Thanks for all the reviews and all the support JillValentine44. And for anybody out there that is still reading the story, thanks for sticking with it. This could be the last story of the Jack and Connor series if I can't come up with another adventure after this one, but I'm having trouble thinking of one. Plus if nobody is reading this I don't see a reason to continue with the series. So please tell me if you want another story about them. I'm not saying for sure that this is the last story, but it could be.
CHAPTER 6: Leaving for the Better
Connor sat in her room, watching the sun sink below the horizon. She had waited the entire day, making excuses for why he wouldn't be in there with her. But she had ran out of excuses, she had stopped hoping. With her mind made up she stood and grabbed her bag. She began to stuff all of her belongings into it.
Tears sprang to her eyes as she did this. She didn't want to leave, but how could she stay. She finished packing and tossed her bag to the ground next to her door. She then turned her attention to the necklace Jack had given to her after they had married. She brought her hand up to it and clasped it in her hand.
She jumped with surprise when the door to the cabin opened and let her hand drop from the necklace. She turned to face the person expecting it to be Gibbs checking on her. But she was shocked to see, not Gibbs, but Jack. He stood inside the door, hands clasped in front of him, staring her in the eyes.
The sadness in his eyes made her want to unpack everything and fall into his arms. But she wouldn't surrender. He was the one who should be apologizing not her, and she was not one to easily drop her ideas.
Jack hesitantly reached into his coat and brought out "Romeo and Juliet". "I. . .uh, thought I should bring this back, it is Lizzie's after all." He whispered.
Connor smiled, "You read it."
"I did no such thing." Jack snapped back.
"Then why didn't you bring it back earlier?" She asked.
"I've been busy. The Pearl is taking on water and I had to deal with that." He said, placing the book down on the desk. He kept his eyes averted from her.
"Jack, you know you can't lie to me. Every time you do you never look me in the eyes." Connor replied, stepping over to him.
"Cause I feel guilty lying to ye."
"So you did read it?"
"Aye, I did. And I see what you mean about the true love thing. I wanted to come in earlier but I had to make sure the Pearl was fine. I knew that you'd be here now so I saw no problem with it." He said with a sweet smile.
"It was okay? You care for the Pearl more than me. What if I had been in here dying Jack?" She asked, slightly hurt.
"Well if I hadn't checked on the Pearl we would be under the sea now, and we all would be dead. So I think that my priorities were in order. Besides I am here now, am I not. I wanted to tell ye that I understand and that I am sorry."
"I forgive you for the Norrington issue Jack. But you are to late. I should be first priority to you, not the Pearl. But I understand now, I will always be third. The Pearl and the sea will always come before me." She said, lowering her head to avoid seeing the look in his eyes when she told him her plan.
"That's not true. I even told ye that I would leave the Pearl with you when you got to antsy. I know that ye can't possibly believe that you are second." He said. Confused by her words he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "You don't really believe that do you?"
"Jack I have made up my mind. I know we have to dock to repair the Pearl, and when we do I will be leaving. I'll find someone else to help me get Tyler. Like you said, Thomas won't do anything to him, he wants me." She said.
"You're joking. Luv I already apologized to ye, there's no reason for you to act like you're leaving." He replied.
"I'm not joking Jack. I sat in here, waiting for you all day. But you never came, and I understand that you are apologizing. But it's just to late. I've already packed." She said, directing her eyes to her sack on the floor.
Jack turned around and saw the bag sitting on the floor. He turned back to look at Connor, seeing her eyes empty. He let go of her and walked over to her bag, picking it up he began to go through it. All of her belongings were in there, all of her belongings that she could fit.
"No. See, this is not how it works. I apologize, ye forgive me and we spent the rest of the day making up and swearing to never fight again." He told her harshly.
She flinched at his tone, but stood firm. "No Jack. That is not how it works, that is not what a marriage is going to be. Sometimes they just don't work out and this is one of those times." She walked over to him and took off her necklace. Grabbing his hand, she placed the necklace in it.
He stared at the green gem that rested in his palm, the wedding gift he had given her. He looked up at her. "Why?" Was all he could say.
"It was a wedding gift, and now that it's over I don't think I should have it."
"That's it then. It's over. Fine, go. Can't say I won't be happy in some way. I'll get to go back to having the whores and not getting yelled at. Hope ye get Tyler back, get him back to the family in Tortuga. I wouldn't tell him that ye are his mother, wouldn't want the poor boy to cry. After all, wouldn't want the lad to know that his mother can't keep a relationship unless it is with someone who is abusive. Just remember that you will always be married to me legally. Think about that when ye are with another man." Jack barked.
Connor's hand connected with Jack's cheek. The sound of the slap could be heard throughout the entire ship. Jack's head flew around with enough force to pop his neck. He turned back to see Connor's face streaked with tears and anger burning in her eyes at the same time.
"I can't believe you. Is that what you really think of me Jack. You bastard. You have no idea how much this is killing me. I love you, but I can't stay. We were meant to be, supposed to be. But we lost it. All the memories so close to me just fade away, when around you. Now to find out that all this time you were pretending. So much for my happy ending. You say the only relationships that I can make work are the abusive ones. Well I'm walking away from one right now Jack." She sobbed angrily.
"I am not abusive, and you should never say that I am. Have I ever raised a hand to you?" He said through gritted teeth. He was ready to break down himself at the sight of her.
"No, but you've raised your words enough. You may not physically hurt me, but verbally and mentally you've put me through enough. I can't stay when you continually say things like you just did. Every time that something doesn't go your way, you make me feel like crap. I can't do this Jack, I can't." She choked out as her tears began to come faster. She turned her back to Jack and brought her hand to her mouth covering up her sobs.
Jack's resolute melted and he stood, unbelievingly, staring at her shaking form. "Connor, I don't mean to, ye know I don't mean to." He said, his voice full of emotion.
"I know Jack. You don't even realize the things you say, and I know you would never hurt me intentionally. But the fact that you do do that. I can't take it anymore." She sobbed.
Jack walked over and hesitantly placed his arms around her, afraid that she would push him away. But she didn't, instead she leaned into his arms. They stood silently for a few minutes, Jack holding her. His kissed the top of her head, "I am so sorry luv. I never want to make ye feel like that."
She turned in his arms to face him. "I'll stop, I'll watch my anger. I'll do everything to make sure that I don't do that anymore. But please don't leave. I can't wake up again with you not in bed with me, and to wake up knowing your not even on the ship. . . I can't live with that." "Jack, you can't change that fast."
"I can. Please luv. I know I don't say it nearly as much as I should, but I love you. More than anything. I know I'm a rotten husband, but please don't leave."
She had never seen Jack like this before, and it scared her. "This is not like you Jack, I have never seen you act like this before."
"I've never had a reason to act like this before."
"Jack, I will stay aboard, but I will not return to the cabin. We need to work things out, and I need to know that you won't be like that anymore."
Jack took the necklace and hung it back around her neck. He laid his head on her shoulder and stayed like that for a few minutes until she told him that he should check on the Pearl. He left the room and she turned to the book.
"I should thank you Shakespeare, you've saved my marriage. But is it enough to change my husband."
END
I hope Jack isn't to out of character here, I think he is a little. I know I've been rather mean to Jack and Connor so far, especially Jack, but everything will begin to come together soon. So PLEASE R & R!
CHAPTER 6: Leaving for the Better
Connor sat in her room, watching the sun sink below the horizon. She had waited the entire day, making excuses for why he wouldn't be in there with her. But she had ran out of excuses, she had stopped hoping. With her mind made up she stood and grabbed her bag. She began to stuff all of her belongings into it.
Tears sprang to her eyes as she did this. She didn't want to leave, but how could she stay. She finished packing and tossed her bag to the ground next to her door. She then turned her attention to the necklace Jack had given to her after they had married. She brought her hand up to it and clasped it in her hand.
She jumped with surprise when the door to the cabin opened and let her hand drop from the necklace. She turned to face the person expecting it to be Gibbs checking on her. But she was shocked to see, not Gibbs, but Jack. He stood inside the door, hands clasped in front of him, staring her in the eyes.
The sadness in his eyes made her want to unpack everything and fall into his arms. But she wouldn't surrender. He was the one who should be apologizing not her, and she was not one to easily drop her ideas.
Jack hesitantly reached into his coat and brought out "Romeo and Juliet". "I. . .uh, thought I should bring this back, it is Lizzie's after all." He whispered.
Connor smiled, "You read it."
"I did no such thing." Jack snapped back.
"Then why didn't you bring it back earlier?" She asked.
"I've been busy. The Pearl is taking on water and I had to deal with that." He said, placing the book down on the desk. He kept his eyes averted from her.
"Jack, you know you can't lie to me. Every time you do you never look me in the eyes." Connor replied, stepping over to him.
"Cause I feel guilty lying to ye."
"So you did read it?"
"Aye, I did. And I see what you mean about the true love thing. I wanted to come in earlier but I had to make sure the Pearl was fine. I knew that you'd be here now so I saw no problem with it." He said with a sweet smile.
"It was okay? You care for the Pearl more than me. What if I had been in here dying Jack?" She asked, slightly hurt.
"Well if I hadn't checked on the Pearl we would be under the sea now, and we all would be dead. So I think that my priorities were in order. Besides I am here now, am I not. I wanted to tell ye that I understand and that I am sorry."
"I forgive you for the Norrington issue Jack. But you are to late. I should be first priority to you, not the Pearl. But I understand now, I will always be third. The Pearl and the sea will always come before me." She said, lowering her head to avoid seeing the look in his eyes when she told him her plan.
"That's not true. I even told ye that I would leave the Pearl with you when you got to antsy. I know that ye can't possibly believe that you are second." He said. Confused by her words he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "You don't really believe that do you?"
"Jack I have made up my mind. I know we have to dock to repair the Pearl, and when we do I will be leaving. I'll find someone else to help me get Tyler. Like you said, Thomas won't do anything to him, he wants me." She said.
"You're joking. Luv I already apologized to ye, there's no reason for you to act like you're leaving." He replied.
"I'm not joking Jack. I sat in here, waiting for you all day. But you never came, and I understand that you are apologizing. But it's just to late. I've already packed." She said, directing her eyes to her sack on the floor.
Jack turned around and saw the bag sitting on the floor. He turned back to look at Connor, seeing her eyes empty. He let go of her and walked over to her bag, picking it up he began to go through it. All of her belongings were in there, all of her belongings that she could fit.
"No. See, this is not how it works. I apologize, ye forgive me and we spent the rest of the day making up and swearing to never fight again." He told her harshly.
She flinched at his tone, but stood firm. "No Jack. That is not how it works, that is not what a marriage is going to be. Sometimes they just don't work out and this is one of those times." She walked over to him and took off her necklace. Grabbing his hand, she placed the necklace in it.
He stared at the green gem that rested in his palm, the wedding gift he had given her. He looked up at her. "Why?" Was all he could say.
"It was a wedding gift, and now that it's over I don't think I should have it."
"That's it then. It's over. Fine, go. Can't say I won't be happy in some way. I'll get to go back to having the whores and not getting yelled at. Hope ye get Tyler back, get him back to the family in Tortuga. I wouldn't tell him that ye are his mother, wouldn't want the poor boy to cry. After all, wouldn't want the lad to know that his mother can't keep a relationship unless it is with someone who is abusive. Just remember that you will always be married to me legally. Think about that when ye are with another man." Jack barked.
Connor's hand connected with Jack's cheek. The sound of the slap could be heard throughout the entire ship. Jack's head flew around with enough force to pop his neck. He turned back to see Connor's face streaked with tears and anger burning in her eyes at the same time.
"I can't believe you. Is that what you really think of me Jack. You bastard. You have no idea how much this is killing me. I love you, but I can't stay. We were meant to be, supposed to be. But we lost it. All the memories so close to me just fade away, when around you. Now to find out that all this time you were pretending. So much for my happy ending. You say the only relationships that I can make work are the abusive ones. Well I'm walking away from one right now Jack." She sobbed angrily.
"I am not abusive, and you should never say that I am. Have I ever raised a hand to you?" He said through gritted teeth. He was ready to break down himself at the sight of her.
"No, but you've raised your words enough. You may not physically hurt me, but verbally and mentally you've put me through enough. I can't stay when you continually say things like you just did. Every time that something doesn't go your way, you make me feel like crap. I can't do this Jack, I can't." She choked out as her tears began to come faster. She turned her back to Jack and brought her hand to her mouth covering up her sobs.
Jack's resolute melted and he stood, unbelievingly, staring at her shaking form. "Connor, I don't mean to, ye know I don't mean to." He said, his voice full of emotion.
"I know Jack. You don't even realize the things you say, and I know you would never hurt me intentionally. But the fact that you do do that. I can't take it anymore." She sobbed.
Jack walked over and hesitantly placed his arms around her, afraid that she would push him away. But she didn't, instead she leaned into his arms. They stood silently for a few minutes, Jack holding her. His kissed the top of her head, "I am so sorry luv. I never want to make ye feel like that."
She turned in his arms to face him. "I'll stop, I'll watch my anger. I'll do everything to make sure that I don't do that anymore. But please don't leave. I can't wake up again with you not in bed with me, and to wake up knowing your not even on the ship. . . I can't live with that." "Jack, you can't change that fast."
"I can. Please luv. I know I don't say it nearly as much as I should, but I love you. More than anything. I know I'm a rotten husband, but please don't leave."
She had never seen Jack like this before, and it scared her. "This is not like you Jack, I have never seen you act like this before."
"I've never had a reason to act like this before."
"Jack, I will stay aboard, but I will not return to the cabin. We need to work things out, and I need to know that you won't be like that anymore."
Jack took the necklace and hung it back around her neck. He laid his head on her shoulder and stayed like that for a few minutes until she told him that he should check on the Pearl. He left the room and she turned to the book.
"I should thank you Shakespeare, you've saved my marriage. But is it enough to change my husband."
END
I hope Jack isn't to out of character here, I think he is a little. I know I've been rather mean to Jack and Connor so far, especially Jack, but everything will begin to come together soon. So PLEASE R & R!