CHAPTER 8
The next few weeks on the Black Pearl as they made for Jamaica were simply surreal. The time passed in a blur of Jack's attempts to flirt with Bethany and her polite rebuttals, funny how she never simply told him to stop. Truth was she came to quite enjoy the game they were playing even though she'd be the last to admit it; even to herself. Denial can be quite the defence mechanism when required to be.
After Tortuga Bethany had made a decision to make the most of her time on the Black Pearl; live life to the full. As per tradition as night fell the crew assembled below deck to help themselves to Jack's store of rum and bottled beer; water soon turned too salty to drink at sea so bottled alcohol was everyone's preferred drink, Bethany included.
"Milady." Jack handed Bethany a fresh bottle of rum, which she sat down beside her empty bottle. "Beth, Beth, Beth."
Bethany had grown accustomed to the shortening of her name. "Jack, Jack, Jack?" there appeared to be no reason for his sudden outburst as he didn't reply. "Jack?" she said elongating his name in her drunken state.
"Yes dear?" his arm snaked around her waste, Bethany looked down out of the corner of her eye.
"I want you to teach me how to be a pirate."
Jack laughed "Yer not serious luv?"
"I am entirely serious Captain Sparrow." Bethany knew she was slurring her words but seemed incapable of rectifying her speech.
"What do ye want t'know?" Jack waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"How to fight, to sail. . ." to not care what others thought, to think to hell with the rules she added silently in her head disregarding his flirtatious manner.
"Yer already know how to sail."
"Ah but not very well!"
"Well let's see what we can do about fighting fer starters."
Bethany joined Jack up on deck; the boisterous rumbles of the crew fading away; he handed her a sword although Bethany had no idea how he had mustered up two swords so quickly.
Bethany twirled the sword around and dropped it to the floor in a fit of giggles; both Jack and Bethany bent down to pick it up and bumped heads. Bethany laughed harder and fell to the floor.
"Perhaps. . . swords aren't a good idea luv."
"Perhaps."
Jack grabbed Bethany's hands and dragged her to her feet.
"Hit me." Jack said
"Do what now?"
"Hit me."
"No!"
Jack grinned suggestively; she didn't want to hit him. His grin was quickly replaced by a look of shock as he felt the sting of Bethany's palm coming into contact with his face.
"You slapped me." Jack yelled angrily.
"You told me to!"
"I told you to hit me, not slap me."
"Sorry." Bethany said with a snigger.
Jack took hold of Bethany's open palm and clenched it into a fist.
"Now. Let's try this again." Jack held up his palms for Bethany to hit. She struck her fist against his palm weakly. "Harder." Jack kept saying after every punch until Bethany was weak with laughter; she swung and spun round falling into Jack's open arms. Bethany swallowed looking up at Jack as he held her a moment longer than necessary before righting her.
"Night luv." he said before vanishing into the shadows.
* * * * * * * * * *
The game persisted until one misty morning Bethany caught a glimpse of shoreline. Jack was yelling out directions to the crew as they emerged through the mist Bethany caught the first glimpse of her home in 20 years. A shiver ran down her spine; she folded her arms tightly and watched the shoreline approach.
"We're to go ashore."
Bethany jumped at the voice; it was Jack stood further up deck beckoning to her. She walked over.
"We?"
"The boat can only hold two, savvy?" he grabbed her hand as he had the night they'd first met in Port Royal and embarked on the boat with Bethany in tow and they set about making for shore.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Yer grew up here?" Jack asked the expression on his face communicating his amusement as they walked down the isolated beach side by side.
"Yes. Why what's wrong with here?" Bethany began to cut across the beach to make their way inland towards the small wooden cabin she knew they'd find hidden away on the periphery of the native tropical vegetation.
"It explains a lot me dear."
"Why Mr Sparrow I believe that may have been an insult."
"None of that 'Mr' business!"
Bethany laughed soaking in the scenery around her, she stood still for a moment to get her bearings.
"No insult luv, just explains why ye love life at sea."
Bethany stopped her survey of the surrounding area, "I do not!" she exclaimed trying hard to suppress the smile that threatened to erupt at any moment.
"Yer do!"
Bethany looked away to hide her wide grin, "Maybe a little." she started walking again before Jack had the chance to respond. He remained stationary taking a moment to appreciate his small triumph, then suddenly realised she had all but disappeared over the sand dunes and quickly ran after her; arms flaying in all directions.
"Now that wasn't so hard was it." Jack teased as he came up behind Bethany placing his hands on her shoulders lightly. For once she didn't shrug them off. Jack looked down at her suspiciously then followed her gaze.
* * * * * * * * * *
Bethany's childhood home lay in front of them and instantly she was transported back to a time when this had been her entire world; nothing beyond this small bay had existed, it had just been Bethany, Alice, her mother and father. Bethany's expression was blank but her eyes betrayed her feelings.
"Tell me."
"What?" Bethany asked wondering what she'd hoped to accomplish by coming here, besides extending her stay on the Black Pearl; which she'd come to love. "What happened, that last day?"
Bethany took a deep breath and began relaying the events of that day; tracing the steps she'd taken all those years ago as she did so. "My father arrived home; he said something to my mother then she ran up to the house with us, she was upset," Jack and Bethany approached the house; they entered through the front door; the hinges had rusted over the years and the door fell away as they entered.
"You don't remember what they said?"
Bethany shook her head as they walked down the cobweb-infested hallway, picking their way through the debris and destruction. They reached the end of the hallway. Bethany stopped and turned to face Jack. "She hid us in there." she gestured to a small cupboard "When we came back out they were gone" she shrugged as if it meant nothing; not her own life she was talking about.
"Did ye hear anything?"
"Voices." Bethany said cautiously.
"Hear what they said?"
"Sorry."
Jack looked crestfallen for a moment until the beginnings of an idea began to form in his mind. Jack opened the cupboard door gesturing for Bethany to step inside.
"Oh no, I'm not going in there."
"Please darlin', yer might remember if we replicate the conditions."
"I'm not going in a cold, DARK cupboard by myself Jack Sparrow!"
"Well that can be easily solved me dear." Jack stepped inside the cupboard, stooping down to avoid banging his head on the low door.
"I'm not going in there with you." Bethany growled.
"C'mon luv." Jack said almost pleadingly, "Fine well I'm not leaving till yer come in here."
Bethany tapped her foot on the dusty floor agitatedly with her arms crossed she purposefully looked away from the cupboard and began to wait Jack out. Seconds turned into minutes; eventually Bethany huffed and stepped inside the cupboard. Jack reached out and pulled the door shut.
"Jack!" Bethany hissed as they were descended into darkness, when Jack suddenly pulled her down into his lap. She attempted to slide off his lap actually glad of the darkness as she felt herself blush violently; especially when she realised there wasn't enough room for her to sit anywhere else but in his lap.
"I'm leaving." she stood up, as much as you can in a four-foot high cupboard and reached for the door handle. Her hand stopped inches from the handle at an all too familiar sound - gunfire.
* * * * * * * * * *
A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews everyone (Yes including you AbbieNormal182!)
Shanelover1 - Thank you for your continued support; and the good luck for school!
Winter19 - Thank you! Aw you added me to your favourite author list; someone get me out of here before my heads too big to fit through the door. You got it in one with the water, the golden age of piracy alternative to a cold shower. I have a sense of humour? WOW! I have a sense of humour! Cool!
Greenfairie - flattery will get you everywhere lol; hope I don't disappoint with the rest of the fic!
AbbieNormal182 - I don't consider what you said a flame and I'll try to remember to put the periods in. I appreciate the constructive criticism and won't be calling you any names! Thanks for the review.
The next few weeks on the Black Pearl as they made for Jamaica were simply surreal. The time passed in a blur of Jack's attempts to flirt with Bethany and her polite rebuttals, funny how she never simply told him to stop. Truth was she came to quite enjoy the game they were playing even though she'd be the last to admit it; even to herself. Denial can be quite the defence mechanism when required to be.
After Tortuga Bethany had made a decision to make the most of her time on the Black Pearl; live life to the full. As per tradition as night fell the crew assembled below deck to help themselves to Jack's store of rum and bottled beer; water soon turned too salty to drink at sea so bottled alcohol was everyone's preferred drink, Bethany included.
"Milady." Jack handed Bethany a fresh bottle of rum, which she sat down beside her empty bottle. "Beth, Beth, Beth."
Bethany had grown accustomed to the shortening of her name. "Jack, Jack, Jack?" there appeared to be no reason for his sudden outburst as he didn't reply. "Jack?" she said elongating his name in her drunken state.
"Yes dear?" his arm snaked around her waste, Bethany looked down out of the corner of her eye.
"I want you to teach me how to be a pirate."
Jack laughed "Yer not serious luv?"
"I am entirely serious Captain Sparrow." Bethany knew she was slurring her words but seemed incapable of rectifying her speech.
"What do ye want t'know?" Jack waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"How to fight, to sail. . ." to not care what others thought, to think to hell with the rules she added silently in her head disregarding his flirtatious manner.
"Yer already know how to sail."
"Ah but not very well!"
"Well let's see what we can do about fighting fer starters."
Bethany joined Jack up on deck; the boisterous rumbles of the crew fading away; he handed her a sword although Bethany had no idea how he had mustered up two swords so quickly.
Bethany twirled the sword around and dropped it to the floor in a fit of giggles; both Jack and Bethany bent down to pick it up and bumped heads. Bethany laughed harder and fell to the floor.
"Perhaps. . . swords aren't a good idea luv."
"Perhaps."
Jack grabbed Bethany's hands and dragged her to her feet.
"Hit me." Jack said
"Do what now?"
"Hit me."
"No!"
Jack grinned suggestively; she didn't want to hit him. His grin was quickly replaced by a look of shock as he felt the sting of Bethany's palm coming into contact with his face.
"You slapped me." Jack yelled angrily.
"You told me to!"
"I told you to hit me, not slap me."
"Sorry." Bethany said with a snigger.
Jack took hold of Bethany's open palm and clenched it into a fist.
"Now. Let's try this again." Jack held up his palms for Bethany to hit. She struck her fist against his palm weakly. "Harder." Jack kept saying after every punch until Bethany was weak with laughter; she swung and spun round falling into Jack's open arms. Bethany swallowed looking up at Jack as he held her a moment longer than necessary before righting her.
"Night luv." he said before vanishing into the shadows.
* * * * * * * * * *
The game persisted until one misty morning Bethany caught a glimpse of shoreline. Jack was yelling out directions to the crew as they emerged through the mist Bethany caught the first glimpse of her home in 20 years. A shiver ran down her spine; she folded her arms tightly and watched the shoreline approach.
"We're to go ashore."
Bethany jumped at the voice; it was Jack stood further up deck beckoning to her. She walked over.
"We?"
"The boat can only hold two, savvy?" he grabbed her hand as he had the night they'd first met in Port Royal and embarked on the boat with Bethany in tow and they set about making for shore.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Yer grew up here?" Jack asked the expression on his face communicating his amusement as they walked down the isolated beach side by side.
"Yes. Why what's wrong with here?" Bethany began to cut across the beach to make their way inland towards the small wooden cabin she knew they'd find hidden away on the periphery of the native tropical vegetation.
"It explains a lot me dear."
"Why Mr Sparrow I believe that may have been an insult."
"None of that 'Mr' business!"
Bethany laughed soaking in the scenery around her, she stood still for a moment to get her bearings.
"No insult luv, just explains why ye love life at sea."
Bethany stopped her survey of the surrounding area, "I do not!" she exclaimed trying hard to suppress the smile that threatened to erupt at any moment.
"Yer do!"
Bethany looked away to hide her wide grin, "Maybe a little." she started walking again before Jack had the chance to respond. He remained stationary taking a moment to appreciate his small triumph, then suddenly realised she had all but disappeared over the sand dunes and quickly ran after her; arms flaying in all directions.
"Now that wasn't so hard was it." Jack teased as he came up behind Bethany placing his hands on her shoulders lightly. For once she didn't shrug them off. Jack looked down at her suspiciously then followed her gaze.
* * * * * * * * * *
Bethany's childhood home lay in front of them and instantly she was transported back to a time when this had been her entire world; nothing beyond this small bay had existed, it had just been Bethany, Alice, her mother and father. Bethany's expression was blank but her eyes betrayed her feelings.
"Tell me."
"What?" Bethany asked wondering what she'd hoped to accomplish by coming here, besides extending her stay on the Black Pearl; which she'd come to love. "What happened, that last day?"
Bethany took a deep breath and began relaying the events of that day; tracing the steps she'd taken all those years ago as she did so. "My father arrived home; he said something to my mother then she ran up to the house with us, she was upset," Jack and Bethany approached the house; they entered through the front door; the hinges had rusted over the years and the door fell away as they entered.
"You don't remember what they said?"
Bethany shook her head as they walked down the cobweb-infested hallway, picking their way through the debris and destruction. They reached the end of the hallway. Bethany stopped and turned to face Jack. "She hid us in there." she gestured to a small cupboard "When we came back out they were gone" she shrugged as if it meant nothing; not her own life she was talking about.
"Did ye hear anything?"
"Voices." Bethany said cautiously.
"Hear what they said?"
"Sorry."
Jack looked crestfallen for a moment until the beginnings of an idea began to form in his mind. Jack opened the cupboard door gesturing for Bethany to step inside.
"Oh no, I'm not going in there."
"Please darlin', yer might remember if we replicate the conditions."
"I'm not going in a cold, DARK cupboard by myself Jack Sparrow!"
"Well that can be easily solved me dear." Jack stepped inside the cupboard, stooping down to avoid banging his head on the low door.
"I'm not going in there with you." Bethany growled.
"C'mon luv." Jack said almost pleadingly, "Fine well I'm not leaving till yer come in here."
Bethany tapped her foot on the dusty floor agitatedly with her arms crossed she purposefully looked away from the cupboard and began to wait Jack out. Seconds turned into minutes; eventually Bethany huffed and stepped inside the cupboard. Jack reached out and pulled the door shut.
"Jack!" Bethany hissed as they were descended into darkness, when Jack suddenly pulled her down into his lap. She attempted to slide off his lap actually glad of the darkness as she felt herself blush violently; especially when she realised there wasn't enough room for her to sit anywhere else but in his lap.
"I'm leaving." she stood up, as much as you can in a four-foot high cupboard and reached for the door handle. Her hand stopped inches from the handle at an all too familiar sound - gunfire.
* * * * * * * * * *
A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews everyone (Yes including you AbbieNormal182!)
Shanelover1 - Thank you for your continued support; and the good luck for school!
Winter19 - Thank you! Aw you added me to your favourite author list; someone get me out of here before my heads too big to fit through the door. You got it in one with the water, the golden age of piracy alternative to a cold shower. I have a sense of humour? WOW! I have a sense of humour! Cool!
Greenfairie - flattery will get you everywhere lol; hope I don't disappoint with the rest of the fic!
AbbieNormal182 - I don't consider what you said a flame and I'll try to remember to put the periods in. I appreciate the constructive criticism and won't be calling you any names! Thanks for the review.