Chapter 6

Anne sat in Philip's chair, staring at the bolted door in fear. She had never been in a storm such as this and the sound of the huge ship groaning did little to put her mind at ease. Katherine stood next to the large pains of glass that over looked the ocean, her demeanor calm as she ran her hands over the dress. She smiled to herself, hearing a tiny voice in the back of her head screaming at her brother to let her help as the storm raged around the Ocean Blue.

"What was that?" Anne squealed, hearing the sound of splintering wood and the cries of the crew just outside as water began seeping through the bottom of the door. "Dear God in heaven, we're not going to survive this." She whimpered, crying into her hands as Katherine turned from the windows and started for the small porthole that looked out over the deck.

She could see men struggling in the rush of water, so much worse than any storm she had ever seen in her life at sea. Ropes flung across the deck as they struggled to keep the ship on course and from harm's way. In the dim light, Katherine could see the mast bending in the high winds, splinters of wood chipping away and flying into the air. "The mast is breaking." She whispered, turning back to look at Anne, her eyes full of concern. A mast was made of thick, sturdy wood and it wasn't suppose to bend in the way that it was. She had to do something. Katherine was quick into action, hurrying across the cabin to Philip's closet where there were coils of rope stored. She quickly picked up as many as she could carry, winding them around her arms.

"Is that bad?" Anne asked, looking at Katherine as she coiled the rope over her arm as fast as she could and started for the door.

"It's very bad." She stated as she started for the doors, sliding the bolt out of place. "Without a mast we'll flounder. If it pierces the hold, then we'll sink." Even speaking those words made her heart sink to the bottom of her toes. They couldn't allow that to happen. "Listen to me, Anne. Bolt the door and stay here. It's no place for you out there."

Katherine reached out a shaky hand and unbolted the cabin door, the wind ripping it from her hand as the ship tipped dangerously to one side. She felt her shoes sliding across the deck and she grabbed onto the doorframe for support as she heard a cry of surprise from Anne as the chair she was sitting in began to slide across the floor with a high pitched squeal.

Katherine's heart beat hard in her chest as she struggled back upright, looking out over the dark deck to the raging winds and water that awaited her. She had to help. There was no other choice. She slammed the door to the cabin shut behind her and hurried out into the rain.

In the confusion that was taking place, no one seemed to notice the slender figure that was slipping between them. Whether it was a rope that suddenly appeared in the right place at the right time or the extra set of hands that had come out of nowhere, no one really noticed that it was Katherine. Well, didn't notice her until a pair of strong arms grabbed her around the waist and jerked her away from the rope line that she was holding, stalking back towards the cabin.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" She heard Philip's voice growl in her ear, making her shiver in the cold rain at the possessiveness.

She squirmed in his arms, finally getting free just enough to drag her slippers across the rough wood and stop his path to the cabin. She found herself looking into eyes that had been shadowed by the night and rain, staring back at her with a mixture of concern, fear, and the most intense type of anger that she'd ever known. "Philip..." She began, squealing as he grabbed her by the upper arms and started to shake her.

"Are you insane? Do you not see that we're in the middle of a storm?" He raged at her, incensed by the fact she'd put herself in this kind of danger. To punctuate his words, lightning lit up the waves and thunder raced across the sky, as if God were agreeing with him.

"Philip, I grew up on a ship. I know exactly what I'm doing!" She shouted back at him, her red-haired fury being stoked by the anger in his eyes. Before she could speak again, the ship tipped violently as a wave of salt water crashed over the deck. Philip grabbed her tight around the waist and grabbed hold of the nearest thing that was stationary, holding on for dear life as he heard his men shouting back and forth for some sort of assistance.

Katherine's head was tucked against Philip's chest, her hands curled tightly in the soaked fabric of his tunic as she trembled slightly. She might have grown up on a ship, but she'd never seen a storm with a fury such as this. She didn't know what it was that kept her from returning to Anne and the cabin. Maybe it was stubborn pride, but all she knew was that she had to help them. She pulled her head back slightly to stare into his green eyes.

"Admit that you need my help!" Katherine shouted over the howling winds to Philip, watching as his eyes flashed an emotion that wasn't quite panic or fear. Was it acceptance that she finally saw on his face? "You need all the help you can get."

Philip's jaw tightened as he thought, knowing that she was right, but cringing at the thought of putting her in danger just to suit his own needs. "You are infuriating, beauty." He murmured, loosening his grip on her waist as he pointed off towards a group of men, lead by Albert, who were trying to use their strength to straighten the mast again. "Help them." He said, giving her a slight push in that direction as he stalked off across the deck, shouting orders as he went.

Katherine smiled in triumph, scurrying off to help with anything that she could. She noticed a few of the crew giving her long glances out of the corner of their eyes, probably cursing her for being a woman since women were such bad luck. In the end, it didn't really matter as the extra set of hands that she afforded was greatly needed.

She stood in the driving rain, a pleased look on her face as she watched the other crew members go about their business as the work on the mast was finished. She'd missed the work that a ship almost seemed to present, the sense of accomplishment at the end of the day when she solved something that helped and even saved the lives of a crew.

"You look very pleased." Albert said as he approached her, smiling at the blush that spread across her cheeks as she was jarred from her reverie.

"You think that I'm good enough to join the crew?" She asked, flashing him a brilliant smile as another flash of lightning lit up the sky, reminding her that there would still be a lot of hard work when this was all finished.

Albert just laughed, shaking his head as he draped his arm around Katherine's shoulders. "Zee Ocean Blue can do anything." He said, making her blush again as the ship started to tip dangerously to one side, his grip on her becoming tighter as they both looked towards the large wave that was racing towards them.

"Watch out!" Albert screamed above the wind as he grabbed Katherine and tossed her to the deck, covering her with his body as a wall of water crashed against the deck.

They were both swept across the deck, the spray of the salty water making it difficult to breathe as Albert grabbed hold of Katherine's waist with one hand, holding her tight against him as they finally came to a stop against the railing. The water continued to rush for a few moments before abating and both gasped for air in the short moment of peace.

Katherine coughed up water, looking through the stinging spray to the deck to see what damage had been done by the assaulting waves. She would see crew members running back and forth, a few running for cover below deck as she felt Albert hauling her up and to her feet. She wiped her eyes, shaking her head against the sting of the salt water when she suddenly felt something wrong. Looking around, her heart pounded as she realized just what it was she was feeling.

"Philip!" She shouted as she realized that he was nowhere to be seen on deck. "Philip!" Her scream was nearly hysterical as she raced to the railing, looking over to the ocean below. It was hard to see anything in the inky darkness as the cry of man overboard was giving, some of the crew racing into position to keep an eye out for their captain.

"There he is!" Shouted one of the sharp eyed crew members, pointing at a white speck in the waves not too far from the ship. The only problem was that in the middle of this storm, there was no way they could have reached him in row boat or with a rope.

Katherine felt her heart clench tight at the sudden decision that she had to make. There was only one way to reach him and it could mean death for whoever was stupid enough to try it. Without hesitation, she turned from the railing, hurrying to find the long coil of rope she'd grabbed from Philip's closet. It had been discarded in the confusion and never used. She looked down at the coarse rope in her hands and then back out to sea, saying a quick prayer at what she was about to do.

She stripped out of the red dress as quick as she could, tossing it to the ground she hurried back to the rail. The dress would only weight her down in the water, and she needed all the help she could get. "Katherine!" Albert shouted when he noticed what she had been doing, but it was too late as she leaped up onto the railing, swaying slightly as she looked out over the angry waters. She took just a moment to loop the rope twice around her waist, knotting it as tight as it would go. "Don't!" He shouted once more, but she was beyond listening. Without a second thought, she closed her eyes and jumped.

She leapt out into the open air, her underskirts whipping around in the fierce wind as she fell. 'This was a mistake, ' she thought to herself before bracing her body as she slammed into the waves below, the breath sucked from her lungs by the cold. She struggled to the top, taking in a deep breath of precious air before a wave rolled over her, forcing her back hard against the side of the ship.

She took in a deep breath of salt water as the force of the hit jarred her to her very bones. She fought with all of her strength to the surface again, gasping at precious air as she coughed up what she'd swallowed. As she floundered, she felt the rope holding her tight around the waist tug slightly, lifting her above the water slightly. It gave her a moment's reprieve from the battering waves and a sense of safety to know that the men up on deck held her life in their hands. With that knowledge, she began her search for Philip.

It was like finding a needle in a haystack, searching for his form in the dark ocean. She had no idea if this would really work or not, nor if she would really survive. She kept getting pushed under the water by angry waves as if some vengeful sea spirit were saying that she'd had more than her fair share of luck and this time it would run out.

She swam as hard as she could for the spot where she'd last seen Philip, searching in vain as she felt the rope around her waist pull taunt, almost jerking her backward. She glanced back at the ship, noting that Albert was giving the men instructions to pull her back. Katherine tried to shout back that she wasn't through yet, but her voice was drown out by the raging storm and soon she felt another harsh tug. She clawed at the water, trying to fight and for a brief moment she thought about untying herself, but knew that would be almost certain death.

"Philip!" She screamed as loud as she could, her voice echoing over the waters as she lost all hope of finding him. She shouted his name again, tears flowing down her cheeks as she felt another tug jerking her back towards the ship. She couldn't give up yet, not when there was a chance.

She untied the rope from around her waist, pulling herself forward through the violent waves with all her might. In the back of her mind, she could hear the startled cries of the crew on deck as the rope suddenly went slack and Albert shouting her name, telling her to come back, but she was beyond listening.

She shouted his name again, squealing as a large wave forced her under. It was when she went under the water that she was hit by something large, something that seemed to grab onto her and pull her deeper beneath the water. She grasped the object in her hands and kicked for the surface, gasping for air as she finally broke through the waves. It was sheer luck that she was holding onto Philip's arm as it wrapped around her waist tightly. She grabbed onto his shirt and forced him above the waves, relief sweeping through her when she heard him cough and gasp for air. She looped her arm around him and started to fight against the waves to get back to the ship. She knew that they could still very well perish out there in the middle of the storm, but they were both stubborn enough to survive it as well.

Philip was only faintly aware of the gentle pull that was dragging him through the waves. He was more intent on gaining the air that had been denied him while he was alone in the ocean. When his lungs stopped burning and he'd coughed up the water, her assessed the situation, anger burning deep in his chest at the realization that Katherine had been the one to put herself in danger.

"You're insane, you know that?" He shouted at her, pulling her to a stop in her effort to reach the ship and holding her tight. He tried to tell himself that it was to keep her safe, but deep inside, he knew that all he wanted to do was hold her.

Katherine was surprised to hear him speak and even more startled when he dragged her towards him, enveloping her in a tight embrace. Her hands curled into his shirt, her legs kicking to keep them afloat as she stared at him in the darkness. The storm seemed to disappear around them as her eyes met his, fear mingled with desire showing in his green eyes. Before she knew it, his mouth claimed hers in the most passionate kiss that she'd ever known, stealing her air and making her feel as if she were the one drowning.

"Philippe!" Albert shouted, finally spotting the two in the water as they neared the ship and suddenly stopped. "Throw zhe line back!" He shouted back to the crew, hoping to distract them from what their captain was doing to his savior in the water.

The rope thudded across the hull as it was pitched back down, breaking the kiss as Philip made a grab for it, his grip tight on both Katherine and the rope and he would be damned if he let go of either. It was a sudden jerk that pulled the two of them free of the water, relief passing over him. She clung to him as tightly as she could, wanting with all her power to be out of the water and safe on board again. She'd never make a stupid decision again, she promised herself.

Strong hands grabbed Philip, pulling him over the rail and separating him from Katherine. He tried to protest, made a grab for her again, but it all seemed terribly unimportant when he felt the deck beneath him once more as the men dropped him to the floor.

Philip took in a deep breath, laying boneless on the deck as he welcomed the feel of solid wood beneath his body. He turned his head slightly to watch as Albert hauled a dripping Katherine over the side of the boat. She stumbled to the deck, laying face down for a long moment as if hugging the deck beneath her in thanks. Philip just chuckled to himself as he slowly sat up, a sense of relief sweeping through the crew as their captain seemed relatively unscathed, thanks to the unlikeliest of heroes.

Philip watched as Katherine slowly pushed herself up from the deck, shivering in the cool air that had come after the storm. He could help but appreciate how the wet cloth clung to the curves of her body. Those thoughts were suddenly stifled when he noticed the look of pure exhaustion that marred her features.

"Kit?" He asked as he found the last bit of his strength, moving to her as she struggled to sit up.

"Never say that I didn't do anything for you, Philip." She murmured as she gasped for air, finally flopping onto her back on the deck as the wind howled harder.

He laughed at that, laying down beside her and letting the rain wash him clean. There was a murmur that sounded between the crew, but Philip chose to ignore it. It didn't matter to him at the moment why she'd saved him, just that she had. He slowly pushed himself to his feet, thanking Albert for what he'd done before he bent down and picked Katherine up off the deck, cradling her in his arms as he started for his cabin.

A look to Anne sent her scurrying out the door to give them privacy. He gently lay Katherine down on the bed, smiling as he noticed her already peacefully asleep. He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, jerking it back suddenly as if he'd been burned. "Don't get attached." He murmured to himself as he set about undressing them both to get warm. It wasn't long before he was curled around her slender form, the quilt tucked securely around them as he dozed into a light sleep.

Katherine woke a few hours later, blessedly warm. She noticed that something was pressed against her back, hugging her close and rumbling slightly. Turning her head, she noticed Philip, his face peaceful in sleep. She felt her heart tug at the sight, wanting so much for him to admit that he really did care about her. She feared that she would shatter into a million pieces if he ever turned her away.

Silently moving out of bed, Katherine pulled on a new gown, stretching out her still tired muscles as she moved to the windows. The sea had quieted, the distant rumble of thunder still heard off on the horizon, but the ship was rocking gently. It had made it through the night, a fact that she suddenly felt proud and partly responsible for. She heard Philip move on the bed, his hand gliding across the sheets as if searching for her. She didn't even bother to turn around when she heard him set up, glancing around the room before settling back down as he spotted her.

"You saved my life." Philip said, the single thought the only thing on his mind as he looked at Katherine's form in the darkness as she stared out the window to the moon lit ocean. "Why, beauty? I haven't been the most accommodating to you."

Katherine sighed, pushing aside an errant curl that had drifted in front of her face. She couldn't tell him the truth. He wouldn't listen to her even if she did tell him that she had feelings for him. She closed her eyes slightly, taking in a deep breath to steal her nerve. "I saved you because a ship needs a captain." She said simply, never taking her eyes off the sea.

"Oh." Philip said, his shoulders sagging slightly. He ran hand over his face with a sigh. Why was this so damn hard? She was nothing more than a girl that he'd had a fling with, another conquest, but something was gnawing at the back of his mind. It was like his conscience was screaming at him to just say the words that were burning a hole through him. But what were those words?

Katherine heard the sigh and turned her head slightly, peaking at him over her shoulder. The way that his emotions warred with his face, that sadness in his eyes told her all that she needed to know. She had a power now and she was going to use it. "Sometimes people have a chance to make a difference in life." She turned from the window to stare at him, the bright sunlight turning her hair into a halo of fire around her shoulders. "Maybe this is your chance."

Philip let out an exasperated sigh and just shook his head. As much as he had feelings for her, he was growing tired of that speech. "Beauty, there is no chance." He stated, leaning back on his bunk and staring at the ceiling just so he wouldn't have to look at her. He wasn't sure that his resolve would be as strong if he saw the sadness in her eyes. "There's too much at stake."

If there was ever a man in denial, it was Philip Montard. Katherine, gritted her teeth to keep her anger at bay. She knew that he was falling in love, just as she was, but he was too damn stubborn to admit it. Well, if he wouldn't say those words for himself, she'd just have to drag it out of him. She crossed the room quickly, pushing Philip the rest of the way against the mattress, straddling his hips in one smooth motion as she glared down at his surprised green eyes.

She grabbed his wrists as he reached out for her, she wouldn't let him touch her again until he changed his mind. She held down his wrists with a strength that was impressive, considering her slender form. She stared down at him with those deep blue eyes, prying into his mind and soul. From her position across his hips, she could feel that her actions weren't in vain, gaining the perfect reaction from him as she leaned down and left her lips hovering slightly over his.

"This is the only way that I can talk to you and make you listen." She whispered to him, never taking her eyes off his. "You won't make me go to Bega..."

"Beauty, I..." Philip's interruption was cut off when Katherine pressed her lips softly to his, a groan of frustration escaping his lips as his hips bucked ever so slightly. He had never had a woman do this to him before, practically drive him crazy. He tried to pull his wrists from her grasp, but found that in some strange way, he couldn't do it. Maybe it was because he enjoyed this too much.

"No, Philip." She murmured as she pulled back from the kiss, pressing down harder on his straining wrists. "You won't make me go to Bega because you love me. I can see it in your eyes. The way that you move, the way that you look at me like you're studying a painting, everything about you tells me this. Admit it."

Philip stared at her, his heart racing as she said that. It was true, of course it was, but he couldn't bring himself to say those words to her. Somewhere between his heart and his brain the words were caught, like a lump strangling him. "Beauty, I can't..." He tried again, his eyes widened as she let out a growl of anger.

"Yes, you can!" She shouted down at him, her nails digging into his wrists. It was then that something inside of her broke and the calm mask that had been her face twisted into an ugly saddened mess. "Yes, you can." She whispered softer this time, shaking her head slightly as tears rolled down the bridge of her nose and dropped onto Philip's face. "You are the only person in the world that can. If you don't love me, then say it, because my heart cannot take this anymore."

Philip felt like someone was squeezing his heart tight in his chest as he watched those blue eyes slowly start to break, all of the sadness and desperation coming through suddenly. 'Jesus, this shouldn't be so hard, ' he thought to himself as he watched her lower her forehead to rest against his chest, the grip on his wrists loosening as Katherine started to sob.

Without a word, Philip pulled himself from her grasp, grabbing her around the waist and turning quickly to pin her underneath him, watching the tears as they rolled down her cheeks from startled eyes. He didn't want her to hurt anymore, that much was apparent, but there was something else there behind that want to protect. He was in love with Katherine Moore the person, where he was once in love with the legend of the woman before him.

"Beauty." He said softly, his hands softly tracing the sides of her jaw as he stared down into her eyes. "You have to trust me." He said as he leaned his head down, placing a feather soft kiss to her lips. "No one will hurt you." He whispered, kissing away her tears as she slowly stopped trembling.

Had he just admitted that he felt something for her? Her mind was spinning at that thought. None of that seemed to matter at the moment, the entire world slipping away when he kissed her. She wasn't expecting the tight hug that he wrapped her in, like she was the thing that was saving him from being set adrift at sea. She held still as he lowered his head, pressing his ear again her breast bone and staying like that for a long moment.

Philip listened to the pace of her heart, reminding himself that she wasn't just an object, but a person. A person with a heart that would break if he tried to make her go away ... just as his would, he was sure. He lifted his head from her chest, looking down once more when a glint of metal caught his eye. He simply smiled as he saw that she was still wearing the necklace that he'd given her.

He leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers as he ran his hands gently over her curves. If he had to promise her the world, he was going to make sure that she remembered that very moment. He obviously didn't have the words to do it, but he could certainly show her in other ways.

It took mere moments to remove Katherine's clothing, a smile crossing Philip's face at the slight blush that crossed her cheeks. He could see her need to trust him deep in those blue eyes and his smile faded slightly as he leaned his forehead down to rest against hers, watching her expression change to confusion for a moment before a slight haze of pleasure took over as he gently traced the curve of a breast with his fingertips.

This feeling frightened Philip more than he cared to admit, like he was giving up a part of himself to the woman in front of him. Not that he minded in the least, but it meant that he would have to give something in return. Comfort was too little, he thought to himself as he cupped her small breast and gently feathered his thumb over the tip, watching as she gasped and pushed her breast against his hand. He could offer no less than love.

He watched as Katherine's eyes widened slightly, her entire body stilling beneath him as she slowly moved her hands to cup his cheeks. "Do you mean it, Philip?" She whispered softly, her hands snaking up into his hair, holding him gently.

He clenched his brow in confusion, his hands never pausing as he stroked along the length of her body, pausing at the fiery curls between her legs. It felt like someone had stolen all of the air in the cabin as he realized what he'd done. He hadn't just thought those words, but spoken them out loud. "I can't offer anything less." He murmured again, his heart being rewarded with a smile from Katherine as she groaned slightly when his fingers brushed against her slick flesh.

He teased her into a frenzy, his fingers playing and stroking until she twisted and turned on the bed. When he finally pulled himself out of his clothing and entered her, she was nearly out of her mind with need. He was gentle with her, loving, and those words were there on his lips when she finally came with a cry, fingers clenching in his hair.

"I love you, Katherine." She heard him murmur as she floated somewhere in the heavens. It was a short while later when she felt him pause in mid-stroke, groaning into the skin on her neck as he came in her, his heart pounding wildly. "I love you." He whispered again as her eyes struggled against exhaustion.

She'd heard the words and they weren't a dream. She gave him a lazy smile, her eyes finally closing as she felt him pull her close and hold her tightly to the solid wall of his chest. A soft kiss to her lips was the last thing that she knew before she passed into the world of dreams, feeling safe in the fact that her heart wouldn't be broken by the man that she loved.

Philip gently kissed Katherine on the tip of the nose, watching her as she slept. She was so peaceful, like all of her worry just melted away. He traced a finger over the bridge of her nose, down over her lips and down her neck. He watched as the hand that lay curled near her face tensed for a second before she sighed and relaxed again. He had a decision to make and he wasn't terribly certain of the path that lay before him now. Before, she had been nothing but a bargaining chip, something to be traded, but now ... now she was slowly becoming his life.

He placed another soft kiss on her forehead and slipped out of bed, looking out at the twilight sky as it turned purple and then slowly darkened to blue. He pulled on a pair of trousers and slipped on a shirt, not even bothering to tie it as he slipped into his boots and exited the cabin. The sea air was warm, the smell of salt heavy as a gentle wind blew. It was a perfect night.

Philip nodded good evening to the crew members that he passed as he made his way toward the wheel where Albert was charting the stars in the clear night sky. It was the first time they had been able to do this in a very long time.

"You and I have theengs to talk about." Albert said, not even looking up from his work as he heard Philip approach.

"And what would that be?" He asked as he dismissed the cabin boy and leaned against the railing to stare at his friend.

Albert made a few more notations on the paper and then set the quill pen down, turning his eyes towards Philip as he took a deep breath, wondering just how to broach the subject. "Bega has been spotted." He said, stabbing right to the point.

Philip masked his emotions, his face remaining impassive even though it felt like he'd been hit full force in the stomach. He casually looked at his fingernails, studying them in the lamplight from the lantern that Albert had strung up to write his charts. "How far away?"

"We passed a sheep no more than a few hours ago. Zhe captain said zhat Bega had been spotted a day away from here." Albert sighed and tried not to let his frustrations show through too much. He hated having Katherine here and putting her in that much danger. "News travels fast around here, you know zhat. Eet's only a matter of time before Bega meets zhat sheep and gets information. What do we do?" He asked, at a loss for what to do for the first time in his life.