Hello! Here we have Chapter 37.

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Chapter XXXVII.

Insanity.

For the second time that night, Jack found himself frozen, and then hesitantly turning around to look at Del.

'What was that?' He asked, and Grace immediately felt uncomfortable with this.

She knew Jack wanted to find the Fountain, but was running into trouble.

Now, here Del was, claiming he could help him find it. A part of her didn't want Jack to search for the Fountain at all, but what she most definitely did not want was Del helping him find it.

She didn't even know the man, but she most certainly did not trust him.

'I said, I can help you find the Fountain.' Del repeated, as he closed the distance that Jack had made as he turned away.

Jack narrowed his eyes, 'How?'

Del grinned, stopping as he finally came in front of Jack and Grace.

'The reason you can't find the Fountain is because you only have the map that leads you to the island where it is, isn't it?' He didn't wait for Jack to answer. 'Well, I just happen to have the map for the land. Meaning it can lead you to the Fountain once you get to the island.'

As he explained this, a grin started to grow on Jack's lip and the arm around Grace's shoulder started to tense excitedly.

'I don't wish to talk about this in the open, but meet me at my ship in one hour and we shall talk about it then.'

Jack took his arm away from Grace's shoulder, and extended it towards Del.

Del reached out and grasped it, giving it one firm shake.

'And do feel free to bring your lovely lady.' Del said, giving Grace a smile and a wink.

It took every single shred of her will power not to roll her eyes.

She was too busy concentrating on controlling her eyes, that she nearly jumped when she felt Jack place a protective arm around her shoulder again.

'See you then, Del.' Jack replied, turning with Grace to head back to the Black Pearl.

'Bonjour.' Del called after them, and Grace finally allowed herself the eye roll she had been fighting for so long.

They had walked in silence back to the Black Pearl, and Grace didn't exactly care about that. She was just content to be walking with Jack, his arm still around her shoulder, pulling her tight against his side.

When they reached the cabin, she decided to change her dress. She had dressed up for her meeting with Jack's father, but it was the most uncomfortable dress she owned. And with it only being Del they were going to visit, she would willingly trade looks for comfort.

She pulled out a dress from her trunk, and moved over to the side cabin to remove her dress.

As soon as she was behind the divider, and was finally out of her dress, she asked, 'How do you know him anyway?'

Jack had been watching her since they entered the cabin with a grin on his lips. He moved over to his desk, grabbing the map he had for the Fountain and stuffing it into his pocket, before lifting a bottle of rum and taking a sip.

He answered, 'We grew up together. Every now and then, I help him get out of trouble. And he helps me as well, though that's much less often.'

'Oh,' she answered softly, as she loosened the strings on her corset. 'And what's up with the fake French accent?'

'Haven't a clue.' He answered, taking another sip from his rum. He moved to sit in his chair, and looked over at the side cabin. 'He didn't do it when we were kids, and didn't do it for a time when we were adults. Then, suddenly, when I saw him again, he thought he could talk French and thought he had French routes.'

She pulled on her dress, and after she had laced it up, she emerged from the side cabin.

'How do you just suddenly think you've got French routes?' She asked, walking back over to her trunk to pull out a shawl, it was getting chilly and she thought she would need it.

'He's crazy. That's all I can say.'

She giggled as she pulled the shawl around her shoulders, before she walked over to the desk and stood next to him.

'So, what do you think he'll say when we get there?' She asked, as she grabbed the rum bottle from his hand, and took a hesitant sip from it. It had been a while since she had drank it, and the liquid burned her throat again, worse than it normally would.

'Bloody hell.' She said, her voice rough as she cleared her throat and handed it back to him.

He let out a loud laugh, and took it from her.

'Don't laugh.' She admonished, swatting his arm playfully. 'I haven't drank it in ages; I'm not like you, I don't drink it like it's water.'

He didn't argue with that, and he just grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto his lap.

She didn't leave that position until they were ready to head to Derek's ship.

One hour later, Jack and Grace emerged from the cabin, ready to go to Del's ship to discuss the terms to this deal.

Grace tightened the shawl around her shoulders, and crossed her arms over her chest.

'Jack?' She started, as they made their way down the docks, trying to find the right ship.

'Aye?' He replied, turning his head slightly to look at her, before he turned back to the ships, trying to remember what the hell his ship was called.

'Let's try and not take too long, right?' She said, not really in the mood to spend more than the time necessary.

'Of course, we'll see what his terms are, and see what deal we can make, then we'll go.' He replied, and Grace had to bite her lip in order to stop herself from replying.

From telling him that she didn't want him to make a deal with him; that she didn't want him searching for the Fountain. But she knew she couldn't tell him what to do. They barely had a relationship, and she knew if she turned into one of those women who tried to order her man about, it would just turn Jack away from her. And she knew she couldn't stand that thought.

The things we do for love, eh, Gracey? A voice whispered in her head, and she unconsciously tightened her arms around her chest.

'Ah, here we are.' Jack said, pulling Grace from her thoughts.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and led her aboard the large galleon, the wood painted blue and yellow, clear signs that it used to be a naval vessel. She didn't have time to check the stern of the ship and see what the name was.

'Jack,' Del's very fake French voice greeted them, and once again, Grace suddenly had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. She had a feeling if they made a deal, she'd be doing that every day until they found the Fountain.

'Del.' Jack replied, before following him into the cabin, taking Grace with him.

He instantly made himself comfortable, sitting down on the edge of the desk and looking to Del expectantly.

Derek didn't waste any time, 'I want to drink from the Fountain as well.'

Jack grinned. 'Thought as much.'

'What will happen is I'll follow you on my ship to the island, and then when we get to the island, you'll follow me on the land. Once we get to the Fountain, we can take a drink, and then we part ways. Nothing else to do; no more attachments.'

'That's all?'

'Oui.' He replied, and Grace bit the inside of her mouth, before turning her head and rolling her eyes. She couldn't hold it back.

Mainly because she knew Jack would agree to this. She could see it in his eyes. He wasn't about to say no.

Jack looked at his nails, pretending to think about this for a few minutes, leaving Del feeling tense, waiting for a reply to his proposition.

Finally, Jack looked up from his nails, and extended his hand for Del to shake.

'We have an accord.'

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