"Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."
Chapter 5:
Jack Sparrow: Move away!
Will Turner: No!
Jack Sparrow: Please move?!
Will Turner: No! I cannot just step aside and let you escape!
Jack Sparrow: This shot was not meant for you.
Author's Note: The quote kinda works…you'll see. *clears throat* Narg! I am so horribly awful! Near two months and still no word from me! (Well…month and half more like, but still way too long.) But here is another chapter. Hope you all like it, and…another chapter most definitely will be up sooner than this one.
Disclaimer: *sniffles* Stupid cold…er, I mean…how I wish that PotC was mine! *pauses and looks to her DVD* Well…I mean…the actual movie rights and all the money that was made from it…and…the interaction with the actors and the costumes and the… *keeps going on…and on…and on…*
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"What I wouldn't give for a cure for this curse…" Amy muttered to herself, sitting beside the railing, her forehead resting on one of the posts, her breathing slow and even.
"Something the matter, love?" Sparrow asked, leaning on the railing beside her, glancing down with an expression of mirth mixed with a bit of concern. "Not more of this 'sea-sickness' business is it?"
She sighed and didn't bother to move. "Like I said, it won't just 'go away' in a day or two. It's going to take time. And I'll starve in between. Lovely, isn't it?"
"Ah," he nodded, looking out to sea and commented more to himself than her, "Can't wait to port in Tortuga…think we'll reach it by tomorrow…"
"Tomorrow?" she jerked her head up and looked to Sparrow hopefully. "We'll be on dry land by tomorrow?"
"If we keep this speed we should."
Amy looked to the deck. "I won't have to puke up my breakfast tomorrow…"
Sparrow chuckled. "I guess you got to experience that this morning?"
"Yeah," Amy let out a breath and slowly got to her feet, looking very small and helpless next to Sparrow while dressed in his greatcoat. "Simply put, it was unpleasant."
Sparrow nodded and scanned over his domain. "Been meaning to ask you, love. What can ye do? Everyone earns their keep aboard the Pearl."
Amy bit her lip and thought for a moment. "Well…I'm used to a life far different than this. So…I know I'm not very strong. I guess I could learn how to help out, but…I don't know what I could contribute." She tentatively looked to Sparrow. "You wouldn't want to eat anything I made. And," she lifted her gaze to the crow's nest, "heights and I don't mix well…" Amy let out a sigh, lowering her dismal gaze to her feet. "I think I'd be pretty useless to you except as an amusement."
"Useless, hm?" he kept his eyes on her and then set a hand on her head. "Cheer up lass, I'll find something for you to do. Want to learn how to steer in the meantime?"
Tentatively she lifted her face and gave him a sidelong glance. "You'd teach me how to steer?"
"That's what I said, isn't it?"
Her face brightened. "That'd be great! Thanks Captain Sparrow!"
"My pleasure, love," Sparrow flashed her a grin and led the way to the helm, Amy walking excitedly at his side.
Mr. Gibbs was currently holding the helm, and smiled as Amy and Sparrow came up. "Hello Captain."
Sparrow nodded. "Thank you Mr. Gibbs, but I'm going to let Amy here take the helm for a bit."
He nearly tripped over his own two feet before looking to Amy warily. "Are you sure that's wise Captain?"
Glancing between the two, Amy put on a demure smile. "I'd be under Captain Sparrow's supervision of course. I don't think I could take us too off course under those circumstances."
Mr. Gibbs looked to Sparrow one more time before retreating to the lower deck.
"Now, love, let's begin." He stepped behind her, and took the few steps to reach the helm, Amy stumbling ahead of him, not quite sure what to make of this sudden close contact.
"Okay," Amy nodded, "so I put my hands here?" She reached out and grabbed the helm tentatively, holding it like she would a steering wheel on a car.
"Pretty close," Sparrow said, staying directly behind her, putting his hands over her own and curling them around the spokes that circled the helm.
He continued to instruct her on how much movement would be had from slight adjustments to the helm, how firmly to hold it, how to keep a steady footing, and lots of other things. Amy nodded slightly or inquired further, working hard to remember everything he told her. After a particularly long pause, Sparrow looked to Amy and saw that her cheeks were a bit on the pink side. He grinned and rubbed his thumbs along her own, gaining a quickly drawn breath from Amy in response. He could not withhold the chuckle, nor did he bother to stop it.
"What's so funny?" Amy stammered, doing her best to look up at the man so-very-close-behind her, only to close her eyes to avoid having his braids blind her. "Ow…" she muttered, leaning her head to the side to look up at him.
"What's the matter love? I'm not hurting you, am I?"
"No, your braids almost blinded me. But…what are you laughing about?"
His grin broadened, but he gave no answer.
Amy tensed. "I'm blushing, aren't I?"
Sparrow's grin got even wider and she lowered her face.
"Man…every time…I swear that I blush at everything."
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Tortuga is heaven to a pirate, but to a girl not even over her sea sickness…more like the other place. At least at first glance. Amy had seen the movie, seen the antics of the pirates in Tortuga but…never let the two combine when Sparrow had mentioned where they were going to dock.
"We're staying here?" Amy asked, sticking very close to her captain as the Pearl was dropping anchor.
"Of course," he glanced over at her, and raised an eyebrow at her obvious anxiety. "Something wrong again?"
"Um…" she looked to him and forced a smile. "I know you're probably comfortable at places like this…but well…" Amy bit her lip. "I don't know if I'd last very long on my own here."
"Well, it's a good thing you're not on your own then." Sparrow slung his arm over her shoulders and pulled her next to him. "Don't worry, love. I'll keep ye safe from all the ruffians."
Amy let out a whimper and let herself get pulled over, muttering under her breath, "Gah…I feel like such a pansy."
Sparrow heard the comment, but decided not to reply. Instead, he turned to his crew and flashed a smirk. "Gents, enjoy your next three days off! That is…after you've rowed me to shore of course. We'll take shifts of watching the Pearl, Cotton and Gibbs are first, with Anamaria and…"
She looked to the deck, letting him continue rattling off orders to his crew. What am I gonna do? Without someone to protect me I'll be ravaged or…well, anything unpleasant. Even then…who knows what could happen. I guess I'll be on the Pearl or sticking to Sparrow like glue. Man…I wanted to go to land…but perhaps not this particular port…
"Ready to go, love?" the aforementioned captain broke her train of thought.
Amy jerked her head up, and smiled. "Of course, Captain Sparrow. Ready whenever you are."
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Well, there you have it. The illusive and amazing chapter five. Sorry it took me so long to get it out. I just…and sorry it's sorta short too. The next chapter will be better, and should be out sooner. Winter break is in…7ish days! (that's what I get for writing at midnight…) Woo hoo! But…on to reviewer replies…
Oil Pastel: *slightly puzzled* somehow you posted like…four reviews. Cool to get so many but…just a bit confusing. Ah, all anonymous. Glad you liked it! And hope you enjoyed this one too.
Ariandir: Thanks for all the hugs and love! *weak smile* Been missin' that here at college. But, good luck on all your work! And hope all your slog will be done as soon as mine…7ish days! (Amazing how specific I am.) Thanks for all the continued support!
Rohi: Thanks for reviewing! Oh, and uh…these chapters come when they choose to. It's my spoof/back-up story. My main pride and joy is "Four-Sided Eyes" (FourSided Eyes in ff.net) and…as stated in the first chapter, this is what I do when my brain goes "kaput" for serious pirate stuff. So onto my spoof stuff I go. Keep up the reviewing! I'll try to be more regular…
completeopposites: *grins* Glad you love it! I'm working' on it…sorry I took so long. I hope to get more consistent with my updates, just can't guarantee anything.
