The candle, the sole source of light in Jack's quarters, flickered as
Jess sipped her tea, listening with great interest to Jack's tale. It
seemed they had had quite a time. Her eyes were alight with vengeance as
he told of the final battle at Isla de Muerta, and of Barbossa's downfall.
He also told her about their return to Port Royal, and his trial,
conviction, and eventual escape. She was most surprised that Norrington
had let him go after the theft of the Interceptor. He also told her about
Bootstrap Turner's only son, and his prominent role in the adventure, and
about his lady love, Elizabeth Swann.
"Which," he said, pausing for breath and a gulp of his rapidly cooling tea, "Brings me to my business proposition for you. There's a rather nasty character called Liam Connolley, captain of the Bane, who I have heard is going to try to recover Cortez's gold. Ordinarily, that wouldn't worry me much because he wouldn't be able to find the island, but rumor has it he was hired by Barbossa a few months back to hit British shipping in the Caribbean, with the location of the island as his price."
Jess snorted contemptuously. "And little things like eternal damnation don't bother him, then? Surely he's heard about the curse."
"That's what worries me," said Jack heavily. "It's the curse he wants, not the gold. He figures with the curse, he'll be invincible, because once under its influence you can't die. And of course," he added, studying the ring he wore, "If I'm doing anything involving the curse, I can't very well leave my dear friend Will and his lady-love out of the action, now can I?" His dark eyes watched her from behind a curtain of black hair. A faint smile played around his lips.
"And that's why you want me," she said confidently. "You want me to go to Port Royal and get the Turner lad for you- you can't go yourself because of Norrington. Then we all sail off to the Isla de Muerta, hopefully beating the Bane and arriving first, and are lying in wait to blast the heck out of them when they arrive, right?"
His smile widened. "That's my girl. So will you do it? There's still a lot of treasure on Isla de Muerta, and it's yours if you'll help me."
She gave a low, sweeping bow. "My ship and crew are yours, Jack Sparrow."
"Aye," he said slowly, "But what about the captain. Is she mine as well?"
Jess raised an eyebrow. "How do you mean?"
He stepped toward her, mischief on his face, and kissed her full on the lips. "Savvy?"
She reached over and extinguished the candle.
************************************************************************
Jess awoke some time later, her arms around Jack, her head on his shoulder. Her right hand was under his back, and she had a serious case of pins-and-needles, which was what woke her. She carefully moved it out from under him, trying not to wake him. As she did so, she noticed something that made her laugh softly in the darkness. Despite her caution, Jack must have woken up, because he asked softly, "What're ye laughing about, love?"
"You lied," she replied, still chuckling quietly.
"About what?"
"The sea turtles. You never roped any sea turtles! There's not a single hair on your back!"
"Ah," said Jack, with an air of superiority, "Well, there wouldn't be anymore, would there?"
Unfortunately for Jack, it was so dark that he never saw the pillow coming, and he took a direct hit right in the face.
"Which," he said, pausing for breath and a gulp of his rapidly cooling tea, "Brings me to my business proposition for you. There's a rather nasty character called Liam Connolley, captain of the Bane, who I have heard is going to try to recover Cortez's gold. Ordinarily, that wouldn't worry me much because he wouldn't be able to find the island, but rumor has it he was hired by Barbossa a few months back to hit British shipping in the Caribbean, with the location of the island as his price."
Jess snorted contemptuously. "And little things like eternal damnation don't bother him, then? Surely he's heard about the curse."
"That's what worries me," said Jack heavily. "It's the curse he wants, not the gold. He figures with the curse, he'll be invincible, because once under its influence you can't die. And of course," he added, studying the ring he wore, "If I'm doing anything involving the curse, I can't very well leave my dear friend Will and his lady-love out of the action, now can I?" His dark eyes watched her from behind a curtain of black hair. A faint smile played around his lips.
"And that's why you want me," she said confidently. "You want me to go to Port Royal and get the Turner lad for you- you can't go yourself because of Norrington. Then we all sail off to the Isla de Muerta, hopefully beating the Bane and arriving first, and are lying in wait to blast the heck out of them when they arrive, right?"
His smile widened. "That's my girl. So will you do it? There's still a lot of treasure on Isla de Muerta, and it's yours if you'll help me."
She gave a low, sweeping bow. "My ship and crew are yours, Jack Sparrow."
"Aye," he said slowly, "But what about the captain. Is she mine as well?"
Jess raised an eyebrow. "How do you mean?"
He stepped toward her, mischief on his face, and kissed her full on the lips. "Savvy?"
She reached over and extinguished the candle.
************************************************************************
Jess awoke some time later, her arms around Jack, her head on his shoulder. Her right hand was under his back, and she had a serious case of pins-and-needles, which was what woke her. She carefully moved it out from under him, trying not to wake him. As she did so, she noticed something that made her laugh softly in the darkness. Despite her caution, Jack must have woken up, because he asked softly, "What're ye laughing about, love?"
"You lied," she replied, still chuckling quietly.
"About what?"
"The sea turtles. You never roped any sea turtles! There's not a single hair on your back!"
"Ah," said Jack, with an air of superiority, "Well, there wouldn't be anymore, would there?"
Unfortunately for Jack, it was so dark that he never saw the pillow coming, and he took a direct hit right in the face.