Title: Aftermath
Summary: Jimmy grieves. Captain Englehorn contemplates his crew, mostly Jimmy, and Kong. Missing scene we never do get a second look at Englehorn's crew before the movie takes us back to NY
Pairing: Allusions to Jack & Ann
Rating: PG-13
Spoiler: Character death.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I'm not making any money. ;)
Englehorn saw to it that the remainder of his crew were holding together, now the adrenaline was wearing off their injuries were apparent and dangerous. He checked on bandaged limbs, searched pale faces and haunted eyes for the grim determination he knew was within each of them, and hoped he had enough crew members left to make the journey back to America.
He glanced at the deck, imagining he could hear the beast below in the cargo bay. Denham was down there with Baxter and any others who were able enough to tie knots, securing their fortune and the recompense of lost friends. An ape for half of his crew. Englehorn was embittered by it, soothed only by reminding himself; they died as heroes. As honourable men, fighting for what they believed in.
His instincts told him to leave, leave Skull Island and leave the damned ape where it belonged. The place was condemning, it pressed in on him - on all of them - ominous and unbearable. He knew he would ignore it though, the feeling of wrongness. Not for the money or the glory, but for the men that had lost their lives. He would not let their deaths be for nothing.
The captain's gaze landed on Jimmy, the boy was hunched over his arm, swabbing at a nasty graze with trembling hands. His hair was plastered to his head and he shivered, he was soaked though. Driscoll was there a moment later, embracing him, fiercely reassuring. Englehorn began to stride over, it was his job to look after his crew after all, though he would not coddle or mother anyone. He was no Samaritan, no Hayes, but he was that boy's captain and Jimmy deserved to know that, sure as the tides, that meant Jimmy had to be onboard.
He worried that what Hayes had restored of his fragile mind would shatter under the strain of such a sudden, cruel loss. Englehorn vowed he would not lose another man to the creature below deck. He'd be damned if he'd leave it all up that American to fix this either. He pulled Driscoll by the shoulder, gesturing for him to get up,
"Mister Driscoll, I think your woman awaits." Englehorn told him, raising his chin. Subtlety was lost on him, he may as well have said 'leave now', but Driscoll was already far away judging by the dreamy expression that had crossed his features as he looked to Ann. Englehorn wasn't sure which bemused him more, Americans or men in love. Driscoll happened to be both. He clapped the man on the back, propelling him forwards,
"Don't look. Go."
He watched the writer's back as he went, his fingers itching towards his cigarettes. He resisted, sitting down on the deck beside Jimmy.
"Sir, I'll return to my duties at once,"
Jimmy began, his voice strained but unwavering. He swiped across his face with the backs of his hands and sniffed. Englehorn's hand on his shoulder as he went to stand grounded him. Blue eyes already filling with tears again glanced up briefly at the stoic captain.
"Hayes was a good man." Englehorn said with a nod.
His hand stayed on the boy's shoulder, and now he related somewhat to Driscoll's desire to embrace him. It was difficult not to want to look after this one. Despite all he had seen, all that haunted him, he retained a feeling of innocence and perpetual wonder. The captain cursed himself for going against his rule of not mothering, but at the mention of Hayes's name Jimmy had crumbled, his head resting on Englehorn's shoulder. He hugged him awkwardly, one-armed and tight.
"I believe," Englehorn continued, he didn't need to snap his fingers to call Jimmy back to him. "that he taught you to be a good man Jimmy."
The boy hid his face in the captain's shoulder, not wanting to cry again but helpless to it.
"There is no shame in grief. Hey." Englehorn told him, scooping up Jimmy's hat from the deck with his free hand and putting it back on the boy's . Jimmy's thanks were muffled.
"Are you here with me Jimmy?" Englehorn asked, pulling back. He looked down into a tear-stained face and eyes tinted with hope, underneath the shadow of loss.
"Yes sir. I won't let you down sir."
Englehorn smiled briefly, squeezing the boy's shoulder. That phrase had become quite a trademark from Jimmy.
"You haven't yet." Englehorn replied, standing and helping Jimmy up.
The cabin was awful empty without Mister Hayes. Jimmy listened to the whir of the ship and the clank of the engine, fancying he could hear the beast's drum-beat heart. He appreciated the skipper being so nice to him, why, even letting Jimmy cry all over him like he did and not letting him feel small about it. He tried to think about Mister Driscoll too, he surely was a good man, a real hero - just like Mister Hayes - Jimmy was sick of crying, and every thought came back to Mister Hayes eventually. He had been everything to Jimmy.
He fancied he could hear the nighttime waves against the ship.
'Don't make me regret it, Jimmy.' Mister Hayes's words plagued him still. Worse than the terrible heaviness that had settled upon him with loss and longing was the thought of Mister Hayes being all alone at the bottom of that valley, crushed and broken. Jimmy had left him there all by himself, and Mister Hayes hadn't ever left Jimmy alone. Not ever.
Jimmy knew that if he hadn't been there, Mister Hayes wouldn't have had anybody to be trying to save. Jimmy had wanted to prove he was a man, he wanted to rescue Ann and make sure she was safe. He wanted to make sure nothing happened to Mister Hayes. Wasn't anybody he would have been protecting, if Jimmy hadn't insisted on coming along.
It wasn't right, leaving him there on that damned island. Jimmy would have felt better if they could have given him a proper goodbye, out in the blue. Not just leaving him there.
He began to cry again, despite how he didn't want to. He sobbed louder when there was no soothing voice, no strong arms to envelop him and pull him close and promise him he wasn't alone. Because he was, Jimmy realised. Without Mister Hayes, Jimmy was all by himself again.