Kind of a shorter one. [I know someone mentioned describing Gin more (as the only thing I've mentioned so far is that she has dark hair), but I hate just telling you outright, so I will eventually work it into the story, just not much in this post] Now, I also know that the same person mentioned maybe revealing a secret she might have and, hehe, I already had her admitting something in this chapter that we didn't know before, so the request for it fit. ;)
Chapter 9
"Ship's ready Cap'n," Gibbs informed Jack, obviously awaiting some sort of command. Jack didn't acknowledge his presence for a good ten seconds. Then suddenly, he turned to him.
"Mr. Gibbs," he began, descending the dais steps to where the older man stood and glancing around to ensure that none of the crew was eavesdropping. "Were you ever married?" he finally asked. "Or known any woman where the relationship lasted longer than one night, for that matter?"
Gibbs, though he seemed rather suspicious about the question itself, eventually nodded his head, almost wistfully. "Aye, Jack, I 'ad me a girl. In my younger days, tha' is. Sweet young thing."
"And where would she be now?" Jack questioned, indicating Gibbs' single status.
Gibbs lowered his gaze, then turned to stare out at the ocean. "Last I 'eard…back in England married to some diplomat, a respectable type." He looked over at Gin then, who seemed to be attempting a conversation with Mr. Cotton, or at least with his parrot, gesturing emphatically in desperation of being understood. They both stared at her for several moments before Gibbs turned back to the captain. "We ain't good enough for 'em, Jack," he told him, drawing his friend's eyes from Gin back to him. "She ain't worth it." With that, he headed off toward the bow, leaving Jack staring after him.
* * * * *
Will gave a wave from the wheel of the Avenger as he and Elizabeth pulled just ahead of The Black Pearl, leaving it in their wake.
Jack, at the wheel of the second ship, watched Gin as she waved back to her friends from the bow, then turned and walked across the deck and up the platform stairs, almost casually. She came to a stop beside him but he did not look at her, keeping his dark eyes transfixed on the edge of the sea. She glanced at him, then followed his gaze.
"Strange, isn't it?' she began. "How you can get closer and closer to it and never actually reach it." He looked briefly at her, his expression quizzical. "The horizon," she explained. Seeming to understand now, he nodded at her, remaining silent and considering Gibbs' earlier comment.
He observed her out of the corner of his eye. Though she had finally consented to wearing some of Anamaria's clothing and her hair was loose, flowing around her shoulders, her straight posture and still pale skin left no doubt that she was most definitely a lady. Gibbs was right. He wasn't good enough for her. Even she knew that; had known it when she met him and had told him so through almost all of her actions since. And even if she had wanted him, it wouldn't have made a difference. She would return to London in a matter of weeks. What did he think she was going to do? Give up her perfect aristocratic existence for life with a pirate on the high seas?
"Jack?" Gin's voice broke into his thoughts, startling him out of his reverie.
"Aye?" He still faced forward.
"Are you even going to look at me?" she inquired, touching his arm to get him to turn to her.
"What is it, Ginny?" he asked.
She immediately averted her gaze under his stare, as if reluctant to say what she had planned to. "Jack, I-" She stopped, collecting herself. "Something has…happened here…between you and I, and I…I think we need to straighten everything out."
Here she stopped again, hesitating, then looking up at him again. Jack raised an eyebrow, a signal for her to continue. "I'm, um…I'm engaged, Jack," she told him, watching his eyes widen. "His name is Richard Weiss, he's a Lieutenant back in London." She stopped again, almost as if she was waiting for some kind of reaction. Any reaction.
He didn't say anything.
"So, I…" She took a large breath, "what happened…back there," She gestured over the stern railing back towards Tortuga, which was growing smaller by the minute, "cannot happen again," she finally finished, still searching his face for an expression. "There will be…nothing between us."
It was here that he finally spoke.
"I never said there was anything between us, love."
Gin continued to stare at him, trying to see if he was at all fazed. When he met her gaze steadily, she nodded and turned to leave. "Good, then." She stepped down one stair and then looked back up at him. "And I think it best you address me as 'Miss Harold' for the duration of our trip, Captain Sparrow."
She turned and went on down the steps, obviously moving in the direction of her cabin. He watched her go, then turned back to watching the Avenger cut through the water in front of his own ship.
* * * * *
Like I said, I know it's kinda short, but the next post has ACTUAL mush!!! COMMENTS!!!!
