Ed had never been to Barbados before, but in his head, it hadn't looked like this. The way Stede had had described it had made it sound very stiff and stifling; full of people who looked down their noses at anyone and everyone who wasn't part of, or didn't fit into, their world. But this place was practically buzzing, there was a sense of electric excitement in the air, and nobody had glanced twice at Ed, despite his clothes screaming the fact that he belong there.

Ed made his way towards the town, dodging in and out of the crowds as he went. He caught tiny sippets of everyone's conversations as they passed him; only the odd words but it was enough for him to figure out what was going on, after all, the words 'pirates' and 'hanging' cropped up multiple times.

The moment Ed arrived in the town square his eyes fell upon a poster that had been nailed to the clock tower standing at the centre of the square. He wasn't close enough to read it, but Ed had seen enough notices of public hangings to recognise the poster for what it was. He slowly made his way over to it, a sense of dread growing within him with every step. He came to a stop in front of the notice. It did indeed proclaim a public hanging for just two days time. The list of the those being hanged was longer than Ed was used to seeing on such a proclamation, but that wasn't what made him stop breathing. He reached out and ran his finger down the names on the list:

Israel Hands
Zheng Yi Sao
Stede Bonnet

The rest of Stede's crew were listed further down on the poster but Ed didn't get any further down the list. He lowered his arm as he felt his eyes start to fill with tears. He wouldn't cry here. He couldn't. Not with all these people around.

"Ed?"

Ed quickly swiped at his eyes with his sleeve, before spinning around to see a small woman standing behind him, "Who are you?" He asked,

The woman broke into a grin, "I knew it!" She cried, "I knew it from the moment I saw Stede's name on that list without an Ed that it was only a matter of time before you showed up, and here you are!"

Ed frowned, "Who are you?" He asked again but this time with a much more dangerous edge.

The woman smiled at him again, either oblivious or ignoring the tone of Ed's voice, and held out her hand, "Mary Bonnet," she said.

Ed's eyes widened in shock. He was frozen to the spot, unable to do anything but stare at Mary's offered hand.

Mary's face fell and she retracted her hand, "You are Stede's Ed, aren't you? I mean you responded to the name Ed, and you're dressed like a pirate, so I just assumed,"

"You're Stede's wife," Ed said quietly, his voice sounded weak and watery, even to his own ears,

"Ex-wife," Mary corrected with a gentle smile, "He's got you now."

Ed looked up, his impossibly wide eyes meeting Mary's.

Mary took a step forward and reached her arm out, stopping just before she touched Ed. "Why don't you come back with me," she offered,

Ed glanced back over his shoulder at the hanging notice, reluctant to leave his rescue mission for even a second.

"You stick out like a sore thumb right now; you look like a pirate and you're going to get arrested of you keep hanging around. You can't help Stede if you get thrown in jail with him," Mary said, sensing what Ed was thinking,

"You know I'm a pirate and yet you're still let me into your house?"

Mary offered Ed her arm, which he took after a moment's hesitation, "You wouldn't be the first pirate I've had in my house," she said,

Ed let out a slight huff, "No, I don't suppose I would be."

Mary led Ed away from the town and towards the Bonnet estate. They walked in a semi-awkward silence, but Ed didn't say anything to try and defuse the tension; his mind was too wrapped up in thoughts of Stede alone in prison, just watching the days until his hanging count down, not knowing if Ed even knew if he was there, let alone if he was coming to rescue him. The idea made Ed feel sick.

Ed's eyes widened as the Bonnet house came into view. He'd known in theory that Stede was rich but seeing it was something else entirely.

Mary opened the front door and led Ed into the house, "We have a guest," she called up the stairs.

A man's face popped around the corner and he smiled when his eyes met Mary's.

"Ed, this is my boyfriend Doug, Doug, this is Ed,"

Doug made his way down the stairs, "Stede's Ed?"

Mary grinned and nodded at him.

Doug offered Ed his hand, which he shook nervously, "It's nice to meet you."

Mary clapped her hands together, "I think we could all use some tea," She announced, before heading off in the direction of the kitchen, "How do you take your tea, Ed?"

"With cream and seven sugars please,"

Mary raised her eyebrow at Ed's order, but she didn't say anything.

Ed and Doug followed Mary into the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table. They watched as she bustled about making tea before she placed everything onto a tray and brought it over to table, before taking a seat next to Doug, "So," She said, "How can we help?"

"Help?"

"Rescue Stede, that is why you're here isn't it?"

Ed looked between Mary and Doug, "And you want to help me?" They both nodded, "Why?"

Mary sighed, "Stede and I may not have loved each other but he is still the father of my children,"

"I can't ask you to help me,"

"Why not?"

"I don't have a plan," he said helplessly,

"So?"

"So, it's one thing me going on a suicide mission, it's another thing for me to drag you two down with me,"

"We still have two days to come up with a plan," Doug said, "It's not a suicide mission yet,"

"There's still time to rescue Stede," Mary added,

"All of them,"

"Sorry?"

"Not just Stede, we're rescuing all of the, I owe them that much,"

Mary nodded, "Okay then." She took a long sip of her tea as she regarded Ed thoughtfully, "We need to go do some reconnaissance," she said after a while, "Go check out the jail where they're being held,"

Ed glanced down at himself, "I thought you said I stuck out like a sore thumb,"

"Hmm, a change of clothes might be in order," Mary agreed,

"These are the only clothes I have,"

"Don't worry, I'm sure I can find something for you." Mary stood up and offered Ed her arm, "Come on."

Ed smiled at her and let Mary lead him upstairs, leaving Doug alone in the kitchen. She opened a door and lead Ed into a small room. It was clearly a room that wasn't used often, there were only a few pieces of furniture in it and there was a thin layer of duster over everything.

Mary walked over to a small wardrobe and flung the door open, "These are all the clothes Stede left behind when he left," she explained, "Something tells me he won't mind you borrowing them."

Ed reached out and ran his fingers across the fine fabrics, taking in all the articles of clothing,

"I'll leave you to it." Mary turned on her heals and made as if to leave the room,

"Wait!" Ed cried, "What should I wear?"

Mary turned back around and shrugged, "Whatever you want,"

"But…" Ed turned back to the wardrobe, "I don't know what goes well together,"

Mary snorted, "Sorry," she said, "It just hit me how absurd this situation is, you're a pirate and you're asking me which waistcoat goes with which shirt?"

Ed huffed, "You've already said I stand out dressed like this, I will stand out just as much if I wear this green waistcoat and the orange shirt," he said, holding the offending items of clothing.

Mary smiled, "Oh, you are so Stede's Ed,"

"What?"

Mary nodded at the orange shirt and green waistcoat, "I think you'll be fine," She said, before she left the room.

Mary was waiting for him by the front door when Ed emerged from the spare room. She smiled at the forest green outfit he was wearing, "You look lovely," she said.

Ed blushed, "Thank you." Ed reached the bottom of the stairs and looped his arm with Mary's,

"Shall we?" Mary said,

"Is Doug not coming with us?"

"No, he's going to stay here so he can pick up the children."

Ed nodded, "Let's go then."

Mary opened the front door and led Ed down the front path, "It's not that long of a walk to where they're holding everyone," Mary explained, "It's just the other side of town,"

Ed nodded and let Mary continue to lead the way.

They walked in silence for a while, much like their walk up to the house, until Mary eventually broke the silence, "So, tell me about Stede," she said,

"What about him? You were married to him, surely there's nothing I can tell you that you don't already know."

Mary smiled sadly, "I would imagine anything you could tell me about Stede would be new to me. Me and Stede…it was an arranged marriage, we never loved each other. I tried to make it work but Stede was never interested, and in hindsight neither was I. I never realised how bad it was until Stede left and then I was finally free to do what I wanted,"

"But he came back,"

"Yeah, that was inconvenient,"

"But…you said he didn't love you, so why did he come back?"

"Duty, guilt, take your pick, but it definitely wasn't love. Did Stede not tell you this?"

Ed shrugged, "He told me he loved me, and that he came back for me, but that doesn't mean he didn't love you too,"

Mary stared at Ed for a moment, "He told me he loved you too. He'd just found out about my affair with Doug, and I'd just tried to kill him-"

"You tried to kill him‽"

"Yeah, I was going to stab him with a skewer, but it's all good, he woke up before I could go through with it, but then he asked me what it was like to be in love and when I told him he said he had that with you. He faked his death and left to find you the next day,"

"Stede faked his death?"

Mary groaned, "Did you two never talk about what happened‽"

"We were busy,"

Mary raised her eyebrow,

"Not like that."

The two of them rounded a corner and entered the square they'd met in that morning. Ed's eyes drifted back over to the poster announcing the hangings, his head once again filling with thoughts of Stede sat alone on the floor of a dark cell, awaiting his own death.

Mary followed Ed's gaze and gave his arm a slight squeeze, "Come on," she said gently, "It's not far to the jail house."

Ed pulled his eyes away from the poster and back to Mary. He took a shuddery breath and nodded. Mary smiled at him and led him away the clock tower.

Ed and Mary made their way out of the town square and towards the jail house. As they approached, they could make out some half-built gallows at the front of the building. Ed froze when he caught sight of them. Images of Stede stood upon it flashed through his mind.

"Come on," Mary said, gently tugging on Ed's arm, "We'll get them out before it comes to that." Mary pulled Ed past the gallows and towards the jailhouse.

On a bench outside the jailhouse sat a policeman who was either fed up with his job and had given up or was on his break, it wasn't clear which it was.

Mary let go of Ed's arm, "Stay there," she said.

Ed raised his eyebrow at Mary ordering him around, but he did as he was told and stayed put as he watched Mary walked towards the policeman with a sway in her hips.

"Oh officer," she said softly, "Are you in charge of all these terrifying pirates?"

The policeman looked Mary up and down with a slightly baffled look, "No, Ma'am, I'm just a part of the team,"

"Still, you must be incredibly brave. I know I'm terrified of them; I haven't been able to sleep recently, I've been too worried thinking about what if they escape,"

"You don't need to worry Ma'am, that's not going to happen, we have everything under control."

Mary ran her hand up the policeman's arm, "Still, it would make me feel better if I had a big policeman to protect me."

The policeman jumped up away from Mary, "I don't know what you're trying to achieve Ma'am-"

"Oh Mary, there you are," Ed interrupted, walking quickly over to the two of them, "I've been looking everywhere for you." Ed turned to the policeman, very obviously looking him up and down, "Who's your handsome friend?"

The policeman blushed, "I'm William," he said, holding out his hand,

"Jeff," Ed replied as he accepted William's hand, "You'll have to excuse my sister-"

"Sister‽" Mary cried,

Ed turned to glare at Mary over his shoulder,

"Sister, yes, this is my brother," Mary corrected quickly,

"Yes, you see she's been quite afraid of all these pirates," Ed continued. He placed his hand on Willam's arm and used it to cox him to sit on the bench next to Ed,

"It's quite alright," William said with a distracted glace at Ed's hand, which still lay on his arm,

"Of course, I've been telling her that she needn't worry, there'll be lots of handsome policemen like you guarding them," Ed turned so that he was fully facing William and put his other hand on William's other arm, he then looked up at him with big round eyes which portrayed the perfect amount of fear, "You are guarding them aren't you?"

William smiled at him, and rested his hand on top of Ed's, "There's no need to be worried," he said, "There's always two people guarding them at all times,"

"Oh, that is reassuring," Ed said, with a smile before his face fell and he bit his lip, "But what if they persuade the people guarding them to help them escape? I've heard that pirates can be very charming,"

"They don't seem very charming to me,"

Ed smiled, "Well no, they could never charm you, you're far too smart to fall for that, but what if they get to one of your less impressive colleges?"

William nodded, "Hurst would definitely fall for a pirate's charm,"

"So, what would happen then? If one of the pirates' charm Hurst and persuades him to let them out?"

William shook his head, "That's not possible, he doesn't have a key,"

"He doesn't?"

"No, only the chief has a key, and a pirate couldn't charm him,"

Ed beamed at William, "Oh, that is a relief,"

"Of course, if you're still scared, I could keep you safe,"

"William!" Somebody shouted from behind them, "Break's over,"

William leapt to his feet and away from Ed.

Ed turned to see another police officer standing in the doorway of the jailhouse,

"Sorry, I'm coming back now," William shouted before turning back to Ed, "It was lovely to meet you, Jeff. You know where to find me if you get scared,"

Ed winked at William, "The pleasure was all mine."

William smiled at Ed then walked back into the jailhouse.

Ed got up and walked back over to Mary, who was staring at him in shock,

"You hear all that?" Ed asked,

"How was that any different from what I was doing?" Mary cried,

Ed shrugged, "It wasn't really,"

"So why did he tell you the details but not me‽"

Ed grinned at Mary, "You weren't his type. I was."

Mary rolled her eyes and offered Ed her arm, "Come on, let's go home and see what we can do with our new information."