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Master & Commander: Secrets and Stowaways	By : MarianTheBlackadder Category: M through R > Master and Commander Views: 1494 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Master and Commander, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Master & Commander: Secrets and Stowaways
- 2-Chapter Two
- 1
- 2
Cabin Fever

Stephen came down from the infirmary, since there was nothing really to
do. They had been without wind for several days and mostly everyone was laying
around hot and miserable. He stepped into his quarters and saw Joey sitting at
his desk reading one of his books and making notes of some sort, not even
noticing that he had come in.

�I thought for certain that Higgins was going to suffer a coronary.
Each morning he goes in to tidy up the infirmary, and apparently each night
before pixies, or fairies, or some such creatures have already come and cleaned
and done the job 40 times better then he ever could have. You are really putting
the poor man to shame.�

�He puts himself to shame, and he should be ashamed for the disgraceful
way he conducts himself around the wounded.� She said sharply not even looking
up from her notes. Stephen recognized this, and had been noticing little things
for a while. He closed the door behind him and locked it walking closer to her.

�Hmm. You stay up late cleaning and organizing the infirmary several
times a day, you don�t approach the cabin if I am in it or awake, and you only
come to assist me if I call for you.� He said as he took the chair next to her
and sat down.

She stopped writing and held the pencil between her fingertips turning it
about. �I�ve been working. That�s all. With the Captain so unhappy with my
being here, it�s the best thing I can do to keep him from being cross.�

�You don�t really expect me to believe that, do you?� Stephen said
looking at her. �I know you far better then that Josephine and I have long
since before we were married.� He looked at her seriously, �You�ve been
avoiding me and gone to great lengths to do so.� She didn�t say anything,
since it was pointless. �If I have done something to make you cross with me, I
do hope you would talk to me about what�s troubling you as we always have
before.�

�You haven�t done anything.� She said softly. �It�s just . .
.� She whispered, but stopped and sighed shaking her head. He just watched her
for several long uneasy moments hoping she would continue, but she didn�t.

�Please tell me.� He encouraged her. She looked like she wanted to
speak but she didn�t dare, or she knew she shouldn�t. She shook her head and
picked up the book she was reading and quickly left the room leaving him. He
watched her flee, but didn�t dare go after her. They were still to keep their
secret for everyone�s best interest.

That evening, the crew rejoiced when the wind came in full force finally
after such a long windless spell. It was loud, and the ship moaned and whined
with each wave that tossed it from side to side. In honor of the turn of
fortune, the captain granted an unprecedented and rare privilege of allowing
anyone who desired it to sleep on the deck for one night only. It wasn�t
often, since the movement of the ship made it difficult to sleep without the aid
of a hammock, but it was so hot below decks, that it was a reprieve that the men
more then welcomed and were anxious to take advantage of.

Joey had taken to not sleeping in the Doctor�s cabin for several days,
fearful of the agony she felt being near him lately. It was pure torture and her
heart was breaking. She lay in the storage room behind some barrels and boxes
clutching to a blanket with a bag of rice under her head for a pillow starring
at a box listening to the timbers of the ship creek. It was hot, and all she
wore was a nightshirt, as did most of the rest of the crew, which is why she did
it so as to not to arouse suspicion. Even though it was several sizes to big so
it wouldn�t accent her features.

She couldn�t sleep, all she could do was read the words on the box over
and over. All six of them. Suddenly, she heard footsteps on the floor getting
closer and closer and she raised her head worried that someone was going to find
her and question what she was doing there. When she raised her head to look she
saw Stephen approaching her. It surprised her quite a bit, and before she could
say anything he blew out the candle he was carrying and kneeled down on the
floor before crawling over her.

Joey just looked up at him in confusion and started to say something,
only to have her mouth quickly consumed by his. Her astonishment lasted for only
a moment before she anxiously returned his affections as he wrapped his arm
around her holding her tight. She could feel him raise her nightshirt and lie
between her thighs, and after a brief moment, she felt his manhood brushing
against her. Reaching up she quickly opened his shirt wanting to feel his warm
body against hers as he consumed her mouth feverishly again.

He started to push himself inside of her, and she couldn�t help but
start to moan. Stephen quickly covered her mouth tightly with his hand to keep
her quiet as he pushed inside her the rest of the way. She closed her eyes and
leaned back pushing her body against him in pleasure at the caress that she had
longed for so much. To just be able to touch him as a wife should. He moved his
hand once more and consumed her mouth again as he started to thrust within her,
swallowing her moans and cries of passion. Usually he enjoyed listening to the
sounds of her pleasure, but he had to keep anyone from hearing less they get
caught. He pulled back and clasped his hand over her mouth again moving a little
faster and pushing harder deep inside her quivering body. Her chest heaved
against his as her hands held against his back rocking with the motion of each
of his powerful thrusts.

He watched her eyes breathing hard feeling himself reaching his climax,
but waiting for her. When her eyes started to gloss in that familiar shine of
bliss he closed his own and released himself deep within her warm womanhood
suppressing his own cry of ecstasy.

They paused for a moment just resting with each other, before hungrily
consuming each other�s mouths again, clutching to one another�s bodies in
anxious desperation.

Sighting


The crew stood on the deck of the ship watching the ship on the horizon
as those with spyglasses took a closer look. �It must be the Ackron.� One of
the lieutenants said. �She must have been stranded as we were, otherwise we
might not have caught up with her.�

Stephen stood near Jack paying close attention to all that was going on.
Joey was on deck as well, but she was with the young crew members watching from
the other side of the ship. �Get us a bit closer to be sure, and then beat to
quarters Mr. Pullings. I�d rather not scare the living daylights out of a
whaler ship.� The Captain ordered putting away his spyglass. Instantly his
first mate carried out his orders, and everyone followed them.

Stephen followed Jack as they went below, �Don�t you think we could
tell if it was a whaler ship by now if it was one?� Stephen asked.

�Unless you have eyes like a hawk, and wings as well so you can fly
ahead and see, then no . . . we need a closer look. It may be, and it may not be
but we�ll know for sure in a matter of hours. Maybe less.� He glanced at
Stephen picking up a glass and filling it with wine taking a sip. �Make sure
she understands that when we do beat to quarters she is to go below and stay
there until the engagement is over.� He instructed sure that was most likely a
large concern of the doctors at the moment.

�She understands perfectly.� Stephen said quietly. Arguing and
discussing her with the captain only made them both angry and had them stay that
way for days. It was much simpler to just keep it short and precise then trying
to expand on anything concerning her.

Aubrey gave a nod noticing Stephen�s irritation that he even brought
her up. He had gotten the distinct feeling that the Doctor disliked him bringing
her up, talking about her, or even noticing her at all. Apparently, there was a
slightly intuitive streak within him. Aubrey might have been his best friend,
but he was also a man who had been at sea, and Joey was a beautiful woman.
Stephen was also well aware of his reputation with the ladies on land, even if
the crew wasn�t.

Later that evening, Joey lay in her hammock in the doctors cabin sleeping
soundly wrapped in her blanket. The doctor sat at his desk wearing his glasses
writing a few notes trying to ignore the drunken sounds of the officers having
dinner above. He had decided to abstain from attending dinner tonight, not
wishing the Captain�s company at the moment. Each time he thought about it, he
had to stop and push it from his mind. Finally he sighed and tossed down his pen
taking off his glasses and leaning back in his chair. He�d never been jealous
before. It was a strange, unfamiliar, and unpleasant feeling.

Stephen looked over at Joey watching her sleep. She was a very beautiful
woman even now when she was dressed as a boy and her hair was clumsily cropped
short. When she was dressed as she should be, she was breathtakingly stunning.
There was no doubt in his mind that she was a good woman, not to mention very
special and exceedingly rare. He trusted her completely, there was no doubt
about that. But the thought of the Captain making any sort of advance towards
her at all made his jaw clinch and his blood boil.

On top of everything else, the scene at the Galapagos islands when he had
been promised time to explore and collect samples of the strange and wondrous
land had him even more upset with the Captain.

A soft knock came at the door pulling the doctor out of his thoughts and
he quickly stood opening the door. One of the young midshipmen came looking for
him since one of the crew was ill and of course Stephen instantly went with him
to see what was going on.

Shortly after the doctor left his quarters Joey�s eyes opened and she
sat up rubbing them a little bit. She sighed realizing she�d slept longer then
she meant to, and was late making her rounds, and quickly bailed out of the
hammock.

Rounds


After several other stops about the ship, she finally came to the galley
where the Captain�s cook was just finishing cleaning up. He looked at Joey and
finished wiping down the counter he�d used. �Hello.� She said tiredly.

�Worked through supper again did you?� He said tossing the towel
aside and walking over to her. She took his arm and turned his sleeve up pushing
it to his shoulder above where it was bandaged.

�You and your crewmen�s health come first.� She said softly as she
removed the dressing, cleaned his arm and put on a fresh one. �Besides, the
doctor would throttle me if I were to shirk my duties.� She rolled his sleeve
back down and smiled, �It�s mending well, you should be able to take the
dressing off in a few days.� She said picking up her things. �Have a good
night.�

She said turning to leave. The cook watched her before reaching into the
apple barrel picking out a large, ripe juicy one. �Boy.� He called out. She
turned and looked at him and he tossed it to her. She caught it and looked up at
him in surprise knowing that it was not allowed to have food when it wasn�t
meal times since rations were in effect. �Consider it a fee.� He said. She
smiled and nodded a little, quite hungry but not about to go against the rules
of the ship and try and get something to eat. But the cook gave it to her, and
it was quite legal.

She was at her last round and sighed stalling as long as she could,
before she finally took a deep breath and knocked at the door. �Come in.�
The voice said. Once more she gathered her courage and opened the door entering
the Captain�s cabin. She stepped in taking a moment to make sure the Captain
was decent before turning her eyes towards him. �Little late for you to be
running about isn�t it?� The slur in his speech alerted her that he had more
then enjoyed his wine at supper that evening, and the way he stumbled to his
chair only proved her suspicion.

�Rounds have to be made Captain. Regardless of the hour.� She walked
over to the table and put her things down waiting for him to take off his shirt
or at least pull it up so she could see to his wound.

�And what if I choose not to cooperate,� He said with a sly look
challenging her. Mostly it was the alcohol clouding his judgment and stealing
away his good sense and manners. Joey wasn�t about to banty words with a
drunkard, she never did approve the state that men drank themselves into. She
sighed and slammed her things down on the table and reached out grasping his
shirt to take it off of him. He half smiled and laughed making it as difficult
as possible for her so she had to keep touching him.

Finally, when his hand actually reached out and touched her backside, she
had had enough. She snatched up the razor sharp scissors and held the point to
his throat pressing it against the skin so he could feel just how sharp they
were. This sobered him up quite a bit, and his smiled fade, realizing he was
being an ass. He raised his hands in surrender so she wouldn�t skewer him on
the spot, like she had every right too.

The look in her eyes said that next time she wouldn�t hesitate or give
him a warning and she put down the scissors tossing his shirt aside, and began
to remove the old bandage. The Captain was embarrassed at the way he had behaved
and couldn�t even raise his eyes towards her. She was swift and not as gentle
as she usually was, and when she finished she swept up her things and
disappeared from the room without so much as a word.

Docked


Due to the weather conditions at sea, the ship docked in a cove and the
majority of the men camped on the beach, playing games, making moonshine, and
just enjoying their chance at rest and relaxation. Joey stayed on board once
again putting away the supplies they had acquired and taking inventory. She was
on the floor sitting cross legged counting the rolls of bandages they had and
writing it down on her sheet of paper, making sure that everything was in it�s
proper place.

�Ain�t you goin� ashore?� Joey turned and saw one of the crewmen
standing in the doorway and she shook her head a little bit before looking back
into the cupboard �You can do that when we set sail again ya know. Might be
weeks before your able to set foot on dry land again.�

�I�m alright.� She said softly closing the cupboard and moving to
the next. �I�d rather be sure that we have everything before we leave, then
take off and have to do without something.�

�If you stay you�re going to be all alone down here ya know. Even the
Captain�s on shore tonight.�

�I don�t mind a little solitude.�

The way she spoke was defiantly strange to those she actually spoke to.
It wasn�t like you would expect a boy to speak at all. But being the Doctors
assistant and his having educated him, it wasn�t to difficult to believe.
�All right, suit yourself.� Then the man left and Joey sighed putting down
the paper she was writing on. She wasn�t sure that all alone is how she wanted
to be.

When she returned to the Doctor�s quarters she looked around and lit a
candle. The boat was hardly rocking at all, which mean she didn�t have to
sleep in that ghastly hanging sack of she didn�t want to. She took the
blankets and pillow and put them down on the floor, getting ready for bed. It
was strange, and the words �all alone� kept haunting her for some reason.

A while later the door of the cabin opened and Stephen walked in seeing
her sitting the corner on the pallet she made to sleep on with a blanket wrapped
around her leaning against the wall and reading a book. She looked up a bit
surprised to see him. �I thought you were staying on the beach with the
others?�

�I was. Until I was informed that my young assistant decided to stay on
board in solitude making sure that our supplies are packed to the very last
crevice.� She half heartedly smiled looking down a bit. He closed the door and
locked it taking off his jacket and tossing it aside before walking over and
sitting down next to her. �And what words of knowledge are keeping you company
tonight?� He asked looking to see what book she had.

She closed it and showed him the cover. He smiled, �You do love your
stories don�t you.� He said reading the title. It wasn�t as though it was
fairytales, and mythical flights of fantasies. It was history of things that had
happened, that seemed like a fairytale in the way it was written.

�You need more books.� She said softly looking about his office.
�I�ve read all of these ones, some of them twice.� He looked about as
well.

�I�ve read them all dozens of times as well. Sometimes there is
little else to do to pass the time. But I can only fit a small amount in this
little space, and these ones tend to be crucial.� He said looking at her
again. She nodded even though her eyes were still turned downcast. �How are
you baring up, dear. I know for most that their first time at sea is the most
difficult time in their lives.�

She didn�t say anything and seemed as though she was hardly in a mood
to talk. Stephen looked at his watch feeling rather famished and knew they were
basically on their own for supper since everyone else except the guards were on
shore. He kissed her cheek and got up heading out of his quarters and she
watched him go.

When he returned a while later, he brought with him some apples and drink
for them to share knowing that she must be hungry as well. She was laying on the
pallet on her side with her eyes open, with the same beaten down look she had
been wearing earlier.

He moved towards her and sat next to her on the pallet as he had done
before. �I know their your favorite.� He said putting a large green apple
next to her and a glass of wine to drink. She looked at it and slowly sat up not
being able to deny that she was hungry.

When they had finished eating, he looked at her, �Feeling better now
darling?� He questioned putting the glasses away along with his knife he used
to cut the apples with. She nodded a little and wiped her mouth and hands on her
handkerchief. He sat down next to her leaning against the wall watching her.
�I�ve been watching you for several days, Josephine.� He said seriously,
�You�ve gotten a ghost like look in your eyes. As if you fear having to open
them each day.�

She knew she wasn�t going to escape him wanting to have a conversation
with her and she sighed a little, �I do.� She said softly. �I always knew
that things happened aboard military ships that were unspeakable awful when men
were wounded. I knew that you had to tend severe and critical cases when you
were at sea . . . I just . . . never in my worst nightmares imagined it to be
like this.� She looked down, �And it just keeps coming. You want it to be
over, and it might be for a few days, and then the wounds start to flood in
again.� She took a ragged breath and let it out, �I keep looking for reasons
for those gruesome wounds and painful ailments . . . but I can�t find a single
one. The only answer I can seem to hear is, that it is just the way things are.
A poor answer for such suffering indeed.�

Stephen listened to her knowing exactly what she was saying, having said
it every day to himself since he first became a ships surgeon. Reaching out he
took her hand and pulled her towards him. She moved over to sit next to him and
leaned against him as he wrapped his arm around her. The doctor gently and
lovingly ran his fingers over her forehead and through her hair before wrapping
his arm around her shoulder and holding her close, resting his cheek to the top
of her head. �This was such a terrible laps of judgment on my part.� He said
softly, �I never should have brought you on board. Your place is at home,
where it�s warm, and safe . . . unlike this place.� He said looking about
the cabin having always felt it was completely unsuitable for her.

�I want to be here with you Stephen.� She whispered. She did want to
be with him, but being here might not have been her first choice, there were
plenty of other places she would have preferred to be with him in. She pulled
back a little and looked up at him, �I want to be with you, and help you with
your work.� Joey�s face blushed a little as her eyes moved downcast
slightly, �This ship isn�t exactly home with all it�s comforts, but . . .
it�s where you are.�

Stephen smiled as his blue eyes sparkled at her words, and his fingertips
gently brushed her cheek as he cupped her face in his hand. �I don�t know
what great deed I did in a previous life to deserve you, Josephine . . . but
I�m more then grateful I did it.� She smiled back her eyes still turned
downwards. She had always had a difficult time accepting compliments, they
embarrassed her something terrible.

The doctor studied her features for a moment, before gently raising her
chin and kissing her ever so lovingly. She closed her eyes and returned the
gentle token of affection. A few more gentle kisses followed as they just
enjoyed being able to be close to each other and touch as they hadn�t been
permitted to do for some time.

Stephen wrapped his arms around Joey kissing her a little deeper as he
lay her back down on the pallet beneath him. He lay over her carefully and
looked down into her eyes running his fingers through her hair and cradling her
head in his hands before kissing her deeply again.

Sunrise


Joey�s eyes opened briefly before closing again as she stretched a
little and moaned at the feeling. She was warm, she was comfortable, and she was
happy and she rolled over curling up against Stephen again resting her head
against his shoulder resting her hand on his chest. Both had forgotten where
they were and had fallen asleep in each others arms and remained that way. He
stretched a little as well and wrapped his arm around her rubbing her back a
little holding her close as he started to go back to sleep as well.

However, when the sound of the bell told the time both of their eyes
popped open realizing once again where they were and both jumped up out of bed.
However, they still couldn�t help but steal a kiss from each other. Joey would
reach for her clothes and Stephen would pull her back kissing her deeply, then
he would reach for his own, and they would find themselves in each others arms
again.

A knock came at the door, which instantly brought them out of their
eagerness and they started pulling on clothes. �Stephen?� Of course, it was
the Captain, who else would it be. �Stephen? I was told that you missed
breakfast, is everything alright?� Joey quickly rolled up the pallet on the
floor and shoved it in the corner tucking in her shirt and pulling her vest on
over, before jerking her cap down over her head.

Finally, the door opened and Stephen was standing there dressed looking
at Aubrey a little surprised to see him. �Oh, we did? Really?� He looked
back at Joey who was reading a book and writing some notes who looked up at the
Captain just as puzzled. Stephen took out his watch, �We must have lost track
of the time.�

The captain raised a brow and looked at the two of them not entirely sure
that everything was as it should be. As if there was something lightly off about
the situation but he couldn�t put his finger on what. �I�ll make an
exception this one time, and have Killige bring you something, but make sure you
don�t miss any more meals.� Stephen gave a sort of nod and waited to see if
there was anything else. The captain gave a slight nod back still trying to pin
point that feeling that things weren�t as they appeared and walked away.

Stephen closed the door and let out a ragged breath looking back at Joey
who looked up at him. At once without even a moments thought they both laughed.
Josephine covered her face and shook her head with a grin. �Remind you of
anything?� Stephen said walking over and sitting down next to her with a
smile.

�You mean my first study session with you where my father almost found
out that you were teaching a lesson about the birds and the bees, not in the
books?� She said a brightness in her eyes that he hadn�t seen for a long
time. Joey pulled her hat off and leaned towards him a little. He chuckled a
little and kissed her softly.

�We were betrothed. Your father entrusted you to me long before
then.� The doctor said softly reaching up and running his fingers through her
hair which was still very soft, even though cut so short and uneven.

Smile smiled softly, �I�m glad that he did. I never knew I had such a
capacity to love some one so much . . . and I couldn�t imagine a life without
you.� He smiled as well and took her hand in his.

�Nor could I.� He wrapped his free arm around her pulling her close
and kissing her head before finding her lips to kiss them as well, as he embraced her tightly against him.

The Color Green


Joey hadn�t said a word in three days, and there was a glossy look in
her eyes. She of course preformed her duties without fail, even though it seemed
like she struggled through each task. There had been a mishap on the ship that
left several severe wounds that needed to be cared for, and she was hard at work
assisting Stephen. Of course there were the other assistants that he had to hold
the men down and to move them and such. Her work was more the technical aspect
of it, aiding him in his work, handing him tools, and similar such duties.

A few hours later after all had been bedded down, Joey was walking the
length of the ship on each floor almost in a daze. Stephen looked at his watch
seeing the time, and went looking for her, having noticed that there had been
something wrong, but with all of the commotion, there simply wasn�t a chance
to inquire or even examine her.

He walked into the Crew�s quarters looking around, when one of the
enlisted officers noticed, �Can I help you find something doctor?� He asked
wanting to be helpful.

�Um, yes. Have you seen my assistant, the boy called Joey about this
evening? He was due back a while ago and I�ve not heard anything from him.�

�Was here maybe a half an hour ago, wondering around like he was lost
or somethin�. One of the men told him to go up and get some air. Probley still
up there.�

�Thank you very much.� The doctor said as he turned and climbed the
steps. It was absolutely teeth chattering on deck, and he looked about. Things
were quiet, except for the occasional sound of the waves lapping against the
boat, the bell rolling about with the movement, and even what sounded like a
bird that might have been traveling with them that decided to nest on the
yardarms tonight.

He walked around to the front of the ship looking about, before he made
his way aft. Joey was sitting on a barrel just starring at the floorboards, not
moving, or saying a word. Stephen looked about to make sure that there was no
one about that might hear them and he made his way to her sitting down. �Are
you alright?� He questioned, noticing the pale color to her skin.

She didn�t answer and now he definitely knew that there was something
wrong. Reaching out he touched her face turning it towards him and looking into
her eyes. Her skin was cold yet she was sweating, and her eyes looked weary and
exhausted. �Come on.� He said noticing she wasn�t even wearing a jacket.
�You shouldn�t be out here in the cold like this.�

Reaching over he took her hands helping her up as he guided her in the
direction of the stairs to go down below and started to follow after her.
However, not five steps were taken before she threw herself towards the railing
and hung her head down. She might have gone over if Stephen hadn�t been quick
and grabbed her waist to hold her. Joey vomited violently several times, and
even though she tried she couldn�t stop the tears from streaming down her
face.

�Alright. Calm down.� He whispered. When it seemed as though there
was nothing left for her to throw up, he pulled her back and sat her down on the
ground kneeling next to her taking out his handkerchief and wiping her face.
�Shhh. Take a deep breath. Calm down.

�Everything alright over there Doctor?� The midshipmen on watch
called out knowing something was going on but not sure what.

�Yes, everything�s fine. Just a little dizzy spell. Nothing to be
worried about.� He said quickly drying her eyes so it wouldn�t look like she
was crying. She was weak, and her eyes were black and sunken. �It�s alright.
Everything�s going to be fine.� He reassured her holding her hand in his.

Hours later, Joey was laying in her hammock asleep. Stephen was silent as
the grave as he sat nearby leaning back in his chair just starring, watching her
sleep, and sort of chewing on the end of his glasses. There came a knock at the
door and the Doctor snapped out of his deep well of thought and got up making
sure Joey was well covered with the blanket before calling out, �Yes.�

The Captain opened the door and looked about before stepping inside and
closing it behind him and locking it so they could speak freely. �Well? How is
she?� He asked in a low voice.

�She�s resting. I gave her something to settle her down and she fell
asleep. Apparently something she hasn�t done for days.� He said solemnly
putting his glasses down.

�That is at least some good news. Right?� The Captain was not a
medical man, he didn�t know to be concerned or relieved. A moment of long
silence passed before the doctor turned prepared to speak. However before a word
could pass his lips, a knock came at the door. One of the wounded men needed to
be attended to and it couldn�t wait. The doctor nodded and glanced at Jack
before walking out of the room.

Duties


Joey was doing much better in a few days and went back to working as she
had done since she got on the ship. Something didn�t seem right to Stephen
however, and he kept an eye on her. One would think it was a simple case of the
flu, it had the same symptoms and lasted just as long, but there were some
effects that seemed to linger. He couldn�t quite put his finger on it.

After their last stop, Joey sat in Stephen�s office reading a book she
had gotten and eating some bits out of a bag she had purchased as well. The
doctor came in and looked at her putting some trinkets away that he had picked
up and wondered what she was reading peering over her shoulder. �What�s
this?� He finally questioned.

�A history book. It�s from Italy.� She said showing it to him,
having been fascinated by it from the moment she picked it up.� He raised a
brow taking it from her for a moment inspecting it.

�I gathered as much since it�s written in Latin. Are you
understanding any of it?� He questioned, a little surprised knowing how much
she despised reading and writing foreign languages even though she could do so
and speak several of them fluently.

She gave him a look and took the book back, �Yes, I most certainly
can.� She said putting the book back down in front of her finding her place.
He grinned since he was teasing her a bit. Seeing the bag she reached into and
took a bite of something out of his curiosity was once more sparked.

�And this?� He questioned. She held up the bag for him and he took
out a piece popping it into his mouth. One chew and he knew what it was
instantly, and was a bit impressed. �Good Lord, this is Chocolate. Rather Rich
Chocolate. How much did you pay for this?� He exclaimed.

She smiled, �Not a fraction of what it�s worth.� She said taking
the bag and tying it closed stashing it away. He arched a brow not sure he
believed that.

�Since when did you develop a taste for Chocolate? I was under the
impression that you despised it severely.� He said walking over to the other
chair and sitting down next to her taking off his hat.

She shrugged, �I don�t know. I saw that a man was selling it, and I
couldn�t resist. It sounded so . . . good all of a sudden.� She closed her
book and put it away reaching for Stephen�s pocket watch and checking the
time. �Rounds.� She said simply as she stood up putting on her cap and
unlocking the door heading out to the infirmary to gather her supplies. Stephen
watched her. There was something different about her.

Joey made her way up the stairs, after she was told that a few of the men
she had to see to where on duty with various tasks and had to seek them out. The
ship seemed so small from inside, until you went up top and then it seemed
incredibly massive. �On your way.� One of the midshipmen said as Joey was
blocking the walkway when she was looking strait up at the tall mast. She
gripped her bag close and quickly moved to find the men she was looking for.

She wasn�t sure what was going on, but there was a large amount of
ropes and other things on deck that she had to step over to get across the deck
and was finding it difficult to keep her balance the way the ship was tossing
about. She saw one of the men she was looking for and called out his name,
almost relieved that she didn�t have to go to much further across the maze of
obstacles. When she started to go over a coil of rope, her foot got caught, and
the ship tossed just enough to throw her over causing her to drop her supplies.
A sharp piece of metal caught her arm as she fell and left a deep gash as blood
flowed down her hand and dripped from her fingers.

Two of the midshipmen called out for some of the men to assist her, and
Joey was a little dazed and disoriented from the sudden shock of agonizing pain
that shot through her, and felt nauseated like she might pass out at any moment.
Two men came over and one closed his hand around her arm to close the wound and
try to stop the bleeding as another untangled her foot from the rope.

�It�s all right lad, just a scratch.� One of them said seeing the
glaze of shock in her eyes. �The doctor will get you fixed up right quick.�

�Scratch?� She repeated before looking down at her arm. She could see
clear to the bone, and the torn flesh inside the gash. That was all it took, and
then blackness.

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Master & Commander: Secrets and Stowaways