As promised, the next chapter to make up for the incredibly short one I posted yesterday! This one is the longest I have written for this fic in a while too :D Thank you to lovely reviewers :) Next chapter will be up tomorrow so I can fit back in to the alternating There All Along with this one :)
Oh and check me out on youtube (Jackelica) - I have started making some vids :)
L is for… Love
Back at the Pearl, Jack offered his hand to help Angelica out of the longboat. She smiled and accepted it, not that she needed the help.
"Welcome back, Miss Angelica." Gibbs greeted her.
"Thank you." She smiled as Jack came up behind her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. With his other hand, he pulled out his compass. The needle span briefly before it settled.
"Is it working now, Cap'n?" Gibbs asked.
Working? Angelica wondered.
"Aye. We have our heading."
Gibbs grinned and looked at the compass before heading up to the helm to set the course.
"Where are we going?" Angelica asked, curious.
"Tortuga." Jack grinned. Angelica had never spent any time in Tortuga, but she knew why so many of the men did; rum and whores. Jack must have seen the look on her face, for he quickly added "We are in desperate need of a crew."
"Aye, that you are." She agreed. Jack planted a quick kiss on the top of her head before joining Gibbs at the helm.
She sighed happily as she prepared food that night. It had been arranged that she would prepare food and then dine with Jack once Gibbs had eaten. She had been more than happy to take this role for the time being, but she had made it quite clear that she would not be performing such duties once they had a crew. She looked up as footsteps came down into the galley.
"Hello." She greeted Gibbs.
"Miss Angelica." He nodded politely. "I'm glad Jack decided to go back for you."
"As am I." she smiled.
"He'll never admit it, but he doesn't like leaving you." Gibbs said, after a slight hesitation.
"He seems to do it easily enough." Angelica retorted.
"Aye, but you don't see how he acts after." She looked at him quizzically. "Lost, he is. Stares into space, confused. This time he even felt like you were around, holding him."
Angelica held back a grin, reaching one hand into her pocket to feel the doll.
"I'm sure Jack would not approve of you telling me all this."
"Aye, that probably be true. But I feel you have a right to know."
"Thank you." She smiled and a comfortable silence fell over the galley for a while until Angelica served up Gibbs' food.
"Thank you, Miss." He said as he began to eat. She nodded and headed back up to the deck.
"Jack?" He turned to look as she climbed the steps to the helm. "Mr Gibbs just told me you felt me holding you when I was on the island."
"Did he now?" Jack frowned.
"Jack, it's me. He wouldn't have told anyone else. You know that."
Jack nodded, knowing that what Angelica said was true.
"Well, he speaks truth." He hesitated. "And it felt as though you were kissing me, too."
She smirked and pulled the doll out from her pocket.
"Recognise this?"
Jack stared, wide-eyed.
"You…but…how…"
"It washed up on the island. I didn't realise it would work for… pleasure, as well as pain."
"Well it did. 'Spose I ought to thank you for not taking your anger out on it."
"I was tempted." She admitted, laughing. As Jack raised an eyebrow, she added softly "but I could never really hurt you."
"You shot at me. You tried to kill me in Saint Dominique. You gloated that you almost killed me in the Captain's Daughter." he pointed out.
"True, but if I really had hurt you I don't know what I would have done." She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. "I love you, Jack."
He grinned, one of his gorgeous grins that made her melt.
"As do I. Always have, always will."
Angelica laughed and raised an eyebrow.
"Say it, Jack."
"Say what?"
"You know what."
"I do not know what."
"Yes you do."
"No I don't."
"Yes you do."
"No I don't."
"Jack."
"Angelica."
"Just say it."
"Say what?"
She sighed in frustration and turned to go. Why did he always have to ruin moments that could have been perfect? As she turned though, he caught hold of her hand and pulled her close, dipping his head and closing the gap between them so that his lips met hers. When they finally parted, Jack looked at her.
"Actions speak louder than words, love."
She laughed softly.
"Aye, but I will make you say it one day."
"Oh will you now?"
"Yes." She smirked and they leaned towards each other again. Before their lips could meet, however, there was a cough behind them. They stepped apart hastily.
"I hope I ain't interruptin' nothin'." Gibbs.
"Nothin' at all, Mr Gibbs." Jack cleared his throat. Gibbs raised an eyebrow, clearly knowing that it was not "nothing" but said nothing more on the matter.
"I'll take over here now."
Jack and Angelica nodded and headed down to the galley to eat. Angelica smiled to herself as she went. She would make Jack say the words, but she knew how he felt; the way he kissed her said it all. He loved her.