A/N: Hurricane provided me with my inspiration this time around: she asked what Jack was most proud of in his entire life. :)
"My father," she said, carefully and slow. "My... father was the only man who'd ever seen it."
Jack nodded. As she continued, she rocked back and forth a bit; a result, on which Jack could count, of the fine wine she had provided them and proceeded to drink in its entirety (Jack would have caused a ruckus but for the bottle of rum he had conviently housed in his pocket). "The prize of all the watchmakers in all of Germany!"
She opened her delicate, pale hand to reveal the most glorious pocketwatch Jack had ever seen. He was sorely tempted to snatch it right then and there, but he thought it would be a bit improper to pilfer straight from a lady's hand.
Said lady laid the watch on a small table in the center of the room, unsteadily rearranging her layers of deep green skirts, a gleam in her bright eyes. "Dance with me, Jack Sparrow," she said coyly, as though it were a dangerous suggestion that could land them both in scandal.
Always the proper gentleman, Jack removed his eyes from the lovely watch (were he not mistaken, there was a trim of rubies laid about the edge) and laid them on the lady, her hair a striking shade of gold. A smile had worked its way onto her face, and Jack would be lying if he did not admit how attractive she looked in the dim light of candles and the moon peering through the window.
Jack placed his hand gently on his lady's narrow waist. He could feel her breath on his neck -- she was fairly statuesque, which lent her a more foreboding presence than other woman Jack had encountered. He could not help but admire the priceless watch from over her shoulder, but it was not at all gentlemanly to pilfer from behind a lady's back.
"I apologize from the very deapths of me heart," Jack murmered. "But the only dance I know is the waltz."
The lady blinked up at him, all manner of intimidation gone. "A gentleman," she said, a smile playing upon her lips. Jack kept the corner of his eye on the watch, but could not spare a fingertip to pilfer from a lady as they waltzed.
They danced for what seemed like mere moments, until Jack noticed the moonlight had changed and the lady noticed how heavy her eyelids were. She tugged fruitlessly on Jack's sleeve, falling into a heavy brocade armchair. "Jack..." she managed, before the wine closed her eyes and her deep, steady breathing filled the room.
Jack crossed to the cherry wood table in two steps, grabbing the pocket watch with far less care than it deserved. But as he stared at it in his hand, a nagging feeling poked at his brain. It would not be at all proper to pilfer from a lady while she slept off the wine she had meant for them both. Not gentlemanly in the slightest.
Jack set the watch down softly. He returned to the lady's side, and found ample room to ease himself into the same large armchair, a few blond hairs prickling at his cheek. "Until morning, my dear," he said quietly into her ear, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. A gentleman of a pirate he would be.
