A Heart of Gold A Heart of Stone (Complete)

Chapter 44

Authors' note: Here we go! Race to the end!

It had been two days of none stop visitors and Coral was getting tired of it. She sighed and finished off the last of her apple and threw it in the bin.
"Well... I'm getting stronger..." She muttered to herself.
"You know talking to yourself is the first sign of madness."
She rolled her eyes and continued to stare at her palm.
"Now my palms talking to me."
"She's passed madness." Another voice chuckled, she finally glanced up, and her eyebrow raised.
"Well this is unusual..." She murmured, Jack and Hans were stood next to each other, they moved into the room and walked to different sides of Coral. "Why are both of you here? Together?" She asked staring from one to the other.
"Well..." Jack began,
"It's hard to explain." Hans finished.
"CORAL!" A blur of red and blue dashed into the room and dived onto the bed, Coral's eyes turned to saucers and tried to keep her books from flying off the bed, Hans sighed and rubbed his temple. Jack made a grab for the flailing body however it stopped and stared at Coral.
"How're you feeling?" Ariel asked, Coral was nose to nose with Ariel, Coral's face darkened in pink, as Ariel sat back.
"I'm- I'm okay, how are you Ariel?" Coral stammered.
"Good!" She flopped back and Jack and Hans both mouthed apologies to the pirate. "What's it like being here?"
"Boring..." Coral said, Ariel rolled backwards off the bed and examined the room, "someone care to explain why?"
"Oh... well I was talking to Jack about you and how you were." Hans began, giving a look to Jack
"We were assigned horses in Clayton's class with Anastasia and Ariel. Suddenly it was just us two and Ariel came over and demanded to see you." Jack answered after Hans. Ariel was twirling around as they trio spoke, Coral watched Ariel.
"Why did she want to see me?"
"Well it was rumored a couple of the princesses were visiting you." Hans scowled at them, Jack scoffed.
"It was your fault, you told everyone." He defended, Hans rolled his eyes and sat down in the spare chair. Jack perched on the bed earning death glares from Hans, Coral was still intently watching Ariel.
"Ariel honey, do you wanna sit down?" She asked softly, Ariel whipped her head around and smiled widely, Coral couldn't help but smile at her. "She's so full of energy and light." She thought as Ariel jumped onto the bed.
"Coral I just wanted to say I know this is boring so what you could do is go for a swim! At night!" She smiled brightly, Hans leant back on his chair.
"Hmmm I wonder why." He said with a smirk, Ariel tilted her head to him, and her eyes lowered to the ground.
"I mean its quieter to swim at night..." She turned back to Coral who was scowling at Hans for a moment. "Coral, it'll even help get your strength back, I promise! If you feel stressed..." She trailed off, Jack smiled at her.
"Thank you Ariel. I'm alright though." Coral said. They both looked at one another "Ariel you have your last lesson to get too."
Ariel frowned and looked up at the clock she screamed in horror.
"I'm never late!" She flung her arms around Coral before leaping off the bed. "Jack come on! Thank you Hans!" She said quickly, Jack blinked and patted Coral's hand.
"See you later Coral. Oh Hans, cheers."
Ariel ran back in and jumped back onto the bed, leaning close to Coral's ear she whispered.
"I believed you." She pulled back and Coral frowned, she smiled a little before taking Jack by the arm and yanking him out. Hans let out a breath he'd been holding.
"That one... Is completely crazy."
Coral nodded slowly, she turned to him as he got up and sat on her bed. He pulled out a pack of cards.
"Cards?"
"Yeah please."
He shuffled them and handed them out between the pair, "oh by the way. Why did you climb into my bed last night."
"Uh what?"
"You know full well what!" She laughed at his red cheeks, he sighed.
"You know what happened, I fell asleep. Looking after your sorry ass."
She snorted and he frowned.
"Oh please." They both stared at each other in silence before laughing loudly, Hans stared down at the growing pack of snap cards. He gave a small smirk and slammed his hand down on the deck.
"Snap!"
"Hey wait!" She cried. Night rolled around quickly after Coral and Hans had started playing cards and by the time they checked the clock it was already seven. The door swung open and one of the nurses walked in carrying a tray of food with her.
"Here's your dinner Coral dear." She said, Hans stopped playing his hand and took Coral's cards off her. "Try to eat all of it tonight please." The nurse smiled brightly before bowing to the Prince and leaving.
"Speaking of dinner I really should go get mine." He placed the cards back in the packaging and placed them on the table.
"Can't you just eat here tonight with me?" The male laughed as he stood up.
"You're kidding right. I am not eating the food they give you here." Coral pouted as he poked at the food on the tray.
"If you ever end up in here Hans I can't wait to make you eat this stuff." She moaned Hans just smiled down at his friend before turning to the door.
"I think I'm gonna sleep in my room tonight I don't fancy ending up on the floor again thinking we're under attack."
"That's fine I'll probably just go to bed early anyway." Coral leant across and picked the tray off from the side desk and placed it across her legs.
"Alright in that case I'll see you tomorrow kiddo."
"Yeah, yeah go on get out of here." She smiled at him. Smiling Hans left shutting the door behind him leaving Coral to eat in peace.

That night Coral snuck out of the medical room and headed towards the swimming pool, Ariel had paid her a visit and insisted that the water helps recovery and relaxing. She never thought a Princess that weird would even give her advice but she thought what could be the harm. She rounded the corner and stopped, yes a swim could cause her harm, a lot of harm. Her cheeks heated up and she bit her finger to keep her from making a sound, slowly she started to back away however her foot caught on a loose wire and caused her to stumble back into the door.
"Ow!"
Jack spun around startled, he tilted his head to the side before pointing an accusing finger at Coral. "Were you spying on me Miss Hook?" He asked cheekily, she pushed herself away from the door and folded her arms sticking her nose high in the air.
"Don't you know it's rude to point at a lady, Frost."
"Since when were you a lady?" He smirked at the brunette who bit her lip in embarrassment. He placed his hands on his hips and smiled, Coral turned her body away from him and blushed.
"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?" She muttered, he blinked.
"It's a swimming pool... You swim without a shirt? Have you not swam before?"
"Watch it smarty pants." She mumbled he chuckled and she raised her hand a trail of cold magic flew towards Jack and hit him in face.
"Hey!" He whined, she giggled.
"I'll leave you to it." She turned around but a cool blast of wind stopped her and something touched her wrist, she turned her head to the side and Jack was there, with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Stay."
"But I-"
"I heard what Ariel said to you, so that's why you're here," He muttered as he pulled her towards the water's edge "so swim with me." He said, her eyes widened.
"Jack! No!"
He pulled her and she fell in as he laughed floating above the waters. She resurfaced and scowled at him, he smiled as she swam to the edge she placed one hand down and began shimming out of her nightgown. The tables turned and it was Jack's turn to blush, he turned around before slowly sinking himself under the water. Finally, Coral was sorted and lowered herself back under the water, they stared at each other for a moment in silence. The water lapped against the pool wall as Coral played with the water's surface.
"Ariel was right this is nice." Jack smiled as he opened his eyes to see the pirates contented face. Coral hummed her response as she sunk lower the water raised to just under her lips. Sighing Jack pushed himself out of the water and onto the side of the pool.
"Where are you heading off too?" Coral raised herself up so she was no longer so far under that water.
"I need to thaw out." Jack shook himself out causing tiny flecks of ice to fall into the water and onto Coral.
"Hey watch it!" She huffed as she flicked a chunk of ice off her arm.
"Sorry." Jack smiled as he leant down and picked up his jumper and slipped it over his head before he picked up his staff. "Come on missus I better make sure you get back to you room."
"Ok well turn around for a minute." Coral said Jack nodded and spun on the spot so he was facing the wall. He heard the water slosh against the tiles as she pulled herself out of the pool. Shaking off most of the water she slipped on her nightgown. "Ok I'm good to go." Smiling brightly Jack grasped her hand.
"Let's get going." He said Coral blushed as she was led down the corridors to her medical ward.
"I'm not three years old Jack and can walk by myself you know." She mumbled causing Jack to chuckle in embarrassment.
"I know I just wanted an excuse to hold your hand."
Coral rolled her eyes tempted to remove her hands from his grasp but the cool temperature of his skin on hers was comforting so she let herself be pulled along to her room.
"Ok here we are." Coral smiled as she rested her hand on the door.
"Thanks for walking me back."
"Anytime." Jack smiled as Coral pushed on the door causing it to open slightly before she turned around and placed a kiss on the sprites cheek.
"Good night." She quickly sprinted into the solace of her room leaving Jack to stare at the door in shock.

Winter here!
Thanks for reading!
Love