In our attempt to find an alternative to fanfiction.net for our preffered
fandoms and get enjoyable fics sent to our mailboxes, we've been on many lists
these last couple of months.  Only a handful of lists have proven promising,
however, and there are only a very limited (2-4) lists that we plan on staying
on for either the fic and/or reviews.  The vast majory of the lists we've been
on have proven to be either nothing but or almost nothing but spam.  It's gotten
to the point where it's nothing unusual for us to receive around 100 messages of
pure spam every day.  We've read the complaints from other list members who ache
for something more, and those complaints coupled with our own frustrations have
urged us to unveil a new project: Pirate Lists.
     We call these lists Pirate Lists, because each list depends on its crew, or
members, for survival.  Each list member is a crew member and, therefore, is
expected to help in the list's success.  If we all pull together, we can make
any list an enjoyable time for its members.  In addition, Phyllis -- may she
ride forever with her chosen of the Seven -- has inspired us to provide
challenges.  A bi-monthly challenge will be issued to the lists to encourage new
writings.
     If this scheme interests you, please check out your desired list, or lists,
from below.
                                                                                   
Pirates Turner & Sparrow

BootsandHooves: For all Shrek ficcers but especially Puss in Boots and Donkey.

BowenChan: For all ficcers who enjoy Owen Wilson, Jackie Chan, and/or Ben
Stiller either seperately and without romance (gen) or in a coupling or triangle
with one or both of the others.

CaliforniaDreamsFic: For all California Dreams ficcers.

ColePiperandPrue: For all ficcers who love Cole Turner, Piper Halliwell, and/or
Prue Halliwell of Charmed fame, are not deterred by any pairing between the
three, and who prefer Cole without Phoebe and Piper without Leo.

DifferentBloom: For all Gays and Lesbians who write any form of fan fic or just
like to read it.

Disney_Dreams: For all Disney fans who write any form of Disney fic or just like
to read it.  ABC fandoms welcome as Disney also owns ABC.

ElviraFic: For all Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, ficcers.

FelineFans: For all writers who are also cat lovers and write about feline
characters.

ForeverAngel: For all _Angel_ ficcers who could easily do without Buffy.

ForeverGolden: For all fans of the Golden Girls.

FortheLegendofGrayskull: For all She-Ra, Princess of Power, and He-Man ficcers.

Good_Wolves: For ficcers who write for good Werewolves, such as but not limited
to 10th Kingdom's Wolf, Dark Shadows' Barnabus Collins, Big Wolf on Campus'
Tommy, and/or She-Wolf of London's Randi.  Note: Virginia is not welcome as
anything more than Tony's daughter, but Tony and Wendell are still welcome.

LuthorandKent: For all Clark/Lex and/or Jonathan/Lionel Smallville ficcers.

MooMesa: For all fans of COWboys of Moo Mesa.

PaganFiccers: For all Pagans who write any form of fan fic or just like to read
it.

Slayer_and_Witch: For Kennedy/Willow fans.

Smook: For James Hook/Smee fans.

SoTSlash: For ficcers who like to pair Carlos and Trent of Sons of Thunder
together or just read fan fic starring their romance.

SplintersScrolls: For TMNT ficcers.

TheRealmofLabyrinth: For all Jareth fans, but especially ficcers, who think
Jareth, and the whole Labyrinth, would have been better off if they'd never
tangled with Sarah in the first place.

TheRighteousIndignation: For all Bucky O'Hare fans.

TM7Slash: For Magnificent Seven ficcers who prefer one or more of the Seven in
slashy situations.

Wick: For Will Turner/Jack Sparrow fans.

WincestIsLove: For Wincest (Sam and Dean Winchester of Supernatural in a
romantic relationship) fans.

XaviersDream: For fans of the pre-Ultimate X-Men, etc. X-Men, Generation X,
Excalibur, X-Men: Evolution, X-Force, X-Factor, X-Man, AOA, and New Mutants.

XG_SoulMates_HI: For Xena and/or Hercules ficcers.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Just so every one who may have animals or know others with animals are
aware, moist food is not the only pet food currently being recalled due to the
lethal dangers that some foods are presenting to our four-legged loved ones. 
Dry cat and dog food, dog biscuits, and dog treats are also all being recalled. 
We've heard that at least one company has even recalled all its edible dog
products.  Please stay tuned to http://www.menufoods.com, or more specifically
http://www.menufoods.com/recall/index.html, for updates, and please forward this
letter to all those you know who may have animals or know others who have
animals so that we can help to lessen the number of furbabies who are affected
by this terrible tragedy!!!!!
     We would also like to state these two things: One, several companies are
stating that the only pets they know of who have actually died are those they
tested their foods on.  We've talked to several who have lost pets due to these
contaminated foods and know one girl who lost four dogs to this tragedy! 
Second, we highly recommend against buying anything from the affected companies
right now.  Not only did they hesitate to bring this information forward at the
beginning, but they are continually finding other contamined foods to add to the
lists, foods that, supposedly, when this information first started becoming
known to the public, were safe!  If you love your four-legger, don't feed them
any of these brands!!!!!!
                                     Pirates Turner & Sparrow

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hey all,
Sorry about all the spam. The group wasn't being properly moderated
but I think I have it under control now. I've got some new Buffy
crossover fics up at www.tthfanfic.com. Please read and review!
Keeping BTVS alive!

VV Kiss Kiss VV,
Lady Sin

We just heard from some American friends that there has been a giant recall
of many cat and dog wet foods by Menu Foods.  There are several different brands
affected, and this is a dire situation.  Animals are being afflicted with kidney
failure, and there's been reported ten deaths, so far, due to this bad food. 
For a listing of all products affected, go to
http://www.menufoods.com/recall/index.html .  This is not a hoax, mates; it's
real and very dangerous for our four-legged loved ones.  This appears to only be
affecting pets in the States, but with something of this dire consequences, one
can never be too safe.
     To all list parents, please excuse the intrusion if you would normally frown
upon this type of message.  Time is of the essence here, and as we're about to
be setting sail, we didn't have time to check on the rules and regulations of
each list seperately.
                                                                                      
Pirates Turner & Sparrow

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Chapter Nineteen
         "DAMN IT!" Xena yelled. "COLE, GET ME OUT OF HERE AND TO GABRIELLE!"

         Cole shimmered in, grabbing Xena. Sniffing the air, he carried her
straight to Gabrielle who stood on top of the ship's railing, her back to them.
The sun glinted on something silver, and they realized that she had her sai
pressed to her bosom.

         "Gabrielle?" Xena called in a quiet voice. "What are you doing? You want
to kill both of us? If you do that, you kill both of us. Maybe I don't deserve
to live, but you do. You're the best part of both of us. I love you! Please
don't do this!" She wanted to rush forward and grab Gabrielle but knew that
Gabrielle would be quicker than she.

         "Xena," Gabrielle's voice trembled, "stop lying. There's no more point
in it. I know what you did. I know who you chose. I just don't know why you
bothered to lie about it. Why toy with me? Why lie to me? Why make me think you
loved me when it was him all along?"

         Xena's voice came steady and true. "I've never loved any one like I love
you, Gabrielle! That's why I lied -- to protect you! I didn't want you
endangered. If you were killed in battle, it would have killed me too. I would
die a thousand deaths if it would spare you one instant of pain! That's why I
lied! That's why Wolverine became my second-in-command, because after the
Captain, they go for the second! If I had known for one minute you would have
hated me for it and would have misconstrued and thought I wanted Wolverine . .
." she said, her voice turning to one of disgust as she spat his name. "For
Gods' sakes, baby, I never wanted any one but you! But I wanted you to be safe!
Can't you please forgive me?" She was down on her knees, oblivious to any one
and anything except Gabrielle.

         Cole wondered for a minute if he could shimmer and stop Gabrielle in
time. It hurt him just to be close to these two. Their pain was so intense yet
their love was even greater. "Gabrielle?" Xena called to her, waiting for her to
forgive her or condemn her for all eternity. Cole closed his eyes; he knew he
could not interfere. He shimmered away from them.

         Slowly, Gabrielle turned to face Xena, hoping and praying to see the
same truth in her face that she heard in her voice, but as she turned on the
railing that they had both walked on countless times before, her booted feet
suddenly slipped. She threw the sai to one side even as she fell forward,
bracing herself to hit the deck only to collide with a softer body.

         In one breath-taking move, Xena had flown from her knees to catch
Gabrielle in mid-air. She slid her slowly down her body even as her lips sought
hers, her heart beating a hundred miles a minute. It had scared the heck out of
her, but she had seen Gabrielle throw the sai away. Did that mean she was
forgiven? She prayed that it was so even as Gabrielle returned her heated
kisses.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cole shimmered directly in the path in front of Piper Halliwell. He
surprised her so much that she dropped the load of dishes that she was carrying,
and he barely caught them. "Sorry about that, Miss Piper. Can I carry these for
you somewhere?"

         Piper's bosom heaved as she tried to calm herself. "Cole!" she
exclaimed. "How -- ?!" She shook her head in amazement.

         "I'm a Demon, and that's how I get around. I had to get away from Xena
and Gabrielle. They were having a very strong exchange and needed to be alone. I
mean you no harm."

         "Well, I know that," Piper assured him with a smile, "but you're a
Demon?"

         "Well, half any way. I didn't mean to scare you." He smiled at her,
thinking she was more beautiful every time he saw her.

         Her smile grew with his explanation and smile. "That explains it; you're
too handsome to be a full-blooded Demon." She blushed a deep red as she realized
the words that had slipped out of her mouth. "I mean -- well, hum -- I know that
sounds prejudiced, but I never met any Demons before today and I thought they
were all kind of like Lorne. Not that he's ugly, because he's not. Just . . .
just different . . . "

         He could not believe she thought him handsome! His smile grew even
brighter as his heart sang out, {She likes ya, boy! Move on it!}, but his mind
refused to move any faster for fear of the knowledge that he could scare her to
the point that she would never want to see him again. "Huh, Miss Piper, the
dishes?" he asked, glad that he had something that he could talk about.

         "The dishes?" she asked in confusion. "What about them?"

         "Where can I put them?"

         "Oh. In the kitchen, of course. Do you guys even call it a kitchen?" she
asked, that thought having just occurred to her.

         "It's called a galley, ma'am." He headed straight for it with the dishes
and set them down on the table. "Are you finding everything okay? Do you need
help of any kind?" He was having trouble coming up with a mundane topic, because
all his mind wanted and kept telling him was, {Kiss her, you fool, before
somebody else does!} He desperately wanted to but was afraid of her reaction.

         "If it's not too much trouble," she asked hesitantly, "I could use some
help getting the supplies moved in here and set up. Lorne was going to help, but
I understand there was some kind of problem with a wolf not liking his pants or
something . . . "

         Cole laughed, and Piper's heart warmed at the deep, throaty sound. "You
could say that. He should be over in a minute, but I'll help you until he comes.
He had to change his clothes. He's all right now, but I wouldn't ask him about
it." He walked back out, picked up another load, and brought it in. "Where do
you want this put?"

         "I'm not sure," she admitted. "Where do you think the ship's chef would
want them?"

         "Oh, you're the ship's chef now, ma'am. We really didn't have one, just
somebody filling in. Captain Jack's been off his diet for a while, and I don't
think Captain Xena's eaten much either. Can't blame either of them. Autolycus
and Joxer are awful cooks. I don't know where they're at or why they aren't here
yet. I had brought them in a little while ago. They've had time to get here to
help. They're supposed to be your kitchen helpers."

         She looked at him curiously. "Did one of the Captains tell you that? I
haven't had a chance to ask, what with everything else that's been going on."

         "I'm third-in-command over here. They don't care who's in charge of the
cooking as long as something get's cooked that's edible. I haven't had a real
chance to talk to either of them yet, but I know they'll both clear it. We've
been without good food for so long that it's ridiculous, and it's not because
Captain Jack doesn't buy the best supplies either. He does. It's just what those
two goonies do with the food. It should be a crime!"

         He then began to show her around the galley and introduce her to the
equipment she'd be using. "This is the oven, but I don't know how to use it. I
can light it for you if you want. This is our cooler, but it doesn't really keep
things cool." He opened the door to reveal a small, dark chamber. "It'd work
better if we had some ice, but it melts about as fast as we get some, so we
don't get much of milk and eggs," he said longingly. Cole simply adored good
food, and he hadn't had any in a long time. "We can put any kind of food you
want in these cabinets," he said as he opened the doors. "Just make it the way
you want it to be."

         Piper was grinning from ear to ear. She loved her mother and grandmother
but had always wanted her own kitchen. Now, it seemed that one had practically
been dropped into her lap! "Well, it sounds to me like you are all in desperate
need of a good meal."

         "That we are, ma'am; that we are. Can't remember when the last time was
that we had one. Maybe when we were at Derek & Hansel's. They both cook good.
They're in Tortuga."

         Piper smiled at him even as she reassured him, "Well, you won't have to
wait for Tortuga to get good food any longer. Just as soon as we can get things
set up, I'll get to work, and I promise you a good meal."

         They heard voices and looked up only to see Lorne finally arriving.
"Sorry, Miss Piper, but I had to hunt for a pair of pants. I don't have much
clothes. Somebody had my pants, and a wolf ruined the pair I had on." He was
eagerly anticipating learning to cook.

         "If you still have the cloth or something else I can use to patch them,
I could fix them for you," she offered, not daring to ask about the wolf. Who
would have such a beast, any way?

         "Why, thank you, ma'am. I'll bring them the next time I come, and the
wolf gave me back the cloth."

         Piper's mouth fell open at that. "The wolf gave you back the cloth?" she
repeated in disbelief.

         "Yes, ma'am. She's a very smart wolf, and she was only protecting her
mistress. She didn't mean me any harm personally, but she sure took a bite out
of my butt! Then her mistress even healed it!"

         Piper looked at Lorne as if he had two heads. A wolf being apologetic
for biting a Demon, even a kind and gentle one like Lorne, and then her mistress
healing said bite was just too much for her to take in. Piper nodded slowly,
reminding herself to shut her mouth so that the men would not think she was a
complete idiot, but did not know what to say.

         Cole looked at Lorne. "Give me a hand out here with the supplies, and it
won't take us long."

         "Sure," Lorne said. Between the two of them, it didn't take long.

         Once the supplies were put away, Cole lit the oven, showing Lorne and
Piper how it was done. "You put the firewood down here," he said to both of them
as he opened the lower door, "and the firewood's just outside the door. It'll
take a while to heat up, so you'll have plenty of time to prepare. I've got to
go hunt for Jack; I've got to tell him something." He was going to tell him all
about Xena and Gabrielle making up; he knew he'd want to know. "If you need me,
call me," he said and shimmered out.

         Piper stared at the place where Cole had just stood. "Do you ever get
used to that?" she asked Lorne.

         "Not really. That's not one of the powers I have," Lorne said. "In fact,
I don't really have any powers as such. I'm an empath. I listen to people sing,
and I can see their future sometimes. Not really powerful powers,
unfortunately." He smiled at her. "I'm sure looking forward to this; I always
wanted to learn to cook!"

         "Then it's time we got started," Piper told him with a grin. "I suggest
a simple recipe first, something we can make as a sort of appetizer for the
crews until we can get the whole meal done."

         He rolled up his sleeves and looked at her eagerly, waiting to be told
what was to be done.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Wolf and Elvira had finally reached her house only to see that it was on
fire. Wolf's hackles began to rise. "Don't tell me we've gotta go in there!" he
said in a high-pitched voice. "Wolves and fires just don't mix!"

         She knew he was terrified, and her heart felt for him. However, she also
knew that she didn't have much of a choice. Turning away from her house and to
him, she told him, "I have to go in there, but I won't ask you to."

         "You know I'm not letting you go in there by yourself! Just make it
quick! Don't slow down anywhere! I can almost feel the fire smoking my bones!"
His voice came out nearly in a howl.

         She placed a gentle hand on the side of his face and reassuringly
stroked his cheek. "I understand," she told him, "and honestly, Wolf, you don't
have to come. But I have to at least get that Book. That damn thing won't burn.
Believe me. I know, because I've tried to burn it in the past."

         "I'm coming, dear heart. I'd never allow you to go in there by
yourself." He nuzzled her. "Whither you go, I go."

         Delicious chills shot through her, and she leaned into his nuzzling. "We
could just wait for it to burn down and stay out here," she said, barely able to
think for the emotions he inflicted in her. Her black fingernails gently kneaded
his chest even as she added, "But then if something happens to my dress, I'll
have to run around naked until I can get some more from Delvira."

         He looked carefully at the house. "I think if we go in this part and
run, we can beat the fire. I don't want you running around naked for others to
see, only me," he nipped her on the neck, bringing a squeal of pleasure from her
black lips.

         "Wolf," she purred to him, "if we keep this up, we're never going to
make it in there."

         "Go, and I will follow you," he said, releasing her.

         Elvira nodded, but although he released her, she still had to force her
body to pull away from his for every part of her screamed desperately to be one
with every part of him. She yanked at the hem of her skirt, and it pulled away
to reveal a bodysuit. Folding the cloth in her hands to beat against the fire
should they need to, she ran into the house.

         The minute she had slipped out of her skirts, revealing her long, lithe
legs, Wolf had howled. She burned him worse than the flames were threatening to!
He had to have her soon! His tail was jerking and would not stay in his pants.
"Soon," he promised. "Soon." He dived into the burning house behind her.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Elvira's long, pale legs streaked out in front of her as she ran for her
bedroom. Once there, she grabbed the Book from her dresser before running over
to her closet. She threw the door open to reveal a row of dresses exactly like
the one she had on. She snatched a few of them and grabbed her cape before
turning back. She frowned. "I'm missing something."

         "Yeah, me," Wolf said with a snarl as he moved up to her, wanting those
long legs wrapped around him. It was driving him almost mad with desire. "I . .
. want . . . " He was breathing heavily. " . . . you!" he concluded as his lips
fell upon hers.

         As his lips touched hers at long last, she found that she could
withstand the burning inferno he had built inside of her no longer. Her Book and
clothes fell to the floor as her hands grabbed him, fondling every part of him
that they could reach. As she deepened their kiss, her tongue quarreling with
his, her arms wrapped around his body, bringing him even closer. Her hands
dropped in search of his rear but instead found his tail; without hesitation,
she stroked it with the fur.

         He howled even as her hands stroked him. "I'm going to die if I don't
have you soon!" he roared. "The big, bad wolf has got to eat, and the little
wolf is hungry too!"

         "Then eat me now!" She tore her lips from his to sink her fangs into his
neck.

         Wolf almost came on the spot before his mind cleared at the snapping,
crackling fire that was getting ever closer to them. Holding her close, he
whispered, "We've gotta get out of here. The fire's getting closer." He
reluctantly let her go.

         Though he released her, she did not release him. "Do we have to?" she
mumbled from around his neck even as she slid one leg up and cradled the bulge
in his pants.

         The back part of the house fell in at that moment. "Soon, my darling!"
he promised. "We have to get out of here!" He scooped up the Book, the dresses,
and the cape from the floor only to realize, as he stood back up, that she
wasn't there. "ELVIRA?!" he screamed. The smoke-filled room kept him from seeing
her.

         "I'm just grabbing my tassels!"

         "Tassels?" he asked even as she rejoined him, dangling something in her
hand.

         "Yeah," she grinned up at him. "They're something you can play with
later."

         "Promises, promises, baby, but I want to play with you the most." He
didn't even know what tassels were.

         "You can play with them while they're on me," she purred lustfully to
him.

         Holding the Book and clothes in one hand, he grabbed her with the other
one and almost flew out of the house just as it finally crumbled to the ground,
burning. He found an alley just behind the house, and he released her long
enough to drop the stuff to the ground. He moved in to nuzzle her neck. His heat
rose in his loins, and he felt his member stiffen even more. He had to have her
and soon!

         "Wolf," she gasped out between the nibbles and licks she rained over his
neck and the sighs that he brought forth from his nuzzling on her own, "do we
have to go to the ship now?"

         "No," he said even as he grasped at her clothes, trying to strip her
naked. When the clothes finally fell away to reveal her glistening body, his
mouth moved immediately to her breast where he nibbled and sucked her. His hands
roamed over her body, finding her secret place and touching her there.

         She arched in his hand, and her gasp of thrilled delight echoed in the
alley. Her hands moved to his chest, and her fingers tore blindly at his shirt,
her nails bursting his buttons as she fought to get the annoying cloth off of
him. He stepped away from her a moment, pulling his clothes off swiftly and
revealing himself in all of his full glory. He was afraid Little Wolf would
scare her as it stood swiftly and boldly, welcoming her and quivering for her
attention. He knew he was bigger than normal males; most wolves were. He would
be gentle if she needed gentle, but his body was crying out for wild. He started
to move back toward her.

         Her black eyes glistened with excitement and longing even as they
feasted upon his mighty sword. Her body tingled as it ached so desperately for
his that she could stand it no longer. Without warning, she ran at him and leapt
into the air. Her arms and legs reached out for him, her arms wrapping around
his strong shoulders and her legs entwining around his body even as she lowered
herself upon his steed.

         Little Wolf shot home immediately as though he had at long last found
the perfect anchor. He howled even as he filled her completely. He thought the
excitement would make him come immediately, and he fought to keep it down,
wanting to make it good for her. He bore her to the earth, never losing contact,
and began to pump madly into her as though Little Wolf had a mind all his own.
He hoped he was not hurting her, but the screams that came from her mouth were
of pure delight.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         They were wild together! Wolf had never known such pleasure. Somehow,
each time he almost came, something stopped him. He wasn't sure what it was, but
it built the excitement even more. His tail twitched madly, but he ignored it as
his mouth once again found her creamy breast and he gave it the long-needed
attention it so desperately craved.

         Her fangs nibbled his neck as hungrily as though she had never drank;
indeed, he was the best she had ever experienced in all ways. Her legs were
still wrapped around him, and she tightened and squeezed around him as he pumped
into her.

         When her fangs sank into his neck, he felt himself cumming, and it felt
as though it would never stop. He howled again and again, her screams matching
his howls. Her nails raked his back before grabbing his tail once again.

         It was the most wonderful experience Wolf had ever had! He hated to
think it might never happen again, especially as he wanted her again just as
badly as he had just had her. He just couldn't get enough of her! He lay on top
of her, Little Wolf still embedded in her silky sheath. Her fangs had came out
of his neck, but suddenly she began to nibble and lick him again, growling
lustfully in his ear. He felt Little Wolf jerk and begin to grow. He had never
thought he could get it up again this fast, but he just could not get enough of
her!

         Her fangs dipped back into his neck, taking a sip here and a sip there,
as she marked him again and again as hers. Her hands had never left his tail,
and she began to stroke him once more. Her strokes always stayed with the fur.

         He felt himself grow bigger and bigger, and he was afraid he would split
her in two as Little Wolf again worked with a mind all his own. His mouth moved
to her throat, and his fangs bit into her neck. He felt her jerk and held
himself still as he was afraid he had hurt her.

         Elvira had done a lot of biting, but never once had she been bitten
herself. It was the most pleasurable sensation she had ever felt, and her gasp
of pleasure caressed his ears like a butterfly's gossamer wings. "Are you okay,
beautiful?" he whispered against her skin even then as he licked her skin and
blood before nipping her again.

         Her breath trembled in delight as she sighed again. "Okay? Wolf, I'm so
good I don't even know the word for it!"

         With relief, he let Little Wolf have his way again, moving slowly in and
out and then faster. He did not think he could go any deeper, but he wanted to.
He wanted to be part of her. He raised her up slightly and then pushed in just a
little deeper. He was surprised when he went a lot deeper. She was built like no
other woman he had ever had, because she was able to take all of him! The
sensation that he felt threatened to explode him, but he held on, wanting to
increase her pleasure.

         When he felt the volcano building to a peak, he sank his fangs into her
neck once more. The explosions hit him so hard that he fell over the edge and
into the stars, carrying her with him. This time, he was not even aware of her
fingernails clawing his back although they drew blood. They remained fully one,
his sword filling her sheath completely and their fangs embedded in each other's
necks, as they rode the waves together before finally crashing back down into
the Heaven they had discovered in each other.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cole had arrived just in time to see Jack starting to rummage again for
his rum. He did not make a comment on it as he did not want Jack to know what
had become of the rum. Jack looked up at him with questions in his eyes. "Xena
and Gabrielle have made up; I heard them before I left the Witch. They may be
partying by now."

         "Good," Jack said with a grin.

         "Piper is getting set up in the kitchen."

         "Can she cook?" Jack asked.

         "Well, she says she can. It's got to be better than what those two goons
were putting out. Lorne's helping her."

         "Good thing," Jack said. "Make sure she's got everything she needs."

         "I hate to tell you, but the time is growing short. Evil approaches. We
have several saying this, including Doctor Doom and his new woman."

         "New woman?" Jack asked.

         "Yes, sir. She's a scientist," he said as though that explained
everything.

         "Well, they should be happy together."

         Cole was used to reporting to Jack everything that was going on on the
Witch, because even though he was on the Witch and Xena was technically his
Captain, Jack was his Captain of choice. He was Jack's inside man, and only he
and Jack knew that. "I've got to locate Wolf and Elvira. They have not returned
to the ship, and they could be in danger. If you can get a woman to go with you
as a decoy, when I return, I'll shimmer you to the Governor's room. It'll be
quicker and faster, but I don't want to know what you're doing in there, sir."

         "I don't want to know what I'm doing in there until after it's over
with," Jack said. "I wanted some rum to handle it with, but there's not any on
the whole damn ship! So I'm going to have to go it without it. I'll pick some up
while we're out. Report to me as soon as you know about Wolf."

         "Yes, sir," Cole said and shimmered out.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Meanwhile, Prue, after being escorted to the Witch, had gotten settled
in and decided to go in search of a little adventure. She had been totally
smitten by the man called Brendan Richards. She knew Piper had already marked
her a man, though she hadn't even admitted it to herself yet, and Prue was
determined not to be outdone. After all, she was the oldest.

         She carefully concealed herself in the shadows and began to search out
her prey. She watched him walking around, checking on things and talking to
other crewmates to be sure that everything was set for sailing. She gave him
enough distance that he wouldn't know that he was being followed.

         Brendan began to check to be sure that all the ropes were secured.
Nothing could go wrong. They had to get out of the harbor. He had not been
paying particular attention to any of the people passing around him. All of the
newcomers' scents had crossed his nose at different times, and he had not paid
attention to them. He was checking on one of the ropes in the northeastern
corner, however, when he heard approaching footsteps accompanied by the sweetest
scent he had ever smelled. It was vaguely familiar, but he could not place it.

         She was determined to get something from him, even if only a kiss. She
had managed to sneak up on him when he suddenly turned and sniffed the air. She
froze, hoping he wouldn't see her, but as his head turned again, his yellow eyes
looked directly at her. She grew bold at his appraisal and moved to stand right
in front of him. Quickly, before she could change her mind and run, she threw
her arms around his neck and pulled his head toward hers. Their lips met,
sending thrills racing down her body that she'd never felt before.

         Brendan had been about to ask Prue if he could help her when she had
suddenly stolen a kiss. He tried to push her away, but she refused to release
him, clinging to him instead. Her kiss was burning him! He longed to be able to
enjoy the sensations that swept through him, arousing his manhood, at the first
kiss he had ever had, but he could feel the beast within already reacting. His
mind was frantic, and his eyes were already on yellow as fur began to grow.

         In sheer desperation, he shoved her away, hating to use force but
knowing that there was no other way. "You -- You shouldn't have -- " he gasped,
trying desperately to rein in the wolf but failing completely as a howl broke
forth from his lips and he fell to his knees. "You . . . shouldn't . . . have .
. . " he tried again. His nose and mouth enlarged and grew together to become a
snout, and his words ended in a howl that echoed out over the dock and across
the water.

         Prue, who had fallen on her rear, had never seen such before! "What are
you?" she asked and watched in amazement as he continued transforming. She was
roughly grabbed. She realized that the man called Captain Jack Sparrow had
arrived as he told to get out of there quickly and placed himself between her
and the monster that had been Brendan. Cole, too, had heard the activity and
arrived just in time to knock Brendan on his butt and prevent him from attacking
Jack.

         "WOMEN!" Jack said, shaking his head. He knew fully well that Brendan
had never made the move on Prue but that Prue Halliwell had just made a move on
Brendan. Even then, the Werewolf was scrambling to get to his feet. Hating to do
it but knowing he must, Jack raised the silver walking stick that he had brought
with him and brought it straight down on Brendan's head, knocking his friend out
cold. "Damn!" he muttered.

         "I'm gone to get Wolf, Captain," Cole said and shimmered out. Jack sat
down on the floor beside Brendan with his back against the ship's side. He
breathed a sigh of relief as werewolf transformed back to man, but still he
waited for his friend to wake up.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Prue ran as though the Demons of Hell were behind her and did not stop
until she reached Piper in the galley. Holding onto the table so that she would
not fall, she looked into her sister's face. "He -- He's a wolf!" she finally
gasped out.

         Piper looked at Prue in concern but did not know what to make of her
sister's exclamation. "Who's a wolf?" she asked. "The wolf that bit poor Lorne
in the rear?"

         "No, I don't think so," Prue said as she pulled a chair out and sat down
in it. "He's -- Brendan Richards," she said in a voice of disbelief. "We kissed
. . . "

         "You didn't!" Lorne interjected. "No wonder he changed! True he's a
Werewolf and he can't control it, but he stays away from women so that he
doesn't hurt anybody. How'd you manage to kiss?" He could not believe that she
had actually managed to steal a kiss from him. He knew Brendan would never have
kissed Prue.

         "I wanted him!" Prue said. "There was just something about him that
seemed to call to me!"

         "Hold it right there," Lorne said. "This is women's talk. I'll see you
in a little while, Piper; I'd best go check on him."

         Piper nodded and took out the seat in front of Prue's. She sat down in
it, the food completely forgotten as she turned her full attention to her
distraught sister. "Prue, what did you do?" she asked her. "You know better than
to kiss a stranger!"

         "But I wanted him, Piper!" she protested in a small, quiet voice. "I'm
so drawn to him! I've never felt anything like this before! I followed him and
surprised him. I kissed him! Then the most awful thing happened! He began to
change and howled! Then the Captain was there, and he beat him!" She had heard
the whack when Jack had hit Brendan. Tears were running down her face. "I still
want him! I don't care if he is a wolf!"

         "Prue, you don't know what you're talking about," Piper gently told her
sister even as she gathered her into a hug, softly stroking her hair as their
mother had always done whenever one of them was upset. "You just met the man. I
know he's burning you and I know it's hard to control yourself -- I almost
slipped up already with Cole --, but he's a wolf. You need to give it time. Talk
to him; figure out if you can do anything. You don't want this happening again."

         Prue hugged her sister to her as though she was a lifeline, burying her
face into her sister's shoulder. "I want him, Piper! I want him desperately!"

         "I know, Prue. You might not believe me, but I know better than you
think I do. There's one on here who sets my very blood on fire, too, but we
don't know what we're getting into. We have to take it slowly, and you're going
to have to talk to Brendan eventually, before you make another move on him. You
don't want him to change again on you like that."

         Prue looked up at Piper in wonderment. "You found some one?" It finally
dawned on her what Piper had been telling her. "So why didn't you go after him?"
she asked her sister.

         "Because I just met him today, Prue. You have to give things like this
time. I know it's hard, but it takes it to make sure."

         "Too much time, Piper, and somebody else will grab him! That's why I
didn't wait! I know I want him, and if I wait for him to come to me, he won't do
it."

         "Then don't wait for him but don't move on him either. Talk to him. What
would you do if you made another move toward him and he changed again, Prue?"

         "I promise. I'll talk to him tomorrow if I can catch him." He had been
very hard to catch that day, and she knew he'd be more wary and even harder to
catch the next.

         "I'll tell you what, Prue," Piper said, lifting her sister's chin and
gently wiping away her tears. "If you promise me you won't move on him again
until you've talked to him and are sure he's not just going to wolf out again
right away, I'll even help you catch him."

         "You will?" Prue asked with a smile. "Then I promise I'll talk to him
and not move on him again until I'm sure it's safe."

         Piper nodded. "I will," she promised, "tomorrow."

         "So which one is it, Piper?" Prue asked with an impish grin. "Mister
Green or Mister Tall, Dark, and Handsome?"

         Piper had to laugh at her sister's question. "Cole," she admitted, then
dared to blushingly make another admission. "I actually told him I thought he
was handsome!"

         "You did?" Prue asked in amazement. She had never known Piper to move on
any one. "And he didn't pick up on it?"

         Piper shrugged. "I don't know. He didn't call me on it, at least. But,
Prue," she added with a frown, "I think we might both be in trouble. Brendan's a
Werewolf, and Cole's a Demon, half any way!"

         "We might be, Piper, but I'm willing to face it just to have a chance at
getting closer to him. Are you?" She smiled when her sister nodded. "Then we'll
work on them together!"

         She raised her pinky finger, and Piper hooked hers with it. "Pinky
swear," they said together. "They'll never know what hit 'em!"

Chapter Twenty
         Cole shimmered into the alley behind a burning house that had completely
fallen in on itself. He had smelled Wolf and had tracked him there. He appeared
and saw Wolf and Elvira falling together again! Closing his eyes, he called out
to him. "Wolf, you're late for the ship. We were worried."

         "Cripes!" Wolf murmured. "It'll have to wait, sweetheart."

         "Put some clothes on!" Cole pleaded. "I have to take both of you back.
Let me know when you're dressed." He kept his eyes closed.

         Elvira winked playfully at Wolf. "Maybe we don't want to get dressed
just yet?"

         "Look, Elvira! It's not safe out here, and I can tell you two have been
at it like rabbits already! Save it for later! Honestly, how some of you wolves
can continually get down amazes me!"

         Elvira sighed. "Yeah," she agreed in a throaty voice, "isn't it
wonderful?!"

         "I wouldn't know," Cole said. "I've never done it with a wolf, and I'm
not about to start now."

         "I'm dressing," Wolf said, "but I want you to know that I am objecting
strenuously!"

         "You can play later, Wolf, after we leave port. The Captain has a little
unfinished business, and then this town's going down. He wants you back aboard
the ship immediately."

         "I swear, Wolf," Elvira commented as she slipped into her bodysuit but
did not bother to put any further clothes on, "I think you must be the only one
on your entire ship that isn't a party pooper!"

         "I might be a party pooper," Cole said, "but I keep my mind on the
business at hand." He never saw the raspberry that Elvira shot at his back. "You
two can party later." He opened his eyes, relieved to see that they were dressed
or, at least, what evidently passed for being dressed in Elvira's case. He
reached out, touched both of them on the hand, and shimmered them to the Pearl.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Dawson went in search of Faith and finally found her in the sleeping
quarters. She was sitting on her cot with her naked back turned toward the door.
He slipped quietly inside. "Faith?" he asked. "Can I help you? Will you let me
help you?" He knew she was hurt and only wanted to make her better.

         Faith dropped her shirt, which was darkened beyond black with all the
blood from her shoulder. She had been trying to use pressure to stop it for a
while but had had little luck. A part of her knew she needed help, but she had
never accepted help before. "Why?" she asked him quietly.

         "Because I want to. I care about you. I want to make you feel better,"
he said even as he drew closer to her.

         "You don't know what you're talking about. You don't have the first idea
what you're getting into here, ki -- " She started to call him "kid" yet again,
but for some reason -- she told herself that it was only the pain --, the word
wouldn't come out.

         "I'm not a doctor, but I'll do what I can. Let me get a pan of water and
some cloths. Stay here; I'll be back." He made his way to the galley and saw two
of the Halliwells sitting there. "Can I have a pan of hot water," he asked, "and
some cloths?"

         Piper turned to look at Dawson. She opened her mouth to ask him why he
needed it but changed her mind at the look in his eyes. He was deeply concerned
about some one, but she could somehow sense instinctively that he wouldn't give
up the person's identity. Nodding instead, she rose and retrieved the pot of
water she had had boiling on the stove. "I'll make another one," she told him,
"and you can have this one." Opening a cabinet, she retrieved a cloth and
wrapped it around the handle of the pot before he could touch it.

         "Thank you," he said. "I'll bring the pot back later."

         Piper nodded and started to reach for more cloths. "How many do you
think you'll need?"

         "Maybe a couple more," he said and gratefully accepted them. Making his
way slowly back, he managed to get back to Faith's side without spilling much of
the water. Dawson noticed that her back was scarred but did not say anything. He
wondered who had beat the Hell out of her so long ago that the scars were
completely healed. He began to bath her wound gently with the water that was now
warm. "Would you let one of the Lewis sisters heal you? I don't know how to
stitch up wounds, but they could heal you completely. Please, Faith; let one of
them look at you."

         "Damn it!" Faith growled out. "I knew I should have told you to get
fucked!" She jerked away from him, stood, and walked away from the cot. "You're
the only one I've ever even considered letting help me, and I was an idiot for
doing that much!"

         Dawson recoiled from her and was about to say something when he heard a
meow. Changing his mind, he said, "There's some one to see you, Faith. A furry
some one," he said quickly before she would have a chance to throw something.

         "Kid, what the Hell are you -- ?" she started to demand as she turned
around to face him. Her angry eyes fell on the cat.

         "Meow?" said the cat even as she walked closer to Faith, her green eyes
peering into Faith's angry ones. "Meow?"

         Emotions flickered in Faith's eyes as they changed from being full of
anger to being haunted by sadness. She stepped back from the cat. "You don't
want me," she told it, shaking her head. "I'm a bitch; I already got one
killed." She nodded toward Dawson instead. "You want him."

         "MEOW!" the cat insisted, gazing intently up into Faith's eyes, her
black fur shining as smooth as silk. She stood up on her hind legs and brushed
at the girl's hand with her head as though to let her know that she was indeed
the one she wanted to be petted by.

         Despite herself, Faith had to smile. Slowly, she stroked the cat's head,
and when the feline did not recoil, her smile turned to a grin. "Hell, looks
like you're as crazy as me."

         "Meow meow!" the cat said as though it was agreeing with Faith. Standing
on its hind legs, she bumped her hand again.

         Faith had to laugh. The laughter that came from her was a sound unlike
any one on either of the ships had ever heard come out of her for it was truly
of happiness. She had not had a cat come to her like this one had since she had
been a child, barely old enough to remember the events that had been the first
to scar her for life. Slowly, she slid down so that she sat on the floor beside
the cat, her hand running from its head down to its back.

         Unbeknownst to Faith, while she patted the cat, the cat was working a
spell on her that would heal the girl's arm completely. As soon as it was done,
she looked up into Faith's eyes again. "Meow meow meow!" It was as though she
was saying, "See you soon; gotta go," as the cat then strode majestically out of
the room with a backward glance at Faith. "Meow!"

         Faith cocked her head slightly to one side. Why, she wondered, did she
have the strangest feeling that she had been had? Dawson looked at Faith's arm
in wonderment. It was healed. He did not mention it but could not help a smile
that she caught as her eyes turned upwards. "What?" she asked.

         "You like cats, huh? It appears they like you too."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Outside, Katrina changed back to her catwoman form. It had worked, and
she could not wait to tell her sister! She did not know what she would tell
Faith when Faith finally decided to come looking for the black cat, but she
would not willingly tell the girl that it had been her. She thanked Bast for the
healing and smiled as she caught Celina's arm. "It worked! She's healed!"

         "What," Celina asked in wonderment, her blue eyes full of questions,
"did you do?"

         "Nothing that a little, black cat couldn't handle," Katrina said with a
grin. "I hope something works out between the two of them. I like both of them."

         "Leave it to you!" Though she was beaming, Celina had to shake her head
from side to side in amazement. "Only you would finally figure out how to get a
hold of that girl!"

         Katrina beamed back at her sister. "A pure stroke of genius!" she had to
admit. "I did it! She might not like it, but not even she could find fault with
a good healing."

         "I wouldn't be so sure about that," Celina warned her, "but I'm
certainly glad you did it!" She hugged her sister tightly, pride swelling in her
heart.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         "Yeah, I like cats," Faith admitted, "but they're better off without . .
. " She had been standing while speaking, and as she stood, no pain registered.
Surprise flickered over her face as she realized that, and she looked down at
her injured shoulder only to find that it was completely healed. Not a single
drop of blood remained. "Black cat," she muttered under her breath. "Green eyes.
Suddenly healed. KATRINA!!!!!!!!" she roared angrily.

         Just as Faith headed for the door, Dawson tackled her. "For once, Faith,
give in and be thankful that somebody cared about you enough to help you!" He
held her down, laying on top of her, his eyes gazing down into hers. "You know
you're lucky. You've got people on these ships that care about you. I've never
had any one who cared about me," he said sadly.

         As she looked up into his eyes, she found the most absurd notion taking
a hold of her. She wanted to kiss him again. She wanted to roll with him again.
{You know better than that, Faith. Get a hold of yourself and stop being so damn
stupid!} "That's a bunch of bullshit, Dawson," she growled out at him, not
realizing that she had used his name. "Nobody cares about me; nobody's that much
of an idiot." She then rolled out from under him.

         He let her go, knowing how wrong she was but knowing that only time
would prove to her that she was wrong. "I think you're wrong, Faith. You've got
a family here, and they care about you a great deal."

         "You know, after all you've been through, I'd think you'd know better
than that by now. Families don't exist, not in any way other than blood, and
that gets you in more trouble than anything else." She had walked over to her
cot and was putting on a new shirt even as she remembered his. She picked it up
and tossed it to him.

         He grabbed it and then looked at it. "Might as well throw this away.
Totally ruined."

         "I'll steal ya another one when we hit Tortuga. Just don't go anywhere
till I can get it."

         "Why, Faith? You're afraid somebody will see me naaaaked?" he asked,
stretching out the word "naked", with a grin.

         She glared at him. "Why would I give a damn who saw you naked? But I'm
not going to chase you down to give it to you."

         He laughed out loud, rolling onto his back. He had to shake his head at
the wonderment that Faith was. She was a crazy woman and child rolled into one,
and he was determined to make her his. If it took one day or a hundred years, he
would never stop until he could claim her as his own. "I'll make it easy for ya,
Faith. I'll stay right where you can see me."

         "Didn't ask for a shadow, kid," she told him, now fully dressed once
more and heading again for the door. "Don't want one; don't need one. But I do
need to get my hands on that conniving catbitch."

         Dawson didn't try to stop her this time. He knew he couldn't. "Just
remember, Faith. She helped you."

         Faith was about to step over him when he said that. Instead, she paused,
her foot in the air, as she looked down at him. "Haven't ya learned anything?
When somebody helps somebody, they're always after something."

         "Not always," Dawson said, remembering Brendan's kindness and that
Brendan had not requested anything in turn except that Dawson keep himself safe
and out of trouble. "Not every one wants everything they can get out of you."

         "Let me tell ya something, kid. I've encountered two of the people that
practically every damn body would have told you could be trusted, and neither
one could be. I've got the scars to prove it. If you wanna survive in this
world, the best thing you can do is count on yourself and no one else."

         "I can never be that way, Faith. I need others to be there for me, and I
need to be there for some one."

         She shook her head. "Then you're going to die a fool."

         "Maybe, but I won't die alone . . . " his voice trailed off and he let
her go.

         She wanted to stay. She wanted to talk some sense into him but
stubbornly ignored what her lips wanted to do. She knew better than to stay,
however, and took the stairs two at a time. Bursting through the door, she
bellowed, "KATRINA!!!"

         Katrina appeared in front of Faith. "Yes, Faith?" she asked in a calm,
quiet voice. "Figured you'd be coming once you found out what I did."

         "Why?" Faith snarled. "Why the Hell'd you bother?"

         "Maybe because I care about you."

         "No, really, why?"

         "Like I said, Faith, I care about you, whether you want to believe it or
not."

         "Why?"

         "We're family, and as family, we take care of each other."

         "You know, Katrina," Faith growled at her, "you could have come up with
something a Hell of a lot more convincing than that. I don't have any family."

         "Nothing's ever more convincing, Faith, than the truth," Katrina said.
"One day you'll see that."

         "Yeah, but the truth is that I don't have a family, Katrina. You wanna
care for your family, you go look up the rest of them. I don't have one."

         "Yes, you do," she reaffirmed what she already said. "One day you'll be
ready to let us in. In the meanwhile, we'll have to be content to care for you
from afar."

         "I don't need any one to care about me," she spat. "What I need is to go
kill something." She turned away from Katrina and descended back into the
sleeping quarters, slamming the door in the redhead's face.

         Sadness in her heart, Katrina watched the girl go, hoping that one day
she'd let them all in and knowing, just as she'd told Faith, that they were
indeed a family and families had to be there for each other even when they
weren't wanted.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Peering through the darkness, Faith shook her head as she realized that
Dawson was still laying on the floor. She did not bother to give him a second
glance as she ran down the stairs and jumped over him. She walked to her bed and
picked up the sword she normally used. She shook her head. A normal blade would
suffice for what she intended, but it wasn't what she wanted. She let it crash
onto the floor with a clatter, then flipped her cot over.

         Dawson jumped as though a bee had stung him. Crawling to his feet, he
asked, "What the Hell?", and then saw it was only Faith having what he caught
was a temper tantrum. "What's a matter now?" he asked.

         "Just looking for something," she called back to him. "By the way," she
added, keeping her voice casual, "I've been meaning to ask you something . . . "

         "Yes?" he asked.

         "How the Hell'd you go from getting deflowered to winding up at that
damn place?"

         "My Father sold me," he said in a quiet voice. "He's always hated me. He
blamed me for my Mother running off on him, and he's mistreated me all my life.
He even beat me, and then today, he sold me as though I was nothing! I've done
all I can for him ever since I've been big enough to work to help make a go of
that store. He never once thanked me, touched me except in anger, and then
today, after you left, he decided he wanted to . . . " His voice trailed off.
"Use me in a whole 'nother way. When I refused, he beat the crap out of me. He
knocked me unconscious, and when I woke up, I was there." He did not look at her
the whole time he was talking.

         She had been detaching a sword from the bottom of her cot when he had
began talking. Her fingers had stilled on the straps as she had listened to him.
"You know," she said quietly, "what he did isn't your fault."

         "I know that, but I never realized just how much I hated him until I
woke up in that place. He drove my Mother away by abusing her. Then he wanted to
use me in her place. What kind of father does that to his kid?" He shook his
head sadly. "I want to forget about him. I don't ever want to see him again."
His hands clenched by his side. "I'm afraid that if I do, I might kill him."

         She was not surprised at his words, but she carefully stilled her tongue
from telling him that he would never have to look upon his father again. She had
managed to keep that quiet but nonetheless slipped up as she returned her
attention to unfastening the sword. "I can't answer your question, though,
Dawson. I'd like to be able to, but I've always wondered the same thing ever
since my Mother . . . " She stopped herself just then, realizing what had
slipped out.

         Dawson didn't pick up on what she had said. He hoped one day she would
feel free to tell him. Maybe they could help each other get through this awful
nightmare. He could tell she was preparing to go out, but he did not want to go
with her. He had had enough blood and guts for one day. "Be careful, Faith, and
come home soon." He had not even realized that he was now calling the ship home.

         "Told ya before," she said, finally freeing the sword and setting her
cot back down. "I don't have a home."

         "I think the ship's going to be mine. I feel welcomed here. Something I
never felt before anywhere."

         "Better find some place else, kid," she muttered. And she'd better talk
to Jack. She attached the sword's scabbard to her belt and made the decision to
confront Jack before she left. Without another word to Dawson, she headed back
up.

         He stood there, watching her go and praying for her safety, before
seeking out a cot and laying down. He could not remember a time he had ever been
so tired, and his eyes drifted quickly closed.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Brown eyes blinked open and looked around hazily. Swords hung in various
places on the walls, and they were the only bit of familiarity he could see
until his eyes fell upon a familiar, perhaps too familiar, face. She sat beside
him, her blue eyes shimmering with tears and her blonde hair framing her face as
she gazed down at him. "Elizabeth."

         "Will!" she gasped. "You're awake! How do you feel?"

         He had half expected to find himself dead when he awoke, but much to his
astonishment and amazement, Will found that his body did not seem to hurt at
all. He was exhausted, however, and could barely keep his eyes open. {I must be
too tired to feel it,} he thought to himself. "Tired," he answered aloud.
"Where's Jack?"

         "He needed to deal with some other matters," she told him. "There's so
much activity on board today, but I can call him if you want me to?"

         "No," Will said and slowly shook his head. Although he was having
difficulty focusing, he had not forgotten the decision he had made and knew that
if he did not act upon it now, he might not have the courage to do so later.
"Elizabeth," he said, reaching a weak hand up towards her, "there's something I
have to tell you."

         "What?" she asked him, catching his hand and pressing a kiss to its
back.

         He stilled himself from showing the repulsion that fluttered in both his
gut and heart. "Please," he whispered, "don't do that."

         Confusion creased her brow. "What?" she asked innocently.

         "I never wanted to hurt you," he struggled to explain, "and I'll always
care for you, Elizabeth, but I can not hide any longer." Her heart stilled, and
she knew she did not want to hear his next words. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth, but I
do not love you."

         She gasped aloud and drew back from in shock. "Will, no!" she exclaimed.
Tears welled in her eyes, and her frantic words stumbled over themselves. "You
-- You don't know what you're saying! You're too tired!"

         "No," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "I do know what I'm saying,
Elizabeth. I'm sorry. I know this hurts you, but I must be true to myself and to
my heart. I. Do. Not. Love. You. I never have."

         "But why . . . ?" she tried to ask, shaking her head and continuing to
look down at him in disbelief.

         "I thought I did, but something happened when I set sail with Jack to
rescue you. Something happened that I never would have thought possible. I found
myself out on the sea, Elizabeth. I found myself. I found what I always felt
missing from my life, but I'd never known what it was before. I found out that
I'm a Pirate, through and through; that the sea is my home; and most of all, I
found . . . " He pressed his lips together and closed his eyes for a brief
moment as he stilled himself for her reaction. Then opening his eyes, he looked
directly into her eyes as he told her, "And I found the man I love."

         "NO!" Her shout of denial rang throughout the cabin and echoed past its
walls. "NO! Will, you're delirious! You don't know what you're talking about!"
Tears streamed down her face, and she turned to run from him.

         He caught her wrist before she could, however. "Elizabeth, look at me.
Please look at me. I never wanted to hurt you, but marrying you, no matter how
great a woman you would be for any other man, when I did not love you would not
have been fair to either of us." He did not want to hurt her, but he nonetheless
tightened his grip on her wrist just enough to bring her gaze unwillingly back
to him. "I know this is hard for you to believe, but you must believe me."

         "Please, Will," she whispered, her tears increasing and tearing at his
heart, "let go of me."

         "Not yet," he told her, shaking his head. "I can't yet." He had to make
her understand. "Honestly, Elizabeth, I didn't want to hurt you, but it only
would have ended up trapping us both in a loveless marriage had I continued the
charade."

         He breathed a sigh as a thought finally came to him of a way he might be
able to convince her of the truth. "Elizabeth, do you remember when Jack sailed
away after we rescued him from being hung?" She nodded slowly, and he could tell
from the look on her face and in her eyes that she remembered what he had not
yet made mention of. "Do you remember how I was crying when you kissed me?"

         "Yes," she answered reluctantly with a slow nod. Her voice was so faint
that he could barely hear her.

         "Do you remember what I told you when you asked me?"

         She nodded again but was still having trouble finding her voice for the
tears that choked her throat. "You . . . You told me that you were crying for
joy, joy that I loved you."

         "And did you believe me?" he persisted. "Honestly?"

         "No," she admitted with a sigh, the truth finally sinking in. "But I
wanted to."

         "I wish I could take that back. I wish I would have had the courage then
to tell you the truth, because it would have hurt you less than waiting as long
as I have has. But you were right then. I wasn't crying for joy. I was crying,"
he admitted with a deep breath, "because the man I love was sailing away and I
thought I'd never see him again."

         As the truth sank in, she trembled at the realization that the man she
loved loved another. She did not hate him even then. She did not throw the ring
he had given him at her; she did not even think about it. She did not curse him
or even slap him. Instead, as he released her wrist, knowing that she finally
knew the truth and trusting her to keep it to herself, she ran from the cabin as
if it was Hell itself and the Devil was trying to ensnare her. Her tears blinded
her as she continued to run.

         Will's sigh echoed in the room where he had been left alone. His
shoulders sagged as he dropped back into the unfamiliar but comfortable bed. He
had done it. He had finally broken it off with Elizabeth and told her the truth.
But how, he wondered even as sleep claimed him again, would he ever have the
courage to face Jack with the truth? How could he ever tell the man he loved,
who he knew would never love him in the same way, how he truly felt for him,
that he loved him with his entire heart and soul, that his lips thirsted for
his, that his body ached desperately for his? And what would he do when Jack
turned from him in disgust and his only chance for a happy life with the man he
loved was gone forever? What would he do?



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Lorne sniffed the air until he located Jack. Making his way slowly
toward where the scent was coming from, he finally came upon Brendan laying out
on the floor and Jack sitting beside him. Jack seemed to be lost deep in thought
and did not stir as Lorne first came up. "Captain?" Lorne asked.

         "Don't ask," Jack said. "Women are more trouble than they're worth. I
had to stop him. Gods knows what he would have done to Miss Halliwell had I
not!"

         "Miss Halliwell's in love with him, sir, or at least she thinks she is.
I had to leave the galley, but I heard some of her words as I was leaving. She'd
probably be the best thing for him, but Gods knows what kind of trouble lays
between them! I'll sit with him till he wakes." Lorne knew Jack had other
problems on his mind and that he had to be about attending to them.

         "Thanks, Lorne; don't leave him until he wakes up. He'll be disoriented.
Tell him I'm sorry." He reached out and gently stroked Brendan's head. "I don't
know what's been happening between Brendan and me lately. Seems like every time
I turn around, I'm asking him to forgive me. I guess it's true that you only
hurt those you love."

         Lorne knew that Jack loved Brendan as the younger brother he never had.
They watched over each other even when they were fighting.

         Jack slowly got to his feet. "Well, I'd best get changed before Cole
returns. Thanks, Lorne," he said again and headed off for his cabin. Suddenly,
he was almost knocked from his feet by a running figure. He managed to catch
her, realizing at the same time that it was Elizabeth. "Elizabeth? Is Will
okay?" he asked, his voice showing deep concern.

         Elizabeth nodded but did not speak. She choked back the sobs that rose
in her throat even as tears continued to run down her face.

         He lifted her chin and reached in his pocket for his handkerchief. It
was a lacey, silky thing and not worthy of much of anything. He gently wiped her
tears away. "What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes looking deeply into hers. "Did
some one say something to hurt your feelings?" He hated to see women cry but
most especially when he knew them and cared about them. He was at a loss until
she could tell him what was wrong.

         "Oh, Jack!" Elizabeth wailed, throwing her arms around him and
desperately clinging to him. "It's so awful!" She managed to slowly gasp out an
explanation even as she sobbed into his shoulder. "Will . . . He . . . He just .
. . He just broke off our engagement!"

         He hugged her gently. "The boy is distraught, my dear. If you had been
through what he's been through today, you would probably not have made it, but
he's built of stronger stuff. He survived but not without cost. Give him time,
and I'm sure he'll change his mind again. I've seen how he looks at you. I know
he loves you. He's just afraid now, and deep down, probably associates, in his
mind, what your father did to him with you. He's not thinking clearly." He
continued to hold her gently.

         She shook her head fiercely, her long, blonde hair shimmering down her
back as she did so. "No," she cried out, "that's not it! I thought it was at
first, too, Jack, but it's not!"

         "What did he say he was?" he asked her in a steady, calm voice, patting
her on the back.

         "He . . . He said he loves another."

         "Have you ever seen him look at another woman? Think, Elizabeth! The
only woman I've ever seen him look at is you, and he makes cow eyes at you every
time he looks at you!"

         Remembering who it was that her beloved truly loved, she pulled away
from Jack's embrace. She did not move any further from him but had difficulty
forcing her eyes to meet him as she told him slowly, "It's not another woman."

         Jack had to smile at that. "I've never heard anything more far-fetched
than that, Elizabeth! What better thing could he come up with to get you to
leave him alone than to claim he loves somebody else and that's it not even a
woman?! Please, Elizabeth, use your brain, not your emotions! You've got to give
the boy time. I could never see him with a man." He had to cover his mouth to
keep from laughing. Gods, if it were only true, he thought, that he loved a man
and were he that man! He'd never ask for anything else for himself again, but he
didn't dare to believe it.

         "I am using my brain," Elizabeth snapped, her eyes blazing up at Jack
despite the tears that still filled them, "and time isn't going to do any good!"
She sighed, realizing she had bitten his head off though she had not meant to.
"Jack, he explained everything. There's been . . . problems all along in our
relationship, and he finally told me the truth about them all. He used to cry
whenever we kissed, and now I know why."

         "Elizabeth," he said softly, "a man can not always perform though he
would love to. Some men can't for one reason; some can't for others. Will's a
virgin. It will be his first time. Don't you think he's scared to death? I can't
remember when I was a virgin. I think I was eight, but I've been having problems
lately, as well. I think it's got to do with my diet and lack of rum. You've
seen women passing by and slapping the fire out of me. Well, the only one of
those I actually deserved was Anna Maria. The rest of them were just mad at me,
because I couldn't perform. A man will use anything for an excuse, especially
when he's failing the woman he loves." He paused to give her time to say
something.

         "He doesn't love me, Jack!" she exclaimed the moment he gave her a
chance. "I wish he did, but he doesn't! Didn't you hear what I said?! I didn't
mention his not being able to perform, as you call it! What I said was that he
cried every time we kissed!"

         "Virgin," Jack repeated. "You're the only woman he's ever kissed. Guys
pretend to be hard, but we're not as hard as we make out. A kiss with you would
be a beautiful thing, and I can see Will clutching it to him as though it were a
jewel yet believing himself not worthy of you so he would cry. He would hope you
wouldn't know, but how can you kiss somebody and not know if they're crying? You
want me to talk to him? He's lost right now."

         "You can try," she said, "but you're going to find out the same thing he
already told me. That's the same line he originally fed me about his crying,
Jack, but there was always sadness in his eyes, never happiness. The first time
it happened was when we kissed as you were leaving." She silenced herself
quickly before she could tell him that it was he her beloved loved but then
spoke instead, "Whoever he loves is on this ship, but it's not me."

         "Maybe he loves the Pearl?" Jack said. "I know I do. She's my mistress
and my one true love. He seemed to take to piracy rather well. Maybe he was
crying for all the missed adventures he knew he'd never have. Let me have a talk
with him, Elizabeth. My question to you is this: Do you love Will or are you
just infatuated with him? Do you truly love him?"

         "Of course I love him," she answered immediately for there was no doubt
in her mind that she did, "but that doesn't matter! He doesn't love me!" She
shook her head in frustration. "You can try talking to him, Jack, but I'm
telling you: It's not going to do either of us any good."

         He reached out and touched his right index finger to her lips.
"Patience, dear lady. Time heals everything. I promise I'll talk to him first
thing tomorrow. Just leave him alone for now; get some rest. I've got to go out
for a while, and the ship will be moving just as soon as Cole returns. It needs
to be outside the port."

         She nodded understandingly but did not bother to tell him yet again that
she knew his talk with Will would do no good. She wondered for a moment what
Jack would think if he knew he was the one who Will truly loved.

         Releasing her, Jack continued on to his cabin. Once there, he quietly
entered, walked over to the trunk that was at the foot of his bed, and began to
rifle through its contents. Will was asleep, or at least so Jack thought, and
Jack was quiet as a mouse as he did not want to wake him although he kept
stealing glances at him. From the looks that kept flashing over his face, he
could tell that he seemed to be deep in sleep and having a bad dream. In truth,
however, Will was continually stealing glances at Jack but quickly shutting his
eyes every time the pirate moved to look at him.

         Finally, Jack located the outfit he was looking for: black pants, black
shirt, and a black hat. He pulled them out of the trunk and carried them over to
one of the chairs that was in the room. He sat down in it, took off his boots,
and began to change his clothes. He heard a sharp gasp from behind him, but as
he turned to look back at Will, he found that he was still asleep. With a shrug,
he turned back to changing his clothes, never realizing how desperately Will was
fighting to keep from looking.

         Jack's mind was on what he was about to do, and the only woman he could
think of who would help him in his quest was Faith. He knew she had intentions
of returning as well though she had not told him so; he had a good ideal what
she was going to be doing but would not interfere. He felt whatever heartless
bastard had sold the kid deserved it, too.

         He felt the ship begin to move and realized that Cole had returned with
Wolf and Elvira, a woman he had yet to meet. He hoped she'd be good for Wolf. He
desperately needed an anchor who could hold up to him and settle him down some.
He usually ran after every woman while he was in port, trying to find one who
could match him and came away saddened.

         He pulled his hair back and bound it. He decided to keep the same sword
he had used earlier that day. It was a perfect slice and dice sword and that was
what he was planning on doing. He put his hat on his head and looked back one
last time at Will, who seemed to be resting better now. Then he went out the
door in search of Faith, never hearing the sigh of relief that echoed after the
sound of the door shutting.

Chapter Twenty-one
         Jack stood on the railing, balancing precariously, as the Pearl made its
way out of the harbor and passed the Witch where upon he leaped onto the deck of
the Witch. It was at that moment that Faith exited the sleeping quarters, and he
could tell from the expression on her face that she was already angry. Then
again, he thought, when isn't she angry?

         Faith had been about to make her way over to the Pearl when she saw Jack
standing just inside the railing. She began to head towards him the very instant
she saw him, and her glaring eyes cut through him even from that distance. "I've
gotta talk to you!"

         "I need to talk to you too, Faith. I need a favor," Jack replied. "I
know you don't do anything for free, so name your price."

         "Don't know or care what it is," she answered without hesitation, her
eyes looking up into his even as she folded her arms in front of her chest.
"There's only one way I'm doing it."

         "And what is that?" Jack asked.

         "You get that damn kid out of our crew."

         "Done," Jack said. "I need you to play a woman."

         She quirked a brow at him. "What the Hell do I look like?"

         "I mean, a woman of the street," he said, grasping for words. "I need
you to pretend to be all fired up for the Governor and unable to wait. Get him
to come to his room, dismissing his guards. That's why I said to wait until you
heard what it is to name your price. Is that all you want?"

         "Jack, you know me enough to know that I don't have any problem luring
his fat butt to his bedroom to get slaughtered. It'll be kind of fun actually,"
she admitted with a shrug of her shoulders. "But I want that kid gone. I don't
care how you do it as long as you don't hurt him. Just do it."

         "He won't be here when you get back. Are you ready?" Jack asked even as
he heard Cole come up behind them.

         "Captain?" Cole asked.

         Jack continued looking at Faith. "Faith?"

         "Ready whenever you boys are."

         Jack, looking at her face, suggested, "Maybe you should freshen up a
little before we go?"

         Cole remained quiet. He knew better than to say anything to Faith and
feared that Jack had bitten off more than he could chew at that comment.

         She again quirked an eyebrow at him. "You sayin' I'm not hot enough
now?"

         "No. I'm saying you've got blood on your face, and it might turn the
Governor off. It might look like he had beat you up." He quirked an eyebrow back
at her. "Then again it might turn him on, but it'll still draw the guards'
suspicions."

         She made a scoffing noise in the back of her throat. "You know damn well
that I could turn him on, blood or no blood, but give me a minute and I'll get
it off." Without waiting for a response, she turned and headed off for the
sleeping quarters.

         Jack turned to look at Cole. "Don't hang around after you've taken us. I
don't know how long it's going to take, and you don't need to be a witness.
Thank you for everything, Cole. I know I don't get around to thanking everybody
for their contributions, but without each and every one of us, we'd all be at a
loss. If something should happen and I don't make it back by dark, get everybody
out of here. I don't know what evil is coming. It keeps getting stronger all the
time. Even I can feel it. I want my family out of here."

         "You're welcome, Captain," Cole said. "You know Angel and I will protect
them, but I don't like the ideal of sailing without you."

         "If I'm not there with you, it'll be because I can't be," Jack said,
"but you've got to keep them safe, even the kid that Faith wants gotten rid of.
She's not going to find it so easy to get rid of him." He broke off talking as
he heard Faith coming back.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         As Jack had talked with Cole, Faith had returned to the sleeping
quarters. She took the stairs two at a time, thinking that she was alone and
that Dawson had moved off somewhere, until she reached the beginning of the
cots. It was only then that her eyes adjusted enough that she was able to see
that he was indeed still there, stretched out on a cot that he had placed next
to hers. "Great," she muttered with a roll of her eyes. "Just what I would've
needed to wake up to in the morning: a lovesick pup."

         She moved to her cot and quickly washed her face with the pot of water
and cloths he'd brought down from the galley. As she stood, she glanced back at
him and was surprised to find that her breath stilled in her throat. He seemed
so innocent, laying there, and she knew that, despite everything he'd been
through that day, he still was. He needed to get out of there. She knew it was
the best thing for both of them even if she would not allow herself to admit the
tinglings of emotion that stirred within her at times like then when she looked
at him.

         Shaking off her thoughts, she headed quickly back up into the daylight.
As she exited the sleeping quarters again, however, she found that no sunlight
hit her. Looking up at the sky, she saw that the dark clouds and snow had
completely blotted out the sun. She shrugged and, without another thought to the
weather, headed back to where she had left Jack and Cole.

         "Ready," she called to them the moment she could see them again. As she
reached them, however, she looked up at Cole. "Take it you're shimmering us in,
Demon boy?"

         "Yes, ma'am, and right away," he said as he reached out and touched her
and Jack simultaneously. Seconds later, he had them in the hallway outside the
Governor's bedroom. He had been there before, but he wasn't sure which bedroom
belonged to the Governor. "Be safe," he whispered to both of them as he
shimmered away and back to the ship.

         He was at a loss as to what to do with himself while he waited for their
return to the ship. Only then did he remember that they had not completely taken
on provisions and set about to do just that for both ships. Half of it would
have to wait to be delivered until they had rejoined their sister ship. He
shimmered from shop to shop, appearing only long enough to grab what was needed
and disappearing before any one could even try to stop him. He continued the
process, returning to the Witch after each shop and leaving what he had taken on
her deck.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Xena and Gabrielle had been lost in each other for some time, their
tears intermingling with the sweet tastes of their lips, when Xena finally ended
their kiss. Her blue eyes continued gazing deeply into Gabrielle's green ones as
she spoke, "We are long overdue for a talk, Gabby. I didn't mean for it to go on
for as long as it did, but I was scared. I didn't want anything to happen to
you, and I knew that if any one attacked the ship, they'd go for my
second-in-command after me. Wolverine was a tough, old bird like I am and agreed
to be my second-in-command. In fact, he welcomed the challenge."

         "I am not ashamed to say that my love for you clouded my judgment, but I
am ashamed to say that I didn't talk to you about it and kept it a secret for so
long. You know me. I'm not good with words, but the chance of almost losing you
scared me to death. I barely made it to you! Please promise me you won't try
anything like that again! I don't want any more secrets between us."

         "There never should have been any secrets between us, Xena. I still
don't understand why you couldn't just tell me," Gabrielle answered, shaking her
head. "You should be able to trust me, but you didn't. I can't promise you that
I'll never try that again, because we don't know what lays ahead of us and if I
were to lose you, I wouldn't want to live."

         "As I would not want to live if I lost you. I swear to you that is the
only thing I have ever kept from you. I wanted to protect you, and I never
realized until today that you don't need protecting any longer. You're as strong
as I am, and that scares the Hell out of me. I was proud of you in everything
you've ever done, but I never accepted the fact that you had grown up to be such
a strong woman."

         "How could I not?" she asked her. "Xena, you taught me, and you're so
much more to me than just the woman I love. You've always been my role model,
but even that and being my soul mate doesn't even begin to cover it. You're
everything to me, and I learned from the best."

         Laying on her back and gazing up into her beloved's eyes, Xena said, "I
promise I will never keep any more secrets from you and that I will never, ever
try to keep you from reaching your full potential. You are my love, my life, my
reason for being . . . and I will love you and be here for you forever."

         "As long as we're together, Xena, I promise I'll never try that again,
but you," she continued, lovingly stroking Xena's face and hair, "have got to
stop being so afraid for me. I know it's hard. You're the strongest woman there
is, but I still fear for you every time we're in battle. We always will be
afraid for each other. We can't help it, because we love each other and it's
only natural to be afraid for the one you love. But think about this: Even if I
wasn't your second-in-command, we're still together. If any one attacked us,
they'd see that if they stopped to watch for just a moment, and if they did,
they'd go for me over Wolverine any way."

         Xena shook her head. "Never thought about it that way, Gabby. Like I
said, we need to talk more, but not now. Now I want to make love to you," she
continued, caressing Gabrielle's cheek and her touch sending tingles shooting
through her lover's body and soul. "I want to show you with my every action just
how much I do love you and that you are everything to me." She reached up and
pulled her down to her, and the breath of her last words brushed across
Gabrielle's lips before she touched them with her own.

         Their kiss began gently, but its passion quickly grew. Although Xena did
want to show Gabrielle just how true the words she had sought so hard and long
to find and tell her were, she also couldn't wait any longer. There was just
something about fear that ignited her blood. When she slayed, she had to get
laid, and when they fought like this, she could never wait to make up. She
rolled Gabrielle over on her back and buried her tongue in her mouth.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         They took turns opening the doors and peeking inside to see what was in
each of the rooms that lined the hallway. At last, Jack opened a door to a room
that looked masculine in its furnishings. He figured that it was the Governor's
room, and motioning to Faith, he let her know he'd be waiting in there.

         Faith nodded to Jack, and even as he went into the room and closed the
door behind him, turned and began to walk in search of the Governor. The halls
were long and suspiciously devoid of activity. She had no ideal that the
Governor had given most of his men the afternoon off so that they might make
sure that the auction was a success and kept her guard up at all times. As she
walked, she made note of the portraits that hung on the walls and the suits of
armor that lined the corridors, thus creating a mental map of her path so that
she could find her way back when the time came.

         Finally, after what seemed like forever to her, she heard voices.
Turning another corner, she spotted two guards standing in front of a tall set
of double doors. She did not try to hide but instead walked closer, swaying her
hips seductively from side to side as she did so. The guard on the right noticed
her first and called out sharply, "Halt!" She gasped, pressing a hand to her
arched bosom and stopping still in her tracks.

         The left guard had now turned his attention to her, and she could feel
their eyes feasting on her figure. "I haven't seen you around the mansion
before. Who are you?" the first guard asked.

         "I'm just a present for the Governor," she told them innocently. Drawing
her lips down into a pout, she added, "They told me that I was supposed to be a
surprise for him. They so wanted to cheer him up," she breathed, still pouting
seductively at the guards, "after what happened with his daughter's wedding this
morning. That's why they wanted me to be a surprise, but they told me that the
guards would be expecting me."

         The guards glanced at each other suspiciously. They hadn't heard
anything about a woman being sent to the Governor. Had the morning guards simply
forgotten to tell them, or was she a trap of some kind? "I'm sorry, ma'am," the
first guard spoke again, looking back at the raven-haired beauty, "but we can't
let you in."

         "Oh no!" Faith cried out in distraught, a hand flying to her mouth and
her dark eyes shimmering as if she was about to cry. "And I so needed the money!
I was even hoping to get in a little overtime with some of the guards like
yourselves."

         Again, the guards exchanged a glance, and again, it was the one on the
right who spoke. "How much do you cost?" he asked her, eyeing her openly.

         "I'm usually two hundred pounds, but I'll cut my rate in half and give
you two boys my best at the same time for only fifty each if you'll just let me
complete my job with the Governor first. I'd really hate to have to go back to
Bob and tell him that I couldn't get in because somebody else didn't do their
job." She shuddered and shivered, and fear clouded her eyes as she whispered,
seemingly to herself but keeping her voice just loud enough that she knew they'd
be able to hear her, "Why, there's no telling what he'd do!"

         The two guards exchanged a final glance, and then, with a shared nod,
they turned back to her. "All right," the leader of the two finally relented.
"We'll let you pass."

         "Really?" Faith asked hopefully, her eyes looking pleadingly up at them
even as her breasts drew taut against the tight fabric of her black leather
bodice.

         He nodded again. "Long as you stay true to your offer."

         "Oh, I will!" she exclaimed, sashaying up to them and quickly closing
the distance between them. "Why, with two such handsome and strong," she purred
the words as her hands reached out and stroked their armored chests in promise
of things to come, "men like you, it'll be my pleasure!"

         The first guard reached out his free hand and stroked the small of her
back. "You know, we could leave our posts for a few minutes."

         "Ooo," Faith moaned, wiggling under his touch and running her fingers up
to stroke his lips, "that sure would be great! Buuut," she trailed out the word
reluctantly, "I'd better do my job first."

         He nodded in understanding, released her, and opened the door. Several
voices had been talking at once, but all stopped the very second the door
opened. "What is the meaning of this interruption?!" the Governor bellowed. His
thunder died in his throat, however, as he looked up to see the woman standing
in the doorway.

         She leaned in the doorway, one hand pressed to either side of the frame
and her breasts arching so that they seemed to be aching to jump out of her
bodice. Her lips curled up into a slow but wide smile as the other men's gazes
followed the Governor's and each sat staring at her, seemingly transfixed.
{Men!} she thought. {They're all the same. It's all business until a hot woman
shows up, and then every thought but their dicks goes jumping out of the
window!} Her face showed no sign of her thoughts as she moved into the room,
walking with the same seductive sway that was so natural to her and made every
head turn.

         Their eyes followed her body as she strode slowly around the room before
coming to a stop in front of the Governor. His eyes, huge with lust, looked up
at her, and the way his lips moved told her that he was trying to talk but could
not quite get the words to come out. "Governor," she purred to him, reaching out
a hand to cup his face, "I know you're in a meeting, and I am so sorry to
interrupt something as important as it must be to hold the attention of a man
such as yourself." Her hand had trailed slowly down the side of his face and
neck as she had been talking and continued running down his torso. "But I've
been ordered to report here. You see, I'm here as a present," she concluded,
feeling him twitching under her touch and then jerking straight up as her
fingertips caressed the top of the bulge in his pants, "for you."

         The Governor did not stop to wonder who had sent her. In fact, he did
not stop to think about anything except for the fact that there was a gorgeous
woman standing in front of him, willing and waiting to be taken by him alone.
Even now, as her fingertips rubbed the tip of his sword through his pants for
everybody in the room to see, his eyes were not settled upon her face but rather
upon the two luscious breasts that hung down in front of him, just inches from
his mouth, begging him to take a bite. His mouth watered at the sight, and his
hands itched to grab her. He could feel the others' eyes upon him and, for just
a moment, considered declining her offer. It was then that her fingers pressed
down harder on his member.

         Reaching up, the Governor started to pull Faith into his lap. She did
not struggle against him and even let him press her body against his. In fact,
she leaned into his embrace, pressing her breasts tightly against his chest and
letting his mouth linger against her bare shoulder. "Not here," she whispered so
close to his ear that her hot breath tickled his skin and her tongue licked his
lobe. "I can't do half the things I can to you without a bed, and I don't work
as good with an audience as I do one on one." She could feel the Governor shoot
up at her whispered statement and was glad for the clothes that kept him from
succeeding in embedding in her at that very moment.

         "To my bedroom, then!" the Governor excitedly commanded. He slapped her
on the rear, and she arched her breasts against him before sliding slowly off of
his body.

         He watched her rear twisting from side to side as she walked to the
doorway. Standing there, she looked longingly over her shoulder at him. "Don't
be long," she purred to him, her lips turning back to the same seductive pout
she had used on the guards.

         "I'm right behind you!" the Governor exclaimed, jumping from his chair
and quickly running after her. He did not give a single second's worth of
attention to the complaints that rose up in the room all around him but
continued after his present. Faith stayed just ahead of him, luring him steadily
closer to his room and disappearing around each corner just as he turned onto
the hallway.

         She was at the door to his room when the Governor finally turned onto
the hallway where his bedroom was. She winked and blew a kiss at him before
slipping into the room and quickly shutting the door behind her. Glancing to the
bed, she saw the lump she expected and knew was Jack. Without hesitation, she
ran silently across the room and climbed out of the window. Her hands had barely
disappeared from the ledge when she heard the door open again. She grinned,
knowing that the Governor was about to get exactly what he deserved. She would
have liked to have hung around and watched it happen but had her own heartless
bastard to take care of. Dropping to the ground, she hurried off in the
direction she figured she would find Dawson's father's store.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Angel was watching over the new woman, but his mind was on Cordelia. He
thought he had never seen a more beautiful woman and wondered just how to go
about courting her. After all, she was a Princess and was used to all kinds of
Knights in shining armor, but he was about the furthest thing one could get from
a Knight. He knew that. He also knew that he was poor and had nothing to offer
her except a heart that didn't beat but was full of love. He wondered how she'd
take it when he told her that he was a Vampire. If she ran screaming into the
night, he'd have to follow her and make sure she didn't hurt herself, but then
he'd have to step back away from her and not make her feel that she was
threatened.

         The woman seemed to be quiet. She was pacing angrily up and down in the
cell, but he knew the cell would hold her. After all, it had held him, Brendan,
Wolf, and even the cats during some of their worst moments, and although they
had all tried desperately to get out, it had always been in vain. Doctor Doom
had made the cell. Angel figured it would probably last until the end of the
world and whoever's unworthy hide was inside of it would not be able to get out
even then.

         "Crys, are you hungry?" Angel asked.

         She turned at the sound of his voice and raised her head to look up at
him. The dark look that shot from her ice blue eyes was so fierce that it could
have killed a lesser man. "Why should you be concerned over that?" she
questioned him. "You have me locked in this cell, and for what?! Healing your
Captain's friend!"

         "No, ma'am, you're locked in there for your own protection. I've been
locked in there before, and it was for my own protection."

         "I do not need to be protected!" she snapped, her tone even making
Elvira cringe. "What I need is to get away from this ship full of ungrateful
wretches!"

         "Ma'am, we are extremely grateful for what you did for Will, but we just
can't let you go running back in to that town. It's not going to be here in a
little while."

         "I am fully aware of that," she returned. "What you and the others do
not know, however, is that my healing that man may well have been for naught!
You think you are protecting me, but what you are doing, in truth, is
endangering everybody aboard this vessel!"

         "Ma'am, we're always in danger. It's just a fact of life we live with.
We're Pirates, and every one wants us."

         "You may think that to be so and it may even be to a certain level," she
replied, trying to force calmness into her voice, "but you have never drawn the
wrath of what will come after you if you do not release me!"

         He looked at her eyes. "What makes you think that you have the power to
destroy us? We're not some helpless old people, and we're not what we seem to
be."

         "I know," she cut him off, looking him dead in the eyes. "You're a
Vampire."

         That surprised him. How could she know he was a Vampire as he had not
made that common knowledge? "Well, since you seem to know that," he said, "you
should also be aware that there are Werewolves and Witches aboard. We're all
good at protecting ourselves."

         "But not against a force of this magnitude."

         "We've been against evil beings many times. The Pearl even had ghosts
with living skeletons aboard it. They almost did us in, but we fought and
finally defeated them. What is this force you keep talking about, and why do you
think it's coming after you?"

         "I do not think," she answered him. "I know, but I can not tell you why
nor what he," she did not realize her slip until the word was already out of her
mouth, "is. However, you must release me! You may have gone against the Devil
himself, but you've never fought anything anywhere near this magnitude. He can
kill you and all those you hold dear with a single thought!"

         "But he hasn't managed to kill you yet. How is that?" Angel asked.

         "Because I've been lucky," she spoke the word with great disgust on her
tongue, nearly spitting it. "He has killed others before, though, to get to me,
and he will not hesitate to do so again!"

         "Ma'am, you're in a good place. He will have a hard time finding you. We
have already left the port and are anchored now, waiting for the Captain to
return. We are far enough out that the town cannons can not hit us. It will not
be long, and we will be even further out. Anything trying to get to you will
have a Hell of a time locating you. You will be safe, but I can't let you out of
there until the Captain returns. He has given us an order to keep you safe in
there, and only he can countermand his own order."

         She glared at him, and her voice came out almost in a hiss. "You are not
listening to me!" she cried. "The ship is not safe! I am not safe! You are not
safe! Nobody here is nor will they be as long as you have me aboard!" She
paused, looking at him thoughtfully and then asked in a quieter, calmer voice,
"Isn't there any one here you care about? Any one you love who you do not wish
to be hurt, not to mention killed?!"

         "There are many here I care about, ma'am, but I can't let you go. I
happen to agree with the Captain. I think you're safe in there."

         She folded her arms before her chest even as she announced, "Then you
are a fool and condemn all those you claim to care about to death!"

         "Ma'am, you're giving me a headache, and your arguing's not going to get
you anything. I'm going up. I will send another guard down. I have to make sure
everything's okay on the ship." Without another word, he headed upstairs. The
minute he reached the doorway, he looked out to see if he could see either Joxer
or Carl. Surely they could handle this one job without screwing up?

         He spied both of them at the same time. "Joxer! Carl!" he called. "I
need you for guard duty. Go down in there," he said when they came up to him,
"watch her, and don't let her out. Be careful. She's smarter than both of you
together. Watch each other and make sure the other one doesn't make a mistake
and let her out."

         "Yes, sir," they replied in unison. Then Joxer added, "I'll make sure
she doesn't get out of there, Angel."

         "Joxer, don't pull your sword out," Angel told him exasperatedly. "You
could fall down and hurt yourself on it." He did not approve of Jack letting
Joxer even carry a sword, let alone actually pull it out and try to fight with
it. Joxer would be more apt to hurt himself than anybody else.

         "Okay, but if she tries to come out of there, I'll have to get my
sword."

         "You're really going to hit a woman with a sword?" Carl asked. "Tell
another one, Joxer!" He walked ahead of Joxer, hating the fact that he had been
assigned to duty with him.

         "Lead on, shortie!"

         "I might be short," Carl said, "but I'm not an idiot and I don't bumble
every job they give me! They just pick on me 'cause I'm little."

         "Maybe," Joxer agreed, "but I don't know who the idiot you're talking
about is. It can't be me. They want me to work for them, because they all hope
that some of Joxer the Mighty might rub off on them!"

         "Dream on," Carl said just as they came to the place where the cell was
and saw the beautiful woman within.

         Then they saw the animals. "What the Hell is that?!" Joxer demanded, his
eyes bulging out at the sight of the one who was perched atop his mistress'
shoulder.

         "A dragon," Carl said, his own face showing his disbelief.

         "You mean those things really exist?" Joxer asked.

         "Guess so," Carl replied. "I believe I'm looking at one. And I've heard
they love to eat Gnomes," he glanced at Joxer, "and bumbling idiots."

         Joxer started to answer him, but Crys, having listened to their
conversation, smiled at her opportunity. "That's right," she told them, "and he
is hungry. We haven't had any real food in Gods know when." She stretched a hand
out toward them even as Blue, already having realized how deeply upset he had
made Crys and having been the first of the trio to realize his mistake in
trusting the wolfman, shifted his wings. "Wouldn't you boys please come closer?"

         "No, thank you, ma'am. We're close enough," Carl said. "Angel said to
watch and not to let you out."

         Her smile grew as she continued to play her role. "What a smart man he
is." She frowned at them as she added, "There's only one problem."

         "And what's that, ma'am?" Joxer asked.

         "He doesn't know what he's dealing with when it comes to us." Her eyes
had already been narrowed as she had began to concentrate. She watched as the
men before her shivered. The taller one wrapped his arms around himself. The
Gnome's mouth opened to speak, but no sound other than chattering teeth came
out. "Sorry, guys," Crys told them truthfully, "but I'm afraid your friend
hasn't left me with much choice." It was then that they hit the floor.

         Her smile vanished, her mask dropping completely as she was left alone
with her animal friends. She glanced at the wolf and lioness as she spoke to
them, "I'll deal with you two later. Right now we're getting out of here." She
gripped two of the bars, and ice spread swiftly from her fingertips. As soon as
the metal had turned completely to ice, she stepped back. A single flex of her
fingers sent the ice shattering, and she stepped calmly through the hole that
was left in its wake.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         When Jack had first entered the Governor's room, he had walked around
searching for hidden weapons or anything that the Governor might be able to use
as one. He had found several swords and a couple of dueling pistols with white
pearl handles. He thought they might be worth a pretty doubloon or two, so he
wrapped them up in a blanket that he found in one of the closets and laid them
to the side. Any one not expecting them would not see them.

         He opened an armoire and rifled through its contents. Hidden under the
underwear, which he flicked away with his sword, he found two leather bags
filled with gold coins. He added them to his treasure. They would be a nice
surprise for Elizabeth. He feared she did not have any money at all and, being
alone, would be grateful for anything. He did not want her to be beholding to
any one.

         His mind kept flashing back on their brief conversation. What man aboard
the Pearl could Will be interested in? He shook his head. It couldn't be a man,
but perhaps the ship herself had intrigued his friend? After all, was he not
hooked on her, as well? Was she not his mistress, his home, his freedom? He
would check it out when he returned, and he knew just the Gnome to look into it.
If he found such a man, he would certainly walk the plank, because no man who
could entice Will would remain aboard the Pearl as long as he was the Captain!
If Elizabeth didn't want him any more, perhaps Will would join his crew and he
would be close so that he could watch him even if he couldn't touch him.

         He heard noises in the hall and made a mad dash for the bed. Sliding
under the cover, he lay perfectly still. He heard the door open and peeked out
just enough to see Faith hauling it for the window. Then he heard the Governor
enter. He glanced at him and saw that he was looking around the room.

         Spying the lump in his bed, the Governor rushed over to it. "There you
are, my little chickadee!" he said as he pounced upon the lump. As quick as a
flash, Jack rolled out from under the covers.

         Standing and facing the Governor, Jack raised his sword to the
Governor's throat. "What in the Hell is going on?!" the Governor demanded
furiously, his bloodshot eyes staring at Jack in disbelief. Jack allowed him to
get to his feet, and as soon as the Governor was on his feet, he ran for one of
the swords that he thought was hanging on the wall. "What do you think you're
doing in here," he demanded, "and where is that whore who led me here?!"

         "Long gone," Jack said. "She did what I paid her to do: lure you in
here."

         The Governor had gone quite ashen in the face. "If you're here to rob
me, best be done with it and get out of here!" His mouth opened to yell for the
guards.

         "I wouldn't do that, Governor, if I was you." He was hoping Faith had
taken care of the guards, but if she had not, he still did not want the
Governor's mouth yelling. "I am here for payment of a different kind," Jack
stated. "You have tortured and enslaved many and got away with it, but when you
dared to lay your filthy paws upon Will Turner, that's when I come in!"

         "Oh, that's rich!" the Governor said. "You're protecting the little
blacksmithy? Why? You couldn't stand that he was going to marry my daughter?
That makes two of us, because I just couldn't stand him," the Governor said
through gritted teeth. "That filthy no-good son-of-a-pirate thought to lay his
unworthy hands upon my Elizabeth! I have better plans for her! Therefore he had
to be gotten out of the picture.

         "Now come, Captain Sparrow, I know you're a reasonable man. I will offer
you the contents of a certain chest I have full of gold and rubies to keep this
matter quiet. Will Turner is long gone and will not be returning. Besides,
you're a Pirate. I know you care for no one save yourself."

         "You know very little, Governor. I am not interested in Elizabeth. I
could care less about Elizabeth, but Will is a different matter. You had no
right to do what you did, and I'm here to make you pay for it. Gold and rubies
do not interest me."

         He watched the Governor with a slightly amused look as the Governor's
wild eyes roamed to the hidden places that Jack had already gotten the weapons
from. "You won't find any of them, Governor. You don't deserve any of them. I
will give you a minute to prepare yourself, and then I will execute you. I will
do to you what you had done to Will: I will show no mercy." He stood at the
ready, wondering just how to begin to slice this huge turkey.

         "But -- But I have no weapon!" the Governor stuttered out.

         "Neither did Will, and what you did to him should not have been done to
even a traitor."

         The Governor fell on his knees and began to beg for mercy, but he could
tell from the look on Jack's face that there would be none.


To Be Continued . . .


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Chapter Fourteen
         CLANG! went Jack's sword as it met Helvira's stroke for stroke. He was
surprised at the strength that was in her blows. Had he not killed her? Was this
not her ghost he was fighting? Could ghosts materialize to the point that they
were this strong? He knew that they could if they were cursed, as had been the
Pirates that had taken the Black Pearl. He would have loved to have put a curse
on Helvira if he had known how.

         His sword met hers again, slicing through the air. Could this woman
actually be alive? The only way he could tell was to slice her and see if she
actually bled red blood, but to do that he had to get clear enough of her to get
a cut in. He danced around as though he had suddenly taken leave of his senses,
which caused her to pause just long enough that he slipped past her guard and
sliced her above the left bosom. He was rewarded with a thin ribbon of red blood
which her snake's forked tongue instantly flicked out and licked.

         He didn't know how the bitch had done it, but she was alive! It made his
skin itch all over, and he renewed his efforts at striking at her. His sword was
a jewel and beautiful to handle. It made a singing noise as it fought, meeting
hers again and again. He would not give in to her, and he would not let her take
Will. His back was to Will, and that bothered him as he could not be sure that
Will was safe. He was oblivious to all those around him as he strove to kill the
bitch.

         All around Jack, the people had broken into fighting. They had found
that their money was missing and thought that the person next to them had taken
it. Blows rained heavily upon every one, and there was plenty of action for all.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Meanwhile, from his post in one of the alleys, Brendan had seen the
fighting break out. He started to rush forward but hesitated as he remembered
Dawson. Grabbing the knife from his boot, he turned and, handing it to Dawson,
told him, "Just try not to fall on it, and stay close." He hoped he had not made
the wrong decision by entrusting a weapon to the kid, but the boy had to have
some way of protection should they get seperated. Turning back, Brendan drew his
own sword and rushed into the heat of battle.

         Dawson looked at the knife he held in his hand. It was sharp and very
wicked looking, and he wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. He thought, "Just
try not to fall on it", was very good advice. Trembling in excited anticipation
from the action that he was about to see, Dawson followed behind Brendan so
closely that if Brendan had stopped, his nose would have hit him in the rear. He
looked for Faith but did not see her.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         The minute they had arrived, Xena had started in fighting. She could see
Jack and knew who he was fighting. She could also see Will but could not reach
him. Knowing that Jack would need help with Helvira, Xena started fighting her
way to his side even as she thought, {Isn't that the same bitch he already
killed once? Damn, ain't life funny! Every time you think you kill somebody,
they come back.} She remembered all the ones who had come back to haunt her.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Lex pulled his sword out and began trying to fight his way to where Will
was. He would rescue Will while Jack was handling whoever it was he was
fighting. She was a weird-looking woman with a snake wrapped around her, and by
damn, if she didn't look exactly like one of the Witches they had just rescued!
Could it be the same one? As he stood with his mouth agape looking at her, one
of the fighters jumped into his face with his sword outstretched and Lex set
into fighting him hard. "CLARK," he called over the roar of battle, "DO YOU SEE
THE WOMAN FIGHTING THE CAPTAIN?"

         It seemed that the fighting had broken out all around them the very
second they had stepped into the crowd. Though Lex had stopped, staring at
something with a shocked look on his handsome face, Clark had not stopped
fighting for even a second. His lover had left himself open, but Clark protected
him as fiercely as a lion, his sword sending enemy after enemy falling though he
did not kill a single one of them. He had his back to Lex's, fighting off two at
one time, when he called to him about some woman the Captain was fighting. Even
as Clark wondered what could be so fascinating about the bitch that had drawn
his lover's attention, he called back to him, "I DON'T EXACTLY HAVE THE TIME TO
LOOK AT SOME WOMAN RIGHT NOW!"

         "WELL, YOU BETTER MAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT THIS ONE! YOU'VE SEEN HER
BEFORE!" Lex yelled even as he threw the guy he was fighting after having driven
his sword through his gut. The dead guy hit three others, knocking them all
down. Lex turned to see who Clark was fighting and lopped off the head of the
one on the left, sending blood spewing.

         Despite his strong ethics, Clark had to smile at the way Lex so easily
handled the enemy. He wished he could be like that, but his blasted morals would
never allow him to be. Finally managing to knock the sword from his opponent's
hand, Clark delivered a quick blow to his head, then kicked him out of the way
even as he fell.

         Turning his back to Lex, Clark turned to try to look for the Captain
only to find a blade poking him in the face. He smiled at the sword, innocence
shining on his face, until a wicked grin flashed over his lips and he drove his
knee up into the other man's groin. The man fell instantly, holding himself and
screaming out in pain, and Clark stole that moment to look for the Captain. His
blue eyes finally spotted Jack, and like Lex's before him, his mouth fell open
in shock at the sight of the woman. Finally recovering himself just in time to
meet another sword that had been headed for his neck, Clark yelled, "THAT CAN'T
BE ELVIRA! SHE WENT WITH WOLF!"

         Lex yelled back even as he continued to slice away at two men who were
attacking him, "I THINK YOU'RE WRONG! I THINK IT IS HER! THERE CAN'T BE TWO
WOMEN LIKE HER, CAN THERE? AND THERE'S NO MISTAKING THE LACK OF CLOTHES!"

         "MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING NEW IN WOMEN'S FASHION?" Clark asked. "OR, AT
LEAST," he added, his determined blows driving yet another opponent back, "IN
HARLOTS'?"

         Lex shook his head even as he stabbed the one on the right and continued
to fight the one on the left. "IT HAS TO BE HER! I'D BE WILLING TO BET IT IS!
WE'VE GOT TO GET TO WILL AND GET HIM SAFELY OUT OF HERE! JACK WOULD WANT US TO!"

         "BUT THAT CAN'T BE ELVIRA!" Clark protested again. "IF SHE'S HERE, AND
SHE'S EVIL, THAT WOULD MEAN WOLF -- " Fury filled him as he thought of their
friend laying dead somewhere, and before he knew what he was doing, he had not
only met another blade but had slipped past the wielder's guard, his sword going
for his gut. Lex, having finished his man off, had turned and was just in time
to see what Clark was about to unwittingly do. Knocking him out of the way, he
drove his own sword home instead.

         Without a further word, they continued to make their way to Will's side,
fighting all the way but failing to realize that they were slowly drifting apart
in the sea of fighters.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Carl did not have a sword, but he had brought the pole and was using its
hook as a weapon, jabbing here and there. Being little and super fast, he was
able to get in a stab, run, and be on the opposite side of the battlefield with
a new opponent before his last one even hit the ground. He was covering a lot of
ground and taking out men all over the place when he was suddenly surrounded by
three with drawn swords pointed down at him. Looking sheepishly up at the
towering brutes, he swallowed a gulp and said weakly, "Hi, guys?"

         Suddenly, right behind the group that had Carl pinned down, Cole
appeared. He yelled at the three, "HOW ABOUT PICKING ON SOME ONE YOUR OWN SIZE?"
even as he lobbed three energy balls in quick succession right at the three men,
putting them out of Carl's misery. "Carl, you need to be somewhere safe." He
lifted Carl up and sat him on the top of one of the tents. "Stay up there till
it's over."

         Carl wanted to argue, but he knew Cole was right. "Okay, but if you need
me . . . " his voice trailed off.

         "If I need you, I'll call." {Not that that's going to happen,} he added
to himself. He was turning around to leave when he was suddenly surrounded by
buddies of the guys he had just offed.

         "We saw what you did," one said. "We've gotta kill you now." They waved
their swords at him, loathe to strike a man who did not have a sword drawn. Cole
pulled his sword and began to lay to on the nearest one. He could have thrown
energy balls and been done with it, but then he would have missed out on some of
the action. Lobbing energy balls all the time wasn't a lot of fun, and that way
you never got any exercise except for your pitching arm.

         The fighting between the four men became hot and heavy. Suddenly,
another one started sneaking up from behind Cole. Carl, who had been watching
the entire thing, jumped off of the tent and landed on the man's head. The man
started fighting like crazy, trying desperately to pull Carl off, even as Carl
pulled out his little dagger and began stabbing him. The man swung his sword
wildly in an attempt to knock Carl off but instead killed one of Cole's
attackers.

         Cole soon took out the other two. Turning, he lobbed an energy ball at
the one that Carl was riding. He smoothly caught the Gnome in mid-air and put
him back on the tent. "Stay up there, Carl," he told him again but then
relented, "but thanks for the save." He bounded into the crowd and straight into
another fight.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Even though Xena had not called Autolycus' name, he had followed behind
them at a safe distance. He knew she was angry at him at the present time,
because he had been moving first on her and then on Gabrielle every time he
caught one of them alone, not caring which one he got as long as he got one. He
winced, thinking back, at the remembered pain each had delivered him. Neither
the hilt of a sword nor a staff was a fun thing to have in one's groin.

         Now he was just as busily scooting around and emptying out pockets while
everybody fought around him. He was never much of one for fighting if things
could be obtained in other ways, and he was always looking for things. He knew
exactly when Xena's eyes made contact with him, and he didn't look up, just
darted around and got another pocket.

         He thought he was going undetected when a big, beefy guy reached out and
clasped a hand on him. "So you're the little runt who's been making his way
through the crowd, stealing from everybody and stirring up so much trouble?" The
guy's ham-sized fist wrapped around his neck, and he lifted him off of the
ground by his throat.

         Autolycus swung wildly with his feet, trying to kick the guy, but he
couldn't quite reach him. His startled mind failed to register his sword. He had
given himself up for a dead man when the man suddenly released him with a
gurgled roar of pain. "Whoa there, big fella!" Autolycus cried for even as the
man's hand released his throat, he began to fall on top of him. Autolycus tried
to scurry out of the way, but still the man's lifeless body caught him, trapping
him underneath his weight.

         Faith appeared where the man had stood, her boot resting momentarily on
his massive rear as she pulled her sword out from his back. Looking down at
Autolycus, she informed him casually, "You can give me some of your loot after
we get out of here, but you're digging your own way out."

         "Don't leave me under here!" Autolycus cried out in protest. "I won't
ever get out of here! They'll kill me! This guy must weigh a ton! Don't just
leave me under here!"

         Faith shrugged. "Should've thought about that before you let him pick
you up." Hearing the swing of a blade behind her, she whirled to meet the sword.
A swift upper swing blocked the blow, and she kicked the man back. Even as he
stumbled backwards, her sword sliced through his middle, separating his torso
from his legs.

         Blood rained down around Autolycus. "WHAT'RE YOU DOING?! SETTING UP A
TRAP FOR BUZZARDS?!" he yelled up at her. "I DON'T WANT TO BE BUZZARD BAIT! GET
ME OUT OF HERE!" he yelled again at her retreating back as she delved deeper
into the crowd, the blood of her opponents following her everywhere.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Brendan was well into making his way to his Captain when something white
fell across the blade of his sword. Startled, he looked down at it only to find
a snowflake shining up at him. "What the -- ?!" the wolf started to growl, but
no sooner had he spoken than a fist plowed into his face, knocking him back into
Dawson and sending them both to the ground that was already beginning to be
covered by snow.

         Shaking his head fiercely to clear his senses, Brendan raised his sword
again just in time to block a fatal blow. As his sword met his opponent's, his
legs kicked up, slamming into the man's and sending him stumbling backwards.
Brendan quickly jumped to his feet and, with a quick blow from the hilt of his
sword, had delivered the fallen man unconscious. Without another thought to the
white stuff, the wolf delved back into the fighting.

         Dawson lay on the ground where he had fallen with the wind knocked out
of him. Gods knew how long he would have lain there if not for the falling
snowflakes falling on his face, but they revived him. He got up, looking for
Brendan, only to see that his friend had disappeared on him. He could not see
him anywhere. He stood in the midst of the crowd, looking around, trying to see
who he could see.

         Blood was flying through the air and mixing with the snow. He followed
the direction from whence the blood came and saw that Faith was generating it.
Snowflakes shimmered in her dark hair, and her body, clothes, and hair were all
smattered with blood. He prayed that none of it was hers even as he realized
that, even when bloodied, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever
seen. Should he go to be close to her?

         He saw many others fighting but none that he recognized except for the
Captain. He did not want to get close to him as long as he was fighting the
strange woman with the snake. He had caught sight of the Captain just at the
time that the Captain had managed to slice the woman's left breast. Dawson
winced when the snake licked it, then sank its fangs in although the woman did
not even appear to notice. He trembled at the sight.

         Just where the Hell had Brendan gotten to?! He finally decided just to
go where Faith was even if it did make her mad. He wanted to feel safer. He
began to make his way there.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Jack could not believe that Helvira did not notice that the snake was
biting her, and the look of hatred that she kept shooting at Jack chilled his
spine. Then he felt something white, wet, and cold hit him on the face. He had
no ideal what it was. Some kind of weird rain, or maybe there was a bird up
there with a stomach problem?

         {Why did it have to crap on me and not Helvira?!} he thought. Then he
saw a flake land on her face and had to smile. {Makes no difference to the bird
which one of us he gets. Must be a condor,} he mistakenly presumed as the flakes
continued to fall. He continued to fight Helvira, matching her strike for
strike, neither of them winning second blood.

         As Helvira met Jack's sword yet again, her black lips parted to scream
out over the roar of battle, "MAXAMILLION, GET YOUR LOUSY BUTT TO WORK! DO IT
ALREADY!"

         Her words puzzled Jack. What could she mean? Was she talking to her
snake? He watched carefully for her next move, but Helvira fell silent as she
continued to fight him, still trying to break past his guard. Fencing with Will
and daily life had hardened Jack's muscles and made him even more wary of his
opponent. He was stronger than he had been the last time he had fought her yet
he still had not been able to fight her to a standstill, let alone win.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         As the fighting had raged throughout the auction area, one man had kept
to the alleys, determined to finish his meal. When his boss' voice screamed out,
grating his ears, however, he knew he had best get to work. He took one last sip
of what little remained of the slave's blood before tossing her to the pavement.
Picking up one of the chains he'd broken off of her, Maxamillion, who had added
the "million" part to his name after killing his millionth victim, strode
purposefully from the alley. He kept the chain in one hand and his sword in the
other. Avoiding every pesky blow that came his way and running his blade through
the heart of each who ignorantly tried to fight him, he made his way to the
auction block.

         The auctioneer was at a lost as to what to do. He knew the auction must
go on somehow, but he was not about to try to break up such a fight by himself.
Even the other traders had delved into the battle, and he had been left alone to
guard the last of the stock. Hearing approaching footsteps, the auctioneer
turned to meet the oncomer, but when he saw the mountain of man who approached,
he gulped. He glanced at the boy, looked back at the man, and took a sailing
leap off into the crowd, choosing to take his chances therein instead of against
such a monster.

         Having seen the terrified look on the auctioneer's face, Will turned to
face the direction he had looked in. Maxamillion's lips parted in a slow smile,
his blood-stained teeth gleaming out at Will as he told him, "You're coming with
me, boy."

         "Not if I can help it." Will moved quickly, swinging the chains that
bound his hands toward the man's head, but the man, who had sheathed his sword
upon the auctioneer's fleeing, grabbed the chains smoothly. His grin grew more
devilish as he yanked Will, sending him toppling face forward onto the block.
Before Will could even try to move, Max whipped the chains he held against the
boy's back. Will cried out as the chains ripped his shirt away and cut deep
gashes into his back. Then, as swift as lightning, the man whipped his sword out
and, standing over Will, swung downward. Will's cry turned into a roar of pain
as the man cut through the backs of his legs, slicing off his hamstrings.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Jack's blood ran cold. Some one had hurt Will! He had to get to him! He
kept fighting and backing as quickly as he could, desperately trying to reach
him. As Will's roar of pain reached Jack's ears, Helvira threw the damn snake
right into his face. Jack blindly grabbed at the snake, trying to get a hold of
any part of it while still trying to fight with his sword against Helvira whose
laughter rattled his ears.

         Her laughter broke Jack's heart for he knew Will was dead and that her
Maxamillion had killed him. The bitch was going down! He sliced the snake's head
off with one deft blow and became like a madman, not caring if he was hit or
not. He redoubled his efforts with his sword, making his advance so hot that
Helvira fell backwards a few steps. Little did Jack know that when he sliced the
head off of the snake, it had began flying around and around, its mouth and jaws
working as it tried to bite everything in its path.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Xena's head jerked up at the pain-filled cry. It could only come from
one person -- Will! Her heart leaped in her chest as she looked at where she had
last seen him and saw that he was laying still on the auction block. Was he
dead? She prayed that wasn't so. She reached for her chakram and was about to
throw it when she almost stepped on some one whose mouth flew open. "Hey, Xena!
Be a pal! Get me out of here!"

         She started to glance down to see who was down there even though she
recognized the voice when something flew by her head, making a smacking sound.
It did not come back past her way, but she could see that it was a snake head.
"Where the Hell did that come from?!" she asked.

         "I don't know," Autolycus told her, "but get me out of here before it
gets me!" She kicked and dragged the dead body off of Autolycus just as the
snake circled back around again. She took a swing at it but missed.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Brendan had looked up the instant Will had screamed. He was still
looking up, trying to determine the quickest path to the auction block and if
there was any way he could make it there despite the battling crowd all around,
when his acute ears picked up the strangest sound. Turning his head to the
right, Brendan let out a yelp as an all-too familiar head flew right at him. He
instinctively slashed out with his sword; his blade sliced right through the
middle of the snake's head. The two halves fell to the ground, and Brendan,
though scared the wolf was about to come out at any time, jumped onto the
halves, the heels of his boots stomping them into the pavement for extra
measure.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Clark's heart had nearly stopped beating when the roar of pain had met
his ears. Though his mind told him that it was Will, his heart screamed out for
his beloved Lex. The fist that did not wield his sword shot out, avoiding the
blow of his opponent's sword as his fist hit him full-force into the chest and
sent the unexpecting man flying. "LEX!" Clark called, spinning on the heels of
his boots as his eyes tore frantically around the crowd.

         He spotted his love looking up at the auction block and completely
failing to notice the sword that was mere heartbeats from slicing into his back.
Fear and fury filled Clark at once for he knew there was no way he could make it
to him in time. He barely had time to register the burning of his eyes before
fire shot forward from them, burning the man to soot in less time than it took
him to take a single, shocked gasp of air.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Lex had been desperately fighting his way to the auction block to reach
Will when Will had been attacked. He had not meant to lose sight of Clark, and
he heard him call his name just as fire came out of nowhere and burnt an
attacker that he had not known of to mere soot. The man's sword clattered to the
ground, and the fire continued to rain through the sky. Lex fell to the ground
even as flames shot over his head.

         He did not have a clue as to who was shooting the fire. He knew that if
Cole had been lobbing energy balls, they would have been better controlled.
Whoever was doing this was completely out of control as the flames hit not only
people but tents, causing everything it hit to immediately catch on fire. He
spotted Clark, and his mouth fell open. What the Hell was coming out of his
lovers' eyes?! Flames?! Again barely dodging the fire, Lex ran for Clark, hoping
to reach him before he had killed too many or, worse yet, one of their own.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Faith had been fighting two when a pain-filled roar from a familiar
voice had met her ears. Her head had jerked up to look toward the auction block
and Will, giving her enemies an opportunity. She did not yell out when one of
their swords cut into her shoulder but instead stepped back, yanking her own
shoulder out of the blade and swinging her sword through their chests. She
sliced through the heart of one and continued her blow, passing through the
heart of the second in the same swing, but never did she realize that a sword
was about to meet her back.

         Dawson saw the sword aimed straight for Faith and screamed out her name.
Hearing him, Faith turned but found the sword right at her heart. Dawson had
managed to come up behind Faith's attacker. He didn't know how to fight, but he
had an ideal what to do. Holding the knife in his hand, he plunged it deeply
into the back of her attacker and was rewarded with the blade landing in the
heart and killing the man instantly. He fell to the ground, dead, laying between
the two.

         Dawson stood, looking at Faith. He saw that she was injured and was
wondering if she would allow him to help her even when his butt was suddenly
singed. He jumped straight for her, knocking her to the ground and landing on
top of her. He was surprised when she grabbed him and pressed her lips to his.

         As Faith's lips took Dawson's from beneath, she rolled him onto his
back. The collision between his rear and the ground put out the flames even as
her tongue plunged downwards into his mouth. His arms snuck around her. His
tongue tried to dance with hers as his hands fondled her rear.

         Faith did not try to pull away from his embrace but instead deepened
their kiss. Her hands reached downwards, caressing the sides of his legs. She
was just before sliding them between their bodies to his groin when she heard a
voice from above. "Well, well, well. Couldn't wait to taste the merchandise,
could you, girl?"

         Faith's eyes rose up to see first a black high heel tapping up and down
on her fallen sword, and then as her gaze traveled higher, the sneering face of
Selene. "This is almost too easy," the woman spoke even as she drew her sword.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cole had managed to get free of fighting long enough to shimmer to where
Will was. He was the first one to reach him, but the minute he materialized, a
streak of flame headed straight for his face forced him to shimmer back out.
Where were they coming from? he wondered even as he heard a scream from the
auction block. Looking toward it, he saw Maxamillion, who had been scooped to
pick up Will, engulfed in fire. He was dancing around, madly beating at the
flames, when he exploded.

         When Cole shimmered back, he was alone on the auction block with Will,
and he knelt down beside him. He could not tell where he had been stabbed
without turning him over, because there was so much blood pouring from the
younger man's body. Then he realized that it was coming mostly from his legs.
The skin was sliced off where the hamstrings should be, crippling Will should he
survive. Could it be that he was not dead, only extremely injured?

         {My Gods!} he thought. {We must get him help immediately! Where's a
Lewis when you need one?} He was not really sure what to do to stop the
bleeding, but a thought came to his mind. {Must get Brendan. Where is he?}

         Cole did not want to leave Will, but he had no choice. He had to get
Brendan. Zoning in on Brendan's scent, he shimmered to his side just in time to
see him stomping something into the earth. "Brendan, you've got to get to Will;
he'll bleed to death!" He laid his hand on his friend's arm and shimmered him to
Will's side.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         The explosion of Maxamillion drew Helvira's attention for one brief
second, and Jack made good on his attack. He drove his sword home, straight
through her heart. It was the same maneuver he had used the last time they had
fought, but this time he sliced her open and severed her heart from her chest.
He pulled off his coat, put the heart in it, and wrapped it up therein as though
his coat was a bag. He was then finally able to run to Will's side where Brendan
was already working on his friend.

         The second Jack leapt onto the auction block, his eyes were met with
Will. His lungs nearly stopped breathing and his heart beating as he saw how
still Will's chest seemed to be and the blood that covered his body. Jack fell
to the floor beside Will with tears running down his face. His trembling hands
gently pulled Will's head into his lap. As Jack's body gently rocked Will's, the
snow fell even harder. If Will died now, it would kill Jack, because he knew he
did not want to live without his dearest friend . . . without the man he loved.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Xena had seen the attack on Faith and had come up behind Selene. Poking
her in the back with her sword, Xena demanded, "Back off of her, bitch, and give
her a chance to get to her feet or I'll cut you in two." She held her sword and
made Selene back up. Then she flicked Faith's sword to her even as the girl
rolled to her feet. Faith caught it easily, and Xena's gaze turned back to
Selene. "The fight will be fair," she warned, glaring at Selene, "or you'll
answer to me."

         "What concern is it of yours?" Selene hissed at her. Though she had
backed away as commanded, she had no intention of going through with the rest of
this woman's orders. {As if some little tramp could ever order me around!} she
thought seethingly.

         "She's one of mine," Xena growled back at her. "She's able to fight her
own battles. That's why I'm giving her a chance at you instead of me just
running you through."

         Xena reached down and lifted Dawson up. "Come on, kid; get out of the
way. There's woman's work to be done." She dragged Dawson out of the way and
settled back to watch Faith in action. Xena saw Faith bleeding but knew it would
not stop her and that the girl had to be allowed to fight her own battles as
much as she was able.

         Out of the corner of one eye, Faith glanced appreciatively at Xena and
Dawson before returning her full attention to Selene. "I've been waiting for you
ever since I saw you in the tents, bitch."

         "What?" Selene asked coldly. "Don't tell me that you thought I was for
sale."

         Selene's laughter died in her throat as Faith snapped, "In your dreams,
bitch," and drove forward. Her blade was aimed to slice upwards between Selene's
legs for the way she had treated Dawson, but Selene blocked her just in time.

         The fight was swift and furious. The two women danced in a circle around
each other, like a hawk and a snake, as they battled. Both took any opportunity
they were given. Faith drew first blood, her sword taking a deep cut from
Selene's hip, but Selene drew second, her sword biting into the wound in Faith's
shoulder that another had created before her. Faith bit back the cry of pain
that rose in her throat, and Selene smiled at the betraying emotion she saw
flicker, for just a brief second, in the girl's dark eyes. "What's wrong?" she
asked icily. "Did I hurt the little girl pretending to be a woman?" Faith saw
red at that comment, and before Selene even knew what had happened, she had
slipped past her guard and dove her sword into her heart. Instead of falling or
even crying out in pain, Selene smiled at her. "Nice try."

         At that moment, Xena realized that this woman could not be killed in
ordinary matters. She had to be an Immortal, and one of the sure-fire ways of
dealing with them was to take their head. She knew Faith would not think of that
and wondered how to tell her, but when she saw that Faith was so surprised that
she had not yet taken her sword out of Selene's heart and Selene's blade was
whistling through the air as it headed straight for Faith's throat, Xena whipped
out her chakram, threw it at Selene, and cut her head off.

         Selene fell to the earth, dead. Her head rolled to Faith's feet, and
Faith kicked it for extra measure. Her kick sent the head flying against the
wall next to Dawson where, upon impact, Selene's head burst open, blood, brains,
and tissue exploding everywhere. Dawson screeched and ran from the wall. He
thought he was going to be sick, and he had to fight to keep the bile down. He
didn't think he could ever get used to fighting like this.

         Reaching Faith, he wanted to hug her again but wasn't sure if she'd let
him. Instead, he reached down, picked up her sword from where it had fallen out
of Selene's heart when she had fell, and handed it back to her. Her fingers
brushed his as she took it.

         Xena, Dawson, and Faith quickly made their way to the auction block just
in time to see Jack reach Will. The tears rushing down his face touched them
deep in their hearts. Was Will dead, or could they save him?



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Lex finally reached Clark, who seemed to have taken out the rest of the
crowd. With a flying leap, Lex landed on his lover's back, knocking him to the
ground beneath him. Ripping off his shirt, he covered Clark's eyes with it.
"Clark, are you all right?" he asked worriedly. He did not let go of him.

         "Lex?" Clark's breath shook as he answered, and Lex could feel his
beloved trembling. "What . . . What just happened?"

         Lex did not tell Clark how much damage he'd done. He just reassured him
that most of them were all right and that he had not attacked any of his
friends. "You took out some of the enemy, and you burnt down the tents." Knowing
that this would not be enough to assure him for Clark undoubtedly knew he had
killed in the process, Lex added gently, "And you saved my life again and
stopped the evil man that was trying to take Will." Lex had gently rolled Clark
over as he had been talking, and his breath brushed across Clark's lips as he
told him, "You're my hero, Clark." Then he kissed him gently. "But just for good
measure, keep my shirt on."

         Clark did not speak again. He knew Lex was trying to keep him from
concentrating on the full effect of what he had done, but nothing, not even the
sweet nectar of his lover's lips as Lex kissed him, could keep him from knowing
that he had killed. He had to fight to keep his body from visibly shaking at the
thought. He had no intention of taking Lex's shirt off not only for fear of
those horrid flames shooting forth again from his eyes but also because he did
not want Lex to know that tears filled his eyes. They had too many other, more
important matters to attend to.

         Lex stood, pulling Clark to his feet. "We've got to get to Will. I don't
know how bad he's hurt." His heart was as heavy as his beloved's as Lex served
as Clark's eyes, guiding him through the fallen bodies to the auction block.
Though he could not see his face, Lex still knew that Clark was crying but did
not know how else to reassure him. For now they would have to concentrate on the
other problems at hand, but once he got him alone, Lex would find a way to cheer
up his beloved and take his mind off of what had happened.

         Most of the group had reached Jack's side by the time Lex and Clark
reached the auction block. Only Autolycus and Carl were missing. Autolycus was
out in the sea of dead bodies, lifting whatever he could from their corpses, but
Carl's voice met their ears. "HEY! SOMEBODY GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!" He was still
on top of the only tent that had not been burnt.

Chapter Fifteen
         Wolverine walked proudly beside Ororo. He would have liked to have
reached out and taken her hand in his but didn't know how she would take it.
After all, he was only a lowly Pirate while she was a beautiful Queen. She
probably did not even want to be seen with him, but he found himself wishing his
mates could see him now. He had seen a lot of women in his time, but she was the
most beautiful by far.

         He wondered how long it was to her house. He hoped it was not far. He
knew they did not have a lot of time to get what she needed and back to the
wagon. "How far is it to your house, Ororo?" he asked.

         As they rounded a corner in the circle of houses, she indicated the one
at the end with a nod of her head. It was only a small cottage, barely large
enough for one, but its perimeter was surrounded in a wide assortment of
flowers, each of which appeared lovelier than the last. A huge oak stood to one
side of the house, its branches sweeping upwards in a seemingly desperate
attempt to touch the heavens, and a weeping willow stood only a few feet in
front of an open window that led to her bedroom.

         He waited for her to open the door, glancing nervously around. He felt
as though a vice grip was around his heart, squeezing ever more as the seconds
ticked by. He hoped they were not surprised by any of the townspeople for he
knew they had probably found the smoke and the bodies they had burned. He wanted
to have her back into the safety of the wagon and back to the ship before that
happened.

         She could sense his tenseness and did not need to ask to know that it
was due to the danger that was all around them. The sky was growing increasingly
darker even as her hand slipped into her pocket. Surprise flickered over her
face as she found her pocket empty, however, and she realized that her key must
have fallen out in the ocean. Her voice was calm as she asked him, "Hum, do you
happen to have a pick on you, Logan?"

         Her question surprised Wolverine. "Why, little darlin'? Where's yer
key?" he asked. "But no, I don't have a pick, nothin' but these," he said even
as he popped a claw out and used it to open the lock. Once it was unlocked, he
stepped back out of the way, knowing she was probably very well shocked seeing
his claws but knowing that he could not hide it from her. His eyes sought hers,
hoping not to see fear in them.

         Her mouth had fallen open upon the sight of his claws, but she breathed
a silent sigh of relief as she believed she had managed to regain her calm
appearance before his attention turned back to her. Her blue eyes shimmered when
he looked at her, but it was not from fear but rather concern. Stepping closer
to him, she cupped his roughened hands in her gentle ones. "Does that not hurt?"

         "It did once upon a time when they came out on me all o' a sudden. I
wasn't born with them, but apparently they were in me the whole time. I hated
them at first, but as I found more and more uses for them, I came to be happy I
had them. They've saved lives many times, includin' my own." He reached out and
opened the door for her, pushing it wide open. "We'd best hurry, little darlin'.
There's a lot o' space between us an' the ship an' not much time."

         "Of course," she answered, nodding even as she withdrew her hands from
his. She swept through the doorway with a natural grace, calling back to him as
she did so. "You may come in with me, and thank you, Logan." Remembering his
earlier question, she finally answered it. "My key evidently fell out in the
water."

         He smiled at her even as he entered her house. "Thank you for inviting
me in. When we get back with my mates, don't call me Logan. That's just for yer
ears. They call me Wolverine; they don't know my real name."

         She listened to him even as she led the way through the front room and a
short hallway. "Do you normally make a habit of keeping such secrets from your
friends?" she asked curiously. She opened a door and walked into her bedroom.

         "You are the only one who knows my name. I don't tell others, 'cause
when they know your name, they have power over you. I told you. I'm really not
sure why, but I trust you."

         Glancing over at him, she graced him with a reassuring smile. "Your
secret is safe with me. We all have things we wish others not to know, and I
promise I will not tell a soul."

         Moving to her bed, she knelt before a small trunk at the end of it and
opened it. She then moved to her closet where upon she pulled out only three of
the outfits held therein. Moving back to the trunk, she dropped them in before
walking over to her dresser. It held several drawers, but she only pulled out
one. She took that one out, carried it over to the trunk, and dropped its few
contents into it. Placing it on her bed, she turned and, without hesitation,
selected two of the books from her top shelf.

         "You can take more o' those books if you want to, 'Ro. I can carry that
trunk with very little problem, an' even if you decide you don't want the books,
the crew will just about die to get 'em. We have a definite shortage of books,
an' believe it or not, there are those of us who actually read, including the
Captain."

         "Very well then." She stepped back from the bookcase and held her hands
up. The wind in the room suddenly picked up as it circled around her, swept the
books off of the bookcase, and dropped them into the trunk. As her hands
dropped, so did the wind.

         Wolverine knew that it would take him quite a while to get used to the
little things that she could do. He thought that being able to use the wind like
that was an amazing, useful trick. He hoped she never got mad at him, because he
would hate for the wind to get him the way that it had gotten the books. He knew
he'd never get away from it. "Is this all, little darlin'?" he asked.

         "Almost," she told him. Walking back to her dresser, she lifted the lid
of what appeared to be a music box. It was, however, a hidden compartment that
sank into the first drawer, which was without a knob or any other way to open it
and appeared to be merely there for decoration. Reaching into the compartment,
she drew out two sheathed knives and a small, black case. Setting them onto the
dresser, she opened a second music box. This was actually a small box, just as
it appeared to be, and she pulled out a pair of earrings that had been crafted
into lightning bolts. Adding that to the trunk, she stepped over to the left
wall, which was completely bare.

         He watched as she collected her knives and then stepped over to the
wall, wondering what she was going to do with it. The knives had surprised him,
because he had not thought she had any real weapons beside her powers. Why would
she need them, he wondered, and did she know how to use them? Again, hopefully,
not upon himself.

         Ororo reached out and placed a clawed hand onto what appeared to be just
another brick. Blue flashes raced from her fingertips as lightning sank into the
brick, which she had long ago cast a spell upon. She stepped quickly to one side
as the brick shot out. Stepping back in front of the hole where the brick had
been, she withdrew a locket from within.

         He tried not to show his surprise. Everything about this woman seemed to
be one long chain of surprises. "Are we ready now?" he asked.

         Tightly grasping the locket in her hand, she walked back to the trunk
and slid it into a secret compartment. Shutting the trunk, she fastened the
latch. She moved slightly closer to the bed as she slid a key out from
underneath her mattress. After locking the trunk, she pocketed the key and
stood. She gestured at the trunk, and winds lifted it from the floor. Looking
back to Logan, she nodded.

         "If ya have any food or other supplies, ya might want to bring them. The
ship hasn't been stocked, and I'm afraid it won't be stocked before we leave.
It's a long ways to Tortuga, an' there are no stops in between. We'll be eating
a lot o' fish, so anything you have will be good."

         She thought for a moment before answering. "I have no food inside, but
there are a few fruit-baring trees out back."

         Wolverine grinned at her. "I haven't clumb a tree in a long time. Sounds
like fun. Get us something to put 'em in?"

         She nodded in response and then led the way to the kitchen. The single
cupboard that stood in the room was just as bare as she had indicated, but there
were gunny sacks piled on top of it. With a wave of her hands, breezes again
lifted, this time carrying the sacks down to them.

         He grabbed an armload, planning to fill each of them. The crew would be
happy to get them; fresh fruit would sure beat the heck out of hard tack and
weevil flour biscuits that they'd probably encounter before they reached
Tortuga. He grimaced at the thought of the biscuits.

         Gathering the remaining bags to her, Ororo walked around the table
before opening the door. Stepping out, she moved to one side so that Logan could
follow.

         Logan stepped out into the sunshine, and his mind was instantly boggled
at the sight he was met with. She had said a few trees and he had expected one
or two, but the garden was full of fruit-baring trees and bushes. He could not
believe the vast array of fruits and wondered if she might have some vegetables,
as well. "Do you have any vegetables growin'?" he asked.

         "Potatoes," she answered, her eyes looking up at the trees. Although she
had ended up staying for nearly half her life, she had never meant to stay here
for long. She had planted the trees solely to help the community, but she would
dearly miss the grove.

         Logan set about collecting apples, oranges, peaches, and pears and
loaded the bags without a single thought as to how he would get them to the
ship. He was amazed at the booty and knew that, although the Captain personally
did not eat fruit, he would still be proud to see them. Logan then dug up
potatoes and filled another two bags. All in all, he had ten bags collected in a
blink of an eye before looking around for some kind of conveyance. "'Ro,
darlin', you got a wheelbarrow?"

         "Of course," she replied. She had been working alongside him the entire
time and had collected the same amount of bags. "I shall return in just a
moment," she added, walking off in the direction of her gardening shed.

         He did not wait but followed her and spied the wheelbarrow as soon as
she opened the door. Stepping forward, he grabbed it before she could and headed
back to where the bags were waiting. He loaded the potatoes first and then the
pears and apples on the bottom. Then he added the oranges and put the peaches on
top. It was quite a load, but it had one more thing to add. He was turning to
head into the house when he saw her returning with the trunk. Placing it on the
side of the wheelbarrow, where it would not crush the peaches, he lifted the
handles and began to head back in the direction where he knew the wagon would be
waiting.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Logan and Ororo were on their way to the wagon when they heard Wesley
excitedly marveling at all the sights and things he was finding in Fred's house.
He sat the barrow down. "Maybe we'd better check on them? At the rate he's
goin', they could be all day. Wesley?" he called out.

         Ororo smiled gently. "He sounds as though he is amazed, but given
Winifred's laboratory, I can not say that I am surprised."

         "I thought she was a Witch? What is she?" he asked.

         "There are many kinds of Witches, Logan. Some of us have gifts from the
Gods in the forms of powers but not all. Winifred does follow the path, but she
is more of a scientist at heart."

         Scientist was a new word to Wolverine. He did not have a clue as to what
it was. "What's a scientist?" he asked.

         "Well, there are various types, but Winifred uses her knowledge and
tools to try to find answers as to why certain things are the way they are and,
mostly, for cures."

         "You mean like a doctor? Brendan Richards is our ship doctor. He's a
very good one, but I've never seen him do any scientific stuff."

         "Somewhat . . . " Ororo began to answer but stopped as Fred poked her
face through the door.

         "Ororo! There you are! Ah was hopin' ya'd come by! Honestly, Ah wasn't
plannin' on bringin' everythin', but Wesley -- He's just -- " She shook her
head, at a loss for words, and finally admitted, "Ah just don't know what ta do
with him! Ah ain't evah seen any one go after mah beakers in such a manner!"

         Wolverine looked at her with one eyebrow raised. He had heard them
called many things but never beakers. "You say Wesley's after your beakers? We
thought the boy . . . " His voice trailed off. Would wonders never cease?

         Winifred nodded in all seriousness. "Mah beakers an' mah test tubes an'
-- an' -- "

         Ororo placed a gentle hand on Logan's forearm and faced Fred with a
gentle smile. "It is perfectly all right, Winifred. He probably simply has never
seen such an array of tools," she emphasized the word in hopes that Logan might
understand.

         Wolverine was grinning from ear to ear. The boy was not hopeless, after
all! "Better not go in there, 'Ro, not till he gets through. First time, you
know."

         "Oh mah -- !" Fred's mouth flew open, a deep crimson staining her
cheeks.

         "Lo -- Wolverine," Ororo gently chided, her own cheeks appearing darker
as well, "that is not it at all!" Releasing his arm, she started forward.

         Meanwhile, Wesley was inside, ignoring everything being said and busily
packing test tubes, beakers, other equipment, and books. Outside, Wolverine
followed reluctantly behind 'Ro. "If you say so, ma'am, but it sure sounded fer
all the world like he was very busy, an' if I do say so myself, it's well past
time."

         Despite the day's events and her unwillingness to embarrass Logan or
Fred any further, Ororo could not help herself as her lips parted in a gentle
tinkling of laughter. She met Winifred at the door. "Honestly, Ororo, Ah just
don't know what ta do! Ah don't even have enough crates!"

         Ororo placed a reassuring hand on Winifred's shoulder and faced her
younger friend's frantic nervousness with a reassuring smile. "We will find a
way to handle the situation, Winifred. Besides, you should not have to leave any
of that behind. You never know when such might be needed, and your equipment is
more important to you than food." Fred started to speak, but Ororo shook her
head. "Do not try to deny it, child, for I know you and know that that is true."

         At the mention of food, Logan asked, "Miss Fred, do you have any food in
the house? If so, ya might want to bring it. The ship's low in supplies." Women
were certainly strange creatures, and he wasn't exactly sure how to handle
either of these two. He just knew that wherever 'Ro went, he was going, and that
he liked both of them a lot. "Give me a minute, an' I'll get Wesley outta
there," he said as he walked into the room. Not paying attention to what Wesley
had in his hand, he patted him on the back. "Good goin', buddy."

         "I know!" Wesley exclaimed, grinning like a kid in a candy shop. "I
simply can not believe this! Look, Wolverine! She has so much!"

         "They both do, my friend," Wolverine agreed with a grin, "an' aren't we
the lucky ones?"

         Wesley looked up at him in confusion, a bag in one hand and a beaker in
the other. "Ororo's a scientist, too?" he asked in disbelief. "I thought they
were Witches, not scientists!"

         "No. 'Ro's a Weather Witch and a gardener. You oughta see the booty I
got -- fresh fruits and potatoes!" he almost whispered the latter. He dearly
loved potatoes.

         "That's all fine and dandy, I suppose, but just look around you,
Wolverine! So many books, and such equipment! My Gods, a man could die happy
here!"

         "Oh, you can say that again," Logan breathed softly. "I've just gotta
get in 'Ro's garden one more time."

         Wesley looked questioningly back at his friend. "You left something?" he
asked.

         "No, matey. I found something."

         "Well then, why didn't you already get it?"

         "It takes time, my friend; it takes time. Now let's get this stuff
packed up an' headed fer the wagon." Four pairs of hands made the work short and
easy, and they had soon finished the task.

         The men had been so busily at work that the women had stood to one side.
Winifred was still shaking her head in amazement as she could not figure out how
they had managed to get everything packed, let alone so quickly. "Mistah Logan,"
she spoke up quietly, "'bout that food. Ah've got some vegetables Ah was workin'
with if that'll help."

         "Sure will. Get 'em, and I'll add them to my barrow. How're we gonna
carry this stuff? Do you have a wagon or a wheelbarrow?"

         Winifred shook her head. "No. Ah tried ta tell Wesley, but he just
wouldn't listen."

         "That's all right," Ororo was quick to reassure both Fred and Logan. "I
can transport them."

         "They won't fit on the wheelbarrow, 'Ro. I could take these to the wagon
an' return."

         "I can carry them on the wind, Wolverine."

         "Okay . . . " he said disbelievingly. He would wait and see, however,
because he had seen the wind do some mighty strange things at her instruction
already. If she said she could do it, he believed her. "But we'd better get a
move on."

         Ororo nodded as she turned her attention back to Winifred. "Where are
you keeping the vegetables?"

         "In the kitchen," Fred nodded to one of the two rooms that adjoined the
one they were in. "What's left o' 'em any way. Ah had more, but mah plans just
weren't workin' out. Ah didn't think it'd be so hard to combine carrots and
potatoes."

         "Euuw," Wolverine said. "Carrots? Yuck! Those things'll rot your teeth
out! Now potatoes, that's a vegetable that'll fill your stomach!"

         "They can both be quite filling," Wesley informed him, "and are both
good for your health."

         "Thank you, Doctor Wesley, but if I've got any part o' carrots, I'll
give 'em to you."

         Winifred looked up at Wesley, her eyes shining. "You're a doctor?" she
asked in amazement.

         Wesley smiled at her, his chest puffing out in pride. "I am a scientist
like yourself, madam."

         "Doctor Doom, ma'am. He forecasts comin' things by readin' it on paper.
He's usually right," Logan said, "but it's usually not stuff we really wanna
know till it happens. A very smart man," he said, tapping his forehead.

         Winifred beamed at Wesley. "Oh, wow! Shucks, Ah bet we could come up
with some wonderful stuff together!" she exclaimed, never realizing how that
sounded.

         "I bet you two could," Logan agreed as he headed outside. He had had
about all he could handle of Wesley and Fred. He had already gotten heated up
watching 'Ro in the garden, just being near her and not being able to do
anything about it, and now these two were all but doing it in front of him. If
this kept up, he'd soon be hunting some of that water the Captain liked to use
so much of. "Hurry up," he called out. "We've gotta get going!" He glanced
ominously at the darkening sky, his need for haste quickening his step.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         "I shall fetch the vegetables," Ororo spoke, "but Winifred, you need to
fetch at least one change of clothes."

         "Clothes?" Fred repeated, then blushed. "Ah hadn't even thought o'
that!"

         Ororo smiled but did not say that she had thought as much. Instead, she
turned and walked into the kitchen.

         Wesley began toting the boxes out of the door, and Logan took them from
him and sat them neatly on the ground in a row. They soon had the room cleaned
out and glanced expectantly at the door, waiting for the women to emerge. They
had barely began to wait, however, when Wesley glanced back down at the crates.
"What did she mean when she said she'd have the wind carry them?" he asked Logan
uneasily.

         Wolverine said proudly, "'Ro is a Weather Witch, an' as such, she can
get the wind to do stuff. A while ago, in the garden, she told it to lift her.
It picked her up like she was a feather an' carried her up to one of the highest
branches so that she could get some apples down! Surprised me so much I almost
fell out! I didn't say anythin' 'bout it. She had that wind haulin' an' totin'
fer her like it was some kind o' fancy dandy wantin' attention. I can't wait to
see how she gets it to tote these boxes!"

         Wesley shook his head slowly from side to side in amazement even as his
eyes returned to the door. "This day is just full of one surprise after
another."

         "You can say that again! What were you an' Miss Fred handlin' inside
that took you so long before we got here? Looked like you had just barely began
to pack."

         "We had," Wesley admitted, "but I couldn't help myself, Wolverine! Her
equipment is just so amazing! I haven't seen that much stuff in one place since
London!"

         He looked at him in surprise. "You actually saw equipment like hers in
London? Well, it's true. They do come with the basic equipment, some bigger than
others."

         "Not the size so much as the sheer amount," Wesley amended.

         "And you had to discuss that?" Logan asked incredulously. "Well, it
probably made for an interesting conversation. Yer've talked more today than ya
usually talk in a whole week. It seems she brings out the best in you. What do
you make o' all this snow?"

         "I wasn't sure what to make of it at first," Wesley admitted. "I didn't
have my scrolls or equipment available, after all, but Winifred has been
researching it for a while now. She says a great force of evil is coming to
obliterate the town, Wolverine, and I believe her. That's one of the things we
talked about in there. She showed me all her data, and I must say that it is
astounding! Her mind is astounding! I just can't believe it! Having another
scientist around, especially one of her intellect and beauty -- ! I just -- !"

         "Well, ya better lay kinda heavily on the beauty part o' it, my friend.
Ya know we're goin' to the ship. There a lot o' single, unattached men lookin'
fer women on that ship, an' they ain't had time to get one in port. Ya better
put yer mark on her or they'll be tryin' to move in on uncharted waters."

         "She doesn't deserve to have to tolerate that!" Wesley exclaimed
heatedly despite himself. "If -- If they touch her and she does not wish to be
bothered by them, I'll -- I'll cut their hand off!"

         "Wesley, just mark her. I've been thinkin' 'bout it, an' I don't know
how to mark 'Ro until we get the other men alone, either, 'cept to growl if they
get too close, but I plan to tell 'em she's mine an' they better not lay a paw
on her. I advise you to do the same. They're basically good men, but they're
horny bastards an' we do have two beautiful women. Just don't let the women
know. They won't like us thinkin' that we own them."

         "We do not own them, Wolverine!" Wesley sharply objected. "We should be
so lucky as to have them own us! And I shall not lay an unworthy claim upon
Winifred, but I will tell them what will become of them should they bother her!"

         "Well, you do it your way, an' I'll do it my way just as long as they
know. I'd hate to have to kill one o' em fer layin' one of their grubby mitts on
my 'Ro."

         Wesley nodded understandingly and opened his mouth to speak. His words
were forgotten and his mouth left opened, however, as Winifred, followed by
Ororo, stepped out. Winifred carried a single trunk, but what amazed Wesley were
the bags that floated in the air behind Ororo. Recovering himself, he rushed
forward just in time to meet Fred at the base of the steps and took the trunk
from her. Meanwhile, Ororo fastened her attention on the cases. Her left hand
gestured to them to lift, and breezes lifted the cases into the air.

         Carrying the trunk, Wesley headed off in the direction of the wagon
followed by the ladies and the cases and bags that floated in the air. The rear
was brought up by Wolverine who kept sniffing the air as though something was
about to hit them as he pushed the wheelbarrow.

         It did not take them long to reach the spot where the wagon had been but
was no longer. Wolverine sat the wheelbarrow down. If there had been tracks, the
snow on the ground had now covered them, and he had to use his nose to locate
the direction in which the wagon had been driven. "They went that way," he said
and pointed in the direction of the Halliwells'. It did not take long to cover
the space between where they were and the wagon, and he could see that it was
being filled with barrels of what he hoped was food. He was about to unload his
wheelbarrow when they were approached by one of the women from the house.

         Hearing snow crunching under approaching footsteps, Ororo turned to look
in its direction and was surprised to see Paige rushing to them. Her face was
paled with fear, and Ororo knew instinctively that it was not just what they had
been through that day and losing her mother and grandmother that now had her so
afraid. She quickly gestured her hands in silent commandments to the wind,
sending the cases and bags sweeping by Logan as they appeared to load themselves
into the wagon. As soon as that was taken care of, Ororo rushed forward to meet
Paige. Clasping the youngest Halliwell's shoulders, she stilled her even as she
asked in deep concern, "Paige, child, what's wrong?"

         "Prue!" Paige exclaimed, her voice trembling as she was on the verge of
tears. "Prue and Joxer are locked in the room!"

         Ororo did not have to ask which room nor even how they had gotten locked
in there. "Goddess," she spoke with a quick intake of breath.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Seeing that 'Ro was taking care of the girl, Logan had quickly loaded
what he had been carrying and added the wheelbarrow. He didn't know if they'd
have a use for it aboard the ship or not, but he was not one to throw away
anything. He then walked over to stand beside 'Ro as the girl said "the room",
making it sound as though it was the voice of doom. Ororo's fearful reaction
only added to his concern. "What room?" he asked.

         Ororo quickly explained. "The Halliwells have a very special item that
they keep in their mother's and grandmother's room. The room has a spell on it
so that it traps any one who enters it but is not of their blood. Only Patty and
Penelope knew how -- "

         She was interrupted by Paige. "No! Don't tell me you don't know how to
get them out!" Tears welled in her eyes. "I can't lose Prue, too! I can't!"

         "Easy, child," Ororo gently spoke to her. She wrapped her arms around
Paige and held the young woman reassuringly even as she looked, unshed tears
sparkling in her own eyes, to Logan for help.

         "Show me the room?" Logan asked.

         Ororo nodded before turning her attention back to Paige for a moment.
"Paige, dear . . . " she started but could feel Paige's tears wetting her shirt.

         Ororo had not known when Winifred had came up, but Fred now reached out
and gently touched Paige's shoulder. "Paige, come here, sweetie," Fred started
but had barely gotten the words out when the girl turned into her embrace. The
women's eyes met, and Ororo knew that Winifred would handle the situation and
felt confidant in her ability to do so. Without another word, she turned and
headed directly into the house.

         She did not stop until she stood in front of the room that held Prue and
Joxer trapped. "They are behind there," she said, nodding to the door, "but we
can not hear them nor can they hear us. The door can not be attacked, either."

         Wolverine walked up to the door. He sniffed at it. It was giving off
some kind of a high-pitched sound that only his alert ears could pick up, and he
knew better than to reach out and touch it. "I'll be back," he said and raced
outside.

         Walking slowly outside the front door, Wolverine began to make his way
around the house. He held his hands out toward the house, sensing the vibrations
that it was giving off. He was not surprised that the others could not hear it.
He went all the way around the house, sensing that the vibration ebbed and
flowed in some places and searching for the weak area. Everything had a weak
area. He knew that from experience. He reached out, tentatively touched the
house, and was not shocked.

         He finally found the spot. It was the only spot that the vibration was
not coming from. Flicking out a claw, he stuck it in. He was surprised that he
was still not shocked. He began to drag his claw down, cutting a door into the
room. He tried to rip quickly at first, but it sealed itself. As he slowly cut
down, however, he noticed that it stayed open only for a few minutes longer than
it had when he had ripped it.

         He had to find something to stick in it and hold it open. He found some
logs that had been cut for firewood and carried several of them back. As he tore
gently through the wall, he slipped a log in. He knew that it would have to be a
quick maneuver and that the house would seal itself again quickly. He could hear
the people inside now. "Be ready," he called and was answered by a shriek from
Joxer which he ignored. "It will only last a few seconds an' yer'll have to get
out, so if there's anythin' in that room that you want, ya'd better grab it and
be ready when it opens."

         Prue glared angrily at Joxer. "Don't even move!" she said angrily with a
finger pointed at him. She flipped the rug back and pulled open a secret chamber
in the floor. Reaching inside, she pulled the Book out. It was wrapped in a
black, silk cloth, but she knew what it was and did not pull the cloth off.
Walking over to the hole that was slowly appearing in the wall, she turned back
to Joxer. "Get over here now!" she said, pointing to the floor just in front of
her. "You heard him say that it was going to be quick!"

         "But -- But -- But the wall's talking!"

         "Fool!" she said. "Get here now!" Prue had a lot of patience, but she
had very little with this man. He had jerked her last nerve.

         "No way!" Joxer exclaimed, shaking his head. "I'm not going anywhere
near a talking wall, especially not one that sounds like an angry Wolverine!"

         Prue got in front of Joxer and started poking him on the chest. She
backed him up and had him at the wall just in the time that Wolverine hollered,
"NOW!" She poked him again, and his feet tripped her, causing her to fall into
his chest and knock them both out of the hole that Wolverine had made. Logs,
Book, Joxer, and Prue fell out even as the hole sealed itself again immediately.
She took deep gulps of the fresh air even as she looked at Wolverine. "Thank you
very much! Please do something with this!" she said as she pushed Joxer to him.

         "Joxer," Wolverine growled at him. "Talking walls, are they? I have
never met a bigger idiot! Just wait until I tell Gabrielle what a fool you've
been! Get in the wagon, sit there until we get there, an' don't touch anything!"



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Prue had already ran around to the front of the house. Upon entering the
house, she was met by both Paige and Phoebe, hugging and screaming so loudly
that their voices made Piper come out of the kitchen. "Prue, thank Gods!" she
exclaimed, rushing forward and joining in the group hug.

         "That idiot!" Prue seethed. "I gave him to that short man out there; I
hope he eats him! Now we must get out of here and hurry! Have you got
everything?"

         Lorne had followed Piper out of the kitchen and was very relieved to see
that Prue had been released. "The short man's name is Wolverine," he said, "and
he is a very good man to have around." His arms were loaded down with bags, and
he hurried out to the wagon. It took him several trips to get all of the bags
into the wagon. Phoebe had two bags full of clothes and a few romance novels
that no one knew she had, and she ran for the wagon.

         "I think we almost are," Piper told Prue. She noticed Ororo slipping out
behind her sister but did not call to their godmother. She knew she was being
hit as hard as the rest of them, if not more so, and needed some time to
herself. "Oh," she added excitedly, "and guess who Lorne found?!"

         "Who?" Prue exclaimed. At her exclamation, a meow was heard. "Kit!" She
scooped the cat up. "I guess we're ready now," she said with a smile and headed
out to the wagon.

         Piper followed her sister, still talking. "You wouldn't believe the time
I had with Phoebe and Paige! They wouldn't believe me for anything when I told
them that Lorne was good, but at least they believed Kit!"

         Prue didn't ask; she knew that if Lorne had truly been evil, Kit would
have attacked him. As the cat indicated it wanted down, she released it into the
wagon and it headed straight for Lorne's lap; she knew it had not attacked him.

         Lorne looked over at Gonk. "Nice doggy. Stop looking at the cat like
that. You'd better be friends. Come; sit down." Gonk, who was very tired of
being ignored except to be scolded every time he happened to glance Meesy's way,
crawled over beside Lorne and laid down by his leg, trying his best to ignore
the cat. {Too many cats here,} he thought with a glance at the two catwomen who
were still sleeping and the catman who sat beside one of them.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Logan had followed Ororo when she had walked out of the Halliwells'
house. He knew she was upset. He finally caught up to her, but her back remained
to him. "'Ro," he asked, his deep voice full of concern, "are you okay, little
darlin'?"

         His voice stopped her in her tracks, but she did not turn back around to
face him. Her arms were folded before her. Her hands rubbed her arms as though
to warm her although she was not cold. Her head was tilted to look up at the sky
that grew ever darker, and tears shimmered in her sad, blue eyes. "I am all
right, Logan," she answered him, her voice even quieter than usual. "I just . .
. " How could she tell him how much coming so close to losing Prue on top of
everybody else who had died that day had scared her? She could not, so she said
instead, "Thank you."

         "Any time, little darlin'," he reassured her. "Nothin's ever gonna
happen again to those you love; ol' Logan won't let it." He scooped her up in a
bearhug before she knew what was happening. "What a woman! You can even summon
the wind with a twist of your little hand! Ol' Logan's very lucky to have you as
a friend! Now you want to tell me what's goin' on in yer mind?"

         She sighed. He thought she was wonderful. His every word, his every
action, told her that, but only she knew just how dreadfully wrong he was. She
remained in his arms, thankful for the comforting embrace that she did not
deserve, but her tears continued to shimmer, coming ever closer to falling as
she thought over the day's events.

         "I can not help thinking about them, Logan," she answered quietly, her
voice barely above a whisper as though she was afraid to make the admission
aloud. "And Prue . . . The thought of losing her too scared me. The Halliwells
are my godchildren. I've already taken their mother and grandmother from them,"
she did not realize the words as she opened up for the first time, a single tear
slipping from her eyes and dropping down onto his shoulder. "I could not bear
the thought of losing her, too, let alone of causing them even more pain."

         "What makes you think that you took their mother, 'Ro, let alone their
grandmother? Did ya think that you could stand alone against the townspeople,
protectin' all those weaker than yerself? You're not to blame, so stop takin'
the blame of the world on your sweet shoulders. You haven't failed the girls. I
just met you today, and I know that you never just give up. You fight against
the Fates. You can't tell me it was your ideal to walk into the water, but why
you followed 'em, I don't understand that." He waited for her words, knowing
only that by talking it out would she be able to cope with it.

         "That is just it, Logan. Perhaps it was not my ideal, but I nonetheless
supported it." She sighed again as she admitted something to him that she had
never even told Patty, who had been the best friend she had ever had. "When I
first came here, I never meant to stay, but Patty and I became fast friends. She
would have listened to me had I stood against the ideal of sacrificing ourselves
to do what we could to save the others." Thunder rumbled in the sky above their
heads as she stepped out of his embrace. "What you have seen me do today is only
a small fraction of what I am capable of doing, Logan. I could have done so much
more! I could have stood against the townspeople, and yes, I could have taken
them."

         "Yeah, an' a lot more people would've died. The girls would've died,
because they would've stood by you. They would've caught a lot o' the
townspeople's anger. I don't know whose ideal it was to drown peacefully," he
spat that word out angrily, "but I understand the reason behind it. Patty would
want you to take care o' her girls. They need you." He almost added, 'I need
you', but kept that little bit of information to himself. "Time will help to
heal the wounds, 'Ro. You're gentle with others. Be gentle with yerself. Give
yourself a chance away from here. Jack will take you somewhere safe. He keeps
all his people safe. Give me a chance to help you with the girls." There, he'd
said it. He'd almost put his foot into it up to his neck as to letting her know
his feelings for her. Now he was expecting a let down.

         "Goddess knows I . . . they can use all the help they can get, Logan,
but I do not know if anything will ever be enough. It . . . " She turned from
him, not wanting him to see her increased tears. "It almost killed me when I
lost my parents, and I was so little at the time that I barely even remember
them. They already lost their father. That was painful enough, and now to lose
their mother and grandmother at the same time . . . "

         She shook her head even as tears that she had kept pent up for years
began to spill down her cheeks. "I should have done something, anything, but
when it mattered the most, out of the millions of things I could have done, I
did nothing! I let them die, Logan, not just Patty or Penny but all of them! You
say that I should be gentle on myself," her voice shook as thunder bellowed and
rain began to fall, mixing with the snow and becoming sleet before it hit the
ground, "but how can I when I am as much to blame as those . . . as those . . .
" She struggled to find the right word, but she had never cussed and could not
think of a word fit of describing one who would take another's life in the name
of a religion that they did not even hold by.

         "You're wrong, 'Ro. You're not to blame. You thought you were doing what
was best fer all concerned, an' most importantly, you weren't their leader. From
what I understand, Patty an' Penny were. If there's any blame, it rests with
them. You didn't kill your parents, so stop blaming yourself for that. The girls
will need you. Ya have to pull yourself together. They're young, head-strong,
an' probably pretty foolish as most of the young are. They'll need you fer
guidance an' fer love. You have to be strong for them an' yerself." Logan hoped
what he was telling her would help. He knew he was not very good with words. All
he could speak was what he was feeling. He hoped it would be enough. He reached
out and attempted to pull 'Ro into his arms again. "They will not blame you. I
don't blame you. So you must stop blaming yourself."

         She did not tell him that she did not know if she was even capable of
giving the girls the love they needed or, for that matter, any one, but she did
let him pull her back into his arms. His arms were strong and felt so comforting
and right around her, almost as if they had been waiting for her her entire
life, but she knew that that was a thought of pure absurdity.

         He was relieved that she had not pushed him away. He vowed that he would
get a bath as soon as they got back to the ship. He imagined that he must be
smelling something fierce and didn't know how she could tolerate him yet she
allowed him to hold her gently. "I'll be there for you, 'Ro, any time you want
me to be. I don't know if I'm any good at takin' care o' girls, but I'll do what
I can. Right now I think we'd better get to the wagon before they leave without
us." He broke off the hug and, taking her by the hand, led her toward the wagon.

         As they reached it, he put her in first and then climbed in beside her,
pulling her back into a hug. "It won't take long, but it'll be a little while
that you can rest." He looked around and noticed that the others had all
settled. He hoped it would be an uneventful, quick trip to the ship.

         The others huddled together, hoping that the rain would not get worse.
They thought it was part of the snow storm that had been going on most of the
day. Prue looked at Ororo with a question in her eyes. Could she have been
responsible for the rain?

         Ororo caught Prue's questioning look as she laid her head on Logan's
shoulder. Knowing that a storm would only make it harder to reach the ship, she
closed her eyes and fought to rein in her emotions. As she regained control
again, the wind, lightning, and sleet vanished, but the snow continued to fall.

         Prue had watched Ororo and had seen the declination in the weather. She
knew she had been right, but though she nodded to herself, she didn't say
anything and turned her attention back to her sisters instead.

         Meanwhile, Tom and Morph had transformed back into dragons. They had
been waiting for Logan and Ororo, who were the last to get on, and as soon as
they had gotten on, they almost flew to the ship. The wagon was jam-packed with
people and belongings, but although it was crowded, it was almost comfortable as
old and new friends huddled together. What would have taken them hours to reach
the ship took them only about fifteen minutes. Passing quickly through the town,
they noticed that part of it was on fire but did not stop to investigate,
knowing that they had to get to the ship and get ready to leave.

         As they rode swiftly through the town, Gabrielle tensed, her hands
itching for her sais as she fully expected trouble. The shapeshifters could feel
her tenseness through the reins, but as Tom's telepathic voice met her mind, she
relaxed just a little. {{{It's all right,}}} he told her. {{{They don't see us
for us. They see Morph and me as horses, not dragons. They think you're just a
fat, old man,}}} he added teasingly, {{{and the others are just luggage.}}}
Reaching the ship, they began swiftly unloading and preparing the ships for
departure.

Chapter Sixteen
         Tears continued to run down Jack's face as he held tightly to Will as
though that would save him. He was locked in his own world, and only Will and he
existed there.

         Knowing that Jack was completely out of it, Xena took command. Looking
at Cole, she said, "Shimmer and take Will to Jack's cabin. Return and get
Brendan. Then return for Jack. Once you have them all there, look for the Lewis
sisters and get them in there to help Brendan."

         Cole reached out to take Will only to be met with Jack's blade. Xena
reached out and placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. "It's just Cole, Jack," she
spoke soothingly to him. "He's not going to hurt Will; he's going to take him to
your cabin."

         Locked in his own world of misery, Jack did not respond to Xena at
first. She thought she just might have to knock him out and was getting prepared
to do just that when she saw Brendan reach out and touch Jack. "Easy, Jack,"
Brendan told him in a smooth, gentle voice, speaking to him as though he was the
patient instead of Will. "You want Will to be okay -- we all do --, but that
can't happen here. We have to go to the ship so that I can get my supplies and
work on him. It's his only chance."

         Jack shook his head and clutched at Will even more tightly. It was as
though the man had lost his fragile grip on sanity as he was blocking out his
friends' voices. Xena squatted, reached out, and brought Jack's face up to look
directly into hers. "Let go so that he can be taken and helped. You want to kill
him?"

         "No," Jack spoke at last, "but I don't want to lose him either. If I let
go of him, he's going to die. As long as I hold on to him, he's not going
anywhere."

         Xena could see the reasoning behind Jack's thinking that his touch was
keeping Will alive, but she also knew that Brendan had to reach his tools. She
didn't know anything else to do, so she hauled off and knocked the fire out of
Jack. Her punch stunned him so that he let go of Will for a brief second, just
long enough for Cole to grab Will and shimmer. Jack got to his feet, turned, and
knocked Xena. Her head snapped back from the blow, and she had to remind herself
that Jack was not completely himself as her hand itched for her sword.

         "If Will dies . . . " Jack left his threat hanging in the air even as
Cole returned. Jack, feeling the shimmer, turned to leer angrily at him. Cole
looked at him, snatched Brendan, and shimmered out, leaving Jack's fist to meet
with empty air.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cole had not even taken enough time when he had shimmered Will to Jack's
cabin to notice who was in the room. He had simply laid Will on the bed and
returned for Brendan. Now on his second trip to the cabin, he heard screams so
loud that they echoed in his ears. When he shimmered in to release Brendan, two
women were staring at him with their mouths wide open in screams.

         Angel came seconds later, crashing into the door rather than taking the
time to open it as he believed the women were in danger. Seeing what was going
on, he told the women, "Be quiet, please, and come with me!" He did not know
what was wrong with Will, but he knew that he was in pretty bad shape for the
blood he could smell on him.

         Cordelia looked at Angel in shock, her scream dieing in her still-open
mouth. Had he just ordered her, and what was with that tone? Why would he bark
at her so soon after kissing her, and just where had he been hiding any way?
Before she could say anything, she heard Elizabeth gasp beside her for the sight
before them had finally sank into the blonde's mind. "Will! What -- What
happened?!"

         Cordelia's hazel eyes followed the other girl's attention to the body
that lay on the bed, and her heart nearly stopped beating. Oh Gods, was he --
was he dead? He certainly looked it! She shook her head, trying to clear her
thoughts and concentrate, but found that she could only continue to stare at the
man who must be Will Turner. She had never seen some one drenched with so much
blood.

         Angel reached out and touched Cordelia's hand. "Please come with me.
They have to have room to work on him. He's not dead, just hurt really bad.
Elizabeth?" He looked at her to see if she heard him. "Now?"

         Angel's voice and gentle touch had broken through to Cordelia. Looking
back at him, she nodded and stepped forward to follow him. Elizabeth, however,
continued to stare at Will, horror filling her blue eyes. "What . . . What
happened?"

         "It's a long story," Brendan replied, ripping Will's shirt open so that
he could better assess the damage done to his back. His eyes never lifted to the
others as he added, "Miss Swann, you may return shortly, but for now, please,
for Will's sake . . . "

         "Y-Yes . . . " Elizabeth whispered, her voice barely audible. Still, she
stood in the same spot, her feet seemingly glued to the floor. She wanted to
move. She knew she should. Yet all she could do was stand and stare at the man
she should have been married to by now.

         Angel reached out and gently touched Elizabeth. He could tell she was
about to swoon. He gathered her into his arms just as she passed out. He carried
her out of the cabin and onto the deck before laying her out. "Could you stay
with her, please, Cordelia?" he asked the Princess who had followed him. "I
don't know what Brendan needs. I need to check and get stuff for him."

         "Of course," she answered with a quick nod. There was so much she wanted
to ask him, but she knew that everything else would have to wait.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         The screams had been the first the rest of the crew had known anything
was amiss. They had rushed in the direction of the screams only to glance in and
see that Will was in bad shape. Knowing that Brendan needed privacy to work on
the boy, the others had backed up, gotten out of the way, and continued about
their work.

         Lorne was lugging the bag of books he had gotten from the Halliwells
when he spotted Piper. "I'll put these downstairs," he told her. "It's where our
sleeping quarters are. They'll be safe there. It won't take me long." He smiled
at her and headed downstairs with them.

         When he got to his sleeping area, he saw some one was in his cot. He
could not yet tell who it was through the darkness but knew that it was some one
who was not supposed to be there for each crew member had his or her own cot
and, except for Lex and Clark, did not usually sleep in each other's cots.
"Hey," he called out. "What are you doing in my bed?"

         When he did not get an answer, he stepped closer and was finally able to
make out the person enough to tell that it was a female he did not recognize. He
took another step closer, and his breath caught in his throat as he finally made
her out completely. A beautiful woman lay before him. Her silvery blonde hair
fell in soft circles around her body. Her skin was pale white, and he could tell
from the look of its texture that it would be as soft to touch as her long hair.
She wore a long, black dress. Though it was formal and made him think of a
grieving gown, its bodice had a small dip, and something blue twinkled up at him
from her bosom that rose and fell in her sleep.

         "Miss?" he called but still did not receive an answer. He slowly reached
out one hand to touch her and shake her awake. His green fingers were but a
heartbeat from touching her when something suddenly clamped down onto his rear
with a huge bite. "OW!" he yelled even as he slapped behind him. No reaction
came from his biter, but a roar sounded in front of him.

         Lorne's red eyes shot even wider as a blue dragon dropped down directly
in front of him. "WHAT THE HELL?!" he yelled, trying hard not to panic. Whatever
had a hold of his butt was in real danger of getting too close to his heart;
thank the Gods it had bit him in the right butt cheek and not the left! He kept
turning around and around, trying to swat it but not seeing anything. He
stumbled over something and looked down. "HOLY SHIT!" he yelled, jumping back
just in time to avoid the massive claw of a lioness.

         From somewhere behind the dragon, a new voice sounded. It was confused
and feminine, and had the situation been any different, Lorne might have even
noted a bit of a musical lilt to it. "Blue? Elvira? Cindy? What -- ?" The voice
stopped as soon as it had started, and he could feel a new pair of eyes on him.
"Oh my!"

         "Oh my?! GET THEM OFF," he yelled, "BEFORE THEY CHEW MY BUTT SLAM OFF!"

         "Elvira," the woman scolded, "release him!" A whine came from around his
rear, and ice blue eyes flashed at whatever had his rear. "Yes, you have to! I'm
sure he did not mean any harm! We are to blame, not him! Now release him, young
lady!" At that, Lorne's rear was finally released, and none other than a wolf
padded around him.

         With a yelp, Lorne ran like Hell to get out of there. He ran right into
a group of the crew members who were coming down to see what all the yelling was
about and did not slow down until he reached the deck. The others, seeing that
he was terrified, did not investigate but ran back to the deck, as well. They
didn't want any part of whatever was down there if not even a Demon could handle
it!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Lorne did not stop until he ran straight into Angel, almost knocking him
down. "There's a woman down there in my bed! She's got three of the worst
Demonic animals I've ever seen!" He was still shaking even as he turned around
to show his rear to Angel. "One of them took a bite out of my butt!"

         Angel cocked an eyebrow as he inspected the damage. "Yup. I see
teethmarks all over it," he said. "What kind of woman caused all that trouble?"

         "It wasn't the woman. It was her damn animals! There's a little, blue
monster of a dragon, a lioness, and a wolf! The wolf was trying to chow down on
me! Thank the Gods she missed my heart!"

         "I'll go down and see," Angel said. "Stay up here. Jack should be here
any minute."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         As Angel walked down the stairs into the sleeping area, he called out,
"Hello? Who are you, and can I help you?"

         A frantic voice met Angel's ears, but its owner did not appear to be
talking to him. "Oh Gods!" she whispered nervously. "What are we going to do
now?! I knew we shouldn't have gotten on board! Blue, the things I let you talk
me into! And just why did you have to go take a bite out of that poor man's
rear, Elvira?! Yes, I know he touched me, but still I was probably in his bed or
something! He didn't mean any harm! We're the trespassers here!" It was then
that the three animals turned as one to face the newcomer. Their mistress ceased
talking instantly as her ice blue eyes followed them to see the man standing on
the steps.

         Angel tried not to act nervous as he continued on into the room. "Who
are you?" he asked. "If you had identified yourself, we would have given you
sanctuary if you needed it. You hurt one of my crewmates, but you're not in
trouble about being on board. My name's Angel." He did not go all the way to the
woman but waited for her to answer him.

         "Cr-Crys," she told him, "and I am sorry about that." She reached out a
hand to gently stroke the head of the wolf who stood next to her. "Elvira does
not usually act in such a manner. None of them do, really. It's just that they
thought he intended to harm me and were protecting me. It's my fault, really. I
should have never let Blue talk me into coming here, but we were -- we were
trying to get out of the snow. That's no excuse for my falling asleep, however.
It's just that I haven't slept in days, but still, I'm so sorry. We're sorry,
aren't we, guys?" she asked the animals. Elvira nodded slowly. The dragon
released a puff of smoke, but the lioness growled, kneading the floor beneath
her claws as she did so. "I-I could heal your friend's . . . hum . . . you know
. . . " she offered hesitantly, a deep shade of crimson staining her pale
cheeks.

         Angel had began to pick up the books Lorne had tossed when he had been
bitten. He carried them over and sat them down by the bed, not taking his eyes
off of the woman and her animals. "You're a healer?" he asked.

         "Not quite," she answered, "but I do have . . . something that can
heal."

         "How strong is it?" Angel asked.

         "Very," she replied. "It's brought m -- beings back from the brink of
death before."

         Angel thought quickly. "You can show me on Lorne. Come upstairs," he
said, motioning toward the deck. He walked back toward the deck, hoping she was
following and that whatever she had would be strong enough not only to heal
Lorne but could also be used to help Will. He did not say anything but prepared
to watch.

         "Stay on your best behavior now, you three," the woman who had given her
name only as Crys whispered to the three animals who remained next to her. As
she stood, so did the wolf and lioness. The four followed Angel together. Cindy
and Elvira strode beside their mistress, keeping perfect pace with her steps,
and Blue flew beside her head.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cole had returned for Jack. He hoped he had returned to his normal state
of being. Jack's mind was never too good at the best of times, especially when
he was mad. Cole couldn't blame him now, but he had had to take Will.

         Jack was fuming, swishing his sword back and forth as he paced up and
down. He was trying desperately to block his mind from the thought that Will
could die on him, without ever knowing how he felt for him, but was also failing
miserably. Jack was a man of few words, and he had no clue as to how to tell
Will what he felt. He had not before, and now it might be too late.

         Jack saw Cole appear and sheathed his sword. Cole didn't say a word but
reached out a hand toward Jack; Jack took his hand. He shimmered Jack to the
ship.

         Just as they arrived on the deck, Jack saw a strange assortment of
creatures coming out of the sleeping area. A beautiful woman was in the midst of
a lioness, a wolf, and a dragon. He had no ideal who she was. He did not say
anything but just glared angrily around, trying to see what was going on. The
crew seemed to be standing around, waiting in anticipation of something. "Well?"
he asked, looking around at them. "Get back to work!" he barked.

         He looked at Lorne who was standing there and looked a paler shade of
green than he usually looked. "What happened?" Lorne didn't say anything but
just turned around. Jack's eyes were immediately drawn to the torn pants and the
bite marks on the butt. Putting two and two together, he realized that Lorne had
put his hand where he shouldn't have and somebody had tried to take his butt off
in retaliation. "The dragon?" he guessed aloud.

         "Nope," Lorne answered. "The wolf."

         "It figures," Jack said, nodding his head. They each waited as the woman
came forward.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Four sets of eyes flicked nervously around at the various people aboard
the ship, but the two beings they kept returning to were the green Demon, from
whom Elvira still toted a strip of fabric in her mouth, and the man who appeared
to be the Captain. "Stay behind me," Crys whispered to them, but none of the
three did as told.

         The lioness' tail swished in silent protest and information to her
mistress that she would stand beside her, regardless of whatever came their way.
The dragon's tail also swished, but Elvira was the one who padded forward.
"Elvira," Crys called, but the wolf shook her head as she approached Lorne.
Fearing the worst reaction possible from the two men, Crys hurriedly swept
forward, but Elvira still reached the Demon before she could. "Please don't -- "
Crys started, holding out a hand in hopes of stilling any blades that might come
forward.

         Jack and Lorne stood still and watched as Elvira approached. Jack
wondered, {Please don't what?} What was the woman afraid he was about to do?
"Ma'am?" he asked.

         No sword had been drawn yet, but Crys' heart still hammered fearfully
within her chest. "Please don't hurt her," she said.

         Jack had to laugh. Though his laughter did not foretell doom, he could
tell that it unnerved the woman and animals and stopped. "It's not the ideal
we're going to hurt her," he explained. "It's the ideal she's already hurt
Lorne's rear and something needs to be done about it, so I guess you're elected
to be the doctor in the situation."

         "That's perfectly all right. I can heal him, but it was not her fault.
It's my own. I should never have fallen asleep. They thought he was going to
hurt me. That is the only reason why they attacked him."

         "Ma'am, you're aboard The Black Pearl, and any who come here seeking
sanctuary are safe. That includes their pets. You had but to ask. It's between
Lorne and you what you work out about the pants and all, but if you can control
your pets, you're welcome to be aboard." He ached to be where Will was, but he
also wanted to see if this woman could truly heal.

         "Thank you, sir," Crys answered, knowing what was expected of her. She
breathed a silent sigh of relief at the realization that they were not in danger
from him or, evidently, any of the rest of his crew but already knew they would
not linger long.

         Reaching Elvira, she knelt beside the wolf, who was looking up at Lorne
and ignoring the Captain completely. She whined and lowered her head, the piece
of fabric hanging down from her mouth. "She says she's sorry," Crys explained,
"and wishes to give you back your fabric."

         "She can keep the fabric," Lorne said. "I can't fix it back in my pants.
Just keep her mouth closed. I don't want any more bites. She came very close to
killing me. If she had bit the left side, I wouldn't be here now." He turned
around, revealing the open area of his pants.

         Crys looked up at him as if the man had taken complete leave of his
senses. She almost asked him why he thought so and rather his brain was in his
rear but silenced herself just in time. Shaking her head, she dipped her fingers
into the bodice of her formal, black dress and slipped out the crystal on the
necklace she wore.

         Hearing a growl from behind her, she spoke to the lioness without
looking at her. "Cindy, relax. They may be men, but they are not out to harm us.
Behave for me, please, sweetheart." The lioness' tail cut through the air, but
though she hushed and sat down, she fixed the Captain with a glare that warned
him that he would meet a fate far worse than his Demon's if he were to harm her
mistress.

         Jack's eyes were drawn by Angel who was carrying a bucket of hot water
and had just made it to his cabin door. He wondered what was going on inside.
Was Brendan able to do anything? He knew better than to go in there right now,
because if he did and Will cried out from something Brendan did, he would again
have Brendan by the throat before he realized it, so he braced himself and stood
watching the woman, hoping that she did not lie and that the crystal, which he
now noted was intricately carved in an unusual shape, did heal.

         Taking a deep breath, Crys leaned closer to the green rear in front of
her. Her fingers trembled around the blue crystal even as she pressed it to the
skin. Even as the crystal began to glow, the wound began to heal. Within mere
seconds, there was not even the first bitemark left, and Crys pulled back as the
crystal ceased glowing.

         Jack stared at the unblemished skin of Lorne's rear. "Lorne, go change
your clothes," he ordered. "Ma'am, could I talk to you about that crystal? Can
it heal again?"

         Crys stayed kneeling beside Elvira even as she slipped the crystal back
into its hiding place. Fear shone in her eyes as she looked up at the Captain.
"It can," she said, speaking slowly and choosing her words carefully, "but it is
not for sell."

         "I don't wish to buy it though I will pay you anything you ask if you
will but heal my best friend. He means more to me than life itself, and I fear
that he will die. Will you help me?"

         "Of course," she was quick to reassure him. As she stood, the three
animals, including the dragon who had settled onto the lioness' back, also
stood. "But I ask no payment save for you to keep your word and no harm befall
us."

         "That's not payment," Jack said. "What do you want in exchange?" In
Jack's mind, everything had to be paid for and nothing freely given else the
receiver would always be in debt to the one who had given. "Anything I have
except for the Pearl is yours for the asking. Just save my friend."

         "You have but to take us to your friend," she told him. She shook her
head, and her honest eyes met his as she repeated, "But I ask no payment."

         "Come, madam. There must be something you want. Anything at all."

         Again, she shook her head. "There is nothing that you or any other
person can give me that I want, sir. Please, for your friend's sake, do not
continue this for the answer shall remain the same."

         "Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I am in your debt.
He's in here," Jack said and gestured toward the shattered door, again wondering
how it had become that way. "If something should go wrong, could your animals
stop me from destroying my other friend, Brendan, and yourself? I can be crazy
at times. If Will dies, I can not guarantee my sanity."

         "Your friend will not die. The crystal will save him, but they will not
allow any harm to come to me or any one I ask their protection upon."

         "Thank you," he said simply.

         She nodded and followed Elvira into the room. Blue flew beside her head,
but Cindy hesitated, glowering up at Jack.

         As Jack followed in behind her, he noticed that Elizabeth was laid out
on the deck with the Princess looking down on her and taking care of her. He
hoped she would be okay. He imagined seeing Will that way was a great shock for
her as it had been for him. The room was far too quite, and Brendan was sweating
and covered in Will's blood. "I have brought you help, Brendan. Thank you, my
friend, for what you have done for Will and myself."

         "Any time," Brendan replied hesitantly, his eyes drawn to the woman and
her animals. The wolf's whine brought his attention to Elvira. His head cocked
to one side, and his eyes flickered on yellow for a second as he listened to
her. He whimpered back, and she again answered him in another whimper. "Must be
some crystal," he murmured under his breath even while stepping back out of the
way.

         Although Brendan had looked at her in surprise, Crys had also looked at
him in surprise and had to smile despite herself. "It is always a pleasure to
meet one of a similar kindred, despite the circumstances," she told him, and the
wolf raised a brow at her. What was that unusual scent on her? he wondered. It
wasn't just the dragon, wolf, or lioness. What was that that smelled of such
cold that his hair bristled at the mere thought?

         Jack watched the interchange between the two. He stood back out of the
way with his back against the wall and his eyes riveted on Will. He scarcely
breathed as he prayed that the crystal would work and heal Will. If Will died,
there would be no tomorrow for Jack. There would be no chance for him to tell
and show him how he felt. If he lived, Jack would find a way to tell him even if
it was thrown back in his face.

         Elvira sat beside the wolfman, but Cindy placed herself directly in
front of the Captain. Her tail lashed out repeatedly against the floor as she
stared him down. One wrong move, and he was hers. Jack's mind was so lost on
Will that he paid very little attention to the lioness.

         Blue hovered in the air above his mistress and the injured man. He
watched as her ice blue eyes traveled Will's body, and all heard her sharp
intake of breath as she realized what she would have to do. There was only one
way to heal damage of such an extension, and all three animals braced as if
expecting all Hell to break lose as she lifted the necklace from around her
neck. She placed it instead around Will's and stepped immediately back.

         As the crystal began to glow and all eyes turned to it, Blue settled
onto her shoulder. He cooed quietly in worry. She reached up and stroked his
head gently even while whispering to him so quietly that not even the wolves
could overhear them, "It could not be helped."

         The crystal's glow spread slowly down Will's body. As its light spread
further, encompassing more wounds, it lifted him from the bed. The scratch on
his cheek was the first to heal, and the skin sealed itself so perfectly that
there was no sign of the cut left. The bloody gashes the chain had cut into his
back were next. The blood vanished into thin air, and the wounds sealed
themselves as well. Finally, it reached the place where his hamstrings had been
sliced off, and they began to regrow.

         Jack's mouth fell open in astonishment as he watched the crystal work.
It was amazing! It was a miracle! Best of all, it was healing Will quickly and
leaving no scars behind! He knew even though there were no scars on his body,
there would be scars on his heart and soul forever, but those could be lived
with and overcome. He would live! His heart sang. They would have a chance!

         When the hamstrings were complete and all the blood, right to the last
drop, was gone, Will's body settled back onto the bed, and the crystal ceased
its glowing. Without a word, Crys stepped forward again, lifting the necklace
and returning it to her own neck. "He may wake in spurts, but it will be a while
before he is fully back to himself. He is, however, physically," she stressed
the word, knowing that whatever had caused such damage had left far greater
damage on his heart and spirit, "completely healed."

         Jack rushed forward and grasped her in a hug, not thinking about how the
animals might react. He kissed her on both of her cheeks. "I owe you my life. If
you ever need anything, don't fail to call for me. My name is Jack Sparrow. You
are welcome to stay aboard the Pearl for as long as you want." He released her,
only then realizing that she was holding out a hand to still Cindy.

         "I am only glad that I could help," she told him. "However, we must take
our leave now."

         "I wish that you would stay. You'd be safe here," he told her even as he
rushed over to the bed. He gazed lovingly down at Will, who seemed to be resting
peacefully. He fell to his knees beside the bed and reached out, tenderly
touching Will's hand. His eyes never left Will.

         Seeing that the Captain was otherwise detained, she breathed a sigh of
relief at the thought that they would be able to leave before she endangered
them any further. With a silent nod to her trio, she gestured to them. They rose
and joined her in walking over to the exit, but even as they reached it, a
muscular chest slid between them and the outside. Looking up, she found the
wolfman standing in their way. "He is healed now."

         "I know."

         "So why . . . ?"

         "It is safer for you here."

         Knowing that she could not tell him that it was not safe for them for
her to stay, she tried a different tactic instead. "Perhaps I do not wish to
stay but to return to my home."

         Brendan shook his head. Nodding at her wolf, he tapped his own nose as
he told her, "I would have thought you would have known better than that."

         "Oh." Her face fell. She had not even stopped to consider that a wolf
could smell a liar a mile away.

         "Captain?" Brendan called to Jack, unsure as to rather or not he would
actually be able to tear his attention away from Will for even a moment.

         "Yes, Brendan?" Jack called.

         "Hum," the wolf responded nervously, "what do you wish me to do here?"

         "The woman needs to stay for a while. It's for her own safety.
Something's not quite right here." Looking at the woman, he said, "You're
running from something. It's happened to us often enough that we can spot it a
mile away. You're safe here. We're about to leave port, and we'll drop you
anywhere you want outside of Port Royal. Port Royal's going down tonight. We
won't leave you here."

         She looked at him as he spoke to her but could not think of what to say.
She had already known Port Royal was going down that night but knew it for a
completely different reason than whatever he was thinking. "I can not stay," she
said finally.

         "Angel," Jack called, "take care of her and make sure she does not leave
the ship. Give her anything she wants, but do not let her leave. It's for her
own good."

         Angel, who had been standing in the shadows the entire time, seeing
everything and not understanding a lot of it, said, "Yes, sir," to Jack. "I'll
see to it. If you'll come this way, ma'am? Brendan, I might need your help," he
said.

         Brendan shook his head even as the blonde, sounding far more like her
animals than a human being, growled. "Actually, Angel, I think you could use
these three's help more than mine." He hated blackmail, especially when it came
to such a kind woman, but he knew when the situation called for it and used it
as it was needed. Kneeling before Elvira, he held out a hand to her and gently
scratched her underneath her chin. "Look. We don't know what's going on here,
but you guys do. Is she going to be safe there?" All three, even Cindy,
instantly shook their heads.

         "She'll be safe here," Angel said. "We'll lock her in the room until we
get out of port, but we won't hurt her or let any harm come to her," he said,
talking to the animals. "You can go in with her if you want." He had a feeling
the animals had been trying to work with her and keep her safe for a long time
and that she had been working against them at the same time. "Sorry, ma'am, but
we just can't let you go."

         Brendan could tell that they were already earning the trust of the wolf
and dragon, so he turned his attention to the lioness who growled at him. "Easy
there, pretty kitty," he told her. "Seems to me that you hate all guys, and I
don't even want to know what you think of wolves. But what if I told you that we
also have cats aboard? There are three Werecats of sorts aboard, and they'll be
looking out for your mistress, as well." He could see her beginning to relent
and continued. "Besides, does she stand even a chance of being safe on shore?"
That question was the first time that the lioness' tail had stilled, and Brendan
knew he had her.

         "I don't believe this!" Crys spoke her thoughts aloud. "I should have
never healed him!" Yet, even as she spoke the words, she knew she would have
still healed the dying man had she known what was coming. Besides, they only
thought they could hold her. Regardless of whatever it might be meant for, she
knew that the room the Vampire spoke of could not hold her. She'd let them think
that it would and then, as soon as he left to deal with something else, she'd
take control and be out of there and off the ship before he even knew what had
happened. She'd deal with her betraying familiars later, though the pain of
their betrayal stung her heart deeply.

         Jack did not even look up as the others left the room. He moved closer
to Will, who was laying on his back and breathing deeply, and kissed him on the
forehead. Will did not stir. Gathering his courage to himself, Jack stood,
leaned forward, kissed Will softly on the lips, and then ran out of the room as
though all the hounds of Hell were behind him.

         He almost knocked Elizabeth down. She had just revived and had gotten to
her feet with Cordelia's help. "Go to him and take care of him," he said.
Without a backward glance, he took off again.

         Elizabeth blinked, the confusion still clearing from her mind, as she
watched Jack's fleeing back. Looking to Cordelia, she asked, "Shouldn't you go
after him?"

         "Me?" Cordelia asked, both her face and voice clearly showing her
surprise. "Why?"

         "Isn't he yours?"

         "My what?" Cordelia looked at the blonde as though she had lost all her
sense even as she waited for her answer.

         "You know, your . . . Your lover?" Elizabeth finally responded, using
the last word in lack of a better one for she had no ideal just how deeply the
two were involved.

         "The Captain?" Cordelia asked in disbelief. "I barely know the man!"

         "But . . . But when I met you earlier, you looked as if . . . " It was
only then that Elizabeth recalled Angel's condition when she had first come
aboard the ship earlier. He had seemed in desperate need for air and had left
Cordelia behind him in the Captain's cabin. "Angel then?" she asked.

         Although Cordelia almost said "yes" to that, she quickly silenced
herself and shook her head instead. "Look. Your betrothed needs you," she told
her, sounding harsher than she had intended. "You need to go tend to him instead
of being so curious about my romantic life."

         Shock registered in Elizabeth's blue eyes that the brunette would take
such a tone with her, but then she agreed with a nod of her head. What was she
doing out here, talking to a girl she barely knew, when her beloved Will needed
her? "You're right." She did not bother to take the time to apologize but
hurried into Jack's cabin instead.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Jack, meanwhile, had not been able to find anywhere to hide. He felt as
though the whole world was looking at him. In fact, he had expected the Gods to
strike him down when he had kissed Will. The taste of Will's lips lingered upon
his, and he finally grew still, realizing that he had reached the wheel of the
ship. He grabbed it in both of his hands as though it were a lifeline and bowed
his head, touching the wheel with his forehead. "I don't know which of you Gods
were listening and which of you healed Will, but I want to thank you for sparing
him. If you want me to do something in return, show me."

         "Jack," Gabrielle called as she approached him, "where's Xena?"

         He jumped as though he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar
and looked up at Gabby with a wild look in his eyes. "She's back in Port Royal.
Won't be long before she comes. They had to look around and see if any one
needed help. You know we never leave an area unchecked." He breathed deeply,
trying to catch his breath.

         She nodded and was about to walk off when she took another look at him.
She knew Will's condition was hitting him hard and realized that he could
probably use a distraction. "We need to talk."

         Jack hated to hear those words. He was not in a mood for talking. In
fact, his heart was racing so hard that he could hardly hear her speaking to
him. No one had seen him kiss Will. No one knew he had done it except himself,
so what was he running from? he asked himself. He tried to slow his heart down.
"I think I need some rum badly," he gasped out. "Then we can talk."

         She nodded. "If you don't now, you will."

         He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. What kind of news could she be
wanting to talk to him about that would make her say that he needed rum? He'd
better make it a double. He turned around, looked in the cabinet that was just
behind the wheel, opened it, and took out a bottle. He offered it to her first,
but she declined with a shake of her head. He turned the bottle up and took a
great big drink out of it. "Now you wanted to talk?" he said, his voice becoming
slightly slurred.

         She nodded. "Don't pull that crap with me. One sip doesn't make you
drunk."

         "I'm not drunk, Gabby," he said with a shake of his head. "I've just
been through so much today. Will's going to be just fine. In fact, I sent
Elizabeth to be with him. It should not be long before he wakes up. Thank the
Gods that new woman healed him."

         Gabrielle looked at him rather strangely, but she nodded in agreement,
resolving to ask him about the new woman later. "Thank the Gods for that," she
agreed, "and for something else too."

         "I'll drink to the Gods," Jack said, lifting his bottle.

         "I'm sure Bacchus'll love that, but look, Jack, in all seriousness,
we've got to talk. We just took on quite a load that you need to know about
before we pull out."

         "Yes?" Jack said. The rum was beginning to go straight to his head. He
could not remember when he had last eaten. He looked at her. There seemed to be
two Gabrielles looking at him, but he kept a very serious face, not wanting her
to know that the rum was hitting him pretty hard. "We took on a big load of
what?" he asked.

         "People," she answered. "Witches, to be more exact."

         He hiccupped softly. "Witches? Where'd you get them at?"

         "Rescued them."

         "What do they want? Can't have my rum. I plan to get plenty drunk with
it."

         Gabrielle shook her head. "You know," she said, referring to his comment
about his treasured rum, "this is why I always try not to waste my breath on
you."

         "I did it, Gabby," he just could not keep it to himself. "I expected to
be hit with a lightning bolt or anything else out of the blue, knocking me out,
even killing me, but it didn't."

         "Jack, what in Hades are you talking about?"

         "Will."

         "Will what?"

         "I . . . " He looked everywhere but at her face. Then he mumbled his
words, "Ikissedhim."

         "You what?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

         "I . . . kissed him. Then I ran like Hell. Thank Gods he didn't wake up!
How was I going to explain that?" He looked at her as if for explanation.

         "Maybe with the truth?" she suggested though she knew he'd rather cut
his own tongue out than ever tell Will he loved him.

         "If I tried that, I'd lose him forever. It's better to have him for a
friend and he never know than it would be to lose him. I couldn't live if I lost
him, Gabby."

         Gabrielle shook her head. "You think that that's your only choice now,
Jack. I understand that -- I thought that once with Xena --, but you'll come to
the point where it's eating you up inside and you have to do something more than
just kiss him when he's not even awake and run like Hell."

         "I'm fighting it really hard, Gabby. I don't want to lose or repulse
him. Hell, I'm a Pirate, and he's . . . " He thought for a moment, trying go
describe him. "A gentleman? He deserves to have a happy life with Elizabeth. He
doesn't need me in there causing trouble. Above all, I want him to be happy."

         "I understand that, Jack, but the only way he's going to be happy is to
be with the person he loves." She knew that time was ticking steadily by and
that she had to inform him of the situation with the newcomers before they
pulled out of port and it caught him by surprise. "He'll tell you soon enough
who that person really is," she continued hopefully, "but in the meantime we
have to concentrate on the situation at hand."

         "Split them up. Put part on your ship and part on my ship," Jack said.
"I don't need to know the particular details. Just give the order to get both
ships ready. I think I'm going to be sick," he said and headed for the rail.

         Gabrielle shook her head as she watched him go and couldn't help
silently comparing him to a lovesick pup with his tail between his legs. Shaking
her head, she turned back to the business at hand.

Chapter Seventeen
         Jack clung to the rail as though his life depended on it. He couldn't
remember ever feeling this bad. He had thought he was going to throw up, but he
hadn't. Suddenly, he heard a sound erupting from his stomach. Whatever was wrong
with him was now in his stomach, and he felt like the bottom had dropped out. He
dropped the bottle of rum as his hands flew to clutch at his gut, and he doubled
over in pain.

         He screamed Brendan's name. Some one had poisoned him! He didn't know
who, but his pain was so great that he thought he was dying. {Not fair!} he
thought. {Not fair! I've got to get the bastard before I die!} Even as he
thought that, he wondered who had sneaked aboard the ship and poisoned him.
"BRENDAN!" he screamed again. He fell to the deck, still clutching at his gut.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         As soon as Jack had disappeared, Xena had called the others to gather
around her. "We need to break off into pairs, go out, and check for survivors.
Save who and what you can, and do it quickly. Autolycus, you're with me," she
called to the man who had just found the strongbox and was dragging it away from
the dead man's hands.

         "Yes?" he called back to her. "Are you finally needing my attention?
Look at what I got!" He held the box up.

         "We'll start a collection of what we're taking back with us here," she
said as she placed her foot carefully amongst the fallen debris. "We'll start
with your box, Autolycus. Set it down right here."

         "No way! It's mine!" he protested.

         "No, it's ours," Xena said, "and we're not breaking up the spoils right
now. Put it here." She again tapped the spot with her booted foot, and he set it
reluctantly on the ground. "Now branch out and look for survivors but don't
wander off too far. I don't want to have to rescue you again," she added,
looking at Autolycus again.

         Autolycus was about to answer her when he heard Faith mutter, "So that's
how he got out of there."

         "Yeah," he shot back at her, "not with any help from you!"

         She grinned at him. "Tell ya what. Next time, I'll just let the giant do
with ya what he wants."

         Without another word, Autolycus ran out to search for more jewels. He
knew he could never win in a sparring match against Faith. Xena did not break
the others up into groups. She knew they'd form natural pairings any way, and in
fact, Clark and Lex had already gone off together. Xena headed off after
Autolycus, leaving Faith and Dawson alone with Carl still screaming and still
being ignored.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Brendan had returned to the Captain's cabin to check on Will, but he had
ran from there the instant he had heard Jack screaming his name. Now he leapt to
where his friend lay, concern etched clearly over his face. "Jack, what
happened?!"

         "Some one's poisoned me!" Jack gasped out. "Rum! The rum!" He pointed to
where the bottle had fallen. "I think I'm dying!" He closed his eyes against the
pain.

         Brendan's heart pounded fearfully as he snatched the bottle, and his
eyes shifted to yellow as he sniffed it. One sniff confirmed that there had been
a herb added to the rum, and the second told him not only what the herb was but
also who had slipped it in there. The first words of explanation he spoke
escaped him in a great rush of relief. "You're not dieing."

         Jack opened his eyes in surprise. "Can't be hurting this bad, Brendan,
and not dieing," he almost whispered. "Not fair. I've gotta kill that bastard! I
can't even move! It seems like it's eating a hole in my gut! What is it?"

         "Cat's claw," Brendan answered. "You might wish you were dead, my
friend, but it won't kill you."

         "Will it pass? Who did it?" He knew Brendan could smell well enough to
know both what it was and who it was. As soon as Jack had recovered from the
pain, he was going to get the culprit. Nothing was going to stand between him
and the Governor! "Can you help me get to the privy?" He felt that he might get
to feeling better if he could just make it there.

         Brendan nodded. Reaching a hand down and pulling Jack to his feet, he
told him, "We'd better get you there fast. That's mostly what it's going to do
to you. You'll have to take more of the herb, but it will pass."

         They barely made it. Jack breathed a sigh of relief as he shut the door
and his world exploded almost immediately, relief being granted as it did so.
"Thank the Gods!" he breathed. Jack jumped as he heard something hit the door.
"Brendan," he called through the closed door, "are you all right?!"

         A low growl answered him at first, and he could easily picture Brendan
shaking his head fiercely as he tried to fight against the stench that was
assailing his nostrils. Finally, Brendan's voice answered him, but even then it
was considerably weakened. "Yes, sir."

         "Sorry," Jack called back with a sheepish grin, "but, Brendan, get me
the culprit!"

         Brendan shook his head. He didn't want to have to deliver the culprit,
but he knew that he had no other choice. Brendan had a good ideal why the man
had done what he had done, and he knew he had never meant to make Jack think he
was dieing. He sighed but only called back, "Right away, Cap'n." Then sniffing
the air again, he headed reluctantly down to the sleeping quarters.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cole had been searching for the Lewis sisters for a while. He had not
seen any of the cats and figured that they were holed up sleeping somewhere, so
he returned to the sleeping quarters to check there again. They had not been
there the first time and he did not know how he had missed them, but the couples
were now curled up, asleep, together.

         The men's arms were wrapped around their wives, and the women were
nestled into their chests. Tom's and Katrina's tails lay entwined around each
other, and Celina's circled one of Morph's legs. They looked like the perfect
picture of matrimonial bliss. Cole hated to wake them, but he knew that Will was
in desperate need of them.

         He had just been about to call out to them when he noticed Brendan
heading that way. Why was Brendan here and not up taking care of Will? "Brendan,
why are you here? Is Will okay?"

         Brendan nodded, and his haunted eyes turned to look at Cole as he
answered him. "Will's fine, better than I ever could have hoped, actually.
There's another new woman aboard. She used a crystal to heal him." He did not
add that the Captain had then had her put into the room.

         "The ship seems to be crawling with new women," Cole said. "I think it's
a good thing," he added, thinking on Piper. "We've been needing more crew
members. Women make great fighters, and the group we've got today all seem to be
gifted." Many Pirates were superstitious of having women on board, but the
additions of Xena, Gabrielle, the Lewis sisters, and Faith had already taught
the men of the Pearl and Sea Witch alike that women actually made wonderful
crewmates.

         Brendan raised an eyebrow at his friend. Cole spoke as though there were
at least a dozen new women, but he only knew of three. "You make it sound like
there's a lot more, but I thought we only had three new additions?"

         "Three? Where've you been? There's the Halliwells; that's four alone.
There's Ororo; she's a Weather Witch. There's . . . " he thought for a moment,
". . . a woman in a black dress; I'm not sure what her name was. There's a woman
with brown hair and a new kid."

         "But that's a male," Brendan interjected. Where had all these other
women come from? "I knew about Cordelia, Elizabeth, and the blonde with the
animals, but those are the only new women I'd heard of."

         "And those three you just mentioned," Cole concluded the list of new
arrivals. "The others came from rescue," he continued to explain. "We rescued a
lot of Witches today. The townspeople were trying to kill them. We spent the
bigger part of the day rescuing them, and the others just got back a little
while ago. Part of us are still not here. They were with Jack and have not
returned yet. So, all in all, I think we've got quite an addition."

         "Yeah," Brendan said quietly in agreement. His eyes turned back to the
four sleepers as he added underneath his breath, "But we may be about to lose
four of our best."

         "What makes you say that?" Cole asked in surprise. "Why do you think
they're going to leave us?" His eyes turned toward the cats again.

         "Tom slipped cat's claw into Jack's rum."

         "What's that?" Cole asked.

         "A herb," Brendan answered. "It won't kill, but you just about wish you
were dead before it gets done with your stomach."

         "Why would Tom do something stupid like that?" Cole questioned. "He
adores Jack! Why would he want to make him sick?"

         Brendan's gaze turned back to Cole. There was no doubt in his mind to
the answer. "Jack's been laying even more heavily on the rum lately. You know I
had to rescue him in the last storm we went through; he was so drunk that he
didn't even realize the danger! Evidently Tom was the only one of us who cared
enough to dare to do something to make Jack think twice about the rum."

         "Makes sense to me. I remember seeing Jack hanging out there, one hand
on the rail and the other hand clutching a bottle of rum, and singing at the top
of his lungs, 'A pirate life for me!', heedless of wind and storm. Didn't you
have to tie him down in the bed to keep him below deck?"

         Brendan nodded. "Yup, and I made it to him just before he would have
been struck by lightning." His voice was as deep with sorrow and worry as his
heart.

         "So what do we do now? We wake Tom and ask him? I can imagine Jack's
bellowing for the culprit."

         "You know he is, and I know it's Tom. There's no mistaking his scent."

         "And you don't want to deliver Tom to him? I can't blame you," Cole
admitted. "Let's wake him, get his side of the story, and then we can figure out
what to do."

         "Of course I don't," Brendan answered, "but what choice do I have? Like
it or not, Jack's our Captain -- or, at least, he's mine --, and what he says
goes."

         "What do you think Jack will do to him?" Cole asked.

         Brendan shrugged. "I don't know," he replied honestly, "but he can't
kill him. Even if he were that angry, you know his wife would never allow it."
He didn't even want to think about Katrina when she was the angriest he'd ever
seen her, and he had the feeling that, where her family was concerned,
especially her husband, she could be even fiercer.

         Cole reached out, touched Tom, and gently shook him. He was rewarded
when Tom's eyes blinked open rather sleepily. "Come here," Cole told him and
waited for Tom to follow him.

         Tom's pupils narrowed as he looked up at Cole. "Why?" he whispered back.

         "The Captain's gotten into the rum," Cole said, "and all Hell's about to
break lose."

         An alien curse word slipped from Tom's lips, but then he shook his head.
"It was bound to happen sooner or later." His arms were around Katrina, and he
gave his wife a gentle squeeze before slipping out from under her.

         He had barely stood and was walking by the cot where Morph and Celina
slept when a hand suddenly grabbed his leg. He recognized the familiar touch
immediately and did not jump but instead looked down into Morph's open eyes.
"What . . . ?" his friend started to ask, but Tom hushed him with a single word.

         "Jack."

         "I told you it'd happen."

         "I knew you were right and that it would," Tom agreed, "but somebody had
to do something and I was the only one with the balls enough to do it."

         Morph grinned up at him even as he slipped away from Celina. "The
balls," he asked, "or the stupidity?"

         "Both," Tom answered, his grin matching Morph's.

         Cole had not known that the Captain had a drinking problem so badly that
he needed attention, but he made a mental note that he'd keep check on him. {The
rum should disappear. If we get to sea and there's no rum, Jack can't drink it.
He'll never know what happened to it!} He'd like to see who'd get the blame
then. Jack was too fine of a man and a great Captain to be so besotted with rum.
{Besides,} he thought, {Will's aboard now. He shouldn't need it. I'll take care
of it, and he'll never know it was me.} He followed behind the others as they
made their way slowly back to where Brendan had left Jack.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Jack felt as though it would never stop coming. He knew it would last
forever if he had eaten in the last three days, but he had only sampled a bit of
food and had not been able to keep much of what he had eaten down because of the
cook. Joxer couldn't cook any better than he could fight. Jack vowed that he
would find a cook that could feed his men better.

         He pondered on what to do to the culprit. Which one of his men would
want to hurt him? He thought he had their loyalty. Had one of them been
harboring a grudge and only now decided to pay him back? He couldn't think of
any one. Maybe he was a fool because he trusted all of them? He felt as though
they were a family. Who was the traitor? Who didn't want to be part of the
family?

         He wondered why Brendan didn't tell him who the culprit was. Surely it
wasn't Brendan? He trusted Brendan with the very life he breathed! His heart
refused to accept the thought that Brendan might be the traitor, but who, his
brain argued, would know what drug to use that would not kill him but only make
him terribly sick besides a doctor?

         {No, I won't go there! Brendan and I have been too close and into too
much stuff together! He'd never do that just because I almost strangled him! It
was an accident! He wouldn't have done that!} Jack kept denying to himself. It
couldn't be Brendan, but the annoying thought kept coming back. Brendan had not
spoken one word about who the culprit was, and he seemed to be forever in coming
back.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Faith jumped off of the auction block. She glanced at her shoulder as
she started to walk off toward the east. It hurt like Hell, but though she
ignored the pain, she knew she could not ignore the blood. Without a second
thought, she pulled off her shirt and wrapped the black leather around the
wound. The wind played across her hardened breasts, but she did not even bother
to glance down as a snowflake fell onto one of her nipples. Instead, she
continued to walk, picking her way over the dead bodies and debris that littered
the ground.

         Dawson ripped off his shirt and handed it to Faith. "Please put this on.
We don't need the guys falling out looking at you." He didn't say that he
couldn't stand for the guys to even be looking at her when she had her clothes
on but most especially now that she was half-naked. He wanted to stare at her.
His mouth ached desperately to taste the sweet nectar of her breasts again, but
he didn't dare to stick a hand out at them for fear that she'd slice it off and
hand it back to him.

         She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Why should that bother you? You already
rode."

         He remembered Brendan's words: she never gave second rides. He'd hoped
he was wrong but could see that he hadn't been. "Please?" he asked, still
holding it out to her.

         She hesitated but finally subjected. "Well, I suppose it won't leave too
much skin open in a fight. All right, choir boy; I'll put it on." She reached
for his shirt.

         "My name's Dawson, Faith. It wouldn't kill you to call me that. I'm not
a choir boy. I didn't even go to church."

         Taking the shirt from him, she began to shrug into it. Pain shot through
her shoulder again, and she grimaced even as she looked away from him. She
continued ahead as she pulled his shirt the rest of the way on and began to
button it. "Whatever you say," she called back to him, an impish grin flickering
across her face at the reaction he knew he would have, "Lawson."

         He shook his head disappointedly but followed quickly behind her.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Finally, Jack felt as though he could go back out of the privy safely.
He walked out only to see four men standing there, each with the same dreaded
expression etched on his face. Jack looked at each of them in turn as he paced
in front of them. Finally he stepped back away from them. "Well," he asked,
looking at Brendan, "I hate to think it, but you're the only one here with the
knowledge of which herb to use. How could you?"

         Surprise flickered in Brendan's eyes. How could Jack think it was him?
He felt as if his heart had been cut out at the mere thought that his dearest
friend would think he could ever betray him. He started to glance toward Tom but
stopped himself, realizing the chance he had been given. Despite the pain in his
heart, he would not simply abandon Tom when he had been granted the opportunity
to protect him that he had secretly prayed for.

         Brendan squared his shoulders but did not look Jack in the eye as he
stepped forward. "Some one had to do something, Jack," he spoke quietly. "Your
drinking's gotten out of control. It almost killed you in the last storm we went
through," his eyes finally lifted, meeting those of his dearest friend, a man
whose friendship he'd never deserved, "and you don't even remember it. What kind
of a friend would I be if I let you continue to drink yourself to such a
manner?"

         No, it couldn't be! Jack's heart cried out. Even though he knew Brendan
would take the weight of the world on himself, he just couldn't believe that
Brendan would do it to him. He began to pace again, stopping in front of Cole
who had stepped out and in front of him. "No, Captain Jack. I did it! Brendan's
right! Somebody had to stop you from doing yourself in, but Brendan didn't do
it. I did it!"

         Jack wondered why suddenly every one was trying to protect somebody
else. Every instinct told him that it had to be one of these four. After all,
they were all present and accounted for, and they were all eagerly accepting the
blame. Who was guilty? He looked at Morph as he said, "And supposedly you did it
too?"

         "Not too," Morph said with the most solemn expression Jack had ever seen
on his face. He took one step forward to place himself in front of Tom and then
another, walking between Jack and Brendan and Cole. "They're protecting me."

         He smiled a bitter smile as he looked at the three of them. "I suppose
the question should be why you think you have the right," his voice increased in
volume as he talked, "to judge that I had too much to drink and think you could
control my drinking?!" He was almost shouting now. "I'LL DRINK JUST AS MUCH DAMN
RUM I WANT WHEN I WANT IT! WHO'S THE CAPTAIN HERE?! YOU?!" he asked as he turned
on Tom, who had already been moving forward.

         "No." Tom's voice was even, and his green eyes met Jack's calmly.
"You're the Captain, but Brendan's right. We've all seen it. Your drinking
almost got you killed. What kind of crew would we be if we let our Captain kill
himself? What kind of friends would we be if we didn't do whatever we could to
stop you? I couldn't let it go on," he admitted. "We all wanted to do something
about it, but I'm the one who did it. I put the cat's claw in your rum, Jack,
and by Bast, if I had it to do again and you were in the same manner, I'd do it
again! You mean too much to all of us for us to just watch you drink your life
away!"

         Tom was hardly ever serious except when it came to his feelings for
Katrina, and Jack had never seen him more solemn or heard him speak more
eloquently than he did now. His declaration took the wind out of Jack's sails.
He had not realized that the rum had gotten to him the way it had. He had
grasped it for a lifeline, because when he drank it, it helped him to keep his
memories at bay. It helped him to forget that he could not have what he wanted.
Maybe he had been foolhardy? He didn't even remember the last storm that they
were so concerned about. He just remembered waking up, chained in his bed, with
a dry mouth and a Hell of a headache.

         He looked around at the four men, knowing that he could not condemn any
of them, but it did not make it set any easier with him. He couldn't thank them
because he wasn't happy about it, but he didn't want to hurt any of them for he
cared about each of them deeply. He continued to silently pace up and down,
pondering what to do. Finally, he came to a decision. "Temporarily," he said,
"you, Tom, and Katrina will be reassigned to the Sea Witch. I can't live
expecting my rum to be poisoned at any moment. Therefore I will put you where
you'll be safe. I don't want to lose your friendship, but I can't condone what
you did. Report to Gabrielle."

         He turned his back toward them. "And, Brendan, I'm sorry for accusing
you. I didn't want to think it was you, but you're smarter than any one else on
this ship. I'm lucky you're my friend," he said, still looking out to sea.
"Forgive me?"

         Cole, Tom, and Morph had slipped out without a single word, leaving
Brendan to face the Captain alone. Brendan had watched them go but had not moved
one step from the place he stood. When Jack expected him to speak, he spoke but
only one word. "Always."

         "So what's next?" Jack asked. "I need more of the herb, or will it just
pass? It can't interfere with tonight. I've got to get him, Brendan!" Jack said,
turning to look at his friend.

         "More will help it to pass more quickly and assuredly. I know you have
to do what you must, my friend, but you can not wait until tonight. We have to
find a way for you to move more quickly. I've heard whispers about this storm,"
he explained, looking up at the snow that still continued to fall, covering all
of Port Royal in a thick, white blanket. "I'm not sure of all the details, but
something's coming with it and we must be out of here before it hits fully."

         Jack looked at his hand that still clutched the rum bottle and
straightened himself to his full height. He held the bottle out to Brendan. "Get
rid of it, and get me more of the herb. We've got to get this ship under sail."

         Surprise flickered in Brendan's eyes as Jack told him to get rid of the
rum. Had it actually done any good to talk to him? No, he realized as Jack
continued, it hadn't. He only wanted this bottle gone because of the herb. "Yes,
sir." He nodded and turned to walk away.

         Jack gave the order to prepare to sail.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         As various crew members scattered to prepare the ship for sailing, a
voice rang out above the din. Gabrielle stood above Jack's cabin as she called
out, "IF YOU'RE NEW TO THE SHIPS, COME HERE!"

         The newcomers within earshot looked up to see who was calling them. Upon
seeing a blonde that some knew but a few did not, they hastened to obey and
gathered in front of the Captain's cabin.

         Prue Halliwell made sure that all of her sisters were there, lining them
up in a neat row in front of the Captain's quarters. She figured the time that
they would be placed upon one of the two ships had come, and she prayed that
they would be kept together as she was now in her mother's role and absolutely
had to keep an eye on her younger sisters.

         Paige and Phoebe kept punching each other, trying to get next to Prue.
They ended up standing between Piper and Prue with Prue's disapproving eye cast
upon both of them. Piper shrugged as she looked at her older sister. "Kids," she
said, knowing that her comment would gripe both of her younger sisters. "What
can you do?"

         Prue nodded in agreement and looked around for Ororo even as she heard
Phoebe give Piper a raspberry. "Stop that and pay attention," she said as she
popped Phoebe on the arm.

         "But she said I was a kid!" Phoebe protested.

         "Well, then, stop acting like one!" Paige told her.

         "She said you were too!"

         "You're both kids," Prue said. "Now be quiet and listen! We might get
split up, especially if you two don't behave!" That thought had not occurred to
Phoebe or Paige, and both switched instantly to their best behavior.

         Knowing that their minds had gone to the thought that they had already
lost their mother and grandmother and did not want to lose their sisters, as
well, Piper stepped closer to them and silently wrapped her arms around their
shoulders in a reassuring embrace. They stood like that, with Prue's eyes on
Gabrielle, as they waited fearfully for the announcement.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Fred hastened to get in the line. She didn't know which ship she'd be
assigned to, but she prayed it was the one with Wesley on it. She kept glancing
around for him but had not spied him yet. When she finally did, he was sweaty
and looked good enough to eat. She was surprised at herself for thinking that
and even more surprised when her tongue thirsted to lick the sweat off of him. A
light blush shaded her cheeks as she tore her attention away from him. She
squinched up her eyes and focused her attention instead on the woman she knew to
be Gabrielle.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         "I know we've got two others at least," Gabrielle told the gathered
group before her. "Where's Ororo, and have Elvira and Wolf made it back yet?"
Looking around, she finally spotted Ororo with Wolverine and called to them.
"Wolverine, you can come with your woman," she called to him, "but she's got to
be here!"

         Wolverine looked at Gabrielle, wondering just what the heck she thought
she was doing. He walked over to stand under her and looked questioningly up at
her. "What are ya doin' up there?" he asked.

         "What the Captain told me to," Gabrielle retorted. A delicious thrill
rushed through her at the realization that she was actually looking down upon
the man that had been chosen as Xena's second-in-command. He'd never had any
right to her position, but he'd ended up there any way. "Why?" she demanded
icily. "Got a problem with that?"

         "What did the Captain tell ya to do?"

         "Sit down, hush, and you'll find out soon enough."

         "Don't talk to me like that, little girl!" he called up to her. "I'm
here now. I can do whatever job the Captain needs doing."

         "Like Hades you can! Jack told me to handle it, and if you don't chill
your heels until the rest of the group gets here, I'll be more than happy to
tell him that you're interfering with the following of his orders!" Her green
eyes flashed down at him.

         He looked angrily back up at her and then looked around for Jack.
"CAPTAIN," he yelled in protest, "GABRIELLE'S TRYING TO DO MY JOB!"

         Jack looked at him. "No, she's trying to do the job I told her to do.
You got a problem with that, Wolverine?"

         Wolverine mumbled something under his breath that Jack couldn't hear but
did not make a comment out loud. "I didn't think so," Jack said and returned to
looking in cabinets in search of his rum. Where had it all suddenly gone to? He
knew he had more. He didn't pay any more attention to the group.

         Gabrielle grinned down at Wolverine as though she were a cat and he but
a mouse. "Anything else to say?" she asked him.

         "Not at this time," Wolverine responded. He settled back to watch
Gabrielle make an ass of herself.

         It was at that time that a masculine voice quietly spoke up from behind
Prue. "Excuse me, madam, but I need to have a brief talk with Gabrielle."

         At the sound of such a masculine voice, Prue wanted to turn around and
look. It just melted her right to her bones, and she wanted to see what he
looked like. She tried glancing to the side, but he was standing directly behind
her and she couldn't see him. She moved slightly to where he could come up to
Gabrielle and was rewarded with a sight that made her mouth water.

         What a hunk! He was taller than she and had a muscular build. His hair
was dark brown and hung slightly past his shoulders. His hands were large but
looked like they could caress gently, and she longed to reach out and touch him,
to taste him. She could tell her hormones were wild and raging for they usually
didn't react around any guy like they were to this stranger. He was different.
She didn't know what it was about him, but she planned to corner him later and
find out. She stepped back into her place in the line only to bump into some one
who was following close behind the man. As she moved to let her pass, the man's
delightful scent wafted back to tease her nostrils.

         Cordelia's hazel eyes watched as Prue moved again, but she shook her
head. "That's all right," she told her. "I'm new too. I simply had not heard the
message when Brendan told me on his way here."

         "That's okay," Prue answered. "Sorry for almost stepping on you. Who is
he?" she whispered.

         "He's quite a gentleman," Cordelia admitted in a returned whisper though
she was careful not to add that he was not the best gentleman there by far. Even
then, part of her mind stayed on Angel, and her lips still burned from the
memory of their kiss. "His name's Brendan. Richards, I think. He's the ship's
doctor."

         "Oh!" Prue breathed, lost in a daydream of where she needed the doctor's
care immediately. After all, just the mere sight of him had put her into the
greatest danger of burning completely up! "Oh Gods, what a man!" she breathed
only to receive a strange look from all three of her sisters.

         "Prue!" Piper chided in a hushed whisper. "Phoebe and Paige do not need
to hear such!" Although she scolded her sister, Prue's comment reminded her of
Cole, and she wondered where that magnificent man had gotten to.

         Prue just smiled at her sisters and waited to hear what Gabrielle was
going to tell them.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Meanwhile, Brendan had reached the front of the group. "Gabrielle," he
called, "I know you haven't met them, but there are four others you need to be
aware of. One's the Pr -- the lady at the back of the group; her name's
Cordelia. Then there's Elizabeth, a new boy by the name of Dawson, and a new
blonde woman with a group of animals." Gabrielle nodded slowly, taking the
information in. "And don't forget Will," Brendan added. "None of those can make
it here, but you can still figure out where they're going."

         Gabrielle nodded again. "Thank you, Brendan." With a curt nod, he
continued on his way, leaving her to return her attention to the group. "Okay.
Evidently Wolf and Elvira haven't made it back yet, so we'll get started without
them." She turned her attention first to Prue and the three who stood with her.
"You're all sisters, right?"

         "Yes, ma'am, we are," Prue said with hope shining in her eyes, "and we'd
like to stay together if possible, please?"

         "Of course." Gabrielle would not have even thought of splitting up what
remained of their family for she knew they would need each other desperately.
"You four will go on the Sea Witch. That's the other ship, by the way. You're on
the Black Pearl right now."

         "Thank you," she said. "I hope we won't disappoint you." She hugged her
sisters to her.

         Gabrielle nodded. "I'm sure you'll be just fine. The important thing is
that you made it out of there alive." She smiled at them before returning her
attention to the rest of the group.

         "Will and Elizabeth will stay on the Pearl. Elvira can go there too, and
. . ." Her eyes fell upon Ororo, and she heard a low growl even as she said,
"Ororo."

         Wolverine was biding his time, waiting to see where Gabrielle was going
to put 'Ro. If she tried splitting them up, he was going to give her Hell about
it! He had to admit, though, that the girl was handling the situation really
well. As Gabrielle stopped talking, giving the group time to let that bit of
information sink in, what she had said finally hit Logan. "Ain't no way!" he
yelled back up at her. "She goes on my ship!"

         "Very well then, Wolverine," Gabrielle told him calmly. "You can go to
the Pearl, too."

         "YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" he yelled. "I'M THE QUARTERMASTER! The Captain
didn't tell you to reassign the crewmates! He said the newcomers!"

         "That he did," Gabrielle admitted with a nod, "and I say Ororo goes to
the Pearl."

         "I say she goes to the Witch!" he said with a leap and bound, jumping up
onto the cabin with her and never realizing that Ororo had reached out a hand in
a failed attempt to calm him.

         As he moved toward her, Gabrielle slipped her sais out should she be
forced to need them. She met him with a calm look. "We don't have to fight about
this, Wolverine. You want to go with her, you go to the Pearl."

         All the disturbance had caused Jack to look up from his fruitless search
for rum. "Y'all makin' enough noise to wake the dead!" he yelled. He had heard
what the confrontation was about. "Wolverine, get over here! Bring 'Ro with ya!
It's nothing to fight about! One ship's no better than the other ship! NOW!" He
stood alert with both hands on his hips. He didn't want to stomp over there and
kick his little butt, but he would if he had to. "Gabrielle's in charge of this
assignment, and you'll do what she tells you to do or, matey," he said, "you'll
walk the plank."

         No way did Logan want to walk the plank! He never even unsheathed his
claws. He just jumped back down and stomped back by 'Ro's side. "Xena won't like
this!" he growled back up at Gabrielle. "Soon as she returns, you'll catch it!
She won't want me gone!"

         "She never wanted you there in the first place! Jack's the one who
assigned the positions!"

         "You're wrong, Gabrielle. Xena handpicked me out of all the rest. She's
going to be p.o.ed when she gets back."

         "If you think I believe she'd pick your short butt over me when I'm the
love of her life, you'd better think again!"

         Jack looked over at Gabrielle. "Unfortunately, Gabrielle, that's exactly
what she did do. I never assigned the positions on your ship. I simply gave it
to Xena and made her the Captain, and I've never tried to interfere until now.
Maybe I should have done it a long time ago, but you'll have to take it up with
her."

         As Jack's voice sank in, Gabrielle's heart sank far below the dreaded
locker of Davy Jones. Her skin paled. Her hands, which still clutched her sais,
trembled, and tears welled in her green eyes. "You're kidding, right, Jack?" she
asked, her voice barely audible.

         "I'm sorry, Gabrielle, but I'm not. She gave me her reasons, but I'm not
at liberty to tell them. Like I said, you've got to talk to her about it. I
thought she was wrong. I told her that, but like I told you, I don't make it a
policy to interfere with another Captain's decisions." He didn't know what else
to say. He felt for the girl. To lighten the mood, he asked, "Has any one seen
my rum? It seems to have grown little feet and run away." He laughed.

         Laughter answered Jack's joke, and it burned Gabrielle's ears. She could
feel eyes upon her, and her heart felt as if it had broken into a million
pieces. Xena hadn't wanted her as her second-in-command? Why? Why if she'd truly
loved her, if she did love her? She could feel the tears coming and knew she was
moments from breaking down, but she had to finish her task. She had to show the
others that she was capable of handling situations, even if Xena, blast her
hide, didn't think so.

         Tears still shimmered in her eyes as she turned back to the group before
her. Her mind whirled as she tried to think of who she had already placed: the
Halliwells, Ororo, Will, Elizabeth, Elvira. "Fred, you're to the Witch.
Cordelia, Pearl. That new blonde can go to the Pearl, too, whatever her name is,
and the kid's to the Witch." Her words came out in a rush so fast that they were
barely able to be made out, and then in a flash, she turned and ran. Gabrielle
was gone before any one even knew what had happened.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Jack watched her go. He knew there'd be Hell to pay, and he had no way
of telling Xena what she'd be walking into when she returned. He looked down at
Logan and the others. "Welcome to your new homes. I will get an escort for those
of you going to the Witch. Do not think less of Gabrielle; I'd be emotional were
I in her boots, as well."        He looked around and was just in time to see
Cole shimmer in. "Cole, escort these lovely ladies to your ship and then return.
I want you to go and see what's keeping Xena so long, and I have a message for
you to give her."

         Cole, who had thought he had just been caught after having returned from
disposing of all of Jack's rum, smiled at the Captain. "Sure thing. If you
ladies would come this way," he called to them and walked off, heading toward
the Witch.

         Wolverine looked at Jack; Jack looked at Wolverine. "Knew it had to come
out sooner or later. I just wish it had come out in a better way." Jack then
turned his attention to the regal lady who stood beside Wolverine. "Welcome
aboard, Ororo. It seems that today we have lost our resident Sorceresses to the
Witch and have a position for you as our chief Sorceress if you're willing to
take it." He smiled at her.

         Wolverine was extremely surprised at this turn of events. "What about
the Lewises?" he asked.

         "We had a bit of a misunderstanding," Jack said, making a motion with
his hand. "It's better for all of them to be over there." He would not tell any
one of Tom's treachery.

         Wolverine knew better than to ask any questions. They both looked at
Ororo to see what her answer would be.

         "I do wish to stay with the ships as long as the Halliwells are here,
but I also do not wish to step on any one's toes," she answered hesitantly.

         "So does that mean you'll take the job?" Jack asked hopefully. "There's
no way they're coming back, so the position is definitely open."

         "Very well then," Ororo accepted with a brief nod and a gentle smile.
"It would be an honor."

         "It will be an honor to have you serving with us, madam," Jack replied
with a slight bow. "Wolverine, if you'll show her to the quarters, you can pick
out your beds. If there's luggage or anything scattered about the bed, you can
pretty well tell that it belongs to somebody. A lot of our crew are messy."

         Ororo's face had paled slightly. This was not the first ship she had
been on, and she remembered the sleeping quarters of the one that had taken her
from Africa. "Hum," she spoke hesitantly. "These quarters, Captain. Are they . .
. hum . . . beneath the deck?" She fought to keep a straight face.

         "Just one floor down. Right under where we're standing now. Is there a
problem?" he asked with concern on his face.

         She thought quickly, not wanting to reveal her true problem. "Well, if
it is not too much of a hindrance, I believe I would prefer to sleep on deck. I
am a Weather Witch, and as such, I prefer to sleep as close to nature as
possible." It was not a lie for she did prefer to sleep as close to nature as
possible and was indeed a Weather Witch. It simply was nowhere near the truth of
her real problem.

         "That's no problem," Jack assured her. "Have Wolverine bring you up a
cot. Find you an area out of the way of the crew, and you can set up your own
little place."

         Ororo breathed a silent sigh of relief, but her lips quivered even as
she smiled at Jack. "Thank you, sir."

         Wolverine simply told Jack, "Thank you." Neither of them mentioned
Gabrielle.

         "If you need anything, just let me know." He slipped away from them and
continued his search for his elusive rum. He had not been gone from them long
when he heard Cole returning. "Cole, you need to shimmer to where Xena is and
find out what's taking them so long, and you need to tell Xena that Gabrielle
knows that she picked out Wolverine for her second-in-command. Tell her
Gabrielle took it as hard as she thought she would. Can't have her walking in
here blind."

         Cole kept his mouth shut. He figured this day would come, and it wasn't
going to be a happy time for any concerned. He knew why Xena had appointed
Wolverine and not Gabrielle, but knowing Gabrielle, he knew she would never sit
still for it. He only hoped Gabrielle would forgive Xena. He cared deeply for
both of them, and he did not want to lose them or them lose each other. "Aye
aye, Captain; I will," he answered and shimmered out before Jack could ask him
about the rum.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Logan looked at 'Ro. "I know the perfect place, little darlin'. Come
with me, an' I'll show ya." He led the way to a small alcove that was near the
wheel. It was protected from the weather and just big enough for two cots. "It's
small but should be good for both of us. Do ya like it?"

         Not yet trusting her voice after the spook that the Captain had
unintentionally given her, Ororo nodded. Although it had shelter to keep the
rain off, it was open on the side and she knew it would be just fine. She did
not speak nor even look at Logan.

         "Then I'll just go get the cots," he said. He headed off to get them,
noticing that she was following behind him at a distance. He didn't force her to
come any faster or to even enter the sleeping quarters. He just gathered two of
the cots and headed back. He didn't know why she was spooked, but he knew she
was. As he came back to the door, he noticed 'Ro standing there, looking into
the sleeping quarters as though she was staring into the gaping mouth of Hell.
"What's wrong, little darlin'?" he asked, deep concern in his face.

         "I . . . I do not get along well with small, enclosed areas," she
admitted slowly, biting back a shudder at the memories that were flashing
through her mind. Her hands trembled slightly even as her fingers curled as if
to scratch at something.

         He walked through the entranceway, carrying both cots, and headed back
to their new little hidey-hole. "That's no problem, 'Ro. If you get scared, just
let me know, an' I'll try my best to do something about it. In the meanwhile,
yer open to the elements." Setting the cots down, he turned to lift her chin and
gaze into her eyes where he could see a haunted fear. He ached to protect her
and, before he had time to think about what he was doing, had pressed his lips
gently to hers.

         She had not heard him and had almost become completely lost in her
memories when she found his lips pressed against hers. Tingles shot through her
at his touch, coiling and spreading through her body like golden rays of the
morning sun chasing away the darkness of night. She slowly raised a hand up and
gently cupped his face but did not pull back from his kiss. She knew they should
not be doing this so soon after meeting for the first time that day, but she was
already drawn to him more than she'd ever been to any man before. Instead of
pulling away as she knew she should, she found herself deepening the kiss that
he had began.

         He felt himself melt into her, and he lost all track of time. She was
his only world, and he wanted no other but her.

Chapter Eighteen
         Cole shimmered in just as the group at the auction had walked off. He
reached up and plucked Carl off of the tent. "Hell of a mess here, isn't it? How
did you manage to survive?" he asked Carl.

         "Luck?" Carl returned with a grin. "But thanks, man! I swear, I think
you must be the only one of this bunch who gives a damn about Gnomes! None of
the rest of them would even look at me when I was asking to be let down!" He
then let out a low whistle. "But, man, did I have a view of it when Faith ripped
off her shirt!"

         "I wouldn't advise you touching them, my friend. I know several men who
she's cut the hands off of for just attempting. Suppose we walk around and see
what we can find? I need to find Xena first."

         Carl nodded. "She went that way," he said, pointing in the direction he
had watched Autolycus and Xena go off in, "and don't worry. I'm a Gnome, not an
idiot. Believe me, I want to keep both of my hands. That kid's sure gonna be in
trouble, though."

         "That kid's already in trouble," Cole said, knowing who Carl was talking
about. "He's always been in trouble. Faith is just a new kind of trouble. We
better keep an eye on him."

         Carl nodded. "Yup. I didn't think it was only my sniffer telling me that
he draws trouble like dogs draw fleas."

         "Afraid so, my friend," Cole replied. "We've got a lot of people like
that. We just have to keep our eyes open so that we can help them if they need
us." He could see Xena just ahead of them, and he yelled at her. "XENA, HOLD UP!
WE GOTTA TALK!"

         Xena turned around and watched as Cole caught up with her. She looked
down at Carl. "Go catch up with Autolycus and help him."

         Carl wanted to ask if he had to, but for some reason, he had a strong
feeling that he did not want to be anywhere near Xena when Cole told her
whatever news he had returned with. Instead, he rushed after Autolycus.

         When Carl was gone, Cole looked intently into Xena's eyes and spoke in a
still, quiet voice. "She knows. She took it pretty damn hard. She ran off,
probably to your cabin. I told you, Xena! You should have told her a long time
ago, but no, you had to protect her! Well, the crap just hit the fan! You want
me to take you to her?"

         "Not till we get through here," Xena said. The news had stung her. "Who
was the bloody bastard that told her?"

         "It was not intentional," Cole said, "but Jack delegated her the job of
putting the new people on the ship. Wolverine and she got into it. One thing led
to another, and the truth came out as truth always does."

         Not knowing where else to look, Xena looked down at her feet. "She'll
hate me now. I did it out of love, but she'll hate me for it. Gods, Cole, I was
so scared of losing her! I did my best to protect her! Only she won't see it
that way. That's why I never told her. We've got to get through here and get
back to the ship. I won't leave before we're finished. Gabrielle won't run away,
not until we have a fight, and then I pray she won't leave me. Even if she hates
me, it's better than not having her around."

         Cole reached out a hand and gripped his Captain's shoulder. "It'll take
a while, Xena, but I think things'll come right. Have patience, and have it out
with her once and for all. Let her know how you truly feel. Show her the part of
you that you keep hidden even from her. If you need a shoulder, I'll be there
for you."

         Xena's hand reached out and gripped Cole's shoulder. She returned the
gentle squeeze. "Thanks, Cole. Let's get this over with." Together they turned
back around and headed out for some of the tents to check for survivors.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         There were dead bodies all around, and they thought they would never
find any one alive. They glanced over at Carl and Autolycus a few times,
noticing that they were busily covering the ground in search of survivors but
were also collecting anything of value. It was then that they heard a weak cry
for help, and Cole lifted the remaining parts of the tent. Trapped underneath
were three half-naked women, chained and cowering together in a tight, shivering
huddle. By some miracle, they were not burned.

         Xena reached out a hand and helped one to her feet. She was about to
reach for another when she felt a hand slide under hers and grasp the woman's,
pulling her upward. She glanced up to see that Autolycus had arrived to lend a
hand. Fire shot from her eyes as she warned him, "Do not even think of going
there."

         Autolycus had no intentions of moving on the women, but he only looked
at Xena, letting her think what she would. Xena reached down and helped the
other one up. There were no other bodies in the hole where the women had been
kept, and as soon as the group was out of the way, Cole let the tent drop back.

         Autolycus and Carl helped the women to get back to the designated area.
The women appeared to be so exhausted that they feared they'd fall out at any
moment. When they reached the spot, Autolycus said, "Sit here; rest." He looked
around to see if he could find any water for them to drink but did not see any.
The women had yet to speak a single word and only continued to stare at them
with big, wild eyes that shone with fear and tears. "Carl, you stay with the
women, and I'll get back to seeing what I can find."

         Carl nodded. "Won't let anything get to them." He sat down on the ground
beside them.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Lex had been talking to Clark the entire time they had been walking. He
did not feel safe in pulling the shirt off and was relieved but not surprised
that Clark had not asked him to. They came to a tent that looked like it had
fallen but not burned, and Lex described to Clark what he was doing even as he
let go of Clark's hand and lifted the tent. "There's something under here,
Clark."

         Lex had barely managed to raise the tent when they were attacked.
Something little barreled right into Clark's chest. The surprise of the impact
knocked him to the ground. "Lex?" Clark called out in a worried voice as tiny
fists futilely pounded his muscular chest. They stopped as soon as they had
stopped, however, and Clark knew that Lex had pulled his would-be attacker off.

         Lex's hands were indeed full of a furious little package. He wasn't sure
if it was a girl or a boy as he was too busy trying to keep it from biting him.
He finally threw the kid away from him and yelled, "DOWN! STOP IT!"

         Despite the impact of the fall, the kid had been about to launch another
attack when Lex yelled at him. The kid stopped for a moment and looked at him.
"I won't let you have her!"

         "Have who?" Clark asked, drawing the kid's attention back to him.

         "What happened to you, mister?" the kid asked, his voice revealing that
he was a boy.

         "An accident. I can't see."

         The boy's gaze traveled between the two men as he considered them for a
long moment before asking cautiously, "You're not with them, are you?"

         "No," Clark said. "We're here to save you."

         The kid reached out and touched him. "You already did save my sister."

         "How?" Lex asked.

         "They were taking her. They wanted her badly. I was fighting them, but
they were grown-ups. We're just kids. That didn't stop them. They had thrown her
on the ground and were about to take her when fire came out of nowhere and
burned them all up. Thank the Gods for the fire! I think she's okay."

         He reached around under a rug and pulled out a child smaller than he
was. An ache filled Lex's heart to see the small child. He could not believe
that some one was trying to mount her! Why, she was nothing but a baby! "We're
not going to hurt your sister, son," he reassured the boy. "We're going to take
you somewhere safe."

         "There's more of us, mister." Both Lex's and Clark's hearts almost
stopped beating in shock as the boy added, "They're in a cage over there." They
could not imagine who would cage children, let alone rape them.

         Lex braced himself and looked. He had expected to see children, but his
eyes found a cage brimming over with cats instead. There were so many cats in
the cage that he could not see how they could even move. "Clark, there is a cage
over running with cats."

         Clark was relieved that it was not children, but his sorrow for the
prisoners and anger at those who had imprisoned them did not lessen. "Well, Lex,
you know we have to take them with us."

         "What are we going to do with all those cats?" Lex mumbled.

         "We can't leave them here," Clark told him. "You know what's going to
happen."

         "Mister," the boy said, "I can be his eyes. He saved my sister. I don't
know how he made the fire, but I know it was him. I saw it coming from him."

         "That was the accident that happened to his eyes," Lex told the boy.

         "My name is Julian, mister."

         Although Clark could not see his love, he knew that Lex was choking on
the boy's name for it was the name of the brother he had lost before ever
getting to know him. He ached to be able to see him so that he might reach out
and reassure him but knew he could not.

         "My name is Lex," he told Julian when he had finally recovered enough to
speak, "and this is Clark."

         Clark reached out a hand to gently touch Julian. "We'll take care of
you, Julian," he promised. "You want to be my eyes?"

         "Yes, sir. I'll do my best. Sarah, come here," he said. "This is Clark
and Lex. They will take care of us."

         Clark didn't need his eyes to see that Sarah was terrified for she did
not say a word but only clung to him like a small monkey. "You be our eyes,
Julian, and I'll carry Sarah."

         Julian was happy to get such an important job. He glanced over to see
Lex struggling to pick up the cage, but even with his great strength, he could
not lift it. Lex fell back in surprise when a voice came from the cage.

         "Hey! Let us out of here!"

         "You can talk?!" Lex finally found his voice.

         "Can't you?" a black cat retorted in a smooth but annoyed voice.

         "Well, yes, but I'm human!"

         "Yeah, well, so was I once upon a time!"

         "But you're a cat now?" He sat on the ground and stared back at the cat
in shocked disbelief. "Can you get the other cats to come?" he asked hesitantly.
"We have to get out of here as quickly as we can. The whole town is going down
tonight."

         "It's about damn time! This town needs to be burnt, and those blasted
bitches should be right in the middle of it!" he spat furiously.

         "Bitches?" Lex asked.

         "The Spellman bitches. That stupid Council sent me to live with them,
but I couldn't stay there! I took everything I could stand off of them, but
trying to sell me for stud service to humans was the last straw! They deserve to
go down!"

         "They what?! What kind of humans go with cats?!"

         The black cat shook his head as his green eyes stared at Lex as though
he were not even worthy of cleaning his paws. "You really are quite slow, aren't
you?" he asked.

         "Slow? No, I'm not! I just can't see -- ! You're just so small! How
could any one want something that little?"

         "It's not the size but how you use it that matters. You should know
that."

         "Yes," Lex admitted, still too shocked to realize the verbal blow that
the cat had dealt him, "but you're a cat! Humans are bigger than you are!
Wouldn't you just fall through?!" He was trying to choose his words carefully so
that the children would not know what was going on.

         Clark could not help but to overhear. What would turn up next? Children
so tiny they could almost be called babies and now cats?! Gods, these people
were sick! He no longer had any doubts about the town being destroyed. It was a
modern day Helltown and deserved to perish. He only wished it had been at
somebody else's hands.

         The cat shook his head. "Look," he spat out. "I couldn't understand it
either, but they did what they did and I'm tired of staying in here! Let us out
before more of us die!" he demanded.

         It was only then that Lex's attention was drawn to the dead cats that
the others were having to stand on top of. He hurriedly broke the lock off with
a rock he found nearby. "You'll be safe if you come with us," he told the black
cat, "but even if you choose not to come, you can't stay here."

         "We'll come with you," he answered. "I only hope you have suitable
accommodations," he added with a disdainful sniff.

         "Well, we're Pirates, and we live on a ship. There's plenty of room."

         "Sounds good to me," the cat answered. "I always wanted to be a Pirate
Captain."

         "Well, we already have a good one of those," Lex said, "but I'll let him
know that you're willing to help him with his job. Now we'd best move."

         He started to walk out when the cat's voice stopped him. "There's more."

         "Where?" Lex asked. The cat gestured with his head to deeper within
another tent, and Lex realized that the tent that had fallen had only been the
last in a row that had made up this dreadful place. Picking up his rock, he
followed the cat. The rest of the cats walked, hobbled, and crawled as they
attempted to make it outside to Clark and the children.

         A thought occurred to Lex as he followed the cat. Since it talked, it
might very well have a name. "By the way," he asked, "do you have a name?"

         "Salem," the cat called back to him. "Salem Saberhagan."

         Lex looked at the cat in surprise but did not speak again. As he
continued to follow him, however, he could not help wondering why that name
seemed so familiar.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Dawson had followed Faith, and they had entered the front of what looked
to be the one remaining shop. It was hard to tell, because all the buildings
were in tents. There seemed to be statues everywhere in cat and dog form, but it
was the cats that drew his attention the most. They were darling, and he picked
up several of them and offered one to Faith.

         Faith had been working her way deeper into the tent and had not paid
attention to what Dawson was doing. Feeling his eyes on her, however, she turned
to see him holding out one of the statues to her. Her eyes flashed at the sight,
and her stomach churned as she realized that he unwittingly held several more of
them. "You don't want those," she told him, slapping his hands with such force
that the statues were thrown from his grasp. They landed on the floor, and she
actually cringed as the breaking sounds made her think of the crunching and
shattering of animal bones and the memory of a kitten's pain-filled cry echoed
in her mind.

         "Why not? They're beautiful!" Dawson asked, angry that she had slapped
his hands. "Just because you don't want something doesn't mean I don't want it!"

         "Look, kid," Faith sneered, closing the distance between them in one
long, purposeful stride. "If I do something, I've got a reason for it! Those
statues you think are so beautiful? They're made from real cats! Cat bones, cat
fur! Some probably even have real kitten eyes!"

         He shook his head in denial even as his stomach wretched. "Who would do
such a thing -- kill a live animal to make a statue?" He couldn't understand
why. "Why?" he asked her.

         "People don't care. Some might act like they do about this or that or
another thing, but none of them really care about anything other than their own
hides! Whoever made these didn't think twice about killing the animals, because
they didn't care! They didn't care that they were killing a live being, because
they knew they were making something pretty," she snarled out the word, "that
would bring them a huge profit!"

         It was at that moment that Dawson heard a sound of something moving
behind Faith. "Look out, Faith! Behind you!" He reached out, grabbing her and
trying to move her out of the way of whatever was coming.

         Even as Dawson whirled her around, she snatched her knife out. She felt
the whistle of wind as a blade passed just over her head and snaked her knife
out blindly. It met its mark as it sliced through the merchant's stomach. Blood
spurted out, and she knew she had hit something vital as the evil man grabbed
his gut, fell to the floor, and did not move again.

         It had all happened in a second, and she now found herself in front of
Dawson, blood from the man having splattered his bare chest. Without thinking,
she reached up a hand and rubbed at it, trying to remove the stain from his
white skin. Dawson glanced down at himself even as he reached out toward Faith
and pressed his own lips to hers in a heated kiss. He had fully expected her to
toss him away when she deepened the kiss and he felt her hands running down his
chest.

         Dawson had surprised her when he had kissed her, and before she even
knew what was happening, Faith had returned his kiss, her tongue sliding past
his lips and deepening their kiss. The knife dropped, forgotten, from her hand
as her hands ran down his chest. She continued to kiss him and even stepped on
her own blade as she pushed him against the canvas of the tent. Her hands
slipped further down and then began unbuttoning his pants.

         Dawson breathed deeply of Faith. Finally, he was going to get a second
ride, and he could hardly wait! Brendan was wrong! His tongue continued to duel
with hers as his hands began to run up and down her body, pulling her even
closer to him even as her heat threatened to melt him.

         She had only unbuttoned a few of his buttons when her fingers slipped
into his pants. Her fingertips had barely began to rub his eager sword when her
ears caught an unusual sound. She tried to ignore it at first, but as the cats'
mewing and dogs' barking became even louder, she slowly returned to herself. Her
eyes grew wide as she realized what she was doing. Placing a hand on Dawson's
chest, she quickly pushed herself away from him.

         "What -- ?" The confused word stumbled out of his mouth. "Faith!" His
body longed for her touch, and his sword ached for the race that was not coming.
"Damn!" he muttered. Almost was not good enough! "What's the matter?"

         Then he, too, heard the animals coming. That was when he realized that
she was right about what she had told him, and he feared it was the ghosts of
the animals coming after him. He waited with fear in his eyes to see the
monsters appear. Several seconds later, he heard Lex talking, but still no
animals had appeared.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         "Keep going; we're almost there," Lex said, hoping that it was true and
they would soon be out but instead they came to another open area where dead
animals were hung and suspended in the air. He heard more mews and turned to see
yet another cage. He knew that one would have been next. He broke the lock on
that one, as well, releasing the animals. He glanced around at the torture
chamber and wondered where its owner was, knowing that he would like to use the
implements he saw hanging around on that owner.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Faith shook herself. "Sorry, kid," she told Dawson with a shrug of her
shoulders that she instantly regretted from the pain that shot through her, "but
I don't give second rides." Without another word to him, she turned and slipped
through a flap in the tent that opened to another. She ducked just in time to
avoid being hit in the head with a dog's swinging carcass. "Watch your head and
your gut coming in here, boy!" she called back.

         Dawson entered, not knowing what to expect. The blood and the cloying
scent of death lingered in the air to the point that he didn't know if he could
keep the bile down or not. What kind of monster ran this place? He knew it had
to be a monster even though they had just killed what apparently was the owner.
"Do you think we got the owner? What kind of monster could he have been to cause
this?" Dead animals hung suspended in the air for as far as he could see. Blood
dripped from some of their jugular veins, and Dawson's stomach churned even more
as he saw the blood being caught in jars. His skin crawled with the intensity of
the scene that was all around him.

         "The worst kind," Faith called back to Dawson. "Human!" she spat the
word. Her mouth was still open to say more when a weak meow met her ears. Faith
looked up at the sound, and her eyes grew as round as saucers as she looked at
the cat who still breathed shallowly. She had heard about the ones who were hung
while still alive and left to die on the ropes, but she had never before
encountered one.

         To see the cat clinging to life in its last few seconds as it swung
before her was bad enough, but as its faint blue eyes looked into her own eyes,
she remembered another cat. Her skin paled, horror and fear filling her face,
and she looked as if she was about to cry as a memory of the only being who had
ever truly gotten close to her flashed through her mind. "Oh Gods!" she
breathed. She did not want to have to kill the cat, but for the moment, the
Lewis sisters did not even register and she feared she would have no other
choice but to put it out of its misery.

         Dawson reached out gently and held the rope even as his right hand cut
the rope with the knife that Brendan had given him. "Catch her, Faith!" he
called to her. Faith reached out instinctively at his voice and caught the
falling cat just in time. Together they lowered the kitty to the floor. Once
they had her on the floor, Dawson looked at Faith. "What can we do to save her?"

         Faith was already shaking her head at his question. One hand lingered on
the cat, but her other pulled out the knife that she had picked back up and slid
back into its hiding place in her boot before leaving the first tent. She
gripped the knife even as she looked up at Dawson, tears stinging her eyes. "We
can't . . . " she whispered to him, her voice trembling even as she cussed
herself for her weakness. "There's only one thing we can do, and that's end her
suffering . . . "

         Dawson shook his head in disbelief. "There's got to be more. We've got
to do something, not just . . . " His voice trailed off. If it had to be done,
he'd do it and not make Faith do it. He was just about to reach out and take the
cat when a male voice split the air.

         "Hold off, Dawson. The Lewis sisters can help the cat." Lex was about to
ask Faith why she didn't think about the Lewis sisters when he saw the look on
her face and did not even speak a word to her. He had never seen her so
distraught. He hadn't even thought it was possible.

         Tearing his eyes from Faith, he returned his attention to Dawson as he
instructed, "Look for others. I'll take this one outside. Cole should be back by
now. He can shimmer her to the ship."

         Lex very gently picked the cat up and was about to take her away when he
heard Faith. "Luthor, if you tell anybody about this," she knew she did not need
to indicate what it was and that he would know she meant her foolish, weak
emotions that she hated herself for, "I'll gut you."

         "Don't worry, Faith. I'll do what I can, but I won't tell anybody." The
cat seemed like a very fragile shell in his hands, and he toted her outside,
blinking for a moment when the sun hit him full in the face. He glanced around
hopefully and finally spotted Cole.

         Cole, knowing that he was needed, rushed forward and took the kitty who
seemed as though she was about to wilt and completely die but still managed a
weak meow. Lex told him, "Get her help and return. There may be more." Cole
nodded and shimmered.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Arriving at the Witch, Cole laid the fragile life at Celina's feet.
"There may be more," he said as he shimmered out.

         "Goddess!" Celina breathed even as she dropped to her knees before the
cat. She chanted in an alien language and held her hands out to the cat. The
warmth passed through her and into the cat, slowly reviving the small feline. As
she became healed, Celina turned her head to look for her husband. "Morph, you
heard him. Go get Katrina! We may need her depending on how many he brings!"

         "Tom," Morph said, looking at his friend who Celina had not even
noticed, "you'd best tell Katrina and get moved over here to the Witch. I'll
help you."

         Tom nodded, and the two raced from one ship to the other. As they headed
down into the sleeping quarters, Morph held back as Tom went to wake his wife.
He shook her gently while calling her name. "Katrina?"

         Katrina opened her eyes and gazed into the face of the man she loved.
"What's wrong, Tom?" she asked.

         "Well," he spoke slowly, forcing a grin onto his lips, "I've got good
news and bad. The good news is that we finally did it, love of my life," he
threw the phrase in in hope that she would go lightly on him.

         "Did what, Tom?" she asked.

         "We get to move over to the Witch. You can finally be with your sister
all the time again!"

         "But why, Tom?" Katrina asked. "What did you do to Jack?" She knew
instantly that it had be something with the Captain, because he had been so
adamant about keeping them there in case of attack.

         "There's a new healer," Tom tried at first, "so he doesn't have to have
us over here any more."

         "And he just let us go to the Witch out of the goodness of his heart?
Yeah, right!" she said, sitting upright. "What did you do?"

         Tom hung his head, not wanting to see the anger that would come into her
eyes. He had never been afraid of Jack, but he did fear upsetting his beloved.
"I put cat's claw in his rum."

         "TOM! You didn't!" she said distressfully. "You could have made him
impotent!"

         "I only used a little bit, just enough to make him sick from the rum,
but not any long-term effects. Besides, Katrina, you said it yourself! Somebody
had to do something," Tom defended himself, "and nobody else would!"

         "Did it work?" she asked hopefully.

         He sighed, still not raising his eyes to hers. "I don't really know, but
I doubt it. I had to try, though."

         "It's all right, husband dearest," she said as she touched her nose to
his. "I wanted to be with Celina, but I didn't want to leave Jack high and dry.
He's been such a help to us. I just wish we could help him."

         "We could try more cat's claw," Morph suggested from the steps.

         "No more cats' claw!" Katrina commanded. Returning her attention to Tom,
she asked, "Did you apologize?"

         "No," Tom admitted, "and I'm not going to. I did it to help him. I'm
sorry if it upsets you, sweetheart, but I absolutely refuse to apologize for
attempting to help a friend who's too foolish to help himself!"

         "Not foolish, my dear," she reminded. "Just heart-broken. His nightmares
are so awful, and the pain in his heart is so great! I wish there was something
that we could do to help him, but we can only watch and wait. There will come a
time."

         Tom looked up at her, questions shining in his green eyes. Nightmares?
Pain in his heart? What did Katrina know that he didn't? He wanted to ask, but
remembering Celina reminded him that they might well not have the time. Lifting
one of her hands, he kissed it gently. "Katrina, love, I know you're tired, but
we've got to get over there to the Witch for more than just that. You're
probably going to be needed. It looks like the group that went to help Jack with
Will found even more than they suspected. It looks like they found a . . . " His
voice trailed off. Just what could he call such a place?

         "A murder shop from Hell," Morph supplied.

         Katrina nodded, gathered her stuff quickly, and handed several gunny
sacks of things to Morph and Tom. "Then let us be over quickly. There's no
telling what has already occurred." She led the way to the Witch.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Dawson was trying hard not to let Faith know that he was very upset with
her for the way that she had treated him but not for the way that she had almost
come unglued with the cat. He was now making his way slowly around the tent,
checking the hanged bodies, cutting them down, and laying them to one side.
Their blood ran down, mixing and mingling with the blood that was already on his
body. He did not even know how much was his own blood.

         He had not been surprised to see Lex, but he had been surprised at the
entourage that came with him. Able-bodied cats were following in his wake along
with Clark and two kids. The cats had spread out, sniffing for other survivors,
when suddenly one of them opened their mouth. "There's one right here!" a black
cat called.

         Dawson was frozen to the spot and his eyes glued to the cat. The cat was
talking! He raced over to the cat, looking at it in stunned awe. "You can talk?"
he asked.

         The cat shook his head in disgust. "Why does every one find that such a
marvel? Of course I can talk! Now get that cat down before I put a claw in your
rear, son!"

         "Yes, sir," Dawson said, "but cats usually don't talk." He cut the cat
down, easing it to the floor and calling for Cole. Cole gathered this one up and
shimmered it to the Witch, leaving it laying at Katrina's feet and returning
instantly to the shop.

         Katrina knelt down and ran her hands just above the kitty, praying to
Bast and chanting. The cat grew well, got up, and scampered off to join the
other rescued animals that Cole had already been shimmering in.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         It did not take them long to canvas the room, rescuing those they could,
cutting the other dead ones down, and laying them side by side. All in all, they
rescued six cats and one little dog from the hanging bodies. Cole shimmered each
of the tiny bodies to the Lewis sisters and returned to the shop. The Lewis
sisters healed each as they were delivered to them.

         Dawson, meanwhile, got to wondering where Faith had gotten off to. He
went in search of her only to find her sitting between two piles of dead animals
and holding one of the dead kittens, rocking back and forth and talking to it
even as her hand lovingly stroked its bloodied fur. {Damn!} Dawson thought to
himself. {I've got to get her out of here! She needs to breathe fresh air and
see the ones that were saved.}

         "Faith?" he called to her as he walked up to stand beside her. "Let me
have this one. We have saved a few, and we are ready to go." He reached down and
gently took the animal from her. Only then did he see her tears. "Faith?" He
stroked her hair with a bloodied hand. "Sorry for all the blood." She still had
not responded to him, and he reached down, taking her hand and pulling her to
her feet. "It's time to go home, Faith," he said gently.

         "No," she whispered in a small voice, trying to pull her hand out of
his. "I can't. I don't have a home."

         "Yes, you do. The ship. She's waiting for you. I'll take you home."

         "Ship?" she asked, confusion crossing her face. She blinked, trying to
see past the tears, and as she made out his face, the sight of Dawson brought
her slowly back to herself. "Damn!" she muttered, realizing what she had so
foolishly allowed to happen.

         He was glad to see her returning to her normal self; he didn't know what
to do with a weak, docile Faith. "Ready to go?" he asked.

         She scrubbed at her eyes, furious at herself for crying. Her fingers
left blood behind in their wake, but she did not even notice it. She nodded
instead but added, "But don't you dare tell any one about this."

         "Why would I?" Dawson asked. "It's nothing to be ashamed of."

         "The Hell it isn't! I wish I could rip out these damn eyes!"

         "Stop talking like that, Faith." He wanted to add 'You're scaring me',
but he didn't. "The little ones will need you. Let's go." He had not released
her hand and began to pull her back to where the other people were when she
suddenly dug in her heels.

         When she snatched away from him, Dawson was stunned. She ran from him,
and he followed until they reached the body of the dead shopkeeper. She still
did not speak as she picked the corpse up, turned, and started to drag it back
the way they had come. Dawson picked up the feet without a word. He didn't know
where they were going, but whatever Faith wanted or needed to do, he'd help her.
Together, they strung the man up, still not speaking. When Dawson turned,
however, she was gone again.

         "Watch out!" she called to him. He moved out of the way, not knowing
what to expect, and almost screeched when a hook came flying out of nowhere,
landing in the gut of the guy they had just strung up. She filled the corpse
with hooks that she kept throwing at him as though he was a target. Dawson got
out of the way and went back to where the other people were, sick to his
stomach.

         "Thought you were bringing Faith back?" Carl piped up questioningly.

         "Don't ask!" Dawson said and ran outside the tent where he threw up.
"She'll be here in a minute," he said when he finally returned to the group.

         Lex was glad that Clark could not see what had happened, but he was
sorry that the children saw it. "Time to go," he called out, trying to force
cheer into his voice and almost succeeding. He'd tell Clark most of it later but
not where the kids could hear. Clark followed Julian outside where Cole waited.

         Cole looked around, waiting for all the others to get back to the
designated area where he began to shimmer them, one at a time, back to the
Pearl. When he returned the last time, Faith was waiting. She was covered in
blood that he didn't dare even ask about. "Ready?" he asked, and at her nod, he
shimmered her home to the Witch.

         He appeared before the Lewis sisters, leaving Faith and telling them
that she was the last one. He walked away without looking back, allowing Faith a
chance to get some healing if she wanted it. The Lewises looked at Faith, and
Faith looked at them, neither of them wanting to make the first move. Finally,
Katrina asked, "Will you let us help you?"

         Faith shook her head. She wanted to be flippant with them, but as she
could see that they had healed the animals, she knew she could not be . . . not
quite yet, any way. "I don't need anybody's help," she retorted instead and
turned away, heading down into the sleeping quarters instead.

         Katrina watched her as she left, wishing that there was some way that
they could breech her defenses and that, by some miracle, the girl would let
them help her but knowing that it was likely never to happen. Celina, looking up
at her sister, shook her head. "It's no use even thinking it, Katrina. I'm only
surprised she didn't cuss you out like she always does me."

         Katrina nodded. "I think she was glad we helped the animals, but I wish
she'd let us help her."

         "I'm surprised she even cared," Celina admitted, "but she did . . . a
lot."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Xena arrived outside her cabin door and was not surprised to find all of
her stuff thrown outside. She tried the handle, but it was locked. She knocked
on the door, calling to Gabrielle, but no answer came. She rushed the door with
her shoulder only to find that not only was it locked but barricaded as well.
"GABRIELLE," she yelled, "LET ME IN!" She hollered and called her name until she
became hoarse, realizing that Gabrielle could hear her but that she wasn't going
to let her in.

         Inside the cabin, Gabrielle continued to scribble furiously on a scroll.
Tears ran down her face and dropped onto the paper, smearing her ink, but still
she continued to write. It seemed that Xena would simply not get the message and
go away, and finally in sheer desperation, Gabrielle called back to her, "WHY
DON'T YOU GO GET WOLVERINE?! IT'S HIM YOU WANT, ANY WAY!"

         Xena motioned to Cole. "Get me in there!" Cole shimmered her in quickly
and then just as quickly shimmered back out.

         Xena glanced around the empty room. "Gabrielle?" she called to the air.
She saw the scroll, walked over, looked down at it, and read. Stains from both
blood and tears smeared the ink, and Xena's fear grew as she saw the blood. Her
lover's words chilled her heart far more, however, as they were full of longing
to die because she had lost Xena's love and had no other reason to live.


I've been almost hung.
I've been burned.
I've been left for dead,
Hurt and bleeding.
I've lost others I've loved.
But nothing's ever felt like this before.
No one ever meant to me
What you'll always mean to me.
No one ever touched me
The way you have.
No one ever brought out
So much in me before.
No one ever meant to me
What you'll always mean to me,
But no one could have ever hurt me
As much as you have.

No betrayal could have stung as much.
No loss of love,
If ever you did indeed love me,
Could have hurt so much,
Could have left me with
This red-hot pain,
This empty, burning ache inside.
Nothing could ever be worse than
This pain of losing you,
Of never really having had you.

I would rather have been burned alive,
My skin flayed from my body,
My bones crushed while I still breathed.
I would rather have died a million deaths
Than ever lose you, ever lose our love,
But it never existed.

That pain hurts most of all,
The pain of knowing
That you never loved me,
That it was all a lie,
That every time you kissed me,
Every time you caressed me,
Every time we made love,
You were just acting, just lying,
Just using me for Gods only know what purpose.

There's not a lot of things
That we can choose in this life.
We can't choose who we fall in love with
Or make them love us in return.
We can't choose rather or not to feel,
To be loved or to be hurt,
But we can choose
To end that pain.

And nothing could be worse
Than this pain of losing
The love I only imagined,
The love you only pretended to give to me.
I'll never know why,
But at least,
this pain will sto


         Tears so filled Xena's eyes that she could not even tell that Gabrielle
had not completed her final word. Hearing the whistling of the wind, she looked
up at the open window her beloved had escaped through even as she bit back the
sob that rose in her throat. She had to get to her! She had to stop her, some
way, some how, for she knew that if she did not do so soon, the love of her
life, the one woman who meant more to her than anything else ever had or even
could and who she would have given her very soul to protect, would take her own
life. "Gabrielle . . ." The miserable whisper of her beloved's name echoed in
the cabin.


To Be Continued . . .


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Chapter Ten
         As the sound of Will's scream pounded upon Jack's ears, despite the
raucousness of the market, he knew it was Will. His hands clenched at his side,
and with teeth gritted, he spat, "I'll kill the bastards! Whoever touches him,
I'll kill them, and they'll die painfully!"

         The only good thing about Will's scream was that now they knew where he
was, and it was taking everything Jack could do to hold himself back. If the
scream had been repeated, nothing would have held him back, and his carefully
thought-out plan would have been for naught. He stood between Brendan and Faith
in his wedding finery, looking like a rich man with nothing better to do with
his day than shop for a new slave. The two in his attendance were not enough for
a man such as himself.

         Occasionally he lifted his hanky to his nose and sniffed as though the
very air itself was rotten to his most perfect body. At least, that's what Jack
hoped he was putting out. Ordinarily, he would never have been caught dead in
clothes like these, but he had not wanted Will to be ashamed of his appearance
and had paid a tailor good money to make his clothes. It cost a pretty penny,
but it was worth it as they fit in perfectly and made him look the part he
hoped. Heads turned to look at him. Women oogled him, and he paid no attention
to any of them. When he finished with his hanky, he tucked it back into the cuff
of his shirt each time.

         He continued to inch closer to where Will was being held, looking
nothing like himself but feeling even more piratish. He would kill any that
touched Will after he had rescued him. He marked the fine-looking gentleman who
left the stall where Will was being held. {I'll get ya later, bastard.}

         He began to glance around, looking for escape exits in case they were
cut off from the tent flap. He saw several people that he knew were of
respectable society and had never expected to see there. He would not have been
surprised to see the Governor there, scum that he was. He was probably the prime
source behind the trafficking of this business. He would not have been surprised
to see it at Tortuga, but in a town such as Port Royal, he would have thought
the authorities would have been arresting the merchants and not petting them on
the back, looking for a hand-out. As it was, he saw several of the Governor's
guards in the crowd themselves. All were eyeing the merchandise, and many were
already testing various ones. It made him sick to his stomach to realize that
this kind of thing was not only going on but seemed to be prospering. He kept
his eyes riveted on the stall, watching the buyers walk in and out.

         He even saw a couple of the Governor's guards come in and out and
noticed that each was checking their money after they left the stall. He knew
the competition was going to be hot and heavy for Will. He had not realized that
there were so many men who were interested in their own gender until he saw how
many went in to check on Will.

         Then his heart stood still in his mouth. He saw her! {My Gods! The bitch
is here! If she recognizes me, there will be Hell to pay.} "Brendan," he
whispered, "look. It's -- " He didn't finish the sentence. He knew he didn't
have to for the flash of Brendan's eyes and the low growl that answered him told
him the wolf remembered her all too well.

         Once upon a time, Helvira and Jack had come face to face in a duel to
the death, and Jack thought he had killed the bitch. In fact, he vividly
remembered the feel of his blade sinking deep into her black heart, but since
the incidents with the Pearl, he was not surprised to see ghosts walking. If
that bitch got whiff of him, either she'd get Will or she'd have her snake, that
was presently coiled around her shoulders, his head laying on one of her
breasts, get Will. He didn't know how she'd know that he was there after him,
but she would. She had seemed to know everything, even his every move when they
had been fighting, and trying to do her in had been one of the harder, most
difficult fights he had ever been in.

         Like the evil incarnate she was, she was back to cause more crap in his
life. He prayed that she would not see either him or Brendan. The fight had been
over Brendan. She had owned him for his own family had sold the white sheep in
wolf's clothing to her. She had abused him, used him, and nearly killed him on
several occasions, and yet he had never raised a paw to her. Jack still had
difficulty understanding why Brendan had not fought against her. It was just one
of the things Brendan had to work out for himself.

         Helvira paid no attention whatsoever to Jack but entered the stall where
Will was being held. Jack braced himself. "Hold me back, Brendan. She's going to
do something, and if I give us away, we'll never get Will."

         Brendan stood by his Captain in silence, his eyes, which had already
changed to yellow, focused solely on the bitch in black. He put a hand on Jack's
shoulder but never spoke a word. He would hold him back if needed, but who,
Brendan wondered, would hold him back if the wolf got the better of him as it
was already threatening to do as memories ran rampant in his mind?

         He had not tried to fight Helvira then for he had felt that he deserved
no better than the pain she gave him and even wanted her to kill him, but if she
touched Will, if she harmed the innocent lad who his Captain cared so much for,
it would be all he could do to rein the wolf in. He would not see another hurt
by her. He could not. He felt a gentle hand on his own shoulder and looked down
in surprise to see Faith looking up at him.

         "Easy, boy. I don't know what the bitch did to ya, but you've gotta hold
it in. You can rip out her throat later."

         Brendan sighed, but the sound never left his mouth. She had whispered so
quietly that only his advanced hearing could hear her, so her words did not
bring any attention from any one else near them. He cocked his head at her in
curiosity, but she just shook her head and did not speak again. The young woman
really was a paradox. Did she truly care, or was she only trying to make sure
they didn't fail the mission before it even got well under way? Brendan also
wished it were so easy for him to do what he knew both she and Jack would if
given a chance, but he could not kill for if he ever started, he knew he would
never stop.

         Jack's attention had never wavered from Will. Faith was already looking
at the confrontation about to take place again, but Brendan turned back slowly,
fear clogging his throat at what he would see. Helvira stood before Will, her
black eyes slowly roving the boy's body as she took in his appearance. "What do
you think, snake?" she asked the pet that slithered over her pale white skin. He
hissed in response, and she nodded. "Yes, I thought this was the innocent we
were sensing."

         Will's heart thundered in his chest, and Brendan could hear it easily
from where he stood. He knew from the look in the boy's eyes that he knew that
there was far more to Helvira than there even appeared, and he also knew what
was about to happen as Helvira raised a hand toward Will's face. Brendan gripped
Jack's shoulder harder in silent warning.

         Jack tensed as though he were a panther ready to spring. His hand went
to his sword. Inwardly, he cringed, crying out, {Please don't hurt him!} Where
was the damn shopkeeper?! What was the bitch about to pull? If she got too wild
or if Will cried from whatever she was doing to him, he knew he'd lose it. He'd
jump across that street and into that stall so fast that that bitch would never
know what got her. Even if it wouldn't kill her, he sure as Hell could hurt her
to the point that she'd withdraw, but then their little game would be up and
Will would not be rescued. He held his breath to see what she was doing, feeling
every bit of what Will was feeling.

         Will squirmed as the strange woman reached out to touch his cheek. She
did not slap him or even hit him, however. Instead, a single, long, black
fingernail tapped his temple as if checking for something. Her nail then pressed
down harder, tearing past the skin. Pain tore through Will, bringing another
yell from the blacksmith's mouth as she brought her fingernail down the side of
his face. A thin trail of blood was left in her wake, and she only stopped when
she reached the end of his cheek. He struggled, trying desperately yet again to
break from his chains, as she leaned in closer. Her taut breasts slammed against
his heaving chest as she put her body next to his. Her tongue then ran over the
cut as she sucked the blood that ran from her cut. Will was already trembling
with fear, but he trembled even more when her snake's forked tongue flicked out
and licked him on his very lips.

         Tears filled Jack's eyes as he could only watch helplessly as the bitch
cut Will. {I'll get you for that, you black-hearted bitch, as soon as Will's
safe.} His hand gripped his sword tightly. {I'll take great pleasure in slicing
and dicing your black heart from your chest.} He had to turn his face away. He
could not watch so he missed the licking but saw it reflected in Brendan's eyes.
He cringed inwardly.

         How much more did they have to endure? How much longer would it take him
to reach Will? He was sure that Will did not expect him and that he had given
himself up for lost. Jack might be lost, but he would never stop as long as
there was breath in his body to free Will, no matter who he had to fight or
kill. Even if he died himself, his ghost would come back and save Will.

         Normally, Faith did not care even a fraction for others, but anger
flared through even her dark heart as she watched the bitch and her snake lick
Will. Revulsion filled her gut, but she ignored the sensation. She did not
ignore the crowd before them, however. Sounds of disgust rattled through men and
women alike. She even heard one ask angrily, "Who the Hell wants to touch
something a snake's had a hold to?!" She bit back a bitter laugh at that and
watched as the line before them dissipated until they were next in line.

         Brendan, however, did not notice Faith's or even Jack's reactions for
the scene before them had brought back even more memories. Sickness filled him,
and he barely managed to keep the bile down. Helvira's actions had always been
bad enough, but what made him sick this time and brought him so close to
exploding was not memories of what she had done to him but rather the remembered
sensation of the snake slithering across his very sword. He shuddered and shook
even as he fought to force the bile down and the memories away.

         "Ah, yes," Helvira purred in a dark voice that foretold of things she
planned to come, "you taste just as good as we thought you would." She smiled
devilishly at the look in Will's frantic eyes. "We'll see you again soon," she
added. She swiped at his cheek again, but this time it was with her finger. "For
later," she explained though she didn't need to. With that, she turned and
walked away. Her snake looked behind her as she left, grinning wickedly back at
the boy. Helvira held her head high as she slipped through the crowds,
slithering through the filth like the snake she was at heart.

         Jack breathed a sigh of relief. The bitch was gone, temporarily of
course, and she had not killed Will, thank the Gods. He pulled himself together
and walked into the stall. He walked until he stood directly in front of Will,
noticing that his eyes were on the ground as he braced himself for whatever Hell
would come next. He could sense Brendan and Faith standing behind him in the
doorway. He gently reached out his right hand and lifted Will's chin.

         "Hmm," he said in the aristocratic voice he had adopted. "Strong
cheekbones. Muscular build." He continued discussing Will's merits so that the
crowd outside could hear, the whole while gently touching and stroking the cheek
that had not been injured.

         Will's eyes were glazed over, and he knew there was no way he would
recognize the voice he was using. In a lower voice so that only Will and Brendan
could hear, he spoke his name, "Will, it's me. Don't fear. I'm sorry you've been
hurt. I'll save you." He couldn't help one tear sliding down his face, but no
one could see it but Will. If his eyes would only focus! If he would only answer
him! With no one to judge and no one to see but two of his trusted, he leaned
forward and kissed Will on the forehead. "Come back to me, Will," he pleaded.

         From far away, Will heard some one calling to him. The voice thrilled
his aching ears for it was the voice that he had longed to hear but had thought
he never would again. Slowly, he followed it back from the place he had managed
to find, hidden deep within the recesses of his own frightened mind, to find
Jack, in the most outlandish outfit he'd ever seen, standing before him. As his
eyes began to refocus, he found himself looking directly into Jack's sad and
pleading eyes. Was it possible? Was Jack really here? Could he care that much
for him? "J-Jack . . . " he managed to gasp out in a hoarse voice that was so
low even he could barely hear himself.

         Brendan smiled sadly in relief as he saw Jack manage to bring Will back.
Shouts sounded from another stall not too far from Will's. Faith steppedout to
take a look, and Brendan moved so that his own frame filled the doorway,
blocking any outsiders from looking in even while keeping one eye each on Jack
and Will and Faith.

         Jack wanted desperately to cut Will down and take him to the safety of
the ship where he could tend to his wounds, but he couldn't do that. His only
hope was to buy Will. There were too many people in the marketplace interested
in this one transaction. "Whatever it takes, Will, I'll get you out of here. Do
not fear. That bitch will never get you, and they will all pay."

         Despite the pain that filled his every part and the terror that had
flooded his soul, seeing Jack before him; feeling his gentle, reassuring touch;
and hearing the words he spoke sent not only relief but also happiness that Jack
cared so much about him coursing through Will's being. Will smiled sadly, and
for the first time, he let a tear drop down his cheek where somebody could see
him. The tear was not of sadness, however, but of joy, joy that Jack cared so
much for his lowly hide.

         Jack reached up and caught Will's tear, his heart tearing because of it.
"Don't cry, Will. It hurts like Hell today, but it will get well and you will be
free. I have to leave you now. There will be others coming in. I can't help it.
Just know that whatever it takes, I will free you."

         Will wanted to reassure Jack that he was not crying from the pain, fear,
or sadness but with joy, the joy that came with the knowledge that Jack actually
did care about him. He ached to beg him to stay and never leave him again.
However, he knew he could do neither and so remained silent as Jack slipped back
into his disguise.

         Returning to his aristocratic voice, Jack said, "I can't wait to get you
in my bed after you take a bath." He sniffed his hanky delicately. He walked
out, shaking inwardly but continuing to play the fool for the crowd's benefit.
"Mmm! All that muscle!" he breathed out, sneaking a look around only to see that
Brendan and Faith were not to be seen. He wondered where they had gone and then
heard yelling. "He's going to make a great stallion! I can hardly wait for the
ride!" He walked over to where they had been standing before. He looked around,
hoping to see his friends.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Faith had followed the yells of a familiar voice to a stall only two
away from Will's, but she had not truly expected to find there what she did. She
stood back in the crowd, her blazing eyes watching the boy from earlier. There
was another bitch dressed in another slinky, black dress that did little to
cover her body standing in front of him. She was accompanied by a muscular goon
whose hand was even now pinning the boy to the wall. "Bruiser, you will have to
move in order for me to measure the boy," the woman told him in a cold voice.

         "But, ma'am," the man with big muscles but little brain responded, "if I
do that, he's going to knee you again."

         "Then use our little method, Bruiser. Really, where is that thing you
call a brain today?"

         "Oh. Oh. 'Course, ma'am," Bruiser answered as he released the boy and
then made his way to a small fire that lit the stall. He reached down and picked
up a piece of hot coal with a pair of tongs that lay waiting nearby. He then
moved back to the boy his mistress was currently interested in. Faith growled as
she watched Bruiser stick the piece of coal right at Dawson's throat. "One
move," the man warned the boy, "and I'll burn you."

         "One move, and I'll rip your dick off," Faith muttered under her breath.
It wasn't that the boy meant anything to her, or so she told herself at least,
but seeing this done to some one she knew filled her with fury. She watched as
the woman unbuttoned the boy's pants, and as she brought out his sword for any
one looking to see, Faith started forward. She had not taken more than two
steps, however, when she suddenly felt strong hands clamp down on her shoulders.
"Move 'em if ya wanna keep 'em," she spat without bothering to look to see who
was holding her back.

         It was Brendan's voice that met her ears. "Faith, you know you can't.
Not yet, at least," he whispered urgently so that only she could hear him. Even
as he held her back, Brendan knew he couldn't hold her for long. He could
practically feel the fury seething off of her and knew she'd have no qualms
against turning on him if she was mad enough. Looking around, he spied Jack.
"Boss," he called in a voice completely unlike his true, eloquent voice, hoping
that the Captain would nonetheless recognize him, "think this one's gonna blow."

         Jack had to agree. He could see the steam rising off of Faith. What
about this particular boy was bothering her? he wondered. He knew for certain
that it was not the kid's innocence for nothing like that ever drew Faith after
one time. In fact, he knew of nothing that had ever managed to attract her a
second time. Walking over to stand beside his friends, he asked Faith, "What is
it with the kid?"

         "He was just a good piece," she spat out, her blazing eyes never moving
from the scene before them, "but he doesn't deserve to be treated like an
animal! Just look at that, Jack! The bitch is fondling him for all to see, and
the thing's only even been touched once!"

         Jack blushed slightly at her response. Gods, the girl had a way with
words! "Okay, so we have two for the rescue. What you do with him after the
rescue is up to you."

         "Set him free," she answered instantly. "I already had him. I don't want
him again. He just doesn't deserve this."

         Jack was worried. He had only brought the one bag of gold, and even
though it was enough to buy most of Port Royal -- this he didn't realize --, he
was afraid it might not be enough to buy Will. "Do you have any gold with you?"
he asked.

         "Give me five minutes," Faith responded. "Hell, give me one minute, and
my pockets'll be overflowing."

         Jack looked uneasily around the crowd. He knew Faith was good, but he
desperately did not want attention drawn. "Be careful," he said. "Move quickly
and return. The auction will begin in about . . . " He looked up at the sun.
Noon was not far away, and the auction was to be then. "You might have fifteen
minutes at the most."

         He looked at Brendan to see if he had any comments even as Faith slipped
away. The look on his face almost said it all, but it was as though he had
something he wanted to spit out but wasn't sure how it would be taken. "Well?"
Jack asked, looking at him even closer. "Out with it!"

         "I know she's good, Captain," Brendan spoke in a soft voice that only
Jack could hear, "but that woman looks like she has endless funds . . . "

         "Go for it, Brendan, but be careful." Jack had to smile to himself. His
friend never ceased to amaze him. For himself, Brendan would barely lift a
finger, but for his friends, even a mountain would not be too much to move to
help. Jack, too, was pretty good at lifting pockets, but he just could not do it
today. He was too emotionally overwrought.

         His fury at not being able to do anything yet to get Will free was
causing his hands to shake. They itched to throttle something, and he knew just
who it was going to be as soon as he was able to move against them. He was
standing there, waiting for the auction to begin or for his friends to return
and having daydreams about what he was going to do to the Governor that very
night. The whole damned town was going to pay, but at this time, Jack was only
concerned with the Governor and what he was going to do to that bald-headed
son-of-a-bitch. No amount of begging was going to save his unworthy hide.

Chapter Eleven
         The furry streak that raced throughout the streets of Port Royal caused
immense havoc in its wake, people screaming and varied items flying everywhere
as they fell to the ground. The feline never turned back nor even considered
glancing back to see the destruction that lay in his wake. Instead, he continued
to run as if his own life depended on it, his nose in the air as he followed the
crew's scents. He did not even pause when a pair of woman's underwear from a
clothes basket that had been thrown up into the air as he had ran between the
surprised carrier's legs and sent them tumbling landed on his head. Instead, he
just shook it off and kept running.

         Hands tried to grab him, but he continued weaving in and out of the
annoying humans until a pair of strong hands finally managed to grasp him.
"UNHAND THE ROYAL PERSONAGE, YOU FILTHY PEASANT!" The man screamed and released
him instantly, but the King still gave him a few scratches before continuing to
race off, leaving the surprised man with just enough bloody gashes to remind him
not to catch just any cat he happened across.

         He had torn out of the town and was well on his way to the others when
another scent caught his nose from a different direction. The cat stopped so
suddenly that he was sent sliding on snow, which he wondered where in the world
it had come from, until he almost hit a tree. Regaining his balance barely in
the nick of time, he used the tree as a look-out perch and was just in time to
see a wagon rushing his way.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Xena had finally found the farm she was looking for. Locating a wagon
and horses to pull it proved to be a little more time consuming, but she at last
located them as well. The wagon was full of hay and would make a comfortable
conveyance for all. She walked out of the barn, leading the horses pulling the
wagon, and got hit in the head with something wet.

         She put her hand up and caught the next snowflake. "What the Hell?!
Snowing here?!" She had been in colder countries when it had been snowing so she
knew what it was, but what was it doing here in a hot, tropical atmosphere? It
never snowed here, or if by some freak of nature, it did, it would melt as soon
as it hit the ground. Yet this snow was actually sticking to the ground and
forming a slippery surface!

         She didn't know what was going on, but more of the crap was now hitting
the fan. She got behind the reins and stood up, clacking the reins in the air
and hollering at the horses to get a move on. They took off flying like bats out
of Hell, heading back to where the group waited. The snow grew thicker all the
time yet she still passed from snowy area to plain area. It was as if the Earth
itself could not make up its mind rather it wanted snow. She then realized that
if she continued to drive the horses so quickly they would be worn out and
unable to help any one, so she slowed them down to a steady trot.

         As they passed under another of the many trees that lined the dirt road,
a body suddenly dropped out of the tree. Xena started to reach for her sword but
relaxed as soon as she realized who it was. Blue eyes looked up at her as Meesy
asked, "How fast can this thing go?"

         Xena looked down at King Meesy. "Faster than you want to go, Your
Majesty. Why? What has caused the urgency?"

         "Will was sold into slavery," Meesy said, knowing that she would need no
further explanation. Without another word, Xena clacked the reins and yelled at
the horses who took off flying again. As they raced, Meesy had to dig his claws
into the wooden seat to keep from falling over, but never did the cat speak one
word of complaint. He only wanted to reach the others and get them back to the
ship. The faster they could do so, the better, regardless of the condition the
speed put his luxurious fur in.

         "Damn!" was all she could mutter. "Damn! Damn! Damn! Jack will go crazy
and wipe out the entire damn town if they hurt one hair on Will's head!" Amongst
all the other Pirates, Xena was the only one, or thought she was the only one,
who truly knew how Jack felt for Will. Every one else just thought that they
were the best friends they'd ever seen. She knew Jack was in love but afraid to
admit his love to Will. Heck, he'd only just recently admitted it to himself!

         They passed one of the trees that dumped a whole bunch of snow on her,
and Xena shook it off angrily. Why was it that when everything looked like it
was going to go good, shitt always happened?! If she had had even a clue, she
would now be standing beside Jack, ready to take on the entire town, but
instead, here she was, tied down with a group of survivors that she knew had to
move as soon as she got to them. There was no more time. Whatever Jack did in
the town, the ships had to go. They had to be outside the harbor before the
guards closed it. What they did after that was another whole story. As she
neared the camp, she smelled fire and knew that more shitt had hit the fan.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         They had looked at so many bodies. Prue had breathed a sigh of relief
after each, knowing that they were not their family, but she had lost count of
how many they had actually seen. Still, her family had not shown up. As they
rounded a huge boulder, they found yet another group of women laid out. The
woman laying in the center caused Prue to start crying and screaming. Lorne
helped her to stand on her shaking legs as they approached. He knew they had
found one of the women.

         The second they reached the group, Prue fell on her knees beside her
mother, and her long hair covered her face. She was lost in tears, wailing like
a lost soul. Her heart was breaking. Thank Gods her sister lived, but she had no
hope that her grandmother would be alive, either, or even her other sisters, not
after having found her mother dead.

         Prue had been one of the ones who had wanted to fight and had not simply
given up but had gone along with her family, because that's what her mother had
said would be right. She loved her mother and did not know how she would go on
without her. She felt Cole stop beside them and Piper being let down.

         Tears were already streaming down Piper's cheeks so much that she could
not see past them. She could barely even make out Prue's form, but she reached
out and hugged her sister tightly. She knew Prue needed her now more than ever
and hated herself for crying instead of comforting her sister, but this was
their mother. Their mother was dead! Nothing else mattered!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Lex heard women crying. "I will take you over there so that you can see
if that's part of your group," he said to Paige, secretly hoping that it wasn't
because he was not very good with crying women.

         "It is," Paige answered softly, struggling to get the words out through
the tears that choked her throat. She could tell Prue's and Piper's voices, but
who had they found? Phoebe? Their mother? Their grandmother? Who?! She wanted to
hide her face away in Lex's shoulder and not face whatever she was about to
find, but she knew she could not.

         When Lex reached the small group, he noticed Cole and Lorne both looking
as lost as though they wanted the Earth to open and swallow them. It seemed that
he was not the only one helpless around crying women. He sat Paige down beside
her sisters and then stepped away, the others following behind him. Carl was so
close that his face hit Lex's butt when he went to back. "Hey, that's my
territory!" Clark quippingly exclaimed in a hushed whisper, hoping but failing
to lighten the other guys' moods.

         When the men had retreated a little ways from the ladies, Cole told the
others, "That's just one of them. There are two more here somewhere. I have no
clue as to what they look like, but carrying them around to look at all the
other bodies is just not going to work. It's breaking their hearts even more.
We've got to find some one who knows every one."

         Carl piped up. "Gabrielle will know what to do."

         "Carl, you stay on guard with the ladies. If anything comes up, get us
immediately. We're going for Gabrielle."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Reaching Gabrielle, the men all talked at once. Finally, Clark waited
for the others to hush before saying, "We need some one who knows every one to
identify the dead ones. That way they can tell if any of the live ones can match
up with any of the dead ones." The others nodded in agreement.

         Gabrielle looked at Clark with a partially questioning and partially
bemused expression in her green eyes. His wording was rather unique, but she
nonetheless understood what he meant. She had been keeping watch over every one
but had only met a few of them briefly. "We need to find out if their leader
made it. She would know everybody in the group, but any one else might not know
all the others. I don't know which of them to ask, though." Looking around, she
saw Wolf. Whistling to him, she waved her hands urgently in the air. She'd seen
him having a rather lengthy talk with the woman in black and hoped he might know
something she didn't.

         Wolf reached her side almost immediately. "Yes, Gabrielle? Can I help?"

         "We need to find out who the group's leader is," she explained. "We need
some one who knows the rest of them so that they can identify family members and
the like."

         Wolf had been about to answer when he got hit with something in the
head. He reached up and swiped at it with one hand, bringing his hand away to
reveal snow. "Just what the Hell?! Snow?! Huff puff! That shouldn't be here!" He
looked at Gabrielle puzzledly before answering her question. "The lady I was
talking to earlier and taking care of knows them. I don't know if she's a
leader, but she can identify them. I'll ask."

         Wolf immediately sprinted over to Elvira, leaving Gabrielle to turn
questioningly to the rest of the men standing around her. "Do any of you know
any reason at all that it would be snowing in Port Royal, of all places?"

         "Wesley might know, but I haven't got a clue," Lex answered. "Professor
Doom is always looking into things."

         "It might be an omen or something," Clark thought aloud.

         "Well, if it is," Gabrielle replied, "we'll hear about it as soon as his
lungs open."

         Cole shook his head. "I haven't seen snow in years. Isn't this the wrong
climate for it?"

         "It sure is," Lorne agreed. "Wrong climate and wrong season. I would
have expected snow to happen in Pylea before it would have happened here, and
it's never happened in Pylea. Where is Wesley?"

         "I don't know," Cole said, "but let's go look for him." Lorne nodded,
and the two parted from the group to go in search of Wesley, hoping against hope
that he would know what was going on.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Meanwhile, Wolf had reached Elvira. "Dear lady, I hate to bother you,
but they are in need of some one to identify bodies. Are you able to help?"

         Elvira had stood to meet him as she had seen Wolf approaching and had
ran her tongue over her black lips as she watched him. He certainly was quite
the magnificent feast and surely had to be as good in the bed as he was on the
eyes! When he spoke, however, and his question reminded her of all those who had
died that day, she quickly sombered. "I can try, but I don't know everybody,"
she admitted. "I was still pretty new. Patty or Ororo would be better . . . if,"
she added sadly in an afterthought, "they made it."

         "What do they look like?" Wolf asked.

         "Ororo would be the easiest to tell. She's dark-skinned with white hair
and blue eyes."

         "I've seen her already. She's beautiful, and she's with a friend of
mine. Do you want to come with me?" He got hit with another snowflake and looked
around. The landscape was beginning to get snowed under. "Do you have any ideal
why it might be snowing?" he asked her.

         "No," Elvira answered his second question first with a shake of her
head. "You can try asking Miss -- " She bit her own tongue to keep from letting
the word 'Beautiful' slip. Why was she suddenly so jealous? Ororo was beautiful,
and Wolf was a man with no claims on him. If he wanted to look at Ororo or
another woman, that was his right. They had only flirted, after all. There was
nothing serious between them, so she had no reason or right to be jealous. "Miss
Munroe," she concluded after a second's hesitation. "She's a Weather Witch."

         He could not for the life of him figure out why she was suddenly sort of
hostile, but he could see the tenseness and smell the jealousy that had suddenly
gripped her. "It would be nice if you'd come with me," he said hopefully. "She
doesn't know me from Adam, but she does know you." Then it dawned on him. He had
said she was beautiful, because she was and he was never one to keep his mouth
closed when it came to admiring beautiful ladies. He leaned forward next to her
ear, "She's beautiful but not as beautiful as you are." He stood back in case
she slapped him.

         Her black eyes sparkled at his words. Part of her hoped that he was not
just telling her what she wanted to hear, but as she watched him pull back, his
eyes on guard as he expected to be slapped, she realized that that was not it at
all. She started to smile, but she stopped herself just in time, deciding
instead to surprise him. Her face went suddenly stoic, and she managed to keep
the lust from her voice as she spoke. "Why, sir," she exclaimed, stepping closer
to him, closing the distance he'd put between them, and raising a hand toward
his face, "I -- "

         She switched instantly, however. Her voice transformed from a sharp
exclamation to a lustful purr as her body leaned into his, her taut breasts
pressing against his muscular chest through the thin fabric of her dress. Her
hand fell gently across his face, her palm caressing his cheek, as she whispered
against his lips, "Flattery will get you everywhere."

         "The only place I want to be is next to you," he whispered back. "Soon,"
he purred back into her ear. "Just being this close to you burns me up." He
growled more intensely than he had planned, conveying to her that he was
definitely in heat and wanted her badly. "Huff puff," he moaned as he pulled
himself away from her. "We have to get this business taken care of and our
living company back to safety. Gods know why, but it's even snowing now! Will
you come with me?"

         Though he was trying to put distance between them again, Elvira reached
out and caressed his chest through his shirt. "I'll come with you anywhere," she
told him seductively, her voice on the verge of a responding growl.

         His gaze locked with hers as he lifted her hand and kissed her in the
center of her palm. Then, holding her hand, he pulled her with him where he had
last seen Wolverine with the woman. As they approached, he could see that
Wolverine was nestled close to the lady, holding her torso in his lap and
encircling her with his arms. Wolf didn't know if she was asleep or had just not
woken up. When he reached them, he spoke, "Wolverine, is she . . . ?"

         Wolverine looked up at Wolf. "Sleeping," he replied. "Thank Gods she
lives."

         Wolf definitely could see that Wolverine had lost it. Was it destined
that each of them should find their true mates today? Gods knew he had found his
and could hardly wait to claim her as his own. Did Wolverine feel the same about
Ororo? It seemed that he did as he held her protectively, and Wolf had to smile.
He had never seen Wolverine with any woman before. Rumors had abounded that he
had killed a couple of them, but he had never seen him get romantically inclined
toward any one. "We were hoping that she would be able to identify the
survivors."

         Wolverine looked up at the sky. "I'm gonna have to wake my little
darlin' up any way. The snow is beginnin' to pile up. She'll catch her death o'
cold here, an' I won't have that. Little darlin'," he whispered, "wake up. We've
gotta get a move on."

         Ororo stirred slowly in response to Logan's voice, but the first thing
she felt was confusion. The next was the cold of the naturally heated earth that
did not understand why it was being snowed upon. Her eyes were not yet open when
she groggily spoke, "It's cold. Why is it cold? What is this white stuff? It
does not belong here."

         Elvira released Wolf's hand to kneel before the man called Wolverine and
Ororo. She knew that her friend's strange comments were probably worrying both
men but understood what was happening. Ororo was not fully awake yet, but
already she was picking up on Mother Nature's confusion. "'Ro, wake up. It's
just snowing," she said as if snow was an every-day occurrence in their lives.

         "Snow?" Ororo repeated tiredly. "But it should not be. I did not tell it
to."

         Wolf looked at the brown-skinned woman who was mumbling about snow. What
was it Elvira had said about her? Oh, yes, that she was a Weather Witch. "Well,
if you can do something about it and make it stop, it might be a good ideal. It
could really cause some trouble. I've heard about the snow, but I've never seen
it, not till today. You're right. It shouldn't be here."

         Wolverine had been around strange women all his life and many Witches.
Therefore, her words really did not bother him but her tiredness did. He was
still afraid of losing her. "'Ro, are you able to stand? I'll hold on to you. We
need to identify yer people. Match up the living with their dead; get the dead
seen to; an' then we need to get the Hell outta here, because rather it's snow
or townspeople, we are in for a lot o' rough road to hoe and the sooner we get
to safety, the better."

         Their words had brought Ororo the rest of the way awake, but she was
still looking around in confusion. "You are both right. It should not be
snowing. This can not be good, but I should be able to stop it." She was
emotionally exhausted and mentally tired, but her physical well being was
surprisingly fine and showed no signs of having gone through what she and her
people had been through that day.

         She pushed herself to her full height of six feet. Standing tall, she
stretched out her arms and opened her hands, her fingers reaching toward the
heavens. "By the Goddess, that which belongs in the cold regions . . . " Cold
winds blew back her long, white hair, and her baby blue eyes turned to white
with no sign of her pupils. "That which should never fall here, the stuff of
snow, ice, and sleet, be gone."

         Elvira looked around, knowing that the snow should disappear with
Ororo's words. When nothing happened, worry dawned on her face.

         "I said . . . " Ororo began to try again but stopped suddenly as her
spirit seemed to run straight into a brick wall of fury. Her forehead creased
and her eyes shut in determined concentration, but the unknown power source was
far stronger than her own. With a cry of pain, she fell back, toppling downwards
into Logan's waiting arms.

         He held her close to him. He was amazed at all the power he had just
seen flowing out of her, and yet it had all been thrown back at her. It scared
him, but he didn't let on like it did. "She's not in any shape to help you to
identify the people. If ya have any way at all o' doin' it, miss, please? We've
got to get them outta here to safety. Out in the open, like this, we're
exposed."

         "It's too dangerous," Wolf said. "Can you do it, Elvira?"

         "Wolf, I told you I was new to the group. I still don't know everybody.
I could identify some but not all, and they all deserve . . . "

         Ororo's gentle voice interrupted the conversation that flowed around
her. Elvira's black eyes looked down into her baby blues. "Find Patty, Elvira,
any of her children, or even the Halliwells' grandmother. They will all know,
but we must do this swiftly." She started to continue but stopped, confusion
creasing her brow. Looking to Wolverine, she asked, "Are any of your people
capable of healing others? Until I ran into what I just encountered, my body was
surprisingly fine and felt as though nothing had happened."

         "The Lewis sisters are our ships' Sorceresses. They did a healing
spell," Wolf said. "They are resting now. I don't know what they are thinking
about what is going on right now; I haven't seen them in a while."

         "Please introduce me to them later, then, as I must thank them. What I
was about to say, however, is that time is even more of the essence here than it
would be otherwise. The force that is causing this snow is quickly approaching
our way, and it is capable of a great deal more disaster. We must be out of here
before it reaches the town or we will go with it."

         "Is it that powerful?" Elvira asked her, looking at her in fearful
surprise. Outside of her sisters and her brother-in-law, Ororo was the most
powerful being she'd ever met. If this force was so powerful that it scared
Ororo, let alone tossed her back as if she were nothing but a child's ball . . .
Elvira refused to dwell on the thought as she shuddered silently and, already
standing again, moved closer to Wolf.

         "Yes," Ororo affirmed. "More, in fact."

         "Then we'd best get going," Wolf said as he grasped Elvira's hand and
pulled her with him again. "We've got to find any of the Halliwells."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cole and Lorne had at last found Wesley. He was with one of the women
that Cole had rescued earlier. They noticed that he kept looking worriedly at
the sky. "Wesley, you want to explain what's going on?" Cole asked hopefully.

         "Can't," Wesley replied nervously. "The scrolls are at the ship, and I
don't remember reading anything about this. It shouldn't be snowing here!"

         "Something's comin'! Somethin' big an' bad an' awful!" the woman, who
was so petite that she looked more like a girl at first glance, gasped out.
"It's goin' ta eat all o' us or, at least, kill us! We have ta get outta here!"

         "Easy, Fred," Wesley said.

         "Fred?!" Lorne exclaimed.

         Cole laughed. "Why're you calling her Fred? You call a girl by a girl's
name, Wesley." He figured Wesley had just stuck a name on her. He was bad about
doing that, and he was very nervous around women.

         "'Cause that's her name, Cole, or at least she said it was!" Wesley
exclaimed, heatedly defending himself.

         "Sorry, ma'am," Cole said, "but I never heard of a woman with a guy's
name before."

         "What kind of parent lays a boy's name on a daughter?" Lorne asked. "Not
that I'm one to say anything. After all, who calls their child Krevlornswath?"

         Fred laughed, a musical sound that caressed Wesley's ears and stopped
far too soon. "Mah real name's Winifred Burkle . . . " she started to explain.

         "That's okay," Lorne quickly said. "We'll just call you Fred. You can
call me Lorne."

         "And I'm Cole," Cole said.

         "It's nice to meet y'all. It'd be nicer if we were in a bettah
situation. But we've gotta get outta here. Ah'm not kiddin' when Ah tell y'all
somethin's comin' that's gonna devour this entire place!"

         "I believe you, ma'am," Cole said. "It's a Demonic power of some kind,
stronger than I've ever felt. We've got to get these people out of here." He
wondered what had happened to Xena and why she had not returned yet.

         Fred shook her head. "Not a Demon or, at least, not technically. An
Elemental."

         "Mister Big, Bad, Bold, and Ugly," Cole said. "Doesn't matter if he's
Demonic or an Elemental, he's not some one we need to tamper with. Let's go
where the others are." He would have to tell Gabrielle as soon as he got there.

         Wesley was amazed at how much Fred seemed to know. He couldn't wait to
get better acquainted with her and delve deeper into her mind. They could
compare notes and probably even swap tales. He took her by the hand, helping her
to her feet, and they headed off in the direction of Gabrielle.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Still holding on to Elvira's hand, Wolf headed off to where he had last
seen Gabrielle. Reaching her at last, he said, "We need some one with the name
of Halliwell."

         "Patty, Penny, Prue, Paige, Piper, or Phoebe," Elvira inserted. "Damn,"
she muttered, "my tongue just about stuck on that one."

         Cole reached Gabrielle just about the time Elvira was letting go with
the list of names. "I've got one of those," he told them.

         "So do I," Lorne said.

         "Me too," Lex added in.

         "Lucky us," Clark interjected dryly. "We've all got a Halliwell." As far
as he was concerned, the sooner they got rid of the Halliwell, the better. No
way was that Halliwell laying a hand on his Lex!

         "Get one of them and get them to identify the bodies," Gabrielle told
the others. "Actually, if you can get them to split up and identify, it will be
faster."

         "Sure thing," Cole said and headed off to where he had left Piper. He
hated to ask her, but he knew the sooner they got it taken care of, the sooner
they could get the Hell out of there. He felt time was quickly running out. Lex,
Clark, and Lorne followed Cole, but Wesley and Fred remained behind to warn
Gabrielle of the danger behind the snow.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         The others soon reached the place where they had left the sisters crying
over their mother. Carl looked like he was about to break down into a fit of
tears, and Lorne silently placed a reassuring hand on the little guy's shoulder.
The Gnome looked up at the Demon, but neither spoke.

         "Piper?" Cole was the first to speak, putting out his hand and touching
her gently on the shoulder as he gently called her name. "Can you help to
identify the others?" He knew the healing spell should have taken effect now.
She wouldn't need carrying. He'd miss that, but he'd be close to her in case she
needed him.

         Tears were still running down her cheeks when she looked up at Cole, but
she nodded as she swiped at them. "Sisters," Piper said, looking to both Prue
and Paige, "I know we do not want to leave her, but Mother would want us to do
everything we can for the others."

         Paige nodded, biting back a sob as she did so. "Besides," she added
dejectedly, "we still haven't found Phebs."

         "Or Grams," Prue said, wiping her eyes on the backs of her hands. "With
the three of us working together, we'll find them sooner."

         They went in three different directions, each with at least one man to
carry the dead body to its relative if its relative was alive, but none of their
relatives lived. Entire families had been wiped out, and the tears continued to
flow not only down the sisters' faces but, when the women were not looking, down
the men's as well.

         They were collecting the bodies into one group when Paige suddenly cried
out, "I found them!" Every one stopped what they were doing and raced to where
Paige was cradling Phoebe as her sister cried. Grams lay still on the ground.
Her sisters gathered around Phoebe, and Prue and Piper held both of their
younger sisters tightly.

         Cole did not say a word but picked up their grandmother and added her to
the group beside Patty. He then looked around for something to start a fire but
could find nothing. He was amazed when he was suddenly joined by Morph and Tom,
who had came seemingly out of nowhere, and Tom transformed into a dragon,
breathing fire over the bodies.

         It was this smelling that Xena picked up as she entered the camp. A slow
chanting had began among the survivors, helping to carry the souls of the dearly
departed to the Rainbow Bridge. They stood in a circle, their hands entwined,
and she was even more surprised to see that they were not alone but were also
leading the men, even little Carl and Joxer, in the ritual. Only Katrina and
Celina were missing, and Gabrielle stood out, as well, waiting and keeping guard
with tears shimmering and the fire reflecting in her sad eyes.

         It would take a while for the fires to burn down, a time that the people
could not wait for. Xena hopped down from the wagon and opened the gate. "Come!
We must quickly be away from here! The snow heralds danger!" She looked down at
King Meesy, whose every hair stood straight out.

         At Captain Xena's words, most of the men, those who were not already
familiar with rituals, tried to leave the circle, but the women latched onto
them even tighter. "We must close the circle," the whisper rang among them,
passed from one to another as an explanation to those who did not know.

         The snow continued to fall, wrapping them in a blanket of whiteness,
even as the ritual ended and Ororo opened the circle. The group began to make
their way to the wagon. Their heads were bowed in respect for the dead, and
tears still flowed down several faces.

         Xena was getting worried. If the snow piled up too much, they would
never get through. To take a precaution against that happening, Xena, who had
seen Tom demorph back into his own body after being the dragon, approached him
and Morph after they had helped their exhausted wives into the wagon. "If you
would help me get through," she indicated how the snow was piling up about the
wheels of the wagon, "it would be greatly appreciated."

         They both grinned sheepishly at her and immediately turned into dragons.
The horses spooked and broke the traces, fleeing from the dragons. Xena could
not believe the disasters, one following the other, but the dragons merely drew
the traces together and stepped into them. Pulling the wagon behind them, the
shapeshifters began blazing a trail to the safety of their ships.


Chapter Twelve
         Once the Captain had given him leave, Brendan had slipped into the
crowd. Moving with lupine stealth, he had gone as unnoticed as a shadow while
emptying many pockets. He'd heard the yells later as his prey had discovered
their money gone, but no one knew it was him. Throughout the entire time, he'd
also been careful to keep an even lower profile any time Helvira or the woman
who had been after Faith's boy happened to be around. Now, it was almost noon,
and he quickly made his way back to Jack.

         Reaching his Captain, Brendan stood behind him as he whispered so that
only Jack could hear, "We can't risk my being noticed by Helvira, so I'm going
to give you the money and make myself scarce." Jack had kept his eyes ahead of
them, and though he had not even acknowledged Brendan, the wolf still mistakenly
thought that Jack had heard him. Pressing himself against Jack's back, Brendan
stole a look around before sliding the sack he'd filled with gold from his
pocket into Jack's. His hand was still in Jack's pocket when somebody plowed
into him from behind.

         Jack had been standing, lost deep in his thoughts of what he was going
to do to the Governor, when he was roughly jostled by some one who had a hand in
his pocket. He flipped around, grabbing the guy by the throat with a savage
growl, before he realized that it was Brendan. "What the Hell were you doing
with your hand in my pocket?!" he demanded.

         Brendan had been startled when some one who had not been looking where
they were going had plowed into his back, but he was so shocked when Jack, who
he had trusted with his very life for years, suddenly grabbed his throat that
Brendan's face paled and his eyes flashed on yellow. "Exactly what I told you I
was!" he hissed through the fangs of the startled wolf that was trying to come
out.

         "Sorry, Brendan. I didn't hear you come up nor did I hear you tell me
that you were getting in my pocket." He let go of his throat. "Forgive me, but
my mind was on the Governor and the pleasures of the coming night."

         At first, Brendan's only response was a nod as he fought to rein the
wolf in. Once he had regained control of the beast within, he spoke again,
keeping his voice casual should any one happen to overhear them while also
tenderly rubbing his throat. "I understand, but you need to focus on the bidding
that's about to start, sir." He dropped his voice so that only Jack could hear
him as he added meaningfully, "The addition to your pocket should help in that
other case, but I should make myself scarce."

         "Again, I want to apologize, Brendan. You know I'd never purposefully
hurt you. Forgive me. You're right. I need to concentrate on this, but you don't
know how badly I want him. Be careful, and for Gods' sakes, don't let the
bitches see you."

         Brendan nodded, but when he spoke, his words seemed to fumble over
themselves as he tried to assure Jack. "I will. I mean, I won't. I mean . . . "

         "Fleas bothering you again?" Faith quipped at Brendan as she slid up to
join the men.

         Brendan just looked at her, shook his head, and turned his attention
back to his Captain. Unlike Brendan, Jack, who looked at Faith as though she had
taken leave of her senses, was not as willing to let her comment slip. "Leave
Brendan alone, Faith," he commanded. "The bidding's about to start. Pay
attention."

         Faith looked at Jack with a faked pout on her lips. "Can I help it that
Virgin Boy's just too much fun to play with?"

         "You . . . " Jack shook his head. "You're incorrigible, Faith."

         "Thank ya, Cap," Faith returned with an impish grin.

         "You're not welcome," Jack quipped in return. He turned back to Brendan
and gently squeezed his arm. "Be careful, my friend." He hoped Brendan knew how
sorry he was that the occurrence had happened. He'd try to find a way to make it
up to him later. He released him.

         Brendan's brown eyes met Jack's as he told him softly, "Don't worry
yourself with what happened -- " he started to say only to be cut off by Faith
once more.

         "What's wrong?" she asked him with a tease tugging at the corners of her
lips. "You couldn't get it up again?"

         "You wish," Jack said to Faith. "I've never had that problem."

         "Not you," she answered. "I know you're constantly swinging, Cap." She
inclined her head toward Brendan as she clarified, "I was talking about Virgin
Boy again."

         Brendan's yellow eyes cut through Faith, and a low growl of warning
issued from his lips. "Faith, I explained that to you that night -- " he started
but then just fell silent, shaking his head.

         "Yeah, right," Faith snorted in return. "And if ya think I'm buying into
that, ya'd better think again."

         Brendan shook his head once more even as his hands clenched into tight
fists. Why was it that this annoying girl, who lacked all manners and ethics,
always knew just how to punch his buttons? Looking back to Jack, he repeated,
"Don't worry about it," and faded off into the crowd.

         Jack watched him go, wondering about the exchange of words between the
two. What had or had not happened? He figured from the Virgin Boy comment that
nothing had actually taken place except maybe the foreplay and it had been
disappointing for both of them. He gathered that, because every time they got
together, they tied into each other even though Brendan was usually a sweetheart
and never picked a quarrel. He probably thought he was only defending himself
from Faith, and Jack figured the only reason why Faith was still picking on
Brendan was because she had not gotten what she had set out to get.

         That was one reason why he was getting so many slaps lately. Every time
he turned around, another woman was slapping the crap out of him, and he was
tired of it. He didn't think he deserved any of it. Just because a man couldn't
. . . {Don't even go there, Jack,} he said to himself. Unwilling to face his
little problem, he immediately turned his mind back to the auction.

         The auctioneer walked out followed by a man dragging a small, black goat
behind him. "First on the auction block today is this young kid. What am I bid
for him?" Jack didn't even want to watch that. He would have liked to have
bought the goat and taken him home, but what would a goat do on a ship? He knew
where the poor little fellow was probably bound and tried to block his mind from
thinking about it.

         When the auctioneer had first brought out the goat, a bitter bark of
laughter had escaped Faith's dark lips for she could not for the life of her
understand why any one would want to start a sex slave auction with a goat.
After all, why bother with an animal when there were humans for the taking? When
bidding nearly instantly exploded, however, all traces of her smile vanished.
"Damn," she muttered under her breath but did not move her gaze from the auction
block as she waited for the boy whose name she still did not even know.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


         Logan had waited until the very last person was in the wagon. 'Ro had
stayed with him, and they were the last two in the wagon. He was sitting and
holding her, cuddled up against his side, where he could look down into her
eyes. He could see tears shimmering there as she kept glancing away, and he felt
as though there was something missing but wasn't sure what. "What's wrong, 'Ro?"
he asked her with deep concern in his voice.

         "It . . . It is nothing of any real importance, Logan," she answered him
in a hushed whisper. The sadness in her voice matched the grief in her heart,
however, even as her eyes turned back in the direction she had been glancing in
throughout the entire ride. "It should not hinder the others' safety."

         "It concerns me, little darlin'. Is it somethin' I can do fer ya,
somethin' I can get fer ya?" Whatever it was, he would not mind doing it.
Anything to make the light come back in her eyes and a smile come on her face.
He had yet to see her smile, not that she had had much that day to smile about,
but she had survived. "Tell me, an' I'll do it."

         "It is . . ." She sighed as she laid her face against his chest, tearing
her teary eyes from the horizon she'd been looking in. "I did not plan to live
this day and did not wish my most prized possession to become tarnished. I am
not . . . a possessive person," she tried to explain, a pang of guilt shooting
through her, "but this . . . It was the only thing I had left from my parents."

         "What is it, little darlin'?" he wondered what could be causing such
deep grief but understood that if it was the only thing left to her by her
parents, it was important.

         "Just a locket," she answered softly, "but it had a picture of the three
of us." She did not say that it was the only picture that she had of her
parents, let alone that that picture was the only way she could remember what
they looked like.

         Without another word, Logan got up from her and made his way up to where
he could talk to Xena. "Xena, we're takin' these people away from their homes. I
realize they're not safe here, but they're all leavin' everything they own.
Couldn't we go by their homes for a few minutes an' let 'em collect at least a
change o' clothes?"

         Xena was extremely surprised that Wolverine was bothering to care about
what others might be needing. "Hadn't thought of it," she said, "but you have a
point there." She then called to the dragons, "Hold it, boys!" They stopped so
swiftly, digging their mighty claws into the ground, that Meesy was nearly sent
hurtling through the air. In fact, he would have been had Gabrielle, who sat
beside Xena, not quickly reached out and grabbed him in mid-air. As soon as the
dragons had stopped, Gabrielle had Meesy's ruffles settled.

         "We have a dilemma," Xena called back to the rest of the group. "The
people need to get some of their belongings, and some of us have to get to Jack.
Knowing him, he's probably turned the town on its ear by now. Wolverine, you
coming with us?"

         "Me?"

         "Yes. I'll need your nose to pick up Jack's scent."

         "Xena, I've never refused to go before, but I need to stay here this
time. Take Wolf, Carl, Cole, anybody but me!" She looked at him in surprise as
he was usually the first one, when Faith wasn't around, to want to fight. "I'm
leaving you here for backup for Gabrielle. Do not spend more than a few minutes
at your homes! Every minute is a costly delay, and we will leave without you!
Get to the ship as soon as you can, and get it ready to go." She would never
leave Gabrielle, but the others did not need to know that.

         Xena looked around at the men. "Lex. Clark. Carl," she called, talking
down to him as she saw he was jumping up and down in his eagerness to go.
"Cole." She wished Angel and Brendan were there, but she had no ideal where
either was. "Wolf, take the men and head toward the town."

         Wolf did not want to go. He was shaking his head and looking at Xena,
but before he could speak, he heard the gentle but firm voice of the
white-haired woman. "He will be needed for protection for Elvira. She lived in
the heart of our little city while the rest of us lived away. It will be
dangerous for her to return there, far more than for any of the rest of us, but
there is something that she absolutely must retrieve."

         "Whatever!" Xena snapped angrily and jumped off of the wagon seat. "Do
what you must, but get to the ship as soon as you can!" She pulled herself back
up to the wagon long enough to pull Gabrielle to her and kiss her gently. "See
you soon, my love."

         No sooner had Xena's lips left hers than Gabrielle's mouth was open to
begin talking. She wanted to tell her beloved so much. She wanted to tell her to
be careful and to return to her soon, but she also wanted to tell her not to be
too hard on the others. After all, that day was probably the worst day of their
lives, and they could not help having to return to their homes to retrieve their
belongings nor needing protection for the trip. Xena had jumped down and taken
off running before Gabrielle had managed to get even one word out, however, and
the bard sighed even as she watched the men following closely behind their
Captain. "Be careful," she whispered under her breath before turning her
attention to the group she had been left in charge of.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


         Realizing that they would have to walk to Port Royal, Wolf had gotten
down and lifted Elvira down beside him. Gonk jumped down right behind them, but
Wolf did not want him to go. It would be too dangerous for the little dog.
"Gabrielle, we will meet you at the ship."

         Elvira scooped down and picked up Gonk. Looking into his eyes, she told
him, "You can't come with us, Gonk." He whimpered pleadingly, but she shook her
head. "Not this time, sweetheart." She had heard both Xena and Wolf talking to
the blonde and knew that the woman was now in charge of what remained of their
group. "See that nice, blonde lady sitting there?" she asked Gonk, pointing the
dog to where he had no choice but to look at Gabrielle. "If you're a good boy,
she might let you stay with her." Elvira's eyes lifted from her poodle to face
the blonde. "Could you, please?" she asked her pleadingly. "I don't want
anything to happen to him, but he can't come with us."

         "I understand that," Gabrielle replied. She glanced to Meesy who now sat
beside her as she asked, "But how does he get along with cats?"

         Gonk had chased a few cats in his time, but Elvira was quick to not let
on to that fact. "He'll be a perfect little angel," she quickly assured
Gabrielle with an innocent smile.

         "And he'll obey?" Elvira nodded even as Gonk's and Meesy's eyes met.
Gabrielle sighed. She already had a feeling she would regret it, but nonetheless
she relented, "Okay. He can stay, but he'd best behave. We can't have any bull
off of him."

         Elvira nodded again. "We understand, don't we, Gonk?" She gently wrapped
her fingers around the poodle's snout as she moved his head in a nod. "And we
thank her, too, don't we?" Again, she made Gonk nod.

         Gabrielle stifled a sigh and shook her head. She had never been able to
understand what it was about some women and their dogs. "Okay. Wolverine, take
him for now. You two should get along," she added hopefully. {And if you don't,}
she thought to herself, {I'm sure you can at least make him settle down and
behave.}

         "Thank you." Elvira breathed a sigh of relief as she handed Gonk up to
Wolverine. "You behave now," she warned the poodle.

         Wolverine growled under his breath. Why was he the one picked to handle
the crap all the time? Just because he was a little bit taller than Carl but
shorter than everybody else, they always picked on him to get the crap details.
"Dog, stay," he said, pointing into the wagon and putting the dog on the floor.

         "Thank you," Elvira repeated, speaking to both Wolverine and Gabrielle.
"And, Gonk," she warned, "I mean it. You do as they say or you get whatever they
give you." The poodle looked at his mistress in shock, but she turned away and
started to walk off, heading toward the town. She could hear him whimpering
behind her but knew she had to ignore it.

         As they walked, Wolf noticed that there was not much pile-up of snow in
the area they passed through. A single flake floated down every now and then,
but it grew deeper under their feet as Wolf and Elvira headed toward the town.
Behind them, Wolf could barely make out Gabrielle's voice as she asked for a
volunteer amongst the survivors to give her directions. An answer came from
Ororo followed immediately by the clacking of the reins and Gabrielle calling to
the shapeshifters as the group took off again.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


         Meanwhile, the auction had proceeded at a fast pace and escalated from
animals to children, another practice that soured Jack's stomach and made him
even more determined to put an end to the evil place. He would have liked to
have rescued each and every one of them but was forced to stand, acting
oblivious to anything that was brought out. He figured they'd keep Will for last
or at least one of the last ones, and it seemed that it was true as they kept
passing over him and getting everything else.

         His musings were interrupted by a sharp intake of breath at his elbow.
Glancing down at her, Jack saw that Faith seemed to be choking and gasping for
air. It was then he heard the auctioneer saying, "A rare find, ladies and
gentlemen! Blue eyes, blonde hair, strong muscles, male -- and a virgin!" One
look back up at the auction block affirmed what Jack had already known for the
boy who Faith was so surprisingly concerned over stood there with his head
lowered. "What am I bid for this fine specimen?" the auctioneer called out.

         The crowd went wild with bidding, but every time a bid was made, Selene
made a higher one. She was determined that that particular boy was hers. Faith
remained silent for the time being, biding her time as she waited for the crowd
to reach what they would think would be a final price. She knew the sooner she
spoke, the sooner eyes would be drawn to Jack and her and they would risk being
discovered.

         Jack slipped the bag out of his pocket and fumbled through its contents.
Brendan had made quite the haul. The bag not only held gold pieces but also
jewelry; Jack knew he could not pull the jewelry out there, however. He wondered
how high the price would go on the boy and if they had enough. How much had
Faith managed to get? He looked at her questioningly just as the loud-mouthed
bitch, who had finally grown impatient of the bidding war, yelled out. "ONE
HUNDRED THOUSAND!" Her cold voice cut through the crowd like icicles and brought
gasps from many in the crowd.

         Faith nearly choked on that amount, and Jack could tell from the sound
she made and her paled face that she did not have enough. He handed her the bag.
"There's at least another seventy-five thousand in there," he whispered urgently
to her. "Use it, and buy the boy."

         Shock flashed in Faith's shining, dark eyes as she looked up at Jack.
She grabbed the bag as if it were a lifeline for her instead of the kid even as
the auctioneer announced, "Going twice!"

         "ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND ONE!" she yelled out, her voice thundering out
over the crowd.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


         Having neither the stomach nor the heart to look out at those who had
come to bid on him, Dawson had kept his head down the entire time. His heart and
soul were broken. He was full of despair, and he dreaded what would come next.
He figured the awful, raven-haired woman had bought him and knew he'd rather be
dead than be owned by her.

         Just as Dawson heard the auctioneer say "Going twice!" to her, he heard
another voice, one he thought he'd never hear again, bid one hundred thousand
and one. He could hardly breathe but dared to look up. His scared eyes met the
girl's even as he heard the raven-haired woman telling the auctioneer that she
had plenty more at home but that was all that she had brought with her and she
absolutely must have that boy. "Look, lady," the auctioneer answered. "Either
pay it up now or you lost!"

         "But I don't have it with me!" she snapped at him. "I'll have your
head!"

         "I doubt that, ma'am. The Governor put me in this job," the auctioneer
coolly informed her amongst a chorus of shocked gasps from the crowd. "He might
have your head, but my honey won't have mine."

         "Well, I never!" she exclaimed in sharp protest.

         He grinned at her. "Maybe you should've!" He then returned to his crowd
and said, "Going once! Going twice! Sold to the little lady in the crowd! Step
up here and pay; then he's all yours."

         Faith had been busily pulling out the coins she needed from the other
bag and dumping them into her own. Once she had only what she needed, she shoved
the bag back at Jack even while muttering under her breath, "Little lady, my
ass."

         They snatched Dawson roughly off the stage and took him over to the
table where the money collector was. He tried not to be overly eager, but inside
his heart was singing. The strange girl had cared enough for him that she had
rescued him! He was in love for the first time in his life, and he didn't even
know her name!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


         Meanwhile, it had not taken long for Gabrielle's group to reach the
little cropping of houses where the Witches had lived. As soon as they had
stopped, Wolverine had helped each of the ladies out of the wagon. Wesley rushed
off after Fred, and Lorne and Joxer looked at each other as the four sisters
scampered off in the same direction. "Joxer, go with them," Gabrielle was quick
to say as she did not relish the thought of being left alone with him. As an
after-thought, she added, "Lorne, you probably should go with him so that he
doesn't destroy their house before they can even get their stuff out." She knew
she did not need to tell Wolverine to go with Ororo.

         Lorne nodded and headed off after Joxer. It did not take him long to
reach the small house that the Halliwells lived in. He could hear their voices
chattering about what they needed to get. One word in particular kept getting
repeated -- The Book. He didn't know what the Book was, but he hoped when they
got through with it, he'd get a chance to read it. There were not many books on
the Pearl except the Captain's books, and he had already read those. About the
only new reading he ever got was Gabrielle's scrolls, Celina's poetry, and the
songs he wrote himself.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


         The crowd did not bother to make way for Faith as she worked her way
toward the money collector. Everybody else was already focused on the next stock
up for grabs, but Selene, the woman who had been so determined to win Dawson but
had failed, spat words of fury from where stood in the audience. When she caught
sight of Faith, she hissed at her, "He won't be yours for long, bitch!"

         "Just try to take him," Faith threatened. Her voice was low and
dangerous, and her eyes met Selene's with a calmness that surprised the older
woman.

         Selene hissed in response. She wanted to run the girl through there and
then but knew she could not yet make her move as long as there were so many
witnesses. Faith tossed her head in dismissal at the other woman and, ignoring
the growl, continued forward to the collector's table. Finally reaching it, she
set the bag down on the table with a clunk. "Here ya go." Glancing at Dawson,
she added, "I trust the boy's legit?"

         "As far as we can tell, ma'am, and healthy too. No sores of any kind."
He began to count the money and made out a bill of sale to her. "I'd keep the
chains on him if I were you. New slaves tend to want to run away." He tossed the
end of the chain to her. "Have fun."

         Faith caught the chain smoothly even as she smirked at the collector.
"Chasing 'em down and breaking 'em in's half the fun."

         "If you get tired of him, you can always pass him around amongst us.
We'll pay you for the pleasure of his company."

         Dawson hung his head, not saying a word. He was so scared that he was
dreaming and that she wasn't there that he was afraid to say anything at all.

         "I'm sure ya would," Faith retorted to the collector, "but I like to use
my men till there's not a drop left." She walked away with a proud sway to her
hips and kept her cover as she called back to Dawson, "Step lively, boy. I can't
wait to get you home and deflower you. You just looked too damn good up there,"
she growled lustfully, running her tongue over her lips.

         Dawson gulped. If deflowering him was anything like she'd already done
to him, he couldn't wait either! He followed close behind her, trying hard not
to fall over the chains.

Chapter Thirteen
         As soon as the Halliwell sisters had reached their home, Prue, being the
oldest, had taken charge. She sent Phoebe for the clothes and was about to tell
Piper what to get when she noticed that both Piper and Paige were missing.
Before she could speak, Joxer asked, "Hey, where'd they go?"

         Prue smiled as she thought of her sisters' favorite past times. "Piper
probably went for the kitchen things, and Paige went for her artwork. I need to
get something from my Mother's room. I'll only be gone a moment. Wait here," she
instructed, but as soon as she moved, Joxer followed. "What part of wait here
don't you understand?" she asked him.

         "Gabrielle told me to come with you," he answered.

         "She didn't mean right on top of me, just to come to my house. Wait
here," Prue repeated. She ran into her mother's room only to be followed closely
by Joxer. She turned swiftly, her mouth open to warn him, but before she could
get as much as one syllable out, he had pushed the door. Joxer thought the door
shut because of his push, but Prue knew that it had slammed shut of its own
accord. "You shouldn't have done that," she said. "We can't get out of here."

         "What do you mean? All I have to do is open the door," Joxer said. The
first thing he noticed was that there was no handle on the door. "Where's the
handle?" he asked, glancing nervously around.

         "There isn't one. I told you not to follow me. We keep a very special
Book here, and one of the protections is that any one who is not a Halliwell who
comes into this room will be trapped. So guess what? You just trapped us in
here!" Her eyes blazed at him. "Why can't you follow a simple order?!"

         "Why couldn't you just tell me why you didn't want me to follow you
instead of telling me not to follow you? Gabrielle said to follow you."

         "Well, Gabrielle can't get us out of here!" Prue said. "I think . . . My
family doesn't even know we're in here, and they won't be able to get me out
either!"



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Elsewhere in the house, Prue's sisters had gathered up what they needed
and were looking for Prue. They couldn't find her. "The Book," Piper finally
said. "She must have gone for the Book."

         Only then did Phoebe notice the door to their mother's and grandmother's
room was shut. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers as she stared at it. "Uh-oh!"

         "Uh-oh what?" Paige's arms were full of her art and supplies, and they
made a great bustling sound as she turned to look in the direction Piper and
Phoebe were already looking in. Seeing that the door was shut, she spoke for all
of them. "Crap!"



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Meanwhile, back at the auction, Brendan had been watching everything
from the shadows of an alley he had chosen to hide in. He had never been too far
from Jack and Faith and could have easily ran to their aid at any time. He had
continued to keep checking on Jack as they both waited for Will to be released
to the block even while watching Faith retrieve Dawson. She was about to walk
past his alley when he stepped just out of the shadows and whispered her name,
"Faith." He jerked his head urgently toward the alley.

         Faith had actually been scanning the alleys for Brendan, knowing that
they needed to be together when the fight started and also realizing that she
could use his help to free the boy from his chains, when Brendan had shown
himself. She nodded and began to follow him into the alley even as he ducked
quickly back into the shadows.

         Despite the chains, Dawson smiled. He finally had a name for his
beloved! {Faith! It's such a beautiful name!} he thought. {Faith Leery sounds
good to me. I hope she likes it.} He almost stumbled over the chains which were
way too big for his small body in his efforts to keep up with her. He was glad
for a chance to sit down in the alley. He had been standing forever as they had
had him tied up against the wall so that every one could see him. He was
exhausted but still smiling as he kept thinking to himself, {Faith, a beautiful
name for a beautiful woman, and she's all mine!}

         Faith still had not spoken to the boy, and even now, as she released his
chain and let him sit, she turned her attention to Brendan instead. "Want the
hands or the feet, Wolfboy?" she asked him as one hand slipped between the
tight, black leather of her bodice and her breasts.

         The sound Brendan made in the depths of his throat was akin to a wounded
pup, and Faith looked at him in questioning surprise. Seeing the look in his
eyes, she was quick to reassure him. "Hell no, not that!" It was then that she
slipped out a pick from between her breasts. She twirled it in her fingers, and
he breathed a sigh of relief.

         Shaking his head, Brendan told her, "You could have said that to begin
with."

         "How was I supposed to know you were gonna jump to eatin' the kid?"

         "WHAT?!" Dawson screeched out loud. "You're gonna eat me?! Please don't!
I'm bony! I don't have any meat! I won't be any trouble! I promise!" he said in
a high-pitched voice, almost screaming his words. He had never expected the girl
of his dreams to eat humans! What was she -- a Vampire?! He prayed that she
wasn't and that she wouldn't eat him, not that way any way. To be eaten while
still alive would be a horrid way to go! He struggled to rise to his feet, but
he couldn't get up for the chains.

         When Dawson had first began screeching so fearfully, Faith had thrown
back her head in laughter. Brendan had looked at her, stunned and loudly
clearing his throat until she'd finally looked again. Only then did she see the
true fear shining in the boy's panicked blue eyes. "Easy, kid," she told him,
placing her hands on his shoulders and gently pushing him back down. "We're not
going to eat any one. Wolfboy could," she said with a toss of her head in
Brendan's direction, "but never does, and I'm just a bitch, not a Vamp, Were, or
anything like that."

         Dawson almost collapsed upon himself as he sat back down. Today had been
the most horrible day of his life yet the most exciting at the same time. Had it
really only been earlier that morning that he had been laid for the first time
by the same beautiful woman who now owned him? He couldn't get over it. He sat
quietly, waiting for her to get the chains off. His arms ached to hold her, and
his body craved her touch. He desperately wanted her to ride him again but not
in front of the Wolfboy. He would have to bide his time. They'd be alone soon
enough, and maybe he'd be recovered enough that he could interest her again. At
least, he hoped so.

         "Didn't mean to make ya wet yourself," Faith told him as he seemed to
relax again under her touch. She could feel his muscles under her fingertips and
found that she could not resist slowly running her hands down his arms. She
decided she'd deal with the chains that bound his hands.

         The touch of her hands sent thrills racing up and down his body, but her
words angered him. "I didn't wet myself, Faith," he spat out, "and my name is
Dawson, not kid. But you did scare the Hell out of me. Too much has happened
today. I can't believe today started out so wonderfully only to end up turning
into my worst nightmare and then turning up good again because you saved me.
Thank you, Faith." He tried to smile at her, but he was so exhausted that he
barely managed it.

         "Don't thank me," she was quick to tell him. "I only did it 'cause I
couldn't stand the way that bitch was measuring you. An animal doesn't even
deserve that kinda treatment, but once we get outta here, you're on yer own
again, kid."

         Brendan shook his head on that note. "I don't think you can do that,
Faith. The Captain's got a share on this, and I don't think he's going to be so
quick to turn the kid a loose. He likes to get his money's worth."

         "Jack's after Will, Virgin Boy," she snapped up at Brendan, her dark
eyes cutting through him, "not after Daw -- " She stopped herself quickly,
realizing she'd almost spoken his name. "Not after the boy here," she quickly
amended, "an' he already knew I was gonna set him free."

         "Yes, but wasn't that before he gave you money? Who knows? He might want
him to take care of Will, so you can't just let him go till you talk to him."

         "He doesn't need the kid for Will. He wants Will himself, if ya haven't
figured that out yet, and he's got the Lewis's for the healing."

         "Yes. He doesn't have a servant for Will, though, and I'm sure he will
want Will to have one." Brendan continued, desperately scratching at any ideal
that might keep Faith from releasing Dawson before the kid was in a safe place.
"If you turn the kid a loose, he's going to be mad."

         "I'm shaking," Faith bit back, sarcasm dripping heavily on her tongue,
"but I'll tell ya what, Wolfie. Much as I hate it and as much as I don't give a
damn, you've got a point. So here." She tossed the chain's lead at him. "Have a
field day, but if I find out he's bein' used for slavery or that any of you
bastards have hurt him, there's gonna be some throat cutting," she promised. "I
don't care if it is the Captain's ass I have to kill; I'm not lettin' anybody
hurt that kid as long as I'm around him."

         She had just finished opening the lock on the chains that bound Dawson's
hands. Letting them drop, Faith stood again and slipped the pick back into its
hiding place. She looked from Brendan to Dawson before turning back to Brendan.
"And don't get him killed." With that said, she turned to walk out of the alley.

         "Where are you going, Faith?" Brendan called after her.

         "To kill something," she snapped, her brown eyes blazing black, "but
don't worry. I'll be around if you get that mangy fur of yours in a wrangle."
With that, she left the alley, leaving the two alone.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Meanwhile, Prue was pacing the floor and glaring angrily at Joxer. "You
know they're going to leave us! We'll never get out of here!"

         "Sure we will," Joxer said. "Gabrielle wouldn't leave me." He looked
around for a window or another door but saw that there were neither. "Did you
say your mother did a spell on this? Well, why don't you just undo it?"

         "I can't. I -- I don't know how to do spells!"

         "But you're a Witch!" he yelped.

         "Yes, but I don't have any powers. Mother didn't want us knowing. She
thought it would protect us."

         "Your mother and your grandmother were Witches yet they never told you
anything. Gee, some women you can never get to shut up, and some women never say
anything! HELP!!!!!!!!!" he screamed, hoping some one would hear him.

         "SHUT UP!" Prue screamed back at him. "Nobody can hear you, and that
means NOBODY!"

         "You can!" Joxer retorted instantly. Prue pushed him. She had had too
much of the little man. Would somebody please come and rescue her?!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Brendan shook his head as he watched Faith go. "You're going to have to
learn to overlook her, Dawson," he told the kid as he knelt beside him to free
his feet. "Believe me, that's the only way any of us get through the day without
battling her."

         "She's beautiful," Dawson sighed. "Why's she so angry?" he asked the
wolfman.

         "Who knows?" Brendan asked with a roll of his shoulders. He'd often
tried to figure Faith out but never gotten anywhere close to doing so. "Believe
it or not, she actually prides herself on that bit -- attitude of hers."

         Dawson didn't know how to answer that, so instead he said, "Thanks for
helping me and for not eating me. It was such a relief when she bought me, but
she doesn't want me. Why?"

         Brendan could smell the kid's emotions and knew he had it bad. "I hate
to be the one to break it to you, Dawson, but she's never wanted any one twice."

         "But I intend to marry her!" It slipped out of his mouth before Dawson
could stop himself. "I'll make her happier than she's ever been! Then she won't
be so bitchy! She won't need that attitude any more."

         Brendan reached a hand up to pat Dawson's shoulder reassuringly. "Keep
telling yourself that."

         "You'll see. It might take a long time, but I'll win her heart. No
matter how long it takes, I won't stop until I do."

         Brendan didn't want to be the one to tell the kid that Hell would
permanently freeze over before any one managed to melt Faith's ice, so instead
he changed the subject. "Tell me," he spoke quietly. "Have you ever been in a
fight?"

         "No. Not really. My Father beat the Hell out of me, but that's not
really a fight. I tried to fight back against him, but I'm just not any good at
it and he was my Father. Why?"

         Brendan breathed a silent sigh of relief that Dawson had not seen him
wince when he'd spoken of the beatings he endured at his father's hands.
"Because by the time that auction's over," he answered, "all Hell's going to
break loose. You'd best stick close to me and the others. We'll protect you, but
don't trust any one unless you can tell they're with us." He still hoped more of
the crew would come for he knew that there was no way that Jack, Faith, and he
could take on every one in the place and live through the battle. Although his
own life was not important to him, Jack's and even Faith's lives were. He
straightened and pocketed his pick as the rest of the chains fell away from
Dawson. "Can you stand?" he asked him, knowing he was exhausted but would have
to force himself at least a little further.

         After a moment's struggling, Dawson managed to get to his feet. "Thank
you, mister. I'll stay close to you."

         "My name's Brendan," he replied. Remembering Faith's constant taunts, he
added, "Not Wolfboy."

         "Well, she calls me kid. My name's Dawson." He extended his hand to
Brendan.

         Brendan took the boy's outstretched hand and shook it in his own, much
larger hand. He was careful not to use too much strength. Releasing him, he
walked to the mouth of the alley. "Come here, Dawson, and look out. Do you see
Faith?"

         Dawson walked to the edge of the alley and looked out but shook his head
when he could not spot Faith. Brendan did see Faith, but as she was already
picking a fight, he decided it would be best not to point her out to the kid
after all. "What about that man with the parrot on his shoulder?" he tried
again.

         Dawson could see a man with a parrot on his shoulder. "I see him."

         "Now look a couple places to his right. See the man dressed in all the
lace?"

         "Yes, I see him. He's a dandy, isn't he?"

         Laughter broke from Brendan's throat at first, but he quickly hid it in
coughing. "Not highly likely," he told the boy after clearing his throat.
"That's only a disguise," he whispered to him. "That man's our Captain, Jack
Sparrow."

         "That's Jack Sparrow?" Dawson whispered in awe. "I heard he was the
meanest, baddest Pirate that ever walked the Earth!" he said eagerly. "That
means you're a Pirate?!" His voice got a little bit higher as he turned to look
at Brendan.

         Quickly placing a hand over the boy's mouth, Brendan ducked back into
the alley with Dawson trapped in one arm. "We're Pirates," he whispered to him,
"but not the kind you've always heard about. Some of those tales you've heard
about Jack are true, but most are spread by his own tellings. He's not as bad as
he makes himself out to be. He saved my life." He looked down at Dawson but
could see nothing of the boy's face except for his blonde hair. "You're not
going to go squealing at the top of your lungs now, are you?" he asked rather
nervously.

         A muffled sound came from behind Brendan's hand, and Dawson shook his
head, his eyes shining. When Brendan lifted his hand, Dawson answered, "No way!
Wow! A real live Pirate, especially Captain Jack Sparrow! I can't believe my
luck! I always wanted to run away to sea; now I'll be a Pirate too!" He grinned
from ear to ear.

         Brendan released Dawson but touched a hand to his forehead as he shook
his head. Faith was not going to like this, and he wasn't sure at all how Jack
would take to the boy's case of hero worship. "You have to be quiet," Brendan
warned Dawson, "and I have to keep a watch on the Captain for when Will comes
out and he signals us."

         Dawson's eyes were glued on Jack. There was no way he was going to take
his eyes away! He was looking forward to the adventure to come.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Lorne did not know how long he had stood outside the Halliwells' house,
waiting for them to return. He knew they were losing precious time that they
could not afford to lose, so he opened the door and walked in after knocking. He
was just in time to hear Paige's sharp exclamation of, "Crap!"

         "Crap what?" Lorne asked, his red eyes taking in the looks on three of
the sisters' faces. He wondered why they were all staring at a closed door with
such fear on their faces.

         The instant Phoebe and Paige saw Lorne, they started screaming. "DEMON!
DEMON! DEMON!"

         "Yeah," Lorne said, "I am. What's the problem?"

         "CALM DOWN, THE BOTH OF YOU!" Piper had to yell to be heard over her
sisters' terrified shouts. "Yes, he's a Demon, but he's a good man! His name is
Lorne, and he's one of those who helped to rescue us!"

         Both girls appeared to calm down. "Crap, Prue's locked in the room,"
Paige explained. She did not apologize for her screaming, however. She thought
Piper had taken leave of her senses but didn't say so.

         Phoebe got close enough to Lorne that she could reach out and poke him
with one finger. As she did so, Piper exclaimed scoldingly, "Phoebe!"

         "Well, I had to see if he was real! Wow! A real Demon! Don't we need to
do something with him?"

         "Like what, Phoebe? Feed him?"

         "No! You know, get rid of him? A spell or something?"

         "Phoebe, you know we're not allowed to use spells! We don't know what
they'll do! Mother would be very upset!" Paige protested.

         "Well, Mother isn't here any more, and we have to do something about
him!"

         "That is ENOUGH!" Piper thundered, her brown eyes blazing angrily at her
sisters. She continued to exclaim as she stalked across the room to where Phoebe
stood with Lorne. "We are not vanquishing anybody!"

         "Vanquishing?" Phoebe asked innocently.

         "That's how you get rid of evil things?" Paige added.

         "He's not evil!" Piper snapped. Looking apologetically at Lorne, she
shook her head as she told him sincerely, "I'm sorry."

         "It's okay. I get it all the time," Lorne reassured her. "What can we do
to get your sister out of the room? And don't tell me Joxer's in there with
her."

         "Huh . . . Yes? And we don't know," Phoebe answered quickly.

         "I don't know any magic spells that open doors. At least," Lorne
amended, "not any doors that we want to get into. Would your mother have told
any one else about this room?"

         "Our Grandmother knew," Paige answered.

         "Anybody still living?" Lorne asked.

         "There's only one that might," Piper told him, relieved that her sisters
finally appeared to be calming down again. "Ororo and our mother were very
close; she might know."

         "Well, I'll watch for her. As soon as I see her coming, I'll get her to
come in," Lorne said. He stepped outside the door just in time to see a cat
looking directly at him. The cat stared, then spit and hissed at him. "Nice
kitty," Lorne spoke to the cat. "Here, kitty." He knelt down and held his hand
out. "Kitty, kitty? Kitty, kitty?" With a loud meow, the cat came to him and
began to rub against his hand. "Nice kitty. Do you belong here?" Lorne asked. "I
bet you're hungry." With very little effort, Lorne picked the cat up.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Lorne had no sooner gone outside than the three sisters heard a
familiar, feline voice spitting and hissing just outside their door. Phoebe and
Paige, jumping up and down, exclaimed, "See, Piper? We told you he was evil! Kit
wants him!"

         Piper sighed and shook her head. Had her little sisters always been this
aggravating to their mother? "You two, stay here," she commanded them, "and for
the record, I'm telling you again, Lorne is good. Skin color does not make a
man." Walking across the room, she opened the door and had to smile at what she
saw as Lorne stood, cuddling Kit.

         "Look what I found!" Lorne said, beaming like a little boy who had just
discovered the greatest treasure imaginable. "I think he's very hungry. Is he
yours?"

         "Ours," Piper said in reference to her entire family, "but keep him a
minute at least." Though her heart was still heavy with grief, the scene had
brought a smile to her lips. Turning back inside the room, she called to her
sisters, "You two get over here."

         Phoebe and Paige raced over to the door and looked out. They could not
believe that Kit was letting the Demon hold him! "But -- But -- But -- " Paige
stuttered. "Kit never lets anything evil hold him!"

         "That's because Lorne's not evil!" Piper repeated yet again.

         "Sorry, Mister Lorne," Phoebe apologized sheepishly. "Thank you for
finding Kit."

         "No problem, Phoebe. Do you have something Kit can eat? I think he's
hungry."

         "We sure do," Phoebe answered. "Come inside, Mister Lorne, and we'll
feed Kit."

         "No, I need to stay out here and wait for Ororo, so you feed Kit," he
said with a smile and handed her the cat. Kit seemed reluctant to leave his arms
but was still glad to get something to eat. Piper, standing beside Lorne,
breathed a sigh of relief. "Hang in there, Piper; it gets better," Lorne assured
her with a smile. "Have you got everything you need except for your sister?"

         Piper nodded but added, "And what she went in to get." Her arms were
still loaded with a couple of pots and books.

         Lorne glanced eagerly at the books. "Do you think, when you're finished
with them, that maybe I could read them? We never have enough books aboard
ship."

         "I'm not sure you'd want to," Piper replied honestly, looking up at him
in surprise. "They're cookbooks."

         "Cookbooks? Do they teach you how to cook? I'd like that. At least,
enough to make Jack a surprise cake for his birthday. The cook never gets it
right. It always comes out lumpy. Jack never complains, but none of us want to
eat it."

         Piper made a face. "Doesn't your cook know how to cook?" she asked him.

         "Not really. He just sort of got put into the job. We don't have a real
cook. The one who complains gets to cook, so none of us complain, but I wouldn't
mind if I knew how." He smiled at her.

         "We have a lot of other cookbooks," Piper told him, "but none of them
really teach you how to cook -- we didn't need that sort of thing --, but I
could teach you."

         "That would be great! We can run Joxer out of the kitchen! He's the cook
right now. Do you have a barrel or anything that we can pack this in?"

         "Every barrel we have is already full. Flour, sugar, you name it."

         "Then we'll take them all with us. It might come in handy. We haven't
been able to take on supplies yet."

         "We'd planned to donate what we could and throw away the rest but didn't
have enough warning this morning to do so, so we have plenty left. Are you sure
there's room on the ship for all the books, though?" she asked him.

         "How many do you have?" he asked.

         "Let me put it this way," she answered with a grin. "My Grandmother
loved to cook; my Mother loved to cook; and I love to cook. That give you any
ideal?"

         His mouth fell open. He could not imagine having so many books to read!
"If you put them in a bag or something, I can start carrying them to the wagon.
It should not be long before Ororo returns."

         Piper nodded. "I'll do so," she told him, slipping back inside. "You
know," she called back, "I could put Paige on guard duty instead if you'd like
to come look."

         "Okay," Lorne replied.

         "Paige?" Piper spoke her sister's name meaningfully.

         "Yes?" Paige asked.

         "You heard me," Piper told her.

         "What? Are we ready to go?"

         Piper rolled her eyes. It was just like her sister to pretend she hadn't
been eavesdropping, even when Piper knew she had. {Anything to get out of work,}
she thought.

         "I'm going," Paige said, "but I don't want to miss anything. Be sure you
tell me everything!"

         Piper raised a single eyebrow as she looked questioningly at her
youngest sister. "And just what do you think there will be to tell?"

         "You know, whatever you and Mister Green are up to . . . " Paige trailed
off with a mischievous look.

         Piper blushed as red as Lorne was green. "Paige Halliwell!" she
exclaimed. "You know very well that ladies do not consort in such a manner!"

         "Yeah, right."

         "Paige . . . " Piper ground out."

         "Going, going, gone!" she exclaimed as she rushed out the door. "But,"
Piper could hear her calling back, "I still expect full details!"

         Piper shut her eyes and shook her head. "This is not my life," she
muttered under her breath. "This is not my life." Though her eyes were closed,
her feet still carried her to the kitchen.

         Lorne followed her into the kitchen but stopped in his tracks when he
saw their kitchen cupboard. He could not believe how many books were on the top
shelf, and he made a mad grab for each of them. "We're taking all of these!" he
said excitedly. "Captain Jack won't mind. He likes books. He has quite a few,
and I've read all of them, some of them even twice."

         Piper opened her eyes and had to smile at the eagerness on Lorne's face.
"Well, as far as I'm concerned, you're welcome to any of our books, Mister
Lorne, except for one."

         "Thank you, Miss Piper, and please call me Lorne."

         "Only if you call me Piper," she returned with a gentle smile.

         He nodded and then said, "I shall enjoy them and take care of them." He
gathered them up as though they were the best treasures in the world. "Do you
have a sack for them?"

         Piper walked over to a pile of gunny sacks that lay next to the
fireplace. Picking them up, she turned to him, "If you don't mind cat hairs?"

         "Cat hairs have never been known to bother me, ma'am."

         "Good, because we've got plenty and we're not leaving Kit. We didn't
want to, but we thought he was gone," she explained. "We sort of had to throw
him out of the house to protect him."

         As Piper began filling the bags and Lorne started carrying them out to
the waiting wagon, he wondered how Jack was coping. Had he managed to rescue
Will? Had he even found him yet? As soon as he reached the wagon, he told
Gabrielle about the supplies and that he would start to bring them out.

         "Wait," she told him, "and I'll move the wagon over closer and help
you." Lorne jumped up to the seat and sat down beside her as she drove just a
little space past the front door. "Hold it there, guys!" she called to the
dragons. Dropping the reins, she jumped down and was about to head in with Lorne
when she noticed Morph and Tom demorphing. "No," she told them, shaking her
head. "We can handle it, and you two need to rest up for the trip back to the
ship."

         "Are you sure?" Morph asked as his mouth was the first to return to
normal. His head was now human with brown hair and eyes, but the rest of his
body was still the dragon's.

         "Yes. Besides, you can spend this time with your wives, but keep an eye
on Meesy and Gonk too. We don't need those two tieing up." Seeing Tom nod,
Gabrielle turned and headed inside with Lorne.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Jack had watched the entire scene as Faith had paid for Dawson and
walked away with him. He had smiled with satisfaction, knowing that Faith had
the boy. He had yet to think of a way to convince her to keep him but knew that
she was not stupid enough to turn him a loose here. Just before turning back
around to the block, Jack caught sight of Faith alone near to the back of the
crowd. He saw a man reach out and touch her, and just as swiftly, he saw her
slash his hand off with her knife and knock him out before he could even get one
yell out. Jack smiled to himself, knowing that Faith could take care of herself,
but wondered where she had dumped the kid.

         He turned back just as he heard the auctioneer begin to do a sales-pitch
on the latest stock. "You've seen him in the blacksmith shop; now you can play
with him in your own bedroom! What am I bid for this bulging specimen of male?"

         Again, the crowd went wild, both men and women bidding. Jack did not say
anything but simply bided his time and kept his eyes on Will. The price kept
going higher and higher, but he knew he had more than enough to cover it. When
the crowd began to lose their steam, the price had gone up to five hundred
thousand.

         Will stood on the auction block, his head lowered and his face paled.
His heart thundered so loudly in his ears that he had to struggle to hear the
bidders as they called out prices on his very life. He trembled inside but kept
his body still on the outside. Where was Jack?! Why had he not heard his
beloved's voice?! Had something happened to him? Had he came to his senses and
decided that he would not waste his life by endangering it to save him? His
heart cried out, and he had to fight to keep the tears from his tightly closed
eyes.

         It grew quiet, and the auctioneer looked around the crowd. "Come on now.
I know you've got more money out there! He's worth every bit of that, and then
some! Am I bid anything else?"

         Jack sniffed his handkerchief before calling out in his aristocratic
voice, "Seven hundred and fifty thousand."

         Though the voice that called out was not the one that Will was
accustomed to hearing come from Jack's lips, his heart still told him that it
was indeed the man he loved. Jack was there, and that meant everything was going
to be okay. His heart leapt, soaring skyward despite the chains that bound him
to the block. His eyes, longing to look at Jack, flew open, but Will knew better
than to raise his head. He knew he could not let the others know that Jack was
not there to buy him but to save him, and one glance at Jack at that time, when
such emotion filled his heart, would surely give them away. Therefore, Will kept
his head down even as he prayed that Jack would be able to buy him.

         No sooner had Jack called out his bid than he heard an echoing voice
full of icy bitchiness that grated on his every nerve respond. "Eight hundred
thousand."

         The auctioneer looked at Jack. "Eight hundred and fifty thousand."

         No sooner had he spoken than Helvira bid again. "Nine hundred thousand."

         "One million!" Jack called out loud enough that every one in the crowd
could hear him. Shocked gasps rang amongst the rest of the audience as they
parted before him, making a circle around him and clearing the path straight to
the auction block. Jack had actually started forward, holding the bag in his
hand, when none other than Helvira stepped before him. Her snake looked directly
into his eyes, and Jack realized that she knew it was him. His hand went
instantly to his sword, but he did not make a move yet. "Out of my way, wench."

         Helvira kept one eye on him as she shot a look back at the auction
block. She smiled icily at Jack even while calling out, "One million . . ." Her
eyes moved back to the man in front of her as she teased, " . . . and one."

         Jack, remembering the other bag, did not move but stared her straight in
the eyes. "One million and two."

         "And three."

         "Four."

         "Five!"

         Jack forced a calm smile over his lips as he called out, "One million,
seventy-four thousand, nine hundred, and ninety-nine."

         Helvira and her snake hissed as one. Her black fingernails gleamed as
she laid a casual hand on the hilt of her sword. "To the best bidder go the
spoils," she responded smoothly, stepping out of his way.

         Jack thought he was keeping an eye on her, but as he stepped eagerly
forward to go to the collecting table, even as the auctioneer was hollering
"Going, going, gone!", the bitch jumped toward him. From somewhere in the crowd,
he heard Faith yell his name and whirled, whipping his sword out, just in time
to meet her blade . . .



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         It had not taken Xena's group long to reach the skirts of Port Royal,
but she didn't have a clue where Jack was. "Carl, do your thing."

         "Which one?" the Gnome asked.

         "Sniff. Find Jack."

         Carl knew Jack's scent almost as well as he did his own. He followed it
closely, almost stepping where Jack had stepped before him. "He went in here,"
Carl said and lifted the tent flap. It barely made a rustle as he went in but
was opened wide when the others followed him. They passed through and found
themselves in an open marketplace just in time to see Jack buying Will. In a
blur, they saw a strange woman in a slinky, black outfit attack Jack, and then
all Hell broke loose. They had made it just in time for the big fight!


To Be Continued . . .


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Chapter Seven
         She fled through the city as fast as her legs could carry her, the
skirts of her dress a bustle amongst her legs as she held them up over her
ankles to keep from falling over them. Though she ran through streets she'd
always thought were safe, her heart pounded in her chest so hard that its
beating rang in her ears and her chest ached as her lungs fought her fear to
take what breaths they managed to gasp.

         Her terrified mind whirled. She could not believe what had just
happened. She had always known that her father had never approved of Will, but
she had never dreamed that he would sink so low as to even hurt her beloved, let
alone have those gruesome guards, the two she knew he only used for his
dirtiest, most secret missions and who she had seen talking with him the day
before, sell poor Will into slavery! Even now, she knew her own father's guards
were after her, and she fully believed that not only Will's but her own life as
well were in danger. If they were to catch her, she would never make it to Jack
and Will would never be saved. There was no telling what would happen to her.

         Her thoughts blinded her to the ground ahead, and Elizabeth suddenly
found herself spiraling forward, having tripped over a rock. She reached out
and, groping desperately, managed to catch hold of a hard piece of wood. She
used it to regain her balance before she could fall the rest of the way but only
looked at it after she was standing full and erect once more. What she saw made
her gasp in shock and her blood run cold for before her stood a huge bonfire
with stakes in its center.

         A voice answered her gasp, startling her even more. "It's a beaut, isn't
it? The men worked hard on that one."

         Elizabeth looked over to the portly woman, and her fear and surprise
grew as she recognized her. She could scarcely believe that the woman who now
looked at this horrid construction with such awe was the same woman who taught
the church's children their Bible studies, the same woman who Elizabeth herself
had often gone to as a child for she had known she'd always have a plate of
cookies and a glass of milk waiting for any child who wondered into her shop.

         "It's going to be lovely to see them fry."

         Elizabeth struggled to find her voice but finally succeeded enough to
ask in a hushed whisper, "W-Who?"

         "Why, the Witches, of course. Those daughters of Satan have been a
disgrace to our town ever since they started coming here, and it's long past
time they paid for their sins."

         Elizabeth had studied the woman's eyes and face as she had been talking,
and she now felt faint at the realization that Mrs. Brown, who she'd always
thought was such a kind and gentle woman, was truly looking forward to seeing
human beings burned alive. "Don't you think so, Miss Swann?" Mrs. Brown asked,
but though her tone was gentle, her eyes were narrowed in suspicion. Elizabeth's
mind whirled as she tried to think of some response that would not place her
into even further danger, but a sudden shout made both women look up.

         "There she is!" a guard called, pointing at Elizabeth whose hood had
fallen off when she'd fell forward moments before. Elizabeth did not look again
at Mrs. Brown; instead, she took off running with the guards in hot pursuit. It
was a long time before she managed to elude them again, but finally she did,
turning onto an empty street and ducking into a dark alley before they could
round the bend. She watched from where she had plastered herself to the wall,
not even daring to breathe, as they ran past.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         As Jack followed closely behind Brendan, his attention was drawn to the
bustling activity going on in the town square. For a moment, he wondered if
perhaps they were in response to the skirmish that had just taken place aboard
his ship, but upon noticing their clothes, he realized that they were part of
the Governor's soldiers and not the Royal Guard. What could be afoot? Then he
saw that they were building what appeared to be a huge framework for a gigantic
bonfire. Recalling what he had seen earlier, he figured that either the Governor
planned to barbecue Witches or Pirates. It didn't matter which for Jack had no
intention of letting either happen.

         "Brendan," he whispered, "don't do anything to draw attention to us." He
had barely gotten the words out when somebody ran into him, and he began to
fall. Brendan had already been realizing the same thing that his Captain had
when a blur of black and white collided with Jack. Quickly reaching out,
Brendan's hand caught Jack's back, steadying him, even as a familiar voice
lashed out at them.

         "Watch where the Hell yer -- " she started but stopped abruptly upon
seeing exactly who had been in her way. "Sparrow?" she asked, already wondering
what he and the Pearl's doctor were up to.

         "Faith? Where? What?" With her, Jack knew it could be anything. She had
activities that he didn't want to know anything about. Recovering himself rather
quickly, he thanked Brendan for the swift rescue. "We are off to rescue Will who
is in danger of being sold in auction," he told Faith in a low, quiet voice.
"Whatever you do, do not draw attention to yourself. The Governor's planning a
huge barbecue," he said the latter with a tinge of anger. He hoped she'd pick up
on what he was trying to tell her.

         "Why should you care?" she asked before feigning a look of shock. "Oh,
yeah. I forgot. You actually do care." She shook her head, then returned to the
business at hand. "As for your boy, I just had my victory, so I guess I can help
you there." She shrugged, but there was a dangerous glimmer in her eyes as she
added with a dark, mischievous grin, "I can always use a bit more action."

         "Lead on, Brendan," Jack said. "I hope it will not take us much longer.
I don't want to linger here. There is danger all around, and I feel as though
it's closing a noose around my neck." His left index finger snuck up and
loosened his shirt around his neck as though to prevent him from choking.

         Faith rolled her eyes at the Pearl's Captain. "There's always danger.
Long as you're living, there's shitt just waiting to hit the fan." She quirked a
brow at him as she added, "I'd think you'd be used to that by now, Captain."

         Brendan just shook his head at the girl's attitude. He knew better than
to try to speak to her. Faith never seemed to get along with any one, and they
didn't have time to get into an argument over the ethics, manners, and respect
she lacked. Instead, he resumed the path that the guard had told Angel to take.

         Jack was remembering when the noose had been tightened around his own
neck and Will had saved him. It still gave him nightmares. "I know we live in
danger constantly, Faith," he replied, "but I am never one to consciously seek
it out unless there is booty to be gained. There is no booty this time. Just
death, and a wise man knows when to walk away. If you don't want to go with us,
you can return to the ship. We will be sailing within a couple of hours. If you
want to come, we will welcome your assistance." He knew not what lay before
them, but there was no way he was going to walk away and leave Will. This time,
Will was coming home with him.

         "Good thing I'm not a man then, ain't it, Cap?" she smirked up at him
even as she fell in step beside him. Despite the attitude she cocked even with
him, Jack Sparrow was the only man to ever have won her admiration. However,
that was just one more secret she kept to herself as she treated him the same as
every one else. The only one on either ship she actually showed respect to was
her own Captain, Xena. "You know I never turn down the chance to kick butt," she
added.

         "You're one Hell of a woman, Faith, and I hope we never cross blades. I
admire you and would hate to have to kill you one day." They had been walking
the entire time they had been talking, and they had now gone outside the sight
of the guards.

         She chuckled deep within her throat, a sound that made her enemies
cringe with fear of what this insane woman was going to do to them next. "Keep
telling yaself that, Sparrow, but you're right. I'd hate to have to kill you."

         She had just glanced over at Jack to see the reaction her response took
from him when she saw a hand suddenly reach out from an alley they were passing.
The hand was headed for Jack, but before either man could move, Faith had not
only slapped the hand away but had dived into the alley, slammed the cloaked
stranger against the wall, and had the blade of her dagger already pressed
against a delicate, white throat.

         "It's me!" the stranger cried out in a panicked voice that all three
instantly recognized.

         "Oh, it's Little Miss Priss," Faith snarled, clearly disgusted, as she
released Elizabeth. "Better watch that. Next time you touch the Captain, you're
bound to lose your life."

         "I already have," Elizabeth spoke quietly as she turned toward Jack. She
looked up at him with tears swimming in her blue eyes. "It's Will. Father . . .
" Her sentence hung unfinished as she was having trouble bringing herself to
admit the horrible thing that her own father had done to her beloved.

         Jack had taken Faith's comment in stride. He knew deep down, she was
loyal to him, and he was glad of it. Elizabeth, however, had taken him by
surprise. He had not expected to find her out here, on her own, disguised as a
peasant. "I know what your father has done to Will. We're on our way to rescue
him now. Elizabeth, when I get him, I'm taking him away from here. He's not
going to want to go, but I'm taking him any way. It's not safe for him here any
longer. Your father seems to have become a raving lunatic. Have you noticed the
activity in the square?"

         She nodded, choking down the emotions that welled in her throat as she
did so. "I will not try to talk you out of taking Will from here, though we were
to be wed today. I have only one request." She tilted her face so that her
begging eyes looked directly up into his. "I want to go too. Please, Jack! I can
not stay here!"

         He took a deep breath. He didn't hate Elizabeth. In fact, he had to
admire her courage. He did resent her, however, for she was the one that had
Will's love, something he longed for but knew he'd never have. "I'll take you,
Elizabeth, under one condition. You leave here and go straight to my ship. Do
not follow us, and do not return home. Whatever you have there can be replaced.
If you go back, your father will capture you, and I will not endanger Will to
rescue you, savvy?"

         She nodded slowly. She had had no intention of ever returning home, even
if Jack had not agreed to take her. She wanted to see Will, though. She wanted
to know that he would be okay. She wanted to be there with them so that she
would be certain they would not fail to rescue her beloved. As she looked into
Captain Sparrow's eyes, however, she remembered how deeply he cared for Will.
The two were closer than brothers, and she knew that he would stop at nothing to
rescue him. She took a deep breath before answering simply, "Agreed."

         "Go swiftly, and let Angel know when you're there. Right now, he's the
only one aboard. He will keep you safe till we return." He caught her chin and
lifted it to look into her eyes. "I mean it, Elizabeth. Do not follow us in
there. You're not a fighter. You can endanger Will. I want your absolute promise
on this. No tricks." He knew she was fully capable of saying one thing and doing
the other. He didn't want her endangered, and he didn't want to have to tell
Will that she was dead because she followed him. "Do I have your promise?"

         "Yes," she agreed a second time without hesitation. As much as she hated
to admit it, she knew he was right. She could not help them to fight, and her
presence would only distract them from rescuing Will. It might even place them
all in even greater danger. After all, what man would not want to bid on her
beauty?

         Jack released her. "Go quickly." She did just as he said, taking her
skirts in her hands and rushing off. She did her best to keep to the shadows as
she headed swiftly for the dock.

         As soon as Elizabeth was out of sight, Jack continued walking toward the
tent that he could now see. "This is it," he said. "Good luck to all of us."
Upon reaching the tent, he lifted the flap and walked through the tent into a
street crowded with filthy, stinky men commingling with clean men who appeared
to have some money. He glanced around, realizing that there truly were all kinds
of buyers on the street.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Meanwhile, back at the ocean's edge, Xena was getting antsy. She knew
their time was running out. She knew that soon they would be overrun by the
townspeople looking for their friends who had not returned. She moved closer to
Gabrielle. "How long do you think it can be before we can move every one to
safety?" she asked.

         Gabby sighed softly, a small breath of air that told Xena she shared her
feelings but was also still concerned about the survivors and those who had yet
to awaken. "They're not even all awake yet, but the ones who are, even if
they're still too weak to walk on their own yet, should still be able to be
carried."

         "We have to do something to move them to the safety of the ships soon,
Gabby. You and I have both seen this kind of mess before. We did what we could
then, but we have never rescued so many at one time. I am going to look for
transportation. I will return as soon as I find something." She leaned forward
and kissed Gabby's lips gently. "Love you. See you soon."

         "I love you, too, Xena, but be careful," Gabrielle told her as her green
eyes gazed into the baby blues of the woman she loved. "The townspeople are
probably already on the look-out. The group we took care of were just the ones
who were sent after them. They'll be getting the bonfires ready, and they'll be
just as happy to barbecue pirates as they are Witches."

         She smiled one last time at Gabby even as she headed off in Wolf's
direction. She soon reached his side. Wolf came to attention in front of the
Captain; he knew she had something of importance to tell him. "I am going to
find something we can use to transport these people to the ships. Stay alert,
and don't take any chances. You know how the crew is. They've just had a fight.
Now they're ready for other things. Their minds are not as alert as ours." She
hated to leave Wolf alone, but she knew he was quite capable of handling it. He
nodded at her, and she turned and left, heading in the direction she thought she
had seen a farm earlier.

         No sooner had she left than the strange poodle with the stranger haircut
appeared in Wolf's face. "What do you want?" Wolf asked in canine language.

         "Elvira," Gonk yipped. "I can't talk to her, but you can and she has to
have some one who can tell her what's going on." His dark eyes shone with
determination as he looked up at the wolf who was much larger than he in his
poodle form. "I saw you. You have man form. You can talk to her."

         "I am a man-wolf," Wolf said proudly. "I will be more than happy to talk
to your mistress." He had seen her earlier and was definitely attracted to her,
but one thing stood in the way. What if she was mated already? "Is she mated?"
he asked.

         Gonk cocked his head to one side as he studied the wolf, unsure of why
he asked such a question. "No forever mate," he finally yipped in reply.

         "Good," Wolf replied. He changed quickly into his man form and walked
over to where the woman was standing just in time to catch her as she fell.

Chapter Eight
         Gonk had left her in such a rush that Elvira had no ideal what had
gotten into him. Her forehead was creased with worry as she called out to him,
but no answer came. Her black eyes shifted in every direction as she tried
desperately to catch sight of him, but all she could see were the other bodies
that lay all around her. Each was of a woman she had known, and though it pained
her to see their cold, lifeless forms, she was far more worried about Gonk.

         Once she had tried calling to him some more but still had not received
any response, Elvira began to try to push herself to her feet. Her legs and
hands trembled from exhaustion as she forced herself first to a sitting position
and then to a standing one. As she placed her full weight on her feet, however,
a tremor of pain shot through her body, and she started to fall.

         She became aware of a new scent, the heady, delicious scent of a man,
even as strong arms caught her and just barely kept her from falling. Instead,
she leaned back into a sturdy chest. "Ma'am, it's too soon for you to be up,
trying to move around. You've been through a bad ordeal."

         His voice, despite the concern it held, was just as sensual as his scent
and the feel of his hard body against hers. Though she was tired and weak, her
body still responded as she leaned back into his chest. Trailing a hand across
his cheek, her fingertips thrilling at the feel of his slight stubble
underneath, she found her eyes looking up into the most mesmerizing pair of eyes
she had ever seen. "Who are you?" she whispered, her throat aching even as she
breathed the words.

         "My name is Wolf. My people and I have rescued your people. We will
protect you and get you to safety, but for now, please rest." She did not
struggle as he laid her gently on to the ground, but her body remained tense
with worry.

         "Gonk," she managed to get out. "My . . . " she started to clarify, but
he broke her off.

         "Your friend will watch over you as will I. Can I get anything for you?"
Her voice was as beautiful as she was, and his ears thrilled to its sound.

         At Wolf's words, Elvira finally managed to tear her eyes away from his,
and she found Gonk sitting beside him, looking at her with deep worry in his
eyes. She reached out and gently scratched the puff of wool on his forehead.
"We'll have to fix your moehawk again later," she told him, a small smile
playing over her black lips despite everything.

         Gonk yipped, but the sound was not in response to Elvira's statement
though she thought it to be. Instead, it was his way of thanking Wolf even as he
licked his mistress' hand.

         Elvira looked back up at Wolf though she continued to use what little
physical strength she had to stroke her poodle. "You . . . said your name was
Wolf?" she asked.

         "Yes, ma'am, and, ma'am, I'm a Pirate, but you don't need to fear us. We
will not hurt you. In fact, we've already rescued you from your attackers.
Whatever did you do to earn their wrath?" he asked as he sat beside her on the
ground, his mind ever alert for danger.

         "Well, for once, it wasn't just my being a bitch," she told him
impishly. "They were after us because of our religion." Thanks to the special
blood that ran through her veins, Elvira was already beginning to feel more like
herself. Her eyes met Wolf's again as she reached up and ran a hand slowly up
his chest. "I'd ask if you were a good wolf or a bad wolf," she tried to purr up
at him, "but since you and your crew saved us, the answer to that is already
pretty obvious."

         "I've been known to be bad on occasion," Wolf returned in a low, sensual
voice. He did not move away from her hand. Her mere touch had sent him up in
flames. When was the last time he had actually mated? he wondered. He had been
in port a little over six weeks ago, and he had not mated then. He had not had a
chance to mate yet this time. He shook himself mentally. He did not want to miss
a second of this gorgeous woman. The wolf in him sensed that she was more than
she appeared to be. "I figured it was some kind of religious persecution, but
whose brilliant ideal was it to drown all of you? Why didn't you just stand and
beat the crap out of them?" He gazed searchingly into her black, limpid pools
and felt that he was drowning, and this time, he didn't want to be saved.

         As Wolf had been pondering, Elvira's hand had worked further up his
chest. She almost drew it back, however, at the question that sobered her, but
his skin felt so good underneath her palm that she let her hand linger on his
shoulder instead. "It's . . . not always that easy," she told him quietly. "We
could have stood and fought. We might have stood a chance had help came in time,
but otherwise, we would have been surrounded and outnumbered and our fighting
would have made things worse for others of our kind. It would have given them an
actual reason to hate us, to fear us, to kill us. We were going to leave, but
they didn't make it here in time." Her eyes were sad as she explained, "We
decided to accept our fates and take our lives in the water rather than letting
them take us. Not only would they have tortured secrets out of us to use against
others of our kind, but, like I said, it would have made them go after our
sisters even harder."

         Wolf had been about to make a remark when he heard a throat being
cleared. Looking up, he realized Wesley had snuck up on them. Wesley had been
walking around, hunting for Xena. "Where's Xena?" he asked Wolf.

         "Gone for transportation."

         "Who's guarding us?"

         "I am."

         Wesley gave him a most disbelieving look. "Really? From where you are?
Looks to me like you're guarding something else."

         Wolf glared angrily up at him and almost growled at him. "I will return
again. If you need anything, miss, send Gonk for me. Wesley, you take up the
other perimeter." He got reluctantly to his feet, looked back down at her, and
winked. "I will return, sweet lady."

         Elvira's black eyes had torn into the man who had interrupted them, but
none of that anger or frustration showed in her eyes as she gazed up at Wolf.
"My pumpkins and I will be waiting," she assured him in a seductive voice that
hovered somewhere between a purr and a lustful growl. "Just don't be too long. A
girl gets lonely, you know?" she added with a playful wink. She heard the sound
Wesley made in his throat, but she ignored the party pooper.

         Taking her hand as he stood, he sniffed the back of it but maintained
eye contact. Then he turned it over and licked her right in the center of her
palm. "Think about me, sweet lady, while I'm gone. I shall return." He sprinted
off at a quick pace to resume his guard duty, all the while thinking of how
sweet she tasted and how he would like nothing better than to gobble her up.

         Elvira sighed as she watched him go, her heart still fluttering and
delicious chills and thrills still shooting through her heated body from his
lick. "What a man . . . " she whispered, her breath heavy with the lust that
filled her prone body. She could feel eyes upon her and turned to find a shocked
Wesley still looking at her. "Can I help you?" she questioned him. He started to
shake his head, and her eyes and fangs flashed at him as she retorted, "Then get
on about what Wolf told you to do!"

         Wesley gulped but nonetheless managed to squeak out, "Of course, madam."
He hurried off even as he wondered just what in the world they had rescued in
that strange, pale-skinned woman that Wolf was so clearly panting after.

         Wesley was in such a hurry to escape the strange woman that he failed to
look where he was going and stumbled right onto Joxer, who still lay sprawled
out, face down, on the ground. Wesley's boots striding across Joxer's back woke
the other man. Wes jumped and looked down when Joxer yelled, but before he could
get off of him, Joxer had rolled, sending Wesley tumbling to the ground. He hit
Joxer with such force that the two rolled straight into Autolycus. Arms and legs
entangled, and angry, frustrated voices rose sharply into the air as the three
struggled against each other.

         Wolf heard the racket and turned to look at the three of them. He could
not see what had caused the commotion as it was all over. "Look lively, mates!"
he called to them. "No time for squabbling amongst yerselves!"

         The three in question looked sheepishly back up at Wolf before
separating and scampering off to their separate places. Wesley continued
checking on survivors, Joxer hunted Gabrielle quickly to see if he could be of
assistance, and Autolycus took off, still smelling around for a woman. Not a
word was spoken by either of them, but they continued to glance balefully at
each other. None but Wesley knew what caused the whole thing. Wes was terrified
of the strange woman and could not wait to tell Wolf of her reaction! Just
exactly what is she? he wondered and came to the conclusion that he really
didn't want to know.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Katrina had been looking for her sister for a while but could not see
her anywhere. She ran across Morph and Tom, who were soaking wet, sitting with
tears streaming down their faces. Fear gripped her heart. Could something have
happened to her sister, Celina? "Morph? Tom? What's wrong?" she asked in a
trembling voice.

         Tom looked up at his wife with deep sorrow writhing in his eyes. "Every
one . . . " he spoke slowly, his head shaking once from side to side. "Every one
. . . just . . . dead . . . "

         "We couldn't do it, Katrina," Morph added, looking up at his
sister-in-law with brown eyes that were just as sad as Tom's green eyes. "We
didn't manage to save a single one."

         "You did your best, boys, and that's all that any one expects of you.
Look around you. We saved a lot, and even though they were already dead, you
rescued their bodies for their families. Come here," she said, looking at both
of them, and when they had risen, she hugged them both. "Remember what you saw
here today. I know it's hard on both of you. I've seen it before, and it's just
as hard on me. Any time life is senselessly wasted, it breaks your heart." She
squeezed them gently, let them go, and then asked, "Have you seen Celina?"

         Morph instantly came to alert at his wife's name. "No," he started,
worry creeping into his face and voice.

         "We thought she was with you," Tom added.

         "Why?" Morph asked.

         "Haven't seen her in a while. I've been looking for her, but I can't
find her anywhere." It was then that her keen hearing picked up splashing in the
water, and she turned to look down into the ocean. Catching sight of her sister,
she called, "Celina! What are you doing in there?"

         Morph knew the answer even before she called it back in return. "I know
they're heartless bastards, Katrina, but their families still deserve to know
what happened to them!" She had morphed an extra pair of arms and was currently
hauling out two Christians at once.

         "Boys, there's your live one to rescue. Pull her up out of there.
Celina, we will get the bodies out or, at least, I hope the guys will," she
said, looking at them hopefully. "But you and I have other work to do. Guys,
will you take care of it? Get all the bodies out. Don't even leave the males,
because we don't know who were Witches and who were not."

         As Katrina had been talking, Morph had ran down to the edge of the water
where he had not only taken the Christians from Celina and thrown them onto the
shore but had also helped her to get out of the water. He held her in his arms,
she resting her head on his shoulder and he burying his face in her long, ebony
hair, for just one moment stolen amongst all the heartache and tragedy that had
taken place already that day.

         Tom still stood beside Katrina, and he placed a gentle, reassuring hand
on his wife's shoulder. Her words had dried his tears, though his heart remained
heavy and there was no sign of his typically jovial mood. "We'll handle it,
love," he told her before heading down to join Morph and Celina at the water's
edge.

         Hearing Tom clearing his throat, Morph broke from his wife but kissed
her gently on her forehead before releasing her. Of the four of them, she was
the most compassionate, and though not a single word had been spoken between
them yet, he knew she was being hit the hardest. He also knew Katrina would look
after her, and he needn't fear for her as long as her sister was anywhere near.
"We'll be back," he promised her, "and I promise we won't leave a single body in
there, even if we know it's a Christian." She nodded, and he turned back to Tom.
The two dove into the water as one; their transformations into octopuses were
complete before they even hit the water.

         Katrina pulled her baby sister close to her and hugged her. They had
seen stuff like this on their own planet. Though it had been a long time ago, it
stayed with them. They were the last of their kind except for their cousin,
Jenny, and her husband, Tom. They didn't even know if Jenny was still alive
since it had been years since they had heard from her. The Toad Wars had been
Hell and almost completley annihiliated an entire race. Even now, if their
leaders knew where they were, they'd hunt them down and kill them. "Celina, we
need to do a healing spell, and we need to do it quickly. Exposed as we are, we
are all in danger. Do you feel up to it?"

         Celina had not left the water when the others had; instead she had
stayed to pull out the dead bodies. She was exhausted, but she would never pass
up a chance to do anything she could to help another living being. "Yes," she
answered her sister with a nod.

         Still holding tightly to her sister, not only in support but in comfort
as well, she led her back toward the group of people. She could see that some of
them were beginning to wake up, but it didn't matter if they were awake or
asleep for the healing to take place. She began to chant the words older than
time itself, calling upon her Goddesses to bless and heal the people. She began
and then looked to her sister for the answering chant. Celina was ready when
Katrina looked to her and joined in the spell.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Prue's eyes flashed open. She was instantly awake but could hardly move.
What happened? She wasn't supposed to be here! She gasped for air and sat up,
looking around.

         Cole had been walking and carrying Piper, stopping every so often so
that she could get a good look at the people who were in the group, when he
heard a sharp gasp and quick intake of breath. He turned in the direction.

         Her heart was heavy with depression, and her vision was still blurred
with the tears that remained in her eyes. She had not seen a single one of her
family yet, and the more dead bodies they saw, the more she doubted they'd be
alive when they did find them. It was then that she heard Prue's voice. Hope
jumped in her, but at the same time her mind warned her not to get too excited.
She may only be hearing things, after all, but when Cole turned them toward the
sound, it was indeed her beloved older sister that she saw. "Prue!" she cried
out her name instantly.

         "Piper?!" Prue gasped out. She held her arms out to her sister. Cole
walked over and gently sat Piper on the ground beside Prue. Prue threw her arms
around Piper and hugged her close. "Thank the Goddess you live!" Prue was
already kicking her butt for being stupid and calmly walking into the water. At
the time, she had not seen another way out. Now she had to wonder why they had
all been so insane, throwing away their lives as though they meant nothing.
"Have you found the others yet?" she asked.

         Cole stood nearby, looking away from the sisters as he tried to give
them a moment of privacy.

         It felt so wonderful to be in her sister's arms again that tears of
relief and joy that at least one of her sisters still lived sped down her face
even as Piper returned Prue's embrace in a tight hug. She never wanted to let
her go again, but she nonetheless drew back a bit so that she could face Prue as
she answered her question. "Not yet. I'd . . . I'd almost given up hope that
we'd find even one of you still alive, but thank the Gods that you are, Prue!"

         Cole knew there was no way he could carry both the sisters, so he
figured their searching would be over for a little while as he could not figure
out how to carry both of them around. "We have to go look for them," Prue said,
"but I don't know if I can hold up to looking right now."

         "Ladies, if I may make a suggestion? I will continue to carry Miss
Piper, and I will get a friend to carry your sister." He had not been properly
introduced to her yet. He thought her name was Prue, but he wasn't sure.

         Prue smiled up at him. "Thank you, kind sir, and my name is Prue. You
are . . . ?"

         "Cole Turner at your service, ma'am," he said with a small bow, "and I
will return in a moment." Cole headed off in search of his friend, Lorne. He
knew he'd be very gentle with the lady but hoped his looks would not scare them
too much. He found his friend sitting on a rock and looking out over the water.
He knew his empathy was about to destory him and was glad that he had a small
job that he could handle and that would take his mind off of the sadness and
sorrow the place was steeped in. "Lorne," he called cheerfully, "have I got a
job for you!"

         Lorne looked up. "Cole, where've you been?"

         "Carrying a beautiful lady around to find her relatives, and we were
lucky. We found a live one."

         "Wonderful!" Lorne said. "What do you need me to do?"

         "Well, since neither lady is able to walk under their own power, I
wondered if you would mind carrying one?"

         "Now you know that's not the question," Lorne said. "The question is:
Would she mind me carrying her?"

         "She said she would be very thankful for any one to help. Come, my
friend. Maybe for a change, a beautiful lady will smile on you." He knew Lorne
hated to get around women. Every time they saw him coming they screamed, but
Cole had never known a gentler person than Lorne in his life. Lorne was
green-skinned, red-eyed, and horned, and every woman that saw him started
screaming Satan. He would take his friend back to where the ladies were waiting,
and then he would make a slow introduction so as not to frighten them. He
clasped his friend's hand and gripped him gently. "Come, my friend, and we will
assist the ladies." He gently tugged him forward, then turned and headed back to
where he had left the girls. Lorne followed him slowly, hoping that for once he
would not be screamed at.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Piper had torn her eyes away from Prue to watch Cole as he departed. As
soon as she no longer saw him and knew that he was out of hearing range, she
leaned forward to Prue and whispered to her sister. "Prue, you've never going to
believe this! Cole is a Pirate! He and his crew mates are the ones who rescued
us!"

         Prue's mouth fell open. "A Pirate? You're kidding! But I always heard
they were mean, evil, and nasty things, raping, plundering, and pillaging! He
doesn't strike me that way at all!"

         "He's not," Piper told her, shaking her head quickly. Even though she
had only met the man within the last hour or so, she was already certain that he
was a true gentleman or, at least, as close to one as any Pirate could ever
come. "He would never harm a woman. He's been nothing but gentle with me.
Besides, you know most of that is the same stuff they say about us Witches
except for the raping, plundering, and pillaging part. According to those biased
fools, we're not into any of that; we just do the Devil's other work."

         Cole could see the sisters talking animatedly and was almost afraid to
approach them lest he overhear something he shouldn't. "Stay here, Lorne, just a
minute, and I'll introduce you and make sure she's not going to scream at you."
He stepped up to where the sisters were seated. "Ladies, I've brought one of my
best friends who is more than willing to assist us in our endeavors. However, he
is afraid to approach as he does not wish to offend."

         Prue thought the guy must have gas or be extremely ugly. She couldn't
think what else might be wrong with him. "What's wrong with him?" she asked.

         "Well, he's not your usual, run-of-the-mill male. His coloring is not
the same as mine nor is his appearance. He's green and has red eyes and horns,
but a gentler person you'd never want to meet. He wanted me to describe him to
you so that you would not be frightened when he appeared."

         Prue looked at Piper as though she thought it was a joke. The guy
sounded for all the world to look like a Demon, and although they had often been
accused of consorting with such, they had never seen one. Were there truly
Demons able to walk amongst men, and not just walk but actually live? She was
eager to meet this new guy. "I promise not to scream," she said.

         Cole then looked at Piper. "And you?" he asked.

         Piper tilted her chin so that she could look up into the dark fathoms
that were Cole's eyes. He appeared to be completely serious about this matter,
but she had known those who could deliver a joke with a completely straight face
before. In fact, her other two sisters had both been known to do so on multiple
occasions. She chose her words carefully as she spoke. "Even if he is as you say
he is, I am certain that he would do us no more harm than you have. We have
heard many things about Pirates, but we have also been told just as many lies
about our own kind. I hope you do not think me too bold, Mister Turner, but I
trust you and any who you would speak so highly of in turn."

         Her words brought a smile to Cole's lips and a warmth to his heart.
"Lorne," he called, "the ladies are waiting."

         Lorne walked to their sides, and at first glance all they could see was
that he was completely covered, including his head which had a hat with a large,
green feather in it. He swept his hat off his head and made a bow to the ladies.
"Miss Piper, Miss Prue, it is a pleasure to meet you." He then stood tall so
that they could see exactly what he did look like. He was relieved they did not
scream or faint.

         Prue tried very hard not to show any emotion. "Thank you for agreeing to
help with us, Lorne. I believe you will be carrying me?" she said in a soft,
gentle voice.

         He replaced his hat on his head, reached down, and gently lifted her up.
The first thing Prue had noticed about him was how gentle he was, and the second
thing was that he did not smell like brimstone. In fact, he smelled rather
pleasantly of something she did not know but yet seemed familiar. He waited
while Cole picked Piper up. "Shall we, ladies?" Cole said as he gathered Piper
into his arms and proceeded along the path they had already been heading in when
they had discovered Prue. Lorne and Prue followed closely behind.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Out of all the women Carl had fished out of the river, the one who had
caught his attention the most had been the redhead. He had looked for her and,
finally finding her, had settled down beside her. She had yet to wake, but he
remained vigilantly on guard beside her. The more he looked at her, the more he
found himself attracted to her.

         Carl had never had good luck with women. They hated him almost as much
as they hated Lorne, and yet he and Lorne had a respect for each other. Lorne
treated him better than any one else except for Jack. Neither of them treated
him as though he was beneath them or less of a man because of his stature. He
wondered where Lorne was and hoped his friend was not too overcome by his
empathy.

         The scent of death was heavy upon the place, and Carl did not want to
linger there much longer. He knew the townspeople would be coming. He wanted to
take his booty and run, his booty being the redhead, but he knew he could not
even pick her up and tote her because her body was too long. Her weight seemed
to be nothing, almost that of a bird, but she made almost twice of him in her
stature. He adoringly gazed into her face, willing her to wake up but knowing
that she would probably start screaming for him to get away the minute that she
did. He picked up her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it gently. Then
he sat, holding her hand.

         From somewhere far away, Paige felt something touching her and moving a
part of her body. She came to gradually, her eyes slowly fluttering open. At
first everything was blurry, but as her vision cleared, she became aware of a
stranger's face peering down into her own. "Who . . . ? What . . . ?" she
managed to gasp out in whispers. Her voice ached with each syllable, and her
head pounded.

         "Me? Carl. You?" he asked, surprised she had not screamed. "You're safe
now." He didn't know how to tell her what all had happened and hoped she knew
mostly what had happened. He smiled at her, still expecting screaming to come
and cringing inwardly at the thought.

         Paige was about to tell him her name when his next words answered her
other question before she could ask it. She had wondered where her family was,
and then suddenly the memories rushed back to her. She had been holding her
mother's and Prue's hands when they had all walked out into the water together.
They had meant to let the ocean take them, yet here she was. She knew already
that this was neither Heaven nor Hell. She had lived, but the others . . . her
mother . . . her sisters . . . their grandmother . . . "Oh Gods!" she cried
aloud, jumping up to a sitting position. Her world whirled around her and pain
assaulted every inch of her at the sudden movement, but she ignored it all as
tears sped down her face and she sobbed openly. Her family! "Oh Gods, no!"

         "Oh no, pretty one, do not cry!" Carl pleaded. "I am sure there are
others that you will know that made it. When you are feeling better, we will go
and look. I would offer to carry you to where you could look now as others are
doing, but I am not tall enough. I'm standing now."

         Did he need to wave a red flag in her face? She still wasn't screaming.
Was she in shock? He wanted to yell "Go ahead; get it over with!", so that he
could stop cringing inside and they could get on with it. He could run away and
watch her from the shadows, because he knew something this beautiful would never
want him near her if she was in her right mind. Until she did scream, however,
he was happy to stay close, but if she screamed, he was obliged to run away.
"You?" he asked again, hoping she'd give him at least a name he could dream on.

         She looked at him oddly for a moment before speaking again. "Paige," she
answered finally, wiping her tears from her face with the backs of her hands
though more fell in their place. "Paige Halliwell. And you're right, of course.
They're here. They have to be here somewhere." She started to push herself to
her feet, but her mind whirled at such a rate that she was sent crashing back
down onto her rear.

         Carl pulled off his bandana and offered it to her. His hair fell down
into his eyes, and he swiped at it angrily. "It's not as clean as it could be
since it came from my head, but it's the only one I have," he said and offered
it to her. Even if he managed to get one tear on it, he could smell her on it
when it was returned to him, because she had touched it. It would never get
washed again. He would keep it always and cherish her smell on it.

         Paige looked at Carl as she accepted the offered bandana. "Thank you,"
she spoke in reply. Her fingers brushed his as she took the bandana, but she was
too distraught to notice the spark that the accidental touch ignited. "I-I'm
sorry. You probably think I'm silly or . . . or something . . . but . . . my . .
. my family . . . " She could not bring herself to continue, to speak the awful
fact that they might well be dead, and covered her face in his bandana as her
tears increased. The cloth muffled her choking sob as she cried in fear and
grief.

         Carl couldn't think of how he could get Paige around to see. He looked
frantically around for help. "I will be back in a minute, Miss Paige. Do not go
anywhere. I will get some one to carry you to look for your people." He
scampered off before she could answer in search of Lex and Clark.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Where had those boys gotten off to? Carl wondered as he looked around
for Clark and Lex. He noticed some bushes not too far away; he thought that
would be too obvious but went to look any way. He did not see them, but then he
heard them. They had gone behind a big rock, and he ran around the side. He had
interrupted them before and had every intention of doing it again.

         Sure enough, when he rounded the corner, Carl found the young men locked
in a heated embrace, Lex pushing Clark against the rock while Clark's hands were
already under Lex's shirt. They were so deeply lost in each other's kisses that
they did not even notice Carl at first. Carl cleared his throat and then had to
speak as he noticed the sound had no effect on them. "I need your help. The lady
I rescued with the red hair needs to be carried so that she can find her
family."

         The guys broke off what they were doing and looked at him in revulsion.
"You don't have to say it," Carl said. "She is not interested in you two. She's
mine, and I'll thank you to remember that. I just need your help in carrying
her. She went in the water with her family and is not able to walk. She won't
stop crying. Please, guys? I'll owe you big time."

         "Sure. Why not?" Lex finally spoke. "I'll carry her. Clark doesn't want
anything to do with any women. Lead on." Carl hopped, skipped, and headed back
to where he had left Paige. Clark went next, and Lex slapped him on the rear
when he went by. "Later, baby."

         "Sooner," Clark purred.

         "Right after," Lex answered promisingly. "Can't wait," he added with an
impish grin and a sparkle in his mischievous blue eyes.

         "Me neither," Clark agreed.

         It did not take them long to reach the redheaded woman. She was sitting,
holding a large, red bandana in her hand. {So that's where Carl's bandana is. He
really has laid a claim on her.} Lex had to smile at that thought. Carl never
laid claims on women. Usually, he ran from them. Lex hoped Carl had at last
found somebody who would give him some attention. The little guy deserved some
loving, but Lex moreover just wanted Carl to have something to entertain him
besides distracting Clark and he always just when they were getting to the juicy
parts.

         "M-Miss Paige," Carl said when he reached her side. "This is Lex and
Clark. Lex will carry you."

         Lex smiled at her. "That is if you don't mind, ma'am?" Clark hung back;
he did not want to get close to the woman.

         Paige looked from Carl to Lex. Her eyes traveled slowly up his body, and
despite everything, her gaze shimmered in appreciation of the view before her.
"Of course I don't mind."

         From where he stood behind Lex, Clark saw the appreciative way the woman
looked at his beloved. He cleared his throat, stepped up, and laid a gentle hand
possessively on Lex's shoulder. His eyes stayed on Paige's, however, in a silent
warning that she keep any such thoughts of his man out of her mind. Paige
glanced at him questioningly, unsure what to make of his move and, had she not
known better or thought she did, warning, then returned her gaze to Lex.

         Lex gently picked up Paige and they, too, began walking and looking at
the people. He hoped she would find her family alive. Carl stayed very close,
almost at Lex's butt. If Lex stopped, he would bump into him. He did not want to
lose contact with the beautiful woman, and he did not want her to get excited
over Lex. It seemed that every woman that saw Lex and Clark wanted them, and
Carl did not want to lose her before he even got her.

         As they had been walking, Clark had moved silently up beside Lex so that
he could keep a closer eye on Paige. Out of the two, Clark was the shy one
except when somebody was messing with Lex. If he had to kick that little hussy's
ass, he would kick her butt with pleasure. Otherwise, he didn't want to touch
any woman. Lex was his all, and any who dared to lay a hand on his man would pay
the price. He got warm just thinking about what Lex would do to him later, and a
devilish smile played over his lips at the thought and imagings that followed.

Chapter Nine
         Left alone with the beautiful Princess, Angel began to become
increasingly nervous even as his loins became more heated. He knew Jack was
right and that the Princess would only be safe once she was on the other side of
Jack's door. He smiled at her. "Would you like to rest for a while, Cordelia?
The Captain said you may use his quarters. I've never been in there, but I am
sure they are the best accommodations on the ship."

         She was tired but did not want to sleep nor, she realized as her hazel
eyes turned from the water to look back up at the dashing Pirate who had rescued
her, did she wish to be parted from this man any time soon. It was strange, but
although they had just met, she already felt safer around him than she had since
her father had changed and began to look at her as a young adult instead of a
child. "Perhaps later," she answered softly. "Thank you."

         "We should retire there. I won't leave you if you don't want me to," he
said as though he had read her thoughts, "but you could lay on the bed and
rest." He knew he might be getting into troubled waters over his head, but she
looked as though she was about to fall out and he couldn't bare the thought of
that. "It's this way," he said, walking over to a door that looked like all the
rest. He opened it and stepped back, allowing her to enter. He hoped Jack did
not get mad that he was about to be in his Captain's room, but he did say that
the Princess was to be there and since she did not want to leave him, he
couldn't see any other way to get her there.

         Cordelia started to follow, but as she reached the door, a thought
occurred to her. Despite his heroicness, Angel was not the Captain and might
well get into trouble for accompanying her into chambers that he would not
normally be allowed in. She stopped beside him and, looking up, spoke softly,
"Please do not allow yourself to get into trouble on my account. Should the
Captain ask, tell him . . . " She paused, considering their choices. Knowing
that there were not many, she took the only one she truly saw. Although it would
hinder the reputation of any lady, she did not care. "Tell him I requested your
presence should he ask. That, I hope, will alleviate you of any possible
negative consequences."

         He smiled down into her eyes. "Fair lady, the Captain told me to make
sure that you were comfortable and well taken care of, and I intend to do that."
He did not add 'only that'. "Although you do request my presence, there may come
a time when I have to leave you, but I will not be far. The Captain has never
forbade me entry. I just never wanted to encroach on his privacy. He is a very
private man," and he added almost as an afterthought, "and a very lonely man. He
is basically good at heart and will help you any way he can, but his mischievous
side gets him into trouble often. All in all, he is a great Captain and an even
greater friend. He will not mind." {As long as I behave myself,} he added to
himself.

         "Good," Cordelia returned with a satisfied nod and smile. She passed
through the doorway and was surprised to find herself in what, at first glance,
appeared to be a normal bedroom. Indeed, had there not been swords hanging above
the bed and dresser and on one of the walls, she would never have thought she
was in a Pirate's cabin. A black curtain hung over what she presumed to be the
dresser's mirror, and she gave it a curious glance as she looked the room over.
A bookcase stood in one corner in a silent reminder to her that pirates were, as
far as she could tell thus far, nothing like so many people thought. It was
filled almost entirely with books save the top shelf that held several rolled-up
maps. She wondered what those maps looked like for she knew they must lead to
treasure and had never seen a real treasure map before. What surprised her most
about the room, however, was its neatness. Though he had impressed his kindness
upon her, she certainly would not have thought the Captain gave even one gold
coin to cleanliness yet the room seemed in near perfect condition. The bed
actually looked as if it had never been slept on, and everything else appeared
to be in its rightful place, as well.

         Angel followed closely behind Cordelia, closing the door behind him. He
was in awe of the Captain's room. He had never known Captain Jack to be overly
concerned with neatness yet this room could have been in a rich man's house. It
was not only neat and orderly, but it was clean! Since when was the Captain so
concerned with cleanliness? he wondered. Then he remembered how many times a
week Jack insisted on bathing. {Must be preparing for something,} he thought to
himself. {Too many baths are not good for you.}

         Although Jack insisted on his crew taking at least one bath a week, most
of them never took more than that. In fact, there had been times when the catman
had had to be picked up and bodily thrown into the water; most of those times,
his wife had been the one doing the throwing. Angel's keen sense of smell was
very appreciative of Jack's abilities to make sure that every one kept some
cleanliness to their bodies for he had found body odors to be extremely
offensive in the hottest summers. Indeed, if not for the weekly baths, he would
probably not have survived the stench.

         He was surprised to see that the Captain had books for to hear the
Captain talk, he was not an overly educated man. He was beginning to wonder just
how much of the Captain was real and how much he did to affect his outward
appearance to the world. Did any of them really know the man behind Captain Jack
Sparrow? Angel didn't think so.

         He walked over and stood by the bed. "This looks extremely comfortable,
Cordelia. Why don't you lay down on it? I'll take your shoes off."

         Normally, she would have balked at any man's suggestion that she lay
down, but she knew Angel was only being a gentleman looking out for her best
interests. She smiled at him as she crossed the room and sat down on the bed.
She hoped having her shoes taken off was not too close to having the royal
treatment she was accustomed to, but just the thought of Angel's hands being so
close to her skin sent a secret thrill coursing through her. She had seen the
look upon his face when he had entered the cabin behind her and commented
softly, in a small attempt to change the subject, "I noticed you also seemed
surprised by your Captain's chambers."

         "Captain Jack always puts an outward appearance -- well, the way you saw
him today before he changed into the fancy finery, just an ordinary man who can
be silly at times, but this looks like a gentleman's room. There's not too many
gentlemen aboard the Pearl. We have a code of ethics that Jack wrote up, and I
wondered about that at the time I signed up. Most Pirate ships don't have
ethics, but then most Pirates don't have ethics."

         Cordelia started to tell Angel that the ethics of he and his friends she
had already met that day were clearly visible in both their heroic actions and
their mannerisms where a lady such as herself was involved. Indeed, she'd met
many of society's supposedly finer gentlemen who had not even had as much of a
thimble of the manners Angel, Brendan, and their Captain had. Angel continued
before she could speak, however.

         "If Jack finds out that any of his men don't have ethics, they had
either better soon develop them or they will walk the plank. He tolerates no
bull when it comes to ladies yet I hardly ever see him with one." He said the
latter hoping Cordelia was not getting ideals about his Captain; he wanted her
all to himself. "Before today, I have never seen Jack in those fancy clothes. I
didn't even know he had them! He must have bought them for the wedding!"

         Cordelia's gaze snapped to Angel's in surprise. "The wedding?" she
repeated questioningly.

         "Of his best friend and the Governor's daughter. But then the Governor
turned out to be two-faced. You sure you want to hear all this? It's a long
story." Even as he talked, he was unlacing her boots and slipping them from her
feet.

         His fingers brushing against her feet as he slipped her boots off sent
sparks racing through her. Had her curiosity not been so piqued, she would have
wondered what his hands would feel like on the rest of her body. "Yes, please. I
noticed the way he took off so hurriedly with the other gentleman. He seemed
quite upset, and I was concerned. You all have already been so nice to me that I
would hate to see anything happen to any of you." Realizing that she was being
what society would consider to be too bold, she blushed slightly and amended
with a jesting smile, "Besides, it is not as if we are going anywhere any time
soon."

         Angel thought for a minute. Where should he begin to tell the tale? "On
our last journey to regain the Pearl that had been stolen from the Captain, the
Captain met Will. Will went on the journey with us in order to rescue the
Governor's daughter, who he was in love with. Jack ended up rescuing both of
them and returning them safely to Port Royal. Despite all the good deeds that
Jack did, the Governor was still going to hang Jack because he was a Pirate. He
would have succeeded if Will had not saved him."

         "The Governor's daughter is beautiful. Will is handsome," Angel said,
nodding his head slightly. "They fit good together." He did not add that Jack
was in love with Will even though he knew it and that they would make a much
better pairing. "The Governor's daughter talked her father into giving amnesty
for one day so that we could sail into the harbor for their wedding. We came
only to find that the Governor was a lying, two-faced . . . " He didn't finish
the sentence.

         "He betrayed his daughter's love and trust by having his soldiers beat
up Will on the morning of their wedding and sell him into slavery. Captain Jack
has rushed off to save Will. If things were going like they should, at least
half the crew would have went with him. As it is, Brendan and I returned to tell
Jack what had happened only to find that there was no one aboard the ship but
Jack, you, and your father's guards. I really hated for him to run off with just
Brendan. I should be there, but I need to be here worse. I have no clue as to
where the crew ran off to but trust that they will soon return."

         His eyes kept getting drawn to the swords. He knew where they came from,
and he knew who made them. He also knew he'd better not touch a single one of
them or Jack would know it and would probably have his head for it, but his
hands itched to stroke even one of them. They were beautifully made with
excellent craftsmanship. Each one of them would be a prize to own, and yet he
knew that the maker had no clue as to where his swords had gone. {You sly fox,}
he thought, thinking of Jack.

         Cordelia's gaze followed Angel's to the swords, and she wondered why he
was looking at them as if each was a willing, beautiful woman just waiting for
his caress. {It must be a Pirate thing,} she thought to herself with a shrug of
her slender shoulders. As she looked back down, her mind returned to all that
Angel had just told her. "I can not imagine how any father could be so heartless
as to sell his daughter's love into slavery," she admitted. "I know there are a
lot of awfully horrid things that go on in this world, but that . . . " Her
voice trailed off into a shudder. How could any father betray his daughter so
much, but then another part of her wondered as sadness flickered in her hazel
eyes, how could any father do to his daughter what hers had done to her?

         "I never trusted the Governor," Angel said, "and neither did Jack. I
think that if the Governor had not given amnesty for this day, Jack would have
come alone. Will means that much to him. Elizabeth never said much about her
father, but I always thought they had a normal father-daughter relationship. Now
I think it could have been more." He didn't say what more, allowing her to think
what she would, but the emotions that flickered in her eyes surprised him,
telling him that she understood far more.

         "Jack figured we might have to fight our way out of here, but everything
was peaceful when we came in. Our sister ship is not as well-known as we are,
and since we are both flying the English flag for this day, no undue attention
was drawn to her. She is berthed not far from us, and her Captain is one to
fear. Still, we were alert but never in a million years, would we have expected
what we found."

         "The look on Jack's face when we told him was almost more than I could
bare. I think he flipped. He went ahead and dressed as though he was going to
the wedding, as you saw, and then he took the strangest sword I've ever seen."
He paced to and fro in the cabin nervously, trying to remember if he had seen
any crew members from the Witch in a while. Where could they be? What had drawn
all their members away? Did the Governor have them or, even worse, could they be
dead?

         Cordelia watched Angel pacing in great concern. She knew he wanted to go
help his friend and also knew that the Captain would most likely need his aid.
She stood and was about to walk over to Angel when something white falling
outside the one window in the room caught her eye. She looked at it, and her
mouth opened in a round circle in surprise. "I did not realize it snowed in Port
Royal at this time of the year," she commented quietly.

         "Snow?" Angel asked with disbelief on his face. "I've never known it to
snow in Port Royal. It's usually too hot. This is indeed a strange day!" He
looked out the window and could see the entire harbor and out to the ocean. He
longed to be out there. Even though it had its dangers, he still felt safer out
there than he did here.

         It was then that his attention was drawn to a small box ornately
decorated that sat in the center of the table. He walked over, lifted the lid,
and looked inside. He gasped when music came from the little box. Looking
inside, he spied a key and a note. He lifted both the box and its treasure and
carried it to Cordelia. "Please," he begged with his eyes, "read to me what it
says."

         Her hazel eyes widened as she looked up into Angel's begging eyes. This
man was constantly surprising her more and more. "Of course," she replied with a
reassuring smile. Her fingertips brushed over his hand as she reached for the
paper. She had meant to take the note from him to read it, but instead she found
her hand closing gently around his as she began to read the note. "For two of my
very best friends, I hope the happiness that you find on this day will be the
beginning of the happiness you will share in your life together. If you ever
need me, send word and I will come." Her eyes lifted back to Angel's as she
finished with a statement of the obvious, "It is signed by your Captain."

         "Thank you," Angel said. "I often wish I could read, but unfortunately,
I can not read or write. It gets embarrassing sometimes. My Father was a vicar,
but the only thing he ever taught me was abuse. He worked me from sun up to sun
down and abused my Mother, my sister, and me. I hated him." He figured she'd
recoil from him when he admitted, "I killed him."

         "I was out working in the field and cut my hand. I went home to get it
seen to. I found my Mother dead, my Father's knife embedded in her heart. I
recognized the knife. I pulled it out, closed her eyes gently, and kissed her.
The bastard would pay for that."

         His eyes glazed over as he became lost to his memories, his mouth moving
as of its own accord. "It was then I heard my sister scream. I ran, but I was
too late. The bastard was deeply embedded in her and was pumping away. He didn't
know I was there. It was then I realized, as I stabbed him through his black
heart, that he had killed my sister by strangling her even while he was raping
her." He was wrapped in his memories, and his pain showed in his face, his hands
clenching by his side.

         "I snatched him from her, and I stabbed him over and over and over
again. His blood was all over me, and still it wasn't enough. I carried my
Mother and sister to the field and buried them, and then I burnt him in the
house. Of course, the villagers all thought I had gone crazy and killed
everybody. After all, they would never expect a man of God to go berserk. Bloody
bastard!"

         He had forgotten that Cordy was there. As he remembered being chased,
his words just tumbled out of his mouth. The villagers' screams that they would
kill him and feed him to the fishes echoed in his head. They had caught him, had
him at the stake, and were about to burn him alive when, like an avenging Angel,
Jack had appeared out of nowhere, cutting him free, saving him, and taking him
far away with the town in flames behind them. "I've been with him ever since."
He remembered the flames licking at his skin, and he groaned aloud.

         He was scaring her, but though terror blanched her face, she did not
fear him. Rather she feared for him. She knew he'd forgotten that she was there
and that he did not remember anything save the memories of that time. She also
knew she needed to snap him out of his past, though he would be horrified when
he realized all that he had just revealed to her. Taking a deep breath, she laid
a gentle hand on his cheek. "Angel?" she called as though he were asleep.

         "Oh my Gods! Beautiful lady, I did not mean to run off like that, but I
haven't been touched by such a gentle hand, not since my Mother! I am sorry if I
scared or sickened you." He breathed deeply but did not move from her touch.

         "You did neither," she was quick to reassure him with a shake of her
head. "I am just . . . " Her words failed her, but she tried again. "I am
honored to remind you of your mother, Angel, but I am so sorry that you went
through what you did." His eyes and face were still filled with such emotion
that she only wanted to comfort him, and to her surprise, Cordelia found herself
stepping closer to him. Her hands dropped from his face and hand so that her
arms could circle his body as she dared to hug him gently. "No one should have
been put through such."

         His arms slipped around her, and he held her gently. This woman was
driving him crazy, making him feel things he had never felt before, and making
him want things that he knew were impossible! The smell of her hair was so
heavenly that he just wanted to gobble her up. Before he could stop himself, he
nuzzled her neck gently.

         What could he, a lowly Vampire Pirate, offer such a beautiful woman?
He'd had women before, many of them, but not in a while. He had had them in many
ways, but none of them stirred his blood like this dark-haired beauty. He
realized that he had best let her go before he followed his instincts and did
something that they both would regret.

         "Thank you, beautiful lady, for your gentleness and understanding." He
regretfully began to let go of her when his eyes caught a mark on her neck. He
recognized it as what it was. "When?" he asked her. "Who?" He knew the mark had
been burnt on her. He would kill the bastard who did it. He did not let go of
her.

         She froze in his arms when she heard his questions, and her heart
thundered so loudly that it seemed to her to fill the room. She had never meant
to reveal what her father had done, the real reason why she had ran away from
home. When she opened her mouth, she released a breath of air that she had not
even been aware of holding. "What?" she tried to ask innocently, but her voice
trembled. She bit her bottom lip, knowing already what the answer would be.

         "Whatever bloody bastard put his mark on you, I will kill him! If he
hurt you more, I'll make him eat it! But I don't understand. I can see it's a
King's ring. Your father?" He was still holding her and not looking into her
face. Her heartbeat sounded as loud as thunder in his ears. "Why would your
father put his brand on you? Was it him?"

         She knew she could not lie to him. "Yes," she forced herself to answer
in another deep breath. "I tried to fight him, but he would not have it. I'd
already hated him for trying to force me off on Prince after Prince, but when he
decided I was to marry the captain of his guards instead, I thought it couldn't
get any worse. Gods, was I ever wrong," she said dryly. "He wanted me to marry
Groo so that I would remain accessable to him and he could . . . he could take
me whenever he wanted."

         "I tried to fight him, Angel. I tried," she repeated, whimperingly,
again as tears welled in her hazel eyes, "but he tied me to the bed so that I
could not move! That mark was meant to remind me that I was his daughter and, as
such, . . . his property to do with as he liked!" Her tears slipped from her
eyes, racing down her cheeks and falling onto his shoulder.

         He squeezed her just a little tighter. "I will kill the bastard! You
need not ever fear him again. If any man ever touches you again and you don't
want to be touched, you have but to tell me. They will not live long enough to
see the next day. No one as beautiful and gentle as you are should ever have had
to undergo something like this! I am sorry." He tilted her chin upward and
swabbed gently at her tears with his thumbs. "I will protect you, my lady, if
you will allow me to. No one will ever hurt you again."

         Before Angel even knew what was happening, his lips had plunged
downwards onto hers, but he did not defoul her mouth. He gently pledged his
undying loyalty to her. He felt a tremble go through her body, and he figured it
was because he had forgotten himself. Though her lips parted under his, he was
still about to release her when he heard some one calling. He didn't want to let
her go, but he had to take care of this business.

         "I will be back. Some one's on the ship." He withdrew quickly, leaving
Cordelia holding the music box. {Gods, what a woman,} he thought, {and how lucky
I am to know her and to escape without getting slapped!} He almost had to laugh
at the times poor Jack had been slapped, and for most of the time, not even
knowing what he was being slapped for. At least, had it happened to him, he
would have known. He slipped out the cabin door, closing it softly behind him.

         Behind him, Angel left a strong woman quivering like a leaf in a gale.
Cordelia trembled not from fear or the sadness that had threatened to engulf her
until Angel had touched her face to wipe her tears away and spoken so sweetly to
her. Rather, she shook from the intense passion that his kiss had sent coiling
through her body and shooting through her every core like a million fiery stars.

         Princess Cordelia Chase had been kissed by many a Prince and even once
or twice, since leaving home, by men on the streets who had tried, and
thankfully failed, to take her without her permission. She had even been kissed
by a few members of royalty who were supposedly among the best kissers her part
of the world had to offer. Yet never had she been kissed like Angel had just
kissed her! Never had she felt such passion! It threatened to engulf her, and
her every fiber ached to allow it to do precisely that. Her lips parted in a
longing sigh even as she heard a stranger's voice speak to Angel outside the
cabin door.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Angel had thought he recognized the voice, and sure enough, it was
Elizabeth.

         The instant she had heard a door open, Elizabeth had whirled in its
direction. She looked in surprise at Angel as he stepped out of Jack's cabin and
wondered what in the world he had been doing in there and why he looked as if he
were dying for oxygen. Her brow creased, but she did not bother to ask him.
Instead, she leapt right to the point. "The Captain and two of the other crew
have gone after Will. I am to go with you when you set sail, and he told me to
tell the rest of you to prepare and be ready to sail the minute he gets here."

         "I have no ideal where the rest of the crew is, Elizabeth. Two of the
crew are with the Captain?" he asked, remembering what she had said. "Who?"

         "The doctor, Brendan, and that Faith."

         "Good," Angel said. "I can stop worrying so much about him; Faith won't
let anything happen to him." He thought for a minute and figured the safest
place for Elizabeth would be in the cabin with Cordelia. "I am guarding another
lady," he told her. "She's in Jack's cabin with Jack's permission. The safest
place for you will be with her. I will stay out here and guard you. Please be
nice to her. Her name is Cordelia, and she's had a hard time."

         Elizabeth nodded. She knew her place and understood why they were
determined to keep her safe. Given her father's orders, if any of the guards
were to spot her on the ship, they would all be doomed. As she slipped past
Angel into Jack's cabin, she wondered about Cordelia. Had the Pirate Captain
finally found a woman, or was she the reason why Angel had seemed in such a need
for air?



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cordelia was just placing the box back onto the table where Angel had
taken it from when she heard the door open and shut again. "Angel . . . " she
started as she turned to face the person, but her voice died in her throat when
she found a blonde woman standing there instead.

         "He's outside."

         Cordelia's forehead creased, and her hazel eyes narrowed as she looked
in suspicion at the blonde. "Who are you?"

         "My name is Elizabeth. I am . . . "

         "I know," Cordelia spoke softly, "and I am sorry for your loss."

         Elizabeth smiled sadly at the other woman. "Thank you." Cordelia nodded
but did not speak again as her eyes turned to the door behind Elizabeth. Why was
Angel still out there? He had said he would return, so why hadn't he? Was he
running from her?



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Angel raked his brain, trying to think of some one he could send to find
the crew. It dawned on him that the only being that could carry this mission off
and was available was King Meesy. Rather or not King Meesy would do it for him,
he didn't know. He could only try.

         Angel climbed up onto the top of Jack's cabin so that he could see over
to the other ship. Calling just loudly enough to be heard over at the Sea Witch,
he called, "King Meesy, please show yourself! I have a mission for you! I need
your help desperately!"

         Angel was rewarded when a cat bounded onto the Sea Witch's railing. The
large cat's fur was already ruffled by the cold winds that were blowing, and
snow sparkled amongst his chocolate and cream fur. Deep blue eyes peered out
from a chocolate face as he looked expectantly at Angel, clearly waiting for an
explanation.

         "I have two ladies whom I have to guard. There's no one else. Captain
Jack requests that all crew members return to the ship immediately and prepare
for sailing. The Governor has betrayed Will and Elizabeth. Jack has gone to
rescue Will, who the Governor had sold into slavery. We must be ready when they
return! Please help!" he begged the furry feline.

         Meesy cocked his head to one side as he listened carefully to Angel, and
when the Pirate was done speaking, the cat nodded. He disappeared from sight
then, but it was only a few seconds before Angel saw a blur of cream and
chocolate streaking down the dock. He hoped it would not take King Meesy long to
locate the others. He admired the cat greatly for he had seen many things
seemingly impossible accomplished by the furry feline. In fact, there was no
other cat alive who could hold a candle to King Meesy, and if Angel only knew
half the things Meesy could do, he would never believe them. The Lewis sisters
had chosen well in their choice of a familiar. He knew the crew would be coming
soon and set about doing what he could to prepare the ship even as his mind
turned back to Jack and Will and he wondered what was happening.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Darkness continued to engulf his world as Will Turner slowly came to.
The first thing that he became aware of was that somebody was moving his face
and pushing and pulling his jaw and cheeks. He had never felt their touch before
and knew instantly that it was neither Jack nor Elizabeth for he would recognize
either's touch immediately. No, this person was some one who had no business
touching him. He tried to pull away from their touch, but something held him in
place.

         He was still too groggy to fight whatever was restraining him, but the
rattling sounds his restraints made as he tried to move told him that they were
chains. He moved his wrists, and the same rattling sounds met his ears. Fear
began to encroach upon his heart. He was chained, his hands and feet shackled to
a wall, but who was touching him and where was he?

         It was then that Will suddenly felt thumbs forcing his lips apart and
fingers poking into his mouth. His eyes flew open as he reacted with instinct,
biting down on the fingers so hard that he felt the copper taste of blood
trickle onto his tongue. "Hey!" a sharp voice commanded. "Nae bitin' the
customers!" Though Will had already released the stranger's fingers and was
about to spit out the blood in disgust, a fist plowed into his gut.

         "Hey now!" exclaimed the first stranger. "I may like violence, but I
will not pay for injured merchandise!" The man wore a tophat, was dressed in a
fine suit, and carried a cane that he had no need for. To those who only passed
him on the streets, he appeared to be an astristocratic gentleman, but Will
already knew that a monster lurked behind that facade.

         "Oh," the second quickly backpaddled as he stepped away from Will.
"Well, hum, in that case, nae free nips." He was a short man, but his stocky,
muscular build more than made up for what he lacked in height. His gray hair was
pulled back in a limp ponytail, and his clothes and skin were covered in so much
grime that one could easily tell he had not had a bath all year.

         The first man ignored the second as he returned his attention to Will.
His dark eyes hungrily roved the younger man's body even as he licked the blood
that trickled from his wound. "Fine set of gnashers you have," he commented more
to himself than to Will, "but I wonder how you are when it comes to the sheets."
No sooner had he made the comment than his hand swiped out and grabbed Will in
between the legs.

         Will's education failed him completely as he growled savagely at the man
while struggling desperately to break free of his chains and the stranger's
grip. His legs jerked toward him, but the stranger remained just out of his
reach and completely unfazed by Will's struggles. Instead, he squeezed the
blacksmith's sword. Will's yell echoed through the stalls, and his brown eyes
flashed on black. Still, however, he could not reach him.

         "Oh, yes," the man purred aloud as he finally withdrew his hand. The
hand that had groped him was the same one that Will had bitten. Now the stranger
brought it to his face. He sniffed it first, then licked his fingers one by one.
Sounds of satisfaction emitted from the depths of his throat as he licked each
one that had groped Will through his clothes, and his eyes shone with eager
anticipation. "I'll enjoy breaking you," he continued lustfully, "very much."
His hand again grabbed the boy's member, and as he squeezed it hard, he
finished, his fingers playing over Will's sword as if it were a new instrument
meant only for him, "And very, very soon."

         "I'll never -- " Will started to growl out, but the man cut him off.

         "Oh, but you will -- for the right price, of course," he added with a
meaningful look at the other man in the stall. "And once you're mine, I'll do
with you exactly what I want." He squeezed Will again before releasing him and
turning to go.

         Will spit, but the man did not even appear to notice the spittle that
struck the back of his head. "I'll never be yours, you bastard!" He cussed the
man in more words than he'd even known he knew, only then realizing that he must
have picked up even more than he'd thought from Jack, but the man only laughed.

         As the laughter that made Will cringe faded into the distance, Will
turned back to the other man. He tried a different tactic with him. "You must
release me immediately! My name is William Turner, and I am to marry the
Governor's daughter this day!"

         The laughter that met Will's ears this time was huge and shook both the
man's portly belly and the walls of the stall that surrounded them. "Right!
Don't you think I know that the Governor himself was the one who had you sent to
us? Good one, kid, but you're not getting out of here!" His laughter had stopped
now, and he shrugged as he added, "Just be glad you'll probably only be sold for
sex."

         Will looked at him puzzledly. "You sell humans for another purpose?" Did
he even want to know? "Work?"

         "Well, aye, there's that," the man admitted, "but I was talkin' more
about eatin'."

         Lines of confusion drew together on Will's forehead. "Food? You mean to
say you sell chefs?" That couldn't be right.

         "Of course not. Humans to eat." Will wanted to think the man was joking,
but he knew from his serious tone and surprised face that he was not. Will's own
face paled. There were human beings that ate humans? Or could the legends of
Vampires be true? Shivers raced through him as more fear than he'd ever felt for
his own self crashed through him. Indeed, he had only been more afraid than he
was now once in his life, and that had been when he had thought his beloved Jack
had been dealt a fatal blow.

         "Damn," his seller commented, letting out a low whistle as he took in
his stock's paled face. "Ye are an innocent! I better gi tell the bosses that.
It'll bring ye a higher price."

         Will did not realize when the man left. His terrified heart was pounding
so loudly in his ears that he could hear nothing else, and his surroundings
whirled around him at a blinding rate. Even if he could somehow manage to break
free of his chains and gain a weapon, there were bound to be far too many slave
holders and guards for him to ever make it out alive, but if he did not somehow
find a way out of this nightmare, he would meet a fate worse than death. Rather
it was at that sick man's hands or another's did not matter. It was hard enough
to pretend with Elizabeth, but at least she was gentle and truly cared about
him. These people were strangers, and he was but meat to any of them.

         Jack! his heart cried. Jack would find him! He would save him! But no,
his brain argued, Jack did not even know where he was. No one except the
Governor and two of his guards knew. Besides, why would Jack risk his neck again
for him? Will knew he would not for as much as he loved him, Jack was still a
pirate. He would gain nothing from saving his undeserving hide this time, so he
would not risk his life.

         Tears finally welled in the blacksmith's eyes as the source of his fear
changed. No longer was he terrified of what would happen to him if he was sold
or tried and failed to escape. The fear that filled his very core with ice was
the knowledge that he would never again see the man he loved. He would never
again have a chance to tell Jack the truth. Tears slipped down his face as Will
realized that he would not even know if he might have stood a chance, no matter
how slim, of somehow, some way gaining the pirate's love, of having his love
returned, of knowing what Jack's lips on his own truly felt like instead of only
what he imagined them to feel like. Will bit back a sob. He would never see Jack
again.


To Be Continued . . .




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Chapter Seven
         She fled through the city as fast as her legs could carry her, the
skirts of her dress a bustle amongst her legs as she held them up over her
ankles to keep from falling over them. Though she ran through streets she'd
always thought were safe, her heart pounded in her chest so hard that its
beating rang in her ears and her chest ached as her lungs fought her fear to
take what breaths they managed to gasp.

         Her terrified mind whirled. She could not believe what had just
happened. She had always known that her father had never approved of Will, but
she had never dreamed that he would sink so low as to even hurt her beloved, let
alone have those gruesome guards, the two she knew he only used for his
dirtiest, most secret missions and who she had seen talking with him the day
before, sell poor Will into slavery! Even now, she knew her own father's guards
were after her, and she fully believed that not only Will's but her own life as
well were in danger. If they were to catch her, she would never make it to Jack
and Will would never be saved. There was no telling what would happen to her.

         Her thoughts blinded her to the ground ahead, and Elizabeth suddenly
found herself spiraling forward, having tripped over a rock. She reached out
and, groping desperately, managed to catch hold of a hard piece of wood. She
used it to regain her balance before she could fall the rest of the way but only
looked at it after she was standing full and erect once more. What she saw made
her gasp in shock and her blood run cold for before her stood a huge bonfire
with stakes in its center.

         A voice answered her gasp, startling her even more. "It's a beaut, isn't
it? The men worked hard on that one."

         Elizabeth looked over to the portly woman, and her fear and surprise
grew as she recognized her. She could scarcely believe that the woman who now
looked at this horrid construction with such awe was the same woman who taught
the church's children their Bible studies, the same woman who Elizabeth herself
had often gone to as a child for she had known she'd always have a plate of
cookies and a glass of milk waiting for any child who wondered into her shop.

         "It's going to be lovely to see them fry."

         Elizabeth struggled to find her voice but finally succeeded enough to
ask in a hushed whisper, "W-Who?"

         "Why, the Witches, of course. Those daughters of Satan have been a
disgrace to our town ever since they started coming here, and it's long past
time they paid for their sins."

         Elizabeth had studied the woman's eyes and face as she had been talking,
and she now felt faint at the realization that Mrs. Brown, who she'd always
thought was such a kind and gentle woman, was truly looking forward to seeing
human beings burned alive. "Don't you think so, Miss Swann?" Mrs. Brown asked,
but though her tone was gentle, her eyes were narrowed in suspicion. Elizabeth's
mind whirled as she tried to think of some response that would not place her
into even further danger, but a sudden shout made both women look up.

         "There she is!" a guard called, pointing at Elizabeth whose hood had
fallen off when she'd fell forward moments before. Elizabeth did not look again
at Mrs. Brown; instead, she took off running with the guards in hot pursuit. It
was a long time before she managed to elude them again, but finally she did,
turning onto an empty street and ducking into a dark alley before they could
round the bend. She watched from where she had plastered herself to the wall,
not even daring to breathe, as they ran past.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         As Jack followed closely behind Brendan, his attention was drawn to the
bustling activity going on in the town square. For a moment, he wondered if
perhaps they were in response to the skirmish that had just taken place aboard
his ship, but upon noticing their clothes, he realized that they were part of
the Governor's soldiers and not the Royal Guard. What could be afoot? Then he
saw that they were building what appeared to be a huge framework for a gigantic
bonfire. Recalling what he had seen earlier, he figured that either the Governor
planned to barbecue Witches or Pirates. It didn't matter which for Jack had no
intention of letting either happen.

         "Brendan," he whispered, "don't do anything to draw attention to us." He
had barely gotten the words out when somebody ran into him, and he began to
fall. Brendan had already been realizing the same thing that his Captain had
when a blur of black and white collided with Jack. Quickly reaching out,
Brendan's hand caught Jack's back, steadying him, even as a familiar voice
lashed out at them.

         "Watch where the Hell yer -- " she started but stopped abruptly upon
seeing exactly who had been in her way. "Sparrow?" she asked, already wondering
what he and the Pearl's doctor were up to.

         "Faith? Where? What?" With her, Jack knew it could be anything. She had
activities that he didn't want to know anything about. Recovering himself rather
quickly, he thanked Brendan for the swift rescue. "We are off to rescue Will who
is in danger of being sold in auction," he told Faith in a low, quiet voice.
"Whatever you do, do not draw attention to yourself. The Governor's planning a
huge barbecue," he said the latter with a tinge of anger. He hoped she'd pick up
on what he was trying to tell her.

         "Why should you care?" she asked before feigning a look of shock. "Oh,
yeah. I forgot. You actually do care." She shook her head, then returned to the
business at hand. "As for your boy, I just had my victory, so I guess I can help
you there." She shrugged, but there was a dangerous glimmer in her eyes as she
added with a dark, mischievous grin, "I can always use a bit more action."

         "Lead on, Brendan," Jack said. "I hope it will not take us much longer.
I don't want to linger here. There is danger all around, and I feel as though
it's closing a noose around my neck." His left index finger snuck up and
loosened his shirt around his neck as though to prevent him from choking.

         Faith rolled her eyes at the Pearl's Captain. "There's always danger.
Long as you're living, there's shitt just waiting to hit the fan." She quirked a
brow at him as she added, "I'd think you'd be used to that by now, Captain."

         Brendan just shook his head at the girl's attitude. He knew better than
to try to speak to her. Faith never seemed to get along with any one, and they
didn't have time to get into an argument over the ethics, manners, and respect
she lacked. Instead, he resumed the path that the guard had told Angel to take.

         Jack was remembering when the noose had been tightened around his own
neck and Will had saved him. It still gave him nightmares. "I know we live in
danger constantly, Faith," he replied, "but I am never one to consciously seek
it out unless there is booty to be gained. There is no booty this time. Just
death, and a wise man knows when to walk away. If you don't want to go with us,
you can return to the ship. We will be sailing within a couple of hours. If you
want to come, we will welcome your assistance." He knew not what lay before
them, but there was no way he was going to walk away and leave Will. This time,
Will was coming home with him.

         "Good thing I'm not a man then, ain't it, Cap?" she smirked up at him
even as she fell in step beside him. Despite the attitude she cocked even with
him, Jack Sparrow was the only man to ever have won her admiration. However,
that was just one more secret she kept to herself as she treated him the same as
every one else. The only one on either ship she actually showed respect to was
her own Captain, Xena. "You know I never turn down the chance to kick butt," she
added.

         "You're one Hell of a woman, Faith, and I hope we never cross blades. I
admire you and would hate to have to kill you one day." They had been walking
the entire time they had been talking, and they had now gone outside the sight
of the guards.

         She chuckled deep within her throat, a sound that made her enemies
cringe with fear of what this insane woman was going to do to them next. "Keep
telling yaself that, Sparrow, but you're right. I'd hate to have to kill you."

         She had just glanced over at Jack to see the reaction her response took
from him when she saw a hand suddenly reach out from an alley they were passing.
The hand was headed for Jack, but before either man could move, Faith had not
only slapped the hand away but had dived into the alley, slammed the cloaked
stranger against the wall, and had the blade of her dagger already pressed
against a delicate, white throat.

         "It's me!" the stranger cried out in a panicked voice that all three
instantly recognized.

         "Oh, it's Little Miss Priss," Faith snarled, clearly disgusted, as she
released Elizabeth. "Better watch that. Next time you touch the Captain, you're
bound to lose your life."

         "I already have," Elizabeth spoke quietly as she turned toward Jack. She
looked up at him with tears swimming in her blue eyes. "It's Will. Father . . .
" Her sentence hung unfinished as she was having trouble bringing herself to
admit the horrible thing that her own father had done to her beloved.

         Jack had taken Faith's comment in stride. He knew deep down, she was
loyal to him, and he was glad of it. Elizabeth, however, had taken him by
surprise. He had not expected to find her out here, on her own, disguised as a
peasant. "I know what your father has done to Will. We're on our way to rescue
him now. Elizabeth, when I get him, I'm taking him away from here. He's not
going to want to go, but I'm taking him any way. It's not safe for him here any
longer. Your father seems to have become a raving lunatic. Have you noticed the
activity in the square?"

         She nodded, choking down the emotions that welled in her throat as she
did so. "I will not try to talk you out of taking Will from here, though we were
to be wed today. I have only one request." She tilted her face so that her
begging eyes looked directly up into his. "I want to go too. Please, Jack! I can
not stay here!"

         He took a deep breath. He didn't hate Elizabeth. In fact, he had to
admire her courage. He did resent her, however, for she was the one that had
Will's love, something he longed for but knew he'd never have. "I'll take you,
Elizabeth, under one condition. You leave here and go straight to my ship. Do
not follow us, and do not return home. Whatever you have there can be replaced.
If you go back, your father will capture you, and I will not endanger Will to
rescue you, savvy?"

         She nodded slowly. She had had no intention of ever returning home, even
if Jack had not agreed to take her. She wanted to see Will, though. She wanted
to know that he would be okay. She wanted to be there with them so that she
would be certain they would not fail to rescue her beloved. As she looked into
Captain Sparrow's eyes, however, she remembered how deeply he cared for Will.
The two were closer than brothers, and she knew that he would stop at nothing to
rescue him. She took a deep breath before answering simply, "Agreed."

         "Go swiftly, and let Angel know when you're there. Right now, he's the
only one aboard. He will keep you safe till we return." He caught her chin and
lifted it to look into her eyes. "I mean it, Elizabeth. Do not follow us in
there. You're not a fighter. You can endanger Will. I want your absolute promise
on this. No tricks." He knew she was fully capable of saying one thing and doing
the other. He didn't want her endangered, and he didn't want to have to tell
Will that she was dead because she followed him. "Do I have your promise?"

         "Yes," she agreed a second time without hesitation. As much as she hated
to admit it, she knew he was right. She could not help them to fight, and her
presence would only distract them from rescuing Will. It might even place them
all in even greater danger. After all, what man would not want to bid on her
beauty?

         Jack released her. "Go quickly." She did just as he said, taking her
skirts in her hands and rushing off. She did her best to keep to the shadows as
she headed swiftly for the dock.

         As soon as Elizabeth was out of sight, Jack continued walking toward the
tent that he could now see. "This is it," he said. "Good luck to all of us."
Upon reaching the tent, he lifted the flap and walked through the tent into a
street crowded with filthy, stinky men commingling with clean men who appeared
to have some money. He glanced around, realizing that there truly were all kinds
of buyers on the street.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Meanwhile, back at the ocean's edge, Xena was getting antsy. She knew
their time was running out. She knew that soon they would be overrun by the
townspeople looking for their friends who had not returned. She moved closer to
Gabrielle. "How long do you think it can be before we can move every one to
safety?" she asked.

         Gabby sighed softly, a small breath of air that told Xena she shared her
feelings but was also still concerned about the survivors and those who had yet
to awaken. "They're not even all awake yet, but the ones who are, even if
they're still too weak to walk on their own yet, should still be able to be
carried."

         "We have to do something to move them to the safety of the ships soon,
Gabby. You and I have both seen this kind of mess before. We did what we could
then, but we have never rescued so many at one time. I am going to look for
transportation. I will return as soon as I find something." She leaned forward
and kissed Gabby's lips gently. "Love you. See you soon."

         "I love you, too, Xena, but be careful," Gabrielle told her as her green
eyes gazed into the baby blues of the woman she loved. "The townspeople are
probably already on the look-out. The group we took care of were just the ones
who were sent after them. They'll be getting the bonfires ready, and they'll be
just as happy to barbecue pirates as they are Witches."

         She smiled one last time at Gabby even as she headed off in Wolf's
direction. She soon reached his side. Wolf came to attention in front of the
Captain; he knew she had something of importance to tell him. "I am going to
find something we can use to transport these people to the ships. Stay alert,
and don't take any chances. You know how the crew is. They've just had a fight.
Now they're ready for other things. Their minds are not as alert as ours." She
hated to leave Wolf alone, but she knew he was quite capable of handling it. He
nodded at her, and she turned and left, heading in the direction she thought she
had seen a farm earlier.

         No sooner had she left than the strange poodle with the stranger haircut
appeared in Wolf's face. "What do you want?" Wolf asked in canine language.

         "Elvira," Gonk yipped. "I can't talk to her, but you can and she has to
have some one who can tell her what's going on." His dark eyes shone with
determination as he looked up at the wolf who was much larger than he in his
poodle form. "I saw you. You have man form. You can talk to her."

         "I am a man-wolf," Wolf said proudly. "I will be more than happy to talk
to your mistress." He had seen her earlier and was definitely attracted to her,
but one thing stood in the way. What if she was mated already? "Is she mated?"
he asked.

         Gonk cocked his head to one side as he studied the wolf, unsure of why
he asked such a question. "No forever mate," he finally yipped in reply.

         "Good," Wolf replied. He changed quickly into his man form and walked
over to where the woman was standing just in time to catch her as she fell.

Chapter Eight
         Gonk had left her in such a rush that Elvira had no ideal what had
gotten into him. Her forehead was creased with worry as she called out to him,
but no answer came. Her black eyes shifted in every direction as she tried
desperately to catch sight of him, but all she could see were the other bodies
that lay all around her. Each was of a woman she had known, and though it pained
her to see their cold, lifeless forms, she was far more worried about Gonk.

         Once she had tried calling to him some more but still had not received
any response, Elvira began to try to push herself to her feet. Her legs and
hands trembled from exhaustion as she forced herself first to a sitting position
and then to a standing one. As she placed her full weight on her feet, however,
a tremor of pain shot through her body, and she started to fall.

         She became aware of a new scent, the heady, delicious scent of a man,
even as strong arms caught her and just barely kept her from falling. Instead,
she leaned back into a sturdy chest. "Ma'am, it's too soon for you to be up,
trying to move around. You've been through a bad ordeal."

         His voice, despite the concern it held, was just as sensual as his scent
and the feel of his hard body against hers. Though she was tired and weak, her
body still responded as she leaned back into his chest. Trailing a hand across
his cheek, her fingertips thrilling at the feel of his slight stubble
underneath, she found her eyes looking up into the most mesmerizing pair of eyes
she had ever seen. "Who are you?" she whispered, her throat aching even as she
breathed the words.

         "My name is Wolf. My people and I have rescued your people. We will
protect you and get you to safety, but for now, please rest." She did not
struggle as he laid her gently on to the ground, but her body remained tense
with worry.

         "Gonk," she managed to get out. "My . . . " she started to clarify, but
he broke her off.

         "Your friend will watch over you as will I. Can I get anything for you?"
Her voice was as beautiful as she was, and his ears thrilled to its sound.

         At Wolf's words, Elvira finally managed to tear her eyes away from his,
and she found Gonk sitting beside him, looking at her with deep worry in his
eyes. She reached out and gently scratched the puff of wool on his forehead.
"We'll have to fix your moehawk again later," she told him, a small smile
playing over her black lips despite everything.

         Gonk yipped, but the sound was not in response to Elvira's statement
though she thought it to be. Instead, it was his way of thanking Wolf even as he
licked his mistress' hand.

         Elvira looked back up at Wolf though she continued to use what little
physical strength she had to stroke her poodle. "You . . . said your name was
Wolf?" she asked.

         "Yes, ma'am, and, ma'am, I'm a Pirate, but you don't need to fear us. We
will not hurt you. In fact, we've already rescued you from your attackers.
Whatever did you do to earn their wrath?" he asked as he sat beside her on the
ground, his mind ever alert for danger.

         "Well, for once, it wasn't just my being a bitch," she told him
impishly. "They were after us because of our religion." Thanks to the special
blood that ran through her veins, Elvira was already beginning to feel more like
herself. Her eyes met Wolf's again as she reached up and ran a hand slowly up
his chest. "I'd ask if you were a good wolf or a bad wolf," she tried to purr up
at him, "but since you and your crew saved us, the answer to that is already
pretty obvious."

         "I've been known to be bad on occasion," Wolf returned in a low, sensual
voice. He did not move away from her hand. Her mere touch had sent him up in
flames. When was the last time he had actually mated? he wondered. He had been
in port a little over six weeks ago, and he had not mated then. He had not had a
chance to mate yet this time. He shook himself mentally. He did not want to miss
a second of this gorgeous woman. The wolf in him sensed that she was more than
she appeared to be. "I figured it was some kind of religious persecution, but
whose brilliant ideal was it to drown all of you? Why didn't you just stand and
beat the crap out of them?" He gazed searchingly into her black, limpid pools
and felt that he was drowning, and this time, he didn't want to be saved.

         As Wolf had been pondering, Elvira's hand had worked further up his
chest. She almost drew it back, however, at the question that sobered her, but
his skin felt so good underneath her palm that she let her hand linger on his
shoulder instead. "It's . . . not always that easy," she told him quietly. "We
could have stood and fought. We might have stood a chance had help came in time,
but otherwise, we would have been surrounded and outnumbered and our fighting
would have made things worse for others of our kind. It would have given them an
actual reason to hate us, to fear us, to kill us. We were going to leave, but
they didn't make it here in time." Her eyes were sad as she explained, "We
decided to accept our fates and take our lives in the water rather than letting
them take us. Not only would they have tortured secrets out of us to use against
others of our kind, but, like I said, it would have made them go after our
sisters even harder."

         Wolf had been about to make a remark when he heard a throat being
cleared. Looking up, he realized Wesley had snuck up on them. Wesley had been
walking around, hunting for Xena. "Where's Xena?" he asked Wolf.

         "Gone for transportation."

         "Who's guarding us?"

         "I am."

         Wesley gave him a most disbelieving look. "Really? From where you are?
Looks to me like you're guarding something else."

         Wolf glared angrily up at him and almost growled at him. "I will return
again. If you need anything, miss, send Gonk for me. Wesley, you take up the
other perimeter." He got reluctantly to his feet, looked back down at her, and
winked. "I will return, sweet lady."

         Elvira's black eyes had torn into the man who had interrupted them, but
none of that anger or frustration showed in her eyes as she gazed up at Wolf.
"My pumpkins and I will be waiting," she assured him in a seductive voice that
hovered somewhere between a purr and a lustful growl. "Just don't be too long. A
girl gets lonely, you know?" she added with a playful wink. She heard the sound
Wesley made in his throat, but she ignored the party pooper.

         Taking her hand as he stood, he sniffed the back of it but maintained
eye contact. Then he turned it over and licked her right in the center of her
palm. "Think about me, sweet lady, while I'm gone. I shall return." He sprinted
off at a quick pace to resume his guard duty, all the while thinking of how
sweet she tasted and how he would like nothing better than to gobble her up.

         Elvira sighed as she watched him go, her heart still fluttering and
delicious chills and thrills still shooting through her heated body from his
lick. "What a man . . . " she whispered, her breath heavy with the lust that
filled her prone body. She could feel eyes upon her and turned to find a shocked
Wesley still looking at her. "Can I help you?" she questioned him. He started to
shake his head, and her eyes and fangs flashed at him as she retorted, "Then get
on about what Wolf told you to do!"

         Wesley gulped but nonetheless managed to squeak out, "Of course, madam."
He hurried off even as he wondered just what in the world they had rescued in
that strange, pale-skinned woman that Wolf was so clearly panting after.

         Wesley was in such a hurry to escape the strange woman that he failed to
look where he was going and stumbled right onto Joxer, who still lay sprawled
out, face down, on the ground. Wesley's boots striding across Joxer's back woke
the other man. Wes jumped and looked down when Joxer yelled, but before he could
get off of him, Joxer had rolled, sending Wesley tumbling to the ground. He hit
Joxer with such force that the two rolled straight into Autolycus. Arms and legs
entangled, and angry, frustrated voices rose sharply into the air as the three
struggled against each other.

         Wolf heard the racket and turned to look at the three of them. He could
not see what had caused the commotion as it was all over. "Look lively, mates!"
he called to them. "No time for squabbling amongst yerselves!"

         The three in question looked sheepishly back up at Wolf before
separating and scampering off to their separate places. Wesley continued
checking on survivors, Joxer hunted Gabrielle quickly to see if he could be of
assistance, and Autolycus took off, still smelling around for a woman. Not a
word was spoken by either of them, but they continued to glance balefully at
each other. None but Wesley knew what caused the whole thing. Wes was terrified
of the strange woman and could not wait to tell Wolf of her reaction! Just
exactly what is she? he wondered and came to the conclusion that he really
didn't want to know.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Katrina had been looking for her sister for a while but could not see
her anywhere. She ran across Morph and Tom, who were soaking wet, sitting with
tears streaming down their faces. Fear gripped her heart. Could something have
happened to her sister, Celina? "Morph? Tom? What's wrong?" she asked in a
trembling voice.

         Tom looked up at his wife with deep sorrow writhing in his eyes. "Every
one . . . " he spoke slowly, his head shaking once from side to side. "Every one
. . . just . . . dead . . . "

         "We couldn't do it, Katrina," Morph added, looking up at his
sister-in-law with brown eyes that were just as sad as Tom's green eyes. "We
didn't manage to save a single one."

         "You did your best, boys, and that's all that any one expects of you.
Look around you. We saved a lot, and even though they were already dead, you
rescued their bodies for their families. Come here," she said, looking at both
of them, and when they had risen, she hugged them both. "Remember what you saw
here today. I know it's hard on both of you. I've seen it before, and it's just
as hard on me. Any time life is senselessly wasted, it breaks your heart." She
squeezed them gently, let them go, and then asked, "Have you seen Celina?"

         Morph instantly came to alert at his wife's name. "No," he started,
worry creeping into his face and voice.

         "We thought she was with you," Tom added.

         "Why?" Morph asked.

         "Haven't seen her in a while. I've been looking for her, but I can't
find her anywhere." It was then that her keen hearing picked up splashing in the
water, and she turned to look down into the ocean. Catching sight of her sister,
she called, "Celina! What are you doing in there?"

         Morph knew the answer even before she called it back in return. "I know
they're heartless bastards, Katrina, but their families still deserve to know
what happened to them!" She had morphed an extra pair of arms and was currently
hauling out two Christians at once.

         "Boys, there's your live one to rescue. Pull her up out of there.
Celina, we will get the bodies out or, at least, I hope the guys will," she
said, looking at them hopefully. "But you and I have other work to do. Guys,
will you take care of it? Get all the bodies out. Don't even leave the males,
because we don't know who were Witches and who were not."

         As Katrina had been talking, Morph had ran down to the edge of the water
where he had not only taken the Christians from Celina and thrown them onto the
shore but had also helped her to get out of the water. He held her in his arms,
she resting her head on his shoulder and he burying his face in her long, ebony
hair, for just one moment stolen amongst all the heartache and tragedy that had
taken place already that day.

         Tom still stood beside Katrina, and he placed a gentle, reassuring hand
on his wife's shoulder. Her words had dried his tears, though his heart remained
heavy and there was no sign of his typically jovial mood. "We'll handle it,
love," he told her before heading down to join Morph and Celina at the water's
edge.

         Hearing Tom clearing his throat, Morph broke from his wife but kissed
her gently on her forehead before releasing her. Of the four of them, she was
the most compassionate, and though not a single word had been spoken between
them yet, he knew she was being hit the hardest. He also knew Katrina would look
after her, and he needn't fear for her as long as her sister was anywhere near.
"We'll be back," he promised her, "and I promise we won't leave a single body in
there, even if we know it's a Christian." She nodded, and he turned back to Tom.
The two dove into the water as one; their transformations into octopuses were
complete before they even hit the water.

         Katrina pulled her baby sister close to her and hugged her. They had
seen stuff like this on their own planet. Though it had been a long time ago, it
stayed with them. They were the last of their kind except for their cousin,
Jenny, and her husband, Tom. They didn't even know if Jenny was still alive
since it had been years since they had heard from her. The Toad Wars had been
Hell and almost completley annihiliated an entire race. Even now, if their
leaders knew where they were, they'd hunt them down and kill them. "Celina, we
need to do a healing spell, and we need to do it quickly. Exposed as we are, we
are all in danger. Do you feel up to it?"

         Celina had not left the water when the others had; instead she had
stayed to pull out the dead bodies. She was exhausted, but she would never pass
up a chance to do anything she could to help another living being. "Yes," she
answered her sister with a nod.

         Still holding tightly to her sister, not only in support but in comfort
as well, she led her back toward the group of people. She could see that some of
them were beginning to wake up, but it didn't matter if they were awake or
asleep for the healing to take place. She began to chant the words older than
time itself, calling upon her Goddesses to bless and heal the people. She began
and then looked to her sister for the answering chant. Celina was ready when
Katrina looked to her and joined in the spell.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Prue's eyes flashed open. She was instantly awake but could hardly move.
What happened? She wasn't supposed to be here! She gasped for air and sat up,
looking around.

         Cole had been walking and carrying Piper, stopping every so often so
that she could get a good look at the people who were in the group, when he
heard a sharp gasp and quick intake of breath. He turned in the direction.

         Her heart was heavy with depression, and her vision was still blurred
with the tears that remained in her eyes. She had not seen a single one of her
family yet, and the more dead bodies they saw, the more she doubted they'd be
alive when they did find them. It was then that she heard Prue's voice. Hope
jumped in her, but at the same time her mind warned her not to get too excited.
She may only be hearing things, after all, but when Cole turned them toward the
sound, it was indeed her beloved older sister that she saw. "Prue!" she cried
out her name instantly.

         "Piper?!" Prue gasped out. She held her arms out to her sister. Cole
walked over and gently sat Piper on the ground beside Prue. Prue threw her arms
around Piper and hugged her close. "Thank the Goddess you live!" Prue was
already kicking her butt for being stupid and calmly walking into the water. At
the time, she had not seen another way out. Now she had to wonder why they had
all been so insane, throwing away their lives as though they meant nothing.
"Have you found the others yet?" she asked.

         Cole stood nearby, looking away from the sisters as he tried to give
them a moment of privacy.

         It felt so wonderful to be in her sister's arms again that tears of
relief and joy that at least one of her sisters still lived sped down her face
even as Piper returned Prue's embrace in a tight hug. She never wanted to let
her go again, but she nonetheless drew back a bit so that she could face Prue as
she answered her question. "Not yet. I'd . . . I'd almost given up hope that
we'd find even one of you still alive, but thank the Gods that you are, Prue!"

         Cole knew there was no way he could carry both the sisters, so he
figured their searching would be over for a little while as he could not figure
out how to carry both of them around. "We have to go look for them," Prue said,
"but I don't know if I can hold up to looking right now."

         "Ladies, if I may make a suggestion? I will continue to carry Miss
Piper, and I will get a friend to carry your sister." He had not been properly
introduced to her yet. He thought her name was Prue, but he wasn't sure.

         Prue smiled up at him. "Thank you, kind sir, and my name is Prue. You
are . . . ?"

         "Cole Turner at your service, ma'am," he said with a small bow, "and I
will return in a moment." Cole headed off in search of his friend, Lorne. He
knew he'd be very gentle with the lady but hoped his looks would not scare them
too much. He found his friend sitting on a rock and looking out over the water.
He knew his empathy was about to destory him and was glad that he had a small
job that he could handle and that would take his mind off of the sadness and
sorrow the place was steeped in. "Lorne," he called cheerfully, "have I got a
job for you!"

         Lorne looked up. "Cole, where've you been?"

         "Carrying a beautiful lady around to find her relatives, and we were
lucky. We found a live one."

         "Wonderful!" Lorne said. "What do you need me to do?"

         "Well, since neither lady is able to walk under their own power, I
wondered if you would mind carrying one?"

         "Now you know that's not the question," Lorne said. "The question is:
Would she mind me carrying her?"

         "She said she would be very thankful for any one to help. Come, my
friend. Maybe for a change, a beautiful lady will smile on you." He knew Lorne
hated to get around women. Every time they saw him coming they screamed, but
Cole had never known a gentler person than Lorne in his life. Lorne was
green-skinned, red-eyed, and horned, and every woman that saw him started
screaming Satan. He would take his friend back to where the ladies were waiting,
and then he would make a slow introduction so as not to frighten them. He
clasped his friend's hand and gripped him gently. "Come, my friend, and we will
assist the ladies." He gently tugged him forward, then turned and headed back to
where he had left the girls. Lorne followed him slowly, hoping that for once he
would not be screamed at.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Piper had torn her eyes away from Prue to watch Cole as he departed. As
soon as she no longer saw him and knew that he was out of hearing range, she
leaned forward to Prue and whispered to her sister. "Prue, you've never going to
believe this! Cole is a Pirate! He and his crew mates are the ones who rescued
us!"

         Prue's mouth fell open. "A Pirate? You're kidding! But I always heard
they were mean, evil, and nasty things, raping, plundering, and pillaging! He
doesn't strike me that way at all!"

         "He's not," Piper told her, shaking her head quickly. Even though she
had only met the man within the last hour or so, she was already certain that he
was a true gentleman or, at least, as close to one as any Pirate could ever
come. "He would never harm a woman. He's been nothing but gentle with me.
Besides, you know most of that is the same stuff they say about us Witches
except for the raping, plundering, and pillaging part. According to those biased
fools, we're not into any of that; we just do the Devil's other work."

         Cole could see the sisters talking animatedly and was almost afraid to
approach them lest he overhear something he shouldn't. "Stay here, Lorne, just a
minute, and I'll introduce you and make sure she's not going to scream at you."
He stepped up to where the sisters were seated. "Ladies, I've brought one of my
best friends who is more than willing to assist us in our endeavors. However, he
is afraid to approach as he does not wish to offend."

         Prue thought the guy must have gas or be extremely ugly. She couldn't
think what else might be wrong with him. "What's wrong with him?" she asked.

         "Well, he's not your usual, run-of-the-mill male. His coloring is not
the same as mine nor is his appearance. He's green and has red eyes and horns,
but a gentler person you'd never want to meet. He wanted me to describe him to
you so that you would not be frightened when he appeared."

         Prue looked at Piper as though she thought it was a joke. The guy
sounded for all the world to look like a Demon, and although they had often been
accused of consorting with such, they had never seen one. Were there truly
Demons able to walk amongst men, and not just walk but actually live? She was
eager to meet this new guy. "I promise not to scream," she said.

         Cole then looked at Piper. "And you?" he asked.

         Piper tilted her chin so that she could look up into the dark fathoms
that were Cole's eyes. He appeared to be completely serious about this matter,
but she had known those who could deliver a joke with a completely straight face
before. In fact, her other two sisters had both been known to do so on multiple
occasions. She chose her words carefully as she spoke. "Even if he is as you say
he is, I am certain that he would do us no more harm than you have. We have
heard many things about Pirates, but we have also been told just as many lies
about our own kind. I hope you do not think me too bold, Mister Turner, but I
trust you and any who you would speak so highly of in turn."

         Her words brought a smile to Cole's lips and a warmth to his heart.
"Lorne," he called, "the ladies are waiting."

         Lorne walked to their sides, and at first glance all they could see was
that he was completely covered, including his head which had a hat with a large,
green feather in it. He swept his hat off his head and made a bow to the ladies.
"Miss Piper, Miss Prue, it is a pleasure to meet you." He then stood tall so
that they could see exactly what he did look like. He was relieved they did not
scream or faint.

         Prue tried very hard not to show any emotion. "Thank you for agreeing to
help with us, Lorne. I believe you will be carrying me?" she said in a soft,
gentle voice.

         He replaced his hat on his head, reached down, and gently lifted her up.
The first thing Prue had noticed about him was how gentle he was, and the second
thing was that he did not smell like brimstone. In fact, he smelled rather
pleasantly of something she did not know but yet seemed familiar. He waited
while Cole picked Piper up. "Shall we, ladies?" Cole said as he gathered Piper
into his arms and proceeded along the path they had already been heading in when
they had discovered Prue. Lorne and Prue followed closely behind.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Out of all the women Carl had fished out of the river, the one who had
caught his attention the most had been the redhead. He had looked for her and,
finally finding her, had settled down beside her. She had yet to wake, but he
remained vigilantly on guard beside her. The more he looked at her, the more he
found himself attracted to her.

         Carl had never had good luck with women. They hated him almost as much
as they hated Lorne, and yet he and Lorne had a respect for each other. Lorne
treated him better than any one else except for Jack. Neither of them treated
him as though he was beneath them or less of a man because of his stature. He
wondered where Lorne was and hoped his friend was not too overcome by his
empathy.

         The scent of death was heavy upon the place, and Carl did not want to
linger there much longer. He knew the townspeople would be coming. He wanted to
take his booty and run, his booty being the redhead, but he knew he could not
even pick her up and tote her because her body was too long. Her weight seemed
to be nothing, almost that of a bird, but she made almost twice of him in her
stature. He adoringly gazed into her face, willing her to wake up but knowing
that she would probably start screaming for him to get away the minute that she
did. He picked up her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it gently. Then
he sat, holding her hand.

         From somewhere far away, Paige felt something touching her and moving a
part of her body. She came to gradually, her eyes slowly fluttering open. At
first everything was blurry, but as her vision cleared, she became aware of a
stranger's face peering down into her own. "Who . . . ? What . . . ?" she
managed to gasp out in whispers. Her voice ached with each syllable, and her
head pounded.

         "Me? Carl. You?" he asked, surprised she had not screamed. "You're safe
now." He didn't know how to tell her what all had happened and hoped she knew
mostly what had happened. He smiled at her, still expecting screaming to come
and cringing inwardly at the thought.

         Paige was about to tell him her name when his next words answered her
other question before she could ask it. She had wondered where her family was,
and then suddenly the memories rushed back to her. She had been holding her
mother's and Prue's hands when they had all walked out into the water together.
They had meant to let the ocean take them, yet here she was. She knew already
that this was neither Heaven nor Hell. She had lived, but the others . . . her
mother . . . her sisters . . . their grandmother . . . "Oh Gods!" she cried
aloud, jumping up to a sitting position. Her world whirled around her and pain
assaulted every inch of her at the sudden movement, but she ignored it all as
tears sped down her face and she sobbed openly. Her family! "Oh Gods, no!"

         "Oh no, pretty one, do not cry!" Carl pleaded. "I am sure there are
others that you will know that made it. When you are feeling better, we will go
and look. I would offer to carry you to where you could look now as others are
doing, but I am not tall enough. I'm standing now."

         Did he need to wave a red flag in her face? She still wasn't screaming.
Was she in shock? He wanted to yell "Go ahead; get it over with!", so that he
could stop cringing inside and they could get on with it. He could run away and
watch her from the shadows, because he knew something this beautiful would never
want him near her if she was in her right mind. Until she did scream, however,
he was happy to stay close, but if she screamed, he was obliged to run away.
"You?" he asked again, hoping she'd give him at least a name he could dream on.

         She looked at him oddly for a moment before speaking again. "Paige," she
answered finally, wiping her tears from her face with the backs of her hands
though more fell in their place. "Paige Halliwell. And you're right, of course.
They're here. They have to be here somewhere." She started to push herself to
her feet, but her mind whirled at such a rate that she was sent crashing back
down onto her rear.

         Carl pulled off his bandana and offered it to her. His hair fell down
into his eyes, and he swiped at it angrily. "It's not as clean as it could be
since it came from my head, but it's the only one I have," he said and offered
it to her. Even if he managed to get one tear on it, he could smell her on it
when it was returned to him, because she had touched it. It would never get
washed again. He would keep it always and cherish her smell on it.

         Paige looked at Carl as she accepted the offered bandana. "Thank you,"
she spoke in reply. Her fingers brushed his as she took the bandana, but she was
too distraught to notice the spark that the accidental touch ignited. "I-I'm
sorry. You probably think I'm silly or . . . or something . . . but . . . my . .
. my family . . . " She could not bring herself to continue, to speak the awful
fact that they might well be dead, and covered her face in his bandana as her
tears increased. The cloth muffled her choking sob as she cried in fear and
grief.

         Carl couldn't think of how he could get Paige around to see. He looked
frantically around for help. "I will be back in a minute, Miss Paige. Do not go
anywhere. I will get some one to carry you to look for your people." He
scampered off before she could answer in search of Lex and Clark.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Where had those boys gotten off to? Carl wondered as he looked around
for Clark and Lex. He noticed some bushes not too far away; he thought that
would be too obvious but went to look any way. He did not see them, but then he
heard them. They had gone behind a big rock, and he ran around the side. He had
interrupted them before and had every intention of doing it again.

         Sure enough, when he rounded the corner, Carl found the young men locked
in a heated embrace, Lex pushing Clark against the rock while Clark's hands were
already under Lex's shirt. They were so deeply lost in each other's kisses that
they did not even notice Carl at first. Carl cleared his throat and then had to
speak as he noticed the sound had no effect on them. "I need your help. The lady
I rescued with the red hair needs to be carried so that she can find her
family."

         The guys broke off what they were doing and looked at him in revulsion.
"You don't have to say it," Carl said. "She is not interested in you two. She's
mine, and I'll thank you to remember that. I just need your help in carrying
her. She went in the water with her family and is not able to walk. She won't
stop crying. Please, guys? I'll owe you big time."

         "Sure. Why not?" Lex finally spoke. "I'll carry her. Clark doesn't want
anything to do with any women. Lead on." Carl hopped, skipped, and headed back
to where he had left Paige. Clark went next, and Lex slapped him on the rear
when he went by. "Later, baby."

         "Sooner," Clark purred.

         "Right after," Lex answered promisingly. "Can't wait," he added with an
impish grin and a sparkle in his mischievous blue eyes.

         "Me neither," Clark agreed.

         It did not take them long to reach the redheaded woman. She was sitting,
holding a large, red bandana in her hand. {So that's where Carl's bandana is. He
really has laid a claim on her.} Lex had to smile at that thought. Carl never
laid claims on women. Usually, he ran from them. Lex hoped Carl had at last
found somebody who would give him some attention. The little guy deserved some
loving, but Lex moreover just wanted Carl to have something to entertain him
besides distracting Clark and he always just when they were getting to the juicy
parts.

         "M-Miss Paige," Carl said when he reached her side. "This is Lex and
Clark. Lex will carry you."

         Lex smiled at her. "That is if you don't mind, ma'am?" Clark hung back;
he did not want to get close to the woman.

         Paige looked from Carl to Lex. Her eyes traveled slowly up his body, and
despite everything, her gaze shimmered in appreciation of the view before her.
"Of course I don't mind."

         From where he stood behind Lex, Clark saw the appreciative way the woman
looked at his beloved. He cleared his throat, stepped up, and laid a gentle hand
possessively on Lex's shoulder. His eyes stayed on Paige's, however, in a silent
warning that she keep any such thoughts of his man out of her mind. Paige
glanced at him questioningly, unsure what to make of his move and, had she not
known better or thought she did, warning, then returned her gaze to Lex.

         Lex gently picked up Paige and they, too, began walking and looking at
the people. He hoped she would find her family alive. Carl stayed very close,
almost at Lex's butt. If Lex stopped, he would bump into him. He did not want to
lose contact with the beautiful woman, and he did not want her to get excited
over Lex. It seemed that every woman that saw Lex and Clark wanted them, and
Carl did not want to lose her before he even got her.

         As they had been walking, Clark had moved silently up beside Lex so that
he could keep a closer eye on Paige. Out of the two, Clark was the shy one
except when somebody was messing with Lex. If he had to kick that little hussy's
ass, he would kick her butt with pleasure. Otherwise, he didn't want to touch
any woman. Lex was his all, and any who dared to lay a hand on his man would pay
the price. He got warm just thinking about what Lex would do to him later, and a
devilish smile played over his lips at the thought and imagings that followed.

Chapter Nine
         Left alone with the beautiful Princess, Angel began to become
increasingly nervous even as his loins became more heated. He knew Jack was
right and that the Princess would only be safe once she was on the other side of
Jack's door. He smiled at her. "Would you like to rest for a while, Cordelia?
The Captain said you may use his quarters. I've never been in there, but I am
sure they are the best accommodations on the ship."

         She was tired but did not want to sleep nor, she realized as her hazel
eyes turned from the water to look back up at the dashing Pirate who had rescued
her, did she wish to be parted from this man any time soon. It was strange, but
although they had just met, she already felt safer around him than she had since
her father had changed and began to look at her as a young adult instead of a
child. "Perhaps later," she answered softly. "Thank you."

         "We should retire there. I won't leave you if you don't want me to," he
said as though he had read her thoughts, "but you could lay on the bed and
rest." He knew he might be getting into troubled waters over his head, but she
looked as though she was about to fall out and he couldn't bare the thought of
that. "It's this way," he said, walking over to a door that looked like all the
rest. He opened it and stepped back, allowing her to enter. He hoped Jack did
not get mad that he was about to be in his Captain's room, but he did say that
the Princess was to be there and since she did not want to leave him, he
couldn't see any other way to get her there.

         Cordelia started to follow, but as she reached the door, a thought
occurred to her. Despite his heroicness, Angel was not the Captain and might
well get into trouble for accompanying her into chambers that he would not
normally be allowed in. She stopped beside him and, looking up, spoke softly,
"Please do not allow yourself to get into trouble on my account. Should the
Captain ask, tell him . . . " She paused, considering their choices. Knowing
that there were not many, she took the only one she truly saw. Although it would
hinder the reputation of any lady, she did not care. "Tell him I requested your
presence should he ask. That, I hope, will alleviate you of any possible
negative consequences."

         He smiled down into her eyes. "Fair lady, the Captain told me to make
sure that you were comfortable and well taken care of, and I intend to do that."
He did not add 'only that'. "Although you do request my presence, there may come
a time when I have to leave you, but I will not be far. The Captain has never
forbade me entry. I just never wanted to encroach on his privacy. He is a very
private man," and he added almost as an afterthought, "and a very lonely man. He
is basically good at heart and will help you any way he can, but his mischievous
side gets him into trouble often. All in all, he is a great Captain and an even
greater friend. He will not mind." {As long as I behave myself,} he added to
himself.

         "Good," Cordelia returned with a satisfied nod and smile. She passed
through the doorway and was surprised to find herself in what, at first glance,
appeared to be a normal bedroom. Indeed, had there not been swords hanging above
the bed and dresser and on one of the walls, she would never have thought she
was in a Pirate's cabin. A black curtain hung over what she presumed to be the
dresser's mirror, and she gave it a curious glance as she looked the room over.
A bookcase stood in one corner in a silent reminder to her that pirates were, as
far as she could tell thus far, nothing like so many people thought. It was
filled almost entirely with books save the top shelf that held several rolled-up
maps. She wondered what those maps looked like for she knew they must lead to
treasure and had never seen a real treasure map before. What surprised her most
about the room, however, was its neatness. Though he had impressed his kindness
upon her, she certainly would not have thought the Captain gave even one gold
coin to cleanliness yet the room seemed in near perfect condition. The bed
actually looked as if it had never been slept on, and everything else appeared
to be in its rightful place, as well.

         Angel followed closely behind Cordelia, closing the door behind him. He
was in awe of the Captain's room. He had never known Captain Jack to be overly
concerned with neatness yet this room could have been in a rich man's house. It
was not only neat and orderly, but it was clean! Since when was the Captain so
concerned with cleanliness? he wondered. Then he remembered how many times a
week Jack insisted on bathing. {Must be preparing for something,} he thought to
himself. {Too many baths are not good for you.}

         Although Jack insisted on his crew taking at least one bath a week, most
of them never took more than that. In fact, there had been times when the catman
had had to be picked up and bodily thrown into the water; most of those times,
his wife had been the one doing the throwing. Angel's keen sense of smell was
very appreciative of Jack's abilities to make sure that every one kept some
cleanliness to their bodies for he had found body odors to be extremely
offensive in the hottest summers. Indeed, if not for the weekly baths, he would
probably not have survived the stench.

         He was surprised to see that the Captain had books for to hear the
Captain talk, he was not an overly educated man. He was beginning to wonder just
how much of the Captain was real and how much he did to affect his outward
appearance to the world. Did any of them really know the man behind Captain Jack
Sparrow? Angel didn't think so.

         He walked over and stood by the bed. "This looks extremely comfortable,
Cordelia. Why don't you lay down on it? I'll take your shoes off."

         Normally, she would have balked at any man's suggestion that she lay
down, but she knew Angel was only being a gentleman looking out for her best
interests. She smiled at him as she crossed the room and sat down on the bed.
She hoped having her shoes taken off was not too close to having the royal
treatment she was accustomed to, but just the thought of Angel's hands being so
close to her skin sent a secret thrill coursing through her. She had seen the
look upon his face when he had entered the cabin behind her and commented
softly, in a small attempt to change the subject, "I noticed you also seemed
surprised by your Captain's chambers."

         "Captain Jack always puts an outward appearance -- well, the way you saw
him today before he changed into the fancy finery, just an ordinary man who can
be silly at times, but this looks like a gentleman's room. There's not too many
gentlemen aboard the Pearl. We have a code of ethics that Jack wrote up, and I
wondered about that at the time I signed up. Most Pirate ships don't have
ethics, but then most Pirates don't have ethics."

         Cordelia started to tell Angel that the ethics of he and his friends she
had already met that day were clearly visible in both their heroic actions and
their mannerisms where a lady such as herself was involved. Indeed, she'd met
many of society's supposedly finer gentlemen who had not even had as much of a
thimble of the manners Angel, Brendan, and their Captain had. Angel continued
before she could speak, however.

         "If Jack finds out that any of his men don't have ethics, they had
either better soon develop them or they will walk the plank. He tolerates no
bull when it comes to ladies yet I hardly ever see him with one." He said the
latter hoping Cordelia was not getting ideals about his Captain; he wanted her
all to himself. "Before today, I have never seen Jack in those fancy clothes. I
didn't even know he had them! He must have bought them for the wedding!"

         Cordelia's gaze snapped to Angel's in surprise. "The wedding?" she
repeated questioningly.

         "Of his best friend and the Governor's daughter. But then the Governor
turned out to be two-faced. You sure you want to hear all this? It's a long
story." Even as he talked, he was unlacing her boots and slipping them from her
feet.

         His fingers brushing against her feet as he slipped her boots off sent
sparks racing through her. Had her curiosity not been so piqued, she would have
wondered what his hands would feel like on the rest of her body. "Yes, please. I
noticed the way he took off so hurriedly with the other gentleman. He seemed
quite upset, and I was concerned. You all have already been so nice to me that I
would hate to see anything happen to any of you." Realizing that she was being
what society would consider to be too bold, she blushed slightly and amended
with a jesting smile, "Besides, it is not as if we are going anywhere any time
soon."

         Angel thought for a minute. Where should he begin to tell the tale? "On
our last journey to regain the Pearl that had been stolen from the Captain, the
Captain met Will. Will went on the journey with us in order to rescue the
Governor's daughter, who he was in love with. Jack ended up rescuing both of
them and returning them safely to Port Royal. Despite all the good deeds that
Jack did, the Governor was still going to hang Jack because he was a Pirate. He
would have succeeded if Will had not saved him."

         "The Governor's daughter is beautiful. Will is handsome," Angel said,
nodding his head slightly. "They fit good together." He did not add that Jack
was in love with Will even though he knew it and that they would make a much
better pairing. "The Governor's daughter talked her father into giving amnesty
for one day so that we could sail into the harbor for their wedding. We came
only to find that the Governor was a lying, two-faced . . . " He didn't finish
the sentence.

         "He betrayed his daughter's love and trust by having his soldiers beat
up Will on the morning of their wedding and sell him into slavery. Captain Jack
has rushed off to save Will. If things were going like they should, at least
half the crew would have went with him. As it is, Brendan and I returned to tell
Jack what had happened only to find that there was no one aboard the ship but
Jack, you, and your father's guards. I really hated for him to run off with just
Brendan. I should be there, but I need to be here worse. I have no clue as to
where the crew ran off to but trust that they will soon return."

         His eyes kept getting drawn to the swords. He knew where they came from,
and he knew who made them. He also knew he'd better not touch a single one of
them or Jack would know it and would probably have his head for it, but his
hands itched to stroke even one of them. They were beautifully made with
excellent craftsmanship. Each one of them would be a prize to own, and yet he
knew that the maker had no clue as to where his swords had gone. {You sly fox,}
he thought, thinking of Jack.

         Cordelia's gaze followed Angel's to the swords, and she wondered why he
was looking at them as if each was a willing, beautiful woman just waiting for
his caress. {It must be a Pirate thing,} she thought to herself with a shrug of
her slender shoulders. As she looked back down, her mind returned to all that
Angel had just told her. "I can not imagine how any father could be so heartless
as to sell his daughter's love into slavery," she admitted. "I know there are a
lot of awfully horrid things that go on in this world, but that . . . " Her
voice trailed off into a shudder. How could any father betray his daughter so
much, but then another part of her wondered as sadness flickered in her hazel
eyes, how could any father do to his daughter what hers had done to her?

         "I never trusted the Governor," Angel said, "and neither did Jack. I
think that if the Governor had not given amnesty for this day, Jack would have
come alone. Will means that much to him. Elizabeth never said much about her
father, but I always thought they had a normal father-daughter relationship. Now
I think it could have been more." He didn't say what more, allowing her to think
what she would, but the emotions that flickered in her eyes surprised him,
telling him that she understood far more.

         "Jack figured we might have to fight our way out of here, but everything
was peaceful when we came in. Our sister ship is not as well-known as we are,
and since we are both flying the English flag for this day, no undue attention
was drawn to her. She is berthed not far from us, and her Captain is one to
fear. Still, we were alert but never in a million years, would we have expected
what we found."

         "The look on Jack's face when we told him was almost more than I could
bare. I think he flipped. He went ahead and dressed as though he was going to
the wedding, as you saw, and then he took the strangest sword I've ever seen."
He paced to and fro in the cabin nervously, trying to remember if he had seen
any crew members from the Witch in a while. Where could they be? What had drawn
all their members away? Did the Governor have them or, even worse, could they be
dead?

         Cordelia watched Angel pacing in great concern. She knew he wanted to go
help his friend and also knew that the Captain would most likely need his aid.
She stood and was about to walk over to Angel when something white falling
outside the one window in the room caught her eye. She looked at it, and her
mouth opened in a round circle in surprise. "I did not realize it snowed in Port
Royal at this time of the year," she commented quietly.

         "Snow?" Angel asked with disbelief on his face. "I've never known it to
snow in Port Royal. It's usually too hot. This is indeed a strange day!" He
looked out the window and could see the entire harbor and out to the ocean. He
longed to be out there. Even though it had its dangers, he still felt safer out
there than he did here.

         It was then that his attention was drawn to a small box ornately
decorated that sat in the center of the table. He walked over, lifted the lid,
and looked inside. He gasped when music came from the little box. Looking
inside, he spied a key and a note. He lifted both the box and its treasure and
carried it to Cordelia. "Please," he begged with his eyes, "read to me what it
says."

         Her hazel eyes widened as she looked up into Angel's begging eyes. This
man was constantly surprising her more and more. "Of course," she replied with a
reassuring smile. Her fingertips brushed over his hand as she reached for the
paper. She had meant to take the note from him to read it, but instead she found
her hand closing gently around his as she began to read the note. "For two of my
very best friends, I hope the happiness that you find on this day will be the
beginning of the happiness you will share in your life together. If you ever
need me, send word and I will come." Her eyes lifted back to Angel's as she
finished with a statement of the obvious, "It is signed by your Captain."

         "Thank you," Angel said. "I often wish I could read, but unfortunately,
I can not read or write. It gets embarrassing sometimes. My Father was a vicar,
but the only thing he ever taught me was abuse. He worked me from sun up to sun
down and abused my Mother, my sister, and me. I hated him." He figured she'd
recoil from him when he admitted, "I killed him."

         "I was out working in the field and cut my hand. I went home to get it
seen to. I found my Mother dead, my Father's knife embedded in her heart. I
recognized the knife. I pulled it out, closed her eyes gently, and kissed her.
The bastard would pay for that."

         His eyes glazed over as he became lost to his memories, his mouth moving
as of its own accord. "It was then I heard my sister scream. I ran, but I was
too late. The bastard was deeply embedded in her and was pumping away. He didn't
know I was there. It was then I realized, as I stabbed him through his black
heart, that he had killed my sister by strangling her even while he was raping
her." He was wrapped in his memories, and his pain showed in his face, his hands
clenching by his side.

         "I snatched him from her, and I stabbed him over and over and over
again. His blood was all over me, and still it wasn't enough. I carried my
Mother and sister to the field and buried them, and then I burnt him in the
house. Of course, the villagers all thought I had gone crazy and killed
everybody. After all, they would never expect a man of God to go berserk. Bloody
bastard!"

         He had forgotten that Cordy was there. As he remembered being chased,
his words just tumbled out of his mouth. The villagers' screams that they would
kill him and feed him to the fishes echoed in his head. They had caught him, had
him at the stake, and were about to burn him alive when, like an avenging Angel,
Jack had appeared out of nowhere, cutting him free, saving him, and taking him
far away with the town in flames behind them. "I've been with him ever since."
He remembered the flames licking at his skin, and he groaned aloud.

         He was scaring her, but though terror blanched her face, she did not
fear him. Rather she feared for him. She knew he'd forgotten that she was there
and that he did not remember anything save the memories of that time. She also
knew she needed to snap him out of his past, though he would be horrified when
he realized all that he had just revealed to her. Taking a deep breath, she laid
a gentle hand on his cheek. "Angel?" she called as though he were asleep.

         "Oh my Gods! Beautiful lady, I did not mean to run off like that, but I
haven't been touched by such a gentle hand, not since my Mother! I am sorry if I
scared or sickened you." He breathed deeply but did not move from her touch.

         "You did neither," she was quick to reassure him with a shake of her
head. "I am just . . . " Her words failed her, but she tried again. "I am
honored to remind you of your mother, Angel, but I am so sorry that you went
through what you did." His eyes and face were still filled with such emotion
that she only wanted to comfort him, and to her surprise, Cordelia found herself
stepping closer to him. Her hands dropped from his face and hand so that her
arms could circle his body as she dared to hug him gently. "No one should have
been put through such."

         His arms slipped around her, and he held her gently. This woman was
driving him crazy, making him feel things he had never felt before, and making
him want things that he knew were impossible! The smell of her hair was so
heavenly that he just wanted to gobble her up. Before he could stop himself, he
nuzzled her neck gently.

         What could he, a lowly Vampire Pirate, offer such a beautiful woman?
He'd had women before, many of them, but not in a while. He had had them in many
ways, but none of them stirred his blood like this dark-haired beauty. He
realized that he had best let her go before he followed his instincts and did
something that they both would regret.

         "Thank you, beautiful lady, for your gentleness and understanding." He
regretfully began to let go of her when his eyes caught a mark on her neck. He
recognized it as what it was. "When?" he asked her. "Who?" He knew the mark had
been burnt on her. He would kill the bastard who did it. He did not let go of
her.

         She froze in his arms when she heard his questions, and her heart
thundered so loudly that it seemed to her to fill the room. She had never meant
to reveal what her father had done, the real reason why she had ran away from
home. When she opened her mouth, she released a breath of air that she had not
even been aware of holding. "What?" she tried to ask innocently, but her voice
trembled. She bit her bottom lip, knowing already what the answer would be.

         "Whatever bloody bastard put his mark on you, I will kill him! If he
hurt you more, I'll make him eat it! But I don't understand. I can see it's a
King's ring. Your father?" He was still holding her and not looking into her
face. Her heartbeat sounded as loud as thunder in his ears. "Why would your
father put his brand on you? Was it him?"

         She knew she could not lie to him. "Yes," she forced herself to answer
in another deep breath. "I tried to fight him, but he would not have it. I'd
already hated him for trying to force me off on Prince after Prince, but when he
decided I was to marry the captain of his guards instead, I thought it couldn't
get any worse. Gods, was I ever wrong," she said dryly. "He wanted me to marry
Groo so that I would remain accessable to him and he could . . . he could take
me whenever he wanted."

         "I tried to fight him, Angel. I tried," she repeated, whimperingly,
again as tears welled in her hazel eyes, "but he tied me to the bed so that I
could not move! That mark was meant to remind me that I was his daughter and, as
such, . . . his property to do with as he liked!" Her tears slipped from her
eyes, racing down her cheeks and falling onto his shoulder.

         He squeezed her just a little tighter. "I will kill the bastard! You
need not ever fear him again. If any man ever touches you again and you don't
want to be touched, you have but to tell me. They will not live long enough to
see the next day. No one as beautiful and gentle as you are should ever have had
to undergo something like this! I am sorry." He tilted her chin upward and
swabbed gently at her tears with his thumbs. "I will protect you, my lady, if
you will allow me to. No one will ever hurt you again."

         Before Angel even knew what was happening, his lips had plunged
downwards onto hers, but he did not defoul her mouth. He gently pledged his
undying loyalty to her. He felt a tremble go through her body, and he figured it
was because he had forgotten himself. Though her lips parted under his, he was
still about to release her when he heard some one calling. He didn't want to let
her go, but he had to take care of this business.

         "I will be back. Some one's on the ship." He withdrew quickly, leaving
Cordelia holding the music box. {Gods, what a woman,} he thought, {and how lucky
I am to know her and to escape without getting slapped!} He almost had to laugh
at the times poor Jack had been slapped, and for most of the time, not even
knowing what he was being slapped for. At least, had it happened to him, he
would have known. He slipped out the cabin door, closing it softly behind him.

         Behind him, Angel left a strong woman quivering like a leaf in a gale.
Cordelia trembled not from fear or the sadness that had threatened to engulf her
until Angel had touched her face to wipe her tears away and spoken so sweetly to
her. Rather, she shook from the intense passion that his kiss had sent coiling
through her body and shooting through her every core like a million fiery stars.

         Princess Cordelia Chase had been kissed by many a Prince and even once
or twice, since leaving home, by men on the streets who had tried, and
thankfully failed, to take her without her permission. She had even been kissed
by a few members of royalty who were supposedly among the best kissers her part
of the world had to offer. Yet never had she been kissed like Angel had just
kissed her! Never had she felt such passion! It threatened to engulf her, and
her every fiber ached to allow it to do precisely that. Her lips parted in a
longing sigh even as she heard a stranger's voice speak to Angel outside the
cabin door.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Angel had thought he recognized the voice, and sure enough, it was
Elizabeth.

         The instant she had heard a door open, Elizabeth had whirled in its
direction. She looked in surprise at Angel as he stepped out of Jack's cabin and
wondered what in the world he had been doing in there and why he looked as if he
were dying for oxygen. Her brow creased, but she did not bother to ask him.
Instead, she leapt right to the point. "The Captain and two of the other crew
have gone after Will. I am to go with you when you set sail, and he told me to
tell the rest of you to prepare and be ready to sail the minute he gets here."

         "I have no ideal where the rest of the crew is, Elizabeth. Two of the
crew are with the Captain?" he asked, remembering what she had said. "Who?"

         "The doctor, Brendan, and that Faith."

         "Good," Angel said. "I can stop worrying so much about him; Faith won't
let anything happen to him." He thought for a minute and figured the safest
place for Elizabeth would be in the cabin with Cordelia. "I am guarding another
lady," he told her. "She's in Jack's cabin with Jack's permission. The safest
place for you will be with her. I will stay out here and guard you. Please be
nice to her. Her name is Cordelia, and she's had a hard time."

         Elizabeth nodded. She knew her place and understood why they were
determined to keep her safe. Given her father's orders, if any of the guards
were to spot her on the ship, they would all be doomed. As she slipped past
Angel into Jack's cabin, she wondered about Cordelia. Had the Pirate Captain
finally found a woman, or was she the reason why Angel had seemed in such a need
for air?



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cordelia was just placing the box back onto the table where Angel had
taken it from when she heard the door open and shut again. "Angel . . . " she
started as she turned to face the person, but her voice died in her throat when
she found a blonde woman standing there instead.

         "He's outside."

         Cordelia's forehead creased, and her hazel eyes narrowed as she looked
in suspicion at the blonde. "Who are you?"

         "My name is Elizabeth. I am . . . "

         "I know," Cordelia spoke softly, "and I am sorry for your loss."

         Elizabeth smiled sadly at the other woman. "Thank you." Cordelia nodded
but did not speak again as her eyes turned to the door behind Elizabeth. Why was
Angel still out there? He had said he would return, so why hadn't he? Was he
running from her?



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Angel raked his brain, trying to think of some one he could send to find
the crew. It dawned on him that the only being that could carry this mission off
and was available was King Meesy. Rather or not King Meesy would do it for him,
he didn't know. He could only try.

         Angel climbed up onto the top of Jack's cabin so that he could see over
to the other ship. Calling just loudly enough to be heard over at the Sea Witch,
he called, "King Meesy, please show yourself! I have a mission for you! I need
your help desperately!"

         Angel was rewarded when a cat bounded onto the Sea Witch's railing. The
large cat's fur was already ruffled by the cold winds that were blowing, and
snow sparkled amongst his chocolate and cream fur. Deep blue eyes peered out
from a chocolate face as he looked expectantly at Angel, clearly waiting for an
explanation.

         "I have two ladies whom I have to guard. There's no one else. Captain
Jack requests that all crew members return to the ship immediately and prepare
for sailing. The Governor has betrayed Will and Elizabeth. Jack has gone to
rescue Will, who the Governor had sold into slavery. We must be ready when they
return! Please help!" he begged the furry feline.

         Meesy cocked his head to one side as he listened carefully to Angel, and
when the Pirate was done speaking, the cat nodded. He disappeared from sight
then, but it was only a few seconds before Angel saw a blur of cream and
chocolate streaking down the dock. He hoped it would not take King Meesy long to
locate the others. He admired the cat greatly for he had seen many things
seemingly impossible accomplished by the furry feline. In fact, there was no
other cat alive who could hold a candle to King Meesy, and if Angel only knew
half the things Meesy could do, he would never believe them. The Lewis sisters
had chosen well in their choice of a familiar. He knew the crew would be coming
soon and set about doing what he could to prepare the ship even as his mind
turned back to Jack and Will and he wondered what was happening.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Darkness continued to engulf his world as Will Turner slowly came to.
The first thing that he became aware of was that somebody was moving his face
and pushing and pulling his jaw and cheeks. He had never felt their touch before
and knew instantly that it was neither Jack nor Elizabeth for he would recognize
either's touch immediately. No, this person was some one who had no business
touching him. He tried to pull away from their touch, but something held him in
place.

         He was still too groggy to fight whatever was restraining him, but the
rattling sounds his restraints made as he tried to move told him that they were
chains. He moved his wrists, and the same rattling sounds met his ears. Fear
began to encroach upon his heart. He was chained, his hands and feet shackled to
a wall, but who was touching him and where was he?

         It was then that Will suddenly felt thumbs forcing his lips apart and
fingers poking into his mouth. His eyes flew open as he reacted with instinct,
biting down on the fingers so hard that he felt the copper taste of blood
trickle onto his tongue. "Hey!" a sharp voice commanded. "Nae bitin' the
customers!" Though Will had already released the stranger's fingers and was
about to spit out the blood in disgust, a fist plowed into his gut.

         "Hey now!" exclaimed the first stranger. "I may like violence, but I
will not pay for injured merchandise!" The man wore a tophat, was dressed in a
fine suit, and carried a cane that he had no need for. To those who only passed
him on the streets, he appeared to be an astristocratic gentleman, but Will
already knew that a monster lurked behind that facade.

         "Oh," the second quickly backpaddled as he stepped away from Will.
"Well, hum, in that case, nae free nips." He was a short man, but his stocky,
muscular build more than made up for what he lacked in height. His gray hair was
pulled back in a limp ponytail, and his clothes and skin were covered in so much
grime that one could easily tell he had not had a bath all year.

         The first man ignored the second as he returned his attention to Will.
His dark eyes hungrily roved the younger man's body even as he licked the blood
that trickled from his wound. "Fine set of gnashers you have," he commented more
to himself than to Will, "but I wonder how you are when it comes to the sheets."
No sooner had he made the comment than his hand swiped out and grabbed Will in
between the legs.

         Will's education failed him completely as he growled savagely at the man
while struggling desperately to break free of his chains and the stranger's
grip. His legs jerked toward him, but the stranger remained just out of his
reach and completely unfazed by Will's struggles. Instead, he squeezed the
blacksmith's sword. Will's yell echoed through the stalls, and his brown eyes
flashed on black. Still, however, he could not reach him.

         "Oh, yes," the man purred aloud as he finally withdrew his hand. The
hand that had groped him was the same one that Will had bitten. Now the stranger
brought it to his face. He sniffed it first, then licked his fingers one by one.
Sounds of satisfaction emitted from the depths of his throat as he licked each
one that had groped Will through his clothes, and his eyes shone with eager
anticipation. "I'll enjoy breaking you," he continued lustfully, "very much."
His hand again grabbed the boy's member, and as he squeezed it hard, he
finished, his fingers playing over Will's sword as if it were a new instrument
meant only for him, "And very, very soon."

         "I'll never -- " Will started to growl out, but the man cut him off.

         "Oh, but you will -- for the right price, of course," he added with a
meaningful look at the other man in the stall. "And once you're mine, I'll do
with you exactly what I want." He squeezed Will again before releasing him and
turning to go.

         Will spit, but the man did not even appear to notice the spittle that
struck the back of his head. "I'll never be yours, you bastard!" He cussed the
man in more words than he'd even known he knew, only then realizing that he must
have picked up even more than he'd thought from Jack, but the man only laughed.

         As the laughter that made Will cringe faded into the distance, Will
turned back to the other man. He tried a different tactic with him. "You must
release me immediately! My name is William Turner, and I am to marry the
Governor's daughter this day!"

         The laughter that met Will's ears this time was huge and shook both the
man's portly belly and the walls of the stall that surrounded them. "Right!
Don't you think I know that the Governor himself was the one who had you sent to
us? Good one, kid, but you're not getting out of here!" His laughter had stopped
now, and he shrugged as he added, "Just be glad you'll probably only be sold for
sex."

         Will looked at him puzzledly. "You sell humans for another purpose?" Did
he even want to know? "Work?"

         "Well, aye, there's that," the man admitted, "but I was talkin' more
about eatin'."

         Lines of confusion drew together on Will's forehead. "Food? You mean to
say you sell chefs?" That couldn't be right.

         "Of course not. Humans to eat." Will wanted to think the man was joking,
but he knew from his serious tone and surprised face that he was not. Will's own
face paled. There were human beings that ate humans? Or could the legends of
Vampires be true? Shivers raced through him as more fear than he'd ever felt for
his own self crashed through him. Indeed, he had only been more afraid than he
was now once in his life, and that had been when he had thought his beloved Jack
had been dealt a fatal blow.

         "Damn," his seller commented, letting out a low whistle as he took in
his stock's paled face. "Ye are an innocent! I better gi tell the bosses that.
It'll bring ye a higher price."

         Will did not realize when the man left. His terrified heart was pounding
so loudly in his ears that he could hear nothing else, and his surroundings
whirled around him at a blinding rate. Even if he could somehow manage to break
free of his chains and gain a weapon, there were bound to be far too many slave
holders and guards for him to ever make it out alive, but if he did not somehow
find a way out of this nightmare, he would meet a fate worse than death. Rather
it was at that sick man's hands or another's did not matter. It was hard enough
to pretend with Elizabeth, but at least she was gentle and truly cared about
him. These people were strangers, and he was but meat to any of them.

         Jack! his heart cried. Jack would find him! He would save him! But no,
his brain argued, Jack did not even know where he was. No one except the
Governor and two of his guards knew. Besides, why would Jack risk his neck again
for him? Will knew he would not for as much as he loved him, Jack was still a
pirate. He would gain nothing from saving his undeserving hide this time, so he
would not risk his life.

         Tears finally welled in the blacksmith's eyes as the source of his fear
changed. No longer was he terrified of what would happen to him if he was sold
or tried and failed to escape. The fear that filled his very core with ice was
the knowledge that he would never again see the man he loved. He would never
again have a chance to tell Jack the truth. Tears slipped down his face as Will
realized that he would not even know if he might have stood a chance, no matter
how slim, of somehow, some way gaining the pirate's love, of having his love
returned, of knowing what Jack's lips on his own truly felt like instead of only
what he imagined them to feel like. Will bit back a sob. He would never see Jack
again.


To Be Continued . . .


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Chapter Four
         Wolf's keen senses of smell and sight shown him that he was almost to
the area of the ocean that the Christians were chasing the others. He could see
that they were not going to be in time. The hair stood up on his back, and he
howled for already women were drowning and he could not reach them. He could not
believe his eyes when they had simply held hands and walked out into the ocean,
singing and chanting, to meet what they knew would be their deaths. How brave
they were or, on the other paw, how stupid they were!

         Wolf had never believed in anything enough that he wanted to die for it
until he had met Jack. Now he knew he was willing to die for his family yet he
still did not have a cause to which he would give his life. Jack had saved him
on numerous occasions from the hangman's noose, and he owed him big time but
there was still nothing that he believed in to the point that he would die for
it and yet, these women were walking out, almost cheerfully though tears
streamed down several of their faces, to meet certain doom. {Gods, women!} he
wanted to scream out in man's language but only a howl came out.

         Where was Jack in all this madness? Wolf believed Jack could do
anything, even stop this madness. He renewed his efforts to reach the women,
only to be blocked by the Christians. The stench of hatred and prejudice that
came off of them was enough to gag him. It was overpowering. He glanced around,
trying to find a place to jump into the water, but the Christians were barring
the water.

         It was then that the men finally reached the confrontation. They
attacked the Christians with everything they were carrying -- axes, swords,
daggers, claws. Some, like Xena, Gabrielle, Wolverine, and Cole Turner, were
flurries of action that nothing seemed able to hold back while others, like
Joxer, who was far more apt in the kitchen than on the battlefield, and Carl,
whose shortness was constantly pitted against him, determinedly continued their
struggles against the mob, no matter how many times they were knocked flat of
their backside. The Lewis sisters and their husbands fought side by side in a
blinding daze of silver blades, fur, and hair. Even those few among their number
who might have attempted to find another solution before fighting, and moreover
killing, did not hesitate to do their fullest in the fray for they had all felt
the sting of prejudice at some time or another in their lives.

         Their fighting gave Wolf enough of a chance to jump into the ocean. The
first person he encountered was definitely dead. She lay floating with her eyes
open skyward. The fear and grief in her eyes had been dulled by death, but a
peaceful smile remained on her cold lips. It gave him the willies. He knew
there'd be a lot more dead this day. He heard a yell and barely managed to swim
out of the way just as a Christian was thrown in, blood spattering everywhere.
Bile rose in his throat and he almost lost it, but his nose caught a scent of
something barely breathing yet still alive.

         Wolf started to swim toward the scent but had to take a quick detour as
two huge forms fell into the water on either side of him. Upon glancing to the
newcomers, surprise flickered in his dark eyes, but as soon as he saw the giant
octopuses beginning to reach for women with their eight arms and caught their
scents, he realized that they were only the shapeshifters, Morph and Tom.
Immediately returning his attention to the scent of the live woman, Wolf
continued toward her.

         Reaching her, Wolf got a good grip on her hair. Her clothes were so
heavy that they were pulling the body down, and he fought valiantly to pull the
raven-haired wench from the water. Pushing her to shore, his eyes looked
pleadingly for help. He was not surprised to see that there was only a handful
of Christians left, and even as he watched, they were picked up, throats slit,
and thrown into the water. A pair of strong arms reached down and took the woman
out of the water. He did not let go until he could feel her being pulled. She
was carried over to a grassy area and laid down. Gabrielle stood waiting at the
designated spot, and as soon as Wolf saw the surgeon bend down to care for his
rescuee and heard her calling commands to Joxer and Autolycus who had joined her
in helping to care for those few who were snatched from the water while they
still lived, he returned to his own rescue efforts.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Upon reaching the water's edge, Carl had gotten off the huge dog and was
running back and forth, trying to braven himself enough to jump in and try to
save one of the lovely women. He was scared of the water and could do nothing
but whimper and run up and down. He noticed that the dog was gone and looked up
and around for his companion, noticing that he had gone over to where a
raven-haired woman dressed in black was laying on the ground.

         Carl finally spied what he was looking for. It was a pole with a hook on
it. He knew if he got in the water, his butt would be gone for it would either
suck him down or carry him out to sea. He looked around for a buxom wench to
rescue and finally spied some one with red hair. He snaked the pole out and
caught the clothes, pulling the woman to him. Carl thought she was the prettiest
fish he'd ever seen.

         A couple of the guys reached down and pulled her out of the water. "Good
going, little guy," one of them said and reached down and patted Carl on the
head. Carl growled. He hated to be treated like a pet of some kind. He
immediately began looking for another woman to rescue.

         He spied another one and snaked the pole quickly out to snag her and
pulled her up close only to find out that she was dead. The pirates who had
quickly gotten rid of the Christians were now just as quickly pulling the women
out of the water. Two of them, Lex and Clark, stayed close by Carl and pulled
out everything that he snaked up. Unfortunately, the redhead had been the only
one alive thus far, and all the rest that were dead they had laid a little ways
away from them, grouping them together. It was a gut-wrenching, heart-sickening
affair for all involved.

         Then Carl snagged one with black hair. He pulled her up and breathed a
sigh of relief. She was alive. Even as Clark gathered the woman into his arms
and ran her over to Gabrielle, Carl glanced around but did not see any other
bodies floating nearby. He did, however, see Cole trying to get to shore with a
woman. Carl waited in case he could help.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cole had arrived and jumped straight into the ocean, hoping to rescue a
fair damsel, but every woman he came into contact with save one was already dead
and he didn't spend any time getting their bodies out of the water. Cole was
only in it for the live ones, although he would help later after they got the
last live ones out and removed the dead women from the water. No one should have
had to have died in this manner, but he knew it happened far too often. He felt
powerless to do anything about it.

         It was then that he spied another woman and swam over to her. He sniffed
her. She was breathing but just barely. His heart stirred at the sight of her,
but he didn't know why. She reminded him of some one. He put his arm around her
and began to swim with his other arm toward the shore. She had been further out
than the others, and her clothes were very heavy. They almost pulled Cole down.
He was relieved to see Carl snaking his pole out, and he grabbed it with his
hand and was pulled rapidly toward the shore where he and the woman were pulled
out.

         The woman was carried away toward the area where the live women had been
taken, and Cole lay on his back, breathing heavily, looking at the sky. For such
a miserable day of sadness and sorrow, he could not believe that the sky was
beautiful, not a rain cloud in sight, no one to cry for the dead. He wondered
about the woman and hoped that she had not lost any loved ones in this mess. He
had lost both a mother and a sister to Christians, and he hated them with a
bloody passion.

         He closed his eyes and thanked the Gods and Goddesses that he had been
in time and saved two women. He remembered back to another little, petite woman
he had hauled out when he had first got there. The first woman he had rescued
had made him think of his sister. She was small and had long, black hair to her
waist. He figured her eyes were probably blue. He shook himself mentally, got
up, and went to find out how the women were doing.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Wolverine had been amongst some of the first to reach the confrontation
area and had grabbed three Christians at once, banging their heads together and
then tossing them into the water to drown. He set about on a rampage, killing
Christians with the greatest of glee, until there were no more for him. Then he
began to jump into the water, bringing women out. He did not look to see if they
were living or dead. He just brought them out, dropped them on the ground, and
let some one else deal with them. When he found a Christian, he wrinkled his
nose and pushed them away.

         He soon lost track of how many women he had brought up out of the water.
Glancing around, he did not see any more women and saw that the other men had
gotten out of the water, so he figured the attempt was over. All he saw bobbing
up and down was Christian bodies that he was going to leave to rot for the
buzzards.

         Something white fluttered in the slight breeze that had suddenly kicked
up, and it seemed to be attached to a floating log. He swam quickly over and saw
that it was a woman, a woman of such beauty that it simply blew him away. He
clenched his fists and ground his teeth. If this beauty was dead, there was
going to be a Hell of a lot more pain going on! He managed to get her to the
water's edge, and when others would have reached out to help him, he growled. No
one would get to help her but him! This one was personal!

         He lay her on the ground, rolled her on her back, and began to mash her
stomach, gently at first. Water spewed out of her mouth, and she started
coughing. This one was his! If any one got near her, they'd pay for it. He
continued to work on her, making sure that the water got out of her throat and
mouth. He turned her head sideways so that it could come out more easily. When
no more water seemed to be forthcoming, he sat and looked at her, hoping she'd
breathe clearly and not gaggingly, but she didn't seem to be responding other
than spitting the water out.

         He positioned himself over her and began to breathe into her mouth,
holding her nose closed while he did so. He took several deep breaths and blew
them into her mouth again. He did not know how long he was doing this. He was so
frustrated that he screamed out his rage and hit the ground beside her with his
clenched fist. She was going to die on him, and there was nothing he could do!
He picked her up, dragging her into his arms, not realizing that he was crying.
Several tears ran down his face and landed on hers. It was then he felt her
begin to breathe. "Thank the Goddess!" He prayed she'd live.

Chapter Five
         Gabrielle stood in the center of the grassy area where the living women
had been carried. Having returned her sais to her boots quite some time ago, her
hands were empty, and without her herbs or even Brendan's tools, she felt
powerless to do anything more to help the women who had yet to waken. Her green
eyes traveled over the unconscious women to her helpers, who she could tell were
as exhausted from their efforts to breathe life into the women as those who had
done the actual rescuing and were now coming out of the water were. Joxer had
fallen face-first onto the ground and had not even bothered to try to get back
up yet, and Autolycus sat on the ground next to her feet, his mouth unusually
silent and his eyes watching the women.

         Gabrielle again began to walk around, checking on each of the women.
They were all still breathing, but there was nothing more she could do for them.
All any of them could do now was exactly what the poodle who sat beside the
pale-skinned, raven-haired woman was doing -- sit, wait, and watch for any signs
of improvement or worsening. She did not know where the little dog had come from
but knew from the way his sad eyes intently watched the woman that he belonged
to her and would not be dragged away no more than she would have been dragged
away from Xena had her beloved been in that position.

         A sudden yell followed by the sounds of heavy sobbing broke the
stillness that had began to settle in the air. Gabrielle's gaze instantly turned
to the source of the sounds, and her eyes widened with surprise, even as others'
mouths dropped open, to see that Wolverine, who had never shed a single tear
while amongst them, was crying openly and clutching a woman with ivory hair and
chocolate skin. Her forehead creased as she wondered why the stranger had taken
such a toll on him. Was she not a stranger to him, as well? The healer pushed
the thoughts from her mind as she started toward him. She knew very little of
Wolverine's past, but that did not matter.

         Gabrielle had barely started toward Wolverine when the woman suddenly
stirred. Seeing the movement as the woman finally began to come to, Gabrielle
did not go any further but stayed where she stood with her eyes carefully
watching the woman to make sure that she would indeed be all right and her ears
open to those around her.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         It was through a mental haze that Ororo Munroe slowly became aware of
her surroundings once more. She felt a weight pressing against her, but as she
grew more alert, she realized that it was not the ocean she felt. She stilled
herself. Had she been dragged from the water as she feared they might be? If so,
then let them do what they would. She would cut out her own tongue before she
would give them anything that they could use against her fellow Witches.

         She was putting off opening her eyes when she felt drops of liquid fall
onto her bare shoulders. The liquid came with sounds of crying that finally
brought her eyes to open. Who would be crying for her? She had no one save those
who she had walked into the ocean with, and they would not have brought her out.
As her eyes opened, she found herself looking up into a rugged face who, even
then and though it was littered with scattered scars, she could not deny the
handsomeness of.

         She tried to speak, but her mouth, where even now a strange taste unlike
any she'd ever experienced before lingered, did not seem willing to cooperate.
"W-Who? W-Wh-What?" she barely managed in a choked whisper that her own ears
could not even make out.

         Wolverine was startled when the woman moved and made a moaning sound. He
smiled for the first time that day. She would make it! Continuing to hold her
with his left arm, he swiped gently at her face, removing her hair from her
face. "I am sorry, little one, for everything that happened here today. You are
safe now. No one will dare to hurt you while I'm here." He picked her up and
carried her carefully to where the other survivors were.

         He was not accustomed to showing so much of his feelings. If he had
realized that the others knew he had done it, he would be extremely embarrassed.
If any one had dared to say anything to him, they would have gotten a claw for
their efforts.

         Once reaching there, he laid her gently on the ground and turned to look
for Gabrielle. Once spying her, he called to her, "Are they breathing without
too much effort or do they sound like they're gurgling? If they are, we have to
clear their air ways." Wolverine had lead many lives in his lifetime and had a
lot of training in a lot of things. At one time, he had even been a medic during
the war. He had seen a lot of people die but none so senselessly as the ones who
had died this day. He waited for Gabrielle to answer.

         "They're breathing on their own, and they've already been cleared. We've
done all we can," came Gabrielle's gentle response from where she stood, keeping
a careful eye on all the patients. "All we can do now . . . is wait," she
admitted with a sigh.

         Ororo was still struggling against the awful pain drowning had left in
every inch of her body, but she finally managed to reach up and lay a gentle
hand on the stranger's leg in an effort to get her rescuer's attention. "I do
not understand," she managed in a weak whisper. "Who are you? Why . . . Why did
you . . . do you care?" She had never known another who had cared for Witches
who was not one herself, and in fact, she had never known a man with a good
heart.

         "Rest, sweet, gentle lady," Logan said as he knelt down by her again.
"You're safe here. Logan will watch over you. Nothing will get near you." He
could not believe how beautiful she was, and he imagined that she was not the
only one. Maybe that was why the Christians hated the Witches even more? Most of
the Christians tended to be ugly, and every Witch he had ever met was beautiful.

         He sat down beside her and looked back up at Gabrielle. "Resting is all
we can do for them now, resting and protecting them, but as soon as they start
to revive, we need to move them to the safety of the ships. It will not be long
before the townsfolk find out what's going on and start coming to investigate."
Gabrielle nodded in response but did not speak. Logan sat just close enough to
the woman that she could feel his presence yet not feel threatened.

         Ororo knew that she should be getting to her feet and be seeing to the
others that she had heard Logan talking about, but she could not seem to find
the energy. Not only had drowning taken such an exhaustive toll on her body, but
she had also felt the water's immense heartache for them as they had allowed it
to take their lives. Even as she tried and failed to move her lips and speak,
her eyes drifted shut again.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Xena had already made the rounds of their perimeters and had sat guards
in each of the directions. She knew it would not be long. Either the townsfolk
would come to find out why their friends had not returned or thieves would show
up, hoping to loot the bodies. Either way, it was her nature to be prepared.

         She had to laugh when she saw Joxer laying face-first in the ground with
his butt up in the air. Knowing him the way she did, she knew he had worn
himself out helping. She walked over to him and gently pushed his butt down with
a foot. He never stirred.

         Autolycus looked up at the woman who he admired more than any other he'd
ever encountered, but he could not manage a smile or words even for her. His
gaze shifted from her to Joxer who let out a snore that sounded much more like a
bear's than a man's before returning to the women.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         From where she stood watching, Gabrielle released a sigh. At least one
would live. It seemed to her that one woman's return to life was an opening for
the others for it was at that same time that a sharp yip of excitement brought
her attention back to the poodle and the woman who he guarded. She started to
head toward the dog, who was standing at alert with his paws on his mistress'
chest, and the woman, but even as she did so, she was stopped by the sounds of
other women starting to come to all around her.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         The first thing Elvira became aware of was the gentle pressure of
familiar paws on her chest. "G-Gonk?" she whispered. "Wh-What happened? Th-They
didn't get -- ?" She was struggling to speak, and Gonk quickly silenced her with
two yips, a technique that they had worked out long ago. She tried to open her
eyes, but they still hurt too much from the pressure of the water flooding
against them.

         "D-Delvira?" she asked in a choked whisper. Her answer came again in two
yips, and her pale forehead creased in confusion. "T-Then w-what?" Gonk set off
barking then, trying to explain to her how he had ran into Carl and how the
Gnome, the strange wolf, and the other Pirates had all joined together to come
to her and the others' rescues, but Elvira only shook her head weakly. "Gods, I
wish I could understand you better," she whispered, her voice so faint that it
could not be heard by human ears.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Wolf had been walking the perimeter in the opposite direction of what
Xena had been walking. He knew they would come and that it was only a matter of
time. He did not like being out in the open. Wolves never liked to be out in the
open.

         He had heard the dog talking to its mistress. He listened but did not
hear anything that upset him, so he continued on his rounds. One glimpse of the
beautiful woman had got his blood excited. He knew that if he had been in man
form, he would have had to leap over there and introduce himself, but for now he
would keep his distance. With Xena going one way and he going the other way, he
knew they had everything covered.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         She had not known what to expect when she next returned to
consconiousness, but the buzzing of unfamiliar, human voices around her had
certainly not been it. Her first thoughts were of her family. She had accepted
her death while almost in the center of her family's part of the line, but her
hands, that had held to Prue's and Phoebe's, were empty. She had to force her
eyes to open, and when they had, she instantly regretted it for the harsh rays
of the sun that cascaded down upon her. She shut her eyes instinctively at first
but forced herself to open them again. This time, she did not shut them but
looked around at her surroundings as best she could.

         She knew this ground. She had walked down it just a little while ago,
and she had picnicked on it with her family for years before. She had not died,
but she was, she realized with panicked glances all around her, alone. Her
family was nowhere in her sights. She had lived . . . but they had died. Sobs
broke instantly from her aching throat, and though it burned, she continued to
sob openly, tears flooding her cheeks.

         She should have died with them! She should not be here, should not be
alive! She should be with them, even if it were rotting at the bottom of the
ocean! She did not know what had gone wrong, but it did not matter. Her family
was gone from her forever, and she had somehow failed them in their last
breaths! In her desperation and grief, she flailed a weak hand in an attempt to
strike at what she hated most then -- herself.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Cole had been on his way back to check the ladies he had rescued when he
saw one who seemed to be fighting the air. He went and squatted down beside her.
She was one of the ones he had rescued. He caught both of her hands in one of
his, successfully stilling her struggles. Her hands were small and helpless, but
she was very angry. "Miss?" he asked. "What's wrong? Can I do something to help
you? You're safe here."

         "I should not be," she responded to the stranger before she could stop
herself. "I should not be here. I should not be alive." It was through dark eyes
blurred with tears that she looked up at him, and she was startled that the
sight of his handsome face and water still shimmering on his muscular chest made
her heart skip a beat. "I should be with them," she cried, "with my family." Who
was this man? Where had he come from? Was he to be trusted? None of that
mattered, however, her heart argued silently with her brain. All that mattered
was that her family was gone, that they had died, but she had lived.

         "You're not the only survivor. I don't know if your family's here or
not. We did the best that we could. Whatever in the world possessed you women to
drown yourselves? You should have stood and fought against your enemy, not just
walk blindly into the sea! Death does no one any good!"

         He did not mean to come across so roughly with her, but this day had
just served as a reminder of what had happened to his own family. He still had
not been able to figure out why they had not fought. Why had they gone simply
into the sea?

         "I can help you to look for your family, if you'll allow me to touch
you." He figured she probably wouldn't trust him enough to do it. After all, he
didn't even have shoes on, and a lady such as herself probably would frown down
upon a man such as he was. "I am but a simple pirate, ma'am, but I am here to do
what I can to help you." He lowered his hand to her to assist her to her feet.

         Her mind was swimming, and her body throbbed from the weight of the
water that had pushed so violently against every inch of her hair and skin. Her
hazy mind whirled as she tried to grasp at what he was saying. She had been
about to answer him when he had declared himself to be a simple pirate there to
help her. "A p-pirate?" she repeated in a small, weak voice as she looked up at
his offered hand through cloudy eyes. She had always been taught to fear pirates
and had never heard of a heroic one such as this man who stood before her, the
man who had rescued her . . . and others? Was her family alive? Were they here
somewhere? There was only one way to find out, and she reached up to take his
hand.

         Cole gently pulled her up to him, but though he was gentle and her
movements slow, the world still whirled around Piper at a blinding rate as she
stood. She managed to make it to her feet but instantly started to collapse
against him. Cole's movements were sure and swift as he picked her completely
up. Her burning throat ached too much for her to gasp her surprise. Realizing
that this was the only way she could move around to look for her family until
she had further recuperated, Piper settled into the pirate's strong arms as he
began to walk around so that she could look down to see if she recognized any
one.

         Cole held her so close against his strong chest that Piper could hear
his heart beating beneath his muscles, and her own quickened in response. She
shook her head weakly, trying to ignore the sound of his heart and the way his
arms felt so close around her in such a forbidden embrace, and concentrated
instead on making out the bodies that lay on the ground beneath them. Already
she had spotted Ororo, Elvira, and Winifred, but she had yet to see any of her
family. Silent tears continued to stream down her paled cheeks, and fear that
she would not find them shimmered vividly in her brown eyes.

Chapter Six
         Angel and Brendan lingered after Jack had left, observing the soldiers.
It seemed they had the day off and were wanting to brag and enjoy every second
of it. Two wenches came in, bearing trays of food and whiskey, and began to wash
the soldiers while the soldiers nibbled on the food and drank the whiskey. The
more they drank, the more they bragged to the women, and Brendan and Angel
listened with rapt ears.

         It seemed that the Governor had paid them a huge sum of money and had
given them the rest of the week off to enjoy it, and all they'd had to do was to
get rid of one pesky pirate. They did not name names. They didn't need to. Angel
immediately knew they were talking about Will, and the fact did not take long to
dawn on Brendan either.

         Angel congratulated the soldiers on their good fortune but then asked,
"I'm dying to know. Did you kill him, and how?"

         "Nah."

         "We done something even better!"

         "If we'd have killed him, she'd have known and caused a stink."

         "Instead, we sold him! Got even more money!"

         "Want some whiskey?"

         "Sure," Angel said with a grin. One of the half-naked wenches rushed off
to bring back some more whiskey for Angel and Brendan.

         When the whiskey arrived, Angel toasted the soldiers. "Where do you buy
and sell people around here?" he asked. "Reckon I could get a woman there?"

         "Sure," came the reply, "but you could probably get one here too."

         "I'd rather buy one that I can dispense with. I get a little rough, and
they don't always make it. I'd hate to get one of these women here and get into
trouble for it, but if I buy one, then nobody gives a rat's ass what happens to
them."

         Though already his eyes were glowing, Brendan held his tongue and let
Angel do the talking. He hated the charade they were having to pull but trusted
his friend and knew he had a plan or, at least, the beginnings of one.

         One of the guards said, "They're having an auction this afternoon. It
gets hot and heavy, and you better inspect the merchandise before you buy it.
Some of them got disease that you can't tell till you get 'em. It's at the back
of the market, a tent, doesn't have any markings on it. You go into the tent,
out the back, and you're on a street. It's blocked off. You can buy anything
there! Male, female, goats, sheep, whatever your sexual preference for a hefty
price, but you better not go alone. There's a lot of desperate men there that'd
just as soon slit your throat as they had to look at you."

         "Thanks," Angel said. "I'll do that." He continued to linger a while
longer as he did not want to make the guards suspicious, and then, with a
signal, scratching his left ear while making sure Brendan was looking, they both
got out of the tub and began to dress. They had arranged the signal a long time
ago for just such tight times as this.

         One of the guards looked at Brendan. "Cat got your tongue, son?"

         Yellow eyes flicked up at the guard as Brendan suddenly realized that
his silence had made the guards suspicious. This was not the first time that his
quietness had brought suspicions, and he knew just how to explain it. With a
nervous glance at Angel, he made quick motions at his throat.

         Angel looked at the guards. "Can't talk. Mute. Ages ago. He was taken by
pirates and almost killed."

         "Oh, sorry," came the reply. "Hope to see you guys again later. We'll
buy you drinks again."

         "Sure thing," Angel said as he slipped his dagger into his boot and
headed for the door. Once there, he opened it, allowing Brendan to go out first.
"They've done something to Will," Angel said. "We have to find Jack. At least
he's alive. Hope to the Goddess he's not hurt or Jack will tear this town
apart." He headed for Will's blacksmith shop at a run. When he reached it, he
saw the door was ajar. He started sniffing right away.

         Brendan reached it almost at the same time. He, too, began to smell out
the shop. "Not here. Hasn't been for a while, but Jack has been. To the ship,
Brendan," Angel said and started running for the ship.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         It was with a heavy heart that the young man opened the door and slipped
into the back room of his family's store. As he shut it behind him and leaned
against its wooden frame, he wished that it were as easy to shut out the rest of
the world. His life had been happy once, full of a loving family and friends,
but then everything had changed. Now his mother was always out somewhere, and
his father had taken to drinking. The store had fallen onto Dawson's shoulders
completely, but that was nowhere near the worst of it. No, the worst of it had
came just a few nights ago, and the boy shuddered at the memory. "If you're
cold, I can warm ya up."

         The strange voice, laden with sultry, husky undertones, brought his head
snapping up. His blue eyes flew open only to find themselves looking into a pair
of the darkest, most bewitching eyes he'd ever seen. "How'd you get in here?" he
demanded.

         A coy smile played across dark lips. "You didn't even have your door
locked. Not," she added in admission, "that that would've stopped me." She slid
off the box she had been sitting on and started toward him.

         The way she moved reminded him of a cougar on the prowl, and the sexy
way her body, which was barely clad in tight, black leather, shifted as she slid
smoothly toward him made his heart skip a beat and then rage with all the
loudness of thunder in his ears. "W-Who are you?" he managed to gasp out.

         "Name's not important," she purred in answer to his question even as she
reached him. She made as if to slam her fist next to his head, but her palm fell
silent on the wood. Still, he jumped, and her smile grew at his reaction. "Call
me Faith. Call me Dream Weaver. Call me after the little, innocent town girl
you've got the hots for. I don't give a damn. I'm not here to play names."

         She leaned forward, and he found his betraying eyes gazing down at her
arched bosom. He closed his eyes tightly and shook his head. When he reopened
them, he found that she had moved even closer to him, so close indeed that her
lips were mere inches from his. He started to slide out from under her, but she
blocked him, effectively pinning him to the door with one arm on either side of
his quivering body. "Then what are you here for?!" he demanded, his mind, blood,
and heart all racing at once.

         "To make your dreams come true," she growled seductively, her breath
brushing over his lips. "For this." Her hand found the rising bulge in his
pants. He jumped as she caressed him there, but as his mouth started to open in
a sharp exclamation, her lips took his, silencing him.

         Dawson Leery had never before met a woman like the one who now stood
before him, her body arching into his while her lips drank deeply of his and her
hand squeezed his member. Unlike most other men his age, Dawson had never even
dreamed of a woman like this. Her first touch had scared him to his core and
brought back memories of the other night, but her first kiss made him ache for
more.

         He still had no ideal what to do with or even about her, though. Part of
him wanted to throw all caution to the wind and take this once in a lifetime
chance that he, by some unthinkable twist of fate, was being offered, but
another part was still scared. What if there was something more to this than she
was showing him? What if they were caught? What would happen to his pristine
reputation, to his engagement to Josephine? What if his father was the one to
walk in on them? He was still quivering as he pressed one hand against her
breast, and though he almost lost his nerve at the way her hardened breast felt
in his hand, he pushed her away with all the strength he had.

         She fell back only a few steps and did not even have to try hard to
maintain her balance. Her dark eyes were quickly filling with anger as they
looked up at him from underneath a shock of black hair. "Don't tell me you
didn't like that," she growled challengingly.

         Seeing no reason to lie but not daring to try to speak the truth,
either, Dawson gulped even as he shook his head. "Then what," she demanded, "the
Hell is your problem?!"

         "Why?" he managed to ask.

         "Why what?" she snapped.

         "Why do you want me?"

         She sighed and rolled her eyes. None of her previous targets had
bothered to ask her such a question. She was sure they had probably wondered
what would attract a woman such as she to their cowardly hides, but none had
ever voiced it. Looking back at the blonde, she lifted her muscular shoulders
into a rolling, careless shrug. "I want a ride, and you looked like the best
horse this damn port had to offer."

         Dawson's mouth fell open at that, and for a moment, he could not think
of a response. Then finally, he found his voice again. "I'm . . . not what you
think. I'm a virgin."

         "I know," she said with a shake of her head and a grin. "I like 'em just
your style, boy."

         "Don't you even want to know my name?"

         She shook her head again while exclaiming, "Hell no!" He started to
speak again, but before he could, she had pulled off her shirt, kicked off her
boots, and shimmied out of her pants. He could not even think as he stared at
the amazing beauty before him, and he was even only vaguely aware of the rising
pain in his pants. "Look," Faith told him, holding her arms open wide so that he
could get a good look at her. "This is what I'm offering you. A ride of a
lifetime with a woman unlike any you've ever known and ever will know. I can
teach you things in five minutes -- heck, in a minute -- that you'll never get
the chance to learn in the rest of your life. I can make any of your fantasies
come true. And there's no strings attached. You'll never even see me again after
today."

         Dawson was stunned speechless. This all seemed too good to be true. He
had to be dreaming, but as she closed the distance between them again and
caressed his sword once more, he realized that her touch was too good not to be
real. "So what do you say, choir boy? Want some help with that or do you just
wanna jack off all by yourself in the corner again?"

         No woman had ever invoked the feelings this stranger already had in him.
No other woman had ever even heated his blood. Despite his fears, Dawson found
himself nodding. Faith had him naked and on the floor before he even knew what
hit him.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         They ran for the ship as fast as their feet could carry them, their
bodies a near blur to any one who looked up at the passer-bys. Angel's mind was
focused only on reaching Jack so that they could find and rescue Will before he
could be sold into Gods only knew what, but Brendan remained more alert. The
guards had angered the wolf inside the man, and he had been struggling to keep
his beast in control ever since the bath house. The wench who had brought their
whiskey would realize later that his bottle had gone completely untouched, but
none of them would ever realize the danger they had just been in not only from
Brendan himself but from his companion, a Vampire, as well.

         His senses were already on full alert long before they reached the
ships, and a mixture of urgent scents hit his nose even as Angel started to dart
up the plank. Brendan quickly reached out and grasped his arm. "Jack's here," he
whispered, "but the others aren't. Whatever happened, they left in a hurry.
Jack's not alone, either. There's a female I haven't smelled before. She's rich,
though, not a harlot or even one of our kind. And Jack's in trouble." With a nod
toward the Pearl, he added in explanation, "There's six or seven different
smells coming from there besides theirs. Strong men. Angry men. And confusion,"
he added with a creased brow.

         "We should split up and come up at different parts of the ship. Hide and
see what's going on," Angel said. "Keep me in your smell and your ears alert. I
will send you a signal if we are to attack. Whatever you do, do not endanger
Jack." He didn't need to tell him that. Jack was like a brother to both of them.
"And don't endanger yourself," he added. That he did need to tell him, because
he knew Brendan would take any chance he felt he needed to protect Jack and did
not feel his own life worthy of protecting.

         He squeezed his arm gently. "We need you, and we do care about you," he
emphasized. He had to keep telling Brendan that, because Brendan never felt he
was worthy of any one caring. His past life had been such a mess. "Good luck,
buddy," Angel whispered. "Listen for an owl." He slipped quietly aboard the
Pearl. No one saw him, but he saw them. He heard them. He saw Jack try to fight
them and be taken down to his knees, and he growled his frustration. He wanted
to attack all of them at one time, but then he saw Brendan also sneaking aboard.
Brendan had a better shot. Angel waited. When Brendan attacked, he would attack.
He just hoped Brendan had a plan.

         Jack had watched the shadows as they turned into two of his most trusted
men. He did not give them away, and he did not try to rise. He knew if he did,
his jugular would be cut.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Brendan had taken the hard way up the ship. Instead of just slipping
onto it as Angel had done, he had climbed up it while holding his dagger at the
ready in between clenched teeth. When he had first reached the top of the side,
he had peered over it, but when he had seen Jack in trouble, he had known he had
to do something. He stayed with the shadows as he flipped silently over the side
of the ship and remained just as quiet as he closed in on the guards.

         By the time Brendan had reached nearly directly behind the guards, he
had a dagger in each hand, but the wolf was even closer to his surface as he had
watched the guards berating the first man who had ever dared to take a chance on
his lowly, worthless hide. His yellow eyes were blazing and his fangs glistening
when he let out a growl that shook the entire deck of the ship. The guards
jumped, letting out screeches that sounded far more feminine than they looked,
and he plowed in, bringing the butts of his daggers hard across two heads at
once.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         It started with a kiss as Faith again conquered his lips with her own,
her tongue plunging farther down into his mouth than he'd thought could ever
even be possible. Their tongues twisted and rubbed against each other as they
danced in a heated fencing session, but all too soon for Dawson, Faith's mouth
left his. Though his red lips were bruised from the intensity of their kiss,
they ached for further attention from her. He started to call to her, wondering
what she was up to, but even as he remembered that he did not know her name, his
words froze in his throat as her tongue ran over his neck.

         She littered his tightened throat with kisses and licks that scorched
every inch of his lightly tanned skin that she touched. She sucked the base of
his neck for a moment before beginning a series of kisses that ran further down
his bare chest. The sensations she invoked in his quivering body and the thrills
she sent coursing through his blood left him helpless to do anything more than
lay back and enjoy every second of this wild beauty's attention.

         When she reached his first nipple, she ran her tongue around its outer
edge before licking its center and bringing a shudder of delight from her prey.
She sucked his hardened nipple into her teeth and nibbled on it. Though it hurt
somewhat, he even found the pain immensely enjoyable and gave a soft cry of
dismay when she released it. He sighed with pleasure as she then moved on to
using the same procedure on his other nipple.

         Releasing his left nipple, Faith slid further down his body, raining a
series of scorching kisses down his stomach. As she slowly slid over and past
his rearing stallion, her taut breasts caught his erected member between them
and squeezed tightly. She lowered her head, and her tongue darted out to lick
the bit of juice that poured over the edge. His sword quivered as her tongue
lapped the beginnings of his nectar not only from its tip but from her own
breast, as well.

         Dawson was panting hard now, and his sword shook with such speed that
Faith knew it would not be much longer now. She slid further down his body so
that she was crouched just over his knees and lowered her head. Her tongue
tasted of his tender skin as she kissed the inside of his calves, and he let out
a yelp of surprise as she suddenly nipped him. Her hands groped his testicles,
and she squeezed them slightly even as her mouth returned to his sword.

         She kissed its tip before running her tongue all around its sheath. She
finally began to lower her lips around his quivering member again, and her teeth
gently grazed him as she sucked his tip. Her tongue wrapped around his sword and
her teeth grazed his delicate skin there as she lowered her mouth slowly but
steadily over his stallion. As she sucked harder, his moans grew louder. Her
hands had been caressing his balls, but as she squeezed his testes once again,
her liquid reward flooded her mouth.

         Her teeth held to his member as his juice filled her mouth and poured
down her throat. His yells of delight far beyond anything any of Port Royal's
men had ever experienced before shook the windows of the shop and spooked its
customers. They dropped whatever they had been holding and ran from the store as
if it were possessed by Demons from Hell, but though Faith heard and did not
care, the sounds went completely unnoticed by Dawson.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Angel had been about to jump into the fray when a woman's voice reached
his ears. He could see that Brendan had the situation well in hand and that the
minute Brendan had attacked, Jack had been released and jumped to his feet,
sword in hand, fighting the guards. Angel figured the woman needed rescuing
first. He didn't see anything Jack couldn't handle with Brendan's help, but once
he had the woman, if they still needed him, he was more than willing and able to
kick their butts. "Stand and deliver!" he said to the back of the burly guard
who had the woman cornered.

         The captain's blue eyes glanced over his muscular shoulder at the
stranger who stood behind him. "Stand down, peasant. This does not concern you.
This lady is the Princess and my betrothed, and her father wishes her home. Do
not attempt further intrusion unless you wish to taste the steel of my blade in
your final moments!"

         Angel looked frantically around for a sword. The only weapon he had was
his dagger. He usually didn't carry a sword, but he knew how to use one expertly
and had often fenced with Brendan. He didn't say anything but dodged frantically
for the weapons' room and, grabbing the first sword he saw, was back at the
captain's side in three shakes of a lamb's tail. He roared, "Turn and face my
steel and leave the woman alone! She doesn't seem to want your attentions!" He
had moved so quickly that he had been a blur and the soldier had hardly known he
was gone before he had returned.

         The captain drew his own sword even as he turned to meet the stranger.
"I will tell you one final time. This does not concern you."

         "I'm making it my concern," Angel said. "You can not treat the woman as
though she was your own slave; rather she be a Princess or not doesn't matter!
She has a right to choose her own destiny, and apparently she doesn't want you!"
He raised his sword and met the captain's sword in mid-air. He fought like a
Demon possessed, and in mere seconds later, he had disarmed the captain,
throwing his sword over the side of the ship and pressing his own sword against
the captain's jugular. "You should've left when you had the chance, ya scurvy
swine! Now you're going to meet your maker!"

         Frantic hazel eyes had watched the two men's every movement as they had
fenced over her destiny, and though she did not wish the man she had known all
her life to be harmed, she had desperately wanted the pirate to win for she knew
what would happen if he did not. When she saw that he had, her heart had leapt
in hope, but terror flooded her soul when she heard the pirate's words and
realized that he might not be the hero that she had thought but merely a pirate
out to rid his ship of intruders. Knowing that she was putting her own self in
danger, she still ran to his side, holding out a hand and exclaiming as she ran,
her other hand picking up her dress' skirts so that she did not trip over them.
"No! Please, no!" Tears ran down her face even as she reached the pirate and
dared to lay a hand on his shoulder. "Please, do not kill him! He would not have
harmed me, only forced me to return to my home and do what he thinks is best for
me!"

         "For you, I will spare him, but if he comes back aboard our ship, he can
expect to die." Angel dropped the sword, picked up the captain, and threw him
over the side of the ship. "And don't come back!" he said as he brushed his
hands together as though he had filth on them.

         "Now, my lady," he said as he gave her a rather stiff bow, "I know you
are supposed to be a Princess, but it doesn't matter. You have the right to
choose where you want to go. If you want to stay, you'll have to see our
captain, but if I can help you, I will." He tried to keep himself separate from
her as he did not want her to know that he was very desirous of her. She was the
most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and it had been a long time since he'd had
a woman.

         "Now I have to help my captain. If you'll stay here, you'll be safe."
Angel picked up his sword and leaped downward where he had last seen the
fighting only to see Jack booting the last one over the side of the ship.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Sweat glistened on their naked bodies as they lay together on the hard,
wood floor. Knowing the boy needed a bit of time to recuperate, Faith had laid
down beside him and had even allowed him to wrap an arm around her body. She was
already tiring of waiting now and ran a hand over him, suggestively caressing
his lightly muscular chest.

         Dawson was still panting hard and all his senses were still whirling
from the pleasure he had just experienced from this strange vixen who lay next
to him when she started rubbing his chest. "Huh . . . Hum . . . " he started in
between pants. "I . . . I can't . . . Not . . . Not yet . . . "

         Faith grinned at the words she had known were coming. "That's what you
think, lover," she purred to him as she flipped herself up to where she
straddled him once more. She ran a hand through his thick mane of blonde hair as
she gazed down at him. "Here," she whispered seductively, her voice on the brink
of a soft growl, as she leaned back down over him. "Try this."

         Dawson opened his mouth to ask her what she wanted him to try and
suddenly found one of her breasts in his mouth. He was so surprised that he
closed his lips around it without even thinking. Her breast already tasted so
sweet that he couldn't help giving it a lick, and a sigh of pleasure broke from
her dark lips as his tongue ran over her nipple. Slowly, Dawson began to suck
her breast, and his staff instantly began to respond and rise back up. As his
suckling grew harder, Faith caressed his chest, her fingernails playing across
his skin like other women's fingers might play a well-tuned instrument.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Jack was rewarded with a satisfying smack as the soldier hit the dock.
"That one won't be coming back any time soon. Thanks, my friends, for the timely
rescue."

         The fighting had brought the wolf even more to Brendan's front, and he
was barely able to hold it back. As the others talked around him, he stood,
looking in horror at his hands that were covered in blood that was not his own.
During the midst of the fight, Jack had had to take one of the guards from him
and thrown him into the water, and Brendan had nearly lashed out at his captain
when he had done so. His chest heaved, and already his skin itched. He could
feel the howl building in his throat even as he hit his own head with all his
strength. Brendan fell onto the deck and slid against it until his head collided
with the side of the ship. The last thing he heard before unconsciousness took
him was a startled, feminine gasp from above.

         Jack realized that Brendan had knocked himself out. He was not afraid of
the wolf. He was not afraid of the man. He cared about the man, and he realized
that the wolf was a valuable ally but that sometimes he got out of control. This
time, he had not killed any one, but he had really torn them up. They would not
be coming back. He reached down and touched Brendan's head gently. He knew
Brendan could not hear him as he thanked him again. He'd thank him when he woke
up. He was thankful for Brendan, Angel, and most of his crew. He had a few he
didn't really appreciate yet. They were still not completely family, but these
two definitely were.

         He turned startled eyes toward the female. He had known she was up there
and that Angel had gone to rescue her, but he had not expected her to turn out
so beautiful. Even though he could recognize her beauty, she did not do anything
for him, but he could tell Angel was enamoured already. He wondered if Angel had
vamped and bit the captain even though he realized that Angel was in better
control of his Demon than Brendan was. Angel's clothes were in tact, so Jack
figured he had not.

         Jack now looked at the woman. With a bow, he said, "Welcome aboard, Your
Majesty. Captain Jack Sparrow at your service. What can we do to help you?"

         Angel moved over to check on Brendan. He wondered if he should carry him
to the sleeping quarters but then realized he didn't want to leave the woman
alone with Jack. He knew Jack had quite the reputation with the ladies, and he
didn't want to take a chance of losing his new charge to Jack. He could move
Brendan later if need be.

         As she looked down at the two handsome men and the third who had, for
some bizarre reason, knocked himself out, she wondered a million things. She
wondered who they were and why they had rescued her. She wondered if her
rescuer's telling her bethrothed not to return would do any good or if her
begging for his life would only assure that he would continue to come after her
instead. As she realized that she was looking down at the trio, she also
wondered how in the world she had managed to get herself up as high as she had.
"Th-Thank you," she called down to them. "Y-You've already done so much. How can
I ever possibly repay you?" As she listened for their answers, she started to
climb down, never realizing the view her dress, with its low cut and side slit,
afforded them.

         Jack did not watch as the woman descended but turned to check on
Brendan. Angel's eyes were glued to her shapely legs and ankles. He found
himself almost salivating. Assuring himself that Brendan was only sleeping, Jack
turned back to the Princess. "Do not worry about repaying us, Your Majesty. You
owe us nothing, but we do have to do something about your would-be abducters. We
didn't kill any of them, but we did hurt the heck out of them. It won't keep
them for long. Your would-be intended will get another group and come back
again. We can't leave port right now, so it's only a matter of time before they
will return. Is there somewhere that we can take you perhaps that you'll be
safe?"

         Hazel eyes looked down at the captain as he spoke to her, but the simple
act was her undoing for her foot slipped from its place even as she was trying
to make her way down. With a gasp, she found herself falling.

         Angel leaped toward her and caught her in mid-air, bringing her back
down with him to the ship's deck. He held her a moment longer than necessary
before allowing her to slide down his body to the deck, never saying a word but
gazing deeply into her eyes. Damn, but she was beautiful! If he was anything
more than a lowly pirate, he would dare to make a move on her. As it was, he was
enjoying every second of being in her presence.

         The strong arms that had suddenly wrapped around her and whisked her to
the deck's safety had caused her heartbeat to quicken and stolen her breath.
Though she knew she shouldn't, she relished the feel of the stranger's arms
around her and found his dark eyes and handsome face even more bewitching. The
feel of his hardened body as she slid down him made her heart thunder at the
speed of lightning and filled her body with feelings unlike any she'd ever known
before. Her arms had somehow ended up around his neck, and even now, though the
fingers of one hand gently rested on his cheek, she was hesitant to move them.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         She could feel his rising sword from where she straddled him, and as he
grew stiff enough once more, she pulled back slightly from him. A sound of
wordless complaint broke from Dawson's lips as Faith brought her breast out from
his mouth. She silenced him with a kiss before sliding back down his body. She
lifted herself over his member, and he gave a cry of mixed pleasure and pain as
she lowered herself down his staff. She did not stop until he completely filled
her and then began to rise up and down on his sword.

         Her smile grew with pleased approval as she found that he was not as
timid this time around as he had been when she had granted him the blowjob. His
hands reached up and, taking one of her arched breasts in each hand, he began to
caress her taut skin. He squeezed her gently. His fingers and palms caressed her
bosom, and his thumb ran circles over her hard nipples.

         He leaned forward to meet her, sending his sword plunging even higher up
into her sheath, and her lips were waiting for his when he reached her. She let
him do the leading of their kiss this time as his lips touched down upon hers.
His tongue quested permission between her teeth, and she welcomed him into her
contours. As their tongues danced, his hands slid from her breasts to her back.
They caressed her skin as they slid down the small of her back before cupping
and squeezing her buttocks.

         She had continued to slide herself up and down his staff, and as his
bucking grew and she continued to ride him, her arms wrapped around his torso,
bringing his body even tighter against hers. In between their heated kisses, as
their lips had to break apart for gasps of oxygen, their cries of pleasure grew
until they rattled the very windows of the shop. She squeezed his staff, and as
he shot up into her and they cried out together, her figernails scratched his
back, marking him as hers. The mark would turn out to last much longer than
either had ever intended.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Jack, noticing the play between Angel and the Princess, spoke. "I have a
lot of things I have to take care of. Angel, I am putting you in charge of the
Princess." He heard a low moan and looked down to see that Brendan was stirring.
"I have to find Will. Some one has taken him. If they've hurt him, I'll kill
them!"

         Brendan was only barely aware of Jack speaking from somewhere above him
as he began to come to, but the Captain's voice reminded the Princess that she
was not alone with this handsome, heroic pirate who was also a stranger to her.
Though he had saved her life and rescued her twice now, she still did not even
know his name. Crimson flooded her cheeks as she forced herself to step back
from him.

         Angel was lost in the scent of the woman. It was heavenly, and he had
not had a woman in a long time. Thanks to Jack, Angel was able to go about in
the daytime. He did not know how Jack had achieved it, but Jack had gained an
amulet that, once placed on Angel's neck, gave him the ability to go out in the
daylight. That had been over a year ago, and Angel had not had a woman in all
that time. His loins let him know that now, but at Jack's words, he sobered
himself and released the woman. "We know what happened to Will. He's alive, but
he's been sold and is going to be auctioned. We know where it's going to take
place."

         Jack breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Will was alive. "Do you
know where he's being held?"

         "Yes," Angel said. "Brendan and I will go with you."

         "No," Jack said. "Brendan will go with me. You need to stay here and
take care of the Princess."

         "Jack . . . " Angel said in a strange voice. "That might not be such a
good ideal."

         "It's not a good ideal for you to bring the Princess to an auction . . .
" Jack started only to be interrupted by Brendan who was finally sitting up.

         As he had been breaking through to return to consciousness, Brendan had
listened to Jack's and Angel's voices above him. He could smell the racing of
Angel's heart and hormones, as well as the Princess', but nonetheless had to
agree with Jack. "And it's a worse idea to leave her with a wolf."

         "The others will not return for quite a while," Jack said. "They had to
go on a rescue mission. I could use their help, but until they return, we are
all there is. If you can't control yourself, Angel, maybe you should let the
Princess lock herself in my cabin? Stay seperated from each other." He, too,
could tell there was something going on between them.

         Women! They were always in heat, and men were always wanting to enrage
the beginning flames in hopes that the fire would consume both of them! He had
sought that himself, but no matter how many women he had bedded, none of them
had managed to put out his flames. He shook himself mentally. He was having to
come face to face with something he had feared was happening to him for a long
time. He feared the only one who could put out his flames was Will, and he knew
that the chance of that was about as good as a snowball in Hell surviving.

         "Lock yourself in!" he said. He had once heard a doctor describe to a
woman a way of keeping her legs tied together but thought better of telling the
Princess. She might take him to be a very crude man indeed, and Jack really
wasn't when concerned with women. "Just give me a moment," he ran into his
quarters and searched around in his dresser drawer until he came up with a hefty
sack of gold coins just in case he needed it to buy Will. There was more than
enough gold in there to outbid any one in this Gods-forsaken town of Port Royal,
including the Governor.

         He had been about to take part of it, pay another old friend a visit,
and order another sword. He had been doing that for a long time. Miles had been
placing orders with Will, paying him in Jack's gold, and giving the swords to
Jack. He had quite a few of them hanging on his walls. He was proud of each and
every one of them. Will was quite the craftsman, but he had no ideal that it was
Jack who was buying the swords. In fact, Will was becoming rich making Jack's
swords though never knowing that Jack was getting them.

         Jack had wanted to just give the gold to Will out right, but he knew
that Will would not accept it. He thought himself to be very clever in getting
the gold to Will. He put the gold into a pouch and slung it over his shoulder.
He picked up one of the swords and replaced his every-day sword with it. This
was a special sword; it was extremely strong for longer duels and overly sharp.
He would take great pleasure in using it against any one who had touched his
Will.

         Straightening his clothes and cleaning up his appearance, he slipped his
hat on his head and stepped back out. "Are you able to travel yet, Brendan? And
you may use my cabin now, Princess." He figured when he got back, Angel and she
would be wrapped up together, but he was not overly concerned with it at the
moment.

         Brendan had nodded and started to answer Jack, but the Princess had
spoken more quickly than he. Though she wondered why the captain was offering
her his cabin for she had not eavesdropped on the men's conversation out of the
manners that had been trained into her throughout her entire life, she did not
ask him about that but merely nodded. "Thank you, Captain, though, please,
sirs," she added in indication that she was speaking to all three, "there is no
crown on my head nor do I wish there to be. My royal title is part of the life
that I do not wish to have to return to. Please call me Cordelia."

         Jack nodded and lowered his hand to Brendan. "If you think about
somewhere that you want to go while we're gone, you can tell us when we return.
Angel will guard you and make sure no one disturbs you. I would suggest you
rest. Angel, when the others return, have them get ready to leave. It is not
safe for Will to be here, and I want to get the Hell out of here. I'm taking him
with us."

         Angel said, "I will tell them, and we will be ready." He was surprised
Jack had managed to clean up so quickly and thought he looked rather dashing.

         Brendan accepted Jack's offered hand and the captain's assistance in
aiding him to return to his feet. He started to bow to the Princess but stopped
himself as he realized that that, too, would be part of the life she was seeking
to put behind her. Instead, he tipped his head with a polite, "Madam," as he
would have to any other woman and turned to leave.

         "Lead me quickly to Will," Jack said. "We will do what we must, but we
will not leave there without him." Without another word, Brendan took off and
Jack followed.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         As they lay together afterwards in the glow of the glorious love-making
they had just experienced together, Dawson found himself wishing that the moment
could last forever. Though he still did not have any inkling of her name, the
woman he currently held in his arms had filled him completely and had not only
already made him feel more pleasure than he'd ever dreamed possible but had also
made him happier than he'd ever been in his entire life. He opened his mouth to
ask her again for her name, but it was at just that time that he heard his own
called from inside the shop. "Dawson?"

         "Oh God," the words slipped out before he could stop them, and her dark
eyes slanted questioningly up at him. "It's my Father," he explained. She saw
the fear on his face and heard the terror in his voice but did not bother to ask
him why his father's voice would bring such a reaction from him. Instead, she
rolled out of his arms and started for her clothes.

         He reached up to her and managed to grab her hand. She looked down at
him, her glare demanding an explanation. "Please," he whispered, "don't . . . "
He was so shocked at the harsh emotions that flashed in her eyes, telling him
that what they had just shared meant nowhere near as much to her as it did to
him, that he released her hand.

         Footsteps sounded on the other side of the door, and Dawson's mouth
moved in a silent gasp as he realized that he had not even bothered to lock the
door. He rolled to a standing position and nearly fell over his own feet as he
rushed to snatch his clothes back on. He was still struggling to button his
pants with trembling fingers as the door was opened with such force that its
slamming against the wall echoed through the store.

         Dawson dared a glance at his father, and a wave of horror hit the young
man at the angry glower on his father's reddened face. He glanced at where his
wild beauty had been, but she was gone and the back door hung open, still
swinging in the breeze, from where she had fled through it. "D-Dad," Dawson
stuttered, looking back up at his father. "I-I can explain!"

         "No need to," Mitch Leery snapped as he strode purposefully into the
room. "It's pretty damn obvious, Dawson, and just what I thought I'd find. You
won't give your dear, old dad the one thing he asks from you, so you go out,
pick up some whore, bring her back here, and fuck her in my store!" he roared.
"It wasn't even that damn Josephine that your stupid bitch of a mother set you
up with, was it?!" he demanded. Dawson shrank back from his approaching father.
He could smell the alcohol on his breath even from that distance. "Answer me,
boy!" Mitch demanded, his eyes blazing.

         "N-No," Dawson whimpered in response. He tried to back further away, but
his father reached out, grasped him by the shoulders so hard that his grip would
leave marks, and snatched him to him.

         "You're mine, Dawson," Mitch hissed in his face, his foul breath
spraying spit across his son's face. "All mine! But if I can't have you, I'll
just sell your sorry butt!" With that, he turned and threw his own flesh and
blood so that the boy landed in front of four other strong, burly men.

         Dawson's terrified heart roared inside his chest as he looked up at the
four men who towered above him. He'd never seen any of them before, but as he
heard his father telling him that he was theirs for the sum they'd agreed upon,
he knew what was going to happen to him. He also realized, or so he thought,
that his life was over. The one thing Dawson failed to realize was that he had
hit his head on the door at such an angle that blood was beginning to trickle
from the wound. His world suddenly grew dark, and the last thing Dawson saw
before he passed out was his father accepting money from one of the traders who
stood over him.


To Be Continued . . .


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Title: Love on the High Seas #1: "Bright Promises of Tomorrow"
Authors: Pirates Sparrow and Turner
Rating: NC-17
Feedback: Yes, please!! Seriously, we, like all other fan fic writers, thrive on
feedback. However, flames absolutely will not be tolerated.
Warnings: Abuse, Death, Lemon, Nudity, Religious Prejudice, Rape, Sex, Torture,
Violence
Fandoms/Characters/Pairings: (Angel/BtVS) Angel/Cordelia, Faith/Dawson Leery,
Lorne/Original Female, Wesley/Fred, Dawn; (Charmed) Cole/Piper, Prue/Brendan
Fraser-lookalike Werewolf, Phoebe/Joxer, Paige/Carl, Kit; (Dawson's Creek)
Dawson/Faith; (Disney) Jack Sparrow/Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann/Autolycus,
Salem Saberhagen; (Elvira) Elvira/Wolf, Gonk; (Labyrinth) Jareth/Delvira,
Didymus, Teak/Trely, Worm/Missus, Hoggle; (PotC) Jack/Will, Elizabeth/Autolycus;
(Sabrina) Salem; (Shrek) Donkey, Puss (of sorts); (Smallville) Clark/Lex;
(Special Unit 2) Carl; (10th Kingdom) Wolf/Elvira; (X-Men) Logan/Ororo and
Morph/Original Catwoman; (Xena) Aphrodite, Xena/Gabby, Joxer/Phoebe, and
Autolycus/Elizabeth. There are also several other original characters, including
a talking Himalayan cat who's an alien King; three alien catpeople, an Elemental
beauty with a dark past, and a blonde who's got as much intelligence as blondes
are rumored to have. Many more characters will be added in the future of the
series, and some characters will not make it all the way through. There are also
many guest shots.
Summary: Familiar and new faces come together as the Pirates of The Black Pearl
and The Sea Witch in this crossover series including Angel, BtVS, Charmed,
Dawson's Creek, Disney, Elvira, Labyrinth, Pirates of the Caribbean, Sabrina
(Salem only), Shrek, Smallville, Special Unit 2, 10th Kingdom, X-Men, Xena, and
cameos from many others. In the first book, Bright Promises of Tomorrow, the
crews arrive expecting to celebrate Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann's wedding
but discover that Governor Swann has stooped to new lows and will stop at
nothing, not even selling Will into the city's black market, to keep his
daughter from marrying a Pirate. Governor Swann has not, however, taken into
consideration Jack's love for Will and his unrelenting willingness to do
anything to save his beloved.
Meanwhile, Port Royal's townspeople have risen into an angry, prejudiced mob set
to burn the Witches. Will the Pirates be able to stop the townspeople in time,
or will the Witches, including a family by the last name of Halliwell, Ororo
Munroe, and Scientist Winifred Burkle, meet their deaths? Also, Faith falls,
Angel encounters Princess Cordelia, Lorne gets bitten in the rear and may well
lose his heart in the process, and snow heralds the arrival of even more danger!
Disclaimer: All established characters; all TV show, comic, and movie titles;
and the Black Pearl are © & TM their respective owners and are used without
permission. Crystal "Snowflake" Frost, Katrina "Firestar" Lewis, Celina
"Pantheria" Lewis, Tom Ballard, Meesy, Brendan Richards; and all other original
characters are © & TM Pirates Sparrow and Turner, are used with their
permission, and may not be used without permission. The Sea Witch and everything
else are also © & TM the authors. No copyright infringement is intended, and no
monetary profit is made from these tales.

Prologue
         He stood alone in the room, his back turned to the open door that led to
the quiet town he had come to hate. A breeze flitted through the blacksmith
shop, and he turned his head to embrace it as it caressed his brown hair. His
eyes closed as he let the memories sweep over him. The breeze had brought with
it the smell of the sea, and now he could hear the waves slapping against the
side of the boat. He could feel the gentle rocking underneath his booted feet,
hear the gulls, and taste the air . . . and the life, the life he wanted, the
life he had found too late, the life he could never have. He ached for that
world -- the world of those he had always thought he despised until learning the
truth of their world and realizing that he, too, was one of them, a Pirate.

         The yearning in his heart was an ache unlike any he had ever known
before returning to land for good, and it was almost the worst pain he had ever
known -- almost, because there was one ache that was even worse, one ache that
constantly held what remained of Will Turner's heart and soul in its savage,
merciless grip. An ache that he never could have imagined before. An ache that
he knew he should not have . . . but could not shake regardless of what he
tried. A blinding, numbing ache from the loss of him.

         He'd never known any one else like him. At first, the other man had
infuriated him, but as he had come to know him, had learned to see past the
barricades that the mighty Pirate constantly kept in place, Will had fallen --
madly, senselessly, completely in love. But he knew none of that mattered for
his feelings were forbidden and would never be returned. Sure, Jack cared for
him, cared for him as a friend, perhaps even as a brother, but nothing more.
Even now, he made the occasional visit, but if Will were to ever hint that his
cares for the infamous Captain Sparrow lay any deeper, Jack would sail away out
of his life forever. Will would do anything to keep him in his life in any
matter for as long as he could . . . regardless of the way seeing him yet
knowing that he could never be with him in the way he longed, in the way he
dreamed of every time he shut his eyes, tore at his heart.

         Besides, his head argued once more with his heart, what good did any of
it do him, even thinking of his true beloved, when he was to marry the girl he
had so foolishly thought he loved on the morrow? He turned the ring around its
place on his finger. What he wouldn't give to run from Elizabeth and sail away
into Jack's arms! But that could never be and he was a lucky man, or at least
that's what everybody else believed and he, too, would have believed once what
felt like a lifetime ago, to have won Miss Swann's coveted affections. He cared
for Elizabeth. He always had, and a part of him would always love her -- but she
meant nothing to him in the ways that mattered most. He could never love her the
way she desired, the way he should, the way a husband loves his wife. He should
not be marrying her, and yet he could not bring himself to break her heart for a
life that he knew was pointless rather he was wed or not. Jack would never want
him.

         "You're not getting wedding jitters now, are you, son?"

         The gruff voice startled Will out of his thoughts, and his eyes snapped
open to find an all-too familiar figure standing in front of him. Will shook his
head; he had allowed himself to become so lost in his thoughts that he had not
even heard the Governor's approach. "Of course not, Governor," he quickly
reassured the elder man with the fake smile that his lips had become so
accustomed to.

         "Good, but you know," the Governor's arm began to reach behind Will, but
as the boy followed the man's movement, he quickly clasped his shoulder instead
and continued to speak as they started to walk, "you're going to be married to
my daughter soon enough. Don't you think it's past time you started calling me
father?"

         Will's eyes widened, and he nearly choked on the words that leapt to his
tongue, words that he dared not speak. "What's the matter, son?" The governor
examined his face for a moment before a mixture of concern and embarrassment
washed over his own. "Oh, I'm sorry! How careless of me! I . . . I forgot . . .
Your father was a fine man, William; I'm sure although . . . You know, there is
a horrid rumor going around that your father was a Pirate, none other than
Bootstrap Bill himself!"

         Will cut his eyes at Governor Swann, suspiciously watching the older
man's eyes. "That he was," he admitted. Despite everything, he would not deny
his heritage -- not now, not after all that he had learned.

         The Governor froze in mid-stride. He lifted his arm from Will's shoulder
as if the young man had suddenly been coated in poison. "Your father was a
Pirate?" he repeated. Will nodded, turning to face the Governor. "And you admit
that willingly?" Again, Will nodded. "Do you know what marrying the son of a
Pirate will do to my daughter's reputation?"

         He could not keep the flash of building anger from his eyes. "I assure
you, sir, that Elizabeth is fully aware of my heritage and is fine with it."

         "Be that as it may, how could you wish such embarrassment and shame upon
her if you truly love her?"

         Will had not liked the turn the conversation had taken, and already his
hand rested upon the hilt of the sword he had kept at his side since returning
from his adventure on the seas. His jaw was already set in a firm line when he
started to speak again. His words were lost before they could leave his mouth,
however, as he caught sudden movement out of the corner of his eye. Will turned
swiftly and was just in time to block a stranger's sword. Now, he could see that
the Governor was not alone but accompanied by two large men who he had never
seen before. "Governor, what's going on?"

         The Governor shook his head even as he picked up a board from a nearby
desk. "Too many questions," he murmured. Seeing what he was doing, Will prepared
to defend himself, but now both men swept their swords at him. He quickly met
their attacks, but even as he fended them off, the board met its mark with such
force that he went down immediately.

         The Governor quickly dropped the board onto the dirt and dusted his
hands off. When he looked up, he was met with the surprised looks of his two
most secret guards. He shook his head. "She is my daughter, and I need not
explain my actions to you. Just take the boy to the meeting place."

         "But, sir, are you sure . . . ?" one guard started to ask but fell
silent at the look that answered him.

         "But what if Miss Swann finds out, sir?" asked the second.

         "Leave my daughter to me, and do as I command you. I must keep her safe
from this . . . Pirate," he sneered disdainfully down at the boy. "He has had
his reward for saving her to have won my daughter's heart, but he shall not have
her hand. With time, Elizabeth will forget about him, and perhaps then she will
marry some one who is worthy of her and her station. Go now and take him, but do
be quiet about it. We can't have any one else finding out about this."


Chapter One
         Jack had risen well before dawn and had been wishing for strong winds to
carry his ship even faster. He couldn't help the smile that transformed his
entire face, turning him from devil-may-care to even more stunningly handsome.
His heart was full with love, and his soul was singing. Today was the day when
he would see Will again! It had been a long six weeks away, but he had taken
many prizes from the Spanish galleons he and his crew had beaten and had kept
some great gifts for Will and Elizabeth. Today was their wedding day, and he let
out a soft sigh. Jack hoped Will would be very happy with Elizabeth. She was a
great girl, even though he hated her father, the Governor.

         He loved both of them dearly, and if he didn't have a price on his head,
he would have stayed around them longer. He had found himself growing overly
fond of Will during their adventure but had shied away from true soul searching.
He knew he was attracted to Will but had never showed Will anything but
friendship. Jack was afraid of his true feelings and refused to admit them even
to himself. He knew that if Will had even an inkling as to his true feelings, he
would run away from him and hide. "Poor Will," Jack mused to himself. "Dear
sweet boy, how do I count thee, friend or -- ?"

         He let his voice fade out even as he heard a voice coming from the
Pearl's sister ship. "Good morning, Jack!" a cheery voice called.

         "Good morning, Xena!" Jack returned.

         "It will be good to see them again, and tomorrow's the wedding!" she
reminded him gently.

         "It will be fun for us all!" Jack yelled back, giving her a mock bow.
She laughed and returned into her chamber to wake her lover, Gabrielle.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


In Port
         Upon reaching port, Jack gathered his gifts and a change of clothes and
headed out for a nearby bathhouse. Along with him, he took his Quartermaster,
David Angel, and the ship's surgeon, Brendan Richards. The two men were very
fond of Will. They too took advantage of the bathhouse. They were deep in
conversation about their plans for the next day when they were suddenly
interrupted by two loud-mouthed, drunken soldiers who were quarreling about some
stupid thing the Governor was doing.

         Jack and company wisely closed their mouths and opened their ears,
hoping to catch something worthwhile but the soldiers immediately shut up when
the one who seemed to be in charge reminded the others they were supposed to
keep it quiet. They looked suspiciously at Jack and his friends, who were about
to get out and go for their weapons, but Jack shook his head. He got out and
dressed quickly. "See you there!" He smiled and left the room.

         Angel and Brendan stayed longer, trying to get themselves sweetly
perfumed. Angel hoped to meet up with some ladies, but that topic never even
crossed Brendan's mind. They knew Jack could take care of himself. They secretly
wished to be him, but Jack would not have believed it of them.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Outside the bathhouse, Jack had to mentally slow his steps down to keep
from running the rest of the way, so eager was he to see Will. When he reached
Will's shop, he saw that the door was open. Something was not right. Will would
never go off and leave the door open that way. Jack watched the door swinging
gently to and fro in the slight breeze. He peeked inside the shop but saw no
one.

         Walking inside, he saw that it was neat and orderly, just as Will liked
it to be, all except for one board that lay in the floor where no board should
be. He winced when he saw blood on one end of it. What had happened? he
wondered. "Will, are you here?" he called to the emptiness.

         He walked into the next room and saw that it was neatly kept with the
bed made. His right hand reached out and softly stroked the pillow where Will
lay his head each night. He snatched it back as though it had burned him. He had
no right to think such thoughts!

         He turned and ran all the way back to the Pearl to get one of his men,
Wolf. He could find Will for him. Wolf could find any one by smell alone. Jack
was scared all the way to his soul. He knew something was wrong. He must find
Will and quickly!


Chapter Two
         It was with one of her rare smiles that Faith bounded down the
gangplank. As she left the ship, she heard Xena calling to her to make certain
she was back in time to go to Will and Elizabeth's wedding, but Faith ignored
her captain. She had no intention of spending her evening in a silly gown,
watching two fools sign their lives over to each other. No, unlike the others,
she'd anticipated this landing for an entirely different reason. She had an itch
that had desperately needed scratching for over two months now. She'd missed
having her fun the last time they had been in port for they had been too busy
with other missions and assignments for her to be able to work in even one of
her infamous quickies. But not this time. Oh, no, for this time, she was on the
prowl, and she would find her target as soon as she was in the town. "Want.
Take. Have," she whispered under her breath, her dark eyes gleaming dangerously,
for those three little words were her motto for all of life.

         Faith had began to receive stares ever since coming into port, but she'd
ignored them all in her search for just the right bounty. She had just turned on
to the village's main street, however, when a stranger came up to her.
"Beautiful . . . day, that is," he greeted her with what she knew he thought to
be a dazzling smile.

         She rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to groan aloud. What was it
with these idiots who actually thought that they could come on to her and stand
any chance of having their pathetic lines accepted? She sidestepped the man. He
started to turn after her, but she hit him with her elbow in his gut. Even as he
doubled over, his hands clutching his stomach, she muttered, "'Beautiful day'
that," and continued on.

         Hearing hushed whispers behind the gloved hands of the ladies who
adorned the boardwalks, Faith glanced up with a snarl. She was mere seconds from
telling them off when a blonde head caught her attention. Her snarl turned to a
wicked smile as she examined the young man closer. He was kneeling on the
boardwalk, picking up a pan of dust that he'd just swept from in front of the
shop she assumed he worked at, and seemed oblivious to the gossip whispering all
around him. She watched him for a moment, and the nervous glances he shot up at
the other women told her that he was not oblivious, just shy and quiet. She
continued to watch him for a moment longer, and slowly his eyes lifted to hers.
She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively at him and almost burst out laughing when
she saw him gulp. She continued to watch him as he quickly finished his chore
and hurried back into the shop. Her eyes feasted on his rear end, that was only
hindered a bit by his apron strings, as he all but ran away. He closed the door
behind him, and she slowly ran her tongue over her lips. She'd just found what
she was looking for and couldn't wait to take that boy for what she fully
believed would be the wildest ride of his quiet, little life!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Elsewhere, in the seemingly quiet village, an odd woman, whose
completely pitch black clothes were a stark contrast against her pale white
skin, paced back and forth in a small cottage. Worried eyes watched every
flurried step of her black high heels. "Oh, Gonk," she cried, "I just don't know
what to do! Gods know if I was half the Sorceress my sister is I'd blast all
those prejudiced idiots to Hell, but I'm not! Even my smallest spells backfire;
you've seen that! And they're coming! I know they're coming! Delvira said she'd
be here by now, but she's not! I'll know the minute she comes in port! We always
do, but -- but if I keep waiting here, I'll -- !"

         Just then, loud knocks rapped across her door, and both woman and dog
turned to look at the door as if it was the gateway to their very deaths. "Open
up, Witch! We know you're in there!"

         "Open up or we'll knock down your door and drag you out of there!"

         "No, we'll just burn you where you stand! And your little demon too!"

         "Open up, daughter of Satan," came the preacher's voice, "and confess to
us your sins so that the Lord might have pity upon you and spare your soul!"

         Elvira shook her head as she backed slowly away from the door. Gonk
stood before her, barking shrilly. There'd be no sparing of her soul, though
she'd done no wrong. They would torture her until she either confessed to the
insane things that their twisted minds wanted to hear or they'd burn her at the
sake; even if she did not make such a completely false confession, they'd still
burn her. They wanted her, and any one else who shared even a fraction of her
beliefs, dead. And Gonk . . . Poor Gonk! They'd drown him to start with -- if
they didn't crush him to death with rocks first!

         She continued to back away, her eyes growing wider with each new
splinter of wood that fell away from her door. They had to run! But where could
they possibly go? It was just as her back pressed against her back door that a
new knocking came. She jumped away from the door as if she had just been
scalded, but the series of urgent, quiet knocks that followed the first brought
just a bit of relief to her, though the frantic tears remained in her black
eyes.

         Elvira opened the door to find two of her oldest friends standing there.
"Patty! Ororo! Tell me you have a way out of this Hell!"

         The women shook their heads sadly. It was the African American who spoke
first. "I am afraid not, my friend. It is . . . " Her blue eyes met Elvira's
black ones in silent conveyance of a dire message. " . . . to be Plan B
instead."

         "What?!" Elvira asked in shock. "No, it can't -- !"

         Patty shook her head, a movement that sent her brown hair shaking around
her slender shoulders. "Do you really think that I want to condemn my own mother
and children to death, Elvira? But they have the entire village surrounded, and
the other villages have already been struck!" She gestured with a hand toward a
crowd of women waiting only a few yards away. "Those who managed to escape kept
moving until they came to us! We're the last ones, Elvira, and there's no other
way out!"

         "But . . . But the port?"

         Patty shook her head. "Even if we could make it there, no ship would
give us passage. The Governor already has guards headed down there this morning,
guards who are going for no other purpose than to warn the boats about us. And
we can not wait any longer for your sister." She shook her head again, and tears
glistened in her eyes as she told her sincerely, "I'm sorry."

         Elvira started to slowly shake her head. "No . . . It . . . It can't
be."

         "We all wish that that were so, Elvira," Ororo spoke with the gentle
tone of a mother, "but wishes do us no more good than pleas for help on silent
breezes. Believe us," she continued, placing a comforting hand on Elvira's pale
shoulder. "You know if there was any other way, we would take it, but is it not
better, dear friend, to sacrifice our lives in standing for what we all believe
in, for our Lords and Ladies, than to allow them to beat us until we are subdued
and forced to give away the secrets of our people and beliefs and to let them
twist everything we say until nothing is truth but only what they wish to be
heard?"

         "You . . . " Elvira hung her head and let out a breath she had not
realized she had been holding. "You are right, of course, Ororo." Her gaze, as
she lifted her head, encompassed both women so that they understood that though
she only spoke one's name, her answer was intended for both. Her front door was
cracking, and three of the four heads turned toward the sound of the wood
beginning to severely buckle underneath the weight of the men who beat at it.
Only Gonk did not turn toward it for he, instead, continued to look up with
begging eyes at his beloved mistress.

         Elvira sighed as her gaze met her familiar's. She would not allow him to
meet the same fate as she had to. She knelt before him and quickly tore a piece
of her dress. She spoke in hurried whispers to her strange, little poodle as she
tied the piece of silky fabric around his collar. "Run to the docks, Gonk. Hide
there but keep a look-out for Delvira and Jareth. They might still make it in
time, but if they don't, they'll take good care of you." She could tell from the
look of his eyes that he was about to argue with her, but she sternly continued,
"No. We don't have time for that, Gonk. You have to trust me. You have to do
this for Mommy." To neither Ororo's nor Patty's surprise, the poodle submitted
in a nod. "Good boy," Elvira said as she lovingly stroked his wool one last
time. A lone tear ran down her pale cheek as she kissed him on the top of his
head; then she forced herself to stand. "Go, Gonk. Run, but don't be seen and
don't get caught!"

         She turned back to her friends but did not speak to them. She only
nodded instead, but the simple movement of her head and the look in her
distraught eyes told them everything they really needed to know. Together, they
ran back to the group, and as one, the women took off running for the ocean. The
mob fell through the door on top of each other, and only a few barely caught a
glimpse of the big, black dog running from the open back door.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         "Oh, Father! Father, something terrible has happened!" Elizabeth Swann
wailed as she burst into the conference room.

         The Governor looked up, clearly startled, as his daughter had just
interrupted a very important meeting. He opened his mouth to yell at her, but
his words caught in his throat as he saw the tears streaming down his only
child's face and realized what had happened. "Elizabeth?! Elizabeth, dear,
what's wrong?" he asked, his face and voice wringed with worry even as she
collapsed, sobbing, into his open arms.

         "It's Will!" she cried. "He's missing, Father!"

         "Oh, nonsense!" he started to respond while reassuringly patting her
back. "He's probably just superstitious! You know it's bad luck for the bride to
see the groom before the wedding."

         "I know, Father. That's why we planned to meet on either side of the
door to the day room this morning, but when he didn't come, I sent out one of
the guards to look for him. Robert said he found the shop open with no sign of
Will anywhere, and no one's seen Will all day, not even his boss! Oh, Father, I
just know something horrible's happened to him! You must send out a rescue
party!"

         "Nonsense, Elizabeth. I'm sure the lad's fine, but if he has gotten cold
feet and ran off, then perhaps it's for the best. After all, you know the son of
a pirate is only suitable for a slave to our level of -- "

         Elizabeth had pulled back now and was watching her father with suddenly
wary eyes. "What did you say?" she asked slowly, still sniffing as she tried to
stop her tears.

         "I said I'm sure he's fine."

         "No . . ." she spoke slowly with a shake of her head. Her skin had paled
and her emotions changed for a cold fear was steadily taking the place of her
worry over her beloved's disappearance. "After that . . . "

         "I said, if he has ran off, then perhaps it's for the best." The
Governor spoke carefully, realizing that his slip of the tongue had made his
daughter begin to suspect that he had did something to her fiancé. "After all,
we all know you can do much better, Elizabeth."

         "I can not do better than to follow my heart, Father," Elizabeth replied
icily, having now slipped beyond her father's immediate reach, "and William
Turner has my heart. However, that is still not what you said. Tell me that you
did not say what I thought you did, that you did not say that the man I love is
only suitable for a slave?!"

         "I . . . Of course I did not!" the Governor, a bead of sweat already
broken out across his forehead, hurried to assure her. "I only said that the son
of a pirate is only suitable for a slave of people in our station, but William
is much more than a pirate's son. After all, as you said, he is the man you
love. I did not . . . "

         Already, Elizabeth was shaking her head. As she looked at her own father
as if he were a monster instead, her lips parted in a quiet whisper filled with
both fear and despair, "You never could lie to me." He reached out to stop her,
but Elizabeth avoided her father's grasp as she ran from the room as if all the
Demons of Hell were nipping at her feet.

         The Governor looked from his daughter's disappearing back to the other
men in the room. "Gentlemen, if I may be . . . ?"

         "Of course, Governor Swann. After all, we have all had a taste of young
girls' teenaged flights of fancy before." The others nodded their heads in
unison, though some had a distinctly different look on their faces than was on
the faces of the fathers in the room.

         "Thank you," the Governor hurriedly murmured as he swept out of the room
and began running toward his daughter's bed chamber, thinking that that was
where she had fled to. It never crossed the Governor's mind that his daughter
might already be out of the safety of her home and well on her way to a certain
pirate ship that she hoped with all her heart had already reached the harbor.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Carl sighed as he continued to make his way through the village, his
hands shoved deep into his pockets. He had had such high hopes when he had left
the ship earlier that morning, and he was harshly reminded of the countless
times his parents had warned him that high hopes were for tall people only and
just got their race into trouble. He had met many women that morning and had
used all kinds of different lines. He had tried the basic "Hello, baby!" to the
more advanced line that was rumored to be the favorite of one of the world's
greatest lovers, Bucklin Wilmington, the classic, "Beautiful . . . day, that
is!" He had even tried his favorites, including accusing one particularly
stunning redhead's father of being a thief for he had stolen sapphires for her
hair and emeralds for her eyes.

         Carl realized with only a bit of a shock that he had actually used every
line in his book already that day, but they had all brought the same response.
Every single woman, from the most beautiful he'd seen in a very long time to the
ugly ones who he had attempted a move on out of nothing more than sheer
desperation, had called him ugly, demanded to know just what he was, and slapped
him. His ears still rang with their shouts, and his cheeks stung from their
slaps. Of course, his constant, honest answers had not helped matters in the
slightest for they had either fainted, hit him again until he had suffered a
minor unconsciousness spell, or just picked up their skirts and ran as fast as
their fancy shoes could carry them.

         The little fellow sighed a second time, but as he drove his hands even
deeper into his pockets, his fingers touched the coins that they held. He
couldn't help a small smile as he realized just how many pockets he'd collected
from. If it came to it, he could always hire a woman for the night yet again,
but this time he'd actually have money left over. He chuckled as he thought of
the reactions the women who had slapped him would have if they were to realize
just how much lighter he'd made every one of their purses.

         The lifting of his mood shattered, however, as angry shouts cut through
the air. Another set of shouts rang out, but these were filled far more with
fear than anger. "Come on, Paige!"

         "I can't run any more!" Carl's eyes followed the sound of the feminine
voices to an astonishingly large group of women. His heart cried out as he saw
the tears streaming down several of their cheeks, and then his eyes were met
with the face of the one called Paige. His heart stopped as his eyes feasted on
her beauty. Despite the tears that ran down her face, marring her ivory skin,
she was still surely the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen! "I just can't!"

         "You have to!" another of the brunettes that surrounded her cried out.
The brunettes on either side of Paige grasped her arms as they drug her with
them, determined not to leave her behind.

         "WITCHES!" Carl's heart sped back up and thundered so loudly that he
wondered why it did not deafen both the mob and those fleeing from them. His
eyes, and every other inch of his small body, were filled with fury as he stared
at the mob chasing after the women. Some held lit torches while others carried
pitchforks and long swords whose blades gleamed dangerously in the golden rays
of the morning sun.

         "You can run from us, but you will never escape the power of the Lord!
He shall smite you all, wicked creatures of Satan!"

         Carl's hands were so tightly balled into fists that his dull fingernails
left marks in the palms of his hands. They would not get away with this. They
would not hurt these women, let alone burn them, but he knew he could not save
them alone. Turning, Carl had just began to run when something barreled under
him. He fell forward but never reached the ground. Instead, he let out a yelp of
surprise as he found himself riding a black dog that was bigger than he was!

         The dog let out a howl as he ran, and the Gnome understood. Though he
was glad for the understanding, he was filled with even more anger at the
knowledge. "Get us to the port! My shipmates will rescue them!" The only
response from Gonk was an extra burst of speed.



Chapter Three
         Wolf had been checking over the supply list for the third time before
going ashore. He heard Carl yelling and screaming at the top of his lungs and
wondered what the little guy had got into trouble with this time. Bounding over
to the railing, he looked for him. He never would have expected the sight that
met his eyes -- Carl riding a huge black dog and carrying a black flag that
fluttered in the breeze.

         As soon as he heard Carl's screams clearly, he called to the other men.
"We will go and rescue these fair women! Though they be Witches, they do not
deserve to be treated thus!" Dropping his list in a nearly empty bucket, he
jumped over the side, changing into his wolf form.

         Among the heads that had snapped up at the sounds of both Carl's and
Wolf's shouts was a furry face with baby blue eyes that flashed at Wolf's words.
"What do you mean by that -- 'though they be Witches'?! Just because they are --
" She let her sentence hang in mid-air, however, as Wolf had either not heard
her or ignored her for he was already gone, changing into his lupine form and
racing towards Carl and the unknown dog he rode.

         The familiar touch of a gentle hand on her shoulder decreased a bit of
her anger. "I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, love. If he was really
prejudiced, he wouldn't be in such a rush to save them."

         Celina shook her head but had to relent nonetheless. "I'm sure you're
right, beloved. It's just . . . " With another shake of her head, she emitted a
soft sound that was an odd cross between a growl and a sigh. "Canines. They
never do bother to contemplate their word choices." Without another word, she
slipped out from underneath her husband's hand and raced after Wolf. She did not
need to look back to know that Morph was right behind her, and though she heard
a door open somewhere behind them and smelled their Captain as she approached,
she did not pause as she leaped over the side of the ship.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         A barely dressed Xena was in the process of scrubbing her beloved
Gabrielle's back when they had been disturbed by loud noises. Grabbing her
sword, she ran out on deck just in time to see Wolf change. Xena had been
waiting for the trouble to hit for a while. Their voyage had been prosperous but
uneventful. She stood with the sunlight caressing her bare chest, hardly even
thinking about it.

         Suddenly, she felt her crew's eyes on her. She heard her quartermaster,
a man known to all only as Wolverine, clear his throat in warning and did not
have to look at her cook to know that Autolycus was wondering if he dared
attempt to lay a hand on her. It was her weapon checker's widened eyes that her
gaze settled upon as she glanced around, however. "Arm the crew and go after
them!" she ordered even as she headed back to her cabin. Wesley hurried to obey
his Captain's orders, tossing swords and daggers to those who did not already
have their weapons on them. Most did, however, and had already left by the time
he grasped his own sword.

         Wolf heard the others following him. Reaching Carl, he could see that he
was not in trouble from the huge animal but was riding him like a horse. "Lead
on," he yipped to the dog who changed his course, returning from whence he came.
Wolf slowed just enough to let the men keep him in sight. He prayed they would
be in time to save the women.

         As they raced, Celina thought of the Black Pearl's crew and wondered if
they had heard Carl. She had just started to reach out telepathically to her
sister when she found her running next to her.

         Gonk knew that the people and bizarre wolf following him were pirates
and that they did not belong to Jareth's ship. He could smell the abnormal, and
even Supernatural, differences in them; Werewolf, Werecat, and Demon blood all
drifted to him on the breeze. None of that mattered to the dog, however. All
that mattered to him was getting help to his mistress; he would do anything and
put up with anything, even this odd, small creature called a Gnome on his back,
if it meant his beloved Elvira would live.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         Reaching her armor, Xena quickly dressed, all the while telling
Gabrielle what little she had been able to see and how that the trouble they had
escaped from was now beginning to come after them. "Hurry, beloved; we must go
to their rescue!" She knew troubles always came in threes, just like bad luck,
and that it never seemed to stop coming. She was worried what the other two
troubles would be and hoped that it was nothing she and Jack couldn't handle.
She felt between them they could handle anything the Fates dished out and come
out on top. There was a time when she was all alone, about to die, and Jack had
saved her. He was like a brother to her now, and Gabby was her life and own true
love. They were her family, and together they could move mountains!

         Gabrielle was already fastening the last laces of her bodice when Xena
finished telling her what she knew, and already the blonde's blood was boiling.
"I'm so sick of these prejudiced idiots," she hissed, her green eyes blazing.
"It just never ends, does it? Christians fight amongst themselves and kill each
other but call Witches Satan's children and burn us at the stake. Writers are
killed just because somebody in power doesn't like what they've wrote, even when
it's the truth." Realizing that her always-eager tongue was on the beginning of
a fiery rant that they had no time for, Gabrielle silenced herself with a shake
of her head.

         She glanced at her staff leaning against one of the cabin's walls, but
it was her sais below it that she picked up. She flipped them around and smiled
at the way they felt in her grip. Even as she did, though, memories of the times
she'd came so close to being burnt and hung flashed through her mind. Only a
couple of those times had been for being a pirate; far more often they were
because of her love for Xena, another woman; her religious beliefs; or even just
the truths she'd written that infuriated the townspeople who had themselves done
the deeds she was to be killed for simply writing about. Turning back to her
lover, her sais still in her hands, a ghost of Xena's infamous dangerous smile
crossed her lips. "Let's go kick butt."

         Xena grinned at her as she ran out of the cabin. "Let's get dangerous,
love." Reaching the railing, she jumped over the side and turned to watch as
Gabby jumped. Xena never grew tired of watching Gabrielle in motion. She was so
graceful. In dangerous moments, she was her best ally, and she knew danger lay
just before them. All around she could see the others running, and she knew that
time was of the very essence. She wondered where Jack was and hoped he was
having a better day than she was.

         Gabrielle placed one hand on the railing and sprung over its side.
Landing beside her lover, she took off without another word. Though a storm
raged in her green eyes and her heart hammered furiously against her breast, she
remained calm. She had seen too many other lives lost due to prejudice; these
Christians would not take the Witches. She knew the others would fight to
protect them, but she did not stop to think about them as she ran next to Xena.
Instead, she thought only that Xena and she would make certain that the others
of their religious beliefs escaped alive.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         No answer came to Jack's impatient ears so as soon as he reached the
ship, he climbed quickly up the rope and onto the deck of his beloved ship. He
was startled to see that no one was aboard. He called out again. It was a rule
that some one always remain aboard, alert for trouble, and ready to sail at a
moment's notice. He wondered what could have caused the complete desertion of
the Pearl. A worried frown creased his forehead and his eyes darkened. Was
treachery aboard? Had his men been arrested, despite the Governor's having
agreed to grant them amnesty for this day alone, his daughter's wedding day? He
hoped not! He decided to climb up to the crow's nest so he could get a better
view. Releasing one of the ropes, he sprung neatly into the nest.

         Far out to the right of the harbor was a huge group of people chasing
another group of people. The chasers were carrying pitchforks and yelling nasty
things that Jack could not understand from the distance that separated them.
Jack didn't like the looks of things. He could see Wolf and his men running, and
he, too, wanted to be there to help. He climbed quickly back down only to land
in the midst of an angry mob who had come on the Pearl uninvited. He would not
have to go to the fighting -- he grinned impishly --; the fighting had come to
him!

         Jack now stood alone amidst what appeared to be six burly guards. Jack
figured that they were not the same ones he had seen running. He was alone but
not afraid for himself but only for Will. These men were blocking him and
keeping him from going after Wolf; thus they were keeping him from getting to
Will. In a strong voice, Jack now demanded, "Who are you, and why are you on my
ship? You are trespassing, and I'll thank you to leave my ship as quickly as you
came! If you don't, I'll have to throw you off!" He was not jesting, and he put
all of his determination into his words and stance, believing he could follow up
on his words but hoping that he was right.

         The guards already had their swords drawn, and now their leader pointed
his sword at the pirate's throat. "You do not order us, pirate. We take orders
from His Majesty alone and will leave this ship only when you have returned our
Princess to us."

         Jack's mouth fell open in surprise. What the Hell were these idiots
babbling on about? A Princess aboard his ship? "I think you got the wrong ship,
mate. There's never been a Princess on here. The most exalted presence that's
ever been on this ship was the governor's daughter, and there's not any women
aboard now." He did not move as the sword was dangerously near his jugular. He
continued to glare angrily at the guard while hoping desperately that he could
find a way out of this mess.

         The guard captain's sword pressed closer against the pirate's throat.
"You may be lying, or you may simply not be aware of her," he admitted.
"However, the Princess is here. We saw her sneak aboard." It was at that moment
that the guard's blue eyes caught sight of a flicker of movement in the shadows
on the opposite side of the ship. He looked up, though his blade remained at
Jack's throat. "Princess!" he called. "Bruce, Davis, take this pirate," he
instructed them. Two of the guards reached out to snatch Jack's arms, but
already their captain had moved away and was headed for the Princess who tried
desperately to shrink back into the shadows.

         Jack had no ideal how the girl had got aboard the ship. What he did know
was that the idiot captain had just screwed up. He had let go of him before the
others had grabbed him. He danced quickly away from them, turning as he did so
and snatching his sword out. The other guards did not have theirs out. "Huh,
captain!" one of the guards managed to squeak out. "Captain, we got a
situation!" another one came up with. Jack grinned evilly at them. Thank the
Goddess he had been given a chance and that he was quick enough to take
advantage of it. Keeping his back against the ship, he waited for them to make
their next move.

         "Handle it!" the captain snapped back at the lower guards without even
bothering to glance their way. His gaze remained focus on the Princess'
silhouette instead. "Oh, Princess, my love, why do you try to hide from me? You
know I will not hurt you." Instead of answering him, however, she began to try
to slip away from him. "Princess?"

         Upon hearing that the captain did not care what happened to the pirate,
all five guards pulled their swords out. Jack immediately attacked the two that
were in the front, trying to keep his back against the ship's wall, but he soon
found that he was unable to do so. The minute he stepped away from the wall,
they surrounded him.

         While Jack could easily have handled the two and put them out of
commission, the other three came at his back side, and he was soon forced to
drop his sword. He still stared glaringly at them. He had not been easy to take
down. He now feared for the worst -- that he would be killed and never get to
see Will again. His heart was breaking.

         What could have happened to his precious friend? Who would save he
himself now? Would he be killed and no one even know that Will was missing? The
guards forced him to his knees, each of them pointing their swords at his
throat. He still held his head high. His dying thoughts would be of Will. He now
realized how deeply he loved Will, and Will would never even know.

         He saw the captain of the guard closing in on the woman and knew that he
could not help her. It was at his darkest moment that he caught movement out of
the corner of his eye. Was it to be more attackers or could rescue possibly have
arrived?


To Be Continued . . .


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Ahoy to all, and thanks to those on written_stars and DisneysFearlessFemales
for their welcomes!
     Many lists ask that we introduce ourselves with a little information, so if
you're interested in hearing about us, read ahead.  We are two male lovers, and
if that bothers you, that's your problem.  If any list moderator would like us
to leave because of that, they've but to ask us as we wouldn't want to be where
we're not welcome, any way.  The younger of us is 30; that's Pirate Turner.  We
abhor hunting, considering it to merely be licensed murdering; have no tolerance
for prejudice; and are animal-loving, tree-hugging Pagans.  We rescue animals
and have quite the variety, our favorites being cats (our home is currently also
home to 19 of the darlings).  Our beliefs tend to come out rather strongly in
our writings.
     As for fan fic, we've been writing for over 10 years, but most, if not all,
of our writing is now dedicated to one series, one world, our own tales.  It's a
Pirate AU series involving a huge array of fandoms; slash, femmeslash, and het
couples; and tackling heavy topics.  Amongst the couples are almost all of our
favorites: PotC's Jack/Will (obviously), Smallville's Clex, X-Men's RoLo,
Charmed's Cole/Piper, Angel's Angel/Cordelia, Generation X's Sean/Emma, Peter
Pan's Smook (Hook/Smee), and a triangle for Jackie Chan/Owen Wilson/Ben Stiller.
There are bound to be others we're not thinking of right now.  We have a few
favorite couples who haven't made it into our series, such as Supernatural's
Sam/Dean, Walker's Gage/Sydney, Dawson Creek's Pacey/Andie, and Disney's John
Smith/Pocahontas and Beast/Belle.  We have also recently discovered the world of
Magnificent Seven slash; our favorite pairings there so far include Chris/Vin,
Chris/Ezra, and Buck/JD.
     Though Labyrinth's Jareth and 10th Kingdom's Wolf do have starring roles in
the fic, do not expect Sarah or Virginia to turn up; we can't stand them.  Both
men deserve far better and get far better in the forms of Elvira, Mistress of
the Dark, and her twin sister, Delvira.  Unfortunately, they have another
duplicate sister who's evil through and through, but that's in the tale for your
(hopefully) reading pleasure.  We also have very little tolerance for Phoebe
Halliwell but try desperately to seperate the character from the reason for that
(her actress, Alyssa Milano, who caused one of the greatest shows in television
history to become screwed beyond repair); Phoebe is in the fic, as is all three
of her sisters, and is paired with Joxer "The Mighty" from Xena: Warrior
Princess.  We'd also like to drive a stake through Buffy for the pain she caused
Angel and Spike.  To us, Angel and Cordelia belong together, and we've yet to
find a perfect match in any established fandom for Spike.  That's why we put our
own Immortal, Oriental Sorceress, Kyna Chan, with him.  For more information on
the fic, look to upcoming posts.  We hope you'll read it and enjoy it.
     For any and all cross-posting you experience, we apologize in advance. 
We've been having a great deal of difficulty finding a satisfactory home for our
series and have, therefore, taken a last chance on Yahoo! Groups.  That's why
we're sharing the fic with so many lists, but we'll only stay on those that we
receive feedback on and/or get good stories from.  There are just so many dead
or dying lists our there that this seems to us to be the only sure fire way of
selecting good lists when we have so little time to spend online.  A friendly
word of warning ahead of time.  :-)
                                                                              
Pirates Turner & Sparrow

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hey all,
so i'm writing again, never thought that would happen. SO far i've got
three new ones, all part of an ongoing Harry Potter/Buffy crossover
songfic series, its a Buffy/Snape pairing. Here are the links, hope
you enjoy and remember feedback is a GOOD thing.

Story 1: http://www.tthfanfic.com/story.php?no=8056
Story 2: http://www.tthfanfic.com/story.php?no=8058
Story 3: http://www.tthfanfic.com/story.php?no=8078

Love to all,
SiN

Hey all you buffy fans have you heard about the new collectors edition
set that is being released & will contain all 7 seasons of buffy plus
some special feautres.. this is a definite must have for any buffy
fan, i think imma have to add this to my xmas wish list.. Who has been
your fave character on buffy ? what has been your fave moment of
episode of the show ? is any1 else going to pick up this set ?

This limited collector's edition includes Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Seasons 1-7.

Features
Run Time: 6519 min
DVD Special Features:
- Bonus Disc: Introduction by Joss Whedon
- Back to the Hellmouth: A Conversation with Creators and Cast
- Breaking Barriers: It's Not a Chick
- Fight Thing
- Love Bites: Relationships in the Buffyverse
- Evil Fiends
- Buffy: An Unlikely Role Model
- Buffy Cast and Crew: Favorite Episodes

join the buffy team http://buffycollectorsset.fanation.com/?C1395_380438

Everyone;

It may be a month or longer before I post again to the Yahoo fan
fiction groups and RPGs, and Pagan groups. I am on my way in a few
days to the great South of the United States to help with the
hurricane disaster as a Red Cross volunteer.  Wish me luck and say
prayers for those affected by this disaster.  I will be gone from two
to four weeks and won't be taking my computer with me. We can't
donate money; we are beyond strapped right now, so we're donating me.
I will know more this week.

Thoughts and prayers would be appreciated.

Blessings
Frau Hunter/Dana C
Ripperbard7@...
www.valleyoakkindred.com
www.hunterash.com

For updates while I'm gone, please go to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hunter_Personal_Updates

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Part 2

Author: Frau Hunter Ash
Copyright © 2003-2005 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: ripperbard7@...
hunterash@...
Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox,
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline,
however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be
sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made
for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright
notices.

Lyrics: the lyrics contained in this work are copyrighted and are
used without permission but no harm is intended.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship
between people of the same and opposite gender <G>.  If this offends
or is illegal for you, then please leave.  Come back when you are
older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

Spoilers: This takes place somewhere in Season 6.

Summary:  This is more than song fan fiction – the characters
actively use songs and the lyrics contained in the songs as messages
to each other. Hope you enjoy. Full lyrics available on request.
Buffy died and was brought back and isn't happy about it and took up
with Spike.  Willow and Tara are still together though, having found
a new and interesting topic to hold their attention other than
Willow's casual use of magic. My first real attempt at straight sex.
Be kind.

Rating: R (US), 15 (UK), MA (Australian)


* * *

Giles almost expected to find Buffy waiting for him after the second
set but the Slayer was nowhere in sight and not in the club.  The
Englishman sighed and turned to the whiskey once more, trying to
drown out the fear that he had already lost his Slayer on all
levels. The only thing left was for Spike to turn her or some other
vampire to kill her.

An hour later, Giles accompanied the rest of his band mates to their
cars and started the short trek back to the magic shop, guitar case
in hand.  Ripper had worked hard at drowning his sorrows and his
reaction time was just a little slower than usual for the Watcher
when he looked up and saw Spike step out of the shadows of a
building.

Giles stopped with a frown.

"What do you want, Spike?" Giles growled and felt his insides turn
cold when he glanced around, seeing four vampires step into the
light behind him.  He was in the alley behind the shop and there was
only the shop door, a tall fence and the opening, which was now
blocked by four vampires.

"You're the wanker she's pining after then?" Spike demanded, tossing
his cigarette at Giles' face.  The Watcher flinched and held his
guitar closer.

"What are you talking about?" Giles demanded. "Buffy? She's the one
shagging you every night!"

"She may be in my bed but it's not me she's thinking of anymore!"
Spike growled and Giles felt the four vampires moving closer. He
knew Spike couldn't hurt him but the Watcher had no doubt that the
four behind him could.

"Spike, there's nothing between Buffy and me, we haven't even talked
in days," Giles protested.

"Oh, you've bloody well been in love with her for years! I just
never thought she'd give an old sod like you a second glance!" Spike
smirked. "Well, she won't after I'm through with you."

"She'll kill you for this," Giles growled, tensing his body for the
attack.

"Hell, Watcher, just another Sunnydale victim!" Spike smirked as the
vampires laughed. "I can't hurt anyone, remember?"

Giles swung the guitar as he spun to face the vampires behind him,
catching the first one across the head as the fourth one grabbed at
his jacket.  The Watcher growled and ducked the punch of the second
vampire and stamped on the foot of the third one.

Ripper actually managed to pull free and put himself up against the
wall. The gothic cross on a leather thong around his neck was
quickly in his fingers, being held out as far as he could.

One vampire took a bad burn to the face as all four of them charged
the musician.  Giles fell to the alley floor with a growl, swinging
and kicking as one hand struggled for his stake.  A booted foot
caught his ribs and another his temple, stunning the Englishman for
a moment.

When Giles shook his head, he glanced up, realizing he was being
held up by his arms, a vampire on each side.  Spike was looking at
him with contempt and pulled Giles' head back by the hair.

"A bit of a fighter there," Spike growled as the one branded vampire
whimpered, clutching his cheek.  "That's alright, haven't seen a
good one in awhile. Do it boys."

* * *

Buffy grumbled and pulled the blanket over her head as the pounding
on her door continued.  She tried to ignore it, knowing it was
probably Dawn wanting to borrow something for school.

"Buffy! Buffy wake up!" Willow shouted from the hall.

"Go away, just going to sleep," Buffy mumbled.

Willow frowned and concentrated on the lock, opening it after a
moment. She could hear Tara rushing Dawn to get dressed as she tried
to calm Anya down on the cell phone.  The red-haired witch quickly
crossed the room to Buffy's bed.

"Buffy, it's Giles! He's hurt bad!"

Buffy sat up, blinking. "Where and how?" she demanded, reaching for
her discarded jeans on the floor.

"Anya's on the phone, the paramedics are there now," Willow
explained.  "She went by to get yesterday's receipts and found him
in the alley."

"What happened?" Buffy growled, pulling on her tennis shoes.

"Vampire attack, a bad one, An says," Willow whimpered.

"Anya says they're taking him to the hospital now," Tara called from
the doorway. "His heartbeat is erratic and he can't seem to breathe."

"He's lost too much blood," Buffy said absently as she and Willow
joined Tara and Dawn in the hallway. "His heart can't pump enough
blood to keep all his organs working. Let's go!"

* * *

"Miss Summers?" the doctor asked an hour later as he walked into the
waiting room of the emergency area.

Everyone blinked and sat up, attentive.

"I'm Buffy Summers," Buffy said softly.

"Mr. Giles said that he doesn't have any relatives here and you all
are his friends," the doctor said, sitting down in a chair to face
the small group of five females and one male.  "He gave me
permission to tell all of you what's happened."

"Is he okay?" Willow asked, unable to hold back any longer.

"Not totally," Dr. Paul Roberson said slowly.  "He lost quite a bit
of blood but I don't foresee any last affects from that. It's the
other injuries that had us most worried. He sustained several broken
ribs which collapsed his lung. Mr. Giles can recover completely from
that, it'll just take time and rest."

"What's wrong?" Buffy snapped. "He has to be okay."

"Well, I believe the concussion he sustained is mild and the other
injuries are mostly bruises and cuts from the beating," Dr. Roberson
explained. "It's the hand that worries me. It's not life threatening
but it is serious."

"His hand? What's wrong with his hand?" Buffy demanded.

"His left hand was crushed by someone wearing heavy boots," Dr.
Roberson said softly. "They left an impression of the sole on his
hand, they stomped it so hard. Several bones are crushed and we've
called in a bone specialist. He may lose some use of the hand."

"His left hand?" Willow squeaked.

"Giles is left-handed," Buffy muttered, feeling a familiar feeling
of shock overtake her.

"He is?" Xander questioned.

"Of course," Anya nodded. "Whoever attacked him knew that."

"The police want to ask you if Mr. Giles has any enemies that you
know of," the doctor nodded at Anya's observation.

"Can I see him?" Buffy asked, ignoring his question.

"Only for a moment, he'll be moved to a private room in a few
minutes. We've got him pretty sedated to keep him quiet and still,"
Roberson explained.

Giles' eyes were closed and his chest was rising and falling in a
regular rhythm with the help of a respirator.  Buffy whimpered as
she took in the blackened eyes, gashed forehead, bruises along his
ribs and the bandages surrounding his hand.  She also saw the fang
marks on his neck and counted three pair.

"Giles? Can you hear me?"

The Watcher didn't respond.

"Giles, do you know who did this?" Buffy asked, leaning down to
whisper in his ear.

The Watcher opened his eyes slowly and Buffy could see the drugs
working as his eyes lost their focus and began to close. "Giles!"

Giles held up his right hand and moved it slowly.  He repeated the
action twice until he saw recognition in Buffy's eyes.  He was
forming the letter "S" in sign language.

"Spike set this up?" she demanded.

Giles nodded and closed his eyes.

Buffy left without explaining to her surprised friends and family
what was wrong and where she was going.

* * *

Buffy sighed as she walked in the back door of the house. It was
nearly sunrise and the Slayer didn't expect to find anyone awake and
was grateful.  It had been a week since the attack on Giles and now
her Watcher was recovering in Dawn's room while her sister shared
Buffy's room.  Giles had been there two days and she still hadn't
gone in to see him.

The Slayer had intentionally stayed away from the house and let
everyone else take care of the injured man.  Buffy didn't think she
could ever face him again, this felt almost worse than when Jenny
died, she thought. Because she hadn't killed Angeleus, Jenny was
dead. Now, because of her, Spike had shattered her Watcher.

Buffy had confronted Spike and the vampire had admitted setting up
the attack and watching. The guilt was that Buffy hadn't killed him
right then. His laughter as she stumbled from his tomb still rang in
her ears.

The vampire had disappeared the next night but the Slayer heard
rumors that he was still in town, she just wasn't looking very hard
for him.  Buffy couldn't face Giles and tell him that because she
couldn't even explain it to herself.

Why did she let Spike live, she demanded from herself. She should
have dusted him when he tried to attack Willow after being chipped
or when he sided with Adam, or half a dozen other times. The attack
on Giles should have ensured his painful death at the hands of the
Slayer but Buffy hadn't done it.

Buffy looked at the large paper bag on the kitchen counter with
Giles' name on it and couldn't resist looking inside.  Slowly the
Slayer pulled out a bottle of Jameson whiskey and heard several more
rattling in the bag.  Buffy glanced at the delivery receipt and her
frown deepened when she saw that Willow had signed for the bottles.

"He ordered them," Willow said from the kitchen doorway.

Buffy jumped slightly and put the bottle back and turned to face her
friend.  Willow was dressed in pajamas and robe and looked like she
may have been waiting all night for the Slayer.

"You didn't have to accept them," Buffy growled.

"Why shouldn't I?" Willow snapped. "He's an adult and can kill
himself if he wants. I'll sit with him, hold him when he cries, wake
him from his nightmares but I can't stop Giles from drinking, Buffy."

"Crying?" Buffy asked softly, wishing she could escape this
conversation.

Willow's eyes hardened as she watched her best friend. "You are so
dense at times, Summers," she complained. "Nightmares of three
vampires sinking their fangs in his throat while Spike laughed at
him. Nightmares of one of them slapping him conscious from the
feeding so that he'd feel his hand being crushed and Spike
congratulating the vampires on their job well done while Giles
screamed."

"Will, don't, please," Buffy begged, turning away from her friend.

"Buffy, we love you so much that we all risked our souls to bring
you back," Willow said, a little more gently. "But right now, I'm
trying to keep Giles from killing himself quickly. The woman he's
finally admitting to love doesn't care if he lives or dies. The job
he trained half his life for has passed him by and his Slayer no
longer needs him so he turned to his music, now your vampire lover
took that from him."

"He's not…" Buffy stammered but trailed off, unable to deny it or
explain her relationship with Spike. "I do care about Giles."

Willow shook her head. "That's why I'm the one there at night
instead of you? Tara and I take turns taking care of him while Anya
keeps the shop running."

"Will," Buffy tried to begin and hesitated, wrapping her arms around
herself. "I'm falling apart inside and I don't know how to stop it."

Willow quickly crossed the small space and pulled Buffy into her
arms as the Slayer began to finally cry.  The witch held her friend
for several moments as Buffy's soft tears turned into full weeping,
the two ended up on the floor as Buffy clung to her friend.

"A-at first I-I couldn't feel anything now I don't know what I'm f-
feeling," Buffy cried.

Willow gently rocked the Slayer as Buffy's tears slowed to gentle
sobs.

"Buffy, I need to show you something, okay?" Willow asked softly,
stroking Buffy's hair.

"Is it gonna hurt?" the Slayer's voice sounded small and vulnerable.

"Maybe a little," Willow nodded, helping the Slayer stand.  The
witch led them to the den and Willow made Buffy sit behind the
desk. "I found this earlier while looking for one of my notebooks,
it's Giles' and he's been listening to song lyrics."

Willow turned several pages in the simple black notebook and Buffy
recognized Giles' careful writing and then frowned. There was also a
bolder, more loose writing as well, mostly notes about things,
especially songs and music throughout the notebook.

Some were dated and Buffy focused, realizing she could track when
Giles first started at the new club and played with song lyrics to
get messages through to her. She could track his thoughts, from
confusion about his feelings for her, to acceptance and rage, the
feeling of hopelessness and terror. Then they seemed to move onto a
hopeful tone.

Then a crash apparently.

"That's the night he saw you and Spike together," Willow said. "That
night he wrote those lyrics out."

	 "I see my red door and I must have it painted black
	 maybe then I'll fade and away and not have to face the facts
	 its not easy facing up when you're whole world is black
	 no more will my greens will turn a deeper blue
	 I could not foresee this thing happening to you
	 if I look hard enough into the setting sun
	 my love will laugh with me before the morning comes

	 I see a red door and I want it painted black
	 no colours anymore, I want them to turn black
	 I see the girls walk by, dressed in their summer clothes
	 I have to turn my head until my darkness goes

	 I want to see it faded, painted black
	 black as night, black as coal
	 I want to see the sun blotted out from the sky
	 I want to see it painted, painted, painted black
		 (The Rolling Stones – Painted Black)

"Oh God, he saw us?" Buffy whispered and Willow nodded. The Slayer
didn't even question how Willow knew that Giles had seen the vampire
and Slayer together.

Willow leaned over the desk and flipped to the last page.  The
writing was jagged, as if by a child learning to write.

"His hand, he's left handed," Buffy muttered to herself, realizing
Giles must have written these lyrics with his right hand.

	 it's been awhile since I could hold my head up high
	 and its been awhile since I first saw you
	 its been awhile since I could stand on my own two feet again
	 and its been awhile since I could call you

	 you're everything I can't remember, it's the passing of time
it seems
	 the consequences are rendered, I've stretched myself beyond
my means

	 and its been awhile since I could say that I wasn't addicted
	 and its been awhile since I could say that I loved myself as
well as
	 and its been awhile since I went and fucked things up just
like I always do
	 and its been awhile but all that shit seems to disappear
when I'm with you

	 and you're everything I can't remember, it's just passing me
by it seems
	 the consequences that I've rendered, I've gone and fucked
things up again
	 why must I feel this way
	 just make this go away
	 just one more peaceful day

	 its been awhile since I could look at myself straight
	 and its been awhile since I said I'm sorry
	 and its been awhile since I've seen the candles light your
face
	 and its been awhile but I can still remember just the way
you taste

	 you're everything I can't remember, it's the passing of it
seems to me
	 I cannot blame this on my father, he did the best he for me
	 its been awhile since I could hold my head up high
	 and its been awhile since I said I'm sorry
		 (Staind – It's Been Awhile)

	 should I stay or should I go now
	 should I stay or should I go now
	 if I go there will be trouble and if I stay it will be double
	 so come on and let me know

	 this indecision's bugging me
	 if you don't want me, set me free
	 exactly whom I'm supposed to be
	 don't you know which clothes even fit me
		 (The Clash – Should I Stay or Should I Go)

	 but I'm the only one who'll walk across the fire for you
	 and I'm the only one who'll drown in my desire for you
	 it's only fear that makes you run, the demons that you're
hiding from
	 when all your promises are gone, I'm the only one

	 please, baby, can't you see I'm trying to explain
	 I've been here before and I'm locking the door and I'm not
going back again
	 her eyes and arms and skin might make it go away
	 you'll wake up tomorrow and wrestle the sorrow that holds
you down today
		 (Melissa Etheridge – I'm the Only One)

Willow flipped the page and Buffy read the barely legible notes:

"Flight 7375 for Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom?" Buffy
squeaked. "Leaving LAX Friday 9am? This Friday? As in four days from
now?"

"I asked and he refused to talk about it," Willow nodded.

"What do I do, Will?" Buffy asked softly, fresh tears filling her
eyes.

"Figure out how you feel about him, Buff," Willow said
gently. "Either love him or let him go and never see him again. He
can't be your Watcher with things like this between the two of you
and Spike took his music. Giles is dying slowly. "

* * *

Giles sat up in the bed, clutching at his hand.  It took him a
moment to realize it was in a cast and he wasn't in the alley being
beaten, bitten and nearly killed again.  The Watcher swung his legs
over the side of the bed and rubbed his hand over his face.

The Watcher spun, reaching under his pillow for a cross.

"It's just me, Giles," Buffy said softly from the doorway.

"I, uh, I'm not really up for visitors right now, Buffy," Giles said
softly, his voice wavering.

"Nightmare? I've heard you've been having them," Buffy asked gently,
moving into the room and sitting on the bed behind him.

"Please, I don't want to see you right now," Giles growled, refusing
to turn and face her.

Buffy firmly pulled Giles back onto the bed and wrapped her arms
around him. He started to struggle with a whimper.

"Shhh, just sleep," Buffy urged, stroking his forehead. "Let me be
close, please."

"Why? I'm not Spike," Giles muttered but stopped resisting.

"I don't want Spike," Buffy said softly. "I thought it was helping
me feel something, I was wrong."

"You don't want me, you want Ripper because he's like Spike," Giles
complained while moving closer into her arms.

"I want you and Ripper, I think," Buffy whispered as Giles'
breathing became steady and he slipped back into sleep.

The Slayer spent a sleepless morning evaluating her feelings,
physical and mental, as she lay next to her Watcher. His strong body
was becoming too thin, she decided as she ran her hands over his
ribs.

Shortly after noon Buffy came downstairs with a determined look.
She found Willow, Tara and Dawn eating a lunch of roast beef
sandwiches and soup.  "Roast beef?" the Slayer stopped, momentarily
distracted.

"Yeah, you should try coming home for dinner sometimes," Dawn
quipped. "Tara's the best cook! The roast beef was hot last night."

"Yeah, well…" Buffy hesitated, what could she say, that she had been
avoiding the house because she felt guilty over Spike attacking
Giles and couldn't face him?  "Uh, Will, think you could show me how
to put songs onto a CD thing?"

"Sure, what's up, Buff?" Willow asked, looking a little tired around
the edges.

"I need to find some songs," Buffy said softly, letting Willow stare
in her eyes for a moment.

Finally the red haired witch nodded.  "Grab some lunch while I set
up the burner and Kazazz."

"Burner?" Buffy asked as she grabbed the bread to make a sandwich.

Willow smirked as she grabbed her plate and mug of soup to take
upstairs. "The program that puts songs onto a blank CD, it's called
burning. My best program is on the computer in our room."

Dawn raised her eyebrows in question to Tara but the blonde witch
looked as puzzled as the teenager.

* * *

Giles frowned at the note and CD he found taped to his door when he
finally woke up about one in the afternoon.

"Meet me at the Cellar tonight, have Willow drive you or something.
Please. Buffy."

Giles slipped back into the room to Dawn's stereo system and looked
at it, his frown deepening.

"Need some help?" Willow's voice offered from the door.

"I can set up an entire band and their equipment," Giles
complained.  "Full stadium set up and can I figure out a teenager's
stupid stereo equipment? No!"

Willow smiled and took the CD from the Watcher and set it up for
him. "You want the headphones for this?"

Giles' eyes narrowed. "Why do I get the feeling you know what's on
this already?"

Willow tried to look innocent and then laughed. "I don't know what
she picked, I just showed her how to make the CD for you."

"You're encouraging this," Giles complained.

"Yes," Willow nodded, answering calmly.  "Giles, I see my two best
friends are unhappy and I think they'd be happy together. I see them
want to be together and don't understand why they aren't. I'm
willing to help that along."

"I'm too old for her," Giles muttered.

"No you're not," Willow shook her head. "You're both adults and
you've loved her for years."

"Press play," Giles said after a moment.

The ex-Watcher sat down on the bed and nodded absently as Willow
joined him, pulling his pad of paper into her lap to take notes for
him.  "You've been reading my writing?"

"No one can read your writing," Willow complained.

"You try writing with your other hand," Giles mumbled as the music
began.

	 "I kept the right ones out and let the wrong ones in
	 had an angel of mercy to see me through all my sins
	 there were times in my life when I was going insane
	 trying to walk through the pain
	 when I lost my grip and I hit the floor
	 thought I could leave but couldn't get out the door
	 I was so sick and tired of living a lie
	 I was wishing I could die

	 it's amazing, in the blink of an eye, you finally see the
light
	 its amazing, when the moment arrives that you know you'll be
alright
	 its amazing, and I'm saying a prayer for the desperate
hearts tonight

	 that one last shot, one last vacation
	 and how high can you fly with broken wings
	 lifes a journey not a destination and I just can't tell
	 just what tomorrow will bring

	 you got to learn to crawl before you learn to walk
	 but I couldn't listen to all that righteous stuff
	 I was out on the streets just trying to survive
	 scratching just to stay alive
		 (Aerosmith – Amazing)

"I follow that one easily," Giles said softly.

"Yeah, maybe she's realizing she turned to the wrong one to get her
through the trauma lately," Willow agreed.


	 "I want your sex, I want your love
	 I want your sex, I want your sex

	 its playing on my mind, its dancing on my soul
	 its taken so much time, so why don't you just let me go
	 I'd really like to try, I'd really love to know
	 you tell me you're gonna regret it, then I tell you I love
you but you still say no

	 I swear I won't tease you, won't tell you no lies
	 I don't need no bible, just look in my eyes
	 I've waited so long, baby, out in the cold
	 I can't take much more, girl, I'm losing control
		 (George Michael – I Want Your Sex)


"Oh boy," Willow whispered as Giles began to blush.

"Yes, quite," Giles stammered.


	 oh the night is my world, city lights, painted girls
	 in the day nothing matters, it's the night time that matters
	 in the night, no control. Through the walls, something's
breaking
	 wearing white as you're walking down the street of my soul

	 you take my self control, you got me living only for the
night
	 before the morning comes the story is told
	 you take my self control
	 another night, another day goes by
	 I never stop myself to wonder why
	 you help me to forget to play my role
	 you take my self control

	 I, I live among the creatures of the night
	 I haven't got the will to try and fight against the new
tomorrow
	 so I guess I'll just believe that tomorrow never comes
	 night, I'm living in the forest of a dream
	 I know the night is not as it would seem
	 I must be losing something so I'll make myself believe it
	 that this night will never go
		 (Laura Brannigan – Self Control)


Giles frowned, "Bloody well dedicated to Spike, don't you think?" he
muttered.

"Sounds like she knows she's been lost with him," Willow countered.


	 "nylons are melting down my legs, your heart is pounding at
my throat
	 I can't catch my breath, I lost it when your finger tips ran
down my leg
	 and up my leg, your kiss makes me feel like this

	 I'm so hungry for your sex, I'm so hungry for your sex
	 I got an appetite for love tonight
	 I want to taste your sweet thing
	 I want to feel the sting of your sex
	 of your…

	 my body all painted lipstick red, we ripped the sheets right
off the bed
	 fingernails left fiery tails across your back, oh tell me
baby
	 how did you like that, a little pussy cat scratch

	 I'm so hungry for your sex, I'm so hungry for your sex
	 I got an appetite for love tonight
	 I want to taste your sweet thing
	 I want to feel the sting of your sex
	 of your…
	 I'm so hungry for your sex

	 hungry

	 I'm so hungry for your sex, I'm so hungry for your sex
	 I got an appetite for love tonight
	 I want to taste your sweet thing
	 I want to feel the sting of your sex
	 of your
	 I'm so hungry for your…

	 I gotta have your… I gotta have your sex
	 I gotta have your sex, I'm so hungry
		 (Lita Ford – Hungry)


Willow's eyes widened and Giles pulled his glasses off and looked at
them, unable to clean them with only one hand.

"I, uh, think I'll go now, Giles," Willow said quickly.

"I, uh, think so," Giles agreed, feeling flushed at the thought of
Buffy singing that last song to him or… more. "Thank you for
everything."

Giles hit the button to play the CD again, thinking about the
approaching night.  He listened to the music carefully.  Now that
Buffy had apparently made up her mind that she wanted him, Giles
wasn't certain he was feeling the same.

There was the problem of Spike and Buffy's obvious lack of control
around the vampire, even to the point of not killing him after the
attack on Giles.  There was also the fact that Giles was tired and
didn't want to go back and forth with his former Slayer any more.

Ripper frowned and began pulling out his clothes for the evening,
unable to forget the Lita Ford song.

* * *

Buffy paced nervously backstage with the band.  Tim grinned as he
watched the gorgeous young female.  He could certainly appreciate
the scenery, he thought.  Buffy was dressed in a leather wrap around
skirt that came to the girl's knee but was open to the hip, showing
a teasing flash of thigh whenever she moved.  The black sleeveless t-
shirt was tight and showed that the woman wasn't wearing a bra,
causing most of the band members to swallow and become very
interested in their instruments.

"Relax," Tim urged. "You've practiced this all afternoon, you'll be
fine."

"Oh God, is that before or after I throw up?" Buffy squeaked,
peaking out between the curtains.

"Ripper's a great guy, I hope this works for you guys," Tim
smiled. "Try the shades, they work for him."

Buffy nodded, her throat suddenly dry when she spotted Giles, no,
Ripper entering the club and looking around for her.  The Slayer
quickly closed the curtains and tried to remember to breath.  She
slowly peered back through a small opening at the man she had
discovered she had more than a few warm fuzzys over.

Ripper's arm was still in a cast but the rest of him registered
dangerous as he walked to the bar.  He was dressed in tight jeans
that left Buffy doubting if her ex-Watcher was wearing boxers or
briefs, she didn't think either at this point. She blushed at the
question of who might have helped him get them on without underwear.
Motorcycle boots were a new touch, Buffy noticed, as was the button
down dress white shirt.  Somehow he made it look rebellious with a
leather vest and leather tie. The sleeves were rolled up to his
forearms, showing off some of the muscles he usually kept hidden in
tweed.

"He's there, isn't he?" Tim smirked. "I can tell by your expression.
Just hang back until it's your number. Walk out, look only at him
and go for it. If you freeze, I'll back you up."

"Thanks, Tim," Buffy said gratefully and moved back off stage.

Giles knew when Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya entered the club and
wondered where Buffy was. He was beginning to believe that Buffy had
dived out at the last minute.  He watched the gang watching him as
they took up seats at a table.  He growled, hating being the center
of attention unless he was on stage behind a guitar, and so turned
to his drink.

"Evening everyone!" Tim yelled from the stage. "Tonight, I'm kinda
filling in for our lead singer until he gets off his ass and comes
back.  Later this evening, we've got a special singer coming in just
for one song that's dedicated to our own Ripper. Hang loose, buddy,
and don't disappear. This set is a special request."

Ripper growled and put on his sunglasses as all the Scooby members
turned to look and see his reaction.

The band ripped into a KISS tune that Giles didn't recognize right
away, then he found himself blushing. He suddenly knew who had
requested the songs and wondered where the hell she was.


	 "I look at you and my blood boils hot, I feel my temperature
rise
	 I want it all, give me what you got, there's hunger in your
eyes
	 I'm getting closer, baby, hear me breathe
	 you know the way to give me what I need

	 feel my heat, taking you higher, burn with me
	 heaven's on fire
	 paint the sky with desire, angels die
	 heaven's on fire

	 I gotta fever raging in my heart, you make me shiver and
shake
	 baby, don't stop, take it to the top. Eat it like a piece of
cake
	 you're coming closer, I can hear you breathe
	 you drive me crazy when you start to tease, you could bring
a fella to his knees

	 feel my heat taking you higher, burn with me
	 heaven's on fire
	 paint the sky the desire, angels die
	 heaven's on fire
	 heaven's on fire
	 heaven's on fire

	 I'm getting closer, baby, hear me breathe
	 you know the way to give me what I need

	 feel my heat taking you higher, burn with me
	 heaven's on fire
	 paint the sky with desire, angels die
	 heaven's on fire
	 feel my heat taking you higher, burn with me
	 heaven's on fire
	 paint the sky with desire, angels die
	 heaven's on fire
		 (KISS – Heaven's on Fire)


"Hope you liked that one," Tim grinned at the rancorous applause and
shouts the song had brought about. "We'll slow it down just a touch
with an old Peggy Lee number. You guys probably know the Madonna
version better.  One thing remains the same, everyone's got Fever!"


	 never know how much I love you, never know how much I care
	 when you put your arms around me, I get a fever that's hard
to bear
	 I get a fever when you kiss me, fever when you hold me tight
	 fever, in the morning, fever all through the night

	 sun lights up the daytime, moon lights up the night
	 I light up when you call my name and you know I'm gonna
treat you right
	 you give me fever when you kiss me, fever when you hold me
tight
	 fever, in the morning, fever all through the night

	 everybody's got the fever, that is something you all know
	 fever isn't such a new thing, fever started long ago

	 Romeo loved Juliet, Juliet she vowed the same
	 when he put his arms around her, he said Julie baby you're
my flame
	 thou givest fever when we kisseth, fever with thy flame in
you
	 fever, I'm on fire, fever, yea I burn forsooth

	 Capt Smith and Pocahontas had a very mad affair
	 when her daddy tried to kill him, she said Daddy oh don't
you dare
	 he gives me fever with his kisses, fever when he holds me
tight
	 fever, I'm his missus, daddy won't you treat him right

	 now you've listened to my story, here's the point that I
have made
	 chicks were born to give you fever, be it Fahrenheit or
centigrade
	 they give you fever when you kiss them, fever if you live
and learn
	 fever until you sizzle but what a lovely way to burn
	 what a lovely way to burn
	 what a lovely way to burn
		 (Peggy Lee – Fever)


Giles felt Willow move up beside and looked at her over his dark
sunglasses.  "Yes?"

"Where is she?" Willow shouted over the music of Siousxie and the
Banshees "Spellbound."

"I don't know," he admitted.

"You don't think she's the singer he mentioned, do you?" Willow
asked, her eyes widening at the thought.

"One, we know Buffy hates stages," Giles smirked. "Two, we know
Buffy doesn't think she can sing; three, I'd have a heart attack."

Giles looked up and glared at Tim as the band slipped
into "Sunglasses at Night" by Corey Hart, knowing Tim was teasing
him.

The band took a break and Giles began watching very carefully,
hoping for a glimpse of whatever surprise Tim and Buffy had in store
for him, hating surprises most of the time.

Tim stepped out on stage and grinned right in Giles'
direction.  "Give it up for our special guest. It's her first time
in front, so be kind or I'll rip your lungs out. Ripper, you better
grab this one, dude, or you're an idiot."

Giles almost fell off his barstool when Buffy walked out onto the
stage.  Her hair was pulled up and her makeup was perfect for the
lights of the stage and bar. His eyes trailed down her body and he
felt his skin flushing in reaction to the leather skirt and knee
high boots.

The Slayer was obviously nervous but smiled at Giles and put on a
pair of sunglasses, just like his and walked up to the microphone.

"This one is for someone special who I almost let slip away," Buffy
said softly into the mic.  "I hope I'm not too late."

Giles sat on his barstool, not even hearing Willow move away back
towards the table to rejoin Tara and the others.  A quick glimpse
told the ex-Watcher that Xander was in about as much shock as he was
at seeing Buffy behind a microphone and about to sing to… to him?


	 Every time I see your face, I'm taken to a place
	 where your crystal mind and magenta feelings take up shelter
	 in the base of my spine, sweet like chic-a-cherry cola

	 I don't need to try to explain; I just hold on tight
	 and if it happens again, I might move so slightly
	 to the arms and the lips and the face
	 of the human cannonball that I need to, I want to

	 come stand a little bit closer, breathe in and get a bit
higher
	 you'll never know what hit you when I get to you

	 Oh, I want you, I don't know if I need you
	 but, oh, I'd die to find out
	 Oh, I want you, I don't know if I need you
	 but, oh, I'd die to find out
	 Oh, I want you, I don't know if I need you
	 but, oh, I'd die to find out
		 (Savage Garden – I Want You)


Giles really didn't hear the rest of the lyrics as Buffy entranced
him.  Watching her move to the music slightly, gripping the
microphone, becoming comfortable with herself up there, Giles felt
his body responding in ways that made him shift on the barstool and
grip the edge of the bar.

The song ended and Buffy turned and nodded to Tim.  Giles saw his
band mate grin and nod to the rest of the band.

"This one says what I want, Ripper," Buffy growled into the
mic. "Listen close."


	 "she's your adolescent brain, schoolboy stuff, sticky sweet
romance
	 and she makes you want to scream, wishing you could get
inside her pants
	 so you fantasize away, while you're squeezing her, you
thought you heard her say
	 good girls don't, good girls don't
	 but she'll be telling you, good girls don't but I do

	 so you call her on the phone, to talk about the teachers
that you hate
	 and she says she's all alone and her parents won't be coming
home until late
	 there's a ringing in your brain because you could've sworn
	 you thought you heard her saying
	 good girls don't, good girls don't
	 but she'll be telling you good girls don't but I do
		 (The Knack – Good Girls Don't)


Giles wasn't really aware that he had begun moving closer to the
stage as most of the people in the place watched, fascinated by the
playing going on between the young woman on the stage and the
popular guitarist and singer.

Ripper jumped up on the stage, standing over the Slayer as she
nervously waited his response.  Giles moved over to Tim and
whispered in the young man's ear.  At first Tim shook his head but
finally nodded and whispered to the other band members.  Giles moved
up next to Buffy and took the microphone from her hand as the band
began to play a new tune.

He looked down at the Slayer as the guitar players showed off their
considerable skills, breaking into the blues like the sound of a
popular Tracy Chapman song.


	 give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn right back
around
	 give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn right back
around
	 said I don't want to leave you lonely, you gotta make me
change

	 I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my
life
	 I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my
life
	 I just want someone to hold me and rock me through the night

	 this youthful heart can love you and give you what you need
	 I said, this youthful heart can love you and give you what
you need
	 but I'm too old to go chasing you around, wasting my
precious energy

	 give me one reason to stay here, yes, and I'll turn right
back around
	 give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn right back
around
	 said I don't want to leave you lonely, you gotta make me
change my mind
		 (Tracy Chapman – Give Me One Reason)


Buffy hesitated and then reached up, wrapping an arm around the back
of Giles' neck and pulled him down to her lips.  The kiss wasn't
tentative or soft but demanding and promising heat and more.

Giles and Buffy weren't even aware of the cheering going on around
them as Tim started the band into a rendition of Modern
English's "Melt With You."  Buffy pulled back and leaned into his
strong chest, breathing heavily.

"Take me home, Ripper," she said softly, pulling her sunglasses off
and removing his, letting his eyes see the desire in hers.

"Yes?" he asked, bending down to nip her neck lightly, causing her
to jump in his arms and breathing to quicken even more.

"Oh God, yes," Buffy exclaimed. She turned to wave to the crowd and
her friends and pulled Giles backstage, both blushing a bright red
at the public scene they had just made.

Giles moved Buffy against the wall, almost pinning her. "What about
Spike?" he demanded.

"I don't want Spike," Buffy said firmly, pulling Giles' body closer
to her. "I didn't know what I wanted. I thought he was helping me
feel something other than dead inside but I was wrong, it was just
more emptiness."

"And me?" Ripper growled. "Am I substituting as well? Do you want me
because you suddenly think I'm dangerous? A little leather and
anyone can grab your attention?  If so, then walk now, Buffy. I'm
not here for a quick sexual romp across a graveyard and have you get
bored."

"Giles, I didn't SEE you until I saw Ripper on that stage but I know
who I want and what I want," Buffy said firmly, running her hands up
his back under the leather vest.  "I want both of you, all of you!"

"And the others?" Giles pressed, struggling to hold back as her body
drove him to distraction. "I know Willow approves but Xander?"

"I'm not marrying Xander," Buffy growled.  "I am marrying you if
you'll shut up long enough to make love to me and then drive to Reno
or Vegas."

"Married? You'll marry me?" Giles asked, his voice reflecting his
disbelief.

"Yes, I want to live, Giles," Buffy said firmly. "I don't want the
darkness with Spike, I want you. I want Ripper, I want Giles, I want
Rupert, I want the entire package! Sex, marriage, kids, a future. No
more death and darkness."

"Buffy," Giles choked just before the Slayer pulled him to her lips
again, shutting him up.  The Englishman struggled out of his sling
as Buffy moved him against the wall and cases of beer, he wanted
both arms around her as the kiss intensified.  "We'd better stop or
charge admission," he growled.

"Don't care, want you!" Buffy growled back, her hands going to his
belt as his hands went under her shirt.

Ripper hissed as her hand worked past his belt and zipper. He stood
up and spun the Slayer around, sitting her on the edge of the beer
cases as his teeth went to her throat and his hands between her
legs, urging them apart.

"Oh God, yes!" she whispered urgently, pulling him closer.

Ripper moaned when he discovered that the Slayer wasn't wearing any
underwear and she was highly aroused as his fingers touched her
wetness for the first time.  Buffy whimpered and clung to him, one
hand fumbling between them until she was guiding him inside her.

"Oh God, not too fast, luv," Ripper begged as Buffy moaned and
wrapped her legs around him, pulling him in.

"Need you now!" Buffy insisted, "Slow, wonderful and gentle later!"

Giles was only vaguely aware of the band continuing to play onstage
as he set his own rhythm with Buffy and she matched him, meeting him
and demanding more until all conscious thought was gone and nothing
existed but her and pleasing her.

* * *

The rest of the Scoobys grinned when they left the club and found
Buffy and Giles necking by Buffy's jeep.

"Get a room you two!" Xander yelled, half joking as Willow and Tara
giggled.  Xander frowned at the thoughtful expression on Anya's
face.  "What?" he demanded as Buffy and Giles pulled only slightly
apart and faced the group.

"I just never thought of him as so sexy until this last month," Anya
whispered.

"Giles? Sexy?" Xander squeaked, trying to keep Willow and Tara from
hearing them. "I am in hell!"

"He is very sensual, especially now," Anya protested and Willow
smirked.

"Glad to see you two worked this out," Tara smiled as Giles wrapped
an arm around Buffy's shoulder and she leaned into him, interlacing
her fingers with his.

"More than worked it out, tell Dawn I won't be home until tomorrow
night," Buffy smiled.

"Where are you two going? The back of the shop?" Anya
demanded. "That is so not romantic and we'll have customers during
the day time! The sounds of you two having many orgasms will not
help sell merchandise!"

"An!" Xander squeaked, wanting to throw his hands over his ears to
block the conversation from his mind.

"No, not the Magic Box," Giles smirked. "We're driving to Las Vegas
tonight."

"I asked and he said yes," Buffy grinned.

"Married? You're gonna marry him?" Xander gasped and Buffy lost her
smile.

"Want me to marry Spike?" she countered and nodded when Xander began
blushing.

"No, of course not it's just that… that… it's Giles!" he
protested. "Father figure, librarian! And what about Spike? You and
vampires getting horizontal? What is it about Giles?"

"If I ever see Spike again, he's dust.  As for Giles, musician,
magician, bachelor, and incredibly sexy rogue," Buffy growled. "He's
also great at sex, well, so far anyway."

"TMI!" Xander shouted. "Way TMI! Father figure!"

"Trust me, Xander," Buffy smirked. "I never wanted to make it with
my father in the back of a night club on beer cases."

Xander shook his head and covered his ears as he moaned.

Willow laughed and hugged both Giles and Buffy at the same time.

"Drive safely and we want a ceremony here!" the red haired witch
insisted.

"Thanks for everything, Will," Buffy smiled and hugged her friend.

"You bet! Take care of her, Ripper!"

"The rest of our lives," Giles promised as they climbed into the
jeep. "Tell Dawn what happened then?"

"You bet!" Willow grinned as Buffy started the jeep. "See you guys
tomorrow night."

Buffy leaned over and kissed Giles again before shifting the jeep
into gear. "Buckle your seat belts, it's gonna be a bumpy night,"
she promised and Ripper grinned.

Don't wantcha for the weekend - don't wantcha for a night
I'm only interested if I can have you for life - yeah
Uh, I know I sound serious - and baby I am
You're a fine piece of real estate, and I'm gonna get me some land

Oh, yeah
So, don't try to run - honey, love can be fun
There's no need to be alone - when you find that someone

Chorus:
(I'm gonna getcha)
I'm gonna getcha while I gotcha in sight
(I'm gonna getcha)
I'm gonna getcha if it takes all night
(Yeah, you can betcha)
You can betcha by the time I say "go," you'll never say "no"
(I'm gonna getcha)
I'm gonna getcha, it's a matter of fact
(I'm gonna getcha)
I'm gonna getcha, don'tcha worry `bout that
(Yeah, you can betcha)
You can bet your bottom dollar, in time you're gonna be mine
Just like I should - I'll getcha good

Yeah, uh, uh
I've already planned it - here's how it's gonna be
I'm gonna love you and - you're gonna fall in love with me
Yeah, yeah

Oh, yeah
So, don't try to run - honey, love can be fun
There's no need to be alone - when you find that someone

Repeat Chorus

Yeah, I'm gonna getcha baby - I'm gonna knock on wood
I'm gonna getcha somehow honey - yeah, I'm gonna make it good
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Oh, yeah
So, don't try to run - honey, love can be fun
There's no need to be alone - when you find that someone

Repeat Chorus

Oh, I'm gonna getcha, I'm gonna getcha real good
Yeah, you can betcha, oh, I'm gonna getcha
(I'm gonna getcha) just like I should, I'll getcha good
Oh, I'm gonna getcha good!
		 (Shawnia Twain)

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Part 1

Author: Frau Hunter Ash
Copyright © 2003-2005 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: hunterash@...
Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox,
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline,
however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be
sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made
for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright
notices.

Lyrics: the lyrics contained in this work are copyrighted and are
used without permission but no harm is intended.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship
between people of the same and opposite gender <G>.  If this offends
or is illegal for you, then please leave.  Come back when you are
older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

Spoilers: This takes place somewhere in Season 6.  Rating: R

Summary:  This is more than song fan fiction – the characters
actively use songs and the lyrics contained in the songs as messages
to each other. Hope you enjoy. Full lyrics available on request.

# # #

Buffy died and was brought back and isn't happy about it and took up
with Spike.  Willow and Tara are still together though, having found
a new and interesting topic to hold their attention other than
Willow's casual use of magic. My first real attempt at straight sex.
Be kind.

Rating: R (US), 15 (UK), MA (Australian)


* * *

"Please tell me again why we're out clubbing?" Buffy sighed. "I want
to get back to Sp… slaying, I need to patrol."

Willow and Tara both caught the slip but chose to ignore it.  Buffy
hadn't confided in them that she was having sex with the vampire and
neither witch wanted to confront her with it.  They were both afraid
of pushing Buffy even further away than she already was.

It hadn't been an easy month for any of the Scooby Gang, Willow
reflected. Not even for Spike, although she was quickly losing any
sympathy or friendship she had once felt for the neutered vampire.

Willow had tried to be patient and understanding, especially after
finding out that they had resurrected Buffy not from some hellish
dimension but from somewhere peaceful.  The red-haired hacker was
beginning to lose that patience though. Instead of reaching out to
her friends, Buffy had turned to Spike and was even having sex with
him.

Tara had argued that Willow shouldn't make faces or go "ewww" when
they discovered Buffy's sex life with the vampire.  They had arrived
home very late one night after doing some research at the Magic Box
and saw the Slayer and vampire having sex on the kitchen table.
Tara pointed out that Buffy had been with a vampire before and
Willow had been with a werewolf.

Willow had threatened to materialize a balloon full of water above
Tara's head if she brought that up again. She frowned at the thought
of Buffy with Spike.  "Resolve Rosenberg face" had brought about
endless nights of discussion, arguments and self-examination of
their lives all around the Scooby Gang.

Anya had been uninterested in whoever Buffy was having sex with,
Xander had nearly taken an axe after the vampire, however.  Shouting
between Xander and Willow had ensued with him pointing out how Spike
had tried to break them all up before so he could get to Buffy.

Willow and Tara had countered that they didn't care if she slept
with Spike, what worried them was that Buffy wasn't getting better
emotionally, even with the relationship.  She was still distant from
the gang and drifting further away.

Then Anya had pointed something out that had stuck with Willow for
several days. There was another member of the Scooby Gang missing
from the meeting: Giles.

Tara admitted that Anya had been very insightful in pointing that
out and the fact that Giles was becoming almost as distant
emotionally as Buffy.

Willow promptly set about discovering what was causing their friend
to pull back.  Buffy being distant, Willow could almost understand
that, but Giles was another story. He was their rock, their mentor
and friend but ever since Buffy's death he had been lost, as if just
passing the time.

The red-haired witch resorted to waiting outside the Magic Box,
where Giles had been sleeping on the sofa in the back ever since
returning from England.  That in itself had bothered Willow, as if
he was unwilling to commit to being back in the States and was just
waiting to leave again.

Willow talked Tara into waiting with her in the laundry mat across
the street and both sets of eyebrows rose when Giles locked up the
shop with guitar case in hand.

"He's playing again?" Tara asked, remembering the time they had
stumbled across him performing.

"Must be," Willow nodded, watching her mentor head towards the
northern part of town. "One, that was an electric guitar case; I've
never seen Giles with an electric guitar. Two, he was wearing jeans,
t-shirt, leather jacket and tennis shoes. What's wrong with this
picture? Was that Ripper or Giles?"

"Ripper? Is that the time you told me about with that sorcerer Ethan
and candy that made the adults turn into teenagers?" Tara asked,
trying to keep all the stories from the Scooby Gang sorted in her
mind.

"Yeah.  Let's see where he's going," Willow urged.

# # #

"I should be patrolling," Buffy repeated. "I'm here why?"

"Because we haven't seen enough of you lately," Tara said, answering
Buffy's question.  "This is a new club and we thought you might
enjoy a night out."

"I've got things to do," Buffy frowned, looking towards the door.

"Buff, you've been neglecting us and, I for one, am feeling it,"
Xander said, adding a smile to ease the sharpness of the words. "I
think I might even have to buy a round of drinks for everyone
because of my sorrow."

Anya giggled at Buffy's exasperated expression and the Slayer let
herself be led to a table with the others, effectively surrounded by
her friends.

Buffy wanted out of the crowded place. She was uncomfortable being
around people, even in dim lighting. Ever since returning the only
time she felt comfortable was being alone at night.  Not even the
sex with Spike made her feel better, Buffy thought to herself, it
just made her "feel" but it was worth it if she could feel something
for just a few minutes.

Most of the days and nights were spent just getting through the
minutes for the Slayer. Buffy knew what was happening around her;
she was efficient, responsible and almost mechanical in everything,
even Slaying.

If she had talked it over with Giles, Buffy might have recognized
the same reactions when she had been forced to kill Angel to save
the world. She had shut down her emotions and had run away.  This
time she wasn't physically running away but emotionally she was just
as shut off.

Willow and Tara gave up trying to draw Buffy into conversation after
five minutes although Xander still gave it a good shot until the
house lights dimmed and the stage lights went up.  The new curtains
pulled back to reveal a modest stage with a band already set up to
play.

Willow managed to resist breaking into a grin as she took in the
sight of Giles in the lead singer and guitar position as Xander,
Anya and Buffy began to figure it out as well.  Tara squeezed
Willow's hand tightly under the table, warning her girlfriend not to
give it away that she and Willow had anticipated Giles onstage.

Ripper was dressed in well-worn black jeans that were faded almost
grey.  His Doc Martins were also well broken in and looked almost
natural on the lean body.  A black t-shirt, leather wristband, and
dark biker sunglasses completed his look. Anya sat with open mouth
as she took in her business partner.  Willow glanced over and
giggled to herself as Xander almost dropped his drink.

The one that caught Tara's eyes, however, was Buffy.  The Slayer
looked stunned and mesmerized at the sight of her Watcher in
anything other than tweed and a button down shirt.

Giles apparently didn't notice the gang among the crowd as the band
did a quick check of their instruments and growled as he approached
the microphone.

"Welcome to the Cellar, enjoy, mates!" Ripper smirked. "Here's an
old one by MC5. Right now it's time to 'Kick Out the Jams'!"

Ripper slammed his guitar pick over the strings as the drummer
crashed his high hat and snare, opening the set with the hard
rocking tune of band life.

Xander managed to complete the action of dropping his drink and
Buffy nearly fell out of her chair at the screaming guitars and her…
her Watcher?

The band slipped right into Limp Bizkit and even Willow was
surprised almost into choking. When the hell did Giles listen to
heavy metal/rap or whatever it was? She had anticipated something
more along the lines of Free Bird or something old, not the modern
stuff that even gave her a headache most of the time.

The crowd seemed to enjoy the high energy the band was putting out
and a dance area was quickly forming in front of the stage. Tara
wondered it if was going to disintegrate into a mosh pit if the band
kept this kind of music up.

Hearing Giles do Metallica's "King Nothing" had Xander convinced
that they had either entered some demon dimension or the place was
haunted and he was living a nightmare.  Giles did not know Limp
Bizkit and Metallica, his brain protested.

Tara, meanwhile, having put up with heavy metal all her life from
her brother Donnie, was watching Buffy; they had been hoping that
something would draw the Slayer out of her shell and back to them.
Now the blonde haired witch blinked in surprise at the obvious
interest and… what?

The band opted for a short break to repair a mangled guitar string
and the gang watched, open mouthed, as Ripper turned and grabbed a
bottle of whiskey and drank straight from the bottle before handing
it to the bass player to share.  Giles/Ripper pulled a bandana out
from a back pocket and rubbed it over his face before turning to
talk to someone yelling for his attention off stage.

"Oh God!" Xander exclaimed. "Tell me this is so not happening! That…
that… he's possessed!"

"Well, it certainly is different than singing in a coffee shop,"
Anya agreed. "The music is louder and more intense."

"He's…he's…" Buffy stammered.

"Possessed!" Xander shouted.

"Xander, calm down," Willow said impatiently. "He's just playing in
a band, not dealing drugs or raising demons or something."

"Playing in a band? At his age?" Xander squeaked.

"I remember someone wanting to see the Rolling Stones this year,"
Willow countered. "How old are they? Mummified like one of your
girlfriends?"

"You dated a mummy?" Anya asked with a frown.

"It's not like I knew she was a mummy!" Xander protested as Willow
smirked, having diverted him.

Tara squeezed Willow's hand and slightly nodded her head in Buffy's
direction when she caught her lover's attention.  The hacker's eyes
narrowed as she took in her best friend watching Giles on stage.
She realized Buffy was seeing her Watcher in something of a new
light and seemed fascinated by it.

"We'll be back, girl break!" Willow announced, dragging Tara to her
feet.

"I don't want a girl break," Anya protested. "I want to know about
Mummy Girl! First jackals and now mummies?!"

"Hyenas, I was a hyena, not a jackal!" Xander complained and Buffy
continued to watch Giles, ignoring the witches.

Willow and Tara took advantage of this to slip away from the table
and outside the club for some fresh air and to talk without the
pounding decibels.

"Am I imagining things?" Tara asked softly as they stayed close to
the door.  They might be powerful witches but it was still Sunnydale
and something could always attack in the shadows faster than they
could cast a spell.

"Buffy's paying attention to something other than going through the
motions! " Willow nodded. "And it's Giles? That is kinda weird."

"You had a crush on him," Tara pointed out.

"I had a crush on Giles, not Ripper," Willow clarified. "One geek to
another."

"You think Buffy's attracted to him?" Tara asked, leaning against
the wall as several club goers slid past them down the stairs to the
main entrance.  "I could never tell but I thought he felt that Buffy
and all of you were like his children, not sexual like."

Willow frowned.  "I don't know. Maybe Buffy needs the element of
danger in her boyfriends and Giles certainly looks it tonight. We
know he isn't functioning well without Buffy needing him. Could it
be more? How do we find out?"

"I've got an idea!" Tara grinned. "Tell me something, love, is
setting up our friends so we can spy on them evil?"

"Nope," Willow said cheerfully. "We're working towards the
betterment of our Slayer and Watcher, that means being sneaky and
underhanded is allowed."

* * *

The next set the band chose was a little less intense in speed and
volume, ranging from Led Zepplin to Nine Inch Nails.

Willow was feeling good about bringing Buffy to the club and her
obvious enjoyment in seeing a new side of Giles. Then the witch
frowned, Giles was hitting the whiskey bottle regularly between
songs and it didn't seem to be fazing him.  The witch wondered how
long he had been drinking this time, having seen a weakness for it
in the past with Giles.

Ripper went through Ozzy Osbourne's "Mr. Crowley" easily, smirking
to himself that Sunnydale was actually an appropriate place for a
song about a notorious sorcerer. Then the singer caught a glimpse of
familiar red hair and looked closer through the crowd.

"Oh God," he muttered as the bass player, Tim, grabbed the whiskey
bottle from Ripper.

"What, old girlfriend?" the younger man teased, using a bar towel to
try and dry his hair.

"No, just… unexpected," Ripper growled.  "Go into that song we
rehearsed earlier this week."

"I thought that was just kicking around," Tim shrugged. "You're the
boss, Ripper."

Ripper returned to the microphone, feeling a little more vulnerable
knowing his kids were watching him, but the dark sunglasses helped
counter that.

"This one is for a rogue wolf I know," Ripper growled into the
microphone.

	 "Broken doll baby and she says that life is a waste
	 It doesn't have to be that way.
	 Dad threw away her mom, her mom gave up his name.
	 Crucified by their words, nailed by shame.
	 She stares into the sun, self inflicted pain
	 She sees that they are blind, why does she take all the
blame?

	 The rhyme has changed compulsion rules.
	 Mary's little lambs are now raised by wolves
	 A voyeur with wings flashes a cure.
	 She knows forbidden things, they have a lovely lure

	 It's alright, its okay, welcome to this life
	 killing time watching the grass grow
	 It's alright, its okay, welcome to this life
	 Don't worry, sweet baby, because it's over before you know

	 Persecuted, she's not normal, I envy her strange ways
	 7 deadly sins.  Seize the hour, seize the day
	 Her ideas need expression, her wounds never bleed
	 Her beauty lives in my eyes, too bad she can't see
	 She doesn't try, I watch her spirits die, but giving up the
ghost would feel so good

A voyeur with wings flashes a cure, she knows forbidden things, they
have a lovely lure

	 It's alright, its okay, welcome to this life
	 Just killing time watching the grass grow
	 It's alright, its okay, welcome to this life
	 don't worry,

	 Crumbling Camelot, idle teardrops, cloudy diamonds
	 Freebase fun house, expecting to fly but she's just standing
still
	 Every time she gets it up she just can't close the deal
	 So she gives herself another way out and walks the dog for
the 50th time
	 And files her nails until they bleed and cries how she
doesn't have to try

	 It's alright, its okay, its alright
	 It's alright, its okay
	 It's alright, its alright
		 (It's Alright, It's Okay - Leah Andreone)

Ripper moved away from the mic, refusing to glance Buffy's way to
see if she caught any of the meaning in the lyrics.  A slamming
guitar twang led the band into Papa Roach's "Last Resort"

Xander groaned and leaned on Anya's shoulder. "Tell me Giles does
not know the 'f' word, that can't be Giles up there singing Papa
Roach, it just can't."

* * *

Buffy grumbled to herself as she worked her way backstage.  Like
most clubs, the "backstage" area consisted of a small area with
cases of beer stacked to the ceiling, discarded amps and lots of
wires.

"How the hell did I let them talk me into this?" she complained to
herself as she moved past one band member and then another.

"Hey, sweetheart, why keep walking? Wanna see my sticks?" the
drummer suggested.

"Only if I get to shove them up your ass," Buffy growled.

The drummer laughed and wrapped his arm around a young woman who had
also worked her way backstage to meet the new band in town.

"Where's Giles?" Buffy demanded.

"Who?" the bassist frowned.

"Ripper?" Buffy guessed.

"Right, he's settling with the manager for the week's pay," Tim
grinned, realizing this must be the young thing that had his
bandmate nervous. Tim could see why, she was stunning. Well, he
corrected, maybe a little too thin.  "Go on through, he'll be around
back in a moment."

Buffy nodded and continued in the subdued lighting until her feet
caught on some electrical cord, almost sending her to the floor.

"Thanks," she said automatically to whomever's strong arms had
caught her.  The hands pulled her upright and Buffy found herself
standing almost against and looking up at Ripper without his
sunglasses.  "I, uh…"

Ripper himself wasn't thinking clearly. The pounding from the amps
was still ringing in his head and the generous amount of whiskey he
had consumed onstage in the bright lights was beginning to take
serious affect.  Giles resisted pulling his Slayer closer and bit
the inside of his lip to keep from moaning as he looked down at her
thin blouse and short skirt.

"I, uh," he stammered as well.

"We, uh, came to see the new place," Buffy tried to explain, leaning
into him, against his chest and closing her eyes, taking in his
previously hidden strength through the t-shirt. "A… a ride, we
wanted to offer you a ride!"

Buffy blinked and stepped back, blushing.

Ripper growled and started to follow her but stopped and ran a hand
through his hair. "Uh, yeah, of course! Is there room?"

"I, uh, think we can make room," Buffy said softly, refusing to look
in his eyes.

Ripper looked down at his boots to avoid looking at his Slayer as
well and put his sunglasses back on.

Willow and Tara, having cast an invisible spell on themselves,
silently cheered and squeezed each other's hands as they watched the
Slayer and Englishman interacting.

* * *

"Where the bloody hell were you?" Spike demanded as Buffy entered
the graveyard where his crypt was. The vampire stepped out of the
shadows of a tree with a snarl as Buffy pretended to ignore him.

"None of your business," Buffy complained.

"It bloody well is my business since you were supposed to be here
with me last night! Candles, wine, the whole romantic thing,
remember?" the vampire snapped as they walked along.

"Give me a break, Spike," Buffy said slowly. "What we have is not
romantic, anything but."

"What?" Spike growled, grabbing Buffy's shoulder and spinning the
Slayer around to face him.  "Tell me you don't feel something for
me, Buffy. You know you do."

"Spike, we've been through this," Buffy growled, knocking his hand
away. "We are not doing it again! You were convenient! That's all!"

"Bloody hell that's all!" Spike growled back, backhanding the Slayer
only to have Buffy hit him solidly with a right cross. In a flash
they were exchanging blows until Buffy had Spike pinned to the wall
of a crypt.

Instead of staking him the Slayer began kissing him desperately,
just like their first night together.  Spike moaned and began
pulling at Buffy's jacket as she ripped his shirt open.  The vampire
managed to pull the Slayer along as clothing began to be pulled or
ripped away.  He got them inside the tomb just before she dropped
his trousers around his ankles and he took her to the floor.

"Oh Goddess, I did not want to see that!" Willow hissed, regretting
her idea of following Buffy now.

"Me either, sweetie," Tara agreed, starting to pull Willow back out
of the graveyard when both of them stopped and ducked behind a
tombstone.

Willow chanced a glance around and saw that the movement that had
caught their eyes was Giles stepping out of the shadows of a tall
oak tree.  The Watcher apparently hadn't seen the witches but Willow
had a good idea from the expression on his face that Giles had seen
Buffy and Spike.

When he reached the gate of the cemetery, the Watcher pulled out a
flask and took a very long drink from it before glancing back
towards the crypt.  The witches watched as he shook his head and
moved away back towards the Magic Box.

* * *

"Hey, Ripper," Gerry, the owner of the bar, called out as Giles
headed backstage to set up his rig for the nightly performance.
Since Buffy hadn't asked any of the Scooby Gang for help in Slaying
since coming back from the dead, Giles had busied himself with
finding a band that wanted his hidden talents.  Nightly gigs were a
blessing to a Watcher who was no longer needed.  Giles grumbled to
himself, the only thing he was watching lately about his Slayer was
her sordid affair with a vampire.

"Yeah, Ger?" he asked, walking over to the bar with his guitar case
in hand.  Like most guitarists, he might leave an amp behind at the
bar, he might leave his PADs and other equipment but the guitar
didn't leave his sight.

"I got this request list today from some pretty young thing that
said two of her friends were having problems connecting and would be
here, wanna look?" Gerry asked, waving a neatly folded piece of
binder paper under Ripper's nose.

"Sure thing," Giles muttered, snatching the paper from the man with
incredible speed that left Gerry blinking.  The Watcher unfolded the
paper and glanced at the songs. "Hmmm."

"Melissa Etheridge, the Police, Duran Duran," he muttered. "I think
we can handle most of these. It's a Monday, slower night."

"That's what I figured," Gerry nodded. "Save the banging stuff for
the younglings on Fridays and Saturdays."

"No worries then, mate," Ripper grinned as Gerry handed him a bottle
of Jameson Gold Irishä whiskey.

"Expensive taste there, Ripper," Gerry commented. "You're the only
one that drinks that stuff."

"I can afford to kill myself with it," Ripper shrugged, taking his
bottle and guitar backstage.

Giles was surprised when he glanced out at the crowd later to find
Buffy sitting near the front.  It had been two nights since she had
been at the club and they had all crammed into Xander's little car,
Buffy practically on his lap.  Ripper had been more than aware of
how close she was and how good that felt.  The alcohol, the high
from performing, and his endless desire for his Slayer had made the
ride very uncomfortable.

What he was feeling now for the young woman was a mixture of grief
and anger.  Giles knew he was losing Buffy, that she wasn't the same
since returning but he had never expected her to start sleeping with
Spike. Giles felt a familiar disdain for himself. It had been
obvious to himself for awhile that Buffy didn't need him, now it
seemed to be obvious to everyone else as well, no one seemed to miss
him for Slayer duties or at all actually.

Giles frowned to himself and Ripper turned away from the curtain
with a snarl. "Rather have a walking corpse, would you?" he
growled.  "Hey, set it up for the latest Papa Roach."

"Uh oh, Ripper's fangs are out tonight," the drummer smirked. "It's
going to be a rocking night."

The curtain opened and Ripper, dressed in tight Wrangler jeans,
black cowboy boots, tight white t-shirt, leather wrist bands and
dark sunglasses, approached the microphone, no longer worried that
Buffy or the others might be there. They didn't need Giles so Giles
was gone. Ripper was here to work out some issues.

"This one hits a little close to home, enjoy or not," he growled.

	 When I see her eyes, look into my eyes
	 then I realize that she could see inside my head
	 so I close my eyes, thinking that I could hide
	 disassociate so I don't have to lose my head
	 this situation leads to agitation, will she cut me off?
	 will this be amputation?

	 I don't know if I care, I'm the jerk
	 life's not fair
	 fighting all the time, this is out of line
	 she loves me not, do you realize I won't compromise
	 she loves me not

	 over the past five years, I have shed my tears
	 I've drank my beers and watched my fears fly away until this
day
	 she still swings my way but it's sad to say sometimes
	 she says she loves me not
	 I hesitate, I tell her I hate this relationship
	 I want out today, this is over
		 (She Loves Me Not - Papa Roach)


Buffy frowned as the energy of the crowd around her began to build.
She hadn't really been interested in whatever Giles and his band
were playing earlier that week or tonight until he commented on the
song being close to home. The Slayer listened to the lyrics for the
first time and felt her face blushing.

Ripper refused to glance her way as the band moved into
Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride," and the Slayer wondered who
exactly the song was meant for in Giles' life. The more she thought
about the less Buffy liked it.

"Goddamn, self righteous jerk!" she growled. Buffy watched as Ripper
grabbed a quick pull from a whiskey bottle and she frowned.  She
knew that the Englishman had resorted to drinking when he was
depressed before and wondered if that's what he was doing now.  "Why
should he be depressed?" she suddenly demanded as Willow and Tara
walked up to the table with their drinks.

"Huh, what?" Willow stammered, surprised at Buffy's furious
expression so soon after just getting there.

"Him!" Buffy shouted over the music. "Look how he's drinking!"

"Well, maybe he's feeling left out of things or s-something?" Tara
suggested.

"Of what? I asked him to help, you know, like with figuring the
finances and stuff and how to handle Dawnie," Buffy complained.

"Have any of us helped you with Slaying or anything?" Willow
countered, feeling her patience falling a notch.  "Buffy, do you
know where Giles is sleeping?"

"Sleeping?" Buffy looked confused.

"He's sleeping in the Magic Box, its like he's not staying!" Willow
said, her expression one of exasperation. "You're not training with
him, you haven't asked for help in researching anything, and you
haven't asked any of us to help you with slaying anymore."

"It's my fault he's drinking again?" Buffy squeaked. "I've been
doing fine with the slaying and why should I put any of you in
danger?"

Or let us interfere with you and Spike, Willow thought
bitterly.  "We've been doing this since I was 16, remember? We also
held it together and did the nightly slaying thing while you were…
were…"

"Dead, yeah, I get it," Buffy snapped, turning to watch the
band. "So I'm doing the Slayer thing and I'm getting flak for it?"

"Can I talk to you f-for a moment, Buff?" Tara asked shyly.

"Huh? Why?" Buffy demanded as Willow frowned, looking slightly
worried.

"Please?" the blonde witch asked softly.

Buffy shook her head but stood up and headed for the door as the
band cut into several rocking classics.  The Slayer turned with her
arms crossed as the door shut behind them.

"What up?" she demanded.

"Buffy, you're g-getting flak because your f-friends are falling
apart around you and you h-haven't noticed," Tara said calmly even
though she was trembling inside. She and the Slayer hadn't talked
much or bonded before Buffy's death.  They had barely spoken since
Buffy's return.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, uncrossing her arms.

"Giles is drinking and slipping more into whoever h-he was when h-he
didn't like himself with that other guy," Tara tried to explain.

"With Ethan," Buffy said thoughtfully.

"Xander and Anya h-have set a date for the wedding and Xander is
terrified," Tara continued. "H-he doesn't know who to talk to
either. I c-can't get it out of him and Anya doesn't see it. I d-
don't know why he's scared."

"Take a look at his parents and everyone else's parents," Buffy
muttered. Her eyes and tone softened, as she looked at her friend in
a new light. Tara was right; Buffy had missed the changes in her
friends. "What else?"

"D-dawnie," Tara stammered. "I love her, I wish she were my sister
but s-she's not handling well either. S-she's stealing anything
bright and shiny she can get her hands on. Like a little kid or a
bird or s-something. And…and Willow…"

"What about Will?" Buffy urged.

"S-she's so hurt," Tara said loudly, tears filling her eyes. "Okay,
we know you're not happy to be alive again but she went t-through
hell to bring you back and you won't talk to her. Just s-surface
stuff. S-she's hoping if she gets better at the magic that you'll
need her again and it's becoming too easy, too tempting."

The shy witch ducked her head, afraid of the response from the
Slayer.

"Oh God," Buffy muttered and leaned against the wall, feeling like
she had been hit over the head with a board.

Both women were quiet for several minutes.

"I don't know how to fix it," Buffy admitted finally, her head
lowered.  "I… I can't feel anything inside, Tara. It's like I'm
still dead. I get up, take care of things, get through the day until
the night. Do my Slayer thing and then, maybe, I can…"

"What, Buff?" Tara asked, hoping the Slayer would admit to her
strange relationship with Spike.

"I don't know," Buffy dodged. "I dust vampires and feel nothing, I
see someone I didn't save and feel nothing. I see Dawn lighting
fires in her trash can and feel nothing."

"You felt something the other night when you saw Giles onstage,"
Tara said, taking a chance.

Buffy frowned and looked thoughtful.

"Let's go back inside," Tara suggested after a moment. "Think about
it awhile and we'll talk over cocoa late one night?"

* * *

	 "Must be lucky when you find the kind of wind that you need,
	 come and show me all the light and shame that made your
name.
	 I know you've got it in your head, I've seen that look
before.
	 You've turned your refuge into captive, all the same

	 because you're lonely in your nightmare, let me in
	 and there's barren in your garden, let me in
	 because there's heat beneath your winter, let me in

	 because you're so lonely in your nightmare, let me in
	 and there's cold out on the stone range, let me in
	 because there's heat beneath your winter, let me in"
		 (Lonely in Your Nightmare - Duran Duran)

The band was just finishing up the Duran Duran tune when Ripper saw
Buffy and Tara walking back through the crowd. His Slayer was
frowning and looked up at him with an expression that Giles just
couldn't read, as if she were trying to peer into his mind for
answers to something.

Ripper snarled, caught up in his own pain and anger, turning away
from the Slayer as he took another drink of whiskey.

He leaned into Tim's ear and the bassist nodded as Ripper went to
the mic again.

"I call this one the Watching song, it's rather obsessive," Ripper
smirked.


	 every breath you take, every move you make
	 every bond you break, every step you take
	 I'll be watching you

	 every single day, every word you say
	 every game you play, every night you stay
	 I'll be watching you

	 oh can't you see, you belong to me
	 how my poor heart aches, with every step you take

	 every move you make, every vow you break
	 every smile you fake, every claim you stake
	 I'll be watching you

	 since you've gone, I've been lost without a trace
	 I dream at night and I can only see your face
	 I look around but it's you that I can't replace
	 I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
	 I keep calling for you, baby, baby, please

	 oh can't you see you belong to me
	 how my poor heart aches with every step you take
	 every move you make, every vow you break
	 every smile you fake, every claim you stake
	 I'll be watching you
	 every move you make, every step you take
	 I'll be watching you
		 (Every Breath You Take - The Police)


Buffy's frown deepened as Willow and Tara stared at Ripper and his
band.

Ripper almost growled visibly at the Slayer.

"And a personal favorite of mine," he growled and broke into the
opening chords of the Who.

	 no one knows what it's like to be the bad man
	 to be the sad man behind blue eyes
	 no one knows what it's like to be hated
	 to be fated to telling only lies
	 but my dreams they aren't as empty as my conscious seems to
be
	 I have hours only lonely, my love is vengeance that's never
free

	 no one knows what its like to feel these feelings
	 like I do and I blame you
	 no one bites back this hard on their anger
	 none of my pain, woe, can show through
	 but my dreams they aren't as empty as my conscious seems to
be
	 I have hours only lonely, my love is vengeance that's never
free

	 when my fist clenches crack it open before I use it, lose my
cool
	 when I smile, tell me some bad news before I laugh and act
like a fool
	 and if I swallow anything evil, put your finger down my
throat
	 and if I shiver, please give me a blanket, keep me warm, let
me wear your coat

	 no one knows what its like to be the bad man
	 to be the sad man behind blue eyes
		 (Behind Blue Eyes - The Who)


"Tara, honey, is he sending messages to her?" Willow whispered
urgently.

"I think so and it doesn't sound good, I… I think h-he's giving up,"
Tara pondered.

If Buffy had been watching her friends rather than Giles, she would
have recognized "resolve face".

* * *

Ripper sighed as he put his feet up on top of a stack of beer cases
and took a long pull from the whiskey bottle during the band's break
backstage.

"What are you doing?" a voice demanded.

Giles sat up, almost falling out of his chair as Willow stood over
him, hands on her hips.

"What?" he snapped back.

"You trying to drive her away?" Willow demanded.

"Who? Buff? I don't have to try, do I then?" Ripper growled.  "She
doesn't care about any of us since she came back. Hell, she doesn't
care if the world ends tomorrow. Going through the motions, that's
all she is now. What do I care?"

"You're just going to give up, right? Let her go on with that
bleached blonde 80s reject?" Willow snapped.  She found herself
against the wall and Ripper standing over her, hands on either side
of her head.

"How the hell do you know about that?" he growled.

"We saw them one night and I know that you've seen them," Willow
said, trying to remain calm as Giles' blue-green eyes bored into
hers.  "That's not making her happy and you know it."

"And what would? A bullet to the brain?" Ripper growled, moving back
away from the witch. "Buffy doesn't want life, she wants death now."

"Got that in common do you?" Willow snapped, storming off towards
the front of the club again.

Giles frowned as Ripper drank.

* * *

Ripper seemed more withdrawn during the second set and Willow had
just shaken her head when Tara had asked how it went with the
Englishman. The red-haired hacker sat in her chair fuming. Her
friends were so dense! She wanted to whack their heads together,
lock them in a room and not let them out until one of them was dead
or they were getting horizontal already!

"We're going to finish the night off with a special request," Ripper
announced late in the evening.  "It was a request from a friend but
I think I'll tag along on this one and dedicate it to someone myself
as well. This is by Melissa Etheridge."

	 The rope that's wrapped around me is cutting through my skin
	 And the doubts that have surrounded me are finding their way
in
	 I keep it close to me, like a hole in my praise. in my
desperate hour, it's better that 	 way
	 So I'll come by and see you again, I'll be such a very good
friend
	 Have mercy on my soul, I'll never let you know where my mind
has been

	 Angels never came down, there's no one here they wanna hang
around
	 But if they knew, if they knew you at all
	 Then one by one, the angels would fall

	 I've crept into your temple; I have slept upon your pew
	 I have dreamed of the divinity inside and out of you and I
wanted more truth
	 I can taste it on my breath; I would give my life for a
little, a little death

	 so I'll come by and see you again, I'll be just a very good
friend
	 I will not look upon your face; I will not touch upon your
ecclesiastical skin

	 Angels never came down, there's no one here they wanna hang
around
	 But if they knew, if they knew you at all
	 Then, one by one, the angels, angels would fall
	 Sweet angels

	 I'll come by and see you again and I'll have to be a very
good friend
	 If I whisper, they will know. I'll just turn around and go
	 You will never know my sin

	 Angels never came down, there's no one here they wanna hang
around
	 But if they knew, if they knew you at all
	 Then, one by one, the angels, the angels would fall
	 There's no one here they wanna hang around
	 But if they knew, if they knew you at all
	 Then one by one, the angels, the angels would fall
	 Angels
	 Angels would fall
		 (Angels Would Fall - Melissa Etheridge)


Buffy sat almost as stunned as the first evening she saw Giles
onstage as she listened to the lyrics and then she frowned. "What
the hell?" she muttered as the band left the stage, Ripper barely
glancing their way.

"I'll be back," Buffy growled quickly leaving the table before
Willow or Tara could protest or ask questions.  The Slayer made her
way backstage, fighting through the growing number of young women
and men hanging out, wanting to grab some of the energy and the
magic from the band.

The small blonde spun Ripper around as he put his guitar away in its
hardcase.  She wasn't surprised when he spun around with his fists
clenched and drawn back defensively.

"What the hell is going on between us?" she demanded.

Giles frowned and pulled the sunglasses back on.  "Last time I
looked, not much."

"Giles…" Buffy started but the Englishman held up his hand.

"I've had a bit to drink, I'm not in a good mood and I don't want to
fight with you," Giles said firmly. The Englishman moved to tower
over the small woman until she was up against the wall.  "You want a
map, Buffy? Want to know what's killed me for over five years?" he
growled low and dangerous.

"Yes," she said softly.

Buffy started to protest or fight back when Ripper leaned down and
kissed her. It wasn't a soft and hesitant kiss, not like she had
always imagined Giles kissing her would be like. This was an
insistent and exploring kiss, one that she fought against for a
moment but then moaned and melted into.

After a moment Giles spun away, putting his sunglasses back on. "Go
away, Buffy, just go away. I'm not Spike and I'm not convenient."

Buffy staggered away from the wall, overwhelmed by the kiss, the
abrupt ending of it and finally by Giles' words.  "You… you knew?"
she whispered, wanting to crawl under the stage and never see the
light of day again as her Watcher kept his back to her, rejecting
her.

Giles just shook his head, refusing to answer.

Buffy stumbled out of the bar, not even looking for Willow or Tara
or answering their calls as she ran from the bar.

* * *

Willow and Tara spent the next three days frantically trying to
figure out what was going on with their friends.  It seemed that
everyone was going through a melt down. Xander and Anya were arguing
over little things that didn't make sense and Dawn was caught
breaking curfew by lying about where she was.

The worst were Buffy and Giles, neither was speaking to anyone other
than polite responses to questions. Buffy was up early and out late,
relying on Willow and Tara to take care of Dawn once the precocious
teenager got home in the afternoons.  Giles was usually found in the
back room of the shop practicing with the weapons or boxing bag or
reading the books.

Not even Anya could get more than a polite response from him, even
when she was being highly annoying.

On the fourth day Giles found an envelope taped to the door of the
shop addressed to him in Buffy's writing.  Inside he found nothing
but a cassette tape and Giles frowned, hoping it wasn't a form of a
runaway note.  If anyone was going to leave, it would be him, damnit.

The Watcher went to the tape player/radio that Anya kept behind the
counter to play soothing music and meditation tapes that they
carried in the shop.  He slipped the tape into the machine and
pressed play.

What came out of the speakers was a combination of various songs,
some with just a verse or two, others with the complete song.  Giles
and Ripper listened carefully after rewinding the short recorded
bit. He wanted to hear the lyrics again, knowing that his Slayer was
responding in kind.

First on the track was Black Sabbath's Paranoid and Giles nodded,
knowing the song well.


	 people think I'm insane because I am frowning all the time
	 all day long I think of things but nothing seems to satisfy
	 think I'll lose my mind if I don't find something to satisfy
	 can you help me? thought you were my friend
	 oh yeah

	 I need someone to show me the things in life that I can't
find
	 I can't see the things that bring true happiness, I must be
blind

	 make a joke and I will sigh, you will laugh and I will cry
	 happiness I cannot feel, that love to me is so unreal

	 and so as you hear these words telling you now of my state
	 I tell you to enjoy life, I wish I could but its too late
		 (Black Sabbath – Paranoid)

Next came one that Giles couldn't quite place but wrote the lyrics
out and began to nod.

	 you were there like a blow torch burning, I was a key that
could use a little turning
	 so tired that I couldn't even sleep, so many secrets I
couldn't keep
	 promised myself I wouldn't weep, one more promise I couldn't
keep
	 seems that no one can help me now, I'm in too deep, there's
no way out
	 this time I have really led myself astray

	 runaway train, never going back
	 wrong way on a one way track
	 seems like I should be getting somewhere
	 somehow I'm neither here nor there

	 can you help me remember how to smile, make it all somehow
all seem worthwhile
	 how on earth did I get so jaded, life's mystery seems so
faded
	 I can go where no one else can go, I know what no one else
knows
	 here I am just drowning in the rain with a ticket for a
runaway train
	 everything seems so cut and dry, day and night, earth and sky
	 but somehow I just don't believe it
		 (Soul Asylum – Runaway Train)

Giles knew he had caught Buffy's theme and message by the time the
next song fragment came on. He knew the lyrics already to
Queensryche.

	 I don't believe in love, I never have, I never will
	 I don't believe in love, its never worth the pain that you
feel

	 no more nightmares, I've seen them all
	 from the day I was born they've haunted my every move
	 every opening hand, instead pushed and shoved
	 no time for love, does it matter
		 (Queensryche – I Don't Believe in Love)

"Oh God, Buffy," Giles said softly, unsure how to help his Slayer,
his love.

* * *

Buffy watched the sun rising from the doorway of the tomb as Spike
walked up behind her and wrapped a blanket around her naked form.
He nuzzled her neck and frowned when she didn't respond.

"What's with you lately?" he demanded, pulling the Slayer back into
the shadows.

"Nothing, why? I'm with you every night, aren't I?" Buffy growled.

"Your body is here but you aren't!" Spike snapped, turning Buffy
around to face him. "Damnit! Why won't you let anyone in?"

"There's nothing inside to get to!" Buffy snapped back, shoving
Spike back away from her.  The Slayer brushed past the vampire,
heading for her clothes.

"You think you're dead inside so the answer is shagging me?" Spike
yelled, following her.

Buffy shrugged as she pulled her jeans on and reached for her
discarded t-shirt.

"There's someone else!" Spike accused, his voice rising an
octave. "I bloody well know that look! You're falling for someone?
Who the bloody hell? Mr. Third Wheel Xander?"

"Xander is not a third wheel," Buffy said wearily. "Get over it,
Spike. I'm not in love with you, I will never be in love with you,
and I'll probably never be in love with anyone again."

"So, this is where you tell me we're over again?" Spike smirked,
crossing his arms over his chest, unmindful of his nakedness but
mindful of Buffy's lack of interest in it.

"Spike, I thought being with you made me feel something, anything,"
Buffy said slowly, walking towards the door but turned and looked at
him sadly. "I was wrong, being with you is slowly killing me. I need
to find the light, not more darkness."

Spike started to protest until the Slayer opened the door wide and
the vampire was forced to step quickly out of the way of the bright
sunlight pouring into the tomb. He looked up and Buffy was gone.

* * *

Ripper saw Buffy sitting alone at the bar watching him from the
shadows and frowned. Something was different about the Slayer, as if
she were fading into the darkness he was drinking himself into.

The Englishman turned to his bandmates, telling them his next
choice. The drummer, Stevie, had seen the same blonde as their first
night and grinned.

"You got it bad, Ripper," he teased as he brought his drumsticks up.

"Maybe," Ripper agreed as he turned to the crowd.  He intentionally
pulled his sunglasses off and stared into Buffy's eyes.  "Dedicated
to someone."

	 when the truth is found to be lies and all the joy within
you dies
	 don't you want somebody to love, don't you need somebody to
love
	 wouldn't you love somebody to love, you'd better find
somebody to love

	 when dawn's lost, baby, you're dead and yes, your mind is so
full of dread
	 don't you want somebody to love, don't you need somebody to
love
	 wouldn't you love somebody to love, you'd better find
somebody to love

	 your eyes, I say, your eyes make look like his
	 but in your head, I'm afraid you don't know where it is
	 don't you want somebody, don't you need somebody to love
	 wouldn't you love somebody to love, you'd better find
somebody to love

	 tears are running, running down your breasts
	 and your friends, baby, they treat you like a guest
	 don't you want somebody to love, don't you need somebody to
love
	 wouldn't you love somebody to love, you'd better find
somebody to love
		 (Jefferson Airplane – Somebody to Love)

Buffy winced and tried to turn away from her Watcher but his eyes
held her almost spellbound as they slipped into other songs.  After
a rendition of Bryan Adams "Everything I Do, I Do For You" Ripper
relented and put his glasses back on, freeing Buffy from his gaze.
The Slayer turned and lowered her head as she struggled with
feelings for the first time since returning from the dead.

Then came a song Buffy wasn't sure she had ever heard before.

	 a gypsy wind is blowing warm tonight, the sky is starlet and
the time is right
	 but still you're telling me you have to go
	 before you leave there's something you should know,
something you should know 		 babe
	 I've seen you smiling in the summer sun, I've seen your long
hair flying when you 		 run
	 I've made my mind up that it's meant to be
	 someday, lady, you'll accompany me

	 someday, lady, you'll accompany me, out where the rivers
meet the sounding sea
	 you're high above me now, you're wild and free
	 ah, but someday, lady, you'll accompany me
	 someday, lady, you'll accompany me

	 some people say love is a losing game, you start with fire
but you lose the flame
	 the ashes smolder but the warmth's hidden and gone
	 you end up cold and lonely, on your own
	 I'll take my chances, babe, I'll risk it all
	 I'll win your love or I'll take a fall
	 I've made my mind up that it's meant to be
	 someday, lady, you'll accompany me
		 (Bob Seager – You'll Accompany Me)

Buffy wasn't aware of the tears streaking down her face as she
listened to Giles.

Movie called Rip it Off, not a bad plot but the writing could be
better. Alyson Hannigan plays a girl named Lexi. Excellent acting on
her part. Alexis Denisof plays a guy named Yuri, not so great russian
accent but decent acting other than that, side we've never seen before
on Buffy or Angel. I highly suggest you RENT this flick. Not buy it.
Some nudity and no-no language, drug use and sexual content, not for
the kiddies.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0201479/


Yours,
SiN

The Futon Critic
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/newswire.cgi?id=6906

Thursday, May 19, 2005 - 2:05 PM
Development Update: May 18-19
By The Futon Critic Staff

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news,
culled from recent wire reports:

FIREFLY (FOX) - The Sci Fi Channel has landed the repeat rights to all
15 hours of the short-lived FOX series (and basis of the
upcoming "Serenity" feature film). The network's July schedule lists
the series as joining its Friday lineup on July 22 at 7:00/6:00c where
it will precede original episodes of "Stargate SG-1," "Stargate
Atlantis" and "Battlestar Galactica."

SciFi Wire
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire2005/index.php?category=0&id=31056

Wonder Set In Modern Day
12:00 AM, 19-MAY-05

Joss Whedon, writer and director of the upcoming Wonder Woman movie,
told Now Playing magazine that the film will be set in the modern
world. The original story "goes back to World War II," Whedon told
the magazine. But, he added, "this will be in the modern day, but
Wonder Woman herself will never be in the modern day."

Who will play the part of Princess Diana? Whedon (Buffy the Vampire
Slayer) said that he hasn't even begun to think about that as he
finishes up his upcoming SF movie, Serenity, on which he's making
his feature-film directorial debut.

"[Casting] is the last thing on my mind, and I'm happy to say it's
the last thing on Warner Brothers' and [producer] Joel [Silver's]
mind, too," Whedon said. "We're like, 'Let's write the part! Then
we'll have a better idea of who's good for it.' And we've talked
about whether it should be someone famous or an unknown. Ultimately
there are advantages to both, so nobody's thinking about that. ...
Except everybody."

As for the story, Whedon said: "She doesn't have a villain as
recognizable as [a Lex Luthor]. In fact, she doesn't have a lot of
things as recognizable as a lot of the other heroes have. But that's
not a problem, simply because she's basically based on Greek
mythology, which opens up a world of interesting possibilities.
She's very different from anybody who might have been bitten by a
spider or had his parents killed in an alley."

Surprisingly, Whedon admitted that he hasn't begun writing Wonder
Woman yet. "There hasn't even actually been a whole deal signed and
everything [for Wonder Woman]. I'm working on it in the way that I
always work on everything, which is that I think about it while I'm
doing other things. But right now we're in the final stages of
wrapping up Serenity, and that's where my focus is. The reason I was
able to take the Wonder Woman gig was that they don't have a release
date and they don't have a schedule, and that means I have time to
sit back and get it right. It will happen, but it's not like 'Bang!
You're 10 weeks under the gun.' The starting gun has not fired, but
I always jump the gun anyway. When you have a product that rich you
can't help but think of ideas for it, the same way I think of ideas
for the Serenity sequel that may never happen. We don't turn it
off." Serenity opens Sept. 30.

AMERICAN CRIME (CBS) - David Starzyk ("A Boyfriend for Christmas")
and Christian Kane ("Angel") have both been cast in the drama pilot,
about a female prosecutor (Jennifer Finnigan) who juggles the world
of suburban crime with the challenges of being a new mother. Starzyk
will play Thom in the Warner Bros. Television/Bruckheimer Television-
based project, while no details were available about Kane's
character. John Carroll Lynch also stars while Jim Leonard, Jerry
Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman are the executive producers.

THE UNIT (CBS) - Scott Foley ("Felicity") and Amy Acker ("Angel")
have both been cast in the Eye's Delta Force-themed drama pilot,
about the lives of the members of a Special Forces unit and their
families. They join the previously cast Dennis Haysbert, Michael
Irby and Regina King in the 20th Century Fox Television-based
project, which comes from creators/executive producers Shawn Ryan
and David Mamet.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (CBS) - Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire
Slayer") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about the exploits
of a single man (Josh Radnor), as told through his own eyes 20 years
later. No details were available about Hannigan's character. In
addition, Rob Greenberg ("Frasier") has signed on as an executive
producer of the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, which was
created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas ("American Dad")

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/newswire.cgi?id=6897


The one's with Buffy and/or Angel cast members are:

Bones (David Boreanaz from Angel)

Briar and Graves (Elizabeth Rohm, Kate Lockley from Angel)

Kitchen Confidential (Nicholas Brendon, Xander from Buffy)

The Inside (Adam Baldwin, Hamilton from Angel and Jayne from Firefly)

Reunion (Alexa Davalos, Gwen from Angel)

Thanks to Overworked at Spoiler-Crypt:
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/spoiler-crypt

Comingsoon.net - Gellar Goes Hunting and Fishing


Comingsoon.net
http://comingsoon.net/news/topnews.php?id=9451


Gellar Goes Hunting and Fishing
Source: The Hollywood Reporter May 4, 2005

Sarah Michelle Gellar is set to star in Warner Independent Pictures'
untitled Marc Klein project, based on the stories from Melissa
Bank's book, "A Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing."

The Hollywood Reporter says the story follows a young New York book
editor (Gellar) who always has defined herself by the type of man
she can get. When she meets and ensnares the affections of an older,
very powerful and extremely sophisticated man, she thinks her
problems are solved when they've only just begun.

Klein wrote the film's screenplay.

MTV.com
http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1501085/05022005/story.jhtml

05.02.2005 2:31 PM EDT
Seth Green's Twisted Mind Breeds A Hit 'Toon
Actor's "Robot Chicken" shakes up late night as "Family Guy" returns
to primetime.

"Behold the gaseous stench of Skeletor's breakfast burrito!"

Eight words that likely never crossed your mind before, now offered
up courtesy of the twisted mindof Seth Green . Here's the scenario
in question: Skeletor, notorious arch-enemy of He-Man, is behind the
wheel of a small sedan stuck in freeway gridlock. His fellow evil-
doing carpoolers, including Cobra Commander at shotgun, Lex Luthor
and Mumm-Ra (from "The Thundercats"), twist away in revulsion. Mumm-
Ra tries to lower his window, only to find that the child safety
lock is on. Skeletor erupts in gleeful, malicious laughter.

That's just one of dozens of skits aimed at the pop culture junkies
who have made Green's "Robot Chicken" (Sundays, 11:30 p.m.) the
hottest new show on the Cartoon Network. And with his return last
night to primetime TV — as the voice of the Griffin family's
teenaged son, Chris, on the FCC-envelope-pushing comedy, "Family
Guy" — Green appears to have several fingers on the medium's comedic
pulse at once.

With "Robot Chicken," especially, the humor is as off-the-wall and
downright surreal as anything currently available on cable. The
show's distinctively inexpensive-looking, stop-action vignettes
might feature a Darth Vader action figure explaining aura-
enhancing "midi-chlorians" to a bewildered Luke Skywalker; Charlie
Brown hunted down by a homicidal Great Pumpkin; deleted "Dukes of
Hazzard" love scenes between Boss Hogg and Uncle Jessie and other
nightmarishly funny scenarios that will have you wondering how
something so wrong can feel so right.

"The sky's the limit," says Green, best known for performances in
the "Austin Powers" movies and a three-year "Buffy the Vampire
Slayer" (Oz) stint. "It is just amazing. We have three different
clearance houses that approve each of the jokes before we get a
final script or send it to be animated. We have a lot of things
[where] we have to clarify the parody, or you're not allowed to use
a property or a toy."

Once that legal hurdle is cleared, Green and co-creator Matthew
Senreich can let their demented imaginations run wild as part of the
hugely popular cartoon block targeting 18-34-year-old men that the
network designates as "Adult Swim."

"Ultimately, they defer to the creators," Green says of the network
and the freedom it has allowed him and Senreich to portray, for
example, a Transformer getting a rectal exam. "They give you the
opportunity to fall on your face."

Admitting that he balances a tough schedule between his TV and film
duties, Green loves to place his scattered mind, as well as his
Rolodex, at his new show's disposal. "Dude, we're not [mess]ing
around," he says of guest voices that have included Sarah Michelle
Gellar, Topher Grace and Scarlett Johansson. "I've made a bunch of
phone calls to people I know, but you have to give somebody
something that's worth their time. That's the fun of offering
something like this to big celebrities — they get to come into a
booth and be really silly."

Getting paid to be silly is mighty fine work if you can get it, but
Green wants his fans to know he plans to keep his face on the big
screen, as well.

"He made one movie during the course of this production," says
Seinrich of the show's early episodes. "I think we broke him by
doing that, because he would work on the movie from nine-to-five in
Budapest, and then from five-to-three in the morning he'd be working
on our show."

"Which was the dumbest thing I've ever done, ever," Green admits,
laughing with his friend. "I like how you say nine-to-five like that
was my schedule. I'd get up at four in the morning and I'd work
until about six or seven at night. Then I'd get back to my hotel and
be nine hours ahead of the L.A. office, so I could use the Internet
or phones to do my work on the show. I'd work an additional eight to
ten hours, and then go to bed for six hours, and get up and work
again."

The film, about a guy (Green) who helps his best friend woo the
woman of his dreams, is currently aiming for a 2006 release. "It's
called 'The Best Man,'" says Green. "It's a romantic comedy with
Stuart Townsend and Amy Smart. I'm the troublemaker. They have U.K.
distribution right now, and I think they're working on the U.S."

In addition to "The Best Man," Green represents an epicenter of
Internet myth-making due to the beloved franchises he's supposedly
furthering. There's the "Italian Job" sequel ("There's no script.
It's not real. Nothing's going on."), the "Family Guy" movie
("There's not really a movie as much as there's a three-part episode
that we're talking about making into a feature."), and of course, a
fourth Austin Powers film ("There's no script. Mike Myers is M.I.A.
I haven't talked to Mike Myers in over a year. To the best of my
knowledge, there's nothing legitimate or official going on, so the
rumors you hear are probably just that.").

Green knows that the rumors will likely be hounding him for years to
come.

"I'm sure I'll be answering Austin Powers questions until I'm
ninety," he laughs. "There are worse things to be associated with."

Point of No Return
Season 6 Reset, part 15 –part 2

Author: Frau Hunter Ash

Copyright © 2002-2004 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: ripperbard7@...
hunterash@...
Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: www.hunterash.com

Acknowledgments:  Note: Plot collaborated on by Hunter Ash and Dark
Gremlin
Suggestions from many people and many boards.  A special "thank you"
to them.

Another special "Thank You" to Joan the English Chick
(pisces@...) for her transcripts.

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox,
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. No harm intended.
The character of Maggie Doyle belongs to whoever created ER and I'm
just borrowing the absent character.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship
between people of the same and opposite gender.  If this offends or
is illegal for you, then please leave.  Come back when you are
older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

Spoilers: In my universe here, Season 6 is happening again! Starting
with Bargaining and taking off from there.  Things will be different
here.

Rating:  R (US) 15 (UK) MA15 (Aus) Pairings: W/T, X/An, B/F

Summary:  Resolutions to problems and dangers but with consequences
for everyone.


Spike really didn't know what hit him. He didn't even see any of the
five blows that sent him flying backwards several feet.  He could
tell one had hit his jaw, another in the groin and one in the chest.
He wasn't sure about the other two.

The vampire brought up his arms just in time to block a couple of
Buffy's punches but most of them got through to his face.  Within
moments he was battered and bloody; the Slayer was still attacking
and still screaming in his ear.

"You…" punch. "Will….never…." punch.  "Touch…Dawn!"

Spike growled and got in another punch to Buffy's jaw and felt the
Slayer weakening, the blood loss getting to her.  He managed to kick
her off and jumped to his feet.

Buffy stumbled and fell over backwards, grabbing at her neck.

Spike dived forward with a growl.  He was not going to let the
Slayer die from blood loss unless it was at his fangs!

The vampire felt something very rare: a stake at his heart and the
fear that it caused.

Spike glanced down at the stake in Buffy's hand and the hardness of
the Slayer's eyes.

"I might have let you get by with hurting me," Buffy growled,
grabbing the front of Spike's jacket.  "You killed those computer
guys, you hurt and killed Tara. Do you think I'd let that slide?
You're nothing but dust!"

Before Spike could protest, Buffy pulled him down onto the stake and
closed her eyes as he exploded into dust.

"Damn you for that! Faith, help me," Buffy whispered as she held her
hand against the neck wounds.

* * *

Sam was still arguing with Riley about the ethics of imprisoning
magical users when Faith tried to struggle to her feet from the
chair at the same time that Tara, Willow and Dawn leaped to theirs.

"Buffy!" came a resounding cry from all four women.

"What the hell?" Riley snapped as Sam jumped up, suddenly concerned.

"Buffy's in trouble," Tara explained. "We need to get to her."

"How do you know that?" Riley demanded.

"We're connected to each other," Willow said absently. "Are you up
to this, baby?" she asked Tara, noticing her lover's eyes were now
purple.

"You stay here with her, Red," Faith said firmly. "You two reconnect
and we'll get Buffy back and safe."

"And she can keep an eye on Riley so he doesn't try to take us,"
Tara smirked.

"You're good, girlfriend," Faith smirked back as Riley glared at
them.  "Come on, Captain America, let's find Buffy."

"Hurry, Faith!" Willow urged. "She's hurt bad."

* * *

Ripper bit down on Ethan's shoulder as the sorcerer's hand moved
past Giles' waistband and began stroking him.  Ethan cried out and
retaliated by biting harder into Giles' neck, knowing exactly where
to bite.

Giles felt his hips jerking in response to Ethan's touch as his own
hands pulled at his enemy's shirt and belt buckle.

"Bloody hell, Ripper," Ethan whimpered. "I'm supposed to be killing
you now."

"Shut up, Ethan," Ripper growled as he pulled Ethan's trousers down
past his hips.

The other sorcerer growled and grabbed the dagger hidden in his
jacket and drew back to aim for Giles' chest when he stopped cold,
much as Spike had done moments earlier across town.

The Englishman wasn't sure he should even try to breathe with the
two-pronged dagger pressing against his throat.  He thought about
squeezing Giles' maleness in hopes of getting the man to drop the
knife but Ethan knew he'd just end up dead faster.

"Let go, Ethan," Ripper growled, his eyes shining brightly.

Ethan dropped the knife and trembled as he balanced on one hand over
his one time lover and enemy.

"Roll over slowly," Giles commanded, his eyes hard and unwavering.

Ethan did as instructed, wincing slightly as Giles followed him
over, switching positions so he was now on top and with the dagger
at Ethan's throat.

"Come on, Giles," Ethan said softly.  "You can't kill me. You never
could."

"Did Willow scream much when you ripped the magic from her? Did she
fight back when you raped her?" Giles snapped.

"I didn't touch her!" Ethan protested. "I just took the magic for a
boost. You know it'll come back."

"You took a chance on frying her brain and leaving her with no mind
left, you bastard! You then did the same to Tara and turned her over
to that lunatic vampire!" Giles shouted.

"Giles, I, uh," Ethan stammered.

"You hurt my kids, Ethan!" Giles growled, pressing the knife into
the sorcerer's throat enough to draw blood and make Ethan's body
tense in reaction.

Ethan closed his eyes for a moment and opened them when he felt the
knife ease up slightly and saw the doubt in Giles' eyes.

"You can't do it, Giles," Ethan said softly. "Ripper might have but
you can't."

Giles closed his eyes, having to acknowledge to himself that Ethan
was right.

"The witches are alive, Spike is probably half way to Mexico by
now," Ethan said slowly. "You win in the end, Rupert."

Images of Willow giving into Rack's sleazy price tag for a magical
boost ran through Giles' mind along with images of Tara hanging
limply in the chains, drained of life and blood and dignity. His
kids, his girls, his witches.  Gentle Willow reduced to a revenge
thirsty younger version of himself.  Tara now relying on life force
energy to survive, much like the vampires they fought. Her life long
fears coming to pass because of Ethan.

Giles felt Ethan stir under him and screamed in rage.  He bought the
knife up and then down firmly.

"I can't kill you but I can hinder you from doing magic again,"
Giles muttered as Ethan screamed a high pitch wail of pain.  The
English scholar rolled off the sorcerer and went to his knees,
throwing up at what he had done.

* * *

Buffy opened her eyes slowly and managed to smile when she realized
Faith was holding her hand and Tara, Willow and Dawn were standing
nearby, waiting anxiously.  The blonde Slayer could feel the tension
from the other four.

"What happened?" Buffy whispered, pulling Faith closer.  One glance
around told her that she was in the hospital once again.  Metal
railing on the single bed, an IV running into her arm, and machines
beeping, keeping track of her heartbeat.

"Me, Captain America and Sam found you in a graveyard nearly dead,
B," Faith said softly, reaching up to stoke Buffy's hair and the
Slayer leaned into the caress.

"Spike clawed me," Buffy whispered as Dawn rushed over to hug her.

"Spike?" Dawn asked, her voice almost hopeful.

"He was totally insane," Buffy said softly. "He tried to rape me
again and was coming after you next."

"Is…is he…?" Tara stammered.

"Dust, I couldn't let him walk away from what he did to you and what
he wanted from Dawn," Buffy nodded, frowning a little at the
satisfied look in Willow's eyes.  Buffy remembered how close she
came to facing her best friend in a showdown.  The Slayer never
wanted to be that close again.

"Good," Faith said firmly.

"Giles?" Buffy asked as Dawn moved aside, wiping at her teary eyes,
to let Willow and Tara hug Buffy gently.

"Uh," Willow hesitated, her eyes becoming pained again.  "He…he
kinda…"

"What? He's not dead!" Buffy sat up abruptly and Willow and Faith
quickly held her down.

"No, B!" Faith said quickly. "He just kinda went ballistic on Ethan."

"Did he kill him?" Buffy was distressed but she could understand it
if Giles had killed Ethan.  Even with the Slayer restrictions
against killing humans, Ethan came very close to making Buffy cross
those lines.

"No," Faith shook her head as she kissed Buffy's forehead. "He…uh…
Giles kinda…"

"He blinded Ethan," Tara said calmly and again Buffy wondered what
dying and coming back as an energy vampire did to her friend.  She
could still feel the connection and the love Tara had for them but
there was a different energy underneath as well.

"Blinded him?" Buffy repeated.

"Stabbed him in the eyes," Faith nodded and Buffy turned pale.

"Said that it would be almost impossible to work magic when you
can't read and Ethan wouldn't trust anyone to help him," Tara nodded.

Buffy understood the logic but she couldn't picture her Giles
intentionally stabbing someone in the eyes. Murder would be easier
to explain and accept.

"Where is Giles and what happened to Ethan?" Buffy asked after a few
moments.

"I can answer part of that," a new voice said softly.  Buffy looked
up from Faith's arms and saw Sam standing just inside the
door.  "Ethan Rayne was captured by Faith after she killed William
the Bloody. Because of her dedication and deception by Ethan, She
was granted parole early. Hope you don't mind us giving her the
credit for Spike."

"Not if it keeps Faith out of prison," Buffy smiled wider when Faith
began blushing.  "Riley?"

"He left on a new assignment," Sam said calmly but Buffy could see
her jaw muscles tightening.  "I resigned my commission so I'm out of
work again."

"I'm sure we can find you something," Willow smiled as she absently
stroked Buffy's hand as Tara wrapped her arms around Willow.

"I'm sorry, Sam," Buffy said softly. She knew the pain of Riley
leaving.

"I know," Sam nodded. "I knew it would probably happen eventually."

Sam turned to look out the window, her eyes reflecting the pain
Buffy knew she was feeling.

"Giles?" Buffy repeated.

"Locked in his apartment and won't answer the door," Willow frowned,
glancing away from Buffy.

"When do I get out of here," Buffy growled.

"Tomorrow, B," Faith said with a smirk. She knew Buffy probably
hated being in the hospital as much as she did.

"So what's keeping Riley from coming back and taking Willow and
Tara?" Buffy demanded from Sam.

"I know too many secrets, so do you and the rest of the gang," Sam
shrugged.  "Willow was telling me about that group in LA, that they
might need a trained demon fighter with a heart."

"Well, they've got a vampire with a soul," Buffy nodded, finding the
situation weird enough to have achieved believability in Sunnydale.

"See you, Buffy," Sam said with a small smile and awkwardly hugged
everyone before walking out, letting Xander and Anya into the room
for their fair share of hugs.

* * *

It was two days before Faith agreed to let Buffy up and out of the
house.  The blonde Slayer headed straight for Giles' apartment.

Anya and Xander were working keeping the Magic Box going but even
Anya's screaming outside the Englishman's door had failed to get
Giles to open the door.

Buffy pounded for five minutes without success and found her key no
longer worked.

"As Giles would say, 'bloody hell,'" she muttered and stepped back
slightly and kicked the door in.

Buffy found her Watcher and substitute father upstairs in his bed.

Giles was unconscious and Buffy could smell the stale alcohol across
the room and saw four empty Scotch bottles on the floor and a half
empty one on the nightstand.  The ex-Watcher was dressed only in his
boxer shorts and t-shirt and hadn't shaved in days.

"Giles," Buffy whispered.  It hurt her to see him like this.  The
Slayer sat on the bed next to him and quickly checked his
breathing.  "Giles," she said a little louder.  "Come on, Giles."

It took five minutes to even get the man's eyes open. He attempted
to turn over and away from Buffy but the Slayer pulled him onto his
back and lightly slapped him.

"Come on, Giles, talk to me!" Buffy demanded.

"What for?" Giles growled. "You're an adult, whatever it is you can
handle it."

"No, I can't," Buffy protested.  "There's no danger, no prophecy,
there's just me needing the man I want as my father and friend. Why
are you doing this? "

"Doing what? Drinking myself into oblivion?" Giles snapped. "Tara
was killed and I let Willow use black magic with me to bring her
back! I let Willow slip into that darkness with Ripper!"

"You didn't stay there and neither did she," Buffy countered.  "She
used that magic to save you and Tara's alive because of you both."

"I couldn't kill him," Giles whimpered, throwing his arm over his
eyes.  "I should have, I had every right too but I couldn't.  I
wasn't Ripper anymore when we fought and I couldn't kill him."

"That's a good thing, Giles," Buffy pointed out, puzzled.  "You
couldn't kill even after all he did."

"You don't understand, Buffy," Giles said softly, refusing to look
at her.  "Ripper could have killed him.  It was me, it was your
Giles that could maim another human being out of revenge.
Intentionally maiming someone for the rest of their lives."

Giles rolled off the other side of the bed, stumbled to the bathroom
and slammed the door behind him.

Buffy winced at the sound of her Watcher throwing up.

Several minutes later Giles walked back into the bedroom, very
unsteady on his feet.

Buffy rushed over and helped him back to the bed, frowning at the
weight he was already losing.

"That's why I'm drinking," Giles whispered. "If I close my eyes and
I'm sober, I see the knife plunging in and I keep hearing Ethan's
screams. I did that, Buffy. I'm capable of that, not Ripper."

"No, you're not or you wouldn't be falling apart like this," Buffy
said gently, stroking his forehead.

Giles shook his head and reached for the bottle, ignoring Buffy's
disapproving look.

"I'll be back a little later, okay?" Buffy asked and Giles merely
nodded.

The blonde Slayer moved downstairs and started rummaging through
Giles' desk until she found his address book.  Buffy glanced back at
the stairs with a frown and reached for the telephone.

She waited impatiently for the connection to go through.

"Hello?"

"Olivia? Is this Olivia, a friend of Rupert Giles?" Buffy asked,
keeping her voice low.

"Yes, it is. Who is this?" a musical voice asked.

"This is Buffy, remember me from that weird incident with the loss
of voices thing?"

"Yes, of course, Buffy," Olivia's voice almost smiled through the
telephone wires. "You're one of Rupert's kids, his special charge."

"Yeah, I know it's been awhile since you've been around and, please
don't take this wrong, but I need to ask you, do you care about him?
I mean like special care and still dating type stuff?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, very much so," Olivia answered without hesitation.  "We've had
a couple of weekends in LA since the last time I saw you, just not
lately. Why?"

"He needs you, Olivia," Buffy said simply.  "Giles has lost faith in
himself and he needs what a lover can give him."

"How bad is it?" Olivia asked and Buffy could hear papers shuffling
in the background.

"Drinking himself into a stupor for four days straight," Buffy
answered truthfully.

"Let me see," Olivia paused. "I can be in LA tomorrow night late and
Sunnydale two hours after that."

"Thanks, Olivia," Buffy sighed. "We'll keep him fed and stuff, he'll
be at my place."

Buffy then called her house and called out the troops.  They'd take
care of Giles until Olivia got there and, hopefully, snapped him out
of the emotional spiral he was in.

Buffy was relieved to see the entire gang show up within minutes of
her phone call, most of them waiting for news about their adopted
father.  "He's falling apart because of what he did to Ethan."

"He stopped Ethan from doing magic again and didn't kill him, what's
the problem?" Xander complained.

"Giles shoved a knife into Ethan's eyes intentionally," Buffy
snapped and watched as Xander winced.  "He's having trouble
accepting the fact that he's capable of that and has been on a
steady drunk since then."

"How do we help?" Dawn asked firmly, determined to help and solve
the problems.

"We get him to our place, get him cleaned up and fed," Buffy
suggested. "Then we help him heal."

"Come on, Faith," Xander said calmly.  "I'll get him dressed and you
can help me carry him to the car."

"5x5, Xan man," Faith nodded and squeezed Buffy's hand before
following the young man upstairs with Anya right behind them, Faith
moving slowly with the cast enclosed leg.

Buffy turned away from Tara and Willow.

Tara squeezed Willow's hand and moved slowly towards the Slayer.

"Buffy, you've been avoiding us for the last two days," Tara said
softly, placing her hands on Buffy's shoulders. She could feel the
Slayer tense up and held firmly.  "Why?"

"Nothing," Buffy muttered, turning to the witches but avoiding their
eyes.  "Just giving you guys time to adjust to everything. I didn't
want to…to…"

"Get in the way because of how you feel?" Tara suggested and Buffy's
eyes widened, meeting Tara's now purple ones.   The witch smiled
softly.  "We did reconnect and I know you've heard the screams from
the bedroom."

Buffy knew she was blushing a bright red as Willow walked up and
wrapped her arms around Tara, smiling at Buffy.

"Yeah, well, I know Faith and I…" Buffy stammered.

"Are working on your relationship too," Tara said softly. "You've
been avoiding us because…?"

"Because everything feels weird!" Buffy complained. "Things might
actually work with Faith this time, I came back from the dead,
you're different now, Giles has fallen apart and…and…this connection
thing is wigging me out!"

"I was there when Willow reconnected with everyone," Tara said
gently. "I know how you both feel about each other. How you've
always felt about each other. Now it's just deeper."

"And scary!" Buffy grumbled.

"We're all connected in a strange way that we have to adapt too,"
Willow said slowly. "Please don't shut us out."

"What does that mean? A sexual relationship with the four of us?"
Buffy squeaked.

"Maybe eventually," Tara said calmly. "Maybe not. Will and I need
some time to build our relationship again and adjust to my new
existence."

"I…I…need time," Buffy whispered, looking down. "Me and Faith."

Willow walked up slowly to the Slayer and raised Buffy's chin. "No
pressure, Buff and no demands. We're close friends, long video
nights on the sofa and floor with the five of us, shopping sprees at
the mall, helping you and Faith slay. Hugs, snuggles and no pressure
about anything sexual, okay?"

Buffy sighed. "We can hug?" she said, her voice small and fearful.

"I really, really hope so," Willow said gently, a tear rolling down
her cheek.

Buffy grabbed Willow in a fierce hug. "I was so scared we'd lose
you! Both of you!"

Tara joined in the hug as both women wrapped their arms around her.

"Is this a private thing or can I join in?" Dawn demanded from the
stairs as Faith and Xander helped a semi-coherent Giles down the
stairs.

Buffy smiled up at her sister. "Come on, Runt," she said softly and
looked to Faith's eyes for any sign of jealousy but saw only warmth
and love as the dark Slayer steered Giles down the stairs.

"Come on, Watcher," Faith said cheerfully. "We'll get you cleaned
up, make you watch American TV and then we'll get you laid."

"What the bloody hell are you talking about, leave me alone," Giles
mumbled.

Xander extended his hand and gave Giles' glasses to Willow.

"Buffy seems to think we need to save you," Faith smiled, winking at
Buffy. "I think she's right. You won't listen to us kids, so we sent
for the marines."

"What?" Giles demanded, shaking his head.

"Olivia is on her way here, Giles," Buffy explained.  "She's either
going to nurse you back to health or kick your ass."

"Liv? Coming to me?" Giles whispered, sounding hopeful.

"Yeah," Faith nodded with a smirk which softened when she looked
into Buffy's blue eyes.

"Let's go home," Buffy said softly. "We need to start planning."

"For what, B?" Faith asked, her face puzzled.

"I need to tell Angel that his childe is dead," Buffy said somewhat
sadly. "He'll know but I want to explain and then we need to
prepare."

"For what?" Xander demanded.

"Druscilla," Giles mumbled.

"Exactly, she'll know Spike is dead and will be looking for
revenge," Buffy nodded. "We need to be ready."

Dread Central
http://www.horrorchannel.com/dread/modules.php?
op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1283

An Unholy Set Visit
Posted Mar 30, 2005 - 06:28 PM

I only recently moved to Queens, New York, but even longtime
residents were stymied when I asked, "Where is Fort Totten?"

After several fruitless attempts at asking various friends, I
finally looked the damn thing up and discovered that Fort Totten
sits on a northeastern tip of the borough, right next to the
neighborhood of Bayside, and has in fact been a working military
base for over a century, protecting its tiny portion of the East
Coast from...well, invaders from Connecticut, I suppose. The truth
is that Fort Totten is in the process of being shut down, with many
of its offices, buildings and barracks no longer in use, making it a
perfect location to shoot - what else - a horror movie.

Well, maybe not. In fact, Unholy, an independent feature starring
genre icon Adrienne Barbeau and "Buffy" regular Nicholas Brendan
helmed by first-time director Daryl Goldberg, is kind of hard to
describe. The director, the actors, and executive
producer/screenwriter Sam Freeman all sketch out the basics of the
plot but are cautious about giving too much away. With its bizarre
mix of conspiracy theory, science fiction, occultism, Nazi mythology
and domestic drama, Unholy may be that rare movie that incorporates
aspects of many different genres into what its creators hope will be
a unique and completely original experience.

"I think it's a very distinct movie," muses Goldberg at one point
during the afternoon I'm on the set. "Most of the time when I tell
people that the movie involves Nazi witchcraft, they just
immediately step back and say, `Whoa, I've never heard of anything
like that before.' I've been very hard-pressed to think of something
to compare it to and still haven't come up with anything, so I think
it's unique in that respect."

"A lot of low-budget horror movies always seem to follow the same
formula and be on a direct line straight to video," says Freeman
after he welcomes me to the location, an abandoned house on the
grounds of the base that's being used as the exterior for a cellar
entrance. "That's why I wanted to write a character-driven horror
thriller, which might give it a chance, because actors like Adrienne
Barbeau deserve to be on the big screen. Hopefully that will happen."

Long, winding roads lead through the base, past what looks like
large storage facilities, a field, rows of empty barracks and a
number of similarly deserted houses. There's a sense of desolation
and detachment here, particularly on a cold January day, even with
the busy Van Wyck Expressway and Whitestone Bridge visible in
relatively close range. With Goldberg's camera (the movie is being
shot on hi-def) focused on Adrienne Barbeau as she kneels before the
cellar door, pleading with the actress playing her suicidal daughter
below, the sense of loneliness is that much more palpable.
Barbeau plays Martha, a widow living in rural Pennsylvania with her
son Lucas (Brendan, who finished on the film the day before) and
daughter Hope (Siri Baruc), who comes home to find her daughter
about to blow her own head off with a shotgun in the basement of
their house. Martha doesn't succeed in stopping her child's horrific
demise, but the girl's death gradually leads the grieving mother to
investigate a conspiracy that involves a legendary local witch, Nazi
dabbling with the occult, and secret government experiments, with
the plot even referencing the fabled Philadelphia Experiment.

"She's just a suburban mom whose husband has passed, has one son
into drugs that she's sort of estranged from, and a daughter who we
come to find out has been acting very strangely for a while," says
Barbeau, sitting in her trailer between setups. "It's a
dysfunctional family. After her daughter's suicide, she decides
she's gonna move away, she and her son, and start over. But they're
faced with some strange characters who allude to something that
might have led to the suicide, other than just emotional trauma, so
she starts investigating and uncovers this government plot."

Of course, Barbeau is no stranger to either horror or science
fiction, with classics like The Fog, Creepshow and Escape From New
York on her resume (she was also married at one time to Fog and
Escape director John Carpenter). Her last foray into the genre was
2000's wicked horror satire, The Convent, but Barbeau admits she
doesn't seek out these roles. "I'm not a horror fan at all. I don't
go to see `em! I've seen The Fog once, Creepshow once, and Two Evil
Eyes (which she also appeared in) once. I thought The Convent was a
fun, low-budget film. But I've never seen Psycho, I saw Halloween
once - because I had to! - but I don't enjoy them. I don't want to
be scared."

Nevertheless, the script for Unholy appealed to her: "The character
and what she's going through (attracted me), especially for someone
who's not thirty years old to have the opportunity," says the
veteran actress. "Her daughter commits suicide, she's not sure if
her son is involved in a plot that led to that suicide...I was just
interested in the opportunity to explore all those emotions."

One thing Barbeau has been able to explore for sure on this shoot is
her resilience to outdoor shooting on the water in a chilly New York
winter (the film was shot mostly in Queens, with some additional
locations in Staten Island and New Jersey). "Physically it's been
hard, because we ended up doing it in the middle of this huge
blizzard in New York," she admits. "There were a couple of nights
where it wasn't so much about acting, it was about getting the lines
out without your teeth chattering so much that you thought you were
gonna cut your tongue off! There were a couple of mornings, five in
the morning, when we were right next to the water and it was
probably minus six degrees out with the wind chill factor. Those
were not easy!"
Luckily today is not one of those days. Although it's crisp outside
with the temperature hovering in the mid-forties, the sky is blue
and the sun is shining brightly enough to make conditions bearable.
Still, Barbeau has to continually run around the side of the house,
drop to her knees on cold concrete, and bang on the cellar door,
pleading with her unseen daughter. The scene is physically demanding
and emotionally tiring as well. "It's exhausting, especially when
you have to tap into it over and over again for the master, the
close-up, the other angle," Barbeau says. "But I have two friends
who've lost children, and I think it's probably the worst experience
an adult or a parent can have."

Heading back onto the set, Barbeau goes through her paces several
times as director Goldberg watches intently on a monitor just a few
feet from the action. Barbeau plays it a little more frantically,
then a little more controlled, as she and Goldberg search for just
the right tone. At one point, shooting has to stop as some
maintenance workers stroll casually into the frame along a road
behind the house. While the crew sets up for another angle, Sam
Freeman shows me the empty residence next door, which is being used
for the front of Martha's house, before taking me upstairs in the
main house to an eerily empty room where we chat about the genesis
of his script.

"I was reading through paranormal and conspiracy websites - I find
they serve as good inspirations for the foundation of horror
movies," says the 24-year-old Freeman, whose Sky Whisper production
company (which he runs with partner Joshua Blumenfeld) counts Unholy
as its first in-house feature. "I came across this interesting
article about a classified military document that was found in
Pennsylvania that indicated that after World War II, our own U.S.
government smuggled in Nazi technology to continue experiments right
here that the Nazis were conducting in Germany. They believed that
Hitler was onto something with this study of witchcraft and the
occult that the Nazis were working with. This document suggested
that we actually took these experiments and continued them on our
home soil."

Intrigued, Freeman began exploring these theories more, and also
began thinking about the legendary Philadelphia Experiment, an
alleged 1943 government experiment in which an electromagnetic field
was thrown around a Navy ship to determine if it could be rendered
invisible. According to the myth, the experiment left many of the
men on board insane, suffering from severe radiation burns,
partially embedded in the decks or walls, and possibly projected
through time. The existence of the Philadelphia Experiment has never
been proven, but it fit nicely into the scenario that Freeman was
cooking up.

"There's also a theme or commentary going on about how far we are
willing to go to theoretically help the greater good of mankind,"
says the screenwriter. "Are we willing to take on some of the evil
of Hitler if it means saving American lives in the future? Where do
you draw the line? The film is all about, `Beware the experiment.'
So who is part of it, and what does it mean if they're part of it?
Are they Nazis? Or is there something more to it?"
Freeman hopes that his second produced screenplay (his first, The
Peak, was made in India) will strike a chord in its finished form,
and he's thrilled to death with the way that the film is taking
shape. "Adrienne Barbeau has far surpassed any notion or foresight I
had for her character," he enthuses. "She's been amazing, and so has
Nick. And Daryl has truly impressed me. Every script change, he's
come to me first, so this is pretty much the script I wrote. There
weren't any major changes. Since this is our own production and
we're not with a studio, there aren't any higher-ups telling us that
we have to change things. The only restrictions we've had were in
terms of time and money." (Freeman does not divulge the film's
budget.)

It's those very restrictions that made first-time director Goldberg
take on the challenge. Finally able to talk during a quick car ride
from the set to the nearby hotel where the crew is staying, the 24-
year-old Goldberg confesses that he got interested in directing
through a teacher who took "troubled kids" and taught them the
basics of video and film. The Florida-born Goldberg went to NYU,
where he met Freeman, and shot several music videos before jumping
into feature-making with Unholy. "It's totally a rising-to-the-
occasion type of thing for me, not to mention a trial by fire," he
admits. "I've never shot anything in 18 days before. You know, on a
music video, you get two or three days to shoot three minutes. To
make a feature in 18 days, we're shooting six or seven pages a day;
it's a totally different pace. Every aspect of it, to be honest, is
fairly new to me. I've never worked with name talent, and Adrienne
and Nick have been absolutely amazing to work with. Adrienne is just
a consummate professional and I think everyone's learned a lot from
her, so that's been an absolute joy. Nick's been amazing too. He's
an incredibly fun guy and very, very popular amongst the crew."

Although Goldberg and Freeman didn't set out to make a horror
feature (or "thriller," to use Goldberg's preferred term), they
realized - like many filmmakers before them - that it was in many
ways the easiest genre to tackle for an independent venture. "There
was another movie, a kids' adventure movie that me and Sam were
trying to raise funds for," he recalls. "We wrote and loved the
script, tried raising money for it, then realized we didn't raise
anywhere near the amount we needed. So we stepped back and
said, `Okay, this is how much money we can really raise - what can
we make for this?' Me and Sam are both very big fans of the thriller
genre, so we wrote a movie based on our restrictions. It was
actually a wonderful way to work, because once you're very
restricted, it forces you to be very creative."

To work within the limits that they set for themselves, Goldberg
looked back to one of his favorite directors to determine how to
make the movie. "The way I put it to Sam was, `To me, a scary movie
isn't about the throat being cut, it's about the moment when the
knife's being pressed to the throat.' That's where the tension comes
from. The throat being cut is just exposition; what keeps you on the
edge of your seat is the tension leading up to that. So we just
talked about how we could stylize a movie to have it constantly
tense, and I always thought that was a very Hitchcockian approach."

Visually, Goldberg wanted to differentiate his film from typical
indie thrillers as well. "As far as cinematography, it's very moody,
very contrasty, very surreal -- not trying to make things look
natural," he explains. "There's a constant feeling of oddity, a
constant feeling of unusualness, so even in a scene that seems very
tame, visually there's something odd, even if it's working on a
subconscious level. The colors aren't right. There's props jagging
into the frame. We're just trying to keep up that constant (off-
kilter) mood...I always see these movies that are made for not a lot
of money, and they're struggling to look like a big-budget film, and
they fail every time. Why struggle and fail when instead, you can
try and make your movie look totally distinct and unique? We can
make it look like something people haven't seen before, and that's
been our approach all along."
Goldberg's approach (with the aid of his cinematographer and crew,
whom he constantly praises) is on display as the production moves to
the basement of the Fort Totten house. There, shadows and ripples of
filtered light create a truly unsettling mood, not to mention a
startling, almost painterly image on the director's monitor. A light
mist hangs in the air, and the back part of the basement is so dark
that Adrienne Barbeau nearly trips down the stairs as she is led
down (Sam Freeman is there to save her, adding `hero' to his credits
on the film).

This is the same scene that was being shot earlier, only this time
from the viewpoint of Hope, the doomed daughter of Barbeau's
character. Barbeau stands on the sidelines to deliver her lines,
while the waif-like Baruc stares plaintively up at the cellar door,
terror and sadness fighting on her face (she'll later be the subject
of one of the film's few elaborate makeup effects, a shotgun blast
to the head). A portrait of an evil-looking, almost demonic old man -
  a Nazi witch, perhaps? - stares menacingly out from one corner of
the set, not in use but adding more atmosphere by its presence.

It's clear that the filmmakers have high ambitions for this film, as
evidenced by the cast, the care that Goldberg takes and the
dedication of the crew. When a rough cut is ready (which should be
about the time you are reading this), the plan is to begin shopping
for a distributor or entering Unholy in festivals. Either way, Sam
Freeman feels positive about the prospects for the film: "We have an
advantage with actors like Adrienne Barbeau and Nicholas Brendan,
who have huge cult followings," he theorizes. "Hopefully
distributors will see that this is not your standard straight-to-
video fare and it would do well with a broader audience. We think
the questions that this movie poses would seriously freak out every
single person who sees it, so we are one hundred percent optimistic
for a theatrical release."

For more info on Unholy, keep an eye on its official site right here:
http://www.unholymovie.com/

- Don Kaye

[Thanks to Overworked at Spoiler-Crypt:
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/spoiler-crypt]

The 5 Most Influential SciFi Shows of the `90s


HU Simon at Whedonesque.com

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art30354.asp


  SciFi TV



    Helen Angela Lee
BellaOnline's SciFi TV Editor



The 5 Most Influential SciFi Shows of the `90s

Remember these shows? You'll find hints of them all over today's
television landscape, which makes them the most imitated, most
remembered and most influential SciFi shows from the previous
decade.

5. "Xena: Warrior Princess"

Itself a spinoff of the 1995-1999 series "Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys" with Kevin Sorbo, this 1995-2001 fantasy cult favorite may
seem an odd choice—but it's not. For one thing, it's one of the
first TV shows to feature buddy-buddy action between two sexy women
heroines who kick butt ("Charlie's Angels" notwithstanding). It
wasn't until the `90s that shows featuring girls and women in the
top roles became common—and before "Xena," your viewing choices of
female TV headliners would have included "Blossom" and
Nickelodeon's "Clarissa Explains It All."

But that wasn't all. There were the romantic overtones as well as
the true, abiding friendship between main characters Xena (Lucy
Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), along with episodes that
really pushed the envelope. Who can forget "The Bitter Suite," a
musical episode/parody from the third season featuring Lucy Lawless'
own voice (and nude scenes from both actresses)? Since then, we've
seen lots of musical episodes from other TV shows—but none with the
lightheartedness and fun of "Xena."

4. "Star Trek: The Next Generation"

How could we not include this one? It revived the "Star Trek"
franchise in a big way when it aired in syndication in 1997 and
lasted seven seasons. Since "Star Trek: The Next Generation" we've
had the world of "Star Trek" on air in some form ever since. And for
good reason. This show had it all—a captain who could rival Kirk,
Jean-Luc Picard, a great supporting cast and adventures that stayed
true to the heart of the original while pushing television
boundaries.

Creating a template for SciFi TV adventures in general, Picard and
crew encountered ethical dilemmas, new lifeforms and languages along
their route, exploring human emotions and weaknesses along with
alien worlds. That's the best kind of science fiction, and "Star
Trek" did it well. Remember the episodes where Data's "humanity" was
questioned? Or "The Outcast," in which Commander Riker fell in love
with an individual whose culture brutally enforced androgyny? How
about "Darmok," in which Picard must decipher a language that no one
seems to understand even when translated? Then there were the big
space battles, as when they fought the Borg. Every week, we got this
sort of adventure from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and all
other SciFi shows have been trying to live up to it ever since.

3. "Babylon 5"

There's no question that this 1994-1998 show was influenced by "Star
Trek"—but there's no question that "Star Trek," in turn, was
influenced by "Babylon 5." Aired around the same time as "Star Trek:
Deep Space Nine," this series was unique because of its vision—the
five-year story arc that informed and deepened every episode. In
fact, it was hard for newbies to get into "B5" because they wouldn't
understand what was going on without some work. But after "B5,"
other SciFi shows started to utilize multi-episode stories more—just
look at the Xindi plotline in "Enterprise," or the Cardassian-
Bajoran conflict in "DS9."

The nuanced writing, the complex stories, the relationships between
ambassadors, the Psi Cops, the different alien cultures on the
United Nations that was Babylon 5—all of these things made "Babylon
5" a groundbreaker, and a fun one. It proved that someone other than
Gene Roddenberry could do a quality one-hour drama that was true
SciFi and infuse it with life and density and new ideas. We've not
seen its like since—but people have tried.

2. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"

Just take a look at the SciFi shows in your TV Guide right now and
you'll see why "Buffy" is one of today's most influential shows.
Without her, we wouldn't have "Charmed," or "Smallville," or the
recently cancelled "Point Pleasant"—heck, there's a question as to
whether "Alias" would have made it on the air without "Buffy" having
made an example that others could emulate. What these other shows
haven't been able to imitate, as yet, is the fine writing that
marks "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and turned it into one of TV's most
popular shows from 1997-2003.

The formula is now a familiar one: a cast of good-looking kids who
have special powers or knowledge to fight the evil emanating from a
Hellmouth in Sunnydale, California. Buffy Summers is the chosen one—
unfortunately for her. Played by the luminous Sarah Michelle Gellar,
Buffy grows up with her high school pals while fighting vampires and
demons. "Buffy" pioneered the formula—and though many other shows
have tried, they haven't quite been able to mimic the complex
character development or the originality of this truly great series.

1. "The X-Files"

In 1993, "The X-Files" breathed new life into the television scene
with its talk of conspiracy and alien abduction, and continued to do
so for nine years. No one can deny that the dark plots and ambiguity
of "The X-Files" has informed dozens of TV shows ever since. For
awhile, it seemed every new SciFi offering was trying to capitalize
on "The X-Files" in some way. But Mulder (David Duchovny) and
Scully's (Gillian Anderson) adventures have yet to be duplicated in
such a spine-tingling way (remember those roaches?).

Today, the more or less straightforward SciFi plots of a "Star Trek"
are in short supply. No, viewers would rather be frightened and
amazed in the way "The X-Files" pioneered. The plot twists of shows
like "24" or "Lost" owe much to the ongoing drama of "The X-Files,"
and we wouldn't have it any other way. Oh, and the romance—in the
1990s, there was no more interesting couple than Mulder and Scully.
Would they? Or wouldn't they? Fueling our paranoia was a way of life
for the writers on "The X-Files," and we're a much more
sophisticated television viewing audience as a result.

From Cinescape:

'Angel' Alum Kane, Williams Land CBS Pilots

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) Former "Angel" co-star Christian Kane and
three-time Emmy nominee JoBeth Williams have joined the casts of
pilots at CBS.
"Trapper John, M.D." star Gregory Harrison and Jason Wiles have also
taken parts in projects set up at the network.

Kane, who played revenge-driven Wolfram & Hart lawyer Lindsey
McDonald on "Angel," has taken a part in "American Crime," according
to The Hollywood Reporter. The show, one of many being produced by
Jerry Bruckheimer TV this pilot season, revolved around a female
prosecutor (Jennifer Finnigan, "Committed") who's also a new mother.


In addition to "Angel," Kane's credits include "Friday Night Lights"
and "Just Married." He also has a part in TNT's forthcoming
miniseries "Into the West."
Williams, who stars in the TNT movie "14 Hours" this weekend, will
play Tiffani Thiessen's mom in "Stroller Wars," a comedy about a
young couple (Thiessen and Darren Ritchie) who are adjusting to
being
parents. It would be her first regular sitcom role since she starred
in CBS's there-and-gone "Payne" in 1999.

She earned an Emmy nomination in 1995 for a guest-starring role
on "Frasier" to go along with nods in the 1980s for the
telefilms "Adam" and "Baby M."

Harrison, meanwhile, will star opposite Susie Essman in an untitled
comedy co-created by the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actress. The actor,
who played the president in TBS's "First Daughter" movies and
starred
in the short-lived series "Safe Harbor," will play Essman's new
husband, who moves her from the city to the suburbs.

Finally, Wiles has joined Jeri Ryan, David Arquette, Christine
Taylor
and Johnathon Schaech in the cast of "Commuters," a drama about
three
couples who live in the New York suburbs and take the train to work
in Manhattan. Wiles plays Bosco on NBC's "Third Watch," which is
ending its run this season.

The release date for the 4th Crow movie, in which David plays the Big
Bad, is July 19. You have pre-order at the site below.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007US7DA/103-3425864-
2743019?v=glance#product-details


SiN

15 - Omega

ABC Series, part 15

Frau Hunter Ash
carrkjar@...
hunterash7@...
hunterash@...

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox,
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline,
however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be
sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made
for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright
notices.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship
between people of the same and opposite gender and may even include
3 at the same time <G>.  If this offends or is illegal for you, then
please leave.  Come back when you are older, have an open mind,
moved, or changed your laws.

Spoilers: Up to Wrecked.

Summary:  The battle to stop Victor from opening a portal to demon
gods is fast approaching. Who survives, who falls, how can they
defeat a Hell God?

Rating:  R

Author's Note: Pairings: W/G G/E W/G/E, B/F, A/C, X/A

# # #

Buffy watched Faith sharpening a vicious looking dagger and
shuddered, remembering a similar weapon in her hands. She turned
away to look out the window at the afternoon sun.

"B?" Faith questioned softly, noticing the change in her lover's
body language. "What is it? Another flashback?"

"Yes, but not Victor," Buffy said after a moment. "I remembered us
and where a knife like that took us."

Faith looked down at the knife with a frown. "B, I was out of
control. You did what you had to," she said softly.

"No, you know that's not why I did it," Buffy shook her head and
looked out the window again. "I was trying to save Angel, not the
world."

"Let it go, alright?" Faith muttered. "We're about to save the world
again, I don't want to rehash that. I love you and I don't want to
think about it."

"Okay," Buffy said softly, trying to smile. "You ready for tonight?"

"You know me, always up for a good ass kicking," Faith said easily
and then her expression softened. "Especially after they hurt you
and G-Man. I want his head on a platter, B."

"Me too," Buffy nodded. "I can still hear Giles' screams in my
ears.  It feels weird. He's always the strong one, even when
doubtful or even drunk, give him an apocalypse and he's right there,
scared or not."

"You've always depended on him," Faith agreed, moving up behind
Buffy and laying her head on the blonde Slayer's shoulder.

"Seeing him being tortured… kinda shook me," Buffy admitted. "I
mean, I know Angelus tortured him but I ran away for so long and we
never discussed it after I got back. I… I wouldn't let myself think
about it, you know?"

"Yeah, I try really, really hard not to remember some stuff I did,"
Faith said softly.  "He had to feel just as bad watching you get
tortured, B."

"I know, we talked about that but to me… it feels different. I mean,
I'm the Slayer, I expect to get beat up by the bad guys. I'm not
supposed to stand by and see my Watcher and friend get tortured,"
the blonde complained.

"You didn't just `stand by," Faith grumbled. "You were chained and
being tortured when he wasn't. I thought you guys forgave each other
for all this."

"We did, I'm not sure we've forgiven ourselves," Buffy explained
with a bitter smile. "F-Faith… could you hold me awhile? Before we
leave for the battle?"

"Forever, B," Faith promised, putting her knife down and leading
Buffy to the bed.

Faith was surprised but pleased when Buffy snuggled in her arms and
began nuzzling Faith's neck. "Love you," the blonde whispered. "Need
you."

Faith moaned softly and wrapped an arm around the small Slayer and
pulled her close.

# # #

Tracy and Tara sat on the floor facing each other, eyes closed and
faces peaceful as they meditated, preparing for the battle.

Tara smiled as her energy danced around Tracy's and meshed.  No one
except Willow had been able to fit so "right" with her; either
sexually or magically.  The difference now being that Tracy had
never been tempted to the darkness like Willow had been.

The witch wondered where this line of thinking was coming from but
let it flow. Everyone needed to process whatever doubts remained
before such a battle, she knew.

Tara and Tracy had worked with Willow a few times magically since
the vampire-witch's return but it had been different than before and
that saddened Tara somewhat. She could feel the love still there
between them but the magic was different, Willow's being tinged with
darkness that Tara never would really be comfortable with.

She wondered how they would all fit together after this major
battle.  Tara knew she still loved Willow on some levels but was
deeply in love with Tracy, just as Willow was head over heels for
Giles.

It also felt like those lines were blurred at times and not just
because of weird magical energy they had dealt with.  Tara sighed
and concentrated, trying to clear her mind.

# # #

Angel sat up, kissing Cordelia passionately as their thrusting
slowed. Cordelia biting his shoulder with a whimper and then leaned
against him as the vampire wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"I love you, Cordelia," Angel said softly, nuzzling her neck.

"I am so glad you are over that `eternal torment, doomed love
affair,' thing with Buffy," Cordelia teased, pushing him back onto
the bed and running her tongue over his nipples.

"I thought we agreed, no discussing Buffy or Xander in our bed,"
Angel moaned, his hips arching up at her touch, beginning to harden
again. "Besides, she had me for one night, you get me for the rest
of our lives and I'm not in love with her any more."

"You'll always love… her," Cordelia panted, moving to bite his neck.

"But I'm not IN love with her," Angel clarified and rolled her over
with a smile.

Cordelia laughed and wrapped her legs around him, taking him deeper.
She loved watching him make love to her. It was one of the few times
that he didn't appear to be `brooding' as the others would call it.
Intense, goofy, loving, passionate, sometimes all within five
minutes. She loved making love with him, she felt like her life had
a plus side since receiving the gift of the damned prophetic visions.

Angel growled, his eyes shifting to vampire yellow. Cordelia growled
back and turned her head, baring her neck.

The former Queen of Sunnydale High cried out as his fangs sank into
her neck and he thrust into her firmly, her nails digging into his
shoulders, holding him close to her.

# # #

Willow curled up in Giles' arms with Ethan spooning her from behind.
It hadn't taken much to accept Ethan in her bed with her husband.
She had always suspected that Giles was still drawn to Ethan over
the years and the energy between them was almost electric.  Throw in
Ethan's obvious love for Giles and his lust for the red-haired
witch, Willow found herself willing to share Giles and herself with
the sorcerer.

She knew Ethan would always have a part of Giles that she couldn't
touch, Buffy as well on a different level but Willow was the one who
he loved deeply.  Willow wondered if it was just Sunnydale that
seemed to influence things until they became complicated, including
relationships or was it just the players. A vampire witch; a vampire
Watcher former sorcerer; an active sorcerer trickster?

Willow smiled and kissed Giles gently as he slept.  At sundown
they'd be in the back of a van, ready to get into place before the
coven could arrive on top of Old Baldy.  She just hoped that Giles
was stable enough to face the dark magic that was going to be flying
around.  A second prayer that Ethan didn't change sides in the
middle of the fight.

# # #

Xander tossed a bag of weapons to Spike. The vampire tossed the bag
into the back of a van backed up into a carport, protecting him from
the sun.

"Shouldn't you sleep before a big fight?" Xander asked as he moved
past Spike and began taping black plastic over the back windows.

"Nah, I'll be in top form, we've got enough blood for all the vamps
to raise hell," Spike grinned.

"No, the bad guys raise hell, we stop them," Xander quipped.

"Too bad," Spike countered with a typical smirk.

"And you want all the dimensions to bleed into each other?" Xander
asked.

"No, same reasons I helped you losers stop Angelus and saved the
world," Spike shrugged, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.  "I
like the world as it is. There's always a chance this chip is go
dead.  If not, I can fight with the demons and hang with all of you."

Xander nodded, it actually made sense to him.  He wanted to finish
preparing the van, Xander wanted to call Anya.  He never knew if
he'd make it back from a fight and wanted to talk to Anya and hear
Jesse's giggle.

# # #

Buffy smiled and slipped her hand into Faith's as they watched Giles
and Willow kneel in front of Tara.  The witch, holding a dagger over
their heads, finished the final blessing of the couple's
Handfasting/Wedding ceremony as Giles and Willow held their arms
crossed and then holding hands, forming a figure eight, symbol of
eternity.

The vampires kissed softly and then both blushed as everyone began
cheering.

Rounds of hugs, kisses, well wishes and laughter filled the mansion
before the mood became serious and weapons were chosen.

# # #

While the vampires and Ethan waited in the darkened van, Tara and
Tracy began the preparations to counter the upcoming black ritual.
They had done a cleansing ritual two days before and hoped that
might give them an edge.

Xander and Cordelia moved as close as possible with weapons.

"Is this just weird? Scoobys don't use guns," Cordelia complained.

"Yeah, we usually think just our skills, good looks and Buffy will
get us through," Xander shrugged.  "I'm not looking to kill
somebody. I was thinking that we could shoot over their heads or at
their feet and scatter the coven types. Let Faith and Buffy take on
the serious dudes and the magic types do the mojo."

"Sounds good," Cordy sighed with relief.  She wasn't even sure if
she could just start shooting, even if it meant saving the world.

Buffy and Faith waited among some trees, swords in hand, expressions
determined.

Just before sunset cars arrived in the meadow area below the hill
and figures in black robes began working their way up the hill, some
carrying packs, others carrying things two by two.

The fighters pulled back, out of sight. They watched as the Dark
worshippers set up the ritual area: black cloth over the altar
stone, golden chalice, dagger and sword, an inverted pentagram
burned onto a wooden disk for the altar. A fire pit arranged and
started, a cauldron of water set to warming as some began to add
ingredients to it.  Rack embedded a stang behind the altar and hung
a Baphomet banner on it while Amy set up a banquet table with
bottles of wine, food, and drugs.

Xander grabbed Cordelia, his hand over her mouth when four coveners
appeared, each pair dragging two young women between them.

"Shhh, we knew this part!" he whispered urgently.

Cordelia nodded and he removed the hand.  "Just remember being
there, is all."

The girls were chained to a tree and gagged as the coven members
gathered around a figure in a red robe.

Dropping his cowl back, the figure in red was revealed to be Victor
and Buffy felt her stomach turn over and her heartbeat increase.
She felt Faith's hand slide into hers.

"He won't hurt you again, B," Faith whispered.

"I'm going to cut him into tiny pieces," Buffy growled. She glanced
at the sun and smiled. "Good guy vampires will be joining us in a
minute."

"How weird is that, but cool," Faith grinned.

Buffy blinked as the coven gathered and knelt in front of the altar
while Victor stood behind it.  The fighters watched as he took a
crucifix, spat on it and then broke it in two. He tossed the pieces
in front of those gathered and they fell on it with howls of rage
and fanaticism that startled the fighters.

"This is frickin weird!" Faith complained as Buffy nodded, her eyes
wide as a covener stood in triumph, pieces in hand. He threw the
pieces on the ground and began stomping the religious symbol into
the dust.

One of the girls was pulled to the altar and chained to it, spread-
eagled, knocking the chalice off.  Buffy wondered what had happened
to the sword and dagger but realized it when Victor held the sword
high, showing the coveners and Rack held the dagger.

"When do we do this, B?" Faith asked as Rack removed his robe and
the others except Victor followed. "I like sex but this is going to
get sick, isn't it?"

"Yeah, when we see the signal," Buffy said, gritting her teeth as
the captive's gag was removed and she was allowed to scream.  Rack
moved to the end of the altar with his dagger and a smile that
sickened Buffy.

"What's the signal?"

"Anything from the magic types or vampires," Buffy said grimly. "Or
when Xander shoots that bastard for rape."

Ethan, having been in a few Black Masses knew that they had a few
minutes of chanting, raising energy and calling on the Old Gods
before Rack actually moved on the girl. Then she'd be sacrificed and
her blood shared among the coven, opening the gateway for the Old
Ones.

He felt Ripper move behind him and hug him quickly. "Be safe."

"Of course, I'm rather fond of my skin," Ethan smirked and nodded as
Willow walked up beside him. "Ready, gorgeous? You know I'm going to
steal you away from Ripper and show you the joys of chaos, right?"

Willow rolled her eyes and watched as Hell God Victor began
chanting. "It's time."

"Stay back, Rip," Ethan urged as Giles released him from the hug and
kissed Willow.  "I really don't want to learn what you could be like
with dark stuff now."

Giles shrugged and moved back behind part of a collapsed wall where
Tracy and Tara began concentrating their positive energies, ready to
counter the dark ritual at Giles' word.

Ethan blinked as Willow's eyes changed from green to yellow then to
solid black and wind began whipping around them.  She moved out of
the shadows, the energy dancing around her hands as she raised them.

Ethan grinned and joined her, red lightning streaking the sky as the
coveners began to glance around with worried expressions.

Xander sighed and said a silent prayer as he stood up and threw
several large firecrackers in the center of the group.

Buffy and Faith separated and moved towards the altar from opposite
directions.

# # #

Xander had switched from rifle to a baseball bat, being
uncomfortable with the thought of killing a human.  He smacked a
black robed male when the man tried to hit him as most of them ran
from the area at the sound of firecrackers, gunfire, the sight of
the Slayers and red lightning raining down from the sky disrupted
their anticipated orgy and ritual.

Cordelia had hooked up with Angel and Spike when they pounced from
the trees onto a covener trying to kill the captive girl chained to
a tree.  The two humans were unconscious before the vampires hit the
ground.

Ethan was knocked back into the crumbling wall Giles and the witches
were behind when Victor noticed where the lightning was coming from.
The sorcerer tried to shake it off with a moan. He so hated getting
physical. The only time he didn't mind was when it came from Ripper,
which was different.

Willow growled and increased her magical energy as Rack and Amy
joined in Victor's attack on the vampire-witch and sorcerer.  She
went to her knees as the three joined energies - combining their
attacks.

Giles watched nervously with a growl.  He glanced back at Tara and
Tracy and his frown increased. Battling black energy with positive
wasn't as easy it should be. As Giles had explained to Willow
numerous times, black energy was easier to access than positive and
the rewards seemed to be faster. He also pointed out that the price
tag was higher and was always unpleasant in the end.  Giles watched
as the witches struggled to counter the Hell-Gods' magic.

Buffy and Faith broke the chains holding the screaming and very
naked girl on the altar while hitting anyone that came near them to
try and stop them.  Buffy pulled the girl to her feet and shoved her
towards Faith.

"Get her out of her, get her to Xander," Buffy shouted over the
screams, shouting, gunfire and lightning strikes.

"B!" Faith began to protest but Buffy raised her sword, face
determined.

"He's mine, come back and handle Rack and Amy," Buffy said firmly.

Faith nodded and turned to get the girl out of the chaos.

# # #

Giles was grateful when Buffy jumped up on the altar, swinging her
sword at Victor's head.  He growled when Victor blocked it with his
own sword and threw it to Rack, stepping back.  Buffy turned her
attention to the one slashing at her.

Victor turned his attention back to the magic coming at him.

Giles blinked in surprise when the old doorway behind Victor began
glowing with a sickly green haze. The Watcher realized that the
ritual was working and the gate to the Old Gods was opening.

"No! Ethan!" Giles shouted, dashing around the wall to pull Ethan to
his feet.

# # #

Xander stayed close to the vampires and Cordelia and nodded when
Faith thrust a naked girl in his direction.  The four rescuers began
dragging the two would-be victims down the hill, actually following
along behind the fleeing demon worshippers.

"What about the others?" he yelled to Angel as the vampire carried
one of the girls in his arms.

"We'll come back, we have to get the girls away so the ritual can't
be completed," Angel yelled back.

# # #

Faith dashed back to help Buffy and snarled in frustration when Amy
stepped in her way, hands flashing with magical energy. "Time to
dance, sweetheart!" Faith growled, swinging her sword at the witch.

Amy laughed and pointed a finger at Faith's sword and the Slayer
blinked when it melted like wax.  The witch ducked Faith's follow up
attempt with her fists and just reached out a hand in Faith's
direction.  The Slayer went flying back down the hill into a
boulder, something snapping as she hit.

# # #

Ethan shook his head as Giles tried to rouse him to action. "I'm
seeing double, Rip," he complained.

"Willow can't hold him and the gate is forming!" Giles shouted back.

"Bloody fricking hell!" Ethan mumbled. "You handle the Gate, I'll
back Willow."

Giles knew what Ethan was suggesting but merely nodded. He glanced
at a weakening Willow with a look of desperation and then dashed
past his wife towards the altar and gate.

Tara and Tracy grasped hands together and tried to increase their
energy but it felt as if the Earth herself was fighting them.  The
land they sat on wasn't lending energy to them but to their enemies.
Centuries of dark influences, secret rituals, sacrifices, something
evil buried beneath the earth had built up a sphere of dark energy
that the Wiccans couldn't break through to reach the positive energy
beyond.

Willow wasn't aware of Giles moving towards Victor and the Gate but
she was aware of Ethan rejoining her, lending his energy to fight
back and got to her feet.

"How the hell do we stop him? The Gate is still forming even without
the sacrifice!" Ethan demanded.

"You're the experienced one!" Willow countered.

"Not with demons of this level," Ethan complained.  "He's a goddamn
Hell God!"

"Tara! When we sent Glory flying!" Willow yelled. "Break his
concentration!"

"Got it!" Tara yelled back and leaned over to pass along the idea to
Tracy.

"Where's Giles?" Willow asked, looking around as she regained some
of her energy.

"You don't want to know, luv," Ethan mumbled.

# # #

Buffy's head snapped back from a left cross from Rack but she still
brought the sword up, parrying his next strike.  She yelped and
jumped back when the dagger he held in the left hand sliced across
her ribs.

Her eyes widened when the blood spreading across her shirt glowed
with energy.

"Surprise, Slayer," Rack smirked, aiming for her head with the
sword.  "We counted on you jumping in. ANY blood aids the ritual,
not just some girl on the altar. Several cultists have already died
out there and contributed their blood. You can't stop the ritual
now."

Buffy saw Giles move behind Victor but, instead of attacking the
Hell God as she expected, he turned to the portal, his expression
grim and determined.

"No!" Having experience closing a Gate on her own, Buffy knew what
was in Giles' mind and slashed at Rack. She had to finish the
sorcerer and stop her Watcher.  "Faith!"

# # #

Giles watched the Gate for a moment. He felt the dark energy calling
to him and felt a revulsion for what lay beyond and that he was
actually attracted to it.

The vampire gritted his teeth and grabbed the doorway on either
side, sending his own energy at the vortex, blocking it and fighting
it.

"NO!" Victor screamed behind him and Giles hoped he could hold out
long enough to stop the ritual.

# # #

Willow whimpered when the greenish energy surrounded her mate. It
felt too damned familiar, as if they were watching Buffy diving into
the portal Glory had opened.

"TARA!"

Tara and Tracy got to their feet and glanced over the wall, watching
Victor. Before the Hell God could grab Giles, he disappeared.

"Thank the Goddess," Tracy mumbled, falling backwards, drained. Tara
fell to her knees next to her lover in the same condition.

# # #

Buffy grinned at Rack's stunned expression as Victor disappeared and
slid her sword in between his ribs and spun with a backhand slash as
Amy screeched in rage behind her.  The witch blinked once and went
to her knees, clutching at her stomach.

Rack surprised Buffy by having the strength to hit her when she
turned back in his direction.  He pushed past the slightly stunned
Slayer and pulled Amy to her feet, clutching his ribs. Wrapping an
arm around the witch he began stumbling away from the altar and the
fight.

Buffy turned her attention to her Watcher as Willow and Ethan dashed
over.

"Giles!"

"Don't touch him!" Willow shouted.

"Will! Do something!" Buffy begged as Giles' body rose from the
ground in the doorway, the green haze forming tentacles that grabbed
him.

"We'll try!" Willow said firmly. She grabbed Ethan's
hand. "Concentrate on him!"

Buffy winced as Giles screamed, it was too familiar and too recent.

# # #

Giles watched as the Old God waiting first on the other side,
snarled at him, waiting for the gate to open. It's eyes promised a
very painful and extended death for attempting to stop Victor's
plan.  The creature was… Giles' mind refused to even think about
what he was seeing. He wasn't sure any human mind except Lovecraft
could mentally conceive of such beings and stay sane.

The vampire felt his face change and fangs extend as the evil inside
the gate and surrounding area tried to connect with his inner
darkness and screamed.

# # #

Buffy glanced around and saw all of the fighters except Faith and
felt a grip of fear spread through her body.

"Angel, take care of Will," she said as she started a circular
route, looking for her lover. Along the way she found Tara and Tracy
sitting up, trying to regain their energy and their feet.

"You guys okay?" she asked anxiously.

"Yeah, we will be," Tracy sighed, pulling Tara into her arms as the
gentle witch wiped tears of exhaustion away from her cheeks. "That
was… intense and unpleasant. I want a very long bath with a scrub
brush and a thorough cleansing ritual."

Buffy nodded, squeezing Tara's shoulder as she passed them.

"Buffy! The others?" Tara asked anxiously.

"Not yet, Tare," Buffy shook her head, continuing to move quickly.

# # #

Angel and Spike held Willow back when Giles screamed again, his body
arched in pain. They could see the Old God, whichever one it was,
one of his six clawed hands reaching for the Watcher vampire.

Ethan blinked and dashed forward, grabbing Giles around the waist
and spinning with him, turning his back on the demon like Old God
and throwing Giles away from the portal. Ethan screamed as
everything exploded in his eyesight and mind, claws raking down his
back.

# # #

Giles opened his eyes slowly with a moan. He was surprised to find
himself in Willow's arms, pulling back her wrist from his fangs.

"Luv?" he asked softly, shifting back to human face.

"Shhh, you'll be okay," she said softly.

"Just crispy around the edges, mate," Spike said easily, squatting
next to the vampires.

Giles sat up and looked around. "What happened? Was the gate closed?"

"Yes, selfless sacrifice countered the unwilling blood sacrifice,"
Angel said, holding Cordelia close.  "Xander is taking the intended
victims to the hospital, they're in shock. Hopefully they won't
remember a thing."

"Selfless? Me? But I'm alive," Giles protested and sat up
straighter. "Where's Buffy, Faith and Ethan?"

"Buffy is looking for Faith," Spike said, ignoring the last part of
the question.

"Ethan?" Giles demanded, looking to Willow for answers.

"He couldn't let you die," Willow frowned, tears filling her eyes.

"No, he wouldn't do that," Giles whimpered. "Ethan… he'd never risk
his skin."

"He loved you, Ru," Willow said softly as Giles turned into her arms.

Seeing Giles was recovering, Angel motioned to Xander and Cordy to
follow him. "We need to find Buffy and Faith," he said softly.

The three found Buffy next to her lover beside one of the large
boulders just below the rise of the hill.  Faith was moaning and
Buffy was holding her head gently.

"Buffy?" Angel asked quickly as the three rushed toward them.

"I think she's hurt," Buffy said, looking up with tear streaming
down her face. "She says it feels like her legs are on fire."

"That's a good sign," Cordy suggested. "Better than not feeling them
at all."

"We'll call the paramedics," Xander said, pulling out his cell phone.

"Giles?" Faith asked, grimacing with pain.

"He's okay, Ethan pulled him out and took his place," Angel
explained.

"Ethan Rayne? Wow. I never would have predicted that one," Buffy
frowned.  "Victor?"

"Didn't come back from wherever Tara and Tracy sent him," Xander
grinned, clicking his phone off from 911.

"Since the time for the ritual passed, perhaps he'll move on," Angel
suggested.

"Better or I'll take his head next time," Buffy growled.

"That's my girl, B," Faith whispered.

# # #