A/N: Hey everybody!!! Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. It's midterm exam week. YUCK!!!

Chapter 11

The Truth

With that he grabbed Izzy's arm and dragged her across the deck and into his living quarters, muttering profusely under his breath. Jack stomped down the stairs, and ripped open his door, never once taking his hand off Izzy's arm.

"This is preposterous," Jack said. "What in the bloody name of pirate is going on Miss Peregrine?"

Izzy ripped her arm out of his grasp which had become much stronger on her arm the further they got down the stairs.

"If you'd stop yelling at me for one bloody moment I'd tell you!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

Jack froze and watched Izzy, just as he imagined, beautiful in rage, glowering back at him. No one had ever spoken to him like that before. He wasn't sure if liked it or not, but he definitely enjoyed looking at her like this.

"Why are you staring at me?" Izzy demanded.

"It's nothing, please continue," Jack said. "Would you like to sit?"

Jack gestured to a chair.

"What?" Izzy was astounded by this rapid transformation in personality.

"Would you like to sit?" he repeated.

"Um…sure."

Izzy sat in an old brown arm chair which was surprisingly comfortable.

"Okay," Jack said taking a seat across from her in another arm chair. "Let's start over, Miss Peregrine."

"I would appreciate it if you would call me Isabella or Izzy," Izzy said.

"All right, now tell me how and why the Governor Peregrine's daughter ended up on my pirate ship."

"If Governor Peregrine hadn't been trying to force me into an arranged marriage I wouldn't be here right now."

Jack Sparrow laughed. "That's why I have you aboard my ship? Because your father tried to marry you off?"

Jack could almost see the steam coming out of Izzy's ears.

"Not just any arranged marriage," Izzy insisted. "To a man I barely like let alone love. I refused to marry Captain Morris and…"

"Captain Morris, eh?" Jack asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, do you know him?" Izzy asked.

"Unfortunately," Jack said. "He is a very disagreeable man."

"Then you can see why I couldn't marry him," Izzy insisted.

"Yes, but that doesn't explain why you are on my ship."

"Bloody pirate!" Izzy yelled. "I ran away!"

"Obviously."

"You're not helping."

"I know."

"Then shut up!"

"Ouch she bites too!"

Izzy ignored him and stood to pace the room.

"The arranged marriage was the last straw. I ran away because I'd had enough of my proper life. My father doesn't care about me. He only cares about money and what I can do to help him make his fortune. The people of the upper class mean more to him that I do. He's been this way ever since mother died.

I was tired of it. I was sick of dressing up for every occasion and having to watch what I say. The only time I was allowed to speak my mind was when I fighting with my father at home.

So when the marriage to Captain Morris came up, I decided enough was enough and took off."

"Ooooo, an arranged matrimony," Jack teased. "How traumatic."

Izzy stopped pacing in front of Jack and landed a handprint right across his face.

"Ouch!" Jack complained, rubbing his face.

"You have no idea what being in an agreed marriage is like you bloody pirate. I'm sure you've never even thought of the idea of being married!" Izzy shouted.

"I guess I deserved that," Jack concluded.

"Yes you did, now may I continue?"

"Of course."

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Izzy said with a glare at Jack who was watching her intently. "I left a note for my father saying I would be back when I was ready and left the house that very night. I walked down to the Port Cunningham's main sailor tavern and decided to plan a voyage to somewhere new. As I sat in the corner with my drink, Gibbs sat down across from me and asked me whether I wanted to become part of his captain's crew. I agreed because it was exactly what I wanted. I had never dreamed that by agreeing to a…what was it called? An accord, that I would have become a pirate. If someone had told me that this was going to happen to me a month ago, I would have laughed in their face, but here I am stuck on a damn pirate ship with a captain who watches me like a hawk!"

Izzy took a deep breath and chanced a look at Jack. He was still watching her absorbedly.

"What?" Izzy asked suddenly self-conscious.

"Oh, nothing," Jack said with a devious smile. "I was just thinking that you're very attractive when you get fustrated."

"I'm what?" Izzy asked astounded.

"Attractive," Jack said to Izzy's stunned face. "It means pretty, beautiful…"

"I know what it means!" Izzy said indignantly.

"Then why the problem, love?" Jack asked curiously.

"It's nothing," Izzy said suddenly embarrassed.

"No love, tell old Jack."

"Would you please stop calling me that?" Izzy asked, she turned and walked to the other side of the room where a painting of a woman hung and pretended to study it. She put her hand to the bulge where the ring was hiding beneath her shirt for comfort.

"Stop calling you what?" Jack asked.

"Love."

"Now why would that bother you?" Jack asked inquiringly.

"It's just that no one's ever…"

Izzy froze. She felt hands tenderly close on her upper arms. She turned and realized that Jack was standing close, too close with his hands grasped lightly on her arms. She was unexpectedly very aware of him, his height, which was many inches taller than her, the warmth that radiated from him, his smell, a cross between sea water and sweet rum, and most of all that his eyes were staring at her lips.

"No one's ever what, love?" he pushed.

"Called me that before."

"Then all men must be blind like old Joe," Jack said naming a crew member.

Izzy stilled even further.

"Relax love," he murmured.

Jack looked at Izzy and slightly loosened his grip, just enough for her to relax, but not enough to run away. He searched her eyes and saw confusion and curiosity. Exactly what he wanted to see. But there was something else, he'd discover that later.

She was so pretty, he thought. Her big brown eyes looking up at him and a swirl of brown hair that now fell to her waist. If he lowered his head just slightly…

Izzy gasped as Jack's lips gently brushed hers.

Coming up…

What will Izzy say to this tender side of Jack?

Will Jack discover what Izzy's not telling him?

Will Darkness in Starlight ever get through midterms?