DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately, I do not own PotC in any way, shape or form :(
Chapter 13- Over Too Soon
Light streamed in through the arch shaped window the following morning, playing softly across the large bedroom. Paris opened her eyes to find her arm draped across Jack's chest and him, watching her. Lying there in her Captain's arms, Paris had never felt more content. The Dirty Maid, the gallows and Pierre seemed like a distant memory. "What?" she smiled, moving closer to him.
The back of Jack's fingers caressed her cheek and he replied, "Yer beautiful."
His words sent a strange feeling soaring inside of her and she felt herself blush. Paris had never considered herself good-looking, especially when she compared herself to the upper-class women like Elizabeth. Paris leant over to place a lingering kiss on Jack before replying playfully, "You're not too bad yourself."
"No' too bad, love?" Jack questioned, acting offended.
He curled his moustache suggestively making Paris laugh. Her laughter, though, was cut short when a knock interrupted them. Jack and Paris sat up in surprise. "You have to go," she whispered urgently, pushing the pirate Captain out of bed.
Grabbing his clothes off the floor and covering himself up with them, Jack gave her one last trademark grin before he disappeared through the adjoining door. Paris threw on a dressing gown at the end of the four poster bed and hurried to open the door.
Will wished her good morning with a most unusual look upon his face. Paris smiled innocently at him, hoping fervently he hadn't heard his friend's voice. A short feminine scream came from Jack's room, followed shortly by the slamming of a door. Will and Paris looked to the right where Mrs Carrington was fleeing down the hallway.
Will returned a confused expression upon her. "She must have seen Jack naked," Paris suggested, unable to suppress a laugh.
Will joined in her laughter uncertainly and Paris ran a nervous hand through her long, wavy hair. Then something caught Will's eye and he frowned. "Is that Jack's hat?" he asked, pointing past her.
Whirling around in a panic, Paris saw the tri-cornered hat perched upon the dresser table and realized that in his rush to depart, Jack had left it behind. Struggling to come up with something believable, she decided it was best not to lie and nodded guiltily, her face flushing as she did so.
"Oh, I see," Will said pleasantly, his eyes crinkling up with silent laughter. "Well, breakfast is being served downstairs. You'll ask Jack to join us too…after he puts some clothes on?" he asked with a straight face.
Flushing even deeper, Paris assured him she would and closing the door, slumped against it. Grinning in both embarrassment and amusement, she moved from the door and scooped up Jack's tri-cornered hat. "That would be mine, darlin'," Jack's voice came from behind her.
Now fully dressed, the pirate Captain had slipped back into her room unnoticed. She placed his hat upon his dark, beaded hair, while Jack wrapped his arms about her waist, drawing Paris closer into him. "Will knew you were here," she told him with a slight smile.
"Is that so?" Jack murmured into her ear before placing a kiss just below it.
"And he asks us to come down for breakfast," Paris continued as the Captain's hands wandered towards the tie at the front of her white dressing gown. She caught them in her own hands preventing from Jack from undoing it. "We have to go now, Jack," she said firmly, before flashing him a teasing, look beneath her long eyelashes. "I'll meet you there."
She gave him a quick kiss and Jack reluctantly left her. A purple dress had been delivered to Paris' room the night before and, timidly, she put it on. Finding some pins in the dresser drawer, she piled her hair atop her head, thankful to have it at last out of her face. Gazing into the mirror at her reflection, Paris was surprised to find the black marks beneath her eyes, caused by the stress of her job and childhood, had all but gone. Her face once plain and white was now flush with colour from the sun. 'I have a long way to go to achieve Jack's weather beaten golden skin though'.
Scanning the room one last time and its lush furnishings, she went down to the dining room where it appeared the others had been awaiting her presence. Taking a seat next to Jack who grinned at her dress, Paris' hazel eyes swept the table where the others looked much more sullen.
"Jack's been filling us in on your story," Will informed her.
"And Will tells me you were sent to the gallows?" Elizabeth said, her eyes wide.
Paris glanced at Jack, who pulled a face at Will. "I figured he would leave my hanging out of the story," she replied with a smile.
Elizabeth laughed. "You know Jack well."
"Exceptionally," Jack suggested, clearing his throat at Paris' glare. "But me point is, I didn't give her an option about whether to help me onesies or not, savvy?"
"We just have to convince Norrington of that," Will said dubiously.
Paris sighed, her stomach beginning to fill with doubt. "Its alrigh' love," Jack said, sounding cheerful at the prospect of a longer pursuit.
His thumb stroked the top of her hand subconsciously. They all sat in silence for the moment, Paris considering her final days with Jack. There was no doubt she had fallen completely and almost unwillingly for a man she had believed could never love her back. It was only now that things had changed between them.
It was not lust, but something else, something deeper and unspoken that they were both experiencing. Nearly everything she wanted or could have dreamed for during her childhood on the streets of St Huxenburg and then later when she worked at The Dirty Maid to support herself she had found while with Jack. Perhaps it was fate, chance or luck, but could she now give up what she had found?
Unfortunately Paris lost time to ponder these thoughts when a commotion broke out in the entrance hallway. Everyone at the table stood in alarm and looked in the direction where Mrs Carrington's shrill voice floated back to them.
"How dare you come storming in here like a herd of wild horses! I don't care! I will not have you gallivanting around…Where do you think you're going!"
Where they thought they were going was made clear when Commodore Norrington burst through the doorway surrounded by five other men. Mrs Carrington appeared breathless behind Norrington. "I couldn't stop them..." she began, stopping when Will held up a hand.
"It's fine Mrs Carrington. Commodore, what do you think you're doing storming into our home?" he questioned sharply, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
Norrington returned a look of triumph. "When Mrs Turner and yourself spoke to me last night and you mentioned the pirate, I knew exactly where I would find Mr Sparrow and Miss Nightingale," he told them, a wild gleam in his eye. He pointed in a threatening manner towards Jack. "Arrest them," he barked orders at his soldiers.
Paris gripped Jacks elbow, but the soldiers took a rough hold of him, tying his hands together. They then grabbed Paris' arms in an attempt to bind them too. "Commodore!" Jack growled, "Let the lady go."
"You're persistent, Mr Sparrow. I recall you said something similar when I threw the two of you in a cell the first time," Norrington returned smugly.
"Well perhaps you should have listened to him," Elizabeth said loudly. Norrington stared at her. "Paris never wanted to help Jack. He had a gun on her," she continued coldly.
Norrington looked mortified at her anger, but regained his indifferent demeanour. "I hardly believe that," Norrington scoffed, although he sounded as though he was trying to convince himself.
"You should," Will said, "Are you forgetting the way Jack dragged Elizabeth and I into his escapades twelve months ago?"
"And at the end you deemed that Will was innocent enough to go unpunished," Elizabeth added to the argument.
Norrington looked strained. Nothing was ever simple when the pirate was involved. Slowly, he turned his attention regretfully to Paris. "Is this true?" he asked nervously.
Paris glanced at Jack's tied hands, the trinket which read liberté she had given him seemed to mock her now. Paris felt wrong in freeing herself when she could not do the same for Jack, but she knew denying the truth would defeat the purpose he had brought her to Port Royal.
Realizing everyone's eyes were on her, Paris nodded. "It is," she answered quietly.
"I see," Norrington replied thoughtfully. "I believe I owe you an apology then Miss Nightingale, but the same cannot be said for Mr Sparrow." He paused. "While it is...possible I made a small mistake, the pirate remains guilty. As I've said on numerous occasions, this man has had a lifetime of crime ladies and gentlemen," he continued boldly, trying to clarify his previous actions.
Will shook his head. "This feud between you and Jack has to stop," he said.
"When will it end, James?" Elizabeth asked, concern in her voice.
"When that pirate's bones are swaying in the wind," Norrington replied ruthlessly.
Jack frowned. "That's no' a very nice image," he said.
Under normal circumstances, Paris would have laughed, but she found that her throat was now tight with fear. "It is for me," Norrington said to Jack and then turned to his soldiers. "Gentlemen. If you will…"
Helpless, Paris watched wide-eyed while Jack, giving her an apologetic look, was led away. "Jack..." Paris breathed, devastated.
Elizabeth put a comforting arm around her shoulders which Paris barely felt. Jack was going to be hung, and this time, she could see no way out of it.
Author's Note: There's chapterthirteen :) Just thought I'd let you know this story doesn't have too many more chapters to go, probably about 2 or 3 left maybe :) Thankyou to all my readers and reviewers!
The Future Mrs. Jack Sparrow- I didn't see Wedding Crashers, but yep, CATCF is my favourite for this year so far:) I'm very glad you liked it and thankyou so much for reviewing once more:)
LegolasLvr71- Hehehe, I'm glad they kissed too:) Thankyou for reviewing!
amanda-gurl- Hehehe, well here's the next chapter :) I really hoped you liked it and thanks for reviewing!
Queen.Bowie.Jack.Sparrow.Lover- Oh, ok, I see now! Hehe, thanks for clearing them up for me ;) And yes! They are together :) Very happy to hear you love it and thankyou so much for reviewing!
beadedreams- Hehe, you don't have to apologise! I'm just glad that you're still reading ;) And lol! You know, when I first used that word I felt a bit funny about it too, but then I decided just to stick with it. I'm glad youtold me about your'quibble' with it, cause now I know it's not just me! Hehehe :) Thanks for reviewing!