Pirates Of The Caribbean Fan Fiction ❯ Lost in Translation (Pirates of the Caribbean) ❯ Delusion ( Chapter 15 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Kilala81 
Non Anime: Pirates Of The Caribbean Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance / Supernatural | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.20.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 274 | Status: Completed
Non Anime: Pirates Of The Caribbean Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance / Supernatural | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.20.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 274 | Status: Completed
Chapter Fifteen:
Delusion
**************
Sun light began filtering into the cabin through the small, dingy window. The moment the light warmed Jack's skin, his eyes opened. It wasn't in his nature to sleep past dawn. He enjoyed the fresh morning air and seeing the sun rise over the water. There weren't many sights quite as refreshing in his opinion. It took him a moment to realize where he was and why he was there. His eyes quickly scanned the room and then focused on Kaitlyn. She was sleeping contentedly with her head still resting on his chest where she had fallen asleep hours earlier.
For a moment he just watched her, letting the nights events play in his mind again. It truly was a mystery to him why she had made such a request. He understood her reasoning, but not why she had chosen him. He was just a pirate, a scallywag, not only someone that could get her into trouble but someone that by all social standards, was well beneath her.
The night had been a first for him as well. He had never known the touch of a woman that didn't want something from him in return. Most whores were coy, cunning, trying to seduce and manipulate men to earn their money. Normally, he only found himself bedding with whores while in Tortuga after he'd had himself plenty of rum. He couldn't deny he always enjoyed himself but it was never anything more than physical pleasure. It had been a very long time since he had been in the company of a woman while sober and he couldn't remember a time he had woken up with her still in his bed.
His movements roused her from her sleeping state, though it took her a moment to fully wake and become coherent. Once she did, she looked up at him and then sat up quickly.
“You should have woken me,” she said while pulling the sheet around herself. Jack grinned while watching her. He was definitely not used to women that showed any form of modestly and found it humorous.
“Think we're a bit past being modest, don't you love?” He asked. His teasing comment caused her to blush but she didn't remove the sheet that was covering her.
“I'm not in the habit of being...unclothed...around men,” she said, feeling embarrassed, not only from being undressed but also from what had happened the night before. She wasn't ashamed that it had happened, but she couldn't help feeling as though he would no doubt compare her to other women he had been with and she knew he couldn't have enjoyed her nearly as much as a whore. Jack couldn't help but grinning more at her.
“Well, then, that makes two of us, eh?” He kidded. “Fascinating how much we have in common, really.” At least a half dozen biting comments about him being unclothed around men were on the tip of her tongue but she chose to swallow the words and instead she glanced around the room. He watched her and then sat up and grabbed his breeches from the floor and pulled them on, thinking she might feel better if he gave her time to herself. He then began pulling on the rest of his clothes and boots before dawning his effects. She hadn't moved from the bed yet when he was finished and he looked at her again. He had seen men that claimed to be in love before, hell, he had gained the Pearl back with the help of Will Turner who was apparently madly in love with Elizabeth Swann.
And though he had never, himself, felt that way about any woman; he did respect Kaitlyn far more than any whore or strumpet he'd ever been with. He found that he actually enjoyed her company and wasn't fond of the idea of her having regrets about what they had done.
“Regret givin' yourself to a pirate, love?” He asked. He couldn't blame her for that, honestly. She looked up at him when he spoke. He had a smirk on his face but she didn't miss the slightly hurt tone in his voice.
“No, I don't,” she said honestly. “Do you regret giving yourself to a lady?” Jack grinned a bit and then walked over to the bed.
“Was an honor, Miss Harris,” he said and then removed his hat and bowed slightly. She couldn't help but giggle at the amusing gesture. “In fact,” he continued and then stood upright again. “Can't say I'd mind doing it again sometime.”
“Shouldn't the captain be out steering the ship?” She asked while raising an eyebrow.
“Aye,” he answered then put his hat on and sauntered across the room. The second he opened the door he was nearly knocked over by Pepe. Jack turned to see the small animal jump onto the bed and start pacing and turning anxiously before laying down.
“Sorry, mate,” Jack said. “Afraid it was my turn to have the bed.” Pepe was eying him up warily which made Kaitlyn pick him up and cuddle him to her.
“I'm sorry, Pepe, I forgot all about you,” she said. Jack watched as she lavished attention on the small thing, that clearly thought it had been horribly mistreated by not being allowed to sleep in the cabin with her for one night.
“Bloody monkey,” he muttered and then walked out of the room, leaving her to dress and deal with her pet.
*
The warm, monotonous days slowly turned into weeks. Nearly two and a half had passed before they neared Arigate Isle. Jack had wondered at first if Kaitlyn would change at all after their night together but found himself oddly relieved when she neither became distant nor demanding and clingy. In fact, a night nearly a week after their encounter had found him in the cabin again and though it had merely been to retrieve a few of his belongings, he had ended up staying. Their third night together, however, had him wondering if keeping her on the ship was such a good idea.
Jack wasn't entirely sure if it was merely boredom that kept drawing them back together, but there seemed to be a mutual and unspoken agreement between them. Both knew she wouldn't be on the ship forever, but at the moment, they were there to offer each other companionship and an escape from the mundane. He found that he was actually growing accustomed to waking up with her lying next to him, though he always paid for it when he next saw Pepe. Above all, he realized that he welcomed having someone in his life that he trusted fully. Many men that sailed beneath him he would trust with his life, but they were pirates. To them he had to remain 'Captain Jack Sparrow'. He always had to be confident, sure of himself and his decisions and never let his guard down. When he spoke to Kaitlyn it could be honestly, if he chose. When she spoke to him, it was as a man and not a captain, which allowed him to simply be a man for the first time in a long time. Not once did she ask him for anything or try to push him into any sort of relationship. Both were content simply accepting the other as they were and sharing human contact when they longed for it.
He wasn't entirely sure how long it would be before he returned her home but he had already decided that as long as she remained on the ship, he wouldn't visit whores when the ship was docked. Though he had offered her no commitments or promises, he knew it would hurt her if he did.
Jack looked out at the darkened horizon. He knew they couldn't be more than a day away from the island and there would be little, if any problems anchoring the ship. The sky was clear and the breeze steady, a perfect night for sailing. However, fatigue was plaguing him. His eyes were growing sore and his mind fuzzy. As they grew closer to Arigate Isle, he found himself sleeping less and less and tonight it seemed to be catching up to him. Once they reached the island he knew it could take days to find what they were looking for and he would need to be rested, so he called Gibbs to the helm to take over, before heading below deck to find what relief he could in the crew's cabin.
*
Jack's eyes snapped open when he felt hands grasp him roughly and haul him out of his bed. Before he could even blink back his confusion he heard a scream from the other side of the bed followed by rustling and shouting. Out of pure instinct he began to struggle and realized that at least two strong men where holding him. He had nearly freed himself when a rope found it's way around his throat and was pulled tight, leaving him the choice of strangling to death or allowing himself to be restrained. Jack's eyes slid across the room darkened room as he began to grow accustomed to the dim lighting. He recognized no one. In fact, he wasn't even in his own cabin. The woman that had been also been pulled from the bed had long raven hair and caramel colored skin. She looked terrified, as she too, was being restrained.
“Bastard,” hissed one of them men holding him. “Sentenced us to death, ya did.” Jack tried to speak but could barely get air into his lungs, let along force out a breath to speak. Everything felt real and yet surreal at the same time, as though he were living an event from someone else's life. The woman got one of her hands free and dug her nails into the man's arm, trying desperately to get away from him. Jack felt his heart rate quicken and his struggling began anew when the man spun her around and backhanded her before grabbing a fist full of her hair to keep her still. Jack had no idea who the woman was, yet he could feel the emotions in him boiling over, watching her being treated that way.
“Take 'im to the brig,” said another voice in the room. Jack fought as best he could against the men but could feel himself becoming light headed from the lack of oxygen. They were nearly to the door when he heard the woman's voice again, sounding more terrified than before. He caught a glance of her being dragged back to the bed by a couple of the men and the rope was tightened to keep him from trying to get to her. They wasted no time dragging him to the brig and locking him inside.
Time seemed to almost be at a stand still after this. He could tell days, weeks, possibly months were passing but it was blurry and vague. Nothing was familiar here. He knew the Pearl inside and out and this was not her brig. He could tell that he wasn't even himself and yet, he was aware of himself. Finally, he began feeling weak as though death could claim him at any time. Soon the men returned to release him, taking great pleasure in his suffering. The young woman was the only coherent thought in his cluttered mind. He didn't need to be told for him to know what had happened to her, though the crew on the ship had no problem telling him the gritty details of how they left her shackled and alone in a cave to die.
The last thing he did before being thrown off of his own ship, was take the last piece of treasure that remained; the small angel that he had given to her just hours before she had been taken away from him. It took him nearly a week to get back to the island and find his way to the cave where they had left her and it was far too late. She had been left there well over a week, maybe two, before they had even released him from the brig.
The inside of the cave was cool and damp, hidden away from the hot sun that warmed the beaches of the island outside. The sight of her lying on the ground, her beautiful raven hair limp and scattered about her, brought tears to his eyes. The idea that she had no doubt been used and abused by the men before she died alone and afraid was enough to send an almost uncontrollable fury though him. He kneeled down beside her, teetering on the brink of madness. Finally, he began digging at the soft earth next to her until he had a hole large enough for her angel to fit in. Once he had placed it inside and covered it with sand he let his eyes wander back to her. The sight, however, nearly made his blood run cold. Gone were the ebony locks of hair, and instead he was staring down at a mess of lifeless golden hair that he had grown accustomed to.
For a second time, Jack's eyes shot open. He could feel his heart pounding and could swear he felt rope burns on his throat and neck. Quickly he sat up and looked around. He was in the crew's cabin on the Pearl, the hammock he had fallen asleep in swaying slightly with the ship. There was no doubt in his mind that the dream he had just experienced had been from Isidro Saez's point of view. Kaitlyn had told him the story on more than one occasion, but this had been far different than merely reading a book or hearing a tale. The images of death, the feeling of isolation and desperation along with the terrified screams that had come from Catalina where nearly enough to drive Jack mad. There was no way he could possibly get any more sleep so he stood and went up to the ships deck and took in the fresh, night air.
Unlike most dreams this one didn't begin to fade as consciousness overtook his senses. Every bit of it was still fresh in his mind, refusing to leave him at peace. He wasn't normally a person to come unnerved but the feelings he had felt during the dream almost seemed to some one else's; as if he were simply observing what Isidro had gone through. Finally, he recalled the last thing he had seen. It had not been Catalina but Kaitlyn that had been lying there on the ground, her honey colored hair spilled onto the ground around her. The image made no sense to him but he had a sudden urge to see that she was safe.
He made his way to the cabin and slowly opened the door, not intending to wake her. However, the intrusion roused Pepe immediately and his nervous movements woke Kaitlyn.
“Pepe,” she said soothingly and then looked over at the door where his gaze was fixed. “Jack?” She sat up and looked at him. It was dark but she could easily see that something wasn't right. His normal confident and sometimes arrogant demeanor was replaced with an apprehensive one. “Is everything alright?”
When he didn't answer she quickly swung her legs off of the bed and walked across the small room. “Jack?” She asked again. This time he nodded a little to acknowledge her and then tried to smirk.
“Sorry, love, didn't mean to wake you,” he said. She glanced out the door but could see or hear nothing amiss and looked back to him. From the day she had met him, she had never seen him look so troubled. Normally, his eyes shone with mischief or just from the amusement he seemed to find in life. But they seemed darker almost haunted now.
“Is everything alright?” She repeated, wondering if something had happened that she wasn't aware of. He gave a forced smirk and nodded, trying to collect himself.
“Why don't you lie down,” she suggested. He prepared to protest, not wanting to even contemplate sleeping again but then nodded reluctantly when he saw the look of concern she was giving him.
“Just a bit tired, love,” he relented, hoping it would drop the discussion. She walked back to the bed and sat down, watching as he put away his effects and then came over. Despite it being a different cabin, the similarities where enough that he couldn't help but remember the dream; the feeling of being strangled while watching helplessly while they abused a woman that he didn't even know.
“Are you sure you're alright?” Kaitlyn asked while watching him. She was holding Pepe in her arms and staring at him worriedly.
“Fine, lass, just need some sleep,” he said then laid down and stared at the ceiling. Kaitlyn laid down beside him, watching him closely. He barely seemed to even notice she was there, he was so engulfed in his thoughts.
Finally she moved over to him and rested her head on his chest as she always did when he slept in the bed with her; this time however, he turned onto his side and put his arms around her. She lay there for a moment, slightly alarmed by his sudden need for affection but let herself relax against him.
Jack lay in total silence thinking over what he had seen and contemplating the reality of it all. Had it simply been a vivid dream? He had heard the story of Isidro Saez and the Ángel de la muerte enough times that he imagined it was possible. What unsettled him the most was the feeling that he had been someone else or perhaps someone else had been in him. It truly felt as though he had just experienced a glimpse into another person's life, felt their emotions and suffering. He had grown up a pirate, lived the life of one and had never been overly emotional towards anyone, at least not since he was a young boy. The sudden rush of pure rage, pain and anguish that had flooded him were nearly enough to leave even him, Captain Jack Sparrow, paralyzed.
When he finally calmed himself and tried to relax so that he could sleep he again recalled the sight of Kaitlyn lying lifelessly in front of him. In that instant he had felt frightened. He had seen many people die in his life and rarely did it insight more than a momentary sadness that was easily washed away by a few drinks of rum. As much as he didn't particularly like to think of sending her home to live as someone's wife, he realized that he couldn't keep her on the ship. He knew it wasn't right to keep her out at sea where she could be hurt or killed, it wasn't the life she should be living. He smirked slightly when he felt Pepe moving around impatiently behind him on the bed, obviously upset he was being ignored, before he finally curled up against Jack's back to go to sleep. Kaitlyn's breathing was slow and regular now, clearly sleeping comfortably against him. Jack decided to close his own eyes and try to sleep, hopefully this time he would have a dreamless and peaceful sleep and not wake until morning.
*
Gibb's made his way below deck to the crew's quarters to wake Jack. The coast of Arigate island was within view and they would need to drop anchor and send out the boats soon. He looked around the crew's cabin then turned and walked back out.
“Bloody hell, don't tell me we've lost Jack,” he muttered under his breath. He had watched him head down there the night before when he took over the helm and hadn't seen him around the deck yet since the morning came. He headed towards the Captain's cabin, thinking Jack might have gone in there for something. He knocked quickly and got no response so he pushed the door open, wondering where the hell everyone had gone.
Both Jack and Kaitlyn where sleeping peacefully together, the only one that noticed his intrusion was the monkey that peeked it's head up and looked at him curiously. The sight surprised Gibbs. He had suspected the two of them had a fondness of each other but had not actually expected the lass to condescend to sharing her bed with a scallywag, although, both were still fully clothed. He silently closed the door and then pounded on it.
“Cap'n?” He shouted from the outside. He could hear a bit of movement from inside followed by Jack's heavy, tired voice.
“Aye?”
“We're nearing the shore,” he replied simply.
Jack closed his eyes for a moment then ran his dry palm over his face, trying to wake himself and become coherent.
“Aye, be right there,” he replied and then stood up. Kaitlyn too, stood and walked to the other side of the room where she got a couple of lychee nuts for Pepe to eat. The monkey jumped from the bed and ran to her, wasting no time climbing up onto her shoulder and taking one of the small fruits. His urgency caused Kaitlyn to giggle and pet him.
“You act like I starve you,” she said playfully. The monkey looked at her and then to Jack before going back to his food. Kaitlyn too looked over at Jack who was watching them.
“You stole his bed,” she said. “I think he's worried you plan to steal his food as well.”
“Got no worries there, mate,” Jack said with a smirk. “Better get up to the helm, eh?” Kaitlyn nodded and watched as he left the cabin, not sure why he had come in the first place or why he had seemed like a completely different person the night before when he had come to her.
Delusion
**************
Sun light began filtering into the cabin through the small, dingy window. The moment the light warmed Jack's skin, his eyes opened. It wasn't in his nature to sleep past dawn. He enjoyed the fresh morning air and seeing the sun rise over the water. There weren't many sights quite as refreshing in his opinion. It took him a moment to realize where he was and why he was there. His eyes quickly scanned the room and then focused on Kaitlyn. She was sleeping contentedly with her head still resting on his chest where she had fallen asleep hours earlier.
For a moment he just watched her, letting the nights events play in his mind again. It truly was a mystery to him why she had made such a request. He understood her reasoning, but not why she had chosen him. He was just a pirate, a scallywag, not only someone that could get her into trouble but someone that by all social standards, was well beneath her.
The night had been a first for him as well. He had never known the touch of a woman that didn't want something from him in return. Most whores were coy, cunning, trying to seduce and manipulate men to earn their money. Normally, he only found himself bedding with whores while in Tortuga after he'd had himself plenty of rum. He couldn't deny he always enjoyed himself but it was never anything more than physical pleasure. It had been a very long time since he had been in the company of a woman while sober and he couldn't remember a time he had woken up with her still in his bed.
His movements roused her from her sleeping state, though it took her a moment to fully wake and become coherent. Once she did, she looked up at him and then sat up quickly.
“You should have woken me,” she said while pulling the sheet around herself. Jack grinned while watching her. He was definitely not used to women that showed any form of modestly and found it humorous.
“Think we're a bit past being modest, don't you love?” He asked. His teasing comment caused her to blush but she didn't remove the sheet that was covering her.
“I'm not in the habit of being...unclothed...around men,” she said, feeling embarrassed, not only from being undressed but also from what had happened the night before. She wasn't ashamed that it had happened, but she couldn't help feeling as though he would no doubt compare her to other women he had been with and she knew he couldn't have enjoyed her nearly as much as a whore. Jack couldn't help but grinning more at her.
“Well, then, that makes two of us, eh?” He kidded. “Fascinating how much we have in common, really.” At least a half dozen biting comments about him being unclothed around men were on the tip of her tongue but she chose to swallow the words and instead she glanced around the room. He watched her and then sat up and grabbed his breeches from the floor and pulled them on, thinking she might feel better if he gave her time to herself. He then began pulling on the rest of his clothes and boots before dawning his effects. She hadn't moved from the bed yet when he was finished and he looked at her again. He had seen men that claimed to be in love before, hell, he had gained the Pearl back with the help of Will Turner who was apparently madly in love with Elizabeth Swann.
And though he had never, himself, felt that way about any woman; he did respect Kaitlyn far more than any whore or strumpet he'd ever been with. He found that he actually enjoyed her company and wasn't fond of the idea of her having regrets about what they had done.
“Regret givin' yourself to a pirate, love?” He asked. He couldn't blame her for that, honestly. She looked up at him when he spoke. He had a smirk on his face but she didn't miss the slightly hurt tone in his voice.
“No, I don't,” she said honestly. “Do you regret giving yourself to a lady?” Jack grinned a bit and then walked over to the bed.
“Was an honor, Miss Harris,” he said and then removed his hat and bowed slightly. She couldn't help but giggle at the amusing gesture. “In fact,” he continued and then stood upright again. “Can't say I'd mind doing it again sometime.”
“Shouldn't the captain be out steering the ship?” She asked while raising an eyebrow.
“Aye,” he answered then put his hat on and sauntered across the room. The second he opened the door he was nearly knocked over by Pepe. Jack turned to see the small animal jump onto the bed and start pacing and turning anxiously before laying down.
“Sorry, mate,” Jack said. “Afraid it was my turn to have the bed.” Pepe was eying him up warily which made Kaitlyn pick him up and cuddle him to her.
“I'm sorry, Pepe, I forgot all about you,” she said. Jack watched as she lavished attention on the small thing, that clearly thought it had been horribly mistreated by not being allowed to sleep in the cabin with her for one night.
“Bloody monkey,” he muttered and then walked out of the room, leaving her to dress and deal with her pet.
*
The warm, monotonous days slowly turned into weeks. Nearly two and a half had passed before they neared Arigate Isle. Jack had wondered at first if Kaitlyn would change at all after their night together but found himself oddly relieved when she neither became distant nor demanding and clingy. In fact, a night nearly a week after their encounter had found him in the cabin again and though it had merely been to retrieve a few of his belongings, he had ended up staying. Their third night together, however, had him wondering if keeping her on the ship was such a good idea.
Jack wasn't entirely sure if it was merely boredom that kept drawing them back together, but there seemed to be a mutual and unspoken agreement between them. Both knew she wouldn't be on the ship forever, but at the moment, they were there to offer each other companionship and an escape from the mundane. He found that he was actually growing accustomed to waking up with her lying next to him, though he always paid for it when he next saw Pepe. Above all, he realized that he welcomed having someone in his life that he trusted fully. Many men that sailed beneath him he would trust with his life, but they were pirates. To them he had to remain 'Captain Jack Sparrow'. He always had to be confident, sure of himself and his decisions and never let his guard down. When he spoke to Kaitlyn it could be honestly, if he chose. When she spoke to him, it was as a man and not a captain, which allowed him to simply be a man for the first time in a long time. Not once did she ask him for anything or try to push him into any sort of relationship. Both were content simply accepting the other as they were and sharing human contact when they longed for it.
He wasn't entirely sure how long it would be before he returned her home but he had already decided that as long as she remained on the ship, he wouldn't visit whores when the ship was docked. Though he had offered her no commitments or promises, he knew it would hurt her if he did.
Jack looked out at the darkened horizon. He knew they couldn't be more than a day away from the island and there would be little, if any problems anchoring the ship. The sky was clear and the breeze steady, a perfect night for sailing. However, fatigue was plaguing him. His eyes were growing sore and his mind fuzzy. As they grew closer to Arigate Isle, he found himself sleeping less and less and tonight it seemed to be catching up to him. Once they reached the island he knew it could take days to find what they were looking for and he would need to be rested, so he called Gibbs to the helm to take over, before heading below deck to find what relief he could in the crew's cabin.
*
Jack's eyes snapped open when he felt hands grasp him roughly and haul him out of his bed. Before he could even blink back his confusion he heard a scream from the other side of the bed followed by rustling and shouting. Out of pure instinct he began to struggle and realized that at least two strong men where holding him. He had nearly freed himself when a rope found it's way around his throat and was pulled tight, leaving him the choice of strangling to death or allowing himself to be restrained. Jack's eyes slid across the room darkened room as he began to grow accustomed to the dim lighting. He recognized no one. In fact, he wasn't even in his own cabin. The woman that had been also been pulled from the bed had long raven hair and caramel colored skin. She looked terrified, as she too, was being restrained.
“Bastard,” hissed one of them men holding him. “Sentenced us to death, ya did.” Jack tried to speak but could barely get air into his lungs, let along force out a breath to speak. Everything felt real and yet surreal at the same time, as though he were living an event from someone else's life. The woman got one of her hands free and dug her nails into the man's arm, trying desperately to get away from him. Jack felt his heart rate quicken and his struggling began anew when the man spun her around and backhanded her before grabbing a fist full of her hair to keep her still. Jack had no idea who the woman was, yet he could feel the emotions in him boiling over, watching her being treated that way.
“Take 'im to the brig,” said another voice in the room. Jack fought as best he could against the men but could feel himself becoming light headed from the lack of oxygen. They were nearly to the door when he heard the woman's voice again, sounding more terrified than before. He caught a glance of her being dragged back to the bed by a couple of the men and the rope was tightened to keep him from trying to get to her. They wasted no time dragging him to the brig and locking him inside.
Time seemed to almost be at a stand still after this. He could tell days, weeks, possibly months were passing but it was blurry and vague. Nothing was familiar here. He knew the Pearl inside and out and this was not her brig. He could tell that he wasn't even himself and yet, he was aware of himself. Finally, he began feeling weak as though death could claim him at any time. Soon the men returned to release him, taking great pleasure in his suffering. The young woman was the only coherent thought in his cluttered mind. He didn't need to be told for him to know what had happened to her, though the crew on the ship had no problem telling him the gritty details of how they left her shackled and alone in a cave to die.
The last thing he did before being thrown off of his own ship, was take the last piece of treasure that remained; the small angel that he had given to her just hours before she had been taken away from him. It took him nearly a week to get back to the island and find his way to the cave where they had left her and it was far too late. She had been left there well over a week, maybe two, before they had even released him from the brig.
The inside of the cave was cool and damp, hidden away from the hot sun that warmed the beaches of the island outside. The sight of her lying on the ground, her beautiful raven hair limp and scattered about her, brought tears to his eyes. The idea that she had no doubt been used and abused by the men before she died alone and afraid was enough to send an almost uncontrollable fury though him. He kneeled down beside her, teetering on the brink of madness. Finally, he began digging at the soft earth next to her until he had a hole large enough for her angel to fit in. Once he had placed it inside and covered it with sand he let his eyes wander back to her. The sight, however, nearly made his blood run cold. Gone were the ebony locks of hair, and instead he was staring down at a mess of lifeless golden hair that he had grown accustomed to.
For a second time, Jack's eyes shot open. He could feel his heart pounding and could swear he felt rope burns on his throat and neck. Quickly he sat up and looked around. He was in the crew's cabin on the Pearl, the hammock he had fallen asleep in swaying slightly with the ship. There was no doubt in his mind that the dream he had just experienced had been from Isidro Saez's point of view. Kaitlyn had told him the story on more than one occasion, but this had been far different than merely reading a book or hearing a tale. The images of death, the feeling of isolation and desperation along with the terrified screams that had come from Catalina where nearly enough to drive Jack mad. There was no way he could possibly get any more sleep so he stood and went up to the ships deck and took in the fresh, night air.
Unlike most dreams this one didn't begin to fade as consciousness overtook his senses. Every bit of it was still fresh in his mind, refusing to leave him at peace. He wasn't normally a person to come unnerved but the feelings he had felt during the dream almost seemed to some one else's; as if he were simply observing what Isidro had gone through. Finally, he recalled the last thing he had seen. It had not been Catalina but Kaitlyn that had been lying there on the ground, her honey colored hair spilled onto the ground around her. The image made no sense to him but he had a sudden urge to see that she was safe.
He made his way to the cabin and slowly opened the door, not intending to wake her. However, the intrusion roused Pepe immediately and his nervous movements woke Kaitlyn.
“Pepe,” she said soothingly and then looked over at the door where his gaze was fixed. “Jack?” She sat up and looked at him. It was dark but she could easily see that something wasn't right. His normal confident and sometimes arrogant demeanor was replaced with an apprehensive one. “Is everything alright?”
When he didn't answer she quickly swung her legs off of the bed and walked across the small room. “Jack?” She asked again. This time he nodded a little to acknowledge her and then tried to smirk.
“Sorry, love, didn't mean to wake you,” he said. She glanced out the door but could see or hear nothing amiss and looked back to him. From the day she had met him, she had never seen him look so troubled. Normally, his eyes shone with mischief or just from the amusement he seemed to find in life. But they seemed darker almost haunted now.
“Is everything alright?” She repeated, wondering if something had happened that she wasn't aware of. He gave a forced smirk and nodded, trying to collect himself.
“Why don't you lie down,” she suggested. He prepared to protest, not wanting to even contemplate sleeping again but then nodded reluctantly when he saw the look of concern she was giving him.
“Just a bit tired, love,” he relented, hoping it would drop the discussion. She walked back to the bed and sat down, watching as he put away his effects and then came over. Despite it being a different cabin, the similarities where enough that he couldn't help but remember the dream; the feeling of being strangled while watching helplessly while they abused a woman that he didn't even know.
“Are you sure you're alright?” Kaitlyn asked while watching him. She was holding Pepe in her arms and staring at him worriedly.
“Fine, lass, just need some sleep,” he said then laid down and stared at the ceiling. Kaitlyn laid down beside him, watching him closely. He barely seemed to even notice she was there, he was so engulfed in his thoughts.
Finally she moved over to him and rested her head on his chest as she always did when he slept in the bed with her; this time however, he turned onto his side and put his arms around her. She lay there for a moment, slightly alarmed by his sudden need for affection but let herself relax against him.
Jack lay in total silence thinking over what he had seen and contemplating the reality of it all. Had it simply been a vivid dream? He had heard the story of Isidro Saez and the Ángel de la muerte enough times that he imagined it was possible. What unsettled him the most was the feeling that he had been someone else or perhaps someone else had been in him. It truly felt as though he had just experienced a glimpse into another person's life, felt their emotions and suffering. He had grown up a pirate, lived the life of one and had never been overly emotional towards anyone, at least not since he was a young boy. The sudden rush of pure rage, pain and anguish that had flooded him were nearly enough to leave even him, Captain Jack Sparrow, paralyzed.
When he finally calmed himself and tried to relax so that he could sleep he again recalled the sight of Kaitlyn lying lifelessly in front of him. In that instant he had felt frightened. He had seen many people die in his life and rarely did it insight more than a momentary sadness that was easily washed away by a few drinks of rum. As much as he didn't particularly like to think of sending her home to live as someone's wife, he realized that he couldn't keep her on the ship. He knew it wasn't right to keep her out at sea where she could be hurt or killed, it wasn't the life she should be living. He smirked slightly when he felt Pepe moving around impatiently behind him on the bed, obviously upset he was being ignored, before he finally curled up against Jack's back to go to sleep. Kaitlyn's breathing was slow and regular now, clearly sleeping comfortably against him. Jack decided to close his own eyes and try to sleep, hopefully this time he would have a dreamless and peaceful sleep and not wake until morning.
*
Gibb's made his way below deck to the crew's quarters to wake Jack. The coast of Arigate island was within view and they would need to drop anchor and send out the boats soon. He looked around the crew's cabin then turned and walked back out.
“Bloody hell, don't tell me we've lost Jack,” he muttered under his breath. He had watched him head down there the night before when he took over the helm and hadn't seen him around the deck yet since the morning came. He headed towards the Captain's cabin, thinking Jack might have gone in there for something. He knocked quickly and got no response so he pushed the door open, wondering where the hell everyone had gone.
Both Jack and Kaitlyn where sleeping peacefully together, the only one that noticed his intrusion was the monkey that peeked it's head up and looked at him curiously. The sight surprised Gibbs. He had suspected the two of them had a fondness of each other but had not actually expected the lass to condescend to sharing her bed with a scallywag, although, both were still fully clothed. He silently closed the door and then pounded on it.
“Cap'n?” He shouted from the outside. He could hear a bit of movement from inside followed by Jack's heavy, tired voice.
“Aye?”
“We're nearing the shore,” he replied simply.
Jack closed his eyes for a moment then ran his dry palm over his face, trying to wake himself and become coherent.
“Aye, be right there,” he replied and then stood up. Kaitlyn too, stood and walked to the other side of the room where she got a couple of lychee nuts for Pepe to eat. The monkey jumped from the bed and ran to her, wasting no time climbing up onto her shoulder and taking one of the small fruits. His urgency caused Kaitlyn to giggle and pet him.
“You act like I starve you,” she said playfully. The monkey looked at her and then to Jack before going back to his food. Kaitlyn too looked over at Jack who was watching them.
“You stole his bed,” she said. “I think he's worried you plan to steal his food as well.”
“Got no worries there, mate,” Jack said with a smirk. “Better get up to the helm, eh?” Kaitlyn nodded and watched as he left the cabin, not sure why he had come in the first place or why he had seemed like a completely different person the night before when he had come to her.