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CHAPTER 6 - Repaying the Favor The sun was setting when Marie burst into your room. You looked up from the chair you were sitting in and asked what she was so excited about. “Oh, Miss Cooper,” she panted. “I heard out on the street that they had caught that pirate that threatened you.” You bolted upright. “What?” you asked, plainly shocked. “That Jack Sparrow was caught just outside the blacksmith’s place. He’s to be hung in the morning,” she answered. “It’s Captain Jack Sparrow,” you corrected automatically. “And I’ll be damned if I have my life put in danger for nothing.” You strode over to the wardrobe and dug through your dresses. “What are you planning Miss Cooper?” asked a very nervous Marie. You pulled out a pair of black pants and smiled at her. “I’m going to break him out.” It had taken three hours to convince Marie that your idea wasn’t a horrible mistake. Now that you stood across the street from the jail you wondered if she wasn’t right. Glancing at your clothes, you re-established your feeling of capability. You were wearing black boots, pants, large cotton shirt, and a wide brim hat that all your extremely displeased hair was piled under. A few strands had escaped but for the most part it stayed put. To the casual observer, you would just be a rather tall, feminine looking lad. You took a deep breath and started forward. What you needed to do first was find the keys to the cells. Then your plan could really begin. You had reached the door when a guard grabbed your left arm. “What do you think you’re doing here, lad?” he asked suspiciously. Oh, no! This threw the whole plan off course. What were you going to do? You looked at your right hand. “Let’s try instinct,” you murmured. You drew back your arm and swung your fist into his face. The guard flew back at least four feet and landed hard on the cobble stones. You gasped and stared at your hand. You hadn’t swung that hard! You gulped and decided to ponder it at a later date. Right now you had keys to find. You searched the guard and were pleased to discover that he was in possession of said keys. You dragged the body into an alley and set him down as gently as possible. Now, time to find Jack! Jack was lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling of his cell. Not much else to do anyway. Somehow, he kept seeing your face in front of his. He licked his lips and remembered the taste of you. The ocean had never tasted sweeter. A lad dressed all in black interrupted his thoughts. He watched him search the cells and then called out, “Need something, mate?” The lad turned to him and whipped off his hat. Blue-black hair fell past his, or your, waist and your features could be plainly seen. Jack shot up and grinned. “Well, well, well,” he said slowly, “Miss Selene, what a pleasure to see you. However, I must ask what a girl like you is doing in a jail like this?” You smiled. “Easy answer, Captain Sparrow. I’m breaking you out.” His eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re joking,” he said. You shook your head. “Of course I’m not. Besides, I’m just returning the favor.” Jack looked puzzled and a little voice inside your head told you that that was a very cute look for him. “What favor would that be, luv?” he asked. You laughed. “For saving my life, of course.” “Ah,” he said, grasping the idea, “Unfortunately luv, you seem to be mistaken. You already returned that favor when I used you as a shield against the guards.” “Oh,” you said thoughtfully and then shrugged, “I suppose this is just for fun then.” You handed him the keys to his cell. “All right, I think you can manage to unlock your cell. However, I must insist you not do so until you hear the signal. Once I distract the guards it’ll be easier for you to escape.” “And what would the signal be, luv?” You smiled mischievously. “Believe me, you’ll know.” You darted out of the jail without another word and a confused Jack was left behind you. Twenty minutes later, Jack heard a huge explosion that he judged came from the powder room. He saw all the guards rush to the room to see what the commotion was about. Jack grinned. Well, you certainly were good at distractions. He unlocked his cell door and stepped out. It would be better to stay in Port Royal for tonight. Just to throw the guards off his tail. “I think I’ll track down my lovely savior,” he murmured quietly and headed for the posh side of town. It wasn’t long before he saw a dark shadow running up ahead of him with long black hair. He smiled again and followed at a distance. This would be interesting. * * * * * CHAPTER 7 - What's So Great About Being Proper? You climbed onto your balcony and let out a triumphant laugh. Dear Heaven that was fun! Too bad you couldn’t break pirates out of jail more often. You walked into your room and headed for the bathroom. It was late, but you were hoping that just maybe you could have a bath before you retired to bed. When you entered the bathroom you stopped and smiled. The tub was full, you could smell your favorite bath oils, and there were candles scattered all over the room. “God bless Marie,” you murmured admiringly. She was definitely getting a raise for this! You peeled out of your clothes and untied your hair. If your hair could talk, you imagined it would have let out a collective sigh of relief. You climbed in and let out a euphoric moan. You washed yourself in your favorite perfumes and then rewarded your hair’s valiant efforts during your adventure with a thorough scrubbing. For a moment, you wondered if hair could purr. Finally, you leaned back and closed your eyes. It had been a very interesting day. The day suddenly became a hell of a lot more interesting when you heard someone in the room whistle, long and low. Your eyes snapped open and you gasped at the sight. There was Captain Jack Sparrow, leaning against the doorframe into your room. His coat and hat were gone but you could see them laid on a chair in the other room. You didn’t like the feeling he was emanating. It was like he wasn’t leaving any time soon and he was certainly glad he wasn’t. You thanked your lucky stars that the water in your bathtub was murky. Otherwise, the situation would have leapt from interesting to outright embarrassing. “What,” you were proud that your voice was steady, “pray tell, are you doing here?” He smirked and you tried to ignore how downright wicked it seemed. “Visiting you, of course.” Your eyebrows rose at this response. “Ah,” you said, “I thought you might be leaving Port Royale when I released you.” “Most people would, darling,” he told you. “However, I’m not most people. I’m Captain Jack Sparrow and being who I am, I was smart enough to know that it would be better to stay in the place everyone thinks I am trying to escape. That way I am sure to lose them, savvy?” You stared for a moment and then said thoughtfully, “I think the most distressing thing about that is that I understood it.” He chuckled and you wondered if helping him had been a bad idea. “Why exactly are you seeking refuge here?” you asked. “Easy answer, luv,” he said willingly, “You helped me escape and I find I would like to know more about a lady who acts proper but really isn’t.” Selene Cooper was offended but Selene Morgan couldn’t agree more. “What makes you think I’m not a proper lady?” you asked, only slightly curious. It was rather obvious after all. “I thought that was rather obvious, darling,” he echoed your thoughts. Then he started to tick off reasons on his fingers. “One, most proper ladies don’t threaten to break off their engagement with a commodore for the sake of a pirate. Two, most proper ladies don’t let pirates kiss them. Three, most proper ladies don’t break pirates out of prison. Four, you just don’t have the feel about you, luv.” The first three reasons you understood but the fourth puzzled you. “What do you mean, I don’t have that ‘feel’?” you asked. “Proper ladies have this air about them,” he explained. “They make everyone feel inferior and covered in muck. You, however, don’t do that. You do the opposite of that.” “You have an odd way of giving compliments,” you told him, fighting the urge to smile. “At least you knew it was a compliment,” he said. “Most women would take it as an insult.” You did smile then. Suddenly, the inappropriateness of the situation occurred to you. There you were, sitting in a bathtub, talking to a pirate. Not to mention the fact that you were naked. “Would you mind turning around while I get out?” you asked him. Jack seemed rather disappointed. “Do I have to?” he whined and you almost laughed. Whining really didn’t suit this pirate captain. “Yes, you do, Captain Sparrow.” He grumbled but obligingly turned around. You didn’t quite trust him so you swiftly leapt out of the tub and wrapped yourself in a towel. Surprisingly, Jack hadn’t budged. Then you realized something. You hadn’t made a sound. The water hadn’t even rippled when you left it. Great, you thought, something else to wonder about. “Need help, luv?” Jack asked. You didn’t have to see him to know he was grinning. Resolutely, you shelved that oddity in the back of your mind and addressed the situation at hand. “No, captain. I’m doing just fine.” You quickly slipped into your nightgown and wrapped the towel around you wet hair. “You can turn back around, Captain Sparrow.” He did and said, “I’m not sure why I had to turn around in the first place, darling.” You rolled your eyes and replied, “Captain Sparrow, I may not be a proper lady but for the past four years I have been raised that way. Relatively old habits die hard.” His eyes narrowed in thought. “What were you doing before that?” he asked. “Hmm?” you questioned, wondering what he meant. “You said that for the past four years you have been raised as a proper lady. What were you doing for the 14 years before that?” Oh, no. You grimaced. How was it that you had been able to keep your secret for four years but in one night Captain Jack Sparrow already had you slipping up? “Well,” you began hesitantly, “I was raised in England for 14 years and my parents have been here. No one really bothered to teach me anything about being a proper lady.” He seemed to believe it, thank goodness. Jack was about to ask something else when you heard someone knock on the door. “Miss Selene?” Marie called. “Are you back yet?” You froze. What were you going to do? Convincing Marie to allow you to break Jack out of prison was one thing but convincing her to let him stay in your house was a completely different matter. You looked at Jack and then you looked at the bed. An idea began to bloom. Selene Cooper was horrified. That wasn’t at all proper! You could almost hear Selene Morgan say, “What’s so great about being proper?” * * * * * CHAPTER 8 - In Which You Find Yourself In A Compromising Position When Marie came into your room, all she saw was you, lying on your side in bed, with your leg at an odd angle that created a fairly large bump in your comforter. It didn't seem particularly strange, so she dismissed it. What she didn't see was Captain Jack Sparrow huddled under the bump in the comforter. "Hello, Marie," you said cheerfully. "Do you need something?" "No, Miss Selene," she responded. "I just came to see if you had gotten back safely." You smiled gratefully. "Thank you for your concern, Marie, but I really can take care of myself." Jack grinned. You certainly could. Suddenly, your nightgown slid up your leg, revealing a very large part of your thigh. Jack stared for a moment and tried to decide if he should even attempt to resist the temptation. He to a deep breath and the perfumes you had used tempted him even further. Maybe just a taste. "Well, as long as you're all right," Marie said. "I thought you should know that it's chaos down at the fort. Everyone is-" You stopped listening when you felt Jack's lips press against your thigh. One hand stroked the sensitive skin of your other thigh while the other gently caressed your hip. You gulped. Obviously, your idea hadn't been completely glitch free. Jack's tongue suddenly came into the picture when it slid lightly over your skin. You tried desperately to ignore him and kept a casual look on your face. Not a simple task since he seemed to be seducing you in front of your own maid. "Marie," you interrupted. "I would hate to keep you up any longer. Thank you so much for checking on me and for the bath but I think we should all go to sleep now." She nodded politely. "Of course, miss. I'll just take care of that bath water and-" Jack's hands moved further up your leg and you gasped, "No!" Marie looked at you and you quickly said, "I's really not necessary. You can always take care of it in the morning." Marie smiled in relief. "Thank goodness," she said. "I'm really exhausted, Miss Selene. Good night." "Good night, Marie," you said lightly even as Jack's hand came dangerously close to an extremely sensitive area. The minute you heard Marie's footsteps fade you pushed Jack away from you and sat up. "What were you thinking?" you snapped. "Sorry, luv. I couldn't resist," he apologized. You rolled your eyes. "You're lucky that Marie didn't notice anything or you'd be back in that cell. Lord knows where I'd end up." Jack looked thoughtful for a moment and then he smiled. "That would make it three times that you've saved my life. The score stands 3 to 1." You laughed. "What?" you asked, "Are you keeping score?" He nodded. "Absolutely, darling. I like to remember who I owe favors to." "That's very honorable, Captain Sparrow," you said, voice heavy with thought. He quirked an eyebrow at you. "You know, luv, it's not everyday that a beautiful lady calls me brave and honorable," he said carefully, testing the waters. You shrugged. "It's not everyday I have a conversation with a pirate in my bed. I suppose we just bring out the more unusual aspects of each other." He smiled softly at you and stroked your cheek. "I'm going to apologize before I kiss you, darling. I just can't seem to resist." You gulped and tried to suppress the light flutters in your stomach. You shouldn't let him kiss you. You really shouldn't. Jack leaned forward and kissed your lips. Gradually, he teased your mouth open and you let his tongue slip into your mouth. You groaned as you slipped your arms around his neck. His hand slid up from the base of your neck and pulled the towel off your head. His fingers tangled in your damp hair and you moaned in pleasure. You took in his taste now and pressed closer. His other arm wound around your waist and he pressed you down onto the bed. Jack's weight on you made your body tingle and your heart race. You wanted him. Oh, how you wanted him! He left your mouth to trail kisses down your jaw and then suckled at your neck. Your fingers took on a life of their own. They removed Jack's vest and tossed it away. His shirt soon followed and then your hands ran over his chest. He was warm to the touch and you knew that you were as well. Jack moved down from your neck and pushed your nightgown out of his way and kissed every spot of revealed flesh. Soon your breasts were bare and he drove you crazy by kissing them lightly. Your fingers dug into his hair and pressed him toward you. Outside the sea was tossing and churning. Rain fell in buckets from the sky and thunder boomed throughout the night. Your eyes were a portrait of the storm that was raging. Suddenly, your mother's voice whispered in your ear. "Soon you will join with him but it is not now. Do not rush fate, it never ends well." You pulled back and your blood cooled. The storm faded away as you regained control of your senses. You had a choice. You could throw a fit or you could laugh about the situation. Laughing seemed like a more positive path. "Well," you chuckled, "correct me if I'm wrong but that seemed like a lot more than a kiss." The tinge of worry in Jack's eyes dissolved and he laughed with you. "I'm afraid that I got a bit carried away, luv," he said pleasantly. You smiled. "I thank you for the compliment, Captain Sparrow. However, I intend to wake up in the morning with my virtue intact." He nodded and briefly kissed your lips. "Good night, Miss Selene Cooper," he said formally and then wrapped both arms around your waist and laid his head on your chest. Your eyes widened. "Captain Sparrow, you don't actually intend to sleep like this, do you?" you asked in disbelief. There wasn't any response. You looked down at him and saw that his eyes were closed. He was pretending to be asleep. You sighed and blew out the candle by your bed. "All right, Jack. You win this time," you murmured. You closed your eyes and drifted off to sleep with a pirate in your arms. * * * * * CHAPTER 9 - Misery, Despair, and an Answer You Didn't Expect When you woke up in the morning, Captain Sparrow was gone. You hadn't actually thought that he would stay but you were still disappointed. There was an odd feeling at the back of your neck and you lifted your hand to investigate. A chain greeted your fingers. You sat up and looked down at this surprise. It was a gold chain with a flat piece of gold shaped like a sparrow hanging from it. Your breath caught in your throat. You had never been a very romantic person but this really touched your heart. You studied the sparrow and then you turned it over. Just as you suspected, there was an engraving. It said in embellished script, "He has his eye on the sparrow." You chuckled. In his own way, he was saying that he was looking out for you. "How sweet," you whispered. There was a soft knock at your door and you cheerfully cried out, "Good morning, Marie! Do come in." Your happy countenance disappeared when you saw Marie's tear stained face. "Miss Selene," she said softly, obviously fighting sobs. "Commodore Norrington is here with some news." "What news?" you asked, deeply concerned. "Marie, what troubles you?" Marie burst into tears and rushed away from the room. "This doesn't bode well," you whispered. Swiftly, you pulled on a robe and loosely tied back your hair. You slipped on your aptly named slippers and briskly walked down the stairs. Commodore Norrington was in the entrance hall with three other officers. A strange feeling of foreboding filled you and you hesitated. You took a deep breath and let yourself becoming Selene Cooper again. "Good morning, gentlemen," you said pleasantly. "What brings you out here at this time?" James looked up at you and his eyes were filled with pity. "Selene, I am sorry to inform you that your parents have passed away," he said solemnly. Your blood froze in your veins. It wasn't possible. It just wasn't possible. "What?" you asked quietly. James sighed. "It happened three days ago. We've just received word now. There was a storm at sea and the ship was overtaken. You have my heartfelt sympathies." Your hands were shaking violently and you couldn't breathe. Without a thought for the gentlemen, you rushed upstairs and slid into a plain green dress. Then, you climbed down from your balcony and ran. You just ran as hard and as fast as you could. People stopped and stared. Your friends called out to you but you ignored them. You had to go somewhere and you had to go there now. The ocean was coming closer and closer. You ran faster. You ran down to the beach and then fell down in the sand. "Why?!" you screamed at the water. "Why are you torturing me? Why do you take such joy in my pain? Why?" In a rage now, you tossed rocks and sand at the water. The ocean tossed violently. You continued to throw things at it, yelling and screaming and accusing. "Miss Morgan!" someone shouted. You stopped cold. You didn't bother to turn around. That voice was familiar. Who else could know your true name? "Greetings, Captain Turner," you called. "What are you doing in Port Royal?" He ignored the question and turned you around to face him. His soft brown eyes were so understanding and tender. The fierce anger that had filled you drained away leaving only pain and despair. Tears flowed down your face and you swayed on your feet. He caught you before you fell and held you against him. You sobbed into his chest and clung to him as a daughter would to a father. "Selene, I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I can't tell you how sorry I am for loss." You stared up at him. "Is it common knowledge already?" you asked. He nodded and you laughed bitterly. "That's a second thing I can depend on. People will always gossip about another persons sorrow." "What's the first?" he asked quietly. "That any happiness that I may have in my life, any small spark of joy, the sea will steal away from me," you answered. Captain Turner took a deep breath and said, "I have come to tell you the second half of the story I began four years ago." You nodded and sat down on the sand. "I guessed that," you said calmly. He joined you on the sand and you both were silent for a moment. "Captain Turner?" you asked. He looked at you and you continued, "Who was my mother?" "Your mother," he said slowly, "was a mermaid." * * * * * CHAPTER 10 - The Second Half of the Story and the Beginning of Your Quest “What?” you asked, incredulous. Captain Turner sighed and rubbed his eyes. He obviously made a habit of that. “When your father and I were tied to cannons and chucked off the ship, I didn’t have anything to worry about because of the curse. Your father wasn’t cursed and he was swiftly losing air. I tried to untie myself so I could save him but I never would have made it. A strange shape appeared in the water, swimming toward Ryan. I wasn’t sure what it was and I struggled even harder. The shape untied Ryan from the cannon and carried him to the surface. A moment later, I broke loose and followed. The shape I saw was a mermaid and that mermaid was your mother.” You realized you weren’t breathing and quickly rectified the situation. Memories flooded back to you. The way your mother would stare at the sea with a yearning in her eyes. The way she seemed to embody the ocean. The way you yearned for the ocean as well. “Ryan and Aqua, your mother, fell in love the moment their eyes met. It simply happened and couldn’t be undone. Ryan wouldn’t leave her and she wouldn’t leave Ryan. I was worried out of my mind. How were they ever going to be together? Then, one bright morning, Aqua walked onto land with two legs. Ryan and Aqua embraced and they got married the next day. “She never explained how she managed to become human but it didn’t seem to matter. All Ryan cared about was the fact that he had Aqua. Soon, all he cared about was that he had Aqua and you.” He stopped talking and wiped away the single tear that had trickled down your cheek. “I was with your mother and father when she went into labor. Aqua wouldn’t move from the deck and that’s where you were born. The sun was setting and you didn’t even cry when you saw it. You just smiled, Selene. Your father held you and I could just see how much he adored you. Your mother regained her strength in a matter of minutes and they both stood at the bow of the ship, just watching the sun set. Everyone went below deck for the night. I was the first to hear Aqua scream. I rush to the deck and I saw the ocean reach up and pull your father in. He was dead before I reached your mother’s side. She was clinging to you for dear life and you were crying your head off. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. My best friend had just been pulled into the ocean by some sort of supernatural force. Your mother was hurt beyond repair. “When we docked in England, she made me promise not to tell a soul about the things that had happened between her and Ryan. Then she left and I never saw her again. She never told me what happened to your father. I don’t know for sure but it may have had something to do with her legs.” You took a deep breath and said, “I appreciate this information but I need to know more. For some reason, the sea has dedicated itself to destroying me and I want to know why.” He nodded. “I know a man in Tortuga who specializes in this area. He may be able to help. That is, if you would consider coming aboard the White Wraith.” You shuddered. The last place you wanted to be was on a ship. Still, that was the only way to get the answers you needed. You looked up at Captain Turner and said, “I will come with you, Bootstrap, on one condition.” “What would that be, Selene?” Bootstrap asked quizzically. “I think it will be necessary to learn how to sail. Teach me to be a pirate and tell me about my father.” Bootstrap was surprised but after a moment, he smiled softly. “I’ll agree to that. In fact, I’ll start right now.” He reached for your hands and looked down at them. Then he looked up at you and said, ”You have your father’s hands.” You stood by the helm of the White Wraith and watched the sun set. When you had left Captain Turner that morning, you had swiftly packed your pants and plain dresses. Finally, you left a letter with your engagement ring in it for Commodore Norrington. As you leaned against Bootstrap, he was reading it. It said: Dear James, “Are you sure you want to do this, Selene? It’s not too late to turn back,” Bootstrap asked. You chuckled harshly. “No, Captain Turner. I can’t go back now. Selene Cooper is dead. Selene Morgan has to figure out how to live.” |