LIE TO ME

Author: Lil'Runaway
Rating: PG
Pairing: You/Jack
Categories: Angst

Disclaimer: Shockingly enough, I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or any characters associated with it. Oh, and I don't own the lyrics at the beginning either.

Summary: Sometimes it's better for the truth to remain hidden. He can't lie to you. Even if he did, you'd never believe it.

* * * * *

If you don’t love me - lie to me

-Bon Jovi, Lie to Me

* * *

It’s impossible for him to sneak up on you. You know him by the soft step of his boots on the ground and the quiet jingle of the beads in his hair. The flutter in your stomach causes you to forget the faint hope you've been harboring that he wouldn't come back this time.

“Well if it isn't the walking wind chime,” you remark without turning around.

He steps closer, taking your wrist to turn you to face him and setting his hands to rest on your hips. “I’m sure we can think of better things for you to call me than a wind chime, dearest.” He looks just as he did when he last left you. It surprises you that you’re almost sorry there isn’t a new scar decorating his skin to account for the amount of time that has past.

In fact, you already have a few choice words in mind for him but before you can get any of them out, Jack claims your mouth with his in a fervor that can really only belong to a man who hasn’t lain eyes on anything with breasts in months. You melt into the kiss, allowing him to pull you flush against him. Weeks of telling yourself to resist this are feebly protesting in the back of your mind, but, Lord, he’s kissing you as though he’d like to have you right there on the docks and splinters be damned.

Which, of course, begs the question, what are you doing on the docks in the first place? It is beautiful here to be certain. When the moon is full and the stars are out, you’ve spent hours waiting for a shooting star to wish on. But tonight the door to the heavens has been shut and the sky is all darkness, so why would a woman be standing here alone in the middle of the night when she could just as easily be anywhere else? Oh yes, that’s right, because you’re waiting for him. Waiting for him like you have been for nearly two months now because that’s when he should have been back.

“Bastard,” you murmur as he pulls away for a breath.

“I think what you’re looking for here, love, is a term of endearment. The word you just used is not quite what one would call, er, endearing.”

“You’re late.” It’s a challenge detangling yourself from the comfort of his arms, but you need to be able to look at him and, more importantly, to not loose your determination halfway through your conversation. It’ll be hard enough without Jack’s warm body beneath your fingers.

“I was delayed. You know how the sea is. Wild. Uninterested in the schedules of even Captain Jack Sparrow.”

That is the truth and you’d almost begin to doubt your own indignation except for the smirk he’s unable to conceal when mentioning his “delay.” “Then why did I hear from Sam that you were seen frequenting his fine establishment not three nights ago?”

Jack has the good sense to drop his show of levity at this remark. “Sam is a lying cur and I think someone ought to tell his wife what he fills his nights with. In fact-”

“Jack. I know you were there. Tell me why.”

A muscle in his jaw tightens and he looks less sheepish and apologetic than simply perturbed. “Seems to me you’ve already reached a conclusion of your own. Tell me, what picture do you have in your head? Is it… pretty?”

This isn’t the man you know. This is the selfish pirate you’ve heard stories about but have never met. Then again he’s never had to endure an accusation from you before, though it’s been warranted. The sight of him usually coerces you to wait until morning to bring it up, and by then you can’t remember what could have made you angry with him.

“Whatever you tell me, I’ll believe. What were you doing there?” Your voice is pleading and you pray that your eyes aren’t revealing your desperation. The truth is, you’re clinging to a single strand of hope and you couldn’t care less if he lied to you if you could just hold onto your fantasies.

Jack’s own eyes are as dark as the starless sky above you and reveal nothing. “For a while I was sitting in a dark corner enjoying a series of well-earned beverages of varying potency and then… Well, then I was in a dark room with a series of well-earned trollops of varying attractiveness.” He reaches his hand up to twirl the braids on his chin and adds, “And then I came here, hoping for my dear sweet lass as opposed to the judge, jury, and executioner.”

“I hate you.” You don’t think you could possibly hurt any worse if Jack had stabbed you and twisted the dull blade. And you’ve brought this upon yourself. “Why do you do that?”

“Look, love, first you must understand that however godlike I may strike you and certain island tribes, I’m still a man.”

I was waiting! I was right here! You want to scream at him, but you can’t. “That wasn’t what I meant.” Your eyes are beginning to moisten and you blink furiously, knowing that if you start to cry, you’ll let him comfort you and then these words will mean nothing. “Why do you always have to tell me the truth?”

“Because I’m a bloody idiot apparently. You women always say-”

“Don’t do that to me, Jack. Don’t just lump me with all the other women you’ve known. I’ve never asked you for the truth, save for now. I never thought I had to.”

“There, you see, if you’d stuck to that logic we could be experiencing intense joy at this moment instead of this irritating awkwardness. What’s say we forget this whole encounter ever happened, aye?” He has the nerve to reach for you and you slap his hands away.

“You can’t even tell me you’re sorry, can you?” You’re having difficulty retaining what remains of your composure. Your voice is cracking and you know soon tears will fall.

“You know I’d be lying, love.” How he can continue calling you that, even now you don’t know. It makes you sick to think of how you would giggle at the sweet nothings he’d whisper it to you, his hot breath tickling your ear and completely intoxicating you.

“So what? You lie to them. I bet you tell them all you love them. That they’re the only one. Am I worth so little to you that you can’t even pay me the courtesy of deception?”

“Very well then.” With a movement so quick you don’t have time to react, Jack grabs you around the waist and yanks you to him. If not for his strong grip, you would see yourself sprawled across the rough boards of the docks.

He whispers your name as the fingers of his other hand gently caress your cheek. Despite your best efforts, your breath catches in your throat and you‘re unable to stop the familiar rush of emotions from bubbling up inside you. “You’re the only one I want, dearest. I love you and there will never be anyone else.”

The words are mocking echoes of yours, saccharine sweet and completely meaningless. You struggle against him, but he holds you firm, pinning you to his body. The last thing you want is to look at him, but he tilts your chin upwards and captures your eyes with his.

“Let me go,” you demand.

“What’s wrong, love? Don’t believe me? You know you’re all I want.” Leaning in so his lips brush yours, he adds, “Tell me you don’t want me too.”

You know that what’s lying ahead of you isn’t a matter of wanting this man. If it were, you’d be returning his embrace with your own. If it were a matter of pride, you wouldn’t be standing here at the edge of the ocean for the forty-fifth night running. This is a matter of knowing that if you push him away now you will never see him again and knowing that if you let him take you he will still never be yours in any way that counts.

Deep down you know you made the decision the moment you demanded to know where he’d been, but that doesn’t stop the words from tearing at your heart as you give the words voice. “Captain Sparrow, will you please let me go?”

He obliges slowly. He makes certain that he’s touching you as long as he possibly can, leaving your body in near torment as the warmth of his hands leaves you for the last time. He steps away, and for the first time tonight his expression is soft. “I always thought this honest streak would bring trouble.”

A mirthless laugh escapes your lips. “You couldn’t lie to me before, Sparrow; don’t start now.”

Summoning the last bit of resolve you possess, you walk past him, pausing to squeeze his hand one final time.

He holds you back as you try to let go. “I am a pirate, love. What did you expect?”

“Nothing less.” You draw a pained breath as you slip your fingers away from his and hope maybe he remembers your touch for just a while before it becomes lost in the rest of his faceless conquests.

THE END

Review This Story