Saying Goodbye

Author's note: I can't believe we're already at Chapter Ten. It certaintly doesn't feel that long to me. But, sorry if chapters are taking longer and longer to get up. I'm a 15 year-old girl on summer break; what can you do? But thanks for all the reviews! My apologies to some of you who weren't so please (some disgusted) with the Veronica/Beckett romance in the last chapter. I guess I should have warned you.

Now onto chapter ten.

Chapter Ten

Lady Beckett.

She swirled her tea with a tiny spoon, but kept her attention elsewhere. The garden was moist due to a hungry storm that swept through Port Royale the night before. Not wanting to make a fool of herself, she acted as though it didn't bother her. But she couldn't hide anything from him.

She remembered jumping as thunder cracked through the silence. Hand racing to her heart, she knocked over a candle and then fumbled to stand it upright.

"Frightened?" Beckett asked, looking up from the fireplace.

"Just a little anxious," she half admitted.

"Usually, it sounds worse than it really is."

Lady Beckett.

Was she truly Lady Beckett? She really didn't know if she was living up to the part. Her marriage was already a week old and she had spent every night in her husband's room, his bed, and yet she felt nothing close to a wife.

She recalled waking up after her marriage night, expecting to see Cutler next to her. Instead, he was nowhere to be found and she felt slight relief. How would she act around him? No doubt it would be most awkward. She still felt embarrassed around him during the more intimate of moments and he often liked to mock her. That only flustered her more.

Last night she found out that she was going out to sea in a week. That certainly was a sore subject.

She was laying in bed, reading a boring book that Beckett had recommended to her, but her mind elsewhere, not really caring about law and punishment. Beckett then entered the room and she snapped the book shut in surprise.

"News," he simply said, walking behind the changing screen.

"Good or bad?" she asked, laying the book on the nightstand next to her.

"Depends your perspective I suppose," he replied, stepping from the screen and making his way to the bed. He wasn't wearing his wig, which she had gotten used to. On their wedding night, he had taken it off and at first it was like he was a total different person.

He actually looked like a person. He had short dark hair that was unruly and scruffy to the touch. It was ironic almost and she felt herself drawn to it.

"The news?" she asked, getting impatient.

He grinned at her anxiousness. "We'll be departing for sea in a week."

"A week?" she asked, feeling déjà vu.

"I don't see the need in repeating myself," he bluntly said, climbing into the bed.

She huffed and fell back, her head landing roughly on her pillow. She grumbled and turned to the side, hugging her covers tightly.

"If I argued would I get anywhere?" she mumbled into her covers.

"Are you talking to blanket or me?" he asked, annoyance clearly in his voice. "And I believe you should know the answer to that ludicrous question."

And now she sat in the garden, swirling her tea non-stop.

"Lady Beckett, more tea?" a servant asked. She turned to look.

"No," she said, then turned back to her tea. "I've had enough."

"Lady Beckett," the girl said, sounding rather scared.

She turned around in her chair, this becoming a usual occurrence lately. She liked to retreat back to her old room- which was still kept as her room. It was almost comforting. Keeping her act, she rolled her eyes and turned her attention from the girl.

"Lady Beckett," the girl repeated.

"Goodness Julia," she replied, huffing in annoyance. "I'd rather you call me Veronica."

"Veronica?" she asked, confused.

"I don't see the need in repeating myself," she said, nearly gasping at her choice of words.

Goodness, I'm turning into him.

"Does that mean we aren't on bad terms anymore, Veronica," Julia asked, folding her hands neatly in front of her. She shifted uncomfortably.

"Bad?" Veronica asked. "I would say we were on the worst. Bad is insulting me, or maybe even infuriating me, but betrayal? I believe that's beyond bad."

"Please, Veronica," Julia repeated. "You must understand, I did what I had to do. Believe me when I say, informing Lord Beckett was not an easy thing! I can barely sleep at night, this bothers me so."

"So you're only apologizing because you want the guilt to disappear?" Veronica asked, manipulating Julia's words. "You want a free conscience?"

"Lady Beckett, no-"

"I told you to call me Veronica!" she snapped. Seeing Julia's surprised and sad face, Veronica calmed down and took a deep breath. "I apologize for my outburst. A lot has been going on lately. I know I shouldn't put all this one you."

"No," Julia responded. "I shouldn't have told on you. Don't apologize."

"I can only hope we can get to where we were before," Veronica answered truthfully. "But, honestly, it might take a while."

"So you forgive me?" Julia asked, a hopeful look adorning her face.

"Honestly, I don't know how I'll make it through life without a friend," Veronica mumbled, turning away.

"A friend!" Julia replied. She nearly jumped with joy.

"Please, Julia!" Veronica scolded, looking back at the maid. "I've already received a terrible headache, I don't need to make it worse. I'm just glad we've cleared the dust before I left."

"Left?"

"Yes," Veronica sighed. "I have to go out sea- with Lord Beckett."

Julia gasped and walked to the bench at the foot of the bed. Making herself comfortable, she looked up at Veronica waiting for a more.

"In a week," she continued. "Well, a week minus one day."

"Must be frightening!" Julia said. "Being on a rocking boat, all day and all night. What if you shall run into pirates!"

"I've been on a ship before," Veronica reminded. "I'm only worried about the motion sickness. I doubt pirates will attack. We're going to be on a ship, waving the East India Trading Company flag. They'll know that we'll have soldiers and whatnot."

"You never know," Julia replied. "I'm sure there's some pirate out there crazy enough."

"Then hopefully we won't run into them," Veronica concluded. "But maybe it would be exciting to have a little fighting action going on. I nearly died of boredom on my last trip and I doubt this one will be much different."

"Don't wish for something you don't really want," Julia said. "It might just come true."

"On the contrary," Veronica replied, "I've wished for things and those never came true. I don't believe in wishing anymore."

"What about when you see a wishing star?" Julia asked, finding a loophole in Veronica's philosophy.

"A wishing star?"

"Yes," Julia confirmed. "You know; star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight?"

Veronica looked at Julia with a raised brow. "I'm not a child."

"Such a waste of a star. A person can never be too old," Julia replied, then cleared her throat. "But I must leave. I only had time to stop by."

Veronica looked to the window and nodded as a response to Julia. And before leaving Julia turned back to Veronica.

"I'm glad we're friends, Lady Beckett."

That evening Veronica and her brother shared tea in the parlor. Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders and her light blue evening dress flowed freely to the ground.

"Going out to sea," her brother drawled out, setting down his teacup.

"Yes, Jakub," Veronica sighed back. "I don't need any reminders."

"So I take it that you're not looking forward to the trip?" Jakub asked sarcastically, resting his hands on his knees.

"Not the slightest," Veronica replied truthfully. She took a small sip of her tea. "I hate ships."

"Hate is such a strong word," Jakub reminded.

"Well this I feel strongly about," she answered back, setting her teacup down and folding her hands neatly on her lap. "I can't possible imagine having to be on another ship. Once was enough. They are dreadful things."

"I bet Lord Beckett will keep you comfortable and situated," Jakub stated and looked away, almost bored with the subject.

"I don't understand why I am even going," she complained. "It isn't right; a woman on board for no reason."

"I suppose the reason would have to do with offspring," Jakub bluntly said as Veronica blushed.

"Offspring?" she asked. "Why couldn't he just wait until he returned?"

"Does Lord Beckett seem like a patient man?" Jakub asked, standing up.

"No," Veronica replied in a low voice, answering her own question. She looked up at Jakub. "Where are you going?"

"It's getting late," he stated, nodding his head toward the window. Veronica looked to it and noticed it was fairly dark out.

"It was nice seeing you, Jakub," Veronica said truthfully. "Stop by some time, will you?"

"I'll try," he sighed, exiting the parlor and grumbling a good bye.

Veronica turned her attention back to the window and looked up at the sky. She searched for the brightest star and stared at it intently.

Never hurts to try.

Veronica looked around and cleared her throat, making sure no one was around. Under her breath, she said, "Star light, first star tonight- or something along those lines. I wish I may, that you might grant my wish…tonight!"

Close enough.

"Please don't make me stay on that god forsaken ship," Veronica whispered to the star then smiled, content with her wish. She turned around when she heard someone walk into the room.

She smiled for Cutler and stood up.

"I think it's time to retire, Lady Beckett," he said, a smug smile playing on his face.

Lady Beckett.