Hey Ya'll! this chap. may be a little short.....oh well.

I would like to thank all of my reviewers and readers! Keep on doing it! :)

Question: Who do you think would be more interesting to see as a kid, Stephen, Jack, or both? Please answer, although I know that it is a strange question.....it is for my next story and I just cannot decide...

Enjoy!!!

Jack didn't sleep that night, he couldn't. The memory of Stephen's last words stuck into his head and replayed it self over and over. He shivered when he remembered the cool touch of Stephen's dying arm and the peace that Stephen had found that allowed him to sleep even with the knowledge of his surgery that would take away one of his essential tools, one of his needs in life.

"Stephen is much braver than I," Jack muttered. He paced around the room, dreading the sun rise that had signaled a new day. "Damn this day and damn that bug!"

There was a knock on the door, the signal that Mr. Higgins was about to perform the amputation. Killick stepped in with a solemn look upon his face. "Mr. Higgins is 'bout ready to start. 'e wants to know if you are going to come down to stay by the doctor 'r not."

Jack sighed. He had been preparing himself for this. He knew he had to be with Stephen; he had to comfort him, even if the surgery would be more than he could handle. He would be there.

He followed Killick down to the sick bay and found Stephen lying in his hammock drenched with the sweat of a high fever. His lower arm was now completely purple and a stench of dying flesh filled the room. Higgins was putting an apron on to keep the blood off of him; his tools laid spread out on a table top.

"Good morning Captain," Higgins managed, trying to smile.

"Good morning Higgins. When does it start?" Jack asked softly.

"Well, as soon as I get Dr. Maturin prepared, we can begin." Higgins nodded towards Stephen's trembling body. His eyes were distant and his mutters were in a language that Jack had never heard before.

Jack took a stool and sat next to Stephen, taking his handkerchief and wiping the dripping sweat off of Stephen's brow. Stephen turned his head towards Jack and looked at him with a flicker of recognition. Jack smiled and whispered, "Hello my dear."

Stephen blinked his eyes slowly and turned his head back to where it once was. He let out gasping breath, closing his eyes once more. Jack trembled. He had never seen Stephen such an unearthly shade of gray and in such a horrible condition. This bite was far worse than the bullet that Stephen had received just a few months ago.

Higgins stepped forward and said in a relatively calm voice, "Well Captain, I believe that we should get started."

Higgins picked up the strap to place around Stephen's arm and gently slid it up the arm, causing Stephen to jump a little. Higgins tightened it to cut off the circulation and turned to grab his next tool. Stephen looked over at his arm and his attention fell on the strap. He used his other arm and tried to claw it off muttering, "No."

Jack gently took Stephen's weak arm and set it on the other side of the hammock, causing Stephen to look at Jack with a mixture of anger and confusion. "No Stephen," he cooed, "Leave it be love."

Stephen grunted and tried to pull his arm away, but found Jack's grip was to strong and gave up. Jack held Stephen's hand and rubbed it gently, hoping to calm Stephen down.

Then Padeen stepped forward and placed what looked like a long stick in Stephen's mouth apparently for him to bear down on when he was in pain. This was a sign that the operation was about to take place.

Higgins held up the knife that had been used many times by the doctor to amputate limps from his patients, but now it seemed that the doctor was not the carver now, but the meat. The temporary surgeon sighed with a trace of dread and fear and looked over at the captain.

"Are you ready Captain Aubrey?" he asked shakily.

Jack sighed and nodded. He took a firmer grip on Stephen's hand and locked his gaze on Stephen's now horrified face. Jack whispered, "You're going to be fine, I'll protect you Stephen."

Then the most disgusting sound of human flesh being cut into filled the small room along with heart shattering whimpering from Stephen, who even the heartless of men, would cringe at. Jack's heart sank at this sound, Stephen had hardly ever shown fear and pain, but now it was written all over his face. Stephen's breathing became harsh-sounding and labored as his heart pumped and his chest fell up and down.

"It will all be over soon, I promise," Jack almost sobbed, "Don't worry your going to be fine."

Stephen had tears running down his face as the pain was so immense. He yelped at the new sound of the grinding of bone under the saw. He had to remember to breath. In and out, in and out, it was something to keep his mind on. He looked over at Jack. He could tell that his friend was just as terrified as he was and took comfort in hearing is smooth voice over the sounds of surgery.

Then, when the pain seemed as though it would never end, the thump of the dismembered arm brought silence to the whole room, giving the signal that the deed was done. Stephen closed his eyes that were still flooding with tears. He opened them again to look over where his lower arm used to be. There was now just a gap. Could this be real?

He looked over at Jack, who had done the same. Jack's expression was one of fear and relief that the surgery was now over. Jack looked at Stephen and reached out to brush Stephen's face with his hand. "I have never seen a braver man," Jack whispered and Stephen fell silent once more.