Chapter Four: Can you feel her?
Dinner with Jack is like going to a carnival. You never know what is about to happen. After a while of mindless chitchat, we ran out things to say for the time being. "Jack…?" I begin to say, suddenly there is knock at the door. Jack suddenly turns into 'Captain Sparrow' when he shouts "WHAT?!"
"We are nearing our destination, sir." The voice sounded like Gibbs. Jack whips back around to me with a smile and a shimmer in his eyes. Jack beckons to me to follow him out on deck. It is about midnight and the stars are shining as bright as Jack's eyes tonight.
"How much longer, Master Gibbs?" Captain Sparrow asks.
"'Bout 3 hours…We'll get there by morning at least."
"Great…Gibbs, send everyone below for some shut eye. Miss Swann and I will take this next watch." Gibbs nods and turns on his heels. He starts shouting orders to the crew. "Join me at the helm, Love?" I scurry up after Jack. I stand by his side watching the starry sky.
Jack pulls me in front of him and before I can figure out what his intentions are. Jack places my hands on the wheel, with his holding them in place. I gasp, both from shock at his actions and the feel of The Pearl beneath my hands. The crew is staring in shock, though whether it is shock at Jack's closeness to me or that he has handed the wheel of his beloved ship to me, I'm not sure. If Jack noticed their gawking looks, he didn't react.
"D'you feel 'er, love?" he whispers into my ear, his lips barely brushing.
I nod scarcely, entranced by the feeling of The Black Pearl. It is an indescribable feeling. She is like a living creature. I can feel the pull of the wind in the sails and the sway of the sea through my hands and I suddenly realize why Jack spends so much time at the helm. It is a powerful sort of freedom and, I imagine, very addictive.
"I've never felt anything like her," I whisper back, not wanting to break the sacredness of the moment.
My Captain seems satisfied with my answer and slides his hands away from mine and onto my waist, letting me guide The Pearl on my own. He steps in closer to me and I lean back slightly to feel him more solidly against me. Jack makes a small noise of approval in his throat. I am so suddenly desperate to kiss him again. I tense slightly with the need and Jack, as always, sensing what I want turns me sharply toward him, uncaring of the helm for the moment. Jack bends his head and claims my mouth in a kiss that scorches my very soul with its heat. I surrender to him without thought or hesitation.
Our embrace is broken by various applause and wolf-whistles from the crew who has witnessed the rather passionate kiss between their Captain and the woman they'd come to think of as crew. I jump back from Jack, blushing bright red and mortified from the attention, but Jack is unfazed. Jack turns me around back towards the wheel and helps me put us back on course.
"With you by my side guiding me along, the Pearl helping you help me, and the sea loving all on her. I feel the way they move beneath my fingertips. I never want this to end." I feel Jack resting his head upon my shoulder and his heart beating rapidly against my back. I sigh blissfully, staring out over the horizon. "Oh Jack."
"Yes, Love. I know. This is how I feel every time I touch the Pearl." Jack slides his way between me and the wheel, gazing into my eyes. His hand comes up to caress my cheek, but instead brushes a stray hair out of my face. "I feel like a woman is giving me the love that I need, like you do, 'Lizabeth. I know you know that I've been with other women, but I never felt this way with them what I feel about you."
"Jack… Will you feel this way about me forever? I don't want you to grow tired of me. That will break my heart."
"I promise you, on pain of death, that I will never, ever stop caring about you." Jack pulls me so close that I thought I was crushing him. I could see in his eyes that he wasn't going to try anything funny, as I know he usually does. Jack simply rests his head on my shoulder wrapping his arms around my back. I smile and lean my head on Jack's. He slowly drifts off to sleep in my arms. 'Maybe I should put him in bed…' I think. I look around the deck to find something to keep the wheel from spinning. Ah ha! Rope! Still holding Jack up, I tie up the helm so not to turn. Now I was able to take Jack to his cabin. I'm surprised at how strong I am. I didn't think I was able to carry Jack down to his cabin. I place Jack in his bed, removing is effects; hat, coat, pistol, and cutlass. I place a light kiss on Jack's forehead. "Sleep well, my captain." I murmur. I silently leave the cabin. Now, I need to go below to wake a few of my favorite crew members; Gibbs, Pintel, Ragetti, Marty, and Cotton.
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