I'm surprised I even survived the next day. The second Lord Alders and Lord Randall set eyes on me, I thought I was a dead man.

The sun rose slowly over the Benbow Inn. Jim woke rather early and crawled out of bed, doing his best to not wake Vivian as he did. He found fresh clothes for the day and then went down the hall to the bathroom. After a quick shower and shave, Jim dressed in black pants and a white short sleeved work shirt. He walked back to his room, toweling his hair dry as his feet slapped the wood floor loudly.

Jim pushed the door open and peeked into the room; Vivian was awake and sitting on the edge of the bed, her gaze on the patch of floor between her feet. Her hands were pressed into the mattress on either side of her hips; her eyes were closed in deep concentration as she drew in deep breaths. "Viv?" Vivian jumped at the sound of Jim's voice. Her eyes shot open and landed on him as he stood in the door way, a towel thrown over his head.

Vivian opened her mouth to speak, but a strange sound escaped her; a strange mix between a sharp gasp and a sob. She covered her mouth with her hand as she looked at Jim. She was visibly shaking and was deathly pale. Jim strode across the room and knelt in front of her. "Viv, are you okay?"

Jim gently pressed a hand to her forehead; Vivian looked as if she were either about to faint or vomit. She shook her head and spoke through her hand. "I'm…" She brought her gaze up to Jim's; tears began quickly leaking out of her eyes. "Oh, god Jim, what have I done?"

Jim gave her a confused look as he took hold of her hand and pulled it away from her mouth. "What are you talking about Vivian?"

Vivian shook her head, covering her mouth with her other hand. "My father will be here today; I'm the reason a monster is going to come here. God, I'm so sorry!" She gave a sob that dissolved into a retch. Thankfully she didn't actually get sick.

Jim gently took hold of her face with his hands. "Vivian, look at me." Once Vivian brought her gaze to his again, Jim continued. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"It's not me I'm worried about!" Vivian practically shouted. Jim attempted to shush her, not wanting to wake his mother or any of the guests staying at the inn. "You have no idea what my father is capable of. I've seen him burn a whole planet just to force people off of the lands he wanted to purchase. I can't bear to think of what he might do to you and your mother."

"Vivian, listen to me," Jim said, his voice firmer. "Nothing – I repeat, nothing – is going to happen to me or my mom. Our main concern is making sure you're safe from him. Since we're married, your father can't take you away, he can't lay a hand on you. And you know what? It's finally time someone stood against him." Jim took a deep breath as he let his hands slip down to Vivian's shoulders. "I'm just a man; I don't have any secret powers that I can use to send him away. But I promise you I will do everything I possibly can to make it to where you're not afraid of him anymore."

Vivian took a shaky breath. "I don't want to be afraid," she said, reaching her hands out and taking hold of Jim's shirt with two tight fists. "But…Jim I dreamt that he killed you! Just the thought of you being harmed by my father…it turns my stomach to rot."

Jim was slightly taken aback; sure, he was afraid of what Lord Alders might do to him, but would this man actually kill him? He shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts before shaking Vivian gently. "If protecting you is going to kill me, then I'm ready to die."

"Don't say that!" Vivian sobbed, tightening her grip on his shirt.

Jim sighed a little, hating his choice of words. "Vivian, nothing's going to happen to me, I promise."

"How do you know?" Vivian slipped off the bed and onto her knees in front of Jim, burying her face in his chest. "How do you know?"

Jim wrapped his arms around her. He hated seeing someone so strong willed reduced to tears from fear. "Vivian, I need you to listen to me. Really listen, alright? Nothing bad will happen today; this is the day that your voice is finally going to be heard by your father. You're going to take a stand and speak your mind. Do you understand me?"

Vivian was still shaking as Jim held her tightly to his chest. He heard her take a shuddering breath before speaking. "My voice…will be heard today."

Jim nodded, pulling Vivian away from him slightly to look into her face. Through the fear and near sickness, Jim could see a new emotion forming in her eyes: determination. "That's right. Say it again."

She took a breath, this time more solid. Vivian's gaze locked into Jim's. "My voice will be heard today."

Jim gave her a brave smile before hugging her tightly.

XD XD XD

It was almost three o'clock when the front door opened; Jim was walking hand in hand with Vivian down the stairs. Two men walked inside and scanned the main room of the inn quickly. There weren't any guests there, so the two men quickly looked up the stair case. "Vivian!" the taller man said in a dark voice.

Jim took a step in front of Vivian as the two men removed their hats and traveling cloaks. Jim recognized the taller man from the photograph Silver had shown him that night. Lord Alders was dressed in proper military retirement uniform, his dark brown hair tied out of his face with a matching blue ribbon. The resemblance between him and his daughter was only slight; they had the same green eyes and the same high cheek bones, but that was all.

The second man was rather ugly with dark skin that resembled wrinkled leather, a bald head, dull grey eyes and a disgusting grin on his face. His grin widened when he set eyes on Vivian; Jim reached behind him and took hold of Vivian's hand, squeezing it gently. "Can I help you two gentlemen?" Jim asked, attempting to sound like the kind host.

Lord Alders pointed a finger at Jim. "Are you this Jim Hawkins that Silver told me about?"

Jim nodded, squeezing Vivian's hand one last time before releasing it and then walking down the stairs toward the two men. Jim could only assume that the uglier man was Lord Randall. "Yes sir, I am," Jim said politely as he came off the stairs. "How can I help you?"

Lord Alders strode up to Jim, shaking his index finger at him. "You, Jim Hawkins, will return my daughter to me at once, or so help me, I will-"

"Father!"

Vivian came down the stairs quickly, her dark green skirt swishing around her legs roughly. She came to a halt beside Jim and took his left hand into her right hand. "You cannot speak to my husband that way!"

Lord Alders turned his hateful gaze onto his daughter. "Now you listen to me, you selfish little brat! You are going to leave here with me and you will be married to Thomas."

Vivian, forgetting her sickening fear form earlier in the day, held her index finger out and waved it in his face. "No, you listen to me. You can't have me anymore Father. I'm done being afraid of you and what you'll do when – not if, when- I disappoint you. If I'm such a disappointment, then do us both a favor and let me go."

Lord Alders' face first turned red then faded into a slight shade of purple. "You ungrateful little-"

"Kimball, please," Lord Randall put a hand on Alders' shoulder. A sick grin spread further across his ugly face as he looked Vivian up and down. Jim had to fight the urge to step in front of her. "Why don't you speak with the boy while I have a little chat with Vivian?"

Before anyone could respond, Randall took hold of Vivian's wrist and pulled her out the front door. As he pulled the door open, Captain Amelia and Dr. Doppler appeared on the other side. The Captain looked to Vivian, seeing the young woman's slightly distraught face; Vivian pleaded for Amelia's help with her eyes. Thankfully, Amelia saw it and turned to her husband. "I'll keep an eye on them," she said quietly before disappearing again, following Randall and Vivian outside.

Delbert watched his wife go before walking into the Inn and coming to stand beside Jim. "Jim, is there a problem?" He asked, knowing full and well that Vivian's father was there to take her away. Delbert looked Lord Alders up and down from over his snout.

"The problem," Alders started, resuming his finger pointing and wagging. "Is that this bastard has taken something that doesn't belong to him. I demand that you annul your marriage to my daughter and return her to me at once!"

Before Jim could retort, Delbert gave a low laugh before pulling his glasses off of his face. "So you're Vivian's father."

"Yes, I am," Alders said, puffing his chest out slightly. "Lord Kimball Alders, and I will have you know sir that I could very easily buy this whole planet and force you all out! If my daughter is not returned to me-"

"You think you have the right to call yourself a father?" Delbert was wiping his glasses with a small scrap of cloth. "I mean, it is true, you did contribute genetic material. Vivian does owe you that. But you have no idea what it is like to be a father. Truly." He finished cleaning his glasses and put them back on his face. "The only thing you truly know how to do is be brutish son of a bitch."

Meanwhile, out in front of the inn, Randall still had a tight hold of Vivian's wrist. "You will marry me!" He growled at her, tightening his grip on her arm.

"I won't," Vivian said firmly, her glare never wavering from Randall's face. "I am married to Jim; deal with it!"

Randall tightened his grip more; Vivian clenched her teeth, certain that her wrist might snap, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was in pain. Amelia stood off to the side, not sure if or when she should jump in and assist Vivian. Randall lowered his voice. "I could break you," he said, his dull grey eyes darkening. "Just like I broke the others. The five wives I had before your father offered you to me. None of them were as strong willed as you; I only broke them when I got bored with them. But you…" He gave a dark laugh. "You will be a most enjoyable challenge. I can't wait to have you."

Vivian spat in his face; Randall hadn't expected it and jumped back slightly, his grip on her loosening. She pulled free and took several steps back. "I will die before you have me, you evil son of a pig!" Vivian spat again, this time at Randall's feet.

Thomas Randall wiped Vivian's spit from his face. "You little bitch." He launched at her, knocking her to the ground. Vivian was surprised, the air knocked out of her when she hit the ground. Randall's hands found their way around her neck; his grey eyes were suddenly alive with fury. "I will break you!"

Captain Amelia, suddenly wishing she had a gun on her, ran to Vivian's aid. Randall was sitting on Vivian, straddling her stomach, his hands tightening around the girl's throat. Vivian saw Amelia running to help and managed to choke out, "No! This is…my fight!"

Vivian clawed at Randall's bald head, scratching his eyes and nose, pulling on his ears as hard as she could. I'll be damned if I'm going to let this bastard harm me! Vivian began trying to wriggle her legs out from under Randall's body. "Amelia!" She choked out. "Get…Jim!"

Captain Amelia gave Vivian an uncertain look before dashing around them and back into the inn. When she pushed the door open, she saw that Lord Alders looked ready to hit Delbert in the face. "Hawkins!" Jim's slightly satisfied smirk turned to the captain. When he saw her worried and uncertain look, Jim shoved past Lord Alders and out the front door.

What Jim saw next frightened him to within an inch of his life. Vivian's seemingly lifeless body pinned under Lord Randall; Randall's back was to Jim, and he couldn't see Vivian's face. "Vivian!"

Vivian was still fighting against Randall; she had her left hand prying at his fingers around her neck. She reached her right hand down to her stomach, finding Randall's weakest place. Vivian grabbed on, twisted and pulled. The full grown man yelped loudly, his grip leaving Vivian's neck to try and cover himself. He rose up off of her stomach slightly in his attempt to get away from her. Vivian pulled her legs out from under Randall and swung her right foot at his face. It connected hard, sending the man to the ground with a pitiful groan.

"Vivian!" Jim ran to Vivian's side, pulling her away from Randall as the man rolled on the ground in pain. She was panting slightly, and Jim could see that her neck was red from where Randall had been holding her. "Are you alright?"

Vivian nodded before pointing to Randall. "I'm fine, but if someone doesn't get that bastard away from me, I'm libel to kill him!" Amelia walked over to Randall and restrained him, twisting his arms behind his back and binding them with some rope. "Amelia, I'm sure the police will be very interested in his stories of breaking women."

Amelia nodded; Delbert and Lord Alders finally came out of the inn. Delbert wore a satisfied grin while Alders wore a look of shock at the sight of Randall tied up and writhing on the ground. Jim's gaze fell on to Vivian's father, and he was on his feet before he could stop himself. "You!" Jim stalked over to Alders, a fist raised and poised to bash the man's face in. Alders shrank away from him, trying to cover his face as best he could.

"Jim, what in the name of the stars above is going on out here?" Sarah Hawkins had appeared in the door way of the inn. Jim stopped his attack on Alders, but just barely. Sarah looked around, quickly coming to the conclusion that the man Jim was about to attack was the one responsible for the uproar in her front yard. "You! I don't know who you are, but I demand that you leave my property this instant!"

Alders straightened; he wasn't one to be bossed around by a woman. "I will only leave after this young leach annuls his marriage to my daughter! She belongs to me!"

"The hell she does!" Sarah shouted, frightening Jim slightly. He had never seen his mother this furious. "Vivian is as much your daughter as I am! You know nothing about her and don't deserve to have such an amazing daughter! Vivian belongs to herself and no one else!"

Captain Amelia came up behind Alders and spoke to him in a threatening purr. "You should do your best to remember that."

Alders jumped away from the two women who were ganging up on him and clearly enjoying it. "Now," Sarah said. "Get off of my property."

"Wait!" Vivian had walked over to them; she stood before her father. "Before you leave, you will clear all the warrants out for John Silver."

Amelia and Delbert were slightly shocked at Vivian's demand, but didn't say anything. "I will do no such thing!" Alders said. "The agreement was that the warrants would disappear if he delivered you to me. Silver didn't do what he was hired to do."

Jim grabbed Alders by the shirt collar. "You will clear his name!" Jim shook the man roughly as he spoke. "You will clear Silver's name and you will leave Vivian alone. After today, you will never attempt to see her or harm her again!"

Alders shook in fear as Jim threatened him. "Alright, I'll do it!"

Jim smirked as he released Alders with a shove. "Good, now get out of here."

Alders began walking quickly down the dirt road, but turned and faced Vivian. "You've lost everything you know; your financial security, your chance at a life."

"A life that isn't mine isn't worth having," Vivian said, moving to stand beside Jim. She took her husband's hand firmly in her own. "Jim is all I'm ever going to need. You can take everything you could possibly give me and shove it."

Alders huffed slightly before he turned and walked away, disappearing into the market and out of Jim's and Vivian's life.

Woo, I wasn't sure if I was going to get this one done! I'm really proud of it. Vivian finally letting go and hurting Randall is rather satisfying!

I had originally planned simply a verbal assault heavily featuring Amelia and Sarah (as suggested by Welsh Gem), but it kind of evolved into a physical fight and then a verbal assault.

Also, thanks so much to everyone for reading and reviewing! You make me so completely happy!

I'm thinking this will wrap up in a few more chapters, sad to say. This story is very dear to my heart, but you know what they say…wait, what is that stupid saying? Never mind.

Finally, the major working song for this chapter was 'Hero' by Skillet. I've just discovered this band, and I lovethem! If you go and listen to the lyrics of the song, you'll see that some of the dialogue closely resembles it. Also, the title is a major line in that song. The song has some amazing music, very 'ready to fight' and 'anxiety before the big battle' causing. I love it!

So, yeah, read and review!

Until next time! ~BBTM