I stood, Jack's shirt hanging to my thighs and my side no longer hurting. I lifted the shirt and saw nothing but a raw patch of healed skin there, the only remains of the bloody mess I was. Out the small draped window in Jack's cabin I noticed that the sun was setting, leaving soft pinks and autumn colors painted across the sky. I walked over to Jack's wash basin which, by the way, looked as if it hadnt been used in years, and splashed my face with the cool water. I looked at myself in the mirror and shook my head at the mess of hair on my head, trying to flatten it down with my hands.
"Luv?" a voice reached my ears and I turned quickly to see Jack at the doorway, holding the green dress that I had bought in Tortuga and my bristle hair brush, running his eyes up and down my exposed legs. I walked over to him and snatched my dress from his arm and the brush from his hand.
"What is this for?" I asked. Jack chuckled.
"It's a dress, luv. You wear it... though I have to say it looks fabulous off of you as well." I rolled my eyes and pushed him out the door, slamming it behind him. He's funny... a fleeting thought in my mind as I pulled on the green dress and my riding boots, and brushed my hair down with difficulty, ending up in giving me a sore head. Then, setting water down onto my hair to keep it in place, I applied some of Jack's kohl (which I stole from the desk) and walked out the door.
Men's cheers greeted me as I walked out onto the deck and I laughed aloud in surprise as I noticed that the deck was set up fit for a party, candles scattered about. Glenn walked up to me, grinning.
"What's all this?" I asked.
"Your recovery party." He said simply and I laughed, stepping past him and up to Jack, who was leaning on the mast, a bottle of rum in one hand. He grinned at me and I smiled.
"Ye like it?" Jack asked and I looked around. It certainly wasnt as lavish as many of the parties I had, with expensive gowns and hors d'oeuvres on trays... but that's what made it special.
"I love it!" I said and gave him a quick, semi awkward hug. We had not made much affectionate gestures since the morning at the bow... Jack wrapped his arm around my waist and I looked at him.
His lips came down on mine, none too briefly, dragging it for as long as he possibly could. I melted in his kiss and when he pulled away a smile was left on my lips.
"I got you a present." Jack said and I backed away.
"That wasn't it?" I asked teasingly, breathless.
"Yeah." Jack replied and as he smiled and reached one hand behind him, pulling out a beautiful black violin and a black bow. I gaped at it before taking it out of Jack's pressing hands.
"It's for you luv." He said and I looked at him.
"I can't accept this, Jack." I told him and tried to give it back to him but he held up his hands.
"Play something Christina!" I turned around and saw Joe smiling at me, urging me to share. Jack grinned at me and nodded encouragingly. I set the violin on my neck and shoulder and shyly set the bow on the strings before drawing it across the strings quickly, starting up a loud lively song, laughing when Gibbs and Sam began dancing and everyone else rocked from side to side to the music.
Joe and Glenn both nodded to each other and began flipping across the deck to the music as if they were in a circus, moving in perfect sync to each other. I nearly dropped my violin when I saw Glenn "swallow" a sword and Joe make a candle's small fire turn into a flame fir for a dragon by blowing on it. All this happening still in tune to the music. The rest of the crew watched in amazement as did I and when the song finally ended the deck of the Black Pearl erupted into applause, I clapped along with the rest of them, amazed at what I had just seen. I immediately started another song, this time my voice joining it occasionally, making the "Yo Ho Yo Ho A Pirate's Life For Me" song fit to the music. The pirates nodded to the music as they engaged in a game of poker, laughing and drinking as they listened to me and some of them danced with me.
I twirled around while my fingers flew across the strings, Jack laughing and occasionally joining me. His arm wrapped around my waist as the deck spun around me.
Finally, after hours had gone by I put the violin down and ran to Jack laughing.
"I can't anymore!" I said between fits of laughter, "my fingers hurt." Jack grinned and took another swig of rum as I set my violin down next to him.
I stood by the group of men swapping stories, fascinated at every one... curiosity got the best of me.
"Joe, Glenn?" I asked and they looked at me, "Where did you learn to perform like that?" the brothers looked at each other.
"We used to perform in a carnival." Joe said, "Very a big hit in our day."
"We did everything!" Glenn continued, "From trapeze to fire blowing." I grinned.
"Really? A carnival?" I asked. "How amazing!" Ana Maria smiled at the two brothers.
"They really were," she said, "quite amazing." Her eyes lingered on Joe's face as their eyes locked. I smiled at her but was interrupted by a hand in mine as Jack pulled me back to the mast, twirling me around a few times before I stood still, laughing still until my stomach was sore.
"I've never enjoyed life so much!" I said and Jack smiled.
"The joy of being a pirate luv." And we stood there talking as one by one the pirates disappeared into their cabin, drunk and laughing until only Jack and I were left on the deck. Jack didnt seem drunk but I knew he was as he swaggered a lirrle as he grabbed four rum bottles and beckoned for me to follow him. I did.
He led me to a net that led up to a point in the mast theat I knew was called the crews nest. I looked up and swallowed.
"We're going up there?" I asked nervously and Jack chuckled.
"You said you climbed trees." He pointed out and I looked at him evenly.
"Yes but this is one big tree." I said and he laughed.
"I'll go after you luv," Jack said, "that way if you fall I'll catch you." I glowered at him.
"I won't fall." I said and grabbed the tope, uneasy a bit at the fact that it was swaying but determined nonetheless.
I moved like a cat, my foot only slipping a couple of times only to end in a gasp and a chuckle from jack and with annoyed horror I realized that he could probably see right up my dress. I rolled my eyes and clambered into the crows nest, nearly falling over but gaining my composure quickly, gulping at how high it was...
The sight beyond the deck, though, was the most gorgeous I'd ever seen. The sky reflected on the glassy water perfectly, giving me the impression that I was flowating endlessly through the air. It took my breath away. I turned to Jack, who had made the climb and smiled.
"It's beautiful Jack." I whispered as if if I spoke too loud it would disturb the scene in front of me.
"It is luv, it is." He slurred and held out one of the four rum bottles he had carried up. I shook my head.
"No thank you." I politely refused but he held it out again.
"Go on luv have a sip."
"No, Jack. I couldnt."
"C'mon luv." He pressed, "Just a sip, if you dont like it I'll take it back, savvy?" I shrugged and took it from him.
"One sip." I said and yanked the cork off the top with my hand, differing from Jack and his teeth. Jack watched me as I suspiciously put the top of the tum bottle to my nose, sniffing the intoxicating enough smell, wrinkling my nose. Jack's eyebrows raised as I reluctantly took a sip, the amber colored alcohol burning my throat. I coughed.
"Well?"
"It's not all that bad." I smiled and raised the bottle to my lips again . . .
Three bottles of rum later I was spilling my heart and soul out to the Captain of the Black Pearl.
"After my mother died my father raised me himself." I said, my words slurring together, "He tried to make me be a proper lady but that's not what my mother wanted so..." Jack nodded and scooted closer to me, as we were sitting in the crows nest, his arm around my shoulder. I leaned into his arms and now that I look back upon the moment I knew that I wouldnt have if I wasnt drunk. My pride would have been unswallowable... but not after three bottles of rum. A tear rolled down my cheek.
"Truthfully I dont know if I want to go back to Port Royal Jack." I said, "I dont really want to marry John Walker anymore." Jack looked at me.
"Why not luv?"
"Because," Jack's face was in front of me, his hands on my sides, "I don't love him..." his face was closing in, "...I love you."
- - - - - - - JACK'S POV - - - - - - -
"I love you ." Jack's eyes widened and just as he was about to take her lips, Christina passed out. Her ace peacefully leaning back onto the side of the crows nest. He sighed and picked her up, clambering drunkenly down the net and into his cabin, where once again he lied her her down on his bed and covered her with his blankets, watching her sleep for a few moments. "Because I dont love him. I love you." her words rang through him as he laid down.
"I love you too Christy." He could not believe he said it... but it was true.
- - - - - - - END JACK'S POV - - - - - - -