A/N: im sad this is the last chapter, im sorry to see my first one go :(

"chapter 9": epilogue/ a fond farewell to the sea

three weeks later the bandit had reached her quota, as had many of the others in the fleet. their time was growing short and it was showing on the faces of all the bandits but mostly on their captain. john knew that after wantin out of her hometown throught her whole life, her life was now calling her back. she had been so homesick lately for her family, mostly for her young child. she had been making daily calls home and had trouble sleeping lately, she wouldnt talk much about it but he knew that she was scared that her daughter would think that she had abandoned her. when he had told her about his and phil's and his plan to celebrate all of the october birthdays from their ships and the wizard once they all reach dutch she hadnt been too thrilled, her ninteenth birthday wasnt that big of a deal to her, thje only thing that she craved was to hear her daughter call her momma again. even her responces to his advanced lately had taken on a cold edge.

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"happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to you, and mannny mooore" all of the boys sang in their rough voices. they laughed when they saw the crab shaped cake with the numbers of all of their ages covering it. "try not to burn the place down"sig called out, the northwestern had joined them. edgar sighed "of course psyco sig has to take the fun out of everything, do what you want guys happy birthday"

after mariah, jake harris, made their wishes and blew out the candles josh pulled mariah aside. "so do you still think that you will come back for opie season like you had wanted?" he asked her "i dont think i will, after all of this i think i will stay home and finish school and become a teacher. i probably couldnt bear to leave sophia like this again, who knows there might be a life for me down there after all. it will be hard though with my relationship with john but that is noting new is it? when one is a fisherman and the other isnt." she smiled sadly and drank a shot of jack. "you better come visit me joshua harris, you got that?" she waggeled a finger at him, making him but sout laughing. "when does your plane leave?" he asked. "oh in a few hou-" she looked at her cell phone clock "shit a few minets, john is already drunk, do you mind giving me a lift to the airport?" "sure ill go start the truck" josh smiled, glad to be the one she asked. "ok ill be out as soon as i kiss john goodbye"