Disclaimer: I do not own Treasure Planet

A/N: FIRST I want to call to attention the fact that I have a new poll up concerning this story and I will take the action I did with the last poll that only until there is a majority and had a substantial amount of people voting on it will I actually post a new chapter. However the only reason I did so was because I had so much reception from people and I thought it would be a little cruel not to post anything sooner considering the cliff hanger I left you all on.

Waking Up To The World

For taytayfanatical

George walked down the corridor wondering what he was going to say to Diana. He hadn't spoken to her since he kissed her. He simply bowed and walked away after kissing her. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to cast it from his mind and pretend it had never happened. But it did. There was no turning back now. He could no longer deny his feelings toward Diana even if he wanted to. It was a part of him now. It was his disease. His predicament. Every day, every moment that passed was bringing them closer to their eternal separation. The moment they would complete their journey would be the moment when all hope was gone. He had re-lived that kiss over and over again throughout the days of Cassandra's predicament. He couldn't get the sensation of brushing his fingertips through her silky hair, breathing in the smell of her natural fragrance. The position that Cassandra was now in only made him feel more guilty. He should've been worrying about his sister rather than thinking more about her friend. He should've been the one at her bedside rather than embracing Diana.

He tried to think about his sister. He thought that perhaps he thought about the happy memories it may bring her back to life. He thought of her smile. Her laughter. When her hair would be wildly flying in the wind when she would run through the gardens. He recalled the one time when Cassandra, rather playfully, declared that men were hopeless. He was now wondering whether she was right and whether she was being serious. Cassandra was always one who flitted between the boundaries of seriousness and playfulness. She was really the one who could never make up her mind despite the charade she put on. Now she was on her death bed. Maybe she had played the game for too long. Maybe she was being called now to make her decision. She had to make her own way in the world and this wasn't going be something which would stop, unless she chose to. Sometimes not all journey's needed to be walked alone. She was being judged now as to whether she really, truly wanted to take this journey alone. It could perhaps be chance for her to see an alternative. To let her see that there wasn't just one choice which lay in front of her but many. That she was no longer confined but her world an oyster.

When he walked back to his quarters he had heard Jim weeping over her almost dead body. He knew Jim cared about his sister but his words only confirmed the intensity of his feelings for her.

Don't go...Not yet...Don't leave me...

It was this moment George was about to knock on the door to see if he could check on his sister. Instead he stopped and brought his ear to the door. He wondered whether he was talking to someone else but through a crack in the door he could see Captain Hawkins holding his sisters hand with tears rolling doing his cheeks.

...it will be like the wind one day disappearing...Without you this life...will be empty...it will be like being imprisoned...

George remembered wanting to step back and recover from his astonishment. He had never heard Jim talk like this before. He never knew that this was how he really felt about his sister. Why he was always so concerned about her. He had never heard love to be declared in such a way. To see it as painful and necessary.

...beg you don't take her...I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry...

George had turned away now and pressed himself against the wall but he could still hear him. He wanted to bang his head against it to shut out the noise but was afraid of being detected. He couldn't help but empathise with Jim. He knew what it was like to feel unbearable amount of pain, love and regret simultaneously.

can only say this simply...I love you...without cause...Just you...

George closed his eyes and wondered whether he should try to shut these words out as well. He believed that if he could just shut the world out he could finally be at peace. But you could never shut the world out because it always came flooding back in. He wanted to assure Jim that there was nothing wrong in his feelings towards his sister. That he would pose and no obstacle to him. It had all made sense to him now. Why Jim and Cassandra behaved the way that they did towards one another. He knew now that his sister also loved him in return but with being the way that she was she didn't want to give into her feelings upon the fear of being trapped. She could be so foolish sometimes. She was free to love the person who loved her in return. He was tied to no one and neither was she. He had to bare his pain and take back what he had done even though it would always be a part of him unless he came to find someone else to love but even the thought of that was unbearable. Not to mention selfish. Jim should not be the one to apologise but she. She was being selfish in her pride and irrational fears by abstaining herself from loving him.

He brought himself to the door now and without hesitation knocked. He waited a moment until finding himself face to face with Diana herself. He half hoped and expected it to be Selina. Diana's eyes widened and almost dropped to her knees to curtsey.

"Mr Richardson. Is there any news of your sister? Is she well?" She asked hurriedly.

He looked at her gravely. "Unfortunately there has been no change. Thank you for asking."

"Well...she is like a sister to me." She cast her eyes downwards. "I couldn't imagine what I do if she died. I would never forgive myself."

"It's not your fault." He replied passionately. She looked up at him gingerly which made him feel embarrassed. "I came here to apologise for...I do not regret what I did although I will not compromise the promise you have already made. But only if that is what makes you happy."

She nodded. "Thank you." She whispered breathlessly.

"I know you have always seemed like a sister to her. Even though she has some of her own. What I am trying to say that she came on her own accord. Don't blame yourself for a decision that she made regardless of the fact that your engagement is the reason for this voyage."

She smiled comfortingly. "Thank you. I can see you have her kindness."

He chuckled. "It is something both our parents had."

"She told me so much about your family. Although...No..." She giggled nervously.

"What is it?"

"I was going to ask you if...You would like to go on a walk with me but...I thought it too brazen."

"Not at all. A request such as that wouldn't make me think any less of you." He offered his arm gallantly. "Well, Lady Firestone?"

~ (***) ~

The streams of light was shining brightly through the window. It was almost like Heaven was sending her a sign. As ironic as it seemed. She wasn't to enter Heaven yet. She knew she wasn't ready. She hadn't redeemed herself for her faults yet. She smiled weakly, laughing at herself almost that the first words which would enter her mind would be something like that. She wanted to laugh so loudly that she would wake the rest of the ship if it was the early hours of the morning but her throat felt so dry. She had never been religious and really never cared to be. No matter how sinful that sounded. She believed up until this point that it had no affect or influence over her life. Perhaps she was wrong. She turned her eyes to the window again and smiled. It was the light. It was the light that was the first thing she saw when she woke up. It was the light which guided her home, even though once this voyage had ended she would no longer have a home.

She felt so cold but so hot all at the same time. Now she was fairly normal again. Everything was settling now. She felt like a rock was sitting on her chest and that her legs were paralysed. But she was alive. This she was certain of. She was in danger of dying but she was slowly crawling out of the battlefield and was alive. She was fighter. She had been and always would be. Her hand felt numb. She rolled her head slowly over to where her hand was and found no one there although she was sure she felt at some point that there was someone holding her hand. She didn't know why she made this presumption but she was also sure she had heard someone's voice whispering to her in her dreams.

It was such a sad, kind voice. One which was filled with so much emotion and there was even a wishful thought in her mind as well because of the words which she was sure she heard.

love you...

She had hoped that these were words which had been actually spoked by him. By Captain Hawkins. The man she loved. The one whom she selfishly kept her true feelings from. She took in a deep breath and craned her neck back. She felt like it was so hard to breathe. She thought the worst was over. Then she realised it was not because of her physical wounds but because of the ones inside.

"Cassandra?"

She turned her head sharply and gasped. Selina was standing at her door one moment and in the blinking of an eye had rushed to her bedside and wrapped her arms around her.

"They said that there had been no change and that you were so unconscious." She drew away from her and saw there were tears rolling down her cheeks. Cassandra tilted her head and wiped her tears away.

"Now, now. None of that."

Selina suppressed a chuckle. "I can see this near-death experience hasn't changed you old friend."

Cassandra chuckled. "Not in the slightest."

Selina took a firm grip of her hand. "I knew you would pull through. Everyone was walking about the deck with their heads hung down, they were weighed down by their doubts but I didn't doubt your strength for a second."

Cassandra nodded her head and touched Selina's hand appreciatively. "Thank you. How is everyone?"

"Diana has worried about you day and night. She blames herself for what has happened to you. She blamed herself for the fact that it is her engagement that is the reason of this voyage."

"Well that is certainly going to be the first matter address next time I see her." She muttered.

"Your brother has also been concerned although it hasn't caused his performance to waver." She said with her voice trailing into unspoken words.

"What is it?"

"It's the Captain. Ever since you fell ill he's been...He's hardly come out of his lodgings. He's been in here watching over you day and night-"

"I heard his voice." She muttered. Selina frowned at the words and Cassandra turned her with her eyes widened. "I heard his voice which means...He..."

Selina shook her hand. "Cassandra what is it?"

"I heard his voice and I've forgotten most of the words except...I-"

They were interrupted by someone opening the door. They both turned to see who it was and found Captain Hawkins staring down at her. Selina quickly glanced at her and turned back to the Captain and curtseyed before leaving the room.

Cassandra wanted to protest but she felt too weak to do so and also her responding wasn't as good as it usually was for the same reasons. She sat up by supporting herself by her elbows which she knew she wouldn't be able to do for long. After she closed the door she slowly turned her eyes back to Captain Hawkins who was staring at her like he was witnessing the impossible. He was staring her like she had risen from the dead. She felt herself shiver under his gaze. His eyes were so intense, so full of fire she didn't know what he would do. He looked as dead as she imagined she did for the past few days. He looked so tired with the dark rings under his eyes. He was paler than she would imagine a ghost would be. He was thin and worn out. His hair was messy and looked as if he hadn't washed it for days. She wanted to reach out to him, to reassure him that everything was going to be alright now. She wanted to comfort him. To convince him that she wasn't a ghost. That what he was seeing was real.

"James." She whispered. She lifted her hand slowly which he rushed to in fear of her using too much energy. He knelt by her side and with his other hand touched her cheek affectionately.

"Thank goodness you're alright."

"Of course I am. You know it takes more than a bullet to take me down." He chuckled at the joke and wrapped his arms around her gently. She rested her head on his shoulder and felt safe in his arms. The smile on her face slowly growing.

~ (***) ~

"What are you thinking about?" Diana asked George

He smiled faintly. "I was wondering...why my sister always felt so alone. Or the need to do things alone with so many people surrounding her and are willing to help her."

Diana shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose it is just her way. If you love someone enough it is better to accept them as they are and not to question their natures."

George chuckled. "You're too good for my sister. You know that? You're too good for any man for that matter."

Diana's smile faded slightly and when George saw this he looked away abruptly. "I shouldn't have said that. I apologise."

"No don't. You meant nothing of it."

"I did actually."

Diana glanced at him not knowing what to make of this comment but could tell by the earnest expression on his face that he wasn't lying.