Chapter 3

Being back on the Black Pearl is strange- it is almost as though I never left, the past twelve months melting away. Leaning on the railing, I sigh contentedly as I look out across the ocean.

This peace does not last for long, however. Suddenly, my view is obscured as someone clamps their hands over my eyes. Biting my lip to try and stop myself smiling, I put on a surprised voice.

"Hmmm…. Now I wonder, who could this be?"

Laughing, Alex uncovers my eyes, and I turn round to face him. His face, always seeming so pleasant and open, is split in half by a wide grin, and bright blue eyes twinkle with mischief.

"Honestly, Sierra…I came over here making as much noise as a herd of elephants, and you didn't even notice until I was right on top of you! Old age is obviously showing…" Alex has to think fast as I strike out to cuff him over the head, and only just manages to duck in time.

Laughing, he stands back up straight.

"Just proving my point- your reactions are pretty slow as well. I think it's time to retire from being a pirate captain before you become completely redundant."

Grinning, I turn back round to face the sea, but as I think about what he has just said, my smile falls slightly.

Alex turns to look into my face.

"What's wrong, Sierra?"

I sigh.

"I'm not a pirate captain, though, am I? For what good is a pirate without a ship?"

My trusted friend shakes his head, blonde hair coming loose and flopping over his eyes.

"It won't be like that for long, trust me… You've got Jack on the case now, anyway."

"Hmmm…" I turn my head to search out the distinctive pirate, and find him standing up near the helm as he fixes his telescope on the horizon.

As always, Alex picks up on my uncertainty.

"What? Not good enough for you?"

"It's not that, it's just I wish that he would tell me where we were going, and for what purpose. He hasn't spoken to me in days…"

"And you've been keeping count, no doubt, of the days, the hours, even the minutes since he last spoke to you, or simply looked in your direction."

I shoot Alex a warning glance, but he just looks back with eyes feigning innocence. Glaring harder, however, I see the blue pools begin to waver, and flickers of other emotions appear and disappear- mischief, guilt, and something else which I cannot discern.

I look away, laughing.

"You're always the same, Alex…"

Glancing back at him, I see him smile once again as he leans on the rails with me.

"No… It's just you know me too well, Sierra."

As we both look out over the sea, a calmness descends where neither of us feels the need to say anything. This last for several minutes as we survey the scene in front of us, watching as the sun starts to dip below the horizon and causes the sea to turn to liquid fire.

Then, Alex shifts position and looks up towards the helm, where I know Jack will be standing.

"Well, it's time to try out my amazing detective powers, and discover where this rum-pot pirate is taking us…"

"Alex!" I reprimand, but he has already walked off, and is now pretending not to hear his name. I watch as he makes his way over to Jack, leaning casually beside him as if to engage in light conversation.

I know Sparrow is no idiot, though. Even from where I am standing, I know that he knows exactly what Alex is up to, and I do not think he will give up the answer easily.

Laughing to myself, I wonder what on earth Alex could be saying to try and wheedle the truth put of Jack. Occasionally though, I see his dark eyes flick in my direction, and can only assume that my name is cropping up in their conversation.

Finally though, Alex steps away and heads backs towards me, and I see that Sparrow is also on the move, towards his cabin.

Immediately from Alex's expression, I can tell that he was not successful.

"I could have told you the outcome of that without you ever having to go over there, Alex…" I remark as he returns to his place next to me, giving him a playful nudge.

He does not come back with any type of retort, but only looks at me with a slightly odd expression on his face.

"Jack wants to see you in his cabin, Sierra. Go now, I think it's important."

He says no more, and so I, puzzled, walk off in the direction of the Captain's cabin, leaving my friend standing and staring fixedly on the horizon.

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Jack looks up from whatever chart he is studying as I enter, and a slightly crooked grin forms on his face. Then, he looks back down towards the chart and continues whatever he was doing.

I take this moment to study the pirate, finding that truly he has not changed- the face is still exactly the same with the same colour skin from years under the sun, the eyes are still their deep chocolate brown, his small moustache still forms two beaded plaits that hang under his chin, and his hair is still as unkempt as it ever was. However, looking hard I fancy that there may be a few more trinkets woven in, as memoirs of places he has visited since we parted previously…

Sparrow starts to speak, interrupting my thoughts.

"Sending your dogsbodies to do your dirty work, are we now, Sierra?" He reaches across the table to tap his compass, which had been fixed on a steady course when I entered the room, but has now started to spin around wildly. However, it soon settles back on its original course, and Jack returns to the map.

"I didn't send him to do anything, Jack. I can't help if he decided of his own accord to find out where we're going… I am sure that the rest of the crew are as curious as me, seeing as you don't seem to have told anyone anything."

Jack smiles knowingly.

"All in good time, luv…"

He stands, giving one final look towards his compass before snapping it shut and stowing it away. Then, he walks over towards me.

"Well, this attitude of using people below you certainly is new, isn't it…You consider them only there for your jobs, ay? That's the fast way to lose yourself a crew, and a ship… Although…" Jack pauses, leaning in so close his breath, rum-scented, tickles my face, "I suppose you don't need to worry about that part, do you now?" He smiles wickedly, and I stare at his face in total anger, raising my hand to slap his stupid face and wipe the grin off it.

Sparrow catches hold of my hand, predicting what I am going to do and so preventing it from moving any further.

"But I wonder…" He narrows his eyes slightly. "What else has changed. Is this the same Sierra that I knew half a year ago, with the same thoughts, same feelings?" He brings his face close to mine, looking down at my lips, smiling just enough to expose a flash of gold.

"Or not?..."

Before I know what is happening, he has pressed his lips against mine. At first I stiffen from complete shock, but the warmth and softness of his mouth coupled with the alluring taste of rum soon causes me to soften against him, fully appreciating the sense of another person's body so close to mine.

It does not last for long, however- soon Jack is pulling away from me. I open my eyes, a thousand thoughts and feelings flitting across my mind, all confused and entangled with one another. Opening my mouth, I think that I should really say something, but the words just don't seem to come.

Jack grins.

"Interesting…"

Saying nothing more, he turns on his heel and heads towards the door of his cabin. Opening it, he heads out onto the open top deck.

Unease creeps into my mind, which is quickly followed by annoyance.

How dare he leave me standing here like some idiot? I think to myself.

"Jack!" I shout after him, as I start to walk over to the door I just saw him exit by.

However, something seems wrong. The deck wobbles beneath my feet, tilting this way and that and making me feel unsteady, and in addition to that the walls of the cabin also start to move, turning around me like a child's spinning top.

As I attempt to walk further, I decide that in fact, it is not the ship that it at fault, but me. My head starts to feel light-headed and dizzy and my eyes cannot focus on any object, instead making the room blurry and thus hard to walk through without colliding with things. My limbs feel leaden as I drag my feet across the floor, whilst my arms hang limply by my sides, as they are too heavy to move.

As an abrupt splitting pain erupts behind my eyes I sink to the floor, leaning against some sort of furniture for support. My head lolls to the side, resting against the object- suddenly I do not seem to have enough energy to even keep it upright.

As my eyelids close, I struggle to retain consciousness, calling out in a weak and strangely high pitched voice for the pirate who, not half a minute previously, had walked out onto the deck.

"Jack…" My voice cracks and I cough, my entire body shaking.

Hope wells within me as I hear footsteps somewhere nearby. They pause, having perhaps picked up the small sound that I was making, and then I hear a voice.

"Sierra!"

The footsteps speed up, getting louder as the head in my direction. Strong arms encircle me and I feel myself being lifted off the floor, my arms still hanging uselessly and my head seeming to have a mind of its own.

"Oh God… Jack!"

Somewhere in my confused mind, I work out that this man isn't Sparrow, but someone else equally familiar. I manage to open my eyes slightly, and even from the blurred image I make out, the features of Alex are unmistakable.

Alex carries me out onto the deck, where I quickly close my eyes again as the change in light intensity sends shooting pains into my skull, only adding to the headache. Moaning slightly, I make what seems like a huge effort to turn my head away and bury it into the darkness of Alex's chest.

I hear my friend's voice once again, calling for Jack, and also in the background can pick out the faint mutterings of the crew as they turn to observe the scene.

Then, another voice sounds out, distinctive because of the slight slur to the words.

"How did this happen?"

Alex replies to Jack's short question in a voice laden with concern.

"I don't know, Jack… she was just lying like this on the floor of your cabin. She's burning up… Feel her forehead."

A cool hand is laid across my brow.

"Hmmm…" Sparrow's voice sounds calm as he assesses the situation. "Best put her somewhere quiet, I think, mate… My cabin would be the best place for now. Make sure she's comfortable… She's in for a rough time."

As one final effort, I turn my face towards Jack's voice and manage to add one final threat- however, my voice is more feeble than I would have liked.

"If you've drugged me again, Sparrow, I swear I will not rest until I have your disgusting dread-locked head as part of my figurehead…"

I can imagine the smile that I am certain that will be forming across the pirate's face, and am sure I even hear a quiet laugh from him. However, as Alex carries me away, the final thing I hear is Jack muttering to Gibbs:

"Push whatever speed you can from the sails, Mr Gibbs… Our destination has just become a much more pressing matter."

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.Lady Patriot- Ahh riteys... That would make sense. Well, hope you also enjoyed this chapter!

RumQueen- I know, it's terrible, isn't it... But don't worry, she'll get it back in due course... Once she's well enough to Captain it, of course! ;) And as for Jack's ego... I think the name 'Jack Sparrow' is synonymous with 'massive ego'. Haha

ChocolatPirate- Romance? -Tries to look innocent, but fails miserably- You'll just have to wait are see... Are you the type who likes a good cry as well?