Proffitable Affairs

Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.

Chapter 15

Jack regarded the woman in front of him with a dull, almost disinterested expression on his face that wasn’t fake. He was shocked to realize that her presence didn’t irk him as it should have done a few weeks earlier. Her presence didn’t make him feel happy, quite the contrary. In fact, he was more interested to know Mary’s thoughts on their kiss than sit there looking at the mighty Mrs. Turner.
“I’m surprised to see you here, Jack.” He heard her voice say and he snapped out of his daze. He licked his lips quickly and shrugged at the pretty woman in front of him.
“It’s as good place as any this one. Besides, I need some information.” He said as he rested his hand on his pistol and took a look around.
“Information? On what?” She asked with a quizzical brow and he grinned.
“Now that is a personal question, love. Why don’t you tell me how you managed to acquire this beautiful ship instead?” He asked as he waved his hand over the vessel that stood proudly next to his precious Pearl.
“Oh…that. I got it as a gift.” Elizabeth said as she looked at her ship.
“Gift? Someone felt quite generous. And what-if I may ask-did you do to deserve such a gift?” He asked with a raised eyebrow and she frowned.
“I am the Pirate King, Jack.” She stated quite proudly and Jack grimaced.
“Yes, I am aware of that. I helped on that, but no one gave me any presents.” He pointed out rather sourly.
“Only because it suited your purpose.” She said matter-of-factly.
“A purpose I gave up to save dear William.” He fired back in fake sweet voice.
“Indeed…” She said as she pushed her golden hair away from her face.
“So, who bought you that ship? Dear William? Or perhaps a lover? Oh, has sweet, proper Lizzie turned naughty?” He drawled with a lopsided grin. Her scowl was enough to make him dance around in success.
“For God’s sake, Jack. Not everybody is as immoral as you are.” She said with her hands on her hips, “For you information, I had it made.” She stated rather proudly and Jack huffed.
“Why am I not surprised? I suppose normal, ordinary ships are no match for your…highness. And what gives you the idea that I am that immoral?” He asked with a curious expression.
“Please, I saw the poor girl you had with you a few minutes ago.”
“And?” He voiced blankly.
“It’s obvious that she’s not your kind. What on earth is she doing with you?” Elizabeth asked out of pure curiosity.
“What exactly would be my kind, Elisabeth?” He asked as he crossed his hands in front of his chest and looked at her expectantly.
“A Tortugan whore would be more appropriate than an obviously well brought up girl.” Elizabeth answered spitefully and Jack grinned.
“Ouch, that hurt me heart. By Tortugan whore did you mean yourself?” He shot back venomously, but she only shook her head.
“I heard that you married some poor girl to get to the Fountain of Youth. Is that true?” She asked instead.
Her indifference towards him angered him.
“What’s to you?”
“Curiosity.” She stated and he chuckled.
“Well, you sure have plenty of that.” He suddenly got serious, “Curiosity ate the cat though, love. Beware. Anyway, if you really must know why don’t you ask around? People will tell you that the well brought up girl you saw a few minutes ago is, in fact, me wife.” He said as he inspected his ringed fingers.
“You are teasing me.” She said and he looked up at her.
“Now, why would I do such a thing?” he answered wearily and she blinked.
“Why would you marry her?” She sputtered after a while and he smirked inwardly.
“’Cause I love her. Why else?” he replied casually, but Elizabeth laughed.
“Good God, Jack. Who would ever believe that? You, marrying a woman like her without having anything to expect in return? Don’t make me laugh.” She said and he suddenly got angry. Why couldn’t he? Did everyone think of him to be so insensitive about women?
That’s because you are insensitive when it comes to women. You only married Mary to profit from it. Remember? His inner voice chirped in and he scowled.
“I had no intention to make you laugh, love. If you carry on with that chuckling I’ll take it as personal offence against me wife.” He said rather sourly and Elizabeth stopped smiling.
“Pardon me, Captain Sparrow. I suppose you do at least know her name?” She asked with mirth and Jack rolled his eyes.
“Her name’s Mary.” He answered in a flat tone and Elizabeth nodded.
“Well, give Mary my condolences. She’ll need them if she’ll spend her life with your lying schemes. Have a nice night.” Elizabeth excused herself and walked away towards her ship, leaving Jack fuming behind her.
“Well, I bloody changed me mind. Her presence makes me to want to kill meself!” Jack hissed through his teeth as he turned and started pacing up and down the dock to clear his mind.
You still like the fact that she’s a spitfire. It makes your blood pound harder, doesn’t it? His inner voice asked as he stopped pacing. He slowly turned towards his ship and raised his fingers to his lips.
No, I don’t. No, I don’t mate. He answered as a self-satisfied grin spread onto his lips. With that, he pulled his hand away from his mouth and headed for the Pearl.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo


Mary was changing into her night clothes when a quick knock on the door announced Gibbs’ entrance.
“Sorry, lass. Got something for you.” He said as he brought in a steaming mug of tea and handed it to her.
“Oh, my God…Where did you get this?” She squealed as she happily inhaled the scent of the hot liquid.
“Oh, I bought it for the lady of the ship. A little bird told me you like it.” The older man said kindly and she smiled before she took a small sip.
“Thank you.” She said quietly and Gibbs cleared his throat before he spoke again.
“You have to excuse Jack about before, lass. He didn’t mean to offend you by um…” he trailed off and Mary looked up.
“By kissing me?” she offered and Gibbs nodded.
“Aye. He probably wanted to annoy our King.” He said with a grimace and Mary felt as if a tone of bricks landed on her chest.
“King? D-do you mean the woman at the docks?” she asked and he nodded.
“Don’t say anything, but the captain has it bad for her…At least I think he still does.”
“Oh…that’s alright, I guess…It’s not like I didn’t knew he was up to something.” She lied and the older man smiled. It was a pity smile; that much she knew.
“Well, I’d best be off. Night, lass.” He called as he opened the cabin door and walked out.
Mary looked at the tea and realized that she no longer wished to drink it. She had lied before. She had naively believed that Jack had kissed her because he had actually wanted to or that he was at least a bit tipsy enough to want to kiss her. She hadn’t thought that he had kissed her to annoy the woman he actually desired. She hadn’t thought of Jack actually pining for a woman. She didn’t think it was in his nature to cry over a woman. The thought of being used as leverage to get to someone else made her stomach churn and she put the tea on the nightstand. She collapsed on the bed and rubbed the back of her head to release some of the tension and soreness she felt there.
At that moment the cabin door opened again, but she knew it was not Gibbs. She didn’t need to turn to know that it was Jack. She had grown accustomed to the sound of his boots thumping on the wooden floor.
She removed her hand from neck, but Jack had already seen her rubbing her sore muscles. He locked the door and removed his coat along with his sword and pistol. He placed them in a vacant chair and started walking towards the bed. By the time he was close, Mary had lied down facing away from him. He frowned at that, but got on the bed nonetheless.
“Alright, love?” he asked quietly as he settled on his knees next to her and reached for her shoulder. She tensed under him and then moved her shoulder out of his reach.
“Come on, turn on your stomach.” He commanded and she turned her eyes to him.
“What?” she asked wide eyed and he chuckled before he started rolling her over himself.
“Relax, kitten. I saw you rubbing your neck.” He said as he placed his hands on her neck and started massaging it gently, but firmly.
Mary’s eyes narrowed in anger at her body’s reaction to his touch and she tensed up again.
“Don’t call me that.” She whispered, but he didn’t hear her well.
“What was that, love?” he asked as his fingers pressed against her shoulders next.
“I said don’t call me kitten or love or any other pet names you think that’d make me happy.” She said more clearly and he paused before he carried on with his ministrations.
“Did I do something?” He asked and she flinched at the question.
“Why are you rubbing me?” She muttered and he frowned.
“Eh? I thought you needed it and since I don’t have anything to do…” He trailed off, but she suddenly shrugged his hands off of her.
“Is it perhaps a thank you?” She asked as she turned onto her back to look at him.
“A thank you for what?” He seemed confused and she closed her eyes briefly.
“Please, Jack. I am not that foolish.” She whispered and he settled back on his knees.
“I never said you were, darlin’. What’s this all about?” He asked though he feared that he knew.
“Why did you kiss me?” She asked boldly and he almost winced.
“Because I wanted to.” He said quietly and it was partially true. He had wanted to kiss her for days.
“Liar.” She accused and he chuckled, thinking she was simply joking.
“Nope, I’m not lying, love.” He said as he reached over to sink his fingers in her hair. She slapped his hand away.
“Yes, you are. And it’s not bloody funny!” She screeched and his eyes widened in shock as she sat up and pulled the covers tightly around her shaking body.
“Kitten…what’s this about?” He asked gently.
He hadn’t thought the evening would turn out like that. He had thought about getting into bed with her, but not like that.
“From the moment I met you my life is even worse than before. I’ve been lied to, I’ve been used as a mean to an end and I’ve been dragged upon a ship. I’ve been spending my life with people who either don’t know me or just don’t care whether I live or die!” She finished as her eyes filled with tears.
Jack watched her shocked for a while before he parted his lips to speak.
“That’s not true, Mary.” He said at last and she laughed bitterly.
“Really? Let me ask then, did you manage to make the pretty woman jealous by kissing someone like me?” She asked and he blinked.
“What? That’s rubbish and you know it.” He said, feeling somewhat bad by her assumption.
“Do I? Why would I know it?” She asked as she shivered.
Jack noticed and reached for her back with his hand, but she once more flinched.
“Don’t-…”
“You’re shivering, kitten.” He stated concerned and she sighed.
“I can’t reason with you.” She said shaking her head and he moved his hand away.
“You’re thinking crazy things, love. Nothing of what you’re thinking is true.” He said tiredly.
“You love her, don’t you?” She whispered shakily and he froze.
“What?” He squeaked incredulously.
“The woman we saw. You love her.”
“Elizabeth?” He sputtered and she swallowed hard.
“I don’t know her name.”
“There is no need for you to know her name. I don’t think it has anything to do with you or our situation, but no, I do not love her. I don’t believe in that word, love.” He said and she blinked.
“Why not?” She asked cutely and he chuckled softly as he pushed a lock of her hair behind her dainty ear.
“Because it doesn’t exist.” He stated softly and she stared at him.
“You don’t believe in love?” She spoke carefully.
“I don’t. Why? Do you?” He asked as he kept twirling a lock of her hair around his finger.
“Perhaps.” She whispered as she looked away from his chocolate eyes.
“I never do something that I don’t want, love. Remember that.” He said as he leaned over and kissed the shell of her ear. Mary almost jumped at the touch, but his arm was quick to lock around her waist to keep her there. He smirked when he felt her shudder, but he was not prepared for the shove she gave him next. He fell back on his back while she stood up and glared down at him. At that moment he realized that she was probably the prettiest thing he had ever seen.
“It’s not funny, Jack.” She hissed before she walked out of the cabin, slamming the door shut behind her.
Jack sat there in bewilderment, staring at the door.
“What the hell…I didn’t even do anything.” He mumbled as he sat up to think.
“She thinks I’m playing with her.” He muttered.
Aren’t you? His annoying inner voice asked.
No…Maybe I did before…Only a little bit...But bloody hell, I wanted that kiss! He thought fiercely as he stood up and started pacing, thinking how the whole thing went wrong.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo


Two hours later he finally found her in the galley stairs; asleep. He sighed and looked down at her.
“Bloody hell…” He muttered as he leaned down and slid an arm under her knees and wrapped the other one around her back. He took a deep breath and lifted her up in his arms with a gasp.
“Oh, bloody-…” He gasped when his foot got tangled at the end of her night dress and he fell promptly onto his back with her still in his arms. Mary barely shifted and he raised an eyebrow.
“Love?” He tried as he winced because of his sore back. He didn’t let go of her though.
“You fell?” She asked sleepily and he blinked.
“Aye. You didn’t feel it?”
“Hmm, I did… You can pull yourself up. You’re the Captain Sparrow, right?” He heard her mutter against his neck and he smirked despite himself. He took another deep breath and managed to stand up with her. He grinned triumphantly and ignored the pain on his back as he took her back to the cabin. He placed her on the bed with a gasp and then straightened.
“Oh, fuck, love…” He cursed and he got a kick against his leg in response.
“I am half asleep…not deaf.” She murmured as he rubbed his sore thigh.
“I noticed…” He trailed off as he clasped the hem of his shirt and pulled it up and over his body. He got under the covers and immediately snuggled up behind her, rubbing up against her. He slid his arms under her and firmly pulled her to his chest.
“I hate you right now…” she murmured and he kissed her clothed shoulder as he pressed his hips against her behind and tangled his legs with hers.
“I know, love…I know.” He whispered but he knew she was already asleep.

End of chapter 15