I'm not sure if this actually worked the first time I tired to upload it :S So I'm trying again.

Lots of love,

LV xx


Well this is the strangest collection of idiots I've ever seen in all my life. Master Gibbs, you've outdone yourself. Congratulations.

"Feast your eyes Capt'n," he grinned at me like a dog awaiting his praise. He's a good boy really. I should throw him a bone. "all of them faithful hands before the mast, every man worth his salt. And crazy to boot."

That much is obvious but thank you for the confirmation.

"This is your able-bodied crew?" No prizes for guessing whos snooty voice that was.

I'll show you, Eunuch.

"You, sailor!" I snapped at one of them. His eyes widened but he said nothing.

"Cotton, sir," Gibbs butted in. Bit rude, let the man speak for himself.

"Mr Cotton? Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of almost certain death?" There was a long silence. This was the height of rudeness. If rudeness was a mountain, this man would be sitting on its snowy peak. I hope you freeze up there; I am trying to beat a Eunuch. "Mr Cotton! Answer, man!"

"He's a mute, sir," Gibbs explained, "poor devil had his tongue cut out, so he trained the parrot to talk for him. No-one's yet figured how."

Ah… Fair enough then.

Cotton opened his mouth wide to show me the space where his tongue used to be. Behind his yellowy-brown teeth was an uneven, red scar and a disfigured lump. Urgh, well that's just disgusting.

I almost moved away from him, but out of the corner of my eye I saw will. He presence made me feel angry and also a little bit ill all at the same time. I still had a point to prove. I looked at the parrot. "Mr Cotton's parrot… same question."

"Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!" the horrid feathery thing screeched in my face. I looked at Gibbs.

"Mostly we fear that means yes," he said.

"'Course it does!" I smiled, glancing over at Will "Satisfied?"

Take that you big… girl.

"Well, you've proved they're mad." I'm not an idiot I could hear the distain in his voice. If he puts just on more foot out of line I swear I'll-

"What's the benefit for us?" a vaguely familiar voice cut across my dark thoughts. I am not a fan of vague familiarity. Experience has taught me that vague people are not to be trusted. I walked down the line, they stared back at me, gormless. I reached one who'd hidden himself with an overly large hat. I reached out and lifted up the brim, worried about what might lurk underneath.

Oh shite.

"Anna-Maria!" I tried to sound enthusiastic as she glared at me. Glare all you want, but please don't- She slapped me hard across the cheek.

"I suppose you didn't deserve that one either?" Will's smug tones made me want to get her to hit him too. She had a good hit. Unfortunately for me.

"Nope, that one I deserved."

I was lying of course; I deserve nothing but good things. However, good things would not happen to me if I were to contradict Anna-Maria. She raised her hand again. I braced myself, but she only pointed. "You stole my boat!"

Incorrect.

"Actually-" She slapped me again. How many times can this happen in one day?... don't answer that. "Borrowed. Borrowed without permission, but with every intention of bringing it back to you."

"But you didn't!"

Well obviously.

"You'll get another one." I said hurriedly as she raised her hand, but again, she was only pointing.

"I will."

"A better one," Eunuch Boy chipped in. That was actually pretty helpful of you, Eunuch, cheers for that.

"A better one!" I smiled at her. I could see her calming down.

"That one," I heard Will say and everyone looked. I panicked.

"What one?" I stared at him. He was looking at the Interceptor. I hate you. "That one?" I had a second to glare at him before everyone turned their attention back to me. Then I had to plaster that stupid big smile back on my face. "Aye, that one. What say you?"

"Aye!" everyone said all together even though the question had not been directed at them. Fools. Anna-Maria snatched her hat back rather rudely from out of my hand and stormed off. I felt rather drained after that.

"No, no, no!" Gibbs was yapping at my side, "its frightful bad luck to have a woman aboard."

He knew nothing. "It would be far worse not to however." I said gravely.

"Excuse me?" a moody voice snapped from behind us. Isabel. Why are women always so difficult to deal with?

"What?"

"You've had a woman aboard long before now!" she said. What the hell was she on about? "I'm a woman too, in case you hadn't noticed!"

My eyes slipped down to her chest and swiftly back up again. Not bad… I gave her my most charming smile, but she didn't seem to notice. Which is odd because it is a very noticeable smile. "I promise you, love, I had noticed, but you're a special case."

"What?"

"Well, you don't really count." Gibbs explained. "You're not here by choice."

"Right." She nodded and a tiny little frown creased her brow. She obviously did not understand. Personally, I thought it had been explained rather well.

You can storm at me all you want, I'm not stopping and I'm not slowing down.

The ship pitched beneath us and rocked violently. I admit it was a little dangerous and we got through it on pure skill alone. My skills, obviously, although the crew might have helped a little bit. If I was having a slight disagreement with the weather, it was nothing compared to the massive, raging argument it was having with the contents of Isabel's stomach. I've never seen anyone be sick so much all at once. Ever.

"Never mind, love," I said to the back of her head as she made delightful retching noises over the starboard side. "You just need to find your sea-legs."

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and then looked up at me slowly. She gave me the most disgusted, cross look in the whole world. She was not amused. I was. I had no idea that someone could turn that shade of green. It was interesting. When her seasickness didn't wear off, I did worry a bit. I thought Will would be more concerned than he was. Well he's rubbish. I am so much better than him. I checked in on her when I could but most of the time she was either too unconscious or delirious to appreciate my efforts. My time was better spent trying to keep us afloat, anyway. Under my hands, the rain made the wheel a slippery little bugger.

"We should drop canvas, sir!" Gibbs staggered towards me, barely able to see me because of the rain. Which is unfortunate for him because I am a very pleasant thing to see. Gibbs is a cautious man. Perhaps too cautious. That what comes of having been in the Navy with Commodore Goon. I'd be cautious then too.

"She can hold a bit longer," I told him as the ship pitched violently from side to side again.

He had to squint through the rain. "What's in your head that's put you in such a fine mood, Capt'n? " he bellowed over the noise of the storm.

"We're catching up," I said with a smile.