Disclaimer: Me no own, you no sue!
A/N: Hello, lovelies! I want you to know that I am booting this rating up to R. Not because I plan to put anything exceptionally dirty into this little tale, but I feel that the use of language and sensuality does sometimes call for a soft R rating. After all, they are pirates. I hope you like this chapter. It was a fun one to write. Oh! And thank you all for reviewing! Answers to reviews of chapter 21 will be posted at the end. Ta!
PaL
-Perhaps a glass of water would do the trick. Tending to her dry throat almost always soothed her back to sleep. Opening the door gingerly, she began to make her way silently to the galley.-
That is, until she heard a gunshot reverberate along the walls and the ceiling. Ana was so shocked she clung to the nearest wall as if she was clinging to the edge of a steep cliff, attempting to catch her breath. Hell. It was two in the morning! This startling sound of DOOM only meant one inevitable thing…Jack and June were at it again.
She began to scurry towards the bunks, attempting to find Will, when she came across some very irritated pirates.
"What was that blasted noise?" Gibbs muttered, rubbing sleep from his eyes, "We 'ave to get up in a couple o' hours…"
"Will and I will take care of it," she said soothingly, "I'm sure it's nothing…"
"Ana!" Will burst through the growing crowd with incredible exertion despite the fact he was just woken as well. And as an added bonus, he was shirtless. "Ana, thank God, when I heard that gunshot…"
The fact that he actually cared for her well-being didn't exactly register right away. She spent a moment or two staring at his broad-shouldered, tanned, muscular frame, and the way those delectable muscles rippled with every movement. Mmm, if only she could sink her teeth into those…
"Ana?"
Blinking, she immediately cast those impure thoughts into the back of her mind and focused on regaining her ladylike composure. "Will," she forced a blush to her cheeks and glanced down to her toes, "Did the Pearl run out of clean shirts or something? I didn't know it was laundry day."
Will's befuddled expression instantly relaxed into a cat-like grin. And it wasn't cute like a cuddly housecat, oh no. It was predatory, like a lion before it ripped an unknowing gazelle to meaty shreds. He knew she had been gazing at his half-nude form with reckless abandon and was savoring the thought. "Ana," he said gently, touching her arm, "I don't think you have room to talk."
Glancing down, she realized she was still clad in naught but a loose-fitting night shirt that barely scraped her lower thigh. "I suppose you're right," she replied sheepishly, her blush deepening and running down to her collarbone, "I didn't get a chance to find something more respectable."
"Don't think anything of it, Anastasia," Will responded with a mischievous look, "I understand that's what you wear to bed. Fortunately, I remembered to pull some trousers on before I went to find you."
Anastasia's eyes were like saucers. He…he was implying…oh dear LORD! Resisting the urge to fan herself, she shouted, "Everyone back to bed. I'll take care of this." Turning to Will, she added, "June needs to be force fed some common sense, is all."
"I'll take care of Jack, then." Will looped his arm through hers, and they both walked to where they thought the gunshot originated…the galley. It was undeniably empty.
"How odd," Anastasia murmured, worriedly biting her lip. She glanced up to find Will watching her in amusement. Sitting on the table, she said, "I really appreciate you caring about my welfare."
"Don't think anything of it." He pushed aside a stack of cleaned dishes and sat beside her.
What would June do at a time like this? Ana thought in frustration. What she didn't know was that minutes earlier June did, in fact, get inspiration from the galley table. And if she did know of that little incident, they probably wouldn't be sitting there in the first place for the fear of catching some odd strain of cooties.
Anastasia always knew she had a rebellious streak in her. She was supposed to be the dependable, responsible one, the complete opposite of the rash and loud June. Oh well. Fuck that. Right now, desperate times called for desperate measures.
Anastasia leaned into him suddenly, her nose touching his own. Surprisingly, Will didn't even back away.
"We should find June…" Will whispered weakly.
"We should…" Ana agreed just as softly before claiming his lips with her own, "…but let's not."
They melted into each other, each kiss growing fiercer as Ana wrapped her arms around him and Will massaged the back of her neck by lacing his fingers through her hair.
He broke away from her and said breathlessly, "I cannot love you, Ana…"
She cut him off with more kisses, feeling her pulse race with excitement. He was actually consenting to her touch! A rather far cry from the revulsion she had experienced in the past. He was actually attracted to her, and that gave Ana hope.
"In the physical or emotional sense?" she smoothly joked, "Because I am perfectly content with the first part for now."
"Anastasia…" he said, suddenly alert, "Do you smell that?"
"Will, I never knew dinner upset you in such a manner. I'm going to have to reconsider spending time with you in close proximity."
He cut her a scathing look before saying, "No, the alcohol. Do you smell it?"
Ana took a long whiff and realized that there was a broken wine bottle on the floor, the liquid oozing through the floorboards and the shards of glass glinting in the dim light.
"June's been here," Will stated, leaping off the table, "And I'm sure Jack wasn't far behind. Let's go." He offered Ana a hand and she took it with a sigh, her lips aching to be kissed again just as her heart was aching with the realization that the delicious moment had ended.
What had happened moments before Will and Ana got there wasn't uncharacteristic of the flamboyant duo. Jack should have seen it coming, but he was too distracted by the way June felt in his rough grasp. He could feel her toned body moving against him eagerly as his back shifted against the wooden table. He could smell the rustic, salty sweetness to her skin hovering over him and see her content smile grow at the tiny groans that escaped him. And that dress! That sensual dress she was wearing shot off every pleasurable nerve in his body…
Of course, he WAS enjoying himself as she "toyed with his pistol", but suddenly
BANG
The composed Jack Sparrow shouted a vile obscenity before sending the both of them tumbling to the floor, the bottle of wine going down with them and exploding against the planks.
"Jesus Christ!" Jack hissed angrily, suddenly apprehending their situation and was trying to keep quiet, "What the fuck do ye think you're doing?"
June attempted to muffle her giggles against her skirts but failed. "Sorry. Guess I grabbed the wrong pistol."
"You could have shot me! And you spoiled me finest bottle!" Jack grabbed her wrists into a painful grip, forcing her to look at the gun at his waistband. It was still smoking.
She bit her lip and whispered, "Things were really startin' to heat up, I suppose," and burst into another giggle fit when she noticed the hole in his trousers and the bullet lodged into the table.
"You…almost…shot me…in the leg!" Jack growled and picked her up with one swoop of his arms, "I'll make ye regret it, too!"
Letting out a girlish squeal, she feigned a half-assed attempt to break loose from his strong hold of her before settling comfortably into his arms. He carried her up onto the main deck, his boots making a clunking noise with every step, his dark dreads gently waving about in the soft wind.
"What do you have planned for me, Cap'n?" she asked seductively, batting her eyelashes, "Because I'm just about up for anythin', me darling pirate ma…" June paused in shock as he began to undress her with jerky, impatient movements. His skilled fingers unbuttoned every last button before yanking the crimson dress down and letting it pool at her feet. Ignoring her sudden nudity, he grinned at June's appalled expression, showing her his glinting gold teeth.
Then he threw her overboard.
Jack ignored her scream as he stared calmly up at the night sky, at the glittering constellations plastered across the never-ending black sheet before frowning in confusion.
What the hell?
"Jack! The water's perfect!" June called out mischievously, "Care to join me? I promise not to accidentally shoot at you again. On second thought, you best remove your pistol just in case."
Sparrow leaned over the railing and narrowed his eyes at the sultry vixen. Oh, she was a crafty one! He wouldn't let her get away with it…
"Won't be but a moment, me dove…" he called huskily, stripping off his effects and shirt before doing the most graceful (and masculine) swan dive she had ever seen, landing in the dark, cool water somewhere beside her.
She was enjoying the water caressing her body when a pair of hands ran along her hips. Jack surfaced a mere six inches away from her. Water cascaded down his face, the kohl running down his cheeks and past his moustache in tiny rivulets. His bare chest and shoulders beaded with water, and June couldn't resist licking some of it off.
"I need to hear an apology!" she said with a grin, "For treatin' me beautiful form with such neglect."
"I want to, luv, but your supple form bobbing in front o' me in such a manner is not allowin' me to concentrate on your request," he replied with a wink, letting his eyes roam over what the ocean could not hide. She opened her mouth in order to respond with a creative insult, but his wandering hands took the breath out of her.
June sure hoped she wouldn't drown.
"Why aren't we moving?" Ana grumbled, "Shouldn't someone be at the helm?"
"Jack should," Will declared with a shake of his head, "Where the hell are they?" An unusual splash on the starboard side of the Pearl answered his question. "Oh God, I bet he's trying to drown June," Will said with a sigh.
"Yes, the animosity between them has finally gotten out of control," Ana agreed. They were about to peer over the railing when a half-naked Jack crawled over the side.
Ana was about to say something aloud to make their presence known, but suddenly another body followed Jack's. An obviously NAKED body!
Will and Ana immediately scrambled to hide behind the main mast, red in the face. It was June. Of course, they weren't able to see anything too flashy because Jack handed her the dress she was wearing earlier. She hugged it to her body rather than immediately putting it on.
"Can you believe this?" Ana gasped in a low voice, glancing at Will, who still had his eyes diverted.
"I thought they hated each other," Will mumbled in embarrassment. His ears were a cute shade of pink.
"Don't worry, she's covered for now," Ana whispered back, "Let's continue our eavesdropping fest!"
June leaned against the railing and grinned up at a satisfied Sparrow, graciously accepting his heated kiss.
"Darling," he murmured, "I can't help but notice that we're not where we're supposed to be."
"I know, I know…its a bit risky bein' out here and all," June laughed, "I will go into your cabin willingly if that's what you desire."
"That's not what I mean," Jack said with a superior smirk, "You think I wouldn't notice our current coordinates?"
A flash of bewildered understanding swept through her expression but was suddenly gone, replaced by a cool, composed smile. "What? I'm not comprehendin' a bloody thing you say, Jack. The salt water must have gotten to you…"
Jack clenched his teeth and curled a hand around her nape, painfully fisting some of her wet black locks, "Why don't you tell ol' Jack where we're going, eh? Because I'm getting mighty impatient."
"You should know," June spat, pressing the dress closer to her shivering body, "Why don't you give me back the fuckin' map you stole from me?"
Review TIME! Hope on the ol' Review Train! Woowoo!
Leanan Sidhe: Yay! One o' my favorite writer gals! How are you doing, lovey? I'm so happy the last chapter was up to the standards you set for me. Ha. I am desperate for more chapters from you…sheesh, how long has it been? It's immoral to keep a fellow pirate-lover waiting so long. I hope this chapter kept you on your toes. It's quite a bit more sultry than the rest. I heart sultry-ness.
Deathly Nightshade: Hehe, I'm so glad you like it! I know what you mean, I love June. She makes my navel tickle with laughter. It's more fun updating this story because I get to be more lenient and witty with the dialogue. Thank you so much for reading all the other stories. I love hearing what you think!
Pirate Gyrl: Dani, me love! It's wonderful to hear from you again. Our IM chats are always fun, like we're having a little pirate parTAY. Hope you liked this chapter. Woo, new R rating! That's always exciting. I can't wait to READ more from you, because I love your stuff. Perhaps Pirates 2 will give us the inspiration we are all craving.
MorgauseNokami: Evil Jack is always slightly hotter than Normal, Calm Jack. (evil, sultry thoughts) You know it's true!
Arein: Of course, dearie, it was a cross between (B) Will in naught but a pair of knickers and (F) Jack and June…er…um. We cannot determine yet what June will EXACTLY do to Jack because of the blasted map, or what Jack will do to June by messing with their destination. Either way I'm sure it will be equally entertaining. When I read your review, I (A) fainted, because it was intensely hot in the room and I hadn't had a bite to eat for a couple of hours. The excitement of getting such a creative review had something to do with it as well, I suppose. I hope you have something up on fanfiction, because I'd love to read it. You sound like a witty kind o' person, which means your writings would be awesome.
DJ-Tic-Tacs: Hello, Sweet Desires! The greatest compliment a gal can get in a situation like this is that she writes Jack well. So thanks very much! I really appreciate the review and the fact you're reading. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Captain Duckula: I'm sure Will and Ana won't be able to get some shut-eye for quite some time. They will probably be scarred for the better half of their adulthood.
Funkyflamingo: Hello! Hehe, thanks for reading this story as well as Trade with the Devil! To tell you the truth, it had been so long that I had to go back and reread as well. (lowers head in shame) Thank you so much for the loverly compliments!
Katie: Dude! New R Rating! Thanks for the amusing chats, homie. Pirates 2! We are so seeing it first showing. We are going to have to roll out our sleeping bags a week in advance.
Turn-my-black-roses-red: Hahahaha…no, you don't sound like a reader stalker. (locks door and deadbolts it, accompanies action with a nervous, high-pitched laugh) Hahaha. All jokes aside, thank you for reading and I hoped you liked the chapter.
Sentinel Sparrow: Jen! Been gone too long, indeed. Pirates are so nasty. Now they're going to have to pick up some 409 and bleach so they can sanitize the whole Black Pearl. Thank you for reading, dearie!
June Goddess of Pirates: Love the name. Hehehehe. No matter how sneaky Jack and June are, they will always get caught. Those silly geese.
CharlieBlackNails: Hey, long time no see, buddy! (super awesome handshake) Thanks for the compliments. The DRAMA keeps the story alive, babe! I had to reread too, that's how bad my memory is. Hope to read more soon from you and Rachel…you guys are the funniest writers on fanfiction!
Felicitiousmomento: Uh oh, indeed! And now, even more uh-ohs! Hope you enjoyed the new chappie.
The DuTchess of Doom: Angela, me darling! How are you doing? I was actually rereading Tame the Untamable the other day and laughing. Devon's a riot. I really hope I can bring her back for some later chapters. Hope to read some more updates from you in the near future. You're stuff is great!
Chocola Emo Shizzle: Loving the penname. You and your friend Crystal must be equally insane if you both could make a June Oleander. Haha…that would be awesome. Thanks for reviewing!
Jess-the-complete-loon: Hehehe, I would love to review my own story and leave weird messages, but then again I think it would freak people out. I know you meant update, dearie. And I did! So it all worked out in the end, aye?
Priestess of Shadows: Aw, thanks! You're the nicest pirate in the Caribbean! (hugs) Hope you liked the new chapter. I really appreciate the review.
BrendaC: Of course I remember you! (laughs) How's it going? I'm sad to hear that your computer has been down. It sucks to be without a computer. Technology these days…hope you liked the Will/Ana action this time around. Thanks for the review!
Aradia-rising: Aw, I'm sorry to hear that you've gone through similar things Ana has. Is it the heartbreak? Oh dear. Our broken hearts shall mend, dearie! I'm glad I added more Will/Ana if that's what you read for! I shall keep that in mind and try not to neglect their growing relationship.
Marta: Yay updates! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. A lot of people don't take the time to review, and I always love to hear what you think! You get a cyber pirate hat! Yippee! (hands you tricorne hat of JUSTICE)
If I left anyone out, my deepest apologies. Thank you all!
