Obligatory disclaimer: The Mouse owns all, save my own original characters.


James' eyes widened with astonishment when Julia's accusation sunk in. How on Earth did she make the jump from a simple request to call on her in the near future to a scarlet woman? Was she not coming out of mourning soon? Did he hear her wrong earlier? Well, if one thing had not changed in the time James had met her, it was that Julia could exasperating. He put a hand up in appeasement. "I am not asking that–."

Wanting nothing more than to push the infernal man out of her bed, Julia pressed her lips together until a white line formed while she formulated the right words. Julia could not believe what he was proposing. She would not be anyone's kept woman; no matter how much pleasure the man could give. She interrupted him. "Nor your mistress!"

Her anger flared his own. "Did you not hear what I asked? You are twisting my words into something far more ugly than what I said!" By God, she is an infernal woman. Why is she pushing me away? I mean… Bloody Hell! She is pushing me away like I pushed her away when we met.

"I do not care what you said! I know what you meant, what you want. I…" Julia was so angry that her vocabulary abandoned her completely, reducing her to venting her frustration by grabbing a pillow and lobbing it across the room.

Her indignation wounded James far worse than if she had physically struck him. She refused to hear what he was asking and was twisting his words beyond recognition. "Julia." The sadness in his voice nearly caused Julia's heart to break.

The one word was enough to halt Julia's tirade in its tracks. Oh God! This was so much worse. It never dawned on her that James would have developed feelings for her and wanted to make things proper between them. Shaking her head in the negative, Julia suppressed the urge to groan and instead smiled sadly. There would be no happy ending in their future, for she had already lost her heart to one man who stomped it to pieces and she had already lost one husband to the sea.

Her fingers itched to smooth the tension out of his brow, but knew it would be her undoing and balled her hand into a fist, her fingernails digging into her palm. "James, you do not know what you want. Last night is all a-tumble in your head." Julia was not willing to admit that the sudden realization had left her head all a-tumble. She turned away so that James was in no part of her line of vision.

Frustration running through his veins, James grabbed her shoulder, forcing Julia to turn back and meet his gaze. His words were clipped, but soft. "No. It is not. My head, my heart… Everything is suddenly very clear. I do not want this to be all… all that we have between us. I ask for nothing more than you can give, but I think you can give more than you are considering."

Julia worried her upper lip between her teeth, unsure of how to correct the mess she made of things. But such notions had to be squelched before they developed further… "Please, do not make this how we part ways. I am very fond of you. I would even wish to call you a friend…"

James ducked his head in an attempt to hide the hurt in his eyes. His voice was raw when he replied, "After last night, I would like to think that also myself. But it is not I who is making this how we part ways. I want nothing more than to whisper tender words in your ear while I take you again. Now. Later. Always."

Julia ignored the hurt in her voice, ignored his sweet words, lest she falter in her convictions. "But I will not let our friendship develop further. I already lost one husband to pirates. I will not be with anyone who could put me in that position again. James… if circumstances were different, I would say yes. That I would love to see you in a more proper manner. But I am not strong enough to send out to sea another husband only to have him not return. This is what it is – two lonely people who have affection for one another and who were able to excise some demons from the past. Please, I do not mean to hurt you, but do not make me mourn you."

James was silent. Despite his stoic nature, he was truly a romantic at heart. Knowing that – and having his heart returned to him more than once – James always kept his emotions closely guarded. But somehow, Julia managed to get under his skin, causing him to reveal more than James ever intended. Nothing left to do but surrender to her wishes. "Julie, I understand your feelings. I do not necessarily agree with them, but you need to protect yourself and your interests – and I respect that."

No one had called her Julie since she was a small girl. All the hurt that she had felt in her short life came crashing down upon her. Drawing her knees up, Julia clasped her arms around her legs and quietly cried. Unsure of whether to gather her into his arms or to give her privacy, James instead pushed himself up into a full sitting position and waited to see if Julia banished him from the bedroom or acknowledged him in any way.

He did not have to wait long for his answer.

Lifting her head up from her knees, Julia cast James a glance before looking away in embarrassment. "I have made a royal mess of things, have I not?" She then sniffled and a hand arced up to brush away unshed tears.

If there was one thing in the world James did not understand, it was the emotional complexities of women. He decided to tread softly and keep his words neutral. "Julia… A lot has happened in the past day. Of course you are overwhelmed."

Julia scoffed, then looked at James, her lips curved into a rueful smile. "You are more kind than I deserve. I… My thoughts have been as disheveled as my hair is this morning. I have so much to thank you for. And I suppose I should start by thanking you for giving me the best night of my life. I know I sound trite by saying this, but no one has ever made me the center of their attention. Ever."

James looked at the woman sitting next to him, undraped and comfortable in her nakedness. Or maybe she was unaware that the sheet lay pooled at her feet. But he, for one, was grateful that the sheet still covered part of his anatomy. He drew a leg up so the sheet would drape and cover the evidence of his gratitude.

"C'mere," James beckoned Julia over into the enclosure of his arms. With a slight hesitation, she scooted over and allowed James to swallow her into a hug. Julia's head rested against his chest and James rocked her gently, whispering soothing words against the crown of her head, his fingers absently running through her hair.

"The last time anyone called me Julie, I was seventeen. Let me explain that my father was the only one who ever called me that. But he stopped the night Cutler brought to his attention… my indiscretions. That is why I cried – remembering a life that was less complicated."

Her words surprised him and it took James a moment to formulate and appropriate response. "I meant not to make your life more complicated. My question was meant to be more innocent than it has turned out to be. But, I would like very much to call you something other than what others call you also. Something private. Between us. If Julie makes you sad, I shall think of something else. Unless you would rather me not."

Julia looked up at James. From her vantage point, he looked very protective and tender. A brow was quirked upwards in curiosity, waiting for a reply. Julia snuggled against him further, relishing the warmth of his body and the warmth of his words. "What are you thinking?"

Now that he was expected to come up with an appropriate nickname, James knew had to think fast. "Hmm… well, let me think on this. I need to come up with something that is indicative of your personality… It cannot be embarrassing to you if I accidentally slip and call you the name in a public situation. Give me a moment to mull this over." James absently rubbed her arm up and down as he silently racked his brain.

The silence gave Julia a much-needed moment to gather her thoughts. The man in whose arms she laid was not proposing that they engage in such activities on a regular basis. Or even again. Nor was he proposing marriage. James just wanted to see her again. When she was not in mourning. And the period of grief that she had cloistered herself in was a surprise to the captain that she sprung on him at the last possible moment of the voyage. How could she refuse such a simple request? The truth of the matter was there was no guarantee that he would even make it back to Charles Towne any time in the near future. So acquiescing to his request might just prove to be a moot point. But the sentiment was flattering.

James interrupted her thoughts with the declaration, "I have settled upon Jewel. Although I do think that I might accidentally slip and call you Julie from time to time, so I apologize in advance." James looked positively charming as he smiled shyly, while also looked extremely pleased with himself.

Pushing herself up so that she was better able to look at James, Julia smiled. "I think that I shall be satisfied with either name. But you shall be leaving soon and I will end my mourning period for several months. It would be inappropriate for me to see you until then. You do have a lot of time to ponder what you shall call me, you know."

James' lips curved into a bemused smile. His hands went behind his head and he looked quite smug. "Ah, but I can write you letters, can I not? Besides, you never did answer my initial question. So you are being rather presumptuous."

Opening her mouth to fire off a quick retort, Julia then reconsidered and instead nodded her head. Snaking her fingers through her hair in an attempt to make herself look a bit more presentable, Julia took a deep breath and asked, "All this because you asked to… call on me once I have… finished my period of mourning. Is that right?"

The laughter that rolled out of James filled the room. "Yes."

Laughing right along with him, Julia shook her head in amusement. "Then how can I refuse such a simple request? After all you were the first to ask. Although, after my tantrum, I daresay that you might want to reconsider."

James rubbed his fingers along his chin, pretending to give weight to Julia's statement. "Well, I might have reconsidered if I were not to be the envy of every man in Charles Towne. So understand, that now my reasons are completely self serving." The twinkle in his eye took some of the bite out of James' words.

Rolling her eyes in the most unladylike manor, Julia smiled saucily, her cheek dimpling. "Since there are so few women in Charles Towne, I do not know if I should take that as a compliment or not."

The shock that registered on his face at the audacious statement Julia made quickly melded into amusement as James grabbed Julia and rolled her onto her back, eliciting squeals from his hostess. "You little vixen! Although… I suppose that is old news. Now," James purred, "where was I when you so rudely interrupted me earlier? Oh, I remember now…"

Julia put up no protest when his lips captured hers in a kiss.