Chapter Thirty

Jack reluctantly broke off the kiss with Will. He would much rather carry him up the stairs and ravish his luscious body, but he had to conduct the third meeting. If the meeting had not been so important, he would have done what he could only dream of. "We'll have to wait until later. Come sit by me." He walked toward the middle of the room and called out, "All interested persons, the third meeting is about to start!"

Will followed Jack to the middle of the room and took a seat behind him. He couldn't help the devilish smile that spread over his mouth at the sight he was presented with. So enraptured by Jack's fine rear-end was he that he did not take any notice of the others gathering.

Jack saw the others coming and looked for Dawson. "Would you like to take notes?" he asked.

"Thank you for the opportunity of being of service to you, Captain!" Dawson said with a grin. He sat on the floor with his quill ready.

At Dawson's eager reply to Jack, Faith teased the boy with kissing noises behind her hand. She shook her head as she settled down in a chair with Salem. Why was it that all men seemed to worship the ground Jack walked upon? Well, all boys, any way.

Once every one was seated, Jack announced what the meeting was about. "We're not exactly sure yet if we even have supplies enough to last or supplies to work on rebuilding the ship."

Kitty spoke up from where she sat with Lockheed coiled around her shoulders. "The island has plenty of resources for food and water," she told Jack, "but I don't know about the tools."

"Kitty, would you like to be in charge of the group that collects food?" Jack looked at her.

She shrugged. "I can be. Chong knows what to look for, and we've been living off of his cooking since crashing. But it's not just collecting," she warned. "There's also hunting."

"Pick a crew that you want to work with. You'll be the leader on that." He turned to look at Clark. "Clark, I want to put you in charge of finding out what supplies are on hand and beginning to rebuild the ship."

Clark nodded in reply. As the Pearl's Carpenter, he'd expected the job.

"Pick out the people that you want to work with you. Get a report back to me as soon as you can. There should be tools in the barn. That doesn't mean that there are or that they're in good shape."

Jack looked around the group. Normally, he would have just pointed out the ship's cook, but he was afraid Piper would not be able to take care of that job in her present condition. Jack asked, "Piper, are you able to supervise others?" He was not sure exactly what she felt she could or could not do, and he didn't want to just appoint somebody.

Piper had been dreading Jack's calling upon her, and she answered him in a small voice. "Jack, I can't see."

"I understand that, but with Cole as your eyes, could you still be in charge of a group of people, those who will be responsible for getting the food done and the clean-up thereafter? I'll understand if you can't."

Piper was not quite sure what to say. She knew that the job would not have been a problem at all if she could only see, but would Cole even know how to supervise a group in the kitchen, the things to tell her? She was still considering her answer when Ororo spoke up.

"Captain, if I may, Piper is need of retraining at this point. I was wondering if some one here might know how to fight or do anything else, for that matter, without the use of their eyes?"

Wolverine stood up. "I can handle that bit o' trainin'. We can start on that tomorrow as soon as we get everythin' else underway. That is, if Piper's willin' fer me to work with her?"

Piper could tell that it was Wolverine who had offered to be her teacher from the familiar, gruff voice. She smiled in the direction of his voice. "Oh, yes!" she nearly cried the words, so relieved was she that there might still be a chance for her to be able to do things for herself despite her blindness.

Cole leaned down and whispered next to her ear. "I don't know a lot about supervising, but I'm willing to give it a shot. At least I can tell you what's going on if you want to try it."

Piper nodded in response and spoke to Jack. "Captain Sparrow, we would like to attempt the job."

"Thank you, Miss Halliwell. I know it won't be easy. I'm really counting on you." He was thinking if she had not taken it, that would have put Autolycus and Joxer back into charge of the kitchen. "I'd like to thank . . . " He looked at Kitty. "What's your cook's name?" he asked her in a whisper.

"Chong Chan," she replied quietly. She cocked her head in the direction of where he sat with Sean and Kurt. "The Chinese guy."

"I'd like to thank Chong for fixing breakfast. It was very good, and I'd like to ask him to be second-in-command to assist Miss Piper."

Chong grinned. "I accept!" He had began to wonder if Jack had, in truth, been disappointed with his breakfast that morning, but now he knew that his cooking truly was still appreciated.

"I also need a clean-up crew. The basement needs cleaning out," Jack said with a grimace. "I need volunteers on that who can make a speedy retrieval of those raptors before they get to stinking."

Carl squirmed. He knew he usually got stuck with the worst jobs, but he'd be damned if he wanted to clean up behind dead raptors! He squished himself next to Paige and tried to wriggle around behind her.

"Actually, Captain," Chong spoke up, "the raptors will be needed."

Jack did not ask what for. Instead, he looked at Carl where he was hiding under Paige. "Since I haven't gotten any volunteers, I'm going to appoint Joxer and Carl to help Chong retrieve the raptors. Are there any other suggestions or any other groups you think we might need?"

"A watch," Zora spoke up. "We need to try and make sure no more dinosaurs get in here."

"I need volunteers for the first watch," Jack called out. "Then we'll set up a roster and take turns. Two at any given time. Stay in touch with each other, and don't take unnecessary risks."

Wolf spoke up. "I can take the first watch, but I can't later tonight."

Jack nodded. He knew what the night would bring and knew that he still did not have a solution for the lack of chains. He glanced around the room but did not spot Wes. He figured whatever project he was working on in his room had caught his attention and therefore he'd have to go up and talk to him after the meeting. When he did not see Fred, he figured she was probably the project.

Sean stood. "I'll share that watch wit' ye."

"Thank you, gentlemen," Jack acknowledged them. "Take the next four hours and then some one will spare you."

Wolf and Sean headed off together, discussing which routes they wanted to go. They were still talking as their voices faded.

"I guess that concludes the meeting. Report back to me as soon as you have something."

Clark stood. He knew he did not know all the people, so he called to the lot of them then. "Any one who'd like to help in the rebuilding of the ship, please come to me."

Kitty nodded in agreement with Clark's method. "The same goes for the food hunt." She turned toward Chong. "That means we need you too right now."


Gabrielle had already ascertained where her talents would make her the most helpful at. "I'm going to go see Kitty about helping with the food," she told Xena. "While we're out there, I can also look for medicinal herbs."

Xena slipped a pouch off her shoulder and handed it to Gabrielle. "It's empty. You can put your herbs in here. I'm going to work with the ship." She pulled Gabby to her and kissed her. "Miss ya."

"I'll miss you more," Gabrielle replied, her words brushing over Xena's lips as lightly as a feather. Her eyes fluttered up at her, and then she pressed her lips to hers again.

They were interrupted by a coughing sound from behind them.

Xena turned her head to the side so that she could see who was behind them. "Yes? Can I help you . . . Elvira?"

"I hate to interrupt you," Elvira told her honestly, "especially with something like that, but I was wanting . . . " Her eyes darted to Delvira before settling back on Xena. " . . . to ask you something?"

"See you later, Gabrielle." She reluctantly released her. "Take care of yourself, sweetie."

"I will," Gabby assured her with a smile. "After all, I was taught by the best." She blew one last kiss to Xena before heading off to join the group gathering around Kitty.

"What can I help you with?" Xena asked Elvira.

Elvira again glanced at her sister to make sure that Delvira would not be eavesdropping and breathed a silent sigh of relief when she saw her twin talking to Clark's group. Her black eyes turned back to look up into Xena's baby blues. "I . . . Would you train me?" she asked. "I don't have any money right now, but I'm sure we can work some kind of trade or something out."

"I don't accept money for training. You'd have to work really hard. I'm not easy on anybody. Easy only gets you killed. I am willing to train you. We'll get started after lunch. I'm on my way to the ship right now. Wear some comfortable clothes and meet me outside after lunch."

Elvira nodded, smiling uncertainly. She was glad Xena had agreed to train her and thankful to the other woman. She only hoped she could do what she wanted to, and that was to learn to fight at least as well as her sister without Delvira being the one to teach her. "Thank you," she told Xena, "and I didn't expect you to go easy on me. I really do want to learn."

"See you this afternoon," Xena said as she stalked off toward Clark's group. She was surprised to see Delvira there and arrived just in time to hear the Sorceress talking.

"I'm sure they'd be a huge help if you can only control them. It's not really that hard. I'd do it, but I have to be in another meeting."

"Do what?" Xena asked.

Delvira turned to face the newcomer and smiled when she recognized her. "Ah, Captain Xena! Surely you could control the little monsters. I was just telling the boys that the Fieries and Goblins would both add quite a strength to the rebuilding efforts but that they would need some one else to control them. All it really takes is a woman who's capable of being a hard-core bitch -- or a man to be a bastard -- and who wouldn't be hesitant to kill the little buggers if they got out of hand."

"I wouldn't kill them," Xena told her, "but I will control them. Didn't I see you pulling one of their heads off yesterday and throwing it? What is that -- a game?"

"Of sorts," Delvira replied, "to the Fieries. They're the orange ones. They can pull off any limb or appendage and love to play with it. Unfortunately, they also have a tendency to think that anybody else's head can come off since theirs can and their little brains are apparently incapable of wrapping around the notion that they're the only beings like themselves."

"Do you think they'll obey me?" Xena asked.

"How are you at threatening?"

"Extremely good." She grinned at Delvira. "If they don't mind, they'll live to regret it, but I won't kill them."

Delvira shrugged. "It really wouldn't matter to me if you did. The little creeps are endless."

Xena shook her head. "They really need to practice some form of birth control if there's that many of them."

"At home, you can't even move for stepping on one or getting them attached to your leg."

"Well, if they get attached to my leg, they'll get more than their head knocked off! Thanks for the use of them, Delvira."

She nodded. "Any time. Let's go get the little critters, and we can see how you handle them for the first time. That way I'll still be around if they give you too much trouble."

Xena nodded. "Be right back, Clark."

Will and Clark shared a breath of relief as the women walked off. Clark spoke what was on both their minds. "Thank Gods we won't have to deal with those things!"

"Faith could have handled them," Lex commented, "but she's busy elsewhere."

Jack joined the group. "Meetings and more meetings! Never was very good at those things! Faith won't be joining us, although I believe she'd be an asset. She's got a meeting and will be training Dawson later this afternoon. That boy don't know one end of a knife from the other!"

Dawson walked up to the group. "I want to help with the ship. I'm a good carpenter."

Jack looked at him. "You've got training later this afternoon, but you can help us now."

"I would rather be dealing with the ship," Dawson admitted, "but I know I do need to learn how to be a good Pirate."

"Faith is just the one to teach it to ya," Jack stated. "I wouldn't wanna be in your shoes this afternoon!"

"I know she's gonna beat my butt," Dawson admitted, "over and over and over again. It's gonna be fun!"

Will stared at the boy. "Fun?" he repeated incredulously.

"Yeah, 'cause if she beats my butt bad enough, she'll wanna make up, and the making up's gonna be the best part!"

Lex had to hide his laugh in a cough.

"Lead on, Clark!" Jack told him.

"I will in a minute, Captain. Xena's bringing . . . reinforcements?"

"If you can call them that," Will commented.

"What in the Hell are you talking about?" Jack asked.

"She's bringing Delvira's subjects," Lex clarified.

"I hope she's controlling them! The last time one of those orange things got around me, he tried to take my head off! The only way I got him off of me was hitting him with my sword!"

There was a clicking sound behind Jack followed by Donkey's comment. "It's a game with the things," he shook his head, "but it sure ain't fun!"

"Definitely not fun!" Jack agreed. He saw Xena heading back in their direction with a whole line of the creatures behind her.

"March," Xena told them, "and don't start any of your funny stuff!" A couple of them looked back at her, but none dared speak a word after the threats that had come from not only Xena but their Queen as well. "And don't any of you throw your head at me! We're not playing games." She continued beside them all the way to the front door and out to the great outdoors where the men joined them.


Gabrielle was the first to approach Kitty and Chong. When she reached them, she found that they were talking rapidly in fluid Chinese and decided it would be best for her to wait until they'd finished. The two finally parted with Kitty nodding her head to Chong and telling him, "I'll see you later, Chong." She then turned to the ones who were gathering around her.

Wolverine moved to join his daughter. "I'll go in the kitchen and see what kind o' baskets or other carryin' things I can find while ya get organized." He headed straight for the kitchen right behind Chong and started rummaging around in the cupboards. He found several baskets and some empty sacks. He did not see where Chong had disappeared to and did not take the time to look in the basement but hurried back to Kitty.

He saw that, in his absence, others had gathered around. He was surprised to see Autolycus and Elizabeth, but he was not surprised to see the Priest standing behind Kitty. He noticed that Lockheed was looking pointedly at Kurt but that Kitty did not seem to be aware of him. Girl must still be mad at him, he thought. Once reaching Kitty's group, he began to hand out the containers he'd found.

"Normally, I'd suggest splitting up," Kitty told them, "but you guys don't know the lay out of the island the way I do. We'll be going together then, and I'll show you what to look for as we come across it." She shook her head. "This island's actually even weirder than you already know."

Elizabeth's eyes widened at that. "What could be worse than dinosaurs?"

"Well, not worse really. Just weirder. We've found all kinds of plants growing here, even things that normally would never grow in such a climate."

Kurt had no intentions of being separated from Kitty nor did he want to lead a separate group even though he knew the island as well as she did. "Don't forget the trees," he finally spoke up.

After recovering from her surprise that Kurt was standing behind her, Kitty nodded. "Yeah. You've got to watch the trees here. In fact, it might be best for you three," she said, looking at Autolycus and the two blondes, "to stand back a pace when we reach the orchards."

"Why is that?" Autolycus wanted to know. "I can pick a tree as good as the next man."

Kitty's eyes turned up into his as she replied in all seriousness, "Because the tree might decide to pick you."

"What! They're alive!" Elizabeth almost screeched.

"Like wood nymphs?" Gabrielle asked.

"No," Kitty told them, "like living trees who get really ticked if you take without asking." She shrugged. "Not that they'll give you their fruits if you do ask."

"I know you're kidding, right?" Autolycus asked. "They get up and move after you if you don't ask them?"

"We haven't caught them walking, but their limbs can reach a good ways," she explained. "That's why you three need to stand back a pace when we reach that part of the island. Kurt can bamf, and I can phase." She turned to look at her father. "You can make your own call on that one, Wolverine."

"Ain't no tree gonna keep me from pickin' fruits!" Wolverine declared.

Kitty laughed. "I figured as much."

"Let's be off," Wolverine stated, and the group headed out. He couldn't wait to see a tree that could stop him from picking a fruit.


"Piper," Cole whispered, "Jack's got rum down there. You know I've got to take care of it, but I'm not going to leave you alone while I do it. I'm going to get Prue to stay with you."

She nodded. "I understand," she returned, keeping her voice low enough that she hoped any one who might be nearby would be unable to overhear her. "You can explain it to her, Cole. Prue wouldn't tell a soul."

"I hope she won't. All I need is for Jack to get wind of what's been going on with his rum." His mouth was next to her ear so that no one could hear him. It looked almost as though he was nibbling her ear.

"Cole, believe me," Piper told him. "Phoebe and Paige can not be trusted, but Prue can be."

Cole looked around. "I see her over there. She hasn't joined any of the groups. I'm going to call her over here so that we can talk to her." He cleared his voice and then called out loud, "Prue, can we see you in the kitchen for a moment?"

Prue had expected to have to work in the kitchen and had therefore not volunteered for anything but would not do anything else until she had her talk with Brendan, who seemed rather elusive at the moment. Prue walked over to tell Cole that whatever it was, it would just have to wait.

Cole, holding on to Piper, had shimmered into the kitchen and turned to wait for Prue to walk in. The minute Prue came into the kitchen, Cole said in a very low voice, "I need you to stay with Piper for a while. I have something I have to take care of. Nobody else can do it, and I can't take Piper with me."

Prue glared angrily at him. "I've got a meeting to go to once I find Brendan! Can't it wait!"

"Prue," Piper told her sister, "come here for a minute."

Prue moved closer until she could touch Piper. "I love you terribly, Piper, but I really need to be with Brendan for a few. He said he had something important to tell me, but now he seems to have disappeared. Why does Cole have to do it right now?"

Piper reached out and was forced to grope the air until finding Prue's hair. She moved her hands down her sister's hair until locating her ear and cupped them around her ear. Then she leaned forward until her lips touched her hands. Finally able to whisper in Prue's ear, she explained, "Prue, Jack has a problem. A big problem and one that he can't control himself. That's what Cole has to take care of. No one else knows that he's handling it, but somebody has to. It could wait a few minutes, long enough for you to talk to Brendan when he shows up if he doesn't take too long, but it's really very important and can't afford to wait for long."

Prue thought for a moment. The only thing that came to mind was all the times she had seen Jack rummaging for rum and demanding where it had gone. She knew he was addicted. She gasped, her hand going to her mouth. "Cole, you sly devil! I can't believe it's you! What a great idea! I just hope he doesn't find it. I can sit with Piper. Brendan probably won't show up for a bit yet, if he shows up then. He has a way of disappearing unfortunately. I won't tell a soul. You don't have to be worried about me." She grinned up at Cole with a new admiration.

"Thanks, Prue. I won't be long. Just depends on how much there is." He leaned down and kissed Piper, who was standing normally again. "I won't be gone any longer than I need to, love." He then shimmered out and down to the basement. There was now an oil lamp casting its warm, revealing glow around the room, and he was surprised to see Chong down there. He had forgotten that Jack said some one had to clean up, but wasn't that supposed to be Carl and Joxer? Where had they gotten to? he wondered.

Chong had his back to Cole so Cole just reached out, took one of the cases of rum, and shimmered. Chong never noticed that there was any one beside himself in the basement since the two who had come down to help had taken one look at the raptors and what Chong was doing to them and had ran off. He thought they were definitely not cut out for the lives of Pirates and wondered how they had become Pirates, especially the short one. After all, what could he possibly do against an enemy?

He had a big washtub that he was slowly filling with raptor meat. He did not want to lose a single bite. He would cook a feast for them this day, one that they would long talk about but that he hoped they would never discover the origins of. He was collecting the entrails in another pot and had a use for them, as well. He never knew Cole was there for he was too engrossed in his work to notice even when Cole shimmered out again and again with the cases.


Prue led Piper to the couch and took a seat by her sister. The room had slowly cleared, and the only ones she could see were Phoebe who appeared to be looking for somebody who Prue mistakenly presumed to be Joxer, the Alderberan family who were working their way up the staircase, and Ororo who appeared deep in talk with Delvira. She was considering calling out to her sister when Phebs turned, saw them, and smiled. She headed immediately over, propped herself on the back of the couch, reached down, and wrapped her older sisters in a hug.

Prue looked up at her as she returned the hug. "I thought you were looking for Joxer?"

"Nah," Phoebe told her. "I was looking for my sisters." She squeezed them tighter.

Prue didn't know why Phoebe was in such a loving mood, but she was glad for it. "You haven't seen Brendan out there, have you?"

Phoebe shook her head. "No. Why?"

"We were supposed to have a meeting, but it seems to have turned out like his usual meetings. He sees me and runs away, although for the life of me, I don't know why. He actually called this meeting!"

"What?" Piper asked in surprise.

Phoebe's face lit up in a smile. "There's hope for him yet then!"

"Not really. He probably wants to chew me out about saying what I said earlier about us sleeping together last night. Men!" Her eyes rose heavenward. "The day I figure him out, it'll probably snow here!"


Brendan was trudging through the ground outside, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets and his head shaking briskly. He could not believe that Jack and Wolverine had both ran off on him without a second thought! Now how he was going to tell Prue anything? He knew he needed to talk to her, but without a way to stop himself from wolfing . . . He sighed heavily. There was no hope for Prue and he . . . just as he'd already known!
Jack was searching through the hayloft, hoping to find something to use in building a new ship. His mind went back to the meetings he'd just been in. He felt like he was leaving something undone, and for the life of him, he couldn't remember what. As he walked across the hay, he noticed that, right in the center, it was piled higher than the rest. He wondered what could be under it.

Looking around, he spied a pitchfork, came back, and poked it into the hay. He was rewarded with a metal clanging sound. Treasure? he thought. He dropped the pitchfork and began to drag the hay away with his hands. Just as he had it almost uncovered, he heard some one call his name.

He stood up, backed away, and tripped over the pitchfork he had forgotten. It caused him to fall backwards and out the window. He caught onto the casing at the last moment, dangling and unable to get a purchase on anything that could save him. "HELP!" Jack called.

The others' heads snapped up at Jack's voice, and although all started to head to help him, Will ran the fastest, zipping past even Clark in his rush to get to Jack. He threw himself down beside the window and was reaching out even as Jack's hands let go. With a shout he did not even take note of leaving his lips, Will almost jumped out the window himself as he grabbed for Jack's wrists. Catching them, he began to pull him up.

Jack marveled at Will's strength and threw his arms around him when he reached the top. "I thought I was a goner for sure," Jack declared, "but you saved me, Will!" He pulled Will to him and kissed him.


Brendan had been walking past the barn, paying attention to nothing, when he'd suddenly heard Jack's yell. He had looked up instantly, found Jack dangling just outside the window, and had ran into the barn. He darted his way up into the hayloft but stopped in confusion when he saw Xena, Clark, and Lex all standing still. Looking past them, he found the reason why and let out the air he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Jack was okay. Will had saved him, thank the Gods! Brendan wondered what had happened.

Jack released Will as he realized they were being watched. "There's something in there," he told the group, pointing at the haystack and not telling him how he fell out the window. "It sounded like metal."

Lex moved in and started pulling the hay away from it. The others joined in. It did not take them long to uncover a trunk. "Wonder what's in there?" Jack asked and looked around for something to knock the lock off with.

Clark was in front of the trunk. He was surprised to see that it was not locked, though the lock was there. He removed the lock and pushed the lid open.

Jack gazed down into the box and could not believe the contents. "I'll be damned! Just what we needed! Tonight's going to be a full moon, and we didn't have the first one! Thank the Gods we're saved now!"

Lex reached down and was about to pull the chains out when a pink light flew up and out of the trunk. It danced around the lot of them, then shot out the window.

Along with the others, Brendan stared dumb-founded at where they had last seen the light. "Did anybody else hear musical laughter coming from that thing?"

Jack grinned. "I did have some rum, but I could have sworn I heard it too! Just what was that thing?"

Xena nodded. "I heard it. It was a Fairy. Pesky little creatures they are, although why that one was here remains to be seen. They usually are causing trouble, and they will bite very viciously."

The rest looked at Xena like she'd lost her mind. "Hey, you asked," she said simply, "but if you ever encounter another one, be sure your fingers are nowhere near it!"

Shaking his head, Lex returned his attention to the chains. He pulled them out one by one.

Brendan counted each one, hoping that there would be enough. He breathed an audible sigh of relief as he counted six which was more than enough.

Lex grinned. He had hoped that there was an extra one in there and was thrilled to see that there was! "I'm gonna take this one to the house," he told the others, "and I'll be right back."

Clark blushed but also grinned as his lover rushed off. At the others' questioning glance, he shrugged innocently.

Jack did not ask why Lex wanted the chain. "We should put these back in the trunk and take them down so that we can use them tonight." He looked at Brendan and remembered that that was what he had forgotten. "I'll be gone for a while," he told the group.

"That's not necessary, Jack," Brendan told him, reaching out for the closed trunk. "I can take them."

"Are you ready?" Jack asked him, looking deep into his eyes.

Brendan's face lifted. "I thought you had forgotten?" he queried, clearly surprised.

"Not completely, but in the heat of the excitement of getting a start on fixing our ship, I forgot the time. I'm sorry, Brendan. You had but to remind me that you wanted it now." He climbed down the ladder and waited for Brendan to hand the trunk down.

Brendan had been about to tell Jack that the meeting could wait, but Jack hadn't given him a chance to. He sighed. He was doomed; he was going to have to face Prue. He walked over, handed the trunk down to Jack, and climbed down.

Will watched the two head off, Brendan walking as though he was going to his own funeral. His brow furrowed, he questioned the air, "I wonder what that was all about?"


Piper attempted to look up when she heard the front door open but could see nothing. It was Phoebe who gave her a hint as to what was going on as she told Prue, "At least now we know who he was hiding with."

"Phoebe, I want you to stay with Piper. Don't leave her for anything. I've got to go have a talk with Brendan." She breathed a heavy sigh. "I don't want to fight with him, but I know that's what's going to happen, because I'm not giving up on his sorry hide, no matter what he tells me!"

"Go get him, girl," Phoebe told her, "and don't worry about Piper. I'll stay with her for as long as she needs me, although where Cole has got off to -- "

Piper jumped to her beloved's defense. "He had to go to the bathroom."

"He's sure been in there a long time," Phoebe said.

"You know how men can be," she told her. "Remember when Mom's friend, Sam, used to visit? He'd be in that bathroom for hours!"

"That's for sure! I remember waiting outside that door to go in there forever, and then he'd come out like he'd just gone in! Never said excuse me, I'm sorry, or anything! I heard Grams say one time that she thought he'd fallen in!"

Piper laughed, but her smile was far more due to the fact that she'd managed to distract her sister accurately. Let Phoebe think that Cole was in the bathroom and taking forever. She could never know the truth or else the entire household would know!


Brendan and Jack were just setting the trunk out of the way when Prue's scent met Brendan's nose. He did not stand up or move to look at her. Instead, he braced himself, knowing the worst was soon to come.

When Prue reached Brendan, she smiled reassuringly at him though he couldn't see it. "Thank you, Jack, for assisting us."

"Any time, Miss Halliwell."

They both looked expectantly at Brendan. The next move was up to him.

Brendan finally turned around but still did not look at Prue. Instead, he ran a nervous hand up the back of his neck and into his hair, scratching at a flea. "Huh . . . Prue . . . " Where could they go to be alone?

Jack said, "Come with me. I know the perfect place to hold your little conversation. There shouldn't be any ears to overhear."

"Are you kidding?" Brendan asked him. "You know Carl's everywhere."

"True enough, but hopefully he hasn't found his way in here," Jack said as he opened the door to a huge room full of books. "Sniff, and see if you smell him."

Brendan began sniffing as he entered the room and did not stop until he'd circled the room twice, smelling at the walls. Finally, he shook his head. "No Gnome," he announced. "At least, not yet."

Prue had closed the door behind them and had opened the only other door in the room and looked inside. There wasn't a Gnome. "No Gnome in here," she called. She joined the men in front of the fireplace. She took a seat on the couch and looked expectantly up at Brendan, who still wouldn't meet her eyes.

Jack looked at Brendan. "I'm going to leave you two alone, but I'm going to be close by."

"You've got the cane, don't you?" Brendan asked, his words coming out in a rush.

"Always," he reassured his brother. "I hope I don't have to use it." Without a backward glance, he walked out and shut the door quietly behind him. He took up a position just outside the door.

Brendan finally dared to take one look at Prue. That look set him to pacing and scratching for a few minutes that felt like an eternity to both until he finally admitted, "I had this all written out -- what I was going to tell you --, but I lost it the night of the storm." He finally dared to stop looking at anything else and faced her again. "Prue, you're a wonderful lady, and any man would be lucky to have you. That man can not be me, however, regardless of what either of us feels."

She was determined to keep her mouth closed and let him talk, figuring that once he got it all out of his system that maybe then he would listen to reason. She hoped he was not so bull-headed that he'd think he could get away with just throwing her love away. Maybe he didn't love her like she loved him, but she felt like she had enough love for the both of them right now. She'd hang on and pray that one day he'd return her love. She didn't say anything but continued to look at him with a faint smile on her lips.

At first, Brendan wondered what she was smiling about, but then he reasoned with himself that she was trying to urge him on. He shook his head. Gods, if she only knew what he had to tell her, there was no way in the world she'd be sitting there so peacefully! His chocolate brown eyes peered into her green eyes. "Prue, do you remember that painting you saw in my cabin?"

"The strange one that we talked about? Yes, I remember it. Why?"

"When I painted that picture, Prue, I did it to remind myself not only of the situation that will always be between our species, but . . . also . . . of my past." He began to pace again, this time in front of the fireplace, as his nerves were again itching. "I have known all my life what I am, the monster that is within me. I come from a long line of Werewolves, and I was never given a chance to forget that as a boy. They were pure evil, all the way to my earliest ancestor, and they were proud of that. What they were ashamed of," he forced himself to continue while scratching, "was me, because I was the first one ever born to my birth pack to not want to eat humans, to not want to hurt them, to want to befriend them instead."

"I can't tell you how many times I went hungry rather than eat the food they tried to force down me, and I can't tell you how many friends I made only to have my family end up inviting theirs over." His haunted eyes turned toward the ashes in the fireplace. "I never could keep a friend," he told her, "and I finally ended up learning that I shouldn't have even tried. Because each time . . . each time I tried . . . it cost somebody their very lives . . . "

His sad voice betrayed the misery that was ever present in his heart, but still he forced himself to continue. "Even though I stopped trying to befriend people and started keeping to myself, my family was still . . . unhappy with me. They tried everything they could to . . . to make me eat humans . . . but I wouldn't. I'd always end up . . . " He glanced at her. She was so beautiful, clean, and nice. He knew what he was about to say would turn her stomach, but she had to know the real him. That was the only thing that would stop this insanity of her affection, her love that he could never deserve. "I'd always end up going through the neighbors' garbage."

"I can understand that, Brendan, but no matter what they did to you, they didn't make you eat humans. You've never eaten humans nor do you really want to." She looked him dead in the eye. "That's one thing I'll never believe about you, and it doesn't matter what's in your family. They're not here, and they can't ever hurt you again. Do you fear that you will become like them?"

"Prue, their blood, and their nature, courses through my veins. It's already a part of me, and one day, it's going to come out. Besides . . . " he added, his eyes darting away from hers again. "That's not all."

"Come sit down with me, Brendan. I promise not to touch you if you don't want me to. But your pacing makes me nervous, and I think it's making you more nervous."

He shook his head, his shaggy hair sliding along his muscular shoulders. "Prue, I can't," he told her. "If I sit on that couch beside you . . . If I look at your creamy skin, your beautiful face, your enchanting eyes . . . too much . . . I'll either wolf or I'll run before I wolf. I have to tell you this. You have to understand why . . . why we can never be." He stopped walking and stood against the fireplace. "I'll stop pacing, though," he promised her, "but I can not sit with you right now."

"Brendan, you're so afraid of your wolf coming out. Did you know that he did come out? He's the only thing that saved me when the ship was going under. Not only did your wolf save me, but he saved the Book. It's been in my family forever. He did not bite me, and he certainly didn't eat me!"

"Prue, I know that only because you told me. You are the only one who . . . who knows about that for a . . . for the fact you believe it to be. Maybe that did happen . . . or maybe you only thought it did . . . I don't know, and I can't take that risk. Please," he continued before she could blast him, "let me tell you what I have to tell you. Then," he vowed, "you will understand."

She wanted to tell him that she was not daydreaming his wolf, but apparently he chose to believe that she was making it up and she had no real proof except for her memories. "Then tell me, Brendan, what you need to tell me. I will listen, but it doesn't mean that I'll agree with you."

Still, he would not look back at her. "It's not a matter of agreement," he informed her both quietly and sadly. "It's a matter of the truth . . . the truth of my past . . . and of my . . . my future . . . " He closed his eyes against the pain that welled in his heart as he admitted that. Helvira would come again and again, he knew, until she finally got what she wanted. Jack could not protect him forever; he'd end up getting his brother . . . his family . . . dead.

A howl ached to burst forth from his throat, but he covered it and swallowed it down in a cough instead before continuing. "Prue . . . When my family finally decided to give up on me, they . . . they sold me to an . . . an evil woman. Her name is Helvira. Yes, I know that sounds like Elvira," he told her. "They're related. In fact, she looks identical to the other two, but that . . . is where the similarities end."

"I was still a young boy when I was sold to her. She promised my family she'd get the wolf out of me and . . . and make them proud. She tried every trick in the book on me. She beat me that very first night . . . and . . . and . . . " He had to try yet again. " and ra -- "

He shook his head; it just wasn't coming out yet. "She inflicted every torture she could on me." His back was still to Prue as he was unbuttoning his shirt. Now, he slid it off of his shoulders enough so that she could see the scars on his back. "There are more, Prue," he told her, "all over my body. She did it all to me . . . just to get the wolf out . . . and . . . there were times . . . when she succeeded."

Prue was fighting the tears that were trickling down her face. She wanted to rush to him and throw her arms around him, but she knew she couldn't yet. "I'm sorry, Brendan, for that bitch hurting you. I'm sorry for your family being such bastards, but that still doesn't make you be one. I believe in you." She wanted to touch each of his scars to let him know that she was not afraid of them, but she couldn't do that either. "Brendan, I know you don't want me to touch you, but I want you to know that I would like to. Your scars don't frighten me, but they make me angry. I would like to kill that bitch if I could!"

Standing outside the door, Jack tried not to listen to the conversation, but that was one part that he couldn't miss. It was something he had not known, something Brendan had lied to him about. He knew about the torture, but Brendan had told him he had never wolfed or, at least, let him think that. He then determined to listen to the rest of the conversation. He would never let Brendan know he was listening, but it was way past time that he knew the truth. What was hidden in Brendan's past that was almost eating his brother alive and keeping him from being able to be one with Prue? He knew it wasn't the family, because they had not had contact in years and Jack did not expect them to appear at any time. After all, he and Brendan had been together for a while now. What was hiding in Brendan's closet that gave his brother nightmares and made him afraid to be with any woman?

He was touched to her words, and they brought the tears to his eyes that he'd been fighting down. He slipped the shirt back onto his shoulders, and his trembling fingers began buttoning it back up as he answered her. "It's not that easy with Helvira," he told Prue. "She's . . . had her very heart cut out . . . and still she comes back. Prue, I know you trust me, but what you have to realize is that there's another being that lives within me. He's always there, lurking just beneath the surface of this . . . this weak human body. He's always waiting for a chance to come out, and he's . . . he's completely different than me."

"Jack and the others think I can control him, but I know I can't. I know because of what she did to me. She found the way to bring him out, Prue, so that no matter how hard I fought her . . . She still got him out. Or, I should say, she and that blasted snake of hers."

"Snake?" Prue asked in a small voice.

"Snake," Brendan repeated. "They both . . . They raped me, Prue." The tears were now running down his face, and he turned even more toward the mantle. "When no amount of pain would bring the wolf out and . . . and no amount of . . . of . . . se . . . sex would do it either . . . They combined the two, and that worked." He shook his head. "I'll never know what they had the wolf do. All I know is what she claimed."

A deep sigh shook his shoulders. "But as much as I'd like not to believe it, Prue, I know it's true. You're the only one I've ever told this," he admitted to her, not knowing if he'd already told her that or not, "not Wolverine, not Jack, no one else. The reason being . . . I was never so much in danger of losing it again. I never had a real reason to push them away, so I didn't tell them . . . I didn't tell them that I killed the . . . the very man who . . . who was finally . . . my friend . . . " He covered his eyes with his hand, though he knew that would not make the memories stop. "He was the one who taught me . . . how . . . how to doctor . . . medicine and all that . . . And he was the . . . the first one I killed. I ripped him limb from limb."

"I don't believe that," Prue told him. "That bitch did it and made you believe it was you!" She was on her feet and behind him, still not touching him even though she wanted to. "Brendan, I know your wolf. I've seen him. I've touched him! He didn't hurt me even though we almost . . . died together. He saved me! Your wolf is not evil. I know you don't believe me. I wish I had a way to make you believe it. That woman is evil through and through! She killed your friend, not you! She thought that if you thought that you had done it, that you would be totally in her power. But you didn't kill him, Brendan! I didn't have to be there to know it!" She stood just behind him within arm's reach but yet was afraid to touch him. She wanted to hold him and wipe his tears away, but she knew he had to get it out of his system.

Jack shook his head and wondered just how much more he would learn about his brother. He, too, did not believe that Brendan had killed his friend. He wanted to yell in there to Prue, "GRAB AHOLD TO HIM AND HOLD ON TO HIM!", but knew he couldn't. After all, he wasn't supposed to be listening. His hands clenched in fisted rage, and he longed to get his hands on the bitch again. There had to be some way of killing her, but he knew just as sure as he was standing there, that she would be looking for them! Just because he had thrown her heart into the Bog of Eternal Stench didn't mean the bitch was dead; no, it just meant she'd smell now! He continued listening and barely breathing. What his poor brother had gone through shouldn't happen to any one. He'd known about the rape and the snake. He wondered what Prue thought and prayed that she wouldn't run from him. Jack felt that if she did, Brendan would be doomed for all eternity and that was one fate he did not wish for his brother.

"Prue, you don't understand!" Brendan's free hand clenched into a fist so tight that his shortened nails bit into the skin of his palm. "I wish it hadn't been me, and I've tried to believe otherwise! But I know it was! My smell was all over him -- him and the others! There were more, Prue. Countless more. It started with him, because she wanted to punish me. But then there were animals and children and . . . and people of all sorts. Every time I lost the control, there were . . . there were more!"

"That's why you did the painting, Brendan. You tried to paint them out of your system, out of your memory, and you couldn't. Parts of you, like your heart and your mind, know that you didn't do the killings, but I don't know how to help you to believe. All I can tell you is that I love you, I don't believe you did it, and I do believe that your wolf is good." She stepped forward and hugged him just a quick, brief hug. "I know there's more." She released him and stepped back. "I had to do that. I've been wanting to hug you since you started talking. And do you notice, Brendan, that you're talking to me but you're not wolfing?"

"Yes, I'm talking to you, Prue, but that's all that there can ever be between us." He dared to turn to look at her and could barely make out her beautiful face for the tears in his eyes. He reached a hand out for her cheek but stopped just short of touching her. "I can never experience the kind of . . . of pleasure you . . . you offer me . . . of . . . of love. I don't deserve your love," he told her, "and to be happy . . . to be that happy . . . He would come out again, and that might be the time that there's no stopping him. I . . . I thought you would understand." His hand fell away from her face, and his eyes turned downward as he shook his head. "I guess," he announced in a small, quiet voice, "that I still am a fool."

"You're not a fool, Brendan. You've a very dear, sweet man who's been terribly, terribly hurt!" She reached up, touched his face, and gently stroked the hair out of his eyes. "I understand you want me to hate you, because of what you think you did. But I want you to know that I'll never hate you. I don't detest you or want to stone you," she said with a half-smile, "but I know you're not ready to hear what I really want to do with you so I'll keep it until that day comes. I won't chase you ever again. I promised Jack that. But I won't run from your wolf either, and if he comes out, I won't run from him then." She reached up and wiped the tears out of his eyes. "Now you want to finish telling me your nightmare?"

"There's nothing more to tell," he told her, trying to fight the crazed mix of emotions that the combination of remembering his past and her touches made him feel, "except that that continued for years . . . more years than I'll ever be able to count . . . Jack was the one who saved me from that, Prue, and I know . . . I know if I don't somehow get out of here or . . . or find a way to control my wolf which is . . . " His voice was shaking now. ". . . is impossible I'll . . . I'll kill even him one day . . ."

"I wish you could understand that, but I . . . I should've known better. I'm not going to lie to you, Prue. You . . . You know the truths about me now that no other does . . . so there's point in trying to lie to you about us . . . You invoke feelings in me like nothing I've . . . I've ever felt before. If I . . . If I had to put a name to those feelings, I'd . . . I'd call it love but . . . " He shook his head, biting back a cry. "But that doesn't matter." He turned and began to walk away from her.

"I hope it does one day, Brendan. I'm willing to wait, and if you want some one to listen, all you have to do is come to me. I'll never turn you away. Oh, and Brendan? I didn't take it away from you last night. I thought about it. I won't lie about it. But I don't want to take it from you. I want you to give it freely. And if it takes sleeping with your wolf to free you, I will." She turned and walked quickly away from him before he could say anything else or flee. She walked past Jack with her head held high. She did not stop at her sisters who had been waiting for her but ran the rest of the way to her room and closed the door behind her, threw herself on the bed, and cried.

Phoebe had called to Prue, but Prue hadn't answered them. Piper frowned, unable to see what was happening. "Don't stay with me, Phoebe," she told her sister. "Go to her!" What had that damned Brendan done this time!

"You're coming with me," Phoebe told her, grabbing her hand, running after Prue, and dragging Piper along behind her without hesitation. She did not stop until she reached Prue's room. She tried the door, and when it gave way, dragged Piper the rest of the way to the bed. "We're at the bed," she told Piper, "and here's Prue." She laid Piper's hand on Prue's back, then jumped into the bed and hugged Prue from the side.

With Phoebe's guidance, Piper helped to hold Prue as she cried.


"Then I hope," Brendan whispered after Prue had left the room, "for every one's sake that by the time you can do that . . . " He closed his eyes. " . . . I'll have bought that silver bullet."

Jack walked into the room. "Well, that's over with, and you're not buying a silver bullet. I already told you that." He reached out and hugged Brendan. "That was probably the hardest thing you've ever done, but it had to be done. Do you feel better now that you've got it off your chest or just more depressed?"

"Jack," Brendan sighed his name as he looked at his brother through his tears, "it's hopeless. Prue still won't listen! She's going to bring him out for the final time yet!" His eyes shot wide as he realized the words he'd just let slip. The final time. Had Jack noticed?

"Stop thinking that you're going to go on a berserker rage and kill everybody, Brendan! It's just not going to happen. Did you know that while you were wolfed out you rescued Will and me from the cabin? You didn't bite either of us. 'Course you were gone before I could get out and take a good look at you, but I think you were turning into a Superman! The next thing I knew, you were off, rescuing Prue! The last sight I had of you was when the ship was going down, you were holding Prue and the damned Book and still scrabbling for hold! Why didn't you just let go of the Book?" At Brendan's dumb-founded look, Jack exclaimed, "What? It can't be that damn important!"

"It's not that," Brendan told him, speaking slowly and looking at him as if the entire world had just stopped making any sense at all. "She told me I saved her . . . as the wolf. I didn't believe her. I figured she was . . . hallucinating. That shouldn't have even been possible, Jack! Werewolves are Evil by nature!"

"Apparently yours isn't or, at least, it's not when it comes to Prue or me. There's hope for you, Brendan, whether you want it to be or not. You're not as evil as you think you are."

"Jack, I'm more evil than you know."

"Why don't you come and help us work on the ship? We could use some of that incredible strength of yours."

Brendan sighed and shook his head. "I might as well be useful while I still can be." He had his mind made up now. If there was no way left to save his friends before the wolf could kill them too, he'd just have to sacrifice himself.

"No morbid thoughts!" Jack told him. "I mean it, Brendan! I know what you're thinking, and I won't have you sacrificing yourself! That would really kill that poor girl! Do you want to kill her? Do you want to rip my heart out! I love you, Brendan, and so does she! We're willing to stand by you." He clapped his brother on the shoulder and then drew him into a hug.

"Jack," Brendan asked him, trembling in his arms, "what . . . what if there's no other way to save you? I can't continue risking the wolf getting out! You both claim he's good, but that's supposed to be impossible and it's not as if I can read his bloody mind!"

"Maybe we should talk to the Sorceresses and see if they have any suggestions? Speaking of impossible, just to let you know that it can be possible, Angel's got a son by another Vampire."

Brendan stared at Jack. His mouth was open. His jaw was working, but no sound was coming out.

"That's right! James Hook's boy, Connor, is Angel's son. His mother is a Vampiress and a bitch on the Saucy Wench."

"Damn!" Brendan shook his head. He stared at his brother for a long minute, his mind and heart arguing. "Jack . . . you don't even know how much danger you're in," he told him at last. Perhaps, if he did, he could, with Jack's help, talk to the Sorceresses? Dare to hope that there might yet be a chance, something that Wolf did not know?

"The Sorceresses will be tied up for a little while yet. They're having a meeting about the other one of James' sons and what they can do about his duty. We can let them know we want to talk to them, as well." He walked out of the library with his arm still around Brendan, hoping that it would give strength and encouragement to him.

Brendan's mind and heart had both been racing as he'd allowed Jack to steer him toward Delvira's door, but now he dug in his booted heels. "Jack," he told him, "I'm not ready yet. I . . . I have to tell you something first."

"Okay. You want to tell me here or you want to go back in the library?"

Brendan led the return way to the library where he then began repeating the tale to Jack. This time, for the first time, he told his brother everything. If they were to continue forward from this day, Jack had to know the truth. He had to know the monster he called "brother".

To Be Continued . . .