Jim's Folly

Tally ho, girls. I've just been to see POTC once again and I'm full of Johnny Depp inspired accents, pirate slang, and the like.

My dear Monkeypants, Squabbit, whatever you want to be called…your surprise is well on its way. Just you wait and see. I'll let you know beforehand. AND, the dark man cannot be Andrew. Andrew's eleven years old, luv. He couldn't pass it off without being seen, savvy? (ooh, this is so much fun!) Simon the cursed slug? I like that.

"A wedding? Oh, I love weddings, drinks all around!" -Jack Sparrow

And Angel, about Micha…that was a stupid move on my part. None of you were supposed to see that. *sigh* Can't be helped. ^_^

Chapter Thirty Five

It was after the speeches had been made and the guests were beginning to leave that Raven was approached. She'd been talking with Amy, who'd gone off minutes later to speak with someone else.

Raven had been standing alone, her new husband not too far off. From the darkness, a hand crept, clenching onto her shoulder. She whirled in fear.

In the shadows stood a man. He was much too short to be Simon, so her fears subsided substantially.

He was around her height, large in build, like he'd worked in labor all of his life. His eyes were blue, his hair dark. His face was aged and covered with stubble, but nonetheless, Raven concluded whom he looked like.

He looked like Jim.

"You're a lucky girl, my lady, to marry such a man," he said quietly.

Her eyes widened. "Who are you?"

"Name's Hawkins. Leland Hawkins. Nice to meet you. I suppose this makes you my daughter in law?"

Raven gasped and Jim's attention was caught. Grasping her elbow, he wrapped his free hand around her waist.

"What's going on?" he asked, lifting his eyes from his startled wife to her company.

His teeth clenched and he exhaled heavily.

"What are you doing here?" Jim asked icily.

Leland smirked. "My son was getting married. I had to come and see. I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier. The ceremony was beautiful." He paused and glanced at his daughter in law. "Your wife is beautiful. Must be a Hawkins thing, boy. We sure know how to pick 'em."
Jim narrowed his eyes. "You're not welcome here, you pathetic excuse for a man."
"I'm a pathetic excuse?" Leland asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry you feel that way. Is your mother around?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

Jim shuddered. He didn't want to do this to her. But he knew Leland would find her himself if Jim didn't lead the way.

He nodded to his left. "She's over there."

Jim averted his eyes to the ground as Leland smirked and walked away.

Jim didn't want to watch. Raven took his arms and looked up at him. "What was that?"

She searched his eyes for answers.

"That was my father," Jim replied coldly. "If you didn't notice, he's not exactly been a part of my life." As a response to his pain in seeing his father, Jim's old gunshot wound began to throb. Placing a hand on it, Jim's expression tightened. "I can't…do this, Ray."

Jim closed his eyes when he heard Sarah gasp in horror.

Raven looked over Jim's shoulder. "He's not hurting her, Jim. She's just…standing there with her hand over her mouth. He's smiling…and saying something."
Jim shook his head, his eyes still closed. "If he makes her cry, I'll…"
"Too late," Raven replied quietly. Jim turned to glare at Leland and watch his mother cry.

Jim smiled faintly, meeting Raven's eyes. "You know, of all the days he could have come back, he had to on this one." Kissing her forehead, Jim walked over to his parents, leaving Raven questioning just what would be discussed.

--

Silver, having just heard word that his former cabin-boy was getting married, let out a cry of joy.

"'ear that, lads? Jimbo's getting married!"

Smallhook, a thin pirate, grinned in response. "Silver, y'old fool, it's the fourteenth! They've been married by now!"

Silver looked at the pirate and frowned. It surely was the fourteenth. Jim…was married.

He smiled. "Well, lads. You know as well as I do that we have to go and congratulate him."

--

The conversation had ended with Jim storming off, Raven running after him, leaving Sarah and Leland to talk.

Outside, it had begun to rain and Raven's hairstyle was undoing itself, her dress was getting wet and Jim was beginning to look more like a rebel than a gentleman, being so dark and angry in the rain. Raven thought it made him even more attractive, but this was neither the time nor the place for such thoughts.

Silence ensued while Raven reached out to Jim, placing delicate fingers over the old scar on Jim's stomach. He flinched at her touch before covering her hands with his.

"You know, I thought he'd never come back…and it was looking really good. But…here I am, on my wedding day. My long lost father has returned to…do who knows what?" He met her eyes. His eyes were full of pain.

Raven frowned. "Can I help?"

"You're doing a wonderful job," Jim replied quietly, squeezing her hands.

She swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. Jim studied her some more and smiled.

"Hey," he said, lifting her chin with his fingers. "It's been a good day."
She smiled faintly in return. "You're hurting, Jim…it's not all good."
Shaking his head, Jim replied, "Yes it is," and kissed her.

---