I AM A DESPICABLE HUMAN BEING.

You guys, I don't even have a good excuse or anything for why it's been three months since I updated. I AM SO, SO, SO SORRY.

I'm just going to give you the chapter now and ramble on some more apologies/attempts at explanations at the end.

Enjoy!


Things smoothed out slowly over the next week. Jim did just about everything he could think of to distract her from the thought of children (not an easy task when there was a baby in their house) or even the subject of intimacy. It seemed to be working (at least a little bit), and he was doing a pretty good job... until her birthday.

Almost two weeks after Tabitha's confession to Jim, everyone gathered at the Benbow for a small party to celebrate her twenty-first birthday. Everything was fine there; it wasn't until later, when they got back home, that Tabitha basically seduced him, claiming she wanted a... more private kind of birthday present, until Jim realized he really didn't have any grounds to argue with her on and finally gave in.

The next morning, Jim immediately began to regret it, but Tabitha seemed less stressed and happier than she had in a while. Jim reached the ironic conclusion that maybe the bedroom had been the best place to provide a distraction to the baby situation, but decided that he'd let her be in charge of initiating that kind of thing... or he was going to try to, at least.

A couple of days after that, it was time for the Deason family to return home, and Jim couldn't help but be relieved. It wasn't that he was tired of having them around, but he was certain that having Jordan around all the time wasn't helping Tabitha get over the theory that there was a problem. Amidst everything else, Dr. Doppler informed them that one of his friends was in need of a captain, ship, and crew for a voyage he was planning. They agreed to meet with the prospective employer, which Jim only hoped would help keep Tabitha distracted for now.

As it worked out, Jim and Tabitha ended up scheduling a meeting with the possible employer - a Dr. Dubois - on the same day that Cason, Rylee, and Jordan had to head home, so they were all up at the crack of dawn to head off to the spaceport together. Tabitha seemed unusually cheerful despite the early wake up call. As she practically leapt to her feet at the sound of the alarm and immediately headed to the washroom for a shower, Jim crossed his fingers that the whole idea that there was something wrong with her was out of her mind, at least for the time being.

Jim was propped up in bed, aimlessly flipping through a book when Tabitha left the washroom a little while later. "Morning," she greeted cheerfully.

"Morning," he replied as he glanced up at her, doing an instant double-take as she dropped the towel and started to get dressed. "What are you doing?"

"What?" she asked innocently.

"Why are you getting dressed out here instead of in the washroom like you usually do?"

She shrugged, but a slight grin was starting to pull at the corners of her mouth. "I accidentally left my clothes out here."

"Accidentally my ass," Jim mumbled.

Tabitha giggled, but stopped abruptly. "What...?" She froze, then turned to face Jim, hands on her hips. "Jim... where are the rest of my clothes?"

Jim tried to hide his smirk by refusing to look at her. "What clothes?"

"Last night, I set aside the clothes I was going to wear today," she explained. "Now it seems my undergarments have gone missing. Do you know anything about that?"

"Can't say I do," Jim said as he closed the book and set it aside, crossing his arms over his chest smugly.

Tabitha's eyes narrowed as she surveyed him, then she suddenly walked over and pushed him. "Get up!"

"No! Why?" he laughed, refusing to budge.

"Because you're laying on top of them!"

"How do you know?"

Tabitha abruptly stopped fighting him and kissed him instead, repositioning herself over him. She pulled back just slightly, but Jim placed one hand on the back of her head and held her there. She moved back a little at a time, and each time he moved forward with her, until she finally had him sitting up. She pulled out of his grasp, reached behind him, and grabbed the clothing.

"Ah-ha! I knew it!"

"Oh, look at that," Jim feigned mild surprise. "They must have accidentally ended up over here somehow."

Tabitha returned his smirk with a frown, but her attitude quickly changed. With a coy smile, she placed one hand against his shoulder and silently pushed him back down. Jim remained tensed and confused for a moment, but relaxed soon enough. She kept it up just long enough for his breathing to start to become labored before she pulled away and smiled brightly.

"Come on. We've got to get to the spaceport!"

Jim's jaw dropped. "But - "

A quick knock at their door interrupted his complaint. "Hey, I know that the bedroom is your favorite place to be, but we've got a launch to catch, so I'd appreciate it if you two would hurry it up," Cason's typical teasing voice called.

Tabitha arched her eyebrows and smirked, telling Jim she'd made her point.

Jim sighed. "You know, despite what you keep suggesting, Tabitha and I do have a marriage outside of the bedroom," he shouted back.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Cason laughed.

Tabitha giggled at how irritated Jim looked. "We're coming!" she shouted.

Jim didn't stop gawking at her the whole time she was getting dressed. He had a love/hate relationship with the way she could go from being a seductress one moment to playing nice and friendly the next. "You are driving me crazy, woman," he groaned as he finally stood up.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"I mean that you're a tease," he said.

"I'm not being a tease..." Tabitha laced her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him. "I'm giving you a preview of what you can expect tonight."

Jim's eyes widened slightly and his chest tightened with anticipation. Even these subtle reactions were spotted by Tabitha, who laughed and kissed his cheek before turning to leave. His heart was racing, and he had the feeling today was going to pass agonizingly slowly, but for now he could do nothing except sigh and follow her out of the room.


A quick stop at the Benbow for the Deason family to say goodbye, and then they were off to the spaceport to see them off and for Jim and Tabitha to meet with Dr. Dubois, their new potential employer.

Rylee hugged Tabitha tightly. "I promise it won't be another two years before we see each other again."

"It better not be," Tabitha laughed. "We need to visit each other soon."

Cason and Jim shook hands and pulled each other into a half embrace, since Cason was holding Jordan with his other arm. "See you later, Jim."

Jim nodded in agreement and looked at Jordan. "Bye, kid. I know you look just like your dad, but maybe you'll get some of your mothers common sense instead."

Cason laughed. "Let's hope so. I don't think I can raise a kid that turns out just like me."

Tabitha smiled and waved goodbye to Jordan. "Bye-Bye, Jordan! Don't grow up too fast."

Jim wound his arm around Tabitha's waist as they watched their friends board the ship. As it finally cast off and began to sail away, he turned to look at her.

"So," he began. "Off to meet with Dr. Dubois?"

She smiled. "We have one quick stop to make first."

"We do? Where?"

She grinned and pulled him down the street aways, finally turning into an office building. Jim didn't have time to catch the name of it, but as soon as he entered and saw everyone in their uniforms, he figured out it was something to do with the Interstellar Academy and/or the local military forces.

"Where are we? What are we doing here?" he questioned Tabitha.

She shushed him and approached the counter that stood in front of them. A woman who looked somewhat human, besides the fact she was blue, slightly scaly, and appeared to have antennas instead of ears, peered over the edge of her glasses at the couple.

"Can I help you?" she asked in a startlingly deep voice.

"We're here to see Commodore Anthony Aldamae," Tabitha answered.

"Commodore Aldamae?" Jim repeated. "Why do we need to - ow!"

A sharp jab to the ribs from his wife shushed him long enough for them to get the directions to Commodore Aldamae's office - third floor, take a right, fourth door on the left. Tabitha thanked the woman and grabbed Jim's hand, pulling him towards the stairs.

"Am I allowed to ask you what we're doing here yet?" Jim asked impatiently.

Tabitha giggled. "It's a surprise. You'll see."

"What kind of surprise?"

"A... surprising surprise."

Jim stopped walking up the staircase and glared at her. Tabitha laughed and stepped down the two steps towards him before grabbing his hand and pulling him up. "Just come on."

Jim relented and allowed himself to be dragged up the next two flights of steps and down the hallway to the door that read "Commodore Anthony Aldamae" in bold, black writing. Tabitha knocked and was greeted with a cheery, "Come in!"

"Hello, sir," she smiled as they entered the room.

The commodore stood up from his spot behind his desk and grinned at the couple. "Tabitha! Jim! How are you?"

"We're fine," Jim answered, his confusion about why they were here coming out in his voice.

Commodore Aldamae raised an eyebrow at Jim, then looked at Tabitha. "I take it you didn't tell him why he's here." She shook her head and he laughed. "Well, Mr. Hawkins, let's get down to it. I'm sure you're well aware of your current placement among the ranks?"

Jim glanced around, looking slightly confused. "Well, um... I'm a Novice Captain, if that's what you mean - "

"Yes, of course! And I'm sure you're also aware of how you move up from that title they presented you with upon your graduation at the Interstellar Academy to a more becoming sort of title."

"Uh, well, you have to serve the equivalent of one year in space as a Captain aboard your own ship, and then you move up to... just being a regular Captain, like Amelia."

"Right you are!"

There was a slight pause while Tabitha and Commodore Aldamae waited for Jim to put two and two together, but he seemed to be lagging behind a bit.

"Wait... No. No, I can't be... I-I haven't... Have I?" he stammered.

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Jim, sweetheart, you know I love you, but you're not the brightest star in the Etherium sometimes."

Jim's shock let Tabitha get away with the insult. "But it usually takes years to move up!"

"It has taken you years."

"Only three! They told us it would take at least five!"

"Well, you must be lucky then," Commodore Aldamae chuckled as he walked back around his desk and reached for a box on the floor. Lifting it up, he sat it on the desk and opened it, extracting the blue jacket that was Jim's.

"Surprise," Tabitha smiled.

"A year? Really?" Jim asked, still frozen in shock. "How?"

"I suppose your fame helped you quite a bit. Normally, financiers aren't so willing to hire Novice Captains, but if that Novice Captain is named Hawkins and just happened to be the boy that discovered Flint's Trove..." He laughed. "Well, that changes things. Also, from what I've heard, you two spent quite a bit of time in space. A lot of short voyages, but all back to back - it adds up."

Jim looked shocked. "Whoa..." He grabbed the jacket from the commodore and held it in front of him, surveying it in awe.

"Put it on," Tabitha urged.

Quickly pulling off the white jacket he'd had for the past few years, he changed into the royal blue coat. "Whoa," he repeated as he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the window behind Commodore Aldamae's desk. He adjusted it slightly, pulling on the collar and the sleeves, then grinned and turned to Tabitha. "How do I look?"

"As handsome as ever," she smiled and quickly kissed his cheek. "Congratulations, Jim."

"Yes, congratulations," the commodore said as he reached out and shook his hand. "I'm sure everyone back at the inn will be thrilled."

"Speaking of the inn, you should stop by for dinner sometime," Tabitha said. "Other than my birthday, we haven't seen you in a while, and we're actually planning a trip with Silver that you'll need to be there for."

Commodore Aldamae chuckled. "Ah, I see. Well, as it happens, I'm free tonight."

"Perfect. Well... Sorry we can't stay. We've got a meeting with someone who wants to hire us."

"Oh, yes, of course. I've got work here to finish up as well," he gestured to the piles of paperwork on his desk. "Best of luck with your meeting."

"Thanks. Jim - " Tabitha broke off into a laugh as she realized Jim was still gawking at his reflection. "Jim, come on!"

"Huh? What?" he turned back to her. "Oh! Right, let's go."


When they climbed out of the hovercab a little while later at the address Dr. Dubois had given them, Jim still hadn't gotten used to the new coat. He pulled on the sleeves, tugged at the collar, brushed his hands down the front to smooth out imaginary wrinkles. When Tabitha caught him surveying the way it looked in the window of the cab, she rolled her eyes.

"Stop checking yourself out," she ordered as she turned him around, straightening the jacket from her perspective. "There. You look fine. Now stop acting like a child fidgeting in his dress clothes and relax."

Jim raised an eyebrow amusedly at her. "Yes, ma'am."

Tabitha scowled at him, then grabbed his hand and turned to face the house... or mansion, as it were.

"Whoa," Jim said under his breath as they began to make their way up the cobblestone path. "I think it's safe to say if we take this job, we're going to get paid pretty well."

"Yeah," Tabitha mumbled.

As they made their way up the steep set of steps leading to the house, the front door swung open, and an older gentleman swung open the door and greeted them.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins! Or Captain and Doctor Hawkins, as you probably prefer to be addressed by future employers - or people who are hoping to be your future employers, as it were. I've been looking forward to seeing you again. Please, come in!" With that, he turned and headed back inside, leaving the front door open for them.

"Again?" Jim repeated confusedly. "We've met him before?"

"Apparently," Tabitha whispered back as they entered. "I mean, he looks a little familiar - "

"Not to me."

"But - Where did he go?"

"Down the hall, first right after you pass the staircase," a voice echoed through the entryway. "Feel free to hang up your coats, if you'd like."

Tabitha shed her peacoat and hung it on a nearby coatrack, stuffing her gloves in the pockets. Jim opted to keep his coat on, still reveling in the feeling of finally getting to wear it. When she turned back around, Jim's brow was furrowed, and his eyes were quickly darting around the nearby rooms he could see into - a den and a dining room.

"What is it?" Tabitha asked quietly.

"Nothing. I'm just trying to figure out where we've seen him before..."

"Maybe we should just ask," she said as they followed Dr. Dubois's directions to where he was.

Jim shrugged as they turned into the room - a library with shelves of books lining every wall. The entire room seemed to look a bit haphazard - books were falling over on their shelves, some had an array of papers sticking out, a large pile of notebooks was teetering on a desk, a few overstuffed recliners were positioned randomly about the room. It was very clear why Dr. Dubois was such good friends with Dr. Doppler.

"I hope you don't mind the mess." Tabitha and Jim jerked around to find Dr. Dubois standing in a back corner, glasses perched on the end of his nose as he held a large book in one hand and flipped through the pages with the other. "I meant to clean up, but... well, I didn't."

Tabitha laughed politely. "It doesn't bother us."

"Marvelous!" the doctor smiled as he looked back up at them. "Well, I guess we'll - Oh, good heavens! My apologies. Give me just a moment."

In the next minute, Dr. Dubois rearranged four armchairs to face each other.

"Um... would you like some help?" Jim offered.

"Oh, no. It's fine. It's the least I can do for making you put up with such a mess..." Dr. Dubois surveyed a table covered with papers and books before finally shrugging and raking it all off onto the ground. He pushed it between the chairs so that there were two on opposite sides, then placed the book he'd been flipping through before in the middle, as well as a notebook and a a pen. "There. Sorry to keep you waiting."

"It's no problem, but you didn't have to do that," Tabitha said gesturing to the heap of assorted items that he'd raked into the floor moments earlier. "I mean, your papers..."

"Oh, that. Don't make a fuss. I've been needing to reorganize that junk anyway," he smiled and they took their seats, Jim and Tabitha on one side, Dr. Dubois on the opposite. "Now then, we - You still don't remember where you know me from, do you?"

Jim hadn't realized he'd been scrutinizing the older man until that moment. He started slightly at being caught and began to apologize. "Oh, sorry, sir. It's just that you said you'd been looking forward to seeing us 'again,' and... Tabitha thought you looked kind of familiar, but..."

"Any ideas?" Dr. Dubois smirked.

Jim looked to Tabitha, who shook her head, then sighed. "No. I'm sorry, I - "

Dr. Dubois laughed and shook his head, holding up a hand to stop him. "I'm not surprised you don't remember. It was a brief meeting we had last time." Tabitha and Jim glanced at each other, then back at the doctor. "Still don't remember? Well, the two of you were in an awfully big hurry, it seemed. Urgent business to attend to, I'm sure," he winked.

Jim scanned the man from head to toe, racking his brain for an answer. Dr. Dubois was a old enough to be his grandfather, if not great-grandfather, it seemed. He was fairly plump, his vest straining to stay buttoned across his stomach. His long sleeve shirt was had the first two buttons undone, and the sleeves pushed back to his elbows. He was clearly a gentleman, but also very eccentric. Just as Jim opened his mouth to admit he couldn't place where he knew him from, Tabitha let out a loud gasp, her hand flying to her mouth as her face flushed to a dark scarlet.

"What?" Jim inquired, glancing back and forth from his wife to Dr. Dubois. "What is it?"

"Well, it seems your young wife remembers the night, Mr. Hawkins," the man chuckled.

Jim looked to Tabitha for an answer. "Our honeymoon," she mumbled quietly. "The night we went swimming, and we were headed back to the room..."

Jim's eyes widened as he remembered - they'd been running through the halls of the cruise ship, they turned a corner and ran smack into -

"Please don't be embarrassed," Dr. Dubois interrupted Jim's flashback. "I found it quite amusing how smitten you two were with each other. But it was your honeymoon as well? Then I certainly can't blame you for being eager to get back to your room."

Jim thought me might have been blushing too by this point, but he gulped back his embarrassment and tried to stay professional. "Sir - Dr. Dubois - W-We - "

"Please don't attempt to apologize or even think for a second that you made a bad first impression. Like I said, I thought it was amusing. In fact, that little run in is what helped me find you two. When I last dined with Delbert Doppler, I noticed a picture of the two of you. After racking my brain for a little while - much like you just did - I realized where I knew you from. I asked about you, he told me how the two of you were spacers, and... well, here we are now," he explained. "Besides, I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I didn't recognize that spark the two of you have. I'm reminded of my wife and I when we were your age."

"What reminds you of us, dear?"

The three looked up to see a remarkably tall woman enter the room carrying a tray with four steaming mugs on it. As she got closer in the dimly lit room, it was clear that, while having the same characteristics as a human female have, she was tall enough that Jim, who stood around six feet, was having to look up at her, and her hair and skin were both tinted a pale shade of blue. Other than those peculiar details, she seemed as human as the other three.

The men at the table stood up as she approached. "Hello, dear," the doctor smiled at his wife. "Allow me to introduce my wife, Sicilia. Sicilia, this is Jim and Tabitha Hawkins, the two I was telling you about."

"Ah, yes. The captain and the doctor of our voyage, correct?" she asked.

"Well, if all goes well today, then yes, they should be."

"Hmm," she hummed contemplatively as she placed the tray down on the table. "Now what was it you were saying about being reminded of us when we were their age?"

Dr. Dubois chuckled and pulled her chair out for her. "Just the glimmer of young love these two have about them," he explained as she took her seat, and he and Jim followed. "You remember what I told you about them running into me in the hallway? Back on that cruise we took together?"

"Yes..." she answered a bit warily.

"Well, I've only just discovered that was their honeymoon," he chuckled. "I told them I couldn't blame them for being in a hurry. After all, it wasn't all that long ago we were possessed by the same enthusiasm they were."

A shy smile inched across her face at precisely the same time her entire body switched from light blue to magenta. It happened so quickly that Jim and Tabitha both started in surprise, glancing at each other for verification they hadn't hallucinated the whole thing. Apparently, their reactions went unnoticed by the Dubois couple.

"So," Dr. Dubois began casually. "Where were we?"

"Um... We hadn't actually started yet, sir," Tabitha answered.

"Oh! Of course! Well - " Dr. Dubois situated himself in his armchair. "Perhaps it's best to start with some background about me. In my younger days, I was a bit of an explorer. I was the man people hired when a new planet or galaxy was discovered and they needed someone to chart it. Of course, back then, Montressor was at the Edge of the Etherium - everything past it was uncharted. Now, as any good spacer knows, the Edge is a constantly changing border of the 'necessary Etherium' verses the 'dispensable Etherium.' As the populations of older planets and galaxies move and die out, those become a part of the dispensable area, while areas that are new and thriving become a part of the necessary area."

"Since Montressor now sits closer to the middle of the neccessary Etherium, you don't find many people hiring explorers here anymore. I, of course, could have moved with the Edge like most in my profession did, continued to be an explorer for the rest of my days, but by the time my job became superfluous for this area, I was already married and expecting a child, so I went to school and got my doctorate so I could stay with them," Dr. Dubois explained with a smile and a glance towards his wife, who grinned and took his hand in hers. "Now, though... Now our children are off with families of their own, and my wife and I are a free to do as we please. So, after much discussion, we've decided we like to go back to exploring, just like in my younger years. That's where you two come in."

"So... You want us to take you past the Edge?" Jim questioned.

"Well, not exactly. Look - " He flipped open a large book on the table, folding it open to a map. "This is the most recent map of our Etherium that I could find, and it's nearly six months old, so I'm sure it isn't entirely accurate, but it will do. See, we're here - " he pointed to a small dot on the map. " - at the border of the this galaxy. We'd have to travel through... between two and five other galaxies to reach the Edge, none of which my wife and I have seen."

"You want us to lead you on voyage to let you explore those galaxies?" Tabitha guessed.

"Bingo," Dr. Dubois smiled. "You two lead us through these galaxies, let us explore - think of it as us taking an extensive vacation."

Jim surveyed the map with a furrowed brow, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking?" Tabitha asked curiously.

Dr. Dubois glanced back and forth between the two young adults and added, "We only want you to take us as far as your comfortable. I'm well aware that you have family here, so if you're only comfortable traveling short distances, you can take us halfway through our neighboring galaxy, drop us off somewhere, and we'll find our way - "

"No, that shouldn't be a problem," Jim interrupted. "Just let me make sure I understand everything: You want to hire us to lead you through the nearby galaxies, stopping at any planets that spark your interests, until we reach the Edge. From there..."

"From there, it's up to you what you'd like to do. If you stick around long enough for us all to reach the edge, I'm sure a lot of time will have passed and you may just want to return home. If so, we'll find someone else to take us beyond the Edge. We may not be as young as we once were, but everyone has a price; I'm sure with enough money, someone will an old pair like us join their voyage. But, if you do not wish to go home, you are of course free to continue on and explore past the Edge. With a captain, a doctor, and a ship as a set, I'm sure someone out there would be more than willing to hire you to explore, and we would love to join you."

Jim's eyebrows were raised in surprise by the time Dr. Dubois has finished his explanation. He glanced at Tabitha who looked just as shocked as he did.

"It must sound crazy," Sicilia suddenly chimed in. "For the two of us to want to go to exploring in our age, but it was always a love of his, and any love of his is a love of mine."

"It doesn't sound crazy at all," Jim laughed. "It's just that... Well, Tabitha and I have kind of been waiting for an opportunity like this. We've always kind of been adventurers, but like you said, it's hard to find anyone to hire you to go on anything even close to an adventure when you live on Montressor. This is..."

"Better than anything we could have imagined," Tabitha finished happily.

Dr. Dubois laughed in shock. "Well, that's wonderful! Does that mean you accept?"

"I don't see any reason why not," Jim chuckled.

"This is such good news!" Sicilia grinned. "We were afraid you'd turn us down like the others."

"No, it sounds amazing!" Tabitha grinned.

The excitement continued on through their conversation where Jim gave the obligatory warning of the dangers of spacing, to which Dr. Dubois politely explained he was well aware of. Then there was the discussion of payment, where Dr. Dubois offered an amount large enough for him to buy a ship and hire a crew of his own, which Jim graciously pointed out. After some arguing back and forth about how that price would cover the supplies they would need to buy, salaries for themselves and the crew, their time for the next few months they would spend planning and organizing, plus the first three months they would send in space, Jim and Tabitha agreed, albeit still a bit reluctantly. A cab was called, a follow up meeting was scheduled for the end of January, and they all ended on a note of joy, amazement, and excitement. As they all said their profuse 'thank you's Tabitha once again noticed Sicilia's skin change from the blue it had settled back to after the pink incident to a shimmery green color. Apparently, her shock didn't go unnoticed this time.

"I noticed you staring," Sicilia stated.

This time, Tabitha was the one to change colors as her cheeks flushed to an embarrassed pink. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't trying to be rude. I just noticed... well, your skin. I-I've never seen anything like it."

Sicilia smiled. "It is not rude. My mother was a colos-humanoid."

"A... I'm sorry, what?" Jim questioned.

"Basically, she had the ability to change colors," Tabitha explained briefly.

"Yes," Sicilia nodded. "But my father was a regular human like yourselves and my husband. I inherited her skill to shift my color, but it's not within my control. It shifted earlier when my husband embarrassed me, and again just now because I'm so thrilled you've agreed to except our offer."

"That's amazing..." Tabitha whispered in awe. "I learned about colos-humanoids in one of my medical classes at the academy, but they're so rare nowadays... It's so interesting to see up close."

"Yeah, that's... pretty cool," Jim chuckled.

"Yes, I've always thought it was 'pretty cool' as well," Dr. Dubois chuckled. "Especially since I seem to have more control over it than her. For example - " He gently grabbed her hand and bowed to place a kiss on the back of it. "Sicilia, my love, you're looking absolutely radiant this afternoon."

Her eyes narrowed as she coyly pulled her hand from his grasp. "You will have to do better than that. I am not quite so easily swayed as I once was."

The sentence had barely passed her lips when Dr. Dubois spun her to him, giving her a kiss that sent her skin cells into a frenzy of purple and pink blends that didn't settle until he released her.

"Oh... dear, I - " she stammered breathily for a moment. When she finally remembered the company they had, her body instantly switched to a dark red of embarrassment and frustration. "That was hardly a proper trick to show our guests!"

"Oh, no, don't worry. I thought it was sweet," Tabitha smiled as the older couple turned to look at her curiously. "It's just like me and Jim."

Sicilia quickly softened, her skin softening to a more relaxed purple color, causing the four of them to laugh lightly as they said their goodbyes. Jim and Tabitha made their way down the front sidewalk, their hands laced together, squeezing excitedly. When they reached the road, they turned around to make sure they were alone, only to see Dr. Dubois lean over and whisper something into his wife's ear. Even from there, they could see her skin warm to a bright red as he kissed her and led her back into the house. As the door shut, Jim and Tabitha turned to look at each other.

"We've got a job," Tabitha began, failing to hold back an outrageous grin.

"We're going on another adventure," Jim added with just as much enthusiasm.

"And we're getting paid to do it!"

"And the best part is - " He wrapped his arms around her waist and smirked. "We get to go together."

"We go on all our voyages together," she stated confusedly.

"Yeah, but I was just thinking about what Dr. Dubois said - about how he was an explorer, but instead of moving with the job, he fell in love and ended up staying here - and I just realized I'll never have to make a choice like that, because I fell in love with you."

Tabitha gave him a wry smile. "Well, I guess you got lucky."

"You know, I really did," he chuckled.

Tabitha gave a light laugh just as a quick honk sounded and their cab pulled up. Jim opened the door and gestured for her to slide in. She did, and Jim followed, quickly rambling off their destination of the South Passenger Landing Docks as he pulled the door shut behind them. As the cab pulled away, Jim leaned back in the seat, wrapping his arm around Tabitha's shoulders as she leaned into him with a contented sigh.

"Hey Jim?"

"Hmm?"

Tabitha reached for Jim's free, absentmindedly fiddling with his fingers. "What did you think of the the Dubois's?"

"Uh..." he began, unsure of what she meant exactly. "I thought they were nice. Not to mention they're giving us an awesome job and - "

"No, I didn't mean their personalities," she interrupted, sitting up to look at him again. "I meant... the way they were... around each other."

"Oh. Like how, er... affectionate they were?" he asked.

"Yeah... What did you think of that?"

Jim looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"Did you think it was weird?"

"Well... It's not exactly typical, you know, for a couple that age to act like..."

"Like us?" Tabitha finished.

"Yeah." As Tabitha back down to where she was still fiddling with his hand, he frowned. "Why? What are you getting at?"

Tabitha began to nervously bite her lip. "I was just thinking about... how we're going to act at that age." When Jim didn't respond, she looked up and began to ramble. "I mean, I'm not saying we should act how we do now, or we should act like they did, but, well... I don't know. I think it'd be nice if we still held hands while we walked down the street, or said 'I love you' when we leave, or even kissed each other - I mean, not... kissed kissed, but - "

The rest of her explanation was cut off by the sound of Jim snickering. "Kissed kissed? Really?"

She playfully shoved him. "Shut up. You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do," he laughed. "And we don't kiss kiss in public now."

Tabitha blushed and turned away again, feeling foolish and almost certain she'd lost the point she was trying to make. This was disproven when Jim grabbed her hand and she reluctantly looked up at him.

"Look, Tabitha... I can't imagine not wanting to hold your hand, or forgetting to say 'I love you', or something like that, but I'm sure we'll naturally tone it down some when as time goes on." Her brow furrowed at his answer, unsure of whether she liked it or not. Before she could think about it too much, Jim pushed her hair behind her ear, and leaned down to whisper. "But I promise that, behind closed doors, I will always love you with as much passion as I do now."

A fierce blush spread across Tabitha's face as she spared a glance at their driver to make sure he hadn't overheard. "That was awfully romantic of you, Mr. Hawkins," she mumbled embarrassedly.

Jim shrugged and settled into his seat. "I haven't gotten over this morning. I only said it to seduce you," he smugly informed her as he tilted his head back and closed his eyes, planning to rest for the remainder of the drive.

Though Jim couldn't see her, he could picture the way her eyes narrowed and mouth formed into a half smile. "No, you didn't," she contradicted.

The way Jim smirked was the only confirmation she needed, and she quickly settled against his side to rest a bit as well.


"Ta-da!" Tabitha called out as she entered the kitchen door of that Benbow that night, stepping to the side and gesturing to Jim as he stepped into frame.

"Jimbo, lad!" Silver laughed in awe. "What in blue blazes are ya wearin'?"

"I am no longer a Novice Captain," he stated formally. "I have officially moved up."

Sarah entered the kitchen carrying a tray of dirty dishes. "Oh, I didn't realize you two were back yet!"

"We just got here," Tabitha explained.

"Mom! Look!" Jim called out, like a young boy eager to show off something new.

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "What am I supposed to be looking at?"

Jim looked horrified for a second, glancing down to make sure the jacket hadn't disappeared. "Don't you notice anything different?"

"Oh, you got a new coat. That's wonderful, Jim," she flippantly remarked.

Jim's jaw dropped. "But..."

Tabitha laughed. "She already knew about it."

"Tabitha asked me if I thought you'd like to be surprised by it," Sarah smiled as she walked over to her son. "I said yes, and I can tell I was right."

Jim laughed appreciatively, brushing his hands down the front of it again.

"I'm almost finished up with the last of the guests. Graham and Abigail are talking to Anthony about the trip you're planning to Ciaran. Why don't you go get bring them in here and we can all discuss your new role of captaincy and these voyages you're planning while we eat dinner?"

"Sounds great," Jim agreed.

Sarah smiled and shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe it... You look like you were made to wear that uniform."

"It really does suit ya, lad," Silver agreed.

"You do look great," Tabitha added with a smile. Jim turned his attention to her and smirked. "What?" she asked bemusedly.

"Nothing," he answered with a slight shrug, but as the adults went back to working on their various jobs, Jim leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I just remembered you've mentioned before that I look even better with the coat off."

Tabitha turned to look at him, but before she could think of anything coy or smart aleck to say in return, he softly traced a finger down her lower back in the way that made her gasp and arch forward. Silver looked up at the two just in time to see Tabitha's face flush, scowling at Jim's retreating form as he left the room

"Ya alright, lass?" he inquired.

Tabitha's face warmed to a darker shade of pink as she hastily nodded in reply. Morph zipped in from nowhere and greeted her with cheerful coos, and she was thankful to have something to take her attention away from the knowing smirk Silver was giving her.


It didn't take long to explain about the voyage they were planning with Dr. Dubois since they hadn't set any definite dates or plans for it yet. Graham was excited to be asked to join them as Jim's First Mate, and while the parents and Commodore Aldamae were happy for them too, they admitted they were going to miss the young couple being away for so long. Deciding to stick to the good news aspects for now, Jim reveled in explaining how he'd moved up and earned his new rank. There were plenty of congratulations from the adults and a fair amount of teasing from Graham. As dinner finished up, Sarah admitted to being tired and decided to go to bed before the trip to Ciaran was discussed.

"Hate t' admit it," Silver began once Sarah had gone. "But it might be for t'e best she ain't in here."

"Why is that?" Tabitha asked, turning her attention away from playing with Morph for a moment.

"T'is ain't exactly a safe planet we're fixin' t' travel to. I'm not sayin' she shouldn't know it's dangerous, but I t'ink it'd be best to keep her concerns to a minimum."

"Agreed," said Jim.

"Alright, so when can we leave?" Graham asked eagerly. "The sooner the better, in my opinion."

"Well, we've got to allow time to get a crew, and - " Jim began.

"Uh, Jimbo, it might be best t' keep t'e crew of t'is trip to a minimum," Silver interrupted. "Less people, less chance o' someone gettin' hurt or strayin' into t'ings t'ey shouldn't."

"Well, if we've got me and Jim, Graham, you, Abigail, and Commodore Aldamae - oh, and Morph of course," Tabitha added when she noticed the pink blob looking at her hopefully. Morph squeaked in joy and licked her face as she continued. "I think we can handle it. How long is the trip?"

"It ain't too far away, bout three weeks travel time t' get t'ere an' back," Silver explained.

"Well if we don't have to worry about a crew... when can we leave?" Graham asked again.

"Silver has to turn in the paperwork that says he's leaving the planet," Commodore Aldamae began. "But with my help, I can get that approved in under a week. Other than that, we're just working around your schedule, Jim."

"Is there anyway we could do this before our next meeting with Dr. Dubois?" Tabitha asked Jim. "After that, I think we're going to be too busy to take a voyage that's at least a month long."

"Yeah..." Jim agreed. "Well... If you can get those papers through in under a week Commodore, and we don't have to hire a crew, then I think we can probably be ready to leave by the first week of December."

"That puts ya travelin' on Christmas," Silver pointed out. "Not sure Sarah's gonna like t'at."

"And your anniversary is January first," Abigail added. "We'll probably still be away then."

"I think my mom will be okay with the Christmas thing, since we're taking this trip to check up on Vanessa, and there really isn't another time we could do it," Jim stated. "And as far as our anniversary... I don't mind if we're in space on it. Do you care, Tabitha?"

Tabitha shrugged. "I don't mind. As long as we're together, I don't really care where we are."

Graham groaned. "As first mate, I object to that."

"Object to that!" Morph repeated, taking a seat on Graham's shoulder.

"What?" Jim asked, debating whether to be offended.

"Look, we all know how affectionate you two are around each other on a daily basis. I don't even want to know what you two are like on your anniversary, and I'm certain that none of us are going to want to be around you when you two are that enamored with each other."

Tabitha blushed, but glared at him. "Well then we'll keep to ourselves that day, if you're so bothered by it."

"Alright then - January first, I say you two stay behind closed doors the whole day," Graham quipped. "I'm sure Jim won't mind that at all. Will you, Jim?"

"That sounds fine to me," Jim said, lifting his glass of purp juice to his lips in a failed attempt to hide a smug grin. Tabitha elbowed him and he laughed. "What? I didn't say anything." Tabitha rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Commodore Aldamae chuckled. "Well... I guess that settles it. I'll get the papers and bring them by tomorrow."

The group said their goodbyes as the commodore departed and the rest of them began to make their way to bed.

"Uh, Abby?" Silver spoke up quietly. "Can I talk t' ya for a minute?"

"Of course..." she agreed a bit hesitantly.

As the two of them headed off to the den, Jim turned to Tabitha. "You ready to head home?"

"Um, yeah, just let me run to the washroom real quick," she stated as she turned and left the room as well, leaving Jim and Graham alone.

Jim didn't realize he was lost in thought, staring at the door Tabitha has just walked out of, a slight smirk across his lips, until he felt the piercing gaze of someone staring at him. Turning around, he found Graham giving him a look of incredulousness.

"What?" Jim asked.

"You two are ridiculous," Graham stated with a laugh.

"What? How?"

His friend raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "What, do you think you're being secretive? Because honestly, the look on your face just then was so clear I bet Morph could have guessed what you were thinking about."

Morph squeaked an affirmative as he popped up in between the two men, shapeshifting into a picture of Jim dipping Tabitha into a kiss, just like he'd done at their wedding. Jim swatted at the blob. "Stop that. And you're just jealous," he told Graham as he walked over to place the leftover dishes in the sink.

As Morph flitted out of the room, Graham scoffed. "Jealous? James P. Hawkins, if you think I am jealous of your monogamous relationship, then we are not as good of friends as I thought."

"You know, no matter how much you say you're against marriage, you have to admit it has its advantages."

"Mhmm, I can tell," Graham agreed with a smirk.

Jim arched an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

His friend chuckled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "To put it bluntly, the sexual tension now compared to how it was the year leading up to your wedding is exponentially lower." Jim scowled, and Graham laughed. "What? I'm just saying it's pretty obvious you two are enjoying yourselves."

Jim thought his face must have been flushed by this point, but he ignored it. "Yeah, well... just don't tell anything like that to her. She'll get embarrassed if she knows - Wait, that isn't even what I meant! I was talking about how marriage - "

"Oh, no," Graham warned. "Don't you dare start giving me lectures on marriage like my mother. I get it - it's important and wonderful and blah-blah-blah - and it works out great for people like you and Tabitha... but the whole 'settling down' thing is just not for me, Jim."

Jim was quiet for a second, then he laughed. "Your mom started bugging you to get married?"

"Why do you think I've been practically living at the Benbow for the past couple of months?" Graham answered his question with a question. "I needed to get away from the many dates my mom was trying to set me up on, and I know your mom always needs all the help she can get around here."

"Graham Emerson, refusing dates?" Jim mocked. "I don't believe it."

"Yeah, I didn't either... but you should've seen these chicks, Jim! Way too innocent for my liking," Graham explained smugly. "I'd be way too much man for one of them to handle."

"Too much of an arrogant bastard for one of them to handle, maybe," Jim taunted as they made their way into the den, where Silver and Abigail were sitting on one of the couches together.

Graham shoved him. "Shut the hell up, Hawkins. Don't you have a wife to be sleeping with or something?"

Jim chuckled as Graham headed upstairs to bed, leaving Jim alone with Silver and Abigail, who were seemingly too involved in their own discussion to notice he was there.

"But, John, I - "

"I know ya want t' come, Abby, but I dunno if t'at's t'e best idea."

Jim tried not to eavesdrop on the conversation, but being alone in a room with them made it kind of hard. He was about to return to the kitchen to give them some privacy when Abigail solved the problem for him.

"We'll talk about this later, John," she said sharply as she stood up and marched upstairs.

Jim's eyes darted to Silver, who sighed heavily and stood up. "Uh..." Jim began. "Sorry about that. I was about to leave when - "

"Nah, it ain't yer fault, lad," Silver told him.

"Oh... Uh, so what was that about anyway?"

Silver sighed. "I was tryin' t' explain t' her why I don't think she should come wit' us t' Ciaran."

Jim's eyes widened in surprise. "You don't think she should come? Why?"

"It ain't a safe planet, lad," Silver repeated his statement from earlier. "Ciaran's known fer harborin' all sorts o' bad kinds. No law enforcement, no government, no rules. T'ere's nothin' ya can't get away with on t'at planet, and there's nobody to stop anything bad from happenin'."

Jim's brow furrowed in thought. "But... if you were there with her, couldn't you protect her?"

"T'at's exactly what she t'inks," he said. "But I don't want t' spend t'e whole trip worried t'at somethin' might happen t' her. A gal like her... let's jus' say Ciarain ain't a planet any sorta respectable lady should be on."

"Wait, but Tabitha..." Jim trailed off thoughtfully.

Silver sighed and rubbed the back of his neck regretfully. "I hate t' say it, Jimbo, but... ya might wanna ret'ink lettin' Tabby come."

"Letting her come? But she's the ships doctor, and my wife, and - "

"And t'at's exactly why I'm tellin' ya t'is. I know ya don't want t' spend t'e whole trip worried about her, just like I don't wanna spend t'e whole trip worried 'bout Abby." Jim didn't look very pleased with where this was going, but Silver continued. "Jimbo, you an' I both know Tabby's a strong lass, but... well, ya remember what happened t' her in t'at alley on Lacuna."

Jim's chest tightened. Of course he remembered. He remembered all too well the feeling of dread that coursed through him when he couldn't find her, the way his heart dropped as he watched Silver carry her seemingly lifeless body on board, the three days he spent at her bedside... He'd thought for sure that would be the death of him. How could he ever go through something like that again?

"Morph!" Tabitha came bounding into the den from the hallway, laughing hysterically as she chased after the protoplasmic blob that was playing keep away with her coat. "Morph, give it here!"

"Give it here!" Morph repeated, zooming around the kitchen some more.

As Morph zipped past Jim, Silver reached out and grabbed the coat. "Morphy, quit being a pest," he chuckled as he handed Tabitha her coat. "T'ere ya go, lass."

"Thanks." She pulled it on and turned to Jim, lacing her fingers through his. "Sorry that took a little while. I had to chase that blob around the whole inn. You ready?"

Jim opened his mouth and glanced at Silver. "Uh..."

Silver smiled, albeit a bit sadly. "We'll talk more later, lad."


Tabitha sighed contentedly as they entered their home late that night and hung up their coats. "Home at last."

Jim was so lost in thought he barely caught the suggestive look she was giving him. He knew he had plenty of thinking and debating to do about this trip to Ciaran, but when she gave him looks like that, how in the stars was he supposed to focus on anything but her? He had a brief, flickering thought about the baby situation, but it was quickly dispelled; after all, she'd been the one to initiate it this morning, and they'd clearly both been looking forward to it all day. How could he turn her down now? Not to mention, the day had proven very successful, and they had the house to themselves once again... Wasn't that enough reasons to give in?

As she smirked and flounced off to the kitchen, he sighed heavily, opting to worry about the dangers of the trip to Ciaran later since he was now unable to keep a smile off his face. He followed her, leaning in the doorway as he watched her. She grabbed a carton from the icebox, a cup from the cabinet, and poured herself a glass of juice. She leaned against the counter and slowly took a sip, finally glancing up at Jim curiously.

"What?" she questioned.

He arched an eyebrow at her and laughed. "You know what."

She shook her head confusedly. "What do you mean?"

For a split second, Jim was actually as puzzled as she looked, but her eyes gave away just enough for him to know this was a game. He smirked, slowly making his way across the kitchen as she continued to drink her glass of juice. When he was right in front of her, she once again looked confused.

"What?" she repeated adamantly, raising the cup to her lips to hide a smile.

Without a word, Jim reached up and moved the now empty cup away, setting it down in the sink to be washed later. He looked down and met Tabitha's gaze, leaning into kiss her -

"You know," she began, turning her head slightly and placing a soft hand to his chest to stop him. "I'm actually pretty tired. We've had a long day, and - AH!" Tabitha squealed as Jim suddenly lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder, laughing hysterically. "James Pleiades Hawkins! You put me down this instant!"

Jim did what she asked, but not until he'd carried her into the bedroom. Then, he pulled her back down, carefully laying her out across the bed.

"Oh, well wasn't that romantic?" she said sarcastically. "Carrying your wife to the bedroom like a sack of flour. I'm charmed."

"Just hush," he ordered in a low chuckle. "I'll make it up to you..."


A short, quick scream... but it was distant, echoing through the darkness around him, impossible to tell where it was coming from. He froze, tensed and ready for anything...

"No! Please!"

It was clearly Tabitha shouting. He took off running, somehow ending up on a street lined with shady buildings that were vaguely familiar.

"No, please... Jim!"

"Tabitha?" he called out, searching for any sign of her... but there was nothing. Nothing to see, nothing to hear. Where was she? Where was he?

"Jim!"

The scream was closer this time, and as he turned a corner he finally saw her, pinned against the wall by a man twice her size. Jim took in everything about the scene at once - the way she had her face turned away from her captor, the way she appeared to be choking back tears, the way he was laughing, the way his hands were roaming across her, finding their way under her clothes...

"Tabitha!" he managed to shout.

She didn't respond. She couldn't hear him...

"Tabitha!" he shouted, his throat burning as he called louder for her. "Tabitha!"

Finally, the man holding her looked to Jim, an evil smirk spreading across his face. He backed away, dropping Tabitha so that she collapsed to the ground like a ragdoll.

"No, stop!" Jim tried again. "Tabitha!"

Why couldn't he move? He had to stop him. What was he going to do to her?

The man had a gun... pointed at her...

"NO! Tabitha!"

Things slowed down...

The man made eye contact with Jim, then looked back at Tabitha... Tabitha was still in a heap on the ground, refusing to look up... Why wasn't he moving? Why wasn't he stopping him? His vision was fading around the edges... He was moving but he couldn't get closer... He had to get there. He had to...

The gun fired at the same time he shouted her name in a last desperate attempt. "Tabitha - "

"NO!"

Jim awoke bolt upright in bed, his pulse pounding a mile a minute, the sheets tangled around him, and his entire body hot with sweat.

"Jim?"

He jerked around at the sound of her voice to see her sitting beside him, her concerned gaze fixed on him as her hand gently rubbed his back.

"Jim, honey? What is it?" she asked worriedly. "You kept saying my name, and you were kicking at the covers - "

Tabitha's anxious questions were cut short when Jim threw his arms around her and pulled her to him tightly, holding her there securely as he broke down into quiet sobs.

"Jim - " she repeated, freeing her arms so she could return the embrace. "What happened? Was it a nightmare?"

"I'm so sorry, Tabitha," he choked out, clenching his eyes shut as he tightened his grasp on her. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

"Shh... It's alright. It's okay..." she soothed, her hand rubbing his back in a slow, calming motion. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head, but continued to apologize. "I'm sorry, Tabitha. I'm - "

"Stop," she gently ordered him. "It was a dream. I'm okay, you're okay... nothing happened. It was all just a dream..."

It wasn't just a dream, not to Jim. It was real. It was based on real events, sparked by real anxiety, and he was not okay at all.

It was a few more minutes before Jim's chest shuddered in an attempt to catch his breath. Tabitha carefully pulled away to look at him, her hands moving to stroke his arms in the same reassuring motions. "Do you think you can go back to sleep?"

"No," he said, adamantly shaking his head. "No, I... I-I need to get up for a little while."

"Oh... Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I... I'm just going to get something to drink," he mumbled. "I won't be up long."

"You sure you're okay?" she asked as he climbed out of bed.

"Come on, you know what it feels like to wake up from a nightmare," he stated. "I just need to... calm down. Just go back to sleep, and I'll be back in a little while."

Tabitha looked skeptical, but as Jim leaned over and kissed her forehead, she gave in. "Okay... But get me up if you need anything. I won't mind - "

"I know," he smiled half-heartedly.

Jim waited until she'd laid back against the pillow before he left the room. He made his way over to the sink and got a glass of water, just like he'd said he would... but he didn't drink it. Instead, he sat it down and leaned back against the counter, sighing heavily as he tried to sort through his tumultuous thoughts.

That dream had been... completely terrifying, to say the least. He tried to pin it to something, a reason he would dream something that awful, and it was only a minute before he remembered the conversation he'd begun with Silver. The trip to Ciaran, and how rough a planet it was... How he didn't want anything like what happened on Lacuna to happen to Tabitha again... It had all triggered his guilt about not being there when she was attacked.

He'd started feeling anxious when Silver explained that Abby and Tabitha probably shouldn't go, but this began a whole new level of concern for Tabitha and this trip. He tensed, tried to force the thought out of his mind - after all, how likely was it that would happen twice? - but he couldn't. As much as he wanted to convince himself that something like that wouldn't happen again, the way Silver talked about it, it seemed like a real possibility if they were to travel to Ciaran. He couldn't let that happen to her again. He'd promised he wouldn't. Not only that, but he knew that having to worry about her safety and welfare as much as he did those few days she was unconscious was not something he could repeat. And if she was on Ciaran, wouldn't he be constantly worried about her? But what other option was there? He couldn't just tell her she couldn't come... or could he?

Jim shook his head. This was not a debate he could play out in his head at... four in the morning, according to the clock on the wall of the kitchen. Maybe he was just overreacting from the dream. Maybe he'd wake up tomorrow and realize that everything would be fine... Or maybe he'd wake up feeling just as anxious as he did now and have to figure out a way to put his mind at ease.

He sighed, drinking the glass of water in a couple of gulps and placing it in the sink. He headed back to bed, his heartbeat still unnaturally fast, his mind refusing to drop the idea of how he needed to keep Tabitha safe.

"You okay?"

Jim glanced at her. "I told you to go back to sleep."

"Since when do I take orders from you?" she smiled.

He narrowed his gaze in mild annoyance as he climbed back under the sheets, pulling her to him. "Will you go to sleep now?"

Tabitha smiled and cozied up to his side. "Yeah... But are you - "

"Don't worry about me," he interrupted, refusing to say if he was fine or not; he couldn't tell her he wasn't, but he also couldn't lie and say he was.

She was too tired to continue questioning him, already halfway asleep before she mumbled, "Mmkay... Goodnight."

Jim's arms tightened around her, his brow furrowing as he realized this was hardly a good night, and he wouldn't be sleeping peacefully anytime soon.


Okay, so, it was long. That's at least good, right? Can I earn back some kudos for giving you a long chapter? And I added some romance for you guys... Does that help? I'm sorry I didn't keep Cason and Rylee and Jordan around longer; I'm just trying to progress the story. I like them, though. I wish they could have stayed.

Moving on: You guys, I am so sorry. Like I said, I really don't even have a good excuse. I was busy with the holidays at first, but after New Years, I had hardly anything going on. I've had more than enough time to update, I just... couldn't. This chapter was almost the death of me. I have no idea why it was so difficult for me to write, but I just couldn't get it done. I AM SO SORRY.

Now, since I haven't talked to you guys in three months (And did I mention how sorry I am about that?), I have a few news/updates/things to tell you:

1. So... I may or may not have written two more lemons for this story... Yeah, I really don't have any reason. I guess I just love writing romance, and I hadn't updated in so long that it just got all backed up in my system, and BAM! Lemons. They fit the story, so if you want, I can easily add them in. I'm just kind of worried the story is going to get too smutty... But here's the thing: the sequel keeps romance to a minimum - it's really more about family - so I'm trying to get all the romance out of my system now. I realize there's been a lot of the lovey-dovey stuff, and I don't want you guys to OD on it... but I'm writing this story for you, so I'm going to let you decide. If you want lemons, you got lemons. If not, that's cool too. Just let me know in a review.

2. I'm planning on rewriting 'Fearless'. Don't freak out! I'm going to keep the original version here, but I've been planning to upload it to DeviantArt anyway, and there are quite a few kinks and errors that came with writing as I went that I'd like to fix, so I'm planning to do some rewriting and upload the new and improved to DeviantArt at some point. Just thought you guys might want to know.

3. I changed the name to the sequel. Instead of 'Tell Me Why' it's now 'Back to December.' That song fits the story better.

4. On the last chapter, you guys told me your favorite chapters were "The Darcy's Party: Part 2", "Three Tears for Optimism", "Love Story", "Of Lust and Love". You guys like the fluffy chapters, I see. I probably could have predicted as much.

I think that's it... but I'm probably forgetting something because I always do. Again, I am so sorry for just disappearing on you guys for three months. That is not cool and I feel really bad about it. Honestly, I'm surprised you guys didn't mutiny on me.

Leave a review, please? You can complain about how I'm a failure as much as you want in it, but at least give your opinion on the lemon thing.

I love you guys and I'm so sorry!

-Emily

+Responses to Reviews+

Icecreampopstar: You almost cried? Oh noes! I didn't mean for it to be that emotional! Thank you!

malisa: There will be more pirate-y Silver in the future. We're just seeing more of the family side of him for now. Vanessa you will definitely be seeing more of. Haha No, I think Cason is attractive with a baby, too. xD Another story? Definitely! I'll keep writing as long as you guys stick around. Check out my profile for more information, and thank you!

NeverTooLate03: OHMYGODIT'SFINALLYDONETHANKTHELORD. I can't tell you how relieved I am. I just hope everyone likes it. I'm glad you liked the changes to the last chapter, and I agree - we make an awesome team. We are super-mega-foxy-awesome-hot. :D Thank you so much for being such a loyal supporter of my writing. I seriously can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

Horseygirl 96: I'm so glad you liked the last chapter! Thank you so much! Don't worry, you'll be finding out more about whether Jim and Tabitha can have kids very soon. :) And Yes, Jim Hawkins is undoubtably amazing. Oh, and I passed the word along to NeverTooLate03 that you said Happy Birthday. She appreciated it. :)

anon: Thank you so much. Your long reviews are always so interesting, and you bring up excellent points. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and as far as any questions you have, they'll be answered soon! :) Thank you!

23jk: Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it, and I passed the word on to NeverTooLate03 that you gave her some cake. xD She said thanks.

ADangerousPastime: YOU'RE a procrastinator? Girl, don't even worry. Did you see how long it took me to update? Good grief. xD Graham is a pessimist, but I don't think he's going to stay that way forever... ;) I'm so glad you're looking forward to the sequel! I have the feeling it's going to be great. I've already started writing it, and I love it, so I can't wait to let you guys read it! Thank you! :D

EventHorizon6: Thank you very much! I'm glad you liked it. I knew the chapter was emotional, but I didn't mean to make you guys cry! I'm sorry!

SweetAngel183: Well, I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait just a bit longer for the kid issue to be resolved. And I'm not going to say anything specific, but you're pretty much spot on with a couple of those ideas you had. You'll just have to keep reading to find out which ones. ;) Thank you!

Tsukasa-kun: Thanks! I know it's sad right now, but things get better soon. :) Oh, and Happy (extremely belated) Christmas!

Kristy: I'm sorry it took forever to update! I hope you like it, though.

JuniperinIvy: New S/N? I like it! :) Don't worry about not reviewing. If I can't update regularly, I can't exactly demand reviews from you guys or get mad when you don't post them or something. I'm so glad you like this story! Thank you so much!