A/n: I'm sorry if this chapter sucks. I just really wanted for something good to happen… so much for having resting time in the story. Well, tell me what you think. Hope you enjoy it!

D.H.R.- I'm going to put Cassio back in soon, congrats again on getting the part!

Chapter 16:

Pirates

"How long until we reach Belmont?" Adam asked while looking over the vast ocean. The young man next to him shrugged and walked away, leaving Adam completely alone on deck. He sighed deeply as he thought of Emma. He wondered if she had even gotten to Belmont. Surely she would've found Bassanio. But he was still worried. He had never felt so worried before, for anyone.

Bassanio's Ship

Emma sat with Bassanio for the longest time, late into the night until a young man, no more than her own age knocked at the door. "Sir," the young man said looking at Emma, though he was talking to Bassanio, "there is another ship on the horizon, possibly pirates."

Emma looked up at him, he jutted his glance down to the floor as Bassanio jumped up from the bed and grabbed his sword. Before leaving the room he stopped and turned towards Emma, "Lock the door, and don't answer it for anyone," he walked to her and grabbed both her hands, "Do you understand, Emma? Not for anyone."

He raised his hand and wiped a last tear from her cheek and traced the curves of her face to her chin. She couldn't think of anything else to say but "Be careful." Bassanio quickly kissed her and ran out the door leaving Emma alone in the room. She quickly ran to the door and pushed the lock down.

Bassanio ran on the upper deck and looked at the ship. It was getting closer by the second. He examined the flag. Pirates. The young man jutted to the other side of the deck and rang a loud bell awaking all the soldiers in the lower decks.

Emma pushed her back against the wall, she felt like she had to do something, but also felt like she couldn't do anything. She sat on the bed and concentrated on the sounds of the men running up the stairs and grouping on deck. Soon there was perfect silence on deck. It seemed like forever until the first sounds of men running on deck, swiftly followed by the sounds of swords clanking.

Emma rushed to the window to look out; all she could see was the sea. The pirate ship must've come from the other side. She turned around trying to find a way to help, anything to help. It was then that she saw Bassanio's cloths hanging in the closet, and a sword leaning against the wall. "Lord help me," she said picking up the sword.

Bassanio unsheathed his sword and stood ready. Men all around where fighting. Finally the pirates broke through the front lines to where he was. A full battle was abroad.

Emma braided her hair tightly and picked up the sword. She pulled to the braid tight over the sword slicing it off just below her jaw line. Then she pulled on Bassanio's cloths, they were big but nothing a belt wouldn't hold up. The problem was that there was no belt, so she used some old rope she found scattered on the floor. Then she threw on a loose white shirt and a hat to cover her face.

She rushed to the window and shoved it open. She weaseled her way out of it getting stuck only briefly at the hips. She sat on the window ledge with her upper body out of the ship; it was only a little ways up to the deck of the ship. First she pulled the sword she used to cut her hair and threw it on deck. Then by grabbing the sides she pulled herself up on deck fully.

On the deck the first thing she saw was Bassanio, fighting like she had only seen in movies. She fought the urge to run and help him; instead she picked up the sword and fought off the first man who charged her.

Emma wasn't very good at fighting, that was evident when more than once one of the other sailors on her ship turned around to help her fight the man she couldn't get rid of.

It wasn't until one of the pirates knocked off her hat that anyone even noticed that she was a girl. Emma knew she was in trouble, the nasty dog she was fighting smiled smugly at the sight of her. Even though she was fighting the best she could it was obvious that this pirate wasn't trying to kill her.

She hit his sword as hard as she could, knocking it out of his hand. She was so happy that she made the mistake of looking at the sword she had hit away, thus giving time for the pirate himself to pull out a dagger and grab her.

Emma dropped her blade as she struggled against the pirate's strength it was useless. With the dagger at her neck the pirate pulled her up to where the steering wheel of the ship was, above the fighting crowd. He held her so her back was up against him, so the crowd below would be able to see her.

"You must be the captain's little wife, eh?" he said into her ear. She could smell his breath, the strong smell of decomposition and rotting. She tried to jerk away but her resistance was futile against his brute strength.

"I'm not his wife!" she said still trying to break free. "I'm just a servant girl," she said trying to make it seem like she was worth nothing.

Down below a young man ran up to Bassanio, "Lord Bassanio," he said out of breath, "It's Miss Emma!" He pointed to where the pirate still held her.

The pirate pushed the dagger closer to her throat, "Then it won't matter if I kill you, eh?" the words had barely passed his lips when Bassanio's voice carried from below. He was yelling Emma's name, completely giving away her story.

"Oh, so ya are worth something, aren't ye?" the pirate said with a smug voice just as Bassanio reached where they both stood.

"Let her go!" he yelled pointing his sword directly at the pirate's one good eye.

"Bassanio don't!" Emma yelled with the dagger still at her neck. The pirate smiled and shoved Emma aside. She hit the floor and turned immediately to see Bassanio. She was so worried that she didn't even worry about the cut on her neck where the dagger had been.

Bassanio and the pirate fought hard for the longest time. Emma found the sword she had dropped and rushed back up to where Bassanio was fighting. She watched and waited until the right moment, when the pirate would turn his back to her and she could kill him. That moment didn't come until the pirate stabbed Bassanio in the chest!

In pure panic Emma screamed and ran up, stabbing the pirate with full force. When all the other pirates saw they fled back to their own ship. As they were fleeing Emma ran to Bassanio's side. He was awake, but just barely holding on.

Emma held his head up with her hands and propped his body over her knees. "Bassanio?" she said pushing her hand through his hair, "Bassanio please, just stay awake…" she felt the tears coming again as she pleaded.

Bassanio reached up his hand and wiped away her tears, just the way he had before. "I'm here, Emma." He said just before he closed his eyes.

"Bassanio!" she yelled pulling his body closer to hers.

Belmont

"What do you mean they haven't arrived yet?" Adam yelled to Portia.

"What I mean is, they aren't here!" she yelled back.

Adam bust through the front doors of Portia's house, "When they get here, keep them here!" he said walking through the gardens.

Bassanio's ship

Bassanio opened his eyes slowly. He was in his room again, on the ship. He knew everything that had happened, how he almost died but all he could think about was Emma, and if she were okay or not. He raised his head off the fluffy pillows and saw Emma, asleep with her head resting on his knee.

He smiled briefly and laid his head back down on the pillows. The movement awoke Emma who immediately jumped to see him.

"Bassanio, are you alright? Are-are you okay, how do you feel? Is there anything I can do? Are-"

Bassanio cut her off, "I'm fine Emma," he laughed weakly, "I'm fine." Emma bit her bottom lip and forced a smile. She looked down at his abdomen, wrapped in white cloth. She ran her hand across it. She felt like it was all her fault. She felt horrible about it, she knew she shouldn't have been out there but she went anyways. Good intentions sometimes don't turn out as good as you plan them. That's what her father used to always tell her. She missed him, but she couldn't think about that right now when her only friend here almost died.

"Emma," Bassanio interrupted, "What's wrong, Emma"

Emma jerked her gaze back up to his face but let her hand still rest on his abdomen, "I'm sorry, Bassanio," she said.

"What are you saying sorry for Emma?" Bassanio winced in pain, he wasn't sure if it was from the wound or Emma.

"I know I shouldn't have been there, I should've listened to you, I'm so sorry," she rested her head on his chest. She could feel him breathing, slightly faster than normal.

"Emma, it's not your fault, you were trying to help." He picked up a strand of her shortened hair, "Besides, if it wasn't for you, that man would've killed me. I'm glad you were there."

Emma stood up quickly and dutiful, "I'll go get some warm water and clean bandages," she turned and quickly left the room. Once the door closed she put down the bucket of cooled water and rested her back against the wall. "I can't be falling for him," she told herself over Andover in her mind. She heard a noise from within the room and quickly rushed off to the upper deck.

Bassanio sat up cautiously and rubbed his forehead, "I can't fall for her," he kept telling himself.