CHAPTER TEN: Reality
Shipwreck Island was virtually impregnable, being protected both by nature, with the rocks and reefs that surrounded the shores, but also by the towering ships and the flags that flew warning those who would threaten the peace of what they would be facing. As the Black Pearl drifted into port one cold night, Katie recognised both the Empress and the Troubdaour already there, though the other Pirate Lords were apparently not. Beyond the dock, a huge mass rose behind the curve of Shipwreck Cove, a huge building seemingly comprised entirely of shipwrecks. Her mouth opened as she took in the turreted masts that seemed to glisten.
"Here we are." Jack said from just behind her. Ever since that dramatic night a few weeks ago, he'd been treating Katie differently. Before, he had merely spoken to her like a friend and played up to their fake marriage by showering her with overt affection in front of the rest of the crew. But now he was gentler, more considerate, even when they were alone. Katie thought she would go mad because that incident was yet another taboo subject between them. She ought to be glad, because Jack still believed she had merely been sacrificing her honour to help him- saw it as an act of gallantry, almost. But whenever she gave the matter enough thought she felt completely exhausted, and the end didn't seem to be in sight.
Jack helped her off the ship delicately, as if she was made of china and would shatter at any moment. Katie suppressed the urge to scream and instead followed the rest of the crew, leaving Jack to fall behind them, beside Gibbs. Gibbs, if nobody else, had noticed the change between them.
"Captain," He said in a low voice, now that he was finally out of earshot of the crew, "What be the matter with you an' Katie as of late?"
"Matter? Who says anything's the matter?" Jack yelped.
"Anyone wiv eyes can see somethin's gone on… not that it's necessarily bad, mind. Ye just seem to be cautious of 'er, more protective, almost as if…" Gibbs stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide. "Jack, is she havin' a baby?" Jack gaped at him, gobsmacked. He hadn't really been aware he was acting differently towards Katie, but if that was the case, the idea of her being pregnant with his child... Jack didn't know what to tell Gibbs. The truth was, he and Katie should have seen this coming. They were a supposed married couple who shared a bed every night. It was only natural a baby would come along. 'If we carry on like this, I'll give you baby.' Gibbs seemed to grow even more surprised when Jack didn't answer. "Captain, a ship is no place for a pregnant woman!"
"Gibbs," Jack interrupted, still shocked, "Don't be ridiculous. She's not pregnant. Now, keep yer nose out me business if you like shape it is, aye?"
"Aye, Captain." Gibbs agreed furtively.
Inside the fortress of a building at the centre of the island and it's politics, the first person Katie had come across was Moss. Turning down one of the twisting hallways, she walked almost straight into him.
"Katie," He began, his eyes lighting up. Well, how hadn't she seen his feelings written on his face before? She cringed at his greeting, "I'm glad to see you're well, after our last encounter I…"
"Moss," She stopped him, having decided a while ago that she wanted to let bygones be bygones, especially as he hadn't done anything wrong, "Say no more. Friends?" She offered him her hand. After a second he took it and they shook. Relieved, Katie fell into step beside him. "How have things been?"
"Not so bad. We arrived here a few weeks ago, and since then everyone's been scattered about the island waiting for the Pirate Lord's to show up." Moss explained. "How have things been aboard The Black Pearl?" Katie thought darkly of Jack's recent gentlemanly treatment of her; did she really have any right to be annoyed with him?
"It's been fine." She replied evasively, "Moss, forgive me, but I need to see Captain Teague."
"Teague's quarters are at the very top of this building." Moss indicated a nearby set of stairs. "Katie, it's good to see you." They had stopped and Katie looked at him, though her eyes glazed over as if she was staring through him. Moss' blue eyes lost their hope after a moment.
"I'll see you later…" She said vaguely, turned, and began to climb the long, winding staircase to the very top.
Jack had taken several shortcuts as Katie spoke with Moss and was already at the top of the fortress and seated facing Teague across an ornate circular table, each clutching a bottle of rum. Elizabeth was also sat around the table, though she had no drink in her hands. Teague was gazing steadily at his son while Jack worked hard to avoid said gaze.
"You'd better be thinking, boy." Teague growled. "You need this Brethren Court to go your way."
"It will." Jack insisted, "Don't 'ave a choice, do I, if I don't wanna meet my end again." He shot a look at Elizabeth at this point, and she rolled her eyes.
"The Court aren't going to like the idea of binding Calypso anew."
"That's why you two need to pull your famous double act on 'em again." Teague said flatly, and both nodded. This part was crucial and inescapable. Teague still had not removed his gaze from Jack, who fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. Elizabeth watched this amusedly. It was clear to her that Jack feared his father, and she had seldom seen Jack truly afraid of anybody. "Speakin' of double acts," Teague began after a pause and Jack knew what was coming, "Where's yer wife?" At that exact moment, and much to Jack's relief, the door burst open and Katie appeared.
"There's me wife!" Jack grinned jovially. Katie stared blankly at him; she had not expected him to be there and had been hoping to speak to Teague alone. That plan scuppered, it took a moment for her to recollect herself, during which time Elizabeth spoke:
"Katie! It's so good to see you!" Glad of a reason to look away from Jack, Katie smiled at Elizabeth.
"Have I missed an important meeting here?" She asked, walking across to Elizabeth to hug her before taking the seat beside her, her body facing slightly away from Jack. Teague watched his son's dark eyes follow her and read the truth: Jack had done something to irk her, and yet whatever he had done was a result of something deeper than he would ever admit. His feelings for her had changed, though it would be impossible to pinpoint how.
"Oh, we were just discussing the best way to convince the Brethren Court that binding Calypso is going to be the best option we have." Elizabeth explained.
"But what if Angelica gets there first? Does anybody know where she is or what she's doing?" Katie questioned. Teague's eyes moved to Elizabeth, though Jack's stayed on Katie.
"She was spotted in Jamaica… in Port Royal, my old home," Elizabeth replied carefully, "It seemed she had somewhat of a crew, but no sign of a ship."
"She'd need more than a ship to get Calypso's attention." Teague chimed in, almost before Elizabeth had finished speaking. He stood up as he continued speaking, "She'd need to offer the goddess somethin' useful… that's obvious, of course, we know that's why she needed the captain of the Flying Dutchman on 'er side- of course, your husband has given his word," Teague half-bowed to Elizabeth as he picked up his guitar from a corner of the room and began to head back to his chair, "But Jack knows Angelica better than me. If he knows anythin' about 'er that might make 'er argument seem more convincing…"
Jack had always been sketchy about what information on Angelica he chose to disclose. He examined his fingers, watching his rings dance in the lantern-light, as he considered his options. He could forever hold his piece, he could save this for the Brethren Court, or… Katie was looking at him for the first time since she'd first entered the room. He sighed, knowing then that the battle was lost.
"I don't know what she learnt off 'er dear old dad, but I know she was always persuasive… an' she'll have thought out every step of the way. She learnt from the best, after all." Jack said, deciding to keep the details minimal. Katie looked away from him again, looking almost disinterested.
"Well, the more persuasive you can be, boy, the better." Teague said frankly. Elizabeth nodded firmly in agreement and Jack gulped visibly. In the past he'd always been able to get out of these situations, made himself almost impossible to corner, and never let his emotions get in the way of a good escape plan. What he wanted, now that he had seen Shipwreck Island again and knew the gathering of the Brethren Court was imminent, was to run to the ends of the earth. But there wasn't going to be anywhere to run once Calypso was involved. He caught Elizabeth's eye. She knew what he was thinking, and she knew his good side always won anyway… always, even when it would do him little good. Jack gritted his teeth, seized his bottle of rum, and stood up.
"Right, well if that's all, I'll be off." He announced, managing to look and sound cheerful. Teague stood up just as quickly.
"Oh no you don't, Jackie." He included Katie in this by throwing her his dark, steady gaze. "We have family matters to discuss now." Elizabeth stood up at this, smiling at Katie before departing the room. Once the door was shut behind her, Teague turned to look at them both threateningly. "You two are gonna sort this out, now."
"Sort what out?" Jack asked quickly, at the same time as Katie said, "We're fine!"
"No, you're not. I could see it written all over your face," Teague pointed at his son, "And you, madam, are clearly upset over something." Katie grimaced as he glared down at her. "I don't care what it is, it gets forgotten while yer here. Understand? We have things to do and it's important you don't ruin this crucial point because of something stupid."
"Why is it so crucial we pretend to be married?" Katie burst out passionately, "He's still gonna pine over her and- and I'm sure she'll realise!" Teague held up his hands.
"Oi, I didn't ask to hear your problems." He said, and Katie clammed up, embarrassed. Teague gave her a half-smile though, to soften the blow. "You two, talk to each other. I'm going. When you come down for dinner, I want this-" He gestured to both of them in turn, "-Sorted. Clear?"
"Yes." Jack and Katie replied in unison. Teague exited and as the door slammed behind him ripples of cold seemed to spread through the room. Katie was back to refusing to look at Jack.
"What's been wrong with you, love?" He asked her quietly. She glanced over her shoulder at him, still sat in her seat.
"Why is it something has to be wrong with me? What if you're the problem?" She cried. Jack's eyes widened.
"Me? What've I done?"
"You've been weird, Jack! Things haven't been the same since- since- you know." She went crimson with mortification at the memory of her attempted drunken seduction and Jack's rejection.
"Katie, if things have been different, it's only-"
"No, Jack, you don't need to tell me! You treat me like a sick person, as though you can't speak to me anymore!" Tears prickled in her eyes but she didn't let them spill. "I suppose you can't be mean because we're supposed to be married, but I understand it, alright? You want to put some distance between us. I understand," She said again, "But you're my best friend and I've lost you because of it!" There was a very long silence, one in which Katie hid her face in her hands. Then, the sound of breaking glass punctuated it. Jack had thrown the rum bottle at the wall behind her. A few drops of rum splashed onto Katie, who had jumped up at the sound.
"I've treated you since then with nothing but respect!" Jack bellowed, and Katie finally looked at him, shock all over her face. "I could've judged you for your actions, or worse I could've taken advantage that night- God knows I wanted to! But I didn't, because you are my friend! Or I thought you were, but now according to you we're not!" He took a step toward her and she took an automatic step back. "What you did- you did it to try and make me happy. Katie, I know how much that must have meant!" She squeezed her eyes shut as he carried on yelling; she was not going to tell him the truth about what she'd done, even if he hated her now. "I wanted to show you I thought more of you than that, regardless! But all I see is a woman who's hurt because I didn't want her- I thought you were different, but its hurt pride, isn't it?"
He didn't mean it, didn't believe that of her, and had no idea how close to the truth he was, though on a much different level. But his frustration at her cold shouldering him, and general ill-feeling at being put in the position he was currently in, sandwiched horribly between Angelica, Calypso and the Brethren Court, drove his anger on. He took two more steps close to her, and as she stepped further away, her back hit the wall, and his lips crashed into hers.
Their two previous kisses had been lustful and tender in turn, but this one was aggressive and bruising. Katie's alarm at his loss of temper changed with the kiss, transforming into an hostility that matched his, and she kissed him back just as hard, trying to hurt him, her nails pressing into his shoulders enough that in a second they would break through the skin. Jack growled against her lips and seized her hands, pinning them to the wall behind her, his mouth moving to her ear lobe, biting down and causing her to go almost limp. He let go of her hands and they found their way to him again, though now they were deft and gentle. In answer, he began to yield a little, not being as harsh, returning his lips to her bruised ones, kissing them apologetically, before wandering to her neck, his hands creeping beneath the shirt she wore and up her bare back, the rough callouses against her skin causing Katie to shiver and whimper out loud as he moved them up and down, then around her waist and to skim below her breasts. Moaning, Katie's head fell onto his shoulder and Jack found he was holding most of her weight as his relentless caressing of her body came to a measured stop.
"Do you know now, how I felt that night?" He whispered. She thought about his groan as she had moved her body against his and slowly raised her head. The pupils within her green irises were dilated and she seemed to almost be in a trance. Her head was in a spin as she looked at him, at the man who had just made her feel a way she had never felt before.
"Jack, I'm sorry." She whispered back.
"Not as sorry as I am, love." He let her go then and she slumped back against the wall for a moment. Jack fished another bottle of rum out of a cabinet, pulled the cork out and drank one long draught from it. Katie regained the use of her legs and came towards him a little, though leaving distance between them. Jack turned to look at her almost warily, as if she might shoot him at any moment. Katie didn't honestly know how she felt towards him at that moment. "I didn't mean what I said. I didn't think you were acting that way out of hurt pride… I was just angry." He said after a fashion, when she didn't speak. Her response remained non-verbal as she nodded. "But I don't understand what I've done wrong, all the same."
"I don't think you'd believe me if I told you." Katie muttered.
"Try me." He looked her dead in the eyes.
"I'm falling in love with you." She answered. Well, it was clear to her now. It had been all very well, before, to tell herself she merely felt a physical attraction to him and loved him only as a friend- those two feelings had seemed like separate entities then and had made it easy to live with him. But with his constant insistence that she had attributes she did not feel she had, the way she had always been able to trust him, and just him for himself, how could she deny it anymore? And it seemed pointless pretending to him, too, because even if he knew and she was embarrassed by it, he still didn't love her in return. His head was still full of Angelica, and she knew no way of making him forget her just yet. Even if his heart was still broken by the Spaniard…
Jack watched Katie's face immediately after her announcement, seeing a range of unidentifiable expressions flit across it. He was tempted to probe his own feelings on this matter, but too great a part of him was afraid of what he might find there. Last time he had done that, he had found love for the daughter of a deadly pirate captain and now said woman wanted him worse than dead. Love killed.
"That's a misfortune of yours, Katie." He answered after what felt like forever. She searched his face but found no answers there. "I have a habit of letting people down, you see. I do unforgiveable things, like the very thing I just did to you. I used our… connection to hurt you. And I promised you I wouldn't do that."
"This is the problem, Jack," Katie said, her throat dry, "You keep spouting these honourable intentions and things to me lately… you're not being you. You're not being real."
"You just felt how real I can be, love." Her fingers went to her lips, which were swollen. "Let's not fight anymore. It was hateful, I think you'll agree?" She nodded, and he lifted her hand, kissing her knuckles gently, before leaving her alone. Katie's eyes were dry, and she had no feeling left. She descended the fortress slowly and found Teague at the bottom of the stairs, leaning against the wall opposite, plucking his guitar. He'd been waiting for her reappearance.
A/N: Thanks so much to Pirate Gyal especially for your continued support, it's been lovely reading every one of your reviews! Thanks to anyone who has read so far! I hope you liked this chapter. A dark side is emerging now, I think you'll see. Well, maybe not, I won't ever know if you don't drop me a review! P.S. you might meet a bit of a shock in the next chapter!