Thank you to my lovely reviewers: Rwy'n-Y-Blaidd-Drwg, Emeraldbuttercup, Kgayaku Hoshi-chan, Aleiaa, HalfbloodPride, Sophi, and also to all my anonymous reviewers. Thank you so much!

And now, the chapter you've all been waiting for... :)

Chapter 14: Secrets Revealed

"I need a break." Lauren panted, holding her hand up in defeat.

Daniel grinned. "A bit out of shape, aren't we?" He joked.

She tried to laugh at his comment, but it frustrated her because it was true. It wasn't her fault that she had no need for physical exercise at home! And honestly, if this is what it felt like, she was much more apt to let everyone else do her work for her while she sipped her lemonade and read one of the books her father recommended. She shook her head, irritated for even thinking that. If she truly felt that way, she would not be here now.

A bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face. "We," she said after she wiped it away, "could use a bath. We may be pirates now, but I personally prefer not to smell like one."

Daniel stretched, and jokingly sniffed his armpit and shrugged. "Not too bad."

"Disgusting." She sheathed her sword. "But thank you, for this." She added, remembering her manners.

Daniel dipped his head and sheathed his own sword. "I'm happy to help a friend." He said.

Friend. Lauren smiled at that word. She had a friend.

They journeyed back to the top deck where the sun shone brightly. Lauren could practically smell her bad odor waft around her. Jack caught her eye and she suppressed a groan as he approached. "We need a cover," she whispered to Daniel.

"A cover?" He asked, confused.

"He's going to want to know what we were doing!"

But there was no time for anymore conversation. "Gerard, Daniel," he greeted.

"Cap'n," they greeted in return.

He surveyed their particularly sweaty, and in Lauren's regard, tired demeanor. "What have you been doing?" He asked, watching as another bead of sweat trailed down the side of her face.

They both spoke at the same time.

"Wrestling," Daniel said.

"Cooking," she said.

Jack stared.

"We were wrestling over something that Mr. Tubbs had cooked." Lauren explained quickly, shooting a glare at Daniel who innocently gazed at the captain. "I was very hungry."

"Anyways," He ignored her lame excuse. "You're both particularly smaller than the rest of the crew which serves its purpose in at least one way. Daniel, yer probably more apt to not screw it up," Lauren crossed her arms at this. "Climb to that rigging there," he pointed with his finger, "and untangle it."

He turned to Lauren. "Ye watch. I don't trust ye yet."

Lauren was content enough with that and watched, a little apprehensively, as Daniel climbed easily up to the spot Jack had previously pointed out. He worked slowly and carefully, so not to fall, and within minutes he was back down before them.

Jack nodded his approval. Michael at that time approached the group and he wrinkled his nose at Lauren's appearance. "Gerard," he greeted, a slow smile growing over his face. "You could use a bath!" He gave a hearty laugh and then, faster than Lauren could even realize what was happening, the big man scooped her up in his arms. She gave a very girly shout of surprise and then she cleared her throat and began to shout in what she considered a more manly voice. Jack, Daniel, and the others that were nearby laughed at Gerard's girly screams. They added it to the list of things that made the small man odd.

Michael carried her to the side of the boat and then promptly threw her overboard.

"Nooo!" Lauren shrieked, her hands splayed out above her as if she could reach the ship and grab hold of something. But she only plummeted faster and splashed into the cold water below. In her fright, she didn't manage to catch any breath before she submerged. She sucked in a mouthful of water and began to cough as her arms flailed around her. But her flailing and the waves only pushed her farther and farther from the surface. She couldn't breathe.

Above, the nearby crew laughed and slapped Michael on the back for his good joke. A rope was thrown down and they waited for Gerard to surface. Daniel waited anxiously as the seconds continued to pass and there was no sign of him. Bubbles and white water sloshed around the area where he had submerged and understanding dawned on him. "He can't swim," he said.

"What?" Jack asked, now looking over the railing and down into the water.

"He can't swim!" Daniel repeated, quickly removing his belt and sword. He climbed onto the railing and then dove into the ocean. The water slapped his face and stung his eyes, but he blinked through the pain and swam deeper from the surface. He immediately spotted Lauren, her still form floating back towards the surface. Daniel propelled himself forward and wrapped his arms around her. He kicked towards the surface and breathed in the salty air.

Gerard lay limp in his arms and he latched onto the rope. But as he held the man's body to his, something felt off. There were curves where a man shouldn't have them. In his surprise, he let go of Lauren and she fell back into the water. The jolt revived her, and she began to cough up water as she submerged again.

Daniel was stunned, but he dropped back in after her. He grabbed her once more and Lauren latched onto him. She gulped in fresh air and began to thank him when she realized where he was gazing at. His eyes were wide and accusing. "What the hell!" He shouted.

"I-I can explain!" Lauren stuttered.

Daniel found the rope floating in the water and grabbed on. "Yeah! I think you better!" The crew began to pull them up.

"I can explain later," she corrected, not bothering to deepen her voice now. There was no hiding who she was from him. "But I can't be found out! They can't know that I'm a woman! They'll kill me!" Tears formed in her eyes and Daniel looked away, not believing his eyes or ears. They were nearing the top of the ship. "Please!" She pleaded. "Earlier you said you were happy to help a friend. Am I no longer your friend just because I am a woman?"

Daniel's face was strained and he didn't reply. But as they were pulled onto the deck of the ship, he quickly stripped off his shirt and wrapped it around Lauren's front so that her soaked white shirt that clung to her form wouldn't reveal anything. "Thank you," she whispered.

Michael approached her but Daniel pushed him back. "Give him some space."

"Gerard! I didn't know you couldn't swim!" He shouted, his face apologetic.

Lauren was trying to regain her breath, both from her lack of oxygen underwater and because of the scare Daniel gave her. "I think I should go rest." She said quietly. "Daniel…"

He helped her to her feet, she noticed now with a gentle touch, he constantly aware that they were no longer the same. Jack stood off to the side, watching the whole ordeal quietly, studying what he had seen.

Daniel led Lauren to a small broom cupboard and opened the door for her. She stepped inside and he followed, closing the door behind him. She couldn't see anything until a match was struck and Daniel lit a lantern above them. His face was hard and he crossed his arms. "I think you need to explain some things."

Lauren fought the tears that began to come to her eyes. She had fought so hard to get to where she was now, she couldn't let it all slip through her fingers now. She must appear strong before him, just as a much of a man that he viewed her as less than half an hour ago. She didn't know where to begin.

Daniel softened his voice. "Let's start with your real name."

"Lauren Stratford," she whispered. "I'm from St. Christopher, and my father is Admiral Stratford."

"And you've run away from your happy home." It wasn't a question, but a sarcastic statement that she didn't appreciate. Yet, it was exactly what she needed to hear him say.

She thrust her finger in his face and in surprise, he took a step back. "Look," she said vehemently, "I may have had a nice life back home, but it was far from happy. My fiancé, Gerard Harvey, was sent off to the war and murdered. I loved him more than anything, and I would rather die than live without him. However, I wasn't given that option."

"Gerard Harvey?" Daniel repeated, incredulously. "You named yourself after your dead fiancé?"

His words stung. Hearing his name and dead in the same sentence felt like a stab to the heart. She took a shaky breath but did not respond.

"Why did you run?"

"Less than a week later, my father was setting me up to marry the vilest man I've ever met. He was to leave for the war soon and I needed someone to look after me. In other words, a husband." Her words were bitter.

Daniel sneered. "You just sound like a brat who doesn't get what she wants, so she ran away. Though, I'm not sure what you want."

Lauren narrowed her eyes. "All I wanted was to marry Gerard. I understand that I grew up as a well-privileged daughter to a highly respectable man. I understand that not everyone had that opportunity, but at least the people without my opportunities got to marry the ones they love. All I want is to avenge his death. If it weren't for the king and his stupid wars, I would be happily married. And Gerard would still be alive. At the least, he would still be alive. So call me a brat, call me whatever you want. But this isn't about me. This is about more than me. It's about the innocent lives being murdered every day because of this and because of the whole institution."

Daniel was silent for a few moments, studying her. His face softened, but it wasn't so stern anymore. "I can respect that."

Lauren sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "It was a rash decision, and looking back I should have prepared more. I mean, I joined a pirate ship and can't even swim or swordfight." She gave a small laugh and Daniel lips turned upwards.

"Hey," he said and she looked up. "I can help you with that. That's what friends are for, right?"

Lauren smiled.

"Let's get you some new clothes. Mine can dry."

Lauren followed Daniel back to his hammock and he pulled out an extra pair of breeches and a billowy shirt. Lauren took them and headed back to the storage room to change in private. She returned, hanging her wet clothes over her hammock to dry. Feeling better, she figured it was best to go back to the top now and face the ridicule of the other members of the crew for not knowing how to swim rather than later.

And now Daniel knows! How long do you think he will be able to keep her secret? Or will he even keep her secret? :O

Tell me what you thought of the chapter in a review. Reviews make my day! :D

-Becca