Disclaimer:

Fable Characters, Storylines, and places in the Fable series are owned by Lionhead Studios.

The Characters and other situations that I've created, I own.

Sometimes I wake at night

And suddenly takes fright

You're my vaguest fantasy

But then you reach for me

And once again I see

All the things you are to me

All the Things You Are To Me-Secret Garden

"Ugh...urff..." Reaver's eyesight slowly regained and unblurred as he opened and closed his eyes. He was a bit delusional to where he was at the moment. He remembered...opening the liquor cabinet and several bottles of brandy. Reaver attempted to walk over to the sink to splash some water on his face, but a sudden wave of dizziness overcame him and he stumbled backwards into the divan nearly tipping it regained his composure and sat upright in the divan. 'How much did I drink?' He rubbed his temples and looked up and saw a pile of bottles of several different liquors. 'Well that it explains it.'

Sounds above deck drew Reaver's attention away from his pile of empty alcohol bottles. He only heard the footsteps of one person. He waited for more, but none came. 'Damn imbeciles. It shouldn't take this long to bring in that statue.' The footsteps above started to move towards the rear of the deck. 'Did this intruder have to walk around so loudly?' Reaver rubbed his head, got up, grabbed his gun and slipped it into its holster.

'Might as well introduce myself to this intruder while I'm still sobering up...' Reaver opened the door of his quarter and stepped outside.

Carmen approached the docks. Her her beating faster with every step. Why the hell was she so nervous? She doesn't really have anything to fear from the man, besides him denying her passage on his ship. Maybe that's why she was getting nervous. It was because she was afraid he was going to say no. Alright she needs to stop this, she's being silly. Carmen stopped walking for a moment and started to jump in place shaking her arms, shaking away her nervous feeling and negative thoughts she had.

She started forward again taking longer strides so she could get there sooner. The sooner the better so she could get this over with. Carmen walked passed the houses. It was a mixture of houses that were intact and houses that were in shambles, destroyed by the darkness when it came. The houses still standing had light glowing out the windows. Inside you could see the shadows of the people occupying the place moving around then huddling together around a fire in the center of the room. Wanting to be together instead of alone since they've all lost someone they loved dearly.

As she walked by Carmen sighed and rubbed the back of her neck trying not to think of her family.

The salty smell of the sea soon mixed with the fresh air. The lapping of calm waves on the shore drowned out the silence she was walking through. 'I'm here. There's no turning back now.' she thought to herself. She climbed up the stairs of the dock, boards creaking beneath her. She had to admit that it made her feel a bit self conscious.

Carmen continued up the dock until she reached the ramp leading onto the ship, and proceeded to climb up it.

The entire deck was made of polished mahogany, though worn it was still in good condition. Ropes surrounded her everywhere she looked, branching themselves high above the deck and across the ship itself seeming to intertwine together like ivy. The railings all around were constructed of cedar.

Carmen looked to her right and there were two sets of stairs on each side of the deck leading up to the wheel of the ship, and two beautifully carved red oak doors were set into the platform. 'Could that be the captain's quarters? Map room maybe? I guess it would make sense for the captain's quarters to be up here...separate from the crew. Crew below, and captain up here...'

Above her, laced in the sea of ropes, were several huge red flags that moved gently around with the breeze. The image on the biggest flag appeared to be a yellow cog set in the middle and inside the cog were two yellow R's facing the opposite direction of each other.

Tracing her hand along the railing she headed up to the wheel. It like most of the ship was made of polished mahogany. It had an intricate design carved around the circumference of the wheel. Carmen bent down slightly to observe the design, tracing it wherever it went on the wheel. Carmen couldn't help but note how eerily empty the ship was. She looked up from the wheel and looked around. 'Strange, don't you need a crew to run a ship?'

Carmen stepped back and moved towards the railing looking over the shore. 'Where is everyone?' Her train of thought was broken when she heard a couple of loud clunks coming from behind her. She turned around, and there was Reaver standing on the top step and leaning against the railing gun out of holster, now hanging lazily in his hand, with the smuggest grin on his face that she wanted to smack it off.

"Enjoying yourself?" grin never leaving his face as he slid his gun back into it's holster.

" I was until you made your presence known."

"tsk tsk tsk, it's rude to lie my dear. Everyone enjoys Reaver."

" Pretty bold statement to make. Though I highly doubt that there's an entire truth behind it."

Reaver pressed off the railing and closed the space between them till he was an arms length away from Carmen. " So you think that I am telling a partial truth?"

"Well it's not something anyone would just say unless they had some truth behind their statement. But to say that everyone enjoys you, is a bad assumption because there are people in this world who can't tolerate certain characteristics of people at all, even if the relationship is going to be just sexual. Extreme arrogance, and selfishness only to name a few."

The smug grin was replaced with amusement. " Did you really have to go that deep into analysis of what I said?"

Carmen smiled " I'm just trying to prove a point."

"I see." Reaver inching a bit closer. " " I would love to prove my point, if you'll allow me to demonstrate of course." his eyes dropping from her face down to her bosom,waist, and boots then back up meeting eye contact again.

Carmen sneered and took a step or two back " How about no."

Reaver shrugged and moved behind her towards the railing over looking the shore and leaned back on it, tipping his head back toward the night sky. "Comme vous souhait beau. C'est votre perte bien que."

"It's not my loss if I don't know what I am missing out on."

Reaver tipped his head back down and lifted a eyebrow "Vous parlez français?"

Carmen smiled, " No, but I understand most of it. Spanish and French are two very similar languages."

" That they are mon chéri, but I'm assuming you didn't come here to exchange pleasantries with me...unless my intuition is wrong?" Reaver said with a smirk playing at his lips.

"No you're correct I came here for a reason.I'm here because I need to ask a favor of you."

Reaver tilted his head in curiosity, a marker for her to continue.

"Well you see...thing is...maldita sea, ¿por qué es el tan difícil ahora?"

"Come on now no need to get all nervous, what is it that you want?"

Carmen looked down at her fidgeting hands, 'I don't understand why I am so nervous now? Just moments ago we were talking to each other as if we were well acquainted. Not two strangers who've meet a couple of times.' She peered back up at Reaver who was watching her intently. Impatience was making itself clear by him constantly strumming his fingers along the railing, and his other hand placed on his hip.

"*sigh* Ok, well, it just so happens that I need to leave Aurora, but I don't have any means of transportation to do so." Reaver lifts an eyebrow while a smile slowly inches its way across his face. "So being that you have a well intact ship, and that you plan on leaving back to Albion soon...I was hoping that you would allow me to go back with you...to Albion."

" You want to go to Albion with me?" He said with amusement.

"Yes...I, just can't stay here anymore."

" And what is the reason for wishing to leave a paradise such as this?"

"That is none of your business." Carmen said sternly

Reaver held his hands up" You can't blame me for being curious. I was under the impression that you loved Aurora, and would like to grow old here or whatever people of traditions do."

" I do love Aurora, and I would be happy to live out my life here, but staying would just be too bittersweet."

Reaver nodded his head," Hmm, So you wish to start a new life in Albion, push away all the bad unwanted memories you have here?" 'Now why does this story sound so familiar.'

Carmen grinned, "You hit it right on the head, intuitivo uno."

Reaver smiled as well as he walked towards her, "Well my dear girl you shall come to learn that I never miss my guesses, or anything else."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to take your word on that."

"I'm so relieved." Reaver chuckled. Carmen rolls her eyes.

"So." Reaver said as he crossed his arms " If I agree to your little request, what will you do for me in return?"

"I-" Carmen hadn't really thought about really doing anything in return, as selfish as that sounds, it never happened across her mind while on the way down. "I could clean things on the ship that need cleaning?" He smirked and raised a eyebrow. "I could cook as well?" Reaver shook his head. "What if I tell you that they're are already people who've been assigned to do those things, so they're taken care of?"

Carmen furrowed her brow, " I'll take inventory of things you've acquired, hell I'll even work with the crew, and I've never managed a boat in my entire life! You're not really giving me much to work with."

Reaver smiled wolfishly, "Come on you have to be more creative than that to convince me."

Carmen felt helpless. What could she do that actually might require her help and make her useful? " I'll load and unload things, make the beds, I could play music for everyone!" Reaver looked down on the girl still smiling. Carmen looked up at him, frustration apparent on her face and in her voice. " What would you like me to do?"

"Hmm..." Reaver shifted his weight from one foot to the other, tapping his chin. " Well first and for most, I would like you to retrieve the money you people owe me for my timely rescue in saving your precious life."

Carmen sighed, " Is that all? You just want me to get you the money we owe?"

"No, that's not all." Reaver's hand came up and captured Carmen's chin between his fingers, bringing her face up to his. She could smell a hint of sweet liquor on his breath it made her mouth water. Carmen could feel her heart beating rapidly in her bosom, a warmth crawled on and off her cheeks trying to avoid having from become tinted in scarlet. He lowered his voice to a sultry tone, "I would like you to come to my quarters every evening, and play the violin for me." He released her chin caressing her cheek while lowering his hand back down to his side, "And if I think of anything else for you to do, you'll be the first to know." and gave her a wink.

"You want me to play the violin for you as you're stuffing your face with food."

"Now, now. I have table manners regardless of what you think. I'm not some barbarian who eats with his hands, and doesn't chew his food to later receive indigestion. I have class. I'll even clap for you once you've finished a piece."

"Thank you for clarifying that for me. It would be such an insult to think of you in such a way."

"I'm glad you understand." Reaver replied rather smugly.

Carmen rolled her eyes, and shook her head, " So I assume you want the money as soon as possible?"

"I would actually like it right now, but getting it to me is your ticket on this voyage, and I'm leaving as soon as my men get back."

"I take that as a hint for me to get it now?"

"What a smart girl you are."

Carmen pursed her lips and crossed her arms, "Then I shall leave now to get it."

"That would be the wisest choice because as we speak I see my crew coming." Reaver said while he looked over his shoulder at the mouth of the village.

Carmen stepped to the side to see around him. Sure enough about 2 dozen or a little more men were making their way towards the ship, and they were carrying several large pieces of something. She couldn't exactly make out what though.

She looked back at Reaver who was now examining her curiously.

"What are you looking at?"

"Your weapons. Did you really think that you'd might have to fight me?" He said laughing

Carmen flushed. She completely forgot about the weapons she brought. Coming here looking like she was expecting battalions of mercenaries to fight just to get onto the ship. Her original reason for bringing them made sense to her. She doesn't know what kind of person Reaver is, so if need be she needs something to protect herself. Though after conversing with him, he didn't really seem like the type of person who would just randomly attack someone. She felt foolish, and the stupid grin he had on his face wasn't making her feel any better.

"Well...you never know what could happen. Expect the unexpected. Its always possible that I could have been attacked on the way here for no apparent reason."

"Hmm, that's quite true my dear."

"I mean what if I didn't bring any weapons? Then all of the sudden I'm being attacked by some deranged evil chicken! How would I protect myself?"

"Yes you're very right. I hear deranged evil chicken attacks happen often in Aurora. It's quite unfortunate."

"I'm glad you understand. But I should really be going now."

"Ah, indeed you should ma petite beauté. I shall see you once you have my money."

"Until then."

"Until then." Reaver smiled, took a step back and bowed.

Carmen smiled and turned on her heel towards the stairway leading to the main deck. As she proceeded down the stairway and to the ramp exiting the ship Reaver called after her, "Oh! Be sure to watch out for deranged evil chickens. It would be a shame to hear that you were felled by one of those nasty creatures."

Carmen laughed as she walked down the ramp. As she walked off the dock the 2 dozen or so crew passed her, she nodding to some and smiling, they all doing the same.

The men slowly moved up the ramp, careful not to drop the heavy pieces of the statue. Reaver turned his attention to the event was he couldn't see Carmen anymore. The statue pieces were all placed in the same area. The men were now all scattered over the deck, sitting or lying down. Exhausted from their journey in the desert. One of the men approached Reaver.

"Oi, Reava'. Who's tha dame?"

Most of the men caught what the man asked, and now waited curiously for the answer.

Reaver turned to look down at the scruffy little man,"That my good sir, is our new crew mate for our trip back to Albion."

The man's eyes light up and beamed a huge smile. The other men cheered a clapped each other on the back.

Reaver turned away and walked towards the stairway and down to his quarters. Before entering the room he turned back to the still celebrating crew. "When she returns, send her to my quarters if you will." Reaver turned back to the door opening it and closing it behind him as he stepped inside his room. He picked up a half empty bottle of brandy, and relaxed into the divan as he awaited Carmen's return.

My goodness I am very sorry for the delay of this chapter, but I've been very busy with school, and I've had little time to sit down and write this chapter. Anyways I hope you like it, and as always please review =]

*Comme vous souhait beau.C'est votre perte bien que.

As you wish beautiful. It's your loss though.

*Vous parlez français?

You speak French?

*maldita sea, ¿por qué es el tan difícil ahora

damn, why is it so difficult now?

*intuitivo uno

intuitive one

*ma petite beauté

my little beauty