Warning: This chapter contains material suitable only for a mature audience. If you are offended by things such as this, do not read this chapter.

Chapter 19: Saying Goodbye

"What did you say?"

"Cleo, will ye be me wife?"

"Hector, I will. You know I will. I've spent the greater part of my life with you, but I never thought you were the marrying type."

"And so I wasn't, but ye changed me mind." He replied, sliding the ring back into its rightful place on her finger.

To him, she was beautiful. He would finally get his beautiful pirate bride. He loved her and knew what she could do; he knew that she was not just another pretty, helpless woman. Barbossa took her hand and pulled her into his lap. He pressed his lips hard against hers. She made out a barely audible groan that slipped from him. The soft sound made her smile. Cleo pulled away to look into his deep blue eyes. Her fingers skimmed over the scar under his eye. His face softened at her gentle touch. She noticed the little monkey, Jack, watching them from the table. The look on his little face made her laugh.

"I think someone wants his master's attention." She said.

"What about getting attention from his mistress?"

Cleo laughed and watched the little creature scamper over to them and make himself comfortable in her lap. He made chattering noises as he looked up at the two.

"This little guy is so curious."

"Aye, he always has been."

"He was angry with me for a while."

"What for?"

"When we left you behind he got angry. He didn't like being without his master."

"I didn' think he'd be too happy about leavin' me."

"He wasn't happy at all. I wasn't really happy about leaving you either, but I thought that I had lost you forever."

"I had to act the part, Cleo. I didn' have a choice."

"I know that."

"Well, what are we to do with all this free time?"

"What do you propose?"

He grinned and began to run his hands over her clothed body. He pressed his lips against hers again and wound one of his hands into her raven hair. Cleo reached up and removed his large hat. Her free hand found the hem of the shirt he wore and slipped under it to touch his skin. Barbossa hissed softly at the sensation of her cold hands on his body.

"How badly do you want me, Hector?"

"Ye have no idea…" he answered, sliding a hand under her dress.

Jack, who had moved away from them, made a loud chattering noise at them and scampered off. The sound hadn't disturbed Cleo and Hector. She removed his coat, vest, and shirt and ran her hands over the scars on his upper body. The sensation sent a shiver through him and made his hand's grip on her thigh tighten. She had almost forgotten how much her touch affected him. Hector didn't like the smug grin on her face. So, he moved his hand upward a few inches, pressing his fingers against the underthings that covered her sex. The smug look vanished almost instantly. The underthings were promptly moved aside to allow his fingers to caress her inner folds. He watched her expression shift to one of pleasure. Seeing and hearing her enjoy herself got him hotter than he already was. He thrust his fingers in and out of her. She leaned on his shoulder and kept herself as quiet as she could. She wasn't going to give him what he wanted just yet. She attempted to shift herself around to straddle his waist, but was stopped by a firm hand on her hip.

"Yer not movin' unless I say so…"

"Is that so?"

"Aye, that be so."

Cleo grinned and pressed her lips against his, running her tongue across his bottom lip. Once she was granted entrance and slipped her tongue into his mouth, she moved quickly and arranged herself in the position she had wanted. She felt his sizeable bulge pressing against her and grinned. Her hands busied themselves with the task of undoing the breeches he wore. He stared at her, his hands roaming her still clothed body; the dress that still covered her displeased Barbossa.

"Now, Cleo, we'll have to be doin' somethin' about yer clothing situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Yer still wearin' clothes. I'm goin' ter fix that."

He made good on his promise, for he promptly picked up a small dagger on the end table and cut the back of her dress open. He tore the garment off and discarded it on the floor, leaving her in only her underthings. He allowed her to stand and lead him to the bed that they had slept in for many months. He watched her remove the articles of clothing that still covered her and turn back to face him. Instead of going for the bed, he shoved her up against the wall.

"Now, are ye going to sit back and take it or will I have ter force it on ye?"

"You know damn well I never sit back and take anything."

"I suppose we'll be doing this the hard way, aye?"

"You know we'll be doing it the hard way." She said.

Barbossa grinned and slid his breeches down his legs and kicked them away. He lifted her legs up and wrapped them around his waist. She had no choice but to hold on; he had dropped her before and she knew he'd do it again to teach her a lesson. He roughly thrust up into her and groaned at the warm feeling. It was something he enjoyed more than anything else he had ever experienced. He felt her fingers winding themselves into his hair and pulling gently. The slow tempo with which he began did not continue for long. Hector's breathing became more and more ragged and his thrusting quickened and grew rougher and harder. Cleo gasped and cried out in pleasure. It had been quite a while since he had taken her in such a way. When she felt him slow almost to the point of stopping completely, she glared at him.

"What are you doing?" she panted.

"I want ye to say it."

"Say what?"

"I want to hear ye say me name."

She groaned and banged her head against the wall. The slow pace he had adopted was torture.

"Please…"

"Please what?" he asked, trying to restrain himself.

"God, Hector, please!"

"I thought so…"

With that, he resumed pounding into her with everything he had. The screams of pure pleasure coming from his companion drive him closer and closer to the edge.

"Hector…!"

Her words got caught in her throat as the waves of bliss crashed over her. Feeling her shake in his arms finally brought him to his own climax. Hector leaned against the wall, trying to stay upright. He laid the still-shaking Cleo on the bed and got comfortable next to her. Then, the two slept.

Two weeks passed without a word from Jack or his crew. Cleo and Hector were happier than they had ever been together. Even though she was happy, Cleo was still worried about Jack. Halfway into the third week without any word from Jack or Gibbs, she decided to go back and check on them.

"Hector, I'm going to look for the Black Pearl. You stay here and make sure no unwanted guests come by. I'll be back before dark. I…I love you, Hector." She said.

It was the first time that Cleo had actually said the words "I love you" instead of just thinking them. He looked up at her, surprised.

"I love ye, Cleo. Be careful out there. I'll be here waitin' when ye return."

She left with a smile on her face. The journey to the place where the ship was anchored took longer than she remembered. That may have been due to the fact that no one was going to perish should she get there too late to help. It turned out that the ship was exactly where she had left it. There was no longboat on shore, so she swam out to the large vessel and climbed the rope that held the anchor in place. The crew on deck stopped and stared at her in silence. Ragetti smiled and mouthed her name to Pintel. Ragetti was the first to approach her and hug her.

"Where is Jack?"

"The Captain be in his cabin, miss."

"How's he doing?"

"Go see fer yerself, miss."

"Thank you, Ragetti." She said, rubbing the tall man's shoulder.

Cleo entered Jack's cabin and found him standing and moving around.

"I see you're feeling better." She said.

He jumped, apparently not hearing or seeing her enter. Once he realized who he was dealing with, Jack put his hand to his heart.

"Don't scare me like that, love."

"You can handle little old me."

"That's a lie if I've ever heard one."

"Oh, so you do know what a lie is…" she said, joking.

"Of course I do, love. Who would you think that I don't?"

"I was messin' with you, Jack."

"Oh…"

"In any case I'm glad you're feeling better."

"You saved my life, Angel."

"Don't mention it. I made you a promise and I intend to make good on it."

"I can tell. I see you didn't bring Barbossa with you."

"No, Jack, I didn't. I would prefer to speak to you alone. If he were here the two of you would be arguing like children as usual."

"Would not…" he replied.

"Would so."

"Would not."

"You would so. Don't lie to me, Jack."

"Fine…"

"Soon we will have to part ways. When that time comes where will you go?"

"Me and me crew will go after the Tree of Life again."

"Beware the poison mists, Jack."

"We'll be better prepared for that this time, Cleo. We'll be okay."

"Good… My ship sails at the end of this week. Yours should as well."

"I will leave here then as well. Will we see each other again?"

"Yes, Jack, we will see each other again. I promise you that."

"Then I suppose this is goodbye…"

"Yes, this will have to be goodbye, Jack. Never forget us."

"To be sure I won't."

Cleo hugged her friend, not really wanting to leave him. She whispered something in his ear that made him step back in shock. She gave Jack a sly smile and left him standing there dumbfounded. On deck, Cleo said goodbye to Gibbs and the crew. The swim back to shore made her feel ill. By the time she got back to her little home it was dark and Hector was asleep. Cleo made herself comfortable next to him and fell asleep.