AN: Like I promised, here is the next chapter as soon as I could get on-line! I hope you like this chapter, it took me forever to write it! At first it was because I was going to use it as a short story for my Creative Writing class, but then I decided against it because it wasn't good enough to be something by itself. But, anyway, enjoy!
"The past is the past and the future is the future. A man is a man and a woman is a woman. The present is the present. I am who I am and you are who you are. That's all there is to it. Does it really matter? Or do we just think it does?"
Faye Valentine, Cowboy Bebop
Chapter 13: Waiting
The long dress skirts rustled as they crossed the large ballroom. The women inhabiting them were smiling false smiles as they hid their faces behind large, ornate fans. Their hair towered above their heads, formed in tight curls and beaded braids. All were painted up for the ball as if they were intricate paintings on a wall, their faces pale. One woman, though, hid among the others, staying well away from the crowded dance floor.
Her golden eyes scanned the dance floor, watching as each woman and man passed her by. The women's intricately designed dresses swirled around their feet. Couples danced around the polished dance floor, their feet moving in difficult steps that only trained bodies could perform. The hidden woman tilted her head to the side slightly, her eyes continuing to scan the room for the one person who could catch her eye.
The ballroom around her glowed in the lamp light, the flickering flames casting haunting shadows over the room. A smile crossed the woman's face as strong arms wrapped around her corseted waist. A chest pressed against her back, a face burying itself in her braided and bejeweled hair. Lips kissed the back of her neck gently. The woman's own hands trailed across the man's, ending at his fingertips.
"I've been waiting for you," she whispered, turning her head slightly, her voice an elegant drawl.
A soft laugh echoed in her ear. "I hope you didn't have to wait long."
She smiled. "Of course not. A mere two hours at best."
He laughed again. "It's much easier to sneak into a manned and guarded port then it is to sneak into this bloody house."
"You didn't get caught, did you?" she whispered, trying to catch a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye.
"Of course not, I never get caught," he answered smugly.
"Ah yes, the great Captain Jack Sparrow never gets caught," she replied sarcastically.
Lor turned around in his arms and drew back sharply. The man standing before her with his arms around her waist looked different than what she remembered. His long brown hair was tied back in a ponytail hanging loosely at the base of his neck. The beads that normally adorned his head were gone; all save for the two beads hanging from his small beard. His fingers and face were clean, no dirt splotches covering his naturally tanned skin. His normal pirate attire had been exchanged for a set of fine silk clothing, complete with ruffles and lace.
"Jack? Jack what did you do?" she asked, her fingers trailing over the soft ruffles at the base of his throat.
"I figured that if I had to go to such a fancy dance, I should dress the part."
Lor laughed quietly, her arms going around his waist. "It doesn't matter. No matter what you look like, you'll never change who you are."
"And who would that be?" he asked, bending down to hover over her lips.
"A pirate," she whispered, brushing his lips with hers lightly.
Jack kissed her back, pulling her body closer to his. She pulled away after a moment, the corset pinching her sides, leaning her forehead against his chest. Then, she pushed away from him, grabbing hold of his hands. Her ears pricked up as the music started. "Come, let us dance," she said.
Jack's eyebrows rose slightly at her words. "Dance, love? Pirates don't dance."
"This one does," she argued, peering up into his dark eyes.
Jack smirked, "Since when do you dance?"
Lor sighed, exasperated. "Since I came here. I have to keep up appearances, mate. I wouldn't want anybody to know who I really was."
"You can't change who you are either, lass. You'll always be a pirate, same as me, and you know it. It's in yer blood."
"I never said I was trying to be otherwise, Jack. My heart still belongs to the ocean."
Jack smirked again, "I thought yer heart belonged to me?"
It was Lor's turn to raise her eyebrows. "Don't get cocky, Captain Sparrow. I am a pirate, as I have said before. My heart belongs to no one but the sea."
"I may have to fight her for it, then."
Lor merely laughed at him, her gold eyes gleaming, once again pulling him out onto the dance floor. She stopped in front of him, and curtsied deeply, almost laughing once again when Jack returned the favor, bowing to her in turn.
-----------------
A soft voice sang out to them, surrounded by the soft sounds of the orchestra.
"Face to face-my lovely foe
Mouth to mouth-raining heavens' blows"
Lor and Jack moved across the dance floor, completely oblivious to the people around them. Lor stared up into Jack's eyes, keeping all of her attention on him. Even in such a pristine dance such as the one they were doing, he could still make it seem as if she were being seduced, and that was one of the many things that she loved about him, that he had been worth waiting for. It had been months since she had seen him last, since she had been held in his arms, although never this formally.
"Hand on heart-tic tac toe
Under the stars-naked as we flow"
Not true, she told herself. She had seen him a few nights ago when they had met up in the Red Barrel tavern. She had been attempting to hide from the rest of these rich, pompous idiots, and she had figured that the Red Barrel would be the best place to do so, seeing as it was a dirty, musty old tavern where miscreants and criminals frequented. After all, with her being a pirate, she figured she would fit right in.
"Since when have you known how to dance?" she asked, her feet moving in the intricate steps to the dance.
"You forget one thing, darling," he replied. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. I can do anything."
"I thought pirates didn't dance."
"They do now," he whispered, leaning close to her ear.
Cheek to cheek-the bitter sweet
Commit your crime in your deadly time
It's too divine-I want to bend
I want this bliss but something says I must resist
Jack placed his cheek next to hers, the rough bristles of his beard tickling her skin. Lor laughed quietly, gripping his hand tighter. The hand that rested on her waist tightened as well, his fingers digging into her skin slightly. The fabric of her dress bunched beneath his fingers. Lor's own hand squeezed his shoulder slightly, laughing again.
Another life-another time
We're Siamese twins writhing intertwined
Face to face-no telling lies
The masks they slide-to reveal a new disguise
You never can win-it's the state I'm in
This danger thrills and my conflict kills
They say follow your heart-follow it through
but how can you-when you're split in two?
Their arms straightened, pushing them apart for a moment. Their gazes were locked on each other, their eyes never leaving the others gaze. Lor wore a small smile, her gold eyes crinkling at the edges. Jack stared down at her, his eyes scanning her face, memorizing it once again, making sure not an inch of her tanned face escaped his memory.
And you'll never know
You'll never know
Lor's feet danced below her skirts, careful not to kick the fabric into Jack's feet. Jack twirled in front of her, pulling Lor with him, his arms skimming over her chest. Lor turned around in front of him, Jack grabbing hold of her right hand, his other arm wrapping around her waist.
Lor knew that they drew attention. Even in a crowd of dozens of other couples dancing, she knew that they stood out. She couldn't help it really. Not with Jack around. When she wasn't near him, she could play out her act with ease, pretending that she was a proper lady from a well-to-do family. But when he came close her, all thoughts of who she was pretending to be flew from her mind. Jack placed a soft kiss on her neck, causing a sigh to escape from her mouth. He laughed against the back of her neck, his arm tightening on her waist.
One more kiss-before we die
Face to face-and dream of flying
Who are you?-who am I?
Wind in wings-two angels falling
To die like this-with a last kiss
It's falsehood's flame-it's a crying shame
Face to face-the passions breathe
I hate to stay but then I hate to leave
Lor twirled back around in his arms, facing him once again. They danced around the room, following the movements of the other couples, although lost in their own world. This was a side that she had never seen of him before. True, she knew that there were many sides to the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, but she had never known that this could have been a side that she would have ever seen.
And you'll never know
You'll never know
The orchestra stopped in the background, the woman's voice filtering off, as he pressed his cheek to hers, feeling the rise and fall of her chest against his. The dance floor around them emptied as the people walked slowly away. They bowed to each other and then Jack pulled away from her slowly, taking hold of her hand; he led her off of the floor, directing her into the crowd of talking dancers. He squeezed her hand lightly, leaning in to whisper in her ear.
"I'll be back love," he said, lifting her hand and kissing it lightly and then started to make his way further into the crowd.
"There's no rum, Jack," she called softly.
He turned his head slightly to look back at her, a grin gracing his face. She could hear him laughing as he disappeared from her sight, his own silk clad body blending in with the others. She smiled into the crowd, her eyes growing distant as she imagined Jack's return. Moments later, though, the smile disappeared when she heard three all too familiar giggles.
Rolling her eyes, she turned around slowly, the corset pinching her sides once again. She couldn't wait to be rid of the blasted thing, and she knew just the person to have take it off. But that was a thought for another time. Quickly, so as not to seem rude, she plastered a fake smile on her face. "Good evening," she said, talking over the low murmur of the people around her.
"Good evening, Miss Adams," one of the women, Penelope Masters, replied, smiling kindly. "We did not expect to see you here. We had heard that you had grown ill, a most dreadful sickness."
"Lord Adams told my father that you were bedridden. We were all most concerned," the second woman, Lois Parker, seconded.
Lor smiled again. "Yes, well, my grandfather was most concerned about my health. I apparently contracted a cold while out for a walk the other night. I am better now; I thank you for your concerns," she lied. She had, in fact, been spending the last three days and nights with Jack. Her grandfather well knew that, seeing as he had found them together one morning while they were watching the sun rise from their room's small window.
The third woman, Gina Thomas, smiled at her, the smile never reaching her pale blue eyes. "We are most pleased to hear that, Miss Adams," she paused, glancing over Lor's shoulder. "Now, we wish to find out who that man that you were dancing with was."
Lor's eyes narrowed slightly, confused for a moment until she realized that they were talking about Jack. She looked over her shoulder, making sure that he wasn't making his way back. "He is no one, merely a man who asked me for a dance. I did not catch his name."
"You seemed familiar with him, Miss Adams," Lois said, fanning herself with her pink, feathery fan.
"Yes, very familiar," Penelope seconded, giggling her irritating horsy laugh.
"He was a kind man. I have never met him before tonight."
"So then you do not care if we approach him?" Penelope asked, hiding a smile behind her own baby blue fan.
Lor hesitated slightly, adjusting the long gloves that hid her scars and tattoos. Her eyes gazed into the haughty eyes of the three girls, trying to see if she could read anything in them. Lor knew that the girls would try to do anything that would hurt her. Well, hurt her feelings, at least. Too bad it was nearly impossible to do so.
Finally, Lor shrugged. "If you wish. Although you should know that he is not from the richest of families. At least not as rich as you hope to marry into."
The smiles on their faces fell slightly, their eyes darkening. Penelope Masters fanned herself a little harder in agitation. Lor smiled again, this time a little wider. "It was very nice chatting with you again, ladies, but I fear I must leave you. I believe I hear my grandfather calling me."
The girls smiled back, doing their best to hide their irritation at her. Lor turned around, laughter bubbling up into her throat. She could hear the women muttering amongst themselves as she walked away. The sound of music beginning once again filtered through the crowd. Several couples moved slowly onto the dance floor, arm in arm. Her eyes once again scanned the crowded room, looking for any sign of Jack.
A hand touched her shoulder gently, a voice whispering in her ear. "May I have this dance, my lady?"
The voice sent shivers down her spine, and not shivers of the good kind. Lor turned around slowly, no hint of a smile evident on her face. "Of course," she replied, her own voice growing hard.
The man held out his hand, and she placed hers into it, allowing him to guide them out onto the dance floor. His left hand grabbed her right gently, his right hand touching her slightly on her waist. She followed his lead, placing her left hand lightly on his right shoulder. She gazed up into his face, anger radiating from her eyes.
"Have you come to try and kill me again, Captain Mason? Or are you just here for the dance?"
"Do not believe you are invincible, Captain Adams, just because your grandfather is a high ranking Lord of England does not mean that you cannot be touched. I will catch you one day, and your neck will stretch as you fall."
Lor smirked. "You have such a way of speaking, Captain; I don't know why you are not married or popular with the ladies."
"And I have yet to find out why your Lord Adams stopped me from hanging you and your pirate lover. If you had been part of my family, I would have let you hang instead of living with the embarrassment of having a pirate in the family."
"Oh, such a sweet talker, Captain. If you so wish, you could try and arrest me now, in front of all these guests, I'm sure our host would enjoy that. He would be the talk of the town for months. I can hear it now," she replied, her hard eyes gazing up into his.
Mason smirked. "You would like that, wouldn't you? Anything to try and make me look like an idiot."
Lor laughed. "You do that all by yourself, Captain; I don't know why you would need me to do it for you."
Mason's hand shifted on her waist slightly, causing Lor's eyes to flick down to his hand. She turned her attention back up to his face, her eyes growing harder.
"I would not un-sheath that dagger, Captain Mason. I am pretty sure I could withdraw my own before you could possibly harm me."
Mason's eyes looked her up and down, trying to imagine where she could possibly hide a weapon amongst her lace and ribbons. Lor smirked. "You won't find it, Captain Mason. I'm a pirate, I can hide anything."
"Hmm. . . I'm sure. So tell me, Miss Adams, how have you been hiding who you are? I am sure that you cannot keep up appearances every day."
Lor smiled slightly. "I have fooled enough people, Captain Mason. At least enough people who actually count. Even my family does not know who I am."
"Then they are fools as well."
Lor merely looked up at him, not even attempting to answer. They danced among the other couples, fake smiles plastered on their faces. They were silent for a few moments, merely staring at each other, each having a battle of wills against the other. Finally, Mason broke the silence.
"Have you heard from your lover, Miss Adams?"
Lor's eyes narrowed slightly at his words. "Why would I hear from him? We parted ways months ago."
Mason smirked knowingly. "I am sure you did," he replied, his eyes gazing over her shoulders.
The two twirled around, Lor's skirts swirling around their feet. Her eyes glanced over his shoulders, staring off into the crowd. A man in the crowd lifted a glass to her. A smile crossed her face as she recognized him. Realization hit her a moment later as she stared into his grinning face. How could she forget that the man twirling her around the room was looking for Jack? How could she forget that Jack was in danger just by being there?
Lor twirled them around slowly, moving them away from where Jack stood. She tried to keep Mason's attention from wandering to Jack, keeping his attention mainly on her. The music died what seemed like hours later, and Mason led her off of the floor. Lor turned him away slowly, pulling him deeper into the crowd and towards the small enclosed garden. Anybody watching would assume that they were a young couple on the verge of marriage going out to have time to themselves.
Lor stepped out into the breezy night air, lifting her chin up slightly to catch the small puff of wind that pulled at their clothing. She pulled at the confining corset slightly, hiding her movements with her ornate fan. Mason turned to her quickly, grabbing hold of her arm and pulling her close to him, causing her to look up into his flashing eyes.
"I did see him, Miss Adams. He is the only man among the crowd of hundreds that stands out," he whispered.
Lor's eyebrows rose slightly as she looked up at him, feigning innocence. "I am sure I have no idea what you are talking about, Captain Mason. I saw no one there."
"I am sure you didn't. I know Jack Sparrow is here, in England, and I know you are in contact with him. Do not pretend innocence, Miss Adams, I can see through your disguise. I know he is here to see you," he paused, smirking down at her. "I will catch him, Miss Adams, and I will catch you as well."
"You would have to prove who I am first, Captain Mason. I honestly doubt anybody would believe that I am a pirate."
Mason tugged at the long glove that she wore, pulling it off of her hand slightly to reveal the small P branded into her arm. "I think that this would prove my theory, pirate. You would be sentenced and hung if I were to bring you into court."
Lor laughed. "Would you even bother with the court, Captain? Or would you merely hang me yerself?"
A cruel smirk crossed Mason's face. "It all depends on how I am feeling at the time, Miss Adams."
Lor's hand clenched tightly on her fan, feeling the small dagger placed inside the base of the fan. "I would let go of me now, Captain. I do not believe that it is polite to grab a lady in such a way when we are not married."
"Who ever said you were a lady?"
------------------
Jack had watched as Lor and the man he knew to be Captain John Mason of the Dancing Lady danced around the floor, blending in the crowd of dressed up dancers. While most others would have looked at the pair and seen only a couple dancing, Jack had seen a pair of opposites, one pirate, and one naval officer, waging a silent war against each other as they moved across the dance floor. He could all but see the hatred radiating off of the two. Mason hating her merely because of who she was. Lor hating him because he had destroyed her ship and killed her crew, leaving her for dead in the middle of the ocean.
Jack could understand her hatred. He too had lost his ship, although in a different way. The only difference being that he had got his ship back after killing the man who had stolen it. While he never had a true hatred for any of the officers that had chased him numerous times, he could still feel how she felt, still understand what thoughts would be going through her mind at that moment. He had wondered, as Lor and Mason had danced around, if she would ever use the dagger hidden in her fan. Being a pirate himself, he knew exactly where she would hide her weapons.
He had raised his glass at her when she looked at him, grinning wickedly at her. He had known that she must have wanted to shoot the man leading her around the floor and he knew that she would start to feel worried if she believed that Mason had seen him. Jack wasn't worried, though. He knew the layout of the mansion well enough now that he could escape from any officers that attempted to catch him.
When the music stopped, Jack had turned his attention once again to the dance floor, his eyes following Lor's progress as she led Mason out of the room, leading him out into the safety of the garden. He had wondered, if only for a moment, what her reasons for that could possibly have been. Jack had followed them, keeping a short distance away so as not to bring any attention to himself.
Jack had hidden himself in the dark trees, his eyes watching the scene playing out before him. He could tell by the way they were glaring at each other that he had threatened her, possibly Mason even told her that he had seen Jack in the crowd. Jack had seen Lor's fist clench on the base of her fan, most likely deciding where she could stab the bastard to make it hurt the most.
"Who ever said you were a lady?"
Jack inched closer to them, keeping hidden in the shadows of the trees and rose bushes.
"I believe that I play a very convincing lady, do I not, Captain Mason? I would have had you fooled if you had not known who I was to start with."
Jack watched as Lor's eyes flicked over Mason's shoulder, her eyes scanning the shadows where he stood. She squinted slightly as she took in his shadowy form silhouetted against the trees. Seconds later she turned her attention back to Mason, wrenching her arm out of his grasp and taking a step back from him.
She tied her fan into the sash at her waist, pulling the glove back up her arm, once again concealing the P and the scars and tattoos on her wrist. "I believe, Captain, that our discussion is over. I have not heard from my 'lover' as you so politely call him since we parted company several months ago. Whoever told you that he was in England must have wanted to get in your good graces. So, if you will excuse me."
Mason gave a mock bow, a smirk crossing his face again. "Do not think that I will not be watching you, Miss Adams. And do not believe that I am a fool. I know what you are hiding and I will find him. Good evening."
Lor rolled her eyes at his retreating figure, pulling out her fan again and waving it gently, doing her best to regain the little breath that had been stolen from her from the cursed corset. "What the hell are you doing out here? If he had caught you, you would have been in trouble," she said when Mason had walked far enough away from her and disappeared into the crowd.
Jack smirked as he stepped out of the shadows. "Couldn't resist, love. Do you think I was fool enough to let you come out here with him by yerself?"
"Please, Jack," she said, rounding on him, anger blazing in her eyes. "I can take care of myself and you know it. If he had posed a threat, I would have dealt with him."
Jack pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her gently, and then pulled away. "It doesn't matter, love."
"Yes it does. If he had seen you again. . ."
Jack stopped her words by kissing her again roughly. Lor's eyes widened for a moment at the unexpected move but then closed as she leaned into the kiss, wrapping her own arms around his neck. His fingers trailed up and down her spine, tracing a line across her corseted back. Lor's own fingers played with his hair, tugging at it gently.
She broke away minutes later, her hand going to her waist, attempting to catch her breath, the corset hampering her ability to breathe. "God you are a. . ." she said, trailing off as he kissed her ear softly.
"Pirate?" he questioned, finishing her sentence for her.
Lor laughed softly, turning her face to the side to catch his lips with hers. She pressed up against him, suddenly wishing that they were in the privacy of the rented room above the Red Barrel.
The sound of a twig breaking caused them to pull apart quickly, Lor turning around to face the person that had interrupted them. "Sarah?" Lor whispered, taking in the sight of the frightened girl that stood before them. "Sarah, what are you doing out here?"
Sarah merely stared at them, horror etched on her face. The girl was a good seven years younger than Lor, but she had been the first friend she had made when she came to England, save for her grandfather and cousin.
"Sarah, what is it? What is wrong?" Lor asked, taking a step closer to her.
Sarah backed away from her, holding her fan in front of her as if she were going to use it as a weapon. "You. . . you. . ." she stuttered.
Lor's eyes narrowed at her. "I, what?"
"You're a pirate!" Sarah exclaimed.
-----------------
AN: Up Next: Chapter 14: Appearances. What's gonna happen? What will Sarah think? Will she approve? Or will she run away? What will Mason do now that he knows Jack is there?
Kate: Wow! Thankz! I'm glad you liked them, and I hope I updated fast enough!
PED-sarah: Yeah, I know. But I'm not worried about it. And I do understand about the writers block. I won't hold it against you. I go through the same thing.
DaydreamBeliever14: Thankz! I hope you like this one!
Dawnie-7: Ummm. . . well. . . you'll just have to wait and see!
PineAppleLint: I'm glad you liked it! Plot twisting? Me? Never! I wouldn't do that to my loyal fans! ;P
Goth Princess: Oh yes, she used them very wisely. Very wisely indeed!