Sorry for the whole: not being able to date thing. Writer's block came upon me suddenly and it's the basic reason why I haven't updated. I'm still have it a bit while I wrote this so, if its not usually as good, tell me.
Winners for the last chapter's trivia are: rogue-angel82, ChibiChibi, PuNKyCoWGiRL, Catlimere, prophecy_girl3, and Athene Saile!!! Conratulations!!
Trivia Answers:
1) (Pirates) What did the Governor granted Will when they came back to Port Royal?
- Governor Swann granted Will clemency after his act of piracy to save his daughter. But then Will saves Capt. Jack through another act of piracy again to save his pirate hide.
2) (LoTR) Who was the other 'White Wizard' in the movie except for Saruman?
- After Gandalf the Grey fell in the 'deep chasm of Khazad-dûm, he later defeated the Balrog and was sent back by the Powers as Gandalf the White. Neat trick…die and be reborn with a higher status…Wonder if I could do that…
3) (BtVS) Why did Willow go all 'psycho-crazy' during the end of Season 6?
- Bloody Warren came back in the Summers' backyard and started shooting like a psycho geek. One of the shots landed on Buffy, and another on Tara. Which, made Willow the 'Bad Willow'.
4) (CoA) Why did the Angel Investigation get the Wolfam and Hart Company?
- After the defeat of Jasmine, Wolfam and Hart gave them the entire firm since they ended World Peace by doing so. And since they did that, they were bigger Big Bads than the Firm was so, hence the fact of surrendering Wolfam and Hart.
5) (Harry Potter) Who told Harry that he was a wizard?
-Rubeus Hagrid if I remember correctly.
Anyways, thanks for the reviews, and more still would be greatly appreciated.
Chapter Fourteen, Understanding
Buffy hugged the warm covers closer as she remembered her dream. Sniffing slightly, she leaned against the wall of the ship against the bed, her eyes glazed as the dream flashed once more. The Slayer whimpered as the memories came back to haunt her. The look on their faces was something she couldn't explain, but she knew it terrified and made her guilty at the same time. Closing her eyes, she willed the images to go away, however her attempts were weak as the images raged on. Buffy felt tears beginning to fall down her cheeks but she wiped them away furiously, angry at how pathetic she felt.
She felt cold and hollow inside as the battle inside her continued but it suddenly melted away when she felt a strong presence surround her completely. Buffy felt being rocked back and forth while circles were soothingly being drawn on her back. Whispers of reassurance were ushered in her ear, pushing back the memories of her horrifying dream. Buffy opened her eyes slowly and she saw that she was in the arms of Jack. She suddenly sighed with comfort and breathed in his strong presence.
"I's alright, pet," he whispered slightly. "Ol' Jack is 'ere." His meant to be comforting words made Buffy grin faintly when her mind processed them, but Jack saw it quickly. He turned slightly so that they were facing each other, but by doing so, the warmth of her body left his arms, making him suddenly cold. Buffy shook away the feeling of regret when his presence around her left and smiled at him appreciatively instead.
"So how ye holdin' up, luv?" Jack asked her.
"Honestly? Bit shaky to tell you the truth. See? The hand tells it all," she took out her hand which was still slightly shaking as if it had been dunk in an ice cold container. Her hand looked pale and frail against the moonlight when she showed it to the pirate. Buffy pulled it back into the covers quickly when her stomach suddenly contracted painfully. She looked down at the covers and saw that the top of the corset was gone and was replaced by new bandages. A small red spot appeared on her cloth-covered stomach.
"What happened?" she asked softly as she touched the spot. She flinched when she applied too much pressure on the wound.
"Afta' ye did tha' superb job o' threatenin' Norrington an' his crew, ye kinda opened yer scabs when we landed back on tha ship. Worried me an' tha crew rightly, ye did," the pirate answered back. He took off his hat and threw it over the chair but it slid down to the floor. Jack looked at it at the moment, as if contemplating what to do. Buffy looked at the emotions that crossed his face with amusement until with a tired sigh she just told him to get it.
"Nah…already comfy where I am," he replied with a contented smile. His smile fell when he saw Buffy look outside the windows with tired eyes. "Ye should get back to sleep, luv. Wager tha' ye haven't gotten a good lay for a while…sleep-wise!" he quickly added when he saw Buffy glare at him. "Plus, it'll let yer wound heal faster."
"Can't go back to sleep, Jack," replied Buffy as she shook her head tiredly. "I still see them even when I close my eyes for a moment."
"An' who would 'them' be, Slayer?"
Buffy opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it when she changed her mind. "You wouldn't understand," she mumbled under her breath, but it was loud enough for him to hear it.
"Wouldn't understand wha'?" her response peaked his curiosity and he couldn't help himself but voice out his question.
"You just wouldn't," Buffy said tiredly, hoping that he wouldn't ask anymore questions about her dream. It was too much for her to talk about it and it'll just send her another edge of having the feeling of being helpless. If she talked about it with Jack, it would just make her more vulnerable; something she knew that she couldn't risk doing especially with another apocalypse coming. Plus he'll never understand what it was like seeing those people.
"An' why tha bloody 'ell not?" he asked again, not catching on to the fact that Buffy doesn't want to talk about it.
"Look, can't you just go up in the deck and order your men around? The Pearl still needs to sail to Ithaki you know."
"Gibbs tha first mate, he knows what tah do; plus I already asked tha men tah use full speed on tha Pearl. An' don't be changing tha subject, Slayer," Jack pointedly said to her.
"I am sooo not changing the subject," Buffy replied back, secretly hoping that he would stay to that track and forget about the dream.
"Yes ye are!"
"Am not!" Buffy said arrogantly.
"Yes ye bloody well are!" Jack countered back with annoyance.
"Am not!"
"Ye were too!"
"Think what you want, Jackie; but I know for a fact that I did NOT change the subject," Buffy said with an air finality.
"Well if ye didn't change tha subject, then tell me wha' I won't understand." Damn, Buffy cursed in her head. She didn't say anything, hoping he'd catch the hint, but unfortunately he still pressed on, asking for answers.
"C'mon, luv! I's me we're talkin' 'bout 'ere. Ye know, dashingly handsome, ever-knowing, and nigh un-catch-able, Captain Jack Sparrow. Wha' wouldn't I understand," boasted Jack which only annoyed Buffy evermore.
"Are you sure bout all those things, Jackie? Are you sure you're not deluding yourself that you're all that?" Buffy raised an eyebrow as she attempted once more to steer the topic out of her dream. Jack glared at her once he realized what she just said. However, he saw right through her plan.
"C'mon, Buffy. Tell me!!"
"No!"
"Please?"
"Again, no."
"Bloody 'ell, just tell me! Wha' in this whole bloody world won't I understand, Slayer?"
"EVERYTHING!" Buffy finally yelled, stopping Jack from answering anymore. But something in Buffy snapped and she somehow couldn't keep the words from coming out of her mouth. "That's just it, Sparrow! You're not the Slayer, not the Chosen One, not ME! You weren't Chosen to fight the things that go bump in the night, Chosen to fight for your life, to fight for the fate world while trying to be as normal as humanly possible!" Buffy said harshly.
"Jack, you're a pirate; one who plunders till he's dead, keeps treasure to fulfill God knows what, and drinks alcohol all the time. I on the other hand, am the Slayer, one who is Chosen to fight the forces of darkness. Read the description that came with the name. We aren't alike, Sparrow! We're two different people on a ship that's sailing to an island that will soon hold an apocalypse. You're on your way there for the treasure rumored to exist while I on the other hand am on my way to save the world again so I could go to a time that will exist. I'm from the future, you're from the past. What part of anything about what's bothering me WILL you understand?!" she finished, her eyes burning with a fury that still surprised Jack. But the pirate recovered and answered in a much calmer and softer tone than Buffy.
"Maybe yer right, luv. Maybe I won't understand or even comprehend half of anythin' wha's happenin' tah you," he slightly paused and thought for a moment before continuing. "I've seen good pirates, good men, die and drown into Davy Jones' locker with me bein' helpless to do anythin' tah save them. I've seen lot of things, luv. Some I reckon, you wouldn't even think 'bout lookin' at it. Perhaps, I'm no Chosen One or have saved the bloody world like ye have or bloody hell, fought things half as much as ye did. But I don't think I 'ave tah just so I could understand yer dilemma. Remember tha' Buffy," Jack looked at her hands with such speed that even Buffy didn't see the small flicker in his eyes. The pirate smiled to himself as he stood up and walked over to his fallen hat and picked it up. Placing it on his head with slight dramatization, he walked out of the room without another word.
Buffy watched him go her eyes full of wonder. She was moved at his small speech he just made and it has left her semi-speechless. As the door closed with a small creak, Buffy realized just how tight she was holding the sheets of the bed. Looking at her hand, she hastily un-crinkled the sheet as if to erase the evidence that she was holding to his every word as if it was the only thing that will help her get out of her guilt trip. Suddenly realizing that that was Jack's plan, Buffy shook her head slightly.
"Damn pirate," she cursed under her breath with a small smile. But much to her surprise, it left her feeling slightly better. She breathed deeply as she closed her eyes to focus her attention on her wound, and not on the pirate. The act proved to be useless as Jack's face kept on popping up in her head. She opened her eyes with an annoyed look and with a slight huff she muttered, "Damn pirate," under her breath again.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Ithaki
A knock came upon her door, interrupting Syrinx of what she was doing. Stiffening a growl that was attempting to get out of her throat, the siren looked up with an annoyed sigh and yelled for the figure to enter.
"Milady," Daniel greeted with a bow and waited for his lady's permission to let him in the room. He learned that important lesson when her last right hand vampire ended in a pile of ash when he barged in confidently without her consent.
"If you're just going to stand there like a piece of furniture after you interrupted me, then just get out before you'll find yourself putting out the fire in my fire place tonight," Syrinx threatened him casually as she continued what she was doing. Daniel silently gulped as he knew too well that her threats are no meaningless talk on its own.
"Pardon me, my liege, but Aello has come back from her mission you sent her. She has brought back someone that will help you with the Box from the long search. A servant told me that Aello's in your open balcony with the special guest in the west wing waiting for you, milady," the vampire finished and waited for Syrinx reaction. He didn't wait long since she twirled around and squealed happily, her white garments following obediently as she did.
"Well isn't that just dandy?" she said giddily. Then her mood suddenly turned in a different direction. "Bout time that overgrown bird came back. Can't she see that the Box is very important for me to open? It's been stuck underground in a cave that can only be open by the blood Pandora's line, and I can't have her waiting me like she is. But the harpies do have their uses even if their voices annoy the hell out of me don't they, Danny?" She didn't give the vampire anytime to answer as she continued ranting on. "Now that my little visitor's here, I can finally open the first gate! I'm going to be one step closer to letting all the others out." Syrinx gushed happily. "Too bad that damn Slayer's here," the siren muttered under her breath, but Daniel heard it anyway. "Oh well, never am one to turn down a challenge. You can go now, Daniel. I think I can manage my way over there on my own."
"Very well then my lady. I leave you to your own," with that, Daniel left, sighing with relief as he left with is undead heart undead. Lady Syrinx unpredictable mood swings made her someone to be wary off. He shook his head slightly as he wondered what he got himself into when he was recruited by her other minions. Daniel sighed at his dire situation but nevertheless, the never-ending blood supply that was straight from the humans was a big plus.
"There, there now Slayer. We'll have a fabulous time when you get here," Syrinx cooed as she watched an image form of the Slayer in a ship on a short podium in front of her. Magically enhanced crystals from amethysts to rubies surrounded the outer rim on it, forming a circle. "And the sooner you come, the sooner I can kill you and your little pirate," her eyes glazed and narrowed at the thought. "Then I won't have any distractions what so ever." Syrinx turned her head slightly, noting the speed the ship was going. She let her hand hover over it as she muttered a few chosen words under her breath, making the speed of the ship go faster.
"Much better."
A/N: There you have it folks, the long awaited chapter. Hope I didn't disappoint you for this chapter if it's not that good. Oh, if you're annoyed at stealing a couple of lines from Spike in his: 'You are the One' speech in S7, oh well then.
Trivia Questions:
1) (Pirates) How did Elizabeth meet Will Turner the first time?
2) (LotR) What place was Frodo stabbed by a Morgul Blade?
3) (BtVS) What name did Buffy use when she ran away to L.A. in the Third Season?
4) (Angel) What did the Powers that Be do to Cordy so that she can withstand the pain of her visions?
5) (HP) Who is Harry's grandfather?
BONUS!!!) (Finding Nemo) What address did Dory keep on repeating?
Special Thanks to:
Athene Saile= I won't. Its just that I don't wanna spend my money is the problem, although still a bit jealous. I started my new story…are you gonna check it out?
WhiteShiner= your welcome, kiddo! As for your Syrinx comment, yes, that's how I intentionally made the villain and she will be a tough dookie for Buffy to crack. Yes, those feelings Buffy felt were really pitiful and I guess you have to be in her shoes to completely feel how she felt when she saw those people.
Catlimere= WOW…that's like…the biggest AND longest review I've ever gotten *shakes head with awe*. Thanks! Yes, villain will be uber evil and I will intend on making it so! Totally agree with you on the hating the villains with workable ideas, but those villains are none of those cheesy ones that only have stupid ideas that you KNOW will absolutely combust in to flames once the White Hats are there. I wanted Syrinx to be one of the biggest bads you'll ever meet, and one of the hardest ones to defeat, so I guess not caring for her minions will be a virtue she'll have.
Yes, Buffy WILL need a lot of Jack…support from Jack to get her through her tough dreams. And for the rest of the crew of the Black Pearl, they'll have a part on Buffy's therapy on getting better, and I think it'll be slightly moving, even with them being pirates and happenings on that are a bit unclear yet. And with Buffy getting mad at Jack for wanting to know too much had to be done for future chapters. And trust me I am making it positively good.
Thanks for your compliments. The dream was slightly based on how most super heroes react when they didn't save that person or that they knew they could have done something better or smarter, and I realized that Buffy go through the same thing.
I hope the constant revising of the first chapter of my new story has made it better and better. And I am hoping that it'll be as interesting as I plan make it. I agree with how Buffy's and Spike's relationship went through S6. Although I think that in the end of the season, Spike has deluded himself that Buffy's still a bit lusty for him and that she DOES love him (where she does in a certain point, I think) and Spike just wants to give all of himself to her for both hers and his pleasure. It's only that how Spike has expressed himself at that time (plus the fact that he WAS drunk) was the problem.
Buffy's and Spike's relationship will be difficult to write since there are some grounds that are still touchy and if you take my meaning, too vulnerable to write. But I am planning to cover those grounds. And for the other pairings, thanks! I guess I needed to hear those words from somebody other than my sister to comfort me.
So THAT's how the DVD works! Thanks!!!!! Only problem is that I can't download the newest version of InterActual Player since it'll take up too much space if I did. But, if ever the time comes, what site did you get the downloading from?
prophecy_girl3= thanks for the input. Really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy the trivia though!
ChibiChibi= and now you'll find out. Sorry that it took so long for you to finally see what happened though. And you DID get honorable mention on my list up there!
goblinprinces13.4= sorry for the loooooooooooooooooooooooong update. Things kinda got screwed up with the whole writers block thing, which I know annoyed me and a whole lot of waiting readers. So, again, sorry for the long wait, and enjoy!
manticore-gurl071134= apologies for the lack of update, writer's block came upon me and I hope that this is enough to satisfy you. Plus school hasn't been THAT much nice either, darn places. Anyways, thanks for your input on how B/J/A's friendship are going, very much appreciated.
rogue-angel82= I will continue on!!!! And telling me that you love this story makes my eyes glaze with satisfaction *sniff*.
Rood-Roosje= lol, thanks a bunch! Ahh yes, Lady Syrinx. This villain can do a whole bunch of things, and those will be revealed, hopefully soon. Hope that this chapter gave some vibes of the pairings said, and I really am sorry for the long wait. Hope that this chapter is enough to satisfy you. Thanks again for the compliments!
SPASH Panther= unfortunately or fortunately, however you want to look at it, Elizabeth and Will aren't gonna be here. Though I would appreciate it if you review on my latest chapter since it'll make it easier for me to give a response to you but thanks for the review anyways.
And to Rachel, my beta-reader: Thanks a bunch!!!