I just want to say thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing so far!
kerri-carri – Don't worry, you're not the only one who's obsessed with Jack! I have to say my absolute bit in the movie was when he twirls around on that rope – he looked so cute! I just can't wait to see more of him in the sequel! Thanks again – love your reviews!
IntoDepp – thankyouthankyouthankyou, my loyal reviewer!
Jess – hiya, thanx for reading and reviewing
And now on with the story…
The wind from the night air rustled the sails of Jack's beloved Black Pearl. Jack's crew looked on in bewilderment as he appeared over the side, followed by a woman in a purple dress.
"Jack!" Gibbs broke the awkward silence by whispering loudly, "What are ye doing, bringing yer company back 'ere?"
Before Jack could correct (or warn) him, Katrina stormed forward shouting angrily, "How dare you? I'm no one's company!"
Jack rushed in between them saying hurriedly,
"Er…Kat, luv. Why don't ye wait in me quarters whilst I talk to the crew, savvy?"
He took hold of her shoulders and gently steered her away, but not before she could throw Gibbs another murderous look over her shoulder.
When Jack came back, he regarded the expectant faces of his crew with interest.
"She's a right little hellcat, ain't she?" Gibbs commented, chuckling. "So, I take it she's not yer company Jack? That's not like you!"
"Wind in the rigging!" squawked Cotton's parrot.
Jack frowned at Gibbs' last comments and his incomprehension of what the parrot had said. He leaned forward and told them in a hushed dramatic tone,
"She, (he gestured towards his quarters) is the daughter of Captain Scarlet Scorer."
Anamaria's eyes widened. "Scarlet Scorer?"
"The very one." Jack replied with a mysterious smile.
"Well, she's definitely like her mother – that temper an' all." Gibbs exclaimed. "Captain, ye're not making 'er a part of the crew are ye? We've already got one woman on board and all we got after that was bad luck…" he faltered under an icy glare from Anamaria.
"She's stayin'." Jack confirmed. "She's quite skilled with a cutlass, so there'll be no worries there. Besides, there are pirates out there who are after her."
Anamaria raised an eyebrow. "Protecting her, are ye?" she enquired teasingly.
"Don't let her hear ye say that!" Jack told her warningly.
Anamaria just smiled and said, "I'm hitting the sack."
The others mumbled their goodnights to Jack and followed Anamaria to the crew's quarters.
As tired as she was, Katrina was still bad-tempered and demanding. As soon as Jack came through the door she asked,
"Where am I sleeping?"
"In my bed with me o' course." Jack gave a broad smirk at the expression on her face.
"No! That's out of the question! I'm not sharing a bed with a…a rogue with wandering hands!"
"Now, that's not really fair, luv. You didn't like Gibbs getting the wrong idea about you. And my hands have never wandered over you!" Jack told her defiantly, inwardly stung by her accusation.
"But it's true about you! Have a lot of 'company' do you?"
"There's no need to be jealous, luv." Jack looked at his nails casually, enjoying winding her up. The expression on her face was one of pure outrage.
"Jealous!" she scoffed. "Dream on Jack!" It unsettled her that she couldn't easily outsmart him.
"Well usually, I would – but ye're a bit too uptight for my taste. Yer need to relax a bit."
Katrina opened her mouth and then shut it again. If she answered back then it would seem like she was upset that Jack didn't fancy her. Kat was at the end of her tether. She was very tired and incredibly annoyed that Jack was able to humiliate her like this.
"You, Captain Jack Sparrow, are nothing but a dirty… obnoxious pirate and I would never spend the night with you, whether you wanted it or not!"
She folded her arms triumphantly, but of course, Jack had another comeback.
"And you, Miss Katrina Scorer, are a rude and ungrateful pirate."
"What…I'm not a pirate!"
"Well, it's in yer blood, so deal with it."
Katrina stayed silent, feeling Jack's words sinking in. Jack knew he had gone too far, calling her a pirate when she was so sensitive about the matter. Saying that pirate was in her blood reminded him of a conversation he had once had with Will Turner. But this was somehow different.
"I'm sorry luv," he said regretfully. "Why don't you get some sleep now, eh? I'll kip on the floor tonight." He started to make his way towards the door.
"Where are you going?" she asked him, her eyes softer now.
"To the helm. I like looking up at the stars on a clear night like this." Jack replied in a wistful tone. Kat bit her lip, smiling. Jack's eyes darted left and right embarrassedly before he quickly exited. Fancy that, Kat thought. A tough pirate captain like Jack Sparrow who liked to steer under the stars! She imagined him out there alone under the light of the moon, his dark eyes shining with private thoughts.
Then she shook herself out of it and began to untie the laces on her dress. Underneath she didn't wear a corset like the upper class women. Instead all she had was a sort of thin petticoat. It was white, suiting her long waves of dark hair. She got into Jack's bed, drew the covers over her and fell asleep almost instantly.
There was nothing to be heard in Jack's cabin apart from the occasional creak of the ship. In the dark, Katrina stirred and rolled over. She felt her body come into contact with someone and jolted awake. Jack was lying under the covers on her right, sleeping like a baby. Kat was horrified. She took hold of his nose and squeezed it, causing his mouth to fall open. Then suddenly he made a loud snorting noise and opened his eyes.
"Bloody 'ell! What are you doing?" he shouted sleepily.
"I thought you were sleeping on the floor!" she yelled back furiously.
"Am I not?" Jack looked over at the floor drowsily.
"NO, YOU'RE NOT!"
"Calm down, luv! You've already woken me up – don't wake the crew."
"Get out!" Kat shrieked at him.
"What's the problem?" Jack's roguish smile was back. "Most women would count themselves lucky to be in bed with Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Ugh! You are so full of yourself." Kat told him veraciously. "Go and sleep on the floor, like you were meant to!"
"And what makes you think I'm going to give up my bed for you? You should show some gratitude, lass. I've given you a place on my ship, saved yer from pirates…"
"And irritated the hell out of me! Jack please, I feel uncomfortable sharing a bed with you."
"Don't ye trust me?" Jack asked her softly, his eyes deep pools of brown.
"Don't make those eyes at me!" Kat exclaimed, dragging her eyes away from his intense gaze. "If you won't sleep on the floor, then I will."
It really wasn't a very large bed and the only way for her to get out was to climb over Jack. He smirked at her knowingly.
"What's the matter luv? I thought you were going to sleep on the floor?"
"Well…well make way, then Sparrow."
"Sorry, luv. I'm quite cosy here." Jack shifted, stretched out and closed his eyes.
Kat sighed loudly and lay back down. She turned to Jack and listened to his breathing becoming heavier as he fell asleep again. Then she turned her back on him to face the wall and closed her eyes. After all, people's hands don't wander when they're fast asleep, do they?
