The Cape Caution had finished its offload and was now parked at the dock in Dutch Harbor. The crew was going to get a few hours of shore leave before the order of bait arrived. Bill watched as the two Discovery guys slipped across the deck heading to the forepeak. He smirked to himself and then turned to Zack in the port side chair and smiled.

"They aren't going to find her" he said with a grin.

"You don't know that for sure" said Zack. "We don't even know where she is."

"I told her to hide" said Bill. "She'll stay where she is until one of us finds her."

"Maybe we should start looking for her now" suggested Nick. "They've been looking for over twelve hours."

"We know this boat better than they do" said Bill. "Finding her will be a cinch."

"If you say so" said Nick.

"If worse comes to worse we can just call her over the hailer and ask her to come out" said Zack. "You know, once the Discovery guys are gone."

"We won't need to do that" said Bill. "She will be easy to find."


Celeste rolled her neck and tried to stretch her back. The deafening roar of the engines had finally stopped and she could now concentrate on the last few pages of her book. When Bill had told her to hide, she was up and out the door in a matter of minutes. She'd grabbed a water bottle from the kitchen before slipping into the engine room. When she'd helped Zack earlier in the trip, she noticed a bench in a small corner of the room. She meant to ask him what it was for but had forgotten. Celeste could lay on the bench and read her book with the aid of a flashlight. However, she'd forgotten how stupidly loud the engine room was and had to take a few minutes to find the ear protectors. She'd figured out that with the sweatshirt over her head and the ear protectors over the outside of the sweatshirt, they would stay put. Behind her were stacks of boxes, which she'd arranged to create a screen to hide her position from anyone coming into the engine room. She'd read and napped and then read some more. But now that her book was finished, she was ready for the game of hide and seek to end.

The Discovery crew had admitted defeat and had taken their tapes to the line producers at the Aleutian Hotel. Bill, Zack and Nick had fanned out across the boat, searching for Celeste. They were just starting their second circuit when Johnathan Hillstrand appeared on the deck.

"Hey, Wild Bill" said Johnathan, clapping his friend on the back.

"Oh, hey Johnathan, how's life?" said Bill, his eyes scanning the deck.

"What's up, you lose a deckhand or something?" said Johnathan, noticing Bill's distraction.

"Not exactly" said Bill.

Zack appeared on deck and looked at Bill expectantly. Bill shook his head and Zack scowled.

"Just use the hailer" said Bill.

"Roger" said Zack.

"You going to tell me what all this is about?" asked Johnathan.

"I'd really rather not" said Bill.

"Oh, now you have to tell me" said Johnathan. "Because I bet it's going to be a whopper of a story."

"Let's go up to the wheelhouse" said Bill.

As they walked inside, Zack's voice rang out over the hailer. Johnathan glanced at Bill, wondering who Celeste was and why she was being told to come out of her hiding spot.

In the wheelhouse Bill and Johnathan stood at the windows, glancing at the deck. Bill had given John a brief synopsis of what had happened on his boat. Johnathan was shocked, to say the least. Ten minutes later Celeste appeared in the wheelhouse. Bill took one look at her and his mouth dropped open. She was dressed in the clothes she'd come onto the boat in, a short black lace dress and heels.

"Wow" said Johnathan.

"Hi" said Celeste, reaching over to shake Johnathan's hand. "I'm Celeste, the Cape Caution's unintentional stowaway."

"So, we're going to walk her back to the hotel" said Zack.

"We can all go" said Bill. "I at least owe her a drink for being so hard to find."

"Sounds good to me" said Celeste.

"Where were you hiding?" asked Johnathan.

"In the engine room" said Celeste.

"What?" said Zack. "I looked in there, twice."

"I was on the bench behind the pile of boxes" said Celeste.

"I'm surprised you're not deaf" said Bill.

"I wore the ear protectors" said Celeste. "And I finished the book."

"You must be starving" said Nick, joining the group in the galley.

"Kind of" said Celeste. "But I can eat at the hotel."

"So, Celeste" began Johnathan. "What was your favorite part of being on the Cape Caution?"

"How nice Zack, Nick and Bill were" said Celeste, thoughtfully. "I also had fun driving the boat."

"You drove the boat?!" said Johnathan, shock spreading over his face.

"Lets get a drink" said Bill, pulling Celeste to the side of the boat.

Zack climbed up first and then Nick picked up Celeste, handing her to Zack. Both Bill and Johnathan got a nice view of her pink panties.

"Well, she certainly isn't bad to look at" said Johnathan. "Have you seen those panties before?"

"Maybe a glimpse or two" said Bill, cagily.

"I can't imagine what your first trip was like" said Johnathan.

"I didn't even find her until five days into the trip" said Bill. "Zack and Nick kept her hidden in their room."

"She stayed in a stateroom for five days" said Johnathan.

"She came out to go to the bathroom, Nick took her out to look at the stars one night, and she snuck into the galley to eat my ice cream bars" said Bill.

"And she lived to tell the tale?" said Johnathan with a smirk.

"She's lucky she's cute and funny" said Bill.

"Cute?" said Johnathan. "She's younger than your son."

"Yeah, well" said Bill.

"What?" said Johnathan. "Your kid and his friend like her. Clearly you see that."

"She's not right for him...them" said Bill.

"Why's that?" said Johnathan.

"She's just not" said Bill. "Trust me."

"Are you right for her?" asked Johnathan.

Bill studiously ignored the question and walked faster in order to catch up with Celeste and the boys.


At the hotel Bill and Johnathan headed to the bar. Nick and Zack followed Celeste to the bank of elevators. Bill didn't realize that the guys hadn't followed him until he'd ordered his first drink.

"Where the fuck did they go?" asked Bill.

"Don't worry about it" said Johnathan. "She's probably just changing her clothes. I'm sure they will all be down in a moment."

Bill slammed back his drink and began to walk out of the bar.

"Bill, buddy" said Johnathan. "Don't sweat, get another drink. If they aren't down in half and hour then we can get a passkey from the front desk and bust up their little party."

"Fine" said Bill, glancing at his watch. "Thirty minutes."

Johnathan watched Bill, wondering what the hell was up. He'd never seen Bill so worried about his kid and a girl. It took him a moment to realize that something must have happened on the boat.

"So what happened on the boat?" asked Johnathan.

"Nothing" said Bill.

"Something happened to make you act like this" said Johnathan sagely.

"We've known each other for a long time" said Bill. "Don't make me kick your ass in the middle of this bar."

"You want to kick my ass because I asked about what happened on your boat?" said Johnathan in surprise.

Bill turned away, checking his watch again.

"You like her" said Johanthan.

"What?" said Bill.

"You like her" said Johnathan. "You think she's wrong for Zack because you want her to yourself."

"Shut the fuck up" said Bill. "You couldn't be more wrong. Her parents died when she was in high school, she never goes to their house, she has some sort of sex addiction and she lives in hotels all over the world."

"She's a sex addict" said Johnathan. "How did you find out that little tidbit?"

Bill gave Johnathan a scowl and turned away.

"Did you have sex with her?" asked Johnathan, dropping his voice to a whisper.

"It doesn't matter" said Bill. "She's not a good match for Zack, or Nick, or really anyone."

"Except you" said Johnathan.

"She wouldn't break my heart" said Bill, firmly. "I'm pretty sure she would break Zack's or Nick's.

"And you're trying to protect them?" asked Johnathan.

"Yes" said Bill. "Their time is up."

With a sigh, Johnathan followed Bill up to the desk and once they had the key in their hands they headed to the elevators.

Zack, Nick and Celeste fell through the door into her small hotel room. Celeste ran to her suitcase, throwing it open and selecting some fresh clothes. Zack and Nick sat on bed and watched Celeste walk into the bathroom. Picking up the remote Nick turned on the set and the two friends sat back to watch some tv.

"Should we order food?" asked Celeste.

"No" said Nick. "Change your clothes and then we'll go down and have a drink."

"I'm taking a shower before I go anywhere" said Celeste.

"Make it quick" said Zack. "My dad's only going to wait to buy us drinks for so long."

"Fine" said Celeste. "I'll do it as fast as I can."

Nick and Zack glanced at the door of the bathroom. In Celeste's hurry she hadn't bothered to close it. The boys could watch her strip off her clothes and step into the small shower. They watched unabashedly as she washed her hair and soaped her body. The smell of her shampoo and soap filtered into the bedroom. Nick smiled, the smell reminded him of the first night he'd gotten to sleep with her. The sound of the shower stopping drew both Zack and Nick's attention. They both watched as Celeste slipped out of the shower and quickly dried off. Wrapping her head in a towel she walked out into the bedroom and picked up the clothes she'd set out. She smiled as she slipped on a pair of red underwear and a matching bra.

"Do you think jeans and a shirt will be ok for a drink?" asked Celeste.

"I think you should wear another dress" suggested Zack.

"Seriously?" asked Celeste. "If I end up on another boat I think I should at least have some pants."

"Who's boat do you think you're going to find yourself on this time?" asked Nick.

"I'd only want to go wherever you two are" said Celeste.

"Get dressed" said Zack.

Celeste pulled on the jeans, slid on her shirt and was just putting on her socks when the key in the door drew the rooms attention. Bill burst into the room with Johnathan hot on his heels.

"What the fuck do you think you guys are doing?" bellowed Bill.

"Putting on my socks" replied Celeste. "Sorry, we took so long but I took a shower."

Bill looked over the rooms inhabitants, trying to determine if anything nefarious happened.

"Are you ready to go get a drink?" asked Johnathan, trying to defuse some of the tension.

"Absolutely" said Celeste. "I'm ready for two."

Down in the bar Celeste sat between Nick and Zack. Bill hovered behind her, effectively interrupting anyone who tried to speak to her. Celeste finished her second drink and set it down on the bar. She turned slowly on her barstool and grabbed Bill's arm. She pulled him down, dragging him closer to her mouth. His eyes darted back and forth wondering what she was going to do. Turning him at the last minute her mouth brushed against his ear.

"What the fuck is your problem?" whispered Celeste. "I don't know what it is you're trying to do, but I want you to stop it."

She let go of his arm and turned back around. Bill stood up stiffly, his eyes drifting around the room. His eyes fell on Johnathan who smirked at him. Bill refocused and frowned.

"We're going to the bar to meet the rest of the guys" said Bill. "Do you want to come with us?"

Nick and Zack looked expectantly at Celeste.

"No thanks" said Celeste. "That is where this whole adventure started. I'm going to have some dinner and take a very long, very hot bath."

"Let's go you chuckleheads" said Bill.

Zack and Nick hesitated, they wanted to stay with Celeste, but they didn't want to anger Bill more than they already had.

"I'll see you guys later" said Celeste. "Here's my phone number."

Celeste fished her card out of her purse and handed one to Zack, Nick and Bill. Johnathan put out his hand and Celeste dutifully pulled out another card and pressed it into his hand. He looked down at the card and frowned.

"Are you the one that decides the quota?" asked Johnathan.

"I write a report that helps to determine quotas" said Celeste. "But what I say isn't the end all be all. I don't make the quotas."

"Why are you up here?" asked Johnathan.

"I'm watching how fast the crab is being caught here and then I'll follow it over to Asia and see what it's being bought for, how much is being purchased and what the demand will be in the season to come" explained Celeste.

"I think some of the other Captains would like to have a chat with you" said Johnathan, studying her card.

"Well you know where I am" said Celeste. "Stop by any time."

With that she slipped off the stool and gave Zack and Nick brief kisses on the cheek. Bill watched her walk out of the bar, he wondered what she'd just gotten herself into.