A/N: So yup, told you it wouldn't be as long of a wait. Here is the next part – exciting, is it not? Review please!!! I cannot live without them! I am a starving reviewless author here! =(
P.S. I love you DarkAngelPearl, I am keeping this alive just for you! =D
Chapter 6: And Confusion Reigns Supreme
After selling the items Sammy found, they followed Jack further into Tortuga with money in each of their pockets – or coin purses… Anywho!
As we all know, Jack was describing something about the town, but Sam was hardly paying attention, "… and that is why it is Tortuga. More importantly, it is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep this sweet, proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga, savvy? What do you think?"
"You keep using that word, proliferous, I do not think it means what you think it means," Samantha took a deep breath and immediately gagged in disgust, "yummy… sweat, alcohol, and vomit…"
Will raised an eyebrow in agreement, "it'll linger…"
"I'll tell you mates, if every town in the world were like this one, no man would ever feel unwanted." Were Jack's proud words before seeing Scarlett and exclaiming her name in excitement, of course he was slapped – as we know.
"Ha! I told you that you would get more slaps!" Sam's triumphant declaration brought laughter from Will and yet another smile to Sam's face.
"Not sure I deserved that." Jack confessed to his two companions. Unbeknownst to him, Giselle was waiting for him to turn around.
"Giselle!" he said warmly at the sight of her.
"Who was she?!" the angry woman demanded.
Knowing he was caught, he feigned confusion, "what?" and yes, he was slapped yet again. "I may have deserved that one."
"Perhaps we should just do what we came to do, avoid any more slapping?" Sammy teased Jack as she helped him straighten his hat.
"Yes, let us be off!" And so they went on to find Gibbs.
On the way, Sammy – being the oblivious friend of mine that she is – took no notice of the drunken catcalls and stares. Will, however, was appalled at this behavior, and instinctively put his arm around her, to keep her safe. "Well, Will, if you wanted to get a bit closer, there are rooms upstairs." Jack pointed at the building they were walking by, making both Sam and Will blush bright red.
"Ah, here he is!" the captain picked up a bucket of water and motioned for Will to do the same.
And so, as we all know, the following conversation took place while Sammy mouthed the words behind them:
"Curse you for breathing, you slack-jawed idiot!" Gibbs sputtered after Jack had splashed him with the contents of the bucket. He gathered his bearings a bit more before realizing who was in front of him, "Mother's love! Jack! You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. 'S bad luck."
Jack knelt to speak to him, "Ah, fortunately I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys, the man who was sleeping, a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking."
Everyone took a moment to understand Jack's dizzying sentence, then Gibbs agreed, "Aye, that'll about do it."
Noticing Sam's nose wrinkle at Gibb's odor, Will promptly threw another bucket full of water, upsetting Gibbs and sending Sammy into fits of giggles, "Blast! I'm already awake!"
"That was for the smell." I think it was a good justification, as did the small group. With that, they took off to buy drinks.
Entering the tavern, Jack told Will: "Keep a sharp eye, especially in regards to our little missy." He then joined Gibbs at the table where he was sitting. Now, I do not think I have to tell you what those two were talking about, I assume you would rather hear about Sammy's craziness. You see, Sammy absolutely loved to drink, not in the alcoholic sense, but more in the sense that she knew good drinks from bad by just smelling them. She was all about savoring the taste. She often went to wine-tasting events and come home with hours' worth of telling me about the latest recipe. So, you can imagine how excited she was to be surrounded by authentic 17th century alcoholic beverages.
"Oh, Will!!" she pulled on his arm.
"Samantha, please, I'm trying to listen to Jack."
"Oh, poop!" Without him, she pranced off to the bartender, "Hey! Mister!"
He turned to look at her, "what can I get for ye'? New in de business?"
"'New in the business?'" realizing that he meant prostitution, she replied, "Oh heaven forbid! No, I would just like a pint of your best drink."
"A'right, 'ere, have a go at this." Serving her the pint in hopes that it would keep her occupied for a while, he then went to attend to other customers. Oh, how little he knew my friend!
"Sammers!" Will noticed her at the bar and rushed to pull the drink away from her mouth, but it was already drained.
"Wow!!! Will! That was great! Let's have some more, shall we?" Samantha drew the bartender's attention and put some coins down for another drink.
"I do not think it wise for you to drink, Sammers."
"And why the bloody hell not?" Jack walked up to them, obviously done with his conversation with Gibbs.
"We not be setting sail until the day after next anyhow," interjected Gibbs.
"Right. Bottoms up!" Jack and Sammy drank the remainder of their new pints. Will shook his head and grabbed a drink of his own. He'd need some liquid motivation to last with his two new friends.
After Sammy had a few more drinks, Will decided it was time to pull her to a table. It was probably the fact that she almost fell off her seat at the bar that urged him to cut off her drinking. See, for no matter how many tastings she went to, she was still small and had a low tolerance. Will, himself, had a couple drinks as well and was a bit more than tipsy.
"Sammers, come, we should sit." Will sat down at the table Jack and Gibbs had previously occupied and pulled Sam down with him.
With a giggle she settled next to him, "Looky at Jack! He's hilarious when tryin' to pick up women." She pointed at the pirate trying desperately to stand straight while talking to a woman, but he kept swaying forward with the obvious thought that her eyes were located on her breasts.
"'Pick up women?'" Will's confusion made Sammy giggle yet again and place a kiss on his cheek – shocking him immensely. He slowly touched his cheek in astonishment – he had never met a woman quite like her. She was incredibly different – incredibly… fascinating.
"It was an expressionnn, sweets, like: it'sm rainin' cats an' dogs," giggling insanely at her own silliness, she sat up straighter to look at him closer, making him blush at her proximity. He knew he should stop her, but he was transfixed as she ran a finger over his lips, "You know, I like it when you call me 'Sammers' nobody else calls me that…" Sam leaned into his stunned face to kiss him lightly. He responded just as lightly at first, but soon found himself placing a hand on her neck and deepening the kiss. It was bliss. Pure bliss. Smooth and gentle – yet passionate at the same time. When they pulled away from each other, they did not know what to do. They watched each other with wide eyes, trying to steady their breathing. Both were confused as to why their hearts soared and minds spun.
"Sammers…"
"Will…"
Sammy did not understand, she was supposed to like Jack – he was the one she always thought of as the hotter of the two. She needed space from Will to think. She needed space. Trying to stand, she managed to hit her knee on the table's leg and would have smacked onto the ground, were it not for Jack catching her. "I got us a room, has a bath too - thought Samsy'd like one."
Realizing that the pirate captain probably saw and would be upset, Sam panicked, "Jack, it'sm not what it seoks… uh, looks." Sammy tried to straighten up to defend herself but her knees were too wobbly.
"No need to explain it to me, luv, let's clean you up." Jack said, picking her up bridal style. Sam groaned softly; her confusion making her nauseous. The blacksmith shifted uncomfortably as he watched her bury her face in Jack's neck. "shh" Jack murmured and turned to walk to the stairs toward the back of the tavern.
Will could not stand the sight of her so helpless, "Jack! Let me help, I-"
"You've done enough 'helping,'" Jack snapped without looking at him, "Room 16."
His caustic words rooted Will to his seat. What had he done? What had he done? Was he not upset when he witnessed Jack's and Sam's lack of propriety last week? He did not understand what was going on. His life was in order – not happily in order – but in order nonetheless, and then he saw her strange eyes. Her strange eyes had captivated him upon first seeing them on that fateful night of the pirate raid. Then, he had actually met her. She was so exciting and unique; constantly bringing a smile to his face. Making him laugh – how long had it been since he last laughed like that? He slammed his fist onto the table in frustration. As silly as it seemed, he felt as though he had betrayed Elizabeth in some manner – the woman he thought he loved. He stopped. Did he truly love Elizabeth? She had been the unattainable light in his life for years. She saved him. It only made sense for him to love her… or did it? She never brought the same type of joy being with Sam did. Elizabeth only ever brought pain and longing for a love that he could never have. The confused boy rested his pounding head on the table, trying to sort himself out.
In the room, Jack set Sammy down on the bed, "I told you, luv, to stay away from that boy. You'll ruin my plan – he has to be willing to die for that lass."
Sam pulled away from Jack's hands when he tried to pull her hair out of her customary braid, "He doesn't feel anything for me. You don't have to worry, even if he did, he's too 'noble' to not save her." she almost fell forward on her air quotations but Jack steadied her. Sammy pushed Jack's hands away, stood up, and stumbled to the washroom, "He's loved 'lizabeth since he was wee itty bitty… there is no way I could change that." Sighing deeply, she pulled her hair out of its confines and called to the room, "Thanks for the bath, Jack."
Shutting the door, Sammy sank to her knees to cry her heart out.
To Be Continued…