Disclaimer: Still don't own Jack, though I wish I did!
AN: Well, someone wrote a review that said they thought that this story was boring and not as good as the first one. However, they didn't seem to read past the first chapter, so how would they know? Anyway, enough babbling from the author. Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 9: Arrivals and Conversations:
Lara woke up to yet another beautiful day in Tortuga. They had only been there for three days and already she was tired of it. She really didn't understand what the others saw in the town, but she supposed that it was a pirate thing.
Deciding that she would let Jack and the rest of the crew sleep in, Lara grabbed some breakfast from the galley and went up on deck, looking over the water.
That's when she noticed a ship heading towards them. She squinted, trying to get a good look at it, but couldn't quite make it out; it seemed to be a British merchant ship. She headed downstairs for Jack's telescope, which was in his desk drawer in his cabin. She quietly opened the door, and found the bed empty. Puzzlement and surprise settled on her features before a bare arm encircled her waist, and another hand closed the door behind her.
"Mornin' luv," Jack whispered as he kissed her neck. Lara smiled as she leaned back.
"Morning," she whispered back as Jack squeezed her closer. She enjoyed a few moments with him before she remembered why she was there. "Oh, Jack, there's a ship coming into port!" She pulled away and took the telescope out of the desk. She turned around only to find a puzzled Jack staring at her.
"Luv, ships come into Tortuga all the time," he said, smiling.
Lara shook her head. "This one is different. It seems too clean and new to be a pirate ship. I think it might be something else."
Jack stiffened up as he looked at her, then quickly pulled on his shirt, boots, and belt before he grabbed his coat and hat. After checking his appearance in a mirror, he grabbed Lara's hand and led her upstairs to the deck. Once there, he went to the back of the helm and took the telescope from Lara before putting it up to his eye.
It was a British ship alright. "Luv, do you know of a ship called The White Dove?" he asked.
Lara's eyes looked puzzled. "That's the Worthingtons' ship, why do you ask?"
"Cause that's the name of the ship coming into port, luv," Jack said somberly.
Lara quickly grabbed the telescope and looked. It was indeed the Worthingtons' ship, the White Dove, and it was making its way straight for the Black Pearl. She put the telescope down as her face paled. "Jack, what are we going to do?! The White Dove is a British ship; you can't open fire on it! The Navy will hunt you down if you do!"
"Luv, they're here for ye, and there's no way they're gonna get ye," Jack said, taking the glass back. "I've been waitin' for a girl like you my whole life, and I'm not giving you up without a fight." He looked out of the glass while Lara stared at him. Meanwhile, Annamaria had come up on deck and stood behind them.
"What's goin' on, Jack?" she asked, making the two jump in surprise.
"The Navy's come fer my bonny lass," Jack said. "Go and wake up the crew, Annamaria, we've got a battle to fight."
Lara grabbed his arm. "Jack, you are not going to risk every man and woman on this ship just for me!" she cried.
Jack took her hands in his. "I'm not doin' this just fer you, lass. We're pirates, and if the rest of the crew is caught, we'll all be hung before the week is out, and you'll be married off to yer soldier before you can blink twice. If we get out of this, we'll have a better chance of living. Savvy?"
Lara looked down in thought as the crew came rushing on deck, and nodded her understanding. Looking up at him, she spoke. "Promise to be careful, Jack. I don't want to see you hurt."
Jack smiled at her. "I'll try my best, luv." He kissed her. "Now, you should get below, I don't want them hittin' ye by mistake." He pushed her toward the stairs that led down below, but didn't get her very far; she had dug her heels into the deck and was resisting. He sighed, then swung her up in his arms and over his shoulder, taking her down to his cabin.
"Jack, put me down this instant!" she cried, kicking her legs, trying to get down. "You are not locking me up while everyone else fights! Put me down!"
"Sorry, luv, but I'm not risking your life this time," he said, putting her down inside the cabin.
Lara lifted her head up, defiance written all over her face. "Either I'm a member of this crew, or I'm not. Make up your mind, Jack."
Jack sighed again. "Ye don't know what's involved, lass. One day ye'll know, but not today." He quickly slipped out the door, locking it behind him before he returned to the deck.
Lara pounded on the door for several moments before she gave up. She knew Jack wouldn't let her fight, but she'd hoped anyway. Instead, she went to the back window and looked out. The ship was closer now, and she could see people on the ship scurrying around on the deck. Looking up, she saw that the other ship had raised peculiar flags that she had never seen before, and was stopping a good distance away from the Pearl. She heard the crew of the Black Pearl moving around up above, and heard confusion in their voices as they spoke to one another. She then looked back to the Dove and saw a rowboat being lowered with several members of the crew in it, then saw it heading towards the Pearl, a white flag of surrender flying. As they got closer, Lara let out a shout of recognition.
"Will! Elizabeth!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *
Twenty minutes later, Will, Elizabeth, Jack, and Lara were in the Captain's quarters, cups of wine set before them, ready to talk. Will and Elizabeth sat across the table from where Jack was sitting with Lara, his hand holding hers. Jack spoke first.
"Well, I never thought I'd see the day where ye would steal another ship, Will, but then, here ye are again, guilty of piracy." He grinned, gold teeth flashing. "So, what brings the two of ye here to Tortuga?"
Elizabeth took a sip of wine before speaking. "Jack, we're all friends here, aren't we?" Jack nodded his head in agreement. Elizabeth sighed. "Well, I might as well get down to the point. My father, the Governor, and Commodore Norrington have sent Will and I here to negotiate for Lara's safe return to Port Royal."
The smile disappeared from Jack's face, and a hostile look appeared as he leaned over the table towards his friends. "Elizabeth, you're a good lass, but the only way ye get my bonny lass off this ship is when I, and every crewmember on this ship, lie at the bottom of the sea with the Pearl." His grip on Lara's hand tightened.
Will shook his head. "We know that you don't want to give her back, Jack, but there are people there who love and miss her. You have to let her go back."
Jack glared at him. "Will, the only person fer her to go back to is that stiff-necked red-coat wearing soldier, and I'm not sending her back there to marry him."
Elizabeth sighed again. "Jack, there is a little girl in Port Royal that has been frantically waiting for Lara to come back to her. She loves Lara like an older sister and desperately wants her back. You wouldn't want to hurt an innocent little girl, would you?"
Jack shook his head. "I'm sorry fer the poor little one, but I'm not letting you have my bonny lass."
Will frowned at him. "Jack, if you really love Lara, you should let her decide whether she wants to stay with you or not." He turned to Lara, who had been sitting silently beside Jack the whole time. "Lara, you have people back home who love and miss you. Don't you want to go back to them?"
Lara looked down at her hand, holding Jack's, lost in thought. After several moments, she spoke. "I do miss Amanda and the Worthingtons, but I can't leave Jack. I love him, and I want to stay with him, here, on the Black Pearl." She looked up and stared into Jack's eyes, which had lit up with happiness. "I choose to remain here."
Elizabeth looked both relieved and worried. "Lara, I know how much you love him, but if we don't bring you back to Port Royal, my father and Commodore Norrington will have to turn to more drastic measures."
Lara looked at her close friend, worry written all over her face. "What sort of measures are you talking about, Lizzie?"
Elizabeth met Lara's eyes. "My father was willing to let there be negotiations due to the fact that there were no available ships to come after you. My guess is that he secretly hoped that no violence would come of this simply because Jack helped you and Will save me from Barbossa. If I don't bring you back, he'll have no choice but to send someone after you." She reached over and took Lara's free hand in hers. "Lara, I want you to stay with Jack, but I'm hoping that you aren't willing to risk innocent lives for it."
Lara stared at her friend before turning toward Jack, who looked like his heart was breaking, then looked down at her lap. "Give me tonight to think about it? Please?" She looked at the Turners, who nodded before standing up.
"Will and I will go back to the White Dove and come back tomorrow morning," Elizabeth said, heading for the stairs, Will trailing along behind her.
Once they were alone, Jack stood up, dragging Lara along with him. He headed for his cabin, pulling her in behind him before locking the door and drawing her into a tight embrace.
"I don't want to lose ye, luv," he said, burying his face in her neck, inhaling her scent and the smell of the perfume he had gotten for her.
Lara pulled him close, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I don't want to leave, either, but I won't put people's lives in jeopardy needlessly. I don't think I could bear that."
The two held each other for a while longer before getting ready for bed, then crawling in and wrapping the other in their arms, then falling into an uneasy and dreamless sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The two awoke to a pounding on the door and shouts from the crew. Both leapt out of bed and instantly dressed before grabbing their weapons and heading for the door. Jack was three feet from the door before it jerked open, revealing ten red-coated soldiers and a man of significant rank in the midst of them. The officer quickly gave a command.
"Drop your weapons, Sparrow, or my men open fire on your crew."
Lara gasped.
It was Thomas Pierce.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*
AN: (Enter evil laughter here.) Yes, cliffhanger! What will happen now? Will Jack come up with a weird and kooky plan of escape, or end up surrendering his lovely lass? Stay tuned for next time! Please leave a review! Flames will be used to cook food for my muses.
AN: Well, someone wrote a review that said they thought that this story was boring and not as good as the first one. However, they didn't seem to read past the first chapter, so how would they know? Anyway, enough babbling from the author. Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 9: Arrivals and Conversations:
Lara woke up to yet another beautiful day in Tortuga. They had only been there for three days and already she was tired of it. She really didn't understand what the others saw in the town, but she supposed that it was a pirate thing.
Deciding that she would let Jack and the rest of the crew sleep in, Lara grabbed some breakfast from the galley and went up on deck, looking over the water.
That's when she noticed a ship heading towards them. She squinted, trying to get a good look at it, but couldn't quite make it out; it seemed to be a British merchant ship. She headed downstairs for Jack's telescope, which was in his desk drawer in his cabin. She quietly opened the door, and found the bed empty. Puzzlement and surprise settled on her features before a bare arm encircled her waist, and another hand closed the door behind her.
"Mornin' luv," Jack whispered as he kissed her neck. Lara smiled as she leaned back.
"Morning," she whispered back as Jack squeezed her closer. She enjoyed a few moments with him before she remembered why she was there. "Oh, Jack, there's a ship coming into port!" She pulled away and took the telescope out of the desk. She turned around only to find a puzzled Jack staring at her.
"Luv, ships come into Tortuga all the time," he said, smiling.
Lara shook her head. "This one is different. It seems too clean and new to be a pirate ship. I think it might be something else."
Jack stiffened up as he looked at her, then quickly pulled on his shirt, boots, and belt before he grabbed his coat and hat. After checking his appearance in a mirror, he grabbed Lara's hand and led her upstairs to the deck. Once there, he went to the back of the helm and took the telescope from Lara before putting it up to his eye.
It was a British ship alright. "Luv, do you know of a ship called The White Dove?" he asked.
Lara's eyes looked puzzled. "That's the Worthingtons' ship, why do you ask?"
"Cause that's the name of the ship coming into port, luv," Jack said somberly.
Lara quickly grabbed the telescope and looked. It was indeed the Worthingtons' ship, the White Dove, and it was making its way straight for the Black Pearl. She put the telescope down as her face paled. "Jack, what are we going to do?! The White Dove is a British ship; you can't open fire on it! The Navy will hunt you down if you do!"
"Luv, they're here for ye, and there's no way they're gonna get ye," Jack said, taking the glass back. "I've been waitin' for a girl like you my whole life, and I'm not giving you up without a fight." He looked out of the glass while Lara stared at him. Meanwhile, Annamaria had come up on deck and stood behind them.
"What's goin' on, Jack?" she asked, making the two jump in surprise.
"The Navy's come fer my bonny lass," Jack said. "Go and wake up the crew, Annamaria, we've got a battle to fight."
Lara grabbed his arm. "Jack, you are not going to risk every man and woman on this ship just for me!" she cried.
Jack took her hands in his. "I'm not doin' this just fer you, lass. We're pirates, and if the rest of the crew is caught, we'll all be hung before the week is out, and you'll be married off to yer soldier before you can blink twice. If we get out of this, we'll have a better chance of living. Savvy?"
Lara looked down in thought as the crew came rushing on deck, and nodded her understanding. Looking up at him, she spoke. "Promise to be careful, Jack. I don't want to see you hurt."
Jack smiled at her. "I'll try my best, luv." He kissed her. "Now, you should get below, I don't want them hittin' ye by mistake." He pushed her toward the stairs that led down below, but didn't get her very far; she had dug her heels into the deck and was resisting. He sighed, then swung her up in his arms and over his shoulder, taking her down to his cabin.
"Jack, put me down this instant!" she cried, kicking her legs, trying to get down. "You are not locking me up while everyone else fights! Put me down!"
"Sorry, luv, but I'm not risking your life this time," he said, putting her down inside the cabin.
Lara lifted her head up, defiance written all over her face. "Either I'm a member of this crew, or I'm not. Make up your mind, Jack."
Jack sighed again. "Ye don't know what's involved, lass. One day ye'll know, but not today." He quickly slipped out the door, locking it behind him before he returned to the deck.
Lara pounded on the door for several moments before she gave up. She knew Jack wouldn't let her fight, but she'd hoped anyway. Instead, she went to the back window and looked out. The ship was closer now, and she could see people on the ship scurrying around on the deck. Looking up, she saw that the other ship had raised peculiar flags that she had never seen before, and was stopping a good distance away from the Pearl. She heard the crew of the Black Pearl moving around up above, and heard confusion in their voices as they spoke to one another. She then looked back to the Dove and saw a rowboat being lowered with several members of the crew in it, then saw it heading towards the Pearl, a white flag of surrender flying. As they got closer, Lara let out a shout of recognition.
"Will! Elizabeth!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *
Twenty minutes later, Will, Elizabeth, Jack, and Lara were in the Captain's quarters, cups of wine set before them, ready to talk. Will and Elizabeth sat across the table from where Jack was sitting with Lara, his hand holding hers. Jack spoke first.
"Well, I never thought I'd see the day where ye would steal another ship, Will, but then, here ye are again, guilty of piracy." He grinned, gold teeth flashing. "So, what brings the two of ye here to Tortuga?"
Elizabeth took a sip of wine before speaking. "Jack, we're all friends here, aren't we?" Jack nodded his head in agreement. Elizabeth sighed. "Well, I might as well get down to the point. My father, the Governor, and Commodore Norrington have sent Will and I here to negotiate for Lara's safe return to Port Royal."
The smile disappeared from Jack's face, and a hostile look appeared as he leaned over the table towards his friends. "Elizabeth, you're a good lass, but the only way ye get my bonny lass off this ship is when I, and every crewmember on this ship, lie at the bottom of the sea with the Pearl." His grip on Lara's hand tightened.
Will shook his head. "We know that you don't want to give her back, Jack, but there are people there who love and miss her. You have to let her go back."
Jack glared at him. "Will, the only person fer her to go back to is that stiff-necked red-coat wearing soldier, and I'm not sending her back there to marry him."
Elizabeth sighed again. "Jack, there is a little girl in Port Royal that has been frantically waiting for Lara to come back to her. She loves Lara like an older sister and desperately wants her back. You wouldn't want to hurt an innocent little girl, would you?"
Jack shook his head. "I'm sorry fer the poor little one, but I'm not letting you have my bonny lass."
Will frowned at him. "Jack, if you really love Lara, you should let her decide whether she wants to stay with you or not." He turned to Lara, who had been sitting silently beside Jack the whole time. "Lara, you have people back home who love and miss you. Don't you want to go back to them?"
Lara looked down at her hand, holding Jack's, lost in thought. After several moments, she spoke. "I do miss Amanda and the Worthingtons, but I can't leave Jack. I love him, and I want to stay with him, here, on the Black Pearl." She looked up and stared into Jack's eyes, which had lit up with happiness. "I choose to remain here."
Elizabeth looked both relieved and worried. "Lara, I know how much you love him, but if we don't bring you back to Port Royal, my father and Commodore Norrington will have to turn to more drastic measures."
Lara looked at her close friend, worry written all over her face. "What sort of measures are you talking about, Lizzie?"
Elizabeth met Lara's eyes. "My father was willing to let there be negotiations due to the fact that there were no available ships to come after you. My guess is that he secretly hoped that no violence would come of this simply because Jack helped you and Will save me from Barbossa. If I don't bring you back, he'll have no choice but to send someone after you." She reached over and took Lara's free hand in hers. "Lara, I want you to stay with Jack, but I'm hoping that you aren't willing to risk innocent lives for it."
Lara stared at her friend before turning toward Jack, who looked like his heart was breaking, then looked down at her lap. "Give me tonight to think about it? Please?" She looked at the Turners, who nodded before standing up.
"Will and I will go back to the White Dove and come back tomorrow morning," Elizabeth said, heading for the stairs, Will trailing along behind her.
Once they were alone, Jack stood up, dragging Lara along with him. He headed for his cabin, pulling her in behind him before locking the door and drawing her into a tight embrace.
"I don't want to lose ye, luv," he said, burying his face in her neck, inhaling her scent and the smell of the perfume he had gotten for her.
Lara pulled him close, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I don't want to leave, either, but I won't put people's lives in jeopardy needlessly. I don't think I could bear that."
The two held each other for a while longer before getting ready for bed, then crawling in and wrapping the other in their arms, then falling into an uneasy and dreamless sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The two awoke to a pounding on the door and shouts from the crew. Both leapt out of bed and instantly dressed before grabbing their weapons and heading for the door. Jack was three feet from the door before it jerked open, revealing ten red-coated soldiers and a man of significant rank in the midst of them. The officer quickly gave a command.
"Drop your weapons, Sparrow, or my men open fire on your crew."
Lara gasped.
It was Thomas Pierce.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*
AN: (Enter evil laughter here.) Yes, cliffhanger! What will happen now? Will Jack come up with a weird and kooky plan of escape, or end up surrendering his lovely lass? Stay tuned for next time! Please leave a review! Flames will be used to cook food for my muses.