Disclaimer: Again, I do not own anything associated with PotC :(
Chapter 11- A New Sensation
The following two days passed unspeakably quickly, much to Paris' remorse. Jack seemed distant, appearing disinclined to speak much more than a few words with her when the opportunity presented itself. After the closeness she had felt being with him, Paris wondered why he had become so unapproachable when they had so few days left. Part of her considered that Jack remembered kissing her, and was now regretting the action.
'It doesn't matter,' she consoled herself, 'You didn't want anything to happen anyway.'
In her heart she knew it was a lie. Paris had longed for his touch ever since their night back in Tortuga, but she had pushed the thoughts and desire away, believing them to be foolish. 'Jack Sparrow is not a one woman man' Paris repeated in her mind when she caught herself thinking of him pulling on her boots one late afternoon.
Stepping outside into the dreary light of overcast skies, she noticed that the crew appeared to be racing back and forth around the deck more than usual. Paris stopped one of the pirates, Murray she knew his name to be, to ask him what was going on. "Port Royal is dead ahead, Miss," Murray replied. "But we be needing to keep a low profile of our entrance."
Paris thanked him and then noticed that Jack was gesturing to her. Resolutely, she met him at the wheel. "You and me onesies will be going ashore," Jack told her, "Me ship can't be seen, so we'll be taking a boat."
The Black Pearl lowered its anchor at a destination close to the Port, but far enough away to avoid being seen. The crew wished her luck and then Jack and Paris boarded a small, wooden boat and were lowered into the crystal water. While she watched Jack's leisurely strokes through the water with the oars, the threatening skies above them finally opened, releasing a surge of rain upon them. 'Wonderful,' Paris mused, 'Here I am, stuck in the rain with a man who doesn't know the meaning of speed.'
When he continued to smirk at her while the rain poured down onto them, Paris finally asked, "Jack, can't you go any faster?"
"Darlin', we can't attract too much attention to ourselves," he answered, continuing to ensure the boat crawled through the water.
"And two people out rowing in the rain won't?" she asked, not really expecting an answer. Droplets of water rolled down her face and into her mouth as she sighed. The weather matched her dreary mood when they finally reached the shoreline, a small, well-hidden entrance into the port. Jack and Paris pulled up the boat and hid it amongst some bushes just near the water's edge.
Crouched down together, Jack said, "Follow me, an' act as I do."
'Act as I do,' Paris thought with silent laughter, fighting back a need to tease his eccentric movements. Bent over as she emerged from behind the bush, Paris began to follow behind as Jack hurried along, scanning their surroundings for soldiers.
The ground was much too slippery, and as Paris tried hard to keep up with Jack, the ground fell out from beneath her and she landed sprawled face down in the mud. Jack whirled around when he heard the squelch of the mud as she hit the ground. Paris peeled her face from the ground, mud caking her cheeks. "Don't you say a word, Mr Sparrow," she warned him.
He held out his hands, attempting to give her an innocent smile. He failed when it turned into a mischievous grin, showing off his golden teeth. Looking affronted, she pushed herself to her feet, revealing a wet and now muddy dress. Jack looked her up and down with a grin still in place before continuing on.
Together they weaved in and out of trees and buildings, avoiding people and the King's soldiers at all costs. Finally they arrived outside a large white mansion. Paris was amazed at its size and said to Jack, "You say only two people live here?"
He shrugged in return and led the way up a gravel path to the doorway. Jack pounded insolently on the door and Paris raised an eyebrow. "Are we visiting or breaking in, Jack?" she asked him sardonically. Submissively, he knocked gently instead
A few moments later, the brown door was opened by an elderly woman who let out a shriek at the sight of them. She dashed back into the house after slamming the door in their faces. "And ye though' I was rude," Jack said.
Exchanging glances, they remained silently outside. It wasn't long before the door swung open once more. A young man with wavy brown hair tied back from his tanned face stood before them. With blatant surprise he exclaimed, "Jack! What are you doing here?"
"If you'd be so kind as to invite the lady and me onesies inside, I'll tell ye."
Will moved out of the way and they stepped inside. A large hall with a grand staircase in the centre greeted them. Paris felt awkward standing in such an elegant home, especially in the state she was in. Water and mud dripped down her once emerald dress onto the tiled floor.
Will returned a disapproving look upon Paris, and then Jack. "Elizabeth wouldn't be too happy if I allowed you to bring…" He stopped to subtly gesture to Paris.
She furrowed her brow and opened her mouth to reply to his unfinished comment when Jack held up a hand. "The lady is 'ere because of me," he admitted, "Paris isn't a-" Jack covered the side of his face and mouthed something to Will.
Paris didn't have to wonder what he had said. They both turned their gaze upon her as Will nodded. "Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Paris," he said with a warm smile. "But it seems we are meeting once more under unpleasant circumstances, Jack."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Ye know?" he inquired.
Will nodded again, and walking over to a small wooden table he produced a large piece of rolled up parchment. He opened it out to reveal a portrait of none other than Jack under a heading entitled, 'Wanted.' Jack took hold of the poster and inspected it from all angles, Paris glancing down over his shoulder at it. "You look good," she joked, unable to contain a laugh when the pirate Captain seemed pleased with himself.
Will stared at his friend. "You haven't changed a bit, I see," he stated, "Or the company you keep."
Jack grinned before changing the subject. Returning the poster to Will, he said, "We need ye help on a small matter. Ye see, I may 'ave gotten the lady into a bit o' trouble."
Paris placed a hand on her hip, making the bangles around her wrist jingle together. "A bit? Being hung is obviously not a big deal to you then?" she narrowed her eyes.
Will opened his dark eyes in astonishment and Jack winced in embarrassment. "You didn't!" Will exclaimed.
Jack shrugged. "I may 'ave."
Shaking his head in disbelief, Will indicated that they should follow him. The maid they had scared off at the front door was now in the dining room, and Will called her over. "Mrs Carrington, this is Miss Paris…"
"Nightingale," she offered.
"And Mr…sorry, Captain Jack Sparrow," he introduced them giving Jack a knowing glance.
"Sir, if I may be so bold. These here are pirates!" she exclaimed, her small, beady eyes studying them warily.
"That they may be, but they are also my friends," Will told her, "Please show them to their rooms for this evening. And perhaps some new clothes wouldn't go astray either."
At this, he grinned at Paris who looked bashfully down at her raggedy dress. "Jack?" a soft female voice floated from behind them.
They all turned around to find a thin, attractive young lady behind them, which Paris assumed could only be Will's wife, Elizabeth. She wore a gold coloured dress with a wide full skirt, and her brown hair was piled elegantly upon her head. Whatever dignity Paris had left dripped onto the floor along with the muddy water already pooling at her feet.
"Elizabeth," Jack greeted her, tilting his tri-cornered hat in her direction.
She gave him a friendly smile and then her blue eyes fell on Paris, who felt even more uncomfortable standing there in her raggedy dress, mud still spread on her cheeks.
"Honey, this is Paris, Jack's ahh, friend. Paris, this is my wife Elizabeth," Will introduced them again.
Moving over to link her arm with her husbands, Elizabeth asked, "You'll be staying with us until tomorrow, I assume?"
"Aye," Jack nodded, "We be needin' ye help with the Commodore."
Elizabeth smiled in understanding. "I wondered when he would catch up with you."
Mrs Carrington cleared her throat from behind them. "If you don't be leaving now, you'll be late," she said to Will and Elizabeth.
Paris and Jack exchanged glances. "Elizabeth and I were planning to go out this evening. You don't mind if we keep our plans?"
"Of course not," Paris told them, "We can discuss the situation later. Please, don't stay on our behalf." She already felt rude dripping onto their floor.
After Will and Elizabeth departed, Mrs. Carrington swept up the staircase and through a long hallway, Jack and Paris trailing behind. She stopped and opened the third door on the left. "Your room Miss Nightingale," she said stiffly, still upset the authorities had not been called. Gesturing to another door on the right of Paris' she continued, "And yours Mr. Sparrow."
"Captain Sparrow, if you will," Jack said, enjoying her obvious discomfort.
The elderly woman bristled; her sharp, beady eyes narrowing into small dark slits before she threw the white towel meant for Paris at Jack indignantly then abandoned the two of them in the hallway. Jack slid it off his face to reveal a cheeky grin and looked past Paris and into her bedroom. "So that's our room then?"
Smiling, she said, "No, that's my room." Placing her hands on Jack's shoulders, Paris spun him around and pushed him towards his room and inside. "And this is your room."
When his pleading, puppy dog eyes while usually irresistible, did not sway her, Jack conceded, "You're a stubborn one, I'll give ye that."
Thinking of her refusal to accept her feelings for him, Paris agreed wistfully, "It's not always a good thing though."
Jack lounged against the doorway, his kohl-lined orbs appearing to search her face for something she wasn't quite sure she wanted him to find. Dropping her eyes, Paris ran a nervous hand through her hair, feeling hundreds of knots which had been created there. She shivered, the dampness of her clothes beginning to have an affect on her. Seeming to remember the towel still in his hold, Jack draped it back behind Paris, tugging the ends and pulling her into him. "S'pity ye got yeself all wet and muddy," he said huskily in her ear.
He ran a hand over her cheek, his thumb gliding just beneath her eye, wiping away the mud still staining her. Paris trembled again, only this time she knew it was not from the cold; Jack's body so close was radiating his warmth onto her. Her heart skipped a beat and a strange sensation crept over her entire body. She took a timid step back away from his caress. "I'm going to go wash this off," Paris said quietly.
She saw a slight crease form in the middle of the pirate Captain's forehead before she turned away suddenly and disappeared inside the safety of her room. Once inside, Paris touched the side of her face, the feeling of his hand still lingering there. Did Jack know how she felt? And if he did, could he possibly feel the same way? Paris didn't know, and dismissed the idea altogether; Jack couldn't want her.
To get her mind away from the pirate Captain, Paris took a long, hot bath, removing layers of dirt from her now tanned skin. Combing out the tangles from her wavy, dark hair, she changed out of her worn dress and into a fresh nightgown, settling herself down onto the four poster bed in her room.
While she felt out of place in such an elegant, well-kept home, Paris picked up a book on the bedside table, and for the first time in two months, was able to relax.
Author's Note: Well, there you all go! Chapter 11 :) It was kinda long,but hope once again that you enjoyed it! On a personal note, I'm going to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on thursday! It's only just coming out for us that day, so I can't wait! But anyways, thankyou to all those who are reading and reviewing:)
The Future Mrs. Jack Sparrow- Hehehe, I'm happy you could see him saying that ;) It's kinda hard to write Jack! Glad you liked it because I was a bit worried about that chapter, and thankyou for reviewing:)
LegolasLuvr71- Lol! I'm glad you can 'smell the love' ;) And yes, she should tell him, but will she? I guess you'll have to wait to find out:) Thankyou so much for reviewing!