Disclaimer:
Swords clanging, the duel continued. "Tell me, Walt Disney Co., are we to
be two jealous assholes locked in an epic battle until Judgment Day when
trumpets sound? Hum?" To this, Michael Eisner sniffed and ran his blade
through GooseLives' heart, scoffing, "Basically."
*I don't own this, but what else is new, nice gals always finish last...*
Note: Let's see how long I can keep up this romantic vibe before I get squeamish and leave this story for dead, shall we? Reviews make me smile! So does my new PoTC tee-shirt! I hope your holidays were pleasant! Do I have ADD? Plastic Bag! Plastic Bag!
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 9)
Geoffrey Eaton was up to his clear, blue eyeballs in trouble, and still sinking.
His son sat in the wingback chair at the far corner of their cabin on board the Dauntless, inspecting his fingernails for any sign of filth and periodically raising his eyes to his father in wonderment that the fine, British carpet wasn't showing signs of wear after all of the pacing the older man had been doing. Why, the mere rate of his gait was enough to inspire dizziness!
With an exasperated sigh, Clark soon abandoned his vow of silence and said, "Oh, will you have a seat already, Father? Between your unending treading and this rickety old boat swaying so, I just might relieve myself of my lunch!" Leaning back in the red leather chair, he massaged his forehead and closed his eyes, trying to imagine himself on dry land.
His jaw hanging open like that of a dead fish, Geoffrey halted and simply stared at his son in complete astonishment, practically speechless. "What are you about!?" he shouted, waving his hands wildly above his head. "Sometimes I think that you and I simply aren't sharing the same universe! How can you not comprehend what is going on here!?"
"You are too stressed, my good man," Clark said, his tone expressing how obvious he found the problem to be, "All you do is scheme and fret when you should be enjoying all that the world has to offer...like I do." Crossing one leg over the other, he pulled out a cheroot and inhaled deeply before lighting one end and calmly puffing away on it.
The man's eyes widened to the size of bread plates as he stormed over to his son. Looming over him, he locked his boy into the chair by leaning on both arms so he would be sure to hear. "You insufferable TWIT! Of course I am stressed!" He brandished the smoking cigar after snatching it from a very surprised Clark and whispered fiercely, "I cannot 'enjoy all that the world has to offer' because that costs MONEY, and without my 'scheming and fretting', you wouldn't be able to either!"
Geoffrey fought the urge to jump for joy when his son did nothing but blink in response, so he continued to vent his frustrations. "You, my dear boy, should be fretting as well because not only do we have a decided lack of funds and pirates after us, but now we also have to conceal these facts from the governor, the commodore, and a whole lot of soldiers, who, just in case you have forgotten, WE ARE TRAPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN WITH!"
Clark blinked once more, swallowing past the lump in his throat before self-consciously muttering, "Oh."
"Yes, 'oh'," he said matter-of-factly, turning quickly on his heel and stalking out of the dimly lit cabin and up to the main deck, into the all engulfing blackness of night.
* * * *
Jack stood at his watch, looking out at the world, beneath its veil of darkness, simply adorned with the full moon and her many stars, with unseeing eyes. Funny, he'd always relished his time as lookout; he even found it peaceful on occasion. But that was before today. Frustrated, he called out to the nearest sailor to take the wheel from him and made his way up to the quarter deck to be alone.
Sliding his calloused hand over the smooth, wooden banister, he inhaled deeply, taking the balmy sea air into his lungs in an effort to calm himself. But despite the quiet lull of the whitecaps against the keel and the stillness of his surroundings, Natalie was on his mind, as she had been for the past three days, and there wasn't much of a chance that his thoughts of her would go away any time soon.
He had no idea when it happened, how or even why, but Jack no longer thought of her as that bonny miss who had taken up residence on his ship quite unexpectedly. She had now become that bonny miss who had taken up residence in his heart quite unexpectedly.
Sure, she was pretty as hell, but he had bedded some of the most beautiful lasses in the world, some who even physically surpassed her charms. Natalie was smart too, but so were most people he'd come across in his travels in comparison to himself. She was fiery, but Ana Maria was more so, and he could hardly tolerate that woman!
The buccaneer had been through his thoughts time and time again, searching for a logical reason, and, in turn, a cure for his ailment, but it was all for naught. Jack was still just as unaware of the answer as he had been at the beginning.
With a moan, he leaned over the railing, raking his fingers through his long, tangled hair and asked, "Oh, why me!?"
"Is something amiss?"
The softly spoken inquiry drove him from his sorry state, and his head snapped up in response. Sending a biting look skyward as a rather acerbic sign of thanks for his God awful timing, Jack straightened up and spun about. He knew precisely who he was going to find standing there, but his reaction to her was a bit unexpected.
The wind was all but knocked from him as his eyes careened into the beautiful picture Natalie made, bathed in pale moonlight with her glossy tresses aloft in the mild sea air. It was all Jack could do to simply stand there and stare at her, his brow furrowed as all manner of thought and feeling coursed through him.
"Jack?"
The concern in her utterance that was also reflected in her eyes drew him from his thoughts and into the realization that she was, indeed, speaking to him and did require an answer, preferably some time in the near future.
With a quick twitch of his mustache into a reassuring grin, he soon fell back into confusion, forgetting what she had even asked in the first place. "Hum?"
Moving towards him, she raised an eyebrow in quiet inspection. "Are you foxed?"
That was a fair assumption. Raising a hand in front of his mouth, he exhaled a few times and quickly sniffed the air for any sign of alcohol. Shaking his head, he replied, "Unfortunately, no."
Natalie rolled her eyes at his response, fighting to hold back a smile in fear of encouraging the man, and moved past him to the rail. Gazing out into the endless night, she rested her hands on the sea-sprayed, weathered wood and sighed at the beauty of it all, wishing she could stay there forever. With him.
"So, what brings you here at this hour?" he asked softly, coming up beside her, "Couldn't sleep?"
Nodding, she elaborated. "I have a lot on my mind, it seems." Realization dawning on her, she asked, "Am I bothering you by being here?" Natalie fixed her eyes on the breaking waves below them, avoiding those of the man who had occupied her thoughts for hours on end. Softly, she added, "If you want me to leave, I'll understand."
"Nothing could be further from what I want, luv." It was only after he made that bold statement that he wished he wouldn't think out loud all the time. It was obvious that she had caught hold of his words, for those eyes of hers rushed to his.
With a humorless laugh, he struggled to ease the tension he'd created with a joke. Leaning over, he whispered in her ear, "I must admit, your company is a refreshing change from the scalawags I usually share me watch with."
Natalie chuckled softly at his comment, but the thrill of experiencing the warmth of his lips against the cool, exposed column of her neck, had quickly taken over her senses.
She knew he was still hovering beside her for she could still feel his slow, even breathing as it met her skin. Slowly, she turned her head and found herself scant inches from his, which set her pulse to racing.
Her eyes narrowed in concentration as they roved over his features, memorizing him through the shadows of the pale moonlight. At first glance, the captain was simply filthy and bizarre looking, but as she stood there, peering up at him, all she could find was a harmonious sort of perfection.
He had a rather regal air about him, his cheek bones were high and his nose was strong and proud, in spite of his involvement in many a fist fight which he had alluded to in the past. Wordlessly, she raised her hand to his cheek, moving her fingers leisurely across his skin which bore the coloring of the sun and the moisture of the sea.
Jack's gaze flew to her hand, wondering if she was preparing to soundly slap him. Much to his relief, she didn't strike, but the feelings that surfaced as a result of her silent exploration were enough to make him wish she had. At least he knew how to deal with blind hatred and cruelty.
She watched as his down set stare moved to hers. The captain really did have beautiful eyes. The color of fine brandy and rimmed in black kohl to keep the sun out, they glistened beneath the muted glow of the night sky, not once straying from hers.
The seconds they had spent standing there soon felt like an eternity, when someone started to approach. She had no idea who moved first, nor did she care at the moment. Her eye lids fluttered to a close and she lifted her chin to receive what she had been waiting her whole life for.
In his entire career of piracy, with all of the trappings of murdering, pillaging, and debauchery, Jack couldn't recall ever being more scared than he was at that moment, closing in on Natalie.
With a silent prayer to any and every god or goddess he had ever learned of throughout his many exploits in his lifetime, he swiftly closed the distance between them, capturing her lips beneath his.
* * * *
Bahahaha! I'm leaving you hanging because this chapter is taking me forever! I'll get you the rest of it soon enough! Enjoy, kids!
through GooseLives' heart, scoffing, "Basically."
*I don't own this, but what else is new, nice gals always finish last...*
Note: Let's see how long I can keep up this romantic vibe before I get squeamish and leave this story for dead, shall we? Reviews make me smile! So does my new PoTC tee-shirt! I hope your holidays were pleasant! Do I have ADD? Plastic Bag! Plastic Bag!
Here's To Freedom (Chapter 9)
Geoffrey Eaton was up to his clear, blue eyeballs in trouble, and still sinking.
His son sat in the wingback chair at the far corner of their cabin on board the Dauntless, inspecting his fingernails for any sign of filth and periodically raising his eyes to his father in wonderment that the fine, British carpet wasn't showing signs of wear after all of the pacing the older man had been doing. Why, the mere rate of his gait was enough to inspire dizziness!
With an exasperated sigh, Clark soon abandoned his vow of silence and said, "Oh, will you have a seat already, Father? Between your unending treading and this rickety old boat swaying so, I just might relieve myself of my lunch!" Leaning back in the red leather chair, he massaged his forehead and closed his eyes, trying to imagine himself on dry land.
His jaw hanging open like that of a dead fish, Geoffrey halted and simply stared at his son in complete astonishment, practically speechless. "What are you about!?" he shouted, waving his hands wildly above his head. "Sometimes I think that you and I simply aren't sharing the same universe! How can you not comprehend what is going on here!?"
"You are too stressed, my good man," Clark said, his tone expressing how obvious he found the problem to be, "All you do is scheme and fret when you should be enjoying all that the world has to offer...like I do." Crossing one leg over the other, he pulled out a cheroot and inhaled deeply before lighting one end and calmly puffing away on it.
The man's eyes widened to the size of bread plates as he stormed over to his son. Looming over him, he locked his boy into the chair by leaning on both arms so he would be sure to hear. "You insufferable TWIT! Of course I am stressed!" He brandished the smoking cigar after snatching it from a very surprised Clark and whispered fiercely, "I cannot 'enjoy all that the world has to offer' because that costs MONEY, and without my 'scheming and fretting', you wouldn't be able to either!"
Geoffrey fought the urge to jump for joy when his son did nothing but blink in response, so he continued to vent his frustrations. "You, my dear boy, should be fretting as well because not only do we have a decided lack of funds and pirates after us, but now we also have to conceal these facts from the governor, the commodore, and a whole lot of soldiers, who, just in case you have forgotten, WE ARE TRAPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN WITH!"
Clark blinked once more, swallowing past the lump in his throat before self-consciously muttering, "Oh."
"Yes, 'oh'," he said matter-of-factly, turning quickly on his heel and stalking out of the dimly lit cabin and up to the main deck, into the all engulfing blackness of night.
* * * *
Jack stood at his watch, looking out at the world, beneath its veil of darkness, simply adorned with the full moon and her many stars, with unseeing eyes. Funny, he'd always relished his time as lookout; he even found it peaceful on occasion. But that was before today. Frustrated, he called out to the nearest sailor to take the wheel from him and made his way up to the quarter deck to be alone.
Sliding his calloused hand over the smooth, wooden banister, he inhaled deeply, taking the balmy sea air into his lungs in an effort to calm himself. But despite the quiet lull of the whitecaps against the keel and the stillness of his surroundings, Natalie was on his mind, as she had been for the past three days, and there wasn't much of a chance that his thoughts of her would go away any time soon.
He had no idea when it happened, how or even why, but Jack no longer thought of her as that bonny miss who had taken up residence on his ship quite unexpectedly. She had now become that bonny miss who had taken up residence in his heart quite unexpectedly.
Sure, she was pretty as hell, but he had bedded some of the most beautiful lasses in the world, some who even physically surpassed her charms. Natalie was smart too, but so were most people he'd come across in his travels in comparison to himself. She was fiery, but Ana Maria was more so, and he could hardly tolerate that woman!
The buccaneer had been through his thoughts time and time again, searching for a logical reason, and, in turn, a cure for his ailment, but it was all for naught. Jack was still just as unaware of the answer as he had been at the beginning.
With a moan, he leaned over the railing, raking his fingers through his long, tangled hair and asked, "Oh, why me!?"
"Is something amiss?"
The softly spoken inquiry drove him from his sorry state, and his head snapped up in response. Sending a biting look skyward as a rather acerbic sign of thanks for his God awful timing, Jack straightened up and spun about. He knew precisely who he was going to find standing there, but his reaction to her was a bit unexpected.
The wind was all but knocked from him as his eyes careened into the beautiful picture Natalie made, bathed in pale moonlight with her glossy tresses aloft in the mild sea air. It was all Jack could do to simply stand there and stare at her, his brow furrowed as all manner of thought and feeling coursed through him.
"Jack?"
The concern in her utterance that was also reflected in her eyes drew him from his thoughts and into the realization that she was, indeed, speaking to him and did require an answer, preferably some time in the near future.
With a quick twitch of his mustache into a reassuring grin, he soon fell back into confusion, forgetting what she had even asked in the first place. "Hum?"
Moving towards him, she raised an eyebrow in quiet inspection. "Are you foxed?"
That was a fair assumption. Raising a hand in front of his mouth, he exhaled a few times and quickly sniffed the air for any sign of alcohol. Shaking his head, he replied, "Unfortunately, no."
Natalie rolled her eyes at his response, fighting to hold back a smile in fear of encouraging the man, and moved past him to the rail. Gazing out into the endless night, she rested her hands on the sea-sprayed, weathered wood and sighed at the beauty of it all, wishing she could stay there forever. With him.
"So, what brings you here at this hour?" he asked softly, coming up beside her, "Couldn't sleep?"
Nodding, she elaborated. "I have a lot on my mind, it seems." Realization dawning on her, she asked, "Am I bothering you by being here?" Natalie fixed her eyes on the breaking waves below them, avoiding those of the man who had occupied her thoughts for hours on end. Softly, she added, "If you want me to leave, I'll understand."
"Nothing could be further from what I want, luv." It was only after he made that bold statement that he wished he wouldn't think out loud all the time. It was obvious that she had caught hold of his words, for those eyes of hers rushed to his.
With a humorless laugh, he struggled to ease the tension he'd created with a joke. Leaning over, he whispered in her ear, "I must admit, your company is a refreshing change from the scalawags I usually share me watch with."
Natalie chuckled softly at his comment, but the thrill of experiencing the warmth of his lips against the cool, exposed column of her neck, had quickly taken over her senses.
She knew he was still hovering beside her for she could still feel his slow, even breathing as it met her skin. Slowly, she turned her head and found herself scant inches from his, which set her pulse to racing.
Her eyes narrowed in concentration as they roved over his features, memorizing him through the shadows of the pale moonlight. At first glance, the captain was simply filthy and bizarre looking, but as she stood there, peering up at him, all she could find was a harmonious sort of perfection.
He had a rather regal air about him, his cheek bones were high and his nose was strong and proud, in spite of his involvement in many a fist fight which he had alluded to in the past. Wordlessly, she raised her hand to his cheek, moving her fingers leisurely across his skin which bore the coloring of the sun and the moisture of the sea.
Jack's gaze flew to her hand, wondering if she was preparing to soundly slap him. Much to his relief, she didn't strike, but the feelings that surfaced as a result of her silent exploration were enough to make him wish she had. At least he knew how to deal with blind hatred and cruelty.
She watched as his down set stare moved to hers. The captain really did have beautiful eyes. The color of fine brandy and rimmed in black kohl to keep the sun out, they glistened beneath the muted glow of the night sky, not once straying from hers.
The seconds they had spent standing there soon felt like an eternity, when someone started to approach. She had no idea who moved first, nor did she care at the moment. Her eye lids fluttered to a close and she lifted her chin to receive what she had been waiting her whole life for.
In his entire career of piracy, with all of the trappings of murdering, pillaging, and debauchery, Jack couldn't recall ever being more scared than he was at that moment, closing in on Natalie.
With a silent prayer to any and every god or goddess he had ever learned of throughout his many exploits in his lifetime, he swiftly closed the distance between them, capturing her lips beneath his.
* * * *
Bahahaha! I'm leaving you hanging because this chapter is taking me forever! I'll get you the rest of it soon enough! Enjoy, kids!