HELLO! Alrighty, another chapter! Thanks again to Johnny'shumiliatedgrape! hug ENJOY!
Chapter 4: Disguises and a Helping Hand
The next day, Celeste, Jack, and Flynn sat in the dining room, papers spread on the table, discussing the case.
"Alright," Celeste began, "who has seen the murder scene?"
"Well, the Governor, and myself." Flynn replied. "I made sure no one else had seen it."
"Okay… where was the weapon found?" Celeste asked. "It was a knife, right? His throat was slit?"
"Right." Flynn confirmed. "It was found to the left of the victim. He was sitting at his desk, apparently, when the attacker came behind him and slit his throat."
"Right. Okay…" Celeste said, thinking. "Well, were there any witnesses at all?"
"No - no one saw or heard anything from what I know now." he told her.
"Someone has to know something." she stated. "There's no way whoever did this could've gotten away with it without a trace."
Just then, Will and Elizabeth walked in.
"Oh, good day!" Celeste greeted cheerfully. "We were just discussing Commodore Norrington's murder case."
"Oh, can we help?" Will asked.
Celeste looked inquiringly at Flynn who looked wary. "This is Will and Elizabeth Turner - good friends of ours Commodore Norrington. They can help us." She turned to Will and Elizabeth. "This is David Flynn. The investigator on the case."
"It's nice to meet you." Will and Elizabeth said.
"Likewise." Flynn replied as Will and Elizabeth sat down.
She turned back to Flynn. "Anyway, I was thinking that perhaps we could get some information from someone who knows the crime that goes on here and knows the underbelly of the city, you know? There's always one guy who knows everything that goes on…" She thought for a moment and then looked at Jack, who had his arm around her shoulders. "Jack, you know some pretty terrible people - do you know anyone like that around here?"
"Hmm…" Jack began, thinking, not denying the fact that he really did know some pretty terrible people. "Well, there is - and I don' know 'im, I jus' know of 'im - Lex Sheridan. 'e's kind o' a loan shark an' knows a lot o' criminals. Lives on the outskirts o' town, I think."
"Good!" Celeste exclaimed. "We should talk to him."
"Oh, wait…" Jack remembered something. "No, bad idea. Never mind."
"Why?" Celeste asked.
"'e doesn' let men into 'is mansion unless 'e knows 'em… Only women…" Jack explained. "I forgot about that."
"So, I'll go alone." Celeste concluded.
"Over my dead body!" Jack objected.
"Well, what are we going to do, then?" Celeste asked. An idea dawned on her. "Wait a second…"
"Oh, no, what are you thinkin'?" Jack asked warily.
"Well, why don't we just dress you and Will up like women and sneak you in?" Celeste suggested.
"NO WAY!" Jack and Will loudly protested.
"Oh, come on, don't be stupid." Celeste nagged. "It's obviously the only way to get in. If they know we're involved with the law, they'll never tell us. We have to sneak in."
After a while of debating, scolding, and threatening, Jack and Will were finally convinced into going incognito. They decided to go out to Sheridan's mansion that very day. Celeste was preparing Jack for the adventure, nearly laughing the entire time. Same with Elizabeth and Will. Celeste had decided that she would put a veil over Jack's face to hide his facial hair because he would NOT shave it off, nor did she really want him to; also, put a veil over his head to hide his dreadlocks. Flynn made clear he would not be joining them on this one and was to remain at the ship, studying his notes.
Celeste struggled not to laugh as Jack emerged from the closet in a red, flowing dress. She wanted so badly to poke fun at him, but he was in a very fragile state and if she said anything derogatory, he would probably be out of the plan for good. She put the veils in place and started to perfect his eye makeup.
"You know, Celeste, with my manly cheekbones, I doubt anyone will believe this." Jack told her.
"Jack, you have very feminine features, I hope you know." Celeste replied, concentrating on the makeup.
"Captain Jack Sparrow - feminine?" he asked incredulously. "Never."
"Whatever you say, my love." she told him, putting eye shadow on him. She finished with the makeup and looked him over. "Well, maybe the guards will have bad eyesight… Your face doesn't look so bad, but… you're really muscular… Ah, well."
He undid the side of the veil covering his face and kissed her.
She looked at him awkwardly. "I don't think I'm alright with this…"
"I'm still your husband." Jack said, a little irritated.
"But… you're my husband in a dress…" she told him. "It's just too weird…"
Jack was rather annoyed, but could see where Celeste was coming from. After a little while, Will and Elizabeth emerged from the room they were readying in. Celeste went out into the hall to greet them. Her eyes widened. Will had shaved off all his facial hair and Elizabeth had applied a lot of makeup to him. It was amazing how much like a woman he looked. She was losing her self control.
"Oh, I forgot something in the dining room - one moment." Celeste said, and ran at top speed up on deck. The second she was on deck and had shut the door, she burst out laughing. By the time she got over it, she was nearly in tears. She went below deck and joined them.
Just then, Jack came out of his room; he and Will stared at each other. They pointed at each other and laughed hysterically. Celeste and Elizabeth couldn't take it anymore. They laughed as well.
"Oh, oh, you look like such a woman!" Jack laughed, pointing at Will.
"At least I don't look like you! You look like a half-man half-woman!" Will laughed.
"Well, its good I look at least half man!" Jack laughed.
"Now, children, stop it." Celeste injected, still laughing a little. "Don't fight."
After they got over their laughter, they set out on their way to the mansion. They got a carriage to pick them up and take them here. When they got here, they went up to the gate and were stopped by two large guards.
"Who are you?" one asked.
"I'm Celeste O' Lantern and this is my sister… Jacqueline O' Lantern." Celeste lied. "And this is Wilma… Mann." They all struggled not to laugh. "And her sister, Elizabeth Mann."
"And what are you doing here?" the guard asked.
"We were sent by… Captain Jack Sparrow." Celeste told them. "We belong to him, and he said something about 'sharing the fortune' or something… Anyway, we are to be taken straight to Mr. Sheridan."
"Hmm… well, I don't see why not." the guard said. "Go on in." He opened the gate. "Hey," he said to Will, "Why don't you just stay here with me instead?"
"Er, not thank you!" Will replied in an unnaturally high voice and rushed after the others, who were silently laughing at him. They entered the mansion and walked down a heavily guarded hallway to a staircase. They climbed up the stairs and were greeted by two passing guards. One of them stared at Jack. Celeste was almost certain they'd been found out and was about to reach for her swords when…
"Hey, sugar, I like strong women. What do you say you and I get a room?" the guard asked. Celeste would've burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter if the stakes weren't so high.
"No, I don' think so!" Jack told him in a high, squeaky voice.
The man shrugged. "Suit yourself." He and the other man continued on their way.
As soon as the men were out of earshot, Celeste leaned over to Jack and jokingly whispered, "You're not a eunuch, are you, sugar?"
Jack curled his lip at her in annoyance, but overcame it and replied, "You ought to know the truth, baby, nearly every night."
"Ha ha ha." Celeste said sarcastically.
They continued up the stairs and down a long hallway. Eventually, they came to a big red door and Celeste knocked. A few minutes later, a fairly good looking man answered the door.
"Yes?" he asked. He had short blond hair and bright blue eyes.
"Hi, erm, can we talk to you for a minute?" Celeste asked.
"Sure." the man replied. "Come on in. I'm Lex Sheridan, by the way."
They entered a richly decorated room. "Well Mr. Sheridan, I'm actually here because I wanted to ask you a favor."
"And that would be?" Sheridan asked.
"I want you to tell me everything you know about the Norrington murder." Celeste told him.
"Oh, no… and my men let you in?" Sheridan groaned.
"Well, that's why we had to sneak in." Celeste explained.
Sheridan walked over to Will. "Say, you're pretty cute - how about you and I have some fun and then I'll tell you what I know." Will looked horrified.
Celeste laughed and butted in. "Mr. Sheridan, I'm sure you wouldn't be too pleased. Just tell us what you know. Please."
"Why wouldn't I be pleased?" Sheridan asked.
"Because these two," Celeste began, pointing to Jack and Will, "are men. We had to dress them this way so they could get in."
Sheridan's eyes widened and he backed up. "Alright, well, not a word about what I just said, got it? Not a word. Never leaves this room!"
"Deal." Celeste agreed. "Now, please tell us."
"Alright, alright." Sheridan surrendered. "Well, there was someone who thought they saw someone near Norrington's house… Evan Shore…"
"Evan Shore?" Celeste asked.
"Yes, but… I'm afraid he left right afterwards - didn't want to get involved." Sheridan explained. He stared at Jack. "…Do I know you?" he asked. "…Who are you?"
"Nobody." Jack replied.
"I'm curious - I won't tell you where Shore moved until you tell me who you are." Sheridan said. Celeste nudged Jack and nodded.
"I'm… Will Turner." Jack said.
"Jack!" Celeste and Will scolded.
"He's Captain Jack Sparrow, Mr. Sheridan." Celeste told him. "Lose your pride, Jack."
Sheridan laughed. "Oh, what great stories this will make. Captain Jack Sparrow in a red dress, impersonating a woman!"
"Lex Sheridan askin' Will Turner to go to bed with 'im." Jack taunted back. "That'll make an' equally impressin' story, don' you think?"
Sheridan thought for a moment. "Fine - nothing leaves this room then." A thought dawned on him. He stared at Celeste, but wasn't staring at her eyes.
"Excuse me!" Celeste yelled.
"Sorry, sorry, I mean no offense!" Sheridan exclaimed. "I was just making sure that you're really a woman."
"Yes, yes, I am, and Elizabeth as well." Celeste replied exasperatedly. "Anyway, where did Shore move to?"
"Oh, yes, Tortuga." Shore replied.
"Oh, no, not Tortuga!" Celeste groaned. She sighed. "Well, anyway, thank you."
They left the mansion and went back to the Pearl. They informed Flynn of what they'd talked about with Sheridan and he was pleased. They decided to go to Tortuga in three days; that would give them enough time to get ready to leave.
The next day, Celeste went out to the market with Jack and ran into her mother.
"Celeste!" her mother cried, rushing over. "Why didn't you visit me! Why didn't you let me see you!"
"Well, excuse me if we had more important things on our minds than you!" Celeste retorted. "I'm sorry, I should've visited, I only lost a baby!"
"You should've let me visit!" her mother insisted.
"No one was stopping you!" Celeste argued.
"Your husband could've gotten me to come!" her mother exclaimed.
"My husband was considerably worried about me and also had to leave for a few weeks to visit a dying friend." Celeste told her. "We had more important things to worry about."
Her mother sighed. "Well, anyway, I'm glad you're alright. And do you know who's here?"
"No… who?" Celeste asked warily.
"Cami." her mother replied cheerfully.
Celeste froze. "C-Cami…?"
"Who's Cami?" Jack asked.
"My sister." Celeste replied.
"Sister!" Jack exclaimed. "You never mentioned a sister! In fact, I thought you said you were an only child!"
"In my eyes, I am…" Celeste replied. "She's a horribly closed-minded person who is radically stuck in her ways… She left home many years before I did, but I still had to deal with her before that and when she visited - which was too often."
"Oh, she isn't that bad, Celeste." her mother objected.
"You didn't have to live with her and get abused by her most of your life!" Celeste told her. "She hates anyone who isn't Catholic, and she hates pirates!"
Just then, Cami walked up.
"Well, I'll see you later, Celeste. Jack." her mother bid them good day and left.
"Oh, no, oh, no!" Celeste panicked.
"Well, hello, Celeste!" Cami greeted in a fake sweet voice. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, Cami, and you?" Celeste asked, strained.
"I'm just fine!" Cami replied. "And… who is this?" she asked, looking at Jack with a bit of disgust at his appearance.
"My husband." Celeste told her.
"Oh… Er, Cami White. And you are?" Cami asked, and held out her hand to Jack, who politely kissed it.
"Captain Jack Sparrow." he said.
Cami froze. "You're surely not… related to the pirate Jack Sparrow, are you?"
"Cami, he is the pirate Captain Jack Sparrow." Celeste told her. "Commodore Norrington pardoned him a few years ago."
"Commodore Norrington!" Cami exclaimed. "Oh, I expected so much more from him! He was such a good Catholic!"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Celeste asked, annoyed.
"Well, Catholics are good people." Cami replied. "You are a Catholic, aren't you?"
"Well, we have our faith, but we don't attend church services." Celeste explained. "We do have our faith, though. That's all God wants."
"You're not Catholic?" Cami asked, disgusted. "And you're a pirate? I expected more from my own sister."
"You're right, Cami, and you know what? We're Lutherans!" Celeste taunted.
"WHAT!" Cami cried. "You're what! I can't believe I'm hearing this!"
"Cami, you're so closed minded-"
"I'm right is what I am." Cami interrupted. "Oh, my sister and her husband are going to Hell! That's so sad!"
"HOW DARE YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT!" Celeste cried. "JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE DOESN'T THINK LIKE YOU DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE WRONG!"
"Celeste, you are too young to know what you're talking about!" Cami scolded.
"Right, I'm only married and have lost a child - no experience there!" Celeste argued. "Besides, even when I was only seventeen, I was still wiser than you!"
"You've lost a child?" Cami asked. "That's sad, but… can't say I didn't expect it. I, myself, have five children."
"Oh, yes, such a pity I don't have those disgustingly humongous hips of yours, Cami, I cry over that one every night." Celeste replied sarcastically. Cami narrowed her eyes. "Those poor children must have rotten personalities."
"Do you really think you should sink so low as to resort to physical insults?" Cami asked.
"Yes, especially since I have nothing to be criticized for." Celeste replied snootily.
"Right. Because you're not too skinny at all."
"I'm just glad I'm not too fat like some sisters of mine - oh, wait! I only have one! It must be you!"
"You are a heathen, Celeste."
"You are an idiot, Cami."
"No wonder you never got along with Marie - you're jealous because she's a better person than you are." Cami said to Celeste. Jack's jaw dropped.
"No wonder you did get along with Marie - you both have the personality of Julius Caesar." Celeste accused.
Cami scowled. "I can't believe you did this to your life." Cami told her. "You were always reading those stupid pirate stories; I knew they would affect you! Now you up and married one!"
"Yeah, Cami, I married for love." Celeste said. "So sad that you don't have the capacity to ever know what that is."
"Fine, I'm up for a round of insults - it'll be like the good old days." Cami told her.
"Cami, I've left the old days behind me." Celeste said. "I'm above this and I'm above you." She grabbed Jack's arm and turned on her heel and walked off. Cami stood staring after them, fuming, and stormed away. Celeste and Jack went back to the Pearl.
"Wow, love," Jack said to her as they boarded the Pearl, "I knew your family was rather dysfunctional, an' that it was full o' a bunch o' batty gits, but… wow… That girl was crazy!"
"That's my sister: a radical in every way." Celeste sighed. "She'll never have a happy life living like she is." She snorted. "Serves her right. Ugh… radicalism in any form is a path to destruction… Why can't people see?"
"Because they don' listen." Jack told her.
That night, Celeste tossed and turned in her sleep, and Jack noticed. He placed a hand on her upper arm and rubbed it gently, attempting to console her without waking her. She eased a little, but it wasn't long before she started tossing and turning again. She mumbled inaudibly and swatted at something that was not there. Jack looked at her with a furrowed brow, worried. She shivered and he glanced over at the window, which was open. He got up and closed it. Just then, she put a hand over to Jack's side of the bed and noticed his absence; she squirmed about, let out a small scream, and woke up. He rushed to her and took her in his arms.
"Oh, Jack!" she sobbed. "I had the most awful nightmare!"
He kissed her head. "Tell me about it, love. You'll feel better."
She sniffled and cuddled close to him. She tugged at the sleeves of Jack's big white shirt she was wearing and began her story. "Well, there were these really big, scary monsters! And they - they chased us and… ate you! And I couldn't do anything! The monsters were so scary!"
He hugged her tighter. "Well, they didn' eat me - I'm 'ere." he comforted. "Besides, there's no such thing as monsters."
"Like there was no such thing as ghosts." Celeste added.
"Well, tha's different." Jack said. She sniffled and hugged him tightly.
After a few moments of silence, Celeste spoke. "I want a baby, Jack."
"I know you do, love - so do I." he replied.
"But it's taking so long…"
"'ey, I'm doin' the best I can, darling." he told her with a smirk, placing a hand on her lower stomach.
She smiled. "I'm sure." she said. She sighed and let the subject go. She slid under the covers and buried herself in them. "I hope I don't have anymore of those awful nightmares."
"Well," Jack told her, laying down as well, and putting his arms around her, "jus' remember that I'm 'ere an' that in real life -if there were such things as monsters- I would kill them if they got near you."
She nodded and snuggled up to him.
Jack ran his fingers through her hair, thinking. People were the real monsters in this world. Yet, Celeste holds no grudge at all. She continues to help anyone she can (as long as they are good people). She refuses to judge anyone. After all that's been done to her, she still keeps herself so open to be hurt.
She looked up into his eyes and he saw the trust. She placed every single bit of her trust in him - and he would never break it. He placed a hand on her cheek and softly ran it down her neck to her chest.
How much she had been hurt… and being involved with this case, he had a feeling she was going to get hurt again. That's why he didn't want her to go. It wasn't because he was being a greedy husband who wanted his wife to stay at home all the time… he was terribly worried about her safety.
He held her close and they both fell asleep much more contently.
Two days later, they arrived in Tortuga.
"You know, love, you can stay aboard while we go into town - I know how you 'ate Tortuga." Jack said to Celeste, as they were about to leave (Flynn in company with them).
"No way!" Celeste exclaimed. "The last thing I need is some whore from your past coming up to you thinking you're not permanently taken!"
So, they went into town (Celeste on Jack's arm) and, as Celeste predicted, were approached by a woman with blond hair and blue eyes and a very low cut dress.
"Jack!" she cried, hurrying over. "Oh, it's been so long! How are you?"
"I'm fine, Tiffany…" Jack replied uneasily as Celeste glared at her, and he began to walk past her.
"Wait - where are you running off to?" Tiffany asked. "Why don't we have some fun for old times sake, huh?"
Celeste stepped in front of Jack threateningly. "I don't think so, Tiffany." she said venomously.
"Who are you?" Tiffany asked with annoyance.
"Mrs. Sparrow." Celeste replied toughly.
"What!" Tiffany exclaimed, panicked. "Jack, what is she talking about!"
"I'm a married man now." he told her.
Tiffany's jaw dropped. "I can't believe it! When all of us girls here are working hard, trying to get money where we can, you go off and get married! You were one of our best sources! You fed most of us for a good week or two!"
Jack avoided both Celeste and Tiffany's eyes.
"Fine." Tiffany said. "Well, if you feel like having a real good time, you know where to find me." She looked at Celeste. "He'll never stay faithful - hope you know that. When he cheats on you, don't be surprised, and don't say I didn't warn you."
Celeste scoffed at her and pulled Jack along, Flynn remained behind.
"Say, do you know Evan Shore?" Flynn asked Tiffany.
Still angry, Tiffany replied: "Stupid pirates. Do you want to have some fun?"
"Er, no…" Flynn said uneasily. "I want to know if you know Evan Shore."
"Maybe." Tiffany told him. "Got any money?" Celeste and Jack stopped and looked back at them.
Flynn pulled out ten shillings and handed them to her. Celeste, being out of earshot, mistook this action for something else…
"Mr. Flynn, what are you doing!" she cried, rushing over.
"What!" Flynn asked, startled. "Oh, no! It's not what you think! I was just asking if she knew Shore!"
"Yeah, I know Shore." Tiffany said. "Did him a 'special favor' just the other day, actually." Celeste curled her lip in disgust. "Lives up on Behr street. Just take Hodge down to Drake and go east all the way down until you get to Rafael." Jack and Celeste got completely confused by so many directions, but luckily, Flynn had whipped out a pencil and pad and was taking notes. "Take Rafael half way down north and turn left on Behr. He's number 214. Big brick house - you can't miss it."
"Thank you." Flynn said.
Tiffany nodded. "Be seeing you, Jack." And she walked off.
"Oh, no, you won't." Celeste mumbled. She took Jack's arm and they walked off.
After a long journey through the Tortuga streets, they finally arrived at Shore's house. Jack knocked on the door and a few moments later, a blond man opened it.
"Yes?" the man asked.
Flynn made his way to the front of them and spoke to him. "Are you Evan Shore?"
"Yes…" he replied.
"Sir, we are from Port Royal - we want to ask you a few questions." Flynn told him.
"Port Royal?" Shore asked. "Questions about what?"
"Commodore Norrington's murder." Flynn replied.
"No, no, no, no, no!" Shore exclaimed. "I don't know anything! Nothing at all! Who said I did?"
"That doesn't matter." Flynn said. "Please, we won't tell anyone we spoke to you. We need to know. We heard you saw someone near Commodore Norrington's residence. Who was it?"
Shore sighed. "I don't know…"
"Oh, please tell us!" Celeste pleaded with desperate eyes.
He sighed again. "Ugh, fine… But I don't have a lot of time to spare today, so it'll be short, okay?"
"Yes, that's fine." Flynn said.
"John Ottoman." Shore reluctantly told them. "Norrington's butler. He was leaving the building. Then, a little bit later, Norrington's maid, Amy Lange went inside. She came out a few minutes later, screaming about a murder. I doubt she did it. I lived across the street and saw just that. Nothing more. Then a bunch of guards came and closed off the building. That's all I know."
"Thank you very much, sir, much appreciated." Flynn told him.
"Yeah, sure, good day." Shore rushed and shut the door.
"I wonder why he was so reluctant." Celeste said.
"Probably didn' want to get involved." Jack replied.
They went back to the ship and discovered that most of them were gone! The only people left were Will and Elizabeth.
"Where is everyone!" Jack exclaimed.
"They all went into town to get rum." Will told him.
"Oh, bugger…" Jack sighed. "They won' be back for a while, then… Wait, what about dinner?"
"Mr. Cotton left it in the dining room for you." Will said. "We ate already."
"Alright, thanks." Jack replied.
They went into the dining room and ate and finished early.
"Well… I guess we're off to bed, then." Jack said, taking Celeste's hand and heading for the door. "Night, Flynn."
Flynn nodded and they left.
"Jack, it's awfully early to be-"
"Everyone's gone, darling, 'ow many chances do we get?" he asked with a smirk.
She was about to reprimand him, but she shrugged. "Hmm… you're right… Sierra won't be banging on the door or anything to interrupt us…"
"Exactly." Jack said, and kissed her lightly.
Celeste tiredly woke up and yawned. She looked up at Jack, who was staring out the window and running his fingers through her hair.
"Morning, Jack." she greeted.
"Oh, 'ey, love." he said. "Sleep well?"
"As always." she replied, smiling. "Are we setting sail today?"
"Aye." Jack told her. "You know, we can let Anamaria take care of it… it'll give us time to jus'… stay in 'ere if we want to…"
"Oh, sounds good." she said, sitting up, and stretched.
Just then, Sierra knocked on the door. Celeste pulled the covers up to her neck.
"Who is it?" Celeste yelled.
"The King of Spain! Who do you think it is!" Sierra sarcastically yelled back.
"Well, what do you want?" Celeste yelled impatiently.
"I'm really tired of yelling, so I'm coming in!" she yelled back and barged in. "We're setting sail today, right?" Jack nodded. "I got in pretty late last night, but when I got back… ugh, you guys couldn't be just a little quieter?" Celeste curled her lip at Sierra's bluntness and rudeness. "Anyway, you going to be on deck at all today?"
"Maybe later." Jack said matter-of-factly, not caring what Sierra thought, sitting up, and leaning back against the headboard.
Sierra shook her head (and certainly wasn't complaining about the sight of Jack shirtless). "Celeste, seriously, as much as I can't stand the thought of you two breeding, you really need to get pregnant again. I miss those quiet nights." Celeste rolled her eyes and Sierra left the room.
"Anyway, where were we?" Celeste asked, climbing on top of Jack.
"Just about 'ere." he replied, kissing her. She hugged him and kissed his cheek. "But, honestly, love, if you don' get pregnant soon, we're goin' to know there's somethin' wrong with me."
She smiled and he kissed her neck. "Wait a second… was Commodore Norrington seeing anyone when he was killed?"
"What?" Jack asked, confused.
"Was he seeing anyone?" Celeste repeated. "I mean, a good motive for murder is jealousy."
"Well, I don' know if 'e was." Jack said.
"I have to ask Mr. Flynn." Celeste stated, starting to get up.
"Oh, love, you can ask 'im later." Jack nagged, pulling her back to him.
"It's going to bother me." Celeste replied.
"You can find out later, 'e isn' goin' anywhere." Jack told her.
She sighed. "Well, I suppose you're right." she said, and kissed him.
A few minutes later, Sierra barged in. "You've got to see this. Apparently - OH, GOSH, DISGUSTING!" she shielded her eyes as if she was being blinded.
"Ugh! Sierra! Would you mind knocking! Goodness sake!" Celeste cried angrily. Sierra turned around and Celeste hopped up and put on her dressing gown. "Now, what are you yelling about!"
"Somebody stuck this note on the helm." Sierra said, handing it to Celeste.
Celeste took it and read it aloud. "'Sparrows, you've got to follow my trail of clues to solve this crime. You're sticking your noses in, so I might as well help you get there. See you in Port Royal. Sincerely, 2.' 2? What's 2?" She looked at Jack and he shrugged.
"Well, thought you ought to know, anyway." Sierra told her. "Sorry I interrupted… Boy, am I sorry…"
"So am I." Jack muttered. Sierra left. Celeste sat back down next to Jack.
"What do you think this means?" she asked.
"I don' know…" he replied. "Suppose we'll find out when he leaves his 'clues' or whatever."
"Suppose so." Celeste said.
Later that day, Celeste asked Flynn about her theory of Commodore Norrington seeing anyone, but he wasn't to Flynn's knowledge. She was out of ideas now. They needed to talk to John Ottoman about it all…
That night, Celeste and Jack were getting ready for bed when a thought popped in Celeste's head.
"Jack…" Celeste said, sitting down on the bed next to Jack, "I want to ask you something…"
"Sure, darling."
"Well, erm…" she hesitated, "well, I was just wondering… if… Well, you've been with so many women… were they… I mean… were they… betterthan I am…?"
"Better?" he asked. "What do you mean?"
"Like… you know… better…"
"Better?" he asked confusedly. "Better…? Ohhh, better… Like fun in the nighttime better."
"Yeah."
"Well, what makes you ask that?"
"I don't know… I was just thinking that… I mean… you must have sort of… compared me to them at some point, haven't you?" she asked him.
"Not really." he replied.
"Well, you didn't answer me - were they better?" she asked. "I mean, they were so much more experienced than me… You, of course, were my first, so…"
"You know, darling, it's somethin' totally different now." he told her. "It's such a different experience when it's with someone you love more than anyone else in the entire world. Truly, it's somethin' totally different."
"Really?" she asked. "You're not just saying that so you'll get something tonight?"
He laughed. "No, no, I'm not." he said. "You were actually a lot better than I expected."
"Oh… well… er…" she shifted uncomfortably, blushing. "Well, anyway, we shouldn't really be speaking of such things…"
"O' course not, we're wastin' time." he told her and leaned over and kissed her.
Jack walked up on deck the next morning, looking for Celeste; he found her. She was… WITH BLAKE! They were leaning up against the mast, kissing.
"Celeste!" he gasped. "What are you doing!"
She casually glanced over at him. She chuckled and kissed Blake again. "Jack…" she said. "I want someone a little more refined… who's not such a pirate."
"But-but-"
Celeste laughed and kissed Blake once more.
Jack gasped loudly and sat bolt upright. He placed a hand on his forehead and glanced around the room, realizing it was just a dream. Celeste sat up and put a hand on his arm.
"Are you alright?" she asked, worried. He didn't reply, just shook his head "no." "Did you have a nightmare?" He nodded. "You want to talk about it?"
"Mm mm." he said, shaking his head and lied back down, turning his back to her. Celeste furrowed her brow at his coldness and snuggled up to him.
"Well, it's alright now." she told him, running a hand up and down his back. "Whatever happened is gone now, and I'm here."
Jack stared blankly at the wall. What made him dream that? He'd never had any doubt in his mind that Celeste was faithful to him and would always be, so… why would that come up in his dreams?
She placed a hand on his arm and kissed his back.. "What was it? I'd like to know."
"Nothin' important." he said quickly. "Anyway, I don' want to think about it."
She nodded and snuggled up to him and they fell asleep.
The next day was spent wasting time until they got back to Port Royal.
That night, Jack had another nightmare - far worse. This time, Black was alive and he was chasing Celeste through the Pearl. The whole crew was gone and he couldn't do anything, his feet wouldn't move. She screamed for him to help her, but he couldn't move.
"Jack, why aren't you doing anything!" she screamed, running from Black. "Don't you love me! Why aren't you helping me!"
Black caught Celeste and shot her in the stomach. She fell and crawled over to Jack.
"Why didn't you help me?" she asked. "And our baby?"
Black shot her again. Jack was yelling and trying to move, but his feet wouldn't budge. He tried to reach for Celeste, but he couldn't. She looked weakly up at him.
"Jack… why don't you love me?" she asked. She coughed up some blood and stopped moving for good.
"Celeste!" he yelled, sitting bolt upright. He looked over at Celeste, who was now awake. She sat up.
"What's wrong?" she asked concernedly. He didn't reply. "Did you have another nightmare?" He nodded. She sighed. "I wonder what's causing these…"
"I love you, Celeste, do you know that?" he asked urgently.
"Of course I know that." she said.
"Really?" he asked. "I mean, do you know that I would do anythin' for you? That I would do anythin' to 'elp you an' die for you in any circumstance?"
She looked at him. "I take it this nightmare was about me, then."
"They're all about you, Celeste." he told her. "All of them. Tonight's was the worst, though…" He told her about the terrible dream. "I couldn' do anythin'! Darling, you know I love you more than anythin' else in the whole world, don' you? That I love you so much it 'urts? I would die a thousand times in the worst ways possible for you."
"I know you would, Jack." she said, hugging his arm. "I know you would."
"Love, I 'ave to ask you somethin'." he stated. "You're not still kickin' yourself over the baby, are you?"
Her expression faltered. "Er… no, of course not."
"Don' lie to me." he said.
"I'm not lying." she replied.
"I know exactly when you're lyin', love, don' lie!" he ordered. "Stop blamin' yourself! It 'urts me to see you kickin' yourself over somethin' that is out of everyone in the world's control! Do you honestly think that the faith you taught me to 'ave is for nothin'? Do you honestly think He won' take care of us?" She didn't reply. "Darling, if you can't 'ave faith, then what kind o' hypocrite are you? You made me 'ave faith an' tha's what I did! Bad things 'appen! It's the way o' the world! It's another obstacle we 'ave to get over! If this is a test, then let's pass it - let's beat it an' show that nothin' can defeat us! We're Jack an' Celeste Sparrow! Nothin' can keep us from gettin' what we want! If we want to live 'appily ever after, then let's get it! We'll 'ave a family an' anythin' else we want! Nothin's goin' to stop us!"
She stared at him for a few moments, thinking. "You're right…" she said, laughing at herself. "I've been so foolish… I'm Celeste and… I'm a spoiled brat who gets whatever she wants. I want my happily ever after… and I'm going to get it." Jack nodded. "Thank you, Jack. For making me finally see."
He smiled. "I want my girl to be 'appy. Tha's all I want." They both lied down and Jack pulled Celeste close to him. "So, you're goin' to be 'appy, now?" She nodded. "Good." And they both fell asleep, much more at ease. Finally Celeste was able to live without the shadow her loss looming over her and constantly troubling her. Finally she and Jack could move on with their lives and start again. Finally she wouldn't remember that horrible day and what could have been every time she saw a child with their parents. A huge weight was lifted off of both of their shoulders that night. Not only was Celeste now able to work through her problems and memories with a new outlook, but Jack didn't have to watch her suffer. Hope was in sight again. They could be happy - no matter how long it would take, no matter what they had to do, they were going to be happy. No doubt about that.
Another chapter done! Hope you enjoyed it! One thing I'd like to ask of you readers! I have a Secret Window fanfic going called "Skye Blue." I am at a loss of reviews and would grandly appriciate some! If you would read and review, I would be most grateful. Please review this chapter, too! THANKS! I LOVE YOU ALL!
>JillValentine44