Disclaimer: I sadly will never own anything you recognize.
A/N: This little fic is in response to a challenge from AhiFlame at the Black Pearl Scrolls. The challenge was to write a little story featuring Jack and Ana. This takes place on the first night Jack is back on the Pearl after his less than graceful exit from Port Royal at the end of the movie.
Forgiveness:
Anamaria stood at the foot of the stairs, gazing up at the Pearl's captain on the quarterdeck, where he had been ever since he had taken a dive from the fort at Port Royal and reclaimed his rightful place behind the wheel. He had only given up steering his ship moments earlier, and he now stood leaning on the railing and staring out at the starry sky. The ship seemed to feel Jack's presence. She glided over the waves and today had been the smoothest day of sailing that Ana could remember.
Smiling sadly, she ascended the stairs. Jack had not said a word to he since he'd been back. She hated leaving him in that cave with Barbossa, but she was on a ship of pirates. Pirates lived by a code, and Jack had fallen behind. She had protested, but their course of action had been clear. The ship had sailed without her captain, and Ana was left alone in her cabin to cry for him.
She nodded to Gibbs, who had taken the wheel. He too had been reluctant to leave Jack, but it was bad luck for a pirate to go against the code. Only when she had screamed at the top of her lungs and slapped the hell out of him, had the grizzled pirate agreed to sail for Port Royal in hopes to save Jack. Ana hadn't meant to tell Gibbs that she was in love with the captain. She hadn't meant to let the sailing master see her breaking heart or her tears. She was a pirate, and she was supposed to be strong. But, in the end, she had decided to do whatever was necessary to get the Pearl back to Jack. She owed him that much.
And now, she owed him an explanation.
"Captain?" she said, standing next to him at the rail.
"Jack, luv. Just Jack," he answered softly.
"Jack, I-I, um . . . I just . . . I'm sorry," Ana murmured. She had never been at such a loss for words, but what could she say? She had betrayed him and left him to die at the hands of Barbossa and the Royal Navy.
Jack remained silent.
Tentatively, Ana took his hand in her own and fingered the makeshift bandage that covered the scar on his palm. The wound would heal, but what scars had the past few days left on the pirate's heart?
Looking up, Ana was startled to find Jack's dark eyes fixed on her. He took his hand back from her and brushed a lock of hair from her face. She shivered slightly. "Jack, can you forgive me?"
His hand lingered on her cheek. Wrapping his other arm around her back, he pulled her close. His hand drifted from her cheek to entangle itself in her long hair, and he caught her lips in a passionate kiss. Closing her eyes, Ana melted into her captain. The sounds of the wind in the rigging and the chill of the night air all faded away until all she could feel was the beat of Jack's heart against her chest.
Their lips parted, and the pirate brought his mouth to her ear.
"Forgiven."
Don't forget to leave me a review. Also, if you're as big of a fan of Jack and Ana as I am, check out my longer fics "A Beginning," and it's sequel "Past and Present."