Ship - The Black Pearl - 4 Years BDC

[Hollywood Heidi]

"The better question is: why did the Crocodile make me believe you be dead?"

"And I ask the same question of you," she counter-countered in an 'I have no idea, you tell me' tone.


"Ahem," "Forgive me, but it appears that I may have missed out on a chapter or two," "Crocodile? By what or whom does this pirate mean? And why would he speak of you as deceased?"

Etta turned toward Drac when he cleared his throat, the topic changes flying about almost as dizzying as looking back and forth at the men she stood between. "Why does that tittering, deranged reptile do any of the things he does?" she said, throwing her hands up in frustration. Before she could elaborate on any of the already piled up questions, the point of them finding Sparrow struck her. "The compass!" she said, the urgency with which they'd need to reverse their course if they did not obtain the one thing they truly needed taking precedence. "If we do not have Sparrow, does that mean we do not have the compass?"

Her attention transferred expectantly between the two men.

[DarkSideCookie]

Before Killian could have counter-counter-countered to make this even more confusing, the man beside them suddenly spoke up again as well, drawing both Etta's and his attention back towards him.

"Ahem,""Forgive me, but it appears that I may have missed out on a chapter or two," "Crocodile? By what or whom does this pirate mean? And why would he speak of you as deceased?"

"Why does that tittering, deranged reptile do any of the things he does?"

"You got yourself a point there, love," Killian intervened with casualness again, still avoiding speaking to the other person in the room directly. He didn't fear him but was just confused, hence careful as for what he was. Maybe it was better to ask Etta questions about him as soon as they were alone before saying anything Killian might regret later. At least, he seemed to be a loyal first mate, judging by the little time it had needed him to get here and defend her, like a dog it's master.

"The compass!" Etta suddenly said. "If we do not have Sparrow, does that mean we do not have the compass?"

Killian waited until the silence had risen to a maximum level of tension before finally revealing the good news. With a slight grin, he allowed his hand to wander inside the pocket of his coat, producing the object of desire without handing it out just yet. "You're talking about this?" he asked rhetorically. "I might be me, but I assure you that you're much luckier with that than an unlucky drunk who so easily was robbed of his ship's name and goods."

[Ariel]

"You're talking about this?"  "I might be me, but I assure you that you're much luckier with that than an unlucky drunk who so easily was robbed of his ship's name and goods."

"Well I would certainly hope we would be," Dracula silently let go of his breath that he was holding among the suspense from the Captain's question. He was relieved, thinking to himself that this bloody groper better have had the compass on his person after all. He had already lied about his identity, Dracula wondered what else this man could be hiding. He would support and respect Etta's wishes, but that did not change the fact that he already did not like this pirate, let alone trust him especially with Etta.

"Does it work? The compass?" Dracula inquired as his eyes gave the item a good look that Killian held in his hands, "Looks sort of broken? Unless it's supposed to look that way?" Dracula inquired, unsure exactly of how the item worked as it did not look usual.

[Hollywood Heidi]

The cheeky bugger had taken his time answering, letting the tension build until she was close to assuming the worst and snapping for them to get the ship turned around. Etta narrowed her eyes warningly at him, though she assumed he'd only take further amusement because they both knew she wouldn't hurt him. Definitely not after the way she'd momentarily turned against her First Mate to protect him moments before.


Etta took a step closer to also study the compass with its cover flipped open. Untrusting of magic since her encounters with it had thus far all been against her, she didn't dare touch it until she knew exactly how the thing worked. She glanced out the window at the stars, quickly assessing north, then back at the compass. She was not standing north of Killian, yet the arrow pointed in her direction.

"It's not pointing north, yet I do not believe it's broken," she answered Drac distractedly. "Some form of magic is involved, though I was not given the details. Did you find out from Sparrow how it works?" she asked, looking up at Killian.

[DarkSideCookie]

"Does it work? The compass?""Looks sort of broken? Unless it's supposed to look that way?"

Killian ignored the first mate's question as much as he did Etta's analyzing actions when she looked down at the compass without daring to touch it. He couldn't suppress, or rather wouldn't, a complacent grin towards her especially. Oh yes, love, this worked very differently from all the compasses you might have possessed. Why else would it be so special, after all? At her visible realization of where the needle was pointing, Killian's grin widened some more.

"It's not pointing north, yet I do not believe it's broken,""Some form of magic is involved, though I was not given the details. Did you find out from Sparrow how it works?"

And again, he took great pleasure in letting the tension build until both seemed out of their patience. "Aye, it's not broken, my dear," Killian suddenly came out with the revelation, looking down at the compass himself for a moment before his eyes wandered back up towards Etta, right into her eyes. A little quieter yet still audibly for everyone inside the cabin, he was adding: "It points at what we desire most." Killian allowed his charming spoken words to sink in, checking Etta out with his eyes a little, her delicate figure in that sleeping chemise she was still wearing. "And I've got to admit: It's quite questionable if I ever desired anything more than this." He let a little wink follow his words, not bothering that they weren't alone.

[Ariel]

"Aye, it's not broken, my dear," "  "And I've got to admit: It's quite questionable if I ever desired anything more than this."

Dracula was baffled immensely by the show that this pirate was putting on. Almost as if to claim is dominance over Etta. How disgusting. Dracula brushed it off in a gentleman like fashion, with a sneering grin on his face, "Ah well, it appears that you two have history together. So do we, in a sense. Etta and myself, I mean," Dracula clarified, although not as extensive as the newcomer at hand. Though, he knew him and Etta, along with her internal counterpart, were connected like no other beings on this planet. What they shared was special, and he wasn't about to let a good for nothing pirate ruin it all, "I'm sorry, what was your name again?" Dracula continued, patronizing the man in the quarters. 

[Hollywood Heidi]

He was doing it again, purposefully goading them with silent tension as they waited for the answer to a question that hinged on a potential change in course. And again, Etta found herself warningly narrowing her eyes at him in contradiction to the playful grin on his face.


"Aye, it's not broken, my dear," "It points at what we desire most." "And I've got to admit: It's quite questionable if I ever desired anything more than this."

The way he looked at her before finally explaining nearly had her forgetting her question and while she was still digesting how it worked, his final bold statement caught her completely off guard. A small sound of astonishment escaped her, not used to such stark honesty, particularly in the company of others. But damned if she didn't find herself liking it, judging by the tingling she felt from her head to her toes.

Etta quickly closed her agape mouth with the barely discernable upturned corners of her lips that might have given away the truth to anyone studying her closely and schooled her features back to the stern narrowing of her eyes at him as she reached behind her for her robe lying across the back of a chair, shrugging it on and tying it closed as Dracula spoke.


"Ah well, it appears that you two have history together. So do we, in a sense. Etta and myself, I mean," "I'm sorry, what was your name again?"

"That will be quite enough for tonight," Etta said, quickly stopping a brewing battle for dominance and asserted her own, rightful dominance as captain. Etta reached out, quickly snapping the compass' own boldly honest face closed before taking it to hand off to Dracula. "I'm entrusting this to you for the night. Get some rest. I would like a private word with Killian before we retire. To our own separate quarters," she said with a pointed look toward Killian, partly for Drac's own piece of mind, but mostly to rid Killian of any notions he may have gotten into his head or from making any other bold statements, particularly in front of Dracula. Etta looked to Dracula, both in quiet request that he not fight her on this and with her usual strong, determined expression that she could handle herself.

[DarkSideCookie]

"Ah well, it appears that you two have history together. So do we, in a sense. Etta and myself, I mean,""I'm sorry, what was your name again?"

Killian didn't like this fella a lot, but he wouldn't let that show on his features. First of all, he saw no challenge in him, because he was sure that, whatever history it was the two if them were sharing, it was nothing like Etta's and his. A slight smirk appeared around his lips as he turned his full attention back to the man after all. Anyways, before Killian could say anything, his beloved spoke up first.

"That will be quite enough for tonight,"

Killian simply shrugged it off, returning to his casually leaning posture against the wall after Etta had snapped the compass out of his hand to hand it over to her first mate instead.

"I'm entrusting this to you for the night. Get some rest. I would like a private word with Killian before we retire. To our own separate quarters,"

Again, he shrugged it off, casually returning her gaze. Etta could play as cool as she wanted, they both wanted the same thing. And that was each other.

[Ariel]

"I'm entrusting this to you for the night. Get some rest. I would like a private word with Killian before we retire. To our own separate quarters,"

Dracula nodded in agreement as he received the compass that was being passed into his hands, "I shall protect it with my life," He vowed, closing his claw like fingers over the compass, "And I will do as you wish and retire to my quarters immediately. Goodnight, Captain," Dracula tipped his forehead in Etta's direction respectfully. He began to walk past the two pirates, but not without throwing a drawn out glare of warning in Killian's direction until completely passing by. He knew that Etta could hold her own, but to say that Killian and himself were off to a rocky start was an understatement. He pressed opened the door of the cabin, and walking through the doorway Dracula disappeared behind the slowly closing door.

***Dracula exits***

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta tilted her head in response to Dracula's gesture, then turned slightly to watch his exit. Though his face was turned away from her as he passed, she could easily guess that Drac was sending a glare of daggers at Killian.

The two were off to a start of such animosity that it hinted at stormy seas ahead, to use an analogy fitting for their choice of vocation. Etta wanted to avoid adding to the palpable distrust Dracula had immediately taken toward Killian, which was why she'd asked him to leave before any further information was divulged.

Door quietly clicking shut, Etta turned back toward Killian, wondering too late if perhaps it had been unwise of her to lead them into being alone together. The air positively crackled between them, but she crossed her arms and pretended to ignore it, determined to remain the professional captain.

Etta concentrated on setting forth a serious expression and demeanor to counterbalance his casually playful one. "What were you planning to do?" That wicked gleam back in his eyes and that look that had a way of scattering her brain told her that he'd unintentionally--or intentionally--misinterpreted her question, so she quickly clarified. "You thought me dead, so why seek out 'The Black Pearl'?"

[DarkSideCookie]

Killian watched with his features unchanged, ignoring the glare of daggers being passed over towards him as the first mate walked past, finally grant them their long-desired privacy. Said unchanging features immediately brightened up once that man was out the door. He took one step closer in Etta's direction, a confident grin back on his face. However, before he could say anything or do something even, his beloved preempted him, with her arms crossed in a rather determined posture at that. And as it seemed, not so determined as for going into picking up where they had left off before... What a bloody shame. But, strangely, this attitude was enticing the pirate even more.

"What were you planning to do?"

The grin around his lips widened again at that question. "Well..." Killian didn't get farther as she was doing well at reading him.

"You thought me dead, so why seek out 'The Black Pearl'?"

He looked at her with that same grin for some more seconds before a deep sigh left his throat, realizing that they wouldn't pick up anything before she hadn't gotten an answer from him. Killian loosened a bit in his posture, yet not his features that actually hardened a bit, then replied with only one word, rather quietly but with intensity: "Revenge."

[Hollywood Heidi]

"Ah yes. You and the Dark One..." she said distractedly, pulling at old memories once again and recalling how venomously each had spoken of the other. She did not know their history, but their mutual hatred of each other was palpable. Deep and to the point that hinted that each had very deeply and very personally wronged the other.

"I still work for him," she informed. "Do you intend to carry on with your plans?" Her tone and expression were serious as if simply discussing business.


It was a question Etta would most likely not have even considered, had she not been left with only the cold, calculating logic of the mind contributing to her thought process.

[DarkSideCookie]

"Ah yes. You and the Dark One...""I still work for him,"

Killian didn't show much of a reaction to that information, except for a bit of movement of the muscles in his jaw. He didn't like hearing that Etta actually worked for the one being that he hated most. How could she even call it work when she probably was but another captive of his, just like Belle?

"Do you intend to carry on with your plans?"

The grin reappeared on his features. "Which plans are we talking about?" Killian asked with this flirty tone again, coming closer and reaching for her chin with his fingers. He didn't care so much about the cold tone in Etta's voice, seeing it more as a game, a tactic to entice him even more. Little did he know that there was much more behind it.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Caught off guard by the playful response that was far from the severity of what she'd implied, Etta stepped back from his reach just before his fingers could touch her face. The way he spoke, the way he looked at her, it was enough to send butterflies flittering around her stomach yet again. She might lose all her wits if she allowed him to touch her.

Angry and disappointed in herself over her weakness toward him, coupled with the thought he might be trying to seduce her into letting her guard down, had Etta's expression turning from serious to stern. She shook a finger at him that was both accusatory and a warning to keep his distance. "You know very well what I meant. Do I need to watch my back?" she asked in a clipped tone that demanded a straightforward answer.

[DarkSideCookie]

Killian didn't get discouraged by her reaction, even saw her defense as an act of exaggerated self-protection against the heavy feelings she had towards him. Yeah, he was very self-confident and optimistic when it came to these things. So her stern expression brought an even wider grin to his face, only dying down a little when she asked him another question.

"You know very well what I meant. Do I need to watch my back?"

"You can be sure I won't harm you, love," Killian stated truthfully. He would never. "Now we both see things differently, don't we?" he counterquestioned slightly grinning again, meaning that they were no longer strangers to each other, but lovers even. Well, they could be for sure.

[Hollywood Heidi]

"You can be sure I won't harm you, love,"

Any notions that he had any ill intent toward her were immediately dispelled. The way he looked at her as he answered, the deep and intense feelings in his eyes... nobody could fake that. "Good," she said calmly now, the uncharacteristically quick temper that had overcome her fading away. Luckily, their initial meeting had been short, so he wouldn't so easily be able to know what was and was not uncharacteristic of her.

It was hard to pull her eyes away when he looked at her like that. While they still had much to learn of each others' personalities, real emotions couldn't be faked. Wishing to avoid him noticing that the emotions in his eyes did not reflect back in hers as they had the day they'd met, that she was incapable of any emotions conjured by the heart, had her pulling her eyes away to the dagger near her feet that glinted as a convenient pull of her attention.


"Now we both see things differently, don't we?"

Etta bent down to retrieve the dagger, angling it in her hands as she answered so that the moon lit up the engraved 'Milah' etched on its blade. Knowing by the way he'd looked at her that she shouldn't have questioned his intent in the first place, she started to make logical explanations for having done so. "It isn't easy, holding a position most believe women have no place in," she said, turning the dagger so that she held it by the blade to offer the hilt of it back to its owner, finally allowing her eyes to wander back to his face. "My authority is constantly being tested and I am often underestimated. I've gotten into the habit of questioning everyone's intentions."

[DarkSideCookie]

When Etta suddenly bent down to pick up the dagger from the ground, the grin on Killian's features died down a little, yet wouldn't turn completely serious. He watched her as she turned it around in her hand, almost certainly detected the little engraving on its blade.

"It isn't easy, holding a position most believe women have no place in,""My authority is constantly being tested and I am often underestimated. I've gotten into the habit of questioning everyone's intentions."

"Understandable," Killian awarded to her with a slight nod while receiving his dagger. He kept to himself that, usually, he was one of those underestimating women in such a position. The difference with him, though, was that Killian was able to get convinced otherwise whenever he had met a woman able to prove his prejudices wrong. And Etta belonged, without any doubt, to said exceptions. He tucked the dagger away before returning his gaze to the captain of the Black Pearl. A smirk of amusement returned also. "Although... I've to admit that capturing a ship from this Sparrow figure doesn't really prove a pirate's abilities," Killian teased.

[Hollywood Heidi]

"Sparrow?" she said on a slight chuckle, hearing that his current reputation painted him as a drunken lout who spent half his days unconscious. "Oh, no, no, no, my dear, fellow Captain. This ship," she fondly placed a hand on the bedframe wall beside her, "was in the hands of Barbossa, cursed Captain of a cursed crew, when I captured it," she boasted.

"Did you know that in the light of the moon, their flesh vanishes from their bones? Skeletons, come to life." There was no hint of fear or queasiness, only a sort of academic intrigue. "It's really quite fascinating," Etta said half distracted, caught up thinking about it through the eyes and mind of who she used to be.

[DarkSideCookie]

"Sparrow?""Oh, no, no, no, my dear, fellow Captain. This ship,""was in the hands of Barbossa, cursed Captain of a cursed crew, when I captured it,"

Killian was slightly surprised, maybe even a bit impressed. And not even for a second did he doubt her words, because Sparrow had seemed like a shipless, and especially course-less, Captain for quite a while already.

"Did you know that in the light of the moon, their flesh vanishes from their bones? Skeletons, come to life.""It's really quite fascinating,"

"A boasting lady we are, aren't we?" he commented in amusement and with another flirty smirk around his lips. "I'm honest: I wouldn't have thought of you to be a bloody pirate, a Captain at that, when we first met," Killian added while leaning against the bedframe wall next to them, almost automatically coming closer to her, even leaning in a little. Bloody hell, he wanted to kiss those lips again.

[Hollywood Heidi]

"A boasting lady we are, aren't we?"

"Guilty," she said on a chuckle. But who wouldn't boast about pulling off such a feat?


"I'm honest: I wouldn't have thought of you to be a bloody pirate, a Captain at that, when we first met,"

"Couldn't possibly be more surprised than I," she admitted, thinking how very different her life had become. Had someone asked her a year ago where she saw herself in a year's time, this was nowhere within the realm of what she might have guessed, realm being both figuratively and literally speaking.

He'd taken on that casual, sexy lean--was anything he did not sexy?--and she knew what he was thinking when that intense gaze of his caressed its way down her face to land on her lips. He was beginning to lean in a little and she found her own eyes and thoughts going to his lips. That same magnetic pull started to take hold, but reminding herself of her place and mission, Etta regained control of her senses and smoothly stepped around him, heading for the door.

"The hour is late. I trust you can find your way to the crew's sleeping quarters?" she asked, reaching for the handle.

[DarkSideCookie]

Killian had been very confident about Etta buckling at some point, knowing that she wanted him just the same, so he was actually surprised when she so suddenly moved and stepped around him.

"The hour is late. I trust you can find your way to the crew's sleeping quarters?"

Ouch.

"Why so dismissive all of a sudden, love?" Killian dared to wear his thoughts on his sleeves, not without a slight grin to cover up his disappointment. Probably not the most clever step to bluntly confront her with the reason for her rejection, but he also didn't plan on being moved into friend-zone, or even worse.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta stopped short of the door. Growing up in a place where people guarded their emotions and tempered their passions, his directness had caught her off guard. She turned and defensively crossed her arms, eyeing him warily. Despite the nearly constant devilishly playful grin, she could see he was quite serious and not merely trying to tease her or get a rise out of her.

The tension relaxed from her body, though her arms still remained loosely crossed like an invisible shield. It was a rare instance she was glad to not have access to her true feelings.. She might have said or done something stupid.  It would be selfish of her to allow him to get entangled in her mess, not to mention dangerous to be around her, and the last thing she needed was more complications. She would take advantage of this situation to voice boundaries. Resolutely, her chin went up a notch and she put on her best authoritative, captainy tone.

“You presume to know me after having spent, what,” she mentally took a beat to calculate, “a total of an hour in each other’s company?” she reminded matter-of-factly. “Now, I admit some blame as I had behaved uncharacteristically in your company, but whatever you assumed was going to happen here,” she gestured to their surroundings, “will not be happening, for many reasons, two of which are, I am your captain, and I am on a mission that requires all of my attention,” she ticked off on her fingers.

[DarkSideCookie]

Kilian could feel the tension in the air between them. And, despite his immense self-confidence, for a second, he might feel insecure about his decision to have gone into a blunt confrontation with this until she finally turned back around to him.

“You presume to know me after having spent, what,”“a total of an hour in each other’s company?”“Now, I admit some blame as I had behaved uncharacteristically in your company, but whatever you assumed was going to happen here,”“will not be happening, for many reasons, two of which are, I am your captain, and I am on a mission that requires all of my attention.”

Double ouch.

And yet, nothing she had said could lead to his surrender, not in the depth of his heart at least. But Killian got that she wasn't ready yet to admit her true feelings to herself. Bloody hell, he even would have believed her himself if he didn't remember the kiss they had shared like it had been yesterday. No more than the total of an hour or not, body language didn't lie. Killian could swear he had felt her trembling against his body and even through her lips. For some reason, she wanted to play the unapproachable. Granted, she was quite good at it. He just didn't completely get why she would do it in the first place. Maybe because she wanted to be taken seriously as his captain so badly?

"Well, too bad for you, love," he said nonchalantly and still with a slight grin to let her know that her words wouldn't let him down. To underline his point, it was now Killian who walked past her, yet not without throwing one last blink in her direction. "You know where to find me though, in case you change your mind." And with that, he left the cabin of the captain, for sure not his captain but just the captain of the ship he's currently settled on.


*** Killian exits ***

[Hollywood Heidi]

When he paused near her at the door, she held her breath, unsure if her wavering resistance might break. But to her relief, he made no move for her, simply offered an open invitation instead before stepping out of her cabin. Etta stepped toward her door to lock it. Good. He'd acquiesced to her request. So why did she feel a twinge of disappointment beneath the relief?

Catching herself frowning down at the key, Etta shook herself out of it as she reached out and turned it. She tossed her robe onto the back of a chair and crawled back into a bed that felt colder than usual.


Too bad for her, indeed.


*****************

[Hollywood Heidi]

Etta groaned at the sound of the ship coming to life. It felt as if she'd finally just fallen asleep after a night of tossing and turning, but the sound of the full crew replacing the night's skeleton crew told her it was time to drag herself to her feet.

Swinging her legs around, she sat on the side of her bed, and pushed her tousled hair from her face, cringing at the brightness of the early sun streaming through the windows. Etta leaned back, allowing the wall of her bed alcove to shield her from it. This world was so bright, so vivid, that sometimes, her eyes needed a moment to acclimate. There were moments, particularly after a night of restless sleep, that the brightness of it set her head to aching.

Etta had gotten to her feet and made quick work of making herself presentable. Standing at the mirror now, she took in her reflection and sighed. Having picked up new crewmembers meant having to give one of her speeches. It was exhaustive, having to stress an authoritative presence due to her sex, and, well, her looks did not help matters. It usually took a while for her words to be heard as the newcomers were busy gaping or leering before who she was and the stories that surrounded her name finally sank in.

The relentless light of the sun started a dull ache in her head. Catching the cringe in her reflection, she had a feeling it would be one of those days that it would take her longer to acclimate to this world's natural settings. On her way out, Etta grabbed the red-lensed glasses she'd taken from Viktor and hooked it onto her bodice. She stepped outside her cabin door and paused to watch the crew from the shade of the overhang.



Motion from the area of the captain's quarters caught the attention of one of the new men working the rigging. He did a double take, then let out a low whistle as he admired the stunning view. "Captain's got fine taste in women," he said with a subtle nod toward his topic of conversation.

The man beside him was pulled from his thoughts and glanced toward his shipmate's nod, then chuckled, having been through the same thought process when he'd first arrived. "Mate, that is the Captain."

The newcomer looked stricken, then leaned closer to speak quieter as if in fear of being overheard. "That exquisite creature is Captain Henry? Captain Henry, the Heartless?" He'd elaborated as his crewmate's amused nod, as if there were any other known Captain Henrys.

He nodded again, amusement fading to seriousness. "Aye. Hard to believe such a fine face could be capable of such gruesome acts," he reminded with a serious expression.



Etta gave a nod of acknowledgement to her first mate as he joined her side, also seeming to favor the shady spot below the upper deck and helm. She slipped her glasses on, ignoring the eyes starting to fall in their direction. Most were discreet and it was obvious which were the new by those less discreet. Her eyes continued to study the crew as she spoke. "Eventful evening. Have you worked out how Mr. Jones managed to get into my cabin?" She'd only meant to sound a touch admonishing but had grown more irritable the more she'd thought on what would have happened, had it been anyone but Killian. Her slowly growing headache did not help her mood.

[Ariel]

Dracula had been on deck awake, alive and early. He was hungry. His whole being twisted with thirst as he watched and eyed each member of the crew. But he was well aware of the arrangement between him and the captain. He wouldn't touch a soul, until Etta deemed it necessary. And he was willing to teach this crew how to treat their lady captain...over and over. The last feeding flooded his thoughts, made him anxious for more. And yet, he wouldn't touch another man deserving of punishment until Etta said so.

"Eventful evening. Have you worked out how Mr. Jones managed to get into my cabin?"

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by none other than Etta herself, "Ahem," Dracula cleared his throat, grounding himself into the present moment before continuing, "He appears to be a sneaky fellow indeed. It seems as if he may have bargained his way in with that upmost charm that he possesses," Dracula spoke in disgust before catching himself in front of Etta, clearly aware of how she felt about the pirate, "My apologies, Captain. I am sure he has more enlightening qualities that would redeem him in my eyes. If he is a good man to you, then I shall rest my case in full support of whatever history it is you have with him." He assured Etta, though still wary of the new stowaway. Yet, he couldn't help but to feel a hint of jealousy that Etta herself would have another strong, capable man in her life that wasn't him. He would watch and observe, and deal with things adequately.