Chapter Twenty-three

Crystal moaned again, trying to call out to Lorne, Angel, and her babies and find out what was going on. No matter how hard she tried, however, she could not manage to get any words out nor to even open her eyes completely. Her heart cried out, but no words would come. She wished she had her crystal; at least, then, she could contact her cousin, Jack. She knew there were others around her yet she hadn't felt this alone since she had been four years-old.

Cordelia's hazel eyes gazed worriedly down into Crystal's pale face. "Lorne . . . " she started to speak but stopped when she felt the monkey stirring next to her. She gripped it quickly and, even as its eyes opened again, banged its head back against the deck. The primate fell out before ever getting a chance to do so much as even sit up.

Cordelia's imploring eyes turned back to Lorne. "Lorne, we have to find a way to help her. Haven't you met Spike before? Do you not know his healer?"

Even as Cordelia spoke, Angel arrived back. He had missed seeing her knock the monkey out but noticed that it was still out, just had a slightly different position where it was laying. "Monkey problems?" he asked with a grin despite the circumstances they were in.

Cordelia smiled at Angel's remark, her hazel eyes gazing up at his handsome visage. She would not have thought it possible, but he actually seemed to be even more handsome despite everything they had gone through, all she had seen inflicted . . . She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts of the horrid scenes that bubbled up within her mind. "No, not . . . not really," she murmured. "He just tried to come around."


The very instant Morph had surfaced, he had changed back into his human form but had regrown wings. He had taken to the air and flown over the deck in search of Celina. Now, at the bottom of an empty wheel, he finally found his love. His brown eyes searched her luscious body for any sign of new injury even as he dropped to his knees.

Gathering Celina into his arms, Morph held his wife close to him while his hands spread out over her body, softly caressing her silky, Siamese-colored fur while checking her body for injuries. She was still breathing, and her heartbeat seemed normal. Clearly, something had happened, though, but what!

"Celina," he spoke her name desperately, grasping her face in both hands. "Celina, love, wake up!" He began to shake her, calling her name repeatedly.

Finally, Celina's blue eyes cracked open. "Morph . . . " She had been about to warn him that she needed to be out when the hormonal urge took over. Her voice turned to a lusty purr, and she pounced on her mate, rolling him over onto the deck, tearing his pants with one set of claws and hers with her other set, and sliding herself over him.

Morph was taken aback, at first, by his wife's reaction. Then, it hit him. Dear Gods, the full moon! Celina, Katrina, and Tom were all overpowered by it! Celina had probably knocked herself out, and he, the idiot that he was, had just brought her back into even greater danger than being unconscious in a ship full of their enemies had left her!

Try as he might, however, Morph could not fight his wife's passion. Soon, his lips began to return her kiss, and he grew large within her already-warm honey pot.


Sam orbed in, still holding onto the cat. He released it as soon as he reached the prone woman. "Is this Crys?" he asked.

Willow meowed plaintively from the deck. He was extremely pissed! He should have been allowed to go into the hold with Jack, and here he was stuck having to see Angel's group with an unconscious monkey!

Perhaps he should take his vengeance out on the monkey? He'd show them what would happen when he was not allowed to go with his Captain! He ignored the talking humans -- that's all they did any way -- and sidled his way slowly around to where the monkey lay, trying not to draw attention his way.

From his kneeling position beside his beloved, Lorne looked up at the newcomer. "Yes, this is my beloved Crys. Can you help her?"

"And you are . . . ?" Sam asked.

"Lorne," Lorne told him.

"Yes," Sam answered, "I can take care of her. I just need a little space and a little time." Even as Sam spoke, the others drew back, allowing the room except for one.

The lioness rose to her paws. Unlike these other fools, she had no intention of leaving her mistress' side. The male would just have to edge his way in by himself, and if he should try anything to hurt her, she'd slice his jugular.

He was not her only problem at the moment, however, for there was an idiot tabby seconds away from pouncing on the monkey. She padded over to the primate and placed a paw between the monkey and the tabby. Her eyes glowered at him, but she did not roar. After all, the last thing they needed at that time was that damned monkey re-awakening and the idiots telling her she couldn't eat him!


Rachel sighed in irritation. "I just can't seem to get through to the blasted girl! Hmm . . . " She mused to herself, her green eyes feasting on the redhead's and her girlfriend's lovely forms. "Not that I wouldn't like to get in on that action . . . "

Kitty sighed, her brown eyes dropping back to the Saucy Wench's deck. "They seem to have gotten help now any way," she commented, motioning to the man whose hands were glowing as he healed Crystal.

Lockheed cooed from his perch on Kitty's shoulder, glad and relieved that his new friend's mother, who he also liked though nowhere near as much as his fellow dragon, would be okay. He started to fly back toward the ship when a woman's voice shouting for help stopped him in his tracks. He cooed urgently.

Kitty nodded. "I hear it too, 'Heed," she agreed, scratching him on the head from where she had stopped, standing in the empty air.

Rachel's head turned toward the sound, as well. Her green eyes were not adept enough to make out who was calling for help for the sky seemed to be growing even darker. There was a storm on the horizon, but that thought did not occur to the redhead as she telepathically reached out to the minds in the area the voice was coming from. She frowned. "Whatever it is," she told her best friend, "I don't think it's . . . quite human . . . "

"Doesn't matter," Kitty spoke with a shake of her head. "After all," she reminded Rachel, "we're not human either."

"I know, but . . . " Rachel frowned. "Whatever she is, she's nothing I've come into contact with before." Her tongue flicked out, licking her lips quickly, as she studied the thought. A new female creature she'd yet to meet? How could she pass up that opportunity? "Besides," she spoke aloud, "whatever she is or isn't, she still needs our help." Rachel's power again reached out to Kitty and 'Heed, and she began to float the three of them toward the desperately pleading voice.

Kitty eyed her friend. She didn't think she'd ever quite get used to Rachel's . . . open tastes. She still loved the girl, though, just not in the way she loved Kurt. Her mind went back to her beloved, and she wondered what he was doing and how she was ever going to explain her relationship with Rachel to Kurt. He might have been a Pirate and was also the man she loved, but he had still been a Priest not too long ago and even still wore the cloak! How would he ever understand!

Lockheed cast one last glance at Blue, then went along for the flight Rachel's telekinesis granted them.


Willow looked up at the giant cat who towered over him. "You laying prior claims on him?" he asked, referring to the monkey as her paw had just cut him off from his target.

Cindy's lips pulled back, revealing her glistening fangs, even as she answered the housecat in a growl so low that it was barely audible to human ears. "I have enough problems," she stated, her tail slashing through the air, "without a moron reawakening something that actually thinks it can wreck havoc. Wait to awaken him until my mistress and I have moved on. Then you can do whatever you want with the mangy beast."

Willow sat down and contemplated the huge cat. "I only wanted the thing 'cause they took my Jack away from me. They wouldn't let me go with him. My place is to be with him at all times and protect him!"

Cindy surveyed the tabby with a quirked brow. "You've gotta be talking about that stupid Captain," she commented, "who thinks he's every one's boss. Where is he? The other ship?"

"Yes, and he's gone into a deep, dark darkness! They wouldn't let me go with him! He's going to die down there!" His voice had gone even higher than usual. "I should be there!" His voice choked up on him, and he cast his eyes downward to the deck.

"Tell you what, kitten," Cindy growled. "I can throw ya over there or just save you the trouble of getting killed by Jack's ass. I could slice ya open now."

"You could throw me over there without him knowing?"

Cindy glanced over to where Sam was kneeling by Crystal and apparently struggling to concentrate on healing her mistress. If he did one thing wrong, she swore, she'd feed him to the sharks! She scoffed at the others, who had all pulled back and were watching anxiously to see if the male would actually be able to heal Crystal.

Then Cindy returned her attention to the housecat. With a roll of her tawny shoulders, she replied, "I can toss ya over there. You don't have to worry about those idiots, but you might get some sharks nipping at your balls."

"I can stand the sharks if I can only reach my Captain!" Willow declared, his eyes instantly drying. "Thanks for helping. If you ever need anything, I owe ya."

The lioness paused, considering the housecat's offer. Cindy hadn't thought about their conversation taking that turn. She'd just been thinking about feeding the fool to the water and the snapping uglies in it.

The housecat might come in handy. He could do her hunting for her. "You know," she commented, her tail slowly drawing through the air, this is a big favor. You might have to do a bunch of little ones to make up for it."

"Just get me to my Jack so I can save his life, and I swear I'll do whatever you ask of me!"

Cindy chuckled to herself. Oh, the delight of this idiot! He would be her slave forever, all for helping his little, scrawny butt to save a foolish man!


Bishop sat in his chair, playing with his gun. He was bored. Kat had not moved. The animals were all quiet, and then he heard something making a scratching sound on the side of the ship! It brought him to instant attention. He brought his gun level with the sound and waited.

A head popped up. Who in the Hell was that! Bishop wondered. He didn't shoot him but allowed him to continue climbing. The man seemed familiar, but yet the only thing Bishop's eyes kept going to was the huge dong that was ringing back and forth! The man was absolutely naked! . . .

Which probably meant that he was a prisoner and belonged to their side, but not being sure of the identity, Bishop brought the gun full-force toward the guy. "Halt!" he called when the man was close enough that he could see he was Chinese. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

Chong froze, his hands going instantly up into the air. His almond eyes considered the broad, black man before him. He was so large and muscular. Gods, there was no telling of the ends of the things those muscles could do to him! Chong gulped, a bead of sweat breaking out across his forehead, even as he thought swiftly.

He didn't know this yummy man nor was he completely sure that this ship was here to rescue their people. It could have been meant for other slaves. His plan intact, Chong spoke humbly, "Please! Please, sir, do not shoot me! I am but a lowly slave!"

"You're not a slave! Come off of that!" Bishop told him. "Which Captain do you belong to?" He glared at him, trying very hard to keep his eyes from seeking out that one part of him that seemed to pull him back every time. Bishop fought his bizarre urges.

Chong fell to his knees. His arms reached out before him, and his face met the deck. "Ah, but I am but a lowly servant! They took me!" he declared. "Captured me from my people and brought me all this way from China! I mean no harm! I . . . I only want some clothes and . . . and . . . Please," he wailed, "do not let me go back there!"

"Man, you are full of the most bullshit I've heard today! Just because you're Chinese does not mean that you were captured from China! I wasn't born yesterday! We're here to help you. This is the Frolicking Monkey, and it belongs to Ace Ventura. Does the name ring a bell?"

He looked around for some clothes but did not see any of Ace's hand-me-downs. All he could see was a sheet laying on the floor next to the bed. Not taking his eyes off of the Chinese man, he reached out with a booted foot and dragged the sheet to him. He threw it at the Chinese man. "Here; put this on."


What Cindy did not know as she started to lean in toward Willow, intending to pick him up by the scruff of his neck, was that Blue and Elvira had been dividing their attention between the healing of their mistress and Cindy's conversation with the little cat. Both knew what their sister was up to, and neither liked it.

Elvira whined and was surprised as Cordelia reached out to her, her distracted mind not recalling the animal's species, and reassuringly patted her head. Elvira licked the Princess' fingers, and Cordelia slid further into Angel's embrace in an attempt to comfort herself.

Blue knew that there was little Elvira could do to help the situation, but he cooed to Elvira and Angel, telling them to protect Crystal for him, that there was something he had to do, but that he would be back soon. He then lifted into the air, swiftly flew in between Cindy's gnashing fangs and Willow's fur, and used his talons to pick Willow up by his scruff.

"YIKES!" Willow screeched. "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO EAT ME, ARE YOU! PLEASE DON'T!" He had not seen what picked him up, and the only thing that he could figure was that one of the giant birds now held him.

"I don't eat birds! Too many feathers!" he told him. "Please don't eat me!" He scrunched his eyes tightly closed as he got further and further away from the deck.

"Relax," Blue started to tell him but was cut off by Cindy's roar of protest.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING! BRING BACK MY SLAVE RIGHT NOW!"

"I was saving you," Blue informed the housecat, "from that."

"I didn't say I'd be her slave! I told her I would do something for her if she would get me over to my Captain! Thank you for saving me! Who are you?"

"Name's Blue," Blue cooed. "She's Cindy, the nutcase of our family, and our other sister, the wolf, is Elvira. That's our mistress who is . . . " His voice trailed off for a second as they neared the Harlot. . . . being healed. I really have to get back there, but remember never make a deal with Cindy!"

As soon as Willow touched the deck, he called back up to Blue. "I owe you one, and thanks for the warning about Cindy!"

Blue used the wind to make a rapid turn in the night air whose temperature seemed to have dropped. "Best of luck!" he called back to the cat while swiftly disappearing in his hurry to return to Crystal's side.

"THANKS! I'LL NEED IT! BEST OF LUCK TO YOU TOO!" Willow called back to him. "MY NAME'S WILLOW!" He then turned and ran as swiftly as he could in the direction he had last seen Jack.


Janeesa looked up into the night sky. The chill was beginning to come, and she knew it was the wrong time of the year for it to be so cold. She had to get the man out of the water as quickly as she could, or he would freeze to death in the quickly-cooling water.

"HELP US PLEASE!" she called one last time even as something cold and white landed on her nose. She had never seen it before. "Robbie, what is this?" she asked.

Robbie looked at it. "I don't know! Taste it!"

"I don't want to taste that!" Janeesa said. "It's white! It might be poison!"

"True! We have to get out of this stuff! If it's poison, it will eat us through our skins! Some one's coming," Robbie told her. His ears were much keener than Janeesa's.

"Maybe they're here to help?" she asked hopefully.

Robbie wasn't too sure, however, for he could sense a great evil approaching. The voice that called out to them, though, didn't sound evil. "Some one call for help?" Rachel asked, her green eyes trying desperately to see through the darkness.

Kitty stopped beside her friend, but Rachel's telekinesis pulled her along. "Ray," Kitty exclaimed, gripping the redhead by her arm, "that's a mermaid!" Lockheed cooed excitedly.


Ace shook his head at the small dog who was still barking his fool head off. Where he got his energy from, Ace could only wonder, but he wished that he could find it and bottle the stuff. A drink that would fill everybody full of energy when they needed it the most would be worth a pretty doubloon!

He didn't get a chance to ask the small dog as he was jumped from behind by a Piratess who narrowly missed slicing his head off. He scooted far away from her and turned to look at her with one of his cocky grins. "Can't get enough of me, huh, bitch! I'll give ya something to play with! It'll keep ya busy!"

With a few well-chosen African words and a motion with his hands of pulling something toward him, the Piratess suddenly started screaming as her guts were being ripped apart. Didymus ceased his barking and looked at the writhing Piratess in puzzlement. His furry jaw fell open then as, out of the Piratess' butt, jumped a monkey!

"Hello, little crackmonkey! Welcome to your pet!" Ace declared as he pointed a finger at the Piratess who had fallen to the deck. "Have fun, and don't forget to go home when she wakes up!"

Squealing loudly, the monkey jumped on the Piratess and began tearing at her with all four hands and its teeth. Its mouth sought her flesh while his fingers yanked at her hair and clothing. Ace turned away in disgust.


Robbie got between the newcomers and his Janeesa. "I'm a dolphin!" he told the huge, purple bird. "She's my mermaid and we're trying to save your human, so don't try anything funny!"

Lockheed cooed, and Kitty's brown eyes darted to her dragon's laughing voice. He explained the situation quickly, and it was all she could do to keep from laughing herself. Instead, she shook her head and was about to speak when Rachel exclaimed.

"I can see her!" Ray cried out. "She's beautiful!" She studied the mermaid, wondering how one would go about making love to such a creature. After all, she mused, where was the hole?

Janeesa did not like the strange woman at all and allowed Robbie to stay in between the strangers and herself! She spoke to where they could hear her. "I have one of your people. He's not dead, but he needs your help. I can't get him up there." She indicated the ship. "But I don't like you, so you stay over there," she said, looking pointedly at Ray, "and the dark-haired one can come over here and get him!"

"What did I do!" Rachel demanded, pouting.

Kitty placed a staying hand on her shoulder. "She's a mermaid, Ray. What's to say she can't sense what's going on in that head of yours? She probably just doesn't swing that way, and your thoughts may have frightened her."

"Oh." Ray continued to pout but remained still.


With every minute that passed, Phoebe's frustration grew more and more. "We have to find a way to get over there!" she cried. Her hands grasped Joxer's thin shoulders as she shook him yet again. "Come on, Joxxy! You're the Pirate! Think of something!"

"I've seen them do it a million times! I've just never had to do it alone before!" Joxer stared at the rope he held in his hands as though it was a snake that might awaken and bite him at any second. "There was always somebody to help me! Gabby or Xena usually carried me!"

"Yeah," Phoebe agreed, "but now they need you! And my sisters . . . !" Her voice trailed off suddenly as her head was seized by fastly-blurring images. Her hands flew to her head, and she cried out in shock.

"What's the matter, darling!" Joxer let go of the rope and threw both arms around Phoebe. The look on her face made him shiver from fear. Was something hurting his precious' brain, trying to make it burst! He looked wildly around, but there was no one to help. "HELP!" he called.

Phoebe clung to Joxer even as she shivered uncontrollably. "It's s-s-so c-co-cold!" she exclaimed. "S-So m-mu-much sn-snow! An-And s-su-such e-evil!" She paled suddenly. "NO!" she started to scream. "NO! THAT CAN'T HAPPEN!" she cried as she saw people and animals turning to ice and a ship shattering. "IT CAN'T! NOT AGAIN!"

Joxer's face became an even paler shade of white. He had to get Phoebe to safety! No one had answered his cry for help, so no one must be aboard the ship!

"Phoebe, I'm taking you inside. You're about to freeze to death! I must get you a blanket! Your skin doesn't feel cold, but your mind is still freezing!" He began to lead her to where he knew the sleeping quarters were.


Kitty turned her attention back to the mermaid and began edging slowly closer, walking on the air molecules as she did so. "I'm Kitty. She's Rachel. Lockheed," she indicated her pet, "is kind of like my dolphin only he's a dragon." As she spoke, she continued moving closer.

"My name's Janeesa. My dolphin's name is Robbie. He's very protective of me. We have dragons in my world, but I didn't know that they could fly."

"That's why I thought he was a bird!" Robbie called out from his guard position, his eyes never leaving Ray.

Lockheed's wings shuffled from his perch on Kitty's shoulder, and she knew the dolphin annoyed him. "'Heed's protective of me too. He was the only dragon I'd met until recently. I knew there were legends of sea dragons and monsters but didn't know they were real! Of course," she admitted, "most humans try to cover things like all of us up."

"The dragons we have are huge, and they spend most of their lives in ocean caves. They're not mean, but they do get hungry a lot. They usually eat fish, but I have seen them snatch birds out of the sky. They shy away from humans."


"Ven . . . Ventur . . . Venturuh?" Chong had been playing around with the stranger's Captain's last name when he suddenly felt something soft fall over him. He froze, not daring to move, until the black man told him to put it on. Then, scrambling to a kneeling position but keeping his head low, Chong grasped the sheet tightly. "Oh thank you! Thank you! May Buddha bless you!" he exclaimed while wrapping the sheet around himself in a makeshift toga.

"And may Buddha fly up your ass! Now get over there and sit down so that I can keep an eye on you!" Bishop motioned toward the side of the cabin. "What'd you say your name was again?"

Chong moved quickly toward the indicated wall. He never turned his back toward the other man nor did he cease to stop bowing and nodding in an act of deep respect. "Yes! Yes, sir! My name . . . " Chong hoped that his ex-lover would make it out of the danger safely even as he proclaimed, "My name is Han Sel."

"I know a Hansel. Blonde guy. You wouldn't be stealing his name, would ya?"

Chong appeared confused. "Steal name? Why steal name?"

"Don't know. Just thought ya might be," Bishop regarded him with one eyebrow slightly raised. "I haven't seen him come off the damn ship yet, but I know he's over there. He gets here, I'll see if he can identify you. Are you a little . . . " He pointed one finger toward his temple. " . . . confused perhaps?"

Even while mentally breathing a sigh of relief that he had ended up in the right place after all, Chong maintained his act. "Ah, yes! Yes!" he nodded and grinned enthusiastically. "Very confused! Bad women do that!" He shook his head. "Make head hurt! And so confused! I want to go home!" He pouted.

"It's going to be a while before you get to go home, buddy. Even then, if you belong to Hansel, he might not want you to go off somewhere. Make yourself to home over there. You move, I might just accidentally have a flinch moment. You wouldn't want that to happen, 'cause if I flinch, the trigger might go off."

Chong's eyes grew as round as large saucers then, and he decided that it was past time he made note of the strange array of animals he'd seen on deck. "Many . . . many strange animals," he commented. "My Princess would like them."

"They are attack animals," Bishop told him. "You move, they might get hungry enough to attack you."

Chong glanced nervously toward the bed where the raggedy, tabby cat had stood up. Captain arched his back, hissed silently, and scratched at the air in Chong's direction. Chong grew even more nervous, but the gulp that he had started to take froze in his throat as he felt something slithering across his bare feet and heard it rattle.


"Our race is not supposed to get around humans, but I couldn't help it. One of your kind called us, and then we came to help and found others. We were able to get one other male to safety, but we couldn't lift this one. There are a lot more of you out here, floating around, but this is the only live one. Can you help him?" She gazed lovingly down at the man's face one more time; she'd never forget what an Angel's face looked like!

Kitty came to a stop, floating in the water, directly before Janeesa and the blonde man. She continued to speak slowly and clearly as she checked the man's vitals. "We appreciate the help. It has been a very sad day, and all help is appreciated. I . . . understand about the humans. Too many of them can be far . . . too dangerous."

"They kill our kind," Janeesa told her, "and Robbie's kind. You are the first ones we've actually met face to face and talked to. Don't tell any one that you've seen us. I wouldn't want to cost more lives, and we would have to kill to protect ourselves."

Kitty shook her head sadly, but her brown eyes lifted from the man's body to gaze directly and solemnly into Janeesa's green eyes. "I understand your plight all too well. We all do for each of our people are, in one way or another, outcasts from the human world. I know you think we're humans, but we're not. We're mutants."

"And Angels," Janeesa smiled at Kitty. "I know what an Angel looks like now! What's his name?"

"Honestly," Kitty answered, "I don't know. He's one of our rescuers, and I haven't met him before. But he'll be fine," she added. "His pulse is there, just weak, and he's been shot, but he'll live."

"I'd best go," Janeesa told her and gazed down at the man one last time before gently leaning forward and touching her lips to his in awe.


Mitch slapped the dagger out of Dawson's hand. He then moved so swiftly that his boy could not stand a chance of fighting against him. Grabbing a handful of Dawson's blonde hair in one hand, Mitch yanked his head back and slammed his mouth down over Dawson's.

The revulsion of the kiss made Dawson want to throw up, but all he could do was to fight against his father. How could he be back from the dead and attacking him this way! The more he fought against him, the deeper the kiss became.

Dawson's mind began to be blurred as it kept continually reminding him Faith was dead, all was lost, he might as well be dead . . . If he'd still had the dagger, he would have used it on himself now. He didn't know when the kiss stopped being so repulsive or when it had suddenly become so sweetened.

His struggles grew less and less. Maybe he was dieing and didn't know it? Did it really matter any more? Did anything matter any more? He felt himself melting and couldn't do anything to save himself . . .


Kitty let the mermaid have her moment and ignored Rachel's humphing. She waited until Janeesa's lips had left the blonde's before making an offer. "I'll find out his name when he awakens, and should we ever meet again, I'll let you know. If you see us, do not be afraid to make contact for we'll tell no one. If it helps to know this . . . The man I love with all my heart would not only be shunned by most humans but even attacked. He appears to be a Demon."

"Angels and Demons!" Janeesa thought aloud musingly. "Are all Demons not bad? I hope you two are very happy together."

"No, all Demons are not bad for there are good ones amongst our people," Kitty answered, "but Kurt isn't a Demon. He's a mutant, just like Rachel and myself. He just . . . " she shrugged, " . . . looks different."

"If you ever need to get a message to me," Janeesa told Kitty, "you have but to say to the air within hearing distance of any bird or sea creature, I need to see Janeesa. You can tell them the man's name, and they will bring it to me. They will tell me."

"We are like one big family even though they're different from me. Robbie's my brother," she said with a smile, "even though he's a dolphin. I have to go now." She reluctantly gave Trent to Kitty and began to back away.

"I'll be in contact," Kitty swore to her, "if we make it through this. I promise I'll at least send you his name. It's the least I can do." Lockheed cooed in agreement.

"Thank you," Janeesa said even as she slipped away into the ocean.

Kitty was still pondering Janeesa and their conversation when she heard Rachel, whose voice now sounded much closer, exclaim, "There's something white on you! Wait a minute! It's snow!"

Robbie did not wait! He turned quickly around and splashed water on her even as he dove beneath its safe surface, following Janeesa. He now had a new word to give Janeesa: the name for the white thing was snow!


Sir Didymus, his mind finally cleared but now shocked, slowly turned after the man with the strange haircut and stranger ways. He managed to make his slack jaw move just enough to pronounce one word: "How?"

"African mumbo jumbo," Ace said. "It works every time!" he added with a huge grin. "Now let's go get the King!"

At Ace's declaration, Didymus rose his staff into the air and began yipping with a new urgency.

Ace reached out and touched him on the nose. "Quietly, little buddy! We don't want the enemy to know we're coming!"

Didymus swung his cane. "I don't care if they know we're coming! Let them know! Let them know and tremble for the wrath of the great Knight shall soon fall upon their cowardly hides!"

Ace shook his head and continued on, Didymus following beside him and yapping all the way.


Kitty surveyed the falling snow as she turned slowly around. As realization struck her of what had happened, her face blanched. She turned in the water and yelled out at the top of her lungs. "JANEESA, ROBBIE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP, BUT YOU AND YOUR PEOPLE MUST GO NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!"

As Kitty turned back to Rachel, Ray asked in concern, "What's wrong?"

Kitty shook her head. "We have to get the rest rescued and get the Hell out of here! Come on! There's no time to waste; we've gotta get to the others!" Rachel nodded, letting it go for now, and telekinetically lifted them out of the ocean and onto the deck.

A small fish lifted his head to gulp another bead of oxygen just in time to hear the human yelling out a message for Janeesa. Was Janeesa here? He had often played games with her at her home. What was she doing here? He dove immediately back under and went in search.


All had been quiet since Cole had left, and Piper had not dared to try to imagine what Clark and Lex were doing. Now, however, as the silence was shattered by Phoebe's cries, Piper sat up and called out. "Phoebe! Lex! Lex, please! You've got to help me find her!"

Lex had stood and looked toward where the sounds of Phoebe's cries and Joxer's voice were coming from. "It's Phoebe and Joxer. Stay here, Piper. I'll go get them."

"Lex," Clark spoke, reaching out to gently grip his wrist and still his lover. His blue eyes peered up into Lex's gaze. "Lex, you know I have to go back. Our children are on that horrid ship somewhere!"

By this time, Joxer and Phoebe had found their way into the hold where the others were. Joxer steered Phoebe right toward Piper, who looked as though she was about to cry from desperation. "I'll get you a blanket, darling," he told her and raced over to one of the beds, snatching a blanket and returning.

Lex turned a sad smile upon Clark. "I know you have to go back for our children and for the others. I wish I could go with you. I wish I had the power that you have in one little finger, but know that I love that one little finger as much as I love the rest of you!" he said as he reached out and took Clark's hand. He kissed that little finger. "You bring it and the children safely back! I'll miss you while you're gone!"

Lex's words warmed Clark's heart, and he wished that things were better and he did not have to leave his beloved. He reached a hand up to cup Lex's face, and his fingers caressed his smooth cheek. "I'll bring them and the others safely back, Lex. You just be here, and be safe, waiting for me to return, my love." With that, he reached up and pressed his lips to Lex's.

It had taken Piper a few minutes to realize where Phoebe was, but as soon as she did, she swung her legs over the side of the cot and pulled Phoebe down beside her. Caressing Phoebe's hair with a mother's touch, Piper spoke softly to her little sister. "Phoebe, what's wrong? What did you see?"

Phoebe didn't ask her sister how she knew she had had a vision. She shivered even as she felt Joxer wrap a blanket around her. Slowly, she rose her gaze to encompass the sleeping quarters and those contained within. "He's coming!" she whispered.

A chill shot through Lex's heart. "He?" he asked, his voice quavering. "Like before?" He did not dare mention the name lest he appear amongst them!

"You mean F-F-Fr-Fro -- ?" Joxer was in the process of stammering out the monster's name when he felt a coarse hand suddenly cover his mouth.

"Don't," Piper and Clark were surprised to find themselves speaking at the same time. Piper quieted, and Clark concluded. "Don't say it!"

"If he hears his name, which he will if you say it," Piper advised Joxer, "he'll come even faster!"

Joxer promptly fainted, falling at Phoebe's and Piper's feet.


When he found Janeesa, the fish greeted her and then gave her the warning from Kitty. "Don't know what it was about, but she was freaking out! She said to get the Hell out of here and now!"

"Danger is coming! Tell the others to leave and do it now!" Instead of following the fish, she turned back to the ship. As soon as she had reached the spot they had been in before, she came up out of the water. She could feel Robbie tugging at her.

Robbie was just as persistent to get her back under the water and safely home as he knew Janeesa was about to get in even deeper! "Go home, Robbie!" Janeesa told him.

"Not leaving ya!" he said just as determinedly.

Janeesa called out, "KITTY, ARE YOU THERE!", as loudly as she could. She hoped that her new friend could hear her.


Lex shook his head. "Be careful, my love. Go with the Gods!"

Clark hoisted Joxer up and dumped him carefully onto one of the empty cots. Straightening, his eyes met Lex's from across the room. "Keep yourself and the others safe, Lex. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You have to warn the others, Clark!" Phoebe cried. "And get our sisters!"

"And Cole!" Piper added. "I don't know what's keeping him so long, but it can't be good!" Tears shimmered in her dull eyes.

"I will," Clark swore. "I'll bring them all back." With that, he sped out, and within the blink of the others' eyes, he had disappeared.

"Phoebe," Piper questioned, "what exactly did you see?"

Phoebe shuddered at the memory, and she recalled Lex's question. She met his gaze. "It was worse than before," she stated. "More lives. More . . . More . . . " She trembled. "Death!"

Piper gripped her sister. "Did you see us? Our sisters? Cole?" Then, for Lex, she questioned, "Lex? Clark? Their children?"

Lex had moved over to the door and was watching the last spot he had seen Clark. He turned now to look at Phoebe, waiting for her answer, his heart in his throat.

"No . . . " Phoebe answered slowly with a shake of her head. "But there were others. So many others . . . "

To Be Continued . . .