Disclaimer: Anyone got any ideas as to how we can own POTC, as we do not
already? Why don't we?!? If you help, we'll share the ownership with you...
Chapter 12: An Awkward Conversation
As Jack walked, Abbi counted the taverns they passed. As they reached the last one, a not-so-pleasant thought crossed her mind. "Jack, please put me down."
Jack looked at her as if she were insane. "You can't walk!"
"I don't care, Jack. Put me down!" Abbi said in frustration, squirming to try and get out of his arms.
Jack put her down, perplexed. She stood up and tried to walk, but failed and fell; she pulled herself up and leaned against the wall of a nearby building. Jack made his way toward her to pick her up again, but she kept him at arm's length. "What are you doin', lass? You 'ave nothin' to prove."
"I have nothing to prove to you. The crew is another story," Abbi explained.
Jack nodded, now understanding. If she arrived on the ship in his arms, the crew would never let her live it down. "All right, I see. How about this: you use me as a crutch. I'll help you onto the ship and we'll just tell the crew you got into a fight at one o' the taverns, savvy?"
Abbi smiled at Jack and said, "Thanks." Jack came over to Abbi's side and she slipped an arm around his shoulders. He took her hand that was so desperately clutching his shoulder and slunk his arm around her waist for extra support. Abbi's stomach did a backflip at his gentle touch, and she shuddered slightly. Jack noticed this, but made no mention of her reaction. They walked silently and slowly to the ship. As they boarded the ship, they both received strange looks from the crew.
"What are you lookin' at? Do you honestly think and pirate like Abbi could go into Tortuga and not get into a fight with the fiery spirit she's got? To be quite frank with you, you could all learn somethin' from 'er!" Jack said to his crew. "Now all of you – back to work!"
Abbi blushed, but thanks to the darkness, nobody could tell. Jack was leading her to his cabin to clean her up when Faith made her way through the crew to get to Abbi. Her eyes widened as she took in Abbi's tattered and beat up appearance. "What happened to you?" she asked in awe.
"Did you not 'ear what I just said?" Jack asked. Faith looked down at her feet slightly embarrassed.
Abbi scolded Jack just by the look she gave him. "I'll tell you everything later."
Faith smiled a little at Abbi and Abbi smiled weakly in return. "But the key word 'ere is 'later.' She needs 'er rest," Jack cut in. And with that, they both headed toward Jack's cabin. "Lie down 'ere," Jack ordered, motioning to his bed. Abbi did as she was told, completely trusting Jack. He drew a chair up next to Abbi, holding two bottles and a large piece of white cloth. He uncorked one bottle and poured some fresh water into a bowl. He dipped the cloth into the water and started to clean the wound gently. They both sat in silence for a few minutes before Jack asked, "So, why did you come into Tortuga all by your onesies, eh?"
Abbi bit her lip, trying to come up with a believable lie. When nothing came to mind, she told the truth, albeit quietly. "I came looking for you."
Jack looked up at Abbi, who was now suddenly interested in the bruises on her arms. "Why?" was all he managed to ask.
Abbi bit her tongue, determined not to tell, but this plan quickly evaporated when she looked up at Jack, who was staring at her intently. "You said you'd be back in an hour, and it had been three when I left. I... the crew needs you."
Jack nodded, slightly disappointed. He knew what she intended to say, but he wished that she would just say it. But being in the situation they were in, he decided not to press the matter. "You really shouldn't have gone all by yourself," he said, breaking the somewhat awkward silence between them.
"There was no one else!"
"What about Thomas or Faith?"
"Do you really think that Faith would've been much help? She's a woman, just as I am! They would've got a double deal!" Abbi thought for a moment. "And for some odd reason, I feel as though Thomas was supposed to be here." Jack gave Abbi a questioning look before she tried to explain. "Don't ask, but I just have a feeling... like Faith needed him tonight. I could see it in her face... she wasn't just worried about me – she was shaken..." Abbi trailed off. Jack continued to clean her wound thoroughly. He uncorked the second bottle and poured it onto the wound. Abbi groaned in pain. She would have cried out if it weren't for her pride, because the liquid Jack was using burned like fire. She bit her tongue, determined not to show how uncomfortable she was.
"Hurts, doesn't it, love?"
"Yeah," Abbi managed to say as she bit her tongue harder. "What is that stuff?"
"Rum," Jack said, smiling largely.
"Of course! How could I not know?" Abbi said with a smirk.
"Rum makes the world better! If everyone drank rum like I do..."
"Mankind as we know it would be doomed!" Abbi finished. Jack glared at her, but Abbi just smiled widely in return. Jack couldn't keep a straight face for long. He was soon smiling as well. It was so good to see her returning to her normal self. He had missed her sarcasm and feisty spirit. He looked down at the wound he had cleaned and saw that it was much better. He went back over to a trunk in the corner of the room and pulled out a roll of gauze. He tightly wrapped the wound.
"You should be fine, Abbi. But I want you to stay here. Not up and walking around. Do this for me, love – I know it's very hard for you, but...stay here, and try not to do anything stupid."
"Don't talk to me about acting stupid!" Abbi retorted, chuckling in spite of herself.
"Smart aleck," Jack muttered under his breath, though he was smiling. He went to his closet and pulled out one of his shirts. "Here," he said, handing it to Abbi. "I'll leave you to your rest now." Jack headed for the door.
"Jack?"
"Yes, love?"
"Thank you."
"You're very welcome, love."
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~
YEAH! More Jack and Abbi interaction! Don't worry- there is a LOT of Faith and Thomas in the upcoming chapters. It may be a little while, but TRUST US- they're coming!
margo- we are SO glad that we are on your favorites! We know what you mean- we get excited when someone replies to our reviews too. Special thanks to you- hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Pirate'sRedWinter- Jack liking Abbi? Hmmm... could be... (hehe!). Thanks for reviewing mate! We always appreciate your input! Yes, Captain Jack is our hero too.
ARY: Correction- he's YOUR hero Joey!
JOEY: Oh, please- you know he rocks!
ARY: Ok, this is true, but still...
JOEY: You don't have to say it... I know Aragorn rocks your world.
ARY: *squeals in delight*
JOEY: ANYWAY, we really hoped all of our readers enjoyed this chapter! If you review, we'll give y'all look-alikes of Faith uber-cool dagger!
Keep R&R!
~Ary & Joey~
Chapter 12: An Awkward Conversation
As Jack walked, Abbi counted the taverns they passed. As they reached the last one, a not-so-pleasant thought crossed her mind. "Jack, please put me down."
Jack looked at her as if she were insane. "You can't walk!"
"I don't care, Jack. Put me down!" Abbi said in frustration, squirming to try and get out of his arms.
Jack put her down, perplexed. She stood up and tried to walk, but failed and fell; she pulled herself up and leaned against the wall of a nearby building. Jack made his way toward her to pick her up again, but she kept him at arm's length. "What are you doin', lass? You 'ave nothin' to prove."
"I have nothing to prove to you. The crew is another story," Abbi explained.
Jack nodded, now understanding. If she arrived on the ship in his arms, the crew would never let her live it down. "All right, I see. How about this: you use me as a crutch. I'll help you onto the ship and we'll just tell the crew you got into a fight at one o' the taverns, savvy?"
Abbi smiled at Jack and said, "Thanks." Jack came over to Abbi's side and she slipped an arm around his shoulders. He took her hand that was so desperately clutching his shoulder and slunk his arm around her waist for extra support. Abbi's stomach did a backflip at his gentle touch, and she shuddered slightly. Jack noticed this, but made no mention of her reaction. They walked silently and slowly to the ship. As they boarded the ship, they both received strange looks from the crew.
"What are you lookin' at? Do you honestly think and pirate like Abbi could go into Tortuga and not get into a fight with the fiery spirit she's got? To be quite frank with you, you could all learn somethin' from 'er!" Jack said to his crew. "Now all of you – back to work!"
Abbi blushed, but thanks to the darkness, nobody could tell. Jack was leading her to his cabin to clean her up when Faith made her way through the crew to get to Abbi. Her eyes widened as she took in Abbi's tattered and beat up appearance. "What happened to you?" she asked in awe.
"Did you not 'ear what I just said?" Jack asked. Faith looked down at her feet slightly embarrassed.
Abbi scolded Jack just by the look she gave him. "I'll tell you everything later."
Faith smiled a little at Abbi and Abbi smiled weakly in return. "But the key word 'ere is 'later.' She needs 'er rest," Jack cut in. And with that, they both headed toward Jack's cabin. "Lie down 'ere," Jack ordered, motioning to his bed. Abbi did as she was told, completely trusting Jack. He drew a chair up next to Abbi, holding two bottles and a large piece of white cloth. He uncorked one bottle and poured some fresh water into a bowl. He dipped the cloth into the water and started to clean the wound gently. They both sat in silence for a few minutes before Jack asked, "So, why did you come into Tortuga all by your onesies, eh?"
Abbi bit her lip, trying to come up with a believable lie. When nothing came to mind, she told the truth, albeit quietly. "I came looking for you."
Jack looked up at Abbi, who was now suddenly interested in the bruises on her arms. "Why?" was all he managed to ask.
Abbi bit her tongue, determined not to tell, but this plan quickly evaporated when she looked up at Jack, who was staring at her intently. "You said you'd be back in an hour, and it had been three when I left. I... the crew needs you."
Jack nodded, slightly disappointed. He knew what she intended to say, but he wished that she would just say it. But being in the situation they were in, he decided not to press the matter. "You really shouldn't have gone all by yourself," he said, breaking the somewhat awkward silence between them.
"There was no one else!"
"What about Thomas or Faith?"
"Do you really think that Faith would've been much help? She's a woman, just as I am! They would've got a double deal!" Abbi thought for a moment. "And for some odd reason, I feel as though Thomas was supposed to be here." Jack gave Abbi a questioning look before she tried to explain. "Don't ask, but I just have a feeling... like Faith needed him tonight. I could see it in her face... she wasn't just worried about me – she was shaken..." Abbi trailed off. Jack continued to clean her wound thoroughly. He uncorked the second bottle and poured it onto the wound. Abbi groaned in pain. She would have cried out if it weren't for her pride, because the liquid Jack was using burned like fire. She bit her tongue, determined not to show how uncomfortable she was.
"Hurts, doesn't it, love?"
"Yeah," Abbi managed to say as she bit her tongue harder. "What is that stuff?"
"Rum," Jack said, smiling largely.
"Of course! How could I not know?" Abbi said with a smirk.
"Rum makes the world better! If everyone drank rum like I do..."
"Mankind as we know it would be doomed!" Abbi finished. Jack glared at her, but Abbi just smiled widely in return. Jack couldn't keep a straight face for long. He was soon smiling as well. It was so good to see her returning to her normal self. He had missed her sarcasm and feisty spirit. He looked down at the wound he had cleaned and saw that it was much better. He went back over to a trunk in the corner of the room and pulled out a roll of gauze. He tightly wrapped the wound.
"You should be fine, Abbi. But I want you to stay here. Not up and walking around. Do this for me, love – I know it's very hard for you, but...stay here, and try not to do anything stupid."
"Don't talk to me about acting stupid!" Abbi retorted, chuckling in spite of herself.
"Smart aleck," Jack muttered under his breath, though he was smiling. He went to his closet and pulled out one of his shirts. "Here," he said, handing it to Abbi. "I'll leave you to your rest now." Jack headed for the door.
"Jack?"
"Yes, love?"
"Thank you."
"You're very welcome, love."
~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~
YEAH! More Jack and Abbi interaction! Don't worry- there is a LOT of Faith and Thomas in the upcoming chapters. It may be a little while, but TRUST US- they're coming!
margo- we are SO glad that we are on your favorites! We know what you mean- we get excited when someone replies to our reviews too. Special thanks to you- hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Pirate'sRedWinter- Jack liking Abbi? Hmmm... could be... (hehe!). Thanks for reviewing mate! We always appreciate your input! Yes, Captain Jack is our hero too.
ARY: Correction- he's YOUR hero Joey!
JOEY: Oh, please- you know he rocks!
ARY: Ok, this is true, but still...
JOEY: You don't have to say it... I know Aragorn rocks your world.
ARY: *squeals in delight*
JOEY: ANYWAY, we really hoped all of our readers enjoyed this chapter! If you review, we'll give y'all look-alikes of Faith uber-cool dagger!
Keep R&R!
~Ary & Joey~