Disclaimer: Disney owns all of POTC. In fact Disney practically owns the world. You'd think that they could at least loan me Norrington.

AN: A little more bittersweet than I'd intended but I promise that humor is to follow in future chapters.

So lost in her reminiscences was Val that she almost missed the slight click the door made as it was closed and the lock turned. Without looking she knew who had just entered the room. It had always been that way between them, an unwanted awareness of his presence. Truthfully she had half known who it was on the balcony before she had even seen him but the rational side of her mind had dismissed the notion. Refusing to allow him to see her disconcerted Val coldly inquired, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Jack sauntered across the room, shrugged out of his jacket, and took the chair opposite Val's. Her sangfroid irritated him. He had expected fear, alarm, or at the very least outrage and instead she sat calmly surveying him. His lips twisted as he acknowledged his folly in thinking that Valentine would engage in a bit of maidenly vapors at his unexpected appearance in her bed chambers. She'd never been the type of woman care overly much for social structures and if the information that he had managed to squeeze out of Katherine was accurate Valentine was not unaccustomed to entertaining gentlemen in her private quarters. Jack ignored the twisting sensation in his gut that that particular piece of information caused. "Well my dearest wife I thought that we'd best discus our problem in private."

With the exaggerated patience that one might use when dealing with a particularly obtuse child Val offered, "I realize that you never were much one for following the standards of decent society Jonathon but even you must know that is customary to call in the daylight hours and await being invited in."

Her tone goading him into further wanting to rile her Jack drawled, "Now what fun would that be Valentine? I'd hoped to find you asleep and had planned an extremely pleasurable method of awakening you."

Ignoring the heat that filled her cheeks at his suggestive words Val coolly informed him, "Well then you're very fortunate to find me awake as I have taken to sleeping with a firearm beneath my pillow. Rest assured I know how to use it and would not hesitate to do so."

Jack snickered, "Well now luv, you're not the only one in the room with a loaded gun. Shall we compare equipment?"

It took a moment for Val to decipher his innuendo then she snapped, "Your sense of humor is just as base and puerile as ever Jonathon. I would have thought that you might have grown up a bit but evidently I was mistaken. You're still the same shallow self absorbed silly boy that you always were."

Jack refused to rise to the bait, "Valentine I would suggest that you refrain from speaking about things you know nothing of."

But Val's anger had taken hold. How dare he sneak into her bedchambers and act as if it were perfectly normal? "Oh I've heard about the great Captain Jack. Spent the last fifteen years playing at being a pirate Jonathon? I would scarcely call that adult behavior."

A rush of temper filled him at her dismissive words. She knew nothing of the hells that he had endured these past years. In a flash he was across the room with his arms pinning her in her chair and his nose practically pressed against hers. In a deceptively smooth voice he warned, "You'd best be silencing your tongue Valentine or I'll do it for you. I've not played at being anything luv. Pirating is how I've lived since leaving England and I could tell you stories that'd curl your toes. You really don't want to tangle with me luv because a pirate always wins no matter what it takes." Jack was gratified to see her eyes dilate at his words. Although she maintained her outwardly calm appearance, he had scared her. Uninvited, he helped himself to a large measure of the brandy and then resettled in his chair.

Desperate in her refusal to be cowed by him, Val sniffed, "Oh do make yourself at home. Please don't stand on formalities for my benefit. By the way, you certainly don't look like much of a pirate Jonathon and to my knowledge pirates do not usually associate with Commodores and Governors and the cream of society."

Jack laughed his first genuine laugh in weeks, "Ah yes luv, you'd be correct in that assumption. However, former pirates with letters of pardon do." Here he restlessly stood up and crossed over to stare out of a window. Her words had touched on a sore point. "It seems that with a fortune and title all manner of sins can be forgiven."

Although she was sure that he had not meant for her to do so, Val heard the bitterness behind his words. She also heard some of what was unspoken. Impetuously she joined him at the window and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry Jonathon. I did not know that Edmund had died."

Jack just silently stood and continued to unseeingly gaze out the window.

"Jonathon, I…"

"Don't call me that. My name is Jack. I've not been Jonathon for many a year, luv."

"Fine, if you prefer it I will call you Jack. And you will stop calling me luv. I am not now nor ever have been your love."

Jack looked for a moment like he was about to protest her prohibition of the ever useful 'luv'. It was so much easier than bothering to remember names and resulted in far fewer mix ups and slaps to his face. Wryly he admitted to himself that he was unlikely to ever mix up Valentine with another woman. He gave a wicked grin and agreed, "Deal. I'll not call you luv anymore, Valentine."

"Damn it Jona…Jack! You are to call me Val."

"Now Valentine you did not make that part of your negotiation."

"You knew very well that was what I intended. A gentleman would honor my preference."

"Aye a gentleman would Valentine but you forget I'm a pirate." he said with a lazy grin.

About to argue further, Val noticed that although he wore a smile his eyes were still clouded with pain. He had purposefully diverted her into argument when the conversation had turned towards serious matters. Trying to give words of comfort she softly told him, "I truly am sorry about Edmund. He was a fine and good man. If there is something that I can do for you, please let me know." Val could have kicked herself for her choice of wording. She had wanted him to know that she was willing to talk with him about the loss. After all she was the only one in Port Royal to know both him and his brother. Unfortunately, her phrasing had been awkward and she waited for him to make some lewd suggestion. His reaction was not what she expected.

"What a touching display of wifely concern Valentine. How kind of you to offer to soothe my battered brow. It wouldn't have anything to do with finding out that I am now the heir to both title and fortune and suddenly worthy of your more tender feelings? Seems being my wife is no longer quite so distasteful." he nastily shot at her instinctively rejecting her pity.

Valentine felt as if he had struck her and had to fight to keep the tears from forming. How could he be so vile and mean? They had never gotten along but surely he did not have such a very low opinion of her? Anger replaced hurt and without conscious thought her hand came up and soundly slapped his cheek. The crack seemed to echo for several moments.

Having been slapped on numerous occasions, Jack had always dismissed it with a philosophical shrug and cheeky comment. But this time he felt a rage surge through his veins. Painfully grabbing her wrist he yanked her against him. "You'll not do that again Valentine unless you're willing to pay the price. I've had many a woman slap me but only after I'd taken my pleasure. Savvy?" It gave him no small sense of satisfaction to see that this time she could not hide her trepidation. Maybe she would finally understand that he was no longer the green boy that he had been all those years ago.

Comprehending that this was a side of Jonathon that she had never seen before, Val decided that she would be wise to refrain from further argument. Jonathon was a known entity that she could poke and prod to her heart's content with no real worry of retribution. Evidently, Jack was another matter altogether. "Yes, I understand. Now let go of my wrist. Please?" The last was said in a more docile manner than he had ever heard her use before.

He dropped her wrist and shamefully noted when she surreptitiously rubbed it. Damn, he had not meant to actually hurt her but she'd managed to get under his skin and made him lose his composure. She had always been able to do that and it appeared as if not much had changed in that quarter. "Enough of this. We've both a need of sleep and have had nasty surprise. Tomorrow will be soon enough to sort this out." It was what he should have done in the first place but he had been unable to resist the idea of confronting her tonight. Given the way things had progressed, that had not been one of his better ideas.

"There is nothing to discuss Jack. You and I are the only two who know of our association and I assure you that I will not tell anyone."

"Association? Is that what they're calling marriage nowadays in England?" The cocky Jack was back on full force.

"Association, marriage, what does it matter what I call it? The point is that we have both moved on and there is no reason to let a foolish mistake made when we were younger interfere with our lives today. It behooves us both to keep our silence. Go ahead and marry your Millicent. I will not interfere."

Against his better judgment the words escaped, "Why did you never seek annulment?"

"Why didn't you?"

"Darling, I am not the one who remarried while still pledged to another."

"But you're about to."

"How soon afterwards did you marry him? The ink on the register could barely have dried. He must have managed to light a fire under your skirts. Katherine said that you've been a widow since your early twenties."

"I do not wish to talk about this Jona…Jack."

Jack noticed that she smiled softly as if remembering and that at the same time her eyes filled with sadness: two contradictory emotions. Obviously she had loved her Mr. Smith and just as obviously his death still pained her. This time the twist that he felt was nearer his heart than his gut. He did not know if he wanted to comfort her or shake her: once again two contradictory emotions. Jack heaved a sigh. Nothing was and nothing ever would be easy or clear cut where Valentine was concerned. "I'll see you tomorrow. At the very least we need to get our stories straight." and with these words he left.