Jeff the Accountant Escapes the Wretched Burning Depths of Hades

I Believed You Found In Me The Same Thing I Found In You

Edward rampaged across the deck of Hell's Ferry toward Stede/Cinna. For years to come those who were there would swear that they witnessed thunder and lightning itself keeping pace with Blackbeard's footsteps. He stepped, lightning struck the water. He stepped, thunder pounded. He stepped, lightning forked across the sky. He stepped, thunder resonated in their chests.

"How are you doing that???" Cinna cried out, astonished. Soon enough he realized this was not the time to look on in awe at one more of the incomparable Blackbeard's superhuman gifts.

The man who was seemingly bending the storm to his will was racing toward him. And that man looked like he was capable of snapping his neck, or running him clean through with his sword, or lifting him and throwing him over the side of the ship. He looked capable of those things, and he looked like he wanted to do those things.

Cinna ran.

No one tried to block Blackbeard's way. He reached the door of the captain's quarters. Cinna locked it, knowing full well that it wouldn't hold against Ed's kick. Time - even fractions of a second, was what he was hoping for. So he could think. So he could find the right words.

When the door burst open and Blackbeard stepped inside, an other-worldly silence grew in the room. Blackbeard breathed heavily. His chest heaved. His brow furrowed. His eyes narrowed.

"I don't know what I'm feeling right now..."

He didn't realize he'd said that out loud.

Outside, the storm had died down considerably. The calmer waters made it possible for everyone to gather in one place. The Revenge was known by most, so that was the natural choice. But quickly the separated members of Stede's and Blackbeard's crew reunited aboard Hell's Ferry.

"What did you say, Ed?" Stede couldn't believe what he was hearing. He could scarcely believe he was standing in the same room with Ed after all this time. Blackbeard said nothing. As was previously stated, he didn't  know what he was feeling. He knew he didn't like it. The not-knowing.

He didn't want to step any closer to Stede. He didn't want to look away, either. He wanted to KNOW. What is happening??? What happened to get the two of them to this point? He lowered his arm and sheathed his sword.

"How fucking dare you?!"

Stede took on a look of confusion. "What?"

"How dare you stand there and ask me to repeat myself. After all this time...after forcing me to leave without you that night." "I waited for you." "I cut it close, man." "I didn't want to believe you wouldn't come. I didn't want to sail off alone. Not after...after I believed you found in me the same thing I found in you."

"You make Stede happy". "That's what you said."

"Well, to be fair, you said I made you happy, first."

Another dark expression that Stede hadn't seen before now shone across Edward's face.

"I've had time to think, Stede. And I tell you now that I don't know if I made you happy. Or if it was your warped vision of the legendary Blackbeard. The Blackbeard in your twisted daydream of what it means to be a bloodthirsty pirate captain."

"I question if you ever felt anything, for the man I am. When you got glimpses, you didn't want me to be that man. Nor was I okay in your eyes when I opened up and admitted to being okay with letting go of all of it. You made me soft."  "But you didn't want me soft, either." You were proud and squeamish at the same time, all those days you were with me."

Blackbeard paused. He searched Stede's face. Looking for - what? He didn't know.

"I'm guilty of not seeing the real you. I see that now. You were like no one I'd ever met. And I let go of the man I was. I lost myself." "You, you unspeakable prick."

"Ed. Let's not say things that we're going to regret later."

Blackbeard's face saddened. He shook his head slightly.

"I love it when he makes that face" Stede thought. Ed's forehead was crinkled. He looked pensive. But ashamedly, Stede realized it was pain he was seeing.

"Things like 'I'm Ed'?"

Stede knew that he was referring to when he first introduced himself, as they were looking into each other's eyes. Stede was laid up in bed, recovering from his belly-wound. Ed was holding vigil over him.

"Well. Be just a little bit more melodramatic, will you, Blackbeard?" he derided the man whose eyes had been boring into him for the last few moments.

"Be...be...YOU'VE LOST YOUR BLOODY MIND, MAN". Edward couldn't hold his anger in any longer. He drew his sword and charged Cinna, who deftly avoided contact with the blade.

Disbelief at Stede's skill at dodging his attack, and horror that he came so close to causing harm to the man he had spent months trying to find, just so he could hold him, brought Ed to his knees.

Stede slowly walked to him. He offered his hand. "Not on your knees, Ed." He helped him up. "I should be kneeling in front of you. Asking for your forgiveness doesn't begin to cover it."

They stood in silence.

Lucius was at the door. He walked in, felt the wall of tension surrounding Ed and Stede, and gulped.

"Leave us." Edward said.

Stede looked at Lucius and smiled in a way the boy had never seen. Was that confidence? Acknowledgement?

"Good to see you, Lucius."

"Boy. Did you not hear me?"

"I guess that's some of that 'you made me soft' you were talking about?" Stede mockingly asked Edward.

"Come on." Blackbeard roughly took Lucius by the arm and led him out the door. He shut it behind him. Looking at Stede he said "We are going to have a long talk."

No one else was privy to what the two of them said to each other, or did to each other. But tears were shed. Things were thrown. Words were screamed. False exits were attempted. Apologies were shushed. Vows were made. Long embraces were exchanged. Weight was lifted.

From the shoulders of the man who started out as a bumbling pirate captain wannabe, a former spoiled little rich boy. And from the shoulders of the man who spent most of his life as a feared and respected menace of the seven seas. A man whose pirating ways had brought people into his life who suffocated him, wanting him to be bigger and badder.

When the door was opened and they left the room, they left, not as new men, but themselves. Two men in love. The rest of their lives together ahead of them.

All that was left was to find new homes for the children.