The Island of Fear (complete)

60) Finally Falling Asleep

This is the very last chapter! Hope you enjoyed!

KateSeleneMelody3OCS

Shellington's POV: Lupo's untidy scrawl was hard to decipher. But I wrote what I could make out on my own paper. Dashi's name was on there. So he had been planning this. The thought made me sick.

"Takes the memories of ____ and causes the ____ to split into two personalities. One ____ will remain in the flame, ____ the other will carry on with life, trying to ____ who they were. False memories will come back ____ the second form, and when ____ get all of them back, they can never become who they were ____."

The words I had blanked out were so smudged that I couldn't quite make them out, but now, I got a basic idea of what was going on with Dashi. Or at least, the new Dashi. Dashi 2. The thought made me furious. But now, the horrifying truth came to me. If Dashi 2 received seven years of false memories, Dashi 1, My Dashi, would fade out of existence. As though she was never real. I groaned. There was no way I was gong to sleep tonight. I was going to stay up and read all of this information, all of Lupo's notes, learn as much as I could, and help Dashi. I sighed and began to read the next paper. This was going to be a long night.

isobeljones2000

Eelean's POV: I watched silently from the corner as Kwazii finally drifted off to sleep, his head very close to Tweak's and a loving smile on his lips. Peso and Kate were both asleep now. And I was alone in the Sick Bay, on a ship that I'd never been on, without my soulmate... No don't think about that Eelie.

"Eelean?" Tunip came padding into the Sick Bay lightly, seeing my black form and emerald green eyes instantly against the light blue of the darkened room. "What are you doing here?"

I sighed. "Just thinking I guess. Mulling it all over."

Tunip smiled. "I know the feeling."

"It's just -" I begun, then stopped. How could I say it? "I'm not sure how to tell you."

Tunip seemed to understand, coming over and pressing close to me, sharing his warmth. Our lips met for what seemed like the first time since the caves. It's warm, comforting. Peaceful.

Kate beside us moaned softly and turned over slightly, settling down again. We exchanged looks. "I know somewhere we can go," Tunip told me quietly.

I nodded without needing to speak. It felt right here, just him and me. Tunip took my hand and led me out of the Sick Bay, away from my sleeping friends. Along countless corridors that I had no idea how he kept track of. Around a corner, down in an Octo Chute that would be surprisingly fun to travel down if I wasn't in the depths of despair, back into the Launch Bay where we had started. I loved this place. I really think I loved it.

"Close your eyes," Tunip instructed me softly.

I nodded after a brief moment and did so, my world going dark. And when I closed my eyes I could see Christian's face as he bled on the floor, Christian when we first met him, Christian sacrificing himself for us, even though I wasn't there. And I could feel his soul there, feel him in our connection. I could tell he was unconscious, but I wondered if I could send messages to him.

Hang on there, I broadcasted. A nice thought for him to wake up to, if it worked.

If he woke up.

"Eelean?" Tunip prompted, and I opened my eyes. I hadn't registered us moving, where he was taking me, in my connection moment with Christian. Was I going to see his face every time I closed my eyes? If so, I was going to have some very long nights.

I opened my eyes properly, saw what Tunip was showing me. We were on top of the orange exterior of the Octopod, and the water near us was calm and undisturbed. I could see a pretty coral reef off to one side, and smooth sand covering the sea floor.

"It's - it's beautiful," I murmured.

"In the day, it's alive with creatures. Fish swimming everywhere, dolphins playing, crabs on the rocks. Can you imagine that, Eelean?"

"Call me Eelie," I told him with a smile. We sat peacefully for a few moments, just drinking in the view.

"Eelie. You know I'm here for you, right? I know your bond with Christian is painful right now, but I'm here. And I love you."

My eyes filled with tears and I rested my head on Tunip's shoulder. "I know. And I love you. But it just hurts so much, you know. Knowing we just left him."

"He sacrificed himself," Tunip said quietly.

"To what end? So I could feel torn apart inside? So everyone could miss him? Tunie, I just don't know," I finished weakly. But Tunip didnt pull away at my outburst. He pulled me closer in fact, resting his head on mine and putting his small arm around my shoulders.

"I love you, Eelie," Tunip said sleepily. "And don't worry. We'll do whatever we can to find him."

"Thanks Tunie," I used his new nickname with a smile, closing my eyes.

And we fell slowly asleep like that, nestled close together on the top of the Octopod watching the sea darken around us and feeling the waves lapping gently around our entwined bodies. Maybe I'll never be truly happy when Christian's gone, but I can feel like this. Content in what I have, for now. My boyfriend and a new family of brave Octonauts and Vegimals.

Tunip was asleep before I was, I could tell. His steady breathing proved as much. I settled down beside him, looking up to the very surface of the water and seeing faded stars through it. The knowledge of them made me happy in itself.
We're coming for you, Christian, I thought in sleepy determination. I'm coming for you.

Then I fell peacefully asleep on Tunip's shoulder.

The End (for now)