A/N; So I totally meant to update sooner, honest, things have just been a little hectic for me and my family. Not to mention the weather here has been super crappy, which directly impacts my work days, as I work in construction. So exhausting days. Which is also why this chapter isn't nearly as long as I wanted it to bed, I just had to get something out to you guys:) Ill try to update more and speedier, but please be patient with me.

On that note, I simply cannot explain how happy all the reviews and follow have made me, and the favourites? Swoon* You guys are amazing, I love you all! Please keep up with the

Disclaimer; Billy Bones and the crew of the Walrus are not mine, sadly.

Chapter 3; Western Winds

When Charlie woke up the skies were dark and ominous. The heat was still thick and cloying but the winds had returned with a vengeance. Violent and howling across the cove, she sat up straight as her umbrella was ripped from its place in the sand beside her. Shouting she reached up, her fingers grasping the shaft for a moment, a quick goodbye, before it was whisked away into the sky.

She buttoned her white shirt and ran for the house, tripping over the sand as she went, hands covering her face. She reached the door and lifted the heavy latch, scurrying inside she pushed all her weight against the door. The wind was fierce and abusive, beating against the house with its fists, it attempted to invade the house. With a final heave of her aching shoulder she slammed the door, plunging the house into echoing darkness. She allowed herself only one quick moment to catch her breath and still her frantic beating heart before setting to work. Pulling her hair into a quick braid she walked through the kitchen, towards the back door. Making sure the latch was down, she then flipped a heavy board down in place with a loud thud. Next she walked to the windows, one by one she made her way through the house, closing latches and boards until the house was meticulously fortified.

Charlie flopped down on to the couch, utterly spent. Filling a glass of coconut water from a pitcher on the table, she drained it dry. Stretching out her sore arms and back, she pushed her hair out from her face, it was damp with sweat. A fine sheen covered her entire body. Goddamn fucking storm. Only in the Caribbean would storms come on sudden and violent, leveling houses and tossing ships into the depths. And only in the Caribbean would 130 mile/hour winds ravage the land and rise up the seas... but still the temperature climbed. Warm rains poured down from the dark sky, clashing against the western winds, they fought, until hot clouds of steam misted across the island. The wind rolled the mists back and forth, swallowing whole towns and then receding again, back and forth like a grey phantom of the ocean. A ghostly wave of rising tides.

As the rain finally broke free from the heavy swell of the heavens, Charlie sat up. She always like the rain. It tinkled across the roof of the house, reverberating through the rooms like a song. Standing up from the couch she twirled across the floor, dancing to the special song of the rain that only she could hear. Arms raised, tendrils of hair escaping from her long braid she spun until a giggle rose up from her chest.

"Great, I've finally lost it," she smiled sadly to herself, "Flint has been gone to long."

A drop of water splashed to her cheek. Followed by another.

She stopped and looked up at the steady drip of water falling from a seam in the ceiling, she scowled, "Flint has been gone too long.

She made her way over to the window and grabbed the silver pot off the ledge. Had the window been open she would have seen the white sails on the horizon.

Placing it under the leak, she went about lighting the lanterns, humming to herself, "Yo ho, yo ho.."

Had the window been open she would have noticed the dark solitary silhouette crossing the ridge into the small cove.

"...A pirate's life for me."

BillyBones;

The ship rolled and heaved across the water, crashing into squalls as it battled to stay afloat. Diving into the surf, the ship creaked and rocked plunging under the waves like its namesake, before righting itself again.

Billy sputtered, coughing up water as he fought his way over to the ship's mast. He held on to the ropes, wrapping his arm around them as the ocean receded back over the side of the ship.

Where was the crew? Billy couldn't see a soul beyond Gates.

Flint was at the helm, trying to keep the ship steady as he yelled orders at a nonexistent crew.

"Gates!" he roared over the wind.

The quartermasters head snapped up, locking eyes with Billy before he made his way over, struggling against the wind and rocking ship.

"Billy!" he screamed, pushing him forward, "Go beneath deck an' muster tha' crew, find whoever still be able an' get them back up 'ere. If we don't get this ship in ta' port soon, we'll be lost t' tha' locker!"

Billy shook his head and rushed to the doors, ripping them open he bounded down the stairs. He hadn't bothered to pull the door closed behind him and a whistling filled the hallway as he ran towards the crew's quarters in the hull. He barely slowed as he made it to the door, kicking it open with a loud bang as he barreled into the room. A few crew mates startled upright, falling off their bunks and hammocks. Those who had actually made it to their bunks, that is.

"Oi! Get up!" Billy hollared, "On deck, mates! Capn's orders!"

Only five stirred.

Billy went round the room. Turning over hammocks and lifting up bunks, he all but kicked them out of bed. It was useless. The crew had been drunk for days, lying in the sun and singing songs they had completely obliterated the ship's store of rum. Most of them didn't budge at all, just tumbled over onto the floor and continued unfazed through their drunken slumber. He had to reach down and check the pulses of a few men who rolled across the floor into the wall with a sudden lurch of the ship.

He decided that six was the best hope he could ask for after Davis, mighty handy on the rigging, stood up and proceeded to vomit at Billy's feet.

"Alright gents, up top!"

Back on deck, things had not gotten any better. As he made his way to the stern, he ran into Gates.

"Well? Where be tha' crew, boy?" He questioned, hands full of rope.

Billy tilted his back at the six wide-eyed men behind him.

"Six?" Gates whispered, "SIX?!"

"Was all I could rouse."

"Tha's it, were done for," Gates grumbled, shaking hie head, "Bring 'em to the Cap'n and now... Now would be a good time to start prayin' lad."

Billy nodded and took off for the wheel.

When he reached the upper deck the Captain was manning the wheel. Wild eyed with his lip pulled in between his teeth. Beads of blood dotted his beard. Shirtless, like the rest of them, his body was tense and coiled, muscles straining as he battled the waves. Hair, half loose from the leather strap that usually held it back, hung around his face in knots. At that moment Billy had never seen a fiercer pirate captain.

"Captain!" He called out, breaking Flint's trance, "What are your orders?"

"Tie everythin' down!" Flint shouted, voice deep and hoarse over the thunderous winds, "Let loose all tha' sails!"

Billy eyes went wide.

The crewmate beside him, GASPED. Light brown hair with broad shoulders covered in swirling tattoos, Billy could not remember his name. "All the sails? Buh, Cap'n! In this wind we'll be tossed straight ta tha' locker!"

Flint fixed him with a hard stare, "And if we don't? We'll surely be lost."

A/N; Please be kind and review if you want them to make it out of the storm ;) tootles!