Chapter 26:

I knew the crew was watching us, all eyes were on the deserter and the man who allowed her to leave. "Why?" I knew his question was for the crew only, as he really knew I was only here for him. "I made a mistake. I want to be a part of the crew." I heard mumbled and rude remarks, but kept my eyes on Jack, hoping he had a plan that allowed me to remain here with him. "Barbossa, we need to make port to repair the ship…" "Aye?" "Let us discuss what we need to do about the one that left us for dead." and he turned and walked away, leaving me staring in utter disbelief.

Barbossa looked at me, then at Jack and was trying to figure out how Jack became the responsible one. They disappeared into Captain's Quarters as the crew watched my every move. It wasn't long before Barbossa and Jack returned, their faces letting me know that I was in serious shit. "Throw this deserter in the brig. When we make port, she'll be left behind." I shot a look at Jack, trying to find some way around this, surely his sending me away to protect me wasn't about to get me throw in the brig…was it? And a few moments later, I was shoved into my cell, locked in and laughed at as the crew members walked away.

I hoped Jack was just doing this for show, I mean, he's the one that lied and said I was leaving them! He said he wanted me protected, not he's going to abandon me when we stop to fix this cursed ship. What the hell was this man thinking? I scoffed and sat down, kicking a bucket into the door as I tried to figure out Jack Sparrow. I was only visited by a couple crewmembers that were my friends, bringing me food and small chit chat. But they all had duties and I was alone for most of voyage back to Tortuga. Finally making port, I was visited by Jack. "Come now, it's not a big deal. You brought this on yourself." I fixated my eyes on his, he was smirking at me like he wasn't the reason I was in a cell. "What do you want Jack?" he gave the room a look and met my eyes again, speaking in a hushed tone.

"I did not know how to get you without cluing anyone to our situation. Bliss, you must believe me." I walked over to him, placing my hands around the bars. "You threw me in the brig. That isn't a good way to show me I mean something to you." "But you do. Don't you know that?" I was tired of his playful attitude toward everything, for once, I truly needed to hear him say he cared for me. Otherwise I might just have to move on, even though it would probably kill me. "For once…can you please…just tell me what exactly I mean to you…no jokes. No diversions….just between you and me. Is this going anywhere? Or am I just letting myself hope for no reason?"

His face became very serious, his eyes boring into mine as he stepped closer, wrapping his hands around mine on the bars. "How can you ask that?" "No diversions, Jack. Just tell me." I reminded him, and he leaned his forehead against the bars, I wished that they were gone and I could press him to myself. I was on a mission and he was going to answer me, I wanted to hear the words leave his lips. "Bliss…I-" his words were cut off as footsteps rushed down the stairs. He stepped away and I sighed, such perfect timing this lot had. "Captain Jack, Captain Barbossa told me to get Bli-the deserter and bring her into town. Did you want to bring her yourself?" his face shown that he would enjoy seeing me dragged the town and tossed into a pig pen.

"Aye, I'll bring her along, be on your way." the crewman tossed the keys and ran up the stairs, leaving Jack to unlock the door and swing it open. No words were spoke, but our eyes said everything, I grabbed his shirt and pulled him to me, he huffed, but I took his neck with my free hand and jerked his face down to mine, crashing my lips onto his. I broke after a minute or two and he smirked, loving my taking charge. "I still want to hear it, Jack." "Ah, but I have to bring you to town now, before they send anyone else to get you." I released him, was he really going to let me go like that? "Jack, you can't leave me behind."

He took my arm and began to pull me after him as he headed up stairs. "I'm working on it, love. Time." he breathe and I shielded my eyes from the light, I had spent too long downstairs. The sun was setting, the crew most already in town, however, Barbossa was standing on the dock, waiting for us. "Let's get this over with woman. You are to stay here, you are no longer welcome aboard the Black Pearl. Do with your life what you want, but if you are ever found on this vessel again, you will be Marooned. If you put up a fight, you will be shot." his orders were clear, but I still felt hurt and betrayed as I truly did nothing wrong.

"I'm heading to the bar, you find someone to take her in." Jack passed me off, but it was a gentle way. He sauntered off, not a misstep or hesitation in his body, he was very good at hiding everything. Barbossa's grip was a bit harder than Jack's, but I could tell he wasn't concerned about making a strong point. "So Bliss, how will you be spending your life now? Barred from pirating." I stopped, making him turn. "I am still a pirate. The Black Pearl isn't the only ship out there." "Ah, but everyone travels here, the crew will have told every pirate about you, beautiful, deadly, but a coward when battle comes."

"I am not a coward…" "You might just want to run back to Chevalle, he'll be the only one willing to take you after this." he continued forward, pulling me along again. He stopped in front of a building, I stared in horror. "How dare you even suggest this!" "Now Now, this be a delightful place of business. You will be good here, bed and board, food and good money making." I narrowed my eyes, balling my fist up, ready to beat him down. "This is a whore-house. I am not a whore." "Women around here…they have to do what they can to survive and make what they can. You are the same." I jerked my arm out of his grip, fighting the urge to take a swing at him.

"You kicked me off your ship, however, you have no sway over what I do when I'm here. I'm not your problem anymore, so back the fuck off. Otherwise I'm going to show you how deadly I really can be!" I turned and stormed off, not trusting myself not to hit him. I walked around, fuming from Barbossa's words, trying to figure out how to get a letter to Chevalle, I would have to go to him, he would be the only one willing to help me. Just until I found a way back into Jack's life. I found myself standing outside the bar, drunks already everywhere, whores hanging all over men. Was this really to be my future? Where was Jack now? Gibbs and Marty came stumbling out, laughing and mugs in their hands. "What're you doing here?" Gibbs asked me, his eyes barely focusing on me. "None of your damn business. Move along." I stepped out of their way, glancing inside before the door slammed shut.

Gibbs continued on, forgetting about Marty, who stopped and looked at me, smiling. "What is it?" "Well, Barbossa said you were a Ladies' man now, just wondering what's your price?" my reaction was too fast for me to stop, I slammed my fist into his face, knocking him down and kicked him in the stomach before shouting, "I AM NOT A WHORE!" I realized that I was getting attention drawn to me and shook my head, turning and running down a deserted street. I ran until my lungs were burning and finally stopped, leaning against a wall and sliding down.

I cleared my head, I was so cruel to Marty, he was just drunk, he probably didn't mean to say it, or mean it. I sighed, Jack was turning me into someone I was beginning to not know as myself. I didn't think I would be changed by a man, but small things I was beginning to see. Maybe Jack wasn't the best for me, maybe I should just leave, forget him and start over. I felt a pain in my chest, as if I was being stabbed in my heart…at just thinking about leaving him. It would be hard, but I could get some men together, maybe even more women that wanted to join up with me.

Taylor would help, he might care about me, and maybe after some time away from Jack, I could care for someone else. Someone that wouldn't be afraid to tell me how he felt, show me he cares, not be worried about who knew and what they thought. I wanted what Elizabeth and Will had, a love so strong that nothing in this world or any other would break, nothing would ever stop them from loving the other with every fiber of their being. I wanted that too, some part of me was still a woman, simple and wanting a life. Growing up with a pirate had changed me into something I didn't think once of, maybe if I gave up pirating, maybe I could settle down and find something more suiting for me.

I decided that it would be best to cut my ties with Jack, I couldn't stand getting hurt again and he would always put himself first when it came to his power as a Captain and in the eyes of his crew. I would just have to move on and leave Jack as a man in my past. That was the only way, I would have to deal with the pain of leaving him, but I would force myself to survive. I looked up at the sky, clear of clouds and filled with stars. Similar to the night I got to know the real Captain Jack Sparrow, the night I began to fall in love with him. I stared into the stars as I continued to relive those memories, probably for the final time.

After tonight I would have these thoughts and memories to comfort myself, tomorrow I would just get on a boat or a carriage, I would leave this behind and find something easier, something more suited for a happy life. Once I finished, I found an empty room in a hotel and went to sleep, hoping to figure out a way far away at first light. When I woke up, I decided the sea would be my first stop, I still loved the sea, maybe a boat was leaving and I could buy passage. I dressed and walked toward the dock, wanting to make sure that the Black Pearl was gone, if I found Jack now, I might not have the strength to leave him again.

I didn't see the Black Pearl at the docks and figured they must have left already, I sighed in relief before I heard the giggling. I looked behind me and saw Jack with two whores on his arms, I panicked and ducked behind a pile of crates. They were so focused on each other that it was impossible that they saw me. Jack's face was so free of worry, he was completely happy with them hanging on him. I felt more pain in my chest at his passing of me, did I truly see what I wanted, did he really care or was I just caught up like a young girl?

"Granted, it tends to list to port and has on occasion, been known to frighten young women…but I guarantee you will not be disappointed." "Is that it?" "The Black Pearl?" they were staring at a boat, I scoffed, geez these two were completely idiots. "It's not very big." "That, love, is a dinghy. My vessel is magnificent, and fierce, and huge-ish, and…gone. Why is it gone?" I figured that Barbossa must have taken it once again from Jack and left before he was finished with his whores. "Is that it there?" I looked out, seeing a tiny spot sailing away, black sails proving it was the Pearl and Jack had been left behind as well.

I looked back to see Jack pouring beer on Gibbs as the women were arguing and pushing each other. "The ship? We're on the ship. Jack, the ship is gone!" Jack seemed to have enough, turned to the women and stopping their words. "Ladies, will you please shut it! Listen to me!" he turned to one, "Yes, I lied to you." turning to the other, "No, I don't love you." back to the first, "Of course it makes you look fat." switching again, "I've never been to Brussels." Back once more, "It is pronounced egregious." Turning again, "And by the way, I've never actually met Pisaro, but I do love his pies." Facing them both he finished his rant, "And all of this pales in utter insignificance in light of the fact that my ship is, once again, gone! Savvy?"

I sniggered a bit at the fact that Jack exploded on the women, then they each took a turn slapping him across the face, to which, he slapped Gibbs. They shared a look as the women began to walk away and Gibbs took after them, leaving Jack standing alone at the end of the dock. I stepped out from my hiding place, maybe he would give it up too…for me. I took a silence step, about to speak when I stopped myself. The reason I love him was because of who he was, Captain Jack Sparrow. I couldn't even ask him to give up his entire life to be with me, that wouldn't be fair of me. And with that, I turned and ran off, not allowing myself a glance behind.