Chapter Twenty-four
Captain Kitty Pryde hit the Saucy Wench's deck at a run. She did not wait for Rachel or Lockheed, but Lockheed flew beside his mistress while Ray fell just a bit behind. "Kitty, what's going on!" Rachel demanded, her green eyes flashing with worry and confusion.
Kitty didn't take the time to answer Rachel aloud, but she did speak to her through the telepathic link. Even as she spoke, she continued to run, her brown eyes constantly sweeping the deck and taking in everything there was to see. Ray, you've got to listen to me, and you're just going to have to believe me. We don't have time to get into a debate. What's coming with this snow is something beyond your worst nightmares.
I find that a little hard to believe, Rachel started to scoff. I mean, what with Cable and you both telling me about all your adventures --
Ray, Kitty broke her off, this thing is huge and even bigger on the evil. He turns everything and every one to ice!
Rachel stopped running and stared at the back of her best friend's head. "What?" she whispered in shock.
You're just going to have to believe me. Kitty had slowed a bit in her running but continued to move, her sharp mind forming a plan to take care of those on the deck.
I always have, Rachel answered at last. What do you want me to do?
You're going to have to knock Celina out. She's the Siamese catwoman who's currently . . . Kitty's telepathic voice trailed off as she searched for a proper way to phrase the catwoman's actions.
Having her husband pump away inside her?
Ray!
Despite the circumstances and the fear she refused to show, Rachel couldn't help a grin at the way Kitty scolded her. For a second, it was almost like old times, but then Captain Pryde resurfaced, spitting out orders.
Celina can't help herself. It's the full moon, but I don't have time to explain.
You don't have --
Kitty broke her off again before Rachel had time to tell her that she didn't have to explain and that her word was good enough for her. Use your telepathy; knock Celina out. Tell Morph -- that's her husband -- that Crystal's uncle is coming. He'll understand. Then get him to help you with the blonde man and those two back there on the deck, the Mexican man and the woman who looks like Janeesa's Angel.
There's a woman who looks like Janeesa's Angel? Ray asked excitedly.
Ray, we don't have time, Kitty started only to be interrupted by the redhead's reassuring voice.
I know.
Good. Get moving. Get them headed back to the rescuing ships, and I'll meet you there when I've done all I can.
Kitty?
Yeah?
Be careful?
Always. Keep an eye on 'Heed for me. I'm gonna send him to talk to Crystal's dragon, so when you get done with Morph, head over there. And, Rachel, I know it's a lot to ask, but if you see Kurt . . .
Rachel's confident, reassuring response was lightning quick. I won't let anything happen to Lockheed or Kurt, Kitty. I promise.
Thanks, was all Kitty spoke. The redhead and brunette then went their separate ways, Rachel turning her attention onto Morph and Celina and Kitty swiftly directing Lockheed.
Kurt lay on the deck. For the better part of the last hour, he had been incredibly sick. Never had he done so many bamfs in so little time, and he felt as though his insides were being eaten alive by ants! A bamf was not an easy thing to do, and the territory that he had to go through in order to carry some one to somewhere was worst than Hell itself.
He hoped he would soon recover as he knew his people needed him, but now he felt as though he was dying. He kept coming back to Kitty, and her lovely face brought a smile to his lips. He didn't feel wrong in loving Kitty, and he had let his Pirate side get the better of him. He really wanted to live the life of a Pirate, but yet he felt as though his turning against his God might have brought the cruel punishments upon the Pirate people.
He had been raised to believe that God was a vengeful God, and that if you did something to gripe Him, He'd get even by hurting those you loved and yourself as well, but He was also a God of Love. Could He be angry at Kurt? After all, Kurt had turned his back on him and embraced the Pirate life and beliefs. He prayed that that was not so. He wondered if Aphrodite would accept him, or should he turn his back on Her and return to his God before things got much worse?
He pulled himself shakily to his feet and let the night air blow across his over-heated fur. As it touched him, he began to feel some better, but then he began to get cold. Why was it suddenly getting cold? Then he knew in his heart that all hope was gone as the one punishment worse than Hell was now descending upon them! Would he be able to get to his Kitty before it got to them?
His mind full of confusion, he began to pray first to his old God and then to his new Goddess. Not knowing which one to talk to, he talked to both. "Show me a sign," he pleaded, "vhich vay I am to go, vhich God I am to serve! Deliver us from zis approaching evil!"
"Even if I have to give up vhat I truly vant, save mein Katzchen!" he pleaded. "Save mein people!" He fell to his knees, his emotions were so great. He closed his eyes and continued to pray for deliverance.
Donkey's skin flinched as though he had been bitten by a thousand fleas, and his ears twitched forward. He was lost deep in a nightmare which he was afraid would never end. He was worried about his Will and he was trying to find him, but all he kept seeing was the awful scenes that had transpired within the last twenty-four hours.
A sudden surge of the ship brought him abruptly awake, and he blinked as he took in his surroundings. He saw a bed in the center of the room and slowly approached it. Relief flooded his soul and emitted in a soft sigh as he gazed down upon his boy, who he loved more than any other being save one. He was surprised at that thought as a sudden picture of his beloved flashed through his mind.
He wondered where she was in all this chaos and if she was okay. He would not let his mind wander that way, because the worrying would drive him insane. After all, it wasn't as though he could go in search of her as he could not leave his boy.
He got closer to Will, who lay so still in the bed that Donkey was afraid he might be dead. Making a woofing sound with his breathing, he put his face right against Will's. "Will? Will? Are you awake!" If he could only wake his boy up, then they both could go in search of the ones they loved!
Elvira and Mouse slunk through the twisting hallways of the area below the Harlot's deck. Neither spoke a word, but fear and niggling doubt filled both their minds and hearts. Elvira's mind went constantly to Wolf, Delvira, and Jareth while Mouse kept fretting over leaving Ray.
Had she done the right thing? Mouse questioned her actions yet again. Of course, she had, she told herself. It was the only thing she could do to keep her beloved from surely getting killed. She only hoped that Ray would understand, forgive her, and not hate her whether she made it back or not. Oh, how she loved that Aussie Sprite! She sighed inwardly.
"Elvira," Mouse whispered aloud, "Ah know ya ain't got much choice an' Ah know Ah agreed to come wit' ya, but Ah still can't help thinkin' if we did the right thing by jest us two comin' down here alone. Ah mean, if she's as powerful as y'all say, how can we even hope to compete with her, not ta mention keep from gettin' killed?"
"Mouse," Elvira whispered back, her words barely above a breath, "I know you're scared. So am I, but you don't have to do this. I do. I'll understand if you turn back."
"Nah, Ah ain't goin' nowhere," Mouse answered. "Ah jest . . . Ya got a plan?"
"Actually, for once, yeah, I do." Elvira did not tell her friend that this was the first and only plan she'd ever had in battle and that her hope that it might actually work was slim to non-existent. All she knew was that she had to give it her best for she was Wolf's final chance, and if she died trying, well, at least she'd die fighting for the only man she'd ever truly loved.
"What's the plan?" Mouse asked, once more wishing they had backup but knowing that none of her family would stand any better a chance against this foe.
"When we get there, I'm gonna give you this," Elvira stated, her pale fingers sliding along the cord of the amulet Spike and Kyna had given her to control her wolf, "and I want you to cause a distraction. Be ready to move, though, and move your ass when the wolf comes out. Hopefully, I can at least control her enough to aim for Helvira. Whatever happens to me," she added, "I want you to make sure that this gets to Prue. She'll know what to do with it; you just tell her that it's her answer for Brendan's wolf and to make sure she gets it on her man."
Mouse nodded, but her voice went silent in her throat as they turned the last corner in the hallway and saw the door to the hold. It was already ajar, and both women knew the Hell that awaited them inside. Without a word, they approached on carefully-silent feet. Coming to a stop right behind the door, Elvira took off the amulet and handed it to Mouse. Mouse gripped the necklace inside her purple palm, took a deep breath, and headed in.
Willow ran as fast as he could, following Jack's scent. He wondered why Jack had gone down into such a dark area, not even carrying a light. Could his Captain see as good as he could in the dark, or was it simply that he couldn't find a light? Willow looked everywhere but could not see a light. Seconds later, he had found the person he was searching for and began to twine himself in and out between Jack's feet.
Jack knew something was with them before it ever touched him. He had no idea what it was and had once again been cursing himself for the thousandth time for being a fool and entering without getting a light. Now, he wished once again that he had one so that he could see what was on him. Was it friend or foe? Was it something to kick or kill?
As the creature began to twine in and out of his feet, he began to sense that it was friend as it began to purr. He whispered, "What the Hell are you doing here! Did I not give you to some one to take care of you!"
Ororo had been concentrating on her own shallowed breathing and the thought that she had to get to Logan and Prue when a rumbling began from the boards beneath their feet. She shot up into the air, a ball of lightning shining from her clenched fist. She peered down at Jack and the tabby cat, the expression in her blue eyes akin to that of a wild animal's. "Wh-What!" was the only word she could manage to get out.
Jack looked upward where he could see 'Ro freaked out, her hair straying away from her head in every direction. "'Ro, it's okay. It's only the cat." He lifted his hand toward her. "Come down please," he coaxed. "I won't let anything hurt you." When she still hesitated, "Mom?"
Willow looked from the woman to the man and shook his head. She needed some one to look after her, and he'd have to find her some one soon. "Mrrw?" he added his voice to Jack's.
"O-Of c-course," Ororo spoke slowly. "Only . . . Only a cat." Her breathing was still labored, and her hand trembled despite herself as she reached out for Jack's hand, her lightning vanishing, and slowly began to descend. Had she not been so afraid, she would have been embarrassed, but as it was, it was all she could do to shove her memories to the side.
Jack smiled, his gold tooth gleaming in the darkness, as 'Ro descended. "Mom, I think this is too much for you. You need to go back out and get some air. You could send any one you find up there down, but tell them to be very careful and very quiet. We don't want to alert the enemy, and take this darned cat with you. I don't know why he's so determined to stay under my feet."
Ororo only caught snatches of Jack's voice as she fought against the feeling that the area they were in was not part of the ship but rather a tomb, its hungry walls waiting eagerly to snap down upon them. "J-Jack," her voice still quavered and she fought to get a better grip on herself, "I am not going up there. I have to do this." Her blue eyes met his dark eyes. "I need to do this." She hoped he would understand.
Jack squeezed her hand gently. "Mom, I know you feel that you need to do this, but if you get to the point that you can't, well, we might be in battle and you could get . . . terribly hurt and not be able to help yourself. I'm worried about you. I don't know what caused your fear, but I know it's real and sometimes, those fears are the worst of all. They can do us in."
"When we get out of this, you and I need to talk. Maybe we can help each other." He thought back on his nightmares that fears created during storms. He knew that 'Ro would understand better than any one else would, and he hoped that they could help each other to overcome their fears.
"Jack, I know you're concerned for me, but as I said, I have to do this. I'm a grown woman, and as you well know, more powerful than most any one else I could send down here. I can handle my fears, and . . . if you still want to talk when we're out of this mess and safe, we'll talk. I'll . . . I'll explain everything to you," she promised. "It's something I've never spoken about before, but I'll tell you. I have to do this, though."
He lifted her hand to his lips, and his eyes met hers once again. "Then let's do it!" he told her.
Willow agreed whole-heartedly with a loud "MEOW!" Let's do it and get the heck out of here! he was thinking. He did not like the closeness of the feeling of the hallway. He felt as though he was a mouse and it was about to pounce on him. Now where did that thought come from? he asked himself as he shook himself angrily. No giving in to your fears, buddy! He fell into step beside Jack and Ororo as they continued up the long hall.
A prayer whispered through Ororo's mind as she walked, hand in hand, beside her son. Goddess, grant me strength. Grant us strength and the ability to win this night. She mentally whispered the words over and over again, drawing strength and comfort from the simple prayer and Jack's hand in hers.
Crystal lay patiently still as the stranger called Sam healed her. She had every intention of singing to her babies to reassure them that she was all right as soon as her throat was healed enough, but what she began to feel as Sam brought her closer and closer to being well again took all thoughts of singing and reassurance straight out of her mind. A chill set into her body, both from the temperature around her and her own fear. Snow drifted over her body, its flakes falling over her bare hair and face and chilling her to the bone.
She lay there, waiting for Sam to finish, her patience gone and her fear increased tenfold. As she waited, she heard the familiar sound of leathery wings flapping and wondered what Blue was doing. She did not have long to wonder, however, as she heard Lockheed call out and realized that the wings had belonged to Kitty's dragon instead of her own beloved boy.
She listened to the dragons' cooing, Lockheed warning Blue that her uncle was coming and Blue's fearful response that he already knew but didn't know what they were going to do about it. As soon as she was well enough to speak, Crystal stated, "He's coming." Her voice was still weak, however, and came out much softer than she had intended it to. In fact, she could barely hear her own self. Clearing her throat, she tried again, and this time, her voice came out only a little stronger. "He's coming."
Cordelia's hazel eyes stared at Crystal, her face paled even more. "He's coming?" she whispered. Her eyes darted quickly to Angel's, and she found the confirmation she sought but did not want in her beloved's dark gaze. She shivered.
Elizabeth, who had just began to come back around, heard the conversation beginning around her and listened to it with her eyes still closed and her brow furrowed. Who was coming? What were they so afraid, and why was it so cold?
"We must get you over to the other ship," Angel told Crys. "We must all get over there and get away as soon as we can." He looked to Sam for confirmation. "Is it okay to move her yet?" he asked.
"Yes," Sam told him. "Head that way, and I'll go and check for others."
"We'll get over there and get the ships ready for sailing."
Lorne reached out and pulled Crys to him. If it was okay for her to move, he was going to carry her. After all, she was his. He leaned down toward her and kissed her gently. "It's going to be okay, darling. We're all together, and we're going to get out of here safely."
Crystal wanted to argue, but she was still too weak to be much good to any one. She raised a hand to caress Lorne's cheek, but though she shared a loving gaze with him for just a moment, her ice blue eyes quickly moved to Sam. "You don't know what's coming," she told him, "but it's worst than anything you've run into before. He can't be fought successfully, and if we don't get everybody out of here, he'll start turning us all to ice and shattering us."
Sam looked into Crystal's eyes. "I don't know him personally, thank the Gods, but I do know that he's incredibly evil and powerful. We have to move fast."
Angel knew that Lorne wanted to carry Crys, but he also knew that Lorne was not strong enough to get Crys over to the other ship. "Lorne, carry Crys to the rail, and I'll carry her over to the other ship. There's no way you'll be able to swing over carrying her. I can jump over there with her."
Lorne nodded and swiftly picked up Crystal, holding her high on his chest and heading for the railing as fast as he could go. As Lorne carried her, Crystal did not protest, but she did use the chance to quickly scan Lorne's body as well as those of her babies, Angel, and the others, checking them all for unmentioned injuries. Elvira and Cindy flanked Lorne and Crys, and Blue flew along beside them.
Paige worriedly paced the deck of the unknown ship the man who had healed her had brought her to. At least, she presumed Sam was the one who had brought her to this ship. She'd fallen unconscious again while he had finished healing her and had come to to find Sam, Autolycus, and LeBeau all gone and herself alone in an unknown sleeping area on an unknown ship.
Where were her sisters? Paige thought yet again. Where was Carl? Where were Phoebe and Piper and Prue? Prue! If only she knew where Prue was, she could go to her, and Paige knew her oldest sister would know what to do. Prue almost always knew what to do, or at least she acted like she did and her plans, no matter how crazy, often worked.
After all, how many times had Prue bailed her out of trouble with Mother, Grandmother, and Auntie 'Ro? How many times had she even rescued her from their other sisters, even when Paige had done something stupid -- sometimes on purpose, other times not -- to turn their sisters' anger on her? Prue had always been there, looking out for her youngest sister, but where was Prue now?
Paige whimpered. Even if Prue yelled at her, she just wanted to be with her big sister! Prue could make sense of this insanity! She'd know what to do!
As Paige's desire to be with her oldest sister grew steadily more intense, Paige felt herself becoming lighter in weight. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but she pressed a hand to her stomach as she felt herself becoming dizzy and then sensed that the deck was no longer underneath her feet. She tried to look down, but a bright light suddenly filled her senses . . .
Clark had never moved as swiftly as he now did in all his life. He flew from one deck to another, going first from Destiny's Ghost to the edge of the Saucy Wench where Ace Ventura and Sir Didymus were approaching the ropes to swing over to the Harlot. He flew straight at them and picked them up in his muscular arms before either could argue.
"CALM YOURSELVES!" he commanded, ignoring Didymus' teeth in his shoulder and the whacks of his staff. "I'LL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING SOON!"
Before they could answer, however, he had flown to the safety of Destiny's Ghost and dropped them gently to the deck. He then took off again; snatched Joseph and Rogue up into his grip, giving them the same words; and flew them also to the deck of the Destiny's Ghost.
He then returned and collected Hansel and Derek, who had been frantically trying to piece back together Arthur Fonzarelli, a man who had been their loyal friend for most of their lives and, unknowingly, a half of Fonzie. Taking them also to Destiny's Ghost, he dropped the men, Fonzie's half splattering over those already on the deck.
Returning yet again to the Harlot, Clark snatched up Matrix, AndrAla, and a squirming Frisket. The cold metal of Matrix's gun pressed against Clark's chest, but Enzo didn't pull the trigger. He didn't know what the boy was doing, but he was sure he had a good reason. Besides, the green man realized as Clark headed with his fourth group back to the Ghost, at least, this would get AndrAla and Frisket to safety.
"I'LL BE BACK WITH AN EXPLANATION THE NEXT TIME!" Clark called down to the people he was piling onto the deck. "I'LL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING! I PROMISE! JUST DON'T MOVE!" With that said and ignoring the complaints of those who had had Fonzie rain down upon them, Clark circled back out one last time. This time, he headed for Willow and Kennedy.
Piper stroked Phoebe's hair the way their mother had always stroked her own hair when she'd been upset. Her arms cradled her sister even as she fought against her own tears and worry. There had to be something they could do. She had to help her sisters and Cole, who had obviously not returned for some horrible reason, but what could she do when she was completely blind?
The last time had been terrible enough, but Prue had found a way to restore her eyesight. She'd done some kind of spell to return Piper's vision to her. A spell! If only they had the Book, there would be bound to be something in it to help their situation!
The Book was back on the island, though . . . Or was it? Could Joxer -- poor, fumbling Joxer who loved her sister so much -- have had enough sense to try to bring it? Did he even have enough sense to know that the Book was as important as it was?
She didn't know the answer to either, but she had to find out. With Joxer unconscious and Phoebe helpless, there was only one who she could turn to. Piper cleared her throat and then spoke up quietly, "Lex? Lex, do you happen to know if . . . if Joxer brought the Book?"
"What Book?" Lex asked in puzzlement.
"Our family's Book," Piper explained. "It's really old and filled with powerful magic. We're not supposed to tell anybody outside of the family about it, but I believe Joxer knew and it's not as though I can look for myself. It's . . . It's how Prue returned my eyesight to me the last time, and it might well have something to help us with this situation."
"I don't know," Lex told her as he got up and moved over to where Joxer was laying on the cot. "I'll check him out and find out." He began to touch Joxer gently in searching his pockets and then his clothes. Joxer giggled and slapped at Lex's hands but never connected. "He's got something hard right here," Lex said as he fumbled with Joxer's shirt. He opened it and succeeded in pulling a Book out of it. "Could this be it?" he asked, carrying it over to Piper and placing it in her hands.
Piper's brow furrowed as she felt of the Book. The old, leathery pages felt the same, but without her eyes, she couldn't be sure. "Phoebe?" she asked. "Phoebe, dear, you're going to have to pull yourself together. I can't see which means you're going to have to look, and if this is the Book -- "
"It is," Phoebe acknowledged with a sniffle.
"Thank you, Lex," Piper was quick to tell Lex. "Phoebe, you need to look through here. There might be something to help against Crystal's uncle or even rescue our families . . . "
"You're welcome, Piper." Lex smiled at her even though he knew she couldn't see him. "I hope there is something in there that will help. Whatever spell your sister used before might be even marked with a marker of some kind. There's something stuck in right here," he said, pointing at the middle part of the Book. "Turn there, Phoebe."
Nodding and trying to calm her emotions, Phoebe did as Lex instructed. Her brown eyes quickly scanned the ancient pages, but she shook her head. "No. Nothing for Piper." The hint of a smile crept over her features. It looked like Prue was trying to help Brendan with his fear, but she didn't say anything aloud about it.
"What is it?" Lex asked her as he noticed her hesitate over the page.
"Well, I . . . I think Prue was looking for it for another reason," Phoebe explained. "There's nothing here about helping with blindness or restoring a sense, just something on . . . "
Again, Phoebe hesitated, and this time, Piper questioned her. "What, Phoebe? What is it? Whatever it is, I'm not going to get angry with Prue over it, so you don't need to protect her."
"Well, it's nothing much," Phoebe fumbled. "I just . . . She was probably just trying something to help Brendan."
"Oh," Lex said disappointedly. "Keep looking. There's got to be something in there. Prue did find something before." He sat down on a cot facing them.
Phoebe nodded as she began to flip through the pages. "Whatever Prue found is still in there," Piper assured Lex, Phoebe, and herself, "and there's absolutely no reason why it shouldn't work again."
"You made this, didn't you?" the oddly-educated voice asked gently. Knowing, dark eyes looked down from the shining sword he had been inspecting to gaze upon the shy boy who seemed to want to disappear into the shop. "It's all right," he assured him with a smile. "I won't tell any one. It'll be our little secret. Now," he nodded toward the sword and asked again with a sly smile, "you made it, didn't you?"
The boy slowly started to nod, but the old, gravelly voice that shouted out from behind them made the boy jump and then stand as still as a statue. "I've told ya before, boy! Ya don't lie ta the customers! Imagine! You making such fine weaponry, ya scrawny whelp! Why, I oughta -- "
Kind eyes surveyed the boy. Though the child seemed to be almost statuesque, the former slave knew from experience that, beneath that facade of a still surface, the boy was trembling, shaking like a leaf caught in a hurricane. His quick mind contemplated the scene as his eyes rose to the boy's drunken master, who had come in from the back of the shop. He hid his disgust well and kept his voice smooth and even. "How much for the child?"
"He ain't fer sale," the shop owner was quick to answer, knowing that the boy's skills were the only thing that kept the money for his addictions coming in. "Now take yer sword an' leave."
"Sir, that is no way to treat a customer, and surely, there must be a price for the boy? No amount could be too high for such a lad."
"Ya ain't a customer. Yer a darkie, an' I already told ya the boy ain't fer sale. Now get yer black ass outta here 'fore I call the guards an' have 'em haul ya outta here."
The African's gaze evenly met the drunk's, and he said nothing. He was used to the prejudice against his kind and ran into it constantly despite earning his freedom a long time ago and working hard for his reasonable amount of wealth. He also knew the difference between a cause he could help and a cause he could not. His gaze met the boy's one last time, his kind eyes deeply apologetic. "Good day, sir." He nodded in respect to the boy, knowing Brown would think the gesture was meant for him; turned on his heel; and walked away.
Young Will Turner watched the man go, wondering how such a seemingly-nice man could have wanted to buy him. He yelped in surprise as Brown's rough, calloused hand yanked him back to him. "Ya ain't goin' anywhere, squirt, an' it's time fer yer lesson." Will squinted his eyes tightly closed against the alcohol-ridden stench that assailed his senses as Brown's breath and the beating that was about to come.
What the boy never saw was the dark man turn back to look at him with deep apology written in his gaze one last time nor did he hear the words Edward whispered to the boy who had come close to being his friend as they had talked so much that morning. "I'm sorry, Will," the man had whispered as he'd forced himself to walk away, his head hung low.
In present day, Will's body twitched as his dreams shifted, going from the beatings he'd received as a child to the cruel fate that had just recently fallen upon him. Anamaria again stood over him, laughing as she informed him that he was hers and that his beloved Jack was dead. He again felt the sting of her touch; the hungry, cutting metal of her blade and knives; and the thrusting of the horrid instrument inside him; and he whimpered in his nightmare-filled sleep.
Cordelia hesitated long enough to stoop beside Elizabeth and offer the blonde her hand. Elizabeth's eyes met Cordy's gaze. "It's that he they're talking about, isn't it?" she asked. "Crystal's uncle?"
Cordelia merely nodded, but she looked around while pulling Elizabeth to her feet. It was hard for her to make anything out of the dark, but then her hazel eyes caught movement. She couldn't tell what it was, but whatever it was, it was low to the deck. A plaintive wail then met the Princess' ears, and her mouth fell open in surprise.
"Where'd that kitten come from?" Angel asked. "I don't remember seeing him before." He walked over and looked down at the kitten. "Hey, little fella," he said as he picked him up. "We're not going to leave you here, either."
He did not have anything to carry the kitten in, and so he brought it back and handed it to Cordelia. "Your kitten, milady?" he said with a smile.
"Well, he isn't mine persay," Cordelia started with a grin as she carefully accept the little ball of fur. At the way the kitten looked up at her, she couldn't help but to smile even brighter despite the danger they were all in. "Aw! He's so cute! And you know . . . " She stopped in mid-sentence as her hazel eyes gazed into the kitten's blue eyes. "He looks an awful lot like that other cat," she observed.
"Which one?" Elizabeth, now also on her feet, asked from beside Cordelia.
"Meesy. King Meesy." Cordelia's questioning eyes gazed up into Angel's.
Angel leaned forward and sniffed the kitten's fur. "That's because he is King Meesy! They have the same smell. As to what happened to cause King Meesy to shrink, I haven't a clue. Put him somewhere safe, and we'll get you over to Destiny's Ghost." He looked up at Sam only to find that he was gone.
Cordelia brought the Himalayan kitten to snuggle close to her bosom. The only safety she could think of for the poor, little fellow was to hold him close, carefully, and securely as she didn't have any pockets and there wasn't much of her dress left regardless.
As they neared the railing, Angel scooped Cordelia up and jumped easily to the Destiny's deck. He then returned and took Crystal from Lorne. "Meet you over there," he told Lorne and jumped, carrying Crystal.
Lorne took a rope and looked at Elizabeth. Was Angel coming back for her? Lorne would beat him. "Grasp this rope, Elizabeth, and hang on tight. We're going over."
"Me?" Elizabeth nearly squeaked out. "I can . . ." She looked from the rope to the tattered remains of her dress and back again to the rope before facing Lorne. "Do you honestly think I can?" she asked hopefully.
"Together, we can," Lorne told her. He slipped his arms around her and pushed off from the ship. For the first time, Lorne made a perfect landing in his designated area. He released Elizabeth just as Angel was turning to look around for somewhere to lay Crystal so that he could go back for Elizabeth. Angel gave Lorne a thumbs-up sign and released Crystal back to him. "Let's find a cot, and then we can lay Crystal on it so that she can rest better."
Crystal, however, had had enough. Though still weak, there was no way that she was going to be resting with her uncle quickly approaching. "No," she spoke gently but firmly with a shake of her head. "Lorne, you can put me on my feet. I'm feeling much better."
"Okay, sugar, but I'm not letting go of you."
"I'm going to set about getting the ship ready to sail," Angel told them and walked off.
Knowing she'd only be under foot, Cordelia watched Angel leave, and when she could no longer see him, she looked down at the kitten she held close to her heart. "It will be okay, little one," she whispered to him. "Angel will get us out of here in time." She felt a hand on her shoulder and knew it belonged to Elizabeth, who was praying Autolycus, Will, and Jack were all safe.
Celina's hands and claws seemed to be everywhere at once, and Morph knew that the full moon had truly gained complete control over his wife as she drew blood from him again and again in her lust-driven craze. "Celina!" he cried out in between wild, passionate kisses, knowing all the time that it would do no good for his wife's mind was buried underneath that of a horny animal. "Celina!"
He knew what he had to do. He had to knock her out, yet he could not bring himself to hurt the gorgeous woman who he loved with every breath of his body. He would gladly give up all his moments on Earth just to give her one more moment of life, but he knew that the snow heralded the arrival of a monster that would not give them a choice. Were Frostbite to come now, he would turn both Celina and himself to ice and shatter them without their ever standing a chance.
He had to knock Celina out! Morph thought yet again. He had to knock her out and go find Tom and Katrina, but how could he bring himself to do such a terrible deed! It was then that he felt his wife go lax around his steed and her body collapsed on top of his. "Celina! CELINA!" Morph cried out, rolling her over and checking her pulse and breathing as panic and fear ripped his heart apart.
"It's all right." The stranger's voice paused Morph's actions, and the brunette's brown eyes glared up at the redheaded woman. His mouth started to open, but the redhead was quick to explain and didn't give him a chance to yell at her. "Your wife's fine. Kitty told me what was happening and asked me to knock her out. I'm a telepath, so I just -- "
Morph was already nodding his understanding, his gaze falling back down to his wife, who was now sleeping peacefully. "You gave her a mental suggestion to go to sleep."
"Right."
Morph's eyes rose back up to the redhead. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'm Rachel Summers, and like I said, Kitty sent me. She told me to tell you that Crystal's uncle is coming."
"I know." Morph shuddered. "We've got to get moving, but I've got to go back for the rest of my family."
"I understand. I'll handle Celina and the others."
Morph was just about to leave to head after Tom and Katrina when he heard a voice crying up from the ocean for Kitty. "Janeesa!" he asked in surprise.
Rachel's gaze flicked to Morph. She'd heard the mermaid, as well, and had been eagerly anticipating answering her call. Did Morph know Janeesa? She recalled the mermaid saying that she'd met another of their kind but didn't remember her naming the man.
Morph, too, was looking at Rachel in hidden thought. "N-Nothing," he said slowly, thinking that he might be able to head after Tom and Katrina and then sneak back.
"Yeah, right," Rachel agreed. "I didn't hear anything." She watched as Morph ran off, then slipped toward the railing and Janeesa's voice.
"Willow," Clark spoke to the redhead the very second he picked her and her girlfriend up, "please don't be angry. I'll explain everything as soon as we reach the Ghost." "Clark, what's going on?"
"Soon," he promised, sweeping them toward Destiny's Ghost and spotting Xena, Gabrielle, and Kurt on the Ghost's deck. He called to the women but left Kurt to his own devices, seeing that he was praying and knowing that he needed some time by himself.
Reaching the deck, Clark gently dropped Willow and Kennedy to the group and hovered above them, waiting for Xena and Gabrielle to reach them.
Kitty had almost reached the ropes leading to the Harlot when something hit the Wench. It shook the entire ship, throwing Kitty off of her feet and into a rolling motion. Her back hit somebody's front, and when the shaking of the ship had stopped and it had began to simply sink instead, she found herself in a jumbled heap with a male body.
The first thing she noticed about the man was that he was barely dressed, wearing only a trench coat whose belt had loosened in the roll. The second thing she noted was his mustache. "Autolycus," she spoke his name dryly.
"Sorry, Kitty. Did not mean to knock you down. Have you seen Elizabeth? Jack?" he questioned hopefully.
"Elizabeth was with Angel's group the last time I saw her." Remembering that the two were close, she added more gently, "She's doing pretty well, all things considered. Autolycus," Kitty's brown eyes moved to meet the man's gaze, "you know what's coming, right?" She hoped he'd had enough sense to put two and two together.
"Bad news, and it's coming fast! What can I do to help?"
"I think Rachel and Morph will probably be able to handle any one left on this deck, and I believe Elizabeth and that group have already left for one of the rescuing ships. You can help me send off those on the Harlot."
"I'll be happy to, Kitty," he said, getting to his feet and offering her a hand.
Kitty took Autolycus' hand and let him help her to her feet. As she straightened, she heard Lockheed approaching. "'Heed, find Kurt for me. Tell him what's going on."
"Coo?"
"Please, baby," Kitty said, looking into her dragon's eyes, "I need to know he's safe."
"Coo." She knew he was upset with her, but still her dragon obeyed, flying further out in search of Kurt.
"See you on the other side," Autolycus told Kitty and headed for a rope. He reached the Wench and headed off in search of any one needing help to get to safety.
Donkey was getting desperate. His softly whispering "Will" was not getting it, but his boy's wild thrashings and whimpering sounds assured him that Will was very much alive and caught in a nightmare. He looked around for water that he could throw on Will, but he could not find any so he did the only thing he could do: he licked him. "WILL, YA GOTTA WAKE UP!" he pleaded and licked him again.
Will's hand wiped unconsciously at his face, trying to wipe off the saliva, even as he slowly started to come around. "Jack?" was the first name off of his tongue but then, his dreams and memories still close, he asked, "Edward?"
"Jack ain't here," Donkey was quick to answer him, "and who's Edward? Is that my new name? Huh? Huh!" He licked Will again.
Will again wiped at the licking sensation, but this time, he hand fell against Donkey's long nose. He touched him softly as his eyes finally fluttered open. His mind was still dazed. "Jack . . . Edward . . . Yeah, yeah, that could be your name . . . " he murmured, gazing into Donkey's long face. "I think . . . " His brow creased, and his face clouded in thought. "I think . . . I understand now . . . "
Donkey spun wildly around the room, jumping in joy. "Oh, joy!" he proclaimed. "I got a name!" He grinned happily. "But Edward's too big! Edward? Ed? Nah. I don't like that. Too big. How 'bout Eddie!" he asked eagerly. He stopped and looked at Will questioningly. He was so proud he was about to burst; his boy had finally given him a name! Now, if the boy could only get it right! He could answer to Eddie! Yes, he could! He nodded his head eagerly.
As Donkey had been jumping around for joy, Will had managed to get himself to a sitting position, his long legs hanging down from the fancy bed he had found himself in. Whose bed was it? Where was Jack? Was Jack okay? Was he alive! Where were he and Donkey? They were on some ship, but whose? These questions and more circled through his mind, but when he found Donkey looking expectantly at him for an answer, he knew the first one that had to be handled.
Will nodded slowly, reaching out with one hand and scratching Donkey in between the ears as he did so. "Eddie it is then," he stated, trying to smile but failing as he was far too worried about Jack. "How long have you been awake? Have you seen Jack? Do you know where he is? If he's okay?"
"Too many questions," Donkey told him, "but the answer to all of them except one is no. I just woke up, and I haven't seen or heard Jack. I don't know where any one is and I don't know where we are, but I do know that we're healed. Thank the Gods somebody healed us!" He looked at Will. "You are healed, aren't ya?"
Will nodded, slowly taking stock of his body but not telling Donkey that he'd probably never be healed from the nightmares or the emotional scars that Anamaria's tortures had inflicted. He wasn't worried about himself now, though. He was worried about Jack, and he had to find him. Getting to his feet, Will stated, "I'm healed, but I have to find Jack." He headed for the door, not even pausing to think about his nakedness.
"Best put a sheet on, at least, Will!" Donkey admonished him. He knew that Will was not aware of his lack of clothes, but when he discovered it, he would probably faint from the shock of it.
"Not now, Donkey, Eddie," Will said, shaking his head. His worry for Jack was too great to allow him to really pay attention to what Donkey was saying or, for that matter, to the fact he'd just pointed out. So what if he was naked? Jack and Faith ran around naked or almost naked all the time!
"But, Will!" Donkey implored. "You do know you're naked, right?"
"Yeah, I know," Will murmured, continuing to walk. "Jack does it all the time." He stopped shortly outside the cabin, standing on the deck of the unknown ship. "Dang, it's cold out here!"
Donkey headed out the door just in time to get a full dusting of snow in his face and coat. "Will, it's snowing!" he whispered. "Oh God! We've died and gone to Hell!"
Will's face had gone pale at Donkey's observation of the snow. "Oh Gods!" he breathed. "He's coming! Donkey, stay here, stay safe!" he exclaimed, breaking into a full-out run and paying no attention to the thing that swung between his legs. "I'VE GOTTA GET TO JACK!" Grabbing a rope, he swung over to one of the ships he recognized.
"WAIT! WILL, WAIT FOR ME! NOWHERE'S SAFE, AND I WANT TO BE WITH YOU!" His plaintive cry followed behind Will. "Now how am I going to get over there? I've gotta get to Will, and she's over there too! I've gotta find her! HELP!" he called. "SOMEBODY, PLEASE HELP AND HURRY!" he pleaded to the air.
Helvira was busily watching those above the ship's underdeck in her crystal ball and wondering about the strange snowfall when footsteps suddenly sounded just inside the door to the hold. Her head picked up instantly, and her black eyes turned toward the newcomer while her pale hand tucked her crystal ball back into the bodice of her silk dress. "Well, will you look at this? The mouse just came to a cat!"
The iron gag over his mouth muffled Salem's voice as the black cat attempted to inform the Vampiress that she was no cat. His green eyes widened with surprise as Mouse informed the bitch of exactly what he had been thinking. "You're no cat," Mouse hissed, her orange eyes almost appearing to glow in the darkness and her own fangs flashing. "You're just a bitch!"
"Big words for a little mouse!" Helvira shot back, a fireball beginning to grow in her pale hand. "That's all right. I'll give you your punishment; then I'll chain your sorry ass."
As Helvira threw the fireball, a growl sounded behind Mouse. "WATCH OUT!" Mouse yelled to Elvira even as she jumped to the side, the rolling of the ship as it was rammed yet again sending her back slamming against the iron bars of the cell. Even as she moved and the fireball hurtled toward the spot she had just stood, a Werewolf barreled into the room.
The fireball flew past her for the Werewolf moved even swifter. Its tinges singed her fur as it continued on past her, but the Werewolf didn't slow. Instead, she pounced on Helvira, gripping her neck in one massive, hairy arm and bringing the Vampiress' arm behind her back. Helvira cried out as her shoulder broke.
The Werewolf squeezed its massive arms around her chest, sending her arm splaying above her head and crushing her own crystal ball into her chest. Helvira's cry turned to a scream as the glass cut into her breasts, but as the Werewolf turned her head and used her teeth to tear off Helvira's hand, the Vampiress' scream of anguish turned to one of pain and horror. The crunching sound that the Werewolf made as it ate her own hand filled her ears, but her other hand quickly started forming a fireball.
Delvira stared at the Werewolf that was so fiercely attacking Helvira. Surely that couldn't be her little sister, Elvira! She didn't know, but regardless of who the Werewolf was, she hoped the beast would be able to kill Helvira. Her black eyes turned back to her husband as she wished again for her powers or, at the very least, a way to pick the locks that bound herself, Jareth, and the others.
Mouse, meanwhile, turned her eyes away from the battle and peered into the cell. "Which one of you is Prue?" Slipping a pick from her pocket with her other free hand, Mouse moved toward the door of the cell.
Salem simultaneously moved toward Frederic. Despite the metal teeth that cut into his small body, Salem forced himself to raise a paw to bat at the blonde boy's leg.
Frederic looked at Salem, his eyes asking the question. He wished desperately that he could do something about the situation so that he could free his fathers. It was then that he saw something glistening in the darkness. Could it be a pick? Salem's devilish grin indicating the glistening object assured Frederic that it was! Frederic gratefully took it from Salem and began to use it to pick the lock on his father's, Smee's, chains.
Smee felt his son working on his locks and wondered where Frederic had gotten the pick from. His son really did make quite the great Pirate when he wasn't trying to do away with all Pirates, but what did it matter if he was freed? What did anything matter when James had finally seen him for the real thing he was and no longer loved him, no longer wanted him? He had to do this, Smee thought, not for himself and not for James but for Frederic. His last deed would be getting his son free as soon as Frederic finished unlocking him.
