Oops! Aah, I made that mistake twice! In the author's notes at the ends of both the last chapter and that before, I put in the word 'prologue' instead of 'epilogue'. I meant epilogue, you can be sure! So I have an epilogue or two...possibly three, but that's not probable, planned for after this last chapter. Please excuse the confusion and/or mistakes. Or both. You get the idea.
Dicslaimer: Mouse pwns.
o.o This chapter is dedicated to Steve Irwin, and may he Rest In Peace. ;-;
Chapter Twenty-Two: Flying on Angels' Wings
'To travel across the Realms, desire the most you must, and envision your destination exactly as you know it. Ask to be sent and sent you shall be. Wish and it will be fulfilled. But do not be afraid. Remember: "Just believe."'
Amy stared in awe at the small piece of parchment, about the size of a three-by-five card. The quote from 'Finding Neverland' helped her understand what she had to do. "It was that simple," James murmured.
"I can't believe it..."
"You must," Jack replied instantly. "Else you'll never get to go home. Believe. It's all you need to do. I saw you falling from the sky the day you came here, and I never doubted it for a second."
"You were drunk."
"So?"
"Right, yeah, can't beat that logic. I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can, I know I ...can't! I can try to believe I'll be going back home, but deep down, there's just this gaping pit of doubt."
"Nonsense. You just haven't eaten breakfast yet." James raised an eyebrow at him.
"No. I mean it, Jack. I...I... "
"You're pushing yourself too hard," Jack murmured, coming to her and wrapping his arms comfortingly round her. All other words which tumbled from his mouth did not seem to be his own. "Just open your mind and your heart. Just believe. ...Have faith. Let your heart bring you home. ...Just believe."
James looked up, eyes misting over. "That's just what mother always used to say," he whispered. "She said that to me the day she died."
Jack stood slowly, and there was a glow about him. He raised his head, looking heavenward. "Open your heart..." he whispered, and the glow lifted him several inches off the ground. And, like torrents of aqua fireflies, the glow released him. He tumbled to the ground, and the other two rushed over to him, to make sure he was all right. There was a whisper, a voice, a song—something that cannot be put to words—behind them. They turned and saw her. With her blue-green glow hovered a form, light seeming to shine both on her and from her. "Just believe," she whispered, and it seemed a gentle wave of music spread over the girl.
"Hannah..." Amy breathed, smiling gently, waves of light rippling over her as if reflected off the water.
James blinked, eyes narrowing, filling with tears long forgotten. "Mother," he managed to choke out.
"I am always with you," whispered the angel, before her form dispersed into a beam of light. "Remember: You are never alone." The aqua light brightened, and the stream, the ribbon flowed in every which direction, embracing all of them. "Ask and you shall be answered." The three felt the warmth of her light. "Wish and it shall be granted." And her light flowed away from them, up into the clouds. "And never forget: You are never alone. Just believe." The glow left them completely, leaving them looking to the overcast heavens in wonder, drops from the gentle rain wetting their faces.
"Thank you," Amy managed to whisper, and the last hint of glow disappeared into the clouds. The three lowered their eyes.
James looked at the ground, age-old tears finally spilling. How he missed her! Remember, whispered a light, a warmth inside of him, a warmth in his heart that he realized had always been there. You are never alone...
"James?" He looked up to see the girl from whom that being of light had been created, and blinked away the blurriness from his vision.
He smiled. "Come. Let's get you home."
"Right. Just let me..." she rummaged through her pockets. "Huh...where is it..." She was patting herself down, trying to find the small leather drawstring pouch she'd put it in. "Jack, did you—?" Her expression turned from slightly worried to humorous as she spotted the pouch dangling by its strings from Jack's fingers.
"Looking for this, luv?"
"Yep." She snatched it from him with a cheerful smile and loosened the strings, tipping it so that its contents fell out into her open palm. Out slid a very familiar piece of glass; the one that had at one point seen fit to embed itself in her foot. Recalling the hours after it had been removed, she remembered how well she could envision things within it. And such was the quality that she would need to picture her home. It had been so long, or so it felt. And some of her memories of her home were beginning to blur around the edges... She held it up to the light which escaped the dark clouds in a single small patch, pooling about her throat, and admired once again how the light played off of it, allowing herself to become lost in her own thoughts. This must be how the psychic's crystal ball worked, she mused. It was not that she saw her visions within it, but rather used it as a focusing tool to venture into dimensions beyond, to see things that others could not. Intriguing. "There," she whispered, more to herself than to Jack or James. Both, standing on either side of her, placed one hand on her shoulders. She squeezed her eyes shut, unconsciously dropping the shard of glass, hand still outstretched toward the source of the ray of sunlight. "Please...take me back."
The wind kicked up violently, dust blown into the air. It whirled about them, spinning, twisting, lifting them up into the air. The skies opened up, and let loose a wild torrent of rain, pounding down on them as they suddenly rocketed toward the heavens. There was a bright flash, and everything went black. Moments later, they hit the ground(?) heavily. "Ow," grunted the girl.
Jack sat up, a hand going to his head, then feeling desperately around for his hat. Once he found it, he reunited it with his head and asked, "What happened?"
She blinked her eyes in the dark. Something felt different. "I dunno...where are we?"
"I've found a door," said James.
"Quick, open it and see where it goes."
"Wait." Both men turned to look at her. "I want to do it." They nodded respectfully and stepped aside in the pitch darkness. She felt her way in the direction of the creaks the floor made as they shifted their positions, and saw it: a very faint but still, though barely, visible line of dim light shining through the crack under the door. She felt for the doorframe and soon found the knob. Slowly, slowly, she turned it. But she hesitated, and instead of opening it, she put her hand on the wall and slid something. Light appeared from a floating source above, and the two men started and gaped up at the four bulbs attached to a multicolored ceiling fan, eyes wide in wonder and uncertainty. "We're here," she whispered.
Jack took a calming breath and looked to James, who gazed back. "Whatever we see we must not question," he murmured.
"Only confusion will ensue if we do otherwise," the other agreed. "Amy, has your room always been this unkempt?"
"No." James looked somewhat relieved. "It's usually worse."
He winced. "Grand."
Ames moved a pile of clothes off her chair and sat down heavily in it, picking up her long-forgotten watch. She pressed a button for the date and sighed deeply, looking somewhat discouraged. "Time has definitely passed. Forty days at least." She covered her eyes with a hand. "Gee whiz...how am I gonna explain this to my parents? They'll probably kill me for giving them such a scare. Figure of speech," she added with a raise of an index finger before either had the time to look alarmed.
Jack and James exchanged knowing looks. "You leave that to us," Norrington reassured her, a hand reaching gently for her shoulder as Sparrow opened the door, and both exited. Ames jumped to her feet as it clicked shut, a hand going out to them as if to stop them. But she didn't. She let them go. But what to do whilst she waited? It was then that she did something she hadn't done in ages. ...She cleaned her room.
Gordon and Louise Xyphir were sitting quietly in their bedroom, Gordon in his recliner, Louise on the bed. The former was a somewhat fit man, and one could tell he had once been a redhead. But now, white had outnumbered the red, showing his age. He wore large trifocals that fit his 'long' face perfectly. He also sported a beard and mustache, both mixed also of the red and white. He looked intelligent and wise, hazel eyes focused intently on his wife. Louise was a shorter, slightly overweight woman, but her shape took nothing from her beauty. With her brown hair, dark eyebrows and elliptical glasses, she rather looked regal, like a woman who always knew what she had to do, and did it when it needed doing, only stopping to react once the task was complete. "The police called again today," Gordon was saying.
Louise looked up, brown eyes filled with renewed hope, as they were every time the police called through the past weeks. "And?"
"Still nothing," he replied evenly. "Like she vanished into thin air."
Louise put her face in her hands. "Gore, what are we going to do? It seems like there's no hope."
Gordon rose and put his arms comfortingly round his wife. "She's all right, honey. She's a good kid and a fighter. All we can do now is trust her judgement and pray."
"You're right," Louise smiled weakly at him. "She's fine, I know it. We've always been close; if anything happened to her, we'd probably...I don't know, sense it somehow, as a family. But I miss her."
"Of course you do. I miss her too. We can't help it. She's our daughter." He kissed the top of her head. "She'll be fine."
——————
As soon as the door latched behind them, the sound of hushed voices floated to them from down the hall. Jack nodded in its direction and began toward it. James shook his head and caught the other man by the shoulder, saying, "We don't have much time, Jack." The pirate turned around to face him, eyebrows raised in the silent question. "It won't be long before we will have to return to our own world."
"Mate, what in all that is bright blue and briny are you talking about?"
"Tethered to our world. We came here not of our own accord, and so we must return. We don't have time for you to be confused now, Jack," he 'lightly' shoved the other man toward the source of the voices. "Now let's get this done."
"Aye..." Jack nodded, and led the way cautiously toward the source of the voices.
They wandered from moss-green carpeting to that which was soft and maroon, and the narrow hallway opened out into a bedroom. In comparison to Amy's tiny twelve by twelve living chambers, this room was expansive, cavernous, its ceiling taking on the elevation and shape of the sloping roof. Eyes wandering as they rounded the corner into such a room, a couple looked up, startled catching sight of the two men. James nudged Jack, who immediately focused once again on the matters at hand. "Excuse us," he stuttered, for some unknown reason nervous, blinking his chocolate eyes. He could easily see the resemblance. Mostly with the woman, but there were other things of the man which were similar as well. They were obviously Amy's parents. Still never hurt to be sure. "...but are you the parents of Amy Xyphir?"
"Yes," replied one hesitantly. "And might you be Johnny Depp?"
Jack's brows pressed together. "Who?"
"I take that as a no."
"I've never heard of such a man."
"Then that being said," Gordon continued, tone growing hard, "who are you, and what are you doing in our house?"
"I am Commodore James Norrington, this is Jack Sparrow."
Jack sighed and rolled his eyes irritatedly, a forefinger going to massage his temple as if he had a headache. "Captain. Really, James, how many times must I tell you that for you to remember it."
"Sparrow, to be honest, I never forget," replied the other evenly, not making eye contact.
"Stop playing around. Tell us who you are or get out of our house," ordered Louise.
"We are who we say," growled Debbie.
"We came across your daughter," the Commodore replied quickly. "We brought her back with us, and were only trying to make sure we had arrived at the correct residence."
Louise's brown eyes widened, and she put a hand to her heart in startle. "You found our daughter?"
The two 'imposters' smiled and nodded synchronously. "Follow us." And they led the eager couple toward the young girl's bedroom.
But as they walked, the parents were becoming more and more skeptical. How had these men gotten into their house without being heard? Why hadn't Amy come to find them instead? Had something happened to her? Who were these guys, anyway? And how had she come to know them? So many questions, and all meant nothing as Jack opened the door and bowed them inside, sweeping his hat off in a grand gesture. They stepped through the door, eyeing him oddly, before crying out for joy and surprise and momentarily freezing in place at the sight of their missing daughter. There she stood amid a room that for once lacked its usual clutter, and my how she'd changed! Her hair had grown longer and lighter, natural highlights showing through. She was a mite taller, if only slightly, and slim. Gone was the baby fat (at last!), and instead was a slender, muscular body. She wore an off-white canvas shirt, and blue drawstring trousers, hidden from the knee down by leather boots. She wore a belt round her waist, with a scabbard, and in it could be seen a cutlass. Her peachy complexion had gone a golden tan, and her glasses, so they noticed, were absent. Gone was the insecure girl who had disappeared, for now before them stood a confident young woman, fit and agile and ready for anything. "Amy!" they both cried, coming out of their momentary trances and rushing over to embrace their daughter, leaving Jack and James to look on from the doorway, forgotten.
"Mom! Dad!"
"You're back—we were so worried!"
"I missed you guys so much! Oh..." And they embraced in tears for several minutes.
Then the girl tapped her mother on the shoulder to get her attention. "What?"
"Air!" she gasped, struggling to point at her mouth.
"Oh." And the three released one another, chuckling. "Where did you go? What happened? Who are these guys? Are you all right?"
"Mom—mom, mom, hang on—," she tried to cut into the bombardment of questions. "Okay, I'll bother with the details later, here's the condensed version: I dreamed I was on the Black Pearl, and I woke up in the Caribbean near an island that only Jack and his crew know about. Thus, inevitably, Jack found me and kinda took me under his wing. We found this fruit on the island—I had a bite and he had the rest—and it turned him into a horse, so we were trying to find a way to change him back. So we went to Will's smithy in Port Royal, but he didn't believe us. And then Jack and I discovered that whenever we thought the same about whether or not he was human, he changed. We met Elizabeth and she believed us and got Will on our side, but we didn't stay long because Jack remembered who might have known how to get me back home. So then we met James, and it turns out his mother came from our world and preferred theirs. But he didn't know how to get me back, though he vowed to help. So while Jack and I faced off with a demon on how to get him back to normal, James found a riddle in his mother's diary, which I solved, and we found the solution in his mother's old locket. Turns out the guys are like adoptive brothers, who woulda thought, right? So Jack is in control over his horsey side, but it's not gone for good and he'll have to change now and then, but we came here, and then they found you and brought you to me, and then I told you the story I'm telling you and now I'm done." She was rambling by the end, of course, however purposefully, and careful to leave things out like the swordfights and the stake (-shudder!-), that she and James were related, and the little escapade with the cavalry, but she could tell them about such things at another time. She'd gotten out what needed saying most, leaving her mother wide-eyed and her father looking thoughtful.
"So these men brought you back?"
"Yep."
"Thank you both so much!" cried a grateful Mrs Xyphir.
Jack grinned charmingly, and James smiled shyly. "You're welcome," replied the former.
"Now, who did you say you were?"
"Commodore James Norrington," said Ellie with a bow. "And Jack Sparrow."
"CAPTAIN!" corrected Todd and Debbie in unison. Mrs Xyphir still looked skeptical.
"Mo-om, weren't you listening when I said who they were?"
"Yes, but I've told you a thousand times: you talk too fast."
Amy sighed. "I guess there are some things even a month and a half in the mid-eighteenth century Caribbean can't cure." And the two men laughed with her. Then it was James, leaning heavily on the doorframe and clutching his head. "What is it? What's wrong!"
"We're still connected with our own wo'ld, luv," replied Jack, also feeling somewhat weak. "Tied to the darkness. Soon to be completely eclipsed...wait a minute, luv, where did that come from?"
"So I was quoting Kingdom Hearts in my head, no big deal! So...what's gonna happen to you guys?"
"Our dear Commodore here seems to think we'll be pulled back into our respective dimension once our time here runs out."
"Then you won't be here for very long."
The pirate shook his head. "No." The two men approached her, and her parents stepped aside respectfully.
The three embraced long and tight. "You guys have done so much for me. Even when you hardly knew me." Her eyes misted over with tears. "Thank you so much for everything you both have done."
"We did it for you, Amy," murmured James softly.
"Aye," agreed Jack. "That we did. And a thanks to you for getting me back on my feet. Well...my back feet, I should say..."
"And thank you, Amy, for...your love. That's really all I can put to words, I'm afraid."
"I love you guys," she mumbled, hugging them closer. This time, Jack sank limply into the other two, who propped him up.
"Thanks," he muttered, finding his balance again.
"You don't have much time," she said softly. The other two nodded. She picked up a golden chain from around her neck, a tiny, equally golden indeterminable shape dangling from it. Jack and James did the same with similar chains around their necks. (Thank you, Will!) They fit them together, as tiny puzzle pieces, to form a single, small, golden heart, dangling there in the air, glinting in the light. "We're never alone," Amy repeated. There was a familiar aqua glow about their jigsaw heart, and it hovered in the air for a moment before the light dimmed and disappeared. Ames pulled away gently at a certain angle, dislodging the three pieces so that they fell back to the chest of that who wore each. "We'll always remain a part of each other," she quoted, putting out her hand, palm-down. "And, as long as we think of each other now and then, as long as we never forget one another, our light will never go out. We'll always be together."
"Aye," James agreed, placing his hand on top of hers.
"Aye," agreed also Jack, putting his hand on top of the Commodore's.
"All for one, one for all, eh?"
"Aye!" said all three together.
"Rave," began the youth.
"Rave," added the pirate.
"RAVE!" cried all three in unison.
"Gunna miss you guys. Think about me, k? You know I will for you." They both nodded. "I love you."
"I love you, too," James replied, cupping her face gently with one hand before stepping a few feet away from her.
And, after a moment's hesitation, Jack swept in and placed a family kiss on her forehead. "And I too, luv." And he stepped back with James, keeping a careful distance away from surrounding belongings on the otherwise clear floor so that none would be brought along with them with their return. Moments later, for both had been able to feel their world pulling them back, the two were engulfed in a bright white light (rhymie!) and soon there was no form but said light. It shot off through the ceiling, through the roof.
"Quick, outside!" cried the girl, wanting to see her friends off until she could see no more. She and her parents rushed outside, looking skyward. Directly above their house and still rocketing upward was a single form of light, moving to the stars. Finally, it got to one of the stars and seemed to be absorbed into it, as if a missing part had been returned. "So it really is like Kingdom Hearts then," murmured the teenager, with her countless subjects to obsess over. "Each star is a different world." And tonight, for once, the heavens were scattered with more stars than could be identified. She looked smugly at her parents. "Believe me now?" Both nodded with raised eyebrows.
"But Amy, how are we going to explain all this to the police?"
"Oh... Not to worry, I have the perfect idea. 'I ran away, not because I was provoked but rather that I was curious as to what would happen.' I've always been a curious one, you know." Both parents nodded knowingly. They knew it from experience. "Anywho, 'I lost track of time and my heading, and kinda got lost. And sidetracked. But mostly lost. So I spent a while trying to find out where I was without asking anybody. Yeah, that worked. And none of the street names were familiar. So I tried wandering in one direction, seeing as I had thought it was the way home, since I was seeing the light in that my actions were not only foolish but hurtful. However, it turns out that after a while,' and by a while, I mean several days, 'I finally found a Barnes and Nobles', and since Diane is always in the map section, I knew they sold maps and stuff...' Where is Diane anyway?" she asked.
"Oh, she went back to college. Remember she was only home for a short break."
"Oh yeah. But it's almost the end of June, shouldn't she be out yet?"
"She will be soon."
"Oki. Back to my excuse—er, I mean, narration. 'So anywho, I bought a map there and looked for some of the greater intersections around there, and well, it turns out that my aimless wandering had me going the completely wrong way, and I was in, would ya believe it, Maryland. So, using the map, I managed to find my way back. But I kinda lost it once I got to about Keswick—yeah, my navigation was that bad—cause is was raining.' It's wet out right now, so I'll take it that it rained recently?"
"Yup."
"Kay, so...wait, where was I? Oh yeah. 'So I know my way home from there and the rest is history.' Sound convincing?"
"Convincing enough. I think they'll believe it. I'm sure this kind of thing happens all the time."
"Oy, you know what I just realized?"
"What?"
"I missed a bunch of school," the teen groaned with a facepalm. "All that schoolwork...and finals! ...And I missed the yearbook, aw man!"
"Well, you're here now," her mother replied. "And that's all that's important. We'll take things step by step after that."
"Good plan."
"It's great to have you back, honey." The girl was pulled into another hug with her mother, which she invited her father to join.
"It's great to be back, Mom." She gazed up at the stars again. "I'm...home."
——————
Elizabeth and Will Turner stepped back as a light entered their house, and Jack and James stepped out. "So, no merciless hunting down of one another with an undying hatred, eh?" shrugged Jack, crossing his arms.
"Yes," nodded James.
Jack sighed and pretended to pout. "Oh, but that was always my favorite game!" After a few moments of glaring at each other, the two burst out laughing.
"Now that we're 'brothers', I don't think it should be so hard to keep from clawing one another's eyes out."
Jack folded his hands behind his head. "Brothers..." he repeated almost wistfully. "That'll take some getting used to."
They nodded respectfully and synchronously to the Turners and headed for the door. "Well, we've been able to play the part so far, Sparrow."
"Captain," Jack complained. "If we're going to be brothers, you're going to have to start treating me with the respect I deserve, starting with me title, mate."
"I'll start when you do," muttered James.
"And I'll start when you admit you stole my hat when we were four."
"I didn't steal it."
"You did and you know it. Look, jes' admit it already."
Will and Elizabeth looked at each other amusedly before grinning as the two men exited their house, arm round one another's shoulders, bickering just like brothers might. Things would be getting interesting, to say the least. But that is another story for another time.
Fin
Hope you guys enjoyed it! This has been the longest chapter in the fic, and honestly I didn't think I could write one this long! I wrote this chapter to the music during the end credits of Advent Children (Cloud Strife is MINE) and cutscenes from KHII. Good stuff. Oh, you know, I don't think you've met my latest pet. Cloud?
-Pan over to Cloud, sitting tied to a chair and gagged- Cloud: -into gag- Mmh. Mehebhehebm.
Me: Of course they won't let you go, silly! None of them likely know who you are. Nor have they seen your pwnful Advent Children leading role. Well...two of them have, but we three have already established amongst ourselves that you fall into my category...Jess gets Reno, Destiny gets Squall...oh, and Jess gets Loz's ringtone! Splee.
Cloud: Mm?
Me: Yes you can have a cookie. As soon as these guys review, that is.
Four more reviews till two hundred! OMG o.o 0.0 O.O SQUEE
Praise (please note that reviews will no longer be replied to within this story for the Epilogues, so please leave an email address if you wish for acknowledgment, praise, or just some random reply):
Authoressinhiding: Quit being self-hatingly modest like me! Your stories own! And you know, marching camp wasn't so bad...the marching band itself...well, let's say I'll miss having a life ;-;
Estel Ashlee Snape: Ha, lucky! I have no posters of Jack. ;-; Oh well, my birthday is coming up in a month or two... Lol
Jess is a pirate: Oki, I wasn't counting Hitler of the KKK, geeze. I was talking in general. Now then, UPDATE ASAP. o.o I miss KHIAN.
Destinysway114: It's from Spirit. I know you know that. Whatever. Cute...Little...Girl! What the heck! -fumes- I hate it when people say that. Guys have been unable to walk from being kicked too much when they try to annoy me with that—and it's in the shins, I know what you were thinking! Oy. Lol XD
pirateobsessed: OMG! I can't believe that happened! It's a pet peeve of mine, too, you mark my words, but how could I have missed this? OY ...Oh and, eh, thanks for not hurting me. -sweatdrop-
Stormwake: Glad you liked it. But alas, my dear, all good things must come to an end. ...How else, then, would sequels to such good things be made, eh? xD
Molly: Last chapter, or at least before the Epilogue(s), so keep reading, eh.
marauder4ever: That was the point, mate. As I recall saying at one point, this is in fact a Spirit crossover. ...Or at least as close as I could come to one... Here's the long-awaited next chapter!
TheDreamChild: All right, so he's not your pet...probably a good thing...he'd be so well-trained it would be kinda creepy. o.e But that aside, glad you liked the Spirit bit.
Little Miss Sparrow: It comes out December fifth, but that is subject to change, my dear. Love that you saw it in slow motion—that had been my intent, though I was fool enough not to weave it into my description...oh well, at least you got the picture I was trying to create. Rum to you!
Cael the Rider: Yayy, new reader! Weehoo! -runs in circles- Dunno whether you're up to this part just yet, but who cares if I'm talking to thin air at the moment, eh? We does it all the time, we does... -cackle- Ehem...right, yes. RAVE! xP
Kei-Ookami.kara.mori: I'm flattered by your compliments. Here is thy update!
ArmoredSoul: SASSAFRASS! Thanks for the lovely reviews, love, they've been nothing short of inspiring! d'-'b
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Well, this is the last chapter of the story. ...Not including the Epilogue I have in mind, of course. Possibly two, but I've a new idea that makes even two suddenly improbable... So PLEASE review whilst thou still can! o-o It'll be hard enough to say goodbye to this story, but to say goodbye knowing I'm the only one who is? Torture. So please review! I beggeth!
Oh well, time to introduce Cloud to the rum! xD Be back with an Epilogue hog-tied in a potato sack later! Bye for now!
"Crocs rule." R.I.P