A/N: I hope you guys had a great Christmas and a happy new year! I was in a writing mood so I bring you chapter seventeen, and there is more to come. Go on now… read the chapter. *Shoos readers toward the new chapter with her hands* Go now. ^-~
Chapter 17: Finding Jack
Kat was hit in the shoulder with the heavy hand of the now sober captain. She fluttered her eyes open careful so that none of the sunlight would enter into them. The captain gave her a smug look and nodded to the doorway of her small cabin. Kat nodded her head and slowly got up, gathering her bag that she used as a pillow the night before. It was bad enough that she had to sleep in a tiny room that wasn't even fit for a cabin boy, but she nothing to sleep on, which meant she had to do with what she had.
The captain prodded at her again as her eyes began to slowly close and open as if she was going back to sleep. She ran her fingers through her hair a bit and waved at the captain's hand. He nodded down to her and left the small room. Kat tied her bandana back around her hair and noticed that now that the captain was sober, he didn't talk much at all. He would mutter a few words and phrases, but other than that he kept his mouth shut. She rubbed her back to get out any of the kinks that may have settled in during the night and slung her semi-heavy bag over her shoulder.
Outside most of the crew was already halfway down the pier and Kat thought that was better. They had no idea that she was even on the ship. The captain had agreed to keep her presence on the boat quite in exchange for a few of the golden candleholders that Harriet had 'barrowed' from Arthur Benikins for Kat's journey. It was one of the only ways to pay for the trip as the captain finally sobered up and asked her why she was on his ship as soon as they set sail. Even though she had to pay for the trip she rather liked the sober version of the captain in comparison to his drunken, 'rainbow monkey' raving self.
She gives the captain a wave of the hand as she exits the boat, seeing that in fact Darla had a good judge of character when the captain gave her back one of the three candleholders she gave him in payment for her crossing. She smiled and thanked the man as she walked down the pier toward the harsh streets of Tortuga.
The port of Tortuga was just as the one before. The port's men followed every woman with interest, for they were in search of pleasure, especially if they were docked in here. Men followed Kat some even stepped in her way asking how much. Kat looked at each and everyone with disgust and just pushed them out of her way, saying that she was taken for the night. Thankfully, that was all that had to be said for the majority of the pirates as they moved on to the next pretty thing on two legs. Some needed a little more persuasion and Kat had to bring her new dagger from inside her boot. They would eventually back off soon after that.
Kat passed many corners and alleyways until she passed a very familiar corner and very familiar wall. She went over to the wall a discovered that there were still some scratch marks all over the surface. Of course, what should she expect in a port like this, hardly anyone cleans up. She put her fingertips over the harsh surface and traced the paths that her fingernails had made so many months ago. She smirked to herself, unable to contain a small giggle that escaped from her lips. Remembering that night that Jack had come to her rescue was nearly overwhelming to her. She remembered how he came out of nowhere, grabbed her, ran like heck and then took her aboard the Pearl thinking he was getting some reward money.
Then it occurred to her the first time since she had arrived. She was there to search for Jack. Hopefully he wouldn't be very far away, if he was even at the port at all. She sighed to herself and walked toward the other side of port were most of the boat traffic comes and goes. Maybe if the Pearl was to come in, or already has, she could find what she was looking for.
"I'll find you Jack," she whispered under her breath walking through the streets, "No matter what it takes, I will find you."
***
Jack watched the other ships float silently in the harbor of Tortuga as his Pearl stood out above all the rest. He had taken the less used harbor toward the back of Tortuga. He wanted to keep a low profile since he had yet again escaped from certain death. Even though Tortuga was a relatively safe port for pirates, there have been some circumstances where some authorities have caught a few pirates wanted in the Tortuga utopia.
Jack took a huge intake of air as he looked away from the land and toward the horizon heading toward Port Royal. His crew had gone to shore, including Anamaria, but Jack had decided to stay on board for just a while longer. Sure, he had said he needed to think, which usually he was set on a full night of his favorite beverage, but he had taken time to actually stopped to actually think and ponder over the situation.
He took off his hat and turned it over in his hands, then placed back on his head. He gave another sigh, took a walk on the main deck, checking various sails and then found himself standing at the helm of the ship. He looked to his side leaning a little on the solid wood in front of him.
'Captain, are you so certain you know what you are doing?'
A voice spoke out to him. It seemed so distant, so far away. It came from somewhere he couldn't reach, somewhere in his mind tucked securely away. He knew it was a memory of her, and in one way didn't want to think of her, but in another way he could do nothing but think of her.
He bowed his head and gave a low chuckle to himself, "Ye know, I don' really know if I know wha' I be doin'. Yer probably still waiting fer me aren't ye?"
He looked up at the setting sun, "But it can't be. I can't go back fer ye. A pirate can't do a thing such as luv. I can't give me heart to one woman. I jus' can't."
Tearing his eyes away from the sun, he thought over what he had just stated and couldn't believe that it came from his mouth. He couldn't say those things. It was already too late. He was in love, he did care, and he did want to go back. He formed a fist with his hand and hit the dark wood of the banister. He closed his eyes shut and walked from the helm and off the ship.
It was time for his usual way of thinking and for a giant tankard that had his name on it.
***
Kat searched the busy harbor for any signs of Jack, the Black Pearl or of the crew. The ship couldn't be found in the calming waves of the Caribbean and none of the crewmembers could be found in the sea of people walking on and off the soft sands of the beach. She got up from the soft sand, brushed off her bum and walked back toward the inner part of the port. Sure she would run into more of the men, but she had new ways of dealing with them. The least she could do is check the bars, and if that didn't show any results she could always check into a motel. She probably would be kept up all night, but it would be better than hiding in a small crawl space in another ship. Plus, she had the money.
The many taverns she visited that night were much like the ones that she had been into with Jack. She even found the one that she ran into shouting a few words then running back out of when she was first trapped in a tight spot. She didn't find the dashing, dark stranger in the back in the tri-corner hat as she did the first night she came to Tortuga, but she lingered a little just watching the memory replay in her mind. She sat down, actually took time to look around, see a few fights ensue, a few more tables being turned, grabbed a small drink and then left. She may not be partial to rum, but she had a hard time saying no to some good wine. And truth be told, some Tortuga taverns had some great quality wine.
After a few more looks into a few taverns down the streets Kat finds a small motel that was better than what all the others seemed. She made her way into what had to be the lobby and went to the woman at the front desk. Kat sat down her bag next to the long desk, but made sure that it was fastened securely around her leg just in case any passing by wouldn't be temped. She didn't spend all that time with pirates and not learn a thing or two.
"Excuse me," Kat got the woman's attention, "I need a room for the night."
The woman was stout and a little too old to be in the same business as the other women outside. Her hair was turning gray and her eyes were magnified a little by her small glasses that kept slipping down her nose.
She cleared her throat and pushed the glasses up to the top of her nose, "Will any be joinin' ye? 'Cause if tha' be the case, we're out of rooms, missy."
"Thank ye Gretchen," a tall looking pirate came up to the counter with his arm over a smaller woman, both of which seemed at least half drunk, "The room was great."
"No problem," the older woman took the keys as the pirate and his woman stumbled out of the lobby, "It looks as if we 'ave an openin'."
"Oh no," Kat said pushing the keys to the now unoccupied room back to the woman. She dug into her pockets that she had sewn into the pants while on her time on the Silver Maiden and pulled out a few shillings, "It will just be me. I just need to find a place to sleep."
"Ah, in tha' case, we 'ave plenty 'o rooms," the woman jumped out from behind the counter picked up another key and led the way down a tight hall, "Follow me."
Kat followed her to a small, yet comfortable room that held a canopy bed and still had enough room for a dresser and a small bathroom connected at the side, "This will be just fine, thank you."
Kat handed the woman the shillings and she smiled, "Ye know, ye gave me too much."
"It's strange to me that you would be that honest," Kat said truthfully, "But no matter, you keep the change, I won't be needing it for much more."
"Thank ye, lass," the woman was about to shut the door as Kat stared out the window, but then stopped short, "Ye know…"
Kat looked away from the window with a bit of confusion on her face as the woman continued, "With this extra, ye are fine to bring another in if ye like."
Kat smirked at the woman because she caught her drift, "Thank you for the offer, but I don't think that I will find the man I'm looking for tonight."
"Well, ye possibly will tomorrow, aye?"
"Possibly," Kat whispered as the woman closed the door, leaving the key on the small side table.
Kat put a few of her items next to her bedside, thinking that they may bring some comfort in the night. She smiled when she pulled out the wanted poster of Jack and the small note/picture that Dena had written for her before she had died. She put both of them in a drawer inside the small table next to the bed. After unloading the items that she wanted out for the moment she fell onto her bed and closed her eyes for a few moments. Even if she tried she couldn't fall asleep at the moment, although God knew that her body needed it. The night that she spent on the other ship in that tight confinement called a room didn't let her find anything near to sleep.
"Jack, is tha' ye?!"
Kat popped her eyes open as she heard a woman from down below squeal with excitement. Her breathing began to increase and she fumbled to find her footing as she scurried to the window. Down below she saw a scantily dressed woman with red hair running over to a dark figure at the corner of the street below. Kat followed the woman's pathway and found something.
It was Jack! He was there in Tortuga!
Kat pushed herself away from the window, grabbed the keys to her room and ran out of the motel as fast as her legs could carry her. She wasn't going to lose him now, not when she is so close. She pushed past others who were on their way to their rooms and hopped over some packages that where stuffed in the hallway before loaded into the next open room. She flung open the front door of the motel and looked into the street. There he was, standing on the street corner with a thin woman yelling in his face.
"Wha' ye mean ye be taken?" her face almost turned as red as her hair.
"Sorry 'bout tha' Scarlet," Jack said apologetically, "But I 'ave some thin's to figure out and I ain't goin' to mess anything up tha' may be worth while."
Kat smiled at Jack. Maybe he did still hold his feelings for her. Maybe not, but there was only one way to find out. Inside she had a rush of emotions. Sadness had diminished to a near insignificant amount, happiness was near half and then the other half was pretty darn close to rage.
'I mean, how do you leave the only woman that loves you to no end on a beach in a society such as that? He might as well have marooned me!' Kat stood back for a moment or two though. She wanted to see where his conversation with this 'Scarlet' was going.
"Tha's silly Jack. Ye know tha' no woman could ever give ye wha' ye need but me," Scarlet flirted with him and batted her eyes, "I did apologize about tha' slap I gave ye a few years ago after all."
"Ye think it matters to me?" Jack said taking her hands off his chest, "Look, I tell ye, I ain't interested. I'm taken. At least, until I figure some thins out."
Scarlet huffed at him and then walked down the road with her nose in the air. In a strange way she reminded Kat of Tula with a dull colored dress on. Jack shook his head and started to walk toward Kat. He kept his head down and almost walked right past her. She wasn't about to let him get off that easy.
"And you aren't even going to say how are you?" Kat asked as he walked by.
He picked up his head and turned around, surprised to see her standing there. He took a few steps toward her, squinted his eyes just to make sure it was really her. Then in the lowest voice that Kat ever heard coming from his mouth he asked, "Kat?"
She tilted her head to one side stepped up to him and looked him straight in the eyes. She let a small, sly smile play on her lips until she slapped him hard across the face.
"That's for leaving me!" she yelled at him. Some men looked in their direction, shrugged their shoulders and turned back to their own business.
He held his face, quite shocked then shook himself out of it. His face grew from confusion to a bit of anger, "Katerina, why are ye 'ere? I though' I told ye to stay in Port Royal."
"Indeed you did," Kat said keeping her eye contact and went to answer his previous question, "I followed you as well as I could. By the way, Darla sends her hello."
"But why are ye 'ere?" his voice growing lower.
"You once asked me a question quite a while ago, before the jail cell. Do you remember? We were standing out on deck watching the sunrise and I think at that time you knew what I had only recently figured out. You asked me why I would care for a pirate, much less a pirate captain. I told you maybe it was the same reason that you had saved me all those times where you could have left me to die. But now… I have a definite answer for you."
Jack started to shift his feet, but stayed quiet to hear the explanation. Kat took a breath in and continued, "I don't know what to describe it as. There is nothing that can describe it. But…"
"Kat, it's- ye shouldn't be 'ere!" he started to turn away down the street when she took after him and grabbed him by the arm causing him to turn back toward her.
"I had to follow you!" Kat said, not yet pleading. She was too built up on rage to go into a pleading bargain.
"Why is tha'?" Jack looked down at her face, "Give me one good reason ye would disobey a direct order from yer captain."
"Because I am in love with you, Jack Sparrow!" she screamed at him. She could feel the warm, salt water of tears stinging her face, "Beside I did not disobey you."
He grabbed his arm away from her grip and backed her up against the wall, "I told ye not to leave Port Royal until ye had forgotten wha' 'appened between us."
She pushed off the wall and back into his face, "Tell me Captain," she started, "How can you forget something that you don't completely understand?"
"Wha' are ye goin' on about now?"
"What did happen between us, Jack?" Kat folded her arms in front of her chest, "I don't really understand what I was to forget."
"Nothing happened."
"Than there is nothing to forget," Kat said, "I followed you because I know and understand that I love you to no end. That's why I didn't stay in Port Royal, that is why I am here now, and that is why I came to find you. To say to your face that I bloody love you!"
Jack squinted at her words. At last Kat thought she had gotten through to him in some small way. She lowered her breathing rate to normal, taking deep breaths and watching his face for any information on what he was thinking.
"Ye should be marryin' the captain," he muttered with his eyes still closed shut.
"I shouldn't be marrying anyone but you," Kat said exasperated.
"Luv, it's more complicated than tha'," Jack picked his head up to look at her again, "I will never become one of ye."
"What do you mean, one of me?"
"One of ye meanin', one of yer society. One of yer high class!" he threw his hands up in the air in one of his flamboyant fashions and looked at her, "I'm a pirate, luv! I won't become anythin' more than tha'! I can't provide fer ye like the dear captain can. I will never be able to walk ye down the streets of high society. Yer papa would never give ye away to me-"
"Damn my father!" Kat interrupted, "My father… there is no such man! He disowned me, Jack. I cannot go back even if I wanted to!"
"Wha'?" Jack looked up a little concerned at the new developments.
"I ran… from the alter no less!" it was Kat's turn to use her arms and hands to illustrate the point, "I was walking down that carpeted walkway and… I found that I couldn't do it. There was no way. My heart belongs to someone else who belongs out on the sea. Where I belong!"
"No ye don', Kat!"
"If I did marry him I would never experience sailing on a boat again! I would never feel the sweet sea breeze on my face. I would sit inside a house and possibly look over the ocean once in a while. But that would be it. That's not what I wanted. I wanted you," she turned back to him.
"Tha' still don' explain clearly why ye can't go back," Jack pointed out.
"It does that and so much more if you actually think about it," Kat said leaning on the side of the building they were standing next to, "The only thing that I left out is the fact that I'm being charged with piracy. By my own father no less. Although, I am no longer a part of his family, so why should he care about charging a stranger with piracy?"
"And ye really think tha's goin' to make a difference on how I feel?" Kat looked up at him and for the first time during their discussion she had tears in her eyes, "I can't luv ye like ye want me to."
"Of course you can," Kat tried to keep the tears from chocking up her voice, but it was no use, "Jack… you… when I look at you it's so different. The things that you've done for me: the rescuing, keeping me from falling off the boat. Everything that you do… it just seems like you care."
"I do care fer ye, but I don' think its in the way ye wan' me to. A pirate can't luv, Kat."
"I would think that the fact that I cared would be a good enough reason."
"When will ye realize I can't be like one of ye?"
"What is one of me!?" she come close to him and let the tears flow wildly, "I have no last name anymore! I have nothing. That is why I came after you. I thought there was at least one thing that I could hang on to. From what you are saying I guess I'm wrong."
"Aye… I guess ye are," he turns away so not to show a glint in his eye of an on coming tear.
From across the street more of Jack's old friends wave at him and call out his name. Kat looked over and saw that all of them happened to be women and all of them happened to be either bar maids or a street corner decoration.
"Sounds like your fans want you," Kat said with a taste of disgust, "Before you send me off, answer me this question. Did you ever once love me? When we kissed in the jail cell, when we shared all those sunrises? You cannot tell me that all that was just… just make believe."
"Can't answer tha'," Jack whispered.
"I guess this is good-bye then," Kat choked.
"Why don't ye just go back to yer own world and leave me be?"
Kat was taken back a little by his words, but then a determined face appeared on her features, "Fine! Maybe I should just go back to Port Royal and see if they would hang a woman such as myself. What I left for… what I searched for all this time doesn't seem to be there anymore."
She couldn't control herself any longer as she turned and ran down the street back toward the motel where she had rented the room for the night. Jack turned back around and watched as she turned the corner and entered a building at the corner. He looked down at the ground and started to rethink everything.
'She traveled and fough' all this way jus' to be with me…' he made a fist with both hands, 'How can I just push her away like tha'?'
As he turned around the group of women who were waving at him from across the street swamps him.
"So, 'ho was the girl with no luck?" one of them asked as she wrapped her arms around Jack's neck.
He immediately took them from around his neck and followed after Kat's path. He pushed the rest of them out of the way as he tried to walk as brisk as he could into the same building that Kat had disappeared into a few seconds earlier. The women looked at him with quizzical looks upon their faces.
"Wha' be his problem?" the same one asked.
"Forget 'em," another one replied, "We 'ave other boys to worry 'bout."
All of them soon disappeared into the crowd to meet some of their other customers.
Jack followed the stairs up to the second story where he knew there were only single bedrooms, since he had spent a few lonely nights in Tortuga. He knocked on the only door that was actually closed, knowing exactly who was in it.
"Kat! Open up, luv!" he called through the wood.
He heard some footsteps from inside and knew that they were coming toward the door, "Oh love now, is it?! Make up your bloody mind Jack Sparrow! Either way, you won't have me to slow down your life any longer! I'm leaving!"
"And jus' where do ye think yer goin'?" he asked worry apparent in his words, "Ye can't go back to Port Royal."
"Just watch me!" he listened close to the door to hear drawers being opened and something being torn in two and falling to the floor, "You are the most selfish, egotistical, and… and horrible man I have ever met!"
"And yet ye still luv me," Jack said against the door.
Kat came up to the other side of the door and started to speak in an enraged voice, "I don't know what to think any more, Sparrow! I flee from the only family I have left, fight off a man who wanted me to love him and go through I don't know how many ports on my way here! Okay, it was only one, but still for an unescorted female such as myself it is very dangerous! All to be with you and you push me away like I'm a plague."
"If it's any consolation, luv, ye are far from one," Jack sat right outside the door, "And ye ain't goin' back to Port Royal."
"What makes you so sure?" Kat asked wiping the tears and anything else that was on her face with a tissue.
"I'm sittin' righ' outside yer door and it is a far drop out the window. There is no way on earth or in 'ell tha' I'm lettin' ye go to get killed."
"Well too late for that Jack," Kat hissed through the door, "I'm already as good as dead."
"I'm sorry," Jack said making Kat stop dead in her tracks on the other side of the door.
"What?"
"I said, I'm sorry fer wha' I said," Jack took a deep breath, "I said those thins to ye because I… I'm scared I will lose ye again. I am afraid tha' someone will take ye and I won't be able to get ye back. I don' wan' tha' to 'appen."
Kat sat on the other side of the door listening, "Then why did you leave me behind?"
"It was the only way I though' I could keep ye safe to tell ye the truth," Jack blurted, "I didn't know wha' else to do."
"You could have asked me."
"No, I couldn't 'ave," Jack said smirking.
"Why not?"
"Ye were workin' on me escape plans," he heard silence on the other side of the door, "I know yer smilin' Kat."
"How are you so sure?"
"I 'ave the same feeling in me stomach tha' I 'ave each time ye smile fer me."
"That doesn't sound like the Jack Sparrow I know."
"Maybe because ye've never 'eard tha' I luv ye," Jack looked up at the ceiling of the hallway, "More than anythin' in this world. I was jus' scared and confused."
He got up when he heard the door start to unlock. He stood in front of the door and tried to straighten out his jacket. The door opened to reveal Kat in a near pitiful state. Her bandana was to one side and her eyes were a little bloodshot all ready. She looked up at him with a mad expression, mixed with a little bit of hope.
"Why?"
"A pirate isn't suppose to luv, luv," he shrugged his shoulders.
"This pirate is suppose to," Kat walked forward and wrapped her arms around his waist in one swift motion. She leaned against him and nearly crashed her lips into his. He was surprised, but took her in his arms all the same and held her close, deepening the kiss for both. After a few moments they broke apart and Kat looked into his eyes.
"So what is between us now?"
"Somethin' tha' can never be broken, luv," he smiled and leaned down to kiss her again.
She gladly accepted and they both smiled against each other's lips. Jack began to walk forward and Kat led him into her room. After he was out of the hall Jack kicked the door shut and it was locked.
A/N: Whew! Go me! Chapter 17 and all in one night, too. Sorry if there are any errors, it is almost one in the morning and I don't feel like checking it over again. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know, I know… it's sappy, but I warned ya in my first author's note. Anyway please review. And remember I have three more chapters to come your way before it is totally finished! So I have3 a few more twists to add. ;) I hope you like. The last chapters will be up real soon, I promise. Until then!
^-~ Ana