A/N - Thank you to all my reviewers! I really appreciated your support and
constructive criticism.I'm touched ;-)
~Lady Cyann~
Disclaimer - I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, (though sometimes I wish I did). The only things I do own are my original characters.
Now, on with the show!
****************************************
Later that evening, Gianna headed back to the aft of the Vesuvius towards her quarters. She had the 4:00 watch next morning, so she was in need of some serious shuteye. Also, she went bearing a pottery jug of water and a thick chunk of hardtack for Jack. When she reached the cabin door, she knocked softly. In response to the intrusion there was a self-pitying groan from Jack Sparrow. Gianna eased the door open and slipped inside. Jack lay, shirtless once again, on the bed. His weatherworn, once-brown hat was leveled over his eyes and most of his nose. She set her tray of food down on a bedside table, and stepped closer to the form on the bed.
"You feel like talkin'?" Gianna prodded.
"Lass," Jack growled, "Apologies. Miss Cirocco, you won't."
"Captain, if you please, Jack." Gianna interrupted, instantly regretting it.
"Apologies again, Captain Lass. As I was saying, I doubt that you'll be hearing any of my story." He said flatly. Gianna frowned; she had only wanted to help him. Jack sighed deeply and dramatically, lowering his hat even further over his face.
"As you wish, Mr. Sparrow." Gianna said lightly, "But."
Jack grunted as if asking, "What is it now, wench?"
"This is my cabin, and I'll be sleeping here tonight!" she finished triumphantly. In response, Jack wiggled over to one side of the bed, leaving room for one more.
"Whoa there, NO WAY!" Gianna exclaimed, her hands on her hips and lips formed in a stubborn pout, "I'm not sharing a bed with you, sir!" She laughed nervously, wringing her hands.
"I think I know you, lass," Jack said, trying to sound wise, "And if I'm right, and I do know you, you're no virgin."
"Excuse me!" Gianna cried indignantly, "But the specifics of my personal life are none of your concern, Jack Sparrow!" Gianna could feel herself redden. Was it that obvious? "Well, no matter." She continued, "I'm not sure why my virginity, or lack thereof, would affect my choice to not sleep with you, Mr. Sparrow. We've only just met!"
Jack smiled. And, Gianna noted, this bit of teasing and fun had lightened Jack's spirits.
"Fair enough," he said, ever the cocky ladies' man, "But you'll find soon enough that Jack Sparrow is a hard man to resist."
"We'll see about that," Gianna said, and almost stormed from the room. Then she realized this was her cabin, and she was sleeping here tonight! She reclined halfway on the bed next to Jack.
He said from beneath his hat, "So, you've decided to succumb to your temptation and share a bed with ol' Jack, lass?"
In reply, Gianna grabbed the sheets and ripped them up, sending Jack to land in a heap on the floor. Rubbing his head Jack moved to lie back on the bed. Gianna stood up and shoved him towards the door, saying, "You sleep outside!"
Jack looked suddenly weary. His face turned an ashen gray, and his shoulders slumped. He had obviously remembered whatever terrible thing had happened to him. He slunk out the door, closing it as he passed. She heard him lay down right outside the cabin door, and was soon lulled to sleep by the crashing of the waves on the hulls of the Vesuvius.
**********************************
Gianna awoke hours later, to the sound of bells. The four o'clock watch had begun. She laboriously pulled herself out of bed, and dressed in a gray dress and black boots. She opened her cabin door carefully, and prepared to step over Jack. She was surprised to see that he was not there. She shrugged nonchalantly and approached her position just behind the bowsprit. She kept a weather eye out for a juicy wan-of-war. She and her crew were in the mood for some piracy. And although the holds of the Vesuvius were almost bursting with swag, they were running low on food and household items such as soap, clothes, and dinnerware.
But soon Gianna's thoughts took over her mind.
Was she attracted to Jack Sparrow? The most villainous rogue ever to sail the Spanish Main? Was there even the slightest chance he liked her too?
Nonsense! Gianna's logical mind screamed dismissively. That could never be! Gianna Cirocco would never fall in love!
Just then, a large shape swooped down from the rigging above her head. Gianna screamed in alarm, dodging the flying creature. To her utter relief and surprise, the "flying shape" was none other than Jack Sparrow.
He bowed low and said, "I'm terribly sorry I frightened you, Miss - I mean - Captain."
But Gianna was leaning against the rail, looking into the sea.
"Ever since I was young, I've loved the ocean," Jack commented offhandedly.
"Aye," Gianna replied, "Twas the same with me."
"I was the happiest of my life while I captained the Black Pearl," he continued, "That's why, when that scabbarous dog Barbossa took my Pearl away, I was willing to go to the end of the world to save her."
Gianna nodded knowingly. Everyone in the Caribbean and for leagues beyond had heard the story of Cap'n Jack Sparrow and his accomplice Will Turner.
"But now I'm nothing," Jack said, the familiar weary look in his eyes, "The Pearl's gone, taken by some bloody pirate. I haven't a cent to my name, and for weeks I've been wandering aimlessly along the shore of Tortuga."
Gianna wrapped her arm around Jack's shoulder. He had finally shared his secret with her. Then more bells tolled, signaling the end of her watch. They had been talking for hours!
Jack silently led Gianna back to her cabin, and when he moved to lie back down on the floorboards in front of the door, Gianna touched his arm lightly.
"Come on, Jack, there's no need for that," she went on, before she could change her mind, "You can sleep with me."
Jack grinned widely, not to mention extremely suggestively. Back to his old self again.
"Let me rephrase that," Gianna said hurriedly, "You can sleep next to me."
As Jack followed her into the cabin she heard him mutter, "Hey, it's better than nothing!"
The two lay down on Gianna's bed, and were asleep within moments.
Disclaimer - I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, (though sometimes I wish I did). The only things I do own are my original characters.
Now, on with the show!
****************************************
Later that evening, Gianna headed back to the aft of the Vesuvius towards her quarters. She had the 4:00 watch next morning, so she was in need of some serious shuteye. Also, she went bearing a pottery jug of water and a thick chunk of hardtack for Jack. When she reached the cabin door, she knocked softly. In response to the intrusion there was a self-pitying groan from Jack Sparrow. Gianna eased the door open and slipped inside. Jack lay, shirtless once again, on the bed. His weatherworn, once-brown hat was leveled over his eyes and most of his nose. She set her tray of food down on a bedside table, and stepped closer to the form on the bed.
"You feel like talkin'?" Gianna prodded.
"Lass," Jack growled, "Apologies. Miss Cirocco, you won't."
"Captain, if you please, Jack." Gianna interrupted, instantly regretting it.
"Apologies again, Captain Lass. As I was saying, I doubt that you'll be hearing any of my story." He said flatly. Gianna frowned; she had only wanted to help him. Jack sighed deeply and dramatically, lowering his hat even further over his face.
"As you wish, Mr. Sparrow." Gianna said lightly, "But."
Jack grunted as if asking, "What is it now, wench?"
"This is my cabin, and I'll be sleeping here tonight!" she finished triumphantly. In response, Jack wiggled over to one side of the bed, leaving room for one more.
"Whoa there, NO WAY!" Gianna exclaimed, her hands on her hips and lips formed in a stubborn pout, "I'm not sharing a bed with you, sir!" She laughed nervously, wringing her hands.
"I think I know you, lass," Jack said, trying to sound wise, "And if I'm right, and I do know you, you're no virgin."
"Excuse me!" Gianna cried indignantly, "But the specifics of my personal life are none of your concern, Jack Sparrow!" Gianna could feel herself redden. Was it that obvious? "Well, no matter." She continued, "I'm not sure why my virginity, or lack thereof, would affect my choice to not sleep with you, Mr. Sparrow. We've only just met!"
Jack smiled. And, Gianna noted, this bit of teasing and fun had lightened Jack's spirits.
"Fair enough," he said, ever the cocky ladies' man, "But you'll find soon enough that Jack Sparrow is a hard man to resist."
"We'll see about that," Gianna said, and almost stormed from the room. Then she realized this was her cabin, and she was sleeping here tonight! She reclined halfway on the bed next to Jack.
He said from beneath his hat, "So, you've decided to succumb to your temptation and share a bed with ol' Jack, lass?"
In reply, Gianna grabbed the sheets and ripped them up, sending Jack to land in a heap on the floor. Rubbing his head Jack moved to lie back on the bed. Gianna stood up and shoved him towards the door, saying, "You sleep outside!"
Jack looked suddenly weary. His face turned an ashen gray, and his shoulders slumped. He had obviously remembered whatever terrible thing had happened to him. He slunk out the door, closing it as he passed. She heard him lay down right outside the cabin door, and was soon lulled to sleep by the crashing of the waves on the hulls of the Vesuvius.
**********************************
Gianna awoke hours later, to the sound of bells. The four o'clock watch had begun. She laboriously pulled herself out of bed, and dressed in a gray dress and black boots. She opened her cabin door carefully, and prepared to step over Jack. She was surprised to see that he was not there. She shrugged nonchalantly and approached her position just behind the bowsprit. She kept a weather eye out for a juicy wan-of-war. She and her crew were in the mood for some piracy. And although the holds of the Vesuvius were almost bursting with swag, they were running low on food and household items such as soap, clothes, and dinnerware.
But soon Gianna's thoughts took over her mind.
Was she attracted to Jack Sparrow? The most villainous rogue ever to sail the Spanish Main? Was there even the slightest chance he liked her too?
Nonsense! Gianna's logical mind screamed dismissively. That could never be! Gianna Cirocco would never fall in love!
Just then, a large shape swooped down from the rigging above her head. Gianna screamed in alarm, dodging the flying creature. To her utter relief and surprise, the "flying shape" was none other than Jack Sparrow.
He bowed low and said, "I'm terribly sorry I frightened you, Miss - I mean - Captain."
But Gianna was leaning against the rail, looking into the sea.
"Ever since I was young, I've loved the ocean," Jack commented offhandedly.
"Aye," Gianna replied, "Twas the same with me."
"I was the happiest of my life while I captained the Black Pearl," he continued, "That's why, when that scabbarous dog Barbossa took my Pearl away, I was willing to go to the end of the world to save her."
Gianna nodded knowingly. Everyone in the Caribbean and for leagues beyond had heard the story of Cap'n Jack Sparrow and his accomplice Will Turner.
"But now I'm nothing," Jack said, the familiar weary look in his eyes, "The Pearl's gone, taken by some bloody pirate. I haven't a cent to my name, and for weeks I've been wandering aimlessly along the shore of Tortuga."
Gianna wrapped her arm around Jack's shoulder. He had finally shared his secret with her. Then more bells tolled, signaling the end of her watch. They had been talking for hours!
Jack silently led Gianna back to her cabin, and when he moved to lie back down on the floorboards in front of the door, Gianna touched his arm lightly.
"Come on, Jack, there's no need for that," she went on, before she could change her mind, "You can sleep with me."
Jack grinned widely, not to mention extremely suggestively. Back to his old self again.
"Let me rephrase that," Gianna said hurriedly, "You can sleep next to me."
As Jack followed her into the cabin she heard him mutter, "Hey, it's better than nothing!"
The two lay down on Gianna's bed, and were asleep within moments.