Titanium

A few months had passed and I had seen so much already. Before, I had never been outside of Braxton. Now I had been to England and Spain and ports in between. We hadn't come by any trouble on land, nor sea. We were all living quite peacefully. The sun was setting as I leaned over the wash basin in front of me and continued to scrub the clothes soaking. In the distance, I heard Morgan barking orders to his crew from the helm. I sighed contently and let my mind wander as I scrubbed an oil stain from the white shirt with lye soap. The chores I completed were activities like the laundry, dusting furniture and shelves in the great hall, and fetching and heating water for bathing. Shortly after these tasks were assigned, I also offered to clean the kitchenware so Thomas could take a break. It felt right of me to do something productive on the ship everyday, even though Morgan offered to excuse me from completing my chores on a daily basis. But every day, I would respectively decline.

"I am perfectly capable of working in return for all of this," I would always tell him. On my breaks I would find him and we would climb up to the crows nest to talk for any time between a half hour to an hour. We would sit and he would hold me and tell me about the world. Stories from Singapore, Brazil, and the Caribbean, all exciting and different from the ones before. On some days he would take me into the great hall and explain different maps and treasures to me. And when the time was over, he'd walk me back to the deck and kiss me softly, turning and returning to his post on the upper deck. After dinner time, I would be done with work and the captain and I would be free to do whatever we pleased. We would walk along the ship from port to starboard, his arm around my shoulders, mine around his back.

"Izabel," a voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up, it was Fox. Fox was the youngest of the crew. He was seventeen and the near best shooter and navigator I had ever seen. He was in charge of setting route and directing to locations. He had a very vivid memory of people and places. Wherever we went, he would know exactly where we were by the sight of an overhanging tree on the coast or rocks in the water.

"Morgan would like to know if you would join him for dinner tonight." he said.
"Well, don't we always dine together?" I asked. He nodded.
"Alone." he clarified.
"Ahh," I said, careful not to smile too much. I did muster a chuckle, "Tell the captain I will check my schedule."

Fox smirked, "Don't pretend the crew can't tell what you two are up to. We see it. He's always gazing at you, you at him," he said, "It's obvious that there's something happening between you two."

"Yet you play along," I answered.

"The rest of us are waiting for the captain to say something. He chats about you. Sometimes he tries to complain about the way you work. When you two go off he tells us he is talking to you about your work ethic. For an hour? I don't think so." Fox posed. I considered this.

"I'll speak with him at dinner," I said. Fox nodded.
"I will tell him you have accepted."

I watched as Fox returned to Morgan's side and whispered into his ear. As he was doing so, Morgan looked over and smiled. I knew every inch of that smile, every centimeter of his lips. I smiled as I fished around the basin for the next shirt I could find and scrubbed it together with my hands under the water. It took about ten minutes to fully clean the shirt and then I began wringing out the mixture of shirts and pants and setting them onto my lap. Lifting the basin to pour the water out over the side of the ship was one of the difficult tasks I had actually become accustomed to doing, but before I would do so, I hung the clothes over the line near the door into the kitchen hallway. Afterwards, I returned and lifted the basin, carrying it to the side of the ship and dumping it over the side, holding the higher end of the tub. Once the water had drained, I walked it back to the space beneath the upper deck's stairs.

"I thought we would retire early tonight," a silky voice whispered into my ear. I glanced behind me to see Morgan, holding a half empty bottle of rum in his hand. I gently tugged the bottle into my own.

"Of course," I said, just before pressing the bottle to my lips and taking a long sip. I handed it back to him, who raised the bottle to his lips and took a drank as well. Upon lowering the glass container, I saw a faint glint of something in his eyes I'd never seen before. It was a dark and mysterious sort of presence. But nonetheless, I shrugged it off. Whatever it was I was sure to find out later. He held out his arm, which I instantly took and he led me into his quarters.

Unlike normal nights, as I walked over and sat in the chair in the corner of the room, he walked over to the desk and studied a map of something I couldn't quite make out.

"What is that?" I asked, standing up and walking over to look over his shoulder.
"An item we need." he replied.
"What is it?"
"Something important." he grunted, "I'll tell you at dinner." He folded up the piece of parchment and placed it inside the inner pocket of his coat, turning to me.
"Thomas will be bringing our dinner shortly. Will you join me in the great hall?"

I nodded and he smiled, taking my hand and leading me to the door in the corner of the room, leading me into the elaborately decorated hall. The table had been cleared off and two sets of china places had been set at the far ends of the table. He stepped ahead of me and pulled out one of the chairs. I sat down and slid the chair closer to the table as he walked around behind me and paced to the chair at the other end. Sitting down he cleared his throat.

"Belle, we're about to set off on a very important journey. It will take a very long time." he said slowly. I nodded, folding my hands in my lap. He hesitated before starting again.

"It seems that I'm in need of something I traded to another pirate many years ago. I need to get it back. But in order to do so, we'll have to cross over."

"Cross over?" I questioned, "Like to the other side of the world?"

"More like another world," Morgan muttered just loud enough for me to hear.

"Another world?"

"Neverland."

"Neverland?" I gasped. "But how-"

"First we need to track down the port key. It's an amulet aboard a ship called Posideon's Whore. It docks on an island off the coast of the Caribbean. We will set our heading tonight and arrive there by morning." he explained. The door to the galley suddenly opened and Thomas came through pushing a cart. He put a pork chop, some roasted potatoes and sweet corn onto both our plates and placed a bottle of red wine on the Captain's end.

"Enjoy," Thomas said just before turning and disappearing behind the kitchen door once again.

"Belle," Morgan said, standing and walking over to my end of the table. "I have to warn you, Neverland changes people. I fear you will not like what becomes of me when we arrive there." he kneeled next to me and took my hand. He was about to speak when I cut him off.

"No matter what I will stay by you. I can keep you from whatever it is you fear."

"It won't be enough, luvvy." he huffed, "You have no clue what happens there."

"You will bring me and I will keep you from becoming something you're not."

"Damn it, Belle, haven't you seen the darkness in my eyes ever since I realized I have to do this?" he hissed. "I'm changing already. I'm afraid you won't like what will become of me."

"I noticed just today, actually. I can help you, Morgan."

"But what if you can't?"

"I will try." I insisted. Morgan closed his eyes and rubbed his temples fervently.

"I need you to be safe."

"I'll be safe with you." I wasn't going to let him leave me alone somewhere while he went off on this mission. He nodded slowly.

"You're right.. You'll be safer with me than alone." he said, "You're mad, Belle. You really are. If you had any idea how dangerous it is.."

"You will protect me. Need I remind you of the night we met?" I pleaded, " 'I will always protect my Bell.' it's what you said. You carved it into the wood. You promised."

"And I will keep my promise, love. 'Til the day I die." He took my hand and kissed the top gently. He stood up, letting go of my hand suddenly and paced back to his end of the table. I watched as he picked up his plate and dragged his chair over to my end, setting the plate on the table and setting the chair next to me. He retrieved the bottle of wine and returned to sit in the chair next to me. He popped off the cork with his teeth and took two crystal wine glasses from the center of the table, pouring an equal amount into both. I lifted mine.

"To success on this journey." I said.

Morgan hesitated, looking at me, but finally raised his glass as well.

"To love, my dear. True love."

I paused as he grinned at me, clinking our glasses together and raising his to his lips. I followed. The wine was bitter, but very strong. I sipped once, and took another long sip just before setting it down. When I looked at Morgan he was cutting into his pork chop. He speared a section he had cut and lifted it to his mouth. I picked up my fork and pushed around the food on my plate. I suddenly wasn't hungry, but I figured I should eat because I didn't want the meal to go to waste. We ate in silence for several minutes, him finishing before I did. When we were both done, he stacked our plates and stood up, fingering the wine bottle thoughtfully. I stood and before he could wrap his fingers around the glass, I snatched it, smiling at him as he quickly faced me. I shuffled playfully over to the door leading to the Captain's bedroom. As I opened the door and looked over my shoulder, Morgan was halfway to me, smiling darkly. Once he entered the room and the door clicked closed, we were instantly glued to each other.

His hands roamed my body, starting at my waist and inching up ever so slightly, as he looked into my eyes. I placed my hands on his chest and stood up to peck his lips softly, pulling back and smiling at him.

"Don't tease me like that.." he muttered, pulling my body closer to his. He pressed his lips into mine, holding me up with one arm behind my waist and placing his other hand on my neck. The kiss was soft and sweet, but with growing force and intention behind it, awakening the butterflies in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to melt into him, be one with him. His tongue urged entrance through my lips, mine accepting without hesitation. Moments later he was pushing me towards the wall.

As things started heating up, the butterflies swarmed. I felt if we kept going like this I would lose control. I could tell from his actions he felt the same, because he suddenly pulled away and looked at me. His ocean eyes were fierce.

"Belle," he breathed, "I want you.."

Those words rattled in my ears over and over again. I gasped when I felt his lips against my throat, breaking me from my trance. He playfully nibbled at the sensitive skin just below my ear. I closed my eyes and tangled my fingers into his hair. He moved his hands down to my waist and traced my hips, pushing them back to the base of my spine and pulling me into his body. At that point I could feel the stiffness brush against my thigh. His lips met mine and I smiled. All reservations quickly flew from my mind. I was ready. I wanted to give it to him.

The hunger for more drove me mad. He pulled away and I began taking my corset off. He took in a sharp breath as I tossed it aside. With one hand, I pushed him closer to the bed and he sat down. I climbed onto his lap and started on the top button of his shirt. He watched me as I unbuttoned the last one and spread the fabric off of his shoulders. His skin was soft and toned. I felt his rough fingers at my back as he unlaced the back of my dress. All the while I watched him as he breathed. I felt uncomfortable thinking that I was the inexperienced one. But by the way he touched me, so gentle, as if I would break, I think he knew that he would be my first. Soon, my dress was sliding down my arms. I pulled my hands through and he flipped me onto my back to pull off my dress and his shirts. I lay completely exposed and he admired me silently, gazing at my body.

"You're a goddess." he breathed, "A true treasure." he leaned over me and kissed my lips, but I pulled away.

"Patrick.." I whispered.
"Anything."
"Never let go of this treasure."
"On my life, I will never let anyone gaze on this. You're priceless.."
"And all yours." I whispered.

We rolled around on the bed as I fought for the last item of clothing to be discarded. Finally I got my hands onto the tie at his waist and pulled until the knot was undone. Using both my hands I pulled his trousers lower and lower, and he finally kicked them off. We were even.

"Are you ready, Belle?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I breathed. The butterflies ran into the walls of my stomach.

"It will hurt at first, but I'll be gentle." he murmured into my ear. Locking my lips to his, I felt the pressure of him entering me and a slight pain developed within me. As he pulsed slowly, it faded into a painful pleasure. I moaned softly into his ear. He thrust into me at a steady pace. Not too slow and not too fast.

"Morgan," I moaned. He looked into my eyes.

"I'm in love with you," he said. I stretched my head up, pulling him back into a kiss and tugging gently at his hair. We made love for hours, finally he finished and our warm bodies entangled themselves underneath the sheets. With my head on his arm, and my hand on his chest, we gazed at each other with only love in our eyes.



Steamy chapter.. they just couldn't help themselves.

Character pictures up, Izabel's I'm still trying to find a better one.