Honest at Last

He and William walked on toward the docks in a comfortable silence. They were met at the end of docks by one of his crew. "Captain, the crew disembarked and Smitty wanted me to pass along that the new quarters are ready as are Miss Annabell's"

William stopped, "The new quarters and quarters for Miss Annabell?" He asked with a tilt of his head.

"Aye she informed us that we would need to ready her quarters and those for your guest." The man replied.

William glanced at Jack, "Suddenly I have a feeling that I have been set up."

"I didn't do it. She called me and told me that I was needed at the Lady Mother's" he told him, "What ever she did she did it with out asking me."

William just shook his head and walked on down the dock to the end where he had docked the Dawn's Light.

The went aboard and William lead Jack down the stairs and into the main office cabin. "We can talk here, then if you still want to sail with me I will show you your quarters." He opened the door and motioned Jack in before him.

As Jack stepped in he felt his heart start to race, could Annabell be right, was there a chance? He looked around taking in the dark heavy wood and noting with an inner smile there was a small wooden box on the corner of the desk. "You kept it." He commented carefully.

William noticed where he was looking and felt himself blush. "Yes." He decided to sit in one of the leather chairs in front of his desk rather than behind it. "Please sit."

"William, you don't have to have this talk if you aren't ready." Jack smiled as he sat down in the other chair.

William took a deep breath, "I may not be ready, but it needs to be done. I have been keeping secrets way too long." He sat straighter in the chair, "Jack I have known you for the better part of a decade now. I watched you grown up as you worked for the Lady Mother."

"William, I know what you are trying to say, and you don't have to say it. I can see that you aren't ready to say anything more."

"Its not that. I am ready I just don't know how to say what it is that I want to say."

Jack smiled, "how about I help." He stood up and closed the distance between himself and William. He dropped to his knees in front of the chair William was sitting in. He took a deep breath, "William, I want to sail with you for no other reason than because it allows me the chance to spend time with you." He knew he was blushing but since the only person that could see was William he wasn't worried about it.

William was at a loss for words for the first time in a long time. He sat there for a few moments before he managed to collect his thoughts. "Jack..." He whispered reaching his hand out. He felt his fingers touch the side of Jack's face.

"Yes." He whispered placing his hand over William's to keep it where it was. "I know, its the same. It always has been." His voice was still a whisper.

"Really?" William asked nearly lost in the pools of Jack's eyes and the pure love shinning there.

Jack knew there was only one answer to that quietly whispered question. He leaned forward and softly pressed his lips to the firm softness of William's. He felt William's breath catch a heartbeat before he was wrapped in his arms and being tugged into the older man's lap. Jack let his own arms wrap around William. The kiss stayed light, but he knew he had been branded by the simple feel of it. The need for air had them pulling apart a few minutes later. "Yes really. To put it in words, I have loved you for a very long time."

William couldn't believe his luck. He relaxed his death grip on the younger man but didn't let him leave his arms. "Why did you never say anything?" He asked letting his finger tips trace the contours of Jack's face.

"Lady Mother." Jack answered placing a kiss on the finger tips as they crossed his lips. "She has always told me that you were marrying Annabell." He leaned forward and placed a peck of a kiss on his lips.

"I could never have married her. She is more of a sister to me than anything." He cupped the side of Jack's face. "From the first moment I saw you, there was nothing else in my world. You and Annabell are the reasons I came back here as often as I did."

Jack curled against his chest. "You didn't come back enough. At least not in the last few years. I almost lived for the few days you would spend at Lady Mother's. It was the only way I could see you."

William chuckled wrapping Jack tighter in his arms. "I know the feeling. Now if you still want to sail with me." He had to give the younger man a chance to choose. "There are a couple of things we need to settle."

Jack could feel the slight tremor going through the older man. "What are they?" He asked lifting his head up to place a kiss on William's ear.

"First and foremost do you want the crew to know that you are gay?" William forced the words out knowing that if he had to hide his feelings he would, but it would be hard.

Jack smiled, "If they know I am gay will that mean they also know that I love you?" He asked watching the fear fade from William's eyes.

William decided at that moment there was only one thing he truly wanted in the world, "They will if you share the Captain's cabin with me."

"Do you really want that?" Jack asked feeling his heart start to soar.

"For longer than I care to think about. Jack I love you." The words slipped out as easy as anything and his own heart felt lighter than it had in years.

"Then the world can know. Because all I have ever wanted was to be with you." Jack told him tugging out of his arms to stand up. "Care to show me our cabin there are a few other things I want to do." He smiled.

William stood up, he suddenly knew that everything was going to work out just fine. He had the man he loved at last.

The end.