A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I've just been really lazy this summer. Okay, here's Chapter 5!

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Christine was running down a long hallway that just seemed to get longer the more she ran. She stopped when she came to a door and carefully opened it. All she saw inside was darkness. Then, a gun shot rang out and a piercing pain went throughout her whole back. She felt warm blood streaming down her spine. She fell to her knees and just stared out into the dark room in shock. All of a sudden, someone placed a foot on her wound and she screamed when they pushed her over the edge and into the black abyss. She seemed to be falling very slowly and the pain began to take over her entire body. She looked around as she fell and saw the vile face of Captain Donovan smirking at her with those devilish eyes of his. She tried to scream but nothing would come out. She attempted to scream the first name that came to mind… Jim.

Christine jolted from sleep and sat in an upright position. But, she soon fell back onto her pillow when the same pain from her nightmare made its way up her spine. She must have been given something to relieve the pain and now it was returning full force. She clenched her head where she was bleeding from before and felt a white bandage tied around it. She closed her eyes and tried her best to hold back the tears of pain. But, it wasn't only the pain that made her want to cry, it was because she humiliated herself in front of the entire crew and she kept having horrible nightmares haunted by Captain Donovan. She rolled over on her side and stared at the blank wall of the sick bay. Chris closed her eyes and sighed. She thought that maybe sleep would at least relieve the physical pain, but knew that it would not help the pain in her heart.

Jim and Morph came stealthily down the stairs as to not disturb Chris and to not end up dropping the soup he had on the tray. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked over at Chris. He managed a smile and walked over and sat down comfortably in a chair by her side. He placed the soup to one side and placed a hand carefully on her shoulder to wake her up and it did. Her eyes shot open from sleep and she grabbed a pillow and with all her strength whacked Jim in the head knocking him backwards in the chair. Both of them yelped in pain. Jim was hurting from knocking his head on the wooden floor below him and Christine was aching from underestimating the pain of her injuries.

When she noticed who she hit she gasped. "Jim?!"

He got up, dusted himself off, and smiled at her. "I…uh…brought you some cheese and broccoli soup." He pointed over to the bowl of steaming soup and Christine realized how hungry she really was.

She shook her head. "Oh, my god, Jim I am so sorry. I was having another nightmare and…and then…" She couldn't help but laugh when she saw Jim's hair all messed up from the blow of the pillow. "You just kind of…snuck up on me."

Jim chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "I can see that."

Morph turned into a miniature of Jim getting whacked in the head with a pillow. Chris tried not to laugh at the blob's idea of joke. "But, I am really…really sorry. Please forgive me. I just…" Jim held up his hand to stop her from showering him with anymore apologies.

"Here," he said, picking up the tray and placing it in her lap. "You must be hungry by now."

She nodded and spooned a couple of sips into her mouth. She stopped and looked at Jim. "What happened?"

"That's kind of what I want to know." He said leaning back in his chair with his arms folded. "How did you fall down to the deck?"

She blushed slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Well…I was up in the masts during my break and Morph came up behind me and spooked me. So, I chased him around and around and I followed him up in the crow's nest and when I leaned over the side…it gave way and I fell to the deck. Luckily, I grabbed onto a rope hanging down from the mast. It broke and I fell the rest of the way down onto the deck." Morph flew to her and gave her a sad puppy dog look. She smiled and nuzzled the blob. "It's okay, Morph. I know that you were just playing around." Morph chirped happily and zipped back over to Jim.

Jim seemed to be listening closely. He placed the front legs of his chair back on the floor and started thinking. He knew that if she didn't grab that rope, she would have broken all her bones or she would have… When he thought about it, a sickening feeling came into the pit of his stomach. "Well, I'm just glad that you're alright." He said placing a hand on top of hers and she managed a weak smile. Chris realized that the whole time that Jim was there, she hadn't felt the pain. It was like it all went away like magic.

"Christy! Oh, Christy!" A shrill scream came from the stairs. B.E.N. was running down the stairs and made his way to Christine.

Before the android could jump in her lap and hug her, Jim grabbed him by the arm. B.E.N. looked at Jim who was giving him that look of his that always made him shiver.

"Sorry." He gulped. He turned to Christine and gave her an apologetic smile. "How are ya' feeling Christy?"

"I…" she looked over at Jim for a moment. She wanted to tell them exactly how she felt. The pain was returning and was hitting her like a huge wave. She just wanted to lie down and cry her pain away. But, she didn't want to look like a klutz and a baby in front of Jim. She shrugged, "I've felt worst pain than this."

B.E.N. walked over to her and held up a finger. "Does this hurt?" he poked her hard on her side.

She winced in pain. "Ow!"

"How about this?" he poked her on her shoulder.

"Ouch! B.E.N…."

"What about here?" he reached behind her and poked at her spine.

"Ow! Yes! Now, would you just…?"

"Or, how about---?" Chris was once again saved from the android by Jim.

Jim whirled B.E.N. around and gave him that look again. "B.E.N., don't you have to watch the monitors up on deck?" he tried his best to sound like he wasn't frustrated and angry. But, it was pretty obvious to Christine that he was.

"Oh, right!" He saluted to Christine. "See ya', Christy! Hope ya' get better soon!" Christine smiled a thank you and with that, the navigator turned and hopped up the stairs.

She looked over at Jim and smirked knowingly. "Isn't watching the monitors your job?"

Jim smirked back at her. "Yes."

Suddenly, calls of panic were coming from above deck and they heard B.E.N. scream. Jim ran up the stairs and returned shortly after and looked like he had seen a ghost. "What's wrong?" asked Christine. Jim looked around the room for some kind of weapon.

He spotted a pistol, picked it up and cocked it. "We've got company."

Christine's eyes went wide. "Pirates?" Jim nodded. Christine threw the covers off and despite her injuries, limped over to Jim. "I'm going with you."

That's when Jim noticed that she was even standing there behind him. "Chris, you're injured! You're in no condition to fight!"

Christine narrowed her eyes at Jim and against his own will he took a couple of steps back. She turned away sharply from him and walked away trying her best not to limp or show any sign of pain. She disappeared for just a bit and then came back with her own flintlock.

Jim's mouth went dry. "Christine…"

She looked up at him and he saw something else in her eyes that made him tense up and Morph zip behind Jim's shoulder. She had changed so fast in just a split second. He didn't even recognize her anymore. She walked up to Jim and stared him down. "Jim, tell me," Jim noticed that even her voice had changed as well. It sounded challenging and a little threatening. "What pirate in his right mind would waist his time on a ship that isn't a trading vessel, merchant ship, or carrying any royalty or treasures of any kind?"

Jim finally understood. "You don't think that those pirates are…?"

Christine finished his sentence. "Part of Donovan's crew. It was all a trick to get rid of me, my friends, and keep the treasure." She cocked the gun and looked up at Jim. Jim relaxed when he noticed just a bit of the girl he knew in her face. "And kill my brother as well."

She passed Jim and made her way up the steps. Jim noticed that she stopped and balanced herself against the wall to keep from falling. Jim walked up behind her and opened his mouth to talk but Christine interrupted him. "I'm fine, Jim." She said without looking at him. "I'm not going to let Donovan win. Not this time." She walked the rest of the way up the steps without wincing.

The feeling you get when you feel like you are falling in a dream. That was the feeling that was taking hold of Jim. He knew she couldn't fight. Not in the state that she was in. Jim wished that he could have told her to stay like he did at the Benbow during the storm. But, that was something entirely different. She wanted vengeance. That's what he saw in her eyes that made him shiver. He tightened his grip on the laser pistol and charged up the stairs.

Jim found Christine standing at the railing with the other crew members looking out at the approaching pirate ship. He ran over and stood by her side, his heart racing. "Is that his ship?"

She kept looking straight ahead when she spoke. "One of them. He steals navy vessels all the time." Christine's face softened into her usual look. "Jim?" she said quietly.

He glanced over at her and saw that all the color in her face was gone. "What? What's wrong?" He knew that she had a strong way with words but when it came right down to it she was scared and didn't really fancy the idea of fighting a bunch of blood thirsty cutthroats pirates.

She looked over at Jim and smiled sheepishly. "Can you watch over me?" The way she said the question tugged at his heart again and made him fluster. "You know. Watch my back. I don't want to be caught off guard."

 It sounded like she meant to watch over her forever but he knew that she was just talking about the pirates. He smiled and nodded. "Sure, Christine." A violent jolt of the ship jerked the ship back making everyone fall backwards onto the deck. Christine clenched her shoulder and bit her lip to keep from screaming in pain. "You okay?" Jim asked reaching out to barely touch her shoulder.

"I…I'm okay." She whispered. "Never felt better!" Another booming noise and jolt came. The pirates were firing on them. Christine and Jim stood up and gripped onto the side of the ship for dear life.

"Mr. Thompson!" Cried Captain Amelia from her post. She was standing there with Dr. Doppler by her side. Both of them with a flintlock. "Return fire immediately!" she commanded the turtle like alien sitting in the laser cannon seat. The gunner fired back on the pirates on command puncturing a huge hole in the solar sail. He fired another laser cannonball and this time knocked down one of three masts slowing them down slightly. But it was too late. The pirates came right up beside the ship and jumped aboard. Everyone took a few steps back before firing on them. When the crossfire ensued, Chris felt Jim grab her hand took her behind the firing crew so they couldn't be seen.

"Don't tell me we're running away in the line of battle!" Christine yelled over the shots ringing through the air. "Didn't they teach you that in the academy?"

 "Yes." He responded. A laser beam zipped past between the two of them. "They also told us not to get killed!" Suddenly, a huge bat-like alien came up behind Jim and raised his sword. Before it could come down Jim moved out of the way. He then, took the flintlock and aimed it at the pirate and shot him in the leg, making him collapse. Jim and Christine ran down below the ship and into their sleeping quarters. They were both leaning over and gasping for air. Then, Christine felt something wriggle against her shoulder and she turned around and aimed her gun at the little pink blob before her.

She sighed in relief. "Oh, Morph it's just you."

"We thought you were up there." Jim said. Morph shook his head and his head came apart from his body and made a Bleh! sound. "Yeah I guess that would be suicide." Jim agreed.

The noise had grown louder above deck and Christine's will to fight was shrinking and she couldn't ignore the pain anymore. She leaned up against one of the poles holding up a bunk and slid down to the floor. She closed her eyes and tried to sit as still as possible. But then, she jerked when she heard a clatter just outside the room. The pirates were coming for her. She knew that their main priority was to kill her and then have some fun slaughtering the rest of the crew.

A pirate came to the door way with his flintlock in hand and aimed it at Christine. Jim then jumped in between them and aimed his gun at the rogue. "Leave her alone!" he said challengingly.

The pirate chuckled. "I wouldn't do anything stupid, boy. It's not you I'm after anyway. If you would move aside and give me the girl then I'll think about letting you live."

Jim raised his laser gun and aimed it between his angry red eyes. "You aren't putting one claw on her." Before Jim could react, another pirate showed up at the door and fired at him, getting him in his shoulder. He grabbed his arm and Jim fell to one knee, dropping the gun in pain. Christine's gut did a triple flip when she saw Jim get shot. She wanted to run to his side but knew that she would just be at risk of getting shot too.

The second pirate aimed at Jim again and in a serious and raspy voice said, "And the next one won't miss." Christine closed her eyes and mentally told herself that it was just another nightmare. But, she wasn't waking up. When she heard the pirate cock the gun her eyes shot open. He was about to kill Jim and there wasn't anything that she could do about it. Wait! There is something I can do about it! She thought. She reached over and grabbed the laser gun. Christine held it tightly and she began to shake. She had never used a gun or killed another living thing in her life. What was she going to do? She couldn't let Jim die. She heard the evil chuckle of the pirate as he was only seconds away from firing.

Just then, something in Christine snapped. She stood up and told Jim to duck and he did. She aimed and fired on the pirate. He stood there for awhile in shock and then collapsed face first onto the floor dead. Chris stared at the body with wide eyes as did Jim. She had killed something for the first time and it was a person. She looked up at the other pirate, narrowing her eyes and taking aim. The pirate looked down at his comrade and back up at Christine. "The chick's packed!" he yelled. Christine fired at the pirate but only nipped his side. But, it was enough to make him wince and fall to the ground. Christine turned and helped Jim up.

"You okay?" That was a dumb question. Of course he wasn't okay. But, still he nodded despite the truth. "Come on! We have to get out of here!" She put his arm around her shoulder and as they walked by the bleeding pirate she pointed her gun at him as a warning.

Jim looked over towards the steps leading up to the deck. "Do you hear that?"

Christine listened closely but didn't hear a thing. "No."

Without changing his gaze he said. "Exactly."

Many thoughts ran through her head. What if the crew were all captured or worst? That would mean that Christine and Jim would be left to defend themselves and they were both wounded badly. They limped together up the stairs and carefully looked around the upper deck. Bewildered expressions came across their faces when they saw the pirates tied up around the bottom of the mast. "Is that all of them, Mr. Starling." Amelia asked the first mate.

"I believe so, ma'am." He looked a bit messed up and sounded as though he was out of breath. "But, unfortunately a majority of them escaped during the retreat."

"What happened?" Jim asked.

Captain Amelia's ears perked up when she heard Jim's voice. "Mr. Hawkins there you are. We weren't sure what happened to you." She tried to sound as serious and formal as possible but Jim knew that she was really worried about him. "Luckily we were prepared for this kind of thing. The pirates were strong but we had the upper hand when it came to ammo."

B.E.N. peeked out of a barrel. "Is…is…is it over?" Everyone nodded trying not to laugh. He hopped out of the barrel and looked triumphant. "Ha! Too bad! I was only getting started! Those yellow bellied cowards! Those barnacles of a pirate crew! Those…" He cut off when he looked over at the tied up pirates who were glaring at him. "Those…kind, sweet, good to their mother pirates whom we all know and love…"

"Jim," Dr. Doppler said, "you're wounded! But, how did that happen if you weren't up here with us?"

Jim and Christine smiled to one another. "It's complicated, Doc." Christine said.

"Well, I better fix that arm up right away! And Christine, you know you're wounds are still healing. You shouldn't even be up!" Dr. Doppler grabbed his medical bag and helped Christine help Jim down to the sick bay.

Christine did as Delbert told her and she got into bed but she wanted to sit up and make sure Jim was alright. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees as Dr. Doppler fixed the wound. Jim took off his shirt and winced every time the doctor touched any area of his arm. Christine couldn't hide the red from her face as she stared at Jim's bare chest. He wasn't overly muscular or scrawny. He was just perfectly fit and toned. Just as she thought he would be after going through so much academy training. She looked away when she felt her face grow warmer after thinking about the "take off your shirt" thing back at the Benbow. Now he was really doing it. She would never erase that from her mind and she wondered if Jim ever thought about what she said when he looked at her. Most likely not. He would never bring that up. He was just too nice of a guy to humiliate her like that.

After Dr. Doppler fixed his arm, Jim went right to sleep in the sick bay in a bunk next to Christine's. He was too tired to talk about the day's events with her. She really didn't want to discuss it anyway. Chris just couldn't sleep knowing that she had taken a life with a single shot. She knew that would probably have to do something like that if she was going to save her brother. But, still the thought bothered her. Even though the man was a pirate and part of Donovan's crew, she still didn't see anything right in tacking his life like that. He was a rogue. But, he was also a living being.

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A/N: (All fan girls noses start to bleed and they blush before collapsing) I'm a fan girl myself. So, I just had to put a nice Jim upper body shot in the story just to make the fan girls and myself happy. The whole thing about Chris shooting the pirate is a bit of symbolism to war. But, it is an important part of the story too. Please R&R! Love ya'll!