A/N - Thanks again to all my reviewers! You're really helping me out guys!
Anywho, I've been churning out about 2 chapters a day, so I take it the
story is going well. If you have complaints/problems/concerns/ideas please
please please please review! Thanks again.
~Lady Cyann~
Disclaimer: To make a long story short, I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.
***********************************
Gianna called all hands on deck to inform them of her decision.
She began, "Men, I've decided not to pursue the man-o-war we have been following. It's too big a risk due to her size and speed."
There was a low grumbling of the crew at this, and many looked at Gianna spitefully. Many even verbally lashed out at her. Gianna absolutely hated disappointing her crew, and she almost decided to forget Jack Sparrow's crazy plan and give chase to the man-o-war. But when Jack caught her eye and smiled encouragingly, she found her strength. She cleared her throat to regain their attention, and said, "But I have decided to go after the Black Pearl. You've all heard of her, aye?" The men nodded, whispering among themselves, eyes wide.
"She was sighted of the coast of & naught but a day ago." Gianna explained, "The Vesuvius has an advantage speed wise, seeing as how were aren't weighed down by priceless treasure."
At the sound of the word treasure, the ears of the crew perked up like dogs. They nodded and muttered their satisfaction to the plan. Gianna smiled slyly, content that her crew was happy and Jack was happy. Life was good.
Jack caught her on her way to the helm, carrying heavy logbooks and maps to the sailor steering. He pulled her aside, sheltered from the prying eyes of the crew.
"I'm taking advantage now of your full hands," he told her, and kissed her softly and warmly on the mouth. Gianna dropped her books and wrapped her arms around Jack fervently, running her fingers through his hair. He stroked her back gently, sending tingles up her spine. Gianna deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue between Jack's lips and caressing his exposed chest. When they finally pulled away, breathless, Jack said, "I've wanted to do that for some time now." Gianna just smiled, picked up her books, and continued on her journey to the steering wheel.
Jack, leaning against the rail, slid to the ground saying, "What a girl!"
****************************
Gianna bumped into Victoria on her way back to the Captain's quarters.
"Hello there," Victoria said warmly, "Haven't seen you in almost two weeks. Since we left Tortuga!"
"Aye, that's true," Gianna said skeptically, "Where've you been lately?"
"I, uh," Victoria said uneasily, "I've been spending a lot of time with the crew lately." When Gianna didn't respond right away the woman continued, "Namely, Quartermaster Berry." Victoria flushed a bright scarlet hue, which tickled Gianna. Victoria was hardly ever embarrassed. It was only then Gianna noticed Victoria's mussed hair and clothes.
Gianna said, "Victoria, I need to talk to you. In private." When Victoria opened her mouth to protest, Gianna stopped her. "Below decks. Now." Victoria shot her a spiteful glance, so she continued, "That's an order."
Victoria held her chin high and mockingly flounced down the stairs. The two women entered the galley and sat at a table. To Victoria's utter surprise, Gianna burst into rolling laughter and smiled raucously.
"You common whore!" she exclaimed. "Alan Berry? Why, naught but a fortnight ago it was Peabody, and before he, Pryor! You really know how to keep yourself entertained, Victoria Dahllas."
Victoria, obviously relieved, chuckled a little bit herself. "Hey, you do the best with what you have; when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" She said earnestly.
Gianna got up to get drinks, thinking about Jack. There was no doubting it now; they had made an amazing connection. And the kiss. . .
"Victoria, talking about your onboard prostitution is not why I called you down here. I have something important to tell you." Victoria, after all, was her best friend, and she had to confide in someone about her newfound impression of Jack Sparrow. But Victoria didn't hear a word. She was far too busy rambling about her romantic exploits and the qualities of every man aboard the Vesuvius. When her tirade was finally reaching an end, Gianna saw her opening and dove in.
"Victoria," she said, "I have something to tell you about."
But Victoria could not listen to her until she made her closing comment.
"It's over between me and the quartermaster now," Victoria said, "But I've my eye on another man now. I'm sure you're familiar with the man Jack Sparrow? Isn't he just the perfect image of a manly, sexy, rogue pirate? He's absolutely to die for. . ."
Seeing the shocked and almost saddened face of Gianna, Victoria stopped dead. Quizzically, she asked, "Gianna, what is it you wanted to tell me?"
Without a word, Gianna got up and left the room.
*************************************
Victoria, not the brightest candle on board the Vesuvius, thought nothing of Gianna's running off. Her plans remained the same: Jack Sparrow would be hers.
*************************************
Gianna rushed to her room and flew onto her bed. She smashed her face into a soft pillow, straining to keeps the tears from flowing from her eyes. Victoria always, always got what she wanted, especially when it came to men. And now that Gianna had admitted to herself that she liked Jack, maybe even loved him, this was not a good thing. She couldn't bear the thought of Victoria, her best and only friend, with her arms around Jack. As she composed herself and left her cabin, she just couldn't stop thinking about him.
Little did she know that Jack was thinking about her, too. He was prowling the decks, deep in thought. 'She's really got me now,' he thought wistfully. 'She could say, Jack go jump of the side of the ship and catch me a fish, and I'd do it.' He had to get his mind off Gianna. She was a smart, upstanding girl who had principles. He would never have a man like Jack Sparrow! Fumbling through his groggy mind for something more positive to concentrate on, he grabbed his remarkable compass. They were sailing the right course, on a direct line to Isla de le Muerta. At least he would have his Pearl back soon.
**************************************
Pius, the ship surgeon, woke up early next morning to a blood-red sky. "Red sky at night, sailors delight," he recited an old rhyme, "Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning. Something's brewing 'ere."
**************************************
Victoria slipped into Gianna's tub at about 7:00 the next morning. She badly needed to wash her hair and it was a relief to finally have some proper soap and hot, steamy water. As she massaged golden oils into her mane of wet black hair, she thought of her mission. Today, she would catch a sparrow.
Disclaimer: To make a long story short, I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.
***********************************
Gianna called all hands on deck to inform them of her decision.
She began, "Men, I've decided not to pursue the man-o-war we have been following. It's too big a risk due to her size and speed."
There was a low grumbling of the crew at this, and many looked at Gianna spitefully. Many even verbally lashed out at her. Gianna absolutely hated disappointing her crew, and she almost decided to forget Jack Sparrow's crazy plan and give chase to the man-o-war. But when Jack caught her eye and smiled encouragingly, she found her strength. She cleared her throat to regain their attention, and said, "But I have decided to go after the Black Pearl. You've all heard of her, aye?" The men nodded, whispering among themselves, eyes wide.
"She was sighted of the coast of & naught but a day ago." Gianna explained, "The Vesuvius has an advantage speed wise, seeing as how were aren't weighed down by priceless treasure."
At the sound of the word treasure, the ears of the crew perked up like dogs. They nodded and muttered their satisfaction to the plan. Gianna smiled slyly, content that her crew was happy and Jack was happy. Life was good.
Jack caught her on her way to the helm, carrying heavy logbooks and maps to the sailor steering. He pulled her aside, sheltered from the prying eyes of the crew.
"I'm taking advantage now of your full hands," he told her, and kissed her softly and warmly on the mouth. Gianna dropped her books and wrapped her arms around Jack fervently, running her fingers through his hair. He stroked her back gently, sending tingles up her spine. Gianna deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue between Jack's lips and caressing his exposed chest. When they finally pulled away, breathless, Jack said, "I've wanted to do that for some time now." Gianna just smiled, picked up her books, and continued on her journey to the steering wheel.
Jack, leaning against the rail, slid to the ground saying, "What a girl!"
****************************
Gianna bumped into Victoria on her way back to the Captain's quarters.
"Hello there," Victoria said warmly, "Haven't seen you in almost two weeks. Since we left Tortuga!"
"Aye, that's true," Gianna said skeptically, "Where've you been lately?"
"I, uh," Victoria said uneasily, "I've been spending a lot of time with the crew lately." When Gianna didn't respond right away the woman continued, "Namely, Quartermaster Berry." Victoria flushed a bright scarlet hue, which tickled Gianna. Victoria was hardly ever embarrassed. It was only then Gianna noticed Victoria's mussed hair and clothes.
Gianna said, "Victoria, I need to talk to you. In private." When Victoria opened her mouth to protest, Gianna stopped her. "Below decks. Now." Victoria shot her a spiteful glance, so she continued, "That's an order."
Victoria held her chin high and mockingly flounced down the stairs. The two women entered the galley and sat at a table. To Victoria's utter surprise, Gianna burst into rolling laughter and smiled raucously.
"You common whore!" she exclaimed. "Alan Berry? Why, naught but a fortnight ago it was Peabody, and before he, Pryor! You really know how to keep yourself entertained, Victoria Dahllas."
Victoria, obviously relieved, chuckled a little bit herself. "Hey, you do the best with what you have; when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" She said earnestly.
Gianna got up to get drinks, thinking about Jack. There was no doubting it now; they had made an amazing connection. And the kiss. . .
"Victoria, talking about your onboard prostitution is not why I called you down here. I have something important to tell you." Victoria, after all, was her best friend, and she had to confide in someone about her newfound impression of Jack Sparrow. But Victoria didn't hear a word. She was far too busy rambling about her romantic exploits and the qualities of every man aboard the Vesuvius. When her tirade was finally reaching an end, Gianna saw her opening and dove in.
"Victoria," she said, "I have something to tell you about."
But Victoria could not listen to her until she made her closing comment.
"It's over between me and the quartermaster now," Victoria said, "But I've my eye on another man now. I'm sure you're familiar with the man Jack Sparrow? Isn't he just the perfect image of a manly, sexy, rogue pirate? He's absolutely to die for. . ."
Seeing the shocked and almost saddened face of Gianna, Victoria stopped dead. Quizzically, she asked, "Gianna, what is it you wanted to tell me?"
Without a word, Gianna got up and left the room.
*************************************
Victoria, not the brightest candle on board the Vesuvius, thought nothing of Gianna's running off. Her plans remained the same: Jack Sparrow would be hers.
*************************************
Gianna rushed to her room and flew onto her bed. She smashed her face into a soft pillow, straining to keeps the tears from flowing from her eyes. Victoria always, always got what she wanted, especially when it came to men. And now that Gianna had admitted to herself that she liked Jack, maybe even loved him, this was not a good thing. She couldn't bear the thought of Victoria, her best and only friend, with her arms around Jack. As she composed herself and left her cabin, she just couldn't stop thinking about him.
Little did she know that Jack was thinking about her, too. He was prowling the decks, deep in thought. 'She's really got me now,' he thought wistfully. 'She could say, Jack go jump of the side of the ship and catch me a fish, and I'd do it.' He had to get his mind off Gianna. She was a smart, upstanding girl who had principles. He would never have a man like Jack Sparrow! Fumbling through his groggy mind for something more positive to concentrate on, he grabbed his remarkable compass. They were sailing the right course, on a direct line to Isla de le Muerta. At least he would have his Pearl back soon.
**************************************
Pius, the ship surgeon, woke up early next morning to a blood-red sky. "Red sky at night, sailors delight," he recited an old rhyme, "Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning. Something's brewing 'ere."
**************************************
Victoria slipped into Gianna's tub at about 7:00 the next morning. She badly needed to wash her hair and it was a relief to finally have some proper soap and hot, steamy water. As she massaged golden oils into her mane of wet black hair, she thought of her mission. Today, she would catch a sparrow.