Sorry the last chapter was a little rushed, I just wanted to get to the good part.

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Alek didn't know why the bells went off; he didn't know why he even responded. All he knew was that his feet were carrying him towards the spine. In truth, he was just following everyone else, but he assumed they knew what they were doing, so he just let himself be pushed along by the rushing airmen.

His legs were quickly tiring at the fast pace, and he realized just how out of shape he had become in those few days he had spent sulking in his chambers. Alek had never realized how much energy Dy-Deryn pumped into his life. Before he ever met her, his life was all fancy dinner parties and boring meetings with rich nobles who cared nothing for his person, but only for the possibility that, someday, he might be in a place of power. But then he was thrown into the center of the war, dragged along through the revolution in Istanbul and various other adventures. And Deryn was beside him every step of the way. If anything, his time alone had made him realize how boring life was without her.

…

It wasn't long before Alek found himself topside, along with possibly the entire population of the airship. He had never realized how many people the ship held, but once again he was impressed with her enormity. Through all of the gathered heads, he could just barely make out a platform at the far end of the beasty. How long had that been there? But the matter was unimportant because, at the moment, he was jostling his way through the crowd, trying to make his way towards the stand.

Finally, only a few rows of bodies separated him from his quarry. Good enough, he thought. After all, he didn't want to call too much attention to himself.

…

It was a matter of minutes before anything of great importance happened, and Alek figured that the captain was just waiting for the entire crew to assemble. What could be this barking important? He found himself using one of Deryn's phrases. He had been doing that more often as of late. It would have to stop.

And just like that, he found his thoughts wandering back to her sky blue eyes. Her lush lips. Her ruffled short hair that just barely brushed her shoulders, but looked perfect on her. Her- Stop it you dummkoft! What is she to you? Just a Darwinist girl, common as dirt, and one who looks like a man! But Alek was a horrible liar and was not even able to fool himself. Who was he kidding? He could never see Deryn Sharp as a man. She was beautiful, stunning, brilliant, courageous, and completely off-limits! Had he made a mistake, running off that night after she told him her most important secret? He tried to tell himself no, that she didn't matter, but still…

"If I could have everyone's attention please," Alek's head snapped up and he found himself looking at the captain, smartly dressed as always, standing stiff as a rod at the podium. "Something greatly… disturbing… has recently come to my attention. Would a Midshipman Dylan Sharp please make his way to the podium?" Oh no, oh no, oh no… Alek turned to his left just in time to see a very confused Deryn pushing her way through the crowd. As she reached the stage and turned to face the crew, Alek could see a glimmer of something in her eye. Was that… fear? She must have realized that her emotions were showing, and attempted to regain her composure. The captain turned to face her.

"Mr. Sharp, I have been informed, by a source who wishes to remain anonymous, of a grave matter. Mr. Sharp," No, no, no, no… "Are you not, in fact, a woman?"

Deryn stood frozen, all of her strength and composure slipping away as she mumbled something incoherent. "I'm sorry?" The captain spoke again.

"Yes, sir." The girl announced, reaching for confidence and falling somewhere between quiet acceptance and uncertainty.

"I am ashamed of your actions, Miss Sharp. And what, may I ask, it your true name?"

"Deryn, Deryn Sharp, sir." Her voice was soft and timid, but everyone could hear her through the absolute silence. Even the wind seemed quieter.

"Well then, Deryn Sharp, I have been in correspondence with Lord Churchill ever since I suspected your secret, and he has come to a decision concerning your punishment. It is the Lord's request to make an example out of you, for any women daft enough to attempt the same." Deryn still stood straight and at attention, the picture of a perfect soldier.

"You will, therefore, be dishonorably discharged and serve a life sentence in prison for your actions. If you will please hand over your medal and rigging knife?" Deryn slumped over and resignedly traded her medal and rigging knife for a life of chains.

But as two men stepped towards her with handcuffs in their hands (obviously just for show), the girl leapt forward and screamed to the world and all who would hear her, "To every woman out there, if I made it this far, so can you! And up yours Churchill, because I will fly!" And with that, she turned her back the shocked throng of onlookers, and rushed towards the edge of the great airship. The rough membrane left her booted feet, and she flew.

"Nooo!" Alek ran to where Deryn had been standing less than a second ago, and grabbed at empty air. But he could not grasp his love, for she had flown away towards heaven on light wings, and his, laden with guilt, anchored him to the ground.

It was his fault, all his fault. The war, everything. Thousands of men had died because of him, but all he cared about was the one girl he had killed. The girl who had trusted him and who he had betrayed by giving away her most sacred secret of all. The boy fell to his knees, his facade slipping away because, underneath, he was no man, but only a child with the weight of the world upon his shoulders much too soon.

He felt Volger at his shoulder and desperately grabbed for the fencing sabre at the man's side, but Volger was much too quick. Suiting wasn't it, that Deryn's life ended doing the thing she loved most. But he, he did not even deserve to die, it was much too good for him.

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Alternate ending:

But as two men stepped towards her with handcuffs in their hands (obviously just for show), the girl leapt forward and snatched her rigging knife from the shocked captain. In one fluid motion, so quick that anyone who blinked would have missed it, Deryn flipped it open and plunged it through her heart.

"Nooo!" Alek ran to where Deryn slipped to the ground and lay bleeding, but he was too late. Fitting, that she stabbed herself through the heart, seeing as it was her love who betrayed her and broke her heart. Yes, her love. Alek knew it now, though he had probably known all along, since that first night when she had revealed herself to him.

And then Alek felt a pain that he had never felt before. It struck his heart like a dagger, but a thousand times worse. He let out an unworldly, keening wail that was silenced only by his own hands and the same blade that felled his true heart.

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I almost made myself cry ;*(
But I was craving tragedy, so there you have it.