By Kitty =.=
A/N: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eep!!! Sorry, sorry!! We didn't get Chapter 18 up on the Day of Thor (Thursday) like we promised. tear I'm sowwee. Our computer went kaglooey!! Well, not really. The backlight on my laptop went out so it took me forever to try and figure out how to be able to see. But I got it fixed, so all shall be well. Sorry again for the messed-up chapter 14. But we has fixed it we has!!! And it looks as though people are coming back to our story, so we is happy... Oh yeah. And sorry that nervous chuckle it's kinda, ya know, two...three weeks...a month since we updated... shuffles feet it was because...you see, what happened was... tears up I'm sorry!!! It was finals week last week and I had no time!!! bawling I had to study for my exaaaaa-aaa-aaaams!!!! And then this last week was my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary and I had to make the anniversary video and go through pictures and edit them and--and--and...!!!!! calms down Ok. I'm all right now... Out Stats right now...
Reviews: 115!!!
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Many thanks to my dear reviewers who have remained faithful, we wuv you all vewwee much. One thing we have been thinking about. Many of the people who have ICELY on their Favourite Story, Favourite Author, or Author Alert do not actually review. We ask that you do, please, please, please! It would mean a lot to us.
ERIC: runs up--well, crawls-- Ki--pant Ki-deh--wheeze Kitty!
Mmmmmmmmmyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeess??
ERIC: Where gasp didya huff GO?! cough
I told you. Geometry tutoring. And then studying for finals. And making my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary video.
ERIC: Whaaa?
Ya know. I was...being tutored. For geometry. And then preparing my mind for the rigours of semester exams. And then burning it out taking them. And hyper-focussing on the world of cinematography.
ERIC: Ah.
You don't get it do you.
ERIC: No. No I don't.
Thought so.
ERIC: Yes.
Quite.
ERIC: Hmm.
Right then...ONTO THE STORY!!
"It is true," he said softly, "what ye said before."
"Wha...what did I say?" Lela asked and still trying to catch her breath.
"I called ye truly wicked and you said you knew, but I..." Jack gently leaned his forehead to hers, "I loved ye for it." Lela tried to say something but her lips just moved, her mouth opening and closing, no sound issuing forth. "And I'm sorry f'ticklin' ya." Lela let out a small laugh that was mixed with sobbing. "So..." Jack reached up and brushed away her hair from her face and stroked her soft, pale cheek. "Just so we are perfectly, completely, totally, entirely, absolutely, wholly, and utterly clear on fthings wiv each other..." He leaned in once more, his slightly rough lips barely brushing hers as he slowly whispered with sheer sincerity a declaration: "I...love you."
Lela thought her heart might stop right there. "You..." Her voice came out like a tiny squeak and she was rather annoyed that Jack could make her act like such a girly hopeless romantic. Trying once more she completed her sentence, smiling. "You love me?"
Jack nodded, leaning his forehead against hers. "Mmm-hmm," he murmured and went back in for another kiss. Another few moments passed and he pulled away again...but, again, just a little bit. "That a good thing?" he asked with a little smirk.
"Wha...um, yeah, yeah o'course it is," she answered faintly, the smile that had been on her lips almost gone. Jack stared back at Lela in confusion.
"Don't get too excited, luv," he mockingly protested, "ye might faint on the spot," and he kissed her again, bringing both hands up to stroke her slightly damp cheeks. Lela smiled a little more.
"Sorry," she replied hanging her head slightly and a blush spread through her cheeks, tingeing them crimson. "I'm happy. I am. I'm just...tired...that's all." The flush on Lela's cheeks grew redder when Jack reached down and gave her a playful pinch on the backside. He smirked, obviously pleased with her reaction, although she did give him a rather terrifying death-glare.
"What say we get to bed and sleep some then?" he whispered in her ear, and kissed her now burning face. "It has been a most tiring day." Jack suddenly looked thoughtful and stepped away from Lela. "You've worked me harder than I've been accustomed to since..." He pointed an accusing finger at her, but was still smiling. "Since you worked me like this back in Sleego!"
Glad for a conversation change, Lela scoffed and pushed away his condemning hand. "Tch. Working? YOU? Surely you jest. You haven't done a speck-a-work 'round here or in Sleego...well...ever!"
"Perhaps not…" once more, Jack's hands went to prayer position, "physically, luv." The hands flew out in front of his face wildly. "But spiritually! Emotionally! Grammatically even!!" Lela rolled her eyes as Jack began to put on such a dramatic display. "In such ways have ye been workin' me. Aaaaall daaaay long, me mind's been goin'..." he laid his palm flat in the air and moved it up and down at varying paces, "like this, see here, like that, aaaaall daaaay long!!" By now Lela was clutching her sides and laughing hard. And then Jack began to scoff and walk about as though she was hurling insults at him. "A-tch! A-tch! Oh, yeah, YOU can laugh about it, but just wait! Tonight, when ye least expects it I'll come up outta nowheres and pounce!!" Just then he did pounce on her and they fell on her bed. "Yes, pounce! Pounce like a stealfthy tiger, aarrrr!!!"
What a sight it was. Two great, respectable pirate captains were rolling around on one of their beds and acting like children. It seemed as though the old saying was true: The more things change, the more they stay the same. There they lay, tired out from wrestling and trying to tickle each other, just like on Lela's 14th birthday. Jack was incredibly happy. He loved Lela. She still loved him. Now he wouldn't have to become dark and moody on her birthday each year, and now he wouldn't have to act like a pansy!
But beside him, Lela was thinking about the situation a little differently. Some of her thoughts were similar. She loved Jack. And had Jack just told her that he still loved her. She should have been happy. Not just happy, ecstatic and on a heavenly cloud nine of bliss! But somehow...she wasn't. Suddenly interrupting her thoughts, Jack murmured, "So shall we be gettin' to bed soon then, luv?" Her eyes shot wide open.
"Um, Jack," she started, trying to think up an excuse, "I fthink it's best if...if we sleep separately tonight..."
"Cor," he mumbled sleepily, "ye got me all excited for nofthing." He smiled and gently tugged a bit of her hair. Lela giggled.
"I know, I know, I'm not bein' a prick tease or nofthing, I jest...I-I-I jest..."
"Don't worry 'bout it pet," Jack said. Then he flashed a devilish smirk. "Takes a while for me words to sink, eh? Oof!" Lela pulled her hand back from playfully punching the roguish pirate in the gut.
"You may take my bed this evening, Mister...oh pardon, CAPTAIN Sparrow." She smiled. "I shall be below deck tonight." And suddenly her face grew serious and her gaze hardened, her eyes piercing through Jack to his very soul. "Do NOT...under ANY circumstances try and come down. For NO REASON AT ALL. Understand?" Jack stared back at her as frightened prey would look at its predator, eyes wide, barely breathing, barely moving, praying they wouldn't strike.
"All...all right, Elle. I won't come'n'get ya."
"Under ANY circumstances whatsoever."
"On pain of deafth," he dramatically declared, "I shan't bovther ye." Lela leaned close to him and cradled his face in her hands, a pleading almost fearful look.
"Promise me, Jack. Promise."
"I-I promise."
"Good," Lela sighed and quickly pressed her lips to his. "Very good." One more kiss couldn't hurt. "Well then," she murmured, whispering in Jack's ear, "I bid thee good night, luv."
"Good night," he replied. His eyes were drifting closed, so he only knew that Lela got up off the bed hen he felt her weight shift and the space next to him rose back up. He forced his tired eyes to stay open a little longer so he could look at her. "Do ye mean it?" Lela turned back around and looked at him, her hand placed on the door.
"Mean what?"
"Ye called me 'luv,' luv." And there was the impish leer again. Lela just smirked back at him.
"Aye," she replied and leaned her head against the door, "I mean it."
"Night, Elle."
"Night, Jack."
While Jack was finally able to get a real sleep, Lela, Captain of the Siren Fire, would have no such luck. As soon as the door to her cabin was closed, the smile that had been lingering eagerly on her lips dispelled. Lela quickly looked at the sky to see where the sun was on its daily path. Past sunset. Soon it would be gone and the moon would rise and take over the sky for her dues of ruling the night. She could already see some stars peeking through the golden, bronze heavens. Sighing, Lela walked to the opposite end of the ship. Once she arrived, she gazed hatefully and even fearfully at the plain wooden door in front of her. The quiet night air that held nothing by ghostly silence was shattered as one could hear the jingling of keys in a lock, and then a chilling squeak as the door was slowly opened. Lela took one longing glance at her cabin doors; therein laid her most precious treasure. Tearing her eyes away, darkness enveloped her as she stepped forward to the stairwell that led to below deck.
Now below deck was not where Captain Lela Bratchkep kept her crew or cargo. That was what the Gremlin Flame was used for. No... In the hull of this mighty ship there were cages. Cages in which Lela's faithful army was kept. It would seem that the men in the streets of Tortuga had been correct. The untamed soldiers could hear their mistress coming down the steps and those who were asleep raised their heads to greet her. "Evenin' darlins'," she warmly greeted. "And how are we this evening?" As she walked to the first cage in the row that lined the wall on her right, she reached through the thick metal bars and scratched the chin of one of her beloved warriors. "Doing well I hope, Chandra?" The large tigress almost grinned, and purred appreciatively, nuzzling her mistress's hand. Her brilliant titian coat and gleaming black markings tattooing her body were a stark contrast to the milky white of her jowl, paws, underbelly, and tipped tail.
Lela smiled back and walked to the first cage on the left where another one of her favourites, a serene and often silent snow leopard, sat straight and tall, contemplatively twitching his tail. He almost looked as though he were raising an inquisitive eyebrow, sharply questioning Lela why she had not greeted him. "Mmm, and of course I wouldn't forget my handsome Neus." As she petted him gently on the head, the snowy white wild cat nodded in approval, signalling that she was back in his good graces. "Don't act so high and mighty, you," Lela mockingly reprimanded. "I spoil you too much!" The creature chose to ignore her sarcastic remark and gracefully laid down, neatly tucking his feet and paws around him and his tail curling with poise on his hind leg and furry flank. Smiling, Lela smoothed the hair on the top of his head and continued her walk through the centre aisle between the cages lining the arched walls.
As she continued on to the edge of ship, she came upon one last cage. Larger than all the others, the bars were also thicker, stronger, and closer together. Not only was there a padlock on the door, but four metal bolts held the entrance to the small prison firmly in place. And that's exactly what it was: a prison. Once more, the rattle of keys broke the otherwise quiet air. Lela opened the heavy door and several of the wild cats looked up from their slumber while others simply opened an eye and drifted back to sleep, seeing as how the event that played before them wasn't anything new. Walking in, Lela began to close the door shut once more, blurred thoughts and memories rushing through her head. The cage shut and she winced at the sharp, resounding clang. As soon as she reached through and secured the lock and bolt, she quickly threw the tarnished ring of keys far away from her outside the metal bars.
Her quick move came none too soon for barely as the key ring hit the wooden planks than fiery pain shot through her head. Lela inhaled sharply, the rapid intake of air sounding like a hiss. Falling to her knees Lela forced herself to hold off the pain. Just a little bit longer, she repeated to herself, a useless yet habitual mantra, just a little bit longer. Crawling to the corner of her cell, Lela picked up a dark mottled bottle. More of the stinging ache raced to her legs and she quickly pulled the cork out of the bottle's top. Her frame crumbling as more and more throbbing pain coursed through her, she barely managed to slosh a few mouthfuls of the bittersweet brown liquid down her throat. It never completely drove away the pain, but at least it numbed it for a bit. Please, Jack, she pleaded in her mind while she drank more rum, just please don't try and find me. Not now. I'd never forgive myself.
Stupid girl! Why did you bring him on board in the first place so soon?
Lela quivered as her mind began to chastise her. Well, part of her mind, a part we all have: the critical parent.
I-I wanted to see him! came a meek internal voice. I didn't think about...about...
The critical parent mercilessly reprimanded the inner child.
You didn't think about the consequences? About what could happen if he was here? No, you didn't think, not at all.
Lela shook her head, tears streaming down her face, her body slowly rocking as she tried to push away her own conscience and childish justification out of her head. But the two voices of her psyche continued to bicker and squabble and argue and quarrel.
How could you have been so stupid?! Acting so arrogant and confident.
But I love him...
If you loved him, would you have put him in such danger?
No! But I...I...I told him not to look for me.
Ha! Will he listen? Why would he listen?
He told me he loved me too...and I believe him.
He said he loved you back in Sleego too, but he left didn't he?
NO!! We're past that, we love each other, and everything will be all right now!
Everything will be all right, hmm? What about when he finds out about you...your secret?
The tremors running through her increased and Lela couldn't figure out what she felt. Anger, self-pity, despair, fury, punishment. The voices in her mind continued to scream at each other, one accusing and one still hoping. The din rose and rose with no signs of stopping, and Lela, who could still not sort out the excess of emotions that blurred everything in front of her, did the only thing she could think of that was in between what her mind was fighting over: she cried. She cried with quiet, desperate sobs that shook her even more. What if he does find out? What will I do? What will he--?!
Lela's thoughts were interrupted as the full force of the pain encompassed her mind, her body. Her skin felt like it was on fire and at the same time it was like pins and needles were pushing their way through her flesh from the underside. She felt her muscles pulsing, expanding, and her bones lengthening. Her heart hammered away in her chest, and just like always, Lela thought as though it would pound right through and shred her clothes. She looked down and saw, as always, that her clothes were indeed shredded and tattered. Her hands and feet began to pound and pulsate like when you wrap a string tight around your finger, cutting off the flow of blood. Taking one last large draught of the deadening alcohol before the glass bottle slipped from her shaking fingers and shattered as it clanked against metal floor of her confinement. Lela's burning eyes glanced back up at the steps that led to the deck up above. Jack...
Jack sat up faster than he had ever in his life, drenched in cold sweat and the overwhelming sense of dread. What woke me up? he wondered. He had heard something. But that shouldn't have done anything, he was a hard sleeper. He always heard shouts and screams and laughter and crashes and booms when he went to sleep. It wasn't the fact that he had heard something that had been able to stir him. It was the nature of the sound. It was strange, like nothing he had heard before, and yet terrifyingly familiar. Where had he heard it? He had to have heard it recently, never being very gifted in the memory department. But where would he have heard something like that?
Far out on open ocean, as the world was pulled into daylight, Jack felt the back of his neck prickle, and his ears burned, as though someone was talking about him, and summoning him in their thoughts.
An enraged, growling snarl that echoed through the streets, the whole tiny island of Tortuga...
Somehow, Jack feared that even though that day that he hated, loved, despised, adored...feared...wanted...was over, that that glorious dream and abhorrent nightmare was far from over. In fact, it was only just beginning.
Jack got the same feeling now that he had the day before... No, it was only this mornin'. God, this day has been an eternity. But, yes, I get the same sense of...of...somefthing. Jack wiped his brow of the icy perspiration. Somefthing. I don't know what. He warily eyed the door on the other side of the room. But I don't like it. Not at'tall.
After only a few moments of hesitation, the pirate threw aside the sheets and pulled on his boots. Somefthing's wrong, he thought as he hobbled to the door, still trying to put his left boot. I've gotta go get Lela. He managed to clumsily open the door and get his other boot on, but his ended and he fell to the ground where his hands flew about trying to protect his precious face. "Ow," he muttered in a rather matter-of-factly tone. Limping overdramatically for a few feet he brushed his hands off and walked in the direction he had seen Lela walking when he watched her after she left the room. Well, you know, I wasn't spying or anyfthing, he mused. I was, uh, uh...hmmm...perhaps I was. Jack shook his head. Doesn't mattuh, gotta find Lela, stay focused stupid, stay focused! Remembering there was no one to watch his theatrical display of pain, Jack walked very quickly in his normal swaying way.
As soon as he reached the wooden door near the bow of the ship, Jack stopped. The anxiety had increased and it made him wary. Something told him not to go in. A warning from a nameless power? A sixth sense? Not quite. Lela said not to go looking for her. She even made me promise specifically. Jack leaned back, putting his weight on his heel. Girl seemed very tense'n'troubled. Shaking his head, he turned on his heels and quickly made his way back to Captain Lela's cabin. Elle's a big girl, he reassured himself, she can take care of herself. I hope. Only chancing one look at the closed door, he all but fled back to room and practically jumped into the bed. He pulled up the covers and nearly slammed his head down on the pillow. Forcing his eyes to close, he tried to forget the disturbing noise that had woken him. She'll be all right, he kept thinking to himself, nofthing's wrong and she'll be all right.
A/N: Bwa-ha! I FINALLY got away from the cutesy fluff! Now, most of you probably know my favourite genre of movies, TV shows, fanfiction, etc... is Angsty Humorous Romance. So far, we've had oodles of humour...
ERIC: From the story and from me and Kitty!
light tap with the rolled up newspaper That too. We've had GOBS of romance...
ERIC: Again, from the story and from me and you!!!
harder tap YES. And there's been a lit'ul bit of angst.
ERIC: Once more--!
raises newspaper in warning
ERIC: shuts the hell up
Thank you. Things are getting a bit too fluffy for even my taste. shudder So we apologise. weakly pleading Need...more...ANGST!! twitch, twitch Now we are moving on to the REALLY good stuff. I've had the whole next bit planned since the beginning (things like Lela's female crew and the trip to Isla de Muerta I added as I went along). Of course I shan't tell you what this whole next bit is now. That would spoil it!! For me anyways...
ERIC & KITTY: simultaneously Eeeeeheheheheheheheee...!
Remember to review my darlings!!! REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!!!!
Drink and be merry and be many-a-fair lad!! (or, ya know, 'lass', whatever floats your boat...)
Fare thee well, safe journeys, and I'll be in Scotland a'fore ye!!
Love,
Kitty--Ibea Female Pirate, Savvy??
=.=