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Chapter 18

Scarlett couldn't believe it had happened – Tom was dead by Silver's doing. She'd seen it all, watched it happen, couldn't forget it. With every fiber of her being she longed for Jim to be with her, his arms around her, his strong, comforting presence making everything better. But Jim wasn't there.

It was dark but the pirates were still packing up camp ready for the move, they'd carried Toms body away, she hoped they'd buried him but no-one would tell her what was going on.

Silver walked towards her, he couldn't bear to look at her but he knew he had to. Her face was a mask of shock and sadness still which was miles worse than the anger that had been her forte before Tom had died.

Before you shot him. A voice in his head whispered and Long John shook his head angrily, storing it with the other crimes he had committed that he preferred not to think about.

"We're about to move." He told Scarlett shortly but she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"I'm not going with you." She said, her voice cracked from crying. Silver exhaled angrily,

"Carlotta I don't have time fer -"

"Kill me if you like but I'll not go with you." She cut him off, still staring at the floor.

"Scarlett -" Silver began to protest but the girls head snapped up and he saw that there was fire in her eyes, she'd made her mind up.

"No." She said flatly. "I've had enough."

Silver knew he couldn't do anything and he also knew he shouldn't. She'd been through too much on this voyage that was his fault and she'd reached her limit, she was just stubborn enough to do something like starve herself to death if he made her come along by force. He didn't want to kill her, couldn't bring himself to.

"Fine. On yer own head be it." He said then he turned and walked away, wondering if he'd done the right thing.

"Alright gents off we go!" He shouted and they jumped to it.

Scarlett couldn't believe it...he had let her go...after all this time he had let her go! She felt like she could cry with relief but also, strangely, with another loss that she'd thought she wouldn't feel; she would miss Long John, she realised.

Struggling to contain her emotions she mouthed 'thank you' as the pirates disappeared into the night.

Jim closed the door of the stockade quietly behind him and stood for a moment to compose himself. Soon he would know for sure whether Lottie was okay and maybe even how she felt, either way he was going to find her and talk to her whatever the cost.

He took a deep breath and began to run, he gathered speed as he went, pushing aside branches and leaves that got in his way. Somehow he didn't feel a strain from the physical effort, he thought only of Scarlett and that kept him going. Before he knew it he was where he remembered the pirates camp to be.

He skidded to a halt and listened but everything was silent, he could only hear his own breathing and the soft rustling of the wind through the trees overhead. No other sound broke into the still night air. Jim approached warily and stopped as he saw a light – it must be the fire, maybe they were all asleep and had left it on? Well, Jim braced himself, he was about to find out.

Scarlett moved closer to the fire, huddling up for warmth. She wasn't sure what to do now that she was alone, all she wanted to do was to find Jim but at this hour she didn't think it would be wise. A bird called somewhere in the distance and she jumped, everything sounded scarier when nobody else was there – her nerves were in tatters from false alarms.

A twig snapped and her hand flew to her heart, she scanned the trees but nothing revealed itself.

"Hello?" She said tentatively, just in case. She could see...something. A shadow just barely out of sight. Her heart beating madly she scrambled to her feet and backed away. Another sound: A footstep.

"Who's there?" She said, her voice panicked and shrill.

Whoever it was was nearly at the edge of the forest, another step and...

"Jim?" She whispered, he didn't reply but she was sure. Without stopping to think she ran to him and flung her arms around his neck, he lifted her off her feet with his return embrace and they toppled in a heap onto the forest floor.

Scarlett laughed breathlessly and swept his hair out of his face.

"I can't believe you're here!" She said, covering his face with kisses. Jim held her tightly and drew her up to kneeling, clasped to his chest.

"I can't believe you're alive!"

They fell silent after that, neither of them had realised it but they were both crying. Scarlett tenderly wiped the tears from Jim's face and held his cheek in her palm.

"I so hoped you'd come, I missed you so much." She said quietly. Jim took her hand in his.

"I was angry that you'd left me but I'm here now, it's okay." He soothed as she began to cry anew but she shook her head.

"No! I never left you – not on purpose! They made me go with them, Israel and George grabbed me and I couldn't get away, I couldn't! I wanted to be with you and only with you but -" She trailed off into sobs and Jim looked at her in disbelief.

"But...I came for you that first night – you seemed happy, laughing with Tom. I had no idea...I was jealous and I – you didn't leave me?" He said disjointedly, trying to make sense of it all. Her eyes widened and she sat up straighter.

"You did come? Oh Jim I wasn't happy, Tom was set to watch me and I was making him feel better, he felt so guilty. I cried myself to sleep that night as I have every night since we parted."

"I should have known."

"No! How could you have?" Scarlett comforted him, "All that matters is everything's okay now."

"Where are the pirates?" Jim asked, suddenly remembering they existed and looking round.

"They've gone!" Scarlett grinned, "Silver let me go."

"What?" Jim said incredulously, she nodded, her eyes sparkling with tears and happiness.

"I know!" She exclaimed and then grew serious, "Jim there's nothing stopping us now."

"I want to be with you Scarlett, I love you." He replied quietly, pushing her hair back from her face tenderly.

"I love you too." She whispered.

He smiled and pressed his lips to hers, she linked her arms around his neck and he pulled her as close as he was able. Gently he pushed her back until she was lying down, her hair splayed out around her face in beautiful auburn tendrils that blended with the leaves. Jim lightly kissed her neck and she shivered. He lay beside her and they reached for each other, neither could quite believe the other was real.

Sleep came soon and they slept peacefully knowing they were, at last, together.