A/N: Palla, you are my favorite, ever. Do you know how awesome it is to get here and see that someone has written a review of every chapter? Seriously made my day. (And makes me want to milk this into as many chapters as possible. ;))

Silver's coming, I promise! I'm just itchin' to bring him into this story as much as you guys are to read him in it, but ... but... I've just got to build it all up. *sob* Blasted character development! ;)

So, um, yeah. He'll appear shortly.

*****

VII. Home

*****

Jim stood on the bridge of the Redemption, calling out orders to the crew as they headed for Crescentia. Aubrey had left him in charge of the ship while she boarded the passenger liner to find out what had happened to them. She had been gone nearly three hours, so Jim figured they either had a long story for her, or plenty of food on board that she would try to talk them into giving away. Or maybe the hangover had come back with a vengeance, and she was avoiding her own crew to get in a few extra hours sleep.

He snorted. Digland gave him a quizzical glance and Jim shook his head to dismiss the thought.

Sorry, Digland. My tired mind is running away with me...

Ah. You think she's taking a nap over there too, huh?

They both laughed at that.

Now lads, ye both know Ah'd never do such a thing!

The first mate and helmsman spun around to see Fletcher swagger up to the bridge, eyebrow cocked and a smirk on her face.

Digland flushed and looked back to the helm, but Jim winked and nudged him with his elbow.

Well, Captain, maybe not for a snooze, but I imagine if they had a good pint or two to continue what you started last night...

Aubrey laughed and made a dramatic show of bringing her hand up to her heart, mock surprise on her face.

Now Jim, ye aren't accusing me of stealing are ye?

Jim raised his eyebrows and gestured to the mug in her hand.

This is merely a thank-you from our dear refugees! She winked. Nothin' like a hair off the dog that bit ye. She flashed them a cocky grin and leaned against the rail of the bridge, taking a swig of her ale.

So what happened to them?

Aubrey looked at Jim for a moment before she answered.



No lad. Tag may be a pirate, but he knows well enough not t' attack a passenger galleon this close t' a big port like Crescentia. She looked east, toward their destination. No... This was a challenge t' someone...

The Revenge.



They know we're coming after them? His jaw dropped. Did - did they do this right under our noses - last night?

She shook her head. No, this boat's been stranded here a while now.

But they were left alive!

Would ye let me finish, lad? She smirked at him.

Sorry, Captain.

She continued. They were indeed left alive. Well, th' passengers were. The crew was slaughtered and hung from th' masts... She nodded grimly back to the galleon, where Jim could barely make out the forms of the mutilated crew tied halfway up the masts. He pursed his lips. Fletcher continued. Those buccaneers stole every last remnant from their larders.

But - At a look from the captain, Jim shut his mouth.

They left those people t' starve, their ship crippled an' stranded only a few short hours from their destination. She came to address the question Jim was about to ask. Lucky for them, the ship had a hidden larder that none but th' cooks knew about. S' what's kept them alive for the past month...

A month!



Jim furrowed his brow. Wait... We've been sailing for... That ship was attacked the day we cast off.

Aubrey pulled an object from inside her coat. It was a wicked-looking dagger. And at the base of the blade, stabbed cleanly through the middle, were three small pieces of cloth - deep blue, ochre-gold, and a creamy white. The Redemption's colors. Fletcher met his eyes evenly. Aye, lad. The Revenge knows we're on her trail.

*****

That night, they docked at Crescentia. The galleon they had rescued was recovered by the company that owned it, and they had rewarded Fletcher well for returning it and her passengers to them.

Jim had been prepared to go with Fletcher, but she had dismissed him and the rest of the crew, allowing them to spend that night and the next day in port.

She had knocked on Jim's door as they readied to dock.

Come in.

Hey lad.



Ah'm gonnae attend t' this business with the liner, and then Ah want to visit this inn o' yers.

Jim grinned. All right. When do we meet with the -

Nah, Jim. Ye go visit yer mum. Ah'll meet ye later.

You sure?

Aye. Ah'll be sendin' the rest o' th' crew off as well. We'll leave t'morrow night.

Nice long break, eh, Fletcher?

She smiled sadly. Well, Ah'm afraid it may be th' last time some of them ever see a port...

He furrowed his brow and brushed his bangs out of his face. How do you mean?

We're close, Jim... The Revenge wants us to find her... Ah feel that it won't b' long now... She trailed off. Then, as if waking from a trance, she shook her head and smiled at him. Don't ye be worrying yerself with that though, lad. Go see yer mum an' the good Doctor Doppler. Ah'll meet ye at th' ol' Benbow later t'night.

He forced a smile. Okay, Fletcher. You take it easy now.

Of course.

*****

He knew his mother wasn't expecting him to show up for a while. For all she knew, he was halfway to the Lagoon Nebula, delivering crates of purps to starving children.

But he wasn't.

Jim Hawkins stood in the doorway of the Benbow Inn, duffle slung over his shoulder haphazardly, but still looking every inch the first mate he was.

Sarah was nowhere to be seen.



Silence greeted him. He furrowed his brow and walked inside, setting his bag on a chair. Morph hovered quietly over his shoulder.



Silence.

He continued inside, walking past the large central stove, and into the adjoining kitchen.



Jim whirled around, only to be knocked over by a rather excited copper droid.





The robot in question hugged and prodded the rather surprised first mate. Deja vu,' Jim thought. Oh, you're home! It's really so wonderful to see you again! There're so many stories I'd love to hear! I mean, you were only at the Academy for four years, but you're a first mate now, and -



He looked at Jim curiously. Yeah Jim?

Where's my mom?

Oh she went to the Dopplers' for dinner tonight! And you know, I was just thinking how much she deserved it, too! What with all the responsibility she has and all...

Jim interrupted before B.E.N. could begin rambling again. Thanks B.E.N. I'm going to go see them. If Captain Aubrey Fletcher gets here before we get back, would you send her on over?

Captain Fletcher! Right, Jimmy! Oh, oh! Is she your Captain and your professor? I remember you said once -

Jim and Morph slipped out the door as quickly as they could.

*****

He arrived at the Dopplers' unannounced, and while Amelia may have raised an eyebrow at that, she did it with a smile on her face.

Their children were already in bed, so the four of them - two Dopplers and two Hawkins - reunited outside the house. Amelia was as warm as the stoic captain could be. Delbert was beside himself. Sarah was ecstatic.

Good to see you again, Mr. Hawkins.

You simply must tell me about your studies!

How long are you in port?

What's your captain like?

Glad to see that after four years at the Academy, you didn't end up a cabin boy. (An amused smirk from Amelia went with that comment.)

It's so good to see you, Jim.

They went back inside, and Jim told them all about school - for he had only seen them at graduation, and even that wasn't enough time to discuss a whole year of training. It was very comfortable conversation - Amelia had definitely loosened up since having her children - but Jim still couldn't help wondering if she didn't like him very much. She was extremely interested in the stories about Fletcher, even if Jim did leave out the part about the drunken pirates.

The captain herself showed up not two hours later, and she and Amelia immediately respected each other. Their methods may differ greatly, but they each got their jobs done, and they understood that very well.

Delbert asked her all about her travels as Sarah continued a conversation with her son, occasionally glancing over at Fletcher, as if she was still trying to come to a decision about the bear-like captain. Aubrey was as likeable as always, though, and Jim realized he shouldn't have worried. By the end of the night, she had even talked Sarah into telling her some of her favorite recipes. Jim grinned. His mother was usually pretty suspicious about giving out her best recipes, but Aubrey had managed to get Sarah to ask her if she wanted any of them.

It was well past midnight when Sarah saw the time and shooed both Jim and Aubrey out the Dopplers' door and back toward the inn.

Jim shook hands with Delbert and Amelia, promising to visit as soon as he finished the voyage. Aubrey grinned and shook their hands in turn.

Take good care of him, Captain! - This from Delbert.

Captain Fletcher, please do come back so that we can swap war stories. The corner of Amelia's mouth twitched upwards in a grin.

Of course, Cap'n! Ah'd love t' hear about yer run-in with the Procyon Armada!

The two Hawkins and Fletcher headed back to the Benbow for what would be Jim and Aubrey's last night of real rest for a long time.

*****

A/N:
As much as I love B.E.N... (and I do - Martin Short's just the coolest!) I can't write him for beans, so he gets a mere cameo in this story. Sorry B.E.N. fans... And also, a big sorry to all you Sarah, Amelia, and Doppler fans. I do love them, too... But just think of how much sooner this'll bring Silver to us! ;)