"Hey!" Grace yelled and swatted Lincoln's hand away.

"I'm sorry, all right?! It's not my fault you were hit." Lincoln protested. He glared at Grace for hitting him and then depped the cloth into a bucket of clean water next to him. He then pressed the wet cloth against one of Grace's cuts on her arm.

"This will need some time to heal." Lincoln muttered, softly cleaning her wounds.

Grace nodded and stared at the replica of the Jackdaw next to her. Edward had brought her back to the captain's cabin, told her it was safer there during the storm. She could hear his yells from the top deck and knew the storm wasn't going to die down any time soon.

"Do you have any idea why he saved me?" Grace looked up at Lincoln's grey eyes. He had short blond hair that was hanging over his eyes. There was softness in them though and his hands were careful and gentle.

"Who, captain Kenway? Nobody ever has any clue why he does what he does." Lincoln answered. "He's a mystery to everyone but Bonnie, our quartermaster. All of his other friends are dead."

"And you, are you not a friend?"

"I'm just the doctor here." Lincoln smiled softly at Grace. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"What's a skilled doctor like you doing on a pirate's ship anyway?" Grace frowned when she saw how he gave her perfect stitches.

"It's a long story." Lincoln frowned. "Where as I think yours is much more interesting. Why was a woman like you inprisoned?"

"It's a long story." Grace repeated his words with a small smile covering her pink lips. Lincoln chuckled as he bandaged the remaining cuts, finishing his work.

"The name is Lincoln, Lincoln smith." Lincoln smiled at her and gave her a hand.

"Grace." She smiled and shook his hand. "So master Lincoln, do you know when we will soon reach land?"

"Planning to leave already?"

"I just need to find somewhere where I can rest." Grace lied. "Besides, I don't feel very safe with all these men here. Especially after seeing the looks in their eyes this morning."

"Listen, Grace." Lincoln sat down beside her and looked at her intently. "Bonnie, our quartermaster, has been here for more than 3 months scarcely dressed. She hasn't been raped or something."

"That's different."

"If you're having trouble, just call me, all right? I'm sure that the captain needs something from you so there's no chance that he will let anyone touch you till he gets what he wants. So after that, I could protect you."

"You're a doctor." Grace lifted her eyebrows in doubt.

"Yes..." Lincoln sighed. "I know, I know. Still, some protection is better than nothing."

"Indeed, thank you, Lincoln." Grace smiled at him. When they felt the ship moving slower than before they both looked at each other.

"Seems the storm has died down at last." Lincoln stood up and walked towards the door of the Captain's Cabin. He looked back at Grace with a concerned look. "Don't argue too much with him, Edward tends to have a short temper."

"Lincoln?" Grace stood up before he could leave. She saw him hesitate, slightly turning his body in her direction. "What does he want with me, really?"

"You will find out." Lincoln answered and stepped out of the door, leaving Grace alone in the cabin.

~

Grace had almost fallen asleep in the chair, thinking about all kinds of different scenarios. Mostly they were about what Edward wanted from her. Almost all of the scenario's ended badly. Maybe that's because Grace had learned to always expect the worst case scenarios so that she could never be dissapointed.

Suddenly Edward barged into the Captain's Cabin with a flask of whiskey clutched into his hands, stumbling through the room until he stood before Grace. She had woken up from her slumber and looked up at him with big eyes.

"So, lass, tell me." Edward stepped closer to her, towering over her tiny frame. "Why were you imprisoned?"

"Why do you care?"

"Not your business." Edward answered. When Grace didn't look convinced he continued. "I heard much about this "inventor". Something tells me you know more about him than I do. "

"You should just forget about him." Grace stood up from the chair and walked past Edward. "Besides, it's none of your business." she mimicked his drunken pace and the way he slurred his words as she spoke, almost taunting him.

Edward's hand shot out and grasped her arm tightly, yanking on it so her back collided with the wall. He then walked closer to her, put his hand on the wall beside her head while looking at her intently.

Her breath hitched in her throat as she shivered beneath his gaze, trying to make herself smaller to try and get as far away from him as possible. She didn't dare to look away from his eyes though, and she felt strangely obliged to do so.

"You do know that you're on my ship, lass? You owe me your life."

"So, here's what you need to tell me." Edward glared at her. "Who is he and why are you so important to him?"

Grace raised one of her eyebrows at him and sighed, refusing to answer. Even though he was this close to her and very frightening, she felt courage flaming up inside of her. Edward took in a deep breath and then hit the wall next to her head in frustration, making her jump in surprise.

"Listen, if you don't fucking answer my questions I'll-"

"You'll what? Kill me? Throw me over board? Then you'll never have your answers." Grace said. She crossed her arms before her chest, looking unimpressed.

"At least I will have the satisfaction of killig a stubborn little girl."

"You don't strike me as a man that would kill or hurt a woman." Grace huffed and slightly cocked her head to the left, raising one eyebrow at him.

"Me? Aye, that's true. I can't say the same about my crew though." A small smirk appeared on Edward's lips. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I just gave you to them."

"You wouldn't." Grace's eyes widened slightly.

"I would." Edward shrugged, moving closer to Grace. "Not if you give me my answers."

Grace bit on her lip, looking into edwards eyes for any form of hesitation. When there wasn't she looked away, trying to think of a plan. "I'll make you a deal." Grace stated after a while.

Edward frowned and then nodded for her to continue.

"You will bring me to Kingsston unharmed and fed." Grace said and then thought of a decent deal.  "Where as I will tell you all you want to know."

Edward glared at her, thinking about her proposal. He frowned and sighed. Suddenly though he lifted his wrist and flicked it, causing the hidden blade to come out. Grace's eyes widened slightly as they followed the silver blade. He placed it on her throat while glaring at her.

"How about you tell me now, lass, right here and now or you'll have your throat cut."

"Believe me." Grace backed against the wall, trying to get as far away as possible. "You don't want to do that."

Edward laughed, laying the blade on her throat. "You're quite the fearless one, aren't you?"

Grace said nothing, just gulped while still trying to get away. Which she couldn't, she was trapped between the wall and Edwards body. Suddenly she became aware of the fact that his eyes were extremely blue and that his whole appearance in general wasn't excactly as ugly and horribe as people normally described pirates. She felt like a deer stuck in the headlights.

"You have no idea."

His hand retreated as he sheathed the hidden blade. Edward laughed when he saw the confused look on Grace's face.

"As you said, I don't kill women." Edward smiled.

"You can use the bed here." Edward said and walked away from Grace, turning his back at her.

"What if I prefer the crew's quarters?" Grace stuttered.

"We both know that isn't a good idea, love." Edward laughed and took another swig of his rum. "I don't bite."