Hypothermia and lurking evil

[Fiona POV]

After I was pushed to the sea I tried swimming to the ship, well thankful for my father who forcefully taught me how to swim, but the waves don't seem to be on my side.

Why haven't they noticed me missing? I ask myself as I try to fight the cold heavy waves.

My father is clearly scolding me after I told him how I died, by the heavy cold waves, well he would be proud as well of how well I fought.

  I can already see that silly man telling me "at least you died in a way that made headlines, I know there are people in the news talking about your death right now," and my mother scolding him for encouraging me to do bad things.

It wouldn't be that bad if I died, I mean I really miss a homely feeling my parents gave me, I miss the warmth of my mom's hugs, I miss my father's silly pranks.

I keep seeing them as I close my eyes and it motivates me to swim even harder, fight the waves and the possible sharks I might encounter, be a survivor so when I die, I have an adventurous story to tell them.

I spent hours at sea, and I was getting tired, and the sun was setting, the waves had washed me so far, I couldn't see the ship anymore, and I was freezing.

After a while I felt something hit my leg, shark? I have to die in an excruciating way, being mulled by a shark.

"Ugh... shark? Please be gentle when you tear me apart" I yell, well it is quite softer than my usual yelling voice, must be the lack of stamina after swimming for hours.

But I hear a familiar voice call my name, unexpectedly not Selby or Clover, instead it is Heath. He swiftly wraps his hand around my freezing body, I can't make out if he also fell on the sea like me or he is here to rescue me.

But he keeps telling me I am safe, oh, dear Rose I apologize for cursing at you for not saving Jack, because I now know it was impossible, I tell myself as I feel myself drifting into a very dangerous slumber.

Father always told me my grandfather knew he was dying, I always wonder how, was it the way he felt, did he see heaven? But now I know how he felt, because I am sure this is my last sleep, at least I had a delicious meal as my last meal.

I am trying my best to be positive about the death, but it hurts, I don't want to die like this, I don't want to die lonely, dread, pain wash over me and I start crying, as I close my eyes.

As I open my eyes again, they are less heavy, I feel warmer, "Ugh…." I groan with the sudden pain and dizziness that washes over me.

"Fee..." I hear a voice call out, Clover, with red eyes pouting angrily, "you are okay," she says before launching herself unto me.

The room was unfamiliar it was not like those cabins in the ship, they had proper medical machines, "where am I?" I manage to get the words out with Clover squeezing me to death.

"Safe, you are safe," Clover mutters as she hugs me closely, I like the warmth it is nothing like the icy cold waves I fought, I like it.

I could feel tears fall down my cheeks, I was happy to be safe, at least father wouldn't be so mad at me when I saw him.

I look at the door to see half asleep Heath who seemed to be in tears as well, "thank you," I mouth to him, recalling how he held me tightly when I was giving up. He nods and smiles before leaving the room.

We had already arrived in Madagascar, Selby was able to fill me in some details, I have been out for an entire day, the doctors said I suffered from hypothermia.

"Heath hadn't slept since he rescued you, I think I saw him cry," Selby tells me, "you should thank him, he went above and beyond to rescue you."

"I will…. I will thank him," I says softly, "if he comes visit, he hasn't come back since I woke up."

"Oh… yeah we finally convinced him to sleep so he will come back after he wakes up," Selby says, "get some rest you need it."

I was able to rest, but I still wondered who pushed me in the water? It wasn't Carl, we might have some differences, but he would try and kill me, and he is too much of a coward to do it.

"What are you doing?" I wake up startled with Heath's angry voice, as I open my eyes, I find Carl looming over me with a pillow in his hand.

"Um…. Well, I wanted to place the pillow in a much comfortable way, she was hurting her neck," Carl explains, I feel uneasy, could he be the one who is trying to kill me.

"Leave it, you are not a professional," Heath exclaims angrily.

"It is okay, he was just trying to help," I defend, though I do not trust Carl, but I don't think he is trying to harm me, and he meant well.

Heath had ignored my plea before walking to Carl and snatching the pillow from his hand. He then gently sat on the bed before placing it under my resting head making sure I was comfortable.

"Wow, you are quite caring huh boss man?" Carl asks bitterly, it was the first time I had seen him direct such an attitude towards Heath.

"You have a problem with that Carl?" Heath asks, standing up so he can look straight in Carl's eyes.

"No… I was just…. Curious you know, you two just met and you know how I feel about Fiona," Carl stutters.

"No, I don't know how you feel about her and but you not caring about her disappearance might have given me an idea," Heath says, almost as if he was accusing Carl of pushing me.

"Can you two not argue in my hospital room? It is very uncomfortable," I say firmly, Carl had taken a deep breath with my words but Heath still looked ready for a fight.

"I will go and see what the other are doing," Carl says, "great to see you are okay Fiona."

Carl had rushed away from the room like he was chased, leaving Heath who still looked very angry and I.

"Thank you," I say making Heath turn away from the door to look at me, "you saved my life, thank you."

He hesitantly relaxed before walking closer to sit on the bed, "you don't need to thank me, I was happy to do it."

"Still, I am thankful I mean enough for you to go searching for me," I say bitterly, I know for him I was just some other girl he slept with, but I liked to think I was different, he was different this time.

He looked straight to my eyes, his grey eyes shined with anger, concern and sadness, "what made you think you didn't mean anything to me, I have told you time and time again, I want to love you."

I wanted to laugh at his face but the vulnerability in his eyes made me want to believe him, believe that there is a man in this world that could love me, love me unconditionally.

"You can't love me Heath, it is impossible," I say, stonewalling that is what my therapist says I suffer from, but as soon as I say that he doesn't waver, nor does his eyes display sadness.

He simply just clutches my cheeks together, "watch me," he gently whispers closing the gap between our lips before swallowing my lips elegantly.

I couldn't help but kiss him back, I am afraid, but as much as I am afraid to be hurt again, I am also afraid I might lose something beautiful because of fear.

"Oh...…" I hear Selby yell, I quickly pulled back from the kiss, but I know it is too late, I look at the door to see Selby with her mouth and eyes wide open is shock, Heath giggles as he sees Selby, this is getting messier.

Once one person knows then it will no longer be a secret, ugh of all people it has to be Selby, this cruise is not going as peaceful as I wanted.