Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Disney's.
A/N: Woohoo! I feel so evil! Well, June's evil. I place all the blame on her…thank you Padme4000, rynn, senatorsarah, Jeni Star, Arein, Wanderer of the Roads, Meesixy, Kait, Lisa, Evey, Sentinel Sparrow, RainWisher, Aradia-rising, MaryReadsRevenge, felicitousmomento, ChirikoFan, plummet, sparrow's strumpet, a-boy-named-sue, BrendaC, Skylark Rose, Leaena Draconis, xQueenxofxHeartsx, lisa, brunette-lady23, CrimsonDreamer19, SparrowsVixon, xMonsterx, pinksharpie, MorgauseNokami, CharlieBlackNails, Princess-Maiden, and Analiria. Your reviews were delightful, and I felt bad for leaving it at such a horrible cliffhanger. So here you are…Chapter 26.
If they had both turned around at that precise moment, they would see a young lady on the verge of tears and a pirate ready to kill.
Feeling quite satisfied with the amount of spit swapped between her and the strapping young man, June gently plucked her lips off of Will's. Looking down into his dazed expression, she seemed pretty pleased.
"So?" she pressed.
"I…" Will faltered, licking his lips, "That was nice. But…"
"But…" June coaxed, "Come on…"
"It was nice, June. Trust me. But I did not feel anything of immense value…"
"Ah HA!" June all but yelled, making him jump, "That is exactly what I was goin' for, me boy!" She poked him in the chest accusingly. "It was nice, but dear Ana's kiss was nicer."
Will blinked, staring up at her in sudden realization. Embarrassed by being read so easily, he bit out, "June, sometimes you make me want to strangle you…"
"You and everybody else," she sighed, stroking his hair thoughtfully, "You better tell Miss Anastasia how you really feel so she won't keep thinkin' you're an apathetic bastard."
"Yes…an apathetic, brainless bastard."
June and Will untangled each other from themselves and glanced towards the direction of the voice while doing so. If the black spot could be transformed into a stare, Jack was indeed giving Will the black spot. Or gaze herpes. Perhaps watchful syphilis. No matter. Whatever kind of stare it was, he looked positively homicidal.
Smiling pleasantly, June said, "Jack, didn't see ye standin' there all by yer onesies. Where is Miss Walker?"
Sparrow's brown eyes were suddenly hidden by the angsty shadow created by his hat. His voice low, he replied, "She ran off. I don't blame her, after walkin' in and seein' this lil' exhibit…"
"Oh…we were just…discussin' some things…"
"June," Will said sharply through clenched teeth, "That's enough."
"Yes," Jack growled, "I agree. That's most certainly enough." His hand shot out and he grabbed June's arm, de-seating her from Will's lap, "And you'll keep your mouth shut if ye know what's good for you." Turning to Will he said dangerously, "You and I will have a chat, Mister Turner, aye?"
"Aye," Will said, his face hardening. Uh oh, June thought as a slight shiver of anticipation ran up her spine, there was going to be a battle of masculinity! How spicy…
"As for you," the grip on her arm tightened, causing her to wince in pain, "You and I are goin' to have a talk upstairs. Now."
"I have absolutely nothin' to say to you, Jack Sparrow," she said angrily, "What I do is none o' yer business." Struggling in his grasp, she added, "That was yer cue to let go o' me now!"
Will suddenly stood up. "Jack, I do not see why you are so furious. After all, it seems as if she is cured of her affections for you. You no longer have to worry."
June's jaw dropped, and she glanced back and forth at both of the men, who were exchanging lethal stares. "You were TALKING ABOUT ME?! How dare you!" Tightening her fists, she prepared to knock the living daylights out of both of those blasted fools.
"Yes, I no longer have to worry," Jack repeated, looking genuinely betrayed, "But you kissed her back, you lout!"
"This is so childish…" June groaned, staring at the ceiling, "What does it really matter?" Pointing to Jack, she said, "I know ye don't feel anythin' of significant importance, Captain Sparrow. I've come to terms wit' that. I'm just a fun and friendly roll-in-the-hay. So stop actin' like this matters and stop stringin' me along, all right?"
Will Turner knew something had to be done. It couldn't end like this. Not for her. It wasn't fair to June. He realized now that the kiss, as good as it was, was meant to open his eyes. It was meant to open Jack Sparrow's eyes as well, but Jack was less than willing to submit to self-realization. Jack was jealous and wanted her all to himself, but he wasn't about to admit that.
"Jack," Will commented, "Just leave her alone. After all, I'm sure I could treat her better. You won't have to worry about her harassing you anymore."
Jack's face exhibited shock and frustration. Taking off his coat, he said bitterly, "I've treated her just fine. She deserved it most o' the time." Turning to June, he accused, "You stole the object of your friend's attentions, Miss Oleander. Will you be able to live wit' this?"
"Yup. I'm good wit' it," she said, smiling prettily. Latching herself on to Will's arm, she purred, "Now where'd Darling, darling? We really must get going." Will grinned like an infatuated gentleman and kissed her soundly on her neck, lingering a bit longer than what was deemed appropriate.
June never expected him to play along with her antics. Her gaze connected with Sparrow's, and he seemed ready to lunge at them both and run them through with his sword. She almost felt bad…almost.
Sparrow jumped when a small monkey hopped up on June's shoulder, screeching lovingly in her ear. "There you are!" she fussed, "I was gettin' worried!" Turning to Will, she whispered loud enough for Sparrow to hear, "I'll be upstairs, me love, in room 313. And I'll be waiting." With a wink in Will's direction, she then walked confidently past Sparrow without even giving him a second glance, disappearing up the stairs.
Jack looked defeated as he sat down across from Will at the rickety old table. "Why are you doin' this, mate?"
"Why aren't you fighting for her?"
"Because now she's out o' me handsome hair," he pointed out, "Just like ye said. You've made a wonderful point, really." He grew quiet. A little too quiet for his usual self. Before Will could say something, he continued, "She's annoyin', lad. Exceedingly annoyin'. And troublesome. She's played at least fifty pranks on the likes o' me thus far. And she always wants to be at the helm…it's tiring."
"Jack…"
"…and she's always tryin' to ravish me! The crew's afraid o' her. Gibbs thinks she worships Satan himself…"
"Jack…"
"…and she wakes me up in the mornin' by singing while she bathes. Her voice can scare away young children, it can. And she's dishonest. Well, so am I, but that's not the point here. Where was I? Oh yes. She sets things on fire, and steals me money, which I'm guessin' she spent on that ridiculous, mangy primate…"
"Jack…"
"…and she's beautiful, mate." Jack grew silent.
Will stared at him, at a loss for words.
"She's…different. It takes some gettin' used to." Jack motioned for the bar wench and ordered a large mug of rum. When the young woman went to retrieve said drink, he continued, "I'm used to a passing fancy decoratin' me arm without fuss. Like I said, she's dishonest. So am I. Findin' this treasure is important to me, mate. I can't trust her, vice versa. Who knows what the greed will do to us both?"
"Jack, I want you to know that this was all staged by June herself."
"What are you sayin', lad?"
"When she kissed me, she got me to realize that Anastasia means more to me than I comprehended at first. She was just being a friend."
"Have fun explainin' that one to Ana." Jack nodded in appreciation at the bar wench and downed the whole drink.
"I better go find Anastasia." Will glanced at him as he stood, adjusting his coat, "No hard feelings, then?"
Jack grinned toothily. "Nah. If you passed up Miss Oleander's advances, that would only confirm me suspicions of your eunuch ways."
Nodding after sending him a slightly irritated look, William was out the door.
I'll be upstairs, me love, in room 313. "313," Jack muttered, throwing a few loose shillings he found in his pocket down on the table. He wanted her to wait up there alone, just to teach her a lesson for messing with his head. He wanted her to expect his arrival all night. He wanted to be cruel after making him spill a little bit of his emotions to Mister Turner. Seeing June and Will together had confused him and angered him to a level he couldn't understand. Why did he care so? Why did he care where Oleander put her supple, inviting mouth?
As he thought about this, he didn't even notice that he was swaggering up the stairs. He wasn't getting soft, dammit! Putting his hand on the doorknob of 313, he turned it and walked into the darkness, his eyes rapidly adjusting.
"What are ye doing here, Sparrow?" he heard a female voice ask haughtily, "I thought you'd get it. Yer out o' the picture, savvy? GONE! ERASED!"
"Surely you don't mean that, luv," he replied with a grin, sitting down next to her on the mattress. She smelled like heaven…like sweat and femininity and spices.
"I hate you, Jack," she murmured brokenly, her words bleeding together, "I do." She grabbed the near empty bottle of alcohol rolling around on the bed and attempted to suck the last drops from it.
Ah, so that's where she got that sultry slur from.
Raising his eyebrows at the sudden faintness of her voice, he remarked, "Surely you don't mean that either." She swung the bottle at him and he dodged it in the nick of time.
Hesitantly, he placed a finger under her chin and raised it in order to get a better view of her face.
"No more games, June," he whispered huskily, "No more going off and making me jealous." He kissed her then, and she melted under the heated pressure of his mouth, the familiar grasp of his callused hands, the slight tickle of his goatee…
Breaking away, she slurred with a wicked smile, "Right when the doorknob turned, I knew it was you."
Will didn't have to venture far…he found Ana sitting on the steps outside of the tavern fighting to ignore the drunk viciously vomiting a few feet away from her. Walking around to face her, he realized she wasn't crying anymore. She stared blankly ahead of her as if suffering from shock.
"Anastasia…" Will pleaded gently, "It isn't what it looked like. Honest."
She looked up at him with hatred. "So you just fell on her face, then? Perfect. What a great opportunity for you to stick your tongue down her throat."
"No, I mean yes, I…"
"What the hell are you trying to say, Will?" Ana exploded uncharacteristically.
He flinched a little and quelled the unmanly desire to run far, far away. "When June kissed me…"
"You know what, William?" she said calmly, "I'm done with this. I try so hard to be there for you and what do I get for my trouble? I get called names, I get hurt, and my pride is cast to the side. Then you go after another woman. I'm done with you."
"Dammit, Ana! Will you listen to me for one minute?!"
"Where's Jack? I want to speak with him this very instant."
Will stared at her. "About what?"
"About our course of action. The other half of the map isn't going to find itself, you know. I think we all ended up as key players in this adventure of sorts, and I'm not going to back out now just because of some trivial matter."
"Jack's upstairs in room 313. Though I wouldn't go up there right now if I were you."
"He took her back ALREADY?" Ana cried, throwing her hands up in the air, "How perfect. I shouldn't even be surprised."
"Please, Anastasia, I wanted to let you know that I really care for you." He took her hands in his before she could inch away from him. "And what June did was just a way to open my eyes about how much I adore you."
Her eyes widened slightly, yet her mouth remained grimly set. "By kissing you?"
"After she kissed me, she wanted me to think about kissing you instead. She made me realize how much I want to be with you." He pressed a chaste kiss to her palm. "Only you."
"You son of a bitch," she sighed, turning twice as angry. "HOW am I supposed to stay mad at you? HOW?"
"I'm sorry you had to witness that," he whispered, pulling her close, "I never meant to upset you."
Before he could even attempt to kiss her, they heard footsteps draw closer to them. Before they could even turn to see who it was, Ana was ripped away from Will with outstanding force.
Two grimy men in about their late twenties had her struggling in their grasp, their pistols shoved in her lower back. Ana was so shocked, every breath she drew felt strained.
"Fredrick an' I couldn't help but overhear yer disgustin' conversation," the red-headed one sneered, "But we seems to 'ave heard something of interest."
"What's this about a map?" 'Fredrick' questioned, clutching Ana harshly by her delicate throat.
"Hand it over," the other growled, "Or the gel's dead."
Ana glanced to Will in panic, almost choking in the stranger's hold.
"We don't have it," Will said quickly, "But we know who does. It's in room 313…go now and leave her be!"
"No way," Frederick said slyly, "She's comin' wit' us. Because if you happen to be lyin', she'll get what she deserves, alright?" As the men began moving forward with Ana, Will began to follow. Spinning around, he spat, "You stay here" and pointed to the ground.
Will could only watch as his beloved was carried away by thieves.
The severe pounding on their door startled them out of their lusty games.
"This room's taken…" Jack half-shouted, half-murmured as he cupped June's buttocks and pulled her closer, feasting on her mouth once again.
When the doorknob began to jiggle impatiently, Jack snarled in frustration. Pressing a quick kiss to the side of her throat, he threw her his shirt to slip on as he checked his pistol for shot.
"Just tell them we're very busy, darling," June said sleepily, pulling the shirt over her head, "And that it can wait."
Jack grumbled to himself as he crossed the room, unlocked the door, and continued to open it…
Haha! Another evil chapter. Please tell me what you think! I'd love to hear it.
