"Jo!" Emily bounces up, looping an arm through the older woman's as they keep walking. "Where have you even been? I haven't seen you in a week!" The older woman opens her mouth, but Emily waves her off. "No, nevermind, I don't care. I want you to gather the crew and get our Queen all ready for us, we leave first thing in the morning!"

Jo raises an eyebrow, amused. "Feeling restless, are we?"

"Restless indeed!" A smirk pulls at Emily's lips. "I feel it's been far too long since last I heard the sweet ring of my blade hitting another's, and uhm, I've a somewhat particular - itch that I do believe only a trip to Tortuga will satisfy."

Jo rolls her eyes. "You had a cheeky ginger bilge rat for that sort of thing, last I checked."

"Ah, well, one gets bored from time to time." Emily answers, sending her a wink. She reaches down to her belt and removes a coin purse, handing it to Jo. "Load us up, you know the drill." She lets go Jo's arm, spinning around to head off back they way they'd come.

"Erm, Cap'n, where're you going!"

"To see what became of our stow away!"

Jo trails a hand up to bury in her raven curls, blowing out a breath. "One gets bored?" A pause as she thinks on this, and her usual scowl-grimace contorts her features. "S'ppose I'd better warn the boy."

"Bored?" Riley snorts, running a hand through his ginger curls. "Gods above, you know troubles coming when she gets bored, don't you?"

Jo just shrugs. "I just figured someone ought to warn you. Anyway, you to've been pretty close lately. Maybe I, erm, misunderstood."

He shakes his head, cross. "No, I expect you understood just fine. She's been avoiding me outright, won't touch me."

"She's just finally got to feeling better again after being sick for so long." Jo answers, placating. "Let her go find whatever she wants, get it out of her system, she'll come back to her senses. Always does."

He rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah. I hope so."

"Emmy!" Emily grins, her mood climbing all the higher. She spins around just in time to see her brother, bounding up the gang plank. He makes for quite the image these days; he'll be a real pretty boy even once he's grown some more, she thinks. No wonder he's already got himself a girl to flirt with. His hairs grown long and is pulled back loosely, and there's a bit of gold looped in his ear. There's also a sword at his hip. She sighs. She knows their papa would never have put a real sword in Joshy's hand unless he knew the boy was ready for it, but she can't help but to worry all the same.

He grinds to a halt just before her and gives her a playful solute. "Permission to come aboard, Captain?"

"Bah," she waves him off, "never not granted for you. Were you thinking to come along with us?"

He nods. "Papa suggested it actually, and I won't lie about it. I believe he's under the impression your moods even out some when I'm around. But I was thinking to ask if I could come along when next you set sail anyway, honest I was!"

"Hm. No doubt Papa will want to know all about what I've been up to when next he sees you, then." Her mood darkens a touch. "That man'll be the end of me for all that he drives me mad."

"You'd have already been the end of eachother if your Mum and I had no say in the matter." He runs a hand through his hair and trails it down to rub the back of his neck. The gesture reminds her of their papa. "And lets be honest, sister; it'd hardly be much of a task, driving you mad. You're already half way there!"

"Oi. Cheeky." She reaches out to shove his shoulder. "Oh, you love me too much to mind and you know it!" He replies with a wink, and then straightens up some, taking a look around the ship. "Orders then, Captain?"

She looks him over, half playful. "Well, I should think you're old enough now to be at least a bit more useful than a cabin boy. Go on down to the hold and find Jo, she'll have work for you."

"Aye, Cap'n." He plants a kiss on her cheek and darts off to do as told.

She hates her papa for it, but he's right. She can't stay annoyed with anything for too long with her brother around.

They raid a couple of merchant vessels along the way, just for the fun of it. Honestly just for the fun of it; she's still got plenty coin left over from what Alex had given her for taking he and Imogene home. Her men had just wanted the thrill that came with a bit of honest pirating. She'd been only too happy to oblige.

One of the merchants lays low and heavy in the water, and she thinks it quite a prize until she sees the crest emblazoned on it's hull along with the ships name. It's a sheild, marked with an intricate pattern, and script in Latin. The centuries old mark of a family that's never lost it's wealth or power.

It had marked all the ships Imogene had pointed out as her father's when they docked at Virginia. Emily worries she'll pay for this one, some day...but she's a pirate, after all. She goes easy on them, but plunders the ship all the same.

With a hold simply bursting with swag, the Sea's Queen's sails are set toward Tortuga.

"Captain!" Ruby croons, her large, dark brown eyes sparking in delight. "Oh, I've been hoping you'd come to see me again soon! No ones seen you 'round here in months." She forms her plump lips into a pout.

"Bah, I'm a busy woman." Emily waves her off, and holds out the box in her hands with a flourish. "But I've something for you, as it happens. I know you'll forgive me for it."

Ruby's eyes widen as her pout disappears in an instant. She snatches up the box and holds it to her chest with one hand while the other snatches up Emily's to pull her along and into the brothel Ruby calls home. Trailing along into her room, Emily shuts the door as Ruby sets the box on her bed and opens it. "Oh! Peg!" She pulls out the lovely crimson dress held within. "It's magnificent! You start coming up with gifts like this, now, I might start to worry you actually like me."

Emily grins. "I knew you'd love it." She nods at the box. "I've, ah, got you a little something to go with it as well."

Ruby freezes a moment as her eyes land on what's still contained in the box. She glances up at Peg, incredulous, before carefully removing the patterned silk shawl. "Where did you get it?" She situates it over her shoulders, and leans her head down to the side to brush her cheek against the soft fabric. "It matches the dress so perfectly, this is a gift fit for a queen!"

"A princess, actually." It's part of the set Emily had stolen to wear during that fiasco with the Indian prince. "It's quite a story it comes with, I'll tell you some other time. Anyway, it looks all the more beautiful for the fact that you're wearing it."

Ruby rolls her eyes. "You're getting as good as any man at smooth talk. What do you want this time, then?"

"Nothing." Emily replies, indignant. Ruby plants her hands on her hips and glares. Emily holds up her hands in surrender. "I swear! I just..." She crosses the room to move in close, running a hand down Ruby's arm. "...just want you."

Ruby's eyebrows raise. "I thought you had a large, handsome ginger for that."

Emily drops her hand and huffs. "For the love of the old gods. What am I, his wife?" Ruby pulls back, startled by the outburst. Emily half growls as she goes on. "Fine, then, I'll just..." She turns to leave.

"No!" Ruby all but shouts, a note of panic in her voice.

The thing is, it's a releif when one like Emily comes around. A whores usual patron is a man who is quite drunk and only interested in his own pleasure. Emily makes sure to be relatively sober and, well...with her, Ruby will enjoy it, too.

"Please." Ruby says, quieter now. "You know I'll never object."

Emily spins back around, smirking a bit as she backs Ruby up towards the bed. "I know."

The tavern is bursting full, as usual, and Riley finds the raucous atmosphere to be soothing on this particular night. He's got too much on his mind, of late, and most of it to do with his captain. He'd spent weeks - weeks - caring for her. Forcing her to sober up, helping her deal with her nightmares, and then the fever...and what's she given him in return? Only a cold shoulder. She hadn't asked him to her bed again since before she'd fallen ill, and in fact, he'd seen little of her since she'd regained her usual life and vigor. He'd try to pin her down and would be successful for the briefest moment, but then she'd be bouncing off, on to the next thing already. And he doesn't like admitting it even to himself, but the feeling of being summarily dismissed is hurting him.

Stirrings. She'd scold him. You've got your Sarah. I know you're writin' her. You've got no business tryin' to take care of a salty little sea girl who can look after herself jus' fine. Jus' let it go.

He has been writing to Sarah again, and the letters do end up rather affectionate, but it is only a fantasy he entertains to keep himself above water. He knows better than to think he'll ever be able to go back to her being the man he is now. (And even worse; the thought has entered his mind that he may no longer wish to go back.)

The noisy chaos of the tavern provides him with the perfect environment to get lost in thought, odd as it may seem. No one bothers him; he stares down at the same mug of rum he's been nursing for he's-lost-track-of-how-long and lets his thoughts chase circles around his head, trying to figure what to do with himself...

The table before him collapses beneath the large, ragged figure that's just been thrown atop it.

Riley blinks down at the sorry, possibly drunken raggamuffin now lying in a heap of splintered rubble at his feet. Arms crossing, he looks up and around in search of the mans opponent. In fact, there's a small group of disgruntled brigands glaring down at the drunk. The drunk tries to sit up, but collapses back in an instant, groaning.

Riley addresses the mans assailants. "Whatever he owes you, I'll pay it."

"Don't you recognize that uniform! Mans got a lot of guts, showin' up here!"

Riley does recognize the uniform, beat up though it is. He'd know it anywhere. "He reeks of drink worse than you. He obviously can't fight you further."

"And what do you care, anyhow?"

He cares because he knows what it's like to have everything you thought you knew get twisted and turned on its head. He can't imagine how a British commodore ended up here like this, but he can sympathize in his own way. "Bugger off. I'm warning you."

"Why don't you, ye lily-livered son of a whore!"

Now that was just uncalled for. Riley gets to his feet and comes to stand protectively before the drunk, shoulders back and chest out as he crosses meaty arms over it. He brings two fingers to his mouth, and whistles a familiar tune...

Several of the Queens crew, many of them just happening to be rather sturdy as Riley is, all come out of the wood work. They don't have to know why, beyond the fact a friend needs help. That's why Rilley really likes the men he sails with. He's not surprised when the ragged group of miscreant bullies surrenders, though it is somewhat disappointing.

He smirks as the men who'd answered his call chase after them.

He turns to the drunk, crouching down to check him out. "You alright, mate?" He holds out a hand.

The drunk accepts the gesture, allowing Riley to pull him up, though he seems unsteady. "Nothing another mug of that rotgut swill won't cure, I expect." The words are slurred, and it's rather incongruous. The phrasing of them is cultured. But that's not all that's wrong with this picture.

He knows that voice.

Riley snatches his hand back as though burned. His belly flips itself upside down as he leans in to get a closer look at the man whose life he just saved on a whim. "Cap-no, commodore. Commodore?"

"Neither anymore, I'm afraid." The man snorts, staggering back a few steps to lean heavily against the wall. "Names Tim Andrews." He squints at Riley with unfocused eyes. "You know me?"

"Do I...?" Riley gives an incredulous snort, running a hand through his hair. "It's me. It's Riley Connelly. Bloody hell, what in the name of the gods has happened to you?"

Andrews just blinks at him a moment. And then, without further ado, the man collapses back into the pile of wood beneath him - passed out drunk.

"Joshy!" Riley half growls as he struggles to drag Andrews along. The boy comes bounding down the gang plank, looking confused. He doesn't hesitate to try and help, though, grunting as they both struggle to get the larger man up and onto the ship.

"Ugh! He reeks of rum." Joshy scrunches his nose as they finally set Andrews to rest slumped against some barrels. "He'll be out like that 'til morning if the smell of him is anything to go by. Is that a Navy uniform?"

"Aye. See the markings? He was a commodore."

"Huh. Poor bloke."

Riley just shakes his head. "If I'd have left him where he fell he may well have been dead by morning. At the least he'd have been robbed of whatever coin he may have on him."

"Sad though it is," Joshy brings a hand up to rub his neck, "what reason have you got to care?"

Riley sighs. "I didn't recognize him either, at first. Joshy, allow me to reintroduce you to my old captain, Timothy Andrews."

Joshy's eyes go wide. He stoops down a bit to get a better look at the scruffy, ragged drunk, and then turns slowly to Riley. "My sister's going to kick your arse when she finds you brought him here."

Riley's not used to the attitude Joshy's taking, the tone of his voice and the way the curse slips from his lips. It'd been too long since they'd last had the boy along for the ride like this. "Well..like I said. I couldn't leave him like this. 'sides, he's certainly not a captain anymore."

"Emmy doesn't do 'pity', Riley."

"I can handle her alright. And she does better with that and a lot of things when she has you around." Riley points out in turn. "You better hope that'll be enough, in this case." Joshy replies, crossing his arms.

Riley thinks without hope, these days, he'd have nothing much at all.

She hears Riley somewhere behind her, crying out in pain as the bullet that just missed her buries itself in his shoulder instead...

She can't hold it back; she explodes, creating a blinding flash that is tinted a darker blue than normal.

The Navy boys who remain unaffected look so confused, so horrified, as their brothers in arms begin a vicious assault on their own.

Captain... Riley's pleading.

Captain...stop...

Captain!

"Captain!" Emily's eyes shoot open as a hand shoots up on impulse, snatching up a tiny wrist in an iron grip. "Peg." The voice is softer this time, gentler. "It's alright. S'only me, sweetheart."

Emily starts, letting Ruby's arm go. "Oh. I'm sor-I'm sorry, I'm..."

"Just take a breath or two." Ruby murmurs, reaching out a tentative hand to run it through Emily's hair a bit, soothing.

"Should've gone back to the ship." Emily mutters, breathless, scrubbing a hand over her face.

"Bah. You certainly aren't the only one I get what has such terrors in their sleep." Ruby replies. A pause and she goes on, quieter. "You cried out a time or two." She hesitates. "I'd think, just maybe, Riley ought to be the one next to you come night time if dreams like that are the regular for you. Mean, if he's the one you're dreaming of..." She trails off, hesitant to push any limits.

Emily bristles a bit as she settles herself back into the bed. "No one pays a whore for advice, Ruby."

There's a bout of silence, and Ruby sighs. "Nah." The smaller woman cuddles up close, placing a kiss on Emily's shoulder as she lays her head next to it. "That's free."

The next morning is bright and sunny as ever. Emily wakes early, for no particular reason that she herself can tell, and wakes Ruby as well. She helps the other woman put on her gifts, and takes her on a stroll through a hungover and much calmer Tortuga, winding down to the Queen.

"Don't you have some rule about your men bringing strumpets aboard your precious ship?"

Emily supresses a smirk. "I have a rule about sailing off with them. Besides. You, love, are most certainly not just any strumpet, now are you?"

Ruby rolls her eyes. "Hm. You're about as bad as your Uncle used to be. Are you sure you're a woman?"

Emily grins now, wolfish. "You'd know as well as I." Ruby groans, though her eyes dance with amusement. Emily clears her throat. "Not sure whether Jo'll be here," she says as they board the ship, "but breakfast happens to be the only meal I can cook fairly decent, anyway."

"I know." Ruby answers, playful. "You've cooked it for me before, you know."

Emily's brows furrow as she has to think on this. "Have I?"

"Mmm. M'not surprised you don't remember." Her tone is full of amusement. "You were three sheets to the wind that night by the time you decided you were hungry. Had to be two or three in the morning when you dragged me back here but you are quite good with fixing eggs."

"Huh." Emily thinks on this a moment longer, trying to conjure the memory up but..nope. Nothing. She shrugs, unpreturbed. "Well, eggs we shall have. Come along, then...love." The odd pause comes from the fact that they've just stumbled on a very strange sight.

They're in the galley by now, have just entered in fact, and Jo is nowhere to be found. However, there is Riley and her brother, seated at the table with a large but rather ragged creature. She's not sure she's ever seen this man before, but that's not what's really strange. What's really strange is the fact that his clothes have every appearance of being the tattered remains of a British Navy man's uniform. An officer, no less.

That, on it's own, would seem to suggest trouble of some sort may be brewing. The way that Riley jumps to his feet, exclaiming 'Captain!' with worried surprise, just makes it an inevitability.

Emily just looks at him, somewhat bewildered and decidely a little worried. "Alright. What's going on?"

The weary stranger gets to his feet and turns to get a look at Emily. "Captain." He snorts, and looks at Riley. "You might've told me what ship we're on."
Riley shrugs, looking apologetic. "I was getting to that."

The voice is familiar. Emily studies the stranger, planting a hand on her hip. "You know me? I'd think I'd remember coming across such a sorry example of a...former-commodore, is that it? Erm, no offense, of course, mate."

The stranger just looks tired as he glances down at himself. "Ah. None taken. I know you all too well, Captain, but I'm hardly surprised you don't recognize me."

Brows furrowing, Emily turns her eyes back on Riley in silent demand of an explanation. He rubs the back of his neck. "It's...it's a long story. Thing is, I couldn't bring myself to just leave him there. I couldn't and - and you've said it yourself, I wouldn't be me if I had any ability to be mean like you sometimes want."

She glares. She doesn't like what she's hearing, and she is firm in her decision to start putting distance between herself and him. She knows he's under the impression he can handle her, but that's only because she's been occasionally prone to letting him, and she won't be doing that anymore.

"Riley," this from Ruby, who sounds worried, "just come out with it, sweetheart. I'm sure Peg will try to be open-minded." She comes up along side Emily as she says it, looping an arm around Emily's.

Emily glances at the woman who is often a good friend and sometimes much more, and decides on a whim to humor her. "Aye, aye. Just come out with it, Riley."

Riley's shoulders slump in resignation. "Oh, very well, nothing for it I suppose. Captain, allow me to reintroduce you to my former captain, Timothy Andrews."

Emily's eyes widen. Remembering what her mother had told her when last she'd seen the older woman, she stumbles back a step in shock. "Andrews. By the old gods..."

Ruby's worry contorts her features. "Now Captain, he's in no state to..."

"What's happened to you? What do you think you're doing here?" Emily demands, hand twitching towards the pistol tucked into her belt.

"I got a lot of good men blown to kingdom come, trying to get at you in fact. Thought it was worth it. Turns out I was wrong." Andrews seems totally unpreturbed at any suggestion he may be in danger. In fact, he's studying her - more specifically, it seems, her hair. "But pray tell me, Captain, that exquisite jewel in your hair, wherever did you get it?"

At the mention of said jewel, Emily's hand automatically trails up to turn it over in her fingers a moment before dropping back down to drape itself over her pistol. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you where you stand."

There's a pause. He doesn't look scared. There's no sign that he's even vaguely worried. After a moment, he just shrugs. "I must confess to being rather indifferent as to the matter of my own survival anymore. However, because I am somewhat curious to see if it would be enough, I would suggest you let me live and make me part of your crew if only for the pleasure I am certain you would take in ordering me around."

There's a pregnant pause. Riley scowls at Andrews. "Are...are you a masochist? Gods above, man."

Emily takes out her pistol, aims it at Andrews head but doesn't cock it. She can't honestly decide what she wants. Ruby lays a hand on her arm, more hesitant this time. "Peg, you've told me the story behind this, but I'm not sure he's even worth the bullet anymore. Just keep him 'round, have an eye on him, eh?" She lowers her voice, murmuring in Emily's ear. "And I know you well enough to know he's right. You'd enjoy seeing him scrub the deck."

"No." Emily says, cocking the pistol. "Sorry, loves," addressing both Riley and Ruby, though the endearment holds none of it's usual warmth, "in this case a bullet in his brain sounds a touch more satisfying. Give my reguards to my mother, former-commodore."

"Emmy." Joshy barks. Nearly growls at her, his voice dipping another octave lower that it has yet to permanently change to. The sounds startles them all, as he's been spectating silently up until this point. "Put it away. He's already paid for his sins, just look at him."

She turns her eyes on her brother, sharp. "You sound like Papa."

"Believe it or not, he often knows what he's talking about as well." Joshy snaps back. "Put it away."

She meets his eyes, and they stay like that a moment, staring each other down while the rest of the rooms occupants can only wait and see who'll win. After a painful long moment, Emily tears her eyes away, and lowers the pistol. "You've found yourself a new home. Congratulations Mr. Andrews." Her tone is flat, but takes on a dangerous edge. "Get out of my sight before I change my mind."

To spite his earlier statement and demeanor suggesting he couldn't care less about his own life, Andrews beats a hasty retreat.

All remaining eyes are now fixed on Emily. They've just caught a glimpse of the Pirate Lord, and that's always a little disconcerting. She shoves the pistol back into her belt and clears her throat. "Oh come on, don't look at me like that." She strolls across the galley and begins picking out what she'll need to fix breakfast. "I'm starvin'. Anyone else hungry? Joshy, would you mind terribly takin' a trip into town for me? Ruby decided eggs sound good."

Joshy gets to his feet. "Why not?" He grumbles, clearly being sarcastic, but he walks off anyway.

"I'll go too." Riley follows him out, sounding distracted.

"She..wasn't really going to shoot him, right?" Riley asks Joshy as they make their way off the ship. "You knew that?"

Joshy glances at him, but says nothing.

"You knew, right?" Riley begs for an answer.

"She may be my sister, but no Riley. I never actually know." Joshy shakes his head. "Pirates. That's just how it goes."

Riley pauses to run a hand through his hair, watching Joshy continue on a moment. "Pirates. Of course. The excuse that covers all but truly excuses nothing."

Angelica Teach does, in fact, know English. She had not, however, for the first few weeks of Emily knowing her, liked anyone enough to be bothered with speaking it. Emily herself has little knowledge of what had happened in that time as she'd been rather preoccupied, but Ana had later told her that Angelica and Jack apparently had history. Jack had never mentioned the woman before, but she threw a chair at him when they first laid eyes on each other, and Jack had rather seriously threatened to shoot her in return. Which is why Emily had all but demanded the older woman join the crew of the Sea's Queen. It's also almost certainly why the Spanish woman accepted said offer, and did so in clear English.

Emily rather regrets the whole thing when Angelica comes looking for Emily, and ends up face to face with Timothy Andrews instead.

The next thing Emily knows, she's stomping up on deck to see what the shouting is about only to find Angelica holding her cheek where Andrews had backhanded her. Emily doesn't even know what's more surprising about the scene - the fact Angelica isn't fighting back yet, or the fact that Andrews' look of perpetual indifference has been abruptly replaced by pure rage.

"Don't act so suprised." Angelica spits at him after a moment. "You knew why I..."

"I understood why you wished to get away. I did not for a moment imagine this is where you intended to end up! Of all the selfish..."

Emily clears her throat, loud. Two sets of eyes land her on her, each rather disgruntled by the interruption. Emily looks between them both. "Someone care to explain?"
"Captain!" Angelica darts forward as a thought seems to strike her. "Do you know who this man is? He's a Navy man!"

"He's been kicked out and has been wallowing in his own self-pity for at least a month now, far's we know." Emily answers, calm, placing a hand on her hip. "And yes, I already knew that."

"Kicked out?" Angelica snorts, glaring at Andrews. "I'd bet the shirt on my back that he planned to end up here. He's spying on you."

"He was too drunk to stand when Riley found him. It was coincidence, no plan involved at all, and you're not actually explaining anythin'."

"Captain." Andres interjects. "This woman is my wife. She left me some years ago now. It appeared as though she'd been taken, but now I know she ran, and I demand to know where you found her."

Emily glares at him. "Watch your tone, Mr. Andrews. You're in no position to demand anything of anyone, least of all me. Now, get this, both of you. I don't care what you are to each other, but I won't have you at each other's throats either. Work it out, or I'll leave both of you here to fend for yourselves, is that clear?"

"Si." Angelica grumbles, grudging.

Andrews just nods.

Emily looks at them both, and sighs. This pair, she has a feeling, are going to end up being far more trouble than they're most definitely worth.

Weeks pass wherein everything is mostly business as usual. Emily sets the Queen out to find trouble on more than one occasion, but they don't stray too far from home. Which is alright, because there seems to be plenty trouble to find right where they are. The Caribbean waters are once again swarming with British Navy vessels, unsurprising after what had happened at Shipwreck.

Emily gets it in her head to attack one head on the first time and nearly gets the Queen destroyed, until she decides to use her magic. And then it's so easy. The Queen's crew are wary of this that first time, but it doesn't happen like it did at Shipwreck. Emily is in absolute control. The Navy ship comes alive, the ropes coiling around the British sailors like snakes, and they give up pretty quick. She ties them up and leaves them be and they search the ship and that's that.

She only uses her magic when she knows they won't win otherwise. A routine is settled into. And for once in a very long while, Emily Turner starts to feel somewhat at peace with herself.

For all that Andrews has become something of a drunk and Angelica is so sassy and stubborn, they are both very able sailors. And they both, it seems, actually don't want anything to do with the other at this point, so each gives the other a wide birth. Emily keeps an eye on them, for a while. But they cause no trouble. For a while, she forgets they were a problem at all.

The knock on her door startles her. She'd expected most everyone to have left the ship already, now that she'd docked them at Tortuga again. On impulse she spins around with her pistol out, already aimed at the door, but... "Oh." She laughs, tucking the pistol away again. "Sorry, Riley."

He drops the hands that he'd had up in surrender, amusement coloring his tone as he speaks. "Bit jumpy, are we?"

"Thought you'd've left with everyone else, is all. Girls got to watch her back 'round here, you know that."

Riley nods, laughing a bit, but the smile fades all too soon. "Can I come in, Captain?"

The way he says 'Captain' always bothers her of late. He never calls her anything else now, but it always sounds as though he has to force it out. Like it's the most unnatural thing in the world now, somehow, for him to call her 'Captain'. "Sure." She answers, hopping up to sit on the edge of her desk.

He strolls further into the room, pauses as though thinking, and then turns to close the door behind him. She raises her eyebrows. He comes closer to her with determined strides. "Tell me the truth." His tone is demanding. "What the devil is wrong with you?"

She tilts her head and just blinks at him, bemused. "Ah, not sure I quite understand, love. What is it you think is wron' with me?"

"I don't know!" He near growls. "But you spent weeks just sitting and feeling sorry for yourself over a single incident with your magic and now you use it all the time as though it's nothing." He throws up his hands, and begins pacing the room. "You used to be terrified the Admiral would get his hands on you somehow, now you've got a disgraced-commodore working on your ship as crew and you have us attacking Navy vessels left and right. And to top all that off..." He stops abruptly, and darts over to stand just before her, just inches away, close enough to lean in and plant a kiss on her lips. "And to top all that off, you barely act as though we've ever even been friends, much less..." He reaches out to cup her cheek, hurt fickering across his face. "...much less lovers."

A pause as she nods. "Ah. I see." She reaches up, calm and gentle, and pulls his hand away from her cheek. "I thought it'd be easier on you, if I cut it off all at once. Maybe I should've said something about it first, though. M'not very good at that, I'm afraid. Sorry, love."

He shakes his head. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No..." She grimaces. "You did everything right. And that's a problem. You're a distraction, Riley, and I can't afford that."

"A distraction? Warming your bed at night, comforting you when you have nightmares, caring for you when you were so ill you couldn't get out of bed. And that's all I am? A distraction?"

"No - no, it's not like... you don't understand, Riley."

"What? What don't I understand?" He's clearly lost his head. He takes her by the shoulders, rough. "Explain it to me, why none of that matters, because I can't figure it out and it's killing me."

"Riley." She says, quiet and deceptively calm. "Let me go. Now."

He does, all at once, backing away several paces. "Please." He says, quieter. "Just tell me. Help me understand."

"It's what everyone sees. You and I. Us. I can't be an us, Riley. It just doesn't work."

"Why not?"

"Because it just doesn't!" She shouts, making him jump. "I tried that with Alex and we all know how that turned out! I let anyone get too close like that and the next thing I know, they start thinking they can demand things. He tried to take me away from all this, Riley." She gestures to their surroundings. "He wanted me to be what Imogene will be and happily for him now."

"I would never do that!" Riley growls in return, vehement.

"He said that, too." Emily answers, quiet. "I'm not Alex."

"But you already have an 'Imogene'."

"Who I can't go back to."

"And everyone sees us. For the love of the gods, even Ruby comments on it. Everyone just expects..."

"Expects what? What could be so awful about..."

"About me all but being your wife?" Emily asks, sneering. "How long do you suppose I'll actually get to keep being Captain, if I appear weak enough to need a man by my side like that?" She almost takes that back. The hurt that's so clear on his handsome face is almost too much for her to bear.

He clears his throat, nodding slow. "I see. All is vanity, then."

She has to look away as she nods. "Pirate. You've always known what you were dealing with, don't pretend you didn't."

"Pirate." He snorts, shaking his head. "Fine, then. Pirates is what we'll be." He stalks out of the room without another word.

Riley stalks above decks, headed off the ship. It's getting later, and he usually retreats to find a quiet corner somewhere to basically brood until he feels like going to sleep. But not tonight. Oh...no, not tonight.

"Riley?" Joshy's voice reaches his ears. The boy has his sword out, appears to be practicing. "Want to spar with me?" Riley pauses only very breifly, glancing back at the boy. Joshy grimaces. "What's wrong?"

"Go ask your sister."

"Ah. I see. Don't do anything too rash. I love my sister, but she's not worth it, Riley."

"Who said what I'm about to do is for her?"

"Oh, it's always over her, if not exactly for her." Joshy replies, knowing. "She likes it best that way, make no mistake."

Riley stalks off the ship without bothering to reply. He knows just where he's going tonight. The girls at the Good Goddess are awful pretty, and had been wonderfully flirtatious with him when last he'd gone there looking for Emily. He'll find himself a drink or two and another companion for tonight.

Maybe, just maybe, he'll find the pirates he's surrounded by a little less insufferable if he finally starts acting like one himself.

She slips off to the Good Goddess not long after her talk with Riley, only to find the man himself sat in a corner with a rather affectionate barmaid. She looks determined; he looks hesitant, but only a little.

"What can I get for you, Captain?" A barmaid approaches Emily, looking hopeful in the same fashion Ruby would. She's the daughter of the tavern owner.

"Kat! Haven't seen you in ages, have I? Any chance for a cuppa tea, then?" Emily asks, a bit distracted. She tears her eyes from Riley, who's just noticed her, and forces a particular little smile onto her face. "I know your mum always keep some."

"That Chinese sort you liked so much, aye." Kat plants a hand on her hip. "I might be persuaded to sneak you some." She hesitates.

Emily's gone back to watching Riley. His reluctance was erased the moment he saw Emily, it seems; he'd just downed his drink, and his new friend is sat in his lap now. "Mmmm." Emily turns her attention back on Kat. "And just how much will that cost me? S'not cheap, I know."

"Or easy to come across." Kat's smirking now. She leans over the table a bit. "S'ppose it's a question of just what sort of payment you're in the mood for, sweet'eart." She winks.

Emily smirks back as she knows Riley's watching now. She covers Kat's hand with her own on the table, and trails her fingers up the woman's arm a bit. "Whatever kind you'd like, love."

...

It's a few days before anyone sees hide or tail of Riley Connelly again. Emily tells everyone just where he probably is, held up in the Good Goddess with his new friend, smirking as she does so. The response is a lot of playful jeering and a few cries along the lines of 'lucky bastard'.

You can thank me later, Riley. She thinks, and that's the end of that.

"...you are your father's daughter, aren't you? Just as stubborn." Elizabeth shouldn't be angry. The whole situation is so perfectly unbelievable, she doesn't even feel it's worth it to be angry.

"Well, look, what was I supposed to do? I had both Riley and Joshy watching." Emily excuses, irritable.

Elizabeth shouldn't be angry. But she's furious. Reaching out with the quickest reflexes, she lands a solid slap to the side of her daughters head. "Stupid girl!" Emily startles violently, eyes widening in shock. "Are you a pirate or aren't you? Tell me!"

"Yes! Mother, you know very well!"

"Then for the love of our goddess, start acting like one!" Elizabeth snarls, and her rage is so total that she can feel the hissing monster within her stalking a little too close to the surface. "He'll see you destroyed if you give him the chance. Kill him before it happens, it isn't difficult."

The statement is harsh and too flippant. Killing a man in cold blood should always be difficult. Elizabeth would be more worried about her daughter if it wasn't difficult for her.

Bringing a hand up to intertwine it through her half-braided waves, rubbing at her head where she'd been slapped, Emily grimaces. "I agree." Oh. Well, that's not actually what Elizabeth wanted to hear. Emily goes on. "In this particular case it should not be difficult at all but the fact remains that it is. If only because Joshy would be upset over it."

"The fact also remains that the trade off isn't worth it." Elizabeth answers, a little more gentle. "It ends in betrayal, Emily, I can see it clear as day. History likes to repeat itself when we don't learn from it."

"What shall I do, then? I've made a private promise to my brother that I'll leave it alone unless Andrews gives me real reason not to."

Elizabeth paces the room in silence a moment. "You're a pirate." She repeats. "Act like it. You want a man dead; work it so you don't have to break your promise. You're clever enough."

Brows furrowed, Emily thinks on this. "I suppose I could...could provoke him. He's in a dark place. It wouldn' be difficult. I lure him into makin' himself a problem, and that solves mine in it's entirety, aye? Won't need an excuse anymore."

"That's my girl." Elizabeth answers with pride, placing a kiss upon Emily's head.

"If I'm to do this, I'll have to leave things as they are for a while. He has to get a little comfortable first."

"Well, good things do come to those who wait, I suppose." Elizabeth answers, airy. "Just don't wait too long, aye?"

It's exceedingly odd, the way in which it happens. Emily discovers, in the months that follow, as she finds a balance inside herself involving her magic, that the rum becomes less a necessary thing. She begins to indulge in it much less often.

Riley, on the other hand, is outright drunk increasingly often. Often enough, in fact, that Jo comments on it. "I've never seen him act like that before." She says, coming back from the tavern one night. "Downed no less than three pints in the space of an hour! And you should see the way he was flirting. The way he was going, I almost feel sorry for the strumpet!"

And this is saying something, as Jo has developed quite a taste for strong drink herself.

...

"Riley!" Emily near growls one morning, as he stumbles dangerously and near drops a small barrel of gun powder. "For the love of - give it here 'fore you spill it everywhere!"

He doesn't resist her as she snatches the heavy barrel out of his hands (she hefts it up with her usual surprising ease). "Erm." He grumbles, blinking at her. "Sorry Cap'n, I jus'..."

"Are you still drunk or what?" She replies, irratible - well, worried actually. But no one can know that, least of all Riley himself.

"Wha - no, I..." It takes him a moment to think it through, but his brows furrow in indignation, and he reaches out to snatch the barrel back. "I'm fine. Jus'...jus' had one too many las' night, is all."

"More like six too many from what I heard." She grumbles back, scowling at him. "And late enough you didn' full sleep it off."

"I'm fine." He says again, snaps really.

She huffs, hands on her hips. "Look, Connellly, it's none of my business what you do with your nights while here in Tortuga but so help me, you'd bes' start makin' sure you're sober enough to do your job by the time morning comes. I won't tolerate drunks."

He bristles, stalking off towards the ship again. "...nevermind the fact you were the biggest drunk of us all 'til what, few weeks back?"

"I beg your pardon?" She calls out to him, voice dangerous low.

He freezes and glances back at her, challenging, his voice airy. "Oh, nothing, Cap'n, nothing."

Fury grows within her, boiling hot. It's irrational considering what she'd done to make him start acting like this, but she can't help it. "If I see another drop of anything stronger than water pass your lips again I'll drop your sorry arse off on the nearest island and think nothing of it." She answers on impulse, and regrets it the moment the words pass her lips.

He turns just far enough to meet her eyes. "Mmm. Noted, Cap'n." But she sees something in his eyes that's more like 'challenge accepted'.
He stalks off.

She brings a hand up to rub the back of her neck. "Bloody 'ell. What did I jus' do?"

"Cap'n! Cap'n!" It's Jo, jogging to catch up with Emily as she strolls on down the street.

Emily raises her eyebrows at the older woman. "What's got you so excited, then?"

Jo holds up an envelope. "This has been waiting at the Good Goddess for you."

Emily snatches up the letter and inspects it. The paper is thick and fine, and it's sealed properly - wax, stamped with a familiar coat of arms. "Ah. The lovely Ms. Ellsworth, telling us all about the wedding no doubt. Come on."

"Missus Sparrow, she'd be now."

Something in Emily, way deep down, still bristles unhappily at hearing that in reference to another woman. But then she remembers there could be no other woman more deserving of it than Imogene Ellsworth, provided Alex's eyes don't wander. So it's alright, really. "Missus Imogene Ellsworth-Sparrow. Aye, and it'll suite her well."

They wander their way back to the ship and curl up on the window seat in Emily's cabin. Emily unseals the letter with care, taking out a small stack of papers, and reads aloud. "To all of you, my dearest friends...we are finally married!" The letter goes on to tell all about the wedding and celebrations surrounding it. It takes a few pages to get through it all, but neither Emily or Jo mind, especially when the tale end of the letter brings a pleasant surprise... "There's a lovely island down your way that's owned by a family that were very dear friends of my father's. It's a beautiful plantation, and the house is simply spectacular! They have offered for Alex and I to honeymoon there. I shall send a map with this letter in hopes that you will come and see us, as we would both love nothing more. Please don't be worried of the price on your head, as I know you will be; I have explained that you saved me, and so no question shall be asked by anyone else. Alex and I both look forward to seeing you, so please do come. Affectionatley," the letter is signed, "Imogene Caroline Ellsworth-Sparrow." 'Sparrow' is written just a touch larger and more boldly then anything else. Emily suspects the other woman will never tire of hearing her own name, now. She shares the thought with Jo, and it brings a smile to both of their faces.

"You know, for that letter to have made it all the way here to us, they must be all settled in on that plantation by now." Jo points out, her eyes lighting up at the thought.

Emily nods, the idea lightening her own mood as well. "Well, Miss Gibbs. Best go round up the boys and let them know. We leave first thing in the morning."

FanFiction got obnoxious this time and wouldn't let me upload my file in the format I've always done it in, so I had to go back and fix it. If there's any odd mistakes, I apologize. Incidentally, anyone know if FF just recently changed how all that works or something?

But hey! I updated!

Thanks for reading. :)