Alicia took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. She stood over Anamaria's exposed chest, needle and thread in hand. Every second felt both too short and too long... Her heart was racing, fear giving her an adrenaline rush. It was the first time she used a needle on someone else. The closest thing she came to sewing a wound closed was sewing under the first layer of skin on her hand to make cool designs... Now she was going to have to sew someone's chest back together... Her body went on automatic, threading the needle and sewing the pirate's wound closed.

Before she knew it, she had finish closing up the skin. The white thread of the stitches was stark contrast to the darkness of her skin. She sighed with relief, giving herself —— as well as her patient —— a second to recover before cauterizing the area.

Carefully, as if the volatile material would explode without fire as a catalyst, Alicia poured the black powder along the stitches. "Fire..." She turned to the men. "I need fire." She held her hand out expectantly. Norrington retrieved the candle Alicia used on his lieutenant. He handed it to her with the same caution he had used on his own man.

Even though she'd done it before, and knew what to expect, she still jumped slightly, startled by the sudden spark. After the gun powder fizzled out, all that remained was a charred scar where once there was an open wound. The sable haired teenager covered the area with the cloth strips, and pulled the blanket on the bed high enough to cover the woman's exposed breasts. She then turned back to the two men. "Only time will tell now." She prayed to the gods that her attempts weren't in vain, or even worse, caused more harm. "I think it would be best if we left her to rest for now." She stepped away from the bed just as a wave rocked the ship.

Alicia's already unsteady balance left her. She fell backwards, banging her head on the base of the bed with a thunk. "Ow!" She pushed herself into a sitting position. "By the Gods, that hurt..." She rubbed her aching head, blinking to get rid of the spots that clouded her vision. "Unh, I really have no place being on a ship." Her vision cleared, showing her the concern on both men's faces. "'M fine..." Using the bed as support, she rose shakily to her feet. "It's just my first time on a ship." With some assistance from the two sailors (and the support of various pieces of furniture), she made it to the table. She (very ungracefully) plopped down into one of the ornate seats, Jack and Norrington sitting themselves on either side of her.

"Now that we have some time —— I take it neither of your patients will be awake any time soon —— why don't we get to know each other a bit better, aye?" Jack gave one of his swoon—worthy grins, gesticulating in his usual manner.

"I'm not one to agree with a pirate, or even socialize with one. However, in this case at least, I believe he is, for once, correct. There are some things I would like to know about you. Such as where are you from? Where did you study medicine? And more importantly, why are you on this ship?" Norrington leaned forward slightly as he made his enquiry. His usually perfect posture was... well, less than perfect...

Alicia stuttered, unable to form more than a simple "Um... well... you see..." The nervousness that her DD side was pushing back while she was helping her patients faded. Her self—confidence melted away like wax on a candle. "I'm from... Somewhere. And I've always been fascinated with medicine. Ever since I first saw Scully do an autopsy. I've been doing my own private research. Though, my preference is the occult. I wanted to be a preternatural investigator..." Her cheeks reddened with a blush at the shock and fascination on Norrington's face. Jack just laughed.

"What's this, Commodore? You can' have the lovely Elizabeth, so you're playing the field as it were?" 'Wow. He's so different in person than I had imagined. I have everything so wrong.' "Did you think that she'd be impressed with you if you pretended to show interest in her hobbies? Hmmh. If you're that desperate for... pleasurable company, we could always leave you in Tortuga." Alicia's face reddened even more.

She could picture herself as an Anime character, blushing at anything even remotely perverse. 'With Jack here, I'm going to end up passing out from all the blood rushing to my head' "I... I, um... That is..." 'Talk much, or just stumble a lot?'

Norrington glared at Jack from across the table. "Not that it's any of your business, but I do not partake in such filthy acts. Unlike you," He spoke the word with venomous emphasis, "I don't sleep with every woman I com in contact with." The disgust was almost palpable. "Do you really think you're God's gift to women?"

Jack put on a mask of mock outrage. "Why, of course I don't!" His lips pulled back into a Cheshire grin. "I don't think I'm God's gift to women... I know I am. God's gift to men, too." He winked at Norrington over the table. "Wha's wrong? Jealous?"

Alicia sunk as low into her chair as she could. She could see herself as Tohru Honda, from "Fruits Basket", and Norrington and Jack as Yuki—kun and Kyou—kun. Cat and rat, glaring at each other from across the table, the only thing standing between them is one timid girl...

-----+\\\\\+-----

-.--. . -. -.. --- ..-. -.-. ... .- .--. - . .-. . .. ... - -.--.-

Uh, oh... I think I've been watching too much Anime... Alicia's becoming Chibi 'Licia—chan. DunDunDun...

Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah!

Yay! This update didn't take long at all...

Telomeric: That's what you think...

Me: yeah, well... I'll think what I want.

Fire Claw: Is there really a point to this story?

Me: Yeah, but I can't tell you what it is... That would ruin the surprise!

Telomeric: That probably means that you don't know the point either. And are making this up as you go along.

Me: So what if I am?

Netalak: You know, you left me out of the last skit. Last few skits, actually...

Scully: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Be thankful she didn't include you in her insanity.

Me: Okay, I'm tired... It's already six hundred hours (6:00 AM, for all you civvies) and I've been up for nearly twenty four hours. I need some sleep... (-ZZZZZZZZZZ-)

Telomeric: Geez, can you believe this? Falling asleep in the middle of writing her fic... Oh, well. I guess that leaves me in charge.

Netalak: How do you figure that?

Telomeric: ... Oooo... Pretty background.

Netalak: What are you talking about?

Telomeric: Her computer's background... Kira from "Fruits Basket"

Netalak: That's it. I've got to cut her off... (-To my sleeping form-) No more Anime for you!

Shigure—sama (-From Fruits Basket-): Now why would you want to do that? (-Sees background-) Hey, that is nice... So Kawaii...

Fire Claw: She's way too young for both of you!

Telomeric and Shigure—sama (-In unison-): I know that! I meant she was little onee—chan kawaii!

Me: (-Wakes up from all the noise-) Hey, can't you see I'm trying to get my beauty sleep!

Telomeric: (-Muttering under his breath-)You need all the help you can get...

Me: What was that?

Telomeric: (-Nervously-) Nothing!

Me: (-Yawns-) Anyway, Read and Review... None of the characters (aside from Alicia Abraham, Dark Denizen, and myself) belong to me. Telomeric and Fire Claw belong to Fire Claw; Netalak belongs to the Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky the Fourth fanclub, (-Ahem-) I mean himself; and everyone else belongs to their rightful affiliates. I'm no mouse, so I don't own everyone's favourite pirate... Wish I did, but I don't...

Telomeric: Just go back to sleep, I'll finish this.

Me: (-ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ-)

Telomeric: She sounds like a baby pit—bull growling...

Fire Claw: You know, you snore, too...

Telomeric: Just let me have the last word...

(-Silence...-)

Telomeric: Thank you... The End!

Shigure—sama: You don't have to yell...

Telomeric: Noooo...!

Shigure—sama: I said, please lower your voice.

Fire Claw: No you didn't. Actually, you said "You don't have to yell..."

Telomeric: (-In a hushed tone-) Nooooo...!

Shigure—sama: Thank you.

Telomeric: (-Angry glare-) Grrr...

Kyou—Kun (Also from "Fruits Baskets"): Meow.

Telomeric: (-Still Hushed-) Argh!

Me: (-In my sleep-) Please Read and Review—kun. Leave a review at the door on your way out, thank you for riding the purplemonkeydishwasher express... Goodbye... (-ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ-)