INTRO: I am a big fan of the TV show Deadliest Catch. I've written lots of fan fiction, but I gotta tell ya' - it's weird writing about real people instead of fictional characters. There is a responsibility that these people may read about themselves. What would they think? (Probably that I need a life - but I really have one! Full time job, husband, two kids, do volunteer work - and love to write!)

That being said, I couldn't resist writing a story that could be a preview to the upcoming season. This was inspired by the bit of news that Sig Hansen, of the F/V Northwestern, was going to mentor Josh and Jake Harris during King Crab Season. We now know that's not going to happen - but here is a one-shot about the Harris Brothers and Sig getting the F/V Cornelia Marie ready for the season...

DISCLAIMER: I do know own any of the characters - they own themselves! I also will not make money of these guys or this story. I would hope that, were they to read this, they would get a kick out of it. I only wish them the best!

P.S. I started a Fanzine group at - deadliest catch fan .com (no spaces) - we're looking for stories, poems, artwork, etc. Feel free to join and contribute!

BAIT SACKS PAYBACK

"Bait sacks? Again?" Josh asked. He was incredulous. What was it about the Cornelia Marie? The boat had experienced bad juju every year since being on the show, Deadliest Catch.

"I looked everywhere, Josh," Ryan Simpson told him. "I swear they were in the second storage container, but they aren't there now."

"Did you check the first container?"

"I know I didn't put them in there."

"If they grew legs, they could be anywhere. Come on. I'll help you look."

Two hours later Josh, sweaty, hot and harried, leaned against the side wall and exclaimed, "Fuck! Jake's gonna blame this on me."

Ryan asked, "Want me to tell him?"

Josh shook his head. "No. I'll tell him." He was about to leave the storage area when he heard a distant cackle. His ears, always at attention, perked up even more. "Did you hear that?" Josh asked Ryan.

"Hear what?"

Josh listened again and heard nothing, and then muttered, "Um… forget it." As he stepped out of the storage area, he swore he felt a slap against the back of his head. "What the fuck?" he mumbled as he ran his hands through his hair, half expecting to feel a lump. He glanced around. Ryan was yards away from him. "Did you…" he started to ask him.

"Did I what?" Ryan asked.

Josh just shook his head and said, "Never mind." He took his time walking over to the ship, wondering what the heck had hit him. Ryan hadn't thrown anything at him, so something must have dropped from the ceiling. That had to be it.

Freddie and Steve were stacking the pots, and Josh waved to them as he weaved his way across the deck. He trudged up the steps to the wheelhouse and could hear Sig talking with Jake about the weather. Settling himself onto the bench, he crossed his arms while waiting for them to finish.

"Hey, Josh," Sig greeted him. "You and the crew have the deck ready?"

"Gettin' there," Josh replied, "but, um…" He looked up at the ceiling before continuing.

Jake sensed the guilt steaming out of Josh's ears. "What the fuck did you do now?" Jake asked him.

"I didn't do anything!" Josh replied. "But we do have a problem. The, uh, bait sacks are missing again."

"Bait sacks? Are you fuckin' kidding me!" Jake exclaimed. "What did you do with them this time?"

"I didn't do anything with them! I was at CatchCon when the guys were storing the equipment. Remember?" Josh responded.

"You put Ryan in charge of the bait stuff, so we dock him."

"No, Jake. We're not docking anybody."

"I'm gonna be captain, and I say we dock Ryan!"

"You're not captain, yet. We're running this boat together, Jake!"

Sig's eyes went from one to the other as their argument escalated. 'Poor Phil,' he thought to himself. Then he smiled. He guessed his own father had put up with just as much, if not more, from him and Edgar when they were kids. He folded his arms and let the boys fight it out. He knew what he would do about the bait sacks, but unless they asked, he wouldn't give his opinion.

"Well, I'm not paying for them!" Jake shouted. Then he pointed to his brother as he said, "You were the one who put yourself in charge of everything after Dad died. You pay for them."

"Somebody had to be responsible, Jake," Josh retorted, his left hand flailing in the air. "Because you couldn't take care of anything," Josh shouted, "even yourself!" Josh's hand flew to the back of his head and he stumbled forward. "Fuck!"

A few seconds later, Jake's hand went to the side of his head. "What the fuck?" he asked as he rubbed his temple.

Then they both heard Phil's voice. "Payback's a bitch, Ding 'n Dong."

The boys stared at each other; then Josh burst out laughing. "All right, Pop, we hear ya'," he said.

"Loud and clear," Jake added. Sig stared at the boys, a puzzled look on his face.

"You're not gonna tell us where you put them, are you?" Josh said into the air.

"Find the fucking sacks you lost last year, and you might find the ones you lost this year," Phil told them.

Josh and Jake laughed. "We're fucked," Josh said. "I'll go buy more."

"And I'll pay half," Jake added.

Josh stood and gave his brother a hug, "Teamwork," he said and then clattered down the stairs.

Sig sank into Phil's chair and asked Jake, "What the hell was that all about?"

"We fight all the time."

"I know that. I meant both of you rubbing your heads."

Jake shrugged. "Pop was mad."

Sig shivered as cold air seemed to circle around him. "Phil?" he asked. He wrinkled his brow at the cold vapor that came out of his mouth as he spoke.

"And you better get out of Dad's chair," Jake told him.

Sig jumped up and almost knocked over a computer monitor as he backed away from the captain's chair. He waved his hand over the seat and felt the temperature change from tropical to arctic and back again. It had to be eighty degrees in the room. Why the temperature in the chair was below fifty escaped him until he heard Phil's disembodied voice.

"Take care of my boys, Sig," he heard Phil say.

"What?" Sig asked, not believing his ears.

"You heard me."

Sig rolled his eyes. "Can I at least use your chair?" he asked.

"No." was the reply.

Jake chuckled and pulled his father's chair out of its mooring. "We'll switch it with the other one because Josh likes to sit there. I don't think Dad will mind that."

Sig helped Jake switch the chairs. "If I had known your dad was going to be looking over my shoulder, I wouldn't have volunteered to mentor you boys on this trip," he said. Sig shook the replaced captain's chair to be sure it was secure. "Is it safe?" he asked into the air before sitting half expecting a reply. He felt a slap on the back and looked around, but Jake was across the room securing Phil's favorite chair. Sig settled into the seat. "You know, with your old man haunting this boat, you certainly don't need me," he told Jake.

"Can you get Dad to stop hitting us upside the head?" Jake asked.

Sig laughed. "Maybe, but then I'll have to do it myself."

"Then we still need you," Jake said.

Josh climbed back up the steps and stood at the top. "Sig, I, um, forgot that Jake and I are still cut off. Can I borrow your charge card?"

On to Season 7

May the F/V Cornelia Marie, F.V Northwestern, F/V Time Bandit, F/V Kodiac, , and all the rest of the boats have a safe and profitable season!