Hey Ya'll!! Yes, this story still has more chapters to come!!! Thankyou to everyone who voted/told me who they wanted to see as a child. The envolope please: Jack is the winner! Yeah!!! so jack will be the main character, but it wouldn't be complete without a small cameo from stephen ;) (don't worry, nothing too big on stephen's part. smallsmall)

Note: I am no genius when it comes to Naval Warfare, so if anything is wrong in this chapter, I apologize. I am, after all, a land lubber and proud of it!

Enjoy!!!

Jack patrolled the deck of the ship checking up on the crew's progress and occasionally giving new orders to keep the ship in shape. He looked over his shoulder at the sound of a dry cackle that could only belong to Stephen, God bless him. Jack saw that he was right, Stephen was now on instead of being below, resting like he should be.

Jack just shook his head and smiled. "I should of expected this," he muttered to himself, "Such a stubborn man."

"Doctor," Jack called after Stephen, "Shouldn't you be resting?"

Stephen whirled around and saw Jack. He gave him a small, guilty grin and replied, "What can I say? I recover from such trials faster than most men."

"More like you are stubborn than most men!" Jack said jokingly.

Stephen chuckled and looked down at his feet. "Yes well, I am an Irishman, besides, who says stubbornness is a bad thing?"

"I could answer that," Jack said, eyes aglow with joy, "but I believe, soul, that you would find it very offending."

Stephen just shook his head and smiled. Jack put an arm around the other man's shoulder and asked, "How do you feel?"

"I feel fine, joy. Never better," Stephen smiled; his friend was a worrier that was for sure.

"Do not laugh at me," Jack said, "I am just worried about you, as is everyone else. I just don't want you to get sick right after your surgery. That would not be for the best."

Stephen gave a small glare from behind his glasses. "Jack, do not worry for me, I do not want to be your burden."

Jack was caught off gaurd when Stephen made this remark. Sure, many times Stephen was injured or troubled and Jack took to grieving it, as did Stephen for Jack, but never would he want Stephen to think himself nothing but a problem. Jack took Stephen's chin into his hand and turned his head till it was facing his own. "Don't you ever think that you are a burden Stephen. You are my friend, not someone I loathe."

Jack looked straight into Stephen's deep eyes and the two stood in silence.

"Sir?" the voice of Lt. Pullings rang, shaking the two other men out of their momentary lapse.

Jack shook his head as to regain his composure and turned. He looked at saw the Pullings was anxious and had something important to say. "What is it Mr. Pullings?"

"Sir," Pullings began with a shaky voice, "an enemy frigate has been spotted twenty five degrees starboard and a good twenty miles off. Shall we beat to quarters, sir?"

Jack looked beyond Pullings and could see a far off ship; it was defiantly not British as the French colors were flying in the air. "Yes Mr. Pullings, we shall beat to quarters."

Pullings nodded and started commanding everyone to go to their stations. Jack turned to get ready himself when he remembered the doctor. What was he going to do with him?

"Uh, Stephen, maybe you should go to your cabin instead of going to the sick bay. I'll get Higgins to take care of that," Jack said guiltily.

Stephen gave a glare and retorted, "Oh no Jack, I am not sitting this one out. I am the ship's surgeon and doctor, with one arm or not. Nothing will change that."

"But Stephen, be reasonable, you can't operate in you condition. You have one arm for Christ's sake!" Jack cried.

Stephen shot Jack an ice cold stare and hissed, "Jack, don't you think I know that!" Stephen took a deep breath to soften his tone. "Look brother, all I need are Padeen and Higgins and I will be fine. I am not going to sit on my arse like an idle child! I have to do this Jack, please. I need to know if I can still do this."

Jack looked down and shook his head. He lifted it and showed a small smile. "Fine," he muttered, "but by God Stephen, if you can't get through this, I am going to have to make Higgins the doctor."

Stephen sighed and replied, "I know Jack. Thank you my dear."

Jack watched Stephen make his way down to the sick bay with great caution, as not to fall down the steps as he had done countless times before. Jack sighed and called out for Higgins and Padeen.

They both came running up with anticipation in their eyes. "Gentlemen," Jack began, "I need you to go down to the sick bay to assist the doctor with the patients to come."

Higgins had a shocked look on his face as he had expected to be designated the crew's doctor and was about to protest when a cannon ball was fired.

"GO!!!" Jack yelled as he made his way to his station and the two men looked over at each other, nodded, and headed down the stairs.