There were a few things Cassie became vaguely aware of when she finally woke up. First, there was an unbearable throb pulsating through her head, quite like that time Harry had knocked her out after finding her in the maze and dumped her in the cells. Then, when she attempted to twitch a finger or move her hand, she had to strain to do so. Her limbs resisted the attempt, causing a discomforting spasm. The third, there was an irritating itch coming from her left side. It was extremely bothersome, given that she couldn't move her hands right now. After realising this, Cassie's lips parted to voice her annoyance, only for a tickle to spring up in the back of her throat. It also wasn't helped by the fact that her mouth was unreasonably dry, and she had to wiggle her tongue around until it produced enough saliva to soothe it. Unfortunately for Cassie, when the rest of her finally caught up to the fact that she was now awake, a startling nausea settled deep in her stomach. It gave her very little time to jolt up into an upright position to avoid throwing up all over herself.
"Oh fuck!"
With her eyes clenched shut, Cassie felt around below her for the edge of whatever she'd been sleeping on and rolled over to make sure whatever was left in her stomach came out on the floor. Moving so quickly after being asleep for however long she had been wasn't the best. The headache she'd been immediately plagued by after waking grew to insufferable levels, shocking her head with pain every time she vomited. Simultaneously, the skin on her side stretched uncomfortably as she lay on her stomach, reminding her of what had transpired before she passed out.
Placing one hand against her forehead in an attempt to prevent her head from hurting, her other hand gripped the scratchy sheets below her, her knuckles whitening from the hold. Whoever was in the room with her had been swift enough to draw her hair back away from her face, gently holding it against the back of her head. Cassie was grateful, as the soothing hand stroking light circles around her upper back provided friendly support.
"You're okay, Cassie."
Slowly, the little cat allowed her eyes to drift open, readying herself for the discomfort of light. Thankfully, there wasn't enough of it to irritate her sight. The room she was in, which she soon came to realise was a familiar bedroom on Uma's ship, was shrouded in a pale-blue tint. The only true source of light was a flickering candle on the bedside table.
Finally, when Cassie's stomach stopped trying to rid itself of the contents of her stomach, she ran the back of her hand across her lips. Still, on the off chance it would start up again, she stayed where she was.
"How long was I out?" she asked. Her voice was quiet and scratchy, a rather worrying indication of just how long she'd been asleep.
A sigh came from behind her. "Just over a week," replied Helena, keeping her voice low. "You've been in and out of it; we didn't really know which way you were gonna go."
Cassie grimaced. On the Isle, there was a lot that could go down in only a week, and she dreaded to think of what had happened when she was out.
"Got some catching up to do, huh?" joked Cassie, though even she could tell it was hardly the time for humour.
"In a bit," said Helena. "I need to check you over first."
Gingerly, Cassie shuffled backwards and rolled onto her back. When she found herself face-to-face with Helena, though, her self-pity was shoved into the backseat.
Dressed in fluffy black bottoms with red-heart prints and a comfy red sweater, which Cassie recognised instantly as her friend's pyjamas, Helena's hair had been thrown up into a messy twist on top of her head. The Queen of Hearts had decided to go without her signature red lip and painted face this time, and Cassie was only slightly annoyed by the fact that her friend was still as beautiful as ever. However, the area around Helena's eyes was puffy and red, likely from crying for a long period of time. It was painful to see just how exhausted her friend was, and Cassie hated that she might've been the one to cause it.
"What happened?" asked Cassie, quite remorseful.
"Uh," Helena's bottom lip quivered, and she shook her head. "Let's look at this first, hm?"
Cassie hesitated, her gaze darting to the bandage by her side. Part of her wanted to leave it be for now, since it was quite obvious Helena was struggling through a pain of her own and anything with Cassie could wait until after. On the other hand, she didn't want to cause her friend any more distress, so she'd put it aside for now.
With a slight smile, Cassie muttered, "Okay."
Crossing her legs, Helena leaned forward to pull Cassie's shirt up, keeping it out of the way. It was then that Cassie realised she'd been changed into one of Helena's silky night shirts.
"Did you change me?" she asked, rather hopeful that her friend would say yes.
Helena hummed. "Harry offered to do it; I told him I'd take his head if he tried." Despite her weary state, Helena still attempted a faint smile for Cassie.
"Thank Hades," muttered Cassie, leaning up onto her elbows.
The little cat wasn't entirely certain what she'd expected when Helena removed the bandage, but she found herself pleasantly surprised. She'd anticipated a deep, bloody wound surrounded by various shades of bruising—that it would leak the moment it was exposed to the bitter air. What she hadn't imagined, though, was a slightly sunken line, only an inch or two wide. The skin around it was a dark pink, but she could see the purple-green hue of bruising around it.
"What the fuck?" gasped Cassie, pushing herself up to rest back on her hands. Blinking once, then twice, she could hardly wrap her mind around the sight.
"Shit," mumbled Helena. "It worked." A pleased glint broke through the sadness of her features, though it was soon taken over by a frown. "Damn it, it worked."
Cassie couldn't help but be slightly offended. "Come again?"
Helena was quick to reassure her. "Oh, no, not that I'm not happy it worked. I am! Really. It's just-" She paused abruptly, and her expression twisted into one of exasperation. "He's never gonna shut up about it."
Baffled and somewhat nervous, Cassie asked, "Who?"
The Queen of Hearts winced, almost sheepishly. "Well,"
The last three days had been, to put it simply, hell.
After dealing with the Fearsome Five, Helena had gone back to her salon for Gilzean immediately. Thankfully, the pirate she'd ordered to remain there, who she soon found out was called Marco, had done exactly as asked. Much to Helena's relief, the youngster had let her know the little one had slept soundly while she was away and hadn't made a single fuss. Unsurprisingly, a pang of mortification spread throughout the Queen of Hearts. She'd been so concerned with Cassie's well-being that she'd left her son with a stranger—a pirate stranger, to be precise. It wasn't her proudest parenting moment, that she could admit. But while she didn't entirely trust Uma's pirates, anyone willing to accept the absentminded Gil into their gang couldn't possibly be all bad. Plus, if anything had happened to Gilzean, Helena would've burned down Uma's entire shoppe, regardless of whoever was left inside.
The morning after, Helena had turned the 'closed' sign on the front door. Strapping Gilzean to her chest with a handy red scarf and dumping the majority of their essentials into a trolley she'd found nearby, Helena headed straight back to pirate territory. The captain had, understandably, been rather bewildered when Helena showed back up at the shoppe, demanding a place to stay until Cassie woke up. That is, if she ever would.
"You're kidding?"
Helena held her ground, her menacing glare fixed. "Do I look like I'm kidding?"
Gil had been the one to speak up in her favour. "C'mon Uma," he'd pleaded, tickling Gilzean along the back of the neck. "They can stay, right?"
There had been a momentary duel in which Uma and Helena stared at each other, unblinking.
"You don't have to be here," said Uma. "We have people who can take care of her."
Helena had laughed, doubtful. "Yeah, look how well you've been doing so far."
Eventually, the captain snapped, "Fine. You can take Cassie's room."
Curious, Helena's brows furrowed. "Where's Cassie?"
Uma's smug grin was far too unsettling. "She's in Harry's room."
Struck with a different kind of concern, Helena had all but run straight to the ship. Rushing down below deck and furiously pushing all the doors wide open, only to find no one inside, Helena eventually found them in the very last room.
A breath of relief passed through Helena's lips. Pushed against a wall on the right side of the room was a wooden bed, covered in blankets of all shapes, sizes, and colours. Coming in closer, she found her little cat tucked safely underneath the pile.
Right beside the bed was a worn armchair, with springs poking out of the sides and patches of random fabric sown into the material. Sleeping away on top of it was the very pirate who'd caused all this mess in the first place. With his tricorn hat placed over his face, his head rested against the back of the chair. He'd removed his jacket, placed it over his lap, and kicked his feet up to rest on the bed just beside Cassie. Following the length of his arms, Helena found his hook held tightly in his left hand, his fingers occasionally flexing around the handle even while he slept.
A huff escaped Helena. She looked around the room, finally taking a moment to assess her surroundings. In truth, it was exactly what she'd expected from him. Near the left side of the room was a table, blanketed by jewels, trinkets, maps, and other random items. Along the floor below, clothes had been scattered, but Helena could see from the way they overlapped that Harry must've kicked them all to that side sometime after they brought Cassie here.
Still, just because he'd had the good sense to bring Cassie to his own room, didn't mean he was out of the danger zone entirely. Helena still didn't trust him with Cassie, and so she hardly felt a glimmer of remorse when she delivered a hearty kick to the side of his chair.
Having a faint idea of how a guarding pirate would react to being rudely woken up, Helena took a large step backwards. It was really good that she had. As predicted, Harry jolted up from his chair, his left arm swiping across the air directly in front of him.
"Wakey, wakey, asshole," sang Helena, leaning against the wall behind her.
Coming to the realisation that there was no danger, Harry's aggression soon diminished into simple aggravation. "The fuck are ye' doin' here?" he barked, allowing his head to fall back.
"I'm here to keep an eye on Cassie," explained Helena, gesturing towards the sleeping cat.
After rubbing his eyes to rid himself of any traces of sleep, Harry eyed the girl in front of him. "Ye' think I can't?"
The queen stared back knowingly. "I think you're better at killing than caring."
"Hmm, ye' might be onto somethin' with that one," he admitted, shuffling around on the chair. He turned his head, seeking out Cassie's huddled form, and leaned forward abruptly when he couldn't find her.
Helena fought back a laugh. Evidently, he'd forgotten about Cassie's little 'problem'.
"Sun's up," she pointed out, waving a hand to the beam of light coming in through the porthole.
After further inspection, where he found a fluffy black cat beneath the sheets, Harry relaxed back into the chair.
"Weird, huh?" offered Helena, taking a step closer now that he was no longer a threat.
"It's fucked, is what it is," mumbled Harry, head tilted in Cassie's direction. "Don't give her a rest, even when she's out." It was odd to find a sliver of sympathy in his tone.
Helena nodded, rubbing a hand over Gilzean's head. "You don't see her like this?"
"Nah, she don't trust me much."
At that, Helena's animosity returned. "I wonder why."
Harry turned his eyes to Helena. "How long are ye' gonna hold it against me?" he moaned.
"As long as I want," she retorted. Her brow flicked upwards as she observed the pirate in front of her. "I don't trust you with her."
"Eh, look who's talking," he argued, a devilish grin stretching his lips. "I heard what happened last night. You an' ye'r boy ain't exactly a shinin' example, are ye'?"
Helena returned his expression. "Exactly. Takes one to know one."
It wasn't exactly new information, and she wouldn't ever deny it, either. While she and Gaston Jr. adored each other most days, they still had their moments of toxicity. The night before had been a wonderful example. Since the day they finally admitted their feelings to each other, the two have broken up and gotten back together on numerous occasions. Oftentimes, it was for the most ridiculous reasons. In the beginning, Gaston Jr. had a small problem with entertaining other women, although Helena sometimes wondered if he'd only done so to rile up her jealousy. They'd argue, she'd hit him, sometimes he'd hit her back, and then she'd end it. In retaliation, Helena would find another, usually lesser, guy on the Isle to tease him. It always offended him the most when she chose the ones who couldn't possibly match up to him. He'd get mad, typically try and start a fight with whichever poor soul she'd roped into their 'game', and they'd be back together the very next day like nothing had ever happened. After having Gilzean, she'd had to change it up. They'd fight over how little he came to see them or what he was getting up to now that she was no longer around. It was an endless loop of fighting and reuniting, but it was the most excitement Helena had ever had.
Until now. Now, her friend had gotten hurt.
"She's grown enough to make her own mistakes," mentioned Harry.
Helena frowned. "You're gonna be her worst."
Whether Cassie knew it or not, she and Helena were frighteningly similar. And because of this, Helena had a slight idea of how Cassie's relationship with Harry would go. The exhilaration of trying to kill each other would fade as they grew closer, preventing them from crossing that very dangerous line. One of them was bound to get bored eventually. Since physically hurting each other was out of the question, they'd turn to underhanded tactics to draw out a reaction. Harry had always had a way with the girls on the Isle, so he was highly likely to go down that route. This, in turn, would cause an agonising type of pain Cassie hadn't experienced just yet. Helena couldn't see Cassie as the type to even consider another guy, so she'd find some other way to get back at him. Maybe she'd throw his hook overboard or destroy his bedroom, or the resentment of it all would actually drive her to seek out another on the Isle purely for the sake of winding Harry up. From what Helena had seen of him this far, she could tell he was the possessive type. The idea of Cassie leaving would drive him crazy, and he'd slaughter half of the Isle to prevent her from doing so. But the pathetic attraction between the two would bring them back every time, like some fucked-up elastic band. On and on it would go, always trying to one-up the other but never actually ending it altogether.
"Or maybe she'll be mine."
Helena sighed. "We'll just have to see, huh?"
For two days, this is how things went. Cassie remained asleep, transforming every sunrise and sunset. It was far easier to take care of her when she was in her human form. At least then they could keep track of her temperature and examine the state of her wound. There wasn't much they could do, of course, other than change her bandages and ensure the area was cleaned.
In the meantime, Helena and Harry were almost at each other's throats every other day. Whenever she came in to check on Cassie or clean her up, he was always there in that damn chair. Watching her like a bloody hawk, he always had something to say, and he knew exactly which buttons to push.
'I heard Gilly-boy's brother was caught with a cheeky wench last night. Didn' take him long, eh?'.
'Lots of water aroun' here; be a shame if ye'r little lad took a walk off the deck'.
And Helena's latest favourite: 'Wonder what kitty's like in the sheets?'.
The Queen of Hearts was cursed with a temper as fearsome as her mother's. Unlike her mother, however, Helena had learned long ago how to repress her vicious tendencies. It came with having to soothe a screaming baby at all hours of the night. Additionally, spending a few years with Maddy's gang had prepared her for having to deal with a situation such as this. And so, Helena had simply returned the fire Harry was quite delighted to give her.
'Didn't take me long to find your sister, either'.
'Good thing I can swim as well as I can count'.
'You'll have to ask Maddy about that'. He hadn't been too fond of that one.
At one point, during which Uma had decided to come and check on the two, the captain had found them in the midst of a dispute and ordered them to stay out of the room for the remainder of that day. Helena couldn't be too sure how that particular argument had started, but she had an inkling that it had something to do with the fact that she'd told Harry how often Maddy had come around for Cassie before things took a deadly turn between them. Helena was fully aware that nothing had really gone down between Cassie and Maddy since she'd been in the room with them every single time, but Harry didn't know that.
While the two loathed each other on a normal day, Helena was aware enough to admit what was actually going on. It had been three days, and they hadn't seen a positive sign from Cassie since she fell asleep. Her breathing was okay, but her temperature often fluctuated. The wound itself was still painfully sore and didn't seem to be healing anytime soon. Neither of them knew what was going to happen, and it was driving them to insanity. And with no one else to hold responsible, they had only each other to take it out on.
On the third day, Uma and Gil had joined them in Harry's bedroom. Cassie wasn't getting any better, but she wasn't getting any worse either. They were in the discomforting middle, trying to think of ways to ensure she woke up but not having the exact means to do so.
And then Gil brought up a very, very good point.
"Can't she make people better?" he wondered, bouncing baby Gilzean in his arms. "She licked Harry to make him okay, right?"
Uma, sitting in the armchair Harry had been sleeping in over the last few days, shook her head. "She can't lick herself, Gil."
Leaning against the table of junk behind her, Helena stared at Cassie with a thoughtful frown. "Maybe we can get it in something," she suggested, her head tilting to the side. "Get some water in here, make her dribble in it, then mix it together."
"An' how do ye' say we do that then, hm?" asked Harry, perched on the armrest of his chair.
Helena's lips pursed. "Then you think of something!"
The pirate's eyes rolled skyward, and he blew a breath. After a moment of consideration, Helena watched as his eyes returned to her with an unusual glint of amusement. "Spit-swap."
"Say that again?" snapped Helena, overcome by bewilderment. She knew what those words meant to her, but she wasn't entirely sure how it was going to help her friend.
Getting up from the chair, Harry refused to clarify further. He did, however, keep his mischievous gaze on Helena. "I'm gonna try somethin'," he began, partially cautious as he lifted his hands into the air but also entirely too enthusiastic. "If it don' work, then it don' work. Alright?"
Helena was dubious, and rightfully so. Since she'd arrived at the ship, he'd been no better than a dagger in her side, taunting and teasing her with whatever his cruel tongue managed to spout. Some part of his fucked-up little brain was worried about Cassie, yes, but Helena couldn't rely on that to keep her friend safe. There was also something in his aura in this moment that had her nerves stirring. He only looked at her like that when he was about to ask the most unhinged thing possible.
"Cap', if she tries anythin'—" He pointed directly at Helena. "—I want ye' to throw that little shit—" He pointed to Gilzean. "—out the window."
Uma didn't even bother to reply to that. Instead, the captain stared up at her first mate, brow raised with intrigue but lips twisted into a frown of uncertainty.
Though unsettled, Helena remained where she was, even after he turned to perch on the bed beside a still-sleeping Cassie. The sun had gone down a little while ago, so Cassie was in her human form now.
Helena was, however, entirely caught off guard when Harry pinched Cassie's chin between his fingers, tilting his hand down to part her lips. It was around then that she realised what he was aiming to accomplish and how his earlier idea had clued her in on it.
If it worked, it was, to her irritation, a brilliant idea. If it didn't, she was going to feed him to Tick-Tock herself.
The captain had the grand realisation around the same time, and she turned her head away almost immediately. Gil, on the other hand, was far too curious for his own good and even went as far as to come a little closer for a better look. Meanwhile, Helena, though every instinct fought for her to avert her eyes, couldn't help but keep a close eye on Harry. Like her ex-boyfriend's baby brother, she too had the rather grim urge to see if it would actually work. But it was also for her to make sure the hook-wielding pirate didn't try anything funny while Cassie was sleeping.
To Helena's relief, Harry seemed to have no desire to touch up the sleeping cat. Even when he pressed his lips to Cassie's, she didn't see his jaw move in the slightest, though she was witness to the slight prodding against the inside of his cheek as his tongue dove in to tangle with the little cat's. After only a few seconds of this, the pirate dipped low, hastily drew back the bandage on Cassie's side, and dragged his tongue along the wound.
The following ten or so minutes were excruciating for Helena. It was a gruesome sight, really, to watch Harry repeat the motions. His determination, however, was almost admirable. Not once did he make a face or release a sound of disgust when his tongue pulled back from the wound in Cassie's side, nor did he concern himself with the smear of blood on his chin and lower lip. If there had ever been a time for him to prove Helena right in her doubts, it was now. And yet, she could sense a spark of optimism burning inside her stomach. Only slightly, though; miniscule, at best.
When he did, eventually, finish, Helena was quick to bring over the pitcher of water from the table behind her. It wasn't, by any means, a peace offering.
He accepted it with a mumbled, "Thanks." Using the water, he swirled it about in his mouth, then headed over to the window to spit out the remains.
"So," breathed Uma, still rather staggered from what had just gone down. "Guess we wait."
"When I came in to change your bandages, he'd do it." Helena shrugged and leaned back, covering Cassie's scar back up. "Can't believe it worked."
The Cheshire Cat's daughter, astounded by what Helena had just told her, found herself unable to form a reply.
Honestly, if anyone aside from Helena had told her, she'd have laughed in their faces. The very idea he'd managed to come up with was, well, mad. But it had worked! And fantastically so. It was almost unbelievable, really, that Harry had been the one to do it.
Growing up with the odd ability, Cassie had needed time to adjust to the taste and sensation of healing wounds with her tongue. Even with herself, it'd been quite disgusting. The taste of blood was not something one could get used to without struggle. It was sharp and tangy, and too much of it in her mouth would make her nauseous. When she'd had to heal Harry, it'd been borderline torturous, and she'd only survived it for that long because her very life was in danger if she didn't bring him back. With Helena, it actually hadn't been so bad. Sure, the movement of loose skin grazing against her tongue had been somewhat off-putting, but taking away her best friend's pain had been at the forefront of her mind, and that had far surpassed the discomfort.
So, Cassie knew full well how strange and repulsive it was to heal. But not only had he done it for her, but he continued to do it for the next few days to make sure it worked.
"Get that dumbass look off your face."
Jolting to attention, Cassie stared at Helena. "What look?"
Helena's head twitched to the side. "Don't bullshit me, pussycat." Shuffling up onto her knees, Helena stared down at Cassie, her voice as stern as she could manage. "Listen, Harry healing you is the bare fucking minimum, okay?"
Cassie looked at Helena for a moment, and her eyes narrowed sceptically. "Something happened while I was out, didn't it?"
The anger from only a moment ago dripped from Helena's face, and taking its place was utter exhaustion. "I, uh." Toying with the rings on her fingers, Helena looked down at her hands. "I ended things with Gaston."
For a moment, Cassie stayed quiet. Her mind, however, was very much the opposite of that. A few pressing questions came to mind. What had they argued about to cause a separation? Had he hurt Helena? They'd been in love, hadn't they? Considering Helena's distraught state, though, Cassie could tell her friend was still incredibly infatuated with her ex-boyfriend. Thinking on it further, Cassie was devastated to realise that she had likely caused it. Ginny had come to kill her, so there was a high chance Gaston Jr. had known about it too. He couldn't have told Helena about it, since Cassie had no doubt that Helena would've prevented her from heading to the arch if she'd been in the know. For whatever reason, Helena had chosen Cassie over Gaston Jr.
"Why would you do that?" cried Cassie, an overwhelming sadness and incredulity stirring inside of her. "Because of me? If it's that, then don't worry, okay? I'm here. I'm alive. You don't have to give him up just because of me!"
Helena shook her head. "It's not just about you, Cassie," she assured, her eyes welling up with tears. "Not all of it, anyway. You mean so damn much to me, and he thought it was okay to take you away. If Harry did something like that to me, would you forgive him?"
"But it's not the same!" exclaimed Cassie. "You've done so much for me! More than my own dad! There is nothing on this Isle—Hades, there's nothing in Auradon itself that I could give to you to show you how damn grateful I am for what you've done for me! He's been in your life for so long, Helena. You have Gilzean together, and now you have another little one on the way." Cassie gestured towards Helena's stomach. "Please don't let anything he's done to me get in the way of how you feel about each other. I'm not worth it, I swear."
"Hey!" yelled Helena, scaring Cassie. "Don't ever say that to me! You drive me fucking crazy, but there hasn't been a single second where I've thought you weren't worth it." The Queen of Hearts placed her hand against Cassie's cheek, her thumb stroking back and forth. "All those nights in the salon, they were the best! You are sweet and honest, and you are everything I've ever wanted in a friend. And if I ever find your dad, I'm gonna kill him myself."
Overcome by emotion, Cassie couldn't hold back the oncoming tears. It was the craziest thing anyone had ever said to her, but it was also the most wonderful. Sure, she'd known Helena had a certain fondness for her, but she couldn't have ever anticipated just how much.
"Oh, you're an asshole," laughed Cassie, brushing away the tears with the back of her hand. "You can't say shit like that when I just woke up after being stabbed."
Helena shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I can say what I want. You almost died."
Cassie sighed. "You've been sleeping here?"
"Me and Gilzean have been in your room," explained Helena. "Uma said we could hang around until you woke up."
The little cat frowned. If Helena and Gilzean had been in her closet of a bedroom, then where was she now?
Taking a look around the bedroom, Cassie quickly realised just who's bedroom she'd been staying in. It was exactly the same as it had been when she'd last come into the room all those weeks ago. But not entirely, she soon found. Instead of being in the middle, the bed had been pushed against the side. On the other side, she spotted the desk full of trinkets and treasures and, on the wall, a messily hammered-in nail that once held a lovely golden pocket watch. The armchair beside the bed was a new addition.
"Where's Harry been sleeping?" she asked, turning back to Helena.
"Here," replied the queen. Her eyes darted to the armchair. "In that chair. Couldn't get him out of here for one fucking second." She huffed, displeased. "I'm not one to judge, but I'm judging." She eyed Cassie pointedly.
Cassie smiled. "He gave you a hard time, huh?" Propping a pillow behind her, she leaned back.
Helena groaned and stretched out beside Cassie. "You have no idea! He really likes the sound of his own voice, you know that?"
"Yeah," muttered Cassie, her gaze drifting to the chair. "I figured that."
The following days after waking up were incredibly dull for Cassie.
Her first night, after Helena had explained to her how she'd even survived the shanking, had been spent with the Queen of Hearts. Helena had offered to go and fetch Uma or to let the others know Cassie was awake, but the little cat had refused. After joining the pirates, finding some time to spend with Helena had been tricky. Cassie had done her best to try and visit her friend at least once every evening, but she'd also noted how weary Helena had grown, likely a combination of long hours in the salon and having to deal with the side effects that came with having a baby in her stomach. So Cassie had drawn back a little bit, since it also gave Helena some alone time with Gaston. It was strange to have Helena on the ship with her, but it had been wonderful. It was like they'd turned back the clock, and Cassie was living in the back of Helena's salon. They talked all night, mainly about Helena having to deal with the pirates while Cassie was asleep. The little cat refused to bring up Gaston Jr., knowing it would only sadden Helena, and the Queen of Hearts refused to mention him either.
On the second day, Helena told Uma that Cassie was awake. That evening, the captain had come barging into the room with Gil in tow. With an impassive expression, Uma had simply folded her arms and leaned against the wall, waiting for Cassie to say something. Cassie, incredibly aware she'd made an 'oopsie' by being stupid enough to get stabbed by Ginny of all people, sheepishly apologised for making such a grave mistake. She'd also had good enough sense to apologise for messing around the night she'd gotten shanked and refusing to let Uma take out the dagger, and then thanked the captain for helping her as well as she had. Uma, as straight-faced as she could muster, simply replied, 'Try anything like that again, and I'll throw you overboard'. Then she'd left to return to her captain duties. Afterwards, Gil, ever the excited being, had all but jumped onto the bed and pulled Cassie's into a warm hug. He'd been quickly admonished by Helena, who gently explained to him that Cassie was still in the healing process, and he'd backed off a little. Still, Cassie enjoyed seeing him again, and it was quite refreshing to see someone other than Helena so delighted to find she hadn't kicked the bucket just yet.
On the third day, Helena had sternly told Cassie that she wouldn't be leaving the ship just yet. To Cassie's irritation, she'd been in her feline form during this 'chat', and unable to argue back, although she had allowed a pitched hiss of annoyance to escape. In response, Helena dipped her fingers into the pitcher of water and flicked it at the little cat. Then, that night, Starla and Kody had come to visit. Like Gil, the pirate girl had swept Cassie into a firm hug, only to smack her on the arm a second later. According to Starla, running off on her own right before a big fight was 'suicidal' and 'the stupidest thing she'd ever done'. Despite her vexation, Starla seemed genuinely happy to find Cassie awake. Kody, on the other hand, didn't seem entirely moved, nor did he appear dismayed. Regardless of how he felt about her, Cassie thanked him for bringing her back to the shoppe, and apologised for being the one to get him hurt before. To this, he'd merely given her a sharp nod of acknowledgment and said, 'Remember, you owe me now'. This had earned him a much heartier smack from Starla.
It was around the fourth day that Cassie started going a little crazy. She hadn't been out of the bedroom since she woke up and, understandably, being bedridden was beginning to irritate her. Helena had stayed on the ship and often came by with Gilzean to keep her company, but it wasn't enough. Cassie had been eating, slowly, of course, since her stomach had to get used to full meals, but her energy levels had improved. The headaches and random limb strains had all but disappeared at this point, and the scar didn't tighten as much whenever she moved around. Now, there was an unneglectable itch to get out of the bedroom. Helena, despite being rather doubtful of allowing Cassie out, had caved in to the little cat's desperate pleas. She was permitted to go up on deck, but no further. Though exasperated, Cassie had agreed to Helena's terms. After all, Helena had broken up with her boyfriend to defend Cassie, so the little cat owed her more than life itself.
On the fifth night, Cassie was finally allowed to leave the ship. Helena had come to her room with Starla, who'd been on the brink of bursting with excitement.
"I have something for you," the pirate girl said eagerly, hiding something or other behind her back. "I know it's gonna take you some time to get over the whole 'fight that was actually a way of asking you out' thing, but I thought this might help a little." Bringing her hands out from behind her, Starla held out a folded black piece of clothing.
Taking the offered gift, Cassie carefully lifted it up to let it unfold. The sweater was soft and long, and it came just around her thighs. Turning her back to Helena and Starla, Cassie removed the nightshirt and threw on the sweater, a small smile tugging at her lips. It slid down one shoulder, and there were noticeable signs of wear and tear, along with a few holes in certain places. Nonetheless, Cassie wiggled happily.
All of the clothes on the Isle were either brought over by the original villains or sent over by those in Auradon when they no longer had use for them. There were very few on the Isle who were skilled enough to create clothes with whatever material they were given. Finding good clothes on the Isle, if you weren't one of the higher villains, was quite a rarity. When the winter months approached, the Auradonians would send over their clothes for the warmer weather, and their warmer clothes during the hotter months. The state of the clothes were hardly of the highest variety. The majority were incredibly worn and often stretched or torn, and so the Isle had to make do with whatever they were given. Offering a piece of clothing to a fellow VK was the greatest sign of fondness or friendship.
"It's great!" squealed Cassie, turning back to face the two. With the weather getting colder, the sweater would aid her through the harder months.
"It looks good too," said Starla, giving Cassie a thumbs-up.
"Oh," muttered Cassie. "You have stuff too, right?"
Starla nodded. "Yeah. Hook's ship is pretty close to the wharf. With Maleficent gone, we actually have a fighting chance to get some good stuff. Dad always picks me up some things."
"Okay, rules." Helena smacked her hands together, grasping their attention. "You stay in Uma's territory." When Cassie opened her mouth to interject, Helena continued. "Don't say a fucking thing. You're lucky I'm letting you out."
The little cat pouted, but didn't argue. While a part of her wanted to object to the idea, she had to relent when she considered what she would do if their roles had been reversed. If Helena had gotten hurt, Cassie wouldn't have let her out of her sight either. Although, the Queen of Hearts was less likely to do something stupid after being stabbed, Cassie wouldn't have even had to scold her to get her to stay still.
"Fine," sighed Cassie. "I'll stay in the area."
Finally being able to step off the ship was almost euphoric for Cassie. Sure, she'd spent a good while holed up in Helena's salon, but at least there had been a few things to keep her occupied. Wandering around the main area when Helena had customers and listening in on the latest Isle gossip. Playing with Gilzean in her feline form, where he'd do his very best to catch her tail and she'd whisk it away at the last second. Helping Helena tidy up after the sun had gone down and talking about whatever happened to cross their minds. It hadn't been close to excitement, but she'd been somewhat content during her time there. On the ship, however, there was nothing for Cassie to do to keep herself from going crazy. Helena, being the great friend she was, had done her best to come in and spend time with Cassie every day, but it only worked to a certain extent. The little cat had never been fond of staying still, and there wasn't much that could prevent her from running off when she desperately wanted to. Only because of Helena's friendship did she stay there.
Walking to the shoppe with Helena and Starla, the pirate girl explained to Cassie what had happened in pirate territory since she'd gone under. According to Starla, Helena leaving the Fearsome Five for Uma's pirates had caused quite a stir around the Isle. It was one of the first times, excluding Cassie since she hadn't been entirely well known before joining the pirates, an outsider had abandoned their old group to become one of Uma's. And having Helena in the crew, if only slightly, had brought them favour with others in the inner Isle. While a few would never turn on their old standing, the majority were more accepting when the pirates were moving through the Isle. Additionally, there hadn't been much word on Maddy's group. After Helena had brutally humiliated the group during the 'fight', they'd all but disappeared. This brought no reassurance to Cassie, though. There was a good chance Maddy had only retreated to conjure another plan on how to get back at the pirates—maybe something worse than what she'd already done. Still, Cassie had to remind herself that she was safe as long as she was in Uma's territory.
Entering the shoppe, Cassie was dumbfounded to discover the entire crew inside. When they noticed her, cheers and whistles filled the air.
"Uh, what the fuck?" mumbled Cassie, tilting her head back in Starla's direction.
"You passed the loyalty test," explained Starla, coming forward to stand in front of Cassie.
Cassie frowned. "I didn't know there was a test."
"You're not supposed to," teased Starla, nudging Cassie's side. "You went out on your own, and when Ginny asked you to join Maddy, you refused. No one was there to mess with your head, you chose us because you wanted to." She then eyed Cassie's side. "Plus, you got jabbed for it and survived. That's impressive here."
The little cat blinked. Yes, she'd survived, but it wasn't exactly due to her own strength. Would they be as cheerful if they found out exactly how she'd survived it? Maybe not. Or maybe they'd think of her ability as a stroke of luck for the crew. After all, a few seemed to believe cats brought luck, so one that could heal others could be seen as something great.
For however long, Cassie stayed in the shoppe. Having the attention and praise of the pirates was incredibly strange and slightly uncomfortable. Thankfully, Starla stayed close and captured her fellow crewmate's focus when she noticed it dragging on too long. Helena remained near the counter, perching herself on a stool next to Gil, who'd been playing with Gilzean since they entered the shoppe. As time wore on, the crew became overwhelmingly rowdy. Likely due to the bottles Cassie had noticed them drinking from. As wrong as it was to assume, she could almost guarantee there wasn't water in their bottles.
Eventually, Cassie spotted her captain wiping down the countertop.
"You still mad at me, captain?" wondered Cassie, crossing her arms on the counter.
Uma raised a brow. "Would I let you in here if I was?"
Cassie shrugged. "I guess not."
"Besides," began Uma, a sly smirk tugging at her lips. "You're in for a hell of a time."
Cassie straightened, and her brows furrowed. "Say that again?"
Instead, Uma asked, "You seen Harry yet?"
Despite the conversation taking a turn, Cassie pondered Uma's question. After a moment or two of thought, she replied, "No, not really."
Cassie hadn't seen the first mate since the night Uma took the dagger out of her side. Helena had told her he hadn't moved from her side since she fell asleep, but he'd been nowhere in sight when she eventually woke up. Even on the days she'd been forced to stay on the ship, he hadn't come to visit. A part of her was relieved. He had, essentially, been the one to heal her while she was out. And even though she'd had five days now to think it over, she still couldn't determine exactly how it impacted her decision. On one hand, it'd brought him into a more positive light, but on the other, it was difficult to just set aside everything they'd done to each other. Some part of her brain told her that she had to stay aware and that whatever he was doing now was only a different kind of game. Naturally, the other side of her brain begged her to just give in already. She was happy to ignore that side, though.
Then, there was the risk he'd actually kill her when she eventually found him. He'd been quite composed when they had to remove the dagger, but he must've known his animosity wouldn't get her up onto that table. Cassie had been silly enough to let her guard down around Ginny, and it'd gotten her hurt. Even the younglings on the Isle knew better than to do something as stupid as that. As her higher in the crew, and someone who'd lost to her on more than one occasion, it had to have pissed him off that she'd gotten caught so easily. In truth, she wasn't too sure she wanted to know what he'd do when she bumped into him.
"Scared, pussycat?" teased Uma, leaning forward to rest her arms on the counter.
A sigh passed through Cassie's lips. "Kind'a," she admitted, balancing her chin on her palm. "He's the scariest guy I know."
"Yeah," chuckled Uma. "But he likes you, so he's not gonna kill you."
Cassie wasn't so sure. "He might kill me because he likes me," she suggested. It had actually been bugging her for a while. "Who's to say he won't take me out before I become a liability?"
Uma's earlier mirth disappeared. "You think he's doing this on a whim?" Her incredulity was, understandably, bewildering to Cassie. If nothing else, Harry was notorious for his rash decisions.
"You're saying he's not?" challenged Cassie.
The captain rolled her eyes. "Everything else? Yes. Choosing who he wants to keep around? No. Believe it or not, I didn't make him my first mate for shits and giggles. He's smart, for the most part. You're the one that made him an idiot." Uma's tone was accusing, but with a tinge of humour. "Besides, you're only a liability for a weak man. Does he seem like a weak guy to you?"
For a moment, Cassie tried to remove herself from the situation and look at it without bias. In a nutshell, she was stubborn, reckless, and never did as told. The majority of hardships she'd faced, not including her father's abandonment, had been entirely her own doing. She was argumentative, to boot. Anyone willing to take on someone like that had to be crazier than the Hatter. They'd have to be just as stubborn and extremely confident in their ability to defend themselves from whoever she managed to tick off. If they tried to chain her in one place, she'd go feral and leave them in an instant. They'd have to be very certain that she was what they wanted. She'd drive them to the brink of insanity regardless, but she couldn't give in to someone who wasn't sure.
"What if it isn't me he wants?" whispered Cassie, doubtful. "He's wanted to win our game for a long time. Let's say I give in, then what? He realises it wasn't me."
"I can't tell you he won't," replied Uma. Cassie was grateful for the honesty. "But it's a risk you take here when you're giving in to someone else. At least with him, you won't have to completely change who you are."
It had been a bit of a trending subject before Cassie was hurt. Even she herself had seen it. There had been many on the Isle who'd believed Maleficent's daughter and the others were simply 'playing' at being good and that their decision to choose Auradon had been a long-con, as it were. The more time that passed, though, the less likely it became; especially with Maleficent's kid. Every time she changed something about her appearance, they'd report it to the masses. Her trademark purple hair had been exchanged for flowing blonde locks, and her tight, dark clothing had been replaced with appropriate-length pastel gowns. Whenever the others came onto the TV, they at least seemed to have retained some part of who they'd been on the Isle, but not by much. For Mal, though, choosing Ben meant giving up everything she ever was on the Isle. It was quite sad to see, really.
"This is a talk you should be having with him," the captain pointed out. "He's never lied to you, so at least you have that."
That much Cassie knew with certainty. When she'd teased him before and asked if he was worried about her, he'd admitted that he had been. If there had ever been an opportunity for him to lie, it'd been then. Then again, Cassie wasn't sure if it was the risk of deception that scared her or the honesty.
"Where is he?"
Only a few minutes later, Cassie wound up back on the ship.
In the shoppe, Starla had joined her fellow pirates in their merriment and was in the midst of a shanty when Cassie decided to leave, so the little cat thought it best to leave her to it. She had, however, made sure to let Helena know where she was going. While Starla wouldn't hold it against Cassie if she left without saying goodbye, the Queen of Hearts would have her head in a basket if she even considered it. After a brief talk, where Cassie had gone to great lengths to assure Helena she wasn't feeling faint or that her scar wasn't irritating her in any way, Helena had given in and allowed her to return to the ship without a guard. Helena had decided to remain with Gil. It seemed that, while Helena hadn't exactly joined the pirates fully, she was managing to enjoy herself. It was a slight comfort to Cassie that her friend wouldn't be stuck with her own thoughts for the rest of the night.
Gently stroking her arms, partially to fend off the cold night air but also because she needed self-support, Cassie headed below deck. Standing in front of the first door—the door to Uma's bedroom on the ship—Cassie hesitated.
While not completely sure why her nerves spun in chaotic circles, Cassie knew it was totally his fault. Things had been absolutely fine until he decided to steer the game in a different direction. Telling her he didn't want her dead anymore? Entirely uncalled for. Asking for one night? Out of order. And, worst of all, he'd gone and used a gruesome ability only she was capable of to prevent her from leaving. Everything he'd done to her up until this point had been manageable and expected. But she was very much a cat in water with this particular situation, and it pissed her off.
Encouraged by her sudden anger, Cassie found the confidence to open the door. This was familiar. This was comfortable.
The room was empty.
Baffled, Cassie looked around. Uma's room on the ship was much larger than hers or Harry's. The bed in the centre of the room was bigger, and instead of a porthole, she had a large window that spanned across the front wall. Near the window was a long wooden table, similar to Harry's in that it was covered by maps and the odd trinket. The room was shrouded in darkness, with only the moonlight illuminating it.
Moving back into the hallway, Cassie closed the door. Uma had told her that Harry had been sleeping in her bedroom since Cassie woke up and that he was on the ship tonight. But if he wasn't in Uma's room, then where was he?
Something niggled in the side of her mind. Tilting her head, Cassie peered down the hallway and began heading towards her room—well, Harry's room.
Twisting the doorknob, Cassie pushed it open after hearing the familiar 'pop'. Carefully, she came into the room, her eyes darting around for any sign of the hook-wielding pirate. He was nowhere to be found, but the candle on the bedside table had been lit, and she was definitely sure she'd blown it out before leaving for the shoppe.
Cassie was prepared to leave when something glinted in the corner of her eye, capturing her attention. Swallowing down her apprehension, a peculiar nostalgia stirred in her stomach as she approached the nail in the wall. Gently, she held the golden pocket watch in her hands, pressing down on the button. It came open with a faint 'click', and a huff of laughter escaped Cassie's lips.
"This is your damn fault," she mumbled, shaking her head. "All of this, because of you."
"This isn' Boredon, love."
Cassie jolted. Looking back over her shoulder, she asked, "Huh?"
"It's not gonna say anythin' back," he clarified, amused.
"Good," she said, lowering the watch so that it rested against the wall. Turning around, she crossed her arms. "Can you imagine what it would say?"
Harry leaned against the doorway and scratched the side of his head with his hook. "Probably thank me for gettin' it away from dad," he wondered, his eyes rolling upwards. "Maybe have a go for leavin' it here instead of actually wearin' it."
Cassie's lips twitched up. "So, what I'm hearing is I would get a 'thank you' for taking it out of this room?"
"Hmm, let's not be too hasty now." Pushing his tongue against the inside of his cheek, he took a quick glance around the room. "Been a while, eh?"
Cassie hummed and fiddled with the edges of her sleeves. "When you found me in here, the first time, what were you thinking?"
"Honestly?" he asked, and she nodded. "I thought, 'what a fuckin' moron'. Ye' had some huge balls comin' in here that night, kitty."
"That's fair," laughed Cassie. Even she'd thought she was stupid after he caught her.
"When I caught ye' in here, what were ye' thinkin'?"
Thinking back on that night, Cassie said, "Honestly?" He gave a nod. "I was thinking, 'every other door was locked except this one'. It surprised me, I think, that you'd figured out someone was following you."
Harry grinned. "I didn't get this far bein' an idiot."
"No?" asked Cassie with feigned disbelief. "So that came around after we met?"
"Hmm." His smile wavered, but only slightly. "Should'a clicked then, that ye'd be the worst thing to happen to me."
Most would find offence, but for them, it was the closest to an understanding they'd ever reach. Cassie knew wholeheartedly that he was the worst thing she'd had the misfortune of bumping into. Because of everything that had happened so far, yes, but also because of whatever was to come.
"If you could go back, would you change it?" she quietly inquired.
There was a moment of silence. Harry pondered her question, eyes roaming across the floor as he thought. Eventually, he replied, "Maybe." Then his gaze came up to meet hers. "You?"
"Maybe," she admitted.
Harry came further into the room. Instinctively, Cassie's eyes darted to the door behind him. "Nothin' ye' can bring up can shake me this time, Cassie." He must've noticed her reaction.
In a poor attempt to defuse the tension, Cassie joked, "Not even bringing up your dad?" Incredibly stupid on her part. He could hook her now without giving it a second thought, and she wouldn't blame him.
"Dad's a mad cunt," he brutally remarked. Then he shrugged. "Lost his head a long time ago." To Cassie's relief, he stopped before he got too close. "Yours is a crazy bastard."
Staggered, Cassie looked up at him. "Yeah," she sighed in agreement. He was right, after all.
"Not gonna fight me on it this time," he noted, pleased. "Ye' know what the difference is now?" Cassie shook her head. "We understand each other a bit better."
The first time he'd brought up her dad in this very room, he'd done it to draw a reaction from her. Back then, it'd been purely to cause her pain of some kind. His remarks about her father had been extremely cruel, without even an inkling as to who he was. Now, when he mentioned her dad, there was still some hostility, but it wasn't to rile up Cassie. While she knew less about Harry and his father than he did about hers, she couldn't help but think about the little tidbits she'd been given so far.
'Harry had a point to prove. He's not a coward or a thief, and he had it way harder than those girls. He fought his dad for it. He went against the only person he's ever been scared of, and he won. But he didn't leave that ship without a scratch.'
Cassie couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like to be raised by Captain Hook, the most ruthless and insane pirate the Isle had seen. She'd never seen Harry scared at the idea of fighting someone on the Isle, but Uma had told her he'd been terrified of his father. This, naturally, left little to the imagination. Hook must've put most of his ideals and expectations on his only son, and how he decided to bring him up, Cassie had no clue. In fact, it was something she dreaded to think of. But Harry had fought his father to get away from that ship with his honour intact, and that in itself was entirely admirable.
Warily, she asked, "How did you win that fight?"
There was a flicker of astonishment, and then his expression twisted, as if he were suddenly struck with pain. It was gone in a second. "One day I'll tell ye'," he muttered.
Cassie wouldn't push. "You healed me," she said instead, diverting their conversation.
His grin returned. "I did."
"How'd it taste?"
"You or-?"
Raising her hand to strike his shoulder, Cassie jumped when his right hand intercepted hers.
"I've gotten fast," he bragged, tightening his grip around her wrist. "An' it was... an experience."
Her nose twitched. "Sucks, huh?"
"Eh, might've, if it were someone else."
Oh, how she hated that.
"I still don't trust you," she mumbled.
He chuckled. "Ye' don't have to trust me. Be stupid of ye', really."
That they could agree on.
"Be a bit tricky though, to teach ye' properly."
Cassie paused. "Huh?"
An abrupt sense of unease moved through her stomach, and the hair along the back of her neck stood to attention. Caught unaware, but not a second too late, Cassie dropped to her knees. In that same moment, a 'thud' echoed through the room.
"Didn't Uma tell ye'?" asked Harry, far too thrilled as he looked down at Cassie. "I'm takin' over yer trainin', love."
Dragging her eyes away from the hook in the wall, exactly where her head had been a moment ago, Cassie's eyes narrowed up at him. "You're not serious?"
The glint of excitement in his eyes was frightening. "Now that I know I can heal ye', I won't have to be as careful." Removing his grasp on the hook, he held the space beneath her jaw and forced her head back further. "We're gonna have a fun time, kitty."
AN;
Hi readers! Sorry there wasn't much going on in this chapter, but I do hope you like it! I also apologise if you thought Harry was going to get nicer, it's gonna take a bit of time for him to calm down 😅
Reviews:
CallMeDella: Hi! Thank you for another wonderful review!
I did consider getting them to use a belt, but Harry using his arm tickled me too much 😅 Plus, he's a bit crazy. Yeah, Helena killed her mum by shoving her down the stairs. Also a weakness of mine: big baddies getting knocked off by something easily preventable. I'm glad you're enjoying Helena, I've put her through the ringer but hopefully things get better. Also, tell your mother I absolutely love your reviews! Saint's dad, well, I'm curious to know who you think it is. Cassie's sex ed: she knows the rough basics, but not the dirty details. All she knows is what she's seen on the Isle, which isn't much, so someone's gonna have to explain it to her eventually. 😅 It might be a very 'inserts himself? Inserts himself where?' kind of moment.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Big thank you to everyone who've reviewed, favourited, and followed so far, it means a lot!
Thanks!