A/N: Okay, this is the 'girl falls through time and ends up falling for Jack' fic. But with a twist! Read and Review!
peace, love and lipgloss
Mlle. Fox
The Southern Belle and the Pirate
Emily Joanna Clarkson or just plain Emma Jo to her family and closest friends looked out at the navy blue Caribbean waters from Kingston, Jamaica on that hot, fall night in November of 1865. She fanned herself praying to God she could take off her stays not because she felt restricted, heavens no, she had worn corsets almost her entire life. But they were an extra layer of clothes that kept her hot and sticky. And Mama always said a lady does not sweat, she 'glistens'. Well she was 'glistening' so much she might as well be a daggone gold nugget.
She took off her gloves and looked in despair at her poor hands. They were hard and calloused, not the hands of a proper southern lady. But she couldn't help that. War had shaped these hands. Kentucky 'technically' stayed out of the War Between the States, but that didn't stop battles being fought on the bluegrass, or the boys going to join either the North or the South. In Kentucky, it really did become brother against brother. Now it was all over. But the Yankees weren't done kicking the South around yet. Now taxes were as heavy as a Southern colonels' heart, and Democrats had no voting rights whatsoever. And you would think Kentucky would be spared. But no. Kentucky got treated just as badly as the rest of the South. Maybe it was because of all those men who did go to join the Confederates, Emma Jo didn't know.
What she did know as the daughter of one of the few plantation owners in Kentucky was work. Good hard work. Work that happened when their servants had either gone off to fight themselves or had gone North for better jobs, or down south for their chance at owning property. Emma Jo called them servants and not slaves because, although it was unknown, her father Col. J.R. Clarkson was a conductor on the Underground Railroad. He would secretly pay his workers not only for their work on his tobacco farm, but for keeping their mouths shut when the slave hunters came through. They were all risking their lives by doing so, her father's since their neighbors were very anti'-Emancipation. The servants since a white slave hunter could hurt them for lying, and Emma Jo's and her Mama's since they supported all this and helped whenever they could.
Emma Jo could still remember the slaves' faces. Being a realist, she knew not all slaves were beaten, in fact it happened rarely. You couldn't get work out of a hurt slave. But when she saw the few who had been beaten, she had felt as sick then as she did even now while she thought about it. Now the war was over. But the battle raged on within Southerners souls. What really riled Emma Jo up was the way the South was becoming stereotyped as cruel, snobby rich white beating up on the poor black men until the North came to save them. This war wasn't just about slaves, it was about state rights. Funny how the North liked to try to forget that while the South couldn't help but remember in a dazed shock.
But she supposed part of the Southern myth was true. There was a time when all she had to worry about was pretty hoop skirt dresses, flirting with men in a ladylike manner without being considered 'loose', and attending grand dances and summertime picnics at Southern Manor. But that part of her life was only for a period of three years. From age fourteen to age seventeen, she had that life. Now here it was 1865 and she was twenty one. She was unmarried, and wishing for the time when life had been simple. She had led a hard life that made her forget how easy life once was. She had to go help her Daddy in the fields, tend to the animals and the chores around the house alongside her Mama and her childhood nanny 'Aunt' Ginny. Now they were as poor as church mice since they couldn't bring in enough crops by them-selves. So Daddy decided to start raising the only other thing Southerners could spend money on. Horses for horse racing. They had always raised horses at the Manor, but now it was for business not pleasure. She knew all about horses and riding as one could possibly know. And the only one who knew more than she was her Daddy. So when a old friend wrote the Colonel about this English Duke looking to sell his Arabians in Kingston, they sold the last of their family treasures, bought some new (well slightly used) clothes and headed down to the Caribbean with every intention on buying a horse or two and maybe sell Emma Jo off to a rich nobleman. Emma Jo didn't mind. She was looking forward to the day when she wouldn't have to worry about her next meal and could just lead a simple life once again. She even allowed herself to daydream about marrying a handsome man who would insist on moving to the states so they could take over the plantation after Daddy passed on. And they would raise horses and race them, maybe even winning a Derby or two! It would be nice if she could fall in love and be married, but when your family is faced with poverty, true love falls to the backburner. As was already mentioned, Emma Jo was a realist.
So when they showed up two weeks ago, they were surprised to hear that the local blacks were in uprage and land disputes with the British aristocrats. Half of the sugar plantations were bankrupt and the recent Morant Bay Rebellion sparked numerous smaller versions in consecrated areas. She had traded one war zone, for another.
"Miss Emma Jo!" shouted a strong voice. Emma Jo turned from the balcony to face the old black woman who had her hands on her hips and was a face of stone.
"Yes Aunt Ginny?" replied Emma Jo in her Southeast Kentucky drawl.
"Child, you are being missed at the party!" said Ginny crossing her arms over her royal purple homespun dress.
"I just had to step out and cool myself, Aunt Ginny. Lord Almighty, Daddy failed to mention it was so dang hot down here!" said Emma Jo fanning herself.
"I know Emma Jo baby, but you must meet the Duke's nephew! He's single, looking and rich as a Yankee carpetbagger! Ain't much to look at, but he's something!" said Ginny holding out a cup of ice to her. Taking the cup, Emma Jo said,
"Well, for Pity's sake, Gin, why didn't you tell me that in the first place?" Then Emma Jo took some of the ice and instead of sucking on it, slipped it down her dress much to Ginny's horror.
"Lands alive, that feels good!" breathed Emma Jo.
"Girl, you did not just slip that there ice down your front did you?" said Ginny putting a hand to her chest. Handing her the rest, Emma Jo walked past her saying,
"Oh hush it Aunt Ginny, you know you would too." Shrugging Ginny slipped some down her own blouse and proceeded to follow her.
"Put them gloves back on. You don't want the Duke thinking you a common field hand with them hands do ya?" said Ginny as they walked down the hall to the parlor. Obeying her, Emma Jo said,
"You would think a man would appreciate a woman for working hard. Or at least pity her."
"Man don't want to marry a girl that can work hard. They want someone that can feed 'em after they work hard." said Ginny. Emma Jo smiled at Ginny,
"Well it's a mighty good thing you made me a good cook huh, Ginny sugar?" Then they entered the parlor. There stood her Daddy tall and proud, his brown hair turning gray, and his green eyes still sharp and as shrewd as ever. Mama sat on the sofa, prim, slightly plump and as proper as ever with her cool blue orbs seductively but modestly hidden under big butterfly lashes in her modest navy dress. The Duke, an old gray man with the likeness of a hawk stood arrogantly by the fireplace making him the center of attention. A tall, thin, young man, with platinum blond hair and sunken in dull gray eyes behind spectacles, blushed at her entrance.
"Miss Emma Jo! How delightful you could join us! Allow me to introduce my nephew, Lord Barnaby Ganes of Edinborrow." said the Duke pointing to the young man. Emma Jo sashayed over and raised her hand and coolly said,
"A pleasure, your Lordship. Fashionably late I see!" As the young Lord took her hand in his trembling one, he mumbled,
"A puu….puu puu puu…pleasure Miss!" The Duke clapped him on the back and chuckled,
"Didn't I tell you she had a delightful accent? Sit down Miss Emma Jo and my nephew can show all of us what he found in the marketplace this afternoon." Emma Jo did as he suggested and sat on the couch next to her Mama.
"Something to revile the Edinburraw marketplaces, my Lord?" said Emma Jo taking some tea from Ginny.
"EdinBORROW, Miss." said Lord Barnaby quietly. Emma Jo whispered to her Mama,
"Didn't I say that?"
"Not quite, darlin'." said her Mama patting the back of her hand.
"Yes well Uncle, Col. Ladies, I did find something that I thought you all might receive a little 'kick' out of as you Americans say. But first, I wish to give Miss Emma Jo a present as a way of showing how grateful we are to have her here." said the English Lord a little more at ease. Emma Jo put down her teacup.
"A present? For little ol' me?" she said. She had not received a present in two years, so this was a thrill of a lifetime. The young nobleman pulled a little box out of his pocket and presented it to her. She took the black mahogany box, and noted the beautiful craving of a sparrow flying over a setting sun and the ocean horizon laid in gold leaf. She opened it and gasped. A beautiful Chinese looking pin with a deep black stone sparkled in the gas light.
"It's a black diamond. Very rare and very valuable. I found it with the other item I found. The man who sold it to me said that it was supposed to be magical." said his lordship. She shut the case and said with restraint against clutching it to her bosom,
"As a lady, My Lord, I can't accept such a valuable gift from a man I am not even courting."
"Oh no, no, no! I insist! I shan't take no for an answer!" he said. Emma Jo looked to her Mama, and then to her Daddy who nodded saying with his eyes,
'Beggars can't be choosers, darlin'.'
"Very well. Thank you My Lord." said Emma Jo.
"Barnaby." he corrected her.
"Emma Jo." she said smiling sweetly fluttering her eyelashes. He straighten back up and said,
"Well, I am a student of history so when I came to the Caribbean with my uncle I tried to research all I could about these waters all I could. What especially fascinated me, were pirates from the 17th century. So imagine my delight when I found this." And with that, he left his captive audience, and pulled a rectangular, covered item from behind the buffet. He rested it on a chair across from Emma Jo and pulled back the cloth.
"Gasp!" Emma Jo breathed. It was a painting of a man in front of a black ship with black sails over his right shoulder, and the setting sun on his left. He was as tanned as an Indian, with high cheekbones and a well cut jaw line, long braided hair tied back some with a red scarf, a mustache, and a beard braided into two plaits at the goatee. He was dressed in faded exotic garments. But his eyes captured her gaze. They were outlined with something black that only made his deep dark chocolate brown eyes even more deep and dark. They were seductive, enticing, dangerous, cunning and delightful. These eyes belonged to the smiling handsome man who Emma Jo wished was beside her this minute.
"Now that's a pirate!" said the Colonel.
"The title says 'Captain Jack Sparrow'. But I never heard of a pirate by that name." said her Mama with wonder.
"Neither have I. Barnaby, would you care to explain?" said the Duke.
"I wish I could Uncle. But this is a new one to me. He must have been either full of himself to have his portrait done, or he was known by all but lost to time until now. Or even both!" joked the Lord.
"Well, this could be history in the making. My lad, you may have discovered another great pirate that no one remembers! What would you say Col.? Should I give my Nephew leave to research this scallywag to find out more about him?" joked the Duke pointing to the portrait.
"Why not? I'd like to see what all the fuss was about if someone took the trouble to paint a pirates' portrait." shrugged the Colonel.
"What do you think, Emma Jo?" asked the young Lord meekly. Still in shock, she said,
"He's handsome."
"Well, yes. I suppose he was…"said the Edinborrow Lord in curiosity while looking at the portrait.
"Oh! Lord Almighty! I best be getting off to bed. If I may be excused?" said Emma Jo to her host as she shook herself out of her daze.
"Oh course, my dear!" chuckled the Duke. She kissed her parents goodnight and then took the young Lord's hand.
"I do hope we may spend some time together." she said warmly. He raised her hand and kissed it saying,
"As do I." She left the parlor, holding her head. Why did she get all riled up over a man that had been dead for over two hundred years?
She walked upstairs and took off her earrings. Then she walked past her muslin covered mahogany four poster bed to open the window to her balcony. She took a breath of fresh air then scrunched up her nose. Smoke? Where was smoke coming from? She looked down and saw an advancing horde of angry black men holding torches and weapons. She heard shouting from within the house. And then gunshots went off. She ducked and covered her head crying out. She heard her father's voice, then her mother's and then nothing but the angry men. Suddenly, Ginny burst in screaming,
"Emma Jo!"
"GINNY! WHAT'S GOING ON?" cried Emma Jo in terror.
"Local villagers coming to make us into examples! We must run away! In the woods where they can't find us!" said Ginny gathering her up and pushing towards the door. Emma Jo rushed back and grabbed the little black box. She held it up saying,
"In case we need money!" They ran downstairs and out towards the back and out the door in the kitchen. Emma Jo looked towards the front where the men were and screamed. There on the ground, in a muddy pool of blood lay her parents. The mob looked towards her and started to run in their direction. Pushing her towards the brush, Ginny said,
"Go child! I'll hold them off! Run!"
"But Ginny!"
"RUN!" she yelled. Emma Jo trembling obeyed,
"I love you, Aunt Ginny!" Then she ran off into the jungle. Soon she heard men shouting behind her in the dark woods. Branched and bushes and vines came out to bite her and tear at her dress. Finally she looked back but when she felt nothing under her foot, it was too late to turn back. She fell over the cliff in a pool of skirts, screaming towards the rocky waters below. She failed to notice a glowing light from within the black box.
One hundred ninety years earlier…
Captain Jack Sparrow, sat with his legs propped up on his desk looking over his map. Sure enough, it was the right map. And the island they had just visited was the right island. But the 'great treasure' he and his crew had found was one lousy Chinese pin set with a black diamond. He went back to Kingston where he had bought the map and confronted the old Chinese man he had bought it from. The old fool had just said some nonsense about him using the pin to find an even greater treasure than gold or silver.
"What could be a greater treasure than gold or silver? I can't just hock this thing anywhere, I'm a wanted man! My crew has to be paid. Some of them have families to feed!" he had protested. The old man had just replied,
"This stone defies all nature to help the owner bring him the greatest desire of his secret heart, Captain Sparrow."
"Really? And what might be the greatest secret desire of me heart, mate?" Jack had said sarcastically.
"The love of one, good, woman." the smiling old man replied.
That made Jack laugh at the absurdity, and question the truthfulness of it. He hadn't been with many girls from Tortuga lately. And when he was with one, it was…boring. Not to the girl, he never failed to displease, but he just didn't find it as appealing anymore. At least not since he had crashed Will and Elizabeth Turner's wedding six months ago. They had looked so excited and happy. They were at the start of an adventure that would last their whole lives. Till death do them part.
"Ruddy Eunuch! Turning out as bad as him!" muttered Jack to himself shifting in his seat. He continued to study his map when he saw out of the corner of his eye, a soft violet glow. He put down the map and opened the box he had custom made for himself to keep his treasures. The pin was glowing!
"That's interesting!" he mumbled to himself. Then as miraculously as it had started, it stopped and once more lay dormant.
"That's very interesting!" he said picking it up and turning it over in his hands. Then he heard a loud splash from outside.
"MAN OVERBOARD!" yelled one of his crew. Jack rushed outside his quarters and onto the deck.
"FISH HIM OUT!" ordered Jack. Some of the crew dove overboard, their waists tied to rope.
"Gibbs, who is it?" asked Jack to his first mate. The old man with gray muttonchops said,
"None of the crew, Captain! They just popped out of nowhere! Mark my words, bad luck is afoot!"
"No one can 'pop' out of nowhere. They either pop out of somewhere, or they don't pop out at all! In that case, they wouldn't be popping anywhere to begin with Savvy?" said Jack. Gibbs looked at his Captain confused until his attention is turned back to the scene below. A large man with a yellow beard had pulled on his line and the crew including Jack started pulling him out. Once on deck, the crew saw a mass of wet cloth draped over his shoulder. Exhausted, he dropped the bundle on the deck and says out of breath,
"Permission to faint sir?" Nodding Jack said,
"Permission granted Mr. Vincent!" The man rolled his eyes and flopped onto the deck unconscious. Ignoring him, Jack leaned over the bundle and turned it on its back. The crew gasped. It was a young girl. A beautiful young girl, Jack noticed. Wearing a short sleeved, low cut, pale pink dress, with torn lace and snags embedded with leaves. Her face was cut in various places. It was tan with rosy cheeks. Jack dared to touch her and found not the smooth porcelain of a lady, but the soft clay of a farm girl. Her hair, long, and dark brown with blond highlights from the sun, lay in wet straggles all around. He dared to open her eye lids and was taken aback at the beautiful violet orbs he saw. Despite wearing a corset, she was breathing normally, as if she had been born with it on.
"Anamaria!" called Jack. His boson, a skinny, pretty, black woman in pirate garb pushed her way through the crowd. Leaning over her as well she said,
"She don't look too bad. Just a nasty bump is all we have to watch."
"Put her in me cabin." ordered Jack. They stood up and allowed one of the crewmen to pick her up and carry to the cabin under the quarterdeck followed by Anamaria.
"EVERYONE BACK TO WORK!" ordered Jack. As the crew dispersed, Jack noticed something on the deck where the girl had been. It was a little black box. His little black box! Only it looked like it had aged over time. Picking it up and turning it over in his hands, he said,
"That's interesting! That's very interesting!" Then he shoved it into his pocket and headed up to the quarterdeck to take the helm.
Emma Jo woke up slowly. Her head was groggy and her vision fuzzy, she looked up and saw a brown skinned woman staring down at her.
"Aunt Ginny?" she asked weakly. Noting her curious accent, Anamaria said wiping her brow with a cool rag,
"Just hush. You've had a bad spill."
"Oh Aunt Ginny, I had a horrible, horrible dream! I dreamt a mob of farmers stormed the Duke's house, killed Daddy and Mama, you. I ran and I ran but they kept chasing me! Finally, I fell off a cliff and was heading towards the water faster than a flea on a hound dog." said Emma Jo trying to catch her breath.
"Shush, you're safe now." said Anamaria furrowing her brows at the unusual comment she made about the flea and the dog.
"Oh Ginny, I love you like you was Mama. I want you to know that sugar, cause who knows when we'll be separated. If death won't separate us first, being poor will. I don't wanna be poor anymore Ginny. I want it to be like before the war, when I could wear hoop skirts and flirt with men and go to parties. I'm so tired…so tired…" Emma Jo trailed off. Anamaria tucked her into Jack's bed. This girl had had it rough it seemed. But she wasn't going to pity some rich girl thrown into poverty. She couldn't have had it nearly as rough as her, working to survive. Apparently this 'Aunt Ginny' was her slave. Hmmp. Love her indeed! She endeared her 'servant' maybe, but not loved. But what war was she talking about?
"You sure she said 'War'?" asked Jack as he turned the helm. Her arms crossed, Anamaria nodded as she leaned against the railing.
"You know what war she's talking about?" she asked. Jack thought a moment.
"Maybe the one England has with the Spanish. But that is a world away from anyone in society circles." he replied.
"So what the devil was the poor little rich girl talking about?" she asked irritated.
"Don't know. But maybe you should respect her a little more than you're doing, Luv." said Jack.
"For what?" asked Anamaria.
"In case you failed to notice, Ana darling, she has the complexion of a farm girl, not a queen of society. Her boots are worn and stuffed with newspaper, She's a little underfed (and yes even with a ruddy corset on I can tell) and her dress was altered not once, but twice before, indicating she's lost weight (which further supports my underweight theory) or that dress had a previous owner, Savvy?" said Jack looking ahead at the horizon. Anamaria gazed questionably at him and asked,
"Jack, how would a skirt chaser like you know all that stuff about women?" He smirked and cocked his head at her. Showing off his metallic grin, he said,
"By simply paying attention when I do the skirt chasing, Savvy?" Anamaria rolled her eyes in disgust at his raised eyebrows. Then he turned the wheel over to the ever silent mute Mr. Cotton and said,
"Gibbs! Ana? Why don't we go and pay our guest a little visit aye?" As he walked down the ladder with Anamaria following, Gibbs came up and said,
"I've been thinking, Captain. Maybe the girl stowed away on our ship but fell out somewhere! Like through the openings for the canon deck and all!"
"Gibbs, I've got a feeling it is a lot more complicated than that!" said Jack opening the door to his cabin. Stepping through the curtains, he jumped back at the lass chugging one of his rum bottles, standing and using his desk for support. He smiled and hooked his fingers in his belt as Ana and Gibbs stared behind him in shock.
"Since when does a lady drink anything stronger than wine Milady?" he asked her stepping forward slightly. She jumped in fright but then looked at Jack in shock. Like she had just seen a ghost. She paled and dropped the rum bottle leaving it to crash on the ground. Normally, he would be more upset than he was, but Jack merely eyed the shattered remains, frowned slightly and said,
"Waste of good rum darling."
"Actually…I…I…found the stuff dang terrible. But I was just so daggone thirsty…"she trailed off in a quiet drawl. He however, found himself amused at her curious accent. It was certainly a lot more interesting than the stuffy British ones he had heard from ladies mouths all his life. Even the rough British accents of Tortugan women were common and dull. But this accent had life in it. He liked her accent.
"You could have drunk the water, Luv." he said eyes pointing to the clay jug by his bed on a little table. She blushed and said,
"Oh."
"What's your name, Missy?" he asked his mind desperate to know the answer and his ears burning to hear that voice of hers. She gulped and said,
"Emily Joanna Clarkson…But most folks just call me Emma Jo." she said raising her chin up a little. She couldn't let this man make her afraid. Despite looking like a man two hundred years in the ground, there was nothing she was afraid of really except to find that she was now on a boat in the middle of the ocean with land being five hundred miles away. He smiled and said,
"Well Miss Emma Jo. Would you mind explaining to me how you stowed away on me ship and fell out?" he said. She raised her voice in defense,
"I did not stowaway! I fell off a cliff!"
"Luv, when you hit that water, you were nowhere near any cliffs and so the only place you could've fallen from was the canons Savvy?" said Jack. Angrily she said,
"Are you calling me a lair?"
"Until you can prove otherwise Milady!" said Jack half bowing to her. She advanced on him and said,
"Now see here you low down, two bit, cheap old piece of carpetbagger slime! Where I come from, gentlemen DO NOT call a lady a liar!" He merely smirked and said,
"Well, lass, it's a good thing I'm only as much as a gentleman as you are a lady!" Outraged she said making him step back,
"Why you…you slack jawed dimwitted ugly hound dog! You ought to be horse whipped, dragged around by your rear end and shot!" His eyes turned dangerous for a second and he started to make her back up until she was next to the bed. Then the look was gone and he dryly said,
"Apologies."
"For being a two faced idiot?" she jabbed.
"No, for what I'm about to do." Then as quick as a flash, he grabbed her right ankle and pulled it up, made her lose her balance causing her to land on the bed.
"OH! TURN ME LOOSE! UNHAND ME YOU SICK SNOT NOSED CAD!" she yelled struggling. Ignoring her, he simply pulled off her boot, and tickled her socking foot causing her to involuntarily giggle, and then released her foot roughly causing her to flip head over heels over the bed and onto the floor in a hard thud. Walking back to Gibbs and Ana, he pulled out the newspaper in her boot and carefully unfolded the damp edges. Then his eyes widened when he saw the date. He handed it to Gibbs and said,
"Look at the date." Gibbs and Ana's eyes opened wide too.
"Mary, Mother of God!" whispered Gibbs as Emma Jo sat up from the floor and said irritatingly,
"What? Ya'll never saw a newspaper before?" Jack took back the newspaper and walked back to tower over her. Then he bent down and looked her squarely in the face.
"Not one from the year 1865, no. I'm afraid we only get the papers marked 1675 around here, Luv." he said as her eyes widened.
"WHAT!" she cried.
Emma Jo took the hot cup of coffee from Anamaria as she sat from across the desk of Captain Jack Sparrow, who had his feet propped up and was looking intently at her. Gibbs stood over his shoulder now convinced more than ever that women on a ship were bad luck.
"Thank ya kindly." she replied before draining the cup.
"Don't mention it." said Ana going over to stand against another wall.
"Lord Almighty, I'm drier than a sand storm going through the Sahara!" she said wiping her lips.
"I suppose time traveling will do that to you." reflected Jack. She closed her eyes and said,
"This can't be happening! Any second now, I'll wake up at the Duke's plantation, Aunt Ginny will come in, lecture me about standing up straight before fixing me in my stays and my dress, I'll go down, curtsy to His Grace, kiss Mama and Daddy good morning and then maybe go for a stroll with Barnaby after breakfast."
"Unfortunately it IS happening, Luv. The Duke's house was raided, your family was killed, you were chased through the jungle only to fall off a cliff and thanks to a magical Chinese pin, you miraculously was saved by the very pirate whose portrait you saw only an hour earlier and who also possessed that magical Chinese pin." said Jack seriously.
"In the year 1675!" She cried.
"Aye. So the question now is, what shall we do with you?" asked Jack.
"Can't you figure a way to send me back?" she asked.
"I could ask the man who sold me the map, provided he isn't long gone back to Beijing. But I doubt we will get you back. Besides it sounds like to me you have nothing to go back for." said Jack.
"I have to take care of my family's plantation." she offered.
"Why would a young girl feel obligated to go back?" asked Jack.
"Because…" she was about to say 'Because I didn't spend four years spilling blood sweat and tears into that bluegrass just to give up on it! That land is a part of me!' But it was none of his business why, so she simply said,
"Because I have my own reasons." she said. Jack could tell she was keeping something back but he decided to let it go for now.
"Right, then. Gibbs. We're heading back to Kingston to once again track down Mr. Lee, Savvy?" said Jack standing up and walking to the door.
"Cap'n?" Emma Jo said. He felt a rush flow through his body. The way she said 'Captain' thrilled him for some reason. Taking a breath, he said,
"Ay?"
"Where shall I sleep?" she asked. Jack thought it over a bit. There really wasn't any room for her…unless.
"In here darling!" he smirked before walking out. Her mouth open in shock she finally shouted,
"OVER MY DEAD BODY!" Then she rushed out after him, saying,
"Hold up you sorry excuse for a man! There ain't no way I'm going to share a room with a off his nut deadbeat dope like you so long as I have breath in my body!" He finally stopped and stared her down. She was locked in his gaze before he smirked and said seductively fingering her fallen shoulder strap,
"Ye sure? 'Cause I can help take your breath away…Savvy?" She narrowed her eyes and glared at him. Then she balled her right fist, pulled back and connected with his jaw in a forceful right hook. Surprised and caught off guard, Jack stumbled backwards and over the railing into the open sea.
"MAN OVERBOARD!" cried one of the men as the crew scrambled to save their captain.
"JACK!" cried Gibbs rushing over to the railing. Brushing her hands, Emma Jo turned to Gibbs and said sweetly,
"Mr. Gibbs, is it? Tell the Cap'n when ya'll fish 'im out that I shall be taking his room. ALONE. Thank ya kindly!" Then she turn and lifted her skirts so she could walk holding her head up like a queen leaving Gibbs and Ana to stare back at her.
"You know…I think I may have misjudged her!" said Ana smiling.
Fifteen minutes later, a sopping wet Captain Jack Sparrow kicked his door open and glared and fumed at the woman sitting daintily in the chair in front of his desk, reading a book about famous pirates. She smiled sweetly up at him and said,
"Something wrong Cap'n Sparraw?" Despite himself, he liked the way his name rolled off her tongue. Still, he closed his eyes and said through gritted teeth,
"Captain SparrOW, not SparrAW!" She furrowed her brows and said,
"Didn't I say that?" He stormed in and looked down at her in rage. She only looked up at him and smiled like a cat happily eating a mouse. He raised and lowered an index finger a few times before saying,
"THAT…was not very nice!"
"I knock your block off and all you can come up with is 'that was not very nice?' My dear Cap'n I thought better of you." she said dismissing him and going back to her book. He fumed even more and considered pulling out his pistol on her, but he dismissed it and rushed over to a trunk, pulled out a spare thin blanket, marched over to his bed and threw a pillow towards a corner only to be followed by the blanket.
"You will sleep there, I will sleep in the bed!" he stated.
"On the floor!" she cried.
"My ship, my cabin, my rules!" he stated sitting at his desk to pull off his boots.
"Well at least I won't be defiled by a lowly scoundrel!" she said.
"Like I would want a devil-tongue shrew like you!" he yelled. Satisfied he had shut her up, he continued,
"Now, until you can play nice, MISS Emma Jo, you are not to leave me cabin, Savvy?"
"Why don't ya just throw me in the brig?" she demanded.
"Don't tempt me darling!" he stated dryly.
"I would never dream of doing so CAP'N!" she said with venom laced with sugar.
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Fine!" said Jack turning his chair around to study a map. She huffed,
"You're going to catch your death in those clothes!"
"Why the concern? You care for your fellow man or do ye just want to see me bum?" he said not turning.
"OH! You vicious warmonger! I just don't want to catch anything, 'Savvy'? she said mocking him.
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!" she said getting up and walking over to her little makeshift bed on the floor. Fixing it up, she laid down on the hard wood floor and only because she was exhausted, fell fast asleep.
And that was how things were over the next few days. Jack would steer the ship and guide the crew all day, while Emma Jo would stay in the cabin all day, pouting and reading her book. When Jack came in from off his watch, she would address him,
"Cap'n Sparraw!"
"Miss Clarkson!" he would reply nodding before she retired to her corner and tried to fall asleep so she could avoid talking to him.
'At least he's feeding me well enough!' she would think. But Jack's conscience began to get the best of him. He couldn't let a lady keep on with the floor! 'But she's no lady!' he would argue with himself. But then she was a lady who only had a fire in her. A fire that stirred his fire up every time she spoke, move, and looked at him. He found her wild and untamable, like a jungle cat. Like the bloody ocean itself during a storm! He often caught himself staring at her for hours after she had fallen asleep curled up like a kitten. So it was no surprise to him, but completely to her, when one day he said,
"You can go outside the cabin if you like."
"I beg your pardon?" she asked coolly.
"You've behaved yourself. Keeping a civil tongue in your head and all. So go outside." he said quietly. She got up and said,
"Thank you Cap'n." Then she walked out on deck. What was this? He was disappointed? He wanted for her to get 'riled' up as she said and insult him or make a rude comment? Yes. Just as he lived for every storm on the ocean, he wanted the storm Hurricane Emma Jo to come through and make him feel alive again. Definitely confused at his feelings, he got up and called after her,
"Emma Jo?" But when he came out on deck, he found her hard at work scrubbing the deck. He walked up to Gibbs and said,
"What goes?" Gibbs smiled at the girl.
"Amazing ain't it? Finally comes out after four days and asks me what she can do to earn her place around here. Said something about her father saying 'The only place you can get a free ride is on the backs of angels taking you home'. She's a curious one, she is."
"Aye." said Jack.
"Think all ladies are gonna be like her in the time to come?" asked Gibbs. Jack looked at her and said quietly,
"If they are, then the future is in good hands, mate." Then Jack walked up to her and said in his best Captain voice,
"Miss Clarkson!" She looked up at him.
"If you are going to work as part of my crew, then you shall report to Anamaria for better clothes to work in, Savvy?" he ordered.
"Aye Cap'n." she said nodding.
"Good. Carry on Clarkson." he said before heading back into his cabin.
Emma Jo actually found a dress amongst Ana's thing. A maid's work dress, but nothing she wasn't use to after four years of hard farming and chores. She also got to use that time to get to know Ana. A little rough around the edges, but very womanly when she wanted to be. In her Emma Jo confided her secrets. The War, the years of work on the plantation, even the parts about the Underground which Ana was very impressed, being a former slave herself.
"Wish there was someone that would have helped me escape." she would say whenever the subject came up. Ana also began to respect her because of this. She even began to teach Emma Jo how a ship works. But for the most part, Emma Jo would scrub the decks twice a day, and wash the crews' clothes. She mostly stayed away from Jack, but she also never complained about the work load. This aroused Jack's curiosity. Why wouldn't she complain? Why wouldn't she show him the life he liked in her so much? He was beginning to make excuses just so he could hear her drawl again. He didn't know why he needed to so much. It was like he was addicted to a drug or something. And when the fateful night came that Emma Jo volunteered to cook, he knew he was hooked.
Delicious and wonderful aromas came out of the galley that day like a siren's song. The crew was in torture. Finally, dinner time came and everyone came rushing to the crew's mess, with Jack in the lead. They sat down and Emma Jo and Ana set out the food. Even though it smelled divine, the crew was weary of the unusual way it looked.
"What's wrong?" asked Emma Jo.
"Lass, what is it?" asked Gibbs.
"Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and buttered green beans with buttermilk biscuits. Ya'll never had this before?" she asked. Finally, Jack took a chicken leg, smelled it, and bit into the meat, the bread crumb coating crunching and crumbling into his beard. He closed his eyes and said in ecstasy,
"Aw Lord that's the RUB!" The rest of the men scrambled to get their share until nothing was left on the table. After dinner, Jack looked around for Emma Jo to thank her, but she had disappeared. Going topside, he found Emma Jo alone on deck staring out at the stars in the night sky her long hair flowing behind her in the breeze.
'She looks lovely in the moonlight!' he thought. Then he smirked and clapped his hands. Startled, she turned to him as he said,
"My compliments to the chef!" She smiled,
"Ya'll liked it huh Cap'n?" He waved his arms about,
"Of course!" She nodded,
"Well that's southern cooking for ya Cap'n. Made with everything good in this world and only adding salt for flavor!"
"Was that meal made with love, I wonder?" he said. She furrowed her brow.
"Why did you say that?" she asked. His eyes darted from side to side as he thought,
'Maybe 'cause I want to find out if you can excite me in more ways than being mad at me?'
"Must have been the rum." he slurred. She nodded accepting the lie not knowing he hadn't touched a drop all night.
"Speaking of which, how is it a lady manages to hold her liquor like you did that first night you drank me rum?" he asked swaying a little bit.
"My Mama always said, 'A lady doesn't indulge herself in spirits'. Then my Granny would pipe up (when she was alive of course)'she only sneaks enough until she can hold her head. Then it ain't indulging no more!'" she said smiling a little bit. He barked a loud long laugh saying,
"HA! Luv, that's a good one! That's…" he stopped when he saw her tear up struggling to hold back her emotions. He walked up to her saying,
"No, no, no! I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it!" She started to sob into his shoulder incessantly. Not knowing what to do at first, he slowly but finally put his arms around her and smoothed her hair. Finally she choked out,
"I miss my folks! So no…it's not your fault! It's me! Being so dang weak!"
"Weak? Darling you are not weak. You have such a strong spirit that I…"he started.
"You what?" she sniffed.
'I want to hang around you all the time so that I can get some of your strength?' he thought. But instead he said,
" I…any man really…has to admire it!"
"Thank you kindly, Cap'n." she said.
"Jack." he corrected her.
"Jack!" she cooed turning his knees to jelly.
"So does this mean we can start over?" offered Jack.
"Oh Lord Almighty yes! I've just been plain awful to you. Forgive me?" she asked.
"Anytime!" he said.
"So now what do we do?" she asked. He pulled back and wiped her face dry with his thumbs saying,
"We're going to stop crying now, and we are going to let you take the bed while I sleep out on deck."
"Oh no Jack! I can't just take your bed like that!" she protested.
"And I can't let a lady sleep on the floor anymore. Sides I love sleeping under the stars. So come, follow me." he said taking her hand and pulling her into the cabin. Grabbing the blanket and the pillow on the floor, he began to walk out again saying,
"Good night Milady!"
"Good night, Jack." she said.
A little while later, Jack was sitting behind the helm, deep asleep but slightly shivering in the cool breeze. Then he felt an extra layer of warmth around him. He nodded awake and looked around only to see Emma Jo walking back down the ladder. He pulled the blanket she had given him, closer around him and smiled. He was most definitely hooked.
A few days later, Jack was napping in his cabin with his hat over his eyes. Then out of nowhere, Emma Jo, in nothing but a silk kimono sat up from beside him on the bed and seductively whispered in her southern drawl,
"Jack! Jack! Jack!" Then she took off his hat and leaned in to kiss him.
"JACK!" yelled Anamaria with her hands on her hips looking down at the sleeping Captain. He started awake and pulled back his hat then seeing Anamaria there by his bed, instead of Emma Jo in his bed, he sighed,
"Oh bloody heck with it all!"
"What's wrong?" Ana demanded.
"I think I'm ruddy in love!" said Jack in despair. Ana shrugged and said,
"Sorry Jack, not interested."
"No! Not you! Emma Jo!" cried Jack sitting up.
"Mother's love, did you think I'm blind? I see the way you look at her and I've watched you find any little thing to just to hear her speak to ye in that weird accent of hers. Face it Captain Sparrow. You're hooked." she said as he got up and went over to a little cracked mirror on the wall and said,
"I know, I KNOW!" As he began to shave a little, she said,
"Well, are you going to tell her?" He turned back to her and said,
"What? That I love her so much I'd die for her? That not even the Black Pearl can make me feel as alive anymore as she does with her sweet quiet charm, or her fiery passionate temper? That I'd go through the deepest circle of hell just to know she cared for me an ounce?" He turned back to the mirror and said,
"I couldn't give up being a pirate if I wanted to Ana. Maybe for her, but she'd never love a man who gave up his passion for her. I know she's lead a hard life, Ana, and she just wants to have life easy again. I can't offer her that life on the Pearl. Life on the sea can be tough, you know that. I just want her to be happy."
"You really do love her. You'd give her up, just so that she can be happy." said Ana in awe.
"Yeah, not all treasure is silver and gold, mate." he said.
"Tell her Jack. Even if she rejects you, you'll never get on with your life wondering what could have been." said Ana touching his shoulder before walking out.
It was lunchtime, the crew was below and the anchor was lowered. Emma Jo was scrubbing the crews' shirts in a tub of cool sea water. Jack watched her from the helm quietly. His eyes glanced over her form. In the last few weeks, her thin, underfed body had filled out nicely leaving the borrowed dress to cling to every curve tightly. He allowed himself to imagine her in one of his shirts before trying rope to the helm to keep it on course. Walking casually down the ladder, he said,
"Lovely day isn't it?" She looked up at him and said wiping her brow,
"Sure is. Through I dare say it is hotter than a flapjack jumping from a skillet!" She tried to turn back to her work when Jack took her water wrinkled hand and brushed each callous and scar.
"These aren't the hands of a high and fancy to do lady, Luv. You never did tell me why." he said as chills went down her spine at his touch. She pulled her hands away and stepped closer to the railing and crossed her arms.
"I don't wish to discuss it, Cap'n." she stated.
"Please?" he asked. Closing her eyes she began.
"War formed these hands. A silly war that could've been avoided if men had the common sense of a June bug. I worked the farm. Did you know tobacco is a hard thing to grow if you only have your Mama, Daddy and mammy? I just didn't see hard work. I saw war. Mama and me and Aunt Ginny would tend to injured soldiers brought by the Manor. I'll never forget their screams when we had to amputate their legs or their arms. I suppose you know what war's like since you have to fight sometimes. Anyway that's why I want to get back. I poured my blood, sweat and tears in that ground, and I'm going make it a grand plantation again. Just like it used to be."
"I know how you feel Luv. The way you feel about your plantation is how I feel about the Pearl. She gives me strength, and something to fight for. But there is one thing that makes us different Luv." he said.
"What's that?" she asked.
"The Pearl gives me freedom. If you go back to that farm, you'll be tied down forever, working hard each day all by your onesies just trying to get by. That wonderful fire of yours will die, and you'll lose your freedom. Do you want that, Luv?" he asked.
"It won't be so bad as you say. I'll marry well and hire field hands." she said defensively.
"Aw, so you'll hand over your precious land to others to tend while you sell yourself to a rich man like a common whore?" he said with bite. Outraged she slapped him hard across the face with a SNAP turning his head to the side. He turned back around to face her dryly, before grabbing her by the shoulders, pulling her close and whispering down huskily,
"I may have deserved that. But I swear on pain of death, no man will touch your lips after me!" And then he kissed her passionately, forcefully and lovingly. She tried to fight him off, but slowly she began to kiss him back until she surrendered wrapping her arms around his neck. After reveling in the tastes of each other, they pulled back to catch their breaths.
"Lord Almighty!" sighed Emma Jo as Jack rested his head against hers and said,
"Please Emma, say you love me as much as I love you!" pleaded Jack. She locked her eyes with his and thought.
'Do I love him? He's a pirate! A Rouge, a scallywag, a thief…with the most perfect brown eyes I have ever seen! He makes me feel so wonderful, and he's really so kind and gentle and…Lord Almighty…'
"I do love you!" she said breathing in a smile. He grinned before kissing her once more. When they pulled apart once more she whispered into his neck,
"Lands alive! I'm so twitter-pated I hear fireworks and whistles going off. Jack's eyes started open before he said,
"That's not fireworks darling. That's canon fire!" Then he pushed them down towards the deck seconds before a cannonball whizzed by their heads.
"ALL HANDS ON DECK!" shouted Jack. He got up from the deck and saw a grand ship waving a British flag off the Starboard side. Taking out his spyglass, he looked at the ship and said,
"Ah bloody heck with it!"
"What is it?" asked Emma Jo standing up beside him.
"The pride of the Royal Navy the Dauntless! We can outrun her but we can't outgun those long nines! And it's too late to run anyway." said Jack somberly. As the crew assembled, Gibbs ran up to them and said,
"Waiting for your orders Captain." Jack thought it over a bit and then said,
"Send up the white flag, Gibbs."
"Sir?" asked Gibbs.
"We can't win this one!" said Jack through gritted teeth. Gibbs nodded and started shouting out orders.
"Jack? What in the Sam hill do you think you're doing? We can't just give up! We…" Jack interrupted her by kissing her gently on the lips. When he pulled back, he said,
"I want you to pretend you were taken prisoner Savvy? That you were an American colonist on your way to a wedding in England. Your family was accidentally killed, and your fortune is now gone."
"But Jack…"
"I won't let you die a pirate's death. You deserve to have things easy for a change. You've worked too hard to just have it all end now. Just know that I love you. Know that." said Jack before pulling away, giving her one last look and ordering the crew about. Emma Jo slipped into the shadows of the forecastle deck and tried to figure all this out. The two ships came side by side, a gangplank was extended between the two railings and British soldiers swamped the deck muskets and bayonets pointing straight at the crew but especially at their pirate captain. A tall, handsome, young officer, with dull blue eyes, powered wig and tailored blue uniform came across the plank with his hands behind his back and his face a stone statue.
"Captain Jack Sparrow. We meet again." said the man in dry humor.
"Commodore James Norrington. So we do." slurred Jack.
"You and your crew are under arrest." said the Commodore.
"But what about the ransom we was going to bring in for the bonnie Miss Clarkson? Can't ye wait till I collect on that?" asked Jack in a drunken manner gesturing towards Emma Jo. The Commodore followed his gestures to Emma Jo in the shadows. Surprise registered first before it was replaced by professionalism once more. He approached Emma Jo and said,
"You are a prisoner aboard this ship?" Emma Jo nodded,
"Oh yes Cammadore! I am!"
"What is your name Miss?" he asked noting her peculiar dialect.
"Miss Emily Joanna Clarkson of the Tennessee colonies." she said.
"Are you hurt? Have these pirates done any harm?" he asked her.
"Nothing outside of making me wash shirts and scrubbing floors turning my poor hands into those of a common field hand! See?" she said showing him her hands. Satisfied, he said,
"Milady I'm terribly sorry for your ordeal. But you are safe now. If you will allow me to escort you to the Dauntless?" he said putting on a kind smile and offering his arm. She smiled back and lied,
"With pleasure Cammadore! I never want to see this filthy tub ever again!" Then she wrapped her arm around his. He began to lead her to the gangplank when he said,
"And don't worry. You will never have to worry about any of these pirates again either, Miss." Then she saw Ana glaring at her when she said,
"Oh Lands Alive!"
"I beg your pardon?" asked the confused Commodore. She waved a hand over at Anamaria and said,
"I was so excited about getting rescued I plumb forgot about my girl Anamaria!"
"But she is wearing pirate garb?" he asked.
"Well she had too after I took her dress! I couldn't work around these filthy pigs leering at me in a evening gown now could I?" she lied batting her eyelashes. The Commodore looked at Anamaria who stepped forward with her head bowed.
"Very well. I'm not about to call a lady a liar nor believe it." he said.
"Come along Ana sugar!" said Emma Jo. Meekly Anamaria replied,
"Yes Missis!" The Commodore led the way over the gangplank with Anamaria and Emma Jo following stealing looks back at Jack who was watching her go with a somber expression.
'I-LOVE-YOU!' she mouthed to him. He simply nodded before they pushed him down the ladder towards the brig.
"What the devil was that?" asked Anamaria when they were shown into their cabin a little while later on the Dauntless.
"What was what?" asked Emma Jo sitting down on the cot.
"That whole ordeal on the ship and when the Commodore was asking you questions of all kinds! If you love Jack like you say you do, what the devil were you doing flirting like that with Norrington?" asked Anamaria.
"Ana sugar, that wasn't just flirting. That was grade A, 100 pure southern charm. I was raised on the stuff and we used it not only to flirt with men, but old people, children, dogs, kitty cats, you name it! It's never failed me once, and it ain't gonna fail me now! I have the Commodore wrapped around my little finger and when we reconnoiter with that ship the Pleasant Breeze and attend that little party for the Admiral, I'll have half the women and all the men charmed by me too! And as Jack says, that will be the 'opportune moment'!" said Emma Jo smiling wickedly. Anamaria shared her grin and said,
"I just hope I remember how to help a lady get dressed up! 'Cause it sounds like you have something special in mind!"
The Admiral had turned seventy. He was a rough, rugged man who liked the sea and the pleasures of society. So why shouldn't he have his seventieth birthday party on his ship? Why shouldn't the Governor of Port Royal attend with his lovely daughter and his quaint new son in law? Why shouldn't all of Port Royal elite be there to wish him a happy birthday resplendent in gowns, jewelry, and fine powered wigs? And when the Dauntless arrived to have Commodore Norrington, (who so reminded the Admiral of himself at his age), join the festivities why shouldn't he be overjoyed with the grand present the Commodore brought him? Captain Jack Sparrow locked in the brig of his own ship the Black Pearl towed safely behind the Dauntless. What a grand birthday for the Admiral!
But for Will and Elizabeth Turner, they lost their party going mood when they saw the Pearl in tow. They considered Jack a friend, who they would gladly die for. So why shouldn't they feel bleak when they saw the Commodore come on deck and report all this to the Governor and the Admiral?
"Commodore! That's splendid!" cried Governor Swann clapping the younger man on the back as the party quests politely clapped.
"Congratulations my man! I always thought you were like me at your age! What a fine present! A vile pirate finally caught! Put up a fight did he?" chuckled the Admiral.
"Sparrow is a smart man, Admiral. He knew he wouldn't survive a battle so he gave himself up." said the Commodore.
"Oh bother! I was hoping to hear a more exciting tale!" said the Admiral.
"Would ya'll care for a charming party quest instead?" said a curious feminine dialect. They all turned and saw a well dressed young woman in a smart hat and gloves under a umbrella being helped across the gangplank by two officers. All the quests began chattering about this charming mysterious young woman with lovely violet eyes, the Commodore said,
"Ladies and Gentlemen. Allow me to introduce you to Miss Emily Joanna Clarkson of the Tennessee colonies. Recently rescued from the Black Pearl." Lifting her hand for the Admiral to kiss she said sweetly,
"Or just plain Emma Jo. Whatever ya'll prefer!" Grinning from ear to ear, the Admiral took her hand and said,
"My word! What a delightfully curious accent! Charmed my dear!"
"Flattered I'm sure! Anamaria sugar! Come along with the nice clothes the good Commodore so generously gave to us!" she said batting her eyelashes at the Admiral. Will and Elizabeth stood and looked on in surprise when they saw their old friend Anamaria wearing a dress and coming across following the young woman. She made eye contact with them that read,
"Just go with it and meet me later!" Will nodded his head in understanding and Elizabeth strained to hear the conversation going on between her father and the mysterious Miss Clarkson.
"I'm just lucky as heck that the Cammadore had the good sense to have some ladies dresses aboard! Ana and me would've had to stay stuck in our cabin dressed in knickers and army uniform!" Emma Jo laughed. As the surrounding crowd around her shared her laughter, surely enchanted by her voice and her personality, Swann said,
"Well my dear. I'm so glad you're safe and able to join civilized people again for a proper English party."
"Yes and since this is my ship, and my birthday, allow me the honor of escorting you to your cabin Miss Emma Jo!" said the Admiral bowing lowly. Smiling sweetly and batting her lashes, Emma Jo said,
"By all means Admiral!" Then she took his arm and began to walk away.
That night, in jewels, silk, satin and lace and delicate gold brocade, a small portion of polite society danced and celebrated on the decks of the Pleasant Breeze. And the center of attention was none other than Emma Jo Clarkson, decked out in a light lilac with a full skirt swaying in time with the orchestras beat and rhythm. Governor Swann danced with her some, then the Admiral and several young naval officers, but Commodore Norrington was the most frequent partner. Now in his arms once again, Emma Jo waltzed pass Will and Elizabeth as they casually walked over to Anamaria who kept to the shadows and the background.
"Alright. What's going on?" hissed Will.
"Long story short. That's Jack's girl," said Anamaria pointing to Emma Jo. "He's absolutely crazy about her and she loves him too."
"Jack? Jack Sparrow?" asked Elizabeth skeptically. Ana just waved her off and continued,
"Norrington surprised us before we could attack, he made her promise to pretend to be a high and fancy society brat to keep her safe. Then she dragged me along since she knew I had never been caught. Now she has a plan to get Jack out of here and we need your help." Will and Elizabeth looked over to the young woman who now was in the center of a large group of British officers (with the Commodore by her side) laughing and being as coquettish as humanly possible. Will shrugged,
"I just hope Jack fell for a smart woman!"
"Just don't drink the punch!" the black woman warned. Anamaria then walked over to the punch bowl and unnoticed slipped some large pills in the liquid to dissolve and disappear.
Later, Emma Jo excused herself from the crowd and went to an excluded part of the ship. She looked over the ocean past the sails of the Dauntless and the Black Pearl at the white caps breaking on the surface. Anamaria walked behind her and whispered,
"The Turners are in. They're being watched carefully so it'll be tricky, but we can count on them."
"And our little surprise present for the Admiral?" asked Emma Jo.
"Put it in the punch a little while ago."
"Thanks Ana." said Emma Jo. Then the black woman touched Emma Jo's arm and said,
"We'll get him back Emma Jo."
"God willing." said Emma Jo as Anamaria walked away.
'So here I am.' thought Emma Jo. 'For the first time in a long time, I'm in a pretty dress, flirting with men and enjoying myself again. Just like old times. I'd love to see Southern Manor again. I miss Mama and Daddy so. I can't even think about Aunt Ginny without crying. I thought I'd die on that land. Get buried in the bluegrass, and my babies would go on and live and die there too. But now…now all I want…what I really want is to see Jack's handsome face again. Hear his funny accent and look deep into those dark brown eyes. I want his arms to be around me while he steers the ship so masterfully. Oh Mama! Oh Daddy! Oh Ginny! If only you could meet Jack! Meet him and see how wonderful he is! If only…you could see how much I love him! Lands alive and Lord almighty! Who'd thought I'd fall in love with a pirate from the past?'…
In his cell down in the Pearl's brig, Jack stared at the ceiling as his crew snored on from their cells. He thought,
"So here I am. For the millionth time, I'm locked in me own brig, listening to my men sleep and feeling sorry for myself again. Just like old times. I'd love to helm the ship again. I miss ordering the crew around. I can't even think about Anamaria without sighing. I'd thought I'd die at sea. Get buried in barnacles, and my mates and all those who'd come after me would live and die at sea too. But now…now all I want…what I really want is to see Emma Jo's beautiful face again. Hear her funny accent and look deep into those light violet eyes. I want my arms to be around her as I steer the ship so masterfully. I even want me parents to see how wonderful she is! If only…they could see how much I love her! Funny old world isn't it? Who'd thought I'd fall in love with a 'Southern Belle' from the future?'…
The Admiral was quite inebriated by the party's end. Will Turner offered to help him back into his cabin. And maybe help himself to the keys to Jack's cell as part of the Commodore's birthday gift to him.
"Billy me lad! You are a lucky man!" slurred the Admiral as he leaned on the younger man's shoulders. Almost buckling under the weight, Will said,
"What now?"
"You're lucky! You married a beau…beaunty? Bounty? Beautatoe?"
"Beautiful?"
"Right then! A very really very really really pretty lass! And the Governor's daughter! You'll never have to pay for anything again! Just ask my son in law! He'll tell ya he never pays for anything!"
"Yes sir."
"And you know who else is pretty? That Clarkson girl. Lovely! Talk's funny…but lovely! If I was twenty years younger, why that Commodore would have mighty stiff competition!"
"The Commodore?"
"Aye! He told me he plans to ask her if he may court her while she's in Port Royal seeing as she's a right and proper lady and all! And he don't even mind she's poor! He said a fine woman like her shouldn't have to waste her life and her training to become a maid! Would you fancy that?"
"Aye sir." said Will as he led the old man into his cabin and distributed him on the bed.
"And boy, don't let Norrington bother you about that whole pirate thing! He's just doing his job! You wouldn't help that Sparrow character again seeing as how you're so close to the ship would ya?" said the old man. Will hesitated.
"No sir."
"You're a good lad! Now off with ye while…while I get some…ZZZZZ!" Will waved a hand over the Admiral's eyes and then searched his pockets until he found the keys. Grinning wickedly at the old man, Will said,
"I'm not helping Jack sir. I'm helping the woman Jack loves." Then he left to rejoin the party. Once on deck, his eyes scanned the decks until he saw Emma Jo still surrounded by the military men. Walking up to them, palming the keys in his hand careful not to jangle them about, Will said,
"Good night, Miss Clarkson. I hope the evening has been enjoyable for you?"
"Very much Mr. Turnar. Very much."
"I'm afraid we did not get a chance to talk much. I would like to get to know you better." said Will. Nodding, Emma Jo replied,
"Same here."
"Till we meet again." he said taking her hand and raising it to his lips. Unnoticed, the keys silently slipped from Will's grasp to Emma Jo's. She smiled and said,
"See you later Mr. Turnar." He nodded and bowed to the gentlemen before turning and heading back down below.
"So the pirate blood has been washed out by blue aye?" observed one of the soldiers as the rest laughed. Emma Jo smiled too before yawning and said,
"Lord Almighty! Those knock out drops the ship doctor gave me must be kicking in! If ya'll excuse me before I hit the deck Gentlemen?" The men bid their goodnights and watched her form disappear below. One of the men taking a sip of punch replied,
"Mmm! Good punch ay?"
"Aye! Everyone on deck, even the guards had some!" agreed another.
In their cabin, Will and Elizabeth prepared for bed.
"Ana locked the door?" asked Elizabeth putting on her nightgown.
"Yes. Now no one will think we had anything to do with it and we'll just say we had the drugged punch too."
"I hope Jack will be happy with this Emma Jo." said Elizabeth pulling him into a hug.
"He will be as happy as you have made me." said Will pulling her into a gentle kiss.
The only sounds in the early morning light was the breaking of the waves and the snoring of the ship's guards. Used to waking before dawn, Jack Sparrow sat up in his cell and sighed. They would be heading back for Port Royal today. He'd might escape again. But what of his crew? Hang the code, he couldn't leave them behind. And Emma Jo. She'd be accepted into society as a brave heroine who survived the vicious pirates of the Black Pearl. He would never see her again. Especially with the way Norrington was looking at her back on ship. So much for his vow that no other man would kiss her save him. Then his ears perked up when he heard footsteps down the ladder. He turned and saw a cloaked figure come down. He cautiously stood up and said,
"Who are you?" The figure pulled back the hood to reveal…
"Emma Jo!" exclaimed Jack stirring the crew awake. She put a finger up to her lips and said,
"Shush! Do you want to wake everybody up?"
"Not like the crew and me is going anywhere." said Jack dryly. She pulled the keys out,
"Not ya'll! The guards!" As she began to fiddle with the lock Jack said,
"Asleep on the job. Pros for the King's navy they is!"
"Yeah, them and all the rest of the crew of the Breeze and the Dauntless!" said Emma Jo. Jack furrowed his brow,
"Missed a step."
"Let's just say sleeping pills and party punch don't go together!" said Emma Jo slyly. Jack grinned,
"Ah! And how'd ya manage that one?"
"That's a tale to tell after we're clear of the Dauntless and the Breeze. Kay honey?"
"Aw come on Luv! You tell me the story and I'll tell you about everything I'd thought of doing with you if I was free. Who knows? Maybe we can make those fantasies a reality, Savvy?" said Jack raising his eyebrows. Emma Jo glared at him,
"Why you dirty, rat nosed, disgusting hog Waller! You…" Jack reached through the bars and pulled her into a long and passionate kiss. When he pulled away, his hand stroking her jaw line, he said with his eyes closed,
"Blimy I missed that accent!"
"Ah hem!" Jack looked up at his crew who stood in their cell as Gibbs said,
"Maybe we should get going while the getting's good?" Jack nodded and said,
"Right then."
A half hour later, Jack had his arm around Emma Jo's waist who laid her head on his shoulder as he used his other hand to steer the ship. The Dauntless and the Pleasant Breeze still floated in the same spot that was now hundreds of yards away.
"So…how about that fantasy of mine, aye?" asked Jack.
"Jack Sparrow you lay one hand on me without a gold wedding band on and you'll be missus one less body part you horn tailed snot mouthed guttersnipe!" warned Emma Jo. Jack's grin faded a little.
"You want me to marry you first?" he asked hesitatingly. She started to pull away.
"Not when you sound like that!" she said crossing her arms.
"Emma Jo please come back here!" he said.
"No! I'm mad at you!" she pouted. Jack grinned. Then he tied the hand spokes down with some rope to keep the ship on coarse. He walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.
"So what would a proper gentlemen from your Kentucky do to get back into your good graces Milady?" She smiled.
"I don't know." she teased.
"Maybe buy you a big diamond engagement ring?" offered Jack.
"It'd help."
"Find a justice of the peace or a man of the cloth to marry us?"
"Maybe."
"Vow to love you till the day I die? Pray that the good Lord will allow me to be in your arms when I do?" Hope that you'll love me as much?" he said turning her around to face him. She smiled up at him and said,
"Definitely." Jack then stroked her jaw line with his index finger before pulling her into a long and passionate kiss.
One hundred and ninety years later…
The Duke's mansion lay in shambles. A few of the Royal Guard came to clean up the mess and take the bodies of the Duke, his nephew, his guests Col. and Mrs. Clarkson, and their black servant down to the morgue. The body of Miss Emma Jo Clarkson was unaccounted for. The Guard was looking for her in the jungles and the neighboring towns, but the trail was cold. As the last of the guard left the burned out shell, only one room remained untouched. The parlor was spared from the flames but not from the ransacking. Only one picture survived it seemed. A portrait of a pirate with his arms around a beautiful young woman with violet eyes and a black ship in the background as the sun set behind them. The gold off their wedding bands seemed to glisten as the title read in the morning light,
'Captain Jack Sparrow and his wife Emma Jo or The Southern Belle and the Pirate' Then as mysterious as it was, a black box with a gold leaf craving appeared out of nowhere besides the painting in a violet light.
The End