Hello! Sorry for the lateness of the update, I've been participating in Camp NaNoWriMo, so all my stories have been on the backburner for now.

Amelia stood calmly at the wheel. She began walking down to the deck to congratulate and address the crew

"Captain, oh my goodness, that was absolutely…that was ..."

"Oh tish tosh. Actually Doctor, your astronomical advice was most helpful."

She walked away as Doppler tried to reply, but wound up muttering to himself.

"I must congratulate you, Mr. Silver. Seems your cabin boy did a bang-up job with those lifelines." She looked out over the rest of the ship. "All hands accounted for, Mr. Arrow?"

Silence. No one moved.

"Mr. Arrow?" Amelia asked again, careful not to let her voice betray her rising concern.

Suddenly, a hissing noise filled the air. Everyone turned to see Mr. Scroop moving towards Amelia. "I'm afraid…Mister Arrow has been lossst. His lifeline wasss not sssecure." He handed Amelia Mr. Arrow's hat.

Amelia turned to look at Jim.

"No! I checked them all!" He ran to the lifeline posts. "I did…I checked them all…They were secure…I swear…"

Amelia immediately felt a wave of nausea and sadness rush over her. In an attempt to stave off the oncoming tears, she furrowed her brow.

After a moment of stunned silence from the crew, she spoke again. "Mr. Arrow was a…," she cleared her throat. "A fine spacer. Finer than most of us…could ever hope to be." She swallowed back her tears. "But he knew the risks, as do we all. Resume your posts. We carry on." With that, she turned and walked slowly up the stairs and back to her cabin.

"Captain…" she heard Delbert call after her. She chose to ignore him though, and instead shut the door. All the emotion immediately poured out of her at once, and she slid down the door and crumpled into a heap on the floor. She sobbed louder than she had ever sobbed before and tears cascaded down her face.

A soft rapping came from outside. "Captain…it's me."

Amelia didn't answer. Please Delbert not now…

The rapping continued. "Amelia, please, let me in."

Amelia stood and yanked the door open. "Doctor," she responded, wiping her eyes furiously. "Please, come in." He did so, and she shut the door behind him.

"Amelia, I…I'm sorry."

With that, she broke into tears and sobs again. "Delbert…I…I can't…"

"You can't what?"

"I can't do this…this voyage…these babies… I can't do any of this…"

"Yes you can Amelia. You are one of the strongest and most intelligent l women I know, you can do this, I believe in you."

Amelia continued to cry. "No, I can't, Arrow was my only friend, I told him everything, I told him about the litter, he said…he said he'd be there for me, and now he's not and he never will be again and I don't know what to do…"

"Sh… Amelia, it's alright. I'm here." Delbert wrapped his arms around her.

"It should have been me."

With that Amelia attempted to wrestle out of Delbert's arms. He grabbed her tightly when he realized that she was trying to bolt for the window. "No Amelia. It should not have been you. This wasn't your fault. This wasn't anyone's fault. Amelia, please."

She stopped struggling. Delbert let go of her so she was facing him. "A..Amelia. You are strong. You need to continue, push on. Mr. Arrow would have wanted it that way."

Amelia collapsed into Delbert's chest. "I know. It's just, how do we know if we're doing the right thing?"

"We don't. But that's life." He paused, and cleared his throat. "Amelia…I don't know if this is the most…the most proper time to say this, but…A..Amelia Smollett, I…I love you."

Amelia looked up at him. Then, Delbert did something that he had never done while he was sober. He kissed Amelia softly. Their lips met and for a moment, Amelia forgot about what had happened. Then, in another flash, she remembered and pulled away.

"What are you doing Doctor?"

"C…Captain?"

"Mr. Arrow has just died, and you kissed me?!"

"I..I'm sorry Amelia, I don't know what came over me, I didn't mean to…I'll be going…"

"No, Delbert, please stay. At least for tonight."

Delbert led Amelia to her bed and, for the first time since the conception of their children, they spent the night together, wrapped tenderly in each other's' arms.

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