Sorry this took so long! And sorry it's so short too. This was also one of those chapters that are "eh." But I still like it. Hope you guys like it. Oh, and I am beta-ing, so if anyone needs a new beta...lol :) Oh, and review please! :D


Chapter Three

Winter came swiftly to Shipwreck Cove. The weather was nothing like England's during the winter, blistery cold and riddled with flu's. In the Caribbean, the winter weather was a bit colder but still warm, still humid. Although the weather didn't show that Christmas was soon arriving, the town did. Holiday decorations were put in store windows and on verandas. Alomst everyone was cheery and excited for the holiday and the feasting that ensued. Almost everyone.

Jack, although happy he and Annabelle had become closer, was still ready to leave his childhood home. Yes, Grandmama Sparrow had passed, but the pirate town still caused him an uncomfortable amount of pain. He hated staying in his old room. Jack felt like a child when he was a young man. He wanted to be on the sea, looting and plundering. But he could never bring himself to sneak on the merchant ships that came into port with supplies.

It was because of Annabelle. Not because she would have no friends, she had plenty of those, but because there was something different everytime he looked at and talked to her. She seemed prettier, smarter, funnier, kinder. Loveable. Jack couldn't stop his heart from pounding out of his chest when he saw her in the morning, and from breaking at night when they parted ways to their respective homes.

Annabelle knew Jack wanted to leave. She could see it in his eyes when he looked out onto the sea or when he looked at the night sky. The piratess didn't blame the Sparrow; the sea was her home too. She felt awkward on land. To her, there just seemed to be less fun, less excitement on land. But her father was one of the reasons she stayed on land. His health was failing. It wasn't hard to tell.

But her father wasn't the only one keeping her tied to Shipwreck Cove. It was also Jack. He was fun to be around. She wondered if he felt the same about her as she did him. Annabelle would be lying if she said that she wasn't at least attracted to him. She couldn't help it. He was very witty and sarcastic. Although his mind was slowly starting to deteriorate into a state of possible insanity, he was still very sane. Jack showed Annabelle a large amount of chivalry, and she returned it, hoping that he would get the message.

Apparently, he hadn't. Jack was preparing to leave, taking only the clothes on his back, his cutlass, and one of Teague's Flintlock pistols. The only Sparrow child had made arrangements to leave on a merchant ship later tonight. The captain had sworn that he wouldn't leave until Jack was on deck. But before he could leave, there was one last thing he had to do.

Jack walked the dirt path towards his and Annabelle's secret spot. He was suddenly not wanting to leave. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving her. Jack knew she loved him. But he was leaving because Shipwreck Cove was not where Jack wanted to be. He wanted to be out there. On the sea. Trudging up the small hill to where he and the young lady Roberts always met, Jack sighed and retrieved the parchment from his pocket. He had been planning to leave the note weighted under a rock, where it would be in plain sight and she would be able to find it. He took a sharp intake of breath when he arrived at the cliff.

She laid on the ground, gazing at the stars, still wearing what she had earlier that day. The layers of her purple corset-dress's skirt splayed around her, the bodice of her dress pushed her breasts up, slightly increasing them in size. Jack narrowed his eyes, trying not to get distracted. Eyes still narrowed, Jack cleared his throat. Annabelle sat up, surprised, and turned to see who was behind him.

"Oh, Jack. It's you." She breathed and a light smile played on her face. A frown quickly replaced her smile as she saw him with his cutlass in his scabbard and Teague's least favorite Flintlock tucked into his belt. "I had a feeling this day was coming soon."

With a huff Annabelle laid back on the ground to look at the stars. Stepping over a medium sized rock or two, he made his way to where she laid. Jack chose to sit instead of laying.

"There's no clouds tonight, makes the stars eay to see." Jack noted. Annabelle didn't reply, which earned a frown from Jack. The two sat in silence, looking at the stars. Jack could feel the anger radiating from Annabelle. "Why are you mad at me? I'm not leaving because of you."

Annabelle sat up again, looking at him with hurt in her eyes.

"I'm not angry. Why do you even have to leave Jack? Because of what your grandmother did to you when we were children? That was years ago-"

"No. It's not that at all."

"Then what is it?" Annabelle snapped. "Why can't you just be happy with Shipwreck Cove?"

"Belle, no, that's not at all true. I just want me own life. Joshamee apparently left years ago. You're becoming who you were ment to be, a pirate-"

"What, you're not ment to be a pirate?" Annabelle asked.

"That's not it. I want to be a pirate. It's in my blood, girl. But I don't want to follow in me father's footsteps." Jack explained, narrowing his eyes.

Annabelle sighed, not wanting to argue, and laid back to look at the stars again. Jack laid down too, tired of sitting up to look up. From his peripheral, Jack saw Annabelle scooch closer to him, and put an arm around her as she laid her head on his shoulder. He could smell the soap she used on her hair and the perfume she sprayed herself with. Neither scents were overpowering and he enjoyed both. Jack couldn't help himself. He placed his hand under her chin and brought her head up to his. Her lips were in the perfect pout, her eyes had the right amount of twinkle. It was clear she was thinking the same as he was; with almost no hesitation she put her lips onto his.

The kiss was soft and tame, and didn't last long. They pulled apart and Annabelle looked at him almost as if she was hurting. His heart broke as he as her expression. Jack liked the kiss and wanted more. Placing his hand on her cheek, he pulled her lips to his and deepened the kiss. He felt a bit more relaxed when she responded. Jack soon found himself hovering over her as Annabelle's fingers went crazy with unbuttoning, delacing, and unbuckling as much as she could off of Jack. A malicious laugh went off in Jack's head as he drew his knife from its sheath and cut the laces on the front of her dress.

"Jack," Annabelle frowned, pulling her lips away from his. "This is my favorite dress..."

"You have hundreds of other dresses, girl." He responded, stabbing his knife in the ground and putting his lips back onto hers.


Annabelle sat at her desk, looking out of the window with a longing gaze. She didn't know why she had been so fixated on the sea lately. Perhaps because she knew he was out there. Trying to return her attention to her books, she looked back at her desk and tried to choose which one was next. With a great sight, she picked up Candide, ou l'Optimisme by Voltaire, something she had read several times over. Annabelle yawned deeply; she sometimes found reading French boring. She really liked German, Italian, and Latin, but there was something about French that just made it boring.

Slamming her copy of Candide on her desk, she got up and left her room. Annabelle was restless, she couldn't help it. She needed to do something to get her mind off of Jack. Which is why she couldn't deduce why she went straight to the Sparrow house. Annabelle shrugged and climbed the rocky path to the house.

Teague was sitting in his favorite chair on the veranda like normal. He had something in his left hand and a knife in his right hand, whittling whatever was in his left hand. Annabelle's boots landed heavily on the stone steps leading to the veranda, a loud series of clicks surprised her. She was even more surprised to look up and see a Flintlock pointing at her.

"Annabelle, you know better than to sneak up on a pirate." Teague uncocked his pistol and returned to whittling.

"I didn't know I was sneaking," She admitted, siting in the chair next to him. The chair was usually ment for Mrs. Sparrow to sit in but she hadn't used that chair in a while. Infact, no one had since she died. Annabelle was pretty sure Teague would kick the chair over now that she was in it. "Teague, I'm restless."

He looked up from his project, raising an eyebrow.

"Restless, 'ey?" He responded, putting his knife away and admiring his handiwork. Annabelle nodded and looked out at the peach colored setting sun. She waited for the green flash, always having missed it before. A smile grew on her face as the sun shrank on the horizon, briefly being replaced by a green flash. "Have you gotten any news about Jackie?"

"No," A frown replaced her smile. "It's been six years since any of us have seen him. The world is a big place. It wouldn't be surprised if he was in Singapore right now."

"Aye, the world is a large place. But the Caribbean is Jackie's domain, he has no rule outside of it." Teague glanced over at Annabelle. She nodded glumly, knowing that he was a pirate lord now. Something made her laugh. It was probably the thought of Jack wearing a stolen bejeweled crown. He always took things too seriously. "Maybe it's time for another adventure?"

"Maybe," Annabelle agreed, pulling her long hair over a shoulder. "Maybe a last trip with daddy."