Just an Illusion, by Ortain
Chapter 22 – Rain and Shine
Author's Note: Homework has been killing me lately, sorry I haven't updated sooner. reaches hand out from pile of book and waves.
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When Josephine woke the next morning Jack had already gone onto deck. She got out of bed and went on deck in search of some breakfast.
AnaMaria was sitting on a stool with a bottle of rum and a piece of bread in her hand.
"Rum in the morning eh?" said Josephine in a surprised voice.
"Tis good for the soul." Said AnaMaria. "So..." she continued. "You're staying in Port Royal?"
Josephine froze with a bread knife in one hand. "I don't seem to have much of a choice. How do you know anyway?"
"Captain told me. No offense, but 'twas useless taking you hostage, no payoff. Last time we had a really rich one from somewhere else. Hit off really well with the Captain too." AnaMaria took a drink from her bottle of rum.
"And what happened?" asked Josie.
"The usual, dropped her off where she belonged. Life of a pirate ye know, never get to know anyone really well. And then the next thing ye know they're gone to make friends with someone else richer than you."
"Do you think Jack thinks that's what I'm going to do with him, make off for some Lieutenant?"
"If you asked me? Yes, that's probably what he thinks."
"But he said he'd be back for me, he promised." Josephine frowned.
AnaMaria sighed. "The problem with that is whether you're going to choose him and live a life of risk out in the seas or someone richer and live the rest of your life in luxuries, you have the potential you know, with your father being Jonathan Crown and everything."
Josephine changed the subject and asked AnaMaria about her many adventures at sea. But she wasn't really listening carefully at her speaking. She felt miffed that Jack had hit on every hostage they ever had.
But she didn't know if what AnaMaria said was true. Was she really going to leave Jack for someone like that Commodore Norrington or another Lieutenant. No, of course not, but then again she wasn't too sure anymore.
When AnaMaria had finished babbling about her famous adventures Josephine went up to deck. Jack was steering the ship.
"Come here." He said softly.
He led her up to the wheel and placed her hands on the wheel. He stood behind her and steered the ship with her.
Josephine felt tears come to her eyes. Did she really love this man? Did she want to spend the rest of her life with a pirate on the open seas, risking death and everything else.
She turned around to face him so she was sandwiched between him and the wheel. She placed her hands around his neck and kissed him on the lips.
"Jack..." she whispered "...do you really love me?"
Jack let go of the wheel and put his arms around her waist. "Let me show you what love really means, I'll always love you. Love is the feeling that makes your heart beat faster when the object of your love walks past. Love is the everlasting passion that keeps you awake at night thinking about the object of your love. Love is the feeling of eternal affection for a man or woman. Love is forgetting everything in the world, leaving all your cares behind when you're with the object of your love. Love is the act of being willing to give up anything and everything for the man or woman you love. I love you Josie."
"You actually remember all that?" Josephine was surprised.
"'Course I do, I'll remember everything."
"You don't find it a bit sudden?"
"Love is never sudden."
"You're really not going to leave me? You'll be back?"
"Yes, I promise."
Jack brought Josephine's lips to his and they forgot time and everything else in each other's arms.
(A/N: If this were a movie I think that background music of Heaven by DJ Sammy would be just right for this time)
Jack and Josephine's magical moment was broken when one of the crew members cried "Land ahoy!"
Josephine sat next to the wheel as Jack steered. She watched Port Royal come nearer, she wondered what she would say to her parents when she saw them. She wondered what they would say to her.
Her mind was telling her that she should become the woman her parents wanted her to be, staying in Port Royal like a good little girl, but her heart told her that she wanted to spend the rest of her life by Jack. But then would he want her?
"The lady and I will go ashore." Jack told the crew to anchor the ship just round the bend so no-one noticed the pirate ship.
In a small rowing boat Jack and Josephine made their way towards Port Royal. There was silence between them. Jack tried to break the tension. "I have friends in Port Royal, a blacksmith and his wife, Elizabeth Swann, the governor's daughter."
Josephine turned to face Jack. "I know who she is but we were never really close, I'd talked to her a few times at balls thrown by my father or hers."
They reached the shores of Port Royal, it was noon. "Are you sure no-one will notice you?" asked Josephine worriedly.
"Nah, no one noticed me last time." Jack shrugged.
They made it to Will's blacksmith shop without incident. Will and Elizabeth were both inside and thoroughly surprised to see the two.
"What the hell are you doing here?" said Will looking slightly dazed.
"I thought someone kidnapped you." Said Elizabeth. Josephine smiled and nodded. Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and she and Will both glanced at Jack's hand which was resting lightly on Josephine's.
"Well..." began Jack. "We found that we were just right for each other."
Elizabeth looked impressed.
"Anyway I can't stay all day. I'll be leaving Miss Crowne with you two then. And you can bring her back to her parents. I should have sent them a note before hand." Said Jack standing up.
Josephine frowned. "You told my parents you would be coming?"
Jack nodded, suddenly realizing his mistake. Norrington's men could be waiting just outside.
"Stay for a while." Said Will. Elizabeth started to say something but was interrupted by a loud banging on the door.
"The back door." Hissed Will. Josephine and Jack exited.
Josephine threw her arms around Jack and the two clung onto each other as if it were the last time, which it jolly well could be. "Don't worry about your parents, it's just an illusion, all there is, is me and you."
Jack kissed Josephine. They were both so caught up in each other that they did not realize that Will and Elizabeth's attempts to stop the marines from going out the back door were failing.
Josephine broke away first. "I love you Jack." She whispered.
"I love you too." He replied.
"Step away from the girl." Came a harsh voice out of nowhere. Jack loosened his grip on Josephine but she held on. Jack found a sword pressed against his neck and someone pulled him backwards, away from Josephine.
Josephine grabbed his arm and pulled him back towards her, the redcoat who had a hold on Jack tugged on his other arm.
"There's no need to be afraid Miss Crowne, the pirate's under our control." Came Norrington's icy voice. Josephine let go of Jack so him and the redcoat went flying backwards. She smacked Norrington's face.
"Keep your comments to yourself, asswipe." She snapped.
"Josephine, enough of that terrible language." Josephine realized for the first time that her father there.
Jack untangled himself and stood up. He shrugged. "She learnt it herself, don't blame me." Josephine gave him a dirty look and he shut up immediately. She took a deep breath.
Jack was seized by another unfortunate redcoat who was punched in the nose by Josephine.
"What the blazes is going on Josephine?" Asked her father. "There's no need to be afraid of the pirate you know."
"Oh look," said Josephine sarcastically "You're here, I wonder where you've been all this time you were kidnapped. Drinking rum in the cellar have you been? Or planning to marry me off to some husband?"
"Shush." Hissed Jonathan Crowne. "You're embarrassing me. Come with me." And with that he dragged her away from the circle of redcoats that were forming around her and Jack.
"Jack...mmmmm." Josephine tried to fight back but was dragged away with her father's hand clamped firmly over her mouth.
Jack was left alone. "I don't know what you did to that young lady but it certainly didn't seem good. But you," said Norrington savoring the feeling of victory. "Are going to pay the price for all you've done. And there's no escaping this time."
"There always is." Jack gave Norrington a charming smile.
"Clap him in irons Gillette. And be careful." Norrington ordered.
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Josephine was dragged home by her father and one of his followers. It wasn't 'till she was in front of her mother did she have a chance to talk.
"Glad to see you're back Josie." Said her mother sweeping down on her and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "We've missed you. And don't worry about the pirate, he'll be taken care of."
Josephine felt the anger build up inside her until she could almost explode but she needed to keep her temper, for now.
"Mother," she said in her sweetest voice. "I've missed you too, but the pirate, he was really nice to me and maybe we could keep him from the gallows and just ban him from Port Royal or something."
"She's been like that, god knows what that pirate did to her brain, addled it. She's almost on his side now." Said Jonathan Crowne quietly to his wife.
Mrs. Crowne laughed, "You've got to be joking. That pirate's caused enough trouble before, he's got to go. Dirty, stinking thing."
"He smells better than you." Mutter Josephine before adding. "But Mother, please? He's really nice and care a lot about me. He brought me back without you needing to pay a single shilling from your precious savings."
"The pirate sent us awful ransom notes, I was so worried about you." Said Josephine's mother.
"Well if you were so bloody worried why didn't you pay ransom?" demanded Josephine.
"Language, language." Josephine's mother looked at her disapprovingly. "Well you've been through a terrible ordeal, I think it's bed rest for you now."
Josephine lost her temper. "If you think you care so much about me, why didn't you pay a single penny of ransom, you would have gotten me back immediately. No, you chose to leave me, money was more important to you than I was. If you had sent a search party or something you would have found the ship immediately, she was just floating offshore."
"Don't you talk to your mother like that. Upstairs you go." Said Jonathan Crowne attempting to lead her upstairs.
Josephine batted away his hand. "Jack Sparrow's been loads nicer to me than you two have, he loves me, a trait that you two are incapable of."
Mrs. Crowne chuckled "A pirate? Love? You've got to be joking, anyway my father and I do love you. We certainly care about your welfare more than Jack Sparrow did."
"You only care about your own bloody asses, your reputation is so much more important to you than your daughter is. You're so discriminating, just because he's a pirate it doesn't mean he has the emotion range of a teaspoon." (A/N: quote from Harry Potter XD) "He loves me and I love him to. I've made up my mind, I'm going out to sea with him. I don't give a bloody shit about what you think."
Josephine's parent were certainly shocked. Josephine's father was first to recover. "You...will...not...do...such a thing." He pulled Josephine kicking and screaming off to her room and locked her in.
She pounded on the her side of the door with her fists as if she was four years old. "LET ME OUT." She yelled. Nobody paid any attention to her.
After a while Josephine was quiet. She had to formulate a plan to get Jack out of prison. She started to write it down, one copy for Will and one for Elizabeth...
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Extra long chapter, five pages on word. Please please review, they mean a lot to me. XD The story's almost over, afterwards I plan to write something else, maybe not POTC though.
Ortain
Chapter 22 – Rain and Shine
Author's Note: Homework has been killing me lately, sorry I haven't updated sooner. reaches hand out from pile of book and waves.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%
When Josephine woke the next morning Jack had already gone onto deck. She got out of bed and went on deck in search of some breakfast.
AnaMaria was sitting on a stool with a bottle of rum and a piece of bread in her hand.
"Rum in the morning eh?" said Josephine in a surprised voice.
"Tis good for the soul." Said AnaMaria. "So..." she continued. "You're staying in Port Royal?"
Josephine froze with a bread knife in one hand. "I don't seem to have much of a choice. How do you know anyway?"
"Captain told me. No offense, but 'twas useless taking you hostage, no payoff. Last time we had a really rich one from somewhere else. Hit off really well with the Captain too." AnaMaria took a drink from her bottle of rum.
"And what happened?" asked Josie.
"The usual, dropped her off where she belonged. Life of a pirate ye know, never get to know anyone really well. And then the next thing ye know they're gone to make friends with someone else richer than you."
"Do you think Jack thinks that's what I'm going to do with him, make off for some Lieutenant?"
"If you asked me? Yes, that's probably what he thinks."
"But he said he'd be back for me, he promised." Josephine frowned.
AnaMaria sighed. "The problem with that is whether you're going to choose him and live a life of risk out in the seas or someone richer and live the rest of your life in luxuries, you have the potential you know, with your father being Jonathan Crown and everything."
Josephine changed the subject and asked AnaMaria about her many adventures at sea. But she wasn't really listening carefully at her speaking. She felt miffed that Jack had hit on every hostage they ever had.
But she didn't know if what AnaMaria said was true. Was she really going to leave Jack for someone like that Commodore Norrington or another Lieutenant. No, of course not, but then again she wasn't too sure anymore.
When AnaMaria had finished babbling about her famous adventures Josephine went up to deck. Jack was steering the ship.
"Come here." He said softly.
He led her up to the wheel and placed her hands on the wheel. He stood behind her and steered the ship with her.
Josephine felt tears come to her eyes. Did she really love this man? Did she want to spend the rest of her life with a pirate on the open seas, risking death and everything else.
She turned around to face him so she was sandwiched between him and the wheel. She placed her hands around his neck and kissed him on the lips.
"Jack..." she whispered "...do you really love me?"
Jack let go of the wheel and put his arms around her waist. "Let me show you what love really means, I'll always love you. Love is the feeling that makes your heart beat faster when the object of your love walks past. Love is the everlasting passion that keeps you awake at night thinking about the object of your love. Love is the feeling of eternal affection for a man or woman. Love is forgetting everything in the world, leaving all your cares behind when you're with the object of your love. Love is the act of being willing to give up anything and everything for the man or woman you love. I love you Josie."
"You actually remember all that?" Josephine was surprised.
"'Course I do, I'll remember everything."
"You don't find it a bit sudden?"
"Love is never sudden."
"You're really not going to leave me? You'll be back?"
"Yes, I promise."
Jack brought Josephine's lips to his and they forgot time and everything else in each other's arms.
(A/N: If this were a movie I think that background music of Heaven by DJ Sammy would be just right for this time)
Jack and Josephine's magical moment was broken when one of the crew members cried "Land ahoy!"
Josephine sat next to the wheel as Jack steered. She watched Port Royal come nearer, she wondered what she would say to her parents when she saw them. She wondered what they would say to her.
Her mind was telling her that she should become the woman her parents wanted her to be, staying in Port Royal like a good little girl, but her heart told her that she wanted to spend the rest of her life by Jack. But then would he want her?
"The lady and I will go ashore." Jack told the crew to anchor the ship just round the bend so no-one noticed the pirate ship.
In a small rowing boat Jack and Josephine made their way towards Port Royal. There was silence between them. Jack tried to break the tension. "I have friends in Port Royal, a blacksmith and his wife, Elizabeth Swann, the governor's daughter."
Josephine turned to face Jack. "I know who she is but we were never really close, I'd talked to her a few times at balls thrown by my father or hers."
They reached the shores of Port Royal, it was noon. "Are you sure no-one will notice you?" asked Josephine worriedly.
"Nah, no one noticed me last time." Jack shrugged.
They made it to Will's blacksmith shop without incident. Will and Elizabeth were both inside and thoroughly surprised to see the two.
"What the hell are you doing here?" said Will looking slightly dazed.
"I thought someone kidnapped you." Said Elizabeth. Josephine smiled and nodded. Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and she and Will both glanced at Jack's hand which was resting lightly on Josephine's.
"Well..." began Jack. "We found that we were just right for each other."
Elizabeth looked impressed.
"Anyway I can't stay all day. I'll be leaving Miss Crowne with you two then. And you can bring her back to her parents. I should have sent them a note before hand." Said Jack standing up.
Josephine frowned. "You told my parents you would be coming?"
Jack nodded, suddenly realizing his mistake. Norrington's men could be waiting just outside.
"Stay for a while." Said Will. Elizabeth started to say something but was interrupted by a loud banging on the door.
"The back door." Hissed Will. Josephine and Jack exited.
Josephine threw her arms around Jack and the two clung onto each other as if it were the last time, which it jolly well could be. "Don't worry about your parents, it's just an illusion, all there is, is me and you."
Jack kissed Josephine. They were both so caught up in each other that they did not realize that Will and Elizabeth's attempts to stop the marines from going out the back door were failing.
Josephine broke away first. "I love you Jack." She whispered.
"I love you too." He replied.
"Step away from the girl." Came a harsh voice out of nowhere. Jack loosened his grip on Josephine but she held on. Jack found a sword pressed against his neck and someone pulled him backwards, away from Josephine.
Josephine grabbed his arm and pulled him back towards her, the redcoat who had a hold on Jack tugged on his other arm.
"There's no need to be afraid Miss Crowne, the pirate's under our control." Came Norrington's icy voice. Josephine let go of Jack so him and the redcoat went flying backwards. She smacked Norrington's face.
"Keep your comments to yourself, asswipe." She snapped.
"Josephine, enough of that terrible language." Josephine realized for the first time that her father there.
Jack untangled himself and stood up. He shrugged. "She learnt it herself, don't blame me." Josephine gave him a dirty look and he shut up immediately. She took a deep breath.
Jack was seized by another unfortunate redcoat who was punched in the nose by Josephine.
"What the blazes is going on Josephine?" Asked her father. "There's no need to be afraid of the pirate you know."
"Oh look," said Josephine sarcastically "You're here, I wonder where you've been all this time you were kidnapped. Drinking rum in the cellar have you been? Or planning to marry me off to some husband?"
"Shush." Hissed Jonathan Crowne. "You're embarrassing me. Come with me." And with that he dragged her away from the circle of redcoats that were forming around her and Jack.
"Jack...mmmmm." Josephine tried to fight back but was dragged away with her father's hand clamped firmly over her mouth.
Jack was left alone. "I don't know what you did to that young lady but it certainly didn't seem good. But you," said Norrington savoring the feeling of victory. "Are going to pay the price for all you've done. And there's no escaping this time."
"There always is." Jack gave Norrington a charming smile.
"Clap him in irons Gillette. And be careful." Norrington ordered.
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Josephine was dragged home by her father and one of his followers. It wasn't 'till she was in front of her mother did she have a chance to talk.
"Glad to see you're back Josie." Said her mother sweeping down on her and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "We've missed you. And don't worry about the pirate, he'll be taken care of."
Josephine felt the anger build up inside her until she could almost explode but she needed to keep her temper, for now.
"Mother," she said in her sweetest voice. "I've missed you too, but the pirate, he was really nice to me and maybe we could keep him from the gallows and just ban him from Port Royal or something."
"She's been like that, god knows what that pirate did to her brain, addled it. She's almost on his side now." Said Jonathan Crowne quietly to his wife.
Mrs. Crowne laughed, "You've got to be joking. That pirate's caused enough trouble before, he's got to go. Dirty, stinking thing."
"He smells better than you." Mutter Josephine before adding. "But Mother, please? He's really nice and care a lot about me. He brought me back without you needing to pay a single shilling from your precious savings."
"The pirate sent us awful ransom notes, I was so worried about you." Said Josephine's mother.
"Well if you were so bloody worried why didn't you pay ransom?" demanded Josephine.
"Language, language." Josephine's mother looked at her disapprovingly. "Well you've been through a terrible ordeal, I think it's bed rest for you now."
Josephine lost her temper. "If you think you care so much about me, why didn't you pay a single penny of ransom, you would have gotten me back immediately. No, you chose to leave me, money was more important to you than I was. If you had sent a search party or something you would have found the ship immediately, she was just floating offshore."
"Don't you talk to your mother like that. Upstairs you go." Said Jonathan Crowne attempting to lead her upstairs.
Josephine batted away his hand. "Jack Sparrow's been loads nicer to me than you two have, he loves me, a trait that you two are incapable of."
Mrs. Crowne chuckled "A pirate? Love? You've got to be joking, anyway my father and I do love you. We certainly care about your welfare more than Jack Sparrow did."
"You only care about your own bloody asses, your reputation is so much more important to you than your daughter is. You're so discriminating, just because he's a pirate it doesn't mean he has the emotion range of a teaspoon." (A/N: quote from Harry Potter XD) "He loves me and I love him to. I've made up my mind, I'm going out to sea with him. I don't give a bloody shit about what you think."
Josephine's parent were certainly shocked. Josephine's father was first to recover. "You...will...not...do...such a thing." He pulled Josephine kicking and screaming off to her room and locked her in.
She pounded on the her side of the door with her fists as if she was four years old. "LET ME OUT." She yelled. Nobody paid any attention to her.
After a while Josephine was quiet. She had to formulate a plan to get Jack out of prison. She started to write it down, one copy for Will and one for Elizabeth...
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Extra long chapter, five pages on word. Please please review, they mean a lot to me. XD The story's almost over, afterwards I plan to write something else, maybe not POTC though.
Ortain