A Line In The Sand
Chapter Nine

They remembered how to fight together as though they had never been apart. James was suddenly grateful for those mid-afternnon sparring sessions she had insisted upon in Tortuga. At the time, he had indulged her because he was thankful she didn't nag about his drinking. Now, he saw them for what they were – her attempt to protect him, to keep him on the ball. Perhaps he had those sparring sessions to thank for the amount of times he walked away, relatively unscathed, from another brawl.

"I believe," he grunted, kicking hard at a crew member of the Dutchman. "That your brother is getting married."

He grabbed her arm and jerked her back so that her back rested against his chest. She fought an enemy in front of her and he swiped at one to his right.

"So – it – would – seem," she gasped, moving away and positioning herself back-to-back with him. "Though I would have thought – I would be asked to be – bridesmaid."

He gave a short laugh and she grinned at him, her hair plastered miserably over her face.

Neither of them left to board the Dutchman, they stayed on the Pearl with Gibbs and Barbossa. They were back-to-back again when he felt her stagger and he spun immediately, terrified that she had received a blow. He looped an arm around her waist and dragged her back to the helm.

"What is it?" he asked. She shook her head, pushing him away. "Are you all right? Victoria?"

"Will," she whispered, looking over at the Dutchman.

"He's fine," James answered curtly, dragging her to her feet. He brought his sword up to crash against one that was whistling down towards him. "We're not. Come on."

She blinked, then drove her foot up into the attacker's crotch before letting James help her to her feet.

When Elizabeth and Jack came back alone, Victoria grabbed James's hand and her knees buckled so that Barbossa had to grab her other arm to steady her. Elizabeth met her eyes for only a fraction of a second and Victoria pressed her hand to her mouth, trembling hard all over.

"Pull yourself together, Miss Turner," Barbossa said. "There's still a fight to be had and ye're brother'd not want to you to mourn his passing just yet."

But the Dutchman reared up from beneath the waves and Elizabeth smiled. Victoria stared at her, astonished, as she realised that she must have known this was coming. She glanced at Jack, who gave a weak sort of smile and shrug. James stepped nearer to her and heard her soft whimper, "No."

She screamed "Fire!" with the rest of them and watched with grim triumph as the Endeavour shattered and sank down beneath the waves and the Armada drew off. But the whole time, James watched her because her face was closed and cold and it scared him. Victoria went to the rail and stared across the debris scattered space at her brother, emerging from his triumphant crew, an ugly gash cut down his chest.

His smile faded when he met her eyes and he seemed to shrink a little, as though ashamed. She opened her mouth as though to say something, but stopped herself, shaking her head. When she met his eyes again, she was able to muster a watery smile, which he returned rather weakly, before she turned away.

She was at the head of the line that had assembled to see Elizabeth, their Pirate King, into her longboat. They looked at each for a moment. Victoria stared at this woman who was now her sister. This woman who she had envied until it hurt her, whose beauty she had so fervently admired, whose actions she had often silently disagreed with, whose bravery she had respected.

And suddenly, though neither knew who had done it first, they had their arms around each other and were hanging on tightly, as though they had realised all they had was each other.

"What are you going to do?" Victoria whispered.

"I'll wait for him," Elizabeth returned, a fiercely determined note in her voice, "I'll wait for as long as I have to."

"On Shipwreck?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"You don't want to come," Elizabeth answered and pulled away enough to look her sister-in-law in the eye. "It's not the place for you. I'll be all right. I am King after all. And you'll visit me?"

"Of course. Elizabeth, tell him I love him, won't you?" Victoria snatched desperately at Elizabeth's shirt. "That I have always loved him and always will, no matter what. Make sure he and my father know I'm sorry, deeply sorry. Tell them that one day I'll earn their forgiveness."

Elizabeth frowned and Victoria realised that she didn't know what she was referring too. She hadn't seen what had happened on the deck of the Dutchman.

"Will you tell him, Elizabeth?"

"I will," and Elizabeth grinned at her. "Sister."

They hugged again, quick and brief, not that desperate embrace of before. They would never hold each other like that again. Elizabeth turned to James next and smiled, tiptoeing to kiss his cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered and as she pulled away, he saw her glance at Victoria, then back at him.

Barbossa nodded at her, bidding "Mrs Turner" farewell. When she went to kiss Jack, he reared back, hands up.

"Once was enough," he said.

She hesitated, then leaned forward, close enough to hiss in his ear, "Be a brother to her, Jack. For my sake."

The puzzled and surprised look he gave her when she pulled away was also a promise. No sooner was she in the water than Jack yelled orders to weigh anchor, Barbossa darting after him to give his own orders.

"Miss Turner, I'd like to see you in my cabin, please," Jack said, as Gibbs went to the helm.

"Your cabin, Jack?" Barbossa asked with an arched eyebrow as Victoria nodded and went into the Captain's cabin.

"Aye. Where else would the Captain conduct an interview?" Jack asked, stepping smartly into his cabin and snapped the door shut in Barbossa's face. Victoria heard the click of the lock and turned in time to see the door rattle as Barbossa thumped it.

"What can I do for you, Captain?"

"Miss Victoria Turner. Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?"

Her expression grew cold as she sank into a chair and glowered at him.

"I believe I have already proved that. Several times."

"Of course you have, darling, else I wouldn't be making you this offer."

"And what offer would that be, Jack?"

"I suppose Elizabeth told you before she left that she intends to stay on Shipwreck and wait for your William?"

"She may have mentioned it."

"And, given that we're sailing away from Shipwreck and you're still here, I suppose you've no intention of living on Shipwreck with her?"

"Will loves Elizabeth and she has always been kind to me, but I won't be staying with her, Jack. Will would return in ten years to find we'd killed each other."

"True," he plonked himself in the chair opposite her. "So, the way I see it, you've two options."

"The first one being?"

"You're a bit handy with that sword of yours and you know how to sail a ship. And, seeings as your brother and father are crewing the Dutchman and your sister-in-law is staying where she will be worshipped and adored as Pirate King, you've no one else in the world. So why not join my crew?"

She had shifted slightly in her seat when he said she had no one else, as though she had wanted to contradict him. But when he made the offer, she stopped fidgeting and gawped at him.

"Your crew? I thought you and Barbossa had split the ship – did you not split the crew as well?"

"No need to quibble, love."

"And what's the other option?" she had narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.

"The other option?" he frowned, confused.

"You said I had two options. What's the other one?"

"Well, that's it. You either join the Pearl crew or you don't. Two options, one choice, take your pick."

"Hardly a choice, is it, Jack? I mean, I either crew the Pearl or what? That's no choice at all."

He had one hand on his belt, one leg crossed over the other and the fingers of the other hand caressed his beard.

"Perhaps this will help," he tossed something to her and she caught it automatically.

She looked down and in her hand was his compass.

"What makes you think I don't know my heart?" she asked sharply and tossed it back to him.

"The fact that you have neither accepted nor declined my fair – nay, generous – offer implies there is something else you have in mind. I always find this little beauty does the job for me."

He threw it back and she caught it, though her eyes never left his and her face was white with fury.

"I know my heart, Jack," she threw it hard this time so that it stung his palm when he caught it one-handed.

A wicked grin blossomed across his face and he leaned towards her.

"Then perhaps – you know what you want, but are loath to claim it as your own?"

"Don't push me, Jack. Do you want me on your crew or not?" she snapped.

"That's the thing. As I said, you're a fair swing with a sword, a good sailor. You'd make a fine addition to the crew. And you're loyal. And maybe that's the problem. You'd make a good pirate – but you're honest. You're straight as an arrow, Vic, you and I both know it. This whole time, you've never lied or cheated. The worst you've done is keep your mouth shut until the opportune moment."

"So you don't think I'd make a good pirate?"

"I think you'd make a great pirate. I just wonder what it will cost you."

She rubbed her hands together and gazed out of the window, leaning back in her chair.

"I take it you have a heading?"

"Aye. Tortuga. We should be there by tomorrow morning."

She stood up, stretching slightly, feeling suddenly tired.

"Then might I request that I give you my decision once we've reached Tortuga?"

"Course, darling. A woman must have time to mull these things over."

"Thank you."

"Vic?"

"Yes?" she turned back to look at him and caught the compass.

"Just take it. No one says you've got to use it."

She weighed it in her hand for a moment, pulling her arm back as though to chuck it back. But instead she sighed and tucked it in her belt.