"Shoebox of Lies"
By GirlX2
Chapter Two
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'Another day, another dollar lost.' Dana mused as she walked to her car.
The four weeks she'd needed to recuperate had apparently been to much for her employers so they'd let her go. She was starting her fall classes at college, and (thankfully) had enough money saved to get through the semester.
'Long enough to get another gig, probably.' She slid into the passenger seat of her 'new' used car.
Still, Jack niggled at the back of her mind. After homework, after Matt, after the various dreams and nightmares, the smiling pirate remained a fixture.
Her cell phone jangled as she pulled onto the road.
"Yeah?" She flipped it open.
"What are you doing this weekend?" A familiar voice intoned.
"Mare? Are you coming in?" Dana's dark mood began to lift.
"Yep, Charlie is coming in to see his folks and I'm coming with." The voice of Marissa, Dana's best friend, escalated to its usual squeak of delight.
"That's AWSOME! We can go to the renaissance festival." Dana grinned.
"Exactly my thoughts. I'll be in late tonight," Marissa continued. "And, per usual, I'm crashing with you."
"Good thing I'm free." Dan replied happily.
"Hey, I think Alyssa is back for the festival too." Marissa hinted.
"Okay, I'll call her and see if she's free tonight too." Dana grinned.
"And that's why you're my social secretary." Marissa joked.
Marissa had moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan almost a year ago, and she hadn't been able to come down since for a visit. Now, with her classes scheduled sporadically, and her job canned, Dana had plenty of free time to devote to a weekend visit.
"I'll see you tonight." Dana replied. The teen continued on, her mood lighter than it had been for almost a month.
-
It had taken all day for Jack to get the Pearl (not to mention Will) back to Tia Dalma's island. The aforementioned blacksmith was currently passed out in Jack's cabin, partially due to rum and partially due to some special powders Tia Dalma had provided. Gibbs was in on the plan to 'borrow' the blacksmith, but the rest of the crew was oblivious. Jack had, in fact, dumped most of them at Tortuga, figuring on getting more crewmen later. For the moment, his only goal was to get the matter at hand dealt with (a unusually specific goal for the captain).
"I don't like voluntarily dabbling in all this black magic Jack." Gibbs said quietly as Jack was at the helm. "Its not…"
"Natural? Religious? Normal? Take your pick Mr. Gibbs, I'm none of those things." Jack replied.
"Aye, that be true."
"And as I've told you before, I'm not doing this for myself. I'm doing this to put a young woman's mind at ease."
"Of course you are." Gibbs tone belied the words.
"Why does everyone say it like that?" Jack demanded.
"You're not know for doing things for the sake of others Jack. Especially when there's nothing for you to gain."
Jack frowned slightly at this. "Well, this is a one-time thing."
"Aye."
'I'm doing this strictly for her.' Jack thought stubbornly.
'And the idea of seeing what may be your second ever platonic female friend has nothing to do with it?' His inner voice questioned. 'And perhaps getting a little revenge on the Whelp?'
Jack didn't bother to reply.
-
Marissa had gotten all the way to the southern part of Michigan without a hitch (except getting stuck behind a train at one point). After the three girls had a joyous reunion Mare and Alyssa fallen asleep shortly after getting to the house, but Dana couldn't blame them.
'She did drive eight hours.' She thought, throwing blankets over the other teens. "And Alyssa had work all day."
Alyssa was sprawled over the green leather loveseat. Her dirty blond hair was still in the renaissance snood she'd show them. She was taller than the other girls, bust still with a curvy build. Marissa was the shortest of the trio, just over five feet. She had fallen asleep on the couch. Dana removed the other teen's glasses slowly, and set them down next to hers on the bedside table.
'Eh, one more night I get the bed to myself.' Dana flopped into the waterbed, shortly followed by Delia. 'Ourselves.' She scratched the Dalmatian's head for a moment. Delia grumbled at her and curled into a ball.
"Good dog."
-
"And you sure he's a virgin?" Tia Dalma asked skeptically.
"Amongst other things." Jack replied.
"Alright den."
Gibbs watched uneasily from the other side of Tia Dalma's home in the swamp. Magic had always unnerved him, and after his recent encounter with undead pirates, he wasn't pleased with Jack's plan to use black magic to contact this…girl.
'Black magic is worst type o' the lot.' He thought, watching Tia Dalma drop several suspicious things into the mixture.
Will (still unconscious) was slumped in a nearby chair. One arm was hanging limp over a silver basin. Slowly, the voo doo witch drew an ornate gold dagger down the arm. A thin trickle of blood began to drip into the basin.
"How long are you going to leave him like that?" Gibbs spoke up hesitantly.
"I don' need much." Tia Dalma replied. "He'll never miss it."
Jack watched the proceedings intensely.
"When do I-"
"I'll tell ya when you've got to do your bit." She cut him off.
Finally, Tia Dalma took the basin away.
"Gibbs, would you bandage 'im?" She said, not really asking.
"Uh…Aye." Gibbs replied, taking up the strips of clean linen she'd gotten.
Slowly, she tipped the basin over the black pot. The mixture inside changed from a murky green to the clearest amber.
"Now Jack. And be careful, because dat stuff is very potent." She prodded the pirate.
"Oh." Jack gulped and picked up the small pot.
'I must not mess this up.' He thought as he carefully poured some of the mixture into a tiny glass bottle.
'You'd just better hope Dana's in a good position to be snatched away.' His inner voice put in.
'Hadn't thought of that.' Jack admitted and set the bowl down onto the roughly hewn wooden table.
'Oh well, too late now.' The voice said cheerfully.
'Thanks.' Jack scowled slightly.
"Now pick up de effigy." Tia Dalma instructed.
"The wot?"
"De doll, Jack."
"Ah."
Jack did so, the doll now in one hand and the tiny bottle in the other.
"Here goes." Jack tipped the bottle over the figure's mouth.
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