AN: wow. I swear even I started to think I'd died after not updating for so long. But, there is a plus to all of this: my school is over! Well, until the fall semester at least. But, eh, who cares? It's over now! And, another plus is that I get a vacation! Albeit only a four day one, but I'm goin' ta Disney World! YAY! Ah, no work is a great thing. Anyway, please, read on and please read the note at the end of the chapter!
IMPORTANT NOTE! There is an author's note at the end of the chapter that I need you all to read. It is very important!!
"Hey, you have arm hair."
~Jennifer Garner, 13 Going on 30
Silver and Gold
Chapter Nine: Meeting the Family
"Do you think that he will be alright?"
"I don't know."
"He didn't seem like himself when he left. He seemed . . . different somehow."
"I know."
"I just. . . I just worry about him. He was crazy enough to start with; I would hate to see what this would do to him."
"You don't have to worry about him Elizabeth. He's just Jack, he's always been this way."
"I know Will. I just. . ."
Will kissed her softly, pulling her closer to him on the bed. Elizabeth leaned into him, trailing her hands down his bare chest.
"He'll be fine, my love," Will whispered when they broke apart. "Don't worry about him. I'm sure that by now he's safe and sound on the Pearl, sailing to God only knows where."
* * * * * * *
Jack sat slouched at his desk, his hat lowered over his eyes. A bottle of rum sat untouched on the desktop, the cork still embedded in its top. The ship underneath him rocked, being blasted by the rough winds of the storm. His eyes stared down at the bottle, his mind contemplating all of the possibilities that he had:
1.) He could drink himself unconscious (as he had done every night it seemed),
2.) He could go outside and let the storm knock him unconscious, or
3.) He could do all of the above.
It was amazing the lengths he was willing to go to get one simple woman out of his thoughts. He was actually beginning to tread right on the border of complete insanity. Or so he was told numerous times by AnaMaria. Now, he was out aimlessly wandering the ocean, not sure where he planned to go.
Tortuga proved to be no help at all. He had wound up getting completely drunk every night and waking up every morning in his cabin on the Black Pearl with hangovers upon hangovers hammering in his brain. He had gone there to forget, and yet all Tortuga had managed to do was embed her deeper in his thoughts.
With a sigh, he reached out and grabbed hold of the bottle of rum. He pulled the cork out and tossed it across the room, muttering, "On to option A."
* * * * * * *
His fingers trailed through her wet hair, water dripping down her back. Her white blouse clung to her equally wet skin as she was pressed up against his chest. His lips left hers, trailing softly down her chin to the hollow point at her neck. Suddenly, she had a strong urge to call out his name. No, not the man who was kissing her. No, she wanted to call out his name.
This is wrong, she thought.
So? He's the one who let you go, another voice replied.
Her already closed eyes clenched tighter. It doesn't matter. This is still wrong.
The other voice sighed exasperatedly. Goddammit, who cares? He shouldn't be the only one enjoying himself!
No.
He told you he didn't tie himself down.
No. She thought again. "No," she whispered, and then pushed herself away.
Bryant looked at her, confusion written on his face. "Miss Adams?"
"No. I'm sorry. I can't. It wouldn't be fair."
"Fair?" Bryant asked quizzically. "Fair to whom?"
"To you. I can't let you think. . . I can't let you think there's anything more to this than there is."
Lor turned away from him, hissing as the rope burn around her waist was twisted. She laughed sullenly at the words she had just spoken. "It's strange, isn't it? A woman like me having morals."
Bryant stayed quiet, simply staring over at her.
"I think you should go, Mr. Bryant. I thank you for saving my life, but there are things about me you wouldn't understand."
Bryant stared at her for a moment longer, and then stood up slowly. "I am sure, Miss Adams, that I would understand anything you were willing to tell me."
Lor laughed again. "Go, Mr. Bryant," she replied, gazing up at him, her gold eyes flashing, "before I make you sorry you ever met me."
Bryant's eyes widened for a moment at her words. She hoped that they had the right effect on him. She hoped that he would recognize the threat laced in her words, the danger lingering in her eyes.
He swallowed noticeably as he backed up. "Good night, then, Miss Adams. I pray you will see the ship's doctor early tomorrow morning," he said, opening the small door and exiting the room.
Lor sighed, resting her throbbing forehead in her hands.
Its yer own fault, ya know. Ya coulda had some fun, the voice said, laughing.
"Shut up."
* * * * * * *
The next few days passed quickly, the ocean having given up its fight against them. The next she knew, Lor was riding in a carriage-a carriage of all things!-headed straight for the estate she was soon going to be calling home.
She had never been to England, it was true. Her father had always avoided it like the plague no matter how many times she had begged him to go there when she was a child. Even after she had grown up and captained her own ship, she could still never bring herself to sail to England, preferring to stay in the familiar Caribbean ocean.
Now, though, after the happy good-bye between her and Jack, she almost longed to see her new "home". She was not sure, however, when the ocean would be calling out to her again. Like Jack, she had never been able to stay on land for too long, always longing to feel a ship rocking underneath her feet. Comes with the pirate territory, she supposed.
Lor stared out of the small window of the carriage, watching as the hills and houses rolled slowly past her. Her thoughts sorted through the last few days, how things had slowly turned from good to bad in the course of one night. Bryant had chosen to avoid her for the rest of the time, which she could understand. She hadn't really given him a reason not to. She had been right though, it was funny that a woman such as herself could have morals. She was a pirate after all, and before she had ever met Jack, she would have gladly bedded any man without a second thought. Now, though, was different.
"It is beautiful, is it not?" a soft voice said next to her.
Lor turned her attention away from the window to look into her grandfather's wrinkled eyes. "Yes, it is. I can't say that I've ever seen hills like these before."
"Of course you wouldn't," Gregory replied, staring haughtily into her eyes. "Staying out on the ocean for so long causes you to miss many things on land."
Lor gave him a sarcastic smile. She really hated that man.
The carriage stopped suddenly, pulling Lor's attention away from her uncle to the window once again. The house standing tall next to the carriage rose up into the sky, towering over her as she stared up at it. Ornate decorations covered the doors and windows, flowers blooming along the walls and columns that surrounded the large, wooden front doors.
A man stepped up to the carriage and opened the door, holding his hand up to her. Lor stared down at it for a moment, confused as to what she was supposed to do. She shook her head, remembering what her grandfather had taught her. She grasped the man's hand loosely, ducking her head so that she could exit the carriage, her skirts falling out of the carriage after her. Yes, her skirts.
Lor straightened her back moments later after her feet hit the walkway, the corset that she had been forced to wear pinching her sides and ribs. The dress, complete with lace and frills, hung around her, fitted perfectly to her size and height. Her short hair was done up in small curls, ribbons and beads tangled in the soft strands. Lor knew her father would have laughed aloud if he had been alive to see her now. So would her entire crew if they had still been alive.
Her grandfather, uncle and cousin stepped out after her, Jeremy offering his elbow to her with a smile. She accepted it gratefully, offering her own small smile. They walked slowly up the walkway, the front doors opening as they neared. Dozens of people waited in the foyer, smiles embracing all of their faces. Jeremy stopped just inside of the doors, smiling at an elderly woman that stood just in front of the rest of the group. He turned to Lor slowly.
"Lor my dear," he said, his voice louder than she had ever heard it before. "Allow me to introduce to you, your family."
* * * * * * *
IMPORTANT NOTE! I have decided to write a third part to the Sui Generis saga and I have decided to give one of my loyal readers a chance to read the very first chapter before it is uploaded on fanfiction.net. The contest consists of readers sending me via e-mail (Pirate Gyrl@aol.com) a poem or scene that includes Jack and Lor as the main characters. You can write about anything you wish that has to do with them, and I will pick which one I like best. This contest will take place throughout the rest of this story (which still has quite a few chapters left) and the winner will receive the chapter via e-mail after Silver and Gold is complete. I hope you all participate, and I look forward to reading what you write! In the subject space, type "Lor/Jack contest" so I know what the e-mail is about.
Next: Chapter 10:
Dawnie-7: hahaha. I think you will find at the beginning of this chapter that no one needed to stop her, that she stopped herself. I guess her feelings for Jack were too strong all along. . .
Mystic Fish: Well, as you can see, the whole thing with Bryant didn't get very far. But, who knows, maybe they'll still be friends?
PED-sarah: Ah, I'm glad you liked the dreams. I was very proud of them myself. I'm sorry I haven't fixed it yet, I promise I will in the end. And yes, I know Lor/Jack is good. But, well. . .
Elentari II: I promise I didn't mean anything by that. I usually keep places at the bottom of the chapters for the people who review and I forgot to erase the ones who didn't. I promise there were no ulterior motives!
DaydreamBeliever14: Hmmm . . . . once again, I cannot answer a question. But, it'll all turn out good in the end, I promise.
NazgulGirl: Wow. I'm sorry. I'll update as soon as I can!
Mystery GYRL: I thought you already knew I was evil? Anyway, I'm updating! Happy now?