Chapter 1: Not Dead Yet!

"Your suppose to be dead!"

"Am I not?"

Pintel and Jack from Curse of the Black Pearl

Alexandra Wylde had long ago decided no liquor would go into her system, at least not enough to affect her. That would lead to sleepiness and possible stupidity she couldn't afford on her part. Unfortunately she was pretty sure a certain surgeon had slipped something to cause sleep into her food, or maybe it was her drink. Either way she'd gotten perhaps a few hours of sleep and another nightmare of her father's murder. Didn't anyone understand that she didn't want to sleep unless exhaustion was heavy enough to make sure it was dreamless?

A good walk on the deck. That's what she needed. It would help clear her head, wake her up, and she could check on those working through the night.

It was cold, but that was to be expected when you were in the Atlantic in March. They'd be in warmer climates soon enough but for now the night wind was cool and Alex was sure the water would be cold enough to stop time itself and fog to make one wonder if they were still on earth.

It was certainly enough to wake her up. She hoped it was enough to keep the crew who was on duty awake enough as well. She'd check them in a moment.

"How are you holding up in this cold missy?" She said to her ship. "Heard one of your competitors sunk awhile back. Eaten by a squid. Your really climbing the ladder in survival and speed aren't ya?" She gave her ship 's railing a affectionate pat. "Just need you to hold up a little longer old girl. Then you can get a well deserved rest."

She knew many people thought of ships as brazen young ladies. She partically agreed with the thoughts, although to her mind her ship was more like the ancient celtic female warriors. Alex took pride in her irish roots and even more in her ship. The last one her father had made before he was killed. The Wylde Child. She imagined the ship was getting tired of the constant fighting and repairs she had to survive though.

The ship had been there for her flight from England, her brother's death, and hopefully would remain with her until she finally found the man who'd murdered her father. She wondered for a moment what she'd do after that but pushed the thought away. She could worry about the future when she knew she had one. Perhaps she'd give the ship to her first mate Zhong. The older asian man had been her protector and friend for years and had followed her into hell's mouth time and again.

She supposed worst case she'd simply hand it over to her crew. They had been so loyal to her. Granted it wasn't unwarranted, she had saved almost each of them from one thing or another. She never thought of their loyalty as her due though. She was after all a woman stomping through a man's world.

The thought of a man made her remember Doc's lecture earlier. She could almost hear him now, going on about how she needed to stop this madness and go back to being the lady she was suppose to be. Which of course meant finding a husband.

Alex pulled a face. She knew better then Doc did in that arena. She was twenty-seven. Well on the shelf for any prospective husband, even if she had still been a respectable member of society. Even now if they would over look her age and crimes it would take a man of considerable will to survive her. Her surname wasn't Wylde for nothing after all.

"Man overboard! Starboard!"

The bellowing of her man in the crow's nest yanked Alex from her thoughts. She squinted slightly but could see the man. He was on his back but starting to sink.

She didn't give a minute of thought to the cold or even her own safety and she back up to the opposite side of the ship and got a running start.

Doctor Bradford, or Doc as all aboard knew him, came up from the galley to see the was the commotion was about only to see Alex run across the deck and dive into the water. "Alex!" He yelled but was ignored as she started swimming towards the sinking man in the water. "Confounded wild girl..." He grumbled as Zhong walked past him and started barking orders for a boat.

For someone originally raised to swim in rougher waters then the current ones she was in, it was ease itself for Alex to cut to the man. He was bigger then she'd originally thought and in much worse condition. She did her best to keep him levelled out out some so as to be seen and conserve energy along with getting air. There was a good amount of blood on his white shirt to his side. Alex couldn't help but think if he'd been stabbed and thrown into the sea a week later he definately would've died. As it was the cold water was slowing everything down just a bit.

"You'll be ok Sir. We'll get Doc to fix you right up and you'll be about in no time."

"Alex!"

"Speak of the devil."

Doc held the lantern high as they pulled up along side. "Alexandria, what have I told you about jumping into the ocean!?"

"To do it as often as possible." She replied as Zhong and a taller black boy who everyone had dubbed Crow pulled the lifeless man in. "Be careful there he's injured." She told them as she levered herself in cause the boat to rock alarmingly.

Doc immediately switched into what Alex called called 'surgeon role'. He ripped the man's shirt open and pulled it off. "He's cold as death. I'm surprised he's even breathing."

"E's a soulda." Crow stated. Doc had been working on the man's english but it was still terrible. Luckily most folks could get the jist of what he was saying.

"Soldier." Alex corrected automatically. "Certainly not dressed like one though, why do you say he's military?"

"E's ta clen. No smeel."

"Way to clean Crow, way to clean." Alex said. She had to agree with him that the man's certainly didn't smell like anyone from a merchant or pirate vessel. "Maybe he's been adrift awhile?"

"Not with this wound." Doc said as he wrapped his coat around the man. "He's gonna need to be sewn up. The ship he was on has to be nearby."

Zhong grunted at Doc and shook his head.

"I think Zhong means to say that the fog is to thick to go ship hunting. Crow get us back to the Wylde quickly."

It seemed to Alex like an eternity to get back to the ship. The unconscious man groaned a few times but she made it a point to shush him and tell him he was safe.

Doc frowned at her, surely she realized the likelihood of the man surviving. "You know you can't save everyone Alex."

She glared at him and only the fact that he was a now very old family friend kept her from snapping at him. "I can sure as bloody hell try Doc." She replied as a few more awake crew members came to help with the man. "Take him to my quarters, he'll need a better bed then a hammock with that injury. Crow bring two bowls and make sure one has water in it. Doc get your kit. Zhong get this lot out of our hair once they've depositied our guest and get us out of here. I have no interest in running into a frigate and getting hanged."

Her crew worked like a machine. Perhaps not as fine tuned and oiled as others but they made up for it in heart. They knew all about their captain's soft heart and none of them would break it if they could help it. They deposited the man with as much care as they would've wished for themselves in that state.

Alex shooed them all away as she hunted through her quarters. While she would've preferred whiskey or brandy for what she had in mind she'd make do with the rum someone had brought in earlier. She peeled away the wadded up shirt and Doc's coat to inspect the wound better and couldn't help but cringe to herself. It simply wasn't possible for it to heal cleanly, the man would be lucky if escaped with his life, hoping to not have a scar was asking too much.

Knowing time would be important in saving the man she dumped the rum onto the wound. She knew from experience that it had to sting horribly but thankfully he was still out cold. She dabbed at it with the shirt and mentally willed Crow and Doc to hurry.

As if to answer her wish there was a quiet knock followed by the crash of the door being kicked. "Er's espetin us."

"She's expecting us." Doc corrected and walked in with an apologetic look.

"I started to clean his wound Doc. Unfortunately I only had rum to do it with really..."

She took the water from Crow who pouted at the half empty rum bottle as the other two got to work occassionally having Crow run for more water. Alex knew they worked as fast as they dared but even when all was said and done the man was still too pale and his breathing ragged.

"Well we've done all we can." Doc told her. "The rest is up to God. He's lost alot of blood and..."

A sudden slight groan drew their attention to the man. He was already sweating with what Alex would bet was going to be one nasty fever but his eyes fluttered open just the slightest bit. Green eyes glassed over from pain and illness looked about, not registering anything.

"...Elizbeth?"

Alex reached over and held the man's face steady so he had to look at her. "Sir? Sir look at me. I need you to rest now. You've lost alot of blood and are going to be having a fever soon. Can you do that for me? I promise your safe here."

For a split second those green eyes seem to register what she said before the lids closed and he slipped back into unconsciousness.

Crow blinked in confusion. "Who's...who..." He scrunched his nose trying to remember the pronunciation of the name.

"Elizabeth?" Doc supplied. "I'm not sure. Maybe a wife?"

Crow picked up the man's left hand and inspected it. "Na rung. Sista?"

Alex rolled her eyes as she found a clean blanket to bundle the man up in. "That's ring Crow, no ring. She's probably a lover or some such. Either way we can ask if he wakes up. Now shoo both of you."

Doc stared at Alex reproachfully. "You mean to sleep in here with him? Alex that's not proper!"

"Yes Doc I'm going to have a wonderful roll about the bed with a man who's unconscious and near death." She said with dripping sarcasm as she gently but firmly pushed him and Crow out of her quarters.

She was surprised to see some of her crew dawdling by the door. "Do none of you have something better to do? Get back to work!"

They scrambled to do as she ordered but she noticed Zhong stood by her door still with his arms crossed glaring at the door like he expected the man to come out and attack at any moment.

She sighed and patted his shoulder. "Zhong, if he was on good terms with the military or the Trading Company then I'm sure he wouldn't have been stabbed and dumped into the ocean. We'll get his story after he's recovered some."

Zhong nodded and turned back to the crew bellowing orders as he went.

Alex went back into her quarters and made her guest as comfortable as she could manage. She made a mental note to get rope to tie the man to the bed for he'd certainly thrash about at some point in his sleep. Which could make his injuries reopen and become much worse.

After tucking him in as best she could she stared at the man. What will your story be I wonder? Deserter? Fight over a girl? Another victim being crushed under the East India Trading Company's heel? She grinned a bit and brushed his dark brown hair out of his face. You'll be ok Sir. We're all misfits here. You'll just be another member of my little family, another little brother for me to watch out for and whip into shape if need be.

She sat with him a little longer. A mother hen clucking over her newest chick.