A/N: Sorry this took so long to get out, I got terribly ill earlier this week and writing was not on my top list of things to do as much as I wanted it to be. Also is everyone watching Black Sails? Vane is a pretty bitch and I think I'm in love with how badass Anne is.

Another huge, huge thank you to all you sweet people who review, follow, and favorite this story. Every single day I'm shocked at the amount of support I've gotten. I sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter and this is my gift to you all: Kenway and Mary finally get to talk! Yay!

Thunder shook the tavern as rain pounded against the shutters. No one was seen walking the streets in Nassau as the hurricane blew into town, ships docked as tight as they could and men getting drunk in the wake of what damage would be shown in the morning light. Edward Kenway laid down in a room he'd thrown to much coin for, having been drunk enough to have the tavern wench Anne ask him to lay down before he caused another fight to break out. The Jackdaw was the only pirate ship here and in truth he was worried for his friends, were they docked or trying to sail through this? Thatch would be sat somewhere, drunk as can be like he currently was. He couldn't give a fuck about Vane to care but he wasn't so sure Kidd would be ported.

Sure Kidd was young, but he wasn't even a he so just how old was Mary? Edward grumbled, slamming the door shut to his room and locked it, falling down into the straw bed and stared up at the ceiling. Just a year ago he'd seen her, as she truly was. James Kidd was no lad but a very beautiful brave lass that Kenway wanted nothing more than to claim his own. He had a thing for woman who could take care of themselves, his dear Caroline had been so brave after all but she…he couldn't even remember her face anymore. Edward closed his eyes, hand grabbing at his trousers and shoving them down as his hand firmly grasped his manhood.

She had beautiful red hair and if he tried he could still hear her voice whispering to him. They'd met so young, he'd been so in love but his promise to her was long gone. She'd moved on, hadn't even bothered to write to him in years and had married another man. But none the less, Edward knew for a fact Caroline had been his one true love until Mary Read spread blood across her lips, screamed at him to stop dreaming of treasure, and strutted into his life like a god damn siren met to drag him in the ocean to take him for her own. Red hair melted into black with braids, the lips wrapped around him became deep red and instead of blue eyes, or were they green, he saw them shift into a pretty shade of brown.

His hips rocking up into her mouth, biting onto his bottom lip as he smiled into his fantasy. What kind of husband was he? Edward couldn't even remember her face and now he lay here rubbing himself off on the idea of Mary loving him like he wanted to love her. Guilt didn't even touch him as his dirty secret brought him into sweet release, gasping Mary's name until his hand fell to the bed and he lay there a spent man. If anything he felt guilty for soiling her like this, perhaps Mary didn't even like men. He'd seen her plenty of times as James kiss the back of a whore's hand but surely she wasn't sleeping with them was she?

He needed more rum Edward decided as he stood up, tired his trousers shut and wiped his hand off on the blanket. Thunder rocked the building but the sound of cheering came through the hall as Edward opened his door and stumbled down the steps to the bar, eyes locked on a crew that had come in soaked to the bone and his blue eyes fell upon James Kidd looking like a drowned rat with Anne Bonny sitting on his lap.

"Kidd," He mumbled, walking over to the table and grabbing Mary's rum from her hand and tipped his own head back falling into a chair across from her.

"Edward, I thought I told you to go sleep it off," Anne snapped to him, her fingers tracing Mary's jawline as his own anger began to build up inside. He was a true Welsh man after all, and he was not going to take someone touching someone he had decided to claim.

"Can't sleep."

"Kenway, Jackdaw looks fine still. Bitch of a storm ain't it?" Mary grabbed Anne's hand and set it in her lap, nudging Anne off and to cross her leg over the other not needing the red head to get to touchy and find out something she shouldn't. "Stop lookin like ya 'bout to start a fight."

"Are you fucking Anne?"

"Pardon!?" Mary spat out her rum, glaring at him as her cheeks turned a pretty shade of red looking around to make sure her crew wasn't paying too much attention to their captain blushing like a maid. "Come on let me take ya to bed."

"Are you? Way you're always up her arse when you come in here. She's pretty can't say I wouldn't fuck her too," Edward winced as Mary's boot kicked him hard in the shin, and mumbled a slur of words to her as she lifted up from the seat and began to half drag him to the stairs.

"M'not and ya know why. For someone who fucks whores ya been givin me nasty looks 'bout letting her sit in my lap."

"When's the last time you've fucked Mary?" Edward asked as he opened his room and grabbed Mary's shoulders taking her by surprise as he shoved her onto the bed and shut his door.

"Ain't none of your business. The fuck is wrong with ya tonight Kenway?" Mary snapped to him and leaned back as he crawled over her, narrowing her eyes at him. "How pissed are ya?"

"Plenty," He giggled reaching out and as his thumb stroked her lower lip he felt pain blossom from his groin and he fell to the side watching Mary throw him off the bed and sit up, kicking him again hard in his stomach.

"I'm goin to forget this happened and you best try as well Kenway. Don' fuckin touch me, ever. I ain't a whore and this is right disrespectful."

"N-No Mary it's not. Lass come 'ere you're not a whore to me. Come here please."

"Kenway ya so plastered ya tryin to fuck me. Sleep it off man."

"Mary, Mary I love you please," He sat up, reaching out to her as she stepped away from him, her face wrinkled up in confusion.

"No. No ya don't. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to fuck the bar maid."

"I love you," Edward sobbed into her neck, his hands clinging to the back of her robes as he felt her own arms hold on to his shoulder tightly, one of her hands rubbing the base of his neck. She was here, the sweet smell of fruit and rum and it was breathing and living. Mary Read was kneeling in front of him and his emotions had taken over before he could throw them down. From screaming to crying Edward wouldn't mind if the world saw him right at this moment. Her laughter filled the space between his own shaking breaths as he leaned up and pressed their foreheads together, grabbing her face and petting her soft cheeks as she wrinkled her nose to him.

"Kenway, m'here you can let go now. I got ya. Told ya I'd always be with ya didn't I?"

"I kept my promise, I-I…Mary you're alive," Edward whispered his hands yanking her bandanna loose and running his fingers through her soft hair as his eyes gazed into her own. It hadn't been a joke, this whole day had been nothing but searching and finally he knew the truth. Mary Read was indeed alive and allowing him to hold her because he couldn't look at her without feeling so alive for the first time in two years.

"I know, been told though didn't believe it till today. M'proud of ya Kenway. Always knew you'd be someone I would be proud t-"Her voice was ended as he tilted his face up and pulled her close to him and felt her breath on his lips as he kissed her. Edward was expecting to be shoved back and scolded but instead he felt her hands grip on his arm and neck and felt her lips press back into his own. It was short but it let his own tears dry up as she separated from him and watched her lips finally pull up into that shitty smirk he'd been dreaming of. "To call my friend." She whispered after they parted. Edward set his forehead on her shoulder and they kneeled there for what felt like ages until she gently tugged on his hair and helped him stand up and he took her hand only to have her yank hers away.

"I can kiss you but I can't hold your hand?"

"Who do ya think I am? A lady who needs her husband to keep her safe in the dark? I want to see Anne," Mary sighed, leaning down to grab her bandanna and he watched her tie her hair back up and yank her braids forward.

"Been asking for Mary all day, didn't think to ask for Kidd."

"I know, was right behind ya all day. Shit assassin you make Kenway."

"Tch was a bit focused on the task at hand than worrying about being stalked. Why didn't you stop me than?"

"Didn't know how." Kenway looked at her in confusion as she spread her arms out and leapt into the hay below, himself soon following and took her hand to yank him out of it. "Did Anne really lose her babe?"

"Yes, but she's a strong lass Mary."

"Never said she wasn't, I knew that before anyone else. Just askin. Was told some things that ended up not bein true."

"So were we."

"I know," Mary looked over to him as they began walking to the tavern. "I need to go to Havanna."

"You can't leave us now. Mary we…you just got here."

"M'daughter is in Havanna. Been sold to a slaver an-"

"Aye, I know."

"You know!?" Edward looked over to her in slight shock, not having expected such a nasty snap and truly not understanding as her hand hit his arm. "Ya know and ya left her there?"

"There was three other babes that...Anne and I couldn't guess so we left 'em. She's alive. Ah Tabai said he checked up on her a few months ago we're waiting for her t-"

"Ya really think a babe of two still don't look like mine? He's been lyin to the both of us for two years now. M'not mad at ya Kenway, don't think I am at least. But I have to go to Havanna as soon as I can."

"Then we'll come with you, take you there. I have to get Jenny though, I don't want her staying in Iguana without me until we figure out what's going on with your mentor."

"Jenny?"

"My daughter."

"Ya have a daughter?" Her laughter filled the air as she looked over to him and smiled, shaking her head. "Finally a whore gave ya a gift aye?"

"She's my wife's actually."

"Ya fuckin kissed me and ya still got a wife?"

"She died. That's why I stopped getting letters."

"Her name was Caroline right?" Mary asked as they tavern came into sight, reaching over and shoved him playfully to the side. "M'sorry Kenway. Truly am."

Edward looked over to her as she spotted their red head deep into a pint of ale and watching the bay as Anne leaned against the brick wall. She looked defeated much like he'd felt before Mary had finally landed behind him on the damn windmill. They'd have to talk about where she'd been and about themselves but now it took all his being to not end up crying in joy as he watched Anne's mug slip from her fingers as her eyes stared at Mary.

"Found her!" He called out with a shitty grin.

"Like fuck ya did," Mary smiled before catching Anne who ran into her arms and laughed as they fell to the ground. Sailors looked at them oddly but it didn't stop Anne from squeezing Mary so tightly the other woman had to ask her to let go a bit.

"Mary. Oh god Mary you're here."

"Anne Bonny the quartermaster of the Jackdaw," Edward sat beside them and watched as Anne kissed Mary and broke away with a grin, siting up and taking her hands in her own.

"I'm so sorry. For everything. Not a night goes by that the prison doesn't haunt me and I couldn't help you."

"Not ya fault now is it? Over, two years over. Without ya I wouldn't have made it as long as I did Anne. Quartermaster now huh?"

"Edward's idea. Oh Mary I'm so happy you're here. We've been so lost without you."

"Me too Annie, me too."

"Just for a moment I want you to close your eyes alright?"

"Kenway what are ya doin?"

"Just close your eyes Read," Edward snapped to her and took her hands, dragging her away from his new home and down into the cellar they had discovered together. He was on a simple mission today: to get Mary Read drunk. It was well known Kidd never got himself drunk and really it fucking annoyed him. So he'd taken it upon himself to throw some flowers around the cellar, light a few candles, and crack open the wine they had found.

"Alright open."

"Are ya tryin to swoon me Kenway?"

"N-No! God Mary just making it smell half decent down here. So tonight you're getting plastered."

"Absolutely not." Mary laughed as she walked over and took a bottle of wine and grabbed a knife to uncork it with. She took a sip of it before handing it to Edward. "I'll drink with ya, been awhile since I've seen you properly."

"Since the hurricane. Do you remember what happened?"

"Is this what ya wanted to talk about? Your pathetic attempt at sleeping with me? How drunk were ya?" Mary laughed and sat next to him leaning against the stone wall, grabbing the bottle and gulping it down. "I've walked in on ya drunk more than I can count, but never were you that out of it."

"I had a bit too much, I'll admit that. I just wanted to say sorry. You shouldn't have had to deal with me like that."

"I assure ya I've dealt with worse. Nothing will ever beat you passing out on that whore's cunt."

"What can I say? Smelled nice down there," Edward laughed as Mary punched his arm and gave him a look of disgust.

"Is that all ya worry about beside gold? Ladies?"

"I also worry about the Jackdaw, and my friends. Did you end up with Anne that night?"

"Why is my sex life so fascinating lately?"

"We're friends Mary, this is what friends talk about."

"No, I did not. Anne is a good lass and I'm teachin' her how to fight nothing more. I sleep with one person right now and he's a whore in a city you don't need to worry about."

"A he?"

"A he. Got himself pretty blue eyes. I 'ave a thing for blue eyes Kenway. I pay him too much to shut his mouth about what's between me legs," Edward took the bottle and drank some wine to calm his temper. He'd decided is Mary was sleeping with girls it was better than a man, but now she had verified his fears.

"Do you love him?"

"Do you love your whores Kenway? I fuck him, nothing more. Just like ya do with ya girls. Used to sleep with a pretty thing but she passed away a year ago from fever. This whole talking thing is stupid."

"It's not, I'm learning a lot about you. Got a thing for blue eyes huh?"

"Aye I do. If I tell ya another secret 'bout myself you don't tell anyone alright?"

"Of course Mary."

"No one has prettier eyes than you do Kenway. Don't let that go to ya head now," She smiled to him, taking the bottle from his lips as he stared at her and broke out into a chuckle. "Just like the ocean."

With the light of dawn Mary walked up on the decks of the great Jackdaw, and watching as more than half his crew dropped everything they were holding and stared at her. She grinned, it'd been so long since she'd shouted at someone and been a captain that she was going to savor this. Kenway was in his cabin with Anne prepping the course to get to their home then setting sail to Havanna but they'd have to do some things to keep the moral of the crew up in between all this sailing.

"C-Captain Kidd…I mean Read. I mean-"

"Shut up John, Kidd's a woman no reason to be shaking in your boots."

Mary raised an eyebrow and walked over to the fat sailor who took a step back as she walked closer to him and smiled. "Ya do know that just because I don't 'ave a cock don't mean everythin I did is false."

"You're dead…"

"You're an idiot. What's ya name mate?"

"Eli. Second Man. Captain Kenway appointed me."

"Did he now?" Mary smiled before she let her knuckles smash into his face and watched as he fell to the deck. Reaching down she grabbed the bucket he was holding of water and threw it on him. "Rotten lot of ya! Get back to work! You're stuck with me for a long time mates, ya can be good men and do ya jobs right or you'll be thrown off this ship faster than ya can kiss Kenway's arse!"

"Mary. For fucks sake you've been on my ship for five minutes and you've made two of them piss themselves already," Edward came out of his cabin shaking his head, and watching her walk over to him and brush him off like he hadn't spoken to her. "They're good men."

"Aye, you've always run a rather…odd crew."

"Not all of us can have men who ask us how high when we ask them to jump."

Edward watched her laugh and walked up the steps with her, watching her look around at the changes he'd done to his ship since she'd last been here. After Anne and Mary had gotten done talking the three of them had ended up catching up and he'd found out about her stay on Aruba. One thing for sure was Ah Tabai could not know she was on his ship.

He'd let her stay the night with Anne, knowing they'd want to talk about things without him being near since neither of them spoke much about the prison during their catch up and he knew Anne needed closure on it. But he wanted her to himself now, he'd finally gotten to kiss her and walked away from it without any form of physical abuse occurring.

"Anne, get us out to sea alright? Mary I want to talk to you."

"I want to watch Anne shout," Mary smiled to Kenway. "Give me five minutes I'll meet ya in your cabin."

Edward rolled his eyes as the two woman on board began to shout at his men who were used to Anne, even liked her. But they were terrified of Mary and she looked intimidating standing there with her arms crossed behind their quartermaster. He went into his cabin and sat down behind his desk, listening to the sails bustle in the wind and soon a sea shanty began to be sung before he heard his door open, looking up to see her come in and shut the door looking over to him.

"We should talk."

"Did 'lot of that last night don't ya think?"

"About our kiss."

"Kissed Anne too ya know, spur of the moment thing Kenway."

"Mary."

"Edward," She sighed, walking over to him and shoved his chair back and sat down on his desk, letting her legs swing back and forth as Edward moved closer to her and set his hands on her knees. "Don't ya think we have more important things to worry about?"

"Ah Tabai."

"Aye."

"I know it's just, Mary I…I lost Caroline and you but I got you back."

"Gona get all sappy on me now Kenway?" She said with a smirk, picking up his left hand and kissed the back of it. "Should I go get ya flowers too?"

"Mary I love you. I didn't really realize how much you…I need you."

"Ya made it two years without me. I ain't goin anywhere Kenway, I'm right here. Ya getting all emotional on me mate," Mary sighed and Edward watched as she looked away from him and began to rub her temples.

"Do you love me?"

"I've always loved ya Kenway. Stupid ass git you are. But ya wana know if I fancy you."

"You're making me feel like a boy."

"Would ya rather me make ya feel like a man? Sit here and mutter on 'bout how strong you are."

"Are you mocking me?"

"Kenway, you shouldn't be like this with me. Ya like pretty girls who wear skirts and have big tits."

"No, I like woman who are so brave it makes me envy them. If I had to pick one person I could spend the rest of my life with it would be you. Over Caroline, over Thatch, over anyone Mary. The things you've done with your life leave me in awe. You took on the Navy, captained your own ship, and became an assassin. You believed in me when no one else did, and I was nothing but an asshole to you for so long but you never stopped fighting for me. When I held you in my arms, when you died, I...I was certain the biggest regret I'd have to live with was that you wouldn't see me complete my promise to you."

Edward sat in silence, unable to stop his ranting and watched Mary's smug face melt into confusion as she looked over to him. He reached up, cupping her face and stood, leaning over her and leaned down only to feel her hands on his chest gently push him back.

"Mary-"

"Just stop for a moment won't ya? Ya tell me all these sweet things give me a moment," She stood up and took a step behind him, looking out over the ocean until she reached behind her and grabbed his shirt, pulling him to herself. "Ya don't know much 'bout me besides my time in the Caribbean. You've told me so much yet I haven't told ya anything."

"Trust issues thing. I'm overly trusting, bad habit."

"It's not bad, a bit stupid but it's better than living like I do. Look Kenway, I can't sit here and spill out my emotions like you can. Ya deserve the best and right now m'just happy to have ya back in my life. I meant it what I told ya last night, m'so proud of you." She grabbed his right hand and lifted his sleeve up, looking at the red bandanna and shook her head with a chuckle. Edward watched her unsure what she was playing at until she grabbed his face and he felt her kiss his cheek.

"Give me a chance Mary."

"Let's take care of all this shit before we start working on…us I guess. Jaysus, don't tell Anne any of this either. She wouldn't be able to contain herself the rest of the journey. I'm not tellin you no, stop looking so sad. I do care for ya Kenway but I haven't let someone in my life since I was in the Navy. Yer beautiful mate, stop frowning so," Mary smiled, as he pulled her against him and she glared feeling his lips back on hers.

"Deal. Till then I don't see why we can't…work on us."

"I ain't fucking you on a hammock Kenway, think with your brain lad."

"So a bed then? I can work that out," Edward watched as she groaned in annoyance and went to leave, "Mary, we'll figure this all out alright?"

"Mentor must have a reason for doing this but I need to get my daughter before I work on him."

"He's always hated me."

"We're assassins, part of it is keeping emotions out of it."

"Then why would he keep you away and tell you Anne and I died?"

"I'm sure he has a reason."

"He loves you," Edward snapped, sitting back down in his chair as Mary leaned against the door. "It would fit, he loves you so he had to keep you away where only he knew where you were."

"M'not a damsel Kenway. Just because you're odd and like me don't mean he does. He's my mentor, I trust him with my life. If ya need me m'going to make sure your crew gets to work."

"I'm telling you he loves you."

"Will you shut your god damn gob man? Listen to yourself! This is Ah Tabai we're talking about! If anything he thought he was protecting me."

"From me?"

"I don't know Kenway, you're pissing me off now."

"Come back in here tonight. We should talk about how we're getting into Havanna unnoticed."

"Talking, is this your new excuse to try to kiss me again?"

"Is it working?" He gave her a slight smile watching her shake her head as she took her leave.