AN (12/3): I hate calculus...pure evil. Well, I suppose it wouldn't be so bad if my teacher actually explained what we were doing...but, oh well. On with the chapters, eh?
AN (12/9): Wow...I started my first story a year ago today. And I'll be eighteen in eight days. Scary. In honor of my one year mark, I'm going to give an ice-cream float and party favors to everyone who leaves a review.
Chapter 22: Bitter Rose
Jack nodded slightly, wishing he could understand why Jodi wanted to help him. It didn't make any sense...he hadn't talked to her since the last time he'd seen her, before he'd become captain of the Black Pearl. He'd even faked his own death so that she wouldn't think about him, when he'd first run away from home. But, here she was staring at him with those honey eyes that had led many a young man to their downfall with her compassion and innocence. Even though Jack knew what she'd been doing with the governor, he wanted to believe that nothing had happened because she'd said so.
"Come on, then," Jodi said, wiping the last trace of tears from her eyes. She seemed to be glowing with both excitement and concern for her brother as she grabbed his hand and led him out of the kitchen, hurriedly pulling him past Meagan, though she wanted to see what she looked like. Apparently she'd forgotten that Jack had heard the whole episode before he'd shot his love...or, maybe she wanted to make Jack think she'd forgotten.
Jack flinched slightly as they stepped out of the dining room and Jodi expertly led him to the room where Meagan had indicated his flesh and blood was. Of course, it wasn't all that hard...he could hear a child crying. Actually, he'd been hearing a child cry in the back of his mind after shooting the gun, but it hadn't registered. It was the only external sign of how he was feeling, but Jodi knew that he was busy beating himself up for what had happened.
Stopping in front of the room with the crying little girl, Jodi sharply said, "Jack, don't do what you're about to do. You can't do it again, Jack." She was suddenly crying again as Jack stared at her blindly. "Jack! You can't do this again. Not again. Not like after mum. You can't shut yourself into your stupid head, Jack. You've got a ship to take care of. And some sort of nefarious plan..I'm sure your men are waiting for you. Don't you dare go up into that bloody head of yours!" The emotion in her voice was enough to make even the most weathered sailor push back a lump in his throat.
Jack frowned slightly, the glossiness that had been in his eyes disappearing only slightly. "Who are you t' say wha' I can and can't do? Look, Jodi, yer really no' as righteous as ye think ye are. Sleepin' wiv the governor t' get that pig of a husband o' yers promoted?" He felt like spitting, and was about to do so, until he noticed that indignant look in those honey eyes he used to know so well.
"Jacob Smith! What have you got against Nathaniel? He does his job...provides for his family..." she suddenly stopped talking and crumpled onto the floor, leaning her back against the wall as she started sobbing. "Doesn't love me," she added softly a few moments later, putting a small hand up to her eyes. Any composure she'd had disappeared as she stared up at Jack. "Jacob...what is it that you were always trying to hide from me? The fact that he visits brothels?"
Jack slowly shook his head, rather alarmed by his normally strong sister's meltdown. Especially since the little girl in the room right in front of them was screaming, now that she heard voices. "I din' know, actually," he replied softly, part of himself disappearing into his head again. He didn't need to hear her story...not now.
"Was it that he has several mistresses? Or how about the fact that he enjoys abusing young children? What was it, Jacob? I want to know." Blast those eyes of hers...staring a hole into his head.
Jack inhaled sharply and quickly said, "He killed mum, if ye must know." He let the air in his lungs explode back out as he and Jodi stared at each other for quite a while. The crying of his daughter was nearing the point where it was merely whimpers with the occasional screech.
Jodi finally broke the silence with a soft, "That explains a lot," comment. She choked back another sob and stood up by pulling on the doorknob to get the proper amount of leverage to get her not-so-thin body off the floor. Having several children will mess up a woman's body. Of course, Jodi was the sort that wouldn't complain about a child, even if he or she were an absolute wretch, so she certainly wasn't about to complain that her slim figure had been ruined.
Jack inhaled sharply againas Jodi opened the door after straightening her skirts and getting the last sobs out of her eyes. He didn't want to see the girl in there. This was worse than the time he'd been branded...
"Hello, there," Jodi said sweetly as she stepped into the room and picked up the little girl. Her cries had stopped as she surveyed both adults with slightly wary blue eyes. She couldn't have been much older than two. Not that Jack was the best at telling children's ages, mind you, but the girl was rather small and looked remarkably like himself. She had the same dark hair, same perfect nose, though it was miniature. The only difference was that she had Meagan's blue eyes and was a girl, rather than a boy. Jack was fairly sure she'd be quite a beauty when she was older.
"Hewwo," the girl said softly, calmly surveying both Jodi and Jack now that someone was here to scare away the bad noises. "Mum?" She looked around anxiously, her blue eyes somehow able to convey that she knew what had happened.
"Your mum went on a bit of a vacation, dearie," Jodi said softly, putting the girl's weight on her left hip. She seemed rather small. "She won't be back for quite a long time. But I'm here to take you home. What's your name?"
Jack stood near the doorway, far too numb to say anything. This little creature was his flesh and blood? How could that be possible? Not that he didn't disbelieve Meagan. He could clearly see himself in the little girl.
"Rosemary," the little girl replied, shifting her gaze from Jodi to Jack. She stared at him for a long time until Jodi started moving towards the door. "Mum?"
"Rosemary, dearie...your mum is busy right now. But she wants you to come with me. I'm your Aunt Jodi." Jodi smiled slightly and kissed Rosemary on the top of her forehead. "She'll be by a bit later to see you."
Rosemary started whimpering as Jodi carried her out of the room towards the front entrance. Jack hadn't moved at all. In fact, he didn't even move when Rosemary began screaming as Jodi walked out of the front door. He could still faintly hear the girl a few moments later, but Jodi apparently got her under control...or out of hearing range.
What had he just done? He'd completely shirked any sort of responsibility he should feel towards the little girl onto Jodi's already weary shoulders. She was sleeping with the governor to further her cheating husband's job, after all! Spitting in disgust, Jack finally pushed everything to the back of his mind again. He wasn't really a father...a pirate couldn't acknowledge the fact he had any children...they'd be in far too much danger for him to do something like that. Besides...Hawksmoor and Skip probably thought he was dead or something.
Sighing heavily, Jack walked into the other room to look at Meagan's corpse one last time. It was cool now...it looked too cool. Grabbing the lace tablecloth off the central dining room table made of carved oak, Jack gently put the billowy material over the cold form that had once been so animated. A small tear escaped the corner of his left eye as he rubbed at the ring she'd given back to him so long ago. "G'bye," he said gently. With that weak eulogy, he left the governor's mansion to try and find his crew.
It really didn't take him long to locate the motley crew of men he called his. They were in the Treasury...and the governor and his brother-in-law were laying on the ground in front of the Treasury, knocked out by what appeared to be the handle of a sword, based on the cuts and bruises on Nathaniel's body. Jack frowned slightly and kicked the man. Obviously Commodore Dennis had no idea what sort of woman he'd married. It gave him slight satisfaction to hear Nathaniel groan in pain. "Serves ye right," he muttered as he walked up to the reinforced wooden doors and knocked.
"Aye?" Ragetti asked stupidly as he slightly opened the door. The gleeful noise of men stuffing their effects, pants, boots and shirts with treasure could be heard behind him. Of course, Ragetti couldn't even see Jack...he was looking out the small slit with his wooden eye.
"I sugges' ye move away from the door, mate," Jack said exasperatedly, pushing the door into Ragetti. The rather heavy door hit Ragetti right on the nose, and Jack watched with morbid fascination as the man's wooden eye popped out. He almost felt like laughing as he stepped inside the Treasury past the muttering Ragetti. The man really deserved it...who'd be so thick they'd stare out of a small slit with the eye that wasn't there?
"Ah, Cap'n!" Barbossa said warmly as he noticed Jack step into the room. "We've been wonderin' where ye were."
"I 'ad some business t' take care o'," Jack replied as carelessly as he could with an eccentric shrug. "I see tha' ye din' find it necessary t' wait...how much more d' ye need t' get hauled off t' the Pearl?" His dark eyes wandered for a moment as he surveyed his crew stuffing a sack with the last pieces of eight.
"Tis our last bag, Cap'n," Barbossa replied, following Jack's gaze with his own blue eyes. They lingered for a moment on the infamous captain as Barbossa's breath sharply left his lungs. His face was indiscernible, however, and was soon back to a semi-smile when Jack looked back at him.
Jack smiled and nodded, a bit distracted by Ragetti moaning over his eye as Pintel stooped down to find it. Amazing how close the two of them had become...and a bit suspicious. Ah well...at least he didn't have to worry about Snide Shaine any longer. "Well...this 'as all gone accordin' t' plan," he commented mostly to himself.
Barbossa nodded slightly and went off to make a final sweep of the Treasury. Jack sighed softly to himself...how was he supposed to keep up this charade? He felt horrible on the inside...and was afraid that his sister would show up in a moment with his screaming daughter...or perhaps he'd have a vision of his first bonny lass...
"Jack?" a familiar voice asked as a hand found its way onto his shoulder. "We need t' get movin'." There was just the slightest hint of concern in Bootstrap's voice.
Jack shook his head slightly, alarmed to notice that at least five minutes had passed away in the blink of his eye, so to speak. He almost felt like he was in a dream as he started walking. One of those dreams where you desperately want to wake up, but can't...
"Are ye all righ'?" Bootstrap asked, walking alongside Jack as they stepped out into the darkness still enfolding Nassau. Jack felt like it was reaching around the corners of his soul. "Ye seem...distracted." His light brown eyes were only full of concern.
"I'm fine," Jack replied distractedly. He didn't want to admit he was having a problem with his very soul...Bootstrap would never understand. He hadn't killed Lauren...he'd merely left her and his child.
"You don't look fine t' me," Bootstrap replied with a cluck of his tongue against his teeth. Jack had learned long ago that Bootstrap did that when he was disappointed with something, whether it was Jack's hair or Jack's attitude...it didn't matter.
"I'm fine," Jack replied again, with more feeling. Bootstrap really had a knack for getting on his nerves these days. They hadn't seriously talked about his whole confession thing since getting off that bloody island...
"Jack Sparrow!" Bootstrap chided gently, reminding Jack of his sister. "You 'ave t' tell someone...better me than the whole bloody crew the nex' time you get drunk. I know you're tryin' t' hide somethin'...an' it won't get better until ye tell someone else abou' it. The las' time ye tried t' hide somethin' like this, ye showed Barbossa too much of yer soft side, Jack. Pirates don' get depressed over women leavin' 'em...your reputation...well, it wasn' as good as it had been before." Jack's eyes filled with sudden anger at that. Barbossa...he'd told about that rather odd conversation? Bootstrap noticed the anger and sighed disgustedly. "Jack, Barbossa din' tell a soul...bu' someone heard the conversation. An' 'e blabbed it t' the whole crew a year or so ago, when 'e was three sheets t' the wind. You need t' realize that not everyone likes you, Jack!"
"I'm very much aware of tha', thank you," Jack muttered angrily, shoving Bootstrap with his shoulder before walking away briskly. He was in no mood to be lectured right now, especially not by a man he didn't think he could trust. It'd probably been Bootstrap who'd told the crew about that odd conversation he'd had with Barbossa that one day...
Bootstrap stared at Jack for a moment, wondering why he even bothered trying to help the fiercely independent man. One day, that pride would cause some sort of harm that Bootstrap wouldn't be able to stop...if only he realized how close he was to falling. Sighing, he ran after Jack. This needed to be discussed...
sunkist3208:If you had left a review, it wouldn't have let you leave another. But thanks for leaving a quick one. I know how it is to feel icky...it sucks, it does. I hope you feel better soon, Whitney!
CatharineofKally: Ah...so that's what happened to Sam. He's my favorite hobbit...so noble. Anyway, thanks for leaving a review/explanation/compliment!
Eccentric Banshee: Thanks for leaving an excuse! I wish you the best of luck on finishing your story about the Patriot...and I hope to run into you again around Neopets. I shall wait breathlessly (okay, maybe that's a hyperbole) until you are able to review again!
CrazyPirateGirl: I'm glad your hooked...honest, I am. I actually prefer this story to the other one. Action...I like it better than romance. Thanks for leaving a review, and I hope you like the rest of the story!
padme17: I hope this was fast enough... I generally only update once a week, though. And I'm glad that you're so nice! Thanks for leaving me a review!
Aliana Archer: If only you knew why I was worried about making you wait so long...anyway, thanks for the review! I'm glad I can surprise people still...and aye, Jack's a father. Kinda scary, really...but I hope you liked Rosemary. She's only about two years old...poor thing, lost her mum...
Daisy: Not the ebil ! -giggles- It is quite all right. I really understand. And I don't think any cute chapters are going to surface for a while...Jack doesn't want to admit to himself that he has a daughter, or he'd be responsible for something... I like your nerd joke. I should tell it to Mr. Vuong...-giggles- speaking of Calculus, we had to write a story using twelve vocabulary words...I'll have to send it to you on MSN or something, because what I ended up with is very stupid. Thanks so much for your constant support! I just wish I could do more for you...
Jack: Aye, Jodi has a girl to care for. I just feel sorry for Rosemary...all those boys? I can sympathize, seeing as I have five brothers...anyway, thanks for being the first to leave a review! You get a loverly bucket of pony beads, as a reward. Jodi only did it to help Nathaniel...though, I wouldn't help that scum out...and Meagan was originally supposed to be in that room, with the governor. Then I got a better idea, and had her outside...and then Katie gave me the idea to have Jodi in there somehow, because she thought that Jack had accidentally shot Jodi, rather than Meagan, at first...anyway, thanks!