I couldn't stop this loverly fic before I rejoined our Mr. Q with the League, so the story got up on its hind legs, grabbed a pen and wrote itself. Thanks to all of you who reviewed.
Raven Silvers- No. No more. In fact, this chapter doesn't exist. Sorry—my sarcasm gets in the way.
Cecily Marla Smith- I know. That was the one mistake I couldn't ignore in the movie, 'cuz they could've just checked it and it wouldn't have broken anybody's back!
LotRseer3350- Gracias! As you command…so here it is!
Re-Introductions
For a while, walking was stiff and unnatural. I suppose that's a normal thing when your blood hasn't been pumping for a while. As soon as I got used to it and got my old clothes back, I booked passage to England. I had a strange desire to return to the country of my birth. Also, it had a telegraph station whereas my little village did not.
What was really hard was not finding the Nautilus, for you could always access it very easily if you knew what you were looking for, but what to say. 'Oh, hi guys, it's me, good old Mr. Q. You had my tombstone spelled wrong, and oh, by the way, I'm alive again.' That wouldn't go over well with anyone, excepting maybe Skinner.
I finally opted to go with an anonymous stranger asking for their presence.
TO: LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, ABOARD NAUTILUS
FROM: ANONYMOUS, LONDON, ENGLAND
I REQUEST YOUR PRESENCE HERE 11 SEP 99. MEET ME AT THE EAST LONDON DOCKS.
I KNOW SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO YOU.
There. That would get them all excited—especially Sawyer. Actually, he would probably see it as me saying 'I know something you don't know' and if he was immature, which, of course, he isn't, he would tackle me to the ground until I 'fessed up.' Always eager for a new adventure, but always getting into trouble, that he almost always got out of.
I checked into a hotel and rediscovered my home city. It had changed some, new people were in charge of old things I remembered, but it still had the same feeling of purpose, that something important was happening here. Finally, the 11th arrived.
I waited until dark, assuming that with his reputation as a pirate Nemo would not want to broadcast to all of England his presence. I was right. I didn't actually see the Nautilus, but I could hear Nemo's automobile pull up behind me. I sneaked a peek over my shoulder. The newer model was more compact, more refined. You could feel the pent up energy inside it. It was a leopard, not a lion.
Sawyer called out to me first. "You the guy who sent us the telegram?" He was never one to beat around the bush, was he? Well obviously—who else would be hanging around this particular place at this time of night? When I nodded, he continued. "So what've you got that's so interesting?" He skipped any sort of pleasantries, but I suppose I should have expected that. His voice brought me up short for a moment, though. It was on guard; he sounded tired, as if his latest mission had drained him of all that wonderful energy.
I love being dramatic. I turned around and said, "An old friend," and pulled off my low-sitting hat.
Both I and my audience were stupefied. Them, for obvious reasons. Me, because of them… they had changed. It was like being introduced to completely different people, or meeting your second cousin twice removed and being expected to kiss her hairy cheek.
Jekyll seemed more confident. Not necessarily more at peace with himself—that had come when the Nautilus had almost sunk. This was more like he felt companionship with the rest of the League. He stood next to Nemo.
Nemo seemed more open, which I suppose is understandable. We saw him at a dark time for him in his newly reformed life, and maybe it made him more real in our eyes, and his own. It was like he was uncovering this part of himself—the human part—to bring back an equilibrium between pirate and saint.
Skinner's stance showed more confidence and comfort, though I daresay he didn't need any more of either. He had earned his place among these hero figures and found that by his own standards he measured up.
Mina had lost some of the cool atmosphere that seemed to follow her wherever she went. She seemed to no longer need to protect herself from showing the shame of her mistakes and her very nature. She looked as if she felt she had in some way atoned for them.
You couldn't see the change in Tom if you didn't know him. Before, he had been mischievous and fun loving by nature. Now, though, it seemed forced. It was covering something up—and then I realized what it was. Guilt. I had known that hindsight that showed in his eyes for a very long time after my son's death. It pained me to see it in his eyes.
They stared at me for a while, and I stared at them. Jekyll was the first to speak up. "Allan? You're… you're not dead."
I looked at Mina, who would understand what I said next. "Africa wouldn't let me die."
Then Tom turned and ran full out in the opposite direction. I called out to him and took a step to follow him, but Jekyll caught my arm.
He said, "Tom took your death very hard. He blamed himself, you knew he would. He's been carrying that weight around on his shoulders, and with you here again, he feels like all the guilt should be gone but it can't be. He's too afraid you'll blame him for your… departure."
"My death, you mean," I said, feeling a little resentment towards Jekyll for understanding Sawyer better than I could. It really wasn't his fault; after all, he had spent more time with Sawyer. My rationalizing meant nothing, though. I felt that I alone should understand Sawyer, that I had a special bond with the boy.
At that thought, I realized what the difference between our viewpoints was, me and Jekyll. Jekyll saw Sawyer for what he was: a man. I saw him as I wanted to see him: a son, to make up for my old mistakes.
But that wasn't all, was it? Sawyer meant more to me than just a second try, he really was like a son to me. I thought of how I had celebrated with him at his successes, gave him advice to try and keep him from making my mistakes, literally died for him. Wasn't that what a father was?
Nemo interrupted my thoughts. "I invite you to join us on the Nautilus. We were touring the world when you contacted us. Many of us would very much appreciate it if you came on board." His eyes seemed to dare me to say no. If I did say no, I would be hurting Sawyer and the rest of them, and most of all, insulting the Nautilus's hospitality. Not that there was any chance of me saying no.
"Yes, I would be most pleased to join you aboard the Nautilus," I said, getting the ceremony out of the way. I continued, "I would like to find Agent Sawyer first, though." I locked eyes with him for a moment, telling him that this needed to be a solitary effort.
He seemed to get the message. "Very well. The Nautilus will be waiting for you here in 45 minutes. Do not be late."
"Thank you, Captain." I said. He and the rest climbed back into the car and drove off the way they came.