[Captainme: They have 5 kids, but Jackson and Emily are still babies. Jackson is 4 and Emily is 2.
Missz-Sparrow: Your story is not getting too long, it's getting too suspenseful! Lol I have to know what Jack says when she tells him! (strangles Missuz-Sparrow)]
Needless to say, a trip to England takes a looooooooooooooong time. 3 months to be exact. Every day it was the same: run the helm, put out the sails, back to the helm, put the sails in, scrub the deck, make breakfast, lunch and dinner while Jack only does the work when I'm scrubbing the deck and cooking.
'A ship is steered mainly by the wind, and the water. If you wanted to go south with the water but the wind was going north, you would bring in the sails and let the water guide you. And vice versa with the wind. So, if the current stopped and the wind changed, then you would have to let the sails out-'
I blinked from my position at the helm. My mind had wandered again. We had been at sea for a month. Jack was on the lower deck braiding some rope and pricking his fingers in the process. It was almost nightfall, so it was time to turn in.
I locked the helm and began walking down the steps to the deck. "Jack, help me lower the anchors."
He grunted from his pile of rope. "Just a minute, luv." His voice was slurry so I walked over to him.
"Jack, you've been drinking!"
"You caught me." He stood up and walked to me. "I'm sorry, luv. It called to me."
"Well, given the current situation, you can drink rum right now. But only one bottle a day." I shook my finger to accentuate my point.
"Point taken, luv, and it shall be obeyed." He saluted and walked on rubbery legs to our cabin, leaving me to lower the anchors. After I was done, I followed Jack to the room.
I smiled at his sleeping figure on the floor. He could sleep anywhere. I rolled him over so that he was on his back and set a pillow under his head.
A few of his shirt buttons had come undone so I reached down to button them back. As a reflex, Jack reached up and pulled my hand to his shoulder, revealing his two bullet hole scars. I winced.
I knew every inch of his skin, but this was the part that I hated the most. He had gotten shot while we were separated and if I had been there, then the bullets would have hit something else. A few drops landed on Jack's chest. I realized that I was crying.
I looked at the man I loved so much and cried because I had not been there for him. Jack always had said that it was a small price to pay to have me back, but I didn't like it anyway.
Jack stirred in his sleep so I settled on his chest and fell asleep.
The next day, a storm hit. Jack, being the experienced seaman, ran the helm all day while I tied down everything and got soaked. [lol]
By the end of the day, we were both dirty, but seemingly dry because it had stopped raining by about 4. We both slumped into our cabin, tired and hungry. Jack flopped onto the bed while I walked to the wardrobe. I began to change my clothes.
"Jack, you're getting the sheets dirty again."
"What's wrong with that?"
I put my shirt over my head before I answered. "I work hard to wash them every day, but you get them dirty again at night. So I guess I'm just wasting my time on it. But if I didn't wash them, then you would make the sheets a dirty mess that would be uncleanable and then I would have to buy a new set when we get to England."
He stuffed a pillow under his neck so he could watch me, but got it dirty. "I see your point." Getting up, he walked to the wardrobe and peeled off his shirt and pants. He pulled out a clean pair of pants and put them on. He turned to me. "Is that better?"
"Much. Thank you." I dipped my rag in the wash water and washed my face and neck while Jack watched. I tossed the rag at him.
He looked at it like it was an enemy missile. "What's this?"
I rolled my eyes and threw the rag into the bowl. "We'll work on that later." I took his hand, led him to the bed and we went to sleep.
[I have to ask. What is it about my fic that is bad? Is it because it's the only "r" fic without sex scenes in it? At least it's not like those yucky you/Jack fics where they sleep together five minutes after they meet and they're never married. Yuck. Excuse me, I'm going to go barf now.]