Reunion

Just before dawn, I woke up to see Mark tossing and turning in his sleep. I pressed my dress against my body and sat up, watching him as he fidgeted and muttered things about Taker in his sleep.

"He's having a nightmare…" I said before moving close to him and gently placing my hand on his chest. He suddenly grabbed my arm and sat up with a jolt, looking around for an intruder.

"Mark it's just me!" I said as he twisted my arm. "You're hurting me!"

He looked down at his hand and then released my arm. "I'm sorry…"

"It's ok." I told him. "Were you having a bad dream?"

He glanced at me with a smirk on his face. "Yeah something like that…"

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked before starting to put my dress on.

"It's nothing honestly…" he said as he rubbed the back of his head and watched me.

I hadn't noticed his gaze was on me until I looked over my shoulder at him, "Um…can you help me with this?"

He smiled, "I don't know…I think I like you best when your clothes are off."

I giggled as my cheeks burned, hiding my delight. "Goodness…I have one moment of weakness and now you think you've won the right to speak to me that way. Unbelievable."

He started laughing and then helped me with my dress. Once it was on me nice and tight, he touched my shoulders and then kissed my neck. I closed my eyes and leaned into his strong frame.

"You've changed the way I feel about you Mia…I promise to make sure nothing happens to you." He told me.

I turned around and looked into his eyes. "I'm a strong woman now Mark, I don't need your protection."

He touched me cheek and then said, "I didn't ask you what you needed…I'm telling you what will happen if that bastard ever found us."

"Do you think he ever will?" I asked.

"I don't know really…" he said. "But somehow I've got to try to get to him."

"Well we can't do that just sitting on an island."

"And we can't get to him without a ship." He said before getting dressed. "It's all very frustrating…."

I looked down at the ground wondering why he would still want his ship back when we could just run away and have a life of our own. Sure it was early in our relationship to be thinking that way…but really…what was the point in pursuing The Undertaker and his ship?

"I have to go after him or I'll lose my powers Mia…I've already told you that."

I looked up at him in a rage, "I told you to stop reading my thoughts!"

He smirked, "I can't help it…you think too loud."

I rolled my eyes and left the cave, leaving him to ponder in his thoughts. I kept walking back towards the beach until I heard the sound of cannons firing….I continued walking towards the sound reaching the beach only a few moments later. In the distance I could see not only a large storm cloud approaching but I could see not one but two ships battling it out in the distance. As the ships got closer, I immediately recognized one ship to be a Royal navy ship. My old master was in charge of ships like that one, and must have been out searching for me.

"Damn it,"

I gasped when I heard Mark's voice from behind me. "You scared me!"

"Sorry…" he said not taking his eyes off the two battling ships. "So that ship is one of your master's?"

"Yes." I said. "The other I don't quite know…"

"Sure you do Mia…it's the same ship you came here on." He said through gritted teeth.

My eyes opened wide, "The Deadman's Voyage…"

"Stay here," he told me.

I shook my head, "No."

"Mia I told you I wouldn't let anything happen to you." He said.

"Yes but leaving me alone on an island isn't going to keep me safe." I told him.

He sighed, "You're so stubborn. Just stay put!"

Before I could react, he took off running for the ocean. I watched him as he ran into the water and began swimming towards his ship. I sighed and took a seat in the sand watching as the two ships battled and Mark made his surprise return aboard the ship.

I waited for what seemed like an hour before things began to change. My master's ship was no longer firing, however there were some men on board who were suddenly boarding a lifeboat and heading towards the island. I stood up as it began to rain heavily, wondering why they were coming this way. I felt my leg for my dagger and noticed that it wasn't there. In an effort to protect myself, I took off towards the cave to retrieve it. When I made it there, I picked up my dagger along with some other weapons that Mark crafted on his own, and headed back towards the beach.

On my way there, I ran into some of Lord Vermont's henchmen who I handled with ease. However when I had just knocked out the last one, I was grabbed from behind by Lord Vermont himself.

"Hello there sweet one. I've been looking all over for you…" he said.

"Let me go!" I yelled as he tightened his grip.

He laughed, "Oh no darling…you and I have a wedding to plan remember? No be quiet like a good little girl!"

Before I could react, he struck me over my head with the handle of his sword, knocking me out instantly. I surely hoped that when I opened my eyes again that I would see Mark's face and not that of my master, Lord Vermont.