WHEN THE OCEAN CALLS, YOU MUST ANSWER

Author: Willow Rose
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: You/Jack
Categories: Action/Adventure, Romance

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from POTC, unfortunately. Everything else is mine. Mine, mine, mine, mine! Sorry. Brief psychotic moment.

Summary: Your mother and father both died at sea and now you have been taken in by an old woman to be her servant at 10 years of age. This kind lady dies when you’re 14 and her daughter takes you to be a servant in her husband’s home. This couple has never had children and they become extremely fond of you and decide to adopt you. When you turn 18 you meet a certain captain who brings back memories of the sea and your absolute fear of it. Even though it has brought you so much pain, you have always felt a deep desire for the ocean. And it desires you, too.

* * * * *

CHAPTER 1 - Memories

“Mother!” you called desperately during the most violent storm you’ve ever seen. The morning had been so bright and clear that you decided to take a walk along the coast. Always cautious when it came to the ocean, you had kept a safe distance between you and the water. Then the storm had come out of nowhere and it seemed as if the waves were pulling you toward the sea. “Mother! Help me!” you screamed but your voice was lost in the roar of the wind. Your mother couldn’t be fishing in this weather, no matter how poor you were. She must still be asleep. You clutched a large rock at the bottom of the cliff. Your father had lost his life to the ocean when you were born and now it looked like you would join him. “Please! Mother, I need you!” you sobbed. Your hands were becoming raw from being ground against the rock and you were rapidly losing strength.

“No!” you yelled but it was useless. Your mother was gone and no amount of tears would bring her back.

Your eyes snapped open. Tears were stinging your cheeks and you halfheartedly wiped them away. For four years that dream had haunted you. For four years you had awoken with tears in your eyes and sorrow in your heart. You got out of bed in the small room you had in Mrs. Bingley’s house and got dressed. You wore a plain cream dress that was easy to work in and a cream ribbon tied back your hair. Glancing at the mirror, you smiled the only smile you would have all day.

“Good morning, mother,” you said politely. To others it would have been a strange custom but to you it made perfect sense. Whenever you looked in the mirror you saw your mother’s face. Even though it was only 14 years old, it was hers nonetheless. Your hair fell past your waist and was so black that it seemed almost blue. Your complexion was like a pearl and your eyes held the ocean. In fact, everything about you was like the ocean. Your hair was always in waves, you were as slender as a sea shell, tall as most of the sailors your age, and your voice was like gentle waves upon the shore. People often said that they could almost see the ocean when they looked at you. This earned you the nickname ‘Sea foam’ which you ardently detested. You may have looked like the sea but you hated it with a passion.

Just then, another servant, Laurie, burst into your room.

“Hey Sea foam! Guess what happened to the old hag!” she said, clearly excited.

You grit your teeth and coolly said, “My name is Selene and Mrs. Bingley is not a hag.” Laurie impatiently waved a hand.

“Who cares? Anyway, this morning I went up to her room to bring her breakfast but when I went in she wasn’t breathing! The doctor says she died sometime in the night ‘cause the body’s cold.” Her blonde hair was in a messy braid and her uniform was askew but her sapphire eyes were dancing beautifully. Oh, how you envied her looks. Laurie didn’t look like the ocean. Why did you have to? You shook your head and sighed. This wasn’t the time for envy. You really liked Mrs. Bingley. She had been extraordinarily kind to you when she took you in after your mother died. You were very sad that she had died but this created a far greater problem. What was to become of you?

* * * * *

CHAPTER 2 - As Luck Would Have It

About six months later two very distinguished looking ladies arrived at Mrs. Bingley’s house. You were cleaning the windows in the entrance and that gave you an excellent view of them. The eldest was short, fat, and rather foul looking. Her lips were small as were her gray eyes and her face was heart shaped. She might have been pretty if not for the expression she held. It seemed as if she forever smelled something fetid. The younger lady was much more to your liking. She resembled the older lady but her eyes were slightly larger and much warmer. Not to mention the fact that she was about 50 pounds lighter and ten inches taller.

“They must be sisters,” you murmured thoughtfully. The butler opened the door for them and the eldest one charged in, looking for someone with authority. Her eyes found Mrs. Bingley’s lawyer and sparkled with recognition.

“Oh, Mr. Kinsley! It’s so good to see you again.” From his brief grimace you doubted that the feeling was mutual.

“It’s Mr. Collins, sister,” the younger lady corrected. Well, that explained the grimace, you thought.

“It is good to see you again, as well Ms. Bingley, Mrs. Cooper,” Mr. Collins said politely. You guessed that the younger one was Mrs. Cooper because who in their right mind would marry Ms. Bingley?

“If only the circumstances of our meeting weren’t so painful. Our mother’s death has been an awful shock,” Mrs. Cooper said sadly. Ms. Bingley nodded in agreement but didn’t look sincere.

“Oh, yes, it’s horribly painful. We came as soon as we heard.” You slapped a hand over your mouth to keep from laughing. Came as soon as they heard, did they? Mrs. Bingley had been dead for six months! News must travel very slowly. However, it seemed more likely that Ms. Bingley did. Unfortunately, a small snigger escaped you and Mrs. Cooper and Ms. Bingley both turned to you. “You dare to snigger at me, girl?” Ms. Bingley snapped. You shrugged and decided to be honest.

“It was better than outright laughing at you.” Mrs. Cooper held a hand to her lips to conceal the smile tugging at her mouth. She must have guessed your reason for amusement and agreed. Ms. Bingley was not so amused.

"Who is this insolent child?” she asked with distaste. Mr. Collins finally stepped in.

“She is simply one of the leftover servants. Most have gone back to their families but this one has stayed. I believe she is called Sea foam.” You immediately bristled. Lord, how you hated that name!

“My name is Selene Morgan,” you corrected proudly. Mrs. Cooper smiled warmly.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Morgan. Forgive me if I seem rude but I’m rather curious as to why you haven’t gone back to your family.” You avoid eye contact as you say composedly,

“My parents are dead. I have no other family.” Ms. Bingley snorted.

“An orphan brat. I might have guessed.”

“Sister, that is very rude,” Mrs. Cooper rebuked. Then she turned to you and kneeled down so you were eye level. “I am very sorry for your loss,” she told you quietly. You sighed tiredly.

“I’ve gotten over it reasonably well. Father died when I was born and mother died four years ago. It’s just that-“

“Nobody really comes to terms with these things,” Mrs. Cooper finished for you and nodded in understanding. She seemed very melancholy for a moment and then her eyes brightened. “I think you can understand how hard it is to lose a mother,” she began, “and I would certainly appreciate some guidance. Would you honor me by coming to be my personnel maid in my husband’s home?” Ms. Bingley was horrified.

“You can’t be serious, sister!” she exclaimed.

“I’m very serious,” Mrs. Cooper answered. “What do you say, Selene?” You gave her the first truly happy smile you have had in four years.

“I would be thrilled! Where do you live?” Mrs. Cooper smiled contentedly.

“My husband and I have a very comfortable home in Port Royale,” she answered. You suddenly paled.

“Port Royale?” you asked weakly. She nodded in concern. “That would be on one of the Caribbean islands?” Mrs. Cooper nodded again. “An island that I would have to travel on a ship across the sea to get to?”

“Yes, dear. Is that a problem?” If you weren’t pale before, you certainly were pale now. You were shaking and your stomach was queasy. Ms. Bingley laughed callously.

“It seems that the girl is afraid of the ocean!” she exclaimed. Mrs. Cooper glared at her sister and then turned a kinder gaze on you.

“Is that true, Selene?” she asked gently. You gulped.

“It’s just that my father drowned the night I was born and my mother was thrown against sharp rocks by the sea when she was trying to save me from drowning. I’ve never really trusted the sea since then.” Mrs. Cooper’s eyes widened in understanding.

“No wonder you are frightened!” she cried. “Oh, Selene, I am terribly sorry but there really is no other way to get there.” You were petrified. Was this really the only way to get to a new life with this kind lady? If it was, then you would accept it! The ocean wasn’t going to keep you from being happy.

“I suppose I would be all right as long as I could stay below deck most of the time,” you said reluctantly.

“But wouldn’t you get horribly sick?” Mrs. Cooper asked with concern. You shrugged.

“It’s the only way I’ll make it there without a nervous breakdown.” Mrs. Cooper smiled.

“All right, then. Agreed.”

“Agreed,” you replied and shook her hand. You had no idea how much your life would change because of that moment.

* * * * *

CHAPTER 3 - Nervous Breakdown, Here I Come

You nervously watched the rolling waves as Mrs. Cooper violently threw up into the ocean. Patiently, you held her hair out of her face and waited for her to finish.

“Oh, Selene,” she panted, “I am so sorry about this. I promised that you could stay below deck and now you’ve been stuck up here because I have a weak stomach.” You smiled kindly.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. I’m sure you don’t have a weak stomach. Maybe you’re just pregnant!” you joked. She smiled sadly.

“If only it was that. Unfortunately, I can never have children.” You gasped.

“Mrs. Cooper, I am so sorry,” you apologized fervently, “That was extremely callous of me.” She waved a hand at you.

“Don’t worry yourself over it. I’ve long been accustomed to the idea. I shall simply have to accept that all this barfing is because of sea sickness.” You both laughed until she turned green and threw up over the side once more. She looked at you enviously. “I notice that for someone who has never been on a ship that you aren’t having any problem adapting,” she mentioned. You shrugged.

“What can I say? I suppose I’m just adaptable. Besides, I never said I had never been on a ship.” Mrs. Cooper smiled at you.

“That’s true. Tell me about your last experience while I rest.”

“It was many years ago,” you began, “My mother was sailing with father to England on this very ship, the White Wraith. She was pregnant with me at the time. They were standing at the bow, watching the sun rise, when mother felt a sudden pain. She was in labor with me until the sun set. That’s when I was born. The strange thing is that I can remember the first thing that I ever saw. It was the sun setting over the ocean.” Mrs. Cooper grinned at you.

“That was lovely, Selene. Being born on a ship must have been rather exciting.” You chuckled.

“It would have been much more exciting if my father hadn’t died that same night.”

“Oh!” she gasped. “Would you mind pulling my foot out of my mouth?” You laughed good-naturedly.

“You don’t need to worry. I never knew him and his death wasn’t as hard to take as my mother’s.”

“Excuse me, miss,” the captain interrupted. You looked at him and smiled. He was a very pleasant looking man. He had brown hair, light brown eyes, and a charming goatee. Well-muscled and tanned because of his sailing, you pegged him at about 43 or so.

“Good morning, Captain Turner,” you greeted him politely. “What did you need?”

“Well, you see, I couldn’t help overhearing your story and I realized that I knew who you were talking about,” he said slowly and carefully. “You wouldn’t happen to be Miss Selene Morgan, by any chance?” Puzzled, you nodded and said,

“That’s my name.” He smiled widely.

“I was aboard this ship the day you were born!” he informed you. “Your father was a good friend of mine. It was an awful tragedy when he drowned. That storm seemed to come out of nowhere and there was no saving him.” You sighed, resigned.

“Yes, I wish I could have known him but that’s the way things are.”

“When I first saw you I thought that you were your mother,” he said quietly. You felt a dull pain in your heart and held back the tears that threatened your cheerful countenance. The captain squeezed your shoulder in a comforting way. “I am very sorry for your loss.” Smiling sadly, you looked out at the ocean.

“Thank you,” you murmured quietly.

“Selene,” a voice whispered, “Selene, come to me. Come to me, come to me.” Tired and drowsy, you opened your eyes and looked about the cabin you shared with Mrs. Cooper. She was in the bunk under you and sleeping soundly. Who had called you? You sighed and dismissed it. Probably just your imagination playing tricks on you. Peacefully, you slipped back into the dream world. You were barely conscious when the voice called you again. “Selene, come out to me. Come, Selene, come out.” So deeply were you dreaming that you didn’t even realize it when you got out of bed and walked out on deck. The voice continued calling and you willing followed it. It led you to the side of the boat and you climbed onto the side. “Come back to the sea,” it murmured. Suddenly, someone shouted,

“No, Selene! Don’t go to him!” That person pulled you away from the edge and shook you. “Wake up, Selene!” he said firmly. Your eyes fluttered open and met Captain Turner’s. Your heart was pounding and your breathing was coming in gasps. Tentatively, you pressed a hand to your forehead. It was as cold as ice.

“What happened?” you asked faintly.

“You were sleepwalking,” he explained. “I caught you before you fell into the sea.”

“Oh!” you gasped. How could you have been so careless?

“Your mother told me of the danger you were in but I never would have suspected it would be so great,” he said quickly. Then he looked at you accusingly. “Why on earth would you come out to the sea?” Shocked and unsure, you focused on the first part of what he said.

“What danger did my mother tell you of?” His eyes widened in shock.

“You mean she didn’t tell you?” he asked incredulously.

“Captain Turner, what are you going on about?” you asked, slightly miffed. He fell silent and stared out at the sea.

“Your mother told me,” he began, “that she would explain everything to you when you turned ten years old. Apparently, she died before then.” You nodded in assent and ignored that old wound.

“I had turned ten barely a month before she died.” He sighed.

“I suppose that leaves me to tell you, since I’m the only other person who knows.” He was silent again and curiosity was just gnawing at you. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. “I’ll make you a bargain,” he said. “I’ll tell you about your father now and in another four years I’ll tell you about your mother.” You thought about it for a moment. You didn’t want to wait but this seemed like the only way to find out anything.

“All right,” you agreed. He smiled and sat on a crate on the deck. You sat down next to him and waited.

“When I said that your father and I were good friends, I meant it. We started sailing together as boys. He was even the best man at my wedding! But there’s something else we had in common which wasn’t as widely known.” He rolled up the sleeve on his right arm and you gasped. There, just above his wrist, was a brand in the shape of a ‘P’.

“You’re a pirate,” you whispered. He shook his head.

“I was a pirate, Miss Morgan. I stopped a long time ago and so did your father. This ship is an honest, British ship and I am its captain.” You realized what he was saying and excitement was building inside of you. You had always admired pirates and had read every little piece of information that you could get your hands on. It was true that you feared the ocean, but a part of you yearned for it. It was that part that admired pirates for their freedom and independence. “Your father was a good man,” he continued, “A good pirate, too.”

“Why did you quit?” you asked, deeply puzzled.

“That’s a long story,” he said evasively. You grinned.

“I like long stories.” Captain Turner sighed and told you a story. It was a story about cursed, Aztec gold, the fastest ship in the Caribbean, and a pirate named Captain Jack Sparrow. He explained about how your father was one of the few who knew him as William Turner. Everyone else just called him Bootstrap Bill. You had giggled at this but had laughed a lot harder when he told you that your father, Ryan Morgan, had been called Petrifying Pete. He had laughed with you when it came to that. Finally, he was down to the part where he had sent a piece of the cursed gold to his son and your father and himself had been tied to cannons and thrown into the ocean.

“Now, I was still cursed so I couldn’t die but your father hadn’t taken any of the gold. He was bound to die.” Suddenly, he stopped and his smile faltered.

“What happened?” you excitedly asked. He tiredly sighed and rubbed his eyes.

“You’ll find out in four years,” he replied. You groaned in disgust. That had to be the most painful cliffhanger in all existence. Oh, well. There was nothing you could do.

“I just have one more question,” you said. He motioned for you to continue. “Well, it’s rather silly, but,” you suddenly felt extremely stupid for asking this, “I was just wondering if Captain Sparrow was good-looking.” He looked at you and laughed.

“Yes, lass, he’s very good-looking but he’s a bit old for you,” he answered lightheartedly.

“Oh, shut up, Bootstrap,” you snapped playfully. He smiled at you fondly.

“It’s been a long time since anyone has called me that,” he said wistfully. You frowned and studied his face.

“You miss it, don’t you?” It was more like a statement than a question. He sighed.

“Yes, I do, lass. I certainly do.”

“Why don’t you go back, then?” you asked. He looked at you and smiled again but his time is was more quizzical.

“I have no idea.”

“Good night, Bootstrap,” you said lightly and kissed him on the cheek. You walked off and don’t hear him murmur quietly, “Good night, child of the sea.”

* * * * *

CHAPTER 4 - It’s Easy to Fall When You’re Wearing a Corset

Four years later, you woke up in your lavish room in your adopted parent’s lavish mansion and smiled. Life was grand. You rose from your bed and walked to the mirror.

“Good morning, mother,” you whispered. Now you and your mother were practically identical. You hadn’t changed much over the years except now you were as tall as any sailor and just as strong. Of course, your figure had developed, to everyone’s satisfaction but your own. To you, your breasts were just a bit too large. Not freakishly, but too big to be comfortable.

Thoughtfully, you brushed your pitch black hair, and watched it glow deep blue in the morning light. Your miserable life had certainly changed when you came to the Caribbean with Mrs. Cooper. A day before you had arrived, Mrs. Cooper had pulled you aside and asked if you would like to be her daughter. At first, you had been too stunned to speak so you just listened to what she had to say.

“When I came to England, I promised my husband that I would look for a child to adopt,” she explained, “but while I was with my sister that was impossible. She really didn’t approve of the idea. Then I met you and I felt immediately fond of you. I had hoped for a younger child but I can get over it. We’ve gotten so close while we have been on this ship and I can’t stand the idea of you working in my house. What do you say to becoming Selene Cooper?” What had you done? How had you answered such a life changing question?

“Yes!” you yelled and embraced your new found mother. It was the chance you had been waiting for. Selene Morgan had been a mystery and an oddity but Selene Cooper was a lovely, polished young lady. There were no more storms in your sea-like eyes. Only clear sunny days shone through. Selene Morgan no longer existed. Only Mr. and Mrs. Cooper knew that you weren’t really their child. They had told everyone that you had been raised in England but now Mrs. Cooper couldn’t do without you. No one ever questioned it.

You glanced down at the engagement ring on your finger and smiled. Soon, you would be Mrs. Selene Norrington. A month ago Commodore James Norrington had proposed to you after a year of courting. It was true that you were young but you were also ‘a fine woman’. The ring was a lovely pear shaped diamond on a gold band. He said that the gold complimented your skin. Your skin, still the color of a pearl, had taken on a golden glow that everyone thought remarkable.

A knock sounded at your door.

“Miss Selene?” Marie, your maid, called softly. “Miss Selene, I need to get you ready for your engagement party.” You giggled and said,

“You can come in, Marie. I’m ready to be put into that death trap others call a corset.” Marie walked in and tried to suppress a smile. Her crystal blue eyes danced and her light brown hair was up in a tidy bun. She was a light, sprightly girl and was probably a foot shorter than you. You both laughed and talked while she cleaned you up and helped you dress. Though you were still as slender as a rail, the corset was a problem because of your breasts. When the horrid thing was finally on you, you turned to the mirror to see the finished image.

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! I look like a bloody whore!” you shouted. Marie turned bright red.

“Don’t be absurd, Miss Selene. You look quite beautiful,” she said quietly.

“A little too beautiful if you ask me,” you mumbled. It seemed that your breasts would tumble out of your dress at any moment. Not that the lovely turquoise color wasn’t flattering but you just weren’t happy about your cleavage. “Every man within ten yards of me is going to be staring right at my breasts and you know it, Marie.” She blushed even harder and rushed out of the room. For a moment you were worried that you had offended her but the soft sound of laughter eased your worries. Marie was one of the best friends you had but she had this stupid idea that your different classes mattered. You wanted to tell her that you used to be a maid just like her but that was confidential information. You were sworn to secrecy and all you could do was to tell her that she was absolutely ridiculous. You sighed and stared at your reflection. Your hair was in a bun with curls of black silk trailing down your face. Smiling beautifully, you thought of how delighted James would be with your appearance. You chuckled and headed for the front doors of your home. Since your parents weren’t with you, you would be going alone to this party. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper had been called away on urgent business and were going to be gone for another week, at least. You missed them but you were glad that you had the opportunity to run the house on you own. It was like practice for when you were married. Luckily, you were rather good at it. Someone knocked at the door and you took a deep breath. It was time to face the upper crust of society. For an instant, Selene Morgan surfaced and let her disgust for the situation be known. Upper crust? A lot of those people wouldn’t give you the time of day if you didn’t have at least 1,000 pounds to your name. Quickly, you hid that part of yourself and replaced it with the social butterfly, Selene Cooper. Now, you thought, let’s go meet the day.

The day was unbearably hot in your corset. Even though everyone said that you looked beautiful and James had whispered to you how breathtaking you looked, it just wasn’t worth the pain. You smiled and laughed with everyone else, mentally counting the seconds until you could get this bloody corset off. You glanced at James and your sharp gaze softened. He looked very official in his powdered wig and uniform. You appreciated his warm hazel eyes and soft features. He was barely an inch taller than you but this didn’t offend him in the least. Well, he never mentioned it so you assumed that it didn’t offend him. James was fit enough for a soldier but oddly pale for a man who was in the sun so often.

Every moment it was becoming even more difficult to draw breath and you excused yourself from the conversation. You desperately needed some fresh air. Walking wasn’t a pleasant undertaking but you made it to the cliff where the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow had made his daring escape. You smiled softly at the thought of the apparently dashing pirate. You desperately wanted to know what he looked like in detail but no one seemed to be interested in talking about him except Elizabeth. Unfortunately, you hadn’t gotten to know Miss Elizabeth Swann very well because she didn’t move in the same circle as you did. Not that she couldn’t, but she didn’t seem interested.

“I wouldn’t be interested either if I was engaged to a handsome pirate,” you murmured quietly. The cool sea breeze caressed your face but it didn’t help you breathe. Suddenly, you lost your breath and couldn’t regain it. You fell forward and were swallowed by darkness.

A pirate captain stood on the docks of Port Royale and observed the town. It hadn’t changed much in the few years he’d been away. He idly wondered if that whelp had married Elizabeth yet. He’d have to ask. Suddenly, loud shouts reached his ears and he looked up at the fort. A young lass had fallen off the cliff. For a moment, he thought it was Elizabeth but the girl’s blue-black hair quickly dismissed that theory. Saving her would be a bad idea, he reminded himself. The lass hit the water and he cursed roundly while taking off his coat, hat, and other affects.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered and dove into the water.

Near the ocean floor, you regained consciousness. For some reason, you weren’t panicking. There you were at the bottom of the ocean and you weren’t afraid. Quite the contrary, you’d never been this calm in your life. Quickly, you undid your dress and took a deep breath of salt water. It passed into your lungs like air. However, the corset was still making any kind of breathing difficult. Capably, you kicked off the ocean floor and tried to swim to the surface. Something grabbed your ankle and it felt like a hand of iron. You pulled and pulled but it made no use. Now you were panicking. Someone’s arms came around your waist and you blacked out once more.

* * * * *

CHAPTER 5 - Love at First Sight and Other Nonsense

Once you reached the docks, your rescuer quickly cut your corset. You woke up coughing and gasping for breath.

“Are you all right there, luv?” he asked in an accented voice that sounded too slurred to be British but that was the only thing it could be. You smiled.

“I’m doing quite well under the circumstances. However, I am never wearing a corset again. I’ll burn them all if I have to.” He chuckled and you looked up at him. Your ocean eyes met his chocolate ones and suddenly the world stopped.

He was handsome. That one thought hit you like a ton of bricks. His kohl rimmed eyes, his temptingly soft mouth, the tangle of black hair that reached past his shoulders in a mix of dreadlocks and beads, his goatee braided twice and finished with beads, his tri-corner hat, his gorgeously tanned complexion, the ragged white cotton shirt, leather vest, dark blue trousers, and boots, and his seductive smile that revealed several gold teeth all mixed together to overwhelm you.

“Like what you see, darling?” he asked casually. You gulped and answered without thinking.

“Handsome as sin and twice as deadly comes to mind.” The moment the words came out of your mouth you regretted them. His smile was absolutely wicked.

“Well, luv,” he murmured, “I don’t think I’ve ever been described that way before. I’ll remember that.” You blushed and tried to stand up. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through your ankle.

“Ah!” you cried and fell back down. The man’s eyes held a touching concern as he asked,

“What’s wrong, darling?”

“My ankle,” you whispered. The pain was already forgotten and you savored his scent. The ocean and rum, that’s what he smelled like. You had to admit that despite your dislike of the sea, its scent was very appealing on him. Oh, hell, he was appealing. You were suddenly very aware of what your breasts must have looked like in a very wet and very white dress. He pushed the hem of your undergarments up to get a clear view of your ankle. Your eyes widened at the sight. A purple and black bruise marred your skin. A bruise in the shape of a hand. You drew a ragged breath. Something in the water had held onto your ankle and it hadn’t been your rescuer. Said rescuer lifted your chin and looked in your eyes.

“How did you get that?” he asked softly, his eyes searching yours for an answer. A sword to his neck halted your conversation abruptly.

“On your feet, Sparrow,” your fiancé said stiffly. Talk about bad timing, you thought. At least a dozen officers accompanied James and you weren’t really in a position to receive an audience. Lieutenant Gillette helped you up and offered you his coat. You smiled and nodded in thanks. Surprisingly, your ankle had barely twinged when you stood. “Mr. Sparrow, you have once again gotten yourself caught and in the same way. One would think you wanted to be hung,” James said coldly. Your ears perked up and you realized who had rescued you. You spun around and faced Mr. Sparrow.

“Sparrow?” you asked, voice filled with wonder, “The Captain Jack Sparrow?” He smiled at you and gave you an exaggerated bow.

“At your service, luv,” he answered and glanced at James. “At least someone seems to remember that I’m a captain.” Norrington seemed a bit uncomfortable then and turned his attention to you.

“Are you all right, Selene?” he asked softly. You nodded but didn’t smile. Captain Sparrow had saved you. The same Captain Sparrow who knew your father. You had a thousand questions for him. You sure as hell weren’t going to let a noose get to him before you did!

“James, why exactly are you threatening the man who rescued your fiancé?” you asked coolly. You knew that Selene Morgan had surfaced but that didn’t bother you. You needed her wit and intelligence at the moment. A social butterfly wouldn’t stand a chance. Now James was very uncomfortable. Jack, however, seemed intrigued.

“You mean to say that you two are engaged?” You nodded and he grinned. “Well, that would make it twice that I’ve rescued your women Commodore. You need to be more careful or you might lose her as well.” You tried to fight the smile that crept up on you but it was a losing battle. A small smirk appeared on your mouth and for some reason Captain Sparrow couldn’t keep his eyes off you. He let out a whistle and you blushed again. Commodore Norrington was furious and he dragged Jack over to another officer who proceeded to clap him in irons. You mustered all your courage and stepped in front of Jack.

“Commodore Norrington, I’m afraid I must protest. This man has saved my life and, if the stories are true, saved the life of another young woman and gentleman several times. Must past crimes be held against him when such bravery is shown? I’m sure that Captain Sparrow knew that rescuing me meant that he would be captured but he decided to save me anyway. How could you condemn such valor?” Finally, you pulled out one last trick that you knew James would have trouble dismissing. “If you decide to hang this man, despite the fact that he saved my life and others, I must question my decision to marry you.” Well, that stopped everyone. Everyone looked at you and then at the Commodore. James was speechless. A mental battle seemed to be going on in his mind. You could only pray that he would choose you over the law.

Meanwhile, Jack had been extremely flattered by your speech. It wasn’t very often that anyone called him brave, especially not a lady of high standing. He studied your figure and smiled. A very attractive lady of high standing. When you said you would question your decision to marry Norrington, he smiled wickedly. You certainly were an interesting lass. The officer that had been putting the chains on him stepped back and stared at Norrington and Jack grinned. Time to make an escape. He only hoped it wouldn’t lower your opinion of him.

Jack brought his chains around your neck and held you to him. You gasped and all the officers raised their pistols.

“Don’t shoot!” James shouted. Jack smiled.

“I knew you’d warm up to me again. Commodore Norrington, my effects please, and my hat.” James glared at Jack but he held them out to him. Jack’s lips grazed your ear and you couldn’t help but tremble. “Selene? That was your name wasn’t it?”

“To my knowledge,” you said hoarsely. He chuckled.

“Good to see your sense of humor is intact, luv. Anyhow, would you mind getting my effects for me? I would deeply appreciate it.” You nodded and gathered the bundle in your arms. He spun you around and your eyes met his. “Now if you’d be very kind,” he murmured. You gulped and proceeded to put Jack’s effects back on his person. While you were doing this he murmured, “Sorry about this, luv. Couldn’t take a chance.” You nodded in understanding.

“No hard feelings, Captain Sparrow. I admire someone who is willing to do whatever necessary.” He smiled at you and your knees came dangerously close to melting.

“So do I, luv.” He spun you around to face the officers again. “Gentlemen, my lady, I am afraid I must depart. But before I do…” he trailed off and turned you towards him again. You were about to ask what he wanted when his lips met yours. His tongue quickly slipped into your mouth and it stroked yours. He broke away and pushed you toward James. You didn’t see his escape but you were sure that it was fabulous. The fact was that you didn’t really see much of anything until you were back in your room in your home. Finally, your vision cleared and your knees went weak. You sat on the bed and pressed a hand to your mouth.

“Bloody hell,” you whispered. “I think I’m in love with him.”

CHAPTERS 6-10

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