Hello everyone! I know it has been quite a long time since I've last updated any of my stories so first let me tell you how sorry I am for that. It just seems that school and writing don't mix very well. But anyway what I have for you today has been a long time in coming since a lot of people were asking. I thought about it for a while and I came up with enough story for a sequel. Actually, more than enough so this is only the first part of a few shorter chapters I'm working on right now and hope to finish soon. I hope you all enjoy it as much as you did the first part.
Home Port part 2 - Chapter 1: Home is where the heart is
It was a dark night, quiet except for the ever-present wind softly rattling at the rigging, making it creak and clatter. The ship's bow slowly plowed through wave after wave of almost black water, so dark the captain couldn't even really make it out from where she was standing at the railing, her long coat flapping as the wind took hold of it every now and then. Only when they hit a bigger wave, the resounding splash of the water on the metal cased ram bow could be seen as spray flew upwards, the little light the almost moonless night provided reflecting off the small droplets.
Bo could feel her crew shifting with growing unease, the restlessness of an impending mission having taken a hold of them from the moment she instructed to douse the lamps on the ship so they would not be seen from the harbor as they sailed past at a respectful distance. The captain herself was completely at ease, leaning on the wooden railing of the ship, watching as the golden and orange lights in the distance grew brighter with every passing minute, showing that, even at night, Kingston was very much alive with people drinking, dancing and enjoying themselves and each other. Bo's eyes fixed on a bright spot of light that had appeared as one of the first ones, high on the hills surrounding the city. It was her goal, where she would be going tonight and leaving again before morning with hopefully a beautiful blonde woman in her arms. Lauren, she thought, a smile not seen in the darkness of the night darting across her weather-beaten features. It had been too long since she had last been to Kingston, she clearly felt it in the way the ever-present longing made her heart pound; the same heart that was usually dead to any kind of compassion but harbored nothing but endless love for the woman that had captured it so long ago. It was Lauren who made it beat fiercely in her chest, the captain knew. Everything she had done, all the people she wronged and murdered for the dream of freedom she was living never mattered when the soft blonde woman looked at her with more love in her honey-brow eyes than Bo ever thought she would be worthy of. Lauren loved her despite the monster she knew she was and that alone was the sole reason the pirate captain could go on with herself. Should her love ever turn her back on her, Bo knew she would walk into the Navy's chains with a smile on her face and let herself be hanged without a fight or a word of spite. The one thing she would say though, would be that she was sorry, sorry that she disappointed the only person on this entire earth that meant more to her than anything and everything else combined.
"Captain." Dyson's gruff but hushed voice drifted towards her from where her loyal first mate had come to stand beside her without her even noticing. "Dyson." She answered, acknowledging his presence and allowing him to continue. Under normal circumstances she would have just nodded but she knew that the simple gesture wouldn't do in the blackness of night.
"We're coming closer to the bay. Are we to wait for you on the Queen or will some of us accompany you into Kingston?" As always when they were planning something and Bo was giving orders, Dyson was being overly formal and stiff. He was one of those pirates who had been in the Navy before he deserted and became what he was now. In fact, it had been the captain herself who had convinced the gruffly handsome and aspiring young admiral to leave with her and never look back. Dyson had been in the Navy way longer than Bo who had only lasted a few months before she couldn't take it anymore and so his learned mannerisms died hard, showing every now and then when he would take a command or spoke to her in general.
"I will take only Kenzi with me. Hale will row us to shore as usual, he's to wait there for our return. Keep the Queen ready at all times. We will need to be quick." Bo informed her first mate in a calm and collected voice and, as the clouds shifted above them and revealed a sliver of moonlight for the first time that night, she saw Dyson nod before he quickly looked up at the light suddenly flooding the scene. Bo's eyes flickered towards the golden lights in the distance, now off to the right as they were almost past Kingston by now. As the sun had gone down Dyson had asked why Bo still wanted to take the longer route around the harbor and right now, the moonlight reflecting off the water in garlands of silver gave him his answer. It was what made his captain the most wanted pirate of the Caribbean: her caution and precision in approaching even the seemingly easiest tasks. Had they been closer to the harbor in this exact moment, the guards on their posts would have surely seen them, ending every possibility of getting in and back out of Kingston that night and making it thoroughly impossible to try again for the next weeks. As it was, they were lucky enough to be almost at a blind angle by now.
Bo turned her head to the left, seeing a wall of high stony cliffs that caught the light before another heavy cloud pushed itself in front of the moon, restoring the darkness from before but not quite as black. It had a more grayish light to it that tinted the scenery in a strange eerie glow, like all colors but black and white had been sucked from the world. Bo smiled. This was her favorite kind of lighting: just bright enough so you could see as far as you needed to yet still dark enough that you really had to concentrate to see, obscuring those who didn't want to be seen from sleepy and heedless eyes.
"Tell the crew to get the wooden poles ready, we'll be at the entrance to the bay shortly." She gave a final command to Dyson and he nodded again, curtly this time before he hurried off down the stairs from the captain's place almost at the very front of the bow. Bo looked after him for a second before she, too pushed off the railing and made her way down the stairs, the soles of her leather boots clacking on the wood. With one last glance towards Kingston where she saw nothing again she finally dared to raise her voice again "Oy! Take in all sail! The Queen will take us the rest of the way!"
The crew members on deck looked up and, responding to their captain's voice, immediately took their places like a well-oiled machine. She helped one of her men secure one of the thick ropes, clapping him on the back afterwards to which the man nodded his thanks at her before shuffling off to help with the poles needed to make sure they would not hit the narrow-standing cliffs at the entrance of the bay. "All clear!" Came the familiar call from above where Kenzi was nimbly swinging through the rigging like a monkey, checking if everything was secured properly. She took a hold of a thicker rope that sent her racing towards the wooden planks where she came to a stand next to Bo with a clunk of her boots, running off a split second later to also help with the poles.
Bo allowed herself to close her eyes for a moment, breathing in the clear and salty air around her. These were the moments she lived for as a woman of the sea: Her crew working together perfectly at her command, the organized chaos as they all sought to accomplish yet another unspeakable thing, to capture another great treasure. Just that this time, the treasure Bo was after was worth more than any gold or diamonds she would ever acquire.
"Hold!" Came Dyson's voice, long and drawn out as the crew waited for his command, three people holding one wooden pole, two on each side of the ship. "Now! Push!" He shouted and as one the men and women thrust the worn-looking wood forward, making it connect with the hard stone of the cliffs in a dull crack. Experienced by now, they made it through the narrow passage in no time and without significant damage, just a few scraps here and there. Quickly, before they came to a full stand in the center of the small bay, Bo walked into her captain's cabin, shedding her coat and hat, leaving her standing in her worn leather pants and a wide linen shirt. Tonight, she wouldn't need the clothes that characterized her appearance more than anything, they would only hinder her in moving quickly and without drawing too much attention. Instead she reached for a dark red vest that she pulled on but didn't button up; it was only to somewhat obscure the three pistols on the belt crossing her chest. Tying her wild raven locks back behind her head, she took another deep breath, preparing herself. Still, it felt weird not being in her usual attire as she stepped back out onto the deck where she found Kenzi leaning against the mast, double checking her daggers and throwing knives. Dressed all in black the former master thief would never be seen by those she didn't want to. Her hair was still colorful as ever but most of it was now hidden under a skillfully folded bandana she had tied behind her head.
Together, they moved towards the railing, Hale already waiting for them in the dinghy below. "Nobody leaves this ship tonight unless I say so!" Bo roared, now using the full force of her voice again, making it carry and vibrate with the authority it held from a very young age. "We will be leaving as soon as I return so keep the Queen ready!"
"Aye, captain!" was the answer from about twenty mouths at once. Satisfied, Bo turned to Dyson once more who nodded at her, silently wishing her good luck and telling her that he would handle everything while she was gone. She returned the gesture before swinging herself over the railing and into the dinghy where Hale and Kenzi were waiting. Here we go, Bo thought as Hale's paddles clapped forcefully into the grayish water for the first time. She touched the burn mark on her wrist, anger flooding her immediately. Six months ago when the Royal Navy caught her and brought her to St. George's for execution they had branded her. Unbeknownst to them it had poisoned her black blood even further, giving her a reason and a touchstone to fuel her anger at those who took away the people's freedom at gunpoint. Wood crunched on sand as Hale pushed the small dinghy onto shore. One more time Bo loosened her pistols in their holsters, pulling out both, her dagger and her saber part-way before letting them slide back into their respective places at her hips and jumping out of the small boat, a fire burning brightly in her eyes.
It took the two pirates a little less than an hour to reach Kingston as they walked on the small hidden path leading from the city to the secluded bay, following it for most of the way before venturing off of it as they got closer. The path ended at the edge of the woods somewhere near the main market place but tonight they would need to get up the surrounding hills to where the Drunken Pirate stood and walking through Kingston's nightly streets wasn't an option Bo liked all that much. Yes, it was dark and she was out of her usual attire but still, a grim sketch of her face adorned almost every third house by now and, if confronted, the branding on the inside of her right wrist would rule out every doubt there might be about who she was.
Kenzi, who was leading the way, had just nodded when Bo told her, the few still visible colorful strands of her hair bobbing in the night. And so, as silently as they could, they crept up the small hills through the woods. They were almost at the edge of the trees again, the tavern that was their destination no hundred yards away, when Kenzi suddenly held up her hand, signaling Bo to stop. The captain complied, knowing that the young woman crouched in front of her had a way of hearing and seeing things that was without equal.
A few seconds passed in silence, only the strangely soothing cacophony of a nightly forest echoing around them. Bo could hear the blood pumping through her veins like a war drum when Kenzi suddenly stood with the elegance of a cat, her arm racing forward like a whip. A moment later, there was a choking, then a gurgling sound followed by a soft thump that made the small pirate's stance relax again. She turned to face her captain, meeting dark eyes with her own pale blue ones that shone through the night like those of a demon. In the grayish semi-darkness she held up one finger, touching the side of her neck with it and pulling it across her throat before winking at Bo and the captain understood as they started moving again. Kenzi had heard a man near them in the woods and had taken care of him with a deadly precise throwing knife.
Truly, they halted again over the slumped body of a ragged looking middle-aged man, his eyes open and staring at the leaves of the trees above him. His mouth was open and filled with warm blood, black in the night as it slowly dripped down the left corner of his mouth. Its scent filled Bo's nose like a loving caress while she waited for Kenzi to pull out her small throwing knife from his exposed throat. It came loose with a sound like pulling a boot from a puddle of mud and, after the her companion had wiped it off on the dead man's shirt, they were moving again. The unlucky fellow had probably just drunkenly wandered off into the woods to relieve himself and would have never even taken notice of them but neither Kenzi nor Bo were the kind of pirates to risk it. They were precise, without mercy whenever it concerned their missions and so the guy had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time and it cost him his life with the simple flick of a talented wrist.
"And now?" Kenzi's hushed voice reached Bo's ears, their eyes meeting from behind the respective trees they were leaning against to shield themselves from view. The captain held the gaze for a second before she turned her head, regarding the tavern sitting on the hills highest point, its windows glowing in a happy light. "I go in through the bedroom window, as always. I hope it won't take long. You stay behind the house and warn me if something unexpected happens. We will be back into the woods in no time."
"Aye. Let's hope you're right, captain." Kenzi answered, taking a breath and quickly making the sign of the cross like she always did before she went on into the most dangerous part of a plan. Bo didn't understand what an unwanted orphan, a thief before she was even five years old could possibly have to gain from believing in a power much greater than herself but she did not ask. It wasn't her right to do so. She may have been the captain but each and every one of her crew members had their own demons to face when they went to sleep in hammocks and on worn sacks filled with straw and feathers. They were one family on the Queen Ysabeau, but they were all there for a reason and seldom was one as simple or as optional as Bo's own.
Quiet and quick as shadows the two pirates came out of the woods, making their way across the small open field still separating them from the tavern in a wide arc that eventually led them to the back of the building after a few minutes. Clearly, Bo could hear that the Drunken Pirate was still open and busy as ever, laughter and bawled songs drifting through the silence of night. Every now and then the sounds would swell for a second, indicating the door opening to pour out patrons making their way home laughing in smaller groups or alone, the ground crunching under their boots.
Their backs pressed to the back wall Bo and Kenzi waited for the perfect moment. Another smaller group had left about five minutes ago, the door remaining closed since then and so Bo finally decided that it would be now or never. She caught Kenzi's gaze, nodding once to indicate she was ready. The thief understood, widening her stance and bending ever so slightly at the knees, her hands coming together, fingers linking to form a platform for her captain's foot. Bo placed her boot there immediately and, with a last confirming glance at Kenzi, her muscles tensed, pushing her off the ground and quickly towards one of the lower ledges sticking out from the building's wooden wall. She grabbed for the edge with skilled fingers, finding her grip immediately and pulling herself up to stand on the ledge, back pressed to the wall and carefully avoiding the window to her left. It would have been a shame to be discovered after getting this far.
Her eyes wandered to the next ledge above her, slightly off to the right. That was her entrance to Lauren's room. Right now Bo refused calling it Lauren and her husband's bedroom in her mind, it only fuelled her already powerful jealous rage and jealousy interfered with the concentration she needed right now. Taking a deep breath, she pushed those thoughts from her mind, eyes fixing on the spot she wanted to reach before her knees bent slightly, launching her towards her goal. She heard Kenzi huff out a breath when one hand reached the polished wood, slipping slightly but it was steadied by the second coming to its aid, granting Bo a grip strong enough to lift her legs with the momentum, her feet against the wall. She pulled herself up, using the raw strength of her muscled arms, letting out a breath of her own as she found herself face to face with Lauren's very open bedroom window.
Slowly, not knowing what to expect, she slipped into the dark room, a hand near the handle of the lowest gun on her belt. Small but with a long barrel it would fire fast and precise if she needed it to. Trained eyes darted through the room, identifying no immediate threats before they landed on the form of a soft blonde woman curled in bed facing Bo, her body only covered by a thin white sheet, deep and even breaths making her chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm. In the same second, Bo's own breathing almost doubled, her senses filling with Lauren's unique scent lingering in the room's air, making the usually so strong pirate captain week-kneed. A bright smile spread across her face, muscles straining as they gave way to the uncommon expression. Bo's feet moved seemingly on their own until she could crouch down next to the bed, her chin coming to a rest on the soft white mattress. She wanted to put her hand there, too, next to Lauren, but she feared that her dirty fingers would stain the clean material and somewhere in her mind she didn't want that. Lauren's world was perfect, she had everything, she should be happy. She shouldn't need Bo because the pirate captain was anything but perfect, she didn't really fit to Lauren's side, didn't deserve someone like the blonde and yet somehow Lauren did love her against all odds or better judgment.
Bo closed her eyes tightly to shut out the onslaught of emotions suddenly trying to overwhelm her. How could she even think of ripping Lauren out of this life? To take her into a bloody and dark world, to taint her life with steel and gold? It was the blonde's wish as well, she told herself but then again Lauren had no idea what she was getting into and Bo would not let the woman she loved walk into her own doom with eyes wide open. Still, the selfish part of the captain wanted the blonde with her no matter the cost, a hand starting to grip the side of the mattress in frustration at her own emotions, staining it against her will but inevitably so.
"Bo?" For a moment the pirate wasn't even sure she had actually heard the sleepy whisper, so soft and quiet that she was certain she had imagined it but when she opened her eyes she found hazy orbs staring back at her, recognition in them, a small smile forming on Lauren's face. In the semi-darkness of night the blonde's usually amber eyes seemed darker as they fixed Bo more and more clearly by the second, Lauren pushing herself up as the pirate captain could only watch and stare. It had been too long since she had seen the woman she loved and in that moment she knew that all the moral reasons for leaving Lauren to a safe life didn't matter to her, they never did. She never wanted to feel that way again, have that loneliness and longing eat away at her on slower days when the wind blew harshly, making her coat flap and the rigging rattle. No, she decided, she would never feel that way again because from now on, her lover would always be by her side. "Lauren." She greeted her, voice sounding oddly out of place in the dark and somewhat peaceful environment of the bedroom. Shaking hands were on both sides of her face before Bo could even blink, heavenly soft lips pressed to hers a heartbeat later, kissing her with a desperation that made the pirate's head spin, barely leaving her with enough thought to remember kissing Lauren back with passion. When, chests heaving and lips parted, they finally broke apart for air, their eyes immediately found each other again, burning into each other, almost sparking even in the darkness.
"You came back." Lauren whispered, the hands holding Bo's face still shaking, one of them slowly caressing up and down over the weather beaten features like she couldn't believe this was real. The captain just nodded at her, a small smile playing around her lips. "I always do." The hand that had previously clutched the while bed sheet came up to squeeze Lauren's on her cheek before Bo stood, making her lover's palms slip from her face. "Come on, we don't have much time."
Quickly, Lauren nodded, getting out of bed and making Bo suck in a deep breath at the sight of the blonde in just her underwear but she was quick to avert her gaze and suppress her desire until Lauren had pulled on a dirty white linen shirt and a pair of brown pants that looked a bit big on her. "I will need to find an excuse for why I'm not here for the next few nights again." The blonde smiled as she came over to her lover, leaning into her in a way that Bo loved, that made her feel strong. "You won't need that this time." The captain whispered into her lover's hair, making Lauren chuckle. "Why? Kenzi again? One day you will need to tell me what she does to make my disappearances valid." Taking a deep breath and reveling in the blonde's clean scent for a second longer, Bo took a small step back, turning Lauren to face her. "No. You won't need to because this will be the last time you leave."
For a moment the blonde looked at her with a confused expression, like she was thinking she hadn't heard right, then a frown raced across her face. "What do you.." she started but Bo cut her off with a fierce voice. "We're not coming back." The pirate took a deep breath as she saw realization flood Lauren's face. "I've come to take you with me."
For a few heartbeats the dull sounds of the music paired with loud laughter from below were all that could be heard. Even in the blackness of night Bo could see the wheels in Lauren's head spinning faster than they ever had, faster even than on the day the captain had told her lover that she would be joining the Royal Navy. It all only lasted a few seconds, though. The next thing Bo knew were a soft hand on her cheek, another clawing into the front of her dirty white linen shirt just next to the top pistol on her gun belt, holding her in place as soft lips found the Pirate's, their kiss loving and deep as if for contrast.
"If this is a dream it's the best one I've ever had." Lauren whispered against her mouth when they parted for air, eyes still closed, just feeling the other instead of greedily taking in gray silhouettes in the almost moonless night like before. Bo had to chuckle at her lover's words, pulling her a bit tighter against herself with a gentle strength that was very unlike her usual behavior. "This is no dream." She released her, opening her eyes to meet Lauren's.
Suddenly, a foreign sound in the night made Bo turn her head. The song of a bird had reached her ears, quick and seemingly telling her to hurry and the captain frowned, knowing what it meant. "Pack the things you want to take with you. We don't have a lot of time." She urged her lover, parting her lips right after, tongue pressing against her teeth as she let out a small whistle that carried just far enough for the other song to stop. Kenzi had understood.
Lauren was suddenly filled with a nervous energy as she raced around the room as quietly as she could, grabbing her few belongings and lifting one particular floorboard to retrieve all Bo had given her over the years which, due to the small confined space, wasn't all that much. She packed it all into a small linen bag, handing it to Bo once she was done. "My other clothes?" She asked but the pirate shook her head. "We'll get you something new to wear."
Bo watched Lauren turn to face the room once more, her gaze wandering over every piece of furniture, running a hand along the bed sheets, seemingly making peace. Another whistle, insistent and hurried now, drifted through the air but Bo didn't need it, she could hear for herself, footsteps coming up the stairs, soles of heavy boots clacking on wood. Too late she realized that the music downstairs had also quieted down, the voices and laughter with it. She cursed under her breath, Lauren always made her lose focus whenever she was around her after long periods of time apart. "We need to leave now." Bo hissed, the boots were coming closer and, just as Lauren turned from looking at a small drawing of a ship next to the door, the heavy wood opened. "Lauren my love." Edward said, his voice parched yet loud like thunder in the quiet room, the vowels drawn out by way too many glasses of rum flowing through him. Lauren turned with a shocked expression, looking right back at the man who was staring at her lovingly with unfocused eyes, seemingly oblivious to Bo. For the pirate, that only came in more than handy. She placed the bag with Lauren's belongings off to the side, already feeling her raging jealousy beginning to rear its ugly head as her eyes zeroed in on the way this man was looking at the woman she loved. She had initially thought it would make her shaky and unstable to be in this man's direct presence, to feel how he loved and wanted the very woman that was Bo's but now, as she stared at him in his rum-stained shirt, his shaggy blond hair unruly and ruffled, her eyes only darkened visibly even in the sparse light, making her feel calm as she reached for the middle pistol on the belt crossing her chest. It was her most trusted pistol, not the fastest or heaviest but precise and deadly, especially in her expert hand.
"What are you doing up?" Edward slurred, his eyes travelling up and down over Lauren's body, making Bo's blood boil as she pulled the pistol free, lifting it to point directly at the drunk man's chest. The shot of the weapon would surely alert people to her presence but the raging jealously thundering though her blood pushed her past caring. Let them come for her, she thought, let them try. She had waited so long to get her hands on this man, to put a gun to his beating heart and watch the realization of his ending life sink in behind his eyes that she couldn't help herself anymore, making her throw all caution out the window.
"Ed.." Was all Lauren said, her eyes filling with fear and something unreadable as they flickered from her husband to Bo who was standing by the window with her legs slightly parted for better footing, the sparse light from outside catching in her raven hair and giving it a silvery touch; silver like the meticulously polished barrel of the gun she was pointing at Edward. Lauren's look finally seemed to clue him in that something wasn't right and so he turned his head in Bo's direction, his eyes widening as he swayed slightly from alcohol and shock, rapidly starting to blink as he tried to comprehend what was happening.
Bo could only smirk, not even thinking of pushing down the demons in her head that were urging her on, whispering and wanting her to pull the trigger. So this was the man the good and noble Commodore Lewis had seen fit to marry his precious daughter: a swaying drunk. Of course she had known who Edward Turner was before this night, even way before he married Lauren she had known but this was the first time in years that she saw him face to face and it disgusted and enraged her, almost having to laugh when Edward tried to push out his chest to seem intimidating. "Who are you?" He demanded and Bo was surprised how sober he managed to sound but she only gripped the pistol with more intent in response. "Doesn't really matter, does it? But I suggest you step back a bit, we were just leaving." It pained Bo to no end but for Lauren she was willing to let the man live, he was a risk of course but despite how much the captain resented him, she knew Lauren cared for him at least somewhat and for her happiness Bo would do anything.
Edward looked around the room, seemingly searching for another person but coming up short. "Who is we?" He growled, his eyes darting to a shotgun on the wall about six feet away from him, weighing is opportunities. Bo smiled cruelly and this time her muscles complied easily; this was a common expression of hers. "Me and your lovely wife of course." She spat at him, showing him her golden teeth as she grinned.
"Go downstairs Lauren." Edward said calmly, his eyes finding his wife's briefly, trying to assure her that everything would be alright. Bo laughed, a dark and sinister sound like the crack of a whip that made Lauren flinch and look at the woman she loved. "Now." Edward insisted but Lauren shook her head. "No." The blonde whispered as Bo slowly started to step closer, feeling the air in the room shift to something more dangerous, something that wasn't coming from her and therefore out of her direct control.
"What?" Edward asked, his voice barely audible, his gaze searching but Lauren was evading him, tears starting to form in her eyes that shimmered in the moonlight suddenly flooding though the window. The clouds had moved past again it seemed. For a moment time seemed to stand still, like the three of them were the only people existing in this world but then Lauren whispered "I'm going with her. I'm sorry."
Bo grabbed the pistol in her hands tighter when she saw realization flash across Edward's features. "She's the one?" He asked his wife and for the first time the pirate captain had the impression he was completely sobered up. Not waiting for Lauren to answer he turned back to Bo, walking towards her until she raised the flicked the pistol dangerously, daring him to take one more step and effectively pinning him in place. "You." Edward growled at Bo "You're the reason she stares out at the see every bloody morning! The reason she shies away from my touch! The reason we can't be happy!" By the time he finished his sentence he was roaring with rage, his eyes wild and flickering from the gun pointed at him to Bo's eyes, measuring his opportunities. The captain wanted to grin at him, wanted to nod and drive the knife even further into his heart but a softly spoken, pleading "Bo.." kept her from doing all of that as she saw Lauren with tears streaming down her face, obviously lost between wanting to take her lover's side and protecting her husband from harm.
"Bo?" Crazed by pain and rum Edward yelled the question and really looked at the woman in front of him, recognition seeping into his unsteady eyes. "The Pirate Queen. Of all people on this entire earth, it has to be her?!" Bo knew the deciding moment was coming closer and closer and so she tried to find the last piece of humanity her raging jealousy had still left her. "Step back. Step back now and no one needs to get hurt. Let her go." She paused. "Come, Lauren."
The blonde sobbed once but moved, walking around Edward in a wide arc, halting briefly when she felt him looking at her. "For what it's worth, Ed. I really do love you. Just.. not enough. In another life.. I.. I'm so sorry." She said and Bo knew it was the final straw, she felt it in her gut. Her gut was never wrong.
It all happened very fast but for Bo it still felt like slow motion. His drunk mind driving him, Edward lunged at Lauren in a last futile attempt to keep her with him. The blonde tried to evade him but tripped over the bag with her things in it and fell out of his reach but above it all rang the blaring, deafening sound of a shot being fired. Deadly precise even in motion the bullet hit Edward square in the chest, the impact altering his intended path a bit. Not that it mattered, though as his body fell useless to the side, collapsing in a heap just a few feet away from Lauren. A small trickle of blood started to drip from his mouth, his eyes wide open, staring at nothing and he moved no more.
Deadly silence filled to room as Bo's heart filled with a black kind of relief and joy. The monster she was had always enjoyed seeing the life leave someone's eyes, smelling the heavy irony scent of their blood but this was better, she felt. She didn't show it outwardly because of Lauren but finally pulling the trigger on the man who tried to steal the woman she loved from her had been one of the greatest reliefs to ever flood through her.
She snapped out of her feelings when she heard voices from outside, still far away but coming closer; probably patrons lured back to the Drunken Pirate by the sound of the shot. "We need to go." She said calmly to Lauren who was still sitting on the floor, staring blankly at her dead husband. His blood was by now dripping onto the floor and forming a puddle, having soaked through his shirt in a matter of seconds but suddenly she, too found her resolve. Quickly, she stood, grabbing her bag and walking over to Bo who was already waiting for her on the ledge in front of her window, holding her hand out for Lauren to take. Together they made it down to Kenzi very quickly who shot both of them a questioning glance but understood that this was neither the time nor the place for questions.
They hurried off across the small open field and into the woods as quickly and silently as they could, the loud voices sounding out from where the Drunken Pirate stood fading in the distance as they soon found the path that would lead them to the Queen Ysabeau. The whole time they didn't say a word, Kenzi in front, then Lauren and Bo in the back, moving though the nightly forest as quickly as they could. Every now and then a quiet sob from the blonde could be heard and Bo hurt for her. The moment she saw Lauren crying it had taken all the joy out of killing Edward, leaving her strangely hollow, not knowing if she should comfort Lauren or stay away from her. The question lingered in her mind all the way back to her ship, even while she was bellowing commands at her crew it never left her.
The moment Bo made her decision was when the wind blew harshly around them again, pulling at her coat and hat she had put on again. They were out on open water again, Kingston's lights fading in the distance as morning was slowly reaching out its fist fingers to touch the horizon, making the wavy water around them shimmer in silver and gray that would soon be orange and gold.
Bo found Lauren near the steering wheel at the stern of the ship, looking out towards where Kingston was fading behind them. She came up behind her and just stood there for a moment, way closer than she would ever stand to anyone else, eyes cast in the same direction as her lover's. When Lauren turned her eyes were red and puffy but she wasn't crying anymore. Instead, she leaned against the black and white lapels of Bo's coat, her hands coming up to rest on the pirate's strong shoulders and Bo applauded herself for coming to Lauren on her own.
They stayed silent for a long time, one of Bo's arms tightly around the blonde's waist, the other caressing her hair as Lauren's head pressed into the captain's neck. Slowly, the colorless and gray night around them faded, giving way to a breathtaking new day, the sun rising hot and orange in the distance, flooding the morning sea with light and colors. "He would have hurt you." Bo finally said, watching as the light reflected off her lover's hair, making it shimmer like liquid gold. Lauren tensed but nodded. "I know." She whispered. "I.." She stared, taking a deep breath and pausing before she was able to continue. "I'm actually glad you did it. I could never see him hurt that way. He didn't deserve what I did to him."
Bo was surprised to hear so rational thoughts on the murder of Lauren's own husband come out of the woman's mouth so shortly after it happened but she was glad. It meant she was already moving on and that was a vital part to becoming a true pirate: leaving behind everything when you left and never looking back. Maybe this life suited Lauren a lot better than she had thought after all. "A true pirate." Bo murmured into Lauren's hair and the blonde chucked, sniffling once as she pulled back to look into dark eyes. "This world isn't fair. A true pirate never looks back." Bo completed her statement and Lauren nodded solemnly, seemingly vowing those same words to herself. "Then where are we going next, Captain?" The blonde asked with a smile, hands grabbing onto Bo's lapels more insistently.
"We need to get you a good pistol or two and we still need to sell the spices and tea we carried off the last cargo ship we raided." Bo answered but Lauren just lifted an eyebrow, making the captain's heart beat faster like only the blonde could. She kissed her lover deeply, parting her lips with an insistent tongue as the sun rose higher into the sky. Pulling back for air, their eyes locked in an intense stare and Bo murmured. "Nassau."
So again, this is just the beginning. I'm thinking maybe another three chapters of roughly this length, no more. I hope to see you all again for more soon!