A/N: Just read TheDisheartened's fanfiction. Got all inspired to continue my own.
Thank you so much for the feedback – again! I know I start every author's note the same way, but I am grateful you take your time to leave your opinion – often, in praising words, which makes the widest smile on me. And also, a great motivation. :) I just got a new review and realized there is someone reading this and well... it resulted in me finishing this chapter :)!
Chapter VIII
It is Jack who is up first at dawn the following day. He usually sleeps long past noon but that is also mostly because of his immense intake of rum. Now, he has not drunken as much as he usually does. Commandeering a whole fleet does require its' energy and alerted mind. At least, as alerted as Jack's possible can be.
The warmth of Angelica's body against his made Jack want to never leave bed. And he also knows how wrong it is. She is after all engaged to Mr Baron himself and Jack prefers her not getting revealed hanging out with him too much.
To avoid any further talk with her, he escapes the room as soon as he wakes up. Carefully to not wake the sleeping beauty with an inward beast, he closes the door behind him. Strangely, Gibbs is already up. He eats a sandwich which he tends to order the chef to serve him for breakfast. No fresh juice in the glass but the color reveals to Jack his first mate drinks rum.
He nods in a greeting way to Jack when he notices him but continues to dig into the food. Jack feels his hungry stomach gurgle and nods to the sandwich.
"Get me one of those."
Gibbs leans towards the railing over deck. "Oi, Marcus! Get us breakfast, aye."
Jack fumbles in his pockets for his binocular and by accident fishes up the ring. He takes a deep breath and places it on the railing.
And the breakfast is served. Jack also chooses to enjoy the breakfast at sunrise with a bottle of rum. He takes his daily patrol around the ships and makes sure the captains are doing their jobs. Even the baron greets him after his breakfast which he shared with a loyal servant.
It is first around noon that Jack's door cracks open. Gibbs is startled to witness Angelica leave the room. She meets eyes with Jack but quickly avoid them and head downstairs for her own quarters, hurriedly to not get noticed.
When she is out of vision and Jack's stalking eyes no longer can reach her, he meets Gibbs' judging glare.
"What?" Jack questions. He then stops himself. "No, in fact - don't."
The first mate clears his throat and gulps down the rest of his sandwich before opening his mouth to speak.
"Either way ye choose her, and ye do it now," Gibbs speaks up. "I can help lead all of this away if ye want to steal a ship. But if we proceed this tour to New England, Jack – ye cannot have both."
The words are sincerely spoken and Jack knows Gibbs only wants what is the best for him. Yet he brushes his words away as if he speaks rubbish.
"Don't bother speaking such, Joshamee. Who has ever said I wanted her?"
Gibbs glances and motions to the ring laying on the railing. His face shows a knowing expression but he says nothing. He does not have to.
Jack quickly snatches the ring back and forcefully shoves it into his pocket.
It is a rather peaceful day. Some work on adjusting the broken ships and the rest seem to entertain the baron and his future baroness' attention.
He needs help with wedding arrangements and Angelica is off trying out dresses. She also goes back and forth on the ships, all to accept the cake to musingly browse the dinner seating. She has not that many guests. Most were people she met recently from fancier celebrations and none of which she truly loves by heart.
There is just this one guest who she has not even considered until she is standing outside on deck, looking back and forth between two different napkins that seemingly are different. They look like being the same color but according to her "ladies-in-waiting" they differ in shades.
What catches her attention here is how George strides along deck with his chin high. Jack is further away overlooking a map with chubby and friendly Gibbs by his side. Suddenly, the baron pauses.
"Commandeer."
Jack looks up and stands straight. Angelica pauses as well and looks in-between the ladies-in-waiting to the event of George approaching Jack.
"I just realized that I have not invited you to my wedding."
Angelica gasps. The ladies she accompanies turn their heads to see what the fuzz is all about.
George cannot invite Jack!
Jack has raised eyebrows. He then smiles wryly. "Me? A pirate invited to your wedding? Baron."
"A Commandeer," George corrects. "I invite you as a Commandeer as a thank you for this assistance across the sea. And I would be delighted to find you there, at my wedding."
Jack looks over George's shoulder to see Angelica staring directly at them. Most likely light-headed by hearing her future husband's proposal.
So, the baron wants Jack to in fact witness HIS Angelica marrying this drip? This wimp, this excuse of a man? And her, becoming Missus Baines. Baroness Angelica Baines.
Then again, he cannot precisely dismiss such a suggestion coming from the baron himself due his powerful title. He nods and forces a smile to appear.
"I'll come," he says and is pretty sure he manages to see Angelica lean over the railing to throw up but she is pulled inside a cabin by her ladies. "I'll come," he repeats.
The baron nods happily. He even pats Jack's back. "Then it is settled." And off he is.
Jack is left frozen for quite some time. His plan had been to deliver the baron and his fiancée safely to New England, get his deal of being written about in the history books and simply rightfully go for the title 'Commandeer'. To in fact have to see Angelica tie knots with the backward baron had not been a part of the deal though.
Gibbs is giving Jack his knowing look. He lets out a sigh and shrugs his shoulders. "Ye be doomed."
Aye. He is doomed.
And he has to spend the remainder of the day clearing up the final routes. They are approaching New England and need to look out for any enemies now. They are so close and Jack is extremely close for his bargain. He cannot lose now. Certainly why he will not lose by having Angelica after him.
It comes down upon the dinner the three of them share.
Baron George Baines.
Lady Angelica Teach.
Commandeer Jack Sparrow.
And the servants that in between replaces their plates with different kinds of meals. Jack exchanges a few glances with Angelica. He is sitting in front of her and she just looks like the queen of Spain herself. Darn baron is a lucky man. Too lucky for Jack's taste.
The diamond necklace she wears dangles dangerously close to her cleavage and Jack finds himself caught at it too many times and has to snap out of it. Almost as if she purposely put it there. She even smirks at him once when catching his stare. Flirting with him. Oh, definitely.
In frustration Jack takes a large swig of his glass of rum and puts it down with a smaller thud. That woman drives him up the wall.
He wonders if she will be coming to his cabin again. Does he want it? Of course he wants it! But he would have to send her away. She cannot risk her reputation like that if emerging fancier socialites is her dream. And also, because he himself does not know if he can take another night of her teasing him without him trying to make a move.
Somehow the light mood changes into a disturbed one. For once, it is not Jack who is the reason why. This time – he is only a witness to the loving due ending up in an argument.
"Of course the children will be raised as protestants," George persists. Angrily, he gulps down the rest of the red wine which moments ago filled his glass.
Angelica raises her own glass.
"No, they'll be raised as Catholics!" she pushes and gulps down her own.
Jack joins the gesture and gulps down the alcohol he has in his glass.
"Catholics, the insane people in this excuse of..," the baron's words die as Angelica, boiling in anger stands up and storms out of the dining room. Jack's eyebrows are raised in surprise and he is shocked by the sight.
How lovely. Jack does not even have to screw this relationship up as the baron seems to be doing it so well himself.
The baron stands up hastily and looks after her with a face filled of remorse.
"I went too far, didn't I?"
Jack swallows the rest of the alcohol he has in his mouth. He nods slowly.
"Go after her, please."
The plead astonishes so much he has to give the baron the most skeptical eye. Really? The baron wants to send Mr ex-lover after an angered woman, passionately fuming over this baron – and Jack will appear as hero?
Well, what the bloody hell is he debating for?
Jack stands up and is about to leave when he stops.
"Why me?"
The baron has sat down at the table again and has his face buried in his palms in frustration, elbows leaning against the table. He rubs his temple before removing his hands.
"You seem to get along well with that peasant girl beside your cabin, handling her, manipulating her. You seem to know how to handle a woman," the words are sincere and innocent. If the baron only knew...
Jack takes slow steps back towards the table. He has a wry smile as if thinking the baron's saying is just too sweet. "Yet, Mr Baron. I don't think me, as a pirate, or Commandeer, should go after a lady."
The baron is agreeing. "That is true, and proper Commandeer Sparrow. But you knew her father, right?"
Jack squeezes his eye to reveal that may not be the whole truth. But the baron is pushing the matter.
"And you know her from before. Not well, but you two have met. Please solve this. I need to marry her. She is the perfect wife for me. I love her, truly. She is everything I always wanted in a woman." The baron takes a deep breath. "She is the most important thing for me. I'd do anything for her. I honestly would. Man-to-man, I have to admit she is the greatest treasure any man could have."
Aye, he could bet on that one! But Lord, that stung to hear.
"Any man letting go of her would be a maniac."
Jack swallows again. He hates the baron for saying such about his Angelica. And at the same time, Jack feels... happy? A sad, beautiful, devastating, relieving, grieving feeling someone else is this madly in love with her. Of course Angelica would have another man within her snapping fingers' time to fall deeply in love with her. What man would not? He would be a fool not to.
Only Jack is that fool to let go of that.
And so it is, when Jack escapes the room in search for Angelica, another servant to the baron enters to exchange a word with the supervisor.
So, where can Angelica be?
For the love of God, do not let her be in his cabin. She cannot. She is a supposedly lady and has to act so. She cannot flee to Jack's cabin any chance she gets, but Jack knows her too well and avoids checking her own cabin. Instead, he heads straight to his own.
And there she is.
Standing with her arms crossed, shoulders tense and back facing him as she stares out the window. Nervously, Jack looks over his shoulder to check that the baron is not watching him before he enters. By hearing him closing the door, Angelica looks over her shoulder but says nothing.
"Need to talk to ye, luv."
"Can I stay?"
Jack stops his flamboyant walk to her and takes a deep breath. He may kill himself for this but... "No."
She spins around.
"No, luv. Ye can't stay," he forms.
She is clearly confused. And he is too, by his own actions. This is not like him. Not at all. But he has to put a stop for this before it goes too far.
"Ye need to be able to compromise on such stuff," regarding the conversation she had shared with the baron.
Angelica snorts, clearly not believing her eyes. Jack keeping the baron's back?
Jack opens his mouth again. "Not that I may agree to this - but you are marrying a baron. You are happy to even have a say, luv."
Angelica is still puzzled. "I thought you were against this marriage?!"
"Believe me, I am. But ye seem so keen on marrying this drip - ye better know what ye be getting yourself into."
She stares directly into his eyes and he challenges her straight back. Eventually she breaks it and gives up. Her eyes gaze towards a nearby window in which she looks through, and Jack lets go of a breath.
"Ye need to leave..," his words die as her gaze returns to once again meet his. He feels weak in his knees and he damns whatever causes her to have this power over him. There is some kind of pleading in her appearance that just makes him want to feel her against him.
And...
He gives in to it.
At last he swallows and gestures discreetly to the bed. "One last time then."
While he walks over to blow out one of the many candles, he sees her sitting on top of the covers. The boots are kicked off and sprawled out on the floor beneath and her eyes are following his every move. She is comfortable in the middle of the bed, leaning into a mountain of pillows that are stocked against the headboard. Jack keeps his loose shirt on and pants but kicks off his boots. He stops at the edge of the bed and watches her. She wears this intense look, as if her eyes were black.
"You are in the middle, luv." He gestures for her to move aside and give him room.
On the contrary, she is up, balancing on her knees in the soft mattress. Her fingers dig into his shirt as she stops herself not far from his lips. His breath hitches and he can see how she looks at his lips.
"Kiss me."
Oh, he knew it would come to this.
And how he just wants to devour her. So much it physically pains him. This woman.
Softly, his hands covers hers and he moves them away from him. She meets his eyes again, now surprised. He leans down and reaches to plant a kiss on her cheek, lingering a longer moment than what is alright. But he simply could not resist. Her scent surrounds him at once and he has to reluctantly stand straight again.
Surrendering, she lets herself back onto the mattress and Jack joins her with a good tryout of keeping his distance. He even turns away from her to face the other way. Yet, he does not understand how he wakes up in the morning, spooning her and face buried in her hair. But that morning he decides to not get up, and instead enjoy it until she awakes.
A/N: They are such lovebirds, aren't they?