Chapter VI

Rose stared rather unimpressed at the beautiful night sky that hovered above her. Stars glittered as if signalling silent Morse code to her, the moon shining its fullness rather impressively. The loud music and drunken singing coming from the Galley was something she couldn't really stand. And Hook… James forcing her to sing ended it there. Rose made a face as she was forced to relive that moment. The rest of the crew thought she was wonderful, even with the little instruments they had. She sighed and rested her hands over the cool silver railing, this time glancing down at the lake below. She knew James was repaying her for the drunken evening she experienced some nights earlier.

Then, she heard it. Popping. The popping that caused James to go insane. Rose glanced over the edge and found a large octopus swimming nearby, seeming to be licking its lips to finish off his meal. For you see, after James escaped from the crocodile, another beast swallowed him whole but spat him out. James, thankfully, had made it to shore before the octopus could come back for another taste.

"Bugger off", Rose scowled. "Don't make me come down there!"

The octopus stared blankly up at her, as if hurt, then flipped onto his back and continued swimming.

"I said, Bugger Off!"

"That's not very nice now is it?"

Rose started and spun around, her chest heaving with fright as she recognised the man standing before her. "The octopus… he's…"

"Don't worry about it. As long as he doesn't get on the ship, then I am fine".

Rose stared rather blankly at James, catching her breath. "You scared the life out of me".

"I have a habit to do that to people". He smirked. "Won't you come back inside?"

"No". Rose protested, her lips forming into a sneer. "After you made me sing, you're lucky I haven't packed my things and returned home to London".

James gave a light hearted laugh that ended with his left hand touching Rose's exposed right arm. "And I would have to go there and get you. Now wouldn't I?"

"Oh yeah". Rose started, her eyes meeting his. "When I signed that form, I did it in blood". She shuddered. "Then afterward, we did the most immature thing and became Blood Brothers… or brother and sister". She shook her head. "I would of thought you'd have more sense than to suggest something so stupid".

"All in good fun my dear, all in good fun". James tucked a strand of loose hair behind Rose's ear with his hook, and soon brought that hand by his side.

"So, I take it you're going to go back in there and finish off your drinking game with Jack Sparrow?" Rose snorted.

"I had something else in mind".

Rose found herself being pulled closer to James, so close in fact, she could smell the sweetness of his after-shave. "Murdering Peter Pan?" She stumbled to ask, her words coming out in fast breaths. Gods, he was handsome.

"In time…" James drawled, as he suddenly pressed his lips against hers.

Almost as quickly as it happened, Rose pushed away, looking rather alarmed. He gave her a confused look, one that could not answer the question that was shown on his face as to why she drew away. Then, without warning, Rose threw her arms around James's neck and returned his kiss.

Their brief moment of passion didn't last, until James felt someone tapping his shoulder.

"Sorry to interrupt", came the voice of Jack Sparrow. "But I do believe a fight 'as broken out".

"You will be sorry…" Scowled Hook as he draped his left hand over the hilt of his sword.

"Don't!" Rose protested. "Look… I'll go sort it out…"

"Better yet, Captain Sparrow was most likely the one who started this… fight. So he should go and sort it out". Hook allowed his eyes to narrow dangerously as he discovered Jack making a pass at Rose. "And if you lay one finger on her, you will loose it".

"What about a thumb…?" Jack said. His few words only aggregated Hook further.

"One more sound…"

Rose gently placed her hand around Hook's arm, as she eyed Jack rather protectively. "Jack, just don't. We don't need any more bloodshed".

Rather cockily, as that was Sparrow's character, he threw a thumb and forefinger salute. "Yes, Ma'am. I'll behave. Scouts honour". He stumbled a little.

"Stop being an ass, Sparrow and sort out that fight". Snarled Hook, as he abruptly shrugged off Rose's arm.

"Yes Ma'am, I mean…"

"SPARROW!" Hook bellowed, Rose jumping back rather terrified.

"Sorry. Sorry, Sir. I'll go and sort it out right away. You wouldn't act this way around me if you were on the Black Pearl…" Jack mumbled to himself as he stumbled down the stairs to the Galley.

"It embarrasses me that idiot is my brother". Hook shook his head disgusted, as he turned back to face the water.

"Every family has their faults…" Rose said and offered a smile. "Perhaps Jack was dropped on his head as a child".

"More like hit over the head. On purpose".

"Don't be like that. You're lucky you at least have a brother". Rose shrugged. "Even if he is a complete idiot".

"I heard that!" Came Jack's voice from the stairs of the Galley.

"Ignore him…" Rose warned, doing her best to calm Hook's rising temper.

"Just… stay here… and I will go and find out what is going on down there". He flashed her a warning look, indicating for her to follow his order or else. Rose stepped forward to follow, but was soon greeted by the sudden rising of a silver hook dangerously close to her neck. "Do as I ask. Is it that difficult?"

She shook her head and gulped. "No. Of course not".

"Good. Stay here". The minute Hook vanished downstairs into the Galley, Rose began to pace back and forth. Then, the sudden sound of a gunshot caused her to run to the stairs and peer down, expecting to see either James or Jack lying dead on the floor.

But that wasn't the case.

Silence had immediately followed the firing of Hook's pistol, as the bullet ricocheted and hit one of the ale barrels. His face twisted into a venomous scowl, as the rest of the pirates, even Jack himself, didn't move an inch.

"What kind of party is this then, hmm?" Hook growled, as he stepped off the stairs and onto the floor, kicking a fallen drunken pirate in the ribs as he walked past. "Aiming to see who can throw the most drunken punches?"

Jack raised a finger and opened his mouth to speak, as Hook fired his pistol again, causing Jack to shut his mouth as quickly as he opened it.

"I want to know what the cause of this fight was", Hook let his cruel eyes scan his comrades, many with blood pouring out of their nostrils and some holding broken rum bottles. The Galley itself was a mess. "Now".

"Well, you see, Cap'n…" Began Smee. His voice was trembling, as Hook marched toward him.

"Your answer better be worth my listening too otherwise your blood is what the octopus will be after next". He snarled, standing well within Smee's comfort zone.

"Captain Sparrow should do the explaining. He threw the first punch!" Cried Bill Jukes, as Hook decided to venture toward his little brother who kept the same vacant expression upon his face.

"There was a reason behind it…" Jack said, raising his hands in protest.

Rose sat at the top of the stairs, drawing her hands around her knees as she listened in, fearing for Jack's safety.

Hook felt all eyes turn to he and Jack as an awkward silence fell between the two brothers. "Well? Are you going to tell me or do I have to use my more persuasive methods to get you to talk?"

Jack blinked as he felt his brother's breath sewing itself to his face. "It was Jukes, Cap'n". He began, watching as the man began to whimper in terror. "He was bad mouthing Rose".

There was a stunned silence as Hook rounded his attention on the now attempting to escape Bill Jukes.

"Bad mouthing, you say, brother?" Hook started. "Tell me exactly what he said".

"He said…"

"I SAID NOTHING!" Jukes bellowed.

"Silence!" Roared Hook. "I will deal with you later. Jack. Continue. Please".

"He said, 'Rose is a nasty little whore whose only mission on this ship is to get into Captain Hook's pants'". Jack finished the statement feeling rather pleased with himself. "And I, being the loyal brother that I am, defended your friend by smacking that bastard in the mouth". He rocked back and forth on his heels, waiting.

"Is this true?" Said Hook, as he walked slowly toward Dukes who attempted to make his exit faster.

"Well, I was only thinking about my Captain's best interests… Sir… you are a very well respected man…"

"I will hear no more of this. Jukes, you have betrayed me in more ways that I can ever imagine. And for this, you are no longer considered as a member of my crew". Slowly, Hook raised his pistol.

"I didn't mean it, Cap'n! I didn't! I'm drunk… I say things I don't…" His last words were cut off by Rose's scream and the thud of a body descending on the floor.

"Smee, toss it overboard. And gentlemen, I trust there will be no more distasteful talk on board my ship? Otherwise, you will join Bill Jukes".

And as Jack watched his brother leave in wide eyed amazement, he shook his head and continued drinking. Soon enough, everyone followed suit.

Rose wiped her tear stained eyes with the back of her hand as she sunk against the main mast stand, her body trembling. Many times in her life she had witnessed the death of a fellow human, but never because a man called her a whore. She didn't know why she was crying. Perhaps it was just the shock of a person she so cared about murdering someone he once considered a friend. Or simply, she was beginning to forget her own world. She couldn't even remember her service number, or who she worked for. Was this natural? She shook her head violently to force herself to remember.

"BS-98…. Oh… what was the rest? 980, no that's not right, 98 something…" She bit her lip, and nearly jumped a mile when the second she adverted her attention to her left side, someone was sitting there.

James.

"I bet you feel all manly now that you just killed someone". She scowled, drawing her knees up to her chin and resting it upon them.

"I do not tolerate harassment amongst my crewmates. I already told you that".

Rose suddenly raised her hand and slapped Hook clear across the face, causing his head to snap to the right violently. "You are a bastard, James".

He rubbed where she slapped him tenderly, the words cutting him to the bone. What had he done wrong? The slap was so hard in fact he was worried she could of drawn blood, but thankfully she hadn't. Her eyes stared painfully into his, her red eyes, and then he suddenly realised something.

Rose was a woman.
He had already known this in more obvious ways than one, but emotionally he always believed Rose had the heart of a male. This was why he was attracted to her. For her to strike at him because he murdered a crewmate, after Jukes insulted her, hurt him. There was nothing he could say in response to what she called him, he deserved the term. She was just like her mother. Little did he realise, that his own hand was raised in anger, and he himself had returned Rose's slap, perhaps a little harder than expected. Not only did he slap her, but he threw her to the ground, and she lay before him unconscious.

"Daft woman…" Snarled Hook as he paced back and forth in front of Rose's cabin. "The nerve of her! I would have never laid a finger on her…"

"She's out cold, Cap'n. Don't know if she'll awaken for a good couple of days. That was some slap…" Smee was soon cut off by the violent raising of Hook's hook.

"You will not speak until I tell you to. Understand?"

Smee simply nodded.

"Tell me. Where is my pathetic younger brother?"

"Err…" Smee gulped. Jack was in Rose's cabin, attempting to revive her. If Hook knew…

"Well?" Hook's eyes narrowed, his temper going beyond boiling point.

"In… there…" Smee lifted a shaking finger and pointed at Rose's door.

"He's… what?"

"In her cabin, Cap'n, I tried to get him out but he insisted he knew on how to revive her…"

"SILENCE! I will hear no more!" Hook threw Smee aside and slammed the door open, expecting to see Jack in bed with his beloved, but alas his brother was merely sitting at her desk, reading what seemed to be her diary, and a tiny pixie hovering above his right ear.

"Ello". Replied Jack with a grin. "Lookie who I found".

The pixie tried to make a break for it upon meeting Hook's piercing gaze, but was proceeded to be grabbed by Jack's quick hand. "Quite a feisty little thing this, if only she was bigger…"

"Shut up you fool. What are you doing here? And what is… that doing here?" Indicating to Tinker Bell.

"She claims she followed Rose here, and is threatening to tell Peter that Rose is workin' for you. And not to go to Skull Rock and blah, blah…"

Rose began to stir, moaning under her breath. All eyes shifted to her small frame stirring ever so gently and painfully, then she fell silent.

"The dream…" Murmured Hook as he realised she was still wearing his medallion. "Sparrow. Why are you in here?"

"I found this daft pixie, Jas. Had to keep her somewhere". Jack proceeded to tickle Tinker Bell under her tiny arms, but he soon replied with a sharp "OW!" As she bit his finger. "Bloody little…"

"Oh give the damn fairy here and I'll put her in a jar. Pan's bound to think something has happened to both her and Rose by now. It'll only be a matter of time before he comes aboard for his gallant rescue". Hook grabbed Tinker Bell from his brother, and turned. Rose was sitting upright. She was crying. "Sparrow, take the pixie to my cabin and lock her in a jar…" Hook ordered. "Now!"

Without another word, Jack took Tinker Bell back and retreated from Rose's cabin, closing the door behind him.

"I hate you Pan…" Rose whispered. "You killed him… why…"

Hook slowly stepped closer to Rose as she spoke, beginning to wonder if she was asleep or awake. "Who did Pan kill?" He proceeded to ask.

She couldn't recognise his voice for she was in a dream like state. Rose had seen the face of the man she was in love with, and who Peter killed in her dream. Through violent sobs and her body shaking, she softly replied "James…" then fell backward onto her pillow and slept soundly as if nothing had happened.