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CHAPTER 5: MICHAEL
Connor stood on the deck of the Pearl staring at the ring on her finger. After word spread on the Pearl she saw no reason in not wearing it any longer. Jack had eyed her finger the first day she had worn it but never said anything. She wished he would, she didn't like the fact that he had seemed to give up. He never spoke to her unless it was business and he never looked at her anymore. It was what she had wanted, but now it hurt her more than she had thought. The Pearl was only a day away from England and she found herself wanting nothing more than to have Jack turn the ship around and take her in his arms. But she couldn't do that, she had to return to Michael.
She heard the footsteps behind her and quickly wiped away the look of guilt and pain on her face. She turned to see Gibbs standing behind her. She plastered a smile on her face, "Yes Gibbs?"
"Captain wants to see ye lass. He's in his cabin." "Thank you." She walked around Gibbs before he said anything else. He had been the one trying to convince her to stay lately.
She knocked on Jack's door, no longer barging in like she used to.
"Come in Connor."
She entered, shutting the door behind her. Jack sat on his bed staring at her. He stood and walked up to her never taking his eyes off of hers. He took her left hand and ran his thumb over her ring.
"He's got to be a good man, he was able to tame you. That's something I was never able to do." He dropped her hand and turned his back to her. "I give up Connor. Go be with this Michael. I missed all my women in ports anyway. See, I've been thinking and I prefer Scarlet and Giselle. It's been two years and I miss that lifestyle. You were right, we never would have worked out. So, I give you my blessing."
Connor felt her heart drop into her stomach. He didn't' want her anymore, it wouldn't matter if she asked him to let her stay. Feeling the tears threaten to spill she turned and left the cabin heading toward her sleeping quarters.
Jack stayed where he stood in the cabin, his own eyes watering.
The Pearl docked the next afternoon. Elizabeth and Will had convinced Connor to let them meet Michael and so the three of them left the ship, heading for Michael's store. They entered a small shop on the corner of a street. Connor hurried back into the back room and dragged out a man who was her height with blue eyes and blonde hair.
"Connor stop, please." The man said before grabbing her hand and pulling her into a passionate kiss that she returned.
Will and Elizabeth watched the two and couldn't help the odd feeling that passed through them. The two parted and Connor turned to them. "Will, Elizabeth this is Michael. Michael this is Will and Elizabeth."
"Nice to meet you."
"Same here."
"Connor's told me a lot about you. And I think a congratulations are in order Mrs. Elizabeth. When are you due?" He asked seeing her stomach.
"In about 2 and a half months. We will be staying here until then."
"Of course."
"Actually Michael, I am going to be the one delivering the child, so we kind of need to postpone the wedding. I want to be able to get to her at a moments notice."
"Of course. Maybe they can come to the wedding?"
"We would like that."
They spent the rest of the day talking about plans and news. Will and Elizabeth walked out of the shop and headed back toward the ship.
"He seems really nice."
"He is really nice Elizabeth. I think that he is good for her."
"So is Jack."
"Liz I think that it is time we gave up. Jack told her that he didn't want her anymore and she is back with Michael and happy. There is no way that we can get them back together. If they are meant to be together we'll have to leave it up to them."
"Will, if we do that then they will not get back together."
"Then maybe that will be what's best for the both of them."
"I refuse to believe that Will."
"I wonder if he even knows about Jack."
"He does, Connor told me that she told him when he proposed. He doesn't seem to mind. He knows of their past but not that they still love each other."
"I think that he is going to be the one to marry her Elizabeth and there is nothing either of us could do to change that."
"I hope your wrong."
They boarded the Pearl and walked over to Jack. "Where have the two of ye been? You know that this is not a good place to roam around. England has a lot more soldiers than the Caribbean."
"We went with Connor to meet Michael."
"Really, what's the old chap like?"
"You'll find out for yourself. We have been invited to dinner tomorrow night."
"I don't think that dear Connor would want me there."
"She says that it is fine with her."
"I don't want to go."
"Jack stop being a baby. You don't love her anymore right, so there shouldn't be a problem. Your going, even if I have to have Will drag you."
Elizabeth turned and walked toward Will and hers cabin. Jack turned to Will, "You have one persuasive woman there whelp."
"Tell me about it."
The three people walked down the streets, with cloaks tightly over them. They approached a cottage on the outskirts of town. It had a wooden fence surrounding it and a garden next to the house.
They knocked on the door and Connor opened it. She welcomed them in and led them to a sitting area. They all took their seats, Connor next to Michael and Jack next to her. Will and Elizabeth sat on the other side of the room in the two remaining seats.
"You must be Jack." Michael said raising his hand across Connor to shake Jack's.
"Aye." Jack said as he shook Michael's hand.
"Connor told me about you. She said that you were a very interesting person."
"She told you about me did she? What exactly did she say?"
"Liz will you come with me please."
Connor and Liz went into the kitchen where Connor checked on the meal. "How do you think they will get along? I know that Jack doesn't want me anymore but do you think that he will like Michael."
"I am sure he will. But what about Michael?"
"Michael holds no grudge against Jack. He knows that I am no longer with him."
"But he doesn't know that you still love him."
"Elizabeth, stop." Connor said as she hung her head and placed her hands at her side. She turned to face Liz. "Norrington loved you and you turned him down, and look at him, he's doing fine. Yes I love Jack, but he doesn't feel that way anymore. So I will be like Norrington and move on.
The sad thing is that I was going to ask Jack to have me back. When I went into his cabin I was going to talk to him about how bad a move it would be to leave Michael and come back with you, marry Jack. I know I should be here, but when he wasn't talking to me it hurt, more than I thought it would."
"Oh, Connor." "Yeah, I just waited to long. So please, stop. No more of this. Elizabeth just stop trying, no more interference. I can't take it, I'm already hurting."
"And so is Jack."
"Jack was. But it turns out that I was just like a first love you eventually forget about."
"And what about him?"
"Elizabeth! I will ask you no more. Stop, this is none of your business. Let's just get through this dinner and then it will all be in motion. Please go tell the men that it is ready."
Elizabeth left the room and Connor stood where she was for a minute. When she had calmed herself enough she entered the dining area with the food. Michael stood and pulled her chair out and she thanked him as she took her seat.
"This looks wonderful Connor." Will said as they helped themselves to the food.
"She is a great cook." Michael said as he took her hand in his.
They spent dinner talking and getting to know Michael. When they finished eating they entered the sitting area again. Connor began to sense the tension growing in the room as they ran out of things to talk about. She faked a yawn and began to bring the visit to an end.
"It's getting late, you guys might want to get back."
"Your right. Thank you for the dinner Michael, Connor." They stood and left the house.
Connor turned to Michael and leaned her head on his shoulder. "How did you and Jack get along?"
"We didn't talk much but what we did say to one another was pretty interesting."
"Anything about me?"
"Only good things. But we mainly talked about his ship and what it was like on the sea."
"Ohhh, well I think that it is time to go to bed."
"Oh really."
Connor smiled and grabbed his hand and led him to the bedroom.
"What do you think Jack, isn't Michael nice?"
"Yes but he reminds me of a whelp."
"Jack every man who is not a pirate is a whelp."
"Cause every man is a whelp if they are not a pirate."
They boarded the Pearl and entered Jack's cabin. Elizabeth had held back what she was wanting to say long enough and she couldn't hold it back any longer.
"Jack do you honestly not want Connor anymore? Do you really want to go back to the way you were before you met her?"
"No Liz. I want her, but I am not willing to take away her happiness in order to do that."
"Then you have a problem Jack. She told me that she was going to ask you to take her back. She came into this cabin yesterday planning on telling you that she was going to call it off with Michael and stay with you. Now she thinks that you don't want her anymore and that there is no hope. You've got to prove to her that you do care Jack."
"Are you telling the truth Lizzie? This isn't just another plan to get them together is it?"
"No Will. She told me tonight while we were in the kitchen before dinner."
"So what should I do?"
"We'll think of something Jack. But now at least we know that you can get her back, and you will."
"Not all hope is lost after all Jack."
The three of them stayed in Jack's cabin the rest of the night trying to think of a way to get Connor to believe that Jack still did love her.
We finally met Michael, which means that there is not a lot more to the story. Please R&R
CHAPTER 5: MICHAEL
Connor stood on the deck of the Pearl staring at the ring on her finger. After word spread on the Pearl she saw no reason in not wearing it any longer. Jack had eyed her finger the first day she had worn it but never said anything. She wished he would, she didn't like the fact that he had seemed to give up. He never spoke to her unless it was business and he never looked at her anymore. It was what she had wanted, but now it hurt her more than she had thought. The Pearl was only a day away from England and she found herself wanting nothing more than to have Jack turn the ship around and take her in his arms. But she couldn't do that, she had to return to Michael.
She heard the footsteps behind her and quickly wiped away the look of guilt and pain on her face. She turned to see Gibbs standing behind her. She plastered a smile on her face, "Yes Gibbs?"
"Captain wants to see ye lass. He's in his cabin." "Thank you." She walked around Gibbs before he said anything else. He had been the one trying to convince her to stay lately.
She knocked on Jack's door, no longer barging in like she used to.
"Come in Connor."
She entered, shutting the door behind her. Jack sat on his bed staring at her. He stood and walked up to her never taking his eyes off of hers. He took her left hand and ran his thumb over her ring.
"He's got to be a good man, he was able to tame you. That's something I was never able to do." He dropped her hand and turned his back to her. "I give up Connor. Go be with this Michael. I missed all my women in ports anyway. See, I've been thinking and I prefer Scarlet and Giselle. It's been two years and I miss that lifestyle. You were right, we never would have worked out. So, I give you my blessing."
Connor felt her heart drop into her stomach. He didn't' want her anymore, it wouldn't matter if she asked him to let her stay. Feeling the tears threaten to spill she turned and left the cabin heading toward her sleeping quarters.
Jack stayed where he stood in the cabin, his own eyes watering.
The Pearl docked the next afternoon. Elizabeth and Will had convinced Connor to let them meet Michael and so the three of them left the ship, heading for Michael's store. They entered a small shop on the corner of a street. Connor hurried back into the back room and dragged out a man who was her height with blue eyes and blonde hair.
"Connor stop, please." The man said before grabbing her hand and pulling her into a passionate kiss that she returned.
Will and Elizabeth watched the two and couldn't help the odd feeling that passed through them. The two parted and Connor turned to them. "Will, Elizabeth this is Michael. Michael this is Will and Elizabeth."
"Nice to meet you."
"Same here."
"Connor's told me a lot about you. And I think a congratulations are in order Mrs. Elizabeth. When are you due?" He asked seeing her stomach.
"In about 2 and a half months. We will be staying here until then."
"Of course."
"Actually Michael, I am going to be the one delivering the child, so we kind of need to postpone the wedding. I want to be able to get to her at a moments notice."
"Of course. Maybe they can come to the wedding?"
"We would like that."
They spent the rest of the day talking about plans and news. Will and Elizabeth walked out of the shop and headed back toward the ship.
"He seems really nice."
"He is really nice Elizabeth. I think that he is good for her."
"So is Jack."
"Liz I think that it is time we gave up. Jack told her that he didn't want her anymore and she is back with Michael and happy. There is no way that we can get them back together. If they are meant to be together we'll have to leave it up to them."
"Will, if we do that then they will not get back together."
"Then maybe that will be what's best for the both of them."
"I refuse to believe that Will."
"I wonder if he even knows about Jack."
"He does, Connor told me that she told him when he proposed. He doesn't seem to mind. He knows of their past but not that they still love each other."
"I think that he is going to be the one to marry her Elizabeth and there is nothing either of us could do to change that."
"I hope your wrong."
They boarded the Pearl and walked over to Jack. "Where have the two of ye been? You know that this is not a good place to roam around. England has a lot more soldiers than the Caribbean."
"We went with Connor to meet Michael."
"Really, what's the old chap like?"
"You'll find out for yourself. We have been invited to dinner tomorrow night."
"I don't think that dear Connor would want me there."
"She says that it is fine with her."
"I don't want to go."
"Jack stop being a baby. You don't love her anymore right, so there shouldn't be a problem. Your going, even if I have to have Will drag you."
Elizabeth turned and walked toward Will and hers cabin. Jack turned to Will, "You have one persuasive woman there whelp."
"Tell me about it."
The three people walked down the streets, with cloaks tightly over them. They approached a cottage on the outskirts of town. It had a wooden fence surrounding it and a garden next to the house.
They knocked on the door and Connor opened it. She welcomed them in and led them to a sitting area. They all took their seats, Connor next to Michael and Jack next to her. Will and Elizabeth sat on the other side of the room in the two remaining seats.
"You must be Jack." Michael said raising his hand across Connor to shake Jack's.
"Aye." Jack said as he shook Michael's hand.
"Connor told me about you. She said that you were a very interesting person."
"She told you about me did she? What exactly did she say?"
"Liz will you come with me please."
Connor and Liz went into the kitchen where Connor checked on the meal. "How do you think they will get along? I know that Jack doesn't want me anymore but do you think that he will like Michael."
"I am sure he will. But what about Michael?"
"Michael holds no grudge against Jack. He knows that I am no longer with him."
"But he doesn't know that you still love him."
"Elizabeth, stop." Connor said as she hung her head and placed her hands at her side. She turned to face Liz. "Norrington loved you and you turned him down, and look at him, he's doing fine. Yes I love Jack, but he doesn't feel that way anymore. So I will be like Norrington and move on.
The sad thing is that I was going to ask Jack to have me back. When I went into his cabin I was going to talk to him about how bad a move it would be to leave Michael and come back with you, marry Jack. I know I should be here, but when he wasn't talking to me it hurt, more than I thought it would."
"Oh, Connor." "Yeah, I just waited to long. So please, stop. No more of this. Elizabeth just stop trying, no more interference. I can't take it, I'm already hurting."
"And so is Jack."
"Jack was. But it turns out that I was just like a first love you eventually forget about."
"And what about him?"
"Elizabeth! I will ask you no more. Stop, this is none of your business. Let's just get through this dinner and then it will all be in motion. Please go tell the men that it is ready."
Elizabeth left the room and Connor stood where she was for a minute. When she had calmed herself enough she entered the dining area with the food. Michael stood and pulled her chair out and she thanked him as she took her seat.
"This looks wonderful Connor." Will said as they helped themselves to the food.
"She is a great cook." Michael said as he took her hand in his.
They spent dinner talking and getting to know Michael. When they finished eating they entered the sitting area again. Connor began to sense the tension growing in the room as they ran out of things to talk about. She faked a yawn and began to bring the visit to an end.
"It's getting late, you guys might want to get back."
"Your right. Thank you for the dinner Michael, Connor." They stood and left the house.
Connor turned to Michael and leaned her head on his shoulder. "How did you and Jack get along?"
"We didn't talk much but what we did say to one another was pretty interesting."
"Anything about me?"
"Only good things. But we mainly talked about his ship and what it was like on the sea."
"Ohhh, well I think that it is time to go to bed."
"Oh really."
Connor smiled and grabbed his hand and led him to the bedroom.
"What do you think Jack, isn't Michael nice?"
"Yes but he reminds me of a whelp."
"Jack every man who is not a pirate is a whelp."
"Cause every man is a whelp if they are not a pirate."
They boarded the Pearl and entered Jack's cabin. Elizabeth had held back what she was wanting to say long enough and she couldn't hold it back any longer.
"Jack do you honestly not want Connor anymore? Do you really want to go back to the way you were before you met her?"
"No Liz. I want her, but I am not willing to take away her happiness in order to do that."
"Then you have a problem Jack. She told me that she was going to ask you to take her back. She came into this cabin yesterday planning on telling you that she was going to call it off with Michael and stay with you. Now she thinks that you don't want her anymore and that there is no hope. You've got to prove to her that you do care Jack."
"Are you telling the truth Lizzie? This isn't just another plan to get them together is it?"
"No Will. She told me tonight while we were in the kitchen before dinner."
"So what should I do?"
"We'll think of something Jack. But now at least we know that you can get her back, and you will."
"Not all hope is lost after all Jack."
The three of them stayed in Jack's cabin the rest of the night trying to think of a way to get Connor to believe that Jack still did love her.
We finally met Michael, which means that there is not a lot more to the story. Please R&R