A/N: Ooh! A storm – always exciting. Please R&R! D

CHAPTER TWO - Caribbean Storms

I don't remember falling asleep. Needless to say, waking up to the gentle rocking of the ship was quite a surprise. I was convinced as I opened my eyes that I had just been stuck in a dream. A sharp sense of relief plucked its way through my conscience. . .and then, disappeared.

I heard the crew. The shouts, the curses and the heavy crashes. Still, there was some hidden calm on the ship you could find nowhere else.

I groaned, still facing the wall. Startled, I realized I had slid beneath Jack's blankets. Repulsed as I was, sleeping in a stranger's bed, I was not denied a sense of comfort.

As I began to slip back into generous unconsciousness, I felt another blanket fall on top of me and warm hands tuck it near my shoulders. I immediately closed my eyes when I heard whispering voices fill the room.

"It's risky bad luck to 'ave a lady 'board, Cap'n," a raspy male voice said.

"Apparently she doesn't remember how she got 'ere." I recognized the voice of Jack.

"But, Cap –"

"Gibbs." Jack became stern. "She's stayin'. Let the rest know. Tell them if they try anythin', they'll may as well drop themselves over to the sharks. Savvy?"

I heard Gibbs' heavy sigh and his footfalls as he left Jack's cabin. I stayed still, unsure if the captain had followed. Someone leaned over me and I hesitantly opened my eyes. When I rolled over, grinning openly above me was Jack.

"Looks like you've, in fact, made yourself quite comfortable."

I sat up, very much uncomfortable. "Yeah. Sorry. How long have I been asleep?"

"Only 'bout an hour or so."

"Guess I was more tired then I thought."

"Oh, no, love, get used to it." He spread his arms and shrugged. "You'll be here for the next few nights, I'd suppose."

My eyes widened and I stood quickly, folding my arms over my tank top. "But there's only one bed."

". . .There's a chair," he said dully, as if I hadn't noticed.

"I am not sleeping on a chair."

Jack Sparrow grinned mischievously. "There's room enough for the two of us."

Yeah, right, I thought. However, he knew I was about to protest, so he slunk toward me. "Time to meet the crew, then. But, for your own sake, cover yourself a bit more."

I reached for the blanket, but he slipped a plain white shirt over my shoulders. "There you are," Jack said, smiling.

I frowned, looking down at the shirt sizes too big. "I look like a man."

"In the company of pirates, me darlin', it's a blessing." Jack gave a nonchalant wink and slipped an arm around me. We shuffled out of the room and I stuck close to the captain as we ascended the stairs leading to the deck. He moved ahead of me, and I felt everything rise to my throat. I began to walk more slowly.

In my nervousness, it took me a long moment to catch my voice. "Wait, Jack," I murmured, quietly. He barely noticed. I reached up and grabbed a handful of his black jacket that I hadn't seen him wearing before now. He spun quickly, instinctively, staring down at me, as he was perched on the top step.

"I don't want to," I said, shrinking back down into the darkness. "Not after your grand tales. No way."

Jack's face fell and he sighed apologetically. "They're really not all that bad."

"They're pirates," I replied, unable to contemplate why he would debate that notion.

Jack shrugged. "Yes – as am I."

I sighed. He had a point. Jack had been nothing but nice to me since I first woke up, I could at least give him that.

When I didn't speak, Jack slipped his hand out and I took it with hesitance.

No turning back now.

Before I even stepped foot onto the deck, I could see the torn, black sails. I felt like I was in a movie, or like I was moving outside of my body in some sort of odd daydream. The ship was ghostly and horrifying – but the view of the open sea was breathtaking.

I kept our hands interlocked at his side and my front, wedging myself nearly against his back and his right arm. It was harder to walk on the upper deck. The roguish men around me seemed to nearly float on the deck, taking it's gentle swaying with them – Jack, above all. It were as if that flamboyant sauntering of his had come from the waves themselves. It took me a moment to regain control of my footing.

The pirates were working hard. Each had jobs, and performed them remarkably and swiftly. As distracted as they were to see a female move across their deck, the men quickly fell back on task.

It wasn't long before the sun finally showed pity on me. Between the glaring brightness and the glowering pirates who seemed to both question my placement and eye me up at the same time, this was definitely the most uncomfortable situation I would ever be in. I can't quite remember how Jack managed to squirm away from me and make it to his beloved wheel, where a female pirate had been previously steering. "All yours, Cap'n," I heard her say. "Looks like there may be a storm ahead."

So that's why it was so hard to walk.

Since I no longer had Jack to keep steady, I held onto the side of the ship.

The sky's blue-white tint darkened to a blue-grey. I felt the air stiffen around me and grow considerably condensed. The humidity grew unbearable – and I could tell it was about to peak. In the distance, there was a tremendous rumbling that seemingly rocked the waves and the men above. I heard Jack shout, but I couldn't make out his words.

I ducked down against the side of the ship, unable to stand on my own feet.

"Uh – Jack!" I shouted, feeling the black clouds above me break with a powerful groan and shed tumultuous raindrops onto the Pearl and the surrounding ocean.

Pirates tugged on ropes, and adjusted the torn, black sails. A few of them slid across the deck, but weren't down for more then a second. The ship lurched with unrestrained violence.

"Aye, Captain!" the crew chorused in reply to a command I didn't hear.

"Jack!"

I covered my head and shrunk close to the side of the ship, prepared for the worst. It was only a storm. A really, really bad storm in the middle of the Caribbean – on a ship with torn sails, I considered. Waves sailed over the sides of the ship and poured on top of me in heavy, freezing buckets. I tasted the sharp salt on my tongue and felt it irritate my eyes. I choked, crawling out into the middle of the deck, desperate for shelter from the probing chaos. Where were those steps that led down to his cabin?

I called for Jack one more time, but it was useless. One of the pirates must've kicked me accidentally, because my ribs were struck sharply and I suddenly couldn't find my breath.

Jack!

I can remember nothing but pain the moment my head thudded against the deck. I blinked once, saw a flash of lightening, and slipped into the contrasting darkness.

I woke up on the Black Pearl for the third time. This time was different, though, because I was alone. It was dark and unpleasantly silent. The massive ship rocked calmly on the waves, and the wall aligning the right side of the bed was seemingly emanating crisp air. I could barely see my own hand in front of my face, and I really do not bode well with such darkness.

I sat straight up – but fell right back down against the pillows. I cursed beneath my breath and swallowed past the lump in my throat. I had nearly forgotten about my earlier encounter. I don't know how. My ribs ached with constant, prickling reminders that made my hands grasp the pillowcase. I groaned miserably to myself, but sharp pain thudded inside of my head. I reached up to lightly touch my forehead when my hands slid across a bandage. So that's what knocked me out.

I bit my trembling lip and stifled a quiet sob. Up until now, everything had been entirely delusional – some sort of wispy dimension of complete nothingness that tied in with the dream reality that I'd somehow gotten sucked into. But, this – now — this was no innocent dream reality with fantastical pirates and ships. This was some nightmarish hell place. I'd never lived in such a world, but I knew I wanted out.

There was a powerful thud against the door and I fought against the pain to stumble to my feet. I dragged myself to the desk on the other side of the room and hefted a heavy, leather-bound book into my hands.

"What're ya doin' lurkin' outside me cabin, 'ere, matey?"

I heard Jack's gritted voice, attempting to keep his anger in place and quiet, and I let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding. I heard his opponent stumble through a messy sentence and there was unsteady silence outside of the door. I heard a final apology from the man before the doorknob twisted.

I fell tiredly against the desk, my ribs stinging with newly instilled pain.

Jack appeared in the doorway, silhouetted by the bit of candlelight just outside of the cabin. He didn't speak at that moment, but instead plucked the candle from outside and let its' light fill the room. I cursed the light for allowing Jack to see me in my pants and his white shirt, propped ridiculously against the large wooden desk.

When I tilted my head up to meet his eyes in the quiet, dim room, I came to see a face I barely recognized. Concern flickered in his dark, deep eyes and his distinct jaw showed no emotion. The corners of his mouth trembled undecidedly – he was contemplating his words.

I flicked my wrist up, silencing him. "I know. Big, old 'sorry' for not getting to the damsel before she nearly drowned to death."

Sincerity clouded his expression. "I did all I could, love. I thought you'd gone off below deck."

"Yeah. Would've if I could've found exactly where that was." My voice wasn't quite sharp enough to let him know I'd felt completely abandoned, but my point was across.

Jack stepped closer. I nearly fell apart when he reached a calloused hand up to trace the bandage along my brow. I blinked beneath his touch as he slid his hands purposely down my shoulders and gripped my upper arms to stand me up carefully. "So, what was that about? One of the boys looking to play nursemaid for the injured?"

I glanced over at him and saw the darkness slip across his face. "S'not gonna happ'n, if you're worried 'bout them tryin' anythin'. I've already warned them, love." His face lightened a bit and he winked soothingly. "Captain's orders."

I slipped my legs beneath the blankets. He reached behind me to place the pillows comfortably. "There you are," he murmured thoughtfully. "You should be good as new in the morning." He leaned down and planted a kiss to my forehead quite unexpectedly. I watched just until he settled back into the shifty chair feet away from the bed.

"Cap'n Jack's watchin' over you, now, love."