Betrayal       

            When Aiden awoke on Sunday morning only one word could describe how she was feeling…Exhausted.  Taking a minute to wipe the sleep from her eyes, she carefully pulled her arm out from under Jack's so as not to disturb him.  At the moment, he was sprawled out on his stomach, his head turned away from her on the mattress, the pillow having been flung carelessly on the floor at some point in the night, and his right arm was cast across her own stomach.  It was the same position she had found him in every morning since he had migrated up to the bedroom three nights ago. 

            Admittedly, Aiden was quite pleased with herself for the decision to allow Jack to make the big move upstairs.  Considering that the usual outcome of such situations, while extremely worthwhile for the men, was not always quite so enjoyable for the women.  With Jack however, Aiden found she had no complaints whatsoever.  She had been well aware of his reputation even before meeting him, as it generally preceded him just about everywhere he went.  But, having been around long enough to learn that most pirate tales were more exaggeration than truth, she hadn't really expected much performance wise.  Oh how very wrong she was.

            Jack, she decided while still sitting there scanning his undressed form, was by all accounts the most talented man she'd ever been with.  And that was saying a lot, because she had been with her fair share men.  As she reflected on this, sizing him up against her past exploits, she was unaware of the fact that he had woken and was now studying the thoughtful look she bore.

            "Wacha thinkin bout", he asked, rolling over and startling her out of her daydreams.

            "Hmm?  Oh nothing", she answered with a smile.

            "Yet lyin", he replied unconvinced as he propped himself up on his elbows. 

            "Says you", she shot back and got out of bed.

            Pulling the sheet off with her, she left Jack lying on the mattress stark naked. 

            "Hey", he protested as she started toward the closet, then he quickly sat himself upward and reached out and grabbed the two loose ends of the sheet.

            Pulling the sheet, he drew Aiden back toward the bed until she could slide no further and flopped down on the mattress. 

            "Just where d'ye think yer going", he asked sliding up next to her.

            "I can't be stayin' in bed all day ye know", she replied, holding tight to her sheet as Jack slyly tried to pull it off of her.

            "And why not?  Ye don't 'ave work today so what could ye possibly have to do that's betta than this", Jack continued his line of questioning as he began a trail of soft kisses down her neck and across her shoulder.

            Enjoying the sensation, Aiden found herself hard pressed to argue with him and her protests quickly ceased.  Wrapping both arms around her, Jack skillfully kept up with his kisses while turning Aiden toward him and finally allowing the hindrance of the sheet to fall out of his way.  He was sitting on his knees, leaving enough space between his legs for Aiden to crawl between them as she returned his affection, turning the tables on the situation by reversing the balance of power. 

            Jack allowed himself to fall onto his back as Aiden pushed him down onto the bed and climbed on top of him.  He had found in the last three days that she was as demanding and controlling in the bedroom as she was in everything else she did.  And, not being something he experienced everyday, Jack decided that he liked it.  Whores were too willing and eager to please their customers.  They did whatever their patrons desired, ultimately handing over control and not getting much in return save for their payment. 

            These thoughts were quickly shoved from Jack's mind as Aiden's kisses deepened and her tongue invaded his mouth.  Moving his hands to her face, he held back the wild melee of curls that spilled onto his chest tickling him like crazy.  Running one of her own hands up the inside of his thigh, across his stomach and chest, and along his neck line, Aiden carefully hit every spot just right sending Jack's eyes wide open and tingles throughout his entire body.  Inhaling the sweet scent that was her, Jack closed his eyes and allowed himself to sink into her touch as Aiden lowered herself onto him.

***

            It was now 9:30 and Jack and Aiden were back in their usual positions on the ouch in the living room, mugs in hand.  They had spent the entire morning and much of the early afternoon in the bedroom until Aiden had told him that she needed to run into town to check up on a friend she looked after.  Disappointedly Jack had obliged.  The Pearl would be pulling out of port in a few days and he figured he should check to see that she was ready to go, though he preferred to remain in bed with Aiden as long humanly possible.  The two of them had parted ways for just a few hours before meeting back up at her place to enjoy another evening of each other's company. 

            "Take a walk with me", Aiden requested from where she sat snuggled against him in the corner of the couch.  "It's so lovely out, let's go to the waterfront", she suggested as she finished and looked at him with adorable, imploring eyes. 

            Taking a moment to consider her words, Jack sat his mug down and pulled her tight to him.  "Anything ye wish me darlin."

            With a smile she gave him a quick peck on the lips then stood up and pulled him up after her.  Taking both of their mugs to the kitchen, she returned to find Jack holding up her long jacket, ready for her to step into it.  After doing do, she waited for him to dress himself and together they made their way out the front door hand in hand and headed for the harbor.  They remained silent for much of the walk, simply enjoying the cool night air and the company of one another.  They walked all the way to the far edge of the harbor where a long wooden pier stretched out into the water.  Stepping onto the edge Aiden stopped and stared out over the dark waters, her back to Jack.  From where they stood she could see the entire town, all the ships in the harbor including the Black Pearl, and the miles of water that stretched out before them.  Inhaling deeply, she let the refreshing breeze fill her lungs and sighed as she exhaled.  Thousands of thoughts flooded her mind as pangs of guilt tugged at her heart.

            "Beautiful ain't it", Jack asked when he felt her shoulders rise and fall with her sigh.

            "Yes, it is.  Sometimes when I come down 'ere on Sunday nights, when everything just seems so endless and mundane, I wish I could just freeze the moment in time and stare out at it all forever.  Does that seem pathetic", Aiden asked looking up at him.

            Gazing down into her shining eyes, Jack saw something he hadn't before.  There seemed to be a strange vulnerability there that he had previously doubted could even exist. 

            "No luv, that doesn't sound pathetic at all.  Sounds quite charming actually", he replied assuringly, pulling her flat against him and holding tighter.

            Again they stood in silence and both admired the sight that seemed to present itself for their eyes only.  The scene remained the same for several minutes until the great clock the stood in the center of the town rang to announce that it was ten o'clock.  Then, as if something had suddenly torn through Aiden like a bullet, she turned to Jack with wide, almost fearful eyes. 

            "Get down", she hissed at him, her tone changing drastically, as she shoved him hard off of the pier, where he fell onto the rough sand a few feet below. 

            Jumping down after him she pulled him by the arm underneath the wooden floorboards and out of sight. 

            "What's going on", Jack asked in whispered irritation.

            "Just be quiet", she urged in a pleading voice still holding his arm.

            Jack did as he was told, albeit reluctantly, and watched curiously as Aiden appeared to be straining to hear some unknown sound.  It didn't stay that way for long though, because only a minute or two after she had brought them down there, approaching footsteps were heard above them.

            "What are we doin 'ere Cap'n", an old man's voice asked uncertainly.

            "This is where she said she'd meet us", another man answered, his voice younger and deep. 

            "And what of Sparrow?"

            "How many times do I have to tell ye Murph?  Aiden said she'd meet us 'ere at 10:00 and she'd 'ave Sparrow with her."

            Under the pier Jack's eyes widened at this last statement and he reached for his sword.  Before he could unsheathe it however, Aiden put her hand on top of his to stop him.  He glared at her in response, with no intentions of obeying but stopped when she shook her head no and returned her attention to the two men standing above them. 

            "Ye sure this wench is gonna show Nikolai", the older man asked again after fifteen minutes had gone by.

            "Yes I'm sure", the other answered.  "And Murph", he continued as the sound of a cutlass being unsheathed was heard.  "Don't eva talk about me girl like that.  Aiden knows her place, she's a good woman and she won't let me down.  Something must'ave come up", he added confidently.  "Come on, let's get out o' 'ere, I'll swing by tomorrow and find out what's going on."

            "As you wish Cap'n Barbossa."

            If Aiden had had a hard time of keeping Jack calm the first time, this time was damned near impossible.  Upon hearing the old man address his companion as Barbossa a gasp of horror escaped Jack's throat, thankfully inaudible to those above as they walked away.  Ripping his hand from Aiden's grip he turned to march out from under the pier and meet this new adversary face to face, but before he could go Aiden grabbed him from behind with both hands and pulled hard so that they both fell to the ground, him on top of her. 

            "What are you doing", she seethed at him.  "Ye want to get yerself killed?"

            "That was obviously yer plan", he retorted angrily as he stood and brushed himself off, not bothering to pull her up afterward.

            "Look, just let me explain alright, before ye go off and do something stupid", she begged standing up on her own.

            "What is there to explain", Jack shot back in complete disgust, his voice growing louder as he spoke.  "Ye brought me down 'ere intending to hand me over to my death.  Doesn't seem much more to it than that."

            "Well there is more to it than that, and if ye'd just calm down and let me tell you…"

            "CALM DOWN", he cut her off, grabbing her harshly by each arm and gripping tight.  "YOU EXPECT ME TO CALM DOWN AFTER THIS?  You betrayed me.  I trusted you and you do this to me", he continued in a rage. 

            Turning from her he began again to make his way out from under the pier, this time just to get away since the two men from earlier were long gone.

            "Jack please", Aiden pleaded grabbing by the hand again, tears beginning to cloud her vision.  "Look, just let me explain alright.  That's all I'm asking.  Ye don't 'ave to believe me and ye 'ave every right to hate me either way, but please, let me explain."