Title: Sense of Devotion
Sequel to Sense of Demand
Rated: R (Violence, sensuality, sexual practice and language)
Summary: After then events on The Isle, Jack has parted ways with Elizabeth. Just when he was forgetting everything, the recent past catches up to him and things will never be the same.
CHAPTER NINE
Jack bit his bottom lip to stop himself from crying out. He grabbed his shoulder, stumbled forward, then turned around. He saw a young woman, her face set in fear and anger, holding a fire poker in her hands.
She was a tall, lithe woman with bright red hair. Her green eyes blazed with fire.
"Who are you?" She asked, obviously fighting to keep the volume of her voice down.
Jack had a wide variety of emotions he was feeling at that moment. He took a couple of steps back, fearing another swing of the fire poker.
"Captain Jack Sparrow." He replied angrily. "Who are you?!"
The woman also took a couple of steps back. "Mary."
Dissapointment was what he felt next. "Do you know who Elizabeth Swann is?"
Mary nodded and at that nod Jack Sparrow felt hope blossom in his chest. The man took a step toward her and stopped when the fire poker swung out and pointed it at him.
"This is very important, I need to know." Jack asked desperately. "Where is she? Do you know?"
"No."
Jack's face fell. His shoulders slumped and he felt like he could drop to the floor. "That's not what I was hoping to hear."
"The rigging is loose." Mary said, looking up at the ceiling. "The Captain is not going to be pleased about that."
Jack looked puzzled. "Sorry to hear about that."
"What we are doing is very important!" Mary said loudly.
Jack heard movement downstairs and quick put his head up. "Shh! It's alright, I'm sure the Captain is handling it."
Mary blinked. "Who are you? Why are you in my room?"
Jack stood up straighter, noting that Mary's stance went softer. He took a quick look around the room. Nothing seemed to out of the ordinary, the whole place was simply furnished. Even the red head woman was dressed normally, in a cream colored frock. Then he remembered that Mary was touched in the head, and a prisoner of Bartibus'.
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." He bowed. "You invited me in." He lied.
Mary smiled and laughed in her embarassment. "Oh, sorry. I tend to be forgetful."
Jack now felt protective. He knew what Bartibus was capable of and knew that no matter what Mary had done, she didn't deserve this.
"You said you knew who Elizabeth Swann was." Jack said, reaching out and taking the fire poker from Mary. "Do you have any idea where she could be? What she could be doing? Please?"
Mary's face was blank. "I'm sorry, I do not know any Elizabeth."
"But you just said that you knew her."
Mary touched her forehead and a golden bracelet glimmered in the weak light. "I'm sorry! I'm forgetful."
In that instant Jack knew what to do. Quickly he reached out and grabbed her wrist, then pulled the bracelet off. Mary protested and tried to pull away, but then grabbed her head as if she was in pain.
The golden bracelet burned hot in his hand. Jack dropped it in surprise and it shattered as soon as it hit the floor.
Mary soon dropped to the floor, making a loud sound as she did so. Jack winced at the sudden noise, knowing that who ever else was in the house would be awake now.
Mary was breathing heavily. Tears poured down her face. Jack bent down and lightly put his hands on her shoulders.
"Mary. My name is Captain Jack Sparrow. Are you alright? Do you know where you are?"
Mary nodded, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "My mind feels... fuzzy. I think I am thinking straight for the first time in... months."
Jack helped her up on her feet. "You need to leave this place. I don't know how long we have before Bartibus comes."
Footsteps sounded up the stairs, then a tiny shriek of pain.
"I can't leave them behind. They are good people!" Mary pleaded, but Jack led her to the window.
"They work for that madman. Trust me, we can't save them." Jack lifted Mary up and helped her onto the tralice. "Bartibus will have a direct line to them, like he did with you."
Mary began climbing down the side of the house. The door to the room bursted open and the arguing couple came running in. Jack quick threw the fire poker at them and it embedded into the floor in front of them, making them stop.
The pirate began climbing out the window when he heard another shriek of pain. Jack dared a look back and saw the young girl clutch at her arm. A golden bracelet laid upon her wrist, and it was searing white hot.
"Cecily!" The man forgot about the escaping duo.
Cecily was clawing at her wrist, trying to pull her bracelet off, but it seemed to pinch shut. Tears rolled down her face. She grit her teeth as her hand slowly turned purple.
Jack felt guilty about leaving them behind, but sometimes in life bad things happened and you could not do anyhting about it. So he shimmied down the tralice, grabbed Mary's hand and began to run. Gibbs followed them to the Black Pearl, collecting the crew from a tavern along the way.
It took them only thirty minutes to set sail. Fortunately, it didn't seem like anybody was following them. Jack, however, ordered more speed and pointed his ship towards the Caribbean.
