A/N: We are so sorry that it's taken so long to get this next chapter out. Finals Week is coming up, so it's getting harder for Liz and I to get together to write. So we apologize ahead of time for the slowing down of updates during the next week or two. Hopefully, you can forgive us. For now, we hope you enjoy this next chapter, Liz especially!

Chapter 16

Later that night when Jack walked into the cabin, he found Allie curled up on the window seat, reading one of her new books.

"Which book is that, luv?" he asked.

"What?" Allie asked, looking up. Jack smiled and repeated his question.

"Don Quixote," Allie said, going back to her book, clearly not wanting to be disturbed.

Jack shook his head. How anyone could find reading so interesting was beyond him. He walked over to his desk and started mapping out their next course. The only sounds that could be heard was the sound of the water lapping peacefully against the side of the ship, the scratching of the quill against the map, and the occasional sound of a page being turned.

After a while, Jack noticed that he hadn't heard a page being turned for about 15 minutes. He looked up and smiled. Allie was fast asleep, leaning against the window, her book resting in her lap, one finger holding her place. Jack stood up, blew out the candles on the table, walked over, carefully took the book from her, marked her place with a spare piece of parchment, and placed it on the table. He then tenderly picked her up, carried her over to the bed, and set her down gently. He stretched out next to her, blew out the candle that was next to the bed, covered them both up with the heavy blanket, wrapped an arm around her, and fell asleep as well.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Liz tossed and turned in bed, trying to get comfortable. Two hours had passed since she exhaustedly laid down for the night, but she hadn't felt even a tiny bit tired since. Her new nightgown was twisted around her body from moving so much. She closed her eyes again, hoping to finally enter dreamland.

It was no use; she just couldn't sleep. Her mind was on the man sleeping in the bunk above her. She couldn't stop thinking about Will. They had become very good friends over the past months. They had shared good times and bad with each other. Liz felt as if she could tell him anything. Almost anything that is. She listened to the evenness of his breathing in sleep. Then rolled over again.

Why am I here? Am I ever going to get back home? Have my feelings for Will changed? Can I ever trust another guy again? There where so many questions going through her brain, questions that had been puzzling her lately, especially the last two. She felt so confused.

Liz flopped back to her other side and let out a sigh. She laid still for a moment and heard Will moving in his sleep. She sat up quickly and pulled the curtain back. She needed air she decided.

Liz got out of bed and the ruffle of her nightgown fell to her ankles. She stepped into her slippers and made her way up on deck.

The sky was clear and she could see the stars perfectly. There was a slight breeze blowing her hair and gown but they were now sailing in warmer climates, so she wasn't too cold. The water around her was calm and silent. It was so peaceful Liz was almost tempted to stay up every night so she could come up and have a moment to herself.

Standing by the rail she hummed a soft song and swayed in the wind. Soon she was dancing slowly around the deck, nightgown twirling, in her own fantasy world. The next thing Liz knew she was encircled by two arms and the dance was being led by someone else. Liz looked up into chestnut brown eyes. She tried to pull back, unsuccessfully, as the strong arms held her tighter.

"Will, what are you doing?" Liz asked shakily as her stomach did flip-flops. He smiled down at her.

"I'm doing you a favor, Princess. Do you know how silly you looked dancing here all alone without a partner?" Will answered as he continued leading her around. Liz tried again to escape, but Will wouldn't allow it. "I'm sorry I interrupted you, but stop being so stubborn and just dance with me, Liz. It will be fun." he said as he pulled her even closer.

Fun is not the word Liz would use to describe what was going on. More like sweet torture, she thought to herself. She could feel the electricity buzzing between their barely touching bodies. She needed to go. Right now before she did something they would both regret later. But she wasn't ready to give it all up just yet so she'd let Will have his fun. She heard him say something.

"Pardon me, what was that?" She asked looking up at him. She hadn't even realized they had stopped dancing.

"I said it's a nice ni…" He stopped talking when their eyes met. With out breaking eye contact he pulled her into him so that their bodies were touching. Will leaned down and gently kissed her lips.

For a split second Liz was in heaven. Then senses returned to her and she pulled back and stared at him with parted lips, breathing slightly heavier than she was before. He stared right back at her with yearning. Finally she turned away. Will captured her chin and lifted it so she'd have to look at him again. What she saw shocked her. Liz didn't think she could take this if it were a joke.

"Will, I don't like to be toyed with. My heart has already been broken once."

"Liz, can you not tell?" he asked grabbing her face with both hands.

"Tell what?"

"How I feel about you." He dropped one hand from her cheek and grabbed hers and placed it over his heart. "You've been driving me crazy for months. I can't get you out of my head, no matter how hard I try." Liz sucked in a breath.

"Don't lead me on, Will. You said you only wanted to be friends." He pulled her close once more.

"I lied," he said with a smile and lowered his head for another kiss more passionate than any either of them had ever experienced.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Allie walked into the kitchen as usual, but was surprised to find Will working instead of Liz.

"Morning, Mr. Turner," Allie said, startling Will. He turned around.

"Good morning, Allie," Will said, going back to work. "May I inquire as to the reason you are here?" Allie grinned at his choice of words.

"Well, I always come here before breakfast to visit with Liz, but you're not Liz. Where is she?"

"Still sleeping. I did not wish to wake her." Allie raised an eyebrow. There was something…different about Will this morning, but she wasn't sure what.

"Well, if you don't want to wake her, I will," she said, and turned to leave. Will grabbed her arm.

"No!" he practically yelled. Then he calmed down. "I mean…let her sleep for a while longer. She had an…eventful night." Allie crossed her arms over her chest.

"Is there something that you're not tellin' me, Mr. Tuner?" she inquired.

"What makes you say that?" Will asked, trying to sound casual. He and Liz had come to an agreement last night to keep their new relationship under wraps for awhile.

"Oh, you know. Just the fact that you're cooking breakfast and letting Liz sleep in." Allie said suspiciously.

"No. She was tired last night, remember? I thought she could use a break. Besides, what's wrong with me doing something nice for a friend." Will said, hoping Allie would buy it.

"Nothing at all. Are you giving her the whole day off or just breakfast?"

"Just breakfast. I figured most of the crew is still on land so she wasn't needed yet," Will said, steering Allie towards the door. Allie laughed.

"Are you tryin' to get rid of me, Mr. Turner?" she asked jokingly.

"Now what makes you think that?" Will asked, now trying to shut the door in Allie's face. Allie rolled her eyes.

"Alright, I'm going. But I warn you: Liz will be much easier to crack. I will find out what's going on between the two of ye," Allie threatened. Will tried to look unconcerned.

"Well, good luck with that, considering the fact that there's nothing going on." Without giving Allie a chance to reply, Will shut the door.

He sighed. This wouldn't be as easy to hide as he'd thought.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

An hour later, Allie barged into Liz's cabin, not caring if her friend was awake or not.

Liz was sitting up in bed, a tray across her lap, enjoying the breakfast that Will had prepared for her. She looked up knowingly as Allie approached.

"I've been waiting for you," she said. Allie was surprised.

"How'd you know I was comin'?" she asked. Liz shrugged.

"Will told me you'd probably drop by. I had a feeling you'd want to talk."

"You're right-I do want to talk."

"Well, you're wasting your time; there's nothing to talk about."

"Oh come on, Liz. Since when does Will let you sleep in and make you breakfast in bed?" She paused for a moment. "What's going on between you two?" Liz responded with the pre-determined answer she and Will came up with.

"In answer to the first question, Will makes breakfast in bed and lets me sleep in since I used my charm to get what I want. I do that with everybody, not just Will; you know that. I was tired so I begged him."

"You are awful!" Allie said; then she grinned mischievously. "Could you use it on Jack to get me a day off?" Liz just looked at her friend doubtfully.

"I don't think my charms work that well."

"Oh well. It was worth a shot. Anyway, you still haven't answered my second question: What's going on between the two of you?"

"Absolutely nothing except friendship."

"Liz, how dumb do you think I am?" Seeing the look Liz gave her, Allie held up a hand. "You know what? Don't answer that." Liz looked at her friend but not quite in the eyes.

"There's really nothing going on."

"Are you sure?" Liz hated lying to her friend but Will and herself weren't ready to tell people yet.

"Positive."