Authors Note: Not particularly happy with this chapter… It will have to do as I have written three different versions of it and they're all just as shit I guess I can't picture stories when I'm tired. I'll try and make up for it with the next chapter.
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Adeline held tightly onto the rail to steady herself. She must have been mistaken but being so close to the pirate had quickened her pulse and left her breathing heavier than usual. Stupid girl, she told herself, it's only because he's so bloody good looking. And he'd made it pretty clear; work your passage or you'll be abandoned again. Hell, he'd blackmailed her, she was cross with him wasn't she?
A footstep behind her made her jump round, it was Jack. She looked so pretty with her long dark hair blowing over one shoulder and her eyes wide, Jack thought. She'd have earned a lot of money if she'd stayed back home, but Tortugas' loss was his gain, he supposed with a wry smile. Jack Sparrow wasn't one for letting an opportunity pass by and when the girl insisted on remaining on his ship, he wasn't going to waste the chance. And even if she did jump ship when they made port, he had her for a few days yet…
He leaned over the rail next to her and stared out at the sea. "What you looking at, luv?" he asked, indicating the expanse of water.
"Just watching the spray," Adeline replied as she turned back round to gaze seaward once more. She was painfully aware of Jacks' arm draped over the rail next to hers and tried her hardest to pay attention to what he was saying.
"A ship's a beautiful thing, luv," he told her, "you lose control of her and she'll do her own thing and like as not you'll be headed down to Davy Jones' locker. But if you get the touch right she'll respond right and do anything you want." His eyes were dark and burning into Adelines', she didn't think he was talking about the Pearl. One of his hands came up to brush her face again and the other had snaked its way round her waist. He leaned in towards her, their lips an inch apart, "a ship has to be looked after, cared for, serviced, before she can…perform…to the best of her capabilities," Jack whispered. Adeline closed her eyes as her lips met Jacks', his mouth was soft and tender, the hand that had brushed her cheek was curling round behind her neck as their mouths moved together. Without breaking the kiss he turned her gently so her back was against the rail with his hands holding onto it on either side of her, pressing her between his body and the side of the ship. Her arms snaked up round his neck and she gave herself up to the moment.
A sudden cry overhead of "land-ho!" brought Adeline back to her senses. She gasped and pushed Jack away. He frowned up at the lookout far above him, bloody pirate, he thought, of course there was going to be land visible, they were making for a bleeding port weren't they! Just because land could be seen didn't mean they would reach it for days. Jack made a mental note of the sailor; someone was going to find themselves on lookout duty for a lot longer than they expected.
He turned back to Adeline but the look in her eye made him hesitate, he'd had more than his fair share of slaps from women…
"I'm not your personal slave you realise," she said fiercely. Jack almost rolled his eyes then thought better of it. But she noticed the attitude anyway, "I mean it. This whole thing started because of you making that mistake."
"Well you were hiring yourself out on a 'pay me and I'll co-operate' sort of basis," he informed her. "And I believe this 'whole thing' as you put it started because you couldn't stand to lose me and boarded my ship without my or me crews' knowledge."
"What?" Adeline demanded, outraged, "You abandoned me to those soldiers who were only after me because they found me with you. That's how it started."
Jack opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a voice behind him.
"Captain, there's something you need to deal with. Two men are fighting over your little play-mate here." It was Ana Maria, barely disguising the contempt as she glanced at Adeline. Jack grimaced and turned to follow her. Before he walked away he looked back at Adeline, "think about it; you were willing to whore yourself out to any passing stranger to support your fathers drink problem, but you won't consider something a lot less degrading to save your own skin. I'm not going to force you, you can make your own choice."