Author's Notes: Thank you so much for the reviews, and a big hug to everyone who was urging me to continue. This chapter's for you, mates! I went and saw the movie for the eighth time today, and it is so much better the eighth time! So I urge you all to go see it again, AFTER you read this chapter. (winks) And no, I am not a spy of Disney's, nor am I helping them make big bucks. If I was a spy, I would want big boots and goggles and my own parachute. Oh, and a pirate tracker.
Disclaimer: I stole a pair of Captain Jack Sparrow's boxers! WOO!
The room was silent, eerily silent. The room was thick with it, and she opened her eyes to see Sparrow's reaction. Belle gaped at what she found, almost passing out from shock.
There was Sparrow, watching her, busy pulling off his shirt, giving her a view of tanned muscle from hard work under the sun, and scattered tattoos amongst his arms.
"What are you doing?" she whispered.
He grinned evilly and threw the shirt to the floor, staring into her wide eyes.
"I, luv," he said, "Am going to show ye just how much I yearn for yer touch. Savvy?"
Now, please enjoy chapter nine, ye scoundrels! (still doing the yay-Jack- Sparrow-is-Half-Naked Dance)
"Um, Mister Sparrow, I mean, uh, Captain Sparrow," she stuttered, backing away from him and towards the door, "I did not mean to offend you by ruining your clothes. I just went crazy in the heat of the moment and..."
"Well, luv, I would like to see ye go crazy in the heat of the moment again," he said, watching her like a predator with those deep brown eyes, "But under different circumstances."
Her mouth formed a small 'o' and he grinned mercilessly. "All right, you caught me off guard," she said and backed up too far, slamming into the wall, her back pressed to it and she panicked as he began to swagger over to her slowly. "I think you can quit this little game of yours," Belle said softly.
"Who said I was playin', Miss Belle?" Jack asked and in a flash, had both of his hands on each of her shoulders, pinning her there.
"I know your type, Jack," Belle said with narrowed eyes, "I am not your strumpet, or whatever you blokes are calling it these days. I am not a whore, or some woman you can get your fill of and then throw overboard."
"Who said I would throw you overboard?" Sparrow asked with staged innocence, "After all, once we find yer father's ship, I will have fifty percent of the loot, am I correct?"
"Yes," Belle said, lowering her eyelashes.
"Am I payin' ye for yer services?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at her, his gold teeth flashing in the dim lamplight.
"There are no services I am giving you, Sparrow," she said coldly, "And if there were, I sure hope you wouldn't."
"A shilling a night, 'ey? Does that sound good to you?" Jack said, running a finger down the crevice of her cleavage.
"I beg your pardon?" she gasped and yanked herself away from him, "You insufferable idiot!"
"What did I say?" Jack asked with an innocent pout, placing his hands on his lean hips.
"I cannot believe you are captain, let alone captain of the Black Pearl. Mister Cotton would make a better captain than you, and he cannot even speak!" She began to laugh hysterically and added, "Can you picture it? Mister Cotton's parrot, a better captain than Jack Sparrow will ever be."
Anger radiated off of Sparrow and she found him gritting his teeth, his hands clenched at his sides. Belle was actually finding that scene to be very rewarding. Catching the smooth captain off guard for a change, she thought with a grin.
"I was not surprised when I heard you had lost your ship to Barbossa," she continued, "And it was a miracle you even managed to get it back in the first place. Is that what they would call, oh, what's that silly phrase...blind luck?"
"Yer pushing it too far," he growled, his face growing solemn and enraged, losing that mischievous look it had possessed only seconds before.
"Pushing what too far, Sparrow? It is a good thing I'm coming up with all the plans around here, for it's a wonder the crew listens to a drunken fool. What did you do, Jack, pay them to listen to you? A shilling a night?"
Captain Sparrow let out a snarl and with one quick movement shoved her against the wall again. She gasped from astonishment as he grabbed his pistol and placed it to her head. Belle stared at Jack in silent bewilderment and Jack gazed back, his eyes flashing.
"You think this wise, lass? Makin' a pirate ravin' mad?"
"It is better than being stuck in bed with you, Captain," she spat.
"Ye have already been in bed with me, Miss Blake, and ye seemed to find it quite cozy," he murmured and ran the pistol barrel across her cheek, the cold metal making her shiver.
"That was before I knew you were such an ass," she argued, biting her lip to keep from hollering out curses and getting the whole crew's attention.
"An ass, ye say? Well perhaps I can change yer mind, Belle, for I think ye enjoy me company a bit more than ye would like to admit. How about it luv?" he said to her ear, "Free of charge."
"No damn way. I would not like to spend my evenings with a lowly pirate," she growled and then clamped her mouth shut as his face changed. His expression grew hard and steely.
"Ah," he murmured, putting his pistol back in its holster, "So that's it."
"What, Sparrow?" she asked in irritation.
"Ye think ye are of higher class than me, is that it? Well, ye have pirate's blood in yer veins, lass, so what does that make you?"
"I..."
"Ye are nuthin but a spoiled bitch, Miss Belle, and I think from now on ye should keep yer comments to yerself, or I may just give in to me urges and shot ye on the spot. Savvy?"
He turned and took big long strides across the room, grabbing his shirt and was about to open the door and storm out when Belle stepped in front of it, blocking his way out.
"Move," he seethed, his goatee braids waving and his trinkets jingling.
"I am sorry."
"What?" Jack asked, his arms falling to his sides, his fingers unclenching. It was if he was surprised that she even apologized on the spot.
"I did not mean the harsh things I said. And..." Belle paused, her cheeks growing red, "in some ways you are more of a gentleman than any other pirate I have heard about."
"What the 'ell are ye talkin' about?"
"Well, some pirates would not have hesitated to rape me on the spot or beat me when I talked back. You are different Sparrow, and perhaps one of the best captains I know."
"Luv," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching as he tried not to smile, "I am the only pirate captain ye know."
"Besides the point," she said stubbornly, "I..."
Jack interrupted her by leaning in and placing his lips on hers. Belle gasped under his mouth, but relaxed and wrapped her arms around him. Sparrow's expert hands went to work, running over her curves, his fingers entwining in her hair, moving alongside her cheekbones. His tongue demanded entry and she opened her mouth a little, and then there was a blur of lips and teeth. He ravaged her lips until she was out of breath. Jack's hands clamped around her hips, and she felt him shudder as her hands ran up his tanned bare chest. Finally he took a step away from her, breaking the long, hot kiss and passionate embrace. Belle leaned against the wall, chest heaving, pulling up her sleeve, which had been ripped in the blind urge to touch each other.
His soft brown eyes were glazed over with desire and he leaned in close to her, whispering seductively, "Don't think I'm a gentleman, Miss Blake. Ever since we began this talk in me cabin, I've wanted to throw ye to the floor and ravish you so ye wouldn't be able to stand fer a week."
He grinned as her eyes widened and he turned on his heel, throwing his stained shirt back on and opened the door, yelling, "Hoist the sails, ye scabberous dogs! Get to work, or I'll feed ye to the sharks meself! Savvy?"
Captain Jack Sparrow turned in the middle of the doorway. Looking back at her in his dimly lit cabin, he winked, and then closed the door as he began to sing his favorite song to himself.
"Drink up me 'earties," he muttered, knowing that having Belle on the Black Pearl was going to be a greater temptation to him than he had ever known. Well, besides rum.
Late at night, Belle was busy making the crew a couple shirts out of some more fabric she found from down below, and managed to make Sparrow a few as well. She felt a bit guilty about ruining his entire wardrobe, yet she would never forget that look on his face when he had stared at that pile of mangled clothing on his bed.
The night was quiet, and she began to wonder where everyone was. No one was above deck, and the anchor had been lowered. She stared at the full moon and set down the clothes, stretching as she stood. Where the hell was everybody?
Belle suddenly perked up and strained to listen. Yes, it was Sparrow all right, and the crew. They were all singing that blasted song of his.
She smiled and gathered up her sewing tools, then went down the stairs to see what the hubbub was about.
"Belle!" Gibbs slurred as she entered the Mess Hall, "Come join the festivities!"
Everyone was gathered around the table, holding their own mug of rum and a few playing cards. Jack was at the head of the table, eyeing his cards carefully then looking up at her with a small smile.
"What is the big celebration about?" Belle asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Just playin' a drinkin' game, Miss Blake," Ana Maria said with sarcasm, "Somethin' society girls shouldn't get involved in. It would put a black mark on yer record."
Belle frowned and Jack said, "Ah, Ana Maria, be nice to the lass. She doesn't have to join in if she doesn't want to." Jack Sparrow then glanced up at Belle, grinning as he added, "But the lass is known to take risks." He threw down his cards and crossed his arms, his boots perched up on the table in a relaxed state.
Everyone else dropped their cards and stared at her, awaiting her reaction. Belle grinned devilishly, reached over Ana Maria, grabbed her mug of rum, and downed it in a few gulps. She then tossed the empty mug back at Ana Maria, who was scowling, and Belle curtseyed as she let out a huge belch.
The men cheered and a few shouted, "Good show!" or "There ye go, lass!"
"Now if you'll excuse me," Belle said with a wink, "I've got to get a head start on the laundry tomorrow." She began to walk away but as she past Jack, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into his lap.
"What is it, Captain?" she asked, eyes twinkling.
"A lass doesn't down half a bottle o' me rum and get away with it," he said in good humor, "Forget the damn laundry. Yer stayin'."
An hour or two later, each and every one of them were smashed except for Sparrow, who could hold his liquor like no other.
"Who won this round?" Ana Maria slurred, squinting her eyes as she peered down her mug.
"Uh, let's see, I think it was Fibbs, uh, I mean, dammit, I don't know what I mean. I forgot what I was goin' to say," Belle said with a hysterical giggle.
Belle was about to take another sip of rum when Sparrow grabbed the bottle from her and said, "I think you've had enough, missy."
"Ah, spoil my fun," she said and looked down at the table, then picked up a fork and examined it closely.
"See somethin' ye like?" Sparrow asked in amusement, holding her still on his lap so she wouldn't fall off.
"Ever think of how funny the word 'fork' is? It is quite humorous. Foorrrrrkkkkkkk," she said slowly and began to crack up.
Mister Gibbs said sleepily, "I think it's about time I get me some shut eye," then passed out face down onto the table.
"Sweet dreams, Gibbs," Ana Maria said and tried to pat him on the back, but missed a couple of times and ended up patting the table or his head.
"Rum in the gallows, rum in the gallows," Mister Cotton's parrot squawked.
"I'm so sick of that damn bird," one of the crew muttered and eyed it fiercely, "its bad luck, that creature is."
"I can help," Belle said and sneaked her arm around Jack's waist and grabbed his pistol. She tried to aim it at the bird and before Sparrow could snatch it away from her, a shot rang out and a bullet was lodged into the far wall.
"Stop blowin' bloody holes in me ship!" Jack cried and grabbed it from her, wringing it from her hands, "All right, that's enough for you, Miss Blake. To bed with ye!"
"Ah, will you be joining me?" she asked with a wink and some of the crew hollered at her seductive remark.
"The captain's havin' some company tonight, gents!" one man cried and the rest hooted.
"I think not, mates. Ye all go and get some shut eye yerselves," Jack ordered.
"What are you, their mum?" Belle questioned and the crew laughed.
"Mommy!" someone hollered and the drunken men began to giggle once more.
"That's it," Jack said, shaking his head and threw Belle over his shoulder, beginning to climb the stairs.
"Hey!" she cried and a few of them called out some obscene comments as Jack carried her off into his quarters.
"Ye will be heavin' it all up tomorrow, luv," he said as he laid her down on his bedspread, "And ye will deserve it, ye fool."
"Yes, but I'm a fool ye happen to like," she pointed out, yawning contently.
He ran a finger through one of her curls and she watched him in curiosity.
"Jack, have ye ever loved anything else beside yer rum?"
"The Black Pearl."
"Besides that," Belle said sleepily.
"The ocean," he said with a grin, his finger trailing down her throat.
"Besides that," she repeated.
"I don't know what ye are askin', luv, for I love a great deal of things, but..." he stopped when he realized she was snoring.
"Hellcat," he murmured and watched her for a moment, then pulled on his hat and sat in the chair across from the bed, resting his boots up on the mattress. He heard her let out a little moan in her sleep and his blood went hot. If he knew what was good for him, he would have to keep a distance from Belle. But that was Sparrow's downfall. He always did have a weakness for feisty women.
After a half hour of making sure she didn't wake up and start destroying his ship, he slowly drifted off to his own dreams. They were usually full of new adventures and sparkling treasure, but the one he was possessed with that night was of the burning touch of a certain woman. Belle was even haunting his dreams.
Jack awoke early, as always, but his skin was slick with sweat and his heart beat was fast and rapid.
"Damn her," he muttered, standing up and leaning in the doorframe for a moment, watching her as she breathed deeply in her sleep. Sparrow shook his head and then made his way towards the helm. Sparrow always went to the helm of his beloved ship when he had to ponder hard about something, or when he wanted to watch the sunrise.
He ran his hands along the dark wood, caressing it like a lover. In a few minutes, dawn would break and the sun would gleam over the waves, casting new colors across the heavens like a painter with his pallet. Jack spent many mornings like this one, just gazing at the sky.
Sure enough, the sky began its vivid transformation, changing from blue to yellow, pink to a dazzling red.
"Now bring me that horizon," Sparrow murmured.
Now remember to review and tell me what you think, mates! I love hearing from you. : )
