Heart of the Sea

Chapter 25 - Complications

Hey guys!! Sorry, I know it's been a while. School is now over!! Hopefully I will be posting more soon. At any rate, here is something of a rollercoaster chapter. I do give warning, towards the end it does get rather violent in an uncool way. Be that as it may, I hope you all enjoy and have an amazing night/day! If you're still in school, I believe in you!! You can do it!

Le Chels :)

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(The lyrics to "Jolly Sailor Bold" are not mine.)

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Lili snuck back in through her window. After their rendezvous she and Benardo had spent some time walking down the beach as he caught her up on things, which of her enemies he knew were about and those he'd not yet seen or heard of. They'd kissed a few moments more once they'd reached the house before he went his way and she went inside. She let out a deep breath.
It was good to be back.
Today had been a good day. She'd gotten good sleep last night, survived the washing, and had found an old acquaintance, ending the day on a sweet note. ...Shit. This meant she was going to have nightmares tonight, didn't it.
Nothing good ever lasted for long.
She sighed. Well, if it was going to come it was going to come. No point in trying to avoid it or run from it. Lili began to dress in her nightclothes, her thoughts wandering to Killian despite her attempts to divert them. He'd been a help over the past week, waking her when she cried out in her sleep, taking her morning bitterness in stride, and not jumping into the fight tonight when she'd been propositioned by several of the lads even though he'd looked like he had wanted to beat the shit out of a few of them. He'd said relatively nothing about her actions with Benardo. She'd been harsher to the captain of late, though she knew she ought to be grateful. At any moment he could kick her out if he wished, but..she knew he wouldn't.
Again she faced the stranger with the familiar face.
Back in the old days he hadn't hesitated to punish her or send her off on this quest or that, but..he was different now.
(A part of her whispered that maybe there was a chance it could be alright.)
No. Did she not remember what happened to the others she cared for? The ends they'd come to? Nearly every one of them had met an unpleasant demise, and she wouldn't let it happen to him if she could help it.
Besides, she had survived well enough without him for thirty years. She could go a while more.
(But having him here was bloody nice. She didn't mind his comfort or breakfast, or his new nature.)
She didn't deserve it.
The thought twisted in her heart, and she knew she'd struck gold with it.
She didn't deserve love anymore. Not after the crimes she'd committed in the name of it.
(It was an old excuse, but it did its job.)
Lili sighed, shutting her eyes in the darkness.
As soon as she could, she would leave. It would be best for everyone; she wouldn't lose him, and he would be safe. He deserved a better child than her.

To her surprise, no nightmares came. She took it with gratitude, getting up, keeping her conversation with him at a minimum. No need to make things any more complicated, not when she would be leaving soon. She figured she had a little over a week left, if her math was right (and it usually was). She went to Gran's that day determined to keep her distance. She would not fall into it again. Not when she was so close. Surely she could keep herself in check for a week.

She managed it that day, and a few more days passed. In celebration of her having only seven days left, Killian and Emma took her out to the pub again to celebrate.
To her dismay, it was Karaoke Night.
Lili groaned as yet another caterwauler stumbled away from the small stage in the corner. "I think this is how I die," she uttered, her forehead plopping onto her forearm which rested on the bar, her other hand wrapped around her glass.
Killian chuckled. "You think it's so bad you get up there," he challenged jokingly.
She peeked at him from over her arm before she picked her head up. "Y'know what? I think I just bloody well might. If I show off maybe they won't think to come up anymore."
Killian chortled in disbelief. "You've a good voice?"
She winked. "They don't call me siren f'nothing." She tipped her glass back, downing the rest of her rum before going up to the small stage, taking up a position in front of the tall, weird stick. "H-ey, woah. This is..int'risting. Alright," she murmured as she heard her voice boom out into the crowd thanks to the stick. "'Ey Ted, d'you have 'Jolly Sailor Bold'?"
Ted nodded, a dry smile on his lips before he set the instrumental tune playing.
The sound of an acoustic guitar began to fill the air around her, and she caught the beat after a few moments, coming in at the right place. Her sweet voice filled the air as she closed her eyes, shutting out the nervousness and the people looking at her, the familiar song slipping out of her lips.