June jumped legs first into the choppy, bone-chilling waters, grabbing the rope of their rowboat and pulling it ashore as Ana stared at the awaiting island curiously.
The water was barely above June's waist as she trudged through the rough sand, her clothes weighing her down. I hope this is a good idea, she thought with clenched teeth, gazing at the vast forest in front of them.
She expected Jack's unknown tropical island to be a paradise; full of swaying palm trees, fine, smooth sands, and alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. Instead, she could only grimace at the cards that were dealt her way.
Who did Sparrow think he was, anywho? King Jack of the Jungle? Pshhh.
There was about ten feet of gritty sand that they walked, crunching over dried out shells before they hit 100% forest. The shrubbery was so dense, Anastasia couldn't help but cringe as she looked into the blackness and found yellow beady eyes glaring back at her.
"Is it…safe to go in there?" Ana asked cautiously, her hands at her hips.
"Where the hell are we?" June snorted, "I thought this was supposed to be fun. I wanted to spend me day drinkin' and runnin' around the beach, not cutting me way through the jungle like a savage!"
Jack grinned and said, "It won't be hard, me dove. You already are a savage. A masculine one at that."
She kicked him in the shin.
Hobbling, Jack said with a mask of pain on his face, "We'll just follow the path!"
"What path?" Will questioned, arching an eyebrow at him, waiting for an explanation.
"Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?" Jack asked with a pleading expression. Will almost looked like he wanted to ramble off a list of reasons, but decided against it. Jack swaggered over to the right and pointed his sword at a small opening between the trees. "Here! I found it! Satisfied?"
"Nay. This is a stupid idea," June said in a bored tone, "Who knows what could be creepy-crawlin' in there as we speak?"
"Creepy crawling?" Ana squeaked with dread.
"Don't worry!" Jack said with a wave of his animated hands, "If something moves, just stab it. Problem solved!"
"Oh dear…" Anastasia groaned, holding her face in her hands.
Jack's attention was suddenly riveted on the paper sticking out of the front of June's breeches. It was the map. Again. Was she purposefully leaving it there in full view just to tease him? He didn't doubt it for one damn second.
"I think Jack should lead the way since he's so intent on killin' us all," June commented dryly.
"Would ye stop your nagging?" Jack growled, "You're acting just like me mum, rest her soul."
"Oh, trust me," June said, eyes twinkling, "I am definitely not your mum. If your mum had the same intentions I do, you must have had one twisted little family."
Jack heard the blood rushing in his ears and he turned rigidly on his heel, pretending to ignore her as he slashed through some wild vines and headed into the darkness.
"Can this get any worse?" Anastasia asked herself with a roll of her eyes.
Lightning sounded and rain began to beat down on them all.
"I stand corrected," Ana added.
Fifteen minutes had lazily slipped by as Jack led the crew through the thick shrubbery. June, in the past ten, had been gently taking her index finger and swiping it along the exposed line of his tanned neck. He would bat at it, thinking it were a mosquito, muttering curses.
Rain dripped off his hat and the mud was sucking at their shoes. Bullfrogs hummed in their deep voices. A twig snapped nearby and Ana tensed, scared out of her wits.
"There's nothing to be afraid of," Will said with a smile from behind her, seeing her back hunch and her eyes dart around skittishly.
"I'm not afraid," Ana snorted stubbornly.
June bit her lip, holding back her giddy laughter as she held her finger up near Jack's neck again, about to make her move when he whirled around and caught her wrist in a vice-like grip.
They stared at each other, Jack's eyes threatening and June's ones of shock. She didn't know what to say.
"Would ye desist?!" he demanded in a low voice.
She nodded and he pushed her hand away from him, turning once again and continuing to make his way through the uneven path.
"Are we close?" Gibbs asked.
"Aye," Jack called over his shoulder, "Won't be long now." He stopped in front of some overgrown brush and smiled. "Won't be long a'tall." And he took his sword and chopped it out of his way.
When he was done, he stood there proudly. The rest of the crew gathered around him, staring at the structure sitting before them all.
"Pig-sty, my ass," June breathed.
She had expected some half built shack in the middle of no where. Of course, she had gotten the no-where part correct. But standing before her could only be described as a mansion.
Tall cream marble pillars held up the towering roof. Marble steps led to the oak door and a porch. Big glass windows surrounded the dwelling, overlooking the tiny meadow surrounding it. Of course the meadow had become a little unruly since the house had been uninhabited for quite some time.
It reminded her a bit of the Swann mansion. Pure elegance.
There was something erotic about it, too. Vines had crept along the pillars and walls, covering it with tiny roadways of flowers. A small pond overgrown with water plants sat at the edge of the steps. Fish were swimming lazily, skimming the surface.
On the porch was a simple wooden bench, a few cobwebs adorning it.
"Welcome to the Sparrow household, ladies and gentlemen," Jack said dramatically, sweeping a hand in front of him, "Where men get lucky and women luckier."
Ana narrowed her eyes at him, not appreciating his foul mouth as he winked in her direction.
The sky was dark and ominous. Thunder rumbled, reverberating through them all. Jack took a rusty key from his pocket as they all walked up the steps, anxious to get out of the pouring rain. He jammed it in the lock, jiggled the doorknob a bit, and it swung open.
An oriental rug covered the grey tiled floor and a staircase was located to the left. A large mirror was against the wall to the right, outlined in jewels.
"Jack…is this where you keep all your treasures?" Ana asked, looking up at the old chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
He beamed proudly. "Every last one o' them, luv. See, I had all this furniture and belongings that I had looted from me trips all around the world, and I said to myself… 'Jack, why not build somethin' to put them in?' So I did!"
"You didn't do this yourself, did you?" Will questioned with a frown.
"Hell no, boy. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, not a bloody architect." His lips twisted into an evil grin before adding, "It's a funny story, really. Involves a prostitute and takin' one of the governor's architects hostage. I'll tell it to ye sometime."
"Oh dear Lord," Will groaned.
"And which governor would this be?" June asked, clearly intrigued.
"Kettle Bay," Jack said with a nod, "But as I said, a tale for another time. Now where were we? Ah, yes. C'mon, ye swabs! Let's find the rum! Drink up me 'earties!"
"Is that all you ever think about?" Ana questioned with a sigh.
The men had made themselves comfortable in the living room, which held a fireplace and lovely antique furniture. Each were nursing their own bottle of rum they had attained from the luxurious basement, which held an assortment of stolen wines, whiskeys, and rums. Their boots were off and they were stretched out on the floor or on the settees. Jack was sitting in the middle of them and was engrossed in telling a story, as usual.
"So I said to the bugger that he needed to let his balls drop and to fight like a man!" He smiled as his crew roared with laughter. He squinted his eyes as he added, "Now who wants the 5 shilling tour?"
"I've already seen it!" Gibbs said with a wave of his hand. This brought on a chorus of agreements.
He stared at Will and Ana, who shook their heads sheepishly. "Perhaps later, Jack?"
Jack's gaze finally rested on June, who had her hand raised like an obedient pupil.
Jack, not wanting to pass the chance up to gloat and brag about how much he had, especially to Oleander, grumbled, "All right. C'mon, June. We'll start upstairs."
She hopped off of her chair and sighed, "That's what all men say."
He fought the urge to strangle her and shrugged off his coat and hat before motioning for her to follow him upstairs. He led her into the nearest room, saying, "Here is the music room."
A grand piano sat in the center of the room on the wood floor. The large glass windows were slowly being splattered with rain drops. Lightning flashed and their shadows illuminated off of the walls.
"Jack…" her lips twitched, forming a small grin, "You don't play piano."
"Who said I didn't?" He scratched the side of his nose before saying, "All right, I admit it, I don't. But it's on my to-do list to learn."
He frowned as she made her way over, lifted the casing covering the keys, and sat down.
"What are you doing?"
June smirked. "Washing my feet. What does it look like I'm doing, imbecile?"
She placed her fingers on the keys and Jack braced himself, wondering if she was going to pound on the keys or break into a beautiful symphony of sound.
Instead, he suddenly heard the tinking of keys as she played a children's version of "Ring Around the Rosies".
She stopped and smiled up at him.
"What the hell was tha'?" he snorted.
"Hey, I never finished me lessons, all right?" she confessed, "But I was an avid student."
"You sure could have fooled me," he said sarcastically.
June made a face at him and said, "Next room, please."
Sparrow ushered her by the next room, saying, "We don't need to go in there."
She stuck her head in, getting an eyeful of mahogany bed and red silk sheets. It was his bedroom.
"Aw, don't trust yourself?" June questioned cheekily.
"No, I don't trust you," he muttered. He led her to the last room at the other end of the small hallway. Pushing the door open, June entered, immediately filling her nose with a musty smell.
"Books," she stated, "I love that book smell." The room was pitch black, but Jack took a lantern sitting on a stand next to the door and lit it slowly. She took it from him, holding it up for herself to see.
The walls were covered with bookcases filled to the brim. Another barren fireplace was located to her left. Two big cushioned chairs were in the middle of the room, stacks of books on either side of them.
"Where did ye get all these?" June said with a shake of her head, "Hijack a traveling library o' something?"
"British soldiers like to read, what can I say?" Sparrow said innocently.
"Do you?"
"When I have the time," he said, picking at a stray string hanging from his off-white shirt.
"So you can read, then? Astonishing," she commented.
"Do you enjoy baiting me and makin' me life a livin' hell?" Jack said, his brown eyes darkening in challenge.
"Perhaps." She shrugged.
"Want to know something?" he spat, "I wouldn't have taken ye with me if Anastasia hadn't begged me to. Said ye deserved a chance. Ha! Was I ever wrong to agree with her!"
"Everyone deserves a second chance," June said with a grin, "Even the invincible Jack Sparrow."
"Now what do I need a second chance for?" Jack asked angrily, flopping into the nearest chair and running a hand over his goatee.
June smiled deviously and if not a bit foolishly. She crouched next to his knees and trailed a finger down his thigh.
"A second chance to kiss me like you've been wanting to," June whispered seductively.
A/N: I couldn't resist, mate. I couldn't leave this story alone for another day. Had to get to what everyone's been waiting for.
Special thanks to Katie for helping me choose the last word of the chapter and for the library setting. Ooh la la!
Reviews to Reviews!
Twilight-la-fae: Oh, those silly natural disasters. How we love thee. Sorry about the shortness…hope this chapter made up for that!
Karal: Thank you homie! You are the bee's knees.
Leanan Sidhe: Hey gal! Tada! His house! Kazaam! It's so nice to converse with you again. And Jack says, I quote, "Don't be scared o' me manhood, dove…there's enough Jack to go around!"
TheSiriusSparrow: There you go, making me blush again. You are the champion blushinator!
Kurama13: Thanks for reviewing! You get an honorary compass I found out of a Cracker Jack Box! Jack Sparrow's Cracker Jacks! Woo!
CrzySxyCoolPirateofMirkwood: Haha, I am glad you find it so humorous. That means my job is done for today. (salutes and runs away, laughing maniacally)
TheDutchessofDoom: Oh Dutchess…trying to seduce me with reviews in order to get a new chapter. Gah! It worked! What is the world coming to?! Hehee, but picture Sparrow doing the pelvic movements instead of Elvis! (drools) Ah yes, will Jack finally suck it up and give in already to the throes of passion? Or will he and June have a smackdown? Only time will tell! Stay tuned for the next chapter!
Pirate Gyrl: I updated! I updated! You are phantasmically awesome, girl! I hope they haven't been working you too hard at your job. (Lovin' your updates by the way!) : )
Adri-Laree: Hehee, I know what you're thinking. 'mature' my butt, right? : ) Silly June. Thank you so much for liking my chapters! You are the bomb diggety!
PiratePrincezz: I love your quote! "Is that a plane?" Classic. Good times right there. Aw, I love writing humor! June's gotta be my most favorite to write because I can make her as spontaneous as I want her to be. Thanks a bundle for your kind words!
Nuruhuine: Aw, you can't get enough of it, eh? Hope this chapter helped you out with that! (smiles) Thank you so much!
Jeyke: Just sending in a review is great. Thank you!!
Punkdpirate: Tada! His house! His wonderful abode of lovely splendor! I shall check out those stories of yours when I get the chance, dearie! Would I pass up the chance to read something by you? Never.
TourniquetALA: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the chapter.
Evil Duckie of theBlackLagoon: (evil grin) Attack her like a wild animal, eh? Only time will tell, dahhling! Thank you for the awesome email and I will make sure to check out your stories!
Kc81501: Don't feel newish! : ) Thanks for reviewing. Argh, homework already? That's a rip. I hope this chapter made you feel muchos better.
Irish Hopes: (joins in with the happy dance) (sings) Can't touch this! Da da da da! HAMMERTIME!
NazgulGirl: Don't be confused. LIVE! LIVE! I think I just confused myself too. Ah well. Hope you enjoyed the chappie!
To everyone else who reviewed after the post, I adore you.
Until milkshakes can't shake no more,
PineAppleLint
