So, I was talking to one of the King's finest. Chatting up rather. And he was all like, "A girl as beautiful as you must own at least in part 'Pirates of the Caribbean'." So I was all like, "Nay, kind sir. I assure you, I own nothing of the sort. Not even one character. Not even the Black Pearl." After that he lost interest. I suspect he may have been using me to get to that Jack Sparrow fellow. Shame on im, I say. Bloody fool.

Jack tossed in his bed, mumbling some indiscernible cursings as yet more urgent banging on the door sounded. Christina was not just getting on his last nerve. She was repeatedly jumping up and down on it like there was no tomorrow.

More knocking. banging, kicking and ramming.

He turned the other way again, pulling his pillow over his head. What he would give to have the guts to shoot the woman in the head. Over and over again. But he had been cursed with the need to be gentlemanly in all situations and this one especially called for it.

Okay, so maybe it was a little less than gentlemanly of him to leave the lass out in the winter cold in wet clothes. But at least she still had her head intact and not blown into pieces.

Yes, indeed, Jack was a gentleman. He prided himself on it.

He grunted as yet more commotion sounded, but, he was pleased to hear, a little less energetic.

She was tiring. Jack let a triumphant smirk cross his face. Finally, sleep was not far away.

Meanwhile, outside on the deck in the biting cold, Christina laid in a quivering bundle by the door, her slight frame covered only in the wet white shirt and ratty pants she had worn in the water below a couple of hours ago and her ragged breaths a visible vapor in the air.

She was cold.

She couldn't remember ever being as cold as she was at that moment in time. Her head felt like it would drop off if her teeth did not stop chattering soon. She banged unenthusiastically on the door again.

Her forearms were bruised and splintered, her toes swollen and sore and her fists a little bloody and wrecked. All from her efforts to get back inside in the warmth of below decks.

She lifted up her hand to her face. Her knuckles was severely bruised, the skin cracked in some places and stretched taunt from when, after realizing that Jack had no intention what so ever of letting her back in, she had punched the door in rage.

She had never punched anything before. And she never planned on doing it again.

Again, she flung her arm against the door, resulting in a slight thud that she doubted would be heard from inside. She fought against the dreary sleepiness that beckoned her.

She would not call for Jack. She had fought so well. She had succeeded in driving him up the wall for the past week. By doing nothing.

She smiled bitterly through her blue lips. Victory was hers.

A gust of wind danced across the deck, cruelly whipping her hair about her face. She grabbed a strand. There was ice starting to form on the ends.

Victory was not all it was cracked up to be.

But she would not call out for Jack.

She could not call out for Jack.

"Jaaaaaaack..."

Jack shot up in bed, sleep leaving him instantly.

"Jaaa-...aaack..."

The pitiful wail was interrupted by a sob.

A grin crossed the Captain's face. The lass had been broken. He was good. He was so good.

Jack emerged from his cabin, a bounce in his swagger, a smirk pasted on his face. Victory was his.

A sleepy look Mr Gibbs lay sprawled across the hallway, a look of anticipation on his features. He too had heard the call. He looked up at Jack.

"She spoke, Cap'n."

"Aye."

Jack reached into his pocket for the key to the door as he skipped up the stairs, overjoyed and looking forward to seeing her penitent face, the woman on her knees before him, confessing her sins against him.

He turned the key in the lock and opened the door.

He frowned.

Where was Christina?

He stepped out on to the deck, wishing he's brought his coat and feeling a twinge of guilt for leaving her outside for so long in her wet attire. Looking across the span of the deck, Jack saw not a sign of the girl. Had she lost the plot and jumped?

Apprehension at this thought curled at his lips. True, he would be glad to be rid of the woman but not under such unfortunate circumstances.

He whirled back around when he heard the whimper.

His eyes widened when they found the small, huddled form of Christina laying trembling at the door.

Oops.

He hastened to her, lifting her face to see if she was conscious. He winced at her blue lips and all too pale skin, barely differing from the white shirt that covered her. She appeared to be asleep.

"Gibbs, get the stove going," he commanded as he scooped Christina up and carried her back inside, closing the door with his foot behind him. Staring blankly for a moment, Gibbs scuttled into action, reaching for his flask nervously.

Her clothes were still wet. Jack had been hoping they'd dry quicker. Stupidly, it seemed, seeing as she had been outside in below freezing conditions.

Jack took her into his cabin, laying her gently on the bed before rummaging through his draw of clothes for some that would not be too big for her. Although he knew the urgency of the situation, he also knew that when she woke, she would be none too pleased to be in clothes that hung loosely and did nothing to cover her.

Finally, he found an older black shirt and black pants, the smallest he could find. And that, considering her size, didn't say much.

She stirred when he turned back to her and relief brightened his kohl lined eyes although she was still shaking uncontrollably.

"Noo..." she murmured, her eyes still closed, when he started to unbutton the white shirt she had on, flinging her arm upwards in an attempt to stop him.

"Salright, luv. We need t'get ye out of these wet clothes and into these dry ones, see?" he explained patiently, pulling the top half of her body so that she was sitting with his support to hold her up.

She mumbled something as he pulled off the wet shirt and quickly replaced it with the dry one. She tried to kick as he peeled off the trousers she had on and lifted up her legs awkwardly to slip on the dry pants.

He pulled her hair up from around her back and chest, securing it in a hasty braid and tucking it in so that it sat at the nape of her neck.

Christina frowned sleepily as he lifted her up again and carried her to the kitchen where the stove was starting to heat up the room, sitting her on the edge of the counter top.

"Now don't go tellin' the cook I let ye sit there, alright?" Jack told her, holding her limp body upright so she didn't fall.

"Bloody pirate," she muttered accusingly.

"I never thought I'd be pleased t'hear those words, lass," he smiled, starting to rub her arms to get her circulation recirculating.

"Ain't ye 'sposed ta have her feet above er head, Capn?" Gibbs asked worriedly, turning from his tending to the stove.

Jack cocked his head, considering the idea.

"Makes sense, I spose," he shrugged, frowning as to how was the easiest way of going about it.

He finally lifted her up off the counter and laid her carefully on the floor near the stove. He left momentarily and returned with a chair which he placed near her legs before leaning down to lift her feet and support them on the chair. He nodded proudly at his work.

"Or is it ave er head above er feet?"

"Joshamee..." Jack growled at the unsure first mate.

"Maybe ye should just ave her lay level. That way the bloody gets equal access teverywhere."

"Fools," the girl added her input.

Jack frowned at her and then shook his head. She had an excuse to not be thinking straight. She would thank them for saving her life later when she was more up to it. He gently lowered her feet again and pulled the chair away so he could crouch beside her.

"Maybe some soothing music would help, Cap'n," Gibbs mused.

"Now yer just bluffin', mate. Ye ain't got no idea, d'ye? Would've been best ta quit while ye were ahead," Jack beseeched him.

He turned back to Christina, thrilled to see that her lips weren't quite the shade of shocking blue they had been and that some colour had returned to her cheeks. Her arms caught his attention and he lifted one up to inspect the forearm. Several lacerations ran down to her elbow and splinters pierced the skin in numerous places. He raised her hand in front of his face and smirked. All of the knuckles were swollen and bruised.

"Quite a spirit ye got, aye. We'll be needin' some rum and ice, Gibbs" Jack sighed.

"Aye, Cap'n," Gibbs scuttled off and returned with a bottle of rum and a bucket of ice.

"I didn't say anything about bringin' me good rum!" Jack cried, recognizing the bottle instantly and wondering how in the world Gibbs had found it. He had hidden it so well in the back of his bookcase.

"I figured ye'd want t'give the lady the best, Cap'n."

Jack snorted indignantly.

"You best be giving me the best, you bilge rat," Christina spat through her chattering teeth.

Jack eyed the girl sadly as she glared at him.

"If ye don't hate me now, luv, I doubt ye opinion will be the same in five minutes," he told her as he reached for the rum and a cloth.

Christina's shrieks, cursings and insults reverberated around the ship for the next ten minutes as Jack attended to her wounds, cleaning the cuts, removing splinters and applying ice where needed.. Despite her wild struggling as Gibbs desperately tried to hold her down, Jack did a good job and she did feel a tad better though she would not admit it if her life depended on the words.

When she was hot from sitting in front of the stove, she informed Jack so. He automatically tried to lift her up, resulting in yet more cursings and insults as she shoved his hands away before shakily standing to her feet.

She had stopped quivering finally and her jaw didn't tremble anymore she discovered as she stalked down the hall.

"Don't ye have something t'say, luv?"

She whirled around to face Jack, fire in her eyes.

"You're absolutely right, Jack. I forgot to mention that you're a filthy, rotten, disgraceful, ignorant, stuck up fool."

"Aye, but I was thinkin' somethin' more along the lines of an apology an' a thankyou."

Her jaw dropped and she stared incredulously at him.

By now, most of the crew were watching from the door way of their quarters and the rest were on their way.

"What on earth could I possibly have to apologise for! What have you done that deserves a thankyou from me!" Christina cried angrily.

"Well, the apology would be for your attitude toward me fer the last week and the thankyou would be fer savin' ye life but half an hour ago," Jack explained impatiently. The crew murmured their agreement, looking expectantly at Christina.

"My attitude was due to your kidnapping me, you idiot! If anything you owe me an apology and, if you had any sense, you would return me home! And I wouldn't have any need to thank you had you not made me walk the plank and then left me outside in the cold for four hours!"

The crew raised their brows at this. The wench did have a point there.

"I rescued you from marrying Norrington, woman! I doubt that favor deserves and apology from me! And if I return ye home, it would only result in ye having t'marry him anyway and me death at the hands of ye husband! And in regards t'makin' ye walk the plank, I did not force ye t'jump. And I only left ye outside fer three hours! And ye had it comin!"

A cheer sounded from the crew. Their Captain was definately in the lead.

Christina stared at him, exasperated.

"You are truly insane. You're mad! A nutter! You're an absolute lunatic!" she accused.

Jack could not handle this kind of insult in front of his crew. Hence, his decision to lift her up over his shoulder and carry her kicking and screaming to his cabin where he dropped her. He stuck his head out the door, scowling at the nosey crew.

"Get ye hides back t'bed!"

With very vocal disappointment, the crew hesitantly returned to their quarters.

Jack shut the door and turned to face the seething woman who pushed herself up from the floor angrily. He cupped a hand over her mouth before her open lips could speak and put one behind her neck so that she couldn't pull away.

"Now, as long as you're just standing there listening, listen well, you hear? This, missy, is my ship. I am The Captain and I shall not for one moment allow you to undermine my authority in front of those men out there. I couldn't care less if you curse me a thousand times over while it's just the two of us but not in front of my crew."

Jack stared at her calmly, all hints of his constantly drunken slur diminished as he spoke.

"You call me Captain and you show me proper respect, savvy?"

Resentfully, Christina nodded despite her eyes still filled with loathing and rage.

Finally Jack released her and she back away slowly.

"I'll have you know, the longer you keep me away from home, the worse your punishment will be," she spat.

"Yer making a fuss over nothing, lass. I'm sure ye family will be glad t'be rid of the black sheep fer a while."

Yes, there was the nerve again. Jack was pleased he had remembered. She tensed and scowled furiously at him, snapping her mouth shut and refusing to say more.

Jack rolled his eyes as, without permission, she flopped onto his bed and rolled over so her back was to him.

"No really, luv, you sleep in here and I'll sleep with the crew. It's fine. Wouldn't 'ave it any other way," he assured her sarcastically before turning to leave.

"Jack?"

He turned back. Maybe the woman had come to her senses. He prepared himself for a heartfelt apology and a movingly sincere thankyou for his efforts.

"Yes, luv?"

"I hate you."

Stubborn wench.

" That's nice, darlin'. Sleep well."

And that would be the end of chapter four. All too soon, aye? Yes, I know, do not fear. I won't keep you waiting too long. How thrilling! I got some reviews. Positive ones, of course. Ye wouldn't expect anything less, right?

Karibbean: Well, for someone to have given me such a good review, I have to guess that ye takin' the piss! Ha, kidding. I'm very glad to hear that you think that my story does Jack justice as he's a character that definately deserves it! And I'm relieved to know that you think the plot is creative. It's rather difficult coming up with something original and then to make it sound original is harder still so thankye kindly! Ha, ha, ha. Still think Christina is perfect?

LombadiaGreenleaf: Good to know someone's havin' a laugh at Jack's expense! Hope this update was soon enough. Cheers!