Sorry for the delay. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 12

M felt herself slide to the floor as her legs turned to jelly. The ghost of all her past mistakes was unfortunately corporeal enough to hold her pinned against the bulkhead of the ship. His forceful kiss compelling her to take from him what was not wanted.

If only she could dissipate into the fabric of this dream and end up in hospital. Anything was better than being forced to accept his lips upon hers.

Eons went by in the time between the frantic beating of her heart. Why...why is she allowing this to continue.

Olivia Mansfield was panicked but M...M riled against the internalized guilt of the last 15 years and grew a bloody spine. She was alone and no one could save her but her!

M forced herself to attack the large embodiment of her long dead agent Tiago Rodriguez. The once promising younger man had become a monster...become Silva and M hated him with every fibre of her being.

She shoved him with a sudden burst of energy and the forethought that none of this was real. No matter the smell and taste of him in her mouth that made her want to vomit. Her heart pounded hard against her ribs as a scream tore from her mouth.

"NO!"

"But you are mine!"

"I belong to no man! I am myself and in here I am bloody QUEEN!"

The previously joyful smirk on Silva's face turned to a scowl. "You will never be rid of me M! You are mine!"

"NO! You will be pushed back down into the past like the distant memory of a failed school test that at one time meant panic and defeat but in the long passage of time, means nothing at all. The scope of one's life tends to add such clarity to non important things. Love and family mean something. You...you mean nothing at all!"

Silva charged at her and winded her pushing her back onto the small bed. For a dream this was still so very real! Unfortunately for M she was now prone on the bed being pinned down by a far larger enemy.

There was a sudden crash and jarring of the ship. The sound of shouts and clash of steal echoed down and Silva turned his head. M took the chance and bit his ear with such force that blood splashed on her face and into her mouth.

Bloody hell this dream was realistic! The metallic taste of his blood was far better than that of his kisses.

Crashes continued from somewhere above, as Silva clamped more pressure on her arms. The bite had merely made hims laugh.

"I knew it would be rough with you M. I like it rough and hoped you would rise to the challenge. It looks like the cavalry has arrived to TRY to save you!"

Blood dripped from the bite to his earlobe as Silva pinned her hands over her head. There was no hope that she could get away with out help. She screamed until he covered her mouth again with his.

She could feel as he snaked one hand down her body as he used the other to hold her hands in place above her head.

Silva undid his belt and the panic rose within her. There were still sounds of fighting and a yell, calling out for Silva from Bond.

Silva pulled off his belt and brought it up to wrap around her wrists, pullig tightly as Bond called out again and a bang sounded at the heavy oak door to the captain's cabin.

"Looks like your lover is here to save you M."

M panted hard, kicking at him as he smirked. "He...is...not...my lover. My best...agent!"

"Methinks she doth protest too much. He has been following you in and out of your dreams."

"What? What do you mean by that!"

"He follows you home, he follows you in your head and you want him. As much as you don't want me. He saved you from me once...do you think he can save you again? And if he does...what will his reward be this time?"

"What on earth are you talking about!"

"You know quite well M as I am just part of your elaborate dreamscape and no more alive than the representation of your husband who I killed in front of you. Oh you grieved for Nigel Mansfield and you've looked for him, as if you had died and gone to heaven. But you will not find him here...because you are still alive and any image of him is just a guilty memory."

"Shut the hell up Silva!"

"Why M...you wound me so. After all this you still don't realize that I'm your guilty conscious. Nigel was ignored as you ran MI6 and spent your days and evening dreaming of Bond's piercing blue eyes."

"I did no such thing!"

"Come on M. Admit it to yourself at least once! You did a little bit. That night...you know the one. The one where he visited your flat. In the beginning...that night...Nigel was still alive and your heart raced in excitement and danger. Having a dangerous new agent and killer one at that, in your home. Sitting on your furniture reading your own file. The gall! The presumption! The bloody gorgeous playboy that you think is completely unobtainable because of your age."

The pounding on the door increased and M could hear Tanner's voice as well. Her eyes went to the burlap bag in the corner that she had somehow forgotten or Silva had deposited in the corner when he arrived.

Silva followed her eyes. "Yes...that's it. You understand now. You are so close to going back through the looking glass. The door is the barrier between what you want and what you fear most! Your mind has you trapped in here with me to suffer for all the wrong you've done over the years."

Silva had given her enough space to sit up and then he yanked her up by the belt lashed around her wrists as he held her against his chest. M could still feel his breath on her neck as he leaned down to her neck to taunt her some more.

"I will always win my love." M shrieked "NO!" The door slammed inward and Silva pulled her up against him as a shield. He laughed as Tanner and 007 burst into the room followed by Eve.

Their swords were drawn and Bond looked furious. Tanner scanned the room as Eve and Bond surrounded Silva, swords pointed at him threateningly.

"Back off and she won't get hurt. A dagger materialized in Silva hand as Tanner grabbed the orb out of the bag and it began to glow…

"Ah...Bond? This thing is warming up fast! What do I do now?"

"I don't know." James added in genuine concern as he looked at M and Silva with his arm wrapped around her waist.

"Yes 007 how will you reach your beloved M in time. Once that orb goes off it will take whoever touches it with them and M will not be going." Silva held up the hand holding his belt around her hands.

Eve had moved around behind him as silently as she could but he turned towards her and put M between them.

"Just go Bond. The three of you get out of here. I order you all to go."

"Not on your or my own life, will I leave you behind M. Never." Bond said as his blue determined eyes met her own.

M mumbled. "Too bloody stubborn for your own good."

"James this thing is really warming up."

"Toss it here Tanner." Eve said as she caught it she tossed her sword over to Tanner. The orb was getting warmer and warmer, reminding her of that game hot potato they played as children and really wanting to toss it away from her but scared to lose it.

Silva moved around the room trying to maneuver M and himself towards the door to escape but Tanner jumped towards him suddenly.

In a flurry of movement Silva lashed out and stabbed Tanner and in that moment of distraction Bond was able to run him through with his rapier.

"Tanner!" Eve screamed.

Eve pulled Tanner's vest away from his stomach, to see the oozing wound and Bond grabbed M to him and enveloped her in a hug. He worked the leather belt from around her hands as they watched in satisfaction as Silva grunted through his last blood spattering breaths.

Eve put the orb down on the cabin floor as she tended to Tanner's wound.

"Tanner!" M yelled as she joined Eve on the floor. Bond steadied the orb and held it out to them.

"Come on. Let's see if this thing can get us home or at least out of this pirate nightmare!"

Tanner reached up, grimacing in pain as he touched the orb. M took one look back to make sure that her nightmare was dead and placed her hand on the warm metal object. Eve was the last as the orb became very, very hot.

James screamed into the sudden wind and light that burst forth from the cabin. "Hold on and whatever you do...don't let gooooo….."

To be continued...