A/N: Woa! It has been a year and four months since I've updated this story which is incredibly crazy to me! 1.Because it took me absolutely no time to write this chapter thought it did take a lot of thought and effort & 2. because I had such an amazing review response for this fic: 14 reviews for only 2 chaps. Which is great. To any returning readers I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the first 2 chapters and I hope that you would accept my apology and endure this process with me while I get my Fan Fiction bearings back again and regain my writer's touch back from the bit of writer's block I was experiencing for that long time. Thank you all very much and please review. I would appreciate that so very much.

With her skirts in her hand Maria ran the long distance to the cliff that led right off to the ocean, with Johnathan following close behind her the entire time.

"Maria! Wait Maria!"

Finally she stopped just before the ledge of the cliff dropping her skirts and wrapping her arms around her midsection. Johnathan stepped forward. He noticed her shoulders rake violently as she sobbed and reached a hand out towards her.

"Maria. I'd very much like it if you'd come from the ledge. You don't to fall of now do you? Come on."

"Yes. I really do. I'm as good as dead now. I…I ASSAULTED a WHITE girl Johnathan. I'm on death row."

"Maria…"

"Johnathan I think you should go back and have a good time at the ball free of me."

"Ha. I doubt highly they'd let me back in. I am a nigger-lover now," he said jokingly trying to lighten the mood completely the wrong way.

She turned around and stared him straight in the eye. "Don't say that word. I hate it! It's caused me pain for 13 years! My whole life and you make light of it with a foolish little joke!"

"Maria I'm so sorry. I was only-"

"You were only joking yes I know but you joke about something my family have had to live with since as soon as I wasn't able to pass anymore." The young girl took one step backward bringing herself that much closer to death.

"I realize that now Maria and I'm terribly sorry so why don't you just come off of there and we can talk about it more okay?"

"Why do you care so much Johnathan? You barely know me! And if you did you'd know that I'm not worth all of this."

"You're right," he said and Maria was somewhat relieved and disappointed. "I do barely know you," and to that Maria gained a look of shock and awe. "But I was hoping that by having you as my date I would get to know you. I won't get that chance at all if you fall off that cliff."

"But….. why?"

"Well one because you'll be over that cliff and sinking into the bottom of the ocean."

"I meant: why are you so adamant about being with me?" He outstretched his hand to her giving her a quick smile and a nod. This time she took it and he lead her a few feet away from the edge of the cliff.

"Well for one because you're beautiful, and mysterious… you have an air about you, you're different from most of the girls in Port Royale. And…you have the most beautiful smile I think I've ever seen."

"I don't smile a lot," she said forcing herself not to smile.

"Well if that is the case then you tend to smile a lot for someone who doesn't smile a lot." They both laughed at this for a moment before Johnathan stopped, watching her as she laughed at him.

"I know… For a pirate's daughter I'm bad at lying sometimes…. What are you-" she asked eyeing him suspiciously as his lips curled up into a smirk.

"I was just admiring the smile that isn't often seen so you say."

"I-," the young girl started before being silence by the attractive boy in her presence.

"Shh…., " he placed a finger lightly under her chin lifting her eyes at level with his. "May I?" she gave a small nod to signify yes and he leaned down with his eyes closed and his pink lips ready to land on hers and when they did she relaxed into it hoping the moment would last forever. A moment later she pulled away looking up at him with a smile.

"God I'm absolutely in love with that smile," he said leaning down for another.

"Mr. and Mrs. Turner, good morning. I'm sorry to bother you on such a fine morning but I believe we have a bit of talking to do about your little girl Maria."

"Mr. Clarkston. It's nice to see you. Would you like to sit down?" asked Elizabeth trying to be a good hostess and proper English woman to the man that at the moment she didn't particularly like or even dislike.

"No, no," he said shaking his head. "I don't think this is the kind of business you do sitting down."

"You say this is about Maria? She came back from the ball in a much better mood then when she left. I think I may even dare say she looked happy. That's something we don't see from Maria often," she explained.

"Yes, well your little bouncy girl assaulted my daughter."

"Assaulted?" Asked Will in disbelief. "You must be mistaken sir Maria would never."

"Your little girl was the only colored person there besides the cooks and servers. I am damn sure it was her."

"Well then," tried Elizabeth straightening the bodice of her dress. "There must have been a very good reason why she did what she did."

"I don't give a hard damn what the reason was for laying her hands on my daughter but I tell you now: She shall be punished for what she did to her I promise you that!"

"Mr. Clarkston if that is a threat, I shall have to take that up with the Governor and the Commodore," spoke up Elizabeth.

"It's not a threat. You can get anybody you want but that little nigger-girl of yours has got hell to pay. And she will pay." Will's face fumed with anger.

"You had best leave before all rationality leaves me Mr. Clarkston," Will said as he opened the door in order to brush the man out.

"And if I were you I'd keep a close eye of that daughter of yours cause she's in for it." Elizabeth watched his large frame walk out of the door, seeing to it that her husband slammed the door behind him and with a sigh sat down in a chair.

"What are we going to do Will?" He paced the floor of the living room.

"Well we have to do whatever we can to protect her as much as possible. She can't leave this house. She's in too much danger if she does. She-"

"Will…." Elizabeth started nervously.

"What?" he asked almost in annoyance stopping in his tracks.

"She's not here."

A/N: Okay so there's a bit of trouble going on now in the plot…As they say: The plot thickens. And actually now I think I'm kinda glad I waited this long to continue with this because now I am fresh with new ideas. I had no idea where I was going with this when I began this story just a general idea for a good basis but now I have a good direction for this story. So again folks please review because I would very much appreciate it.

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