Her eyes were narrowed calculatingly, but still slightly filmy with last
remnants of dreamy sleep. sitting up in something akin to horror and relief
all at once, she instinctively covered herself. She was dressed in her
petticoats, yes, but it proved that last night had not been a dream, and
that must mean that.
Mind whirling, she bolted out of (Jack's) bed, threw on her gown, and tumbled out of the cabin.
The first person she ran into (literally) was Nicholson, his blue eyes bewildered as they took in her disheveled hair, her wrinkled dress. "Hold up, lass, what's firin' you on so early?"
"Where's Jack?" she shot at him wildly. "Where's the captain?"
"Well, he went ashore, lass, at another one of Martinique's ports -"
"When will he be back?"
"Mebbe tonight, who knows. He didn't say exactly-"
She spun on her heel and stalked off - ending up in the very bow of the ship, surveying the turquoise waters of the sea below, wishing that her conscience could be cleared, that she could erase the last month or so, go back to when she had never known the Black Pearl, never known. him.
But did she really? The blue-green waters swirled ominously below her eyes, and she had to close them for a moment. Back then she had been smothered to the point of being a perfect nobody - but it wasn't as though she was built for a pirate's life, either! And judging by Captain Jack Sparrow's reputation, he wasn't willing to settle down.
She placed a slender hand on her midriff almost instinctively, eyes clouded in doubtfulness and. was it fear? Then she must just be another one to him, a girl of little importance, a no one except the fact that she was stuck on his ship for until she died, even! She took a step forward, hazel eyes scanning the waters below. Life seemed so trapped at the minute; death would be much, much sweeter.
Caught up by the hypnotic rhythms of the waves, Meg didn't know what she might have done next if it hadn't been for Nicholson shouting to another sailor right at that moment, breaking the mesmerizing spell like glass.
She collapsed back down, trembling slightly at the thought of what she had just been about to do. She would have to go to him, swear that she would never give him away and then beg him to allow her to leave his ship forever, to go live somewhere else. but never back to her father - if they discovered that she was. that she was. Meg could not bring herself to admit it, even to herself. But then living on the Black Pearl, day by day, bearing his - no, no, she wasn't saying anything. but still, the thought of it was enough to make her want to scream! - and then to cry, sobbing as though the world would soon end -
"Meg."
The softest of voices behind her made her jump, spin around - and facing her was Jacques, his grey eyes calmly taking her in, comforting and quiet.
"Are you all right?" It was the first time that he'd really addressed her straightforwardly - the first time that she'd been thankful for his presence on the ship.
Meg had meant to say anything, mutter ANYTHING really. but the single word that came out, much to her horror, was "Jack."
Jacques was silent for a while, and Meg was half thankful, half uncomfortable for it. Then Jacques said, in the mildest tones: "He would not mind, I think. if you told him." With the most uncomfortable (for Meg) look at her abdominal area, he turned and quitted the upper deck.
Jacques is right, Meg thought falteringly, after a long, broken silence in her own mind, Oh Lord, please say Jacques is right.
Did ya'll get it? Next chapter will explain more -hopefully- and I know this is also a short little thing, but I needed to get it up - partly for all you guys waiting out there, and as a transitional part!
Mind whirling, she bolted out of (Jack's) bed, threw on her gown, and tumbled out of the cabin.
The first person she ran into (literally) was Nicholson, his blue eyes bewildered as they took in her disheveled hair, her wrinkled dress. "Hold up, lass, what's firin' you on so early?"
"Where's Jack?" she shot at him wildly. "Where's the captain?"
"Well, he went ashore, lass, at another one of Martinique's ports -"
"When will he be back?"
"Mebbe tonight, who knows. He didn't say exactly-"
She spun on her heel and stalked off - ending up in the very bow of the ship, surveying the turquoise waters of the sea below, wishing that her conscience could be cleared, that she could erase the last month or so, go back to when she had never known the Black Pearl, never known. him.
But did she really? The blue-green waters swirled ominously below her eyes, and she had to close them for a moment. Back then she had been smothered to the point of being a perfect nobody - but it wasn't as though she was built for a pirate's life, either! And judging by Captain Jack Sparrow's reputation, he wasn't willing to settle down.
She placed a slender hand on her midriff almost instinctively, eyes clouded in doubtfulness and. was it fear? Then she must just be another one to him, a girl of little importance, a no one except the fact that she was stuck on his ship for until she died, even! She took a step forward, hazel eyes scanning the waters below. Life seemed so trapped at the minute; death would be much, much sweeter.
Caught up by the hypnotic rhythms of the waves, Meg didn't know what she might have done next if it hadn't been for Nicholson shouting to another sailor right at that moment, breaking the mesmerizing spell like glass.
She collapsed back down, trembling slightly at the thought of what she had just been about to do. She would have to go to him, swear that she would never give him away and then beg him to allow her to leave his ship forever, to go live somewhere else. but never back to her father - if they discovered that she was. that she was. Meg could not bring herself to admit it, even to herself. But then living on the Black Pearl, day by day, bearing his - no, no, she wasn't saying anything. but still, the thought of it was enough to make her want to scream! - and then to cry, sobbing as though the world would soon end -
"Meg."
The softest of voices behind her made her jump, spin around - and facing her was Jacques, his grey eyes calmly taking her in, comforting and quiet.
"Are you all right?" It was the first time that he'd really addressed her straightforwardly - the first time that she'd been thankful for his presence on the ship.
Meg had meant to say anything, mutter ANYTHING really. but the single word that came out, much to her horror, was "Jack."
Jacques was silent for a while, and Meg was half thankful, half uncomfortable for it. Then Jacques said, in the mildest tones: "He would not mind, I think. if you told him." With the most uncomfortable (for Meg) look at her abdominal area, he turned and quitted the upper deck.
Jacques is right, Meg thought falteringly, after a long, broken silence in her own mind, Oh Lord, please say Jacques is right.
Did ya'll get it? Next chapter will explain more -hopefully- and I know this is also a short little thing, but I needed to get it up - partly for all you guys waiting out there, and as a transitional part!