The salt of the sea tasted tangy on my lips as I stood at the helm of the Black Pearl, blinking as my hair whipped in my face. My hands firmly held the wheel as I looked out into the horizon.
What now? I thought, Where do I go after we find the treasure? Port Royal? Stay with Jack? And yet still the memory of my father, two weeks before lingered in my mind. "Behind the portrait of your mother, in the safe, beneath her ring box is a let-" I let my breath out, looking down, trying to fight back tears. I had made much progress since that faithful evening when I had almost killed myself. I looked down at my still bandaged wrists, stained nearly brown with blood. I didn't shut myself away anymore... and I certainly hadn't shattered any mirrors, although members of the crew still watched me with wary eyes.
Once again I forced myself to blink back tears and look back up. Only I could see the island... well, at least only a Ricci.
A pair of arms pulled me from my thoughts as they wrapped around my waist and a chin rested on my shoulder.
"See anything luv?" Jack's voice said into my ear. I shook my head.
"No, Jack Sparrow," I said, "Nothing." I sighed, "How do we even know that we'll ever find the island?" I asked quietly, more to myself than the Captain, "The only clue we have is that of an old pirate... without the guts enough even to go after the treasure himself."
"It's there Christy." Jack said, taking the wheel with his hands, his arms still around me. I turned around so that my back was to the wheel, facing Jack. Smiling, Jack put his lips to mine, his hand moving up and down my back, sending shivers up my spine. "It's there."
Smiling, I turned back around and held the wheel, letting Jack rest his head on my shoulder, inhale the scent of my hair (what was so special about it, I could not tell), letting him put his hands where he wanted as I looked for the island that my grandfather had cursed.
"Captain," a voice called from the deck, it was Sam, "May I inquire as to where we're going?" Sam stepped away from his station and came up to the helm. Jack stepped away from me to explain the situation. When he was done Sam smiled.
"Ah, we're going to Isla Draconia." He said lightly but solemnly. I frowned.
"You know of the island?" Sam laughed.
"Of course I do." He said, "My old Captain went in search of this 'invisible island'... he was never seen again." I looked at Jack, worry reflecting in my eyes. Jack smiled.
"Many ships have been lost to that passage before luv." He said... "I couldnt see how this was helping, "But you can see it. We'll be fine." Shrugging I took the wheel again.
The hours passed slowly with no sign of the island and as the sunset I was beginning to feel restless. We stopped the ship, set shifts, ate, and went to bed and all the while I paced up and down on the helm, stopping only to tell my crewmates that I would take the first watch.
All was quiet as I sat on the bow of the ship, still my favorite place after all this time, looking out into the dark, glassy water, reflecting the full moon and stars that littered the sky. Far away I could hear the crewmember's snores and the wake of the sea gently splashing onto the side of the Black Pearl.
I made my decision quickly. Pulling off my boots and bandana, I unbuttoned my shirt so that I was only in my brassiere and pants and dropped, trying to hold back a scream before I landed in the water with a splash!
The cold water closed in around my body when I hit it and I immediately shivered, waiting for my body to get used to the sea. I held still for a few moments, hoping that nobody on the ship heard me jump... how awkward that would be to be found like this in the water... apparently nobody heard me.
I lounged in the water, my hair separated and wet, clung to my body. I could have stayed like that forever.
Suddenly, as I came up from swimming about under water I felt something snake around my wrist. A hand closed over my mouth as I was about to scream and I turned around, ready to strike whoever had me... but it was unnecessary.
Jack Sparrow smiled at me, his shirt clinging to his body and his dreadlocks dripping.
"I thought you were supposed to be on watch, luv." He said.
"I am on watch," I replied, "I'm just making it a bit more entertaining." Jack ran his hands over my bare skin.
"This is entertaining." He said. I smiled and wriggled away from him playfully, leaving him to grasp at nothing but water. He gave me a little growl as he reached for me again, this time dunking me under the water.
I came up laughing and sputtering, but determined not to give in the Jack's playing. I skillfully swam away from him as he chased me before an idea came to mind. Quickly ducking underwater swam below Jack, only to come up behind him.
Laughing I leapt onto Jack Sparrow's back, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, holding them tight. Jack began to be unable to stay above the water.
"Do you yield?" I asked quietly, a smile on my lips. Jack was only able to nod before he sank back down. Smiling widely, I let go and waded in the water feet from him, silently laughing as he caught his breath.
A few more minutes of playing and swimming around had me caught in his arms, facing and kissing the Captain. Smiling, I turned around so that my back was to his chest, leaning my head back onto his neck, no doubt our favorite position.
Suddenly, there was a high pitched clicking squeaky noise and I gasped, trying to back deeper into Jack's test. He laughed.
"It's only a dolphin, luv." He said through shaking laughs. I relaxed only a bit but never let go of Jack.
The creature before me was that of a grey color, with a long nose and a gentle expression that looked kind. It was inching its way closer.
"A dolphin." I whispered. Jack nodded... "Can I touch it?" I asked nervously.
"Go ahead." Jack replied, letting me go. He swam behind me as I treaded water for a few moments before reaching out my hand. I smiled as the dolphin tilted its head into my hand. The skin was rubbery and cold.
I jumped as the dolphin pulled its head out from under mine and disappeared into the water. Laughing, I let Jack wrap his arms around my middle and lay his lips to my neck, moving down to my shoulder. I put my arms on his and turned my head, meeting his kiss with a smile on my face.
"I think " I said between kisses, "That this is the first time I've been happy since my father died." Jack kissed me again, his hand moving up to brush my cheek gently.
"Certainly the first time you've laughed. Dont worry, " he said, "After we've found the treasure it'll be over... and we can go on together." I looked down, my hair spreading in the water that we were in.
"Captain?" a voice called from up ahead. Jack and I looked up. It was Glenn. He looked cheerful but underneath his mask I could see the sadness for the loss of his brother... and it was my fault... When the second mate (Gibbs being the first) looked down he "blushed" and turned his eyes. Looking down I realized that the fact that I only had a brassiere on was clearly visible.
"Begging you pardon, Captain, Miss Ricci. I heard voices." He said.
"It's alright, Glenn." I replied, "It's my fault. Sorry we woke you."
"I wasn't asleep, Christina." He replied to my reply softly. I looked down.
"Will you throw the shirt that's up there down, Glenn?" Jack asked, smiling at his quite uncomfortable love.
After my shirt was thrown down and I pulled it on Jack and I swam in the dark to the side of the Black Pearl and grabbed the rope.
"I don't really want to get out." I said, turning back. Jack grinned and pushed me, laughing slightly.
"Go, you're going to get sick. The water's cold." Sticking out my tongue at him, I climbed the rope and onto the Black Pearl and climbed over the side, the air biting my wet skin and making my teeth chatter, no matter how hard I tried not to show it. Jack, however, wasnt as dim witted as people would think and draped his coat, which had been hanging on the side rail, around my shoulders, planting a kiss on the top of my head. I wriggled from his grasp and walked over to the front of the ship, sitting on it as I had done before I jumped down. Jack's brown coat fell to my knees, the sleeves coming to my fingers. I wrapped it around my body clad in wet clothes, shivering only for a moment as I waited for the coat to warm my body.
Something else fell over my shoulders and I looked to see a blanket, thick and warm around me. Jack Sparrow climbed over the edge, sitting down beside me. I smiled, wrapping my arms around Jack's waist, resting my head on his shoulder, and pulling the blanket around him as well. He smiled down at me, putting his arm around my shoulder.
I smiled contently, looking out on the sea, the moon reflecting off of the water, wrinkling in the ripples. Jack and I looked out into the water, and I was only vaguely aware of the fact that Jack's head was resting on mine, and that his eyes were closed... and his breathing heavy. I closed my own eyes... and fell asleep.