AN: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Seriously, I appreciate you all so much! All the favorites, follows and reviews are fantastic and they absolutely make my day when I see them! I apologize for the long wait for this next chapter. I had school finals, vacation, bought a house and still have a lot more going on, but I won't leave this story I promise! This is just a short tidbit to keep you guys going until I can post a full chapter hopefully this weekend! Enjoy!
/
It had been a few days since the incident in the hold and the bruise around Charlottes' neck was beginning to fade. It hadn't been much of one, but enough that Anne had glared at it along with a few of the other crew members. Charlotte hated it and the idea that Charles thought she was encouraging some sort of mutiny. While Charlotte was still beyond angry for everything that had happened, she was mature enough to understand the politics of a ship and knew that this crew was stronger for its leader. She would never try to usurp Vane and after taking some time she decided to speak to him directly.
She took Vanes' dinner tray from the boy who typically carried it and waved him on his way. The tray shook a little as she walked towards his door and as much as she would like to tell herself it was the waves, she knew it was her nerves. She knocked and when she heard a low grunt she opened the door and stepped inside. He was at his window, looking out on to the dark of the open ocean and despite her anger, her body still responded to his strong silhouette.
When he didn't hear the tray being set down, Charles turned toward her and then froze, his icy blue-grey eyes taking her in from head to toe then locked on to her stare. When he didn't move or speak, Charlotte took a deep breath and willed herself to his desk to set down the tray. Once she did, she wrung her hands together then forced them down to her sides as she looked back at Charles. He hadn't moved an inch and if she hadn't seen him turn earlier she would think he had been frozen in place.
Charlotte knew he was waiting for her to speak and so she cleared her throat and began, "Captain Vane, I would like to clear something up before we arrive at the island tomorrow." Vane continued to watch her and when she waited for his permission he spoke, "Why should I let you explain anything?" His question took her aback and for a moment she wondered what he meant until it slapped her in the face; him chasing her around a desk telling her to let him explain. Charlotte blushed, but clenched her jaw. Her pride wouldn't let her back down from what she had said in that room so she nodded and turned to leave. She was about to open the door when Vane stopped her, "Explain whatever you want."
A little shocked that he hadn't let her leave, it took her a moment to collect her thoughts again. When she turned back to him, he was sitting behind his desk reclining as he usually did with his feet propped upon each other on the corner. "I just wanted you to know that whatever you have heard from the crew or Anne, I never, would never, do anything to destroy your crew. I think its best that when we reach the island, I rejoin Captain Flints' crew."
Charles didn't blink at her statement or give any sign that he had heard her until finally he uncrossed his arms from his chest and his feet from the desk. He slowly stood, planting his fists on the desk and leaned toward Charlotte. "I don't care what you do or where you go. You ceased to be of any concern to me after that night," he said the words without any venom. What Charlotte didn't know was how much control it took Charles not to yell at her, cuss her out, wish her to hell, and most importantly not to kiss her until she gave in to him. He'd imagined her on her knees begging his forgiveness countless times in the lonely nights since, but he had never and would never beg a woman to listen.
Charlotte gritted her teeth, forcing the tears back down, "Well, as long as we understand each other." With that, she nodded her head, turned on her heel and left before she could shame herself by demanding he explain. In the days after she said she didn't want an explanation, the lack of information began to eat away at her resolve. What had been so clear that night, began to fade with time and the resulting questions drove her mad, but she knew she had destroyed any chance of having Charles answer.
At this stage, her anger and pride warred with her common sense and understanding. On the one hand, she had caught him in the act right after saying she trusted him. On the other hand, she had not exercised that trust enough to let him explain. Maybe there was a good reason for what he had done, but now she would never know.
When she made it back to her hammock, Anne was waiting for her. "Good evening Anne," Charlotte said as she started to prep her hammock. Anne watched her for a moment then said, "You really gonna go back with Flint?" Charlotte stopped what she was doing and looked Anne in the eye, "I don't want to cause trouble with the crew and it's clear that they are ready to take sides in an argument that isn't theirs. This crew is weaker with me here." They both paused before Anne said, "Why couldn't you have used this cool-headed logic when it happened?" The question sounded rhetorical to Charlotte, but she answered anyway, the words tumbling out without her thinking about them. "Because I am a fool and because I love him." Anne shook her head and walked away without saying another word.
Charlotte considered what she had just said and acknowledged the truth in them to herself. Christ, she was a fool. Even if Charles had done exactly what she thought she saw, she still should have asked for an explanation, but she had lashed out in anger and wounded pride and quite possibly destroyed her own happiness for nothing. Crawling in to her hammock, she knew she wouldn't get any more sleep tonight than she had since they left England.
The next morning, she heard the call for land and breathed a sigh of relief. It would be easier to forget this whole adventure when she could get away from the one who was tormenting her. When they approached, Charlotte saw a ship she never thought she'd see; the Queen Anne. Blackbeard had come to their island.
