A/N: Thank you again for all reviews and general support. It means so much!
She's Engaged
Chapter VII
It is dawn and Jack is slowly strolling among the ships. His men are searching for wounded ones to bring to the medical ship which has a doctor. The enemies are gone, probably more wounded than Sparrow's men, but his ships are now also fewer than before.
He is disappointed they lost that many, but is still content with the fact he harmed no one of the ones he is supposed to protect.
He sees her standing there, on another ship. Her palms rest on the railing which she slightly leans over to gaze towards Jack. The breezy air flutter her long brown hair and also the fabrics of her navy blue dress.
Bloody damn beautiful, is what she is.
And her stare is making his stomach flip, as always.
As in a trance, as if her eyes call for him; he soon somehow brings himself over to the head ship. She never tears her eyes from his and her body turns slowly to him when he jumps down on the deck of the head ship. Her eyes are still... watery? Teary? There is hurt in them, an immense pain. Searching eyes and he wonders if it has to with the battle she has witnessed from up the cabin, guarded by a dozen sailors or if it has to do with the ring she found.
She just stares at him, and he at her. There is this silence as none of them utter any kind of word. There is just this comfortable quietness between them. And he is alright with it. He never really anyhow had to ever actually speak to her to know what she was feeling, or what she wanted.
Eventually she opens her mouth but finds herself at loss of words. So Jack is the one breaking the silence.
"Good ye're alright, luv."
the words are sincere and caring.
Her mouth closes but she says nothing.
Suddenly the doors of Jack's guest cabin's doors burst open. An upset young lady marches down the stair with folded arms. Without any fright, she walks up to the duo. Angelica eyes her intriguingly.
"So," the lady begins, an octave revealing some anger between her gritted teeth. Her arms cross and reveal her hot temper. "Do you believe I am safe now Mr Commandeer to be outside on deck?"
Jack sees in the corner of his eyes how Angelica swallows. She has actually taken a step aback for some reason. She cannot possibly be intimidated by the woman, can she? But one thing is certain, she does not approve of any woman laying her hands on Angelica's Jack.
"Be careful," Jack speaks distracted. "Don't want ye to get hurt."
The lady nods slowly, apparently for the first time appreciating the caring words. "Fine." She turns to leave but Jack's raising voice causes her to whirl back around.
"If ye need anything," he says. "Just tell me, Gibbs or the captains."
And that is true. He may be a thief and do many ungentle duties, but he is not a cold hearted idiot. Even if he prefers the majority of the population to think so.
The young woman smiles and then leaves.
When Jack turns back to Angelica, her eyes are slightly peering after the woman.
"Who is she?"
For a brief moment, Jack wants to ask 'who?' as he has forgotten her as soon as she left. However he does recall her when looking over his shoulder.
"Her?"
"Yes, her."
Why does she want to know about her?
"She is staying at the guest cabin. Cannot have her among the men," Jack informs and has an eyebrow discretely quirked at Angelica's clear disapproving eyes.
Angelica snorts. "The guest cabin? The one beside your own cabin. Who is she? Your woman of the journey? Of the month? Of the day?"
Now it is Jack who is amused. He even smiles at Angelica who seems to be inwardly fuming.
Is she jealous?
When she notices his smirk, her angry expression softens. Can she possibly be jealous? But jealous of what? She herself is getting married to a baron? She is marrying into the wealthy nobility and her future family will have a safe life ahead. She will have no particular duties than to deliver a son. What is she jealous of? Ugh, Jack wants to throw up upon those thoughts. Cannot believe she is actually about to enter that chapter - with someone else.
She has to shake her head as if shaking the thoughts away. Jack notices her clear discomfort and smirks.
He decides to challenge her.
"Why do ye wanna know, luv?"
Angelica gulps and takes a step back. She has gone too far. Her intention was not to end up seeming any kind of jealous. And she has no right in digging into Jack's private life like this. They had ended whatever they had a long time ago. And she is truly going on deep and dangerous tides, which she should avoid. Really. She cannot afford risking anything. She has to get married. It is just plain stupidity to risk a whole marriage and lifestyle for a brief moment of happiness.
"I am sorry," she says. "It is none of my... you know."
Jack is about to respond when the lady suddenly shouts from up the helm.
"Mr Commandeer!"
The duo both look up to this divine young woman. She is standing at the railing by the helm, softly waving a fan and she has changed into a more daring gown. She is glowing.
Jack can see in the corner of his eyes how Angelica's eyes go between the young woman and himself. As if to examine his reaction to the sight. The sight which is beautiful, truth be told.
He simply excuses himself. It is almost midnight anyhow, and Angelica should sleep.
"I am sure the baron is looking for ye at this time," he says and leaves for the helm. She is stunned by his words. But they are probably true. The baron is surely looking for her and wants to tell her goodnight. She is just about to leave when she stops at the sight of Jack grinning wryly to that young woman. She knows that smile, because it is how he used to smile to her.
So he is now a lost case?
No, no, no. Of course he is a lost case. He has always been a lost case. If any, she is a lost case. She is the one getting married. She is the happy one. The fortunate one.
But the sight of Jack disturbs her more than anything. How he takes a swig of a bottle of rum and eyes the young woman.
"Ye called, luv?"
The woman examines Jack and nods.
"You told me I should tell you if I needed anything," she begins and nods towards her cabin. "The windowsill is partly broken."
Jack joins her inside the cabin and misses the death glares Angelica shoots after him, probably misinterpreting the whole scenario she manages to witness.
Jack enters the room and scans it before heading straight towards the grand window. He pushes the windowsill back and forth.
"It broke in the battle and I am afraid it can leak if we strike a grander wave. Could you understand that, Commandeer?" The young woman asks politely.
Jack fingers on his chin musingly before heading outside again to the helm. "Ye are not leaving the cabin still," he informs over his shoulder.
Her eyes turn black in anger.
"B-b-but Commandeer!" she pleads and hurries after him. "If it is not safe-."
Jack has raised his hand to shush her. His scans the deck after Gibbs and notices along the way that Angelica has left.
"Oi, Gibbs!" he shouts.
The first mate looks up to meet Jack. "Aye?"
It looks as if Jack is doing a thumbs up when he instead motions the fist over his shoulder in gesture towards the woman's cabin.
Immediately, Gibbs runs up the stair. "Jack?"
Jack walks inside the woman's cabin and shows him the broken windowsill. At once Gibbs is on his way to have it fixed and the woman herself sulkily plops down onto a chair, clearly surrendering to her try-outs of joining the crew.
At that, Jack decides to call it a night. He moves to his own cabin and tosses his hat aside. It lands perfectly onto the chair at his desk and swiftly, he kicks the door shut with his foot. His coat is hung onto a hanger and he aims for a filled bottle when suddenly the door opens.
Angelica enters and closes it behind her.
Well, look at that.
She is panting and it seems as if she is fuming, inwardly beyond furious and she stares, glares? - at Jack. Her eyes swiftly scan the room before landi back on Jack. In any case, her gaze is dark and burning as if she can see right through him.
Has her fiancé done something again?
Jack's gaze also falls and he storms towards the door beside her. She steps aside to block it and also prevents Jack from opening it.
"Can I sleep here," she states. It is certainly not a question with the decisive tone.
Jack stops tracks and looks down at her.
"Did Jeff do something?"
At that, Angelica stifles the grin that wants to form her lips. "I only said goodnight to George. Nothing happened."
Ah. Oh. So her fuming is not because of something Jeffy-boy has done? And she, for some reason wants to still sleep with him and for yet another reason is fuming in anger?
His smirk is again noticed by Angelica. Just as Jack leans down she dodges and head for the bed.
"Oi, 'Gelica. I never said..," he trails off but sees her already bunkering up in his bed. Well, who is he to dismiss a lady inviting herself into his bed? Let alone Angelica herself?
She pauses and meets his eyes to hold them locked. "Can I stay?" Now, she asks fragilely.
Something with her look just makes him want to scoop her up and grab a steady hold on the back of her head to devour her, and bury his face in her wonderful odor.
Jack stands still. He should say no. He should follow her back to her own quarters, like a gentleman. This is so not appropriate for a future baroness. This is not alright. It is wrong.
Yet, he lets out. "Always."
He goes behind the cover to change attire and also let her have some space in doing so. He may have seen her naked before but for the moment he does not want to risk her death glares and trying to kill him in his sleep – if he decides to round the coverage too soon.
"I am done, Jack," she softly speaks when ready to let Jack see her.
He rounds the cover and sees her in bed, back facing him. She is hugging a pillow her head in buried into.
She looks... lovely.
That is his... Angelica.
His former lover, woman... His eyes peer. Future wife? - But she never became that one.
She partly rolls around and watches Jack as he gets under the covers and blows out the candlelight.
The comfort of having her in his bed.
As he moves closer to her, she returns to face the edge of the bed. Her breath hitches when he hugs her closer to him and buries his face in her hair.
It smells lovely.
She seems to expect a peaceful sleep in his arms, just like the other night. But Jack destroys her illusion as he opens his mouth, whispering in her ear.
"Ye are jealous."
He can feel how she tenses in his grasp.
"Of what?" she retorts as if he is an idiot. So... she wanted to play that game again?
"That woman beside my cabin," Jack murmurs.
Is that bumps on her skin? Jack closes his eyes for a brief moment as he feels himself grow. Darn, she has this effect on him still. Her luscious body is like a magnet to his.
"That is why ye came in 'ere, aye? Wanted to make sure she be in no Jack's bed."
She does an attempt in sitting up but Jack presses her back down and tightens his hold. She relaxes in his arms and looks at him over her shoulder.
"Yes, Jack. I was so jealous I couldn't bare myself of you with another woman that I had to rush in here and claim you."
Her sarcastic tone is evident. But Jack smiles widely. She always lies by telling the truth. But to not risk her trying to leave once again, he decides not to push it. Instead, he snuggles in her neck. God, he has missed having her around. When it was standard to return to his bed exhausted and meet the warmth of her body. The smell of her feminine odor and her caring embrace holding him. Those were the days, were they not?
His hand moves along her body until it rests on her hip. He is surprised she does not budge but is happy she lets him.
No matter how much he fights the struggle of not falling asleep, he eventually does.
A/N: Since I have been both on vacation and on a work weekend, I had trouble squeezing in time for an update. But here it is! - Some cozy time between Jack and (his) Angelica or rather Angelica and (her) Jack.