By Kitty =^.^=
A/N: Ok, two chapters updated today. I came into school this morning at 5 of 7 (uugh, sooo sleepy... u_u...zzz) so I decided to get two chapters done since I didn't update last week. Sorry last chapter wasn't all that long. Also, if you're wondering about how some of things in the timeline fit in, I went back in the other chapters and changed anything that needed to be to fit with it. Heehee, some people tried to catch me on that, but I fixed it, mwaHA!!
ERIC: Can I do the disclaimer, canicanicani???
Ok, I suppose, luv, we haven't done one in a while.
ERIC: Yeah! Ahem. Kitty does not own PotC, Tortuga (not yet anyway...), or Johnny Depp.
sigh I WISH I did.
ERIC: snuggle But she does own all her original characters and ME!!
Teehee... blush Aw, my sweet lit'ul Muse. ^_^ I may not own Johnny Depp, but I have Will Fridel!!
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"Friends now and forever."
"Friends now and forever," Jack repeated. "Never to leave the other behind."
"And always to care and look out for each other," Lela whispered smiling and snuggling up to her best friend. "It's a promise."
"A promise," Jack echoed, "a promise, a promise, an ever-binding promise."
As the words of their pledge resonated inside his mind, Jack's heart began to ache for the first time in a long time. Her words were a merciless onslaught to him, and at the same time a welcome reaffirmation that her feelings hadn't changed. Well, they had changed, because with that constant love was mixed her malice that had built up over the years since he left her. Jack almost felt like slapping her, but he also knew he deserved every cruelly wonderful word she'd said.
@oooOOO*=^.^=*OOOooo@
o o
Jack listened to the doors click shut and the sound seemed to last for hours. His chest rose and fell with a heavy, exhausted sigh, and he plopped down into a soft plushy chair in the corner and decided to try and get some sleep. He had barely had any since the previous night and even then...
"Damn it," Jack cursed aloud and he sunk down into the velvety cushions and drifted fitfully into sleep.
Out on the deck of the Siren Fire, her captain walked towards the first mate. Her steps were not as confident as usual, but Conleth didn't say anything about it. "Cap'n," he said, acknowledging Lela.
"Hello, Conleth," Lela replied rather sullenly. She leaned over the side of the ship and sighed, watching the setting sun that made the sky turn to gold and blood red.
"Uh, we'll probably won't be able to be anchored and all set to loot the place before nightfall Cap'n," Conleth cautiously said, "but, if I may be so bold, we can spend the night, then be ready to go by first light." Conleth steeled himself for the possible punch or insult of acting above his station. When neither came, and Lela just answered with a wave of the hand and a nod, he began to worry. "Is, uh, some'in wrong then, Cap'n?"
"Huh?" she absentmindedly answered when she realised he'd spoken to her again. "Oh, no, we're peachy. Lemony. Limey even."
"Are ye sure?" Conleth asked, trying not to pry too much. "It's jest that, that since that Sparrow's been aboard ye've been rather morose..."
"I'll be all right, Conleth," Lela forced herself to smile. "Thanks for the concern though, mate."
"T'weren't nothin' Cap'n," Conleth assured her. "Shall I go tell the crew the plan then?"
"No, s'all right, Conleth, I'll go." With that said, Lela climbed up to the crow's nest and, taking the weathered rope in hand, swung to the mast of the Gremlin Flame. As she came over, some of the women began to shout excitedly. Finally Lela climbed down to the Gremlin Flame's deck and called Collette and Minou over to her.
"Collette! Minou!"
"Oui, Capitaine!" the two happily and simultaneously replied.
"Venir ici s'il vous plaît des filles."
"Que vous avez besoin de nous faire?" asked Collette.
"J'ai besoin de vous obtenir toutes les femmes sur le pont," Lela explained, "les hommes peuvent diriger un peu."
"Tout de suite, madame!" announced Minou.
"Merci, petit minet," Lela said affectionately and gave a genuine smile.
While the lovely Frenchies hurried off to carry out the captain's orders, the captain herself leaned back against the wall under the steps and mentally went over what she'd say to the girls.
"Something troubling, Captain?" Lela looked up and saw Judith walking towards her. "You seem distressed." Lela didn't miss the sneer that Judith had on her lips as she said the empty words of worry.
"Nofthing whatever, Judith," Lela replied with just as cold a smirk, "nofthing whatever." The two women stood silently for a moment staring at each other when Lela looked over Judith's shoulder and saw the rest of her female crew heading towards them. Gently pushing herself away from the wall, Lela walked straight past Judith.
"Come along, ladies," Lela shouted, "a line again please." Judith scoffed and rolled her eyes, and lethargically lined up with the rest of the women, taking her lovely lit'ul time. Once they had queued up, Lela spoke. "Conleth informs me that we will not be ready to loot Isla de Muerta by nightfall so we're going to stay the night and I expect you to be ready in the mornin' to get goin'." She smiled. "However, from all that I've seen today, all of you have been doing an excellent job, so I don't see any planks or long drops into the water in anybody's near future." Small chuckles arose from the line of girls. "After we dock," Lela continued, "just help the rest of the men with the riggings'n'such." She gave a chagrining smile like a fussing mother to her daughters. "And when it comes time to actually sleep, you can sleep on deck, or in the cabin below deck. And if any of my men try and get fresh..." Lela punched her fist into her other hand. "Pop 'em one." More giggles. Her orders being given, the women began to disperse to go and do their jobs and Lela was just about to go get Jack. However, she noticed one woman had stayed behind.
"Need somefthing Judith?"
"Not really," she answered snidely. "Just wondering what you're going to do with that Sparrow chap." Lela's lips drew tight together and her eyes narrowed.
"I don't see how it's really any of your concern."
"I suppose it isn't really, forgive me, just was wondering."
"Good to know we understand each other." She started to walk away again but Judith kept speaking.
"I'm not sure we do really." Trying hard to stay calm, Lela turned around and walked up to Judith, standing straight and looked her hard in the eyes.
"What else do you need to know then?"
"I was wondering where you got these foine ships," stated Judith, her plan to play on Lela's pride evident in her coy, saccharine tone.
"Perhaps I shall tell you another time," Lela coldly answered, and quickly turned on her heel and marched away, flinging her hair into Judith's surprised face. The stunned new addition to the crew shook her head and, waiting until the captain was on the other ship, gave an unladylike snort and spat on the ground.
"Appalling bitch," she growled under her breath. "I don't think you'd be so high and mighty if you knew full well who I was." With a toss of her head, Judith started off to below deck. "I'll find out what I need to know sooner or later." She opened the door that led to the women's cabin. "And you'd better hope for your own sake that it's sooner rather than later." The rickety wooden door squeaked as it was closed and shut with a loud snap.
Back on the Siren Fire...
Lela's feet barely made a sound as she padded her way back to her cabin. She passed Conleth without a word, and the first mate only noticed she was there where he heard the doors of her cabin click shut. He only got a glimpse of black hair swaying though, and then a solid, carved wooden door. With only one small sigh and a comment about moody women, Conleth put his concentration back to steering.
Inside Lela's cabin, Lela turned around from quietly shutting the door to see Jack slumped over in a chair, sleeping. A smile crept across her lips as she recalled seeing him like this back in Sleego.
Walking into the tailor shop, Lela holding the corners of her skirt up, the newly 14-year-old girl crept into the back of the shop. In the folds of her skirt were two hot scones, a few butter biscuits, and a little bundle of wild blackberries. Lela carefully looked about to make sure the head dressmaker had decided to not come in today until well after lunch, like always. "Such a lazy bum, the worst" she muttered, laughing. Upon entering the back room, who should she see lying in a chair but her dear Jack Sparrow. "Then again," she whispered, trying not to giggle. She set the food down on the table and crept silently across the floor like a sly little cat.
Tiptoeing over to Jack, she leaned down and soft cooed in his ear, "Jaaa-aack..." He barely stirred. Fighting against the suppressed fits of laughter, Lela smiled and gently kissed him on the lips. He smiled in his sleep but still didn't wake. She leaned back to his ear. "Jaaa-aack," she called again melodiously. "WAKE UP!!"
"WHOAH!" Jack flew up from his chair and spun around, still not fully awake. "Sorry sir, sorry, sorry!" His long hair falling over his face, Jack tried to pick up a shirt that he was supposed to be mending. "Just restin' me eyes, sir, just restin' me eyes, I swear!" Now he tried to stab at the shirt with a needle. "It's hard to stare at this 'ere tiny needle all day." By now, Jack finally heard the laughter that was filling the air...girlish laughter. "Lela!" he shouted. "Don't dooo that!!" Jack's face still looked horrified and he was panting for breath.
"I'm s-s-hahahah-sorry, Jack!" Lela giggled. "Re-eehehee! Really, I am." At the unconvinced look from Jack she bounded over and threw her arms around his neck from behind. "Aw, c'mon, luv!" she pleaded, pouting her lips and making her eyes go big and cute (A/N: The chibi eyes!!). "Please forgive me?" Jack sighed and smiled.
"Well, it was kind of funny," he admitted, catching her chin.
"Kind of?" Lela asked disappointedly. "It was hilarious! It was--!" She was never able to finish because Jack turned his head and gave a kiss. Lela smiled against his lips and kissed him back. After a few moments, they parted. "Ye know that persnickety tailor isn't going to be happy that you slacked off this afternoon, Jack."
"Pah," he scoffed, waving away the statement. "He'll nevuh know." Jack bended his knees and crouched down. "Hop on, luv." With her arms already about his neck, Lela wrapped her legs around his midsection. Jack stood straight, effortlessly lifting her up. "Perhaps you'd loike to tell ole Jack why ye came to visit today?"
"I brought you some food, in case you were hungry." Lela pointed to the table with the bread, biscuits, and berries.
"Ah-ha," Jack mused aloud smiling. He walked to the table and put the food in the leather pouch that was propped up against the table leg. "Well, moi dear," he said, throwing the strap over his neck and under his arm, "what say we go off to da fences and have ourselves a lit'ul feast?"
"I would love to, my dear sir," Lela said in a mockingly proper and ladylike voice. Jack laughed.
"And then after that, we could gooo..." he waited for Lela to finish the sentence and she promptly did.
"Swimming!"
"Swimming! Yes, swimming!" Jack walked out the door, Lela on his back. They wouldn't come back until the next day.
Lela smiled again. Yes, that's just what he looked like: a lazy unsuspecting little 16-year-old slacking off to sleep and completely unaware of her presence. She was almost tempted to do the same thing like she did back in Sleego, but she decided against it. There was no time for that, not at the moment anyway. Instead, she brought some papers from her desk and set them on the table. She pulled up a chair, looked one more time at the sweet sleeping Jack, and then to her papers. Lela tried to look through them and find something she could do until she would go out and give the orders to her crew about the next morning. But no matter how much she tried to, her eyes kept straying back to look at Jack.
Finally giving up, she threw her hands up in defeat and cradled her head in her arms that were propped on the table so that she could gaze at her captive. Curse the fates that ever made me fall in love with you, she thought miserably. Jack shifted in his sleep and he brushed away a few dreadlocks that were hanging in front of his eyes. Lela longingly wished that she could reach out and touch those sandy-coloured lashes of his. She smiled as her own eyes, heavy with exhaustion, began to close. But bless those silly wenches too for giving you to me.
A few minutes later, Jack awoke to the sounds of things moving around to the side of him outside and the scraping of wood. His eyes flickered open and saw outside the open window on the cabin's balcony that the sun had almost set. He was just about to drift off to sleep when he wondered when Lela would be back. A warm ocean breeze flowed in through the open windows and ruffled the long black hair that was draped over the table. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Lela's face, contentedly calm in sleep. Her cheek was nuzzled against her arm and papers were scattered on the table.
Brushing away a few ebony wisps away from her fair face, Jack leaned back in his chair to sit down again. However, with only a moment's hesitation, he laid his hand against the back of her head and gently pressed his lips to hers. She made a small sigh in her sleep and Jack thought she was going to wake up, but she settled down once again. Jack lay back in his own chair and wondered to himself why he still loved this girl. I've always wondered why it's only been her that I love like this, he thought to himself. He closed his eyes and smiled his trademark smirk. I thank god that I do though. Jack began to fall asleep again, thankful that Lela was there next to him. Gives me a reason to live.
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A/N: angelic choir Hallelujah! Hallelujah! CHAPTER 15?!?! It's abso-bloody-brilliant! Thank you all so much for the support and encouragement and suggestions. We love to hear from you all. hugs Eric Eric and us truly appreciate it.
ERIC: snugglesnuggle Eeeehehehehee!
I'm going to prom this weekend, so I'm also excited for that.
ERIC: O_O I'm your date right?
Uuuuumm...
ERIC: Riiiight????
Actually I'm going with one of my guy friends.
ERIC: Wha-wha-what about me?? chibi eyes
Oooh, Eric, I wouldn't waste my time going to that with you. I want to do somefthing cooler with you! whispers to you guys Think he'll buy it??
ERIC: Ah! snugglesnugglesnuggle I KNEW you liked me best!
Phew, I mean, yes, luv, of course I do! wave See you people in a week!
ERIC: Bah-bye!
Drink and be merry and be many-a-fair lad!! (or, ya know, 'lass', for the guys who're reading...)
Fare thee well, safe journeys, and I'll be in Scotland a'fore ye!!
Love,
~*Kitty*~
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