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He was still in her cabin when she went back down, still lying on the bed, but when he saw her he got back up, a spring in his step, his cheeky grin back on his face. Kate couldn't decide if it was fake or not, but she was glad he wasn't moping any more.

"So, what are we doing?" he asked cheerfully.

Kate grinned back at him, showing her full set of neat, white teeth. "There's an army base on the coast a day's sail away. It's hardly manned. We're going to raid it."

"For more weapons?"

"No, cash. Then Tortuga. If you're helpful you'll get a cut to help you along when we leave you there."

Kate hid from her voice any desire for Castle to stay.

"Sounds perfect. So, Captain, what are your plans for today?"

They heard a series of loud bangs. That was the English ship.

"Nothing in particular," she said, sitting down in the chair at her desk. She felt his hands on her shoulders.

"We could always..." he murmured into her ear. She rolled her shoulders, enjoying his touch.

"I'm afraid I don't quite trust you not to tie me up again," she said, leaning her head back into his chest. He slid his hands under her shirt, down over her shoulders.

"The Beckett I knew would have thought it was worth the risk..."

Kate took hold of his wrists and pulled his hands off her.

"But you didn't really know me."

Castle sighed. "No, perhaps I didn't."

Kate lifted up her feet and rested them on the desk.

"You can entertain me, instead. Tell me how you managed to get yourself captured by that bunch of idiots."

Castle made a face.

"That is not a story I enjoy telling."

"I could always have you locked in the brig instead."

"Fine, fine, I'll tell you. But you must not tell a soul. It's not good for my reputation."

Kate chuckled. "I'm a vault. Now tell me."

Castle groaned.

"I was captaining a ship, nothing like as nice as Hades-"

"No ship is as nice as Hades."

"Don't interrupt. But good point. So, I was sailing, doing nothing much. We raided a few ships, one was French, I remember, and on that one we found a young woman-"

"I should have known there would be a woman."

"Look, do you want me to tell the story or not?"

Kate rolled her eyes and kept her mouth shut.

"Thank you. We found a young woman, her name was Sofia. The rest of the passengers walked the plank with the crew, but she wouldn't even have been able to swim to the island we left them near. I kept her aboard, let her sleep in my cabin, and we became very close – but that was her choice, not mine!" he hastened to add. "I would never take advantage of a girl like that. She wanted to."

Kate nodded, smiling knowingly.

"Stop it. She did. Anyway, she... She turned out to have been lying to me the whole time. I let her out when we made port and before I knew what was happening I was clapped in irons and taken aboard that piece of junk. I never saw her again. Maybe they convinced her, maybe she didn't want to give me up..."

"Sure, Castle. I'm sure she really loved you."

He swatted her with a rolled up map.

"I'm beginning to forget what I ever saw in you."

Kate winked. "No you're not."

"I am." He drew his dagger and began to play with it. He looked up at her. "I could just kill you. I'm stronger, you know."

"No use being strong if you're slow," Kate said, getting out her own dagger, just in case. Castle grinned.

"I'm fast."

"Not as fast as- me," Kate said, darting out of her chair before he could hold his dagger to her throat. She dived for him but he got out of the way too; soon they were having a full on sparring match. It was a few minutes before Castle dived for her, throwing his full weight into the move, but she got out of the way and pushed him to the floor from behind. He struggled, but he couldn't quite move enough to get free.

"Damn you," he muttered into the floor. Kate gave him another shove.

"You weren't bad," she said, getting up.

"You only won because I let you," he retorted.

"Sure," she said. He suddenly pinned her against the wall and held his dagger to her throat.

"Sure," he said, his eyes glistening down at hers. Her heart was racing, and not because of fear. He grabbed her breast with his free hand; she gasped with desire.

"I know your weakness, Beckett," he purred. Kate forced herself to focus.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, a little more breathily than she would have liked, but at least she got the words out. He rocked his body against hers; she pressed her lips together and tried to think of anything, anything other than him.

"It won't have to mean anything. And I won't tie you up, I promise. Not unless you want me to."

She just had to wait, just had to wait until he thought she was breaking, until he took the dagger away... He tucked it into his belt so he had two hands to touch her with; she slid out of his grip immediately.

"Sorry," she said, grinning at him from the doorway. "Another time, maybe."

She went up to the top deck before she could change her mind. Castle sighed and lay down on the bed. She still wanted him. He could tell, she couldn't fake that. And the fact that she'd found him... Surely that meant something. He didn't believe in coincidence. She'd found him. It had to be meant to be.

He found her at the wheel, staring out at the horizon. Unable to stop himself, he rested his hands on her hips. He could feel her rolling her eyes even though she was facing away from him. He slid his hands up to her waist.

"Don't make me shoot you," she muttered.

"You won't shoot me," he whispered in her ear. "You need me alive for this..." He rocked his hips against her ass.

"Johnson," she called. Johnson appeared in front of her. "Please escort Mr Castle to the brig. He needs some time alone to calm himself down."

"Yes, captain," Johnson said. He gave Castle an apologetic look.

"I thought you liked me more than her," Castle muttered as Johnson marched him towards his cell.

"That was before. Besides, it's not about liking you. It's about who the captain is, who the ship belongs to. I might not like Beckett, but I like Hades, and I like being rich."

"I hate pirates," Castle muttered. Johnson smiled, locking him into his cell.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll let you out soon. Personally, I think she likes you."

"Does she... Does she have anyone else?"

Johnson chuckled. "She's a very independent women. I believe she has... something not dissimilar to a wooden leg. Though slightly smaller."

"I don't even want to know how you know that," Castle groaned.

"I'll leave you to it, Mr Castle. I hope she doesn't kill you."

"Thanks," he said sarcastically.

Kate left it a few hours before going to visit Castle. She took some biscuits and rum with her, taking a swig from the bottle before she handed it over.

"Are you here to apologise?" he asked, taking the food and drink she passed through.

"No. I'm here to feed you, so you'll be ready for the fight. We're nearly there."

"You can't just lock me up like this. It's not ethical."

Kate laughed. "Come on. It's not that bad. You even have a bed."

Castle looked down at the sack of mouldy straw in the corner of his cell. "Yes, it's lovely."

"Cheer up. You'll be out soon, and in another three days you'll be free of me."

"I can't wait," he said, smiling at her.

She flicked her jacket up to show the key hanging on her belt.

"Let me out, please," Castle said, trying not to be too demanding.

Kate took hold of the key and played with it, running her finger along it before inserting it into the lock. Castle grinned. She turned it, then took the key out, putting it back on her belt, still holding the door shut. Castle tugged it, hard, and she sort of stumbled into his arms. For once he didn't try anything, he just set her back on her feet.

"Thank you," he said, handing her the rum bottle. "You look like you could use a drink."

Kate nodded and followed him out onto the deck, gulping rum as she went. How could he make her feel like this? Whatever he did, whether he was a pirate or a gentleman, whether he hit her or kissed her, whether he teased her or begged her, she couldn't stop wanting him.

"I see the port," she said, looking through her telescope.

"Promise you won't kill me, and I'll have your back," Castle said, gripping the handle of his sword.

"Deal," she said. Hades was moving quickly, they didn't have long.

"You know what we're doing," Kate called to her crew. "Be as quick as you can, take no prisoners, go for the money, just the money. Anything else, if you can carry it, you can have it."

A roar went up among the men. Yes, they did love a fight. Castle drew his sword. They beached Hades and charged onto land among the men.

To be greeted by an ambush of British soldiers.

"Retreat!" Kate screamed to her crew. It was her they wanted. She charged forward, knowing they would chase her. What she didn't expect was Castle, running beside her.

"Idiot," she screamed at him. "Why didn't you run back? You could have got my ship once and for all!"

"I said I had your back!" he panted. The footsteps behind them were getting closer.

"Surrender or die," came an official sounding shout – from in front of them.

"Bugger," she muttered, dropping her sword. Castle did the same.

"Captain Beckett, what a pleasant surprise."

"Commander Bracken," Kate said, dropping in a mock curtsey.

"You two... know each other?" Castle asked, confused.

"Oh, very well," Bracken said, smiling. "I've been after Beckett for years. It's so nice to see you again."

"I wish I could return the sentiment," Kate spat.

"Drop your weapons, please. Both of you."

Kate pulled her pistols and dagger out of her belt. She saw Rick dropping his, too.

"And the rest," Bracken said.

"What? That's all of them," Kate lied. Bracken waved his lieutenant forward. The young man took great delight in running his hands up and down Kate's legs and torso. She groaned, and extracted the knives and small pistols she had strapped all over her body. Castle chuckled.

"Do you always were them?"

Kate winked. "Keeps me fit, carrying the extra weight around."

"It's so nice that you have a friend," Bracken commented. "For you, that is. Because you'll have someone to die with. For him, less so, because if he hadn't come with you, he wouldn't be about to die."

"About to? What about our trials with an English jury?"

"I'm afraid your trial was conducted several years ago in your absence. It's unnecessary anyway – a new law was passed. Pirates can be hanged by someone of my ranking without trial. He is a pirate, is he not?"

"Of course he's a bloody pirate."

"You seem to like him. I'm sorry. Still, it will all be over soon. You die at sunrise. Lock them up until then."

The lieutenant clapped irons around their wrists and took them to the barracks. He locked them into a cell. Kate kicked a bone across the floor.

"Are we really going to die?" Castle asked when the lieutenant had gone. Kate didn't say anything, just lifted up her head, stood on tiptoes, and kissed him for all she was worth. Their hands were still locked behind their backs; she ached to touch him but had to make do with pressing her body against his. He gasped with arousal.

"Kate-"

"Shut up," she growled. "And turn around. There's a pin in my hair. I'm going to kneel down, you get it out and then you can pick the locks."

Castle got hold of the pin; Kate stood up again and he picked the lock on her handcuffs in under a minute. She took the pin and did his.

"What's the point?" he asked. "We still can't get out of the cell."

Kate smiled. "No. But I wanted my hands free."

Castle smiled down at her – until she slapped him hard across the face.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"For coming with me, you idiot."

"So you care about me?"

"No! If you hadn't been there I would have got away. But instead I had to keep you alive, because I promised not to kill you."

"You're a pirate, you don't have to keep your promises."

"I would have felt bad. And they probably would have caught me anyway."

"You shouldn't have slapped me," Castle said.

"You deserved it."

"But you've reminded me that my hands are free too. And if I am going to die tomorrow, I really need to settle something I've owed you for a long time."

Kate grinned. "Oh yes?"

He slapped her back, so hard she almost fell over. She gasped.

"You shouldn't have bloody left me."

"You're lucky you're going to die in the morning anyway – otherwise I would kill you now!" she yelled. Her lip was bleeding. She sat on the floor, looking at the wall.

"Kate, I'm-"

"Shut up," she said, pulling out a knife, darting across to hold it to his throat.

"Where were you hiding that?"

She grinned in spite of herself. "Wouldn't you like to know..."

"I'm sorry I hit you," he said. Kate sighed.

"I'm not. It proves you're a pirate. You're no better than I am."

"And that's good?"

Kate put the dagger on the floor beside them. "Bear in mind, this is only in case we die tomorrow."

She took off her jacket and shirt. Castle narrowed his eyes.

"Are you serious?"

"Limited time offer," she said, biting her lip. Castle wasted no more time in taking off his shirt and undoing his pants.

"I've missed you," he murmured into her mouth. Her mouth tasted like blood and rum. She bit down on his bottom lip; he gasped, kissing her harder, his hands gripping her body-

"Oi!"

"Johnson?" Kate gasped, peering around Castle.

"I tried clearing my throat but you didn't seem to notice. We're here to rescue you. Are you coming?"

Kate pulled her clothes back on and grabbed her knife. Castle blinked a few times, then did the same. Johnson handed them their weapons back.

"Did you get Bracken?" Kate asked.

"No. He got away with some of his crew. But we got the money."

"You got the money before you came for us?" Castle asked. Johnson laughed.

"Of course. Priorities, Mr Castle. Captain?"

"Let's go!" Kate said, still rather breathless. They followed Johnson at a run out to the longboat waiting for them on the beach. Castle looked sideways at Kate.

"Lucky escape," she said to him with a wink. He rolled his eyes.

"You're going to give in to me eventually."

Kate chuckled. "You keep thinking that if it makes you feel better."

She rubbed her jaw where he had hit her. "You really went for me there, by the way."

"You were going to die. I had a lot to get revenge for first."

"So it's settled now?"

"No! You were also going to die. That would have settled it."

A/N: Reviewers get sex. Limited time offer. So hurry up and write one.