"…I care about you, Jack."
Jack's face reverted back to his normal state and his lips pressed against my own in a feverish kiss. "Virginia…" He whispered. "Sweet Virginia…"
Chapter Five…Apology NOT accepted
"Virginia. VIRGINIA!" A woman's voice cut into my dream and I bolted upright.
"What the bloody hell?" I screamed at Elizabeth. "What do you want?"
"Have you seen Jack?" She asked. "No one knows where he is."
"Are you kidding me?" I shrieked. "I've been ASLEEP! How could I possibly have seen your PRECIOUS Captain Jack Sparrow?"
Ana Maria stuck her head in the doorway. "I'll handle this, Elizabeth." She muttered to her friend as she approached. "Go on and keep looking. Has anyone checked the galley?" Elizabeth shook her head and hurried out, leaving me with the straight-backed beauty. Turning to me, Ana Maria sighed. "What happened?" She asked calmly.
"Nothing." I looked away. "I just don't appreciate being woken up when I'm this tired, that's all."
"Uh, huh. And I'm the queen of England." She plopped herself down on the edge of my bed. "Spill it, Cinderella, before I dump you in the ashes."
"He kissed me." I sighed quietly. "And then he pretended he didn't. He looked like he was ashamed of himself."
"Wait just a bloody minute!" Ana Maria cried. "We ARE talking about Jack Sparrow, right?" I nodded. "Scourge of the Caribbean?" I nodded again. "Captain of the Black Pearl?" I nodded a third time and her eyes went super wide. "Well, I'll be damned. Jack's never done that before."
"Done what?" I asked innocently. No, seriously. I had no idea what she was talking about. I couldn't think of a single damn thing Jack Sparrow wouldn't do.
"He's never been ashamed of kissing anyone. I think the only time he's ever been ashamed of ANYTHING was when he handed Will over to Davey Jones." Ana Maria looked deep into my eyes. "He really kissed you? What was it like?"
"I'm not sure I understand." I told her. "What do you mean what was it like?"
"Well, you know. Was it long and passionate, or short and sweet? Or maybe it was hard and fervent."
I laughed at the comical expression of pure excitement on her face. "It was short." I told her with a tiny smile. "Just a touch really." Her eyes widened further, as if that were possible. "He just brushed his lips over mine and pulled away. That was it."
"Absolutely amazing…" She grinned. "I think the captain has more than just a 'thing' for you, Virginia."
"You're insane." I laughed. "He probably just got caught up in the moment is all. Men DO do that sometimes, you know. Not very often, I'll admit. But sometimes."
"Whatever you say, Man Eater." She laughed heartily before sobering up. "So… You've no idea where he might be?" I shook my head. "Damn!" She growled. "I was sure you'd at least have an inkling! You don't know of any place he goes to be alone? I mean, he doesn't do this often but he DOES do it sometimes. He just disappears. No one knows where to. But you could search this ship for hours and never find him. And then, just when you've given up hope he'll pop up out of nowhere looking all serious."
"I'm sorry, Ana." I shook my head. "I haven't a clue."
Ana Maria sighed and got up off the bed. "Well, I guess I'll get back to the search then. You going to help?"
I nodded. "Yes. I'll get to looking as soon as I've gotten dressed. What do we need him for anyway?"
"I'm really not sure." She muttered. "Gibbs just started yelling for everyone to find him. No one knows why, but Gibbs seemed really worried about something."
"Maybe we're off course." I suggested.
Ana Maria shook her head. "We don't have a course right now. Captain said to let her drift and see what we found." I shrugged and Ana Maria slipped out of the room. Grabbing hold of a cream and pastel pink gown Elizabeth had left for me, I forced myself to think about Jack and where he might be.
True to my word, I took off as soon as I got the dress on, never mind the fact that it took me twenty minutes to do so. As I walked down the steps to Jack's favorite room, I found myself hoping I was wrong in my guess. The others had probably already checked here, and if not, I was on a ship full of idiots. Slipping through the door, I held onto the wall as I let my eyes adjust. Sure enough, huddled in the corner surrounded by empty rum bottles, the captain sat singing away. "And really bad eggs…" He hiccupped.
"Jack?" I called out as I approached, preferring NOT to get a bullet between my ribs. "What's wrong?"
Jack's head rolled back on his shoulders and he gave me a drunken smile. "Rum?" He offered. I shook my head and he sighed as his smile faded. "Do you know what I really, really, REALLY hate, love?"
"No, Jack." I answered as he struggled to gain his feet and staggered to my side. "What do you really, really, REALLY hate?
"Emotions." He groaned. "You can't make a good decision without them but they just cause SO much trouble."
"I'm not sure I follow." I backed towards the door slowly, hoping he'd come after me so I wouldn't have to leave him here or touch him.
"Well." He hiccupped again. "Last night for instance." I watched as he lost his footing and dropped heavily to the floor, amazingly he didn't spill a single drop of his rum. "I kissed you." He stared at me. "I wanted to kiss you so I did. But then I felt bad about it. And the way I acted probably made you very very VERY mad at me."
"Try pissed like a drunk who's been cut off." I muttered.
"What was that, love?" Jack strained his head towards me.
"Nothing, Jack." I whispered. "You were saying?"
"Well, you're mad at me. And that makes me feel just… horrible. Like some fancy, clean person who just got dumped in the mud. Filthy. Like I need a bath to wash it away. The guilt I mean." Suddenly he jumped to his feet and grabbed my arm. "I'm going to make it up to you." He said clearly before dragging me out of the room and taking a swig of his rum. "I've got something you'll absolutely love!"
"JACK!" I cried as he took off at a drunken run, pulling me behind him. "Jack, wait! I need to tell you! Jack, Mr. Gibbs is-"
"To bloody HELL with Mr. Gibbs!" Jack stopped and whirled around to face me. "Right now is about YOU!" He looked into my eyes. "I was an idiot and I intend to fix that."
I sighed and gently detached his fingers from my arm. "You WERE an idiot, Jack." I whispered. "But you CAN'T fix it. It's done. And it hurt too much for me to forgive you. I'm sorry."
I left Jack standing in the hallway, staring after me like an abandoned puppy with a broken leg. He couldn't come after me and he knew it. No matter how badly he wanted to… It just wasn't possible.
