The sensation of burning, overused muscles starting to spasm painfully, was becoming difficult to ignore; the exertion he had subjected his body to, seemed to be finally demanding his acknowledgment. Still, the movement of his arms did not stop nor wavered until he determined there was a safe distance between their boat and the burning island they had just left behind.

Pitch black coated the air as the continuous clouds of dark smoke emerging from the roaring mouth of the volcano veiled the sky in darkness.

Glancing back at the jagged contours of the distinctive mountain, James could see the fiery glow of molten lava snaking its way down the slopes and towards the rest of the island, carving a path of destruction through the rugged terrain. The angle they now faced seemed to indicate that the tunnel Roger used to escape the caves, had led them south of the bay.

There was little else he could have used to orient himself in the unknown terrain. The natural barriers of the island loomed largely around them, the jagged rock formations rose like sentinels from the earth, preventing him from seeing above them.

James was confident that Groves would have promptly ordered the evacuation of the troops once they realized the impending disaster, and the troops inside the city would have been close enough port to reach the boats before the fire reached the city, but...

As the spitting noises of the explosion diminished, his ears strained to identify any signs of battle. But there were none.

The eerie silence only served to unsettle him.

He needed to return to The Dauntless.

If Roger was sly enough to plan an ambush on the caves, it was likely the pirate had prepared some contingency for the retaliation of their ships.

Most concerning of all, were the many things the pirate had told him that made no sense to him. If he could manage to capture Roger's ship, then maybe...

His meandering thoughts halted when he heard the faintest intake of air at his back.

Remembering his companion on the boat, his attention returned to Elizabeth, finding her gaze set on her lap, her frame hunched. Even with her face tilted downwards, he could see the troubled frown that perturbed her beautiful face.

Embers of his former ire still crackled inside him, but once he noticed the way in which heat had risen to her face, the tremble of her chin and the dampness gathering in her eyes, concern overshadowed all other emotions.

He felt his own expression shift to mirror hers as he forgot all about the battle that might have been unfolding somewhere nearby, and instead reached towards her.

"Eli…"

The moment he attempted to call for her, her blazing eyes raised to glare at him. He was almost startled by her brusque response. But before he could formulate a thought, large droplets of water began falling from her glistening eyes, flowing freely down her cheeks and landing carelessly on her clothes.

His entire body tensed in concern, confusion and mild alarm.

Elizabeth hated to cry, and even on the rare occasions he had witness her doing so... it had always been a few stray drops that would manage to escape thru the corner of her eyes in spite of her stubbornness. This was the first time he'd ever seen her cry with such intensity.

Worry rose critically watching her bite down on her lips as if to force herself to remain quiet. His eyes began frantically moving over every part of her body, throughly searching her for any signs of injury he might have missed.

Had he handle her too roughly earlier? Was she in pain because of it? Or had she truly been hurt and he had neglected to notice it?

The pressing worries were almost sufficient to cloud his reason.

Inspecting her entire body, he struggled to find anything abnormal with her. Her clothes were covered in dirt and leaves, same as her tangles hair, but besides a few scratches on her palms, there was no blood to be found. Yet his wife continued crying in earnest while clutching the fabric of her shirt.

"Elizabeth." he called more seriously, trying not to sound too forceful. "Are you hurt? Are you in pain anywhere?"

Despite his insistence, she continued to ignore him. And besides the small sniff from earlier, she had refused to produce any noise.

"Elizabeth." Grabbing onto her shoulders, he kept her still until she was forced to look at him, "I need to know if you are in pain anywhere." His heart thumping strongly once he looked down at her middle. "Is the child alright?" he questioned, this time not hiding his urgency, but finding himself hesitant to hear the answer.

Her eyebrows flinched at the question, but she offered an immediate shake of denial.

A loud exhale of relief passed thru his mouth before his confusion returned.

"Then, what..." he began asking, trying to reach for her face.

Before he could, her head drew away from him as her expression set into a look of mutinous anger.

"I saved you from being killed!" she yelled to his face with a scowl, shrugging his touch away from her shoulder as well.

Even as her pitch rose and trembled with the intensity of her accusation, her cheeks swelled as she held her breath, appearing to struggle to control her breathing enough to let the air enter properly. Her thin shoulders shook visibly while her chest rose unevenly in an effort to remaining still.

Her expression was accusatory, but also completely dismayed. Anger and distress seemed to be battling for the right to speak.

"That bastard pirate was about to put a hole in your skull!" she shrieked more agitatedly, seemingly managing to further distraught herself with her own words. "Were you resigned to die!?"

Of course he'd had no such intention, not even for a second.

He wanted to argue against the nonsensical notion. To remind her that it was not the first time he'd found himself in a dire situation during battle. That he would have overcame the situation somehow. Or that his foolishness was not a justification for her own. But lying to her after such incident was something he never wished to do; and the truth was that, he could not sincerely assure her that nothing would have happened to him without her intervention.

Realizing how close he had come to death made him swallow in a useless attempt to moisten his tongue. A drawn, tired exhale was all he offered as he struggled to think of what answer he could give that would not serve to upset her further.

Watching her throat struggle to push down a sob while the back of her hand rubbed furiously at the traitorous wetness still painting rivers on her skin, made his chest tighten painfully.

Instead of giving her an excuse, his lips pressed tightly with the need to avoid acting like an even greater brute towards her.

The anger that had surged without measure earlier, was quickly bleeding away from his veins with each tear he witness Elizabeth spill. The miserable sight left him wanting for nothing more than to be able to console her. Yet, having had his touch rejected, and knowing he was the cause of her distress, made him unable to think of a way to do so.

While words had abandoned him, she did not seem to have such difficulties.

"I was saving the man I love! And making sure my child does not grow up without its father!" Her heated, yet broken wail made the guilt settle more heavily on his chest. A loud hiccup forced her to halt her words momentarily, but she did not permit it to deter her for long. "How can you possibly berate me for that!?" she growled with renewed ire.

His fingers ached with the need to touch her. Unable to bear the sad sight of his wife's intense crying, James thoughtlessly breached the short distance between them and held her body.

He had been fully prepared to be rejected once more, but when Elizabeth made no effort to push him away, his arms held onto her more securely.

...

Elizabeth's unstoppable tears continued falling freely in spite of her best efforts to will them away. And her inability to determine the reason why she couldn't stop wailing like a child, left her feeling confused and embarrassed.

How could he found her actions censorable enough to scream at her with such intensity?

James could not imagine the utter dread she had experienced when she found his unarmed, vulnerable form lying at the feet of a pirate, having a gun pointed at his head. Her heart had very nearly stopped. But she had made sure her aim remained steady. No other thought in her head than to protect him.

And yet... the ungrateful lunatic found the gall to yell at her for saving him.

The astonishment at his intense response to her presence had prevented her from responding immediately, but the rage that erupted from the very bottom of her stomach once she gathered herself, was enough to match his own.

He had no idea of the great lengths she went thru to board The Audacious; to stop herself from intervening in the conflict any further than what was absolutely necessary; to find him amongst all the chaos.

'By risking yours, Elizabeth! Even our child's!'

The rage in his voice had been completely clouded by the undiluted dismay and reproach in his eyes. Somehow, the look he had given her, had wounded her worse than any of his harsh words or the sharpness of his voice.

Their baby was safe! She had made sure to keep it so. In the same way she had made sure to protect him. It was him who had been in mortal danger!

Even while her head filled with protests, her mouth failed to respond. Lips trembling as her throat constricted so strongly she could barely swallow.

There was a part of her that could understand him. The same part that began shaking with unbearable guilt and sadness after listening to his accusations. The same part that wrapped protectively around her middle.

Losing the tiny life growing inside her would devastate her. She had never meant to put their child in danger.

...But what else could she have done after he refused to listen to her!?

She did try to warn him! To stop him! She tried so many times, in so many ways. But he had dismissed her every time with an assured smile. And she couldn't have possibly allowed him to go on his own. If she had not reached him the moment she did... James might have died.

The mere thought was too bleak to entertain for longer than a brief second.

'Why is it so impossible for you to listen to me at least once, Elizabeth!?'

And why was it so impossible for him to understand her!?

Her only intention had been to make sure he was safe!

James had not offered a single word after she screamed at him. His lack of response was quickly becoming a new source of worry.

She had probably provoked his anger once again, she mused bitterly.

The moment she felt like her frustration would become sufficient to possibly rip open a hole in her chest, was the moment she felt his arms wrap around her.

Elizabeth had no notion of how much time passed, but her husband had remained quiet the entire time. Holding her tightly as his fingers carded thru her hair with delicate strokes.

The fiery emotions she could no longer tolerate, finally returning her some sense of control. Yet, the tears refused to yield.

Realizing the absurd, unsightly reaction she was showing him, she was left feeling nothing but humiliation and tiredness. Which in turn provoked more sobs.

When her wails intensified, she felt James form withdraw from her a little, making her form stiffen and her heart speed with anxiety.

The feeling of wanting to resent him over his actions was strong, much preferring the feeling of anger over the unexplainable sorrow she was experiencing.

Yet, when their gazes met, the light eyes she adored were in front of her. Too close, close enough for her to read them clearly. The only emotions left swirling inside those green circles, were his love and concern.

As his palm held the back of her head steady, he finally spoke again, "...Are you truly alright?" His murmur was quiet, as if he feared his words would disturb her even more.

The sweat and dirt had dried on his skin, smudging his fair skin. And the blood coming from a cut above his eyebrow smeared one side of his face. His uniform was torn, the once-pristine fabric was now stained with dirt, blood, and soot. The thick fabric of his coat was slashed in various places. His wig left in such disarray that strands of his own dark hair peeked out rebelliously from beneath, sticking out in all directions as if they, too, had been part of the fight.

Looking at James' appearance, Elizabeth found his question almost absurd.

Had she not been trapped in a loop of endless tears, she would have laughed at him.

"No!" she bawled instead, feeling her body jolt as another hiccup wracked her body. "I can't… stop crying!"

His troubled frown deepened, gazing at her with a troubled frown as his hands held her arms. Rather than to respond to her infantile outburst, James leaned forward and gently brought her back to his chest.

The comfort of his embrace was almost enough to contain the unmanageable emotions stirring wildly inside her heart. The only thing that she could still determine with certainty, was her acute need to feel him as close as she possibly could. Thus, she found herself burying back into the safety of his body while seeking his warmth; finding no other option than to be consoled by her fool of a husband.

"You're such an ungrateful fool." she cried in a mumble, sniffing into his clothes while hoping she would finish ruining his irritating uniform. "...I hate you." she added stupidly, voice breaking pathetically as new wave of sobs threatened to burst again.

Why did she tell him that? Those were not the words that she wanted to say.

In spite of her cruel words, her dear continued holding her with the same tender, affectionate touch that made her chest flutter with elation.

"I'm sorry. I truly am a bastard." The regretful apology whispered against her ear made her body shudder lightly.

His hand moved up and down her back in a futile attempt to help her relax while she clung to him more fiercely. Her nails digging into his back as she reproached herself in exasperation for telling him such a nonsensical lie.

Why had he yelled at her!? James had never raised his voice towards her in such an onerous manner before, regardless of what she'd done or whether she might have deserved it. And now she couldn't control herself because he had.

Another hiccup escaped her as her head shook weakly. "No. You're not." she managed to croak, attempting to dry her tears against the already dampened fabric of his shirt, feeling slighted by his own insult towards his person.

"I lied." she rasped, pulling herself closer to his body, pressing her cold lips to his neck before daring a glance at his face. "I don't hate you at all ...I was very scared you might die." her small and hoarse voice was nothing but sincere, finally feeling her chest lighten after saying the words she had meant to say.

The saddest of smiles took over his face as he gave her body a squeeze and brought his face closer to hers, brushing her nose with the tip of his. "Yes. I know." he reassured her gently, pressing a kiss to her forehead, before tucking her face back to his neck.

"I committed a foolish mistake as well." he acknowledged remorsefully, kissing the side of her hair with affection, allowing his body to continue enveloping hers. "Thank you for saving me, Elizabeth. Truly."

The use of his endearment for her, made the muscles of her face scrunch uncomfortably tight. She thought herself to exhausted to continue crying, yet her body proved to be very capable to, because a new wave of bloody tears she couldn't control, erupted.

...

As he listened to his wife's stricken cries, James discovered that he had never before in his life regretted his actions as much as he did in that moment.

Seeing her eyes damp and rimmed in red, had made his stomach shrink with guilt. His entire body surrounded hers in an effort to console her while wishing he had remained home as she had asked him to.

"It's all… your.. fault!" she accused him between light sobs as her fist pitifully connected with the side of his shoulder a few times.

There was not enough strength left in her to put any real power behind the strikes, so all it did was make a defeated smirk appear on his face without permission.

Forcing his body to separate from her a few inches, he grabbed hold her face, leaning forward until his forehead touched hers, making a conscious effort to maintain his breaths steady and deep, compelling her to follow his lead.

"You need to breath, Elizabeth." he ordered softly, keeping his gentle grip around her cheeks. "You will faint otherwise." he added in warning after she responded to his request with a glare and an unhappy growl.

Elizabeth's tense muscles faintly relaxed at the threat. And after staring at him for a few long seconds, her eyes closed as she tried to regain control of her lungs, drawing in shaky breaths, each inhale a little deeper than the last.

His thumbs absently brushed at the wet skin while he waited patiently for her sobs to calm. He truly was scared she might faint if she continued to cry. Thankfully, her body slowly stopped shaking, her sniffs quieting.

But then, her hunched frame stiffened straight, her soft cries halting completely and too abruptly.

Her unexpected change made his eyes swiftly open, fearing she might have gone unconscious. Much to his surprise, he found her awake and alert, her entire focus on the hands she had placed on her stomach.

"Elizabeth?" he called carefully.

Mild panic returned to him when her dark eyes looked at him wide open, her lips hanging apart with disconcert.

Her expression was affected by so many emotions that he could not determine one. Although his must have been quite telling, because her mouth raised into a pacifying smile, her palm brushing his jaw with a gentle caress before trailing down to reach for his hand and placing it on top of her middle.

James felt entirely confused by what was happening, continuing to look at her for an explanation. Until he felt the lightest of pressure against his palm.

His hand flinched away in surprise at the movement, his eyes searching for hers in question. "Is that...?"

The misery had completely dissipated from her gaze, and now she stared at him with mesmerized delight.

"Mmh" she offered with a small nod and a soft smile, wrapping her fingers around his as she placed his hand back on the swell of her stomach.

The new soft push that met his palm after a few seconds felt unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. The sensation rendered his head incapable of offering a single proper thought.

And then he heard Elizabeth's bell-like giggle.

The need to kiss her became unstoppable after that.

His free hand circled around the back of her neck as his mouth descended upon hers. The movement of his lips was thoughtless, chaotic, and he barely remembered to keep his hold around her gentle.

"I love you."

The words were not enough to encompass what he felt, but he also wasn't certain the words that could, had ever existed. Feeling dissatisfied, he endeavour to demonstrate it to her instead.

I love you.

The certainty behind those words was the only immutable truth he needed.