Author's Note: Ok guys, warning here. If you don't like reading soppy stuff, stop readin now. Thank You!

Archivist's Note: If they didn't want soppy stuff, why would they be reading a mary sue fic? ;)  I give warning for a fidgety moment!  Girl on a ship full of men who haven't had seen a woman in years.  You figure it out.

                      Riio listened as the shouts died down from the deck outside. She assumed the
                       pirates were going to their various sleeping arrangements at this point, so she
                       took a few moments to look around her.
                       A good dozen scratchy blankets were piled against one wall and old, broken and
                       spare lanterns surrounded her with matches and oil in various boxes. Bits of
                       old timber and planks of wood lined the far wall and she realised she was
                       huddled inside a tipi-like structure formed by a few pieces leant against a
                       corner. Knowing this, she felt a touch safer – until the bolt shot on the cabin
                       door.
                       She looked; terrified at the tall silhouette in the doorway, but felt a strange
                       sensation – almost comfort, but not quite that safe – when he shut the door
                       and the light fell on his face, revealing boyish features. Jukes stepped forwards
                       and crouched in front of her hiding hole.
                       “Watcha doing in there, missy?”
                       Riio shook her head, holding back tears. He sat down where he was with a
                       thump and studied her. She felt the fear come back when he saw the serious,
                       penetrating look on his face, giving no indication of his future actions. Suddenly
                       he spoke quietly, making her jump.
                       “I’m not going to hurt you.” He held out a hand. “I’m Billy – what’s your name?”
                       “Riio.” She took his hand and let him tug her gently out of the woodpile.
                       “You’re about the same age as me aren’t you? Seventeen?”
                       She nodded. “How long have you been here? What do you do?”
                       “I’m a gunner. And I do most other stuff too.” He picked at his blue vest and
                       gazed at the floor.
                       “You’re a JOAT then?”
                       “A what?”
                       “JOAT – Jack Of All Trades.”
                       “Oh, yeah…” Billy laughed cynically. “You could say that.” He waited a second
                       before addressing her carefully. “You know you have to sleep in here with me
                       tonight, don’t you?”
                       “This is your place?”
                       “Sort of. It’s not much but it’s away from the men. They didn’t really want a kid
                       cluttering their space so they shoved me in here.” He swallowed. “I’m happy –
                       I’ve got all the blankets I need…”
                       He gave a cheerful looking smile but Riio saw the light from the lantern glint off
                       tears of rejection welling in his eyes.
                       She reached out a hand to him. “Don’t cry…”
                       “I’m not.” He snapped. His face softened when he saw the look on her face. “I
                       guess we’re pretty much in the same boat.” He concluded.
                       She grinned despite her worries. “So to speak.” He half-smiled back at her.
                       “Time we got some sleep – you’ll need it. The Capt’n’s gonna get you cleaning
                       tomorrow.”
                       Riio had lain back but she sat bolt upright at this piece of information.
                       “Cleaning, my arse!”
                       Billy looked shocked. “Ssssshhhhh, keep your voice down – do you want the
                       others in here?” He shook his head in disbelief. “Do all girls use language like
                       that where you’re from?”
                       She stopped, realising what era Billy was stuck in.
                       “Erm, yes…sorry,” for the first time she blushed over the use of what she
                       regarded as mild language. “Does it offend you?”
                       “No…no, just came as a bit of a surprise that’s all, where I’m from young ladies
                       don’t use words like that. But that’s as bad as it gets, right?”
                       “Err, yeah.” She lied.
                       “Don’t talk like that around the Capt’n, Riio – he’ll skin you alive. He’ll take you
                       for a whore.”
                       “You’re joking…”
                       Billy shook his head in earnest. “I’m not. Whores use foul words all the time.”
                       Suddenly a thought struck him. “You’re not a whore are you?!”
                       Riio looked just as stunned. “NO!”
                       “Good – I’d hate to see you skinned, lady…” Billy cut off and held a finger to his
                       lips. Riio listened and she heard the voice of Starkey grating a whisper near the
                       door.
                       “The Captain hasn’t locked it, see here!”
                       Mullins answered him. “Much as I hate women, Starkey, ye can’t do this – Hook
                       will send ye to Davey Jones, and…” He paused. “Billy’s in there; he won’t wanna
                       see this…”
                       “You’re not partaking, Robert – take him somewhere else!”
                       “Will you two shut up?” Mason was right outside.
                       The door was thrown wide and the three of them burst in, making as little noise
                       as a trio of drunken pirates can. Billy felt a pull on his arm towards the door.
                       “C’mon Billy, ye don’ wanna see this.”
                       “Wha…?” Billy turned to see Mason drag Riio to the floor and Starkey stand
                       over her. He realised too late what they had been planning. Jukes turned to
                       Mullins with a desperate look on his face – Hook had taught him well and this
                       wasn’t fair. It was sick. Mullins looked almost apologetic, and there was no
                       notion of happiness about him, that was for sure.
                       “C’mon Billy. Don’t look at me like that – I can’t stop them, ye know it.”
                       Billy shot outside and for a second Mullins thought he was going to give in but
                       once on deck, Jukes howled into the dark.
                       “Cap’n! Cap’n!”
                       Captain Hook stomped out of his sleeping quarters in long johns and a cloak
                       and bellowed at the rabble he was witnessing.
                       “Who woke me? What in BLAZES is going ON here?”
                       The pirates stopped their mission and stood terrified for a moment, before
                       running for their own stations.
                       “Mullins,” Hook growled. “Back where you belong. Jukes…”
                       Hook was about to lay a sound cuff into the lad but remembered in the nick of
                       time who had raised the alarm to protect the girl. He opened the door and
                       nodded curtly at Riio who was curled, stricken, by the lanterns.
                       “Sort yourself out for the time being girl,” he said this more harshly than he
                       meant but Jukes knew what he was trying to say. “Jukes, in here. Bolt it from
                       the inside. Stay with her. Don’t touch her.” He said the last part with a shot of
                       menace that would quake any who weren’t acquainted with him, and Jukes knew
                       he wouldn’t dare defy him by any means. Jukes obeyed, and put a hand behind
                       him when he was inside to throw the catch.
                       Without speaking, Billy put his arms around the girl, knowing that Hook would
                       never find out, and hugged the traumatised child as Hook’s rage rumbled from
                       the crews quarters across the deck, the waters, and Neverland itself.

                       ***

                       “They’ve what?” Tinkerbell sped out of her dwelling place as soon as Peter broke
                       the news.
                       “They’ve got her…”
                       “Oh, poor Riio-Mother…” moaned Slightly, and Curly put an arm round his
                       shoulders and comforted Tootles with the other, who was beyond speech. Tink
                       narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
                       “What exactly did you say Cookson was shouting at you?”
                       “He started to say they were going to do something, and then Starkey hit him
                       before he could finish…”
                       Tink gasped and fell to the floor in a faint, and considering how far up she was,
                       being a fairy, the floor was quite a way down. Big Twin cradled her gently and
                       passed her over to Peter, who gave her a poke.
                       “Tink? What’s wrong? What’s happened?”
                       Slightly was pale in his corner. Billy had told him what pirates were like, what
                       pirates did to young, helpless girls…
                       Tink stirred and sat up despite her aching head. “Peter! We need to get her
                       back! They’ll…they’ll…” Tink slapped her hands over her mouth in horror.
                       “They’ll what, Tink?”
                       Tink beckoned him closer and whispered at him, gesturing the younger Boys. “I
                       can’t tell you in front of them – remember when you went back to the real world
                       to take Jane home? That man used that word and you asked me what it
                       meant…and I had to explain everything to you…”
                       Peter blanched. Slightly caught his eye and he realised he and Tink weren’t the
                       only ones who knew what was happening.
                       Peter almost began to think that this wasn’t a game anymore.

                       ***

                       Billy gazed into blackness. The lantern had just gone out due to a small gust of
                       wind creeping under the door. He waited until his eyes had adjusted to the
                       light, and eventually saw well enough to find his way around. He marvelled at
                       how everything was tinted in blue from the moonlight, as he felt around for the
                       small boxes of matches. He heard teeth chattering softly beside him.
                       “You cold? You even awake?”
                       “I’m awake.” Riio sat up again. “Too cold to sleep.”
                       Billy lit a match and held it between them. “Feeling better?”
                       She nodded. He hesitated then decided to ask what was niggling at the back of
                       his mind.
                       “Did they get at you?”
                       Riio stopped but didn’t look up. She shook her head. “No – you saved me.”
                       Billy didn’t know what to say to that. He felt slightly dizzy, but he didn’t know
                       why. Fortunately, at that moment, the match burnt down to his fingers.
                       “OW!”
                       He dropped the match and it went out. He sucked his index finger and thumb
                       whilst fumbling for another. Billy lit the lantern again and held it up. Their breath
                       curled in the cold air and entwined between them as they watched. Riio looked
                       ahead and saw Billy’s brown eyes dancing with the reflection of the lantern’s
                       flame, and he saw hers – glowing, twisting, green fog as her usual blue mixed
                       with the orange light.
                       They both looked away at the same time. Billy swore, sounding too loud in the
                       empty night.
                       “The bastards took all the blankets!”
                       Riio crawled forwards a pace or two. “Hold the lantern up…”
                       Billy held it high and she pulled a single rough quilt out of the shadows.
                       “There’s this one.” She stated. Billy smiled shyly.
                       “Err…you should have it…”
                       “That’s not fair on you…”
                       “Well…we could share it…”
                       “…Body heat is the best heat you can get…”
                       Billy stalled. He had to admit she was right. He smiled, feeling shyer than he
                       ever had in his life. Little did he know that she was feeling exactly the same.
                       They curled up under the blanket together, as close as they could, but too
                       afraid to let their bodies touch.

                       ***

                       “Not tomorrow night, the night after. We go in.”
                       “But Peter!”
                       “No buts…they’ll be expecting us for two or three nights. We sleep on it. I’ll
                       have an excellent plan by morning. Now go to bed – the lot of you.”
                       The Lost Boys wandered off to their various beds, grumbling about ‘leaving
                       things too late’, and ‘no fun anymore’. Slightly lay staring at the ceiling, and
                       consoled himself by saying that Billy would look after Riio-Mother.
                       Billy isn’t like that…he won’t hurt her…he’ll look after her…
                       Tink sighed as she looked at the slumbering faces, and Peter’s caught her eye.
                       He was dozing with an anxious expression in his features – one she had never
                       seen before. Tears welled up in her pixie eyes and she turned away to a
                       troubled sleep.