Rating: T (for ridiculously stupid pirate jokes)

Word Count: 4956

A/N: Would you look at that, I finished a second chapter! I started this as an ask fic in Cheri's (lieutenantsmoak) inbox as part of the cssv and finally managed to develop the second chapter out of it. I quite like the way it turned out.

It's un-beta-d btw... so all mistakes are mine even though I've read through it like 10 times.

The hardest thing to get used to was the language. She'd grown up in a castle as a royal and even though she'd learnt the odd bad word when she spent time in the kitchens or the stables, the mouths these sailors had should probably be washed with bleach and not just soap in order to cleanse them. Scarlet was the worst of them all (he was also the one who taught her how to drink the second week she was with them to the dismay of the lieutenant) but Emma liked him.

The young sailor had not returned the feeling at the beginning, superstition about women on board ingrained in his veins like magic in a witch's blood but once she'd countered each of his little (or big) stabs with one of her own (even though they still sounded somewhat rough around the edges) he'd taken her under his wing mockingly saying he would yet make a sailor out of her.

The first thing he did was to give her new clothes.

"You can't walk around this ship in ladies garments if you want to get the captain to let you help out," he explained in his broad northern brawl that she only understood half of the time. It had also been a reason for her to like him because he didn't seem to be interested in whether or not people understood him he just assumed they did and that was that.

After she'd exchanged her maidservant's dress she'd stolen from one of the girls in the castle for the leather trousers and the shirt Will had given her she'd started climbing the masts with him almost immediately, driving both the captain and the lieutenant mad. The first because he still decidedly refused to let her do any work on deck– after all she'd paid for her travels and climbing the masts was almost like working – the other because he was worried the fair beauty would distract the other sailors, climbing the ship like a monkey. Not one of them was concerned for her safety at that point, at least not openly. She could sometimes see the lieutenant throw her and Will an annoyed and maybe slightly worried look when she was about to learn a new trick to manoeuvre from mast to mast a bit faster but that was as far as his concern went.

However annoyed Lieutenant Jones was though the fact of the matter was the crew didn't mind her climbing adventures one bit and if there was one thing they had learnt in a very short time it was that Emma Swan was not to be joked around with. She was friendly with everyone open minded and interested in all their stories and when a few of the younger sailors tried their advances on her with gallant words or straight profanities (even though they had all been trained very well by their lieutenant) she shot them all down with a single glance and none of them tried again (she secretly thanked her mother for teaching her that look).

The second hardest thing to get used to was the constant rocking of the boat and the lack of orientation on the wide, open sea. Or maybe it was even harder than the harsh language at least during her first few days on board. The first night on the ship she'd heaved for hours, the sailors not paying her any heed since they were used to new sailors hanging on the bulwark for days. Some had sniggered at her but that was as far as it went with their acknowledgment of her struggles with the rocking ship. After that first night, when she'd felt like the only thing left to come up her oesophagus were her innards, she'd started to get better though and only had the occasional relapse when the sea was too rough or she started thinking about the vastness of the ocean and how no one would ever find her if something happened to the ship and the crew and therefore her. So maybe the language was harder to get used to than the seasickness. Or so she thought because to her dismay they sailed right into a nasty storm during her second week on board.

"Miss Swan," the lieutenant's voice droned through the thunder and the crashing waves to her ears. She was holding on to the railing as well as she could but the rocking ship and the splashing water made it inherently difficult and if that wasn't enough already, she felt sick as a dog. She had really thought that she'd gotten over the seasickness but the storm had brought it all back up and now she wished once again that she were back on solid ground. Her wet hair clung to her cheeks and blurred her vision about as much as the downpour of rain and her soaking wet clothes did little to help her stay warm. Instead the wet clothes in the wind only made her shiver more violently as she was rocked by occasional waves of her insides trying to turn out.

"Miss Swan!" she heard the voice again and finally turned her head to the bridge where she could just barely make out the form of Lieutenant Jones standing at the helm in the lashing rain. She saw him point at another sailor, indicating him to take over the wheel and as soon as the man took hold of it Jones started his way towards her; a dangerous balancing act on the rocking ship and the wet wood. When he finally reached her, grabbing hold of the railing as well and kneeling down, there was a scornful look on his face.

"You should be below deck!" he shouted over the roaring wind. Emma simply shook her head at this. Below deck she would just puke on everything and everyone. As if on cue, she turned around and finally heaved up her last meal, hating the taste of gall in her mouth as she leaned over board coughing and spitting with tears falling down her cheeks and mixing with the rain.

She felt a hand on her back rubbing circles that helped her stomach to calm down a little but more than that it sent waves of electricity up her spine and she shivered involuntary. Spitting over board one final time, she looked up to meet his blue eyes (she only knew they were blue, right now they might as well have been black in the dimness of the storm) and tried to smile apologetically.

There was concern etched into his features but also something like anger. His usually well-groomed hair clung wet and unruly to his forehead covering his frown while water dropped from his long lashes, making it seem like he was crying with her. His right hand was still on her back between her shoulder blades whilst the other one held on to the wood. At that moment she felt horrible for endangering him. Emma knew that the deck wasn't safe and that she should not be here, endangering him. She might not particularly like him and she was certain he didn't like her either but that didn't mean she wanted him to endanger himself. Additionally, she had not failed to notice that he was extremely good looking and that if the circumstances were different, she could fall for him. His hand still on her back did little to convince her otherwise.

Trying to ignore the buzz and warmth of his hand, she recollected herself. The attraction she felt for him was nothing she should be thinking of at any point in her day, let alone in the middle of a storm with her stomach growling angrily at the lack of horizontal ground.

And if the timing wasn't inappropriate, there were other reasons for her not to think about him in that way. She would leave the ship at some point, either for a different vessel or because she had to go back to her princess duties. Whichever it was, there was no place for Killian Jones so she decidedly pushed any thoughts of this away, banished them into the deep recesses of her mind where she would not be able to find them again.

Another jolt of the ship shook her out of her reveries and she grabbed hold of his arm out of instinct. For some reason he seemed to be responsible for her safety and the least she could do for jeopardising his own was to get below deck as fast as she could no matter how much her nausea still plagued her.

The Jewel was still tossing to this side and that riding the waves of the stormy sea at incredible speed and Emma had difficulties holding on to the slick wet wood of the railing. At that moment a wave crashed over them drenching the people closest to the bulwark completely in saltwater and foam and the shock of it made her lose her grip on the wood and Killian's arm. She didn't realise what was happening at first. Her hands slipped, her stomach grumbled in disapproval, her legs shivered from the cold and her eyes were closed to protect themselves from the salt that otherwise would've stung terribly and she didn't know what was going on as she was flipped over and felt her feet leave the ground. A scream escaped her lungs as she tore her eyes open only to see the stunned eyes of Lieutenant Jones. It was only his quick reaction and the appearance of Scarlet that saved her from going over board completely. It was like everything slowed down in that moment, from her feet lifting off the ground to the moment the two men grabbed hold of her hands, both of them planting their feet firmly on the ground and holding on to something with their free hands.

Emma could feel her pulse beating in her neck and her heart racing at incredible speed almost as if it were about to jump out of her chest and when she felt solid ground under her feet again, she fell down to the ground, shaking from the shock and the cold. Everything had happened so fast she could hardly feel the tight grips of the two young men.

"Take her below deck," the lieutenant instructed sternly. Will nodded in reply, keeping a firm hold on her arm as she sat there shivering.

All Emma managed was a quick nod of thanks towards Lieutenant Jones before Will dragged her to the stairs that led to the quarterdeck. Killian nodded back at her but she couldn't see how his frown smoothed over and his eyes watched her with a softer look when she finally disappeared below deck and into safety. With a sigh and a shake of his head he made his way back to the bridge. The storm was ceasing but only slightly and he wanted the ship to stay afloat until it was over. That was the more important task to worry about at the moment, not the young girl who had no business on the Jewel in the first place. With that, he took over on the helm again shaking off the thoughts of frightened green eyes.

It was just as rocky and sickening below deck as it was outside but at least it was almost dry. Will took her to her cabin ordering her to change into dry clothing and when she tried to protest saying she felt too sick he shoved a flask into her hand and ordered her to take a good long sip. She was still too shaken up from her almost fall over board so she just did as she was told, too exhausted to object. As soon as the liquid ran down her throat she pulled a grimace and started to sputter at the burning sensation. She'd had alcohol before but nothing as potent as the stuff that Scarlet had just given her. Emma coughed and swore with words she'd only recently learnt from the other sailors, throwing a menacing look towards her helper.

Will simply laughed at her his eyes sparkling with amusement and Emma defiantly hit him on the chest with the back of her hand. Eventually her coughing fit calmed down which lead her to immediately take another sip. This time she kept the liquid down turned around and disappeared in her cabin. There, she changed back into her dress as fast as she could since her skin was cold and she was shivering. Luckily the alcohol warmed her from the inside and had managed to momentarily calm her stomach and her mind. The dry cloth of the dress felt heavenly on her skin and when she reappeared in the corridor, Will was waiting for her.

"I'll teach you how to keep your seasickness at bay," he grinned, indicating her to follow him.

The storm outside made it hard to walk straight and they both used the walls for support, bumping into the hard wood with every third step. Her knees would be black and blue the next day, she was certain of that but eventually they made it to the galley. Most of the crew was on deck busy securing the ship holding down things that could fall off and assisting Captain Jones and his lieutenant in keeping her afloat so when Emma and Will entered the galley there were only a handful of sailors sitting around the table. Some of them whistled when they saw Emma in her dress but her eyes shot sparks at them and they raised their hands apologetically, grins never leaving their faces.

"Fellas, our Swan here is feeling sick and it's our job to make sure she does not throw up any more, especially not below deck," Will announced ceremoniously, receiving a "hear hear" as a reply.

Scarlet wasn't that much older than Emma but she had noticed that he quite often behaved like he owned the place, like he was in charge of everything, amusing the sailors and annoying the captain and the lieutenant both. That was probably another reason she liked spending time with him. They had that in common. She threw him an amused grin and raised her eyebrows when Cook patted the seat next to him, inviting her to sit down.

"Don't worry puppet, we'll show you the way," the big guy grinned at her.

"Call me a puppet again and I'll wring the strings you think are on me around your neck," she grunted before she plonked down next to him, a new weave of nausea from the jump the ship took at that moment overcoming her. She moaned pathetically, balancing her forehead on her arms and tried to breathe steadily; in through the nose, out through the mouth, repeat.

Cook chuckled next to her, patting her lightly on the shoulder. He had meant no harm with his nickname to her.

"Here you go, luv," Will grinned and handed her his flask again.

"What exactly am I drinking?" she managed to grumble.

"Rum. But don't let the Captain or the Lieutenant hear about this. They say it is bad form. I say it's necessary if you want to keep your wits."

"Shut up Scarlet, you greenhorn!" one of the sailors scolded him but the young man just raised an eyebrow and smirked.

Emma took a huge gulp of rum and let it burn down her throat and into her belly, then passed the flask on to Cook. The big man refused it though but passed it on to the next man without complaint. They all knew drinking was bad form and they all knew that the Jones brothers did not like it but every now and then they were aware that someone might need it for some reason. And this was definitely one of those reasons. Also, apart from Emma, they could all hold their rum quite well. The flask made its round in this fashion for a while and soon Emma started to feel lightheaded and tired. Everything was still spinning but she wasn't sure if it was the storm or the alcohol. The latter certainly helped to make everything seem funny though as she laughed with the men, learnt new jokes and swear words she would never dare let roll off her tongue in her parent's presence (or anyone else's for that matter).

For some reason, the very proper sailors loved pirate jokes, the dirtier the better and in the course of the evening they forgot that they were in the company of a young girl.

"What's a pirate's favourite letter?" Spider asked.

"R?" Will replied confidently.

"Nah you idjit, every pirate's in love with the c."

Emma giggled into her hands at the silly joke and waited for Will's come-back while she took another big gulp of rum.

"How's a pirate get his mast up?" the young sailor immediately retorted and before anyone could reply, he said, "He uses a wench."

It earned him a slap on the back of his head from Cook that only made Emma laugh more. Yes, this was definitely not what she was used to but it was amusing and passed the time while the storm raged on.

At some point during the night she must have drifted off because when she opened her eyes next, she was lying on the bench in the galley, a blanket covering her. Her head felt like there were a thousand drummers beating their drums in an unsteady rhythm and the light that fell in through one of the portholes blinded her eyes making her squint and groan.

The storm must have subsided long ago and given way to bright sunshine and a calm sea. There was hardly any rocking to be felt and Emma tentatively sat up, pressing her hand flat and hard against her temple in a desperate attempt to make the throbbing in her head stop. She would never drink rum again and right now she wanted to hit Will Scarlet with a stick until his head felt as bad as hers.

"Morning sunshine," the culprit's voice greeted her suddenly and she winced.

"No need to yell, Scarlet," Emma growled, eliciting a chuckle from her drinking companion who, quite apparently, had no hangover or any kind of problem except for the lieutenant who showed up behind him at that instant.

Emma was too slow and groggy to warn him and would not have bothered if she had been fast enough so when Jones coughed to make his presence known, Will jumped, squeaking out a "bloody hell" that made Emma laugh (and regret it instantly because her head felt even worse).

"Where are we, lieutenant?" she managed to ask, her voice still a little hoarse, the taste in her mouth making her want to spit.

"Soon arriving in King Midas's kingdom if the wind picks up," he replied curtly. "Scarlet, the Captain wants a word. Swan, with me," Jones ordered and when Emma was about to object in order to defend her friend the lieutenant cut her off with a hard stare. She didn't dare speak a word then.

Will threw her a look and a shoulder shrug that said he didn't mind before he squeezed past Jones with a proper salute and disappeared in the corridor.

After a pause during which Emma awkwardly studied the floor and Killian tried to discern what action would best help her, he finally spoke. "You need to rehydrate," he stated and waited for her to get up.

It took her a minute to realise what he wanted, that he was actually trying to help her so when she eventually she got up, the concerned look on his face surprised her. However, she felt as if the ship was still rocking from side to side, an after effect of the alcohol that made her swear once again she would not touch the stuff ever again, so she ignored his concern and squeezed past him to find Cook and get something to drink.

The waters stayed calm for the next couple of weeks and Emma had no reason to touch the rum anymore. And even if she had, Will would probably not have been able to provide it anyway. His punishment lay in deck scrubbing duty and other menial tasks usually reserved for the younger boys and whenever they made port he was not allowed off the ship. For her the weeks passed by in slow motion. There was nothing to be done except climb up to the crow's nest every now and then or bicker with one of the sailors. Sometimes she would allow herself a conversation with one of the Jones brothers but it was always a rather tricky matter. The captain was always busy and as soon as she tried to remind him of her wish to help out on the ship, he would cut her off immediately. The lieutenant had started to ignore her completely which was just as well for her. From the crow's nest she had a good look out point to watch him sometimes as he walked over the deck, giving orders, handing out praise or criticism or checking that things were as they ought to be. She'd tried to get him to convince his brother to let her work but where Liam Jones was great at cutting her off mid-sentence, Killian Jones was good at never letting the conversation go that far in the first place.

She'd spent about a month on board when she finally had enough of the two brothers.

"A word please, Captain," she said one morning, standing next to him on the bulwark, staring out over the calm sea.

"Yes, milady?" he replied, making her roll her eyes. No matter how many times she told him that she was not a lady he would still persist on calling her that.

"I have watched every single sailor on this ship, I have helped every one of them at least once. I want my own job on board." Her voice was firm, leaving the captain no choice but to reply this time.

"We've had this discussion before, milady. You paid for your voyage, there is no need…" "Who said anything about need?" she interrupted him, sparks starting to fly from her eyes as the morning sun reflected the emerald of her irises tenfold.

"Milady…"

"Don't milady me," Emma decidedly said. "I can very well hold my own on this boat. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't do any work. I want to help out so will you give me a job?"

Captain Jones hesitated then shook his head as he always did when they got to this part.

"It is too dangerous," he started to explain but Emma snorted in anger now, arms crossed, facing him and he almost cringed. He didn't quite understand where a town girl like her had learnt to be so commanding but he had no intention of giving in.

"It is not like I don't climb the masts all the time which could be considered as dangerous too." The sarcasm in her voice made him raise an eyebrow but that was all the reaction she got from him.

"Fine. I will say it differently then, Captain," she huffed, emphasising his title. "You will give me something to do on this ship and it will not be below deck. Understood?" She had heard her mother giving orders plenty of times and it came in incredibly handy at this moment. Her demeanour was stern and determined and something in her voice now made the Captain visibly flinch.

"Yes, Ca…" Liam cleared his throat uncomfortably when he realised he'd almost called her captain and Emma had to hide a chuckle. Growing up in a castle had its perks after all.

"Report to the boatswain in an hour, Miss Swan," Liam finally gave in, having composed himself and, with a smile, the young girl left him standing at the railing. He watched her bounce happily to the stairs leading below deck no doubt looking for Scarlet to tell him the news. Sometimes he asked himself what kind of demon had ridden him when he had allowed the girl to come aboard and travel with them. They didn't usually take passengers being more of a trading and exploring ship but something in Emma Swan's demeanour had made him cave in. The same thing that had now made him give in to her request.

A chuckle made the captain turn around where he was faced with his younger sibling. Killian had witnessed the quarrel from the helm of the ship in amusement.

"She's got you wrapped around her little finger, brother," the lieutenant joked.

"And you're doubly wrapped around it" the captain returned defiantly. "Or why else would you keep out of her way all the time? I see the way you look at her, little brother."

"I look at her in a way that says 'she's a bloody pain in my backside'," the younger Jones grunted back with a shrug of his shoulders, keeping an eye on the blonde until she finally disappeared below deck.

"You just keep on believing that, Lieutenant," Liam laughed before turning to inform his boatswain that he would be getting company from a fierce blonde very soon.

Killian was left standing there contemplating his brother's words. He had never thought about why he avoided Emma. He simply had no time to spare and whenever they did start a conversation she really was a pain in his backside with her questions and sideway jabs at his propriety and her infinite need to wreck havoc with everyone on board as she executed silly jokes with Scarlet and sometimes even got other sailors to help her, disturbing his peace.

It was then that he decided that maybe Scarlet was not the best influence on their female passenger and that maybe he should start spending some time with her, making her see what real life on the sea was like.

"What are you thinking about?" a voice shook him out of his thoughts. He turned around to face her, a smile spreading on his lips.

"You, actually." His voice is soft, still a little bit distant.

She grinned at him, the grin that was his and only his; tongue just visible between her teeth and her eyes glowing with mischief. He couldn't help but grin back.

"I hope good thoughts, Captain."

It was still strange to hear his new title, he was not used to it yet, still waiting for someone to call him lieutenant instead but Emma has settled into calling him Captain quickly and easily and it sounded so natural coming from her.

"I was reminiscing about the day I decided to get to know you," he confessed, taking her hand and pulling her close to him.

"I didn't think it was a good idea but in retrospect it was the best decision I ever made."

"Even better than becoming a sailor like Liam?"

"Well, without that decision I might never have met you so I presume those two decisions go hand in hand."

She smiled at him, bringing her arms up behind his neck.

"You never actually told me what made you change your mind about me…"

"I didn't. I decided to make you change your wicked ways."

A hearty laugh escaped her lips then. They both knew he never succeeded and he was more than glad about it.

"What made you want to change me then?" she inquired, her laugh still ringing in her voice and her eyes gleaming with amusement.

He didn't reply immediately and Emma saw a shadow cross his face for only a split second.

"Scarlet," he finally murmured. During the two years they had hardly seen each other, she had sometimes mentioned her friends name but Killian had never indulged her further.

Now, as he said his name, she knew that something had happened, something he never wanted her to know.

"Killian?" she whispered. "Tell me what happened to him…"

He sighed, grabbing one of her hands and kissing the palm gently.

"He joined a band of thieves."

He watched as her eyes grew wide and her mouth opened slightly in astonishment. Something didn't add up though and when she burst out laughing, leaning her head on his shoulder, her entire body shaking, he stood there completely flabbergasted.

"You thought I would take this as difficult news?" she managed to say between more bursts of laughter. Killian could only nod in confusion.

"Aye. You and Scarlet were close. Him joining a band of thieves, I thought it would maybe disturb you."

"Oh Jones," she mocked, "how did you not see that that was always the path he was going to go down on?"

The surprised look on his face didn't ease her amusement and she placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"You knew?" He finally managed to say but Emma shook her head.

"I didn't know but I'm not surprised. But you know what, lets not contemplate on that. Scarlet taught me a great many things. You taught me way more."

A smile spread on his lips at that, his dimples warming her heart.

"One thing though, Swan," he almost whispered, leaning closer to her, "no climbing the masts unless I allow it."

He swallowed her objection with a kiss, savouring the moment, enjoying her hands in his hair and on his cheek, the feel of her curls between his fingers and the softness of her lips. Behind them, Mist Haven was getting smaller and smaller as the Jolly Roger set course for Arendelle.

Thoughts are as always very much appreciated!