Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners.
Special thank you to all my reviewers, it's muchly appreciated everyone. Another update as promised.
Chapter 28: Considerations & Actions
He sat there studying his desk in thought before seeing I was trying everything to avoid looking at him. "She does have a point…I wonder what that bloody voodoo queen expected to happen with those words." He finally swung his feet down and stood walking over to me. "Ye have a lot of words to share on the subject I see." I met those dark eyes seeing he was laughing at me, at least his eyes were. "Again ye said something I didn't expect…now that ye got that sorted, do ye have any idea what she was referring too?" I shrugged, what did I know about the crazy woman except from the movies.
"Clueless…she's by far stranger in person." I slid to the side starting to go into the room, but hands landed on either side of me blocking my path. "You have an over active…" I stopped hearing a light tap on the door, or rather a very sharp one. "I know that sound." He winced at the familiar sound and allowed me the freedom to slide away from the door.
Jack opened the door with an annoyed flourish. "What can I do for ye Lizzie?" he met her wrathful gaze and noted the sneer she offered in his direction.
"Is she in there?" Sensing something was off Jack decided on an interesting approach.
"Yes…she's asleep, was a long day." He sounded cynical which amused me slightly. "Now what do ye want woman?" I took the cue and slipped easily over to the bed making myself face away pretending to sleep.
Elizabeth barged her way into the cabin and studied the lump among Jacks bed. "I want you to say goodbye to her and leave her alone. You break hearts Jack and she is too good for you, she needs someone dependable and not obsessed with freedom. She has her own obsession with freedom and it takes all the patience I have to keep her head down to earth. I won't let you hurt her…she's already going to be pining away for you as it is. Break it off and explain I'm right…or else." She waited seeing Jacks eyes widen slightly at her threatening tone, he then studied her his eyes narrowing slightly.
He took a deep breath forcing his voice to remain level. "Did ye ever ask her what she wants Lizzie? Apparently ye haven't…ye know she is different and wouldn't be happy, she's different a lot like ye once was, but she won't give up that freedom. I can see it in her every day, she may be from another century……but she understands what it's like to be caged by society. I bet if ye asked her what she wanted…ye wouldn't like the answer." He studied those dark honey eyes seeing Elizabeth knew exactly what he meant. "What are ye really afraid of?"
Elizabeth had been trying to be nice, but she could see something had changed in Jack and she didn't like it. "That you the infamous captain Jack Sparrow will break my best friends' spirit. You are a pirate, you desire freedom, rum, women, a life that she wouldn't be able to handle…you can't stay with just one woman." She crossed her arms with a smirk seeing his eyes narrow further. "Admit it Jack, you won't ever change."
He considered her words carefully. "Ye know Lizzie, as much as I hate to admit it, yer right." He knew I was listening to every word and knew his next comments could probably more then likely stir up more questions. "Ye didn't consider that yer best friend has something unique within her that scares ye more than anything…yer afraid that she could change me, or already has. Are ye afraid that just maybe her free spirit is enough…to make me the good man ye always claimed I was?" Elizabeth suddenly felt sick, was Jack admitting her worst fear? Could Blair actually make the famous pirate settle down to some extent?
"Are you saying that you would keep her with you and would not hurt her no matter what Jack Sparrow?" I held my breath in total shock, Elizabeth was showing her manipulative side again and oddly enough I wanted to know the answer. "Even if it meant giving up all your die hard female fans?" she crossed her arms seeing his eyes widen in stunned surprise, she had him right under her thumb and if he didn't answer right he had a feeling something would happen.
"Ye just did something stupid mate. Can ye really honestly say that this twenty-first century woman has shown ye what love could be like? What the bloody hell did I just think?" Jack snapped from his thoughts eyeing Elizabeth's challenging gaze. "Yer challenging me Lizzie." It was a statement and she met those dark eyes nodding in response. "Love may be too strong of a word, but ye have grown fond of her, ye could always see how things go…it's not an actual commitment. Could I actually stay with just one girl, this girl for a length of time and actually fall in love?" he carefully made his decision wondering what would happen in the future after it. "Fine Lizzie, ye win…Yes I would do all the above." He paused half expecting a startled sound from behind him, thankfully there was only silence.
"HUH?" I knew my eyes had widened considerably and it took every ounce of my strength not to make some sort of startled sound. Jack was willing to actually take a chance and see if he could actually find someone to care for, and had chosen to give me that chance. I couldn't believe it and what was even stranger was I thought that just maybe he was sincere; he hadn't given me reason to doubt him since he confessed that he could actually trust me. I heard Elizabeth let out an annoyed huff before hearing the door slam. I had a feeling that eventually I would be on the receiving end of a very long conversation from Elizabeth once I went out on deck again.
I heard muttered swearing and sat up meeting a dark annoyed gaze staring back at me from leaning against the door. "Jack…you do realize that you did exactly the opposite of what Elizabeth expected?" he took a breath seeing I was a bit confused at the moment.
"Aye." He considered the conversation he had with Elizabeth just then and started to think over what to say to me next. "Ye look confused love." I offered a small smile and shrugged, obviously he was considering something. "I'm not entirely sure what I meant or said a few minutes ago…but I would like to see where this goes?" he rose a brow waiting for me to say something in turn.
"He really does want to try something along the lines of a relationship thing?" I pondered that for a few minutes, apparently my thoughtful look made him have some doubts. "I would like to see where it leads too…but, are you sure Jack? I don't want Elizabeth being a challenging bitch to be the reason you want to do this, your life as it is, is important to you." I wished I had a camera right then considering the startled expression that appeared on his face; apparently giving him a chance to back out had been the last thing he expected.
"Again yer to bloody nice for yer own good woman…ye just gave me the option of being my usual pirate self." His gaze settled steadily on me for several minutes, a bemused expression also settling across his face. "Why do ye have to be so different and complicated at the same time?" I offered him a sour look and crossed my arms offended by the comment.
"I resent that…and if that's the case, it's not on purpose." I noticed his familiar smug smirk and had a feeling I missed something. "What are you up to Jack?"
"Ye know I can prove you are complicated sometimes and being different isn't a bad thing." I sent him a scathing look and slowly slid from bed, I felt oddly annoyed with him and it had been a few days since that was actually prominent in my life.
"Care to put your sword where your mouth is?" He rose a brow at this and eyed me with an amused smirk.
"I won last time love…ye don't need to get all riled like Lizzie does." He realized his first mistake when my eyes narrowed in his direction. "Bugger…I compared her to Lizzie." I walked past him and opened the door.
"Yes you won last time…this time might be different, especially after comparing me to her." I all but stomped from the cabin and went to the main deck.
I walked over to a barrel and settled down toying with my sword, I had drawn curious looks from Will, Elizabeth, Gibbs, Anna-Maria and a few others. When I was in one of these moods it was hard not to notice me, Will being wise to this walked cautiously over and placed a hand on my shoulder. Immediately I glanced up meeting his concerned brown gaze and muttered a curse glaring at Jack, who had kindly come onto the main deck a cocky swagger in his steps.
Will noticed my steady gaze and realized Jack had done something to set me off. "Blair…what happened?" I met his gaze and ignored the irritated look Elizabeth sent our way, she was still sore over what happened in the cabin.
"He…compared me to Liz…I challenged him." It was simple and to the point, Will's jaw slowly opened in surprise and he glanced up at Jack who casually leaned against the mast watching me with a familiar smug expression on his face. "I'm going to win this one, come hell in high water." I stood watching Will back off quickly.
Jack met my furious gaze and smirked. "What happens if I win?" I snorted in annoyance, but decided to play his little game.
"If you win." I met his amused gaze and allowed my sword to lower at my side. "What stipulations do you have this time Jack?" he come much closer then I wanted him to at the moment and he could tell I was annoyed at this.
"If ye win…I will let ye sleep in tomorrow." I met his amused gaze, somehow I had the feeling he had more planned then I knew. "If I win…" he leaned so close I could feel his breath warm against my ear as he whispered low enough only I could hear. "…I find some rope, any questions?" I could feel my face flush at his insinuations and hoped no one saw how red I really was.
"That was unnecessary Jack." I hissed hearing him chuckle already knowing he could see my red face. "If I win…you will have to do what I say tomorrow, especially if you insist on your option…when and if you win." He met my gaze with an almost hesitant smirk. "I'm serious."
"Bloody hell…ye drive a hard bargain when irritated." He considered his options for a long moment; he could easily walk away from the fight and aggravate me or agree to my terms. "Ye beat her before, not like ye won't this time mate." He smiled at this meeting my eyes and offered a mock bow. "Alright love…we have an accord." She nodded stepping cautiously back; she already saw the gleam in his eyes that indicated she wouldn't get a warning when he struck.
She caught the blow reflexively and held her ground allowing him to push her only so far, before she turned watching him easily catch himself and catch her blow from behind. "She's fighting like a pirate now…good, this won't take long then." She easily rolled back from his attempted disarmament, and back to her feet driving him back a few feet.
--Other POV--
"Ye know tha girls got spunk…Jack looks to be tryin to keep his own." Will glanced at Anna-Maria with a small smile, maybe he taught Blair better then he thought. "Coarse he coul jus be messin with her." He frowned at this; he was all too familiar with how Jack worked.
"Will…do ye thin she has a chance?" Gibbs took a sip from his flask watching the pair dueling it out across the deck, he also took note to several of the crew scattering from their fight.
"I honestly don't know Gibbs. I do know she's good, but I get the feeling Jack hides just how much better he really is." He was aware of a warm arm wrapping around his waist and smiled at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth observed the pair fighting and mentally kicked herself for her conversation with Jack earlier. "I bloody encouraged him." She noticed Blair easily dodge Jack and walk around behind him tapping his shoulder mockingly with her sword. "Why does she have to be infatuated with him…it's not right." She crossed her arms in a huffy fashion feeling Will's arm come to rest around her shoulders. She took comfort in his arm, but knew he didn't agree with her point of view.
--Original POV--
I was half tempted to snap the end of my sword on his bum, but decided tapping on the shoulder would be a lot safer, especially as to not embarrass him in front of his crew.
"Ye know love…yer getting cocky." I smiled and shrugged ducking another blow, and easily dodged around the mast keeping it between me and him for the moment.
I eyed his annoyed expression and come up with a perfect retort. "If I'm cocky, what's your excuse Jack…you're always too arrogant for your own good." He offered a familiar smirk and easily went around beside me; he proceeded to send several blows my way. "Shit he almost had me." I managed to maintain my sword and rolled flipping to my feet a short distance away.
"Careful with what ye say love…doesn't go well for ye." I ignored the laughter in his voice and took a breath, he was baiting me.
I kept my temper in check and met swords with him again. "Depends on how well I control my temper." I smiled sweetly and startled him by lifting my foot and shoving him backwards.
He landed with a rather annoyed sound, but maintained his sword easily catching the blow I thought would get me the win. "Careful, yer becoming more pirate like every minute." He grinned with an almost sly twinkle in his dark eyes and easily used my momentum to send me backwards and got back to his feet. "I've toyed long enough."
"Oh crap." Jack without warning started sending more blows my way then I could manage, he easily had me and I knew it. To prove his point I soon saw my sword go sliding across the deck and stop at Marty's feet, he glanced between us for a moment and leaned down walking over with my sword in hand. I thanked him putting my sword away and gave Jack a look I hoped would wipe the smirk off his face, but it failed and I received a mock bow for the trouble. He put away his sword seeing the deck start to return to a normal state and wrapped an arm loosely around my shoulders.
"Don't look so miserable love…ye know the idea appealed to yer sense of adventure." I knew my face was crimson and pretended to concentrate on the boards at my feet. "Bloody pirate." I refused to look up and kept my eyes fixated on the deck at my feet. "It's late, come along love…" his breath was again on my ear. "Ye can always try the ropes on me later." That got him an elbow to the gut and me promptly stalking off to the cabin.
I was red enough, why did he have to keep pushing. I ignored my amused smile slowly crossing my lips and walked over to my things pulling out an oversized long knee length nightgown and crawled into bed. I had no idea why I bothered, but I knew Jack had actually beat me in his own pirate fashion and sometimes really hated when he had a point. I rolled away hearing the door open and listened intently to his movements, I heard him humming a familiar tune while mumbling the words at various points. Slowly I felt movement beside me and rolled meeting amused dark eyes, as threatened he had rope in hand and caught my wrist before I had a chance to protest; not like I wanted to protest really anyway.
I ignored the gentle push of my shoulder and rolled over burying my head under the blankets, there was no way after last night he was getting me up early. "He should know better." I felt a small smile cross my face before attempting to go back to sleep.
--Jack's POV--
He studied the stubborn lump beside him and smiled, there was no way he was getting her up without a lot more effort then he felt like putting in at the moment. Jack glanced out the window of his cabin and yawned drowsily, he had to make his morning rounds before Gibbs come knocking on the cabin door. "I suppose I could let her sleep in a bit." He glanced back down at Blair and made one more attempt to get her attention, she snorted snuggling further into the bed. "Right…that answers that then." He stood from bed and started dressing; cautiously he stuck his head out of his cabin expecting Elizabeth to be waiting to again lecture his intentions with her best friend.
Out on deck he proceeded to do his usual morning routine and smiled slightly at Gibb's curious expression. "Morning mate…things seem to be going well." He noticed Elizabeth was glaring at him furiously but ignored her. "How long before Tortuga?"
"Another day or so Captain." Jack nodded satisfied that things were running fairly well that morning and considered returning to rest a bit longer. "Ye wan me to keep things in order captain?" he smiled; Gibbs was apparently reading his expression at the moment.
"Aye Gibbs." He ignored Elizabeth's deadly gaze and started back down to his cabin. "Ye know Will; she keeps that up she might hurt herself." Will glanced at his fiancé and noticed the dark expression on her face. Before Will had the chance to retort Jack vanished into his cabin.
--Original POV--
I was aware of Jack settling back down into bed and felt an arm loosely drape around my waist pulling me close to him. "Hah…even he's lazy today." I yawned tiredly and went back to sleep. I wasn't sure how much later, but I become aware of a gentle sensation against my neck and reluctantly opened my eyes. I rolled over and met an amused dark gaze seeing he had finally managed to get me awake. "No fair." Unfortunately his grin was catching and I offered a smile in turn.
"I had a feeling that might get ye awake." I made a frustrated noise, but he was right in this case. "It's nearly noon love…time to go out on deck."
"Still too early and it's your fault I'm tired Jack Sparrow." I shifted slightly in bed making myself comfortable.
Jack stood dressing and studied me for a minute. "Captain…and as I recall ye didn't complain last night." I groaned pulling the blankets over my face; again I could feel the redness seeping into my face. "Up…or I may have a way to persuade ye."
I smiled removing the blanket from my face. "Don't make promises that will keep you detained from your crew and captaining the ship." He chuckled at that before strapping on his effects and observing me. "I'll be up in a minute." He nodded disappearing leaving me to my own means of dragging out of bed.
I got up cleaning up and pulled on a pale blue tunic with a pair of tan pants, I ran my hairbrush through my hair and started out the door only to smack into Elizabeth. "Oh great! Here it comes." I frowned slightly already seeing that familiar look in her eyes and stifled a groan. I turned ignoring her and started up to the deck, but she caught my arm refusing to let me go.
I met that familiar honey gaze and sighed in defeat. "You have to say goodbye Blair…he isn't the right man for you, he's a pirate, cares for nothing but himself unless it suits him. I won't let you get hurt and I forbid you to spend any more time with him. Take your things back to Anna-Maria's cabin…and don't bother hanging around him." She started up to the deck ignoring the dark gaze that followed her.
"Elizabeth." My voice was just barely an audible hiss; she turned meeting my dark gaze. "You can't order me around…I will do what I want, don't pretend to understand me…as much as I adore having you as my friend…" I saw her eyes widen slightly at the tone in my voice. "I will choose whom I want to be with, and it won't be James Norrington." I slowly walked by her trying to avoid exploding with her, I was having considerable difficulty maintaining my temper at the moment.
"He can't come into Port Royal…you have no choice but to say goodbye." That was all it took, I turned coming within inches of her smirking face.
"I don't have to do anything. You are my dearest friend Elizabeth, but you've changed and it's very hard for me to respect you at all anymore." I immediately took off running to the main deck.
Once I was outside I saw Jack at the helm, but continued to sprint until I got to the back of the ship, I sat down leaning against the railing and stared up at the pale blue sky. The sun was warm against my face, the air slowly caressing my hair and senses. "She is going to push me over the edge, why can't she understand me anymore?" I heard steps and looked up seeing Will had apparently come to talk with me. "Big brother wannabe." I offered him a small smile before closing my eyes and leaning back again. He hesitantly sat down beside me and waited for me to relax and explain what was going on. He already had a very good idea what was going on, and hated being in the middle but he was the only one capable of keeping the peace at the moment.
Finally deciding it was safe he spoke. "Elizabeth did it again I take it." I nodded frowning thoughtfully and finally meeting his concerned eyes. "I know she will tell me her side, what is yours?"
"She won't let me be happy is all Will. I've tried to explain to her I am not a porcelain doll, I don't like Norrington…why the hell would I marry the man? She keeps rubbing in the fact that I have to say goodbye to Jack, who says I do? I know ways around this situation and if he's willing to make an attempt then I am too." I grumbled crossly resting on my knees in defeat; my best friend had become my worst obstacle to happiness.
"I heard Jack threw her for a loop…" he stopped immediately not sure if he should share what happened between Elizabeth and Jack for sure. "…he said something that she never expected." I smiled slightly and nodded. "He told you?" I nodded again, actually I had heard but he didn't need to go telling Elizabeth that. "I never thought I would say this, but maybe Jack is capable of doing as he told her." I met his dark eyes seeing a small twinkle within them. "I wonder how his fans would feel if they knew you may have tamed him?"
"I didn't…he wants to try, it doesn't mean he will actually change." This is when I saw that familiar concerned look come into the picture. "Will…I know what I'm getting into, I also know that I can very well get hurt, but for once I don't care. I need to take this risk." He nodded understanding and sighed again.
"You are still the most stubborn between you and Elizabeth." I giggled watching him stand and walk off returning back to his work.
I wasn't entirely sure when I dozed off, but I felt an odd poking sensation beside me and jumped glancing over. Jack sat there beside me with a triumphant smirk on his face, chuckling when I narrowed my eyes at him and reached over pulling his hat down. He adjusted his hat back into place and observed my amused expression, before he stood offering me his hand.
"You're full of it…so I'm declining." I leaned back against the railing and closed my eyes, I heard an amused sound before feeling his hands lock around my wrists and easily pull me to my feet. "Pirate." He shrugged before making a show of swaggering off waiting for me to follow after.
I followed after him and on up to the wheel of the ship. I studied him for a minute watching him talk with Gibbs briefly, before he noticed me standing there with a confused expression on my face. I felt him gently grip my wrist and pull me over to the side of the ship, I had a feeling he heard the little spat between Elizabeth and myself, or at least heard about it. I leaned on the railing thoughtfully waiting for him to say whatever was on his mind, unfortunately he always seemed to have a way of surprising me the more I got to know him.
"Lizzie got on yer nerves again…I was coming back to make sure you didn't go back to sleep and heard it." I shrugged meeting that dark gaze. "Ye be stubborn I'll give ye that much…as much as I hate to admit it, Lizzie has a point…I can't come into Port Royal." I suddenly got a sinking feeling that Elizabeth had finally penetrated Jacks optimism and waited for the 'goodbye' to come. "The good Commodore isn't exactly thrilled with me, but it doesn't mean I don't have my ways around him and the fact we have to take ye back to Port Royal. The crew is very good at keeping the Pearl hidden. Once we get back…I may have a plan to see ye off and on, until we figure something out." I allowed the breath I was holding to slowly escape, I was very glad he wouldn't let her get to him that quickly.
I noticed an amused smirk slowly creeping across his face and knew he had purposely tried to make me worry. "You are so dead Jack." Before I realized what I was doing I bolted after a highly amused Jack, running full tilt across the deck and very annoyed he was easily keeping ahead of me. "PIRATE!"
