XXXIII.
Lost Cause

Early November 1719

Mary was sick as a dog and she was finally realizing why. Anne was sick in the same way, so each of them lay in their respective rooms. Neither of them had told their respective lovers of their fears. Or well, of the truth. It was no longer a fear, but a truth that both of them, without a doubt were pregnant.

Mary hated to think that that, because in her heart she knew – she knew – that there was no way this child could be Daniel's. No way. Well…maybe. Perhaps because she feared Edward was dead did she so desperately wish it was Edward's child. Perhaps she just wanted something of him to live on – some proof that he had been there.

Today she just lay in bed, hating the fact that she was so sick. She had not been so sick when she was with her first child. Maybe it was because she was so much older. Before she had not even been in her twenties and as of now she was verging on her twenty-ninth year. She forced herself up and to get around. Her stomach hurt more with every rock of the boat. She needed to eat though and she needed a drink to help with her horrible headaches. She got those a lot right now. Daniel was constantly checking on her, fearing her ill but she couldn't bring herself to tell him that she would be fine – but he would be a father sometime next year.

But would it be his child?

She walked carefully through the ship, looking for Daniel. She had to tell him about the child in her belly. He deserved to know. If Anne told Jack was their business. Daniel was her husband now, he had to know. She wasn't going to tell him that it was probably another man's child though. No, that he didn't need to know. That was something she wasn't willing to share, not just yet. Maybe she wasn't ever willing to share that fact. It would be selfish of her, but it was what she had to do to ensure this child had a good life.

Suddenly there was the sound of a body hitting the wall. Mary jumped and then pressed herself flat against the wall, sneaking until she could see what was going on just around the corner. She could see four men. One was Daniel, one was George and two others were some rough Jack Tars they picked up about a month ago. George was well bruised, Daniel had blood leaking from his lip and her heart jumped in her throat when she realized this was a fight.

"You little bastard! Well in with Read, thinking you're so good!" They had yet to tell anyone they were married. Not even Anne knew yet. It was their business anyway so she didn't see a point in telling everyone.

"Thinks he can get away with anything, just 'cause he's warming her bed" The one man pushed Daniel and he stumbled back a step.

"Then fight me. Like a man. On deck, one hour." Daniel challenged.

"Fists or knives?"

"We'll be men and settle this with our fists" The two men spat and shook on it and Daniel helped George away. She had to backtrack and hide to keep them from finding her. She walked back to her hiding spot and listened to the two other men. They were laughing.

"I'm going to gut the bitch right out of him!" The one who was challenged was saying. "Maybe he said fist, but I'm going put my knife right in his face. We'll see if that bitch wants him then" They laughed some more and Mary felt her blood boil.

"Not if I kill you first" She hissed, revealing herself. She didn't have her sword on her but she had her hidden blades. She stabbed the man in the throat and got his friend as well. They both fell to the ground gagging. She looked at them. "You will not touch my husband."

She left them on the ground, not caring how or when they were discovered. She went off in search of Daniel once more and found him helping treat some of George's injuries. She watched and waited because she did not want to tell him in front of anyone else. She didn't think that George wanted to know about their personal life anyway. He was a good friend to Daniel and he was a loyal sailor but he really didn't need to know.

By the time he was done with him though, it had been an hour. Daniel made his excuses to her and gave her a brief kiss before heading to the deck. He asked her to stay with George and she did, taking a seat on a chair not far from the man. She sighed.

"What's the matter?" asked George.

"I saw you two fighting with those other men" She admitted. George raised an eyebrow and Mary lifted her arm to show the sleeve of her shirt stained with blood. George understood right away, his eyes met her's, shocked. "He was plotting on killing Daniel. I couldn't allow that"

"You love him" It wasn't an accusation, it was just a fact. She didn't know if it were true or not so she just shrugged it off. Daniel returned after a little bit and he looked angry – his face was a little red with it.

"Mary! A word?"

She glanced at George and gave him a slight smile before she followed Daniel to her room – their room now as he always slept there. He closed the door behind her and ran his fingers through his short dark hair. He paced back and forth for a moment and then gave her an exasperated looked.

"Did you kill Thomas and Handly?" He asked finally. He seemed to be working up to asking and now that it was out he was staring at her as if he expected her to deny it.

"Of course I did. He was going to kill you during your fight. Handly was laughing about it so I expected I might as well get rid of him as well" She said it casually. She had killed much more powerful people than two jack tars so she didn't really think anything of it. She looked at him for a long time.

"You can't just kill people, Mary"

She rolled her eyes at that. She had to get him off the subject though. Who cares that she had killed these men? Rackham wouldn't punish her none for it, nor would Anne push him to. She didn't think anyone would. If they did…well she'd take care of that as the problem arose.

"I need to talk to you about something Daniel" He seemed annoyed at the change of subject and he paced away from her. She caught him by the elbow and he turned to look at her. "I'm pregnant."

That stopped him. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open in surprise. He froze and finally turned to face her completely, his eyes dropping to her stomach. He didn't seem to know what to say for a long moment, mute. Then he swallowed hard.

"You are?" he asked in a soft voice. "How…how sure are you?"

"I'm completely sure" She assured him. She placed a hand on her stomach, though it was still flat. He placed his hand over her's, as if he could feel the life growing within her. He smiled at her and she could see the surprise and joy in his eyes. She forced herself to smile as well. He didn't ask if the child was his. He must have just assumed that it was. She didn't want to say anything and upset him so she kept her mouth shut and just kept smiling.

Wasn't this what she wanted?

Late January 1720

What a party it had been. Rackham had found an old friend of his on the sea and they docked together to have a party. He invited them over to his ship and they spent most of the night and the next day drinking their asses off. Mary spent it trying to keep from throwing up over the side of the ship. Anne was of much the same mind. It didn't take Daniel long to realize she too was expecting. He kept his mouth shut though. He knew it wasn't his place to say anything.

At the moment, the three of them were standing on the deck talking. Anne was hoping for a son and she was telling Mary how nice it'd be if she had a daughter. She was making up fantasies about how they'd grow up together and get married someday. Mary had to roll her eyes at the young woman's hopes. Though…Mary just hoped to make it through the pregnancy and give birth to a healthy baby. That was all she wanted.

Mary glanced out to sea, just a passing glance. She saw a single ship on the horizon. It wouldn't have worried her much if she didn't see the flag which she was sure was flashing British colors. They had a bounty out on their heads because most recently they had been attacking fishing schooners as they could no longer get close enough to other pirate ships. She hurried up to the helm, leaving Daniel and Anne calling after her and lifted the spy glass up to look at the ship's flag.

"British Navy!" She called to Anne and Daniel. "We have to get out of here!"

"But we're tied to the other ship…" Anne started. Mary rushed down the steps again, drawing her sword. She cut all the ropes binding them to the other ship. Daniel went to see about the anchor while Anne helped her prep the sails. There was no way a ship as large as they had could be run by three people and as far as they knew Jack and the others were drunk in the hold, probably passed out by this point.

They watched as the other ship got closer and closer. They soon knew that it was no hope. They watched as the ship got closer and they tried firing their canons to scare it off. It fired its front canons once, tearing a gash as deep as Mary's warm was long into their main mast, and they did not return fire, knowing there was no way to win down that route either. Mary grabbed Daniel's hand and squeezed it.

"You and Anne have to take a rowboat and…"

"Go where?" Mary asked him, looking up into his honey brown eyes. "There isn't anywhere for us to go."

"They'll kill you" His voice was a horse whisper.

"We'll fight them off" She kept her voice strong, though she was scared out of her mind. The ship was nearly here and they all drew their swords as the British began to jump on the ship. They fought back, they fought back hard. How many fell before her blade? She very quickly lost count. Daniel, Anne and her fought like the demons they were. They fought for their lives – for the lives growing in their bellies.

"We need more men!" Anne shouted. "Mary! Rouse the lads in the hold!"

"Can you two hold until I return?"

"We'll have to!" Daniel called back. She took a chance, racing towards the door, jumping down the hatch and finding them all a drunken mess. Half of them were asleep, the rest of them were rolling around laughing.

"Rouse yourselves! We're under attack! It's the British navy!" The men awake laughed as if she had told a joke. "Get your arses up! Now!" She screamed but they all just lay and laugh. She drew his pistol and shot blindly. One of them began screaming instead of laughing. "Get. Your. Arses. Up!" The screaming and laughing went on.

If she tried any longer to get them up, Anne and Daniel might get badly hurt or killed. She had to go. She saw men coming down the hatch as she went to go up it so she had to run as fast as she could to the other hatch. She hurried up the ladder and found herself in the fray. She nearly got a bullet in her leg but managed to jump out of the way, slashing at a man's throat. Daniel and Anne were getting worn down quickly. They were back to back, fighting but she could tell their swords were heavy in their arms. She knew how they felt.

She slashed her way to them. They fought and fought but it was a never ending wave. They were going to lose – they were going to die. All of them. This was it. Mary thought of Edward, she thought of James. Would they scold her down among the dead? Should have known better than to go on pirating…

The next moment had astounding clarity for Mary. Maybe it was because it was the final break for her already hurt heart – maybe it was because she nearly died herself in that moment.

She saw the gun drawn, aimed at her. She swiped her sword, aiming to cut off his hand but she knew she was too slow and much too far away. Then she was suddenly falling, but only because she had been pushed. Daniel landed on the ground before her and she screamed his name. Her hands frantically covered the hole in his chest that was pumping out blood at an astounding rate.

"Run…" He whispered. "Go"

"Where?" She hissed. "Where can I go?"

"The…baby…go…" He whispered.

"Please don't die Daniel! Please don't leave me alone! You said you were going to make me happy! You said I'd be happy! Please…please…!" She held onto him and he touched her face with his hand. There was a faint smile on his face and then that was it. He was gone. "No!"

"Mary! Get up! We have to fight!" Anne shouted.

"Stop Anne…drop your sword" She could see them bringing the lads from below up. They were tied up and still giggling.

"Mary…!"

"Drop your sword Anne! We lost" She still had her hands pressed to Daniel's chest, coated in his blood. She sat there, looking down at her husband – the second she had lost. Her shoulders slumped and tears ran down her face. "We've lost" She repeated. The soldiers pointed their guns at the two women and Anne dropped her sword at last. She looked furious but she couldn't fight them alone.

They had lost.

Early February 1720

Mary stood by Anne. Jack Rackham's trial had just concluded. He and the six others with had been sentenced to death by hanging. The fear in their eyes couldn't be misplaced. Noah stood to Jack's right and he was looking at Anne and Mary whose trial would be in a few days. They were led in chains to the place where they would be hung. Mary and Anne were stood in the front row and watched as their crewmates were led one by one up to the platform. One by one a rope was placed around their necks.

"Any last words?"

Jack took a deep breath and searched the crowd until his eyes landed upon Anne. His look became very soft, probably fondly recalling their times together. Mary looked at Anne whose face remained steely and cold. She was breathing deeply though, as if barely keeping her emotions in check.

"Anne…do you hate me?" He asked. Her eyes flicked at last to his figure on the platform. Mary would bet he was expecting her to cry or to tell him that she loved him or some other lovely sentiment.

"If ye would have acted like a man, ye wouldn't be hung like a dog" She spat and then she turned her head away. Mary's eyes widened in surprise. That was a cold thing to say but it didn't make it any less true. Mary was still looking at Anne when she heard the ropes go taunt.

The next time she looked at Jack Rackham, he was hanging by his neck. Dead, dead, dead.

Ten Days Later…

Mary and Anne's trial was a modest event. There were many witnesses called to the front. People they had let survive – people who Mary regretted let live. She should have slit their throats. Dead men told no tales after all. One woman was having quite the fun with her tale of them attacking her husband's ship. She told them judge that she knew the two of them were women by the size of their chests, making the crowd roar with laughter. Anne spat at her as she went to sit down again.

"The charges, sir. I'll hear them, again." The judge said to his assistant and at that moment, they led a new person into the trial. Mary wouldn't have taken notice – no she wouldn't have cared but the man came in wearing shackles. His blonde hair had grown out since she last saw him. His blue eyes widened when he saw her and Anne standing trial. Her brown eyes widened at the sight of him.

Edward. She had mouthed his name and he struggled to get away from the soldiers for a moment, to go to her. He was forced to sit and she stared at him. He stared back, eyes wide, looking at her as if he were a man dying of thirst and she was a glass of water. Her heart about beat out of her chest and she forgot how she had cut things off with him – she didn't care. She just wanted to be next to him at the moment. She just wanted to throw her arms around him.

She saw Rodgers and Torres sit behind Edward and she struggled to hear their conversation. At one point, the three of them glanced towards her and Edward's eyes became wildly desperate. She wondered why. Just then her attention was pushed back to the judge.

"…You, Mary Read and Anne Bonny, are to go from hence to the place from whence you came, and from thence to the place of execution, where you shall be severally hanged by the neck till you are severally dead, dead, dead!"

"Oh, rot!" Anne cursed, rolling her eyes at him. She knew, just as well as Mary that they would not be hung but Edward tried to rise again but was forced back down.

"May God in his infinite mercy be merciful to each of your souls…"

Mary took a deep breath. He was about to call for them to be taken away and hung. The guards tightened their grips on them, ready to lead two struggling women away. They didn't expect what was next, no of course they didn't. She was sure Edward didn't either.

"We're pregnant!" Mary shouted. The guards hands went slack and she took a bold step forward before being yanked back. "Do you all hear that?"

"What the devil did she say?" The judge sputtered. The courtroom was in an upheaval, people booing and yelling at her statement.

"They plead their bellies, Milord!"

"Aye!" Anne chirped. "You can't hang a woman quick with child, can ye?"

Edward's expression was almost comical. If the situation wasn't so dire, Mary would have probably burst into laughter at it. She could see in his face that he was trying to figure out if the child was his or if she had been with another man while they were separated. She wished she could explain to him but there was no time.

"Quiet! Quiet!" The judge was shouting. "If what you claim is true, then your executions will be stayed, but only until your terms are up!"

"Then I'll be up the duff the next time you come knocking!" Roared Anne, getting gasps from the crowd and the guards for her plain statement. Mary smiled. Face of an angel, mouth worse than that of the dirtiest jack tar. That was Anne for you.

"Remove them!" The judge about screamed and the guards jabbed them until they moved.

Mary glanced at Edward as she passed him. Their eyes met for a moment, but it was moment enough. She gave him a small, sad smile and mouthed sorry to him and then was led away from the guards. She knew this was probably the last time she'd see him. Her heart ached, but she had bigger problems on her hands. Her hands touched her stomach. She had to get out of here before it was too late, for her child's sake.

A/N: Alright guys...You are all...insane and I love you for it! I have had emails and messages calling for me to not let Mary die. It's been a little overwhelming but let me tell you, I'm very attached to Mary. I can't do it guys! I can't! But I know some of you are still going to be looking forward to that canon ending. So, I have come up with a compromise. From this point on, my story will be AU.

If you must read the canon ending, I will be publishing a one-shot that can be your alternate ending. I suggest you either choose to continue with this story or read the one-shot. The one-shot contains information that won't be revealed in this story for quite some time yet. So spoilers I guess. If you want to read it after this story has reached it conclusion, that would be okay obviously. So basically I'm asking you to pick a side and commit to it.

Anyway, thank you for reading, thank you for being such fans of Mary. Believe me, I think she'd thank you all for giving her one last shot at that happy ending she deserves. I'll see you at the next chapter or the one-shot depending on where your loyalties lie.