Chapter 5
Even when you're gone, somehow you come along just like
A flower pokin' through the sidewalk crack
And just like that, you steal away the rain, and just like that
You make me smile like the sun, fall out of bed, Sing like bird, dizzy in my head,
Spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night
You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe
Shine like gold, buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild, oh, you make me smile
Don't know how I lived without you, 'Cause every time that I get around you
I see the best of me inside your eyes, you make me smile
Smile by Uncle Kracker
Anders made his way to Tisha's house. They had finally made it out of the blasted deep roads, and Anders was relieved to have fresh air again. He had spent nights holding Tisha close while she slept, he couldn't wait to get to her once more. They were finally going to be together, nothing could stand in their way now. Anders walked through the streets of Darktown thinking of all the things he would say to her once he saw her, what she would look like, smell like, feel like, and how she would move under him. He had thought about nothing else but her for the longest time, he couldn't believe that he was finally going to be with her. They have been circling around their feelings for so long, he knew he couldn't hide what he felt for her or his need for her anymore. They had finally given into their feelings for one another, and he wasn't about to back down now. Not for anything or anyone. She was his salvation, his strength, and his life. Tisha was all that mattered in the world.
Justice had remained quiet, not talking or voicing any opinion, and that made Anders worry. He knew that Justice didn't approve of their relationship, but Tisha was important, and Justice would just have to learn to deal with it.
As he rounded a corner, a group of thugs ambushed him and pummeled him to the ground.
"This looks like the fellow we are looking for, isn't it Lloyd?" the gang leader asked.
"Yeah, that's the one the templars were looking for. We will get some real good coins selling him off," a tall man said as he stepped forward and stretched out his arms. Anders felt the veil shift, and the full weight of a spell slammed into him, draining his mana.
Coughing and struggling to breathe, Anders whimpered, "Templar."
"That's ex-templar to you," the tall man said.
"S-selling me off? What the hell are you on about?" Anders asked as he tried to struggle to his feet, but his legs were still to weak to hold him.
"We have it on good authority that you have been a menace to the templars for too long, so one of them hired us to track you down and do what we want with you. They don't want you back at the Circle, because they know you will just escape again. So they hired us to make sure you disappear, permanently."
Anders struggled to break free from the numerous thugs that were holding him down. He looked at each of them to see if he recognized any of their faces, but they were all hooded and cloaked. Before he could make an attempt to get away from them, one of the thugs struck him at the back of the head with the hilt of a dagger, knocking Anders unconscious.
He woke up to the sound of a boat creaking and the smell of the ocean overwhelming his senses. How long had he been unconscious and why was he on a ship? He tried to reach out to Justice, although he could feel his presence, the spirit remained silent. Anders opened his eyes more forcefully as he started to adjust to the darkness around him. He struggled in an effort to get up but his head was pounding so badly that he had to lay down once more. He heard some shuffling noise nearby and ignored the pain as he shot up to see who or what made that sound.
"Hello, whoever you are. Come out so I can see you." Anders growled.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Are you a captured mage too?" an old man replied.
"Yes, it seems that way now, doesn't it? Who are you and what are we doing here?" he asked.
"I don't know exactly. I can't get a straight answer out of any of the guards, or pirates, whatever they are," the man said. "My name is Gregory, what's yours, young man?"
"You may call me Anders, if you must. What do these people want with us, aside from the fact that we're mages?" Anders asked.
"Well, as far as I can tell, one of the high ranking templars has been rounding up the most skilled and most notorious apostates that he could find and selling them off into slavery. That's the rumor that's going around in Kirkwall at least."
"Oh, they can't control us, and they don't want to send us back to the Circle, so they just sell us into slavery. That's just marvelous," Anders said sarcastically.
"Good to see that you still have a sense of humor. Hold onto it, boy, you will need it in future."
Gregory moved closer to Anders and sat down beside him. "I remember you from the Circle in Ferelden. You were very good at escaping, just not good at staying free.
"I have never seen you before in my life, how do you know I was at the Circle?"
"Oh, I have been in and out of there a few times too. The last time, I managed to hide right under their noses for a few months," Gregory said with a chuckle.
"Really? I'm sure that is an interesting story,"
"It is, and I'll tell you all about it once we're free. The question right now is: how about we try and escape from this hellhole?"
"That seems easier said than done, considering we are in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight," Anders said as he looked out the little window of the cell.
"If we could sabotage the ship somehow. That might get us free," Gregory mused.
"Oh, that would help, we sink our only form of transportation let's sink our only form of transportation. That's not the smartest move in my book. Plus, someone managed to drain my mana when I was attacked, and I can still feel it being drained. But I do need to get back to Kirkwall as soon as possible,"
"We need to do something. We can't just sit here waiting to see what fate will bring us."
"How do I know I can trust you? I don't know you from the Maker," Anders said.
"I don't think you have a lot of options at this time, my boy."
Anders spent the next few hours getting to know the old man while they tried to plan for possible ways to escape. He still didn't trust Gregory, as far as he could kick him, but he would do anything to get back to Tisha. They heard the distinct sound of men running around and shouting on the deck, and wondered what was going on. There were no guards coming in to check on them, but from the sound if it, fights had started somewhere above them.
There was a sudden thundering roar as a cannon ball slammed into the side of the boat, the hull immediately exploded around them. Sunlight and water began to pour through the massive hole. Both Anders and Gregory scramble to the gap and looked out. The boat they were on was surrounded by three larger and better equipped ships. Soon came another deafening roar, and seconds later their boat was once again rocked by another large shrapnel.
Maker's hairy balls! This ship was going down, and by judging the amount of damage it was had sustained it wouldn't stay afloat for much longer. Anders looked at all the debris that was floating in the water. There were several large planks that could support the weight of a man. Anders spun to face the old man.
"Greg..." The name died on his lips as Anders stared at the old man's body. The explosion had splintered a large beam, half of the it now impaled gruesomely into Gregory's torso.
Anders turned back to the hole, took a deep breath, and jumped into the water. He began to swim toward a large piece of timber floating nearby. Anders dragged himself up on the board, gasping for breath. He grabbed another piece of drift wood that floated by and began to paddle way from the battle that was still waging. From afar, Anders could make out what looked like the silhouette of an island, and began to make his way towards that direction. As he made his way through the debris, he came across a crate that had supplies stamped on the side. Using his paddle to pull the wooden box over to him, he hoisted it up on his make shift raft. He didn't have time to check the content inside, whatever it was, he hoped would be useful.
Anders rowed as quickly as possible, and prayed that with all the mayhem, his escape would go undetected. From a distance, Anders watched his kidnapper's ship sink. Their attackers hadn't noticed the plank of wood that carried the mage in opposite direction of the wreckage.
Anders paddled for what seemed like hours, but the gap between the island and himself never seemed to be closing. His arms were aching, the sun was blistering, and his mouth was so dry he would kiss the arse of an Archdemon for a sip of fresh water. Giving up on paddling, he laid back on the plank and covered his face with his arm and drifted off to sleep as exhaustion overtook him.
Anders woke up with sand in his mouth and water crashing down around him. He had made it onto the island with the supplies he had gathered still intact. Maker was he grateful for that. Beside him, among the debris washed off to the shore, he saw a few more similar boxes lying on the sand. He still had no clue what was in the crates, but he was sure that they would be of help in some way at least. He tried to move but his entire body ached. He was both physically and mentally drained. It felt like he had been dragged through hell and back. But even through the pain, he was happy to be alive. There was only one thought that kept him going, and that was Tisha. He had to survive, and he had to make his way back to her. If only he could figure out where he was first.
He got up slowly and looked around. He saw the entire island filled with coconut trees and a range of mountains in the middle of it, surrounded by a white sandy shoreline. Anders wondered if there might be a settlement of people living on the island. It was something to hope for at least. If there were settlers, they might be able to help him get back to Kirkwall. He made his way to the shade of the trees, carrying the crates with him, one slow step at a time. He tried to call for help but his throat was raspy and parched. Water... He needed fresh water and he would need it very soon if he had any hope of surviving.
He collapsed against a tree and sagged to the ground, then pulled one of the crates to him. He didn't have anything to pry the lid off with, so he concentrated his magic at the lid and cast a mana blast spell to create pressure within the box and blow the lid off. But the spell worked too well as all four sides of the container flew open. He rifled through the contents and discovered that there were two blankets, which would come in very handy, a first aid kit that was useless to him since he could heal himself, but the kit did contain health potions; those would definitely be useful. Towards the bottom there were a sack of dried meats and, Maker be praised, four bottles of rum.
Anders stood up and appraised his current surroundings. He knew he needed to create a shelter, but first he needed water. He wasn't going to find fresh water on the beach. His only hope was to venture further into the island.
The jungle was thick with vines and trees. He used spells to clear a path, but it still took time to cut a trail through the forest. Slowly he made his way toward the center of the island, as he drew closer he heard the sound of rushing water. He picked up his pace until he was in a full sprint through the woods. He stumbled out into a clearing. A large waterfall cascaded down into a clear, refreshing pool below. He had never been happier to see anything in his life. Normally he would spend time marveling at the beautiful and serene sight in front of him, but he was beyond thirsty. Anders dove into the water and drank greedily, as fast as he could.
After drinking his fill of the fresh water, he peeled off his soaking wet coat, trousers and boots, and took a nice leisurely swim. Eventually he pulled himself out of the pool and relaxed on the grass, letting the sun dry his skin. He drifted off to sleep for what must have been a very long time, because the sun had already set when he was awaken with a jerk to the sound of a very loud roar nearby. The roar came again and this time even closer. This pond had to be the night time watering hole, and if he didn't want to be some exotic animal's dinner, he needed to get the hell out of here now. He searched around and found a large branch on the ground. He quickly put on his clothes before he lit up the branch with a fire spell, and made his way down the path towards the beach. Along the way, he gathered more branches and twigs to start a fire once he made it back.
He had just finished building an incredible warm fire when he heard the first clap of thunder. "Andraste's ass on a cracker, could I catch a fucking break here?" Anders yelled out to the open sky.
As if to answer his question, the sky opened up and the heaviest rain he had ever seen began to beat down on him and quenched out the fire.
"FUCK!" Anders roared as he gathered his things and ducked into the edge of the forest. He huddled at the base of tree, shivering. He cast warming spell after warming spell, but when his mana finally was drained, there was nothing he could do except shivering helplessly. With the way his luck was going, the tree he was leaning on might just be set on fire by the Maker with a lightning bolt just to piss him off.
Hours later the rain eventually stopped, and all the creatures of the jungle came alive with howls, roars, chirping and mating calls. Enough of his mana had returned for him to cast a repulsion graft. Anders curled into ball as he tried to warm himself and drifted off to sleep, vowing that the first thing he would do in the morning was create some kind of shelter.
When he awoke the following morning, he singed a scorch mark into the tree to mark the beginning of his second day on the island. He looked down at the beach and noticed that the sand was littered with more debris from the wreckage. He got to his feet and went down to explore the items that had wasted ashore.
The first thing he noticed was a large main mass of the ship that still had the canvas sail attached to it. Well thank the Maker for the small favor. That would make an excellent shelter. He gathered the sail and ropes, and pulled them up to where his other items were. Then he went back down to examine the remnant of the ship. He was able to salvage several large beams that he could use to support the sail, several articles of clothing, more blankets, and another pouch of dried meat.
After he brought everything of use back to the clearing he had occupied, he began to work on the shelter. With the help of magic, it only took him half a day to construct a lodging large enough to house him and keep his possessions dry. Thank the Maker he was a mage.
Anders spent the next month exploring the island in search of food. He found them in the form of berries, coconuts, and other fruits that were still quite foreign to him. There was a cave that was uncomfortable and damp, but it kept him out of the raging storms that blew over the island every once in a while. Justice was still not talking to him, even though had attempted to make contact. After almost eight weeks of absolute silence, Anders had had more than enough.
"Justice, this isn't funny anymore. You are acting like a child by ignoring me like this."
"I'm not the one who acted like a child, Anders. You were the one who decided that Tisha was more important to you than the mages and their plight, and more important than me."
"So you're jealous? That's the reason why I've been getting the silent treatment? Did you learn this little trick from Krisoff's wife? 'Cause I got news for you buddy, the silent treat doesn't work on me."
"What? NO! No, it's because you place others in more danger just for a few moments of happiness, and because of that hunger of yours, you've managed to get us to this island with no hope of ever getting back to Kirkwall, or any civilization for that matter."
"So it's all my fault that we ended up here? How was I supposed to stop this from happening?"
"If you hadn't given into your feelings, you wouldn't have been captured and you wouldn't have been stuck here. "
"Have you gone insane? It had nothing to do with me giving into my feelings for Tisha. Those slavers were paid to seek me out and they would have taken me whenever the opportunity had risen."
"And you granted them the opportunity by taking a stroll through Darktown at night, that wouldn't have happened if you weren't on your way to Tisha's home."
"You're right, I made it easier for them, but it would have only been a matter of time before they would have just broken into the clinic and taken me there. You know what, I liked it when you weren't speaking to me. Let's go back to the previous arrangement."
"No, you goaded me to start talking, so now I shall continue to do so."
"There is nothing that you have to say, that I want to hear."
"Hate me as much as you want, Anders, but we need to come to an arrangement sometime. And we need to find a way off this island."
"As long as we are stuck on this island, discussing Tisha and my feelings for her is pointless. So how about until we are far away from here, we agree that she is off limits."
"Does that mean that you aren't going to think about her, that you aren't going to fantasize about her?"
"No, that isn't what that means, because if you ever want to make it off of this fucking island, it will be the thoughts of her and the thoughts of seeing her again that will keep me going, and push me to find a way back home to her."
"Fine, I shall hold my peace about her until we get back to Kirkwall. If we ever manage to get back."
Anders was so caught up in his argument with Justice that he didn't pay attention to where he was going. He tripped over a large chest that seemed to be buried very poorly under one of the coconut trees. He got up and dusted himself off before investigating the large bulky chest further. A tricky lock sealed the chest from being opened. But with enough time and magic, Anders could blast it open with his spell.
He opened the large chest and caught sight of a numerous amount of treasure: bottles of rum and maps of Thedas inside it. Anders chuckled as he realized he was now the richest man on the island, and the irony of him being the only man on the island didn't escape him either. He could only hope that they belonged to someone who was still counted among the living and that they would return to claim it. But what would they do to him if they found him with their treasure? All the gold pieces weighted too much for him to carry. Using both magic and muscles, he dragged the whole chest back to his shelter.
When he finally made it back with the chest, he decided that a little victory celebration was in order. One bottle of rum wouldn't be missed, would it? He had no clue how long he would still be stuck there, so he would make the best of a bad situation.
"Anders, do you really think its a good idea to drink?"
"Who died and made you the Reverend Mother?"
"You are just gonna make things worse if you start drinking. You need to spend more time coming up with a plan to get out of here. Not to get drunk and have a one man-one spirit party. Do you even realized that by drinking, I will get affected by it too?"
"So miracles still happen. Good to know," Anders said as he tilted the rum bottle back and took a big swig. It burned as it blazed a trail to his stomach, warming it instantly.
"Oh, for the love of the Maker. What will it take for you to listen to me just once?"
"I listen to you all the time, Justice, and ninety-nine percent of the time I agree with you, but I doubt we will ever see eye to eye when it comes to Tisha, and I don't see the harm of drinking some rum to ease my mind a little and relax." Anders took another large gulp from the bottle.
"That's the problem. The drunker you get, the more you think and talk about her, and I am not in the mood to get into an argument with you tonight."
"I'll make a deal with you, Justice... You don't give me a hard time about drinking and I won't mention her name once." Anders took a big bite of dried meat. When he had finished, the salt made him thirst so he guzzled some more rum. This was good stuff. His body was starting to feel warm all over, and he felt the tension being to loosen.
"You might not mention her name, but that doesn't mean your thoughts won't be flooded with her image. I can see those, remember?"
"You have my word. I will do my best not to think of her. I can control my thoughts about her. I just choose not too. Loosen up a little, Justice, and relax. It's night time, I'm not going to have brilliant idea for getting off this island and make it happen tonight."
Anders leaned back against the tree and took another swig of the rum. He than looked at the label on the bottle. Huh, he had never heard of this rum maker before. Wilson's Dark Rum the label read. He took another gulp and decided that Wilson made some damn fine rum. As the moon rose high in the sky, one bottle of Wilson's turned into two bottles of Wilson's.
The rum was now completely running through his veins, and for the first time in a very long time Anders felt giddy. He began to sing a song that Isabela always sang.
"Yo, ho all hands, hoist the colors high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die
Yo Ho, haul together, hoist the colors high,
Heave Ho, Thieves and Beggars, never Shall We Die!"
Anders stood up, stumbled a little, and grabbed the tree for support. Once he had steadied himself, he began to sing the next verse and dance around the beach.
"Some men have died, and some are alive,
And others sail on the sea, with the keys to the cage...
And the Devil to pay, we lay to Fiddler's Green!"
As he started on the chorus unable to resist the merriment any longer Justice joined in.
"Yo, ho all hands, hoist the colors high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die
Yo Ho, haul together, hoist the colors high,
Heave Ho, Thieves and Beggars, never Shall We Die!"
Anders fell onto the sand, laughing. Maker, he never thought he'd say this, but he really missed the pirate wench. There was never a dull moment with her around.
"Justice, there is something I've always wondered?"
"W-what's that," the spirit slurred.
"Did you have a crush on Kristoff's wife?"
"What makes you say that?"
"I saw the way you looked at her. It wasn't how a spirit should look at another man's wife."
"The echos of Kristoff's feelings for her remained even after I took possession of him. He loved her deeply and those strong emotions absorbed through to me. So yes, in a way I did have feelings and desires for her."
"So does that mean that you have feelings and desires for her... the mage that shall not be named, too?"
"You couldn't resist bringing her up, could you? But to answer your question, yes. I do have certain feelings for her too."
"Do you desire her?"
"Yes, Anders. There have been times that I desired her, and still do." Justice sighed.
"Are you in love with her?"
"I tried to fight it just like you did, but in the end, I fell in love with everything about her. So that would be another yes to your question,"
"Then when we see her again, let me ease the ache that we both feel. Let me grant us both peace."
"I would still advise against it, and for the record, I want to state that you are obsessed, but I will not stand in your way any longer. You have my word."
For the first time in a long time, Anders had something that gave him hope. He and Justice finally came to a compromise about his future with Tisha. All he needed to do was find a way back to her. He stumbled over to the chest once more to see if he hadn't missed anything else that he could eat. Digging through the chest to no avail, he couldn't find anything other than gold, various gem stones and rolled up maps inside. He caught sight of something shiny on the lid of the chest and rubbed his eyes, trying to regain some focus. It was a silver tag with a name inscribed on it. Anders dusted the sand particles and dirt that was stuck to the plate until he could make out the name on it. Andraste's wrinkled arse, this chest belonged to none other than the pirate wench they all loved and adored. This just kept getting better and better. He wondered how long the chest had been there or how long it might take Isabela to come back to claim it since she didn't have a bloody ship. Even with that cloud looming over his head, Anders had found more hope of finally getting back home.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, as Anders marked every passing day on the tree next to his shelter. With each day passing by, he lost a little hope, until he realized he was going to spend the rest of his life on this Maker forsaken island. He would never see Tisha again. Never see her brilliant smile or hear her jubilant laughter. He would never hold her again and feel her warm, soft body pressed against his, nor taste her sweet honey lips. Realizing this tore his heart in two and broke him. So he spent his days gathering food and talking to Justice, and his nights had been filled with rum induced banter, until the rum went dry. However, he was still attached to the bottle though. It was his anchor, his little ray of sunshine and his new best friend.
"You're crazy for dragging that bottle with you everywhere you go. Have you completely lost your mind as the last of the rum passed through your system?"
"Don't be nasty to Wilson. He's our friend and he understand me better than you do. So shut up before I enter the Fade to smack you for being an arse," Anders countered.
"Understands you? It's a glass bottle, not the second coming of the Maker himself, Anders! And I'd like to see you try. Just don't tell your glassy friend that the chip on his lip makes him look ugly."
Anders face looked completely horrified. "How dare you? You take that back this instant and apologize!"
"I am not apologizing to a glass bottle! I might just give off the impression that I am as crazy as you are."
"See this is what I'm talking about...this why only Wilson understands me!"
"It would break Tisha's heart to see you like this."
"DON'T! Don't bring her into this!"
"Why shouldn't I? She was your reason for living, and now it seems that you have replaced her memory with an empty rum bottle."
"Don't, Justice... I can't think about her anymore... it hurts to much... k-knowing I may never see her again... I -I..."
"You've given up! You need to snap the hell out of it, Anders. She still needs you... I've seen her in the Fade. She is lost without you."
"WHAT? You've seen her! Did you talk with her?"
"No, I just observed her. She is lost and heartbroken. You need to get us off this bloody island and back to her."
"Why didn't you tell her I am alive?"
"Because as a spirit of the Fade I cannot influence the outcome of this world by manipulating things in there."
"When last did you see her in the Fade?"
"I see her constantly. She's given up on life, although she still doesn't show it to anyone. It has always only been you, she showed her vulnerable side to."
"I have to see her, even if it's just for a moment. Please guide me to her when we pass into the Fade again," Anders pleaded.
"You will be able to see her without me leading you. But you need to cling to your love for her in order to see her. Wilson isn't going to show you the way so put the damn bottle down!"
Anders laid the bottle down beside his bed on the sand, he stretched out on the blankets and practically willed himself to sleep. He passed through the Veil, into the Fade, and immediately stared looking for her. Why hadn't he thought of this earlier? Why did Justice wait so long to tell him? He had to find her and let her know that he was still alive, and most of all, that he loved her endlessly. After what seemed like hours, Anders was still no closer to finding Tisha. He searched through every part of the Fade that he thought possible, but the only one he caught a glimpse of was Fenris, and he certainly wasn't in the mood for the broody elf's snarky remarks. As if his prayers had been answered by the Maker himself, Anders saw Merrill and darted towards her as quickly as his legs could carry him.
"Merrill! Merrill, wait! Thank the Maker I found you," Anders said as he quickly pulled the elven mage into a huge bear hug.
"Oh my, Anders, I didn't realize you were so strong."
"My arms aren't made of putty you know. Who do you think carried all the sick patients around? Have you seen Tisha anywhere in the Fade, I really need to see her."
"This is the first time I've seen you in a very long time. One would think that you would tell me where you've been all this time first, but the first thing you ask me is where you can find Tisha? You're not being a nice friend," Merrill said with a concerned expression.
"You're right, I'm sorry. I promise to explain it all to you in time, but I really need to find Tisha."
"I haven't seen her anywhere so far, but I will go and look around. I will bring her back with me if I find her. Where will you be if I find her?" Merrill asked.
"I will keep on searching for her, but I won't go too far from here, so you'll be able to find me easily once you've located her. Please look everywhere you can, Merill. It's important."
"I'll be back in a little while, hopefully with Tisha," Merrill replied.
Merrill turned around and left to start her search. Anders once again combed through the Fade and tried to find some clues of the Tisha's whereabouts. But when Merrill returned, Anders' face dropped into a disappointed frown.
"I'm sorry, Anders, I couldn't find her anywhere. I looked everywhere I thought she'd be, but she's not anywhere in the Fade. I think she might not be sleeping again. I have noticed that she has been very drained lately, as if she hadn't been taking care of herself."
"Does she think I'm dead?"
"We all thought you were dead. There were rumors that the templars killed you, but Cullen said that no orders had been given for your execution. Then there were rumors that you had been sold into slavery, but Fenris checked every source he knew in the slaving world and there wasn't one word about a mage being sold. Tisha has been beside herself with fear and worry, but as the years pressed on and not a word or rumor about you, she fell into a deep depression."
"If only you knew how close to the truth those rumors were, Merrill. I was captured by thugs who had been paid by a high ranking templar to kill me, but they sold me into slavery instead. Before we could reach our destination, the ship was attacked and I barely escaped with my life. I am now stuck on a deserted island with no hope of ever getting off. Do you see now, why I desperately need to see and talk to Tisha?" Anders asked.
"Creators have mercy, Anders. That's horrible. Yes, I see why two of you need to see each other. I will speak with Tisha tomorrow. Meet me here tomorrow night and I will bring her with me."
Anders hugged Merrill again. "Thank you, thank you so much."
Just as he released her the scene changed as he felt the warm sun beating down on his face and water cascading over his legs and thighs. He shot up out of bed as he realized high tide had come in while he was sleeping on the beach. He grabbed the blankets to keep them from getting wet, then he reached for Wilson... But Wilson wasn't where he had set him. A uncontrollable panic began to set in. He spun around frantically searching for his friend, but couldn't spot him.
A wave crashed against his feet, drawing his attention to the ocean. He saw something floating in the distance, but it was too far for him so swim for it. He recognized the shape of his friend as he bobbed from side to side in the water.
"WILSON!" he yelled as he ran into the crashing waves, trying to save his one true friend and his last shred of hope and security.
The waves pulled him under, but Anders was not giving up on his friend without a fight.
"I'm coming Wilson!" he tried with all the strength he could gather. "Wilson...I'm coming,Wilson, just hold on!"
"Anders! For the Maker's sake, you're going to kill yourself trying to rescue an empty rum bottle."
"He can't die, Justice. I need him."
"DIE? It's an inanimate object. It was never alive to begin with."
Anders ignored the spirit, and continued to try and reach Wilson. It felt like he had been swimming forever and not getting any closer. He scanned the water to see how far he still had to swim, but Wilson was too far away. He would not be able to save him.
Anders gave up and slowly swam back to the beach. He went into his shelter, crawled under his blankets and cried himself to sleep at the death of his one true friend.
The following morning, Anders woke up with a fierce determination to honor the memory of his friend that was lost at sea. He spent the entire morning gathering flowers and weaving them into a wreath, as he collected his thoughts on what he wanted to say, thinking of the time he had spent with Wilson in the last two and a half years. He took a bath in the pond and made sure that he looked his best.
After everything had been prepared, Anders took the wreath and made his way to the beach. He walked into the ocean until he was hip-deep in the crashing waves. Unable to control his emotions, he began his tribute to Wilson with a shaky breath.
"I lost more than just a friend yesterday, I lost my will to survive. Wilson was my rock, my strength, and my determination. He believed in me, believed that I would make it home, and that nothing was impossible if I set my mind to it. He was strong and confident, fierce and determined. He never gave up hope, encouraged me to keep fighting to survive, to keep on keeping on."
Anders hung his head and started to weep.
"I failed him. The one time he needed me, I wasn't there for him. I couldn't save him because I wasn't strong enough. I'm sorry, Wilson, I have failed you."
"Anders," Justice began tentatively. "Wilson was an extension of you. That bottle was a visible reminder for you to keep believing, to keep fighting, and to keep surviving. Anders, you don't need a bottle to remind you that there is hope. I will encourage you, and I will remind you that there is hope, and that you are strong enough to make it through this. That is why I choice you, Anders. Because of your inner strength and your fierce determination. I'm sorry if I haven't been a good friend. I'm sorry if I haven't offered the encouragement that sometimes you needed to hear. I promise to do a better job. I promise to be a better friend... but only if you promise me that you continue to fight."
Anders was quiet for a very long time as he stared at the vast ocean before him and pondered everything Justice had said. Deep down he knew that Wilson was only an empty rum bottle, but it had been one of the things he still possessed that came from his own world, and it had given him hope that one day he would get back there. There was hope though, he had found Merrill in the Fade, and she had promised to bring Tisha. Even if he could only see her beautiful face in his dreams, it would be enough to live for.
Finally, Anders replied, "I promise."
With a renewed sense of self, Anders turned around and made his way back to his shelter. The past two and a half years had taught him a lot, not only about himself, but to appreciate every single moment in life. The fickle bitch known as fate had an unexpected way of throwing one down into a dark hole with no warning. He almost lost hope of ever getting off the island or ever seeing the love of his life again. Now he had a renewed strength and will to live. He had to make it back somehow.
Anders laid down on his bed, praying to the Maker that Merrill had kept her word and that he would see Tisha soon. Justice gently reassured him that all would work out, they would find a way back home. He relaxed a little, curled himself into a ball under his blankets, and drifted off into the Fade.
Anders made it into the part of the Fade that he had agreed to meet Merrill, but there was still no sight of her anywhere. He started to scan his surroundings, hoping against hope that he would find her soon.
"Anders?" a familiar voice called out from behind him.
He turned around. His heart skipped wildly in his chest at the sight of an angel, the love of his life, and the woman of his dreams.
A/N- Thank you to everyone that has added this story to their alert and favs lists. We are so glad that you like our story. Also a big shout out to those that took the time to drop a line in our box and share your thoughts with us.
*Anders' rum filled song is none other than - Hoist the Colors by Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Caribbean)
*A very special and wholehearted thanks go out to our awesomelicious beta for not only making us look good but also editing this chapter for us in such short notice. Huge hugs to Pinoko K. You rock spectacularly.
