Disclaimer: IOOMOC

J.L.: This is gonna be a long chapter filled to the brim with lots of action. Well, okay, I really cannot yank your chain around. It's not the "giggidy!" kind of action.

Jill

My heart hammered against my chest as Chris and I began to really escalate the kiss even deeper, our bodies pressed up tightly together and hands starting to roam. Chris grabbed my butt, pulling my lower half in contact with his. He broke the kiss for a brief moment, his lips moving to my neck and trailing to my shoulder as he shed me of my overcoat. This was quickly driving my mind to madness with the intense bursts of boldness for deciding to do this and reward for following through. I bit my lip as Chris found a sweet spot at the crook of my neck to lightly sink his teeth into, an attempt at affection and teasing.

"Chris…a thought…" I purred out. He pulled away to look me in the eyes, his own fired up with hunger.

"I'm listening." He answered, his hands loosening my blouse from my pants.

"Where…are we...I mean…the hammock?" I asked. Chris grinned wildly and yanked my shirt up over my head and threw it aside.

"I figured just the floor would work…I can't imagine that a hammock would be very helpful support for thrusting." He replied and it felt like my whole body blushed all over, particularly my chest where only a bra separated me from him. Only a few times before, when I was much younger and on one of my father's expeditions, had I heard such course language. Over the years I had gathered the general idea of what sexual intercourse involved from stories the sailors told on the cold nights filled with binge drinking, but thrusting was not a term that those sailors applied, as humping and rolling were.

"You've done this before?" I asked. Chris looked a bit surprised, and slowed down a bit until he was just resting his hands on my hips.

"You haven't?" He asked.

"Um…no." I answered. Chris smiled sweetly at me, almost as if the guy was suddenly much more charmed with me.

"Now that is a surprise. A woman as…defined…as you, on a ship for many months at a time with many sailors, and you're a virgin?" He questioned, almost teasing. I glared at him, crossing my arms to provide some dignity for myself.

"What about you? Let me guess, you're in the double digits now?" I challenged. He looked a little hurt by my comment, but brushed it aside.

"I wasn't mocking you, Jillian. I am just really surprised. It's a very nice surprise and really endearing." He replied. I eased up a bit, looking away slightly and feeling very silly.

"It's just…well, people always assume and make such expectations of me that they don't quite see the whole picture. I'm a little tender about that subject, understandably. That and it's been brought up quite a few times lately." I reasoned. Chris nodded, moving his hands to my shoulder and rubbing them. He then planted a kiss on my forehead.

"Don't worry about what other people think of you. You're a very courageous woman and it shouldn't matter who you share you bed with." He reassured me.

"Smooth talk doesn't get you out of answering my question Mr. Redfield." I said.

"Only one other time. I was just barely a man, and it was a complete disaster. I was drunk, she was a bitch…and I regret it now, knowing what I know now about you." He answered. I smiled a little.

"That bad, huh?" I asked.

"I ended up puking on her." He said, a very embarrassed grin gracing his features.

"I'm not looking forward to that part." I teased. He started laughing.

"That's not part of it." He replied and pulled me back close to him. I put my hands on the edge of his belt where shirt met pants.

"No? Well I guess you'll just have to educate me." I flirted. He started chuckling, and then slowed to a smile as he ran his tongue along his bottom lip.

"Alright, but I think I'm obligated to make sure this is what you want. Once this happens, there's no turning back, the same with our relationship." He examined. I locked eyes with him, boldness and an urge to just get it over with already flowing through me.

"I wouldn't be here if I hadn't thought it over thoroughly. I really…like you, Chris. As far as first guys go, I do not think I could do better." I answered. Chris gently kissed my lips.

"I'll be a perfect gentleman to your needs tonight then, love." He said softly and then locked lips with me once more, though less feverishly than previously I had encountered this night. My heart started skipping beats instead of pounding, a different rush of emotions flowing through me. I wanted to tell him what I was feeling, wanted to tell him that I was in love with him, but the voice in the back of my mind that kept me from rushing off to endeavors that would most likely result in death kept my mouth shut. At least in a mental sense, as my mouth was very much open to Chris's own mouth now. I smiled into the kiss and decided that things desperately need to be evened up between Chris and myself, indicating so by tugging on the bottom of Chris's shirt. He paused out lip locking for a brief moment to remove the offending article and cast it aside. A boom echoed off in the distance.

"What was that?" I asked, pulling back a bit just as another boom echoed. Shouts started roaring up around the ship and then footsteps started echoing down the hall.

"Pirates!" I heard Enrico's voice boom. My jaw dropped in disbelief as Chris scooped up my over coat and handed it to me. I quickly tugged it on and buttoned it up just in time for Enrico to kick open the door.

"Chris! Valentine? Never mind, we're under attack! Pirates are coming in portside and for some stupid reason no one caught them before they caught up to us! Wesker's calling everyone who isn't drunk on deck now with any weapon you can grab before they board us!" Enrico relayed. I nodded and followed him out, Chris hot on my heels with a hand on my back.

Chris

We arrived on deck just as the first pirate swung over, and fighting immediately broke out. I pulled out the flintlock pistol Jill had quickly thrown to me back in the armory and sighted up another pirate crossing over unto our deck, then shot his wrist. The pirate's hand was severed off and he dropped into the waters between the ships. Casting the spent pistol aside I followed Jill into battle, the both of us pulling out our swords almost simultaneously. Shouts and screams chorused the sounds of clashing swords and gunfire, chaos claiming my night instead of the proposed love making. As I cut a pirate down, my eye caught Jill doing similar and my heart lodged itself in my throat as another pirate ran up to slashed at her from behind. Jill was quick to parry the blow and back kicked the man overboard.

"Chris!" I heard Barry shout, and turned my attention to the pirate that was aiming his pistol at me. Ducking the shot, I saw Barry club the pirate upside the head with his rifle and then shoot him. I shook my head, renewed with a sense of urgency about the situation occurring around me. I heard Richard howl from somewhere near me, but it was hard to tell what had happened with the blackness of the night only allowing for me to see so far. Rebecca's scream confirmed that it had been something horrible, and the accompanying growl from Wesker alerted me that the situation was remedied as I parried a blow from another pirate's cutlass away from my body.

Within minutes, the battle was over, the bodies of the pirates kicked over board and our own dead wrapped up. Rebecca clung to Jill as Forest and I tossed Richard's body overboard, Barry and Sully doing the same for Enrico's. Wesker wore a frighteningly angry expression on his face, his anger fueled by their deaths and finding out that two of his more combat toned sailors were drunk off their asses.

"I want a damn good explanation once you two sober up! " Wesker roared.

"It's my fault." Jill piped up. All eyes fell on her.

"What do you mean?" Wesker growled, his intense stare locked on her.

"I let them drink tonight. I thought we'd had a good enough stream of luck that they could enjoy themselves for the night." Jill said, showing no fear to Wesker's rage. He stomped his boot down hard on the deck enough that I swore I heard the wood crack.

"Well our stream of luck just ran out! This is why we dock at the harbors, to let them have their fun! This is no time for rubbish games, there are lives on the line every day we are at sea and we are accountable for them Jillian! We have lost two damn good men tonight because of your decision to 'relax'! How are you going to explain that to the Governor?" Wesker demanded. Sully and Forest kept their eyes down, knowing full well that the blame was more rightly on their shoulders but very relieved that Jill was taking the blame. Barry had his face covered with his hand. My eyes were on Jill.

"Death is always a possibility while sailing." Jill retorted.

"Foolishness and recklessness that causes death is not permissible!" Wesker barked.

"No. As I said, I am to blame and I will handle the Governor personally. You won't have to worry about losing your Captain's title." Jill replied coolly, a hint of venom at the end of her comment.

"Someone will have to worry about losing their title." Wesker hissed.

"That will rightfully be me. This is my last voyage anyways." Jill revealed. My heart sunk, scared of what this actually meant.

"Oh will it? Is that because of your brother's confirmed death or are you finally mature enough to accept your responsibilities?" Wesker harshly accused. Jill glared at him, her blues icy and cold.

"Why don't you just tell them everything?" She challenged. Wesker huffed and flung his hand out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the woman you call your first mate is not just your first mate but also your primary employer. I present to you none other than Lady J in the flesh, and her mad quest to find a brother that is dead. It's little more than an excuse for her to escape the responsibilities of home, entailing being Duke Spencer's betrothed! Yes, this woman is to be the future Duchess Spencer! Instead of accepting her title, she would rather do what she calls 'adventuring' and what most would call playing. Bow to her, because now that she has gotten a confirmation of her brother's death she will be returning to Kennedy manor to marry off into royalty and live out the rest of her days care free while we toil and suffer to make a living." Wesker preached.

"While they toil and suffer. You have enough luxury that this is just a hobby for you. You use the money you've been commissioned from these trips to fund your mistresses." Jill threw back. My heart sunk, the reality of Wesker's speech kicking in. I felt a little used as well. She had always joked about the Duke but never mentioned that she was already engaged to the man. I was merely just a toy for her to play with, it seemed, and yet the nagging feeling that perhaps her affections were genuine kept me from reeling off on her.

"The point is that you've been acting like a selfish child and now there are two men dead because of it. I wonder if that ever registers on your conscience." Wesker growled and walked off, indicating that he was done. Barry eased Rebecca into his arms, as Sully and Forest slunked down below deck. Jill looked over to Barry apologetically.

"It's not your fault." Barry spoke to Jill as Rebecca cried into his chest.

"It's partially my fault. Do you think you can continue navigation for night?" Jill asked. Barry nodded and Jill looked over to me. I was lost for words and she sighed, shaking her head.

"Perhaps you and Chris should raid their ship for supplies while everyone settles down." Barry suggested. Jill looked at the other ship, moored next to ours.

"If Mr. Redfield doesn't mind." She replied. I shook my head and followed after her, worry creeping over me like a bad disease.

J.L.: Well, okay, back to drama bits on this story, but I felt that it would be a good. Anyways, let's go over some key point here just in case there may be some confusion, and also I'll reveal a secret about the story line below (So if you want to be surprised stop reading before the spoiler indication) for those of you who do take time to read my little blurbs.

1. Richard and Enrico are dead (Richard almost always dies in all my stories). 2. Jill is engaged to Duke Spencer, though the marriage is forcefully arranged. 3. The ship's journey is almost over; they are about two-three months from "home". 4. Wesker has three "mistresses": Ada, Excella and William.

*Spoiler*

Leon is not dead. This will obviously be a key plot point in the future.