A Pirate Calling

Chapter Ten: Shadows

"Since when do you drink mate?"

"Since when don't you?" Will countered.

"Touché."

Jack stared across the small wooden table at Will. It had been years since they had seen each other; years since either one had even talked. He still wondered if Will held some form of grudge against him. After the battle so many years ago, after he had sentenced him to a lifetime of servitude aboard this ship, forcing him to leave the love of his life and the family he could never be a part of.

"You're still wondering if I hate you, aren't you?" Will asked, staring at him over his cup.

Jack stared at him, eyes wide, feigning innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Will sighed. "I've told you I hold no grudges against you. You did what you thought was right. If you hadn't . . ." he let his words trail off. He shook his head. "Anyway. You've changed Jack. Or do you go by something else now?"

Jack cracked a one sided grin. "Jacob Galvin now. Been a long time since I've been called Jack," his grin turned wistful. "Feels nice."

Will laughed. "You'll be Jack Sparrow again in no time."

"Give it another thirty years or so," Jack replied. "I'll fake my death again and then fake a birth. Who knows who I'll be next time."

"It doesn't matter. On the inside you'll always be just Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Ah, it does feel good to hear that," he replied, taking a sip of the water in his cup. It wouldn't do any good to get drunk for this conversation. He glanced around the cabin, listened to the sounds of the crew working outside. He missed it. He missed feeling the ship rocking below his feet, missed the excitement of a battle on the high seas.

His grin disappeared as he contemplated what could be coming. If he was right . . .

"Jack what is it?" Will asked, concern flitting across his smooth features.

"Who knows, maybe you'll be able to take me one day," he said, his eyes unfocused, speaking as if Will hadn't said anything.

Will set his cup down, his eyebrows furrowed. "What's going on Jack?"

Jack turned his attention full on Will. "Your ten years is coming up soon, isn't it?"

Will stared at him, confused. "Yes," he answered slowly.

"Good. We may need you."

"Why?"

Jack paused for a moment, his eyes thoughtful. He contemplated whether or not to tell Will anything. But he knew he would only ask more questions when Jack asked his.

"The Court's been called," he finally stated.

Will sat back in his chair, a brief flash of worry echoing in his eyes. "Why?" he repeated.

"Not entirely sure. But I know it has to do with a girl."

"A girl?"

Jack nodded. "That's actually the reason I've come to see you."

"Only business, Jack? I'm hurt."

A slight smile crossed Jack's face. "It has to do with you."

Will cocked his head to one side, intrigued. "With me?"

"Are you going to repeat everything I say, mate?"

"Quite possibly. Now what about this girl has you so interested?"

"She's seen you," Jack replied, taking a sip from his cup. "About twenty years ago she saw you and the Dutchman."

"Where?"

Jack shrugged. "Don't know exactly. Around here I suppose."

"But Jack, why does it matter that she's seen me?"

"It may not," Jack answered. "But from the way her mother tells it, she remembers seeing a ship come out of the sea. Her father spoke to a man on said ship and then they both disappeared."

Will looked thoughtful as he took in Jack's words. "This girl," he said finally. "What's her name?"

"Fay Nolan."

Will shook his head slowly. "No. I don't remember . . . wait. I don't remember a Fay Nolan. There was a Fayth Nolan years ago. But . . ."

"She seems to remember you taking her father," Jack repeated.

Will raised his hand, requesting Jack to let him finish. "That's the thing Jack, and the only reason I remember this. I wasn't there for her father. I was there for her."

Jack couldn't believe that the light in the attic was still on. Fay's mother had thoughtfully left the front porch light on as well as the door unlocked for when he got back from his reunion. Trusting woman she was.

Since he hadn't been quite sure if a cell phone would work on a mystical ship (technology, after all, didn't always work around supernatural things) he had left it in his borrowed room. They had had no way of getting a hold of him to find out when he was getting back.

And as many times as Fay told him she didn't want to be up there, it confused him as to why she would still be looking through her father's files four hours after he had left. His question was answered, though, when he found her curled up against some boxes, with her knees resting against her chest, fast asleep.

It was the most peaceful Jack had ever seen her, awake or asleep. For once she didn't appear to be plagued by the nightmares that come to her every time she closed her eyes.

One arm was curled under her head, acting as a pillow against the hard floor. The other was holding a small plush rabbit to her chest, one of its eyes missing. An old jean jacket covered her. Jack smiled slightly as he knelt next to her. Fay sighed softly when he tucked an errant strand away from her cheek.

He almost didn't notice it, but at second glance he found the small scar on her forehead. His fingertips traced the scar. Fay opened her eyes slowly causing Jack to pull back. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Fay sat up slowly, rubbing her face gently. "No," she replied. "No, it's okay."

"I should've just gone downstairs."

"No, really. It's okay. I didn't realize how tired I was," she checked her watch, her eyes widening slightly. "Wow. You were gone for . . . never mind. How was your . . . reunion?"

"Informative."

"Really," she replied, staring at him. "Well I guess I could say mine was too."

"What did you find?" he asked, intrigued and then smiled. "Besides the old stuffed rabbit?"

Fay looked confused for a moment until a sheepish grin lit her face followed by a low chuckle. "Cheepers," at Jack's upraised eyebrows Fay continued. "I was four. Don't ask. Anyway, I did find something."

She twisted slightly, reaching behind her to pick up a weathered book. The pages were creased and bent from heavy use. "This book shows my father's side of the family. I'm not sure how far back it goes or what it'll tell you, but I guess it's a start."

Fay leaned over slightly to place the book on the floor between them. Jack gazed at the book for a moment until a shiny metal object that had been tucked into her shirt started to fall. He fought to keep his expression composed as the charm's design took form, the heavy object dangling from a thick chain.

Jack reached out before he knew what he was doing. Fay jerked back as she felt his fingers close around the necklace she was wearing, his knuckles grazing the bare flesh at the top of her breasts. His grip on the charm stopped her from moving back too far.

"Where did you get this?" he asked, his fingers tracing the pattern.

Fay tried to pull the charm from him but gripped his hand when that failed, trying to pry his fingers off of it. "It was my father's. Now let it go Galvin."

Jack's eyes flashed up to hers. "Where did he get it?"

"I don't know. From his father I guess," she tugged again. "I'm not going to ask you again."

He ignored her, staring intently in her eyes. "Why did they have it?"

"I don't know!" she hissed. "My father wasn't exactly around to tell me," she spat.

Three things happened then. Fay tugged on the chain again quickly and non-too gently. Jack let go, Fay's free hand slipped on the slick wood floor, causing her to start to fall backward. He lunged forward before she hit, placing one hand on the floor next to her hip, and the other tangling in her hair and gripping the back of her neck. Her back hit with a thud on the hard wood floor, the top of Jack's chest hitting her ribs, his eyes level with her lips.

Her knees had unbent as they fell, moving slightly so that he landed between them, his hips landing on her thighs. Fay exhaled sharply as the breath was knocked out of her lungs. They stared at each other for a moment as they both struggled to catch their breath. A smirk crossed his lips as he looked down at her.

"If you wanted me on top of you Miss Nolan all you had to do was ask."

His smirk disappeared however as he gazed into her eyes. She had no snappy comeback for him; no snide remark. And her eyes held something completely different. She tried to hide it, but experience from centuries of reading people helped him read her like an open book.

Jack moved up slowly until his eyes were even with her own. She kept her gaze on him, aware of every move he made, aware of every shift he made against her skin; almost too aware of her shirt riding smoothly up her abdomen. Jack lifted his right arm gently, bringing her face up close to his own. His lips were only a breath away . . .

"If you want to have sex, you should do it somewhere else," a sleepy voice said behind them, "my room is right below you."

Jack and Fay turned to look, his hand still on her neck, their faces still millimeters apart.

"God, Angie," Fay whispered. She looked at Jack again and then quickly untangled herself from him. "I'm sorry."

They could see the tips of Angie's shoulders as she shrugged drowsily. "Yeah whatever. Just go do it somewhere else." And with that she ducked back out of the attic.

"We should get downstairs," Fay said, standing up slowly on trembling legs.

Jack stood up as well, steadied her when she stumbled. "Maybe we should."

He followed her down the small ladder, his feet making a hollow thud as he landed. Fay was already at her door by the time he stowed the ladder.

"Good night Mr. Galvin. I'll see you later in the morning."

Jack was behind her in a flash, his hand on her arm, gently shoving her into her room. He shut her door with a soft click, all while turning her around and pushing her against the wood of the door, his body pressed up against hers.

"What are you-?"

"Maybe we should finish what we started upstairs," he whispered, his breath hot against her lips.

"I-" she started, then stopped, cleared her suddenly dry throat and began again. "I think you should let me go."

He smirked. Jack dipped his head, his lips whispering across her skin. Little shivers rolled down her spin at the gentle caress. She almost gasped when he nipped at her collarbone. His hands trailed up the outside of her arms, his fingers barely touching her and yet sending chills down her skin. Jack's fingers tangled in her hair, tugging her head back to reveal more of her neck to his hungry lips.

He kissed the edge of her jaw; placed one small kiss on the edge of her lips. All she had to do was turn her head just a little . . .

And he was gone. Jack pushed himself back from her, his arm raised slightly. The necklace dangled from his clenched fist as another grin spread across his face. "I'll just be borrowing this then."

It took a moment for Fay to realize what had happened. He had distracted her with . . . "God dammit Galvin!" she hissed and made a swipe at his upraised hand.

Jack side-stepped her easily. She lunged at him again only to be gently pushed aside by a shove to her shoulder. Fay's door was open seconds later, Jack standing in the darkened doorway. "I'll give it back to you, I promise. I would just like to check something out."

"Galvin!" she hissed again but her door was already closed. Fay slammed her fist against the door, angry at having been fooled by him again, angry at having allowed herself to get distracted by him.

How could she even have allowed him to-? She didn't- Fay gave out a groan and rested her forehead against the wood. God she really hated that man.

"So is it what I think it is?"

"I am still studying the picture," the woman replied, her thick accent layering her words. Jack could see her on the other side of the screen. Her long brown hair was tied back in a loose ponytail; a thin robe was wrapped around her shoulders. A simply opal earring rested in one ear. "It is very grainy Jack. Surely you could have taken a better picture than this."

"I'm very sorry. Next time I find something like this I'll make sure to get the picture professionally done." He picked up the necklace, his thumb tracing the intricate design carved into the silver. "So am I right?"

She gazed down at the picture again. "You might be. I have not seen this crest in a long time. Where did you say you found it?"

"I didn't."

The woman looked up sharply at his tone. With a sigh she placed the picture on the desk and crossed her arms over her chest. "We are not going to play this game again are we? I thought we trusted each other."

Jack smiled. "We do. But right now I need to make sure what this is before I do-"

"I have heard the call Jack," she interrupted. "And if you have woken me up this early in the morning for a trinket such as this, then it must pertain to the call. And to have found this crest must mean that you know something."

Jack stared at her. "We'll need to convene soon," he answered, skirting around her question. "I have a feeling we'll need to protect something."

"Have you heard from the others?"

Jack shook his head. "No, but I spoke to Will earlier tonight."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "The captain of the Flying Dutchman? What does he have to do with any of this?"

"That's a question for another time. Right now I just need to know if the crest belongs to who I think it belongs to."

The woman picked up the picture again. "Yes," she said after a moment. "It does. It is his."

Jack nodded quietly. "Well then."

"This is not good, is it?"

"How's Paris this time of year?"

She drew back slightly, confused at his question. "Beautiful as always. What-?"

He looked back up at her, his eyes intense. "Then I hate to take you away from it. I think you'll need to take a little vacation."

Fay stared up at the dark ceiling silently. Her mind was roving through the images from her dream. It was bad enough that the man invaded her every waking moment with his annoying habits of irritating her and now he was invading her dreams as well? Fay groaned quietly. Was her life ever going to be simple again?

She was pondering as well the reason behind having a normal dream this time. For as long as she could remember she had been having the dreams of the night her father disappeared; all of the pain and heartache that had come from that night. But this one . . . this was entirely different. She remembered the fighting. She remembered all of the people surrounding her and the one person standing in front of them; an evil look on their face as they contemplated what to do next. She remembered the fear and betrayal that tugged at her chest as she stared at the person in front of them, but she couldn't figure out why.

Fay didn't know the person. At least she didn't think so. She couldn't see their face very well; everything was so shadowed. And the one person that stood out to her the most was Jacob Galvin, standing in front of her with his back to her slightly behind the other group, crouched down slightly in a defensive stance, a stance so completely and totally different from how he always held himself otherwise.

The last thing she saw in the dream was the opponent giving a scream of rage as they erupted into everything. There was no body; there was no form, nothing but the fierce winds of storms and the fury of nature. The people around her had pulled in tighter, each getting their own fair share of the torrent.

A movement to her right drew her attention to shadows against her wall. She must really be tired if the shape forming in the shadows is any indication. Fay's breath hitched in her throat as the shape began to move. Maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her. Maybe it was all a figment of her imagination. There was no way shadows could move. Of course there was no way she could have almost drowned in rain either.

Fay's first thought was to just lay very still; to just keep watching whatever it was and it wouldn't move. Her next thought was one formed out of panic. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run away before it could come near her. And she wasn't one to be frightened of anything, not since she was five.

But neither one happened. The moment it began to make a move a knock sounded on her door, a voice called out. "Fay?"

The creature dissolved again and Fay bolted up in her bed. "Yes," she said, noticed her voice was too low and tried again. "Yes?"

The door opened slowly to reveal Jack in her doorway. His shirt was half-way unbuttoned. Her eyes grazed over the bare skin, taking in the various tattoos and scars littering his chest. She almost wanted to ask where he got them. Almost.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine. Why?"

His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. He seemed to be contemplating something as he turned to look around her dark room. Jack stepped in to the room and shut the door quietly, his eyes still looking in the dark corners. "I thought I heard something."

"Maybe you were dreaming."

He turned to her then. She could see the smirk form on his lips in the moonlight drifting through her blinds. "I haven't been to sleep," he moved closer to her, sitting on the edge of her bed. Fay pulled her legs closer to her, attempting to keep as far from him as possible. "I wanted to give this back to you."

She watched as he held out his hand, almost hesitant to trust anything he had to give her. In his hand was the necklace he had stolen from her a few hours before. Fay took it from him, her fingertips brushing his palm. Before she could pull away, Jack closed his fingers around hers. Fay's eyes snapped up to his, half in shock, half in anger.

"What are you doing Galvin?"

He didn't answer, but instead twisted their hands around to where their fingers were interlocked, the necklace pressed between their palms, the large charm dangling down. "This may be a longer trip than I originally thought."

Fay's eyebrows furrowed. "Why? I thought all we needed was my father's books and then we'd be done."

He shrugged, still not meeting her gaze. "So did I. But there are . . . complications."

"What kind of complications?" she asked, her heart starting to pound.

"Don't completely know. I need to wait for a call. We'll figure out what to do after that."

"Why-?"

Jack's gaze stopped her from finishing her question. He was guarded, his eyes pools of shielded emotions. "What really happened in here?"

"Nothing."

"Really?"

"Besides you pushing me into a door earlier? No. Nothing." She wasn't going to allow him the pleasure of thinking she was insane by telling him she thought she saw something growing in the shadows.

The smirk came back. "Are you trying to tell me you liked it?"

Fay flinched. "No."

"Really?" he asked, placing his free hand on the other side of her and leaning in slightly. Fay almost jumped when his thumb grazed her hip, she almost didn't move when he leaned in a little bit more. His lips were almost on hers when she stopped him.

"Do you have any concern for personal space?" she asked, her eyes holding his steady.

He laughed softly, his breath a hot puff on her lips. He pulled back from her, removing his hand from near her leg and disentangling his fingers from hers. "Well then. I'll see you in the morning I guess." Before she could say anything, he was gone, the door clicking softly as he shut it.

Fay took a deep breath once he was gone. She spent the rest of the night watching the shadows.

She should have asked him to stay.

AN: Another chapter down and who knows how many more to go! So, how did you like it? A little bit more has been revealed, but not too much to give everything away right now. As the author of this little fic I like to still have a few surprises up my sleeves. Also, calling Jacob Jack won out. This is a reminder though that for the next few chapters, Fay will still be calling him Jacob so don't get too confused!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday and I'll see everyone next year! Figuratively speaking of course!

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