disclaimer: I own nothing.

I've been fiddling around with a storyline for the past few days and haven't been able to get a good groove going. So, sorry for lack of detail. Let me know what you think. thanks.

Stepping out of the cab into the Alaskan sunlight I take a deep breath and smell the sea. The strong smell rushes into my nose and sends chills throughout my body. This is something that I will be experiencing for the next 3 months or until I die. My name is Megan Stanley and I am about to step aboard the Cornelia Marie.

I push my long brown hair out of my eyes and start walking towards the welcoming turquoise color of the boat. I can see figures standing at the bow and one starts to wave.

"Meg!" He calls.

"Hi dad!" I call back laughing at his excited form.

My dad is Todd Stanley a cameraman for the reality series Deadliest Catch. He stays up in the wheelhouse filming Captain Phil Harris' reactions while another cameraman shoots the deck. I will be that cameraman for this season or should I say camerawoman.

"Welcome aboard!" He exclaims as another man takes my duffel bag from me.

"Thank you," I say to both of them.

My dad envelops my small 5'4" 115 pound body into a tight hug. We haven't seen each other in 6 months and I have missed him so much. He whispers that he loves me and I reply back with the same statement. Feeling tears prickle my eyes, I squeeze harder.

"Hey now!" A voice yells in a jokingly matter, "I don't want some emotional girl coming on this boat making my boys soft!"

My dad steps back and puts his arm around my shoulder, "Phil, this is my 21 year old daughter Megan."

I look up and see a gruff looking man with shaggy hair and a beard.

"Hi," I call with a wave.

He doesn't say anything and walks back into the wheelhouse. I look to my dad for an explanation.

"The guys are a little superstitious," He tells me.

"I'm not going to bring bad luck to the boat, dad." I say a little defensively.

He gives my shoulder a squeeze and tugs me down the dock.

"Don't worry about them," He says goodheartedly.

The man who is carrying my duffel bag puts out his hand.

"I'm Josh," He tells me, "Don't worry about 'ol pops up there."

I laugh and thank him. "Wow, dad" I joke, "Way to be impolite."

"Oh," My dad laughs, "Josh, Meg. Meg, Josh."

"Nice to meet you," I say with a smile.

I follow the two men inside and am greeted with three more. One looks to be about my age with brown hair and hazel eyes. I catch his gaze and quickly look away. I can't even think about romance these days. Not with the news I had gotten just 2 days before I left.

Two days earlier

I am sitting in Dr. Montgomery's office waiting for him to come in and tell me what I am dreading to hear. I sit in the cold, hard brown chair and feel like I am about to have a panic attack when the red haired overweight man walks through the swinging door.

"Hello Megan," He says with a smile. "How are you?"

"I'll tell you after you share those results," I joke trying to keep a semi normal facial expression.

His face turns grim and he sighs with his large chest rising up then down.

I slump in the chair and look him in the eyes. "Just tell me."

"It isn't bad, but it's not good."

"What does that even mean??" I question him with fear in my voice. I start picking at the purple nail polish I had only put on this morning.

He explains to me that we need to do a few more tests, but that he is sure that my leukemia is coming back. He tells me this time that we caught it early and that we can beat it.

The entire time he goes on all I can think about it how I am going to tell my father…

Present

As my father introduces me to the other crew members I smile and say hello to them, but I am reminded that I still have not told him about my current medical status. My leukemia did indeed come back and I am not supposed to be on this crab boat. In the words of my doctor I am putting my life "on the line."

My dad shows me to my stateroom which I will be sharing with him. It's just 2 bunks and a very small dresser. I take my duffel and set it on the bottom bunk.

"Let's get started," I say.