Proffitable Affairs

Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.

Chapter 14

Mary was rudely pushed out of the way as a couple of crewmen tried to pass by her in order to get to the gangplank and she would have fallen if it hadn’t been for Jack’s quick reflexes. His tanned hands clasped her around her waist as she fell back against his chest. Her knees had buckled from the impolite push and she was left leaning against Jack’s body in an awkward position that had her flushing.
“Watch it!” Jack snapped and the two crewmen looked at him sheepishly before they continued on their way.
“Bloody imbeciles.” Jack muttered as he slowly set Mary to her feet and adjusted his coat.
“Thank you.” She whispered as she turned to face him. He nodded and motioned for her to follow him.
“Tell me again what exactly we are doing here?” She asked as she fought to catch up with his quick footsteps.
“I need to speak to someone and the crew needs some rest.” He said distractingly as he checked his pocket to make sure the map was inside.
“Oh…by rest do you mean getting drunk?” She cocked an eyebrow as they made their way down the gangplank.
Jack paused and turned to look at her with a smirk.
“Having a problem with that, love?” He asked and she swallowed hard.
“No…”
“Good.” He seemed pleased with her response, for he turned to call Gibbs.
“Gibbs! Come with us!” He yelled over the busy dock and soon the older man was walking next to them.
“Inn?” Gibbs asked and Jack nodded while Mary looked fearfully around her. The place was awful. She didn’t see why anyone would want to spend their time there. It was smelly and from what she could tell it was a pirates’ haven. She couldn’t even imagine what an inn would be like in this place.
“Inn?” She almost squeaked and Jack turned to look at her with confusion.
“Aye. Never heard of an inn?” He asked, but Gibbs elbowed him sharply on the side and glared at him. Jack cleared his throat before he spoke again.
“Sorry, love. I’m just tired.” He said and she bit her lip at the weary sound of his usually upbeat voice. Was she starting to tire him? Judging from the way he gazed ahead and by the purse of his lips she was probably right. She had already caused a problem with the crew even if it wasn’t her fault.
Gibbs noticed the change on her face and patted her arm encouragingly.
“They have very good food there, lass. Well, at least better than what we have to eat aboard the ship.” Gibbs said with a shrug and she gave a small, terse nod as she slowed down her footsteps to walk slightly behind Jack. She didn’t want to see his sour expression anymore, but it seemed like she wasn’t going to have her way on that either. Jack’s hand closed around her wrist and he brought her right next to him before he slid his arm around her waist to bring her closer to his lithe form.
“Stay where I can see you.” He said in a low voice as his eyes continued scanning the busy docks as if trying to find something, or more specifically, someone.
Gibbs looked at his captain and narrowed his eyes knowingly, but chose not to comment on the fact that Jack was looking for none other than Mrs. Turner herself. For what reason he didn’t know, but he was sure that if they met her it would not be a happy reunion.
“Sorry.” Mary mumbled as she was forced to walk very close to Jack while trying not to step onto his foot at the same time.
“Ouch!” Jack complained after the third time of her stepping onto his toes, “I need me toes, darling. Please, make sure I’ll still have them in the near future.” He said as he glared at her, but not menacingly. She ducked her head and muttered an apology again as she felt Jack’s fingers playing with the laces of her complicated dress. One of his fingers had managed to find a small slit in between the laces and he had succeeded in slipping that same finger inside the dress to stroke her through her thin shift. Her breath hitched at the caress, but she tried not to show her surprise by simply ignoring his nosey finger.
After a while they came to a stop and Mary looked up at the tall, but old building that lay before her eyes.
“Ah! Here we are.” Jack exclaimed as he moved back from her at last and casually slipped his fingers from her dress to take her hand in his. He pulled her firmly along as they entered the inn and started walking through people; smelly people. Mary’s nose scrunched up at the smell of smoke and alcohol mingling together. Her eyes blinked rapidly to adjust to the smoke and then they widened at the sight of men and women engaging in less than adequate things for a public place. She got a glimpse of naked flesh and she quickly turned her face towards Jack’s shoulder while squeezing her eyes shut.
“God.” She whispered in disgust as she let Jack’s scent slowly calm her.
Jack heard her whispered exclamation and he looked around him with interest. Nothing he hadn’t seen before, but that place sure had gotten worse since the last time he had been there.
Gibbs shook Jack to get his attention.
“Why did you bring her here?” He whispered roughly and Jack turned innocent eyes to him.
“Whatever do you mean, mate?” He asked, pretty sure that Mary couldn’t hear him above the noise.
“She could have stayed aboard. She looks like she’s ready to pass out from disgust.” Gibbs continued and Jack unconsciously squeezed Mary’s hand with his own.
“She’ll be fine.” Jack dismissed him, for he quite enjoyed the sense of power he felt at having the girl cling to him as if her life depended on it.
Gibbs regarded him with suspicion and with a simple look at his captain’s face he could see the reason he had dragged the poor thing along. He wanted to show her off to a certain someone; to Singapore’s new Pirate Lord. Gibbs mentally winced and shook his head as the three of them situated themselves to a table.
“Sit down, love. The chair’s not going to bite.” Jack’s eyes were dancing with amusement as Mary inspected the chair as if it was a big filthy chamber pot instead of a simple, old, wooden seat. Not wanting to attract attention, she quickly sat down and moved her chair closer to Jack’s…only to have him stand up suddenly. Mary almost whimpered out loud, but Gibbs slid his chair closer and smiled at her.
“Something’s wrong?” The older man asked as Jack squinted, still standing.
“I think I’ve found the person I’m looking for, Gibbs. I’ll just be a moment.” Jack said as he removed his hat and placed it on the table in front of his seat.
“What person?” Mary asked as she looked up at him.
“Nothing to worry your pretty little head with, love. Just stay here with Gibbs.” He offered her a quick smile filled with gold.
“But it’s-…”
“You’ll be the quiet biddable wife you’ve been so far and stay put. Won’t you?” He asked with slightly narrowed eyes.
Mary flinched back as if he had struck her with his hand and looked away.
“Good girl.” He purred patronizingly before he turned and disappeared into the crowd of people. Mary watched him as he passed through men and women, declining lewd female suggestions and proposals spoken in the foreign language on his way to the back rooms of the inn.
Gibbs patted her back to get her attention and she tore her eyes away from the crowd.
“What you want to eat, lass?” He asked and she shook her head.
“Nothing…”
“Nothing? I am sure you’re hungry. You sure look like someone who’s been used to eating well.” He commented and her face fell even more.
“No, no! I mean you have known better meals than stew.” Gibbs quickly amended the situation and she relaxed.
“That’s true.” She agreed and he chuckled.
“So? You want anything?”
“I-…I’ll just have what you’ll take.” She said quietly and the older man smiled before he went to order their meals.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo


Mary was almost done with her food when Jack appeared. Not that she had really eaten the chicken soup that Gibbs had ordered. She had tried, but the place and jack’s last words had left her with no appetite; and she usually had an appetite.
“Learned anything?” Gibbs asked, but Jack’s stormy face told him everything.
“No. Nothing. Bugger!” he hissed as he sat down next to Mary and reached for the bottle of rum that Gibbs had ordered. He took a long sip and then looked at the still full plate in front of Mary.
“Not hungry?” He murmured as his face softened. He knew he had spoken quite harshly before, but he hadn’t been in an exactly pleasant mood at the time.
“Nope.” She answered quietly and Gibbs turned away to give them some privacy.
“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.” Jack commented with difficulty and she looked at him.
“It’s alright.”
“No, it’s not alright. Don’t you have any nerves at all?” He asked her as he threw his hands up.
“Of course I do. I just save them for important things.” She said softly and he sighed.
“Oh, I see, I am not an important thing.” He hissed in a low voice.
“That’s not what I meant! Can I please go home?” she asked suddenly and he stared at her shocked.
“Of course you can’t go home! What in bloody hell are you thinking?” He asked loudly, enraged and she blinked.
“I meant the ship.” She stated matter-of-factly and it was his turn to blink.
“Oh.” His anger left as quickly as it came.
Did I just panic? He asked himself.
Yes. You’ve become a possessive old git. His inner voice mocked him, but he chose to ignore it.
“Yes, we can go. I’ll be back tomorrow to ask around…” he said as he could feel his cheeks flushing under her curious gaze.
“Gibbs, we’re going back to the Pearl.” He announced as he stood up and placed his hat on top of his head. He reached for Mary’s hand almost reflexively and brought her to his side before he started walking towards the door. Gibbs followed after grabbing the bottle of rum and they left the smelly inn.
The humid air hit their faces on their way back to the docks and Mary started feeling a bit tired. She subconsciously leaned slightly against Jack and he turned to look down at her head which was resting on his shoulder. He found himself grinning and he lifted his free hand to push back tendrils of her hair. She looked up at him and offered him a tired smile which he returned with a grin. Soon, they arrived at the dock and Jack gently shook her.
“We’re here, kitten. Go to…” He trailed off, but then his eyes lost their focus on her and settled on a slim female figure that was mere feet away from them. His eyes narrowed when the woman slowly turned until he could see her profile clearly. His hold on Mary’s hand didn’t loosen; on the contrary, it became even tighter, almost bruising. Mary followed his line of vision and she was momentarily stunned at the blonde woman’s beauty.
“Jack…Who is she-…” her question was cut off when the woman turned and saw them. Jack tore his gaze away with a hiss and focused on Mary again, this time cupping her face in his tanned hands.
“No one, love. She’s no one.” He said hoarsely as he held her face in his hands and then crushed his lips to hers in a sizzling kiss. Mary’s eyes widened at his action, but she didn’t move back. She leaned into him as his hands got tangled in her locks and his tongue flicked over her bottom lip before it slid into her parted mouth. She gasped at the sensation while Gibbs turned away with a blush on his cheeks.
Jack groaned low in his throat and as quickly as it happened the kiss was over. Mary’s eyes snapped open and she looked at Jack with wide eyes, her cheeks a nice shade of pink. Jack smirked at her and brushed his thumb over her lower lip before he turned to gaze at the staring Elizabeth Turner.
“Go inside, kitten. I’ll be there in a moment.” He said without looking at Mary.
“Alright…” she said softly, still shocked by his sudden kiss, before she made her way towards the ship,. Gibbs followed her with his head ducked.
“Well, if it isn’t one of me colleagues, the great Mrs. Turner.” He said as he gave a small, mocking bow and smirked at her arrogantly.
“Hello, Jack.” She answered back as they stood staring at each other haughtily.

End of chapter 14