A/N: Many thanks go out to all of you reading this as always. I hope you continue to enjoy it!
"Come on!" Edward screamed as his feet slammed into the next branch, launching off of it and gracefully falling down below into a pile of palm leaves before jumping out and watching a body crumple down into it on their side instead of their back. He reached down, yanking Mary out as she held on to her hip and groaned in pain.
Everything was going wrong, not a single thing had been going right since he'd agreed to help her take out a Templar in exchange for the key he had around his neck and any coin in his purse. Only their smooth kill had been blown when he had shot at a guard who was behind Mary ready to stab her then the whole of the island knew assassins, or just one and a pirate, were after their make shift king. The two of them couldn't take on this many but Mary was a hot headed bitch when she had her mind set on something.
So the Templar laid dead downing in his blood as Mary had been stabbed straight through her side. She'd taken it like a true hero, just clutched on to it and tied some fabric around her tightly before running off with him but he wasn't so sure she was fine. She was pale, kept stumbling from branch to branch and finally falling down like this was only confirming his fears: she was probably bleeding out. They had to get to the cove though, it was hard to get to and would give him time before the Jackdaw came to get them in the morning.
"Come on lass," He reached over to pick her up only to be slapped away and watched as she jogged ahead of him, turning around to shoot a man who popped over the hill behind them.
"Don..Don't touch me," She snapped before grabbing her side again and hissing out as they ran towards a cliff and she peered down casting a glance to him. "M'gona jump, you get me out and onto the ridge over there."
"You can't jump you'll have to climb, do you not see the rocks down there?"
"For fucks sake Kenway!" Mary leapt off the rock faster than he could grab her but he went after her anyways. He swore he felt a bullet graze his ear before he began to fall and soon the painful prickle of slamming on water shook him to the bone, kicking up to gasp for air. Treading in the water, he kicked around not seeing Mary's head bobble up anywhere and cussed her under his breath. He sighed in relief as a shimmer of red fabric rose beside him, reaching over and sliding his arm around her shoulders to help her keep up. "Told ya Kenway."
"Not the time Read, come on," Edward slowly made their way to the little cave in the back side of the cove, helping her get up before laying on his back on the rock and sighing in relief. "You know, I can't believe we made it out of there. Had to be at least fifty men chasing us. Mary?" He sat up, watching as she wore nothing but her corset and was untying it, noticing how she was struggling to breathe. He got up, and helped her yank it off before grabbing the bottom of her shirt and lifted it up some.
Her hands were shaking as she moved to lay against the wall, fiddling with the little bag she had tied onto one of her many belts and pulled out a little bow and threw it at him. "Sew me up, I can't."
"And you think I can? I've never really done this," He opened the box and pulled out a thread and needle, starting to thread it as he listened to her breathing along with a chuckle.
"Easy, jus' like sewing a hem. Ya gona grab me skin and sew it shut alright? Don' make it pretty jus you worry about it being tight."
"We don't have any rum, this is going to hurt."
"Aye it will, good thing I won't feel bad about punching ya afterwards." Edward leaned over and gently touched the skin beside her hip bone and pulled it shut, watching as Mary closed her eyes and grabbed his arm. "Be steady, ya can't fuck up as bad as I did to my face."
"I love your scar."
"Ya a weird one Kenway," He watched her chuckle as his eyes went down to begin sewing her skin together. As he pushed the needle in her, she flinched and bit her bottom lip. He felt awful as with every pull of the thread she began to groan in pain and soon he tied the end off and began to thread another piece as she sat up and moved to lay down on the stone. But as she leaned up he reached over and cupped her face, pulled her hair out of the bandanna she wore.
"Breathe for me."
"M'fine," She shoved his hand as she laid against the stone on her good side and he watched blood run down her lower back and quickly finished threading the needle and went to work stitching the back wound up. It wasn't until he sewed it shut did he realize she was shaking and laying the needle aside he pulled her up and hugged her, holding her against his chest as she leaned on him wiping her face off. Edward wanted to get her in the ocean, let the sea water clean all the blood off her hands and body but at the suggestion she shook her head.
"Come on lass, I'll go with you."
"It hurts," She finally snapped to him, sitting up from him and sat down wiping at her eyes and pretending like he hadn't just seen her cry. "Rather 'ave been shot."
"No way, we don't have anything to clean a gun-shot wound, least now you're tied up."
"Been run through Kenway, never had that happen before," Mary chuckled as she slowly scooted to the edge of the cave and he followed her, sliding down into the water and reached up to lift her up above her hips and held on as she cried out as the salt water washed over her two new set of stiches. He stood there right near her in case she fell, watching her rub off the blood on her skin and when she motioned for the cave he lifted her up so she didn't need to put too much strain on her wounds just yet.
Edward left her to resting against the wall as he went to climb up the rocks and began to gather bits of wood at a time, tying them into a bundle and carrying them down into the cave. It took three trips till he was satisfied with the amount he collected and started a fire, sitting next to her as she slept the pain away. He was worried about Mary if he admitted it to himself, sure she was the strongest woman he knew but she'd lost her ship recently and Anne kept nagging her to get on the Jolly Roger for a bit.
"Kenway?"
"Up finally? Got a fire going for us."
"Thanks," She leaned up and grabbed the leather bag he had filled with water laying by her and began to drink, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand before handing it to him. "When's the Jackdaw comin for us? In the morning right?"
"Soon as the sun is up they better be here."
"Heard from Caroline?"
"Not in a while, why are you asking?"
"That's what friends do eh? Keep up with one another's gossip. Think she left ya?"
"Reckon you're right, she probably has. I got a family in you lot though."
"Toss, she'll take ya back. Pretty boy ya are."
"Maybe, I have been gone for years now to be fair. Told her two, look at me now."
"Happens, Caribbean ain't a short stay. Regret anything with her?"
"Not giving her a family. Maybe she'd have waited if she had a son to take care of. What about you Read? Let me in on your life" Mary turned to glare at him before reaching over and flicked his forehead.
"I'll tell ya one thing, what do ya want to know."
"Do you ever want to settle down, get married and have children? You know typical woman habits?"
"Of all the things you could 'ave asked, you forget me past and bring up this? Kenway you're strange," He smiled as she laughed, leaning over and draped her coat around her shoulders helping her lean up and laid the sleeves over her waist. "M'not the motherly type, never been good with little ones. I don't seek a family, just want to live every day like it's me last and make sure I make wise choices."
"Hm I think you'd make a fine mother."
"Gona give me them babes then Kenway? Every time you get pissed ya flirt with me and go on about how much ya love me. But as soon as ya sober up I get a string of apologies and ya go back to being a git."
"Drunk words," He whispered. She snorted shooting him a glare before leaning against his shoulder and closing her eyes.
"Aye, happens when ya a whore I suppose. M'the only lass who won't fuck ya right? Probably does ya drunken head in," Edward wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she fell silent, and stared down at her dark hair all twisted in with beads watching her drift to sleep as his own mind played out a vision he kept close to his heart. A little child with dark hair and bright blue eyes running to him, with Mary in her coat and swords standing next to his home in the Great Iguana smiling to him, welcoming him home.
"Jenny, come here," Edward called out as he watched his first mate throw her in the air and catch the giggling blond. The sails were set and the Great Iguana was nothing more than a sliver of land in the distance. He had Mary and she was far away from Ah Tabai's hands and they were headed to get her daughter back. She stood just behind him, fiddling with a ring on her pointer finger and giving Anne a glare. The red head was leaning against Mary and whispering things in the other woman's ear and he watched with amusement as Mary shoved her off and he could swear the tops of her cheeks were rosy.
"Father!" Jenny came running over to him and he caught her, lifting her in the air and held on to her as he pulled her to his chest, holding her in his arms. Anne was giving him a look of admiration however Mary looked uncomfortable and it gave her an odd look only getting a glare sent his way.
"This is my friend that's been missing, her name's Mary. She's very important to me, I've been looking for her for a long time now," Jenny wiggled out of his arms and he watched as she walked over to Mary and Mary gave her a small smile.
"You're Ms. Mary?"
"Aye."
"If my daddy's been looking for you for a long time then you must be the lady that kept him away from me. He screams your name in his dreaming sometimes too, Ms. Anne told me so when he woke me once. He has nightmares about you, are you a monster? You must be to keep him from me," She said this all with a smile before turning around to walk over to the sailors and Edward's jaw dropped looking up to see Mary standing there staring at the floor where his daughter once stood. As he reached to walk to Mary he felt Anne's hand slam into his chest as Mary was off and grabbed Jenny and lifted her up, throwing her over her shoulder and stormed past them, opening the captain's cabin and slammed the door shut.
He stood there, listening to Jenny screaming to be let go before there was silence. "You don't…she wouldn't kill her would she?"
"Don't be stupid Edward, I'm sure Mary is talking to her is all. Mary might be quite…manly but I'm sure some part of her knows how to talk to a child who is upset.
"Are you so sure? This is Mary Read we're talking about, who prides herself in being able to drink more than a man twice her size."
Anne smacked him again, gave a shout to the crew and dragged him up to the wheel and shoved him at it, letting the sailor who had it go back to his normal job. It was getting close to a half hour of silence before he heard the lock of his cabin come undone as he and Anne both rushed to look down as Mary came out wiping her hands off on her coat and shut the door, slowly turning up to shoot them a look.
"Don't ya got a ship to sail?"
"Where is Jenny?" Edward spat back to her, sounding equally annoyed.
"Gutted and being prepared for dinner," Mary flicked him off as she walked down the length of his ship and shoved random men to clean off the cannons or bent down to grab a bucket and threw the soapy water over the deck for them to clean it again. He was having none of this, she could take her anger out on him but taking it out on his men would earn him nothing but bad tempers. Giving Anne the wheel he jogged down to Mary and grabbed her from behind, catching a fist that was swung at him. "Let me go Kenway."
"We should talk Read, before you get every man on this ship to hold a vote and make someone else the captain."
She shoved his hand off and stormed over, lifting the hatch up and jumped down underneath the ship and he sighed, least he could tell the cook to make something nice for diner to keep everyone's tempers down. The men underneath, some in a state of dress stared as Mary and he walked past them, going into a room filled with ammunition and gunpowder where a few windows allowed light to filter in. She leaned against a broken cannon, shooting him a glare as he shut the door.
"I didn't know she hated you."
"Figured as much, had a nice long chat with your lass. Ya dead wife's dad did a number on her."
"Mr. Scott? He sent her to me, what did he tell her?"
"Oh that ya were down here with a happy family, that ya abandoned her mother and forgot ya had a daughter. The very best bit of all this is that she's made me her enemy. In her eyes I'm the family ya left Caroline for even though I told her over and over again you and I aren't nothing but friends."
"That's half true."
"It's true enough Kenway. She don't care that ya thought I was dead cause m'very alive in her eyes. She's laying on ya hammock now, pouting away since I'm such a monster."
"I didn't lose you, to have to see you come back and not get along with my daughter."
"This has nothing to do with me getting along with her! Ya don't think this is bothering me as much as it's annoying ya? Been away from ya for two years Kenway, ya act like I didn't go through the pain of that like you did. I was told ya were dead, wasn't till I was close to Kingston did me friend tell me ya were alive. I mourned for you and Anne."
"Mary," Edward walked over to her and held her face watching as she glared to him before sighing and leaned into his arms as he moved to hug her, feeling her loosely drape her arms around his waist. "We got each other now though right? I'll go talk to Jenny, and you start to focus on how we're getting into the plantation to find your daughter. I know which one it was, it's pretty heavily guarded and they might still know Anne and I's face."
"I was never meant to be a mother Kenway," Mary whispered, her fingers clutching onto the bottom of his shirt before she let go and pushed him off, crossing her arms as he still stood in front of her.
"And I a father, but look at us now. Think of all the stories we'll get to tell them though. Jenny and…did ya name her?"
"Aye I did, but they took her away and only Anne and the woman who helped me birth her knew what I chose."
"What was it?"
Mary smiled, leaning up and kissed his cheek as she began to walk away from him. "Ya go on and talk to Jenny now, I'll be smoking me pipe and sat next to Anne I think. Fully pissed ya crew off, need to let them calm down before I go on and show them some affection by punchin them gently."
"Don't ignore me."
"Jaysus man, I wasn't ignoring ya. We got things to go though, names don't matter if it's probably another now. But if ya want to know so badly I thought it'd be nice to name her after someone who I respect even though I never met her."
"Who?"
"Caroline," Mary turned from him and left him standing in the room, leaning against the cannon and stared at the back of her in shock.
"Edward!" He lifted his gaze from the floor as Anne screamed his name, watching Mary sprint down the hall and climb the ladder and he was hot on her tail. Looking around he saw a fleet of British sails flying at them and grabbed Mary, "You need to stay down there, with Anne alright?"
"What do ya mean stay below? Are ya mad?"
"No, I took the Kings Pardon, I have the document. Anne and you however, well your dead, and Anne is on the run. Anne get below don't come up till I say it's safe alright?"
"Aye Edward, come on Mary."
"This is ridiculous. Hidin like children," Mary muttered under her breath as she climbed back down and Edward kicked the trap door shut as Anne went below and went into his cabin, finding Jenny had fallen asleep on his hammock. Grabbing the document he read it over and over again, praying it would be good enough to let them pass.
His men took down the sails, as he went back outside and locked up his cabin watching as two brigs went to either side of him, cannons aimed at his Jackdaw. He gritted his teeth, it'd been so long since he hadn't blown one of these to bits to now be submitting to them it almost hurt his ego.
"Piracy will lead to death by hanging, where is your captain?" A young man screamed as twenty or so soldiers jumped on board.
"M'here man. Here no need to be causing a ruckus," He handed him the document, fiddling with a ring on his finger until he was given the pardon back.
"The King is most gracious to allow you a second chance. Good day Captain Kenway."
A second chance, is exactly what he should see escaping the prison as. He'd been blessed to escape, come out alive and able to sit here on the deck of the Jackdaw with a nice fat bottle of rum in hand. Fate was funny, he could live but only if he lost everything he ever thought he loved in return. Perhaps this was karma finally trying to slap him in the face with the realization of 'Edward Kenway you are a complete and total ass who is to blinded by greed to see how much you have around you to be thankful of'. Or perhaps that was Mary's words haunting him, another sip from his bottle was in order.
With a tilt of his head the liquid burned down his throat, letting out a quite manly belch as footsteps approached him. Narrowing his eyes to focus on the slim legs that walked up to him, up to womanly hips and a nice bosom to finally glaring eyes and he giggled, reaching up and slidd his hand inside her left thigh only to feel a yank of his hair.
" 'ello Anne."
"You've had enough to drink, come on. It's nearly midnight and half the crew is sleeping and you should be as well."
"I can sleep when I'm dead Annie, come here and sit in my lap. Have I ever told you how you remind me of my wife?"
"Edward, just how drunk are you now?" Anne sighed, grabbing the bottle from his hand and dumped out the contents onto the floor next to him before handing it back to the now pouting blond man. "Ah Tabai is trusting you with this mission."
"Yeah yeah, I know alright? M'gona do it, but we're on a quest to Havana for now right? Which means I have four days to drink before we get there."
"Mary's child," Anne kneeled down in front of him reaching over and gently lifted his chin up. "You haven't been the same since we left Tulum."
"You haven't been the same since we left the prison."
"Touché Kenway."
"You should come with me to bed tonight, I promise I can please a woman nicely."
"I don't doubt that, but believe it or not I've had my fair share of fucking pirates and it leaves a sour taste in my mouth at the thought."
"Good thing I'm not a pirate anymore right? I'm an assassin now. Nothing is true, everything is permitted."
"Figured out what it means yet?"
"Nope. Can ya get me another bottle please?"
"Nope," She smiled as she leaned down and pulled him up, groaning as he stumbled and grabbed her to keep from falling.
"Mary woulda let me drink more…"
"Ha! Mary would have thrown ya overboard and laughed as you tried to figure out how to swim again."
"Thatch woulda let me drink."
"Probably," Her laughter made him smile as he leaned on her, stumbling the way to his cabin and opening the door. There was a place deep in his chest that no amount of rum was filling not matter how much he tried. It was empty, everything he ever cared for was gone, save for Annie, but he knew what he was yearning for. His little day dream was gone, of Mary welcoming him home with a son running at him and laughter in her eyes. Dying in his arms hadn't been the proper way for her to die, and every night Kenway saw the replay.
As they entered the room he shoved Anne against the wall and pressed his lips against hers, arms wrapping around her waist as his own body pressed into hers. She tried to shove him off but he wouldn't let her, tongue moving against her lips until the finally gave up and soon they were sharing a randy kiss that left him wanting more. Little kisses were pressed down her neck, sucking on the skin there until his hair was yanked and he groaned in pain, looking over to her and found her staring at him with tears in her eyes. "Annie…"
"Stop. Stop this Edward. I don't love you."
"This doesn't have to be about love, just feeling."
"I don't know, I don't know what you are trying to get out of this but I can't do this. You'll break my heart Edward, please just leave me as your quartermaster and not your lover."
"I'm sorry."
"You don't need to be mate, I get it. You miss Caroline right? Sleep it off, you'll feel better in the morning when your sober," She gave him a small smile before taking her leave and he fell to his knees, fist slamming into the wooden wall where she had stood until his knuckles were bloody. Miss Caroline? How could he miss someone he could hardly remember? He didn't want curves pressed against him, nice big tits digging into his chest. No he wanted a slim body against him, hair tied up, and everyone would think he was kissing a boy.
"Now ya take it and pull this bit under," Edward was trying to sail the Jackdaw into port and watch Mary teach Jenny how to tie a simple knot. It'd taken some time convincing Jenny that Mary wasn't a monster, and sure enough the little girl was following her around constantly asking her questions about why she dressed like a boy or how she could climb anything on the ship to get up top.
"Dock us up Anne," He smiled to his friend who took over shouting at the men to pull the sails down as he walked over to Jenny and ruffled her hair, looking down at Mary who gave him a small smile. They hadn't gotten time to talk in the past few days of sailing, and is was killing him to figure out why she had named her daughter after his wife. "Jenny you remember the plan right? Mary and I are going on land but we'll be back in the morning. You'll be with Anne."
"You're going to find Ms. Mary's daughter right? Do you think she'll be my friend?"
"Aye, I'm sure she will," Mary smiled to the little girl before standing up and walking with him off the ship, looking around Havana. The plantation was a few miles inland, well-guarded with four towers looking out over the massive sugar cane fields. He and Anne had drawn out a basic map of where they stood of what they could remember and only he and Mary would be risking this.
"Nervous?"
"She ain't going to remember me. I'll be nothin but a monster ripping her from her mum's arms."
"But you're her mother."
"Aye but she don't know that does she?" Mary mumbled, reaching into her coat and pulled out her pipe, lighting it up as they began the hike through the town and over the hills to the plantation.
"I'm sure she'll come to understand, you're doing wonderful with Jenny."
"Jenny is annoying, follows me 'round too much. So ya took a pardon, which means you have to leave the islands right?"
"I suppose it does."
"When ya goin back to England then? Anne told me all about it so don't go hiding nothin Kenway."
"That was before you came back. You don't want to go to England do you?"
"Go on sailin back to a country that hunted me for years, a country we fought so hard against? No. But I know we have to leave, for ya protection."
"You'll come with me?"
"Ain't that a part of this whole, you and I thing?" She chuckled, dumping her pipe out as they soon where through Havana and walking up the trail to the top of the hill behind the city. He reached over and took her hand, pulling her to his chest much to her clear annoyance. "What Kenway? We got a while left to walk."
"Marry me."
"First of all, we haven't so much as kissed properly or fucked. Second of all ya don' got a ring. I want this done properly. To hell mate, stop jokin let's get goin," She shoved him off and punched his arm with a smile as he grinned, shoving her up the rocks they began to climb over. "Stop rushin us."
"It was a joke Read, couldn't help it. All this talk of you running away with me, what will your mentor think?"
"Well he's so keen on throwin me in a cage maybe this is best. But we ain't leavin till I say goodbye to them. They are my family, even if all this is happening. There's nothing left for us here. Pirating is over, clear as day who won this god forsaken war. Sometimes I miss Charles."
"Vane? Are you serious?"
"Aye, he had a way of getting under ya skin. Was funny to watch."
"Not as much as Rackham, don't have much kind words for him."
"Me neither, if I could see him one last time I'm sure I'd put him right back in the grave."
"So this Caroline thing, why did you name your daughter after her?"
"Gota respect a woman who married ya sorry ass. I mean you're a nice man now for the most part, still need work but ya getting there. Before though? Ya were good for nothing, good at pissing me off. Saved ya neck how many times? Never got one thanks."
"I thanked you with saving your ass."
"Twice ya did, and I'd have been fine anyways."
"Tosh Mary, sometimes you need saving it's okay to admit."
"Don't need no one to save me," She shot him a glare as she pulled herself over the top of the hill, looking out over the distance as a white mansion loomed in the distance. Edward walked up behind her, pointing to it with a smile.
"Same can't be said for Caroline right? Let's go save her."
"Aye, let's go get my daughter Kenway."