Obligatory disclaimer: The Mouse owns all, save for my own original characters.

James stood on the upper deck of the Luna Mare, as he christened his newly paid for ship, inhaling deep lungfuls of the sea air. While this was not how he had envisioned his life turning out, he mused that it was not a bad way to live. He had purchased the ship one week prior and while he knew nothing about running a business, James knew everything about sailing and the maintenance of ships. From making it from one port to the next in the shortest amount of time possible… to finding the safest path pirates and weather would allow, James knew he would make better time than most of his competitors.

Unsure of how to go about purchasing a vessel, James had taken the profits from the sale of his home and belongings, then sought out men who might be down on their luck in the harbor. Several men wanted out of the business of cargo transportation and were eager to pad their very lean wallets with James' money. James screamed novice to them, so all were itching to do business with him. But James drove a hard bargain and soon he was able to procure the soundest ship his money could buy. While the smaller size would hinder profits, James had bypassed larger ships that were less structurally sound. When the tides turned, he would be heading for Nassau to acquire a crew, a task that seemed rather daunting… and exhilarating.

Feeling like a king surveying his kingdom, James rested his forearms on the railing and pondered what Helen was doing at that moment. It was the first time he had allowed himself to think about Helen since her departure and instantly regretted doing so. After he woke up alone the morning after their exchange, he found himself not only a man without a home, but completely – and desperately – alone. But desperate times call for desperate measures and James soon found himself a ship owner before sundown. While knowing it was dangerous to linger in Port Royal, James stayed on while renovating the ship to meet his transport needs.

And it allowed him to think about Helen just a little bit longer.

She is dead, you fool. Dead, as you once were. She is doing nothing but possibly looking down on you, wondering why you have not done more since she left. It has been one week and all you have done is drink and mope. You leave – today.

"Ho there! I apologize for intruding into your thoughts, but are you accepting any passengers?"

James turned and looked down at the gangplank, silently cursing himself for not drawing the board up on deck. The voice was low and husky, reminding James of smoky billiards rooms and cognac. There was no other was to describe the timbre other than intoxicating. But it was also decidedly feminine. And vaguely familiar.

The person was wearing a wide-brimmed hat worn low over their features and a gray traveling suit that did nothing to disguise the very womanly figure the clothing housed. Because of the arc of the sun, the woman's features were cast in shadow, obliterating her features. James squinted to see if he could make out any facial details, but found it was like trying to see through murky water. As James sighed in vexation, his chest rose and fell like the tides.

James then shook his head, slightly disappointed in the fact that he was turning down possible business. But he had no supplies and a single man transporting a seemingly single female would be highly inappropriate. "I am sorry, but I am not taking any passengers. If you are looking to arrange for passage, I highly suggest that you try the other end of the dock. Some of those ships are transporting persons as well as cargo." James smiled down at the woman, hoping that he came across as contrite rather than cross.

But she would not be deterred. "I have money." She held up a purse and shook it slightly, the sound of jingling coins carrying over the sounds of the pier.

James knew he should stop walking towards the woman, for as he closed the distance between them he knew he was only giving her false hope, but he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame. He climbed down the stairs to the main deck, his eyes never leaving the woman. Coming to a stop just over an arm's length away, James paused and replied, "I understand that, but… I have no crew." James swept his arms around to indicate his empty ship. "And… you… you have no idea where it is I am going." Her persistence was unnerving. And James had seen more than his fair share of unnerving sights. Dying men whose bodies were twisted in agony and mutilation. Undead pirates. Mermen. But none of them had been of the female persuasion.

Unless you count watching Elizabeth flirt with Will. And Jack. Bloody Hell, that was almost worse than watching her make moon eyes over the young whelp.

The woman ducked her head, the brim of her hat acting like a shield. James could not tell if she was being coy or guarded. She shoulders rose and fell in indifference. "Does it matter? I am ready to see what is out there in the world. I am presuming you can take me somewhere I have not been." Her head tilted upwards slightly, but her features were still obscured. Now James knew she was being coy.

James furrowed his brow. Unsure of what was going on, he took the few steps remaining between them and grabbed her shoulder, causing her to gasp. Knowing it was highly improper, his hand cupped her chin, forcing her head up so that he could look upon her face. James instantly recognized her and backed away, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

"Helen!"

Her smile was a lopsided one; slightly apologetic, slightly rueful. But as James' disbelief slid into confusion, the brightness of her smile outshone the sun. She wanted him to be happy to see her. She wanted him to be overcome with joy. Why did he look so scared? "Hello, James. You are looking good for yourself." Helen took a tentative step forward, knowing that her reappearance was more than a little unexpected, but hoping that he would embrace her. Instead, he backed away.

James halted his retreat when his back connected with the railing that housed the stairs leading to the upper deck. Fighting the urge to swallow hard in disbelief, he took a deep breath and prayed that his voice remained calm. "What are you doing here?" Good, that was even and unwavering. But rude, so rude.

Wetting her lips, she tried to squelch a chuckle. Out of all the things he could say, those were the first words out of his mouth?

"Trying to obtain passage, is it not obvious?" Helen remained where she was, despite wanting to go running and throw herself in James' arms. He was obviously stunned and more than a little distressed. She did not want to frighten him any more than she already had. And even though his touch had been intoxicating and searing hot when he cupped her chin, Helen was determined to wait until he came back to her.

Attempting several times to reply and failing miserably when no words came out, James frowned repeatedly, unsure of what to do or say. Finally, the ability to speak returned, even though comprehension still eluded James. And the words spilled out like a rum from a bottle. "I see that. But… why? What happened? My God, I dared not pray that I should get you back, but if I had you may have returned sooner. 'Tis you! God's Teeth, but I never thought I would get to see you again! But… how? I thought… I… am really confused." His right hand arced upwards to his brow where he was frantically trying to massage away the beginnings of a headache.

Pressing her lips together, Helen wanted to comfort James. But she knew that any kind of contact, any kind of intimacy, would frighten more than comfort. So she stayed rooted in place. "How I came to be here… has a very complicated answer, but it all boils down to the fact that you and I both did what we were supposed to do. I was to help you become whole. And to do that meant you were to find love. After some thought on William Turner's part, it was decided that to penalize you was wrong. So Will granted me passage back to the world of the living. He sends his apologies and hopes that in time you can forgive him. He said that he never wanted to hurt you and hopes that my return can heal some wounds. And he said that you would know what he meant by that."

Seeing that James' features darkened at the mention of Will Turner, Helen pressed on. "And as far as being confused, James, that it is completely understandable. I was not expecting to be here myself. But, here I am. And I hope my presence is not too inconvenient."

His eyebrows practically shot up to his hairline. Stomping back to her, James grasped her upper arms and drew her up onto her toes. "Inconvenient? Helen… Bloody Hell, I never thought I could be so happy!" His head lowered so that his breath caressed her lips, so Helen closed her eyes in anticipation for a kiss. But he suddenly released her, causing her eyes to open in surprise.

His hands went to his hair, pulling tendrils loose from his queue, as he closed his eyes in disbelief. Opening them one at a time, he was pleased to find Helen still standing before him. He had never felt such despair when he woke up alone and although he wanted to believe that this was really, truly happening, James kept waiting for the dream to shatter.

James still had not granted her passage, a requirement from Will and Elizabeth in order to make her return permanent. She took a hesitant step forward. "So you will let me board?" He seemed so conflicted. There was no possible way that he had met someone else in her absence and she was hidden somewhere on the ship.

Was there?

James indicated that she should walk past him, uncertainty still coloring his features. "Board?! Why would I not let you board? A million elephants could not prevent me from dragging you on board. Of course, you silly chit! But," James suddenly sobered, "you have no idea where I am going…"

Helen stopped and turned, smiling up at James. "But I intend on going anywhere you are going, darling. Will decided that once you found love, it was cruel to take that away. So, you are not the only one who is back from the dead. But as far as your travels go, I will be happy anywhere you are. I know women on a ship are bad luck, but I was hoping that you could make an exception in my case. There is so much of the world I want to see. With you. If you will let me…"

James crushed Helen against his chest as his arms wrapped around her waist. A smile danced at the corner of his lips and a small shake of his head indicated that what was happening was more than a little mind-boggling. But with a hard swallow, James lowered his lips to Helen's, brushing against them softly, before whispering, "Is it really you?"

Her hand slid from his upper arm and cradled the back of James' neck, her fingers playing with the wispy tendrils that pulled loose from his queue. Smiling against his lips, she whispered back, "Show me to the captain's quarters and I will prove to you how much it truly is me. Then, once the tides turn, I want you to show me how to sail!"

James felt his heart swell to the point of bursting. "'Tis you. I need not take you behind closed doors to know. However, I think that reacquainting ourselves after such an absence would not be a bad idea." James then gently kissed Helen, his tongue carefully exploring the seam of her lips before slipping into the velvety recesses of her mouth, ignoring the catcalls of the sea dogs and sailors on the wharf below. Like magnets drawn together, his lips never left Helen's as James scooped her into his arms and made his way to his sleeping quarters.

A/N: Well, my little poppets, thank you for reading. As I stated in the beginning, this whole story was completely self-serving. I leave the story open so that Helen and James can have whatever adventures you want. I appreciate the time you took to stop by and read. Your patience with the story, your feedback... the fact that people enjoyed my writing means more than you will ever know. Your kind words have warmed my heart. I hope that I have served you all well.

A/N Part 2: Luna Mare is Latin for Sea of Moon(s). Pronounced Loo-nah Mar-aye.