Aye, it's finally happened. I own Pirates of the Caribbean. Suprised? Ye have no faith in me whatsoever, do you? Ok, ok, so maybe I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean YET but I'm definately in talks with Disney about the whole thing... Flippin' 'eck, yer like an elephant! I admit, there's no talks happening at present but I have every intention of callin' ol' Walt when I'm done typing up this... Alright, someone just informed me that Walt passed away. So, I 'spose I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean an' I never will. What a sob story, eh?
"...So, 'e waded out a ways and stayed there fer three days and three nights 'til all matter of sealife 'ad become acclimated t'his presence. An' then 'e grabbed 'imself a couple of sea turtles, roped 'em together and rode 'em out ta sea."
Both sitting on overturned crates on the deck, Christina stared blankly and wordlessly at Mr Gibbs as he awaited her reaction to the famous story of the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.
"Elizabeth already told me about how he spent three days on the beach drinking rum and then caught a ride with the rum runners," she informed him apologetically.
"Nay, that's just what 'e tells the ones 'o he knows won't believe the truth. Smart man, Jack is," Gibbs told her seriously.
"I'm sure you're right," Christina nodded, unconvinced.
"Do I detect a hint of disbelief, oh ye of little faith?" Jack asked from behind her, making her jump involuntarily.
"A little more than a hint, I should think," she countered without turning to face him. Jack smirked and took Gibb's crate when the man scuttled off, reaching for his flask as he seemed to do so often. It was close to dusk and Port Venesula was well out of sight. Falling into a comfortable silence, Jack and Christina gazed at the ocean around them.
"So, Elizabeth told ye the real story, eh?" Jack asked nonchalantly.
"With great disappointment. She couldn't believe it. In fact, I'm sure she would've found the sea turtle story more believable with all the other stories she'd heard about you being invincible," Christina chuckled.
"Well, I prefer t'keep that not so amazing story on the down low."
"Well, the amazing Captain Jack Sparrow doesn't really pop up in everyday conversations in upper class London so I wouldn't lose sleep over it if I were you."
Jack shot her a look and she grinned.
"Well, now ye know one of me very few less than utterly incredible attributes, give us one of yers," he prompted expectantly.
"Mr Sparrow, I am all utterly incredible through and through."
"How 'bout yer family?"
The nerve again. Ah, that nerve. Christina's smile wavered considerably.
"What about my family?"
"Why'd they send ye t'Port Royal?"
"...Difference in opinions."
"Ah, they thought ye shouldn't be courtin' the gardener and you thought he was the cat's pajamas, aye?"
"I don't know where you got that gardener idea but please drop it."
"The stable boy, then?"
"No!"
Jack narrowed his eyes all knowingly, "It was the kitchen hand, wasn't it? Those kitchen hands are charmers, aren't they?"
"There was no hired help involved, Jack."
Jack changed tacts.
"Difference of opinions, aye? So, what could an upper class teenage lass have an opinion on, I wonder? That the maid should've turned yer sheets down from left t'right instead of from right t'left? That daddy should buy ye that pretty lilac dress that all the other upper class teenage lass' 'ave? Oh, and the killer, should ye marry the rich gentleman with blonde hair or the rich gentleman with dark hair?"
Hurt flickered momentarily across Christina's face before she stood abruptly and walked away.
"Was it somethin' I said?" Jack called after her laughingly although he knew she would not be laughing. Maybe the last example had been a little harsh.
Sighing, he stood and walked over to where she stood at the side of the deck with her back to him.
"Maybe if ye told me I could help ye out," he tried again, determined to find out this big secret.
"Maybe if you didn't trivialize my life so, I would tell you," Christina hissed.
"Maybe if ye gave me somethin' not t'trivialize, I wouldn't!" Jack retorted.
"... That doesn't even make sense!" she spluttered before storming downstairs.
Jack stared incredulously after her. The woman was insane. Truly insane. He was doubtful that even with his impeccable interpersonal skills he would be able to get anything out of her. He narrowed his eyes. It was time to call in some help.
"Ana Maria."
The dark beauty lifted her dark chocolate eyes from the book she was reading to Jack's, her feet resting up on the spokes of the helm.
"Aye?"
"I'm sure ye've noticed there's another woman aboard the Pearl."
"Aye. The one ye kidnapped."
"It was rescuing, not kidnapping," Jack corrected, exasperated.
Ana Maria rolled her eyes and nodded, "Aye."
"I want ye t'talk t'her," Jack told her firmly.
Ana Maria frowned, "What about?"
Jack rolled his eyes, "Flowers. Boys. World peace. Yer childhood dream of owning a horse named Scottie, I dunno."
Ana Maria snorted at his sarcasm and continued reading, assuming the end of the pointless conversation.
"No, I'm serious. I want ye t'talk t'her. About... women stuff," Jack said the phrase as if tasted bitter and flicked his hand disdainfully.
"...Women stuff...?" Ana Maria repeated, not looking up from her book.
Jack snatched the book away quick as lightening and held it behind his back as she angrily tried to retrieve it. After a few minutes of grabbing for it and him pulling it just out of her grasp, she gave in and glared at him.
"Wha' 'women stuff' in particular, Jack?"
"Ask 'er about 'er home, 'er boyfriends, 'er dogs... 'er family."
Ana Maria narrowed her eyes and poked him roughly in the chest.
"Why don't ye go find out yerself, ye nosey git?"
"Because I'm a man!"
"What?"
Jack scowled at her cluelessness to the fact.
"Women open up t'women. Men are left out of the loop. Simple as that."
Ana Maria let out a huff of frustration and snatched her book back from behind his back.
"Where is the lass?"
A few moments later, a knock was heard in the Captain's Cabin. Christina, laying on her stomach on the bed, decided not to answer in hope that the person responsible would leave without further disturbance. Unfortunately, the person took the lack of negative response for a positive and she heard the door creak open and then close again.
Bloody pirates. No sense of privacy.
"What?" she growled as she turned to face the door. She was suprised to see a woman standing just inside the cabin, looking rather unhappy to be there.
"Ana Maria. It's Christina, right?"
"...Yes," Christina confirmed as Ana Maria paced the room to sit on the edge of the bed uncomfortably.
A shifty silence followed that left Christina in the dark as to why this woman had come to see her.
"So yer the one 'o was goin' ta marry Norrington, eh?" the pirate woman asked in a tone that showed she already knew the answer and was asking to be polite. Christina frowned.
"Yes."
"So that would make ye the reason we 'ave the Navy after us?"
"Yes."
Ana Maria nodded. Christina frowned again. Surely there must be a point to this.
"Bet yer family must miss ye, aye?"
And there it was.
"Jack sent you," Christina stated.
Ana Maria's eyes widened, about to deny the accusation before she saw Christina's face already acknowledging it as fact. Resignation showed on her dark features, "Aye."
"To find out about my family?"
"Aye."
"Stubborn git."
"Aye," Ana Maria chuckled in agreement, "What made ye want ta marry the Commodore anyways, just outta curiosity."
Studying Ana Maria and deciding her trustworthy, Christina sighed, "Long story. Basically, if I was to be married to anyone socially decent at all, he would be the only choice. No one else would stoop as low."
"Low? Yer the Governor's niece! And surely yer parents hold some status in London?" Ana Maria pointed out.
Christina bit her lip.
"Do you promise you won't tell Jack any of this?"
Ana Maria grinned wickedly, "Aye."
When she walked out of the cabin an hour later, Jack was sitting on the floor by the door, waiting patiently. Ana Maria walked right past him and he shot up and spun her around.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
Jack gave her a warning look, "The lass. What did ye get out of her?"
"Oh. Just about 'er home in London an' 'er family and things like that. Normal 'women stuff'," she told him casually before continuing on her way.
"Ana!" Jack roared.
Ana Maria spun around to face him.
"Bleedin' 'ell, Jack. What is it, ye daft fool?"
"Tell me about 'er family!"
"Sorry. Already gave 'er me solemn word I wouldn't tell a soul," the woman smirked.
"You what?"
"Gave 'er me word."
Jack tried to control his anger and Ana Maria tried to control her laughter.
"I'm off t'finish me book. Good luck with 'er," Ana Maria said over her shoulder as she went back upstairs.
Jack bit onto his fist to refrain from yelling after her in rage. The woman to woman idea had fallen through. But it was alright because he had other sources.
It was time to get some very good friends of Christina very drunk.
Three hours saw Will and Elizabeth rather intoxicated in the Captain's private dining room.
"To ye wedding!" Jack toasted and they all clinked bottles and took a swig of rum.
"To children in the future!" Jack cheered merrily, followed by another swig of rum for the three.
"To yer children's children!"
Another swig of rum.
"To everyone's children's children!"
Another swig of rum.
"...To...world peace!"
Another swig of rum.
"...To...-"
"Jack!" Elizabeth protested, hiccuping.
Jack lifted his brows, "What?"
"Tell us wha you're gettin' us drunk for!" she slurred.
"Elizabeth, if you are suggestin' that I would ever purposefully intoxicate you and your husband for less than honorable reasons, I am deeply hurt," Jack replied lamentingly.
Will raised a brow at him and he widened his eyes innocently.
"Can't a man celebrate with friends without being accused of having agendas other than havin' good time?" Jack argued.
"A man, yes. But not a pirate. Not you, Jack," Will told him.
Jack grinned at this.
"Ye know me too well fer me own good, young William. It's about Christina..." he started, watching them to gauge their reactions.
Elizabeth and Will drew deep breaths while sharing a knowing look.
"Jack...," Elizabeth warned. Will gave him a look saying it was best to leave the subject alone.
This wasn't working. Even when they were drunk, he couldn't get anything out of them. He needed his infinite genius to kick in and he needed it to kick in now.
"Well, ... I already know the big one," Jack told them reassuringly. If that wasn't stab in the dark, he didn't know what was.
Will and Elizabeth narrowed their eyes disbelievingly.
"You what?" Elizabeth asked.
Jack refrained from the urge to bite his lip.
"I know... Ye know, the big one."
Elizabeth and Will shared another look.
"You mean Chris told you about her father?" Will asked cautiously.
Ah ha! Progress!
"Aye."
"... Her real father?" Will tried again.
Jack could hardly believe his luck. The lass was part of some scandal! He kept a solemn face.
"Aye."
"Please don' tell me tha' was the reason y'took her on the Pearl, Jack," Elizabeth slurred, depressed by the idea as she put her head in her hands.
Jack perked up at this. There may be something of benefit to him in this secret? How was that?
"Of course not," he scoffed.
Will gave him a reproving look.
"So you're telling me that you knew that Christina was the daughter of Barbossa and you took her aboard just to help her out?" he asked accusingly.
Jack couldn't stop his jaw from dropping now. This was unheard of! Nothing could've prepared him for this.
Will's face fell at his suprise.
"You... you didn't know?" he stumbled.
"Jack!" Elizabeth cried in distress.
"It's not like I'm goin' ta tell th'world!" Jack spat in defense.
Just a few interested mates..., he added silently.
And that would be Christina's big secret. And now Jack knows... Now I have to come up with the next chapter's plot... Blast!
jennifer123: ha, ye liked tha milk thing, aye? So did I. It was something I had been wanting to put into a chapter fer ages. The idea of Jack having a glass of milk emptied on his head just strikes me as hilarious! 'Alive' descriptions, aye? Thankye kindly! Hope ye liked this part too. Oh, and ye'll be pleased t'know that I figured out the whole anonymous business!
Karribean: Glad ye liked the shopping. That was fun t'write. And the storytelling part was fun too. Here's the next addition. Enjoy.
Ailuro: Oh good! Otherwise I might disappoint ye! And I wouldn't make them fall in love straight away but there still 'as ta be that tension, ye know? Aye, making up the rest of that 'and then they made me their chief' story was a ball! I hope I did it justice! And I'm glad Jack was in character. He can either be very easy or very difficult to keep in character! Cheers fer the reviews, they're much appreciated.