Disclaimer: I don't own POTC.
SHE WAS A PHANTOM OF DELIGHT
Chapter 17: The Romantic Moonlit Scene
Camille woke up alone in a dirty bed. She could remember very vividly throwing a massive fit in front of her captain, and then walking away. Then she moaned and sank back down into the bed. She didn't even think she could move, the pain was so intense.
After rolling over and throwing up twice, she was able to slowly sit up. As she did, the covers fell away, exposing her naked body. And that was when she remembered that she had been with someone.
With a sob, she covered up herself again and put her face in her hands. How could she have been so stupid? She felt so ashamed of herself. She didn't even know if anyone would want her back aboard the Pearl now.
"It's exactly 10 o'clock, Gibbs. Is everyone accounted for?" Jack asked lazily as he took the helm.
Gibbs nodded, taking sips of his leather flask. "Aye, Cap'n. Crew's all here."
Jack lifted an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Gibbs?"
But the man nodded with more confidence than he was known to have. "Aye. Shall I give the orders?"
"Yes, Gibbs," he said drawlingly. In the back of his mind he had been thinking about Camille since last night. She had not only worried and upset him, but now he found his curiosity getting the best of him. What had she been like? But on the other hand, she had been the only woman that he had dared not to try and get in bed. He didn't know why. She was so mysterious, and yet so strong to have gotten him so intrigued. He couldn't get her off his mind, which of course made him even more frustrated than losing his dignity did.
Camille had been in bed the entire day, trying to get rid of her hangover and feeling sorry for herself. She had finally remembered the words she had yelled at Jack Sparrow last night, and it made her cry every time. Why hadn't he slapped her for saying that? Nobody deserved to hear that about themselves, especially when it wasn't true. And more than ever, she just felt vulnerable. She wanted to be back in Ireland, with her mother, sitting in front of the fireplace before bedtime and drawing in the sand.
She didn't care about making dinner. She waited until the whole crew went to bed before she even dared to show her face on deck. She still felt queasy, but she couldn't sleep anymore.
She sat near the stern, behind the captain's cabin to avoid being seen by whoever had the helm. She was able to stop crying and steady her breathing as she looked out upon the water. The moon wasn't out, so she couldn't tell whether the waves were dolphins or just waves. She let out one more audible sigh. What was she going to do now?
She heard a sound and didn't even bother to turn around. She knew it was Jack, because he was the last person she wanted to talk to and had been for the past several days. So of course it would be just her luck that Jack Sparrow was right there behind her. "Go away, please. I don't want to talk to you," she said sadly.
But he stood his ground, leaning on the banister in his usual manner. "I'm sorry he didn't stay, Camille."
She looked down at the waves. "Why should you be sorry, I'm the fool. You warned me last night, you tried to tell me," she insisted. "I should've listened."
This surprised Jack a little, because Camille usually wasn't this willing to admit when she'd made a mistake; which didn't surprise him since she made very few mistakes compared to him. "Well to be fair, you were quite drunk. You can't be expected to always be in control, darling."
She looked at him. "Apologies, Camille." He knew she hated it when he called her things like that.
"Jack, don't be nice to me I was completely wrong last night."
"Welcome to the life of a pirate."
She took her gaze away from the water and looked at him. "Jack, what I said last night…I didn't mean it at all, you've got to believe me."
He shrugged. "I do."
"I just don't know why I would get so angry like that, it was completely rude, it was so ignorant to say those things to you. After you've let me become a crewmember and then let me back on this ship after I've insulted you in every possible way…" she took a deep breath and stopped rambling. "It just doesn't seem right. I'm sorry Jack, I can't say anymore than that, I've just-everything I have tried to do has been with the best intention and…" she buried her head in her arms. "…I'm such a mess," she sulked.
Jack nodded understandingly. "I know. It's all right, nothing to worry about. We're all worse off than you are," he said, trying to make her feel better. He prayed that she would stop crying any minute so that he wouldn't have to get any closer to her. But her face remained hidden. "Camille, are you going to be all right?" he inquired, trying to get a glimpse of her.
"I'm fine Jack, just go away," she said in a muffled voice.
"Somehow I doubt you mean that."
She straightened up, wiping her eyes. "I am, I'll be all right. I think I'm just homesick is all, Captain."
His heart dropped to his feet. "Homesick? From Port Celebros; from your father?"
She looked at him funny. "Of course not. From my home, in Ireland, with my mother," she said honestly. "I think I want to go back."
"To Ireland?" he questioned.
"Aye."
He looked at her. She looked so sad, and he wanted nothing more than to see her green eyes sparkle like he had so many times before. But at the same time he was angry at her for giving up so easily. "Camille, living in Ireland is not going bring your mother back," he said without even thinking. Then his eyes widened, realizing what he had just said.
Camille looked pretty taken aback, as well. But it was true. No matter how Camille lived the rest of her life, her mother would not be coming back. And unexpectedly, she laughed, throwing Jack off. "Captain Sparrow, I think we may be entirely too honest with each other."
Jack smiled. "It's hard to be anything else with you, my dear." He turned around and looked out at the water, putting his hand out as the ship hit a big wave. "And while we're on the subject of mothers, I think it's about time I give you some motherly advice. Are you ready?" he looked back at her.
She nodded, stepping up next to him. "Tell me, I'm livid with anticipation."
He pointed his finger at her. "Watch it, missy," he said jokingly.
She laughed. "So what is it, Jack?"
"Well ever since I were a lad, my mother would always tell me not to spend my entire life searching for something. Because if I did, than I would miss other opportunities. Of course, I never did listen to that woman since I'm constantly searching for treasure."
Camille snickered. "I think I see what you're trying to tell me. Are you telling me not to spend my life searching for my home because I'll never be happy?"
"If you don't feel at home with the way you're living right now you're always going to be miserable."
"You know Jack, you and Ana Maria are two of the most honest people I have ever met in my life. I don't know how other people feel about you, but I don't care. You're a good man Jack, and your brother is a bloody idiot for thinking otherwise." She turned to face him, stood up on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the cheek. "And I feel at home when you're here." She took this opportunity to leave before he could respond, and made barely a noise as she padded away in her bare feet.
Jack sighed gently and looked after her. He didn't know why, but that female was for some reason growing on him; intriguing and further enticing him by the minute. She was so sweet and kind…she had no business being on a pirate ship. And he almost felt guilty about bringing her aboard.
