A/N: Aha! Yer in fer a treat 'ere! Y'ever wondered why Jack named 'is ship the Black Pearl?

Yours

Merlana~

Disclaimer: How I would love to own Jack…the things I could think to do to him…*sighs* Anywho…don't own anything, never have, probably never will…

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Chapter 7: The Black Pearl

You and Jack are standing by the helm of the Black Pearl. The last three days have been hard on both of you. Jack especially, he took it upon himself to break the news of Will's death to li'l Jack. The poor kid, he took it pretty hard. You sigh and Jack looks at you out of the corner of his eye.

"Y'all righ' luv?" He asks quietly. You nod slowly. He smiles sadly and steps away from the wheel. He takes you into his arms and you lean back and stare at the stars above you.

"Jack?" You ask.

"Mmm?" He replies, resting his chin on your shoulder.

"Ana told me somethin' afore I went ta dine with ye in Tortuga." You begin. Already you aren't sure that this was a good idea.

"What's tha'?" Jack asks. You take a deep breath and glance at the stars again.

"She says I looked like the woman ye named the Pearl after. 'Ho was she?" You ask. Jack sighs and hugs you tight to him. He turns you around so you are facing him and you look deep into the chocolate brown eyes that peer out at you from the tanned face that holds all your hopes and dreams.

"'Er name, 'er proper name, was Lady Julietta Wardoth. She were a pretty lass, abou' seventeen. I was eighteen than. This is jus' after I arrived in Jamaica. I met 'er at the local tavern. 'Er father was the governor, an' I knew o' 'im an' 'is daughter. It were 'is daughter I really wanted ter meet though." Jack pauses there, and you look at him expectantly. He kisses you softly on the nose, and you pull him down to your face for a brief but passionate kiss of your own. When you pull away, Jack smiles seductively and runs a hand down your face.

"Easy luv." You purr. "Let's finish the story." You say and Jack pouts. You can't help but laugh, and Jack is soon laughing right along with you. You take a generous swig of rum from the bottle you always seem to be carrying around these days and pass it to Jack. He takes a swig and smacks his lips in enjoyment.

"Where was I?" He asks you, nibbling your ear as he waits for you to answer. You swat at him and he ducks nimbly out of the way.

"Lady Julietta?" You say, reminding him of where he was in the story.

"Ah yes, the Lady Julietta, known to me as Etta. She was gorgeous, 'ad long black hair, and 'er skin was as white as the clouds on a sunny day. She was tall, almost taller than me, an' she 'ad these eyes, tha' were like deep black pearls." Jack pauses and his face takes on a dreamy expression. You glare at him and snap your fingers in front of his closed eyes. He snaps back to reality, almost forcefully enough to pull you both to the deck of the ship. He looks down at you, and smiles contritely. You sigh and Jack laughs. He then proceeds to mimic you, over-exaggerating your sigh. You laugh, but swat him on the backside. He raises his eyebrows in question and pinches your behind.

"Jack!" You exclaim and he laughs, and twirls you about. "Stop it! I'm getting dizzy!" You exclaim. Jack stops spinning you, but the world keeps going around. He lets go of you and you wobble for a moment before you hit the floor. You glare at Jack, but soon are laughing at his antics. He's spinning around circles loudly singing his favorite song. Reaching up, you catch on of his flailing arms and he stops spinning, you yank hard and he tumbles to the deck beside you.

"'Ey!" He yells, and you gently place a finger to his lips.

"Ye were tellin' me a story, am I tha' distractin'?" You ask, smiling flirtatiously.

"O' course ye are me luv." Jack replies. "On with the story then eh?" He asks, and you nod. He crosses his legs underneath him and you lean against his side. "So, Etta had these eyes, black pearls as I said. I didn' know she were the gov'nors daughter when I first met 'er, bu' I soon found out. We were -" Jack pauses, looking deeply into your eyes. You can see desire, but you can also again see that sadness that lingers in the happy captain's eyes. "We were, well we were - blast damn!"

"What is it Jack?" You ask sweetly, seeing his discomfort at discussing this subject with a woman.

"We were - you know what I'm talking about?" He asks. You shake your head innocently and pretend that you don't know what he's talking about. You've been trying for the past three days to get him to laugh and get him away from his brooding depression and this seems to be working, so you continue to play dumb.

"What were ya doin' Jack?" You ask sweetly. He just glares at you and sighs with frustration. "Ya don' mean - no! You an' 'er? No way!" You say vehemently as if just suddenly understanding him. Jack looks at you; he seems to be contemplating how much to tell you.

"Me an' 'er. Well…we - uh…" Jack stutters for about five minutes as you smile innocently at his distress. "Blast damn woman! You know what we were doin'!" Jack says vehemently. You giggle and pinch Jack lightly on the arm. He jumps to his feet and when he recovers, smacks you on the arm.

"Hey! Tha's no' very nice!" You squeal and Jack laughs. He pulls you to your feet and holds you to him. You snuggle close to him and he strokes you hair.

"Ye still wan' ta 'ear the story?" Jack murmurs into your ear and you nod. He sighs and you laugh at the disappointment on his face. The man is going to have to try harder than that to get you into his bed. "Very well, bu' ya 'ave ta promise ol' Jack somethin'." Jack says slyly.

"Wha's that ya scheming Sparrow?" You ask. Jack hurriedly turns his laugh into a cough as you glare at him. If looks could kill, that man would be on his back ten times over.

"Ye 'ave ta promise no' ta interrupt me anymore." Jack says solemnly. "An' ya 'ave ta promise me - " Jack is cut off as you claim his lips in yours.

"O' course Jack." You say. "I promise." He looks at you and you can see the barely suppressed desire in his eyes. You grin stupidly and pull him down to the deck with you. He lands heavily and you suppress a laugh as he moans and rubs his backside.

"Alrigh' ya li'l she-devil!" Jack says and you break into uncontrollable laughter. He looks at you quizzically and you stifle your laughter just long enough to mutter for him not to ask. He arches an eyebrow at you and settles beside you.

"Go on with the story? Please?" You say, batting your eyes at Jack. He rolls his and wraps an arm around your shoulders. You snuggle closer to him and he begins to tell you the story behind the Black Pearl.

"Alrigh', so me an' Etta, we met at a tavern in Jamaica. The reason I went o'er ta 'er was 'cause I was dared by one of me mates. 'E was a li'l man, named Jacob I think. 'E dared me ta go o'er to the pretty lady in the corner an' ask 'er ta spend the nigh' with me." Jack pauses and you look at him expectantly.

"Tha' were the firs' time I were slapped by a lady. She 'ad quite the arm. She slapped me so 'ard I landed on me arse on the floor. This woman, she laughed after that an' 'elped me to my feet. That were the first time I looked into 'er eyes. They were deep, black pearls. She tol' me 'er name than tol' me she 'ated it. She wouldn' let me call 'er anythin' other than Etta." Jack smiles faintly, remembering and you force the jealously you feel against this woman to the bottom of your list of emotions. You play with a strand of your hair as you wait for Jack to go on.

"Me an' 'er, we got close, an' everyone thought we'd get married. Then 'er father found us out. We were engagin' in the thing tha' young couples do - you know what I'm talkin' about. Don' give me tha' look." Jack says sternly as you eye him with a question in your eyes. You smile and nod, then lean against his shoulder. "It was a hot summer night, we'd been down ter the beach earlier an' she'd brought me 'ome ta meet 'er parents."

"Oh! That would have been interesting." You say. You can picture this woman's parent's faces at the man their daughter had brought home. Seeing that picture in your mind, you start to laugh and Jack looks at you and arches his eyebrow again. You stop laughing and Jack shifts his weight and gets to his feet.

"Ya said ye wouldn' interrupt me no more!" Jack whines and you pout as he glares at you. He rolls his eyes and stands, back to you, at the helm of his ship. "Anyway, she'd brought me 'ome ta meet 'er parents, an' they weren't there when we got there so we decided to pass the time. One thing led to another, an' when 'er parents finally cam 'ome we were both asleep in Etta's bed. O' course 'er parent's thought the worst when they saw us together, naked and sleeping - bu' that gave 'er father no righ' ta kick me out in only me skivvies!" Jack says vehemently, and a mental picture of Jack in his skivvies waltzes into your head. You blush and clear your throat. As much as you want Jack, you are not going to give into him until the moment is right.

"Etta was forbidden ta see me after that. Bu' that didn' stop us. We still managed to find time to be together. We were 'appy, bu' once again 'er father found us out. This time, he not only kicked me out on my arse again - wearin' nothin' - bu' 'e took Etta, an' the rest o' their family to another island." Jack says, and turns around. He pulls you to your feet and looking into his eyes, you see that deep sadness again, this time it's more pronounced.

"Wha' 'appened then?" You ask. Jack pulls you close to him and nuzzles your neck. You linger there for a moment, then when he brings his face to yours you kiss him. After a minute, you break the kiss and look up at him again.

"Where was I luv? Ye're so distractin'!" Jack mutters and you pinch him in the arm. He yelps and skitters away from you.

"Etta's family took 'er away from you?" You prompt and Jack leans back against the rail.

"'Er father took the family ta live on one o' the barrier islands. I thought I'd lost 'er forever, bu' then one day I 'eard o' a ship that was makin' a run by the islands. It were takin' supplies ta a 'ouse on one of them. I signed on as a crewman an' when we got there, I jumped ship." Jack says. He looks away, across the ocean. You follow his eyes, expecting to see something special, but all you see is the night sky and the black water. "She was there, in all 'er glory. We spent one night together before 'er father found us." Jack shudders visibly; it's obviously a bad memory.

"'E pulled us apart, an' took a shot at me. Etta - Etta, she jumped in the way. "E hit 'er. I didn' know wha' ta do. So I 'eld 'er in me arms until she died. 'Er father 'ung 'imself that night. They buried 'er on that island." Jack stands at the rail quietly and you reach up a hand to his shoulder. He turns at your touch and you smile sadly.

"To Etta!" You say forcefully, raising the bottle of rum to the sky. Jack mimics you and nods. He pulls you close.

"I named the ship after 'er 'cause in 'er dyin' breath she said that no matter where I was she'd always be with me." Jack pauses, taking a steadying breath. You snuggle close to his chest, breathing in the scent that is so uniquely Jack. "This way, I know I 'ave a part o' 'er with me, all the time."

"That's very nice Jack. Yer so romantic." You say, trying hard to keep the jealousy out of your voice. It must not have worked, because Jack steps away from you looking angry.

"I don' know 'ow ta tell ye this luv - " Jack begins, but you cut him off.

"Look, if ye don' wan' me aroun' I'll disappear. Jus' don' lead me on like this. I don' deserve it!" You say, and stomp away from him. A single tear threatens to escape your control and you blink your eyes furiously to keep it hidden, pirates don't cry. How could he do this to you? Make you think he wants you and then tell you this story? You did ask to hear it though, so you can't lay all the blame on Jack.

"(Your name)! I never said tha'! What I wanted te tell ya, what I wanted to say to you," Jack moves toward you but stops at the icy glare you give him. "All I wanted to say was that I - I think I love you." He admits. Your heart melts at the sight of him, so open and bare. You stand still by the helm and Jack comes over to you. You look into those chocolate eyes that make the world stop spinning and reach your hand to brush his jaw. He pulls you close.

"Jack?" You say huskily, and Jack nods. "I think I loves ye as well." He pulls you to him and claims your lips for a fiery kiss that leaves you both breathless. Pulling away from you, he takes hold of your hand and kisses your fingertips gently.

"I know I loves ye (your name)." He says, his voice husky and rich. You kiss him again and whisper into his ear.

"Put your hands on me Jack." He pulls you toward his cabin and smiling slyly, locks the door behind you both.

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A/N: You didn't actually think I was going to write the details did you? Dirty, dirty people! What Jack does behind closed doors is his business…and it will stay that way…I think…unless I change the rating and/or get asked profusely to write the scenes…

Yours,

Merlana~