CHAPTER 9
After the men left Amanda walked over to the bank of windows that took up one whole wall of the Jack's cabin, looking out she cold see the Florida Keys getting smaller and smaller. Leaning her forehead against the cool pane of glass she wondered how her life got so out of control. Was she ever going to get back to the life she had? Did she want to go back?
Turning away from the windows she started going through the clothes that were brought in for her. On top of the pile was a wide belt with a big buckle, then there was a cream colored cotton shirt with a deep v-neck, a long blue vest type thing that was longer in the front then the back and the last thing was a pair of drab brown pants.
Picking up the pants she looked at them closely noticing no zipper and no elastic. It then dawned on her that such things hadn't been invented yet. Pulling off her shorts she pulled the pants on and stated lacing up the front. To make the pants fit her in the waist she had to pull the lacings pretty tight which then made the pants a little tight in the butt. The legs were way to long and needed to be rolled up. Pulling off her t-shirt she reached for the shirt and pulled it on over her head.
That's when she noticed how low the vee of the neckline was, "Well, this isn't going to work," she said to herself. She laced up the shirt as far as she could but it still left a great expanse of cleavage showing. Fastening the belt around her waist she then put on the vest. When finished she went to the door and stepped out into a different world.
As she left the shelter of the cabin a stiff breeze pushed her hair into her face. Turning to where the wind would blow her hair back and away from her face she looked up towards the quarterdeck and there was Jack leaning against the railing looking down at her.
Jack walked to the top of the stairs and with a golden smile held out his hand inviting her to join him. Amanda climbed the stairs and took the offered hand.
Tucking her hand in the crook of his arm he led her across the quarterdeck, "I see you were able to make use of the clothes."
"The pants are too long," She stuck out her leg for him to see where they were rolled up, "and they are two big in the waist and two tight in the butt, but they will do."
That last comment made Jack lean to his right and peer around her, "It looks like a perfect fit to me," he said with all seriousness.
"Jack…Jack!" she seethed at him pulling on his sleeve.
"Yes," he replied distractedly.
"Jack you are not to look at my…at my…at my butt!" she jerked Jack around to look at her face.
"If I'm not to look at your most generous derriere," he said with a wave of his hands, "then where am I to look, there?" he pointedly looked at her chest.
With a stomp of her foot she forcibly raised his chin with her hand and made him look her in the eyes. "You are to look at me here."
"As attractive as you are I think I prefer to look at some of your other assets. I am a man after all."
"You are incorrigible, you…"
"I've told you before darlin' I am a pirate and that's that." He grinned at her; turned and walked away.
"Wait a minute," Amanda hurried to catch up, "what do you mean by my generous derriere? Are you saying that I have a fat butt?"
With a sigh Jack turned and reaching around Amanda grabbed the cheek of her butt and squeezed, making her squeal, "Nope, fits in my hand just perfect."
Before she could say anything he turned and sauntered away, leaving her blubbering.
When Amanda got her wits about her she ran up and placed herself in front of Jack.
"How dare you!" she yelled at him with her hands on her hips.
With amusement in his eyes he asked, "Would you rather that I squeeze you here?" Jack started to reach towards her chest.
Amanda seeing where he was reaching immediately jumped back, "I thought not," he said with a smirk.
"Jack Sparrow you are impossible!" Amanda threw her hands up in the air and stalked off down the stairs mumbling. Jack heard a few words she said, "Men, they are so…stupid ass…"
"Shame, shame, luv, watch your language," Jack said while hanging over the railing and looking down upon her.
Amanda stopped and stuck her tongue out at him; turned stomped across the deck climbed the stairs to the forecastle deck and plopped down on a barrel with her back to Jack. What really infuriated her even more was the sound of Jack's laughter floating to her on the wind.
Gibbs came up next to Jack, "I told you it was bad luck to have a woman aboard ship. All they do is cause trouble."
Jack looked at Gibbs out of the corner of his eye, "Aye but sometimes it be good trouble they cause. Now don't you have somethin' to be doin' Mr. Gibbs?"
With a sheepish look to his face Gibbs scurried off, "Aye captn'."
Jack walked over to a barrel and pulling the lid off reached in and pulled out a bottle of rum. Placing the lid back he sat down on the barrel, opened the bottle and took a hefty swig. Looking at Amanda's ridged back Jack chuckled to himself, "This is gonna be an interestin' voyage," and then took another swig.
Jack let Amanda sit up there for a few hours in what he considered a pout, until his stomach told him he was hungry. It was night time in Amanda's time but when they appeared in his time it was sometime during the day and according to his stomach it had been a long time since he last ate. He decided that it was time to stop Amanda's pout.
Jack sauntered up behind her, "I don't know about you but I am hungry, would you care to join me for dinner, luv?" Walking up to stand in front of her he held out his hand with a smile.
Amanda wasn't sure if she should so easily forgive him. She crossed her arms and glared at him debating on her course of action when her own stomach growled making her decision for her. When Jack heard her stomach his smile became bigger, "It seems your stomach had decided for you. Now quit poutin' and come with Jack and get somethin' to eat."
"I wasn't pouting, Jack!" she glared at him again.
"Alright, alright you weren't poutin'," he threw his hands up in the air surrendering.
With as much dignity as possible Amanda got up and started walking down the stairs leaving Jack to follow.
Just as she was stepping onto the main deck something flew at her out of the mast, and landed on her shoulder. Screaming she jumped back making the something fall on the deck. Catching her breath Amanda looked down and a little monkey was sitting on the deck chattering at her.
"Oh what a cute monkey; what's his name?" Amanda bent down and picked up the little creature.
Jack walked up beside her, "Jack, Jack the monkey nasty little thing, he is."
"Jack how can you say that, look how sweet he is?"
Jack the monkey looked at Jack and grinned really big, melting Amanda's heart.
"Oh…what a little doll you are!" Amanda exclaimed hugging the monkey close.
"He's the undead, luv."
"What…what do you mean?"
"Put him on the deck and let me show you."
Amanda put Jack the monkey on the deck, immediately Jack pulled his pistol and pointed it at the monkey.
"Jack what are you doing?" Amanda tried to stop Jack by grabbing his arm.
"Just watch," holding Amanda away from him he pointed the pistol and shot.
Amanda screamed, "Oh my God, JACK!" She saw the little monkey do a flip and she was sure that he was dead but suddenly he jumped up and into her arms.
"See like I said he is the undead."
Amanda looked the little creature over carefully and didn't find any sign of injury. Looking at Jack in wonder, "But how…"
"Like he said miss, he's the undead." Ragetti looked at her with his one good eye.
"But how can he be the undead?" Amanda asked Ragetti.
"Well you see, miss, all we can figure is that he musta' taken one of the Aztec gold coins when we weren't lookin'."
"Aztec gold, what Aztec gold?" she asked looking from Jack to Ragetti.
"I'll be telling you that little tale later," Jack started steering Amanda away from Ragetti, "don't you have somethin' to do?" he said pointedly at the sailor.
"Aye captn'," Ragetti hurried off away from the couple.
Jack took Amanda to his quarters but right before they entered he turned, "The monkey stays out, darlin'."
"Oh…um…alright," she set the little guy down and he scampered off and ran up the mast.
Jack led her inside and cleaned off the table, and then pulled out a chair for her. Before he could sit down there was a knock on the door and a sailor walked in holding a tray with some steaming bowls on it. Jack sat down and the man put the bowls on the table along with some glasses and then left the room.
Jack got up and reached into a cupboard and brought out a bottle of wine and a bottle of rum. While Jack was getting the drink Amanda peered into the bowls on the table. There were two bowls of what looked like a stew and then a bowl of fruit.
"Wow this looks good, I didn't know how hungry I was until I smelled this."
"We don't have the fanciest food but we do have a good cook," Jack sat down and uncorked the bottle of wine.
"Seeing as how you made such unfavorable comments about my rum, you can drink the wine."
"I'm not much of a drinker at all, Jack." Seeing Jacks surprise she said, "But I'll gladly have one glass."
Jack smiled and poured a glass for her and then poured himself some rum. Pulling one of the bowls over in front of him he motioned for Amanda to do the same.
"Go ahead, luv, eat, ya have to keep up your strength."
After a few bites Amanda asked, "So tell me this story about the Aztec gold."
Jack looked at her and with a grin and a swallow of rum started in on a fantastic tale that had Amanda engrossed. That is when Amanda discovered what a wonderful story teller Jack was. He told his stories with gusto and a flourish of hand movements which kept Amanda totally engrossed. They had finished dinner and Jack led her back out on deck, the sun was setting and the breeze was comfortably cool.
"So, Jack, at one point you were also the undead?"
"Oh yes, a strange feeling being undead, knowin' you can't die."
Amanda leaned against the railing and looked towards the west just catching the sun slipping below the edge of the earth. Jack came up behind her and placed a hand on each side of her on the railing and leaned against her.
"That view is one of the reasons I love the sea," he said in a sultry voice in her ear.
Turning her head to where their lips were just inches apart she asked, "What are the other reasons?"
Before he could answer there was a shout, a ship had been sighted. With a regretful look Jack pulled away from Amanda and hurried onto the quarterdeck. Pulling out his spyglass Jack yelled up to the man in the lookout, "Whose is she?"
"It looks to be the Demon, captn'."
There was just enough light that when Jack snapped open his glass and peered through the lens he could see the other ship, "It seems he found a way back," he muttered. Turning he yelled, "All hands on deck and to battle stations."
The order could be heard ringing through the ship. Crewmembers started appearing and running to their stations. Amanda looked towards the other side of the Pearl and could see the ship getting closer; suddenly there was a loud boom and then a splash in the water not far from the Pearl. Just as Amanda was starting to panic Jack came up to her side.
"You best go into my cabin, luv. I wouldn't want you gettin' hurt," he started steering her in that direction. Once she was in the cabin he shut the door, but she could still hear him giving orders.
"Mr. Gibbs what kind of moon do we have tonight?"
"It be a full moon tonight, Captn'," she heard the reply.
"Then I guess we'll be fightin'. Hard to starboard," he yelled and then his voice was lost in the noise of battle preparations.
