Authoress Note: Welcome to Chapter 7 of Say You Will. I want to thank those who have left reviews for this story. I hope that you guys enjoyed this series so far. I'm excited to show you guys where this will go next. I hate trying to keep up with so many stories but it's my own fault when my muse decides to go elsewhere to start writing for other stories. But I hope that this story I will be able to complete before my muse goes elsewhere. Without further ado Chapter 7. ENJOY!

Chapter 7

Rose looked out to the sea with a concerned gaze as they sailed. She had a sinking feeling inside of her chest hoping that her father was alright with Beckett running around in Port Royal. She was afraid that something bad would happen while they were gone and that was the last thing that she wanted to worry about. She had to worry about James who was now in her sights after so many months apart and helping Elizabeth get her fiance back.

Rose turned her head hearing Jack speaking to James.

"A bit of manual labor is good for you, James. It builds character." Jack mused as he looked down at James like he was below him even though James had been high up in the military standings.

Rose swallowed the lump in her throat as she watched Jack move away from James and towards the stairs. She moved towards James. "You shouldn't let him get to you." She said softly, kneeling down, putting her hand carefully on his hand.

James looked up at Rose with slight tears in his eyes. He truly missed her deeply and wondered why she was even out here sailing on the seas once again. "Rose…"

"How dare you!" Elizabeth's shout caused the two of them to pull apart.

Rose turned her attention to Jack who was looking at the letters. Her face paled seeing that Jack had the Marquee letters that was their only choice of salvation.

"These Letters of Marque are supposed to go to me, are they not?" Jack questioned glancing at the bottom of the letters. "There's a signature."

"Yes, they're signed." Elizabeth said softly.

"By Sir Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading company." Rose said moving forward knowing that there was no way to hide the truth of whose name was on them.

James looked at his fiancee seeing how pale she was. He had heard that she was to marry Beckett before he even thought about engagement and deciding to marry her. So that's what this was all about. To try to get out of the grasp of the man that saw her as an item to marry.

"Beckett…" Jack confirmed what he had heard.

"Will was working for Beckett?" Gibbs questioned rather astonished.

"And never said a word of it."

"Beckett wants the compass. Only one reason he would want the compass…"

"He's after the chest." Jack looked to Elizabeth.

"Beckett may have said something about a chest."

Gibbs looked to Jack. "If the Company controls the chest, they'll control the sea."

"A discomfiting notion." Jack said getting rather heated of the whole idea of Beckett coming after them.

"And bad! Bad for every mother's son what calls himself a pirate! I think there's a bit more speed to be coaxed out of these sails."

Rose looked down gripping her hands tightly at her sides knowing that this wasn't going to end well for any of them. This was about as dangerous as she hoped that this trip would be.

"May I inquire as to how you came by these?" Jack demanded looking at the two of them.

Rose looked up at Jack.

"Persuasion." Elizabeth said simply.

"Friendly?"

"No." Rose said simply moving her head slightly.

"Funny thing. Will strikes a deal for these and upholds it with honor. But you two… you're the one standing here with the prize."

Rose swallowed the lump in her throat.

"More Elizabeth than your own sister. Full pardon… commission as a privateer on behalf of England and the East India Trading Company."

James looked up noticing how Rose went slack. He should've known that something like this would have happened. That there was no way that one or the other sister would be out of facing the gallows. He just hoped that he was wrong.

Jack put them in his jacket. "As if I could be bought, not for this low of a price. Fate worse than death, living like that…"

"Jack, the letters. Give them back." Elizabeth said, looking at him.

"Persuade me."

"You do know Will taught me how to handle a sword."

"As I said, persuade me." Jack grinned as Elizabeth stared at him.

Elizabeth turned and walked away. A small smile came to her lips.

"It's a curious thing." James said as he got up to his feet. "There was a time when I'd have given anything for you to look at me like that while thinking of me, just once."

Elizabeth looked over at James. "I don't know what you mean."

"I think you do." James said, leaning against the rail.

"Don't be absurd. I trust him, that's all."

"Ah." He turned on his heels. "Did you never wonder how your latest fiancee ended up on the Flying Dutchman in the first place?"

Rose simply let out a breath shaking her head lightly.

Elizabeth grasped the compass and moved away from the two of them.

Rose looked over at James. "Why did you stay in Tortuga for so long James?" She asked softly, lowering her gaze unsure if she wanted to hear the reasoning behind him not returning to Port Royal.

James took a breath. "I was afraid to."

"Afraid? Afraid of what James? I was waiting for you there in Port Royal waiting for us to get married." She said looking up at him as tears began to well up in her eyes. She hated the fact that he was afraid. Did he truly think that she would think less of him?

"That you wouldn't be happy to have a husband to be that was a failure."

Rose touched his cheek softly. "I would never be disappointed in you James." She said softly stroking his cheek softly. "I wanted you and only you. I didn't care if you were high up in the ranks or not. I love you… and only you."

James looked into her eyes seeing the glistening tears that threatened to fall. "Rose…"

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I want that man back James… I want the man that I love back. Not this man that is allowing someone to walk all over him." She said softly before slowly pulling away from him. She took a shaky breath as she walked to find her sister. She could only hope under all that gruffness there was the same man that she had fallen in love with.

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This is the end of Chapter 7. I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. I tried my best writing this chapter out and making it enjoyable. Do you think that James is the same James that she fell in love with or is he long gone that will make her hurt more than she already is without him returning to Port Royal to marry her? Leave a review and let me know what you think. I will try to update with a brand new chapter soon. Until next time.