"So...what do you hope to find when we get to World's End?" Her question sounded innocent enough, but Jack's ears and his interesting knowledge of women had him hearing something else in Nica's tone. She demanded truth.
Up until now, he'd done his best to skirt it as adroitly as possible. Lying to her outright just wouldn't do.
"Alas, World's End bears what one takes with one." Even to his own ears that had sounded vague at best. What had he learned from his baffling experience? Nothing short of confused puzzlement, and that was what he could readily remember. He did recall that one day, aboard the Pearl stranded upon those shifting sands, he'd become many of himself, each Jack vying for his attention. Hark-what mayhem those entire confounding occurrences had been!
How his Pearl had landed back into the sea, to this day he had trouble making sense of what had truly happened. Suffice it was to say that all had become a convenient blur.
While scrunching her forehead, Nica gave him a long, hard stare. Her beautiful countenance belying the confusion that lurked beneath. All she had somewhat understood was that when they reached World's End, there'd be treasure beyond anyone's stretch of the imagination. That thought was very pleasing to Jack, so therefore, it was Nica's wish that he would find what he sought. He'd been nothing but good to her. He deserved to have what he wanted most.
"Actually, Love, there's no telling what unearthly presentiments await us there. What..." He deliberately allowed his shrinking voice to trail. Was she really there? All set to pay him back for having been vile to her? Thoughts of a vengeful Angelica swirled in his mind. The fetching Latina waited for him, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt. Every night before he retired to a solitary bunk near enough to his quarters that he'd relinquished for the sake of Nica's comfort, Angelica would invade the recesses of his mind to torment him. Harass him, guilt him, force him to admit how gravely he'd wronged her. Make him promise that as soon as he set foot on World's End, he would make everything up to her. And she in turn would divulge the whereabouts of the enigmatic treasure that promised the control of wind and tide.
"It is my sincerest wish that what be there will make you happy...Love," Jack insisted, tilting his head to squint at the cerulean perfection of the maritime sky.
"I hope there won't be any danger there. I hate danger. It makes me crazy." Her quiver imperceptive, she had shuddered and was reasonably certain that Jack hadn't missed it. "I still can't believe I survived being adrift on the sea." Under her breath, she said, sighing, "Que dolor agudo. Que danoso." Then when he called her picara, meaning sassy, to show her he knew still several more words of Spanish, she laughed.
He patted her small hands reassuringly. "Can't say I relish the thought of it either," Jack submitted, enjoying having her stand in front of him, letting her steer The Pearl with her hands upon the massive wheel and his hands resting on the backs of hers. He shortened the gap between them, liking how wonderful her nearness made him feel. "The thing of it is, is getting the best of danger before it gets the best of ye. Savvy?" His eyes twinkled behind her head and, exercising restraint, ever so gently he took the liberty of resting his chin on her right shoulder. Delicately, he repeated, "Savvy?"
"Whatever danger that might present itself, I'll be sure to stick close to you. When I'm with you, I feel safe."
Turning his head slightly into Nica, Jack, with aplomb tempered with reserve, pressed his lips against her elegant neck. Murmuring against her he pertly added, "And allow me to vouch that I feel exactly the same way...me with you, Love." His smile grew broader, hearing the straightforward seafarer giggle, and his golden dental work glinted majestically in the sun. The Pearl listed too far to port, necessitating that Jack exert gentle pressure to Nica's left hand to steady his proud ship.
"I still have much to learn," she freely admitted. Of course, this was only the second time she'd been at the helm.
"Successfully navigating the sea takes time. You haven't been at it as long as I have."
"You're a patient man, Jack Sparrow."
"Many would disagree." His hands slipped from the backs of hers. His wreathed about her waist to cinch her tight. "I'm a man, Love. Just a man, nothing more, but never less. A man who's truly fallen under your spell. A man whose first love is the sea, but you're giving my first love a good run for her money."
Her face burning with heat, Nica confessed, "I've never been in love before. Never truly. Until..." Her hands gripped the wheel, feeling The Pearl shudder beneath her feet as the wind picked up, whipping the waves. Or, was that her heart thumping furiously, whipping up her emotions, she succumbing to their powerful influence...and Jack's.
"Until...the sea delivered you up...to me." Murmuring against the softness of her skin, indulgently he yielded, "My good fortune..."
"No." Her arms were around him and Nica, holding him tight, simply said, "Mine."
