A/N:

So the plan is to kill Cetus. With our gang's track record, what do you think will happen?

You haven't missed that The Perfect Partner Program has been republished and I update with 3 chapters per week. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays!

But for now, let's get to this story :-D

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 8}

All of us stared at the fiery horizon with abject horror, and then Edward turned to me with a less than confident expression.

"Right. You got an atomic bomb hidden somewhere, Princess?" he asked, never able to erase all of his sarcastic humor.

Jacorel walked up to the railing and sighed, his eyes never leaving the burning water. "If what we did at Elyys'tel wasn't enough to bring down the Sea Guardian … I doubt it can ever be done."

"Guys, he ate the Heart a few days ago!" Peter suddenly exclaimed excitedly. "What goes in must come out, right?"

Kate crossed her arms. "You're not actually suggesting we go look for sea monster droppings, are you?"

He shrugged. "It was just a thought."

"Yes, but even if that was the case, it would take forever to go through all the water Cetus has at his disposal around the island," Tanya pointed out.

"Can we come back to the whole 'killing a legendary beast' thing?" Garrett said and turned to me. "Do you have an idea?"

Before I could answer, Rosalie interrupted. "What's the point?! Guys, we can't keep up with him. We just can't."

A weary despondence fell over everyone, but I knew this was not the time to despair.

"We've beaten the odds before," I reminded them. "Have you guys forgotten how many times we've already survived the impossible?" I looked at each of them and attempted an encouraging expression. "We're some of the brightest, strongest, most capable people anywhere. We've got time travelers, ex-military pilots, expert hackers, strategic minds, doctors, athletes, and so much more. I'm done worrying about odds. I'm done worrying about if we'll make it. Because I know we will."

Small smiles spread throughout the gang, and they all started to exchange looks and nods. They had heard me, and now they believed as well. Furball yapped and ran around our legs until he jumped up on my shoulders and wrapped his fluffy tail around my neck. There he started to purr, and I knew he approved of my motivational speech.

Jazz, who hadn't said a word to anyone but Edward since we got introduced, rose to his feet carefully and looked at me imploringly. "Let … let me help," he said, and then frowned pleadingly. "Please."

Edward grasped his shoulder. "You got it, kid," he said with a smile, but his eyes still had a sadness in them when he looked at his best friend. "No one's ever leaving you behind again." He then turned to me with a smirk. "Let's do it."

The Anachronist Kaarii glanced at one another with uncertainty in their eyes.

"We've always avoided interfering with time transcendent entities..." The purple-haired female said cautiously.

"True," Clockmaster agreed. "But with El Jardín's chronoscape shrinking away, we have little choice. We must help them in any way we can."

Victoria rubbed her chest absentmindedly as she narrowed her eyes toward the horizon. "Since Cetus is drawn to the Heart … Maybe we could use the half we have to lure him out?"

James grimaced and glanced at Victoria worriedly. I wondered if perhaps he had started to develop feelings for her. His look certainly said as much. "Dicey move, but it's a start. Could put us in the hot seat."

"Yeah," Rosalie concurred. "He'll probably lay down some harsh DPS with that lightning."

"Lightning could be very bad for the Dorado, amis," Angelique cautioned me. "The beast's storms might be too mighty."

"You'll need a Faraday Cage," Clockmaster said casually.

Garrett frowned. "A what cage?"

"Faraday. They're designed to redistribute and pull electrical currents away harmlessly," Clockmaster explained. "We could perhaps simulate the effects around the ship with nets and wiring."

Tanya's eyes lit up. "I did a similar project in Robotics class. I should be able to help set it up!"

"Okay, but how about our offensive?" Edward asked and looked around the ship. "Blondbeard, you got ammunition on this relic?"

Janvier smirked. "Enough to blow half a fleet to the high heavens."

"Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us."

The group split into smaller groups strung across the deck. Tanya, Alistair, and Rosalie were going over defensive designs with Clockmaster and making chalk diagrams on the floor while James and Victoria were stockpiling supplies.

I was about to walk up to Angelique who was practicing with Chouchou when I saw Janvier approach her with a thunderous expression.

"That's where my sword went! You thieving, unsavory picaroon!"

Angelique gritted her teeth with a sneer at him, which caused Janvier to launch himself at her, and they fell onto the deck as they wrestled over the cutlass.

"Non! I won't … let you … take Chouchou from me!"

"Take it … from you?! This blade is mine, forged by my own two hands!"

I sighed and walked over to James and Victoria to help them, but I could still hear the fighting pirates clearly.

"C'est n'importe quoi! I stole Chouchou from the corpse of—"

"Admiral Higgenbotham, who stole it from me!" Janvier snarled. "It's just like you to take and take until there's nothing left in the world but your damned ego!"

"As if you have the right to accuse others, you self-centered monstrosity!"

"I loved you, Angie … You were the center of my world."

Angelique let out a scoffing laugh. "And what of Lisette? Your little mistress?"

"How dare you!" Janvier exclaimed. It was obvious the cutlass had been forgotten at this point. "Ever since you lost Bastien—"

"Stop talking. Now."

"You've been a cold-hearted, selfish piece of—"

There was a distinct slap from her palm connecting with Janvier's face, and I turned around just as Alistair stepped in between.

"We don't have time for this childish prattle!"

Victoria also stepped in between. "Someone who doesn't have attachments to the sword should decide who gets it," she said to assemble some peace and diplomacy.

Janvier glared at Angelique and leaned down to place the cutlass on the deck between them. "Fair enough. One of you should do it."

Edward walked up behind us, having heard the discussion. "Buccaneer Barbie is one hell of a fighter with that sword. I'd say she gets to keep it. It's not on her that Blondbeard lost it in the first place."

"I agree," I said because he had a point.

Garrett narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, but if he made the sword, it seems unfair to take it from him."

"She's the one who's been here for us," Kate said, shrugging, and it was obvious this was turning into a vote. "I say she deserves it."

The rest pretty much agreed with Kate's statement, and Angelique smiled widely at us all. "Merci," she said gratefully and tucked the cutlass into her belt with a loving pat on the hilt.

Janvier grimaced but didn't protest either, and soon, activity slowly came back to life across the deck.

"Bella, it might be smart to get a better view of the area from back at the cliffs," Garrett told me and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder.

"Yeah, if we're gonna do this right, we gotta get a lay of the battlefield," Edward agreed.

"I … can take you back," Janvier said dispiritedly. "Could use the change of scenery about now."

A few of the others decided to accompany us in the rowboat, and we crossed the water and walked up to the cliffside.

I scanned the waters, but I couldn't see anything unusual except the burning horizon.

"Whole lot of sea for Ol' Nessie to be hiding in," Edward said next to me.

Clockmaster hummed. "Perhaps we should post a few lookouts up here."

"Yeah," Emmett said. "Some of us could use lights or something to signal when we see Cetus coming. Right, Garrett?"

Garrett didn't reply and I turned to where I thought he was. "Garrett?" I couldn't see him until I glanced back down the trail where he had only gotten halfway, and he was clutching his leg.

"I'm almost there!" He yelled up to us, but it was obvious he was exhausted. "Just … hang on a sec."

Kate rushed over to help brace him on his way up. When they were with the rest of us, she looked at him worriedly. "We can't send you into a fight like this." She helped him sit down on the ground, and Furball immediately bounded over to him and braced his paws on Garrett's knee.

Garrett sighed and pet Furball as he thought through his words. "You need me," he insisted. "I can't sit idly by at a time like this—"

I walked over and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"We just can't afford any mistakes, and if I'm useless—" he continued.

"You're not useless," I immediately told him. "Nobody thinks that."

"There is a way you might be quite helpful, actually," Clockmaster said, and we all looked to her. She removed a series of brass earpieces from a compartment strapped to her torso. "Using these communicators, a sentry group could speak to those on the vessel and advise you on what best to do."

Kate smiled widely and looked at Garrett with a hopeful expression. "Given how giant Cetus is, we'd get a better idea of what he's doing. It would really help our strategy."

Garrett hesitated for a second but then chuckled. "Calling plays from the sidelines, huh? Didn't think I was headed that way so soon."

Emmett was awed as he studied the earpieces. "Dude, these look rad!"

"They're from a not too distant future. Picked them up on one of my last travels before we were trapped in this time," Clockmaster said with a smirk and handed them out to Garrett, Emmett, and Kate.

"I suppose it's as good a time as any to see if I'll make a good coach," Garrett said, and while he was still disappointed he wouldn't be where the action would happen, I could see he was relieved and happy he would be able to help anyway.

"That's the spirit," I said and squeezed his shoulder encouragingly.

"I'll take the left side of the cliff," Emmett said with a grin. "Nothing he does will get past me."

"I'll take the right side, then," Kate filled in. "Together, we'll keep all visuals on lock."

I looked my friends over and nodded. "Sounds like we have a plan, then." I hugged Garrett, Emmett, and Kate before Clockmaster, Edward, and I headed back to the Dorado.

As the moon peeked through the clouds, we all finalized the preparations for the battle. Tanya and a couple Anachronists put the finishing touches on the Faraday netting draped over one side of the ship. I pressed a hand to the headset in my ear to test it out.

"Garrett, do you copy?"

I heard his chuckle. "This is Eagle One. Copy loud and clear. We have visual contact on your position."

Emmett's voice joined. "We get codenames?! Sick! Mine's TacoNinja!"

"Em, nobody is going to call you TacoNinja," Kate said irritatedly.

Edward called for my attention, and I released the button on the headset.

"Cannons and harpoons are locked and loaded, Princess," he said.

"Our defenses are sufficiently prepared," Alistair observed, pleased.

I took a deep breath and asked everyone to gather. "Alright, everyone. Any last encouraging words before we get this show on the road?" No one said anything and I nodded and cupped my hands around my mouth. "Raise anchors!"

The sails lowered, and the Dorado pushed off into the wide strait surrounding the Rosencraft Estate.

Angelique hung from the nets and yelled. "Yoohoo, Monsieur Tarasque … We have another snack for you!"

Victoria sided up to me. "I hope this works."

I hugged her small shoulders. "Just give it time. We don't know where Cetus is right now."

We drifted around for what felt like forever, but then I heard the crackle in my earpiece and Garrett's voice.

"Bella, we've got fins and scales peeking through the waves portside! You got company!"

"He's on our port side!" I shouted to the others. "Everyone, brace yourselves!"

Everyone fanned out across the ship and took up defensive positions. Dark clouds began to race across the sky, indicating Cetus's storm was gathering.

"Bella, you're not going to believe this," Garrett's voice in my ear said.

I pressed the button to reply. "Not going to believe what?"

"Oh god," Kate breathed out. "Bella … Cetus isn't alone."

Something slammed into the side of the Dorado and sent everyone sprawling.

"Davy Jones himself," Janvier mumbled. "The beast's at the bow!"

The gigantic blue head with the many rows of teeth rose up from the water with a roar. Jacorel glared at him hatefully.

"Your time has come, Sea Guardian!"

The Dorado shifted again, and the sea began to drop away as we were lifted upward.

"What's happening?!" I yelled in ever-growing panic.

"G-g-g-g-guys, look behind you!" Peter stuttered with saucer-wide eyes.

I turned just in time to witness two more serpentine heads rise from the sea. One sea-green hissed like a snake while a crimson red screeched ear-shatteringly. At full length, each head towered at least thirty feet over the surface, and when I looked over the edge, I saw a vast shadow in the depths that marked Cetus's body and it was the origin of all three heads.

Edward was staring at the same thing as I was, and we exchanged a terrified look. "I think the Heart made Gyarados here go through a few evolutions," he called out.

The original head let out another rumbling roar and the sky lit up with lightning.

"Get down!" Edward yelled in warning before he pulled me behind the Faraday net. Cetus's lightning power diffused along its metal-woven ropes.

"What do we do now?" Tanya cried out. "We only planned on fighting one Cetus head!"

"I got a few flash bombs!" Rosalie exclaimed. It was difficult to hear each other over the storm. "We could blind them to give us some time."

Edward met my eyes. "It might get him still long enough to harpoon, Princess."

"Rosalie, go ahead!"

"Comin' right up! Just remember to keep your eyes closed, guys! Unless you want to go blind!"

Edward, Peter, Leah, and I readied ourselves at the harpoon guns while Tanya and Alistair grabbed the ropes for hoisting the Faraday net. Rosalie lit the fuse and threw the flash bomb high in the air.

"Cover!" she yelled and I buried my face in the crook of my elbow.

I continued to cover them for a few second until I was sure the worst of the flash had passed and then raised my head. All three of Cetus' heads were blinking wildly, unable to focus. His neck loomed closer as he struggled to regain his vision. On the other side of the boat, the red and green heads were equally confused and slammed into each other clumsily.

"Alright, let's move!" I shouted to the others.

"Fire!"

Four harpoons with thick chains shot from cannons and embedded themselves deep in the serpent's neck, who let out his loudest roar yet. We scrambled toward the chains attached to the harpoons and heaved them with all of our strength.

I looked over my shoulder and saw the green and red heads snapping at the netting and ripped it to shreds. "We have to hurry!" I yelled. "Without that netting—"

"We're fried chicken," Edward finished for me. "Alright everyone, heave!"

We strained together, and Cetus's first head fell onto the deck. He struggled and writhed and it became increasingly more difficult to restrain him by the second.

"Jan, where's the cannon fire? We can't hold him forever!" Victoria cried out as the chains started to slip through her fingers.

"I need the beast to look up!" Janvier said in response. "We won't pierce the skull from here."

Angelique glanced furtively to Janvier, then climbed atop Cetus's head.

"Angie, are you mad?!" Janvier exclaimed in fear. "Get down!"

She didn't listen and Cetus reacted to the pirate on his head. He reared upward and snapped at her with his sword-sized teeth.

"Jan!" Angelique yelled. "Are you blind? Take the shot!"

"Not while you're on its head!"

The two other heads finished with the netting and towered above us. I knew time was of the essence and while it pained me to see my friend sacrificing herself, she had made her choice, and she knew it.

"Janvier, shoot!" I yelled.

"Don't you—" he started and glared at me.

"We don't have time for this! Angelique made her choice!"

The others were very quiet behind me and I knew a few of them didn't agree with me, but there was nothing that could be done about it. Janvier looked at Angelique worriedly. She flinched as an arc of electricity struck her leg, but she remained holding onto Cetus's head.

"Fire! Now!" she cried.

Janvier lit the fuse and everyone braced themselves.

Then, with a loud boom, the cannonball ripped through the bottom of Cetus's skull and flew out into the sea. The red and green heads thrashed violently, reeling from the pain of the blue head's loss.

Janvier strode forward and glowered at Angelique. "Even for you, Angie, that is the daftest—"

Cetus's maw twitched and twisted around Janvier's ankle. As the head slid off the deck, it pulled the pirate captain with him.

"Jan, non!" Angelique chased after him and tried to pry his foot loose. When her efforts to free him failed, he reached out with his hand.

"Give me the cutlass!"

She glared at him. "Jan, of all times..."

"Just trust me, Angie!"

Her eyes softened as the brimmed with fear before she handed it over. Janvier quickly began hacking at the teeth. His attacks freed his foot, but the cutlass was lodged into Cetus's teeth and descended overboard with the rest of him.

As the storm raged ever harder, the two pirated tumbled onto the deck.

"Le monstre bleu … he is gone?"

"Yes, Angie. You did well. Rest now."

Angelique closed her eyes as she lost consciousness. Janvier placed his arms around her protectively.

The two remaining heads began to sway menacingly. As the rain fell in blankets, lightning crackled in their teeth.

"We don't have a defense against their electrical attacks anymore!" Tanya said and glanced with despair at the torn netting.

"We gotta get the targets away from this boat before we're pulled under!" James said.

"Allow me to assist." Clockmaster's fingers danced across the dials on her stopwatch and a time rift opened at the stern of the ship. As she twisted various knobs, the rift moved and a military helicopter emerged onto the Dorado's quarterdeck.

"Damn," Rosalie breathed out in impressed shock.

"Will we even be able to fly in this weather?" Victoria asked worriedly.

Edward smirked at her. "Don't you worry about that, Ariel. Jazz and I've taken off in worse." The two of them bolted for the helicopter.

Janvier passed the Island's Heart to Rosalie, who ran after them.

Peter pulled the laser cannon out of his bag and strapped it to his shoulder while following the others. "Time for plan B," he grunted.

I was the last to enter the helicopter and strapped myself in.

"Buckle up, everyone!" Edward said as he pressed buttons and flipped switches. "This is gonna be a rough ride."

As we ascended between the Dorado's masts, both of the heads disappeared under the water.

"That can't be good," I mumbled to myself.

Jazz's bionic eye widened as he stared at a radar display on the dash. "Jink nine," he said, and while I had no idea what he said, Edward obviously did.

"What?!" he exclaimed.

"It's a sneak attack! Jink nine now!"

Suddenly, a spire of green scales burst from the water. Man-sized fangs crashed together mere feet away from us.

Edward pulled the helicopter sharply to the left, but as he did, Cetus's scarlet, screeching maw emerged and spat orbs of lightning. Jazz and Edward moved in unison and the aircraft narrowly dodged the two beasts.

"Now what?!" Rosalie exclaimed, still clutching the Heart.

Edward nodded toward the green head. "See that ball lightning? I say we fire grenades while it's still in his mouth and make his own attacks hurt!"

Clockmaster nodded. "In that same line of thinking, we may be able to trick the heads into hurting each other."

"And I have my totally awesome and powerful cannon!" Peter said and patted the laser. "I can bring at least one of these uglies down!"

"Yeah, I'm with Big Guy," Edward said, changing his mind. "That's way easier than grenades."

I nodded at Peter, who grinned. "Alright, Peter. Time to give Cetus a little laser surgery on the house."

"Hell yeah!" He shifted to sit next to the open panel and gripped the laser cannon.

"Alright, Rambo," Edward called over his shoulder. "We're gonna bring you as close as we can," he said and guided the helicopter dangerously close to the green head.

It hissed and spit, but Peter was ready.

"Shut up, Cetus!" He powered up the laser and aimed it down the creature's snapping mouth. A short powerful blast put a small burn mark on Cetus's neck, but he appeared unfazed by it. "Seriously? How is he not dead?! It's a cannon!"

"Can you charge up its power?" Jazz suddenly asked from the front. "I believe it will be more effective than a bunch of weak blasts."

Peter gaped. "Won't that fry the cannon? What if it explodes?"

"Then that's what happens, Big Guy," Edward answered. "We gotta go with our gut here."

Peter exhaled sharply and cranked a lever on the cannon and allowed it to build up energy. The sleek, white barrel began to shake and glow bright red. "Can we fire it yet?!" he yelled in building panic.

"Almost..." I mumbled, and then when I was sure the cannon couldn't take any more. "Now!"

A massive red beam utterly engulfed the green head. It screeched, but it soon faded, and the emerald spire descended into the sea with a sickening splash. Strangely colored blood filled the murky waters.

Sparks and smoke plumed from the cannon. It shocked Peter, who yelped and lost his grip, which caused the damaged cannon to splash into the sea.

"Goodbye, buddy," Peter said downheartedly. "You did good."

All of us recoiled from the carnage left in the wake of the green head's death.

"Man, am I glad I didn't eat before this."

Edward threw his head back and laughed. "Two down, one to—"

"Look out!"

Cetus's red maw reached out to bite the helicopter but was instead sliced across the jaw by the rotor.

As the helicopter tottered in the air, I noticed smoke coming from the rotor above. "He damaged the blades!" I told Edward and Jazz.

Edward snarled angrily in response. "Turn the course … back to the cliffs! Hope we..."

"Are you serious?" Rosalie interrupted him. "We gave you another chance—"

"Just shut up and hang on, Skrillex!"

We braced ourselves as we careened toward the cliffs outside the Rosencraft Estate. With a crash, we came down hard on the rocky soil, and the helicopter bucked as it dragged to a stop. The Heart fell to the ground, but I quickly picked it up and backed away from the edge.

"Guys!" Emmett yelled as he, Kate, and Garrett rushed across the cliff face and helped everyone out of the helicopter.

Over the cliffside, the rest from the Dorado hurried toward us.

"Is anyone hurt?" Kate asked and looked us all over. "That was a rough landing."

I nodded. "We're fine, but we can't get comfortable yet. Cetus has still got—"

Cetus crimson head shot up in front of the cliffs with a screech.

"You'd think losing his bros would at least slow him down," Peter groaned.

"How are we supposed to keep this up?" Rosalie threw her arms out, frustrated. "At this rate, we won't be able to kill him."

"Perhaps the spire?" the purple-haired Anachronist suggested.

"Hmm," Clockmaster said. "That might do it." She took out her stopwatch and began making calibrations. "This device is nearly spent." She turned to me. "Bella, are you familiar with Cullen's MASADA facility?"

Rosalie frowned. "You mean the place we blew up?!"

"If I set this correctly, and get a rift close enough to his head, we may be able to use velocity and the building's blade-like shape to impale him."

"Duuuude," Peter awed. "Are you serious?"

I swallowed hard. "What's our backup plan?"

"I could try reaching out to the Heart and pull it from him," Victoria said timidly.

Garrett grimaced. "That's awfully risky. You could get hurt if we don't do this right."

"But it might just be our only way to kill Cetus for good," Edward said hesitantly. "We don't exactly have the tools to do it otherwise."

Another swallow, and then I turned to Clockmaster. "Give me that monster's head on a spike." I then glanced at Jacorel. "You said you wanted to mount his head over your throne, right?"

He narrowed his eyes and glared at the red head. "I did."

I smirked. "Then let us help you with that. Clockmaster, hand me that timepiece."

"Of course."

While Jacorel and Leah began lobbing stones at Cetus to draw his attention, I gave Clockmaster's stopwatch a twist. A shimmering tear opened just beyond the cliff's edge and through it, I could see MASADA's silver spire getting rapidly closer.

The scarlet head peered at the rift and drew closer to it, and then the tower burst through. Several stories of MASADA violently tore through the massive, anglerfish-like head. It twitched and struggled, but soon succumbed and teetered heavily toward the cliff.

"Look out!" Emmett warned us and everyone scrambled backward, except Victoria, who raised a hand toward the falling sea monster.

"Vicky, no!" I yelled, but she ignored me.

Something began to glow in Cetus's neck, and Leah ran toward Victoria.

A burst of light flooded the area.

When the haze finally cleared, there was no sign of Cetus or MASADA, but Leah was holding the shining second half of the Heart, and Victoria gasped for breath next to her.

Tanya stared at the spot where Cetus was just seconds earlier. "Is … is it over?"

"It is!" Victoria panted. "It finally is!"

Garrett let out a low whistle. "This is definitely something to tell our grandkids, that's for sure."

"We did it!" Emmett cheered and started running around. "We survived the fight of our lives!"

Furball started to chase his tail happily and yipped.

"I can't believe we pulled this off," Rosalie mumbled, ever the pessimist.

A grin started to grow on Benjamin's face. "Did you guys see that?! Did you guys see that?!"

Jacorel answered his grin. "I saw that." They both jumped up in mid-air and high-fived, which caused me to giggle.

"Where's an 80's freeze frame when you need one?" Benjamin laughed, and I had never loved his never-ending movie references as I did right then.

I looked over toward where Janvier was kneeling over Angelique, who just opened her eyes.

"Jan...?" she rasped out.

"I'm here, Angie. I'm sorry. About everything."

She shushed him and shook her head. "Non, mon cher. I was wrong, to take it. I was so mad with you that I just—"

"Did exactly what I would have done," he said. "You can't blame yourself, Angie. I was—"

"Jan, I—"

They were only a breath away from one another when they seemed to realize they weren't alone. They instantly looked away and cleared their throats.

Angelique winked at him with a grin. "Self-centered codfish."

He chuckled. "Scurvy mutt."

I heard a gasp and turned toward Leah in time to see the second half of the Heart tear free out of her grip on its own, and flew toward Victoria.

"What the he—"

As it arrived in her hand, Victoria's face contorted in pain. "N-no!" she stuttered out.

Despite my tightening grip, an invisible force pulled the first half of the Heart away. It streaked toward Victoria and joined its twin to become a perfect sphere.

"AaaAGGghHH!"

I tried to grab the Heart as Victoria's knees buckled. The earth beneath her suddenly caved and became a crater.

"Vicky, can you hear my voice?" Kate talked loudly as she started to approach her. "You've got to fight it!"

I attempted to climb down to Victoria, but the cliff continued to cave and caused everyone to struggle to keep their balance.

"Ohgod, ohgod, ohgod—" Tanya whimpered as she stumbled close to the edge.

"Tanya, take my hand!" Alistair shouted and dove for her.

Green light flickered in Victoria's eyes, but then quickly disappeared. "Stay back!" she gritted out. "All of you stay back! I won't let myself be … AAGgHhH!" She was breathing harshly, on the edge of hyperventilating. "I can't take this anymore! It just … It won't stop! It'll never stop! It's gonna hurt you—"

Streams of light erupted from the Heart, and then Kaanu suddenly floated in the air in front of Victoria. She gave it a pleading look.

"Please, just let me go! Don't do this to me! I can't..."

Kaanu's hands glimmered, and a small, purple camera smoked in his grasp.

I was finally able to reach Victoria, and I wrapped my arms tightly around her shoulders. "It's okay!" I told her. "It's gonna be okay!"

"Bella, that's my camera! The one I used to take family pictures, before … before..." She started crying. "Bella, what … w-what do I do?"

I pushed the Island's Heart out of Victoria's grasp and replaced it with the camera.

A school gym packed to the walls with science experiments and an enraptured audience. On a makeshift stage, a tall redheaded man offered a friendly smile to the crowd.

"Thank you again to our sponsors, but more importantly, to all of our participants! Your inventions and experiments have made this year's Fighting Chance competition our most successful ever! Before we announce the awards, I'd like to give a warm welcome to the most inspiring person I know … my daughter, Victoria."

Victoria hopped up onto the stage and gave her father a warm hug, and beamed toward the crowd. "Welcome, everyone! I'm so glad to see you all at our fifth annual competition! I can personally vouch for the impact your work is going to have on the chronic illness community."

She scanned the crowd thoughtfully, her expression turning somber. "Ten years after my diagnosis of Rotterdam's … I contemplated suicide. Between the zoo of doctors, the constantly changing medications, and the strain on my family, I asked myself, 'Was I really important enough for dozens of people to spend most of their lives to keep me going?' I told my father what I was feeling..."

She paused and offered a small smile to her father.

"And he held my hand and said, 'Honey, every life is worth fighting for. Just because one person needs more help to live doesn't make their life less worthy or meaningful. It doesn't mean they have less potential to change the world, or that their life doesn't also help others.' That's why the Johnson Foundation exists. To fight for every life. You should all be proud of the work you've presented today. To anyone here who takes fifty pills a day just to function … To anyone who loses sixteen vials of blood to testing, and then goes back to work … To anyone who fights against their own body on a daily basis … You are phenomenal. You are a warrior. You are stronger than you know, and you deserve every moment of time you have."

A wide smile stretched across her face.

"And I won't stop fighting until all of you defy your doctors' expectations!"

As Victoria walked off stage with her father, there was hardly a dry eye in the house.

Mr. Johnson turned around and hugged his daughter. "It doesn't matter how many times I hear that speech … it gets me every time."

"Daaaad," Victoria giggled with a light blush on her cheeks.

He kissed the top of her her head and tightened his hug for a second.

"Do you have the numbers in from the fundraising yet?" she asked him when they parted.

"Yup," he said and nodded with a somber face. "You're not gonna believe this..."

She frowned sadly. "That bad? But the event's gone so well!"

"Bad?" he asked and then gave her a toothy smile. "It's amazing! It's only April, and we've already received more donations than all of last year!"

"What?!" she gasped. "Are you serious?!"

He took out a few donor checks from his coat pocket and held them up for her to see.

"Ohmygod," she exclaimed with wide eyes. "With funds like this, we could get more staff, and fund more scholarships, and—"

"A whole lot more," he finished. "Be proud of yourself, Flipper. You've made something wonderful here."

Victoria opened her mouth to respond when her dad's phone lit up. He glanced down and smiled bashfully.

"That's Mom, isn't it?" she asked.

He shrugged secretively. "It could be."

She waited for more, and when she didn't get it, her eyes got cautious. "Okay, I know you're trying to keep it under wraps, but … how are you two doing?"

Mr. Johnson sighed. "Well, it's complicated. We've both done a lot to hurt each other over the years … But the last few weeks have reminded us both why we fell in love, to begin with. I don't know how long this will take, or if it'll last. But I'm happy just to have it while I can."

A reporter walked up to Victoria and waited patiently for an opportunity to speak with her.

"I'll let you get back to things," Mr. Johnson said and patted her shoulder. "I don't want to be late for my date."

Victoria stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "See you tonight! Love you!"

We were back on the cliffside, and my arms were still around Victoria. She stared up at me with wide eyes.

"Did you see that?" she asked me in awe.

I nodded. "You're gonna found a non-profit. You're gonna help people fighting chronic illnesses."

A lonely tear fell down her cheek. "I'm gonna make it off the island … and my parents..." She threw herself into my arms, and the tear was joined by more, but they quickly turned to tears of joy. "I'll tough it out, then! I'll do whatever it takes! I'm not giving up now!"

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and Kate and Tanya rushed forward to wrap their arms around the two of us.

"Don't scare us like that again, okay?" Tanya whispered.

I looked up and realized that Kaanu was still there. "That's strange," I mumbled to myself. "Normally it disappears by now."

Victoria looked up to the spirit and wordlessly reached out to it. Its ephemeral hand took hers.

Tanya gasped. "Vicky? Are you alright?!"

Victoria stared dazedly at the ghost, head tilting back as though she were floating in water.

"What's it doing to her?" Kate asked angrily. "If it's hurting her—"

I shushed her. "I think it's … talking to her?"

Slowly, Kaanu melted away into scattering streams of light. Victoria turned toward the mountains and scanned the landscape.

"Victoria?" Leah asked cautiously. "What happened?"

She smiled. "Kaanu talked to me."

"What did it say?" I asked curiously.

"Well, it didn't say anything. It was more like … It was like I was flying. I flew from here to the center of the island. When I got to Mount Suerte, I came down from the sky, and I found a secret entrance to the volcano's core inside the chasm we've crossed before." She met my eyes confidently. "I think Kaanu wants us to return the Heart to where it came from."

I frowned in confusion. "How do you know that's where it came from?"

"I'm not sure," she replied with her own frown. "But when I felt it and felt the Heart … They felt the same, Bella. I think they're connected."

"If nothing else, the crystalline nature of the Heart suggests that a geological origin in the volcano is accurate," Alistair offered.

Benjamin groaned tiredly. "Ugh, can we please take the Ring to Mordor after a nap? We just killed a literal Hydra."

Garrett clapped his shoulder with a smile. "No rest for the weary."

I leaned my head on my best friend's shoulder and gave him my best impression of puppy eyes, which wasn't very impressive. "Benji, I promise you can have all the naps you want once we've saved the world. Deal?"

He sighed. "Deal..." he said and exaggeratedly pouted with his lower lip.

We started to wearily collect our things and gather together.

"It's a long journey to the chasm from here," Jacorel warned.

Clockmaster glanced toward one of the other Anachronists, who handed her a small cylinder. "Distances in space and time are our specialty, remember?" she said and winked. She began working to open a time rift, and Victoria took me aside.

"Bella … Thank you. For everything, back there."

"Anytime, Vicky," I said, meaning every word.

Within the rift's undulating border I saw mountains and a snowy forest.

"The chasm shouldn't be far," Clockmaster told us. "I'd send you beneath Mount Suerte, but it's a nexus for time anomalies..."

"No problem," I assured. "Thanks again for everything, Clockmaster."

"Oh, thank you. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep my brothers and sisters entertained?" she said with a laugh.

The purple-haired female grinned. "It was a very good night."

Peter grimaced. "I mean, yeah, if by 'good' you mean a puke-your-guts-out ride to hell."

"That's what she means," a male replied. "It was all over a bit soon, I must say."

"In any case," Clockmaster spoke over him. "I hope we will meet again someday. Until then, Kaanu be with you."

Rosalie grinned and held out a fist, and Clockmaster gingerly bumped it with her own. "Keep it real, dudes."

Edward gave a lazy salute. "See you clowns later."

We all stepped through the time rift and walked out into deep snow.

"Can this island just decide on a temperature to stick to?" Kate muttered. "My hair's drying out as it is..."

"I see some buildings up ahead," Garrett said and pointed forward. "Maybe we could try to shelter there for the night."

We approached a couple of rustic cabins. I peered through the windows and found them empty save for bunks, fireplaces, and basic furniture.

"We're lucky to have anything in this kind of weather," Leah said. "Let's get inside and get some fires started."

I shivered in the dirty and destroyed cocktail dress I was still wearing and looked over at Edward, who somehow didn't seem at all bothered by the cold, and he met my eyes. I ached to have some alone time with him. It felt like forever since we enjoyed the sunset together before boarding the Dorado the first time.

I saw him shift his gaze, and when I turned to see what he was looking at, I saw Benjamin nod and then give me a wink.

"Hey, everybody!" he said loudly. "Let's all help with that fire building."

Victoria frowned in confusion. "Uh, I don't think all of us—"

Benjamin took a hold of her arms and gave her a very pointed look. "It's a very complicated fire, okay? Come on!"

I wanted to laugh at his way-too obvious behavior, but I was too cold, and I appreciated that he wanted to give me the alone time with my boyfriend that I craved so much.

Edward immediately sidled up to me and whispered in my ear. "He's not exactly subtle, but I appreciate it anyway. Join me in the other cabin?"

"Absolutely," I whispered back.

He noticed that I shivered and took off his jacket to throw it over my shoulders, and together we entered the second cabin.

As I settled down on a small couch, Edward used a lighter to ignite some kindling in the fireplace. "You sure worked hard to get us alone," I said softly.

He laughed and pulled me down beside him as he tossed a log onto the licking flames. "You complaining?"

"Never," I said and snuggled closer to him, and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "But I can't help but be a little curious. What's going on? You seemed to have some kind of secret with Benji that I don't know about."

He took a deep breath. "I guess … I have something I wanna say." He opened his mouth a couple times, only to close it right away. He laughed and shook his head. "I don't know why this is so hard … Really thought it'd be easier."

I turned my head to look at him, and he was frowning as he struggled with his words. "What are you talking about?" I asked gently. "Are you okay?"

He looked back at me and cupped my cheek with his free hand. "Better than okay." His hand then traced down to take my hand delicately in his, and he held it in the space between us. "Bella, I spent the last three years of my life running away. From everything, and everyone. But as soon as I met you, I stopped running. I woke up every day excited just to be by your side. And when I think of all we've been through … I never want to run away again."

I blinked and my heart accelerated as I started to suspect what he was doing. "Edward..."

He placed adoring kisses on the top of my hand. Finally, his green eyes raised to mine. "Marry me, Bella."

My eyes teared up, and I knew I was breathing very hard, but despite the overwhelming senses in my body, there was only one thing I could say to him. "Yes," I breathed out, almost inaudibly, and I tried again with more strength. "Yes. Without a doubt, yes!"

Maybe it could be deemed too fast for that huge step in our relationship. We'd only been in each other's lives for less than a month, but with everything we'd gone through and learned about each other, nothing had ever felt as right. And also, if we did not succeed in saving the world, this was all we had, and something as normal as getting married to the man I loved could be just the one thing that would keep me sane.

Edward blinked back his own tears and smiled ear to ear before pulling my lips to his, as eager to feel me against him as I was. When we separated, a dry laugh escaped him. "Well, that's a relief."

I laughed with him. "Scared, were you?"

He shrugged. "Maybe a little." His hand cupped my face again, his eyes staring at me with wonder. "I love you so much, Bella. I'll do everything I can to give you the life you deserve."

I swallowed down the lump in my throat caused by my unstoppable tears. "As long as you're in it, there's not much else I'll need."

The fire roared behind us and our lips met passionately.

A/N:

Naaaw, a proposal! How many of you were expecting it? How many of you had no idea it was happening?

They killed Cetus! And they got the other half of the heart. It's complete now. And we got to see Victoria's future, and of course the sweet moment between Edward and Bella in the end!

I thought we needed a chapter with a bunch of victories ;-)

Until next week,

Stay Awesome!