AN (4/22) - Happy birthday, Lauren Marie! Sorry I obviously didn't get it up today. My sister-in-law had her baby on the 20th, and I've been rather busy. Plus, I keep forgetting to bring my PDA to school.
AN (4/27) - Time for more excuses! Well, the computer I upload onto is spazzing and my AP tests are next week. Never fear, for after the AP tests, I'll have loads more time to finish. I truly am sorry...
AN (4/29) - Happy birthday, Lauren! I hope the coming year is spectacular for you!
Chapter 21- Reunion
Jack sighed, his dark eyes moody and conciliatory at the same time. He studiously watched Calico Jack, his hand absent-mindedly drumming the tabletop. Once Calico Jack put his mug of rum down, Jack slowly opened his mouth, preparing to speak.
Calico Jack put his tanned hand up, frowning slightly. "I don' want to hear it, Jack. We need ye to keep Commodore Dennis occupied."
Jack shut his mouth, scowling at the older man. They'd been arguing like this the past two hours, and Calico Jack wouldn't tell him why he needed to distract the Commodore. He sighed, the sound of his fingers eating away at the strained silence.
A few moments passed away like they inevitably do, and Calico Jack glanced outside. "Ye'd best be goin', Jack. Don' want to keep the Commodore an' 'is wife waiting."
Jack sighed and wearily stood. He obviously hadn't told Calico Jack that the Commodore was his brother-in-law and that he was the man who'd killed Rosalyn. Jack had a hard enough time telling Calico Jack his opinion. The young man was an anomaly-he had the tendency to be very loquacious, but didn't like to speak of his past. Glancing outside, Jack sighed. "I 'ope that I'll be enough if a distraction, Cap'n."
He nodded towards the older man and swaggered his way out of the captain's quarters, impulsively grinning as he placed his hand on the leeboard side, pausing to trace the patterns in the dark wood. Jack knew he was stalling, but he did not want to face his sister again. Although he was fairly certain she hadn't been able to recognize him at the auction, that wouldn't last long. Even Jack Sparrow wasn't that lucky.
Jack sighed, gently knocking on the milky white door to the reasonably sized mansion and feeling very vulnerable. He was nearly ten minutes late, due to the fact he had not been paying attention when Nathaniel had given him directions. That was because Jack had assumed Calico Jack wouldn't make him go. Jack wouldn't have even brought up the subject if Barbossa hadn't mentioned to Calico Jack he'd seen the Commodore talking quite amicably to Jack. Jack cussed at Barbossa. The first mate was a very knowledgeable sailor, indeed, but he seemed to have a vendetta against Jack.
While Jack was lost in his thoughts, the milky white door opened with a rather annoying screech, revealing the little slave girl standing with an older slave with a matronly look about her. The woman said something in another language to the girl, who nodded and watched carefully, a slight smile on her face. The dignified slave woman then looked at Jack. "You be late, sir. Master had almos' given up on you," her shapely mouth pulled as far into a scowl as much as she dared. House slaves, hearing all the goings-on in the plantation, often emulated how their masters felt about situations.
Jack grinned apologetically. "I los' me way." He coughed, remembering that the Dennis family believed him to be a bit more refined than that, assuming he had some sort of special privilege on a slaver ship because he'd been at the auction.
The woman's face pulled slightly out of the scowl. "An' who should I announce t' the master, sir?" She looked him over, placing an arm in front of the girl, who was trying to check out Jack more closely. She recognized Jack as a kind person and wanted to get a closer look.
Jack smirked, ready to answer this question. He knew that his name was being passed around the Navy, seeing as he'd been foolish enough to tell those agents in India. Therefore, Jack decided it prudent to give another pseudonym. Not that it would do any good once Jodi recognized him, but it might keep Commodore Nathaniel Dennis from recognizing him as a pirate rather than a slaver. "My name's Jack Roberts." He slightly inclined his head. Daniel had given Jack special permission to use his last name if necessary.
The slave woman slightly recoiled, thinking that Jack was a slaver-a very frightening thought as she remembered her experiences crossing the Atlantic. She tried to mask this by smiling slightly and motioning him inward. Jack did as indicated, smiling at the slightly disgruntled look on the woman's face. She looked at him, her dark eyes wary. "I'll go an' ge' de master, sir." She curtsied and left the front room, leaving the little girl behind.
Jack glanced around the lavishly decorated room, his eyes drawn to the heavy velvet curtains directly in front. Jack hadn't thought Jodi would be one to decorate so gaudily, almost as if she were proving she had money. A large grandfather clock caught his eye and he realized it had been in his old home. That tried to being memories to the surface, so Jack quickly looked away and focused on the little girl. Smiling, he quietly said, "Now ye won' tell that woman I'm a pirate will ye?"
The girl gave him a blank look, her dark eyes full of incomprehension. She glanced about the room as well, her young mind wondering when her new master, the slave woman, would come back.
Jack chuckled. "I suppose ye still can't speak or understand English, eh? It just seems so long ago tha' I last saw ye, bu' I suppose it was this morning." He yawned, a quick bought of fatigue overcoming him suddenly.
The girl just stared at Jack, glancing over at the door where the woman had vanished moments before. She frowned slightly as she saw the door open and started cowering.
Jack looked over to the door as well, suddenly incredibly nervous. Jack did not like to feel nervous, and it didn't happen very often as a result. He masked this, however, stepping into his role as a slaver.
The woman's face held no emotion. "Master will see you now, sir. Follow me." She leaned on the door frame, awaiting him. Looking towards the girl, she frowned and snapped. "Anamaria! Get over 'ere, chile."
The girl called Anamaria bolted forward as Jack began walking to the open door. She stopped and took the door for her superior, trembling as the woman looked her over.
Jack soon reached the woman and smiled. "Well, I suppose I'm ready t' meet the master as it were."
The woman nodded and whispered something to Anamaria. The girl slowly nodded and stood up straight, her dark eyes looking elsewhere. The woman then pointed in through the door, her dark skin shining like polished ebony. "This way, sir."
Jack nodded and followed her as she walked, glancing half-interested at all the portraits of dead Dennis family members as they made their way to the dining hall, presumably. The entire mansion seemed to have an odd feeling of quiet expectation about it. Jack suddenly remembered why as the woman announced him to Nathaniel and Jodi. Jack realized with a start how incredibly improper it had been for Jodi to show herself in public. Jack inwardly chuckled, thinking that some of his ideas about propriety had rubbed off on his sister.
"Why, Mister Roberts! We had begun to think you weren't coming." Nathaniel waved the slave away, almost as if swatting at a moth. He extended his hand, a smile on his face.
Jack grinned and shook Nathaniel's hand. "Well, I 'ad a few things to do back on the ship. Seems like nothin' gets accomplished without me." They both faked a laugh, each trying to measure the other up inconspicuously. They released their grasps simultaneously, each of their hands curiously red. Jack moved over towards Jodi, gently taking her hand and kissing it.
Jodi blushed, realizing Jack kept inadvertently glancing down at her protruding belly. Stuttering for a second, she managed to gracefully say, "We're so glad you could make it, Mister Roberts. There is much my husband and I wish to discuss." She gently took her hand from his grasp, trying not to stare at Jack.
Jack nodded slowly. "Call me Jack, m'lady. Mister Roberts was me father." He smiled and looked over at the table in the dining hall and t en to Nathaniel. "I'm honored t' be in yer home, Commodore. Haven' 'ad a decent meal for ages."
Nathaniel nodded. "Shall we eat?" he asked as he gently took Jodi's hand. They walked to the table and sat down.
Nathaniel placed his fork delicately across his plate, putting the salad fork in the customary resting position. He daubed at his mouth, wanting to keep his moustache immaculately clean. He cleared his throat and looked up at Jack. "So, Mister Roberts, you might be wondering why we invited you to dinner."
Jack slowly nodded, putting his fork on his napkin, not wanting to follow all the rules of etiquette he'd learned as a boy. He grinned after licking his teeth to ensure no bits of greens were visible. "Well, I assumed tha' it was to apologize for your soldiers tryin' to apprehend me based on circumstance." He slightly chuckled and added, "Tha', or ye were impressed with me good looks an' penitent demeanor."
Nathaniel forced a quick laugh as Jodi tried to stifle a bout of giggling with a snort. After throwing a skewed glance towards his wife, Nathaniel shook his head. "Actually, Mister Roberts, my wife and I are trying to place where we've seen you before. Both of us recognized you in the square this morning, but we can't seem to place when or where it was."
Jack glanced over at Jodi, grinning. It suddenly hit him that she had now realized who he was. Suddenly apprehensive, he slightly shook his head, moving his hand unobtrusively up to his mouth. He glanced over at Nathaniel, who was giving him an odd look. Jack put his hand down, coughing rather uncomfortably. "Well, I lived in Oxbury as a lad."
Nathaniel nodded slowly. "Well, I used to be stationed near Oxbury. Small town called White Magnolia."
Jack inclined his head towards Nathaniel. "I've visited there, before, as a lad." He forced a slight chuckle. "Lovely Township." He studiedly avoided Jodi's probing stare.
Just as Jodi started to speak, a knock was heard on the entryway as the raven-haired slave from before stood pensively. Jodi looked towards her, gently asking, "What is it?"
The woman, trying to appear confident, quickly replied, "Beggin' your pardon, m'lady, bu' the Master is bein' summoned by Governor Locke." She bowed apologetically.
Nathaniel stood a frown in his face. He bowed to Jack. "I'm dreadfully sorry, Mister Roberts. I'm afraid this meeting must be cut short." He sighed and quickly shook Jack's hand and kissed Jodi on the cheek, making his way out of the room quickly.
Jack waited until Nathaniel left and turned to face Jodi, fearing her probable wrath. "I know tha' yer probably extremely angry wiv me, Jodi, bu' I had me reasons."
Jodi just stared at Jack, her normally fairly expressive honey eyes unreadable. With an absence of emotion, she said, "Explain."
Jack slightly grimaced, trying to keep his hands still. "Well, Jodi, I din' want to cause ye distress an' such when I turned scallywag." He sighed, noting the look on her face hadn't changed. "Besides, sis, I knew tha' Nathaniel would ne'er accept me. He seemed t' be able to tell my intentions all along."
Jodi did not say anything, glancing quickly away from Jack and looking despondently out a large expensive glass window.
Jack sighed, looking earnestly at Jodi. "I am sorry, Jodi. I jus' thought it bes' if you forgot about me. Besides, Jacob Smith isn' a very good name for a pirate." He stopped talking, fidgeting. Jodi had never tried this tactic before, and it was very annoying to Jack.
Several moments of strained silence passed, Jack growing more and more frustrated and concerned as each moment passed. Coughing, Jack interjected some life into the conversation by asking, "Why'd it take ye so long to figure out who I am?"
Jodi turned to face her brother, a large grin developing on her symmetrical face. She laughed, the sound of tinkling peals of laughter sounding odd in the quiet atmosphere. "Jacob, you haven't pulled your hair back like that since mum's funeral." She wiped at her honey eyes, tears of joy wetting her fingers. After she'd calmed herself, she piquantly added, "Besides, you have a beard an' moustache, Jacob. Didn't have those before." Jodi started laughing once more. "Besides, Jacob, I recognized you when you put that fake look of innocence on after stealing my mother-in-law's bracelet. You've done that same look to me more times than I can count." She grinned, wiping at her eyes once more.
Jack started chuckling himself. "So, ye've been aware this whole time? An' I thought you were abou' to tell your charming husband."
Jodi fervently shook her head, her ebony hair swaying as strands worked their way loose from her bun. "No, Jacob, I was going to say that you only looked fairly familiar, or something similar." She smiled, placing her milky white hand on Jack's shoulder.
Jack chuckled, suddenly feeling rather sheepish. "Sorry I thought ill o' ye, Jodi. You really had me goin'."
Jodi smiled, her honey eyes glistening with mirth and excitement. "I'm glad that you aren't really dead, Jacob. It explains the fact that I've never been able to sense you gone." She sighed. "Except for a few months after you'd left. I could've sworn you'd died."
Jack shrugged, grinning. "Tha's because I nearly did, Jodi." He looked earnestly at his sister. "Jodi, why'd ye come t' the square t'day?" He glanced down at Jodi's abdomen.
Jodi shrugged, rubbing her belly as the baby kicked. "Something told me that I'd run into someone today. I know it was incredibly improper of me, but I'm glad I went. I never expected to see you selling slaves, Jacob."
Jack sighed, placing his hand on the table next to him and drawing patterns on the polished tabletop with his bronzed, calloused finger. He looked up, and Jodi could tell this was a very testy subject. "I din' ever plan to, Jodi. I tried t' convince Calico Jack t' set them free, bu' he wouldn't." Jack sighed.
Jodi's eyes widened. "You mean Calico Jack was real? Isn't he the one mum would tell you stories about when we were little?"
Jack nodded slowly, his dark brown eyes slightly glazed as he tried to escape memories. "Aye, Jodi. The Black Pearl is real too." His eyes suddenly widened as he pieced something together. Anxiously, he looked at his sister. "Jodi, tha' reminds me o' something. Calico Jack 'ad some sort o' plan, an' I was supposed t' keep the Commodore occupied." He softly swore.
Jodi frowned, her eyebrows furrowing. "You are a distraction? What is this pirate planning, Jacob?"
Jack shrugged and stood. "I don' rightly know Jodi. He didn' tell me." He sighed and glanced outside. "I really 'ave t' go, Jodi. Spent too long 'ere." This was a lie, seeing as Calico Jack hadn't told him when to come back. Jodi didn't need to know that, though.
Jodi frowned. Glancing sorrowfully at her brother, she nodded. "Well, Jacob, I suppose that you have to move on with your life. I won't mention anything to Nathaniel." She sighed, blinking much more rapidly than normal. "Good day, Mister Roberts." She looked towards the window once more, despondent as she silently tried not to cry.
Jack frowned and walked over to Jodi, kneeling in front of her and tenderly placing his hand on her soft cheek, moving her head so she was facing him. "Believe it or not, Jodi, I do think abou' ye constantly. I'm glad t' see ye doin' so well, sis. Proud of ye." Jack was slightly appalled at how much affection he was showing his sister.
Jodi smiled, putting her hand on his. "Thank you, Jacob. You have no idea how much I've missed you."
Jack nodded, wanting to extrapolate himself from the situation. "I'm sorry, sis." He chuckled, pulling his hand gently back. "I need t' go, Jodi."
Jodi sobbed. "How will I know what's happening with you Jacob? I hate not hearing anything about you." She swallowed hard. "And I haven't heard anything about Jack Roberts."
Jack shrugged. "Tha's no' the name I go by, sis." He stood, walking to the doorway. "Listen for news abou' Jack Sparrow, Jodi." He inclined his head towards his twin, pivoted around, and left the room, not noticing the slight feeling of water on his tan cheek.
Daisy- Well, I'm sorry...the slowness of my writing wasn't the only reason. The computer also decided to spaz..anyways, I hope you liked Jodi's reaction!
cheatachu82- A new reviewer! Thank you kindly for the fantastic compliment!
starwarsfreakford13- Well, I'm sorry I didn't get this chapter up even remotely close to your birthday. Thanks for calling me a genius, though! And you get an entire plushie cast as a present!
pingpong5- Well, thank you for the glowing praise. And, I hope you enjoyed the dinner, although twas really more of a salad...anyways...I'm sorry for the delay-after the AP tests, I shall be able to write more.
WaNdA- Hope that you liked it! More dialogue between the two of them coming...wait, I shouldn't have said that!
Ms. Baldwin- Fortunately, Jack is wise enough to not let that show-but, just wait until I put the next chapter up...
Whitney- Woah...tis been a long time since I last updated...you should update again as well...
iheartorlibloom- Happy birthday, again! Sorry I didn't update on your birthday either-the computer was being mean. You get a plushie if the cast and characters, as well as a Legolas plushie...
Vee017- Sounds like what I'd do...anyways, thanks for the lavish praise! I'm pleased that you pay that much attention to it all-no worries about the tattoo-tis coming up soon. And, no, I didn't notice that-tis why I'm called Captain Oblivious. Hopefully Jodi's explanation was believable...
Bluekrystall- Thank ye! Sorry for the delay.
DragonHunter200- I have someone addicted to my writing! Almost makes me feel like a drug dealer...anywas, thank you for leaving me a review! And I'm sorry that it took me so long to further the addiction...
meggumscat- Well, this time, I'll give you dry cookies- to make up for the juicy ones. You get four this time, as an apology for the delay.
Kirby- That's a great idea! You'd be very good at fanfics! Tell me when you get started! And thanks for the review!