Still don't own Pirates of the Caribbean! Still don't own Jack Sparrow! Dammit!
Chapter Sixteen
"Why'd it take you so long to get back?" Kelsey asked Ariana and Jack, something between a grin and a smirk on her face.
"What do you mean?" Ariana asked, playing dumb.
"You know what I mean." Her tone was amused.
It was true. Ariana did know what she meant, but she wouldn't let on. She was a good liar; at least she thought so. But it had always been difficult to get anything past Kelsey. "No I don't." She made sure not to smile, and placed a questioning look on her face.
"Yes you do." She gave a small laugh as she talked. "It doesn't take that long to go and see if a ship has sunk or not."
"How do you know? It's not like you've ever done it before." She always used arguing to stall whenever she was lying; she did it almost automatically. If you argue and get the other person heated up about it, they might forget what they were originally talking about. This usually didn't work with Kelsey either, however. But it was worth a shot.
"So? I still know that it doesn't take that long."
"We were gone for, like, five minutes."
"No, you were gone longer than that." She crossed her arms.
"How do you know? Did you check your watch?" She would just keep using questions as her defense; most of the time this worked. She didn't wish to embarrass herself by admitting that she and Jack had been kissing on the rowboat, even if it was just to her friends.
Kelsey rolled her eyes. "I know what happened, so quit trying to lie about it."
"You don't know anything. I'm not lying." I hope this doesn't turn into a fight, she thought nervously.
"Yes you are! I know you are! Just admit it."
"Admit what?"
She rolled her eyes again. "Julie knows it too. We're not dense."
Ariana gave a small laugh. "Knows what?" She automatically realized her mistake. Wrong thing to say, wrong thing to say!
She was right. "That you and Jack were doing more than just looking for the ship when you were out there!"
Now it was Ariana who rolled her eyes. "No we weren't."
She grinned and nodded. "Yes you were!"
Now she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. "No we weren't!"
"See? You're smiling!"
"So?" A small laugh escaped her mouth even as she tried to hold it in.
"So you're lying!"
"No I'm not!"
"Okay!" Julie interrupted loudly, holding her hands up and stepping between them. "This could go on forever, you know that?" She looked at both of them. They never take a rest, she thought to herself.
"Yes," Ariana responded with a small amused grin.
"So just admit it already!" Now it was her turn to argue.
"There's nothing to admit!"
"Yes there is!"
"No there isn't!"
"Okay, you know what? Let's just ask Jack," Kelsey said, and she started towards him.
"No!" Ariana said suddenly before she could stop herself. Dammit! Goddammit! How stupid am I?! I should just tape my mouth shut. . .
Kelsey grinned widely, satisfied. "See?"
Ariana could feel her cheeks growing hot, and she knew they were slowly turning pink from embarrassment. She quickly shifted her gaze to the deck before replying, "Fine, you're right. Happy now?" She wanted to jump overboard at that moment. She could tell her friends were smiling. After several seconds of examining the floorboards, she looked up at them. She was right; huge grins were plastered on their faces. "What? What's the big deal?" She could feel a smile coming to her own face, even as she was attempting to keep a serious look.
"You're lucky," Julie told her.
"Oh, I know," she replied jokingly, grinning now without trying to hold it back, her embarrassment quickly leaving at seeing her friend jealous of her.
"Shut up!" Kelsey said. She wouldn't admit it, but she was jealous as well.
Ariana became serious when she realized what was supposed to happen. "Uh, guys, Shallows is dead."
"We kinda know that!" Kelsey replied.
"So that means we have to – we're supposed to – go back home."
The other two girls slowly absorbed this information. They did not seem entirely happy about it.
Neither was Ariana. She didn't want to leave Jack, now that she had him. It wasn't just lust she was feeling, she knew that now. It was something else, something she thought might just be love. She wasn't positive; but she knew it was something that she hadn't felt many times before. She had felt all other emotions numerous amounts of times, but love. . .that was something she tried to stay away from because of her experiences. She was sure that this emotion she was feeling for Jack was love, or something like it. It had to be. She was not by any means ready to leave him, not now. She couldn't – this was where she belonged, she knew it was. A life of adventure; a life with the man she was almost certain she loved. A man she wanted, needed in her life; a man she wouldn't let go of, couldn't let go of. A life she had dreamt about. . .adventure, true love – at least that's what she hoped it was. But maybe it wasn't such a great thing. . .after all, she had been burned by love before, and she had the scars to prove it. She didn't want to be hurt again. She didn't think that Jack would hurt her, but how could she be sure? She had been through enough pain to be unsure of everyone. But she yearned for this life so greatly. . .and she wanted Jack so bad. . .but she didn't want more pain, she couldn't take much more. And if she left Jack, that's what she would get.
"But I don't want to go!" Kelsey said after about a minute or so, sounding like a little child.
"Neither do I," Ariana replied rather quietly, still contemplating her situation.
"I don't either!" Julie said.
"Well we have to," Ariana told them, her voice still sounding quiet and faraway, as if she was behind an invisible wall and wasn't even aware of what she was saying. She became lost in her thoughts.
After a few minutes of silence, Julie said loudly, "Ariana!"
Ariana snapped her head up and looked at them. "What?" She hadn't even realized that she had just been standing there, staring at nothing, not even blinking. It was like she had been in a trance. Her friends gave her looks, and she shrugged and widened her eyes. "What?"
"You were spacin' out," Kelsey told her.
"I was? Well, so what? I'm allowed to do that."
"What were ya thinkin' 'bout?" Julie said playfully in a suggestive voice, and Ariana knew what she meant.
"Nothing," she lied.
"Liar," Julie replied.
"Whatever." Now she wasn't in an arguing mood.
"So how are we going to get back, anyway?" Kelsey asked. "We don't know how to."
"Well. . ." Ariana trailed off, considering the options again, this time for a different purpose. How were they going to get back to their world? The medallion brought them here, and what would bring them back? She had no idea. There wasn't any portal that she knew of, it wouldn't make sense for there to be. . .there was no other medallion, at least none that she was aware of. . .
"Maybe we use the medallion," Julie suggested. The medallion got them there, maybe it could get them out.
"How?" Ariana and Kelsey both looked at her.
"I dunno." She shrugged.
"Well then why'd you say it?"
"I dunno." Another shrug.
"Actually, that may not be such a bad idea." She took on a thoughtful expression.
"Maybe we smash it or something," Kelsey said.
Ariana looked at her, about to comment, but stopped. Maybe she was right. Maybe they could smash it. It made sense. . .kind of. It was the only thing she could think of that made sense even a little bit. "Hey, that could work. I mean, the medallion brought us here, so maybe if we smash it, the magic or whatever it was in it would be reversed or broken or something and we could get sent back home." That could work, couldn't it? It sounded like it would. But she didn't want to leave. . .
"That sounds like it might work," Julie said.
"Yeah, only problem is, we don't want to leave," Kelsey said. They enjoyed it here; they were free here.
"Yeah, but we have to. I mean, we've got our families back home. What about them? It's not like we can just get sucked into a movie and stay there with no explanation for our families, who will never see us again."
She has a point, Ariana thought. Dammit, she has a point. "Well we could always figure out a way to let them know we're here."
"And then what? Say, 'Oh, hi mom and dad, just wanted to let you know, we're gonna stay in this movie for the rest of our lives, okay? Bye!"
"No, but. . .I don't know! Just – just. . ." She was at a loss for words. All she knew was that she didn't want to go. She didn't want to just leave her family, either, but this was what she had always wanted her entire life, and she never thought she would have it, and now she did. She wasn't about to just abandon it.
"I wanna stay too, but we have to go home."
"No we don't." She blurted it out without thinking, and she immediately wished she could take it back.
There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence, then Julie said, "You don't wanna go home?" Though it didn't sound like a question. It sounded more like something that was final, a decision made. It sounded more like Julie was telling her that she didn't want to go home.
Ariana thought about her answer. "No. . .not really. I mean, I don't want to leave my parents or anything, but. . .I don't want to leave here either." She didn't want to explain her exact reasons why; it wasn't just because she would get embarrassed because one of the reasons was Jack, it was also because she didn't want to embarrass herself by telling them that this was what she desired, this life. She knew they wouldn't understand. She didn't expect them to.
"Why not? It's a movie, Ariana. It's not even real."
She snapped her head up at this, her eyes blazing. "Not real? NOT REAL? If it's not real, then how are we standing here? How are we standing right here if it's not real? How can THIS – " she shoved her arm in front of her, showing the long, red gash from Shallows dagger, "– not be real? Explain to me, 'cause I'm not sure I understand what you're saying." Anger was clearly evident in her voice, and she didn't try to hold it in. It shone in her eyes dangerously, like a poison that was leaking through her body.
"It's a movie, okay?"
"So? You still haven't told me how it's not real, how everything we experiences isn't real." Her voice was calm now, but a dangerous calm, one just begging someone to try and get her angrier.
"It's not real because it's a movie, okay? That's how."
Ariana nodded. "All right. Okay." The anger was being let out now, slow and hazardously. She gripped the handle of her sword and pulled it out, the sun bouncing off the blade and causing it to gleam. Both her friends stepped back.
What the hell is she doing?! Kelsey thought. Has she gone insane?!
Oh my God, is she going to hurt us to show us she thinks this is real? Has she lost her mind? I think she has. . .Oh my God. . . Julie wanted to run, but couldn't find the strength.
Ariana advanced on them. "Is this fake, Julie?" She held the blade inches from her friend's face. "If I were to move this – " she suddenly swung it down, not touching her, and brought it to the other side of her head, "– through you, would it be fake?"
Julie's wide eyes were going from the blade to the other girl's face, petrified. She HAS gone insane.
"Ariana. . ." Kelsey said her name cautiously. What was she going to do?
Ariana turned her head sharply to look at Kelsey. "Yes?"
"What are you doing?" Her voice was sincerely questioning, with fear mixed in, making her sound like a small child witnessing a murder.
"Seeing if she believes this is real yet." She was dead serious – not a hint of sarcasm or laughter anywhere. She would never hurt her friends, never in her life – but she had to scare them to make them understand. There was no other way. She turned back to Julie. She could see Jack in her peripheral vision, looking ready to grab her at any moment should she completely lose it. She wished she could tell him she was only frightening them into believing her, but that would defeat the whole purpose. She grabbed Julie's arm and held it up, exposing the wound made by Shallows. She touched it, and her friend winced. She hated to hurt her – she took her hand away. "Did you not feel that? Is that not there? It looks to me like it is." She stared into her eyes.
It was several moments before Julie answered. "Yes I felt it."
"That must mean it's real then." She dropped her arm and sheathed her sword. "Don't tell me any of this isn't real." Her voice trembled as suddenly, without warning, she could feel tears coming up behind her eyes, which surprised her. Where was this coming from? She tried to hold them back.
Her friends saw the pain in her eyes and wished they could help, for they knew why it was there. That they understood.
She couldn't help the tears as they started to fall, hitting the deck below and her shirt, wetting her cheeks. Both girls reached out and hugged her at the same time. She buried her face in Kelsey's hair. "I don't want to leave." It was barely a whisper.
"I know. Neither do we," Kelsey said gently. "But we have to. We have our lives back home, and our families. We can't just give all of that up."
She knew this. And she knew she couldn't leave Jack. The choice between the life she had always known with her friends and family and a life with the man she loved was tearing her apart inside, ripping her in half, and it was painful.
The three pulled apart and Ariana wiped at her face. Jack was looking at her like he would give anything to die; he hated to see her hurting. But he knew he couldn't get involved; that would only make things worse. He had to let the girls handle it.
"I know," Ariana replied. She hiccupped. "I know."
Julie walked over to Jack and asked, "Where did you put the medallion?"
"It's still in me pocket," he answered, and he instantly regretted it. If she got the medallion, that meant that she would smash it, and if she did that, she could be right, and Ariana would be taken back to her world. He didn't want to let her go. But now what could he do? He had just screwed himself. Dammit.
"Give it to me."
"Why?"
"Just give it to me." She held out her hand.
He rolled his eyes. He didn't have a credible reason not to give it to her, not any that she would accept, anyway. He reluctantly pulled it out. When she went to grab it, he snatched it away and said, "Let me say goodbye to Ariana first."
"Fine."
He gave a small, short nod and gave it to her, then sashayed over to Ariana. She looked up at him.
"Jack, I. . ." She couldn't find the words; couldn't bring herself to say them.
"I know you have ta go, love."
"I don't want to." She shook her head. She wanted him to know that she didn't want to let him go.
"I know you don't. I don't want you to eitha."
"Why can't I just stay here with you?" Before she knew it, her arms were wrapped around him and her face was buried in his shirt.
He put his arms around her and replied, "I don't know why. Because life isn't fair."
"You got that right." Her voice was muffled by his shirt.
He gave a small smile, and then gazed down at her. She knew by the silence that he was, and she looked up at him. When she looked into his eyes, she forgot all about Kelsey and Julie standing there; she forgot about everything, even the crewmembers that were scattered about farther away on deck. All she could think about was him, and the life that she wanted so desperately. He leaned down and covered her mouth with his, and she felt as if she were in heaven once more, the same feeling she had every time he kissed her. Soon he pulled away, though she noticed he was rather reluctant to.
A few seconds later, Julie said, "All right, I think we should be touching each other, just in case."
Kelsey sighed and touched Ariana's shoulder – Ariana wasn't even aware of it. She was still gazing into Jack's eyes, and he was looking back into hers. Julie ran into the captain's quarters and emerged several minutes later with a hammer. She then put her hand on Kelsey's shoulder and placed the medallion on the ground.
"What about. . ." Kelsey nodded her head towards Ariana and Jack, who still had their arms around each other.
"I don't think we have to worry about that. The medallion was meant to pull only us here, so obviously it would only bring us back."
Kelsey nodded and Julie raised the hammer, then brought it swiftly down onto the piece of gold. The medallion broke into little golden pieces, some as small as sand, and Ariana didn't even flinch. She was scarcely aware that it had even happened. She didn't even notice as everything around her began to change.
She was snapped back to reality by a light smack to the back of her head. She turned to see Kelsey standing there.
"What was that. . ." She trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging in the air unfinished, as she looked around.
They were back in the movie theater. But one thing was wrong. . . She turned to see Jack still standing there, his arms still around her, only he was no longer looking at her, but staring around the theater, a look of curiosity and bewilderment mixed on his face. "Oh boy," she said. How had this happened? Then realization dawned on her.
He had been holding her when Julie had broken the medallion. So he had been brought back as well, because he had been touching her. Oh no! she thought fearfully. This is bad. . .this is good. . .but this is still bad. He was with her. . .but he was with her in the twentieth century! "Uh, guys? What do we do now?"
A/N: Told you I wasn't done! Lots more to come! This is one of my longest chapters so far. I would've had this up sooner, but it took me longer than I expected to write it, because I was listening to "I Hate Everything About You" by Three Days Grace over and over and chatting with my friend at the same time, so I couldn't really focus 100% until I was almost done with it. But now it's here! Next chapter will be up soon!
