The crew celebrated as they headed back to the spaceport, everyone was glowing with joy. Delbert was attending to the Captain and Anthony since they both obtained injuries during the adventure, Silver was driving the ship and Y/n and Jim were peering over the rail.
Jim looked over at Y/n who was leaning on the railing, she had the journal out and was jotting down notes of their prior experiences. So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours that she wanted to record. He couldn't help but just stare at Y/n. She was also still wearing his jacket, it looked nice on her.
Y/n looked up from her messy hair to see Jim glimpsing at her. Y/n smiled at him but soon her smile turned into a frown. "What's wrong?" Jim whispered as he approached Y/n, "We're home."
"What's going to happen when we get back?" Y/n asked disturbed. "I mean we hardly ever looked at each other." Jim didn't want things to go back to the way things were, where he and Y/n barely spoke. When he was always mad and fought with his mother. When he got in trouble with the law. Jim wanted to be with Y/n. He loved her and she needed to know.
"Y/n," Jim struggled to say, he rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to find the right words. " being with you is different, like, I know who I am when I'm around you." Y/n gave Jim a confused face, she was wondering where he was going with this. "What I'm trying to say is..." Jim could feel his face growing hot. He could get in trouble with the law, fly his solar surfer into a fiery pit, he even could face Mr. Scoop in a daring sword fight. But no matter how hard he tried to find the words he couldn't tell Y/n how much he liked her.
'Do it now!' he said to himself in fear, 'just say it!'
Jim looked at Y/n who waited patiently for him to finish his troubled thoughts. "What I'm trying to say is," Jim said as he nervously took Y/n's hands into his own. "I don't want this to end, I don't want us to end. I love you Y/n." There it was Jim had finally said it, he waited patiently for Y/n's response.
She glowed at Jim's confession. Y/n placed her journal back into her bag as she turned to face the dish boy who she was completely in love with. She then placed her hands on his chest and leaned in slowly while closing her eyes for a kiss. Jim smiled as he placed his hands on her back and pulled her into a soft kiss. They pulled apart with a soft glow. "Everything's gonna change now," Jim whispered as he deeply looked into Y/n's eyes.
"Yes it will," Y/n whispered back, "but this time for the better!"
While departing the ship Anthony had his arm around Jim's shoulder for support. "I haven't seen this many people in years," he said wide-eyed, "even though I'm not much for a crowd I've missed seeing faces."
Y/n smirked as she saw her father's beaming eyes, "welcome home," she said softly.
Anthony smiled at Y/n as he looked back at his only daughter, "My home is wherever you are my little Comet." He said softly.
Jim helped the older man walk into the crowd. "We need to get you guys to a doctor," Jim insisted as he looked back at Amelia and Anthony.
"Already on it Jim," Delbert said as he helped Amelia out of the ship, "I'll ring up the best Doctor Montressor has to offer," Delbert said with pride.
"I thought you were the best Doctor Montressor had to offer," Jim heckled Delbert while winking at Y/n.
Y/n chuckled as she rolled her eyes. Even when he wasn't trying to be, Jim was ever so charming. "Don't worry Delbert," Y/n said as she placed her hand on his back, "We'll be home-" It had just occurred to Y/n that her house had burnt down only months before the expedition. It wasn't just an Inn it was where she grew up, where her mother took refuge on that fateful stormy night.
They arrived at the door of Delbert's mansion. Y/n ran her fingers through her hair to look presentable for her mother, ironically Anthony was doing the same thing. Silver smiled at the similarity between them.
Isla opened the door to see one of her broken dreams coming true. "Anthony?!" Isla didn't even wait for his introduction she jumped into his (wounded) arms.
"Ilsa!" Anthony said back, it was a name he longed to say.
Not soon after Sarah came running through the door "Jim!" she yelled as she kissed her only baby, "Oh thank goodness you're safe!" Just then it had hit him. Jim didn't need his dad, he had all the family he ever needed right here.
Jim and Y/n looked at each other as the families rejoiced. Isla and Sarah looked at each other as if they had seen into the future. Somehow they knew that Jim and Y/n would end up together.
✵✵✵
As silly as it sounds their first night back was a sleepless last night, Jim tossed and turned in the spare room in Delbert's house. Y/n got a chance to wash up in her room, it was nice to get cleaned and to have a princess-like bed to herself. Y/n slipped into some fresh pyjamas and tried her best to close her eyes for a good night's rest. But she couldn't, all she could think about was Jim.
Jim slept on his stomach and then twisted onto his back, he even got so mad that he threw the pillow on the floor. It was driving him crazy to think that Y/n was on the opposite side of the mansion, back on the ship he knew that she was just a couple of feet away from him. He knew that it's something went wrong she was safe with Captain Amelia and that she could get to her quickly, but she was away from him further than she had been in a long time.
"Forget it," Jim huffed as he threw the covers off his body and headed for the door. He quietly walked down the hall to Y/n's room, 'what am I doing?' he asked himself as he raised his hand to knock on the door. Just then to his surprise, Y/n opened it before he could even knock.
"Jim?!" Y/n whispered-shouted as her eyes lit up.
"Hey," Jim said trying to sound as casual as he could. "I- eh," Jim said referring to the fact he couldn't sleep.
"Me neither," Y/n replied understanding him, she couldn't help but blush. This made Jim chuckle as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"I dunno," Jim started to say, " it's just- I wanna know that you're safe y' know," he said looking back at her, "I just know I won't sleep well tonight." He said with a chuckle.
Y/n smiled at him as he kissed her on the cheek, "good night," he whispered as took one last look at Y/n.
"Wait!" Y/n said as she was struck by an idea. Just then Y/n closed the door to her room leaving a confused Jim to stand outside the hallway. A few seconds later Y/n opened the door slightly out of breath, "here," she said as she showed him her room. Y/n had made a makeshift bed on the floor for him with the comforters off of her bed that way they could both have a good night's rest. "You can stay here tonight if you want to," she offered.
Jim understood that she had made the bed on the floor for him but still wanted to tease her, "aw Y/n, I couldn't ask you to sleep on the floor for me," he said as he playfully grabbed his heart.
"Very funny," Y/n said giving him a fake laugh. Y/n then sat on her humongous bed as she looked at him, Jim. " I'm never going to get tired of this bed," Y/n said as she gestured to the princess-like bed. She had a soft glow about her that Jim loved to see.
Jim chuckled as he lay on the layered floor with blankets and pillows. He was more comfortable being on the floor next to Y/n than being in his own room on his gigantic bed.
Y/n lay down in her own bed with a smile on her face, she let her hand hang off the edge of the bed. Jim grinned as he took it into his own, while lying on the floor Jim took Y/n's hand into his own and gave it a soft kiss, "good night, duchess," he whispered sweetly.
"Good night, Jim," Y/n whispered back to him completely in love.
✵✵✵
The Inn was rebuilt in a flash, everyone helped in one way or another. Thanks to the gold in Silver's pocket they had a little more money left to rebuild the Inn. That night was the unveiling of the Inn and Y/n had the most perfect outfit. She got dressed in a soft violet dress that had pink flowers trailing along the bottom. The party for the new Inn was vibrant, everyone was dancing and laughing.
Y/n looked over to see her parents holding each other in their arms and dancing. Delbert and Captain Amelia sat quietly with their new babies. Ben finally got fixed and began to help around the new and improved Inn. Soon Sarah came up to Y/n, "Have you seen Jim?" She asked looking around. Y/n looked around to try and find him but couldn't.
Just then she felt a tap on her shoulder, "Care to dance?" She heard a voice call to her. Y/n turned around to see a boy with a white suit and short hair. "You look nice," Jim said as he looked at the surprised girl. Y/n could feel her heart pound, she couldn't help but blush at the sight of the new Jim.
"Hi," she said at a loss for words.
"Is something wrong?" He asked with a smile.
"No," Y/n said with a giggle, "I'm just- happy to see you." And with that, the young couple Dance the Night Away. The night was perfect, that was until Jim saw someone at the window
"Jim?" Y/n said as she noticed Jim stop in his tracks, "what's wrong?" she asked him.
"It's Silver," Jim said looking down at Y/n as he still held her close, "it looks like he wants to talk to us."
Hand in hand they walked out of the newly refurbished Inn to meet their old cyborg friend. Jim and Y/n saw Silver in his long coat and pirate hat loading up a truck with his belongings. "Silver?" Jim said as he approached the pirate.
"Ah Jimbo," he said softly as if it hurt to say his name.
"What are you doing?" Y/n asked sadly knowing the answer, Morphed looked at Y/n with big sad eyes.
"I- I can't stay little darlin', dis is a perfect life but- it's not for me," He admitted, "I have to go."
Y/n slowly walked up to the pirate and gave him a soft hug. This broke Silver's heart as he squeezed the girl in the purple dress, "I'll see you again missy don't ye worry." Jim hung back, letting the two have their moment, Silver then looked at Jim with eyes of sorrow.
"I guess," Jim said trying not to get all choked up, "I'll see you around."
"Look at you Jim, glowing like a solar fire, you're gonna rattle the stars," Silver said as he saw Jim gleaming with pride. And with that, they shared one last hug.
"Stay out of trouble, you old scally 'wag," Jim said as he walked by Y/n's side and place a hand on her waist. Morph soon busted into tears as he nuzzled into Y/n's neck. Y/n cradled the pink goop, heartbroken at the parting, he then jumped on Jim's shoulder, "Oh hey Morph, I'll see you around." He said with a soft chuckle. It was clear that Morph still wanted to be with Silver, and as much as it broke Y/n's heart she had to let him go.
"Oh da Capitan gave me a present for you two," Silver said as he dug into his pockets and pulled out two envelopes and handed them to the young couple. "Da Captian was mighty impressed by your Journal Miss Y/n."
"What is this?" Y/n asked as she took the envelope.
"It's a letter of acceptance to the Interstellar Academy, Captain Amelia recommended both of you!"
"Jim!" Y/n yelp in excitement as shoot her head to look at him
"No way!" Jim said as he reread his letter, "I-I don't know what to say."
"Just make me proud," Silver said as he got into his vehicle, "make me proud kids!" And with that, he left Jim and Y/n to think about their futures.
"Are we going to leave, we just got back," Y/n said snapping back to reality. "This is a big step in our lives, Jim," She said worryingly
Jim took Y/n's hand and pulled her close to him. "My future is with you, if you want to stay with our families I understand," he said honestly. "I'll stay with you."
Y/n lost herself once again in the eyes of the blue-eyed boy. "Let's shoot for the stars Jim," she said wanting to go.
With excitement, Jim lifted her into the air and spun her around. Never in their lives have they ever felt so happy, but all of that was about to change.
End of Book 1