"Johnny!" Johnny raised his head, pulling out of the kiss when he heard Stukeley's voice. "The Captain wishes to speak to us before we reach land." He let out an annoyed hiss and climbed off the bed, and Grace, who didn't move. He stalked out of the cabin, slamming the door shut behind him. He made sure to lock it. He didn't want his little lady friend getting out, now did he?

"What does he wanted to talk to us about?" Johnny asked as he accompanied Stukeley towards Sidorio's cabin.

Stukeley just shrugged.

It didn't take them long to reach the cabin, only a few minutes. Johnny knocked on the door. "Captain?"

"Enter." Johnny glanced at Stukeley who just shrugged. The two walked in. Sidorio was sitting at a table with a large map draped over it. The two lieutenants walked over, the door falling shut behind them.

"I assume the crew are ready for feasting?" Johnny felt a jolt of panic. How had he forgotten that they were feasting that night?

"Yes Captain," Stukeley answered.

Johnny relaxed at his friend's reply. He really was lucky to have Stukeley to cover his back.

"Good." Sidorio got to his feet.

Stukeley frowned then said, "Captain, they're have been rumors flying around that the pirates, the ones that killed the late Lady Lockwood Sidorio, are coming after you as well. The crew are becoming anxious. I think it would be best if you address them, calm the fears."

Sidorio raised an eyebrow. "They're nothing but humans. What could they possibly do to us?"

Stukeley and Johnny looked at each other before looking back.

Sidorio's eyes narrowed into a dark glare. "We were caught off guard at the wedding. It will not happen again." Despite his harsh words, Johnny could catch a hint of sorrow in their captain's words.

"Make sure that the crew is ready. We land in half an hour." They were dismissed. Johnny and Stukeley turned to leave. "Oh, Stetson, I'd like to have a word with you, alone." The two lieutenants looked at each other again before Stukeley exited the cabin.

Johnny turned to face Sidorio. Even though he had leverage over the larger man, he couldn't help feeling somewhat intimidated. "What is it Captain?" he asked.

"How is she?"

Johnny blinked in surprise. He had expected some kind of threat or get questioned about what will buy his silence. "Um, she's fine," he said.

Sidorio's gaze suddenly narrowed and darkened. "You better treat her well," he snarled. "I don't care if you tell because, so help me, if you hurt her, I will kill you."

Johnny felt like his stomach had dropped into his feet. He knew his captain was being one-hundred percent serious in his threat. He nodded. "Anything else?"

"No." He took this as his dismissal and didn't stick around long enough to find out.

XXX

Grace jammed the knife in once more and turned it before the lock finally gave way. She had finally decided she would rather try her luck out on the open ocean than staying on the ship. She wasn't going to wait around for Johnny to return and continue.

She slowly turned the doorknob and peered out into the corridor. Luckily, it was empty. She slipped out and closed the door behind her before, as quickly as she could while still being quiet, walking down the hall. She looked around the corner. Trying to remember the path they'd taken when she'd originally come aboard, she searched for the deck.

Her footsteps seemed far too loud in the nearly silent corridors. But she didn't come across anyone in the fifteen minutes it took her to find the deck. She peered around the corner and looked around. The deck was completely empty. How odd. Where was everyone? She didn't think on it too long, slipping along the wall and sticking to the shadows. Her heart pounded in her ears, making her think it was a miracle it didn't alert the entire crew to her presence. Or maybe it did.

"What do we have here?"