Author's Notes -

Okay, okay, I realise that it's taken a really long time for me to update...two weeks to be exact but I'm HOPING that next chapter will come a bit quicker. I don't have as much on next week, so, hopefully, it will all work out to my advantage.

-A-

Author Thanks -

Lil Bit - Oy! Nice job at the assembly, girly. I felt so full of pep that it should have been made illegal. Anywho, enjoy! And thanks for the reviews!

LOLgirl - Thanks! You'll see who died soon enough, I promise. Enjoy!

S.S.I - Thanks! You'll have to wait another couple of paragraphs before you find your answer. Enjoy!

Jeeves Swineford - Thanks! Rhia? She'll be back, I swear, but most mums don't want to take their only child onto a ship full of an unknown disease...or at least I don't think they would...though I'm not a mother...and let's be thankful for that...17 is too young for me. Anywho, enjoy!

insane-elf-girl13 - Thanks! I know...I'm cruel...I'm unusual...I'm punishment occasionally. I do appreciate reviews, though! And thank you very much and I'm glad that you like my stories. Enjoy!

Piper8188 - Thanks! Wait and see, mate! Enjoy!

Anaknusan - Thanks! Wait and see! I swear, you'll find out soon enough. No worries about not reviewing last chapter, its all good...I completely understand, I've been falling out of sync a bit with some of my reviewing...anywho, enjoy!

Piratey Elf - Thanks! Yes, I know I'm evil. Wait and see, mon amie! ooh, that rhymed. Enjoy!

Moulin-Rouge-Pirate - Thanks! Yes, a death...wait and see though...trust me. Enjoy!

RMB - Thanks! Yep, another clifffie. Enjoy!

JessicaVanHelsing - Thanks! Yep, gotta work in the cliffies early...don't wanna loose my touch, lol. Enjoy!

TriGemini - Thanks! Wait and see! Enjoy!

Dead-Girls-Watch - Thanks!!!! I'm flattered! Enjoy!

Dimonah Tralon - Thanks! Enjoy!

lady lorethei - Thanks! Sorry, I couldn't tell you without telling everybody else who asked...which was basically everyone who reviewed. But you'll find out soon enough, I swear! Enjoy!

Jinxd n cursed - Thanks! Ooh, I'll join colin, huh? well, I guess you'll have to wait and see before planning my demise, huh? Enjoy!

-A-

Beyond the Horizon

Last Time -

"Cap'n...there was a death in the night," Gibbs said breathlessly without preamble.

Beyond the Horizon

Chapter 3 - The Sea and the Sun

"Who?" Jack asked quickly.

"Hawkins, cap'n. Found 'im this morn."

'Hawkins ... that name ... I knew that name ...' I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I didn't bother to listen to what Gibbs and Jack were saying. Jack dismissed Gibbs and hurried to dress.

I knuckled the last vestiges of sleep out of my eyes and sat up further. "Hawkins?"

"Aye. One of the first ones to fall sick. Best go check on things, love. Need to make sure things are settled with the crew."

I stood up from the bed, wrapping the sheet around me and gathered my clothes. "Jack? Why does that name seem familiar? I know that name. But I can't place it..."

Jack ceased moving about the cabin and looked carefully at me. After studying me for a while, he came over to stand at my side, grabbing my hand gently. "He was the one who..."

"Shot my mum," I finished for him and after dropping his hand, I pulled away from him and moved to the window. I stared out at the ocean, dark and slightly choppy this morning, rather like my own mood, and tried to stop the tears that were threatening to overflow. Staring out at the vast expanse of water, I found myself flashing back to five years ago when my mother died. I shivered and could see the glazed look in her eyes as the bullet hit its mark.

Tears spilled out of my eyes freely now. A pair of arms encircled my waist and pulled me close to their owner.

"Christy ... Christy, are ye all right, love?"

I tried to pull out of his arms stubbornly but was completely unsuccessful. I twisted in vain and stomped down on Jack's foot in barely suppressed rage. But still, he did not release me. "Jack," I hissed vehemently. "Let me go!"

"No, love," came the soft reply from at my ear. I shivered in pleasure as his lips grazed my ear but forced myself to not yield to my body's responses. "Now, are ye all right?"

"NO, Jack. I am not all right. You brought me back here to care for my mother's murderer. Of all the things that you've ever done to make me mad in the past, Jack Sparrow, this is the worst. He shot my mother! And now you wish me to mourn her murderer when I had no time of my own to mourn her," I screamed in frustration. In truth I was surprised at my own outburst. I had not gotten that angry with him in a long time but I still seethed under the surface.

Jack turned me slowly in his arms and leaned down to kiss my forehead gently. "I'm not asking ye to darlin'. I'm not asking ye to do anything that ye don't want to. That you don't feel comfortable with. I should have told you that he was one of the ones who was sick. But I guessed that even if ye did know, you would have helped them all the same. Am I right, love?"

I looked down at the wooden floor of the cabin and stared for a long time at the floorboards. "I did what I needed to do, you're right."

He reached down and lifted my chin so I could look into his eyes. "Do you know why you did that, Christy? Its because you're a fantastic, loving woman and even though you probably aren't the most happy with me at the moment, I know that ye'll keep doing exactly what ye need to do. And the reason I knew that is the very same reason as to why I came to you in the first place. Yer a loving caring person and I love ye all the more for it."

I felt the faintest trace of a smile curling my lips and I continued to stare into Jack's eyes, unable to break his gaze. He leaned down and kissed me gently. My anger at him vanished as I became absorbed in his presence, in his spirit, in his love.

When we pulled apart, I leaned my head against Jack's chest and murmured, "I'm not mad with you, you know, Jack. I'm just trying to figure it all out is all."

Jack ran his hands down my back and arms smoothly. "I have to go, love. I need to tend to things and ye need to get something to eat and then check on the others. I need you to do all that you can. I'm relying on ye for this, love. Savvy?"

I grinned. It was nice to be relied on sometimes. "Savvy." Giving Jack a playful swipe at his hat, I dressed quickly before turning to leave the cabin. As I walked towards the door, Jack slapped my rear gently, causing me to jump and spin around in shock.

"Bit jumpy, love?" he slurred, grinning devilishly.

I smiled broadly before leaving.

-A-

Back in the sick room, I began the process from the night before. The body of Hawkins had been taken away for a burial in the sea and the room held the distinct odour of death stronger than ever. One of the men who had been lying on the floor had regained consciousness and broken some of the fever.

The man, he said his name was something Potts ... I don't remember what his first name was, but he told me how the illness had first presented itself. It began as a minor headache and staying awake but got steadily worse. Feeling sea sick or nauseous, vomiting, intense headaches and shaking limbs. Mr. Potts said that he had not been able to hold onto anything, like spoons and ropes. He also told me that it had felt as though there was a fire inside of him. That it felt like he had something warm filling him up all the time. As if he had swallowed embers from a stove. Potts told me that everything got steadily worse and that he had floated in a haze for days, unable to pull himself out until something happened that had pulled him back out. Something had got him out, although he didn't understand it himself.

These symptoms did not add up to any illness I had ever been told about. I did not understand it but I knew at least what I was up against to an extent.

Mr. Potts told me that he still felt 'like bloody death warmed ova' but slightly better than he had. I thanked him for his help, wishing very much that Colin had been able to give me some advice.

Thinking back, I thought that maybe I could water down some rum and perhaps that would give some comfort to the pain that the men were no doubt feeling.

Retreating back down to the galley I grabbed several mugs and filled them a quarter full with rum and three-quarters full with water. When I reached the room, I began the process of trickling the spiced drink down the throats of those who were fevered. Some of the men had ceased their thrashing but that was not entirely comforting. I did not know whether they were closer to the edge of the abyss or farther from it. And that made me very uneasy.

The small cabin boy had come after the few prayers that were said for Hawkins to aid me in my task once more today. He was a small lad, the cabin boy, and very shy, although I persuaded him to talk after a bit. He eventually told me that he was from Antigua by birth, an orphan, and had run off after he had been caught stealing some bread in the market. He had been running from the guards when he ran straight into Jack and pled for a way, any way to get away. Jack, who needed a cabin boy, offered him the position and a small share of any treasure they were to come about. The lad told me, beaming all the while, that he was getting one percent of any loot not to mention food and lodgings plus the option of disembarking at convient times, not during a battle of course, but if he chose to seek his fortunes elsewhere, Jack had given him that option.

I was, however, surprised when the lad told me that he was eleven. From the look of him, one would assume that he was eight maybe nine at the most. Definitely a runt, but living on the streets would no doubt stunt someone's growth. It was clear in his face that he had gone hungry often because his face still held the look of one who had seen starvation. He had a shock of brown hair that was untidy and gray coloured eyes that showed intelligence.

Aside from his physical appearance, he had a sense of humour that could be wormed out of him just like the ability to speak and as he became more relaxed around me, it became more evident. The boy had a quick wit, slightly raunchy, but nothing that I had never heard before and he caught onto things quite quickly. I barely had to turn to ask him to hand me a rag or fetch some water before he was off to get it and he soon became more willing to actually tend the patients.

After three days of having the boy in my presence, I was able to finally have him tell me what his name was although I was sworn to secrecy. He didn't want the crew to know for some reason, but I assumed that he was just scared of something irrational, so I didn't press the matter. I did not tell any of the men for quite a long time, keeping my word to him. But, I can say it safely now. His name was Tad. He didn't have a surname. Or at least he didn't know what it was. Tad claimed that his parents had died before he could scarcely remember and it was good that he knew one name, let alone two.

-A-

The days passed fairly quickly. My waking hours were filled with tending the sick and my sleeping hours with dreams of Rhia.

The hunt for pirates had been steadily intensifying, according to Jack, so the Pearl was forced to sail further away from Port Royale. And while I did my best for those who were sick, the number of improvements equaled those who had died. Two more had passed on by the time a week had passed and I was beginning to feel desperate. I doubled my efforts to keep the remaining four alive, fighting like a tiger in a cage to keep them from going into the abyss. Jack had to come retrieve me every night because I was so unwilling to leave my post by the ill. I was afraid that if I left, one more would die. But, Jack kept reminding me that I could do little for them if I was sick as well, so I let him have his way.

On the eighth day of my being back on the Pearl, I woke very early. Disentangling myself gently from Jack's arms, I went onto the deck alone to watch the sunrise.

Standing at the prow, leaning onto my elbows, I watched as the new day was born. The sun made her appearance in full glory that morning, dousing the previously gray sky in a bath of colour and wonder before charging head on to meet the coming day. I won't dream on saying that the sunrise was a symbol of how I would be for my life, but I'll admit that it was a goal. I wished that I could be like the sun, capable of charging head on, of meeting challenges, of conquering clouds and sadness on most days but yet, allowed to have bad days on the occasion. I wished that I could bring as much light to the world, as much good tidings to people as the sun could bring to me. It was a challenging goal, yes, but it was a goal.

My reverie was suddenly interrupted by the slapping of hurried feet and the call of, "Miss Christy! Miss Christy!"

I turned, to see Gibbs, looking exhausted but pleased standing before me. "What is it, Mr. Gibbs?"

"Its Colin, miss. He's awake."

It took a moment for my brain to take that phrase in. "He's awake?"

"Aye. He's looking better. He's asking for you."

I smiled. "Well, I'd best not keep him waiting. Alert the captain to that, please, Mr. Gibbs," I said before hurrying down to my friend.

-A-

Author's Note -

Honestly, ye have little faith. I really love Colin. If he were a real person, he'd be my buddy. I wouldn't kill him. Although, if I must say so myself, I got you all really worried...and killing off Hawkins felt REALLY good, too...but I didn't like him, so, there you go. And the whole reinstatement of Hawkins throws some nice little conflict into the plot line, too...

Anywho, hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please review! I love hearing from you all, the good, the bad, the ugly, whatever you have to say, just tell me.

Check out the stories by The Quidditch Gals, Eccentric Banshee and Jeeves Swineford, all of whom are excellent authors and deserve more reviews than they get...but then again, who doesn't love a bigger fan club...

Anyways, hope you enjoyed it.

Mange Klemmar

CrazyCanoeingGIT