Disclaimers – pah!

Many thanks for your reviews, although they are like sex with Jack – you can never have too much! ;)

Richgal – I always put in some referrence to apples in my stories if I can.

Mz. Ellis – I never thought to correct it to Captain Jack Sparrow – hehehe!

With thanks to Kat for editing.

Sorry it's been so long – RL gets in the way too much!

Chapter Ten:

The following day

"Port ho!"

Jack stood next to the helmsman, Oliver Fernan, as he steered the large ship towards the harbour entrance of Tortuga, the sound of the harbour chain being lowered breaking the relative silence.

"Penhallick's obviously takin' no chances," the helmsman observed.

"Pity he didn't think of that before," Jack remarked. "It would have saved us a lot of trouble."

"There weren't too much trouble," the crewman argued good naturedly. "Only th'storm an' at least we were in shelter durin' that."

"Aye," his captain acknowledged. "Th'men didn't mind goin' ter Port-au-Prince?"

"Nah. It were somewhere different," Oliver shrugged. "An' we saved th'lass."

Right on cue, Celia opened the cabin door and peered out before taking a hesitant step onto the main deck. She had only ventured out from the cabin once, and the curious and somewhat lewd stares of the crewmen soon had her scurrying back inside, much to Jack's consternation.

"Celia, pet," Joshamee Gibbs beamed, offering her his arm. "It's good to see you."

"Thank you, Mister Gibbs," Celia smiled shyly. "I'm just relieved to be home."

"Aye, and at least you know your friends are safe."

"Yes, thank the Lord." She dutifully followed as the older man lead the way up the quarterdeck steps and she glanced at Jack, standing by the helm, seemingly concentrating on the path of the ship as she sailed serenely into the port. "I can't wait to see them again."

"At least Aggie'll be grateful ter ya, Cap'n" Matthias Swain laughed from on the rigging. "Maybe she'll give yer a free go, eh?"

"That'd be th'day," Jack snorted, smiling to himself as Celia blushed and looked a little disgruntled, he hoped with the idea of him and Aggie, rather than the coarse subject which his crewman had brought up. "Gettin' your sea-legs yet?" he asked the young woman as she tentatively made her way towards him.

"Yes, just about," she smiled. "But it's not as if I need them for much longer now that I'm back in Tortuga, is it?"

"Would you like ter steer her home?"

"Pardon?" Celia asked, eyes agog. "I can't…"

"I'll take th'helm, Mister Fernan. Come on, luv." Jack moved into position by the helm and made space for Celia to get between him and the wheel. He took her hands and placed them on the spokes, covering them with his own and pressed his body close to hers, a broad grin on his face as she shifted uncomfortably, inadvertently brushing her buttocks against his groin and making him moan softly.

"Is it necessary to stand so close to me?" she croaked, feeling panicked by the warm sensation that his presence was causing within her.

"Very necessary," Jack whispered huskily in her ear. "There's a few wrecks in th'harbour, don't want you ter steer th'wrong way now, do we?"

"Then maybe I shouldn't be steering at all, Captain Sparrow."

"Celia, luv," he sighed. "I know I like people ter remember my full title, but you can call me Jack from time to time, eh?"

"To call you Jack would mean a degree of familiarity and I do not intend being familiar with you, Captain Sparrow!" she hissed, aware of sniggers coming from nearby crewmen.

"Never say never," he quipped. "You don't know what's around th'next corner."

"I know that I won't be offering myself to you by way of thanks," Celia sniped, trying once more to move away from the nearness of him and frowning as he pressed himself against her once more. "If you don't desist, I shall move," she warned crossly.

"You've got ter escape my clutches first," Jack chuckled, his hot breath tickling her ear and making her shiver with revulsion, or so she told herself.

"Cap'n. There's a warnin' bouy in th'harbour!" Elliot Deane called from his watch position at the bowsprit.

"Very well," Jack sighed reluctantly. "You can have th'helm back, Fernan," he told the helmsman, releasing his hold on Celia who darted quickly away, and down the steps to the main cabin.

"Aye, Cap'n," Oliver replied, moving back to his position to steer the large vessel skillfully into the harbour.

Jack followed Celia to his cabin, regarding her as she stared out of the stern windows, intent on totally ignoring him. "Have you got any dresses of your own at Aggie's?" he enquired.

"Yes, a couple, why?" she finally asked, standing to face him.

"Because you're going ter be needin' them on board, that's why. Young Mister Deane will be wantin' his clothes back."

"On board? What do you mean, on board?" Celia demanded, her voice edgy. "I shall be going back to live with Aggie and Giselle and working for Mister Penhallick, I hope."

"'Fraid not," Jack shook his head. "You're stayin' on board with me."

"I do not think so, Captain Sparrow!" the young woman exploded. "You have no right to keep me here."

"Ah, but I do," he smiled, wagging a finger at her then pressing it against his lips. "I bought you so to all intents and purposes, I own you, Celia," Jack smirked.

"Y-you what? Y-you can't own me," Celia whispered incredulously. "I was… am not a slave."

"I somehow don't think you'd be havin' this conversation if someone else had bought you," he reasoned. "Just because I did, doesn't make th'situation any different."

"That's what this is all about, isn't it? You had no regard for my wellbeing at all did you, Jack? It was just so that you can have your way with me." She spun around, not wanting to face him any longer.

"Ah, Jack now is it? Funny that seeing as I am technically your master, you suddenly see fit ter call me Jack." He moved closer so that Celia could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck, making her shudder once more and curse herself for being affected by his nearness. "An' I will have you, Miss Hammond."

"Then you are no better than any other pirate," Celia spat. "Than… him," she shuddred, trying hard not to think of Davy Stockton.

"I didn't say I would force you," Jack reminded her. "Just that I will have you - that you will give yourself freely to me."

"It will be a cold day in hell before that happens," she sniped, moving away from him and feeling almost bereft of his presence.

"I am a patient man," he purred as he closed in again, brushing his lips against her ear and smiling to himself as he felt her react once more.

"How dare you touch me," she hissed, turning to slap him, but Jack was too quick and he grasped her wrist in his hand. "Let go!"

"No." Jack pulled her in, taking her other hand in his lest she try and fight him off, and pressed his lips against hers, marvelling in their softness.

Celia struggled against him, one part of her mind telling her it was wrong and that she should not respond to him, another part delighting in the intimacy. Her brown eyes grew wide as his tongue probed gently inside her mouth, running along her teeth and twirling around her own tongue, and she fought harder, wincing as he tightened his grip on her until he suddenly pulled away, leaving the former novice flustered and panting.

"That wasn't so bad now, was it?" he whispered huskily, his eyes glinting with lust.

"You swine!" she spat, slapping him harder than Giselle ever had. "You lying, conniving bastard!"

"Cap'n," Thomas Frazer called from the main deck. "Yer needed…"

Jack frowned crossly at Celia before stomping out of his cabin, glowering at a couple of nearby crewmen who looked at him as he emerged, the snigger that was bubbling beneath the surface at the sound of the argument and the tell-tale red mark on his cheek, dying on their lips at his stare.

Celia sat down heavily on the stern seat, shaking. She put her fingers to her lips, gulping hard as she still tasted the pirate captain in her mouth. 'Owns me?' she pondered to herself. 'What am I going to do?' Celia subconsciously reached for her rosary beads and toyed with them as she stared at the cabin doors, waiting for Jack's return. "Oh, goodness!" she exclaimed aloud. "I swore at him!"

"Aye, you swore at me," Jack growled as he re-entered the cabin and marched over to where he kept his sword belt, snatching it up and putting it on, glancing up at Celia as he did. "Feel better for it?"

"N-no," she whispered, her voice breaking. "But what did you expect? First you tell me that you supposedly own me and that you intend having your wicked way with me, then you kiss me like… well, like that!"

"So you'd prefer I let someone else have brought you, eh? You can go into town, unaccompanied, to see your friends an' pack your belongings. But I expect you at th'wharf by first bell of the dog watch, savvy?" (4.30)

"And if I'm not?" Celia boldly enquired, gettin to her feet and scowling at him. "What if Mister Penhallick objects to you taking one of his servants off him?"

"Mister Penhallick has other things on his mind, like keepin' this town together. B'sides, he doesn't have a mansion ter clean any more."

"Oh… but you can't own me!" Celia protested. "It's not right. I'm not a slave, like Noah," she stated, referring to a crewman of Jack's who was a former slave.

"Neither's Noah, now," Jack shrugged.

"Stop being so… pedantic!"

"Can't help it, luv," he grinned sarcastically. "It's my only bad trait."

"Only? Only?" Celia spluttered, looking at the pirate incredulously. "You think rather too much of yourself!"

"I can't help being a handsome, lovable rogue, can I?" Jack teased, his anger dissipating as he started to enjoy winding the young woman up. "You'll be at th'dock at first bell?"

"You haven't told me what you'd do if I'm not," she sniped, folding her arms.

"Miss Hammond," Jack drawled, moving closer to her, his annoyance returning. "I may be genial, I may even be crazy, but do not cross me, savvy?" he pressed, walking slowly around her and making her tremble further. "You can either promise me that you'll be waiting for th'boat, or you don't go ashore at all – your choice."

Celia blinked in the face of his anger, biting her lip to stop herself from crying. She did not want to obey the pirate, for it would mean admitting that he did own her, but she so desperately wanted to see that her friends were safe and well. She looked into his dark brown eyes, so like her own in colour, trying to read him – see if there was a chance that he was playing her along, but they were dark and devoid of emotion. "I-I'll be there," she finally whispered, wiping a tear from her cheek. "First bell."

"Good girl," he nodded, not moving from her but continuing to circle slowly, drinking in her scent and trying to resist the urge to kiss her once more. He wanted the young girl more than ever now, but knew that if he wanted to have her willingly, he would have to tread carefully, not push her too hard.

"W-what do y-you intend me to do on board," Celia stammered, resigned to her fate.

"Can you cook?" he enquired, his breath brushing against her face. "Sew?"

"I-I can't cook," she confessed. "But I can sew – well, embroider, and I can clean, but you already know that."

"Embroidery's not much use on a ship, but I expect one of th'lads will teach you how ter mend sailcloth," Jack reasoned, his voice softer now. "An' th'decks always need swabbin'. I'll do a deal with you, Miss Hammond. Let's say that for every week's hard work you do on board, I shall deduct five pennies towards what I paid fer you so that in about a years time, you will have paid me back and you'll be free ter go, what say you ter that, eh?"

"A year?" Celia echoed, looking horrified. "Y-you want me to stay here for a year?"

"Of course, if you spread your pretty legs for me, I'll consider th'debt halved," he quipped, arching an eyebrow - half in jest, half in hope.

Celia shook her head incredulously, her mouth gaping open. "You… are the most…" she spluttered, indignantly. "I shall work off my debt, but I want it in writing that you will let me go. You can write, can't you?" she asked acerbically.

Jack scowled and opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by a knock on the cabin door. "Cap'n, th'boat's about ter go ashore."

"Your word that you'll return?" he asked Celia, regarding her closely.

"Your written word that I can go free?"

"We have an accord, Miss Hammond," Jack nodded, holding out his hand.

"First bell," Celia nodded, shaking on it.

"Celia!" Aggie shrieked, running along the street for all she was worth when she saw her friend. "Gawd! I heard yer were safe, but I didn't believe it." She threw her arms around the younger woman and they danced around, giggling and laughing.

"I was so worried for you," Celia breathed. "When I saw that you weren't amongst those… captured," she gulped, the image of the detained women flitting through her mind. "I feared the worst," she finished with a small smile.

"Not half as much as what I feared," Aggie shuddered, hugging her friend close. "Thank gawd fer Sparrow! Come on, let's get yer home."

"I won't be staying," Celia sighed, her shoulders drooping dejectedly.

"What d'ya mean, yer won't be stayin'?" Aggie demanded.

"Sparrow insists that he bought me, therefore I have to work for him for a year until I pay off what he forked out for me."

"He said what!" the whore exploded. "He can't fuckin' do that! Sorry, didn't mean ter swear," she apologised. "But he can't – yer not goin' an' that is that."

"Yes I am," Celia smiled, patting her friend's arm. "I gave my word. He let me come ashore to see you and to collect my belongings."

"Where're yer goin' ter stay?" Aggie grumbled. "Will I see yer at all?"

"I shall be staying on board the Black Pearl, and yes, I should imagine he will let me come ashore when they are in town."

"On board… an' just where are ya goin' ter sleep? Yer haven't…?"

"No! I most certainly haven't," Celia blushed, wondering if she should tell Aggie about the kiss. "And I don't know where I'm going to sleep," she pondered, chewing her lip.

"Where have yer been sleepin'? More ter th'point, where has he been sleepin'?"

"I have been in his bunk," Celia confessed, blushing deeper. "I think Jack slept in a hammock, not that he's had much sleep with that storm."

"Jack…? I see…" Aggie nodded, a knowing look on her face.

"No, Aggie! I told you, it's not like that!"

"Methinks yer protest too much," the whore teased.

"Bloody hell! Celia!" The two women looked up to see Giselle and Scarlett outside a dockside tavern, the blonde busily adjusting her gown to expose even more cleavage. "Yer th'first I've ever heard of escapin' Stockton's clutches in one piece," Giselle remarked.

"I suppose I have Syndony to thank for that," Celia shrugged ruefully.

"Oh yeah! Is it true she was sold ter Simon Marlow?"

"I have no idea who she was sold to," Celia replied, shifting uncomfortably. "Only that she was sold."

"Serve th'fuckin' bitch right," Scarlett sniped, simpering as a group of men sauntered past, then going off with one of them as he beckoned her, leaving Giselle scowling in her wake.

"Come on, we'll get yer home an' yer can tell us all about what's happened," Aggie smiled, frowning as a shadow crossed Celia's face. "Well, as much as yer want ter tell us," she said softly, hugging Celia's arm to her.

"Thank you," Celia whispered gratefully, her eyes brimming with tears. "I can't wait to be home again, even if it is only for a short while."

"Ah, yer know how often th'Pearl is anchored, we'll see as much as ya as before," Aggie assured her.

"No, actually, I don't know how often the Pearl is anchored," Celia shrugged. "But I have a feeling it's quite often."

"Oh yes," Giselle put in. "Very often!"

Ethan Penhallick looked at the pirate sitting at the other side of the table located in a snug in the Faithful Bride and raised his eyebrows. "Simon Marlow?" he asked, incredulously. "What th'hell did he buy her for?"

"He's always cast envious eyes towards you," Jack reasoned. "I reckon he thought that if he had your woman…"

"Former woman," Penhallick reminded him.

"Former woman," Jack corrected, placing his hands together and bowing his head. "He might think that he's on th'way ter becoming pirate king himself," he mused as Penhallick snorted with derision and shook his head.

"I know, I know," Jack soothed, holding his hand up. "A cat's chance in hell, but you know Marlow. Always had ideas above his station."

"I'll just have ter knock him off his perch, then," Penhallick threatened.

"Nah, I'd leave him – at least until he shows signs of tryin' ter take over. I'll keep a weather eye on him, savvy?"

"All right, thanks. Now, here's what I owe you for your troubles," the pirate king smiled, pushing a large leather pouch across the table. "At least there was no trouble for your men to quell."

"Thank you," Jack nodded, pocketing the purse and gettin to his feet. "See you around."

"Aye, that you will, Jack."

Jack took the watch from his pocket and glanced at it, hoping it was somewhere near accurate. He had been inordinately pleased when he found it during the plunder of a Dutch ship, but soon realised that it did not keep very good time. If the watch was correct, it would soon be time for Celia to wait by the docks and Jack wanted to check to see if she arrived on time, if at all. He sauntered down the street and took a short cut through an alleyway, arriving just the other side of the wharf, and he leaned against the wall of a house, cleaning out his fingernails with the tip of his short dagger as he watched and waited.

Celia walked the short distance to the quay, carrying a sack which housed her meagre belongings. Aggie had tried in vain to disuade her from going, saying that the girls would refuse every Pearl man, but Celia had shaken her head. A promise was a promise, she had told her friend, and she was not about to go back on her word. In truth, she was also a little afraid of what the pirate would do if she did not show up on time, even if he had shown no signs of being nasty and vindictive like most of the other pirates she had encountered during her time in the Caribbean . She looked about forlornly at the deserted wharf – not even a boat in the water waiting for her and she frowned, looking about and seeing no-one. 'That's strange,' she thought to herself, placing the sack down.

"Right on time, Miss Hammond," Jack drawled, coming out from where he had been standing.

"I-I gave you my word," she stammered, placing her hand on her chest in an effort to still her pounding heart. "Tell me, Captain, why have you gone all formal on me, now that you own me?" She arched an eyebrow as Jack chuckled ruefully.

"You're quite right, Celia" he nodded, his beads and braids bobbing up and down with the movement.

"Two things," she enquired. "Firstly, where am I to sleep?"

"I knew you were goin' ter ask me that!" Jack grinned. "You can have th'hammock an' I'll have my bunk – unless you want ter share?" he winked laciviously.

"I see," Celia replied, looking acerbically at him when he had said exactly what she expected him to say. "I'll have the hammock."

"Secondly?"

"Secondly, what am I to call you?"

Jack pondered the question for a moment, stroking his beard braids thoughtfully, before nodding his head and smiling. "Captain in front of crew, Jack in private, savvy?"

"All right," Celia agreed. "Thank you."

"I knew this damn watch wasn't working properly," Jack cursed, taking the offending object from his pocket and glaring at it angrily. "Unless th'men are late, in which case I'll have their guts fer bloody garters."

"I am early," Celia admitted. "The girls were ready to go to work and I didn't see the point in hanging around."

"Here comes th'boat. You can send your things over an' stay ashore if you like."

"Pardon? But I thought…?"

"I wanted ter see if you'd keep to your word an' you have, so if you want ter spend th'evening with your friends, yer quite welcome ter do so."

"Oh. I think I'll go on board, if you don't mind? As I said, the girls are busy, and my friends from the mansion have their families to go back to and I'd be intruding."

"As you wish," Jack shrugged. "But I won't be there until mornin'."

"Oh. I see."

"Is there a problem, Celia? Or perhaps you were thinkin' of halvin' your debt to me, already," he chuckled.

"N-no," she gulped. "I-I think I will be staying at Aggie's after all." Celia turned from the dock and hurried along the street, desperate to get away from the pirate, lest he see her panic.

"Eh?" Jack wondered, looking from where she had disappeared to, to the approaching boat. "Take her belongin's back ter th'ship," he ordered Matthias Swain and Noah Trinity, before running after her.

Celia gasped with panic as she heard footsteps running behind her and sped up, muttering a prayer as she ran. She screamed as someone grabbed her from behind and spun her around and almost sobbed with relief when she saw it was Jack.

"Hey," he soothed, reaching out to stroke her hair and frowning when she shrank away. "What's th'matter?" Jack stood and watched as tears began to pour down her face.

Celia couldn't speak for a few minutes as sobs wracked her body, but she soon had enough control over her emotions to talk. "H-he might not have r-raped me," she whispered. "B-but that doesn't m-mean he didn't do other things…"

"Bloody hell," Jack swore, cursing himself for not realising sooner.

"A-at least with you I-I feel realtively s-safe, but I-I can't stay on board alone..." she gulped.

"My crew won't touch you," Jack promised, lifting her chin to look into her brown eyes. "I swear on my ship, they won't lay a finger on you, savvy?"

"I-I'm sorry, but y-you cannot guarantee t-that t-they w-wouldn't touch me."

Jack sighed heavily – he had not reckoned on this scenario and was at a loss as to what to do. "I know," he smiled eventually. "Th'girls'll look after you. Come on." He lead her by the arm through the streets until they reached the Faithful Bride.

"You want me to go in there?" she squeaked, backing away. "But it's a den of iniquity!"

"Aye, that it is," Jack chuckled raucously. "Here's th'deal. I intend gettin' myself blind drunk an', well, you know… You can stay with th'girls in their room, eh?"

"B-but… would it be safe?"

"They'd kill any man who tried ter hurt you, eh?"

"I suppose they would," she nodded, allowing him to lead her into the tavern. Celia gasped wide eyed at the hordes crammed into a seemingly small space and shrank against Jack as a ferocious looking pirate leered at her. "T-this isn't a good idea," she called over the din, but he appeared not to hear her.

"What th'bloody hell d'ya think yer doin', Sparrow?" Aggie's voice demanded across the crowded floor. "Bringin' 'er into a place like this."

"She didn't want ter stay on board alone, so I thought she could stay with th'girls in th'back room," the pirate reasoned, referring to a room at the back of the building where the whores stayed and rested between jobs.

"An' yer agreed ter this?" Aggie demanded, eyeing her friend suspiciously.

"I had little choice," Celia shrugged. "I'll be all right."

"Yer a bastard, Sparrow, that's what ya are – a bastard!" Aggie grabbed Celia's hand and dragged her away from Jack and through a door. Celia's eyed widened further as she saw the room full of women in various state of undress, some lounging on chairs and settee's, some applying yet more make-up to their faces, and most shockingly of all, two naked women who appeared to be intimate with each other, kissing and giggling, their hands roving over each other's bodies.

"Don't mind them," Aggie laughed as she saw the shocked expression on Celia's face. "They won't bother yer."

"It's not the bothering me that worries me," Celia gasped. "It's… un-natural."

"Nothin' un-natural about love, no matter whether yer man or woman," her friend shrugged.

"I can't stay here!" Celia hissed, trying to break free of her friend's grasp.

"Well, where else yer goin' ter go, eh?"

"Come on, Cee," one of the other women chivvied. "I ain't workin' yet awhile, so I'll look after ya."

"Thanks Dora," Aggie smiled as she turned and hurried back to the bar, hoping no-one else had muscled in on her punter.

Celia sat heavily on an armchair, trying to ignore the two women but finding it increasingly hard to the louder they became.

"Cor! I'll chuck a pail of water over th'pair of ya in a minute!" Dora laughed and to Celia's relief, a man poked his head around the door and called for one of them, and they reluctantly broke away with a lingering kiss.

"Y-you don't bring… men in here, do you?" Celia enquired with a pounding heart.

"Nah, no men are allowed over th'threshold," Dora replied, much to the young woman's gratitude. "Want a drink?"

"Yes please," Celia smiled, feeling like a fish out of water even though she knew a lot of the girls in the room. She nodded her thanks as Dora handed her a mug, and took a sip, nearly choking as the rum burned a path down her throat and chest. "Dora!" she exclaimed once she had got her breath back.

"Sorry," the whore pouted. "I though ya'd have been used ter it livin' with them two."

"I never drink," Celia explained. "Well, hardly ever…"

"Well if yer don't want it, I'll have it then," Dora shrugged, holding her hand out.

"Is there any water?"

"Only that half th'tavern have pissed in."

"Oh… I'll stick with the rum then." Celia did not want to drink the vile tasting liquid, but she was parched and so took very small sips, chatting with various girls until they were called for and disappeared into the tavern until she was all alone in the room, save for a scrawny cat which curled up on her lap, purring as she stroked it until her eyes drooped shut.

Author's notes:

Pocket or fob watches were available then, but were not very accurate.