"Coconut and shrimp..."

Rachel turned from her laptop that rested on her outstretched legs and looked down at JC as he lay sleeping beside her on the hotel bed.  He muttered something else under his breath that she couldn't make out and she chuckled quietly.  She reached over and brushed the hair back from his forehead.  After convincing the rest of the guys last night that he was too sick to perform, Rachel had booked a hotel room close to the venue and JC had been asleep ever since they'd checked in.

Thirteen hours and counting. Rachel thought as she looked at the time on her computer screen.  She put her hand against his forehead.  His skin was still warm but his fever wasn't as high as it had been.  JC shifted in his sleep, putting one arm across her lap and scooted closer to her.  Rachel smiled as her fingers combed through his hair. 

"Mmmm...what time is it?" JC muttered sleepily. 

"Eight." She told him.  "Go back to sleep." 

"I'm sorry." He apologized.

"For what?" Rachel asked. 

"I didn't know you were coming, but you probably weren't planning on spending the entire weekend stuck in a hotel room with me." He replied.

"Actually," Rachel grinned and JC looked up at her.  "I can't think of a better way to spend a weekend then to be stuck in a hotel room with you." She told him with a wink.  He chuckled weakly as he laid his head back down.  "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Worn out." He replied.  "I haven't been this sick in a while."

"Time to take it easy for a few days?" She remarked.

"Apparently." He answered.  He removed his arm from around her and rolled over. 

"Where are you going?" Rachel asked as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat there for a moment. 

"Bathroom." He replied as he stood slowly. 

"Do you need help?" Rachel asked in concern, setting her laptop on the mattress beside her.  He didn't look very steady on his feet at the moment.

"I'm fine." JC replied, turning to give her a reassuring smile.  "Just...give me a few minutes."

"Okay." She nodded.  "But if you're not back in ten minutes, I'm coming in after you." She pointed a finger at him. 

JC laughed.  "Okay."

Rachel chuckled as she watched him walk into the bathroom and shut the door.  She looked over at her laptop as it suddenly chimed.  She picked it up and set it back on her legs as Megan began IM-ing her. 

Megster: Hey!  Didn't expect to see you online.  I was just about to send you an email.

Sassypants82: Good morning.  Isn't it kind of early where you are?

Megster: Yes...but I couldn't sleep. How's Florida?

Sassypants82: Well...our hotel room is nice...

Megster: lol

Megster: Have you not done anything yet?

Sassypants82: nope :(

Sassypants 82: JC is sick

Megster: That sucks!  What's wrong?

Sassypants82: I can't decide if it's the flu, or just the fact that he's been running at full power for the last month without any breaks.  I think he's getting kind of old for all this touring and rock star business but don't tell him I said so...

Megster: lol...wasn't he just out on tour last year?

Sassypants82: yes, but JC on tour as a solo artist is completely different than JC on tour as a member of N SYNC.

Sassypants82: he just barely got up a minute ago after sleeping for the last thirteen hours

Megster: sorry...I know you were planning on this trip going differently...

Sassypants82: It's okay.  I really just wanted to spend time with him, and I am :)

Sassypants82: Why were you going to email me?

Megster: Oh!  Because I just found out that one of our favorite fan fiction writers from back in the day is writing again!

Rachel laughed out loud as she read Megan's response. 

Sassypants82: Who?  And do I want to know how you know this?

Megster: I was bored yesterday.

Sassypants82: lol...so you decided to go look for old stories online about the guys?

Megster: Something like that  :)

Sassypants82: So who is it?

Megster: fictionlyn

Sassypants82: Really?! 

Megster: Yep...she's finishing that last story of hers that she left undone.

assypants82: Send me the link!

Megster: lol, she's not posting it anywhere online.  She's emailing the updates out to people.  I was going to send you the file of the story up to where she stopped and the new updates she's sent out the last couple weeks.

Sassypants82: Send it!

Megster: K, give me a second.

Rachel waited--giggling excitedly when the notification of a new email popped up on her screen. 

Megster: There you go :)

Sassypants82: You're the best friend ever!!

Megster: lol...don't let JC catch you reading it.

Sassypants82: He's sick.  I'll tell him he's hallucinating.

Megster: LOL!!

Megster: Good luck with that!  And tell me what you think of the story...

~~~~~~~~

"A yacht?!" Aubrey exclaimed.  "Justin, are you serious?"

Justin watched Aubrey closely as she looked back and forth between him and the boat sitting at the dock in front of them.  "Are you...upset?" He asked, trying to guess the reason for her startled reaction. 

"No." She shook her head.  "Just...surprised." She told him.  "Out of all the...I didn't guess this!" She finished. 

"Good." Justin grinned.  "That's two." He told her, holding up two fingers.

"Two?" Aubrey asked with a confused chuckle.  

"I've been able to surprise you twice now." He continued. 

"You're always surprising me." Aubrey laughed.  "Do I want to know how much this cost?" She asked.

"No." He shook his head. 

"Justin..." She drawled.  He reached over and put his finger against her lips.  Aubrey looked at him--one eyebrow rising in question.

"I know I promised you a ‘normal' life and renting a private yacht for the weekend doesn't really fall into that category, but in my defense," He said, putting his other hand against his chest.  "I already had this planned and paid for when we had had that conversation a few months ago." Aubrey smiled.  "Happy Birthday." He said, replacing his finger with his lips.  She sighed as he pulled back slightly.  "Let's go." He said, grabbing her hand.  "I want to get this party started!"  

~~~~~~~~

JC looked over at Rachel where she sat on the bed next to him.  She had her laptop open, resting on her legs, and was completely focused on whatever was on the screen in front of her.  He felt bad that she had come all the way here to surprise him this weekend and they hadn't been able to do anything the last couple days.  She had told him several times that she didn't mind--that she was happy just to spend time with him--but he still felt bad.  Luckily, he was feeling almost a hundred percent better and was already planning what they could do tomorrow to try and make up the time they'd lost being stuck in this room.  He turned back to watching the television set up across from the bed, flipping idly through the channels until he found one that caught his interest.  JC rested his left arm across his stomach as he lay stretched out on the bed and bent his right arm, resting it behind his head as he began watching a rerun of The Office.

"What are you working on?" He asked Rachel casually, turning his head once more to look at her. 

"Huh?  What?" She asked, looking at him as if she had forgotten he was there. 

JC chuckled.  "What are you working on?" He asked again, making sure to enunciate each word. 

"Nothing." Rachel replied.  He narrowed his eyes slightly at the spark of--was it guilt?--he thought he had seen in her eyes. 

"You seem pretty interested in that ‘nothing.'" He remarked.  "Are you trying to hide something?" He asked with a teasing grin.

"No." Rachel insisted with a shake of her head and looking at him innocently. "See?" She turned the computer so he could see the screen.  JC went up on his left elbow to see more clearly.  "I'm doing some research for work." She explained.  "Trying to figure out who has the best prices on things, stuff like that."

"Hmmm." JC hummed as he went back to lying down.

"What?" Rachel asked, pressing him.  "What does, ‘hmmm' mean?"

"Nothing." He shook his head.  He reached out and took her hand, lacing their fingers together as he brought it to rest against his chest.  "It means nothing."

~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Rachel looked over at JC, her heart fluttering nervously in her chest.  That was close. She thought.  She felt a small pang of guilt for lying to him just now, but she pushed it aside--rationalizing that it was better that he didn't know she was currently reading a fan fiction story that featured him as one of the main characters.  Since they had first begun dating Rachel had done nothing to hide the fact that she was a huge fan of his.  She had worked hard to keep that part of herself out of the equation as they had been getting to know each other, but she never denied the fact or lied about how she had once idolized him.  However, this particular aspect of being an N SYNC fan had never come up in any of their conversations and secretly she was glad.  It was one thing to tell a musician and celebrity that you owned and had seen everything they had ever done or been in...it was another thing to tell that said musician and celebrity that you read made-up stories on the internet that people had written about him.  She wasn't quite sure how to explain it to him, and didn't know how he would react if she did. 

When he seemed distracted enough by the show he was watching, Rachel turned back to her computer.  Minimizing the fabric distributor website that she had been looking at earlier, she went back to reading the story that Megan had emailed her.  Her intentions of keeping an eye and ear turned to JC--so she wouldn't be caught off guard by him asking her a question again--going right out the window as she once more got sucked back into the drama unfolding in the story.

~~~~~~~~ 

When the episode of The Office he had been watching ended, JC began flipping through the channels again--feeling restless.  He wanted to get out of this hotel room.  He knew Rachel had a love for the ocean and was probably dying to see the Atlantic.  Maybe they could go for a walk.  He was just about to ask her if she wanted to go out for a little bit when she withdrew her hand from his and punched him in the arm.

"Ow!  What the hell?!" JC exclaimed, rubbing at his shoulder as he looked at her in question.  "What was that for?"

"You broke up with her?" Rachel replied hotly.  "I can't believe you broke up with her!"

"What?!" JC asked, completely confused.  "Broke up with who?"

"Miranda!" Rachel answered.  "You know, you can be a little thick sometimes but I didn't think you were that stupid." She continued, though he had no idea what she was talking about.  "How could you break up with her?"

"Rachel, what the hell are you talking about?" He asked, sitting up and turning off the TV.  "I don't know anyone named Miranda--let alone dated anyone with that name--so how in the world could I break up with her?  Are you crazy?" He asked, genuinely starting to wonder and worry about the fact that maybe she was. Maybe all the stress the last couple weeks over the wedding and starting up her business had finally gotten to her and she'd snapped.

"You're the crazy one." She told him.  "You two are perfect for each other!"  She shook her head as she looked back at her laptop.  "I can't believe you broke up with her." She muttered under her breath. 

JC reached over and took the computer off of her lap, ignoring her outcry and shouldering her away when she tried to get it back from him.  When he saw the document she had been looking at on the screen he scrolled through a few pages.  Recognizing it for what it was he turned to look at Rachel--one eye brow raised in question.  "Fan fiction?" He asked.  "Really?"  He watched as her cheeks warmed.  He rolled his eyes as he handed the computer back to her.  "What?  I don't do it enough for you in real life?  You have to go find it somewhere else?  You know..." he paused.  "It's a good thing I love you so much." He told her.  She dropped her gaze from his, her cheeks blazing in embarrassment.  He shook his head as he moved to get out of bed. 

"Wait," she said reaching out and placing a hand on his arm.  He looked down at her.  "Is that..." she looked at the computer screen then back at him.  "Are you mad?" She asked.

"No." He shook his head.  "I'm not mad. I am a little..." he thought for a moment, searching for the right word.  "Okay, a lot little weirded out that my fiancée is reading sexed up, fictionalized stories written about me by crazy fans on the internet, but not really mad." He told her standing next to the bed and looking down at her.

He watched as she opened and closed her mouth a few times before finally finding her voice.  "I thought you'd be really upset if you found out." She confessed.

He sighed.  "I know stuff has been written about me--about all the guys--since we started, I'm not stupid.  I know it's out there.  I just..." He paused.  "I just didn't think you were reading it."  

Rachel grimaced then hung her head for a moment.  "Okay," she said, nodding in acceptance of his criticism.  "But, in my defense." She said, setting the laptop aside as she moved over to where he was standing and kneeled in front of him.  "I used to read fan fiction all the time, but I hadn't read anything since before we started dating."

"Why?" He asked.

"Why did I read it, or why did I stop?" She questioned.

He was quiet for a moment as he looked at her.  "Both." He stated, interested to see what her answers would be.

She blew out a breath.  "I read it because it was the only way I had of feeling close to you."  She began.  She laughed in self-recrimination as she shook her head.  "I know, I know, it sounds crazy," she conceded.  "But," she shrugged, "When I was younger all I wanted was to get to know you and I felt like I was able to with those stories.  I stopped, because I quickly realized that reality is a million times better than fiction." She stopped, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she looked up at him-her brown eyes imploring him to accept this part of who she was.

JC reached his hands up, tucking her hair behind her ears.  "So, why are you reading it again?" He asked, his fingertips brushing along the curve of her cheeks.

Rachel sighed.  "It's not because you don't do it for me." She told him.

"Well that's good." He remarked, teasing her.  She scowled at him

"Megan sent me the document yesterday.  It's a story that my favorite writer began a few years ago but never finished.  She decided to finish it and I have to see how it ends."  She looked at him, once more begging him to understand.

JC couldn't help but laugh at the pitiful look on her face.  "You are something else, Sass." He told her.  

"I promise." She told him, scooting closer to him.  "Once I see how this story ends, I'll never read anything again.  Cross my heart." She said, drawing an "X" with her index finger over her heart.  Again he chuckled.

"You've never hidden the fact that you were a fan." He mused as he placed his hands on her face.  "I guess I should have known this was part of that."   

"I'm sorry I hit you." She offered.   "I guess I was getting a little too involved in the story."

"Did I deserve it?" He asked his lips twitching upwards as he fought to keep a straight face.

"Hell yeah!" She replied as she put her arms arm around his waist and leaned into him.  "You're being kind of an idiot right now." She told him, turning her face up towards his.  He watched as her lips parted slightly and bent his head--capturing them between his own. 

"Well, I don't know about you, but this idiot is tired of being cooped up in this hotel room." He remarked as he pulled back slightly.  "Think you can tear yourself away from your computer long enough to go for a walk with me?" He asked.  "I know a couple of great spots on the beach that you'll love."

Rachel smiled.  "You know me too well." She replied. 

"And I did it all without reading a single work of fiction about you." He stated smugly, kissing the end of her nose.  Rachel laughed as she hugged him tightly and kissed him. 

"Oh, I love you." She told him.

"Even though I'm being an idiot right now and I just broke up with..." He paused, thinking.  "Who did I just break up with?" He asked.

"Miranda." She supplied with a smile.

"Even though I just broke up with Miranda?" He asked, finishing his earlier question.

"Yes." She nodded, once more placing her lips against his.  "Even though you just broke up with Miranda." 

~~~~~~~~~

Justin felt his jaw drop as Aubrey stepped out onto the upper deck of the yacht the next afternoon.  He watched as she lifted her hand, shielding her eyes from the sun and looked around--smiling timidly when she saw him.  He straightened from lounging in his chair and watched as she walked towards him.  His eyes ran over her incredible body--the body he had spent the last eight months memorizing every delicious inch of.  He felt tempted for a moment to feel embarrassed at the obvious and almost painful way his body had reacted to seeing her in the black bikini top and light blue scrap of material she had wrapped around her waist--until he reminded himself that it was his ring currently glittering on her finger in the tropical sun which meant he had every right to be mesmerized and aroused by her.

Aubrey came to stop next to his chair.  He had somehow managed to close his mouth so he didn't look like a complete idiot, but he still couldn't find his voice.  Who was this goddess standing in front of him?  While she had worn a few pieces in the past, Aubrey wasn't really one to wear lingerie.  He knew she was self-conscious about the scar she carried on her lower abdomen and she wasn't the type to flaunt her body, so how in the world she was currently standing in front of him wearing what she was he had no idea. 

"It was Rachel's idea." Aubrey supplied with a nervous chuckle as if she had heard his thoughts and read his mind.  She waved her hand over her body indicating the lack of clothing she was currently wearing.

God bless you, Rachel!  Justin thought as he reached his arm out.  Putting his hand against the small of her back he drew Aubrey towards him then placed a kiss to the expanse of skin now exposed between her breasts and her belly button.  He heard her breath hitch slightly as he reached out--running his finger along where the blue wrap around skirt lay against her skin--and smiled.

"Do I get to...see the rest of it?" He asked, finally breaking his silence as he looked up at her.

~~~~~~~~~

Aubrey's heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest and she kicked herself for being so ridiculous.  This wasn't the first time Justin had seen her wearing next to nothing.  Hell, they had been naked in bed together just a few hours ago! Why was this affecting her so much?  Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for the tie of the skirt on her hip--his blue eyes watching her expectantly.  Rachel had been right.  Justin's reaction to seeing her in the bikini had been priceless.  He had been completely speechless--staring at her like he'd never seen her before.  Her stomach quivered as she removed the fabric covering the bottom part of the suit she was wearing, watching as his eyes darkened in that familiar way she'd come to recognize. 

He wanted her. 

But mixed with the lust and desire were equal parts love and adoration--a combination that continued to take her breath away every time she saw it.  She laughed as Justin put both hands on her waist and pulled her down onto his lap.  Aubrey put one arm around his neck, the other reaching up to run through his hair.   

"Why do I suddenly feel like it's my birthday?" He asked, his incredible eyes holding her captive. 

Aubrey smiled.  "I take it you approve?" She asked, running her index finger along his bottom lip.

"Approve?" Justin questioned, looking at her in surprise.  "Sweetheart..."  He exhaled as he shook his head slightly, his eyes once more traveling over her body.  "I know I've said this to you before, but this time I really mean it.  I've never been more turned on." He confessed, making Aubrey's entire body tingle.  "Just when I think I have you figured out, Aubrey Janae, you go and do something like this and completely blow me away."

Aubrey's smile grew as she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his.  "I love you, Justin Timberlake." She told him, opening her eyes to look at him.  He lifted one hand, cupping her cheek as his thumb caressed her skin, and smiled as he drew her back in for another kiss. 

"I love you more." He replied, kissing her deeply--his lips moving against hers seductively.  "I love you more." 

~~~~~~~~

Aubrey let out a contented sigh.

Her head rested between Justin's neck and shoulder as she sat, leaning back against his chest.  He had one knee bent, his elbow propped against it while his hand rested against the top of her head.  His other arm was stretched out over hers, his fingers playing with hers as they sat, looking up at the night sky. 

"These stars are amazing!" She breathed, taking in the night sky above them.

"Reminds me of being home." Justin replied.  "You forget how incredible the night sky is when you're in the city for too long."  They lapsed back into silence for a moment.  "Did you have a good birthday?" He asked.

Aubrey smiled.  "Yes." She nodded against him.  "Thank you." She told him.  "This has been..." she paused, searching for the right word.  "This has been an unbelievable weekend, Justin."

"Good." He replied, pressing his lips against her temple.  Aubrey closed her eyes, trying to soak in and remember every detail of this moment--the way the breeze carried the scent of the ocean, the way the boat felt as it rocked gently on the water, the warmth radiating from Justin's body as they sat entwined. 

"To quote someone I know," she remarked with a giggle.  "I don't know how you're going to top this."

Justin laughed as he bent his head, nuzzling her ear.  "I'll think of something." He replied softly but confidently, his warm breath raising goose bumps on her neck.  Aubrey shivered.  "Are you cold?" He asked, lowering the hand that had been resting on her head.  Putting it around the front of her shoulders, Justin took the hand of hers that he'd been paying with and wrapped it around her waist--hugging her close. 

"Not now." She responded.  Silence again fell between them--both of them content in enjoying the moment and the company they were with--until Aubrey remembered something she had wanted to talk to Justin about all weekend but hadn't found the right time to.  "Do you remember the picnic we had on the beach before you left?" She asked him.

"Mmm-hmm." He hummed and she felt him nod his head. 

"We talked about having a family but you gave me two conditions." She continued.  "Do you remember?"

"Yes." He replied. 

"Why..." she paused.  "Why did you stipulate that you wanted to see if we could have a baby first before adopting?" She asked then waited for his reply. 

Justin was quiet for a moment.  "Because I want our children to look like you." He told her softly.  Aubrey blinked.  She didn't know what she had expected his response to be, but for some reason that answer had caught her off guard.  Justin sighed.  "Last summer," he continued.  "When everything was going on with Nikki and that damn paternity suit..." he paused, resting his chin against her shoulder.  "The part I struggled with the most was knowing that if it was true, my baby wasn't going to look like you--the woman I love."

"Justin..."

"I know," he interrupted her, continuing on before she could say anything else.  "I know it's not possible and I don't want you to think that I won't love a baby if we adopt it, but I--"

"There may be a way." She said, this time interrupting him.

Justin was quiet for a heartbeat.  "A way for what?" He asked hesitantly.

"For us to have a baby." Aubrey replied.  Justin put his hands on her shoulders and sat her up.  Aubrey turned to look at him, pushing the hair away from her face.  She met Justin's questioning blue eyes.  "I can't carry a baby." She told him.  "But that doesn't mean I might not be able to have one." She said.

"A surrogate?" Justin asked, catching on quickly to what she was saying.

Aubrey nodded, watching as a spark of hope lit his blue eyes.  "I know it's not the most conventional way of having a baby but it may be an option.  I hadn't thought of it until a few days ago." She told him.  "It may be the answer we're looking for." 

"We?" He questioned. 

She smiled.  "Ever since we had that conversation," she told him.  "I haven't been able to get a particular image out of my head." 

"What image is that?" He asked, watching her closely. 

"A baby." She told him.  "With curly hair like his daddy." She continued as she reached out, running her fingers through his short curls.  "And bright blue eyes."

"And freckles?" He asked his eyes softening as he looked at her.  He reached a hand out, brushing his thumb across her cheek.    

Aubrey smiled.  "And freckles." She added.  "But not too many.  Freckles aren't really manly." 

Justin chuckled.  "Who said it's going to be a boy?" He asked and Aubrey laughed.  "So how do we do this?" He asked.

"I don't know." She replied with a shrug.  "I guess when I get back to L.A. I can start looking into it and see what the first step is."

Justin reached out, putting his arms around her and gathered her close--tucking her under his chin and against his chest.  Aubrey put her own arms around his waist, listening to the steady beat of his heart as she snuggled close to him.  He startled her a moment later by letting out a laugh.  She pulled back and looked at him in question.

"For the first time in my life," he told her with a smile.  "I'm actually...excited about the thought of being a dad." He finished, looking at her as if he couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth.

Aubrey smiled as she put a hand to his face and leaned forward--pressing her lips against his.  She kissed him warmly for a few moments then pulled back, her mind and heart suddenly set on a decision she had been trying to make for what seemed like forever. 

"Do you remember the other condition you gave me that night?" She asked him.  Justin looked at her, the thinly veiled hope in his eyes giving her his answer.  He remembered.  "I want to get married." She told him.

~~~~~~~~~

Justin stared at Aubrey for a moment, trying not to let his hopes get the best of him.  "You want to get married, meaning next month when I get home?" He asked, trying to figure out what her timeline was.  "Or tomorrow when we get back to Orlando?"

"Tonight." She replied.  "I want to get married tonight."

"Tonight?!" He asked, his eyes widening in shock.  He looked around them.  "Aubrey...I-I...you..." he paused, struggling to form a complete sentence.  "We're in the middle of the ocean." He reminded her.  "It's only us, the captain, the first mate and the cook on this boat.  I don't have a ring for you.  None of our friends are here and your mother is going to kill me if we get married tonight.  I don't think--"

He stopped as she put her hands on his face.  "Justin." She said, her beautiful eyes holding him captive.  "I want to marry you.  I'm done waiting.  I want to be your wife." She paused and he felt his objections completely dissolve at that word falling from her lips.  Wife.  "You asked me a couple days ago what I was going to wish for, for my birthday this year." She reminded him.  "This is it."

He opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally finding his voice.  "Aubrey... there is nothing I want to do more, than to make your wish become reality tonight but we're out in the middle of the ocean!" He reminded her once again.  "There isn't anyone here that can marry us."

"What about the captain?" She asked.  "Aren't captains supposed to be able to marry people?"

He chuckled.  "I think that's only in the movies and on TV." He replied, putting a hand to her face.  "We can wait till we get back to shore tomorrow then we can go down to the courthouse if you want and--"

"I don't want to wait until tomorrow." She replied with a shake of her head.  "Tomorrow I have to share you with the world again but tonight..." she leaned forward, looking at him through her lashes as she pressed her lips against the corner of his jaw.  "Tonight you're still mine." She whispered.  Justin groaned as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back, giving in to her.  He reached out, his hands gripping her hips as she moved to straddle him--her lips continuing to slowly nibble their way down his neck.  Her hands moved in between them, unbuttoning his shirt and then caressed his chest.  Her warm, sweet mouth moved across his throat and began trailing up the other side of his neck.  She was pulling out all the stops tonight in her effort to get her way.  Justin groaned again as she took his left earlobe into her mouth, her teeth grazing the sensitive skin.  His hands tightened on her hips as he pulled her flush against him. 

If it was within his power he would give her whatever the hell she wanted, but he couldn't-no matter how damn seductive and tempting she was!  The fact of the matter was there wasn't a minister on board the yacht.  No matter how much she wanted to get married, they would have to wait.  Damn it, I'm always waiting for her!  He thought as her lips finally found his once more. 

Justin soon took possession of the kiss, completely dominating her as he moved her back, laying her down on the bench they were sitting on.  Her arms wound around his neck, her fingers threading through his hair as he moved atop her. 

"A-hem."

They broke apart, startled at the interruption and looked over at the first mate who was standing awkwardly a few feet away--embarrassed at having interrupted the intimate scene. 

"Sorry to interrupt." He stated.  "But is there anything else you will be needing tonight, sir?"

Justin looked down at Aubrey.  Her eyes met his and he stared into their hazel depths for a moment, trying to read her thoughts; see into her soul.  He smiled then looked back at the first mate.  "Yes." He said.  "Will you tell the captain I need to speak with him?"  He asked as he sat up, bringing Aubrey with him.  "I need to ask him a question."