Chapter Thirty- Until Proven Guilty

"NO!" Pocahontas screamed, almost skidding to a halt. The others had stopped in horror as they watched the platform underneath John fall.

Get to John. Get him free. Get him free. Pocahontas told herself. She ran up to John.

"The rope…cut the rope…" Was all John could say. He was trying to regain his footing on the platform, but it was no use. He continued to kick at air.

"John! No, don't die on me now!" Pocahontas cried. There was nothing she could do. She didn't have anything she could cut the rope with! Suddenly, a Powhatan ax came flying through the air and cut the rope. John fell to the ground and began to cough.

"John!" Pocahontas cried as she ran to him. Thomas had reached them by then and he and Peter hauled John back onto the platform. John continued to cough like crazy. Finally, he could breath right again. He looked up to see Pocahontas looking at him with a concerned face.

"Pocahontas!" He said. He was still breathing heavily from not only fear, but from the noose that still hung around his neck. Pocahontas slipped it off and threw it away. Ratcliffe stood stunned on the side of the gallows.

"You made it!" John said.

"We did. We did make it." Pocahontas said. Ratcliffe suddenly appeared beside them, casting his large shadow over the two of them.

"How did you get out?" He hissed to Pocahontas.

"My support team was a little bigger and stronger than you thought." Pocahontas said strongly and she was surprisingly calm, even to herself. She took the king's note from her belt bag.

"John is innocent! He was all along! The king has ordered him free and ordered you…" She looked at Ratcliffe, "…arrested." Ratcliffe stood stunned. She showed the document to him. Then three guards grabbed Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe smiled a sinister smile.

"You haven't won yet, savage! I will win net time!" He said as he was dragged away.

That's what you think. She thought. She turned back to John, who had stood up. Eric came over to them and unlocked the cuffs on John's hands.

"According to this document signed by the king, you're free to go." He said to John. As soon as he was free, Pocahontas sighed a sigh of relief. Then they hugged for the first time in six months.

"John! John, are you alright?" She sobbed out. John, despite his still hurting broken ribs, hugged her tightly.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." He said. The two clung to each other as the crowd dispersed.

"Come on, there something I need to show you." Pocahontas said, taking his hand and pulling him towards Thomas's house, where she knew Peter, Wendy, and Samuel Smith had gone to wait for them.

"What is it?" John asked. They stopped in the living room. Pocahontas nodded towards the doorway. John looked towards where Pocahontas had nodded. Wendy and Peter stepped out.

"Peter…Wendy?" John asked. Peter and Wendy nodded.

"I found Peter after I arrived in England just like you said and he found Wendy. I couldn't have done it without them and Thomas and Nakoma and Thomas's parents…" She said and smiled. She looked at John as Samuel Smith stepped through the door. John looked at her, shocked.

"Hello, John." Samuel said.

"Hello, Dad." John said in the same tone. He looked at Pocahontas.

"You got him to help?" He asked. Pocahontas nodded.

"We really couldn't have done it without him." John looked back at his father.

"You really helped them?" He asked.

"I did. I felt guilty about…what I did and what I said…when you were in England and what I said in my letter. I was wrong." Samuel said. John nodded.

"You were wrong. But we all make mistakes." John said and Pocahontas knew he was telling his father he forgave him. Samuel smiled knowing John had forgiven him.

"I'm glad you're free, John." Pocahontas said.

"I'm glad to be free, too." John said.

"Glad to hear that. I kept getting seasick on the way here." Peter said and John laughed.

"I can imagine that." He said.

"Ha ha, very funny." Peter said. He still didn't feel too great.

"Oh be quiet, Peter." Wendy said, punching him in the arm again.

"You two haven't changed a bit." John said.

"Nope and we don't plan to, do we, Peter?" Wendy asked, smiling.

"No." Peter said.

"That's good." John said. He turned back to Pocahontas.

"Who threw that ax?" He asked. Pocahontas shrugged. She hadn't thought about it. The ax had defiantly been from her tribe.

"I don't know. Do you guys know?" She asked Thomas and Nakoma.

"No. I didn't see who threw it." Nakoma answered.

"Me neither." Thomas said.

"Well, whoever threw it, I owe them a thanks." John said.

"That's for sure." Pocahontas said.

"Thanks again. You've saved twice now." John said.

"I couldn't let them kill you, John. I just couldn't." Pocahontas said.

"I know. And you know what they say; you're innocent until proven guilty." John said and then they both kissed for the first time in a long time. And they were right: You are innocent until you're proven guilty.

The end!

A/N- That's it! See, my fingers didn't let you down for a happy ending! What did you guys think? Please review! I have another Pocahontas fic on the way. It's called "Finding Love". Check up soon for it! Well ya'll, this is it for now. Thanks to all my reviewers! This story is dedicated to you! Thanks!

-Robin Ann Bates