Enjoy

Chapter 36

When they next woke night had fallen and silence reigned. Mari woke first, at first she didn't remember where she was, and then it came back to her. She smiled and leaned into Jack a little more. Jack's grip tightened, but not too much. The waves rocked the boat harder. Every wave pushed harder, it was starting to get too rough. Suddenly a larger wave force the boat over, it wouldn't have tipped, except it had the added weight of Mari and Jack on it. Mari gasped as she resurfaced and then started sinking again. The boat had gained water and a rope had her foot. Mari wrestled with the rope as it dragged her down. Suddenly Jack was beside her sawing at the rope with a knife. Finally it was free and Jack grabbed her by the waist, she had too much water in her lungs by now and was semi unconscious. The boat had been tipped back over but was floating away, towards shore. Jack cursed and swam as fast as he could towards a rocky cliff, Mari unconscious beside him, held by him. He made it to the ledge and hoisted her up on it, as soon has her back struck the rock it forced the water out of her lungs. She coughed and spluttered, then saw jack trying to get on the rock. She grabbed his hands and helped him up. They both sat panting on the rock.

"How the blazes did you get your foot stuck like that?"

"How should I know? It just happened. Where'd the boat go anyway?" Mari asked. Jack pointed,

"Oh." Mari said. She hopped off the ledge and swam out to the boat.

"What are you doing now?" Jack asked exasperatedly. How many times did a girl have to risk her life?

"I'm coming, keep your hair on." Mari snapped. She almost said 'keep your shirt on,' which was a more common saying but then she didn't want Jack getting any funny ideas. She climbed back on the ledge carrying the bags.

"What is in those that makes them so important, love." Jack asked.

"I'm making something for Elizabeth's wedding aboard the Pearl." Mari said, dumping the contents out.

"You want to help?" Jack shrugged and nodded. It gave him more reasons to be with Mari, so he was happy for any excuse.

"Ok, look in the oysters and stuff for pearls. I'm going to have a pearl as the center of it. I always thought they were pretty, so hopefully she will too." Mari said as she began searching for the prettiest shells she could find. The hours passed by in comfortable silence. The sun was starting to rise when they heard a fanfare coming from the courtyard in Port Royal.

"Sounds like the wedding." Jack said.

"Yeah, have you had any luck?"

"Not at all, love." Jack lied. He hated lying to Mari but he had found several, and he had a special plan for them. The hours passed by some more, finally Jack figured he had more than enough. He hid the ten or so he had found then held the eleventh up for Mari.

"Here you go, will this one work?" Mari looked at it and her faced brightened.

"Yes! That's great. I have all I need now." Mari said. She carefully climbed into the boat which had drifted to the ledge. She took out a knife and some yarn.

She quickly set to work on making a necklace. Jack watched, half interested and half just because it was something that Mari was doing. Finally she held it up to the light. It gleamed brightly. She smiled, half wistfully. It was the finest she had ever made, she felt something inside as she looked at it, but she couldn't figure out what it was. She ignored it and showed Jack.

"What do you think?"

"Uh… I don't know. It's pretty enough. I guess I'm just used to jewels and stuff." Jack said.

"You prefer those kinds of jewels. I prefer jewels of the sea. Pearl's for example." Mari said. She kicked her feet lightly in the water for a few minutes after she returned the necklace safely in the boat. Suddenly she hopped in the water dragging Jack in with her.

"Hey! What was that for?" Jack asked indignantly. Mari just shrugged laughing.

"I'm not going to tell you unless you can catch me!" Mari challenged. Jack grinned, this was going to be a challenge he would enjoy. He swam after her. She dodged him by going under. This continued for hours until Jack finally cornered Mari against the ledge.

"I win, so why did you push me off the rock, love?" Jack asked. Mari thought for a minute. I shouldn't do this, but I want to, it's nice. But, I'm still not sure. Mari then remembered something a wise old herbalist had told her, although this wasn't one of her grand sayings. 'You'll never know if you can fly until you jump.' She had never known what she meant until now. Well, let's see if I can fly or fall. Mari thought.

"I guess because it might have given me a reason to do this." Mari said, and then she kissed Jack. Jack leaned into her kiss, half pushing her against the rock. So she really does love me back. Jack thought. He would have smiled, except he was enjoying the kiss to much to break apart for that. She leaned against him, for a little bit, and then they remembered they were in the water, and Will and Elizabeth would be getting back soon.

"I guess we should be heading back." Jack said, reluctantly.