Author's Note: Ai! Huck isn't dead!! Well, things are starting to get a little more complicated … sorry if I'm confusing anyone; I promise things will get more logical soon!

Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers!! I promise individual shout-outs next chapter ;-)

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CHAPTER 5 – Return of the League

"Huck? Alive?" Tom's mind refused to accept this, refused to understand. "You're lying," he accused, taking refuge in denial. "He can't be."

"Tom –"

"He died in front of me," Tom yelled. "Are you telling me I imagined that? I imagined him bleeding to death?"

"Tom please –"

"I don't have time for this!"

"Tom!" Becky Thatcher cried. "I am not lying to you. Huck is alive, and he is here in New York. I've seen him – he brought me here." She walked slowly towards him. "Please Tom. I'm telling you the truth. I don't know how it happened – he hasn't told me – but he sent me on board to find you, while he went to help the League."

"The League!" Tom exclaimed, as the fog in his mind fled. "Where are they?"

"Tom please calm down; you'll hurt yourself again," Becky begged.

"Again?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Then … you knew … how?" His head spun. What the hell is going on here?

"I know what caused your collapse last night. Huck told me. He's been watching over you since you arrived in New York, you know."

"What caused it?" Tom demanded.

"I – I can't tell you," Becky said. "I'm not the right person. Huck will tell you when he arrives with the League."

Tom clutched at the wall as dizziness threatened again to overwhelme him. "I'm sorry, Becky," he said. "This is all going too fast for me."

Becky's face creased with concern. "Of course … I'm sorry Tom, I forgot. Come on; I'll explain it to you."

She helped him to his cabin and sat him down. "How did you get on the Nautilus?" Tom asked.

"The crewmen who came back with you were called out by a distress call from Nemo. The League was attacked by a group of half-men – you do know about half-men, don't you?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah," Tom nodded. "And the Undead."

Becky nodded, her face a little paler. "The crewmen answered the distress call immediately. As they departed, I boarded. I waited for you to wake, and watched over you while you slept. I locked up the Nautilus, and made sure that no one came aboard."

"And … Huck?" He found it difficult to say; difficult to say it in the present tense. He was so – used to the idea that Huck was dead.

"He went to help the League. He has some power over the half-men – he can drive them away. The League should be back soon."

Tom nodded, starting to get his head around what Becky was telling him. "When did you arrive?"

"A few days ago."

"Why didn't Huck come to see me?" Tom asked, keeping his voice casual to hide the pain he was feeling.

Becky saw through the façade. "Tom, he wanted to. He couldn't. For the last few nights, he's been fighting the half-men. During the day, he's been tailing you and the League, and making sure no rogue half-men attacked you. He's been exhausted." A note of tenderness had crept into her voice, and Tom noticed it jealously.

"He been taking care of you?"

"Yes …" Becky's eyes widened as she realised what Tom meant. "He's like a brother to me," she protested.

"Sure," Tom replied flatly.

"Tom, don't you dare talk like that," Becky exclaimed. "Huck has always been a loyal friend to you. I know you feel betrayed because he didn't come to you himself, but I'm sure he has a very good reason. I have tried to make him talk to you, but he always said that the time wasn't right. Can't you just trust him, Tom? You and Huck are practically brothers."

Tom looked up, surprised by the vehemence in Becky's words.

"Huck has plenty of demons to fight already, Thomas Sawyer," Becky finished softly, "you don't need to add to them."

They both looked up, startled, as they heard noises from elsewhere in the Nautilus.

"It's the League," Tom whispered. "They're back." He grabbed Becky's hand. "Come on."

He led her to the dining room, where they found Mina and Skinner. "Tom," said Mina, frowning a little as she saw Becky.

"This is Rebecca Thatcher – Becky," Tom said, with a faint smile. "Mrs Wilhemina Harker, and Mr Rodney Skinner."

"Gentleman thief," Skinner announced proudly. Becky started a little as she stared at the coat and hat that represented Skinner, but regained her equilibrium in time to shake Mina's hand.

"Pleased to meet you," she said faintly. Nemo and Jekyll entered from behind Tom, and he introduced them quickly to Becky.

"How did it go?" Tom asked.

"We drove them away," Mina said succinctly. "They will stay away for at least a few more days."

"We had a little help," Skinner said. Sawyer's eyes shot over to him, and he frowned a little. Becky squeezed his hand.

"Who was this … this 'help'?" Tom asked nervously.

"A young man –"

"Called Huckleberry Finn," said a new voice from the doorway. Tom whirled around to face the familiar newcomer, who smiled at him. "Hey Tom," he said softly. "You miss me?"

Tom's mouth fell open. "I … how … oh stuff it," he exclaimed, walking over to the other man, and hugging him. Huck laughed as he returned the hug.

"That's a 'yes', I suppose?"

Tom nodded as he released Huck. "Yes," he smiled, "it is a 'yes'." He shook his head in amazement. "becky told me, but … I didn't … I couldn't …"

"Believe her?" Huck finished. "I understand. It must have been a little bit of a surprise for you, huh, cowboy?"

Tom nodded wordlessly. A slight cough from behind him alerted him to the presence of the rest of the League. He turned quickly, embarassed at his show of affection. To his surprise the rest of the League looked almost as happy as he did. He could not read the thought passing through the head of every single one of them – it was the happiest they had ever seen Tom, and it delighted them to see their young American friend forget his burdens and embrace life and joy.

Becky too smiled at the reunited friends. "What did I tell you, Tom?" she said, laughing.

He shook his head. "Sorry."

Becky shook her head. "I would have reacted exactly the same way," she confessed.

"But that's no –"

"Let it be," Becky said firmly. "Huck's back. That's all that matters."

Tom nodded. "So," he said, talking loudly to hide the fact that he could feel tears forming in the corners of his eyes, "what happened out there?"

"We were attacked by a group of half-men. We were able to hold them off, but could not make any headway against them until Mr Finn appeared," Mina stated.

"I've learnt a few tricks," Huck said easily. "And – Tom?" He saw the tears in his friend's eyes, and put one arm around his shoulders. "What's up?"

"I thought you were dead," Tom confessed. The rest of the League had the good sense to quietly leave the room at this point, and Becky followed them. They realised that Tom had some things he needed to say to Huck – privately.

"Let it out," Huck urged gently. "What's up with you?"

"I thought you were dead, and it was my fault," Tom sobbed, loosing control as Huck held him. "I thought I killed you. It was my fault!"

"No … no, Tom, it wasn't your fault," Huck soothed. "It was the Fantom's fault. Not yours. You were the best friend I could ever hope for. You did everything you could. I don't blame you. I have never blamed you – because it was never your fault. You hear me? Never." He hugged Tom again as the tears kept falling. He realised that Tom had been carrying this guilt for years, this burden. He cursed himself again for his actions, for not telling Tom sooner.

"Tom," he said carefully. "There's something I have to tell you." He waited until Tom got himself sufficiently under control before continuing: "It's about how I am still alive now. I owe it to you … I should have told you this years ago. I'm sorry Tom."

Tom shook his head. "Nothing to be sorry for."

Huck grinned. "Let's get Becky back."

"Why?" Tom asked, taken off guard. "Not that I don't like her, or –"

"I know. I think she deserves the truth too. She's done everything I've told her unquestioningly for the past month … it's time I stopped lying and stopped running." He went to the door, but found the corridor deserted. "Hello!" he called. After a few seconds, a crewman appeared. "Could you please bring Miss Thatcher here?"

A few minutes later Becky walked nervously into the dining room. "Becky," Huck said with a smile. "I wanted you here because … I'm about to explain to Tom who it is that I am alive now, and I believe I owe you an explanation too."

Becky nodded, and sat down.

Huck cleared his throat, and began …

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Author's Note: The next chapter will be basically all talk – and will probably set up most of the plot! Thanks for reading; please leave  areview :-)