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"So I look in your direction, but you pay me no attention, do you? I know you don't listen to me, cause you say you see straight through me, don't you?"

Coldplay – Shiver

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Sadie sits on her bed after finally changing the sheets, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. With the sun peaking in through the clean windows, Sadie's new room aboard the Pearl was much more live able than before. The light shines through the windows, bathing the room in a soft yellow glow. The table on the other end of the room gleamed again, the sheets clean, new drapes pull aside hanging in the window, and new candles are placed around the room. Sadie gets onto her feet, shedding her black shift and removing a light blue dress with a grey stay from her bags. She dresses herself, barely noting the change in tone outside. More footsteps appear overhead, and Sadie takes a deep breath.

There's nothing to worry about. Jack's here – he'll protect you.

She slips on a pair of short white boots, ending at her ankles. She ties the fading white laces and proceeds to brush out her hair, ignoring the noise outside. She hadn't heard Jack's voice yet, so perhaps it was something that didn't truly require her fear. Sadie ties her hair back with a black ribbon and lets her hands fall to her sides as she walks over to the clean window, looking out onto the ocean. She holds the drapery in one hand, putting a hand to her stomach in an unsteady gesture. Her stomach was still trying to adjust to the rocking of the ship.

Suddenly, she hears a pair of footsteps approaching her door. Turning, Sadie watches as the door is opened, revealing a minimally distraught Jack. He seemed easy about whatever was going on, but there was something else Sadie saw in his eyes. But he was moving toward her and taking her by the hand before she could say anything.

"Come with me," he says without needing a reply. Confused, Sadie grabs hold of his hand and let's herself be led out of the room. As the two of them quickly emerge on deck, Sadie notices an impending vessel, most likely the cause for the entire uprising. Sadie follows Jack to another part of the ship of which she hadn't seen.

"These lads are after me neck, love, so I want ye te stay here until I come back and get ye, savvy?" He says, opening a door to what look liked a broom closet. Sadie gets in, turning back around to see Jack still standing there, his eyes slightly downcast. When he looks up, Sadie holds back a nervous twitch as he reaches his hand up to her face. Gently, Jack moves a lock of hair away from her face and smiles weakly.

"'S too pretty a day te fight," he whispers. A voice calls Jack's name, and his hand falls away. Giving Sadie one last look, he closes the door, putting the young woman in complete darkness. Sadie blindly finds a barrel to sit upon while listening to the shouting voices of pirates. A few minutes pass, or hours for all Sadie knew, and she finds herself nervously tapping her fingers against her knee. She can barely hear voices exchanging back and forth, one of them Jack's. Another few moments pass, when the near-stillness is shattered by a loud gunshot. Sadie covers her mouth to keep from shrieking. Jack put her there to keep her safe, and she wasn't going to disappoint him again. Sadie can hear the sounds of battle growing closer, and her heart begins to race in her chest. She closes her eyes, brings up her legs and tucks her chin between her knees. She silently prays to herself, hoping nothing will happen. Her chanting is cut off when the door to the small closet is thrown open. Sadie is suddenly grabbed roughly by the arm, and looking up, she sees the scowling face of a hideous, unfamiliar man. He yanks her out of the closet towards the deck, where the fray is loud and unbridled. Sadie tries to get away, but memories return in full force, and instead she lets herself go lax in the man's grip. As she is pushed onboard the other ship, Sadie begins to weep in fear. She looks over her shoulder one last time as the man continues to pull her away, and she sees a body pushing through the fray. Sadie goes to shout, but the man puts a greasy hand over her mouth. Disgusted, she bites it.

"Jack!" she calls, but her voice is lost in the explosions of gunfire. The man turns her around to continue on towards some place terrible, but he doesn't move. Sadie jumps when the hand that was on her shoulder falls against her back. She turns only a scant inch when an arm wraps around her waist and her legs leave the stability of flooring. Sadie looks up to see Jack's eyes dead set on the Pearl's deck. As they land, Jack picks her up into his arms and begins to go in another direction. Sadie wraps her arms tightly around his neck when she hears his pistol go off a few times. She looks over his shoulder to see his crew pushing back the opposing force. Jack opens another door, and after he steps inside, shuts it. Sadie is placed on her feet again. She looks up at Jack, not realizing her body is still shaking. Jack places his hands on her arms, pulling her closer.

"Ye all right, love?" he asks quietly, moving some hair away from her face again. Sadie trembles, closing her eyes. Her arm still throbbed from the man's grip. The fearful memories of her past had rendered her helpless, rattling her to her very bones.

"I just got scared, that's all," she whispers in her weak defense, looking down at the floor of Jack's cabin. Jack smirks, taking her hand again. Sadie looks up at him, her nerves still shot. Jack lifts her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

"Sadie?" he whispers. The young woman nods slowly, acknowledging his question. Jack runs the pad of his thumb across her knuckles.

"May I see something?" he asks. Unsure, Sadie nods, holding onto her trust in Jack. The pirate releases her hand and looks down at her stay. Sadie holds her breath as Jack begins to untie the stay, wordlessly. The noise from outside has died out, the only sounds now in Sadie's ears being the ocean outside and the sound of their breathing. Jack moves behind Sadie after the stay falls to the ground. Jack's hands pull down the sleeves of her dress slowly. Sadie clenches her eyes shut, her breathing short and ragged in her nervousness. She feels air rush across her back as the dress falls around her hips. Her arms fly up to cover her supple chest. Expecting something distasteful and vulgar, Sadie prepares herself for a tavern repeat. The very thought brings tears to her eyes – not Mr. Jack…anyone but him. He wouldn't do such a thing! He saved her from her father and rescued her from a life of whoring…Jack wouldn't do this to her…

Sadie nearly jumps ten feet when Jack touches the bare skin of her back. She releases a small gasp, the muscles in her back twitching nervously. Jack was the one person she trusted who knew the story behind the scars he was touching. To have him do so made her feel like a weak, vulnerable child again. Sadie quickly steps away from Jack, keeping her head bowed. Without a word, she replaces her dress around her shoulders, pulls her hair out from under the fabric and walks towards the door.

"Sadie-" Jack calls out, but the young woman is already out on deck and walking away, her eyes downcast and confused. Jack stands in the middle of the room, his hand still outstretched and Sadie's stay still lies on the floor. Jack drops his hand and sits on the bed with a troubled sigh.

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