Chapter Three: Debts and Debtors
Trini was not quite awake yet. She could hear the muffled voices around her, but everything was still dark and fuzzy. The pain in her head had subsided slightly, but she still refused to open her eyes.
"I think she's awake," someone said. Who was that?
"It's about damn time," came another voice. She knew that one.
"Not so loud, Jack," said another, lighter but snappish. God, who were these people?
"C'mon, love," came the second voice again. Trini felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't ye think we'd better fetch a doctor, Cap'n?" asked someone new.
"She's fine, really," the first voice came again. "Her fever's gone down quite a bit."
The hand moved from her shoulder to forehead, and she started. It still hurt.
"Aye," said the second, familiar voice. "Is she in pain, lad?"
"Jack?" Trini mumbled, recognizing his voice at last.
Someone left her bed; she felt the thin mattress rise at the lost weight. She opened her eyes slowly; it must have been Jack who had moved, because he was kneeling in front of her.
"She's awake," Gibbs said, stating the obvious and swigging from his flask in relief.
"'course I'm awake," Trini muttered, trying to sit up, but Jack pushed her back down. "What's going on?" she asked indignantly.
She glanced around her room and saw the blurry figures AnaMaria, Gibbs, and another man crowded beside her bed. AnaMaria smiled.
"She's coming back to 'erself now," she heard the woman say.
"What the hell's going on?" Trini demanded, trying to sit up once more, only to be infuriated when Jack pushed her down again. "Stop it!"
Jack held up his hands. "Right, love," he said. "Go on and try to get up."
Trini sat up quickly, and the room started spinning. She held her hands over her eyes, and someone spoke up nervously. "Don't let her, Jack."
"Don't let me what?" Trini cried in anguish, pulling her hands away and swinging her legs over the side of her cot.
Jack stood up and offered her his hand. She could hear the other three shifting nervously on the other side of her, and it didn't do anything for her temper. She grabbed Jack's hand and hauled herself onto her feet.
She had no idea how she ended up in Jack's arms. But there she was, room spinning, head aching, unable to stand. He set her gently back on the cot and pulled her blanket up over her knees.
"Now will you listen, love?" he said, perching on the bed next to her.
Trini nodded. She could recall only one other time in her life she had been this ill, and that had been when she was with the Turners, after an attack on the town.
"You remember the storm, Trini?" AnaMaria asked gently. Trini was utterly confused by her tone; AnaMaria was rarely gentle.
"Aye," Trini replied, a little relieved. The events came flooding back to her; the storm, hitting the rail, taking the wheel, going below and falling asleep. "Is that what all this is about?" she asked, almost smiling. "It's all right, I'm fine. How long have I been asleep?"
"Three days," Jack replied from her side.
Trini gaped at him. "That's not possible," she said at last. "I can't have slept for three days."
"But ye did, love," Jack said. "Weren't sure if you'd pull out of it or not."
"What?" Trini cried. "It was just a cut, I can't have lost that much blood, Jack. You've got to be wrong, I can't have---"
"You had a fever," spoke up the mysterious man behind AnaMaria and Gibbs. Trini recognized it vaguely, from somewhere.
"Aye, that was my fault," Jack said bitterly. "Shouldn't 'ave left the wheel."
"But that's what we always do," Trini protested. "How could I have fallen ill this time and not ever before?"
Jack smiled at her. "Ye've never been a storm like that, love," he explained. "First one since we've been back. Easy enough. But you're fine now, and we've this lad to thank." He nodded to the man over his shoulder, and Trini squinted to make out his face.
"I didn't do much, sir," he said humbly. It was the humility that did it.
"Not you again!" Trini groaned, covering her face. She could almost hear the smile in his voice when he spoke.
"My apologies," Sky said. "It appears my wanton knowledge of medicine is of some use after all."
"Something wrong, love?" Jack asked suspiciously, and Trini looked at him through her fingers, seeing his eyes narrow at Sky. She would have laughed, but she was too distressed at the idea of Sky having spent the last three days in her cabin.
"No," she answered. "But do you mind if I go back to sleep?"
Jack looked at her, trying to hide his concern, and nodded.
"She really should drink something first, sir," Sky spoke up, quieter now.
Trini bit her tongue to keep from verbally abusing him; he had doubly roused her annoyance, and she couldn't find a reason.
She turned her eyes away from him and took the flask Jack handed her, raising it to her lips.
"Er---perhaps water would be a better idea?" Sky interrupted.
Jack grunted in approval and removed the flask from Trini's hands. "Sorry, lass," he said, grinning when he saw her obvious irritation.
Sky pulled out his own flask and handed it to Jack, who gave it to Trini. She eyed Sky suspiciously but drank the water anyway, figuring it was the only way to get him to leave her alone.
She returned the flask to Jack and gave him a pleading look.
"Right," he said, standing up. The other three took their cue and left quickly. Jack paused on the other side of Trini's bed, and then, when he was sure the others were gone, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Good to have you back, love," he said, grinning, and he left her as well.
Trini sat in shock for a moment. Jack never showed much open affection, and she had kept the same pretense in return. It was a mutual understanding between the two of them, and never before---not even when he had left her with the Turners---had either of them ever broken it. Trini shook her head, smiling, and then curled up again and fell asleep.
The next time Trini awoke, it was to the sound of footsteps coming down below decks. She rolled over in bed, eyes open, and listened to see who it was. Not Jack, the step was too even. Or AnaMaria; she walked lightly. Could be Gibbs, though, she thought. But her heart sank when her curtain was pulled aside, revealing a wary-looking Sky.
"May I come in?" he asked.
"I guess so," Trini said, sitting up.
"Captain sent me to check on you," he explained.
"Why didn't he come himself?" she asked.
Sky smiled sympathetically, which annoyed Trini. She didn't want any of his sympathy. "You've worn him out," he said. "He's been down here with you the past three days, you know. Ordered the first mate to stop at the first port he saw, and we've been here ever since."
Trini noticed for the first time that the ship wasn't moving. Perhaps that attested to some of her dizziness, she thought. "Where's here?"
"Kingstown," Sky replied, cautiously taking a seat on her bed. "A little English port, but there's no fleet here, so the captain's let the crew have the run of the town for a few days, while you recover."
"And why aren't you running about with them?" she demanded.
He shrugged. "I'm not one for doing much running," he replied.
Trini snorted. "Well," she said. "You've checked on me. Do you have anything else to say?"
"Mind if I take a look at that?" he asked, running a finger across the bandage on her forehead. He didn't wait for a reply, since he knew it wouldn't be favorable, but instead pulled the cloth off gently and examined the cut.
"Looks better," he said, pulling a new strip of cloth out of his pocket. "It's not infected, at least. You're lucky," he added as he bound it again with a clean cloth. "I've seen men die from simple wounds like that."
Trini struggled to suppress her irritation at the idea of his being kind to her. She'd rather he was short tempered and sarcastic; then she'd know how to speak to him. "Thank you," she managed to reply civilly.
"No need for thanks," he said. "Give me your hand."
"What?" she asked, but he had already taken her left hand and pulled up her sleeve. There was a bandage around her forearm she had not noticed before. "What's that for?"
He unwrapped the binding wordlessly, and Trini saw the slim, vertical cut across her arm. She glanced up in alarm. "You bled me?" she hissed, incredulous and slightly angry.
He nodded, examining the cut. "It was a last resort," he explained. "You weren't getting any better. If it comforts you, I thought your father was going to slit my throat when I suggested it. He was breathing down my neck the entire time."
Trini couldn't bite back a smile at the image of Jack hovering over the man who was cutting his daughter open. "He would," she laughed.
Sky looked up and smiled. "You've a nice laugh," he said. "I wish I could hear it more often, but we seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot."
"Yes," Trini said, jerking her arm away from him as he wrapped it again. "Watch it, that hurts."
"Sorry," he said, taking her hand again and continuing to wrap the wound.
"You know, I wouldn't dislike you if you'd talk more," Trini said in response to his previous comment.
"And saving your life doesn't help with that at all?" he teased.
"Not if you're going to be an ass about it," Trini replied, pulling her arm away from him again.
He smiled and nodded in assent. "Go on and rest then," he said. "I'll tell the captain you are much improved."
"You do that," Trini retorted, watching him go. But then she almost wished he hadn't gone, because she had no one to talk to again. Perhaps she didn't mind him so much after all. It was just that now she was indebted to him and---
That was it. She was interrupting her own thoughts. She had only started to dislike the fellow after she had fallen into his debt. Well, she'd find a way to get out of it, and then perhaps they'd get along better.
She smiled, satisfied with herself, and turned over, drifting off to sleep again. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Careful, love," Jack said, holding Trini up by her arm.
She laughed. "I'm fine, Jack," she replied, trying to shake him loose, but he simply moved his grip from her arm to her waist. "Really, I can walk. It's fine."
Trini grinned as they came out on deck. She hadn't been out of bed since she'd woken up, and that had been almost two days ago. They were still in Kingstown, the men never tiring of the excellent taverns they had discovered. Apparently, Kingstown was well known for its ale. Jack certainly didn't mind the excuse to stay in port a few days longer.
Trini pried Jack's arms off her and walked, a bit unsteadily, around the deck a few times. She grinned at her four companions. AnaMaria nodded approvingly, and Gibbs swigged from his flask. Jack just gave her his famous grin. Sky hung back, looking slightly pleased, but otherwise taking no part in the scene.
"Can I go ashore?" she asked Jack. Uncertainty flickered across his face for a moment, and then he grinned again.
"'course, love," he said. "Not now, though; later tonight, for supper, savvy?"
Trini nodded; that was good enough for now. "Then can I go up for a while?" she asked, looking up at the crow's nest.
"If you can climb," Jack said, glancing at the ropes.
"I'll be fine," she answered, making her way towards the rope ladder, one hand trailing along the railing, just in case. She made her ascent slowly, but as soon as she'd begun, she knew she wouldn't lose her footing. She was recovered, and it was the air that did it. As soon as she'd swung her legs over the rail of the crow's nest, she breathed in deeply, and immediately she felt better than she had in days. Sliding down, she leaned against the mast and dangled her legs through the railing like usual. Below, Jack grinned to see her feet swinging from the platform; it was a sight he'd become accustomed to over nine years.
"Care for a game, Cap'n?" Gibbs asked, holding out a deck of cards and a bottle of rum.
Jack and AnaMaria pulled up stools, four to sit on and one to use as a table. "We're short one with 'er up there," AnaMaria said, nodding at Trini in the crow's nest.
Jack looked around, as though he expected a fourth player to appear out of nowhere. His glance landed on Sky, leaning against the wall rail, the only other crewmember still aboard. "You, lad," he said, motioning for Sky to join the game. The young man took a stool reluctantly.
"Don't be shy, lad," AnaMaria said, clapping him on the back. "Join us tonight as well. We owe ye, for 'elping with the lass. Right, Jack?"
"What?" Jack said, looking up from his cards. He glanced from AnaMaria to Sky and back to AnaMaria, who was glaring at him pointedly. "Aye," he said, grinning. "Right. Just like she said, lad." He nodded and grinned at AnaMaria, then looked back down at his cards.
They played several games, until evening crept up on them. Trini hadn't moved from her place in the crow's nest, and somehow, Jack and AnaMaria had won every game, despite the fact that Sky was a better partner than Trini, with whom Gibbs was usually stuck.
"Trini," AnaMaria called up to the girl, who leaned forward and peered down at them. "Let's go, girl, before the taverns fill."
Trini climbed down with her usual speed and jumped the last feet to the deck. She, Jack, AnaMaria, and Gibbs made their way to the gangplank, but Sky hung back again. When Jack saw him not following, he waved the man on. "Come, lad," he said. "We owe ye, like Ana said."
"I thought you weren't listening," AnaMaria snapped.
"I'm always listening, love," Jack said, grinning at her. She rolled her eyes and headed down the gangplank, followed by everyone else, Sky included.
To the surprise of both Trini and Sky, supper was actually enjoyable. Jack was obviously familiar with the town, though he hadn't said anything before, and he managed to find a tavern where fights were kept a minimum, and they could all converse without having to shout at each other. They did end up having a few drinks afterwards, probably not the best idea considering Trini had only just recovered, but they were all in a celebratory mood.
The only cloud on the horizon was when one of the crewmembers came into the tavern, looking frantically for Jack. He spotted the captain and hurried over.
"'scuse me, Captain," he said. "Could I 'ave a moment?"
Jack stood up, and the two of them conversed in low voices for a moment, on the other side of the tavern. Finally, the man waited at the door, and Jack returned. "Couple of the men 'ave gotten themselves thrown in jail," he said, looking almost proud of his new recruits. "I'll need some 'elp on this one. AnaMaria, Gibbs, you come with me. You, lad," he said, meaning Sky. "You and the lass go back aboard; the crew should be back tomorrow morning, and we'll be back later tonight." He looked over at Trini and grinned. "Don't do anything stupid, love. Savvy?"
Trini smacked him playfully and watched the three of them leave the tavern. She smiled at Sky across the table. "Ironic, isn't it?" she drawled, draining the last of her second mug---or was it her third? She couldn't rightly remember. In her semi-fragile state, the alcohol was affecting her more than usual.
Sky stood up. "We should be heading back," he said, offering her his hand, but she stood on her own, swaying a bit.
"Aye," she said, grinning oddly. "Let's go then." She made for the door, walking drunkenly. Sky dared to keep a hand at her back, just in case, but she didn't seem to notice. They made their way back to the Pearl in that manner, and when they were on deck, Sky suggested they both retire for the night.
Trini shook her head. "It's early," she drawled, and he was intrigued by the similarity of her drunken speech to Jack's. "Let's go swimming!" she suggested, throwing up her hands. She had obviously forgotten she didn't particularly like Sky.
He shook his head and took her arm. "That's the rum talking," he said. "Besides, with that much alcohol in your system, swimming might bring the fever on again."
She looked at him incredulously, impressed even when she was drunk. "Where the 'ell do you learn all this?"
"I'll tell you when you're better able to understand," he said, leading her towards the stairs. Grinning, she wrenched her arm out of his grasp.
"You'll have to catch me first!" she called, and she took off running for the helm.
Sky shook his head exasperatedly. "I'm not going to play this game," he said, making his way slowly towards the spot where she'd disappeared. He looked around the wheel; where had she gone?
"You know," came a soft, slurred voice from behind him. "You really should be more creative."
Sky turned around to find Trini standing much closer to him than she normally would have. "Right," he said slowly, taking a step backwards and running into the wheel.
She followed him, but now he couldn't exactly go further back. "But I suppose all that nonsense about medicine really does come in handy," she said. She was fingering the torn hem of his shirt now. "I suppose I owe you my whole life," she professed in a drunken mockery of a lady. However, her words came out more sincere than she had planned.
Trini was leaning up. Sky could smell the alcohol on her breath, and he knew she had no idea what she was doing. Her lips had barely brushed against his when he pushed her away. "Don't," he said.
Trini looked highly offended. "I'm not paying you back, if that's what you think," she spat angrily, drawing back and preparing to run off. "I was just trying to be---"
But before she could move away, or even finish her sentence, Sky had grabbed her arms and pulled her to him, kissing her fiercely. Trini melted into him for a moment, but then he pulled away again, and she suddenly realized, through all the rum, what she had done, what he had done, and all the color drained from her face. She was embarrassed, though she hated to admit it. She was better at feeling anger. So she let herself be angry. She glared at Sky, whose eyes had, for once, not fallen to the ground but stayed locked on her face. The emotion she read there did nothing but stir up her irritation. She slapped him, not hard, but not lightly either, and then she stumbled below decks to her bed, collapsing into sleep and forgetfulness. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN: Two chapters in one day, yay me! I can be productive outside school! Anyway, I couldn't wait to write this chapter, because it's kind of where the whole plot (or what there is of a plot!) came from. From here on, there's some emotional turmoil (I guess I just can't write a fic without any *sigh*) and then my favorite parts, which are more humorous. So, pleeasseee review and tell me what you think! Is it an adequate sequel, or was I crazy to try and do it? ~Ellie
Trini was not quite awake yet. She could hear the muffled voices around her, but everything was still dark and fuzzy. The pain in her head had subsided slightly, but she still refused to open her eyes.
"I think she's awake," someone said. Who was that?
"It's about damn time," came another voice. She knew that one.
"Not so loud, Jack," said another, lighter but snappish. God, who were these people?
"C'mon, love," came the second voice again. Trini felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't ye think we'd better fetch a doctor, Cap'n?" asked someone new.
"She's fine, really," the first voice came again. "Her fever's gone down quite a bit."
The hand moved from her shoulder to forehead, and she started. It still hurt.
"Aye," said the second, familiar voice. "Is she in pain, lad?"
"Jack?" Trini mumbled, recognizing his voice at last.
Someone left her bed; she felt the thin mattress rise at the lost weight. She opened her eyes slowly; it must have been Jack who had moved, because he was kneeling in front of her.
"She's awake," Gibbs said, stating the obvious and swigging from his flask in relief.
"'course I'm awake," Trini muttered, trying to sit up, but Jack pushed her back down. "What's going on?" she asked indignantly.
She glanced around her room and saw the blurry figures AnaMaria, Gibbs, and another man crowded beside her bed. AnaMaria smiled.
"She's coming back to 'erself now," she heard the woman say.
"What the hell's going on?" Trini demanded, trying to sit up once more, only to be infuriated when Jack pushed her down again. "Stop it!"
Jack held up his hands. "Right, love," he said. "Go on and try to get up."
Trini sat up quickly, and the room started spinning. She held her hands over her eyes, and someone spoke up nervously. "Don't let her, Jack."
"Don't let me what?" Trini cried in anguish, pulling her hands away and swinging her legs over the side of her cot.
Jack stood up and offered her his hand. She could hear the other three shifting nervously on the other side of her, and it didn't do anything for her temper. She grabbed Jack's hand and hauled herself onto her feet.
She had no idea how she ended up in Jack's arms. But there she was, room spinning, head aching, unable to stand. He set her gently back on the cot and pulled her blanket up over her knees.
"Now will you listen, love?" he said, perching on the bed next to her.
Trini nodded. She could recall only one other time in her life she had been this ill, and that had been when she was with the Turners, after an attack on the town.
"You remember the storm, Trini?" AnaMaria asked gently. Trini was utterly confused by her tone; AnaMaria was rarely gentle.
"Aye," Trini replied, a little relieved. The events came flooding back to her; the storm, hitting the rail, taking the wheel, going below and falling asleep. "Is that what all this is about?" she asked, almost smiling. "It's all right, I'm fine. How long have I been asleep?"
"Three days," Jack replied from her side.
Trini gaped at him. "That's not possible," she said at last. "I can't have slept for three days."
"But ye did, love," Jack said. "Weren't sure if you'd pull out of it or not."
"What?" Trini cried. "It was just a cut, I can't have lost that much blood, Jack. You've got to be wrong, I can't have---"
"You had a fever," spoke up the mysterious man behind AnaMaria and Gibbs. Trini recognized it vaguely, from somewhere.
"Aye, that was my fault," Jack said bitterly. "Shouldn't 'ave left the wheel."
"But that's what we always do," Trini protested. "How could I have fallen ill this time and not ever before?"
Jack smiled at her. "Ye've never been a storm like that, love," he explained. "First one since we've been back. Easy enough. But you're fine now, and we've this lad to thank." He nodded to the man over his shoulder, and Trini squinted to make out his face.
"I didn't do much, sir," he said humbly. It was the humility that did it.
"Not you again!" Trini groaned, covering her face. She could almost hear the smile in his voice when he spoke.
"My apologies," Sky said. "It appears my wanton knowledge of medicine is of some use after all."
"Something wrong, love?" Jack asked suspiciously, and Trini looked at him through her fingers, seeing his eyes narrow at Sky. She would have laughed, but she was too distressed at the idea of Sky having spent the last three days in her cabin.
"No," she answered. "But do you mind if I go back to sleep?"
Jack looked at her, trying to hide his concern, and nodded.
"She really should drink something first, sir," Sky spoke up, quieter now.
Trini bit her tongue to keep from verbally abusing him; he had doubly roused her annoyance, and she couldn't find a reason.
She turned her eyes away from him and took the flask Jack handed her, raising it to her lips.
"Er---perhaps water would be a better idea?" Sky interrupted.
Jack grunted in approval and removed the flask from Trini's hands. "Sorry, lass," he said, grinning when he saw her obvious irritation.
Sky pulled out his own flask and handed it to Jack, who gave it to Trini. She eyed Sky suspiciously but drank the water anyway, figuring it was the only way to get him to leave her alone.
She returned the flask to Jack and gave him a pleading look.
"Right," he said, standing up. The other three took their cue and left quickly. Jack paused on the other side of Trini's bed, and then, when he was sure the others were gone, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Good to have you back, love," he said, grinning, and he left her as well.
Trini sat in shock for a moment. Jack never showed much open affection, and she had kept the same pretense in return. It was a mutual understanding between the two of them, and never before---not even when he had left her with the Turners---had either of them ever broken it. Trini shook her head, smiling, and then curled up again and fell asleep.
The next time Trini awoke, it was to the sound of footsteps coming down below decks. She rolled over in bed, eyes open, and listened to see who it was. Not Jack, the step was too even. Or AnaMaria; she walked lightly. Could be Gibbs, though, she thought. But her heart sank when her curtain was pulled aside, revealing a wary-looking Sky.
"May I come in?" he asked.
"I guess so," Trini said, sitting up.
"Captain sent me to check on you," he explained.
"Why didn't he come himself?" she asked.
Sky smiled sympathetically, which annoyed Trini. She didn't want any of his sympathy. "You've worn him out," he said. "He's been down here with you the past three days, you know. Ordered the first mate to stop at the first port he saw, and we've been here ever since."
Trini noticed for the first time that the ship wasn't moving. Perhaps that attested to some of her dizziness, she thought. "Where's here?"
"Kingstown," Sky replied, cautiously taking a seat on her bed. "A little English port, but there's no fleet here, so the captain's let the crew have the run of the town for a few days, while you recover."
"And why aren't you running about with them?" she demanded.
He shrugged. "I'm not one for doing much running," he replied.
Trini snorted. "Well," she said. "You've checked on me. Do you have anything else to say?"
"Mind if I take a look at that?" he asked, running a finger across the bandage on her forehead. He didn't wait for a reply, since he knew it wouldn't be favorable, but instead pulled the cloth off gently and examined the cut.
"Looks better," he said, pulling a new strip of cloth out of his pocket. "It's not infected, at least. You're lucky," he added as he bound it again with a clean cloth. "I've seen men die from simple wounds like that."
Trini struggled to suppress her irritation at the idea of his being kind to her. She'd rather he was short tempered and sarcastic; then she'd know how to speak to him. "Thank you," she managed to reply civilly.
"No need for thanks," he said. "Give me your hand."
"What?" she asked, but he had already taken her left hand and pulled up her sleeve. There was a bandage around her forearm she had not noticed before. "What's that for?"
He unwrapped the binding wordlessly, and Trini saw the slim, vertical cut across her arm. She glanced up in alarm. "You bled me?" she hissed, incredulous and slightly angry.
He nodded, examining the cut. "It was a last resort," he explained. "You weren't getting any better. If it comforts you, I thought your father was going to slit my throat when I suggested it. He was breathing down my neck the entire time."
Trini couldn't bite back a smile at the image of Jack hovering over the man who was cutting his daughter open. "He would," she laughed.
Sky looked up and smiled. "You've a nice laugh," he said. "I wish I could hear it more often, but we seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot."
"Yes," Trini said, jerking her arm away from him as he wrapped it again. "Watch it, that hurts."
"Sorry," he said, taking her hand again and continuing to wrap the wound.
"You know, I wouldn't dislike you if you'd talk more," Trini said in response to his previous comment.
"And saving your life doesn't help with that at all?" he teased.
"Not if you're going to be an ass about it," Trini replied, pulling her arm away from him again.
He smiled and nodded in assent. "Go on and rest then," he said. "I'll tell the captain you are much improved."
"You do that," Trini retorted, watching him go. But then she almost wished he hadn't gone, because she had no one to talk to again. Perhaps she didn't mind him so much after all. It was just that now she was indebted to him and---
That was it. She was interrupting her own thoughts. She had only started to dislike the fellow after she had fallen into his debt. Well, she'd find a way to get out of it, and then perhaps they'd get along better.
She smiled, satisfied with herself, and turned over, drifting off to sleep again. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Careful, love," Jack said, holding Trini up by her arm.
She laughed. "I'm fine, Jack," she replied, trying to shake him loose, but he simply moved his grip from her arm to her waist. "Really, I can walk. It's fine."
Trini grinned as they came out on deck. She hadn't been out of bed since she'd woken up, and that had been almost two days ago. They were still in Kingstown, the men never tiring of the excellent taverns they had discovered. Apparently, Kingstown was well known for its ale. Jack certainly didn't mind the excuse to stay in port a few days longer.
Trini pried Jack's arms off her and walked, a bit unsteadily, around the deck a few times. She grinned at her four companions. AnaMaria nodded approvingly, and Gibbs swigged from his flask. Jack just gave her his famous grin. Sky hung back, looking slightly pleased, but otherwise taking no part in the scene.
"Can I go ashore?" she asked Jack. Uncertainty flickered across his face for a moment, and then he grinned again.
"'course, love," he said. "Not now, though; later tonight, for supper, savvy?"
Trini nodded; that was good enough for now. "Then can I go up for a while?" she asked, looking up at the crow's nest.
"If you can climb," Jack said, glancing at the ropes.
"I'll be fine," she answered, making her way towards the rope ladder, one hand trailing along the railing, just in case. She made her ascent slowly, but as soon as she'd begun, she knew she wouldn't lose her footing. She was recovered, and it was the air that did it. As soon as she'd swung her legs over the rail of the crow's nest, she breathed in deeply, and immediately she felt better than she had in days. Sliding down, she leaned against the mast and dangled her legs through the railing like usual. Below, Jack grinned to see her feet swinging from the platform; it was a sight he'd become accustomed to over nine years.
"Care for a game, Cap'n?" Gibbs asked, holding out a deck of cards and a bottle of rum.
Jack and AnaMaria pulled up stools, four to sit on and one to use as a table. "We're short one with 'er up there," AnaMaria said, nodding at Trini in the crow's nest.
Jack looked around, as though he expected a fourth player to appear out of nowhere. His glance landed on Sky, leaning against the wall rail, the only other crewmember still aboard. "You, lad," he said, motioning for Sky to join the game. The young man took a stool reluctantly.
"Don't be shy, lad," AnaMaria said, clapping him on the back. "Join us tonight as well. We owe ye, for 'elping with the lass. Right, Jack?"
"What?" Jack said, looking up from his cards. He glanced from AnaMaria to Sky and back to AnaMaria, who was glaring at him pointedly. "Aye," he said, grinning. "Right. Just like she said, lad." He nodded and grinned at AnaMaria, then looked back down at his cards.
They played several games, until evening crept up on them. Trini hadn't moved from her place in the crow's nest, and somehow, Jack and AnaMaria had won every game, despite the fact that Sky was a better partner than Trini, with whom Gibbs was usually stuck.
"Trini," AnaMaria called up to the girl, who leaned forward and peered down at them. "Let's go, girl, before the taverns fill."
Trini climbed down with her usual speed and jumped the last feet to the deck. She, Jack, AnaMaria, and Gibbs made their way to the gangplank, but Sky hung back again. When Jack saw him not following, he waved the man on. "Come, lad," he said. "We owe ye, like Ana said."
"I thought you weren't listening," AnaMaria snapped.
"I'm always listening, love," Jack said, grinning at her. She rolled her eyes and headed down the gangplank, followed by everyone else, Sky included.
To the surprise of both Trini and Sky, supper was actually enjoyable. Jack was obviously familiar with the town, though he hadn't said anything before, and he managed to find a tavern where fights were kept a minimum, and they could all converse without having to shout at each other. They did end up having a few drinks afterwards, probably not the best idea considering Trini had only just recovered, but they were all in a celebratory mood.
The only cloud on the horizon was when one of the crewmembers came into the tavern, looking frantically for Jack. He spotted the captain and hurried over.
"'scuse me, Captain," he said. "Could I 'ave a moment?"
Jack stood up, and the two of them conversed in low voices for a moment, on the other side of the tavern. Finally, the man waited at the door, and Jack returned. "Couple of the men 'ave gotten themselves thrown in jail," he said, looking almost proud of his new recruits. "I'll need some 'elp on this one. AnaMaria, Gibbs, you come with me. You, lad," he said, meaning Sky. "You and the lass go back aboard; the crew should be back tomorrow morning, and we'll be back later tonight." He looked over at Trini and grinned. "Don't do anything stupid, love. Savvy?"
Trini smacked him playfully and watched the three of them leave the tavern. She smiled at Sky across the table. "Ironic, isn't it?" she drawled, draining the last of her second mug---or was it her third? She couldn't rightly remember. In her semi-fragile state, the alcohol was affecting her more than usual.
Sky stood up. "We should be heading back," he said, offering her his hand, but she stood on her own, swaying a bit.
"Aye," she said, grinning oddly. "Let's go then." She made for the door, walking drunkenly. Sky dared to keep a hand at her back, just in case, but she didn't seem to notice. They made their way back to the Pearl in that manner, and when they were on deck, Sky suggested they both retire for the night.
Trini shook her head. "It's early," she drawled, and he was intrigued by the similarity of her drunken speech to Jack's. "Let's go swimming!" she suggested, throwing up her hands. She had obviously forgotten she didn't particularly like Sky.
He shook his head and took her arm. "That's the rum talking," he said. "Besides, with that much alcohol in your system, swimming might bring the fever on again."
She looked at him incredulously, impressed even when she was drunk. "Where the 'ell do you learn all this?"
"I'll tell you when you're better able to understand," he said, leading her towards the stairs. Grinning, she wrenched her arm out of his grasp.
"You'll have to catch me first!" she called, and she took off running for the helm.
Sky shook his head exasperatedly. "I'm not going to play this game," he said, making his way slowly towards the spot where she'd disappeared. He looked around the wheel; where had she gone?
"You know," came a soft, slurred voice from behind him. "You really should be more creative."
Sky turned around to find Trini standing much closer to him than she normally would have. "Right," he said slowly, taking a step backwards and running into the wheel.
She followed him, but now he couldn't exactly go further back. "But I suppose all that nonsense about medicine really does come in handy," she said. She was fingering the torn hem of his shirt now. "I suppose I owe you my whole life," she professed in a drunken mockery of a lady. However, her words came out more sincere than she had planned.
Trini was leaning up. Sky could smell the alcohol on her breath, and he knew she had no idea what she was doing. Her lips had barely brushed against his when he pushed her away. "Don't," he said.
Trini looked highly offended. "I'm not paying you back, if that's what you think," she spat angrily, drawing back and preparing to run off. "I was just trying to be---"
But before she could move away, or even finish her sentence, Sky had grabbed her arms and pulled her to him, kissing her fiercely. Trini melted into him for a moment, but then he pulled away again, and she suddenly realized, through all the rum, what she had done, what he had done, and all the color drained from her face. She was embarrassed, though she hated to admit it. She was better at feeling anger. So she let herself be angry. She glared at Sky, whose eyes had, for once, not fallen to the ground but stayed locked on her face. The emotion she read there did nothing but stir up her irritation. She slapped him, not hard, but not lightly either, and then she stumbled below decks to her bed, collapsing into sleep and forgetfulness. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AN: Two chapters in one day, yay me! I can be productive outside school! Anyway, I couldn't wait to write this chapter, because it's kind of where the whole plot (or what there is of a plot!) came from. From here on, there's some emotional turmoil (I guess I just can't write a fic without any *sigh*) and then my favorite parts, which are more humorous. So, pleeasseee review and tell me what you think! Is it an adequate sequel, or was I crazy to try and do it? ~Ellie