Pirate AU
"Are you sure we are safe here?" Chris asked, looking around the inside of the rundown church."Yes," Josiah replied. "Tortuga hasn't had a priest for some time; no one will come here."
"Good. Buck, JD, go look for the rest of the crew. Tell them not to return to the ship, explain what happened. And tell them to meet us here tonight at midnight. Vin, Josiah, search for something Nathan can use to bandage Ezra's arm."
The four men nodded and rushed out of the abandoned church. Chris waited until they left before turning to Ezra, who was sitting quietly in one of the pews.
"How are you doing?" He asked softly.
"I am well, Chris." Ezra replied, giving him a weak smile.
"He is," Nathan confirmed when Chris turned to him for assurance. "The bullet merely grazed him and the wound has stopped bleeding. Once it is properly cleaned, there shouldn't be any problems."
Chris nodded and allowed himself to relax for the first time since seeing those men shooting at Ezra from the ship. Death would pay dearly. For taking over the 'Horse', killing his men, and especially for hurting Ezra. He began pacing the expanse of the church, impatient to take some kind of action, but knowing he would have to wait.
Josiah and Vin returned at that moment, carrying a small pot filled with fresh water, a bottle of whiskey and a few pieces of linen to use as a bandage.
Nathan examined the items carefully, nodding his approval. He cleaned the wound with the water, then used the whiskey as a disinfectant, apologizing when Ezra hissed sharply. That done, he wrapped the wound and patted the other man gently on the shoulder.
"All done. I'll have another look at it tonight, just to make sure it's not infected."
JD and Buck burst through the large wooden doors, both looking a little out of breath.
"We're back. Everyone knows what happened." JD announced softly. "They will be ready at midnight."
"What are we going to do at midnight?" Buck asked with a knowing grin.
"Get our ship back," Chris replied with a growl. "I'm not letting that bastard keep the 'Flying Horse'. That ship is mine." He snarled, then looked down at Ezra. "Now, what did you mean when you said Death was here for you?"
Instead of answering, Ezra removed something from within his shirt. "I believe this is what you came here for." He said, handing it to Chris.
Chris accepted the object, unfolding it and looking at the crude drawing on the animal skin. He blinked as he recognized what he held in his hands.
"Ezra, how did you manage to end up with Jasper's map in your possession?" he finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Death asked me to translate it, since it's in French and both he and his associate are unfamiliar with the language."
"Associate?" Josiah repeated.
"My uncle." Ezra sighed tiredly. "Apparently they have been working together for years. My uncle provides information on ships carrying valuable cargo and Death attacks them. Jasper made a terrible mistake when he contacted Death about that map. When he heard you were also looking to buy it, Death sent his men to kill Jasper, after torturing him until he revealed the location of the map. He then met with my uncle, probably to discuss how to go about such a venture, and found the map was in a foreign language."
"Your uncle doesn't speak French? He's the governor!" JD observed.
Ezra snorted. "My uncle, speak another language? My uncle believes England should rule the world and all other nations should bow to the Queen. They should be the ones to learn English, not the other way around."
"I get the idea." Chris told him. "And of course, you speak French?"
"Yes. Mother and I spent a few years living in France and my uncle is aware of that. Death was going to attack the 'Courage' in order to get me back, but you were faster."
"Why didn't your uncle just pardon you?" Nathan asked with a frown.
Ezra shrugged. "I did not ask. But I believe a pardon takes some time to arrange, months I think, if not longer. And I'm guessing they were afraid you would somehow get ahead of them and find the treasure first. Not to mention, my uncle knew I would never help them out of my own free will, even after liberated. Plus, the 'Courage' would be out at sea for at least six more months. Even with the pardon, they couldn't wait that long for me to return."
"How did Death know you were staying aboard the 'Horse'?" Buck asked.
"He didn't. From what I understood, he was with my uncle last night when Captain Perry arrived at Port Royal. They realized I was with you, and that now that you were back, you would obviously come for the map. Death set sail right after us and followed us here. He's probably anchored on the other side of the cape. He watched the crew come ashore, saw you leave, then realized I had stayed behind, so he tried his luck. He killed the others and tried to force me into translating the map."
"And did you?" Vin asked with a grin.
Ezra chuckled. "No. I stole it instead." He replied, making the others laugh as well.
When the laughter had died down, Chris looked at his friends. "It's after midday, we need to find something to eat. Vin, Nathan, see to it. We're going to spend the afternoon here, maybe rest for a few hours. There will be no sleep for us tonight. By this time tomorrow I want to be back on board the 'Horse' and on our way to the treasure island."
"Island?" Josiah echoed.
"Yes. I can't understand the words on the map, but the drawing represents a group of small islands close by. One of them is marked with a cross. We should find Mckenzie's loot there." He looked at Ezra, who nodded his agreement. "It shouldn't take us more than a day to reach it. Providing Death didn't do anything to the 'Horse'." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "And Lord help him if he did. He will regret it for the rest of his short, miserable life."
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
It was already dark outside when Ezra woke up from his afternoon rest. His arm throbbed a little, but nothing that would lead his attention astray. He rose from the pew where he had been lying, noting the others were still asleep.
He walked closer to the altar, his mind wandering over the past months. How much his life had changed since his chance meeting with Chris Larabee nearly four months earlier. The pirate had stormed into his life and turned everything upside down, changing his peaceful -- if not always pleasant -- life into a never-ending adventure. And what was even more amazing, he was loving every minute of it. Even after having been whipped, imprisoned, sent to the galleys, threatened by bloodthirsty pirates and shot at, he wouldn't change a thing if it meant not having met Larabee.
He shook his head ruefully; he had been right before, he was insane. And apparently getting worse, for now he was one of Larabee's men, a pirate himself. On the way to a treasure hunt with a madman on their trail.
"What are you thinking about?" A voice whispered softly from behind him.
"Captain Death," he replied without turning around.
"What about him?" Chris asked.
"He will chase after us, you do know that, don't you? Especially after what I did, stealing the map right from under him. He's probably plotting his revenge as we speak."
"Let him. He won't get near you ever again, he won't hurt you ever again," Chris vowed fiercely.
Ezra shuddered at the emotion he could hear in the other man's voice.
"Cold?" Chris whispered, mistaking his trembling for something else entirely different.
"A little." Ezra replied, and Chris wrapped his arms around him from behind. "Chris?" Ezra called after an extended silence.
"Yes?"
"What's happening between us?"
"I'm not sure. But it's not a bad thing. Is it?"
Ezra chuckled softly. "Not bad, no. Dangerous, though."
"I know. Let's... get through this first, see what happens."
Ezra nodded. "I agree." He said, tipping his head back to look at the man embracing him.
Without any conscious thought he turned to face Chris, leaning forward slowly, uncertain of his reception. Apparently unable to resist the unspoken offer, Chris closed the distance between them and their lips met. Chris' mouth was soft and moist against his own and he tenderly explored the addicting sweetness. He nipped at Chris' lower lip then traced it with his tongue before teasing at the crease between the full lips until they parted and he was allowed access to the heat of Chris' mouth.
He moaned as Chris' warm body pressed hard against him, tightening his hold and pulling them impossibly closer. He wrapped his arms around the older man's neck, sighing softly and settling into Chris' embrace as their tongues danced leisurely together. Both were breathless when they finally parted.
"This is waiting?" Chris finally asked, amusement tingeing his voice.
"Just something to keep you interested." Ezra replied with a grin.
They stayed in each other's arms for a long moment, his head resting on Chris' shoulder, the other man nuzzling his hair softly with his cheek. He smiled. No matter what happened in the future, that moment would forever keep in his mind. Even with all the madness constantly crashing in on them, for the first time in his life he felt content, safe, whole.
He looked back at the pews, his breath catching in his throat as he saw Vin sitting quietly, looking at them. He exhaled softly, relaxing against Chris as Vin smiled gently, nodding his approval and mouthing 'About time'. Ezra grinned back, relieved to have the other man's friendship and understanding. 'Thank you', he mouthed back.
"Are you two done?" Chris chuckled suddenly, leaving them staring at each other shamefaced at having been caught by the other man.
A knock on the door broke through the silence, rousing the four men still sleeping. Vin went to answer, opening the door for the rest of the crew to join them. It was finally midnight, time for action.
Chris nodded at his men. "You all know what happened this morning. I have no idea if we still have a running ship, or what that bastard might have done to our 'Horse', but it's time we got it back. We still have our three cutters in the quay and at this hour we won't have any problems 'borrowing' a few more. Just enough for all of us to get back to our vessel. Be as silent as possible, surround the 'Horse' from all sides, and when I shout 'Go', climb on board as fast as you can. Be careful; we don't know how many there are or what weapons they might be using. Let's go."
It took over fifteen minutes for the whole group to reach the quay. Even if Tortuga was a pirate haven, there were still enough of the governor's spies around to make them cautious. Every available seat was soon taken in the three cutters, four more were commandeered for their cause. Rowing as silently as ghosts, the cutters slid effortlessly through the dark waters towards their target, under the patronage of a new moon, all eyes locked on their lost lady, 'The Flying Horse'.
Chris waited enough time for all the cutters to surround the ship, then gave his rebel yell. "Go!" He ordered furiously.
Suddenly the quiet harbor thrived with frantic activity. Every seaman rushed to obey the command, grabbing ropes, riggings, the anchor line, anything that would help them get aboard the ship.
The seven friends were among the first to set foot on deck. Under Chris' guidance they split up, spreading throughout the ship, looking for any signs of their enemy.
Chris gritted his teeth as he spotted their five fallen comrades hanging from the masts. He knew then Death was long gone; those symbolic hangings were meant as a taunt, a way of hurting him. But all it really meant was just another nail in Death's coffin.
"Well?" He asked when Josiah approached him.
"Nobody. They're gone. And by the look of things, they left soon after Ezra escaped."
"And the 'Horse'?" He growled angrily.
"Everything's in place." Josiah replied. "Nothing's damaged that I can see. The others are checking again."
Chris took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, trying to control his fury. His revenge would have to wait. At least now he had someone by his side who knew what Captain Death looked like. One day -- soon -- they would cross paths again. Maybe Ezra was right and Death would follow when they departed for their treasure hunt. And should they come to battle... He would come out the victor.
"Chris, you better have a look at this." Buck called out, bringing him back from his reverie.
"What's wrong?" he asked, walking over to his friend.
"Ezra's cabin is completely destroyed." Buck replied, leading him to the sleeping quarters.
The others were all there, already waiting for him. He looked around dismally. The cabin was a complete wreck. The bed was broken, the chest open and overturned, the bookshelf had been torn from the wall, and the chairs were lying in pieces on the floor. The only thing left whole and standing was the table. Resting among the chaos, it stood tall and resistant, a small sheet of paper adorning its center.
"What does it say?" JD asked.
Ezra looked up, gazing at the six men. "'Until we meet again, Mr. Standish'." He replied softly.
CHAPTER VIII - The Storm
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was clear for as far as you could see, and there was a soft breeze blowing which prevented the typical Caribbean heat from becoming too menacing.Ezra took a deep breath, closing his eyes and enjoying the smell of fresh air and salt water. Nothing could ruin that moment, not even Death's pathetic threats. He was in heaven.
"Enjoying yourself?" An amused voice asked from beside him.
Ezra opened one eye to glance at a grinning Buck. "I certainly am, Mr. Wilmington. I have seldom had the chance to enjoy such a marvelous day, especially during the last months."
"Well, you better make the most of it, 'cause it won't last." Buck remarked.
He raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Oh?"
"Vin says the weather's gonna change during the day, might still rain today." The mustached man replied.
Ezra looked up at the clear blue sky. "You jest, surely? It's such a nice day, not a cloud in sight!"
Buck shook his head and shrugged. "Can't explain it, but I know it's true. Seen Vin predict it before, he never fails. He told me once the air smells kind of different when a storm is brewing. He's expecting that by late afternoon a gale will build from the southwest."
"Which is the course we have taken?" Ezra half-asked, half-stated.
"Yes." Buck grinned.
"So you're basically saying we are heading towards a possible storm?"
"Yes." Buck's grin grew wider.
"Why, thank you, Mr. Wilmington! Glad to see you are the bearer of such good news." Ezra drawled sarcastically.
Buck laughed. "No problem, Ez. Always aiming to please, that's me."
Ezra remained hopeful for most of the morning, as the weather kept fairly warm and sunny. However, as the night drew closer, and as predicted by Vin, the weather did change. Threatening gray clouds replaced the clear sky, and even Ezra could feel the difference in the air around them. It felt charged, heavy and stuffy, making it almost impossible to breathe.
The storm didn't hit until the early hours of the morning, catching most of the crew in their sleep. The first splattering drops of rain rapidly turned into heavy rain. The wind picked up and the waves began to swell, rocking the ship violently.
"I can't believe this!" Chris yelled, trying to make himself heard over the roar of the storm. "We're so close to the damn island! One more hour and we could've found a safe cove to hide from the storm!"
"Too late now?" Ezra guessed, yelling back.
"Yes!" Chris nodded with a shout. "And Vin says this is a big one! Let's hope the ship holds up!"
Ezra held his breath as he faced one of the most exhilarating and frightening moments of his life at the same time. Lightening lit up the sky and thunder boomed in his ears, the raindrops were so thick it hurt when they hit his body, and the ship was swaying so hard it was difficult to keep on his feet.
He watched Vin and Josiah trying to control the helm while Nathan and JD tied them securely so the growing waves wouldn't drag them overboard.
Buck walked slowly to the bridge where both he and Chris were holding on for dear life. The blinding light and loud noise from the thunder and lightening was painful to withstand, but Ezra knew it was too late to go back now; they were in the heart of the storm.
"Chris! The ship won't take much more punishment!" Buck yelled at them. "We're being pounded to pieces by this storm!"
"We have no choice!" Chris replied. "We're barely holding on now; if we try to turn back, the winds will take us off course and set us adrift! We have to keep going!"
Lightning slashed through the sky at his words, illuminating the furious sea as if it were day; thunder rumbled overhead, and the ship seemed to vibrate in its wake, making standing a difficult task.
"Jesus," Ezra whispered to himself.
He felt Chris reach for him, holding him tightly as a huge wave nearly capsized the 'Horse'. Large waves rolled over the decks, buffeting the cabins, and threatening to destroy the ship.
One powerful bolt struck the main mast, breaking it in half and setting it on fire until the merciless rain falling down put it out. The top half of the mast crashed down onto the deck, sails and rigging coming down with it.
"Reef!" He heard someone shouting over the maddening roar. "Reef! Watch out!"
It was too late. The wind pounded the 'Horse' against the reef, and the ship struck with a jolt, throwing everyone off balance. He watched terrified as several of the crewmen fell overboard, their cries ringing loudly in his ears, even over the storm.
He watched helplessly as the load began slipping away; the sides of the ship gave way, the noise of splitting wood competing with the thunder for attention.
"There's a hole in the hull near the bow! It's taking on water!" Someone else shouted, but he seemed to be the only one listening; everyone else was fighting for their lives.
"Help! Help us!" He heard Vin shouting.
He turned to see both Vin and Josiah frantically trying to break free from the ropes tying them to the helm. The ship was sinking; if they didn't hurry they would go down with it.
Ezra reached for his dagger, crawling painfully on the soaked wood until he reached his friends. "Hold on!"
"Where's Chris?" Vin shouted.
"Behind me!"
"I can't see him!"
Ezra turned back, never stopping cutting through the thick rope. His heart lurched as he realized Chris was no longer there; he and the two men tied to the helm were the last ones standing on the bridge. Taking a deep breath, he forced his mind back to the task at hand. Chris was all right; he had to be.
Finally the ropes slipped free and the three men rose awkwardly to their feet. Just as they were rushing down the short flight of stairs leading to the upper deck, a loud crashing noise was heard and the whole ship shook.
Ezra had enough time to realize the 'Horse' was breaking in two -- a nutshell in Mother Nature's hands -- before something hit him from behind and he dove into the unforgiving sea.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
Ezra woke to the sound of seagulls and the warmth of the sun on his skin. He was lying on his stomach, on a beach, by the water's edge. It took him a moment to remember what he was doing there, but when the memory returned, he sat up with a gasp.
"I can't believe I'm still alive," he muttered to himself as he looked around.
Then a painful ache filled his heart as he thought of Chris and the other men. Could they still be alive? After all, and against all odds, he had managed to reach land. And by the look of things, the very island they had been searching for.
He couldn't bear the thought Chris might be dead, not when they still had so much to face together, to look forward to. And as for the other five men, he had come to enjoy the friendship and camaraderie they seemed determined to share with him, he wasn't ready to give them up for dead. Not yet.
He looked back at the sea, staring for as far as his sight could reach, seeing large chunks of wreckage floating in the clear water. He blinked suddenly as he noticed there was something strange about a large piece of a cutter, which was drifting closer to the beach.
"Oh, my Lord," he whispered, recognizing the two men lying on the floating wood.
He rose swiftly, plunging into the water and swimming rapidly until he reached the two marooned. He felt for their pulses, holding back a sob as he realized they were both alive, merely unconscious. Knowing he would have to take them back to shore one at a time, he began with the easiest; JD.
He turned the younger man onto his back, wrapped an arm around him protectively, and swam back to the beach. He laid JD gently on the sand, then went back for Buck. The other man was harder to rescue. While they were in the water it was not too difficult, since Buck was unconscious and didn't offer any resistance. But dragging his weight to the beach took a definite effort and by the time Ezra placed the man by JD's side he was exhausted.
"Ezra!" He heard someone shout, and turning towards the voice, he saw Vin and Josiah waving madly at him.
He waved back, suddenly feeling better. He still didn't know where Chris and Nathan were, or even if they were alive, but at least four of his friends were safe and together.
"Are they --" Josiah began fearfully as he saw the two men lying on the sand.
"They are alive, Mr. Sanchez." Ezra interjected gently. "Merely unconscious. I just pulled them out of the water; I was about to try and rouse them."
"We have more survivors. There's another beach on the other side of that cliff." Vin told him. "Nathan is trying to patch up everyone as best as he can. We have three dead and eight men still missing."
Josiah knelt beside JD, patting his face gently. "Wake up, JD. Come on, son, we need you to open your eyes."
JD groaned, turning his face away from the stinging slaps. "Buck, will you stop that!" He rasped out angrily, swatting at the insisting hand.
Josiah chuckled. "Not Buck, son. Open your eyes."
The young man sighed tiredly, but obeyed. He stared at the men looking down at him, at their surroundings, then closed his eyes again. "Lord... I never thought I'd live to see another day." He whispered. Then, "Buck!" He shouted, sitting up rapidly.
"Take it easy, JD. He's right beside you." Vin told him.
"Oh." JD pushed against Buck's shoulder. "Hey, wake up. Buck, wake up! We're alive!" Buck twisted, but didn't open his eyes. "Come on, wake up! Buck!"
"Damnit, boy!" Buck groaned. "Let me sleep!"
"We sunk, remember? Wake up!"
"Sunk?" Buck echoed with a frown. He opened his eyes, looking up at the other men. "Holy...!" He exclaimed, sitting up.
Seeing his friends were fine, Ezra turned to Vin, ready to ask the question burning in his soul. "Chris?" He whispered.
Vin shook his head sadly. "He's one of the missing. No one has seen him yet."
Ezra nodded slowly, gazing despairingly back at the sea. He felt numb, unable to grasp the reality that Chris might be dead. He couldn't be. It wasn't fair.
"He's alive," Buck told him knowingly as he rose to his feet. "That man has nine lives."
Ezra smiled slightly as he looked at the four men before him. "Am I that transparent?" He asked.
Josiah patted his shoulder softly. "We knew what to look for. Before you came along, Chris was different. He fought your uncle's troops, attacked the enemy ships, sailed the Caribbean Sea... He was alive, but he wasn't living. There was this part of him that was dormant, that he kept hidden from sight. Since you've met, he looks happier, smiles more, he's more alive than I've ever seen him before. And we have seen you two together, the way you look at each other, smile at each other."
"And are you comfortable with that?"
"In these violent times, you reach for whatever happiness you can find," Josiah replied with a smile.
"Besides, it wouldn't be none of our business," JD grinned. "And you two look... right together."
The others nodded, then Vin wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "He'll show up, you'll see. Come on, let's go over to the other side and join the others. We found fresh water and some of the men are already out looking for food."
Ezra nodded, really looking at their surroundings for the first time. They were standing on a beautiful beach, surrounded by a dense forest that reached beyond their vision. A few softly rolling mountains were barely visible above the trees. He could hear birds singing, as well as the calls of other animals he didn't recognize.
He took a long, deep breath and closed his eyes, smelling the coconuts, the sweetly scented flowers, and the salt air. They had found paradise. And he had no one to share it with.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
Ezra stood by the water's edge, gazing upward at the endless expanse of the heavens. It was a clear night and millions of stars shone down their light on the small island.
He wanted to be alone. He appreciated the other's efforts to try and draw him out and talk, but he really couldn't be bothered. The eight men were still missing, Chris among them.
The whole day had been spent building shelters, finding food for at least a few days, and searching for their missing friends. Stranded on the island, they had no way of knowing when they would be able to rejoin civilization anew, but they had a pile of wood ready to light should they happen to spot a ship sailing by. The smoke from the bonfire would surely be enough to disclose their location.
Now all they could do was wait. Wait for the night to end so they could keep working on their provisory habitations; wait for a vessel who would rescue them; wait... for Chris to appear.
A sudden noise close by made him tense, but before he could move, he was grabbed from behind. A hand covered his mouth while an arm wrapped powerfully around his chest, imprisoning him. He fought fiercely as he was taken to a shelter behind a large group of boulders.
Once there, he was released and turned around to face his captor. Prepared to growl his protest at being manhandled thus roughly, he focused his attention on the man before him. And blinked.
"Well? Aren't you going to say anything?" Chris finally asked, obviously amused at his speechless reaction.
"You... you bastard!" He snapped, coming out of his daze, and surprising the other man with his anger. "I thought you were dead! And why the hell did you drag me out here? I thought it was a miscreant wanting to hurt me!" Then, in one swift movement, he buried his right hand in Chris' hair and pulled his head down, brushing their lips together in a feather-like caress. "I thought you were dead..." He whispered brokenly against Chris' mouth. "That I would never see you again, feel you again, kiss you again..."
"I'm sorry," the other man whispered back, capturing his lips and kissing him passionately.
Chris broke the kiss long enough to take a deep breath, then took his lips again, this time less frantically. When they finally parted, they eyes met and held, saying all the things they were unable to voice yet.
"Why didn't you join us at the camp?" Ezra asked.
"I wanted to see you first, speak with you first. I couldn't resist when I saw you by the beach." He sighed tiredly. "I can't believe we came all this way for nothing. Now we have no ship and no map. I wish I'd never heard of that damn treasure!"
Ezra smiled. "Well, I can't assist you with the ship, but I still have the map."
"You do?" Chris asked, confused. "I thought I'd left it in my cabin."
"You did. But I still have it... Memorized in my head." He explained with a grin.
Chris hugged him hard, laughing softly. "You really are one hell of an amazing man, Ezra Standish!"
CHAPTER IX - The Treasure
"So, what happened to you?" Vin asked him as the seven men sat around a warm fire."I was thrown overboard by a wave." Chris replied as he stared into the flames. "Last thing I remember is Ezra crawling over to you and Josiah, then this huge expanse of water coming down at me and then... nothing. I woke up on a beach on the other side of the island."
"See anybody else?" Josiah asked. "We still have seven missing."
Chris nodded. "Simmons and Kershaw's bodies washed up on the beach. I buried them before coming to search for the rest of you."
"What now?" JD asked. "We have no ship and the map is gone."
Chris grinned at the green-eyed man sitting beside him quietly. "Well, Ezra here says he remembers what was written on the map. Since we're already on the island, all we need to do is follow the instructions."
"Why bother?" Nathan asked. "Even if we do find the treasure, then what? We have no way of getting it off of this island. What's the point in finding a treasure if we can't spend it?"
"We will have to be patient. The Caribbean Sea has a lot of navigation, sooner or later a ship will sail close enough to locate us; providing we build a fire to catch their attention."
Ezra snorted. "With our luck it will be a pirate ship and we will all be slaughtered."
Chris glared at the other man. "Damnit, Ezra, don't say things like that! Look, even if it is a pirate ship, chances are they won't stop for us; they won't care. On the other hand, if it is one of her Majesty's vessels... They patrol this area frequently and if they see the smoke they are bound to investigate. We can say we were attacked by pirates and left here to die. There's no reason for them not to believe us."
"Then what?" Buck asked, but he was grinning.
Chris chuckled. "You know what, we've done this before. We overpower the poor bastards sent to land, don their clothes and take over their ship."
"You make it sound so easy!" JD laughed.
"It is. We did this twice before when we were after ships more powerful than ours and couldn't afford to engage in a battle. They fall for it every time. It'll work, you'll see. The worse part is having to wait until a ship comes close enough for us to see it and for them to see our signal."
"The plan still stands, then?" Josiah asked. "Tomorrow we'll go searching for Mckenzie's loot?"
"Yes. I'll talk to the crew. They will stay here; this place is well out of sight and they should be safe. The seven of us will leave first thing in the morning." He informed, ignoring Ezra's pitiful moan.
Seeing the others nod their approval, he rose and went to speak with the crewmen about the new plan. He took his time, going around all the small fires spread throughout the camp where the men were warming up. When he returned, the others were preparing to sleep, lying as close to the fire as humanly possible without getting burned.
Grinning, he waited until Ezra was lying on his side, before joining him. He spooned up behind the sturdy body, shaking his head chidingly as he felt the other man tense against him.
"Chris --"
"It's all right, Ezra." He interjected softly, propping up on his elbow and looking down at the other man. "Nobody will say a thing. I just want to stay close to you."
Ezra stared up at him for a long moment, then nodded and nestled back against him, closing his eyes with a soft sigh. Almost immediately his breathing changed into sleeping pattern.
"I'm glad you made it." Vin told him sincerely. "I don't know what we would've done with him if you had died."
Chris frowned. "What do you mean?"
"He hardly said a word all day. Kept to himself, didn't let anyone get too close. He hides it well, but... It was easy to see how much he was hurting." Vin replied.
"Yeah. You better not do something like this ever again, or I might be forced to hunt you down and kill you." Buck mock glared at him.
Chris grinned at his men, understanding they had accepted Ezra as one of their own and knowing they would give him hell if he ever hurt the other man. With a final nod to the others, he snuggled closer to the warm body lying so close to his own and proceeded to fall into much needed sleep.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
"You sure the map said we had to start at the 'cliff of white'?" Nathan asked for the hundredth time.
"Yes." Ezra replied tiredly.
"What the hell does that mean?" JD frowned.
"I don't know, Mr. Dunne, probably the walls of the cliff will be made of a different kind of rock, white in its color. Sort of like the cliffs at Dover."
"Let's keep circling the island. We're bound to find it sooner or later." Chris remarked as he walked ahead of the small group.
Half an hour later they had found the elusive cliff, which as Ezra had predicted, was chalk white. Chris leaned over the edge, looking down at waves crashing over the sharp rocks far below.
"Now what?" Vin asked Ezra.
"Well, the map said to look for the twin mounds."
"Twin mounds?" Josiah echoed, looking around. "Don't see anything resembling that description."
Chris narrowed his eyes suspiciously as Buck suddenly snorted, chuckling softly until it turned into a full belly laugh. "Twin mounds!" He chortled. "Twin mounds!"
"What the hell is so funny, Buck?" Vin growled.
"There!" Buck gestured towards the mountains visible above the trees. "Twin mounds, get it?" He placed each hand in front of his chest, kneading the air as he would knead a woman's breasts.
And Chris laughed too, realizing the two mountains did resemble breasts, standing parallel to each other and with their inverted 'V' formation. He laughed harder as JD shook his head disgustedly at the two of them.
"And you call me boy!" He scowled.
"We found the twin mounds." Nathan chuckled as well. "What's next?"
"We have to reach their base." Ezra replied.
Chris sighed, all laughter leaving him. The mountains looked far away and it would take hours to reach them. He wasn't sure he would make it without killing one of the others. They were great seamen, but a pain to be with on dry land. He had never seen a more complaining group in his life.
From Ezra who didn't like early mornings, to JD who kept telling them anecdotes -- or so he said they were -- to Nathan who never shut up, to Buck who kept driving them crazy with his stupid pranks. The only one behaving was Vin, and that was because he was ahead scouting most of the time. Even Josiah kept disappearing to observe one animal or another. He felt like an old matron trying to keep her unruly children in line.
"Let's stop wasting time, it's nearly midday. Vin, lead the way."
"Aye, aye, Captain." Vin replied, giving him a maddening grin.
Chris exhaled softly, going back on his thought; none of them were behaving. It was going to be a long, long day.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
Chris frowned. "Where's Vin?"
"Ahead of us. You sent him to lead the way, remember?"
Chris glared at Buck. "Yes. But we haven't seen or heard from him in a few minutes."
They stopped moving, all ears wanting to pick up their friend's whereabouts.
"Vin!" Nathan called out. "Vin, where are you?"
"I heard something." Josiah said. "It came from there."
They marched that way, cutting through the dense foliage until they all heard it, Vin's voice whispering, "In here. I'm in here."
"Why the hell is he whispering?" JD asked.
"Let's find out." Chris said.
They followed Vin's voice, reaching a small clearing in the middle of the forest. The floor was covered with dry leaves, which was obviously the reason why Vin had failed to see the quicksand he was rapidly sinking in.
"Damnit!" Chris growled, looking around. Spotting a sturdy piece of tree bark, he snatched it from the ground. "Vin, grab the bark."
The other man reached slowly for his salvation, careful not to make any sudden moves that would make him sink faster. "Got it," he breathed.
Chris nodded, beginning to pull his friend out of the quicksand, assisted by Josiah and Nathan. Once Vin was out of danger, Chris scowled at him. "You're supposed to be good at this scouting thing."
"I am!" Vin replied defensively. "I heard something fly above me and looked up. When I realized I'd stepped into quicksand it was already too late."
Chris sighed tiredly. "Fine. Let's keep going; we're almost there."
It took them over an hour to reach the base of the twin mountains. They were obviously traveling through a scantily visited island and it was hard to advance in such rough conditions. The vegetation fought them every step of the way, and even with cutting through it with the axe Buck had found on the beach that morning, it was nearly an impossible task.
Once they were finally there, Chris turned to Ezra. "Next?"
"Turn East. There should be a narrow path going up the left mountain." Ezra replied.
JD nodded. "Found it."
Ezra shrugged. "Then we go up until we find a cave."
"Sure is a lot of walking to this treasure hunting thing." Nathan complained.
"Well, you didn't want it to be easy, did you? Everyone would be able to find it then." JD retorted.
They kept climbing for about another half an hour before they found the entrance to the cave. They walked inside, taking deep breaths, enjoying the refreshing air, relieved to be out of the suffocating heat.
"And now?" Vin asked. "Let me guess, we keep walking?"
Ezra chuckled. "Right you are, Mr. Tanner. There should be a tunnel to your right, heading down. We are to take it and keep going until we see a large chamber where we are to find the treasure."
JD grinned. "You mean this is it? No more threading through the jungle?"
"This is it, Mr. Dunne. Although there was nothing in the map stating how long we have to walk before we discover the aforementioned chamber."
"In that case..." Chris drawled sarcastically, gesturing for them to get moving.
=-=-=-=VA=-=-=-=
"Lord, this is tiring!" Josiah exclaimed as they found yet another fork ahead.
They had been walking for over an hour, always going further and further into the mountain, still moving downward. At each turn they had found a fork, having to look for the scratches on the rock that pointed in the right direction. The inside of the cave was a real maze, and without the faint markings, they would have been lost, maybe forever.
JD shuddered. "I just wish there weren't so many bats in here. I really don't like them!"
"You know what would be really ironic?" Buck mused. "If we got to the chamber and there was nothing there."
"Buck, you want me to shoot you?" Chris glared at the other man.
"No."
"Then shut up."
Vin tilted his head to the side. "I can hear running water."
"Yeah, so can I. It's just ahead." Nathan said.
The passageway kept getting progressively wider until they were standing in a large chamber. There was a cascade of water running from the cave ceiling, and beautifully sculpted stalagmites and stalactites all around.
"This place is amazing!" JD breathed, looking longingly at the waterfall.
"Think this is the right chamber?" Chris asked Ezra.
"No. The map stated it was the last chamber. There's another passage to our left."
Chris groaned. "Let's keep going then."
"You know," Buck began as they continued. "If we keep going down, we are going to be below sea level. This chamber is not underwater, is it?"
"The map didn't mention anything. Which in itself means nothing." Ezra replied grimly. "It could have been done on purpose, in case someone had found the map and was trying to reach the treasure before Mckenzie could retrieve it."
"I can see light up ahead," JD said.
They followed the light into another chamber and this time Chris knew they had found the right one. It was probably the biggest cave chamber he had seen in his life. Water droplets were catching light as they fell hundreds of feet from the ceiling, making it look like it was raining stars. The walls were covered with luminous rock formations and the impressive stalactites and stalagmites spread out through the ground and ceiling looked like polished chandeliers and candlesticks.
And there, right in the center of the chamber, resting in what looked like a natural cavity in the cave's floor, stood the treasure. Chests and chests full to the brim with jewels, precious stones, gold coins, goblets and tiaras.
"Oh. My. Lord." JD whispered, walking slowly towards the huge golden pile.
Buck whooped, jumping into the pool of water surrounding the treasure. "We did it! We found it!"
The treasure hunt was finally over.
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