I Will Kill You

"What about this one, Shar-lee?" Pierre pulled out another dress, this time worse than the rest. I frowned, looking at the dress.

"It's…so…orange." I stuttered, taking the dress and holding it at arm's length. Jack laughed.

"That ain't orange, love, that's full on tangerine. It just won't do." He said, pulling it from me and putting it back on the hook. I thanked him with a secret smile, turning back to Pierre, who was scowling at Jack.

"You haven't exactly 'elped, Jack, why don't you look?" He said, narrowing his eyes. Jack grinned.

"Fine, I will." He said, disappearing into another room. I frowned, watching Pierre pull out another dress. This one was black with ruffles on the sleeves. I shook my head.

"Black makes me look so…sallow." I said, watching him frown and replace the dress, to my relief.

"You are a hard one to buy for, Shar-lee." He remarked, looking at a selection of dresses I had refused. I frowned.

"I'm sor…" I started but was cut off.

"Hard to buy for but you are worth it." He said, flashing me a smile. I smiled back, startling as Jack bounded back into the room, holding a pile of dresses.

"These are the ones I thought would match nicely with yer hair…" He paused handing me three dresses,

"… yer eyes…" He paused again, handing me four dresses,

"…and skin tone, as well as yer lovely shape." He said, handing me another six dresses. I laughed, looking at them all. They all looked beautiful, less extravagant than the ruffles and lace Pierre had picked out. I passed some back to Jack, picking one from the pile. It was green with small embroidery flowers and a few petticoats, not too many that I couldn't walk, but enough. I nodded, passing it to Pierre, who looked at Jack, disdainfully. The second dress was a simple, straight down light blue satin dress with some stone beading along the neckline. I passed it to Pierre, smiling as I picked up another dress. It was a beautiful peacock blue with three quarter length bell sleeves, princess seams and a whale bone corset. I instantly fell in love with it.

"It's perfect." I said, holding it to myself and looking in the mirror.

"I thought ye'd like that one." Jack said, dumping the other dresses in Pierre's arms and walking to me, brushing my hair from over my shoulder. I grinned, spinning to him and hugging him to myself, smiling into his shoulder as he returned the embrace.

"Thank you." I said, reluctant to let go, until Pierre cleared his throat. We both turned to him, looking at him, expectantly. Pierre smiled at me, although, not convincingly.

"You need to try it on." He said, pointing to a screen, where a woman was waiting for me. I nodded.

"Of course." I said, taking the dress and disappearing behind the screen, leaving the two men alone.

"Try anything tonight and I swear I'll kill ye." Jack whispered harshly, turning to Pierre. Pierre grinned.

"What if she tries something tonight? Will you kill her? Oh, of course you won't, you actually feel for the girl, don't you?" Jack narrowed his eyes.

"She's not a play thing. She's a good friend of mine and I don't intend on her getting hurt, savvy?"

"Why? Because you need her? I heard ye last night, of course I did. You need her, Sparrow, for more reasons than she knows, isn't that right?" Jack clenched his fists but refrained from punching the other man, who was now smirking.

"I'll look after her for you, Sparrow, oh I'll take good care of her." Jack snapped, suddenly grabbing Pierre by the throat and smacking him against the wall.

"Like I said, I will kill ye…"

"…I will kill ye…"

"Jack!" I screamed. Jack had Pierre by the throat and I panicked. He instantly let go but Pierre crumpled to the ground, gasping for air. Jack shook his head angrily, turning to me. Knowing there was nothing he could say to talk himself from the situation, he just sighed.

"The dress is nice." He muttered, storming out of the shop and down the road, into the nearest tavern to drink himself into a stupor, or that's what I guessed. I sighed, rushing to help Pierre up. He rubbed his throat but smiled at me. I put my head in my hands.

"I'm so, so sorry. I never should have invited Jack. He's being so…aggressive lately. I don't know why…" I said, looking at Pierre, who was grinning.

"What?" I asked.

"Jack likes you, Shar-lee. That is why he is acting this way. He is threatened in case you and I become romantically involved." I shook my head.

"Nah, Jack is a pirate. He doesn't get romantic about any woman except the Pearl." I laughed. Pierre raised his eyebrows.

"Do you like him as well?" He asked. My mouth dropped open and I blushed.

"I…no! No, I don't. I couldn't, I mean, he's so aggressive and unpredictable. It just isn't possible, Pierre, really." I said, shaking my head. Pierre laughed.

"Well, Jack was right about one thing." He said, smiling at me.

"What?" I asked, frowning.

"The dress looks nice."

Jack strode back to the inn, angry at not only Pierre but at Violet. She was blind to Pierre's act and suddenly was all over the cretin, whilst the pirate was once again shoved out of the picture. Well,that was fine by him, just dandy in fact. Jack walked passed the entrance around the back to the yard and stables, where the two horses were tied. And without a second thought, he untied one of them and climbed on.

"Bloody Pierre, bloody Violet, bloody deserve each other…"

"I may have provoked him, only by a slight though, I assure you. I asked him if he felt for you and when I would not leave the subject, he attacked me." I frowned at Pierre's confession.

"I should go apologize." I said, standing up; although, Pierre pulled me back down. He shook his head.

"Give Jack some time to cool off; it will be easier that way."

"Do you think?" I asked. Pierre nodded, smiling at me and passing me a mug of rum. I smiled back, thankfully, knocking back the rum. Yet, for the entire night, Jack played on my mind.