Chapter 11 - Crossing Blades
"Come on Louise don't be stupid" Ana had a clasp on her wrist trying to pull her back down into the chair, she may have been drunk but she knew how much of a mistake it would have been for Louise to go see Jack like this.
"I'm not being stupid, I've finally figured it out", she pulled on her arm trying to free it.
Ana looked up at her pleadingly, "come on, you've drunk too much, talk to him in the morning".
"No, it'll be too late", with that she tugged one last time freeing her arm but falling back into Danny's lap. She giggled, "Sorry Danny my dear, I've got bigger fish to fry" and got up purposefully, Ana watched her go and considered following her but she was distracted by the promise of another game, whatever Louise intended to do Ana wouldn't have been able to stop her anyway.
After leaving the galley Louise half danced her way to the deck, singing something indecipherable but when she got full sentences out sounded suspiciously like 'I will survive'.
She got onto deck and put a finger to her lips making a "shhhhh" sound. Taking a deep breath she allowed a more sober Louise to take control, however there was still a glaze over her eyes.
"Jack?" she called in a quiet sing song voice, which spookily echoed through the night air.
He heard her voice but at first couldn't tell who it was, the echo sounding almost childlike but as she got closer and called out again he could make it out as Louise's. He looked around as saw her apparently trying to be stealthy, keeping low and creeping up towards the helm.
"Louise?"
She giggled, "Jacky Jack Jack?", he looked at her, it was clear she had been drinking but apparently more than usual, he was just hoping not as much as the time she passed out.
"What's the matter Louise?" She jumped up next to him as if expecting him to be surprised at her presence, when he wasn't she began pacing behind him like someone beginning a lecture.
"Well Jack it occurs to me we need to sort out some important type issues so the only way to do this is to have it out", she proclaimed this as if fact, finishing with her hands on her hips and an air of superiority.
He raised a eyebrow as he heard a shuffling from the darkness but he didn't hear it again so he turned to Louise, "What are ye suggestin luv?".
"Simple Jack", she unsheathed her sword, "I'm going to fight you". He wanted to laugh, but he didn't dare get into another argument.
"See here's the problems with that luv, firstly you're drunk, secondly you don't know how to fight", if she hadn't been drinking she may have got angry at his assumption she couldn't fight but she just smiled coyly inviting him to take out his weapon, he shook his head "put it away darlin".
"No Jack, you keep assuming I can't fight or look after myself and there's only one way to prove you wrong" she knew he didn't want to but she wasn't going anywhere.
"Are ye sure ye wanna do this luv?" she nodded, and he gave up and took out his sword. She took a step back as he raised his blade, her eyes flashed. He mentally aimed to go easy on her, let her get so far then win quickly. But as she avoided his first blow and rounded to aim for his upper arm, which he only just blocked in time, he realised that she may actually know have some skills. As they continued to parry her eyes remained locked on his, a cool aura about her.
"Come on Jack I hope you're not going easy on poor little me" he grinned back at her.
"Well you are just a girl", he saw the anger in her eyes but he expected it to weaken her, instead she channeled it, moving faster. Other than the odd close call he had been going easy on her but now he was finding it a challenge, she certainly knew how to think fast. He made a swipe at her arm and as she blocked it he spun his blade, hitting the side of her leg with the flat side of it. He could tell the slap of metal had hurt her but she kept her face in control as she could, and hit him on his arm with her sword before sheathing it.
"That wasn't fair I won", he rubbed his arm after putting his sword away.
She pressed a finger into his chest, smiling like a town fool, "I think I made my point Jack". He grabbed her finger and pulled her to him, she could feel his breath hit her face and whether it was the rum or their closeness her cheeks started to flush a deep pink.
"Aye that ye did", she felt herself becoming light headed and she wondered what was going on, her mind screaming 'it's Jack, what are you doing?'.
"Jack" she pushed her hands against his chest, moving him away but making no attempt to get away from the situation itself.
He stroked her warm cheek with two of his fingers and she relished in his touch effectively giving up any futile attempt at resisting. He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers, with the softest touch. She wrapped one arm around his neck and he grinned against her lips as he moved in closer. They stood in this embrace pulling each other closer together and after a few moments he pulled back causing her to let out the slightest of moans at the loss of his warmth. He took a moment and just looked at her, the moonlight reflecting off her hair, the spark in her eyes, those silky lips. She smiled and sighed in a sort of happy contentment and it was in this moment of peace they both heard the creak of wood, the creak of someone moving about in the night.
Jack frowned as he looked in the direction of the noise, he turned to see Louise who had now backed up a little with a look in her eyes that he couldn't read but it was somewhere between confusion and regret, Jack hoped it was the former. He stepped down the towards the noise, which was hard as whoever it was had realised they had been caught and stopped moving. Turning a corner rather dramatically, he revealed nothing, if anyone had been there they were gone now.
Louise came up behind Jack as he turned to face her, she reached up and kissed Jack lightly before whispering, "I think I'm going to bed", at least now he knew it wasn't regret. He smirked saucily and she caught a glimpse of his mind, "Alone, Jack", she kissed him so quickly the kiss almost wasn't there, before making her way to her cabin. However she only just made it out of sight before she collapsed against a wall, panting heavily. What had just happened? She hadn't spoken to him civilly in days and now they were kissing in the moonlight. She stood there for a moment trying to clear her head, of the rum and of Jack. Louise released the breath which she hadn't realised she had been holding and made her way to her cabin practically walking on air, not even noticing Abreys presence in the shadows.
Jack stood on deck and like Louise tried to figure out the what had happened. He looked out to the night sea and wondered how far it would have gotten if not for the mystery noises, he also wondered how much of her actions were the alcohols fault. Remembering the night she had kissed him last he hoped this was something she wanted and that she would remember in the morning. Finding himself in a better mood as he heard the rest of the crew still drinking below, he considered joining them but thought better of it.
The pearl groaned beneath him and he placed a hand on the railing, "you're still me number one" he promised as he walked to his cabin, with a renewed stride.
So there was something between Jack and the girl, one minute they were fighting the next they were all over each other. Abrey had found his leverage over Jack Sparrow. All he had to do now was not raise any suspicions and keep an eye on them both, it had been a close call on deck, he had been stupid to move at all but they were none the wiser as to who it was and Abrey had what he needed.
"Morning Ana, beautiful morning isn't it?", Louise smiled as she handed Ana some breakfast, she looked a lot better than over the past few days, the colour in her cheeks had returned and she was smiling almost overly happy.
Ana watched her calculatingly, "Why are ye so happy? You hate mornings".
"Well maybe I got up on the right side of bed this morning", she sat next to Ana drinking some tea she had found in the murky depths of the galley, at least it tasted ok.
"Who's bed exactly?" Ana was amused with the over dramatic shock on Louise's face, but there was a beaming grin in there somewhere.
"My bed" she stressed, "anyway I won a lot of money last night, plenty of it was yours, and I found some tea".
Ana shrugged, "If you say so, but before I forget did ye teach Jack a lesson?", Louise noticed Ana's knowing wink.
"Yes I did. I proved I could fight", she knew where this was going and she didn't like it one bit.
"Is that all ye taught him?", thats when Ana felt a slap on her arm accompanied by another over dramatic gasp, she laughed. "Well it just seems that you and Jack are both in a very good mood this morning".
Louise seemed nonchalant, "Is he? I wouldn't know".
Ana just continued with her breakfast, "I bet you wouldn't".
Jack was in a good mood, the world just seemed at right again, he could stop avoiding the galley for one thing and the prevailing winds were lifting his spirits. He stood at the helm watching some of the crew milling about, and called for Cotton to take over. He didn't know why he wanted to go and speak to Louise, he just wanted to see her. He knocked on her cabin door, waiting for a reply. Then it occurred to him she was one for sleeping late so he slowly pushed the door open and was surprised to find the room empty. He did however see her dress lying across the dresser, where before he laughed at the notion, right now it didn't seem like a bad idea, Louise in a dress. As he left the room Ana was walking towards him, she again smiled knowingly.
"She's in the galley", she winked and patted Jack on the arm. He grinned cockily and tipped his hat to her.
"Thanks luv", luckily he had already got far away enough that Ana couldn't issue a slap.
He did however hear her yell, "What have I told ye bout callin' me luv?"
Grinning his way into the galley he saw Louise sitting with Danny, he was laughing at Louise who was leaning over the table with a smile on her face, apparently telling him something funny.
"hey it's not my fault the guy couldn't take a joke", she took another sip of her tea as Jack sat down.
"Danny I wanted ye up in crows nest", Louise could tell he was trying to get rid of him, Danny probably could too but he just nodded.
"Aye captain" he got up to leave and Louise smiled and tipped her hat to him. She grinned at Jack leaning on her elbows, "so Jack, to what do I owe the pleasure?".
He watched her, rock back and forth, "Came to get me self some breakfast".
"Most important meal of the day", she got up and brought him some food, "so what's the real reason you came?".
He kept the secretive smile on his face, "nufin luv, just admirin' the view".
"That right? well take a good look because the view is going back to her cabin", she watched as his face told her more than his words, he looked at his food like it was shackling him to the galley. She left him wondering what why he was so desperate to be around her and she left wondering why she was so desperate to be followed.
She slipped into her dress, running her fingers through her hair, thinking about Jack and the night before. Where exactly was it going? She found the question didn't bother her as much as maybe it should. She was going through her make up thinking about Jack, home and where her pink lipstick had got to when she heard a resounding bang. She rushed over to the small window hoping to see what was going on but all she saw was endless ocean, hoping to find out she began to walk towards the door when she heard the unmistakable click of a key in the lock.
She ran to the door and started banging on it, "Open the door!".
"Sorry Miss Roberts, captains orders", so it was Gibbs who locked her in.
"Gibbs open this door now!", she was pulling at the handle, hoping it would open.
"I'm needed back on deck Miss but I can't let you out", she screamed a string of profanities that would make any sailors ears burn. She heard him walk away but continued to scream.
"Tell Jack I'm going to kill him, after I've killed you", she carried on trying to do anything including breaking down the door. It didn't help that the sound of cannon fire got closer and Louise could hear shouts from the deck. She looked around the room desperate for a escape, finding none she punched out her frustrations into the mattress before running to the door and pressing her ear to it.
--Authors Notes--
I couldn't wait to write this chapter, for a number of reasons not just the Jack/Louise action. If you like the chapter please review, I'd love to know what you think. In general thanks, to readers who have me on favorites, alerts or have reviewed. I know I say it every chapter but I really mean it, thanks, the writer within me loves you all.