Chapter XXIV

The Endless Storm (Part II)

Their breaths had never sounded louder, not even in the inner chambers of the sirens' cave as they prepared to awake the sleeping woman, who had later turned out to be Dorothy. Every step they took seemed to make the sand screech under their boots and the more careful they grew around the foliage the more they disturbed it, making it creak and rustle.

Heero fought the urge to stop his first mate and turn around. She would have never given up on her selfless mission though and he had agreed to help her so he pressed on, his hand finding solace in the hilt of his sword or the handle of his pistol. 'Do not draw that.' Relena whispered over her shoulder. 'If we make her feel threatened we'll only make things worse for us.'

He wondered how, where and when she had acquired that notion, but decided to simply accept the fact that she had a sixth sense, a knack for such things as she had had with the aspidochelone. The thought of drawing one of his weapons unthreatened had crossed his mind, but only for a fleeting moment… It was said ghosts were incorporeal and, therefore, completely immune to any of their available defences. It was what made them so dangerous after all. Still, knowing he had his arms with him always brought him a sense of comfort.

The old woman stopped crying when they reached the edge of the underbrush and slowly unfolded, turning her head towards them. Neither of the pirates was sure what they had expected to see… Eery blood-red eyes, muscle and sinew exposed by rottening processes that had taken over her dead body before she had been able to leave it, perhaps blood stains on her white nightgown the markings of a traumatic and gruesome death. They had certainly never expected her to look so… Ordinary.

'I told ye to leave me alone!' she shouted at them clearly frustrated.

Relena took an unconscious step back, colliding against Heero, but raised her empty hands and forced herself to talk to the ghost. 'No, we… We're not from here, madam. We've come all the way from Tortuga…'

'Why? Why did ye come?' the ghost cut in, her cold dead eyes narrowing. 'How did ye get past the storm?'

'The storm?' the blonde woman frowned confusedly at the man behind her before turning back to the old woman. 'What about the storm?'

'Why should I tell ye? Leave! Leave now 'fore I get angry! I do not wish to speak to you.' She turned her white head away from them and slowly, almost imperceptibly, started to fade away.

'No! Please, wait!' Relena ran the rest of the way to the rowboat before Heero could stop her. He swore under his breath as he hurried after her, his hand instinctively sought the hilt of his cutlass. 'Please, don't go! We only wish to help!'

'Help?' the ghost snorted incredulously, but her head snapped back towards them and her body stopped disappearing, instead it grew sharply solid. 'Why would ye wish to help me?'

'Why…' the first mate halted on her steps. It was so ingrained in her, the need to help others, that she did it completely and entirely without thinking. The Peacemillion's captain could see she had no answer to the old lady's question.

'I may be dead, poppet, but I ain't blind.' The ghost spat venomously. 'I can see ye're pirates. So? What d'ye think I – an old dead woman – can give ye in return?'

Heero stepped forward, half shielding the young lady with his body. He did not appreciate the hag's look. 'All we wish is for the trade route to be liberated. We've interests in the northeast.'

'Mmm…'

'You can trust us.' Relena insisted, walking around the captain.

'And how is it that ye intend to help me?' old ice-cold eyes narrowed at them ever suspicious and judgemental.

'Won't you, please, tell us your story? I'm sure, once we know what's happened to you, we'll find a way to help you.'

The ghost seemed to watch them closely for a long time, as if trying to decide whether or not to trust them or merely scrutinizing. 'Very well…' she said finally and turned towards a pile of rottening debris, expecting them to take a seat. They settled on the sand instead. Heero still visibly wary and Relena patient. Birds chirped in the surrounding trees and seagulls called in the distance. The old lady began her story.

XXX

As soon as the captain and first mate disappeared between the trees and behind the underbrush, Duo turned to Trowa. 'Let's get out of 'ere.'

The lookout frowned. 'I don't know, Maxwell.'

'But ye were into the plan before!'

'Aye, but that's 'cause we thought the ghost story was gibberish.'

'And it is!'

'Is it?'

'What makes ye think it isn't?'

'Trowa's right, Duo.' Quatre walked up to them. 'There was something wrong about that storm yesterday…'

The braided pirate seemed taken aback. He could not deny it had been one of the most sudden and chaotic storms they had ever faced, but to think of all the plotting and all the work they had gone through to get Heero and Relena stranded on that island… If they did not leave before the captain and first mate returned it would all go to waste. 'But the plan…'

'We don't even know if it's going to work.' The lookout cut in. 'It probably ain't. Heero's more civil than ye take 'im for.'

'Aye.' The blonde man seemed to agree. 'And Relena's more decent.'

'We never implied they were savages.' Hilde stepped in, looking angry. 'All we wanted was for them to settle their differences.'

'What differences?' Trowa remained unconvinced. 'They agree on almost everything.'

'Ye know what I mean, Barton.'

'Aye. Ye foolish pirates wish to play matchmaker.'

'Oy! It was Chang's idea!' Duo protested. 'Tell them Howie!'

'What?' Howard, who had been sitting some steps away – pretending to be distracted – turned towards them with a look of confusion.

'Tell them how Chang gave us the idea!'

'Oh… I was drunk, lad. Ye cannot expect me to remember…'

'Ye mean to say ye were drunk when ye came up with this plan? And we came all this way…' the lookout shook his head and made his way to the railing. 'Let's forget about all this and do what our captain's told us to do for once.'

'But… It was a good plan!' the braided pirate met Quatre's eyes, but the blonde merely sighed and shook his head, following Trowa down to the shore.

XXX

The old woman had spent her life waiting for a man who had set sail and never returned. She had died somewhat recently yet somehow remained attached to the land of the living, still wondering what fate had befallen her long lost love… Still waiting. She could not stop waiting. She could never stop waiting. Relena blinked back tears and, sensing Heero's eyes on her, turned to the captain, but he immediately looked away, his expression veiled.

'We must find out what happened to him… To your betrothed.'

The captain met the ghost's hard suspicious gaze. 'I wonder how much of that story was true and how much was meant to garner our sympathies…'

'What?' the first mate turned fully towards him, horrified. Her skin seemed torn between paling and flushing. 'We must help her, Heero. We made a promise!'

'Nay. We did not.'

'Leave.' The hag stood up menacingly, her cold voice thundering around them. Instantly, the sky grew dark and the wind chilled them to their very bones. Heero's hand tightened around the grip of his cutlass, his jaw clenching and his eyes narrowing. His gaze was almost as cold as the ghost's. 'Get out of here! Now! I should've never let ye fool me!'

Too shocked to do anything other than stare, the first mate allowed herself to be led away by the Peacemillion's captain. They trotted through the underbrush as if trying to escape the skies themselves as yet another storm loomed over them. It felt like they were being slowly and steadily swallowed by the growing darkness. Relena tripped on her own feet and felt a dry branch scratch her cheek. She fell, her hands and knees digging into the sand. The blood she wiped from her face was as black as ravens' feathers.

'Come.' The captain urged, pulling her up by the arm and throwing a steadying hand around her waist. 'We must put as much distance between us and that ghost as we possibly can.'

'No, Heero.' Regaining her senses, the first mate decided to stand her ground. She laid a hand on his chest, pushing him away and glaring. Her breast heaved with each breath she took and, around them, the whole island seemed to have grown still. 'If we don't do anything this nightmare will never end!'

Thunder rumbled, real thunder this time, and it grew even darker amidst the foliage. Heero suddenly had to squint to discern the scowl on her face. 'And what do ye propose we do?' he shouted over the loud rustle of the surrounding leaves.

'We must—'

'Find her betrothed. Aye. B ut how do ye think we're going to find him? Where?'

Her jaw snapped shut. She had no idea where to start, but she refused to falter in front of him… No matter what. 'Let's start by getting back to the ship.' She offered generically and marched resolutely past him. Her whole body urged her to run, frustration rushing hot through her veins, begging to be let out, but she refused to give in.

They resumed trudging their way through the underbrush, Relena fighting the urge to turn and strangle him, and Heero trying to erase the tactile memory of her waist beneath his fingers… Warm and solid. In a way, he felt like strangling her too. Silently, they both hoped they would make it to the Peacemillion before it started pouring and, especially, before they were forced to resume their argument. With the crew as witnesses it would be easier for them to reign in their tempers and keep locked, deep inside, the things they did not mean to say.

Relena slipped out of the line of trees, picking up pace as she neared the ship. She could not see the Peacemillion against the dark skies, but she knew where she was going, the island was small enough for them not to get lost and Heero would not still be following had she been headed in the wrong direction. Or so she hoped. When she reached the edge of the water however, and still no signs of their ship, she was forced to turn to the man behind her.

'The whoresons…' he hissed through gritted teeth. She opened her mouth to chastise him, but quickly noticed it was not her he was looking at and frowned. 'They left us here!'

'What?!' the first mate shouted, but her voice was drowned by the rain as it began to shower them with all its unrestrained fury. She turned back to the sea which rose and fell in monstruous waves. 'If they get caught in this storm they're not going to make it'" her throat ached with the height with which she had to speak and she could barely open her eyes in the relentless downpour.

Heero said nothing though she had the impression she had heard him snort. On the outside he had a minute scowl, but Relena could sense his anger however momentary it was. As was usual, he quickly overcame it all. 'We must seek shelter!'

She only understood the last couple of words, leaning so close to him she could feel their wet cheeks brush, but it was enough. 'Aye.' She nodded, watching as he turned around and squinted at the shadows. It was a small island, which meant the only way they could possibly find shelter would be by turning around and heading back to the village… and the dangerously unstable ghost of a lonely old woman. It was not an option.

They struggled to make their way through the rain, following the shore as it curved around the vegetation, and it felt like they had walked for hours before the captain stopped and pointed at something ahead. Relena could no longer hear a single word he said over the storm's incessant howling. She pushed her mopped hair away from her eyes and gestured that she did not understand him. He paused, obviously conflicted, but at last seemed to find no other option, but to take her hand in his and guide her to whatever he had managed to spot past the torrent. She squeezed his hand, holding onto it as if it were a lifeline.

It was a merchant ship's carcass. Its massive hull, turned upside down, was all that remained after it had faced the storm. Heero wondered if its crew had been stupid enough to sail to that place of their own free will or if they had been even stupider and tried to help a ghost in apparent need. Was this the result? As angry as he might be with his treacherous crew, he did not wish to see his ship end up like this.

A large part of the prow had been ripped off and it was through that gap that they walked into their improvised shelter. Relieved to be out of the weather, Relena suddenly realised how cold she felt in her drenched clothes and soaked hair. Heero was searching the sand underneath them for dry pieces of wood to build a small fire. There was not much to work with.

'Do you really think they left us? Couldn't the storm have carried the Peacemillion away?'

'Nay.' he said simply and finally.

'What reasons would they have to leave us?' sudden realisation had her falling silent. When the captain glanced at her, she was watching him wide-eyed. 'Is this a mutiny?'

He crumpled down to his knees, kindling the fire. 'Nay.' There was a lengthy pause as she approached him and stood there shivering with her arms crossed. His eyes moved up her body, as he tried not to think of the fact that they should probably shed their soaked clothes as soon as the fire was big enough. She was still waiting for an answer… A decent one. Heero believed the crew had left them there purposefully, so he could fix his wrong doings. 'I don't know.' He said, swallowing to try and moisten his parched throat.

Relena noticed his nervousness and the way the skin of his forearms prickled with the cold. He had shed his threadcoat and the shirt underneath clung to his body. She felt herself shiver uncomfortably just looking at him. The fire blazed invitingly and it was then that she realized their heavy and drenched clothes would only stand in the way… If they kept them on, they might even get sick. 'Do you think we should…' Despite her resolution to act maturely about it, she could feel her cheeks burning. Heero flushed too, in a way she had never seen him do before and cleared his throat awkwardly, and it was that which assured her he had understood her half-asked question.

'I'll turn me back…'

'No!' She stuttered when his eyes widened. He even gapped at her, something no living man – or woman – had probably ever seen. 'I mean… I didn't intend to remove my undershirt… Besides, we don't know how long this storm is going to last… I don't want us to spend all this time with our backs turned to each other.'

He nodded, though he did not look entirely convinced. Relena was resolute, however, and he knew there would be no changing her mind when her pale fingers moved to unlace her corset. His eyes were drawn to her every gesture and he turned around anyways, starting to remove his own clothes. He had thought he could do this, that he could overcome the effect she had on him and rise up, but he suddenly had the feeling he had underestimated the influence she had over him and everything he did.

When their eyes met again over the fire, Heero knew something major had just taken place. He knew there would be no escaping, not anymore. 'I've been…excessively critical. Of yer opinions and suggestions. Purposefully so.' Her eyes widened lightly at his confession. 'I apologize.'

She took him in. The honesty and pain in his eyes, the orange light of the fire dancing on his still damp skin, the vulnerability he seemed to allow only her eyes to see… He was still so young – they both were – and had been through so much. 'Remember when I asked you to let me in? To confide in me?'

'Aye.'

'Would you be willing to do that again?'

He sighed. The last few months all suddenly seeming to catch up with him… Getting arrested, thinking Relena had abandoned them, waiting all night for her, believing she had chosen her old life over him… All the emptiness, the numbness and the pain… Then finding her again and fighting against his feelings, trying to push her away… He had been trying to protect himself from the eventual pain of her leaving him again and yet all he had managed was to produce a constant and agonizing emptiness, a restlessness that had been slowly consuming him. It was exhausting.

'What is it ye wish to know?'

'Why did you try to protect me back there? I thought… I thought you were trying to keep your distance.'

'I was.'

Her breath caught in her throat. I was. What did it mean? Had he given up? Why? Or had he succeeded and no longer felt a thing for her? She did not have the courage to ask. 'Jay and Lowe…' Relena changed the subject least he should take back his words. 'What happened to them?'

His eyes got lost in the fire, the smallest of frowns creasing his forehead. She thought he would not answer and she was prepared to tell him it did not matter, but then he met her gaze again. He suddenly seemed shrouded in shadows. 'I am going to make you a promise.' His voice was calm, but infinitely serious, grave even. Every word was enunciated with through carefulness. 'Even though I should not.'

Relena nodded quietly.

'I will never kill again.'

'I'm glad.' She said, obviously relieved, and her smile was warm and understanding, like being wrapped in sun-kissed velvet. It lifted a weight off his shoulders, allowing him to breathe again.

A loud thunder broke through their reverie.

'We should rest.' Heero said. 'This storm won't be over soon.'

'Aye.' The first mate agreed quietly, but made no move to abide to his suggestion. Neither did he.

Envelopped in the fire's warmth and their comfortable silence, they watched the darkness outside.

XXX

'I had just stopped feeling sick!' Auda complained, clutching at his stomach as the Peacemillion tilted dangerously to the side, rocked by the violent waves all around.

'Another storm like this so soon?' Hilde shouted as water splashed against her face, stinging her eyes. 'This has to be part of the curse! There's no way 'tis a normal storm!'

'Well, now we know why no one sails this way anymore.' Dorothy mocked her obvious observation and the black haired woman threw water at her already wet face. The blonde barely noticed.

'How did we end up here anyway?' Quatre had been wondering for some time. 'Hadn't we agreed not to leave the island?'

'It was all Duo's fault!' Trowa, who had been trying – practically in vain – to maintain some control over the ship, could no longer hold back his anger.

'Me fault?' the braided pirate, who had long given up controlling the sails and decided to leave them all shortened instead, waved his hands angrily at the green eyed lookout. 'It was Howard's fault! Where is 'e?'

They all searched the quarter deck for the old pirate, but either the heavy downpour blinded them or he was no where to be seen. 'Where did 'e go?' Hilde wondered half-worried half-puzzled.

'Hidin' in the sleepin' quarters, I betcha.' Duo accused triumphantly. 'That coward… That's 'cause he knows he's the one to blame for this!'

'Actually, I've no reason to hide. I'm not at fault 'ere.' Howard suddenly cut in.

'Why didn't ye say something sooner then?' Trowa turned to him for a brief moment, cursing as the helm almost slipped out of his hands, his fingers numbed by the cold rain.

'I wanted to hear what ye'd say if ye thought I wasn't listenin'! And – though I'm all in for Chang's plan – it ain't me fault we're standing 'ere on a rockin' ship, soaked to our bones, shouting our throats raw!'

'Well, whose fault is it then?'

'Why… It's Miss Catalonia's, o' course!'

Howard's words had them all turning to Dorothy. Her smirk – visible even through the thick curtain of raindrops – was a dead giveaway. Not that she tried to deny anything. 'I never said it hadn't been me!' she answered their incredulous and open mouthed looks.

'Now, now, ladies and gentlemen. Let us not try to resolve this at this very moment, in the middle of the rain, shouting at each other over thunder.' Rashid – who rarely spoke up during their meetings – raised his hands in a request for temporary truce.

A scream came from the main deck then and the pirates overcame their surprise to trade frightened glances. Then they were all moving towards the railing, squinting their eyes. 'Could one of yer men have fallen off the ship?' Howard wondered, turning to the large Arabian man.

At that Quatre paled and hurried down the stairs, nearly falling as the Peacemillion bobbed and tilted with the waves. Rashid was fast on his heels. They passed Auda, who was still where they had left him, too sick to even stand. Ahmad was beside him ever concerned. That only left Abdul. Duo and Hilde caught up with the group as they reached him. He was deathly pale, his eyes wide and his knuckles white as he clutched the railing. With a shaky finger he pointed at something in the distance.

'F-f-f-flying Dutchman!'

Against the dark grey skies and the blinding lightning stood a sparkling white sailing ship with ragged sails and a broken foremast. Thunder howled loudly in their ears as the pirates tried hard to come to terms with what they were seeing. 'That ain't no Flying Dutchman!' Howard protested, bringing up the rear. 'The Dutchman was a much bigger ship!'

'Shut up, Howie! What is it then?' Hilde wondered, gaping in awe.

'Are you sure it's even truly there? In the desert sometimes you see mirages...' Quatre tried to come up with a reasonable excuse.

'Shut up, Quatre. Look at that!' the black haired woman's eyes sparkled with marvel. The white ghostly ship was the preetiest thing she had ever seen. Beside her, Duo shivered from head to toe. 'Are ye scared?' she wondered, frowning at him.

'Naw! Just cold, just cold…'

'If it ain't the Dutchman then what is it?' Abdul found the voice to ask.

'Why, lad, there're plenty of ghost ships sailing these waters.' Howard told him.

'I think there's someone on board…' Hilde commented after a moment.

'What?!' the others shouted.

'I think there's someone waving at us! Can't ye see?'

For a moment it was all they could do to hold on to the railing and one another not to fall off board. The rogue waves brought them closer and closer to the ghost ship. 'I think I see someone.' Quatre agreed however reluctantly.

'Ye do? There is someone! Isn't there?' the black haired woman's excitement escalated.

'There's definitely someone… But it doesn't look like they're waving…' Rashid scratched his bearded chin thoughtfully.

Duo crossed his chest.

XXX

When Relena woke up she saw a burning fire and the glowing sand around it… Nothing else. Beyond that there was only darkness. She lied still, trying to make sense of where she was and why. As soon as it all came back she sat up, alarmed. 'Heero?' she called. Could something have happened? Would he really have left her alone and asleep if it had?

'Hn.' Relief flooded her at that sound. He stood a few feet behind her leaning against the broken boards that had earlier allowed them entrance, his eyes turned to meet hers after a moment.

'Has it stopped raining?' she questioned. She needed to hear his voice, to be assured and comforted by it.

'Aye, but it's the middle of the night. Go back to sleep.'

It was a suggestion, not an order, so Relena simply adjusted her flimsy undershirt and sat there, watching the darkness with him. 'I can stand guard if you wish to rest.' His lips twitched in the corners, but he said nothing as he moved to feed the fire. Only then did she realise he had been doing that ever since she had fallen asleep. 'You certainly need to.'

'I cannot sleep.' He confessed. Ever since they had parted back in England, he had not been able to sleep for more than a couple hours at a time. Some times even less than that. His thoughts plagued him. It was like two completely different people were living inside his head. The man he was and the man he had always strived so hard to be, the man Jay and Lowe had painted for him.

The first mate was watching him quietly and Heero knew she could see way more than he wished to let on. For some reason she seemed to be the only one who could. It was as if – to her eyes – he had become completely transparent. He only wished she could not read his mind for, standing there, admiring her as she slept, he had come to the horrid realization that there was no riding himself of his love for her. There was no fixing his broken heart, for it was no longer his to fix. Relena held all the power, she always had.

She was the only one who could save him.

From across the fire, the blonde woman watched him take a seat. She thought – despite what he had just told her – that he would lie down, but he did not. 'I thought we were going to die…' her own voice surprised her as it broke through the silence that had trapped them. 'Back on the Peacemillion, during the storm… I thought we would die and the only thing I could think of was that we were wasting our time. We were arguing and fighting our feelings when we should have been making the most of what little time we have together.'

He was watching her closely, so still she could see the flames dancing against every muscle of his throat as he swallowed. Dorothy's words were ringing in her head… You must seduce him. Relena wondered if that really was what she was about to do… For some reason, she did not think it was. She stood up, circling the small fire in two tiny steps, and hovered over him. Instead of closing up, his posture seemed to loosen, to adjust to her proximity and he tilted his head to look up at her.

I was. He had said… Relena waited.

His eyes ran down her body until they had reached the sand beneath her feet and still… She waited. She refused to move until he had made his decision be it to reject her or take her in. Then his fingers encircled her ankles, sliding slowly up her calf. It was a feather-light touch as if he had not quite made up his mind yet. Relena closed her eyes and tried to breathe, but when his hands left her she could no longer wait.

'Even if it's just for one night…' she began.

'Come.' He cut in, his voice husky and his hand stretched out to her.

She fell on her knees, ignoring the roughness of the dry sand underneath them, threw herself into his arms and breathed him in.

XXX

Howard strolled up and down the deck, mumbling and groaning and running nervous hands through his hair. 'Look at what ye've done!' he shouted at Dorothy whenever he walked past her.

'Stop whinning, old man.' She rolled her eyes and waved him away. 'What's done is done.'

'We still don't know why ye did it though…' Duo gave her a long, unblinking wide-eyed look. Dorothy was unfazed.

'She did it for Heero and Relena.' Quatre answered already annoyed with the unfriendly mood that had taken over the ship. He felt it keenly, the animosity, and it made him extremely uncomfortable.

'I did it for us.' She countered. 'So we can have a strong leadership.'

Hilde eyed her sceptically, agreeing with the incredulous look in the braided pirate's eyes. Trowa stepped beside them. 'She did it for her own selfish reasons.' His eyes roamed the ship, hardening.

'Heero's going to kill us.' The black haired woman observed. 'We should've sailed the other way.'

'Naw, he won't.' Duo squeezed her shoulder reassuringly and his lips curved upwards in a wide and confident smile. 'I've got the perfect story to tell him!'

The green-eyed lookout frowned at him. Quatre seemed horrified by the prospect. 'Ye do?' Hilde asked and, surprisingly, her tone betrayed excitement. She was probably the only person in the entire world who could easily be fooled by the blabbermouth's made up tales.

'We should tell him the truth.' Rashid's thunderous voice roared reason above them.

'I think so too.' The blonde man immediately agreed.

'Oh, please…' Dorothy sighed in annoyance. 'We are not telling him the truth and we are most definitely not letting Maxwell tell him bedtime stories.'

'What are we doing then?'

'We? Nothing. Because you're letting me handle it.'

'I think it's only fair since she was the one who raised the anchor.' Howard finally stopped pacing.

'Nay, nay. That's an awful stupid idea.' Duo shook his head. 'She's gonna lay all the blame on us.'

'Whatever we're going to do, ye better reach a decision soon.' Trowa said, following Zero with his eyes. The parrot flew off the railing where he had been preening his feathers and towards the shore where he landed on the captain's shoulder. 'They're coming.'

They were still too far to be heard, but the lookout could see Relena laughing quietly. Heero glared at the parrot, but did not scowl. At least, Trowa figured, they did not seem to be in so bad a mood. Could they not have noticed the ship had been gone? Maybe they had spent the night in the village where they could hide from the storm… The damage was visible, however, so there was no point pretending they had been there the whole time. And when the captain saw the state of his quarters…

'Give me the short version of the story ye meant to tell Heero.' He whispered to the braided man.

'Ha! Lost yer nerve, Bart'n?' Duo smirked, scratching his nose with a misplaced air of superiority. 'If ye hear the story 'fore the right time ye'll ruin the suspense!'

'If ye don't tell me now I'll let Dorothy do whatever it is she meant to do.'

'You won't let me do anything, Barton!' the blonde woman took a step towards him, arms akimbo, and threw her hair over her shoulder haughtily. 'I'll do what I want, when I want.'

'How 'bout ye throw a rope for them then?' Howard suggested leaning over the railing. 'Ye don't wish to make 'im even angrier by forcin' him to ask.'

'Wait!' Trowa raised a hand. 'What is it that you want to do?'

Dorothy smirked widely. 'Curious now, are we?'

'Does this mean ye'll force me to blindly pick one of ye to deal with the situation?' the lookout sighed.

'Either that or deal with it yourself.' The blonde woman shrugged. 'You have been appointed the one in charge after all…'

'I should be able to appoint someone then… Quatre?'

'What?!' the blonde man was caught off guard. 'Why me? I'm not even officially a part of the crew anymore!'

'Heero has always listened to ye…' Duo agreed with Trowa's decision.

'Where's Chang when we need him…?' Howard lamented, taking over the task of throwing the captain and first mate a rope to climb on board.

There was silence as Heero reached the deck. He turned around to assist Relena, then met the crew's eyes, saying nothing and betraying nothing. It was as if he was testing them… Waiting to see who would break first. At last, he turned to the lookout. 'Barton, report. Don't even bother, Maxwell.' He added calmly as soon as Duo's mouth opened. 'I've known ye long enough not to fall for yer stories.'

'But ye haven't even heard this one!' the braided pirate protested anyway.

'The sea carried us.' Dorothy stepped forward. 'That storm… It was too much for the Peacemillion… There was nothing we could do but sustain the damage and try to bring her back to you.'

'Think he'll fall for that?' Hilde whispered in Duo's ear.

'Naw, she's just lying.'

'And what had you meant to do?'

'I never lie, ye know that. I just… embellish some facts and omit others is all…'

The captain's eyes narrowed on the blonde woman, but only for a moment before he turned back to Trowa. 'In me quarters.' He motioned the lookout to follow and started walking.

Relena sighed as she watched them go, then turned to the rest of the crew. 'I need your help.'

'With Heero? 'Cause we meant to ask for yours.' Hilde immediately informed her.

'No.' the first mate frowned, wondering why they would think she needed help dealing with the captain. She shook her head. 'There is a ghost in the island. Heero and I have seen it. It's an old woman who died waiting for her beloved to come back to her…' she gave them a moment, watching their faces, but – for some reason – they seemed less surprised than she had thought they would be. 'I believe we must find her betrothed. I think if we can find him and bring him here that she'll finally be able to rest and the storms will be over for good.'

'Uh…'

'Heero doesn't believe we can do it either.' She resumed. 'But I don't think it would cost us much to look around for him as we travel… Or ask around for information on his whereabouts or his… Body's.'

'Uh…'

'I know it won't be easy, but unless we give the ghost some hope – even if it's only a promise – I don't think she'll let us leave the island. We won't survive another storm like the last two… The Peacemillion won't stand it.'

'Lena. Lena, stop.' Quatre pleaded with her, chuckling lightly at her resolve.

'Why? What's wrong?' she was certain they would question her, as Heero had done amidst the earlier storm, but she stayed strong.

'I think…' he started somewhat cautiously. The entire crew seemed to be holding their breaths. 'I think we might have already found him.'

'What?' Relena felt as if her breath had been knocked out of her. 'You… You did?' she licked her dry lips. 'Where… Where is he then?'

'In the brig.'