"We’re going to be on land by tonight, Miss Allison," she said, pushing down the ache in her chest. "Before you know it you’ll be on a ship headed home." Morgan turned her head back towards the desk, and toyed with the basket of food on the corner, letting her loose hair fall around her face to hide her expression. Her comment was met with absolute silence that stretched on for an eternity. Glancing back over her shoulder she found Allison watching her with a pained expression on her face. The redhead met her eyes, then straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin up. Morgan watched in sad fascination as her warm, delightful companion disappeared behind a cool mask.

Allison walked over to the trunk in the corner and proceeded to abandon Morgan’s shirt. Morgan sighed softly and moved to her chair, sinking into it feeling suddenly exhausted. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Allison pulled on the layers of undergarments, carefully settling them around her as if they were armor. They might as well be, Morgan thought to herself as Allison pulled her dress on. She sat back in her chair and leaned her head back, closing her eyes. Silently she berated herself for the sick feeling in her stomach. Come on Morgan, get your head together. You can’t get involved with her, she’s your captive!! Once you’re in port you can send the ransom note, and if this father can afford the dowry he sent with her he can surely pay the price to get her back. That will make the crew happy, and let you make the repairs you need to do to the ship. Don’t let this girl endanger everything!!!

Morgan opened her eyes as she heard a sound in front of her and found Allison standing at the corner of the desk getting herself some food. She ignored Morgan completely and took her bread and cheese over to her chair. Morgan clenched her jaw and got herself some food as well, then sat back to eat. The meal wasn’t large, but the tension in the room seemed to stretch it out forever, and finally Morgan couldn’t stand it any longer. Standing up she wrapped her belt back around her and shoved the pistol behind it. She glanced once at Allison to find her still pointedly not looking at her, then left. As she strode down the hall she heard the bolt of the door thrown with force. Shaking her head she headed for the deck, determined to make the rest of the day pass as fast as possible.

Allison watched Morgan eat, then get up and leave. Letting the pent-up emotions go a little she flew across the cabin and slammed the bolt home. Turning and leaning against the door she slowly slid to the floor, wrapping her arms around herself and squeezing tight. Tears welled up in her eyes and slowly started to overflow, falling one by one down her cheeks. Her heart ached and she felt like she was going to explode she wanted to scream so badly. Pushing herself back to her feet she started to pace back and forth across the room, kicking at the hem of her dress in frustration. She grumbled under her breath as she paced, sniffling every so often as tears continued to stream unchecked.

Hearing Morgan say that she would go home had been a blow for which she hadn’t been prepared. She had known that she was going to be ransomed, and at first it didn’t matter. Now, after just two days in Morgan’s company she found herself dreading her freedom. There was no doubt that Daddy would pay the ransom, no doubt whatsoever. And that was the problem. Allison didn’t want to go back, because that meant that soon she would be on another ship headed for Ireland and the man she was to marry. Arguing with her father would do her no good either, because Joseph, the man she was going to marry had saved the plantation from absolute ruin when the floods destroyed the crop two years earlier.

So unless she married him, Daddy would lose the plantation.

That plantation was his life. He’d die if he lost it.

So she had to marry Joseph. Which meant she had to go back. Even though she didn’t love him and knew she would be miserable in Ireland. Allison dropped into the wingback and sighed.

"There’s no other way," she whispered softly to the empty room.

Morgan watched the mouth of the harbor warily as she maneuvered the ship slowly into port. A small group of her men were on the sloop, now free from the larger ship. Gliding across the water it followed just off to her right, waiting for the larger ship to drop anchor. Once she had, the men had been instructed to tuck the smaller ship up as close as possible to allow the cannon on deck to protect both of them. The entire curve of the harbor was lit with bright lamps that reflected off the water. A couple of other ships were docked on the far side, but none flew flags that worried her. It looked like no other privateers had chosen to come in yet, taking their chances with the storms to try and make bigger hauls. The town surrounding the harbor was relatively quiet with the absence of its normal contingent of sailors, and Morgan looked forward to finding a room for the night with a big tub in it. She stubbornly refused to think about Allison and what she was going to have to do the following day as she ordered the anchor dropped and the last sail furled. The men moved around the ship with vigor in their steps, eager to get the ship ready for the evening so they could go ashore.

Soon, the men were drawing lots to see who would stay aboard, and, as the losers moped off to take their posts, the rest of the men dropped rowboats down and started ashore. Morgan smiled after them, listening to them brag about drinking this one or that one under the table, and knew that when they assembled the following day to receive their share of the take that quite a few of them would be nursing an aching head. As the ship quieted down, the sound of the waves lapping against the side loud after the rowdiness earlier, Jacob walked up and stood next to her.

"Goin’ ashore, Cap’n?" he asked, quietly. Jacob had known her since long before she had become a captain, and knew her better than anyone. She was sure that he had guessed at the turmoil that she was feeling, and knew that eventually he would offer advice, bidden or unbidden. Sighing, she nodded.

"Yes, I think I am. I think I need some distance….and relief." Jacob didn’t need to ask what she needed distance from, and Morgan knew that even on land she would be drawn to the company of the beautiful redhead that had her enchanted. Morgan just hoped the ever-so-talented Carolyn would help distract her. She saw Jacob nod out of the corner of her eye.

"I figured you would. Jackson is going to stop by t’ Inn and tell her yer coming." Morgan nodded slowly. Everyone knew she always stayed at the Harbor Inn, though she knew that staying there this evening was going to cause some sparks. The "her" Jacob referred to was Carolyn, the proprietor. A striking woman, she was also dangerous, and very "worldly". Morgan had been eagerly anticipating getting back to enjoying her talents, but now…now her thoughts turned to Allison, not Carolyn, and that was trouble.

"Carolyn isn’t going to take kindly to another woman being in my room, Jacob," Morgan said wryly. "This could be a very interesting evening." Jacob chuckled and slapped Morgan on the back before heading off to check with the men left on the ship. Morgan saw one of the small rowboats heading back to the ship and decided it was time to go collect her things, and Allison, and head ashore.

Morgan walked slowly down the length of the ship and down into the hall. She wondered if the door was locked, or if the woman inside had decided to let her in. Reaching the door she turned the handle, strangely relieved to feel the door swing open unhindered. The room was dimly lit by the lamp on the corner of her desk, showing her the faint outline of Allison curled up in the chair. The young woman lifted her head slowly and looked at her as she walked through the doorway, her eyes red and her cheeks tear-stained. The sight tugged hard at Morgan’s heart but she resisted the urge to pull Allison in her arms and kiss away the sadness that filled her eyes.

"We’re there, aren’t we," Allison asked, her voice low and husky. Morgan nodded.

"Yes. Do you want to go ashore with me?" She asked and Allison cocked her head in question.