"We are." Morgan cleared her throat and continued. "Whatever you want to take with us lay on the bed. We can’t bring a lot, Jacob will take care of whatever we leave behind." Morgan heard Allison moving around behind her and stuffed a last shirt into one side of the saddlebag. Picking up her satchel she put her chess set in the bottom and retrieved a roll of canvas from the bottom of her trunk, packing it next to the leather roll. After packing a couple of other items she refused to leave behind she picked up both the satchel and the saddlebags and set them on the bed. Allison quietly stepped up beside her and set a small pile on the bed, glancing up as Morgan cleared her throat.

"In the bottom of my trunk there’s a pair of fawn colored breeches that should fit you," she told the redhead. "I don’t think you want to spend that much time on horseback in a dress." Allison shook her head in response and starting digging through the trunk as Morgan packed her things in the other side of the saddlebag. Morgan frowned slightly as she realized that the only things the redhead had set on the bed were the gifts she had given her, a hairbrush and the shirts that Morgan had lent her to wear. "Allison?" she said, turning as the other woman slid the breeches up over her hips. Morgan sighed softly and closed her eyes. Oh I so cannot afford this distraction right now! She opened her eyes to find Allison looking at her quizzically and scrambled for her thoughts. "Aren’t you bringing anything of your own to wear?" she finally asked. The redhead looked at her and shrugged one shoulder.

"I would rather wear your shirts….unless you mind?" Allison’s voice lilted in question and Morgan shook her head and returned to her packing.

"No…that’s fine. I just wanted to check." She heard the redhead sigh softly from behind her and jumped as she felt a light touch on her back. Straightening she turned around and Allison reached out and twined her fingers through hers. Morgan’s plan tumbled end over end as Allison stepped close to her and looked up into her eyes then leaned into her, brushing her lips against hers before resting her head on her shoulder. Morgan stood stiffly for a moment before her body overrode her mind and she found herself wrapping her arms around the redhead and burying her face in her hair, her hands trembling as she flattened them against Allison’s back. "Allison…"

"Please, Morgan…don’t." Morgan squeezed her eyes shut and deliberately pulled away. Slamming her emotions to the back of her mind she opened her eyes and looked past Allison, avoiding those expressive green eyes.

"We have to leave," she said, hardly recognizing her own voice as she did. Pulling a pair of cloaks from her trunk she shook one out and handed it to Allison then dropped the lid. Swinging hers around her she picked up the saddlebags and slung them over her shoulder. Allison picked up the satchel before she could and slung the strap up over her arm, her face pale and drawn inside the hood of her cloak. Morgan’s jaw flexed and she paused for a moment and watched the sun’s last rays fade as it sank below the horizon, then opened the door and motioned for Allison to go before her. Pulling the door shut she locked it and turned towards the stairway, waving at Allison to follow behind her. "Stay close." She felt a tug as Allison held onto her cape as they made their way down the dim stairwell, and a bump as the younger woman failed to see her stop. She kept them there for a long moment, then the sound of yelling and fighting drifted in from across the street. Morgan glanced over her shoulder and flashed a grin at the confused Allison.

"I knew I could count on them." Morgan opened the door and slipped outside and motioned for Allison to move into the alley that ran alongside the building. She glanced over her shoulder and saw one of her crew heave the whittler into the harbor and she chuckled before tucking into the alley behind Allison. She urged the redhead swiftly along in front of her until they reached a street at the other end of the alley. Allison jumped and Morgan clapped her hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming as Jonathan stepped out from the shadows leading Mercury. Morgan leaned forward.

"We’re trying not to draw attention, Allison," she said softly, gently chiding the redhead. The young woman flashed a small smile over her shoulder as Jonathan led the horse in front of them and handed the reins to her. Lashing the saddlebags and satchel in place, Morgan set her foot in the stirrup and swung herself into the saddle, then reached down and offered her arm to Allison. Jonathan stepped up and gave the younger woman a knee up, and Morgan slid forward in the saddle a bit to allow the redhead to settle behind her. Leaning down she handed Jonathan the key to their room and he grasped her hand in farewell.

"Take ker, Cap’n, we’ll be wantin’ ta see ya in a week ‘r so," he said in a low voice and Morgan smiled down at him.

"Get that key to Jacob, Jonathan, and watch yourself. Once they figure out what’s happened those men are not going to be happy, nor is Carolyn. She’s bound to try and cause trouble for you. And have Jacob get a message to George somehow…to let him know where I went." Jonathan nodded and faded into the shadows as Morgan oriented herself and nudged Mercury into an easy trot. Allison tightened her arms around her waist as Morgan navigated her way through the town, avoiding the higher trafficked areas. Soon they were on the outskirts, following a path along a small creek, Morgan letting Mercury pick his path in the dim evening light. The moon reflected off the water and Morgan relaxed a little, looking forward to getting away from the stresses of the last few days. Allison shifted behind her and laid her cheek against her back, the young woman’s soft sigh reminding Morgan of her other dilemma. I can’t afford this…I really can’t, she thought to herself and as the path they took started to meander through the hills, the horse and riders faded into the night.

Mercury’s hooves made no sound as he followed a faint trail through the trees, Morgan letting him make his way towards the cabin she knew was waiting for them. Allison leaned heavily against her back, the young woman having fallen asleep as they made their way through the forest. She had discouraged the redhead’s couple of attempts at conversation, stating she wanted to be able to hear anyone who might follow them, and Allison had reluctantly accepted the excuse. You know you’re just trying to avoid the questions she's bound to ask. Morgan sighed softly, remembering the softness of Allison’s lips against hers, knowing that only the danger threatening them had kept her from giving into her desires. Morgan ducked under a branch as Mercury sidestepped a fallen log and peered ahead into the darkness, smiling as she spied her small cabin faintly lit by the silver rays of the moon. Mercury picked up his pace a little as the trees thinned out, tossing his head a little as he too spotted their destination. She leaned forward a little and patted his neck, speaking softly.

"We’re almost there, boy, just a little more and I’ll let you run." Morgan laughed softly as his ears flicked back at her, and pushed her anxiety aside for the time being, enjoying the freedom she always felt when she visited her place. She and Jacob had built it nearly four years earlier, and it had withstood the ravages of the island’s weather admirably. It wasn’t very big, just a one room cabin with a serviceable kitchen and a table on one side and a sleeping area on the other. They’d built a porch onto the front a couple of years later and Morgan had spent one of her months on land crafting hammocks to nap the warmth of the afternoon away in. Mercury picked his way into the clearing that surrounded the cabin and stopped at the steps, tossing his head impatiently.

"Alright, boy, hold on," she said softly. Carefully she unwound the arms wrapped around her waist and swung her leg up and over Mercury’s neck, sliding slowly to the ground while trying to keep Allison from sliding off as well. The young woman murmured softly and started to stir as Morgan reached up and slid her down into the cradle of her arms.

"M..Morgan?" Allison blinked up at her and wrapped her arms around her neck.

"Shh…shh…go back to sleep, Allison, it’s alright, we’re here." Morgan carried her captive up the stairs and nudged the log away from the door with her foot, then swung it open in front of her. It smelled a bit stale and she squinted into the shadows as she maneuvered her way to the back, aiming for the bed in the corner. Carefully she laid Allison on the bed and unfolded the blanket at the bottom to spread it over the redhead. Making her way cautiously across the cabin she lit a lamp on the table, turning it down low to keep from disturbing Allison before slipping back out the door to soothe her restless horse. Mercury bumped her with his nose as she pulled the saddlebags and her satchel off his back. She worked to unlash the supplies Jonathan had procured for her, ignoring her mount’s agitating as she fought with the knots. Stacking everything up on the porch she returned to his side to tug loose the girth and pull the saddle off his back, laughing softly at him as he shook, the saddle blanket shimmying off his rump. Morgan caught it as it fell and rubbed him down with it before hanging it over the porch railing. She then reached up and unbuckled Mercury’s bridle and chuckled as he spit out the bit. The horse tossed his head and danced across the clearing, tail held high, heading for the meadow that stretched out at the bottom of the hillside. Morgan leaned against the porch railing and watched him trot down the hill, the moon making his silver coat gleam. She smiled and shook her head at him before turning and walking back up the steps, lifting the saddle up onto the rack she’d made for it and looping the bridle over the pommel.