Disclaimer: I don't own POTC. Chapter title is from my very favorite episode of Cowboy Bebop.
Chapter 29: Hard Luck Woman
They stayed at the inn for the next few days, and those were just as disastrous as the first night. Gretchen had changed personalities completely, and avoided Jack like the plague.
Camille and Ana Maria both recovered from their hangovers, but Ana was more on Jack's side over the entire situation. Still, she stuck with Camille. None of them saw Jack much, so it was the women, Gabriel, and James. None of them felt like talking about the treasure, or Jack.
The second or third night, Camille couldn't take it anymore. Her heart ached so badly for Jack, as well as the rest of her body. She kept going over the scenario in her head, and each time it hurt just as much. The look on his face; the tone of his voice. Still, maybe he had just been so mad at the time…there was always hope.
She made it to the steps before Ana Maria appeared. "And just where do you think you're going?" she demanded with her hands on her hips.
"Uhm, for a walk," Camille lied.
Ana rolled her eyes. "Don't do it Camille, you're only going to make things worse," she told her friend seriously. They both turned around when they saw James coming down the steps, though.
"What were you doing up there?" Ana questioned. The only one from their party with a room on that floor was Jack, so he'd obviously been in Jack's room just now.
James looked at them both solemnly. "To see Captain Sparrow. There was something I felt necessary to discuss with him."
"And is he in a decent mood?"
At this James cleared his throat and turned a shade of scarlet. "Well, it's difficult to say…"
Camille's jaw dropped. "He is not!"
Ana Maria got the same expression on her face. "Is he?"
James cleared his throat again, looking down. "I don't…really think it's my place to judge that sort of thing…"
Ana Maria snorted. "For God's sake man, you're among pirates now! I can't believe he's with a whore up there! Of all the nerve!"
Camille felt like she could cry. But she knew exactly what to do, and while her rage was still commanding her, she ran to Gabriel's room and pounded on the door.
He opened it, looking alarmed. "What? What is it?"
Before she could react she engulfed him with a kiss. Now, Gabriel may have been the innocent, chivalrous young boy of the story; but when Camille was at the Thatchers she had given him a little wild streak. He knew that his relationship to Camille was no more than a friendship, but he also desired her as much as any man. After all, she was the famous Redheaded Rogue Sullivan.
That night, they made sure to have the loudest sex ever. Come morning, both of them were exhausted. Gabriel was very understanding of the entire ordeal. He held Camille while she wept tears of grief and guilt afterwards.
He was beginning to dress himself when a knock sounded at the door. Sitting up quickly and pulling the covers up to her neck, Camille responded as casually as she could. "Who is it?"
"Darling, it's me. I need to speak with you." It was Jack!
Gabriel's eyes widened, but Camille dropped the covers. She stomped around the room, picking up her trousers and searching for her shirt. "Of all the low down, cowardly-"
Gabriel handed her his blouse as she quickly pulled it on. "-thank you-insolent, pathetic-" she pulled the door open and ignored the infuriated look on Jack's face when he saw her state. "-cold-hearted, deviant things to do!"
"I'm deviant?" he asked, pushing the door open the entire way so that it slammed against the wall. "You disloyal w-"
"Disloyal!" she shrieked. "You bloody bastard! You have no right to call me disloyal! After everything I've done for you!"
Jack and Camille both aimed their pistols at one another at the exact same time. Gabriel didn't know what to do. He looked from one of them to the other, trying to decide which of them would be easier to calm down. "Captain, I can explain this-"
Jack took his pistol and aimed it at him. "You're next, boy. How dare you touch my woman!" he bellowed.
"Oh, come off it! I am not your woman!" she yelled.
He looked at her menacingly, still pointing the pistol at Gabriel. With a sneer, he nodded at Gabriel. "Get out."
Gabriel didn't hesitate at all. He practically ran past them, shirtless. Jack kicked the door shut, and Camille crossed her arms in front of her chest. "There is nothing to talk about," she said, feeling hot tears stinging her eyes.
"There is everything to talk about!" he hissed. "How dare you undermine me like that! I am your captain, I have every right to hang you for what you've just done to me!" he yelled.
She was used to Jack's threats. He was being horribly unfair. "You just slept with another woman," she said in a very steady tone.
"Of course I did! And it wasn't the first time!"
She clenched her hands into fists. "Well, that wasn't the first time I've slept with Gabriel!"
"You filthy whore…" he raised his hand to slap her.
"What, are you going to strike me?" she asked in a biting tone.
He kept his arm there. "You're right, I should have shot you a long time ago in the legs. Perhaps that might have kept you from spreading them so much!" he roared as she pushed past him and left the room.
Gabriel was in the hallway with Gretchen and Ana Maria when Camille came out. "Drop dead, Sparrow!" she yelled behind her as Jack followed her out of the room. She stormed past the rest, who had to keep Jack from attacking her.