Me? Own Pirates of the Caribbean? Only in my dreams.
Chapter Five
Ariana opened her eyes, then quickly shut them against the blinding light that was streaming in through the large windows. She waited a few seconds, trying to find sleep again. She had never had much luck doing so once she had woken up however, so she eventually gave in to wakefulness and opened her eyes again. She squinted until she was able to get used to the sun, blinking a few times and looking over at her friends, who were still fast asleep on the bed. Kelsey was all curled up, and Julie had an arm slung over the side of the bed with a spot of drool on her pillow.
Ariana had slept well, considering the events of the previous day. She had dreamt about everything that had happened; obviously, it wasn't going to be off her mind.
She lay there on the cot that she, Kelsey, and Julie had eventually found stowed away somewhere in the cabin, thinking about the dream. For some reason she hadn't wanted it to end.
It was then that she noticed someone else in the room as well.
Captain Jack Sparrow stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. He had been watching her, she could have sworn it – but if he had, he was now looking at her friends. She didn't move, not wanting him to know that she was awake. . . .She wasn't sure why. Maybe she just didn't want him to leave.
He suddenly switched his gaze to her, and she didn't have time to close her eyes. Their gazes locked.
A few seconds later he turned and walked up to the deck, letting the door close behind him. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, eventually standing and stumbling over to the bed.
She first woke Kelsey, then Julie, who was harder to get up.
"Where are we?" Kelsey asked, sitting up alert, after she had looked around her.
"Yeah, what she said," Julie spoke after rising as well.
"In the movie, like I told you." She didn't have as difficult a time saying it now; the adventurer in her believed it, and the rest of her was beginning to as well.
"Oh yeah. . ." Julie said, the day before flooding back into her memory.
"Oh my god, no we're not!" Kelsey said, annoyed. She wanted to believe her friend, but at the same time she just couldn't. One small part of her thought that it was possible; another thought that Ariana had gone insane and taken them with her.
"Then tell me where we are, Kelsey. Go ahead. Tell me where we are. Because this definitely isn't any of our bedrooms."
"I don't know where we are, okay?"
"You just don't want to admit it. You know."
"I think it's true. . .maybe," Julie spoke up, quietly.
"Good, at least someone's willing to admit it."
"You know what, shut up!" Kelsey told her.
"No!"
Kelsey threw the covers off of herself and climbed out of the bed. Julie did the same, minus the violence.
"I refuse to believe that we got sucked into a goddamn movie!" Kelsey had walked swiftly to Ariana as she said this.
"I refuse to believe that you really believe what you're saying," Ariana retorted, putting her hands on her hips and raising her eyebrows.
Kelsey rolled her eyes and shot back, "Whatever. I don't care."
"Fine. Are we going to stay in here all day or what?"
"Well, I was just woke up and I want to go back to sleep," Kelsey replied.
"Too bad. You're up now, you're gonna stay up."
"No I'm not." Kelsey then turned around and jumped back into the bed, pulling the blankets up to her shoulders and closing her eyes.
"Yes you are!" Ariana ran over and grabbed the covers, yanking them off of her. She pulled her into a sitting position and attempted to drag her onto the floor.
"No! Let me go!" Kelsey kicked her in the chest. She ignored it and pulled at her with all her might, until finally Kelsey flew off the bed and landed on top of her.
"Ow! Get off me!"
"Well, well, what's going on in here?" A rich, familiar voice said.
They all turned to the doorway to see Jack standing there in the morning light, grinning. He was looking at the results of Ariana and Kelsey's mini-battle.
Kelsey swiftly pushed herself off of her friend, not wanting Jack to get any ideas, but by the look on his face, he already had plenty.
"This. . .isn't what it looks like," Ariana told him, getting up.
"I'm sure it isn't, love."
"It's not," Kelsey spoke, rising as well.
"I'd like for you three to do some work fa' me," he told them. "Unless you can think of – a better way to spend your day." He raised his eyebrows.
"What kind of work?" Ariana said, dismissing him.
"The ship needs to be cleaned. If you're up to it, that is. After all, not many women are. In fact, the women I've known have had an interest in something quite different." A gleam came into his eyes.
"Well, we're not those women," she told him pointedly.
"So you don't mind scrubbing the deck, cleaning off grime and birdy turds, maggots, things like that?"
"Nope."
His demeanor changed. "Fine then. The things you will need are up on deck. Have fun." He sashayed back up the stairs.
A few minutes later they were outside, grabbing pails of soapy water and rags. They set to work, the sun beating down on them, aware that most of the crew was watching them. They ignored the comments and whistles that they heard; the only person not saying much was Jack, who was roaming around on deck, and Gibbs.
He came over to Ariana and bent down next to her. "You know, love, I think I'm rather enjoying this," he said into her ear.
He spent the day taking them in now and then when he wasn't mapping a heading or directing any of his crew or drinking. Ariana intrigued him for some reason, and he didn't know why, because he hadn't talked to the girl that much.
That night, the three were in his quarters once again, the room lit dimly by a kerosene lamp on the bedside table.
"All day long. Cleaning all day long," Ariana said, falling down onto the bed and enjoying the relaxation. "My back felt like it was on fire."
"That is something I never want to do again," Julie said, flopping down next to her. "I thought chores at home were bad enough. I think I got a bunch of bug bites too."
"Those guys are disgusting," Kelsey put in, making a face.
"Yes, yes they are," Ariana agreed.
A short while later, Jack entered the room to find Ariana and Julie lying horizontally on the bed, feet dangling off, nearly asleep, and Kelsey lying the opposite way, Ariana's feet near her head.
He grinned, amused, and said loudly, "Would any of you by any chance be hungry?"
His voice penetrated their would-be slumber, and they shot up, startled, staring at him. He found it hard to keep himself from chuckling.
"What. . . What are you eating?" Ariana asked him groggily.
"We don't have much. There's bread, some fruit, and pork. . . Thought I'm not so sure about the pork." He made a face.
". . .We'll have the bread and fruit."
"Will you be dining with the crew and I, or shall I bring it in here?"
"Bring it here," Ariana replied, then remembered her manners. "Please."
"All right then." He turned and sashayed his way to where they assumed the galley was.
"God, I'm starving," Ariana said as her stomach growled, and her friends agreed.
About five or ten minutes later, Jack came back with three plates piled with the biggest rations he could give them.
"There you are," he told them as each took a plate. "Thought I must mention how disappointed the crew and I are that you've chosen not to come and eat with us."
"Well, we have a lot of. . .personal things that we need to talk about, that's all," Ariana replied.
"I see. Well, I'll leave you to it, then. Good night." He closed the door and they heard him leave.
"You should've told him to stay here and eat with us," Kelsey said, grinning mischievously.
"Well, I would've but that might've given him the wrong idea – well, the right idea for him, the wrong idea for us." She sat down on the bed and immediately tore a chunk off of one of the slices of bread – making sure to avoid the small bit of mold that was growing on part of it. Her friends followed suite, none noticing that they had no drinks. They didn't care, they just wanted food. Even if half of it was spoiled.
They were finished in ten minutes, devouring the food, and now they were tired again. Ariana looked at her watch.
"You think my watch says the right time that it is here?"
"Well, it was daytime when we were watching the movie, and in the movie it was daytime. . ." Julie suggested.
"So maybe it's close. It says 8:00. It's pretty dark out."
"Early," Julie said.
"Tired," Kelsey said, trying unsuccessfully to keep her eyes open.
"Me too," Ariana replied.
They had another coin toss, and this time Julie got the cot.
