Chapter 2 - Making the Move

Jack smiled, now she was talking. As it happened he was in the middle of a little trip and Tortuga happened to be a stop over. Louise waited patiently for him to tell her and it was on the tip of his tongue but he wondered what would happen next? It wasn't everyday he sat in a bar talking to a woman he watched disappear over 2 years ago. Then again Jack had always got himself into what some might consider strange situations and somehow they always worked out. Louise being one of the few that didn't. There had been so much left to say to her and yet now he was debating the pros and cons of telling her his next adventure, as if he didn't trust her. 'Then again' a tiny voice in his head popped up, 'it's been 2 years, who knows who she is now?'. He batted the voice away, there were some things that just didn't change and some things that did. The question of trusting Louise was one of the first.

"Just so 'appens I am on me way to Curaçao, I've 'eard about a very interesting item there".

Louise was intrigued but didn't pry, there was surely more important things to talk about after so long. But after Jack finished a eery silence feel between them which neither of them seemed to want to break. Eventually though it was becoming embarrassing so they both decided to talk, at the same time, over each other.

"Ladies first" he held out a hand for her to continue.

"Oh well I guess...I was going to ask about everyone, how are they all?", if he had expected something else he didn't show his surprise at her question.

"Same as ever, some left, some joined. Ana left the crew for a man in New York".

Now it was Louise's turn to almost choke, "she left for a man?". The shock on her face was evident but then again Ana didn't seem the relationship type.

"Yep, well after she met him and you know she'd seen everything that'd 'appened to...", he wanted to say 'us' but at the same time he didn't want to make it awkward, unfortunately he didn't have a choice as just starting the sentence left a icy tint on the conversation.

She nodded knowingly, "good for her". It came out as not much more than a whisper and he barely heard it over the noise of the slowly filling bar.

She looked around the room and he was sure she was welling up, "well Jack I've really gotta get back to work, the rum won't pour itself". She forced a laugh and that's exactly what it seemed forced. He tried to find a way to make her stay without seeming desperate but his mind hit a blank, he watched her get up and mentally compose herself.

"So can I get you another?".

He looked down at his drink which was only half empty and nodded, "aye".

Watching her he wanted to kick himself. 'Just tell her, tell her you missed her, you still do', he wanted to but making a move like that was not a everyday occurrence for Jack and he had only just been reunited with her 10 minutes ago.

Louise meanwhile was also considering the possibility of admitting to him how much she had thought about him, how hard she had tried to get back to him. It was so awkward, picking up where one left off. Especially when they hadn't exactly left it neatly.

"I don't believe it", she was interrupted by a surprised voice behind her and as she turned to take Jack his drink she saw Danny.

She almost dropped the rum, before letting out a surprised "ha" and trapping him in a hug. Then stopping she realised her meeting with Jack hadn't been this easy and it was then it dawned on her Jack might be watching this, not that she had planned it to be revenge but in retrospect he had been in Scarlets arms when she found him.

"Danny I've missed you so much", she squeezed him once more before stepping back to get a good look at him. Did she just tell him she missed him? Why couldn't she tell Jack that? Well that was obvious, things between her and Jack were a lot more 'complicated'.

He smiled, he still had the same boyish grin and floppy hair that made him seem younger than he was but there was definitely a feeling of maturity about him now, more so than before. "Well it's a surprise to see ye but a good surprise at that".

"Is that your way of telling me you missed me too?" she asked to which he just shrugged.

"How did ye know I was want a rum?", she looked at the drink in her hand and frowned briefly.

"Oh god no, this is for Jack", she walked back to the table with the drink seeming more at ease since seeing Danny. This only annoyed Jack, he had always wondered about why she was so close to Danny and the only answer he could come up with was they were about the same age. Danny followed her and sat down with Jack, obviously not realising the intense yet mostly silent conversation he was splitting up.

Clara was on the prowl for a man who interested her tonight but each time she passed Louise she sang the words "go talk to him". Louise wanted to, but it had been so long. Time had created a large barrier and she wondered who would break it.

"How many times will I have to tell you to go talk to him?", Clara broke Louise out of her thoughts.

She looked at him again, "once more probably".

Suddenly struck by inspiration Clara lit up like a light, "I've got an idea, why not casually hint about your night off".

"No, I'm not going to embarrass myself".

Clara smiled evilly, "if you won't, I will" and she started to maneuver herself over to the table. If Louise had moved fast to get back to the bar earlier it was no comparison to how fast she moved now, all the while her brain was considering the least crazy way to stop her, tackle her to the floor or get to Jack first.

She took the second option as she pounced onto a chair before Clara sat down and said, "Ignorewhatevershesaysitsallrubbish". It sounded even stranger to Jack and Danny who were both drinking.

"Slow down luv", Jack said making some hand movements that she supposed were meant to represent the slowing down of time but looked more like he trying to mimic a fish's fin with his hand.

Clara came up behind Louise, "she was just going to say she's got a night off work at the end of the week". Clara knew Louise would kill her but right now the heat rising in her cheeks was enough to satisfy Clara's interfering side before she walked away as if it was a passing comment.

Jack frowned while Danny seemed to have remembered something "Tis a shame, we're leaving tomorrow, only stopped for supplies". Her heart sank as Danny said that, Jack hadn't told her that he was leaving tomorrow. She wondered if it made any difference as it was painfully obvious nothing was going to happen anytime soon, not with them both too proud to make the first move.

"Can I get you another drink?", she forced a smile at them and neither seemed to notice the mood behind it, and then she realized what they had become, ordinary customers.

Both of them nodded, "aye".

She smiled and continued the night without so much as a glance at Jack, looking at her feet or the ceiling as she refilled their drinks. Jack noticed her change in behavior but she kept herself so busy he never had a chance to stop and question her. Eventually the crowds began to thin, most of the women were upstairs with their customers, the men who were drunk now roamed the streets and only 15 or so people remained, 3 of whom Louise suspected were asleep.

"Oi closing time!" she shouted from behind the bar. On cue the 3 men opened their eyes as if they had only been closed for a second, she started shooing them out the door along with the rest.

"Come on Jim" she patted one man's shoulder who looked up at her silently begging for another drink. She smiled, "nope, we're closed, it's time for you to get home".

He trudged to the door with the others, save one.

Jack sat half bathed in the shadows watching her drunkenly. He had spent the whole evening watching her and now it seemed he had her to himself.

"Finally", he commented as he moved towards her. She put a hand on his chest and smiled softly.

"Jack I think you're drunk"

He laughed and she couldn't help but smile, as she remembered it it had been her who needed help walking while drunk.

He placed a finger to the heavens, "I think...I think I need another urm". He rested the same finger on his chin thoughtfully, he knew that sentence had gone wrong somewhere.

"What rummy wants another urm?" she giggled, "come on captain I believe you have a crew to command in the morning".

He looked at her with child like eyes, "you're pretty" he added before allowing her to lead him back to the pearl, every so often she'd glance at him. A faraway look in his eyes, humming a old sea chanty or talking odd words here and there, she didn't know even Jack had his limit on rum. Once at the pearl Louise stopped for a second at the gangplank. It was like crossing the threshold to a past she never thought she'd live again but on deck she saw Riley on watch, asleep and considered the possibility that some things stand the test of time.

As quietly as heaving drunken pirate would allow her to be she took Jack to his cabin and laid him in bed. His eyes were closed before his head hit the pillow and she took a moment to admire his cabin again, the dark wood, the smell of the pearl and finally the man that is captain Jack Sparrow. Closing the door behind her and smiling into the night she left him with three words.

"Sweet dreams Jack".

--Authors Notes--

My excuse for this chapter was it was one of those middle ones. The kind of chapter that is there to connect A to B. Or at least that's my excuse ;) Anyway, thanks to my reviewers. All those of you who were with me through "Fan from the Future" thank you for reading this next installment. All those new readers who have taken the time to read my first one and then this and then reviewed, also thank you to you. Really just thanks for everyone's support, it's really great and whenever I consider finishing the chapter the next morning that's usually when a new review gets delivered to my inbox so they really keep me going sometimes. Hope you like and I'll try to get Chap 3 up this weekend.