Usual disclaimers... blah!
Two chapters today... just because I love you all!
***
Jack sighed as he shut the cabin doors, locking them before turning round to face Catherine. "Right," he smiled. "Now we are finally alone!"
"True," Catherine teased, reaching for his shirt and pulling it over his head.
"Hussy!" he hissed, his own hands reaching for her shirt..
"Well you tend to have that effect on me," she admitted, tilting her face to kiss him. "Damn it, I've missed you!"
"Feeling is mutual luv," he mumbled, returning her kiss eagerly as he helped her fumbling hands with his belt, guiding her backwards towards the side cabin until she bumped up against the bunk. "Yer gonna have t' grow, yer know," he teased, lifting her up onto the bunk as he pulled his boots off, taking his trousers off as she wriggled out of hers.
"Stop bloody talking and kiss me!" Catherine demanded, pulling him onto the bunk next to her.
"I'll have t' leave yer behind more often," he mumbled, kissing her eagerly, "if this is the treatment I get..."
"Don't you dare!" she gasped, inhaling sharply as he started to nibble his way down the side of her neck.
"Don't worry," he smiled, teasing as she arched against him. "I'm not lettin' yer out of m' sight ever again!" He glanced down her body. "Especially when it is such a delightful sight!"
Catherine grabbed his ear, pulling him back to kiss her again. "Just love me," she begged, "please..."
Jack blinked in surprise, knowing how much she normally liked to play. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. "Whatever yer say luv," he smiled. "Fer th' next few hours I'm all yours!"
***
Jack sighed regretfully as he watched Catherine slide out of the bunk and pad naked across to the other side cabin to wash. He wished that Elizabeth had not said she would cook a celebration meal for them tonight, wishing that he could stay in his bunk with his wife until the following morning or longer. But his mother would expect to see him as well and there was no way they could simply not go.
"Will yer wear a dress fer me luv?" he asked. "Th' cream beaded one?" He loved the way a dress showed off her curves.
"Of course," Catherine smiled. He could hear trunks being moved and opened. She returned to him a few minutes later, dressed and dabbing perfume behind her ears. "Hadn't you better get moving? I've left you some water..."
"Parts of me are," he grinned as he slowly pulled himself upright.
"Jack!" she sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Well, what d' yer expect?" he asked, still grinning at her.
"Wash!" Catherine ordered. "Or you will have Elizabeth banging down the door demanding to know why we are late!"
"Heaven forbid!" Jack gasped in mock horror as he tightened the laces on her dress for her.
Catherine's lips twitched and she burst out laughing - the thought of Elizabeth's face at discovering a naked, aroused Jack Sparrow too much for her. "Wash!" she repeated, trying to keep a straight face.
Jack grinned mischievously and brushed past her on his way to the other cabin. Catherine sighed, reaching for her hairbrush and undoing her plait. She sat by the stern windows, brushing her hair until it shone, lost in her thoughts of how good it felt to be home. She was so deep in thought that she did not hear Jack return.
"Kitty?" She jumped as she felt Jack place his hand on her shoulder.
Catherine looked up at him. "Sorry, I was miles away..." She smiled on seeing that he had put on a clean shirt and trousers. "We should be going..." She rose, grabbing a nearly full bottle of rum from his store. "You can't expect Will to finance your drinking!" she teased, noting his surprise.
"S'pose not," Jack shrugged, taking the bottle from her and unlocking the cabin doors. He wrapped his spare arm about her waist and shouted to two nearby crew to ready a boat for them. When the boat was lowered, he climbed down, holding the it steady whilst Catherine followed him, her bare feet clinging to the side of the ship. With as much grace as she could manage, she sat before him whilst he took up the oars, rowing them ashore.
Catherine smiled to herself as she watched him row, envisaging the muscles beneath the shirt. She bit her lip, her eyes twinkling at the thought of returning to their bunk and scandalising both Rose and the Turners. Jack's eyes met hers, his thoughts clearly mirroring hers. He grinned, beaching the boat and helping her over the short distance of water. "Later Missy," he laughed, taking her hand.
"Don't call me Missy!" she warned.
"P'raps I will later..." he teased, stopping to kiss her. He paused, suddenly serious. "I luv yer," he said quietly, holding her to him. He was more relieved to have her home than he would ever admit.
Catherine wrapped her arms back around him. "I love you too," she smiled, savouring the feel of his arms about her.
A cough sounded in the dimming light. "Are you two actually going to join us?" Will's amused voice floated from the porch where he had been watching them.
"I'm still considerin' it mate," Jack grinned, slowly disengaging from hugging Catherine. "But th' thought of an angry Elizabeth is too scary!"
"I heard that!" Elizabeth shouted from inside the house.
Jack laughed, taking Catherine's hand again and walking towards the house, surprised to see the parlour free of children and the fine china that he had brought her gracing the table. His mother sat in one of the easy chairs looking out over the bay. "Mother," Jack acknowledged, bending down to kiss her.
"Jack," she smiled. "Catherine." She looked in surprise at Catherine's dress, noting the quality of the fabric and the fine pearl beading. Obviously the Caribbean was not as colonial as she had believed.
A swish of skirts announced Elizabeth. "Now that you have bothered to arrive, we can eat!" she announced, glaring at Jack although her eyes were laughing.
"Do you need a hand Elizabeth?" Catherine offered, starting towards the kitchen.
"No you don't!" Will grabbed her arm and steered her back towards the table. "It is your celebration meal!" He held the chair for her whilst she sat, Jack doing the same for his mother. "I will help Elizabeth..."
Elizabeth started to carry the food in and Catherine felt guilty over her reluctance to leave the cabin. Elizabeth had obviously been working hard and had prepared a delicious looking meal. Even Rose's eyebrows rose at the sight of the food.
"Please, eat," Elizabeth urged. "It will get cold."
For a while everyone sat, quietly eating and enjoying the food. Catherine slid her foot onto Jack's lap and he ate one handed, gently rubbing his thumb against the ball of her foot. He knew how ticklish she was and knew it was not the place to abuse the trust she was showing in him. He would tickle her feet later, but if he did so now the table and the food would go flying and it definitely would not do to get on the wrong side of Elizabeth as she had learned to cook so well over the years.
"Are we interrupting you two?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow at Jack's seeming distraction.
"Nah," Jack grinned, but brought his hand back above the table, coughing as Catherine's toes teased his thigh.
Will frowned, looking suspiciously at the two Sparrows. Although they seemed the perfect picture of decorum he suspected they were up to something. He decided to change the subject. "What are you going to do when you leave the bay?" he asked.
"Kidnap th' Commodore," Jack shrugged. The table went silent, the only sound that of cutlery being dropped in shock although Jack and Catherine continued eating.
"What?" Elizabeth gasped. Theodore paled and for a moment Jack feared Rose would faint.
"T'was Kitty's idea," Jack defended, waving his fork towards her. Theodore looked at his sister in shock. "We need him t' prove th' attacks aren't us!"
"And how do you intend to do that?" Will pressed.
"What? Th' kidnappin' or th' provin'?" Jack puzzled.
"Both!" Theodore demanded. "Do you have any idea what might happen Cat?"
Catherine smiled assuringly at her brother. "Theo, James is the only person in authority that might believe us. If he is our guest aboard the Pearl when Louis strikes next then he will know it is not us..."
"But to kidnap the Commodore!" Theodore shook his head in disbelief.
Will frowned. "Where do you intend to anchor whilst waiting for Louis?" he asked warily.
"In th' bay," Jack smiled. "Th' Old Man knows an' has promised th' Commodore will be safe..."
Rose frowned. "Won't it be dangerous to bring him here?"
"Not if he doesn't know where here is," Jack assured her.
"And James is a man of his word. If we can convince him of our innocence then we have a powerful ally and spy in the Governor's confidence..." Catherine added.
Theodore nodded slowly, beginning to understand her reasoning. "You take care," he warned.
"We will," Catherine assured him, reaching across and squeezing his hand. "Don't worry!"
"I'm your brother - it's my job to worry!" he smiled, watching Elizabeth as she cleared the plates and walked through to the kitchen.
"She's made you something special Jack," Will teased as she carried two large jugs to the table. Catherine's lips twitched at the delight on his face.
"Custard!" he sighed happily - his wife was back, his extended family was around the table and Elizabeth had made custard... oh yes, life was good.
***
The rest of the meal passed with far less scandalous talk and Catherine insisted on helping with the washing up whilst Jack sat quietly talking with his mother overlooking the bay. She knew he would have to spend a lot of time with her in secret - twenty years was a lot to catch up on. Occasionally Rose would glance across at her and she guessed they were talking about her, but she did not mind. Her life was entwined with Jack's now and impossible to separate.
After she had finished, and the fine china was packed safely away, Catherine quietly left the house, seeking the solitude of the beach. She lay on the sand looking up at the stars, more content than she had felt for a long time. She was nearly asleep when she heard footsteps approach.
"Is this a private party?" Jack slurred, sitting down next to her.
"I was just waiting for you," she smiled, glancing across to him. "Although if you row me back to the Pearl I'll make sure it is a very private party..."
Jack grinned at her suggestion and scrambled to his feet, offering her his hand. "Well let me get yer back t' our bunk..." he leered. "An' we can continue th' celebration..."
***
Two chapters today... just because I love you all!
***
Jack sighed as he shut the cabin doors, locking them before turning round to face Catherine. "Right," he smiled. "Now we are finally alone!"
"True," Catherine teased, reaching for his shirt and pulling it over his head.
"Hussy!" he hissed, his own hands reaching for her shirt..
"Well you tend to have that effect on me," she admitted, tilting her face to kiss him. "Damn it, I've missed you!"
"Feeling is mutual luv," he mumbled, returning her kiss eagerly as he helped her fumbling hands with his belt, guiding her backwards towards the side cabin until she bumped up against the bunk. "Yer gonna have t' grow, yer know," he teased, lifting her up onto the bunk as he pulled his boots off, taking his trousers off as she wriggled out of hers.
"Stop bloody talking and kiss me!" Catherine demanded, pulling him onto the bunk next to her.
"I'll have t' leave yer behind more often," he mumbled, kissing her eagerly, "if this is the treatment I get..."
"Don't you dare!" she gasped, inhaling sharply as he started to nibble his way down the side of her neck.
"Don't worry," he smiled, teasing as she arched against him. "I'm not lettin' yer out of m' sight ever again!" He glanced down her body. "Especially when it is such a delightful sight!"
Catherine grabbed his ear, pulling him back to kiss her again. "Just love me," she begged, "please..."
Jack blinked in surprise, knowing how much she normally liked to play. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. "Whatever yer say luv," he smiled. "Fer th' next few hours I'm all yours!"
***
Jack sighed regretfully as he watched Catherine slide out of the bunk and pad naked across to the other side cabin to wash. He wished that Elizabeth had not said she would cook a celebration meal for them tonight, wishing that he could stay in his bunk with his wife until the following morning or longer. But his mother would expect to see him as well and there was no way they could simply not go.
"Will yer wear a dress fer me luv?" he asked. "Th' cream beaded one?" He loved the way a dress showed off her curves.
"Of course," Catherine smiled. He could hear trunks being moved and opened. She returned to him a few minutes later, dressed and dabbing perfume behind her ears. "Hadn't you better get moving? I've left you some water..."
"Parts of me are," he grinned as he slowly pulled himself upright.
"Jack!" she sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Well, what d' yer expect?" he asked, still grinning at her.
"Wash!" Catherine ordered. "Or you will have Elizabeth banging down the door demanding to know why we are late!"
"Heaven forbid!" Jack gasped in mock horror as he tightened the laces on her dress for her.
Catherine's lips twitched and she burst out laughing - the thought of Elizabeth's face at discovering a naked, aroused Jack Sparrow too much for her. "Wash!" she repeated, trying to keep a straight face.
Jack grinned mischievously and brushed past her on his way to the other cabin. Catherine sighed, reaching for her hairbrush and undoing her plait. She sat by the stern windows, brushing her hair until it shone, lost in her thoughts of how good it felt to be home. She was so deep in thought that she did not hear Jack return.
"Kitty?" She jumped as she felt Jack place his hand on her shoulder.
Catherine looked up at him. "Sorry, I was miles away..." She smiled on seeing that he had put on a clean shirt and trousers. "We should be going..." She rose, grabbing a nearly full bottle of rum from his store. "You can't expect Will to finance your drinking!" she teased, noting his surprise.
"S'pose not," Jack shrugged, taking the bottle from her and unlocking the cabin doors. He wrapped his spare arm about her waist and shouted to two nearby crew to ready a boat for them. When the boat was lowered, he climbed down, holding the it steady whilst Catherine followed him, her bare feet clinging to the side of the ship. With as much grace as she could manage, she sat before him whilst he took up the oars, rowing them ashore.
Catherine smiled to herself as she watched him row, envisaging the muscles beneath the shirt. She bit her lip, her eyes twinkling at the thought of returning to their bunk and scandalising both Rose and the Turners. Jack's eyes met hers, his thoughts clearly mirroring hers. He grinned, beaching the boat and helping her over the short distance of water. "Later Missy," he laughed, taking her hand.
"Don't call me Missy!" she warned.
"P'raps I will later..." he teased, stopping to kiss her. He paused, suddenly serious. "I luv yer," he said quietly, holding her to him. He was more relieved to have her home than he would ever admit.
Catherine wrapped her arms back around him. "I love you too," she smiled, savouring the feel of his arms about her.
A cough sounded in the dimming light. "Are you two actually going to join us?" Will's amused voice floated from the porch where he had been watching them.
"I'm still considerin' it mate," Jack grinned, slowly disengaging from hugging Catherine. "But th' thought of an angry Elizabeth is too scary!"
"I heard that!" Elizabeth shouted from inside the house.
Jack laughed, taking Catherine's hand again and walking towards the house, surprised to see the parlour free of children and the fine china that he had brought her gracing the table. His mother sat in one of the easy chairs looking out over the bay. "Mother," Jack acknowledged, bending down to kiss her.
"Jack," she smiled. "Catherine." She looked in surprise at Catherine's dress, noting the quality of the fabric and the fine pearl beading. Obviously the Caribbean was not as colonial as she had believed.
A swish of skirts announced Elizabeth. "Now that you have bothered to arrive, we can eat!" she announced, glaring at Jack although her eyes were laughing.
"Do you need a hand Elizabeth?" Catherine offered, starting towards the kitchen.
"No you don't!" Will grabbed her arm and steered her back towards the table. "It is your celebration meal!" He held the chair for her whilst she sat, Jack doing the same for his mother. "I will help Elizabeth..."
Elizabeth started to carry the food in and Catherine felt guilty over her reluctance to leave the cabin. Elizabeth had obviously been working hard and had prepared a delicious looking meal. Even Rose's eyebrows rose at the sight of the food.
"Please, eat," Elizabeth urged. "It will get cold."
For a while everyone sat, quietly eating and enjoying the food. Catherine slid her foot onto Jack's lap and he ate one handed, gently rubbing his thumb against the ball of her foot. He knew how ticklish she was and knew it was not the place to abuse the trust she was showing in him. He would tickle her feet later, but if he did so now the table and the food would go flying and it definitely would not do to get on the wrong side of Elizabeth as she had learned to cook so well over the years.
"Are we interrupting you two?" Will asked, raising an eyebrow at Jack's seeming distraction.
"Nah," Jack grinned, but brought his hand back above the table, coughing as Catherine's toes teased his thigh.
Will frowned, looking suspiciously at the two Sparrows. Although they seemed the perfect picture of decorum he suspected they were up to something. He decided to change the subject. "What are you going to do when you leave the bay?" he asked.
"Kidnap th' Commodore," Jack shrugged. The table went silent, the only sound that of cutlery being dropped in shock although Jack and Catherine continued eating.
"What?" Elizabeth gasped. Theodore paled and for a moment Jack feared Rose would faint.
"T'was Kitty's idea," Jack defended, waving his fork towards her. Theodore looked at his sister in shock. "We need him t' prove th' attacks aren't us!"
"And how do you intend to do that?" Will pressed.
"What? Th' kidnappin' or th' provin'?" Jack puzzled.
"Both!" Theodore demanded. "Do you have any idea what might happen Cat?"
Catherine smiled assuringly at her brother. "Theo, James is the only person in authority that might believe us. If he is our guest aboard the Pearl when Louis strikes next then he will know it is not us..."
"But to kidnap the Commodore!" Theodore shook his head in disbelief.
Will frowned. "Where do you intend to anchor whilst waiting for Louis?" he asked warily.
"In th' bay," Jack smiled. "Th' Old Man knows an' has promised th' Commodore will be safe..."
Rose frowned. "Won't it be dangerous to bring him here?"
"Not if he doesn't know where here is," Jack assured her.
"And James is a man of his word. If we can convince him of our innocence then we have a powerful ally and spy in the Governor's confidence..." Catherine added.
Theodore nodded slowly, beginning to understand her reasoning. "You take care," he warned.
"We will," Catherine assured him, reaching across and squeezing his hand. "Don't worry!"
"I'm your brother - it's my job to worry!" he smiled, watching Elizabeth as she cleared the plates and walked through to the kitchen.
"She's made you something special Jack," Will teased as she carried two large jugs to the table. Catherine's lips twitched at the delight on his face.
"Custard!" he sighed happily - his wife was back, his extended family was around the table and Elizabeth had made custard... oh yes, life was good.
***
The rest of the meal passed with far less scandalous talk and Catherine insisted on helping with the washing up whilst Jack sat quietly talking with his mother overlooking the bay. She knew he would have to spend a lot of time with her in secret - twenty years was a lot to catch up on. Occasionally Rose would glance across at her and she guessed they were talking about her, but she did not mind. Her life was entwined with Jack's now and impossible to separate.
After she had finished, and the fine china was packed safely away, Catherine quietly left the house, seeking the solitude of the beach. She lay on the sand looking up at the stars, more content than she had felt for a long time. She was nearly asleep when she heard footsteps approach.
"Is this a private party?" Jack slurred, sitting down next to her.
"I was just waiting for you," she smiled, glancing across to him. "Although if you row me back to the Pearl I'll make sure it is a very private party..."
Jack grinned at her suggestion and scrambled to his feet, offering her his hand. "Well let me get yer back t' our bunk..." he leered. "An' we can continue th' celebration..."
***