This scene may be a bit confusing but this occurs a day or so after the previous and it contains a flashback to incidents that would've occurred during the previous chapter. Hope you enjoy the last chapter of fluffy before the storm.

Ashylynne growled her way into the galley, stomping her feet as she went. Of all the nerve! Those two, together, like that? Ashlynne shook her head and continued on her way, the images of the previous hours flashing through her mind. The introductions, the apologies, the tour, the not so subtle flirting, the fleeing, and finally the discovery. She felt her blood rush again and frowned.

Groves followed at a respectable, and safe, distance. He watched his friend's antics with wary amusement. He wondered why Ashlin was so angry after having witnessed Lieutenant Norrington with the young Miss Forester. After Miss Forester had been caught in Norrington's embrace in the map room by Ashlin—Groves had heard about it from Gillete moments before—Ashlin had called the woman a name then slammed the door and now here he was. Groves watched from the entryway as Ashlin swiped a piece of bread from the galley and sat down at one of the tables to munch on it. The clerk seemed unaware or uninterested in his presence.

For her part Ashlynne knew that Groves was making sure she didn't arm herself. He'd seen her hold back in fights with Hardy and the boys, and he had good reason to worry. But no, she wasn't about to arm herself with a galley knife and go tearing off after some idiot heiress who liked to play dirty in regards to winning affection. One minute she and her father Mr. Forester are visiting on board, where apparently the lass would be staying on the voyage back, and the next hell had broken loose.

While showing Miss Forester where her quarters would be, the woman had feigned a fainting spell so that she could fall into Ashlynne's arms—Ashlynne wasn't a complete moron to not realize this fact. When Mr. Forester had suddenly come down the corridor towards them, with Norrington of course, she'd been so surprised by their presence that she'd dropped Miss Forester onto the plank flooring. Of course, both Miss Forester and her father were angry at her for the manhandling—different reasons of course—and Mr. Forester had almost backed her into the vacant cabin with his aggressive advance. Norrington had ordered her up on deck to help repair the sails while he smoothed over the ruffled feathers—of course he didn't say it that way but that was definitely his tone of voice.

She'd happily repaired sails with Thomas and Davies for some time, content to be well away from the already troublesome woman, when Mr. Forester approached her again. This time he demanded to know what happened in a slightly more civil manner. She tried to tell him the truth of it, though not mentioning the fact that his daughter had faked a faint in order to be held by the "man" she was attracted to, but had been interrupted by Gillete who asked her to retrieve the Lieutenant as the captain needed to speak with him.

It had been then, on her mission of retrieval, that she'd found Norrington wrapped around Miss Forester in what was unmistakably a rather passionate embrace. At first it had just been shock that the woman could change affections so quickly that'd kept her rooted to the spot but then that changed to anger, at herself, for allowing her affections for Norrington to grow to such a degree that this image made her jealous.

"Arse." She'd growled out, mostly to herself, but she was sure the pair of them had heard it, before she turned on her heel, announced where they were to Gillete, and disappeared down into the belly of the ship.

Groves smiled to himself as he too remembered the turn of events as Ashlin remembered. He wasn't quite sure why he was so angry but then again the lad was finicky on what he chose to make him mad. Suddenly Groves felt someone behind him and he turned to find a frowning Norrington. Groves stood stiffly and was about to speak when the lieutenant shook his head. Knowing when he wasn't wanted, Groves nodded and scurried away. He hoped Ashlin wasn't in too much trouble for the spectacle he'd made with the Foresters a few days prior, let alone just that afternoon. Even though he was a civilian, Ashlin could be replaced now that they were at Port Royal.

Once Groves left, James leaned against the doorframe and watched as Ashlynne chewed away her anger. His theory had been correct then; she was attracted to him, despite her best efforts to hide her sex and interest from him and the rest of the crew. He'd allowed Miss Forester to maneuver him into the map room and into his arms, with full knowledge that she was doing it to try to make his clerk jealous, while he was doing it for the same reason. He hadn't been disappointed with her reaction; that was what had prompted him to seek her out now.

Remembering Groves in the doorway and his stance as her cabin mate, James frowned, a sudden surge of jealousy wrapping its way around his heart. Did Groves know about her disguise? Was there actually something between them? James rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

Things were getting really complicated. Ever since that first night of leave in Port Royal; perhaps he should be thankful now that the scales had been removed from his eyes. But just as much as he was thankful, he was frustrated. Coming to the answers he wanted was not easy, especially when he was haunted by such pleasurable memories as from that night.

James felt the tavern woman remain stiff with shock but once he softened his hold and rubbed his hands against the skin of her hands, she softened. She leaned into him, pressed back against him fully. He slowly let go of her wrists and mentally grinned when her hands almost immediately came up to cup his face and the back of his head, holding him closer and at a better angle for her to deepen the kiss. James growled in pleasure when she nipped at his lips, demanding entrance.

An image of the clerk suddenly flashed in his mind's eye and he groaned, though he did not pull away. Why, when he was holding this woman, did that pesky clerk have to come to mind? Yes this woman and the boy Ashlin had similar coloring and build, yes there was something about the woman that reminded him of the boy but…wait…was that why he had initiated this? Was it his latent attraction to a male clerk that had driven him to drink past his normal level? Was it his attraction to a male clerk that had caused him to seize the opportunity to act this way with an innocent by-standing female who only happened to look like the object of his sinful affections?

When the woman's hand began to wander he pressed closer. James hadn't expected her to respond so eagerly, so thoroughly. He wasn't about to complain though. Images of the clerk were gone now and he could barely think beyond the woman's taste, her smell, the feeling of her skin, the warmth of her body, as they continued to kiss as if it brought them life itself. Air wasn't a necessity for them, at least so it seemed. Neither had any concept of time or place as they continued to kiss, hands roving and exploring, minds blank with sensuality.

"Och! Get a room."

James pulled his mouth away from the woman to find the bar keep sneering at them from the doorway. He gave them a knowing smile before he grabbed a tray and left the room again. James sighed, his whole body relaxing against the woman, his weight propped on the arm he now had braced above her head. He rested his head on her shoulder, his eyes closed as he caught his breath.

"Well," the lilt in the woman's voice was thicker, again reminding him of the clerk, "I donna ken about ye but I think it's time I got back to work."

James leaned back to look down into her face, "What is your name?" He suddenly felt a need to remain close to her.

"Now sir," she kept her head tilted away but he could see her smile, "I think that ye'll remember this moment with more fondness if ye didna ken that."

James tipped his head to the side, "What do you mean?" He couldn't help himself, one of his hands came down to caress her face, his fingers moving over its softness with near reverence.

"This was but a moment in time." She frowned and James watched the emotions play across her features: hope, fear, concern, and excitement. "Ye needed it, I supplied it, and we enjoyed it. Now it's time to return to the rest of the world."

James frowned, his fingers stilling against her skin. How could this tavern maid be so wise? Why did she remind him so much of Ashlin? He was silent for a few moments before he shook his head. When the woman shot him the first full on glance of the evening he finally caught sight of the color of her eyes and he felt the ground beneath him shift. It couldn't be…

"You expect me to forget you? After…this?" He traced her lips with the pad of his thumb and watched, fascinated, as a look of pained pleasure crossed the face of his clerk.

How could he have been so blind? The attraction, the awareness, all from the beginning, was because his "male" clerk was a female! His body had known what his mind did not want to accept. How had he managed to work so close to this woman and only just now realize that she was indeed a woman? What was her purpose for the disguise? Why was she now in woman's garb? He shut his eyes against the headache all the questions were causing.

James shook the memory, the moment of startling and unexpected clarity in regards to his FEMALE clerk, from his mind as he walked over to the table where she sat.

"Oh." She stopped chewing and staring off into space once she noticed him opposite her. "Lieutenant." She placed both hands on the table and made to rise. "I'll leave you."

James looked up at Ashylynne, "Sit down."

"Um…" she chewed on her lower lip in troubled thought then nodded and sat down. She allowed a pained silence to fall on the pair of them before she awkwardly cleared her throat. "Is Miss Forester safely back in port?"

"Yes, she has been reunited with her father. Despite the misunderstanding that took place on board," he leveled a firm glare on her and internally enjoyed the squirm it caused her to have, "the invitation to attend the dinner party still stands." He stood and also retrieved a small portion of bread, having missed tea time to appease Mr. Forester.

Ashlynne watched him move and found herself losing the battle again. Had he always been so muscular? Had his clothes always fit so perfectly against his body and just a bit snug across the biceps and bum? Had his eyes always glowed with mischief and sensual promise? Ashylynne nearly jerked out of her chair when he turned and gave her knowing stare.

"You will attend with the other officers and myself tomorrow evening." He returned to his seat, barely hiding his amusement over her blatant appraisal of his self.

Ashylynne again nibbled on her lip, "Would not the Foresters prefer me not to attend? Especially after what I did when I first met them, not to mention today."

"Ashylynne," She felt her gut clench at the sound of her name on his lips but he didn't look up. "You will attend with us willingly or I will throw you over my shoulder and take you."

Ashylynne's mouth dropped open in shock. Did he really just threaten her, and with a double entendre? The look of mischief came and went so quickly in his eyes that she couldn't be quite certain. For a moment, staring at him, she found herself lost in the one memory she'd been trying to forget since they'd gotten to Port Royal and life had gotten so much more complicated.

It was from that first night in Port Royal. After hours of fulfilling her disguised duty as pleasant tavern maid she'd been trying to head out the kitchen door when she'd run into Norrington. A bit tipsy, he had spoken to her as if she were still dressed as Ashlin the clerk. For her part she'd responded politely and attended to his needs like the tavern maid would've done, keeping her head down but her spirits light. The memory he now triggered was after she'd grown tired of him complaining about her, the clerk, as more distraction than anything else, and had told him to man up and face down the clerk, in a tone she only used as Ashlin the clerk.

James moved so fast she dropped the pendant on the kitchen floor; seconds after, he had her pressed against the kitchen wall. He held her arms pinned to her waist, his face dangerously close to hers. His breath smelled of sweet ale and the warmth of his hips pressed against hers, his chest leaning into hers, made her want to swoon like a ninny. The smell of him, a smell she'd grown used to over the passing weeks of him working so close to her, claimed her senses and she had to fight the urge to sag against him. It was torturous relief to finally have him hold her in this way.

She'd never been so quickly overtaken, in a good way, before. Though he did not know that she was in fact his clerk, how could he when he was inebriated as such and she was dressed in female garb again, he soon would learn the truth if she wasn't careful. With him so close, she was too surprised to react much more than gasp before his lips descended on hers in a possessive crush.

"Fitzpatrick." Ashlynne jerked out of the arousing memory to find Norrington smirking at her. "What's your answer now?"

Ashlynne shook her head to clear it, having momentarily forgotten what it was they'd been arguing about, and swallowed, "I will attend. You need not fear a fight from me."

"Good. I was fully prepared to test my knot making skills on you." His bright smile made more of the memory come back with startling clarity.

Ashylynne moaned when he finally opened to her and she slipped her tongue into his mouth, their tongues doing battle for dominance then settling into a mutual rhythm of pleasure. Coherent thought left and she nearly went up in flames when she felt him press one of his legs between her own. Though it had been ages, her body remembered the pleasure that such a presence could hold and she instinctively lowered herself down more firmly against his leg, rubbing against him wantonly and moaning in ecstasy.

Her hands grew wild and even she had no control over their movements. One crept down to his waistline, her fingers scratching up under his shirt while the other reached down and cupped his rear, pressing him closer to her. The fires within her had been sparked and she'd be damned if she didn't take advantage of the moment while she could.

"I can see you're more interested in not listening than listening," she jerked when his voice again brought her out of her mind, "make sure you are back on duty by noon. There's much to be done before tomorrow's leave." He was smiling to himself as he left, knowing full well where her mind had most likely gone, because his mind was there more often than anywhere else as well.

Ashlynne growled and dropped her head painfully on the table, hoping the pain would erase the distracting memories. Why did her luck have to be so bloody bad? Shouldn't her luck be changing for the better now that she had that silly necklace? Now that she literally had hope strung about her neck, shouldn't things be getting better instead of more complicated?

"Bloody 'ell." Was all she muttered in response to her discombobulated thoughts.