This is it the end. We have come to it at last. There is going to be a sequel though.
Thanks to JillValentine44, my long lost year apart twin, for all the ideas and support.
And now, I give you chapter 14.
CHAPTER 14: I'M GIVING YOU A REASON
The Pearl docked in Tortuga three months later. The celebration on the return voyage had lasted the first month, in which Connor finished counting the treasure and Jack told them how much they would each be receiving.
Jack had been acting stranger than usual, holding Connor as if she were dying and making up any reason to be with her. But the crew had not missed the yelling coming from the Captain's Quarters on some nights. The sound of Jack and Connor's voice, though muffled by the door carried throughout the entire ship.
When they were a day away from Tortuga, Jack had announced her departure of the ship of her own choice. Details were kept between only Jack and Connor. But when the rumors started that Jack had done something wrong, Connor told them that it was her choice to leave and that Jack had no part in her leaving.
Connor had agreed to stay on the Pearl an extra night. The crew said their good-byes, knowing that when they returned in the morning she would be gone. Will and Elizabeth went into Port also, though against their better judgment, realizing that the two of them would want some time alone.
Jack held Connor close to him on the deck looking out at the sea. He nuzzled her hair kissed her head. He had ran out of things to say and ways to try.
"Can we not fight tonight Jack?"
"Aye, there will be no fighting tonight lass. I don't want my last memory of you to be one of yelling."
"Jack, this is not our last night together. This will not be your last memory of me."
She kissed him lightly and rested her head on his chest.
She woke up early the next morning, wanting to leave before he woke up. But when she opened her eyes she saw Jack sitting at his desk watching her. She sat up, never breaking eye contact with him.
"How long have you been up?"
"A few hours. I figured you'd make a break for it. I didn't want that to happen." He stood and walked over to the bed. He sat next to her and moved some stray hair from her face. He leaned in and kissed her softly.
"I better get going." She said when they separated. She stood up and dressed, then packed the dresses and other clothes that Jack had bought her.
"Why so early?"
"I want to be out of here by tonight."
"We're staying until tomorrow morning, you could stay until then."
"No. I've been here before, and I've been on the Pearl long enough. I think she's starting to get jealous of your attention on me."
"No, she loves ye Connor. You make this ship a lot better."
She finished packing and threw her cloak back on, looking very much like she did when they first met. She kissed him on the lips and made her way to the door. "No Jack, that's what you think. I love you, don't forget that, and I will see you again."
"Wait!" She spun around to face him.
"You said that you had no permanent reason to stay. Well I'm giving you a permanent reason. Connor, marry me."
"What?"
"Marry me, please."
"Jack I don't want you to do this because you just want to keep me around."
"I'm doing this because I want to. I want to marry you, I want everyone to know that you are mine and only mine. I want you beside me at all times. So I'll ask again, marry me?"
She stood quiet staring into his eyes. She thought about how happy she would be, but then the thoughts of hurt popped into her mind and thoughts of what she had to do. She loved him and there was only one thing to do.
"No." She whispered.
"No?" Jack repeated, looking shocked.
"I want to say yes. But we have separate paths. You belong to the sea on the Pearl. I may have the pirate brand but I don't belong to one ship, to the sea. I have to wander. There is no way we could make it work, not with me wandering and you at the sea. Jack, we have different agendas."
"We could make it work. I'll leave the Pearl and come with you." Jack said pleadingly.
"I can't ask you to do that. You wouldn't be fully happy. Jack I will always be yours and you will always be mine, but I can't marry you. I'm sorry." She turned away from him.
She walked out of the room and down the gangplank. With tears in her eyes she walked away from the Pearl, with no plans of ever returning. She was walking away from Jack, not planning on ever seeing him again. She had had to lied to him to make him believe that this was not the end.
But it was. She was leaving and was not returning. Jack stepped onto the deck and watched her disappear into the night. He hung his head and returned to the cabin and began to drink his rum.
Thanks to JillValentine44, my long lost year apart twin, for all the ideas and support.
And now, I give you chapter 14.
CHAPTER 14: I'M GIVING YOU A REASON
The Pearl docked in Tortuga three months later. The celebration on the return voyage had lasted the first month, in which Connor finished counting the treasure and Jack told them how much they would each be receiving.
Jack had been acting stranger than usual, holding Connor as if she were dying and making up any reason to be with her. But the crew had not missed the yelling coming from the Captain's Quarters on some nights. The sound of Jack and Connor's voice, though muffled by the door carried throughout the entire ship.
When they were a day away from Tortuga, Jack had announced her departure of the ship of her own choice. Details were kept between only Jack and Connor. But when the rumors started that Jack had done something wrong, Connor told them that it was her choice to leave and that Jack had no part in her leaving.
Connor had agreed to stay on the Pearl an extra night. The crew said their good-byes, knowing that when they returned in the morning she would be gone. Will and Elizabeth went into Port also, though against their better judgment, realizing that the two of them would want some time alone.
Jack held Connor close to him on the deck looking out at the sea. He nuzzled her hair kissed her head. He had ran out of things to say and ways to try.
"Can we not fight tonight Jack?"
"Aye, there will be no fighting tonight lass. I don't want my last memory of you to be one of yelling."
"Jack, this is not our last night together. This will not be your last memory of me."
She kissed him lightly and rested her head on his chest.
She woke up early the next morning, wanting to leave before he woke up. But when she opened her eyes she saw Jack sitting at his desk watching her. She sat up, never breaking eye contact with him.
"How long have you been up?"
"A few hours. I figured you'd make a break for it. I didn't want that to happen." He stood and walked over to the bed. He sat next to her and moved some stray hair from her face. He leaned in and kissed her softly.
"I better get going." She said when they separated. She stood up and dressed, then packed the dresses and other clothes that Jack had bought her.
"Why so early?"
"I want to be out of here by tonight."
"We're staying until tomorrow morning, you could stay until then."
"No. I've been here before, and I've been on the Pearl long enough. I think she's starting to get jealous of your attention on me."
"No, she loves ye Connor. You make this ship a lot better."
She finished packing and threw her cloak back on, looking very much like she did when they first met. She kissed him on the lips and made her way to the door. "No Jack, that's what you think. I love you, don't forget that, and I will see you again."
"Wait!" She spun around to face him.
"You said that you had no permanent reason to stay. Well I'm giving you a permanent reason. Connor, marry me."
"What?"
"Marry me, please."
"Jack I don't want you to do this because you just want to keep me around."
"I'm doing this because I want to. I want to marry you, I want everyone to know that you are mine and only mine. I want you beside me at all times. So I'll ask again, marry me?"
She stood quiet staring into his eyes. She thought about how happy she would be, but then the thoughts of hurt popped into her mind and thoughts of what she had to do. She loved him and there was only one thing to do.
"No." She whispered.
"No?" Jack repeated, looking shocked.
"I want to say yes. But we have separate paths. You belong to the sea on the Pearl. I may have the pirate brand but I don't belong to one ship, to the sea. I have to wander. There is no way we could make it work, not with me wandering and you at the sea. Jack, we have different agendas."
"We could make it work. I'll leave the Pearl and come with you." Jack said pleadingly.
"I can't ask you to do that. You wouldn't be fully happy. Jack I will always be yours and you will always be mine, but I can't marry you. I'm sorry." She turned away from him.
She walked out of the room and down the gangplank. With tears in her eyes she walked away from the Pearl, with no plans of ever returning. She was walking away from Jack, not planning on ever seeing him again. She had had to lied to him to make him believe that this was not the end.
But it was. She was leaving and was not returning. Jack stepped onto the deck and watched her disappear into the night. He hung his head and returned to the cabin and began to drink his rum.