Sorry it has been so long since I've updated. I just go so wrapped up in working on Melolabel's stories, our new one is Blood Crystal and it is crazy fun!

But I am back to Mike/Bella/Edward's journey to America.

Thanks to Stepehenie Meyer for inventing all things Twilight and for letting fans like me use her characters to create new worlds!

MPOV

Breath. Breath. Breath. I watched Bella turn around and walk away with him and I felt all of the wind rush out of my lungs. I couldn't even see straight. I wanted to run over and rip his head off. Just thinking of his arm around her was making me physically ill. I am not equipped for this. I don't understand women, I don't want too either; I just want to know and understand Bella. Just Bella. I wanted to take her away and have her all to myself forever. I realize I was being unrealistic.
"Takes your breath away don't it?"

I jolted, turned around, and was surprised to see old Billy Black. He was older than anyone had any idea, including him. I don't think he's been on solid ground since the last century and he likes it that way. His skin was dark and leathery from his exposure to the sun and sea. His hair was more like long ropes and he had a peg leg. He says that he lost it in a fight with a shark, but I heard a broken mast in a storm crushed it. In my entire life I had never heard him utter more than 2 words together. Though he was quiet he was deeply respected on the ship and I'm sure he knew everything that was going on. Everything.

"I was just helping her, she was sea sick, I have to go…" I turned my back on him to leave.

"Then you are a damn fool." That was probably true. Billy hobbled over to a large coil of rope, sat down, and looked out over the water. I stared out to see what he was looking at. Hanging my head in defeat I turned back around and sat beside him. We stayed that way for a long time. Finally he said, "Just because you are you, and Cullen is Cullen, don't make any difference or any decision."

What does that mean? Maybe old Billy is crazier than I figured. He said, "I've sailed on this ship since you could pull on your own trousers and you've never done anything but hate yourself. That's not entirely your fault, but you're a man now, make your own decision about who you are. If you are at the bottom of the stack, it's because you stay there. Cullen didn't put you there. Now there is someone worth climbing out from under that stack for. Did you think it would be easy?"

I felt as though I had been struck by lightening. Billy's words were burning into my soul. I was more than what my father let me be. I thought of my mother and the sacrifice she made to bring me into this world. She was a princess and she had left everything. I had royal blood in my veins, something my father would never have. I had allowed myself to be pushed around for too long. I had been a servant on this ship long enough. No more. I was going back to my Mother's homeland, and I was going to stay and find out who I am. I wanted to rush down and tell Bella that I had made a decision. I would be staying in America when we landed. Twilight was coming on fast; I must have been sitting there for a few hours. I jumped up and saw that Billy had hobbled away. I strode over to the ladder to go below decks, when two things happened. I remembered she was down there with Edward and it felt like hitting a brick wall. I also thought I saw a light flicker on the horizon.

BPOV

"Mr. Cullen, really I am fine, I feel much better. Mr. Newton was assisting me and he is my… friend." I was feeling very defensive. I can take care of myself and he had no right to treat Michael like that. My hands were balled into fists and I felt like I every muscle in my body was going to explode from the tension. Edward was pacing back and forth; he paused and looked at me with his brow furrowed.

"Miss Swan, I don't know exactly what that means. I've been meaning to speak with you though."
My father must have left and I was sitting by myself on a bench while Edward was pacing. Why did everyone treat me like a problem to be solved? I can certainly think for myself. I wasn't going to let my father or Edward or anyone for that matter, make any decisions for me.

"I can choose who my friends are and where I go. I don't need to be tended like a child. We are cramped on this small ship anyways, there aren't a lot of places I could be."

"It's so dangerous on a ship Bella; I just wanted to make sure you were safe." He had a pained look in his eye. I hadn't meant to sound like I was accusing him of anything. I just needed him to know that I made my own choices.

"I know, I'm sorry." He came and sat beside me, quietly. He just looked at me with such a soft and sorrowful expression in his eyes, I suddenly wanted to reach out and touch his check, to offer him comfort.

"I've never encountered anyone like you Bella. Do you know how rare a creature you are? I've been speaking to your father about you." I immediately stiffened. My heart felt squeezed, I know what that means.

"Edward, how could you? How could you speak to him without speaking to me? Don't you care to know my heart and mind?" He seemed confused.

"We have been speaking about the possibility of you training to become a mid-wife." He said slowly, patiently. He was staring right into my eyes in a way that left me exposed. I stood and walked over to a small stack of chests and turned from him.

"A mid-wife? I am embarrassed by my assumptions. I apologize Edward. You have been nothing but a gentleman and friend. I'm just so confused lately." I turned to see him and I could feel the tears burning in my eyes. My energy was drained and I felt faint.

"Bella, I can see there is something on your mind lately, your father said to leave you be and allow a woman's thoughts to remain private. I don't agree with him, I want to know everything you are thinking Bella." He gently took my chin in his hand and tilted my face towards him. I could hear my heart beat. This was more than I knew how to deal with.

"Edward, please. I can't." I turned my head away and looked down.

"Is it because of that crewman?"

"His name is Michael; he is the Captain's son, and an honorable man." I turned to look at Edwards face. I could feel my heart beating so hard now I though I really would be sick.

"Bella, I'm not asking for any promises. I just want you to know where I stand. I would never ask your father to make any promises for you either," He sighed heavily and dropped his arms by his side holding his palms up. "I don't have anything to offer anyways, just this," he reached his hands up and cupped them over his heart. Somehow that movement made me feel like he was holding both of our hearts and I could feel mine ripping in half. I had never felt as intensely as I felt with Mike, I wish I could run up there right now. But I could not deny that I enjoyed my friendship with Edward and I valued him as well. How could I reconcile this? In America maybe it would be best to marry Edward. But how could I bear watching the ship sail away with Michael on it? I started to see bright speckles before my eyes and could hear the rush of water in my ears. I suddenly felt like a large wet blanket had been lain over me and everything went dark.

EPOV

I saw Bella's eyes roll up and she crumpled. I caught her up in my arms and carried her towards her quarters. I kicked the door a few times until her father came and opened it. He was obviously flustered by our sudden appearance in this state. I carried her over to her bed and laid her down, then began to undo her collar. That was more than Charles Swan could take at that moment.

"Mr. Cullen, stop, please explain yourself!"

"She has fainted and needs to breathe easier, please take off her shoes while I free her to breath." Charles Swan tentatively approached his daughter as though he might harm her. Meanwhile I had undone her collar, all of the buttons on her coat and loosened the strings of her corset. She seemed to take in a deep long breath and her eyes fluttered open.

"Edward what? Father? How did I...?"

"Shhh Bella, try not to talk, you fainted. I'm going to go fetch some water. Please just stay still right here, lying down. Promise me you will stay here." I looked at her right in her eyes; I still could not read what she was thinking. I wanted to shake her as much as I wanted to take her into my arms.
I left the room and headed to the galley. I was surprised to find it completely empty, there were usually a few people milling around, I looked in some of the storage areas and noticed that the entire ship seemed abandoned. I felt like something was not right and I sprinted for the deck.

Everyone was pressed up against the railing at the back of the ship. I saw an old man with a peg leg and asked him what the excitement was; he looked up at me, grunted, spat, and hobbled away. My attention turned back on the crowd and I saw that it was not excitement that gripped them but apprehension and fear. I finally saw Mr. Stanley and approached him.
"What is going on?"

"There is another ship behind us."

"Is it English? French? Spanish?"

"Worse, it has no flag."

"Could it be an enemy?" Mr. Stanley looked over the crowd, then turned to me and gave me a look that was somewhere between pity and anger at my ignorance.

"Worse still, it's pirates. You can fight an enemy, and enemy will take prisoners. Pirates will come at us with all of their weapons and they are not interested in prisoners. You can imagine we have very few defenses. Mr. Cullen, you may need to prepare for a very bad situation."

My heart dropped in my chest. This danger was coming right for us, they had probably been following us for over a week, waiting till we were far enough out to see to be unable to out run them or risk interference from other ships. "How much time do we have?"

"Does it matter? A day and a night at most."

I saw the Captain's son and our eyes locked. He quickly came to me in long confident strides. Before I knew it we were standing face to face and he was just looking at me with intense eyes.

"Where is Miss Swan?"

"How is that your concern, shouldn't you be preparing for the Pirates?"

"I am preparing. How long have you been sailing? Three weeks. I have been out here my whole life. I think you need to trust me right now. If I have any chance of protecting Bella then you need to do exactly as I say." I noticed how he emphasized her preferred name so as to leave no confusion about their relationship. His confidence and forward manner threw me off center for a moment.

"She is in her quarters. She fainted when we got below decks and her father is with her." He looked concerned and I could tell that he had more questions. Just then the Captain came up to us with his spyglass in hand.

"That will do for now." Michael said. The Captain looked worried and disheveled; this was certainly not his usual haughty and pretentious demeanor.

"Can you tell who it is?" Michael asked with no formality.

"They are still to far away to be sure, but I think it may be Captain James." Captain Newton said this with a fear that I would not have expected in a captain as experienced and weathered as he.
Michael looked over the water towards the oncoming pirates for a moment and then turned to me.

"Remember what I said about Pirates not being interested in prisoners? This is much worse. They do want prisoners."

Please Review, Review, Review! I am shamlessly begging for reviews! I am really motivated and inspired by your comments!