Disclaimer: I tried to lure Jack into my house with rum, but Disney got in my way, so he's not mine.

AN: Okay, I admit it: Gerard Hastings is physically based on (but actually is not) Gerard Butler (a.k.a: the Phantom of the Opera). And you've got to love it when conflict kicks in! Thanks to those who have reviewed, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 3: Invitations:

I didn't like the looks of the man sitting across from me, and I desperately wished that Jack would throw him off of the Pearl. However, I could see that the two were familiar with one another, if not actually friends, so I knew that there was little chance that Jack would do as I asked. Inwardly sighing, I sipped the grog that was in my cup, thankful for the little bit of alcohol in it.

Normally, I was not one to indulge in rum or spirits, but given the situation, I would make an exception; besides, it was mostly water, lemon juice, and a few herbs to ward off sickness. The brew was in fact something fairly medicinal that Jack had picked up in a small port town, probably in the hopes that it would help me ward off illnesses while my wound healed. Actually, the wound was already healed, but Jack didn't want to take any chances, and had urged me to drink it once or twice a day in the afternoon or evenings. I mostly did it to keep him happy, but the taste wasn't that bad.

'It's not good, either, but it's not horrible,' I thought as I took another sip of my drink. 'At least it keeps Jack from worrying about me.'

The two men were busy chatting back and forth, catching up on old times and what the other had missed since their last encounter. Privately understood jokes, praises, and hand gestures were traded back and forth, and I was becoming rather bored very quickly. However, getting through situations like this was something I was used to, as I had always been rather uninterested in the tea parties my parents had thrown at our home. In the end, all I had to do was sit there and let my mind wander while the two of them delved deeper into their conversation and forgot I was there. My time as the invisible observer was brief, however, as Captain Hastings (I refused to call him Gerry) soon brought up the topic of my joining the Pearl. Those green eyes of his flicked over towards me, seeming to thirst for any sort of information about who I was and where I was from.

"Ah, yes," Jack said, leaning back in his chair while his right hand still clung to my left one, his thumb stroking the engagement ring affectionately. "My bonny lass here is someone I found in a tavern one night. She was all alone in the corner when I approached her, and she seemed curious about ships. Every night for two weeks I brought her aboard the Pearl, telling her about my adventures and about the Pearl until I convinced her to come aboard as a crewman…or woman, I should say."

I smiled at my fiancé as he winked at me, though I blushed as Jack raised my left hand to his lips, pressing a sweet, warm kiss between my ring and my knuckles. He had become quite affectionate since our engagement, as though he was doing his best to make up for the times he'd attempted to keep his distance from me before. It was quite nice to have Jack doting on me instead of trying to avoid me, and I savored every single moment of it.

"So the two of you fell for one another while serving on the Pearl?" Captain Hastings asked, glancing between us.

"Oh, yes," I said, pulling myself out of the pleasant daze that Jack's kiss on the hand had put me in. "Actually, it took us both a bit of time before we realized what we felt for one another."

Meanwhile, Jack was giving me a broad grin. "Aye, but after we saw what we felt, I just had to ask her to marry me," he said, squeezing my hand as though to show who I belonged to.

"Well, then I suppose this calls for a party!" replied our guest as he stood from the table. "I'll have my men bring over some of the best rum we've got onboard so we can get started."

"Well, actually, the crew already had their party weeks ago," I said, feeling a bit nervous.

"Yes, but I wasn't there to experience it," stated Captain Hastings as he headed out the door. "Besides, I'm positive that a good time will be had by all this evening."

Without waiting for a reply, he closed the door behind him, leaving Jack and I alone in the cabin.

The party had started little more than an hour ago, and was going surprisingly well. Jack and I had been skeptical about allowing it to happen, but could hardly say 'no' when Captain Hastings had brought over musical instruments as well as the rum. Once the singing, dancing, and drinking had begun, it was hard to stop it, so Jack and I let the men have their fun; after all, they didn't have the opportunity to do so very often.

Sighing, I stood at the helm of the Pearl and watched the men dance, sing, drink, gamble, and have fun. Jack was beside me, both arms around my waist as we both observed the two crews mingling at our feet. No one was paying any attention to us, so Jack bent his head and pressed a soft kiss to the spot between my ear and my neck. I nearly purred from the sensation and pressed myself closer to his body, savoring the warmth it offered.

"Jack, you aren't joining in the festivities?" a Scottish voice said, breaking into our moment.

Jack sighed and turned towards our visitor. "Gerry, lad, please don't do that again," he said, trying to sound civil. "Besides, I'm happy here with my girl."

"But you're missing out on the fun!" Captain Hastings exclaimed, waving a hand towards the deck. "Look there, the men are calling for you!"

Sure enough, a group of the Pearl's crew was waving for us to join them. I could hear Jack sigh again, this time in defeat, but I could tell that he really didn't want to leave me alone for very long. From the way he squeezed his arms around my waist, I could also tell that he didn't want me to get involved in the rowdiness that was going on, either. I turned around in his arms.

"Go," I said with a soft smile. "You haven't spent much time with them recently, and they need to know that you still care about them." He opened his mouth to protest; I placed a finger on his lips. "Go on, they want to you join them."

Jack sighed and nodded. "Alright," he said before bending to give me a soft kiss.

A moment later, I was alone at the helm next to Captain Hastings. Suddenly feeling very uncomfortable, I slowly began moving away.

"If you'll excuse me, Captain Hastings," I said, trying not to sound rushed.

"It's Gerry," he said, stepping closer to me. "After all, Jack's a mutual friend of ours, so it's like we're almost friends anyway."

"Alright, Gerry," I said while still attempting to leave without making it obvious.

"If I may be so bold, I would like to show you my ship," he invited while moving closer, quickly arriving beside me so he could take my hand in his. "The Chaser isn't as dark and mysterious as the Pearl, but I would like to show you my pride and joy, if I may."

Oh, how I wanted to say 'no' to him! But he was Jack's friend, and I couldn't refuse him without sounding rude. Besides, I wouldn't be far from the Pearl, and if I screamed for help, the crew was going to hear it, so there should be nothing to worry about. If I needed a weapon, I had the dagger that Jack had given me in Tortuga, and could probably hold off any attacks until help came from the Pearl.

"Alright," I said, taking Gerard's (I still refused to call him Gerry) arm.

In a few moments, we were off the Pearl and on the Storm Chaser.

Despite the Chaser being rather shabby on the outside, the inside was as well-cared for as a British Navy ship. The wood was polished and cleaned of dirt and grime, as was anything that had metal bits on it. It was rather shocking to see such a neatly-kept pirate ship, and what surprised me even more was the fact that everything down to the holding cells was as organized as a Navy ship. I watched as the men left here to keep watch on the ship raced back and forth, carrying on their duties without a single complaint about not being part of the festivities on the Pearl.

"Actually," Gerard whispered to me as he led me to the galley, "they're going to be tormenting the ones who get hangovers tomorrow morning. It's sort of their incentive for being sober today. Also, if they stay clear-headed tonight, they get a bit of extra pay the next time around."

I nodded and made a mental note to mention the idea to Jack. Meanwhile, I took a small step away from Gerard, as his body was standing a bit too close to me for comfort. Careful to keep a respectful distance from my guide, I inspected the galley and its tools with a touch of envy. Everything was clean, and the cooking utensils were in very good shape, far better than anything we had on the Pearl.

'How can he afford to keep the inside of his ship in such wonderful order?' I wondered. 'Where does he get the money for all of this?'

Well, alright, I knew where Captain Hastings got his money, and understood that it was quite a bit more than what Jack got from pillaging ships. Unlike the usual pirate, who got their money from selling newly acquired jewels and gold for money, Gerard got his money from trading hard-to-find things to the Colonies for obscene amounts of coinage. From what I could understand, Jack had helped Gerard in starting his 'trading business,' and in return, Gerard had a decent (if not better) exchange rate with Jack because of it.

'Still, I wish we had some of these things on the Pearl,' I thought while inspecting the storage rooms of the Storm Chaser's galley.

As I was led upstairs to the main deck, I saw the cleverness that lay within the mind of Jack's long-time friend, and that made me wary of the tall Scotsman. Gerard Hastings was not someone to take lightly because he was handsome and had a good sense of humor; any man who kept the outside of his ship looking like chicken scratch and the inside looking like a military ship had to be closely watched. However, I had been on a pirate ship for nearly a year, and anyone who had been around such men learns a few tricks of the trade. Along with those tricks is how to see things beyond what the simple eye shows you.

Perhaps those newly-learned pirate tricks, combined with being raised in the aristocracy where life can be just as cut-throat, had made me more observant to the world around me. After all, in the life of a lady of high standing, being observant of who likes or dislikes you can either save or destroy a person's life and reputation. This happened to be one of the few useful things my mother had taught me, and so I used this skill now, especially since I definitely did not trust the man beside me. Once we were out on the main deck, I made a mental run-through of the ship I was now on.

The outside of the Storm Chaser certainly lived up to the image one got after first hearing its name; the paint, which had been black with red trim, was all worn away and faded, showing the wood underneath in numerous spots. The sails of the ship were patched over several times, and I could swear that I could see several spots where there were holes in the hull. In short, the whole thing looked like it had literally been chasing storms and hurricanes throughout the Caribbean without a care in the world. However, a closer, very discreet inspection of the ship revealed a different story.

As Gerard chattered on about how fast his ship could go on a good day, I could see that the Chaser had, indeed, been painted black-and-red, but the paint had been purposely buffed off and polished over with a good coat of oils. The patches on the sails were made to look ratty and unable to catch wind, but I could clearly see that, underneath the patches, the sails were whole and of very good, very tough materials that could catch any wind that blew into them. As for the holes in the hull, well, it was plain to see that the wood coverings had been strategically placed there for obvious reasons.

'He's done all of this on purpose,' I noted as I pretended to look impressed with the ship. 'He does this to trick everyone into thinking that his ship is a piece of trash when it really is one of the finest things to sail the Caribbean…well, besides the Pearl, of course.'

I made another note to talk to Jack about this, hoping to get to him before Gerard did, as I didn't know what Jack's choice would be if he had to choose between me and his old friend. After all, he'd known Gerard longer than he had me, but if I was going to be Mrs. Captain Jack Sparrow, then Jack would have to learn how to listen to me if/when I told him something. Since the last time I'd warned him about something had resulted in my getting shot and being wounded for weeks, I did have something in my favor in this argument, should I have the need to use it.

'I am a pirate's fiancée, after all,' I thought with an inward smirk.

"Would you care to join me for a small meal, Miss Rose?" Gerard's voice broke into my thoughts.

"Oh!" I exclaimed in genuine surprise. "I'm not sure if that is a good idea, Captain Hastings."

"Gerry," he said in a teasing voice. "You can call me Gerry."

"Well, I'm afraid that I don't know you well enough to call you 'Gerry,' Captain, but I could call you Gerard, if you wish," I replied in my politest voice.

"Good enough," he said with a grin. "Now, about that meal…"

I heaved an inward sigh. "I'm not sure if that is a good idea, Gerard," I said. "After all, Jack doesn't know where I am-"

"Nor is he for some while," Gerard replied as he took my hand and wrapped it around his arm. "He's likely halfway through his fifth or sixth bottle of rum and won't miss you for hours yet. Come, what's the harm in joining me for a bite to eat?"

Unfortunately, he was right; Jack wouldn't notice me missing for some time, and to refuse the invitation would be considered rude. So, even though it made me feel ill, I nodded my acceptance and followed him into the main cabin. Once I had stepped foot inside, though, I knew that I had made a mistake. The main table had been decorated quite beautifully, almost romantically, and I would have fled the room had it not been for Gerard's firm grip on my hand.

"I've had my cook hard at work at this, and it'll hurt his feelings if I don't convince you to eat it," stated Gerard as he pulled me towards the table.

When we reached it, he released my hand and proceeded to pull out the chair for me. Since proper manners dictated that I needed to sit, I did so, though I kept a firm eye on Gerard as he took his spot at the table. After he was settled, we both took up our napkins and spread them on our laps before picking up the utensils and beginning to eat. I didn't know whether to be surprised or not at the fact that Gerard Hastings had impeccable table manners, that he kept his elbows off the table and didn't talk with his mouth full; actually, he didn't talk at all, instead keeping silent as he ate.

'Unlike Jack,' I thought, though it was with fondness for my pirate captain.

True, Jack could be crude at the table, but I, more often than not, found it rather funny to watch him wave his fork around enthusiastically whenever he talked about something that excited him. Some might think it disgusting when men talked with their mouths full, but Jack made it comical with his waving hand gestures, as well as his unique ways of telling a tale or giving a sort of lecture on something I didn't understand. Needless to say, dinner was never dull with Captain Jack Sparrow around to keep things entertaining!

Somehow during the meal, I managed to mask my disappointment in Jack not being there with me. Gerard was very polite and courteous while we ate our meal, which was an event to rival the tables of any wealthy nobleman. The menu being served was wonderful and delicious: roasted meat in a rich gravy, cooked vegetables in a creamy sauce, freshly baked bread, and the finest red wine adorned the table. The wine was served in crystal glasses, the food on precious hand-painted china plates, and the most elegant silverware was used to slice the meat and vegetables. In the center of the table stood a silver candelabrum, three candles flickering in the darkness. I felt as though I were being served in my mother and father's mansion instead of a ship at sea! Surely only the King of England ate this way at night on a ship!

'He's trying to impress me,' I realized just as dessert arrived, the dish served by a man in an apron who could only be the ship's cook. 'He's trying to win me over, but why? What does he have to gain from impressing me instead of Jack?'

The dessert was just as delicious as the rest of the meal, being some sort of custard that I'd never seen before, served with orange slices decorating the top. However, the taste was wasted on me, as the food all began to turn to sawdust in my mouth after the second bite; also, taking in the fine surroundings, food, and dishes, had put me on my guard and I refused to eat too much of anything. My host must have thought that I had the stomach of a bird, but that didn't matter as I could eat plenty once I had returned to the Pearl and to my fiancée's side.

"Well, what did you think?" Gerard's voice burst into my thoughts.

Moving as smoothly as possible, I picked up my napkin and wiped the corners of my mouth before folding it and placing it back in my lap. I didn't want to appear panicked or suspicious of him, so I tried to act as natural as possible.

"It was quite impressive, actually," I replied, not looking him in the eye as the dishes were removed. "It's amazing that you are as thin as you are if you eat like this every night."

Gerard chuckled as he poured more wine into our glasses; I was sure he was on his third or fourth glass, but I'd barely finished my first. After the dishes were gone, I impatiently drummed the table top with my left hand and tried not to grip my glass too hard with my right hand. With the food no longer providing a distraction, there would have to be conversation, and the last thing I wanted was to speak with him on any topic. Therefore, instead of looking up at him, I focused my gaze on my wine glass and its contents.

The feel of a firm grip on my left hand caused me to look at it in surprise. Captain Hastings had placed his right hand on top of my left, his thumb running over my engagement ring. Glancing up, I saw that his green eyes were focused on my ring, as though all the answers to his questions rested within the black pearl that glinted beneath yellow gold and diamonds. I felt his grip tighten slightly, and though it wasn't painful, I instantly knew that now would be the best time to pull away. Giving a good solid yank, my hand was free and in my lap.

"Is there something I can help you with, Captain?" I asked, removing my right hand from my glass so that I could rub my fingers over my ring.

"I'm sorry," he said, though his eyes stared at where my hands were hidden from view. "It's just…"

'Oh, no,' I thought in annoyance. 'This man can't possibly be interested in me! This is absurd. I need to end this now and talk some sense into him.'

"I love him, you know," I declared, strategically placing my left hand on the table to blatantly show him my ring. His eyes followed my hand's movement. "I love Jack very much, and you have no idea how long and hard I've worked to get him to realize our feelings for one another. I couldn't possibly care for another man the way I do for him."

Gerard's eyes flickered up to my face before going back to looking at my ring. "It would take a fool to not know whether he loved a woman such as you, Rose," he replied in a soft voice. "And as we know, Jack is no fool. Well, most of the time anyway."

I nodded my head before pushing back from the table and standing. "I would greatly appreciate it, Captain Hastings, if you would return me to my ship," I said in the most authoritative voice I could muster. "I'm sure my fiancée will need me to help him get to bed after this evening's events."

To my surprise, he didn't argue with me, instead rising to escort me out of the main cabin and onto the deck. Carefully, I was taken across the gangplank that connected the two ships and onto the deck of the Pearl, happy to be home. The party had died down a bit, and a few crewmen were already passed out on the deck. Jack was leaning against the mast, looking barely conscious.

"Thank you for the meal and the tour of your ship, Captain," I said with a polite nod of my head. "If you'll excuse me, I need to attend to Jack."

He gave me a polite bow in return before heading back to the Chaser. I breathed a sigh of relief at seeing him gone. Gathering my strength, I managed to drag Jack to his feet and into our cabin for the night, carefully stripping him of his hat, coat, effects, and boots before laying him out on the bed. To my relief, it was easier to do than I thought, and the two of us were soon asleep together in our bed.

AN: Hmm, will the love triangle continue? Will the Turner's show up later? Who knows? Review! I hope everyone had a Happy Holiday and that you all have a great New Year!