Pirates Of The Caribbean Fan Fiction ❯ Lost in Translation (Pirates of the Caribbean) ❯ The Best Cure for Curses ( Chapter 20 )
[ 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: 01.23.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.7K | Visits: 271 | Status: Work In Progress
Non Anime: Pirates Of The Caribbean Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance / Supernatural | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.23.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.7K | Visits: 271 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter Twenty:
The Best Cure for Curses…
* * *
Jack found himself fighting off a yawn as he stared out at the monotonous sea that lay before him. Rarely did he find himself feeling so fatigued but the emotional stress had been wearing on him much more than anything physical. After he had left Kaitlyn to rest, he had spent a good deal of the day at the helm, mulling over the curse and everything that seemed to be connected with it. The day was now giving way to evening and the sky was aglow with soft hues of orange and red as the sun prepared to set into the horizon.
“Captain?” Ana Maria's voice lulled him from his thoughts and back to the realm of, at the very least, semi-consciousness.
“Aye?” He said as he turned to look at her. “If you've come up here to discuss the days events, you might as well just save your breath, eh? Got a whole new day ahead of us tomorrow, just begging to be filled with the promise of endless complications, complaints, complexities, conundrums, quandaries and just about every other word in the English language that starts with the bloody letter 'C',” Jack said with a smirk to mask his frustration, before stopping and thinking over what he had just said. “With the exception of quandary of course, which, in fact, starts with a 'Q'.”
Ana stood silently, awaiting the end of his ramblings before smirking and pointing out towards the deck. “I just came up here to tell you that your monkey just stole Gibbs' flask,” she said. Jack's eyes darted out towards the deck, searching for Pepe. “Apparently you've not only made it a thief but a drunk, as well.”
As they spoke, the furry pilferer came running up the steps to the helm and climbed onto Jack's shoulder, flask still in tow. Ana cocked an eyebrow as the small creature looked at Jack expectantly and then offered him the rum-filled flask. The action made a wicked grin slide across Jack's face as he reached up and took his gift.
“I think you might just be due for a promotion, mate,” Jack quipped.
“Aye, he can take over as Captain when your first mate kills you,” Ana suggested. Jack furrowed his brow momentarily, thinking over that unpleasant thought, and then straightened up as if he had suddenly become some great figure of authority.
“Right then,” he said and looked at Pepe. “Thievery is all fine and well, mate-except,” he paused slightly and waved his hand for emphasis, “when your stealing from men twice me size and he has access to all sorts of weaponry, savvy?”
“I'm surprised Jack Sparrow would let that stop him,” Ana opined sarcastically.
“For his safety, of course.” Jack motioned towards Pepe. Ana Maria rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“Of course,” she replied dryly. “The flask?” Jack glanced down at it and then sighed inwardly and turned it over to her. She gave Jack and the monkey another glance and then retreated back down to the deck to return the first mates' flask before he realized that it had gone missing. Jack stood silently staring at the horizon for another moment before turning and grinning at his small companion.
“Gibbs was right, mate, women are bad luck, eh?” Pepe gave a slight chatter, as if to agree, and then jumped down and took off again, presumably to find himself more plunder. Jack found an involuntary smile resting on his face that faded slowly when he realized that Kaitlyn would likely maim him when she found out that her pet had taken to stealing alcohol, amongst other things.
'Pirates, navy, curses, mutiny...and it's going to be a bloody monkey that gets me killed.'
*
Evening soon turned over to darkness and Jack wondered briefly if Kaitlyn was sleeping peacefully or lying awake waiting for him. He had promised to join her and, frankly, sleep sounded quite nice after the long, strenuous and emotionally trying day. After a moment of silent thought he looked down at the deck. The crewmen that hadn't retired below deck were wandering around doing necessary, albeit tedious, chores. His eyes finally rested on Dallin who was standing alone, looking over the side of the ship. As if he could sense his gaze, Dallin turned and looked up towards the helm. Momentarily, he stood as if he were contemplating something and finally seemed to make up his mind about his indecision. Jack bristled as the boy walked across the deck of the ship and up to the helm. It wasn't that he didn't like or respect Dallin. Quite the opposite, actually. It was rare that Jack had the pleasure of knowing someone that cherished honor and dignity. It was refreshing in a strange sort of way.
Dallin reminded him of Will Turner. Not physically. While Will had both dark hair and eyes, Dallin's hair was a dusty shade of brown and his eyes were blue. He very much looked his age, which Jack had realized from the beginning would come in handy. He looked every bit like the harmless boy that he was, and there were definitely situations where that would come in handy. However, his incessant desire to do the right thing, reminded him very much of Will Turner. Not that Jack completely disregarded their beliefs, of course. However, the problem with men like Turner and Dallin was their definition of the right thing. Sometimes things weren't as simple as black and white and the right thing wasn't necessarily what an honorable man would do.
“I want off the ship,” Dallin stated plainly.
“Alright, mate, but it'll be a very long swim to the nearest bit of land. You might want to consider leaving your hat and effects behind; they'll only serve to weight you down. Besides, no sense in letting a good hat go to waste, eh?” Jack replied with a smirk.
“I mean when we dock next,” he replied, apparently un-amused with Jack's comments.
“And why is that, exactly?” Jack questioned. “Afraid of curses? Upset that I had to make the decision to trade one life to save an entire crew, perhaps?”
“I don't want to serve under a Captain that has no dignity,” he answered. The words caused Jack to give the boy a hard look.
“Would it have been more dignified for me to jump in bravely, rescued the lass and bring her back to a fate worse than death?” Jack questioned. He was well aware that, had Kaitlyn been brought back on deck alive while Ackhart and his crew were still aboard; she and Ana would have been put through much worse torment not to mention that the rest of the crew would have died painful deaths or been forced to join up with Ackhart.
“It would have been more dignified if you had pretended to care,” Dallin answered. “How do you think she'll feel when she realizes you did nothing?” The questioned silenced Jack momentarily. There was no doubt that Kaitlyn would find out what had transpired and would most likely be hurt by his lack of chivalry. The truth was, he had cared. Normally, he would have no trouble removing a crewman's body from the deck if it had been necessary. The idea of doing something as cold hearted as throwing her back into the water was something he hadn't wanted to face. It wasn't the same as disposing of a fellow buccaneer that chose the life and lived every moment as if could be his last. She was there because she was assisting him. She had opened herself up to him and offered him a form of companionship that no one else ever had. Even if it wasn't the great love so many poets and play writes spoke of, it was more than Jack could remember experiencing in his lifetime.
“It has nothing to do with not caring, lad,” Jack spoke in a quiet, more somber voice as he set his sights back on the horizon. “Last thing I wanted to do was bring her back on the ship to be raped, beaten and left for dead by a wretch like Ackhart.”
“And after?” Dallin inquired sharply. Jack's eyes focused on the boy once again.
“I would think that not caring would have made it much easier to throw her off the ship, don't you, mate?” He asked, his patience again growing thin. “I would also assume that if you care so bloody much, you wouldn't go abandoning a person while they're dealing with a curse, eh?”
“I suppose you're right,” Dallin answered after thinking over Jack's rationalization.
“What happened today wasn't a matter of caring or even right and wrong. With men like Ackhart there's no such thing as right,” Jack told him. “There are only multiple levels of wrong. Sometimes a man just has to decide which level is more bearable, savvy?”
Dallin prepared to respond but stopped himself. He could tell that Jack had more that he wanted to say. For some reason, the words he had spoken to Jack, seemed to bother him.
“I didn't want her to die,” Jack confided. His gaze remained straight ahead, his voice as devoid of emotions as he could possibly muster.
“Then maybe she's the one you should be telling that to,” Dallin said, “savvy?” Jack's eyes met Dallin's, who offered him a smirk before turning and heading back down to the deck.
“Cheeky whelp,” Jack muttered under his breath and then sighed and turned the helm over for the night. He had promised Kaitlyn he would stay with her and he had no intention of breaking that promise after the day she had gone through. And though he would never be willing to admit it, the idea of having someone he could turn to for comfort was far more reassuring than he had ever believed possible.
* * *
“Jack,” Kaitlyn looked up in surprise as she stepped out of the door and nearly ran right into him.
“Aye, love,” he said with a wry grin. “You were expecting another man to be sneaking into the cabin tonight? Find that a bit hard to believe.”
“And why is that, Mr. Sparrow? You think that as long as you're around, no other man can begin to compare?”
“Well, there is that, of course. But mostly, I can't imagine anyone on my crew willing to touch a cursed woman.” He said. “But, lucky for you, I simply find it intriguing, meself.” He gave a mock thoughtful look and then began speaking in a feigned serious tone. “Never know, love, spending three or four days sequestered in the cabin with me, might very well end that curse of yours. And even if it didn't, at least you wouldn't be thinking about it much, savvy?”
Kaitlyn found herself blushing at his bold comments, something that wasn't going unnoticed by Jack in the slightest. He enjoyed the fact that even though he had been intimate with her several times, he could still have that effect on her. It became almost a game for him at times, seeing if he could do something to fluster her. There was something about the naïve and innocent gesture that was very reassuring to him. A part of him had been convinced that she would consider him nothing more than a mistake and either ask to be returned to her home, or at the very least, begin avoiding him. The fact that he could make her blush was different than what he had ever experienced with any women before. Most would either be making lewd comment of their own in return or slap the hell out of him for it. Kaitlyn's reactions were those of a woman that liked him and not simply for what money or pleasure he could offer to her.
“Were you coming out here looking for some fresh air, love, or just me?” He finally questioned when she didn't respond.
“Can't it be both?” She asked as she closed the cabin door and walked out onto the deck. Her gaze kept falling on the side of the ship and no doubt she was thinking about the water that was below.
“You're on a ship, love, there's always going to be water around.”
“I know,” she replied in a hushed, distracted voice. Jack watched her for a moment before pointing up at the sky.
“See that small group of stars up there, love?” He asked. Kaitlyn glanced at him and then to the sky where he was pointing.
“I suppose so,” she answered.
“That wee group of stars is called Lacerta,” he said and then furrowed his brow before turning abruptly and pointing in the opposite direction. “Or perhaps it's that group of stars.” Kaitlyn couldn't help but laugh at the comical gestures. She could tell by the way he kept glancing at her, that he was trying to help take her mind off of the water and what had gone on that day. “Bloody things all look the same.”
“I thought sailors were supposed to know the stars?” She questioned. There was little doubt in her mind that he knew and fully used the stars to navigate when he needed them.
“I'm Captain Jack Sparrow,” he explained with a cocky grin.
“All the more reason to know the stars,” she teased back and then glanced at the cabin door. “I think I've had enough fresh air for tonight.” She walked back towards the door and then turned and grinned at him. “I should probably see if I can figure out how to get rid of this curse.”
“Aye, love. Think I'll see if I can give you a hand with that,” he replied with a wicked grin and followed her into the cabin. He might not be able to end her curse, but he would certainly do his best to help her forget about it for the time being.
“Captain?” Ana Maria's voice lulled him from his thoughts and back to the realm of, at the very least, semi-consciousness.
“Aye?” He said as he turned to look at her. “If you've come up here to discuss the days events, you might as well just save your breath, eh? Got a whole new day ahead of us tomorrow, just begging to be filled with the promise of endless complications, complaints, complexities, conundrums, quandaries and just about every other word in the English language that starts with the bloody letter 'C',” Jack said with a smirk to mask his frustration, before stopping and thinking over what he had just said. “With the exception of quandary of course, which, in fact, starts with a 'Q'.”
Ana stood silently, awaiting the end of his ramblings before smirking and pointing out towards the deck. “I just came up here to tell you that your monkey just stole Gibbs' flask,” she said. Jack's eyes darted out towards the deck, searching for Pepe. “Apparently you've not only made it a thief but a drunk, as well.”
As they spoke, the furry pilferer came running up the steps to the helm and climbed onto Jack's shoulder, flask still in tow. Ana cocked an eyebrow as the small creature looked at Jack expectantly and then offered him the rum-filled flask. The action made a wicked grin slide across Jack's face as he reached up and took his gift.
“I think you might just be due for a promotion, mate,” Jack quipped.
“Aye, he can take over as Captain when your first mate kills you,” Ana suggested. Jack furrowed his brow momentarily, thinking over that unpleasant thought, and then straightened up as if he had suddenly become some great figure of authority.
“Right then,” he said and looked at Pepe. “Thievery is all fine and well, mate-except,” he paused slightly and waved his hand for emphasis, “when your stealing from men twice me size and he has access to all sorts of weaponry, savvy?”
“I'm surprised Jack Sparrow would let that stop him,” Ana opined sarcastically.
“For his safety, of course.” Jack motioned towards Pepe. Ana Maria rolled her eyes and shook her head.
“Of course,” she replied dryly. “The flask?” Jack glanced down at it and then sighed inwardly and turned it over to her. She gave Jack and the monkey another glance and then retreated back down to the deck to return the first mates' flask before he realized that it had gone missing. Jack stood silently staring at the horizon for another moment before turning and grinning at his small companion.
“Gibbs was right, mate, women are bad luck, eh?” Pepe gave a slight chatter, as if to agree, and then jumped down and took off again, presumably to find himself more plunder. Jack found an involuntary smile resting on his face that faded slowly when he realized that Kaitlyn would likely maim him when she found out that her pet had taken to stealing alcohol, amongst other things.
'Pirates, navy, curses, mutiny...and it's going to be a bloody monkey that gets me killed.'
*
Evening soon turned over to darkness and Jack wondered briefly if Kaitlyn was sleeping peacefully or lying awake waiting for him. He had promised to join her and, frankly, sleep sounded quite nice after the long, strenuous and emotionally trying day. After a moment of silent thought he looked down at the deck. The crewmen that hadn't retired below deck were wandering around doing necessary, albeit tedious, chores. His eyes finally rested on Dallin who was standing alone, looking over the side of the ship. As if he could sense his gaze, Dallin turned and looked up towards the helm. Momentarily, he stood as if he were contemplating something and finally seemed to make up his mind about his indecision. Jack bristled as the boy walked across the deck of the ship and up to the helm. It wasn't that he didn't like or respect Dallin. Quite the opposite, actually. It was rare that Jack had the pleasure of knowing someone that cherished honor and dignity. It was refreshing in a strange sort of way.
Dallin reminded him of Will Turner. Not physically. While Will had both dark hair and eyes, Dallin's hair was a dusty shade of brown and his eyes were blue. He very much looked his age, which Jack had realized from the beginning would come in handy. He looked every bit like the harmless boy that he was, and there were definitely situations where that would come in handy. However, his incessant desire to do the right thing, reminded him very much of Will Turner. Not that Jack completely disregarded their beliefs, of course. However, the problem with men like Turner and Dallin was their definition of the right thing. Sometimes things weren't as simple as black and white and the right thing wasn't necessarily what an honorable man would do.
“I want off the ship,” Dallin stated plainly.
“Alright, mate, but it'll be a very long swim to the nearest bit of land. You might want to consider leaving your hat and effects behind; they'll only serve to weight you down. Besides, no sense in letting a good hat go to waste, eh?” Jack replied with a smirk.
“I mean when we dock next,” he replied, apparently un-amused with Jack's comments.
“And why is that, exactly?” Jack questioned. “Afraid of curses? Upset that I had to make the decision to trade one life to save an entire crew, perhaps?”
“I don't want to serve under a Captain that has no dignity,” he answered. The words caused Jack to give the boy a hard look.
“Would it have been more dignified for me to jump in bravely, rescued the lass and bring her back to a fate worse than death?” Jack questioned. He was well aware that, had Kaitlyn been brought back on deck alive while Ackhart and his crew were still aboard; she and Ana would have been put through much worse torment not to mention that the rest of the crew would have died painful deaths or been forced to join up with Ackhart.
“It would have been more dignified if you had pretended to care,” Dallin answered. “How do you think she'll feel when she realizes you did nothing?” The questioned silenced Jack momentarily. There was no doubt that Kaitlyn would find out what had transpired and would most likely be hurt by his lack of chivalry. The truth was, he had cared. Normally, he would have no trouble removing a crewman's body from the deck if it had been necessary. The idea of doing something as cold hearted as throwing her back into the water was something he hadn't wanted to face. It wasn't the same as disposing of a fellow buccaneer that chose the life and lived every moment as if could be his last. She was there because she was assisting him. She had opened herself up to him and offered him a form of companionship that no one else ever had. Even if it wasn't the great love so many poets and play writes spoke of, it was more than Jack could remember experiencing in his lifetime.
“It has nothing to do with not caring, lad,” Jack spoke in a quiet, more somber voice as he set his sights back on the horizon. “Last thing I wanted to do was bring her back on the ship to be raped, beaten and left for dead by a wretch like Ackhart.”
“And after?” Dallin inquired sharply. Jack's eyes focused on the boy once again.
“I would think that not caring would have made it much easier to throw her off the ship, don't you, mate?” He asked, his patience again growing thin. “I would also assume that if you care so bloody much, you wouldn't go abandoning a person while they're dealing with a curse, eh?”
“I suppose you're right,” Dallin answered after thinking over Jack's rationalization.
“What happened today wasn't a matter of caring or even right and wrong. With men like Ackhart there's no such thing as right,” Jack told him. “There are only multiple levels of wrong. Sometimes a man just has to decide which level is more bearable, savvy?”
Dallin prepared to respond but stopped himself. He could tell that Jack had more that he wanted to say. For some reason, the words he had spoken to Jack, seemed to bother him.
“I didn't want her to die,” Jack confided. His gaze remained straight ahead, his voice as devoid of emotions as he could possibly muster.
“Then maybe she's the one you should be telling that to,” Dallin said, “savvy?” Jack's eyes met Dallin's, who offered him a smirk before turning and heading back down to the deck.
“Cheeky whelp,” Jack muttered under his breath and then sighed and turned the helm over for the night. He had promised Kaitlyn he would stay with her and he had no intention of breaking that promise after the day she had gone through. And though he would never be willing to admit it, the idea of having someone he could turn to for comfort was far more reassuring than he had ever believed possible.
* * *
“Jack,” Kaitlyn looked up in surprise as she stepped out of the door and nearly ran right into him.
“Aye, love,” he said with a wry grin. “You were expecting another man to be sneaking into the cabin tonight? Find that a bit hard to believe.”
“And why is that, Mr. Sparrow? You think that as long as you're around, no other man can begin to compare?”
“Well, there is that, of course. But mostly, I can't imagine anyone on my crew willing to touch a cursed woman.” He said. “But, lucky for you, I simply find it intriguing, meself.” He gave a mock thoughtful look and then began speaking in a feigned serious tone. “Never know, love, spending three or four days sequestered in the cabin with me, might very well end that curse of yours. And even if it didn't, at least you wouldn't be thinking about it much, savvy?”
Kaitlyn found herself blushing at his bold comments, something that wasn't going unnoticed by Jack in the slightest. He enjoyed the fact that even though he had been intimate with her several times, he could still have that effect on her. It became almost a game for him at times, seeing if he could do something to fluster her. There was something about the naïve and innocent gesture that was very reassuring to him. A part of him had been convinced that she would consider him nothing more than a mistake and either ask to be returned to her home, or at the very least, begin avoiding him. The fact that he could make her blush was different than what he had ever experienced with any women before. Most would either be making lewd comment of their own in return or slap the hell out of him for it. Kaitlyn's reactions were those of a woman that liked him and not simply for what money or pleasure he could offer to her.
“Were you coming out here looking for some fresh air, love, or just me?” He finally questioned when she didn't respond.
“Can't it be both?” She asked as she closed the cabin door and walked out onto the deck. Her gaze kept falling on the side of the ship and no doubt she was thinking about the water that was below.
“You're on a ship, love, there's always going to be water around.”
“I know,” she replied in a hushed, distracted voice. Jack watched her for a moment before pointing up at the sky.
“See that small group of stars up there, love?” He asked. Kaitlyn glanced at him and then to the sky where he was pointing.
“I suppose so,” she answered.
“That wee group of stars is called Lacerta,” he said and then furrowed his brow before turning abruptly and pointing in the opposite direction. “Or perhaps it's that group of stars.” Kaitlyn couldn't help but laugh at the comical gestures. She could tell by the way he kept glancing at her, that he was trying to help take her mind off of the water and what had gone on that day. “Bloody things all look the same.”
“I thought sailors were supposed to know the stars?” She questioned. There was little doubt in her mind that he knew and fully used the stars to navigate when he needed them.
“I'm Captain Jack Sparrow,” he explained with a cocky grin.
“All the more reason to know the stars,” she teased back and then glanced at the cabin door. “I think I've had enough fresh air for tonight.” She walked back towards the door and then turned and grinned at him. “I should probably see if I can figure out how to get rid of this curse.”
“Aye, love. Think I'll see if I can give you a hand with that,” he replied with a wicked grin and followed her into the cabin. He might not be able to end her curse, but he would certainly do his best to help her forget about it for the time being.
* * *
A/N: I've been having trouble uploading to mediaminer, so this story is lagging. I'm going to try to get it all caught up.