The Explorer and the Doctor - John and Lily Dolittle

Chapter Seven - A Fated Journey

"With Lily at his side, Dolittle never felt more alive. Until, one day, she left on an adventure..."

When John awoke, he found Lily's side of the bed empty and cold.  It had been late when she had come to bed, and now it appeared that she had gotten up early.  Getting up himself, he wandered the house until he found her in the library, flipping through a tall stack of books, still in her nightgown.

"Good morning. You're up early," he commented.

She looked up from the books and smiled at him.  "Good morning."

He came over to kiss her good morning.  "What are you reading?"

"In my research last night I came across something  that I haven't been able to stop thinking about - I barely got any sleep!"

"What is it? Can I help?"

"Thank you - Eden Tree Island." 

"Hmm." John began flipping through some books of his own.  

"The island is only a myth, but it is said to be the only place one can find a very special tree, the Eden Tree-"

"Fitting name."

She chuckled.  "Which grows a fruit with special abilities."

"What kind of abilities?"

"I don't know for sure. People have only speculated about it."

The two searched a little longer before growing hungry, so they sat and had breakfast together before getting dressed for the day and continuing their search. 

"Lily, if no one is even sure if the island exists, isn't it like searching for a dead end?"

"Not necessarily!" 

"Still, no one is certain if this island even exists," John said, looking up from about the tenth book he had been pouring over the pages of looking for anything about Eden Tree Island. "It's a tree no one's ever seen on and island no one's ever been to or found-"

"No one yet!" called Lily with her fierce determination that was borderline reckless. 

So the island was a legend said to be the sole place to find a plant appropriately named the Eden Tree, which was said to possess a certain special powers. But that was all it was, a legend. So far at least, as Lily kept reminding him.

"All the more reason to go and investigate!" Lily called from where she stood up at the top of the ladder, tossing more books down for them to read for more research on the island and tree itself.  "Head's up!" she called as another thick, heavy book was tossed down and landed at his feet. She came sliding down the ladder after it. 

He knew her, and knew that once she was determined, she wouldn't stop, not until her mission was fulfilled. 

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It was decided: Lily was convinced of the Eden Tree's existence and was going to set course on a journey to try and locate the island and tree. She had told John to stay behind with the animals. It was all happening much too quickly for John's liking. One moment she was researching the tree, and the next she was readying herself to go try and find it. 

"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to come along?"

"Of course I would like you to, but you can't. There's too much work to do here. And someone has to care for the animals."

"It just sounds so dangerous. And by yourself-"

"But I won't be alone, I'll have Poly with me. And I've sailed many times on my own."

"I know, but-"  

She cupped his face in her hands.  "Stop worrying, John." 

But he was worried, and he couldn't just stop being so. 

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Soon, much too soon - it was all like a blur - the day of her departure arrived.  She set off early in the morning. 

After spending their last night together, the couple took a sunrise stroll hand-in-hand through their vast gardens. 

John didn't need to say anything - she could read how he felt, knew he was still worried.  "Stop worrying, John," she told him again as she had countless times before.  "Every step is planned out in my journal. I'll be back before you'll even miss me."

He scoffed.  "Right. I already miss you and you're not even gone yet.  But you will be soon - very soon. Too soon." 

"And I already miss you. But do not fret, mi amor, for I will be back soon." 

"I love you so much, please always know that," he told her as they said their final goodbyes on the docks.  

"I do know it. Always. And I love you too." 

"Please be careful."

"I will." She embraced and kissed him once more, which he did not wish to have to break away from.  

He stood at the docks with their animals friends, watching and waving as she set sail from the docks.  He didn't head back to the house until the ship had disappeared from sight.  

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Five months following Lily's departure, the worst happened. 

"Doc! Doc!" barked Jip, trying to get his attention.  "It's Poly! She's outside!"

"They're back?" cried John in disbelief, jumping to his  feet.

"Just Poly, Doc," clarified Dab-Dab.

John rushed out of the room, following them to his study where indeed Poly was waiting outside the window.

"Poly!" John quickly opened the window and she flew inside. 

"Oh John," she cried. Her feathers were ruffled  and covered in mud, and she looked exhausted and distressed.   "It was awful - I'm so sorry."

"What happened? Where's Lily?"

"She sent me away, back here, with this-" Poly opened her foot and something fell from her talons.  John held out his hand and the object landed in his open palm:

The silver band with the blue jewel that was Lily's wedding ring. 

"I'm so sorry, John."

It felt as though the air was knocked from him, and he stumbled back, landing in his desk chair, his fingers enclosing around the ring, clenching it so tightly in a fist it pressed a pattern into his palm. His lips moved, but no words fell from them. He was shocked utterly speechless.

Lily. 

 His friends surrounded him, and he had a faint knowledge of Chee-Chee placing his blanket over John's  shoulders. 

"We got caught in a storm, a terrible storm. Lily lost control of the ship, there was nothing she could do," Poly explained,  but John barely heard her. He only knew one thing:

Lily was gone. 

(Aw, sorry for the sad end of the chapter, but I guess you knew it was coming :( I promise this story will have a happy ending though!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))