Epilogue

" Breathe! C'mon, damnit, breathe!"

The voice sounded as though it was coming from under water, becoming clearer with each passing second. Alanna struggled to grasp why the handsome voice sounded so frantic. Suddenly, right when she thought her lungs were about to explode, she broke through the surface. To the stranger's great relief, the woman he had been working on for a solid minute was finally coughing mouthfuls of water out, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. Now fully conscious, she looked around. White, electric lamps buzzed around her, their fluorescent light shining onto the sidewalk. Underneath her, she felt the warm, hard surface that could only be concrete. Also, she noticed the air was dry and warm, smelling distinctly of dust. It was official. She had, after what seemed like an eternity, returned home. The man who had saved her bent over her again, and she caught her breath. If she wasn't mistaken, her savior was a splitting image of a certain sailor she had met ages ago. Seeing him frown slightly, she spoke.

"What…what happened?" she croaked.

"That's an interesting question," he replied, his voice carrying a slight English accent. "Apparently somebody decided to take a dip in the lake. Not a good idea, considering you don't know what's down there or how deep it is. Anyway, I saw what happened and I jumped in after you."

Still in a daze, she failed to comprehend what he was saying. She glanced down her body, only to realize she was indeed wearing her 'Being good is overrated' T-shirt and her favorite pair of jeans, which were completely drenched. With a jolt, her memory returned. She was on her way home from seeing the latest Pirates movie. Also, she remembered how she wanted more than anything to be part of that world. She was standing on the balcony, when someone called out to her. She must have lost her footing and fell. Her eyes widened. The man watched her expression, his frown deepening. Maybe she was going into shock. He looked over his shoulder.

"Is the ambulance on its way?" he asked franticly to a blonde standing a few feet away.

"Yeah…it should be here really soon," she replied.

He turned back to the girl. "Everything's going to be alright. Your parents are on their way, ok? You're going to be fine."

Through all the confusion, Alanna managed to nod. In attempt to keep her comfortable, he took off his overshirt. Alanna was too focused on the god-like face above her to realize what he was wearing. Above a loose white T-shirt was a pale blue collared shirt, which he was now draping over her. Gently he lifted her into a sitting position, placing his legs under her. He laid her across his lap, relieving her from the hard concrete. He stroked her wet hair, his brown eyes kind. "What's your name, love?"

Shocked again by the familiarity of his words, it took her a moment to answer. "Alanna," she whispered. "Alanna Livingston."

He smiled. "It's a beautiful name. Mine's Jonathon. Jonathon Turner, but most people call me Jon."

Alanna's eyes widened. "T-Turner?" she gasped.

Surprised by her reaction, he was slow to reply. "Yeah," he said after a moment. "It's kind of a family name. It's been carried down through the years, father-to-son sort of thing. Since I have a house full of sisters, I'm the only one to carry it on."

Taking her silence for curiosity, he went on. "Actually," he pointed out. "This ring is also kind of a family heirloom."

When he held his right hand to the light, Alanna gaped. It was, if she remembered it correctly, the exact same one she had seen on Will's finger, the rich sapphire glinting in the light. As she looked at it in wonder, sirens could be heard approaching the neighborhood. Jon dropped his hand, breaking Alanna's trance.

"Finally," he sighed with relief. Sliding his legs out from under her, he lifted her into his arms, handling her as if she were a kitten. As he glided to the awaiting ambulance, Alanna began to wonder. Was that whole time she had been in the realm of pirates merely a dream? Had she made up the whole thing? Or, by some miracle, had she really been there? Unconsciously she fingered the locket around her neck. Her heart leapt. Under her fingertips, she felt the outline of an elegant S…in the shape of a swan.

Author's Note: Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to all my fabulous readers!!!! Your support has been awesome throughout the development of this fantastic tale. Without you, this story wouldn't be finished at all. I deticate this story first and foremost to YOU!!!