A/N: Big thanks to those who have taken the time to review! Keep it up.

Ch. 4 – A Sudden Illness

The bedroom was littered with shirts, pants and socks in piles ready to be sewn. The bathing tub that Stone had provided Christine for her comfort was now a washtub for the men's clothing. She was very happy to be busy, but she was also very lonely and found herself jumping up each time there was a knock on the door or her son would burst in. She would often keep Stone from his duties overlong, and he would have to beg her pardon to get back to his work. When her son was with her she would keep up constant chatter, usually asking about his time outside of the cabin, until he would become engrossed in drawing some picture of something that the Captain had described to him from one of his grand stories. Then he couldn't be bothered to answer her as he was concentrating so hard, and she would have to settle back into silence.

She had stopped crying some time ago, and now looked up with a freshly washed face to see her son come running in the room. He threw his arms around her neck for a hug and gave her a peck on the cheek. She asked, "Did you have fun my love? Catch a whopper today?"

"No. But the captain told me a wonderful story about a fish as big as a Russian dog. It was so funny!"

"Are Russian dogs large?" Christine asked.

"The Captain says so. He used to live in Russia you know," Charles said, his eyes as big as saucers.

"Yes, I know. You have told me that before."

"He's been all over the whole world," Charles exclaimed. Christine was aware that her son was completely smitten with the Captain. He had become the boy's idol. Her son had told her of his many escapades around the world, and about the endless menagerie of toys that he seemed to have in his cabin. He had mentioned that the Captain was large, but when she had asked what the man looked like, his response was, "He looks like me." She assumed that meant that he looked like a boy and not a girl as Charles was in the habit of describing people by their gender.

These frequent sessions between Charles and the Captain stirred her memory. She remembered sitting in the small chapel at the Opera house, listening to stories that her Angel would tell her of Persia and the many other places he had traveled in his youth. He had never spoken of himself, merely retelling stories that he had been told by the locals. Folklore, native to the regions that he had visited.

As a ship's Captain, certainly this man had traveled extensively as well. But as the boy recalled the stories to her, she envisioned a handsome, half-face telling the story to her son. She could even hear his voice, rich and deep with the hint of an unidentified foreign accent. She had to force the thoughts away from her mind and concentrate on her son lest she become melancholy again. Charles hated to see her cry and she didn't want to extinguish the excitement that he was now caught up in.

That night they shared supper in their cabin, as usual. They ate lamb and potatoes that were prepared exquisitely. Christine had been surprised at the food that was offered to them since coming on board the ship. Stone had said that the Captain hated inferior cuisine and had hired a cook that specialized not in feeding sailors, but the upper-class. Apparently the chef was quite a find.

After dinner they shared a block of French cheese which had always been Charles's favorite kind. After he had consumed half the block, she forced him to stop and put the cheese, along with the rest of the supper tray into the hall for Stone to retrieve. Christine stepped behind the screen to put on her nightgown as Charles jumped into his cot. She knew that within an hours time he would be right next to her in the larger bed, but she felt it important to at least attempt to make him sleep on his own.

After saying their prayers, she tucked Charles into the narrow bed and crossed to hers. Sometime in the middle of the night, she awoke with a start. She knew something was wrong. Charles was not in the bed with her. Fear gripped her heart but she did not know why. She exploded from the bed and bounded over to the cot. Charles's breathing was heavy and rasping. She reached her hand out to touch his head and pulled it back immediately. Her son was burning up with a high fever. She grabbed her robe and before she could possibly think of the oath that she had taken to remain in her cabin, sprinted out the door in search of Stone.

Stone's cabin was directly across from hers; therefore, he heard her door slam against the wall as she tore it open. He was almost to the door when he heard her frantic voice calling his name. As he entered the hallway, she was already down the passage and he had to call out to her to get her to come back to him.

"Christine," he calle and she turned and ran to him.

"Charles is sick. He's burning with fever. Please help me!" Her eyes were wild and she seemed on the verge of collapse. She wasn't scared, she was terrified. Stone knew that she had lost her husband to an illness and assumed that was the reason for her reaction now.

He steered her back inside the cabin and closed the door. In the darkness of the companionway, the Captain exited his cabin and moved down the hall to stand outside her door. He had also heard her door slam and had heard her call for Stone. Then the blood had frozen in his veins as he heard her say that Charles was ill. At that moment, all he wanted to do was burst into her room and examine the boy. But he realized that if he did so, she would most likely die of shock instantly. He would wait for Stone. Stone knew of his talent for preparing medicines as he had conjured up many potions over the years to aid the crew with various forms of illness. The mate would come for him soon.

"Was he like this when you retired?" Stone asked gently.

"No, he was fine. He always comes into my bed, but he didn't tonight. I knew something was wrong. He didn't come into my bed." She couldn't keep her thoughts straight. There were no doctors on board, she was sure of that. What if he died? What if the very journey that was supposed to save him, killed him instead? Could fate be so cruel? The room started to close in around her and Stone caught her as she lost consciousness. He placed her in her bed and ran out to get the Captain.

As he entered the hallway, Apollos stepped out of his cabin. "What is wrong with him?" Concern was evident on his face.

"Fever. It's very high. His mother has fainted. Will you come and take a look at him?"

He didn't hesitate but took his chances and entered her room. The aroma hit his nose like a brick wall. Seven years and the scent of her was still intoxicating as ever. He kept his eyes from her bed and crossed to Charles's cot. Feeling the boy's brow, he shook his head with worry. "I will prepare something to bring down the fever. We don't know what is wrong with him so it may not work. Stay with them," he ordered and exited the room.

There was no movement from either bed and before he knew it the Captain had returned with the draught. Stone helped him prop the boy's head up and pour the liquid down his throat. "Will you remain here and alert me immediately if anything occurs?"

Stone nodded his assent, "But, why don't you stay, sir? Surely the boy's mother will not be upset that you are attending her son?" He knew the Captain wouldn't stay, but he also knew that his worry over the boy could be just the thing to change his mind.

"I cannot," he hissed with unchecked anger. There was nothing he wanted more, but the scent was beckoning to him to look toward her bed. He didn't know what would become of him if he gave in. He had to leave the room and compose himself, so without another word he left.

Christine awoke confused to find Stone sitting in her cabin, but then remembered, Charles is sick! Stone looked up as she got out of the bed. "Take it easy miss. You've had a shock to your system and you passed out. We've given the boy something to bring down the fever," he explained.

"And, has it worked?" she asked timidly.

"No, I'm sorry, it hasn't."

Christine sank back down to sit on the edge of the bed. The look on her face was one of defeat. Tears were falling down her cheeks as she said, "He's going to die, isn't he? I lose everyone I love, you know. The Lord is punishing me for my sins."

Stone couldn't imagine what this sweet, young woman could possibly have done in her life that she thought was worthy of the Lord's punishment. He moved in front of Christine and knelt. Taking her hands in his, he said "Christine, you must be brave and have more faith. As we speak the Captain is pouring over his medical books looking for something that will help. If anyone has the power to save your son, it is he."

Should I dare to hope that this man can help him, she wondered. A man that has befriended her son but wouldn't dare reveal himself to her was to be their savior? But what choice do I have? She nodded slowly to show that she accepted what Stone had said, but the tears still fell.

Suddenly, both sets of eyes were on the boy as he body began to convulse. Christine screamed and Stone moved to the boy to hold him on the bed so that he did not fall out. Breaking her out of the trance that she had lapsed into, he yelled to her, "Come and hold him while I get the Captain!"

She moved to her son and Stone ran from the room. Reaching the Captain's quarters, he knocked without response. Knowing that Apollos would forgive him, he pushed open the door to find the man engrossed in a large book. He was so lost in his search of the text that he didn't notice Stone come in. "Sir. The boy is convulsing, you must come." Shocked at the intrusion, it took him a second to register the words that the first mate had said. He rose abruptly, knocking over his chair. "Is she awake?" he asked.

"Aye sir."

The captain hesitated a moment in the hallway and visibly warred with himself as to what to do. He couldn't deal with her now, not like this. The boy was all that mattered. Forcefully he said, "Get her out of the room. Have her wait in your cabin until I have finished." Seeing the look on Stone's face, he added, "You must convince her to leave him for now. I cannot attend him with her there to distract me."

Stone rushed into the room as the Captain moved back into the shadows of the passage. He could hear her arguing with his mate, and then saw her being pushed into the man's cabin. Once the door was closed he entered the room and examined the boy again. The convulsions had stopped for the moment and Charles was stirring. He opened his eyes and saw the man above him. Weakly he said, "Where's my Mama? I want my Mama."

Apollos hushed him and stroked his hair. "She will be here in a moment. Are you in any pain Charles?"

"My arms hurt and my legs hurt. Like after I've ridden on Papillion too long."

"Papillion is your horse?" The boy nodded. In an instant his face turned sheet white and he vomited. Stone moved to clean him up and the Captain rose to leave. "Stone, have his mother come back in and stay with him. I need to research further."

As he walked back down the hallway, Christine came out of Stone's cabin and looked after the Captain. It was her first glimpse of the man, and though it was from behind, a sense of familiarity hit her. Her son had been right, the man was big. Why she felt she knew him was beyond her. She had never even met a sailor before this voyage!

Entering her cabin once again, the smell of vomit washed over her. She crossed to the water basin and rang out the towel. Stone had cleaned up a majority of it and she noticed as she washed her son's face that he was awake. "Mama. I don't feel good."

"I know love. The captain is trying to find something to make you feel better. You just have to rest." She was concerned that his fever had still not come down at all. She turned to Stone and asked, "What did he say?"

"Nothing yet ma'am. He is looking into his books further. We need to give him some time. I'm sorry." He noticed that the boy had either fallen asleep again or he had lost conciousness. His mother looked like she was going to have another spell herself. "I know that it's difficult, Christine, but I think that you should try to sleep while he is resting. You need to stay strong for whatever happens."

"No, I need to keep vigil over him. I couldn't bear to wake up and find that something had happened to him."

As Stone left the cabin to check the Captain's progress, she cried out to the Lord on her son's behalf. "Please do not take him from me. Please. Give me strength to stay strong and courageous. Help me to trust these men to help my son. Please Father. Don't take my son!" She wailed out the last words and collapsed on her bed sobbing.