Thanks to all my reviewers!!
Nika-chan, Twilight Tsukasa, JaskSparrowFan, Stokely, Dixiehnsnluver, Penguine, Dazzle, and Rouge Sparrow: Thank you so much!
Blackrose: I wasn't really going to elaborate on the pirate that killed him, but since you mentioned it my wheels have been aturnin'! :)
Isabelle Gibson and Mrs. Sparrow: Me too! I love his crazy walk in the movie!
DarkAngelB: It definitely threw her for a loop!
Sulwen of Great Smials: I fix what I notice, so if I miss something I'm terribly sorry! I'm going to try and update every day!
Cursed Pirate: Don't worry, you'll find out! :) All in good time.
Kalithja: Thank you! She'll reveal her age in teh story around chap. 3. I hate saying things like that outside of the story unless I have to.
cOOkiMoNsteR626: I was more leaning towards her being a pirate by blood. She bears the tattoo on her wrist (which I believe is a P, if I remember correctly from the movie), as you'll find out in chap. 3. She believes in her heart that she's a pirate even thought, as you said, she is not. Sorry for that and thank you for bringing it to my attention.
NightShadow12: Thank you, hun! :)
To forewarn everyone, I will be doing a lot of work tomorrow, so if I don't submit the third chapter by the end of the day (which is thursday), It will be there by friday night or saturday morning/afternoon. Sorry for the delay, and thanks again to all my reviewers. :)
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"Jack Sparrow. Captain Jack Sparrow."
His words still rang clear in Gale's head. For years, she had denied that Captain Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl existed. Yet here she was, sitting in Captain Jack Sparrow's bed on his ship, the Black Pearl. As a child, she dreamed that they would sail all the seas together, and now it was finally happening. After so long, so many years, she would finally be a true pirate. She smiled sadly, a tear escaping her eye, when she remembered her father. He was supposed to be here with her. Everything comes with a price, it seems.
She was still wearing nothing but her underclothes. She didn't want to change into the only clean clothing she would have for awhile when she still had blood all over her. She pushed apart the cloth where it had been torn and looked at the wound that filthy pirate had given her. Blood was clotting slowly around the wound, but some still made it's way sluggishly through the cut. It was red and swollen, and when she touched it, it ached.
"I wouldn't touch that too much if I was ye." Gale jumped at the voice, but relaxed when she saw Jack standing there in the doorway. He was holding a bowl of steaming water with a rag over his wrist in one arm, and a tray with some bread, cheese, and wine in the other. He walked over to her and set the tray of food on the little desk, then he took the rag off his wrist and wetted it in the steaming water. Setting the water bowl on the floor next to him, he gently cupped her chin in his hand as he began to clean her face off. He worked his way through her hair, down her neck and arms. When he reached her chest he hesitated. He may be a pirate, but he had some standards. He looked up at her, questioning her with his eyes, and she nodded numbly. Her face was blank, void of emotion, but he could see what should have been there.
He started to slowly clean the blood from her collarbone, trying to avoid the inevitable. Why he was so nervous was beyond him. He'd been with other women before, whores and the like, but, for some reason, he couldn't get himself to clean this woman's breasts. "For God sakes, Jack! Ye're barely touchin' the gal." Jack steadied himself and, with shaky hands, he began to clean the top of her breasts. "There. That wasn't so hard. Nothin' that Captain Jack Sparrow couldn't handle." Jack pulled back the cloth of her shift where it had been torn and had to force himself to swallow past the lump in his throat. Just one more inch and he'd be face to face with her bosom. He could feel the swell of her breasts brush against his knuckles. He was also beginning to feel a bit tight a little south of his belt. Jack shifted slightly to hide the growing bulge between his legs before he continued on to clean her wound.
When Jack wiped the wet cloth over the wound he felt her jump and clasp his forearm tightly in her small but strong hands. He looked up at her face and saw her grimace of pain and her eyes well up with tears. Pulling his arm from her grasp, he sat on the bed next to her. He pulled off his hat, revealing an old and faded red bandanna wrapped around his head, and handed it to her. When he saw her puzzled look, her offered an explanation.
"Ye need te have that nasty cut cleaned or it'll get infected an' hurt ye more. Hold on te me hat te help with the pain. Tis' already a scrap o' leather, so it won't hurt it if ye squeeze it a wee bit." Jack smiled at her, which she returned, and she took his hat and held it in her lap. When she nodded for him to continue, he started to clean her cut again, but more gently this time. She didn't jerk away, but he could see her mangling his poor hat every once in awhile. When he was finished he plopped the bloody rag back into the now red water bowl. Looking at her, he noticed some tears falling down her now clean cheeks. Lifting a hand, he brushed them away with an almost caring sort of tenderness. She looked at him then, really looked at him, through those thick, dark lashes and smiled at him. It was a genuine smile, and she wore it beautifully. He couldn't help but smile back at her.
"Thank you," he heard her whisper. "Thank you for everything. For saving me, and for helping me. Now that my father is dead, I-" He heard her voice choke and saw another tear fall down her cheek, which he quickly brushed away. He couldn't bear to see her so pitiful and in pain.
"Hush, love. It twas nothin' any self-respectin' pirate wouldn't do for a nice young lass such as yerself." Taking one of her hands in his, he stood up, taking her with him. He looked at her and saw her smiling at him.
"Well, Captain. In case you've forgotten, I haven't had much luck with pirates, save you and your crew."
"Call me Jack, and that twasn't a pirate. That twas a filthy scaliwag who gallivants around like the fool he is, callin' 'imself a pirate." Jack turned to the desk and pulled some stripped cloth out of the bottom drawer. Gale laughed at him, her voice light and happy for the first time since they had met.
"I'll try to recognize the difference next time I meet another one like him, so I don't make the same mistake twice." Jack smiled at her, happy to see her no longer reminiscing on what happened only a few hours ago. Then he made a mock stern look at her and shook his finger at her.
"That ye better. I'll tolerate no more mistakes like that one." She laughed again, and he couldn't help but chuckle when she mock saluted him.
"Yes, Captain!" He chuckled again before he unwound the ball of stripped cloth and found the middle of it.
"Now, ye're goin' te 'ave te take off that filthy thing so I can dress that wound of yers." When Jack noticed her eyes widen and saw her arms shoot up to cover her poorly concealed breasts, much to his disappointment, he quickly explained the rest. "Now, now. Don't be gettin' all excited. I'm gonna close me eyes an', while I'm tellin' ye how te wrap it, ye're goin' te move me hands where they should an' away from where they shouldn't, if need be, savvy?" Gale nodded, and swallowed her nervousness. "I'm goin' te close me eyes now, an' when ye take off yer," Jack, not being knowledgeable in woman's clothing, struggled for the word to call the top of her shift, "yer top, I'm goin' te hand this piece o' cloth te ya an' ye're goin' te put this middle part 'ere on the top o' yer shoulder."
As promised, Jack closed his eyes and held out the piece of cloth for her when she was ready to take it. Quickly, she slipped her arms out of the sleeves and let the top part fall around her waist. She snatched the cloth out of his hand and he couldn't help but smirk at her nervousness. Gale threw the one end of the cloth behind her and placed the middle over her shoulder.
"Alright, now what?" Jack smiled and held his hands up in front of him.
"Now, ye guide me to yer side an' put a piece o' cloth in each o' my hands so I can cross 'em." Gale did as she was told. After setting his hat on the bed, she put her hands on his elbows and guided him till he was standing at her side facing her. Then, she put the left cloth in his left hand, but when she tried to reach for the other one she couldn't.
"Jack, I can't reach the other one." Cautiously, Jack placed his hand on her side a little below her breasts which cause Gale to jump. He moved his hand over her side and back repetitively until he found the cloth. Gale shivered a bit from his touch. She could feel little sparks underneath her skin wherever his skin met hers. When Jack found the other piece of cloth, he crossed them and slowly trailed over where the cloth had already wrapped in between her breasts. He then crossed them at her shoulder and trailed back down. He then did the same thing, only this time he went around her ribcage, just below her breasts. Gale's breathing had become shallow and slightly quickened while Jack was finding that his pants were becoming awfully tight again. After he had wrapped it a third time, he tied it quickly in two knots. Jack cleared his throat to try and dissipate some of the tension before he took a few steps away from her, eyes still closed tightly.
"Well, I'll leave ye te change inte some clean clothes then." Jack turned and took a step forward right into the door frame causing him to stagger back a few steps. "Bloody hell!" he heard Gale trying to stifle a few giggles behind him.
"Jack! My goodness, are you all right?" Jack shook his head a little to try and quell the dizziness.
"Aye, jist got a wee bet ahead of meself there." Jack then threw a withering glare at the door frame. "Damn door," he muttered before he stalked out of the room and closed the door behind him, Gale's amused laughter still tickling his ears.
Once Jack had closed the door, Gale quickly wiggled her way out of her shift and threw on the shirt Jack had given her earlier. It was far bigger than her with the bottom hem reaching only a little above her knees, the sleeves swallowing up her hands, and the neckline plunging dangerously low. Thankfully, when she turned around she spotted his large coat laying on the bed. When she picked it up it was heavier than she expected, but when she put it on she realized it was very warm and it covered her bosom where the shirt did not. She sat down on the bed and wrapped her arms around herself, reveling in the warmth of the coat and the scent that was Jack Sparrow. It smelled like the sea, wild and untame, yet calming and peaceful.
A low rumble, like a growl, filled the room and she looked down at her stomach. The day's events had finally caught up with her and she was tired and hungry. Remembering the tray of food on the desk, she reached over and picked up a piece of bread and began eating it hungrily. Since no one was there watching her and expecting her to act like a proper lady, there was no reason to eat like one. Setting what was left of the bread back on the tray, she picked up the glass of wine to wash it down. Lifting the cup to her lips, she took a few large gulps of the tart drink before gasping for air. She wiped her mouth on her forearm and looked down into the cup and froze. She screamed shrilly as she dropped the glass, still full of wine, to the ground, watching as it shattered and spilled all over the floor. It was red wine. Red as blood.
Blood. Flashes of her father bleeding all over the ground and her dress. She saw the blood flowing beneath the pirate who had attacked her. Her own blood staining her dress, her hair and skin saturated with it. The once clear water from the water bowl and the clean rag now red from her and her father's blood. All these images swam through her mind over and over again before she was overwhelmed. Dropping to the floor on her hands and knees, she retched all the food and drink she had just consumed.
"Where to, Captain?" Jack took a glance at his first mate before returning his gaze to the sea.
"Tortuga," Jack replied.
"Aye, aye, Captain!" Jack was busy commanding his ship and taking glances at the sea when he heard a tiny crash and a woman's scream. Fear ran up his spine in the form of a chill. Faster than a bullet, he spun around and dashed down the stairs to his room, nearly breaking down the door on his way in. There he was met with the sight of Gale, hunched over on all fours, coughing and gasping for air over a puddle of her own vomit. He looked past her to see the glass of wine shattered and all over the floor.
Jack made his way over to her and knelt beside her on one knee. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he stood up and pulled her up along with him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and cradled her head in the crook of his neck, turning her so she was facing away from the mess in the room. Tenderly, he rubbed a hand up and down her back to soothe her, whispering calming words in her ear, till her crying was no more than a hiccup and a sniff here and there.
"There there, missy. Now, tell me what has ye all in a fuss an' makin' a mess of me room, eh?" Gale took a few breaths to calm herself down. She lifted her head to look at him as she spoke. They were so close their noses were just barely touching.
"The...wine...red...," Gale's voice began to choke, so she took a few more breathes before she spoke again. "Red...blood...father." Realization dawned on Jack's face and he made an 'o' shape with his lips, silently saying 'oh'. Gale had begun to cry again so he scrambled for something to say to keep her from crying.
"Well, I certainly hope it twasn't blood," When Gale looked up at him quizzically, only sniffing now, he took that as a hint to continue. "cause I've been drinkin' it for a few days now. I may be's a pirate, but that's jist a little weird. Makes me stomach all queasy jist thinkin' 'bout it." Jack made a mock disgusted expression and was rewarded with a laugh from Gale. "Now, let's get ye ...te...." Jack trailed off as he saw Gale's eyes drift shut and her lips press lightly against his. Jack was a bit stunned at first, but he quickly overcame that and gently kissed her back. When she didn't put up a fuss, he slid his hand into her dark curls and wrapped his hand around the back of her neck. Needless to say, he was a bit shocked when she made the most hideous sound in her throat and pushed him into the wall, slapping him square on the cheek.
"Well, I don't know if I deserved that," Jack mumbled before her shook his head to clear it from the jostling her smack had given it. It took him a few moments before realizing she was screaming at him.
"How dare you!" Jack gave her a look that was asking her if she was joking.
"Are ye mad, woman?" One look at those angry eyes, and Captain Jack Sparrow nearly wet his breeches.
"What kind of man are you? Taking advantage of me like that! I've obviously had too much to drink and am not capable of realizing my actions. If you're the honorable pirate you claim to be, you would have discontinued the kiss and left the room!"
"What the devil are ye talkin' about? First o' all, ye done spilled the whole glass all over the floor! Second o' all, I never said I twas an honorable pirate. An' third, if I had known ye was goin' te make such a fuss, I wouldn't 'ave kissed ye back in the first place!"
"How dare you call me a liar! Are you saying you didn't want to kiss me? Are you saying I'm undesirable?"
"Stop twistin' me blasted words around, woman! If ye'd stop yer yellin' for a bloody minute I'd-" Jack was cut off when Gale slapped him yet again, but this time across the other cheek.
"My name is Gale, Captain Jack Sparrow, and a woman does not yell! She speaks irrationally!"
"Sure as hell sounded like yellin' te me," Jack managed to mumble before he nearly got his eyes taken out by his own hat. "Bloody hell, woman!"
"Gale!" Jack glared at her and she responded with her own withering glare.
"Gale! Stop throwin' things about like a mad-woman!" Jack nearly jumped out of his boots when she let out the shrillest scream. It sounded more like a dying animal, but he dared not say that out loud.
"Out!" She stalked up to him and roughly shoved him out the door, slamming it promptly in his face. After he regained his balance and composure he put his hat back on.
"Thank the seas that I'm away from that evil wretch." Jack went to walk back up the stairs when he realized he had just been kicked out of his own room. "Now, wait jist a minute 'ere," Jack said just as he opened up the door. "Now, listen 'ere, woman. This 'ere be my room ye be in and," he continued, fully intending to give Gale an earful.
"OUT!" That was, until a tray of half-eaten food was coming straight for his head. Jack quickly closed the door just as the tray slammed right into it. Jack stared at the door in surprise and fear for a few moments before he backed away slowly.
"Well, twas me room, anyway." The door whipped open and Jack jumped back a few steps and put his hands in the air.
"And my name is Gale Tayler! Learn it!" The door slammed shut again and Jack decided to make a quick getaway before she decided to come out and choke him with his own hair. When he reached the top of the stairs he was greeted with a majority of his crew standing there with knowing smirks on their faces. Clearing his throat, he adjusted his hat and his shirt.
"What are ye starin' at! Get back te work, ye filthy dogs!" With that final statement, Jack Sparrow walked away in search of a vacant quarters for him to sleep that night.