Chapter Thirty

The Enemy

Okay, I'm leaving for Miami on Monday morning and won't return until Thursday evening. Yay, I'm so excited! Sorry, guys, no updates until Friday evening at the earliest. I've left you with three updates over the weekend, so hopefully that will get you through withdrawal LOL Talk to you all on Friday!

Kate parked the car in the parking lot of Fort Snelling. Will and Kate had spoken during the car ride, but Will had not mentioned her father, thankfully. She had a feeling that he had heard the argument last night, but was avoiding bringing it up.

She looked at the time; Will still had five minutes before he needed to head in for work. She decided to spend the last five minutes talking, like they had all morning.

As much as Kate tried to forget the argument that she had last night with her dad, she couldn't forget it. He left too big of a wound to just do that. How could he have even said something like that last night? What gave him that right to talk to her like that?

She knew it was wrong to feel, but Kate couldn't help but hate her father sometimes. He was such an arrogant person and expected everyone to do what he told them to. He was never harsh with her mother, it was his daughter that he was harsh with.

She turned to look at Will, who was looking back at her. Their foreheads gently met. They looked into each other's eyes, not daring to leave the other's. Their lips were but inches apart.

"I know you can do this," he said softly to her. "You're a strong woman."

So he had heard their argument last night. She hoped that he wasn't offended by what her dad had said. Kate couldn't really say that he didn't mean it, because she knew that he did.

"I'm not going to listen to him," she said. "I promise to never leave you."

His eyes were still gazing into her's. He took one of her hands and held it.Just his touch sent chills up her spine.

"He's going to get used you," she said."You are going to be around for a while, after all."

She noticed his eyes were the most beautiful brown. They weren't quite chocolate brown, but they weren't black...they were right in between. She couldn't stop looking at them.

"I promise that nothing will come between us, Kate," Will said.

She never wanted him to leave. She wanted to hear the rest of his promises. What all would he promise her?

How far would he go for you? her father's voice echoed in her head. Would he risk his life for you? Would he go to the end of the world for you?

"You can tell him 'yes'," Will said softly, "I would go to world's end for you."

Melissa was counting the days until the cabin: four. She had always loved vacations, even if they were just weekend ones.

What had Kate said there would be? A campfire and fishing. None of the four going knew how to fish, and frankly, Melissa hated the smell of fish. She couldn't ever touch the worms to bait her hook or the fish that she caught.

She was so excited! She hadn't told Jack that they were going to the cabin yet. She made a mental note to do that tonight, as well as sneak out of work a little early to get a few outfits for Jack.

And note to self, she thought, reclining in her swivel chair, no pink shirts.

She wondered how Jack was doing. Melissa picked up her phone and dialed her house number and heard the line ringing.

No Melissa.

No Kate.

No Whelp.

And a big empty house.

Life was just boring now. There was no bloody adventure! There were no girls, either. No lust or love to see and touch (and kiss). And there was no Whelp to torment, which of course made him disappointed.

Melissa had said that Kate had to work all week. Right. Kate just didn't want to be tempted by him. He wasn't that stupid. It was so obvious that he didn't even need to be told that she was indeed tempted by Captain Jack.

It was now noon. He was hungry, but he wasn't going to go into the kitchen. There was Cap'n Crunch in there! And, no, he wasn't supposed to not have a grudge with Cap'n Crunch. He dared someone to give him a reason why.

Jack heard a ringing noise. What was that? Was he under attack, and that was the sound of the enemy? He looked around the room, but saw no enemy. Maybe they were outside...It was more probable that he was going mad. Yes, hearing things that weren't there must mean that he was indeed going mad.

He hated the ringing. It would go on for a few seconds, mercilessly stop, then start up again. It repeated like that for about half a minute. Bugger, it was driving him mad. Wait, that's right: he was already mad.

Finally, the ringing stopped. Jack breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't relax long, though. He heard a voice that strangely sounded like Melissa's say "Hey, you're reached the Lewes's household! Please leave your name, number, and a brief message, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!"

There was a beep this time instead of a ring. Maybe the enemy was going away...But why did that voice sound like Melissa?

"Hi, Jack," the same voice said after the beep. "This is Melissa."

Melissa? That wasn't probable. She was at work...how could she be talking to him? She didn't die, did she, and was talking to him from the great beyond? Or maybe he really was going mad like he had thought.

"No, you're not going crazy, don't worry," she laughed. "I'm calling from work. I just wanted to call and check in, even though you can't talk back to me yet. Of course, you don't know how to use a phone." She sighed. "This is pointless. I really don't know why I even called you. That's how bored I got, I guess."

There was silence. Was she gone? Where did Melissa go?

"Um...Kate invited us to her uncle's cabin this weekend. She and Will are going, too, but no parents. I think it'd be kind of fun to go away for a weekend, to just get away. I'll give you time to think about it, but I think I already know the answer. I'll talk to you tonight. Bye, Jack."

And there was nothing but silence now. Going to a cabin. No parents. Kate was there.

Too perfect.

Will remembered being a blacksmith. He remembered the long hours of being stuck in a hot room making swords. He remembered that life. That was before his misadventures with Jack Sparrow to save the woman that he had loved. Even before Will had saved Elizabeth, he remembered thinking of her while he worked.

And while the occasional group came in and asked questions, he was now thinking of another girl: Kate. He hoped that she was strong enough to not listen to whatever lies her father was feeding her. Will knew her, though. She'd be strong enough. He'd be like Elizabeth.

He did feel bad for her, though. She had no freedom to do what she wanted. Her life was probably like being in a prison with having a father like that.

You can do it, Kate, she thought. Don't listen to him when he talks about Daniel or that we're not right for each other. It's lies! It's all lies!

What was it with Will and fathers not approving of him? First it was Governor Swann: He didn't like Will because he was only a blacksmith and thought that his daughter deserved much better than him. He needed Elizabeth to marry rich and maintain honor. What made the Governor give in?

Now, it was Kate's father, Mr. Sims. Governor Swann and Mr. Sims really weren't that different. He didn't like Will because...well, he wasn't sure why. Did he want someone smarter or someone who had more money? Or was it just because he had stayed with Kate while her parents were in New York? He didn't know and didn't really care. He just needed Kate to be strong.

She had said that times had changed with marriages. If they really did, then why did Kate feel like she was being forced into one?

Kate needed a vacation bad. She didn't care where, really. She just needed to get away from her dad. Not her mom, so much...She was very nice and would probably never bring – what was his name? – Dan up again now that she knew that she and Will were dating. But, no, her father was stubborn and thought that someone that he handpicked would be perfect for her.

She longed for freedom. She wanted to do what she wanted because she wanted it. And she did want to act on selfish impulse.

Was she really thinking about Jack just now? No, she had Will. He was standing by her when Jack surely would have run for cover like a coward.

She looked blankly at the hair binder that she was playing with. She just wanted to be free. And hadn't Jack promised her freedom? That was all she wanted right now. Nothing else mattered to her.

A cabin.

This weekend.

Jack.

Freedom.

Kate's Blog Entry

Just the thought of Jack is giving me chills now. I thought of him all day at my photo shoot. He promised me freedom. I really want that freedom. Do you think it's possible to be in love with two men at the same time?

XOXO,

Kate

Melissa's Blog Entry

Four more days until the cabin! I'm so excited! This is going to be so fun. Vacations with Kate are always unforgettable – I know that this one won't be an exception!

Love,

Melissa Rose

I leave you at a cliffhanger! I plan to start writing about the cabin next chapter. I guess I'm cutting you off because, well... -points to self- Pirate! LOL I'd love to come home to a mailbox full of reviews! Talk to you all on Friday!