Pitch Perfect 1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is unbeta-ed, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes/typos you may find.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pitch Perfect, or any of it's characters.**

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It was a bright and shiny day that Chloe woke up to. The sun's rays shone through the thin curtains of her bedroom, illuminating it fully, and making her beautiful red hair look as though it was glowing. She stretched the length of the bed and yawned quietly to herself as she basking in the warmth. She loved waking up like this, it always started her out in a good mood. It was on these days that she would stay in bed just a bit longer, listening to the sounds that came through her slightly open window. Horses trotting by on their way down the street to the market, neighbors chit-chatting, the humming of her Mother as she hung the clothes outside to dry. It made her smile every time. It was familiar. It was home. But she ached for some adventure. Ached for _something _unpredictable to happen.

Sitting up in bed, she rubbed her eyes, ready to start a new day. Her daily routine consisted of: waking up, making her bed, going out in the backyard to the water pump to gather water for her morning bath, taking her bath, eating a small breakfast, brushing her teeth, and helping out with any chores that needed to be finished. Then the rest of the day was hers to spend, unless she had to make a trip to the market. There were only so many things to do where she lived, but she tried to make the best of it. She'd explore the woods, which by now she knew like the back of her hand. Maybe take a dip in the stream or, if she was lucky, got to spend time with her friends Aubrey and Stacie. But there were a few years older than her and already married, so they didn't have much time for her anymore.

Chloe was seventeen, almost eighteen in a couple of months. It was a birthday that she'd been dreading ever since her Mother had brought up that she wanted her to marry the baker's son, Howie. He was okay, but they didn't see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, and it frustrated her. She didn't understand arranged marriages. Chloe wanted to find love naturally, like her Mother had with her Father. That had been true love, and since she could remember, she yearned for that. She could possibly learn to love Howie over time, but it wouldn't be the same. And if her Father was still alive, she knew that he wouldn't want her to settle either. However, she knew that her Mother just wanted her to be taken care of. The thing was, Chloe didn't _need _to be taken care of, she did just fine on her own.

And she was too adventurous, so there was no way that she could be a housewife. She'd seen how much it had changed Aubrey and Stacie. They were pretty outgoing and even put up with Chloe's antics, but after they got married, they had resigned themselves to their homes. She didn't know if it was their husbands behind the change in them, or if it just came with being married and having to take on so many more responsibilities, but she just knew that she didn't want to end up like that. To loose herself is a scary thought when she always prided herself on being different. But her fate seemed inevitable. There really was no way of getting out of her coming marriage, other than running away. While that had the adventure aspect she'd always wanted, could she really do that?

After she dried off from her warm bath, brushed her teeth, combed her hair, she put her outdoor clothes on (which consisted of one of her Father's old work shirts, and a pair of her cousin's shorts that she stolen from him). They both were a bit large on her, but she made them work. As she stepped outside, her bare feet on soft, green grass, the smell of summer hit her like a wave. The scent of the flowers that were blooming in her Mother's garden was one of the things she loved most. Spring was her favorite time of year, when everything was just more colorful, and she soaked it up as much as possible before the winter came, where everything died and turned ugly, and the snow kept her cooped inside most the time. Winter always seemed to last the longest, time moving twice as slow.

Stopping herself from running, she made her way to the backyard and toward the familiar treeline, faintly hearing her Mother call out to her to not be gone long. She didn't like the fact that she went exploring in the woods by herself all the time, but Chloe didn't know why. She had never run across another person, and it wasn't like there were dangerous wild animals that could swallow her whole. But lately her Mother had been a bit more strict with letting her go running off to God knows where every day, her reasoning was that she was almost eighteen and couldn't act like a child forever. That was true, but she shouldn't be forced to grow up so soon either. Chloe never thought of herself as still child-like though, more like she was just someone that enjoyed life to the best of her ability.

She was enveloped by shade as she entered the woods, the slightly cooler temperature was a nice relief from being in the rays of the sun. The birds above her in the green canopy chirped and sang away as they flew from one tree to another, adding twigs to their nests, or just sitting up on a high branch as they looked over the forest. Squirrels ran around playing with each other, scattering around the large tree trunks, and their puffy tails twitching as they heard Chloe's footsteps. Once her home was out of sight and she was about ten minutes deep in the woods, it felt like another world to her. Noises from her home or down the hill at the market could not be heard, only the beautiful noise of the peaceful forest around her. Coming to the creek, she hopped up on a log and crossed.

Balancing with practiced ease, not even looking at her feet as she made it across the fifteen foot log and jumped down onto the ground, back to safety and continued on her way. A few minutes later she came across her special tree. It was special because it was thicker and taller than all the other ones in the forest, and it was still relatively easy to climb. Her Father had shown it to her when she was littler, and had been coming here ever since. Gripping onto the worn places in the bark, she hitched herself up and got in the groove of climbing. When she made it three fourths of the way up, there was a large spot where she could comfortably sit and gaze out through a hole in the leaves, able to see the town and the ship dock. Like usual, only a few small ships were tied up there.

But every couple weeks, a large ship would come and drop off food or supplies. She always tried to get as close as she could to those ships, because she's read about them and seen drawings of them in books, but seeing one in real life is just so magnificent. It baffles the mind at how something so big doesn't just sink, let alone flow so gracefully through the water. She's always wanted the opportunity to actually get on one and see what it's like. She could imagine herself sailing across the open, blue sea without a care in the world, every once in a while stopping on land to stock up on food and seeing new towns all over the world. What a life sailors lead. Or pirates. They probably get around more since they are all, for the most part, on the run from the authorities. Though not all pirates were bad.

Chloe didn't approve of killing innocent people, but she admired those who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. She wouldn't mind going on a hunt for buried treasure. Of course, she was just going off of the things she's read in books, or stories that the kids were told to scare them. There was no telling how much of what she read was true, or how accurate the stories passed down were, but that made it all the more interesting. She wanted to know, and she wanted to find out for herself. Yet here she was, in the same place she's always been, wanting adventure, but never going out and attempting to have one. Would she be brave enough one day to go out and do the opposite of what's expected of her? She hoped so, because her window of opportunity was nearing its end.

About an hour of sitting in her tree thinking as she watched the town below, she figured that she ought to head back home, since her Mother had told her not to be gone long. She took her time, though, as she always did when she didn't want to go home and be forced to carry out tedious chores. As she crossed the log over the creek, she briefly wondered what would happen if she fell into the running water. Where exactly she would be taken to, and if she really cared if it spit her out into the ocean. Now that would be entertaining, she laughed at herself for thinking of something as dumb as that to get away. Hearing the birds above her, she wondered what it was like to be able to fly. To fly anywhere you wanted, anytime. Did birds even know how lucky they were? Probably not.

When her house came back into view, her Mother was in the backyard watering what vegetables they could actually grow themselves, and greeted her with a slightly annoyed look. She knew that look all too well, and prepared for the lecture she was most likely about to receive. They both went inside and Chloe took a seat at the kitchen table as her Mother said that she needed her to go down to the market because they were low on food. Surprisingly, she didn't start in on her for running off in the woods for an hour this time, but it was all in the tone of her voice. She wasn't happy, but she was probably sick and tired of giving Chloe the same talk about growing up and assuming more responsibilities. As the young redhead sat quietly, her Mother wrote up a list of things she needed to get.

With a 'don't take too long' look from the older woman, Chloe was handed the list and a small pouch of coins. With a curt nod, she grabbed a satchel from the brass hook next to the front door and headed out. She didn't bother changing into more appropriate clothes. Everyone was used to Chloe running around barefoot and in the worn clothes that she wore most of the time. As she walked down the dirt road to the market, she stayed to the side, so that she didn't accidentally get in the way of a horseman or a carriage that passed by. On many occasions she wished that her family owned a horse. They weren't poor by any means, but they weren't well off enough to afford one. Not that she minded walking in the summer, but in the winter it was brutal, since the market was about a mile away.

She hummed to herself as she passed neighbors houses, and waved to them if they happened to be sitting outside or working in their yards. Twenty minutes later, she had made it down the hill and entered the market. It really just consisted of tables under tents made of old bed sheets. All of the actual shops were downtown, but Chloe preferred to shop here. Everything was home-grown, so you know exactly where it came from and that you were getting it for a great price. The nearest tent was the bread tent, made by an old woman who made it from a special family recipe that's been passed down in her family for a long time. Chloe loved her bread. It was soft, sweet, and the aroma was addictive. Picking up a loaf, Chloe put it in her bag, then paid the woman before moving on.

Chloe also bought some apples, pears, rice, corn, flour, sugar, and milk. By the time she was done, her bag was heavy, and it slowed her down as she started back up the hill, heading home. But as she passed two men, she caught part of a conversation she happened to overhear stopped her. The men standing near one of their horses were huddled close, talking quietly as so no one else could hear them, but Chloe heard: _"____My buddy said a pirate ship was heading this way...__"_, and _"____I can't imagine what they'd want here...__"_. Chloe's heart pounded in her chest. A real pirate ship...coming here? She'd never seen one in real life, and now she may get the chance. The men parted after that, so she didn't get an actual time-frame of when this would happen, unfortunately.

However, using the limited knowledge that she actually had about pirates, she assumed that they would come when they were under the cover of darkness. That way they wouldn't draw too much attention to themselves. She was more than willing to loose some sleep, looking out for something she's daydreamed about for years, ever since she learned about them. It was exciting, but she had to keep it to herself. If her Mother knew that a pirate ship was on its way here, she'd make sure that Chloe was locked up at the house and not go getting into trouble. She was surprised when she had made it to her house so fast. Her thoughts had been so busy that the time had flown by like nothing. Entering her home, she put the food away in their rightful places, and put the money in a drawer.

She found her Mother outside plucking a few veggies out of the ground. A few carrots, a stalk of celery, and an onion. No doubt they would be having vegetables soup for dinner that night. The rest of the day they had a small lunch, a mandatory reading hour, took the dried clothes off the line out front, folded them, then put them away in the clothing drawers, and prepared the food for dinner. They really didn't talk much, all of these things were routine and just did without having to be said. She really didn't mind reading, in fact, she loved it. It was just that there wasn't as much selection around the house as she'd like, so it became a bit more of a chore when she had to read a book for the fifth time. Making dinner together was her favorite thing that they did.

After they sat down at the table to eat, Chloe ate in silence as her Mother informed her that her future in-laws had invited the two of them over for dinner the next night. The redhead wasn't thrilled by any means, but she had no choice in the matter. It would most likely be an overwhelmingly boring evening. Not that Howie's and his parents weren't nice, but they weren't the most interesting people ever. She'd only spoken to them a handful of times, and wondered why they would pick her to wed their son when there were much more attractive girls in town that actually wanted to be married to him. Though on second thought, most of them weren't the sharpest tools in the shed, only relying on beauty to get them what they wanted. While on the other hand, Chloe was actually smart and responsible.

After finishing eating, Chloe excused herself to her room. It was near dark outside, and she could see the ocean from her bedroom window. What was left of the orange sun peaking over the horizon reflected on the waves. Since they were on top of a hill, she could see the ship dock, and a few dim lights from the town. If a pirate ship was coming into their port, Chloe would be able to see it. The only thing to do was wait. So she did, sitting on the hard wood seat under her window, staring at the sea as the sun disappeared and the moon came out and reflected on the dark ripples of the water. A few hours later, she couldn't fight off sleep any longer, and reluctantly dragged herself to the bed, disappointed. However, that didn't last long as promptly fell asleep not long after her head hit the pillow.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Chloe's Mother woke her up bright an early to get her ready for that night's dinner with Howie's parents. She literally scrubbed every inch of her skin twice, making sure there was no dirt from the previous day left on her daughter's body. Chloe's skin felt raw by the time the torture was over with, and when she thought that it was done, it wasn't. Her hair came next, taming the red, wavy locks with her Mother's silver brush. After that, she was forced to stand on a soap box and hold as still as possible while her dress measurements were checked one last time before she was literally sewn into it. Chloe never liked dresses. They were too girly for her, which is why she was almost always in old shirt and pants. _That_ was comfortable, and if you asked her, a Hell of a lot more practical.

The hours went by unbearably slow in Chloe's mind. Her Mother literally did everything that she could to make her perfect, that by the time it was almost seven o'clock, she hadn't even gotten ready herself, and had to run around the house to be done in time. Howie's Father had sent a carriage to come pick them up, and they rode the two miles down the windy road, through the market and into town. They lived in the two floors above their shop, which was a fairly large, red brick building. There was a side door on the building that held a sign that read: "The Matthews". Grabbing the small, silver knocker, Chloe's Mother gently knocked three times before they waited. A few moment's later, Mr. Matthews opened the door and greeted them both with quick hugs, and showed them up the stairs.

Their apartment smelled like baked goods, which wasn't surprising considering their business was just a floor down. The first floor of their apartment was the living room, kitchen, dining room, and a small restroom. The second floor was the Master bedroom and Howie's bedroom. It was all a very homey environment, with plush furniture that you could sink down into. They all took seats as their dinner finished cooking. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews took the longer sofa that faced the stairs, Mrs. Beale took the rocking chair next to them, which left Howie and Chloe to sit together on the love-seat that was angled towards the fireplace that was currently burning. Her face warmed up, not because of the warmth of the kindling fire, but because she was embarrassed that she had to share a small space with him.

The Matthews chatted away with Mrs. Beale as their children stayed awkwardly silent. The redhead could tell that Howie could feel how uncomfortable she was, but there was nothing really that he could do about it other than endure it with her. It was very strange hearing the wedding plans for them being talked about, and not even asking either one of them if it was okay with what was being decided. Howie, like most men, probably didn't care about where it was held or what color flowers would surround them. Chloe cared. She cared a great deal because she didn't want to wed at the church down the street, or on a hill that overlooked the beach. She didn't want the damn thing at all. Yet here she sat, listening to her Mother and two practical strangers arrange her future without asking what she wanted.

Everything was just getting so overwhelming, it was making Chloe's head hurt. Thankfully when dinner was ready, the conversation changed to Mr. Matthew's business and a bit of gossip from Mrs. Matthews about some of the people in town. Still, Chloe and Howie didn't talk, they just listened to their parents go on and on about things that didn't matter. The meal consisted of slices of moist chicken cutlets, boiled potatoes, and brussel sprouts. It tasted a lot better than what Chloe and her Mother could have made at home. The Matthews' were more well off than they were, which meant that could afford to buy more higher quality food. It was a delicious meal, she couldn't doubt that. It was the best thing about that night so far, and she was sure it would be the only good thing.

When they were all finished, Mrs. Matthews cleared the table, then they all went back to the living room and sat down in the same places that they had an hour ago. Conversation went back to the marriage, and Chloe had had enough, but it wasn't like she could storm out. Instead, she just needed a few moments of quiet with herself, just enough to get her through the rest of the evening. Saying that she needed some air, because it was getting a bit hot in there by the fire, Mr. Matthews said that there was a terrace upstairs, and asked Howie to escort her there. It annoyed her that she couldn't even be left to find it on her own. But once they were upstairs and walked through one of the bedrooms that looked like it was used for guests, he left her alone, which she was thankful for.

She closed her eyes as she breathed in the cool night air. It was mostly dark outside now, but the town was still somewhat alive. She only opened her eyes again when a few loud men came from down the street and walked into the pub across the street, probably to get a drink before they go home to their wives. A carriage or two passed by before she raised her head and looked up toward the ship dock. What she saw made her heart skip a beat. There was a huge ship, bigger than she had ever seen. She could barely see any details, just the large silhouette, but the moonlight back lit one flag in particular as it flapped in the breeze. It's what she'd wanted to see in person her whole life: a black flag with the infamous skull and crossbones. The men she'd heard talking just a day prior had been right.

When had it gotten there? She hadn't seen it when they had arrived at the Matthews' hours earlier, though she had been preoccupied at the time, not wanting to be there and all. Her hands gripped the hard steel of the terrace rail as she kept herself in place. She wanted nothing more than to go towards it, but she couldn't. No, she _could_, but she _shouldn't_. Though had that ever stopped her before? No, it hadn't. But there was so much to think about. She was at a guests' house, it would be rude to disappear all of a sudden. Her Mother would no doubt be furious when she got back. Though still, Chloe wanted so badly to go to the ship that was practically begging her to come see it. _I wouldn't be gone long_, she reasoned with herself.

Looking over to her left, there was a flight of metal stairs that would take her down to the ground. It was like there was some outside force pulling her, and the next thing she knew, she was quietly rushing down the stairs, a slight changing with every step towards freedom. Breathing a sign of relief when her feet finally hit the ground, she decided to walk along the backs of the buildings rather than go down the main street and attract unwanted attention. Her pace picked up as the excitement in her rose to a level that she didn't even know was possible. It took her about ten minutes to make her way though the back alleys and toward the dock. This wasn't like big towns that had a hoard of guards looking out over the ships, so she had no trouble getting on the actual deck as she stayed in the shadows.

Looking up, the dark ship dwarfed the ones floating near it. She had never seen one so massive before. At the front of the ship, carved into the wood was a woman. The way she was positioned made that made it look like she was coming out of the water. She looked straight ahead with a hard look on her face, and a crown on top of her head that held what looked like actual gems. Something about it seemed familiar but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. A carved design branched out from her and seemed to continue around the boat, and Chloe followed it. Some of the carving was simple, but elegant, some were very intricate. It was so beautiful, she wondered who had done the design and how long it took them. Not really paying attention she was going, she almost tripped over the ramp that led to the Main Deck.

She bit her lip, trying to convince herself that she had already _really_ pushed her luck enough for one night. In her mind, Chloe had every intention of heading back to the Matthews' residence, but her feet had another idea. Making her way up the ramp, her heart fluttered and she resisted the urge to giggle at her idiocy. She couldn't help it. Chloe Beale was her Father's daughter, and if he was there with her, he would already be on the Main Deck telling her to hurry up. Now there was no way that she would let the spirit of her Father down. Once she reached the top of the ramp, she hopped off, bare feet landing on the wooden deck with a small thump. She couldn't believe that she was on an actual pirate ship. It was the most amazing feeling, holding onto the side as the wind picked up and the light spray of ocean mist hit her.

She didn't know how long she stood here, but all too soon the consequences of her actions caught up with her. Her heart stopped when she heard voices getting closer, and looked over the side of the ship to see a group of men. All of them were carrying bags or barrels, two in each arm, of what Chloe assumed were supplies. Looking around, there was no real place to hide. She didn't want to get so she had to decide what she was going to do and fast. Seeing as though there were really only two options in her particular predicament. She could either jump into the water (but it was a very high jump!), or...she saw that there was an open door nearby, so she turned and ran for it. Running as quietly as she could, through the door and down the stairs. The next floor looked to the the kitchen, so she bypassed that and continued down the stairs. The next flight held some cots and hammocks, no real place to hide, so she kept going. Finally, she ended up in what was the cargo hold.

As she got her bearings, she heard the men start to make their way up the ramp. She really doubted her decision now, because the crew would probably be coming in there soon to put their things away. Chloe looked around for a place to hide for the moment, and decided to squat down behind a few barrels that she guess held water or alcohol, because she could hear the contents faintly sloshing as she ship rocked gently back and forth. A few moments later, the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs made her sink further to the floor. The men were talking quite loudly, and it was pretty obvious that most of them were drunk because they slurred most their words. Chloe did her best to hold her breath and not make any noises that would tip them off.

It felt as though time dragged on and on as the men put the supplies away, then stayed around to complain about how there wasn't a brothel in the town where they could have had some fun. Even though she was repulsed, Chloe stayed as silent as she could. Finally, they left, and once she could no longer hear their voices or footsteps, she let out a breath of pure relief and rested up against the barrel in front of her. Suddenly the ship tipped far right, and the redhead tumbled into the nearest wall and hit her head. Dizzy and groaning, she rubbed the spot before she noticed that the ship shouldn't be tipping right and staying that way if they were still at the dock. Once her vision returned to normal, she realized what was probably happening: the ship was leaving the dock.

She could feel that they were getting farther and farther away from Barden with every second that passed. And soon, Barden would barely be seen, probably only the dim lights of a few houses would glow in the distance. All she could do in that moment was sit there in shock at what was transpiring. She was literally stuck on this ship now. Unless she was able to find a window and jump, but again, that was a very scary thought. There was no way that she was risking jumping out into shark infested waters and swimming however far back to shore, also at the risk of getting pulled underneath the ship from the current. That thought gave her shivers, but the alternative was equally as scary. At some point, she would have to come out of her hiding place...

She cursed at herself. She had always been told that 'curiosity killed the cat', well, she was definitely the cat right now. How could she have been so stupid? She never should have let her desire to just see a pirate ship up close be the thing that got her killed. Her Mother had always worried that she'd fall out of one of the tall trees she loved to climb, or slip on a slick rock down by the creek and crack her head open. Chloe would give anything to have that happen instead of being murdered by pirates. Her Mother might think she'd just ran away, or was kidnapped. But maybe that was better than the truth. A lot of things sounded better than the truth at the moment. On second thought, maybe jumping out of the window and being swallowed up by the ocean didn't seem so bad.

Still, she couldn't seem to bring herself to move from her hiding spot. She let her head fall back against the wall with a defeated sigh and pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them. Her heart was still beating furiously, but now it was at the thought of what they would do to her when they discovered her. Chop off her head? Make her walk the plank and be left to the sharks? Strand her on a desert island so that she can slowly starve to death? There were so many options. She didn't know how long she stayed like that, wrapped up in herself. It felt like hours, but she didn't know if that was just because she couldn't stop thinking about her impending doom. Eventually she got too tired, she no longer could fight it off, and laid down on the hard wood floor behind the barrels. It wasn't long before she dozed off, cheek against the cool wood. The gently rocking of the ship only helped lull her into a deeper, dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chloe was in a rather peaceful slumber until the next day came, when she was startled awake to a voice shouting: _"We've got ourselves a stowaway, boys!"_. Next thing she knew, she was being grabbed by the arm roughly and dragged to her feet, up the stairs to the Main Deck. Her muscles were in knots from sleeping on the floor, and tripping over her dress the whole way wasn't helping either. When they made it up top, she shielded her eyes from the bright afternoon sun with her free hand, and saw that she was pretty much surrounded by the dirtiest, ugliest men she'd ever seen. The large man that had a hold on her finally released her arm with a shove, making her fall onto the deck before he ordered another one of the men to get the Captain, who nodded and scurried off.

As she sat there on her knees, she kept her eyes down, afraid to make eye contact with any of the men. They were talking amongst themselves quietly, other than an insult or derogatory statement about her that was occasionally said a bit louder, she really didn't hear what all they were saying. It didn't help that her heart was pounding loudly in her ears either. _"Who do we have here?" _She heard a female voice say, making Chloe look up for the first time in minutes. Standing before her was a short woman with brown, wavy hair. Her eyes were a blueish gray, framed by dark eyelashes, and her skin was surprisingly fair, a few moles scattered down her neck. Her lips were bright pink, with a thin top lip and a fuller bottom. A couple things stood out to the redhead though.

She could see light scars on her exposed skin, but most prominently was one that went right through the middle of her right eyebrow. In her left earlobe was a thick gold ring. She almost laughed because that was a very cliché thing for a pirate, at least from the drawing she's seen in her books. Last thing she noticed was how she was dressed, surprised that it was almost exact to what she wore while exploring the woods on a regular basis. But even through the worn, dirty clothes and battle scars, Chloe was taken back at how beautiful she was. She would have never expected a girl like her to become a pirate of all things, yet she couldn't help but be impressed. Chloe imagined that it must not be the easiest thing to be a female pirate in such a male dominated world.

"A stowaway, Cap'n." The large man replied, bringing Chloe back to the moment. "Was in the cargo hold. What do ya want to do with her? I say we make her walk the plank. It's bad luck to have a woman aboard, let alone a redhead."

The woman raised an eyebrow at him and glared. "Stop it with your superstitions, Smith. If you haven't noticed, _I_ am your Captain. Having a woman aboard isn't bad luck. And color of hair makes no difference."

"What do we do with her then?" One of the smaller men off to the side asked.

The woman cocked her head to the side and reached to her belt and grabbed the handle of her sword, pulling it out. Chloe's eyes grew wide, seeing how sharp it was, shiny and reflecting the light like a mirror. Closing her eyes as the blade came toward her, she waited for the inevitable chop, but it didn't come. Only feeling the smooth metal grazing her neck, swiping her long hair out of the way and over her shoulder as the woman stepped around her. She felt as if she were a shark, and Chloe was the unfortunate prey. As the seconds ticked by, she couldn't help wonder if they were going to kill her, why was the woman drawing it out? Maybe putting more fear into her victims before she killed them was her thing? If so, she was sure as Hell succeeding. Chloe had never been more terrified in her life.

"What's your name, girl?" The woman spoke.

"C-chloe Beale." She choked out.

"Well, Ms. Beale, what exactly are you doing on my ship?" She asked, standing in front of the redhead once again.

"I...it was an accident, really." She took a shaky breath before explained the best she could under the circumstances. "I was admiring your ship, and when I saw your men coming towards me, I panicked. I didn't want to get into trouble, so I hid. I didn't mean to come with you, I swear."

After a moment of silence, the brunette spoke again. "The usual punishment for a stowaway on my ship is rather severe. I like to cup open an arm or a leg before throwing them overboard, leaving them to the sharks."

Chloe gulped at the thought.

"However, our stowaways are usually men. But since you're a woman, I have another idea. Can you cook?"

Taken back, Chloe hesitated before answering. "Y-yes..."

The woman nodded. "Good, you'll work in the galley. Our cook, if you can even call him that, for lack of a better word, is _shit_ at his job."

A few men around her laughed quietly as one man, who was the furthest away, leaning against the main mast, grumbled to himself. Chloe guessed the he was the cook.

"We'll hit land again in a few weeks. Then you are free to go if you wish. Until then, welcome aboard The Ice Queen." With that, the woman walked away.

Chloe's thoughts were jumbled, split between two things. The first being that they weren't taking her back to Barden. She really shouldn't be so surprised, and to tell the truth, she was sort of relieved to not be going back, what scared her was that she had no idea where they were heading, or that she was stuck on a ship with a bunch of criminals. The second was that name.._The Ice Queen._ She remembered reading the story about the ship that was named after one of the most feared female pirates of her time. It was hard to believe that the woman she'd just met was know for her brutality and coldness, because she had spared her. It would have been so easy to kill her, but she didn't. Of course she had other motives, but for now, she wanted to believe that the stories of the woman weren't true.

After seeing the woman say something to one of the smaller men around her, he nodded and walked toward Chloe while she walked back to wherever it was she had come from. The man told the rest of the men that the Captain said that she was off limits to everyone, and as they walked away, she heard the complaints of the crew. Next, the man grabbed the sleeve of her dress and tugged to her feet, and back down the flight of the stairs from which she'd been dragged her up. Going down one flight of stairs, he let go of her when they entered the galley. This was the first time she'd gotten a real look at the room. It held a kitchen area with cabinet and a counter, which had a few things strewn around on it. A few barrels in the corner. And in the middle of the room there was a large table where the men would eat.

"Mop the floor, clean the tables and counters." The man spoke in a harsh tone. "Then when you're done, start supper. Pots and pans are in the cabinets, fire pit is on the main deck." He said before descending the stairs to another level, leaving her alone.

Chloe was still in shock, not having proper time to process everything. But she did as she was told, not wanting to upset anyone. Seeing a mop and bucket of water in the corner of the room, she first cleaned the table and counter with a rag that was lying around before ringing it out and setting it aside. She then grabbed the mop, dipped it into the water bucket and started wiping down the floors. She really didn't see the point, because she imagined that it was just going to get back to being gross in no time with all these dirty men. When she was done, she placed them back in the corner and turned back to the kitchen. She knew that she was supposed to fix a meal, but the man hadn't stayed long enough to show her where everything was or what they wanted.

Since she was too afraid to go and ask someone, she poked around until she found some utensils. There was fresh meat on the counter, so she figured that's what was going to be fixed. Getting a large, deep pan from one of the lower cupboards, she prepared the meat. It had already been cleaned, so she placed it in the pan and found a bag of potatoes and started to shave the skin off of before cutting them up and putting them in a smaller pan. To add some more flavor, she cut up some carrots and celery to add later, put them in with the potatoes, and lugged the food up to the main deck. A fire pit seemed like a very dangerous thing to have on a ship, but she didn't know how else they'd be able to cook things while at sea, so it made sense.

She let the meat cook, and in the meantime she sat down next to the fire pit to keep an eye on it. Every once in a while one of the men would come her way, glare at her, and then continue on their way. She'd hear their loud voices and laughs from down the stairs, but didn't see the woman again. An hour or so later when the meat was almost done cooking, she added in the blocks of potatoes and veggies that she'd cut earlier. When it was all finished, she put out the fire and took the meal down to the galley. Chloe had just gotten plates out when the men started filing in. Without saying a word to her, they took the wooden plates and helped themselves. She made sure to stand back a few feet, not wanting to get in their way and make them more irritated with her than they already were.

Watching as they all cut themselves a hardy portion of meat and piled the potatoes on, she wondered if there would be enough for everyone. She really hoped there was so that she wouldn't be punished for not fixing enough. As the men plopped down at the table, one man was left standing. He had gathered up some wooden mugs and wad filling them up with what Chloe guessed was rum, that was being poured out of a barrel. After he filled each mug, he set it down on the end of the table, and it would be passed down the line, until everyone had a drink. After the man corked the barrel, he came over to where she was standing to fix a plate for himself, then shoving one in her hands, ordering her to fix a helping for the Captain and to take it to her.

Once again, Chloe did as she was told. Fixing a plate with a good portion of food before grabbing a cloth napkin and heading up the stairs. The Captain's quarters were to her left when she emerged on the main deck, and she knocked lightly on the dark doors. It only took a few seconds for the woman to answer, opening the door up wide so that she could enter. It was quite a large room, bigger than she had imagined. Spotting a table off to the right corner, she walked over to it and set the plate down. _"Take a seat."_, the woman ordered coming up from behind her and taking a seat on the other side of the table. Chloe sat down and looked around the room curiously as the Captain started eating her meal. There wasn't much. A large bed, desk, what looked to be a closet, the table they sat at, and a few things hanging on the walls.

"Tomorrow I'll have a list of things for you to do. Not much, but you still need to earn your keep."

Chloe nodded. "Okay."

"I'll also put out a change of more comfortable clothes for you, so you aren't stuck wearing that dress."

"Thank you."

A few more minutes went by before the brunette spoke up again. "Have you eaten?"

"No."

The woman wiped her mouth with her hand before sliding her plate toward Chloe, that had half her portion of food left on it.

"Oh, but I couldn't take your helping..." Chloe said, starting to push the plate back, but the woman's hand landed on hers, ceasing its movement.

"I'm not that hungry. Eat."

"Thank you...uh, what should I refer to you as?"

The woman was silent for a few moments before getting up. "Captain is fine. Wine?"

"That would be lovely."

The Captain, her back to Chloe, grabbed a chalice and poured the red liquid into it before returning to the table, but not sitting back down. As Chloe ate, the Captain continued.

"As for sleeping arrangements, you'll stay in here. My bed is more than big enough for two. It's really either here or down below with the crew, and I'm afraid they would try something on you, even if I've ordered them not to. Besides, it smells a whole lot worse down there."

Chloe wasn't about to argue, she knew that it would be stupid to decline the Captain's offer. "I'd much rather stay with you."

"Right, well I have things to get to now." The woman got up and headed for the door.

"Thank you." Chloe called after her. "For being so generous."

"Just don't tell anyone else, eh?"

The rest of the evening, Chloe stayed in the Captain's quarters. She didn't want to go out on the deck and be in the way of anyone, so she was content with just looking out the window. She watched the sun set in the sky and wondered what her Mother was doing right now. It has been a full day since she disappeared. Guilt weighed heavily on her as she thought about how upset she must be. She really didn't mean for any of this to happen, but unfortunately she couldn't go back in time and change it. She would just have to wait until they stopped at land again and manage to find a way back to Barden. Taking off her dress but leaving her dress slip on and climbed onto the far side of the bed, leaving room for the Captain when she would come in later. She didn't know what the next few weeks would bring her, but no doubt it would be an experience like no other.


	4. Chapter 4

Chloe never heard the Captain come back into her room that night, and in a way, she was relieved. The only other person she had shared a bed with before was her Mother, for a couple months after her Father died, so she didn't exactly know the proper etiquette of sharing a bed with someone she didn't know. But she also wondered where the Captain had stayed, or if she had even gotten any sleep. Yawning and stretching her limbs out, Chloe woke up much more comfortable than she had the previous morning. The Captain's bed was so luxurious compared to the floor, and even her own back home, which was covered in thirty year old sheets that smelled like her grandmother. This bedspread was silky soft and smooth, topped with a fluffy comforter that kept her warm during the night.

Sitting up, she swung her feet over the edge of the bed and rested on the floor. The morning sun was coming in through the window, it's rays shining down on a pair of clothes and a note that sat on the table. Chloe got up and walked over to it and picked the piece of paper up. It was the list of chores to do in what she assumed to be the Captain's handwriting, which was rather neat. _1) Scrub the deck – Brush and bucket are in the Galley, 2) Wash dirty clothes – The pile is just inside the of the crew's sleeping quarters, 3) Make supper – We only eat one large meal a day, don't worry about lunch. _And under that was written: _Here is a pair of my clothes and underwear for you. Try not to get them too dirty, you will be wearing them for a while._

And that was it. Her instructions were clear, so she quickly changed into the clothes laid out for her, and headed to the Galley. A wooden brush and soap bar laid in the empty bucket, and she wondered how long it was going to take her to scrub the entire main deck with no help and just that one brush. She was getting exhausted just thinking about it, but it had to be done. So, she trucked back up top, but when she got there, she realized she had a slight problem...she needed water. Looking around, she saw a rope tied to the railing. If she tied it around the bucket handle and lowered it, she could scoop up a bucket of water in no time. Of course, everything seemed easier in theory than it really was in real life, but she was an optimist for the most part.

She took the soap out and set it down on the deck, then tied the grimy rope around the handle and leaned over the rail, carefully lowering it down until it hit the water's surface. As the bucket quickly filled, it pulled Chloe forward, but she resisted and used what arm muscles she had, hauling it back up while attempting not to spill much of its contents. When the bucket was finally back in her grasp, she couldn't help but be pleased with herself, most of the water was there, only a little had sloshed out, so she called this a success. Setting the bucket down and picking up the soap, she lathered it up in her hands, creating bubbly water. Once it was deemed soapy enough, she dipped the brush in the water and started scrubbing. Yeah, it was definitely going to take her a while.

The hours seemed to drag on as her task became overwhelmingly monotonous. She lowered and hauled that bucked up and down from the sea and the ship so many times, along the constant back and forth scrubbing made her arms feel like they were about to fall off. It was late afternoon by the time she was completely finished, and she still had to wash clothes and fix the food. Cleaning her hands the best she could, she put the bucket aside and started on supper. Using the meat that was left over from the previous day's meal, she decided to make soup. Cutting up some celery, onions, carrots, and potatoes, everything came together quickly since she made this all the time with her Mother. After a while of cooking over the fire pit, she hauled the soup back down to the galley.

Like yesterday, the men piled in the small room and helped themselves. Chloe busied herself by making bowl for the Captain, delivering it to her, and leaving before the woman could say her thanks. Finding the pile of clothes in a tin tub just inside the crew sleeping quarters, she lugged it up to the main deck, went back to the galley to get the bucket, and finally started her work. Dumping the clothes onto the deck, she found a washboard at the bottom. After gathering a few buckets of water, Chloe began to scrub the filthy, smelly clothes. She imagined that they didn't bathe too often, which made her shiver at the thought. Guessing by the stench, Chloe guessed that these clothes in particular hadn't been washing in months, and she did her best to not vomit at the thought.

"Once your done, there is a clothes line hung up in the crews quarters." The Captain said, appearing behind her. "Just hang 'em up and you're done for the day."

"Yes, Captain." She replied, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow as the woman started up the stairs to the wheel. "Oh, Captain?"

"Hm?"

"How exactly do you bathe on a ship?" Chloe asked carefully, not wanting to seem stupid.

"Meet me in my cabin when you're done."

The Captain resumed going up the stairs, leaving Chloe alone on the Main Deck once again. That wasn't really the answer she was expecting, but she would do as the woman said. By the time she was finished, the sun had set. A couple members of the crew were talking near the bow of the ship, looking out over the water, the Captain still at the helm, while the rest of the men were in their sleeping quarters. Her nerves were shot from the long, hard day, and now she was anxious about walking into their territory. Once she made it down the stairs and to the doorway, their conversation stopped and they looked at her for a few seconds before turning back and continuing talking. She worked fast as she hung the damp clothes up on the line that ran straight through the room.

Not once did they say anything to her, which she was thankful for, and it made her job much easier. Nonetheless, as soon as she was done, she high-tailed it out of there and back up top. She left the bucket where it was, too bushed to take it back down to the galley, and entered the Captain's bedroom. The doors to the closet were open and the Captain was bend over, pulling a large tin tub, much like the one she used to wash the clothes, but bigger, out and hauled it over near the door. Chloe watched as the woman made trips back and forth with water, until the tub was about halfway full, then set the bucket down, looked at Chloe, and gestured to it. She got the picture, nodding, and started to shyly strip down. The Captain looked away and left the cabin, giving her privacy.

Even though the tin tub wasn't the most comfortable thing on the planet, Chloe was grateful that she was able to wash off the day's dirt and grime. She wasn't looking forward to tomorrow. Her arms would probably feel like jelly and be useless. Through all the hard work, though, she couldn't help but smile to herself. Doing chores like scrubbing the deck kind of made her feel like a real pirate. The only thing that seemed to be missing were sword fights, gun battles and plundering. So far, everything had been relatively unexciting. However, she took into consideration that they were in the middle of the ocean, so she assumed that not too much action happened out here, more so when they stopped at land. She finished quickly, by the time there was a knock on the door, she was in her dress slip.

"Are you decent?" The Captains voice came through the door after a small knock.

"Yes!" Chloe replied, pulling the second strap onto her shoulder.

The brunette peaked in before opening the door all the way, and Chloe sat on the edge of the bed.

"If you need an extra towel to dry your hair, there a few in the closet." She pointed to where she had gotten the tub, and on the shelf above her wardrobe, were a few white towels.

"Thank you." Chloe smiled grabbing one and rubbing her hair to get the moisture out.

Next thing she knew there was talking, and she looked up to see the biggest guy in the crew pick up the tub, take it out to the deck, throw the dirty water overboard, and bring the tub back before leaving.

"Go ahead and go to bed, I have a few things to do before I turn in."

Chloe nodded, slipping into bed and blowing out the candle on the dresser, leaving the only light source to be a small candle on the table. Closing her eyes, Chloe heard the door open and close, and let the gentle rocking of the ship lull her to sleep. The Captain took a deep breath as she stepped out into the cool night air, letting it fill her lungs before heading up to the helm. Other than the whooshing of waves as the ship sliced through them, it was a quiet, peaceful night. The moon was shining bright in the sky, reflecting off of the water in front of them, as if it was a trail they were following. After a while, she joined Chloe in her bed, who was quietly snoring. She couldn't help but chuckle softly and shake her head. It was strange, but she actually liked the other girls' company.

For so long now, she had been on her own. Sure, she had a crew, but she ached for more than that. She wanted companionship. Someone to take care of, someone that actually wanted to take care of her. It was hard in this life, always moving around. She loved the sea, but sometimes it made her feel so small, so insignificant. Being out in the ocean for too long could also drive you mad. She loved land as well. Particularly uninhabited islands. She loved sleeping on the beach, taking barefoot walks on the damp sand, letting it squish between her toes. The smell of the fruit in the jungles. Catching a wild boar or a net full of fish and cooking it on the beach for a feast as the sun set. She wondered what Chloe's life had been like before she was unexpectedly whisked away from her life at Barden.

Shaking her head, she shouldn't think about that. Soon, Chloe would be gone, so best not to get to thinking about her if she didn't have to. Looking up to the Crows Nest, she spotted Tiny, the smallest member of the crew, looking out over the ocean. Hollering up to him that she was going to hit the hay, then made her way back down into her room. She shed her vest and took off her boots, then blew out the candle on the table that was still burning, before climbing in bed. After her eyes adjusted to the dark, she looked over at Chloe, who was now positioned in the middle of the bed, facing her, a few strands on red hair in front of her face. Reaching out, she carefully tucked them back behind her ear before rubbing her tired eyes and letting herself drift off.

For the next week, Chloe's duties mainly just consisted of staying out of the way, and making meals. The men seemed to have gotten used her her presence by now, not sneering at her like they had in the beginning, and even the biggest one, Jay, had started talking to her. He wasn't as scary as he looked: over six feet, thick with muscle, bald, covered in tattoos, and a gold tooth. In fact, one evening when they were sitting on two crates watching the sun set, he'd told her about how he used to have a pet cat on board. The way he described the animal, Chloe knew that he was a softie at heart. Unfortunately though, the cat had passed away recently due to old age, having already spent most of it's life roaming the streets of Singapore before Jay had found it and it had taken a liking to him.

Once Jay had befriended her, she didn't feel so alone on a ship full of strangers. It was nice, even if they didn't have much in common, she would ask him to tell her stories of adventures he had been on, and she eagerly listened, soaking up as much as she could. It all sounded so exciting. She even learned about a few of the other crew members, each of them were like her, the black sheep, never fit in or gave in and did what they were supposed to do. Instead, they found other misfits and became a part of a family. Though none of them would ever willingly admit it. But all these guys had were each other, and that meant something to all of them. Chloe found it interesting to sit back and watch them interact with each other. They were like brothers, and the Captain was like their big sister.

Her interaction with the Captain still wasn't much. She mainly saw her every once in a while throughout the day when Chloe would be doing some work on the Main Deck and the Captain would be at the helm. They ate dinner together in their room, and at night when they both would take baths and go to bed. But Chloe wanted to get to know her, however, the woman was intimidating, and she didn't want to be a bother. So she sat back and observed her. The Captain was soft spoken, and besides giving orders, she really didn't seem to like to talk much, unless it was to her second in command, Jay. The days were fairly quiet as well for the most part, but that all changed one morning when Chloe was rudely awakened by a loud boom that shook the entire ship.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry about taking so long with this chapter, guys. Since the Glee fandom is the one I'm most immersed in, I took Cory Monteith's death a bit hard, and I didn't have the inspiration to write for a while. I'm still having some trouble focusing, but hopefully I'll be getting back to normal soon. Thanks for being patient.**

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Chloe jolted up in bed, her heart beating hard and fast, the fleeting thought that she might actually be having a heart attack raced through her mind. Now up and fully alert, her brain started to focus, and she heard a crowd of people shouting a multitude of things just outside of her room. Another loud boom vibrated the ship, making everything in the room that wasn't nailed down, shift. Chloe had no idea what was going on as she managed to stumble out of bed and over the the doors of the room. Opening one of them enough to stick her head out, she was shocked to what she found. It was chaos. From what she gathered in those few seconds, was that another ship was right next to them, and half our crew was on their ship, and half was on ours. She froze with fear. This was not good.

Shouting, guns-firing, the clanking of swords on swords, were the only things she could hear. It was only the reinforcement that she needed to truly realize that this was not just a wild dream that she was having. Suddenly, a hand gripped the front of her night gown and pulled her out from the room, stumbling into the man who grabbed her. She tried her best to pull away, but even though the man was shorter than her, he was stronger. Next thing she new, a knife was at her throat, and puffs of his bad breath hit her face as he laughed at her. She really wasn't equipped to handle this. Chloe had no idea how to fight, or gain the control. With his free hand, he began groping different parts of her body. First her breasts, then waist, then butt before he started attempted to pull her flush against him.

Next thing Chloe knew, he grunted loudly before staring her straight in the eye with a strange look on his face. It wasn't until he lowered the knife from her neck and let go of her completely that she noticed the sharp end of a sword sticking through his chest. She backed away and moved to the side, then realized it was the Captain who had saved her. Once she was out of the way, the brunette pulled her sword swiftly out of the man, then kicked him forwards, making him hit the railing and topple over it. Vaguely, she heard the splash of him hitting the water before the Captain grabbed her arm, dragged her back over to the bedroom doors, and pushed her in, firmly closing the door behind her. Instinctively, she locked it, then waited, because that was all she could do.

Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours. But as time slowly ticked by, the sounds from outside eventually died down. No more loud booms, no clanking of swords, and no more yelling. Curious as to what was going on outside since it was so quiet, she slowly made her way over the the window and peered out. She could see that the ship was still next to theirs, but Jay, with a gun in one hand and a sword in the other, was keeping what was left of the other crew in line as the Captain instructed her crew and raided the ship. Soon, the men returned with various things packed in their arms. From food supplies to golden cups and silverware they stuffed into bags and brought over to this ship. Once they finished taking all that was worth anything, Captain pulled the ship away.

As soon as Chloe could no longer see the ship out the window, she let out a breath she didn't realized that she had been holding in. That was, hands down, the scariest moment of her life, yet at the same time, the most exhilarating. She only wished that she could have helped, rather than be a liability. Everyone else had held their own, she should too. But the fact was, they had way more experience than she will ever have. With her luck, even if she knew how to fight, she'd have a sword through her or a bullet in her head within the first two minutes. Hearing the crew shouting and laughing from the deck, Chloe walked over the the door and unlocked it, opening it to a sight of the men patting each others backs with smiles on their faces before grabbing the loot and toting in down the stairs.

On shaky legs, Chloe exited the Captain's room, still in a bit of shock. It was jarring to go from absolute chaos to silence so quickly. Grabbing hold of the wooden rail, she took a few deep breaths, the smell of the ocean mist calming her down until her heart rate had returned to normal. Once she felt as though she was herself again, she looked up to the helm, seeing the Captain looking down at what looked like a compass she held in one hand, while the other rested on the wheel. Turning and heading up the stairs, she was drawn to the woman who had saved her life for the second time this week. When the Captain noticed movement out of the corner of her eye, she flipped the compass lid closed and stuffed it into her shirt pocket before looking up at the redhead.

A few moments went by before Chloe found her voice, not really knowing exactly what to say. "So, does that, uh, happen...often?"

The shorter woman shrugged. "Relatively. Although we usually are far more prepared. Unfortunately _someone_ fell asleep in the Crow's Nest when they were supposed to be keeping watch." She said with irritation in her voice. "We almost always have the upper-hand, and rarely do we get boarded like that."

"Oh."

Without skipping a beat, the Captain grabbed a nearby robe and slid the loop down one of the handles on the wheel and tightened it, holding it in place before letting it go. "You need to learn how to wield a sword. Even though your stay on the ship won't last much longer, I need you to know just in case it happens again. That way you'll at least have a better chance than locking yourself away in a room. Doors and locks don't stop pirates." She said, passing Chloe and heading down to the Main Deck. "You were very lucky they had a fairly small crew. We overpowered them easily, but I can't keep an eye on you all of the time."

She had a good point, and Chloe didn't want to be the reason that something bad happened, so she was all for learning to fight. Following the Captain down the flights of stairs, they found half the crew going through the things they gathered from the other ship, and half were tending to a (thankfully) small hole in their sleeping quarters. They would have to get it properly fixed when they hit land, but until then, a shitty patch job would have to do. The brunette wasn't happy that they had blown a hole in her ship, small or not. This ship was her baby. Her only mode of transportation. It made her livelihood possible. Plus it had sentimental value. This wasn't the first time they had been attacked and it wouldn't be the last. She just felt as if the crew had been reckless this time and it could have been avoided.

"Jay?" Captain beckoned,

Looking up from the bag he was taking things out of, he handed it to the smaller guy next to him and came over to the two women. "Yeah, Cap'n?"

"I want you to teach Chloe the basics of defending herself with a sword."

He nodded. "That all?"

"For now. Go ahead and take her back up top and start now." She ordered, then turned to the group of men that were just finishing patching up the hole. "O'Malley? See me in my quarters at once."

Everyone got quiet as the Captain walked back up the stairs. Chloe assumed by the guilty look on his face and they way that everyone was acting, that it had been him that fell asleep at the Crow's Nest. She really didn't know what kind of punishment that kind of thing was, but she guessed that it wasn't going to be good at all. It was hard not to feel sorry for him; everyone makes mistakes. They all watched him drag himself up the steps slowly, trying to hold off the inevitable just a little bit longer. Once he was out of sight, the conversations between the men picked up again and they went back to what they were doing before the interruption. Jay left her side and grabbed two swords from the other room.

"C'mon, Chloe. Let's get to practicin', yeah?" Jay finally said, patting her on the shoulder as he passed.

"Yes, Sir." She replied, following behind him dutifully.

He scoffed and smiled back at her. "How many times do I have to tell you. M'names Jay."

"Right...sorry. Habit."

"Well, manners don't get ya nowhere out here, love."

Once they made it back to the Main Deck, he handed her a sword. It was heavier than she imagined, but the weight felt good in her hand, like it was meant to be there. As he taught her the basics to start, Chloe had a little bit of a hard time concentrating. The Captain was giving O'Malley a real talking to, and everyone once in a while she would catch a sentence, like: "_You've gone five years without a problem, what happened?!_", and "_Good thing they were amateurs and made enough noise to wake me up, or else we all would have been killed in our sleep!_". As she practiced blocking an attack, suddenly the Captain stormed out of her quarters with a rope in one hand, and O'Malley's arm in the other. They stopped what they were doing as she tossed the rope at Jay.

"Tie him to the mast." She ordered in an even voice as she pushed him against the tall wooden beam.

Jay handed his sword to Chloe, then did as he was told.

"Make sure it's tight." She said, watching as he wrapped the rope around the other man and tied it. "You will spend three days here." She said, this time speaking to O'Malley. "You will receive no food, only two spoonfuls of water each day. Hopefully baking in the hot sun will teach you to never fall asleep during your watch again." And with that, she turned on her heel and walked back to her room.

The next few hours were spent going over and over fighting techniques with Jay. By the time it was afternoon and Chloe had to go and fix supper, her hands were sore from holding the heavy sword tightly for so long. However, it was a good kind of hurt. It reminded her that she was actually doing something. Once she had fixed a simple meal, she took hers and the Captain's up to the room and ate in silence. She didn't really know what to say, and the other woman wasn't offering anything up either. For once, the Captain ate her food quickly, before leaving Chloe alone as she took her place back up at the helm. Staring out at the vast sea, she finally took a moment to breath. They had been so lucky that day...never again was she going to let that happen. So she made an example out of O'Malley.

After Chloe had cleaned everything up and put the plates and cups back in the cupboards where they belonged, she headed back up top to get ready for bed.

"Chloe?" The Captain's voice came from above.

The redhead jumped and clutched her chest. "Oh my goodness!" She gasped.

The brunette couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

Chloe let out a breath as she tried to calm her heart down for the second time today, and looked up to find the brunette leaning against the wheel, looking down at her. "It's alright. It's just so quiet out there that I wasn't expecting it. What do you need, Captain?"

"You're in charge of giving O'Malley his daily drinks. One ladle full in the morning and one at night. No more. Understand?"

She nodded. "Yes, Captain."

"Good. Go give him his nightly drink, then you may turn in for the night."

Heading back down to the kitchen, Chloe found the biggest ladle that she could find before filling it up with rum, the only drink they had on board at the moment, and took it to the man. He was slumped over as much as he could be, eyes closed. He looked as if he were asleep, but as she stopped in front of him, he lifted his head and looked at her with tired eyes. Without a word, she lifted the ladle up to his lips. Eagerly, he opened his mouth and gulped down the liquid, draining it fast. Once it was gone, he licked his lips before resuming the position he'd been in before. TO be honest, she kind of was expecting a "thank you", but she had to keep reminding herself that she was surrounded by pirates. The last thing she would every hear from their mouths was a "thank you".

Too tired, Chloe skipped her nightly bath, deciding to just take one in the morning. She let out an exhausted breath as her back hit the bed. It had been one heck of a day. She had survived her first pirate attack...barely, but she was happy that she was learning to defend herself. She wasn't just some useless dummy, and she was going to prove that, no matter how much hard work it took. Turning over in bed and clutching the pillow her head rested on, she was actually really looking forward to tomorrow. Almost willing herself to sleep so that the day would come faster. This was the kind of life she had always dreamt about. Sure, she missed her Mother, but this was where she felt like she needed to be. However, convincing the Captain of that would probably be harder than she thought.

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**A/N: To the people who ask me questions in reviews but don't have a FF account, I can't reply to you! If you want to ask me a question and want it to be anonymous, ask me on my fanfiction Tumblr: ceceash. That's where I keep my readers up to date and will answer any questions you have. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm gonna go ahead and answer this so everyone can see, since I've already gotten many people asking the same thing. Question: "Will this fic have smut?". Answer: Yes, when the time comes. The main thing I want to accomplish with this story is just to have it be good. Generally, most G!P fics out there are smut-centric with no plot, or if they do have a plot, most aren't written at a good quality standard (again, _generally_, there are a few great ones out there). It's totally fine if you just want smut, I read those too, but with this I really wanted it to mean something more. Sure, Beca has a G!P, but its not the focus. As you can tell since I haven't even mentioned it in the story thus far. The focus is their love story and their adventures they have while getting there, Beca just happens to have a G!P. So, if you just came for smut, you are on the wrong story. **

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A couple days had passed since the on-board attack, and things seemed to be getting back to normal. Or, however normal it could get back to on a pirate ship. Tomorrow was O'Malley's last day of being tied to the mast, and Chloe was thankful. She couldn't help but feel bad for him as she scrubbed the deck, knowing how hot it is with the sun bearing down on them. But he took his punishment without a fight or plead for anything. As far as Chloe has seen, he hasn't spoken a word since being tied up. Other than that, things have been quiet on the ship. Jay has been continuing teaching her to sword fight, and she's actually pretty good at it. Being naturally quick on her feet is finally paying off with something, and she couldn't help but show off when she knew the Captain was watching.

Though having a good time, it was hard for Chloe not to be anxious about the news Captain had told her the previous night. They would be coming up on land in a couple more days, and she would be free. But she didn't want to be. Finally she was living the life that she's always longed for, and now that she had it, she was going to fight for it. She has been doing more work around the ship without being ordered to do it. Hopefully the Captain would notice and want her to stick around. She planned on asking as soon as they pulled into port, and all she could really do was hope for the best. Until then, her worries were getting the best of her. She was having trouble sleeping and was more tired during the day because of it, which affected her work, but she desperately tried to not let it show.

If the Captain noticed anything different, she didn't say so. Not that they talked much anyway. The brunette still kept to herself most the time, and only really talked to her during meal time or as they both got ready for bed. It was strange, sharing a bed with a person who she didn't know much about. She wanted to know her though, desperately. She wanted to know her story, how she got here, being a Captain on one of the most feared pirate ships of their time. How she got her reputation, when she really didn't seem to be the ruthless type from what she had seen so far. Where was her family? What did they do for a living? What did they think about her becoming a pirate? There was just so many questions in Chloe's head that she really hoped would be answered some day.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Chloe heard the Captain enter the room. She was laying on her stomach, back to the door. The soft strides of boots made their way across the floor, letting out a yawn at she sat on the edge of the bed as she took off her belt and set it on the night stand. Blowing out the candle, she laid back on the bed, on top of the covers, still dressed from head to toe with her boots still on. She had done that for the past two nights, and Chloe guessed it was because of the surprise attack that happened. The Captain really hadn't relaxed since then, and because Chloe had been tossing and turning herself, she had noticed that the brunette had been as well. Before she realized it, she was already turned over onto her side, facing the other woman, whose outline she could barely see.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, the outline started to get more detailed. With the moonlight coming in through the small window, she could now see the contours of her face. Her strong jaw, smooth skin, save for a few scars, the line of her nose, the flutter of her eyelashes, and the way the light reflected in her clear blue eyes, almost making them look like they were glowing. She was just staring up at the ceiling, frowning, which made her eyebrows knit together in an adorable way. Chloe wanted to know what she was thinking about, but she didn't want to be a bother either. So she stayed quiet because this was a rare moment to witness. The Captain, completely unaware of someone's full attention on them as she is lost in her head, thinking of...something that was obviously troubling her.

"Just say what you want to say. I can't take much more of your eyes burning a whole into the side of my head." The Captain said softly.

Maybe not to unaware after all...

Chloe blushed, and tried to hide it with the covers, even though it was too dark to see anyway. "I was just wondering what you were thinking about." She admitted, shyly.

After a few moments of silence, the Captain replied. "Everything."

Chloe frowned this time. "That's a lot to weigh on the mind."

The brunette turned her head and looked over at Chloe then. "I just...I'm still so angry about O'Malley. I'm angry that I was way too easy on him with punishment. I'm angry that there's a fucking hole in my ship." She said through her teeth.

Chloe could tell that the Captain was fuming, and was surprised that there wasn't smoke coming out of her ears. But she was keeping herself under control, whether it was for her sake of Chloe's, she didn't know. The redhead wanted to help, but how could she? She couldn't fix the hole in the ship, she couldn't go back in time and stop the attack from happening at all. She continued watching the woman as she closed her eyes and breathed in and out deeply with her jaw clenched, trying to calm herself down. She really hadn't planned to say any of that, revealing your feelings and vulnerability was a big no-no, and up there on the list of things pirates should no do. But the Captain couldn't help it with Chloe, there was just something about her that made her feel so comfortable in sharing.

"What are _you_ thinking about?" She finally asked, after her anger started to fade away.

Chloe's eyes met the Captain's. "That I wish I could help. Somehow." She answered truthfully. "You have a lot on your shoulders, and I wish I could take some of that weight off."

The brunette gave her an unrecognizable look. "It comes with being a Captain..." She said before looking back up at the ceiling.

"Still." Chloe yawned this time, stifling the best she could with the sheets. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask, I can't promise that I will answer."

Taking a chance, since this may be her only shot, Chloe asked one of the burning questions she's had for her entire duration on the ship. "How did you become a pirate?"

The Captain looked back at the redhead once more. All she found was genuine interest in her blue orbs. No one, besides Jay, had ever asked her that before. However, she didn't feel like delving into her life story tonight, but at the same time she didn't want to be rude to Chloe, so she kept her answer short, hoping that would be enough to satisfy the girl for the time being.

"My Dad. He was a pirate. I was raised on this ship, and when he died, he left it to me..."

That answer just raised more questions in Chloe. What had happened to her Father? Where was her Mother in all of this? But since the Captain's answer was so short and vague, she doubted that asking for more information would cause the woman to clam up even more. So for once in her life, she left something alone as she felt her eyelids grow heavier as every second ticked past.

"Try to get some sleep tonight." Chloe said before she rolled back onto her stomach and hugged the pillow, resuming the position she had been in before.

Just after she got settled, she heard a quiet reply.

"You too."

* * *

The next afternoon, the Captain gave Jay the order to cut O'Malley from the mast. He was weak, hydrated, and badly sunburned, but he would be okay...or at least she assumed since pirates were pretty tough. That evening, Chloe made sure to fix a slightly bigger dinner than usual, just so she could put a bit more on his plate. He needed the nourishment more than anyone at the moment, and no one seemed to notice, or if they did, didn't say anything. She took the plate of food and a cup of rum to where he was resting in the crew's quarters. He was already awake, which she was thankful for, and when she handed it to him, she was surprised to get a nod of the head in response. She took that as close to a "thank you" as she would get, and left him with a small smile on her face.

When she brought her's and the Captain's meal back to the room as usual, she found the woman hunched over the table, running her fingers over a large map.

"We're closer to land than I thought." She said, folding the map up and tossing it aside for the moment. "Since the wind has been consistently strong over the past few days, we should be arriving at the port early in the morning, by my calculations. So looks like you'll be on your way home a little sooner than anticipated."

Chloe's face fell as she sat the two plates down on the table, the Captain's back to her as she filled two glasses of wine for them. Fantastic...now she has even less time to convince the Captain that she was worthy of staying on the ship. She sat down and pulled the chair up closer to the table and did her best not to let her disappointment show when the woman returned and sat back down at the table. Instead of making conversation like usual, she just decided to stay quiet, and let the Captain continue talking about who to ask for a ride back to Barden and where she'd be able to find them. She paid attention, just in case things didn't work out, but just the thought of that scared her. She knew what was waiting for her back at Barden, and she was going to do anything to avoid it.

That night as she soaked in the bath, she let her mind wander. If she did end up going back to Barden, she wondered what would happen first: her Mother killing her for (accidentally) running away, or for (accidentally) running away while they were still at the Matthews' home. She did feel bad for her Mother, it must have been embarrassing. But Chloe didn't know if she'd be more upset because she was missing without a trace, or that now she wasn't there to marry Howie. Both, she guessed. She knew her Mother loved her, but this whole marriage thing was too important to her. Maybe with this, she'll realize that her priorities were out of whack. Somehow, deep down, she knew that it probably hadn't. Someone so focused on one thing, it takes _a lot_ to get them to change their mind...

"Chloe?" The Captain asked. "Chloe?"

The redhead snapped out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry. Yes?"

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Where did you go, just then?"

"Uh..." Chloe stalled, not knowing whether to hold back or just unload her thoughts. "It's...I don't want to bother you with my problems."

The brunette sat down her fork and leaned back against the chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "You won't be a bother, Chloe. Now, whats troubling you?"

For some reason, Chloe loved the way that her name rolled off the Captain's tongue. Maybe it was because of her soft voice, or maybe because she didn't say it often, that it got to her.

"I was thinking about Barden." She answered.

"Ah. Excited to be going back?"

She shook her head. "Not exactly."

The Captain frowned, but stayed quiet to let Chloe continue.

"If I go back, I'll be forced to marry a boy that I barely know, and don't love. My Mother was really pushing it, but she doesn't understand that I want to naturally fall in love with someone rather than be paired up with a boy that needs a girl, marry, then hope that I'll grow to love him. I know that this is common, but my Father always told me not to settle for anything, and I don't. It's just hard when the only person I have left is my Mother, and this is the only thing that she's ever asked of me. It makes me feel so guilty all the time."

That was a lot more than Chloe had planned on revealing, but it just washed out of her, needing to finally get it out to someone that could understand.

"I see." The brunette said. "Chloe, you can't let others, no matter who they are, tell you how to live your life. No one should ever make you feel guilty for wanting more out of life. There is a whole world to be explored, and if you want to experience more than just a life on a small island with a husband you don't love, you fight for it."

That night, Chloe laid wide awake in bed, the Captain next to her, snoring lightly. She thought about everything: her Mother, her Father, Barden, Howie, herself. By the time she fell asleep from exhaustion, she had made her decision about what she was going to do the next morning. She was going to listen to her heart and take the Captain's advice. Hopefully it would work.

* * *

The next morning as the ship pulled into port, Chloe strutted up to the Captain. "I want to stay." She said blatantly.

"Stay?"

"On the ship." She clarified.

The shorter woman raised an eyebrow. "And why would a bright, young woman like yourself want to be on a pirate ship?"

Chloe took a deep breath. "Because I know what I want out of life, and I am done feeling guilty about it. I want to explore places I've only read about, and have adventures that I've dreamed about having since I was a child, and your ship seems to be the best way to do that." She paused, then continued. "And also, you need a cook, and you know that I'm already quite good at that."

The Captain chuckled, shaking her head slightly. "You have fire in you, girl."

"One of the traits I, thankfully, inherited from my Father."

The brunette sighed. "If you stay, you're going to have to sign a contract. You'll be with us for at least two years. This life isn't easy. Sure, it may look like a vacation, but life out in the vast ocean can really get to some people and drive them mad or get them killed. You'll be expected to learn how to use every weapon, so you will be able to fight when the time comes, and do more than just cook and scrub the deck. Can you handle that?"

Chloe nodded excitedly with wide eyes. "Yes."

Pausing once more to look Chloe up and down, she then slowly nodded. "Then, welcome to The Ice Queen as an official crew member."

Chole smiled and, without thinking, threw her arms around the Captain's neck. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

The brunette couldn't help but smile, wrapping her arms around Chloe after a few seconds, patting her back. "Don't make me regret this, girl."


End file.
