Chapter 10: Knowing the Enemy

Five weeks later:

The door was opened with a creak, which roused Emma from slumber. Groaning, she turned around trying to get some more sleep, but heavy footsteps signified that her time to rest was over. A moment later, the curtain opened and bright daylight invaded her bunk. Emma pulled the blanket over her head and ignored Jake's voice, but finally gave in and peeked out from her hiding place.

"What do we have here?" Jake asked and pointed to the book that was lying on Emma's chest. "Don't tell me that you've been reading all night."

Emma sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Practically, I don't know. I can't remember when I fell asleep."

"I should have let the Captain put you in the crow's nest again," Jake teased her with a grin. "How can I stop you from reading all eight hundred pages of this medical textbook during one night?"

"By giving me some practical work," Emma replied eagerly, slipping into her shoes and putting on her cardigan. Actually it was Bernie's, but he had let her keep it.

"You were already allowed to remove the stitches from Ramsay. But believe me, it's not usually this calm around here. There will be work soon enough."

Jake sighed and handed her a piece of zwieback and a lemon, to which Emma responded to with a sour look.

"You missed breakfast, it's your own fault," he stated. "Normally, you wouldn't get anything until lunch time, better be grateful. And I know you hate sauerkraut. So you can mix the juice with some sugar. It will taste like lemonade. You're lucky I bought my own package from the Rocky Islands. It cost a bloody fortune, too."

Emma leisurely walked towards a small desk and squeezed the lemon juice into a glass of water. Every week, the crew had lemons or sauerkraut on the menu, much to everyone's dissatisfaction. But the Captain insisted on it, and what the Captain decided was law. It was to prevent scurvy, a disease that killed many sailors on long-distance voyages before the cure had been found. From then on, ships were endowed with citrus fruits like lemons or oranges, but mostly sauerkraut.

"Let's see if you actually learned something from all the pages you've read. Can you name the symptoms of scurvy?" Jake asked from behind her.

Emma rolled her eyes and answered. "Fatigue, spots on thighs and legs. At an advanced state, it's accompanied by loss of teeth, yellow skin, fever and finally followed by death from bleeding."

"Very well," Jake continued amused. "What is the cause of these symptoms?"

"I don't know," Emma replied unsure.

"No problem! Nobody knows. That's what research is for. Did you learn anything about chemistry and biology at school?"

Emma felt a little bit uncomfortable. "The boys did. We girls were educated in other subjects that were more adequate for us, as they put it. And I finished school two years ago, so it's been a while. Yes, I told the Captain something different, but only to make him believe I'm younger."

Jake stepped a little bit closer. "Ssh, don't speak of such things too freely. The ship has eyes and ears everywhere. Well, I guess we can ask Ramsay to teach you the basics of math, physics and chemistry and I take care of biology and medicine."

"Are you sure he'll be willing? And what if the Captain doesn't allow it? After all, it's a lot to learn," Emma said discouraged.

"Don't worry. Medical care is one of the most important things on a ship. And Ramsay likes you. What you've learned in these last five weeks was incredible; it would be a shame to waste such talent in being a lookout. That's why the Captain allowed me to take you under my wing. Otherwise, he would have kept you in the rigging. I'm sure you can learn the basics within a year and then we can start with the real stuff."

Emma stared at him wide-eyed. The basics within a year? She had planned to escape from the ship when they made port at the Southern Cities, and that was supposed to happen in a week. What had she been thinking? She had to bury that dream of learning medicine. It had been a fantasy. Without looking Jake in the eyes, she nodded.

"Today is going to be a nice day," Jake said after a moment. "The sun is shining and it's calm. The crew is loitering outside and having some rum. You spent most of the last few weeks in here, so maybe it'll be good for you to breathe some fresh air and enjoy yourself."

He poked her arm teasingly. "Come on, Emma. I'll make sure you don't have too much rum to spill your entire life story. Allow yourself some fun with us pirates."

Emma took a bite of the dry food and downed the lemon juice with one gulp. She would never get used to that. Next, she checked the bandages under her shirt. That had become a routine procedure before leaving the cabin. By now, she knew the ship like the back of her hand, and with Jake's backing, she wasn't that afraid of the men anymore.

They both left the cabin moments later. Warm sunlight welcomed her as she stepped outside and she had to hold her hand in front of her face to mitigate the strength of it. Jake had been right, it was almost windless.

The crew was sitting between boxes and barrels on the main deck, talking and bawling cheerfully. Even Clarke had exchanged the rigging for a place next to the rum barrel. Hook was sitting casually on a box next to the main trimmer and was obviously as drunk as the others. His nose was red and his eyes sparkled when he noticed her.

"Well, well. There he is, our child of sorrow," he declared and motioned for her to join them.

Jake playfully nudged her forward and Emma hesitantly stepped towards them.

"We thought you ended up as the doctor's lab rat," Ramsay joked and gave her a wink. Emma smiled at his comment and examined him shallowly with her eyes. He seemed healthy and fit, obviously in his best mood, and there was no sign that he had been teetering on the precipice of death only a few weeks ago.

Her eyes moved to Bernie, who had said nothing at all and her shoulders dropped. They had barely talked to each other during the last few weeks, and Emma sensed that he was sulking with good reason. He had done so much for her and Ruby and how had she repaid him? In spending all of her time with Jake. Somehow it bothered her to see the usually talkative chef that quiet, so she took the place next to him.

"Sorry, I missed breakfast," she apologized. He only nodded, still avoiding her eyes, and she pointed at the cup in his hand. "Can I have some?" she asked sheepishly.

With a groan he handed her the rum and finally returned her look.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. She took a big gulp and almost spit out the liquor. She had never tasted rum before and it almost burned her throat. A chuckle escaped Bernie's mouth, and that broke the ice. Coughing, she made a note to herself to keep Bernie company during her remaining week on this ship.

"Can't hold your rum, boy?" Avery sneered from her left.

Emma's lips thinned as she heard everyone's laughter. If it had been any other sailor, she would have laughed with them, but coming from Avery, the words stung. Not intending to hide behind Bernie, she leaned forward, sending a withering look towards him. But he only responded with a sardonic grin. She felt Bernie's hand on her back, which eased her a little bit, but it couldn't make her forget about the humiliations she had received from this man. He was like a snake, sharp-tongued and always pointing out her mistakes in front of everyone else, and since she had moved out of the crew's quarters, he was searching for any possibility to score her off. The sailors didn't take it seriously and Hook even seemed amused by it. Though, Emma knew there was something lurking beneath the surface, waiting for the right opportunity to come out. She could see the jealousy in his eyes when she talked to Ramsay, Clarke, or Bernie. Like him, she was new on this ship, but unlike him, she'd made fast friends with the crew. Every time someone was nice to her, he stared daggers at her, and when he caught her alone, he never hesitated to be nasty.

Avery was one of the new hired men. The others were Paxton Blade, a grimly man in his forties and Rob Wilson, better known as Rotten Tooth. Emma was sure that the man was a pervert; she noticed it in way he was watching her. He never talked about screwing women like the others did, and thus Emma assumed that he had a preference for boys, young boys to be exact. She knew that the Captain wasn't satisfied with his work, and she was sure he would be dismissed as soon as they reached land, so she wasn't too worried about him.

But Avery was different. His offenses were systematic, but subtle, and he was definitely not as stupid as Rotten Tooth, which made him even worse.

She hated him with every fibre of her being. But he worked hard and didn't complain blatantly, and she doubted he would leave the ship. So she reminded herself daily that it would be over soon. They would make port and she would flee, unless they locked her up like last time, that is.

"You look like you haven't seen the sun in a while," Hook remarked. "Give Emmett some more rum! Let's revive the boy's spirits!"

Obviously it was his generous day. Or maybe he was just nicer when he was drunk. Before she knew what was happening, Clarke thrusted another cup into her hand. And another. The liquor prickled down her throat and moments later she felt warm, fuzzy feelings emerging from her insides, slowly clouding her mind.

"Who would have thought our lab rat would drink like a fish," Avery mocked her. "Don't forget to lock away the rum tonight, Captain. Otherwise he'll drown in one of the barrels. Wouldn't be the first rat we found in there."

At that Emma jumped up. Boiling with rage, she stormed to the man's sitting place and poured the rest of her drink into his face.

"Here, you can keep all the rum you want to yourself, you son of a bitch!"

The man needed a moment to process what just had happened. Surprised by her own actions, she watched Avery's shocked face with silent satisfaction. And when the crew burst into laughter, that satisfaction transformed into perverse delight. Never in her life had she done such a thing. It felt good to put a man in his place. In fact, it felt fantastic.

Unfortunately she hadn't considered the consequences, when Avery jumped up and drew his sword.

"Easy, Avery," Morren tried to intervene, but he stopped when Hook raised his hand.

"The boy asked for it. You can't dish out without taking in. Let's take a look at his sword skills."

He gave Ramsay a wink and reluctantly the gunner reached for his sword. He handed it to Emma with a frown. Like her, he was also well aware she stood no chance against Avery, regardless of her sobriety level. With trembling fingers she took the sword from her friend. It was half her length and so heavy she had to hold it with both hands. She turned around and took her position like she had seen it in the tournaments back home. Avery's hand brushed over his wet face. His eyes sparkled wickedly and he was grinning from ear to ear, waiting to pounce like a cat in front of mouse hole.

Then he attacked. It was so fast, that Emma didn't see the blow coming. The blade hit hers with an unutterable force, she lost her balance and everything was fading to black. When she regained consciousness, she was lying on the floor, feeing a dull pain in her head.

"Get up," Hook commanded. From afar she heard Jake's protesting voice, but the Captain ignored him, repeating himself. "Come on Emmett, show us that there's more in you than that."

Gritting her teeth, she picked up her weapon and pulled herself up. She wouldn't give that bastard the satisfaction of showing fear. Avery was swinging his sword, enjoying her discomfort to the fullest. He would kill her; she knew it.

"Captain, please. Emmett is still weakened from his infection," Jake objected angrily. He had lied to the captain about her long stay in the infirmary, before she had dared to go outside again. "If you give anything to my competence as a doctor-,"

"Don't push it too far, Mr. Felton," Hook warned him and stood up, addressing Avery. "Give me the sword."

Avery looked like Hook had snatched away his favorite candy, but complied. He was too intelligent to start a fight with the captain. Giving her a scowl, he sat back down.

Uncertain, Emma watched Hook circle her until he was facing her. "Push your legs further apart. You need to have a solid stance." He stepped behind her, gently touching her shoulders. "And you need to maintain your body's tension. The sword," his breath brushed her ear, while his fingers ran down her arm and closed over her hand, "is supposed to be an extension of your arm."

Emma inhaled sharply, as he showed her how to move the sword. "Not that stiff, relax your wrist!" he instructed her. Embarrassed, Emma risked a look at the crew. When she met Jake's amused eyes, blood rushed into her face and she had to look away. Avery was staring at her, as if he wanted to murder her. He was clearly angry that the Captain had taken away the chance to fully retaliate what she had done earlier. A moment later, Hook let go of her and raised his own sword.

"You ready?"

Emma tried to ignore the throbbing in her head and tried to concentrate on putting his words into practice. Hook's first thrust wasn't as forceful as Avery's and she actually managed to parry it off.

"You don't need to fend off every attack," Hook called and stepped back, giving her some time to catch her breath. "Use my momentum against me to elude the blade. You can save a lot of energy like that."

Without a warning he lunged forward in another attack.

Emma tried to sidestep him, but she wasn't fast enough. She felt a sharp pain shoot up her side when the blade cut her skin right through the bandages under her breasts. She jumped back, shocked at what had just happened, pressing her hands on the wound that began to soak through the fabcric.

Morren instantly jumped up. "Damn it, Killian!"

Emma stared at the First Mate in surprise. Never had she heard anyone call Hook by his first name. And it was the first time Morren raised his voice to criticize the Captain.

"Fighting drunk, like savages without giving the boy proper training," Morren growled, shaking his head. "I've had my fill of that." He indignantly made his way to the hatch, heading towards his quarters.

Hook gaped after him, not less surprised.

Emma slowly straightened herself. The cut didn't feel that deep, but she had to check it.

As she moved to turn around, Hook grabbed her arm.

"You're hurt."

Emma tried to yank her arm free, but he didn't let go.

"Let me help you."

"No, no, it's fine," Emma tried to downplay the injury, making another move to get away from him.

"No, it's not" he replied firmly but gentle as almost never before. "There's a lot of blood. Let me see!"

"I'll take care of it," Jake, who had appeared at her side, interfered and soothingly touched her shoulder. Without waiting for Hook's response, he led Emma in the direction of the infirmary. Luckily, Hook didn't object.

"Yeah, of course you will," Rotten Tooth remarked with his ugly voice that made Emma's hair stand on end. Coming from him, everything sounded like a perversion.

Emma and Jake ignored him and disappeared through the hatch.

-/-

"Damn it, Emma!" Jake said, when he closed the door behind her. "What were you thinking?"

"The bastard is driving me nuts!" Emma burst out. "I hate him. You don't even know everything he's done to me."

Jake raised his hands to calm her. "I get it. Avery is a devious man. But unless you're planning a sudden exposure, you better contain yourself."

"I tried, but it was just too much for me this time," she said sheepishly, the anger slowly fading.

"I know," Jake responded propitiatory and led her to the treatment table. "Let's take a look at the injury. Please, sit down."

Emma had to giggle as she complied. His manner of expression and politeness didn't match the picture of a pirate and it always amused her. Even though she knew now that stereotyping could give a false impression, Jake set himself apart from the other pirates. Leading this life had never been his intention; he'd sort of fell into it, exactly like her.

"What's so funny?" he asked irritated.

"Nothing," Emma smirked and tried to make a serious face

"Well then. Can you remove your shirt, please?"

Emma hesitated. The thought of undressing in front of a man made her uneasy. Technically, acting like this was stupid. Jake was a doctor and after all he'd already seen her naked. Thus, Emma rolled up her shirt and pulled it over her head. Now in full doctor mode, Jake started a conversation to make her feel more comfortable as he removed the bandages.

"Did you see Avery's face when the Captain took his sword from him?"

"I did! It was priceless," Emma laughed. "But I was surprised by Mr. Morren's reaction."

"Me too," Jake replied and put the bandages on the table. "He's the only one who's allowed to talk to the Captain like that. They've known each other since forever. Morren was his brother's best friend. "

Emma winced as a cool washcloth was cautiously moved over her body to remove the blood.

"You know he's a reformed alcoholic?"

Emma shook her head. "I didn't even notice he wasn't drinking with the others."

"That's because you had one too many."

"And why didn't you stop me as promised?"

"How was I supposed to know you drink like a girl?"

"Moron," Emma said playfully and Jake laughed.

"Well, after Liam's death, Morren was discharged from the Navy because of his problem. It was his way to deal with his loss," Jake took up the thread again.

"Really? Ramsay told me, they left the Navy because of their corrupt king."

"Yes, that's what he likes to tell everyone. It's mainly the truth. Fact is, the Captain stole the ship and Morren rejoined him later, after he'd pulled himself together. For him and Liam the Navy had been their entire life, and I think he still misses the time. You know how he stands on ceremony? That's why he always has to play captain when we encounter war ships."

He opened a bottle and disinfected Emma's cut. She clenched her teeth, but didn't make a sound.

"How come you know all these things?"

"You have no idea what people share under a doctor's knife," he teased her and bound her breasts with fresh bandages. "You can now put your shirt back on."

Emma followed the instruction and tried to slide off the table.

"We're not done yet," Jake objected. "I have to look at your head, too."

He palpated the bump on her temple, where she had fallen down. Emma watched him clean the wash cloth before he resumed the treatment. He gently washed the spot. Emma felt a tingle under her skin. It made her a little bit woozy. That must be the alcohol, she decided. She looked up, meeting Jake's soft eyes. His brown hair was a little bit shaggy as he returned her gaze with the hint of a smile. He was so close that Emma could breathe in his scent again and she couldn't keep herself from smiling as well.

"What is it?" Jake asked.

Did she imagine it, or did his voice sound a little bit shaky?

"Is there something you would like me to confess under your knife?" she asked, suddenly brave.

"I would never torture information out of you," he responded quickly and the smile spread on his face.

"But there's something you want to know?"

"Stop it, Emma or I might think you're flirting with me." He was still holding the washcloth against her temple, although Emma was sure there was nothing left to clean.

She playfully prodded his chest and dropped her gaze. "How would I know how this works," she mumbled bashfully.

Jake stepped a little closer. "I'm sure you had a lot of practice with your boyfriend."

Emma slightly shook her head. "As if someone would want to be with me."

"Emma," Jake said empathically. "Look at me."

Slowly, Emma raised her head.

Jake watched her with a serious expression. "You're an amazing woman. And not because you were born a princess, but because you're smart, funny and different from any woman I've ever met. Not to forget that you're absolutely beautiful."

Emma rolled her eyes, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. She knew it wasn't true. Her face had nothing special; it was so ordinary that simply having her hair cut shorter allowed her to pass for a boy.

"I'm not beautiful," she stated.

Jake put the washcloth away and lifted her chin. "Yes, you are."

A small smile appeared on her face. "Even dressed as a boy?"

"Especially then," he replied, smiling.

Emma felt her chest swell as an unexplainable joy floated her insides. And before she knew what was happening, Jake leaned in. Emma gasped when his lips touched hers. They were soft and gentle, tasting like salt and him. She was beginning to lose her bearings, so she grasped for his shirt. Caressing her face, he pulled back slightly, watching her closely.

"You're alright?" he asked and Emma knew she hadn't managed to hold back some tears.

"Yes," she whispered and reached for his head to pull him in again. She didn't understand what had overcome her, and she didn't want to think about it. All she knew was that she wanted to feel his lips again. He resumed kissing her, a little more determined. She hesitantly opened her mouth, beginning to lose herself in the new feeling of being touched like that. It was as if she was drunk in an entirely different way. Her fingers ran through his hair and she trembled as she felt the caress of his hand on her back.

The sound of the opening door disrupted the silence and brightened the cabin. They hastily moved away from each other as Jake jumped back forcefully and almost fell over a stool standing in his way. Emma was breathing heavily, still sitting on the table, instinctively arranging her unkempt shirt. Shocked, she looked at the intruder.

Hook was standing in the doorway, staring back, not less surprised than the two of them. He looked from one to the other, slightly shaking his head, as if he was considering the situation to be an alcohol induced hallucination. He regained his composure faster than expected. Paralyzed by fear, Emma watched Hook turn towards Jake, deep wrinkles furrowing his brow.

"A word, please!" was the only thing he said. Jake didn't even dare to look at her. Wordlessly, he followed the captain out of the room, leaving Emma behind. It took a moment until her body obeyed again and she could slide off the table. She rushed to her bunk where she'd deposited the cardigan moments after she'd entered the room, and pulled it over her shoulders. She didn't know what to do or to think. The events confused her and the alcohol certainly wasn't helping. So she sat down, trying to process what had just happened.

She had been kissed for the first time in her life and Hook had caught them in the act. She buried her face in her hands. Why on earth had they forgotten to lock the door? Tensed, Emma waited in her bunk, consumed with the same thoughts again and again. What had Hook seen? Had he put two and two together? She couldn't imagine how Jake had to feel right now. Was he trying to convince the Captain that he was homosexual?

She was startled out of her musings when the door reopened and Hook entered the infirmary. He was alone and Emma sensed it was now her turn to receive his anger. Even if his brow was still furrowed, she was surprised at the lack of rage in his eyes.

She watched him take the stool and position it opposite to her. She followed his movements with big eyes.

With a sigh he sat down. "How are you?"

He said it quietly, almost pensively. Just a simple question without hidden accusation. It was the last thing Emma had expected. Instinctively, she pulled the cardigan closer around her.

"I'm fine," she answered unsure. And because he raised an eyebrow she added: "The Doctor fixed the cut, it's alright."

At her mention of Jake as 'the Doctor', his eyebrow raised even further.

"And your head?"

"It's just a bump. It will heal."

Hook watched her warily. "I came to say I'm sorry," he finally said and Emma almost couldn't believe her ears. Captain Hook was apologizing to her? Had the world gone mad?

"You've been through a lot since you came on board. And I noticed you stopped complaining." He tilted his head. "It was bad form to challenge you under the influence of rum. From now on, I will teach you every Sunday afternoon. A boy is supposed to learn sword fighting properly."

Emma heaved a sigh of relief. Apparently, he hadn't put two and two together.

He leaned back, lost in thought. "My brother taught me when I was way younger than you."

"Okay," she answered hesitantly, just to fill the silence.

"You know as the Captain of this ship, I always have an open ear for the sorrows of my crew," he continued.

Emma was confused. Every time Hook talked to her like that, she feared he had something else in mind, a hidden strategy she didn't understand. Hook scratched himself behind the ear.

"You can tell me if Mr. Felton touched you in an inappropriate way."

Blood rushed to her face, as soon he spoke the words and everything became clear. This entire conversation finally made sense.

"No, no, no," she exclaimed, her cheeks burning like fire. "None of this is Jake's fault!" She timidly focused on a spot on her bed sheet. But if she was thinking this couldn't get even more embarrassing, she had been wrong.

"Can you tell me that while looking me in the eye?"

Reluctantly, she followed the instruction.

"You don't have to be afraid," he said as she tried to find her words. "You can tell me the truth." He watched her with an open expression and his voice was soft, speaking of trust and compassion. She hadn't thought he could be this way.

Swallowing hard, she tried to put it very clearly: "What happened was completely mutual."

Hook sighed and Emma could see his relief.

"I appreciate your honesty. But you must know that I don't tolerate romantic involvements on my ship in any form." His voice had become very serious. "I will let you stay in here, but if I have the slightest impression, that one of you is violating my law, you'll leave me no choice. This is not a trivial matter, and the punishment for this is similar to that of sexual assault. Namely death. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir," Emma whispered.

He leaned closer to her. "I will tell you what I told Mr. Felton. I don't appreciate inconveniences like this. I offered for him to leave the ship when we make port next week. And he agreed."

Emma stared at him. "What?"

"He wanted to pay you out of our contract. I have thought about letting you go with him. But I came to the conclusion that would teach you the wrong thing. A man has to stand by his word. Our contract is binding. For the life of your sister, you will stay on this ship the time we agreed upon. Not a day more and not a day less."

He stood up, but turned around one more time.

"In case you intend to escape when we make port, I'll lock you up personally. You know the procedure."

Emma's hands shook from the effort to stay calm. If she had thought there was kindness in this man, she was disabused of that notion once and for all. He'd tricked her one too many times. Captain Hook wasn't capable of love, only cruelty.