Fear of Falling Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen: The Future





All was quiet around the Montressor Spaceport. It was a nice, calm night. The ships had all taken off by now, the workers had settled down for a quick nap, and the work in the shops was running slow.

And then . . .

BOOM!

The Legacy escaped the world of explosions in the nick of time. Debris and spurts of fire followed them out. Vanessa opened her eyes and looked back at the portal. As the world destroyed itself, it destroyed the map and the portal as well, which closed forever.

“Yahoo!”

Her heart leapt at the sound of his voice, and then he came into view. Jim had made it after all! She smiled the biggest smile she had ever smiled and wiped the tears away, willing her distressed heart to slow its beating.

“Wha-pow! Yeah!” Jim cheered. He flew victory laps around the ship, flying by Silver and high fiving him.

“You done it, Jimmy!” Silver yelled his approval, “You done it, boy! Ah ha ha ha ha! Didn’t I say the lad had greatness in him?!”

He flew by Vanessa and scooped her into his arms, making her squeal and wrap her arms tightly around his shoulders.

“We did it!” he exclaimed.

“We’re alive!” she added.

“I told you I’d be okay,” he said as he pressed his forehead to hers.

“D-Don’t ever s-scare me like that again!”

They flew by the ship one last time to see Doc and Captain Amelia hug passionately, and then, realizing what they were doing a second later, gaze skeptically at each other. Jim slid his board along the edge of the ship before hopping off and letting it float into space, whirling Vanessa around before putting her down. Morph flew up to them and licked his friends with happiness and excitement.

“Unorthodox, but ludicrously effective,” Captain Amelia noted as she and Doc approached the teenager, “I’d be proud to recommend you to the interstellar academy. They could use a man like you.”

“Just wait until your mother hears about this! ‘Course, we may downplay the life-threatening parts.” Doc noted, and Jim nodded in agreement.

“Jimmy, that was . . . unforgettable!” B.E.N. declared, “I know you don’t like touching, but, get ready for a hug, big guy, cause I gotta hug ya!” he reached out his arms and hugged Jim kind of hesitantly. Jim surprised him by hugging him tightly, lifting him off his feet and spinning in a circle.

“Hey, you hugged me back!” B.E.N. exclaimed, “Oh, I promised myself I wouldn’t cry!” he sobbed and hung himself on Jim’s frame, leaking oil onto his shoulder. Jim contently glanced at all of his friends.

Silver, however, was nowhere to be seen.

“Uh . . . excuse me,”

He climbed down to the lower levels of the ship, checking all the rooms for his pirate cyborg mentors. At last, he heard his voice in the longboat storage.

“Morphy, we gotta make tracks,”

Jim stood in the doorway, watching him struggle to untie a knot that held the last longboat in place. He finally chuckled and came into the light, “You never quit, do you?”

Silver winced and sheepishly turned his attention on the lad leaning against the door, “Ah, Jimbo! Ha ha, I was merely checkin’ to make sure our last longboat was safe and secure,”

Jim rubbed his chin in thought and knelt down beside him. He took the length of rope and properly tied it down, “That should hold it,”

Silver chuckled deeply and they got to their feet, “I taught you too well,”

Jim didn’t seem to be amused as he surveyed the pirate. Silver cleared his throat.

“If you don’t mind, we’d just as soon avoid prison. Little Morphy here, he’s – he’s a free spirit,” he whispered as the little pink blob buzzed around him in circles. He captured him in his robotic hand like a cage, making Morph very sad, “Bein’ in a cage, it’d break his heart.

Jim considered the situation only for a moment before he smiled softly and pulled the trigger to open the gate below. Then he untied the boat as Silver watched him in amazement.

With a wide grin, Silver slung his arm around the teenage boy, “What say ye ship out with us, lad? You and me, Hawkins and Silver, full of ourselves and no ties to anyone!”

Morph had turned into a pirate’s cap and landed on his head. Jim chuckled and took him off, tickling his side to turn him back to his original form, “You know, when I got on this boat, I would have taken you up on that offer in a second. But, uh, I met this old cyborg, and he taught me that I could chart my own course,” he sighed and nodded at his own words, “That’s what I’m gonna do,”

“And what do you see off that bow of yours?” Silver asked.

“A future,” Jim answered.

He laughed and gently punched the boy’s shoulder, “Why, look at ya, glowin’ like a solar fire. You’re something special, Jim. You’re gonna rattle the stars, you are,”

Jim felt his eyes water and his heart grow with appreciation and love. He couldn’t believe how this man, this horrible man, who burned down his home, tormented him, back stabbed him, and almost let him die, could teach him so much in so little time. He gave him life skills, he taught him to be a man. Long John Silver was more like a father to him than anyone else in the entire world. He didn’t want him to leave, but knew it was inevitable. He sure couldn’t stay here.

Silver opened his arms, and he ran into them. It had been a long time since he’d gotten a fatherly hug, and this would be the last time.

The cyborg pulled away and rubbed his robotic eye, “Ah, got a big o’ grease in this cyborg eye of mine,” and he turned away.

Morph took one look at Jim and started crying. He cried so much that he turned into a puddle of water in Jim’s hands.

“Oh, hey, Morph, I’ll see you around, okay?” he crooned emptily.

“See you around,” he purred, licking Jim’s cheek affectionately and hovering back to Silver’s hand. Silver’s shoulders slumped as he petted his companion. Poor Morphy would be so depressed without his new pals . . .

“Morphy, I got a job for ya,” he said, taking the blob in close, “I need you to keep an eye on this here pup. Will you do me that little favor?”

“Aye aye!” the blob replied. He nuzzled up to Silver’s cheek one last time before zooming to Jim and nuzzling him instead.

“Now what else ye see in yer future, boy?” Silver asked as he hopped into the longboat.

Jim supposed about this for a moment, and his mind went to Vanessa, “A girl. A beautiful girl. One that I used to know and is back in my life. And I want it to stay like that,”

“That Nessie sure is a fabulous lass. You better take good care of her, she deserves a good life,”

“I will, I promise,”

Silver hit the controls and lowered the boat, “Oh, and one more thing,” he dug into his coat pocket and threw some gold coins and jewels at him, “It’s for your dear mother to rebuild that inn of hers,”

Jim grinned, almost like a Cheshire cat, staring at the glimmering treasure. Silver winked at him lovingly.

“Stay out of trouble, you old scalawag,” Jim called down.

“Why, Jimbo, lad, when have I ever done otherwide?!”

And just like that, he was gone.

Jim stuffed the treasure into his pocket and his fingers touched the box he picked up earlier. Curiosity struck him, and he opened it. Inside was a stunning, oval shaped ring surrounded by golden bands. The gem looked like a sunrise, with swirls of gold and red, and specks of blue and pink. It was so beautiful, it took his breath away.

“Think I’ll keep this one,” he whispered, closing it back up with one single, echoing snap.





“It wasn’t long ago when you were so afraid to have anyone touch you. I couldn’t even wrap your hands properly,” Doc chuckled.

Vanessa smiled softly and gazed at the Montressor Spaceport coming closer. She had never seen it before; it had a heavenly glow surrounding it, looking very pristine and high maintenance.

“Happy to be home again? How long has it been?”

“F-Four of five years? G-G-Give or t-take?” she sighed, her tone somewhat melancholy.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“It’s just -” she glanced to the gauze on her hands with a small frown, “It’s g-g-going to get quite b-boring, not b-being on an adventure and all. And I h-have no idea where my p-parents are, or if I’ll ever s-s-see them again.”

“It won’t be boring for long, not with Jim around. And I’m sure we’ll find your parents soon. You just have to keep up hope.” He checked the tightness of the bandages one last time, “Good as new, and just in the nick of time/ It seems we’ve officially docked,” he stood and straightened his coat, “I’m going pack up my things and find Jim. He and his mother are staying with me for the time being, and you are more than welcome to as well, especially if you decide to become my apprentice,”

“Thank you, D-Doctor,”

He left her to sit by herself and watch the captain and B.E.N. tie up the vessel. By now other ships were docking as well, and noisy crowds were beginning to form. She crept up to the edge, absentmindedly staring out while wondering what would happen next. She wondered what a real bed felt like, as she hadn’t slept in one for so long. What would she do with her life now? Go back to school, most likely. She’d definitely need a tutor to catch up. She would take Doc up on his offer, and who knows, maybe he’d eventually pay her. Not that she needed it; because of the split second decision she made, Vanessa had three pocketfulls of treasure to keep her financially independent for decades.

What would happen to her and Jim?

At that exact moment, she felt a presence behind her, and out of the corners of her eyes saw two larger hands place themselves on the edge around hers. Vanessa leaned backwards and felt a solid wall of warmth against her.

“Where’d you g-go?” she asked, keeping her eyes on the docks and letting her other senses take over, like sound and touch.

She felt his lips close to her ear, “Just talking to Silver about the future and things. How are you?”

“F-Fine. We’re able t-to leave soon. Doc w-went to g-go get his things,”

“Are you happy to be home?”

“Y-Yes, very much s-so,”

She finally turned to face Jim, leaning against the edge, which made him step forward, closer to her, and was met with a heart melting smile. After the journey they shared, the danger, the secrets, the smiles and laughter, she couldn’t imagine life without him.

“What are you thinking about? He asked, sort of in a quiet tone, like they were in their own little world at the moment.

Vanessa hesitated before answering, “Y-You,”

Jim raised an eyebrow, and his smile gained an egotistical quality, “Oh? What about me?”

“Just . . . wondering w-what’s going to happen n-now,”

“Now?” she felt his hands slowly curl around her waist, which caused her to blush, “Well, I’m going back to school, and you should too, and we’re going to go live at Doc’s. We’re going to find you a tutor to get you caught up, I’m going to help my mother rebuild the Inn, and . . . that’s all I’ve got so far,” he chuckled.

“S-S-So, we’re going t-to be together for a while then?”

“Yes, a long while,” Jim agreed, “Wanna know what I’m thinking about?”

“What?”

He pressed his forehead to hers gently, and, staring into her honey colored eyes, whispered, “Kissing you.  A real kiss, not a fly-by one,” his hands tightened a little more on her waist, “Would that be alright?”

“Y-Yes!” she said in a hurried whisper. His grin widened and he leaned in, his lips a mere inch away . . .

“Ahem,”

Doc stood on the other side of the deck, his bags hanging at his sides, along with Jim’s bag, and a hangdog smirk on his face. Jim sighed and backed away slowly, and Vanessa’s cheeks grew more red than her hair.

“Come along, children. Jim, your mother is waiting for you,” Doc walked forward to the ramp leading off the shop, dropping Jim’s back at his feet in the process. Jim picked his bag up by the strap and threw it over his shoulder. Then he held out his hand for Vanessa to take, and they left the R.L.S. Legacy.

Vanessa could see more than blood, bruises, and fear in her life. She saw a light at the end of the tunnel. She saw a future.