Chapter 2: Pirates
Bethany woke early the next morning and was more than a little surprised to find her head on Jack's shoulder and his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She couldn't tell if he was awake but felt pretty sure that he wasn't as the rise and fall of his chest was pretty consistent. She tried to slide out of his embrace; she was almost there when out of the blue his arms tightened around her waist pulling her back down on top of him.
"And jest where do ye think ye're going?" He asked without even opening his eyes
Bethany froze; she knew she was for it now. When she didn't reply his lazily opened his eyes and looked at her.
"Hmm?" Jack urged her to answer
"Nowhere, I was just… um… moving into a more… comfortable position." Bethany stammered
"More comfortable position ay. Don't ye like me then?" Jack asked slyly, feeling like having a bit of fun. Bethany was dumbfounded by his question; she did not want to lie but conversely she could not very well tell him that she did not like him.
"Huh?" He prompted snuggling up to her
"I…I did not mean it like that." She said at last
"Really, well that's alright then. So ye then won't mind snuggling up with me then." He said with a mischievous look in his eyes.
Bethany swallowed forcefully before shaking her head. Jack noticed this and decided not to push her any further and laid back, closing his eyes. Bethany inwardly sighed, she thought she was for it then but she had the question for the night before nagging at the back of her mind: could it be that some pirates were nice? But her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Aye." Jack called out without even moving, this surprised Bethany as to her it looked as though he was asleep. Bill walked into the cabin and coughed, not wanting to disturb them.
"I know ye're there. What do ye want." Jack said, still not opening his eyes. Bill smiled before answering.
"We're coming up on a ship captain."
Jack sighed audibly, "Well ye'll jest have to wait a little longer for me luv." He said getting up; he looked up at Bill who was still standing there.
"Alright, I'm coming. Ye needn't watch me get dressed."
"Sorry captain." Bill said, hiding his smile till he had walked out of the cabin.
Bethany watched as this unfolded, thankful that he was going and was surprised when he turned around to look at her as he was walking out of the door.
"Me apologies, me lady for this interruption." He said bowing slightly.
Bethany did not know what to make of Jack. Well he has been quite nice to me, she thought but he is a pirate. The fear and hatred of all pirates had been installed in her from a very young age as her mother had died during a pirate raid; she shuddered just thinking about it. She contemplated Jack, as she got dressed; she had decided to do this quickly before he came back in. She continued to ponder about this but could come to no conclusion on whether or not she liked him.
She jumped as the door banged loudly.
"Thought ye would be hungry." Jack said carrying a tray of food into the cabin.
"Thank you." Bethany said unable to cover her surprise, Jack looked up at her and smiled.
"Yer welcome." He said setting the food out on the table and then proceeded to sit down and eat.
"I won't bite yer luv." He said with a smile, "Not while I've got food anyway."
At this Bethany's face broke into a huge grin and she sat at the other side of the table and began to eat.
"That's better."
"So where ye from." Jack asked conversationally. This questioned surprised Bethany; why does he want to know, she wondered; more than a little confused.
"Port Grand." She replied
"Yer a long way from there luv." Jack said, discretely pressing her for more information.
"Yes. I was travelling to England. My father decided that the Caribbean was no place for a 'young lady' on her own and that I should not stay on my own. He decided that I needed to be introduced to society and gain some new 'friends'. Being that he is in the navy, he was never around. So he decided to send me to my aunt in London." Jack got more information than he thought possible out of her in one go, so decided to try for more.
"What about yer mother?"
Bethany dropped her gaze to her plate and breathed in deeply. Jack realised he had struck a nerve.
"Sorry luv, ye needn't have to answer." He said trying to make amends.
"No it alright." She said shaking her head. "She died when I was six… in a pirate raid on our town." Now that she had started she felt a strange need to tell him the whole story. "It happened about one in the morning, I woke to the sound of cannon fire and screams coming from the town. I got out of bed and went to find my mother; she came running out of her room and scooped me up in her arms and ran down the stairs towards the cellar. She put me in the cellar and told me not to worry – everything would be fine and with that she locked me in the cellar. I was in there for what felt like days, the cannons constantly fired and the house sounded like it was falling down around me and the screams… although quieter still persisted. Later that morning one of the servants let me out; I found that the house had been hit be several time and rumble was everywhere. Then I saw a large pile of rumble on the floor at the foot of the main stairs, with an arm sticking out: my mother. I've never forgotten that sight." She finished.
Jack looked at her, he felt awful. Now he realised where her hatred and fear of him came from. He didn't know what to do.
"I'm sorry Beth." He said getting up from the table and placing a hand on her shoulder before walking out of the cabin.
He walked up on deck and took the wheel, jest staring straight ahead: deep in contemplation. Perhaps he could take her home, he thought but he just couldn't do it: he liked her so much but knew that she would never like him. The sun drifted across the sky and still he thought about her. He didn't even hear Bill come up.
"Captain." Bill asked uncertainly, Jack swung round to look at him but didn't show any sign of surprise.
"I jest thought ye might like a break: ye've been standing here all day."
"Aye." Jack said walking over to the side of the ship, and stared at the sun. Jack's readiness to give up the wheel worried Bill but he decided not say anything.
Bethany watched him walk out of the door. She wasn't sure what she was more troubled by: her telling him the story, a story she had never told to anyone before or the way he reacted to it. She felt strangely happy; not the emotion she usually felt when thinking about her mother. She sat there thinking about her mother and for the first time thought about all of the happy memories she had of her. Her thoughts then turned back to Jack; he had seemed deeply concerned and genuinely sorry for her, which is more than most. But what played on her mind the most was that he had called her Beth, it was such a little thing but she had never been called that before. It felt kind of strange; Beth was a much more familiar than Bethany.
Jack walked into the cabin to find Bethany staring out of the window, watching the sun set.
"It is so beautiful." She said without even turning around. Jack was a little taken back her initiation of conversation, especially after what she had told him earlier but he didn't show it.
"Aye. It is." She then turned round to find dinner had been laid out on the table; she walked over and sat down.
"Ye hungry then?" Asked Jack
"Yes; well, breakfast was the last meal I had."
"Sorry bout that. Ye should have said something." Bethany looked up from her plate with a half smile.
"Tell you the truth I did not really notice."
"Really. To enamoured with Jack huh?" He said teasingly, feeling that it was know safe to do so.
"Perhaps." She said slyly, with the previous spirit that Jack had first admired her for.
Jack raised an eyebrow, "I think I'm gonna enjoy tonight." He couldn't contain his laughter at Bethany's expression of shock – obviously she didn't mean her comments the way he took them.
"I… I did not intend… I mean to say…" Bethany floundered for words
"Don't worry me lady, I plan on being the perfect gentlemen." Jack said but Bethany did not like the mischievous look that glinted in the corner of his eye.
"What!" Exclaimed Bethany as she lay in the bed. Tonight Jack had gone to bed at the same time as she had.
"What do you think you are doing?" She asked as Jack snaked his arms around her waist and fitted his body to hers.
"Going to bed. Ye?" He asked, although Bethany could not see his face she could see his grin.
"Really Mr Sparrow and how does that explain your position?"
"Jest keeping warm – I already told ye that ye had nothing to worry bout… Night." And with that he went to sleep.
Bethany rolled her eyes and shook her head before falling asleep thinking, I must admit it is nice and cosy.
Bethany awoke in a similar position to that which she had the previous morning.
"Morning luv. Sleep well?" Inquired Jack
She looked up at him, "Yes thank you and you?"
A smile played on Jack's lips as he answered, "All the better for ye being ere."
She laughed, "You certainly know how to flatter a girl."
"From where I'm looking yer more than a girl." He had his roguish glint in his eyes again. "But if ye'll excuse me, me lady I must go an check on me ship." And with that he got dressed and walked out.
Bethany watched him astounded, she had found herself liking him more and more. She wasn't sure what it was about him but he was so different from all the other men she had met. All the men that had try to court her had been so false but Jack… She let her mind wander.
"Excuse me." Jack swung around, that's Bethany he thought slightly puzzled.
"What ye doing up ere?" He asked harshly.
Bethany swallowed hard, afraid she had gone too far, "Well you said that I should have said about being hungry and well…" She let her sentence trail and dropped her gaze to the deck, suddenly feeling a little scared. Jack looked at her for a minute.
"So I did. Greg!"
A short pirate came hurrying up, "Yes Captain."
"Take the wheel. When Bill comes up let him take it."
"Aye captain."
Jack turned back to Bethany looping his arm over her shoulders and throwing his left arm out, "If me lady would care to join me." And with that lead her into the galley to get some food to take to his cabin: he didn't like the crew watching them.
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