LAST TIME
Jack frowned. Something was wrong. He opened the door and found the cabin empty. There was a note on Dinah's pillow and Jack walked over and picked it up, he read it out loud: "Dear Captain, I have decided to go against your wishes and I left the ship. And you're not going to catch me, so don't worry about filling up space in your brig. Cordially, Dinah E. Milton."
Jack finished and looked at James. He was frowning and breathing deep, he looked at Jack. They both stood there, each thinking of ways to punish this hard-headed woman.
Dinah giggled again. The liquor she had purchased earlier had gone by really fast. She couldn't remember giggling since she was a teenager. And the thing was, she was alone on the beach, no one to laugh at but her own memories. A teenager, this is how Jack and I are acting. It's foolish how Jack and I always get like that around each other. But why did the bloody man have to kidnap me. Dinah smiled, how many times had she asked that question in the past week? She didn't know and she didn't care, but she wanted to find out. I have the right to know after all…but didn't I already ask and him answer me by saying it's a surprise? I'm not sure… Dinah paused, she heard familiar voices in the distance. My head's getting fuzzy… She thought to herself as she took another drink, but then saw two shadows fall across her. She opened her eyes and saw Jack and James.
She smiled but they both had cross looks on their faces. She waved and giggled again. Then Jack spoke, "I thought you said I wasn't going to catch you…"
"Well…that was the plan…but then I found this WONDERful drink and I just had to buy it…and well…things went down hill from there…by the way, I need to ask you something, Cap'an," (hiccup) "Jackson Wyatt Sparrow." She giggled again. She didn't particularly like the hiccups, but she thought they sounded funny at this moment in time.
"You're not asking him anything, Dinah." James answered sternly, pulling her up. She hiccupped and he continued, "You're coming home with me."
"So soon? What about the Pearl?"
"You're coming with me."
In a second Jack pulled out his gun and pointed it at James' head. "I've never really liked you mate, and you showed your character last time we saw each other, but I have to tell you the truth. I need her back."
"Why?" James asked, eyeing the gun.
"Yea!" Dinah spoke up, leaning against James, "I thought you would be glad to get rid of me!" She hiccupped again.
"I kidnapped her, so I get to keep her…" Jack said simply, holding his hand out for Dinah to grab it.
She looked at it is if it was going to grow a head and bite her and then looked at Jack, "You better make up your mind…I may be drunk, but I want an answer from you, Cap'an Jackson Wyatt Sparrow…do you want me?"
Jack paused and then said, "Take my hand Dinah," totally ignoring the question.
Dinah shook her head. "Nope, na-uh. You tell me the answer and then I'll take it."
Jack sighed in exasperation, "Yes, luv, I want you…" Dinah's face immediately brightened and she took his hand. Jack held on to her waist and held her tightly, for she was a little wobbly. Then pointing to James with his gun he said, "She'll be home when I take her home. Savvy? And you can send the whole blasted British army on my tail, I don't care, but stay away from Dinah."
"I don't think you have a right to make that demand." James answered calmly.
"I think I do, mate. Dinah's told me 'bout you and everything you've done to her. I don't want her to be alone with you, ever." Jack said with seriousness and anger on his every word. "And if you take one step before me and Dinah are out of sight, I will shoot this gun, and I'm not one to miss, mate." Jack smiled mischievously and then walked off.
The sun was almost completely set by the time Jack and Dinah got safely on board ship. Jack realized that everyone was still gone, and although it was no real shock, it made him feel awkward around Dinah. He looked at her, sitting in the middle of the ship, her drunkenness starting to wear off, she looked at him thoughtfully.
He took slow steps toward her and sat down. "Why'd you leave?"
"You're going to put me in the brig, aren't you?"
"I dunno yet..." He said, looking her up and down, and then returning to his original question, "Why'd you leave?"
She shrugged, "I felt like it."
"Dinah, I'm serious. Just tell me."
"Well honestly, I didn't want to be around you. You have been driving me insane. You and kissing…and flirting and then Tortuga…and it just got me mad."
Jack raised his eyebrow. That's probably the most honest answer I've gotten out of her in the time she's been here, Jack thought. I could work with this…
"So why'd you take me back?" She asked before Jack could get another question in.
"I wanted you back…" Jack answered truthfully. I'm amazed. It's the most meaningful conversation all week and she's drunk… He said smirking.
She blushed slightly. "That's nice to know…It's nice to feel wanted."
Jack nodded. She yawned. "Oh, I'm tired. I'll see you in the morning…" She started to get up but Jack stopped her by grabbing her hand. He quickly stood up and asked, "Do you want to try it again?"
Dinah froze. "Try what?" Please don't say 'us'.
"My bed…" Jack trailed off but his eyes held all the meaning that Dinah needed.
She paused. The sober part of her mind told her no, she needed to quit doing this to herself. The drunk part of her mind told her to go for it. And her heart told her that she desired to be in his arms again, to smell is familiar scent. She nodded looking at Jack. He smiled and led her to his cabin. She got in under the covers, fully clothed and Jack, who was wearing enough things to keep him warm in zero degree weather, stayed out of the covers. But he laid next to her and put his arm around her waist and kissed her ear before she slipped into dreamland.
The next morning Jack awoke early. He couldn't quite remember his reason for bring Dinah to bed, he looked at her sleeping soundly and remembered how she reacted to hangovers, especially when something was bothering her. There were a lot of things that Jack knew about Dinah, but couldn't remember how he figured them out and why it was all coming back to him now.
But he knew that this is what he wanted, Dinah, in his arms. Should I tell her? Jack thought to himself. She would get all technical and ask what that meant, if it was a commitment or not. Yes, he knew he wanted Dinah, he knew that the first time he kissed her two years ago, but needing and wanting are two different things. He may have wanted Dinah but what he needed was freedom, and right now he wasn't sure Dinah would let him have that if he had her.
Dinah slowly started to stir and finally woke up. She looked at Jack and smiled. Then she frowned, feeling the effects of the liquor from last night. "Ohhh," Dinah groaned. I haven't drunk that much since I was…with Jack in fact… She thought as her head was spinning and pounding at the same time.
"Headache, luv?" Jack asked quietly. She nodded slightly and Jack gave her a knowing look. He got up and went to her side of the bed and picked her up. She groaned again, she rested her head on his shoulder and he walked out the cabin. The sunlight made him paused and let his eyes get adjusted. Dinah winced somewhat and held on to Jack tighter. He passed a couple crew members on his way to Dinah's cabin, and thought, back from Tortuga. Good, now we can go to Barbados.
He opened the cabin door by pushing it slowly open. He found Ana Maria, all smiles, laying on her bed humming something. She sat when she saw the captain and her friend. Jack slowly lowered Dinah on to her cot and looked at Ana.
"Hang over?" Ana asked.
"She snuck out last night and had a little fun…" Jack shrugged and left the cabin.
"Girl!" Ana said hitting Dinah on the arm, "What are you thinking! That's the second time with week that you've slept in that man's bed!" raising her voice slightly. Ana was in a good mood before, but to see her friend acting like this just made her annoyed.
"Stop yellin' would you? We did do anything!"
"I don't care. Just yesterday you said you would never talk to the man again because he made you so mad. Now, I find you go and get yourself drunk and then sleep in his bed! You're lucky that he didn't take advantage of you, lass."
Dinah didn't have anything to say to that so she rolled over on her bed.
"You keep telling yourself, me, and Jack that you don't want to get involved again with him, but slowly, you are. He's got you. And you need to figure out your feelings and you need to set that man straight."
"Yea right," Dinah snapped. "You can't set a pirate straight. It doesn't matter how much you love him or he loves you. He's wild, and he always will be."
"Love?" Ana questioned.
Dinah paused and turned around. "I don't love him," she said sternly, "I may care for him…but I don't love him. He broke my heart, and I'm protecting it from him."
"With Douglas…" Ana concluded.
Dinah sighed. "It was an easy way out! He would treat me well and love me…even if I didn't love him." Dinah paused and looked Ana in the eyes, "If Douglas and I got married, I would never have to worry about being left."
Ana didn't respond. She hadn't realized that jack leaving Dinah had stuck with her all these years. I didn't realize it…but it makes since.
Dinah sighed heavily again and said quietly, "Jack told me he wanted me…"
Ana's head snapped to meet Dinah's gaze. "He what?"
"I asked him last night if he wanted me, because James was there…and he said yes."
Ana thought before saying this, seeing the sadness in Dinah's eyes, "Dinah, you need to ask this man what he feels. You can't go wasting your feelings on him over and over if he's just going to pull your chain…"
The sadness turned to rage in a minute. "I don't really think you have a place to tell me what, Ana!" Dinah yelled, standing up kind of pathetically, "You love this guy on Tortuga but have no idea how he feels for you, yet you keep going back to him and being with him, every time, falling more in love with him!"
Ana tried to say something but Dinah stopped her, "No! I don't want to hear it! You have no idea how I feel and how I've felt and what I've experienced! So just stop trying to control me!" She opened the door and slammed it shut, but once she got out into the sun, she staggered a little, her hangover still completely present. Jack saw this and ran to her, he helped her stand slightly and she pushed him away.
All the feelings that she had bottled up suddenly turned against her and started lashing out in anger instead of what she was REALLY feeling. "Stay away from me! I don't want your help! I don't need your support and I want your support. I'm getting off this blasted boat one way or another!" Dinah said yelling and tears streaming down her face, she ran to the side of the ship.
Jack's eyes widened and he ran to her, afraid that she would jump. She would hit the water and drown surely, since she had never learned how to swim. But when he grabbed her around her middle, she started kicking and screaming. Jack yelled for Gibbs and he grabbed on to her legs and they carefully carried her (still kicking and screaming) down to the brig. They set her in a cell and quickly exited before she could get out. Jack locked the key and stayed and looked at her. She was crying and had her back to him.
"Just leave me alone. Just leave me alone…" She said to Jack. He obeyed her wishes and left Dinah in the dark, damp, gruesome brig.