Chapter Twenty-one

After wiping her mouth with the piece of cloth she'd torn from her skirt and doing the best she could to clean herself up so that Angel would not have to look upon her bile, Cordelia turned back around. Lorne was gone, though she still clutched a second piece of cloth for him. Her eyes immediately moved to Angel. Spike was assisting him in sitting up, and his fangs were deeply buried in a Piratess' neck.

At first, Cordelia trembled at the sight, but she couldn't tear her eyes away even as Angel paused to lick the blood from his lips and rip an even larger hole in the Piratess' neck. She shivered but still could not move her eyes away. She knew the sight of his feeding was something she was going to have to get used to, and she stood rooted to the spot, watching him and quivering inside.


The first taste of the life-giving fluid on Angel's tongue helped him to regain his strength. He was aware of Cordelia watching him, but he could no more stop drinking the nourishment his body craved than he could turn back time. When he got to a spot that he could take a breather, he offered Spike some blood.

Spike declined and told Angel that he needed every bit and not to waste any. Angel nodded and continued feasting. Never once did his eyes seek Cordelia as he was afraid she would turn from him in revulsion.


Prue had cried till she thought there were no more tears to come, but every time the bitch had hurt Brendan again, she had cried again, turning her face away so that Helvira would not know that Prue was crying. Now she lay on the deck flooring, praying for a speedy death. She could not stand watching Brendan trying to do himself in with the collar. She began to realize that there would not be a happy ending for them. Without Brendan, she didn't want to live, but she had no way to end it.

She felt a rustling next to her and saw two cat eyes looking at her and a paw reach out to her. She didn't know if it was Kit or Salem as she could not make them out in the dark and they could not talk to her.

Salem had reached out to touch Prue. He had Kit beside him, and she was chained just as tightly as he was. All he could do was touch reassuringly and keep hoping that, in the tenth hour, rescue would come. His keen ears had picked up the fighting above deck, and it had moved away from them several times but had returned every time but the last time. Had their side lost? Would there be no rescue?

Kit's paw reached out and touched Prue, as well, and then Prue felt Carl and realized that all three were trying to give her reassurance and hope even though they felt none themselves. It gave her renewed courage, and she began to pray for deliverance.

Carl shifted nervously again as he felt the bottom of the ship being rammed once more. He didn't know what had angered the seacreatures beneath them, but something was definitely going on down there, something he didn't want any part of! He had already been reaching out to Prue, and now he began to trace letters on her skin, hoping he could explain something to her that might help her, even if just a little bit.

Prue felt Carl writing on her skin. She could make out the letters and spelled them to herself carefully so as to not lose any of them. F-u-l-l m-o-o-n. Relief flooded Prue's heart from those two words.

She knew Carl was telling her that it was a full moon. With those simple two words, Prue realized Brendan was not trying to kill himself. Her finger could barely reach Carl. She didn't figure he knew many words. Y-e-s, she wrote back to him, hoping that he would understand.

Carl sighed inwardly, sensing that the realization had brought Prue at least some relief. As the ship was rammed from underneath once more, however, he slid even closer to her. He didn't know what was beating up at them from down there, but whatever it was, he prayed it'd stay down there!

Prue felt the floor tremble and wondered what could possibly be causing it. Was some one coming from below to rescue them? She renewed her praying efforts.


While Angel feasted outside the cell, Kitty and the telepaths continued to work inside. Rachel had sat with her legs folded before her on the cold, hard floor and had been concentrating ever since on giving the blonde called Elizabeth a mental wake-up call. The girl seemed almost impossible to awaken, however, as she dreamed of some mustached man and silly clouds!

Emma and Kitty, meanwhile, continued to search through the minds on both ships in search of the healers. They found Katrina first, and Kitty blushed visibly at the sight. "Moving on . . . " Emma murmured quietly.

Sean wondered what they had just seen but dared not disturb them to find out.

Kurt continued to watch in rapt attention, wishing he could see whatever it was that they had seen and realizing that maybe it was a good thing that he could not as they had not hesitated but moved on quickly. Could the person be dead, or something else? he wondered.

They found Celina next, and Emma arched against Sean's hands where his arms encircled her even as Kitty moaned. Dear Gods, the heat circulating throughout that catwoman's body! Looking through Celina's blue eyes, they found the other healer Kitty knew of, and both women paled.

Sean was a little surprised that Emma arched against him and thought perhaps that it was not a good idea to hold her while she was doing her telepathy. He wanted to release her but was afraid she'd fall.

Any one else? Emma questioned hesitantly in Kitty's mind.

"I'm afraid not," Kitty spoke aloud, and Emma broke the connection as their eyes reopened. Kitty sighed. "What we found wasn't . . . wasn't good, but we've got to get moving. We've got to get to Crystal."


Helvira whirled toward the door as she sensed a group approaching. She quickly scanned the approaching group but could pick up very little mental activity. She knew even before the door opened that the group was either Goblins or Fieries for the only thing she could pick up clearly from their little minds was the need to get to their King.

"HEY, MAN!" one of the Fieries shouted as he opened the door. "WE FOUND THEM!"

"Yeah!" another chimed in. "That's what I'm talking about!"

"You wriggle in the middle," a third instructed, "and I'll go down the long way!"

What next? Jareth thought. RUN, YOU LITTLE BEGGARS; RUN! he wanted to shout at them but could say nothing.

Delvira grimaced. She knew she could not help the Fieries for she had figured out that the collar was preventing her mind from being able to call upon any of her spells, and with no help, the Fieries were practically sitting ducks. Her black eyes turned to them, burning with a single command: Run!

"Hey, guys," Helvira asked, "wanna party?"

"We're gonna party!" one of the Fieries answered her.

"Yeah!" another agreed. "We're gonna take off your head!"

"Correction," Helvira returned, "I'm going to take off your head." She pointed her long, black fingernails at the Fieries, and flames shot forth. The Fieries' heads were burned straight off of their bodies, and the soot ran down onto the arms that were madly seeking their heads.

Jareth cringed at the sight of the burning and the temporary flares where each head had been. He couldn't help the Fieries, and he knew, without their heads, they'd soon die. YOU BITCH! his mind screamed at Helvira, knowing that she'd never hear it, but if he were freed, he'd make her pay for each one of the lives she'd taken from him. He'd never realized how much his people actually meant to him until now, when he had lost so many of them. Tears trailed down his face at so much needless death.

Knowing she could not help them, Delvira looked away and found her black eyes gazing into the faces of human children. She was thankful to see that Simon and Jasmine had covered the kids' eyes from the sight, but she knew from the look on the blonde, that the woman's constitution would not hold up much longer.

"We can't have you scurrying about here in search of your heads and making noise to alert the others," Helvira spoke to the headless Fieries though knowing full well that they could not hear her, "so say good night, boys." With that, she set another belch of flame forth to extinguish their bodies.

Delvira growled as her eyes returned to Helvira. She knew she wanted her, so why couldn't she just take her, face off against her one on one, instead of torturing so many! But Delvira knew that that was not the way her sister worked. It never had been, and it never would be.

Helvira turned back to face her prisoners even as the door to the hold swung shut once more. "You know, those little morons reminded me of something." She was no longer scuttling across the roof but was walking across the floor once more. Now, she walked to the area of the cell where the remaining Goblins trembled together in a heap.

Helvira's black eyes peered down at the small, green creatures. "With both Delvira and her husband my captives," she announced for all to hear, "I no longer have need of you." With that, she burned them to a crisp.

Jareth managed to clench and unclench his fists, but it was the only part of his body that he could move. If only he could get his hands around that bitch's neck! But with each passing of his subjects, he lost more and more faith in being rescued. What a Hell of a way to go! he thought. Maybe the bitch will make it quick, but I doubt it. It's not her style. He slumped against the wall.


Trina stood in shock, tears running unchecked down her face while rain and wind pelted her body. This couldn't have happened! Andrew couldn't be gone! Not to mention that he couldn't be the Angel of Death! Not her Andrew! Not her Andrew, who was so gentle and incapable of truly fighting!

Carlos and Trent stood where they had gotten back to their feet after having passed directly through Andrew. Both men watched Trina with cautious eyes, neither knowing what to expect. They knew what it had been like when she had been left at the altar at one time, something she had never discussed with Andrew, but neither knew what she might do after Andrew's revelation -- a revelation that, as insane as it seemed, neither could deny as the man had even glowed before vanishing into thin air!

When Trina finally moved, it was to open her mouth and shout out at the top of her lungs. "ANDREW!" she screamed his name into the howling wind. "ANDREW, YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME, TO US! I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT I MAKE MY DECISION SO QUICKLY! YOU DIDN'T TELL ME I WAS WORKING WITH A TIME LIMIT! YOU DIDN'T TELL ME ANY OF THIS UNTIL YOU RAN OFF! ANDREW, ANSWER ME!"

Her next words stung Carlos' heart, but he knew he had to displace his own emotions now in order to help the woman he secretly loved. "DAMN IT, ANDREW! I WOULD'VE CHOSEN YOU IF ONLY YOU'D TOLD ME THAT MY TIME WAS LIMITED!"

Trina continued to scream into the wind, her body trembling with the sadness that threatened to engulf her, but no answer came. Trent and Carlos exchanged a look, and then both began to head toward her as one. They were barely beginning to approach her when a gunshot exploded and a bullet soared into Trent's shoulder. It knocked him backwards against the railing.

"TRENT!" Carlos and Trina yelled even as they tried to run after him, but it was too late as his body fell over the railing and spiraled down toward the ocean.

"TRINA," Carlos yelled, catching sight of the shooter, "WATCH OUT!" Even as the Mexican called out the warning, however, another rain of bullets came. These spattered into his body, hitting him in the legs and arms, and he staggered to his knees.

"CARLOS!" Trina screamed. She dove into the pathway of the bullets, flipping herself around as she did so and pulling her own pistol. Her bullet shot home into the Piratess' heart, but another of the Piratess' bullets lodged itself into Trina's chest. The women fell to the deck at the same time, but Trina fought against the unconsciousness that threatened to take her.

Sliding her pistol back into its holster, Trina turned to look at Carlos. Her heart caught in her throat as she saw him laying crumpled on the deck. She tried to get to her feet, but pain swept through her where she had hit her side hard on the deck. Still, she had to get to him, and she drug herself to him on her elbows and knees.

Finally reaching Carlos' body, Trina reached out toward him with a trembling hand. She was terrified of what she was going to find, but still she forced herself to take his wrist and feel for his heartbeat. She found his weak pulse, but her own world turned to darkness while her hand still clasped his wrist.


Lorne had just reached Angel's side, assisting Connor and sat Connor on the floor beside his father. He had seen that the two women were deep in their mind-connection and was hoping that they had found something to help. He looked at Angel, who had blood running down his chin. "Do you think Connor needs blood? He says he's never drank it before."

Angel looked at Connor. "Open your mouth." He looked inside at the boy's teeth. "He doesn't have fangs, so until such a time as he gets them, I would say he doesn't need blood. He just needs a healer."

Spike looked at Angel. "Why would he be needing blood? He's not a Vampire."

"Spike, . . . Connor's my son."

"What the Hell!" Spike asked, looking at Connor and then back at Angel. "How can that be! I thought we couldn't have children!"

"Apparently, some of us can," Angel told him. "Smell Connor." Spike leaned forward and sniffed Connor. "I thought there was something familiar about him! He smells like you and Darla!"

"Darla was his mother," Angel told him. "I just recently found out I had a son. Believe me, if I had known, I'd've gone after him a long time ago."

"Welcome to the family," Spike told Connor. "Angel's like my big brother."

Through dazed eyes, Connor looked from Spike to Angel. "You two don't look anything alike!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Cordelia spoke up hesitantly as she approached the group. "They're both handsome Vampires, and something tells me Spike's big on the duty and brooding too . . . " She reached out, with a tentative smile trembling over her lips, to hand pieces of her skirt to both Angel and Lorne. "You guys might want to clean up a bit."

"Thanks," Angel told her as he accepted the bit of cloth and swiped at his chin.

Spike pointed to the left of his mouth. "You missed a spot."

Angel laughed and wiped it off. Lorne's attention had returned to the mind-connected group just in time to hear them breaking it off. He stood up. "You found Crystal?" he asked eagerly. "What's wrong with her?" he demanded as he heard their next words.

Angel threw the discarded body away and got to his feet. "What's wrong with my sister?" he asked worriedly.

"I . . . It's not easy to explain," Kitty started hesitantly even as she felt Rachel's mind return and knew without looking that Elizabeth was coming to. "I . . . "

Emma knew the brunette was having a hard time breaking the news to her friends, so she picked up where Kitty's voice shook. Her blue eyes peered out from the bars to the green-skinned Demon and brunette Vampire. "Do either of you," she questioned with a forced calmness, "know what a wheel is?"

"Oh my Gods!" Angel exclaimed, his pale skin going even paler. "Lorne, you'd best stay here! You will not be able to handle this! You won't be able to do anything to help her!"

"I'm not staying here, no matter what it is!" Lorne told him. "Let's go now and do what we can!"

Spike looked at Kurt. "Can you bamf two at a time?" Kurt nodded. "Take the woman and Connor to Destiny's Ghost. My healer can handle them."

Kurt nodded again. Spike helped Connor to stand even as Kurt scooped up the injured woman. "Lay your hand on me, boy, and don't take it off no matter vhat," Kurt told him. Spike hooked Connor's arm through Kurt's and told him to hang on and that he'd see him soon. Kurt bamfed out as the rest of the group headed up, Rachel supporting Elizabeth who was now awake but still weak.


Once Cole made sure that Piper was safe aboard the Destiny's Ghost, he shimmered to where he felt Prue was. He was about to reach out, touch her, and shimmer them out when he felt a collar snap over his neck. What the Hell! he thought and reached up to grab it only to be shocked until he fell to his knees.

"Prue?" he managed to get out only to feel an iron gag go around his mouth. He tried to shimmer just himself out and found his powers no longer worked.

"Welcome to the party, Mister Turner," Helvira crooned from the other side of the cell.

His eyes glared angrily back at the bitch, wishing he could conjure an energy ball to lob her head off but having to lay down beside Prue as the new chains bore him to the floor.

"Enjoy your stay," she told him. "It won't last long. Oh, and don't worry," she added, "I'll be sure to snatch up the rest of the Power of Four when I get the chance so Piper won't be made lonely for long."

Cole's fists clenched, but he was unable to do anything. Helvira launched herself back to the ceiling and resumed her pacing and watching of the battle.


Spike led the group upward to the deck. Beside him walked Angel, who was still trying to get Lorne to stand back but knew that he wouldn't because he was in love with Crys. He knew he'd have to be ready to catch Lorne once he caught sight of Crys. He knew if Cordy was up there, somebody would have to grab him.

Spike kept glancing nervously over at Lorne. How would he take it? He still remembered the first time he had seen some one on the wheel. It was a friend of his, and there had been no hope. Spike had put him out of his misery. With them not being able to find any healers, Spike figured he might have to put Crys out of her misery, as well.

Angel was deep in his thoughts. What would they find on deck? He recalled the first time he had seen some one on the wheel. He had thanked the Gods it was not some one he had known personally and had killed the man, knowing that it would take days for him to die on the wheel instead. He couldn't imagine his sister being on one, and he couldn't wait to get his hands on whatever bitch had put her there. He only hoped that Drusilla and Darla had not been the ones to do it alone as he wanted to get his hands on some one and make them pay.

Kitty, Cordelia, and Elizabeth followed behind Lorne, Spike, and Angel. Kitty had positioned herself behind Lorne, knowing full well that the poor man was likely to faint when he saw his beloved in the situation she was in, and she had set Cordy to Elizabeth's other side out of the realization that the Princess would probably be better able to handle herself than the blonde, though not by much.

Cordelia walked in silence behind Spike, still trying to take everything in and not have an emotional fit. Almost all of them had been through Hell this day or night (she'd long ago lost track of the time), and instead of getting better, as she'd thought things would when Angel returned to himself and was freed, things seemed to only be getting worse.

She had heard of wheels before and knew that they were some sort of horrid torture device that no one had ever walked away from. She also couldn't help remembering that she had gone right alone with the plan that had landed Crystal in the wheel. Dear Gods, Cordy thought even as fresh tears welled in her hazel eyes, what had she done!

Elizabeth walked with one hand by her side and the other over her stomach. She was barely aware of where they were going, but what bothered her was the mental image that kept playing through her mind over and over again.

Rachel, who was taking up the rear behind Kitty, kept glancing at Elizabeth. She would have liked to have told the blonde to get a grip and that there were much more important matters at hand, but she didn't want Kitty to bark at her again.

Sean held to Emma's hand. As he followed the rest of the group out, he kept glancing backward and listening in case, by some weird happenstance, something had gotten into the place behind them and was even now hunting them. His skin crawled. Something was wrong; something was watching them! His every sense was alert, but still he could not find what it was.

Emma could sense her beloved's tenseness, but a quick telepathic sweep of the area behind them told her there was nothing following them. Perhaps, she feared, he was waking up, or she was? Perhaps this wonderful dream was coming to an end all too quickly? She prayed it wasn't so to any God or Goddess that might care to listen and abide her wish.

Realizing that his tension was causing Emma to be more tense, Sean reassuringly squeezed her hand. He dreaded what they would find when they came upon deck.

Emma glanced at Sean. She would have liked to have asked him if he was okay but knew he could not be and feared his answer should there be something else, something along the lines she was afraid of, bothering him.


Dawson searched his mind for some way to prove to Faith that he was the real Dawson. First of all, he couldn't remember a single time he had ever stuttered as badly as this new Dawson did! Surely, that would be a give away to her?

"Faith, remember the day of the dinosaurs? Think about it. I know it's not a good memory, but I can't think of any other way of proving who I am. Ask the other one what part of you he carried after you were attacked." He did his best to block his mind from being able to be read by the other guy, thinking of Faith and him in the tub, in the bed, . . . anything at all to not think of the one thing that would be the answer.

Faith's eyes had gone to the first Dawson as he had began to speak, and for a moment, his words had began to make sense to her. Then, however, her gaze shifted back to the pistol she held. It seemed almost to be quivering in its own eagerness to shoot something, and then familiar voices rained down upon her ears.

Mewing echoed through her mind even as her mother's voice spoke. "Do it! Do it, you little bitch! You know you should have all those years ago!"

Then Dawson's voice sounded within her mind. "You know what you should do, Faith, before I can hurt you again."

"Before we have the chance," other voices, including Jack's, Katrina's, Lex's, and Angel's, chorused. Salem's mewing agreement added to Snow's.

"Faith!" Dawson called her name again desperately. "Listen to me! I love you! The only way I can prove who I am is if you listen to me! The other one is Judson! I swear to you! I have not harmed you! Listen to me, and ask the question!"

He wanted to rush forward and snatch the gun. It was as though he could see the wheels in her head turning. He looked at the other Dawson, who was grinning evilly. "Leave her alone, you bastard!"

"Answer the question! You heard me ask it! What part of Faith did you carry when she was attacked by the dinosaurs!"

Judson looked through Dawson's eyes at the real Dawson. His lips curled even higher in his sinister grin. "Why should I answer you?" he returned. "It's not as if she can hear us any way."

"What makes you think that?" Dawson asked. "She looked at me! I know she can hear me! Are you filling her mind full of filthy things? You're the cause of her being like this, you filthy swine!" He took a step toward the fake Dawson.

"Sh," the second Dawson hushed the first with a finger pressed to his lips. "You don't want to miss this, boy. It's about to get really good." He gestured toward Faith.

Faith had completely lost track of reality. Instead, she was lost in her own world where her mother, Snow, Dawson, Salem, and all those she had ever thought could be her family whirled around her. "DO IT!" they shouted as one. "DO IT!"

"You know you're no good! You know we don't love you, never could, and never did! You know the only way to protect yourself, to keep yourself from ever being hurt again! DO IT!"

The Dawson in Faith's mind pressed his hand over the pistol, and as he did, the pistol she held in reality turned toward her. "Do it," he whispered. "Then I'll never be able to hurt you again!"


As they came to the deck, death and blood scented the air. Dead bodies were everywhere, but still fighting was underway in other places. Right in the center of where they were heading was a dead body. With a scream, Spike flew to the body. "NO, KYNA, YOU CAN'T BE DEAD!" he screamed to the night sky. He gathered her to him only to realize that her head was missing! He began to rock her body, his cries renting the air.

It was at that moment that all other eyes were drawn to the wheel. Lorne screamed; Angel caught him. He adverted his eyes; he did not want to see Crys entwined in the spokes. His gut wrenched. "I told you you didn't want to see her."

"I LOVE YOU, CRYS!" Lorne screamed up to her. "We've got to get her down from there!"

Elizabeth screamed. Rachel reached out to her, knowing beyond any shadow of a doubt that the blonde had just fainted again.

Cordelia did not even realize the scream that left her mouth. Tears spilled from her eyes even as her scream faded and she whispered instead. "Dear Gods, it can't be! We couldn't have done this!"

Cordelia's tortured words hit Angel's ears, and he realized that she was blaming herself. She was not to blame, but now was not the time for him to talk to her about it. Every second they lost was worse. Realizing that Spike was not able to help, he turned to Kitty and Sean. "We have to get her down. The sooner we get her down and find a healer . . . Maybe we . . . . Maybe we . . . can save her yet?"

Sean moved forward to help. "How di we get her down?" he asked.

"I can get her," Kitty stated, knowing she could phase Crystal out of the wheel's spokes but would have to be extremely careful. "Angel, Spike said something about his crew having a healer. I don't know who she is, but we need her. You tell Sean what to look for," she continued, climbing up into the air even as she spoke, "and he can fly and find her. None of your crew's going to be any good. Crys can't heal herself, and the Lewises are out for the count. Pretty much," she added, glancing at Celina who was on her knees, her claws embedded in the wood of the deck and her fur fluffed out at all angles.

Looking at Celina, Angel asked, "What's wrong with her?" Then it hit him. Alderberan catpeople and full moons!

How many of their people were like the Alderberan cats and were out of control of their bodies at the present time? He knew there were several Weres, and even though they had put some into chains, there were still some running loose. He was most concerned about Wolf and Brendan, neither of whom could control themselves on a full moon. He looked around, hoping to see any of them, and then realized they were probably still held captive somewhere.

He watched Kitty walk the air molecules. He had seen her do it in the past, and it never ceased to amaze him. Could she get Crys out of the wheel? He hoped she could!

He glanced around the area they were in, wondering why there were not being attacked and then saw that Crystal's babies; Lockheed; and her cousin, Jack; were holding the Piratesses at bay.


Xena had been fighting for what seemed like forever and still had more Piratesses coming her way. She was glad that Celina had taken Gabrielle to Destiny's Ghost, where she knew she was safe. She glanced down at Kyna's head swinging on her belt. She could hear Spike wailing at the top of his lungs and figured he was just upset because he couldn't find her head. She'd get to him as soon as she could and give him the head.

She felt something at her back and was about to attack it when a familiar scent assailed her nostrils. "Gabrielle, what in the Hell are you doing here! You're supposed to be on Destiny's Ghost!"

"That explains your transportation method," Gabby called back, "but did you honestly think I was going to leave you here!" She swung her sword into the heart of another on-rushing Piratess.

"I see Celina did a fine job on you, my love, and your presence is always welcome in a fight!" As they were given a breather, Xena turned quickly around and planted a huge kiss firmly upon Gabrielle's mouth.

Gabrielle returned Xena's kiss as best as she could manage, but she was fighting a tiredness from the healing that she would not admit to. Xena's wonderfully passionate kiss left Gabby gasping for air, but her mouth fell open, her green eyes shot wide, and her face paled when Xena pulled away from her. "What the Hades is that!" she demanded, pointing at Kyna's swinging head.

"You know Kyna Chan!" Xena told Gabrielle. "She's an Immortal."

"I know Kyna," Gabby answered, trying to stay calm, "and I know you trained with her, and I know that she's an Immortal. But, Xena, that doesn't explain why her head is hanging from your belt!"

"Just haven't had the time to get it reconnected with her body yet, Gabrielle. I'm fighting my way there now! That howling you hear is Spike trying to find her head!"

"Xena," Gabrielle asked, her green eyes slanted upwards at her gorgeous beloved, "are you feeling all right? You didn't get hit on your head, did you, love?"

"Hmm . . . Just a cut on the forehead," Xena flipped her hair back so that Gabrielle could see, "but not a direct hit. What makes you ask that?" Xena asked even as another Piratess rushed forward and Xena began to fight her.

"I'll explain later!" Gabrielle called back even as she also gained a new opponent. She swiped at the bitch with her sword only to be met with the Piratess' blade clinking against her own. She knew that that cut must be a lot worse than Xena was letting on to, which didn't surprise her. After all, Xena never let on to her injuries being as truly bad as they were. When the fight was over, she'd have to see to her beloved's wounds first and then try to talk her sense back into her.

It did not take Xena long to defeat the Piratess she was fighting, and she turned to help Gabby finish hers. She kicked the Piratess in the butt and over the edge of the ship when the bitch leaned down for her sword that Gabby had knocked out of her hand. "Let's get to Spike," Xena told her. "That howling is getting on my nerves!"

Gabrielle nodded. Maybe Spike's reaction to Kyna's head would help knock Xena's brain back together!


Though Celina had tried valiantly to concentrate on saving Crystal, the pain and burning inside her body had reached such a point that she had collapsed to the deck on all fours. She had known what was coming the instant she hit the wood and embedded her claws into the deck in hopes of forcing herself to stay. She growled, yowled, and meowed in heat even as every single inch of her fur fluffed out. She was still on all fours as Kitty approached the wheel, still shaking, trembling, and battling her inner self.

She had forgotten about the fighting. She had forgotten about Morph going off with a stranger to destroy the kryptonite before it could hurt Clark any more. She had not heard Spike's, Lorne's, Elizabeth's, or Cordelia's screams, nor did her empathy sense the others' emotions as each one of the approaching group, even Rachel, who was rather annoyed with Elizabeth's constant fainting, was saddened and horrorified by the sight of Crystal being held prisoner in the wheel.

Celina had forgotten all but two things: the burning need to have a dick implant deeply into her and the fact that Crystal's life hung in the balance with only her to save her. It was then that she heard something whimpering by her side. She recognized the furry beast as a wolf, and even as her hormones screamed at her to have a snack of fur, even if it wasn't a sword, her mind and heart cried out. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" she roared at Elvira to which the wolf fell back in shock.

Celina's glazed eyes found themselves staring past the wolf to where the Sorceress was leering before Fred, Dawn, and Clyde, all three of which seemed frozen to the spot. She saw a bundle of cream and chocolate fur come flying at the Sorceress. The Sorceress' mouth moved swiftly even as she side-stepped Meesy. Had Celina not been so lost to her hormones, fear would have caught her heart but instead she merely watched the scene unfold while snarling and growling.

Meesy had spotted the Sorceress just as she'd began to weave a spell over the girls and Ace's monkey, and he had burst into a run headed straight for her in hopes of saving them. He had not counted on her sensing him, however, nor on the spell that she hit him with. Even as he flew through the air, he began to change. His entire body grew shorter and smaller until he hit the deck as nothing more but a little kitten. "Mrw?" the kitten questioned, wondering what crazy place he was in as the Meesy that was thought no more.

Celina's growl rose to a roar at what she witnessed, and a spell came to her desperate mind. It was her one chance, she knew, even as her claws slowly began to draw out of the wood. If she didn't knock herself out soon, Gods only knew what she might kill or lay! Celina's anguished voice rose, speaking alien words that no one on the entire ship could understand.

Celina shook and shivered even more and fought with herself to keep her claws embedded in the deck, putting them back in just as soon as they came out, as she continued the spell. Her anguished yowl was whipped up into the wind, and she continued speaking swiftly.

She trembled, concentrating on the spell taking every bit of her energy, as she concluded the spell and Crystal and the Sorceress changed places. Crystal, who had just been coming around, cried out as her body hit the deck hard. The Sorceress, who had just completed her own spell, yelled in anguish as she found herself in the wheel. Then, with a telepathic command to her own mind, Celina collapsed onto the deck.


Dawson realized that Faith was about to shoot herself. In that same second, he screamed and threw himself at Faith. Scrambling wildly for the gun, he managed to knock it from her hand even as she pulled the trigger. The shot went wild, hitting the side of the ship.

The gun falling from her hand was akin to a cold slap back to reality. Faith blinked through her tears. She didn't even know when she had started crying, but as her eyes looked upon Dawson's panicked face, the spell broke and she realized what had happened . . . and what this Dawson had done. "D-Dawson?" she whispered.

"It's me, baby," he told her even as his hand went up to gently wipe away her tears, "but we're in huge trouble unless you're able to fight! If you love me, Faith, fight! Don't let that bastard kill you!"

Faith's eyes searched his through her ceasing tears, and she turned her mouth so that her lips brushed across the palm of his hand. "I do love you, Dawson," she whispered even as Judson laughed.

Dawson could scarcely believe he had at long last heard the words he had only dreamed before. Faith had actually admitted she loved him! It touched his heart, and, even in the midst of their trouble, gave him courage to fight against their greatest enemy.

"We've got to get out of here," he whispered to her. "It's not going to be easy." He moved his lips toward hers and kissed her gently. "I'm willing to do anything to get you out of here, my love! Whatever it takes, but, if I don't make it, I want you to know I love you with all of my heart!" His eyes looked into hers with hope.

His words brought fresh tears to her eyes, but she fought them back with a shake of her head. "We'll get out of here," she swore even as she turned from him and got to her feet. "And you, ya bastard," she demanded, pointing at Judson, "shut the Hell up!" Her other hand reached back to Dawson, her fingers held open and waiting for the hilt of her sword.

"Nah," Judson commented, shaking his head. "I don't think so. You're not going anywhere or doing anything." With that, his hands raised, and Faith lifted into the air.

With Judson's attention upon Faith, Dawson did the only thing that he could do. He got to his feet and, with the sword in his hand, ran straight at Judson, pointing the sword at his heart. If he could only reach that one point, he could kill the bastard! Otherwise, he knew Faith and he would never make it out of that room!


Kitty had just been nearing the wheel when Celina had began to scream into the wind words that she did not recognize. Kitty had feared that the catwoman was losing control and had changed her path to head toward Celina instead, planning to knock her out before she could turn against one of their own. Then, in a blink of an eye, Celina had stopped screaming, Crystal had been freed from the wheel, the Sorceress had been put into the wheel, and Celina had fallen unconscious.

Kitty was still trying to figure out just what in the heck had happened when she heard a cooing that was like music to her ears. "Heed!" she cried out, turning around in the air and reaching out for her purple dragon as he flew straight into her arms.

Lockheed purred happily, Blue's family plight forgotten for the moment, as he rubbed his head against Kitty's cheek. Kitty rubbed against him in turn even as her skilled hands swiftly examined his body.

Below them, Jack stopped beside Celina, and Blue, Cindy, and Elvira all raced after Crystal's body.

To Be Continued . . .