~~*~~
It had taken longer than first expected, but finally, Catherine found something in which the gruff shipwright would barter in trade for repairs to the 'Engloria'.
Standing outside the small shop near the docks, the young woman looked to her hand and couldn't help but notice the blaring white skin where once a ring had snuggly rested.
Her choice had been difficult, but there was nothing else left that she could barter or sell. Everything she had was either taken by her husband before his death, or sold off to get this far in the journey.
The ring had once been her grandmother's, the only thing she had left of her family since her grandmother had raised her after Catherine's parents perished in a fire when she was naught but two. It was a simple ring, a silver band with one exquisite pink diamond, but it had meant the world to her, yet she knew what had to be done.
"Miss Kent, is it?" A voice asked from behind. A voice belonging to Jack Sparrow. "I'd know that..." he motioned to her backside then quickly caught himself and stopped. "...I'd know you anywhere."
Catherine turned about and garnered her first look at the dark-haired pirate who was smiling most appreciatively, before bowing in her direction. "Have we met?"
"Milady, I'd never forget an..." he began, thinking back to her derriere before being interrupted by Will's shout as he stepped towards the two, a scowl upon his face.
Jack leaned towards the blonde haired woman and whispered. "I've tried to tell him to loosen up, but he never listens."
Not quite sure how to take the flamboyant man, Catherine couldn't help but lowly laugh. That is, till she saw the expression in Will Turner's eyes.
"I know 'what' you'd never forget," Will shot back protectively, having overheard the remark Jack was about to make to the beautiful woman.
Sighing deeply, Jack placed his hand above his heart. "It is truly a work of art," he insisted, stealing a quick glance at her backside when Catherine wasn't paying attention to him, but instead was looking at Will.
"You have no business leaving the ship unattended," Will began, brown eyes deepening in color.
Catherine raised a delicate brow and met his gaze. "Excuse me? Since when do you have say in my comings and goings? You, Mister Turner, are under my employ, not my keeper."
Will stepped closer, and didn't turn his eyes away. "You, Miss Kent, are under my protection while I'm in charge of your ship."
Jack sighed heavily and stepped between the two, pushing them away from one another. "I see you still have that annoying protective streak in you..." he remarked, looking at Will who blatantly ignored him.
"Miss Kent...may I call you Catherine?" continuing before she replied, "Catherine, you must forgive the boy, he's once again...frustrated," Jack spoke up, leading the woman towards the docks, but stealing a glance at Will, who was blushing from both anger and embarrassment.
"Dear boy is back to practicing with that damned sword again, isn't he?" the pirate asked the woman.
Nodding dumbly, neither sure where the man was leading, nor really what he was referring to, Catherine strolled with him. "Yes."
"Three hours a day?" Sparrow quizzed, hearing Will's loud footsteps coming up behind them.
Shrugging her shoulders. "I really have no idea."
Jack nodded his head in understanding as the 'Engloria' came into view. "I'm sure he is. The dear boy just hasn't a clue...definitely three hours," the pirate grinned, stealing a glance at the woman's cleavage.
That was all Will could take of the double entandre before roughly pushing by his old friend, storming his way back to the ship.
"You have no idea of what you speak, Jack Sparrow..." the younger man growled.
Rolling his eyes. "That's captain, 'Captain' Jack Sparrow," the other corrected. "And I do believe I have a great deal of knowledge in this field in regards to..." he trailed off, stopping himself from mentioning Catherine's name or cleavage. "...You know who and your sword play, you daft whelp."
Will only managed to flail his arms as if wildly talking to himself, trying to ignore the other's inclination. It wasn't true, it couldn't be. He had loved Elizabeth and had no intentions of letting another get near his heart, no matter the cost. One family had been brutally snatched from him; William Turner dared not wish for another.
~~*~~
"You should tell the, lass," Jack insisted, raising his bottle of rum in the direction of the ship's cabins down below.
Will took a long swig of the warm, spicy rum and looked at the man sitting on the deck beside him, their backs against the gunwall. "Tell her what?"
"Tell her for one, what you truly think of her. And two, what's..." Jack darted his eyes about, searching for any unwanted hangers about to overhear. "...Going on aboard this ship. Not to mention the lady's relation to her husband-may the bastard burn in hell."
Eyes bleary, Will Turner looked abashed. "What I think of her? She's a lovely lady, quite beautiful in fact and she has spirit...but..."
"You wish to jump her bones, do you not?" Jack grinned happily.
Opening his mouth, looking more like a fish gasping for its life upon a dry wharf, Will didn't quite know what to say. "I do not," he loudly protested.
Taking a long sip, Jack Sparrow laughed raucously. "You are a horrible liar, lad. I can see it in your eyes, you wish to bed her, then wed her," he grinned naughtily.
Shaking his head in the negative, Will didn't reply, he just downed the rest of his rum. Then taking a deep breath, leaned his head back against the cool wood and closed his eyes.
"You can keep the lie alive inside ye, lad. Let it continue to eat at you until you're heart is black. Or you can finally give in and stop loving a ghost," Jack softly spoke.
"But Elizabeth?"
"She's dead. You're alive. End of love story, mate." With those words, Jack tossed his empty bottle over his head; the glass could be heard shattering as it hit the docks below, but only after knocking some poor soul senseless.
"Now about all this..." Jack waved a hand about drunkenly. "When are you going to tell her you want this boat for two reasons? Revenge and...well, the other I just haven't figured out yet?"
Slowly sitting forward, Will took the leather cord from about his neck and took the pouch in hand.
Dumping its contents into an open palm, out poured the coins of gold and the rubies.
"Bloody good find, boy," Jack marveled, eyeing the jewels.
"Find is right. I think Miss Kent is behind this. You do realize where these originated, more than likely?" Will asked tiredly, then put them back in the pouch and pulled the drawstring tight, placing it once more over his head.
"I'm sure you're going to say the lovely Miss Kent was behind this."
"I found them in her room, they were hidden in a bottle of her husband's private wine stock. The bottle had fallen over during the storm and she might have found others. I'd best lay claim that Catherine...Miss Kent, knew of this and just needed to find where they were hidden."
Jack squinched his nose and tried to gain some sense for what the other was saying but it was lost in the translation. "I say you're wrong. If she knew of this stash...which by the way, are there more?"
Will nodded his head in the affirmative. "Nearly every bottle of wine in those crates have something in them."
A long, low whistle emanated from the pirate. "Can I borrow a bottle, for a roundez vous with a lovely lady tonight?" He asked, as the other ignored the request. "Well, if you want my opinion. You, dear boy, are incorrect in your theory. Did you not notice the young lass' hand?"
Blinking owlishly, the younger man looked at the other in confusion. "If you had paid any attention, you'd have noticed that a ring was missing from her right hand," Jack continued.
"How do you know that?"
Jack grinned brightly, then looked about for another bottle of rum to start on. "I'm a pirate. I notice these things."
Will Turner narrowed his eyes upon the other in exasperation. "She had a band of fair skin as white as an infant's bottom on her finger. She more than likely sold the ring or bartered services of some sort."
"The repairs to the ship," Will whispered huskily.
"I see you've learned well from me, lad," Jack beamed. "Where's the rum?"
~~*~~
"Well mate, I've had quite the time tonight but I'm off to visit Rochelle...Roxanne..." Jack thought aloud, momentarily placing a finger to his chin, groaning slightly as he unsteadily pushed himself up off the deck. "...Rachel...Gladys? I can't remember. But she has a glorious mole right in the middle of her creamy white..."
Standing, wavering slightly, Will held up his hand to stop the other. "A gentlemen never tells..."
"Ha! Since when did you confuse me for a gentlemen?" Jack Sparrow loudly spoke up with spirit, then frowned as the statement sunk into his rum drenched mind.
Will quirked a dark brow and seemed to be contemplating the other's remark.
With a wave of a hand, Jack stumbled down the gangplank. Nearly tumbling into the water with each step before setting foot on the wood planks of the dock.
"You, William Turner, heed my words. Live today, leave your grieving behind. Besides, any bloody bastard in the Caribbean can see you favor the lass and she...bet the lass is a screamer in the midst of..." Sparrow loudly spoke up as his mind wandered slightly as he staggered down the docks, leaving Will standing there all agog.
~~*~~
It had taken longer than first expected, but finally, Catherine found something in which the gruff shipwright would barter in trade for repairs to the 'Engloria'.
Standing outside the small shop near the docks, the young woman looked to her hand and couldn't help but notice the blaring white skin where once a ring had snuggly rested.
Her choice had been difficult, but there was nothing else left that she could barter or sell. Everything she had was either taken by her husband before his death, or sold off to get this far in the journey.
The ring had once been her grandmother's, the only thing she had left of her family since her grandmother had raised her after Catherine's parents perished in a fire when she was naught but two. It was a simple ring, a silver band with one exquisite pink diamond, but it had meant the world to her, yet she knew what had to be done.
"Miss Kent, is it?" A voice asked from behind. A voice belonging to Jack Sparrow. "I'd know that..." he motioned to her backside then quickly caught himself and stopped. "...I'd know you anywhere."
Catherine turned about and garnered her first look at the dark-haired pirate who was smiling most appreciatively, before bowing in her direction. "Have we met?"
"Milady, I'd never forget an..." he began, thinking back to her derriere before being interrupted by Will's shout as he stepped towards the two, a scowl upon his face.
Jack leaned towards the blonde haired woman and whispered. "I've tried to tell him to loosen up, but he never listens."
Not quite sure how to take the flamboyant man, Catherine couldn't help but lowly laugh. That is, till she saw the expression in Will Turner's eyes.
"I know 'what' you'd never forget," Will shot back protectively, having overheard the remark Jack was about to make to the beautiful woman.
Sighing deeply, Jack placed his hand above his heart. "It is truly a work of art," he insisted, stealing a quick glance at her backside when Catherine wasn't paying attention to him, but instead was looking at Will.
"You have no business leaving the ship unattended," Will began, brown eyes deepening in color.
Catherine raised a delicate brow and met his gaze. "Excuse me? Since when do you have say in my comings and goings? You, Mister Turner, are under my employ, not my keeper."
Will stepped closer, and didn't turn his eyes away. "You, Miss Kent, are under my protection while I'm in charge of your ship."
Jack sighed heavily and stepped between the two, pushing them away from one another. "I see you still have that annoying protective streak in you..." he remarked, looking at Will who blatantly ignored him.
"Miss Kent...may I call you Catherine?" continuing before she replied, "Catherine, you must forgive the boy, he's once again...frustrated," Jack spoke up, leading the woman towards the docks, but stealing a glance at Will, who was blushing from both anger and embarrassment.
"Dear boy is back to practicing with that damned sword again, isn't he?" the pirate asked the woman.
Nodding dumbly, neither sure where the man was leading, nor really what he was referring to, Catherine strolled with him. "Yes."
"Three hours a day?" Sparrow quizzed, hearing Will's loud footsteps coming up behind them.
Shrugging her shoulders. "I really have no idea."
Jack nodded his head in understanding as the 'Engloria' came into view. "I'm sure he is. The dear boy just hasn't a clue...definitely three hours," the pirate grinned, stealing a glance at the woman's cleavage.
That was all Will could take of the double entandre before roughly pushing by his old friend, storming his way back to the ship.
"You have no idea of what you speak, Jack Sparrow..." the younger man growled.
Rolling his eyes. "That's captain, 'Captain' Jack Sparrow," the other corrected. "And I do believe I have a great deal of knowledge in this field in regards to..." he trailed off, stopping himself from mentioning Catherine's name or cleavage. "...You know who and your sword play, you daft whelp."
Will only managed to flail his arms as if wildly talking to himself, trying to ignore the other's inclination. It wasn't true, it couldn't be. He had loved Elizabeth and had no intentions of letting another get near his heart, no matter the cost. One family had been brutally snatched from him; William Turner dared not wish for another.
~~*~~
"You should tell the, lass," Jack insisted, raising his bottle of rum in the direction of the ship's cabins down below.
Will took a long swig of the warm, spicy rum and looked at the man sitting on the deck beside him, their backs against the gunwall. "Tell her what?"
"Tell her for one, what you truly think of her. And two, what's..." Jack darted his eyes about, searching for any unwanted hangers about to overhear. "...Going on aboard this ship. Not to mention the lady's relation to her husband-may the bastard burn in hell."
Eyes bleary, Will Turner looked abashed. "What I think of her? She's a lovely lady, quite beautiful in fact and she has spirit...but..."
"You wish to jump her bones, do you not?" Jack grinned happily.
Opening his mouth, looking more like a fish gasping for its life upon a dry wharf, Will didn't quite know what to say. "I do not," he loudly protested.
Taking a long sip, Jack Sparrow laughed raucously. "You are a horrible liar, lad. I can see it in your eyes, you wish to bed her, then wed her," he grinned naughtily.
Shaking his head in the negative, Will didn't reply, he just downed the rest of his rum. Then taking a deep breath, leaned his head back against the cool wood and closed his eyes.
"You can keep the lie alive inside ye, lad. Let it continue to eat at you until you're heart is black. Or you can finally give in and stop loving a ghost," Jack softly spoke.
"But Elizabeth?"
"She's dead. You're alive. End of love story, mate." With those words, Jack tossed his empty bottle over his head; the glass could be heard shattering as it hit the docks below, but only after knocking some poor soul senseless.
"Now about all this..." Jack waved a hand about drunkenly. "When are you going to tell her you want this boat for two reasons? Revenge and...well, the other I just haven't figured out yet?"
Slowly sitting forward, Will took the leather cord from about his neck and took the pouch in hand.
Dumping its contents into an open palm, out poured the coins of gold and the rubies.
"Bloody good find, boy," Jack marveled, eyeing the jewels.
"Find is right. I think Miss Kent is behind this. You do realize where these originated, more than likely?" Will asked tiredly, then put them back in the pouch and pulled the drawstring tight, placing it once more over his head.
"I'm sure you're going to say the lovely Miss Kent was behind this."
"I found them in her room, they were hidden in a bottle of her husband's private wine stock. The bottle had fallen over during the storm and she might have found others. I'd best lay claim that Catherine...Miss Kent, knew of this and just needed to find where they were hidden."
Jack squinched his nose and tried to gain some sense for what the other was saying but it was lost in the translation. "I say you're wrong. If she knew of this stash...which by the way, are there more?"
Will nodded his head in the affirmative. "Nearly every bottle of wine in those crates have something in them."
A long, low whistle emanated from the pirate. "Can I borrow a bottle, for a roundez vous with a lovely lady tonight?" He asked, as the other ignored the request. "Well, if you want my opinion. You, dear boy, are incorrect in your theory. Did you not notice the young lass' hand?"
Blinking owlishly, the younger man looked at the other in confusion. "If you had paid any attention, you'd have noticed that a ring was missing from her right hand," Jack continued.
"How do you know that?"
Jack grinned brightly, then looked about for another bottle of rum to start on. "I'm a pirate. I notice these things."
Will Turner narrowed his eyes upon the other in exasperation. "She had a band of fair skin as white as an infant's bottom on her finger. She more than likely sold the ring or bartered services of some sort."
"The repairs to the ship," Will whispered huskily.
"I see you've learned well from me, lad," Jack beamed. "Where's the rum?"
~~*~~
"Well mate, I've had quite the time tonight but I'm off to visit Rochelle...Roxanne..." Jack thought aloud, momentarily placing a finger to his chin, groaning slightly as he unsteadily pushed himself up off the deck. "...Rachel...Gladys? I can't remember. But she has a glorious mole right in the middle of her creamy white..."
Standing, wavering slightly, Will held up his hand to stop the other. "A gentlemen never tells..."
"Ha! Since when did you confuse me for a gentlemen?" Jack Sparrow loudly spoke up with spirit, then frowned as the statement sunk into his rum drenched mind.
Will quirked a dark brow and seemed to be contemplating the other's remark.
With a wave of a hand, Jack stumbled down the gangplank. Nearly tumbling into the water with each step before setting foot on the wood planks of the dock.
"You, William Turner, heed my words. Live today, leave your grieving behind. Besides, any bloody bastard in the Caribbean can see you favor the lass and she...bet the lass is a screamer in the midst of..." Sparrow loudly spoke up as his mind wandered slightly as he staggered down the docks, leaving Will standing there all agog.
~~*~~