As I finished Assassin's Creed Black Flag a couple of days ago I ended up being really disappointed, don't get me wrong it is a great game but the end sucks. With Mary dead and gone, who was my favorite character, it just seemed hollow. So I wrote this as an alternate story of what could have happened or whatever you want to call it to make up for the disappointing ending.

It is slightly AU as I removed the fact that she's had a baby, I didn't have the time to incorporate it in the story at present time because it would have ended up twice as long.

Depending on the feedback and reviews you give I am considering expanding the story a few more chapters but it will be depending on your thoughts so if you have any opinions on the story, please share them.

I am Swedish and finished the equivalent to high school this year and I don't have a beta so please have oversight on any eventual grammar mistakes made.

But without further ado read on and I hope you like it!

Bahlen

Warmth. Pure, radiating warmth. The familiar feeling coursing through her body for the first time in what seemed like ages, so used to the cold damp darkness that her cell provided that this pleasant feeling sent shivers down her spine. Goosebumps erupting on her skin making her shudder lightly as the pleasant sensation continued, slowly loosening the stiff limbs and cramped muscles that made their presence known as her deep breaths continued, feeling lighter than they had in months and unwilling to move a limb as her body regained her strengths as the minutes ticked away. Well except for her left hand, it seemed to have doubled in weight since last time she was awake, something very peculiar as she had a hard time remembering exactly when that was. Her mind only able to conjure up various images of a dark cell and some fleeting emotions, neither of which she could place or piece together in her hazy state.

She remembered her slowly waning strength, her body slowly giving up the battle for her body against the decease despite her utmost mental effort to kick it back to whatever hole it had crept up from. She remembered a pair of strong arms wrapped around her, protecting her and comforting her with the body they were attached to, shielding her from the coldness that for so long had tormented her. And she remembered a pair of remarkable eyes, their color and effect as the sea itself, deep blue, warm and comforting. She tried to think, she tried to remember what had happened but every time she got near it slipped away, running through her fingers taunting her inability to catch it. And it was starting to her irritate her.

For the first time since she had woken up, if that was what you wanted to call it, she paid attention to her surroundings. Unwilling to open her eyes if this turned out to be a dream, because if it was just an illusion, a cruel punishment from her mind, it was still the most pleasurable sensation she had felt in months and she didn't want it to end. But as she let her body speak to her, letting her senses reach out to their furthest extent she didn't find anything that objected the idea that this was absolutely real, only light confusion at the signals her body was sending.

She was in a soft bed, tucked in under a warm blanket and her head resting on a soft pillow. The excruciating pain that had shot through her abdomen before where gone, well almost gone as there was still a very light ache present but nothing even remotely severe compared to what had been there before. And the weight in her left hand was definitely a hand, a warm, slightly calloused but comforting hand intertwined with hers, grasping it gently. Its presence spreading an immense comfort through her arm up into her body, her thumb gently starting to caress the limb and as she graced over a thin scar which covered most of its backside, everything snapped back into place. She remembered.

The pain. The darkness. The escape. Being carried in his comforting embrace. The last words. Everything. She remembered everything.

The way he had moved, the new sense of purpose that seemed to radiate off of him in the final moments before the disease had claimed her body's last strands of strength, nudging her consciousness into oblivion. The aura of raw determination she had witnessed, mixed with fear and something else that she never before had witnessed in his face as he looked at her, or even dared to hope for. Something more than adoration, admiration or respect for her, no those few moments before her eyelids closed there had definitely been something there. Something she had been waiting and hoping for for longer than she cared to admit. More than simple care for a friend.

She had seen the first glimpse of the man she always knew that he could be, wanted him to be, and he had finally emerged after years of waiting.

A different kind of warmth spread within her as she remembered his eyes and touch, piercing blue and burning bright as they looked at her and with a gentleness that had shocked her, he was definitely a different man than before. A warmth made out of happiness, relief and anticipation all bundled up into one as she knew whose hand that was clasped gently in hers and who would meet her as she finally opened her eyes. She knew he would be there.

After another few deep breaths she finally pushed her eyelids up and opened her eyes, the bright midday sun shining in through the large windows in the bedroom, rays of sunlight bathing the room in a faint glow and making the dark red colors greeting her radiate and burn even brighter. The large room filled with crimson curtains and covers standing in contrast with the tall white walls surrounding her and the king size bed she was lying in. Deep brown wooden furniture capturing her gaze as she let it wander as they stood out from the rest of the room and their shimmering colors until it came to rest on the sleeping form beside her.

Beside her, the upper-half of his body lying draped over the side of the bed while the other half supported itself on the chair beneath him, was Edward Kennway. Drawing deep breaths accompanied by the light rising and falling of his chest, his head turned facing her and his right hand outstretched and safely secured in her own. It was a warming sight, feeling the beautiful and peaceful picture in front of her tug at her heartstrings as she continued to look at the man in front of her. The only thing disrupting the otherwise serene image being the worry etched in his face even when in sleep, its edges marked into his remarkable features as his deep breaths continued. Unaware that the person which was the origin for his worry finally had conquered death's grasp and emerged victorious from the battle unscathed, now looking back at him with a gentle smile and a pure heart.

Watching him for a few moments she slowly brought their intertwined hands up to her face, gently placing her lips over the scar adorning the backside of her protector's hand kissing it lightly while gently squeezing it, slowly drawing her savior out of his uneasy sleep.

She continued to lightly rub her thumb over his scar as Edward slowly regained consciousness, gradually waking up as the gentle caress continued and his senses started to come alive. It took another half minute before his gaze settled on their intertwined hands, only now seeming to register that it was the slightly smaller and more slender hand in his grasp that was moving, that it was her hand that was sending the light shiver up his hand and arm. At that realization his head quickly turned upwards, locking her gaze with his, a mixture of feelings showing as he was met by her own brown orbs.

Relief, anxiousness, worry but foremost of all joy. Happiness shining out of his eyes as he took her in, looking at her like she was the world's most precious gift that he had been granted, and with a smile adorning his face witch was infectious. She could not help the smile spreading across her own face as she dumbfounded grinned back, one of the few times in her life when she was rendered speechless and it was the damned man in front of hers fault. He simply had that effect on her.

But before she could chastise him for making her grin like an idiot, although she wasn't even the least bit angry but in fact quite taken by the way he looked at her, he spoke, rising from his position as he did.

"Thank God you're all right Mary.", and before she could get out a single syllable he leaned down cupping her face and kissed her. His lips pressing gently against her own, brushing lightly across her own delicately as if he was afraid she would break if he put any more pressure into it. The gentle, caring display of affection caught her completely off-guard, taken aback by his actions, needing a moment to register what was happening. But when she did, she leant into it, applying a considerably higher amount of pressure as she pushed her lips harder against his, deciding to take control of the situation…no one was going to out-do her.

Grasping his loose-fitting shirt she pulled him closer to her until his upper body was hovering only inches above her own, radiating pleasurable heat that made her skin erupt in goosebumps as she continued her onslaught of his lips. She could clearly tell that now it was she who had surprised him as he momentarily stopped before continuing with slightly more pressure, still mindful of her somewhat increased fragility due to the sickness although he quickly realized that, if by judging her own reaction, it was an unnecessary precation. Something that only furthered her belief in that he was a different man than he used to as the old him would have made a move on her, damned the consequences.

But his hands remained cupped around her face, caressing her cheeks and brushing her jawline until they both drew back for air, both out of breath and both a bit unsure what the hell just had happened and what it meant. But as they looked at each other there was no denying it, no way to brush it off as their gazes remained locked in a look so heated and filled with passion that if it came in close proximity with fire…it would explode.

Feeling the tension in the air and not wanting it to become awkward, because if she was honest with herself she had wanted this for quite some time and by the looks of Edward…he had to, she decided to act. As per her normal style she decided that the best course of action was to take control of the situation, removing the building tension.

"So…couldn't keep it in your pants ey?", she started, flashing him a grin, amusement clear in her voice as she looked at Kenway in front of her. It got the desired response she was looking for.

Chuckling Edward returned her gaze, amusement prominent as he looked down on her, raking his gaze up and down her body before once again settling them on her eyes with a smile and a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Can you really blame me? Have you taken a look at what you are wearing?", he finished with a mischievous smile but at the same time it didn't go unnoticed to her how he respectfully avoided the area in question which, after briefly looking down and seeing that she was clad in one of Edwards loose-fitting shirts which were un-tied in the front showing ample cleavage, made her undying faith in his character only strengthen.

Returning her eyes to his with a small, somber smile adorning her face she replied, this time serious as she had a lot to thank the man in front of her for, and now was as good a time as any to start.

"No…I was quite out of it for a while there", she began lightly, "Luckily I was found by someone who though I was worth the time and danger of saving. I guess I am really lucky to have someone like that watching over me", she ended. Looking deep into his eyes in the beginning trying to convey everything she felt into that gaze, everything she couldn´t and wouldn't say out loud, hoping that Edward would understand. She was after all Mary Read, a.k.a James Kidd, not some infatuated wench who would spill her heart out for anybody, no that wouldn´t be her. But as she finished her gaze had fallen down onto his chest that was still half hovering over her, unable to meet his eyes. She was sailing on new waters and had no idea how to maneuver the situation, because deep down, even if she didn´t want to admit it to herself…she knew this was different than anything she had felt before. But what came next was what really surprised her. Not in a million years had she thought that she would be hearing this from Edward Kenway.

"It will always be worth the time, danger and effort. You will always be worth it." Feeling his finger gently nudging her chin upwards she lifted her face and eyes to meet his. The proximity intoxicating as the room between their faces were less than half a foot, but it made the sincerity and truthfulness of his words along with his honest face her all the more sure they were genuine, making her heart pound hard against her chest at the admission. Not quite able to fathomhow much Edward had changed since their last meeting or why in the hell it affected her so much, making her breath labored and stomach flutter. What the hell was this?

Edward remained the eye-contact as he continued, captivating her attention as he leant back a few inches, leaving her room to breathe.

"The day I met you, everything changed.", Edward chuckled as he looked into her stunned eyes. "I didn´t notice it at the time but you gave me something that day that I hadn't had in a long time…you gave me someone to look up to. An ideal to strive towards, inspiring me to become a better person. Not just for everybody else but for myself as well. Showing me the importance to fight for and be loyal to something larger and more worthy than just the next batch of gold."

"I know that I am far from achieving all of these goals completely but you inspire me to be better, to be more than I am, not just for you or others but for myself as well. No one, not even Caroline have ever understood me like you seem to, she only ever saw what she wanted to, never really seeing who I am, who I could become. No one but you has actually seen me for who I really am. And I am done being someone I´m not. I am a pirate, a fighter and a lover and if I'm supposed to fight for a worthy cause I can´t think of anyone else I rather be fighting with and protecting than you. I am just sorry it has taken this long for me to figure it out."

She was stunned. Literally unable to move as she looked at him, their eyes never leaving each other's. She couldn't believe what she just had heard, she simply couldn't. This was definitely not the same man that she had met so many years ago. It was an improved version. A much, much better version and the man she had always known and hoped he was. And that man was looking down on her with a burning and longing in his eyes and a smile adorning his face which set her body even more aflame.

There was no point in denying it, not after that admission or the look desire –filled look she gave afterwards. There really were only one way to answer and thank someone for such praise and admission, and it involved less clothes and talking and a lot more moaning and writhing.

She wanted him, he wanted, they both wanted one another, but they were still who they always had been. Well, not entirely obviously considering all that had been said since she had woken up, they may both have changed slightly, not all of it bad. But they were both still incredibly strong-willed individuals, huge teases andpassionate beings which she though was why this was all the more enticing. Neither of them known for letting go off the control and neither expecting the other to roll over, something that probably was one of the reasons why they had been drawn to one another from the beginning, and especially after he found out her real identity. They ignited each other's senses and minds, urging them loose control.

Removing the covers from her body and pushing Edward backwards to give herself room to maneuver, she got up on her knees, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she started to tug at the hem of the shirt she was wearing. Slowly and tantalizing removing the piece of clothing as her eyes never left Edwards, watching in amusement as her teasing resulted in a longing gaze from the man I front of her.

"Mary if you don't stop within the next ten seconds I will not be held accountable for my actions and I will prey upon your body, ravishing it until you can't speak. That shirt is the only thing that has stopped me thus far from taking you right here. And believe me when I say that not even you, Captain Read, will be able to withstand that storm.", Edward ended huskily. His face now a feet away from hers, his breath tingling over her skin and their eyes locked as she tugged one last time at her shirt and they both looked down as it parted from her body, leaving her completely bare to him. Edward devouring the sight of her naked flesh so tantalizing close that he almost could taste it.

As their gazes returned to one another she couldn't help herself as she started pulling Edward's shirt upwards and sliding it off his body before flipping them over so that he was trapped underneath herself. Her body flush against his as their skin made delicious contact, sending shivers through both of their bodies.

"You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into Kenway," She said, her breath husky and her arms pinning his above his head while looking down at him, "because when I have a pray in my sight…it always end up on its back.

And the way they looked at one another in that moment told them everything they needed to know, verbal confirmation off how they felt about each other unnecessary as they passionately fought for dominance and testing each other's stamina as the darkness slowly ascended over Great Inagua and the bedroom in the mansion, seeing who would end up on top.

So, if you have the time please review and let me know what you think, and if not thank you for reading!