A/N: Hello and welcome. Now I know I said I wasn't going to put author's notes within my stories but I wanted to at least give you guys fair warning before diving into this and let you know what exactly you're getting yourselves into. I'm not giving anything away but just know this story is rated M for strong language, violence, sexual content, and violent sexual content. This story is going to go to some dark places and the events that take place get a hell of a lot worse before they get better. The next author's note won't be until the end of the story but I'll keep everyone updated on my tumblr blog. Thank you all for taking the time to read my story. I hope you guys enjoy this next installment and without further ado I present: The Pool of Souls, the sequel to The Spider and the Wasp.

TSATW: The Pool of Souls
Chapter 1

For Alex Vause, there was no greater joy than being able to crawl into bed after a long day and lose herself within the pages of a good book. To enjoy the warmth of her blankets rubbing against her legs and thighs. She loved it, the smell and the feel of the roughness of the parchment between her finger tips, and the dim candlelight as it flickered over the pages. Alex sat up against the headboard of her bed and adjusted the glasses on her face. With her first finger she gradually began to turn the page of her book as she read the last couple of sentences. As she started to read the next page she looked away from her book for a moment and saw that the candle wax from the lit candles had melted down to almost nothing. She then looked over at the door and sighed. No sign of Piper. It had been almost a week since they had left Imperial Terra and Piper had not once shared her bed with her.

Despite her desire to be close to her Pipes, Alex didn't want to push her. For now Alex figured it best to allow her some space and give her time to come to terms with all that has happened. Piper did lose her family in a single day after all, the only life she ever knew. Byll proved himself to be the piece of shit Alex had said he was time and time again. He had threatened to kill Piper. Whether he actually would have was uncertain. Byll had been trying to set the precedent that he hated Alex and the other pirates so much that he was willing to kill his own daughter for the mere crime of association with their kind. Alex imagined that despite what has happened he was still Piper's father and maybe she had a happy memory or two during her childhood, Alex didn't know. But in a way Alex understood her pain and what it felt like to grow up with the idea of someone you thought you knew only to have the truth surface. It was like opening your eyes for the first time.

Piper's distant behavior though was starting to make Alex worry. Piper took on the duty of swab without complaint and took over Suzanne's post in the crows nest as part of her penance. Suzanne was all too happy to be back on the ground with the others.

Alex missed Piper. While sometimes Alex did stay up with the intention to read, lately it had been just an excuse to stay up and wait for Piper to walk in. She never did. Her heart ached for her presence and Alex always slept better when Piper was nearby. And she had to admit, she missed the sex too, she was missing it now. Alex decided it was time to abandon her previous sentiment to leave Piper be and to find out what was wrong. She threw back the blankets and put on her captain's jacket.

Alex held her coat a little closer to her body to fight the light breeze in the air and her eyes searched around the main deck for Piper. When she couldn't find her she reasoned that she'd most likely may be up in the crow's nest, and she was right. She looked up and saw Piper gazing up at the sky in the barrel of the lookout, her blonde hair blowing in the wind. Alex started to ascend the ladder all the way up into the barrel. Piper's back was still facing her. She hadn't even heard her coming.

"Well if it isn't the invisible woman." Alex teased.

Piper jerked around "Oh. hello, Alex." she said dully.

Alex pouted at her "Okay here's some advice, when a girl makes you come the way that I do, you should always act thrilled to see her. So you got to give me a little more than 'Hello, Alex.'

Alex stood beside her and playfully trailed her fingers up Piper's arm. She brushed Piper's hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. Slowly she pressed a couple of soft kisses on her cheek and felt the small muscles of Piper's smile turn up when she did. Alex nuzzled her nose there for moment as she enjoyed the softness of Piper's skin. She started to recall the softness of other parts of Piper's body and how it felt to lie with her. The sensation was so wonderful it seemed to set Alex's skin afire. She remembered the heat from their bodies and how it intensified with the friction they created when they rubbed against each other. Alex's thoughts were clouding and she was making herself wet with the memory of it. She was starting to forget why she was up here in the first place. Alex gave herself a mental shake and pulled away. They stood, shoulders touching and Alex settled for the comfort of just holding Piper's hand and stroking her fingers. Piper returned the favor and for a while they stood in silence watching the dead gray clouds pass over the moon and the stars in the sky. Alex's hand caressed Piper's and both of their fingers intertwined with one another like the bodies of two lovers. Alex loved the connection she felt whenever they touched. It was like reconnecting with a part of herself that she never knew existed, becoming whole.

"Did I frighten you?" Alex asked.

"A little."

"Not being a very good look out if I could startle you so easily."

"Sorry." Piper said rubbing her face with her other hand "I'll try to do better. I guess I'm just tired is all. I'm really tired."

Piper did look exhausted, so much so that Alex could tell that even speaking seemed to sap her energy.

"I know you are. Tired, I mean. I'm not trying to chastise you Pipes. I'm just concerned that's all. It's no surprise you're exhausted. You've been working yourself like a dog these past few days, scrubbing the ship from top to bottom, nightly patrols on deck and in the crows nest. You keep this up everyone will start to think I'm running a slave ship. Why don't you give it a rest? I think you've earned it. Come with me to bed." Alex gave her a sly smile as she tried to lift her spirits. "I'll make it worth your while"

Piper smiled a little "It has been a while hasn't it?" she asked referring to their last intimate encounter. Her smile though seemed almost sad.

Alex licked her lips. Her voice was serious but it held the weight of concern "Talk to me Pipes. Tell me what's wrong and tell me everything."

Piper swallowed and thought for a moment "It's just… you say I've earned it but I don't think I have yet. What I'm doing doesn't feel like enough. It's like when I try to sleep my thoughts are so overwhelming that they keep me awake at night. The guilt keeps me awake. I have so much on my mind. And when I'm alone and it's quiet my thoughts speak even louder. I think about the damage one small letter has caused and how because of my selfishness and naivety people have suffered. My family no longer wants anything to do with me, they hate me, my father threatened to kill me and I'm haunted with the thought of wondering if he really would have."

Alex just listened and allowed Piper to unleash everything that she was feeling inside. The pain in her voice hurt Alex's heart.

Piper's eyes wandered down to their joined hands. Alex saw that she was looking at the discolored and scabbing wounded flesh where Alex had been branded. Alex immediately took her arm away when she saw that it was making Piper uncomfortable.

"Piper I've forgiven you for that, what's done is done. It's in the past. You can't go on beating yourself up about it. I've forgiven you. Do you hear me?"

"I can't help it. I see the brands and it's like an ever present reminder of what I've done to everyone, of what I've done to you. Everyone hates me again, I mean sure some of them didn't really like me to begin with and only went from hating me to hating me less. But they at least tolerated me."

Piper let out a wry laugh "I'm a fugitive of high born society, hated by my family and pirates alike. No longer a princess, not exactly even accepted as a pirate. I'm just Piper. Floating around in a strange sort of limbo just trying to find somewhere to land."

Alex gathered her courage to ask a hard question. "Do you regret coming with me?"

"No." Piper said looking shocked that she would even ask that. "I'm happy with my decision to be with you. I want to be with you and I'll never separate myself from you again. I'm going to stand by you. I just wish I had left under different circumstances."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean circumstances that didn't involve the death and torture of hundreds maybe thousands of people. Circumstances that didn't involve you being hurt."

Alex ran a hand through her hair in thought. Piper was hurting and Alex kept trying to think of what to say to assuage her guilt. "Well if you think about it had we not been captured those left locked in those dungeons would not have been liberated."

"You did that Alex, not me."

"With your influence. You provided me with the knife that freed me. Not to mention the kick I needed."

"That's not much."

"But it's something. You really never give yourself enough credit Pipes. If it weren't for you I would probably be dead right now."

"But I'm also the reason why you would've been."

"Small things do matter Piper. They can make a damn bit of difference to any situation."

"I just wish I could do more you know? I wish I could've done more."

The only thing Alex could think to say at this point was the one thing she knew to be true. "I love you. I don't hate you." she said firmly " And that's all that matters okay? Fuck what everyone else thinks. Don't worry about the crew. Eventually they'll come around and if they don't then that's too bad. You just have to let it go."

"Have you let go of your mother's murder?"

Alex flinched.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make that come out so harshly. But I see you Alex. I might not be as observant as you but I do see you. I watch you toss and turn at night when you're having a nightmare and even when you're awake I see the terror filled look in your eyes as you're reliving those moments."

Alex held her head down "No I haven't let it go." she said "I do relive those moments and I do think about what I could've done differently."

What Alex failed to mention though, was that all of that was soon about to change and she would soon be able to make things right again.

"But we're not talking about me Pipes."

"I just truly understand now how you feel Al. Because if anything had happened to you I never would've forgiven myself. I do feel some measure of comfort in your forgiveness…but I don't feel like the debt has been paid. I don't feel like I've gotten what I've deserved. All of you have endured so much and I feel like I'm getting away with a slap on the wrist."

Alex's eyebrows scrunched together with concern and worry "Are you…are you saying you want to be punished?"

"In a way. And maybe that's what I deserve. The punishment should fit the crime shouldn't it? Maybe I deserve some amount of pain for what I did to you. Maybe only then will I feel some sort of redemption."

Any other time Alex would've made a cute little quip about 'punishing' Piper. But this had suddenly turned into something serious. Piper was really talking about wishing harm upon herself.

"Don't talk like that Piper…seriously. Ever. You're starting to scare me a little bit." Alex snapped. "You haven't done anything to yourself have you?"

Piper shook her head "No."

Alex let out a heavy sigh "Pipes look at me. We're going to get through this. Everything's going to be okay."

"But I feel like I deserve it. I know I shouldn't say that but that's how I feel. It's like I can't help but feel like something bad is coming my way like I got away too easy and that my comeuppance is still coming."

"Piper you're feeling guilty. Nothing bad is going to happen." Alex said emphasizing each word "And I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Remember whatever happens we deal with it together. Always together. You watch my ass and I'll watch yours."

Alex held Piper's hand tightly. Piper's eyes looked glassy and she went silent again. Right now Piper was a thick wall that Alex was constantly trying to break through. Piper wiped her tears before they could fall. Alex hated to admit it to herself but she didn't know what else to say. She felt completely helpless. She so badly wanted to take Piper's pain away but how do you fight an enemy that you can't see or touch?

Maybe words weren't enough. So Alex decided to comfort her in other ways. She kept her grip on Piper's hand and slowly guided her down to sit beside her inside the barrel of the crow's nest.

"Alex?"

"Shhh." She said as she looked into Piper's eyes and kissed her softly on the lips.

Alex turned her face into Piper's neck and started to kiss her there. She felt the shudder of Piper's body coming to life when she kissed her pulse and collar bone.

"Al… Al I have to.." She moaned out.

"Shhh don't talk Piper."she whispered "Just relax."

Alex slowly worked her hand into Piper's pants and began to softly caress and stroke her just the way she knew Piper liked. Piper let out a whimpering moan. Alex's face stayed close to Piper's, their cheeks barely touching. Alex looked at Piper with hazy eyes and leaned in to give her a long passionate kiss on her lips. Piper was so wet and warm and she felt so good against her fingers. Suddenly Piper was clutching onto Alex's hand, keeping it in place as she worked her fingers inside of her. She was urging her to continue, begging.

"I missed you." Piper whispered when she was able to catch her breath.

"I missed you too Pipes."

Alex changed up her stroke and whispered seductively into Piper's ear "What do you say we continue this back in the captain's quarters. I promise you the bed is much more comfortable."

"Who's going to…." Piper moaned "Who's going to stay up and keep watch in the crow's nest?" Piper asked in a breathless whisper.

"C'mon I want you to come" Alex moaned and looked down at her with a lustful look in her eyes. Her fingers increased their stroke and she could tell Piper was getting close. Piper gasped, her back arched.

"And I want you to come. We're hundreds of miles away…no ships… no threats, you're taking the night off…" Alex kissed Piper on her cheeks and mouth "Your captain orders you to."

Piper smiled "Well I guess if it's captain's orders I suppose I must." Alex gave a throaty chuckle and kissed her again on her neck.

"C'mon let's go."

Later that night in Alex's cabin, she and Piper once more lost themselves in the comfort of each other's bodies and Alex was more than determined to ease Piper's guilt and pain in any way that she could. By the time they finished Piper had finally fell into a dreamless sleep. Her hand lied limply in Alex's. Alex stroked Piper's face and her fingers trailed through her hair.

As she lay watching Piper sleep she thought about what she had said and worry consumed her. Alex was on the verge of restoring one piece of her heart only to feel like she was about to lose another.

"I love you, Pipes." Alex said, though Piper did not hear her. "Everything is going to be all right, I promise. I won't lose you too."