Chapter Nine
"Advance, and never halt, for advancing is perfection. Advance and do not fear the thorns in the path, for they draw only corrupt blood."
-Kahil Gibran
It's only half past nine and the crew of the Black Pearl is far beyond half past drunk. In fact, Jack and I are almost there ourselves, despite said pirate's words of denial. But I will admit, I've seen no one hold their rum like Jack; if it were anyone else, they would be far gone by now, passed out on the floor or doing something more than foolish.
"I need to stop before I start dancing on tabletops," I say, pushing away what would be my second bottle of rum. Needless to say, my body is much smaller and less tolerant to such liquids.
But Jack slides the bottle back in front of me. "No, no, love, don't stop. That doesn't sound like a bad thing!" he argues.
"It is if I fall off the table," I supply with an honest smile.
"I won't let ye fall. Why don't ye climb up there and I'll show ye," he says.
I laugh and halfheartedly swat his hands away from my waist. "I don't think so, Jack."
And although I had planned not to, I do pick up the bottle again, taking a drink with my eyes still watching the quirky pirate next to me. "You just don't want to be the only one with a headache in the morning," I accuse him.
Jack grins. "We won't be the only ones with headaches, darling, I assure ye."
Quirking an amused eyebrow, I gaze around at Jack's crew. Some are playing instruments, making slightly offbeat music while others are dancing or losing their savings in a game of cards. All in all, this is a party I am glad has been thrown in my name.
I hear something behind me and turn to see Rodney Baker approaching our table, not any more sober or far gone than ourselves. "May I?" he asks, speaking to Jack but nodding at me.
Jack agrees, but knowing exactly where this is going, I do not. "I don't dance," I deny him.
"Yes, she does," the captain of the Black Pearl argues.
I frown at him. "No, I don't."
Jack laughs and nods at his crew member, ignoring my condemn. "Yes, she does."
Rodney smiles warmly at me. "Come on, Andie. Please?"
Hesitating, I sigh in defeat and place my hand in his open one. "Just one dance." Then, I look over at Jack, giving him a death glare although I know my eyes are sparkling. "I'll deal with you later," I threaten.
He grins and presses a kiss to my other hand. "I can't wait."
Silently, I allow Rodney to lead me to the other side of the room. "You enjoy being difficult, do you not?" my friend asks.
I laugh. "Very much so."
Then, he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me closer, slightly moving to the fast paced music. "We have so much to discuss. So much I want to ask and so much to tell you."
Nodding, I reply, "I hear a lot of has happened since I've been gone."
"You don't know the half of it," Rodney replies. "But we have time for that later. Now tell me. . . what happened between you and Jack a day ago? He left, determined to get you out of that place, and then returned a few days later, refusing to deal with anyone for an entire night. But then the next morning he had plans to go after you once again. The curiosity is killing me!"
I look over Rodney's shoulder at the pirate captain seated next to his crew, playing a heated game of cards. He slaps down a queen and then looks up, winking at me, pleased to find my eyes on him.
"Andie?" Rodney asks.
"I was to be married," I explain gently.
"What?" he replies, completely flabbergasted.
I gaze up at him with warm hazel eyes. "My father promised me to a man who I had not met previously. It's the way things works there, Rodney."
But my friend looks most confused. "Jack was gone for an entire week," he supplies. "Why did it take you so long to escape?"
I sigh. "I. . . I couldn't make up my mind."
He quiet for a long, tensing moment. "You loved him, then?"
"Who?"
"Your fiance."
I have to hold myself back from gagging. Did I love Anson? If I had, everything would have, and would still be, a lot easier. "No, I sure as hell didn't."
Rodney chuckles gently, spinning me out before pulling me back in. "Then why was the decision so tough?"
I hesitate for a moment, but eventually I spit it out. "Being with Jack, Rodney, is somewhat difficult for me, as is being with me is for him. Not only because of our lifestyles, but because of who we are."
"I don't understand," my friend says.
"I. . . I fell in love," I reply in a whisper. "And it was easier then I ever imagined."
Rodney gives me a slight smile. "It scares you, doesn't it? He scares you."
I nod, a somber expression on my face. "But when I'm with him. . . I'm not scared at all. Do you think me strange?"
"No," he says. "You're making perfect sense, in a way. You love Jack, but it's the thought of loving Jack that frightens you. The thought of squaring with it."
I can't help but smile. "When did you get so insightful?"
Rodney shrugs. "Perhaps the same time you become so soft."
"Hey!" I warn him, "Watch it!"
88888
I have learned many things tonight, but what I find most useful and amusing is the fact that the captain of the Black Pearl cannot keep his hands to himself or play a fair game of cards.
He's not yet aware of my knowing, but as I take a look at the small bundle of cards in my hand, I can see him hide a card, a King, in fact, in his vest out of the corner of my eye. His movements are so quick and graceful that no one else has noticed his pirate-like tactics.
Jaden Mertz, the doctor on the ship, sighs and tosses his cards onto the small pile in the center of the galley table. "I fold," he announces.
"Have ye ever won a game in yer entire life?" AnaMaria asks him.
He frowns. "Of course I have! . . .I just can't seem to recall any particular time, at the moment."
I laugh, and add two more shillings to the money pot. I feel Jack's eyes on me as I do this, and look over at him with a raised brow. Sure enough, he had been trying to take a peek at my cards, but disguises it by lowering his russet eyes to my chest and tightening his fingers on my thigh.
When he raises his eyes back to mine, I give him an amused look and mouth 'stop cheating' to let him in on my awareness without filling everyone else in as well. Jack gives me a most innocent look, but I of all people know this fiend is anything but impeccable.
I return to the game with a small smile, trying my best to ignore the sensation of Jack's fingers on my thigh, kneading and caressing the flesh. He's constantly in contact with me when we're together, but the light touches are for the most part brief and not noteworthy to anyone around us. But now, thanks to all the rum in the pirate's system, his caresses are more blunt, more intimate, as though he's only half aware of the others around us.
Then I feel Jack's hand gathering up my skirts beneath the tabletop, his skin warm. My stomach automatically flutters and a tight burning sensation pools throughout my body. Concentrate, I tell myself. I can't let a little rum -all right, a lot of rum- and some skin on skin contact bring my guard down. And most importantly, leave me a shivering heap open to his advances. No, I like to give more of a fight than that.
But needless to say, it's hard to do when those rough digits are brushing dangerously close to the apex of my thighs, tempting and teasing me. I clear my throat in order to screen the sigh that's threatening to break through, my throat feeling incredibly tight. My instincts tell me to stop him, for this is not the right place or time to be pawing at me in such a way. But then I realize. . . this could work to my advantage.
Nothing that everyone around us are in their own conversations, I lean over close to the pirate, trying my best to hide a grin as I release an almost silent moan against his neck. "Jack. . ." I whisper in his ear, and slide my hand down his skin, my fingertips brushing along his worn grey vest.
". . .Thanks." And with that, I slam the King I just snatched from the inside of the pirate's clothing down on the table with my other cards. "Full house," I announce proudly.
Jack is most shocked and surprised as his hand moves back down my leg. "What a second, love. . ."
I laugh and gather up my pile of winnings. "No cheating, pirate, or it comes back to bite you in the arse."
"Say the first thing that comes into your head when you see me
If it looks like it works and it feels like it works, then it works
With the sun on your face
All these worries will soon disappear
Just follow me now."
"Wow" -Snow Patrol
Just a somewhat feel-good chapter before the storyline with Andie's curse really starts picking up. Which should be happening in the next chapter, by the way. I don't really like this chapter at all, but I felt like this story wouldn't feel right without it, for some reason.
Thanks to all the reviewers, but unfortunately I only have time to respond to those who asked questions and such.
LoLoMo: Yes, I did say there were others like Andie, and yes they could also be the key to Athena's temple. You'll hear more about this in the near future.
Genevra: Haha, I have no idea where I come up with these things! They just come to me. I wish I was Andie too! She has so much good and bad luck at the time. The upside is her life would never get dull (especially with having Jack Sparrow at her side). Very good predictions... but you'll just have to keep reading to see if they come true or not!
VooDooJayneSmith: Yes, we've been getting a lot of rain here, actually. Yesterday and the day before it rained practically all day, which pissed me off because I have to walk to and from my school's back parking lot and I got soaked. I'm glad you miss Will and Elizabeth because I've been missing them too hint hint.
