Muddied Waters - Coda

Chapter Fifteen - Seize the Day

He loved her.

Jonathan watched Chelsea doze, estimating that dawn had arrived and they would have to get dressed, weigh anchor, get El Cachorro moving and follow the Lobo's lead. Though he wanted to stay in this moment forever, he'd had more than enough of his short piratical stint and hadn't bothered to hide his glee as she disclosed Rafael's plans to him in bed the night before. He'd expected her to be mournful about the new developments but something in her had changed, and very suddenly. She looked at him different in a way that both excited and assured him because he could never leave this ship without her. He loved her in every sense of the word, as if they were bound to each other by a chain comprised of tungsten links. El Cachorro's captain's cabin was small, but situated just under the bridge, had the added comfort of a window that allowed fresh air to waft in throughout the night – a luxury the rest of the crew couldn't enjoy in their cramped sleeping quarters below decks. Searching through the ink-black darkness in the room, Jonathan could tell by the outlines of the window frame that daylight was near. He gingerly eased off the cot, pulled on his trousers and stepped outside into the pre-dawn mist.

The two pirate ships swayed lightly side by side, the creaking and groaning of their timbers coupled with the snoring of crewmen who couldn't quite make it down to their hammocks. Jonathan stepped lightly to El Cachorro's starboard railing and looked past the Lobo to the brightening horizon, unaware of the eyes that were on him.

"Early bird catches the worm," a familiar voice said.

Jonathan locked eyes with Rafael in an adversarial fashion, not least because they stood on two different ships – one bigger, stronger, and better-manned than the other. His relationship with Chelsea had always been open – her occupation had made it so it couldn't be another way – so Jonathan learned early on not to give into jealousy and had even indulged in his own frivolous enjoyments with other women from time to time. The one instance where it would have actually hurt Chelsea was when he'd decided to accept Ava's advances. He'd known how much Chelsea disliked Ava. He didn't like Ava. Yet, he took her anyway because of a perceived slight he couldn't get over, and the proof that he had wronged her stood in front of him in the form of Rafael, displaying his shortcomings and weaknesses like a mirror.

"Good morning," Jonathan replied dryly.

Rafael grinned in a way that made Jonathan want to punch him if he wasn't sure he would get his clock cleaned in turn for doing so. The pirate replied, "so the captain's let her...his canary out for some air so he can get a few moments of peace. Were you flapping about and causing a fuss?"

"Canary, that's funny," Jonathan said flippantly, fuming inside. Rafael saw through the act and chuckled dismissively.

"Relax, songbird. I was only making a joke."

"A good jest, mate. I'll make sure to allow you some time to perform in between songs tonight."

"You'll allow me," Rafael replied in a tone that jarred Jonathan away from his shaky bravado. He almost apologized outright. The grin returned. "Heh, a songbird and a queer captain strut about a ship that has only been lent to them. Do not forget who's allowing who what, canary."

Jonathan heard the cabin door open and held back a sigh of relief.

"S'it time to weigh anchor, el capitan?" a fully clothed and transformed Chelsea asked.

"Rouse your men, capitana-Alix, we are going hunting at first light. Canary, maybe you should stay inside and let the men do their work. They would hate for their songbird to perish in all the excitement."

Rafael turned away and as he began to kick each of his slumbering crewmen awake, Chelsea leaned in and asked Jonathan quietly, "what did ye say to 'im?"