, and the rest of our friends. After a long silence, his hand grasped mine tightly.

He smiled. "Spoken like a born leader."

"Takes one to know one, right?" I said and smiled back.

Angelique clapped her hands together. "Let us depart then! Prepare the rowboats!"

Janvier's face was the color of rare meat, and his mustache twitched angrily. "Well, you're not leaving me behind! I was promised a crew and I can't trust you not to gallivant off on your own!" He unveiled two large rowboats under tarps on the deck. "Let's be quick, 'lubbers! While the sun's still high!"

We rowed the boats gently into the atoll, following Victoria's directions. Below, a kaleidoscope of colorful fish, coral, and plant life dazzled us.

"Welcome to Neptune Cove, a great place to show a wench a good time," Janvier grinned and laughed.

"Poor wench," Angelique replied with a smirk.

The name of the cover sounded familiar somehow, and I tried to remember where I'd heard it before.

"Broskies, are you seeing these colors?" Peter asked with a gaping mouth.

Emmett grinned. "I've heard some fish have psychedelic effects when you eat 'em!"

Benjamin excitedly pointed at a fish. "Guys, look! I found Nemo!"

Jacorel appeared awed. "Is that your people's name for that fish? How fascinating!"

Garrett craned his neck over the edge and let out a whistle. "How far down does it go? I can't see the bottom."

"You'll see soon enough, Michael Phelps," Edward told him with his usual grin in place. I was so relieved he already felt better.

Janvier and Angelique brought the rowboats to a stop as jagged coral formations started to catch along their undersides.

"This looks like the furthest we can take you," Angelique said.

Victoria nodded. "It's definitely close by. Feels like it wants to rip me through the boat."

"That's a deep reef," Edward observed as he peered down. "You got anything to help you breathe underwater?" he asked.

I shook my head. "You know I don't. We left the scuba tank at Sharktooth Isle, so we'll just have to work fast."

"Just be careful," he told me and kissed my temple, obviously hating that he wasn't going with me.

Garrett stripped off his shirt and nodded at me. "Alright. You ready, Bella?"

I, once again, had to settle for swimming in my underwear, and Edward adorably sat in front of me to cover me as I undressed. I leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "They've all seen me in a bikini before. This is no worse than that."

He shook his head. "Yeah, I don't believe that crap. Underwear is completely different from swimwear."

I kissed the shell of his ear and then nodded to Garrett that I was ready.

We launched from the boats and dove into the reef.

As colors swirled around us, I couldn't help but pause and appreciate the beautiful life around us. I noticed a perfect circle of sea anemones, fronds of jagged coral, filled with deep crevices, and a peculiar sand dune.

I decided to check out the sand dune more closely because it felt like the most out of place. Garrett helped to pull me down in between the fish and overgrowth once I'd pointed out the dune to him, and at the bottom, I plummeted my hand into the sand.

The soft sand billowed up and clouded the water. I felt around blindly as the sand obscured my vision, and my hand grabbed something.

I couldn't inspect what it was underwater and my air was about to run out, so I held onto the object and pushed off the sea floor with both feet.

I breached the surface and tread water as Garrett came up next to me. His face was disappointed.

"We didn't find it, did we?"

I held up the object in my hand and it turned out to be an old brass padlock with its key lodged in the hole. I turned it over and saw a few words scratched into the aged metal.

No land, no sea, no one will keep us apart.

Flora & Eugene, 1920

The lock was unfastened, so I assumed they never locked it where they had intended to.

Garrett's eyes narrowed, and his voice lowered. "It's not the Heart." He clenched his jaw and sent a huge spray of water flying.

"We'll keep trying until we find it, Garrett," I said, hoping it would calm him down, but it didn't.

"I can't."

"Hey—"

"I said I can't okay! I can't do it! I can't do anything without screwing up and someone getting hurt." He hit the water again. "This whole time I've tried to be the Q.B. Call the shots. Do everything right. And where are we now?" His head slumped forward. "At the end of the world, some of us missing, some of us hurt." He looked down into the reef, the expression on his face shell-shocked.

I put a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault. I don't care how strong or tough you think you are. You can't shoulder the blame for things that were out of your control."

"I..."

"You didn't know we were going to be stuck on this island, or about Cullen, or any of this."

"I could have done more, Bella. Made better split decisions."

I groaned in frustration. "Will you cut yourself a break?!"

His eyes widened, but he didn't say anything.

"Every day, we're doing all we can just to survive. And somehow, we're doing it. So stop blaming yourself for everything, and come help me find a magical rock with space-time powers, please?"

He looked away from me, and I couldn't tell if the drops of water on his face were from the sea, or from his eyes. "Ever since I kicked my dad's abusive, alcoholic ass out of the house, I've done everything to carry the load. I didn't want to be a burden on anyone. Not like he was." He rubbed his face and inhaled deeply. "But now, after all that's happened … you saving my ass, keeping us going … I just don't know how to keep pretending like I'm good at this."

A shimmering aura rose from the depths of the reef.

"Garrett, do you see that?" I asked him cautiously.

Both of us froze as a ghostly head surfaced beside us.

"Bella, get behind me!"

From the center of its body, the figure withdrew something small and shiny and extended it to Garrett.

It was a gold watch with the glass broken. On the back of it, I noticed an engraving.

Marcus Gayle

Garrett shook his head. "That's … not possible! It doesn't exist anymore."

The figure continued to reach out imploringly.

"Bella, what do I do here? Do I … take it?"

I nodded encouragingly. "I think it will help!"

Garrett still hesitated, and so, as with Leah and Emmett, I took the object from the figure and handed it to Garrett. As soon as his fingers touched it, we were transported to a training room, where Garrett was poring over pages of playbooks strewn all over the floor.

"If the Seagulls' safety tries what he did last game—"

There was a crisp knock as a short woman wearing a Rams jersey rounded the corner.

"Momma!"

"There's my starting quarterback!" the woman gushed happily. I remembered from one of the many articles written about Garrett at Hartfeldt that his mom's name was Bree.

Garret put his books aside and swept his mom into a big hug.

"Hold on, hold on!" Bree laughed. "Lemme get a good look at you." She pulled out of the hug and craned her neck to look up at Garrett's face. "Oh, those cameras won't know what to do with you!"

Garrett grinned. "Hopefully, they only catch me when I make the good plays."

Bree stepped back and joyfully launched into a cheering routine. "Get 'em with a forward drive! Keep that winning streak alive! Get 'em Gayle … Give 'em hayle … Goooo, Gayle!"

"Wow. Okay," Garrett said with amusement. "Did you just mispronounce 'hell' to rhyme with our name?"

Bree shrugged. "Chant's gotta rhyme somehow!"

Both laughed before sitting down on a nearby bench. Bree instantly caught a hint of worry in her son's eyes.

"Coach said you were workin' too hard. What's wrong, baby?"

Garrett sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I've already had reporters ask me if Dad'll be here. They keep asking about what he's 'telling me'..." Another sigh. "I'm glad we've kept everything under wraps, it's just..." He met Bree's eyes. "I'm trying to be a better man than he was, but it's like I can't stop feeling him over my shoulder."

Bree rubbed his back. "Oh, Garrett..." She cupped a hand to his face which caused him to smile and cover her hand with his.

"I know, I know. I'm not Dad, I'm a different person, I get it."

"But he's a part of you, Garrett. Just as I am. You can't just ignore someone that shaped so much of your life." Bree's eyes turned sad. "I know you still have his watch in your desk drawer … You deserved so much more from him."

"Yeah, well, we don't always get what we deserve," Garrett replied dejectedly. "But even thinking of letting someone down a fraction of the way he did us..."

Bree gave his hand a squeeze. "You have his strengths too. He did actually have a few. Do you remember Thanksgiving the first year your father was gone? How I wouldn't let anyone help me in the kitchen?"

His eyes widened. "How could I forget … especially the trip to the ER after you dropped the turkey pan on your foot."

Bree smiled. "I wanted to prove to everyone that I was fine without him. That I could do everything for everyone else, and take care of myself. 'What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger,' I thought." She shrugged. "The truth is, baby, no one is indestructible. My bones sure wished I sucked it up and asked you for help that day."

Garrett laughed. "Ha. I bet."

"Reporters will say what they want about you. You can't control them. But don't let worrying about your father's mistakes push you into making your own."

"Thanks, Momma. I … really needed to hear that."

Bree grinned. "That's why I said it. Just try to relax. Remember this is the beginning. Remember that you were the number one draft pick and that you're already defining your own legacy, but most importantly, remember that you don't have to carry the world on your shoulder. You got plenty of good folks to share the load with."

"Thanks, Momma … I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. Now relax, take a breath, and go win your first game."

Almost as quickly as it started, the vision ended.

The sun was setting, and I was back in the water with Garrett, who stared at me in awe.

"Bella, that was … just what I needed." He looked down at the damaged watch before clutching it tightly and then smiled at me.

"Feeling better?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Lots."

The mysterious figure started to become hazy, but before it could fade completely, it beckoned us back down to the shining reef.

"I'm gonna follow it," I said.

"Okay … I'm coming, too," Garrett said, and the both of us dove after the figure.

Intense light was coming from somewhere amid the coral formations. Both of us swam to the best of our abilities after the rapidly descending spirit.

When we reached the bottom and dared to glance at the light's source, I saw a broken sphere of crystal.

I clutched the second half of the Island's Heart and allowed my body to float back to the surface.

When I came up, I saw that dusk had fallen and the stars were beginning to come out. Both Garrett and I tread water as we gazed at the crystalline orb in wonder.

He smiled faintly. "You found it."

"We found it."

We paddled back to the rowboats and brandished the Heart proudly to the others.

"You did it!" Victoria gasped.

"We had a little help," I said and hurriedly put my clothes back on as I had started to shiver. Edward noticed and placed his arms around me to warm me up with his body heat.

"It looked like an Electric Light Parade was happening down there," Benjamin said with wide eyes.

"Hey, if that glorified disco ball wants to show you how to get to it, I'm not complaining," Edward said and kissed the top of my head.

I leaned into him, but then I noticed Janvier eying the Heart.

"Mighty fine gem you've got there..." he said.

"Yes," Kate agreed. "And it's not yours." She pointedly took the crystal and placed it in her backpack while staring at Janvier.

"Let's get back to the ship before Cullen's men come searching for it," Leah suggested.

Angelique and Janvier began rowing back to the Dorado, when Emmett froze.

"Uhhh, doodlejumps? Friends?" He pointed a shaky finger to an enormous form darkening the waters beneath us.

Through peaks of waves, I saw familiar dark fins writhing in the deep. Everyone immediately tensed.

"I've got a bad feeling about thi—" Jacorel started but didn't get to finish before a massive wave slammed into the rowboats and the many-toothed maw of Cetus rose in front of us.

A/N:

Goddammit! That Cetus is like a zit that refuses to go away. Right when you think its gone, it pops right back up!

Well, they did find the other half of the Heart, and Cetus is a Guardian, so I guess it's not really strange that he's there.

But to happier news! Victoria is Victoria, and her illness hasn't come back even though she doesn't have her powers anymore.

They got Garrett and Peter back! Yay, but Alistair has a lot to atone for if the others will ever be able to forgive and forget.

Jazz … well … he remembers something. There is the tickle of a memory right at the edge.

Edward got hurt, and it has pushed him down a peg or two. Bruised lungs are not fun and take quite some time to heal. Thank god for Kate's medical knowledge.

Please tell me your thoughts, and also a big smooch your way for those of you who voted for me and also of course to the rest of you as well for supporting this story! It means everything to me! It really does!

Until Thursday,

Stay Awesome!