Off we go again with another chapter.  And, on a quick note, if you haven't read or skimmed over the revised previous chapter (27) then I suggest you do so because the emotions in that chapter were swapped around and fidgeted with.  On with the chapter, then!

Secrets of the Caribbean

Written By: Riley Barton

[Chapter Twenty-Eight]

The Black Pearl had never looked so welcoming.  It wasn't sparkling like a jewel, but it was a gem all its own.  Scarlett stared up at it, smiling, shifting the weight of the burlap sack tossed across her shoulder.  "Isn't she a sight for sore eyes," she murmured, looking over every inch of the ship. 

Fredrick came up behind her, a wary look on his face.  He was still trying to figure out why he was going along.  What ever had gotten into him to insist on coming was definitely a part of him he had never witnessed before.  His eyes took in the whole of the ship in one sweep before coming to rest on the pirate flag hanging from the top of the mast.  "She's a beauty, all right," he replied.  The Black Pearl was a beautiful ship.  Only problem was that she was a pirate ship and was being steered by the infamous pirate Captain Jack Sparrow.  Under any other circumstances this would have been an event to remember.

Scarlett looked up at him and smiled.  "Thanks for coming along, Fredrick," she said.  "It'll be nice to have a physician on board."

Fredrick returned the smile, ignoring the queasiness and disappointment swirling around in his stomach.  She was thankful to have a physician on board, not because it was Fredrick Marsh.  He, too, adjusted the burlap sack across his shoulder.  "Should we be getting on board then?  You're beau will be starting to wonder where you are," he said wryly.  He froze, realizing what he had said.  It hadn't meant to come out that way.  What was getting into him?

Scarlett looked at him sharply, her brow furrowing.  "He's not my beau, Fredrick," she said quietly.  "We're just friends."

Fredrick couldn't resist remarking, "So that's why the two of you had a son together, is it?"

Scarlett, or Pearl as he still preferred to call her, looked hurt.  The hurt, however, faded into silent anger.  "That was in the past, Fredrick.  We didn't know what we were doing."  She took a deep breath, looking away for a moment.  "If you don't want to come along that's fine; I won't stop you.  I do know all of this is a lot to handle, and I apologize.  You have all the reason in the world to be angry, but I don't want you to leave with a bad impression of who I really am."  She looked at him.  "Leave if you want, but know that I am still leaving with Jack.  It would mean a lot if you came, but I respect your decision not to."  She then walked toward the gangway extended from the ship to the docks below.  She hurried up it, wanting to feel the gentle rocking of the ship beneath her feet.

Scarlett stepped onto the deck and felt an exhilaration she hadn't felt in a long time.  She smiled, recognizing various members from the crew.  She was dismayed to find that only five of them she knew; the others were all new members.  Where had the others all gone?

"Scarlett, lass, glad to see ye alive and kickin'," Gibbs greeted, rushing forward to shake her hand. 

She took it, smiling warmly.  "It's great to be back, Gibbs."  She looked past him to find Anamaria standing there with a small smile on her face.  Scarlett stepped past Gibbs and walked forward, stopping two paces away from the other she-pirate.  "Anamaria."

"Scarlett," Anamaria replied.  The two stared at one another, sizing the other up.  When their eyes met again, their faces broke out into big smiles.  "Great to have ye back a'board, lass."  Anamaria stuck out her hand and the two shook.

Scarlett grinned.  "So, it's a truce then?"  She raised her eyebrows.

Anamaria nodded.  "Truce."

"Aw, cummon, lasses," Gibbs called, cutting in.  "We ain't got all day to be smackin' our jaws.  We've got a ship to set sail!"

Scarlett nodded, turning to the gangway.  She walked to the edge and looked down to the docks.  A heaviness fell over her shoulders to find that Fredrick was not standing there.  He had left.  Sighing dejectedly, she looked down at her hand resting on the bulwark.  She shouldn't have expected so much of him.  He had had to accept so much in such a short period of time.  She knew if she had been in his place, she would have left too.  She picked her head up, trying to understand everything being thrown at her.  A sense of loss from losing another friend overcame her and she tried to quench it. She had other things to think on, like Carver.  He needed her more than Fredrick did.  She turned, making to help with the rigging, but suddenly slammed into someone who had been standing behind.  She was enveloped in a hug with her face being pressed into the man's shoulder.  When she was finally released she looked up.  Her face broke out into a grin and she quickly hugged the man again.  "Will!  I hadn't seen you!"  She paused and looked around.  "Where's Elizabeth?"

Will ran a hand through his shoulder-length brown hair. "I made her return to Port Royal.  She wanted to come along and help search for Carver but Jack and I agreed it would be too dangerous.  Her father about shot me when I walked into his office towing his daughter behind."

Scarlett's eyebrows rose in amusement.  "Don't tell me she didn't let her father know she was leaving with us all those months ago?"

Will laughed, shaking his head.  "I won't tell you then."  Scarlett's soft chuckling mingled with Will's.  "It's great to have you back, Scarlett," Will said, slapping her on the back in a friendly manner.  "Jack wasn't the same without you around."  His eyes twinkled mischievously before he slipped away to help with the unfurling of the sails, leaving a confused Scarlett in his wake.

Scarlett blinked, trying to figure out the meaning behind Will's words.  She frowned, narrowing her eyes.  She looked toward the helm where she knew Jack would be standing, but stopped when she noticed a familiar figure standing nearby.  She couldn't believe it.

Fredrick smiled at her as he lingered by the mast, his things at his feet.  He shrugged his shoulders wearily as if to say, 'Don't ask'.  He felt his heart drop when she smiled and rushed forward to give him a hug.  He wrapped his arms around her, returning it.  When he opened his eyes again he glimpsed a sign of Jack Sparrow watching him with a frown on his face.  When the captain noticed he had been found out, he looked away to some of the crewmembers and shouted at them to get a move on. 

Scarlett pulled away, not having noticed Sparrow's stare, and smiled warmly up at him.  "I'm glad you came.  I thought you had left."

Fredrick nodded.  "I know you did."  He looked at her for another few moments and then reached down to pick up his things.  "So," he said, "where shall I put these?"

Scarlett took his things and motioned for him to follow her.  "I'm sure I can find you a place."

Jack leaned against the helm of his ship, watching Scarlett as she led the physician below deck.  He wasn't sure why he felt like clobbering the damned landlubber.  Brotherly protection on Scarlett's part, perhaps?  His frown deepened.  No, it wasn't quite like that…

"Captain!" a female voice called from below.  "Captain Jack!"

Jack blinked, jerking back into an upright position and looking around for whoever had called his name.  "Aye?"  He spotted Anamaria staring up at him with an exasperated look.  He reached up and shifted his hat absently, waiting for her to continue.

"We're ready t' pull out," she said.  "You just need to give th' order."

"Oh, right." 

Below deck, Scarlett pushed open a door and stepped into a room lined with a set of bunks on either side.  She looked under the bottom bunk of each, smiling in satisfaction.  "Alrigh'," she said.  "Here ya go.  Some mate has the bottom bunk, it looks like, but you can take the top.  There's room underneath here for your belongings."

Fredrick hesitated, glancing worriedly at his physicians bag.  "I'm not certain about putting these under there," he said.  "I've got vials and instruments I would rather not have anyone looking through."

Scarlett pursed her lips, thinking.  "Well," she eventually said, "there aren't any single cabins left over, assuming mine is still available at any rate," she hastily added as the thought came to her, "so I'm afraid you'll have to share a room with someone.  I can put your medical things in my berth, but I can't keep everything in there."  Seeing he still looked uncertain, she smiled sympathetically and leaned against a bedpost.  "It's either this or the brig, and I can assure you the brig is far from welcoming."

Fredrick nodded, just as the ship beneath his feet began to move.  He could feel the waves rolling beneath him, and he found it to be an unhealthy reminder of the trip he had returned on the days previous.  Needless to say he had been sick for the first week.  Reaching out for the bed to keep his weight, he slipped his clothing sack under the bed and passed his physician's bag to Scarlett.  "Put it somewhere safe," he warned.

One week later…

The sound of someone retching over the starboard side of the ship came to Scarlett's ears as she crossed the deck to the captain's quarters.  She had been avoiding Jack for the better part of the week, and it was high time she faced him.  She had been determined to get there and not stop for anything, but the sound of someone being sick was something one would normally pause at.  Wincing and feeling like she herself wanted to mimic the poor person's actions, she looked around for a man leaning over the ship's side. She found him not far away, his black overcoat billowing in the salty ocean breeze.  "Fredrick?" She slowly walked toward the man and placed a hand on his back.  "You all right?"

Fredrick took a deep breath and glanced up at her.  "Just a little sea sick, I'm afraid."  His eyes widened and he lurched over the side of the ship again. 

Scarlett looked away, focusing her attention on a small hole in the deck's flooring.  She could only hope Fredrick wasn't getting throw-up all over the side of Jack's ship.  Without turning around she patted Fredrick on the back, saying, "Better out than in, Fredrick."  She shook her head and walked toward the captain's quarters.  A scrawny man with blonde hair grabbed her by the arm, however, and nodded in Fredrick's direction.

"Wot's he doin' aboard, eh?" the man asked.

Scarlett looked at the man, remembering his name to be Jasper.  "He's a friend of mine; a physician.  He's a worthy addition to the crew," she said, defending her friend.

Jasper looked her over critically.  "I s'pose so, but what's a gentl'man like 'im doin' wit' th' likes of ye?"

Scarlett's eyes darkened.  "What?" she asked in a low voice.

The pirate, however, didn't seem to notice and rolled his eyes in annoyance.  "I said, wot's a gentl'man like 'im doin' wit-"

"I heard you the first time, dumbass," Scarlett glowered.  Her fists were itching to throw a punch at the man's pockmarked face.  "What I meant was what you were referring to with that comment.  Are you saying I'm not a lady?"

The anger in her eyes went unnoticed by Jasper, though the few pirates nearby that knew her personally, such as Anamaria, did.  Jasper chuckled to himself, looking Scarlett up and down again like she was an item being sold at the highest bid.  "Well, look'it ye," he said, as if that explained everything.  "Ye're a pirate, lass, cutlass an' all.  No proper lady with a gentl'man such as that would be dressed in such a fashion as ye are."  The man made to make another comment, but his jaw was abruptly clamped shut as a fist came flying at his jaw.  Scarlett glared at the man as he stumbled back against the bulkhead, clutching at his jaw.  He stared at her in shock.   "Ye hit me!" he exclaimed.

"And I'll do it again if you don't keep that big hole in your ugly face shut," Scarlett stated.  She looked him up and down, taking in his body structure; he would be easy to take down in a matter of minutes, she surmised. 

"Careful, Scarlett," Anamaria warned, coming up behind her female companion.  "Jasper may be small but don't be fooled," she whispered into the blonde's ear.  "I've seen 'im fight b'fore in a brawl at a pub in Tortuga.  'E's sly, that one."

Jasper pushed away from the wall and leered at Scarlett.  "Want to try that again, wench?" he taunted.  "And this time, don't take the chicken's way out and catch me unawares." 

"Careful," Anamaria warned again before backing away.

Scarlett chanced a quick glance at her dark-skinned mate before letting her hand travel to the cutlass strapped at her waist.  She looked Jasper over once more, hesitated, and removed her hand from the cutlass.  She shook her head.  "I'm not fighting you.  To do so would get both of us marooned on some island and there is no way I want to get stuck alone with you."

"Keep that sharp tongue of yers in yer mouth," Jasper growled.

A man standing close at hand to Jasper licked his lips and laughed.  "I know of somewhere else I would like that tongue to be," he said, staring at her with a smirk on his face.

Scarlett glared at him, shaking in anger.  Her fist flew back but someone from behind grabbed her wrist, preventing her from doing anything.  She came to a stop and looked over her shoulder.

Jack gave her a brief look before turning to the rest of the crew.  "Ye've all seen enough," he said.  "Get your arses back to work."  He waited until all the men standing around preparing for a fight had wandered away, grumbling, before he twisted Scarlett's arm so it was in the proper position and tugged her into his quarters after him.  She followed, staring up at the ceiling; she was going to get it this time.  She had lucked out when she had fought Anamaria.  This case, however, she was not hurt and was almost entirely to blame. 

Jack left her standing before the closed cabin doors while he went to a cupboard near the door and removed two flasks of rum.  He walked past her, shoving one into her hands, and dropped into his desk chair facing her.  When she continued to stand there with the flask of rum, he looked at her and motioned for her to take the seat opposite his desk.  Frowning, she did so and dropped into it with a loud bump of the flask against the dark wood.  She ran her fingers in circles along the outer edge of the cork, running a variety of phrases through her mind.  There was no way she was saying sorry to him, so that idea could be thrust out the window.

"You've only been back for one week," Jack spoke up, looking at her with a smile, "and yet you're already starting fist fights."  The amusement in his voice was apparent and the twinkle in his eyes gave him completely away.

Scarlett looked up at him.  "Are you making a joke of me, Jack?" she asked.

Jack's smile widened and he shrugged his shoulders, dipping his head back to take a long drink from his flask.  "Just stating a fact," he said, placing the half-empty flask on the desk.  He rested his elbows on it, leaning forward. 

Scarlett slammed her own flask of rum on the desk top and stood to her feet.  "I'm not going to sit here and listen to this."  She started for the door but spun around halfway to it, glaring at him.  "Did you hear what he said? And his friend too?"  She shook her head.  "I'm more of a lady than Anamaria ever will be, and if that guy wants me to put something in his mouth, I'll do it gladly, though I'm afraid it will taste a bit like metal and gunpowder."

"No need to get your skirts in a twist, love."  Jack stood to his own feet and came around his desk.  "I heard them well enough.  You were standing right outside my cabin doors.  I just figured you would wait two weeks or more until you started to cause trouble among my new crew."

"What happened to the old crew, anyway?" she asked.  "Anamaria, Gibbs, Cotton, and those two blokes with the messy hair are still here, Will too, but their other mates aren't."

Jack shrugged a shoulder.  "They all left.  We stayed in Marcail for so long most of them grew bored in such a high-tone port such as that.  I would of left too if I had been them."

"That place, Jack, is our home," she said, placing a hand on her hip.  "Unlike you I'm not so quick to forget it."  She sighed, looking up to the ceiling as if pleading for God's assistance.  "Why do I even bother with you?  You'll never get it."  She reached for the knob and pulled the door open.  It was slammed shut again as Jack's hand reached over her and pressed against it.  She stared at the door with a blank expression.  "Let me out, Jack."

"You were coming here before Jasper intercepted you," Jack said.  "Why?"

"You are my captain, aren't you?" she asked, stressing his proper title.  "I just wanted to see the notes you've taken on Ansgar's progress.  It is my son we're chasing after.  I have a right to know."

"You act as if he's only your son."

Scarlett turned and faced Jack, only to find his face was a mere few inches from hers.  "I'm sorry, but I failed to notice all the times that you were there when he scraped a knee, woke up from a nightmare, wanted a hug, wanted someone to tell him a story."

"You never gave me a chance."

"You left me for dead, Jack.  What, you expected me to jump on the first ship I could and chase after you?  I may be a stupid woman as I've heard so many men call me, but I am not a puppy that would come crawling after you.  And besides," she added, growing all the more defensive, "you never came after me, did you?  You never even so much as looked up my name to see if I was even alive.  You forgot about me.  Hell, you forgot about me long before that night even arrived."

"I didn't forget about you."

"Oh, right.  Why did you leave me, then?  I've never done anything to make you hate me, Jack.  Name one thing I'll never mention it again." 

Jack pulled away and went to his desk.  He paused and turned around on the heel of his foot.  "You are the most infuriating woman I have ever known," he erupted in a startling calm voice.  "And believe me, I have known enough women throughout my life."

"Such as Giselle and that other harlot who just happens to share my name?" Scarlett asked dryly.

Jack started, looking at her with narrowed eyes.  "How do you know of them?"

Scarlett shook her head, looking away.  "I had my reasons for being in Tortuga, Jack, and word of the many women you have wooed and bedded are told often around those parts.  You seem to be someone all the men there look up to, though why they would for a reason such as that goes beyond my understanding."

Jack seemed at a loss for words.  He sputtered about damned women and stupid logic, all of them running together.  Scarlett rolled her eyes, reaching behind her for the doorknob.  She could return later while he was at the helm and get the notes.  Sneaking in and maybe getting caught sounded far more appealing than staying in there arguing.   She paused, however, as a promise she had made not even a day before came to mind.  She closed her eyes and knocked her head against the wooden doorframe. 

I know I said I would give him one more shot, Aubri, she thought, but it isn't easy.  How do you forgive a man who left you for dead?   No reply was given, and she felt alone.  Fine.  Silence always did speak louder than words, didn't it? 

Scarlett knew what she needed to say but the two simple words just didn't want to come forward.  She struggled with it, her mind telling her no, but her heart, always contradicting, said yes.  She sighed and hit her head against the doorframe a second time.  "I'm sorry," she said just above a whisper.  Her eyes were closed again as she stood with her head resting against the door.

Jack stopped muttering to himself.  "What did ye say, lass?" he asked after a moments hesitation.

Scarlett opened her eyes and turned around, leaning her back against the door.  Her eyes went across the room to a map tacked to the wall.  Her lips twitched for a few moments as she fought to say the words again.  "I said;" she paused, taking a breath; "I'm sorry." 

The look on Jack's face was downright hilarious; Scarlett wanted to laugh but couldn't find the energy.  He opened his mouth, closed it, and took a bated breath.  "Sorry for what?" he finally asked, looking confused. 

"For snapping at you just now," she replied.  She hesitated, not wanting him to get the wrong impression.  "You didn't completely deserve it.  I made everything out to be worse than it really is."

Jack looked her over carefully as if he was expecting this to be a joke.  She wouldn't really be saying that to him if she were thinking straight.  Maybe her memory was going out again.  "Are you feeling all right?"

Scarlett rolled her eyes.  "Fine," she mumbled in exasperation.  "If you aren't going to accept the only apology you'll most likely ever hear from me that's fine, but don't expect me to say it again."  She ran a hand through her hair.  "Just let me see the appropriate map that you've drawn your course out on and I'll leave."  She walked toward his desk and waited for him to pass her the map. 

Jack snorted and shook his head with a small smile beneath his mustache.  "If anyone should be apologizin', love, it should be me, not you."  He came around the desk.  "Snapping at people is what you do; I don't think anything of it."

Scarlett cocked an eyebrow.  And he thought she was losing it? 

"Alright, fine," Jack said.  "How about we start anew, eh?" he suggested.  "Act as if the past never happened?"

Scarlett folded her arms across her chest.  "I can't forget the past, Jack," she said quietly.  "Though I may forgive you –in part," she added hastily, "the pain you caused is still there.  We can try a friendship again, but it won't be as it once was."

Jack looked almost hurt for a moment, but it soon evaporated and the cocky smirk reappeared.  "Agreed." 

Author's Note: Decided to stop there.  Well, how did I do?  I hope everyone thought the past chapter ran more smoothly after I edited it.  Sorry for that, I was just in a big hurry and my writing skills seemed to fly out the window.  So, about the chapter… It seems they've come to an agreement, but, as we all know, Scarlett doesn't so easily forget.  What will happen?  Only I can know.  wink  Leave me a review and I just might update another chapter.  gasp