Title: Of the Sea
Rating: PG-13
Chapter Title: 17. Friends?
Summary: Jack and Miriam consider the past few days, as well as their potential friendship. Some nice men pay a visit.
Timeline: Friday, June 10, 1675
Author: Cicatrix (Marin K.)

"Cap'n?" Gibbs queried.

"Aye?" Jack responded without turning to face the quartermaster. Instead, he stood with his back to him, staring west over the ocean to the setting sun. It was Friday evening, and the past week and been slow and uneventful. He'd even found himself at times feeling something he wasn't used to: loneliness. It was as if he felt he should be with someone when he was not, and it was a sentiment he had never before experienced.

"You comin'?"

"No. I'll stay with the ship. You go, it's your last night."

"You sure?"

"Aye."

And so he left, presumably to some bar someplace in Tortuga to get roaring drunk with the rest of the crew. The only ones who wouldn't be there would be himself and Matthew, who he'd heard hadn't been seen since Monday. Probably avoiding me, Jack thought, because I told him to. Although Jack knew Matthew was truly a woman, he still had difficulty thinking of her as one. He wanted to feel betrayed, but instead he felt unusually sober, touched in some way. He knew Matthew was hiding something, and instead of being angry, he felt sad.

In the morning, the crew would be back, and so would Matthew. They would prep the ship, mend the sails, stock the ship with new supplies and get ready to set sail the next day. Their 'vacation' would be over, and he suspected many would be glad. A week on land can be a welcome break, but all sailors will again long for the sea. He both dreaded and looked forward to Matthew's return. Dreaded it because he knew their friendship... and at this thought he paused.

Friendship? It was strange, because he'd known the young man only a little more than a month, and they'd gotten drunk together a few (or several) times, told stories, laughed, but friendship? At the same time, the term fit. He'd felt a strange fondness for him, even after he'd learned the boy's real identity, and he'd cared about her ordeal, wanted to help her as much as she wanted him not to. Whether they were friends or not, he knew their relationship, even just as captain and crewmember, would be strained now, but Jack wanted to keep an eye on her, make sure she was alright.

The girl was pregnant. He wouldn't be at all surprised if she decided to abort the child, but she'd shown no inclination to do so. Although, he thought, she showed no inclination to tell him anything at all. He had pushed too hard, and she had given ground, and as far as he could tell, immediately regretted it and was now taking counter-measures. He doubted that she would tell him anything about anything, least of all about her intentions concerning her child.

He knew it would be intelligent to leave her in Tortuga, let her sort out her own problems, not get himself caught up in it. But he couldn't. Somehow, the girl affected him. He suspected it had something to do with her connection to Bootstrap, and though she'd told him some, he felt there had to be more to it. Bootstrap had said, on more than one occasion, that Raven was special. He'd also warned Jack to stay the hell away from her, but he hoped his old friend would forgive him if he breached that command in order to try and help her.

His thoughts were interrupted by heavy footsteps behind him. Jack could recognise the steps of most of his crew, but these were unfamiliar, and if he wasn't mistaken, they belonged to more than one set of boots. He turned, and found himself staring into the double-barrel of a pistol. Surprised, but not willing to show it, he smiled warmly.

"How can I help you, gentlemen?" he said, spreading his arms in a gesture of welcome.

Dusk was still hours away, but Miriam was already tired. These past days, she'd done nothing but stay at home, sleeping and cooking her simple meals as best she could with one hand. She felt old, and crippled. Her sword-arm was useless, and she was six weeks pregnant. Her breasts were swollen and tender, and she was exhausted. As much as she was loath to admit it, she kept considering returning to the Pearl, apologizing to Jack, and hoping that he would take pity on her. She wasn't sure if it was the thought of crawling back to him or the baby itself that gave her the sudden urge to vomit.

For a while there, I thought I had a friend. She had ruined it, and was sure that Jack would hate her now. There was a thin line she was going to have to walk: keep Jack distant without making him angry enough to kick her off his ship. Monday morning was still weighing heavily on her mind. For a few moments there, she had felt warm... safe, almost. Jack's body had been both soft and firm against hers, and seemed almost as a shield that protected her. She regretted that she had realized who he was and reacted violently--she could have pretended to sleep on, oblivious. Her bed still smelled like him.

She chided herself. Yes, Jack Sparrow was a very handsome man, and his roguish smile bordered on irresistible. It was true that sometimes when he got too close her heart fluttered nervously, but that was due solely to the fact that he made her uncomfortable, which caused a slight rush of adrenaline. It could even have something to do with the fact that he was physically attractive, but Miriam would not be charmed by his ways. He was her captain, and she respected him, but that was all. Her feelings toward him were in no way confused by even the slightest crush, and any uncertainty was due to the hormones of her pregnant body and the aftermath of what those men had done to her. Although, she admitted, I'm afraid, and he for a moment made it a little easier to bear.

There was a loud knock at the door, and she recognized that it was on Caroline's. Caroline was a good woman, and useful for Miriam's purposes. Carefully, she made her way downstairs, peered sideways out the window. A knot of men surrounded her neighbour's door. Their backs were all turned, and she not see their faces. Their voices, though, were hauntingly familiar.

"Where's Anthony?" demanded one, and Miriam winced. She could not hear the quiet response.

"I suggest you remember, missus, or you'll find that we can be quiet persuasive."

"The Cain, Anthony is aboard the Cain," Caroline replied, this time audible to Miriam, and the woman's tone was fearful.

"Sorry, unfortunately we know better than that. We're from the Cain."

She didn't need to hear anymore. The lifted the coat she had discarded the previous night, throwing it over her shoulders. Her right arm found its way to the right sleeve, but with only one hand, she could not button it. She slipped the leather-bound book on the countertop into a pocket, suddenly thankful for the weight of the pistol in the other because the sword at her waist was useless. She went swiftly to the closet, which she threw open. As she pulled the dusty chest from its hiding place, she wished the blasted thing had wheels, but knew she could not leave it behind. Quietly, she made her way out the back door, just as she heard Caroline scream, and hoped that the men did not know this part of Tortuga as well as she did. The name Jack Sparrow rang in her ears, she was not sure if Caroline had cried it or if it was her own mind that had whispered it.

Author's note: Bit short, I know, and somewhat of a cliff-hanger. However, I don't know if I'll be able to write anything else this weekend, so I figured you'd appreciate this instead of absolutely nothing! The summary was a bit deceiving, I know. Enjoy!

Also, I'm very sorry... Chapter seventeen may take a while. I injured the middle finger of my right hand, and its infected and it HURTS, and it's making it difficult to type. I was going to try to write chapter seventeen tonight, but it's painful, so I may write it by hand over the next few days and hope that when I'm done, my hand is healed enough to type. If not, I'll continue writing as much as possible by hand, and if it takes me ages to get back, maybe there'll be a few chapters posted at once to make up for it. I'll be back as soon as it doesn't hurt me to type.

Review Responses:

DaydreamBeliever14: I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter (at least, I think you did, since you want more... I hope!) I've already answered that question ("Are Jack and Miriam going to end up as more than friends?"), but I'll answer it again for your benefit: honestly, I have no idea. It's a possibility, but I write this story literally a chapter at a time. I have a vague idea of what's going to happen in chapter 17, but I couldn't give you any specifics. You can, however, expect some sexual tension later on. You saw the very beginnings of said tension earlier, but it'll get worse (or better, depending on your point of view... worse if you think like Miriam, better if you think like Jack).

Reese Sparrow: You're wonderful, and I'll update as soon as my hand heals, I promise! You'll find out where Miriam runs off too in the next chapter. You have my word!

ChocolateEclar: As I've already said, I LOVE YOU. Thank you so much for your reviews!

On that note, thank you to EVERYONE who has reviewed. I think (hope) I've responded to all of you! You're all WONDERFUL people. Thank you so much!