Chapter Eleven

Jack was extremely relieved when they reached the house. He opened the door and entered, hoping that 'Ro had taken care of the messy walls. Sure enough, they were clean, but he heard shouting and turned to look as Ororo came flying right past him with Wolverine in hot pursuit. "WAIT, 'RO! THEY'RE HERE! YOU DON'T NEED TO GO AFTER THEM!"

Ororo was beginning to slow at Logan's words when she heard Paige calling and waving her hands. "That's right! We're all right here, Auntie 'Ro!"

Wolverine shook his head from where he stood beside Jack. "Crazy woman," he whispered to him. "I got her to rest for just a few minutes, and then she got up and went flyin' after 'em without a word!"

"Duty calls," Jack whispered back with an impish grin.

Ororo came to a sudden halt in the wind and breathed a sigh of relief as she looked upon her godchildren. Logan was right. They were not only there, but they were okay. Indeed, their men did not appear to have released them yet. She could not help a small, relieved smile at that sight.

"Hi, Auntie 'Ro!" Prue called. "We're safe and sound!" She glanced up to where Brendan was standing beside her. "What's this talk of dinosaurs?" she asked her aunt.

Before 'Ro could say anything, Jack said, "I want you to gather around inside. I've got to tell you some things that you're probably not going to want to believe." Once everybody was gathered together in the living room, he resumed, "I was not kidding when I told you there were dinosaurs. I bought this island, because I was stranded here several times and I wanted to fix a place that I could hang out at if I got dumped again."

Autolycus dipped his head so that he could whisper in Elizabeth's ear. "Not true," he reminded her.

She nodded, understanding why Jack would not want to reveal the truth of the matter.

"The several times I was dumped here, I never encountered any life forms. I never stopped to think why. I was not disturbed though I spent several days here. Now, there is wildlife on the island -- big, angry, hungry dinosaurs that are supposed to be extinct." He was pacing the floor in the center of the circle. "I don't know how this happened. I don't know where they came from, but I do know that they'll eat us if they get the chance. I want every one to look around and make sure that every one's here. We know that there are some missing like Jareth and some of his people; they will return when they are able. Does any one know of any one missing?"

It was then that Hook's mouth flew open. "CONNOR! BOI, WHERE ARE YOU!"

"I saw him earlier," Angel said. "I think . . . but I'm not sure . . . they might have got him."

James fainted, falling over Smee and flattening him against the floor.

"Angel!" Delvira scolded. "The boy's his son! You could at least try to be a little gentler!"

"Don't know how," Angel replied with a shrug, "but I will go out and look for the boy."

"Right now, before you go," Jack said, "I want to introduce a few people I met today. They are survivors of another group that the dinosaurs attacked. It's Captain Kitty, Father Wagner, Sean Cassidy, and Chong . . . " His voice trailed off as he realized he did not know the Chinese man's last name.

"Chan," Chong supplied for him.

"I want you to pick rooms and bunk mates. You are not to go anywhere without your weapon and your bunkmate, even to the bathroom. There is a bathroom in every room, and there is no need for any one to go outside. There should be enough rooms for every one if you pair up. Well, go ahead and choose!" he commanded when they all seemed to be standing around and looking at each other.

Wolf had moved over to stand by Angel. "I'll go with you, Angel, to look for the boy, but let's pick our room first."

"Wolf!" Elvira exclaimed.

"Yes, darling?"

She looked him square in the face. "I thought you wanted to get some loving some time tonight?"

"Yes, darling, but I don't want to give you a bad reputation by bunking with you. Don't you want to bunk with your sister?"

"I'd rather bunk with you."

"Well, pick us out a room," Wolf replied with a smile. "I won't be gone long. Angel and I will look for the boy. Hopefully, we'll find him alive."

Cordelia, who stood nearly as close as a second skin to Angel, piped up. "You know, that's kind of going to put you in a rather rough imposition, Elvira." When Elvira looked at her questioningly, she explained, "You won't be able to go anywhere until Wolf gets back." She was already upset with Angel but hadn't spoken a word about that.

Angel did not know that Cordelia was upset with him, and if he had thought she was, he still wouldn't have had a clue as to why. "Cordelia, if you would be so kind as to hold a room next to yours for Wolf and me while Elvira holds the other room, I'd appreciate it." He smiled at her. "Won't be gone long, sweetheart, but there's a scared boy out there and I'm to blame for him being out there. I should have ran him back to the shore when I came across him today."

Cordelia silenced a sigh. "It's all right," she assured Angel. "I understand. You're only doing your duty." She really did hate that word.

Overhearing their conversation, a grinning Wolverine elbowed Jack.

"Don't use that word!" Dawn cut in. "Do you know what this idiot's duty is!" she demanded, waving a flustered hand at Frederic. She still could not believe that that strange blue boy had shown up, out of nowhere nonetheless, just long enough to tell her to beware of Frederic's duty and then vanished without any explanation! She'd turned to Frederic for the explanation and been absolutely horrified and angry when she'd learned the truth about the lad.

Well, I know what this one's is . . . Cordelia thought though she did not answer Dawn aloud.

"Do you?" Dawn repeated.

Elvira looked at the boy. She could tell he was still wet behind the ears. "To get laid for the first time?" she guessed.

"Hey! I already did that! No, that's not my duty! If you'd just quit making such a fuss about my duty, I could get on with it!"

Dawn turned on him. "I will never stop making a fuss about your duty! You think I'm bad now? Well, guess what, buster! I'm just beginning! I'm going to learn to be the best Piratess I can be just so that I can wipe you and your duty out!"

"What in the world could be so horrible about his duty?" Cordelia asked. "I mean, it's not as if he's trying to bend over backwards to . . . "

"No," Dawn cut her off, "he's trying to kill all Pirates!"

"What!" Angel turned around from talking with Wolf and fixed Frederic with baleful eyes. "You're wanting to kill all Pirates? Too bad it's not you out there instead of your brother!"

"He can get out there!" a new voice chimed in as Faith stalked over to join the others glaring at the blonde. "What kind of an idiot are you to -- "

Lex cut her off, gently but firmly holding her back by the shoulders. "Easy there, girl. I don't think you want to kill the son of one of Jack's friends."


Smee had dragged James to one of the ground floor rooms. He tried to put him on the bed, but he couldn't lift him. He was still struggling desperately to lift him when he felt the load become a great deal lighter. "I've had to put Jareth to bed a few times," Delvira explained.

"Thanks, Delvira. I'm afraid he's taken it rather badly that Connor's lost and might be eaten. He tries to love both his bois, but that Frederic is a handful. Very hard to love. Connor . . . He's a real sweetheart. I hope he's not dead. I'd really miss him. Why couldn't it have been Frederic?"

Delvira grinned. "You know, you're not the only one offering blondie up." She jerked a thumb toward the open door. "They're about to eat him out there."

"Better go rescue him," Smee said sadly with a sigh. James would never forgive me if something happened to the boi." He raced over to the door. "Have you picked a room yet, Delvira? There's another one right next door here. No one's in it yet. For some reason, they all headed upstairs."

She shrugged. "No, but I was contemplating joining the boys. Make sure the job gets done right, you know?"

"That might be a good ideal, ma'am, but be careful. You want me to mark the room for you?"

She did not even have to think about it. With her husband's friend next door and in dire need of help, she knew where she was needed. "Yes, please, Smee."

Smee took his knife out of a pocket and marked a D on the door. "There. That'll hold it for you. Now I best get over there and straighten that young man out."

She nodded. "I'll go with you. Angel and Wolf hadn't taken off yet. The last time I saw them, they were wanting to eat Frederic too. The boy's duty came out," she explained.

"Gods, his duty! I wish he had dutied up Pan! That's all he talks about! Pan brainwashed him. Oops! I didn't say that! Don't tell anybody!"

"Smee," Delvira commanded gently, "hold on." She had already placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and now she looked down into his eyes with great concern. "Pan brainwashed him?" she whispered to him. "Literally?"

"I believe so. Yes, ma'am. So does James, but he won't talk about it. You see, Pan stole Frederic from us. James bought him off of a group of Pirates who were using the boi for bait. We loved him like he was ours, but Pan kidnapped him. He gets all the Lost Boys."

"Frederic loved us when we first had him, but when we recaptured him, he hated us. All he could talk about was his duty. We don't know what happened to our poor, little boi except that he was changed!"

He turned to face the angry group that had gathered around Frederic. "Excuse me, please! I'll take care of him! Frederic, I told you a thousand times to keep your mouth shut! Now you need to go to your room!" He reached up, grabbed the boy by the ear, and began to drag him toward the room on the other side of where he had taken the Captain.

He did not let go of his ear despite Frederic's hollering that he was innocent and that Dawn was the one who'd revealed his duty and swatting at him until they reached the room where he shoved Frederic inside and pulled the door too. "Stay in there till your father calls for you!" He figured that would be a long time, because even when James woke up, he'd be more concerned with Connor. He heard Frederic sit down on the inside of the room with his back against the door.


Angel and Wolf headed for the door. "Be back in a bit," Angel told them.

"Wait up for us," Wolf added.

"Oh, I'll wait up for you all right," Cordelia muttered underneath her breath. She couldn't believe that Angel was already running off again!

It was then that Delvira brushed so swiftly past Cordelia that Elvira had to catch the girl to keep her from falling. "Delvira, what . . . ?" she started to ask her sister but Delvira interrupted her.

"No time, sis," she called without looking back. Catching up to Angel and Wolf, she told them, "I'm going with you. You need a woman to make sure you don't screw up the job."

"You can come if you want to, but stay out of the way when the fighting starts," Angel told her. He knew she was a powerful Vampiress but thought that was all.

"Why don't you stay out of the way, boy?" Delvira retorted, her black eyes flashing.

Wolf looked at both of them. "Why don't we all act like adults here and stay out of each other's way? That way, we'll have a better chance of fighting those things if they show up."

Delvira shrugged. "Whatever," she tossed at him. "I just didn't think he'd want to get his butt barbecued."

"Barbecued? By what? Those dinosaurs aren't spitting fire! They aren't dragons!"

"They aren't," Delvira replied, "but I am."

"You're a dragon? I never met a dragon shapeshifter before!"

"Not a dragon!" She rolled her eyes. "Spitting fire?" With that, she held out her hand, and a fireball formed within her grasp.

Angel watched as the fireball got bigger and bigger. "That's great," he said. "That should really barbecue some dinosaurs!"

"That's what I thought," Delvira relented, absorbing the fireball back into her pale skin. "They've got my friend's boy, and we're going to get him back."

They melted into the growing darkness, each keeping their senses alert and hoping to find the boy alive.


Cordelia sighed as she watched Angel walk off. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that!"

"Me neither," Elvira agreed. "Talk about a sense of duty . . . "

Cordelia glanced at the pale woman in surprise. "My thoughts exactly," she admitted.

Elvira nodded. "Let's go find those rooms. If we're lucky, they might even come with a surprise."

"A surprise?" Cordelia asked.

"Something to get drunk on," Elvira clarified. She was glad to see that the younger woman was not repulsed by the ideal, and they walked off together, chatting heatedly about their men.


Dawson touched Faith gently on the back. "Do you think we could . . . find a room?" he asked her. "We need somewhere to spend the night."

"I'll get us one," she assured him. She didn't know how many rooms were in this mansion, but if they were all occupied, she'd simply throw somebody out.

Dawson followed along behind Faith as she mounted the stairs. Salem darted after them.


Jack watched as all the others found rooms and began to settle down. He had found a room earlier that had a key in it, and he had locked the door and taken the key. It was the master bedroom, and the huge bed in the room had been made especially for Will so that his long, lanky frame would be comfortable. "Will? We can retire for a while," he told him. "Follow me. I already got us a room."

"Are you sure?" Will asked him. "You don't have to wait for the others?"

"Why should I wait for the others? I told them to get a room. If they can't find one, it's their problem. There's plenty of rooms, but this room is special." He took the key out of his pocket and unlocked it. He moved out of the way to allow Will to enter first.

Will entered first but stopped short when his eyes caught sight of the bed. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He'd never seen such a huge bed before, nor one that had ever looked so inviting!

Jack was about to speak when he heard a certain clicking sound behind him. "What we looking at?" Donkey asked.

"Donkey, you have to get your own room. It's long past time that Will and I had some time together. Pick you a partner, and get a room."

Donkey looked at Jack sadly but, knowing that there would be no arguing with him, finally turned away and hollered out, "WOLVERINE!"

Wolverine stuck his head out the door of his and 'Ro's bedroom. "Donkey, what are you yelling about?"

Donkey ran over to Wolverine. Grinning up at him, he asked, "Can I bunk with you? Huh? Huh? Can I? Can I? Please?"

Wolverine said, "I love ya like a brother, Donkey, but I got a woman in here."

"So?"

"You're gonna have to find another room."

"Aw, man!" Donkey wailed. "I can't bunk with Will! I can't bunk with Jack! I can't bunk with you! Who'm I gonna . . . CRYSTAL!"

Wolverine looked at him. "Donkey, you can't bunk with Crystal. She's gonna be in with Lorne."

"Then I'll bunk with her animals!" Donkey said decisively.

"Now that is a good ideal. Go down and ask. They took a room on the bottom floor."

At Wolverine's words, Donkey raced down the stairs. He took a screeching hault as he almost ran into Elizabeth. "Where'd Lorne and Crys bunk?" he asked her.

Elizabeth stared at him but managed to hold out a shaking finger to point at a closed door.

Donkey grinned at her. "Thanks!" He ran over and began to rap on the door with a hoof.

"Yes?" Lorne asked as he opened the door.

"Can I bunk with Crys?"

"Crys, got room for another one?" Lorne called to her. "Donkey's looking for room."

Crystal looked at Lorne. "Well . . . " She dragged the word out. "We all know you weren't very happy with letting the children even stay in here."

"Yes, but they stayed. If Donkey's quiet, I don't see why he can't join the party."

"Maybe," Crys murmured underneath her breath, "because I was planning on showing you how much I do love you . . . "

"I won't see anything!" Donkey promised from the other side of the door. "Nothing at all! And I'll be as quiet as a mouse! Huh-uh! I'll be Mouse Boy!" he volunteered. "Come on! Pleeease?" he pleaded with Lorne. "I just don't want to room with duty boy!" he admitted.

"Crys, I was planning on that, too, but we already have an audience, so we're not getting much action tonight."

Crystal stared at him. "An audience?"

"Yes, your children."

"They're not an audience!"

"Crys . . . One extra being in the room is an audience. It's a private thing that should be between a man and a woman."

Crystal stared at him. Well, she realized, guess I'll die a virgin. "Let him in if you want," she said, shrugging and rising to her feet. "I've got to go to the bathroom any way." Without another word, she walked over to the bathroom and shut the door behind Cindy and herself.

Cindy is going in there? Lorne thought. There is going to be a mess in that bathroom! "Come on in, Donkey. One more is not going to be a problem. There's plenty of room. I'm just never going to get a chance to make it with Crys."

Donkey didn't even take notice of Lorne's last sentence. Instead, he raced past him and landed on the bed so roughly that he knocked Elvira and Blue both off of it. He instantly started rolling on his back and kicking his hooves in the air.

"Off the bed, Donkey! Crys is sleeping on there! Take a corner. You get that one; I'm taking this one. The bed's not big enough for all of us."

Donkey opened an eye and looked down at the bed. "You're right, but if you're already taking a corner, I'll keep her warm for you."

"Off the bed, Donkey!" Lorne moved closer to the bed. "Don't make me kick you off of there!"

"Aw, come on, man, you wouldn't . . . " It was then that Elvira's and Blue's growls added to Lorne's angry words. "All right! All right! I'm going!" Donkey slunk off of the bed and into one of the corners. He turned round and round before laying down with his rear pointed at the others.

"Don't you dare let go in here!" Lorne told him. "You can use the bathroom when she comes out of there." Lorne settled down in his corner and pulled a blanket over himself. It was going to be a long night!

Crystal came out to find Lorne laying in the corner. "What are you doing over there?" she asked him.

"The bed's not big enough for everybody," he told her. He felt totally left out. By the time Crys crawled into the bed and her three babies were in the bed, there was not even an inch left for him.

"Lorne, there's plenty of room in there. You can sleep with them, you know. They won't bite you . . . well, not again any way . . . "

"Crys, come stand over here in this corner and look back at the bed." She did as he instructed. "Now imagine yourself in the bed." Could she really be that blind, he wondered, that she could not see that there was no room left for him?

Crystal blinked, then looked at Lorne in confusion. "Lorne, there's plenty of room in that bed for you."

"Crys, there is not enough room in that bed! I'm not going to argue with you! Lay down; get some rest. I'm fine right where I'm at."

"Ahoy!" Crys exclaimed. "So that's your problem. Lorne, get in that bed. I'm not going to bed; you use it."

"That makes two of us, 'cause I'm not getting in that bed! And why aren't you going to get some sleep?"

She stared at him for a long moment. She couldn't believe the change in the man before her. Just because her babies were her constant shadow, he was determined to be such a . . . such an ass! "Suit yourself," she said at last, choosing not to answer his question. She rose a hand up, and a sword of ice formed in her hand. "I've got work to do." She turned her back to him, walked off a pace, and began her training regime.

"Then I'll watch you while you're working. I'm not sleepy." He wondered just what kind of work she was going to be doing.

She shrugged. "Suit yourself," she repeated. Dropping into a fighting stance, she pulled the sword back, then jumped forward, attacking an invisible enemy.

Her babies watched the couple sadly from the bed. Elvira made a quiet noise underneath her breath, and Cindy growled, dismissing Lorne's behavior as being typical for all males. Blue shook his head and cooed softly, trying to explain to his sisters that he just didn't understand their mistress yet. How was he to know that she always fought sleep? How was he to know that she wanted them constantly with her to be sure they were safe from Frostbite? He cooed again. Lorne just didn't get it.

Lorne got up and went over to the bed. He stroked Blue on the head. "I just can't do it with all of you in here. I've never done it before, and I feel that that should be a private act between a man and a woman. I love you kids, but I can't do it." He hoped Crys had not picked up on his words to Blue and figured she hadn't as she was so busy with her scheduled work. "Why won't she go to bed, Blue?"

Elvira whimpered sadly to Lorne even as Cindy growled. Blue translated both their words for him, explaining that neither Cindy nor any of the rest of them wanted to watch Crys and he do it, whatever it was, and that they'd be more than happy to go hide out in the bathroom while they took care of it. As for why Crys would not go to bed, Blue's and Elvira's answers were the same: She feared shutting her eyes for the nightmares that would follow.

"It's called mating," Lorne told the animals. "I'm sure you know what that is. Even if you've never done it yourself, you must have seen it."

"I've heard about it," Blue admitted, but I've never seen it, and I still don't really know what it is. Cindy always cuts it off, and Crys and Elvira have never had it."

"Damn! We're in a sad fix!" Lorne said. "We're all virgins. That's as bad as being orphans, which we're that too."

"Speak for yourself!" Donkey called from his corner. "I ain't no virgin!"

Elvira noticed that Crys paused in her routine at Donkey's words, but she never looked up. Instead, she resumed her work with renewed energy.

"Would you three really hide in the bathroom with the door closed?"

Elvira left the bed at that; she padded quietly into the bathroom. Blue waited with Lorne as Cindy got up and stalked over to Donkey. "Into the bathroom," she growled out at him, "or say hello to Miss Claws."

Donkey looked at her. "Miss Claws?" he asked.

Blue shook his head, cooing. He shouldn't have said that!

Cindy unsheathed her claws. Donkey took one look at them, yelped, ran, and jumped into the bathtub. Cindy followed him at a distinct pace, her tail swishing behind her.

Blue looked up at Lorne. He cooed a wish for good luck to him, then flew after his sisters and Donkey.

"I'm gonna need it, Blue. Thanks," Lorne whispered after him.

Blue turned back to him once he'd entered the bathroom. He nodded even as Elvira stood up and pushed the door to with her front paws.

"Crys? Crys!" Lorne called. Still, she did not answer him. Instead, to his amazement, she leapt into the air, spinning and dropping down with a roundhouse kick. He called her name a little louder. "Crys?"

"Lorne," she finally answered, cutting at the air with deft blows from her icy blade, "I'm a little busy here . . . " She'd failed to notice his encounter with her children and Donkey.

"I'd like to be a little busy here," he said, and he patted the bed, hoping that she'd catch his motion.

She dropped down this time, spinning herself across the floor as her feet kicked with rapid speed. "I thought you said we couldn't have any of that?"

"Not with an audience, but the audience took themselves to the bathroom."

She stopped spinning and lay still for a moment on the floor, looking up at him. "What do you mean . . . ?" she asked. "They all went to the bathroom together?"

"Yes, and . . . Cindy made Donkey go in there too. One of them shut the door so they couldn't see what was going on. They wanted you and me to have our chance together."

She flipped to her feet. "See?" she asked him, one hand on her hip. "And you were worried about them always being with me!"

"No. Worried about them watching you and me doing it. I like having them with us except when we're attempting to mate . . . Then I don't want it to be anybody but us." He patted the bed again.

She came to sit beside him but did not make any further move. "Lorne," she asked hesitantly, gazing into his enchanting red eyes, "are you sure this is what you want?"

"Oh, yes, darling, more than anything I've ever wanted in my entire life! I want to be with you! I want to become one with you! I know I'm not worthy of you, but you're everything I've ever desired and never hoped to find."

"Lorne," she whispered his name, her fingers softly touching his red lips to silence him, "don't talk like that. You're so much more than worthy of me! Why do you have to keep thinking that I don't want you because of your green skin, your red horns and eyes? Looks don't matter to me, but even if they did, you're so handsome to me that just looking at you makes it hard for me to breathe! You steal my breath away when you look at me that certain way. I never realized green could be so . . . mesmerizing until I saw you for the first time, and your eyes? They're so beautiful! And as for those horns . . . " She leaned up and pressed a very soft kiss to his left horn. "I love them too." She kissed his right. "I love every part of you."

Lorne reached up to her and pulled her down to the bed. He hovered over her only long enough to plunge his lips down to hers and take hers in a passionate kiss. His hands began to do the walking all over her body, stroking her soft, velvety skin even as he deepened the kiss. He wasn't sure where they were going, but he hoped by morning, neither of them would still be a virgin. He wanted to make her his in every way and prayed that he would not disappoint her.


Brendan raced through the hallway, glancing back to make sure that Prue had not taken notice of him every now and again. Finally, he reached Autolycus. "Autolycus," he whispered urgently, his desperate eyes pleading with the other man's, "can I room with you?"

"No!" Elizabeth exclaimed before Autolycus could answer him. She grasped his hand in hers. "He's rooming with me!" It was only after Brendan had sped off through the hall that she realized what she had done and blushed. Looking at Autolycus from underneath her lashes, she asked, "I . . . hope that's okay?"

Autolycus' mouth had fallen open, and he couldn't get a word out. For the first time in his life, he was actually speechless! What did this mean? Did it mean she wanted to sleep with him, or was he going to have to sleep on the floor because she just wanted him close so that he could protect her? He could do either, but he wasn't going to do anything until she told him what her plan was. He did manage to close his mouth, though, and not look quite the idiot that he felt. "W-Wh-Why?" he finally managed to get out.

"Out of everybody here," Elizabeth answered honestly, "you're the one I trust the most."

Definitely the floor, buddy, he told himself. "We'd better get a room then," he told her and headed off to the end of the hall. He hoped Brendan would get some one to share a room with him. He knew he was desperately trying to hide from Prue.

"You don't have to sleep on the floor," Elizabeth told him, knowing that he was probably thinking that she had condemned him to the cold, hard wood. "You could sleep on top of the cover."

He opened the last door, but it was occupied. "Sorry," he called as he shut it quickly and tried the next door. It was empty. "This one's empty. We'll take it." He stepped inside to let her in and closed the door behind them. He did not make mention about where he was going to sleep. He checked the room, and everything checked out okay.

When Elizabeth caught sight of the bed, she could think of only one thing for the climb had so exhausted her. Walking over to it, she sat down and began to unlace her shoes.

Autolycus was at her side in a minute, taking over the job of removing her shoes. He sat them nearby but out of the way. He then rose and walked around to the other side of the bed. He did not dare to get into the thing. "I'll just take one of these blankets," he said in a high-pitched voice, "and sleep over here."

She gently caught his wrist as he reached for the blanket. "Autolycus, the floor will be cold tonight," she told him.

"So will the top of the bed."

"Maybe," she agreed, "but you could still sleep under one blanket. Regardless, it won't be as hard as the floor."

He gulped and crawled into the bed beside her, covering himself with the blanket quickly and turning over to face away from her before he did something to embarrass himself. "Good night, Elizabeth."

She smiled, glad to have his companionship and relieved that she hadn't had to fight with him. She knew what others would say, but she was tired of caring what others might think. Let them think what they would for Autolycus and she would always know the truth. "Good night, Autolycus."

It was a long time before he finally fell asleep. He held himself stiff and rigid in the bed but finally relaxed enough and drifted off.


Brendan was beginning to panic. One by one, each opportunity to escape rooming with Prue was fleeing until there was only one other man left in the hallway. He turned baleful eyes on Cole, already knowing he wouldn't get anywhere for Cole would, of course, want to bed with Piper.

Cole, who had been searching for a way to not get into the room with Piper, was extremely relieved that Brendan wanted to share a room with him. "Thanks, Brendan," he whispered so that only Brendan could hear. "Let's go to our room."

Brendan nearly melted with the relief that Cole's words brought him. "Thank Gods!" he whispered.

"That's what I said too," Cole told him when he entered the room. "I want her desperately, but . . . That's just not happening tonight. It almost happened last night, but that was last night. I have as much trouble fighting her charms as you do Prue's. Thank Gods I don't have a wolf in me! He would have definitely eaten Piper by now!"

Brendan nodded but was still fighting to calm his nervousness when he heard Piper call out, "Cole? Prue, did you see where Cole went?"

"Just in time!" Cole whispered to Brendan.

"Where did Brendan go?" Prue asked. "He was here only a moment ago!"

"I don't know," Piper answered with a frown. "They were both just here!" Her voice raised as she called out, "COLE? BRENDAN?"

Cole opened the door just enough that he could look out. "Good night, Piper! See you in the morning!" Brendan quickly shut the door.

Piper stared at the door that had closed before she'd even gotten one word out. "Well, I'll be . . . " She stared harder at the door before finally releasing, "Well, I'll be damned! They're hiding from us!"

"Brendan's in there?" Prue asked. "How do you know?"

"Do the math, Prue," Piper replied. "We were the last four in the hall!"

"Then we're sharing a room, sister dear, and I'm all for turning in. I'm exhausted."

Piper nodded her agreement but couldn't help adding, "I wish I had something to throw at that door!"

It was then that another door opened and Phoebe stuck her head out. "Which one?" she asked them.

"That one," Prue said and pointed right at Cole's door.

"Honey, don't throw that!" Joxer called to Phoebe even as she slung one of his boots. It hit the door with perfect aim.

"What the Hell? Who's beating on my door?" Cole called out. "Stop that, and go to bed!"

"Phoebe, not that one too!" Joxer pleaded, but another boot hit the door.

Brendan shook his head. "Ain't no way I'm answering that," he whispered.

"PHOEBE, GO TO BED!" Cole bellowed. "Stop trying to beat my door down! I'm not opening it! Good night, Phoebe!"

"Good night yourself," she called, "both of you . . . you cowards!"

"Phoebe, do you really have to . . . " Joxer started.

"Joxer, you better hush or you're not getting any!"

Joxer frowned at her. "Now, darling, you know we can't do that until our wedding night!"

"Wedding!" Phoebe repeated in disbelief. She'd hoped he'd forgotten all about that insane ideal. "That's it! You can join your boots!" Before Joxer could even speak a word, he found himself shoved out of the room. "Night, sisters!" Phoebe called, slamming the door shut and locking it right in Joxer's face.

Joxer looked in disbelief at the door. "Phoebe!" he wailed.

"Come on, man," Carl called from the next room, "just because you can't get it doesn't mean some of us aren't trying to get lucky!"

"She locked me out!" Joxer wailed. "And for what! All I did was ask her to marry me!"

"You actually asked her?" Carl asked after a moment's silence.

"Well, I was trying to! That's what I was hinting at!"

"No wonder she threw you out!" Paige told him. "She doesn't want to get married any more than I do! You better do some mighty big apologizing, mister, or you're not getting back in there!"

Joxer beat on Phoebe's door. "Phoebe, darling! Please let me in? We don't have to get married! I thought you wanted to get married!"

"Joxer," Phoebe called back to him, "we Halliwells are wild and free women! We're not looking to get tied down!"

Cole and Brendan looked at each other in disbelief. Cole wanted to marry Piper. He didn't know how Brendan felt about the situation, but he knew that Piper was not wild and free. In fact, she was up-tight and strait-laced. He figured she probably had a corset on, and if he ever got lucky, he'd have to cut her out of it.

Brendan couldn't believe Phoebe's words, and he sank to the floor. "Maybe that explains why Prue won't give up? She's wild, so she thinks she wants a wild man?"

"I don't think she's any wilder than Piper is," Cole told him, "and she's definitely not free. If she was, she'd be chasing after every man on board, and the only man she's looking at is you."

"I know!" Brendan wailed, dropping his face into his hands. "And I certainly can't have her!"

"I can't help you on that one, buddy. I can't have Piper either. Doesn't stop me from wanting her though. Let's see if we can get some rest." He laid down on the bed under the cover and was surprised that Brendan did not move from his spot on the floor except to stretch out over it. "Brendan, get up here in the bed. That floor's going to be like ice before morning! I don't bite!"

Brendan opened one eye to look at him. "I'm kind of scared of getting too comfortable," he admitted. "What if I dream of Prue?"

"If you dream of Prue and wolf, I'll simply shimmer out of your way and go get Jack's cane."

Brendan nodded, hauled himself up off of the floor, walked over to the bed, and laid down next to Cole. "Thank you," he told him, "my friend." He was relieved that there was at last one person who truly seemed to understand his dilemma!


Outside Cole and Brendan's door, the conversation between Joxer and Phoebe continued. "So," Phoebe called, "we don't have to get married? Does that mean you're . . . up for single affairs?"

"Whatever you want, honey," Joxer promised through the door. He stood there, leaning his head against the door. "Please let me in!"

As Phoebe started to turn the doorknob, Piper quickly picked up Joxer's boots and threw them to where he could pick them up. "Don't forget your boots, Joxer, and thanks, Phoebe!"

Joxer moved away from the door just in time to keep from getting hit with the door and picked up his boots. When he looked, Phoebe stood, smiling, in the doorway. "Joxxy . . . " she started, then promptly reached out, grabbed hold of his shirt, and snatched him into the room. She shut the door behind them and locked it before he could change his mind.

"Guess we better find a room," Prue said with a yawn. "I think there's one down here." She traipsed up the hall, looking back over her shoulder at her sister. "Come on, Piper. He's not coming out." She opened the door and saw that it was empty.

"I know," Piper replied sadly. Her voice then changed from sad to fierce. "I just don't believe it! I mean, Brendan's got an excuse! Unfortunately for both of you, but true nonetheless! As for Cole, I just can't figure him out! One minute he's all sweet and tender, and the next he's running as fast as Brendan, if not faster! I just don't know what . . . " She stopped suddenly, freezing in step. "Damn it!" she muttered.

"What?" Prue asked.

"I just figured it out," Piper said with a flustered wave of her hand. "There's been one thing that's happened between us since last night, so that has to be it!"

"What was it?" She wanted to grab Piper and shake it out of her. She closed the door and headed for the bed.

Piper hesitated in the doorway, still shaking her head in disbelief. "I just don't get it. He seemed so . . . understanding . . . so caring . . . " She sighed. "I guess it's true what they say: Men are jerks."

"Huh? Cole's not a jerk. He's probably hiding from you, because he doesn't want to embarrass himself. He's in love with you, Piper. It's plain to see, but him being a single male, he's probably a virgin," she whispered to her sister. "Yet he probably wants to take you in the bed now, and he just doesn't know how! Brendan's a virgin. Why, I heard he even dresses in barrels! As big as he is, and he can get in one of those little barrels! My Gods! Chicken-shitt males, but they're not jerks! Neither one of them."

Piper sighed as she got into bed beside her sister. "I'm not so sure of that, Prue. I mean, he knows I'm a virgin. Thanks to Phoebe and Paige, the whole ship knows I'm a virgin! Besides, I know he's not a virgin."

"How do you know?" Prue asked her.

"The way he acts," she tried to explain, "and talks. He . . . He's gotten heated up several times, Prue, but he keeps shimmering off because he doesn't want to push himself on me."

"That doesn't mean he's experienced, Piper! He might still be a virgin."

"Even if he is, it shouldn't matter."

"But with a man, it does," Prue told her. "A man wants to be experienced, so that he can guide the woman. You may find Cole staying away for longer periods of time. He's fighting to get himself under control. He doesn't want to rush you, because he knows you're a lady. Damn it, Piper! For once, stop being a lady! You get the opportunity, reach out and grab him!"

Piper sighed. "Prue, you know I can't do that! Besides," she added, "maybe this is for the best. I shouldn't be messing around with him so soon after Mother's and Grandmother's deaths any way. I should be in mourning, even if I can't get the right attire, and I have you and the others to take care of. I'll just focus on that and let Cole do whatever he pleases." She sighed into the pillow.

"Piper, I don't believe you're giving up so easily! For Heaven sake, woman, you've got to give him a little bit to go on! If you never encourage him, he will think you don't want him at all, and you can't lie there and tell me you don't want him because you do!"

"I do," Piper admitted. "I know that. You know that, and he knows that. I've told him already."

"So what are you waiting for?" Prue asked her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if you know you want him and you know he wants you, then go for it!"

"Prue, I can't do that!"

"If he has to ask you to marry him, it might take a while. Would you even be willing to marry him?"

Piper sighed. She knew she would be thrilled at a marriage proposal from Cole but also knew that one wasn't about to come. In addition, his behavior that night in sneaking off with Brendan and her sisters' breaking down earlier that day had forced her to realize that she needed to get her priorities straight. "Prue, I'm too tired to talk about this tonight," she sighed. "Can't we let it go?"

"Until morning," Prue told her. "Good night, Piper."

"Night, Prue."

To Be Continued . . .