Alrighty, two chapters at once again! Thanks so much for being patient; my inspiration was not cooperating, but I think I've gotten it under control! Drinking, consensual sex, profanity, vulgarity, and the usual piratey goodness ahead.

XVIII.

With fresh supplies and a much happier crew, the Jolly Roger set off for its next destination later that day. Emma had thought they might sail towards Port Jefferson again, but it seemed they were going further away from it.

"Where are we headed ?" She asked from her perch beside the helm.

Hook shrugged, "Wherever strikes our fancy, though I am generally headed towards a particular tropical island at the moment, with a few detours along the way."

Something in his voice gave him away, and she instantly knew his plan. "Ahhh. Not quite ready to part with your first mate, are you?"

He chuckled, "Aye, losing Starkey will be quite the difficult change, but the old sea dog's earned his retirement. I can't begrudge him too much."

"Where will you retire?"

"Me? I've no intention of retiring."

She kicked her legs idly, raising her brows as she responded. "I'm not a fool, Hook. My dowry, even without the ransom, is more than enough to allow every man on your crew to buy a place and settle down."

"Quite right, princess, but I have no intension of settling. The sea is my home. Any man who decides his time aboard the ship is over can simply be replaced. Retirement is for men who want a life different from the one they already have." He stroked the wheel of the ship lovingly. "This life, this ship...they're where I belong, just as ballrooms and gardens are where you belong."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, don't tell that to my mother. She'd love you for it."

"Something tells me 'love' is a bit of a stretch. I did kidnap and ravish her daughter."

Emma stretched, arching her back. "That you did. But, just so you know, the ravishing part hasn't been too bad." She hopped off her stool and scampered down the stairs to talk with the aforementioned first mate, leaving Hook to stare at her in dumbfounded shock.


They stopped just a few days later in a small colonial port town on the edge of a thickly wooded coast. The men seemed to spill out of the ship, steps light as they headed into town en masse. This particular town was apparently something of a home away from home for them, a peaceful area that they'd stopped in many times over the years and were welcomed rather than feared. Emma agreed to meet them for dinner, wanting to finish up her sewing before joining the group, and Hook seemed to understand her need for some peace and quiet, letting her know where they'd be but not pushing her to follow immediately.

She'd just set the quilts on each bed and turned to leave when she ran smack into Murphy, the collision knocking her off balance. She braced herself, expecting to crash to the floor, but was instead caught by a pair of exceptionally strong arms. Her heart raced as she realized she was alone on the ship with him, his arms wrapped around her as he hauled her up. Of all the men, Murphy was still one if the few she'd yet to really befriend, her lingering discomfort with his actions aboard the spice ship making her prefer to simply avoid him. She stared up at him in terror, thinking of the poor girl he'd taken unwillingly and preparing to reach for the dagger in her boot when he set her down, eyes scanning her small frame franticly.

"Gods, milady, my apologies! Are you alright?"

Finding her voice, she nodded slowly, attempting to push past him. "Fine, fine. I was just on my way out."

"Pardon my clumsiness, Princess. The cap'n would skin me alive if he thought I'd injured you. What in blazes were you doing in the crew's quarters?"

As she crept by, she pointed to a quilt laid over the nearest bed. "I, I just wanted to finish up the last quilts and hand them out before going ashore."

He stared at her, something dark passing through his eyes as they scanned her body before returning to her face. He closed his eyes, his hand gently brushing the surface of the nearest quilt. "It's beautiful. Just like my mum used to make." He turned to her, an unreadable expression on his as she blushed slightly, still uncomfortable at the close quarters. "Thank you, milady." With an awkward bow, he turned and continued into the cabin, leaving her free to scurry back to Hook's room and lock the door.

Feeling far more relaxed in the safety of the captain's cabin as she dressed to go into town, she realized that she'd probably underestimated Hook's influence on his crew. Murphy obviously viewed her as "off-limits," acting remarkably gentlemanly during their brief conversation, even if she suspected his thoughts were far less pure. When she thought about it, all of the men had seemed fairly respectful of her when she was with them, but she hadn't failed to notice the fact that some of them seemed to spend an unusual amount of time watching her. She wondered if perhaps her efforts to endear herself to the crew had helped or if it was their respect for the captain that kept them in line.


Hook entered the cheery little inn with his crew in tow, his bright smile mirroring that of an elderly woman behind the bar when she saw who'd arrived.

"Killian Jones, is that you? Let me get a look!" She hurried over to him, pulling his chin into her gentle hand.

"Oh, Granny, I'm just as dashing as ever, I assure you, though I wouldn't say no to some of your delicious cooking." He winked as a black and red blur slammed into him, pulling him into a hug. "Goodness, Red," Granny scolded halfheartedly. "Try acting like a lady rather than a wild animal!"

"Sorry, Granny," the brunette giggled as her grandmother returned to the kitchen to start a meal for the boys. "Damn. You look good, Killian. Really. What have you been up to?"

"The captain here's had Lady Luck on his side. He's been seeing a lot of action lately." Ed jeered as he moved past them to settle in. "Go on, cap. Tell her all about your good fortune."

He smirked, tipping his head as he settled at a table. "I might have taken a royal flagship on its way to a wedding... Complete with betrothed princess."

Red's jaw dropped. "You did what? Are you mad?" He grinned as she continued. "How much did you get for ransoming her?"

He averted his eyes, pulling a piece of bread from the basket on the table. "Precisely speaking, I haven't done so, yet. But the dowry she had stowed below deck was more than enough to set us up quite well."

Red suddenly looked serious. "Oh, Killian, what did you do to her?"

"Nothing she didn't want." He said in defense. "She's been warming my bed, but seems quite content to do so. Why would I give her back?"

"Oh my gods. Do you like her?" Red whispered.

"I like her cunt." He responded dismissively.

"Oh cut it out Jones. I may be a barmaid but I'm not an idiot. You don't keep a woman on your ship unless you really want to. It causes too many problems."

He shrugged. "It's a really amazing cunt, and she is bloody gorgeous. Not to mention, there's something about ravishing royalty that's rather satisfying. Especially for me. What better treasure to steal than a princess's virginity?"

She paled slightly. "Wait a minute. She's not from... ?"

"No. Different kingdom, Sylvania I believe. If she'd been from..." He trailed off, gritting his teeth. "I haven't forgotten, Red. One day, I'll make them pay."

She breathed a sigh of relief, reaching for his hand. " I know you will." She paused, then punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Alright, then. Tell me all about your princess with the 'amazing' cunt."


Hook had asked her to meet him at the local inn and tavern, a homey little place called "The Wolf and the Widow." She scanned the crowd for his shock of dark hair, finding him in deep conversation with a gorgeous brunette. The girl's wide smile was genuine, rather than the flirty, false smile of most prostitutes, and the intimacy of their interaction made Emma's gut twist uncomfortably. Reminding herself that she had no reason to feel threatened, she sauntered over to the table, grabbing Hook's mug from his hand and taking a long swig before wrapping her arms around his neck. The brunette looked surprised at first, but her sparkling blue eyes crinkled as she smirked at Hook, looking back to Emma as if she had quite the secret hidden away. "Ah! So, you must be Emma!" She exclaimed brightly, hopping up from her seat next to the captain so Emma could sit. "Nice to meet you! Granny's going to have my hide if she catches me sitting here any longer!" She whispered conspiratorially, "but I'll grab you a mug of your own so you don't steal all of Killy's precious rum..." She rolled her eyes and ran off in a swirl of red skirts, ruffling Hook's hair as she passed. He glared dramatically after her, running his own hand through his hair in an attempt to tame it.

"Oh, let me, Killy," Emma chided him, tugging her fingers through the ebony strands. He grumbled at the nickname, his grumbles turning to pleased groans. Unable to stifle a laugh, she told him that he reminded her of the hunting hounds her father always kept and the happy noises they made when she rubbed their velvety ears, erasing his unamused eye roll by raking her nails over his scalp again.

"So," she began, attempting to keep her tone casual as she massaged his scalp, "who's your friend?"

"That's Red." He moaned, tipping his head back slightly as she continued rubbing. "Known her a long time. Her grandmother owns the inn."

"I hope I wasn't interrupting," Emma grumbled, pulling slightly on his hair.

He chuckled, "I assure you, I'm not her type."

"So, you two never...?"

He sighed, turning away. "Just once."

She felt her heart drop; he didn't appear to be lying, but he had to be. He didn't seem the type to merely stay friends with a woman, especially one like the lively barmaid, but he'd promised her not to sleep with anyone else.

He reached up to remove her hands from his head, leaning in so he could be sure she heard him as he reluctantly met her eyes. "It was after my brother, Liam... She'd always quite fancied him, and he her I suspect. She had childhood dreams of becoming his wife, and he was probably one of the few who could have handled being married to her." He sighed a bit, shaking his head. "This was our first port after he...after I'd been made captain. Gods, she sobbed when I told her of his fate; we were both so young and lost without him. We took comfort in each other for the night. Truth be told, I was so drunk I barely remember it, and I know in my heart she was imagining me to be my brother, though I couldn't bear to ask if it was true. I was already conflicted about captaining his ship; I couldn't think about the fact that I was fucking his girl, or that she'd slipped and called me by his name more than once.

"The next morning, she kissed my cheek and thanked me for the distraction, and things went back to normal. We never crossed that line again, and we've remained friendly. She was so sweet and gentle back then, though the woman she's become would have chewed dear Liam up and spit him out." He chuckled quietly. "Red loves freely and easily, accepting that the world is cruel and that love affairs would come and go, but each has its particular pleasures. I do hope that one day she meets her match, though I somewhat pity the poor bastard."

Emma was speechless. She'd expected a flippant tale of a meaningless dalliance, not one of sorrow and shared mourning. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Everyone else knows our history. It's only fair you do too." He shrugged as if he hadn't just bared his soul to her, but she could see how much those memories had cost him in the set of his shoulders. He'd avoided speaking about his brother in the past, and she could see how much it pained him to do so.

"I'm sorry."

"Make no mistake, they'll answer for his death one day."

They had a hearty home cooked meal, and Emma marveled at how well-behaved the pirates were, as if they knew Granny wouldn't stand for any shenanigans. She watched Red work, understanding why she was so loved by the crew. Aside from her physical beauty, which was certainly not lacking, she was kind and clever, with a large, easy smile. The older crew members treated her more like a little sister, but the newer men were clearly smitten. Emma watched as August regaled her with tales of the exotic places he'd been while Victor stared at her so intently she would have sworn he was trying to will her clothing away with the sheer force of his mind.


Hook had insisted they gamble a bit for fun, downing several pints of ale with the crew before retiring to a more private corner to share a bottle of rum with Emma while. They played a game of making up nautical euphemisms for different sex acts, joking about hoisting his sail, going below deck, and pulling into port as she giggled . He shuffled closer on the bench, hips stuttering towards her as he smiled mischievously. "You're not planning on leaving me high and dry tonight, are you, love?" He tapped her nose playfully.

"Of course not, Captain," she purred, playing suggestively with his hook.

"I'll get us a room," he said, sliding his hand up her thigh under her skirts before he hopped up to speak with Granny. While he was gone, Red finally settled back at their table with a glass of ale all her own. She watched Emma carefully, studying her as if she was looking for answers, then looked to where Hook was charming a room out of the elderly innkeeper.

"It's been a while since I've seen him like this."

"Like what?" Emma asked, nervous. "Incredibly drunk?"

"Happy," she said with a laugh. "You're the first girl he's brought here in almost a decade."

"Wait, you met Milah?"

"A few times. Don't get me wrong he was in love with her but if we're being honest, I was surprised. She was nothing like the girls he'd been interested in before."

"Oh?" Emma's curiosity was piqued. "And what were they like?"

Red laughed again. "You. Let me tell you, young Killian Jones would have had a serious thing for you. That's probably why he likes you so much. You remind him of who he used to be." She paused. "Maybe that's why I can't help but like you too. He's not that young man anymore, but he's not acting like the same pirate either. He's different with you."

As if on cue, he stumbled back to the table, wrapping his hooked arm around Emma's waist as he lifted her to her feet and grabbing the rum bottle with the other hand. "What do you say we set sail?" Emma giggled again, blushing as she heard Red laugh behind her.

"Go get laid, you two, before Granny scolds you for making a scene. I'll talk to you in the morning, Jones." She smacked his ass as she walked away, earning her a bark of laughter as they made their way towards the guest room he'd rented.

"We're not going back to the Jolly Roger?" Emma questioned. They always, always returned to the ship.

"Not tonight darling,"he mumbled once he'd shut the door, too busy pulling off her clothes to really carry on a conversation. There was something about this inn that reminded him of better times, and he wanted to embrace the feeling and drown in the pleasure of his lovely princess for the night. "Tell me you want me, Emma."

She pulled his hand between her legs, smirking when he felt her wet and ready for him. "I think you can feel how much I want you." She grabbed his collar, pulling his leather clad body against her naked one as she kissed him forcefully, unlacing his pants and shoving then down around his hips. "But how about I show you?"

She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his hips as he instinctually pinned her against the wall, sinking down on him in one smooth motion. "Bloody hell, princess!" he gasped, clearly somewhat surprised by her eagerness.

"I got tired of waiting," she moaned into his ear, pulling his earring between her teeth as he began thrusting into her. Her back was pressed against the unforgiving plaster hard enough that she expected a few bruises, but as he looped his hooked arm under her ass to lift her higher, she found that she honestly didn't care. "Come on," she whispered, "give me every hard inch of you. Gods, Killian, you feel so good inside me."

"Emma," he nearly whimpered, pulling her closer. "Come with me, Emma." Arms wrapped tightly around one another, they fell apart and sank to the floor in sated exhaustion.

Long after he'd taken her against the wall, and then again in the spacious bed, she drifted off to sleep as her mind kept replaying Red's words. How had the situation with the handsome pirate gotten so wildly out of control?


"Sooo, have a good time last night?" Red teased, plopping a plate of eggs and bacon in front of him.

He wiggled his eyebrows, eyes flicking to where Emma talked with Ed before returning to Red. "I believe the word I used was amazing, and I'd have to say it remains accurate."

"You do realize that your crew's practically in love with her." She said, rolling her eyes.

"It's not love Red."

"All the more reason to be concerned. You need to watch them, Killian. The older guys, they're fine, but some of the younger ones... Just, seriously, watch them. I heard some things after you left, and saw them staring at her an awful lot when you weren't looking."

"What things?" He snapped, suddenly feeling uneasy.

"Just general resentment. They weren't speaking loud enough for me to be sure who said it, but I distinctly heard them making some fairly colorful comments and wondering when they'll be getting a turn with her."

He felt his blood go hot, but he couldn't discipline half the ship. "I'll talk to Ed, and take extra precautions. I've no intention of sharing her."

"You do realize that there's no way this ends in anything other than heartbreak, right?" Red sighed.

"It's not my fault I'm devilishly handsome."

"It's not just her heart I'm concerned about."

Hook chuckled humorlessly. "Oh, lass, you should know me better than that. I don't have a heart to break anymore."

"I DO know you better, Killian. Be careful." She clasped his hand gently. "If you're caught with a princess, they'll string you up without a moment's hesitation, and I don't think I could handle my life without a Jones brother in it."

"You know me, Red. I'd only risk myself for two things, love and revenge. Seeing as how my love's long dead, and I can't yet find a way to avenge Liam, you needn't worry. Women come and go, but a pirate's life-it's forever."

He patted her head and began to return towards the docks, ignoring her muttered "Gods, you have no idea how bad you've got it, do you?"