Hey everyone!

Omg, I am sooo soryy that this tookl me so long to get up. It's been a crazy semester for me at school and I've barely had time to think much less write. However, I am now on xmas break and will hopefully be able to catch up on soke of my fics. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think! Thanks!

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"It is because of me that you were shot." There. She had done it; finally uttered those immortal words, words that would be forever ingrained in her memory and no doubt in the young captain's as well. She couldn't look at him. No, that would be much too painful for her to bear. It was bad enough that she had been the cause of his pain, but it would be far worse to see the look on his face when he found out what she had done to put his future in jeopardy.

Nakoma waited with baited breath for the fateful moment when John would realize what she had cost him and order her out of his sight with such disgust that she had never seen before in her life. So great was this fear the she could not bear to even look at him. Knowing she had possibly ruined the lives of her best friend and the man that she loved was bad enough. Seeing it for herself would not doubt be her ruin.

Several moment had passed and nothing had yet happened. Had he fallen back to sleep? Been so in shock that he had passed out from it? Too infuriated to speak? Or was it that he had not heard her? That had to be the case. She was sure that he would have done something by now if he had.

Slowly, cautiously the native opened her eyes and dared to glance in the captain's direction. What she saw surprised her. John sat remained just as he was before. Lounging against his makeshift pillow, he regarded her with a calm gaze and a slightly cocked brow. A smirk played on his lips on as he commented on her behavior. "I didn't know I was in such bad shape."

Nakoma's brow shot up. "Excuse me?"

John chuckled as he pushed himself up onto his elbow. "You. It must have been at least ten minutes that you've spent either staring off into space or with your eyes closed so tightly, it looked as though it hurt you to look at something. I am the only other 'something' in this room, so I can only assume that it was I." The brow went up again. "Dare you deny it?"

Nakoma could not stop the smile that came to her lips. She could see why Pocahontas fell and fell hard for this man. Besides being handsome, he had a sense of humor as well. The smile died with her next thought. Unfortunately, humor would be non-existent in the things that were soon to come. She laughed nervously.

"John, have you heard one word that I have said? I am the reason that you are in this condition! If it were not for me, you would probably be out with Pocahontas having a wonderful time instead of laying her on this mat having to be taken care of like an invalid. And I honestly don't know what else to say except that I am so sorry and…" She continued to ramble aimlessly for several moment before John held up a hand to stop her.

"Nakoma," he began slowly. " I appriciate the sentiment, I really do but how on earth is this your fault? You weren't the one who shot me, Ratcliffe was. This has nothing to do with you at all. Why are you so upset?"

Wearily she met his gaze. "You don't understand, John. No, I am not the one who set you up to be injured. But I interfered. I was so worried about Pocahontas when I found our she was meeting with the "enemy", I didn't know what else to do. The man that was killed in the glade that night was a man called Kokoum. He was one of the tribe's finest warriors and also the man that had asked for Pocahontas's hand."

She saw his eyes widened in surprise and she pressed on. "Pocahontas wanted nothing to do with him, though. She felt he was too restrictive, too formal for her taste. The matter is that I was so worried that night that I went to find him and told him that Pocahontas was in trouble. From there-" She trailed off and shrugged. John finished for her. "From there he must have seen us together in the glade and attacked. Pocahontas tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't listen. I was too busy trying to avoid the blade that I really wasn't paying attention to anything until now."

Nakoma nodded mutely. "Yes. So you see. If I had not gone to Kokoum in the first place, then this might have never happened. I am so sorry, John. Words cannot express how sorry I am. I only hope that in time you can find it in your heart to forgive me.

John opened his mouth to reply, but she once again cut him off. "I have already told Pocahontas and she told me that you would know that it wasn't really my fault, but I can't help but feel otherwise. I mean, how could you understand something that could have been prevented, but-"

"Nakoma!" John's voice interrupted her incessant rambling

She looked at him in surprise.

He regarded her with his braised brow. "Are you finished?"

She nodded.

"Good." John leaned back and placed his hands behind his head. " Now, as I was attempting to say before-"

"John!" Thomas burst through the opening of the longhouse, voice and expression anxious. Pocahontas followed close behind him. Her own dark eyes flicked with surprise when she saw him awake ad talking with her friend. John's and Nakoma's head both shot up at his exclamation and Thomas quickly raced to his friend's side. "My word, John." he said. "You gave us quite the scare."

"Yes, but what matters now is that he is conscious and in the right state of mind." Pocahontas said as she sat down beside Nakoma. She took John's hand in her own and brushed a stray piece of hair out of his blue eyes. They exchanged a silent smile before John spoke. "Yes. I am certainly glad to be alive."

Thomas glanced to Nakoma, who only shrugged. "Um…is there any way you could leave us alone for a few moments. I need to discuss something with the invalid." He pointed his thumb at the captain, who shot him a look in return. Nakoma nodded and scooted out just s quickly as Pocahontas had ever seen her move. Her friend hadn't been right since the night before. Something was bothering her and Pocahontas intended to find out what that something was.

"Pocahontas?" Thomas called to her again. "Would you mind leaving as well? I promise I wouldn't mortally wound him." She smiled at his light attempt of humor. "I'll just be outside." she murmured into John's ear. He nodded and softly kissed her. "I love you." he whispered against her mouth. Thomas only rolled his eyes. She smiled, gave him another peck on the lips and got up to leave.

When she was gone, the younger man turned back to the captain. "Somehow I never pictured you with someone like that. Honestly, I never pictured you with anyone, come to think of it. What got into you?"

John shrugged. "I don't know Thomas. Love makes you do strange things. I never pictured myself involved with anyone seriously either, but the only thing I know is that my life changed for the better one she walked into it. She's the best thing that ever happened to me, Thomas and with God as my witness, I am not letting her go easily. Crazy as it may sound, I think I've found the one."

Thomas snorted in disbelief. "John! That is insane. You've known the woman a whole of four days. Don't you think you are rushing this just a bit?"

John shrugged. "Sometimes you just know, my friend."

Thomas shook his head. "Listen, I didn't come here to talk about your love life, interesting though it may be. Everyone is really worried about you. Without proper medical care, you won't live for very long. You know what you have to do?"

"But, Thomas." John protested. "What about Ratcliffe. Who is going to make sure he is taken care of"

"Already have it covered"

"What do you mean 'already have it covered'"

A sly smile crept up Thomas's face. "He's in chains under close guard and sulking to himself as we speak."

In spite of himself, John smiled. "I underestimated you, Thomas. Well done."

The young man smiled at the compliment from his hero and friend, but turned sullen when the topic at hand came back. "But that doesn't change the fact that you have to leave." he pointed out.

John shook his head. "I'm sorry, Thomas. I can't leave. If I do, I'll be leaving my whole life behind. The settlement, Pocahontas, you-"

"And if you stay you'll die." Thomas stated. "Then what good would you be to any of us. You don't have a choice in the matter, John."

"But, Pocahontas, she-"

"If she truly loves you as she says than she will understand what you have to do. I don't like it either, but I would rather see you alive in England than dead in Virginia." He sighed. "I'll get Pocahontas and let the two of you discuss it. Feel better John. I will see you later."

John sighed as Thomas exited the longhouse. He heard him talking with the girls outside and a moment later, Pocahontas entered. She smiled as her gaze met his. "I hear Thomas said that you needed to discuss something with me?"

He swallowed hard. This was not going to be easy.

"Come here." He patted the ground beside him and she came, taking his hand as she sat. "Pocahontas, as much I as don't want to, Thomas has informed me that my return to England is necessary for my survival."

He saw hurt and understanding flash in her beautiful eyes. He could tell she was trying not to cry. "I figured as much." she said. "Unfortunately, my people are not knowledgeable in the treatment for a wound of your nature. I would rather have you alive and a chance of coming back to me rather than have you stay here and die. Do what you must." She rose to leave before he could answer.

"Pocahontas! Wait!" he called. She turned and he could see the streaks on her cheeks from her tears. "I wasn't finished." She returned and sat by his side. "I may have to leave, but there is a way that we could stay together."

"And what way would that be?" she asked, confused by his statement.

Feeling as though he were about to propose, he said. "Come with me."