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Katherine woke up the next day wrapped in the arms of Jack. She was surprised he didn't leave just in case someone would have seen them together. It was indecent. On the other hand, she liked waking up with him. She kissed his forehead, making him stir.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," she whispered.

"Don't be," he said, touching her lips. "I've waited for so long to wake at your side."

Katherine grinned. "We have to change before someone notices that I have a man in my room," she said, getting up.

Jack groaned. "Fine, but after we change, we're going to the Black Pearl. Me crew and I hate being on land for too long."

Katherine froze when he mentioned that. "Jack, I'm not going," she said, putting on her dress for the day.

Jack frowned. "Why not? You are my wife and you belong with me."

"Our marriage is annulled. I can't just jump ship with you. It'll be improper."

"Katie, please," scowled Jack. "We are married by the church, aren't we? Besides, you should know that I don't care about England's law, you must know that. I'll marry us on me ship, that way you'll be me wife by pirate law, just like I promised."

"England's law is important to me, Jack. Your case as been cleared from the head guard's murder, the reason why James annulled the wedding. If we present our case, we can renew our marriage. It shouldn't take more than a few months."

"Months?! No, Katie! It doesn't matter if it takes a few months or today, you should be with me."

Katherine hesitated. "I still haven't decided if I want to go back with you. I have to think about it."

"There's nothing to think about."

"Well, I want to think about it."

"There is no reason for us to be apart, Katie."

She sighed. "What about James?" She walked to him and pressed her head on his chest. "I'm scared, Jack."

Jack cupped her face. "Don't cry, Katie. I'll take care of it. Trust me."

Katherine hugged him. "Promise... swear to me that no matter what he does or says, don't let him provoke you."

"Everything has a limit. I would do anything for you even to avoid this, but I can't with this."

"Jack, just answer one question. Let's say James challenges you to a duel. If you die, life will have no meaning to me, but if you win, would you have a clear conscience that you just killed a man."

"He wouldn't be the first, Katie," he said.

"I know, but the men you've killed had a reason to be killed. James has just been hurt by the cruel injustices of life. You are a good man, Jack. Don't change that because not even aristocrats have that quality."

"I prefer to have that shame than have you apart from my side. Understand this, Katie, I need you by my side." Katherine smiled. "You are like air to me. Not once have I not thought of you. I've thought of other things, but you're always been there with me, in my head, in my soul, and I'm so greedy that I'd force you to come back to me. If you'd belong to another, I'd take you from him. I swear it."

"Don't say that, Jack," she said, getting vulnerable by his words. "You're making it difficult."

"I say it because I mean it and because I want you to take that absurd idea out of your head of not returning to me. I won't permit it, Katie," he said before kissing her.

A month later

At night, a drunken James went to the housing that Katherine was staying at. Clumsily, he knocked on her door and waited for it to open. Ava had told him where her room was, but the elderly lady told him that it was too late for him to visit Katherine. He, however, didn't listen. When the door open slightly, she was surprise to see him.

James forced the door open and made his way inside. Katherine gasped as he slammed the door shut.

"I see you're ready for bed," he slurred. Katherine frantically tried to put her robe on, but he snatched it away. He slowly approached her, but she stepped away from each move he took. "Is this why you moved here, so that you can return with Sparrow?"

"N-No, it's not true," she stuttered. She cried out when she hit the wall. She was now trapped between him and the wall. "Please, let's talk about this tomorrow when you're sober."

"I'm fine," he growled, trapping her with his arm. "I never imagined that underneath your dresses lay a beautiful body."

Katherine gasped as he grabbed her arms. "You're drunk, James," she said, struggling against his grip.

"You know that Sparrow has offended me."

"Stop with your lied," said Katherine, trying to push him away, but he wouldn't budge.

"You want to go back to him!" he barked. "Don't worry, you will, but not before I have you. If Sparrow had Elizabeth, then I'll have you."

Katherine cried as he shoved her down the bed. He quickly got on top of her, trying to kiss her and touch her, but she struggled, kicking and punching. She then got a good kick and hit him between his legs, making him yelp out in pain. She scrambled to her feet, clutching her robe and tried to cover herself.

"How could you do this to me, James?" she whispered. "I never thought you were capable of this. Leave! I won't tell anyone what happened, just leave, please."

James got up, too, with wobbly legs. "I don't want you to go back with Sparrow, but if you do, I'll tell him that I forced you to sleep with me," he said before leaving.

Katherine let out a sob of frustration. She didn't know what she'll do if Jack found out because all hell will break loose once he does.

Carmen was startled to see James collapsed on her door step. It was late at night and she wondered what had happened to him. He looked drunk and his eyes were bloodshot.

"James, what the bloody hell happened to you?" she asked, trying to get him into her house.

"I think I did something bad," he mumbled. "I needed your company," he said, laughing.

Carmen just sighed as she sat him down on her couch. "I'll get you some tea."

The next morning, Jack went to look for Katherine again, but bumped into Ava along the way. She looked upset. He had been away for a while. He sailed for about a month. If he didn't keep his crew happy, he knew they would mutiny him. He wasn't willing to give up the Pearl or give up being her captain. It pained him to part from Katherine, but he also knew he should give her more time to relax and think about returning back to him. This time he was going to use force. She'll hate him for a while, but he had a card up his sleeve.

"Good morning, Mrs. Matthews," he greeted. "I'm here to see, Katie."

Ava sighed. "Look, sir, this is a decent apartment and I'm getting tiered of so many men that are coming to visit her."

Jack frowned. "Many men?"

"Well, you and the Commodore are the main ones, but during indecent hours."

"What?" asked Jack.

"Well, yesterday night, Commodore Norrington came to visit her and he seemed very drunk," she explained. "He stayed in her room for a while, doing who knows what. If there visits don't stop, I'm going to be forced to tell Miss Katie that she has to leave. Excuse me, sir," said Ava as she left to the market.

Jack sighed heavily in frustration and went up to Katherine's room. He opened the door and saw her arranging a bouquet of flowers. She looked up, a bit startled to see him. She missed him during his voyage, but she had a feeling that he'd return. Memories of last night crept back and decided to play it cool. Jack would kill James with no remorse.

"You came back," she said bluntly.

Jack nodded. "How are you?" he asked.

"Fine," she said in a small voice. "Abby came by today with Will. She recovered very well. She said that she and Will are planning to go with you once you go back to sea again."

Jack gave her a look. "What was Norrington doing here last night?"

Katherine gulped, her eyes wide open. "L-Last night?"

"Yes, did you forget?" he said, eying her.

"N-No."

"Why was he here?" he asked again.

Katherine put on a fake smile. "To visit me, of course."

"At that hour," he said, curiously. "Drunk, too."

"Who told you?" wondered Katherine.

"Your caretaker," he responded, quickly.

"I-It wasn't that late and..."

"And what? Why are you so nervous, Katie?" he questioned.

"Why are you fussing me with questions?!" she retorted back, getting angry.

"I have the right to do so," he said, raising his voice, too. "I'm your husband."

"I told you what we need to do to fix that."

"And I told you I don't care about it. It makes no difference if we wait."

"Not for you, but it does to me," she spat. "Besides, I still haven't decided if I want to go back with you or not."

"Katie," said Jack, loosing his patience. "What was Norrington doing her last night?"

Katherine huffed. "I told you already. He came to talk," she said, looking away.

Jack lifted her face so that she was looking straight at him. "What did you guys talk about?"

"O-Of my father."

Jack cocked his head back. "I don't believe you."

"Well, I don't care if you believe me or not," she said, glaring at him.

Jack bit the inside of his mouth. "Pick up your things because we're leaving."

"I don't want to go anywhere."

"You're coming with me," he growled. "Now!

Katherine glared at him. "You can't make me!" She went to move, but he blocked her path. "If you force me, I'll never forgive you," she whispered.

"Pick up your things," he ordered. "You're not staying one more minute here and you still haven't told me why Norrington came last night."

"If you want to force me out of here, you'll have to yank me by the hair and dragging me through all of Port Royal."

"You know that I'm capable of doing that!"

"But I can't live with you when our marriage isn't fixed!"

"For your benefit, I won't sleep in the Pearl tonight."

Katherine was shocked at him saying that and even more so when she slapped him. Jack blinked a couple of times. "Let's go," he said more calmly.

Katherine shook her head. "Don't make me, Jack."

"Let's go. It's time for you to come back to me," he said, lowly. She glared at him for a moment knowing that he won't change his mind. He opened the door so that she could leave. "I'll tell one of my crew members to pick up your stuff and pay the caretaker."

"There's no need. I paid a month in advance," she scowled. He knew she was angry, but could deal with that as long as she was back with him. Finally!

Katherine paced in Jack's cabin. She had been there all day. It wasn't to her knowledge if he was in still on the ship or if he was around town. Maybe even looking for comfort, she thought sadly. She jumped when the door opened and in came he with a couple of his crew with her bags and a meal for two.

"May I ask where you were all day?" she asked quietly.

Jack stared at her for a moment before answering her. "I went to pick up your things, then I went to see some supplies before we head back to sea. I stopped by Will's shop, too, and informed him that I had you back. They'll come by tomorrow. We should leave in about two days."

Katherine only nodded. They stayed quiet for a moment until she decided to eat a bit. Jack sighed. "Katie, I want us to have that confidence we had before. Your silence is nerving. Talk to me, please." She said nothing. "If this is about the way I brought you here, I apologize." He slowly lifted her face, tracing her cheeks with his finger. "You're my wife and I want you at my side."

"I-I want to leave."

"Why?" he asked, taking his hand back. "If you say that it's because you don't love me, It's a lie. I know it."

"Jack, I didn't even say good-bye to my father. I'm afraid to leave him alone now that Lizzie's gone."

"That didn't stop you the first time we left when we first married. You can always say your good-byes tomorrow. It's not like I won't let you come visit him where we're near here again. There's something else, Katie. I know there is," said Jack. "It has to do with Norrington and the visit he paid you last night." Katherine snapped her head back to his. "Did he threaten you? Did he tell you something? Did he do something to you?"

"No!" she responded quickly.

"Of course he did. He had to have done something that you refuse to tell me."

"It's just that I don't want to talk about this anymore!" she shouted. "I don't want to live with you anymore is that so hard to understand?"

"Yes, it is and if you won't tell me, I'm capable of going to Norrington's house and ask him myself."

"No!"

"Then tell me, damn it!"

Katherine huffed. "He came to say good-bye."

"Where is he going?"

"T-To his plantation," she lied. "He left today."

"What else because Mrs. Matthews said he was in your room for a while," said Jack.

"W-We talked about my father. T-Then he asked me if I was going to go back with you."

"And what did you answer?"

"T-That I didn't know," she responded. "He told me to think about well."

Jack sighed. "I don't believe a word you're saying."

"Well, I don't care," she hissed.

"Besides, I don't understand why you opened the door to him that late at night, especially when you were alone."

"I did it and what?" Katherine let out a sigh of breath, trying to control her nerves. "Why can't we forget what happened and never discuss disagreeable topics for the sake of our marriage. If you can grant me that wish, then I'll stay."

Jack took her hand and lifted it to his lips. "Agreed." Katherine smiled as he held her hand. "If you want, I can sleep in one of the extra cabins while you could sleep here."

Katherine looked up at him from her plate and blushed. "You can sleep with me if you want," she said, smiling.

Jack gave her a wolfy grin. "I'm not hungry anymore."

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