Author`s note :
Okay,I`m really sorry for the long delay and this chapter being so... don`t have a word for it. It was originally supposed to be the last one,very dramatic and full of action and...well,long. But since I had and still have a bad writer`s block this chapter is the exact opposite of what I had planned : short, boring and with as good as no action.Great. -_- I also wanted to use the lyrics of another song for it but I found this one here accidentally and thought it`d fit better to this chapter.Well,at least your busied for some minutes while reading it.Oh,and one more thing,about the bed-scene : Nothing happened.I just needed,uhm,loving care...if ya know what I mean. ;)
„If that`s what it takes“© Celine Dion
Chapter 12 :
You're the bravest of hearts,
You're the strongest of souls
You're my light in the dark,
You're the place I call home
You can say it's all right,
But I know that you're
Breaking up inside
I see it in your eyes
Even you face the night
Afraid and alone
That's why I'll be there
Jim and Dolphy didn`t know for how long they had walked but suddenly a little orange light came into their sight.It was the Interstellar Academy whose enlightened windows shined in the distance, resembling the only sign of life in the dark night.It was so unbelievably quiet around here, the wind had calmed down, the streets were empty, nobody except of the two teenagers was to be seen anywhere.Even the mantabirds, which used to hunt in the night, seemed to have dissappeared from this planet.It was eerie.Dolphy instinctively went nearer to Jim and tightened her grip on his hand.
„Don`t worry, everybody in the academy is in their rooms, it`s too late for walking around outside.“ meant Jim.
„No, it`s not that...The silence here gives me the creeps.“
„Would you prefer if I told Morph to make some noise?“ he tried to lighten her mood.
„Yeah,sure.“ said Dolphy sarcastically. „Oh,I`ve got an even better idea!Morph,fly to the academy and wake up Carren and his fool-friends!“
The little shapeshifter gave her a little confused look but then dashed off in direction of the large building.
„MORPH!!!“ yelled both teenagers in unison and started to run after him.
„Morph!I was just kidding!Come back!NOW!!!“ shouted Dolphy on the verge of an heart-attack.
The pink blob made a crash halt and flew back to his friends.
„Just kidding!Just kidding!“ he giggled.
„Morph,don`t you ever do that again!“ gasped Jim totally out of breath.
„Do that again!Do that again!“
The three friends sneaked quietly through the park of the academy.The tall trees could only be recognized as black siluettes but they kept the light of the few stars that were shining above away from them.Dolphy had suggested taking the way through the park since she didn`t want to risk meeting anyone in the hallway.But not only this was of advantage,their room was located only a short distance away from the entrance to the park which they had just reached.As Jim opened the door he looked from the left to the right to make sure that nobody was around.
„Okay,we go to our room, as quickly as possible
He shot Morph a warning glare.
“And quiet!“
The little shapeshifter imitated his serious expression,made an aye-aye-Sir! gesture and followed his friends.They didn`t notice the dark figure who was standing in the shadows and obeserving them as they sneaked to their room.Then it turned around and headed for the direction in which Carren`s room was.
In the meanwhile dark clouds were appearing on the nightly sky and covered the moon,extinguishing the last bits of light which had been shining weakly onto the earth.
When they had shut the door behind them Dolphy immediately threw herself on her bed,cuddling the pillow with both hands.
„Geez,how I have missed this room!“ she meant happily.
„Is that the only thing you`ve missed?“ asked Jim expectantly.
„No...I`ve missed the table here,too!“
Before Jim could even try to look insulted Dolphy had taken him in her arms.
„But what I have missed the most were you.“ she whispered into his ear.
A content smile appeared on his face and he returned her hug, pressing her closer to himself.
A few raindrops were beginning to fall from the dark clouds, followed by some more and finally coming in such high amounts that they made the sight on the park blurry and tristless.
„Great weather.“ said Dolphy as she was staring through the window.
„Hey,see it positively,at least we`re inside.“
„Yeah,guess you`re right.Some minutes earlier and we would have been drenched to the bone...just like two days ago.“ she added as the recent happenings came back to her mind.
After she had gone to the bathroom and changed into her pyjamas Dolphy crawled into her bed and cuddled her face against the soft pillow.Jim had to smile at her sight.He switched off the light and went to his bed,wanting nothing else more than to sleep long and peacefully.
The rain kept falling down onto the earth without interruption, making the ground all muddy and slippery.Soon there was a heavy storm rampaging outside.
In a room at the other side of the academy two dark voices were to be heard.
„They`re back.“
„Are you sure?“
„Yeah,I just saw ´em sneaking in.“
An evil grin appeared on the face of the taller figure.
„Good...they`re gonna pay for it.“
The wind was blowing louder and the rain pattered incessantly against the glass of the window.Dolphy couldn`t sleep.She was tired,but she couldn`t.The noises of the storm outside in combination with her fears what the next day would bring made her feel extremely uncomfortable and nervous.She turned from one side to the other for several times but it didn`t help.She let out a frustrated sigh.
„Guess you can`t fall asleep,too,huh?“ came a soft voice from the opposite side of the room
„Yeah,have you been awake all the time?“
„Yes.“ answered Jim. „What`s the matter?“
„Can`t you imagine the reason why?“
„Should I ?“
„Wanna take a guess?“
„Has it something to do with Carren?“
„How do you come to think of that?“ meant Dolphy sarcastically.
„Dunno,could it be that I can read your mind?“
„Could it be that we keep answering the other`s question with another question ?“
„Do you really think that?“
„Jim!“
„Okay,okay,I was just kidding.“ laughed Jim amused.
„Don`t tell me that you`re not nervous about what`s gonna happen tomorrow when Carren finds out that we`re back.“
„Well,I guess he won`t be too thrilled about it...also ´cause I have punched him in the face.“
„What!?When!?Why!?“ yelled Dolphy surprised.
„He tried to prevent me from going to search you.“
„Oh...“
A loud thunder dashed through the air outside,followed by some bright flashes.Dolphy instinctively winced at the sudden noise.Damn, why was she so upset just because a normal storm?She felt cold and pulled her blanket closer around her but it had no use.Another flash lightened the room for a few seconds so Dolphy could see it in Jim`s face that the sounds of the storm had the same effect on him as on herself.She didn`t know if she should ask him the question which was spinning around in her head ,but eventually she dared to do so.Looking through the returned darkness she said shyly :
„Jim?Can I...sleep in your bed tonight?“
Dolphy felt like the waiting for his response would last forever.In fact it were only some seconds until she could hear his soft answer.
„Sure.Come here.“
A relieved smile appeared on her face as she left her bed and went carefully through the dark room toward Jim`s.After she had lain herself next to him he covered her with his blanket and embraced her in his arms.Dolphy gave him a gentle kiss on his cheek.The coldness she had felt only some moments before vanished completely as she cuddled against his chest.
After a while the rain stopped and the weather calmed down.The clouds slowly disappeared one after another and the stars were finally to be seen again as they shone brightly on the dark blue sky.
When the storm rises up,
When the shadows descend
Every beat of my heart,
Every day without end
Every second I live,
That's the promise I make
Baby, that's what I'll give,
If that's what it takes
You can sleep in my arms,
You don't have to explain
When your heart's crying out,
Baby, whisper my name
'Cause I've reached out for you
When the thunder is crashing up above
You've given me your love
When you smile like the sun
That shines through the pain
That's why I'll be there
In the morning the two were woken up by a loud knocking on the door.Dolphy immediately drifted back to sleep whereas Jim yawned and got out of bed.He walked groggily towards the door and opened it slowly without thinking about who it could be.
„What?“ he said tiredly as he rubbed his eyes with one hand.
As he finally could see clearly he realized who was standing in front of him.
„Rakitan?“
The Kimanakan boy answered him with a weak nod and sighed heavily.Before Jim could ask what was wrong he said with a serious voice :
„Carren knows that you`re back.Lenaro has seen both of you yesterday night when you sneaked in.He has told me to bring you a message from him.“
Another sigh that made Jim even more nervous.
„He`s gonna meet you and your girlfriend at 7 p.m. in front of the academy...to discuss the current situation.“
„Yeah,sure!“ yelled Jim furiously what made Dolphy wake up now,too. „Why don`t we simply give him a loaded wapon and jump around shouting Shot us!Shot us! !?No,seriously, what is he gonna do if we won`t come?“
„He knew that you would react like that.In this case I should remind you that he always gets what he wants and that he can make your friend wish she was never born.“
Jim sighed and balled his fists.He surely was aware of Carren making his threats come true.
„We`ll be there.“ he admitted dejectedly.
As Rakitan was turning to leave Jim grabbed his arm and looked him in the eyes.
„What happened after I left?“
The alien looked on the floor and then back to him.
„That`s of no importance now.Just make sure you`ll be there in time.Making Carren even angrier would be no good idea.“
When he turned his back on him Jim could see a large dark bruise on his neck.He thought about the person who was responsible for it and balled his fists.
„That blasted jerk...“
„What`s going on?“ asked a voice behind him. „Who was that?“
Jim closed the door and went back to Dolphy who was still lying in his bed.He sat next to her and put his arm around her so that her head was leaning against his shoulder.
„Jim?“
„That was Rakitan.He-„
„What!?Ya mean the guy who is one of Carren`s friends?“ yelled Dolphy,now wide-awake.
„Yes.But I wouldn`t call him a friend of Carren anymore.He has helped me getting away from here when Carren and the others were trying to hinder me from doing so.“
„He really has?Wow,hadn`t believed that.“ meant Dolphy.
„However,he has told me something...Carren`s gonna meet us today in the evening...´cause he wants to set things right...whatever that means.“
Dolphy leaned closer to him.Somehow she had expected something like this to happen.
„And what if we won`t go?“
„We can`t run away from him all the time...and you know that.“
She nodded defeatedly but Jim softly lifted her chin with his fingers so that she was looking right into his eyes.
„It doesn`t matter what he`s gonna do to us.As long as we`re together I`m willing to endure everything.“
He gave her a gentle kiss and hugged her tightly.
„I don`t wanna lose you again.“
Tears were appearing in Dolphy`s eyes.She still couldn`t believe how much Jim seemed to love her.He would give his life for her...and so would she.
When the storm rises up,
When the shadows descend
Every beat of my heart,
Every day without end
I will stand like a rock,
I will bend till I break
Till there's no more to give,
If that's what it takes
I will risk everything,
I will fight, I will bleed
I will lay down my life,
If that's what you need
Every second I live,
That's the promise I make Baby, that's what I'll give,
If that's what it takes
Through the wind and the rain,
Through the smoke and the fire
When the fear rises up,
When the wave's ever higher
I will lay down my heart,
My body, my soul
I will hold on all night
And never let go
Every second I live,
That's the promise I make
Baby, that's what I'll give,
If that's what it takes.