Greetings once again! Here's another chapter as promised……this one is Rated PG-13, as it contains a bit more of the heavier romantic situations our favorite captain likes to engage in …so if you don't like to see the softer side of CJS, ye be warned! For those of you that do, however, I think you'll like this read!

P.S. Spikez-babe91---no gold in his pockets, since he was dressed at the museum……but stay tuned, as that may change soon!

Lynseyax & Mrs. Sparrow----thanks for thinking I'm a cool mom! I am a huge fan of POTC and was thrilled to find a place like this where I could let my vivid imagination run wild. (Hey, I may be an old lady, but who can resist Jack Sparrow?)

Estelle & Mandy: Thank you for your wonderful comments—they're what keep me going!

As usual, I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean or any of its characters, and I am making no profit from this,----the only characters I own are the ones that I create in my own widdle mind. Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Of Wounds and Healing

Nicodemus's whine and the rhythmic thumping of his tail on the bed beside her were the first things she recognized as she awoke in the familiar confines of her bedroom, although she had no recollection of how she go there. Alarmed, she sat up and winced as the remains of a headache made her head swim for a moment. "What the…!" The cool cloth that had been resting on that same aching head fell off into her lap, and she picked it up and stared at it as if it would bite her. I don't remember going to bed…..She looked down at her fully clothed self…and I never sleep fully dressed…………and then she remembered……

Oh yeah……The gala…the toga wearing creep with the grabby hands….the rum…the crazy dreams about Jack……"It's a miracle I even made it home last night. Remind me never to drink rum again, Nicci…" she murmured, giving the scruffy pooch a loving scratch behind the ears as she closed her eyes and leaned back against the headboard.

"Back among the living, I see." The voice, tinged with amusement, came from the doorway where he leaned with arms crossed, a half eaten banana in one hand. He raised an eyebrow as both her eyes and mouth flew open, staring at him as if she had seen a ghost. He walked into the room, coming to a stop beside the antique replica canopy bed. "What's the matter, m'sweet…you look like you've never seen a pirate before. Not going to faint again, are ye?" He cocked his head slightly at he observed her bemused expression before continuing. "For some reason unbeknownst to me, many females in my presence seem to suffer from a lack of oxygen, either by restrictive garments or by failing to inhale as you are doing right now, both activities which can lead to disastrous consequences. Relax and breathe, lass……I won't bite, at least not unless you ask me nicely. Twice."

That brought out the desired response from Jo, who restarted her lungs with a deep shuddering breath followed by a shaky laugh. "I see you found your way around the kitchen…I have been eating on the road mostly and haven't done much marketing. Did you find anything else in there that was edible?" She asked hopefully as she watched Jack take another large bite and appeared to savor it.

"Indeed I did," he swallowed before answering. "but unfortunately, it started throwing grapes at me before I could sample it to see if it was as sweet as it looked." Tossing the empty peeling in a nearby trash basket, he sat down on the end of the bed, leaning back against the stout mahogany post. Reaching out with his left hand to give Nicodemus a scratch, he tipped his head back to scratch under his chin with the other when his own reflection startled him. He grinned wickedly, those golden teeth gleaming in the dimly lit bedroom. "Mirrors, luv?" he made a clacking sound with his tongue while shaking his head. "It's as I thought then…beneath that lovely but logical minded shell lurks the soul of a wanton…and freeing wanton souls from their inhibitions is a specialty of yours truly." He brought both hands up to twirl the ends of his moustache, curving their ends upwards before raising his eyebrows, favoring her with a suggestive leer.

Jo couldn't help but smile and shake her head at his antics. "The bed is second hand and came this way, honest. I just haven't had time to take them down yet…" At Jack's "yeah, right" smirk, she grabbed her spare pillow and chucked it at his laughing face. He caught it with an "obliged", nodded and immediately tucked it behind his back, lacing his fingers behind his head and sighed as he leaned back, favoring her with another grin.

Jo's whimsical mood, however, quickly changed as dark thoughts crossed her mind. "Jack, at the museum….I thought it was a dream, but it wasn't….was it…." It came out more like a statement than a question, and Jack met her serious gaze with one of his own. "What happened with Michael…..if you hadn't been there to stop him, he would have…." Her voice trailed off as her eyes fell, the realization of all the previous night's events finally sinking in.

"But it didn't happen, Jo, and he'll not trouble you again, e'en if I have to run him through." She looked up to find him still watching her carefully, his expression one of deadly calm. She shivered suddenly and drew her knees up, wrapping her arms around them and turning her uninjured cheek to rest upon them away from the room. She stared unseeingly at the mini blind covered window as the tears she had been trying to hold back began to fall silently, the only sound in the room the slow ticking of her bedside clock.

She felt the bed shift as he rose, and then he was beside her at the head of the bed, placing the pillow up behind his back as he sat against the headboard with a sigh. When he reached for her she flinched away, ashamed to have him see her crying. Sensing her strain, he instead began to run one ring covered hand through her hair, combing gently through the tangled silk…..and he waited. Just as it had on his namesake when he was a child, his patience and light touch had the desired effect. The wounded dove he wanted to care for came freely into his welcoming arms as the dam around her pent up emotions finally burst.

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A long while later, Jo gave a long shuddering sigh against Jack's now slightly soggy vest, and moved her head slightly so the buttons weren't cutting into her face. She felt drained, but it was a good feeling, and she smiled slightly as she listened to his heart beat, slow and steady beneath his linen shirt. His head, which had come to rest atop her own as he cuddled her against his side, raised up, and she could feel his gaze on her. Lifting her head, she reached across him to get to the tissue box on the nightstand, and his right arm, which had been resting on the bed, swept up to wrap around her as well. Startled, she looked down to find herself face to face with a highly amused pirate, who was eyeing her with suspicion.

"Think you're through with the waterworks, then?" At her warm smile and nod, his smiling eyes expressed his approval as he tightened his hold on her. "It's glad I am to hear it……that bastard isn't worth your tears, luv. Do you want to talk about it?" When she shook her head and uttered a soft no, he looked at her appraisingly through his half closed eyes, his expression taking on a much different, almost hungry expression.

"I agree, luv………there's much more interesting things we can be doing in this wonderous bed o' yours beside talking…" She felt one hand, which had been making slow circles on her back, start inching lower as he used the other to pull her down to his waiting lips.

Jo broke away from the kiss to favor him with a mock scowl… "Jack Sparrow, are you attempting to seduce me?" He favored her with a slow, sexy smile that made her tingle all the way to her toes.

"No, m'love…that was an attempt to kiss you. Now this.." Jack rolled suddenly and pinned Jo beneath him, his arms holding hers down on either side of her head. His hair fell forward to form a curtain around his face, the ornaments tinkling softly as they brushed against her cheek. "This is an attempt at seduction." He slowly started running kisses behind her ear and down her throat, smiling as he felt her pulse fluttering. When he nipped softly at her earlobe, she gasped and murmured "I thought you said you wouldn't bite unless I asked?" to which he murmured "Pirate!" and renewed his assault on her mouth, preventing further conversation. She whimpered softly when his roaming mouth tasted the evidence of her recent tears, and soothed it away. He finally leaned his head back with a reluctant sigh but didn't release her, observing her with a keen, curious gaze. Feeling him pull away, Jo's eyes fluttered open and met his. Apparently he was satisfied with what he saw in them, because he relaxed slightly and kissed her again softly before attempting to roll off of her. But this time it was he who was surprised when she wrapped her fingers in his shirt and didn't let go.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that starting something that you don't intend finish isn't polite, Captain?" She spoke lightly, but the hunger in her eyes spoke louder than her words. Jack only grinned, brushing her hair back from her face tenderly before he replied.

"Well, we can't let it be said that Captain Jack Sparrow ever passed up an opportune moment……just promise me you won't swoon this time until after I ravish you, savvy?" A growled reply and a chuckle followed…then neither one of them said anything for quite a while……