This is a work of fiction, loosely based on the character "Captain Jack Aubrey" from the film "Master and Commander". I do not own the copyright on that character, but only on the premise of this story.

This story is for readers over the age of 18 only, and contains explicit sexual situations and adult language. The writer is not responsible for any "discomfort" caused to the reader by this language and these situations.

The Survivor - Part Two
by splitti

©02/2005

How different traveling on a man-of-war is to traveling on a passenger’s ship.

As soon as I had recovered, Jack continued with the target shootings.

I built up a loose friendship with Dr. Maturin, Stephen, and he insisted I was to assist him with his patients. Jack refused my offer to pay for the passage. But I did not want to exploit his hospitality or take advance out of the tender relationship that was growing deeper and deeper each day. So Stephen and I agreed that would be the best I could do.

There’s always work to do in the infirmary. Stephen and I got very close and he helped me a lot with understanding the way of life on a man-of-war.

The crew got used to my presence, too. I rather enjoyed the voyage more and more each day. Jack tried to spend as much time as he could with me. But the closer we got to the destination of his order the less time he could afford.

The only occasions we met were the evenings when Stephen and he played their music or when I was invited to the Captain’s Dinner. But even those became very rare moments.

Then one day he asked for me through Stephen to his cabin. Officially. “Johanna.” It always sounded like ‘Jo-anna’ he missed the h. His voice held a serious tone. “Johanna. We will reach our destination within the next two days. If the wind favours us now as it did the past two days, we may reach the point by tomorrow.” He paused. His eyes dropped down to look at the map.

I waited for a while for him to continue. He breathed deeply, seemed to struggle against himself, against what he had to say. We spoke together.

“Jack, what…?”

“Johanna, I will send you ashore. I will have Calamy and three seamen take you to San Salvador in my boat. It will be a two day journey.” His face seemed cold, his eyes mirrored his emotions.

“Jack, I…” I began, but his look hardened. He wouldn’t brook any dissent. I took a deep breath, my jaw tightening. With a controlled, calm voice I said, “I will be ready.” I turned around to leave the cabin.

“Joy!” Hoarse and at the same time demanding, sad, loving. I hesitated for a brief moment, squared my shoulders and left.

I knew he was right, sending me ashore. His mission was too dangerous and San Salvador was my destination anyhow. During the week before, we’d had a few days of calms. That had put us behind our schedule.

I went to my small cabin. I didn’t need much time to pack my clothes. When I was ready, I went on deck. I needed some fresh air. The crew didn’t stare at me anymore when I was on deck. Mostly they ignored me, when I passed by they greeted.

It was a sunny day with a steady breeze. The always present bustling activity on deck distracted me from my sad thoughts.

Lost in thoughts I jumped when I felt his hand stroking my upper arm. He led me to the stern deck and we sat down on the bench there. That was new. Usually I sat and he stood there or measured the deck with his steps. Sometimes I joined him, which depended on the circumstances, of course. And now he sat beside me, holding my hand in both of his, looking in my direction but not looking at me.

Unspoken words reached my heart. He cleared his throat, squeezed my hand gently and stood up to pace back and forth across the stern deck. Before he let go of my hand he asked “Would you like to join me for dinner?” I did not know what to say. I even did not know if I could make it through a Captain’s dinner that evening, with his officers. He looked at me desperately. “Please.” I could feel it more than actually hear it. I nodded.

When I entered the Great Cabin I was surprised to see only Stephen and Jack there, and to find the table only set for three. I felt uncomfortable but sat down at Jack’s right.

We ate the first course in silence. When Killick had served the main course, Stephen tried to make conversation which was half-heartedly answered by Jack and me. It was an odd situation and I felt as if something would happen.

After the dessert I found out how right I was.

Stephen apologised and said he had to leave because of some patient who needed to be looked after. His hand held mine a bit too long and his eyes locked with mine like they hadn’t done before.

“Dinner for three?” I said sarcastically and added, “You needed Stephen as the alibi guest?” I regretted the words before I spoke them, but I couldn’t take them back.

Jack looked hurt, and caught. Before he could reply I stood up. “Jack, I’m sorry. I better leave now.” I hurried for my cabin.

Before I could close the door of my cabin, Jack stepped in.

“Johanna.” He closed the door and waited for a reply. But what should I say? I had messed up. I would leave for Brazil tomorrow. I would never see him again. So why talk? Why rub salt in our wounds? “Johanna, please look at me.”

He closed the gap between us with a few steps, stroked my upper arm with the back of his hand.

I turned and buried my face in his chest. He held me tight, kissing the top of my head, whispering his love to me.

Gently he lifted my chin so I had to look at him. “Don’t let us part like this.” He looked pleading into my eyes. “Stay with me tonight.” I nodded and he led me back to his cabin.

As soon as he had closed his door I flung my arms around his neck, buried my face against his broad chest and sobbed. “I’m sorry Jack. I didn’t want to be like this.” I said between sobs.

“Shh, dear Joy.” He soothed me. “We are all anxious of what lies ahead. The tension often makes us say things which we regret later.”

He held me until I stopped sobbing, until my body stopped shaking.

“Jack,” I looked up, my eyes met his, filled with love and need.

“Yes, Johanna,” his lips almost touched mine.

“Promise me, we’ll meet again,” I whispered.

He looked at me seriously. “Johanna, I will not make a promise that I cannot keep.”

I wanted to tell him that I didn’t care, if he would make the promise, I wouldn’t blame him if he could not keep his promise. I just wanted to hear that promise.

But the look in his eyes, sad, honest and full of love, made me just say, “Love me then.”

As if he had been waiting for this, Jack bent down to me and kissed me, tenderly at first. He pulled in my upper lip, then my lower lip, captured both lips with his mouth, let his tongue brush my lips until I opened them.

We hurried to undress each other, our hands roaming our bodies, our kisses covering every inch of our skin. It was desperate lovemaking. Knowing we would never see each other again.

The morning twilight found us entwined together in his hammock. As always, I woke up to the harsh noises of the mops above his cabin.

‘I will miss all of this.’ I thought and sighed.

He squeezed my shoulders and kissed the top of my head. “Sweet Joy.” He took a deep, trembling breath. “I wish…” He never finished his sentence.

Drums were rolling, shouts and calls from everywhere. In the blink of an eye, Jack was up and dressed. “Get dressed, Johanna. Go to your cabin and be ready to leave in a hurry.” And with that he was gone.

In less than ten minutes everything was quiet again, quiet but not calm. I waited anxiously in my cabin for the call that would never come.

Mr. Calamy, the young midshipman, entered my cabin without knocking. “Excuse me, Milady. Captain Aubrey gave the order to show you to the orlop. You’ll be safer there.”

“What happened, Mr. Calamy?” On our way down to the orlop he told me that the ship they’d been looking for had been sighted and that we would be engaged in battle soon.

We had just climbed down to the orlop when the bellowing of the guns roared through the ship. Mr. Calamy looked concerned from me to the stairs and back.

“I’ll be fine, Mr. Calamy. I know my way around here.” I assured him and encouraged him to go to his station. “Milady.” He bowed lightly to me and went off.

I knew the infirmary was on the orlop deck and so I went there, certain that Stephen would need some help soon. As the next bellowing marked the next fired broadside, the first shots from the enemy hit the Surprise hard.

A few moments later, I stood at Stephen’s side, the first wounded on his table. He and Higgins, his assistant, treated the man whilst I took care of some lightly wounded seamen who one after the other hurried back to their stations as soon as their wounds were cleaned and dressed.

We were busy, but not as much as I’d imagined according to the noises from all around. The gunfire had stopped and a jerk went through the ship. We could hear shouts and calls and running feet for a while, then all seemed quiet except from some rifle shots from the marines. The noises came from far behind.

I looked questioningly at Stephen. “We are boarding them. Let us put some things together and go on deck.”

He smiled at my uncertain look and added with a look at his assistant. “We’re done here, Johanna. They will need us up there. You will be safer here, dear.”

I shook my head. “You’re not going to leave me down here all alone.” Stephen looked seriously at me, then handed me one of his pistols. “Just in case,” he said.

The fight on deck of the enemy ship was almost finished. I looked around to find Jack but I could not see him.

There was not much to do for Stephen and me on deck. Soon after they struck their colours, I could not wait any longer. Despite Stephen’s warning I climbed over the boarding planks onto the other ship.

The sight of all the dead and wounded bodies took my breath for a moment. I fought any sign of nausea and tried to find Jack. ‘They would have told, they would have brought him onto his ship, into Stephen’s care, if anything had happened to him,’ I thought reassuring myself.

A hand squeezed my shoulder and as I looked up I saw him standing on the stern deck, talking to Lieutenant Pullings. Blood spread all over his body. But his movements showed no signs that he was seriously wounded. I pressed a hand over my mouth and fought the urge to run to him.

“Milady.” I felt another squeeze at my shoulder. Collecting myself I turned my head and looked into Stephen’s eyes. “We better go back. There will be a lot of work to do.” I just nodded and followed Stephen back on board the Surprise.

We treated wounds for hours. When we had taken care of all the Surprise’s men, Stephen and Higgins went to the other ship to help their doctor with the wounded prisoners. I instructed Padeen and one other young man with the care of the seriously wounded and prepared to leave for my cabin when Jack came down to see how many losses he’d had.

I gave him a brief summary. He seemed pleased that we had only 5 dead, though he mourned each one as if they were his relatives.

It was then that I noticed a cut from his right eyebrow to the cheekbone, another across his left hand and though the majority of the blood on his clothes was not his, he seemed to have caught a strike to his left side.

“Let me look at these, Captain” I said and beckoned him to sit down. He shook his head “Later,” and went off to continue his inspection. I wrote a note to Stephen about the treatments and instructions I had given Padeen and the other young man and made my way to my cabin.

I had asked Killick for some toast and cheese which he soon served in his lovable quirky manner. When I finished my light meal I felt restless. All the things that had happened that day, the battle, the wounded, all that raced through my mind.

Though it was already dark, I decided to go onto the weather deck for some fresh air. It was a wonderful night. According to the circumstances there were more guards on deck than usual.

“Milady, you will catch your dead from the cold.” His warm and deep voice embraced me.

“I’m not cold.” I said as a shiver ran through my body, betraying my words.

“No, you’re not.” He chuckled and wrapped his uniform coat around my shoulders. It was warm and swallowed me. I breathed in his smell that surrounded me.

He put his hands on the railing, capturing me between his arms. His hot breath caressed my skin, his low voice whispered in my ear, “Come down to my cabin, Joy.” He pushed himself away from the railing and left me standing there with weak knees.

When my legs felt strong enough to carry me, I went down to the Great Cabin. Hesitating, I stood in front of the door. I could hear footsteps from behind the door. I listened carefully if I would hear voices, too. No voices. The steps stopped for a moment, started again to stop again, another noise. He had sat down.

I squared my shoulders, took a deep breath and knocked before I stepped in. He sat at his map table, a half full decanter and two glasses, one filled, before him. He looked up.

“There you are, my dear.” Hastily he stood up and held me in his arms right when I had closed the door. He looked into my eyes with a mixture of vitality and need I had never seen before.

I forced myself to withstand his look, to take my eyes off his. “Jack! I’m so glad that you’re not seriously wounded.” My hand moved to the cut at his eyebrow, softly caressing the skin around it. I freed myself out of his embrace to look at his left hand. With relief I saw it was not dressed, the cut was not very deep. I pulled his hand to my lips and kissed the wound gently.

He lifted my chin until my eyes met his. “Stephen told me you’ve been very good in the infirmary. Were you not scared?”

I shook my head and answered smiling, “I think I had no time to be scared.”

His face was so close to mine, his eyes filled with the fire of need, his lips brushed mine with the lightest touch as he spoke. “I think you are the bravest and most beautiful young lady I’ve ever met.”

He stripped his coat from my shoulders; his capable hands opened the laces in the back of my dress. He kissed me tenderly at first, then more and more demanding. He tugged in my bottom lip, tasting it with his tongue and did the same to my upper lip. He pressed me closer to him. The feel of his hot lips on mine and his arousal against my belly made me moan and I opened my mouth to him, to taste his kiss, to allow his tongue into a dance with mine.

Our kiss became more and more passionate and hungrily, our hands roamed our bodies to free them from the burden of our clothes.

His hands massaged my breasts, his kisses trailed down my neck, his hot mouth replaced his hand on my right breast, sucking it hungrily, teasing my nipple with his teeth until it erected to a hard peak. The thumb of his right hand rubbed and teased my left breast at the same time. I whimpered when his mouth let my breast go and dropped to my left breast, giving it the same ministrations. My hands dug into his back, causing a grunt and a not too soft bite into my nipple. I let out a surprised cry.

His tongue soothed the skin around my nipple, I felt him smile and chuckle. His hands dropped down to my waist. He let go of my breast and his tongue slid up my neck to the sensitive spot right behind my ear. “Johanna. I need you. I must have you, let me take you now.”

The almost rough, strangled tone in his growl made me shiver and I felt a little odd, but aroused.

He lifted me up; my legs wrapped themselves around his middle. With a few steps he reached his table and sat me down onto it. His hand held my hair at my neck and pulled my head back, roughly. His mouth kissed me hard, his tongue forced my lips open, and as he rammed his cock into me up to his hilt, I gasped and groaned. His tongue ravaged my mouth as his cock ravaged me.

My legs still wrapped around his waist tightened their grip, causing a surprised painful groan from his throat and a hard and even deeper thrust into my core, almost entering my womb.

Despite all the mind-numbing, rough action I suddenly became fully aware of where we were and fought the urge to cry out loud. I breathed hard, allowing myself only to moan and whimper, which was soon all I could do.

In a sudden rush my climax reached its zenith and spasmic waves shook my body and made me feel dizzy. Searching for his own release, Jack thrust hard and fast, each thrust touching my womb until he shot his hot seed deep into me with a deep and dangerous growl. Sheathed with sweat and panting, he steadied himself with his arms on the table.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked as soon as he caught his breath. I had my eyes closed. I didn’t dare to look at him, not sure of myself, of my own feelings. I felt a tear escaping the corner of my eye. “I’m sorry,” he said worriedly, wiping the tear away with his thumb.

He slowly pulled himself back and went away. I bit my lips at the loss of him inside me. I struggled myself to sit as he came back with my dress in his hands and a concerned look in his eyes.

I was torn. I was surprised by my own reaction, by my feelings. I wanted to tell him that I had liked it. But I was concerned what he’d think of me, when he knew that. And I could see that he was worried about me.

“Jack.” I found my voice. “You didn’t hurt me. I’m fine.” Hesitatingly, he moved towards me. Still looking worried, as if he feared I would run away.

I took some steps towards him myself. Partly to assure him that I was fine, partly to assure me. Meanwhile he had pulled on his breeches, but his torso was still naked. My eyes wandered from his eyes down to his chest and further to the wound at his waist that would form a new scar on his maltreated body. My hand reached out to touch it gently, I bent down and kissed it. He shivered, goose bumps covered his skin. “Johanna.” He whispered and held me tight.

~*~

Busy days went by. Stephen and I treated the wounded on both ships. The doctor of the Hellène was badly wounded himself and struggled with his life. Jack was busy with plans and schedules and calculations for his journey back to Portsmouth . The ships both were refitted as best as possible to get to their destinations.

“Is there any chance to persuade you to come with me back to England ?” His question surprised me.

“Jack. I would love that of all things in the world.” My voice faded, tears welled up in my eyes.

“Then why don’t you come with me?”

How I ached to just leave my life behind and start a new one. But it was not possible, not yet. “Jack, I can’t.” I sighed. I had told him about the plantation my dead husband had left behind to me, about the cousins of his who wanted to take it from me, because we weren’t married for long when he had died. “I have to sort my matters there, I have to find good men to run the plantation.” In point of fact, though, I was just afraid to start new.

~*~

Two years later I returned to Europe . I had followed Jack’s career as best as possible on the far side of the world. He was the most successful Captain of the Royal Navy and would soon be appointed Admiral.

I sat in my favourite spot on the cliffs above the harbour of Mahòn and watched the ships come in and sail away, lost in daydreams.

“Milady, you should not sit so close to the edge.” I closed my eyes. I didn’t dare to turn and look at the man whose voice sent shivers up and down my spine.

He took my hands and pulled me up into his strong arms.

THE END