I got on, saw all the reviews and nearly cried lol. I feel like dancing! But writing comes first! I don't own POTC blah blah blah.
It was now seven in the morning and I had only gotten three hours of sleep. Every slam, creek, or whisper could mean someone coming to check on me but finding Jack. I looked over to the window, he was now falling out of the chair and slightly drooling. I started to laugh when I heard the door open.
"Good morning Miss Annie," Morgan had grown accustom to calling me Annie when she was sure no one was around, the Miss had stuck though. " And Happy Birthday!" She saw me sitting up with dark circles under my eyes and started to walk over. "Did ye have a bad dream or something? Ye look a bit off dear."
She made her way over and placed her hand on my head, no fever as I already knew. I just smiled and looked over to my chair as she looked at me in wonder. Morgan was about to walk over and take said chair, like she had been doing every morning since she began tending to me, when she let out a loud shriek.
"The boys back! My, you two make a lovely couple. Ye both look horrid.." She walked over to Jack and used her apron to wipe his face. Morgan fixed his blanket which was mostly on the floor. Then she let out a laugh. "Maybe if we clean the lad up, he could come to yer party!"
Then we both started laughing. Jack would eat the whole cake on his own then take out half the buffet. Besides, his version of a bath was jumping in the ocean.
"Do ye mind?" Morgan jumped and looked down to see Jack wide awake and glaring. "I was sleeping till this crazed ' woman' " He said as he looked up at Morgan. "Decided it would be ok to let out one of her beastly laughs. No respect I swear.."
Morgan slapped him so hard his cut burst open and got blood on the floor. "What's wrong with ye boy! Ye run away for two weeks without reason, then just pop back here after making the little Miss and I worry!"
Jack simply whipped his cheek on his sleeve, grabbed the blanket and made his way over to me. "Bloody loon. I was gettin' Annie's gift. I told her everything last night, didn't I dear?" He then walked to the other side of my bed and lied down covering himself with the blanket.
"He's telling the truth, see?" I pulled the chain up and the jem followed along with it. It twisted and turned causing a strange rainbow to dance over Jack's face.
Morgan's eyes grew and she quickly walked over. "Where on Earth did ye get this Jack, its beautiful! ...Roll over before ye get blood on Annie's sheets." I looked down at Jack as he flopped back on to his back and there indeed was a slight blood stain on his pillow.
"Got it from a pirate, now be a good girl and close those curtains..The suns killin' me eyes." With this Jack covered his eyes with one hand and waved Morgan off with the other.
"Boy! Get up and do it yer self! Besides, I need to help Annie get her new dress on." She grabbed my hand and led me over to the wardrobe, which was only a few feet from the window.
"Pffft, moving." I heard him respond from under the mountain of covers he had taken. All you could see was part of his red bandana and a few locks of black hair, which still had trinkets from my jewelry box in it.
It didn't take long to get my dress on, considering how puffy it was. I truly think that both Morgan and I could fit in it. By this point, Jack was totally out of it and snoring. Morgan walked over and pulled the covers off his face.
"We really should clean that cut and wake him up. Can't have him sleeping in here all day, someone's bound to notice." She tapped her foot on the floor wondering what to do next. I walked over as quickly as I could considering the sheer volume of my dress. If Jack had been awake, he'd be laughing.
"To bad we can't just take him with us..I mean the party isn't until tonight but your right about not leaving him here." We both stood there over looking Jack when he just shot up.
"I really, REALLY don't like when you lot just stand there and watch me. It gives me the skivvies." With one leg, he kicked the covers off and then swung his legs over the side. "Its rude as well." With that he jumped down and stood between both Morgan and I, then touched his fingers to the cut on his face.
"Not that bad.." It was still dripping down his face but not as badly as before. "So, that little party is tonight then? Hmm, I'll just have to hide out till then wont I?"
Morgan once again went on her ranting rampage. "You will do no such thing! No offence Jack dear, but yer not the type they'd just let walk in from the streets." Jack looked down at himself then back at Morgan.
"And why not?" He took a step forward and stared her down. "There's nothing wrong with me, right Annie?" I nodded, but in reality the only way he really could get in was to get him a change of clothes and a bath. I knew that would only happen when hell froze over.
"Don't give him false hope Annie. I'm sorry Jack but unless yer willing to actually BATHE then ye can just go an play in the gardens." Morgan said while fidgeting with my dress once again.
Jack stood there thoughtfully for a moment, I couldn't believe he was actually thinking about it."Alright, I'll give this 'bathing' a try...But I get a large slice of cake, savvy?" I looked at Morgan and she looked back at me. What happened to our Jack?
"What? Is a little slice of cake to much for out birthday princess?" He offered up the challenge and I took it.
"No, but a bath might be asking to much of you." I crossed my arms and looked up at him with sheer doubt. But he didn't start up again, instead he shook his head ruffled his hair. "Here we go again."
You have no idea how hard it is to get that boy from one room to another without being seen. Morgan looked over the balcony that lead from my room to the entrance hall to see if anyone was coming, then she ran to the bathroom to see if anyone was there. She quickly ran back after starting the water then her, Jack and I all ran back to the bathroom.
I was to sit in room with Jack while Morgan went to fetch him some clothes and as usual, Jack was being Jack. " Why on Earth do you have all this bloody soap? Who really needs twelve different soaps?" He said as he lifted each one and sniffed the contents.
"Why does this bath have feet?" He was now on the floor next to the tub poking at the fake lion feet holding the tub up.
"Because that's the way it was made and I don't use all those...Their mostly for decoration." I said but Jack looked at me like I was slightly crazy. "Decoration? Who on Earth-" I hit up side the head.
"You want cake or not?" He looked shocked for a minute then started bowing. "Oh yes princess Annie! I would love some cake your royal ness!" Sometimes I really worried about him.
"Jack what are ye doin'?" Morgan asked as she walked in with a pile of clothes in hand. "Get up off the floor, yer dirty enough." She sat the clothes on a stool next to the bath and then turned off the water.
"We'll be in Annie's room. When yer done, just knock on the wall over there. Then we'll come back for ye." She started for the door and I followed but not before Jack got one last word in.
"Oh, and I was so looking forward to ye givin' me a sponge bath Ms. Brown." Jack fake sighed and put his hand to his forehead. Morgan, on the other hand, picked up the nearest bar of soap and nailed him right in the stomach.
While we waited for Jack, Morgan started fixing my hair. It was naturally curly but not like Morgan's. I liked her's much better from the moment I saw it, tight little ringlets of a fiery red falling down to her shoulders. But it was usually up in a bun unlike mine.
Mother insisted that I either keep it down or have it half way up, she said it framed my face better that way. Unlike Morgan's, my curls were huge and when I got to hot they almost looked like dreadlocks. My bangs curled slightly at the ends as they swept back from my face and gave me a somewhat pale appearance. I hated it, but Morgan loved it.
"Miss yer so lucky, yer hair is so soft and pretty." I watched her brush it but as much as I hoped the curls still stayed. She grabbed part of it at the top and pulled it back, then used a silver clip to hold it in place. I hated to admit it but Jack was right, I did look like a princess.
After a while of sitting on my bed and trying to match my earrings to my new necklace, we heard a tap at the far wall of my room. "Jack must be done." I said as we both started back down the hallway.
Morgan sighed and began to follow me. "If he's naked I'll beat the living hell out of him."
When we reached the bathroom door, we knocked three times just to make sure he knew it was us. That and as Morgan insisted, that he was decent. But when he opened the door, the two of us gasped. He looked like a normal person.
He stood there, looking mighty out of place but still it was a sight to behold. Some how Morgan had managed to find boots that would suit him along with pants that actually fit him for once. His shirt looked like it had been made for him and his hair shone brightly in the sun rather then clump into bits like slowly forming dreads. All the bobbles were now gone and without his bandana his bangs fell into his eyes, and yet he looked like he had just steped out of a first class ship.
"Well? Do I clean up well or what?" He smirked as he did a little spin for us just to show off. "Indeed.." Morgan finally said along with a long healed breath.
Jack grabbed his things and we all quickly ran back to my room where he hid them under the bed. "You lot just stay right where I can find you, savvy?" He nodded to his things and looked like he had gotten the answer he was hopping for.
"So," He stated flatly. "What to do till party time?" We all looked at the clock as it faintly chimed eleven thirty. We had nine hours to kill.
In no time at all, we had all walked out to the garden. Only after telling my parents that I would remain clean until after my party was over did they let me leave. It was funny what a change of clothes could do. My parents didn't even question Jack as he followed Morgan and I out of the house, when inside I knew if they had just seen him moments before they might have had heart attacks.
Time slowly passed as we wandered through the fields of flowers and trees. I had gone farther into the garden in that one day then I had ever gone before. When we reached its end, we found it met up with the ocean. Morgan and I almost died when Jack started running for it. But it was a rather funny site to watch as Morgan hunted him down and boxed him upside the head. He quickly relearned that even though he had been gone for two weeks, Morgan was still just as violent.
As we made our way back to the house, the sun was just starting to set and we all had managed to stay perfectly clean. I could hear the house buzzing with noise as we reached the kitchen door. Everyone who was important was waiting for me in that house, even people I had never heard of wanted to meet me. I was really starting to feel like a princess.
"Annabell, there you are!" I saw my father rush over to me and with one swoop he grabbed me away from Jack and Morgan. In the hours that followed I met more people then I knew even existed in this town. All the adults were surprised with how well I spoke and acted, the children alike seemed impressed.
I looked around for either of my friends and quickly spotted Morgan. She had long changed out of her daily uniform and into something slightly more elegant. This I found odd considering all the maids and waiters were serving food, what reason did they have of getting dressed up if they could easily spill something on it.
It took me nearly an hour to find Jack. I found him hiding under the grand stair case and I could tell he had already been to the cake by the looks of the massive plate that sat near him.
"What are you doing down there? I half expected you to be showing off for someone." I knelt down next to him as he once again moved the bangs from his eyes.
"I never thought the other half had such a...frantic life. All this talking and eating and business mess. I couldn't take it anymore." He leaned against the wall behind him and crossed his legs.
"I know what you mean, it gets boring after a while. But at least you got your cake right?" I smiled as he ran his finger over the plate one last time just to be sure he got every last bit of frosting off.
"Yeah...it was pretty good cake.." He stuck his thumb in his mouth a licked the frosting right off it like he was eating his last meal.
He and I stayed there for a while, letting the life I had always known go on without me. For some reason my best friend seemed more important then any party or gifts had ever been. I could hear Mother calling my name, Father searching for me as Morgan shuffled past, she simply winked and went on with her task. I think my parents just assumed I was lost in the mob of people.
Another hour past and I was slowly becoming sleepy. Jack poked me in the side and caused me to jump a bit. "Don't fall asleep on me yet. Ye can't leave me here with these stuffy folk." He patted me on the head as I heard the clock chime ten off in the distance. But then I heard another noise.
Jack seemed to have heard it too and was now on his knees ready to pounce. " It came from the kitchen.." He slowly leaned out from behind the stairs and started for the kitchen. That's when I heard the first gun shot.
People started running and screaming while Jack came running back and pulled me to my feet. "Annie, we need to get out of here and fast." I had never seen him look so serious in the past year.
"Jack what's going on?" He didn't answer as he pulled me back upstairs to my room and grabbed his sword from under the bed along with his bandana which was back on his head in no time flat.
"No time, move now." Jack grabbed my wrist and pulled me over to the window. "We have to hurry Annabell, they're coming." In all the time I had known him, he had yet to call me Annabell. I jumped onto the rose latter the moment it left his mouth.
We reached the bottom and once again he grabbed my hand and started running. I turned around just in time to see someone chuck my mirror out of my window and a fire erupt from the dinning room.
"Jack!" I was crying now not having any idea what was going on. He said nothing as we ran down the path that lead to my mother's garden. When we finally reached the beach, I expected an answer but none came.
"Hurry and take yer shoes off, it'll be easer to run." He looked over my shoulder back towards the house and I could see something in his eyes change. I didn't dare look back but kicked off my shoes like he insisted.
As soon as they were off, he took my hand again and we started running down the beach. We ran for quite some time until we reached what looked like a small cabbin. It had been empty for quite some time now I guess, windows were busted and one door was off its hinges.
"I was staying here before I left for yer present...We'll stay here till it quiets down." He whipped his forehead and slumped on to the floor. I just stood there shaking and crying.
"Annie.." I opened my eyes to see him holding out an arm at me and without skipping a beat I was down on the floor with him crying into his chest.
I'm not sure how long we stayed in that cabin because it was still night when we left. I had fallen asleep, thinking it had all been a dream but when I woke up leaning on Jack still I started crying again.
We walked back to the house with Jack in the front, his sword drawn and at the ready. He made me stay back at the entrance to the maze while he looked the house over for a minute. He came back and we slowly walking into the house together.
Everything was in ruin. The fire had spread from the kitchen into the dinning room and was still going, almost every window and door was cracked or shattered and anything of value was now missing. "Pirates.." Jack spat out with a sound of anger and venom.
He made me look towards the cling as we walked through one room, apparently bodies were lying about bleeding. "Any sign of Morgan?" I asked as we made our way back into the grand entrance. Jack just shook his head no.
That's when I saw them. Both of my parents in the middle of the floor in a puddle of their own blood. It looked like they had been attempting to reach my room, only a few steps away from the stairs both of them had been shot. I screamed so loud that one of the shards of glass fell from the window.
Jack tried to stop me but I was kneeling over them sobbing within a few seconds. My brand new white dress was stained with blood and the tips of my hair were as well.
"MOMMY! DADDY PLEASE WAKE UP!" I shook both of them by the shoulders but no response was given except the jingle of my mother's ear rings.
I felt Jack's hand on my shoulder as he slowly pulled me away. I started fighting with everything I had but it was no use. He pulled me all the way down to the docks, just in time to see the pirates sailing off into the night.
That's when I caved. I grabbed onto his shirt and cried till I ran out of tears. He stood there with me holding me tight and whispering un effective words in an attempt to calm me. Rather then fireworks on my birthday, I got gunfire. Rather then presents, I lost my parents. Nothing mattered anymore.
Jack ran his fingers through my hair as I continued to sob, because he knew more then even I did. He was all I had left in the world.
Good lord that was long and depressing to write..Its 2:15 in the morning and I'm tired as hell...Review!