Sorry it took me so long! Writer's block, you see. Contagious.
(Not really, don't worry. Bahaha) ;)
Please vote on my profile! Do you like Paranormal Activity?
Did you like it? Hate it? (Planning a story.)

As usual, enjoy. :)

Chapter 17: Morning Star II

The crew was gathered together by nightfall; spirits were passed around and their jolly laughter echoed in the warm air. Some odd number of days had passed since their latest discovery concerning the Spring of Neptune, and Jack was only too pleased to already be on their way. He usually kept himself locked up in his cabin with Katherine and Will, trying to decipher more of the map that lay in their possession, yet nothing worth their interest had come up.

Desperate for a break from the map, Katherine found herself sitting with the sailors on deck as they sang and told jokes all through the night. Some had even tried to engage her in gambling, yet she denied their offers, saying that she fairly awful at the game.

"I'm singing this song to the one I love best,
And her picture is tattooed all over my chest.

Hay ho little fishes, don't cry, don't cry.
Hay ho little fishes, don't cry, don't cry.

I've a picture of her mother also on my back,
And on my stomach flies the Union Jack

There are fish in the sea there's no doubt about it,
Just as fine as the ones that ever came out of it.

Little fish when he's caught he fights like a bull whale,
That thrashes the water with his mighty tail.

The ship's underway and the weather is fine.
The skipper's down aft hanging out other lines." Gibbs sang merrily as a fellow crewman played the nautical tune on a small, well-used guitar from the hold.

Jack emerged slowly from his cabin, a hand on the heel of his gun as he sauntered towards the group, "The crew are asleep and the ocean's at rest, and I'm singing this song to the one I love best." He finished, gazing at her.

To the one he loves best, she pondered inwardly. She figured that it was simply a song, and he hadn't meant anything by it.

Oh, how wrong she was.

The pirate captain came behind her and placed a tanned hand on her shoulder, "Should be a few days more till we arrive, love. Is it possible that we could pinpoint the position?'

"Well," She offered, turning to gaze up at him, "I suppose I could try that next."

Smirking wildly, he nodded, "Good! I'll be right back!"

Katherine smiled demurely as Jack inside his cabin, a series of bangs and crashes following after. One of the crew poked at her shoulder. It was Pintel,

"Miss," He began, an audible gulp was heard from him, "Is it possible tha ye are harboring feelin's for the Cap'n?"

Her eyes widened at his question, "I.. W-What?" She stammered as she glanced at Gibbs for assistance, yet he too was leaning in, anticipating her answer, "Why the sudden scrutiny, everyone?"

"We jus' wanna know, Miss." Ragetti spoke calmly as he fussed with the wooden eye in his hands, "Cuz it sure does seem like ye do."

Pintel's fist came down on the young man's head, "I'm askin' the questions ere'!"

Ignoring the two, the brunette glimpsed at Gibbs, "Do you think I have feelings for Jack too, mister Gibbs?"

"A-Ahem, well." He cleared his throat before shrugging with a wary smile.

She sighed, defeated, "Is it really that obvious…?"

"Ah! I knew it, I did!" One of the crew shouted; Levi, his name was. A kind young man; he had joined the crew of the Black Pearl not too long before she met Jack.

A handful of seamen clasped their hands over his mouth or shushed him vocally. Levi's sudden outburst gained him a few heavy stares, to which he smiled and shrugged; completely unaware of what he might've just blurted.

"Please," She begged them, "keep this only to yourselves. By this I mean-"

"Don't tell Jack." Gibbs said sternly, eying the men who were gathered around.

Everyone complied in agreement, and Katherine thanked them all gratefully. Almost immediately after, Jack came waltzing out of the cabin, the map and compass in his hands. And a bottle of rum.

"Shall we, love?" He gestured to the helm where Will was. She nodded and bid the rest of the crew farewell before climbing the steps with Jack.

"Bugger…" The mutter was heard from a fairly new crewman, Barb, "I didn't want miss Katherine tuh say she loved the Cap'n."

Some of the men laughed at the comment before one replied quietly, "Wanted ta take er' for yerself, aye?"

They laughed flamboyantly at the jest and jostled each other around playfully for a bit before Gibbs said to them in a harsh whisper, "No, lads! Ye shouldn't be thinkin' like that! Miss Katherine may become more to Jack in due time, so ye never know what may be, aye? Don't be gettin' attached to her like that, or else ye be swimmin' with the fishes on the day that Jack does realize he loves er'."

At the older man's words of knowledge, the crew agreed and left the topic at where it was…

.

"Well, love?" Jack exclaimed proudly. The Pearl had arrived in Italy in record timing, and its captain couldn't have been happier, "What do ye think?"

Katherine laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "About what? Italy, or the Pearl's arrival time?"

He fell silent for a moment for before clarifying with a golden smile, "Both."

"Italy is certainly breathtaking." She spoke as she gazed over the wonderfully lush atmosphere and the sparkling cerulean ocean before them. The magnificent historical churches and temples were plentiful and thriving with pilgrims.

The pirate leaned against the richly dark rail, "And the Pearl?"

Katherine smiled, placing a gentle hand on his forearm, "Impeccable timing." She said, knowing just what the Pearl's speed and all around attributes meant to the man.

At this, he grinned wildly before snaking an arm around her waist and guiding her to where William was standing, overlooking the waterfront they had docked at. It was similar to Tortuga, yet different in many instances. Capitaine Chevalle, the pirate lord of the Mediterranean Sea, usually inhabited the pirate port town of which they were currently anchored at.

"Jack?" Will spoke in question, "What is the name of this pirate port?"

The captain gazed heavily at the pirate haven, "Depradare, home to a few…" He hesitated, picking at his dirtied nails, "friends of mine."

Will deadpanned, "Should we be wary of these 'friends' of yours?"

"Uhm, possibly. No… probably." His sight flickered between Turner and Katherine, before finally settling on, "Yes, we should."

The blacksmith sighed as the three began to walk off the ship and onto the gangplank; the rest of the crew had already gone off to the nearest pub to drink the night away.

Katherine was fascinated; this pirate port had much more life to it than what she had seen in Tortuga, and by life she meant somewhat civilized behavior, while one could have fun.

"So," William began, "whom shall we ask first?"

The brown-haired captain adjusted his coat, "There's a certain tavern we should pay a visit to. Someone I know there will indubitably have some information for us."

Both Katherine and Will gave him wry looks. He murmured, "... Probably."

After making their way through the cobble streets, the trio finally came to a warmly lit watering hole. Apparently, Jack was quite familiar with it, Katherine assumed he had visited the bar often some time ago.

"Giorando Sea House?" She said, glancing at the hanging wooden sign, "Your friend is here, Jack?"

Smirking, Jack nodded once before providing, "Try to keep to yourselves when we're inside, aye? Don't want to attract too muchattention, now do we?"

"Odd thing to hear from the man who adores attention…" Turner muttered to himself, yet Katherine heard him and couldn't help but smile slightly.

Review please, and make my day/night? P.S. Gibbs's song is called Little Fishes. :)