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Your aching feet stepped into the local tavern, the place was dimly lit, enhancing the grimy features of the place as you pressed shyly through the drunken bodies and leery looks that made your skin crawl.

You couldn't believe that you had seen Vane's ship in the docks. It was too good to be true, you wondered if anyone had seen him around - as you felt you could really use a familiar face... Yet again you wondered whether he would even want to look at you, considering all that had happened.

Still, you pressed on through the tavern, making it to the bar.

"excuse me," you started, voice still hoarse from all the upset at the Grandmaster's villa. "I don't suppose you've seen a gentleman come through here by the name of Charles Vane? Dark hair, big leather coat?"

"Aye, I may know the bloke." the man said over the bar, scanning you. Despite how disheveled you felt, you looked considerably pretty and out of place in the dress, stood in the middle of the tavern. The way he looked at you next sent an unsettling sensation through the base of your stomach.

"Could you tell me where he might be?" you asked timidly, the sickening feeling further rousing at his seedy smile and the intent gaze he sent your way.

"I can for a price, love." he said with a husky voice that made you coil away quickly. You weren't sure what to say but you made your disgust quite clear. The bar tender grabbed your hand swiftly, not minding about hurting you.

"What's that look for?" he growled, his hold on you very firm as you tried to pull away with a worried look. Not again, you thought, you couldn't go through this pain again.

Suddenly, you witnessed another hand dip in and practically crush the arm of the bar tender, making him pull away sharply with a cuss.

"Watch it, pisshead."

You recognized those raspy baritones anywhere, you turned and saw him. Vane. He looked so tired, more than he had done before. His eyes were weary and bloodshot, telling the story of many late nights at sea or in the tavern, looking for answers at the bottom of a bottle.

"We need to talk." was all he said initially, a skeptical look on his face.

----

It was a warm in the night air as you and Vane went to the docks by his ship to talk, you felt you owed him that much after what had happened.

"Why did you leave?" Vane jumped straight in, "Why did you just disappear like you did?"

You took a sharp, deep breath in. You didn't wish to make him or Edwar feel guilty whatsoever, it was your own decision- but it was mostly because you couldn't take the fact you felt you were slowly ripping Nassau's society apart.

"I wanted to leave. I hated watching you and Kenway at each other's throats." you said in a controlled voice as you looked at your feet. Vane was oddly quiet for a few moments.

"Us... me and Kenway, we were bloody devastated." he opened up, looking over at you, "you just disappeared, we couldn't believe it. We spent countless days and nights trying to find you."

"You shouldn't of," you stopped, as Vane stopped too and stood beside you, towering over you. "I left because I didn't want to be causing anyone anymore fuss."

"well you leaving caused us more grief than you could ever imagine." he said, he sounded mad but in a tender and concerned way, as he took hold of your hands, "I didn't know what had happened to you..." his eyes got glassy... were those tears?

"I was petrified you could've been mugged, raped, killed...." he said as he caught your (eye colour) glance, "I know I was a prick those last few months before you left, (name)," Vane stated, "But i was a prick because I was frightened I had lost you for good. Angry I couldn't have what I wanted.."

Suddenly you found you couldn't look at him because you were about to cry yourself.

"I know you have feelings for Kenway, and those feelings don't exist for me..." he said, "But I need you. I see now I struggle to be if you're not around."

"Vane those feelings are there...," you corrected him, "But I'm just confused, upset..." you finally wept, "I've had one hell of a night and right now I just want to dive into the ocean with two bricks attached to my feet." you said to Vane. Next thing he did warmed you but also further brought you to tears.

"I won't have it. I didn't come halfway across the ocean to lose you again." he said, pulling you into a tight hug, his arms making you feel so safe as he held you steady while you had your upset.

Truth be told, you had missed Edward and Vane more than you would ever know- and in Vane's arms that became more apparent to you. But you were so confused, it felt your heart was a poor tattered piece of meat at this point that had been savaged by a pack of wolves. You just needed to get away from it all

"Vane... can we leave..." you whispered against his coat, the overpowering smell of leather and whiskey radiating from it

"Where?" He asked you

"Away from here. Tonight... can we just go?" You asked gingerly. You didn't ever want to see the likes of Grandmaster Torres, Woodes Rodgers or Julian Du Casse ever again.

Vane nodded softly as he walked you back up onto the deck of the Ranger, a brig that thought you many memories- both horrid and pleasant. But that didn't seem to matter now, as you were getting out of here

"I need to get you back to Nassau," Vane explained, "Kenway will be happy to find out you're alive." The man explained. There was some dullness to his tone where there should've been vivacity but of course Vane's sentence had further reminded him that Edward had originally stolen your heart like the prized jewel from a profitable plunder.

So that night The Ranger set sail across the dark blue waters, quiet and tranquil and worlds away from the horror of what you had just encountered.

But travelling back to Nassau brought new questions and further curiosities that you had otherwise been so oblivious to before.

The symbol you saw at the Grandmaster's villa, the same symbol that you had seen stitched into Edward's robes- you had many questions surrounding that. It appeared to be, that whatever was going on, it was representative for a cult of some kind- just like the cross on the necklaces you'd seen Torres, Rodgers and Du Casse wearing. A secret war perhaps?

You knew Edward was a pirate, there was now hiding that- but had he secretly been operating with a cult? An organisation? Fighting men who were alike to your three attackers in Havana?

All were questions that hung over you like a thick black rain cloud. You needed to know now, or you feared your mind shouldn't ever peace

But for the moment, and with a long trip ahead- you were quite happy to rest in Vane's quarters which he happily let you have. He could see how exhausted you were, and although the man wasn't fully aware of the trials you had face- the aching dullness behind your eyes told the story of everything. From the first arrival in Havana- to running away in the night, dress torn, and not looking back.

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A/N: hey people! OMG ITS AN UPDATE! I know it's a little shorter but I'm trying to make what I can out of this story! Thanks for your patience and I love you all!