Chapter One: Return to Nassau

A/N: So although the show is coming to an end, we couldn't help but take on a Black Sails fic! This story begins at the start of Season 2 and goes from there :) Hope you enjoy! Please leave a review and let us know what you think.

Captain Georgia Teach leaned over the map spread out across her desk. Each corner was pinned by a heavy weight as she studied their current location. A wild storm had thrown them slightly off-course, meaning they would be delayed in their return to Nassau. Not that Eleanor Guthrie would mind – Gia brought in more cargo than most of the other pirates in the region. The thought made her smile in satisfaction. There were many who had their doubts about a female captain, but so far, she'd proved their uncertainty baseless.

Gia had been the captain of the Black Heretic for five years, ever since she'd killed her predecessor. He had been a violent and temperamental man, a tyrant. Although initially Gia had treated him with nothing but respect, he had responded with crude comments and his opinion that a woman could never be a good pirate. Women always fainted at the sight of blood. Which was odd, because Gia hadn't even felt giddy in the slightest when she'd taken off his head.

The door to her cabin creaked open. Gia didn't look up from her map, knowing there was only one member of her crew who would enter without knocking. Her first mate and quartermaster, Darrien McCarthur. Once she heard his boots stop in front of her desk, she raised her blue eyes from the map.

"Darrien."

"Morning," Darrien greeted casually. No 'captain' there, but she didn't expect it from him. They had an odd relationship, Darrien and Gia. In public, he was as respectful as any other member of the crew. In private, they fell into a comfortable friendship. Or into Gia's bed, depending on how they felt at the time. The crew had an unspoken acknowledgement of Darrien's status as the captain's occasional lover.

"We should be in Nassau tomorrow, if not the day after." Gia pushed herself up from the desk, her shoulders sore from having hunched over the map for a long period of time. She straightened up, examining her first mate. A grin spread across his face.

"I will be glad to see Siobhan," he said.

"No doubt she's still picking pockets," Gia sighed and rolled her eyes, but she was smiling too. "Three years old and already thieving. Definitely takes after you."

Darrien tipped her a wink. "But she has her mother's beauty."

Something else Darrien and Gia shared, aside from a bed, was a daughter. They'd been lovers since not long after Gia became captain and they had been careless. Gia had fallen pregnant and by the time they had realised, there hadn't been much they could do about it. Stubborn as always, she had insisted on staying aboard the ship until she reached full term. She'd given birth on Nassau and cared for the baby for the first six months – during which Darrien had been captain.

When Siobhan hadn't been dependent on Gia, she'd left her with the person she trusted most – her mother, Camilla Dubois. Although disapproving of her daughter's chosen career path, Camilla had been all too eager to fall into the role of doting grandmother. Although the Black Heretic crew were aware of the child's existence, Gia had done her best to stop word from spreading about Siobhan. The last thing she needed was someone thinking to use the child against her.

"Quite the charmer, aren't you?" Gia asked wryly, folding her arms over her chest. "How's our cargo looking?"

"It's good." Darrien stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Better than last time we docked."

Gia's smile tightened. "Eleanor will be pleased."

"Yes, we must keep her pleased," Darrien reminded her pointedly. Although not enemies, Eleanor and Gia did not much get on. Gia supposed it was because they were both powerful women in their own right, and so they clashed. She couldn't help but roll her eyes. She knew it was not smart to anger Eleanor.

"Are you going to go wild in the brothel?" she asked, changing the topic.

He smirked. "Never."

"I like to know where you've been, thank you," Gia said curtly. Their relationship was an open one and neither minded the other sleeping with someone else…but if Darrien was going to fuck a whore, Gia felt she had the right to know.

He shrugged. "I might go to the brothel."

"Which one took your fancy?" Gia inquired, her voice taking on a rare teasing tone.

"Same one as always," he replied, and she knew exactly which whore he meant. She was a tiny thing, but very pretty – mocha skin, bright hazel eyes and curly dark hair. She even remembered her name.

"Max, is it?"

"She's sweet," he stated.

Gia shook her head slowly. "I doubt you see her for sweetness."

"We don't always fuck," Darrien insisted, making her laugh. Mirth was rare in Gia. She was a woman with a serious disposition, and Darrien was the member of her crew who was most likely to cause some amusement in her.

"So you what, talk?"

"Hush," Darrien remarked, making Gia narrow her eyes. Even in private, she wouldn't be spoken to in such a manner. She stepped out from behind her desk, making Darrien watch her closely.

"You don't hush your captain."

"What are you doing to do about?" he challenged. She knew that he was making a light-hearted joke, but she still didn't appreciate it. She strode over to him, very much aware of the difference in their heights as she looked up at him.

"It's not a smart idea to disrespect the captain."

"Are you going to punish me?" Darrien asked with a smirk.

"I could." She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder. "Or you could apologise."

He scoffed. "I don't apologise."

Gia wasn't entirely certain that she believed that. She raised her eyebrows, sure that he must have apologised to her at some point or another. She walked over to her desk and poured herself some wine despite the early hour. Gia was not a big drinker, but faced with the prospect of Eleanor Guthrie, alcohol was sorely needed.

"You could make me forget you were rude," she declared.

Darrien walked over to her, stepping behind her and making Gia glance back at him. He started massaging her shoulders and she sighed happily. She was tense, and they both knew it. He was prone to helping her destress – whether by working out the knots in her muscles or through sex. He pressed harder, but it was the good sort of pressure. He kissed her cheek and she smiled wryly.

"Thank you. That will be all."

"So commanding," Darrien teased.

"Was there anything else?" Gia spun to face him, raising her eyebrows. When he shook his head, she made a shooing motion with her hands. "Good, then stop mocking me and go back to bed."

Darrien twirled the bright pink flower in his hand as he wandered into the brothel. He weaved amongst the various people smoking and drinking, not caring for any of the women that were parading around the place. The room he wished to enter was upstairs and towards the back of the place. He tapped lightly on the wood, hiding the flower behind his back. It had been too long since he had seen Max, and he was eager to allow himself to get lost in her eyes.

"Come in." Max called from the other side of the door.

Darrien pushed it open, shutting it behind him as he strode into the room. He smiled warmly at her, watching as she moved over to him, returning his smile. "Good morning."

"Darrien." She greeted him, kissing his cheek. He only ever saw her when he came to the brothel, it had been that way ever since he had met her.

"How have you been?" He pulled the flower from behind his back, handing it to her. Since he had first begun visiting her, the two had developed an interesting relationship. Darrien treated her with a respect she was unused to, and often brought her back gifts from his hunting trips.

"I've been well." She answered as she sniffed the flower, taking in the sweet aroma. "How has the sea been?"

"Same as always. She never changes." He sighed heavily as he flopped on the bed. It was nice to be lying on a bed after being at sea for so long. He loved being on the ship, but sometimes he just wanted a comfy bed and a woman to warm it.

"Is that good or bad?" She asked as she sat beside him on the bed, her fingers trailing over his arm.

Darrien pulled her to him, pushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Both. She can be rather cruel."

"Was Eleanor satisfied with your haul?" Max questioned, tracing patterns on his chest.

"Of course she was." He grinned, letting his eyes rake over her form as she stretched out against him. A smirk danced at her lips and he shook his head, knowing that she doing it on purpose. He ran his fingers up her thigh, pulling her closer. "I have something for you."

"You do?" She gasped at the sensation, feeling his warm fingers against her inner thigh.

"Of course I do." He chuckled, pulling the bracelet from his pocket and placing it in the palm of her hand.

"Thank you." She smiled, slipping it onto her wrist and snuggling up against him. "How is the captain?"

"She is well." He told her, not wanting to speak about Gia. He loved her, after all they shared a child together, but he also enjoyed his time away from her. She could be very demanding when she wanted to be.

Max nodded, going back to examining her bracelet. "It's very pretty."

"Just like you." He nuzzled her neck, closing his eyes as he let himself relax. He felt that he never could relax on the ship, due to past experiences on different ships. It was nice to be somewhere with someone that he felt completely comfortable with. "Can we just sleep tonight?"

Max nodded, running her fingers through his hair as he rested his head on her chest. It was growing closer to evening, but she also understood that he was tired due to him only having just returned from the sea. "Of course."

"Good." He yawned, burying his face in her hair as he felt the familiar feeling of fatigue wash over him like the waves did during a storm. He could faintly feel her fingers trailing up and down his back, and fell asleep to the sensation as he allowed himself to completely relax for the first time in a few weeks.

Nassau had changed in the few months since Gia and her crew had last been there. Once she'd made sure the men were busy – which wasn't at all hard, as most of them were eager to visit the brothel – Gia went to visit Eleanor Guthrie. The cargo was still in the process of being unloaded, but she wanted an estimate of how much she was going to be making from her latest venture. It didn't take her long to be admitted into Eleanor's office. When your last name was 'Teach' in the world of piracy, you rarely had to wait for anything.

"Gia." Eleanor looked up from a letter she was writing, gesturing to the seat across from her. There was no love lost between the two women, for several reasons. Darrien had once compared them to alpha wolves fighting for control of a pack. They were around the same age. Eleanor had been the reason that Blackbeard was no longer welcome in Nassau – something Gia didn't particularly care about, but a fact nonetheless.

"Why isn't Hornigold's flag flying?" Gia inquired, slinging one leg over the arm of her chair just because she knew it would annoy Eleanor. Benjamin Hornigold was a pirate captain who was in charge of the fortress atop the hill. Under his watchful eye, Nassau was protected from any threatening ships that might try and enter the harbour. Yet if his flag was not flying, did that mean he was no longer there?

"He was removed from the fortress." Eleanor's lips pressed together in displeasure.

Gia's eyes widened slightly. "By who?"

"Charles Vane," the blonde responded coolly. The name made Gia's hands ball into fists of anger. It was true that she did not know Charles Vane all too well, but it didn't stop her from hating the man. Blackbeard had taken Vane under his wing. He'd regarded the younger pirate as a son to him. The thought filled Gia with bitterness every time. She hadn't been good enough for him, but Charles was, because Charles was a man.

"How did that happen?" Gia demanded, leaning forward.

"It's a long story," Eleanor replied testily, indicating that she didn't particularly want to talk about it. She regarded the dark-haired woman coldly. "I thought you came here to discuss your cargo. Was I wrong?"

"No, by all means." Gia shifted out of the chair and headed over to the balcony, swinging open the doors so she could look out at the harbour. "Tell me how much my cargo is worth."

"The tobacco seems to be all in prime condition," Eleanor said, but as she spoke, Gia's breath hitched. She caught sight of a ship she recognised all too well, a ship that she had never seen in Nassau before. It had been years since she'd seen the flag, but there could be no doubting it. Swinging around to face Eleanor, she pointed an accusing finger at the sea, stopping the woman mid-sentence.

"How long has that ship been here?"

"Excuse me?" Eleanor frowned. "Which one?"

"Fancy," Gia practically spat the word. She wondered if Darrien was aware of the ship in the harbour, but didn't see any point in ruining his fun just to inform him. They could speak in private later.

"It arrived about an hour after you did," Eleanor looked confused. "Why?"

"Look, never mind. I'll be back to discuss payment with you tomorrow."

Before Eleanor could object, Gia strode out of the office. She very much doubted that there were many, captains or otherwise, who would get away speaking to Eleanor that way or arranging the meetings. But Gia was not just any captain, and if Eleanor was smart, she'd remember that.

Gia travelled up the dirt road to some of the houses outside the town centre. Once she'd seen her crew settled in, she surmised that it was time to visit her mother and daughter. Gia either travelled alone or with Darrien. She didn't bring the rest of the crew to this place. Siobhan was something personal. She rapped her knuckles against the white wood of the front door, and it opened to reveal the familiar sight of Gia's mother, Camilla.

Despite being in her early fifties, Camilla was still an attractive woman, with curly chestnut hair and warm brown eyes. She had been the first wife of Edward Teach – now known as the notorious pirate Blackbeard. Gia couldn't remember how old she had been when her father had left her and Camilla. Younger than five, most likely. Camilla had been involved in trading silks and other fabrics in Nassau, but now Gia provided her income.

"Mother."

"Gia." Camilla smiled fondly. Despite the fact that her marriage hadn't exactly panned out, she still loved her only child dearly. "Come in, sweetheart."

"How is she?" Gia asked as she slipped inside, closing the door behind her.

"She is well." Camilla led her daughter into the dining room, where a toddler with curly dark hair was eating messily at the table. The little girl looked up with big blue eyes, her face lighting up when she saw who was with Camilla.

"Hello, darling," Gia said.

"Mama!" Siobhan cried, reaching out to her. Gia picked her up, heart swelling with love as she kissed her cheek. She hadn't meant to become a mother, but she would never abandon Siobhan. Although she didn't care for her full-time, she made sure her child knew she was wanted and loved. Something her father had never bothered to do.

"Have you been behaving for Nana?"

Siobhan nodded fervently. "I have!"

"She has her father's mischief," Camilla noted with a slight smile.

"Of course she does." Gia stroked her daughter's curly hair. The child threw her arms tightly around Gia's neck. There were few people in this world that Gia would do anything for, but those people would have to be Siobhan and Camilla. "Did you want to see Papa too?"

"Yes, where is he?" Siobhan craned her neck to look over Gia's shoulder, as if expecting to see Darrien there.

"He's in town, he'll come by soon," Gia assured her, knowing fully well that Darrien had gone to the brothel, something she didn't particularly want to say in front of Camilla and Siobhan.

"Did you get me something?" Siobhan asked.

"Of course." Gia set her on her feet. "Cover your eyes."

Siobhan obediently covered them, and Gia reached into her pocket to draw out a gold necklace. She fastened it around her daughter's neck, kneeling down in front of her. Siobhan drew her hands away and inspected her new present.

"What do you think?"

"It's shiny," Siobhan declared. "It's pretty."

Gia eased herself to her feet and crossed over to Camilla, handing her mother a ring. She knew her turn to piracy hadn't been easy for her mother at first, when she'd run away at seventeen after a local merchant, a rich man, had tried to pressure her into marrying him. But that had been a decade ago, and Camilla seemed to have accepted that Gia was her father's daughter, as much as she despised him.

"It's beautiful. Thank you."

"I know you don't approve of my occupation, but I'm still going to get you lovely things," Gia remarked.

"I know, and I also know I can't stop you." Camilla shook her head slowly. She'd tried to convince Gia out of it, but Gia knew her options were that or settle down and marry, and she wasn't the settling down sort. "Will Darrien be here for dinner?"

"Darrien does as he pleases." Gia waved a dismissive hand at the mention of her first mate. "Don't set a place for him. If he comes, he can eat what's left over. Don't you think, Siobhan?"

She glanced at her daughter, who pouted. "He's never here."

"He will be, my love," Gia assured her.

In the end, Gia was wrong about Darrien. He arrived before dinner, while she was reading to Siobhan. The little girl sat in her mother's lap, utterly absorbed in the story. When she heard the knock on the door, Gia turned her attention on Camilla, who was preparing the evening meal.

"Mother, can you get that? It's probably Darrien."

"Of course." Camilla left the kitchen to open the door, and Darrien peered inside. Gia stopped reading to her daughter, and Siobhan looked curiously towards the door, hopeful.

"Papa?"

"There's my beautiful girl." A delighted smile crossed Darrien's face as he crossed over, picking Siobhan up from where she'd been nestled comfortably.

"Papa!" she cried happily, hugging him. He held her close, and Gia could not help but marvel at the fact that though they were an odd family, they were a happy one. It was more than she had hoped for, especially considering her own early years.

"I've missed you," Darrien said.

"You're late," Siobhan reprimanded, causing Gia to smirk. She'd certainly inherited that tone from her. She immediately become preoccupied with the necklace her mother had given her, showing it to Darrien. "Look. Shiny."

"It is very," Darrien said, and proceeded to start tickling her, to the toddler's gleeful squeals. Gia couldn't help but shake her head. As much as it was lovely to see Darrien interact with her, she didn't want to have to put up with an overexcited child.

"Don't get her too worked up," she warned, before pushing herself to her feet and setting the book down on the lounge. "I also have news."

Darrien raised his eyebrows. "What news?"

Gia glanced at Siobhan meaningfully. "Not here."

Camilla, seeming to sense the two wanted to have a private discussion, walked over and took Siobhan from her father. Offering her mother a grateful smile, Gia gestured for Darrien to follow her onto the front porch. Once he did she allowed her tension to show, shoulders stiffening.

"We might have a problem."

Her first mate frowned. "What is it?"

"Hornigold and his men don't hold the fort anymore." Gia gestured vaguely toward the top of the hill. "Fucking Vane does."

Darrien's eyes flicked toward the fortress. "What are we planning to do about it?"

"I don't know. Nothing yet." Gia shook her head. There were too many things making her tense in Nassau at the moment. Charles Vane was the lesser of two evils. She began to pace. "He's not the only issue. A ship docked about an hour after us, apparently. I didn't expect them in Nassau, they usually dock in Port Royal."

"Which ship?" Darrien asked.

"Ned Low's ship." The words were enough to stun her first mate into silence, and to acknowledge that they did indeed have a serious problem. "You remember him?"

"Of course I do," he insisted.

Gia and Darrien's first and only meeting with Ned Low had not been a pleasant one. It had been during the early months of Gia's pregnancy with Siobhan. The Black Heretic had gotten a lead about a merchant ship transporting many barrels of expensive wine. So of course they'd done what they did best, attacked and started loading the wine onto their own ship. Only while they still on the job, the Fancy had pulled up beside them. The captain, Ned Low, had received the same lead, only from Port Royal. He hadn't been thrilled to realise that he'd been beaten, especially not once he realised the captain of the Black Heretic was a young woman.

Low had insisted on speaking to Gia to try and work out some sort of arrangement. Not seeing a way out without fighting, Gia had agreed. Only once they'd gone into his cabin, Low had quickly shown his violent side. He had started choking her, telling her that she was just a woman, and he was about to remind her of her place. Fortunately, Darrien had sensed something amiss and come looking for his captain. Once he'd seen Low choking her, he'd acted on instinct and stabbed him in the eye. Although the Black Heretic crew had managed to get away without incident, Gia had always been concerned Low might want vengeance one day.

"Good, because I doubt he's going to be thrilled to see us." Gia shook her head slowly. She was concerned, but more for the safety of her child than for her own wellbeing. She could handle Low. She couldn't handle Low knowing about her daughter. "We can stay for dinner tonight, but after that, we head back into town and stay there until he leaves. I don't want that man knowing about Siobhan."

Darrien nodded. "I can handle that."

Gia raked a hand through her dark hair in frustration. Ned Low in Nassau, Charles Vane in control of the fort…what the fuck was the world coming to? Darrien sensed her unease and embraced her, but Gia didn't like being coddled.

"I'm fine, Darrien." She drew away from him, meeting his gaze. "Low thinks I'm weak because I'm a woman. I cannot afford to look weak."

"You aren't weak." Darrien rested his hands on her upper arms. "You and I both know that."

"Yes, but us thinking that isn't enough," Gia said. She had worked hard to cement her reputation, harder than any man because of her gender. Women were often seen to be bad luck on ships, let alone the thought of a woman captaining one. Yet Gia had proven to her crew time and again that she was a strong and capable captain. If Low proved a threat, she would have to prove it publicly. Gia wouldn't back down from a challenge, and she certainly wouldn't be threatened or intimidated.