Disclaimer:  Not mine.  See previous chapters for various denials of ownership.

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Dun-dun-dun!

   Marty, noticing that no one was giving him his due attention as a beloved household pet, squawked and grabbed hold of one of the many stands of beads in Jack's hair.  Jack yelled when the bird started tugging on it, which woke Pige who started dancing and yapping in excitement.  Winn's nieces and nephews, who were waiting outside the room for some sign of life that would mean it would be okay for them to enter, came racing in to throw themselves on the bed.  Promptly starting a pillow fight, they woke their parents with their squeals and shrieks.  The awakened parents came to the room to drag their children back to their rooms and to demand silence until at least seven o'clock.

   Winn just sat in the window watching with a kind of fascinated horror as the scene unfolded before her, her hands covering her mouth.  Jack finally pulled free of the determined and slighted bird, glaring at it and thinking evil thoughts of roast poultry.

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Jack left Winn soon after the "flamingo incident."  It was just as well.  Any longer in his presence, and Winn might find her common sense overruled by a serious case of what she was refusing to label with any word stronger than "infatuation."

   Turning to look at her grandfather's pet, she told him, "You really must stop trying to eat the effects of Grandfather's guests.  They don't appreciate it, they'd only make you sick, and their yelling causes a general disruption amongst the household.  Having a flamingo who thinks its human is bad enough."  Marty squawked at her, disgruntled from having all those shiny objects taken away. 

   "Yes, I know.  You're hungry." Winn sighed, looking at Pige who was still bouncing around the feet of the elevated bird.  "We'd best feed you before you try eating one of the children next."  So saying, Winn changed into pants and a shirt, choosing to forgo footwear.  Barefoot she climbed down the stairs, both bird and pup making hopeful sounds behind her.

   She was going through the kitchen on her way outside (she too was hungry) when she saw one of the servants loading a tray with two bottle of Richard's rum and several sandwiches.  "Please tell me that Grandfather usually eats a better breakfast than that." She told the man.

   Replying in a think accent, he said, "Aye, Missy Winn, but dis mornin' da Capt'n was all in a huff, sayin' dat proper pirates, dey don' discuss bizness o'er coffee and toast – dey gets drunk.  Den dey discuss da serious stuff.  Den he said to have rum and some chow brought to his study."  He shrugged.  "I do what da Capt'n says.  Don' want t'get on his bad side, miss."

   Winn sighed.  The problem with having a famous pirate as a Grandfather was that is was hard to find anyone willing to stand up to him.  "Very well.  It's best that you do as you were told.  However," with this she reached for a nearby bowl of fruit, "tell him I said that he needs to eat some of these grapes, and some grapefruit wouldn't kill him." While she was still mad at him, that was no reason to let the man eat like a pirate.  Well, he is a pirate, just an old one.  He needs to start taking better care of himself. 

   The servant grinned.  Battles between grandfather and granddaughter over appropriate dinner fare were near legendary.  While the old man might bellow to bring the roof down, he usually gave in to his calmer protégée.  "Aye, Missy Winn.  I'll tell him dat."

   "Thank you."  Spying Marty trying to knock over a tin of cookies, Winn hustled her animal charges out the door and into the garden where Pige could frolic, and Marty couldn't eat anything harmful to his digestion.

Jack had just entered his room and shut the door when someone knocked on it.  At first he was strongly tempted to ignore it – that bloody bird had put him a seriously bad mood.  The blasted thing tried to eat my hair!  What kind of person allows such a deranged animal wander free?  Remembering just the kind of person who did, and that he was said person's guest, Jack sighed.  If they knock again, I'll answer, although two to one it's only the kid.

   He didn't have to wait long for the knock to repeat.  "Captain Sparrow!  Open the door.  The boys are going to go swimming without me if you don't hurry up."  Jack opened at the pleading of the childish voice.  Looking down (albeit not too far down) he found Ry and Cat's oldest daughter, Bella.  She was even more a tomboy than her youngest aunt.  If Jack had to bet based on what behavior the sprite had portrayed for far, he'd say that the next generation of Morgan pirates were assured in the girl looking up at him with an annoyed expression.

   "Well, lass?  You wanted me to open the door. I've done so, so why are you still here?"  He had spoken in his "aggravated Captain" voice – one that normally made full grown men wary, so he was mildly surprised by the impish grin that lit the girl's face.  It was very similar to the one that he usually had pasted on.  He grinned in return, not caring whether she was delivering good news or bad – the fact that she had the nerve to grin in the face of such an inhospitable greeting made her news irrelevant.  He recognized a pirate's heart when he saw one.  Unlike her aunt who is just prickly.

   "Great-grandpapa says that you're to meet him in his study immediately."

   "And why would that be, little pirate?"

   Bella shrugged.  "I dunno.  I s'pose he wants to talk to you.  Can I go?  Aunt Grace won't stay down at the cove forever."

   "Aunt Grace?  I thought your aunt Winn kept you savages occupied."

   Shaking her head, Bella said, "Aunt Winn doesn't like to swim.  She's really not very good at it.  If she jumped off your ship to get to Papa's then she really must not have wanted to stay with you.  She doesn't like heights or deep water."  A shout came from the bottom of the stairs.  "Gotta go."  She raced off.

   Jack smiled, then abruptly stopped as he remembered the message she had delivered.  Sounds like Morgan has recalled that he has a guest.

"Ah, Sparrow, thank you for joining me so early in the mornin'."  Henry Morgan welcomed his guest into his study.  After further consultation with his grandsons and their incorrigible wives, Morgan had decided that if this man was to be considered a candidate for his granddaughter's hand, then further investigation into his character and past were needed.  If all turned out well, then . . . but he got ahead of himself.

   "Yes sir.  However, seein' as how I am the captain of a ship, and have been for sometime, I prefer to be addressed as such."

   "What are you sayin'?"  Morgan scowled.  Sparrow was going to have to earn the right to be called 'Captain,' and if he couldn't ask for it outright, then he certainly didn't deserve it.

   "I'm saying that it's Captain Jack Sparrow, or Captain Sparrow – whichever one you prefer Captain Morgan."  He met Morgan's eyes steadily, each man trying to get the other to back down from their chosen position.  While Jack was a bit nervous, he understood that her was being tested and refused to be found wanting.  Besides, he liked the way "captain" sounded in front of his name.

   Morgan saw this.  With a good-natured roar, he bellowed, "Captain Sparrow it is then, lad.  Come, have a seat.  I trust you've not yet breakfasted?"

   "No.  However, I was nearly breakfast for that bird of yours."  Jack took the offered seat, noticing the two bottles of rum.  This didn't do a great deal to relieve his anxiety, since drinking with a pirate didn't necessarily guarantee a man's safety.  It did help him get over the fact that a bird had tried to make its own breakfast on his hair though.

   "What bird?"  Gesturing for Jack to help himself, Morgan went ahead and picked up a sandwich.

   "That flamingo that's wandering around.  If you ask me, there should warnings posted about the blasted thing's disposition."  Jack took a bunk of grapes and started popping them in his mouth.

   "How did you know that Marty belonged to me?"

   "Your granddaughter was most forthcoming on the voyage over here.  I dislike going into unknown situations, so she was kind enough to tell me just what I may expect to find here – although she was clueless as to why you might have . . . invited . . . me here."

   Morgan nodded, pleased to find that Sparrow was no fool.  He had heard conflicting stories from his own captains, but had come to the conclusion that any man who could have escaped with his life as many times as Jack had couldn't possibly be a fool.  Fools didn't last long on the sea.  By his reckoning, the only foolish thing that Jack had ever done was trust his crew not to mutiny.  But he had survived, and surely the experience had cured him of any inclination to be foolish in the future.

   Swallowing his bite of sandwich, Morgan said, "I invited you here because I was curious to meet the man who so successfully removed Winifred from her ship.  I believe it's been tried before, without success."

   "She probably managed to freeze whoever had tried it before," Jack muttered.  Remembering who he was talking to, he looked up with contrition on his face.  "Apologies, it's simply that –"

   "– you're absolutely right.  My granddaughter has an icy manner at times.  It serves to her advantage more often than not.  At others . . . it tends to be inconvenient."  Morgan watched as Jack inclined his head in reluctant agreement.  "But enough about women.  They tend to be more trouble than most men can afford.  What's this I've heard about the retakin' of the Black Pearl?  I'd met Barbossa once," Jack's eyes widened in surprise. "He was much younger then, and I was not as old as I am now.  A hard customer, that one, even thirty years ago.  Not surprised he managed to get himself cursed."

   Once again recovering his equanimity, Jack shrugged.  "I s'pose you can blame me for that.  I was the one who found the map leading to Isla de Muerta."  About to launch into the story (for he enjoyed talking of his own exploits, as all pirates do), he was interrupted by the older man.

   "A moment, Captain Sparrow.  This sounds like a tale that would be better told over rum, as is appropriate when braggin' of one's own deeds."  Morgan removed the corks from both bottles, handing one to Jack.  "Drink up.  Richard just brought these from his plantation.  A new vintage.  He wanted an opinion before he started to sell it to his customers."

   Jack took a swallow, then looked at the bottle with an expression of amazement on his face.  "Your grandson made this?"  He took another swig.  It was very good rum.

   "Aye," Morgan said with paternal pride.  "Now, continue with your story."

Meandering along the garden paths, Winn found that she actually longed for the company of the man she had left inside some time ago.  The sun was halfway to its zenith, and Winn was already starting to consider the appeal of a mid-morning nap.  Deciding that a nap was more than just simply appealing, Winn looked about for Pige and Marty.  It wasn't a good idea to leave Marty wandering about unattended in the garden.

   Seeing a whitish pink head bob up and then back down, Winn walked over to the bird.  What she found (to her profound chagrin) were an extremely pleased bird and several blueberry bushes that had been stripped of their berries.  "This is ridiculous!  You're a bloody flamingo!  You're supposed to eat krill and shrimp, not blueberries!"  Marty just looked at her, turning his head this way and that to examine her though both eyes.  "Well, I can see that it's no use scolding you.  Grandfather has obviously spoiled you rotten.  Since that is the case, I'll take you to him and let him deal with you for the next few hours."

   She walked towards the main house, the bird trailing behind and Pigeon racing ahead, muttering under her breath the entire time.  As much as she would like to avoid her grandfather for the next week, just until he got this ridiculous marriage idea out of his head, she knew that was rather impractical.  Sooner or later the old man was going to come looking for her, and he would not be pleased if he had to.  It was better to set him straight now so she could continue through the week dreading nothing but the arrival of the Black Pearl and the departure of her captain.

   Entering the house in the same way she had left it, Winn inquired as to the location of her irascible grandfather.  "He still be in his study wi' Capt'n Sparra'."

   Winn nearly convinced herself that she had heard wrong.  If she hadn't, then this development could mean nothing good.  Needing confirmation, she asked in a voice that was much too calm, "He's in his study with whom?"

   "Capt'n Sparra'.  Da same capt'n as came in wi' ye, Missy Winn."

   Winn left the kitchen, forgetting to thank the helpful servant in her haste to either advert disaster or to clean up after it.

" . . . an' so ended me one an' only encounter wi' th' infamous Blackbeard."  Morgan finished his story.  By the time Jack had recounted the story of his adventure with Will and Elizabeth, both pirates had descended into a morass of drunken ebullience.  This was just one in a series of exaggerated tales that both men were willing to dole out.

   Taking a look at his three-fourths empty bottle of rum, Morgan's eye was caught by the label – one that Winn had designed.  It reminded him of his original purpose in asking Jack to his study that morning.  Clearing his throat, he gathered his brows in gravity.  "Capt'n Sparrow.  I don't know if ye've heard, but me granddaughter, Winnie, is to be married by th' end of th' week."

   Jack sat in his chair, stunned.  Winnie getting married?  Why didn't she tell me?  Or did she?  No, I think I'd remember something like that.  "Married?   Married t'who?"  If he could find out who, then he could kill them.  I bet it's that blond . . . .

   "Well, you see Capt'n, that's still up in air.  She hasn't decided who yet."  Morgan sighed.  "Y'see.  I introduced her to several of m'most promisin' capt'ns, and the girl ran away.  Then, then those wimmen me grandsons married had the cheek to tell me why she did."  Standing up a bit unsteadily, Morgan leaned over his desk.  "Those wimmen tole me that she be in love wi' ye." 

   Jack was still stunned, or stunned again, he wasn't quite sure.  Winnie? In love with me?  S'pose that makes sense.  Or maybe it doesn't.  Maybe I shouldn't have drunk so much.  Looking at his own rum bottle, he amended that thought.  Then again, I think I need to drink more.

   Morgan, not noticing a lack of response from his guest, continued in his narrative.  "So I says to meself, 'Then I had best check this character out.  I want th' girl married, but it'd be best if she married for love.  Forget her nonsense 'bout not fallin' in love.  'Bout not lovin' a sailor.  Her grandmother did and never regretted a moment of it.'"  Morgan paused, thinking of the wife he had loved and lost too soon.  The wife he might soon be joining.

   "Capt'n Morgan?  I'm curious as to why ye're tellin' me this.  I doubt that Winnie will get married if she's so set agin' it.  She doesn't seem to be a woman to do things against her will."

   This seemed to irritate the old man.  Slamming his fist into his desk he bellowed, "What matter does her resistance to th' idea make?  I'm in charge of this family and I've decided that she will marry and that she will marry –"

   The door to the study swung open slowly, the hinges groaning against the motion of the heavy panel.  Framed in the oaken doorway was the woman under discussion.  The wood of the door had not done much to inhibit Winn from hearing the last part of Morgan's outburst.  As a result, she was icily calm, her silence indicative of her mood.  She entered the room, Marty following meekly behind as if he could read her mind.  The bird quickly went to hide behind his master, ducking his head and making quiet bird noises.

   Winn spoke calmly, her voice and face indifferent.  "Grandfather, Captain Sparrow.  I believe that it is a little early in the day to be getting so thoroughly inebriated."

   "Who says we're drunk?" Morgan asked.

   "I believe that the empty rum bottles are a testimony unto themselves, not to mention that it reeks of alcohol in here.  If I didn't know better, I'd say that I had mistakenly entered a tavern."  Winn took a seat in one of the leather chairs in front of her grandfather's desk.  "Please, both of you have a seat before you fall over.  I'm not exactly in the mood to assist you, so if you fell, you'd most likely remain on the floor until you sobered up.  Not that being sober would return your reason, apparently."

   The men sat.  "Now, please continue your discussion.  Having heard most of it from the hall, indeed it was rather hard to ignore, I wouldn't dream of interrupting."

   Clearing his throat, Morgan addressed his granddaughter.  "Now Winnie, this has nothin' to do with ye –"

   "Nothing to do with me?  Was I mistaken or were you not just about to explain your grand design for my life?  About to reveal just who would make a perfect mate for me?  Not that my opinion is important.  After all, I'm just the one that you're trying to marry off.  My happiness couldn't possibly be allowed to interfere with any of your considerations."  Each word dropped from Winn's lips like chunks of ice, her eyes having no more depth than a splinter of the frozen liquid.

   "Young lady, I'll not tolerate any of yer defiance on this matter.  As a pirate captain I am responsible for making th' life of me crew –"

   "If you haven't noticed, we are not on a ship and I am your granddaughter, not a member of a crew who signed on to sail under you."

   "Nonetheless, it's written in th' Code that –"

   This infuriated Winn for some reason.  "Come off it, Grandfather.  We both know that the Code was nothing but an inside joke between you and great-uncle Bartholomew.  That you started the thing as boys, and how a fit of drunken inspiration to celebrate your twin's promotion to captain you both decided to see how many other pirates you could get to take you seriously.  Don't try to tell me that you're doing this out of some sense of duty to the Code.  I may be two generations younger than you, but I will not fall for that."

   "Fine.  Then I'm doin' this because ye are too pigheaded and stubborn t'admit when ye're in love, and because it's for yer own good.  Ye need a companion in yer life whether ye know that or not." 

   Winn had turned pale, her anger suddenly disappearing.  "I don't know what you're talking about.  I am certainly not . . ." Winn swallowed hard, "not in . . . love.  If Cat or anyone else has been trying to convince you otherwise, then they're trying to make you see what isn't around to be seen."  Winn turned to leave, her determination to set her grandfather straight fizzling out under the realization that she was in love, and that love changed absolutely nothing.

   "Winifred, ye'll sit back down right now!"

   With her back still turned to her grandfather, Winn said, "I'm 26, Grandfather.  I think that I should be able to run my own life by now."

   "Runnin' yer own life is what has led to this.  I gave ye too much freedom and ye came to think that's all that matters in life.  If there is one thing I have left to teach ye before I die, it's that a body needs others to depend on."  Jack was watching all this, suddenly realizing just who Morgan intended to marry Winn to.  And to his surprise, he found that he didn't mind.

   "And you would have me to depend on whom?"  Winn turned back to the men, her temper once again flaring.  "Monroe, who looks like he's still wet behind the ears?  Becket, the man who started undressing me with his eyes as soon as I acknowledged his presence in the room?  Or perhaps Stone, who from all accounts is a womanizer?  Yes, I can see why I would need to depend on such men.  If you think that I will consent to marry either of those men, you'll need to beat me into submission."

   Morgan looked a bit abashed.  "I'll admit, maybe I did a bad job findin' men suited to yer temperament – but can ye blame me?  Ye live here, but ye don't live here.  Besides, yer brothers and sisters have changed me mind.  Ye'll be marryin' another captain come Saturday."

   Winn looked at her grandfather.  She could see what he was about to say in his eyes.  "No.  Don't do this, Grandfather.  Please."

   "Are you sayin' that ye refuse to comply with my decision?"  Winn nodded, color draining from her face when the stubborn look the old man had on his face faded not a wit.

   "Sorry, lass.  But ye're not leavin' me with much of a choice."  Pulling a pistol from his desk drawer, he pointed it at Jack.  "Nothin' against ye, but I'm afraid I'll be havin' to resend my hospitality, Capt'n Sparrow.  This community, this house was intended as a retreat for me family.  It was to remain secret so that they would be safe from those who would seek my head for crimes I had committed agin th' powers in other countries.  I swore upon the completion of this house that any who were not family who came here would either have to stay on th' island, be killed to keep th' secret, or be bound to th' family forever by whatever means necessary."  Jack watched the muzzle of the pistol, too cautious to even cast a glance at Winn.

   Winn was being torn inside.  Jack would never swear to stay on the island and forsake the Pearl and Grandfather knew that.  He would know that death was the only way to ensure that Jack stayed on the island, and he wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.  He was a pirate – it wouldn't be because he wanted to, but because he had an oath to keep.  One that Winn could fulfill if she gave up her independence.  "Grandfather, don't do this," she begged, wondering if there was possibly any way out of this situation that would leave her untouched.

   "I won't have to if ye'll simply acquiesce to my terms, girl.  It's in yer hands now."  Morgan wouldn't enjoy killing the Captain; he had proved to be a most jovial drinking partner.  But in the end it would simply be one more death added to his account.  If there was a hell then he was already damned.

   "You know that it's unlikely that I will ever forgive you for this."

   "I know more than ye might think, Winnie.  Ye'd best make up yer mind."

   There was nothing for it.  With a feeling for doom that soon numbed her senses, Winn walked to the desk and placed herself between the pistol and its intended target.  Looking into Jack's eyes for some sign that she was doing the right thing, all she found was an unreadable countenance.  In for a penny, in for a pound.  Swallowing and clenching her hands behind her back, Winn said, "Captain Sparrow, I would be much obliged if you would consent to entering into a marriage union with me."

   Jack let a bit of relief show on his face.  He had been unsure whether Winn was coming over to accept her grandfather's forced proposal, or to bid him farewell.  "Aye, lass.  I think it's me that would be obliged."  He reached for her hand, but she moved away.

   "Satisfied, Grandfather?  I sincerely hope you are.  Now, if you would excuse me, I'd like to be alone."  Winn left the room.

   Morgan set his pistol on the desk and looked at Jack.  "Welcome to th' family.  I think you might have your work cut out with her."

   Jack had not looked away from Winn as she had left.  Still staring at the door that was once again closed, he said in a distracted tone.  "Work?  Nay, I think that this will be a pleasure."

   "Yours or hers?"

   "With any luck, both."  He stood up.  "If you will excuse me, I think I have someone I need to talk to."

Winn had locked the door to her room.  She was lying on her bed staring at the ceiling in benumbed shock.  He did it.  He actually did it.  Forced me into marriage.  She heard someone trying the knob to her door.  It rattled in the door, but refused to turn.  Footsteps retreated from the entrance to her room.

   She assumed that whoever it was had left, understanding that she didn't wish to be disturbed.  She was proven wrong when the footsteps came back.  "Winnie?  Will you let me in?"  Winn snorted.  If that man thought that he'd be seeing her before the ceremony, then he had another thing coming.

   "Go away, Jack.  I'm really not in the mood to talk to anyone right now."  As long as she was marrying the man, she might as well call him by his first name.

   "You're not going to let me in?"

   "I believe that's what 'go away' usually means."

   Jack was silent for a moment before inquiring, "Are you standin' near the door?"  Winn didn't answer.  The question was irrelevant.  Both their lives were about to change, and not for the better as far as she could see, and the man wanted to know where she was standing.  "Are you standin' near the door, Winnie?"

   "Will you stop asking stupid questions if I answer?"

   "I won't need to."

   "Then fine.  I'm not standing near the door.  Go away."  Winn expected that to be the end of the conversation, therefore she was completely surprised when Jack shot the lock off her door.

   Sitting bolt upright in surprise, she reached for a nearby vase of flowers on her nightstand.  Kneeling on the bed, she hurled it at the intruder with all her might, flowers and water spilling everywhere.

    Her aim was good, but Jack's reflexes were faster, even when dulled by rum.  To tell the truth, he had been expecting such a response from his new fiancée.  As she searched for another suitably heavy object to throw at him, Jack calmly placed a chair in front of the door to block the entrance.  Before he could turn from this task, a rather large book sailed by his head and slammed into the door.  Cursing, he lunged across the room before she could attempt to remove his head with another book.  Landing on the bed, they started to grapple, Winn fighting with all the pent up anger that she had been unable to release before her grandfather. 

   While she fought hard, Jack was bigger and stronger than she.  He managed to subdue her, both of them ending up lying on their sides, Jack pinning Winn's arms to her middle by simply wrapping his arms around her.  "Calm down, Winnie," he panted.  "I must admit that I was hoping for a different reception."

   "You wanted a different reception?!"  The nerve of the man!  "What did you expect?!  You barge in here after I made it very clear that I wanted to be left alone, and what?!  You wanted me to greet you with a hug and a kiss?!"

   "While I admit that would have been nice, I merely said that I was hopin' for another reaction.  The one I got was the one that I was expecting."

   "If you're so smart, they why couldn't you find your own way out of that mess?"

   "Because I was hopin' you'd come to my rescue, love."

   Seeing as how Winn's back was pressed to Jack's chest, she couldn't even look him in the eye as she argued with him.  She settled for biting commentary instead.  "You're telling me, that Captain Jack Sparrow, terror of the seven seas, captain extraordinaire, and the self-proclaimed 'last real pirate threat in the Caribbean,' was waiting to be saved by a woman?"  Winn laughed in disbelief.  "Please excuse me if I don't believe you."

   Why am I not surprised?  "Winnie, you are an exceptionally stubborn woman.  What makes you think I didn't come out of that study with exactly what I wanted?"

   "Your head intact?"

   "See, there you go again, being negative."

   "Being practical."  Winn managed to free one arm.  With her increased mobility she pinched the tendons in Jack's wrist.  When his hand opened reflexively, she rolled out of his grasp.  She didn't bother rolling far – he'd already proved that he'd do what he had to in order to talk to her.  Sitting up against the headboard, she glared at the man.  "You don't need to manhandle anyone, Captain.  I think you've made your point, and I'd rather this be as civilized as possible."

   "I'm not the one that started throwing things at people who wanted to talk to me."

   "Yes, well, I'm not the one who shot the lock off of someone's door just because they refused to talk to me."

   Jack shrugged, unwilling to admit she had a point.  "You're going to need to learn to control that temper of your, love.  I don't fancy living the rest of my days with a termagant."

   Winn narrowed her eyes.  "Are you under the impression that this sham of an engagement actually changes anything between us, Captain?"

   "Marriage usually does."

   "You're actually going to stick around for the wedding?"

   "I didn't think I had a choice."

   Winn shook her head in growing confusion, her anger taking a backseat for the moment.  "Grandfather didn't tell you?  Ry didn't tell you?"

   Jack started at Winn in puzzlement.  She was definitely trying to avoid something.  What it was, he couldn't even begin to guess in his inebriated state.  "Tell me what, lass?"  He watched as Winn's eyes grew blank with shock.

   He didn't know.  He didn't know and he still accepted Grandfather's terms.  He still agreed to marry me.  "A note was sent to your crew telling them where they could find you in a week's time.  The Pearl, she'll be arriving here the day after tomorrow.  You'll be able to leave before the ceremony.  I thought you knew."  Jack shook his head.  "I thought that's why you went along with that little scheme.  Because you knew that you'd be able to leave without having to go through with anything."

   Winn was silent for a moment, but quickly gathered both her thoughts and her composure.  Smoothing the befuddlement from her face, she went on.  "Well.  I'm glad we got that cleared up then.  Now you know that you can leave as soon as the Pearl arrives, and I can start thinking up arguments to convince Grandfather to give up this crazy idea of his. . . ."  Winn trailed off as Jack reached over and took her hand.

   "It seems that I'm not the only one around here with impressions.  It's starting to sound as if you think I don't want to marry you."

   "Of course that's what I think," Winn laughed nervously.  "What would you gain by marriage to me?  Nothing that you can't get at a cheaper price elsewhere."

   "Just what is it that you think that I could find to replace you?  What is it you're so bad at that I would need to find something to replace you?"

   "Well, most importantly is the fact that . . . that . . . ."  Winn was having a hard time thinking.  Things weren't supposed to end up this way.  He was supposed to leave and she was supposed to remain here even if her heart screamed refusals at the thought.

   Jack saw that she was flustered.  Scooting up the bed to sit by her, he started talking.  "You see, love, I've lived my life based on choices, living for the opportune moment.  Basing choices between my bad side and my worse side, between right and wrong, between morality and immorality.  Between mercy and malice, between friendship and revenge, between what I wanted and what I needed.  Often I chose things for their expediency, whatever would get me what I wanted the fastest, or for their ease.  It is rare that I base choices on anything else."

   "What are you saying, Jack?"  Winn had focused her gaze on their entwined fingers.  She had noticed that the shades of their skin nearly matched, and wondered if Jack's tan was due to more than the sun.  Will I ever have the opportunity to find out, or am I being let down?

   "I'm saying that when it comes to you, Winifred Morgan, I've made a choice based solely on what I think I need."  He brought their entangled hands up to her chin, prodding her to look at him. 

   "Jack, would you please just spit out whatever it is that you're trying to say?  You're starting to make me nervous."  Exasperation was starting to break through that same nervousness, making Winn bold.  "What is it that you want?"

   It was the wrong question to ask Jack.  As soon as the words had left her mouth, Winn saw their effect in his eyes.  It made her think of all the times that he had asked her the same thing.  Her breath caught in her throat as Jack leaned into her personal space again, his nearness underscoring his words.  "You.  I want you.  I need you, Winnie.  I don't know why, and I can't begin to comprehend how I came to need an ornery, stubborn, hot-tempered woman anymore than I think you can.  But the truth is the same.  You're mine, Winnie.  I never would have agreed to a wedding if I hadn't decided that long ago."

   Winn started shaking her head.  "You don't mean that.  You can't mean that."

   "Why can't I, love?"

   "Because you'll be leaving –"

   "Not before I've made you mine."

   "But you'll still be leaving.  You'll return to the Pearl, and . . . and . . . ."

   "Winnie, look at me."  She obeyed, trying to hide the fact that she was becoming distraught.  "What makes you think that I be leavin' you ashore?  It's common knowledge that pirate marriages are only remotely valid if both parties are on the sea.  If I leave you on land I'm saying that we're not married at that particular point in time.  Besides, I intend on enjoying my new bride for some time to come." 

   Before the words had died, Jack leaned forward to kiss the woman he had inexplicably come to love, demanding silently that she respond to him in the same way he did to her.  She complied, her head tilting to maximize the kiss, her hands coming up to twine locks of his hair about her fingers.  He gladly followed her lead, his own hands burying themselves in her hair, using their grip to tilt her head this way and that.  He felt her nails graze his scalp as she tightened her hold in pleasure.

   Winn was refusing to let her brain analyze the situation.  All that mattered was that she was being kissed by a man she cared for, who promised to not leave her behind for the call of the sea.  But what about me? He's willing to accept me, but am I? wondered her rebellious mind.

   Pulling away slightly, Winn tried to silence the voice.  Jack continued to kiss her; her eyes, her cheekbones, her jaw, her temples.  I've lived with myself for years.  Why would that change?  She was trying to ignore the voice that told her that she may have lived with herself, but she hadn't come to accept who she was.  And if she couldn't do that, then how could she accept the person that Jack told her she was?

   The answer was obvious.  She would have to find out who she was.  It broke her heart, but she knew that it would have to be done.  Not for Jack, whom she discovering was worth it, but for herself, so she could look at herself in the mirror and see someone worth his and everyone else's time.

   "Jack . . . ."

   "Marry me, Winnie."  Jack wasn't used to pleading, but he would if it would convince Winn of his sincerity.

   "Jack, stop.  Please."  Something in her voice reached Jack's brain – the stirrings of panic held at bay in her voice.  He pulled away, frustration eating at him.  Elizabeth hadn't been joking when she had said that he would have to work hard convince Winn of the fact he wanted her with him.

   "What is it, lass?  If you're waiting for roses and poetry and a ring, I'm afraid you're out of luck."  He tried to bring a bit of levity to the moment, grinning his normal grin even if the normal mockery was absent from it.

   Winn shook her head.  "That's not it.  I just want to make sure that this is what you want.  If you're not sure, if you change your mind, I can help you get to your ship safely.  I can talk Grandfather around –"  Jack placed his fingers over her lips as he had once before.

   "Truth may make men do stupid things, but I'm not so truthful as to mistake what I want.  I may twist the truth at times, bend it to work to my advantage, but I rarely lie outright.  Love may make men stupid, but I'm not so used to it that it would dull my wits.  If I say I want to spend my life with you, you need to take that at face value and believe that I find worth in you even if you don't.  Forget your parents, love.  I'm not your father, and you're not your mother, and we do not have their relationship."

   How does the man manage to know exactly what I'm thinking?  It's unnatural.

   Jack saw her bewilderment and guessed where it came from.  "Love, your thoughts are written plainly on your face.  You're really not doing a good job of hiding them at the moment."

   Winn stuck out her tongue at him, and then recoiled as he tried to catch it.  He caught hold of her and hit a ticklish spot.  Winn jerked, then said, "Stop it."

   "Say you'll marry me and I'll consider it."  Jack's hands were wandering over Winn's hips and ribs, unerringly finding each of her "tickle zones," his fingers wasting no time in torturing her.

   "Yes, I'll marry you."  Winn slapped at his hands.  "Oh, please stop.  I hate being tickled.  It hurts."

   Jack stopped and looked at her, his hands still resting just above her hips.  "It hurts?"

   "Yeah.  Well, maybe not hurt, like you would normally think of it, but it reminds me of being hurt."

   "A good hurt?"

   "I guess. . . ."  Winn wasn't sure she liked where he was going with this.

   "I could show you some other things that feel like a good hurt."  Jack kissed her right beneath her ear, making her gasp in surprise.

   "I think that might have to wait."

   "Why?"  Jack was still trying to persuade Winn to stay on the bed with him.

   "Because there's someone in the door – the one that you blew the lock off of.  Let me up."  Jack looked up to find the same blond man that had returned Winn to the house last night watching them with amusement.  Deciding it couldn't hurt to make clear where he stood when it came to Winn, Jack kissed her deeply one last time before letting her up.

   Winn was about ready to die of embarrassment.  It was one thing to be caught alone with a man in her room.  It was another entirely to be caught on a bed with a man, even if they both had been upright still.  Trying to bring some order to her hair, Winn asked, "Alex, what are you doing here already?  I thought you weren't coming by until this afternoon."

   "Obviously.  It appears that you have more of a tale to tell than I imagined."