Declaimer: I do not own RB, only borrowed the characters for some fun. Alternate universe - Pirates.

Chapter 1 - Commander's Ship

"AAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHHH!"

So much for a war whoop when the sailors of 15th Division noticed the white flag in the front of the Royal Navy ship.

"Really? We were interrupted for business?" whined Gail disappointed.

Her face frowned even more when she noticed who the commander of the royal ship was. Nicholas. Her breath hitched in her throat. She was not sure if she should be angry or happy to see him. She wanted to punch him for sure, but the rest of emotions was like a storm on the sea.

"Superintendent Peck, may I have your permission to board?" the young lad called loudly but politely.

"I cannot say it is a pleasure, but approach," replied the older woman.

A plank was placed between the ships and the commander crossed over, bowing deeply in front of the superintendent. "Thank you kindly."

"What brings you to these waters, Nicholas?"

"Royal duty, pirates in the Irish Bay and your daughter," he glanced at the said girl shooting her a quick smile and then with a serious expression on his face her returned to her mother.

"Do you want to walk that plank, Commander?"

"It would not be for the first time, Madam. None the less, I can grant you the permission to dock in the Irish Bay in exchange for your help with the pirates and this night with Gail."

The Irish Bay was one of the richest and most prosperous places in the Old Land. Permissions to dock were either very expensive or already sold out.

Elaine weighted her options even though there was not much to think about; yet, she did not want to look too eager. "I can grant my ship for eliminating the pirates; my daughter, on the other hand, makes decisions for herself."

Not leaving her eyes from the newcomer, the blonde barked, "At the sunset," and stormed away. She wanted to go to her cabin and think, but it would not be an option since the room was not hers only anymore. Instead she marched to the bathroom and hopped into the empty dry wooden bath. She sunk in and bent her head backwards. She let out a moan and closed her eyes.

Holly was not very sure what to think. One moment she felt like flying between clouds and the next she briefly met a guy whom everybody knew, Gail more than the others, on the top of that she ran away agreeing on spending a night with him. What was that all about?

She went to their room hoping to find her partner there and sooth her anger. Maybe have a little chat or even better a repetition of their morning action.

"Gail?" she called gently opening the door. The cabin was empty. With a heavy sighed she sat on the berth. If the blonde was not there, then she wanted to be alone. Another sighed followed as Holly laid down on her back staring at the wooden ceiling. Since she moved in, the space was rearranged a bit. Instead of a sleeping net, there was a bed, not too big, but enough for two people to sleep in, also there was another small wardrobe squeezed in between the wall and a table. The cabin was small but cosy, alas at that moment it felt very big and empty.

The sun was setting down; therefore Gail finally left her hideout and boarded the other ship. Nick was already waiting for her at the deck pacing back and forth.

"For a moment, I thought you would not come," he commented offering her a hand to help her step down from the plank which connected the two ships.

"I almost didn't," replied the blonde dryly ignoring his gesture.

The young lad put his hands behind his back and bowed slightly. "Thank you for coming. If you could escort me to my cabin."

Gail rolled her eyes but followed him. He was a generally nice guy, always attentive, except the one time, when he left her before the day of their wedding. "Why do you want me here, Nick?" she asked once they entered his room. She took a seat on the only chair available at a small table.

"Oh, come on, Gail. Let's start a bit easy. Rum?" he asked pulling out two shot glasses from a drawer and a bottle of the alcohol from a wardrobe. Well, who Gail was to say no to free booze, so she just nodded. "To us meeting again," toasted the guy; without a cling of their glasses, the blonde drowned hers immediately.

"Let's cut the crap, Nick, why do you want me here?"

"To talk," he pulled out a stool and sat in front of his visitor.

"I said let's cut the crap."

"Okay, look, I am really sorry for leaving you that night. But if we ever stood a chance, I needed to make a name for myself; otherwise your mother would never accept me."

"You mean 'like you'. And it is so hard for you, huh? You are always trying to be on the good side of everybody," she commented bitterly. Even after all the time, the memory of being left before wedding still hurt.

"Gail, I was trying to do the right thing. I am not saying bailing off like that was right, but it was necessary. We were not ready at that time."

"So what do you want now, two years later?"

"You, Gail, I want you."

Holly woke up some time later, still alone plus it was dark outside. She got up and sneaked out of the cabin. She walked down the corridor listening to any sound of her comrades. She guessed it was not so late yet, so hopefully they would be somewhere chatting and playing dice or cards.

She heard voices from Oliver's room; however after defying Sam and Jerry as his visitors, she continued her search. And she did find them in Andy's place. Just when she was about to knock on the door, the young healer decided against it as she realised about what was the topic.

"… plus he was really handsome in that commander's uniform," said Andy in a bit dreamy tone.

"What is the deal with this Nick, anyway?" wondered Chris, not knowing much about this new guy whom everybody recognised and spoke of highly. On the top of that, Holly herself would like to know the others' opinions.

"Oh man, it's not just a deal, it's it," said Dov. He made a significant pause and continued. "He and Gail, it was epic. Like really, they were disgusting how clingy they were."

"I think it was sweet," spoke up Traci. "They were in love and Nick is a good guy. Pity the superintendent did not see it that way."

"Did she chase him off?" asked Chris again.

"In a way," agreed Traci. "We don't know much about what happened, but when we landed, both Gail and Nick disappeared and in two days Gail came back alone all upset."

"He left her with a note he was going to serve in the Royal Navy," noted Andy quietly. "I think he wanted to prove himself that he was worthy of Gail."

"To be honest, I would do the same," commented Dov. There was a heavy pause. "Well, if I found a girl of my dreams and her parents hated me, I would go to do something heroic all over the seas, so the parents would not see me as a loser but a good match."

"But what about Gail's feelings?" questioned Traci. "Honestly I would kill Jerry if he decided to leave me like that."

"But Nick is back now," said Dov, "with the title of Commander."

"And Gail is married," noted Chris defensively.

"Yeah, well, you know what they say, 'old love never dies'."

That last Andy's comment was like a sharp dagger into Holly's heart. For a moment, she could not take a breath as her chest ached. She took off back to her room where she spent some time pacing. Wild images were running through her head of what her wife might be doing at the other ship with her former lover. She was driving herself crazy but she could not make her brain stop.

The blonde sailor drank another shot of the famous liquor. She did not have much to say at that point.

Funny, the young woman hoped for some closure, but there was nothing new she had not known. She understood the reason Nick wanted to prove himself to her mother, but she also figured out he was scared and searched for an excuse. She really looked at him. It was only two years but he matured, he was calmer and more handsome than before. Then she looked down at the empty shot and started running her finger around the rim. "I was so pissed at you for leaving me like that. We were about to get married in the morning and instead I found an empty bed."

"Let me make it up to you. We were great together," he said pouring them both another shot. "We can be great again, even better. Have a nice wedding with family and friends; settle down either on the sea or on the land as you wish."

She waited until he drank his shot just before he was about to swallowed, Gail admitted, "Bigamy is illegal."

He started coughing heavily as the alcohol was burning his insides. "What? You are married?! To whom?" he was all confused with his eyes red and tears glistening from his coughing.

"To my best friend."

"You and Dov, really?" he asked doubtfully.

"Not exactly. Even though he had a bad moment when he was too drunk and starting singing a serenade to me. But no, not Dov. I have a wife."

"Andy?" he guessed again, this time almost amused.

"Tempting," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "but still a big fat no."

His confusion was priceless and he threw his hands up, giving up in this guessing game. "Who did you marry?"

"She is from my homeland. She was betrothed to a madman. I accepted his challenge for her hand in marriage to get her out of it. My mother wed us."

Nick ignored the shot glass and took a long gulp of rum directly from the bottle. "Your mother likes her already."

"She is interesting, she is smart and she can keep up with me."

"Wait, the tall, sage looking brunette?" he asked realising the two new people he saw on the board of 15th Division. Gail nodded. "Well, she is beautiful indeed." He poured them both another shot. He was still surprised maybe even shocked nevertheless he tried to play it cool. "So, how is the marriage going?"

"Nick, I am not feeding your dirty mind," she sent him an icy glare and tilted her head.

He chuckled. "I wouldn't mind though." He looked up at her. "No, really, how is it going? Are you happy?"

Gail returned her interest back to the glass playing with the rim again, "Yeah, I am in a way. It's just…" she trailed off. She had no idea how to tell her ex that her marriage with someone else had not even been consumed yet and that she had no idea how to proceed to this part of marriage with her best female friend, even though the last kiss totally blew off her mind.

"Just spit it out, maybe I can help. I know you, Gail, I know what you like."

Gail laughed and drank another shot looking her former fiancé up and down pensively. He could definitely help with some part.

After some time of pacing, Holly decided to go on a mission. She was not sure what she wanted to achieve by that but she needed to go. She had no right spying on Gail except that she was her wife but also she was her best friend and she was allowed to do what made her happy.

Still with many thoughts in her mind, Holly sneaked out of the 15th Division and tiptoed on the plank connecting the two ships. It was just then when she realised she had no idea where to look for her pirate girl. And what was she supposed to do when she finally found her? What if it would be in an intimate situation with her used to be fiancé?

There was a rustle heard from the front of the ship, so the healer quickly scanned the floor for the door leading under the deck and jumped in.

Holly started doubting her brilliant mission more with every passing second and step. She heard laughs and drunken talks she wished not to overhear, and she had absolutely no idea where to go. She got lost in the commander's ship with whom they were supposed to fight rough pirates the next day. What a gesture of trust snooping around and hoping to interrupt whatever moment of two lost and found lovers. Just great.

"Looking for something?" someone asked behind her. She would yelp really loud as she was startled but before any high pitched sound escaped her mouth, it was covered with a soft hand. "Sage, be quiet," the same female voice warned her.

Holly finally turned around facing the person for who she was looking. "Gail," she sighed relieved.

"What are you doing here?" the other woman wondered with confusion written all over her face.

"I was looking for you," Holly answered honestly as her heart was beating fast.

"Why?"

"I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Of course I am, but you seem frightened."

"I am fine, great now." She hugged her tightly, which Gail reciprocated awkwardly with one hand as the other was occupied with something. "What were you thinking anyway?"

"I got scared for you; you hadn't been back yet, so I thought I would look for you."

"On a ship you don't know, between people you don't know and who don't know you…?" Gail's doubt was valid, creating a deep frown on her forehead.

One part the physician did not think through was a good reason to go to look for her partner without the subtext of jealousy. Holly usually had think-first, act-later attitude, but obviously it went out of the window when it came to her emotions. "I just wanted to find you, alright?" she barked irritated. "What if he was hurting you?"

"Nick would never do me any harm," the blonde really had no idea what was Holly's point and why she was putting herself in danger at a foreign ship.

"He hurt you when he left you."

"Yeah, well, it was in the past."

"And now? Did you make up?" There was something inside the healer which started bubbling like a weird chemical reaction, and she felt she was about to burst out unless she reduced the heat but she was not able to calm down.

"Are you asking me if we were shagging? You are such a perv."

"Old love never dies. Plus he's your epic love oceans never see."

"Have you been listening to Andy?"

"I overheard something from Dov, yes."

Gail just rolled her eyes. "Let's get out of here." She suggested and threw her pray over her shoulder.

"What is that? A ham? The whole leg?" The piece of meat was a welcome distraction from the recent brain storm yet quite out of the line.

"Oh no, no. It's not a ham, it's the ham. Top tasty Spanish dry ham. After Nick took off his shirt and started singing 'Oh sweet Juliette' to his night candle, I needed something to console my mind, so I visited their storage and nicked this." She smiled proudly.

Once they removed their loot to their own storage the two women returned to their cabin. Holly was upset of not very known reason; well the reason was that her wife decided to spend a good part of the night with someone else, who happened to be the love of her life according to their friends. Holly just could not lie back in the bed next to the other woman, so instead she sat on a chair at the small table drumming her fingers against the top.

Gail on the other hand flung herself on the berth. "That was an exercise."

"Not the first one," commented the healer bitterly.

"What do you mean?" she looked at her companion with a frown.

"Why else would you agree to spend a night with a guy who is your epic love?"

"Unfinished business. To see what was left. I was looking for a closure," Gail shrugged.

"Did you get it?" Immediately Holly regretted that question. She had a pretty good idea what had happened, she did not need to hear it aloud.

"I guess." The blonde turned on her side and looked at the other woman properly. "He was my first… everything. I loved him, I was in love with him, and we had a great time. You see, he is still handsome and charming, maybe more than before, but our ship sailed away and is not coming back. There is nothing to come back for anyway." She shrugged again.

Hearing that, the physician's posture visibly relaxed. "Oh really?"

"Yeah," Gail sat up and grinned. "Speaking of firsts, you never told me your story."

"There is not much to say," she answered looking anywhere but her partner.

"Oh, come on. Let's start easily, first kiss."

The brunette laughed out loud throwing her head back. "Now, you really don't want to know that."

"I really do," Gail insisted on her question. She got a vibe that this might be a great way to get to know her friend from a bit different perspective and who knew what could come out of it.

The physician blushed. "It was with Lisa."

"What!?" wondered the sailor before started laughing hysterically. "Please tell me you did not fancy that snob."

"Actually, it was when she met her husband; she proposed this 'practice' to learn how to kiss properly because 'A great smooch is a beginning of a great sex', she said."

The blonde kept laughing. "She had a point though." Her laughs turned into a wide smile as she continued her interrogation. "Alright, with whom else did you practice? Or was it an actual kiss?"

"Chris," replied Holly. Well, it was understandable, her friend suspected it anyway. "But it was more of a curiosity. We heard what a nice couple we make and when do we plan to make it official and stuff. So we tried, but kissing Chris was not better than kissing Lisa."

"He is cute though," admitted the sailor. They would make a nice couple for sure alas there was a big relief that the relationship did not work out.

"He really is like my brother more than anything else."

"So third time is a charm?" guessed the younger of them.

"I don't know yet," she grinned her typical lop-sided smile. Gail raised her eyebrows in question. "It's you."

"Hm, you kissed more people than me."

"And still I was intimate with less."

"I only slept with Nick." Holly just shrugged. Then the wheels started rotating really fast in Gail's brain. "Really? I don't believe you. Holly, you are clever, you are beautiful and really fit in a sexy way. Guys must have been falling at your feet. Surly there was some you liked."

"Well, guys got up on their own feet pretty fast and ran very far away when they found out I was Ross Perik's fiancée."

"He didn't claim you for five years," opposed the blonde.

"Gail, what do you think Ross would do if he found out I was not virtuous?" It was a rhetorical question and the said woman started seeing the bigger picture. "Most probably he would kill Chris first since he was the highest possibility of taking away my virtue. Then he would capture and torture my parents to get to me. And then only Lord knows what experiments he would practice on me. Once he would be done, he might eliminate like half of the town."

"That's really graphic and true." Gail agreed. She looked her partner up and down. There was something about her on what the blonde could not put a finger, yet she felt the need to be close but first of all, she wanted her to enjoy the life. "But the madman is no more, so you can be free now. Just let me know and I will be your wing-woman."

"Yeah, right," she noted dryly.

"No, I am serious. However, it must be from the bottom of your heart."

"You are such a sap, Pirate," the physician chuckled with her typical smile.

"Nope, I am vicious and cruel. But I really like you and I want you to be happy. If you tell anyone, I will deny I have ever said that."

"I am happy."

"Anyway," she stood up, grinned foxily and with an extra swag of her hips she approached her sitting mate. "What did the snobbish friend of yours said about a great kiss and a great sex? Practice makes perfect after all," with that comment she straddled Holly on the chair.

"So you think I need more practice?" the healer chuckled again with a mischief spark in her eyes.

"I didn't say you need it, I just recommend it," Gail dropped her voice, looking at those tempting lips. She would be doomed not to find an excuse to kiss them again. Her mind blowing experience from the morning left her longing for more of that electrify feeling. She cupped Holly's cheeks and leant in closing the distance between them. True to her expectation, her body was humming at the contact. She felt one hand sneak to her back holding her close, while the other hand ran into her hair just above her nape to deepen the kiss. Gail moaned in pleasure, slid her fingers into the dark chestnut mane and drank the feeling as it was the only fresh water spring in the middle of the ocean. Well, it kind of was.

thank you for reading :)

constructive criticism and comments are welcome