Spun

by : epiphanies

Part Five

Aurolyn drank in with every sense the world around her. It was if stepping onto a ship made her entire world change. Rock. Sway. She felt with a deep rooted twinge of guilt like a real swashbuckler. She turned and grinned at Jack, still holding onto the ledge.

The corners of his lips twitched and she noticed that his kohl was a bit smudged. She let go with one hand and pressed a finger to the crinkle of his eye. He stepped backward, and she frowned.

"Sunburn, love," he raised an eyebrow, then took her hand instead. She held back crinkling her nose - at home, she would never had touched such a generally dirty looking man. His fingernails were the grittiest she'd ever seen.

At least, until she stepped onto the top deck. -Everybody- was filthier than Jack there.

"Oi, men!" he shouted vigorously, raising his hands into the air. She raised her own plucked eyebrows at him, seeing the change in his behaviour change like an eclipse covering the moon.

"Aye, Captain!" the crew shouted back, and a shaggy man with a parrot stepped forward. The parrot screeched, "Ghosts roam these parts, aye!"

Jack sent the parrot a surprised gaze, then winked at Aurolyn. She wasn't so sure that the parrot was wrong - hadn't she just had dreams about Jack and her mother?

She was curious, as he led her around the ship, introducing her to the crew, if the bedroom of the Black Pearl still looked the same, with the magnificent tapestries and candles. If he still hid his weapons in that great chest.

"So Jack," she cocked her head, and he turned swiftly to face her.

"Darling?"

"How long have you been Captain of this ship?"

His eyes narrowed at her, "Forever."

Her eyes widened in mild surprise, "So you've never not been Captain?"

"What does it matter, love?" he smirked, "I'm the only one that matters, the only one that loved this ship the way she was made to be loved."

"Are you a good man, Captain?"

He frowned at her, "What's your meanin'?"

She rolled her eyes impatiently, "Besides drinking and being a pirate, I mean. Do you have morals?"

He eyed her, and pouted a bit, then turned away.

"You know who you remind me of, love?"

"Who?" she was genuinely curious as he led her toward the bow of the ship. He turned around when they reached it, closed his eyes and placed her in front of him. She felt his hands leave her shoulders and she heard his boots stroll away.

"Who?" she demanded again, turning around. He raised his eyebrows at her, "Oh, that. Her name was Elizabeth."

Aurolyn's eyebrows snapped together, "Who was she?"

Why not my mother?

"Love, she was a spoiled little princess whose father practically owned all of Port Royal."

"Did you love her?"

He snorted, "Are you kidding? She was my best mate's son's wench, not mine. Much too young for me."

He turned and started down the steps when she opened her mouth again.

"Have you ever loved anybody?"

He froze.

"Other than picking up wenches, or maids that look like them, in seedy bars on this island?"

Her tone was vicious. She knew it was. She didn't even know why she felt such an anger toward him.

He recognized that anger. That tone. He'd frozen because it was if he'd been transported back to when he'd been on this island with the one person he indeed had loved.

And he wondered how long they would continue in this hurricane circle before actually speaking about their common interest in Rose Barrett.







Anamaria nudged Gibbs, and he glared at her. She motioned to the young girl Jack had brought onto the ship.

"Not another young lass on here," he groaned, and she stuck her elbow further into his ribs.

"Wha'?"

"Doesn't she remind you of somebody?" she hissed, and Gibbs shrugged, "You've known 'im longer, remember, Ana? And I'm dreadful with faces."

"I was twelve when my father was a pirate under 'im on this ship," she narrowed her eyes at Aurolyn, "She looks just like the Missus he 'ad on 'ere then. Taller, maybe. Identical."

"Maybe that's why he has 'er on 'ere, Ana," sighed Gibbs.

"Joshamee, don't yeh get it? Must be 'is daugh'er."

She removed her elbow from his tummy to tell the rest of the crew.