Chapter Three - Raiding and Rum

I slept peacefully at first. The darkness seemed to become quite inviting and pleasant with the presence of another – but nervous discomfort took precedence over the mellowness. Discontent tugged at me, taking advantage of my unconsciousness. My dreams were invaded with visions. Visions of the violent storm, the ship and myself being crushed and devoured by the savage ocean. My ribs began to hurt as I realized I was thrashing against the strong waves.

"Stop. . ."

I heard Jack's voice in the distance. I searched for him, but there was only dark, cold blackness, and I was losing complete focus. My legs were numb, I couldn't fight the waves much longer. There were mere seconds left before the water would suffocate me.

He's going to let me drown. Jack's going to let me die.

"Carrie, stop. . .!"

I held onto him this time. I held onto his voice with everything I had.

And when I found him, I was in his arms, barely breathing. My chest was tight with the pain that vibrated through my ribs. I buried my face in his shoulder and gripped the back of his shirt.

"Breathe, love, will you?" he urged quietly.

"I thought I was dead. I thought I drowned and I was dead," I managed.

"You didn't drown, you're not dead, I'm right here." Jack kept an arm firmly around my back and used the other hand to cradle my face close to his. "Have you got that? Right 'ere." He swept his hand along my jaw and smiled a golden smile. "Bruised ribs, drownin' nightmares. . .still haven't shed a tear."

I breathed steadily, becoming empowered by his proud words. The tears that had been creeping up my throat and flooded my eyes dried and returned to the pit of my stomach. The intense moment began to fall and my hands let go of the fists of shirt I held as I leaned slowly out of his embrace.

My arm found its way around my ribs and I chuckled lightly. It hurt like hell to laugh, but I felt like it was my only choice. He had been watching me expectantly and things were already bad enough. I met his eyes, wanting to see them dancing with that lively glint they'd possessed when I'd first woken up on his ship – but, it was nowhere to be found. Jack could see right through my facade. Faking it was useless. He stared at me with deep, probing eyes, unveiling countless possibilities.

"You don't need to hide anythin' from me, Carrie."

"I don't even know you, Jack," I replied quietly.

"No. No, ye don't. . ."

I watched him, expecting more. But I was right – I didn't know him. Not in the least bit. But he helped me, he took me in – and this man was a pirate.

Suddenly, he raised his eyebrows, seemingly shaking off the conversation. His lips spread into a smile and he clapped his hands together. "Now, ye've got a decision. We'll be stoppin' at this next port comin' up. I'm almos' out of me prized liquor."

My brow creased. Prized liquor?

"Rum, me dear."

"And what's this decision?"

This time, he hesitated. "Well. . .do you want off?"

It took me a moment to realize what he was asking. Off? Off the Black Pearl? My eyes went wide and I shot to my feet. "Do I want off? How can you ask me that? No!"

Jack shrunk away just a bit, surprised at my vehemence.

"You just expect me to find my way home by myself?" My arm gestures expressed most of my emotion.

He grabbed my arms in his hands and laid them to my side. "Now, that's not good to do – you'll hurt yourself."

I pulled my arms from his grasp and sighed. "I don't need you to take care of me, Jack," I muttered.

"Very well, then. Do not leave this room."

I rolled my eyes slightly when he turned to leave the room. I took one more glance around the dull cabin and sighed heavily. As much as I really didn't want to go back up onto that deck, I wasn't staying down in that hole any longer.

"Jack?" I followed after him, whipping the door back open, only to hear him far up the steps, bellowing something about the anchor. There was no way I was running up onto the deck without knowing he would be waiting for me. I didn't even know if I was accepted by any of Jack's crew yet. Instead, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Opening my mouth, I let out the most ragged, desperate shout I could've managed. "Jack!"

I watched for him, and just as I'd expected, he reappeared at the top of the steps as fast as a bullet. Very dully, I blinked and shrugged. "I'm going with you."

He let out an aggravated groan and twisted his shoulders in a sort of childish manner. The pirates around him stormed past, seemingly abandoning the ship. "Well, c'mon. . .?" he urged, waving his arm.

I smiled a bit and took the stairs two at a time. He watched me with no amusement. I scoffed and linked my arm with his when I reached the deck. "So. We're buying some rum and then back to sailing the high seas with absolutely no surprising, rip-roaring adventure except getting me home, right?"

"Correct. 'Cept for the buying part. . ." Jack replied.

I tugged my arm that had been entwined with his. "You're just gonna storm a bar and steal it?"

"No. I'm gonn' raid a tavern and plunder barrels of me rum. " Jack smiled. "Still fancy joinin' me, love?"

I frowned and crossed my arms. I knew what he wanted me to say. Glancing over the side of the ship, I got a full view of the town. It was complete insanity. I immediately heard the unavoidable music, barely drowning out the drunken shouts of the town's residents, and by the look of the sky, I'd gathered that it was around late afternoon.

"Uh, Jack? Where are we?"

"Tortuga, love."

"Well, you can go raid Tortuga alone, because I'm not going."

Jack sighed a throaty sigh and pulled me closer to him, casually whispering, "Go back to me cabin, don't open the door for anyone but me, savvy?"

I glanced behind me, realizing that most of the crew still remained, among them a gentlemanly-looking man with grey sideburns that smiled heartily at Jack.

"That's Gibbs. He'll watch after you while I'm gone."

I frowned. "The one that says it's bad luck to have a woman aboard?"

Jack's brow creased. "That's Gibbs, alright. How'd you know?"

"Never mind." I waved him off and began my tread back down the stairs. "Be careful, Jack."

He smirked. "Pirate, love."

For the rest of the night, it was nearly impossible to sleep. I heard the rest of the crew boarding the ship and there was an unimaginable uprise the moment Jack's orders began. He was unusually loud tonight, but when the ship began to move with a massive groan, I was very much relieved. It was unnerving staying in one spot for hours like that.

Every time I would drift even slightly to sleep, some loud crash or curse would send me back into complete consciousness. "Damn pirates," I murmured, tugging the pillow over my head. "Don't you sleep?"

The doorknob rattled loudly and I rolled onto my side. "Go away," I nearly growled.

"Jest good ol' Jack, me darlin'. Open up for Jack," he drawled through the door.

Oh good, I thought sarcastically. He's drunk.

I sighed and walked to the door, shaking my head the entire time, getting visions of Jack leaning on the door and falling to my feet when I opened it. No such luck, though, because when I opened the door, he was taking a messy swig of his "prized liquor," while his other arm flailed about.

"Attractive," I muttered sarcastically.

"Like wot' ye see, do ye, love?" Jack stumbled past me, moving to the bed in drunken strides. "Can ne'er have 'nough of ol' Jack, aye?"

I watched with controlled amusement as he fondled the blanket on his bed. He sighed pleasantly, and I realized immediately what he was about to do. Quickly, I lunged toward him. "Oh, no you don't!" I used the momentum of my final leap to sweep him up from his spot halfway lying on the bed and spin him into a standing position. My ribs ached uncomfortably, and he was lucky I'd begun to heal. "I get the bed tonight."

He chuckled and dragged his forearm up onto my shoulder. I nearly lost my balance, as he rested much of his weight there. "I've no prob'em sharin'."

"Well, I do," I replied, batting his arm off my shoulder. "Besides, you're drunk. What does it matter where you sleep? It's not like you're going to remember it tomorrow morning."

"Aye! I'm very much drunk, Carrie-me-love, which is all the more the reason why you should share the bed with yer cap'n. . ."

For having lost most of his motor skills to rum, he sure did argue well. And it was no use arguing with a drunk. Forfeiting, I sighed. "You can have the bed. . ." I poked him hard in the chest with my index finger. "Just tonight, Mr. Sparrow."

"Captain, love." He grabbed my shoulders and shook them lightly with each word. "Captain. Jack. Sparrow." Jack raised his bottle of rum, took another sip, and tossed the empty bottle to the ground. "Right, then – sharing the bed it is!"

In one swift motion, Jack swept his arm around my waist and dropped heavily down onto the bed, his left arm resting on my back, leaving me immobile. "Jack, you ignorant drunk, did you just forget about my injuries?" I questioned, smacking his shoulder with my hand. Either he ignored me, or he was truly asleep, but within seconds, Captain Jack Sparrow was pleasantly snoring.