Well, here's the next chapter, I hope y'all like it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Jack. Dang.
Marion: "You're not the man I knew ten years ago."
Indy: "It's not the years honey, it's the mileage." -Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark
Chapter 8: Memories Forgotten
The sea beat like a heart, the rhythm of it rocking her to sleep. When she got older, her daddy said that he would take her sailing on it.
The man had smiled at her sweetly, and had went inside their hovel to speak to her mother. He had short black hair and eyes like the ocean, the murky blue depths were mysterious and exciting to her childish heart. He had worn a uniform like her daddy's although he was much younger, and she remembered her mother crying. Something had been wrong, very wrong. Daddy.
"So," Jack said, "he just mysteriously died?"
"That's the general consensus," Xander said, "and ever since then Genevieve has been hell-bent on finding out who killed him."
"And...?"
"That's why she was serving in the Navy, although I don't think she found anything before they caught her."
Jack nodded. "Well, I appreciate all of your help. Have you ever come up against Brigand before?"
Xander laughed, a full, vibrant laugh. "I've heard that he's a pompous ass, but no, I've never actually met him."
"He's a fool," Jack said.
"Why, for trying to catch you?" Xander grinned at the cocky smile widening on Jack's face,
"No," Jack said, leaning back in the chair, "for sending a woman to catch me."
Xander frowned, "now that's not fair, you don't think she could've done it?"
"Oh, no, no," Jack said, "I'm sure she could've done it, if I hadn't seen her coming."
"How did you know she was coming?"
"A little birdie told me," he smiled as Xander laughed.
The note that she had kept ever since that day, the one thing she still had of his was an old sketch of a rose. On the back of the paper had been two names: Thomas Jenkins and the second name was Cassandra Starr. At the bottom of the paper had been one other phrase: the Ruby.
Genevieve bolted up and stared at the door to the cabin which had been flung open with a crack. Rain spewed inside as she bolted out of bed, pulling the blanket around her as she went. She slammed the door shut, rubbing the stinging cold water off her face. Sliding down the wall next to the door, she cuddled inside the blanket, her heart pounding along with her head as she tried to calm down. She almost screamed when the door flew open again, but this time someone had come inside. Jack.
"Are you alright lass? I thought I heard you scream." He seemed surprised to find her behind the door.
"I'm fine. I just woke up." Her spine came back as she stood. "And is it your habit to just enter a room without knocking?"
Jack considered the question with mock sincerity. "Well, when the room is on my own ship, then yes, it is a habit."
She glared at him, but turned her back on him as she picked up a bottle sitting on the night table. She had already cleared up the mess that Sparrow had made earlier that evening. The only remnants of his mess was where the brown liquid had soaked into the wood.
She uncorked the bottle and took a deep swig, then coughed as the liquid burned a fiery path down her throat.
"Serves you right," Jack said, snatching the bottle from her. "That does not belong to you."
"Can I do something for you Sparrow?" Gen asked, turning on him, her eyes burning brightly. She stopped when she realized how close they were. After a moment of indecision when the rum was boiling in her stomach, she pushed him away roughly.
"Get out of my room or tell me what you want." She stalked past him and hopped onto the bed.
"My, my, my, aren't we feisty," Jack said, following her with his eyes.
"It's late and I'm tired. Can't your ridiculously stupid questions wait until morning?"
Jack rolled his eyes and took a swig from the bottle himself. "I'm terribly sorry to have disturbed you. Would you like me to bring you breakfast in bed? Would that be more to your liking? Or how about I just drop you back in Port Royal and right back into the hands of your friend Brigand." He sat the bottle back on the table and stomped to the door, more annoyed than anything. Something was off about that girl and he was going to find out just what it was.
"How about we speak in the morning?"
"You're the host," Genevieve said, with a wave of her hand before she buried her head under the covers.
Jack closed the door behind him and could hear her snoring softly. He smiled.
The next morning...
Genevieve rolled over in bed, and tumbled onto the floor before she could catch herself. Cursing softly, she curled up in a ball and tried to get back to sleep. She was so comfortable and warm. However, she felt herself being lifted up and cursed again, this time much more loudly and colorfully than before. She tried to open her eyes, but all she could see was white light.
"Put me down."
"Now now, there. I don't want you to bump your head. I'd rather you be in a talking mood for the questions I have now for you."
She took a moment to process what he had said before closing her eyes again as he laid her on the bed. "Damn it Sparrow, can't you just leave me in peace? I don't know what you want, and honestly, I really don't care."
Jack rolled his eyes at her half-hearted tone. The girl's face was pale and gaunt, probably spent tossing and turning during the storm. He stopped Xander before he could speak.
"We'll just wait outside for you if you want breakfast." They both made their way to the door and slammed it.
That damned idiot was going to be the death of her, she thought as she very slowly sat up and rubbed her head where she could feel a lump forming. She leaned her head against the wall behind the bed and ran a hand through her ebony dark hair. Slowly the remnants of the dreams from the night before began to resurface. Her father's death, the appearance of a young man who she couldn't place and the paper rose. After all those years she had forgotten about it. It was what had fueled her revenge, or rather, her need for justice. Thomas Jenkins was murdered aboard the Ruby, that she had always known, but by whom was always the question. He had been the captain of the Ruby many years before Henry Brigand took over. It had been her duty as Thomas Jenkins' child to find out what had happened to him fifteen years ago and in doing so, by masquerading as a man, would alienate herself from society at the exact moment she revealed herself.
She sighed loudly and rubbed a hand over her face as she slowly crawled out of the bed. She turned to the mirror which hung just above a small dressing table. She glared at her pale white reflection with the darkened circles under her eyes. She felt like she hadn't slept a wink. Her dreams had been so active and realistic that they didn't bring her any rest. She ran her fingers through her hair, having lost the ribbon she had tied it with, and opened the door to the cabin.
The humid air swept past her in a breeze, ruffling her hair away from her face. She spotted Jack standing at the bow of the ship, along with someone else. When they turned to face her, she smiled. Jack smirked as she neared them. "Sleep well?"
"You ought to know," she said, "you practically took over my room."
"Just doing my job, lass," he said gallantly. "This is Xander Marsh, an ol' friend of mine."
She nodded to him curtly after giving him a once over, curious to see where this conversation was leading. "Sparrow, I don't know what you want to ask me, but can you just go ahead and do it? I have much better uses of my time."
"There's always time for pleasantries love," Jack said. "Now, Xander here has been doing some digging, and he has uncovered some rather interesting things."
"About what?"
"About your lovely captain, the great moron."
"Ah," Genevieve said, sweeping a hand through her hair to keep it out of her face and smiling at Xander, "and what did he find out?"
"That your captain is more of a creep than even you thought," Xander said, leaning back against the railing.
"That's highly doubtful."
"Aye love, but it's true." Jack stepped between Genevieve and Xander, breaking their eye lock, "what do you say to some breakfast?"
Genevieve narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, "alright, I'm starving. My host is rather inconsiderate."
The crew had cleared out to give the trio some privacy, scurrying up to the deck for duty. Genevieve studied the empty room, and then the other occupants. Jack had his legs up on the table, watching her closely.
"Okay, so what did you find out about Brigand?" Genevieve asked, curious to discover she hadn't been able to.
"Well, first of all, what do you know about him?" Xander said, "After all, you did take up residence on his ship for six months."
"You know, have I met you before?" Genevieve asked suspiciously. "You look very familiar."
Xander shook his head with a smile, "no, I don't think so."
"Okay, well, he's been captain for a few years, he's older than most captains, which probably means he pissed somebody off enough times to be passed over for a promotion."
Xander nodded while he and Jack exchanged a look that went unnoticed by Gen.
"He also caught our friend Sparrow here about two years ago, but he miraculously got away."
"Is there anything else you have to contribute?" Xander asked, leaning forward.
"Not really," Gen said, "he's a very private person, he's not very personable. And he's just a general prick."
Before Xander could speak again, Jack held up a hand, studying Gen closely. Without looking at Xander he said, "would you mind waiting outside for a moment, Xan?"
Xander smiled and stood, "sure. Just let me know when you need me, I'll be on deck."
He headed towards the door and after it closed quietly, Jack stood and walked around the table. They stayed in silence for a moment before Jack spoke softly, "why were you onboard the Ruby?"
Gen frowned and stared at the grain of the wooden table. "Why does that matter?"
Jack pulled her out of the chair, knocking it to the floor with a crash. "Because, I know it wasn't just so you could act like a man. There was another reason behind it. What?"
"Well, you get the obvious award for the year. What clued you in?"
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"What, in between being kidnapped, dumped on board this stupid ship and being grilled by a half-witted captain hasn't really put me in the sharing mood." She tried to shrug out from under his grip, but his fingers tightened. "How many times have I told you to take your hands off me?"
Jack considered the question seriously, "I don't remember, I'm just a half-witted captain remember?"
"Look," Gen said, "you obviously know that Brigand sent me, why not just dump me at the next port and forget all about this thing?"
"Because," Jack said, "there's more to this thing than either of us know about."
"Oh, please," Gen said, "what did you do, sleep with Brigand's daughter?" She laughed before Jack stared at her blankly.
"Oh dear god, please don't tell me you did?"
"It was a long time ago," Jack said slowly. "And I don't see how that has anything to do with this."
"Don't you? It's so stupid, how could you have missed it? He's so pissed off at you for defiling his precious daughter that he's obsessed with seeing you hanged."
"No, Brigand doesn't even know what happened between us. It happened probably before you were even born."
"Then why is he so determined to catch you?"
"Well love," Jack said in a low voice, "he actually didn't try to catch me...he sent you to catch me."
Gen processed this slowly before she shook her head. "But why would he do that?"
"Isn't it obvious?" He waited a moment and was surprised by her blank look, "well, he probably figured that since I'm such a vicious black hearted villain that I'd probably kill you if I found out what you were up to."
