It had been eight days since Madagascar. Eight long days. She couldn't go anywhere on the ship without being reminded of Barbossa's attentions. Her body wanted more, though her brain tried to convince it otherwise. Even in her sleep, his hands and mouth brought her pleasure over and over, and more than once she'd awakened to her own release, shuddering and sighing reluctantly as it seemed she'd lost control of herself.

It was ridiculous.

She tried not to look at Barbossa when he was near, but her memories seemed to take that part of her brain over. She couldn't stop herself from watching when he addressed the crew – his stance confident and certain, much like how he'd been in bed – and her thigh muscles would tighten. She'd watch his face when he talked – he was deliberate and animated in his speech and mannerisms – and it always made her lick her lips, remembering how his kisses had been the perfect expansion of him – initially commanding, but surprisingly gentle.

It was maddening.

Part of her was strangely disappointed that Barbossa hadn't cornered her yet to demand an explanation for her behavior. She missed their talks, when they'd take meals together and sharing a bottle of rum with him. Apparently, he'd come to the same conclusion that she had – that their night together had been a mistake.

But if that was what she wanted, why did it make her feel empty inside?

"You've got to be joking."

Gibbs shrugged helplessly. He really did not like to be caught between the two of them. "I can't tell him no, Elizabeth. He's the cap'n."

"I've humored him for a week!" she exclaimed, unable to believe his audacity. "I will not continue to go up to the crow's nest. That's not my normal duty, and I just won't do it again."

"You won't?"

She folded her arms. "No. And you can tell him so."

"Elizabeth, he's been right difficult since last port, and I – "

"I don't care. Enough's enough. Goodnight, Mr. Gibbs."

The next morning, Gibbs was at her door again. He was convinced that something had happened between the captain and Elizabeth in Madagascar, but he kept his suspicions to himself. Something had to have happened; nothing else made sense to explain their behaviors.

"Cap'n says that I'm to take you to the brig for missin' your post," he told her with a heavy sigh. "I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't budge. Angrier than a hornet, he is."

Elizabeth was so furious that she couldn't even speak for a moment. She considered barging into his cabin, but she was afraid of what she might do – not to mention him; they both had a dangerous temper. Her heart was racing, and adrenaline was coursing through her veins.

"Fine," Elizabeth seethed, clenching her teeth. "Let's go."

The captain would regret the day that he ever met her.

Barbossa watched as Gibbs took Elizabeth to the brig through a secret opening close to the window in his cabin, and he chuckled heartily. He needed to show her that he would always have the upper hand on his ship. And a small part of him wanted to punish her for the way she'd been acting since Madagascar, anyway, so it all came together quite nicely.

Donning a broad smile, Barbossa returned to his table to finish breakfast. Oh yes, Elizabeth would be furious, and at the moment, that fact gave him great joy.

As soon as she was released that evening, Elizabeth returned to her cabin and dressed in full king regalia – complete with hat and sword – and gathered the officers on deck.

"Speaking as your king, I feel it necessary to remind the captain of my rank. I've let quite a few incidents go over the last few days, but I will not tolerate anymore nonsense. Take Captain Barbossa to the brig."

The men exchanged looks of uncertainty.

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and unsheathed her sword, holding it up where they could see it. "Would you all care to join him?"

Gibbs sighed and motioned for the men to follow him. Something had definitely happened between the two – he was positive of that – and the crew was at both of their mercies. The officers followed him to the captain's cabin where he reluctantly knocked on the door.

When Barbossa emerged and saw his officers gathered, he barked, "What be the meanin' of this?"

"Captain, you're being taken to the brig," Elizabeth called out from behind the men with a smug grin.

"On what charges, praytell?" Barbossa growled.

"Jailing your king. I believe that you've forgotten that I outrank you and need a little reminder."

If looks could kill, Elizabeth would have taken her last breath right then. She didn't remember Barbossa ever looking at her with such contempt – such hate – in his eyes.

For a brief moment, Elizabeth wondered if she'd gone too far. She knew that she was dangerously pushing her boundaries, but he'd started it. Did he really expect her to continue to do crow's nest duty every night? She was king, and she would be treated as such, everything else be damned. He was only doing it because she wouldn't warm his bed again, anyway, and enough was enough.

Barbossa said nothing as he allowed himself to be escorted to the brig. He hadn't been that angry since he found out that Bootstrap mailed the cursed coin off to his son, and he was certain that nothing good would come from it.

Quite certain.

It was after dinner the next evening before Gibbs arrived to release the captain.

Barbossa – still furious twenty-four hours later – headed straight to Elizabeth's cabin in a rush. He'd done nothing but think while being stuck in that metal cage, and he'd decided that he'd had enough. He was running a pirate ship, not a nursery, and if she insisted on continuing her childish behavior, he would return to Madagascar and put her off whether she liked it or not. He didn't care that she was king, and he didn't care that he wanted her again. He was the captain, dammit, and he was going to remind her of that fact.

Barbossa didn't bother to knock when he reached her door. He barged in with a growl and slammed the door behind him, causing her to squeal in surprise.

Elizabeth jumped up from the table where she'd been sitting and scrambled away from him, choosing to stand behind the chair as he came after her, eyes wide and heart racing. She didn't like the wild gleam in Barbossa's eyes.

"Get out of my cabin this instant!" she shrieked as she pointed towards her door.

Barbossa flung the chair that she'd been standing behind out of his way, ignoring another shriek from her, and closed the space between them. "It be my ship, therefore it be my cabin!" he thundered, grabbing her upper arm and pulling her to him with full force. "How dare yeh put me in my own brig! I've every right to throw yeh back in there!"

Elizabeth hadn't been scared of him in a very long time, but she was at the moment. She'd forgotten what it was like to be on the receiving end of his anger. But she was angry, too.

"You do, and I'll have you keelhauled!"

Barbossa shook her so hard, she almost fell. "Do that, Missy, and I'll make yeh walk the plank again; naked this time!"

Elizabeth used her entire body strength to try and dislodge his grip on her arm, but nothing worked; it was starting to hurt. "The pirate king will never walk the plank! And I wouldn't be naked around you again if you were the last pirate on Earth!"

"Well, I don't fancy anymore guilt trips so that works out perfectly then, don't it?" he yelled, his lips mere inches from hers.

Elizabeth did it before she had time to think. Her palm collided with his cheek, and it resounded throughout the room. She was mad, and right then, she hated him. Hated him for showing up at Ap Lei – hated him for inviting her along – hated him for making her think about a man other than her husband – hated him for making her want him.

With his cheek on fire, Barbossa told himself not to do it, but he was so angry with her, he could not stop himself from shoving her down to the floor as hard as he could. Angry with her for marrying the whelp – angry with her for agreeing to come along – angry with her for being so damned beautiful – angry with her for making him want her.

Elizabeth saw red after being pushed down. She quickly got up and shoved him in the chest as hard as she could.

"Don't touch me!" she exclaimed.

"Not what yeh said the other night," Barbossa spat.

Elizabeth started to slap him again, but he grabbed her wrist, quickly pinning it behind her back. He reached for the other and did the same before pressing their bodies together.

"Do not test me, Mrs. Turner," he quietly warned, purposely using her married name again. "I can put yeh off right here, right now."

"And Teague would have your head on a platter," Elizabeth replied with narrowed eyes.

A look of amusement flittered across his face as he laughed quietly. "Well, why don't we find out," he commented, dragging her to the door.

Elizabeth fought him, clawing at him with her free hand. "Stop it!" she yelled. "Let go of me! What is wrong with you?"

Something snapped inside Barbossa then. He stopped walking and whipped around to face her with a glare. "What's wrong with me? I could ask yeh the same bloody question. You're the one who's been acting like a child for the past week!"

"I have not!"

"Yeh have so!"

"I have not! I just – I made a mistake, and I was trying to figure out how to handle it!"

Barbossa did not have the reaction to her comment that he thought he would have. The flames of his fury were doused instantly by her admission. He let go of her wrist as if it burned him and took a step away from her. He was ashamed of his reaction, but he couldn't pretend; not that time. Her words cut deep, and he didn't think it was even possible to receive such a wound. But he had. And he hated it.

"I made a mistake, too, apparently," Barbossa said quietly, wishing to repay a wound for a wound. "I shouldn't have asked yeh on this voyage."

With that, he turned around and walked out of her cabin, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Elizabeth stood in dumbfounded silence at what had just transpired. She'd seen Barbossa 'undead', she'd seen him die, she'd seen him alive again, she'd seen him kill, she'd seen him mad and happy and all emotions in between.

That night was the first night that she'd seen Barbossa hurt. And it was her fault. She wouldn't have believed it even possible if she hadn't seen it for herself. How could that be, though? He was a pirate. Emotions played no part in his dealings with others.

As she walked back to the table and righted the chair that he'd knocked over, Elizabeth was very confused.

Maybe she did need to return to Ap Lei.

The next morning, Ragetti was sent to remind Elizabeth that she needed to start looking over their charts. He knocked on the door to her cabin, but when there was no answer, he hesitantly opened the door. Elizabeth was not there, so he headed for the helm.

"Cap'n, Elizabeth ain't in her cabin."

"Check the ship, Ragetti," Barbossa said, his tone even. "She be around somewhere."

Over an hour later, Ragetti approached the captain once more.

"I looked everywhere, Cap'n. I can't find her."

Barbossa rolled his eyes. "Gibbs!" he yelled. "Help Ragetti find Mrs. Turner. She's apparently found a new hiding spot."

"Aye, Cap'n."

Another hour later, both Gibbs and Ragetti returned to the helm where Barbossa was.

"Cap'n, we couldn't find her," Gibbs reported. "But we are missing a long boat."

Barbossa's eyes enlarged as his mind raced. If no one could find her and a boat was missing, that meant only one thing – she'd left sometime during the night.

"Gentlemen, we be turnin' the ship around," he stated wearily. Barbossa entertained the thought of leaving her, but he knew those waters, and she would not be safe. Regardless of how they'd treated each other the past number of days, he would not allow her to be in danger.

"Aye, Cap'n," Gibbs replied, noticing the instant look of concern in the other man's eyes. "I'll let the crew know." He was shocked at Barbossa's actions; he'd never known the captain to turn the ship around for anyone. Elizabeth was not just anyone, apparently.

As Barbossa sat at his table eating dinner, he tried to understand Elizabeth's decision to sneak away. He was both angry and offended. If she wanted to return, all she had to do was say so. He probably would have given her a hard time, but he would have taken her back if that's what she truly wanted.

And to sneak away? Barbossa called that cowardly. Elizabeth was young, but he couldn't remember her ever being a coward. He didn't think she was even capable of such. He couldn't figure out what had possessed her to leave like that. She knew these waters were dangerous, as well, and they were almost two weeks out from Madagascar. She couldn't possibly think that she could make it back.

Barbossa sighed and pushed his plate away. He wasn't all that hungry.

Elizabeth didn't usually admit to making mistakes (not counting the recent one with Barbossa), but she'd made one. She'd been in the boat less than twelve hours, and she knew that she'd acted in haste. She'd taken some food and wine from the ship, but she was over a week away from port. She had a compass, as well, but her arms were already burning in pain – what had she been thinking?

She hadn't been. She'd just wanted to get away from Barbossa, and she did the only thing she could think of. She took a boat and left. And after what she'd said to him the other night, she doubted that he'd turn around for her. He was probably happy that she'd left.

Now what?

Barbossa ordered full sails – he knew they'd reach Elizabeth by evening as long as she hadn't veered too far off course – but he was still a bit concerned. And he would be having a talk with her before returning to his original heading. She needed to make a decision once and for all. He would not turn the ship around again. Not even for her.

As nightfall closed around her, Elizabeth shivered in the damp air. She was exhausted; she had to get a little sleep before continuing. Reaching for the blanket that she'd brought with her, she curled up and tried to let the gentle rocking of the boat lull her to sleep, or at least some semblance of sleep.

Unfortunately, sleep did not come quickly.

"See anythin' yet?" Barbossa asked up to the crow's nest where Pintel was.

"Not yet. Hard to see in the dark, Cap'n."

"We got all the lamps out. If my calculations be correct, she be out in this area somewhere. Keep lookin'."

He wouldn't admit it, but he was worried. They should have found her by now, and the moon – or lack of – did not help the search. Barbossa hoped that another ship had not found her first. He didn't even like to think about that.

Gibbs knew Barbossa was upset; he could see it in his eyes, and he thought it very curious. Elizabeth certainly brought out a new side to the captain. If his assumptions and suspicions were correct, they'd spent the night together in Madagascar, she started having second thoughts and avoided him, which led to all the back and forth, but ultimately, they both were not only attracted to each other but cared for each other, as well.

"We'll find her," Gibbs remarked in reassurance. "She can't be too far."

Barbossa glanced at him. "She'll be lucky if I don't string her up for this. Ornery strumpet."

Gibbs decided it was best to remain quiet. The captain was vexed something awful over Elizabeth, and he wondered if she knew just how much.

Thirty minutes later, Pintel called out, "Cap'n! I think I see her! Off starboard!"

When the ship approached, Barbossa saw that she was curled up under a blanket. For just a moment, he thought something had happened to her, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he realized she was only asleep.

It was not lost on Gibbs.

"Hoist up the boat," Barbossa ordered, his voice even. He was both relieved and furious.

It was only a few minutes before Elizabeth climbed onto the deck, keeping the blanket around her for warmth.

"My cabin. Now." Barbossa stomped across the deck away from her.

Elizabeth didn't look at him as she headed for his cabin. She wasn't sure if she was more ashamed or thankful for her rescue as she slowly walked across the deck. She opened the door and stepped in, clutching her blanket.

Barbossa closed the door behind them and then walked by her to the table. He was trying to gather his thoughts, but it wasn't working very well. He sat down and took a drink of rum before speaking. There was so much that he wanted to say, he wasn't sure where to start.

"Yer gonna tell me why yeh took one of me ships and left, and yer gonna tell me now, or I'm gonna throw yeh over the railin' meself," he told her.

Elizabeth swallowed and pulled the blanket around her tighter. She'd pushed him too far – she'd not push him now by trying to pull rank. And he would throw her over; he was not bluffing.

"I thought it would be better if I returned to the port so that I could barter my way back to Ap Lei," she said quietly, looking down at the floor.

Barbossa watched her as she remained by the door, clutching the blanket around her and keeping her head down. She hadn't even acted that uncomfortable her very first night aboard the Pearl. Something wasn't right somewhere. "Is that what yeh want?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath, intent on telling him yes, but she couldn't form the words. Her emotions were running amok at the moment, and she really wanted to go to her cabin.

"Could we discuss this tomorrow?" she asked, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Please?"

Barbossa stood and slowly walked over to her, his boots a heavy thump with each step. "Look at me," he said, standing in front of her.

Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut, willing him to go away. "I'll talk about it more tomorrow. Just please let me –"

"Look at me!" Barbossa thundered.

Elizabeth frantically opened her eyes, and he was surprised to find tears in them.

"Tell me what yeh want," he said. "Tell me if yeh want to stay or if yeh want to go."

Elizabeth swallowed the knot forming in her throat. Part of her wanted to stay, but another part thought it would be better for her to go. Returning to the cove was not appealing in the least bit, though. She'd already had three years of boredom; she wasn't ready for another seven, especially not when she had an opportunity to go to the Colonies. But after what happened with Barbossa, she wasn't sure if staying was a wise choice, either.

"I should go," she finally said, her voice shaky and quiet.

"I didn't ask what yeh should do, I asked what yeh wanted to do."

Elizabeth bit her lip as her eyes travelled aimlessly around the room. She knew he wouldn't make it easy for her; that's just how he was.

Her eyes met his again. She expected to find a hint of pride or malicious satisfaction in them, but she didn't. He was looking at her quite seriously, almost as if he was worried about what her answer might be. Then their night together flashed through her mind. All of the coy word games that had led up to that night had been discarded at the door. He'd let his guard down for one night – every word and touch had been as genuine as it could be. She felt that he deserved genuine now, regardless of what happened between them.

"I want to stay," Elizabeth said truthfully. She noted that there was a flicker of relief in his eyes before it disappeared.

"If yeh leave like that again, I'll not go after yeh. Is that clear?"

Elizabeth knew his words were her last warning. "I won't do it again," she told him.

Barbossa turned and walked away from her. She watched as he sat down at the table and reached for the rum bottle, not giving her a second look. Apparently, their conversation was over.

Elizabeth took the hint and quietly left, closing the door behind her. She returned to her room and fell to the bed exhausted, but instead of sleeping, she cried.

Boy, Elizabeth has done it now, hasn't she?

Big thank yous to lostsocks54, BrunetteAuthorette99, Bloodsired, Black Heart, Nottipyy, 0oBellina0o and Krushie for leaving reviews for the last chapter. And I *really* appreciate the encouragement - I needed that very much because I was about to just delete everything. Just recently I had a couple reiki treatments done and started meditating; all in an effort to deal with the turbulent emotions from losing Mom. I can happily say that it HAS helped, and I can't express how wonderful of a thing it is. I appreciate everyone for sticking around, even when I couldn't update.

I started a short Severus/Hermione story called The Knotted Wand. If you'd like to check it out, go to my profile. I hadn't planned on posting it - I've had most of it written for months - but I decided 'what the heck'. It'll be about 5 chapters.

Thanks again for reading, and I hope to hear from you.