Sorry for the obnoxious wait but my flimsy excuses are a massive research paper (which is still not finished), quite a lot of projects, and a lack of time to do anything. So here is my excuse for an update… hope you enjoy and try to ignore any of the mistakes in it!

Chapter 9

Everything had become increasingly awkward.

I was avoiding Jack and Anamaria like my life depended on it, which is pretty hard to do when trapped on a ship. There were only so many places you could hide from two people who were hell bent on finding you. I was beginning to think that Ana's dislike for me was bordering upon obsessive hatred. She was always glaring at me or saying something catty. And one morning she almost took me out with a rope. I don't care what Will says. She meant to throw that scary thing at my head. It was intentional damnit!

"Honestly, I bet she's poisoning my food as we speak!"

Will rolled his eyes and continued manning the deck. Or at lest I think that's what he was doing. "She isn't poisoning your food Rebecca."

I glared at him. "You don't know that. She could be! And when I drop dead after eating that disgusting junk that you call food, you'll be sorry you rolled your eyes at me."

Will laughed at me and said, "You're ridiculous."

I glared at him even harder. "You are a terrible friend. You're a traitor."

We lapsed into a silence until Will chose to break it. "Rebecca," his voice came out soft and serious. "We have not discussed, well, why you needed to come since you said you had to. I have not pressed you about it. In fact, I have been waiting for you to tell me but I don't believe you will. Will you?"

I sighed. I'd been expecting this. I wasn't even too sure why Will had been putting it off for so long. I grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the deck. I led him down to the chamber where the crew slept and sat down on the floor. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. How do you tell someone you're from a different century? Well, let's see, you start by not doing that. Because telling leads to bad confrontations and lots of weird questions. Those were two things I really didn't want to deal with.

"You need to promise that you won't think that I'm crazy," I said looking at him seriously. "You're one of my few friends here and if you go ballistic on me I might die. I might even toss myself off this boat. Because I need your support. So if you do think that I'm nuts, pretend that you don't. Please?"

He was giving me that look again and I began to wonder if my rant had been unintelligible. "Alright."

"I… can see the future."

So, I lied.

But it wasn't like I could have told Will the whole truth. The whole truth was a tad complicated. Actually, the whole truth was majorly complicated and I was being a good friend not telling him. I didn't fell guilty. Only a tad. But seriously this tad of guiltyness was not making me lose sleep. No, it was just making me walk aimlessly around feeling awful and desolate. Will was a good friend. I should have felt like I could share this with him. I should have told him the truth. Maybe he would have freaked out but I've never lied to him before. Except about how I got here. And my past. And how I know things. But it was all for his own good. And what if he didn't believe me? That would be by far the worst thing possible. And Will had believed me about this. He had said that it actually explained a lot about me. I wasn't sure if I was offended or not by that.

I looked down at the ocean gloomily as these thoughts ran through my head. It was then that an unwanted intruder landed on my shoulder.

"Pretty bird, pretty bird," Mr. Cotton's parrot squawked in my ear. I tried to bat him away but he merely flitted over to my other shoulder. I was too depressed to keep fighting the obviously psycho bird. He loudly muttered in my ear while I tried desperately to tune him out. Was I going to hell? I had blatantly lied to the guy who was supposed to be my friend and he believed me. The guilt was starting to border on stomach knot guilt, which was a bad sign.

"I've been looking for you."

I froze and turned around. Jack stood in the wind staring at me with a blank expression. He was seriously the hottest guy ever. A total annoying pain, but he looked absolutely stunning with the wind threading through his hair and blowing against his clothes. Now as a complete and utter girl, I can't help but appreciate male hotness when it happens to come my way. Even if it comes in the form of an arrogant pirate.

"Really?" I questioned politely.

"Mhm," he murmured walking over to me. "Been avoiding me love?"

"No!" That may have come out a bit too fast.

Jack rested his elbows against the rail and glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. "You haven't been avoiding me, aye?"

"Of course I haven't," I replied with a cheery grin, all the while edging away from him.

I shot him another smile and bolted.

Perhaps it wasn't the smartest idea to run away from him after claiming that I wasn't avoiding him. In my defense, however, I was still in fear for my life. Anamaria was scary as hell. And I really didn't want to talk to Jack. My issue was that whenever he got too close to me I stopped thinking. And that was a very bad thing. Because if I stop thinking then that gives him an open invitation to try and molest me again. I have morals damnit! I was beginning to think that I needed an iron chastity belt to protect my honor. The men in this place were really starting to screw with my mind. The Commodore wasn't here to do so right now but he wouldn't get out of my dreams. Not that they were sex dreams or anything. That's it. I'm never going to let myself be alone in my own mind again.

Spinning me around and pinning me to a conveniently located wall, Jack growled, "I've had enough of this."

"Um, enough of what?" It was hard to pretend to be composed when a deliciously hot pirate was pressed up against you.

Jack glared at me. "We need to talk."

"But I really don't want to!" I tried to desperately wiggle away from him but his grip remained solidly on me.

"Stop wiggling," he ground out roughly and I froze. That was something guys said to girls in the harlequin romance novels. Oh my god. This was not happening to me.

"I am not a character in a romance novel! You can't just throw me against the wall and have your way with me!"

Jack's eyebrows shot up and he muttered, "You're mad, bloody mad."

It was then that I heard Will. "Rebecca?"

"Will!" I eked out horrified. He was looking at us with a mixture of confusion and apprehension. And a slow look of comprehension was starting to dawn on his face. My life just kept taking more and more turns for the worse.

"Are you two? What are you doing!" Will's voice had risen from confused to extremely angry.

I blinked rapidly and shouted, "He started it!"

Jack's face swung back to mine and he snapped, "I did not!"

"Yes you did!"

"I did not!"

"Did to-"

Before I knew what was happening, Will had yanked Jack forcefully off me and was dragging me away. I was too shocked to protest and could only gape as Will steered me into the storage area.

Will shouted furiously, "What in the bloody hell are you two doing? What are you thinking Rebecca? He's a pirate."

"And you're not?" I questioned innocently.

Will's look hardened. "You are a respectable person Rebecca. I don't understand it."

"Oh come off it," I said feeling slightly pissed off. "We're talking about Jack Sparrow here. The man who threw chains around my neck and threatened my life. The annoying guy who hates me but refuses to let me drown. That Jack Sparrow. The one whose guts I can't stand. So tell me, are you seriously implying something here?"

Will opened and shut his mouth.

"Will," I said softly, feeling bad about my vicious mental snap. "I appreciate the whole 'look out for Rebecca because she can't take care of herself' attitude but I can. Take care of myself, I mean. Seriously."

And with that I gave him a sympathetic pat and I walked away.

Fate, however, decided to bitch me out some more.

"Turner and Sparrow. Get around fast, don't you Miss Masters?"

I felt my body stiffen and I turned around slowly. Anamaria stood looking angry and beautiful as per usual. She had her arms crossed defiantly and her brown eyes narrowed to slits. She was giving me that completely judging and self-righteous look and I decided that I had had enough. I was generally non-confrontational. I didn't purposefully pick fights. But I had a spine that reared its head every now and then.

"You know what. I'm sick of you," I said slowly. Ana's eyebrows rose up as I continued. "I didn't do anything to make you hate me. So, I have no boating skills. Big freaking deal. I lived at the Governor's house in Port Royal. The only really useful thing I can do is shout and run fast. And there is nothing with me and Will. He's in love with Elizabeth. The perfect person that we are trying to rescue, that Elizabeth. And there is nothing going on between me and Jack so bugger off!"

And with that I dramatically stormed away.

But not before I heard her mutter, "You like him."

I am not in a romance novel damnit!

Living on a ship isn't the worst thing that can happen. The rocking of the waves actually becomes quite comfortable after a certain amount of time and you can settle into a routine. The crew seemed to like me enough and Ana was tolerant of me. She still threw me disgusted looks whenever I was anywhere near Jack or Will but that was to be expected. I had been avoiding Jack as much as possible and he appeared to have given up on me. He merely called me Miss Masters and only talked to me when he had to. Weeks ago, I would have been very happy with this development. However, now that he was actually ignoring me, I felt kind of empty and disappointed. Which was really ridiculous considering I'd done everything in my power to get rid of him. I was getting way too complicated for myself.

I stepped outside into the fog and Mr. Cotton's parrot fluttered over to me, as per usual. "Dead men tell no tales!"

I gave him a look and said, "You're a bit of a downer, you know."

I then walked over to Will and Gibbs who were by the steering wheel thing.

I heard Will asking, "How is it that Jack came by that compass?"

Gibbs leaned back as if preparing for a long story. "Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta. That was before I met him, back when he was Captain of the Black Pearl."

I leaned forward and said, "He failed to mention that precious detail."

"Well, he plays things closer to the vest now," Gibbs intoned. "And a hard-learned lesson it was. See three days out on the venture the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure, too, so Jack gives up the bearings. That night there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."

"So that's the reason for the…" Will trailed off and acted out Jack's awkward sea swagger. I giggled while Gibbs gave him a look.

"Reason has nothing to do with it," I said with a smile and Gibbs nodded happily.

I watched on in amusement as Gibbs continued this utterly ridiculous tale of Jack on the island. I had the advantage of knowing the whole story. Hair from his back, and some big escape and blah blah blah was the whole story. Honestly, it wasn't that interesting.

Jack appeared by my side and said, "Young Mr. Turner and I are to head ashore."

"I'm coming," I said quickly.

Jack gave me a look and said coolly, "Nay, you will remain safely on this ship."

"Nay," I replied annoyed. "I won't. Will?"

Will studied me hard and I could almost see the thought process. He was thinking: Hm, she can 'see' the future so she would be useful, but do I want to risk her getting hurt?

"It's worth the risk," I said with a grin. Will looked a little shocked. Score for Rebecca.

"Captain, if the worst should happen?" Gibbs questioned softly. An almost heavy silence fell over us. Jack's eyes flickered to mine and I felt my body turn to jello.

"Should the worst happen," Jack said, his eyes smoldering. "Stick to the code."

"Aye," Gibbs responded giving me an odd look. "The code."

The pirate's code is that any man who falls behind is left behind.

There was something distinctly wonderful about watching Jack rowing. I'm not even sure why but it made my breath catch, which was a really bad sign. He was turning me into a vapid sap. I was really not enjoying this. Even though I was completely enjoying the flexing of his very lean but able looking arm muscles. Oh my god. I was taking in way too many details on his appearance. Seriously, I didn't obsess about guys back in the future. I did on occasion act like a love struck 12-year-old girl but those interests never lasted long. Some of my friends were entrenched in romantic issues, and it didn't appear to be too glamorous. And if Jack was turning into a difficulty let alone a romantic one, I might kill myself.

"Rebecca?" Will's voice shook me from my increasingly morbid thoughts and I gave him a depressed look.

"Erm, visioning," I lied.

Jack gave me a noncommittal look and I felt the urge to throttle him. He was the reason that my mind was turning to shit. Where did he get off!

"Beg your pardon?" Jack asked his brow furrowing.

I really needed to stop speaking my thoughts out loud. "Nothing."

I commenced ignoring the two gorgeous men near me.

This didn't last long though when I heard Jack say, "You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates you're well on your way to becoming one. Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the Fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga and you're completely obsessed with treasure."

"I am not obsessed with treasure," Will snapped indignantly.

Jack's eyes slid to me again and he said slowly, "Not all treasure is silver and gold mate."

My mind proceeded to go annoyingly blank and I cursed Jack Sparrow and his mind blanking abilities. I clenched my hands together tightly and sat in silence until the boat ride ended. I was afraid I was going to snap in front of both of them and screw this whole thing up.

When we stepped off the boat, I pulled Jack aside down some dark corridor place away from Will and snapped, "That needs to stop."

Jack fell back against the damp rocky wall and asked in a confused tone, "What needs to stop Miss Masters?"

I glared and said angrily, "Everything! You being weirdly angry with me, which means you act all cold and creepy. Then there's the eye problem. Stop with the dark and catching eye thing you do to me. It isn't fair!"

A slow smile had been sliding across his face during my rant and he asked, "What isn't fair love?"

I breathed a sigh of release and on impulse hugged him. "Thank you for moving past whatever I did to piss you off."

I attempted to pull back but Jack was slowly winding his arms around me. And I had decided that it wasn't pleasant having him angry with me so I didn't pull back. It was nice and comfortable to have his arms around me. He smelled like a mixture of salt, rum, air and something distinctly male. The smell was as intoxicating as it was dangerous. Unable to resist, I buried my head in his chest and breathed him in deeply. My head felt amazingly light and all I wanted to do was be close to him, feel him. His hands were moving languidly up and down my spine and I could feel goosebumps forming. The moment I sighed quietly his hands froze. He raised his hands and twined his fingers tightly in my hair.

I looked Jack right in the eye as I slid my hands up his torso and around his neck. His eyes darkened to an almost black color and I felt my face flush. I had no freaking idea what I was doing. I'd had a boyfriend in the 8th grade but that was forever ago and we hadn't done much. And I had gone through a brief period freshman year when I hooked up with boys at dances, but that phase was long gone. Basically, I had about zero experience with boys. I tentatively leaned forward and put my head in the hollow of his neck. Jack responded by burying his head deep in my hair and placed light kisses wherever he moved his head to. I felt ridiculously pleasant and warm and happy.

But then the Commodore's face flashed before my closed eyes.

Jack had moved past my hair and was now pressing his lips to the skin of my neck and collarbone. This was bad, very bad. And it needed to stop. Apparently my morals and good sense had decided to desert me once again. I tried to pull away but Jack took it as a response to havoc he was causing my skin to have. His teeth grazed along my neck and I snapped away from him gasping for air.

"We can't!" I gasped out. "We really can't Jack. It isn't right. And Anamaria hates me enough as it is and Will would kick your ass because he has a big brother complex. And I'm supposed to be helping save Elizabeth. And, and…"

I paused. How could I explain that I felt guilty about this due to a man I didn't really owe anything to. It sounded stupid and silly even to me. But for some reason I couldn't stop seeing the Commodore's soft and sad brown eyes.

"What's stopping you love? And I don't mean those excuses you spout off so easily. What is it really?" Jack's voice came out low and for a split second I thought I saw pain flash across his face. It happened so fast though that I might have imagined it.

"This isn't right," was all I said in a soft and disbelieving voice.

"Jack! Rebecca! Where are the both you?" Will's voice rang through the now tense and crackling atmosphere. We both turned to see him standing a few feet away from us. He was regarding us with the same expression as before but I shook my head. I quickly walked away from both them. I needed to breathe again. By mistake, though, I turned back. I turned back to see Will watching me looking confused and Jack staring at me with his unfathomable but beautiful face.

And I really could only wonder what the hell I had gotten myself into.

Seriously?

Review!