This chapter has a lot of pharagraphicalness [ness] I know some people skip over the paragraphs to get to the dialogue. But hang with me! Read the Pharagraphicalness [ness] if you would! Oh yeah! Review to please!!

()()()

Caroline knelt down by the side of the old chest, running her hands over the lid; the soft, old wooden sea chest with the rusty hinges that held all of her earthly possessions. It wasn't very big, and not very deep; more of a large box then a chest, really. Engraved on the lid of it was C.R.F, nothing fancy; no nice little designs on it or expensive wood. Though, with the lack of flamboyant decor, the chest met more to her then any fancy old thing ever could.

It was a birthday present, given to her on her first birthday as a midshipman. Archie, Clayton and the rest of the guys had collected their pay to buy her the 'large box'. She still remembered the proud look they had on their faces when they gave her something to put her things in (Previously, she had shared a chest with Archie) she remembered the way her heart beat as she stared with awe at the 'beautiful piece of wood' she had never owned anything so grand in her life. She remembered how Clayton had pointed out to her about the time they had chosen to give it to her, 'while Jack was on watch'. It twas a piece of genius

The new berth on the Indefatigable was, to her delight, larger then the Justinian's. More room around the table was a savior, because they could now walk around it without having to suck in ones gut. Larger hammocks to sleep in, finer chairs, extra blankets; maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Caroline reached down and undid the lock, then slowly lifted up the old lid. The inside smelled a bit musty, but since must was a favorite smell of Caroline's, she couldn't care less.

Inside the chest was a small array of items: Extra shirts and other clothing items, a dwindling selection of personal toiletries, extra pieces of leather to tie her hair back with, her brother's old Bible, and letters from home. The letters were stuck in a large brown skinned packet; and printed on crumpled, aging paper; precious packets of sunshine, in Caroline's opinion. Sticking out of the top of the packet was a gray, stained and old looking picture. Caroline slowly pried it out and look upon it with home sick eyes.

It was of four children, the tallest and obvious oldest had long, curled, shoulder length hair. He had a crutch under his right arm and his right leg was missing. If the picture was color, his hair would be the color of dirty blond and his eye would be dark blue. The boy look to be in his mid teens, and he had a gentle smile on his face. The second tallest had long hair, and if it color, the hair would be the color of chestnut and her eyes would be dark brown. She looked to be in her early teens and had a happy smile on her face; the older ones arm was around her shoulder.

The two youngest looked to be about the same age, one was a boy with ruffled, short hair and a wild grin. If in color, he would also have dirty blond hair and dark blue eyes-just like the oldest. The girl had long hair, as well as the other girl, and it would be light blond and her eyes would be a mild shade of blue.

All four of the children were dressed in shabby cloths, the two girls had on old, torn looking dresses and the boys had on torn shirts and dirtied pants. Not a rich family, surely.

Midshipman Finny sighed, running her hands over the picture of her small family. Her older brother, Elijah, with his twinkling eyes and his missing leg. The twins, Joseph with his wild grin and adventurous nature; then Julia with her fancy, refined ways and her dreams of becoming a princess.

She hadn't seem them in two years, just written them letters. Elijah had always written back, telling her how life was going. Her older brother was he only one on their block that was able to read and write. He had dedicated his early years to learning, his dream was to attend Oxford and go on to become something-something big and important where he could provide for his family.

How are you going to get the money, El?

I'll think of something-Mr. Higgins says he can give me a desk job.

Mr. Higgins? He's a tax collector.

I know

You want to work for him? You know just as well as I do he cheats people.

I know, Caroline, but we need the money.

For college?

No. For now, we're going to just try and get some food. When you guys are old enough, I'll try for college. But not now.

Caroline sighed, placing the photo back in the packet of letters and then putting it back inside of the chest. She wanted so much for her brother to live his dream; but where could they ever get the money for something like that? Her brother working for the tax collector surely helped them pay for food and other things. But college?

"Caroline? Caroline?"

"In here, Archie" Caroline replied, then turned around so that she leaned up against the side of the 'large box'. Watching as Archie's face appeared in the door way, a small grin playing on his lips.

"I've been looking for you" He stated, walking towards her with his arms crossed jokingly.

Caroline gave a little shrug, "I've been right here, Mr. Kennedy. Can I help you with something?"

Archie slowly set down next to her, grunting a little, "Actually..you can.."

"Getting a little old of this, aren't we Mr. Kennedy?" Caroline joked, tilting her head a bit to the right. Midshipman Kennedy smiled slightly, "I agree. I think I shall retire from this business and..find a nice house somewhere"

"Maybe your father will let you back at Kennedy Manor"

"Doubt it" Archie replied curtly, "Either way, that wasn't what I came to ask you about"

"Really?" Caroline crossed her legs. "Then to what do I owe this pleasant visiting?"

Archie thought for a moment, biting his lip, which he only did when he was trying to figure out how to say something.

"You met with the Captain, correct?"

"Yes?"

He thought again, "..Did you tell him..about Jack..?"
Caroline bit her lip; tell the Captain about Jack? Did Archie seriously think that she'd tell the Captain about Jack? Were they thinking of the same Jack Simpson?

"No. Should I?"

"No-No. It's just..." Archie shook his head, running and hand though his blond hair, "I was just wondering. Looks like Jack's going to be staying with the Justinian."

Caroline folded her arms, "Glad. Maybe now I'll get some decent sleep."

The blond hair, blue eyes midshipman smiled, standing to his feet, "Oh. Eccleston is going to be giving out watches in a couple minutes. I'd advise you to be on deck." Archie stretched a hand down to her.

"Advise noted" Caroline answered, grasping his hand and getting to her feet, "May I join you, Mr. Kennedy?"

Mr. Kennedy took on a joking, serious look, "I suppose, but you will need this, Ma'am" He reached down by the sea chest and grabbed her hat, holding it out to her in his right hand.

Caroline smiled gracefully and took the hat with a bow, "Why, thank you kind Sir" She placed it on her head, "How could I ever forget my chapeau?"

"I have no idea" Archie replied, doing a little bow, "Now, Ma'am, shall we?"

"We shall"

Then Caroline Finny, and Archie Kennedy walked from the room; arms intertwined in a most dignified fashion.

()()()()()()(

Caroline flinched as another cannon ball shattered the railing, sending wooden particles flying every which way. Her hands were clasped behind her back, and her face was covered in sweat and dirt. The sound of firing cannon balls and screaming men filled her ears to the brim; the cries of wounded drifted in and out like a trumpet from hell. With the smell of burning flesh and of blood hung like a curtain in the afternoon air.

Was this war?

She was standing on the high deck, standing to the behind-right of the Captain; trying to look dignified and smart. When really her heart was pounding in her chest, and her head was buzzing like it always did when she sensed danger. Below her was the cannons, they ran along the sides of the ship and were firing off. Caroline couldn't exactly tell what, she guessed it was a French ship. She could hear men yelling orders 'more power' 'FIRE!' 'Power boy!' and so forth, they yelled. Intermingling shouts of officers, trying to defeat a country.

This suddenly seemed very foolish.

Why she was standing up on the high deck and not in the battle was simple: The Captain said so. Something about 'keeping and eye on her'. Put in different words, he didn't trust her at all. But what reason had she given him to trust her? To him, she was a fool's errand, a mistake to be here, a joke. Like she was just out for the adventure, or looking for a husband; she was non-accepting of her circumstances back home and ungrateful.

So why should he trust her? She would just have to prove to him what she could do, and that just because she was female didn't mean she was any less a hard worker.

"FIRE!" The cry broke out in almost unison, sending balls of metal flying from the cannons, sending them jerking back and smoke flaring into the air. Caroline flinched again, feeling the impact of another cannon ball under her feet; it rocked the ship and sent it quivering. If this was what damage cannon balls did to frigates, what could they do to ships like the Justinian?

"What do you think, Miss Finny?" The Captain bellowed over the roar of the battle.

Caroline hesitated, imminently regretting it. If one was to impress and Captain, they should not hesitate,

"I think I prefer quiet seas, Sir" She replied, having the yell to be heard.

The Captain smirked, "Just as well-Battle is something that is necessary, not something to look forward to. You must understand this, Miss Finny, if you are to impress me"

Caroline opened her mouth to say something, but shut it again. What could she say? This Captain Sir Edward Pellew had read her mind like a book. How should she reply to a mind reading Captain? Was it that obvious she was trying to impress him?

"Yes, Sir"

Can't go wrong with, 'Yes, Sir'.

"But by, God!" The Captain roared, walking up to the railing and placing his hands on it."We are going to beat those Frogs! Fire at them, men! Don't hesitate!"

Caroline couldn't help but smile in the mist of it all; a mist the battle, the yells, the cries of pain. She smiled out of the irony of it all, and how funny this suddenly seemed. This Captain, Sir Edward Pellew,; she liked him, she did not mean any offense to Captain Keene, but Captain Pellew was something else, entirely.

Just then, another cannon ball shattered the side of the ship, sending splinters flying. Caroline ducked away, almost knocking into the Captain; who stood like a statue, hands behind back.

"Damn it all!"

Caroline looked over, trying to see who cried out, the pitch indicating he was obviously in pain. She saw that on the ground a couple feet away was Lieutenant Robert Chadd, gripping his left arm as blood gurgled from a deep wound. Lieutenant Chadd was another from the Justinian, He and Eccleston were close, they grew up together from what she had heard. And speak of the devil, Eccleston was kneeling down next to his friend.

"Miss Finny!" The Captain barked, "Take Lieutenant Chadd to the surgery, if you'd be so kind"

"Yes, Sir" Caroline saluted, then stumbled over to where the Lieutenant was trying to stand, Eccleston helping him.

"I'll take him, Sir" Caroline cut in, motioning towards Chadd. Eccleston looked at her a bit unsettled, not quiet sure he wanted to put his friend at the assistance of someone who 'does tom-foolery during a storm'.

"Mr. Eccleston!" Captain Pellew looked over at them with angry eyes, "I need you here-give the good Lieutenant to Miss Finny and get on with it, man!"

Eccleston sighed, then helped to rap the Lieutenants arm around Caroline's shoulder,

"Be careful, you hear?" Eccleston ordered, his voice shaking a bit. The young one nodded,

"I'm fine, Samuel!" The Lieutenant suddenly broke out, speaking Eccleston's Christian name. He pulled away from Caroline and staggering a few steps before his legs gave out.

Caroline sighed, walking over to him,"Of course you are, Sir." She rapped his good arm around her shoulder and pulled him back to her feet, "but if you don't mind, Sir, I'd like to get away from all the yelling, it hurts ones ears, Sir"

Chadd mumbled something, sounding like a swear; Caroline smiled slightly, then hunkered down the steps, almost tripping over the dead and dying. Chadd was heavier then she imagined, though he did try to walk. And if he hadn't lost so much blood, he probably would have been able; but the excessive blood loss, and the deepness of the wound impaired his walking skills a bit. As one could imagine.

Inside of the ship wasn't any better then outside, it was still unbelievingly loud and her head was still buzzing. Her shirt was getting stained with Chadd's blood, and it was dripping down and making a little path as they walked towards the sick bay.

A most wretched place, indeed.

On the second level down, was the sick bay; Caroline absolutely hated the sick bay with a burning passion. The sickening smells, the cries of wounded, the bloody surgery items. She hated it because she couldn't do anything about it. Every time she saw a something hurting, especially a man, she felt like she should be able to fix him and make the pain go away. But in the sick bay, there was nothing she could do to help them, and that drove her crazy.

Oh. And the fact that the doctor was Dr. Fredrick Hepplewhite, didn't help at all. He was a ghostly man who drank to much and didn't care for any sort of hygiene. He didn't care for anyones welfare, or anyones pain; he just chopped off limbs and shot morphine like a crazed lunatic. Anyway, putting that all side, he didn't like her; since he was the one who discovered her being a female, it was terribly awkward. And every since, he hated her; she didn't know why.

"Put him over there" The doctor ordered, pointing towards a stool; at the moment, the doctor was leaning over a table, his two aids were holding down a struggling body, the left leg was hanging on by a thread of ligament. Torn muscle and skin were lying everywhere on the table, and blood was shooting out from the limb; in the doctor's hand was a bloody saw.

Caroline had to turn away to keep from throwing up what little she had eaten for breakfast. When this was all said and done-this whole damn war-the one thing she would not miss was this.

"Careful!" Chadd hissed as she placed him on the stool, he death gripped his left arm. Caroline bit her lip, then looked over at the doctor. She wished that she didn't, watching as the aids carried the still, and bloody body out.

Get out. Get out.

"Stop one damn minute!" The Hepplewhite ordered when he saw her leaving the room, "You think that you can just walk in here and leave?"

Caroline bit her lip, then turned her head, "I am needed on deck, Doctor"

"I don't give a damn! They have plenty of men up here and I need you here, now, Finny"

She turned around, looking at the dripping, bloody arm of the Lieutenant then at the doctor looking at her with hands on hips,

"Sir--"

"Don't Sir me, damn you! Come here and hold him down, I need to stitch up the wound before he bleeds to death!"

The blood. The smell. Buzzing, buzzing. Get out. Get out. Get out!

"Bu--"

"You come here right now or I will have you hanged, dammit!"

He really hated her.

The young one hesitated, knowing that the doctor would be good on his threat. Though she was sure that the Captain wouldn't allow it; but then again..

Taking down a gulp and uttering a quiet prayer for her sanity; Caroline walked slowly over and held down Lieutenant Chadd, trying not to vomit as she watched the needle pierce his bloody skin.

()()()

It was a clear night, stars twinkled like diamonds in a clear sky and a luminous moon hung as if on a Christmas tree. A soft breeze blue through the rigging, carrying with it the smell of sea salt and a lingering scent of blood. The seas were calm, gentle waves knocked against the ship like a mother rocking a cradle and the air was a nice, crisp cold. It was almost beautiful.

These were the nights that Caroline lived for, the clear sea nights that she treasured like gold. She loved standing out on the deck, staring out at the sea and tasting the sea salt in her mouth, smelling it and breathing it in like it was her food source. On nights like this, living on a ship and fighting in a war almost seemed worth it.

But not tonights, tonight Caroline wasn't standing on deck for the thrill; actually, she wasn't standing on deck at all. She was staggering down the hall, a blood soaked uniform over her body and her hair messy and sticky with the crimson substance. Her stomach was doing flip flops, and her head had been buzzing so long that she didn't notice it anymore.

"Caroline?"

The youngest stopped walking and looked towards the berth doorway, where Archie stood. Still dressed in his pants and white dress shirt, and looking rather worried.

"Caroline, where have you--" He stopped short when he saw, to his horror, that her cloths were covered with blood,

"Its okay.." Her voice was hoarse, as if she'd been yelling all day, "It's not mine" Caroline managed a 'I'm okay' smile, though Archie seemed far from convinced,

"He made you help him again, didn't he?"

She didn't reply, but stumbled through the door and vomited into the chamber pot. Usually, Archie would find this circumstance funny, comical if you will. But instead, being out of his character, he swore,

"---------- God damn him to hell"

"Don't swear" Caroline joked, trying to lighten the situation by bringing about the old inside joke. Archie didn't buy it, so she continued, her voice still hoarse, "really, Archie, don't do anything rash please"

"Uhrrrr" A groan went up from the hammocks, "Something must be done, Caroline, or I will never sleep again"

Caroline sat down on the bottom, rolling her eyes, "My apologies Mr. Cleveland, for my weak stomach. I don't happen to like blood, unlike some other people I know"

Cleveland groaned again, mumbling something about 'blood' then slowly drifted back to sleep. The rest of the midshipmen were sleeping soundly in their hammocks, even Horatio was still in dream land.

"Come on, then" Archie sighed, reaching out his hand for her to grab, "lets get you to bed-you still have watch in a couple hours"

Caroline grasped her friends hand, groaning, "Uhr-don't remind me, Mr. Kennedy"