Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind.
A/N: I finally found my disk with the chapters to the third part of my trilogy. This isn't what I right like now, but it was finished before my computer went on me. To those of you that have waited so long, sorry it had to be forever. To those of you who are reading this it is probably good to start with Sapphire Islands, Talon Whisper & Puzzles, Puzzles & Grisham is the last in the series.
Chapter 1: Solving Issues
It had been about two weeks since we had left Sirens Pass and again managed to get around the Sirens. Jack had been a bit more cooperative about being tied up, which was why more then likely Elizabeth had lectured the both of us several hours later when Jack emerged to again take command of the helm. Jack was still working on placing the puzzle pieces together and from what the two of us guessed when it was finally put together right we would have a very intricately detailed map, problem was fitting it together right. We found out that several pieces fit perfectly together in several spots which made it not like any puzzle I had ever dealt with and made it very frustrating for both Jack and myself. After another week of doing nothing but the usual crew duties and fighting with the puzzle Jack had ordered a stop off for supplies in Tortuga which made me wonder if he was hoping to find Grisham and remove some of his built up energy and get his revenge. Three weeks with Jack ranting at a puzzle, the rum running low and no sign of Grisham was starting to make him less then pleasant for anyone to be around. I had even taken refuge among the crows nest several times during his brief rampages. Elizabeth had learned to avoid him for fear of going overboard and other crewmembers were back to tiptoeing around the ship.
"Brandi!" called a familiar voice as I snapped my head up and glanced down from the crows nest frowning at the sight of Jack who looked as though he was fuming again. "Come down love!" he called his voice sounding more like an order then a request which had become rather common as of late.
"I swear I might remove his reason for reproduction one of these days." I murmured irritably before making my way down from the crows nest pausing on the last few rungs of the ropeway and hanging upside down to face him my face a mask of irritation. "Yes?" I questioned allowing my annoyance in my voice seeing him narrow his eyes in warning.
"Alright…so I'm not the most pleasant at the moment love. I need yer help I think I may have figured out that blasted thing, but you're by far better at pointing out what looks right and doesn't at the moment. I've stared at that bloody thing for far too long." Jack growled crossly as I allowed a small smile against my annoyance and crossed my arms. "Yer going to make this difficult aren't ye?" he questioned aware of my smirk as I nodded and started to attempt to right myself to head back to the crows nest. "Alright love." He thought smirking faintly as Elizabeth and Will both exchanged curious looks from their work on the ship and watched as Jack easily plucked me from the ropes and lifted me over his shoulder without a word carrying me into the cabin.
"She's going to beat him senseless…we're back to the fighting couple." Sighed Elizabeth returning to her work seeing several familiar faces around her frown together. "Then I could be wrong." She said hopefully aware she had already crushed any happy moods around her with the previous comment.
--Inside the Cabin--
"That wasn't a wise idea Jack." I warned from my perch over his shoulder glaring at the door as it slammed rather violently before feeling myself lightly tossed on the bed and glaring up at the annoyed smile on Jacks face. "Then again patronizing him in his current state isn't the best idea either." I thought sighing irritably before leaning back against the wall and crossing my arms seeing Jack stand there as though expecting I would actually move and go look at the map I was ready to currently burn.
"Ye are making it rather difficult to remain calm love." Jack said his voice low and irritated as I glared up at him and flipped him off in retort. "I hate that gesture." He thought his mouth going into a fine line as his eyes narrowed.
"Fine." I muttered standing and walking over to the desk glancing over the map and seeing that for once it looked rather like a complete piece instead of a piece being off somehow. "I think you finally figured that damn thing out." I murmured curiously studying the smooth surface of the map and seeing several detailed islands and descriptions among the side. I felt his arms slowly wrap around my waist as he leaned over my shoulder and nodded almost as though he was thankful he finally figured it out. "You are so irritating when you're raving around like a lunatic." I murmured glancing out of the corner of my eye noting the narrowed look I was receiving for the comment.
"Yer not much better on me patience love." Jack retorted stepping back freeing my waist as I turned and sat on the desk observing him thoughtfully.
"I'm high maintenance remember?" I asked seeing his eyes were glittering with amusement as I sat there swinging my legs lightly in thought. "Now what are you planning on doing?" I asked as I shifted sideways and waited for an answer.
"I think I'm going to find out some information about this map from Tia Dalma and then worry about Grisham." Jack muttered observing as I stopped my feet suddenly and leaned sideways to get a better look at his expression only to fall off the desk with a startled yell. "I take it ye know who she is too?" he questioned aware of the fact it wasn't often I killed myself during a conversation.
"Sort of." I murmured wondering how much this world was different from the movies, before rubbing my sore elbow and climbing to my feet with his assistance. "What do you plan on giving her…this map looks like something that would make her state the worst about it." I said glancing over the piece and watching curiously as the thing seemed to melt into a solid piece no trace of puzzle ever present.
"That's interesting." Jack said softly observing the map and lifting it smiling noticing it was now whole and he could easily roll or fold it for storage. "I know what Tia's like…yer going with me into Tortuga and help me find something that may be worth her trouble, I get the feeling yer good at that sort." He answered turning his attention from one subject to the other so easily he didn't skip a beat.
"Why me?" I questioned crossing my arms and carefully leaning on the desk making sure I didn't get startled and fall off again. "She will probably tell the whole crew where I'm from and get us in a whole mess of trouble and explanations." I muttered seeing Jack glance at me thoughtfully stroking his chin before a familiar smirk crossed his face.
"That's why Gibbs, Lizzie, Will, myself and ye are the only ones going." Jack stated matter-of-factly before I gave him a curious look. "What?" he questioned noticing I was giving him a familiar 'you are so crazy look'.
"I think Anna-Maria knows." I answered smiling hesitantly aware of his eyes narrowing suspiciously at me before I sighed and pointed to the knocking force at his door. "Elizabeth let it slip one night when she was drunk…Anna already knows not to say anything, but whether she believes it or not I have no idea." I murmured as Jack sighed shrugging and opening his cabin door with a flinch of agitation.
"What now Elizabeth?" Jack questioned getting agitated with her suddenly before she narrowed her eyes and thoughtfully eyed him and then the side of the ship nervously.
"There's a ship following us." Elizabeth answered cautiously before Jack peered at her suspiciously and exited the cabin leaving me and her to exchange curious looks before we followed up on deck. "He's most certainly scary lately." She grumbled before joining Will who was as on edge as the rest of the crew.
"No really…hadn't noticed." I thought feeling a bitter taste in my mouth aware I had bitten the inside of my cheek in agitation before I walked over to Jack observing him staring in the distance at the ship with the spyglass his face currently a mask to Gibbs and myself who were both waiting for him to say something. I had a feeling it wasn't good judging by the annoyed look that finally crossed Jacks face before he started calling out orders and went directly to the helm to my surprise and many of the disappointed crew went the opposite way of the ship, which meant it wasn't Grisham and wasn't someone that interested him. "The crew needed a good fight." I thought observing the miserable looks across deck before they went back to work. I carefully patted the disappointed looking Gibbs on the shoulder before making my way up to the helm and sitting in front of Jack on the railing observing his dark look that seemed to consistently loom more often then usual. He ignored me for a long while and continued to stare ahead clearly attempting to stare through me instead of concentrating on my curious look before he sighed and clamped his hands tighter on the helm. "Yeah…kind of hard to ignore me when I'm sitting in front of you Jack." I thought aware he was gritting his teeth apparently having his suspicions I was going to ask him several more unwanted questions.
"I'm not going away." I said with a smug look on my face observing those brown eyes narrow at me before he smirked oddly. "Uh oh." I thought aware he was up to something before he moved swiftly making me jump, luckily I was sideways and on reflex I fell on the deck in front of his booted feet instead of a painful landing below on the lower deck. "You are going to regret that Jack Sparrow." I hissed irritably as I glanced up at the smirking smug form above me and snorted in irritation climbing to my feet and promptly stomping over to the railing to sit down on the deck and glare at him.
"I have plenty of ways to ignore ye love…that was just reflexive." Jack answered before returning to the helm. "It's also captain." He said on reflex before I grit my teeth wanting to pummel him for a brief moment annoyed he was being pessimistic at the moment. "Ye have anything other then annoying me in mind?" he inquired quirking his brow in my direction as I smiled promptly flipping him off and glaring down at the boards at my feet. "Bloody woman." He thought sourly before returning his attention to their next destination.
I sat there glaring daggers at Jack for nearly two hours before becoming aware of how quiet the ship really was and frowning in annoyance. "Jack…I want you to go back to your ever annoying self." I thought ducking as something went flying over my head and seeing a very wary looking Ragetti glancing up at me and then at Jack. "One of the crew threw his eye again." I realized starting to get annoyed with the taunting of him before sighing and climbing to my feet glancing at where the wooden object had landed before gathering it in my hand and walking over next to Jack tossing it down. Ragetti gave me a quick thank you and disappeared back to work avoiding the one crewman that seemed to make it his mission to annoy the poor guy. "When we're in Tortuga…that guy has got to go." I thought seeing Jack was reading my expression with a curious look before nodding as though he agreed with me. "I hate not reading him as well as he does me." I thought glaring at him for a moment before seeing Will and Elizabeth were busily discussing our stop in Tortuga for supplies and then I overheard them whispering about where we were going after that. "Tia Dalma's…I have no idea why though." I thought hearing Jack order someone to take the helm feeling a hand gently snake under my hair and brush my neck lightly making me narrow my eyes.
"Jack…I will break your fingers." I warned softly not sounding as convincing as I would like due to the fact I enjoyed that touch of fingers gently brushing across my neck, which made me close my eyes briefly.
"Go ahead." Jack breathed softly against my ear as I snapped my eyes open and turned to retort startled when lips were gently pressed against mine feeling his tongue make it's way into my mouth as his fingers moved very slowly down to my side making me flinch on impulse into his arms. "Yer coming with me for a while love." He said with a smirk as I glared at him trying to push his hands away already knowing what he meant.
"Um…you wish." I retorted resorting to grabbing his wrist and pinching a nerve making him flinch at the pain he felt. I then stood aside and made my way easily down the stairs and walked around to the back of the ship, where I figured it would be better to try and calm myself down before I easily agreed to Jacks offer. "Damn it…why and how does he managed to get me to forgive him so damn easily…bloody manipulative Pirate." I thought glaring at the wood so dangerously it might have splintered.
"Are you alright Brandi?" Questioned Elizabeth as I snapped my head up my expression clearly answering her question. "No you're not…can I do anything?" she questioned curiously as my mind started to buzz with questions before I glanced at her and tilted my head thoughtfully.
"Have you met Tia Dalma before Liz?" I questioned aware of her eyes narrowing before she sat down very near me her face a mix of irritation and anger. "She's met her before." I noted sighing wondering exactly how and again wondering if the movies did happen in this world or at least the other two.
"Yes…she helped Jack before, she seemed awfully fond of Will. I was still engaged at the time." Elizabeth answered. "We were on a search for some globe of sorts, but never found it…Tia Dalma led us all on a wild goose chase so to speak. I have my suspicions she wanted my Will to herself." She muttered sounding like a dangerous harpy ready to kill someone.
"I doubt Will would go for her." I answered seeing her give me a curious look. "She was in my time in one of those stories." I murmured seeing her nod easily understanding something that she couldn't even wrap her mind around at the moment. "Why didn't you find the globe?" I questioned curiously remembering Jacks curious look when the map seemed to melt into a solid form.
"We never found the map to find the map that led to the blasted globe." Elizabeth muttered irritably before crossing her arms the news of seeing Tia Dalma obviously annoying her a great deal. "That woman only speaks in worthless riddles and rhymes…I greatly dislike her." She grumbled before becoming aware of my silence and thoughtful expression. "What are you thinking?" she questioned curiously before I tilted my head gazing at her getting a very distinct feeling Jack was up to more then he was relating as usual.
"Just how annoying Jack is." I muttered knowing it was part of the truth and would keep her from asking more questions right away, or at least I had thought it might.
"Did he figure out that blasted puzzle?" Elizabeth grumbled aware that both of us were in equally foul moods now and both weren't about to be civil used to each others attitudes by then.
"Probably not…I wasn't exactly helpful." I muttered lying through my teeth and wondering if she would catch on to that fact. "I've gotten good at being a pirate." I thought seeing she had no idea that I was lying.
"Good…at least it gives us time before he goes…he's going to see Tia to help put that damn thing together." Elizabeth murmured coming to her own conclusions before huffing angrily and heading off to work.