A/n: Sorry about all the chapters getting longer, I'm just trying to get a point across! Thank you to all who have reviewed lately… in short no one but thanks anyways!

Chapter 17:

Surprised

Emma stood outside of Bassanio's door, she was supposed to bring him warm water and new bandages almost an hour ago. But now for some reason didn't feel like she could be herself around him, maybe it wasn't that, maybe it was that she was scared. Not of him but how she acted around him.

The ship swayed forcing a small bit of water to splash out of the bucket and onto the floor. The ship was moving again; they had stopped it for what seemed like forever because of Bassanio's wounds. She placed her hand on the doorknob and twisted slowly but quickly let go. She did this same routine until she heard someone coming up the hallway, then she nearly threw herself into Bassanio's room.

Bassanio was sitting upright on his bed. He had pulled the table with the maps on it in front of him so he could work without having to stand. It hurt him to stand, Emma could tell by the look in his eyes. He looked at her briefly, smiled and then went back to his work, with out a word.

"I'm sorry it took so long… I was… uh," she looked around the room as if that would give her a good excuse.

"You were standing outside the door," Bassanio said without looking up.

Emma set the bucket down near the door where she was standing, "I'm sorry," she looked down at the floor, covered in water. Bassanio just nodded and kept to his work. Emma swallowed hard and pulled the bucket of cold water and clean bandages over to the bed. She didn't sit on the bed, suddenly aware of how improper it was. Modesty had gotten the best of her.

"Dose it hurt to stand?" Emma asked looking at the bandages that where bleeding through.

"If it didn't hurt I would be standing doing this, would I not?" Emma felt like a stupid schoolgirl. She looked down, slightly from embarrassment. She held up the clean bandages to nonverbally tell him what she had come here to do. He looked up and pushed the table away, not very far but Emma could pull it the rest out of the way.

Emma, after pulling the table away, kneeled in front of Bassanio. It was then that she noticed how hard he was breathing; it must have hurt terribly to just sit like this. Emma thought, it would be harder but she knew she could do it if he were lying down. Besides, she didn't want him in so much pain.

Finally she blurted out, "Lay down, Bassanio."

His face suddenly became slightly defensive, "Why? Do you think I'm to weakened to sit upright now?"

Emma suddenly felt defensive too, "That's not what I was saying at all! I can just tell that it hurts!" She yelled back at him.

"Oh, so know you know everything about me don't you Emma?" he yelled placing a hand on his side.

"That's not what I'm trying to say! I'm just trying to help!"

"Well if you wanted to help why didn't you just stay below deck?"

"Because I was worried about you!" Emma rested her head in one of her hands.

"So now I can't even win a sword fight in your mind?"

Emma jerked her head up from its resting place, "Now you're just talking out of your ass, Bassanio!"

"I'm sorry," a look of confusion suddenly came over his face, "I'm not familiar with that expression." He shook it off, "Why didn't you just listen to me?" he yelled.

"We've already been over this! I'm sorry; I've said I'm sorry! What more do you want me to do?"

"How about listen to me next time?" Bassanio clutched his side and winced in pain, the stress wasn't helping, Emma was sure of that. She didn't want to counter, although she still had a lot left in her. Instead she shook her head and dipped the clean bandages into the water.

She reached for the bandages wrapped around Bassanio, in order to change them but he jerked away, "Stop, Emma! Just stop!" he said, not quite yelling but loader than a regular conversation.

Emma couldn't stand it anymore; she stood up and threw the bandages back into the water, "Fine! Do it your self!" she yelled as she walked out the door and slammed it behind her.

"Fine!" Bassanio yelled at the closed door, "I will!"

Emma slung the door back open; "You are such an ASSHOLE!" she yelled and then slammed the door shut again. For the first time in forever she felt completely like her old self again.

A sailor mopping the hallway looked up at Emma, "Having a bit of trouble are we?" a wide smile covered his face. Emma rolled her eyes and walked to her room. She slammed the door so loudly it could've awakened the dead.

Bassanio lay down in his bed, all awhile still clutching his side. It didn't take long for him to realize that he shouldn't have said such cruel things, even if he was thinking them, which he wasn't. He knew Emma was the one to thank for saving his very life. Even though she was the reason he had to fight that one pirate, she was also the reason he was still alive. None of his crew would've known how to take care of him from a wound like that, and there was no doctor on board. He owed her his life and yet he yelled at her while she was trying to help him. He didn't know what she meant when she called him an asshole but he sure felt like one.

Emma was having just as much trouble getting to sleep, and this time it wasn't because of her bed. Guilt was getting the best of her now, screw modesty! She was now not only the reason for his wound but also for his pain. She turned around and faced the wall. It took a long time but she soon fell asleep.

She felt like she had been asleep for hours, but it was still pitch black outside. She knew it was still nighttime, or possibly real early mourning. What had awakened her though? She sat perfectly still and listened; she could hear the sounds of irregular footsteps outside in the hallway. It sounded like the way you would imagine a drunk walking.

She still sat perfectly still; she heard the door creak open and then, "Emma?" a weak voice bellowed through the room. She knew at once that it was Bassanio. She knew he would be weaker from the walk down the hall, as short as it was for her it would seem like miles to him. She jetted to the door and grabbed him just before he collapsed.

She used all her strength to pull him to her bed and lay him down, "Bassanio, wait here, I'll go get the clean bandages!" She said in a hurry after feeling his wet side.

"Emma wait!" Bassanio said while grabbing her hand, "I'm sorry, that's why I came here, not because of the bandages, because I'm truly sorry about everything."

Emma put her hand on his forehead, the way her mother used to when she was young. "You have a fever, probably from infection, wait here," she rushed out of the room while ignoring Bassanio's weak calls.

She rushed back with the water and bandages no more than thirty seconds later. She kneeled near her bed, where Bassanio lay, and gently started to unravel the bandages around him. It was hard with him lying down but she could tell it hurt enough as it was. Bassanio winced again in pain now that he was completely uncovered.

Emma winced at the sight of the wound, "You need new stitches." It was exactly what she feared. She ran her fingers delicately over the raised wound. He took in a shallow breath as she did, forcing her to pull her hand away. She walked to the other side of her room, where she had left the needle and thread that she used last time to stitch him. The only thing different was the fact that last time she did this he wasn't awake.

Emma placed one finger on both sides of the split piece of skin and was ready, but Bassanio stopped her by placing his hand over hers. He wasn't sure what to say but some how Emma got the message by just looking at him; he was grateful, beyond belief.

He raised his hand and turned his face to the wall. Emma cautiously pushed the needle through. She wasn't sure who it hurt more, herself or Bassanio. When she was finally finished Bassanio sat up, slowly and with great pain. Emma wiped the gash down with a cold wet cloth, sending goose bumps al the way up his side.

Emma began to wrap the wound with the clean cloth. When she was done she tucked the end in the top of the bandages. The clean white bandages even looked better than the browned old ones he had before.

Bassanio looked down at Emma, who was still kneeling down, cleaning up the old bandages scattered on the floor. He couldn't think of why but for some reason she looked much older. He reached down and started picking up the bandages on the floor to help but had to sit back up because of the pain. Emma stood when she saw this and sat beside him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, then realized right after what a stupid question that was.

Bassanio looked up and flashed a weary smile, "Just perfect," he said sarcastically. Then he grew more serious, "I'm so sorry, Emma, I shouldn't have yelled at you that way back in my room, it was my fault… completely,"

Emma stopped him, "It wasn't your fault," she stumbled over her words, "I should've listened to you," she stuffed the old bandages into a corner of the room along with the bucket. Then she returned to the bed and sat next to Bassanio. Everything was silent for the longest time.

Bassanio, searching for something to talk about looked around the room, "I can't believe I allowed you to sleep in this room," he placed his hand on the hard bed and laughed, "No wonder you couldn't sleep."

Emma looked around, "It's not so bad, once you get used to it." Bassanio stood up and tried to straighten himself, Emma stood up next to him and reached to try to help. She slung his arm around her shoulders and did her best to escort him back to his room.

In his room only one candle was burning and submitting only little light to the room. Emma struggled over to his bed and set him down gently. Emma thought for a second that he would lay right down but instead he fought the urge and stayed sitting upright.

She leaned against the desk and looked at him. Then flashed back to reality quickly, "You need your sleep," she said picking up the candle, "I'll see you tomorrow." She rushed to the door but Bassanio's voice called her back.

"Emma wait! You don't have to go," He tried to stand but sat back down quickly. It obviously hurt him, she could tell. She rushed back over to him and kneeled in front of him.

"Are you okay?" she said putting both hands on his knees. He looked at her and without answering placed his left hand on her cheek. He slowly leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then lifted her chin and kissed her lips. Emma pulled away slowly and opened her eyes, then quickly jerked her glance down. The last time this had happened it was a disaster. She recalled the night in the wagon and half waited from the shock to come after this kiss too. There was none.

She looked up at Bassanio who seemed to be examining her. She leaned forward and quickly kissed him, then just as fast stood up and grabbed the candle again. "I've got to go," she said rushing out of the room before Bassanio could say anything else.