Chapter 8, enjoy!
CHAPTER 8: Hallucinations, Fixings, and Beginnings of Plans
Connor stood on the deck of the Pearl, looking out over the sea. She turned her head to look behind her at the port they were in. The crew had been working hard for the past few days to repair, and though they were close to finished, there was still a lot more to be done. They would be stranded there for at least another week, and the thought of wasting time was beginning to make Connor sick.
She didn't know what it was. Jack and her had made progress, and Jack had shown that he could and would change as fast as needed. Though they were still on rocky ground, they were together. It was like when they had first met, the love that was there, but the uneasy feeling of expressing it. But there was more to her worry than that.
She knew that Thomas would not harm Tyler, not if he truly wanted her in Atlantis. But that was it, why did he want her in Atlantis? What could he possibly want all the way out there.
Footsteps approached her from behind and she smiled sweetly. It had to be Jack, he was the only one who approached her like this. She turned to meet him but was shocked to see not Jack, but Nate Bathers.
He stood before her like he used to. A evil smirk plastered on his face, with the attitude of someone who knew he could never be beat. His eyes never left her and Connor felt her stomach turn and her knees turn to jelly. She grabbed the railing to keep her balance and looked around for Jack.
"Who are ye looking for me sweet?" Nate asked in a voice filled with venom.
"Jack." She whispered to the wind, hoping it was loud enough for him to hear.
"Who?" Nate asked, taking a step closer to her.
"Ye stay away from me. You touch me at all and Jack will kill you again." She spat.
"Who is Jack pet? And what do ye mean again? I think it be best if we get you into bed early tonight."
"Don't play dumb with me Nate. I don't know how you are even standing here, but I can guarantee you that Jack will make sure you are not even capable of standing after this." She snapped, courage building at the thought of Jack. "Jack! Jack!" She screamed as loud as she could. She turned to Nate who stood before her, confusion written on his face.
Jack heard her scream with a voice filled with panic and rushed onto deck to find her. He saw her immediately, standing at the side of the ship. She was staring straight in front of her, at something he couldn't see.
"Nate, your dead. You can't harm me." He heard her say shakily.
He furrowed his brow and began to walk over to her. "No, you are dead. I killed you." He heard her say more frantically. Jack picked up his pace and reached her before she could continue with her ramblings.
"Luv, what's going on?" He asked as he took her by the shoulders.
"Oh Jack, thank goodness, look." She directed Jack to look at where she had been staring.
"What is it luv?" Jack asked, unsure of what he should be seeing.
"It's Nate. He's not dead, I think he may be cursed like Barbossa was." She whispered in his ear.
Jack stepped back from her, "Luv nobody is here. It's just you and me."
"No, no. Jack, look. How can you miss him, he's standing right there!" She screamed.
"All right luv. I'll take care of it, why don't you go into the cabin and I'll be there when I've finished him up savvy?" He asked her, fear beginning to grip him.
"Savvy Jack. I told you." She said to the air before walking into their cabin.
Jack watched her until he saw the door shut and ran off to find Gibbs. He found the older man in the galley, putting away new supplies.
"Captain what is it?" He asked upon seeing Jack's face.
"Gibbs the situation is getting to Connor. She just stood on deck talking to Nate Bathers. She's gone crazy mate." Jack said quickly.
Gibbs put down the item in his hand, "Show me her." He said.
Jack led him to his and Connor's cabin. Inside was still empty of all of her belongings, but it was a more cheerful place now. He watched Gibbs walk over to Connor and ask her some questions. He couldn't hear what was being said, but saw Connor's head nod from time to time.
After a few minutes Gibbs stood and went over to him. "Stress basically Jack. She's so worked up and has so much going on, that it's driving her to hallucinations" He said, eyeing the woman.
"What should I do?"
"There's only one thing you really can do, take some stress away. See what you can do to take away some of her burdens. If she keeps like this she will make herself sick, very sick." Gibbs told him somberly.
"How do I take away some stress?" Jack asked, never taking his eyes off of Connor.
"I would just make sure that she doesn't overly worry about things. Give her a few days of rest and no stress and she should be fine."
Gibbs went back to the cabin, leaving Jack and Connor alone. Jack walked over to her and sat down beside her.
"Did you take care of Nate Jack?" She asked.
"Yes, luv. He won't be bothering ye anymore. How are you feeling?" He replied.
"I'm fine Jack. Thank you for taking care of him." She leaned on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I've been a real terror lately."
"Ye haven't been a terror lately, I have. Don't even worry about it, we're back." He said. He was glad she was talking. "Luv how have ye been lately? Thinking about Tyler a lot?"
"Yeah, but other things are on mind more."
"Like what?"
"Like you. I've been a little stressed about us. I know that we're making progress, but we seem so cautious toward each other. We're not like we used to be and I miss that." "Well, we'll fix that luv. But you shouldn't worry about that. Everything is okay. But what about Tyler? Have you been worried about him?" He asked softly.
Connor stood and walked over to Jack's desk. She had placed the picture of Tyler on it and looked at it. She was quiet for a while and Jack stayed where he was at, staring at her.
"Of course I'm worried about him. I know that he shouldn't have to be put through this and I hate it that it is my fault." She whispered.
Jack resisted the urge to stop her, knowing that the stress would lessen with the words she spoke.
"I wish I had never done what I did. My whole life has been so screwed up. Nothing I have ever done was right, nothing I will ever do will be right. I'm cursed. I want to take back my whole life and start over. Not get involved with Nate or the Governor. I'm sure I would cross paths with you if we are truly meant to be. I just hate this life. Jack, ye have no idea how close I was to just letting go when you and I weren't together." She sat down at the desk and took the picture in her hands.
"Luv, leave some stuff for me to worry about please. It's not good that you are so stressed, you're gonna make yourself sick." Jack said, walking over to her. He knelt in front of her.
"I know, but it's all just piling up." She said, looking him in the eyes.
"Let's take one away shall we." He leaned forward and kissed her passionately. "You and I are fixed. There's nothing that could tear us apart. We've learned from our mistakes. Now I need you to get some rest while I go check on the progress we're making." He helped her into the bed and left to go check on the crew.
He found them hard at work, and was pleased to see that they were ahead of schedule. They would be able to leave a few days earlier.
He walked into their cabin and found her sitting at the desk. He walked over to her silently and leaned down, placing a kiss on her cheek. He looked at what she was doing and saw a drawing of himself she had drawn.
"That's good luv. It's nice to see ye draw again." He whispered in her ear.
"Yeah well, I got bored." She turned in her seat to face him.
"Ye seem a lot better. I thought that you had lost yer mind there for a minute luv. Ye got to make sure you don't do that again." He kissed her softly.
"I won't, didn't like being crazy. But I think that everyone is entitled to one lapse in their lives. Especially when they are put under so much." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I can't argue with that. Anyway, I came in here to tell ye that we shall be leaving earlier than we thought. The crew have been working hard and we can leave tomorrow."
"That's amazing!" Connor exclaimed, jumping up.
"I thought ye'd like that." He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her again. Things had improved for their marriage. Their trust had returned and they were no longer hesitant to show affection toward one another.
"Luv, I'm having a thought here." He whispered against her lips.
"I like yer thinking Sparrow." Connor purred and led him to the bed.
The Pearl left the port the next morning and started her journey to Atlantis. Connor felt relieved that they were finally on their way. After what seemed like delay after delay they could finally make way and not have to worry about any problems.
She stood on the deck of the ship watching Jack steer her through the calm sea. Three months from then they would be standing in Atlantis getting Tyler back. She turned back to the sea and watched the waves crash onto the ship.
"What you thinking about lass" Gibbs asked her. He stood next to her and looked out over the sea also.
"Believe it or not, nothing. For the first time in a long time I can relax and clear my mind."
"That's good to hear. How about ye and Jack, everything all right."
"Yes, better than ever believe it or not. I just can't believe that it took an incident like this to get us to realize how much we need each other." She said.
Gibbs knew she was off in her own world and went back to work. Connor remained where she was for another few minutes. She went to the helm, "Jack, why don't you get some rest, I'll take the helm. You've been steering all day."
"All right. Just don't sink her please."
"Jack, how many times have I been at the helm of the Pearl? I won't sink her." She said, pushing Jack out of the way.
"I don't know luv, you seem to be pretty pushy today." He replied, rubbing his arm dramatically.
"HaHaHa. Just go get some rest." He kissed her and went to their cabin, leaving her at the helm. She smiled as she felt the breeze go through her hair and the feel of the Pearl under her control. She loved it when Jack let her take the helm, feeling as if she was the captain and everything was fine in her life.
She stayed at the helm for a few hours until Jack returned and relieved her. She stayed with him at the helm though, in Jack's arms.
They continued on their way to Atlantis for the next two months. The weather was with them and Jack and her had begun to come up with a plan to fight Thomas and get Tyler. They sat in their cabin one night, discussing their options.
"If he wants me, then he can have me Jack. I am not going to let him hurt Tyler." She argued.
"No. You've had a breakdown and been lost lately, and I am not going to let you add to that by letting you give yourself to him. Think of something else." Jack said as he paced back and forth in front of their bed where she sat.
"I don't know of anything else."
"I do. Let me kill the bastard. Let me run him through luv. It's his fault everything that has happened to us in the past few months has happened. I say we kill him." Jack retorted.
"Jack, if we make a move toward him then he could very possibly hurt Tyler. This isn't like with Barbossa. He doesn't have somebody that if he hurts it's all over for him. I say that we let him have me in exchange for Tyler, then, once Tyler is safe we can fight him and kill him."
"And what if that doesn't work?"
"Then you can run him through." She said. She stood and stopped him from pacing. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Ye promise."
"I promise."
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