Ｈｅｌｌｆｉｒｅ • h.h

ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｔｗｅｌｖｅ

"Give it back! It can't get wet." Mal called down to Shrimpy, who was cackling.

"Uma!" Her pirate friends called in shock. I glared at Harry was more bothered about his captain than anything else.

"That's my name." She waved. Harry and Gil looked at each other with smiles on their faces. While we watched Uma go under with the stone. The water began swirl and was tall enough to splash us all. I panicked and, in my panic, I struggled to put my hair out completely. Carlos reached out for me but was too late as a familiar strong arm grabbed me by the waist and covered me with their body. When the water burst, I was safe from any splash. I craned my head to look at him.

"Thanks." I said.

"No problem." He whispered letting go of me. I peered over the edge with everyone else. Uma was gone and had taken the Ember with her. I was pre-occupied with looking for Uma. I had realised at first that I had wrapped my hand round Harry's hook since he had shielded me.

"Hi boys." We hear a voice behind us and spun around. I let go of the hook as I took in the appearance of human Uma. Her hair was only partly braided, and her clothes looked as if she had been dipped in sea jewels as her clothes shimmered under the light. She was waving the ember in her hand.

Just like that he forgot I was in there with a smile on his face just for Uma. He held out his hook, which she took hold of, shaking it instead of his hand.

"Welcome back." He grinned as Gil joined them. He danced around her like a schoolboy with a crush and for a moment he caught my eyes. I raised an eyebrow at him before looking away and wrapping my hands around Jays arm. Jay glanced at me in confusion, but I just smiled which gave him enough understanding to smile back.

"Uma, you just swam off and forgot all about us." Gil moped, not forgiving his captain so easily.

"Yeah, planning her revenge no doubt." Mal folded her arms.

"It's not all about you Mal." Uma stepped forward. "I was looking for a hole in the barrier, to let everybody out and do you know what I found boys?" She turned to look at her first mate and Gil. "It's way better out there than we thought. There's this thing that looks like a furry rock called coconut and fish so big you could dance on their backs." Uma looked at our group with the Ember in her hand. "And they've been keeping it all for themselves." Harry looked at me and tutted.

"Whatever Uma, I need that to break a spell." Mal held out her hand.

"Cast by Audrey, Sleeping Beauty's daughter." I told her and she hummed.

"So, the good guy is the bad guy?" The sea witch broke out into a smile. "Well, I might not give it back." She shrugged. "Let's see what happens."

"Uma! It's not the time for games. People's lives are in danger." Mal snapped. Harry started laughing from behind Uma. He twirled his hook around, looking at me again while biting his lip. I held Jay closer and Harry glared at Jay. I knew if Jay was close enough Harry would swing for him.

"Promise me every single villain kid that wants to can get off the isle." Uma spoke. It wasn't an unfair request. It was going to happen, just not as quickly as everyone wanted.

"I can't do that." Mal sighed. I looked at my sister, Uma's price was a big one.

"Mal." My sister glanced at me but quickly turned away. Uma mumbled Mal's words under her breath and went over to the edge. Where my dad's Ember was dangling, right over the water.

"How about now?!" Uma asked.

"Deal!" Mal panicked holding out her hand. "Deal." Uma faked dropping the stop and everyone held their breath. I pulled myself off Jay and stepped beside my sister.

"Uma! Her word is good." I told her and Uma looked me up and down examining me. I looked at Harry. "Harry, tell her she can trust me. You know she can." Uma looked back at her first mate, who gave a small nod to the captain. Uma stepped forward staring into the Ember, before tucking it away in her jacket.

"I'll still keep this for the time being." She said and I sighed along with Mal. "Because if you think I trust you to save the world on your own? Think again." She laughed. Gil and Harry were right behind her. I put my hand on Mal's shoulder for comfort. With a big smile on her face. Uma turned around to her small crew. "This is a job for pirates." She grinned and gave her friends a side five as they laughed together.

"When this is all over, we can go back to hating each other." I whispered.

"Fine." Mal huffed like a small child. Jay stepped forward.

"Where are our bikes?" He asked. Gil was happy enough to give an answer.

"Oh yeah, we crashed them." The words rolled off his tongue as if they were nothing. Harry jumped forward to make an engine sound and then the whistling effect of them falling into water, with his hands for added drama. Jay was biting his tongue.

"Look at his face." Harry laughed like a lunatic.

"You were on my bike, you idiot." I rolled my eyes at him. "You crashed my bike."

"Sorry, darlin', can't have favourites." He winked waving his hook at me.

"Here's a thought." Evie stepped into the conversation with her hands on her hips. "We could try to be friends. Maybe if we had done that soon, one of us wouldn't have to be so miserable. Time to put our history behind us and celebrate our differences." Evie was in a leadership mode which knocked Mal right off. She was right as well if we were ever to work together. Our blue haired best friend looked between our two groups on different sides. "Yeah?" There were a few subtle nods. Evie pulled out her bag of gum. "Who wants gum?" She shook the bag in the air, and I laughed a little at her.

"Let's go." Uma said and she began to walk off however she was stopped by Mal.

"Er? No. I'm in charge." She pointed to herself. "Let's go." We all began to walk.

During the walk over the bridge I managed to avoid Harry extremely well but when we had crossed, and he was able to dodge my protection of Jay and Carlos by walking around them. He came up behind me as we walked the path to the school.

"We should really talk now. Ya know since I'll be coming off the isle and that now." He said down my ear. I snapped my head around to face him.

"You've said you're sorry. I don't want to hear anything else. I have to sort my head out." I told him.

"Remember that thing we used to do when we first got together?" He asked, grabbing my hand and pulling me to stop. He pulled me against him, one hand intertwined with his and then the other on his chest, keeping distance.

"We need to keep up." I complained.

"Han, do you remember?" I huffed and rolled my eyes at him.

"Yes." I stared up into his eyes, the soft sea blue, so warm and comforting. I could smell him now too; we hadn't been this close in such a long time. He smelt like the ocean, salt and fresh air and a hint of musty leather.

"Three questions a day utter and honest, truth only." He confirmed and I nodded. Harry smirked and leaned down to kiss my head.

"Oi! Love birds!" Both of us turned around to see Uma with her hand on her hip and the rest of our group waiting. "We have things to do. Sort your love life out later." She ordered. I dropped Harry's hand and carried on walking.