Authors Note: OMG! I love you all! You beautiful people you. I love reading all the reviews! But I have something I have to say: YOU'RE TOTALLY RIGHT! 1975…I'm off my rocker. Sorry to confuse all you guys, but History has never been my best subject! So 1775! Okie? Sorry about that. That's the first thing, and the second thing is that all of you are wondering is if Jack and Dinah are going to get together…? I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT! What are you people thinking!? But you'll just have to ready and find out!
"Do you love him?"
"Huh?"
"Do you love Douglas?"
"Danielle, why do you insist on asking such ridiculous questions?"
"I was just wondering…geez." Danielle paused but then asked another question, "Douglas, that's such a formal name, are you gunna call him anything else?"
Dinah sighed. Little sisters are such pests. When will she realize that it's my PERSONAL life? Personal being the key word. The two girls were in Dinah's room and Danielle was playing with Milton while Dinah was laying on her stomach on her bed, making a list for the wedding. A little less than a month had gone by since Douglas proposed.
"I happen to like the name Douglas. Now, when you're about to marry someone, I'll bug you about every little thing."
"I'm not trying to bug you I'm just asking you these things because you seem a little…distracted."
Dinah eyed her sister, "Distracted how?"
"Now if I knew that, then I wouldn't be asking you questions!"
"Don't get smart with me, Danielle."
Danielle obeyed and was quiet for a while until she asked, "You excited?"
"About what, dearee?"
"About getting married! About living with Douglas! About spending the rest of your life with the man you love."
Dinah was just about to protest about her loving Douglas, but she stopped herself. Danielle didn't seem to notice, but she gave her sister a knowing look. Dinah stuck to her story though. "You read too many books, Danielle. Being married, it isn't something to fluff up. It's just someone to spend your life with so you don't have to be alone. Everyone wants that. You know those two sisters down on the street?" Danielle nodded, "Well they're both old maids, but they have each other. And I, although may love you, do not want to spend my old years with you."
Danielle giggled but disagreed, much to Dinah's chagrin. "Dinah! Aren't you the one who told me that love is the greatest thing and that you couldn't wait to get married to the man of your dreams? Aren't you the one who said that marriage is meant for two people who love each other and if one person doesn't love the other, they shouldn't be getting married?"
Dinah looked at her sister and frowned. She figured that she had said those things when Jack was on the island. She was amazed how much had changed since then. How one word could change her whole out look on life, and how one question could make her change her mind.
"Danielle, Love is more complicated than that."
"Why? If two people love each other, then isn't that enough?"
Dinah stopped and stared at her sister, "Danielle, you're old for your age, you know that? But unfortunately, that's why we have to end this conversation."
Jack threw the wooden wheel as hard as he could to make the Pearl change directions. It had been windy and raining and thundering for days now. Jack was sick of it. He needed to get to Bermuda, for what reason, he still had to figure out. It had been almost two months since Ana received that letter from Dinah, but he had 'til February to figure out his reasons.
Ana had been trying to dig it out of him for a while now, which he was glad when this storm hit, but it was getting him of course so that made him mad. He sighed again and yelled to Gibbs to pull the sails tighter. He, Ana and Cotton quickly obeyed and Jack kept going, through the wind, rain and hail, he kept going.
"Mother I do no want this dress! It's ugly!" Dinah whispered harshly so the fitter wouldn't hear her. Beatrice gasped and looked at her daughter, stunned. "This is the prettiest dress you've tried on for weeks!"
"Mother, if you buy this dress, I won't wear it to the wedding." Dinah said crossing her arms. She and her mom had been going through dresses for two weeks now. Dinah didn't like any that her mother had suggested she tried on, but Beatrice kept at it. She kept saying that this was hard enough because Christmas was in a few days without Dinah complaining about the whole thing.
Beatrice sighed, "Fine, then what do you want?"
Dinah was taken aback from the question, her mother rarely asked her what she wanted, so this was a life-time opportunity. "Well…White. Off the shoulder, and a wide skirt. I don't want a train, or a veil." When she saw her mom's mouth open to protest Dinah went on, holding up her finger, "Mom, you asked me what I want. This will make me happy."
Beatrice backed off and nodded, "You're right, this is your wedding…so get down and we'll go shopping for a dress that you want."
Three hours later, Dinah fell on her bed and sighed. She had finally found the perfect dress. Now if only I could find the perfect husband… She thought. But then chased the thought out of her head, No! Douglas is sweet, handsome, sophisticated, and rich. He's everything I need. "But not everything you want." Dinah said quietly. It had been almost two weeks since she had thought about Jack. Well that was a lie, it had been almost a week, but the problem she had was that he never showed up on her door step. She wasn't sure why he would, but she wanted him to. She wanted to be with him. But realizing that it was all day dreams and sweet dreams, she kept her main focus on Douglas.
He had been a prince to her since the engagement. He had been perfect company when shopping for things they might want when the wedding arrived. But in the back of her head she heard Danielle's words: "If one person doesn't love the other, they shouldn't be getting married?" And many times she had thought of telling Douglas the truth once and for all, but why do that when the hope of Jack coming was nothing more than hope? Why ruin a good, solid relationship that had promise and commitment, for some other relationship that didn't even exist anymore?
Dinah had promised herself when Douglas slipped the diamond ring on her finger that she was going to get over Jack by the time the wedding came. However, the date was December 21st, and she was only a little more healed from the wound that Jack had caused. She wished and prayed that she would be able to fall in love with Douglas sooner or later, but she found it hard to believe when the only man she had ever loved had such a different personality.
Dinah sighed and fingered her ring. She got up and put away her wedding gown. She had to go on a walk.
Jack awoke to a loud knocking on his door. Who the blast is awake at this hour? He thought as he stumbled out of bed. He opened the door to find Ana. "Oh god," He groaned, "What do you want?"
Ana walked in the cabin and stood in it. "Why are we going to Bermuda?" She asked. Christmas had come and passed and the New Year was today. The whole crew had gotten drunk and crawled to their cabins early this morning. And despite Jack's thoughts to thinking it was early, it was around one or two in the afternoon.
"We're getting you to a weddin'." Jack answered, crawling back into bed and Ana grabbed his chair and sat down.
"Jack, I hate weddings. She wasn't even inviting me to the thing, she was just telling me."
"Then why the blast did you come runnin' to me with the bloody letter?"
"Because I thought that you'd like to know…considerin' your history."
"What history?"
"Jack what happened when she left?"
Jack sighed and rubbed his forehead. "She asked me if I loved her and I told her no. And I know what you're gunna say! You're gunna say why did I say that if it wasn't true. Well I said it because I wanted her to have the best, but now I'm not sure I made the right decision."
"To lie to her?"
"No, to go to the wedding. If I wanted her to have a better life, then why am I stalking her?"
"Jack, what makes you think that she wants to be with Douglas?"
"He can give her things I can't."
"But Jack, she wants you. She needs you." Ana wasn't going to say love because Dinah had to do that on her own.
Jack looked up and examined what Ana just told him. He had never thought of that.
"Jack, what if all she needs is you?"
"Well I know she needs more than that. She actually needs a commitment."
"Jack I thought you were smarter than that! You love her! Take her back and marry her!"
"A pirate wedding isn't a commitment! Not the kind she needs at least. Not the kind she wants."
Ana frowned, this was harder than she thought. "Jack, you love her. All you need to do is tell her that and you'll have her."
"Is it enough to love, though?"
"Then offer her the pirate wedding! She'll know a commitment when she sees one!" Ana said, raising his voice. He was making it harder with every question when it was really so simple.
Jack sighed. She's right. "Okay," He said, mentally telling his confidence to strengthen up, "I can do it! After all, I am Captain Jack Sparrow."
I wonder what he's doing at this very moment… Dinah thought to herself. It was raining outside and here she was stuck inside. It was January first and the wedding was exactly a month away. Both her parents were running around like crazy trying to make sure everything was going to be done on time. Invitations had been sent two about two weeks ago, and the bridesmaids had been picked. Dinah only picked two people: Danielle and a friend she used to know from school.
"Dinah hurry up and pick the next present!" A voice called. Dinah turned her face toward the circle she was sitting in. Surrounding her were friends and family of the female sex. This was the most gruesome thing that Beatrice could've ever done to her daughter…she made her to her own wedding shower.
Dinah obeyed a pulled out another set of linens. She sighed and put on a fake smile and showed it up to everyone. A lot of girls cooed at this, but inside Dinah was thinking, Give me a break. This is too lacy. But she kept the circle going and passed it around. Isabella was serving all the women and then taking breaks to look at the present as it was passed around. All the men were gone from the house, doing who knows what. This was why someone got in, without anyone noticing.
Dinah had her head down, trying to figure out how to unwrap a present, when her mother gasped. She ignored it but when all the girls a moment later gasped she slowly drew her head up to see what the fuss was about. There, leaning against the door frame, with his arms crossed stood the man that made every muscle in her body tighten.
They made eye contact and he smiled, showing his colorful teeth, and said, "Hello Luv."