A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! You are all so kind and supportive! Passes brie and crackers. Does anyone else get a little depressed listening to one of the POTC soundtracks? Oh, what could have been…sigh…what should have been…
A/N II: Hugs to my Beta, the amazing Florencia7! I couldn't do it without ye, luv!
Disclaimer: Disney owns POTC.
xxx - Nine - xxx
Her hand reached for the door to Jack's cabin. She meant to pull it open, to run. To run as far away from Jack as she could. It didn't occur to her that she might be attempting to run away from herself as well.
This is not right. I love Will. I'm supposed to marry Will. This is just some sort of temporary attraction I feel toward Jack, nothing more. I just need to get as far away from him as I can. But how can I do that while trapped on his ship? What is it about him that makes me disregard every sense of civility and decorum I was taught? Why do I react this way when he kisses me? Where is my self-control?
A warm, roughened hand closed over hers as she pulled on the latch. Her pulse quickened at his touch.
"Have we finished our discussion, dear Lizzie?" Jack's breath tickled the edge of her ear.
The rain was beating hard on the panes of the single window behind his desk. The darkened clouds encased the ship, preventing any light and warmth from entering the small cabin. In the distance one of the crew could be heard shouting to another, the words muffled in the roar of the pounding torrent.
He spun her around to face him, his dark, coffee-colored eyes sparkling even in the dimmed lighting of his cabin. The playful grin on his lips seemed less enchanting than a few moments ago. Is this just a game to him? A competition, pitting himself against Will; only wanting to steal his fiancée, to prove he always wins?
"We are most certainly done, Captain Sparrow," Elizabeth said defiantly. "It appears that I won't change your mind, so I have nothing further to say."
Jack smiled at her, triumph in his eyes. He trailed his fingers along her chin, her jaw, up to her ear, twisting them into her thick hair and trying to move her toward him for another kiss.
"I said we are done, Jack," she pulled away, her face flushed. She glanced toward the door. "Mister Gibbs?"
"No worries, luv," Jack disentangled his fingers from her long tresses. "He won't be utterin' a word to yer dear William." He turned and found his boots and quickly put them on. "I trust the man with me life. He wouldn't risk tellin' yer eun…uh…betrothed, if indeed Mister Turner has retained said esteemed status…anythin' that he saw or thought he saw or claims to have not seen in the least." Jack pulled his long coat from a hook on the wall behind her, his arm reaching across her, bringing his body within inches of hers. "'Cause Mister Gibbs knows that angering a crew member and settin' him against his Cap'n is unwelcomingly dangerous. Don't want yer amateur rescuer stabbin' me in me own cabin in the middle o' the night."
Jack slipped on his coat. "Much as I fancy stayin' here, luv, I must check on me ship. Yer welcome to stay an' make yerself comfortable," he grinned.
Elizabeth frowned. "I can think of nothing less comfortable than remaining here -"
"With me being gone," Jack cut in, his kohl-lined eyes gazing at her playfully. "'Tis the truth, seein' as you would be here and I would not, a fact that would be most unfortunate and positively devastating."
Elizabeth glared at him. "That is not what I meant, and I certainly would not miss your absence. In fact I look forward to it. But I really must go; Will is probably looking for me…"
Jack gently reached for her shoulders and pulled her close, cutting off her protests with his lips. "Then I suppose ye should be found," he declared under his breath, releasing her, and then he turned and departed the cabin.
xxxxxx
Will finished securing a barrel to the deck on the starboard side while scanning the ship. His attention was drawn to Jack, who was climbing the stairs from the lower deck, a determined grimace on his face.
"Pintel!" Will shouted to the man who was leaning over the starboard side. The scruffy pirate turned and shouted into the raging downpour.
"What is it, Turner?"
"Have you seen Elizabeth this morning?"
"No. Not on deck, below deck, or in the galley," Pintel turned away. "Maybe she jumped," Pintel muttered to himself.
Will watched as Jack met Gibbs at the helm, Jack gesturing alternately between the mast and the crew. His exaggerated, animated movements blurred against the darkening sky. Will returned his attention to the ropes he was securing to the deck. And then he saw her.
Elizabeth was walking up the same stairs Jack had ascended less than a minute before. 'A coincidence?' Will wondered. She was wearing an unfamiliar coat and her honey-colored hair was stuffed under a dark brown hat. Her eyes shifted quickly as she reached the main deck and then hurriedly rushed to Cotton's side to help him control a sail that was whipping in the wind.
Will stowed the remaining soggy ropes under a canvas and when he looked back at her, he stopped short.
Elizabeth had paused and stretched for a moment, before quickly glancing up. Will followed her gaze, which ended at the profile of a windblown, dreadlock-laden Captain standing near the helm. Will looked back at her and watched as her gaze kept returning to Jack, who was in deep discussion with Gibbs. Will watched as Jack turned and looked directly at Elizabeth, a slight smile on his dark face.
'They aren't very skilled at hiding it,' Will thought, anger simmering below the surface. He shortened the distance between himself and his fiancée.
"There you are, my love." Will forced himself to bury his doubts, at least for the moment.
Elizabeth turned and smiled, the look on her face one of pure joy and contentment, even as the rain stung at her face and her hat threatened to blow away in the wind.
"Will!" she reached for his hand, holding it close. "Isn't this storm exciting?"
"Exciting?" Will had a different definition at the moment.
Cotton bowed to Elizabeth in thanks and moved on, leaving the couple alone. Will pulled her toward him. "You should get out of this rain, Elizabeth. Why don't you go back to your cabin?"
Elizabeth stiffened in his arms. "Why? I want to help!"
"This is no place for…"
"For what? A lady?" Elizabeth asked. "You know I can handle myself on a ship."
"Oh, I do know, I'd just rather see you below deck, warm and safe."
She rolled her eyes teasingly. "Will, you are so sweet, wanting to protect me. But I'll be fine. If it gets too bad out here, I promise to retreat," she compromised.
He smiled, and when she took in his wet hair and big brown eyes gazing at her lovingly, she was reassured that all was well between them. I really do care for him very much. He will make such a wonderful husband.
Will pulled her closer and kissed her, the rain dripping between their faces. His brief, polite kiss was one of respect and devotion, the kind of kiss she had become accustomed to receiving from him. 'Certainly the type of kiss that would not get me into any sort of trouble', Elizabeth thought, feeling a strange and unwelcome awkwardness in the kiss. Elizabeth's body trembled for just a moment. 'You fool!' she chided herself. 'Of course it's awkward, we're standing here kissing in a downpour and it's cold and wet on deck!' Will's arms were wrapped around her waist, holding her tight, mistaking her trembling for passion. He turned his head to look back toward the helm, feeling very satisfied and reassured.
Jack stood at the railing, watching them.
xxxxxx
When the ship was properly secured, Jack ordered everyone below deck, except Pintel and Ragetti, who were standing watch. The crew retreated to the galley.
"Mister Gibbs. My cabin," Jack ordered.
"Should I go down ta the hold for more rum first?"
"It's not yet midday, mate. That's too early even for me," Jack spoke over his shoulder as his first mate followed him. "And I'm beginnin' to have some concerns about ye, wantin' to indulge 'n all that. This is not a time for drunkenness, sad as I am to say it. And don't ye repeat that."
Jack closed the door behind Gibbs and motioned his friend to a chair across the desk.
"Now, we have a little dilemma," Jack announced.
"I distracted him, Jack, best I could. Didn't say not a word, neither."
Jack looked at him blankly, before he caught Gibbs' meaning. "Not that," Jack settled back in his chair, crossing his legs, his hat still dripping water that was now landing on his shirt and his lap. "I meant our proposed and now agreed upon, at least with the majority of this ship's occupants, mission. Finding the Flying Dutchman."
"Aye, that is a dilemma. Seeing as we don't know where it is."
"Yer ability to overstate the obvious, Mister Gibbs, is usually most consistent and comforting."
"Uh…thank ye, Jack." Gibbs eyed the window above Jack's head, noticing that the clouds were continuing to darken.
"Except at this time." Jack stood.
"Are we needin' ta find her again?" Gibbs' look of concern did not go unobserved.
"There's a not so well known fact about Tia Dalma, which you neglected to consider before asking such a question, Mister Gibbs," Jack moved a candle away from one of his charts. "One does not ask Tia Dalma for the same information...twice."
A look of relief passed over the first mate's face. "Well," Gibbs started. "I was thinkin' that we set a headin' for the nearest port, an' start askin' 'round at the docks, discreetly, mind ye, if anyone has had a recent sightin' and or run-in with the ship."
Jack began pacing around the desk. I can't go near any port right now. Too risky. "Do we have an alternative plan, Mister Gibbs? I was hopin' to distance us from land for the foreseeable future."
"No, none to speak of. Unless ye want ta randomly sail these waters, hopin' fer a run-in wit the Dutchman. I s'pose Davy Jones will still be tryin' ta find ya, though. Since ye still have a debt to settle."
Jack squinted at Gibbs. "I don't think I have enough, nor will I attempt to find, one hundred souls…especially since I've been in command of the Pearl only a fraction of the time, and we don't have the heart to use for bargaining, neither …"
"Not that debt."
Jack paled. "Yer right, I still have the other one to settle. I was hopin' to avoid 'im, that's why choosin' this path was 'specially unsettlin'."
"Then why'd ye do it, Jack? We could go wherever ye want, yer the Cap'n. Ye don't have ta listen ta Will. Or just dock at Port Royal and dispose of a little cumbersome baggage, bein' Mister Turner an' his soon-ta-be wife."
Jack shifted his eyes and frowned.
"Unless ye don't want Miss Elizabeth ta leave the ship…"
Jack returned to his chair, looking uncomfortable. Gibbs lowered his voice. "Which brings me ta a certain situation I've been witness to, and others I've not."
Jack looked around his desk, shuffling papers. "Maybe we could use some rum. I'm down to one bottle in me cabin, care to run down to the hold and collect some more?"
Gibbs grinned. "Certainly, Jack." He made no move to leave.
"I think it best that we table this discussion, Mister Gibbs, and concentrate on sailin' the Black Pearl." Jack opened the bottle of rum and took a drink.
"Ye always could talk ta me, Jack," Gibbs sat forward, feeling a bit uneasy. "I worry yer playin' with trouble. Ye were always pretty candid about yer...uh…female companions…before, but this is Elizabeth we're talkin' 'bout. I've known her since she was a lil' girl. Longer than I've known ye, that's fer certain."
"Mister Gibbs!" Jack exclaimed. "This conversation is unquestionably straying off topic. And I fear I'm hearin' a touch of warnin' in yer voice, somethin' I am customarily unaccustomed to." Jack shot Gibbs a warning glance. "Now, after some thought I've decided your plan is a sound one. We will begin makin' inquiries at the nearest port. Perhaps you could inform the crew. We will not, however, dock at any port. We will anchor off shore and send a team in the longboat. And let Mister Turner know that there is one condition."
Gibbs raised one eyebrow. "What be that, Jack?"
"He must remain aboard the Black Pearl," he declared, then took another drink from the bottle. "If he sets foot on land our agreement is terminated. He will not return to me ship. He will have to find another way to rescue his doomed father. And with his history of non-rescuin', he'll soon realize he needs all the help that is currently offered."
Gibbs stood, understanding the meeting was adjourned. "Aye, I'll let 'im know." Gibbs glanced at the window. "Storm's not easin'; we might be floatin' here for awhile yet." He excused himself and left the cabin.
Jack set the bottle aside and picked up a chart, his eyes unfocused, unseeing. The lines blurred before his eyes, his thoughts turning away from navigation and toward the continuing storm.
xxxxxx
Gibbs found Will and Elizabeth sitting across from each other in the galley, finishing a late breakfast. He sat next to Will, who looked at him expectantly.
"I come from a meetin' with Jack. He was most concerned with how we're gonna find the Flying Dutchman an', of course, yer father."
Will put down his spoon and waited, offering no suggestions.
"He feels, an' I agree with 'im…" Gibbs glanced at Elizabeth, feeling a bit sorry for the lad sitting next to him who had no idea she'd been kissing Jack that same morning. "That
we need to make some inquiries at the next port. See if anyone has seen the ship in question."
"Do you mean we're going to Port Royal?" Elizabeth asked, hopefully.
"Not necessarily, Miss," Gibbs dropped his gaze. "Regardless of which port, Jack has a few conditions."
"Conditions? What conditions?" Will swept his gaze toward Elizabeth, reading the same worried expression on her face that he knew as on his own.
"Aye. The first being that we not dock at port, but anchor offshore instead."
Will and Elizabeth looked at each other, confused, before turning back to Gibbs.
"The second bein' that ye, Mister Turner that is, not leave the ship. Not at any port."
"Why not?" Will asked incredulously. He pushed his bowl away and started to rise.
Gibbs stole a glance at Elizabeth, who seemed to be completely surprised and very confused. "I don't really know, Will."
"And what about me? I can leave when we reach port, right Mister Gibbs?" Elizabeth's eyes were wide, seeking answers. Will looked at her, stunned that she would ask such a question.
"Aye, I believe so. He said nothin' about ye staying on board." He nodded toward her fiancée. "Just Will…an' he said that if ye, uh, Will that is, do leave the Pearl before we find the Flying Dutchman, then your agreement with him is ended. Terminated and all
Will walked away from the table, furious. He clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. "He can't do that! He knows why I want to find that ship, and if we make port I want to be the one doing the questioning; I have more at stake. I need to speak with anyone who might help lead me to my father."
Will stormed out of the galley just as Elizabeth realized the predicament she was in.
I can leave the ship. But there will be no wedding ceremony without the groom.
xxxxxx
