AN: Okay, so I hope that all of you like this chapter. I had some misgivings about it, something's I wasn't entirely sure about. But, I would appreciate it if you would offer me feedback about what you thought about it, even if you didn't like it and it was the worst chapter in the history of this story! So, please, read on. . .
Ashes to Ashes
Chapter 8: Revealing LiesElizabeth woke slowly to find an arm wrapped lazily around her waist and a head lying lightly on her right shoulder. She tilted her head slightly to look over at the sleeping face of Will, his eyes closed to the dark room.
She almost wished for him to stay sleeping. This was the time when he was still her old Will, her positive, loving Will. Lately he seemed to be so angry, hating the world and everything in it. Elizabeth supposed that he was angry mostly at himself for being "unable to protect her", as he had put it.
Elizabeth kissed his forehead lightly, closing her eyes for a moment. Will sighed softly, tilting his head further onto her shoulder. "I love you Will," she whispered against his skin. "Don't worry. Jack will find us. Ashleigh has found him, I know she has," she said, pulling him closer against her, careful of his slowly healing shoulder.
* * * * * * *
Jack buried his hand amongst her dark, wild hair, pulling her closer to him. His lips pressed against hers roughly. Ashleigh felt her face become flushed, and she knew she was blushing. This had been the second time that they had kissed, although in this kiss Ashleigh could almost feel a type of hunger emanating from him.
Ashleigh's arms wrapped around his neck, acting on their own volition. She could feel the same hunger rise in her as she kissed him back, pressing up against him slightly. Jack's hands trailed down her sides, resting lightly on her waist, his fingers tightened on the loose, brown breeches that she wore. He pulled her up against him roughly, their stomachs and hips meeting.
Jack stepped forward slightly, forcing her to step backwards, her back hitting the smooth, wooden door. Ashleigh could feel as his hands pulled at the white shirt that she wore, attempting to un-tuck the fabric from the waistband of her breeches. She sighed against his lips as his fingers trailed over her smooth skin. His hands gripped her waist tightly, causing her to jump slightly as a small pain laced through her body.
Ashleigh broke away, pulling her head back. "Jack?" she said breathlessly. "Jack, what's going on? What are we doing?"
"Shh," he said, brushing her lips with his again. "Don't think. Do what you feel."
Ashleigh gazed up into his dark eyes, a slight thrill running through her body as his fingers ran across her ribs. She fought against her upbringing, fought against the voices inside her head. The voices that screamed at her to escape from him, to run from him to the safety of her own, small cabin.
She closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly, trying to push her thoughts aside. He had told her not to think, just to follow her feelings. Ashleigh opened her eyes slowly, looking back up into his penetrating gaze. She leaned up and kissed him again.
She moved her hands from his neck, running them down Jack's chest. Ashleigh pushed up against him gently, slowly causing Jack to step backward. They walked together, Jack holding onto the warm skin below her arms, until the back of his legs hit the bed.
Jack fell back, pulling Ashleigh with him, their lips still locked together.
* * * * * *
Ashleigh woke with a start, an image playing over and over in her mind. Vague pictures filtered through her sleep-hazed mind, pictures of things that she had done that made her blush. The only problem was she couldn't figure out if it had been a dream, or reality. A pain erupted in her body, causing her to double over slightly. "Oh God," she whispered.
A rustling sound drew her attention to her right to the sleeping form of Jack. His brown hair was splayed about his head, lying haphazardly on the large, white pillows. The pain was forgotten for a moment as she stared down at him.
The silky sheets had been pushed down to his waist, revealing his long, tanned body. They stopped right at his hips, spreading lightly across his skin. The moonlight that shone through the large window above them danced over him, highlighting his closed, kohl-lined eyes.
Ashleigh lowered herself slowly to settle down next to him. She placed her hand lightly on his skin. Careful not to wake him, she scooted closer to him, placing her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beat thudding in his chest, pounding out a sleepy rhythm. She jumped slightly as he turned over in his sleep, her head sliding off his chest and his right arm snaking around her hips.
Ashleigh leaned into him slightly, her own arm wrapping around his waist. She pushed back the voices that told her what she had done was wrong, that she wasn't married, let alone that he was a pirate. She didn't care. This was the first time in her entire life that she felt safe and cared for.
* * * * * *
A pair of soft lips woke Elizabeth slowly. She sighed and then opened her eyes to look up into the familiar brown eyes of Will. "Good morning," he whispered.
Elizabeth smiled and stretched. "Mm. . . Good morning."
"Did you sleep well?"
She yawned, covering her mouth with one small hand. "Yes, thank you. And you?"
"I had dreams," he whispered, tracing the lines of her face with a calloused finger. "About you. About us."
"Were they good dreams?" Elizabeth asked, worry creeping into her eyes.
"Some of them," Will replied and at the look in her eyes added quickly. "Most of them."
"Are you alright?"
Will looked down at her, his eyes tracing her features. "I am now."
Elizabeth smiled again. For the first time in so many weeks, she could finally see her Will again. His eyes contained a fragment of his former self, revealing to her what she had longed to see for so long, the man she loved. "Your shoulder?"
"Less painful," he replied. "Elizabeth, you said you trusted me, correct?"
"Of course."
"Then you trust me when I say that I will protect you, no matter what happens?"
"Even my sanity so that I do not turn out to be like Jack?" she said, grinning.
Will gave a soft laugh. "Yes, even your sanity."
"Well, good then," she whispered, reaching up to catch his lips with hers.
* * * * * *
Commodore Norrington walked briskly up to the helm of the Silver Maiden, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. Sailors and officers were running back and forth on the deck, getting ready for a battle, or so it seemed to him. Captain Michael O'Shannon stood at the wheel, peering through his golden spyglass.
"What is it?" Norrington asked.
"A ship on the horizon, sir," Michael replied without lowering the spyglass.
"What colors are they flying?"
"British, sir," Michael said, finally lowering the glass and handing it to Norrington.
Norrington turned around quickly, raising the glass to his own eye and looking through it to see the ship ahead of them. A small smirk crossed his face as he caught sight of the ship. "That is no British ship, Captain. That is the Black Pearl."
* * * * * *
A loud pounding jolted Jack from a deep sleep. He opened his eyes quickly to gaze out of the window above him. Dim light filtered through, suggesting to him that dawn was still a few minutes away. He looked down again to find that Ashleigh's eyes were open and she was gazing up at him. "Shh," he whispered.
The pounding on his door continued, followed by a loud voice, "Cap'n! Cap'n yer needed on deck!"
Sighing, Jack disentangled himself from Ashleigh's warm body and slid out of bed. He pulled on his dark grey breeches and walked quickly to the door, slipping his white shirt on as he walked. He opened the door slightly, peering out at the grizzled face of Gibbs. "What is it?"
"Sails comin' up on us, sir."
"What colors?"
Gibbs paused for a moment. "British, sir."
"What colors are we flying?"
"British as well, sir."
"Meet me at the helm," Jack replied. Gibbs nodded his acknowledgment and walked quickly away.
Jack turned his attention to the pale form that sat on the edge of his bed, quickly pulling on her clothes. He sat next to her, pulling on his boots and then slipping on his vest, tying his sash and weapons belt over it. Ashleigh stood up slowly, pushing her long, wild hair up into the red bandana that she normally wore.
She started to walk slowly to the cabin door when Jack grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. He caught her lips with his, kissing her briefly before pulling away. "Don't forget yer hat, love," he whispered and then walked past her to leave his cabin.
Ashleigh stared after him for a moment and then followed, stopping at her own, small cabin to retrieve her hat and sword belt, placing her dagger and sword swiftly into place and then headed up to the top deck to see where she could help.
* * * * * *
"Get ready the guns," Norrington stated. "But do not fire until I give the word."
"You want us to come up alongside her sir?" Michael asked incredulously. "Without firing a shot?"
"Yes," Norrington replied, staring out at the Black Pearl as they were drawing close to it.
"But what if she fires first, sir?"
Norrington smirked. "I know how her captain is. He will not try to fight unless absolutely necessary."
"He sounds like a bit of a coward to me, sir."
"Seems like it, doesn't it? But I assure you, Captain that he will do whatever is possible to protect his ship and his crew."
Michael looked over at him. "I take it you have faced him before?"
"Once or twice Captain," Norrington answered crisply. "But he will not escape again."
* * * * * *
Jack looked through his spyglass at the quickly approaching ship. "It appears, Mr. Gibbs, that the British navy has finally built themselves a fast ship."
"What do you want us to do Cap'n?" AnaMaria asked, her hands gripping the large, wooden wheel.
"Unfurl all the sails," Jack said after a moment's hesitation. "Catch as much of this blasted wind as you can. Gibbs, load the cannons. If we can't outrun them, then we'll fight until one of our ships is destroyed. And mind you Gibbs, it had better be theirs."
"Aye, sir," Gibbs answered and ran down the dark steps, shouting orders to the men around him.
* * * * * *
Ashleigh tightened the knot quickly and then leaned out over the edge of the ship, glancing back to see the other ship as it drew nearer. Her heart leapt slightly as she caught sight of the ship that she herself had sailed on when she was going to Port Royal. "Oh dear Lord," she whispered.
* * * * * *
"They're in firing range sir!"
Michael looked over at Norrington as his Lieutenant called up to him. "Do you want us to hold off, sir?"
"Yes, I do, Captain. As I have told you before."
"Stand at the ready Lieutenant Ross. Do not fire until I give my word!"
Some of the men glanced at each other, silently questioning their captain's sanity. They had heard the tales of the Black Pearl, the destruction that she caused at every port she visited. "But Captain. . ."
"I said to hold off until I give my word Lieutenant," Michael said harshly. "We do not fight unless necessary."
* * * * * *
"Why aren't they firing?" Jack asked himself, rubbing his chin lightly. He raised his spyglass to eye level and gazed out at the other ship. Jack smirked as he caught sight of a familiar face standing amongst the crowd of sailors. "Ah, I see. So you would like to play it this way, eh, Commodore? Then so be it, we'll play your game."
Jack turned around quickly, walking to the rail at the edge of the helm. "Stand down me!" he yelled. "Do not fire unless provoked! Give them no reason to act in self defense! We'll play by their rules!"
His men stared up at him, confused, and then at each other. Ashleigh let out the breath that she had been holding, glancing up as Jack turned to AnaMaria.
"Captain, what're we doin'?"
"Having a little bit of fun, my dear, having a little bit of fun."
* * * * * *
Norrington stood at the edge of the helm, Michael standing just behind him. He had noticed mere minutes before, that the Black Pearl had been slowing down. To let them catch up, he supposed. "Lower the anchor, Captain, take us to a stand still."
"Aye, sir," Michael replied, and then shouted at his men that stood on the deck. "What is she doing sir?"
"Apparently he had noticed what we are doing and has decided to follow our lead. Bring her up alongside him, Captain, we will wait to see what he will do."
* * * * * *
"Lower the anchor; hold us steady in the water, men!" Jack called to his crew. He watched as the men lowered the anchor into the water. He could feel the slight shudder as the anchor caught hold of something on the ocean floor and pulled them to a halt. The men standing in the rigging pulled up the sails and tied them to the masts.
Jack looked over his shoulder as the other ship closed in. He watched as they lowered their anchor and saw the thick chain go taut as the anchor grabbed hold of the ocean floor and pulled them to a stop almost parallel from the Pearl. His grin widened as his eyes gazed across the space between the ships and looked into Norrington's eyes.
Norrington stood just to Jack's left at the helm on the British ship. His stiff posture told Jack that he had not changed in the past two years. "Good morning Commodore!" Jack called, giving a little salute. "And what can I do for you this fine day?"
Norrington glared over at him, crossing his hands behind his back. "You can surrender, Mr. Sparrow."
Jack laughed, and then leaned against the railing. "Captain Jack Sparrow never surrenders, mate. You should know that by now."
Norrington's eyes narrowed slightly. "I see. There was an attack on Port Royal several weeks ago. Miss Swann and Mr. Turner were both taken."
"Uh huh. So?"
Norrington's eyes narrowed further. "I thought you considered them your friends?"
Jack shrugged. "They saved me from the noose and helped me get the Pearl back, which hardly qualifies them as friends."
Norrington started to call something over, but stopped, shaking his head. "May we come aboard, Mr. Sparrow?"
Jack drew back slightly, staring over at him. He shrugged again, waving a hand in their direction. "Fine. But only you three," he replied.
* * * * * *
Norrington, Michael and Lieutenant Ross stood quietly on the deck of the Black Pearl, surrounded loosely on all sides by Jack and his crew. Ashleigh, AnaMaria and Gibbs stood just behind Jack, Ashleigh lowering her head to keep her face hidden.
Michael stared around at the faces of the leering pirates surrounding him. Compared to the other pirates that he had faced, these seemed almost normal and slightly civilized. He continued to look them in their eyes until he came to the only pirate that held his head down, averting his eyes from the navy officers. He tilted his head slightly and narrowed his eyes, frowning. He seemed somewhat familiar.
He caught sight of a familiar jaw line, one much like his own although much more feminine, and a few tendrils of long black hair. The pirate looked up slightly from underneath his large hat and Michael took in the familiar green eyes.
"Mr. Sparrow, I. . ." Norrington started.
"Ashleigh?" Michael interrupted, causing the pirate to look up sharply. "Dear God it is you! What the hell do you think you are doing?"
* * * * * *
AN: Up next, Chapter 9: .
Dawnie-7: Thank you so much! I greatly appreciate it! Although, if I may ask, why do you think that chapter 7 is my best chapter so far? I ask merely out of curiosity because I liked it as well and I wondered what you thought was the best part.
Pink Phoenix: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!
Elentari II: I'm sorry! I just love to write cliffhangers! I'm notorious for them! They make life so much more interesting! But, I hope this update is quick enough, I've written it every chance that I got!