Chapter 18: To Kill a Pirate, You must Have Bait
Kat squeezed her eyes tight as the sun flowed through the thin curtains of her room and onto her face. She pushed her face further into the soft pillow beneath her head and let out a small moan of protest. She took a deep breath and felt pressure across her waist. She opened her eyes a little and looked down where her left arm was resting on top of someone else's. She looked at the side table and saw her bandana with some rings on top of it. An old looking, brown hat was hanging over one of the unlit oil lamps that was on her side of the bed.
She grabbed the hand and noticed the black half glove that was on it. She smiled to herself and let the hand rest back on her waist. She intertwined her fingers with the fingers of the hand and scooted back into the other person occupying the bed. She closed her eyes as the other person let out a groan and held her closer to them. Kat felt his breath on the back of her neck and decided in a position like this, she couldn't go back to sleep. Plus, she had to figure out how late in the day it was.
Kat turned over to face Jack. His eyes were still closed and he was breathing in a slow and rhythmic fashion. Kat stroked the side of his face and placed a small kiss on his lips. She watched as a smirk grew on his face and his eyes started to open.
"Mornin' luv," Jack yawned and touched his forehead to her own. His eyes closed again as he let out a content breath.
"Good morning Jack," Kat said back, "You do realize that we have to get up, don't you?"
"Not righ' now," Jack complained pulling her toward him, "I don' wan' to get up. I don' wan' to ruin the moment."
"That's very sweet and all, but we do have to get back to the Pearl," Kat didn't make a move to get out of bed since she too was comfortable.
"No hurry," Jack said, "I told the crew tha' we wouldn't be leavin' until tonight. I wanted to do a lot 'o thinkin'."
"Still," Kat cautioned, "We have to check on you dear ship, mustn't we?"
"Aye," Jack opened his eyes and gave Kat a kiss before he scooted out from under the sheets of the bed and slung his feet over the side, "Ye know fer bein' in Tortuga, ye got a very good room."
"And you would know," Kat said from the bed watching him search for his boots. He still didn't have a shirt on and his jacket was still yet to be found in the small room. His makeshift belt of a rope tied loosely around his waist held up his pants as he searched. She found it quite amusing as he walked around, trying to keep his head straight. If he was 'thinking' as he said he was last night he must be having at least a small headache, "Aren't you going to change out of those pants? You wore them yesterday, didn't you?"
"Aye I did," Jack said smiling back at her, "And wha's the problem?" He came over to the side of the bed and pushed his face in hers, "Besides me other clothes are in me cabin aboard the Pearl."
"Good point," Kat said, arching brow. Jack didn't take his eyes from her face and she smiled awkwardly, "What?"
"Yer wearin' me shirt, luv. I'll be needin' it back unless ye wan' more of me fans to come after me," Jack said in a smart tone.
Kat looked down and did notice that she had his tan shirt on. She blushed a little as she smiled, "Right."
Kat got up hurried into the bathroom with a clean, silk shirt and some black pants in her arms. As Jack heard her starting a bath he put on his hat and his numerous rings with a smile. Soon enough he saw Kat's bear arm holding his shirt out of the bathroom doorway.
"Jack, here," Kat called from the bathroom. He came over and grabbed his shirt from her. She closed the door without another thought and Jack stood right outside the door as if waiting for something.
After a couple of seconds he spoke up, "And ye aren't even going to wish me well?"
"Why would I?" Kat asked opening up the door with a towel around her. She leaned on the doorway, "It will take you a while to find all of your things and I'm in a desperate need of a bath."
"Jus' don' take too long," Jack said a little annoyed thinking she was going to be at least an hour.
"Well if you will let me take the bath, time wouldn't be a big problem," Kat gave him a smirk and closed the door leaving Jack to find all of his affects.
After twenty minutes Kat came out of the bathroom with her hair wet and dripping down on her shirt. She came over to Jack who was sitting at the end of the bed holding the torn wanted poster of himself. Kat came over and draped her arms around his neck from behind.
"Tha's interesting," Jack commented looking at the two pieces of the poster.
"Well I was a little upset at you last night," Kat said defending the ripped piece of paper.
"Not tha' luv, I can understand tha' it's torn, but I didn't think tha' they would put such a reward on me head," Jack said looking at the figure at the bottom, "And do I really look like tha'?"
Kat looked at the picture and turned it to the side, "True, this guy looks way more rugged and suave."
"'Ey!" Jack turned around and grabbed Kat. She laughed a little and looked up into his eyes.
"Come on, love. We got to check on your Pearl," she said still laughing and hopped out of his arms.
"Tha's me line!" he said getting up.
"Where are all my things?" Kat asked walking toward the table where only her bandana sat.
"I already packed them," Jack said gesturing toward the bag on the floor, "Ye ready?"
Kat tied the bandana around her head and nodded. Jack decided to carry her bag while she gave the key back to the woman at the front desk. The lady smiled at her and gave her a wink as Jack passed them and stood outside the door.
Jack looked down at her as she came out the door, "So, I will put yer stuff away in the Pearl and I'll meet ye in the tavern across the way in a few moments. How does tha' sound?"
"Well, where is the Pearl? I didn't see it in the harbor when I looked last night."
"Oh, it be docked in a back harbor," Jack paused and decided to take Kat along with him, "Come on then. I'll show ye."
***
After dropping off some supplies and Kat's things on the Pearl, both Jack and Kat went through Tortuga before Kat allowed Jack to get drunk at his tavern. Jack followed closely behind Kat making sure that none of the men looked at her with much interest. Although there weren't that many men out on the streets in the early afternoon, and the ones that were, were sober.
Tortuga was very different during the day. Most of the prostitutes were either still entertaining the men or fast asleep, tired from being awake all night looking for some business. The men that were walking around, although still being pirates, weren't as repulsive or as forward as their drunken halves. Kat could even bring herself to smile at some of them, although she could tell that Jack would prefer if she kept her smiling to a minimum, just in case the other men took it in a different way.
Kat dragged Jack through many shops, which she had never noticed until now. There were few dress shops and even fewer shops with anything excluding rum. Much to Kat's surprise they actually walked by a shop that sold bits of jewelry. Kat's face shined with excitement.
"Let's go in here, Jack," Kat grabbed his arm as he rolled his eyes.
"Please don' tell me it's another dress shop, luv," Jack said moping through the door. They had yet to buy something and Jack kept telling Kat that if she wanted some dresses he could always loot some in the next plunder. Kat wouldn't hear any of it and continued to drag Jack through the shops
"Nope, this one is a jewelry shop, Jack," Kat looked around at the different cases. She felt like she was her old self again. Her spirits were up, she was happy and she was window shopping like she had done with Dena and Harriet. "Oh, look at that!"
Jack smiled as he watched Kat run to and from each jewelry case until she stopped in front of the one for the rings. He leaned against one of the walls and thought to himself.
'Jus' because I luv her doesn't mean I 'ave to be dragged every which way,' he saw her face light up when one of the ladies behind the counter let her put on one of the rings, 'Although it is good to see her smile again.'
Kat gave the ring back, nodded to the woman and left the shop with Jack by her side. They walked down the rest of the row of shops, Kat looking at the different objects before they were packed up for the night. They stopped at the end of the street where the sand came up to the pavement. Jack slumped down on a box near the edge of the sand and started to take off his boots.
"Tired all ready?" Kat asked sitting beside him, looking up at the passing clouds.
"Not so much," Jack stood up with out his boots and told her to do the same, "I want to show ye somethin'."
Kat nodded, took her boots off and followed Jack down the beach. He held his boots in one hand and held her hand with the other. Soon the people started to disappear completely off the beach and they were soon on an empty section of the beach. Kat looked around and behind them to see a few signs that warned not to continue further.
"Uh, Jack? Are you sure we should be here?" she asked with a nervous tone.
"Ye scared 'o those signs?" Jack nodded his head back toward the last sign they passed. Kat nodded, "Good. I was hopin' those signs I put up would warn some people."
"You put those up?" Kat asked astonished, "I have to applaud you."
"Tha's a first," he smiled from the corner of his mouth and kept his head forward.
"Is not," Kat retorted hitting him lightly on the shoulder, "I have complimented your efforts many times."
"Name one," Jack said.
"I said that you were a great Captain in the face of great opposition," Kat said in a tone that clearly stated she was the winner of the competition.
"Yes ye did. I though' I had ye there," Jack said as they ducked their heads to fit into a small cavern. He kept a tight hold on her hand as they passed through an almost pitch black part of the cavern. Kat closed her eyes and let Jack lead the rest of the way since it seemed like a pretty flat-based cavern. He eventually stopped and Kat slowly opened her eyes.
"Oh my God," she breathed.
"I though' ye might enjoy it," Jack said sitting down on one of the rocks that looked like a chair. He gave her a huge smile and looked out of the small hole in the rock's surface.
Just outside the rock's wall there was a perfect view of the Caribbean ocean. The clear waters reflected the sun's rays and made it look like there were a dozen diamonds floating on the surface of the water. They could see a few boats that had recently departed from Tortuga in the far distance. Kat walked over to Jack and sat down next to him still quite in awe of the sight before her.
"How do you know how to find all the most beautiful sights in the world?" Kat asked snuggling close to him.
"Ye see a lot when yer out on the ocean," Jack commented, "But I didn't find the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. It found me."
Kat looked up at him and tipped her head to one side, "What would that be?"
"Well, ye were the one tha' found me were ye not?" Jack asked.
Kat let a smile grow on her face as she leaned up and kissed him on the lips. She settled back down next to him and watched the scenery out the small hole, "Jack?"
"Yes luv?"
"You love me to no end, correct?"
"We went over this last nigh', remember?" Jack asked cocking an eyebrow and shifted his eyes in her direction underneath his chin, "Yes I luv ye."
"So, when am I going to have a ring on my finger?" Kat asked picking up her left hand and looking at her undecorated ring finger.
Jack stiffened and looked at her with wide eyes, "Ye talking 'bout marriage?"
"And why not?" Kat said picking herself up and looking down at Jack who now was trying to act cool. He put his hands behind his head and tried to relax.
"Why do we need to get married?"
"Because I would like to know that I am married to the best man that I know. That I am the only woman allowed to be with him. That I am the only one that he loves."
"Ye don't need a ring to tell ye tha'."
"Well, like I said I would feel better," Kat said, "Some habits I guess you can't forget."
"Wha' ye mean?"
"Well, I was always taught that when I found someone that I would want to spend the rest of my life with, I would marry him. Then we would live happily ever after. I guess that's why I am pushing the marriage issue. Otherwise I wouldn't even mention it."
Jack pushed himself up and hugged Kat from behind placing his head on her shoulder, "I luv ye and I know ye know tha'. Maybe some day, when yer father forgets-"
"That will be the day… he never forgets," Kat said, "Forget I said anything Jack."
"If it bothers ye tha' much, luv-" Jack started with a smile.
"Don't worry about it," Kat interrupted smiling.
"No, I 'ave no problem in showin' how much I am in luv with ye," he turned her face to his and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"Well I do!" Kat and Jack snapped their heads toward the voice that rang out over the cavern. There was a tall man standing on the top ridge of the cavern above them, "Let go of her, pirate!"
"Timothy?" Kat asked incredulously as her eyes grew huge. Jack hopped up from his sitting position and stood in front of Kat, "How did he find me?"
Belstrude climbed down from the rock formation making sure that his back was never facing the two below him. He eventually hit the bottom of the formation and began to stride over to the two.
"Bad news, luv," Jack whispered to Kat behind him, "I left me cutlass and pistol on the Pearl."
"You what?" Kat asked at a low squeal. She looked around trying to find something that would be just as useful. She couldn't find anything close to what would resemble a weapon, "Any ideas, Jack?"
"I was hopin' ye migh'," Jack smiled and watched as Belstrude came closer, sword drawn, "But desperate times, call fer desperate measures."
"What?"
"At the back part of the rock we was sittin' on there be a hole with an extra pistol and cutlass. Be a dear and get it fer me."
Kat nodded and ran over to the rock formation. She looked around the large rock and found a small hole. Inside she was hoping to find the weapons needed, but only found bottle after bottle of rum. She turned around and saw Jack starting to dodge the captain's thrusts at his chest. He did one of his hilarious runs down one of the sides of another rock.
"Jack, this one's full of rum!" Kat yelled in his direction, catching Belstrude's attention.
Jack took the opportunity and punched him in the face before running toward her, "That's me rum stash! Try the other hole!"
"Other hole?" Kat breathed out frustrated, "Just how many holes do you need to hide a good weapon?"
Jack rolled to the side as Belstrude brought down his sword, totally missing the pirate. Jack got back up and jumped on top of a slender rock, barely out of reach of the naval captain. He began to climb higher, eventually making it to the top of a high standing precipice.
"Dirty pirate! Why don't you face me like a man?" Belstrude yelled at Jack, trying his best to climb up the slightly steep embankment after Jack.
"Fer one, it ain't very gentlemanly to go after an unarmed man," Jack said doing one of his hand flourishes, "And two, I don' 'ave a death wish jus' yet. I 'ave to fulfill me promise to me girl over there."
"You took her from me," Belstrude growled as he barely made it to the top of the rocks, placing Jack in a very bad position, "And now I will take care of you for it. You poisoned her mind and now you will pay dearly for it."
"Uh… luv?… I could really use tha' cutlass jus' 'bout now!" Jack yelled down to Kat.
She reached hopelessly for the other hole around the rock and found it hidden away near the foot of the rock. She pulled out the long cutlass, "Here it is!"
She ran toward them seeing Jack's back toward her and threw it up at Jack, who barely caught it. He brought it up across his chest before Belstrude could hit him, "I don' think she was ever yers to begin with, mate."
"She was always mine!" Belstrude lunged forward trying to catch Jack off balance, but Jack caught on too quick.
Jack jumped out of the way onto one of the rocks nearby and jumping back behind Belstrude taking his position. Jack had Belstrude cornered near the edge of the cliff-like formation.
"It looks like yer the one caught between a rock and a hard place," Jack commented, trying to sound smart.
Kat started to climb up the safe side once sticking the pistol inside her pants. She had to help Jack up there in any way she could. When she reached the top of the rocks she saw Jack standing over Belstrude who was down on the ground with his sword to the side. She smiled, relieved that Jack was okay and in charge. She stood next to him and looked down at Belstrude. She put her hand on Jack's arm that was holding the cutlass and tried to keep the cutlass away from the fallen captain.
"Jack, don't sink to his level," she whispered looking down at Timothy, "he needs to live. He needs to go back and tell my father that I am alive and happy. That I don't need money or dresses… or a captain to live. I just need the one I love."
Jack looked at her surprised, but let the cutlass lose in his grip, "All righ' luv, but if he tries anythin', I swear on pain of death tha' I will make 'em pay."
Kat nodded and walked near Belstrude, "Now go back to my father and tell him not to come after me!"
Belstrude laid back on the rock and looked up at the cavern ceiling. Suddenly, he put his hands behind his head and jumped up grabbing Kat and putting a knife to her throat, "Let me pass!"
Jack put his cutlass back up toward him, "Put the girl down, mate! I ain't goin' to let ye leave with me girl! I lost her once, I ain't losin' her again."
"Kat," Belstrude looked at her, but still keeping a good eye on Jack, "Answer me this: Are you really happy with him?"
"Absolutely," Kat hissed without hesitation.
"You never loved me, did you?" he asked hurt.
"No," Kat said softly.
"And you rather have this dog as a husband than me?" he asked his voice getting higher in volume and more aggressive.
"He is no dog!" Kat yelled but stopped as the knife was pressed closer to her skin.
"Come now, remember what you used to say about pirates, Kat? Remember, you used to say that they were all dogs that were meant to be behind bars so that they wouldn't run around with the likes of proper people like you and I."
"You are the one that should be behind the bars, Timothy," Kat growled, "Along with my father. Why can't you just leave me alone."
"Because I loved you," he nearly hissed into her ear, "Because I loved you to the point of death."
"'Loved' is past tense," Kat pointed out.
"So is Jack Sparrow as soon as I'm done with him," he looked back up at the pirate captain, giving him his full attention, "So, you either let me pass, or…"
He caught Kat by the hair, making her fall to her knees and held the blade to her neck, "She's dead."
Jack stood looking into Kat's eyes. Kat started to move her mouth, 'No, as soon as he passes, he will kill you. Don't do it.' Jack shook his head and dropped his cutlass to the cavern floor. Kat took a deep breath in and gave a worried look at Jack.
Belstrude picked her back up and held her arms so that she couldn't break free. They started to walk by Jack, still walking very close to the edge, "By the way pirate, I am going to kill you."
As he was passing by Jack he took the knife she was holding and tried to slash at him. Jack jumped out of the way and pulled the pistol out from Kat's pants. He turned and fired a shot in Belstrude's direction. Kat felt both her and her captor hit the ground, but didn't know or processed which one of them were hit. She felt him start to roll away from her, as if he was getting up, and feared that it wasn't over.
Before she could have a good look at what was happening, Jack picked her up, off the ground and took her face in his hands, "Kat, are ye all right, luv?"
"Yes, I'm fine," Kat said hugging Jack around the neck.
"It's better tha' ye don' look," Jack said into her hair when he knew what she was thinkin of doing.
"I want to know that he will not be in my future," Jack let go of her and let her turn around. Belstrude's body wasn't there. She saw a slight trail of blood that led off the side of the rocks and looked over the side. Down below she could see a faint outline of a body and of a hand reaching up toward them. Before she turned away she noted the darker spot that was on Timothy's forehead, where the bullet must have entered.
"He's gone," Kat whispered, turning back to Jack and hugging him tightly, "Now what?"
"We get back to the Pearl," Jack said putting the pistol in a loop on his pants and the cutlass back in the safety hole, "If he was 'ere, yer papa may not be far behind."
"We got to get out of Tortuga," Kat said in a raspy voice.
A/N: What did you think? Me, I didn't like this chapter as much as the past ones. Maybe I couldn't get into it… I don't know. But any who, I hope you liked it and will review it… hint, hint, nudge, nudge, wink, wink… Chapter nineteen coming soon! 'The Last Father-Daughter Talk' it should be pretty good. And then there is the closing chapter after that. Woo Hoo! And maybe even a sequel… Woo Hoo again! YO HO!
^-~ Ana