Jackfan2: Ooooh great thankee! hee hee I'm glad you liked it, I've never been that confident with intimacy scenes, more
in this one ;D
quiet-one145: *Cackles as images of quiet-one running into the distance screaming 'TMI! TMI!' go through her head* lol
okies soz, I'll try and be moderate :)
A/N: Okies cuz of the two reviews I got they were entirely different with regard to how my content is doing I'm gonna try
and get a balance between smut and uhhh... non-smut :S. Soz this has taken so long but I was kinda lost for a while as
to how to continue, plus I got paranoid that it sucked (as is my wont, hee hee).
COMPULSORY SONG TO DOWNLOAD! Weird Beard by Mad Caddies! It's Pirate ska and utterly hilarious! I can't stop
listening to it! LOOK AT ALL THE EXCLAMATION POINTS! Regrettably though I now can't think of anything even remotely
pirate-y without that song coming into my head :S. So my brain has made this song the soundtrack to this fic., sorry if
you hate the song and like the fic or vice versa, hee hee. Hope you enjoy...
** = flashbacks
*10*
**A million stories it felt like he had told her, painting a thousand vivid pictures with words that she laughed and
partook in. Her quick wit caught him out whenever he teased her, they squabbled they mocked each other, they laughed at
a life that wanted them to be respectable. Why should they be respectable? Take what you can, give nothing back. They
never needed to give it words, but everything was theirs, if they decided they wanted it. He tried to pretend that it
didn't matter that Barbossa took over everything she was. There was never an instant of uncomfortable silence, they
were free to talk, she was his in every way but the last way.
"... He was hanging upside down, tied there, spinnin' over the water. And then they gutted him, like a fish, Schhiiing!
Right across! He sounded like a fish too, gaspin' and glugging as his blood streamed down over his face, dripping into
the water. And all these fish started coming up beneath him and drinking up the droplets of blood."
Jade sat with her mouth slightly open, eyes glowing with astonishment and delight. "Did every drop drain out of him
before they cut him down?" she asked, something almost resembling awe in her voice. Jack laughed quietly, crouching
down to where Jade was sitting on the deck "Poppet, there was enough blood in the water to turn it crimson. He was long
dead before all of the blood came out of him." he said low and dramatically, hoping to intimidate her. As always, she
simply breathed out in amazement, face swimming with the visual images. "That's disgusting!" she declared happily, not
seeming to care how revolting it was even though she declared it. Jack waved a hand languidly, grinning "Of course luv.,
wouldn't be interesting if it weren't disgusting in some way." he settled himself down on the deck next to her, looking
up at the moon as it sifted out from beneath a set of heavy clouds. "You always tell me of ugly things, and yet you've
seen everything it seems like. Tell me about something beautiful you've seen Jack." she asked, eyelashes brushing her
cheeks as she looked down, seemingly absorbed in the shirt she was sewing up. Jack had never understood how she could
see to sew in the night. He choked the single 'You' that was trying to force it way up from his chest and be said, and
smiled "I presume you're not referring to anything like the ever obliging ladies of Tortuga?" She fixed him with a
mildly annoyed frown before looking back to her sewing, not really displeased.
"Right.... something beautiful..."
A few days later they had docked for supplies, the crew having thrown an idiotic amount of produce away during a storm
in the hope of lightening the load of the ship. Having banned nearly all the crew from taking shore leave until the
morning because of this, Jack had reconsidered for Barbossa, allowing him to go. This was partially to appease a first
mate he knew would be more than willing to cause problems if given the chance and also to give Jade a break from his
demands and attentions. He had become swiftly aware though that leaving Jade aboard with dozens of angry crew members
looking to relieve some tension and aggression was probably not a good idea, and so had stayed in his cabin with Jade to
keep her company. With of course, lots of rum.
"I'm SURE the crew are going to say something to Barbossa! 'N' he'll come flailin' at me with him fists all over the
place.... Wheeeeeeee!" declared Jade, spinning in circles before tripping over and landing on the floor. Jack sat
sprawled in his seat trying valiantly to stop laughing at the drunken antics of the woman. Not that he was in any
better a state, but she was providing more than enough entertainment. "The crew won't say anythin' luv., they're too
busy broodin' about all the fun they're missing out on on shore." Jade pulled herself upright again, giggling, before
staggering forwards and then stopping suddenly. Plucking his hat from his head, she started swaying round the cabin,
gesticulating wildly with a slightly swaggering gait. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! I can't walk in straight lines!" she
yelled. Jack was sure that if he wasn't drunk he might be offended by the utter nerve of the girl taking his hat, but
right now all it seemed to be was appallingly funny. "I CAN walk in straight lines! It's just I've never tried it. But
I say that really IS a good impression! Maybe you are me!" he said with shock in his voice, slapping his chest as if to
check he was still himself.
"Why did you let Barbossa go in the first place?" she said, slinking down onto the floor again and spinning the hat in
her hands, dropping it more often than she caught it. "The man's not one to put up with things he doesn't like. Tends
to cause disruption as I'm sure you've noticed." Jack replied, frowning at the thought. Barbossa was getting
increasingly more unpredictable. "Awwwww poor poor Captain, are you scared?" teased Jade in a baby voice, wramming the
hat back down on her head and crawling over to where he sat. Jack sneered jokingly "Of course darlin'. Terrified.".
He started as she slumped her top half across his torso, balancing her chin on his chest. He was unsurprised to feel
the knifepoint of desire arching through his body towards his groin. "Surely nothing can frighten
the GREAT Jack Sparrow?" she exclaimed though, still teasing him,before thunking her forehead into his chest, giggling
drunkenly.
Jack swallowed and stiffened against his own reaction to her touching him, the reverbrations of her laughter against his
skin sending a tremor through him. When one of her hands crept up his stomach as she tried to gain leverage to pull
herself upright, he nearly jumped out of his skin. She pulled herself up and smiled lazily at him, tendrils of hair
coiling out all over the place haphazardly, his hat having fallen off onto the floor. Jack slid out of his seat so that
he was on his knees next to her, grinning. "Look at you, all your hair done up like some kinda prissy lass." he mocked,
tugging out the pins that held her thick red hair,tossing them onto the floor. She laughed slightly, not minding the
insult as he fanned her hair out, sifting his fingers through it, stroking it. His hands stilled, resting on her face
as his long fingers traced across her eyebrows, her cheekbones, her delicious mouth. She wasn't stopping him, she
wasn't frozen in fear, his fingers inched across her bottom lip and she wasn't stopping him. "Look at you..." he
murmured, almost to himself. He had definitely drunk too much to be anywhere near her, and he was near her. Very near
her.
THIS was the way he wanted her, relaxed, careless, cheeky. Happy. Free.
She giggled quietly, gently smacking her forehead against his, nuzzling her nose against his. Jack's breath quickened.
Did she even have a clue what she was doing? His mouth ached with the need to kiss her as his hands entwined into her
hair, pulling her forwards...
And she was pulling away, standing up, staggering away, putting distance between them. "I can't." she kept saying over
and over, dully, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Jack felt like the bottom of his stomach had dropped out but
he tried to shrug it off, tried to ignore it, standing, throwing himself down onto the bed. He kicked his boots off and
closed his eyes, trying to relax. "Fair enough. If you say you can't you can't." One of his eyes lazily flickered open
and he viewed her, the fear back in her eyes, shrunken in the corner. "But I reckon you can." She simply turned and left
without a single word. Jack cursed quietly to himself, and after a while, fell into a discontented sleep with twisted
drunken dreams.
Jack was awoken with a start as he felt the bed around him shift, accomodating another frame. He felt warmth brush
against him before it moved away. Turning sharply beneath the sheets, he blinked as he took in the curve of Jade's neck
and her red hair gleaming on his pillow.
"Uhhhh Jade luv. what are you doing?" he enquired as she huddled down beneath the sheets.
"I'm scared to stay in Barbossa's cabin on my own. The others are all prowling outside breaking things." she whispered,
her voice tight with nerves.
"You could have warned me, a pirate ain't used to getting companions in the middle of the night aboard his ship." he
said, rolling away from her, distinctly sensing that he would be in for a Hell of a restless night if he acknowledged
that she was beside him.**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jade exited her cabin, taking a deep breath of the salty morning air, and grinned as she found Will wandering gingerly
around deck rubbing his head tenderly. "Boy! How are you?" she asked loudly when she reached him, laughing quietly as
he winced at the sudden noise reverbrating through his hungover head. "I'm fine Jade. Trying to walk off a little
nausea..." he said, his face suggesting it was far more than just a little nausea. Jade nodded with exaggerated
sympathy, quite sure that he had already been taunted mercilessly for yesterdays actions and not needing to join in.
"When I woke we'd already set to seas. I didn't even get a chance to help with the supplies." Will commented as they
both stepped out of the way of Anamaria who had swung on to the Sea Demon from the Pearl. She gave Jade a broad grin as
she headed past her. Anamaria had been overwhelmed with the discovery that there were other female pirates out there,
and was enjoying herself no end.
"Yes I gave the order to start early, and I was reckonin' you'd need your rest after last night anyway." Jade replied,
smirking at Will's embarassed grimace. "Did I really challenge you to an arm wrestling competition?"
"Yep."
"And lose?"
"Yep."
Will pulled a face as he and Jade walked up to the wheel. "Dear God, I lost to a woman!" Jade laughed, not taking offence
as she took over the wheel. "Well ye were a little worse for wear by then. And you've got that whole honour of not
hurting women thing." said Jade, shrugging, the idea of not hurting women ridiculous to her. Will brightened as if this
let him off the hook "Yes! And I have been feeling a little poorly lately..." he added swiftly, the lie so obvious that
neither of them bothered to comment on it.
"Listen Will, I know we didn't start off on the best of terms..." Jade began only for Will to put up a hand to stop her
"Jade, really, it's ok. I like you. You're the only person on both of these damn ships who hasn't mocked me for
hugging the bartender." he said, his voice rife with self-deprecating humour. Jade shared a grin with him as she turned
the wheel. "You needn't worry Will. I promise I will make sure nothing goes wrong." Will smiled "I know you won't. I'm
sorry for treating you as though you didn't know what you were doing." he said sincerely. "I don't mate. That's what
makes these shenanigans so much fun!" confided Jade, a manic grin spreading across her face. Shaking his head in
mock-disaproval, Will headed off.
Jade was mildly relieved that as the day progressed she did not see Jack, who was undoubtedly busy attending to things
on his ship. It gave her time to breath easy from the embarassment of having to encounter what had happened between
them the night before. She had acted rashly, the drink hadn't helped, the encouragement from Rita even less. Over the
day both Rita and Elizabeth eagerly asked her in hushed voices of what had happened, Rita requesting far more explicit
details than lady-like Elizabeth dared. Both times Jade insisted that nothing had occured, much to both of their
disappointment. Jade knew that a part of her had recklessly decided that it didn't matter, it would only be one night,
that one taste of what she wanted would be better than never having it at all. Now in the harsh light of day such an
idea seemed idiotic. She had never once entertained the idea that Jack considered her in a different light to how he
considered every other woman. True he thought of her as a friend, an ally even. But as someone desirable, she simply had
the same appeal as a toy that all the other women of his choosing did. And why shouldn't she be? There was no reason
for him to see her any differently. Why in God's name would he want to be chained down and obligated to any one person?
That was almost against the principle of everything that Jack Sparrow was! She couldn't even object to this because
she loved all that he was...
But still...
She was there for him to take if he only so much as gave her a glance.
He was her weakness, her quiet longing that she desperately tried to overlook, the man she admired and trusted more than
any other. And it infuriated her.
"That Rita of yours is an interesting girl. I might want to go and have a look at Africa after what she's told me."
Jade's heart fluttered in dismay at Jack's familiar voice, keeping her eye ahead of her as he swaggered past the wheel to
the front of the ship, staring out at the gleaming blue water. He looked back and flashed her a wicked grin "Might even
be some gold around for me to take possession of." Jade's brain mapped his image on to the inside of her eyelids, his
dreadlocked bedraggled hair, those intense arrogant dark eyes, and that cheeky gold-trimmed smile. More importantly, all
that was behind that idiotic smile and the crazed hair and clothes. There was no one like him.
And there never would be.
Effecting casualness,she grinned in agreement. "We have every opportunity to go there after this expedition." His smile
widened even further and he straightened from leaning against the side, stepping forward and swinging round on a spoke
on the wheel so that he stood next to her, close. Very close. "We? You intending to join me then Jade luv.? And here
was me thinking I'd have to go all by me onesie." he said with exaggerated surprise, a teasing eyebrow raised but his
eyes sparkling diamonds of charm. Cringing at her own foolishness, Jade found her tongue tying itself in knots trying
to find a plausible excuse as her eyes darted across the monotonous sheet of ocean to avoid his face. "I didn't mean
you and I together Jack I meant as in.... once this is all done with we can both... that is you and I, separately of
course, can.... oh go back to your own ship and stop pestering me!" she finally snapped, causing him to laugh loudly at
her embarassment. "Rule number one of being Jack Sparrow luv., always stay where you're not wanted." he declared,
tilting the wheel to the left slightly, much to her annoyance. "If you have an urge to steer, go to your own ship." she
grated, only for that unrepentant grin to spread across his face again. Lowering her voice, Jade avoided his gaze once
more.
"Jack, about last night..."
"Which bit of it luv.?"
Now she knew for sure he was teasing her, and it was aggravating the Hell out of her. "You know damn well which bit!
And don't call me luv. in front of my crew." she snarled, keeping her voice quiet as she glanced round at the members of
crew scattered around them, pretending to not be nosing in on what was going on. Betty and Margot caught the edge of
one of her glares and abruptly looked as though they were attending to collecting tar to seal cracks with. Jack raised
his eyebrows and looked round theatrically at the crew, eyes wide.
"Oh I'm sorry, what would you prefer I called you then? Strumpet? Precious?"
"Jack..."
"My bonny lass? My pretty? Scrumptious?"
"I'm warning you..."
The crew were valiantly trying not to react to Jack's dramatic exclamations, all of which he was proclaiming as loudly as
possible, but were having a very hard time of it. Several of them were choking back on giggles as he jumped on to the
side of the ship.
"Delectable little sea wench? Poppet? Petal? Sweetcakes?"
"Jack you are dead flesh for the fish..." Jade seethed through her teeth, grabbing him and wrenching him off the side of
the ship. Tempted as she was to knock the smirk off Jack's face, she didn't really get a chance before he grabbed her by
the shoulders and pulled her close.
"My little Sparrow." he murmured, seemingly oblivious to the crew being there at all. Jade's lips twitched around a
smile that she tried to reign in. "You're an idiot." she said, the statement coming out tinged with laughter despite
herself. He flashed her a manic grin
"Aye luv., but I've got good company for it haven't I?". It struck Jade suddenly that he hadn't looked so happy in a
very long while.
Maybe....
Maybe he feels....
Jade remonstrated her pitiful hope and nodded for Jack to follow her to her cabin so they could discuss the course,
yelling for Rita to take over the steering.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The course had been agreed upon and Jack had taken to rummaging through the bowl of fruit on Jade's desk, finally
selecting an apple which he crunched on with apparent relish. The irony of Barbossa's obsession with the fruit and all
that they were going to attempt was not lost on either of them, and Jack gave her a wink before plunking himself down
onto her chair. Jade rolled her eyes as he made himself comfortable, slapping his feet off the table so she could move
the maps from beneath them, collecting them up and shoving them in a nearby trunk. Keeping things tidy had never been
her forte.
"Now like I told you Jack, anything happens to my crew in between the time I take Barbossa to the tunnels and you catch
up with us that I dislike, you'll not only be without any treasure you'll be without any limbs." Jade informed him,
eyes flashing in warning. "Of course, I'll take impeccable care of them all. You just avoid doing anything stupid
that'll leave all of us without any loot and we'll all be happy." said Jack, his mouth full. Jade gave him a grim smile
"Now Jack, why would I want to go and do anything stupid when I can leave such things to you?" Jack sighed dramatically
and stood up, coming over and draping an arm around her shoulders. Jade stiffened slightly at the touch and tried
determinedly to loosen up. "Now if we were on MY ship and you said such things, I'd get to throw you overboard." he
said cheerfully, displaying his amazing ability to ignore people when they were glaring daggers at him. "I guess it's a
good thing we're not on your ship then isn't it?" she said, fixing him with a dryly humouring look. She didn't like the
expression on his face as she noticed that the arm around her shoulders had become more caressing,the hand absentmindedly
playing with her hair. "Ain't it just Poppet?" he replied quietly, his gaze flickering down to her mouth. Jade
swallowed down the growing nerves that the rum of last night had helped to keep at bay. For the life of her she wasn't
sure if she could move.
"Jack, are you waiting for an opportune moment on something?" she asked cautiously, almost jumping out of her skin as his
hand crept underneath her hair onto the nape of her neck. He tilted his head as if considering this, squinting comically
before shrugging "Yeah." he said simply, his long fingers delicately massaging the back of her neck. Jade was almost
positive she should be moving away from him. "But opportune moments are hard to come by. If a person finds an opportune
moment, and the moment is interrupted, by no fault of the opportunist, they should try and make their own opportune
moment. I mean, they're never sure when the next opportune moment will come up, if at all. So the person should go and
get their own opportune moment, don't you think?" Jack rattled off with such breathless speed that Jade had a hard time
keeping up, frowning in confusion as he waved his hands wildly. Jade blinked slowly and stared at him blearily, trying
to gather her frazzled thoughts.
"Ummm...."
This was all she managed before he had snaked his other hand around her neck and dragged her forward in a hot insistent
kiss, his tongue darting into her mouth and seeming to dislodge every remnant of rational thought she had had over the
past day.
She didn't want to be one of the many. She didn't WANT to become so immersed and drugged by the swelling feelings she
kept in check that she would not be able to function. One of them, even BOTH of them could be dead after what they were
attempting, a feeling she had hidden in the depths of her stomach but which now flew up to her chest and clamped it with
fear. She couldn't let these emotions get the better of her.
But that was just what her mind wanted, and her mind seemed to matter very little when Captain Jack Sparrow was
ravenously kissing her.
Her brain went utterly blank as she tried futilely to drag herself away, pushing feebly at his chest. Either Jack was
too caught up to notice or the protest didn't bother him because one arm had slid around her waist and she found herself
pinned against him, every inch of flesh touching his. The breath caught in her throat as the other hand slid underneath
her shirt and caressed her skin, making every part he touched tingle almost painfully. She felt her heart constrict as
he broke the kiss to try and find breath again, leaving wet teasing pecks of kisses over her mouth and jawline before
sealing their mouths together again.
Just make this moment last for a small eternity and I'll be happy.
Giving up on protesting before she had even really started, Jade entwined her fingers in his hair and pressed herself
even closer, his heat seeping into her and making her feel warm and almost giddy. Her kisses moved from his mouth to his
throat, sucking gently along his pulsepoint before tugging, impatiently pulling at his shirt. She wanted every inch of
this flesh, to know it, master it. To leave her mark on him and let him leave his mark on her. He laughed breathlessly,
his hands trailing across her stomach. "Glad to see we're in agreement Jade." he said, flashing her a grin before
returning the favour of dragging her shirt out of the way of his seeking hands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I was just thinking about the plan Jade."
"And?" replied Jade, her eyes skimming over the map she was looking at, lying on her stomach in the bed with her ankles
crossed and swinging aimlessly in the air.
"Barbossa's going to be suspicious. Every pirate knows about the Minotaur tunnels and how dangerous they are. He won't
run the risk just to get some gold."
Jade finally bothered looking up and frowned slightly in thought at the pillow next to her. "Yes I've been thinking that
myself... Maybe if he thought something else he wanted was in there."
"Like what else?" replied Jack, one hand languidly tiptoeing up Jade's spine as he lay on his side next to her. There
was a moment of tense silence in which she refused to look at anything, waiting for him to comprehend. She sensed when
as his fingers stopped on her bare back and slid away.
"... Like me?".
Jade forced her eyes up to meet his black ones, waiting for the anger she could not blame him for. In truth she was
furious with herself for being so rock-headed that she would even consider using Jack as bait. She would gladly have told
him she would have been bait if it had been to good effect, if it would stop him having to do it. But the words were
stuck fast behind the pride that lodged her throat.
"All right then."
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she tried to keep her expression neutral. He was looking back at her with the same
carelessly reckless expression he normally wore. "You're daft Jack." she said finally, making a statement. "Makes for
far more interesting times darlin'." he said blithely, his hand returning to her shoulders and stroking across them with
an almost languid casualness. Leaning across, she gave him a brief kiss and his eyebrows rose in surprise as she moved
away, turning back to the map. Better that he didn't have a clue of how far the emotions ran in her. Such slip-ups
could not be tolerated, from now on it would have to be pure professionality. There couldn't be anything else with all
they were risking.
"... Jack?"
"Mmmm?"
"What's your hand doing?"
"Stretching it's legs luv."
"I'm trying to concentrate. Would if help if I put some clothes on?"
"'Course not luv. I'd only have to take them off again."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hee hee? More action in the next one, we'll actually have FIGHTS hopefully :D. Tell me what you think XXX
P.S. Could I plz have some opinions on my idea for a sequel? If ppl don't say anything I won't do it.
in this one ;D
quiet-one145: *Cackles as images of quiet-one running into the distance screaming 'TMI! TMI!' go through her head* lol
okies soz, I'll try and be moderate :)
A/N: Okies cuz of the two reviews I got they were entirely different with regard to how my content is doing I'm gonna try
and get a balance between smut and uhhh... non-smut :S. Soz this has taken so long but I was kinda lost for a while as
to how to continue, plus I got paranoid that it sucked (as is my wont, hee hee).
COMPULSORY SONG TO DOWNLOAD! Weird Beard by Mad Caddies! It's Pirate ska and utterly hilarious! I can't stop
listening to it! LOOK AT ALL THE EXCLAMATION POINTS! Regrettably though I now can't think of anything even remotely
pirate-y without that song coming into my head :S. So my brain has made this song the soundtrack to this fic., sorry if
you hate the song and like the fic or vice versa, hee hee. Hope you enjoy...
** = flashbacks
*10*
**A million stories it felt like he had told her, painting a thousand vivid pictures with words that she laughed and
partook in. Her quick wit caught him out whenever he teased her, they squabbled they mocked each other, they laughed at
a life that wanted them to be respectable. Why should they be respectable? Take what you can, give nothing back. They
never needed to give it words, but everything was theirs, if they decided they wanted it. He tried to pretend that it
didn't matter that Barbossa took over everything she was. There was never an instant of uncomfortable silence, they
were free to talk, she was his in every way but the last way.
"... He was hanging upside down, tied there, spinnin' over the water. And then they gutted him, like a fish, Schhiiing!
Right across! He sounded like a fish too, gaspin' and glugging as his blood streamed down over his face, dripping into
the water. And all these fish started coming up beneath him and drinking up the droplets of blood."
Jade sat with her mouth slightly open, eyes glowing with astonishment and delight. "Did every drop drain out of him
before they cut him down?" she asked, something almost resembling awe in her voice. Jack laughed quietly, crouching
down to where Jade was sitting on the deck "Poppet, there was enough blood in the water to turn it crimson. He was long
dead before all of the blood came out of him." he said low and dramatically, hoping to intimidate her. As always, she
simply breathed out in amazement, face swimming with the visual images. "That's disgusting!" she declared happily, not
seeming to care how revolting it was even though she declared it. Jack waved a hand languidly, grinning "Of course luv.,
wouldn't be interesting if it weren't disgusting in some way." he settled himself down on the deck next to her, looking
up at the moon as it sifted out from beneath a set of heavy clouds. "You always tell me of ugly things, and yet you've
seen everything it seems like. Tell me about something beautiful you've seen Jack." she asked, eyelashes brushing her
cheeks as she looked down, seemingly absorbed in the shirt she was sewing up. Jack had never understood how she could
see to sew in the night. He choked the single 'You' that was trying to force it way up from his chest and be said, and
smiled "I presume you're not referring to anything like the ever obliging ladies of Tortuga?" She fixed him with a
mildly annoyed frown before looking back to her sewing, not really displeased.
"Right.... something beautiful..."
A few days later they had docked for supplies, the crew having thrown an idiotic amount of produce away during a storm
in the hope of lightening the load of the ship. Having banned nearly all the crew from taking shore leave until the
morning because of this, Jack had reconsidered for Barbossa, allowing him to go. This was partially to appease a first
mate he knew would be more than willing to cause problems if given the chance and also to give Jade a break from his
demands and attentions. He had become swiftly aware though that leaving Jade aboard with dozens of angry crew members
looking to relieve some tension and aggression was probably not a good idea, and so had stayed in his cabin with Jade to
keep her company. With of course, lots of rum.
"I'm SURE the crew are going to say something to Barbossa! 'N' he'll come flailin' at me with him fists all over the
place.... Wheeeeeeee!" declared Jade, spinning in circles before tripping over and landing on the floor. Jack sat
sprawled in his seat trying valiantly to stop laughing at the drunken antics of the woman. Not that he was in any
better a state, but she was providing more than enough entertainment. "The crew won't say anythin' luv., they're too
busy broodin' about all the fun they're missing out on on shore." Jade pulled herself upright again, giggling, before
staggering forwards and then stopping suddenly. Plucking his hat from his head, she started swaying round the cabin,
gesticulating wildly with a slightly swaggering gait. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! I can't walk in straight lines!" she
yelled. Jack was sure that if he wasn't drunk he might be offended by the utter nerve of the girl taking his hat, but
right now all it seemed to be was appallingly funny. "I CAN walk in straight lines! It's just I've never tried it. But
I say that really IS a good impression! Maybe you are me!" he said with shock in his voice, slapping his chest as if to
check he was still himself.
"Why did you let Barbossa go in the first place?" she said, slinking down onto the floor again and spinning the hat in
her hands, dropping it more often than she caught it. "The man's not one to put up with things he doesn't like. Tends
to cause disruption as I'm sure you've noticed." Jack replied, frowning at the thought. Barbossa was getting
increasingly more unpredictable. "Awwwww poor poor Captain, are you scared?" teased Jade in a baby voice, wramming the
hat back down on her head and crawling over to where he sat. Jack sneered jokingly "Of course darlin'. Terrified.".
He started as she slumped her top half across his torso, balancing her chin on his chest. He was unsurprised to feel
the knifepoint of desire arching through his body towards his groin. "Surely nothing can frighten
the GREAT Jack Sparrow?" she exclaimed though, still teasing him,before thunking her forehead into his chest, giggling
drunkenly.
Jack swallowed and stiffened against his own reaction to her touching him, the reverbrations of her laughter against his
skin sending a tremor through him. When one of her hands crept up his stomach as she tried to gain leverage to pull
herself upright, he nearly jumped out of his skin. She pulled herself up and smiled lazily at him, tendrils of hair
coiling out all over the place haphazardly, his hat having fallen off onto the floor. Jack slid out of his seat so that
he was on his knees next to her, grinning. "Look at you, all your hair done up like some kinda prissy lass." he mocked,
tugging out the pins that held her thick red hair,tossing them onto the floor. She laughed slightly, not minding the
insult as he fanned her hair out, sifting his fingers through it, stroking it. His hands stilled, resting on her face
as his long fingers traced across her eyebrows, her cheekbones, her delicious mouth. She wasn't stopping him, she
wasn't frozen in fear, his fingers inched across her bottom lip and she wasn't stopping him. "Look at you..." he
murmured, almost to himself. He had definitely drunk too much to be anywhere near her, and he was near her. Very near
her.
THIS was the way he wanted her, relaxed, careless, cheeky. Happy. Free.
She giggled quietly, gently smacking her forehead against his, nuzzling her nose against his. Jack's breath quickened.
Did she even have a clue what she was doing? His mouth ached with the need to kiss her as his hands entwined into her
hair, pulling her forwards...
And she was pulling away, standing up, staggering away, putting distance between them. "I can't." she kept saying over
and over, dully, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Jack felt like the bottom of his stomach had dropped out but
he tried to shrug it off, tried to ignore it, standing, throwing himself down onto the bed. He kicked his boots off and
closed his eyes, trying to relax. "Fair enough. If you say you can't you can't." One of his eyes lazily flickered open
and he viewed her, the fear back in her eyes, shrunken in the corner. "But I reckon you can." She simply turned and left
without a single word. Jack cursed quietly to himself, and after a while, fell into a discontented sleep with twisted
drunken dreams.
Jack was awoken with a start as he felt the bed around him shift, accomodating another frame. He felt warmth brush
against him before it moved away. Turning sharply beneath the sheets, he blinked as he took in the curve of Jade's neck
and her red hair gleaming on his pillow.
"Uhhhh Jade luv. what are you doing?" he enquired as she huddled down beneath the sheets.
"I'm scared to stay in Barbossa's cabin on my own. The others are all prowling outside breaking things." she whispered,
her voice tight with nerves.
"You could have warned me, a pirate ain't used to getting companions in the middle of the night aboard his ship." he
said, rolling away from her, distinctly sensing that he would be in for a Hell of a restless night if he acknowledged
that she was beside him.**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jade exited her cabin, taking a deep breath of the salty morning air, and grinned as she found Will wandering gingerly
around deck rubbing his head tenderly. "Boy! How are you?" she asked loudly when she reached him, laughing quietly as
he winced at the sudden noise reverbrating through his hungover head. "I'm fine Jade. Trying to walk off a little
nausea..." he said, his face suggesting it was far more than just a little nausea. Jade nodded with exaggerated
sympathy, quite sure that he had already been taunted mercilessly for yesterdays actions and not needing to join in.
"When I woke we'd already set to seas. I didn't even get a chance to help with the supplies." Will commented as they
both stepped out of the way of Anamaria who had swung on to the Sea Demon from the Pearl. She gave Jade a broad grin as
she headed past her. Anamaria had been overwhelmed with the discovery that there were other female pirates out there,
and was enjoying herself no end.
"Yes I gave the order to start early, and I was reckonin' you'd need your rest after last night anyway." Jade replied,
smirking at Will's embarassed grimace. "Did I really challenge you to an arm wrestling competition?"
"Yep."
"And lose?"
"Yep."
Will pulled a face as he and Jade walked up to the wheel. "Dear God, I lost to a woman!" Jade laughed, not taking offence
as she took over the wheel. "Well ye were a little worse for wear by then. And you've got that whole honour of not
hurting women thing." said Jade, shrugging, the idea of not hurting women ridiculous to her. Will brightened as if this
let him off the hook "Yes! And I have been feeling a little poorly lately..." he added swiftly, the lie so obvious that
neither of them bothered to comment on it.
"Listen Will, I know we didn't start off on the best of terms..." Jade began only for Will to put up a hand to stop her
"Jade, really, it's ok. I like you. You're the only person on both of these damn ships who hasn't mocked me for
hugging the bartender." he said, his voice rife with self-deprecating humour. Jade shared a grin with him as she turned
the wheel. "You needn't worry Will. I promise I will make sure nothing goes wrong." Will smiled "I know you won't. I'm
sorry for treating you as though you didn't know what you were doing." he said sincerely. "I don't mate. That's what
makes these shenanigans so much fun!" confided Jade, a manic grin spreading across her face. Shaking his head in
mock-disaproval, Will headed off.
Jade was mildly relieved that as the day progressed she did not see Jack, who was undoubtedly busy attending to things
on his ship. It gave her time to breath easy from the embarassment of having to encounter what had happened between
them the night before. She had acted rashly, the drink hadn't helped, the encouragement from Rita even less. Over the
day both Rita and Elizabeth eagerly asked her in hushed voices of what had happened, Rita requesting far more explicit
details than lady-like Elizabeth dared. Both times Jade insisted that nothing had occured, much to both of their
disappointment. Jade knew that a part of her had recklessly decided that it didn't matter, it would only be one night,
that one taste of what she wanted would be better than never having it at all. Now in the harsh light of day such an
idea seemed idiotic. She had never once entertained the idea that Jack considered her in a different light to how he
considered every other woman. True he thought of her as a friend, an ally even. But as someone desirable, she simply had
the same appeal as a toy that all the other women of his choosing did. And why shouldn't she be? There was no reason
for him to see her any differently. Why in God's name would he want to be chained down and obligated to any one person?
That was almost against the principle of everything that Jack Sparrow was! She couldn't even object to this because
she loved all that he was...
But still...
She was there for him to take if he only so much as gave her a glance.
He was her weakness, her quiet longing that she desperately tried to overlook, the man she admired and trusted more than
any other. And it infuriated her.
"That Rita of yours is an interesting girl. I might want to go and have a look at Africa after what she's told me."
Jade's heart fluttered in dismay at Jack's familiar voice, keeping her eye ahead of her as he swaggered past the wheel to
the front of the ship, staring out at the gleaming blue water. He looked back and flashed her a wicked grin "Might even
be some gold around for me to take possession of." Jade's brain mapped his image on to the inside of her eyelids, his
dreadlocked bedraggled hair, those intense arrogant dark eyes, and that cheeky gold-trimmed smile. More importantly, all
that was behind that idiotic smile and the crazed hair and clothes. There was no one like him.
And there never would be.
Effecting casualness,she grinned in agreement. "We have every opportunity to go there after this expedition." His smile
widened even further and he straightened from leaning against the side, stepping forward and swinging round on a spoke
on the wheel so that he stood next to her, close. Very close. "We? You intending to join me then Jade luv.? And here
was me thinking I'd have to go all by me onesie." he said with exaggerated surprise, a teasing eyebrow raised but his
eyes sparkling diamonds of charm. Cringing at her own foolishness, Jade found her tongue tying itself in knots trying
to find a plausible excuse as her eyes darted across the monotonous sheet of ocean to avoid his face. "I didn't mean
you and I together Jack I meant as in.... once this is all done with we can both... that is you and I, separately of
course, can.... oh go back to your own ship and stop pestering me!" she finally snapped, causing him to laugh loudly at
her embarassment. "Rule number one of being Jack Sparrow luv., always stay where you're not wanted." he declared,
tilting the wheel to the left slightly, much to her annoyance. "If you have an urge to steer, go to your own ship." she
grated, only for that unrepentant grin to spread across his face again. Lowering her voice, Jade avoided his gaze once
more.
"Jack, about last night..."
"Which bit of it luv.?"
Now she knew for sure he was teasing her, and it was aggravating the Hell out of her. "You know damn well which bit!
And don't call me luv. in front of my crew." she snarled, keeping her voice quiet as she glanced round at the members of
crew scattered around them, pretending to not be nosing in on what was going on. Betty and Margot caught the edge of
one of her glares and abruptly looked as though they were attending to collecting tar to seal cracks with. Jack raised
his eyebrows and looked round theatrically at the crew, eyes wide.
"Oh I'm sorry, what would you prefer I called you then? Strumpet? Precious?"
"Jack..."
"My bonny lass? My pretty? Scrumptious?"
"I'm warning you..."
The crew were valiantly trying not to react to Jack's dramatic exclamations, all of which he was proclaiming as loudly as
possible, but were having a very hard time of it. Several of them were choking back on giggles as he jumped on to the
side of the ship.
"Delectable little sea wench? Poppet? Petal? Sweetcakes?"
"Jack you are dead flesh for the fish..." Jade seethed through her teeth, grabbing him and wrenching him off the side of
the ship. Tempted as she was to knock the smirk off Jack's face, she didn't really get a chance before he grabbed her by
the shoulders and pulled her close.
"My little Sparrow." he murmured, seemingly oblivious to the crew being there at all. Jade's lips twitched around a
smile that she tried to reign in. "You're an idiot." she said, the statement coming out tinged with laughter despite
herself. He flashed her a manic grin
"Aye luv., but I've got good company for it haven't I?". It struck Jade suddenly that he hadn't looked so happy in a
very long while.
Maybe....
Maybe he feels....
Jade remonstrated her pitiful hope and nodded for Jack to follow her to her cabin so they could discuss the course,
yelling for Rita to take over the steering.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The course had been agreed upon and Jack had taken to rummaging through the bowl of fruit on Jade's desk, finally
selecting an apple which he crunched on with apparent relish. The irony of Barbossa's obsession with the fruit and all
that they were going to attempt was not lost on either of them, and Jack gave her a wink before plunking himself down
onto her chair. Jade rolled her eyes as he made himself comfortable, slapping his feet off the table so she could move
the maps from beneath them, collecting them up and shoving them in a nearby trunk. Keeping things tidy had never been
her forte.
"Now like I told you Jack, anything happens to my crew in between the time I take Barbossa to the tunnels and you catch
up with us that I dislike, you'll not only be without any treasure you'll be without any limbs." Jade informed him,
eyes flashing in warning. "Of course, I'll take impeccable care of them all. You just avoid doing anything stupid
that'll leave all of us without any loot and we'll all be happy." said Jack, his mouth full. Jade gave him a grim smile
"Now Jack, why would I want to go and do anything stupid when I can leave such things to you?" Jack sighed dramatically
and stood up, coming over and draping an arm around her shoulders. Jade stiffened slightly at the touch and tried
determinedly to loosen up. "Now if we were on MY ship and you said such things, I'd get to throw you overboard." he
said cheerfully, displaying his amazing ability to ignore people when they were glaring daggers at him. "I guess it's a
good thing we're not on your ship then isn't it?" she said, fixing him with a dryly humouring look. She didn't like the
expression on his face as she noticed that the arm around her shoulders had become more caressing,the hand absentmindedly
playing with her hair. "Ain't it just Poppet?" he replied quietly, his gaze flickering down to her mouth. Jade
swallowed down the growing nerves that the rum of last night had helped to keep at bay. For the life of her she wasn't
sure if she could move.
"Jack, are you waiting for an opportune moment on something?" she asked cautiously, almost jumping out of her skin as his
hand crept underneath her hair onto the nape of her neck. He tilted his head as if considering this, squinting comically
before shrugging "Yeah." he said simply, his long fingers delicately massaging the back of her neck. Jade was almost
positive she should be moving away from him. "But opportune moments are hard to come by. If a person finds an opportune
moment, and the moment is interrupted, by no fault of the opportunist, they should try and make their own opportune
moment. I mean, they're never sure when the next opportune moment will come up, if at all. So the person should go and
get their own opportune moment, don't you think?" Jack rattled off with such breathless speed that Jade had a hard time
keeping up, frowning in confusion as he waved his hands wildly. Jade blinked slowly and stared at him blearily, trying
to gather her frazzled thoughts.
"Ummm...."
This was all she managed before he had snaked his other hand around her neck and dragged her forward in a hot insistent
kiss, his tongue darting into her mouth and seeming to dislodge every remnant of rational thought she had had over the
past day.
She didn't want to be one of the many. She didn't WANT to become so immersed and drugged by the swelling feelings she
kept in check that she would not be able to function. One of them, even BOTH of them could be dead after what they were
attempting, a feeling she had hidden in the depths of her stomach but which now flew up to her chest and clamped it with
fear. She couldn't let these emotions get the better of her.
But that was just what her mind wanted, and her mind seemed to matter very little when Captain Jack Sparrow was
ravenously kissing her.
Her brain went utterly blank as she tried futilely to drag herself away, pushing feebly at his chest. Either Jack was
too caught up to notice or the protest didn't bother him because one arm had slid around her waist and she found herself
pinned against him, every inch of flesh touching his. The breath caught in her throat as the other hand slid underneath
her shirt and caressed her skin, making every part he touched tingle almost painfully. She felt her heart constrict as
he broke the kiss to try and find breath again, leaving wet teasing pecks of kisses over her mouth and jawline before
sealing their mouths together again.
Just make this moment last for a small eternity and I'll be happy.
Giving up on protesting before she had even really started, Jade entwined her fingers in his hair and pressed herself
even closer, his heat seeping into her and making her feel warm and almost giddy. Her kisses moved from his mouth to his
throat, sucking gently along his pulsepoint before tugging, impatiently pulling at his shirt. She wanted every inch of
this flesh, to know it, master it. To leave her mark on him and let him leave his mark on her. He laughed breathlessly,
his hands trailing across her stomach. "Glad to see we're in agreement Jade." he said, flashing her a grin before
returning the favour of dragging her shirt out of the way of his seeking hands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I was just thinking about the plan Jade."
"And?" replied Jade, her eyes skimming over the map she was looking at, lying on her stomach in the bed with her ankles
crossed and swinging aimlessly in the air.
"Barbossa's going to be suspicious. Every pirate knows about the Minotaur tunnels and how dangerous they are. He won't
run the risk just to get some gold."
Jade finally bothered looking up and frowned slightly in thought at the pillow next to her. "Yes I've been thinking that
myself... Maybe if he thought something else he wanted was in there."
"Like what else?" replied Jack, one hand languidly tiptoeing up Jade's spine as he lay on his side next to her. There
was a moment of tense silence in which she refused to look at anything, waiting for him to comprehend. She sensed when
as his fingers stopped on her bare back and slid away.
"... Like me?".
Jade forced her eyes up to meet his black ones, waiting for the anger she could not blame him for. In truth she was
furious with herself for being so rock-headed that she would even consider using Jack as bait. She would gladly have told
him she would have been bait if it had been to good effect, if it would stop him having to do it. But the words were
stuck fast behind the pride that lodged her throat.
"All right then."
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she tried to keep her expression neutral. He was looking back at her with the same
carelessly reckless expression he normally wore. "You're daft Jack." she said finally, making a statement. "Makes for
far more interesting times darlin'." he said blithely, his hand returning to her shoulders and stroking across them with
an almost languid casualness. Leaning across, she gave him a brief kiss and his eyebrows rose in surprise as she moved
away, turning back to the map. Better that he didn't have a clue of how far the emotions ran in her. Such slip-ups
could not be tolerated, from now on it would have to be pure professionality. There couldn't be anything else with all
they were risking.
"... Jack?"
"Mmmm?"
"What's your hand doing?"
"Stretching it's legs luv."
"I'm trying to concentrate. Would if help if I put some clothes on?"
"'Course not luv. I'd only have to take them off again."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hee hee? More action in the next one, we'll actually have FIGHTS hopefully :D. Tell me what you think XXX
P.S. Could I plz have some opinions on my idea for a sequel? If ppl don't say anything I won't do it.