Sisters of Insurrection {Chapter Two...Persistence}

The trip to Tortuga dragged on and on. Jane avoided Jack as much as she could, making sure he stayed clear of the helm. She almost felt that she would allow this Will Turner that Jack referred to so often to steer her ship before Jack.
Jack sulked around the deck, not at all sure how to occupy his time. He had a few ideas but had no success. There were only two women on board, and although he personally preferred the captain to the first mate, he knew, at this point, he was beyond being choosy. However neither woman seemed to give him the time of day. And when he did try to assist on deck, Captain Gold sent him up to the crow's nest where he "wouldn't cause trouble." He began to grow restless and fidgety, simply anxious to be doing anything.
Sitting on the same over-turned barrel Jane occupied the night he received the black eye, Jack tenderly touched the offending bruise. The swelling had gone down and the pain had lessened, but the discoloration lingered. He longed for the Pearl and cursed the windless day. Honestly he could not remember another time when he'd been more melancholy.
Jane's spirits weren't much higher. She had been disappointed by Captain Sparrow and enraged at herself for being so. They were close to Tortuga, but the wind refused to blow. She groaned as she laced her arms through the spokes of the wheel, resting her head against the smooth, worn wood. She smiled to herself thinking of how she managed to put the arrogant Captain Jack Sparrow in his place. First, she locked every last drop of rum in her cabin. Then she stuck him in a room no bigger than a broom closet. Yet, seeing him lolling about like a lost little boy, she wondered if perhaps she had gone too far.
She cursed under her breath and motioned for Jacquelyn to take the helm. She stomped down the stairs and below deck, her black hair brushing across her shoulders.
...
"SPARROW!!!"
Jack bolted out of his revere, jumping directly to his feet.
"Oi, what did I do now?" he muttered as he made his way to the doors leading below deck.
Jane stood at the bottom of the steps, her arms crossed at her chest. Her sword belt and pistol hung at her hip. Jack thought she looked positively intimidating and it must have been evident because her eyes gleamed and a smirk appeared on her lips.
"Aye, Capt'n," Jack answered. "Ye yelled?"
"Come with me," she answered, turning on her heel and striding down the narrow corridor.
Jack followed, watching how her sword hit against her hip as she walked.
They stepped in front of a closed door. Jane turned her back against the wood, her hand resting on the knob. She looked up into Jack's deep brown eyes, finding herself biting her lip.
They all break in the end, Jack though to himself, a smirk spreading over his lips as he stepped closer to Jane Gold, keeping her pinned against the door as his hand rested on her waist. Jane glanced down at this, but returned her eyes to his, smiling slightly.
"Ye know, Capt'n," Jack breathed, his lips nearing hers. "I always thought ye were a smart lass," he paused to look down at her. "An' a very pretty lass."
"That's good to know," Jane smiled brightly, as Jack was barely a breath away from touching his lips to hers.
...PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!
Immediately she turned the knob, pushing the door open and laughing as Jack fell into the cabin.
"Enjoy yer new room, mate!" she smirked and headed back onto the deck.
"Bloody woman," he muttered, annoyed that this is how a rather promising situation ended. Jane's footsteps echoed down the corridor and Jack was alone on the floor of a cabin. Oh yes, what a promising voyage this was.
"What was th' matter?" Jacquelyn asked when Jane returned to take the helm.
"Nothin'," Jane answered. "Just gave Capt'n Sparrow a new cabin. Felt badly for stickin' him in th' closet."
"Ye've got a soft spot for tha' Sparrow," Jacquelyn pointed out.
"Ye've lost yer bloody mind," Jane answered her first mate.
Jacquelyn knew better than to reply verbally, but her expression and raised eyebrow said enough. Jane raised an eyebrow back, challengingly, and motioned with her fingers for Jacquelyn to be off.
*Jane laughs like mad, then runs away from reader!*
Late, very late, that night, the wind finally filled the red sails of the Freedom, putting them back on the route to Tortuga. The decks were empty except for the late watch in the crow's nest. A few lanterns lit the decks. Jack, unable to sleep, sauntered onto the moonlit deck. Immediately he spied Jane Gold. She was still at the helm.
"Bet the woman never bloody sleeps," he muttered as he climbed up to the helm.
Jane stared out over the open sea, silver streaks shining in her dark hair. She didn't seem to notice Jack's approach.
Taking full advantage of the moment, Jack walked up behind the captain, resting his hands on her arms and slowly trailing them downwards. He smiled as he heard her take a sharp breath of air and felt Jane shudder at his touch. Finally his hands reached hers, covering them gently yet determined. He stepped close to her so that her back was against his chest and just looked out over the open sea.
"Aye?" Jane's voice broke the silence. "Is there somethin' ye want?"
"There is," Jack answered softly, his grip on her hands tightening momentarily.
Jane let out a little laugh and shook her head slightly.
"An' this be th' way ye go about it?"
"Maybe, luv," she could feel the smirk on his lips. "But ye also won' let me steer."
"So that be what this is all about then?"
"Perhaps," he teased, easing the wheel slightly to starboard.
Well, this looks more promising.
*Jane: SUUUUURE...*
The ship docked at Tortuga two days later. Jane dismissed her crew, telling them to enjoy their time; they'd be spending the night and leaving at dawn's first light.
"Any of ye who miss the ship, well, I hope yer company was worth it!" she called as the last of her crew left for the bars and brothels of Tortuga. She nodded to Jacquelyn before setting off with Jack to track down the Pearl.
"Ye know, I can take care of myself in Tortuga," Jack muttered, eyeing a wench who passed by with a flirtatious wave and a wink. When she saw Jane by his side, her smile faded and she scurried off. "Yer killin' me luck, luv," Jack glared at the pirate by his side.
Jane merely smiled to herself as another wench walked up and seemed to recognize Jack. From the looks of it, he recalled her as well.
"Aye, Rose," he greeted smoothly.
"Bloody mange!" she responded, slapping him hard across the face.
"I definitely didn't deserve that," Jack touched his reddened cheek as Rose stormed off in highly aggravated spirits.
"Oh, Jack Sparrow," Jane laughed at him, her sides aching. "Ye don' need me to 'kill yer luck.' Seems to me, ye've got that bit covered all by yerself!"
"Bloody woman," Jack stalked off, leaving Jane to compose herself and run after him.
...
They searched all the taverns where the crew of the Pearl would look for Jack. The poor captain kept getting slapped at each new tavern or pub and Jane's amusement grew along with her disgust.
How many women in this town has he taken to bed? she thought with a shudder as they left the fifth or sixth tavern where Jack seemed to be well-known, Jane trailing behind Jack and Jack rubbing his sore cheek.
Finally, when all the taverns were searched, and Jack had managed to procure (and drink) several bottles of rum, Jane wearily drug her feet up the gangplank and onto the main deck of her ship. No one from the Pearl had been seen in Tortuga since Jack and his companions tore the town up six months previously.
Jane sighed to herself as she all but crawled into her cabin, carelessly leaving the door open. She closed her eyes against the light, feeling a dull headache coming on. Her fingers pinched gently on her nose bone, knowing full well that the cause of this headache was stumbling down the stairs, singing horribly off-key.
"Yo, ho, ho, ho, a pirate's life for me!"
Jane groaned and turned onto her stomach, covering her head with a pillow. Her legs were half off her bunk, and she didn't care that she was quickly losing feeling in them. She just wanted Jack off her ship. He was slowly, but surely, driving her mad. The footsteps sounded down the hallway and then stopped. Perhaps that Sparrow had fallen asleep standing up, the rum bottle in his hand. She didn't care. As long as he bloody stopped his singing.
The dull pain in her head began to take over her thoughts. She felt lulled into a sort of trance by the pounding in her ears. In fact, she barely noticed that the footsteps were approaching again and someone had begun to unlace her bootstraps, gently tugging her worn leather boots from her feet. Only when she heard the second boot hit the floor with a dull thud did she move the pillow enough to half-open her eyes.
...
Jack was crouched at the foot of her bed, his eyes staring at her legs, which were now slightly exposed due to missing shoes. Her legs were paler than the rest of her olive-toned skin, because they were usually covered by trews. Her skin was soft against his fingers as he lifted first one leg and then the other onto the bed, pulling the blanket at the foot of her bed up to cover her before he turned to go. With a parting look over his shoulder, he closed the door to the cabin and she heard the footsteps dwindle in an unreadable direction.
The full moon shone through the porthole in the Captain's Cabin and Jane lifted her head, not remembering falling asleep.
"That Sparrow is a taxing, bloke," she muttered as she put her feet on the bare floor. "When did I take off me boots?" Jane dug the heel of her palm into her eyes, rubbing away the sleep. Forgetting her shoes, she pulled herself from bed and groggily made her way to the main deck.
Jack was out on the deck, doing something destructive but Jane couldn't really make out what it was. Her eyes were not accustomed to the dim light yet, resulting in a small trip as her bare foot collided with a loose bundle of rope.
"Beautiful entrance there," Jack smirked up from his resting position against the mast.
"Just trying to get yer attention," Jane rolled her eyes.
"Ye didn't have to trip to do that," she could even hear the blatant suggestive eyebrow raise she knew accompanied that remark.
"Ye never give up, do ye?" Jane asked, for once not trying to pick a fight.
"There's lots to say fer persistence," Jack answered, staring at his rings. "Although I don' think I'll be persisting with Rose, Gwendolyn, Lousia, Mary, Catherine, Emily, Sybil, Margaret, Lydia, Charlotte, Annabelle--"
"Aren't ye done yet?" Jane asked, not wanting to hear a list of his wenches.
"Nearly, luv," Jack answered before continuing. "Sarah, Amy, Beth, Polly, Esther, Helen, Natalie, and there be a few I forget."
"No wonder they all slap ye," Jane stated flatly.
"Aye," Jack replied cryptically, nodding slowly.
"Can ye think of nowhere else yer crew may be?" Jane changed the subject.
Jack thought for a moment, leaning his head back so he was staring at the stars. His expression grew tense as he lowered his gaze to Jane.
"I will kill em the lot!" he growled, closing his eyes tightly. "Bloody hang em myself."
"What?"
"They went after the eunuch," Jack clenched his teeth. "Like I tell the bloody priss where I go."
"What are ye talking of?"
"Port Royal."
...DUN DUN DUN!

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