Chapter Twenty-five

Ororo tried her best not to show how she was feeling as she walked with Jack and his new-found feline friend through the winding corridors below the Harlot's deck, but still the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stood on end. Her mahogany skin crawled with the remembrance of the earthworms that had slithered across her flesh when she was three. The walls seemed to close in all around her, just as the rubble and dead bodies had back then. Her heart hammered in her throat, and bile rose in her stomach. Still, she continued on, desperately and determinedly placing one booted foot after another before her.

A breeze flittered through the hallway, let in from where she did not know. It rushed over her tall body, reminding her of another part of her childhood that made her shiver to her core. One hand curled so that her fingernails bit into its palm, but her other hand tightened, as well, in Jack's forgotten grip. She recalled the thing's eyes and the way it spoke not only to her but inside her.

Ororo fought against her memories, conjuring up brighter memories in her mind. She remembered how she'd met Patricia and how Penny and Patty had taken her into their family despite the fact that their embrace and refusal to notice her skin color had caused quite a stir not only in town but also within their own village. Patty had been the sister she had never had and Penelope the mother she'd always yearned for.

She remembered when Patty had first become pregnant with Prue. They'd all been excited, and she had been honored to deliver her adopted sister's firstborn into the world. They had thought to get a doctor for the next baby, but Ororo had ended up delivering them all -- Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige. She felt as though they were as much her own daughters as they were Patricia's, and she refused to fail them now. She had to conquer her fears and rescue Prue . . . and Logan.

With all the things that had happened to her in her past, 'Ro knew that she did not deserve their love, neither her goddaughters' nor Logan's, and she could still scarcely believe that not only did she have a family but, though Penny and Patty had been taken from them, she now had an even larger family. Logan was as surely her soul mate as there was blood in her veins and as her soul connected with the Earth. Never had she felt more complete than when he was within her, and she would not stand idly by and simply allow him to die.

Thunder rumbled, and she hoped Jack didn't hear it for she knew he'd think that it was caused by her fear. Outside, snow continued to fall, a fact she'd yet to bring to her son's attention for she didn't want to add to his fears, and lightning danced through the night sky and inside Ororo's own blue eyes. It was then that they turned another corner and savage growling met their ears.

Ororo stopped, her left foot falling silent against the planking, and listened intently. The thing that growled would have sounded to untrained ears like a wild, ravenous beast, but she knew it was a Demon. Then, she heard the whimpering. Her blue eyes narrowed at the thought that the Demon was ripping into their own, and her blood ran cold. "Wesley!" she whispered to Jack, releasing his hand and preparing to go into battle.


Prue saw the strange woman who was trying to unlock the cell door, and when she asked who was Prue, she tried to roll toward her, but her chains held her bound. All she could do was pleadingly look at her with her eyes and hope that the woman would know that she was trying to answer her.

Frederic finally managed to get his father free and then turned around to where Smee could work on his locks. Smee turned and tried to still his trembling enough so that his hands could pick Frederic's locks. Even in the dark, he couldn't help seeing how fat and little his hands appeared to be compared to the hands of most Pirates, including his beloved James and their boys, and the tears continued to well in his eyes as he worked on Frederic's locks.

As he worked, he repeated a mantra in his head over and over again. He had to do this, and he would free Frederic. Then, he'd find a way to disappear on his boy. He'd be much better off with James as a single parent than he would be if he was continued to be held back by an old, fat man who couldn't make it as a real Pirate if his life depended on it. A tear trailed down Smee's plump face and splashed onto Frederic's wrist as the first lock came loose. The first tear was followed by others.

Frederic felt the tears of his father touch his hand, and he wished that he could heal the heartbreak that he knew was slowly eating away at Smee's heart. Never in a million years, would he have thought James would have looked at a woman, not under his own power any way, because he knew how much James cared for Smee! He knew James loved Smee long before James even knew it, and he knew that, if given a chance, James could take away the pain in Smee's heart but for now, it was impossible for them to be able to talk to each other. However, after the rescue, he'd make Smee listen even if he had to tie him down in a room and lock them both in!

Jareth's eyes had opened slightly in surprise as the Werewolf had attacked Helvira. He knew it was Elvira, but he could scarcely believe it. The youngest one of the three sisters and the one with the least power now seemed to hold all the power! He prayed that she would not succumb to Helvira but would win their freedom.

Wolf tried to smile through his swollen mouth. The collar kept shocking him as he was trying to transfer into his Werewolf, but he prayed to give extra strength to Elvira. She would never believe him when he told her how beautiful she looked in her Werewolf form. To him, she was even more beautiful than when he had held her in his arms for the first time after making love! The collar shocked him again, and again he tried to wolf. If only he could get out there and help his beloved!

While Wolf, Jareth, and many of the others were happy to see the Werewolf attacking Helvira, the sight that Brendan could barely make out through his aching eyes renewed his struggles. He knew what would happen when the Werewolf had finished with Helvira, if she could even beat her. If she did, they'd have a whole new enemy to confront, one that would only stop eating them when her ravenous appetite had at last been appeased. He couldn't let the bitch get a hold of Prue or his father, and so Brendan continued to struggle against his chains, growling deep in his throat, even as the shocks continued running through his body. He didn't want to wolf, but the full moon held him in its unrelenting grip.

Wolverine shifted slightly. He had been straining for a while, trying not to reveal himself as Helvira had been busy elsewhere and he had been working despite the pain to try to break his chains. He had finally felt one link loosening. Now, if he could only get it loose the rest of the way, he could help Elvira to beat her sister! He realized that even though Helvira had lost a hand and a great deal of blood, she was still extremely powerful.

He didn't know much about Werewolves who could control themselves, but he hoped that the human part of Elvira's brain stayed in control because if it didn't, Helvira could still win out over Elvira. He saw the flame growing larger and wished that he could call out a warning. Instead, all he could do was watch as it grew ever larger. Did Elvira see? He hoped so!


Dawson felt himself drowning. The more he fought against his father, the stronger his father became. Yet, somewhere, in those burning lips, he could taste Faith. The stench of Mitch's mouth could not hide her untamed wildness or the promise that lay beneath the rough taste of bitch. Dawson knew he had truly gone insane, because Faith was dead on the floor!

He pushed once again at Mitch, finally succeeding in knocking him off of him. Mitch bounced against the wall and jumped back on Dawson again, baring the boy down to the floor. "Just like old times, isn't it, son? I may die from the pleasure of it!" he mocked.

Dawson screamed at him, "YOU'RE THE REASON MOTHER BECAME WHAT SHE WAS! YOU WOULD'VE DRIVEN ME THE SAME WAY, BUT I WAS STRONGER! I HATE YOU, MITCH! I WILL NEVER CALL YOU FATHER!"

He struck the back of his hand against Mitch and managed to squirm out from under him while he was still stunned from his blow. "GET OFF OF ME AND DON'T EVER TRY THAT AGAIN, OR I WILL KILL YOU! YOU'VE NEVER BEEN A FATHER TO ME! I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED YOU TO BE SUCH A SICK BASTARD!"

Mitch looked at Dawson in feigned confusion. "But, son, you're mine! I love you! Your mother never loved you! She didn't love me; she hated men!"

"That's not so!" Dawson was quick to tell him. "She loved you once! Gods know how since you were probably sick even then!" Dawson backed up against the wall. He could see Faith laying still and cold on the floor, the sword that he had plunged into her a harsh reminder of how his life was going to be forever more.


Mouse's progress on the cell door was halted by a bright light that appeared right inside the cell. The Piratess' head snapped up, and her orange eyes shot wide in surprise as she saw a redhead materializing just inside the cell! She had to be another Piratess, coming to take one or more of the others away, in an escape attempt.

Paige had one hand pressed to her stomach and the other to her head when the light around her began to fade. Everything was dark, but the sounds of battle she now heard seemed to be a great deal closer, almost on top of her! Her brown eyes peered through the darkness, trying to make sense of the shadows, and she had barely glimpsed what she thought to be her older sister's silhouette when an arm snatched her from behind.

The iron bars cut into Mouse's arm, but she forced her hand through in desperation. She could feel her circulation cutting off even as she gripped the redhead's throat and yanked her back against the cell. "Ya ain't takin' 'em, bitch." Her sword pressed into Paige's back.


Morph had been heading for the other ship and Rachel had just started toward the railing where she could hear Janeesa calling for Kitty when the ship was rammed again. This time, the ramming was so hard that the entire ship shook and tossed about in the rising waves. Rachel caught herself quickly on a nearby rope, but Morph did not stop sliding until he had fallen backwards into the redhead.

Ray's eyes glared down at him, but she didn't say a word until the ship had settled once more. "I thought you were going after your family?"

"After that," Morph shook his head, "I can't yet. I know you mean well, but I've got to take care of Celina." He hurried after the four unconscious bodies that had slid across the briefly up-turned deck.

Rachel chased after him. Usually, she could have understood Morph's decision to be the one to take care of his wife, but she knew that the longer she was stuck with him, the longer it would be before she could answer Janeesa's desperate cry.

Morph reached the bodies first, and his brown eyes turned to look down at his wife. Luckily, she had crashed into the blonde man's back rather than the side of the ship, but Morph growled under his breath at the sight of his wife's naked body spooned around the stranger's back. Morph had barely picked Celina up when Rachel caught up to him.

"You can give her to me," Ray told him. "I'll be careful with her."

Morph shook his head. "I'll carry her over to the Ghost and then return for the others."

"That isn't necessary."

"The Hell it's not! I don't know what the heck's ramming the ship, but it's not going to stop any time soon!"

"I realize that," Ray said, trying to keep her cool, "but I can handle them."

Morph's brown eyes scanned the woman before him. She had an athletic build, but she was dressed in a fine, light red gown. He'd also seen that the back was open and that she was injured. "I can handle it," he told her. "Then I'll go after Tom and Katrina."

Ray had seen the way Morph had looked over her, and her blood boiled. Still, she fought to keep her anger in check. "Why can't you just go deal with your people and leave me to this?"

Morph passed on pointing out the obvious fact that since his wife was among this group, these were his people. Instead, beginning to lose what little patience he'd had, he countered with, "Why can't you just go deal with your people!"

"Because," Rachel snapped, "my person told me to deal with this!"

"Well, you can just go tell him -- "

Rachel took a step closer to Morph as she growled out a correction, "Her!" Thunder rolled both in the night sky and in Ray's eyes. "Why do you damn men always have to think that a woman's person has to be a man! I spit on the whole male gender!"

"Riiight . . . " Morph's voice trailed off. He wasn't dumb and definitely knew how to tell a clue that a woman's anger was starting to get out of hand. He gulped and tightened his hold on his wife's unconscious body. Gently holding Celina close to his chest and enjoying the way her furry breasts heaved against his chest in her sleep, Morph told Rachel, "Well, while you're spitting on the whole male gender and all, I'm just gonna take Celina over. We can continue this debate," he said, using a term he'd picked up from his intellectual wife, "when I get back."

Though Morph had quickly left Rachel and headed for the railing to carry Celina over to the Ghost, he made the mistake of stopping at the railing and looking back at the mad redhead with one of his trademark grins. "OH, AND DON'T FORGET," he had to shout to be heard over the swirling snow and rising wind, "WITHOUT MALES, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ORGASMS!"

Not catching the fury that darkened Ray's face, Morph turned, grasped a rope with a freshly-grown third arm, and swung toward the Ghost. However, he certainly did hear her yell of "OOOOOOOOO!". A second later, he heard a heavy object zinging through the air toward him. Experience enabled Morph to tell the size of the object and its pathway, and his head shrank to the size of a doubloon just in time to have the barrel hurtle harmlessly pass him.

Morph's head popped back to normal as he yelled, "MISSED ME!" He half-expected the redhead to shoot back at him a line about how she certainly wasn't going to kiss him but was surprised by her lack of response. With a shrug, he continued on to a quiet, shadowed part of the deck where he hoped Celina would be safe until he could make it back to her.


When Cordelia had become engrossed in watching Angel climbing the ship's rigging, Elizabeth had wondered off to stare through the darkness at the enemy ships. Her hands now clutched the Ghost's cold railing, and she leaned over it a bit as her brown eyes desperately sought any sign of movement on the other ship. She was worried for the three who had become her men, and she had no clue where any of them were, if they were okay, or if they were even still alive.

Fear clutched at Elizabeth's breast. Where was Will? Was Jack truly dead, or had he come with the others to rescue them? If he had, had he made it to Will in time? Was either dear man alive? Terror slithered through her taut body like a serpent.

After learning the truth of Will's sexuality and his real love interest, Elizabeth had felt that he'd betrayed her. Even when she'd finally forgiven him, she still had not expected to feel this strongly for him. She smiled sadly as she recalled their talk after the fight with the Giants. Will truly was her brother, and that might as well make the proud Pirate Captain who always had a fondness for stretching the truth but who Will loved so her brother-in-law. She was truly worried for both men, but there was one who concerned her even more than they did.

Where was Autolycus in all this chaos? She knew he couldn't fight as well as Will or Jack and that his Piracy skills laid far closer to the thievery than any other part. Was he all right? Could he find his way out of this nightmare? Had any one on their side reached him?

Tears stung the blonde's eyes, and she dabbed at them with the back of her hand. They had to be okay! She couldn't lose them now, not now when she'd finally thought their lives were coming together! She'd known Will hadn't been happy with her, but he was happy now with Jack and she was certainly happy with Autolycus. In fact, just the thought of being with her mustached thief gave her heart a jump of delight.

Her lips pressed together for a moment against the fear and sadness that threatened to overcome her. She still didn't know if Jack had truly been killed or not, and Will's screams echoed again through her head. She had not heard from Autolycus since the holding cell, but that could mean anything . . . including . . . Including, she shivered, that he was dead!

"Please be safe," she nearly whimpered into the freezing night air. "If any one's listening," she added, still not really knowing rather she should go with her mother's faith or with the Supernatural beliefs of most Pirates. "If any one's listening up there, please keep Toly safe. And Will and Jack. And bring them all back to me in one piece!" A tear ran down her face and splashed onto the railing.


Autolycus made his way as quickly as he could, checking the dead people to see if any life existed. He had to keep fighting the bile down as each Piratess he found was even more disgusting than the last one. Autolycus had never been much of one to like blood and guts. He was more into the thieving part of piracy, and it was taking everything he could to keep himself moving and not checking the blighters' pockets. Since they were dead and wouldn't be needing it any more, it was perfectly fair game.

He hated to pass up the chance to pilfer through their pockets, but he knew that time was of the essence. Some body's lower half was laying on the deck. He did not even consider for one second where the top half might have gone but was thankful it was not raining down upon him. He shuddered at the memory of being trapped with blood and guts raining down upon him back at the auction in Port Royal, but as he turned again, he nearly stepped on another half of some one else!

Clamping his hands over his mouth to keep from squealing or puking, Autolycus whirled around in a new direction. Releasing his grip over his mouth, he continued on, not finding any one alive, until he saw one of the ugly, little Goblin creatures who was naked. He was not sure if it was alive or dead. He moved up and touched it with his toe. When it didn't respond, he figured it, too, was dead and was about to move on when he heard a low moan. He turned back and took a closer look at the bizarre creature.

Teak was slowly coming around, and he couldn't remember a time when he had ever felt this badly, not even the morning after the annual Goblin picnic. "Water," he managed to gasp out.

Autolycus looked around and found a bottle. He took a sniff. Not water, but it would have to do. "Sorry, little guy, but I don't know where to look for water. All I have is this." He lifted him so that he could take a sip.

Teak took a small sip. "Gods, that's awful! What is?"

"Bourbon. I think," Autolycus answered. "I drink rum myself."

"Teak had rum before," Teak mused. "Long time ago. Definitely taste better." Teak looked at Autolycus through bleary eyes. "Has you seen . . . Trely? Jareth?"

"Can't say that I have," Autolycus said, "and you're the only living thing I've seen over here. I've got to get you up and back over to the ship so that we can leave."

By this time, Teak was sitting up completely, his nose sniffing the air. "Not going without Trely! Must find Trely at once!"

"I don't think you're in shape to find any one," Autolycus told him. "I'm going to take you to the ship."

"No, you not! We going to find Trely!" Teak told him in a very determined voice.

"We'll look for a little while," Autolycus relented, "but we also have to keep looking for the living. Think you can find her?"

Teak nodded. "Teak find Trely no matter where Trely at."


Clark's troubled blue eyes roamed the Ghost's deck, taking in the sight of those who were making their way toward the group. It was then that he spotted Angel working on the ship, and he called out to them. "AHOY, ANGEL, LORNE!" he shouted through the rising wind. He gestured for them to come over.

"YES, CLARK!" Angel called back. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

Lorne turned questioning eyes toward Clark, as well. He could not think of one thing that Clark could possibly tell him about the upcoming danger that he didn't already know. He tucked Crys' hand into his arm just enough that she couldn't get away from him if she wanted to. He still was not comfortable with the knowledge that she would run away from him if she could.

"YOU KNOW THE SITUATION," Clark called back to them. "WE NEED TO GET BOTH SHIPS READY, AND THERE'RE STILL THOSE WHO NEED RESCUING."

"THAT'S WHAT LORNE AND I WERE ABOUT TO DO -- GET THE SHIP READY FOR SAILING. DO YOU NEED US TO DO SOMETHING ELSE?" Angel asked him.

Clark shook his head, the growing wind tossing about his black hair. "I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE AWARE," he returned. He was about to speak again when he was interrupted from below.


As Will landed on the deck of the Harlot, he caught a blur of movement out of the corner of his eyes. He turned to peer through the increasing snowfall and was just in time to see Kitty Pryde flip onto the deck.

As she flipped, Kitty scanned the deck. Seeing that there were very few left above deck, she knew that Autolycus could handle them. Instead of allowing her feet to meet the deck, she flipped again while still in the air.

Will watched Kitty and, realizing what the Piratess was about to do and recalling the time that Faith had borrowed a ride from Kurt, Will ran after her. He jumped, catching the heel of her boot just as Kitty phased, and she carried him down into below deck with her.


Lockheed flew around the ships. It was hard to see through the snow, but he was determined to find Kurt for his Kitty. Finally, he heard the blue Demon's voice and headed toward it.

Kurt was rocking back and forth, praying, his mind blocked out to everything that was going on around him. He had paid no attention to the snow that was piling up around him. In fact, he now had so much snow on him that he looked like a snowman! His Gods were not answering him. Why were They failing him, or had he failed Them! Where had They gone, or had he simply walked away from Them?

"It's not fair!" he wailed into the night sky, his yellow eyes and sharp fangs glistening in the dark. "All I vant to be is like an ordinary Pirate able to be vith ze voman I love! I vant to be able to take care of mein family, and if it means being alone vithout You, I'll do it on mein own! But I miss you!"

Lockheed drew closer to Kurt's voice, but still he had trouble seeing for all the snow. Where was the Priest? He could hear him praying, but he couldn't see him. All he saw was a huge snowbank! Wait a minute . . . 'Heed backed up a bit in the air and looked again at the snowbank, shivering in the cold. Was it his imagination, or was that snowbank . . . moving!

"Give me a sign! Please some kind of sign so zat I'll know vhat vay to go!" Kurt pleaded with his unseen God. He felt that even Lady Aphrodite had disappeared on him. Tears ran down his face and froze even as they ran.

Lockheed's eyes grew wide as he watched the snowbank. It was moving! Just barely, but it was still moving! Lockheed thought of going after Kitty but knew he couldn't drag her away from her cause to investigate some moving snowbank. Slowly, he glided closer. "Coo?" he called out cautiously.

Kurt was slowly freezing to death and did not have enough sense about himself in his loss and bereavement to realize it. He just knew that he was colder than he had ever been in his life and that the snow had slowly covered him. He attempted to move but couldn't. "Zis is to be mein punishment? Zen so be it! I love you, Katzchen! I always vill!"


Cole's eyes were taking in the scenes around him. He was surprised at Elvira's attack and that it seemed to be going so well, but he was afraid that she might tire before she had taken Helvira completely out. Before he could get over that surprise, he had another one when Paige teleported into the cell with them! Now, Paige had been taken prisoner by one he had thought had come to rescue them!

He wriggled his body, moving closer to where Paige's feet were. He tried to think of what he could do to let the orange-haired woman know that this was one of theirs. He attempted to pull himself to his feet only to fall back down. Laying on his back with his hands toward the outside of the cell, he reached out and gripped the orange-haired woman's foot, hoping it would give her reason to pause and reassess the situation.


Sam concentrated, praying that he could heal this strange creature that lay before him as easily as he had done the others. He was scant inches away from dieing, and all those around him had already passed. Sam knew he was not of the human kind even though he looked humanoid in appearance. He was made of something whose identity Sam did not have even an inkling of.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Bob's coloring returned to him. He sat up, blinking his eyes and looking at the kneeling man. "Thank you," he said.

Sam was considering why he had healed so quickly and wondered if perhaps, unbeknownst to his own self, he had put some extra power on to it. After all, the man was already active. He got to his feet and held his hand out to the man. "My name is Sam. I think I heard some one call you Bob?"

Bob grinned at him. "Thanks, Sam, and yes, my name's Bob. Do you know where the rest of my family went?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't think they're still aboard this ship."

Bob nodded. "I'll go in search of them," he said, accepting Sam's hand and getting to his feet. He walked rather unsteadily, and Sam wondered if he should go with him. He did not get a chance, however, as he felt himself being summoned and orbed.


Faith's world spun as Judson continued to crush his mouth over hers. How could he taste so much like Dawson that, if only she could forget that the man whose arms she was like butter in was Judson, she would swear she was kissing Dawson himself? She could even taste the kid's innocence in the sweetness of what seemed so much like his mouth, but she could not forget reality.

What was reality? she wondered, her mind spinning. After all she'd been through since being captured, what, indeed, was reality? Was reality a man who could pretend to be her mother -- who could act, sound, and feel just like her mother while his lower half pumped within her? Was her betrayal to Snow, her eating cat meat, real? Was Dawson truly dead, or was this just another of Judson's sick and twisted mind games?

Could Dawson be alive? Could this be Dawson? Could it be that the reason why Judson tasted so startlingly much like Dawson was because they were one and the same? Because Judson was only causing Dawson to appear to be him, and this kiss -- this kiss that sounded explosions within her mind and rocked her entire sense of being -- was Dawson's way of reaching out to her, of trying to make her realize that this was him and not Judson?

Faith's fingers threaded through Judson's blonde hair, and the texture felt like Dawson's strands. Faith's eyes fluttered open, and she gazed into the face of her greatest enemy, wondering if it were possible that he could instead be the only one she'd ever loved. Deep down, she knew her thoughts to be a fool's hopes and realized what she was thinking was impossible, but still she had to try. As her heart cried out for Dawson yet again, she finally tore her mouth from Judson's in a pleading cry. "DAWSON!"

For a moment, everything seemed to freeze, and Faith repeated Dawson's name as Judson stared down at her. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Was it true? Could Judson be Dawson instead? Could this all be a mirage, and Judson's body be Dawson's on the floor with her sword sticking into his heart? Was it even possible?

"DAWSON!" Faith cried out again as Judson's unblinking, red eyes gazed angrily at her. Then, Judson's fist struck out, moving as swiftly as a snake striking. His hand closed around her throat, and he yanked her to him.

"You little bitch!" Judson's breath washed over Faith as he sneered down at her. "Your piece of ass is dead! He's right over there!" With that, he threw Faith onto Dawson's corpse.


Connor paced the floor of the holding cell, his mind torn in separate directions but worry on all sides concerned. There were two torches that lit the cell, and he could see all the beings who were chained up side by side. He had no clue as to why some of them were even there. Weren't Fred and Dawn part of their family? He knew that they had attacked them, but what had caused them to do so?

On the far end, he could see a Piratess hanging from chains. He knew she was from the bad ship and that she was a Werecreature. Why had they brought her aboard and not just killed her and left her on the other ship?

His eyes came back to Zora, who seemed to still be asleep, and Vang. He still could not believe what he had seen Vang do earlier! He was having trouble coming to grips with it. Would Zora do that to him if she had the chance? He hoped and prayed not!

He was torn between staying with the girl he loved and going to rescue his family, but since all of the ones who were under his charge were unconscious, he could not leave them alone. He prayed that some one was getting to his family and releasing them.

He paused in front of Zora, reached out, and touched her face gently. How had she come to mean so much to him in such a short time? He felt like he had known her all his life, but in reality, they had only known each other a few days. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He could not wait to get her back to safety.


Phoebe peered through page after page, her brown eyes having to squint at the scrawled words to make them out in the dim light. There was light coming from only one lit torch in the quarters, so progress through the Book was slow. She muttered to herself but did not speak aloud.

Lex walked over, picked the torch up, brought it back, and held it so that Phoebe could read better.

Phoebe glanced up at Lex with a smile. "Thanks."

Joxer sat up groggily and looked around. "I see you found the Book. Is there anything that will help in there?"

Phoebe had just been turning another page when Joxer came to. "You did good, Joxxy!" she told him, beaming proudly at her man. The others could say he was a goof all day and all night, but she knew better! He might not be a good Pirate, but he was a great man, her great man!

Returning her attention to her family's Book, Phoebe muttered to herself, "There's gotta be at least that spell Prue used . . . " Her words trailed off as her eyes returned to the Book's ancient pages. "Here it is!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Wonderful!" Lex told her. "Read it."

Phoebe began reciting the words on the page and felt a strange tingle pass through her.

"Locked in, boxed in, full of fear
Piper's panic grows manic till she can't hear
In need of a reprieve so she can breathe
Remove her blindness, please make it leave.
"


Ray had entered the chamber shortly after the others but had hidden himself almost immediately. He realized he did not have much in the way of fighting powers in this universe. He had left all of his useful skills behind when they had left Mainframe. He felt completely at a loss, not knowing what to do but wanting to be close to Mouse in case he could be of some assistance.

He had his sword in his hand and was waiting for an opportunity to jump in to save his beloved. So far, there had not been an opportunity for him to do anything but watch. He did not even have a pick, so he could not help the others to get free. For now, all he could do was wait.

Raziel's glowing eyes had started taking in the situation the very minute he entered the cell with Ray. Knowing that he could not get into the battle with Helvira quite yet, he headed instead to the ones chained on the wall. He had almost reached them when something rammed the bottom of the ship, sending him stumbling back.


Jack had felt 'Ro's tension mounting, and he had given her several gentle squeezes on her hand to remind her that he was there and that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her if he could help it. The cat had climbed up and was now riding on his shoulder. He found it to be a much better place than when he was winding in and out of his legs.

"Mom?" Jack had called her name when he heard the thunder, but before she could answer, he heard growling. "Stand back," he told her, and he drew both his swords, forgetting that the cat was still on him. He thought he was prepared as he kicked the door open with his booted foot, but the sight that met his eyes was not something he could have been prepared for even in a million years. He stopped in his tracks, staring at the monstrosity that was all over his friend.

'Ro came up right behind Jack, gentle winds picking the tabby cat up, carrying him past Jack's and her own heads, and settling him on the floor behind them. Ororo's blue eyes peered over Jack's shoulder. She was sickened by the sight of the Demon but, unlike her brave son, not surprised for she had seen Demons of this one's caliber before. She had also seen uglier and more powerful ones.

The Demon hissed, her forked tongue flickering out between her rotted teeth, as she turned to look at the intruders. Black horns gnarled backwards from the top of her head, and scraggly hair protruded out from her bumpy skull just beneath her horns. Her skin was the reddish color that came from bloodied vomit, and her forehead was filled with smaller bumps, each of which Ororo knew to be another horn. Yellow claws arched out from her knotted fingers.


Carl felt wood splintering underneath him and barely had time to scuttle away, dragging Prue with him, before the wood where they had just been laying fell through. The splash as the boards fell into the ocean sounded far below, and other boards were broken inside angrily snapping mouths. Carl shivered, knowing he'd moved just in time. Then realizing that he'd forgotten to grab Salem and Kit, the Gnome glanced around, his heart in his throat. He could find Kit nowhere, but his eyes stopped to stare at Salem in surprise for the black cat had managed to leap onto James Hook's head!

James had been totally surprised when, out of nowhere, a cat landed on his head! He had seen the wood splintering and had been relieved that no one had fallen through yet. He could not exactly reach up and pull Salem off of his head nor could he tell him to get off his head, so he just sat still, hoping that his one-time leader would get an incentive to get off before he lost any of his lovely hair!

James' thoughts snapped instantly away from his glorious hair, however, when sudden howling and crying rose from within the cell. His panicked eyes darted quickly around the cell, and he paled as he saw many animals sliding toward the hole. They were trying to hold on, but none were succeeding . . .

To Be Continued . . .