Author's Note-
I can't believe that another week has passed! Time flies when you're having fun, I suppose...Anywho, I announced in the last chapter that we were sadly reaching the end of the fic. Well, today, I am happy to announce that there will be a sequel! That's right, a sequel. My plan is to have this story finished up in...probably three chapters. I'm not entirely sure, but I'll keep you posted, I swear. So, the story will be finished by June 27th...I leave for a month on the 28th and I will begin posting the sequel in early August. Okay, so now, all the murderous droves that have been itching to kill me will have to wait a bit...I see you there with the knives and torches, ready to demand more of my story...(I've been sick, medicine makes me go really loopy...just go with it.) So, all you who demanded, begged, pleaded or asked for a sequel should be placated...I hope. Well, on with the thanks and then the chapter! Yay!
-A-
Author Thanks-
Anaknusan - Thanks for the review! No worries about the parents...they get over things pretty quick, usually. You'll have to see...I promise its all revealed in this chapter. I hope the announcement of a sequel brightened your mood! Enjoy!
Depprulz - Thanks! Yeah, I know that I wouldn't instantly offer up my home to someone...even if it was a friend of a friend. Hope you like the chapter!
Tennis Taters - Thanks for the review! Jack and Elizabeth up to something...wait and see...Enjoy!
RK9 - Thanks mate! Enjoy!
Zubachickqt4u - Thanks for the review! Three days?! I'm not talking to you any more...just kidding...I only have three days now...but its three days of finals...gag me with a spork...anywho, enjoy!
Jeeves Swineford - Thanks! I think you have a life...my story is an excellent way to spend time...I was actually dabbling with the idea of writing another story for a while but I woke up one morning and got the idea for the sequel so that other idea is on the back-burner for the time being...but trust me, you'll like it. Enjoy!
AJ-Sparrow - Thanks for the review! Sorry to make you sad...but you won't be disappointed, trust me. Enjoy!
Piper8188 - Thanks! You'll get the answers to most of your questions in this chapter and all by the end of the fic, trust me. Enjoy!
Inu Lover - Thanks! Yes, I caught the hint! lol. Enjoy!
TriGemini - Thanks for the review! You'll see more clearly at the end of the chapter, I promise! Enjoy!
deppster34 - Thanks! You won't be disappointed by the ending, I swear. Enjoy!
-A-
What's in a Name?
Last Time:
The way she said tomorrow made me wonder what was going on. First Jack, now Elizabeth ... I was definitely starting to doubt. "I would appreciate that greatly."
-A-
What's in a Name?
Chapter 26: You're What?!
The evening passed quickly. Elizabeth sent one of the servant boys with a note to Victoria saying that I was in Port Royale and was wanting to catch up on some things with me. It was returned with a response shortly thereafter. I could tell from her handwriting that it had been scrawled quickly.
'Dearest Christina-
I must admit that I was utterly shocked when I received the note. I can't believe that you are alive, the town heard about the ship and I assumed, along with everybody in Port Royale, that you had been killed. I simply can't wait to see you. You must come over for tea tomorrow. I hope to see you at four.
Yours truly,
Victoria Evans'
I looked up from the note and grinned wildly. "Could someone tell me how to get to Victoria's home? I've been invited for tea ... "
Elizabeth nudged Will hard in the chest and coughed. "I'm sure that Will would be more than willing to accompany you, Christina, won't you Will?"
Will glanced at his wife, caught her fierce stare and nodded.
I grinned once more and waved the note towards Jack. "I get to see Victoria," I chirped.
Jack laughed. "Just don't divulge the father of that babe o' yours, Christy, otherwise I may end up being followed to the ends of the earth accused of raping a citizen of the crown."
I nodded and said very seriously, "No, I was planning on saying exactly who you are, what crimes you've been accused of, where you are down to the room and what you are wearing. Be serious, Jack, I'm not stupid."
"Just watch what ye say, love, savvy?"
Will and Elizabeth bade us an early goodnight and withdrew into their own room. I stayed down in the sitting room with Jack. I had intended on asking him what was the problem but I hadn't managed the nerve to do so yet. Deep down, I think I knew what was coming, even though I couldn't bring myself to admit it to myself.
After quite a long time of sitting in silence, Jack took my hand in his and looked deeply into my eyes. I felt tears rise behind them and I looked away in shame.
Gently, though, he reached for my face with his free hand and brought y gaze back to his, keeping my eyes looked on his, as though there was a line connecting us. "Love ... "
I shook my head. "Don't ... don't say what you're going to."
"Christy, I'm going to have to leave tomorrow. Will told me that the Navy has been steadily increasing security since the attack on the city three years ago. I can't put my crew in that danger. We are setting sails at morning tide."
A solitary tear traced its way down my cheek. "I don't want you to go," I whispered as my heart throbbed painfully in my chest.
"I know, love. I don't want to leave you either. But for the moment we have to focus on sticking to what we have to do. Me, I need to keep my crew safe and you need to keep yourself out of trouble and stay healthy."
Another tear fell and Jack raised his hand to catch it slowly.
"I don't want to be alone ... " I said in a bare whisper of a voice.
Jack squeezed my hand reassuringly and said, "I'll be back before you give birth. I'll swear to it. I WILL see you in two months, three months, tops. Then, we'll have time to figure things out from there."
I sniffed. "I'll hold you to that, Sparrow."
"You would, love."
"Well, I do and I will be sorely disappointed in you if you give me cause to doubt your ... "
But a pair of warm lips being pressed against my own cut off my argument.
"I don't want to lose you," I said when we finally pulled apart. I leaned over and rested my head on his chest.
Soothingly, he ran his hand over the top of my head and through my hair, calming away my fears. "You won't."
The way that he said it, so confidently, so self-assured that everything would turn out right, made me want to believe it whole-heartedly ... but I must confess that I had doubts. Perhaps it was instinct, perhaps it was a panic that I had no control over but it was there, itching under my skin. I grabbed onto his hand and held it over his own heart and then over my own. "This is what matters," I whispered before I clutched the fabric at the V of his shirt. A few tears continued to fall from my eyes and I put my face in Jack's shirt and breathed deeply, to ingrain his own scent into my memory.
Sometime not much later, I fell asleep. I didn't wake when Jack carried me up to my bed. I didn't wake when he laid me down in the bed and stayed beside me until morning. But I did wake when my hand was gently pried from his shirt and the bed adjusted as he shifted to get up.
"Don't leave," I whispered without opening my eyes as I grabbed back onto his shirt and held tightly.
Jack grabbed my hand gently and opened my fingers slowly, so he could remove his shirt from my vice-like grip.
Opening my eyes just a bit, I saw him sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I have to go, love."
"Take me with you." I propped myself up on my elbow to watch him more intently.
Jack laughed slightly. "Do you remember our agreement? From when we first met?"
I nodded mutely.
"I told ye that when this was over, I would leave ye in Port Royale. And this is what I'm doing now. It's not permanent unless you decide that's what you want it to be. I left money in the drawer and more with Will and Elizabeth in case you should need it. Its a small fortune ... but it should be more than enough to make it comfortably for the next two months ... Lizzie said that you'll be getting quite large and will need new clothes rather often ... But there's more than enough. Will and Liz are going to look after you while I'm away."
I nodded once more. "I don't think that I've ever told you ... but thank you for always looking out for me."
I sat fully up and rubbed the last vestiges of sleep from my eyes.
Jack grabbed onto my hand, "Love, it just so happens that I enjoyed looking out for you. I happen to be quite fond of you ... even during your.... shall we say, lesser moments. And even though I am a pirate, I still take care of those around me ... especially those I love."
I smiled over at the man who I once had hated with a passion and now loved. It was funny how things worked out sometimes.
-A-
It took half an hour for us to emerge from the room. Neither of us had much desire to move, knowing all too well that once we did so, there would be no turning back
Breakfast was a virtually silent affair. The only words exchanged dealt with passing food and other such formalities.
All too soon, I was back in Jack's room, watching him throw items haphazardly into a sack on the bed. I swallowed deeply as I watched him packing. I looked down at my hands, which I had wrung numerous times and thought that I ought to give him something.
Quickly, I ran back to my room and dumped my small bag of belongings onto the bed. I did an exceptionally quick inventory of my affects and decided after much deliberation, that there wasn't much to give. The only things of any actual value were two rings that I had hidden my first day on the Pearl. That day all those months ago seemed so far away that I couldn't believe that they occurred within the last lifetime, not to mention the last year. My mother had given the rings to me when I was a child and I never even thought about them after I hid them. It was when I had torn apart Jack's cabin looking for my belongings that had mysteriously spread themselves out in the room that I found them once more. Fingering the cold metal of them, I remembered quite clearly when I had hidden them, it was when I cleaned out Jack's cabin and hid his rum that I took the advantage to stash them away.
I hurried back to the room and just as I entered, Jack was closing the drawstring to the small sack. I don't think he noticed that I had even left. I walked up behind him and tapped him silently on the shoulder. He turned and I took his hand in both of mine and put the ring in his hand.
"What's this, love?"
"Open your hand."
He did.
"My mum gave it to me when I was younger. I hid it when we met. I was terribly afraid of you and afraid that you were going to take it from me. Since it was all that I had of her's at the time, I hid it in your rum cabinet in the back ... figuring that you would be too occupied with your spirits to notice it."
"Love, you should keep it, you know. I remember how important yer mum was to ye. Keep it. Ye don't have much to remember her by. Treasure what you have."
I brought my hand up to his face and traced it slowly down his jawline. "I want you to remember me too. I don't want to be just another girl in port that you got pregnant and then forgot about after a month or so."
Jack brought his hands up to both sides of my face and pulled me into a fiercely passionate kiss. When we pulled apart, he ran his thumbs over my cheekbones, "I will never forget you, love."
I stared up into his eyes and saw the truth looking back at me. I took a knife from Jack's bag without a word and grabbed a small section of my hair. I raised the knife and cut off several inches of the strands before I grabbed Jack's right wrist and wrapped the strands around his wrist, carefully knotting them several times. "There, now you're stuck with a part of me," I said firmly, as though that settled the entire matter.
Jack laughed lowly and fingered the shorter section playfully. "Interesting ... you know that you must be the oddest person to say goodbye to that I've ever had the distinct pleasure of meeting."
"I'll take that as a compliment, coming from you ... " I laughed. "But promise me that you will, indeed, be back when you say you will be. Otherwise, Captain Sparrow, I will have to come track you down after stealing ... I mean commandeering a ship, forcing a crew to help a twenty- one-year-old angry woman with baby in tow and find you, no matter what desolate whole on the face of the Earth you're hiding in. Savvy?"
"Aye, miss," he said seriously, flicking my chin with his thumb.
Just then, Will stuck his head into the room. "Jack ... "
I turned my head away sharply, not wanting him to see the tears that glistened in my eyes.
"A minute o' privacy, whelp," Jack barked.
The door snapped shut almost immediately.
"It's time, love."
I shook my head. "Don't ... "
"I have to. The Pearl waits and if I don't go, then Gibbs would take control and that in itself would be a bloody disaster."
"Well, I' walking down with you and don't even try to argue. Colin still has Chaton and if I don't get her back soon, she'll forget who her mistress is and I can't have that. Plus, I think she'll manage to keep me from going absolutely mad while you're away. And I do believe that I should have the right to see the man I love off. Don't I?"
Jack nodded, grabbed his small sack of belongings in one hand and put his other at the small of my back. "Come on, love."
We left the room and made our way out of the house. Will and Elizabeth who had been waiting for us outside the parlour, followed close behind.
When the four of us made it down to the beach, I saw the Pearl floating majestically out to see a ways. A rowboat was beached, waiting for Jack to re-board his ship. Gibbs and Colin were waiting as we approached and I heard the familiar squeaking of my lemur.
While Jack was saying his good-byes to Will and Elizabeth, I walked over to the rowboat and greeted Gibbs and Colin before reaching out for my lemur. Fortunately, my fears of her forgetting who her mistress was were in vain and she scurried up onto her usual place on my shoulder. She had grown in the months since I had seen her last ...
"Colin, thank you for keeping her for me," I said without missing a beat. "I really appreciate it and hope that it wasn't too much of an inconvenience."
Colin nodded and gave me a brief hug. "Not a problem, lassie. But I don't think that I'm the one ye should be focusin' on right now," he reminded in my ear.
I pulled away and turned to see Will and Jack embracing in a friendly hug before shaking hands one final time. I nodded to Colin and then made my way back to Jack.
Upon my arrival, Elizabeth pulled Will over to her and together they walked up the beach a bit, to give us privacy.
I stood in front of Jack, feeling as if I had already lost him. Chaton jumped off my arm and I closed my eyes briefly, praying for strength before I looked back up at him.
"Two months?" I asked hesitantly.
"Three at the most ... "
"Cap'n, we be runnin' outta time, sir," Gibbs called.
I closed my eyes once more, "I guess this is it," I whispered and before I could open them, Jack had pulled me into the most passionate kiss of my life. My head spinning, I held as tightly to him as possible, trying to find an anchor.
"Cap'n. Tide's fast approaching," Gibbs reminded.
Slowly, Jack broke our kiss. "Keep outta trouble, love."
I nodded, staring straight into his eyes. "I love you ... "
Jack removed my arms from his neck, kissed me one final time briefly and said, "And I you, darling."
And with that, he turned and started walking away.
I ran after him and grabbed onto his arm, desperate to keep him with me.
"No, Christina," he said sternly. "Your place is here ... Will?"
Will came over behind me and grasped my shoulders gently as Jack got into the boat.
The rowboat shoved off. Jack stood every bit the image of the fierce pirate captain as Colin and Gibbs rowed away.
I fought to get free of Will's grip but a lifetime as a blacksmith had built strong muscles and all my attempts were in vain.
The rowboat was soon at the Pearl and just as quickly pulled up. I saw Jack step off and heard him shout the order to raise anchor.
Tears streamed freely down my face as I watched the Black Pearl and Jack sail into the horizon.
I sunk down in the sand, no longer trying to break free of Will's grasp, and cried. I felt Will leave his post behind me and heard, from the rustling of skirts, Elizabeth approach and sit beside me. She stayed with me for a long time while I cried.
When I got my composure and my tears had dried onto my face, I looked up and saw a tiny black spot on the horizon. Sniffing slightly, I wiped my eyes with renewed vigor and stood up. With little else to do, I watched silently as the black dot shrunk further until finally disappearing.
With it fully gone, I looked over at Will and Elizabeth, standing a ways away from me up the beach. They stood arm in arm, looking peaceful as they watched the horizon.
-A-
Author's Note-
Okay, satisfactory? Review!
I don't know when exactly I'll be updating next...this week is going to be pretty interesting for me. I have my final exams this week and anyone who is really wanting to offer a kindness to an author (hint hint - me) can sign up to take one of my days worth of finals...its not a big deal really...just AP English 11, AP American History and PE on Tuesday, Honours Physics and Pre-Calculas on Wednesday, and French 3 and Wind Ensemble on Thursday. So, honestly, if any of you want to take them for me...I'd be eternally grateful...sorry...got a bit of test anxiety starting...it doesn't help that I've missed the two days before finals...evil sickness...grr...
So, I'll probably be updating next weekend, as usual, unless I have a major nervous break down or something...and its not entirely impossible, either...But at the latest the chapter would be up by the middle of the following week.
With that aside, I have to go study my arse off and then finish my English paper revisions, take a history test that got sent home with my mum and then...I'm not sure what...probably study some more and then sleep...
So, REVIEW!
And check out Pirates of the Caribbean: The Aftermath...bloody brilliant story if I do say so myself, written by WeasleyGirl and yours truly...it needs love, people.
Well that's about all for now. Have a great week!
Mange Klemmar
CrazyCanoeingGIT
I can't believe that another week has passed! Time flies when you're having fun, I suppose...Anywho, I announced in the last chapter that we were sadly reaching the end of the fic. Well, today, I am happy to announce that there will be a sequel! That's right, a sequel. My plan is to have this story finished up in...probably three chapters. I'm not entirely sure, but I'll keep you posted, I swear. So, the story will be finished by June 27th...I leave for a month on the 28th and I will begin posting the sequel in early August. Okay, so now, all the murderous droves that have been itching to kill me will have to wait a bit...I see you there with the knives and torches, ready to demand more of my story...(I've been sick, medicine makes me go really loopy...just go with it.) So, all you who demanded, begged, pleaded or asked for a sequel should be placated...I hope. Well, on with the thanks and then the chapter! Yay!
-A-
Author Thanks-
Anaknusan - Thanks for the review! No worries about the parents...they get over things pretty quick, usually. You'll have to see...I promise its all revealed in this chapter. I hope the announcement of a sequel brightened your mood! Enjoy!
Depprulz - Thanks! Yeah, I know that I wouldn't instantly offer up my home to someone...even if it was a friend of a friend. Hope you like the chapter!
Tennis Taters - Thanks for the review! Jack and Elizabeth up to something...wait and see...Enjoy!
RK9 - Thanks mate! Enjoy!
Zubachickqt4u - Thanks for the review! Three days?! I'm not talking to you any more...just kidding...I only have three days now...but its three days of finals...gag me with a spork...anywho, enjoy!
Jeeves Swineford - Thanks! I think you have a life...my story is an excellent way to spend time...I was actually dabbling with the idea of writing another story for a while but I woke up one morning and got the idea for the sequel so that other idea is on the back-burner for the time being...but trust me, you'll like it. Enjoy!
AJ-Sparrow - Thanks for the review! Sorry to make you sad...but you won't be disappointed, trust me. Enjoy!
Piper8188 - Thanks! You'll get the answers to most of your questions in this chapter and all by the end of the fic, trust me. Enjoy!
Inu Lover - Thanks! Yes, I caught the hint! lol. Enjoy!
TriGemini - Thanks for the review! You'll see more clearly at the end of the chapter, I promise! Enjoy!
deppster34 - Thanks! You won't be disappointed by the ending, I swear. Enjoy!
-A-
What's in a Name?
Last Time:
The way she said tomorrow made me wonder what was going on. First Jack, now Elizabeth ... I was definitely starting to doubt. "I would appreciate that greatly."
-A-
What's in a Name?
Chapter 26: You're What?!
The evening passed quickly. Elizabeth sent one of the servant boys with a note to Victoria saying that I was in Port Royale and was wanting to catch up on some things with me. It was returned with a response shortly thereafter. I could tell from her handwriting that it had been scrawled quickly.
'Dearest Christina-
I must admit that I was utterly shocked when I received the note. I can't believe that you are alive, the town heard about the ship and I assumed, along with everybody in Port Royale, that you had been killed. I simply can't wait to see you. You must come over for tea tomorrow. I hope to see you at four.
Yours truly,
Victoria Evans'
I looked up from the note and grinned wildly. "Could someone tell me how to get to Victoria's home? I've been invited for tea ... "
Elizabeth nudged Will hard in the chest and coughed. "I'm sure that Will would be more than willing to accompany you, Christina, won't you Will?"
Will glanced at his wife, caught her fierce stare and nodded.
I grinned once more and waved the note towards Jack. "I get to see Victoria," I chirped.
Jack laughed. "Just don't divulge the father of that babe o' yours, Christy, otherwise I may end up being followed to the ends of the earth accused of raping a citizen of the crown."
I nodded and said very seriously, "No, I was planning on saying exactly who you are, what crimes you've been accused of, where you are down to the room and what you are wearing. Be serious, Jack, I'm not stupid."
"Just watch what ye say, love, savvy?"
Will and Elizabeth bade us an early goodnight and withdrew into their own room. I stayed down in the sitting room with Jack. I had intended on asking him what was the problem but I hadn't managed the nerve to do so yet. Deep down, I think I knew what was coming, even though I couldn't bring myself to admit it to myself.
After quite a long time of sitting in silence, Jack took my hand in his and looked deeply into my eyes. I felt tears rise behind them and I looked away in shame.
Gently, though, he reached for my face with his free hand and brought y gaze back to his, keeping my eyes looked on his, as though there was a line connecting us. "Love ... "
I shook my head. "Don't ... don't say what you're going to."
"Christy, I'm going to have to leave tomorrow. Will told me that the Navy has been steadily increasing security since the attack on the city three years ago. I can't put my crew in that danger. We are setting sails at morning tide."
A solitary tear traced its way down my cheek. "I don't want you to go," I whispered as my heart throbbed painfully in my chest.
"I know, love. I don't want to leave you either. But for the moment we have to focus on sticking to what we have to do. Me, I need to keep my crew safe and you need to keep yourself out of trouble and stay healthy."
Another tear fell and Jack raised his hand to catch it slowly.
"I don't want to be alone ... " I said in a bare whisper of a voice.
Jack squeezed my hand reassuringly and said, "I'll be back before you give birth. I'll swear to it. I WILL see you in two months, three months, tops. Then, we'll have time to figure things out from there."
I sniffed. "I'll hold you to that, Sparrow."
"You would, love."
"Well, I do and I will be sorely disappointed in you if you give me cause to doubt your ... "
But a pair of warm lips being pressed against my own cut off my argument.
"I don't want to lose you," I said when we finally pulled apart. I leaned over and rested my head on his chest.
Soothingly, he ran his hand over the top of my head and through my hair, calming away my fears. "You won't."
The way that he said it, so confidently, so self-assured that everything would turn out right, made me want to believe it whole-heartedly ... but I must confess that I had doubts. Perhaps it was instinct, perhaps it was a panic that I had no control over but it was there, itching under my skin. I grabbed onto his hand and held it over his own heart and then over my own. "This is what matters," I whispered before I clutched the fabric at the V of his shirt. A few tears continued to fall from my eyes and I put my face in Jack's shirt and breathed deeply, to ingrain his own scent into my memory.
Sometime not much later, I fell asleep. I didn't wake when Jack carried me up to my bed. I didn't wake when he laid me down in the bed and stayed beside me until morning. But I did wake when my hand was gently pried from his shirt and the bed adjusted as he shifted to get up.
"Don't leave," I whispered without opening my eyes as I grabbed back onto his shirt and held tightly.
Jack grabbed my hand gently and opened my fingers slowly, so he could remove his shirt from my vice-like grip.
Opening my eyes just a bit, I saw him sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I have to go, love."
"Take me with you." I propped myself up on my elbow to watch him more intently.
Jack laughed slightly. "Do you remember our agreement? From when we first met?"
I nodded mutely.
"I told ye that when this was over, I would leave ye in Port Royale. And this is what I'm doing now. It's not permanent unless you decide that's what you want it to be. I left money in the drawer and more with Will and Elizabeth in case you should need it. Its a small fortune ... but it should be more than enough to make it comfortably for the next two months ... Lizzie said that you'll be getting quite large and will need new clothes rather often ... But there's more than enough. Will and Liz are going to look after you while I'm away."
I nodded once more. "I don't think that I've ever told you ... but thank you for always looking out for me."
I sat fully up and rubbed the last vestiges of sleep from my eyes.
Jack grabbed onto my hand, "Love, it just so happens that I enjoyed looking out for you. I happen to be quite fond of you ... even during your.... shall we say, lesser moments. And even though I am a pirate, I still take care of those around me ... especially those I love."
I smiled over at the man who I once had hated with a passion and now loved. It was funny how things worked out sometimes.
-A-
It took half an hour for us to emerge from the room. Neither of us had much desire to move, knowing all too well that once we did so, there would be no turning back
Breakfast was a virtually silent affair. The only words exchanged dealt with passing food and other such formalities.
All too soon, I was back in Jack's room, watching him throw items haphazardly into a sack on the bed. I swallowed deeply as I watched him packing. I looked down at my hands, which I had wrung numerous times and thought that I ought to give him something.
Quickly, I ran back to my room and dumped my small bag of belongings onto the bed. I did an exceptionally quick inventory of my affects and decided after much deliberation, that there wasn't much to give. The only things of any actual value were two rings that I had hidden my first day on the Pearl. That day all those months ago seemed so far away that I couldn't believe that they occurred within the last lifetime, not to mention the last year. My mother had given the rings to me when I was a child and I never even thought about them after I hid them. It was when I had torn apart Jack's cabin looking for my belongings that had mysteriously spread themselves out in the room that I found them once more. Fingering the cold metal of them, I remembered quite clearly when I had hidden them, it was when I cleaned out Jack's cabin and hid his rum that I took the advantage to stash them away.
I hurried back to the room and just as I entered, Jack was closing the drawstring to the small sack. I don't think he noticed that I had even left. I walked up behind him and tapped him silently on the shoulder. He turned and I took his hand in both of mine and put the ring in his hand.
"What's this, love?"
"Open your hand."
He did.
"My mum gave it to me when I was younger. I hid it when we met. I was terribly afraid of you and afraid that you were going to take it from me. Since it was all that I had of her's at the time, I hid it in your rum cabinet in the back ... figuring that you would be too occupied with your spirits to notice it."
"Love, you should keep it, you know. I remember how important yer mum was to ye. Keep it. Ye don't have much to remember her by. Treasure what you have."
I brought my hand up to his face and traced it slowly down his jawline. "I want you to remember me too. I don't want to be just another girl in port that you got pregnant and then forgot about after a month or so."
Jack brought his hands up to both sides of my face and pulled me into a fiercely passionate kiss. When we pulled apart, he ran his thumbs over my cheekbones, "I will never forget you, love."
I stared up into his eyes and saw the truth looking back at me. I took a knife from Jack's bag without a word and grabbed a small section of my hair. I raised the knife and cut off several inches of the strands before I grabbed Jack's right wrist and wrapped the strands around his wrist, carefully knotting them several times. "There, now you're stuck with a part of me," I said firmly, as though that settled the entire matter.
Jack laughed lowly and fingered the shorter section playfully. "Interesting ... you know that you must be the oddest person to say goodbye to that I've ever had the distinct pleasure of meeting."
"I'll take that as a compliment, coming from you ... " I laughed. "But promise me that you will, indeed, be back when you say you will be. Otherwise, Captain Sparrow, I will have to come track you down after stealing ... I mean commandeering a ship, forcing a crew to help a twenty- one-year-old angry woman with baby in tow and find you, no matter what desolate whole on the face of the Earth you're hiding in. Savvy?"
"Aye, miss," he said seriously, flicking my chin with his thumb.
Just then, Will stuck his head into the room. "Jack ... "
I turned my head away sharply, not wanting him to see the tears that glistened in my eyes.
"A minute o' privacy, whelp," Jack barked.
The door snapped shut almost immediately.
"It's time, love."
I shook my head. "Don't ... "
"I have to. The Pearl waits and if I don't go, then Gibbs would take control and that in itself would be a bloody disaster."
"Well, I' walking down with you and don't even try to argue. Colin still has Chaton and if I don't get her back soon, she'll forget who her mistress is and I can't have that. Plus, I think she'll manage to keep me from going absolutely mad while you're away. And I do believe that I should have the right to see the man I love off. Don't I?"
Jack nodded, grabbed his small sack of belongings in one hand and put his other at the small of my back. "Come on, love."
We left the room and made our way out of the house. Will and Elizabeth who had been waiting for us outside the parlour, followed close behind.
When the four of us made it down to the beach, I saw the Pearl floating majestically out to see a ways. A rowboat was beached, waiting for Jack to re-board his ship. Gibbs and Colin were waiting as we approached and I heard the familiar squeaking of my lemur.
While Jack was saying his good-byes to Will and Elizabeth, I walked over to the rowboat and greeted Gibbs and Colin before reaching out for my lemur. Fortunately, my fears of her forgetting who her mistress was were in vain and she scurried up onto her usual place on my shoulder. She had grown in the months since I had seen her last ...
"Colin, thank you for keeping her for me," I said without missing a beat. "I really appreciate it and hope that it wasn't too much of an inconvenience."
Colin nodded and gave me a brief hug. "Not a problem, lassie. But I don't think that I'm the one ye should be focusin' on right now," he reminded in my ear.
I pulled away and turned to see Will and Jack embracing in a friendly hug before shaking hands one final time. I nodded to Colin and then made my way back to Jack.
Upon my arrival, Elizabeth pulled Will over to her and together they walked up the beach a bit, to give us privacy.
I stood in front of Jack, feeling as if I had already lost him. Chaton jumped off my arm and I closed my eyes briefly, praying for strength before I looked back up at him.
"Two months?" I asked hesitantly.
"Three at the most ... "
"Cap'n, we be runnin' outta time, sir," Gibbs called.
I closed my eyes once more, "I guess this is it," I whispered and before I could open them, Jack had pulled me into the most passionate kiss of my life. My head spinning, I held as tightly to him as possible, trying to find an anchor.
"Cap'n. Tide's fast approaching," Gibbs reminded.
Slowly, Jack broke our kiss. "Keep outta trouble, love."
I nodded, staring straight into his eyes. "I love you ... "
Jack removed my arms from his neck, kissed me one final time briefly and said, "And I you, darling."
And with that, he turned and started walking away.
I ran after him and grabbed onto his arm, desperate to keep him with me.
"No, Christina," he said sternly. "Your place is here ... Will?"
Will came over behind me and grasped my shoulders gently as Jack got into the boat.
The rowboat shoved off. Jack stood every bit the image of the fierce pirate captain as Colin and Gibbs rowed away.
I fought to get free of Will's grip but a lifetime as a blacksmith had built strong muscles and all my attempts were in vain.
The rowboat was soon at the Pearl and just as quickly pulled up. I saw Jack step off and heard him shout the order to raise anchor.
Tears streamed freely down my face as I watched the Black Pearl and Jack sail into the horizon.
I sunk down in the sand, no longer trying to break free of Will's grasp, and cried. I felt Will leave his post behind me and heard, from the rustling of skirts, Elizabeth approach and sit beside me. She stayed with me for a long time while I cried.
When I got my composure and my tears had dried onto my face, I looked up and saw a tiny black spot on the horizon. Sniffing slightly, I wiped my eyes with renewed vigor and stood up. With little else to do, I watched silently as the black dot shrunk further until finally disappearing.
With it fully gone, I looked over at Will and Elizabeth, standing a ways away from me up the beach. They stood arm in arm, looking peaceful as they watched the horizon.
-A-
Author's Note-
Okay, satisfactory? Review!
I don't know when exactly I'll be updating next...this week is going to be pretty interesting for me. I have my final exams this week and anyone who is really wanting to offer a kindness to an author (hint hint - me) can sign up to take one of my days worth of finals...its not a big deal really...just AP English 11, AP American History and PE on Tuesday, Honours Physics and Pre-Calculas on Wednesday, and French 3 and Wind Ensemble on Thursday. So, honestly, if any of you want to take them for me...I'd be eternally grateful...sorry...got a bit of test anxiety starting...it doesn't help that I've missed the two days before finals...evil sickness...grr...
So, I'll probably be updating next weekend, as usual, unless I have a major nervous break down or something...and its not entirely impossible, either...But at the latest the chapter would be up by the middle of the following week.
With that aside, I have to go study my arse off and then finish my English paper revisions, take a history test that got sent home with my mum and then...I'm not sure what...probably study some more and then sleep...
So, REVIEW!
And check out Pirates of the Caribbean: The Aftermath...bloody brilliant story if I do say so myself, written by WeasleyGirl and yours truly...it needs love, people.
Well that's about all for now. Have a great week!
Mange Klemmar
CrazyCanoeingGIT