Silver Spirits

Scarlett wasn't very fond of the dress Evelyn had put her in, but it didn't stop her from keeping it, just because she felt she deserved it more. It took a while for her crew to return to the ship, but when they did, Scarlett suddenly realized the reality of the situation. Not all of the men knew what they were getting into. Was she just going to drag them into it with her? She sighed as she leaned against the railing of her ship, tracing her finger over the cracks in the wood repeatedly and wondering when she had gotten so damn soft. She didn't need to turn to know it was Percy approaching her from behind. His heavy footsteps were unmistakable.

"Should we be off, then?" he asked.

Scarlett didn't answer right away. "Bring the entire crew here. I'd like a word."

Percy gave her an odd look, but did as she asked, gathering everyone on deck. This included Ben and his crew, who were just as confused as everyone else when they stood in front of where Scarlett leaned against the mast, playing with the ends of her hair. They stood in silence before Scarlett finally spoke.

"This is the last time we will see land until we reach the end of our journey," she announced. "We're headed to an island few have ever ventured to, and even fewer have returned from."

She paused as her crew shifted, then sighed and continued.

"That's why I'm allowing all of you, and I mean all of you, a chance to get off the ship here," she told them. "If you consider yourself loyal enough to risk your life for this ship and its crew, then stay. If not, I won't stop any of you from leaving. Just do it now, because it's your last chance."

Scarlett watched as the crew shifted again, thinking about the opportunity. Most stayed, but four or five who valued their lives over others did leave. As promised, Scarlett didn't stop any of them. Almost instantly, not sure if they believed their own ears, what was left of Ben's crew started backing away. Simon instinctively grabbed Emily's wrist and gently tugged her away from Percy and towards the men she started her journey with, while Foley and Pensworth also started to back away. They went hesitantly, as if they expected someone to stop them, but were surprised to find that Scarlett was looking right at them wordlessly, giving them complete permission to go. They would have taken off running if they hadn't realized Ben hadn't moved a muscle, eyes locked on Scarlett with his brow furrowed.

"Benjamin," Simon called, frowning. "Come on."

Ben shook his head, giving his shocked crew an apologetic look. "I have to stay. I made a promise."

"You're staying?" Simon repeated in disbelief.

"Need I repeat myself?" Ben said, speaking slowly. "I. Made. A. Promise. You know me, Simon. Have I ever broken a promise?"

Emily yanked away from Simon and ran back to Ben, throwing her arms around her brother and hugging him tightly.

"I'm staying with Ben!" she told Simon.

"What's the matter with you two?" Mr. Foley said.

Simon and Ben just stared at each other, the two of them obviously communicating in silence. Then, Simon pursed his lips and shook his head, walking back to Ben's side.

"I stay too, then," he sighed.

"You shouldn't," Ben argued. "This is your chance to go. You have a much better life in London. You too, Emily."

"We've been friends a long time," Simon argued. "It won't be much of a life if I have the weight of abandoning my best friend hanging over my head. I'm staying."

"Don't even argue with me," Emily warned.

Ben sighed and nodded, but he was smiling. He looked to the other two, who still looked like they intended on leaving, and gave them a reassuring look to let them know they'd be alright.

"When you find your way back to London, tell them that a storm threw us off course and that the map was lost in the process. Tell them you made it to land, but you're not sure where the three of us are," he told them.

"They'll assume you to be dead," Foley warned.

"Then it will make our return look so much more glorious, won't it?" Simon shrugged.

"It's time to make up your damn minds," Scarlett interrupted from where she stood, arms crossed over her chest.

Ben's crew stared at each other, but eventually accepted that Ben, Simon, and Emily would stay. Foley and Pensworth left with a few others within Scarlett's original crew, leaving only the most loyal still aboard the ship.

"Very well then," Scarlett said, pushing off the mast. "Off we go, Percy."

With that, the crew dispersed, still unsure of what to make of Scarlett's sudden change of heart. Her words didn't match her cold demeanor, but no one dared question it as she went to hide in her room. She didn't want to talk to anyone while her nerves were making her so tense and her life felt so confusing. The ship lurched suddenly and she tripped, hitting a table and knocking some things over. She cursed and rubbed her leg where she hit the table and looking down at a compass that had fallen over and broken apart. She sighed and bent down to pick up the pieces, but as she did, something hidden away and lost among her other things.

"Oh my..."

She jumped when there was a knock on the door, quickly standing and fumbling to keep all the pieces of the compass as she cleared her throat.

"Come in," she called.

She wasn't surprised that it was Ben. He had a habit of visiting her, and Scarlett had given up on fighting it. He looked at her suspiciously, raising an eyebrow as he closed the door behind him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said quickly, setting down the pieces of the compass on the table. "I'm just clumsy. Breaking things left and right. What do you want."

"The way you greet me gets sweeter every time," he chuckled. "I wanted to ask you about earlier. And what you did for-"

"Don't bring it up," Scarlett snapped. "I might change my mind."

"I just wanted to thank you in their place. But if you'd rather not talk, then I will leave it at that.

Ben stepped over and spread the broken compass parts around with his finger, examining each one. "So, what are you hiding, then?"

"Nothing," Scarlett lied. "What are you implying?"

"That you're hiding something," he chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't tell."

Scarlett hesitated, but eventually bent down to pick up what she'd spotted, setting it down on the table. It was an unopened bottle of rum, which she had forgotten about in the mess of her stateroom.

"I had all the liquor removed from the ship so there would be nothing clouding the minds of my men," she explained. "If any of them found out I had it, they'd raid the entire room. I need to get rid of it."

"Well, I'm sure if you go around the back no one will notice if you- Erm, Scarlett, forgive me, but what are you doing?"

Ben gave Scarlett a strange look as she poured out a full glass of the rum, holding up the bottle to see how much of it was gone.

"I'm getting rid of the rum," she said, as though it were obvious.

"By drinking it? All of it?" Ben questioned.

"That's right," Scarlett nodded. "What did you think, I'll pour it all overboard?"

"That's exactly what I thought, actually," he admitted. "You can't drink the whole bottle, you'll kill yourself."

"Don't underestimate me, Benjamin," Scarlett said, sipping from her full glass. "If you're really worried about me, pour yourself a glass and help."

"I don't do that," Ben said, declining the second glass Scarlett offered him.

"Fine," she shrugged. "I'll do it on my own, then."

Ben waited to see if she was bluffing, but when he saw that she wasn't, shook his head in defeat and poured himself a glass as well.

"I don't do this," he repeated.

"Why?" Scarlett smirked. "Can't handle your liquor, can you? I didn't know you were that weak."

"Is that a challenge?"

"It might be."

It might have also been the wrong thing to say. Scarlett took challenges very seriously. Within the next hour, about three quarters of the bottle was gone and Ben and Scarlett were sitting on the floor, giggling like maniacs as they struggled to sit up with the swaying of the ship. Scarlett laughed uncontrollably as Ben shushed her, smearing his hand all over her face.

"It's improper to be so loud," he informed her, though he was having a hard time keeping his voice down himself.

"When'v I ever been proper?" Scarlett giggled, swatting Ben's hand away and toppled over in the process, onto him.

He laughed with her and pulled her in with one arm, reaching for his rum with the other. "This was... a very good idea. Let's do it again some time, yeah?"

"Nooo, no more," Scarlett slurred, wagging her finger at him as she raised her glass to Ben's lip, putting some more rum in him. "Enjoy it while you still can."

Ben took it, reaching for the bottle but knocking it over and spilling the rest of the contents out, much to both their dismay. Scarlett whimpered as Ben flopped back to lean against the wall, pulling Scarlett back with him. She lifted her head to look at him, reaching up and tracing her fingers down the side of his face, tracing his cheek and jawbone before curling around the back of his neck to pull him down. She then leaned in to kiss him softly, this time making sure it was a lot deeper and drawn out than their first. At least while they were drunk, they weren't so confused and worried about what would happen later. He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her in to deepen the kiss.

"You're right. We should do this again sometime."

"Alright, but let me enjoy it while I still can."



As Scarlett expected, the next morning came with her stomach in knots and a throbbing pain in her head. She didn't, however, expect the other figure sharing the bed with her, fast asleep and even snoring quietly. She turned and lifted herself up on her elbows with a soft wince, surveying the scene. They were both almost fully clothed, but she had woken curled up in Ben's arms. Ben was completely out, but Scarlett quickly realized that he had the right to be. Not only had she gotten him piss drunk, but she knew for a fact that it had been a long time since he'd slept in a bed, even if it was a tiny and hard one like the one Scarlett had.

She looked over at him and slapped his cheek gently, but that didn't wake him either. She did, however, notice an object in the hand that wasn't holding tightly onto her. She pried it out of his hand and looked it over. A compass? No, the compass. The one she had broken the night before. It was perfectly fixed, other than a crack in the glass that no one could do anything about. How and when Ben could have possibly fixed it baffled Scarlett. He truly was as smart as everyone said, even when he was drunk.

She set the compass aside and curled back up next to him, laying her head on his chest and closing her eyes, listening to the sound of his breathing. She didn't even know if it was daylight yet outside. Scarlett barely slept, let alone sleep in late in the mornings, but if she was acting strange anyways, why not?