Here I am! Beware: may be slightly depressing for some viewers! XD

Raz would deny it later. She'd lie as she always had to worm her way out of trouble, bend the truth or create a new one all together, so smoothly and without effort no one could tell it from the truth. Many would say it was the truth. After all, they weren't there, and that was one of her many skills as a pirate- lying. Most children were taught not to lie, but then again, she was raised in no ordinary environment. Lying was a key part of surviving when one lived in a world of vicious, cutthroat individuals that would do anything to get what they wanted, willing to double cross any and all they came across. From the day she'd twisted her argument so that even her captain was impressed at mere three years old, Raz had been a skilled liar. It didn't matter what she was covering up- if it involved being dishonest, she was a master at it.

So that was why, when she saw Zalim lying there on the floor, not moving, she freaked out. She'd just put it off later if anyone saw. And she'd just been so stressed- even without the monster attack and part of her body being possessed- not to mention missing her family- she was beginning to feel sensitive and not in a good way- her temper boiled faster, tears came quicker; her emotions had been spiraling out of control all this while. But now this…

It was too much.

She didn't hesitate to collapse to the floor beside him, grabbing a wrist and feeling for a pulse. He couldn't be dead! He just couldn't! On top of everything else, she didn't need the sudden of someone that- though she despised him- had saved her life. But now… was his gone in the place of hers?

No… Opal had claimed him immortal! Immortal's couldn't die… could they? 'No, thas wot immortal means' she chided herself. But then… why wasn't he responding to her shaking? Why could she find no pulse?

Perhaps… perhaps he had no pulse? After all, if he was immortal, what use would he have for a heart, really? But then… why had his hand felt warm when they first met and he kissed her own, when she stood in his palm waiting to be rid of her sprite wings? Without a pulse, a body couldn't be warm…could they? No, she'd learned that tragically enough when her pet toad had died when she was seven… such confusion!

"Zalim…? Zalim!" she hissed, flicking his forehead. "Zalim! Aw don' do this ta me… Ah don' wanna hafta…" was this some sick, twisted punishment? Maybe she'd been too harsh with him- no! He had kidnapped her and was forcing her into marriage! She hadn't been harsh enough.

But, then again… he had saved her from that monster; had he not showed up, she'd probably still be laying there on the beach, stone cold, long since having bled to death. She was by no means his biggest fan, but… she didn't want him to die.

"C'mon… iss' no fun if ya die an Ah didn' get ta d'liver th' finishin blow!" she said that only to make herself feel better, but she'd never admit it. She felt tears prick her eyes. "Please…" she whispered, her voice becoming hollow. Not death. Not someone's death. Not after everything else. Not death. Anything but death… "Please don' do this ta me…" she didn't want to have to bury a body- they'd never had that problem on the high seas. Throw a carcass overboard and it served as food for their narwhals. But now… there were no narwhals to throw him to, should he really be dead.

She lowered her head, desperate, listening for anything- a breath, a whisper, even to hear him call her his 'darling', though she hated that so. Anything to show she hadn't just cost someone his life. He'd been trying to help, he couldn't… he just couldn't be… "Please…" her voice was tiny and choked as a single tear managed to slide down her cheek and plipped onto his. "Please don' beh gone… please…" then she closed her eyes and silently sobbed.

Raz had never felt guilt before; not like this. Yes she felt guilty when she accidentally broke Gupta's favorite knife. Yes she felt guilty when she scared Flynn so terribly with her ghost stories he had nightmares for a week. And yes, she felt guilty for throwing up on Silas that one time she had the stomach flu… but those had all been accidents. The harmless little accidents of a little girl that didn't take much to fix. But this… yes, she had killed before- what pirate hadn't?- but… she never really knew her victim, even if she only knew little bits and pieces about him. He was intelligent, he was classy. He exclusively respected those that deserved it. He lived a high pampered life, yet… she could see something when she looked at him. Something more than his cruel arrogance and bad temper… loneliness. And though it wasn't much, she knew him, just a little. And that gave her guilt unlike anything she'd ever felt.

It was her fault Zalim was dead.

"Please…" she begged over and over. "Please."

Cold. So cold. He was freezing, like stone. And still no heart beat be found. Her fault.

The sound of her sobs, now slightly audible, drowned out the sudden short gasp. "Mm…?"

Raz went stiff when she felt something touch her arm. Slowly, four fingers and a thumb curled around her wrist, gently pulling one hand away from her face. Another reached up and smoothed away her tears, and she met a pair of half-closed ruby eyes with her own gold ones. She could only stare as Zalim, perfectly fine- perhaps looking a bit exhausted, but fine nonetheless- gently rubbed a circle on the top of her hand with his thumb, smiling up at her. "There there…" his voice was tired, but still held it's 'high and mighty' silky smooth class to it. "Why do you weep so?"

Raz wasn't even thinking when she pulled back her arm and slapped him.

Ta-da! There it is! Most of this was a filler chapter, I think, to portray some of our poor Razzie's inner conflict… and reflect a bit more on her life growing up- I can't help it! I'm attached to the the image of adorable little Raz as a joey getting into trouble; it just sounds so cute! Please review!