Usual Disclaimers, I don't own Jack or any of the movie characters…dammit!

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Chapter Three: Conversations

Jack just stared at the woman. For a moment he thought he had heard her wrong. There was no way she could think that any ship, even one as beautiful as the Midnight's Dove, was a match for the Black Pearl. The Pearl was the fastest ship and that was proven fact. Jack blinked and refocused his gaze on Adelaide. There was no trace of humor in her eyes. She was dead serious. Jack burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

Adelaide waited for Sparrow to get control of himself. She wasn't offended by his reaction. If anyone else had told him this she was sure he would be right to laugh. But she wasn't anyone else. Her ship was the best and she was going to prove it. Her plan was flawless and all she had been waiting for was Jack's arrival. Now he was here and she could put it into motion.

Jack finally stopped laughing. Taking deep breaths, he tried to control himself enough to ask her how exactly she planned to do this crazy thing. Adelaide merely lifted one sculpted eyebrow at him when he leaned toward her. She was still leaning on her fists. With him leaning in toward her, their faces were less then a foot apart. She could feel his breath hit he face. He smelled strongly of the rum he was drinking. While sitting with her he had drank nearly half the bottle compared to her sipping at her whiskey. Normally, she would have mistaken him for drunk if his eyes hadn't been alertly watching her for every movement.

"Addy, Darling"

"It's Adelaide."

"Fine then, Adelaide. How exactly to you expect to accomplish this goal of yours?" Jack almost started laughing again at the thought of her trying to compete with the Pearl. "Are you going to kill me in my sleep or something? That may be the only way you get it."

"You are too self-assured, Sparrow."

"I believe the word is cocky, my dear. And I have earned that right."

"As have I. The Midnight's Dove is the most feared ship in the waters around England and Ireland. So feared, in fact, it has become too hard to conduct business at the moment. So I decided to expand our horizons. The Caribbean is the next logical location to explore. I know you are accustomed to being the best in this area without a fight but things are about to change. I felt it was only polite to inform you before we started causing to many problems for you."

"Darling, I would love to see you try. It would be an enjoyable experience. That doesn't change the fact that the Pearl will prove to be the best, but you can try."

"Would you care to place a bet, Sparrow?"

"I would hate to take your money so easily, Adelaide."

"I wasn't talking about money, Jack."

"What is it you want?"

"Let's set the parameters first. The ship that takes the most swag in the next month wins. Only restriction is that it has to be ships. Sacking of port cities and towns, or plantations is not allowed. Nor is poaching, if I am attacking a ship you have to find your own. Value is determined by quality not quantity. If you take more ships but I have the higher quality of goods I win. Same would go if it were you. Agreed?"

"Not until I hear what it is that you want from me." Jack was starting to have reservations. Adelaide had obviously been planning this for a while. It was time he threw a wrench into her plans. He needed to get control over the situation some how. He needed to set parameters of his own. The only problem was she kept distracting him when she smiled. From the way her eyes were sparkling, he guessed she knew exactly what she was doing to him and was reveling in it. "First change is the starting point of this wager. My men have been at sea for more than three months. They deserve their promised two weeks leave. So we begin this in two and a half weeks. What is that? The twentieth? Does that work for you?"

"Sure. I have some business to take care of and that gives me ample time to do so."

"Good. Now as to what you want?"

"I want the Pearl."

Jack choked on the rum he was swallowing. It caught in his throat like a ball of fire. He almost spit the mouthful all over Adelaide's smug grin but forced himself to finish swallowing and take a couple deep breaths. "You want what?"

"I want control over the Black Pearl. You would still be Captain. You would just take orders from me."

"What are you willing to risk in this venture?"

"The same, if I loose you get control of the Midnight's Dove."

"Not enough."

"What?"

"That is not enough. If you want me to risk my ship, you have to give me more incentive."

"Do you have something in mind?"

Jack was silent for a moment and then grinned at her. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."

"Well?...out with it, Sparrow."

"You."

This time it was Adelaide's turn to choke. The whiskey burned its way down her throat, leaving her in sudden need of a glass of water. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes She blinked them away quickly. She wanted to get a good look at Sparrow. He couldn't be serious. "Wha—," she coughed. "You want what?"

"You, Adelaide. It is rather simple. If you loose, I not only want control of the Midnight's Dove but I want you in my bed. And not just for one night. I want you there until I get tired of you, a minimum of one year." Jack paused to let Adelaide take in this new challenge. He hadn't meant to say that when she had asked. He was going to ask for 50 of her swag in her first year under his command. He was attracted if he let himself think about it but the chance to sleep with a woman was not enough to risk his ship. Even, if it was Adelaide.

The sexual pull had been immediate. A man would have to be dead a month not to feel it when he looked at a woman like Adelaide. And Jack was very much alive. But sex, even great sex, was not enough to risk the Pearl. It was too late to retract the statement so Jack would have to hope that Adelaide would reject it. That way he could come back with his other arrangement. And she was more likely to agree to it.

Adelaide couldn't believe Jack had said that. He wanted her to be his woman? Shock quickly gave way to anger. How dare he even think she would agree to that! She almost refused out right but she bit her tongue. As much as she wanted to blast him with her fury, she had to do this calmly or Jack would have the upper hand. Why would he risk his ship for a chance to sleep with her? The answer to that question was simple. He wouldn't. It had to be that he wanted to use that option to get her to agree to something else. Well, we'll just see about that, Adelaide thought, what would he do if I actually agreed to that ridiculous request?

"Deal," Adelaide said coolly.

Jack didn't even blink. He stuck out his hand. "Do we have an accord?"

"We do." Adelaide forced her hand not to shake when she placed it in Jack's. When he let go she grabbed her bottle of whiskey, raised it slightly to Jack. "Cheers."

"Cheers." Jack lifted his bottle as well. The necks of the bottles clinked and then both of them were guzzling from them. Jack drained his quickly and set it aside. His eyes widened when he saw that Adelaide was still chugging her whiskey. She wasn't taking this bet as calmly as she seemed. It warmed Jack's heart that she was at least worried that she may loose. It would make it much easier for her when she actually did loose. Jack grinned as Adelaide finished off her bottle.

That was not a smart thing to do, Adelaide though as she tried to set the bottle down up right. I think I may vomit. She placed a hand on her stomach under the table and let out a shaky breath. After a couple of deep breaths her vision cleared. And she realized that Jack was watching her with a wary eye, waiting for her either to throw up or make the next comment. She grinned at him and stood to go. "Well, with business concluded, I'll see you on the twentieth of June, Captain Sparrow."

She wasn't as tall as Jack was expecting. She might have reached his chin in bare feet. Jack waited until she started to walk past him. He reached out and snatched her wrist. Adelaide's head snapped around to look at him again. "Did you forget something?"

Jack grinned and pulled on her arm. If she hadn't just downed a half a bottle of whiskey she might have kept her balance. She tumbled into Jack's lap. Her arm flung out for balance, knocking over their empty bottles. They hit the floor with a crash. Adelaide didn't hear it. Neither did Jack.

They stared at each other intently as seconds flew by. Adelaide watch in slow motion as Jack bent down to take her mouth. She inhaled sharply when his mouth stopped barely before touching hers. "Yes, Captain Withers, I think I did forget something. Deals like this are normally sealed with a kiss, are they not?"

Jack did not wait for her answer but took her mouth as she opened it to respond. She tasted of the whiskey she drank, warm and smooth. With one hand around her waist he pulled her closer to him until the handle of her sword bit into his stomach. He ignored it and drove his hand into her hair. His tongue rubbed hers urging her to respond. Her hands fluttered onto his chest. Her fingers dug into his shirt. Before she lost all thought, Adelaide recognized the feel of wood as he fingers brushed against Jack's compass. With out a thought to what she was doing, she quickly pocketed it. It served him right for taking advantage and kissing her. That was her last thought as she slid happily into the kiss.

It was hot and playful. Both of them feeling the other out, learning what they liked and what they didn't. Jack yanked on her hair, pulling her head back to expose her throat. While she liked what his mouth was doing to the skin near her ear, her scalp still stung. She decided to give Jack a taste of his own medicine. She threaded her fingers into his braids, got both her hands full and pulled.

Jack let out a yelp and his roaming hands went to his head. Adelaide waited once more for her vision to clear; all the while Jack was hissing in pain and trying to pry her fingers from his hair. She almost giggled. Here was the feared pirate Captain Jack Sparrow yelping in pain because she was pulling his hair.

"Don't pull my hair," she said slowly letting go of his hair. Jack let out a short hiss as the pressure on his scalp let up. Adelaide placed a quick kiss on his cheek and leapt out of his lap. "See you in June."

With that Adelaide turned and shifted into the crowd. Jacked blinked and stood quickly. He wasn't sure what he planned on doing but he didn't want her to leave just yet. It was like she had disappeared. He couldn't see her any where in the bar. Jack's eyes scanned the crowd again. Then he sat down dejected and signaled to the barmaid for another bottle. Well at least he could keep his vow to get drunk tonight.

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Adelaide hurried through the streets of Tortuga, rushing back toward the docks. She needed to get the Midnight's Dove ready to sail tonight. She wanted to be well on her way to Port Royal before Jack surfaced from his drunken stupor in the morning and noticed his missing compass. When she reached the dock she was pleased to see the ship's boat waiting for her. Her first mate Timothy was pacing in front of it, frowning at her as she approached.

"You're late," he stated in a disapproving tone. "The Black Pearl arrived in your absence."

"I know. Are all hands accounted for?"

"Aye, all hands are aboard and eager to be quit of this place. Pirate ports in the Caribbean are a decided step down from those at home, Captain. Are you still set on this crazy course of action?"

Adelaide rolled her eyes at Timothy's resignation at her current plans. He had been the only one in favor of remaining in their home waters after they had nearly cornered by the English fleet off of Cape Clear. She climbed down into the boat first. Timothy followed. Two of the crew took up the oars and set out for the Dove.

"Set and rolling, Timothy, I ran into Jack Sparrow tonight." Adelaide cut him off as he opened his mouth to comment. "We can discuss it once we are underway. I want to be in Port Royal in two days time. Hopefully arriving around noon, I want to make a show of it, that pompous little bastard of a captain, Gillette, of the Dauntless needs to be brought down a peg. Imagine him firing on my ship when we have done nothing wrong in these waters, yet."

"He might have recognized us from the waters around Ireland, Captain."

"Not likely. I researched what officers who might know us are in this region. There aren't many and most of them are land bound for now. The stupid little idiot mistook us for the Pearl and fired on us. It serves him right that we put some good sized hole into his pretty ship. It's too bad we didn't dismast him."

"How would we explain that when we arrived in Port Royal if we had?" Timothy asked pointedly. "The commodore will only believe so much."

"He will believe what I tell him and would have no reason to doubt me, as I am a Duchess after all. Who would suspect a Duchess of piracy? I mean really…that is what saved us from suspicion many times at home." They had reached the Dove. Adelaide started to climb up the side but stopped. "Timothy I have an errand for you. Stay in the boat I will return directly."

She nodded to the various crewmembers that were on deck as she passed. She entered her cabins with a hurried pace. It was better that she get back to Timothy quickly. He would not like her next order and would want it over as soon as possible. She grabbed a scrap of paper from her desk and a pencil. She did a quick sketch of the compass and wrote a short note.

I hope you can find your way around with out me in the next month. I took a down payment on your future services for me. See you in June.

Adelaide stood back contemplating whether or not to sign it as captain or Adelaide. She solved the problem by just signing it A. That would be enough for him. She headed back to where Timothy was waiting impatiently.

"I want you to convey this message to the Black Pearl. Make sure that the first mate understands it is to be read only by Captain Sparrow. Only he will understand most of it. Then return here as quickly as possible. We will be ready to sail by then."

Timothy's eyes showed that he would rather protest this order but he just grumbled, "Aye, Captain." And left.

Adelaide made quick work of getting the crew roused to bring the Dove underway by the time Timothy returned. Standing on the quarterdeck she took the helm out of pure pleasure. This was her favorite place to be; the open sea on a clear night with the wind at her back. Look out Port Royal, she thought to herself, you are about to be invaded by pirates.

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Thanks again to jennifer123 and new thanks to Rebel-Ravenclaw and Down2MarsGirl for being my next batch of reviewers. I hope this chapter gets as good of reviews as the last.