"I love you, too, Morgan," she whispered fervently. Morgan hugged her tightly and pulled her into her lap, leaning back against the wall as she did. The captain laughed softly as Allison leaned forward and kissed her passionately, returning the kiss with equal fervor as the redhead wrapped herself around her. Eventually Allison collapsed against her, breathless, and Morgan leaned her forehead against hers.

"Would you like your ring back, love?" she asked quietly, smiling as Allison nodded and held her hand up for her. Morgan felt butterflies dance in her stomach as she slid the ring onto the redhead’s finger, smiling into the bright green eyes that watched her. Morgan basked in the warmth of Allison’s gaze for a while, their fingers twined together before finally cocking her head at her young lover. "So, my dear Allison, what would you like to do this morning?" Allison smiled boldly back at her and Morgan felt a warmth kindle in the pit of her stomach at her answer.

"I think you can figure out the answer to that question, can’t you, Captain?" Morgan chuckled low in her throat and nodded, pulling Allison down to the bed next to her.

"I think I can figure it out, Miss Allison," she answered huskily. The redhead flattened her hands against her chest and pushed her onto her back then slid herself over her. Morgan’s eyes fluttered shut as Allison’s fingers danced across her skin in a teasing caress, her own hands quickly pulling her lover’s shirt off and dropping it to the floor. "God I’ve missed you," she murmured as Allison slid her silky skin against hers and lowered her mouth to her breast, teasing soft moans of pleasure from her throat. Allison smiled up at her as she nuzzled the soft skin before her.

"You’ll never have to miss me again, Morgan," she said softly, her eyes smoky green with passion, "Never again." The redhead lowered her head and Morgan arched under her, lips parting in exquisite pleasure as her lover showed her just how much she had been missed.

Allison blinked repeatedly as they stepped out onto the deck, the sun blinding her for a moment. Morgan guided her with a hand resting lightly against her lower back and she smiled back over her shoulder at her and stepped back into her, winding her arm around her lover’s waist. The taller woman blushed faintly as one of her crew passed by and flashed her a knowing grin, causing Morgan to hurriedly tug them towards the stern. Allison found herself greeted with a smile and a bow by every member of Morgan’s crew they passed until they reached the helm where Jacob and one of the men she remembered watching out for her at the inn waited for them.

"Glad t’see ya up and feelin’ better, Miss Allison," Jacob said, smiling warmly down at the two of them. Allison smiled back at him.

"Thank you, Jacob, I couldn’t be feeling better," she answered, watching with a small smile as Morgan’s cheeks flared with color. Jacob smothered a smile and turned to the crewman at his side.

"Miss Allison, I would like ya t’meet Jonathan. E’s t’second mate, and ‘as been playin’ yer guardian angel." It was Jonathan’s turn to blush faintly and he bowed to her.

"It’s very nice to finally meet you Jonathan," she said sweetly. "Didn’t you help us escape from those thugs as well?" Jonathan nodded shyly and Morgan laughed.

"Well, Allison, this has to be the first time I’ve ever seen that man act shy," the captain said jokingly. After a moment she looked at her second mate with a serious expression. "Thank you, Jonathan," she said softly, "thank you for all your help." A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth and he ducked his head in a small bow.

"We jes want ye to be happy, Cap’n," he said. Morgan nodded and smiled at him. Jacob patted her on the back and ducked his head to whisper something in her ear. Morgan looked up at him for a long moment then nodded before turning to look down at Allison. She lifted her hand and brushed her cheek with her fingertips.

"I need to go up to the foredeck for a moment, love, do you want to stay here?" she asked her quietly. Allison lifted herself up on her toes and kissed Morgan softly.

"Sure…don’t be long?" she answered. Morgan nodded then followed her first mate down the steps and Allison turned to look at Jonathan. "I want to thank you too, Jonathan," she said quietly. Jonathan smiled at her.

"Twas my pleasure, Miss," he said softly. Allison gazed down the length of the ship, watching Morgan as she made her way to the prow, stopping to speak to her crew along the way. Jonathan braced himself against the wheel and turned it slightly, adjusting the ship’s bearing then locking it into position. Allison sighed softly and turned her attention to him, watching him watch his Captain for a moment before taking a deep breath.

"Jonathan, what happened?" she asked softly. The young man shot her an astonished look then shook his head slowly.

"Not sure tha’ t’Cap’n would want me tellin’ ya that, Miss," he replied. Allison cocked her head and smiled.

"If you don’t tell me I’ll just get someone else to." Jonathan stared at her for a moment then chuckled softly and propped his hip against the helm.

"Well, Miss, I certainly can see tha’ t’Cap’n’s gonna have ‘er hands full," he said, smiling as Allison blushed furiously. "Alright, I will tell ye wha’ happened," he finally said.

Allison listened attentively as Jonathan told her the events that had passed since her ransoming, heart aching in sympathy as he told of Morgan’s obvious unhappiness. She listened in amazement as he told her about the ship coming out of dry dock just in time and the crew’s hard work to get her ready to sail, anticipating their captain’s plan to re-kidnap Allison. The redhead listened with rapt attention, hearing a fierce tone enter the sailor’s voice as he remembered aloud the reaction everyone had to Joseph’s appearance as he ran out on deck. Allison’s stomach twisted into a knot thinking about Morgan’s reaction to the blood on Joseph’s shirt. Jonathan paused for a moment at the look on her face and she smiled hesitantly at him.

"I imagine at the time she wouldn’t have imagined that it was his blood," she said quietly. Jonathan cocked his head in question. "He tried….well…he tried, and I fought, and I scratched him quite badly." Jonathan’s jaw flexed and she motioned for him to continue.

"When t’Cap’n saw blood on ‘is shirt she ran below to find ye’," Jonathan said, staring at the deck. "We all stood an’ waited, half afraid o’ what she would find. Yer…t’Irishman just stood there lookin’ smug. After a couple o’ minutes she came back up t’stairs with ye cradled in ‘er arms an’ handed ye o’er t’Jacob." Jonathan looked down at his hands. "Any one of us would ‘ave gladly taken ker of t’man fer her, but she jes asked Jacob t’ take ye’ t’her cabin." Jonathan went quiet for a long moment and Allison turned her eyes from watching Morgan at the far end of the ship and fixed her gaze on the man standing next to her.

"What happened then, Jonathan," Allison asked quietly. He lifted his eyes from the deck and looked at her.

"She walked o’er to ‘im and ‘e asked her where she thought she was takin’ ‘is wife. She cocked her head a lil then jes’ hauled off and punched ‘im right in t’nose." Allison let out a little laugh and Jonathan grinned at her. "Aye, Miss, t’would ‘ave been quite comical ‘cept fer what ‘e did to ye." Allison touched her right cheek softly and nodded.

"What happened next?" Jonathan frowned thoughtfully for a moment.

"The cur said…some’in’… about ye, Miss, an’ spit blood in ‘er face. That was it fer the Cap’n.. She jes’ picked ‘im up bodily an’ heaved his Irish ass o’erboard." Allison gasped softly and gazed towards the prow of the ship, watching as Morgan made her way back towards the stern.

"Thank you, Jonathan, I needed to know." Jonathan bowed his head slightly and returned his attention to the helm as Morgan walked back up the stairs. Allison walked across the space dividing them and wrapped her arms around Morgan, hugging her tightly.