Claudine's heart raced as she drove toward the Isle, thankful for the foresight to have grabbed a remote to open the barrier in the first place. Normally she'd never run from a fight—especially not from her brother.
She was the faster draw after all, when it came to firing off a dagger. Plus Henry had trained her on swords while she had been with the Rats and Jay, Harry, Harriet and CJ had all worked with her to train while in Auradon. There was no way for Freddy to get the drop on her.
But this was different. He was different. Or maybe he was the same as he'd always been and she only now saw him for who he was. But Claudine knew that there was likely only one reason for Phil to text her something that vague and not respond—Freddy was looking for her.
The last words Freddy had ever told her rang through Claudine's head as she continued to drive to the Isle: you're dead Claudine. And Freddy was not the type to say something and not act on it.
Thank God I'm a VK and could sneak past my roommate, she thought as she parked the car, having arrived on the Isle. Macy's great but she can sleep like the dead. I'll stay on the Isle until I get word that Freddy's been caught and that it's safe to return...I hate doing this to Phillip and Aurora but it's the only thing I can do. The Isle doesn't have cell coverage after all.
King Ben had tried to get cell coverage for the Isle but in his defense, he had so much on his plate that cell coverage seemed ridiculous in the scheme of things.
Quickly covering her car so that it couldn't be found and stolen, or worse, Claudine makes sure she had the remote to open the barrier along with her sword and made her way through the pipe to Pirate Cove. Taking a deep breath, she smiled as she took in the smell of salt water and fish.
She didn't think it'd be something she would have missed in Auradon but it was. Along with the slightly wooden scent that seemed to almost be a part of Henry. Wood and steel and salt, with a hint of seaweed.
A small smile came to her lips as she saw Henry on the deck of the Lost Revenge. He must be on watch. Gods he...he looks miserable. Or at least very mopey. Did...did he hear about Freddy being in Auradon that quickly? Well no matter, let's see if we can't cheer him up.
Without taking another second to think about it, Claudine ran up the gangplank and into Henry's arms.
"We've got to stop meeting like this," she said with a chuckle.
"What the—Claudine! Gods, you're lucky I didn't stab you," Henry exclaimed before holding her close to him.
Claudine smiled before the panicked feeling from earlier seemed to seep back into her. Yes Henry was safe and she was now safe but that didn't change the fact that Freddy had been in Auradon. The one place she was supposed to be safe from him.
How had he even gotten off the Isle? Claudine was sure that Mal would have made sure that there was no way Freddy could even look at the docks. Not to mention the Rats would have chased him off if he got in their territory.
"Thank God you're safe," she muttered into his chest. She could wonder about Freddy later, she was with Henry. "Freddy...he's in Auradon. I...i couldn't stay, not when he could be after me! I know I ran instead of fighting but I just—."
"Hey, hey," Henry said softly, stroking her hair as he continued to hold her close. Yes it was rather alarming to hear that Freddy was in Auradon again but Claudine didn't need him to rant and rave about her half brother. She needed him to hold her close to him and reassure her that she was safe. "No one's going to blame you for getting to safety when dealing with Freddy. But how'd you even find out?"
Freddy didn't seem like the type of person to let Claudine go once she'd found out that he was on the Isle after all.
"Phil texted me! The Brat's brother, I've been living with her family or at Auradon Prep—God Henry I thought Freddy was going to kill me! I...I needed to be here. I needed to be with you."
"It's okay, I've got you," Henry said softly, continuing to rub her back even as he ever so slightly tightened his grip on her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ryan come to relive him for watch and subtly shook his head.
Please mate, I know you'll be happy to see Claudine as well—plus Morgan and Brooke will be over the moon but...can I have her first?
Thankfully Ryan seemed to understand as he nodded slightly after catching Henry's eye and turned to go back into the crew quarters.
"Sorry for almost knocking you over," Claudine said, almost burying her face into Henry's chest.
"It's okay. I'm just glad I recognized it was you before I accidentally hurt you," Henry told her. "I love you too much to want to do that."
Claudine smiled at him as she looked up. "I love you too. There...there was no place I'd rather be even if it's not the safest compared to Auradon. When I'm with you...I'm home."
"You've always got a place here," Henry promised.
Claudine gave him another smile before resting her head on his chest. "I know I'm about to sound prissy but...I'm so scared. This is the third time Freddy's been able to escape Auradon's clutches. Is this just going to be some mindless circle?"
Henry shook his head. "If I know Mal and Uma, they'll make sure this is the last time. For both Freddy and Audrey. Honestly Mal's more likely to finish what she started at Cotillion than give Freddy a fourth chance."
"Is...is it bad that I don't feel sad for him? That I feel relieved?"
"No...it's perfectly understandable," Henry said, not wanting to bring up the fact that the Rats would probably party to the break of dawn the day Freddy died.
"It'll be over," Claudine sighed. "We can finally be together. No more of one of us being separated."
"You...you waited for me?" Henry asked.
"Of course I did!" Claudine told him, looking up at Henry with her eyes wide in shock. "Henry I love you, and only you! Of course I would have waited for you to come to Auradon! Besides...i made a promise to myself that I'd wait. I wasn't going to make you a hypocrite even if we both knew this wasn't a fling."
"I just thought...there might have been someone in Auradon," Henry said softly. "Someone who can do more for you physically than I can...like you said, Aurora and Phillip have a son...a Prince—."
"There's too much of an age gap there and in all honesty it'd be like Mal dating Hadie," Claudine told him, having met the little Godling while she was in Auradon. "You are the only one for me. I love you."
"I love you too," Henry said as the two of them shared a tender kiss. "I missed you."
"I've missed you too," Claudine whispered to him, Henry's hand cupping her cheek as she leaned into his touch. Henry took a deep breath as he looked at her.
I've got to be completely out of my mind but in all honesty it's now or never, he thought as his fingers brushed over the silver chain of the medallion his mother had given him before she died. It was probably the most cherished possession he had—and yet it was probably the only thing he could use if he was going to do the thing 'properly' so to speak.
"This is probably the most ill timed and the least romantic thing I've ever considered doing but I...I don't care," he murmured. He took off his medallion and held it in his hands; dropping down on one knee. "Claudine, I love you. I know it's probably the worst time to ask this but all I know is that I never want to be apart from you again. Marriage was never a thing on the Isle but Mal's proven that a VK can get that happy ending all of Boreadon gets. I completely understand if you slap me for this but...will you marry me?"
Claudine gasped. Henry had hardly ever taken off his medallion and she knew how much his mother meant to him. She'd been a low tiered villain of the Isle, not even a villain technically but thrown on the Isle regardless. For him to use the medallion...
Okay, silence is never a good sign, Henry thought as he braced himself for a slap. Granted, I did just propose as she's frightened for her life. Gods help me, I should get more sleep.
"Yes!"
"Yes? You...you said yes?" Henry reiterated, a megawatt grin growing on his face.
"Of course I did!" Claudie exclaimed, throwing herself at him and wrapping her arms around his neck. Henry chuckled and toppled over, still on one knee, but wrapped his arms around Claudine as he brought her into for a hug.
"I'll get you a ring at some point, I promise," he whispered.
"I don't need a ring," Claudine said softly. "I didn't say yes for a ring. I said yes for the guy asking."
Henry gave her a small smile. "Well then, I want you to have this," he said as he put the medallion in her hands. "So there's something of mine with you when you go back to Auradon...and I'll hopefully be right behind you once I get someone to replace me as acting Captain."
"Henry, isn't this...I can't take this..."
"I want you to have it," Henry said softly. "I know my mother probably intended for it to get pawned away if I needed to get food after she...but I couldn't. It was the only thing I had of hers...and you're the only one I can think to give it to."
He got up, not without difficulty as Claudine was still on him, and went to put it gently around her neck. Claudine gave him a small smile and pulled her hair back to help him.
"It looks good on you," Henry said, his voice soft as he gave her a small smile. "A lot better than it did on me."
"It looked pretty good on you," Claudine said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. She couldn't help the few tears of delight that leaked from her eyes. Finally she'd be able to be with Henry no matter what.
"What's wrong?" Henry asked, seeing the tears running down her cheeks. "Did...did you want a ring? Was it a bad time? Should I have not asked the—?"
"Shut it," Claudine said, kissing him gently on the lips. Henry smiled and quickly kissed her back.
"I'm happy Henry," she said as they separated. "More than you know."
"Good," Henry said, his lips only barely leaving hers. "I love you. So much."
"I love you too." Claudine said. "We should stand up. Someone's going to be around to relieve you for watch and if they found us...on the deck like this...well it's probably not the best look huh?"
"No but who cares? Unless it's Brooke who comes to relieve me, none of the guys have room to talk and you're my fiancee now so it's definitely not a fling," Henry murmured. "But anyway it's Ryan next but I will agree on getting up. Let's get you to bed. You must be tired."
Claudine smiled as they got up, Henry gently holding her hands as he helped her to her feet.
"Come on, we'll deal with Freddy in the morning," he said, kissing the top of her head before looking over his shoulder. "And now you can come out Ry."
"Alright," Ryan said as he walked up. "Hey Claudine...congrats mate. I...I may have been eavesdropping. And welcome back Captainess."
"Thank you Ryan," Claudine said with a small smile. And I think Henry won't be the only VK boy joining me when I go back to Auradon. You've been on the Isle too long Ryan, besides CJ misses you, she thought.
"That's not a word mate," Henry said with a chuckle.
"Semantics. You're our captain, she agreed to marry you...she's our captainess," Ryan said with a slight shrug causing Claudine to giggle.
"Yes well, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to make sure my fiancee gets some sleep," Henry said with a small smile.
"By all means," Ryan said as he passed them to go on the deck.
"Let me know if you see anything," Henry told him as they made their way down to the crew's quarters.
"Rodger that."
"Good," Henry nodded as he made his way into the crew's quarters. He meant what he said—he'd worry about Freddy in the morning.
Claudine smiled as they sat down on Henry's mattress, Henry gently pulling her toward him to hold her in his arms. "I've missed being here."
"I've missed having you here," Henry murmured, holding her close. "You comfy?"
Claudine nodded, curling up into him. "Never better."
"Good," Henry said, kissing the top of her head. "Sure you don't want your jacket on?"
"I'm sure. If I get cold, I can just cuddle with you."
Henry chuckled. "Get some sleep."
"As long as you do the same," Claudine told him. Henry seemed almost dead on his feet when she had first seen him but now...there was a spark back to him. "I'm never leaving you again."
"And I'm not leaving you again either," Henry whispered.
"You never did..."
"I didn't go with you to Auradon..."
"You couldn't."
"I could have, if I wanted to. Ryan and Derek are my seconds, they could have led the crew."
Claudine looked up at him. "Henry, the crew's your family. I'm the girl you knew for a few years. I understood. Anyway, I'm glad you didn't come with me. Because then you wouldn't be here right now to be with me."
Henry smiled slightly, kissing the top of her head once more. The two of them drifted off, Claudine feeling safe for the first time since getting Phil's text and Henry feeling whole for the first time since Claudine had gone to Auradon.
Life wasn't always good for the kids of the Isle but for right now, Henry could have sworn that his life had always been perfect. It was as if he had his own personal bit of sun—and he wasn't going to let her go this time.