Hey, everybody! Okay, since this chapter took so long, I'll let you get to it. Thank you's to everyone who reviewed! You're all wonderful! Big hugs to everyone!
Chapter three: Breakdown
'Why are you here?'
Jack turned around to find Alex watching him from the shadows, one hand resting on the bullet wound he knew lay concealed beneath her shirt. He shrugged. 'I couldn't let yeh die.'
'How did she find you? Carolyn, I mean.'
'I walked into her, really . . . quite literally,' he explained. 'Are yeh gonna ask me questions righ' now?'
'That's pretty much the plan, but I swear I'll punch you the moment you start lying,' she threatened calmly. He nodded and waited patiently for the next question.
'What happened . . . that morning?'
'I woke up 'n saw yeh looked comfortable, but I was hungry, so I went to get us breakfast. I didn't think I'd be long so I didn't wake yeh. 'N then the bastard shot me,' he motioned towards his shoulder. 'I don't remember much after that.'
She studied him, looking for any emotion, and finding only guilt, sadness and regret. With a sigh, she looked away. 'Where do we go from here? I'm sorry to say this, but . . . I don't know if we can be . . . like we used to. What's happened has . . . changed me . . .'
'I can tell,' he whispered. 'All I want now is fer us t' be civil. I understand if yeh don't want me 'round, though.'
'I want you around,' she admitted. 'I want what we used to have.' She paused, rubbing her forehead. 'Promise me you weren't lying.'
'I wasn't. I can honestly say I wasn't. Not a word, not a syllable, not a –'
'I get it, Jack,' she stated, actually smiling. 'I'll . . . I'll see you later, alright?'
'Alright . . . later,' he grinned, and then watched her walked back up the stairs, still smiling with glee that they had actually had a conversation without any fighting. For a long while, he just stood there, oblivious to the fact he was now being watched.
'She didn't have a gun to your head that time . . . things must be looking up,' Will stated from behind him.
'It'll take awhile,' Jack said, turning to his friend, 'but she doesn't completely hate me anymore.'
'I don't think she ever hated you. Hurston probably filled her head with lies about you to distract her, make him look good. And you always have that hole in your shoulder to prove it.'
'I 'ave three 'oles in me shoulder, but none o' 'em proves nothin' but me bein' a pirate. If she's ever t' trust me again, I want it t' be 'coz she truly trusts me 'n not 'coz I 'ave proof,' Jack stated. He hesitated, diverting his gaze to his hands. 'How . . . How do I prove I love 'er?'
'Be there for her. She'll know,' Will stated quietly.
Alex sighed softly and watched the ocean from the window, tears in her eyes. She pressed her palm against the glass.
'It's not like yeh t' sulk, love,' Jack stated quietly, sitting down beside her. She shrugged, and he laid his hand over hers. 'Tell ole Jack what's wrong.'
'You sound fatherly,' she muttered, bringing her knees up to her chest. 'I don't like this, Jack. I don't like this place, I don't like this quest . . . I don't like me.'
'Why not?'
'I've never been 'normal' . . . I've never wanted to be. But would it have been that much of an ailment? Look at Elizabeth . . . People used to say I outshined her. Look at me now compared to her.'
'Well, I don't know 'ow much it'll mean t' yeh, but I'd pick yeh o'er her any day,' he murmured. She laughed gently and wiped at her eyes – he slowly realized she had begun to cry. 'Now, don't cry on me, darlin'. Yeh're Alex O'Conner, 'n that's a good thing. Yeh're not like the other woman . . . Yeh've 'umbled Jack Sparrow, fer one thing.'
'I've 'humbled' you?' she laughed.
'Aye, yeh 'ave, if I've gotten my terms correct.' He grinned at her and then pulled her closer. 'Yeh're gonna be alrigh', love. Yeh've just got t' find out who yeh are.'
Alex closed her eyes, suddenly at peace, just because she was in Jack's arms. He kissed her cheek softly and closed his eyes as well. 'I wish I could just stay here with you,' she whispered.
'You sold me to Barbossa for a ship!' she hissed, tears gleaming in her eyes. Jack caressed her cheek – she had the sudden urge to spit on him, but refrained from doing so.
'Trust me, darlin'. That's all I ask. Have I ever given yeh reason not t'? Yeh know I've fallen fer yeh. Things are never this simple, are they?' he stated under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear.
'You're a pirate.'
''N yeh're on yer way t' becomin' one,' he retorted. 'Please, Alex. Play the part. I'll get yeh safe 'n away from 'im . . .'
'How could you dare bargain with me, Jack Sparrow?' she hissed. He sighed.
'Dammit, Alex! I love yeh, alrigh', I'm not gonna let 'im 'ave yeh!' he whispered.
She could remember everything, and it hurt her. What if they never were like that again? She needed him. Just yesterday, she had woken up not even trusting him, and now, suddenly, she was in love with him all over again. She had seen the truth in his eyes this morning when he had told her what had really happened. But where could she begin? Every time he got close enough without her realizing it – he had approached her when she was talking with Elizabeth, approached her very innocently, and she had spooked – she would remember what had happened with Hurston, and the fear would take over. It almost seemed that the only way she could move forward with Jack, would be to put an end to Hurston.
The tears stopped. She had found her answer.
''N yeh're on yer way t' becomin' one.''
A pirate. She had always been a pirate, and pirates took revenge.
She would have her revenge.
'Jack!'
'Hmmm?'
'I need your help,' Alex stated, walking into the room. Jack sat in a leather arm chair, one leg hung over the arm. He quirked a brow. 'I need to go after Hurston.'
'Alex –'
'I need him dead,' she interrupted, her expression stony. He stood and placed his hands on her shoulders.
'If yeh want 'im dead, I'll kill 'im, but yeh need t' stay 'ere 'n heal,' he whispered.
'No. I need to see him dead. I want to kill him.'
'Yeh'd be a murderer, marked fer life.' She set her jaw, and he sighed. 'Yeh tell me every detail 'bout what happened, missy.'
'Huh?'
'I need t' know what he did t' yeh.'
'J-Jack,' she stammered, looking away. He stroked her cheek, easing her fears.
'I won't see yeh any different,' he promised. 'Fer yeh t' want t' kill 'im . . .' She sighed heavily, and sat down on the matching couch, very much wanting him close. He hesitated.
'Sit w-with me?' she whispered. He sat down, and she sighed once more and began. It took awhile before she finished – she had cried a considerable amount, and had somehow ended up in Jack's arms. He didn't speak. His jaw was clenched tight, and his hands were in fists, knuckles white.
'We'll leave as soon as yeh want,' he declared in a low, threatening voice. She met his gaze. Angry fire burned in his eyes.
Carolyn and Alex spent nearly an hour packing their small bags (given to them by Will) with the belongings they had salvaged. Alex now wore some of Jack's things, like she had used to, the only difference being she was thinner than she had been before. Will had given Carolyn some breeches and shirts, and Elizabeth had given both a dress, which took up most of the room in the packs.
The hour of packing, though, was almost completely consumed with talking.
'I want one of those brandings,' Carolyn confessed. 'Y'know, the P like Jack's got. I want everyone to know what I am.'
'I'd rather keep it secret – the whole pirating thing. Gives you an edge, 'specially since we're women. I mean, we could float up to a merchant ship and take anything we wanted 'coz it'd be a complete shock. I do want some tattoos, though,' Alex stated with a grin.
'Bet they hurt.'
'I don't mind that kind of pain. I can control it,' Alex whispered, and Carolyn nodded in understanding, knowing she was comparing the pain of tattooing to loosing Jack, and the pain Hurston had caused her. But the mood in the air changed drastically in seconds. 'I wanna torture the bastard. Pull his teeth and nails out. How's that sound?'
'Excellent.'
'C'mon – we'd better go check in with Jack and see if the crew's ready to sail out.'
Midnight had come quickly. When Alex approached Jack, her bag slung over her shoulder, he nodded. They were ready to start yet another adventure.
I am so, so sorry this took so long! School started up again, and the boys, and the work . . . and the boys! That and I'm not quite sure where I'm headed with this story. I do have a vague idea. This chapter seems . . . I dunno, but please tell me what you thought of it! I won't keep you waiting so long on the next one. Again, I'm so, so, so sorry!
Alyssa
