Cursed

Ch. 2: Prisoner; Jack's Vow

A/n: This is fun!!!

Jack sighed, holding his head in his hands. He could feel a force preying upon his mind. It was one he could not name. The captain rummaged around trunks and things, searching for a bottle of rum. He found one and drank gratefully. As he fell into a drunken sleep, he could hear Jezebel banging her chains upon the brig door. Sparrow ignored her, as he slowly began to dream…

Barbossa was after him. Jack found himself blasted back in time to when the curse had been laid upon the Black Pearl. He saw that he was up close to Barbossa and Jezebel. This must have been when Barbossa attempted to kill her.

"Where's Sparrow, Wingweaver?" Barbossa demanded.

Jezebel said nothing. She wore the same look when Jack had ordered her sent to the brig a moment ago. Jack realized that neither Barbossa nor Jezebel could see him.

"Answer me or I'll gut you like the fish you are!"

Still, Jezebel said nothing. Barbossa was getting angry. He noticed a ring on Jezebel's hand. Jack recognized that ring! It was the one he had given her when he proposed. Sparrow felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He watched Barbossa take the ring from Jezebel's finger. Jezebel uttered a small sound.

"Oh, you wanted that? Then tell me where Jackie-Boy is!"

Jezebel had found her voice.

"I would sooner die!"

Barbossa drew his sword.

"FINE!"

The pirate stabbed Jezebel in the stomach. Jezebel flinched and fell back, her body landing in a pool of moonlight. She had become a skeleton. She was still alive. The curse had begun.

Jack awoke, gasping as though he had run a mile. Was that just a dream, or was it a sign, letting him know the truth? Sparrow threw the rum bottle to the floor. He felt terrible now. Jezebel hadn't rejected him after all. The ring was stolen from her. He grabbed a piece of bread, an apple and a jug of water and walked down to the brig. It was night.

Sparrow found Jezebel lying on the floor, shivering. She was asleep. Jack opened the cell door and stepped in. He tapped Jezebel on the shoulder. She sprung up, uttering a small scream. Jack thought that she must have been dreaming too. Sweat shone on Jezebel's face.

"Jack. Have you come to send me to my death?" she whispered.

Jack shook his head.

"I brought you some food. It's not much," he said.

Jezebel sat up, wincing in pain. She had a hand to her injured side.

Jack set the food down.

"Here, let me see that," he said.

"It's nothing, really, just…just a scratch," she said, the wound was still bleeding.

Jack moved her hand away. He cut away the bloody fabric of her shirt. The wound was long, deep and clean. Sparrow opened the water jug and poured some water onto the cut. He untied the bandana that he had around his head and used it as a bandage. Jezebel looked curiously at him.

"Why are you helping me? That thought you were angry," she whispered.

Jack closed his eyes after he tied the bandana around Jezebel's stomach.

"I was…caught up in the past. Thinking about the night in the pub," he said.

Jezebel took a sip of the ice-cold water. She spoke even though her throat burned.

"I wanted to tell you. But you wouldn't allow me. The night we were cursed…Barbossa wanted me to tell him where you were and how you had escaped the island. I didn't tell him. I didn't want you to die. Barbossa saw the ring on my finger. The ring you gave me…He took it and said that he would give it back only if I told him where you were. I told him that he would have to kill me. He stabbed me in the stomach. I became a skeleton. I was still alive. The curse had begun its work," she said.

Jack sighed. He laid Jezebel's head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry for locking you up here. I was overcome with a rage that was not meant. Why have you been looking for me?"

Jezebel coughed. Her forehead felt warm against Jack's cheek.

"I want to help you truly end this curse, Jack…and…I've been wanting to tell you…I still love you," she whispered.

Jack said nothing. Jezebel let out a slow, pain-filled sigh.

"I'm a fool. That was seven years ago. You've probably moved on,"

Jack put up a hand to silence her. Neither of them saw Anamaria looking in through the brig's grillwork.

"That night… That night, I vowed to never love another woman again. I brought out my anger by pillaging, causing chaos. I've ordered no quarter too many times. By the end of the battles, I'd be the last man standing. Bathed in blood. Praying for your memory to fade. It never did,"

Jezebel was startled to feel Jack put his hand of her cut left cheek. She spoke weakly.

"I acted almost in the same manner as you. I traveled the world, hoping to find Barbossa and kill him. He still has that ring. I wanted it back so badly… My crew turned on me, about two years ago. Mutinied, they knew better then to kill me, however. I cut off the right ear of every man I kill, they knew better then to cross me. I ended up getting this," she said, pointing to the scar on her right cheek.

"My crew wanted to spill my blood. I could see it in their eyes. However, when they had turned at me, swords and pistols raised for the kill, the moon came out. They saw me for what I truly was. I just stood there; the crew recoiled. I just threw my head back and laughed. None of them will come near me now," she said.

Jack smiled.

"Jezebel… you should know… I'm still in love with you as well,"

Jezebel looked quizzically at him.

"You're just saying that," she muttered.

Sparrow pulled her close to him.

"Oh, am I?" he asked.

Jezebel had no time to answer. Jack suddenly pressed his lips against hers, holding her in his arms.

Moonlight began to pour over the ship. Anamaria watched as Sparrow and Jezebel suddenly turned into skeletons. Anamaria covered her mouth with her hand to keep from screaming. The captain pulled away, the moonlight faded behind clouds. He looked up, Anamaria quickly ducked out of sight. Jack looked back at Jezebel, who was turning back to a living human.

"I'll take you to my quarters, you'll be more comfortable there," he said.

Jezebel tried to stand, she fell to her knees. Jack looked concerned.

"It's nothing, I'm all right," Jezebel said, holding her side. She tried to step foreword, but her legs gave out from under her. Jack caught her.

"Stop pretending. I'm taking you to me quarters, whether you like it or not, Jezebel," said Sparrow. He picked Jezebel up and carried her to his cabin. She had fallen asleep in his arms. Gibbs stopped him.

"Sir, I thought-"

"I was-angry, Gibbs. Tell the men that what I said earlier was a misunderstanding. Jezebel's of no threat to the crew or to me," Jack said.

Sparrow entered the cabin and laid Jezebel on the bed. The cat-like pirate stirred slightly, but she did not wake. Jack smiled to himself. He bit into the apple, but quickly spit it out. Jack's bite of apple had turned to ashes in his mouth. So, the curse was still in effect. Jezebel was right.

"I vowed to never love another again," Jack whispered to Jezebel.

"Because I'd always love you. The next town we hit, I'll make sure a doctor takes a look at you. And…we'll finally be able to do what we had planned seven years ago. We'll raise hell together, as husband and wife! I'll try to cut down on the drinking,"

Anamaria knocked on the open door. Jack turned.

"Anamaria! You heard me just now, didn't you?"

Anamaria smiled.

"Yeah, I heard. I knew you still loved her. Are you really going to marry her?"

Jack nodded.

"Aye, that I am,"

"I saw you in the brig, talking to Jezebel. I saw you kiss her. When the moonlight hit you, you both…"

"Turned into living skeletons," said a voice. Jezebel had woken up.

Anamaria nodded.

"Is that the curse?" she asked.

Both Sparrow and Wingweaver nodded.

"The moonlight shows us what we truly are," Jack muttered, his eyes were unblinking; his voice was a low growl.

"The medallion, the blood that must be repaid…"

Jezebel and Anamaria looked confused.

"Jack, stop talking like that," Anamaria said.

Jezebel closed her eyes. She knew what was happening.

"Barbossa is trying to control Jack. This ship is not safe. Barbossa's spirit lives on… He's controlling the Black Pearl. Jack's a mere object of direction! The ship is poisoning his mind," she said.

Jack was looking at the floor. He was still in this strange trance.

"Find the Medallion… Kill Turner…"

"Turner?" said Jezebel.

"Bootstrap Bill's been dead for ten years,"

"His son, Will," Anamaria whispered.

Wind and rain howled from outside the cabin. Jezebel gathered her strength and walked out, holding her side.

"BARBOSSA!! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE!! LEAVE SPARROW BE, THE CURSE WILL NEVER CEASE!"

A voice shouted at her from the ship's rigging.

"That's where yer wrong, lass,"

Jezebel looked up. Barbossa swung down from a rope and landed next to her. He wasn't dead.

"Wildcat Wingweaver, yeh 'aven't changed a bit. Oh, it looks like yer perdy face has gotten all cut up. Shame, that is,"

Jezebel blinked the ocean stinging sprits from her eyes.

"Yer controllin' Jack, Barbossa. Leave him alone. I'll do anything…just don't hurt him," Jezebel said.

"After seven years, yer finally willin' to negotiate, eh?"

Jezebel nodded. Barbossa smiled.

"I'll do whatever you wish. Just don't hurt Jack,"

Barbossa sighed, thinking of what he could have Jezebel do for him. Anamaria and Jack, who was back to normal, stepped out of the cabin. Jack prepared to unsheathe his sword but Anamaria stopped him. Sparrow glared at Barbossa.

"Make me Cap'n of the Black Pearl. And I give a pirate's honor, that Sparrow will not be hurt,"

Jezebel closed her eyes, thinking. She felt her throat tighten; a single tear fell down her face. She unsheathed her sword and handed it to Barbossa.

"Very well… Captain," she whispered.

Jack felt a stab of betrayal.

"Jezebel…" he whispered.

Barbossa looked up, Jezebel turned.

"Sparrow," Barbossa whispered.

Jezebel gasped.

"Jack…please, listen to me… I-"

Jack shook his head.

"You lied to me. You're not here to end the curse; you're here to see that I end up in Davy Jones' Locker! I thought you loved me,"

Jezebel turned to him, her cat-like eyes shone with a mix of guilt and anger.

"I do love you, Jack. You're getting angry at a misunderstanding, I did this so you will not be hurt!"

Jack pulled his pistol out and pointed it at her.

"I'm hurt deeper than you can possibly imagine! I know I can't kill you, but I can injure you. You have no idea what it's like to be betrayed!" he spat.

Jezebel growled.

"I know full well what it's like to be betrayed! I've had an entire crew turn on me, prepared to cast me into hell! Even the mere memory of you brings back the night in the Faithful Bride! You can remember it as well as I can! You wouldn't even let me explain! The problem with YOU is, you jump too quick to conclusions!" she snarled.

Barbossa smirked.

"Now *THAT'S* entertainment!"

Jezebel fell to her knees; the pain in her side was getting unbearable.

"Jack, please, what can I do to win your trust…and your heart again?"

A/n: Oh my God…I'M WRITING ACTION/FLUFF!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!