Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OC's. All hail the mouse.
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I sighed in frustration as a thick mob of curls fell into my eyes once more, sweat plastering it to my reddening skin. The sun was unforgiving, cursing everyone who was in its' rays way with a blistering heat. I felt as if I were about to die in the sweltering humidity. I was sorely tempted to roll up the legs of my breeches, as I had with my sleeves, but modesty got the best of me and forbade against it.
Jack was at the helm, the heat being the first thing –save Barbossa, of course- to noticeably bother him that day. He'd removed his shirt long ago, revealing tattoos and scars that adorned his seemingly flawless body. No doubt the heat was an old friend of his, for the golden color of his flesh was a constant shade allover. I'd found myself staring up at him numerously throughout my chores in silent admiration. A blush stained my cheeks as he caught my eye, grinning knowingly as he motioned for me to drop my mop and join him at the helm.
Not wanting to refuse him, I obeyed and came to stand beside him, trying not to stare at his glistening chest. However, my eyes and mind disobeyed me.
A chuckle escaped him. "Enjoying the view, love?"
I immediately caught my actions and adverted my gaze to the horizon, the blue of the ocean twinkling in the heat. "From where I stand, yes."
Jack's dark eyes turned from the horizon before him to stare at me. "I can't say that I disagree…" I followed his gaze to see that my shirt was clinging to my form like a loose second skin due to my sweating like a pig. Quickly, I pulled it free from the waistline of my breeches, allowing it to hang loosely. He clicked his tongue at me, feigning disappointment as his eyes showed his true amusement. "You always ruin an opportune moment, do you know that?"
I rolled my eyes. "You seem to not let me think otherwise, Jack. Is there any particular reason you wanted me?" I was tired and irritable, not to mention that being alone in conversation- and in person- with him had made me jumpy since our kiss two weeks ago.
"My excellent intuition of the female creature tells me that something's irking at your soul. Do tell, deary."
A sigh of frustration escaped me. "Nothing is 'irking at my soul'," I quipped, wanting to enter the coolness of the cabin.
"Then come 'ere and relax," he whispered, not giving me an option by seizing my wrist and pulling me towards him. Our bodies were only inches apart as his hands left the spokes of the wheel to caress my back and neck.
"Jack, people will see…"
"Damn propriety," he hissed, capturing my mouth with his.
It wasn't the first time in two weeks we'd done this. Nearly every morning before we departed to the decks he'd be sure to hold me close and make me 'relax'.
"I've been wantin' to do that," he chuckled against my mouth, teasing me gently.
I tried to resist the urge to kiss him again, but my heart and mind thought otherwise. I reinstated it by moving my lips on his, feeling his arms pull me closer to his sweaty and half-naked body. A reasonable part of my mind warned that I didn't know what I was doing. I knew that. I knew I was treading in waters that I might not get out of unscarred… or alive.
A chuckled interrupted our reverie. Blushing under my sun-dyed skin, I could see Barbossa standing behind Jack. His blue eyes were focused on us, watching Jack and I go at each other with our lips. I'd never felt so embarrassed, his chuckling never ceasing.
Growling, Jack let go of me and turned to the infuriating man. "Mind your own business," he remarked before stalking to the cabin in his typical fashion, leaving Barbossa to the wheel.
"So ye two are finally together, aye?" He took Jack's place at the helm.
"No," I automatically responded. "We're just…"
"Together."
I glared at the elder pirate. "I have better things to do than argue with a half- sane pirate."
With that, I turned and went back down to my mop, the blush on my cheeks now redder than my returning sunburn.
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"Bloody old man," Jack grumbled as he opened his compass to better determine a heading.
It kept turning towards the cabin's main doors. He knew what it would point to if he opened them; Natalie doing her chores dutifully. He'd found her as a way to release all his pint-up energy at first, a way to relax. But then Captain Jack Sparrow found himself seeing her as something more, someone he had to see daily.
As if on cue, the doors opened and he could hear her softly approaching his spot at the map table.
"You alright?" She kindly asked, sitting next to him.
"Aye," he replied, handing her the bottle of rum he'd opened only moments before. "I assume you will consider this as an occasion to become less alert to the world?"
Natalie took the bottle, drinking a generous amount. A small sigh escaped her mouth, causing Jack to meet her gaze.
"He thinks we're… an item. Two people to be seen as involved."
"Aye."
She stared at him, dumbfounded. "You're not bothered by that?"
"Why should I be? Sticks and stones, lovely. Besides," a devilish smirk stole across his handsome features, "I rather like the idea."
Jack watched as the comprehension of what he'd said flashed through her light eyes. She wasn't clueless about what he was hinting at, and he knew fully well that the reasonable part of her mind would lose to her heart. After all, everything up to that point had turned in his favor.
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"You're saying," I began quietly, "that you'd like us to be… affiliated in a way that would break our 'no improper behavior' rule?"
"Not entirely, darlin'." Jack's dark brown orbs met mine, allowing me to drown in them. "Just in a way that no man could have what I've been enjoyin' over the past few weeks."
Courting. That's what it was called in proper society. Although, I doubted that he wanted to marry me, seeing as most courtships ended in a wedding. I was probably just a way to keep his mind occupied until he could find a wench in Tortuga or some other equally disturbing place.
I opened my mouth to reply as a knock sounded on the door.
"Cap'n," Gibbs' voice drifted in, "I hate t' interrupt, but there's a ship on the horizon."
My breath caught in my throat. "Is it…" I began, my voice scarcely a whisper.
"No," Jack immediately replied. "Let me go take care of this, Natty. Go into the bedroom a moment."
Sighing, I got up and closed the door behind me, sitting on Jack's side of the bed. Not even a moment had passed when I could hear their voices drifting through the ebony wood. I leaned forward, pleased to find I could hear them quite clearly for the most part.
"Colors?"
"It's a merchant ship, Cap'n. English from what I can tell. Probably headed towards Port Royal."
"Aye," came Jack's calm drawl. "Ready the cannons. 'M not wanting to negotiate for long."
"Aye, Cap'n." I heard the scuffling of the old man's feet, followed by Jack opening the door to where I sat.
"Ready your sword, love. I believe you're about to find out how well all that practice has been payin' off."
I froze as I stood, looking at him with unleashed fear in my eyes. "What?!"
"And it's not your beloved father's ship, darlin'." I sat back down, trying to calm my nerves; my fear was truly being faced.
Jack copied my motions and sat beside me, a gentle arm coming around my shoulders, pulling me to his strong body. I was motionless as he held me close, a hand embedding itself into my tangled locks. My brain suddenly went into overdrive, remembering the possible outcomes of a sword fight. I sat up and rolled my shoulders, his arm instantly dropping.
"I'm fine," I said, mostly to myself. I went to the corner to fetch my sword, fasting it to my belt. From the bed, an amused chuckle could be heard. "What, dare I ask, do you find amusing?" Adrenaline was pounding in my ears as I spun on my heels to exit, the captain following suit.
"You get quite defensive when you're afraid," Jack taunted, pulling a shirt over his head and adjusting it, causing me to turn around with a blush staining my cheeks.
I rolled my eyes and attempted to leave once more, this time a calloused hand on my wrist stopping me. "Jack, please let me go out there and fight to stay alive," I begged. Why couldn't we just get on with things?
"In a moment, love."
With that said, I was pulled to him, the heat from his body radiating through his shirt. His scent was stronger than ever, due to the amount of time he'd spent outside, and all the more intoxicating. As he bent to meet my lips and my eyes were closing, I saw a devilish smirk steal across his face. My arms attached to his neck as his lips hungrily began moving on mine. I could feel myself shaking, both out of fear and happiness.
Jack momentarily removed his gifted lips, a small noise of protest leaving my mouth before I felt him kiss my neck ever so gently. My hands grasped at his back, as if I were afraid of falling. Shivers went up and down my spine as he nipped at my earlobe, my eyes involuntarily opening to see him smirking down at me.
"Stay near me," I was advised as a final kiss was pressed to my lips.
Unable to think clearly, I merely nodded, leading the way out onto the deck.
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As soon as Jack laid his eyes on the approaching ship, he knew that Gibbs had been mistaken. It was, indeed, a merchant vessel, but merchants weren't the inhabitants. White-wigged men were lined against the railing. Some had their guns at the ready while others kept their hands on the hilt of their sword.
"Jack! It's Aaron," Natalie whispered, fear apparent in her voice as she stared at a man in particular. He was approaching the middle of the line, and do doubt was he ready to fight if need be.
His voice rang out loud and clear as the Pearl's inhabitants stilled. "By order of the Governor of Port Royal…," he began.
"Don't fire the cannons, please," she pleaded into Jack's ear, holding onto his arm for dear life.
He could feel her arm shaking violently, along with the rest of her body. Seeking to calm her haphazard nerves, he wrapped an arm around her waist, making eye contact with Curran the whole time.
At seeing his fiancée in a pirate's arms, his words faltered and he dropped the proper, prepared speech. "Release her."
"And what if I don't?"
Anger flashed in the younger man's eyes as he turned to the men around him. "You have permission to board."
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I gasped as the men crossed the gangplank and formed a circle around the crew. Jack removed himself from me and rested his palm across his sword's hilt.
"Natalie," Aaron spoke gently, suddenly appearing to my right.
"Leave, the lot o' ye!" Barbossa warned, his sword at the ready.
"Jack, please," I begged, hoping that he would obey my gentle plea.
Unlike the many other times I'd wanted something and gotten it, the pirate beside me moved away, sending me a final sympathetic glance before drawing his sword and starting the chaos on deck.
My knees were shaking as I removed my own sword from it's sheath and turned to Aaron. "I left on my own," I informed him as I readied my sword for whoever wanted to challenge me.
"I'm not going to fight you, Natalie."
"This should be easy then." The adrenaline was pounding in my ears as I lunged at him.
Left with no other choice, he matched my move with his sword, the two metals clanging together metallically. I stumbled, unused to the quick, fancy footwork I was forced to do. My thoughts mingled, causing my guard to drop.
Quickly recognizing the look in my eyes, Aaron disarmed me and grabbed my wrist before I could get away. "I don't want you hurt, yet it seems I'm the only one who's feeling the pain." A shiver ran through my body. "Perhaps we could talk after you talk with your father."
"Father is here?!" My breath caught in my throat.
"In the Captain's Quarters," he informed me. "I'll cease the fighting out here." He bent and handed me my sword.
"Thank you," I whispered.
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AN: First off, I'd like to say I'm so SO sorry for not updating in 3 months to the day. I had all intentions of updating in April, but obviously that didn't work out. To make up for it, this summer I plan to post a new one-shot or two, any and all of them probably Willabeth:). The first one will probably be a songfic to a Julianne Hough song, "Dreaming Under the Same Moon". I'm in love with it, so keep an eye out for that. Also, once I finish my other fic, I plan to wrap this one up and move onto a Willabeth fic that's longer than a chapter. I'm ready to move on from "Never Been Kissed". This story is nearly over, with no more than ten chapters or so left, if that many! I really want to move onto a possible sequel. Once again, I want you guys know I'm sorry for the wait! Writers Block was plaguing me horribly for a while, and this chapter was difficult. It's my sad attempt to make ends meet. I hope it's not too horrendous! I'm eager to read your reviews:).