Chapter Six
Jack: the Drunk Edition
While Jack was steering and I was searching, I realized I felt sort of bad for doing that to him. I was about to apologize, but then I remembered what the pirate had done to me, so the fumes of rage rose up again.
"I hate Jack," I grumbled to Mr. Gibbs the next day. Jack had sent the two of us to get him as many rum bottles as we could carry.
Gibbs shrugged. "He has an odd way of letting you know he cares about you."
"But he doesn't care about me," I said slowly, as though explaining the alphabet to a toddler. "He insulted me."
"I'm his best friend in the world. He insults me all the time. But in the end, he'll go through a lot to keep me safe. I'm sure it's the same with you."
"Yeah, right," I scoffed, grabbing another rum bottle. "All he's done since then is drop his usual hints that I should get in bed with him. Which I never do, of course. I don't trust him."
Gibbs rolled his eyes. "I do, but I have a reason. You personally would be nuts to trust him."
"All I want is for someone to call me captain again. To have the Song back. To have already defeated Davy Jones. And to have Karissa by my side again." We emerged on deck and headed toward the captain's cabin.
"Ah, there you are," said Jack cheerfully as we entered his cabin- mine too, I guess. "Fancy some rum, love? Gibbs, you may leave."
"Yes, Cap'n." Gibbs exited.
"No, I don't fancy some rum. And I wish you wouldn't drink that stuff. Like I said before, the last thing I need is a drunk man." I crossed my arms and sat on my cot.
"Well, love," Jack's voice took that seductive tone it took way too often, "I rather fancy a drunk woman, and you seem to fit the job, so…"
"I'm done with this!" I cried. "Davy Jones is getting farther and farther away! You said this was the fastest ship on the Caribbean. Prove it, if you want to call yourself Captain Jack Sparrow."
Jack sighed. "Love, believe me, I'm working on it. Can't we have some fun?"
"PG rated fun," I restricted. "Not R rated."
"At least PG-13? Why not a game of spin the bottle?"
"Jack, we're the only two people here," I said, rolling my eyes.
"Exactly. You think I want you kissing one of those dopes?" He gestured toward his door.
"If you want to have fun, let's put the rum away and talk. Not that that's fun, but honestly, what else is there to do?"
He shook his head. "I'm not putting away the rum." He took a swig and I cringed, jumping to the other side of my cot. He laughed a little.
"Love, love, love. That was one sip. Wait till you see me after three bottles. And," his voice dropped into that suggestive thing again, "I can't wait to see you, too."
I gave the soon-to-be-drunk pirate a long glare before giving a toss of my blonde hair and walking out the door.
One of the crew members was steering. I climbed to the top of the crow's nest and stewed in my own rage for a minute.
But then.
Then I saw it. If it hadn't been a clear day, I would have missed it.
The gray sails.
"Jack!" I screamed, but I ended up running into Gibbs.
"What is it?"
"Gray sails, we've found Davy! I'm finding Jack! You get the ship ready!" As Gibbs ran off to load the cannons, I held my head high for a minute, thinking how nice it felt to be in charge again, but then reality came back to life and I made my way to Jack's cabin.
"Jack!" I cried, bursting in.
"That's captain to you, love," I heard the pirate say.
I turned and jumped. He was right behind me. "Please tell me you're not too drunk?" I pleaded.
The captain shrugged. "Maybe a little loopy. You didn't give me much time, love."
"A little loopy. In other words, the usual. Great. Now come on! We found Davy's ship. Gibbs is loading the cannons. You and your men need to help me fight."
"Love, you are one of my men. Actually," he purred, "you're my woman."
"No, I'm not!" I cried, insulted.
"Don't try denying it." His breath smelled even more like rum than it usually did. "Tell me, love. Tell me you're my woman."
I was done with this. I snatched the bottle of rum in his hand, threw it to the floor so it broke, took him firmly by the wrist, shoved a sword in his other hand, and grabbed my own sword, then opened the door and marched him down the deck.
"The ship needs to go as fast as it can, Mr. Gibbs," I called out.
"Yes, Captain," he responded to me, and I sighed with relief. I was in charge again.
"She's not captain! I am!" the drunk pirate protested.
"Not in that state," I countered.
I marched him up to the steering platform, focused on the ship with gray sails ahead of us, and took the wheel. It was a brilliant sunny day, which made it a good day for sailing.
"Captain Sade River," I sighed happily.
"The only thing you're captain of at the moment is my drinking habits," said Jack crossly.
I rolled my eyes, smiling a little, and felt the wind ruffle my blonde hair, and the sun shine down on it. The wheel in my hand felt good. The crew and Mr. Gibbs were obeying me until Jack was sober again. A sense of peace washed over me. I was going to be the captain of the Black Pearl for a while.