Allen read the bearings his sister had sent him. He finished setting his course and turned his attention to the young woman sitting on the opposite end of the boat. She had wrapped herself in a blanket and was staring at the floor. Allen didn't know anything about her, he didn't even know her name. He had found her floating in the water, half-drowned, not even an hour ago.
"How are ye?" he asked.
She didn't move. Allen studied her. She looked a bit Hispanic. Her hair was black and curly, and her eyes were deep green. Her khaki pants, black shirt, and black bandanna were soaked through. She only looked to be about 20 years old.
He sighed. "Alright, don talk." He had turned around to do something, when her voice rang out.
"Do ye know where the Dark Storm makes its berth?"
Allen froze, then faced her. "What did ye say?"
"Do ye know where the Dark Storm makes its berth?" she repeated. "Ye know, the women pirate ship."
"Not quite. But that's where I'm headin'. Me sister's on that ship." Allen sat down beside her. "Do ye know someone there?"
"I might." She said, staring at the floor. "She might be gone now."
Allen nodded. "So, what's yer name?"
"Kara." She whispered.
"Well, in a day or two, we'll be on the ship ye search for." Allen stood up and went to check the sail.
"I hope so." Kara murmured, drawing the blanket tighter around her. "I really do."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cari and Jesabel weren't on speaking terms. Both had their ideas about the truth, but only one was right. And though the rest of the crew had opinions, they didn't voice them nor contradict them. Jack however watched Jesabel constantly. He had the strongest feeling that all she wanted to believe wasn't the truth. After seeing Cari in that state a few days ago, there was no way he couldn't believe the captain.
The day Allen was supposed to arrive was like a day in Hell for Cari. She paced around nervously, forgot things, and occasionally locked herself in her cabin for half an hour. Jesabel, however, was in the crows nest, her eyes never leaving the sea. Late in the afternoon, Jesabel saw it. "There he is!!" she cried. Cari, steering, let go of the wheel and stumbled backwards. She breathed deeply for a few moments, then nodded to the others to send ropes down. Jack took over steering, seeing how Cari might pass out from nervousness.
Shortly afterwards, Allen had climbed up the rope and was standing on deck. He was soon knocked to the ground by his little sister. "I've missed ye so much!" she exclaimed.
Cari saw the girl climb aboard from the other end of the deck, but even from there she could tell who it was. "Smalls?"
The girl looked at her, a grin spreading over her face. "CB!"
They ran to each other and embraced. Jack wondered who this new girl was, and why she had called Cari "CB".
"Smalls! I ain't seen ye in ages!" Cari said when the embrace ended.
"I been lookin' everywhere fer ye! But then I heard about yer ship, so I set sail ta find ye! But there was a nasty storm three weeks ago, an' I was shipwrecked!" the girl jerked her head at Allen. "He found me."
"Um… who, by chance, are ye?" Sara asked, joining the two.
"This is Smalls. We grew up tagether, but then her 'ouse was destroyed in a fire, an' she took ta the streets. I ain't seen her since we were ten." Cari introduced. "Smalls, this is me first mate, Sara Blackstock."
"'Ello." Smalls shook Sara's hand.
"So, Jess, where's yer captain?" Allen got up from the deck, Jesabel bouncing to stand beside him.
"Here." Jesabel took his hand and dragged him over to the others. "This is Captain Cari."
He recognized her right away. She had hardly changed, except in height and maybe weight. He could see she recognized him too, and she backed up a little, fear showing in her eyes.
"Cari…" he murmured. He reached out to shake her hand.
Cari pulled her hands away. Her breath became ragged. Smalls put a protective arm around her friend and gave Allen a questioning glance. Jesabel sniffed and crossed her arms. It was an act. Allen was a good guy. Sara, not wanting to get caught in a confrontation, went to take the steering wheel from Jack.
Jack sauntered over to the group. "'Ello. Ye must be the Allen that's been causin' trouble on this ship."
"What-" Allen was cut off.
"Nothin'. Now, come on, tell me what ye've been up ta." Jesabel dragged him away. He shot looks at Jack over his shoulder as he left.
Cari covered her face with her hands. "I need ta rest or…somethin'."
"Wait. What's goin' on?" Smalls asked.
"I'll tell ya." Cari walked into her cabin, Smalls following. Jack decided to go spy on this Allen.
The siblings stood by the railing. Jack hid behind a nearby barrel to listen in.
"Who was that man?" Allen wondered.
"Just someone we found in a shipwreck, nothin' ta worry 'bout." Jesabel assured him.
"He said I was causin' trouble." Allen pressed.
Jesabel fidgeted. "The Cap'n claims ye raped her." She held her head high and smiled proudly at her brother. "But I don believe her. I know ye wouldn't do a thing like that."
Allen hated to give his sister a bad image of him. So, unaware that his answer would cause the captain and his sister so much pain, he said, "Well, yer right. I did no such thing."
"Bastard." Jack hissed quietly.
Jesabel got a strange look on her face. "One moment." She walked across the deck to the captain's cabin, then opened the door and yelled into it, "Ye lyin' bitch!!". Then she slammed the door and went back to her brother, acting like nothing had happened. "Sorry, but I have ta get back on duty. See ye 'round."
Jack waited until Jesabel was up in the crow's nest before coming out from behind the barrel. "That was a very bad idea, mate."
"Ye again." Allen crossed his arms.
"Aye, me again." Jack smiled smugly.
"Who are ye?" Allen was wary of this pirate, he had strange looks about him.
"Son, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack grinned, showing off his gold teeth. "Savvy?"
"Ah. So, taken one of these women to be yer whore, eh?" Allen retorted wickedly.
Jack fumed. Was that the image everyone had of him? Well, he'd have to clear this up with the whelp. "No. I was shipwrecked. They found me, and as soon as I had boarded, the Captain had me swear ta not touch any of these women sexually." Jack glared at Allen. "And I always keep me word."
Allen glared back. "I'm sure ye do." He sarcastically commented before moving away.
Jack followed him. "And ye? Plannin' on bringin' one o' 'em inta yer bed?"
"Look, ye may be Jack Sparrow, but ye certainly ain't a Captain." Allen sneered. "And ye ain't no gentleman whose word is to be trusted."
Jack gave him a stony look. "The Captain trusts me an awful lot more than she trusts ye. Ye raped her before, we all know that. Ye know it, I know it, Cari knows it, its just yer bitch of a sister who doesn't. And-" He pulled his gun out and began twirling it on his finger. "-Just so ye know, I may not be a gentleman, but I can be held to me word. I ain't touched a single lady here. Ask any of 'em."
"And I bet they'll lie through their teeth so ye can pay them when ye wake up in their bed the next mornin'." Allen taunted.
Jack, in the blink of an eye, had his gun against Allen's throat. "I only got one shot in this pistol. And it doesn't belong in ye. So I suggest ye keep yer mouth shut an' yer damn thoughts to yerself. Savvy?" Jack turned to leave, then turned around and stomped hard on Allen's foot.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Life went on aboard the Dark Storm. There was constantly an unknown tug-of-war battle between Jack and Allen. They fought at least once a day, about who was worse than the other. Yet behind all the swears, threats, and insults was the one real, true problem. It was a matter of protection. Jack wanted to protect the women on the ship from Allen's desires, Cari most of all. And Allen wanted to protect his little sister from the truth, just as any brother would. So they yelled at each other, fists occasionally flew, and every once in awhile, a sword fight broke out.
As for Jesebel and Cari, they were quite unlike the other two. Their battle was inside. Hurtful thoughts roamed through their minds. Glares were exchanged, and they might spit a sarcastic comment or snide remark at the other, but that was all for them. Most of the time they acted as if they simply didn't exist.
Smalls fit right in with the other women, and was soon teaching Robyn and Caitlin Spanish curse words. After learning about all that had happened, Smalls gave Jesebel a what-for, in Spanish, English and other languages. Naturally those two didn't like each other very much. Placed in Lauren's care, Smalls certainly made life a bit more interesting. She often put crushed chili peppers in Allen's food, and one night she ran above deck yelling, "Fire!" Yes, Smalls certainly created mischief.
After one particularly bad fight, Jack sat in Cari's cabin, bandaging up his arm. It was broken, as far as he could tell. And it hurt like hell. "Bloody boy." He grumbled.
"Ye don't have ta fight so much." Cari said as she came in with more bandages. "These are the last ones. Get inta any more brawls, and there'll be nothin' ta help ye heal up."
Jack looked at her and grabbed one of the bandages she held. "I think we won't be fightin' for another week. At least I won't."
"He probably won't either. Ye broke a couple o' his ribs, Lauren says. Jesebel's fussin' over 'im somethin' terrible. We don have a look-out, for the moment." A strange look passed over Cari's face, but she quickly shook it off.
"Ye don seemed to be bothered that he's here." Jack observed, wincing as he tightened up the bandage.
"Well…he's usually up in the crow's nest with Jesebel, or fightin' with ye. I can forget he's even alive." Cari handed him another strip.
"I don believe ye." Jack struggled with the wrappings. "Dammit, I never was good at makin' slings."
"Slings are easy." Cari reached out to help him, but stopped. She pulled her hand back. "I don-"
"Ye don have ta lie." Jack told her. "If yer scared, just say so."
"I'm not scared!" Cari snapped. "I can't remember how ta make one, is all."
"Any sailor knows how ta make a sling." Jack glanced at her arm. "Especially one who's had ta use one before."
"Well I'm not scared, not o' ye." Cari retorted.
"Then help me with this goddamn sling!" Jack exclaimed.
They were silent for a moment, staring at each other. Finally Cari sighed and tied the ends of the bandage together, making the sling. "There."
"Thank ye." Jack said with a nod.
Once again they were silent. Jack coughed. Cari scuffed her foot along the floor. "Ye should go rest." She told him, breaking the silence.
"Aye." He stood, then looked at her. "Can ye really forget he's alive?"
Cari shook her head. "No. I can't. But I can't stay in here all the time, so I have ta keep me tears for the night. What ship would 'ave a Cap'n who cries all the time? Not this one…" As she spoke, the forbidden tears were falling down her cheeks. "God, I wish he was dead!" She broke into sobs.
Jack sat back down and put his good arm around her. "It's alright, love. It's alright."
She buried her face in his shoulder. "Why did he have to come here?! Why won't he just leave me alone?!"
"Shh…" Jack whispered. "It'll be okay."
They sat like that for awhile. When Cari had finished crying, she sat up. "Thank ye, Jack. I needed ta get that out." She rubbed her eyes.
Jack shrugged as best as he could. "Don mention it."
Cari stood up and was about to leave, when she turned back and gave Jack a peck on the cheek. Then she ran out. Jack sat, stunned.
Outside, Smalls, Robyn, and Caitlin were floating in a rowboat right beside the porthole in Cari's cabin, laughing.
"Sparks! I see sparks!" Robyn cried, using large hand motions for effect.
"Cap'n Jack's getting' 'imself an admirer!" Caitlin gasped between laughs.
"Hey!" The laughing hyenas looked up. Tari was calling them. "Get yerselves up here 'fore the Cap'n wonders where ye've gone!"
"Aye aye, Ma'am!" Smalls said with a salute.
Tari glared at them. "Yer lucky Sparrow ain't spotted ye by now."
"Oh no, Sparrow has." Jack appeared beside Tari. "And those three are gonna be in loads o' trouble when Cari finds out."
"But Sparrow" Smalls put on an innocent look. "'Trouble' is my middle name."
"Is there a party goin' on over 'ere?" Lauren asked, joining Tari and Jack.
"Aye!" Robyn pulled out her flask. "Cap'n Jack's got-"
"Don make me come get ye!" Jack yelled.
"-a girlfriend." Robyn finished, grinning evilly.
"Alright, yer dead!" Jack was about to jump off the side of the deck, but Lauren held him back.
"Ye can't swim with a broken arm." She reminded him.
Jack fumed. "Okay, yer dead when ye get back up 'ere!"
"Then we're stayin' down 'ere." Caitlin told him.
"Not if I 'ave anythin' ta say about it." Roseline had joined the group. "As second mate, I order ye ta get up 'ere. Cari's bound ta notice the missin' rowboat sometime soon."
The three stuck their tongues out and began to row away.
On the other side of the deck, Bramble surveyed the scene. No, she believed she really didn't want to know.