A/N: This chapter took a little while longer since my muse disappeared for a couple days. This chapter brings everything full circle about what happened when Ashley and Tori left the Venture crew. Also shows a miniture triangle near the end. Next chapter is written, but I won't be posting it for a couple days. It involves someone being taken. (Tori, you'll get your wish. ;P) End of this chapter's dialouge between Griffin & Ashley is a bit confusing but ohh well.
Read, review, and enjoy! (Still no reviews... Please?)

Chapter 17: Venture Boat Visit

(Griffin POV)

He dried his hair with a towel as he walked over to the couch. Griffin sat down, staring at the blank television. He looked around. 'Ashley hasn't come back. Must've given her a good scare…' He furrowed his brow and got up. Griffin walked over to the shower and hung the towel on the rack by the wall. Once the towel was in place to dry, he jumped to David house. Griffin set foot in the living room and saw David in the kitchen. Tori was relaxing on the couch. She held up a hand, signaling a small wave to him. Griffin gave her a nod. "Where's Ashley?" he said with a subtle laugh.

Tori shrugged. "She's not with you?" Her expression turned from calm to confused in a blink. She growled, "Don't tell me she ran off again…"

"Do ya wanna go look for her?" David said from the kitchen. Griffin looked over and found he was making some sort of breakfast for them.

"We'd better," Tori sighed. "Who knows what antics she'll get into…" She got up and adjusted the hem of the shirt.

Griffin gave a curious look as he eyed it. 'That looks familiar.' "Isn't that-?"

"My shirt," David interrupted. Griffin looked over at him and saw a weak smile plastered across his face. He simply rolled his eyes at David.

Tori looked around the room quickly before setting eyes on the hallway and dash over. Griffin watched her disappear around a corner and into one of the rooms. He shrugged at David and followed her. They found Tori in the spare room, which was now hers and Ashley's, staring at something. She whipped around and said, "Found her jumpscar…."

"Good. Where's she?" Griffin asked.

Tori bit her lower lip, looking very nervous. "Erm... On a boat in 1933," she told them softly. Griffin's eyes widened and he heard David curse under his breath. "It's dangerous. Things could be altered if we don't get her. She's with people I know so they'll hide her from the captain as long as they can." As she spoke, she picked up her green hoodie. "Can you two get there?" she asked, looking from David to Griffin.

Griffin gave a slow nod. "Probably. I'll take you and we can get 'er. No reason for ya to go Rice-boy. Just grab 'er and go, yeah?"

David nodded and left the room. Tori had a smug look on her face and looked at the minute jumpscar. "Can you make it through that?" He just rolled his eyes in response.

---

(Ashley POV)

She had her bag over her shoulder and walked across the deck of the boat at a quick pace. Ashley had the 007 theme song in her head as she tried to be sneaky. She caught eye of Preston coming out from the galley, his hands in his pockets and a solemn look on his face. "Preston!" she hissed.

Preston looked over in her direction and he looked shocked. Preston looked around and hurried over to her. "Ashley? What are you doing here?" he asked sternly.

She smiled at him. "I had to visit. Sorry," she frowned.

"You can't be here. Englehorn thinks you two stole a boat and left."

Ashley looked at him curiously. "That's what the story was?"

He sighed and said, "For Christ's sake, put up your hood or something. Try and hide please?" Ashley gave a reluctant nod and pulled the black hat out of her bag. Preston rolled his eyes. "How obvious…"

She just smiled at him slightly and said, "Where's Jimmy?" She didn't get an answer as Preston hurried her into the hallway and pushed her into Jimmy's cabin. "Hey," she shouted.

Preston hushed her and said, "I'll get him. Just stay here and stay quiet. Please." He stressed the word please before leaving and shutting the door behind him. She turned and walked over to his bed and sat down. Ashley caught eye of his books on the desk and pulled one towards her. She smiled as Heart of Darkness fell onto her lap.

---

(Tori POV)

She felt a pull and smelled the familiar scent of sea air. She inhaled and could smell the salt around her. Tori glanced at Griffin who seemed to be looking at his surroundings. She pulled him towards the bow of the boat and noticed Preston, standing and talking to Jimmy by the crow's nest. Tori dropped her grip on Griffin and said, "Stay right here." She hurried over to the two and whispered, "Over here…"

Preston turned and had a look of disapproval. "Ashley's here you know…"

Jimmy rushed off and she gave a nod. "Came to get her."

"How'd you get here?"

Tori pointed over her shoulder. "Griffin brought me since it's his fault."

"It bloody well isn't my fault," he said as he stormed over to her side.

Preston shook his head and pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "Doesn't matter. C'mon, before someone sees you two," he said, motioning toward the hall to get to the cabins. Tori pushed Griffin along the familiar path as Preston followed behind them.

---

(Ashley POV)

She ran her hand over the book before opening it carefully. It was like a delicate flower to her that she didn't want to ruin. Ashley heard the door open and she looked up, catching sight of Jimmy. He seemed out of breath from where she was. "Jimmy!" she said with excitement in her voice. Ashley leaped up and ran the few steps to him. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

He patted her back. "Takin' care of my hat?"

Ashley pulled back and nodded as Jimmy maneuvered them away from the door as he shut it with one hand. "I've really missed you," she told him in a whisper.

"So have I," he replied. Jimmy took a hold of her hand. "But you shouldn't be here," he warned.

"I know, it's just… Things have been happening and I had to see you," she shifted her footing carefully as she watched the ground briefly.

"I understand. Just next time, hide better. Preston said you were wandering around the deck," Jimmy said with a chuckle and a smile.

Ashley smiled. 'I've missed this.' She leaned towards him and kissed him.

---

(Griffin POV)

"Stop pushin' me, yeah?" Griffin demanded. Tori stopped pushing him and he continued to walk on his own free will.

"It's on your left," the man named Preston said. Griffin opened the door and saw Ashley, kissing someone unknown to him. Griffin fumed a little. He cleared his throat and Ashley's eyes moved to him. He shot her a questioning look.

"Griffin?" Ashley asked jumping back, away from the person. Her look was clear shock.

"Who else?" he growled angrily. 'Why am I gettin' so pissed over it? Not like she's technically yours…'

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over his shoulder, seeing Tori walk into the room more. "Ashley, you know we can't be here…"

Ashley sighed and looked at the person. "I know. I just wanted to see Jimmy," she said in an innocent manner. She glanced at the guy. "Jimmy, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come back," Ashley scooped up her bag from the bed and walked over to Tori. "Sorry Tori. You too Griffin," she said without looking at Griffin. "Bye Jimmy," Ashley said, glancing over her shoulder.

"G'bye Ash," he said, sounding very sad. Griffin grabbed Tori's wrist and Ashley's hand before jumping back to David's place.

---

(Tori POV)

Tori noticed Griffin had brought them back to David's living room. 'Wow. That must be weird for her.' She looked at Ashley, who kept staring at the ground as Griffin kept a lock on her hand.

He looked over at her. "I'm taking her to the lair," Griffin told her. "Don't wait up." With that, the two disappeared and Tori was alone in the living room. She looked around and David popped in near her.

"Back already?" he asked as he walked to the couch and sat down.

Tori sighed, "Yes and it was hard for her."

David gave a nod, signaling he understood. "It wasn't hard for you?"

She shook her head. "I don't have a connection there like she does," Tori trailed off. 'I hurt Preston before I left him those 3 months ago.' She looked at David, who was trying to read her. "I mean, I used to but not anymore…"

David nodded. "Okay. What do you wanna do now then?" he asked.

"I just wanna sit and relax. Lots on my mind right now," she sent him a weak smile. He clicked his tongue and sank into a comfortable position on the couch.

---

(Ashley POV)

She wasn't noticing too much. It took her minutes to figure out Griffin had jumped them back to his place after dropping off Tori. Ashley fell back and sat on the couch lazily and dropped her bag on the floor. She felt as if the life was drained out of her and then a car hit her a few times. Her body was weak and tired. 'That kiss… It literally killed me. Griffin saw it too, which doesn't make matters any better.' Ashley made a small sigh and felt her arm being pulled and herself standing up.

She looked up at Griffin, who was pulling her up. "What?" she said in a low voice. He had a furious look on his face. "You hate me, right?" Her throat was dry and a little raspy. 'I don't sound like myself.' She couldn't look him in the eye so she stared at the ground.

Griffin made a slight snarl and rolled his eyes. "I don't hate yeh, even though I feel like I should. Who was he?"

"Jimmy… He was Jimmy," she squeaked out. Ashley remembered she was still wearing the hat and she pulled it off, gripping it tightly in her hands. "He's just a friend…"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "A friend you kiss, yeah?"

Ashley's eyes slowly looked at Griffin. "We were sorta a couple. Why? You do the same to me," she said in a low tone.

"No," he grumbled. "We're different."

"How?" she asked, looking at him solemnly.

"We're together. Now. And I…care about you." It sounded as if it was a challenge to say the word "care". Ashley sent him a questioning look. "Yes. I know, shocking. But I care."

Her mouth fell agape, shocked at his words. "Sure you didn't like, bump your head Griffin?" she asked with a small laugh.

"No. I haven't bumped my head," he said with mockery. He gave her arm a squeeze. "And you're not dreamin' about me again," Griffin winked. Ashley's hand twitched forward and she slapped his arm. "I see we're beginning to feel like ourselves again," he said.

"Maybe," Ashley said in a normal tone as she tossed the hat gently onto the top of her bag.

"In that case," Griffin began, "I want yeh to be mine." He jumped them to his room and he kissed her roughly. "I'll even use the word girlfriend," he said.

Ashley pushed him away from her a little. "I always knew you were the jealous type, Griff," she mumbled.

"Yeah? Too sodding bad," he said kissing her again.