Past Pirate Ship

Chapter 24

Danny's P.O.V.

"Here you go Lass." Pepper said while placing a plate of eggs and biscuits in front of me.

"Thanks." I said, sending him a cheeky grin.

I was just about to take my first bite when Chip came in. He gazed around the mess before his eyes landed onto me. He took a straight path towards the table I was sitting at.

"Ahoy Lass." He greeted.

"Ahoy Chip." I mocked, "What can I do for you?"

"Cap'n be lookin' fer ye." He explained.

I sighed and looked longingly at my food, before declaring I could always come back. I stood up and gave Chip a bump on the shoulder as I walked past him.

I stepped from inside the mess, out onto the main deck. I immediately spotted Theo on the sterncastle deck steering the ship.

"You were looking for me?" I asked once I had reached his side.

He turned around and motioned for me to step closer. He took my hands and positioned them so I was holding the wheel and his hands covered mine like they had with the night of that big storm we had.

"I wanted to apologize." He began after a tick of the clock.

"For what?"

"For being unreasonable with you."

"You already have-" I protested and turned so I was facing him.

He stopped me by placing his finger onto my lips and whispering, "Properly."

My eyes searched his and I found that he desperately needed to get this out; not for me but for him. With a nod from me he set off, "I want to apologize for the way I had acted towards what you had said to me. It had sounded absolutely absurd and I had thought you were playing with me. When it was clear you hadn't been fooling around, I didn't know what to do nor how to take it. I have been hurt many times in my short lifetime and it has mostly been by the hands of betrayal. It was only natural for me to associate the confusion with betrayal - even though it had nothing to do with the meaning of the word. You trusted me and I had thrown it into the ocean without a second thought. I want your trust back and just like you had trusted me with your life story, I want to trust you with mine like I already have." His whole being showed truth and vulnerability, "I hope you can forgive me, wholly forgive me, and maybe even learn to accept me and care for me like I care for you."

I cupped his cheek, giving a gentle smile, and said "I already have." Before giving him a quick peck on the lips and turning back around - purely to hide my flaming cheeks.

"Oh, before I forget. You still have the scroll, correct?"

"The treasure?" He nodded, "Yes. I put it under my bed before I went to sleep last night." I said recalling how I had wanted, for some odd reason, to hide the scroll.

"Good. Could you go get it? I want to lock it up. I don't want to take any chances." He said politely.

Slipping out of his arms I hastily rush towards my cabin.

With a ruff push, I opened the door. My foot hooked onto a raised piece of flooring and I went tumbling to the deck, scraping my knees and ripping the material from my trousers open at my kneecap.

Typical me.

I hissed in pain but ignored it further and continued with my mission.

Peeking under the bed I spotted the scroll. I nippily snatched it up and made my way back to Theo.