Well, Horatio is adapting quiet well to this. Only been here three days and he already knows the ship forward and back ward. He was made for this

Caroline Finny smiled, skidding a piece of her food across her dinner plate, that man was so made for this.

She peaked a look at Archie sitting next to her, he was listening to the conversation going on between Heather, Cleveland, and Hornblower; she could tell Cleveland and Heather were dreaming again, and letting the dreams out of poor Hornblower. Clayton played a slow melody on his violin in the back round

"Ah the Indies" Heather said, his mind drifting, "Now thats the place, Horatio" He sighed, "Clear blue skies, and waters to"

Horatio smiled "I shall very much like to see that, Mr. Heather".

"Tropical diseases" Caroline said under her breath, so quietly that no one could hear except Archie, who smirked and shoved his arm in the side, she shoved him right back.

They're conversation continued,

"And so you may" Cleveland said sadly, "If you ever get out of this stinking hole again".

Then her life changed forever. The memory's came flooding back, and pain, then bitterness, all with one voice that came from the shadows,

"Your in my seat".

Caroline nearly screamed, it was that voice, that low gravely voice. She felt Archie cringe next to her, her body started to shake. Then that horrible name ran though her head, she wanted to hide, to run away from here; but there was no where to go. The name haunted her.

Jack Simpson.

"The head of the table is my place" The Jack continued as he walked towards the head of the table where Cleveland has flown from; and who was now crammed in next to Heather. Lawrence, John and Ezekiel were cowering in their seats near bye.

"Now now, my sweet brother officers" Jack said, "No cheer for Jack's return?".

Jack Simpson had blond hair, not blond like Archie's; but a dark almost evil blond. He had black piercing eyes that could bring the King of England himself to his knees with one evil glare. He had a slightly wrinkled face with a light completion, which could hardy be noticed because of the dirt that covered him.

"We took you for a lieutenant by now, Jack" Cleveland answered. Jack range his hands.

"Did you?"

Heather asked, "You commission-?"

"Was Refused"

"Oh" Heather said, trying to sound sorry "bad luck".

Caroline sat silently in her seat.

"Bad luck indeed. So Acting Lieutenant Simpson is now. Mr Midshipman Simpson" He did a small bow, "At your service."

Then he looked over to Horatio, "What's this? A new face among our August company? Mr--?"

"Hornblower, Sir. Please to meet you" Hornblower finished.

You won't be in a minute.

"Hm" Simpson answered, "I'll have you that" He reached across the table and grabbed Hornblower's mutton. Hornblower just starred at him questioningly.

"Fine" Simpson said as he ate it "Very fine indeed" Then he reached across the table and grabbed Hornblower's drink "A bit salty for my taste" He drank the cups content

"What do you mean to helping yourself to my vittles, Sir?" Hornblower inquired

Caroline cringed, thinking of what Jack would say.

He answered, "I should have thought my intention was quiet obvious" Then he spoke to Archie.

"Kennedy" he said, still starring at Hornblower. Archie did not answer, just starred blankly at the table, Caroline nudged him in the side.

"KENNEDY!" Jack bellowed

Archie jumped and looked over to him.

"You'll acquaint young Snotty of the way of things" The he tilted his head, "Or have you forgotten so soon?"

"No-no I-I" He sputtered, swallowed, and looked over at Hornblower. "Mr Simpson may search our Sea chest for fresh shirts, likewise our Spirits and best cups of meat go to him"

"Why?" Hornblower asked

Kennedy answered "Because he is senior officer in the mess"

"We are all Midshipman" Hornblower shook his head, confused.

"That sounds like a Republican in my mind, Mr Hornblower" Simpson growled, "Is that what you are?"

"Well to my knowledge theres nothing in the Kings regulations-"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOUR REGULATIONS!!!" Simpson roared as he struck his knife into the table in front of Hornblower.

"There's only one Lord in this mess" Simpson continued as he sat down.

Clayton Intervened, "He takes your meaning, Jack" .

"Oh, Clayton" Simpson said turning to him "You silly little man, strike up a tune on that fiddle of yours"

Clayton immediately obeyed, striking up a happy dancing tune.

"Hornblower" Simpson said, smiling, "Cut a real".

Hornblower starred blankly at him.

Caroline barely breathed, her eyes were closed and she was facing the table. Trying to battle the memories, she was loosing the battle. She hardly heard what was going on around her.

"Did you hear me Sir?" Simpson scowled "Dance I said".

Hornblower opened his mouth to protest.

"DANCE, DANCE, DANCE!!!"

Now, Hornblower didn't rightly know what Simpson could do, but he was smart. He stood up and started to do a jig.

Simpson smiled and chuckled quietly. "I've seen men more lively on the end of a jib it".

He turned back to Archie "Mr Kennedy, until Mr Hornblower learns who runs this mess, You are to wake him every half hour day and night. Till I tell you other wise".

Archie nodded.

Then It happened, Caroline still stared at the table, but she could feel him starring at her. She was shivering and her skin crawled. She shrunk in her seat,

"Caroline, Caroline, Caroline" Jack said, like he was trying out the name, "You have grown since I last saw you, haven't you?"

Caroline's mouth was dry; she opened it, then shut it again.

"No need to be afraid, Caroline" Suddenly Jack was by her ear, whispering in it. She was going to die, she was just going to die.

"What-what do you w-want, Jack?' Caroline tried to say it bravely, like she wasn't scared, like she didn't care, like she was strong.

Caroline Finny was a awful bluffer.

"What do I want.." Jack turned her face to look at him, "I want you. And you know what part of you I want, you little puke, don't you?"

"Mr. Simpson, I protest!"

Caroline's mind clicked when she heard Hornblower's voice cry out. What the hell is he doing? Her three and a half pounds of brain tried to answer the question as Jack turned away from her.

"You what?" He said, like he hadn't heard.

Hornblower hesitated, like he wasn't sure of himself. But he continued, "Sir....I protest of your treatment of this girl. You will stop such things immediately or I will...Report to the Captain about your violation of this girls person"

The big words he used went in one ear and out the other with Caroline, but she easily read into the message, "If you lay a hand on her, of you touch her, I will tell the Captain"

He knew....how did he know........was it that obvious....??

She suddenly felt great pride in Hornblower bravery.

But, even that, was taken away a couple seconds later.

"Oh, really?" Simpson scoffed, "And you plan to do what about it, Snotty? Trust me, that whole thing about telling the Captain had been said"

He smiled, "and that man ended up another sea creature in Davy Jones locker"

Ian. Oh God, Ian.

"Ian? Ian!!" Caroline Finny ran down the hall of the Justinian toward the Midshipman's berth, the ship tumbled though the storm around her. In one very hard tumble, she slammed against the far wall; but quickly regained her footing and dove for the door.

"Ian O'Goly !" Caroline yelled into the room, only then was when she realized that she was dripped water all over the floor.

"Caroline?" Ian's red hair was a little wet as well, she noticed; but his Irish accent was still there. He was sitting at the table with the others, minus Clayton, Simpson, John and herself whom were up on deck fighting the storm.

"What ever is wrong, lassie?"

"Eccleston wants you on deck" She said a little quieter then before, realized how out of breath she was, and how much she was shivering.

"Caroline, girl, 'yer shaking like you just came from 'eh ice room" He got up from the table and walked over to her, concern in his eyes, "I'll head up to the good Captain, Lassie, as long as you promise me that you'll stay 'ere and get nice and warm, alright?"

Caroline was touch a bit by his concern, and smile a bit, nodded,

"That's a girl" Ian smiled broadly, his wide Irish smile that always made her giggle had no difference affect this time.

Ian ran over and grabbed his coat, giving her one last smile, then walking from the room.

Archie got up from the table and handed her a hot mug of grog,

"Come on, I intend to help keep you as warm as possible" Archie draped a hand over her shoulder and pulled her against him, they both sat down at the table.

A few seconds later, Caroline was listening to Archie and the other engaged in a conversation about what a ominous season it had been this year, the storms had been maybe three a week some times. Which, they thought, was very unusual for this time of year, which would be early spring (Though there were a lot of storms in spring, they supposed there was a lot of storms this year).

Caroline was sipping at her warm grog, a blanket around her shoulders, thinking about what the Captain would want Ian for, since he had just gotten over a fever, he was still pretty weak, what good would a man that still couldn't run very well in a stor-.

Simpson.

It all clicked together then, Ian standing up for her. Simpson's threats. Simpson was going to kill ….

Caroline immediately flew to her feet and ran for her coat that was hardly dry yet.

"Caroline!?" Ezekiel's voice cried out, "What-"

"He's going to kill Ian" She feverishly threw on her coat and hat

Andrew stood to his feet, "Who?!"

"Simpson" She yelled behind her as she ran out the door. She screamed at her legs to move faster and she ran full force down the hall to the stairs of the deck. She had to stop this, she had to fix this. She didn't care what Simpson did to her, she wasn't going to let him hurt Ian. Never would she let that happen.

As she ran for the stairs, images of the twenty year old Irishman ran though her head, his green eyes, freckles, his laugh, the pictures of his wife and baby daughter Katie.

She broke onto the deck as a wave crashed over it, she ducked back until it was gone, then ran up onto the deck. Caroline slipped on the wet bored and nearly crashed into the mast, but was able to avoid it.

Quickly, she stood to her feet and franticly look around for any sign of him. Thoughts of what could have happened to his ran though her head, she shoved then quickly aside.

"Ian!" She screamed over the wind and rain, then spotting him by the edge of the ship, holding onto his hat and looking around confused.

"IAN!!" She screamed again, running and slipping toward him. He looked at her and it appeared as though he yelled out her name, she ran faster.

Then Simpson was there, she didn't have enough state of mind to figure out where he came from, only that he smile and smacked Ian in the face with his fist. Ian stagged and fell against the railing, Caroline froze.

Suddenly, a giant wave bombarded the ship, Caroline was knocked against the mast with a great force that knocked the wind out of her, but she didn't stop.

Nearly as soon as she hit the mast, she flew to her feet and looked back to where Ian had been. Ian was gone.

"IAN!"

She screamed again, but was hit with another wave that drowned it out. When she looked again, Simpson was starring down the railing at something, he mouthed something, Caroline finally was only three feet away.

She saw Ian dangling by his hands from the mast, his hat was gone and his short hair was blowing in the wind, he looked panicked.

"Stop!" Caroline ran at Simpson angrily, he just turned around and punched to the ground.

Caroline landed with a thud, then turned in time to see, Simpson say two words,

"Goodbye Ian"

Then, Simpson slammed his foot down in Ian hands, Ian fell.

"No!" Caroline dove against the railing and watched as Ian's form disappeared in to the waves, "Ian!" She was about to dive in after him when Simpson grabbed her and held her back,

" Let me go! Let me go you..you.. LET ME GO!!" Caroline felt rage and fear, she felt like crying, screaming, swearing, wailing, doing something.

Ian was dead.

Simpson then spun her around and smacked her again, she fell to the ground.

When he hit her, it was like he struck fear into her, she backed away from him, her mouth gaping. He was going to kill her next.

Or worse.

Caroline flew to her feet and stumbled across the damp deck, slipping and sliding, but mostly running back to the stairs.

The fear seemed to eat away at her, like a disease that slowly ate away her mind. She nearly fell down the stairs, then began to stagger though the bowels of the ship, her wet hair dripping the ground in a watery trail.

She ran, not thinking, until she reached the hold and stumbled behind a pile of water barrels. Landed hard on her behind and slid up against the wall.

The next thing she new she was stifling her convulsing crying with her hand, her chest was shuddering and she was crying more then she had ever cried in her life. She was having trouble breathing, gasping for breath she prayed that this was all a dream, that Ian wasn't dead, that she was going to be okay, that Simpson wasn't going to come a get her.

Her silly fantasy ended when she heard the floor boards crack and heard his low breathing.

"Caroline, Caroline, Caroline..."