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Chapter Title: Strange Emotions

Clara smiled as the warmth of the day left her face and faded with the sun into the sea. For a split second, she almost forgot where she was and what had happened to her. She looked over her shoulder to find the eyes of some of the crewmembers upon her. She quickly turned her head back towards the sea and pretended to be studying something on the side of the ship.

"Ye need not be worryin' they won' bite." Gibbs came towards her wiping his hands on a rag. "I know, they just frighten me a little." She paused. "Gibbs why are you and the crew treating me so well, aren't I a prisoner?" He frowned, "Ye would think so, this is odd. Capn' as never told us ter treat a prisoner wit' respect, but he insisted we show it ter ye." She looked at him questioningly and he shrugged his shoulders and turned to walk away. He stopped in mid step and turned back towards her. "I almos' forgot, Capn' wants to see ye, now." He motioned his head towards a large door with clever carvings around the molding. Clara could do nothing but nod. She was terrified, not of going into the Captains quarters, but of being alone with the Captain himself. Though his touch had been gentle, his eyes had shown how evil he really had the potential to be.

She tucked her hair behind her ear and walked to the door. She gave it a soft knock and listened. "Come in.," the same rough voice from the deck answered. She walked in to find Jack Sparrow sitting at his desk looking completely enveloped with a map. The room contained the desk, which sat in the middle of the floor and was covered by unnatural amounts of papers, maps, and rum bottles. There was a chest in the far corner, curiosity proofed with a large padlock. A door, which she assumed, led to his sleeping chambers and a large window, which stretched across the back of the ship, giving her a view of where they had been. She cautiously walked around the room, observing the odd trinkets and things scattered around. She found a little box on the corner of his desk and opened it to reveal a compass. The arrow immediately began spinning in dizzying circles. Suddenly a hand appeared and jerked the compass from her grasp.

"Didn't your mother ever tell ye not ter touch other people's things?" He held the compass behind his back and gave her an inquisitive look. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking." she stammered. "Jus don't let it 'appen again."

He pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit down. He sat behind his desk and propped his feet upon it. He had positioned her chair to where they were almost touching, facing one another. She felt uncomfortable being this close to him. His breath reeked of rum and his eyes watched her intently. He picked up a rum bottle and took a swig, she snorted in detest.

"Ye don' like rum luv?" he questioned.
"I've never tried it, and besides I don't think it exceptional for a man to drink so vulgarly in the presence of a woman." In all honesty, she didn't care that he drank rum or that he drank period. She didn't mind his shaggy hair or his wrathful eyes, his strong hands or his gold capped grin. All of these things in fact intrigued her, she just wanted to be difficult for him.

He laughed at her comment, "Ye aint no woman, yer just a girl." She looked shocked, "I am very much as woman, and who are you to say anyways your just a--a--a pirate"
"At your service luv, I had the thought ye were feisty. Ye want to be provin' yer a woman?" He put his hand on her knee, moving it up timidly. Same rough hands, same soft touch. She slapped his hand away, despite what she really wanted. Her body immediately felt cold, as if his hand touching her was the only warmth she had ever known. "You're a pirate. And I don't approve." With that she got up and walked out of the quarters.

As soon as she got onto the deck she immediately fell into the railing, breathless and confused. What is this feeling? She felt jittery, as if she were floating. Her heart felt warm. She didn't feel anything for this man, but then again she had never felt anything for any man. She was disgusted by him, the way he smelled, the way he lived his life.

She slumped down to the ground and leaned her head back, looking up at the sky. Her mind was saying no there is nothing there. But her heart was considering the possibility there might be. And to think a day ago she was on the beach, in Port Royal. How on earth had she ended up here on this ship, with this hauntingly seductive pirate captain and his crew of sea dogs?

Wait, all thoughts of Jack left her mind and her body went cold. How had she gotten here? Aboard the ship? In all the hustle and bustle and chaos of even being on the ship she had forgotten to ask how she got here. She looked around for Gibbs, the only member of the crew she had actually communicated with, but he was no where to be seen. She stood and squinted her eyes, even with the lanterns lit it was still difficult to see in the dark. There was no one to be found, until she heard the humming.

Confused, she glanced around for the origin of the low tone. There was no one on deck. She looked up as if the sky were speaking to her and noticed a leg, hanging over the mast. The crow's nest, of course! She ran to the base of the pole and yelled to the top. "Hello, Excuse me.?" No answer. Again, "Excuse me? You up there." No answer.

She decided to take things into her own hands and climb to the top. The only way up was rope, in a checkerboard pattern, used to access the mast and sails. The rope felt rough on her delicate, feminine hands but she began to climb anyways. As soon as she was a few feet off the ground she felt extremely uneasy. The wind was blowing lightly, swaying the rope as she climbed. A couple of times she almost lost her grip, but managed to hang on until she reached the top.

She was greeted by large, rumbling snores. He had not been humming, he had been sleeping. The sound of the snore had been muffled by the wind. She immediately felt embarrassed. I hope no one heard me shouting so ridiculously. The man was not very large, but wore a bandanna over his sleeping eyes. He had a pistol hanging from one belt loop, and a sword sheathed in the other. He wore a leather vest, covering a ragged brown shirt. By far, this man was not as attractive as the Captain.

She reached out cautiously, not wanting to frighten him. Tapping him on the shoulder he grunted slightly. She shook him a little, only to get the same response. "Hello?" She whispered. And as if a gun went off the man jerked the bandanna from his eyes and immediately went for his gun. Before she knew it, Clara was staring down the barrel of a loaded pistol. She gasped, almost losing her grip on the edge of the landing. The man looked shocked to see her there and immediately withdrew the gun.

"What the bloody 'ells the matter wit ye? Disturbin' a man while 'es sleepin." "I'm terribly sorry." she sounded sympathetic. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, removing all evidence of slumber. "Aye luv. Forgiven"
"Its just, well as you can see you're the only one on deck." she spoke surprisingly confidently, being in the presence of a pirate. He looked over the edge, "Aye." "Well," she continued, "I was wondering if you could tell me how I got here"
"Ye mean who bringed ye on board?" He looked confused. "Yes"
"Me apologies luv, I 'avent the slightest clue as to who bringed ye 'ere. All I know is ye be here." Clara was disappointed yes, but she did not lose hope. Just because he doesn't know, doesn't mean there isn't someone else who does.
"Ye e'er been on the sea before?" he questioned. "No, why"
"Ter shows, ye aint got ye sea legs yet. Come 'ere an' stand, no sense in ye hangin' on like that"
There was enough room in the crow's nest for both of them to fit comfortably without touching and her arms were strained from holding on to the edge. She climbed over the side and stood looking out over the ocean. The moonlight was reflecting across the water in a triangle, seeming to but the ship in a dreamy light. The gentle waves rippled against the ship and a calm came over Clara like she had never known.

After a few minutes she said, "It's beautiful up here"
A familiar rough voice whispered in her ear, "I know luv"
She whirled around to find Captain Jack Sparrow standing where the other man had been. "Where is the other man?" "He got th' message, came down so I could be up 'ere wit ye." She was unsure of what to say. "I'm not sure I am comfortable with this." His eyes had changed, no longer hard and wrathful but soft and peaceful. "Alrigh' then." He turned to climb back down the rope. "Wait!" Clara yelped before she had even thought about what she was saying. She wanted him to stay, she wanted to be around him, to feel the feeling she had when she was in his quarters. He turned, somewhat surprised, a grin pinching the edges of his lips. "Wait?" he questioned. She turned around back towards the sea, confused and taken aback by what she had just done.

Just then, a pair of hands rested on her shoulders, rubbing the tops of her arms lightly. She shivered at his touch. Hot breath came upon her ear making the hairs on the back of her neck stand. "Aye, the sea it is beautiful. I never seen nothing' come as close to it's beauty as you."

She slowly turned to face him. Looking him up and down from his hat to his boots. His hands remained on her shoulders, edging her closer and closer to him. As much as she wanted this, as much as she wanted to collapse in his arms, she couldn't. Was it him she yearned or what he represented. He represented freedom, something she had longed for her entire life. She was unsure of her feelings and could not do this to him, pirate or not.

Tears welled in her eyes, "I'm sorry I cant." She brushed his hands off her shoulders and climbed down the rope. Without stopping she went below deck and to the room which Gibbs had told her was where she was to sleep. She laid down on the bed and wrapped up in the blanket. Tears silently fell.

Alone in the crow's nest stood Captain Jack Sparrow, confused and alone. He clinched the side of the nest with his ring covered hands and looked up at the stars. What have I done?

Hi everyone. Sorry I know I said I was going to post but I was deathly ill. Hope you enjoyed and thank you to Sparrows Vixon. My only true commenter. More would be nice or I might just stop writing this piece. haixcore