A/N I do not own any characters other than Krista and Karrie. This is strictly for fun no harm is intended.
It was October and the official start of the King Crab fishing season would be beginning in exactly seven days. The crew members of the Cornelia Marie, Time Bandit, and Northwestern were gathered in the Elbow Room. Their normal hang out when they were in Dutch Harbor. The topic of discussion was on Captain Phil Harris' decision to hire two females onto his crew this season. All of the Captains were superstitious, but none more than Phil, and it was a known fact that bringing a woman on board was just asking for bad luck. Seated clockwise around the table were; Captain Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie, his two sons Josh and Jake, Captain Sig Hansen of the Northwestern, his two brothers Edgar and Norman, and Captains and brothers Jonathon and Andy Hillstrand of the Time Bandit. "I can't believe you of all people would be allowing this." Jonathon stated in shock, "Even if one of them IS my daughter." Everyone seemed to be in agreement with this statement. "Yes, well in my defense, one is a favor to an old school friend, and the other is a favor to a dear friend's child who I have the utmost faith in." Phil shot back. "So who is the other young lady joining you?" Andy asked as his niece Karrie approached the table with a round of shots. Phil joined the others in taking their shots before replying, "Her name is Krista." "This is going to be the longest season of our lives." Jake commented with a hint of detest in his voice at his father's choice. "Well, I guess we'll get to meet her in the morning at the docks." Sig commented as they all rose to turn in for the night. "Yes we will," Phil replied more so to himself than the rest of his party.
The next morning The Captains and crews awoke at six o'clock and proceeded to congregate on the dock to see the arrival of the girl who would be the cook on the Cornelia Marie for the season. A black SUV pulled up at the end of the dock and the passenger door swung open slowly. A pair of high heeled boots appeared as the person wearing them got out. "Oh great! She's wearing heels for heaven's sake dad." Jake complained immediately. She got into the back seat and pulled out one suitcase, one duffle bag, and one backpack. "At least she packed light," Josh joked. As she shut the car door and started her walk down the dock to the group of men they all took in her appearance. She was short around five foot six and thin but not too thin. She had muscle and they could tell she was athletically built. She was wearing a simple pair of Jeans that hugged her legs, and a long sleeved black V-neck off the shoulder top that formed around her frame. Her dark Brown hair had caramel highlights and stopped just past her shoulders. As she got closer they noticed that she has clear ocean blue eyes also. Once she reached them she smiled and hugged Phil, "Thank you so much Phil, I really appreciate what you are doing for me." Her smile was dazzling with perfectly straight white teeth and they could tell from her extreme tan that she had to be from somewhere warm, with plenty of sun. "It's not a problem Krista." Phil replied as he returned her warm embrace. Jake was the first to speak up, "So where are you from?" Krista looked at him and smiled yet again, "Los Angeles, but don't hold that against me." The captains all chuckled, but this answer just made Jake scowl. "Well, I hope you brought your sea boots, cause you're gonna need them out here." Andy said with a small laugh. "Of course I did, these were just the first shoes I could find this morning." Krista said laughing lightly. "Well, let me introduce you to everyone." Phil said, moving to stand next to Krista and face the others. "These are the Hillstrand brother's, Jonathon's daughter is the other girl I was telling you about, and you'll meet her later." John and Andy both nodded to her. "Jonathon and Andy, they're the captain's of the Time Bandit." Phil added. "This is Captain Sig Hansen and his brothers Edgar and Norman from the Northwestern." Sig, Edgar, and Norman shook hands with Krista. "Finally, these are my two sons, my oldest, Josh, and the youngest is Jake." Phil said with a bit of amusement in his voice. "Oh, I certainly remember them," Krista stated grinning, "Even if they don't recognize me." Phil laughed at this comment as the others stood there confused, especially Josh and Jake. "We already know her?" Josh questioned, looking from Krista to his dad. Krista responded before Phil could, "Short twelve years old with braces and glasses." She stated trailing off as the realization hit the Harris boys. "Oh my god!" Josh and Jake exclaimed at the same time, rushing to hug the now grown up, formally awkward girl that lived across the street from them for twelve years before disappearing with her father. "I can't believe it's really you!" Jake exclaimed, while his older brother took in the new look of his childhood crush. "Yeah well L.A. will do that to a person," Krista paused, "Especially when you have a father with money who wants to buy your love." She added with a small melodic laugh. "Well let's get you settled in on the boat and then head to the Elbow Room for a drink." Phil said as Josh took her bags. Krista gladly allowed him to carry her suitcase and duffel while she maintained a tight hold on her backpack. Once Krista was settled into her room on the Cornelia Marie Josh offered her his arm to escort her to the bar. Soon they were all settled around the "Captain's Table" as it was referred to, having pleasant conversation and a few drinks. "So we leave in what five days Captain?" Krista said showing respect for the man who had been more of a father to her than her own. Phil smiled at her question and replied, "Yes, that is correct." "Great that means I have plenty of time to get to know everyone and even do a little shopping before we leave." Krista said with a small laugh.
They all left the bar and went their separate ways after having a later breakfast. "Captain, do you want me to run to the store and start stalking up on food for the trip?" Krista asked looking up from the deck to Phil sitting up in the Captain's chair. "Yeah, go ahead, and take Josh with you in case you need some help." Phil replied over the intercom. Krista smiled at Josh and they both climb off the boat and headed down the docks to Josh's car. It was silent as they drove to the store except for the rock music playing softly in the background. Once they arrived at the store Krista spoke for the first time, "So, what all are we going to need?" Josh smiled at her and replied, "Whatever you want to cook for us I guess." Krista and Josh both grab a buggy and began to walk around the store looking for food for the trip. Josh loaded his cart down with easy to grab on the go items like pop tarts, hunnybuns, and chips and dip. While Krista grab things like pancake mix, syrup, and cans of fruits and vegetables. "What are we gonna need that stuff for?" Josh asked. "Well, when I cook things for breakfast or dinner I want it to be things that taste good and are going to give you all extra strength, duh." Krista responded with a giggle. Josh just shrugged and continued grabbing what the crew normally snacked on throughout the day. "Okay, your total comes to $986.53." The cashier said as Krista and Josh checked out. Josh went to grab the Cornelia Marie's expenses checkbook but Krista stopped him taking out her credit card, "Let me take care of paying for the food that way you all have more money for equipment and repairs if you need them." Then without giving Josh time to protest she swiped her card and started pushing her cart out to the car. Josh couldn't believe what had just happened. "How can you afford to do that?" He asked. "I told you, you can do a lot when daddy wants to buy your love," Krista replied. After loading the car up Josh and Krista headed back to the boat. Two hours later after putting all the groceries away and handing out the cartons of smokes Krista collapsed on the deck with a Newport and stared out across the ocean.
Up in the wheel house Josh and Jake sat with their dad watching Krista. "Dad, what happened to her?" Jake asked. Phil thought for a moment wondering how to tell his boys about Krista's life after she left without telling them anything that she wouldn't want them to know until she was ready to tell them. "Well, boys, when her dad took her to L.A. her whole life changed." Phil began. "Adam wanted to turn Krista into the perfect little princess, and when she rebelled against him, he dropped her." Phil continued, "It's really her story to tell you boys, and she will when she's ready." The boys nodded in understanding and then proceed to get up and mingle with the crew before lunch at a local diner. The crew was getting ready to leave and Jake noticed that Krista was nowhere to be found. He walked inside the boat to see if she was in her bunk. He found her laying on Josh's bunk with her lap top open typing away at what looked like a journal, knocking on the door so he wouldn't scare her or invade her privacy, Jake asked, "So, are you gonna come eat lunch with us?" Krista smiled that dazzling smile of hers and replied, "Yeah hold on a second and let me finish this line." Jake waited as she finished typing and got up to follow him out onto the deck. They joined the crew and hopped off the boat, as they walked up the docks toward the road where the diner was located Josh fell back to walk with Krista. "Are you cold?" He asked. Krista nodded silently as she tried to hide a shiver. Josh took off his Black Cornelia Marie crew member hoodie revealing just a white tee shirt and gave it to her. As she put it on she inhaled his scent and it just made her shiver more. Josh thinking she was still cold wrapped his arm around her pulling her into him. "We've missed you Krista," Josh said smiling down at her. Krista let a small shy smile appear and said, "I've missed you guys too Josh." Up ahead Jake and Phil were walking together and talking about the plans for this season. "Where's your brother he should be discussing this with us." Phil said. Jake looked over his shoulder before answering his dad. "I think he's a bit infatuated for today pop." Phil glanced back and then shared a chuckle with Jake. Freddy gave Phil and Jake a mischievous grin before turning to walk backwards and yelling, "Are you two love birds gonna join us up here or no?" Josh and Krista looked at each other and then blushed. Josh started to speed up but Krista kept the same pace she was going. "What's the matter, don't you want to walk with everyone else?" Josh asked. Krista kept her focus on the ground and replied, "Not right now, I'm still adjusting to being around normal people." Josh looked confused but continued walking with his arm around her.
When they arrived at the diner they took two tables and slid them together. Phil sat at the head of the table with Krista to his left and then Josh, and with Jake sitting to his right. The bright bubbly girl that the crew had met yesterday was gone and Phil had noticed. He leaned toward her once everyone was eating and talking and asked, "You okay kiddo?" Krista looked at him and answered, "Yeah, I'm just still getting used to being around a lot of people again." "Oh, okay, I just want to make sure you don't get over whelmed with all this change," Phil said with genuine care. "You can also talk to the boys when you're ready; you know they would never judge you for your past." Krista smiled at Phil, "I know they wouldn't and I will tell them sometime." As everyone kept eating the topic of discussion changed to the other girl that would be joining them. "So Phil who is this other girl joining us this season?" Freddy finally asks.
Phil smiles as he announces, "Miss Karrie Hillstrand will be our new greenhorn this season." Everyone paused for a moment before acting as though he had said a guy's name. The whole crew knew Karrie she had worked on a cod fishing boat for a couple of years before moving to work at the Elbow Room during crab season. Karrie was not your typical girl she was curvy and beautiful, but she was also strong and sturdy and didn't care to work hard and get dirty. Karrie was Jonathon Hillstrand of the Time Bandit's daughter. She had beautiful emerald green eyes and black hair streaked with red and purple. "So when is she coming on the boat dad?" Jake asked as they waited for the check. "She should be there in the morning since tonight is her last night at the bar." Phil said as the waitress set the check down beside him. Krista took the check and put her card in the book and handed it back to her as the crew looked at her strangely.