I Missed You

Well, this is it. The last chapter. I want to say thank you to everyone who's been following or favouriting my story, and especially everyone who took the time to leave a review. This was my first ever fanfiction story, and I'm kind of sad that it's finished now. :( So if you enjoyed the story, or if you have any advice or constructive critism, please leave a review. I don't really know what to write about next, so feel free to leave suggestions. I hope you like the ending!

For a second, Violet just stood, open mouthed in the rain. Then someone threw a blanket around her shoulders and hurried her below deck.

'Come along, madam, into the dry.'

Violet looked up in surprise. 'Peter!'

For a minute, Peter Calamy looked confused. Then recognition dawned. 'Victor! Erm, Violet, even! Goodness, it's been a long time!'

'Yes, it has.' Violet surveyed her friend. He was much taller now, his face wasn't so round and childish-looking, and he had several new, small scars on his cheek. 'What gave you those?' she pointed to his cheek.

Peter touched his cheek selfconsciously. 'Oh, this. Scurvy, would you believe? I lost all my hair. It's grown back now, thank goodness.'

Violet laughed awkwardly, and then silence fell between. Peter looked uncomfortable, and Violet suddenly felt too tired to speak.

'You look exhausted.' Peter finally said. 'Captain Aubrey said that you and your aunt can have his room. I'll take you there now and get you some dry clothes.'

Violet wanted to wait and see that her aunt was safe, and then she wanted to speak to Jack, although she had no idea what to say. But somehow she could not summon up the energy to argue.

Peter showed her into Captain Aubrey's cabin. 'Wait here, and I'll find you some dry clothes.'

He was only gone a few minutes, but when he returned, he saw that Violet had crawled into the only available bed, wet clothes and all, and was fast asleep.

Violet awoke a few hours later, just before the dawn, shivering violently. Her dress and hair were still wet, and felt like ice against her skin. In the pre-dawn gloom, she discerned her aunt, sleeping on a hastily constructed hammock. A pile of neatly folded clothes lay on a table her bed. She stumbled out of bed, trying not to wake her aunt, and struggled out of her soaking dress and into the dry ones. She left her dress where it fell and crawled blearily back into bed, and slept like the dead, still shivering uncontrollably.

Violet did not wake up in the morning. Jane Tavers ran out of the cabin, and blundered about in the huge ship for a while before she found her way onto deck. 'Captain Aubrey!' she called across the ship. Some of the sailors were unaware of last night's events, and stared at her in surprise as she rushed over to Jack.

'What is it?'

'It's Violet,' Jane replied, slightly breathless. 'She won't wake up, and she has a fever, but she won't stop shivering.'

Jack looked grim. He followed Jane down to the cabin. Violet was deathly pale, with dark circles under her eyes, and it looked as if she had been tossing and turning all night. A faint sheen of sweat lay over her.

'Fetch Doctor Maturin.' was all Jack said.

Stephen examined Violet, and looked grim. 'She has a bad fever,' he explained in a low voice to Jack, 'and I don't like the sound of her chest.' his eye fell on her still wet dress on the floor. 'Please tell me she didn't sleep in that.'

'You fool!' Jack roared. Peter Calamy stood, stock still, lips pressed together. He looked terrified. 'Do you mean to say,' Jack continued, 'that you allowed her to sleep in those wet clothes? I thought I said...'

'I did bring her dry clothes...'

'Do not interrupt me!'

Peter fell silent. Jack passed a hand restlessly over his hair. He looked up and saw Peter's face. 'Go on.' he said icily.

'I showed her into the cabin, and went to fetch her dry clothes,' Peter continued quietly, 'I was only gone a few minutes, and she was already in bed and asleep. I didn't realise how wet she was, or I certainly would have woken her. I am sorry, sir.' he bit his lip.

Jack sighed deeply. 'It is not your fault, I suppose. We must just pray that it is not pneumonia. Although Dr Maturin thinks it is very likely. It would be terrible if she died now, after all she has been through.' he added quietly. 'You may go.'

Peter turned to go, then hesitated and turned back, 'How do you think I feel, sir? I may have killed my friend.' he murmured, then left hastily.

Two days later Stephen made his way to the first lieutenant's cabin, where Jack was now sleeping.

'Jack, I need to speak to you.'

Jack was bent over a small wooden table, which was completely covered with maps, pens, telescopes and such. 'Can it wait? I'm busy.'

'No, it can't. It's about Violet.'

Jack put down his pen. 'I'm listening.'

'Well, it isn't pneumonia.'

'I would say that that's good news, but you look so grave I know it isn't.'

'It is some kind of fever, and it shows no sign of improving. And I think it may be contagious.'

'Really?' Jack's face paled. 'Not the plague?'

'No, no, I would have recognized that at once.'

Jack breathed out in relief.

'Truth be told, Jack, I don't know what it is. But one of the sailors that came on board with Violet and her aunt has fallen ill.'

'Oh no.'

'Oh yes. James, I believe his name is. His brother Harry has volunteered to take care of him, as has the young boy Jacob who came with them. Miss Tavers says she will take care of Violet.' he took a deep breath. 'We need to think about quarantine, Jack. Harry says that his brother has has symptoms for a few days now – fever, a rasping cough – but ignored them. I would like to have them relocated to the surgery.'

'You may put the sailors in the surgery. I'm sure Violet and Miss Tavers will be more comfortable in my cabin.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes. I'm quite comfortable here.'

Stephen flicked his eyes around the tiny, damp, cobwebby cabin. 'I'm sure.'

'So what we do now?'

'We wait. They may recover.' But I doubt it, he added in his head.

Thirteen days after her arrival on the HMS Surprise, Violet woke up. She stared up at wooden ceiling in confusion. Where am I? She sat up and nearly fell out of the hammock. Ohh. I'm on the Surprise! Of course! She looked around. This cabin was very big. There were books everywhere, and a large table with maps spread over it, and various nautical intruments. So where on the Surprise am I? And where is Aunt Jane? In the corner, she spotted a violin-shaped case. A violin? Am I in Jack Aubrey's cabin? And if so, why?

She tried to get up, but to her surprise, her legs gave way and she fell on the floor in an ungraceful heap. The door flew open and Stephen rushed in. 'Violet! You're awake!' he looked geniunely delighted, and swept her up into his arms. 'Jack will be delighted. We thought you were a goner.'

'What? Why?' Violet looked up at him bewildered, and tried to stand up again. 'Why can't I stand?'

'You can't remember?'

'Remember what? What happened? Why am I in here? Where's my aunt?' To her horror, Violet felt tears pricking at her eyes.

'Here. Sit down.' Stephen steered her over to a chair, and she dropped into it gratefully. 'Oh dear. You see, you've been very ill, my dear. I still don't know what it was, some kind of fever I think. One of the sailors who came on board with you, James, fell ill about the same time as you. I'm afraid he's died. The fever seems to be contagious, so you had to be quarantined. Jacob Marley, a young boy who came on board with you, he'd died too. He was taking care of James and caught it from him. You and Harry Evans are the only ones who survived.'

Violet looked up sharply. 'The only ones? What about my aunt? Jane Tavers? What about her?'

Stephen looked away. 'I'm sorry, Violet. She died only last night.'

Violet's eyes blurred with tears. 'She's dead? Aunt Jane? Did she catch it from me?'

Stephen bit his lip and nodded. 'Here. I'll get you some food. I'm so sorry.'

'I don't want any food.'

'You need to eat. You haven't eaten at all since you came on board, and barely drank anything. The fever's made you terribly weak, that's why you can't stand. Wait here. I'll have you fit and healthy in no time.'

Violet barely heard him. I've lost everyone. Everyone who ever cared for me is gone. What am I going to do? I'm on a ship bound for England. I've got no money, no friends, no future.

'Here.' A bowl of stew and a piece of bread appeared under her nose. 'Eat up.'

'Thank you Stephen.' she mumbled.

'Stephen? I never thought I'd see the day I was mistaken for Stephen.'

Violet looked up sharply to see that it wasn't Stephen at all, it was Jack Aubrey.

'Oh. Sorry.' a tear dripped into the stew.

'I'm sorry about your aunt.' Jack pulled up a chair next to her and leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

'Yes.' Violet replied shortly. She wished he would go away, at least until she'd finished crying.

'You're probably wondering what you're going to do know.'

'How did you know?' Violet remarked bitterly.

'I thought...er...' Jack coughed awkwardly. I really should have rehearsed this, he thought. 'Your aunt talked to me when she realised she was falling ill...' he stopped as Violet gave a miserable sniff, '...and asked me to tell you...in the event of her...er...not recovering...that I would give you this address.' he fumbled in his coat pocket and handed her a scrap of paper with a London address on it. 'She said to ask for Mr Montegue. He is her banker. Apparently you inherit all of her property and money.'

Violet gaped. Jack took this a sign to continue. 'She explained that she is not a rich woman, but she has some saving, as well as a small house in Yorkshire. Enough for you to live comfortably.' Violet looked up at him for a moment, then burst into floods of fresh tears. Jack stood there uncomfortably for a moment or two, then decided it was time to leave.

'You told her now?' Stephen asked incredulously.

'Yes, whyever not?' Jack looked worried.

'Because she has only just found out that her beloved aunt is dead! And then you go barging in telling her all about her inheritance!'

'What's wrong with that?'

'She doesn't want to hear about her interitance! She's grieving! Oh Jack, you've put your foot in it there. Really, you say I'm the one who has no social skills.'

'Oh dear.'

'Yes. Oh dear. You should apologize. Not now!' he added hastily as Jack headed for the door. 'Give her a while.'

Two months later

'Jack, when I said, "give her a while", I did not mean you should ignore her for months. We land in England in less than a week! When we land, she will leave, forever, thinking that you don't care about her at all. I thought you valued her friendship?'

'I do, I do.' Jack sighed heavily. 'I've been busy, Stephen. And I feel a fool.'

Stephen snorted. 'It isn't like you to be shy.'

'I am not shy. I am busy. There is a difference.'

'Of course.'

'It is true!'

'If you say so.'

Jack glared at his friend and muttered under his breath.

'Anyway,' Stephen continued, tuning his cello, I still need an assistant. Could you find someone when we land?'

'You shouldn't be so choosy with your assistants.'

'I haven't found anyone who I like well enough and who has the necessary skill. I still wish we could have Violet.'

'Well, we can't. Now, if you'll excuse me.' Jack headed up on deck, weaving through groups of sailors. He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he nearly tripped over a bucket of dirty, soapy water. He knew exactly where to find Violet. At the bow of the ship, staring ahead out to see. She did not notice him until he coughed loudly. She jumped, then smiled. 'Captain Aubrey, I thought you weren't going to speak to me ever again. I couldn't think what I'd done wrong.'

'Ah,' Jack laughed awkwardly. 'I'm afraid that was my fault. Stephen pointed out I'd been a little tactless, telling you all about your inheritance immediately after you'd lost your aunt. He suggested I give you time to grieve before I apologized. So, accept my apologies. Better late than never.'

Violet giggled. 'I suppose.' her smile faded. 'I miss her, you know. My aunt. Far more than I'd ever imagined.'

Jack leant his elbows on the railings and stared out to sea. Violet copied him. 'I'm sorry I didn't get to know Miss Tavers properly.' he said quietly.

'You'd have liked her. Victor always said I was exactly like her. He didn't get on with her at all. He didn't get on with me either.' she added under her breath.

Jack heard, and looked at her sharply. 'I thought you and your brother were very close?'

'We were. I guess in the time we were apart we both changed completely. He don't dislike each other, we just have nothing in common anymore. It's sad. I feel like I've lost another friend. And I can't afford to be losing friends.'

'I think you have more friends than you think.'

'Like who?'

'Peter Calamy, for instance. Stephen thinks very highly of you. He still complains that he can't have you as a surgeon's assistant on a permanent basis.'

'Believe me, I wish I could be.'

'Really?'

'Of course. I enjoyed every minute of my time working as a sailor. Well. Maybe not every moment, but most of them. I envy you, Jack, I really do.'

Jack smiled. A comfortable silence fell between them.

'Anyway, that's only two friends you've named,' Violet grinned wickedly. 'Come on. Tell me all about these myriads of friends I'm supposed to have.'

'Well, William Blakeney. He's never forgotton how you nursed him when he lost his arm. And...' Jack hesitated, '...you have me.'

Violet turned bright red and quickly looked out to sea again. Jack waited a few seconds, then changed the subject. 'You must be looking forward to having your own house.'

'What?' Violet looked blank.

'Your aunt's house in Yorkshire.' Jack prompted.

'Oh yes. That. I suppose so. I'll be dreadfully lonely though. I'm terribly restless. Mother always said it was an awful quality for a young lady to have. I suppose I'm going to have to get married.' she risked a look at Jack, out of the corner of her eye. She felt her cheeks going red again. Damn my stupid blushing. Oh dear, he looks awkward. This is what comes from dropping gigantic hints about marriage. 'I'm not very subtle,' she said aloud, then gasped. 'Oh no. Did I say that out loud?'

Jack tried unsuccessfully to keep the smile from his face, then burst out laughing. Wonderful. Now I look like a fool. Violet turned to walk off, but Jack reached out and grabbed her hands. 'Oh no,' he laughed, grinning from ear to ear. 'You're not getting off so easily. Violet, I have rehearsed a speech in my head to try and tell you how I feel. It is no doubt the stupidest, clumsiest speech known to man, so it's probably for the best that I haven't said it.

You have grown from being a precocious, accident-prone midshipman to an excellent sailor, and the lovely young woman you are now. I have thought of you as a friend for a long time now. I didn't realise how much I missed you until you were gone, and...' he stopped for a second, then continued. 'I love you, Violet. I would consider myself the luckiest of men if you would agree to be my wife.'

For once Violet found herself speechless. Jack waited a moment, then raised an eyebrow. 'Your silence is not promising.'

'That was...formal.' Violet managed.

'Yes. I'm not particularly eloquent, as Stephen will tell you. So, is that a...' he didn't get to finish, and Violet threw her arms round his neck and kissed him.

'Is that a yes?' he managed after a few minutes.

'Yes,' Violet giggled, 'Yes it is!'

Stephen went up on the deck to find Jack, and stopped short at the sight of Jack and Violet standing together at the bow, Jack's arm around herwaist, and Violet leaning her head against his chest. It looked very much like a lover's cuddle, and Stephen decided it would be best not to interrupt.

However, as he was sneaking back down the steps, Jack called out, 'Stephen?'

Stephen froze. 'Er...yes, Jack?'

'I was just wondering, do you still need a surgeon's assistant?'

The End