Thanks to:

TotallyRiddickObsessed – yeah don't we all?

FluidDegree – guilt has to play a part somewhere

blondevor – glad you like it, it will appear later too!

BabyKat – I like keeping him unpredictable and prone to anger swings.

Chapter XXXII: Anger Management, maybe?

Liege shifted to find herself in the warm embrace of Kell, who protectively held her against him. Closing her eyes, she experienced a brief moment of bliss, hoping she could have the rest of her life this way, waking up in Kell's arms.

She turned around in his embrace and nuzzled beneath his chin, gently waking him up. Smiling at his gruff morning voice that voiced lengthy complaints about being woken up, she silenced him with a short, but sweet kiss.

With the noise stopped, he dragged a hand down his face then raked it through his messy red hair. His glittering blue eyes sparkled down at her.

"I must be dreamin'. Liege? In me bed?" He asked, not taking his eyes off of her face.

"This is reality, luv." She replied softly, pressing up against him and purring deeply, making sure the vibrations got through his body. Liege almost crowed in delight when she felt herself being wrapped up in his strong arms.

"Chroist, Liege, what the 'ell am I goin' to tell O'Calhern?" He muttered, speaking into her hair.

"Tell 'em to go fuck 'imself, thas what." She gruffed in reply, wishing that they were actually in Imam's house, not some rebellious overlord's ship that he stole.

"I 'ave, many times. So, ye got a plan?" He asked, pulling back from her and sitting up, causing her to stretch out over his lap.

"Er, aye I do. I suppose."

"'n what does 'suppose' mean?"

"Well, ye see, 'm waitin' for me friends to come up with one first, then see wha' 'appens." She reaffirmed, trying not to grin at Kell's raised eyebrow.

"Great plan, Liege."

"Oh shut it, Kell, at least it is one." She snapped, swatting his head, which he easily ducked. He pinned her to the bed and was going to tickle her when he was roughly pulled down into a searing kiss that he was sure only Liege could give.

As the gesture deepened, Liege had no idea where this was going, she never thought she would see Kell again. Threading her fingers through his short hair she tried to pull him even closer. She wasn't sure if was more a desperate need or a real desire, but she continued nonetheless.

Both were heaving, their lungs clawing for oxygen, as if they had just drowned in each other's passions. Kell got off the bed and ran his hand through his hair again while Liege sat up, hoping her lips weren't too swollen.

"Kell, 'm goin' to save da. 'n 'm going to save ye too." She suddenly said, making him whip around and coldly judge her with his bright eyes.

Her golden copper ones shone right back at him, and she was sad to see the doubt, fear and apprehension that clouded the normally clear eyes.

"Yer da's more important then me, get 'im first, I can take care of meself." He growled, walking out the door and locking it behind him.

She snarled at his sudden departure and decided it was time to become a little more familiar with the ship. Not caring about how much noise she might make, she pulled herself up into the ventilation system again and hoped she could find some sort of food along the way.

Liege snorted when she dropped down into the kitchen. Somehow it didn't surprise her how many beer cans and bottles were left around the room. She doubted that they might even have any real food as she rooted through the cabinets.

Kneeling on the counter she began to just throw things out of the cabinets and carelessly let them drop to the floor behind her.

"Empty beer can, empty beer can, empty beer can, receipt for shipments of beer, beer can, beer can…" she began to growl at the lack of food.

"Find anything?" a voice spoke from behind and she swore, taking the beer can in her hand and throwing it with a direct hit on the persons head.

"Oh chroist! Kell, 'm sorry!" she said quickly, slipping off the counter and walking over to him where he was leaned over, rubbing his head.

"Is fine, Liege, just next time-" he was cut short as her knee made a solid crack with his face. "YE FUCKIN' BITCH!" He roared, lunging at her and she easily stepped to the side.

"Yeah, next time before more careful as to what ye say, ye fuckin' bastard." She mocked, laughing as he slipped on an empty beer can, causing him to fall flat on the floor.

Stalking out of the room, she ignored his angry shouts. Turning down what seemed to be a main hallway, she sighed in relief as the noise from the kitchen faded into the background hum of the ship.

Silently approaching the deck, she saw O'Calherns back facing her along with a few other men, who she didn't recognize. 'Well, those will be the first to go.' Liege thought, taking a deep breath of air.

"O'CALHERN!" she yelled, causing him and the surrounding men to jump. Breathing unevenly, he turned and glared at Liege who glared right back at him. "I want to talk to me da."

"Ye didn't 'ave to shout." He countered, walking over to her.

"Aye, I think I did. An old man like yerself wouldn't be able to 'ear me otherwise. 'm surprised ye can still walk." She taunted, making him bare his teeth in annoyance.

"If ye weren't old power, I'd be 'avin' me wicked way with ye right now, ye stupid whore." He threatened, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I'll be tellin' me da ye said that." She replied, not the least bit worried by O'Calhern's threat. "Tha' 'n how badly ye've treated me."

"Ye can't scare me, ye little lassie." He said, smirking as he crossed his arms over his chest. She was internally infuriated by his lack of respect but she knew she couldn't expect anything more from him.

"Just wait, O'Calhern," she hissed, spitting his name like it was bile. "Ye will get yer due, and trust me, ye will regret ever gettin' near me family."

He startled at the controlled ferocity in her voice and briefly wondered if such a thing could happen. Shaking it out of his head, he gave the signal to patch through a network to her father.

'Doubt. This is a very good thing.' Liege thought as she saw the betraying emotion flicker across O'Calherns face. 'Just makes it that much easier to put 'im back in 'is place.'

She put aside these thoughts as her father appeared on the screen. He looked a little better than previously, but she still felt a pang of worry at his haggard face.

"Da I-"

"O'Calhern, I order ye to leave the room immediately. 'n take yer henchmen with ye." His voice ordered, making Liege relax, her da was still there inside that weakened man she saw chained in a dark room.

"Ye can't-"

"Leave or is yer prick slammed down yer throat in the mornin'." Liege snarled, putting a blade directly at O'Calherns hip level.

Swallowing deeply, he nodded weakly and he and the other men left quickly. Liege smirked and resheathed her blade, glad that she had that advantage over the men.

"A little cruel, don't ye think?" Her father asked, making her redirect her vision towards him. "But ye got the job done, so ye 'ave a plan?"

"Aye, tha' I do." She said, switching to Gaelic. Their family was the last remaining Irish one that still spoke Gaelic. An ancient language it was nearly impossible to translate unless one was completely fluent in it.

"And what would it be?" He asked, switching to their natural language.

"'m going to kill O'Calhern 'n take over. Me allies will help with tha', 'n then we'll come home 'n reflip the power. Easy."

"Yer still a young lass, Liege. How do ye think yer goin' to kill 'im?" He shook his head, making her face fall. This wasn't how she hoped he was going to respond to this.

"In combat. Me friends will rescue me 'n durin' the fight I'll corner the bastard 'n kill 'im. Simple." She answered, her eyebrows twitching as she heard the clashing movement of chains behind him.

"I don't think I can do anything to stop ye, so good luck." He replied, seemingly the old tired-out leader that he was the first time she talked to him.

"Da, I will get ye out. 'n I will restore honor to our family. 'm goin' to die tryin'." She swore, making him close his eyes in sadness and fear.

"I can't loose ye and yer mum in such an honorable death, Liege." He said quietly, not looking at the screen.

"Ye said she died from an epidemic, da." Liege instantly replied, wondering if he would reveal any more information from the past of her mother. She had been told shortly after she was born, her mother had disappeared for a short while. Then, after she returned, she was struck down by a disease that kept mutating, making it impossible to cure.

"She did, Liege. But if ye both died it would be in the process of protectin' someone or something." He explained quietly, still not looking at his daughters face.

"Da, 'm not plannin' on dyin'. 'sides, I need to keep Kell alive." She was surprised when her father jerked his head up at the mention of Kell.

"Has he told ye…"

"Aye, he has. 'n…er…well…" Liege faltered, knowing she should tell her father about the closeness of her relationship with Kell, but not entirely sure how to go about doing it.

"Spit it out, lass." He growled, annoyed at her lack of ability to talk.

"Short version?"

"Aye."

"Plan on him bein' yer son-in-law soon." Liege said quickly, hoping that would be enough to clue him in. She smiled at his face that turned into confusion, thought then realization.

"Yer not with child, are ye?" He asked dead serious. That would complicate everything.

"No!" Liege defensively yelled. "We 'aven't even…" she gestured vaguely with her hands and her father raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Good. I'll be talkin' to 'im when ye get back then." He stated, his voice in full majesty, as if protecting his daughter, the princess of the universe. "How is he now?"

"In the med bay, I'd imagine."

"Pardon?"

"'e pissed me off, so I roughed 'im up a bit. Might be a broken nose, but I don't think I hit 'im square on." She explained thoughtfully, wondering just how beat up Kell was. She really did like him, but she wasn't going to stand for being talked down to.

"Liege, I know we're Irish, but ye've got to control tha' temper." He warned, sounding like a normal father, instead of a father who was an overlord of a huge family of organized crime.

"'e deserve it, da. 'e really did. 'ad it comin' to him from systems away. He'll be fine, no worries. Ye goin' to be alright?" She changed the subject, glad to even be able to talk to her father.

"Fine, now I believe yer pissin' off O'Calhern, so I'll be waitin' for ye to break me out of 'ere." His voice was full of humor, just how she wanted to hear it.

"Course I will. O'CALHERN GET YER LAZY ARSE IN 'ERE!" she shouted, switching back to English. Smirking and waving as the startled leader began to cut the connection, she felt happy when her father winked at her.