Chapter 8 - Misgivings

Gibbs stared down and clutched the bottle of rum tighter, fixing his eyes on the familiar object and trying not to look at his surroundings. Wherever he might look there were only shiny reminders that he was no longer in the world that he understood; shiny and valuable no doubt, but he would have all the hounds of hell at his back before he would touch one of them. He gripped the bottle tighter knowing that he would also risk all of those creatures of hell, and more, to avoid offending the woman sitting on the other side of the table. He was more than a little worried that his trepidation would show in his face, but it was not only his fear of giving offence that kept his eyes from her. There was something about her that was almost hypnotic, something beyond the angelic face and the body that could bewitch a man, something that was in her eyes, something that drew you and terrified you at the same time. Something that, somehow, reminded him of Jack; and that was a thought better not explored.

Beside him Jack himself was talking, his voice a lazy and resonant drawl, most of his earlier anxiety apparently gone.
"Three or four days seems' most like."
Captain Cavendish, the woman that Jack almost casually, but not quite, called Elanor, with a temerity that sent a thrill of anxiety through Gibbs each time he did it, tilted her head at him and raised her brows in unspoken query. Jack shrugged and took another swig of his rum,
"Would not be wise to acquire it all at the same time and in the same place. Might incite all sorts of questions," his slight smile became a grin, "particularly amongst those who know Mr Gibbs."
A similar look drifted across the woman's beautiful face and Gibbs felt another shiver of something close to fear; Jack seemed almost unmoved by the sight, which was a cause for concern of itself.
"Or those who might be looking for you Jack?" she said softly.
Jack's grin remained unrepentant,
"Or those who might be looking for me," he agreed equally softly.

Gibbs took a reflexive swallow of rum as the other two locked eyes for a moment, neither one's expression changing, but it was Jack who seemed to give way first, his smile fading and leaving his face still and serious,
"Navy is still looking for me no doubt, given recent events I can expect nothing else, and even in Tortuga there are those who would trade with them if the price they offered was high enough." His voice was flat and matter of fact, he was attempting no appeal for sympathy or concern, it seemed Jack dealt with this woman captain on a more equal footing than most.
Gibbs held his breath and snatched a look at her; she appeared to be considering that possibility in the same dispassionate manner. Finally she nodded, but slowly,
"Mr Gibbs with a sudden fortune would almost certainly attract their attention," she said thoughtfully.
"It would indeed." Jack agreed.
"Then maybe four days is not enough. A week might be better, though where we are to lose ourselves for a week……." She shot Jack a strange and challenging look, her eyes drifting down to the rum bottle in his hands, "or are you planning to go ashore and wait with him?"

Jack shifted slightly in his chair, squaring his shoulders as if preparing to meet a challenge, and Gibbs felt his heart miss a beat, for there was suddenly an undercurrent between these two that made him wonder at the wisdom of being on the same ship with them.
"It was not my intention, are you sayin' that you think it would be wise for me to do so?" Jack's voice had taken on a gravely purr, a sure sign that he was readying himself for a fight of some form.
She tilted her head back and smiled another slow and gentle smile,
"No, I'm not saying anything of the sort, but it crossed my mind that you might want to supervise the matter, and to take the opportunity for seeking more varied ….. " the smile became tinged with humour, "and …..accommodating.... company."
Jack's eyes widened for a moment as if he were taken by surprise at the implication, and then he leaned back matching both her posture and her tone,
"Now why would you think that?" the purr was almost cat like now and his eyes had a warning gleam.

Gibbs has seen that look before and he shivered, knowing what such moods had led the man into in the past.

She, as he found himself thinking of her, seemed unaware or unmoved by it, increasingly Gibbs thought that it was the latter, and she took a delicate sip from the glass of brandy before her without taking her eyes from Jack's,
"Your recent experiences, your ….. illness…. must make you wish to take all that you can from life while you can, it's quite understandable," she replied calmly.
The tone of her voice suddenly reminded Gibbs of Tia Dalma and his heart sank still further as wondered who this woman might be and what this illness she referred to was. Jack, however, seemed unaware of any similarity, his smile taking on a knife sharp edge,
"Maybe. but I'll get by." He raised his bottle of rum to her in salute, "I'm not planin' on quitting life, as I told you."

Gibbs turned to stare at him in disbelief, Jack refusing the pleasures of Tortuga was both unexpected and unusual and he wondered if this woman had cast some form of spell upon his friend. But Jack seemed otherwise himself, only that wary look in his eyes to betray that anything uncommon might be going on.
"If you 're sure?" was all she said mildly but there was a glint in her eyes too that suggested she was saying more than her words suggested.
Jack tilted his head sideways and smiled a smile as mild as her words,
"I'm sure."
The honeyed edge in his voice brought another frown to Gibbs brow, but she just smiled again and he thought he caught a flash of something close to anger in Jack's eyes. He found himself wondering where he would stand if they came to out and out arguing, probably as far away as he could manage, he decided, getting between them would take a man both braver and more foolish than he.

But whatever it was they were sparring about they seemed to put aside in a moment and the next hour and more was spent in discussing needs and arguing when's. The glasses were filled several times but neither Jack nor she seemed much affected by the liquor they seemed to drink, not for the first time Gibbs suspected that Jack had watered the rum in the bottle clutched in his right hand. As for her… well it was just one more part of a puzzle that Gibbs didn't think he wanted to solve, in fact he didn't even want to think about it. Instead he concentrated on Jack who seemed strangely at ease with this woman, wondering what exactly it was that had changed about the man he thought he knew so well.

It took him a while to realise what seemed so unusual, and it puzzled him all the more when he did manage it, for Jack looked as unnaturally clean as she did, even his hair shone soft and glossy in the strange lights that lit this unsettling room. Now he came to notice it Jack's shirt was mended too, and his coat, only his sash had the usual faded look. Their words washed over him as he slipped into wondering how she had managed this and why she had bothered. He came to no real conclusion, just more unwelcome thoughts, so he gave up and concentrated on the familiar comfort of the burn of rum on his throat and its glow in his belly, trying not to speculate about what so unsettling a female might lead Jack, and thereby himself, into doing.

***

The sky was showing the first tell tales of dawn as they rowed back towards the bay. The details had been settled, mainly between the two of them, Gibbs had contented himself with leaving the wrangling to them and only throwing in a suggestion or two where it was unlikely to cause any argument.

For the first hundred yards or so there was no talk between them, Gibbs pulling on the oars while Jack sat silent and pensive, slightly turned and with his eyes fixed on the ship they were leaving. Finally they were far enough for Gibbs to risk asking the questions bubbling on his tongue,
"Are ye sure about this Jack? It's a fine ship 'tis true, but strange, mightly strange."
Jack gave a slightly sad smile and sighed,
"I told you mate, it's from another country, a very far one," The smile faded and his face was suddenly closed and expressionless, "another one that's beyond the edges of the map," the pensive look begat a wider and gold flecked smile, "as is its captain."
Gibbs rested on the oars for a moment and nodded,
"Well the one would tend to follow the other 'tis true, but are ye sure Jack? She bothers me, and not only because she is a female and they are always bad luck at sea. But she is as strange as her ship."
"I know that," his smile took on a devilish edge, "and she bothers me too mate, and in more way than one. Distrustful and disturbing female that she is."
"Aye well she's not the first we've met, you and I."

Jack leaned back and stared at Gibbs with a cocked head and narrowed eyes,
"You think her like Miss Swann, Mrs Turner that is?" there was a hint of challenge in his voice and eye.
Gibbs thought about that for a moment,
"No, not as such." He looked at Jack with lowered brows, "Though there be similarities in her determination to have her own way."
Jack's smile became reflective,
"Which of us does not strive for that eh? One way or another," he looked back towards the Chaser, "but she has her reasons mate, perhaps more pressing than 'lizabeth's. She's a pirate too o'course, though I'm not sure that she knows it." He frowned, "just like Elizabeth in that much."
Gibbs was silent for a moment thinking about that, pulling strongly on the oars and staring at the sea,
"Not sure that was true of Miss Elizabeth," he said eventually, "seems to me she just wanted Will. Much good that it has done her, father gone and husband gone, not much to show for her efforts."

Jack shifted in something that seemed like unease and he ran one finger over his moustache, but there was no expression in his voice and his eyes still remained fixed on the ship they were leaving,
"More than she might have done mate, she had little chance of him any other ways."
"Aye, I know. But for all that's she's done seem little enough reward, one day and then ten years alone."
"Beckett was always bad news," Jack said still without expression in face or voice,
"Aye that he was. Don't expect he'll be any better news in hell."
Jack smiled at that, but a cold and shallow smile,
"The likes of Beckett don't go to hell Mr Gibbs, that's reserved for others."
"Like us you mean?"
The smile widened in a flash of gold,
"Like some of us," his voice was soft but there was a note that set Gibb's back hair on end. There were times when Jack Sparrow was not a comfortable person to be with, and this might yet prove to be one of them.
"Aye," he said uncertainly and hurried to change the subject, "But Captain Cavendish now, she seems to be a woman with a lot of secrets," he shot Jack a guarded look but the other man's eyes were still fixed on the Chaser, or the sea, or maybe both, "I may be mistaken but it seems to me there is a likeness to Tia Dalma, about her in the way she talks."
'Particularly to you' he added silently.

Jack seemed to consider that for a moment,
"Mebbe, certainly they are both women with something to hide," he agreed.
Gibbs nodded then shot his companion a sly half look,
"Fine looking woman though. Too fine, truth be told, there's something unreal about her."
"Aye that there is." Jack agreed with a warmer smile, " Cold though." He flicked another devilish glance towards Gibbs, "though there's no sayin' that she'd not warm up on better acquaintance. Only time'll show. Patience is the watchword with such as she, take that from me mate."

Gibbs frowned in sudden concern, Jack was ever one for taking risks, and never more so where the ladies were concerned, as his exchanges with the sea goddess had shown,
"Take care Jack, there is something about this whole thing that worrits me."
Jack shook his head sadly and let his eyes wander back to the now shrinking ship,
"I know what you mean but the world has been turned upside down, nothing is the same as it was."
Gibbs drew a deep breath
"Aye that's true enough, 'tis hard to see where we go from here."
"The fountain mate, the fountain."
"Ay, but is this the right way to go about it? Fine ship though it may be." Gibbs mind came back to his original concern, "What is such as she doing sailing alone? Tell me that? What is this helper you mentioned that stays so well out of sight? Takes more than a fine lady and an invisible helper to sail a ship of that size any distance."
Jack gave him one of those evasive looks he'd seen when they were aboard the ship,
"No need to concern yourself with that. I'll be aboard and I can do anything that they cannot."
"Mebbe, but there be more to this than meets the eye, mark my words."

Jack shot him a sideways look and hoped that he didn't realise how true that was. It had taken a lot of persuading to get Elanor to keep mum on the matter of her ghost.
"Always is," he agreed. "But choices are a little thin at the moment, unless you have a mind to wait for Barbossa?"
"Nay Jack, I'll sail with your mysterious lady rather than that."
Jack laughed and looked out to the far horizon,
"Wise of you Mr Gibbs, Calypso's not finished with Barbossa I'll be bound. Woman scorned's bad enough, woman decked in chains in the brig…. Well that's a hundred times worse, to my mind. Does nothing for her temper at all, I'd be thinkin'. Not surprising dear Hector's life has been a little wantin' if he doesn't know that."
Gibbs nodded with a wry smile,
"Seems a poor way to gain her thanks. Doubt that she has much regard for any of them involved," he felt a sudden chill as he recalled his own part in the matter.

Jack must have heard it in his voice for he looked back at him and shrugged,
"She knows where the blame sits, I'm sure of that, and will extract her revenge accordingly. But she might not deal kindly with those who still sail with him."
"Aye," he breathed, "there be that I suppose, and there seemed some bad blood twixt them from the start."
Jack nodded,
"Tia Dalma would not be to Hector's taste, too many secrets and too much power, even as a mortal. Hector believes in the simple things of life see, his sword and the strength of his arm, all else is trifle and dishonesty in his book." He shot Gibbs an amused look, "strange view of the world for a pirate but there it is."
"He wouldn't take to Captain Cavendish then?"
Jack's eyes narrowed in a look that Gibbs couldn't read,
"That would certainly be the case. Don't think she'd much take to him either."
Gibbs swallowed the obvious retort as the boat grounded in the soft sand of the shore.

Little more than five minutes later the longboat was pulling back out to sea in the direction of waiting ship, leaving Gibbs watching its leaving alone in the shallows. He squinted up at the dark shadowed cliffs now wrapped in shadow again, 'Jack must be weary' he reflected as he took in the height and slope of the cliff, ' hope he makes it back in one piece'. That thought in his mind he edged his way into a small cave in the cliff base to watch the longboat's return, not that he could do much if Jack went down.

Out in the bay the white ship waited for the returning long boat, and Gibbs couldn't help but wonder what would pass between the two of them when Jack returned, for he wasn't sure that the lady was committed to this venture in the way that Jack assumed. He felt the weight of the pearls sitting in his pocket and sighed, for he was certainly committed regardless of his reservations. True he could take the money and run but Jack knew he wouldn't do that, and Gibbs admitted that he was right. Nor was it because of what he might fear Jack would do, though when he came to think of it he wasn't sure what that might be. Though he didn't think much about it these days it was true that very little was known about Jack Sparrow before his fated search for the Aztec gold…..

Not that it mattered much, never had. Jack was his captain and he trusted him, at least as much as he trusted anyone, he'd go along with whatever Jack had in mind even if it meant the angel faced Captain Cavendish and her strange ship. But, as he watched the longboat fade into the backdrop of the sea he couldn't help but wish that Jack didn't have that honest streak of his.

***

The sun was just starting to wash the underbelly of the horizon gold as he reached the ship. She must have been waiting for him because he had barely reached the top of the ladder when her hand was extended to him; he took it without thought or comment.
"So what did Mr Gibbs have to say once he was out of my ear shot?" she asked.
Jack shrugged,
"What would he say?"
Elanor smiled,
"I don't know but it was clear enough that he was very uneasy about it all. I see why you wanted me to keep Ariadne quiet, I get the impression that he found me disconcerting enough."
"Aye that he did. Can't blame him for that. But he's a good man and he'll do his part."

Jack wearily stripped off his coat and dropped it and his hat onto a coil of rope and looked towards the shore. By now the tide would be retreating to allow Gibbs to make his way around to the cliff path, it was a stiff but unobstructed climb and by daylight he would be safely back with Polly. For a moment Jack wondered if maybe Gibbs had been right and he should have stayed too, holed up there, safe and out of sight until a suitable ship visited Tortuga. But then what ship could ever be more suitable than this one for seeking the fountain, other than the Pearl that was? The time would come when he would have to deal with Barbossa but that time wasn't yet, he was safer here even if his hostess was less accommodating in some ways than he might have wished. A memory of what welcome had been waiting on the dockside for him surfaced for a moment, but he pushed it away, there would be other times for that. For the moment he was so weary that even he thought of Giselle and Scarlet could stir no interest in him, more than anything he wanted to sleep.

Jack remembered Elanor's foul potions and wondered if maybe she had laced his rum with something. He shot her a half doubtful look before he recalled that she hadn't had the opportunity, even if she had the inclination. He repressed a smile, it was comforting to know that he had a couple of bottles of rum salted away for later enjoyment.

He gave a guilty start as he felt her hand on his arm and he looked around to see her smiling at him in what looked to be amusement, and something close to sympathy perhaps,
"Two journey's to shore and a cliff climb in a night, no mean feat so close on a fever. But you must want some sleep. I'll take the watch there's no need for you to join me in it."
He pulled away and gave her a sweeping bow, though he only kept his balance with an effort,
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, no worries luv. Can do more than that in a night." He attempted a suitably suggestive note but somehow missed it.
"Hmmm, perhaps,"
It didn't look as if she quite believed him and he was surprised to find that he felt no offence at that, perhaps more surprisingly nor did he feel any threat. In fact it was worrying to realise just how comfortable her humour was starting to feel, almost as comfortable as Gibbs occasional joshing. 'Caution', a little voice whispered, 'not a week on this strange ship yet and already there's a companionable feel to things.' Such companionship was to be desired with a man like Gibbs, who would stand at your back in a tight spot, 'twas an entirely different thing with a lass such as she. But those blue green eyes were watching him without malice and it was hard to feel anything other than the relief that someone at least would watch his back, even if she would use a ghost to do it.

He found himself smiling at her almost against his will,
"Decided where we are goin' then have you? Since you don't want to wait around here."
There was only curiosity in his voice and he let her turn him towards the below deck hatch without protest, her hand barely felt on his arm,
"Ariadne has identified a suitable bay on a small unpopulated atoll about twenty miles north," she said, "we can anchor there for a day or so at least, it's well off the trade routes and the Navy is nowhere near, for the moment at least."

Jack nodded briefly,
"They stay well away from Tortuga for the most part, I doubt that will change just yet what with the Interceptor and Dauntless lost."
He stopped with his hand on the latch and stared back toward the island with a furrowed brow,
"I'd hazard that they will stay clear until they have rebuilt their numbers in these waters. With Norrington and Governor Swann gone they have a lot of work to do before things can be as they were."
"Norrington?" she looked at him with a slight frown.
He nodded, turning to look at her curiously, for there had been surprise in her voice and a hint of something that sounded to be recognition too.
"Yes Norrington, the late lamented Commodore, or Admiral as he was at his end, though from what 'lizabeth told Mr Gibbs I think he might prefer that we forgot about his service with Beckett."
He noticed her frown and cocked an eyebrow at her,
"What is it Elanor? I'm sure I mentioned the Commodore given that the ungrateful wretch wanted to hang me, even though I rescued the damsel he was of a mind to marry," he raised a finger at her in emphasis, " and that was before he knew she intended to have someone else."
He looked at her more closely,
"You are a long way from home, in more ways than one, so what is he to you that his name causes you to frown so?"

Her frown melted into a faint smile,
"Nothing much and I'm sure you had mentioned the name I just didn't take any note of it."
It was his turn to frown and he turned to face her, a half hearted challenge in his stance,
"Nothing much of what? Out with it. Why does Norrington's name make you frown?"
She released the latch and held the door for him,
"Nothing much as I said. Just that one branch of my mother's family went by the name of Norrington, and earlier today Ariadne reminded me that more than one of them served in the Navy during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Odd co-incidence that you should mention someone of that name now."

Jack suppressed a shudder, for her reply causes a shiver of something he couldn't describe to run down his spine,
"I see," he heard the hollow note in his own voice thought she seemed not to, "funny old world."
She grinned at him without concern,
"Ain't it just." She caught his arm and turned him around towards the stairs. " But I doubt they are connected, either in your world or mine. Now go and get some sleep."

Jack said nothing more and headed below with a whirl of half thought and speculation swirling through his mind. But fatigue was winning, for all his sudden unease, and he barely took the time to pull off his boots before collapsing onto what he now thought of as 'his' bunk. But as he slipped into sleep his reflections were dark and resigned; chance be damned, he saw the hand of Tia Dalma in this new revelation and his last waking thought was to wonder uneasily what she was up to now.