_Title:_ Love on the High Seas #1: "Bright Promises of Tomorrow"
_Authors:_ Pirates Sparrow and Turner
_E-mail:_ OrliDepp@...
_Rating:_ NC-17
_Feedback:_ Yes, please!! Seriously, we, like all other fan fic writers,
thrive on feedback. We also tend to only stick to the places where we know
we are being read and enjoyed from the reviews we receive. However, flames
absolutely will not be tolerated.
_Archive:_ Absolutely *ONLY* if you request permission and receive our
granting to do so. It'll probably be a yes, but it depends on the archive
and the person runnign it.
_Warnings:_ Abuse, Death, Lemon, Religious Prejudice, Rape, Sex, Torture,
Violence
_Fandoms/Characters/Pairings:_ (Angel/BtVS) A/C, Fresley, Faith, Lorne,
Dawn; (Charmed) C/Pi, Prue, Phoebe, Paige, Kit; (Dawson's Creek) Dawson;
(Disney) Jack Sparrow/Will Turner; (Elvira) Elvira, Gonk; (Labyrinth)
Jareth and company; (PotC) Jack/Will, Elizabeth; (Sabrina) Salem; (Shrek)
Donkey; (Smallville) Clex; (SU2) Carl; (10K) Wolf; (X-Men) RoLo and Morph;
(Xena) Aphrodite, Xena/Gabby, Joxer, and Autolycus. Sooner or later,
there's a pairing for every character, but if they're not listed it here,
the pairing will be with either a character from a different fandom or an
original character.
_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 newly-created 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 has his first encounter with 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.

_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.


_Chapter Twenty-two_
Wesley had gone in search of Fred to see if she had managed to get
unpacked. He found her staring at the crates. "What's wrong,
Fred?" he asked.

"Ah . . . Ah just don't know," she answered hesitantly, "where ta
put 'em."

"In my lab, of course! Sorry I couldn't get back to you before
now. I figured you'd just find it on your own. I should have sent
one of the guys to show you to my lab. Come on; I'll show you the
way now," he said as he reached down and picked up a crate.

"Are . . . Are ya sure?" she asked shyly. "Ah mean, Ah'd love ta
work with ya, Wesley, but Ah don't want ta be a bother."

"You're not a bother. It'll be great having a partner, and there's
plenty of room! Xena is very generous; she gave me a room and
supplies any of my needs."

Her head snapped up to look at him in wide eyes even as she gasped
softly. Her mouth hung open in a small circle for a moment before
she managed to speak again. "Your -- Your needs?" Did she even
want to know?

"Yes. She gives me an allowance to buy test tubes, chemicals, or
anything else I might need for the lab. I'm always working, trying
to find some kind of cure or answer to a prophecy. She counts on
me. I was kind of surprised when she gave me a whole room to
myself, but I've just about gotten it filled up. There's still
plenty of room for your stuff, though," he quickly assured her.

Fred was gazing at him with eyes full of admiration as they
walked. She knew he believed he was lucky to have his own room and
such money for his equipment, but she also knew that he was not
the luckiest one. "She's very lucky," she spoke quietly, a light
blush tingeing her cheeks, "to have such a smart man as yourself
to rely on."

"Well, she doesn't always understand what I'm trying to tell her,"
Wesley admitted, "but she does have respect for my work. You don't
know how important that is. Even Captain Jack has taken an
interest in my work, and believe me, he doesn't know what's going
on. He gets a kick out of watching the bubbling of the test tubes,
though. I try to figure out what's in his mind when he's watching
them."

"I'm surprised he hasn't gotten me to try to make him some rum
yet. He still hasn't found any. It's mysterious. I wonder. We had
some on here, and even it's gone. I can't imagine who would have
taken it, but I'm glad they did. It's the Devil's own drink and is
no good for any man."

"Or woman," Fred agreed. "Ah've seen what it can do too, but ya're
wrong about one thing. Ah do know how important it is ta have
respect." Her eyes were saddened as she added in a small voice,
"Mah father nevah had any."

"Your father?" Wesley repeated, setting the crate down as he
turned to look at her. "Was he a scientist?"

She nodded but did not elaborate. Instead, she only added, "That's
the reason why he's no longer here an' also kind o' the reason why
Ah ended up with the Witches."

"Want to tell me about it?" Wes asked, sympathy showing in his
eyes. It had been so long since he had had any family except for
his shipmates that he could barely remember what it felt like.

"Mah father's birthday was just a few days away," she whispered to
him, trusting him but not wanting any others to overhear their
conversation, "an' Ah'd gone away to pick up some presents for him
in town. Momma an' Ah had been working all that year on gettin'
him a new lab set, because his old tubes were in such a mess. But
when . . . when Ah got back, Ah found that our home had been
burned down." Tears were shimmering in her eyes now, and she was
having trouble keeping them from falling.

Wesley listened to her and then reached out and pulled her into
his arms. He stroked her back reassuringly even while telling her
in a quiet, gentle voice, "Go ahead, Fred. It'll do you better to
get it out and tell some one about it. I won't tell any one. I've
got a really good ear for listening."

She nodded against his shoulder. She didn't know why, but she
trusted him. Perhaps it was that she knew he was a scientist like
herself and was the first one she had met in years. Perhaps it was
that he and his crewmates had rescued her and the others from
death, or maybe it was the feelings that he invoked in her, making
her heart flutter every time he touched her or looked at her with
that special gaze he had about his breath-taking eyes. She didn't
know, but she knew that it also did not matter.

"When Ah couldn't find them, Ah flew to town. Ah was hopin' that
they'd escaped somehow an' were there, but they weren't." She
shook her head, and her arms laced around his waist even as her
tears began to fall. "They'd killed him, Wes," she cried, sobbing
openly now, "an' Momma wouldn't leave him so they'd killed her
too!"

"I'm sorry, little one. The world is full of a bunch of no-good
sorry people, and that town is one of the worst places I've ever
been for terrible people."

She shook her head. "It wasn't Port Royal. It was Breton. That's
where Ah grew up, but that was why they'd killed them. The idiots
didn't understand science an' thought he was a Witch!"

"And so they burned him. There are a lot of innocent people out
there who've been killed for the same thing, Fred. I would like to
get vengeance on all of those who did the killing, but all we can
do is pray for the souls of those who died." He breathed heavily.
"If you ever feel like talking, feel free to tell me. I'll always
be here for you." He released her, reached into his pocket, pulled
out a white handkerchief, and handed it to her. "What happened
after that?"

Their fingers brushed as she took the hanky and began to dab at
her tears. "Well, Ah couldn't stay there," she said, shaking her
head. "Ah . . . Ah know Ah should've done something to 'em, but
Ah've nevah been able ta . . . ta do things like that. So Ah left.
Ah moved around a while before comin' ta Port Royal, an' that's
where Ah ran into the Halliwells an' Miss 'Ro."

"They're your family now," Wes said. "Don't worry. We'll take care
of you and make sure you're safe. You're part of my family now."
He took the handkerchief from her and very gently wiped the tears
from her face. His thumb drew accidentally across her soft skin,
and his hand froze even as he became instantly lost in her eyes.

Her eyes seemed to mesmerize him, and before he realized what he
was doing, he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently. He
was not prepared for the feelings that shot through him. They were
feelings that he had never felt before, and he wasn't sure he was
ready for them. He released her and backed up. "I'll show you the
-- the rest of the lab," he managed to stutter out.

She had never been kissed before, but she had read about it in
many books and often dreamed of it. She had known it would be a
wonderful thing with all kinds of fantastic feelings, but of all
the things she had imagined, none had ever even started to come
anywhere close to the red-hot emotions that shot through her every
cell as Wesley's lips gently touched hers. She had stepped closer
into his arms and was returning the kiss when he suddenly pulled
away, and her heart fell as she saw the fear in his eyes. Her own
eyes widened at the sight. She wanted to ask him if he was all
right but feared the answer. What if he had not liked the kiss?
She would simply die if that were the matter!

"You'll have to forgive me for that, Fred. I did not mean to take
advantage of you, but I won't say I'm sorry." He turned back
around, looked at her, and smiled. "I enjoyed it too much, but
we're not ready for that even if you're willing. We have just met,
and we'd best take it slow. I'd like permission to court you."

His admission had made her face light up, but his request that was
spoken so humbly floored her. She had never thought that any man
would ask permission to court *her*. Why, she wasn't beautiful or
anything like that! She was the quiet, shy type that every one
overlooked, and yet here before her stood the smartest, most
handsome man she had ever met wanting to court *her*! "Ah -- Ah
know you're right," she managed to speak finally, her voice
quivering. "Things like -- like this do take time, but -- but Ah
liked it too," she admitted with a shy smile.

Wes tried to pretend his words had not slipped out of his mouth as
he realized that he would have to give her time to trust in her
own feelings. "Come, Fred, and I'll show you the lab." Picking up
the crate, he led her the rest of the way to his laboratory. When
they arrived, he held the door open for her and only entered after
she had walked in.

"There's another room over here where I sometimes sleep," he said,
walking over to a second door and opening it to reveal a cot. "I
would like to offer my room to you for your sleeping chamber. It
will be right off the lab, and you can be free to work whenever
you want to." He looked at her questioningly, hoping she'd say
yes. He did not want her to be in the sleeping quarters with the
others and be exposed to any of the vulgarity that went on in
there at times. She was too much of a lady for that.

"But," she asked, confusion creasing her brow, "where would you
sleep?"

"In the sleeping quarters, of course. So will you take the room?
We can move your things in right away."

"Ah -- Ah'd like to, but Ah don't want ta run you out."

"Fred, look at me," he said gently. When she had done as he had
requested, he continued, his eyes shining with the truth of his
words, "I want you to take the room. I'm giving it to you freely,
no strings attached. I know you'll be safer and happier in there
than you will be in the regular sleeping quarters. There is just
too much that goes on there that you don't need to be exposed to."

She blushed at his words as all kinds of thoughts ran rampant in
her mind. Despite their good hearts, they were still Pirates, and
she had heard some awful things about Pirates. Did they . . .
Might they actually do *that* in front of others?! She nodded
quickly even as a deep crimson filled her face at the thought.

"Good. Then let's fetch your things and get you set up." They
headed out together to fetch Fred's things, their minds still
awhirl and their hearts still pounding at what had happened
between them.



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

Xena had always been a wild woman in the bed, but she had also
always tried to be gentle with Gabrielle. Now she was the gentlest
she had ever been as she set out to prove the truth of her words
of love to her beloved. She had never wanted Gabrielle to doubt
her love, but though she had, Xena swore silently to herself that
she would leave no doubt in her lover's mind just as there was no
doubt in her heart as to how she felt for her.

Her fingers ran through Gabrielle's long, blonde hair as she
deepened their kiss, her tongue thrusting further into Gabrielle's
sweet mouth. Her eyes stayed open, gazing down into her beloved's
green eyes and shimmering with all the love she held for her
alone. Her hands ran all over Gabby's body, lovingly caressing
each inch of skin they could find.

Xena gently lifted her lips from Gabrielle's and began a trail of
kisses down her lover's body. Her lips rained over Gabrielle's
neck first. She licked her at the base of her neck before moving
across to her shoulder. There, she began to slowly undress her,
pushing the short sleeve of her bodice down and kissing each new
inch of exposed skin as it became available to her.

She made her way to Gabrielle's right breast and pushed her bodice
down around it. Her tongue ran over the soft flesh before she took
her breast into her mouth. Even as she suckled her breast, Xena
began to unlace the rest of Gabrielle's bodice. When the last lace
loosened, she raised her head and gently pushed the bodice off of
her lover.

Her lips recaptured Gabrielle's again, but the kiss was short and
sweet and Xena soon moved back down. She again took her right
breast in her mouth and sucked on it again, her tongue licking the
soft skin. She continued there for a while, Gabrielle's moans of
pleasure caressing her ears, before slowly drawing her mouth down
her breast. Her teeth gently caught and nipped her nipple before
releasing her breast and moving over to give her left the same
treatment.

Xena slowly worked her way down Gabrielle's body, continuing to
kiss and lick each inch of skin she came across as she progressed
over Gabrielle's stomach to her skirt. Xena's hands ran down the
sides of Gabrielle's body, caressing her lightly, before beginning
to push her skirt down. Xena drew the skirt slowly down
Gabrielle's legs, continuing to kiss and lick her as she made her
way downward. Not a single inch of Gabby's body that Xena came
into contact with went untouched.



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

Jack wished he had had the rum. He needed it for its strength. Now
that he was here, he did not know where to begin, but he knew he
had to silence the Governor as his mouth opened to call for his
guards in final desperation. He whipped his sword across the
Governor's Adam's apple in a fine thin line.

The Governor's mouth opened but no words came out. His eyes bulged
as he pressed a hand to his throat and brought it away covered
with blood.

Jack began to cut away at the Governor slowly, first cutting the
backs of his legs where Will had been cut so that the Governor
fell to the floor again. Jack had to still his nerves. He had to
do this right, because he wanted the Governor to die slowly.

The Governor was wild, crawling on the floor in his frantic
attempt to get away from Jack, who began flaying away like a
madman. Blood flew around the room, splattering the bed, the
dresser, the walls, and even Jack himself. Finally, with his
booted foot, he kicked the Governor over and sliced down his body,
cutting his clothes off.

The Governor's mouth kept coming open in silent screams. The
minute Jack got his clothes all the way off, he sliced his member
off. Sheathing his sword, he reached down and, biting back a
grimace at the thought of having to touch such a disgusting thing
that had probably never seen water in all of its years, picked the
Governor's member up. He used his free hand to grab the Governor
by what was left of his throat and force his mouth open; as the
Governor's lips parted, Jack shoved his member into his mouth. He
forced it as far down as he could, and the Governor began to choke
on his own sword.

Jack knew it would take the Governor a while to die, but he had
done all he could to punish him and knew there was no way that he
could be saved. He locked the door to the chamber, blocking it
with a chair under the doorknob. He then pushed the armoire over
there, as well, to make sure that if any one did try to rescue the
Governor, they would have a Hell of a time getting into the room.

Glancing at his sword, he saw that it was covered in blood. He
walked over to the bed, grasped the coverlet, and used it to wipe
his sword clean before sheathing it.

He quickly looked around the room one more time, trying to figure
out if the Governor had been lying about the chest. The one place
he had not looked was under the bed. He looked there and found a
sack. He pulled the sack out. It held a small chest which he
opened and saw that it was indeed filled with rubies and gold. He
put it back in the sack and added the other two sacks and weapons
he had found, as well. He then ran to the window and exited,
looking back one time where the Governor lay still on the floor.
He knew the bastard was not dead yet, but he would be soon enough.



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

She slipped into the store behind a much older woman and headed
immediately for the aisles. She stayed to the back of the store,
meandering around the clothes, while she listened and waited for
the place to empty. She only began to draw closer to the cash
register when she knew that the last customer was there. It was
the same woman who had entered ahead of her, and Faith's ears
burned at the words she heard.

"I just don't know who did it, Mitch," she confided in the
storekeeper. "I don't know who would help such horrible beasts
escape, but we'll get them! The men have already spanned out, and
once they're found, they'll be burned right along with those
daughters of Satan that they helped!"

Faith's hands tightened around the shirt she had picked up. She
had heard about the rescue the others had pulled off that day
shortly after getting back to the Witch and knew that the woman
was unwittingly talking about the people she lived with. They may
not be her family or even her friends, but she still did not take
nicely to the thought that some one wanted them dead. {I'll show
*you* how to burn,} she thought.

Her dark eyes bore into the woman's back, and she barely managed
to silence the growl that rose in her throat. Although she'd like
to feel the woman's neck break in her hands, she knew she could
not. She had to stay there and focus on the prey that she had
originally came after. She had to teach Dawson's father the error
of his ways.

A grin flickered over her face as she thought of how she would
make the bastard scream. If she'd allow him to live, he'd never
dare to even think about harming another living being, let alone a
kid as innocent as Dawson, but there was no way he was getting out
of what he had done alive. No; rather, she was going to send him
straight to the Devil that he believed in.

"I'll see you at church Sunday." Faith was not at all surprised at
the woman's words as she headed out. She did not know why the
biggest assholes always seemed to gather at churches but knew it
to be so. {Better to hide among the sheep, I guess,} she thought
with a shrug of her muscular shoulders.

It was then that she realized that she was indeed the last
customer in the store. Looking up, she found Mitch's eyes openly
roaming her body. She moved in without hesitation, sliding up to
the counter one hip at a time. "Can you help me?" she asked him in
a low, seductive voice.

"Of course, ma'am. What do you need help with?"

"I need to know what size this shirt is," she laid the shirt on
the counter, lifted its tag up, and slid her chest forward over
it. Her large, doelike eyes looked up into his as she admitted
embarrassedly, arching her breasts upward underneath his gaze as
though they were as eager to be had by him as she could tell he
was to get a taste of her, "You see, I simply can't see *anything*
without my spectacles, and the darn things broke just yesterday."

"It'll be my pleasure to help you, madam," he told her, his
fingers brushing hers as he gripped the tag, "and I could probably
order you some new spectacles." He started to look at the tag, but
just as he did, he caught the change that fell over her face. Gone
was the embarrassment and shyness, and in their stead was a grim
face with lips drawn tightly together and eyes hardened and
blackened with fury. "M-Ma'am -- ?" he started to ask but never
got the sentence out as Faith's fist connected with his face. The
punch sent him spiraling back, knocking him to the hardwood floor
where he lay still, unconscious.



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

Jack hoped Faith was having as much good luck as he had had with
his prey, but he did not go to check her out. Instead, he turned
to head for the dock but stopped as he thought of Elizabeth. She
would need clothes and maybe even had a few personal things she
would want if given the chance. He figured that her room was
probably one of the fancy rooms next to the Governor's that he had
seen earlier.

He returned to a window that was next to the Governor's room and
tested it to see if it was unlocked. He had to use his knife to
pry it open. He slipped inside what he thought was Elizabeth's
room and walked over to the closet. It was filled with frilly
dresses that he knew she had no use for. He closed it and walked
over to her armoire.

He had to smile when he uncovered three pairs of pants and shirts.
He wondered when she was wearing them. Had she planned to wear
them for Will? He pulled them out and put them in his bag. He
looked around and saw several pairs of shoes and a pair of boots.
He took one of the pairs of shoes that had no heels and the boots
and added them to the bag.

There was a chest of drawers. He opened it and found the
undergarments. He picked them up gingerly with his sword and
dropped them in the bag. He did not want her to think that he had
played in her drawer. Underneath them, he found a book of piracy
and a tiny chest that he did not open. He dropped those in the bag
and then left by the window, not bothering to close it.

He sauntered slowly toward the dock, trying not to draw attention.
He noticed that there was still activity going on in the center of
the town square. He thought that they would have fits when they
found out that their prey had escaped them and that there would be
no bonfire that day.



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

Once Gabrielle's skirt and boots were free, Xena began to undress
herself, but Gabrielle suddenly sat up and stopped her by placing
a gentle hand on the side of her face. Gabrielle's eyes sparkled
with love and unshed tears of joy. "Gabby?" Xena asked, uncertain
as to the cause of the change that had come over her lover.

"Xena," she said with a smile, "that's my pleasure."

"But *I* want to make love to *you*," Xena answered in a gentle
voice. "I want to show you how much I -- "

"Sh," Gabrielle hushed her, brushing her fingers gently over
Xena's lips. "Xena, you already have," she explained, "and I never
should have doubted you. I just couldn't think of any other reason
why you wouldn't want me as your second-in-command, but I
understand now and know what a fool I was. I know you love me,"
she told her. "I *do*, just as much as I love you." Her fingers
ran up, moving from Xena's lips to caress her face and then stroke
her hair. "I want to make love to you as badly as you want to make
love to me, but love isn't a one-way street in any respect. Let me
undress you and you finish undressing me, and then we'll make love
*together*."

Xena's eyes were also shining now as Gabrielle's words had touched
her so deeply. She silently nodded her consent as Gabrielle's hand
moved down to cup the back of her neck. This time, it was Gabby
who captured Xena's lips in a kiss so passionate that fire swept
through both.

Gabrielle began to undress Xena while never breaking off their
kiss. She unfastened Xena's bracers and slid them off followed by
the bracelets that were higher up on her arms. Her hands caressed
Xena's body through her armor as best they could as they moved
downwards, seeking out her weapons one at a time and placing them
in the growing pile. Xena's hands had returned to caressing
Gabrielle, but one paused in its caress to withdraw her scabbard
and sword from her back and toss it to the pile.

Gabrielle's hands again moved up Xena's body, her fingertips
sliding slowly over her bare skin before reaching her shoulders.
There she began to unfasten her armor, working the pattern she
knew by heart while continuing to kiss Xena, their lips only
parting for the fresh breaths of air that their lungs demanded
from time to time. Gabrielle soon had the first layer of Xena's
clothes ready to come off, and she ceased kissing her to pull the
armor off. She then pulled off Xena's leather undergarment, as
well.

She kissed Xena again before sliding her hands back down over her
lover's body. This time, she slid her bare breasts down Xena's
body, as well; Xena's sighing moan of pleasure added to
Gabrielle's delight. Coming to her boots, she pulled them off and
then gazed up in admiration at the woman she loved who now stood
before her in all her fantastic glory. Rather clothed or
unclothed, Xena never failed to steal Gabrielle's breath away.

Gabrielle stood to meet Xena, and Xena cupped her beloved's face
in her hands. As Xena kissed her, Gabrielle returned the kiss in
full and stepped further into her lover's embrace. Their bodies
were almost one as their kiss deepened, but Gabrielle's underwear
still stood between them. Xena brushed Gabrielle's hair lovingly
even as she lifted her lips from the bard's.

Xena ran her hands over Gabrielle's body. She caressed her
breasts. They arched in eager ache for more of her attention as
she did so, but Xena's hands traveled further. She knelt before
Gabrielle even as her hands reached her underwear. It was not her
fingers that picked up the hem of Gabrielle's panties, however,
but rather her teeth. She began to pull them gently down, her
hands giving Gabrielle's rear a gentle squeeze as it was slowly
exposed.



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

Jack came to a merchant's tavern and entered. He bought several
cases of rum and asked them to be delivered to the Sea Witch. He
thought a minute and asked if the merchant also sold water. He
said he did not but that his brother did. Jack ordered ten barrels
to be delivered to the Sea Witch.

"The faster you can get it there, the more money you'll get for
it," he said. "We are about to take off for the West Indies. I can
hardly wait! There's money to be made, and I never have enough!"

The merchant was more than eager to please. "We will have it there
within the hour, sir."

Jack shook his head. "Gotta do better than that. We'll be leaving
before then. Fifteen minutes."

"I'll do me best, sir."

"See that you do," Jack said and headed back out the door. He
could hardly wait to get out of this stinking town and back on the
ocean where he could breathe.

As he reached the Sea Witch, he was almost knocked down by men
toting cases of rum and rolling barrels of water. It had not taken
the merchant even fifteen minutes but closer to five. He had to
smile. Money talked, and the merchant had not even been paid yet.
His pockets were empty. Xena would have to come up with the money,
and she was even harder to get money out of than he was.



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

Faith dragged Dawson's unconscious father to the backroom of his
store and then stood, looking around at the room's furnishings.
There wasn't much except for crates, and they wouldn't work to
keep him tied against. She looked up at the rafters, then, nodding
to herself, headed back into the store's front room. Seconds
later, she returned with three strands of thick chains hung over
her shoulder.

Kneeling next to him, she snatched his boots off before standing
again. Unsheathing her sword, she quickly cut the rest of his
clothes off of his body. She was not surprised to find that he was
not wearing any undergarments for she knew that he had wanted to
be able to quickly whip out his disgusting member and embed it
into his son without a moment's hesitation. Now that he was
completely naked, she returned her sword to its sheath and,
picking his arms up once again, began to drag him up into the
rafters.

Once she reached her destination, she wrapped one set of chains
around his arms and tied them to a board above where his head hung
down. She wrapped the second around his feet and chained them to
another beam. Once she was certain he was secure, she stood again.
Without even bothering to glance at the floor below her, she leapt
to the next rafter. Her booted feet hit it smoothly but started to
slip. She grabbed the board above her head and steadied herself
before releasing it and turned back to face the bastard she had
just chained up.

She had one chain left, and now she whipped it out, hitting him
again and again until finally she was rewarded with a scream of
pain and his eyes flying open in panic. She grinned malevolently
at the sound even as he demanded, "What the Hell are you doing,
bitch?!"

Her dark eyes met his. She was glad to see the fear that shimmered
therein but knew that he had scared Dawson even more. "Giving you
exactly what you asked for," she replied in an even voice, "when
you tried to rape your son."

"Tried to?!" he repeated, and she could hear the real surprise in
his voice. "Whatever he paid you -- "

"Kid didn't pay me."

"So you're here to take the money he owes you out of *me*?!"

"He didn't pay me, because he didn't need to. I'm not doing this
for money."

"Then why?!" he demanded. "Don't tell me you care about him!"

"Ain't gonna 'cause I don't," she returned. "I'm doing it, because
somebody has to make bastards like you pay for torturing their
kids and I'm just the bitch to do it."

"That isn't it," he said, shaking his head. His eyes narrowed as
they seemed to bore into hers. "You care about him. You must've
been the whore he paid today."

"Whore?" she repeated, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"I knew somebody had been on that son-of-a-bitch from the way the
bastard was glowing."

Without another word, she leapt back across the beams. This time,
her feet did not skid, and she whirled steadily around, dropping
to her knees and grabbing his jaw before he even had time to
realize where she had gone. "Your son's a good kid. He's an
innocent," she informed him coldly, "and there's not too many of
those left these days. You tried to take that innocence from him.
You sold him; you probably raped him, too. There's no damn telling
where he would've ended up at if I hadn't found him, but that's
where you screwed up. I'm going to give you a taste of what you
did to him now," she told him, squeezing his jaw so tightly that
he thought it would break, "but I'm not going to listen to you
cuss him."

His eyes were wide and wild with fear, and she knew he was
wondering what she was going to do. She released his mouth so that
he might ask the question that was on his tongue, but even as she
did so, she silently pulled her knife from her boot. She was ready
the instant his mouth flew open, and he never got a single sound
out as she slashed his tongue off. He screamed in the back of his
throat, but she could still hear the splatting sound his severed
tongue made as it hit the floor far beneath them.

He was still screaming. The sound echoed in the room, but she knew
it would not reach the street. She returned to the beam directly
across from him. As she turned back to face him, she could see the
fear, panic, and pain that filled his eyes and face, the blood
spilling from his mouth and running down his naked chest, and the
rest of his body that struggled helplessly against the chains she
had bound him with. "Now the real fun begins," she quipped
casually at him before snaking her chain back out and hitting him
again.

She hit him repeatedly, her blows raining across his chest and
arms. He screamed every time she hit him, but she only hit him
harder the more he screamed. Even as she struck out at him,
however, she could not help wondering how many times he had made
Dawson scream. His surprised comment earlier had told her that
Dawson had not told her everything, but she did not hold that
against the kid. Indeed, his incomplete trust of her only made her
think him smarter than she'd originally thought, but she could not
help wondering just how badly the man before her had hurt him. He
would pay, she silently swore yet again, he would pay for
everything he had ever done to his son.



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

No clothes stood between them now as the lovers again laid down,
Gabrielle stretching out underneath Xena and Xena gently laying
down on top of her. They kissed her again before Xena's mouth left
Gabrielle's to suckle her breasts instead. Gabrielle's skin grew
even harder in her mouth until Xena thought she could stand it no
more, but the bard surprised her as she rolled her gently but
forcibly nonetheless onto her back.

This time, it was Gabrielle's mouth that took Xena's breast. Her
tongue ran over her breast first, tasting only hints of its sweet
nectar. She circled Xena's nipple in a series of seductive licks
before drawing her into her mouth, her teeth gently grazing her
skin as she did so. Xena's moans of pleasure played teasingly on
Gabrielle's ears as she gave first one breast and then the other
the attention it so sorely needed and deserved.

She was still suckling Xena's breast when she reached the point
that she could no longer stand still not being inside of her
lover. With the same gentle force that Gabrielle had used on her
moments before, Xena rolled Gabby back onto her back. Gabrielle
was not surprised when Xena flipped up into the air and changed
position before falling back to her. She caught herself with her
hands and feet on either side of Gabby so as to keep her pressure
from hitting her lover and had barely landed when she began to
lick her beloved's honey pot.

They licked one another in unison, each gently nibbling and
chewing the other even as they arched ever more tightly against
each other. Xena's tongue was the first to find Gabrielle's secret
hole, but seconds after she joined Gabby, she felt Gabrielle join
her. Their hands continued to caress each area of one another that
they could find and their tongues to lick each other's delicious
cream as they rose steadily and then shot into the stars together.



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

It was only when bruises and blood filled every inch of Mitch's
torso that Faith finally let the blood-stained chain fall to the
floor. Questions flashed in his wild eyes, and she knew he was
wondering if she was done with him. She shook her head. "You're
not getting off that easy," she told him even as she pulled her
sword from its sheath.

She twirled the sword in her hand for a moment, thinking of how
special its blade was. One side would cut just enough to draw
blood but not do any other damage; the other would slice through
nearly anything as smoothly as a knife through butter. She had had
it built especially for a certain being from her past and had only
meant to use it on him. This was a special case, however, and she
was just as happy to use it on Dawson's father as she would have
been for the man it was intended for.

Turning her mind back to the present and the screaming man before
her, she reached out and ran the lighter side of the sword over
his legs. Streams of crimson appeared in the wake of her blade.
She slashed both sides of his legs before slicing his knees. She
then flipped her sword around and used its other side to cut deep
gashes into his thighs. Blood poured from there, and his screams
grew louder even as she trailed her blade slowly upwards.

She had almost reached his groin when she flipped her sword around
again. His panicked struggling changed to quivers of absolute
terror as she ran her blade softly across his groin and the three
items therein. She did not press down enough to actually cut his
skin the first time, but as she drew her sword backwards along the
same path, she cut a small trickle of blood. She continued the
pattern, cutting one layer away at a time and letting his severed
skin fall, before finally flipping her sword around again.

A fatally dangerous smile played over her dark lips. He was
whimpering now instead of screaming, and she knew he would have
been begging for his miserable life long ago had he had a tongue
to do so with. "You took your son's," she told him. "Now I'm gonna
take yours." The words had barely left her mouth and he had
scarcely started to scream again when she took one final swipe
with her blade, cutting off both his testicles and his member.
They started to fall, but she sheathed her sword and jumped after
them. She caught them in mid-air and started back up toward him as
soon as her feet touched the ground.

He still had not stopped screaming when she returned to him. She
grabbed his jaw again with her free hand and forced it open. Once
she had it open, she shoved his parts into his own mouth. She
pushed them as far back as she could before finally releasing him.
He had already began to choke and tried desperately to spit them
out. He succeeded in getting only one out, and the testicle shot
out and across the empty air, hitting the beam she had stood on
minutes before, before falling back down. She glanced at it before
ignoring it completely and jumping back to the floor herself. She
could still hear him choking as she walked away and back into the
front of the store.



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

What she had just done did not even appear to phase Faith as she
went through the store, walking with the same natural seduction to
her saunter as she always did. She headed first to the cash
register. She found a large bag behind the counter and emptied the
register's contents into it. She then added the shirt that she had
left on the counter before heading deeper into the store. She
walked the aisles one at a time, filling the bag with anything she
could find that might be of help. It did not take her any time at
all to fill the first bag, and she had to return for a second one.

She had barely began to fill it when she hit the row where she had
gotten the shirt from. She began to glance over it but stopped,
thinking of Dawson. The kid had nothing other than the clothes
that were currently on his body. She didn't owe him anything other
than a shirt, but it wouldn't hurt anything for her to get him a
few more clothes and give them to Jack to take to him wherever he
had sent him to before they took off. She told herself she didn't
care where the kid was as long as he wasn't around her, but he
could use the clothes. With that thought in mind, she quickly
filled half the bag.

She had one more row left, and she found it to be full of fruits
and vegetables. She finished filling the bag with a variety of
what was there. Then throwing both bags over one shoulder, she
snatched up an apple and headed for the door. She unlocked it,
walked out, and took her first bite of the apple even as the door
swung shut behind her.


_Chapter Twenty-three_
Jack had barely taken one step onto the plank leading up to the
Witch when he realized that he wasn't ready to go yet. He had not
gone back to Will's and collected anything he could find for him.
He walked the rest of the way up the plank and looked around for
some one he knew he could trust. Spying Wesley, he called out to
him, "Wes, I have to return to town, and I need you to watch these
things for me."

Wes eyed them suspiciously, wondering what Jack had managed to
steal this time, but nodded gravely. "I'll put them in my lab.
They'll be safe there."

"Thanks," Jack said. "I'll return for them shortly. You also need
to get Cole to pay the merchants for what they're delivering now."

"Don't be long, Jack," Wes warned. "We've got to get a move on.
I've been looking at my scrolls, and Fred is right. Immense evil
is coming. It will destroy the entire town and any one or thing in
its path. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before and will be
here soon!"

"Thank you for telling me," Jack answered. "I won't be gone long.
Faith will probably get here before I will. Make sure every one's
aboard and ready to sail."

"Aye aye, Captain," Wes replied obediently, hoping that for once
Jack had actually listened to him and would pay heed to it. He
watched as Jack turned and ran back toward the town.



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

Jack did not slow until he reached the smithy's. He opened the
door to find it completely dark, the fire having gone out. He did
not see the shop owner anywhere but figured that he was out, drunk
and unconscious, somewhere. He moved further into the shop,
glancing around in hopes of seeing anything of Will's but having
not a clue as to where to find anything of value that might belong
to him.

He did not see the donkey until he felt the air move past him as
the donkey kicked backwards, his hooves barely missing Jack. "What
the Hell?!" Jack exclaimed as he spun around, grabbing his sword,
to find that he was only facing a tied donkey. He reached out,
untied the donkey, and swatted him on the butt. He had hoped that
the donkey would go out the back door that was open, but he merely
continued to chew on bits of hay and stare at Jack.

Seconds later, the donkey moved closer to Jack and looked him
straight in the face. He swallowed the hay, then exclaimed with a
grin, "Hey, I remember you!" Jack fell backward onto his butt, and
the donkey brayed in laughter.

"Did you just talk?!" Jack asked, so shocked that he was barely
able to get the words out.

"Well, didn't you?" the donkey asked.

"Yes, but I'm human!"

"*Oh, yeah*," the donkey replied sarcastically. "Sure humans can
talk, but animals? No way! They're just dumb, stupid things! Well,
guess what, pal! This one talks!"

Jack swallowed hard and wondered why Will had not told him that
the donkey could talk. Slowly getting to his feet and making sure
that he kept a good distance from the donkey, he asked, "If you're
so smart and able to talk, why are you hanging around this place?"

"I've got nowhere better to go, and the kid's not bad. First human
I've met that didn't need to be kicked."

Jack made sure there was a few extra inches between them. "Since
you know so much, where did Will keep his stuff?"

"His stall. Where else?"

"His *stall*?" Jack asked. "Show me."

"Why?" the donkey questioned, eyeing the pirate suspiciously.

"I want to get his stuff and take it to him. He's on my ship and
he's not coming back, so you might want to find a new place to
go," Jack told him, still watching the donkey's hooves.

At Jack's words, the donkey leapt into the air, joy spreading over
every inch of his face. "Well, hot dang, if the kid didn't manage
to get away from those bozos!"

"No, he got hurt by those bozos," Jack said, "but I managed to get
to him in time."

At his words, the donkey stilled and faced Jack with as somber and
concerned expression on his face as could have been on any
human's. "How is he?"

"He's sleeping now and is healed, but he almost died. I killed the
bastard that was behind it. Don't you go telling anybody." Jack
was still surprised that he was actually carrying on an
intelligent conversation with a donkey. "We need to get Will's
stuff, and we both need to get out of here. You deserve better
than this."

"I know that, but I don't have anywhere to go," the donkey
admitted. "Hey, wait a minute!" he exclaimed, grinning once more.
"Maybe I can go with you? Huh? Huh? Can I? Can I pleeeeeeeeeease?"

"Donkey, do you realize that I am on a ship and that we're going
to be out at sea? It's not really a good place for a donkey."

"Oh, pleeeeeeeeease," the donkey pleaded persistently. "It's gotta
be better than this dump!"

"Okay," Jack relented, still unable to believe what he was doing,
"but don't forget that I warned you. Now help me get Will's
stuff."

"Oh, *yeah*!" the donkey exclaimed, strutting as he pranced in a
little dance around Jack. "We're bad! We're bad! We're Pirates,
huh huh!"

Jack could not help but to laugh. He had never met a more unusual
animal. He couldn't see why the donkey would want to be on the
ship since he was a land animal and figured he might regret it,
but there was no way that he could tell him no. The donkey seemed
to have formed such an attachment for Will that he figured Will
had one for him, as well. Jack looked around, spied a cart, and
began loading it with the forge and other equipment he saw laying
around.

The donkey had continued to prance around, still dancing giddily,
when Jack finished collecting the equipment that was laying
around. Donkey was standing by a door by that time and called out
to him, "It's over here! You know, I always deserved better than
this place, and so did that kid. That old fart even made his room
out of a stall!"

Jack walked over and looked inside the stall. It was neat and
orderly, and Will had tried his best to make it look like a home.
Jack could not believe how small it was. {Poor Will!} he thought.
{Bad times are over for you, my love,} he promised. He took a
blanket and began to put Will's few clothes and other things he
saw in the room in it. Then he tied a knot in it.

Will hardly had anything. Where had the money that he had given
him for the swords gone? "Donkey," he asked, "did Will hide his
money somewhere?"

"Sure did," Donkey said with a nod. "Come on, and I'll show you."
Glancing over his shoulder a few times to make certain that the
pirate was indeed following, Donkey walked back over to where he
had been chained to the equipment. He tapped his hoof down on a
spot on the floor. "Below that board."

Jack walked over, grabbed the board, and pulled it upward. There
were three sacks under it. He did not open them but slipped them
inside his shirt. Whatever was in there was Will's, and he had no
business knowing what it was unless Will wanted him to know. He
looked at Donkey. "Have we got everything now?"

Donkey paused, thinking, for a change, before he answered. His
gaze traveled slowly around the shop as he ascertained that the
pirate had gotten all of the tools. He knew most of them belonged
to the drunkard who owned the smithy, but the man didn't even
deserve the clothes he wore. Finally, looking back at the pirate,
he asked, "We've got all of Will's, but can I pleeeeease have a
bag of food?"

"To the store, then?" Jack asked. "We'd best get you several bags
for we are going on a long journey and there's not much food for
donkeys aboard." Donkey was looking at him as if he were about to
cry, and Jack paused, looking at him. "What?" he asked uneasily,
wondering if he was about to be kicked.

"The store? For me? Really?" the donkey asked in a small, quiet
voice.

"Of course! Where else would we get oats?"

"Oh, *man*!" Donkey exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear yet again.
"I think I love you, man!"

"Don't get any ideals!" Jack nearly screeched, raising his hands
out toward Donkey who stopped just at his hands, his tongue
hanging slightly out of his mouth. "Now you get to pull the cart,
and we'd best get going."

Donkey nodded and pranced around, ready and happy to accept the
cart. "Oh, man! *Bags* of oats for me! I don't believe it!" Jack
looked at the harness, holding it in his hand and wondering how to
connect Donkey to the cart. Donkey told him step by step, and soon
they were out the door and heading for the store.



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

It was much too quiet in the holding cell area. Angel returned
only to find Joxer and Carl asleep on the floor and the cell
empty. Something crunched under his boots, and he looked down to
find shards of ice littering every inch of the floor he walked
upon. Looking back up, he saw that the cell was broken and two
bars were completely gone.

"Holy Hell!" he exclaimed. "Where could she have gotten to?!" He
began to sniff the air, following her trail. How had she gotten
past him? He'd only taken his eyes off of the door for bare
seconds when he had looked to see if he could spot where Cordelia
had gotten to. Jack would kill him if the woman got away!

In truth, the four beings who had escaped from the cell were still
lurking in the shadows of the ship not too far away. They had just
made it to the railing and the blonde had began to look around
when the dragon on her shoulder cooed urgently. She understood his
message instantly and dived over the railing and into the water
before Angel could return to the deck. The wolf and lioness
immediately followed their mistress.



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

Upon reaching the store, Jack saw that it was quiet. Had the man
closed for the day? He had been about to reach for the handle of
the door when it opened and he saw Faith. She did not even see him
at first as she took a bite of the apple she carried and started
to walk off. She found her way blocked and only then did she look
up to find Jack with a donkey with the stupidest expression she'd
ever seen on his face. "What are you doing here?" she asked in
surprise.

"I'm here to get oats and whatever else donkeys like to eat." He
looked questioningly at Donkey.

Faith quirked an eyebrow at him. "We're taking *that* with us?"

"Yes," Jack said. Upon seeing that Donkey was not going to talk to
him, he walked into the store and back to the sacks that he saw
resting against the back wall. {Corn, oats . . . } He wondered
what else donkeys would like to eat even as he grabbed a bag of
each and headed for the door. "Faith," he called as he got there,
"would you get a bag and fill it with apples? I think donkeys
might eat apples. I've got to get several more bags of feed."

"Sure," Faith answered with a shrug from where she was perched on
top of the counter. Taking the last bite of her own apple, she
tossed its core to the floor, then leaned back and grabbed one of
the bags that was behind the counter.

"Thanks," he called even as he returned to the back wall.

"You've still gotta tell me what the Hell's up with this donkey,
though!" she called after him.

"He's Will's pet," Jack answered her. "I wasn't planning on taking
him, but when I got there to get Will's stuff, I couldn't leave
him." Jack returned for two more bags even as he was talking. He
collected three bags each of corn and oats. He hoped Donkey
wouldn't need more than that. The apples would be a treat. He
headed out to the cart and loaded the bags, noticing that Faith
had several bags collected as well.

Faith returned at that moment with the bag of apples. She saw Jack
looking at the bags she'd collected and took the opportunity to
inform him, "There's a few clothes in there for that kid. I don't
know what you did with him, and I don't wanna know as long as you
keep your word. I trust you got rid of him, but knowing you, you
know where he is and can get it to him."

Jack did not answer her at first. Why did she think he could have
gotten rid of the kid already? He hadn't had a chance yet. "I'll
give them to him," he said. "He's safe and out of the way. We'd
better get a move on. Wes said it was coming soon. I don't know
what it is, but it can't be good."

"Is it ever?" Faith asked though she was not worried in the least.

Jack shook his head in answer even as he loaded the last bag onto
the cart. Looking at Donkey, he said, "Head for the dock, and move
fast."



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

Angel's keen hearing picked up the splashes, and he raced to the
railing. "STOP RIGHT THERE!" he yelled at Crys. "YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE DOING! WE'RE ONLY TRYING TO HELP YOU!"

She started to call back to him but stopped, realizing that it
would do her no good. She had already tried to talk sense into
him, but he listened no more than those she had left behind at her
homeland. Instead, she only swam faster, her swift and sure
strokes carrying her ever further from the ship. Cindy and Elvira
flanked their mistress, and the dragon flew just over their heads.

"WHAT WOULD IT GET TO TAKE YOU TO TURN BACK, CRYS? IT'S NOT SAFE
FOR YOU OUT THERE!"

"I CAN'T TURN BACK!" she yelled back at him, her voice revealing
her exasperation. Why did so few actually listen when she tried to
protect them?!



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

It was quiet all around them, and Jack did not like the feel of
the tension he was picking up. Both Faith and the Donkey were
feeling the same pressure and shared his thoughts, but only Donkey
glanced at Jack. He reached over and nudged his hand with his
snout. "You're welcome, Donkey. Now we'd better get to the ship."

Donkey nodded and picked up speed for a moment before stopping
suddenly in his tracks. "Whoa," he whispered to Jack. "The babe's
not with us."

Jack looked back to see that Faith was staring at something in the
sky, her face blanched white with terror. "What is it, Faith?" he
asked, urgency in his voice. He walked back toward her, his eyes
drawn skyward. What he saw stopped him in his tracks, as well.
"*_DAMNATION_*," he thundered, "*WHAT THE _HELL_ IS THAT*?!"

The only thing that he had ever seen before that came close to
resembling what he was now looking at was a hurricane, but this
was no hurricane. It was at least twice the size of the massive
one he had been caught in before and was pure white. Snow and ice
spun around at blinding rates in its winds, but what was perhaps
the scariest thing about it of all was the face that peered
angrily out from deep within its bowels. Glowing blood-red eyes
swept the landscape, and what looked like fangs glistened from a
mouth that was open in a piercing howl that only then reached his
ears.

Donkey had also turned to look in the direction the humans were
looking in, and he was the first to break free from staring at it.
"_*RUN*_!" he hollered at the top of his lungs. "IT'S COMING THIS
WAY!" He then transformed into a brown and gray streak as he took
off, hoping that one of the pirates would get ahead of him and
lead the way as he did not know where the dock was but never
daring to slow down.

Jack's heart had almost stopped beating until he heard Donkey
yell. He reached out and grabbed Faith. "Hurry, Faith! We must get
to the ship!" She stood as still as a statue and continued to
stare at it. He shook her. "Faith?!"

His shaking stirred her back to her senses. She had not seen eyes
that red and full of evil since she had been a child, and the
sight of the creature had taken her back to another time in her
life. Her memories shattered, and she found Jack standing before
her, his face full of panic, fear, and concern. She did not answer
him but only took off running for the dock.

Jack ran, too, hoping that Donkey would slow so that he could
catch him. He finally caught up to him and looked at him even
while continuing to run as fast as his legs could carry him. "Do
you even know where you're going?!" he asked.

"Yeah!" Donkey answered without hesitation. "Away from whatever
the Hell that thing is!"

They turned onto the street that led to the dock and stopped again
in their tracks as their eyes fell upon what appeared to be
statues. Jack realized that it was humans but humans unlike any
he'd ever seen. They were made of ice! What the Hell was going
on?! he wondered frantically. Doctor Doom had finally hit upon a
tragedy and hit it dead on the head.

"_*Fuck!*_" the sharp exclamation spilled forth from Faith's lips
as she, too, stood, looking at the people. "They were real!" she
told Jack. "I saw that bitch," she pointed to one of the ice
statues, "in the store just a little while ago!"

"Wh-What happened?!" Jack stammered out. "Only the Gods know!" he
answered his own question, shaking his head as he forced himself
to calm and fought to maintain control of their situation. "We've
got to get out of here! Run like you've never run before, Faith!
Get on the Witch!"

"I'm not leaving you, Jack," she told him, not even realizing the
words that spilled from her mouth, "so you'd better haul your
butt, too!"

"I plan to!" Jack said even as he joined her in running again. He
yelled back at Donkey, "THIRD SHIP ON THE RIGHT!"

Donkey sped past them instantly. He did not even pause as he flew
up the ship's plank, dragging the cart right behind him. They hit
the deck with a thud and Donkey yelled right in the face of a
stunned man who stood before him. "GET US THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

Everybody froze in their steps, and all eyes turned at him. The
meek brunette who stood beside the stunned man even screamed.
"Yeah, I'm a talking donkey!" Donkey snapped. "Get over it, and
GET US THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

Jack and Faith hit the plank together. "MOVE IT, WES!" Jack yelled
at Wesley, who stood, stunned and still staring at the donkey in
front of him. "It's coming after us! Hope to Gods it didn't see
us!"

It was at that time that the blood-curdling howls met their ears,
and the group turned toward the sound only to see the thing at the
mouth of the dock. The crew sprang into action without another
word spoken, all hands doing everything they could to ensure their
escape. The plank was quickly pulled in, and the ship set sail.



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

Angel had jumped over board and had swam quickly after Crys. He
didn't know how to stop her. The woman would not listen to reason,
and he didn't want to have to knock her out and drag her back.
Finally reaching her, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back
around to face him. He was about to try arguing with her again
when he heard a high-pitched, whistling sound. Looking up, he
spied what appeared to be a Demon of some kind inside of a
blizzard. The Demon's blood-red eyes were furiously scanning the
area, and Angel realized that it was looking for some one or
something. "Is that him?" he whispered to Crys.

She didn't have to turn around to know what Angel was looking at.
She could tell from the sounds that met her ears, and the
terrified look on her paled face told him more than her words
could. "Yes! Damn it, I told you I had to get away if you and the
others were to stay safe!"

"He doesn't see us down here, probably because he is not expecting
any one to be swimming. We are in the ocean," he said as though
that made perfect sense. "We need to get back to the ship. If
you'll give us a chance, you'll find that we can hide you very
easily from him. If you stay here, you'll die. Is that what you
want? Do you want to die and leave your babies behind with no one
to take care of them?" He looked into her terrified face. "Give us
a chance. We're Pirates! We can fight anything!" he said with a
bravado he really didn't feel at the moment.

"Angel, you don't understand! You don't know what he's capable
of!" She sighed, her mind whirling as she tried to think of how to
make him understand.

"Come back to the ship with me where we'll be safe and you can
tell me your story. If I think, at the end of it, you'll make us
unsafe, I won't try to stop you again."

For the first time, she looked behind her. She watched, her heart
pounding frantically, as his blood-red eyes roamed the area,
passing right over them. "We don't have that kind of time! He'll
spot us at any second now, and when he does, he'll turn us to
ice!"

"He will if we're out in the open and he actually sees us. He
doesn't appear to be looking down here or it could simply be that
we are protected by the Lewises. They are Sorceresses of a high
order. They're cloaking the ships so that he can't see them. Come
back to the ship, and he won't be able to see you." He tried again
to reason with her, speaking as though she was a child.

"They may be powerful, but they're not more powerful than him! No
one is!" she exclaimed, her voice and the frantic beating of her
heart telling him that she truly believed her words. It was then
that she saw his eyes narrow as he looked down at something. It
was not them, however, and she followed his gaze only to see him
turn a boat of innocent sailors to ice. "No!" she cried. "Not
again!" Her animals cried out, as well, and they pressed more
tightly around both their mistress and Angel.



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

All around the Witch, other sea-faring vessels were taking off, as
well, but already they could hear screams. They looked back just
as the screams stopped in mid-pronunciation and the screamers and
their boat were turned to ice. Nearing the mouth of the harbor,
they were joined in immediate accompaniment by the Pearl. The
ships' escape was aided by Celina and Katrina working a spell to
cloak both ships and excess winds that seemed to sweep
mysteriously down from the sky, pushing each vessel that had not
already been turned to ice ten times faster than its normal speed.

Jack looked up to see what was causing the winds and smiled at
Ororo. She flew high above them in the darkened sky, and he could
tell from the gestures of her hands, that she was controlling the
winds. It was going to be really good indeed to have a Weather
Witch. He had only heard about them in the past, but now he was
lucky enough to have one on his own ship. She was already earning
her keep.



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

Memories filled Crys' mind, and she had to fight to stay with the
present even as tears raced down her cheeks. "Is *that* what you
want to happen?!" she asked Angel, turning back to face him as she
could not bare to see the monster destroy more when all he was
truly after was her. "All he wants is me! If you let me go,
everybody else will be safe!"

"Wouldn't you like to be free of him once and for all, Crys?
Nothing is all powerful. Everything has a flaw somewhere, a
weakness. Just because you don't know what his is doesn't mean he
doesn't have one. If you come back with me, the Lewises will keep
you safe and perhaps, between all three of you, you will be able
to find what his weakness is. Then you could destroy him and you
would be free. You and your babies would be safe for all time." He
didn't know what else to tell her. He believed they could defeat
him if she'd only give them the chance.

"Don't you think I've tried to defeat him?! I've tried again and
again, Angel! Blue's engulfed him in fire! We've even seen him
fall into a volcano, and *still* he came back! He *always* comes
back, and even what you're seeing now is only a small fraction of
what he's capable of! If I was to let him take me, you'd be safe!
The others would be safe! And yes, I love my babies, but they'd be
safe too!"

It was at that moment that Blue let out a low roar. He circled
around her, then perched on Angel's shoulder. Looking directly
into her eyes, he began to coo in a rapid series.

Angel listened in rapt attention as Blue scolded his mistress.
"Listen to what he's saying, Crys. He speaks the truth. The Demon
only wants you because he wants your power and he doesn't want you
revealing who and what he is. Do you really want to give him your
power? If he was not already the most powerful, wouldn't that
*make* him the most powerful?"

"He already *is*," she told him. "I'm nothing compared to him."
She looked at him with questioning eyes, however, upon realization
that he actually understood what Blue was saying. Outside of
herself, Elvira, and Cindy, there were only two other living
beings who knew Blue and understood every sound the little dragon
made.

It was then that Blue set off again, reminding her that she knew
that Frostbite wanted any one who knew the truth about him. How
could they ever have a chance at safety without her? Of course,
there was Jack, but they couldn't stay with him as he was always
flitting around the world.

Angel wondered who Jack was but figured out that the Demon was
Frostbite. "Who's Jack?" he asked.

"Jack Frost," she told him, looking him dead in the eyes. "That's
right," she added, seeing the flicker of surprise therein. "*That*
Jack Frost."

"What are y'all -- Elementals or something?" He reached up and
scratched the little dragon on the head. Angel did not like water
and was hoping that Crys would soon make up her mind to return to
the ship so that he could get the filthy stuff off of him and dry
off.

"Precisely. Ice Elementals. Cold Elementals. Whichever you want to
call us. You've heard about Jack. You know how powerful he is.
That thing," she jerked her head toward the blizzard, "tried to
kill us *both* when we were four years-old. We both *barely*
escaped."

Angel stared at her in astonishment. Just how old was this
beautiful woman? Had he found some one, finally, as ageless as he
himself was? He hoped to find that out later. "Crys, you do see
that he's not seeing you now?" he asked.

She looked back up at the blizzard. He did not appear to be seeing
them. That much was true enough. "He just hasn't spotted us yet."

Blue spit at that. He was able to mask, as well, and could tell
very easily when he was being masked. Before any one could stop
him and ignoring his beloved mistress' frantic call, he flew
straight up and let out a huge roar. Frostbite did not even blink.
Indeed, he made no reaction whatsoever.

Crys had been about to throw up a shield of ice to stop Blue, but
the dragon had proved to be faster than she. When he roared, she
went completely still, as though she had been frozen herself, with
fear, but when Frostbite ignored him, her mouth fell open in pure
shock.

"See what I mean?" Angel asked gently. "Come back to the ship. You
will be safe there. We are masked. The Sorceresses are very
strong, so strong that not even your Fro -- "

Before Angel even knew what she was doing, Crys had whirled around
and covered his mouth with her hand. "Don't!" she told him, her
tone as frantic and urgent as her eyes. "Don't say his name! If
you do, he'll hear you even if we are cloaked!"

He nodded, and she dropped her hand. "Not even he can penetrate
their cloaking."

"For now," she had to admit even as Blue returned to them, "but we
don't know how long it can last." She took a deep breath, thinking
over everything both Angel and Blue had finally made her
understand. Could it be possible? Could she have a chance at a
real life? Could her babies, the familiars she loved so much and
who were her dearest friends in all the world?



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

Things had happened so quickly aboard the Witch that Jack had
almost not had time to slip away and find Dawson, but he did
finally manage to look for him. He found him in the sleeping
quarters and shook him to wake him up. Dawson opened his eyes and
rubbed them. "Huh?" he asked and then quickly sat up when he
realized that it was Captain Jack. "Yes, sir?" he said, jumping to
his feet.

"Calm down, Dawson, and be easy," Jack told him. "I want you to
stay with us, but Faith wants you gone far away. What do you want
to do?"

Dawson answered without even a second's hesitation, "I want to
stay as close as I can to her in case she needs me. She'll never
admit it, but I still want to be where I can help. I love her,
Captain Jack!"

"Figured as much," Jack said with a nod. "I want you to stay
hidden as much as possible. Do not let her see you under any
circumstances. Find another place to sleep, and take all of your
stuff with you."

"I don't have much," Dawson told him.

He handed Dawson the bag. "You do now. If you need anything, get
word to me by Cole. I'll tell him to keep an eye out for you. Just
whatever you do, don't let Faith know you're still on board."

"Yes, sir, I won't," Dawson vowed, "but I will still be close to
her. She just won't see me."

"Good," Jack said. "Best hide now. She is aboard." He turned away
from Dawson and headed back up the stairs. When he turned around
to look at Dawson one last time, he was gone. He hoped Faith did
not realize that the boy was aboard or there would be Hell to pay.

He then returned to the deck in time to hear Donkey fussing. It
seemed that Donkey just could not be quiet, and he was beginning
to give Jack a headache. He laid a finger on his nose. "Sh!" he
said to Donkey. "Quiet down now! You could have a heart attack!
Wouldn't want that to happen."

"A heart attack?!" Donkey repeated, looking at Jack as though he
had taken leave of his senses. "Yeah, right!" he added, prancing
around and shaking his head. (He had been released from his
harness shortly after arriving aboard the ship.) "Like I'm really
going to have a -- " His voice cut off abruptly, and he suddenly
began to choke. His tongue flapped wildly around, tossing spit
toward Jack but not actually hitting him. He rose up on his hind
hooves and stumbled around before toppling over backwards. His
hoof landed on his chest, his head hit the dock, and his eyes
shut. His tongue lolled out at an odd angle from his mouth, and he
lay completely still.

Jack went over and pushed him. "Get up from there, Donkey! You're
the worst clown I have ever seen, and you don't scare me any at
all! Why, if you do kick off, I'll just push you off the side of
the ship and let the fishes eat you!"

Donkey jumped up at that . . . and right into Jack's arms. "NO!"
he screamed, pawing at Jack as he tried to climb even further up
him. "You wouldn't do that! You wouldn't let them get me!"

Laughter came from behind them, and a tiny horn blew from a
button. "You know, I was going to say that I resented your saying
that he was the worst clown you'd ever seen, but I have to admit,"
came Morph's voice, "that I think he's even got Tom and me beat!"

Jack shook his head even as he pushed Donkey down. "Morph, get out
of the clown suit," he commanded, referring to the clown that
Morph had transformed into. "Gods, I swear! All of you are going
to drive me crazy with your foolishness, and if I hear 'I'm bad'
one more time, Donkey, no oats tonight."

"Can I have some corn?" he asked hopefully.

"Only if you're good." He looked around for Tom but did not see
him; he was relieved that at least one of the comedians was not
bounding around him.



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

Though her tears had stopped falling, her ice blue eyes still
shimmered as she again looked up into Angel's soulful eyes. "All
right," she said at last. "I'll come back, but you have to let me
tell you. Even if you don't know, he'll still kill you if he finds
out that I've had anything at all to do with you. The others have
to know, as well, because everybody on both of the ships is put in
danger by my presence and was even the first moment I sat foot on
the Pearl."

"Okay," Angel agreed, relieved and glad that she had finally
decided to give them a chance, "but first thing, let's get back to
the ship and get the Hell out of here. Once we outdistance him,
I'll tell Jack that you need to tell every one what's going on."

She nodded. "But Angel," she added, "if even one person or animal
doesn't want me on there after they know what I have to tell you
all, I'm not going to stay."

A loud crashing noise caused Angel to turn around and look behind
him at the city of Port Royal even as it shattered into a million
pieces. The sound started tears flowing back down Crys' face
instantly; she did not need to look to know what it was made from.
"Well, I'll be damned!" Angel said. "Jack was right! Its evil has
destroyed it!"

She shook her head. "No. He did that."

"Yes, but that town deserved to die," Angel said, wishing that he
could somehow stop her tears but knowing that he could not. She
did not mean anywhere near as much to him as Cordelia did,
wherever she had gotten off to, but he already cared deeply for
her. "It was full of bigoted, self-righteous people who crippled,
killed, and maimed both animals and humans all in the name of
their religion, rather it was greed, money, or God. They deserved
to go." He turned back to swimming toward the ship, hoping that
Jack would realize that he was not on the ship and that they would
wait for them.

Crys' heart remained heavy as she followed after Angel. He might
be right about the humans, but she knew that animals and children
had perished, as well. Surely, there had to have been some
innocence in that town, and she bore that cost heavily upon her
shoulders and heart. It was then that she suddenly felt herself
plucked from the water, and a scream broke from her lips. Roars
surrounded her as her animals were also snatched up, and ahead of
them, she could see Angel being lifted from the water, as well.
Yet she could see nothing and only felt wind.

"Thanks for the lift, 'Ro!" Angel called. "I was afraid Jack was
going to leave us!"

Crys looked in the direction Angel called to and was surprised to
find a black woman with long, white hair streaming out around her
and a gentle smile looking down at them from high in the sky. "He
would not intentionally do so," she told the man whose name she
thought was Angel but was not certain.

"Never in a million years," Angel agreed, "but he doesn't know we
aren't on board."

Ororo nodded. "That shall be remedied soon enough," she assured
him, "but would you rather me set you on the Pearl or the Witch?"

"Where Jack is."

At his answer, Ororo looked around, her blue eyes scanning the
ships until they finally fell on Jack who seemed to be rather
surrounded at the moment. Her eyes widened slightly. Was it her
imagination, or was that donkey *talking*?! His mouth certainly
appeared to be moving in the sounds of human language, but surely
she must be mistaken. She gently lowered Angel, the blonde, and
the three animals to the Witch's deck.

Crys had been startled out of her wits by the Weather Witch, but
the talking donkey did not phase her at all. After all, she had
grown up around talking reindeer. "Hey!" Donkey yelled. "It's
raining people! Don't get it on me!" He moved closer to Jack.

Jack was surprised to see Angel flying through the air along with
the rest of his company. They were all dripping wet. He wondered
just what had happened, how the woman had gotten out of the cell,
and why they were all wet. "Long story?" he asked, looking at both
of them.

"Sort of," Angel replied.

"Then let it wait 'til we reach the Pearl," Jack said. "We keep
our laundry on our ship." He turned to watch as they came closer
to the Pearl.

Crys shook her head. "Sir?" she spoke quietly.

"Yes?" Jack asked, turning to look at her.

"The story is one that both ships must be made aware of in the
utmost speed but must also wait until we can escape . . . " She
glanced back at the blizzard that was howling madly around the
port. " . . . my uncle," she finished, having to brace herself as
she made the admission to a nearly complete stranger but knowing
that those two words would tell him a great deal more than a long
stream would have.

Angel stared at her in surprise. He would never have expected that
they were kin to each other.

Jack simply nodded, knowing that they must escape and that they
were coming very close to doing just that. "It can wait, miss," he
told her in a gentle voice, almost as surprised to realize that he
still did not know her name as he was to learn that the monster
that was chasing after them was the uncle of the woman who had so
kindly healed his beloved Will, "for a little while." He then
turned back to watching and waiting for the Pearl for even though
he owned the Witch as well, he did not feel as comfortable on her
decks and longed to be on his own beloved mistress.



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

As she rose back into the sky whose clouds of snow and storm were
almost as dark as night, Ororo's attention immediately returned to
the howling, Demonic blizzard. She was just in time to see its
blood-red eyes narrowing down at another boat. She had seen him
turn another boat and all it carried to ice and knew that the boat
he now looked at was about to share the other's fate. She had not
been in time the first time, but now that she had a warning, she
would not willingly allow it to take place again. "NO!" Thunder
roared in unison with her cry, and lightning shot from her hands.

The effects of Ororo's good intentions all happened at once and in
the space of just a few heartbeats. The lightning bolts she had
thrown hit the blizzard but bounced back; she barely had time to
register their return before she was struck by her own lightning.
Screams and yells shouted from both the Pearl's and Witch's decks
as they saw her fall from the sky.

Tom, who had never strayed from Katrina and Celina, realized their
and, more importantly to him, his own mistake. They had cloaked
their own ships but either had not thought or had not had the
power left to cloak the other vessels. He dashed forward but did
not speak a word to either of them. He placed one gentle hand on
each catwoman's shoulder instead and joined them in the chant. The
spell grew as it derived power from three now instead of just two
who were already tired, and they extended it together to include
all the fleeing ships.

Crys had been one of the ones who had screamed at the sight of
Ororo being struck, and before any of the men around her could
react, she had flown into action. Ice had suddenly appeared under
her feet and swiftly built a makeshift bridge that carried her to
Ororo.



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

Logan had been standing next to the rail, gripping it tightly with
his hands, ever since they'd left port. His eyes had never left
'Ro. He hated that she was out there, a target almost, against
whatever Demonic being was coming against him. His claws slipped
in and out; he did not even notice.

He was proud of what she was doing even as he was terrified at her
exposure. He saw her lift Angel, the blonde, and the animals back
to the Witch.

For a brief instant, his mind slipped back to thoughts of what had
happened between him and Gabrielle. He had been expecting it for a
long time and was secretly relieved that, at last, it had happened
and he was allowed to go home to the Pearl at long last. He had
had to put up a big fuss with Gabrielle even though he had not
wanted to. Xena and he had discussed it in the past, and he knew
she was glad that the truth was out at last. He hoped the ladies
were making up just fine. He loved both of them as a brother.

He was jerked back to the present as he saw something bounce back
and hit 'Ro. His mouth opened in a silent scream even as his body
set into action. Racing toward his beloved, he ignored everything
in his path, jumping over things that didn't move and pushing
aside things, and bodies, that did. He flew up to the crow's nest
and then leaped skyward, his arms outstretched to catch her, never
thinking of how he was going to keep from crashing back to the
ship. He only hoped he could make it to the water.



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

Jack watched as a blur of yellow and black passed through the air.
He never could figure out why Wolverine liked those colors, but he
was often to be seen with them and could be spotted a mile away.
He opened his mouth to yell at him even as he saw him leap
skyward. He did not want to lose him, because not only was he a
great fighter but he was a good friend. He gripped the rail and
closed his eyes, saying a silent prayer that something would save
him.

Angel's mouth opened in surprise when he saw ice shoot from
underneath Crys, forming an ice bridge. He nudged Jack in the
ribs. "Captain?" he said in a voice of awe.

Jack opened his eyes. Had a miracle occurred? Had Wolverine
managed to survive? "Where did that come from?" he asked Angel.

"Crys," Angel said. "She made it. She's an Ice Elemental." They
stood side by side, watching, as the rescue occurred.

Donkey seemed to be surprisingly quiet as he watched the scene
unveil before them with eyes rounded by shock. He was standing
beside Jack, his mouth next to the Captain's ear, when he suddenly
smacked his lips.

Jack smiled as Wolverine's feet landed on the ice, making a hard
thudding sound, and he was relieved to see that the ice was strong
enough to hold both of them up. It was then that Donkey smacked in
his ear. Jack's fist clenched; even as he turned, his fist gently
met with Donkey's nose. "Don't. Do. That!" he ground out. "Next
time, it won't be gentle! What do you call that any way?!"

Donkey looked at Jack with wide, innocent eyes. "What?" he asked,
his tone just as innocent.

"That Gods-awful sound you just made!"

Donkey cocked his head to one side, his face adopting a look of
confusion. He shook his head. "Don't know what you're talking
about, Captain."

"Do it again, and you'll know," Jack threatened him. "Why don't
you go see if you can find Will?"

Donkey brightened at that suggestion. "Okay!" he exclaimed and
pranced off joyously despite the danger that surrounded them.

Jack hated to have deceived the donkey, but he just couldn't take
any more of his Gods-awful noises at that moment. He wondered if
Donkey was ever quiet or if he talked even in his sleep. His eyes
returned to Wolverine and the women.



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

Crys had almost reached Ororo when a blur passed by her. She
barely had time to register it as being a short, rough-looking man
before he and Ororo, who he had caught in his arms, fell onto the
ice bridge.

Wolverine stepped carefully, not sure what he was standing on, but
glad that some one had thought to throw something out there for
him to land on. It felt very slippery, and he prayed that he would
keep his footing. He did not want to drop 'Ro. She was
unconscious, and although she didn't weigh that much, she was at
least twice his height and he was having trouble keeping her off
the ground until a pair of hands slipped under his to assist him.
"Thanks," he muttered around a lot of hair. "Can't see where I'm
goin'. Don't want to drop 'er."

"If you stand still," a voice that he had not heard before told
him, "I can heal her." Though he could not see her, she still
looked at him with tears shimmering in her ice blue eyes. "And I'm
sorry."

"Sorry? Ya didn't have anythin' to do with this, but 'preciate it.
Did ya throw out whatever I'm standing on?" he asked. "What *am* I
standing on? It feels very slippery."

"Actually," she told him quietly, "I did . . . on both accounts."
She paused a moment, then told him further, "It's ice."

"Ice?!" he asked. "Where'd it come from? Normally I'd say it
couldn't exist here, this being the Tropics an' usually hot as
Hell although today, it's definitely not been hot. O' all things,
snow and now ice! Will wonders never cease?!"

"No," she told him gently. "*Trouble* never ceases."

"That's definitely true," he replied, "but when there's trouble,
there's always some one to help ya. Thanks again for the save. Now
I've got to get 'Ro down to the ship." He would not give her up,
and he would not let go until his feet were on the ship and he
could lay her down. "Ya say somethin' about healin'?" he asked
even as he continued walking.

"Yes," she agreed. "If you could hold still for a moment, I could
heal her now even."

"Nope. Not till I get on the ship. I 'preciate the ice bridge, but
I don't trust it. I want my feet on the Pearl."

She shook her head, knowing fully well that the ice bridge was
perfectly safe, but then relented as she remembered that she had
caused the bridge just as much as she had caused Ororo to be hit.
"I'll take us down then. You might want to hold still for a
moment."

"What do ya mean yer'll take us down? What are ya -- a giant?" He
wished he could see who was talking to him, but there was no way
he could see around 'Ro.

"Not highly likely," she answered. Had the situation been any
different, she might have even laughed, but her voice remained as
somber as her face. "I control the ice."

"Wonderful! Is that anythin' like Weather Witchin'? I swear, you
Witches are somethin' else! We're lucky to have found ya!"

"No one's ever lucky to find me," she told him gently, "and I'm
not whoever you think I am." She began to slowly melt the bridge,
and as it melted, it took them closer to the deck.



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

Jack watched in amazement as the bridge began to withdraw on
itself even as it melted. Angel stepped forward to help but then
realized that Wolverine would not let go easily. "Jack," he nudged
his friend, "maybe you could . . . "

"Thanks, Angel. Another second, and I would've thought of it. I'm
just totally amazed at this ice bridge! You said the woman made
it? What is an Ice Elemental? Is it anything like a Weather
Witch?" Even as he was asking Angel, he moved forward to meet
Wolverine and the women. They landed, and Jack cleared his throat.
"Wolverine, may I help?"

If any other man would have asked if he could help, Wolverine
would have growled, but this was Jack and Wolverine would no more
think of growling at him than he would have growled at 'Ro.
"'Preciate it, Captain. I could use a little help." It took a lot
for him to admit that.

Jack reached out and picked up 'Ro's legs. He felt Wolverine's
hands move down to her shoulders. "We'll lay her right here and
give Crys a chance to work on her. She's a healer," Jack said,
talking reassuringly to Wolverine and hoping he wasn't going to go
berserk on them.

He had once seen Wolverine in a beserker rage, and the guy was
absolutely relentless. He had been butt-naked with only his boots
on and had almost wiped out an entire pirate ship on his own.
They'd never said anything about it to each other, but Jack was
still grateful to him and would be to his dying day. Wolverine had
rescued Jack from that pirate ship. No one else knew about their
past, because neither one of them talked much about their pasts.
Jack relived his nightmares from time to time, and if Wolverine
ever talked about anything of the past, it was not about the times
that he had pulled off rescues.

The very moment that Crys had stepped off of the remainder of the
puddle that had been the bridge, she was surrounded by her
animals. Cindy and Elvira flanked her, and Blue settled in on her
shoulder. They stood silently to the side of the men, waiting for
Crys' chance to heal Ororo but not making a single sound.

Jack and Wolverine laid 'Ro gently on the deck, and Jack stepped
back. It was the first chance that Wolverine had had of seeing the
strange woman and her pets up close. "Thank ya fer the rescue,
lady. I'd 'preciate it if ya'd heal my 'Ro. Is there anythin' I
need ta do?" He thought the lady was pretty, but he couldn't even
begin to imagine where she had gotten three such strange companion
animals.

She shook her head, her long, blonde hair shimmering down her back
as she did so. "Please do not thank me," she told him gently, "for
it is my fault that she was hit." She moved forward to kneel
before Ororo, Cindy and Elvira making every step she did.

Wolverine could not figure out why the woman kept blaming herself.
After all, she was not that Demonic being that he could still see
up there, floating around like some kind of a bleeding fairy. He
had seen many things in his time but none of them as weird as the
things he had seen this day. "If ya say so, ma'am," he finally got
out. He knelt beside 'Ro, taking one of her hands in his. "If I
can ever do anythin' fer ya, just ask."

"I would never ask anything for helping where I can," she told
him, even as she withdrew her necklace from where she kept it
hidden in the bodice of her black grieving gown, "especially when
it is my fault that they need healing." She had seen him glance up
at Frostbite who was still flying around in the sky, constantly
trying to find some sign of where the ships had disappeared to but
being unable to attack what he could not see. "He is after me,"
she told him.

Returning her attention to Ororo, she leaned forward and pressed
the crystal gently to the woman's forehead. It began to glow
instantly and quickly engulfed Ororo's body in a shining, blue
light.

Wolverine could feel 'Ro's shallow breathing begin to quicken and
normalize. He was so relieved that he wanted to scream for joy,
but he said nothing because he did not want to disturb the healing
the woman was doing. His mind had caught onto the fact that the
Demonic being was looking for the woman and trying to wipe out
everything in its path. He vowed it would not get her if he had
anything to say about it.

When the blue light ceased, Crys withdrew her necklace and tucked
it back into its hiding place. Standing, she backed up a couple of
paces; both the lioness and wolf continued to keep their steps
with their mistress'. Elvira bumped into something and glanced up
only to see that it was Angel's leg.

"Nice girl," Angel spoke softly to the wolf.

Elvira's eyes shone up at him, and the Vampire could almost swear
that the wolf had smiled before she turned her attention back to
Ororo who was slowly coming to.

Ororo's blue eyes fluttered open, and she found Logan gazing down
into her face with deep concern. "Wolverine?"

"Yes, darlin', 'Ro?" he asked in a gentle voice.

She was slowly remembering what had happened and thought, from the
way her body felt despite being struck by her own lightning, that
the Lewises must have healed her again. She really must thank
those women as soon as she had a chance to do so. "Is it still
here?" she asked quietly, referring to the Demon within the
blizzard.

"Unfortunately so, love, but it's not safe fer ya to go back out
there. We've caught a good wind, an' we're makin' good time. Rest
a little while so that if you're needed again, yer'll be able to
take on the world," he said with a grin. "Only you, 'Ro, would
attack the worst bleeding fairy I've ever seen!"

Crys opened her mouth to correct the man called Wolverine but
thought better of interrupting the two and hushed herself. Ororo,
however, nearly spoke Crys' very thought. "Whatever that creature
is," she gently informed Logan, "he is no fairy. However, if he's
still up there, are you sure that the normal wind will be enough?"

"It should be, darlin'. Rest until you feel a little stronger, an'
if we haven't gotten away, you can conjure those winds again."

"I feel fine actually, Wolverine," she told him, getting to her
feet with no problem. "I really must thank the Lewises. Where are
they?"

"It wasn't the Lewises this time, darlin'. It was this nice woman.
I still don't know her name." He looked inquiringly at Crys.

"You may call me Crys," she told them, "but please do not thank
me. I am only sorry that he hit you."

Ororo's blue eyes widened at that. "Why, child, you had nothing -- !"

Crys cut her off with a shake of her head. "As I have told the
gentlemen here, I have everything to do with it. He is after me."

"My name's Wolverine," he stated, "an' he won't have ya, at least
not while I'm alive an' then if he does me in, there'll be others
to step in. We'll overcome him. Just gotta get the Witches on it
or maybe Doctor Doom might come in handy. He's always spoutin' off
about one thing or another; maybe he's got the answer. This
beautiful lady," he said, turning to look at 'Ro, "is Ororo. I
call her 'Ro."

Crys nodded, taking in all that he said. The moment he stopped
speaking and gave her a chance to say something again, however,
she quickly told him, "I appreciate your offer, Wolverine, and
know you have the best of intentions. However, please do not make
such calls until you know exactly what it is you so freely and
kindly offer to involve yourself in."



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