This is my first attempt at a King Kong fic. It takes place about a year after the events of the movie.

Chapter One

"He's… gone? Disappeared?" Clytie Seaborne felt her heart skip a beat. "But that can't be right. Just yesterday he sent me a message, saying that he'd found what we've been looking for." Her hands were shaking so badly that she nearly dropped the phone.

"I'm sorry, Clytie," came the voice on the other end of the line. "I really am. Would you like his last transmission?"

Clytie frowned. "You mean, it wasn't to me, his own sister?"

"No… Actually, he sent it to me. Let me see. Here it is. First, he gives his longitude and latitude, then he says, 'Heavy fog. Instruments seem to be acting strangely. Visibility low.'"

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Clytie searched around the phone table for a pen and paper. "Jake, give me that longitude and latitude."

The man on the other end was silent.

"Give it to me, Jake." Her voice was low and cold.

"Clytie… you aren't thinking of… going after him, are you?"

Clytie bit her lip, then took a deep breath. "Yes," she whispered. "He's my brother. What would you do?"

"Haven't you heard all the horror stories about that area of the sea? Don't you remember what happened in New York last year with that animal they brought back?"

"Yes, Jake. I remember."

"All right, Clytie. Here it is." He read out the latitude and longitude that David Seaborne had reported to him last, and Clytie wrote it down. "As if you could even get there," Jake added. "No one is going to be mad enough to take you there."

Then, it hit her. She knew what she had to do. "Jake, thank-you so much for all your help to our family over the years. I have to go."

"Clytie… don't be foolish. David is gone. And don't you even think about--"

Before he could say "hanging up on me," Clytie hung up the phone. She crossed the hall to the small living room, sitting down on the green sofa. She held up the little paper she had written on, memorizing the numbers. "I'm coming, David," she whispered. "Don't worry. Your big sister is on her way."

(LINE)

"Ann, did you see that sad story in the paper?" Jack Driscoll leaned back in his seat at the kitchen table, searching around for his wife.

"Which one?" Ann asked, coming up behind him. She laid a hand on his shoulder and looked over him at the paper. "There are so many."

"The one about that young explorer disappearing at sea. Just two days ago." Jack held up the paper and pointed to the story. Above it was the picture of a young man, probably in his early twenties, handsome, with unruly dark hair and laughing eyes. "His name is David Seaborne. He's an archaeologist, mostly works with shipwrecks. His sister, Clytie, is a well-known marine biologist. Their last name suits them--Seaborne."

Ann frowned. "Clytie Seaborne… Didn't she come to one of our plays?"

Jack raised his eyebrows. "I don't remember."

"Tall, blonde, large green eyes." Ann pointed to the picture. "Doesn't look a thing like him, except maybe in the shape of the eyebrows."

Jack smiled. "My, but you've got a good memory, darling." Then he frowned.

"What is it, Jack?" Ann knew that something was really bothering her husband. "What's bothering you?"

"Look at this." He stood and handed her the paper, pointing to one of the paragraphs.

Ann peered down at the words and read them quietly. "'Mr. Seaborne was last heard from by Jake Atkins, his godfather. His last message, sent in Morse code, gave his location to be quite near the legendary Skull Island, from whence came the tragic beast Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World, who cause such a stir last year.'" Ann looked up from the paper, her eyes large and worried. "Oh, Jack. The island…" She dropped the paper from the table and wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly.

Jack put an arm around her. "I'm sorry that I brought back the memories like that. It wasn't very thoughtful of me, was it?"

Ann closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder. "Jack, what do you think happened to him?"

"I don't know." Jack didn't really want to know. "But if I were his sister, I would want to find out."

"You don't think she'll go after him?"

"She might."

"Jack, I wish we could help her. That brief instant when I met her, I liked her. She is so much like me. But… going back there…" She shivered again, feeling as if Fate was once again drawing her toward Skull Island.

(LINE)

The docks were quiet that night. Few ships were sailing away, and few were sailing in. It was almost too quiet, ominous, maybe. Captain Englehorn felt a bit anxious. Something was going to happen… He could feel it.

Then, something did.

"Are you the captain of this ship?"

He turned around, and for an instant, thought that he was looking at Ann Darrow. Then he realized that this girl was a bit taller, her hair a bit longer and more reddish in color. "Yes. What is it?" What on earth could this girl want with him?

"Well… perhaps you read in the paper about David Seaborne, about how he disappeared."

Now the captain felt distinctly uncomfortable. He had indeed read the story of the ill-fated archaeologist. Skull Island again… That place haunted him with its memories of death and tragedy. "Yes. I read that. What do you want?"

"I'm Clytie Seaborne. David was--is my brother." Clytie felt awkward and a bit guilty. Surely this man would never return to that place. She had heard it rumored that most of his crew had perished on the island where Kong was discovered. How could she ever ask him to go back? For a moment, she hesitated.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Englehorn said quickly. "Now I must go. My ship is still being repaired from our last voyage. It's almost finished now, and I need to see to it that things are going well." He turned away from her and started toward the gangplank.

David… Clytie knew that she could not abandon him. "Wait!"

The ship's captain turned around, narrowing his piercing blue eyes on her.

"Look, David--David needs help. But… no one wants to help him but me. He's my brother. I love him. He would do the same for me. I was wondering if you might consider taking me to that--that place. You've been there before. You're really the only one qualified to help me." She stopped suddenly, realizing how ridiculous she must sound, rambling on like that.

Englehorn was quiet for a moment, studying her intently. Then he spoke. "Do you have any idea what happened on that island?" His voice was low and intense.

"Yes," Clytie answered quietly.

"Do you have any idea what price I had to pay, what price you're asking me to pay again?"

"Yes," she answered even more quietly.

"I lost most of my crew. My ship was badly damaged. And I had a part in bringing that creature back to this country. Do you have any idea what kind of guilt I suffer?"

"I'm sorry." Clytie looked away from him, not willing to meet his eyes. "I shouldn't have even come."

It was on his lips to reply "no, you shouldn't have," but something stopped him. He stood akimbo and studied her carefully. "After knowing all that you know--since you seem to have a good idea of what happened last time--you would still willingly go?"

She looked up at him, met his eyes, and lifted her chin. "Yes. I would."

Instantly, Englehorn admired her for that. "That is very noble," he said quietly.

"He's my brother," she whispered.

"He's probably dead," the captain said plainly.

"I know. But what if he's not? I would never be able to live with myself if I knew that by sitting back and doing nothing, I allowed my brother to suffer." She suddenly realized that the man was reconsidering. His sharp blue eyes, moments ago so cold and hard, were softening. "Think of this--think of this as a chance to make things right, Captain. Going back could--could be a chance for redemption, a chance to end the guilt."

Englehorn was quiet for a moment. He crossed his arms and frowned. Then, abruptly, he gave a sharp laugh. "You are excellent at making speeches, Miss Seaborne. You almost had me convinced." He shook his head. "I cannot do this. I cannot go back."

Clytie felt a sob rising in her throat and fought it down. "You won't go?" she asked, feeling a bit revolted at the squeakiness in her voice.

"No. Nothing could make me go back there." He sighed, feeling a bit guilty at having refused this sweet, strong young woman.

"All right." Her eyes bright with tears she couldn't hold back, Clytie lowered her head. "Good luck with… repairs to your ship. I'm sorry for… everything you've been through. Truly I am." She turned and started to walk away.

Englehorn watched her, feeling like a fool. "Wait! Miss Seaborne!"

She turned around, frowning at him. "What?"

"What will you do now?"

"I'll go by myself if I have to," she said, holding her head high once again. "It would be nice to go with someone who has a little experience, but even if I have to go alone, I'll find a way to get to my brother. I have the latitude and longitude memorized already."

"You can't go to a place like that by yourself," the captain called.

"No one else is volunteering." She took a deep breath. "If I perish, I perish." And with that, she turned around and continued walking. She heard him calling after her, but refused to turn around. If the man wanted to sit around and grieve about the past, then so be it. She'd find someone else to take her. And if not… she'd set out in her own little boat. It wasn't made for long voyages or rescue missions, but she could make some modifications. But darn it if she wasn't disappointed that she wasn't going to be traveling with an experienced, intelligent, good-looking man like Englehorn…

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. "I said turn around!" Captain Englehorn was standing there, gripping her shoulder. Clytie suddenly realized how attracted to him she was. She stared at him for a moment, then caught herself goggling and remembered what was going on.

"Yes, Captain?"

"I'll take you."

Clytie's mouth dropped open, then, suddenly conscious of her own looks, she closed it. "Wh-what?"

"I said I'll take you. Are you deaf, Miss Seaborne?"

She shook her head. "No… just… surprised. You'll take me?"

"Do I have to keep repeating myself with you? Yes. Yes."

Clytie smiled. "Thank-you. You have no idea what this means to me." Impulsively, she stepped closer to him to give him a hug, then caught herself. How on earth would he take that? She wasn't sure she wanted to find out. Instead, she took an awkward step back and offered him her hand. "Again, thank-you."

The captain slid his hand from her shoulder to grasp the hand she held out. He shook it firmly. "You're welcome. Now. We have to start preparing for this rescue mission. We'll need supplies, funding, and a crew crazy enough to do something like this."

Clytie smiled. She had made no mistake in coming to him first.

(LINE)

Jack and Ann were at the theater working on some ideas for Jack's next play when they heard the news.

"Do you think she'd stand like this, or this?" Ann was asking Jack about one of the characters when the door burst open and in walked Preston, Carl Denham's former assistant.

Jack and Ann were surprised. They hadn't seen him since that fateful night almost a year ago.

"Preston!" Ann exclaimed, recovering from her shock before Jack. She leaped nimbly from the stage and walked to meet him. "How good to see you!"

"Did you hear about Clytie Seaborn?" the young man exclaimed.

Jack came up behind his wife. "No. We haven't heard anything new, not since we read about her brother in the paper a few days ago."

"Well, she's mounting a rescue mission. Can you believe it?"

Ann and Jack looked at each other, then back at Preston.

"Well, who's crazy enough to go with her?" Jack asked.

Preston blinked. "Well I am, for one."

"What?" Ann cried.

"I have to go back--to face my fears, maybe to stop the nightmares. I've grown up a lot this past year. So… I volunteered to be a part of the crew," he explained.

I've had nightmares, too, Ann thought. About the island, about her near-death experiences, but especially about the friend who died for her--Kong.

"You mean, other people are actually considering this?" Jack shook his head. "I hope they know what they're getting into."

"Oh, they do, Jack," Preston said solemnly. "It's Captain Englehorn and his crew."

"Oh." Jack was quiet for a moment, remembering. "Well… she couldn't have gotten anyone with more experience." Jack nodded in understanding.

"How did she convince him to ever go back?" Ann asked.

Preston shrugged. "Maybe like me, he feels as if he has to go back. But, anyway, I just thought I'd let you know, say good-bye."

Ann and Jack were quiet for a moment.

Then Jack spoke up. "This isn't good-bye, Preston. I'm going with you."

"I thought maybe you would," his friend replied.

"Me, too," Ann said quickly.

"Darling… I don't think--"

"I'm going, Jack," she said firmly, taking his hand and squeezing it. "I have to. I won't let you go without me."