James looked around for Ashlyn, expecting to find her somewhere nearby, but there were no familiar faces in the small crowd that had gathered about the tank, until he looked to the tank itself and recognized the cloud of blonde hair floating in the water about one of the diver's heads. As tall as he was, he had no problem peering over the small throng of children gathered around the tank. So, that's what she'd meant by diving, he thought, watching while she tended to one of the turtles - one with a missing left front flipper, just like he'd once been missing his left hand. He looked as engrossed in what was going on inside that tank as the rest of them, until he spied the sharks looming nearby.

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed aloud, before remembering he was in the presence of children.

"Language!" one of the mothers near him scolded, but the children weren't paying any attention outside the tank.

Inside, the divers had allowed the turtle to go on her way, turning to wave at the little gathering watching them through the glass. Ash grinned around her regulator as she spotted James, aware enough of her surroundings to give the next shark that nudged her a healthy push away, utterly confident that she was not about to get bitten. Looking to her diving partner, she raised her thumb; he echoed the sign, and together, they started to swim upward, out of the busy reef complex toward the surface of the tank.

A hand gently touched James' arm, and a young woman's voice spoke. "Captain Radcliffe?"

He didn't even bother to apologize for his outburst, turning a shade paler than usual as he pushed his way through the small crowd to get closer. Thankfully, she noticed him and smiled, giving her partner the signal to exit the tank, before he could make a scene. As it was, he was breathing a sigh of relief and sagging against the wall to regain his composure. He knew from experience the danger some creatures posed, including sharks, and he didn't want to have to watch helplessly while she lost her own hand or worse. Though the hand that touched his arm and the woman's voice were gentle, she startled him so he practically jumped out of his own skin.

"Sorry, I'm sorry!" The girl who had touched him flinched back, her hands held up in a peaceable gesture as she cringed. "I didn't mean to startle you!" She glanced worriedly toward the tank and back to him. "Are you Captain Radcliffe?"

"Aye, sorry, lass. It's the sharks," he explained, though he had no real fear of them precisely. "There aren't any crocs around, are there?" he asked, lowering his tone of voice so it didn't carry past the two of them. Far be it for him to admit he was afraid of crocs - or sharks for that matter - though he had turned a ghostly shade of pale.

She shook her head, her own eyes wide. To be honest, she didn't look all that old - barely more than sixteen, if that - and her t-shirt proclaimed her to be a trainee called Rayne. "I-I think all the crocodiles are at the zoo," she offered worriedly. "Um ....Professor Ashlyn said to bring you around the back, when you arrived. Is-is that okay ....sir?"

"Aye," he replied, frowning as he realized he's frightened her nearly as much as the sharks had frightened him, though his fear had been more for Ashlyn than for himself. "May I ask you something ..." He paused a moment to take in her nametag. "....Rayne?"

"Um ..." Rayne hesitated, taking a moment to calm herself down. She hadn't been working here very long, and was in awe of anyone who was prepared to dive in with any of the sharks herself. The fact that one of those divers had asked her to keep an eye out for someone in particular had made her morning. "Sure. If I don't know, I can always ask someone else for you."

"Why do they keep the sharks with the turtles and why in bloody hell would anyone want to get in the same tank with them?" he asked, the near panic creeping back into his voice at his question.

"B-because that's how they live in the wild?" Rayne said, though her reply sounded more like a question itself than anything. "And-and I don't know why anyone would want to swim with a shark, but the black-tips don't bite 'cos they're fed pretty regularly, and it's less stressful for the turtles to be checked over in the tank than if they're taken out, and-and ....Well, Professor Ashlyn's pretty cool."

"Was it a shark that took off the turtle's fin?" he asked further, arching a brow at the girl's babble. "Cool?" he echoed. "As in she keeps her cool?" he asked, unsure what precisely the girl meant by that statement. He had a lot of catching up to do on modern slang still.

"Oh, no, Roxy got rescued a few weeks back," Rayne told him, on slightly more solid ground with this one. "She had an infected flipper, and it had to be amputated. That's why they were checking on her - she's pretty much healed up, but they like to make sure." She blinked at his misunderstanding of her slang. "Uh ....yeah, I guess you could say that," she agreed, finally remembering to gesture for him to come with her toward the staff door. "Like whatever she does, she's great at it, and she's easy to get on with, and she's real nice. She's cool."

"Aye, she is that, I will agree," he admitted, mentally adding the word to his growing, yet still small, repertoire of modern words and phrases. He followed her toward the staff door, his color returning now that Ashlyn was no longer swimming with the sharks, one last glance over his shoulder at the tank, stifling a shudder. Thankfully, he had not yet seen Jaws.

Rayne let him inside, leading the way up a flight of steps to a corridor. One door stood open, revealing the surface of the tank. Ashlyn was kneeling next to the water, her wetsuit stripped down to her waist, rubbing her fingers up and down the belly of a zebra shark that had decided it wanted a bit of attention before they went. Rayne knocked nervously. "Um, prof? The captain's here."

Ash glanced up, her smile brightening as she looked over at them. "C'mon in, James. Thank you, Rayne."

First it was a ray and now it was a shark. James was starting to realize that this woman was not one who scared easily - at least, not where sea animals were concerned, no matter how dangerous they might be. "Did you ask me here to give me a heart attack?" he asked, a nod of thanks to the girl before turning his attention to the professor, once again keeping a respectful distance from the tank. He had a package tucked under one arm and was dressed in nearly the same outfit he'd worn when she'd first met him in the theater, so as to blend.

Mumbling a shy goodbye, Rayne left them to it to the tune of Ashlyn's laughter. The blonde woman flipped the shark the right way up again and gave it a gentle push; it swam back toward the reef below. Sitting up, Ash grinned at James. "What did I do?" she asked innocently. "You think this was dangerous, how are you going to cope with me diving in the wild?" There was a faint thump from the other side of the tank, a good fifteen feet away, drawing their eyes to the smaller of the two turtles launching itself out to have a rest.

His arms went around her waist as they shared that kiss, his forehead coming to rest against hers, a soft smile on his face. She had promised him lunch, but she had almost forgotten something. "You haven't opened your present," he reminded her, feeling a little bit silly for having bought it for her, though he hadn't seen one at her apartment yet.

Her eyes lit up with surprised delight as he reminded her about her present. "Oh yes, my present," she beamed, more like an excited child in that moment than the full grown woman she was, drawing back to button her shirt as she turned to take up the package he had given her. "And I don't have anything to give you. Well, at least nothing you can fully enjoy in a public place, anyway." She winked at him, carefully tearing the paper free.

"You are a gift in and of yourself, my lady," he told her, effecting an almost courtly bow, for no other reason but to impress her. He was sincere about what he was telling her though; he had, in fact, never been so sincere in all his life. "You can repay the kindness later," he added with a grin.

Her smile softened as he bowed to her, easily touched by the courtly words and actions because she knew he was sincere. It was a strange feeling, to be valued so highly simply for herself. "You can bet I will," she promised him, looking down as the paper came away, and she found herself looking at a little plushie turtle. Her mouth fell open, genuinely moved by the fact that he had bought her a turtle, of all things. "Oh, he's so cute!"

He frowned a little, wondering suddenly if he should have bought her a real one, and yet, why did she need a pet turtle when she cared for them and swam with them here at the aquarium' "I saw it ....him ....in the shop and thought of you. Silly, I suppose. 'Tis only a toy." He shrugged, as if almost embarrassed by the gift, which seemed hardly adequate, for some reason.

"Are you kidding" I love him!" Hugging the soft toy to her neck, she reached for James with the other arm, pulling him close to hug him as well, her lips brushing his cheek as she giggled with delight. "Thank you, he's perfect. You're perfect."

He chuckled, as she drew him close, pleased she liked her present, as silly as it was. "I'm far from perfect, love, but I'm glad you think so," he told her with a grin, his troubled mood evaporating for now. Between the two of them, he thought she was the perfect one. "Where are we going for lunch?" he asked curiously.

Still cooing happily as she rubbed her cheek with her new toy, it took a moment for Ash to answer, reluctantly handing James the stuffed turtle so she could pack up her towel and swim suit. "I have no idea," she admitted. "Is there any particular kind of food you'd like to try' We could make a big meal of it ....I don't have to go back to the museum today. I'm waiting on confirmation of the ship's readiness before I can do any more planning for the trip, and the students are having too much fun studying the tanks there for me to get in the way."

He said nothing about the trip or the ship's readiness. Her going away for any length of time was a sore subject for him, even if he was contemplating signing on board ship. There was no guarantee, after all, that he'd be welcome or that there would be a position suitable for his particular skills and abilities. "Truth?" he asked, before answering her question.

She blinked, shrugging into her coat before shouldering her bag. "What, am I telling the truth, or do I want you to tell me the truth?" she asked, a little confused by the query. "Because the answer's yes to both."

"I know you're telling the truth, Ash," he told her, moving closer to predictably help her with her coat. "No, this is about me." There was, admittedly, a lot she didn't know about him yet, but this little bit of information might come as a bit of a surprise to her. "Food, for lack of a better word, left a lot to be desired in Neverland ....as well as back home in England." Not to mention, out to sea. After all, he was from a time that wasn't known for comfortable living or tasty cuisine.

She smiled, thanking him softly for his help as he explained this to her. Reclaiming her new turtle, she tucked the little thing into a dry pocket of her bag, curling her fingers between James' fondly. "So I guess that question is a little beyond you right now," she mused with a slow nod. "Would you like to try Italian?"

"I've tried a few new things since I arrived here, but I do not think Italian is one of them," he confessed. Bourbon had been one of the things he'd tried and found himself rather fond of, as it was similar in taste to whiskey, but perhaps a bit smoother. "I am rather fond of chocolate," he admitted with an almost shy smile, though that was more of a treat than a meal.

"Oh, so you have a weakness for chocolate, huh?" Her slightly wicked mind immediately came up with an interesting way to indulge that sweet tooth, but it would definitely have to wait until they were in private. "Italian, it is, then." She gave him a gentle tug toward the door. "Do you want to see more of the aquarium, or save a proper visit for another day?"

"I think it deserves a proper visit, don't you?" he asked, reaching for her hand, not much caring who saw them that way. Let them talk. She belonged to him now and he planned on keeping it that way. "Who was the other diver?" he asked, curiously. A colleague, no doubt, but he had failed to notice if the second diver was male or female.

"Hmm?" She looked up at him as they walked back down the stairs and out into the public area. "Oh, that's Freddie," she told him with a smile. "He's the shark expert here at the aquarium, and one of the best divers. He always partners anyone who dives into that tank, just in case."

"I wish I'd known that," he admitted with another chuckle. "I made rather a fool of myself, I'm afraid." He'd cussed in front of a group of children and been scolded by a parent, and that was just for starters.

"Well, you know for next time," she smiled reassuringly. She knew her way through the aquarium so well that it didn't even seem as though she was looking where she was going as they headed back through the exhibits toward the gallery. "I'm sure you didn't make a fool of yourself at all. Some people completely freak out and start demanding that the divers get out of the tank right then and there."

He laughed, mostly at his own expense. "I did not go that far, but I think I may have frightened your ....apprentice." He wasn't quite sure who Rayne was or what purpose she served at the aquarium, though she seemed quite fond of Ashlyn.

Ash laughed, shaking her head. "Rayne" She's kind of timid," she explained cheerfully. "Totally fascinated by sea creatures, though, so hopefully with a little more time here, she'll come out of her shell a bit. Very sheltered family life, so I hear."

"Is that such a bad thing?" he asked, as she steered him through the aquarium toward the exit. "She seems rather fond of you," he added, thinking she should know that.

"No, it isn't a bad thing, as such, but she needs to learn not to jump at every little loud noise," she chuckled, flexing her fingers between his possessively. She knew how good he looked, and she knew at least some of the looks in their direction were entirely aimed at him. "She's a sweet kid. And she learns fast. I think she'll do great."

"With you as a teacher, I'm sure she'll do fine," he replied with a smile, unaware of the looks turned in their direction or who they might be aimed at. There were a few things he wanted to tell her, yet, he thought perhaps it was better to wait until she had a drink and a meal in front of her. "So, tell me ....What is Italian' I assume you mean Italian cuisine."

"As I recall, I was injured, and you insisted that I relax," he argued. It could be argued that he was still injured, but a week of doing next to nothing had gone a long way to aid his healing. That was all thanks to her, of course. He smiled at the affectionate nip to his jaw, and reached over to return the favor by gently tweaking her nose.

"You're the one who told me I was driving," she laughed back to him, her nose scrunching under his tweak. "It was rather a lot of fun, having you at my mercy. I daresay you're going to make up for it." Grinning, she drew back, glancing down at the menu. "Anything catch your eye?"

"You daresay, do you?" he said, with a chuckle, wondering if she was picking up on his way of speech, which was a strange mixture of old and modern. "I am thinking the chicken dish here," he said, tapping a finger against the description of the cacciatore, unsure just how to pronounce the word. "What about you?"

"Cacciatore," she pronounced it for him, practiced enough that it didn't come out mangled. "That's a good choice. I thought I'd go for the carbonara. It's one of my favorites. What would you like to drink?" She grinned, raising her eyes to get the attention of one of the waiters.

"Cacciatore," he repeated perfectly, testing the word out on his tongue so that he didn't sound like a blithering idiot upon ordering it. "What is the carbonara?" he asked, searching the menu for the item, not because he wanted to order it, but because he was a lifelong student of words and was interested in its meaning.

She leaned over, pointing out the dish for him to read it himself. "It's bacon and a creamy sauce," was what she offered as an explanation, although it wasn't much of one. "I've never been able to cook it very well, it always comes out a bit grainy when I try."

"Hmm, interesting, but I think I will try the cacciatore. And something chocolate for dessert," he added with a grin. It seemed more like dinner than lunch they were ordering, but he actually preferred to eat the bigger meal earlier than usual. It was no secret that he was fond of food, as would be anyone who had been deprived of the comforts of home for too long. "Are you through for the day, then?" he asked, curiously, as he closed the menu and folded his hands against it on the table.

"I'm sure we'll be able to find you something chocolate for dessert," she assured him, chuckling at his enthusiasm. Pausing as the waiter came to their table, she placed their order, adding a bottle of sauvignon blanc for them to enjoy with it, she turned her attention back to James as the waiter took their menus away with him. "There's nothing pressing at the office for me today," she admitted. "I have to drop by the university tomorrow - the students who've volunteered for the next trip need a quick orientation about what to expect, but that won't take long."

He arched a brow at the addition of the wine, a little surprised by it. "Good choice," was all he said about it, though he was certainly no wine connoisseur. "I was thinking perhaps we'd take a walk near the docks. I should like to see this research vessel of yours." He didn't bother to explain why he was so interested in the ship. After all, he was a seaman, and it stood to reason he'd want to catch up on advances there, too.

Ash smiled, pleased he was taking an interest in what she did for a living. It was certainly a different perspective on the sea than the one he was used to. "Sure, we can do that," she agreed warmly. "She's moored a little way out into the harbor, but if you want to see on board, I'm sure we can get someone to row us out there. The captain can't really complain when I want to take a look - he needs the commission too much."

He wasn't expecting the ship to be anything like the one he was used to. It was likely to be powered by a motor and not by sails, which took some of the skill out of sailing, in his opinion, though he assumed it was likely a much less dangerous venture than it had been in his day. "How long do you expect to be gone?" he asked, idly fingering his glass of water, as if he was almost nervous to be asking her such questions.

"Not more than six weeks, this time," she told him, reaching up to flick a dry strand of her damp hair back over her shoulder. "My brother's getting married in March. I've been threatened with all kinds of things if I'm not back in time to be dolled up as a bridesmaid." She laughed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, that reminds me ....I don't suppose you'd like to accompany me to the Governor's Yule Ball this year?"

It was still six weeks too long to be parted from her, and he was starting to realize what it must have been like for his former fianc"e every time he went out to sea. Was it any wonder she'd replaced him with someone who did not go to sea for long stretches of time without word" Then again, if he somehow managed to procure a job on board, it didn't much matter how long Ashlyn was out to sea because he'd be right there with her. He might have remarked on her brother's wedding, if she hadn't brought up the Yule Ball. He didn't have to ask what that was all about, as it seemed rather obvious. He was still surprised by the invitation, but not unpleasantly so. "T'would be my pleasure, lady," he replied rather cordially, though there was a hint of amusement in the gleam of his eyes and the curl of his lips. "Shall I regale the guests with stories of Neverland?" he teased.

"If you like," she giggled. "Or we could just scandalize everyone there. I saw the perfect dress the other day ....I think I'll keep it a surprise for you, though. And yes, I do realize I just volunteered to wear a dress." She snorted with laughter, glancing up as their meals were brought over to them. "Thank you." The wine was opened, and a little poured into James' glass for him to taste.

"I could dress in full pirate regalia, complete with sword," he teased, eyes sparkling with good humor, though it was unlikely he would embarrass her carrying out his threat. He waited for the waiter to finish pouring the wine before taking a sip, instincts telling him what was expected of him. "Very good, thank you," he told the man before setting the glass on the table to be refilled.

"If you did, I doubt we'd make it out the door, much less to the ball," Ash laughed, watching as the wine was poured and the waiter left them to it. "Of course, if you did, the whole evening might just turn into foreplay. Should I buy a collar for myself with a leash you can hold, just to really freak out the natives?"

"From what I've seen so far, I doubt anyone would blink an eye." It seemed to him that there were far stranger sights in Rhy'Din than a pirate with his lady, whether she was on a leash or not. "If you were collared, people might fancy you my slave, rather than my lover," he pointed out as he poured some wine in both their glasses. "Have I never told you I prefer an equal to a subordinate?" he asked, arching a brow her way.

"You will never have my submission without my consent," she pointed out gently. "That makes us as much equal as anything. I'm only teasing you, love. I'd never agree to be collared - I belong to me. I choose to be yours."

"Aye, I'm sorry. It is only that it galls me how people make assumptions about things they know nothing about." He took up a fork and knife to start cutting into the chicken dish, which looked and smelled so enticing it was making his mouth water. "For example, have you ever once heard me growl Arrrr or refer to anyone as my Matey?" Of course, she was likely familiar enough with sailing to know something about nautical terminology, but there were a lot of misconceptions about pirates and privateers, he thought.

"Oh, good grief, no," she laughed. "I've met exactly one person who went in for all the cliches, and he had that beaten out of him by a few of the real deal. Most people know what is real and what isn't, but the popular idea of a pirate being a dashing rogue who washes regularly, is charming, and wouldn't hurt a fly unless he had to still lingers. Women like the idea of the dangerous man who seduces them into wanting him, and men like the idea that they could be that man. And that man has, in the public conscious, become the dashing pirate, and the dandy highwayman."

"Murderers and thieves. I fail to understand how such men have been romanticized by popular culture," he said, the conversation taking a serious turn. Did he dare point out the inconsistencies in Barrie's story once again, or was he beating a dead dog? "It was not I who challenged the boy to a duel, you know. It was he who challenged me." And with that said, he turned his attention to his cacciatore, moaning in delight at the very first bite. "Oh, this is very good. This is ....It's simply amazing."

It almost seemed like she had more options than he did, all things considered. He frowned a little at both her question and the thought of his prospects - or lack, thereof. He was a man out of time, after all, and still had a lot of catching up to do. "I could once," he replied quietly, picking at the remains of his lunch with a fork. All those plans had been made a long time ago, when he'd been young, though he hardly looked much older than thirty. "Lily wanted a big family. From what I've read, she got what she wanted."

Ash winced, reaching out to gently touch his hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories," she apologized in a soft voice. "I shouldn't have asked." But he hadn't really answered her question, and she didn't feel brave enough to push for an answer. Casting around for something else to say, she found herself speechless, wanting to move past the awkward moment but completely without the means to do so.

"It was I who asked, lass," he admitted with a weak smile, touched by her compassion and caring for his sake. He sighed softly, needing to answer the question that he had posed in the first place. "Aye, I'd like a family someday. Does that surprise you?" he asked, curiously but not defensively. He had already said he was going to marry her, so it figured she was the one he'd be having children with, if ever he did.

"Should it surprise me?" she asked him in return, stroking her fingers against his palm. "If we're going to have a future together, then ....Well, I always thought I'd have kids someday. I'd like to have your kids, someday." Although if she kept forgetting her potion, that someday was going to be sooner than either of them were ready for. She made another mental note to do that when they got home, hoping he didn't see the guilty flicker in her slightly cheeky smile.

He noticed the smile, but he was in the middle of some serious thoughts and wouldn't be deterred just yet, cheeky or not. "I have no one, Ash. No family, no friends. All those I once cared for have been dead for hundreds of years. I cannot return, even if I wished to. I belong here now ....with you. I was born to privilege, but I have not had an easy life. My mother, God rest her soul, wanted more children, but she only had me, and so I grew up an only child. I do not want that for my children, if I am ever fortunate enough to have any. I want a whole houseful of them, laughing and causing a ruckus. I'm afraid my reputation for hating children is a bit over-inflated."

"You're wrong," she said softly, twisting in her seat to capture his hand between both her own. "You don't have no one. You have me, and by extension, you have my family, too. No, they might not approve to begin with, but you make me happy, James, and I haven't had this kind of happy, ever. I want you to come with me, to Maple Grove, for Christmas Eve. I want you to meet my family, as many of them as are there, and see just how big a family you have now. Because you're not alone. You're with me, and being with me makes you one of us."

Perhaps for the first time since she'd met him, his blue eyes shined suspiciously in the light and he had to pause a moment to regain his composure, too overcome with emotion by her outpouring of welcome and compassion to utter a word without it giving him away. "Thank you, love," he told her simply in a quiet voice, his fingers tangling with hers as he dropped his gaze to their joined hands to prevent her from noticing the emotions that had bubbled up to the surface.

She leaned into him, touching her forehead to his in a quiet moment of gentle solidarity, barely noticing the waiter as he discreetly removed their plates and left the dessert menu for them. Her lips brushed James' cheekbone softly. "I think maybe it's time you learned a little bit about the Grangers, love," she murmured to him. "There are more of us than you might think."

He made no protest as she touched her forehead to his and kissed his cheek, drawing comfort from her gentle demonstration of affection. Though he might have survived Neverland to come to this place, his life had been far lonelier than he'd care to admit before he'd met her. "I'm not sure what you mean," he told her, dark brows lifting upwards in puzzlement. He'd met a few of them already in an odd sort of way, and she mentioned some others. He'd got the feeling she had a large family, but he wasn't quite sure just how large.

She smiled. "It's a little difficult to explain," she admitted. "My family is very large, larger than most, and even the extended branches stay close. Maple Grove isn't just one big house on an estate - it's an estate filled with homes, and most of those homes are occupied by members of my family. My brother lives there, with his fianc"e and her daughter; my mother has her home there; and a lot of my cousins and their families live there, too. And on Christmas Eve, Humphrey - he's the head of the family - he holds a party, and we're all invited to the big house on Maple Grove. All the children in the family go along, and family friends go along as well. The company my family runs is called GrangerGuild, and it deals in textiles - the production of and distribution of textiles. They've kind of cornered the market in Rhy'Din. The big warehouses at the Docks with a double G over the door" That belongs to us."

"GrangerGuild Conglomerate?" he asked, obviously having heard of it. After all, he'd been all over the docks looking for work, and had been referred there at least once, but without references or connections, he'd found few willing to take him at his word. Why hadn't he made the connection sooner that she belonged to those Grangers" Well, no one said he was perfect.

She nodded slowly, hoping he wouldn't mind too much. "Yes, that's us," she confirmed for him. "My cousin, Rica, is a captain in the merchant fleet; she's in charge of all escorts of freight ships back and forth. I, um, I didn't know whether to give you her name or not. It all depends on what you want to do."

"What I want to do?" he echoed, as if there was any doubt. "I want my own ship!" he told her, as if she should know this already, though it didn't have to happen overnight. Of course, now that he'd met her, it was a little more complicated than that and he breathed a soft sigh at the realization of that. "I'm sorry. One would think I would be tired of that life, but ..." He chewed at his lower lip thoughtfully. If there was anyone who would understand his passion and love for the sea, it would be her. "When I was a boy, I would sit on the docks and watch the ships come and go. I dreamed of grand adventures then, sailing off into the sunset, the wind at my back. The sea was my mistress, my lover, my goddess. Perhaps that was why Lily left me - because I loved the sea more than I loved her and she was not one to share."

Ashlyn's smile softened as he spoke, understanding in her own way his love for the sea. In her mind, there was no contest, and there never would be. While the sea was his mistress, she was his lover; between them, they would keep their captain whole and sane. "So, ideally, you'd like to buy or commission the building of a ship," she said thoughtfully. "I'm not stupid enough to offer to put up the money for that, love, but ....maybe if you decided what you want that ship to do, it would be easier. Will you be offering an escort to merchants, or as a patrol ship for the local protection agencies, or even as a vessel to be hired out for research trips, like the Mauretania" You're more likely to find a backer if you have a plan in place, and can predict your income and how you'll make a profit from your ship."

"But that is the problem, Ash," he pointed out, tapping a finger against the dessert menu, his craving for chocolate forgotten for the moment. "I do not know where there is a need, and I do not have the resources to fund such an endeavor. How do I prove that I am who I say I am, and that I am true to my word? A pirate's word is not worth much, I'm afraid, and no one has ever heard of James Radcliffe here." He settled back in his chair with a heavy sigh. "And so, there is my problem, you see." At least, she did not seem to be put off by the fact that he wanted to return to sea the way Lily had been.

"So don't prove it," she said, shrugging. "I can give you a reference easy enough, and I bet Giles at the museum would, too. With character references, and a plan - which you'd be able to put together after a little more research into the city and the docks - there's no reason why anyone should question you. Seriously, people arrive here with nothing every day, and quite a few of them rise to successes."

"That's lovely," she nodded. "I didn't realize ricotta cheese was so sweet." Her smile flickered into sight as he offered her the next choice of what they should try, and she looked down at the plate for a moment before picking up a spoon. Carefully cutting a mouthful from the bread pudding, she offered it to him with a little smirk.

Now, that was something more familiar to him, though not made quite like this. He opened his mouth, like a child awaiting a morsel from his mother, eyes bright with amusement. It was the caramel sauce that did it really, though he'd never had caramel and wasn't quite sure what to make of it. "Sweet," he said, even sweeter than the cannoli, he thought. "Tres bien!" he told her, though the desserts were Italian, not French.

Ash giggled at his enthusiasm, genuinely enjoying this rather silly way to eat dessert together. There was just enough of each for them to have one or two mouthfuls each - more than they would normally have eaten for dessert at all. "Mmm, you can really taste the bourbon in that caramel sauce," she murmured, wondering briefly whether she could get the recipe from the waiter. "Your turn, captain. What next?"

"I thought I tasted that, too," he said, as he looked over the remaining desserts. There was no hurry and it didn't much matter which they tried next, so he chose the one that he thought looked the most intriguing. "Perhaps this one," he said, cutting into the small slice of cake dusted in a light brownish colored powder. Once again, he offered her a taste first, as he had already established, waiting to see her reaction again.

Taking a sip from her water glass to cleanse her palate a little, Ash opened her mouth to receive the mouthful he offered her, surprised to find that what she had thought was cake was, in fact, chocolate hazelnut mousse. She barely needed to chew at all. "Wow, that's so light."

He had stopped bothering with the water to clean his palate, sipping his coffee instead, which he seemed to be enjoying almost as much as the desserts. He took up a forkful of the mousse-filled cake, looking at it a moment as if to sort out what it was stuffed with. "Is that pudding?" he asked, though obviously not of the bread pudding variety. He had never seen anything like any of these desserts in all his life and thought the whole meal fit for a king.

"It's mousse," she told him. "It's chocolate and cream whipped together until it holds its shape, and it's light and fluffy. It's actually really good - sweet without being too rich." She lifted her own coffee cup to her lips, eager to see what he would make of this new sort of treat.

He knew what chocolate and cream were, but he had never imagined what they might taste like combined, in complete wonder at the clever creativity of whoever had concocted such delicacies. From the sound he was making while tasting the treat, it seemed he approved of that one, as well. "I'm really not sure which one I like best," he told her, letting the taste of it linger on his tongue a moment before following it with a sip of coffee.

"Well, there's four more to try," she reminded him with a quiet laugh. "I know that one is tiramisu, which is coffee flavored, and there's the other cannoli. And the two tortes. But so far" I'm kind of torn between the mousse cake and the first cannoli."

"Agreed," he said as the waiter came over to top off their coffee. He paused a moment to thank the man, waiting until he wandered off before turning back to Ashlyn. "Perhaps we should have them wrapped," he suggested, which would give them a little treat to look forward to later.

She giggled softly, covering her cup to make sure she didn't get too high on caffeine, knowing her own weaknesses. "We could do that, certainly," she agreed. "Would you like to?" Judging by the warm smile on her face, she didn't mind what he decided, just enjoying his company.

"Aye, I think so. I'm feeling about fit to burst from all the food!" he told her with a chuckle, patting his stomach, which was not at all round. In fact, he looked like he could even use to gain a few pounds. "Would that be all right?" he asked, unsure if the desserts would keep if they were to take them along.

"Yeah, it'll be fine," she assured him in a warm tone. "People get their leftovers boxed up to take home all the time; it's a pretty regular occurrence around here. Besides, it's too cold to stay out for too long. I'm kinda liking the idea of curling up in the warm with you, watching the snow falling and licking chocolate off whatever body part you'd like me to." She winked at him impishly, lifting her eyes to catch the waiter's attention, both to pay and to ask for their dessert to be boxed.

He laughed at the promise of licking combined with chocolate, though the idea of curling up together and watching the snow falling sounded almost as enticing. "We needn't go to the marketplace today, if you'd rather not," he told her, leaving the decision completely up to her. He'd wanted to take a walk, but now that he was feeling like a stuffed pig, he was just as happy to relax in front of the fire.

"It can keep." She had to admit, the idea of curling up by the fire with him was wonderfully enticing. "We could read together, maybe. Or watch a movie." Even as she said it, she realized what this was. This was being a couple - making decisions together about what they wanted to do for the rest of the day, plans that did not necessarily involve nudity. It was wholly new to her, and she found she rather liked it.

Thankfully, he knew what a movie was, though he hadn't seen many of them. It was probably an easy way to catch up on history, but he was a little old fashioned and still preferred books, spending an inordinate amount of time at the Rhy'Din Public Library trying to catch up. "We could read Dickens, if you like," he suggested, though she had said something about a pirate movie, too. So long as it had nothing to do with Pan or Neverland - he'd had enough of that.

"I don't mind what we do," Ash heard herself admit. "So long as we do it together." She felt her cheeks grow warm as she offered up this little confession, almost embarrassed to be admitting to needing his company so much even after so little time, grateful for the distraction as the waiter took their plate away to package it up and left the bill for her to deal with. She was careful not to let James see the total; what he didn't know couldn't hurt him.

The bill brought a frown to his face, feeling as though he should be the one paying for the meal, not her. It was different when it had been just him, but now that they were together, he felt the need to at least contribute what he could to their living expenses and that included eating out. "There's something we need to discuss," he said, the matter of employment and expenses weighing heavily on his mind.

The look in her eyes as she met his gaze was nothing short of fearful concern. She couldn't help worrying that perhaps he had changed his mind about her, despite all evidence to the contrary. "That sounds serious."

"'Tis serious," he agreed, though not nearly as serious as she presumed. "'Tis regarding our living arrangements." He took a cursory glance around as if to make sure no one was eavesdropping before leaning across the table and lowering his voice for her ears only. "I have a small treasure chest," he admitted quietly. "'T'isn't much, but it should help cover some of my expenses." He didn't bother to mention he'd been saving up to buy a ship, now that other prospects had presented themselves.