Author's Note - Sorry for the delay, again. But hopefully you'll find it worth it. After all, not only do you get a chapter, but a picture as well! And I had to go through a lot to get this drawing done for you all. I think you'll like it better because its hand colored, which is part of why it took so long. But also because I didn't quite have to colors I wanted so it was off to Dick Blick to get the right ones! Then there were scanner issues. Don't worry, I hit it good with a rock and now it's good to go. LoL. Also, there's a little bonus if you're like completely in love with the story. I made desktop wallpaper (that's another hobby of mine) out of the first drawing. You'll have to e-mail me for the wallpaper, though. So, here's the addys.

Halfa Pic
www. deviantart. com/ deviation/ 13815067/

100 Reviews Bonus Pic
www. deviantart. com/ deviation/ 14949139/

On another note, as I have said before, there is a strong chance of 'For the Love of a Halfa' becoming a series. This is because I have come up with a couple of ideas for stories after this one is completed. However, I am giving you, the readers of 'For the Love of a Halfa' a chance to get in on the action. If you have an idea for something that should happen to the our Halfa heroes, post it in your review, or e-mail it to me (anime goddess 18 hotmail . com). If I decide to use it for a story your name will be included in the story to give you credit for the idea, as well as the chance to be included as a character in the story(if you wish). But that's not all! You'll also get the new chapters e-mailed to you –before- they are posted, so that you can give your in put on the chapter and anything you think that needs to be changed. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! Now, on to the chapter!

Chapter 9 Here With Me

Sam wiped the sweat off of her forehead and looked around the ship. She had probably been scrubbing the deck for almost an hour. Her knees where killing her and her back ached something terrible.

I have to do something to get my mind off of this, she thought. Most of the crew was below deck, and Mandy was working on the other side of the ship. Even with the two of them working they were barely even half way done.

Frowning to herself Sam remembered what had happened right before Rurik had captured her. Was Danny going to tell her that he loved her, or that they were just friends? At this moment she didn't care either way. Just so long as she could see his face again.

Thinking of Danny brought a song into her head. It had been ages since she had listened to it, but she knew all the words. Of course it wasn't one of those that you would never admit you ever listened to, like the Spice Girls, unless of course you were hanging out with your closest friends and you were singing for a laugh. No, this was a sweet, calming song that filled you with love. Returning to her work Sam let the song fill her up completely and began singing.

"It's been a long, long time since I looked into the mirror. I guess that I was blind. Now my reflection's getting clearer. Now that you're gone things will never be the same again.

"There's not a minute that goes by every hour of every day. You're such a part of me. But I just pulled away. Well, I'm not the same girl you used to know. I wish I said the words I never showed.

"I know you had to go away. I died just a little, and I feel it now. You're the one I need. I believe that I would cry just a little. Just to have you back now. Here with me. Here with me."

As Sam finished the chorus Mandy had begun singing the next verse.

"You know that silence is loud when all you hear is your heart. And I wanted so badly just to be a part of something strong and true. But I was scared and left it all behind.

"I know you had to go away. I died just a little, and I feel it now. You're the one I need. I believe that I would cry just a little. Just to have you back now. Here with me. Here with me."

Now completely getting into the song they both sang the rest together all the while scrubbing the wooden deck of the ship that damned them both.

"And I'm asking. And I'm wanting you to come back to me. Please?

"I never will forget that look upon your face. How you turned away and left without a trace. But I understand that you did what you had to do. And I thank you.

"I know you had to go away. I died just a little, and I feel it now. You're the one I need. I believe that I would cry just a little. Just to have you back now. Here with me. Here with me."

After they had finished the song the girls worked in silence for a few minutes. Finally Mandy broke the silence.

"Why'd you pick that song? I haven't heard it in at least a year."

Sam nodded, "I know. I'm not sure. It was thinking about someone and it just came to me."

It was Mandy's turn to nod now. "Yeah. It reminds me of my boyfriend, Marco. He'd hate the song, but that's probably just because life is just one big joke to him. Who were thinking about?"

"It's complicated."

"We have time, you know."

Sam laughed, "That we do."

"So who's the boy?"

"His name is Danny. We're best friends."

"Except you like him as more than a friend?"

"Yeah. We've been friends forever and this last year I started thinking about him differently. I think I love him, but I love being his friend and I'm afraid if I tell him that he won't want to be friends anymore."

Mandy listened as Sam gushed on about all the times that she had had a hope that Danny had meant something more than friendship, but then threw up a wall, and everything else she could think of. It felt good to finally get everything out to someone other than her journal. She didn't have any girlfriends at Casper High School.

Once Sam had finished Mandy just smiled at her. "You know, two years ago I was in the same spot as you are. For years I was a trio with my two best friends, Marco and Reggie. When we were finishing middle school I started thinking of Marco as more than a friend. I couldn't say anything though because even if Marco did like me as more than a friend where would that leave Reggie?

"The thing that opened my eyes was actually half of the reason I hid my feelings. Reggie told me he was worried about me. I had become closed off from the two of them and he was worried that something had happened to me. I could tell him anything and he didn't want me to keep anything from them. So I just let it all out."

"What happened?" Sam asked completely forgetting what had started the conversation.

"Well, first Reggie laughed at me. Then he told me that he thought that was what had happened."

"So he was okay with it?"

"Of course! He even set us up on a date and everything. He was a sweetheart. Marco told me that he felt the same way, and we ended up going out. I owe it all to Reggie."

"I don't think I could do that. Tucker isn't sweet like that. Danny, maybe. But never Tucker. How could you be indebt to him like that?"

"I'm not indebt to him anymore. I hooked him up with Crescent last year when she started at our school," Mandy laughed.

"So basically I have to find him a girlfriend?"

"Yeah, basically."

-

Danny and Tucker flew silently towards the pirate ship. Once they got close Danny dropped lower in hopes of keeping their presence unknown. Tucker grabbed onto one of the canons that was pointed out over the water. Danny hung on to the one next to him.

"Now what?" Tucker whispered.

"Shhh. I hear something," Danny whispered back, pointing up towards the deck.

"How could you be indebt to him like that?" That sounded like Sam, but whom was she talking too?

"I'm not indebt to him anymore. I hooked him up with Crescent last year when she started at our school," another girl said.

"So basically I have to find him a girlfriend?"

"Yeah, basically."

What were they talking about, Danny wondered. And whom did Sam have to find a girlfriend for? It couldn't be him, could it? Maybe that was it! She didn't like Danny as more than a friend and she knew that he liked her, so she was going to find a girlfriend for him so he would forget about her! No! He couldn't let that happen. He loved Sam, and no one could take her place, Danny decided. If she didn't like him back then he would live with that. He could wait until he fell out of love with Sam and then find someone else, couldn't he?

Before Danny could finish pondering Tucker poked him. "What?" he hissed at his meat-loving friend.

"Let's go," he whispered back.

Danny nodded to Tucker, who began climbing up to the side of the ship of the deck. Danny followed suit.

"Tucker! Danny!" Sam gasped as her two best friends climbed onto the deck.

"Shhh!" the two boys hissed together.

Sam covered her mouth and looked at them wide eyed. The other girl that had been talking with Sam moments ago gave them a similar look before her eyes darted around the deck.

"It's clear," she whispered then got up and walked over to them.

"Hi," Tucker said giving the red haired girl a small wave. She just smiled at them.

Sam jumped up to her feet. "What are you two doing here?"

"Saving you. What do you think we're doing?"

"If Rurik finds you he'll kill the both of you," the other girl said.

"I know that, and I don't care. I couldn't let some stupid ghost capture you and not do anything Sam."

"Who's your friend?" Tucker asked.

"Oh right. This is Mandy. Mandy, this is Tucker and Danny," Sam said pointing to each boy in turn.

Mandy smiled at Danny. "You never said that he was cute."

Danny could feel his face turn a slight shade of red.

Sam quickly told them about Mandy, leaving out the part about her actually going after the ship and why.

"We'll get you out of here too," Danny told her. "And we'll find a way to get you home."

"Really?"

"Of course," Tucker said now.

"Thank you both! There's just one thing though," Mandy said.

"What?" Tucker asked.

Mandy pointed at the collar around Sam's neck. "That. If she tries to leave the ship, she'll be killed."

"What if she's in ghost form?"

"Excuse me?" Mandy asked now.

Danny and Tucker explained to her that Danny and Sam were ghost hybrids and could change between human and ghost form.

"Oh right, the Halfa thing," she said nodding. "Rurik was talking about that the other day. But that's no good either. The majority of the crew are ghosts, and were ghosts when they came aboard. Your fate will just be slightly worse if you're a ghost."

Now it was the trio's turn to be confused.

"If you're human and you try to escape, then you are killed. Simple as that. There is always a chance of becoming a ghost. However, if you're a ghost and you try to escape, well, then you're just no more."

"That doesn't sound good. Okay, so running is out for now. How did you get your collar off? You've only been on board for a few days."

"Like I told Sam earlier, after you get so far away from your home Rurik decides that you are no longer a threat of escaping. You just kind of give up hope because even if you can escape, what are you going to do? I mean come on, I'm clear on the other side of the country."

"We'll just have to find a way to get Rurik to think that there's no danger of Sam running away."

The four teenagers debated and plotted, trying to come up with something that had a slight chance of working. Half an hour later they had come up with the prefect plan. It was complete flawless, so long as Rurik didn't see through it.