_Title:_ Love on the High Seas #2: "Isle of New Beginnings"
_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 running it.
_Warnings:_ Abuse, Death, Lemon, Nudity, Rape, Sex, Torture, Violence
_Fandoms/Characters/Pairings:_ (Angel/BtVS) A/C, Fresley, Faith, Lorne,
Dawn, Connor; (Charmed) C/Pi, Prue, Phoebe, Paige, Kit; (Dawson's Creek)
Dawson; (Disney) Jack Sparrow/Will Turner, Hook/Smee, Sebastian; (Elvira)
Elvira, Gonk; (Excalibur) Kurtty; (Generation X) Sean Cassidy; (Harry
Potter) Albus Dumbledore, Snape; (Labyrinth) Jareth and company; (Peter
Pan) Hook/Smee; (The Pirate Movie) Frederic; (PotC) Jack/Will, Elizabeth;
(Sabrina) Salem; (Shrek) Donkey; (Smallville) Clex; (SU2) Carl; (10K)
Wolf; (X-Men) RoLo, Morph, Sean/Emma, Kurtty, Professor X; (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:_ Picking up where Love on the High Seas #1: Bright Promises of
Tomorrow left off, a handicapped Pirate and his crew arrive on an island
to investigate wreckage, but will they find any survivors? What will
happen when the Pirates come into contact with two other groups who
crashed onto the isle, and how will they escape the island that is filled
with danger, prehistoric beings, Supernatural beings, and much, much more
when all the ships have been destroyed? Huge multi-crossover with such
fandoms as Angel, BtVS, Charmed, Dawson's Creek, Disney, Excalibur,
Generation X, Harry Potter, Labyrinth, Peter Pan, The Pirate Movie,
Pirates of the Caribbean, Sabrina, Shrek, Smallville, Special Unit 2, 10th
Kingdom, X-Men, Xena, and more!
_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_
Elvira had been looking for Donkey ever since the injured had been
healed and he had yet to show himself. She now looked up at
Crystal and saw that she was still busily talking to the brunette
woman called Kitty, their lips moving almost as fast in
conversation as the dragons' were. She also noticed that they
seemed to be inching their way toward the living room, but a
glance at Lorne told her that he was aware of her mother. She knew
Crys wouldn't be able to do anything she shouldn't with Lorne
watching her, so Elvira decided that it was time somebody went in
search for Donkey.

The wolf started to leave the kitchen only to have Cindy call to
her. "{{{Where are you going?}}}"

Elvira looked at her sister. She knew Cindy would disapprove, but
she didn't care. Cindy hated all men and was blinded by that
prejudice. It was rare that the lioness bothered to help any of
them for any reason, and Elvira had not been the only one
surprised when she'd rolled Carl and Paige out of the way of
Piper's rising body earlier that morning. "{{{Donkey's
missing,}}}" she told her.

"{{{So?}}}" Cindy growled.

"{{{So I'm going to look for him,}}}" Elvira announced.

The lioness shrugged her shoulders in a muscular roll. "{{{Your
loss.}}}"

Elvira sniffed and walked from the room, her head held high. She
wondered where the best place to look for Donkey would be and
decided to try to follow his scent from their bedroom. Thus, she
headed back to their room and toward the bathtub where they'd
spent the previous night. She froze as she heard something.



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

Donkey was lying in the bathtub on his back with his hooves waving
in the air. He had been waiting most impatiently for some one to
come to his rescue. The others had rushed off and left him behind,
and when he had tried to get out of the tub, he had slipped and
fallen and couldn't get up. He was extremely tired of laying on
his back and singing to entertain himself, so he had finally given
up singing and began to make popping noises with his mouth. He
heard some one enter the bathroom. His voice was now a croak.
"Help!" he managed to get out.

Elvira looked toward the tub with instant concern on her face. Her
concern grew when she saw Donkey's legs waving helplessly in the
air. "{{{Donkey!}}}" she cried, rushing over to him. She stood up
on her hind legs, balanced her front paws on the rim of the tub,
and looked down at him. "{{{What happened?}}}"

"I've fallen, and I can't get up! Can you get me help?" he
implored, his teary eyes looking at her. "I thought no one cared!
You were gone so long, and no one came to check on me!"

"{{{Of course we cared,}}}" Elvira told him even while trying to
figure out how to help him, "{{{but things are just now settling
down. There were *dinosaurs* in the house! Miss Piper and Ororo
almost died!}}}"

"Oh my Gods! They're gonna eat me!" Donkey exclaimed in a squeak.
"Save yourself, Elvira! Run!"

"{{{Donkey, they're gone! The others killed them! Captain Jack and
Xena and Faith and Lex and Kitty and Clark and . . . Well, a lot
of them.}}}"

"Darn, and I missed it! I'd have liked to have gotten a good hoof
in there!"

Elvira looked at him with an even more puzzled expression.
Somehow, she just couldn't see him as a fighter. She shook her
head. "{{{Well, let's just see if we can get you out of there
now.}}}" She moved around the tub so that she could better
maneuver herself toward his neck. She leaned over but paused to
warn him, "{{{This is probably gonna hurt a little bit, but I
can't think of anything else.}}}" She then gently bit the scruff
of his neck and started trying to pull him out of the tub.

"Ow!" Donkey hollered. "What are you trying to do -- eat my skin
off?!"

Elvira tried to answer him, but her words were muffled by his
hair. She knew she was only trying to help, however, and pulled
harder.

Donkey felt himself slide even as the pain caused him to click his
teeth again. He tried not to holler. He wanted out of that tub so
badly that it wasn't funny. He didn't like pain, but he was
willing to endure some if it got him out.

When Donkey began to come, Elvira started backing up. Her teeth
felt as though they were ready to break off, but still she
continued to pull.

Just as Donkey thought he was coming out, he slipped again only in
the opposite direction, pulling Elvira in on top of him. He now
made eye contact with her as the slip had caused her to release
her hold. "Gotta have help. Somebody gotta turn the tub over,"
Donkey told her.

"{{{Well, I tried!}}}" Elvira yipped in protest. She tried to get
out of the tub, but her movements caused Donkey to slip again.
This time, they rolled together, and she ended up on the bottom.

Donkey brayed. "M-M-Miss Elvira!?! Are you all right under
there?!" He was scared he'd squashed her.

Elvira had to wriggle underneath Donkey to get her mouth free.
Finally, she was able to tell him, "{{{I'm fine, Donkey, but you
might want to hold your ears now. I'm going to call for help.}}}"
Without a further warning, she raised her voice in a long,
piercing howl.

Donkey had been about to ask her how he could cover his ears when
her mouth flew open. It was a good thing he was laying down
already or he would have fallen out. "Your melodious voice pierced
my ears," he told her, "but thanks!" He brayed again, hoping Will
would hear him and come to his rescue.



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

Crystal had been deep in conversation with Kitty when Elvira
suddenly howled. Her head jerked up immediately, her ice blue eyes
searching frantically for her lupine familiar. "Elvira?!" She was
answered by another howl. Without a word to any one, she dashed
from the kitchen with Blue and Cindy right on her heels. The
living room was still full of people, but she had to get to
Elvira!

Kitty and Lockheed had followed. "Take my hand!" she told her.

"What?"

"Just do it!"



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

Lorne looked at Chong. "Be back in a minute with that blue
dragon," he promised. "Meanwhile, I'm off to the rescue!" He ran
out of the room so fast that the people who saw him thought he was
flying right after Crys. He heard another howl even as he ran. He
prayed there weren't any dinosaurs in their room but couldn't
imagine what Elvira had found to howl about.

Crystal grabbed Kitty's hand, and Kitty was about to phase them
when she saw Lorne running. She reached out for him.

Lorne took Kitty's hand and was phased through the rest of the
crowd and into their room. The sounds were coming from the
bathroom, and he let go of Kitty and headed straight there only to
be met with a sight that made him laugh. Donkey was laying on his
back, all four hooves waving in the air, and Elvira was under him,
trying to crawl out. He wondered how she had managed to get in
that position.

"It's not funny!" Crys told him as she ran to the tub. The humor
of the situation failed her completely for all she could think was
that Elvira needed her help. She grabbed Donkey and began trying
to pull him off of Elvira.

"Easy, honey," Lorne told her. "I wasn't laughing at the
situation, just at the look on Donkey's face. How in the world did
you get in that position, Donkey?"

Donkey got the biggest grin on his face. "Just lucky, I guess."

Elvira had barely fixed Donkey with a Look and Crys was still
trying to pull him off of her when Cindy entered the room. She
took one look at the situation, growled, walked over, and swatted
Donkey in the rear before any one could react.

Donkey brayed. "Stop that!" he screeched. "I didn't get this way
on purpose!" One big tear dropped down his face.

"{{{Then get off my sister!}}}" Cindy started to raise her paw
again, but Crystal caught it.

"*Cindy!*" Elvira and Crys simultaneously scolded.

It was then that Kitty poked her head into the bathroom. "Can I
help, guys?"

"Maybe." Lorne looked at her and asked, "Is it possible even that
you could reach out, touch Donkey, and phase him through that
tub?"

Kitty walked over to the tub and felt her heart instantly catch at
the sight of the poor animals. "If he'll work with me," she
answered, kneeling beside the tub.

"I'll do anything!" Donkey pleaded. "Just please get me out of
here and off of Miss Elvira! I'm afraid I'm crushing her!"

"{{{Yeah. I wonder why when you're -- }}}"

Cindy was broken off by a fierce growl from Elvira. "{{{Cindy, if
you hurt him any more, I'll -- !}}}"

"*Neither* of you," Crystal informed them, "will do *anything*!"
She released Donkey and backed out of Kitty's way, though her own
gaze stayed firmly on Cindy and Elvira. All they needed now was a
fight between the two of them!

Donkey was hoping there wouldn't be a fight. He didn't mind
protecting Elvira, but Cindy had already caught him several times
with her claws and he didn't relish tasting them again.

Kitty reached her hands through the side of the tub, gently
touched Donkey, and phased him. She began to pull him towards her.

Lorne was trying to figure out how he could help but knew he
couldn't, so he watched in amazement as Kitty pulled Donkey
straight through the tub.

Elvira slunk out from underneath Donkey, then jumped from the tub.
She hurried to sit out of the way behind Lorne.

As soon as Donkey was free of the tub, he made his way to his feet
and shook himself all over. "Thank you, one and all, for your
help!" He looked around to where Elvira was sitting. "Are you
okay?" He hoped he had not hurt her.

"{{{I'm fine.}}}"

"Thank you for coming to check on me." He went over and lowered
his nose to hers.

Elvira smiled bashfully as Donkey's nose touched hers.

Donkey's heart went Thump! Thump!, and he thought, {Oh no! Here I
go again, falling in love with a female who'll never give me the
time of day!}

Crystal could not help the smile that spread over her face,
warming her features, as she looked at Elvira and Donkey. She
could tell from the look on her lupine partner that she was
beginning to have a taste of the same feelings Lorne had first
began invoking in her.

Lorne looked over at Blue. "Guess we all need to get back and help
Chong with breakfast?"

Blue cooed in agreement, but Kitty shook her head. "I'll . . .
catch up with you guys later. I need some air right now." Lockheed
looked over at his best friend and cooed gently; he knew she was
thinking of those they'd lost.

"You can't go alone, Kitty. You need to take some one with you.
You don't know what you'll find out there," Lorne reminded her.

"I'm just stepping outside for a bit, Lorne," Kitty assured him.
"I'll be fine, and besides . . . " She stretched a hand out to
Lockheed, and he perched on her closed fist. "I'm never alone."

"Aren't dragons wonderful things?" Lorne asked. "I thought they
were only mythological, but now I know two of them and I'm glad to
know both. See you later." He opened the door and waited for Crys
to exit.

Crystal watched as Kitty and Lockheed passed straight through the
bathroom wall and disappeared from their sight. She shook her head
slightly. Kitty's powers were highly unusual, but she couldn't
help wishing she had a touch of them. "Lorne," she spoke softly,
"I'm not ready to go down yet."

Lorne looked at her. "You promised you wouldn't do anything, Crys,
but I'm still afraid to leave you alone. I've only just found you
and I don't want to lose you, but I need to take Blue back to the
kitchen. Do you give me your word you'll be here when I get back?"

She nodded. "I promise," she told him. "I'm not trying to leave
you, Lorne. I'm just . . . " She looked down at her booted feet.
"I'm nervous."

"Angel and I will both stand with you when you're ready," Lorne
told her. "You know we've always got your back." He smiled at her.

"I know," she answered, sighing softly as she sat down on the side
of the tub. "It's just . . . " Her voice trailed off. How could
she explain the feelings that were tearing at her when even she
was ashamed of them?

Lorne could tell it was going to take a while and that Crys needed
to talk. He looked at Blue. "Do you know where the kitchen is?"

Blue cooed and took off.

Elvira looked from Crys to Donkey. "{{{I think we should go with
him,}}}" she whispered to him.

"Good idea," Donkey told her. Reaching the door first, he opened
it with his mouth and waited for Blue and Elvira to exit. He then
followed them toward the kitchen after quietly closing the door.

Lorne knelt beside Crys. He didn't know what to tell her, but he
knew she wanted to talk. Maybe listening would be enough?
"Sweetheart, I'm listening if you want to talk," he told her,
reaching out to take her hand in his.

She sighed again even as her fingers entwined with his. "I'm more
than nervous," she admitted, feeling his concerned eyes on her and
Cindy pressing gently into the side of her legs. "I'm . . . I'm
scared, Lorne. Not just that he'll . . . you know . . . " She
couldn't bring herself to say the words then. "But I also . . . I
don't want to take you away from your family," she told him, "and
I wish that there was some way that they . . . could become mine
too without . . . without the danger . . . Yet I know that's
selfish of me."

"They are your family, Crys, if you'll just let them in," Lorne
told her. "And as for danger, we face danger every day of our
lives. Jack goes into Hell, and we follow him. Yet somehow, we
always manage to defeat the enemy. We get scars and scratches, and
some have even died. But it never stopped us from following him.
He is a fair and just man, and he will do what is right by you."

It won't be just Angel and me taking your side and standing with
you; you'll see. Jack already knows what's going on and yet he
wants to stand by you. You've got a family, Crys. You just have to
let us all in, learn to count on some ones besides yourself and
your babies." He stroked her hand and then leaned upward and
kissed her.

Lorne's gentle kiss still stole her breath away, but after their
lips had parted, her free hand lovingly stroked his cheek. "Lorne,
I know Jack's determined, and so are Wolverine and Ororo. But they
only found out last night just what they're getting themselves
into, and their determination isn't because of me. It's because
they think they owe me. Still, though," she reminded him, "it's
not just his or our decision. Every one down there has to know
what's going on, and if they were here . . . well, were a part of
the crew before I came along . . . then it's only right that they
stay and I leave."

"If you leave, Crys, I'll go with you. You are my family, now more
even than Jack and the others." He pulled her up to where he could
kiss her even more deeply.

She knew he would and that that would place him forever in danger,
yet she nonetheless wanted him with her and never wanted to have
to leave him. Still, she did not want to have to rip him away from
the others, though she knew he'd come willingly. For now, however,
she just let their kiss push her fears from the front of her mind.
Her hand traveled his face, caressing every inch they came into
contact with before reaching his horns. She lovingly stroked each
of them, keeping her touch ever so gentle.

Lorne enjoyed his free moments with Crys and continued kissing
her, oblivious to Cindy being in the room. He scooped Crys up and
carried her to the bed where he began to make love to her yet
again.

Cindy padded silently over to the bathroom door and peered out at
the bed with a big grin on her face. Then hooking a paw around the
door, she pulled it closed.


_Chapter Twenty-two_
Wesley had not gone to join the fight as he was not a fighter but
a thinker. After the others cleared out of the basement, he
watched and waited patiently for his chance. His eyes darted every
now and again to the basement door.

Fred knew what he was thinking but also knew that the others had
grown aware of their presence. She grinned at Chong. "Ah just
can't wait for breakfast ta get started. Ah'm *starvin'*! Ah hope
the others hurry up soon."

Chong smiled and offered her a muffin. Even as Fred began to eat
and toss delighted compliments at the Chinese cook, she heard the
Irish man mumble something about going outside.

Chong looked toward the door where Sean was exiting with worried
eyes. He knew something must have him thinking about his past
again but also knew that he couldn't do anything about it.

It was then that Blue, Donkey, and Elvira entered. The trio
brought Chong's attention instantly to them, and Fred gently
elbowed Wesley. Now was their chance!

Wesley sneaked down the stairs carefully, hoping not to make a
sound and alert Chong that he was down there. He could not believe
the destruction of such rare beasts! He could tell the difference
between the two types of raptors, and he wanted to study both of
them more closely. He knew he could never carry one of the big
ones out of there without being seen, but he could take one of the
smaller ones which he now attempted to pick up.

Fred had followed behind Wesley and was sticking as close as she
could to him without risking the candle getting too close to him.
She gazed in amazement at the corpses that littered the ground.
"Somebody had fire down here," she commented, pointing out several
that were burned to a crisp. "Think it was the dragons?"

"No. It was probably that Sorceress woman. I think her name's
Delvira. She did come down here. What's that?" Wesley paused from
picking up the raptor to glance in the corner.

Fred peered at where Wesley was looking. She saw a round, whitish
object but could not tell what it was. She inched slowly closer
until the candlelight revealed the object to be . . . "An egg!"
Fred breathed excitedly.

Wesley looked from the egg to the raptor and back again. Could
Fred carry one of them -- maybe the egg -- or was it too heavy? he
wondered. He knew she could never carry the dinosaur, but he also
knew he couldn't safely carry both the raptor and the egg. "Fred,
see if you can pick the egg up."

Fred set the candle in a safe place nearby, then tried lifting the
egg. She had no problem lifting it but then frowned. "How are we
gonna get past them?"

"Good question," Wesley told her. "Let's take them to the top of
the stairs and figure something out once we get there."

Fred cradled the egg safely in one arm while holding the candle
with her other hand to light their way. When they reached the top
of the stairs, she again put the candle down and opened the door
just a tiny crack. She peered out but didn't see anybody.

When Wesley reached Fred, he looked out the crack, but he couldn't
see any one. "Don't see any one out there, Fred. Where could they
have gone?"

"The food's gone too," she whispered. "They must be settin' up in
the dinin' room. Places like this have dinin' rooms."

"How are we going to get past the living room?"

"Ah dunno," Fred answered, her slender shoulders lifting in a
shrug. "Maybe . . . Nah. Somebody'd be bound ta notice that."

"Let's find something to carry them in," he recommended. "You look
over there, and I'll look over here." He laid the raptor on the
floor and looked very quietly into the cabinets. He grinned when
he found a basket that was large enough to hold both the raptor
and the egg. He used a tablecloth to cover its top. "Act normal
when we go out there," he told her. "We'll take it up to our room
and study it!"

"Ah wonder . . . " Fred spoke while looking at the spot where she
knew the egg was hidden. "That egg's not cracked or anythin',
Wesley. Maybe we could . . . " It was then that the door opened,
and Chong came bustling in.

Wesley smiled at him. "Are there some knives that I could borrow?"

Chong looked at him weirdly. "What do you need knives for?" he asked.

"Protection," Wesley answered.

Chong wondered why he didn't have a sword like everybody else that
was running around when Fred piped up. "Ah just . . . Ah just
can't keep goin' around without *something* to protect me!" She
looked up at Chong with big, pleading eyes.

"There are plenty of knives," Chong told her, pointing to a
drawer. "Take your pick."

"Oh, thank ya!" She beamed at him, then rushed over to the drawer.

Wesley watched as Fred picked out several wicked-looking knives.
"That should do," he directed. "Thanks, Chong."

"You're welcome. Breakfast will be served soon." He tossed another
muffin at Fred. He hated seeing a skinny girl. He thought that if
she turned sideways, he'd miss seeing her. He turned his mind back
to picking up some more trays of food even as Wesley and Fred
slipped out of the kitchen and headed back to their room.

Once inside, Wesley took the dead raptor out and carried it over
to the table. He could hardly wait to start carving it and
discovering what was on the inside!



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

Cole was not sure how to be some one else's eyes. Should he take
Piper by the hand and lead her or scoop her up and carry her
there? Although the latter would be easier, she might not prefer
it. He thought he'd better ask her. After all, she had been the
one to run out that morning before he woke up.

Just because circumstances had changed to make her need him didn't
mean she wanted him. Yet, his mind could not help wondering, if
that were the case, why had she spoken to her sisters about loving
him? He was totally confused. "Piper? Do you want me to lead you
by the hand to the bathroom so you can wash or do you want me to
carry you?"

"I think . . . " She paused in what she had been about to say and
asked instead, "Are all my sisters gone?"

"Yes. I don't know where they went, but they've all wandered off
to get ready for breakfast, I guess."

"Then I . . . I think it might be best if you took us somewhere we
can talk and . . . be alone?"

Cole thought for a minute. The only place he figured nobody would
be was the place he didn't want to go -- where the dead raptors
were waiting in the basement. That left their room, but he figured
Brendan had probably returned to it. Piper's room would have Prue
for certain.

"We can check the room and see if Brendan's in it. Prue will be in
yours. I hope Brendan's not in mine." He hadn't seen him in a
while so he figured Brendan had holed up in the room. He scooped
Piper up and shimmered to the room only to find that it was empty
and dark. He lit a candle after he had sat Piper on the bed.
"Okay, darling. Talk to me," he said as he knelt before her and
took her hand in his.

Piper had been wondering if Brendan was indeed in the room but had
only heard what she thought to be Cole moving around. She then
heard his footsteps approach the place where she sat on the bed
and felt him take her hand in his. When he spoke to her, she knew
they were alone. "Cole, I know I have . . . a *lot* of explaining
to do . . . I don't want you to think for a moment, though, that I
regretted last night and that was why I wasn't here when you woke
up this morning. Last night was the most wonderful night of my
life."

He didn't say anything until he had lifted her hand and kissed it.
"I just figured you got up early and went to cook breakfast. I
know how you are -- always trying to take care of everybody else."

She sighed. "I do," she replied honestly, "but that's not going to
be so easy to do now and . . . and that's not why I wasn't here
this morning. I wasn't ready . . . to . . . to answer your
question then."

Cole was trying desperately to block the pain in his heart. Now
came the words that Cole dreaded. He almost wanted to block his
ears to keep from hearing them, but he also knew he had to hear
them. Maybe he could use them on himself later when he was being
an idiot, mooning over her? She didn't want him. It was plain for
him to see, but part of him kept telling him She must have wanted
you; she asked for you! He shook his head. "I don't know if I'm
ready to hear the answer, Piper," he told her.

"Cole," confusion creased her features as she informed him, "you
already did. I told my sisters . . . my *family*," she amended,
remembering that her godmother now knew as well, "that I love you.
I meant that then, and I mean it now."

"I love you too, Piper!" His eyes shone with love even though he
knew she couldn't see it. He pulled her to him and kissed her
tenderly. "My heart is singing, because it's so full of love for
you! I am so happy that you want me! You are my Angel! You are my
dream come true!" He kissed her again.

Her hands groped until she could find his face. She stroked his
cheeks lovingly but pulled back enough so that she could tell him,
"Cole, I'm not an Angel, no more than you are. I know you're a
Demon and a Pirate, and I love you still. You know already I'm a
Witch, but . . . Things might never be the same again," she
whispered sadly.

"Why do you think that, Piper? Do you even want them to be the
same? I think they'll be better! I know you can't see, but it may
be only temporary. Even if it isn't, I don't mind being your eyes.
It's an honor to be your eyes."

"But, Cole," she asked, "what if it *is* permanent? You say that
you don't mind being my eyes, but what if I'm like this for the
rest of my life?" There were tears in her eyes and throat, and she
had trouble making her words understandable for the emotions that
rose in her. She was scared not only for herself but for what her
handicap would mean to those she loved, and though she'd hidden
that fear well from her family, it was now coming out for she felt
no need to hide anything from the man she loved. "What good can I
be to any one if I can't see?!"

"Your eyes are not what make you you. It doesn't matter that you
can't do for us now. It's a chance for those of us who love you to
do for you. You've taken care of your family for your entire life,
Piper. Now it's time for you to relax and let others do for you.
There are people blind from birth that are able to do things. I
don't know how they learn, but maybe some one else here does. In
the meantime, you have but to ask and I'll do anything you want me
to." He knew she was afraid, but he would not let any harm come to
her.

She had not thought of that. Could it be possible that she could
learn to cope with never being able to see again? Never being able
to see his handsome face again? To see her sisters? "Cole, even if
it is possible that . . . that I could learn, I could never learn
to fight like this or . . . or to cook. I'd burn the whole house
down!"

"You can tell me how, and together we can cook. Together we can do
anything, Piper! You have but to believe! All things are
possible!"

She smiled sadly. "I remember my Mother telling me that when I was
a little girl. You know, we owe her a lot. I still didn't know
what in the world I was going to do until I saw her. But . . . "
There was a question that had been weighing on her mind since
seeing her mother and grandmother, but she had dared not ask a
single soul about it. "Cole, as glad as I was to see them, at the
same time, I was scared. I didn't want to be without you or my
sisters. Does that . . . Does that make me a bad daughter?"

"No, sweetheart! You have never been a bad daughter, a bad
anything! Your mother and grandmother loved you a great deal as do
the rest of your family. You were not a bad daughter. You've done
everything you can for every one you love. Don't think because
they died and you lived, that you failed them. They had a choice,
and they made it. You, being the dutiful daughter, even though you
knew it was wrong, attempted to follow through with them."

"Actually, I . . . I thought they were doing the right thing," she
told him. "After all, we had no other means of escape, and if we'd
fought them, it would have only made things worse for others. We
didn't know you were coming." She stroked his cheeks. "I would
have never dared dream of such a rescue being real."

"I'm just glad that we were there to rescue you in time but sorry
that we couldn't rescue the ones that passed. Humans are strange.
Some of them you could live without for they're evil through and
through while there are others, who if you had to live without
them, your life would not be complete. Some of them help you in
every way that they can and never expect anything back in return.
I've been lucky to have some of the good ones in my life. I have a
feeling you've had good ones in your life, as well, besides your
family. Don't blame all of them for the stupidity and the
wrong-doings of the weak-minded. You're lucky. I don't think we
have a single member of our family that's not good deep down in
their heart and won't do everything in their power to help you.
I've considered myself to be lucky to be allowed to be with them,
and now I'm even luckier because I have you."

She smiled, his words warming her heart. Her hands were still
cupping his face, and she leaned forward slowly until finding his
lips. Then she touched her own to his.



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

Sean walked with his hands stuffed in his pockets and his gaze
upon the ground. He was lost deep in thought of the beautiful
woman he had once been lucky enough to have as a wife. Even though
he had only had her a short while, her memory had stayed with him
through the centuries. He could see her still -- her blonde hair
flowing in the wind as she gave him a come-hither smile. She had
been wild when he had found her, but one kiss had tamed both of
them -- at least, tamed them enough that their hearts were forever
tied.

He did not look where he was walking and almost fell over a black
cat. He wondered why the cat was outside on its own and reached
down to pick the cat up. He almost dropped the cat when the cat
said, "Hello, Sean! It's been a long time."

"*Salem!?!*" Sean asked. "Where have ye been?!"

Salem peered at him. "You want the long version or the short one?"

"We have nothin' but time on our hands, so tell me the long
version." Sean had thought Salem was dead, but there was no
mistaking his voice. This was the first time Sean had run across
any other people that had been involved in the Crime of the
Millennium! He had thought them all to be dead! He could not
believe that, at long last, he was talking again to his fearless
leader! "They made ye a cat, aye?"

Salem nodded and began to talk. He started with his punishment and
what little he'd learned of the others, leaving out the facts that
he had recently met up with James, Smee, and even Jareth. He told
him about being trapped with the Spellmens but did not admit to
all that they had done to him. He only gave Sean a small taste of
that, but still it was enough to make the Irish man burn with
fury. He could tell that Sean was aching to blast them when he
told him that they'd even tried selling him for stud service but
was quick to assure his old friend, at last, that he'd ran away.
Then began the tale of how he had found himself in such a horrid
market only to be rescued by Faith and the others. He wound the
story up with explaining how they'd come to crash on the island.

Sean listened, and his anger grew even more. "If I could get me
hands upon the bloody bitches, I'd make 'em pay fer all they did
tae ye an' fer all they thought about diing an' did nae ha'e a
chance tae carry out!"

"They met theirs," Salem purred reassuringly to him. "That same
Demon that sent us into crashing here destroyed Port Royal and
everything left on it."

Sean continued carrying Salem and headed back into the house.
"'Tis good tae be wit' ye again, ol' friend. Is there any . . .
cure fer ye bein' a cat?"

"I had a chance once," Salem replied, "but those bitches made sure
I failed it." He shook his head. "That's in the past, though, and
there's something in the present that I believe should have your
attention." He smiled mysteriously up at Sean. "Or should I say
some ones?"

"Who's that, Salem?" Sean asked.

"James Hook," Salem answered, "Smee, and the wife of none other
than our dear old friend, Jareth!" His tail swished.

Sean could not believe what he was hearing. "They're all alive an'
here?! How can that be? I thought they were all dead! Will
miracles never cease?! Where are they?!"

"They all took rooms on the first floor." Salem sniffed the air
and began directing Sean.

Sean carried Salem carefully and followed the directions Salem was
giving him. He knocked on one of the doors and was delighted when
it was opened by Smee. "Smee, ye ol' seadog!" Sean hollered. He
reached out and grasped him in a bear hug.

Smee was hugging Sean just as hard and grinning just as big, but
what the two men did not realize was that they were about to
squish all the air out of Salem! "B-B-Br . . . " Salem tried
desperately to squeak out.

"Sorry, Salem," Sean told him even as he sat the cat upon the
floor. "Should've put ye down first. Where's James?" he asked.

Salem licked a paw.

James had been sitting in a chair with his feet up, trying to
rest. He had come to his feet the minute the door had opened, his
hand going to his sword. "Sean!" he called out to his friend even
as he stepped forward, hand extended.

Sean took James' hand but then drew him into a hug. Smee's grin
grew even larger as he joined in. James returned the hug. He
wondered what kind of plan was coming into play. This was the
first time since it had happened that any of them had been able to
be together!



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

Logan had not let go of 'Ro since she had come back around, but he
had maneuvered her out of the house to a private place. Now he
released her. "Ya gotta a lot o' explainin' ta do, little darlin'.
I wanna know why you were down in the basement unprotected ta
start with. All ya had to do was ask me an' I would've went with
ya." He gazed concernedly into her eyes.

She had been waiting for the questions to come but had not
expected them to start in this manner. Perhaps she should not have
allowed him to steer her, but now it was too late. Besides, she
would still have to face him sooner or later, and running away
would be the coward's way out. She was not a coward. "Logan, I do
not need a man to protect me!" Lightning flashed in her angry
eyes, but then she relented just a tad at the look on his face. "I
know you're concerned and you have every right to be, but I am
never unprotected."

"But, 'Ro, darlin', we're supposed ta be partners! Ya went without
me! I know ya can take care o' yerself most times, but look what
happened! I almost lost ya!" He reached out, grabbed her again,
and hung on to her as though he would never let go. "I couldn't
bare that, 'Ro! I just found ya, an' I know yer tough an' able to
protect yerself, but if I'd've been there, I could've torn those
dinosaurs limb from limb before they ever got ya! I'd've smelled
'em, an' you two would've never been down there!"

The depth of his concern surprised her yet also warmed her heart.
Was there still a chance for them? Did he truly care so deeply for
her even after last night? "Logan," she spoke with a gentle smile,
raising a hand up to touch his face, "even you should know the
folly of that. You would have gone down there, and there is no way
I would have let you go alone."

"I wouldn't've let ya go alone, an' don't tell me Piper was with
ya! She has about as much protection as a newborn babe! Ya
would've been lunch for those things! I would've never gotten to
hold ya again or tell ya how much I love ya! Uh-oh," he said. "I
didn't mean to go ahead an' blurt that out. I know yer not ready
an' I didn't wanna put pressure on ya. But since I did, I might as
well go ahead an' tell ya that I love ya more than any woman I've
ever known before an' there've been a lot o' women in my life but
none as special as you." He grew quiet, expecting her to be angry
at him.

Tears filled her eyes instead. "Oh, Logan . . . " she breathed his
name before leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss against his
forehead. "I do love you," she admitted. "I don't know how this
could have happened as fast as it has, but I know that I do.
That's . . . That's why I wasn't there this morning and why I
ended up going down with Piper to the basement. I was scared . . .
scared that you would no longer want me."

"Oh Gods, 'Ro! You're mistakin' on that! I haven't stopped wantin'
ya since the first minute I saw ya! I . . . still don't know how I
got so lucky last night, but ya made all my dreams come true, all
except one, an' that one I hope yer'll make come true." He
released her for a minute, reached up around his neck, and removed
his amulet.

"I . . . I want you to wear this, 'Ro, always next to yer heart.
It will protect ya. My dream is . . . one day, fer ya to marry me.
I know I ain't got nothin' to offer ya now. I'm just a Pirate, but
I will one day. I have ambitions. I'm not lazy, an' I'm a hard
worker." He looked up into her eyes, awaiting her decision.

Ororo's heart was soaring though already her mind was calculating
the risks. "Do not talk that way about yourself, Logan. You may be
a Pirate, but you are not a "just" anything and have so much to
offer. I've never been one to seek riches." She paused, "Well, not
in that manner at least. You are the kind of man I have always
dreamed about and never thought existed. You possess a good heart,
a fierce yet loyal spirit, and a wise mind -- all attributes far
greater than any wealth."

He held the amulet out to her. "Then you'll wear my amulet?" he
asked hopefully.

She reached out for it at first, but her hand gently touched his
instead of the amulet. "There is still a lot you do not know about
me," she warned him, "and I must also consider the girls. They
must have some one there for them, but I have not asked them yet
if they . . . if they plan to stay."

"There's so much about me that ya don't know, 'Ro, that it could
fill a book, but we have time fer that later. I hope the girls'll
want ta stay, but if they don't, when we get rescued, we can
always go to Tortuga or somewhere else. I want us to be a family."
He smiled at her. "I'll always be there for you an' 'em. 'Course
by takin' me, you're gettin' a ready made family any way."

She smiled. "A fact that only makes the blessing so much greater.
Logan, I never thought this day would come. I'd . . . given up on
men, on family . . . but yes, I want to be yours and make our
families one!"

"Then you've just made me the happiest man in the world, 'Ro! Lean
down here so that I can put my amulet on ya!"

Her hands lifted from him as she knelt before him. She bowed her
head and swept her long, white hair to one side, allowing him
access to her neck. Her mind tried to wonder, but her heart pushed
its fears away. Logan was unlike any other man she'd ever met. He
loved her, and she loved him! This union was not a lie; it was
destiny and a blessing from the Goddess who she silently thanked.

He tied the amulet around her neck in a secure knot and then
kissed her neck where it rested. He wished he were a taller man so
that he could sweep her into his arms and plant his lips on hers,
but size did not seem to matter to her. He walked around in front
of her, slipped his arms around her, and kissed her. "When yer
ready to tie the knot, little darlin', let me know. We have
several that can perform the ceremony." He kissed her again with
deepening passion.

Logan's kisses were burning her to her core, and she was returning
them with full force and then some. Gentle breezes played over
their bodies and whistled through the branches of surrounding
trees. She would have loved to have stayed there with him for an
eternity, but she knew that their talk was not yet over and, in a
way, was just beginning. Reluctantly, she lifted her lips from
his. "Logan, I know the entire crew is your family in a way, but
is there any one else that you consider family as deeply as Jack?"

"Jack an' Brendan are my adopted sons. They're both special ta me;
Goddess bless their souls. Haven't been able ta do much ta help
either one o' 'em. They never knew a mother, an' yet they both
turned out good. Jack was always the easier o' the two, an'
Brendan the shyest."

"Jack's life is turnin' out good. He's got Will, an' I thank the
Gods fer the boy. He's got his hands full 'cause Jack does have
some hang-ups. But Brendan . . . I haven't the foggiest clue what
ta do ta help him. I never expected him ta get hung up with your
neice! I don't know if ya heard earlier, but Prue slept with him
last night. I didn't mean ta overhear, but I did an' now the boy's
gone into hidin'."

"Well, I need to talk with the girls, and perhaps you should see
to Brendan?"

"Already tried. Can't find him. I hope to Gods he ain't gone out
with the dinosaurs!"

"You can not . . . sniff him out?"

"Well, I sniffed him out ta the point that he went in the kitchen
an' I was so upset about everythin' goin' on that I didn't find
him. I've got ta get back on the trail, so I guess that'll give
you an' the girls a chance ta talk." He reluctantly released her.
"I'll be close, 'Ro. All ya have to do is call."

"Logan," she called before he could walk off on her, "there is
something else."

"Yes, darlin'?" he asked hopefully.

"Two things actually. For one, I may know some one who either can
or knows some one who can help Brendan."

"Ya do? Where is she?"

"It is not a she," Ororo replied with a shake of her head, "but a
he." She lifted an inquiring brow. "Have you ever heard of a
Professor Charles Xavier?"

"Can't say that I have. Who is he?"

"A very well-known man in many circles, but that is not important.
What is important is that he has dedicated his life to helping
others with all sorts of powers. I . . . met him once. It was at a
time that . . . I did not have my powers . . . He trained me then
but told me that, should I ever require his aid again, he would
gladly give it."

"Well, little darlin', it'll have ta wait 'til we get off this
accursed island. If Jack had only known, he wouldn't've bought it!
But he wanted it fer Will. He figured since he got marooned on it
so many times, that he'd have a chance ta see Will more often even
though he was married ta Elizabeth. What I wanna know is just
where the Hell the damn dinosaurs came from?! They weren't here
when he was here or he wouldn't be here now! Don't make any
sense!" He was holding her hand even as they walked back to the
house. "If ya wanna go outside fer any reason, 'Ro, let me know
an' I'll go with ya."

"On one condition."

"What's that?" he asked.

"You do the same. Neither of us should be out here alone, Logan. I
tried to fight those dinosaurs, but they were too swift. If they
are too fast for my powers, they may well be too fast for your
claws."

"That's true, little darlin'. I promise I won't go anywhere
without ya. After all, we are partners." He winked at her. "Guess
I better be about huntin' Brendan."

She nodded. "And I the girls. But . . . Do you think we could get
the lot of them together?" she asked. "They have a right to know
about . . . their extended family."

"Jack's havin' some kind o' a meetin' right after breakfast. Might
be a good time ta announce it. Probably knock his feet right out
from under him! He never will expect this, not in a million years!
First he gets his love, an' then I get mine! Will wonders never
cease?! Bless the Goddess!"

"Ho," 'Ro agreed with a smile. She leaned down and captured his
lips again with her own. "Be careful, sweetheart."

He breathed in her scent one last time and then headed off for the
kitchen. He saw Chong in the kitchen even as he walked toward the
dining room. "Have ya seen Brendan?" he asked.

"Who's that?" Chong returned.

"He was the guy who was in here a while ago, whippin' up that
strange concoction for Angel's lady."

"Ah, yes, I have. He came running in here a moment ago, saying
something concerning a Prue."

"Figures. Which way did he go?"

Chong eyed the man for a moment, then stepped over and opened a
cabinet. He let himself out of the kitchen.

"Brendan, what are ya doin' under there?" Logan asked him. "Come
outta there!"

Brendan peered nervously around the room. "Where is she?" he
whispered.

"With her Aunt 'Ro! She's not after you! I thought ya two were
gettin' along. What happened?"

Brendan sighed and would not meet his eyes. "When I woke up this
morning, I . . . She was with me, Wolverine!"

"Congratulations!" Logan told him. "She's one heck of a woman!
Lucky you!"

"Lucky me?" Brendan repeated in disbelief. "_*Lucky Me?!*_" His
voice rose in anger as yellowed eyes turned to flash up at Logan.

"Don't go wolfing out on me, boy, or I'll call Jack with the cane!
What is yer problem?!"

"Why do you even ask?! Can't you see? Wolverine, you know I can
not control the wolf! She's lucky to be alive now, especially
after . . . after . . . after she slept with me!"

"Wasn't there somethin' about she had ta sleep with the wolf
before ya would get yer powers under control? Well, if she slept
with ya, can ya control yer powers now? Ya didn't eat her. She's
alive and healthy; I just saw her."

"I know I did not eat her, and yes that is Wolf's ridiculous
claim! But I do not even *remember* last night, and I would
*never* have consented to allow her to . . . to endanger herself
like that!"

"Brendan, ya sleep like the dead! If ya didn't do it to her, then
what happened?! Maybe ya just slept with her? Ya know, like side
by side, not sexually?"

"That's what I had began to hope," he admitted, still making no
move to come out of the cabinet, "but that is certainly not what
she implied to her sisters!"

"Girls tell each other tales, 'specially when they want somethin'
as bad as Prue does. If she had the opportunity ta talk about it,
she'd probably make out like ya two are already doin' it. Ya don't
know much about women, Brendan. All ya know o' women are the
whores yer've been around all yer life, includin' the bitch who
messed ya up. Prue's a lady. I don't believe she'd take it away
from ya. She wants ya to give it ta her freely an' because ya love
her. Ya need ta go talk ta her but not now 'cause 'Ro's talkin' ta
her."

Brendan sighed. Could Wolverine be right? He loved the man like a
father, but that did not mean that he knew everything. Still, he
needed to know and there was only one way to find out for certain.
"But I can not even be trusted to be around her, let alone alone
with her!"

"I can stay within shoutin' distance, Brendan, but this is really
somethin' ya two should talk about in private."

At last, Brendan rolled out from the cabinets, but he remained
sitting on the floor a moment, his head in his hands. Finally, he
looked back up at Wolverine with the confused and scared look of a
boy nowhere near his age. "So you really don't think she . . . ?"

"There're two things I know about women that ya can always count
on. A lady wants a gentleman ta court her. Even if she's
guaranteed that she's gonna get him in the end, she never takes
the upperhand unless yer in the bedroom together, both parties
willingly. But a whore takes every chance she can. Which do you
think Prue is?"

"A lady."

"Then I rest my case, son. Go look yer lady up an' talk to her.
'Ro should be done talkin' to the girls by now. I'll be close."

Brendan's eyes turned toward where he knew the stairs lay. "It
could wait 'til after breakfast."

"Okay. After breakfast but no later. Ya know what today is, an' ya
know how ya get as the day goes on."

Brendan nodded and finally got to his feet.

"Go clean yerself up an' get ready fer breakfast. Knock on yer
brother's door an' let him know everybody's waitin' on him."

Brendan nodded again. "Yes, sir."

"Let me know when yer ready ta talk ta Prue."

"I will." He left the room and headed first for Jack's. It was
only when he knocked on his door that he realized that he had
nowhere to go after telling Jack for Cole and Piper had taken over
his room.

Jack had finished cleaning up and wrapped a towel around himself
as he walked to the door. He opened it to find Brendan standing
there with a lost look on his face. "Come on in, Brendan. What
brings you?"

"Wolverine told me to tell you that everybody's waiting on you,"
Brendan informed Jack, "but I guess they're going to be waiting on
me now."

"Why will they be waiting on you? I have a good excuse; I have to
get dressed. You look like you're already ready."

"I need to wash up," he explained, "especially after the places
I've been this morning."

"No problem. Will's in there. Knock on the door. Let him know it's
you. I'll get us some clothes."

Brendan nodded as he made his way toward the bathroom. "Thanks,
Jack." He wondered why he had not asked him why he couldn't wash
up in his own room but did not volunteer the information.

Jack had already been puzzling out where he could stick Brendan so
he could be by himself. He knew that the rooms were already taken
and that Prue was in a room by herself now that she once shared
with Piper but that Piper would not be returning to it as she was
now with Cole. He wasn't sure if there were any other available
rooms downstairs, but he knew all the ones upstairs were taken.

He opened the clothes closet. There was a gigantic hole in the
back of the closet. Just what in the Hell had made it?! Jack
wondered. He looked for claw marks but didn't see any. He looked
down the darkened hole and listened but didn't hear anything.
{Carl}, he thought, {up to his usual!} Had he been in the room
with him while he and Will were doing it and they had not known
that he was there?! Jack would talk to him right after Crys' talk.

He picked out three outfits. Brendan and Will were about the same
size, but Jack was shorter. When he put his pants on, he had to
put cuffs on his pants.


_Chapter Twenty-three_
When Ororo reached the top floor, she called out, "Girls? I need
to talk to you all."

Prue came out of her room and hugged her aunt. "They're in there
with Carl and Joxer! I don't know why they're all in the same
room." She walked over and knocked on the door. "Phoebe, Paige,
Aunt 'Ro wants to talk to us."

"Coming," Phoebe called.

Paige attempted to be a different story, however. She frowned.
"Can't it wait?"

It was at that time that Joxer let out a screech. Phoebe whirled
around, took one look at the scene, and shouted, "*PAIGE
HALLIWELL, DON'T YOU DARE GET CARL UNDER YOUR SKIRTS IN HERE!*"

Paige shrugged. "I was just trying to -- *Ow!*" She broke off
talking as Phoebe grabbed her ear and began dragging her toward
the door.

Ororo looked at Prue.

"We can talk in my room," Prue volunteered, choosing not to
acknowledge what they'd overheard.

Phoebe opened the door with a blush. "Sorry about that."

"Paige is the one who should be sorry!" Prue said. "Don't you ever
get tired of that?!"

"Huh . . . No?"

Ororo shook her head. "Girls, go into Prue's room while I get Piper."

"She's in Cole's room, and it's down there," Prue informed her,
pointing at the door. "You might not can get her out of there.
It's been very quiet in there for a long time. I've been
listening. I had my door open just a little. That's why I heard
you when you first came up."

Ororo nodded. "I'll fetch her," she insisted. "We must all talk."

Prue led the way back into her room. She didn't want to see Cole
get into a fuss with Auntie 'Ro, and she figured that was what was
about to happen. She couldn't blame Cole for wanting to protect
Piper, but she thought he'd gone overboard as she hadn't seen hide
nor hair of her sister since the living room.

Ororo watched as Prue shut the door behind them. She then walked
over to Cole's door and knocked lightly.

Cole walked silently over to the door. Piper had managed to doze
off. He knew it was because she was extremely tired after the
ordeal she'd just gone through. He opened it a crack and looked
out. He was surprised to see 'Ro standing there. He opened it a
little wider and slipped outside, closing the door behind him.
"What can I do for you, 'Ro?"

"It's Piper I'm after actually," she told him. "We're having a
family meeting."

"She's sound asleep. Right after I brought her up here, we talked
for a few minutes, and she went out like a candle in the wind.
She's totally exhausted. You want me to try and wake her?"

"She'll have to wake soon to eat any way," she gently answered,
"and this is of importance."

"You want to wake her?" Cole asked. He opened the door, allowing
'Ro to step inside.

She followed him but declined the invitation as she knew how he
felt about Piper. "I think it might be best for you to do so."

Cole went back over to the bed, sat on the edge of it, and brushed
Piper's hair back out of her face. "Piper, sweetie? Wake up. Your
aunt 'Ro's here. She wants to talk to you about something. Piper?"
he called to her again.

Piper slowly began to stir. "Cole?"

"Yes, darling. Your Aunt 'Ro's here. She wants to talk to you
about something," he repeated, knowing she had not heard him the
first time.

"I know you're tired, Piper," Ororo added, "but this is a matter
that must be discussed. Your sisters are waiting in Prue's room."

"What's wrong?" Piper asked, instantly worried.

"Nothing, my dear. Well, nothing short of the obvious, at least."

"You want me to take you across to your sister's room, Piper?"
Cole asked.

She nodded. "Yes, please." She wondered what was going on.

He scooped her up out of the bed and shimmered instantly to Prue's
room, arriving in the midst of giggling females. He lay Piper on
the bed. "When you're ready to come back, Piper, just call to me
in your mind. I'll come back for you." He leaned down, kissed her,
and then quickly shimmered out, not wanting to get caught in the
midst of a family fuss.

Ororo was waiting with a puzzled look when she saw Cole reappear.
She realized then that he had simply teleported Piper to Prue's
room. "Thank you, Cole," she told him, "and thank you also for
taking such good care of her."

"I love her, 'Ro. I know I'm not worthy of her, but I love her.
I'll do anything for her. It's an honor to be able to do something
for her." He smiled at 'Ro.

Ororo could not help mentally comparing Cole's words now to a
certain part of what Logan had told her. What was with these men
that they thought they offered so little when they were, in truth,
so wonderful to their beloveds? "Cole, you are a good man," she
told him, "and Piper is blessed to have you as you are to have
her. I'll make sure you're called when the meeting is over." She
turned and began to walk out.

Cole watched her go, wondering what he could do to pass the time
until Piper had need of him. He busied himself tidying the room
that was already neat.



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

Ororo paused just outside Prue's door. Her fingers hesitated where
they had taken the handle. She had not expected this talk to come
so soon, but in a way, it might even be past time that they had
it. She knew she had to talk to them, had to open herself
completely up to them, but she could not help being nervous. Her
free hand reached up to gently touch Logan's amulet. The time had
come, though, and with it, a blessing beyond anything she could
have ever dreamed. Finally, she opened the door, entered, and shut
it quietly behind her.

Prue looked at her aunt questioningly. Was she here to chew her
out about sleeping with Brendan? She figured since her outburst,
every one in the house knew.

Phoebe and Paige also looked worriedly at Ororo. Were they about
to get reamed?

Piper turned toward the sound of the door opening. "Aunt Ororo?"

"Yes, my child," 'Ro answered her, "it is me. I . . . " How
*should* she start? She moved closer toward the bed and tried
again, "I know the last couple of days have been a whirlwind for
us all, and I know you have a lot of feelings arguing with each
other. However, I've also noticed that you each seem to be growing
close to certain gentlemen."

{Uh-oh! Here it comes!} Prue thought and braced herself.

Phoebe and Paige also exchanged a worried look, but Piper remained
strong. She would not allow her godmother, no matter how much she
loved her, to ream her for following her heart! Besides, she
thought, 'Ro wouldn't do that . . . would she?

The room had grown so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop.
Ororo's next words seemed to echo to the girls' ears. "They are
not normal men by any stretch of the imagination, but that does
not matter. What *does* matter is that they are Pirates."

"Don't you dare -- "

Ororo looked at Piper in surprise. "I am not about to condemn
them, my child, for there is nothing wrong with the lives they
have chosen. However, it does raise a question for each of us.
After all, do any of you truly wish for them to give up their
dreams?"

"No, I don't want Brendan to give up his dreams," Prue told her,
"but I don't want to give him up either! I love him! I don't care
if he's a Pirate! Although a girl could wish for a little more of
what Pirates are supposed to be about -- the raping and pillaging
part," she whispered as though the walls had ears.

Her slight admission caused Phoebe to look at her. "But I thought
you -- "

"What? Slept with Brendan?" Prue finished for her. "I did, but
that's all we did!"

"Thank Gods I'm not the only one -- " Phoebe gasped as she
realized her words were aloud and covered her mouth with both
hands.

Paige could not believe her ears. "Wait a minute. Me and the
virgins are the only ones who've been getting any action?!"

Ororo sat at that; luckily, her winds caught her.

Prue nodded. "Although I slept with Brendan last night, a
hurricane wouldn't have woke him up! He's dead to the world!"

"So are you, Prue, when you sleep!" Phoebe told her. "I don't know
how many times I've tried to wake you up to no avail!"

"It's not that. I actually got to sleep *with* him, my head on his
shoulder, and he snuggled up to me! It felt wonderful, but I
wanted so much more! It just didn't happen!"

"Prue," Ororo managed to recover enough from her surprise that
Paige had just let out to all of them not only Piper's but her
activities the previous night as well to speak, "Brendan is afraid
for a very good reason, but that does not mean that he does not
want you. He has powers that he can not control, a being always
within him that could come out at any moment and tear any of you
limb from limb. If he did not care for you so much, it would be
easier for him, but he does care a great deal for you."

"I guess that's why he's hiding? I can't find him anywhere!" It
was at that moment that it hit Prue that 'Ro had been doing
something the night before. "Auntie 'Ro! You didn't!" She stared
at her aunt in shock. She'd never realized till that moment that
'Ro had a life all her own outside of being their aunt and
godmother and that that life was full of sex. She racked her
brain, trying to figure out who it was her aunt had been with, and
then she realized that the only man she'd seen her with had been
Wolverine.

'Ro would not meet their gazes. "I did," she admitted in a soft
whisper. "And I do not regret it. I . . . thought I would, but I
do not."

Phoebe saw the necklace around 'Ro's neck. "That's pretty, Aunt
'Ro! Where'd you get that?"

"Lo -- " She quickly cleared her throat. "Wolverine."

Prue looked at the necklace. She'd thought she had seen it before,
but then she noticed the amulet and realized that that was the one
Phoebe was talking about. She knew that Wolverine wore it and that
it meant something else now that she could see it around her
aunt's neck.

Paige looked at it. "Why'd he give that to you?" she asked.

"What *is* it?" Piper wanted to know.

"Wolverine's necklace," Prue told her, "is now around Auntie 'Ro's
neck!"

"What?" Piper breathed in disbelief.

"It is true," Ororo answered. "Last night, we shared the most
magical moment, but I . . . I was afraid today. I thought you knew
this morning and did not realize that you were referring to your
situation with Cole. As for why he gave it to me . . . We are
together," she told them. "We are partners and . . . more . . . "

"He wants to marry you?" Prue asked even as she rushed forward to
hug her aunt. "Congratulations, Auntie 'Ro! I like him!"

Joy filled 'Ro's heart again as Prue embraced her. She descended
from the air and stood so that she could fully return Prue's hug.
It was then that she was also tackled by Paige.

Phoebe remained on the bed, looking at them with worried eyes.
"There's more though, isn't there?" she asked.

Ororo nodded. "Yes." She led Prue and Paige back to the bed. "I
would love to marry Wolverine," she admitted, "but it may not be
that simple."

"Why isn't it that simple?" Prue asked her. She had seen the two
together and believed that Wolverine did love her aunt. There did
not seem to be any obstacles between them.

"I . . . " 'Ro faltered, realizing that she needed to begin before
the last few days. "My parents died when I was a baby," she told
them, "and it was not until I met your mother and she began having
you girls that I had a family. I am sorry she and your grandmother
are gone. I miss them both as I know you all do, but I love each
and every one of you as though you were my own. I'm blessed to
have a family, and I am glad that you are each finding your
heart's desire as I have. However, that raises a question for each
of us . . . " She looked at each girl as she spoke, "None of you
wish to make your men give up their dreams, but this life of
piracy is one of their dreams. You can not have your men and they
have their dreams unless . . . "

"Unless we stay with them," Piper finished for her aunt as Ororo
let the sentence hang in the air. "Unless we become Pirates
alongside them."

"I want to be a Pirate," Prue said, "if that's what Brendan truly
wants! I plan to follow him wherever he goes! He can't hide deep
enough that I won't find him! Sooner or later, I'll find him! I
feel that we're destined to be together! I'm not giving him up,
and if it takes being a Pirate, then I'll be a Pirate!"

Paige grinned. "I like the life of a Pirate -- carefree, able to
do what you want to do when you want to do it! It's fun!"

"There's a great deal more to it than fun, Paige. This is a life
full of danger."

"Witches are always in danger," Phoebe spoke up again, "but
they're not afraid of us. They welcome us just the way we are."

"We know it's dangerous, Auntie 'Ro," Piper told her. "We've all
already tasted that what with that Demon the night of the crash
and the dinosaurs here, but . . . I love Cole, and I want to be
with him . . . " Her voice trailed off again, and a sad look
suddenly replaced her determined one.

"Piper?" 'Ro asked, reaching out a hand to gently touch hers.

"I'm just not so sure if I can do it now."

Prue reached out and hugged Piper. "We don't know that you won't
regain your sight, but even if you don't, you can still be there
for him. You know he loves you, and I know you love him. Things'll
work out," she reassured Piper.

"But what if it doesn't come back, Prue? What if I'm like this
from now on? Cole already told me that he'd be my eyes forever if
need be, but how's he supposed to be able to fight and protect
himself while also protecting me?"

"There are ways to make up for the loss of a sense."

"I know. He told me I could learn, but . . . Fighting?"

Ororo nodded. "Yes. I've heard of it before, and we will find you
a teacher."

Phoebe said, "I love my Joxer, even if things are not working out
right now, and I don't want to lose him so I guess I'll be a
Pirate as long as he wants to be one."

"So I guess we're all decided, Aunt 'Ro. We're standing by our
men, and we're going to be Pirates! We've just got to find
somebody to teach us, and I know just the woman but I don't know
if she'll do it. Captain Xena?"

"Well . . . " 'Ro replied. "I do not know if she would, though I
imagine she'd be glad to. However, you do not have to reach that
far to learn how to fight."

"We don't?" Piper asked.

Ororo caressed her hand reassuringly. "Unfortunately, you do for
now, my dear, but the rest of you don't."

"Who then can teach us?" Prue asked.

Ororo looked at them with a sly smile.

"Auntie 'Ro?" Paige asked.

"I can."

"But you're not a fighter! I've never seen you fight!" Prue told her.

"I am, but it is a part that I put away a long time ago. There is
a lot you do not know about me, my girls. I once was . . . not too
far away from being a Pirate myself."

"Cool!" Phoebe exclaimed. "We already got a Pirate in the family!"

"You wanna tell us about it, Aunt 'Ro?" Prue asked.

"I was not a Pirate, Phoebe, but close enough to it. We will still
need instructions for life at sea, but . . . I was once a fighter,
an adventurer, and . . . a thief. I had to find a way to survive
after my parents died, and that was when I met him . . . " At long
last, she began to tell them about her past.



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

Kurt was hanging from a tree deep in thought. His life had been a
whirlwind ever since the day the townspeople had attacked him and
he had been rescued by Kitty. He knew he had no business thinking
the thoughts he thought when she was near. He was a Priest, for
Gods' sakes, yet he burned for her! He knew he could never tell
her, especially not now as she had recently lost her husband. She
probably would never think of him in that way, because he was a
Priest and a Demon. Perhaps he should take the easy way out and
tell her to get herself to a nunnery but instead he wanted to tell
her to come into his arms so that he might pledge his love to her!

He thought back over the fight he had just been in and how many of
Gods' creatures he had just destroyed. He asked forgiveness, but
he couldn't just stand by and let them destroy the family he was
coming to know. His tail twitched a couple of times as though it
had a life all its own, and he knew it was just his nerves.

He expected them to call breakfast at any moment. He figured he'd
face Kitty soon enough. In the midst of others, he would not have
a chance to make a fool of himself and tell her how much he loved
her.

It was then that he heard her voice. "It's just not that simple,
'Heed! Don't you blow smoke at me!" He looked and saw her rounding
the corner of the house, deep in conversation with the purple
dragon on her shoulder. "Peter's dead, and it's my fault! I was
too busy paying attention to what I shouldn't have even been
looking at!"

Lockheed cooed, and Kitty's eyes flashed. "Don't you start in on
that again! He's a *Priest*!"

Kurt wondered why Kitty was talking about him. He knew she blamed
herself for her husband's death. He had tried to talk to her about
it before. Pete was just the kind of man who would have freely
given his life to save his family and friends. He also had taken
unnecessary chances and that was how he had met his fate. It
wasn't because Kitty had saved him, even though she thought it was
and had blamed herself. Kurt knew better. He had seen the whole
thing. Maybe he should have bamfed himself out of the picture
before now, but it was too late. He thought he had best make
himself known to Kitty now. "Good morning, fraulein!" he called to
her.

Kitty froze as Kurt's voice reached her ears. She looked toward it
and found him hanging upside down in the tree. Her heart skipped a
beat at the piercing gaze of his yellow eyes that met hers. "Good
morning, Kurt . . . Father!"

"Vhat's on your mind, my child?" he asked her although he could
not ever consider her to be his child for then he would be
contemplating incest.

"N-Nothing." Lockheed cooed. "Lockheed, don't you dare!" He cooed
again. "I am not about to notice that!"

"Notice vhat?" Kurt asked.

"Oh . . . Hum . . . Huh . . . " Kitty desperately raked her brain,
but no solution was coming. She couldn't tell him that her dragon
had been chiding her about paying attention to his cute, pointy
ears!

Kurt dropped to his feet and stood in front of Kitty. "Any time
you vish to talk about vhat is bothering you, feel free to talk to
me. I listen good. Shall I valk you back to the house?" He could
easily bamf himself back, but he wanted to be near her as much as
he could.

She nodded and turned to let him lead the way to the house.
Lockheed cooed. "Dragon, if you don't hush -- !" Kitty warned him.

Kurt turned to look at her. "Kitty, speak what is on your heart. I
vill listen. Maybe it vill help?"

"It won't," she told him. If he had any idea of what she thought
of him, she'd never even have a chance at continuing their
friendship!

Kurt shrugged. "I can not make you talk. It vill need to come out
one day. Know that I am here for you." He resumed his walking to
the house.

Kitty sighed as she fell into step beside him. "It's just . . .
not that simple," she tried to explain, thinking she'd hurt his
feelings by refusing to talk to him. "I . . . Besides, you
wouldn't know anything about this sort of thing any way," she
gently told him.

"I am a Priest, my child. I know many things that you vould think
I vould not know. I could help."

"That Priesthood keeps you from knowing about this . . . thing."

He stopped and turned around to face her. "Vhat does my Priesthood
have to do with it?"

Kitty sighed, raking her mind again while avoiding his look. "I .
. . It's a matter of the heart."

"True I am not very experienced in such matters, but I can listen.
It might do good for you to get it off your chest."

Perhaps she could admit just enough to stop his questions? "I . .
. I'm having feelings that I know I shouldn't be having."

Kurt thought, {Could she be having feelings for Sean?} He didn't
think it would be Chong. Chong wasn't strong enough for her to be
too interested. He knew it'd take a strong man to hold Kitty.
"Does the man you're interested in know how you feel about him?"

She shook her head. "I can't tell him. He doesn't feel the same.
His heart . . . belongs elsewhere, and I know mine should too. But
I couldn't even stop it when Peter was alive!"

"Kitty, you are not to blame for Pete's death. He vould vant you
to get on vith your life. You should tell the man that you are
interested in and find out how he feels. He may be attracted to
you as you are to him. He may not dare to even think you might
feel that vay about him."

"It's impossible! It could never work out! His duty's where it's
supposed to be! Mine should have been with Peter, but it wasn't
and that's why he's dead!"

"Peter's dead, because he was a hero. He took unnecessary risks.
You are not to blame. I hope some day that you vill come to
realize that. Any man vho should be lucky enough to have your
attentions vould be a fool not to take that chance to be vith you.
He vould be one lucky man."

"No, he wouldn't be, and he wouldn't take any chance! His life's
dedicated to somebody else!"

"Dedicated?" He knew Sean wasn't dedicated to anything but his
past. He doubted Chong even had a sex life; at least, he had never
seen him get excited around women. There was only one man left,
and that was himself! Surely Kitty was not talking about him?
"Kitty . . . vhat man are you talking about? How can he be more
dedicated to some one else than you?"

She stumbled backwards at his question. Lockheed cooed. "No way!
Forget it! Uh uh!"

"Kitty, I know you're not talking about me." He looked at her full
in the face, but her eyes would not meet his. He waited for her
words to come.

She tried to laugh it off, but her laughter was weak and forced.
"You? As if I could? You're a Priest!"

"Doesn't make a difference if I'm a Priest. I'm still a man.
You're a temptation that goes to my head, Kitty! One I wish I
could indulge in, but you'd only hate me tomorrow. I am vhat I am,
and I'm not referring to Priest but to my Demon side. Vhat voman
beautiful as you vants to be seen vith a Demon?"

Her heart was hammering so loudly that Lockheed could hear it
where he floated in the air next to her. She stared at him with
wild, frantic, and confused eyes. "Your Demon side wouldn't
matter, but you're a Priest!"

"Just because I'm a Priest doesn't mean I don't have feelings,
especially sexual feelings, but I have to fight them. I can't let
them out." He backed away from her. "If ve vere anywhere near a
church, I vould tell you to get yourself to a nunnery. The nuns
could help you. Unfortunately, I am at a loss as to how to deal
vith our situation." Without saying anything else, he bamfed out.

Kitty stared at the spot where Kurt had just been. "A nunnery?"
she repeated through gritted teeth. "He'd. Want. Me. To. Join. A.
*Nunnery!?!*"

Lockheed shook his head. He knew where she was going with this and
braced himself for the anger that was about to come.

"There's no way in *Hell* -- !" She cut her own words off and
began stalking toward the house. "Come on, dragon! We're going to
find us a Demon and tell him off!"

Lockheed shook his head sadly but followed.


_Chapter Twenty-four_
Logan headed for the great outdoors. He didn't figure there'd be
anybody out there that would complain about his smoking. He didn't
dare light up in the house. He looked around and didn't see any
one. Taking a seat and leaning his back against the house, he
looked out in front of him, wondering where the next attack would
come from, and lit up his cigar. Just as he lit it, he heard some
one fussing and heading his way.

Kitty was blinded by her fury and the tears that were threatening
to come to fore as she marched in a straight deadline for the
house. Her hands were balled into fists, and though Lockheed cooed
to her continually, she'd stopped paying attention to him
completely. She didn't even see Wolverine as she headed directly
toward him.

"Whoa, little lady!" Wolverine called out to her. "Where ya goin'
in such a murderous rage?" It was then that her scent hit him, and
he was stunned. "Well, I'll be damned!" he said. "Elektra!"

Kitty had been about to bite off a response to Wolverine when he
called out a name that made her freeze and grab her sword. She
whirled around, drawing it from its sheath and dropping instantly
into a battle stance. "Where?!" Yet she did not see her. She cut a
look over her shoulder at Wolverine. "Where is she?"

"You!" Wolverine explained. "What is she to ya?" He took a puff on
his cigar and watched her reaction to the name with a surprised
look on his face.

She turned, pointing the sword at him now. "Why . . . " she
managed to get out, "do you want to know?"

"Well, unless my nose has suddenly decided to take a hike, I just
smelled her on ya. Tell me I'm mistakin'."

She sheathed her sword, but her emotional eyes remained wary.
"I've no reason to lie to you."

"So? Tell me."

"We're related."

"Is she yer mother?"

Kitty's eyes narrowed. "How'd you know that?"

He was slowly putting two and two together and realized that it
was a very good chance that Kitty might be his own daughter.
"Sniff me, Kitty," he told her so that he could get close enough
to sniff her.

She eyed him. "Why?" What was this man's problem, and where had
that damn Priest gotten to?

When he saw that she wasn't going to sniff him, he asked, "Can I
sniff ya? Bare with me. I have a reason fer askin'."

She continued to eye him warily but reminded herself that he could
not hurt her. If he were to try to grab her for whatever reason,
she could simply phase through him. She nodded, though her hand
lay at the ready on her sword's hilt. "All right . . . "

He stubbed out his cigar and then leaned forward and sniffed her.
"Ya'd best sit down," he told her. "I smelled Elektra on ya, an' I
knew it was her scent. I used ta know Elektra. It's been years
since I've seen her. I need ta ask ya another question. It's kinda
personal, but if yer'll bare with me, yer'll see the reason soon
enough. Do ya have a birthmark?"

She had not sat down when he'd told her to but had let that
comment pass. Her mind was running double-time as she tried to
figure out what he was about. Her eyes widened even more as a
thought came to her. He knew Elektra. There was something else
about her scent that bothered him, and now he wanted to know if
she had a birthmark. She raised a hand to touch her ear but
paused. "Show me yours," she told him, "and I'll show you mine."

Wolverine looked at Kitty and noticed that her hand had almost
touched her ear. Now she was presuming that he had one. He knew
the game was up. He flipped his hair back to reveal his left ear
and leaned forward so that Kitty could see.

Kitty leaned in close to him, her eyes searching the spot behind
his ear, and then she gasped. Her eyes shot as round as saucers as
she stared at the tiny, blue sword. She stumbled back in shock,
but Lockheed pushed her toward Wolverine to keep her from falling.

Wolverine reached out and grasped the girl, helping her to sit
down on the ground. "Can I see yers?"

There was a new emotion in her eyes as Kitty looked up at him. She
nodded, not yet trusting herself to speak, and pulled her own hair
back from her ear. She tilted her head to one side, allowing him a
direct look at her own birthmark.

"I thought as much," he said, "when I smelled her smell on ya. She
didn't tell me she was pregnant, an' I swear ta ya, girl, I never
knew ya existed or I'd've found ya by now. I believe I'm yer
father, an' the birthmarks prove it. I don't know why she didn't
tell me or why she didn't tell ya who yer father was. Ya had a
right ta know."

Kitty let out a shaky breath. Her mind was too dazed to speak
still as she pulled her long legs up and circled them with her
arms. Her chin rested on her knees as she stared up at him.
Lockheed cooed softly as he perched on her back, and finally she
spoke. "I always knew the day would come when I'd finally meet
you. I just didn't expect it to be . . . now . . . and here . . .
of all times and places. I . . . " She shook her head. "Elektra
didn't tell me anything. It was years before I finally traced her
down as being my Mother, and that came out in a fight."

"I heard that she'd gone to the bad side. Like I said, it's been
years since I've seen her. In fact, the last time I saw her,
must've been when I got her with you. I wished the bitch had told
me. I would've come fer ya. What did she do with ya?"

"She never wanted me," Kitty told him. "That's probably why she
never bothered to try to tell you. My parents were attacked by her
at the harbor in my hometown, but it wasn't the normal kind of
attack. Instead of taking their money, she gave me to them."

"She attacked them an' then left ya with them?! That don't make
any sense! How'd she know that they'd take care o' ya an' not
drown ya?"

"I doubt she really cared, but that was supposedly the reason
behind the attack. Kind of a warning to them that if they didn't
take care of me right, she'd be back." She shrugged. "Not that she
ever checked up on me again. But my parents are good people. They
loved me, and they told me the truth. They never tried to lie to
me."

"I owe 'em a lot fer takin' care o' ya, Kitty. If I'd only known,
I'd've come. I swear it. I hope ta see her again one day, an' when
I get through beatin' the crap outta her, I want her ta explain ta
me why she did what she did. I know it's too late fer ya to think
o' me as yer father. After all, ya do have an adopted father. But
I want ya to know I'll be here fer ya an' that, if ya want it, ya
have a family. It's going ta be quite a huge family, if everythin'
turns out the way I hope it will. I've asked 'Ro to marry me, an'
she said yes. With her girls an' my boys, we've got a big family,
but there's always room fer ya." He smiled at her as he got to his
feet. He offered her his hand.

Kitty was gazing at him with tears in her eyes. These tears were
not angry as the ones earlier had been, but they were a mixture of
sadness, happiness, and a hope that she had lost long ago. She
took his hand, and Lockheed took to the air as she stood.
"Wolverine, I've always thought myself to be lucky. Well, I did
any way. I was a bit . . . ignorant as a kid. I thought I'd be
lucky to have two fathers an' two mothers, but then when I met
Elektra . . ." She let that sentence hang in the air, figuring
he'd understand what she meant though she did not have the words
for it. "But meeting you, I guess . . . Maybe I am still a little
lucky."

He pulled her into his arms in a bear hug. "Little darlin', ya
don't have ta call me Dad. Ya can call me Wolverine or ya can call
me Dad, if ya want, but know that I'll always be here fer ya no
matter what. I can't wait ta tell the others! What a joy an' a
surprise! I never expected ta have any children, but the Goddess
has blessed me with quite a few o' ya an' I'm proud o' every one
o' ya!"

She returned his hug as her heart continued to dare to hope and
believe. "I guess this island did bring something good after all.
I just hope we can get off of it."

"Yes, I hope all o' us get off it safely," he told her. "Now who
made my little girl so angry? Who do I need ta give a piece o' my
mind ta or perhaps a claw?"

She pulled back enough so that she could look at him in surprise.
"A claw?" she repeated. "But you're not at all cattish!"

He moved one of his hands away from her and unsheathed the claws
of that hand. "Maybe not, but I have got a fine set o' these," he
told her. "Don't be afraid o' 'em. They're great for fightin'.
They've saved my life many a time."

She couldn't help grinning at the sight. "I don't know how I
missed those earlier," she said. "No wonder you were ripping those
raptors apart!"

"I couldn't help but to notice yer power. Do ya have any others
besides phasin'?"

"Well, there's a lot more to the phasing than you know."

"Honey, ya already had me walkin' on air, an' I've seen ya pass
through walls an' people! So what else could there be?"

"Well, for one, it can disrupt just about anything mechanical. But
there's something else that's kicked in every now and again. I
didn't know where the Hell it was coming from, but I guess now
that it was you."

"What was it," he asked, "an' how do ya know it came from me?"

Kitty touched a finger to her nose. "I pick up things sometimes.
Not a lot but sometimes. It comes in really handy for tracking."

"Yeah, the ol' nose does come in good fer trackin'," he agreed
with her, "an' it definitely came from me. Yer mom's not a mutant,
or at least, I don't think she is."

Kitty's smile started to fade as she remembered his earlier
question. She knew now, looking back after her anger had had a
chance to cool, that it wasn't really Kurt's fault. He couldn't
have known what a nunnery meant to her, and besides, it was her
own fault for looking at him in the first place.

"So are ya gonna tell yer ol' man what man was botherin' ya? I
feel like I'm in fer a little action."

Kitty swept a strand of loose hair behind her ear and looked away,
diverting her eyes from his, as she answered him. "It . . . Well,
it was more of me bothering a man than vice versa."

He could tell she didn't want to go into more detail. "Well, if
the problem occurs again, let me know. I don't mind lendin' a
claw."

"In this case, you would," she told him. "It really was my fault.
I mean, for Gods' sakes, I'm a widow times two now and I'm looking
at a *Priest*!?!" She covered her mouth with her hand, but her
wide eyes told him that she knew it was too late.

"I thought I saw a little somethin' there between ya two earlier,
an' it doesn't matter how many times ya been married, Kitty. It
wasn't yer fault that the man died, an' think o' the good side o'
it -- that ya had two men who loved ya. Ya had a special time
between them lovin' ya an' ya lovin' 'em, an' that's what life's
about -- lovin'. Not all Priests are celibate. After all, they are
men. But since yer his Captain, he might not look at ya that way.
Then again, he'd be a fool if he didn't. Want me ta talk ta him?"

"It wouldn't do any good," she replied, "but I do appreciate the
offer. It's not my being his Captain, and it's not even his looks.
It's the Priesthood. He . . . He told me to get to a nunnery!" She
shook her head. "But I know he didn't mean it the way I took it at
first. He couldn't have known that I thought of joining one once
-- right after Piotr's death -- but that I hadn't been able to
give up the life of a Pirate."

"Could be he did mean it but not in the way yer thinkin', darlin'.
Could be the good Father's got feelings fer ya an' wants ya to be
safe from him, an' the safest place ta his way o' thinkin' would
be a nunnery. He couldn't reach ya in there, because o' the nuns.
So there's hope fer ya two yet, darlin'. Sure ya don't want me ta
talk ta him? I know how ta be discreet."

She nodded with a sigh. "I . . . Yes, I'm sure. It's just . . . I
don't even need to be considering another man this soon, and I
know that both you and he have told me that I'm not responsible
for Peter's death, but it doesn't feel that way. Besides, I was
already being untrue. I was looking at him even on the way here!"
She shook her head in shame.

"Nothin' ta be ashamed about, darlin'. A woman's a woman, an' a
man's a man, an' ya can't help bein' attracted ta the ones yer
attracted to. It's like with 'Ro an' me. She hit me like a
hurricane an' completely blew me away. An' would ya believe how
lucky I am? She actually wants ta marry me!"

"Yeah." It was only then that she realized she'd been so shocked
that she'd forgotten to congratulate him. She grinned at him. "And
congratulations, by the way!"

"Ya need ta meet yer new mom, so ya see, darlin', ya are gonna get
yer dream -- two fathers an' two mothers. She's gonna be delighted
ta meet ya. She might not understand ya, but that little woman has
got a lot o' love in her an' I think she's gonna make a great
mother. She's probably gonna mother ya an' me to death, but what a
way to go!" He grinned. For the first time, despite all the crappy
things that had happened to him, including the dinosaurs,
Wolverine finally felt like he was getting his world together.
"Shall we go in, darlin'? Breakfast is ready."

"Yeah. Just . . . promise me one thing?" she asked hopefully,
grinning despite all the problems that plagued her.

"What's that?"

"That I won't have to sit by Kurt. I just can't face him right now!"

"No problem. Ya can sit on my right side. 'Ro's sittin' on my
left, an' when we get to doin' all the talkin' after breakfast,
you an' me can make our announcement 'bout findin' each other. 'Ro
an' me gonna make our announcement 'bout what we are plannin' on
doin'. There's gonna be several others; we just have to wait our
turn."

Kitty nodded as she went into the kitchen with him. It was then
that she remembered Sean's desperate pleas that Wolverine was a
good, trust-worthy man, and she laughed. Shaking her head, she
explained, "I should've listened to Sean. He tried to tell me you
were a good man."

"Sean an' me go way back together, Kitty. He's had a really rough
life, but we've saved each other a couple o' times an' we've
always told each other the truth. If Sean tells ya somethin', ya
can carry it as bein' the truth. I don't think he's capable o'
lyin'."

Kitty nodded. "I usually do trust his judgment. It was just . . .
" She sobered at the memory. "I had to be extremely careful. I
didn't want the last ones of our group walking into even more
trouble."

He led the way into the dining room where he could see several
others already taking a place at the table. They were talking but
not eating. He pulled a chair out for her and looked toward the
head of the table, expecting to see Jack, but it was empty. "Guess
we're still a little early," he said as he slipped her under the
table.

"Looks that way." She grinned up at him. "But you're in for a
treat! Chong's a wonderful cook!"

"That's somethin' we hadn't had in a long time until we got Miss
Piper, but unfortunately, I don't suppose she'll be cookin' any
more any time soon. But she definitely cooked a feast the other
night! Poor little darlin'! I hope her eyesight comes back."



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

When Jack had finished dressing, he looked toward the bathroom
which neither Brendan nor Will had yet left. It was quiet in
there, and he couldn't imagine what they were doing. He headed for
the door and was going to knock on it when he saw it open and
Brendan walking out, his eyes fixed on the floor. "I put the
clothes on the bed for both of you. Get dressed so we can go eat."

The men nodded as they headed silently, neither looking at the
other, for the bed. Will was just picking up what he presumed to
be his outfit when he heard the bathroom door shut. He looked up
and met Jack's gaze even as he realized Brendan was gone again.

Jack shrugged. "Were you two okay in there? I didn't think about
it being a problem for either of you. I hope it wasn't."

"It wasn't," Will assured him. "It's just . . . Well, Jack, you
know I'm shy, and I guess Brendan is too."

"I heard he dressed in a barrel," a voice seemed to come out of
nowhere.

"Carl, what are you doing eavesdropping? Don't you have something
more important to do?"

"Nah. Not really," the answer came from the closet where Will's
round eyes were transfixed. "Paige is in with her aunt, so I can't
really do anything there."

"Well, you can go down to breakfast. It's about to be served.
Leave now or I'm coming in there after you!" Jack headed straight
for the closet only to hear squirming which he took for Carl's
quick retreat. He opened the door to make sure. Peering into the
closet, he could barely make out Carl's figure as he started to
head toward where the kitchen would lay but stopped and started
working his way up. "Where ya going, Carl?" Jack called. "The
kitchen's the other way!"

"I know," Carl replied, his smile obvious in his tone of voice,
"but I just realized what an idiot I am!"

"Huh? I could've told you that yesterday!" Jack told him.

"No, it's not that!" Carl retorted. "I could've been listening in
on Paige's conversation this whole time!" He dug faster.

"I don't want to be around when you get caught in that situation,"
Jack told him as he closed the door on him. "He's heading straight
for trouble," he informed Will who was still staring at him and
the closet.

"That was Carl, right?" he asked. "*In* the wall?"

"Carl is always in the wall, snooping. That's how he knows
everything that goes on as soon as it happens. That's what Gnomes
do -- is dig. Never say anything you don't want to hear repeated."
He walked over to the dresser, picked up a hairbrush, ran it
through his hair quickly, and then tossed the brush to Will.

Will had just finished dressing when Jack tossed the brush to him.
He caught it deftly, then began fighting with his curls. "I . . .
I don't know if I'll ever get used to all the . . . " He glanced
toward the closet and the bathroom before returning his gaze to
Jack. He dropped his voice to a whisper before continuing. ". . .
abnormalities in your family, Jack, but I want to."

"We are definitely an abnormal family, but I love every one of
them! Speaking of which, we'd best get Brendan out of that
bathroom. Something has upset him a lot, but he hasn't told me
what it is yet. If we don't get him out of there, he'll spend the
day in there hiding."

Will cast a doubtful look toward the closed door of the bathroom.
"He won't tell you with me present. Perhaps I should go ahead?"

"You don't mind, love? If he won't tell me, I'll beat it out of
him. I won't be long."

Will knew his hair was still a mess but was used to the confounded
mass. Deciding to leave it be, he walked over to Jack and placed
the brush back on the dresser. "I'll miss you," he told him before
lowering his lips to his.

Jack deepened the kiss. "I'll miss you, but I won't be long."

Will wrinkled his nose at him. "Hurry," he pleaded before turning
and walking away.

Jack watched Will leave. He liked the way he walked and the view
his back side presented. He walked over as Will shut the door and
knocked on the bathroom's closed door. "Brendan? Are you coming
out?"

"Y-Yeah." His voice came out as a squeak, and he had to harden it.
"In a minute or so."

"Come out now. You're dressed. I don't want to keep Will waiting
long, but I do want to find out what's going on with you. You are
more skittish today than usual, and I know it's more than just the
full moon coming tonight."

"Well, it's not every day a man wakes up to a woman in his arms!"
He stopped, his wild eyes shooting toward the door. He'd meant the
words to come out a lot quieter than they had. Had Jack heard him?

"Brendan, did Prue throw herself on you again?"

"I . . . I'm not sure."

"Open that door! I don't like having a door between you and me!
And what do you mean you're not sure?"

Brendan opened the door but still would not meet his gaze. "I'm
not sure," he repeated. "I was going to bed with Cole, but that .
. . didn't exactly work out. I woke up, found myself on the couch,
and, hum, realized Prue was alone . . . "

"You mean Cole and Piper were together last night? Why, that's
wonderful! I wondered how long it was going to take them to get
together. So you went to protect Prue and ended up sleeping with
her? I knew you could do it! You just have to relax and let
yourself go! Congratulations!" He reached out and patted him on
the back. "Last night was definitely a wonderful night!"

Brendan's head lifted slowly, and the furious look he met Jack
with froze his hand on his back. "Last night," Brendan growled
through gritted teeth, "was not a wonderful night, Jack! I don't
even know what happened! I was set to guard her door but must've
went to sleep, because when I woke up to Paige's screams this
morning, I was inside her room with her next to me!"

"Oh! So you didn't . . . make love? I misunderstood ya. You don't
know what happened. You went to sleep, and the lovely Miss
Halliwell had her way with you! Or, at least, you think she did.
Were either one of you unclothed?" Jack asked him.

Brendan sighed even as he shook his head. "I thought at first that
we had, but then, after I'd had a chance to calm down, I
remembered that we weren't and thought perhaps we'd just slept
together. But *then* I heard her telling her sisters that we
*had*! But Wolverine found me and we talked and he said that he
didn't think she would have because ladies don't do that and
Prue's definitely a lady but . . . Gods, Jack!" he cried. "I don't
know what to think any more!"

"I'll tell you a surefire way to know. Go down, act normal, and
make eye contact with her. If she can't look you in the eye, then
she's guilty. Some reason, women are always embarrassed the
morning after. I don't think that she would do it, because she
wants you to be the one to make that move. The girl does love you,
though, Brendan. Maybe you should take her aside and tell her
about your . . . ordeal? It might help her to understand why
you're so reluctant about sex. We've got to do something about you
tonight since the chains were destroyed; I hope Doctor Doom is
already working on it."

Brendan nervously scratched at a flea. "Well, I kind of . . .
already told Wolverine I'd . . . hum . . . I'd . . . huh . . .
talk to her . . . "

"Good! Talk to her, but make sure Carl's not around! He's even
worse about tunneling since he's got in the house! Some houses
have termites; ours has a Gnome! You ready to go? I'll walk you
down."

Brendan swallowed the golfball that had been rising in his throat.
"Ready as I'll ever be."

Jack headed for the door of the room, opened it, and stepped
outside. He looked back to check on Brendan. His brother was
coming toward him, but though he was not wolfing, Jack could still
tell that his tail was tucked between his legs.


_Chapter Twenty-five_
Connor looked around the room at the serious faces of all those
gathered within. He didn't know rather he should stay or leave,
but he did not want to leave Zora alone. When she woke up, she'd
tell him rather or not she wanted him gone. He was a stranger in
the middle of strangers. He knew Vang, Sebastian, and Zora more
than he did the others. He thought Zora would probably be very
vulnerable and might actually accept his help. He was still having
trouble believing that Sebastian and Vang had been lying to her
her whole life and knew that she would not take to that very
easily.

Katrina knelt by the bed and swept Zora's hair back out of her
eyes. "Zora? Wake up. We need to talk to you."

Tom hovered by Katrina's side but did not speak. Morph also stayed
beside his wife, gently massaging her shoulders and wishing he
could do more to alleviate the stressful emotions.

Sebastian was shaking his head. "I don't believe this, mon. I
don't believe you told her!"

"I did what I had to," Vang replied.

"You didn't have to tell her you loved her mother!"

"No," Vang admitted as he stalked toward the bed, his long tail
swishing, "but I'm not going to lie to her any longer. I wish . .
. " His sad eyes turned toward the floor, and he shook his head.
"That never matters."

Sebastian reached up to place a reassuring claw aside Vang's
shoulder even as Zora's eyes began to flutter open. The first
thing she saw when her eyes blinked open was Katrina, and she
scuttled backwards across the bed before bumping into somebody
else.

Connor moved off the bed where he had been sitting, waiting for
Zora to open her eyes. "Zora?" he asked.

"C-Connor?" she stuttered his name, her wild eyes turning toward
him. "Tell me I'm the insane one now," she pleaded.

"I can't. These people are your family. You need to get to know
them." He reached out, touched her shoulder, and gave it a gentle
squeeze. "You want me to stay?" he asked hopefully.

"Connor," she answered him, her quiet voice filling the room, "I
barely know you, but I know you more than I do anybody else in
this room."

"That's not true!" Vang roared, racing forward and putting his
front paws on the bed so that he could look at her directly.

"You lied to me!" she retorted.

"Then I'll stay," Connor told her. He sat back down on the bed.

"Zora, please," Celina spoke up gently. "You have to understand.
Vang and Sebastian did not wish to hurt you. They only wanted to
protect you."

"By *lying* to me?!"

"Yes!" Vang insisted. "We may have lied to you about your mother,
but I never lied to you about my feelings! I love you as my own
daughter!"

"You don't lie to the ones you love!"

"Sometimes you have to," Katrina said, "depending on if the lie
will keep them safe. What do you think would have happened to you
if your family had not lied to you, you had known the truth about
your mother, and the humans had found out?" She looked straight
into Zora's eyes.

"Look, I'm no stranger to stupid humans or experiments! I know
what they would've done if they knew, but I wouldn't have told
them! I'm not an idiot!"

"Truth has a way of being found out. Secrets sometimes last a lot
longer. I'm not saying what they did was right, but I am saying
that they did it out of love for you. We are cousins, and I'd like
to get to know you. I loved your mother, and you are so much like
her!"

She wanted to blast her yet at the same time she also wanted to
know how she was like the mother she'd never known. "Why?" she
demanded. "Because I can change into a cat?"

"Your eyes. Your hair. Even your pouting lips and your anger.
Gods, your mother had a temper! She once tore an entire church
down right by herself 'cause they made her mad! Don't you want to
know about the world your mother came from, Zora? We're the only
ones who can tell you."

"I . . . " She faltered, and her eyes dropped from Katrina's. "I
don't know," she admitted in a hushed whisper. "I always thought I
did, but now? Now after I know that I've been lied to all my life
because of what my mother was?" She rose her head again, her chin
set and her eyes blazing. "No, I don't want to know, and I'm not
going to let any of you lie to me again!"

"I've never lied to you," Katrina told her. "When you're ready to
be told about your mother's homeworld, I'll be more than happy to
tell you, and it will be the truth. Did you know that your mother
was a Princess? What did your father tell you about your mother?"

Again, Zora's gaze dropped from the others'. "Nothing," she
whispered. "Nothing except that she was beautiful and how he loved
her and . . . and that she died fighting for what she believed in.
He never would tell me what happened or what that was."

Katrina reached up and pulled a necklace off she had been wearing
ever since her cousin had left for Earth. "I don't usually wear
jewelry," she told Zora, "but this was given to me by your mother.
I've never taken it off since then, but I want you to have it."
She held it out to Zora. "There's a picture in there. It's your
mother. When you're ready to talk, let us know." She smiled at her
one last time and left the necklace laying on the bed. She then
backed up and left.

"We'll be waiting," Tom added quietly as he followed Katrina.

Morph and Celina then left, and they were followed by Sebastian
whose head hung so low it nearly touched the floor.

Connor rose and walked toward the door. He hoped that Vang would
be able to talk to her and that she would listen.

Vang's soulful eyes turned to look directly at Zora. "Don't," she
told him in a hushed whisper. "I don't want to hear it."

"Then let me just say this," he requested in a soft rumble, "and
then I'll leave you alone. You've always wondered about your
mother, Zora, and why you are the way you are. This is the chance
you've been waiting for. I know you're . . . upset with Sebastian
and me, but the others did nothing to you. Do not blame them or
allow yourself to suffer for our lies, and please try to
understand why we lied to you."

"I can't!" she protested.

"Just try," he pleaded. He tried to reach for her with a paw, but
she pulled away. "We never wanted to lie to you, but I made a
promise to . . . not only your father but your mother as well. I
loved that woman more than life itself, and I would have done
anything to keep my word to her. Sebastian promised your father in
return for saving his life. We did not want to lie to you, but we
had no choice."

"There's always a choice."

"There wasn't . . . until your father died. We've been trying to
figure out how to tell you, but the moment was never right." She
remained silent, and he dropped to all fours. He headed for the
door, his head hanging, but paused to look back at her one more
time. "No matter what you choose, Zora, and even though I lied to
you . . . I'll always love you." Falling silent, he slipped past
Connor.

Connor looked back at Zora. "If you need me, call." He started out
the door but looked back one last time and then closed the door.
He figured she needed this time alone. He wished he could see what
was inside the locket and hoped that it would be something to help
her change her mind. He headed for his father's room but saw that
the door was open. He knew James would not be in there, because he
never left the door open. He walked over and peeked inside, but it
was empty.



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

A part of her had thought about calling after Connor as she did
not want to be alone, but another part reminded her that she did
not need anybody. She'd thought she needed Vang and Sebastian . .
. what was left of her family, but now she swore that she had been
wrong. Her head throbbed with confusion as words echoed in her
ears and memories flashed through her mind.

Her whole life had been a lie! They might claim to love her, but
they could not possibly when they had lied to her her entire life!
Her own father, whose death she now recalled in every excruciating
detail, had not only told them to but had himself! Her human
father was dead, and she had never known her mother. The two
beings who were dearest to her heart had been revealed to be
nothing but liars, and all her other friends were far too far
away. She'd never see them again.

Yet a part of Zora still wondered . . . Why? Why had they
continued to lie to her for so long? She remembered their excuses,
but could she even believe them or were they lies too? Was there
really anything that they had ever told her that was the truth?
Could her mother have meant that much to Vang, that he would have
lied to her forever?

Zora's hand closed around the locket Katrina had left on the bed,
and she picked it up. She peered at the little heart that dangled
at the end of the gold cord. Inside that locket was a picture of
her mother. Just what did the woman look like? What could she have
been like to earn their loyalty to such an extent? It didn't
matter, she decided as her hand tightened around the locket.
Whatever she had been, she was dead, and the lies she had caused
to happen had destroyed what was left of her life!

With a fierce growl of a broken heart, Zora threw the locket. It
hit the wall and bounced off, but she ignored it in the process of
jumping blindly to her feet and beginning to throw things. She
threw whatever she could get her hands on, growling like a wild,
injured animal the entire time. Glass from a lantern and various
objects off the dresser cut into her hands, but she ignored the
pain completely. Indeed, she did not feel it at all for it could
not even begin to rival the pain and misery in her heart and soul.

She threw object after object, never tiring or relenting, until
there seemed to be nothing left to throw. Only then did she
finally pause, and her leather-clad shoulders shook as she gasped
for breath. It was then that she heard them. Her wild, green eyes
turned to scan the room and fell upon the white tiger cubs
cowering in a corner and mewling as though their hearts had been
broken.

She gazed at them for a moment, but her anger subsided, giving way
to her concern for them. They had not lied to her. They were not
even old enough to understand the concept of a lie. They were
innocents, babies in fact, and though Zora had never been one to
care much, if at all, for humans, her care for them caved a deep
hole in her heart.

She calmed herself and began to approach them slowly. They tried
to back up further but only succeeded in hitting the wall. The
female stood her ground, but the male turned and began to scratch
at the wall in a desperate attempt to climb away. "It's okay,"
Zora whispered to them. "It's all right. I'm not going to hurt
you."

She continued moving stealthily forward until she stood right
before them. The male looked up at her with frightened eyes as
large as saucers, and the female hissed and scratched at her as
she reached out for them. Her little claws cut deep, drawing
blood, but Zora's hands still managed to close around her and her
brother as she knelt.

She stroked the boy's back and let the female get away with biting
and clawing her hand. She began to purr to them and made no
further move other than continuing to do her best to stroke them.
They relaxed slowly until the boy started rubbing against her hand
and the girl began playing with her other hand rather than
fighting it.

Zora smiled down at them despite the emotions that threatened to
blind her eyes again, but as she watched them, she recalled the
times that she had spent with Vang when she had been young. She
also remembered the previous night, when she'd lived to be with
him rather than died to be with her birth father. Vang was just as
much a father to her as he had been, and it was his lies that cut
the deepest. A tear trickled from her eyes, and it was followed by
another and then another until she was crying openly. Her sobs
echoed in the otherwise still room, and for once, knowing not what
else to do, she let herself cry.


_Chapter Twenty-six_
Connor turned to leave his father's room when he heard something
panting. He turned quickly back around and, sniffing the air,
walked slowly toward the bed. Whatever was making the panting
noise was under there. His hand went for his dagger, and he
dropped down on his stomach and flipped the bedclothes back. It
was dark under there, and it took him a minute for his eyes to
adjust.

From the sounds it was making, he thought it was one of the
puppies but was not taking any chances. "Here, boy," he called and
clicked his fingers. He could hear something crawling toward him
slowly. "I won't hurt you. Come here, boy." He made kissing noises
to lure the puppy closer.

When the animal stuck its head out from under the bed, Connor
almost stroked. It wasn't a puppy but a kitten! He reached out and
pulled the kitten the rest of the way out from under the bed.
"Easy, boy. Nobody's going to hurt you," he said, stroking the
kitten gently on his head. "I know somebody who'll be very glad to
see you."

Cradling the kitten, he got up, put his dagger back in its
sheathe, and headed back to Zora's room. Now he had an excuse to
see her again. "Zora?" he said as he knocked on the door. "I found
something."

Zora had still been crying when she heard Connor calling. "Connor
. . . ?" she called back through a daze. "Wha . . . ?"

"Open the door, Zora. I've got a surprise for you."

Though she wondered if she could handle any more surprises at that
moment, Zora did get to her feet. The sound of her boots walking
across the floor echoed in the room as the cubs remained quiet,
their big eyes watching her worriedly. She opened the door and
stepped back but did not look at him; she did not want him to know
she'd been crying.

"I went to check on my Father, but he wasn't there. Some one else
was." He held the kitten out toward Zora. "He's making some weird
sounds. He might be sick, because he's panting like a puppy."

"A puppy?" she repeated questioningly, her red eyes darting up at
his for a moment. She looked back down at the kitten and
tentatively touched a finger to his nose. "He's not running a
temperature." She ran her hand over the kitten's head, scratching
him gently, as she asked, "What's the matter, fella?"

It was then that the kitten caught sight of the cubs in the corner
and barked. Connor was so surprised that he almost dropped him.
"See! I told you something was weird with this cat!" he commented.

Zora's hand was paused in the air as she studied him. "I don't
know," she admitted. "I've seen a lot of weird things, but nothing
ever like this. Well, not a kitten barking, but . . . Sometimes,
animals will get to thinking that they're a member of a different
species. Might be his problem."

Connor set the kitten on the floor and watched as it padded over
to where the cubs were. He stayed alert in case the cubs decided
that this new cat was a toy, but he needn't have worried. The
kitten sniffed the male cub, barked again, and then wagged his
tail. "Are you sure that's a cat?" Connor asked Zora.

"Connor, look at him. He looks like a cat to me. Smells like one
too."

Connor scooped the kitten up again and mashed its front paw so
that its claws came out. "And it's got claws, too!" he exclaimed.

Zora had walked over with Connor. "It's the weirdest thing," she
spoke, watching him intently. It was then that the kitten barked
again, and its tongue lolled out of its sideways-tilted mouth.
"Cute though."

Again, Connor held the kitten out toward Zora. "We could ask the
others when we go to breakfast if they've ever seen anything like
it. They won't believe us until they see him for their selves."

Zora had been about to reach for the offered kitten when Connor
spoke; she sat down on the bed instead. "They won't believe it.
That's for sure, but . . . " She sighed. "I'm not going to
breakfast, Connor."

"Zora, you need to eat. I know you're upset, but you have to keep
your strength up. I'd like to make a suggestion to you, but I
don't know how you'd take it. How is your nose for scents?"

"Damn fine tracker." She peered curiously up at him from
underneath a lock of blonde hair that had fallen into her face.
"Why?"

"Did you know that you could sense when some one's lying to you?
Their heart rate goes up, and they perspire more heavily."

"It's in their scent too," she agreed. "Their increased
nervousness changes their scent." She shook her head. "But I never
smelled it on Vang or Sebastian before."

"But you could smell it on others if they were lying. That way you
could protect yourself. I don't know why you didn't smell it on
Sebastian and Vang before, but you might now. I can smell it. I
could help you to tell if they were lying to you. Please don't
shut yourself up in here. Come to breakfast with me."

He seemed to actually care about her though he hardly knew her,
and that surprised her. He'd already gotten a gigantic hint at how
screwed-up her life was yet he still cared. His words also got her
to thinking. "Maybe I didn't smell it before 'cause I was blinded
by trust." She pressed her lips together, thinking as her eyes
darted back toward the cubs. "And they haven't had anything to
drink this morning." She looked back up at Connor. Of all the
people in this insane place, he was the one that she had the
littlest reason to doubt. In fact, she had no reason to doubt him.
"All right," she spoke at last with a nod. "I'll come, but let me
. . . freshen up a bit first." She needed to get rid of the stains
of her tears.

Connor had put the kitten back on the floor, and he was now
waiting on Zora and watching the kitten who was picking its way
gingerly through the glass. He knew Zora was cut because he had
smelled the blood on her, but he didn't want to make mention of it
as he feared it would upset her more. He set about trying to
straighten what was left of the room while he waited on her.

He heard the kitten slapping at something and turned to look to
find out what the kitten was playing with. It turned out to be the
necklace he had seen Katrina give Zora. He took it and very
carefully laid it on the table beside the bed, still wishing he
knew what was in it. He knew Zora had not opened it but had merely
thrown it. By the time she had returned to the room, he had
managed to get most of the glass out of the floor and into the
trash basket.

Zora paused as she exited the bathroom and was met by the sight of
the far cleaner room. "Guess I wasn't thinking my clearest," she
admitted with a sheepish grin.

"We usually don't when we're angry or hurt," Connor told her. "Did
you take care of your wounds or do you need help?" He smiled at
her.

She did not tell him that she had not even noticed the cuts until
she'd started to wash up and the water had hit them. Instead, she
rose her hands and turned them so that he could see that the cuts
had completely vanished. "Just a quick morph," she explained.

"That still surprises me," Connor told her. "I've never been
around any one who could change at will. Is it only cats that you
can morph?"

"Yeah," she answered with a nod. "I still don't know how I do it,
but I can take the form of any cat."

Connor picked up the pan and carried it into the bathroom. A few
minutes later, he came out with it full of water for the cubs. He
set it down beside them, and they started lapping it immediately.
"Maybe . . . when you feel better, Katrina might could tell you
how you are able to do that?"

"Maybe," she agreed. "I don't want to know any more, but I still
need to know." It hurt to admit it, but she knew she had to face
the truth. She turned, her eyes scanning the room for the locket.

"Are you ready to go?" Connor asked her.

"In a minute," she replied as she spied the locket where he'd put
it. She walked over to it and picked it up from the dresser. She
took a deep breath as her fingers thoughtfully caressed the gold.

"Have you looked inside?" Connor queried. He knew that if it had
been his, he would have already looked.

"Not yet," she answered. Her shoulders squared, and her stature
stiffened. Finally, she opened the locket . . . and found herself
gazing into a pair of eyes that mirrored her own.

"Who's the guy?" Connor asked as he looked over her shoulder.
"Your mother looks just like you except that she was a
tigerwoman!" Connor had already seen her in tiger form, so he
mentally compared the two.

"I don't kno -- " Zora stopped in mid-word. She had peered closer
at the picture of the man, and her fingers trembled as she
recognized his eyes and the pattern of his stripes. "Gods!" she
breathed shakily. "It's Vang!"

"Are you sure?" Connor questioned as he, too, looked at the male's
picture.

"The eyes," she told him, "and the stripe pattern. They're exactly
the same as his."

"He said he loved your mother. Maybe it was more?" He looked at
Zora. "Maybe that's what he was afraid of you finding out?"

Zora's hand shook even as she snapped the locket shut. "I don't
know," she admitted, "but I'm going . . . to have to find out."
She turned her face so that her eyes looked into his. "Are you . .
. You don't have to go through this, you know."

"But, Zora, I want to go through it with you! You're very
important to me, and I want to be there with you if you'll let me
be!"

His words astounded her and touched something deep within her
heart at the same time. "Thank you, Connor."

"Would you like for me to put it on you?" he offered, referring to
the necklace.

Her fingers ran over the gold. "No . . . Not now any way. I'm not
ready yet."

He changed the subject immediately. "Well, then, are you ready for
breakfast? We can bring the cubs back some more food after
breakfast."

She nodded. "Yeah, and you know, your fella might not have had
anything yet either." She looked toward the cat and meowed.

The kitten looked at the girl and barked.

"Language problem," Connor asked, "or can you understand him?"

She nodded. "He had a mouse, but he's still got room." She looked
back at Connor. "I don't know if it's because of the catblood or
my training, but I can understand him even though he's barking."

"What's his name?" Connor requested.

She looked back at the kitten and meowed inquisitively. At his
answering bark, she turned back to Connor with a grin. "Woofy."

"Woofy? Good name for you, boy," Connor said as he reached out and
stroked the kitten again. "We'll bring you something to eat."

Woofy bounded on the bed, circled three times, and then laid down.
"I wonder just how much cat there is and how much dog?" Connor
asked with a laugh. "Nobody's gonna believe this!" He walked over
and opened the door. "Shall we go?" he invited and waited for her
to exit.

Zora walked out with Connor, but even as she did so, she told him,
"The others won't believe it until they meet him, but I can think
of a couple who would."

"Who are you thinking about?" Connor wanted to know.

"Friends I had back in Tortuga. Ace and Kat. They ran the refuge
that my Father and I were part of. Both talked to animals and
cared for them more than they did for humans. Hell, Kat didn't
even like humans, and Ace liked them just enough to annoy them."

"Sounds like great people! I'd like to meet them some day," he
said with a grin.

"Maybe you can," she replied, "if we can get off this damn island.
Might oughta warn ya, though. I've never even heard of anybody
else like them."

"I know a lot of people like that," Connor told her. "One of a
kind jewels! They make your life a lot richer just for the knowing
of them."

"I don't know about that. Kat's a pyrokinetic, meaning she
controls fire, and Ace . . . Well, I think he must use sorcery. He
can get any animal to do whatever he wants, and I once even saw
him pull a monkey out of a man's ass!"

"*Damn! What!?!*" Connor roared. "How in the *Hell* did he do
that?! Didn't it kill the man?"

Zora couldn't help laughing. "I don't know how either of them did
it, but the man lived through it -- and became a monk!"

"Probably spent the rest of his life scared to death! I'd still
like to meet them!" They had reached the dining room, and Connor
walked around to the side of the table, pulled a chair out for
Zora, and waited for her to sit down so he could seat her.

Zora had followed him around the table but hesitated when she saw
him pull a chair out for her. She looked at the chair, then at
him, and finally back to the chair. "What the Hell?" She sat.

Connor slid her under the table and then took a seat beside her.
He saw his father sitting across the table from him with Smee and
then looked at the opposite end and saw that the Captain had taken
a seat. He looked all around, but he didn't see his brother.
"Figures," he muttered under his breath. "He must be off doing his
duty again. I'm not going to look for him!"



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

Chong was busy with last minute details, carrying stuff to the
dining room. Lorne and Crys were preparing the drinks. They filled
the mugs with Crys' snow and Chong's fruit and coconut juices
according to the orders they'd already taken. As soon as a tray
was filled, Lorne carried it in and sat it in the middle of the
table. He figured the others could tell which juices they wanted.
Hands reached out, quickly snatching the drinks. Lorne returned
for another tray.

Jack looked around the table. They were missing people. Angel and
Cordy had yet to make their appearance. Frederic was missing, and
so was Dawn. Delvira was not there, but he recalled her saying
that she was not going to eat. He'd just call her for the meeting
after breakfast. He was about to send some one to check on Angel
and Cordy when they made their appearance to let them know they
weren't coming to breakfast. Jack informed them that there would
be a very important meeting after breakfast and for them to be
listening when he called.

Cordy looked up at Angel. "Guess the training will have to wait
for a bit yet."

"Do you feel up to it, sunshine?" He looked into her eyes and was
happy to see that they were shining. "That will be good exercise
for both of us. I'm looking forward to it."

She smiled. "So am I." She looked back at the table and tried to
remember which one was Brendan. "The one sitting on Jack's other
side," she whispered to Angel. "Not Will but the other one. Is
that Brendan?"

"Yes, sweetheart, it is," Angel told her.

"Brendan?" Cordelia called to him.

Brendan did not react until Jack gently elbowed him. His head then
looked up. "Huh? What?"

Cordelia smiled at him. "Thank you for the medicine. That drinks
tastes absolutely horrible, but it works wonders!"

He grinned and nodded. "You're welcome, miss."



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

As a few minutes had elapsed and still Frederic and Dawn had not
made appearances, Jack looked at Faith. "Faith, would you go and
see if you could find Dawn and Frederic?" He could not imagine
that the two would be seeing much in each other yet neither had
put in an appearance.

"I'll see about the girl," Faith replied, scooting her chair back
and standing, "but the boy can rot in Hell for all I care." She
walked away from the table with a sway to her hips.

Dawson watched her walk away but did not go with her. She had not
asked for him to come, so he figured he'd best just sit still and
wait for her to return.

"The boi should be in his room," James told Samuel. "We shall see
if he will come."

"Maybe I should go see about him?"

James shook his head and replied, "Give him time. The more we run
after him, the less he's doing for himself. He's not locked in, so
he should be able to come if he truly

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