Proffitable Affairs

Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.

Chapter 18


Mary was slowly awakened from her light sleep by a gentle hand sweeping away hair from her cheek. She groggily opened her eyes and looked up.
“Come on, love. You can have the bed. I’m going out.” Jack said as he quickly took his hand away from her hair and pulled back.
Mary shifted on the chair and pulled down her blanket as she slowly sat up.
“What time is it?” she asked without looking at him. All night he had been trying to bring her back to the bed but she had stubbornly ignored him every time he had tried.
“It’s after seven. I’m going to gather the crew.” He said gruffly as he straightened and pulled on his coat.
“Oh…We’re leaving?” She asked as she stood and started folding the blanket.
“Aye…We have to move on…Do you…need something before we go?” he asked hesitantly and she bit her lip.
“Actually…are there any spare cloths? Rags?” She murmured as she looked around the cabin nervously.
“Rags? What do you need rags for…?” He muttered confused, but when her cheeks flushed bright pink he grimaced with realization.
“Yes, there are some. Right in that small chest over there.” He said quickly with hand gestures and she nodded.
“Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it.” He mumbled as he turned to walk away only to stop mid step. He bit the inside of his cheek before he decidedly turned towards her again. He walked back to her and gently placed a hand to her cheek before he briefly kissed her temple. He lowered his lips to her ear and spoke quietly against it.
“I’m sorry about last night.” He murmured as he pulled back and tucked some hair behind her ear, “Oh, and please don’t sleep in that bloody chair again. Otherwise I’ll never have some shut eye ever again.” He ordered with a huff before he turned and exited the cabin, leaving her to stare after him dumbfounded.
What was that? Did he just apologize to her?
“I think I’m hearing things…” she whispered as she stared at the closed door with unblinking eyes. Realizing that she probably looked like a fool standing there, she shook her head and picked up the blanket from the chair and brought it to the bed.
“He did apologize.” She muttered after a while and a small smile appeared on her traitorous lips despite her will.

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Days later….


Jack let go of his compass and buried his face in his hands. He rubbed his tired eyes and stretched back in his chair with a yawn. He had been sitting there for hours, studying the map and trying to understand it, but he had no such luck. Nothing was clear upon that bloody thing.
“Well, that’s it for tonight.” He muttered decidedly as he pushed back his hair loudly, grimacing as he did so.
“Shh!” he hissed at the chair as his eyes settled on the bed and right upon the sleeping form of Mary. His eyebrow rose in amusement at the sight of her sleeping onto his side. She never did that. She always kept her distance while on the same bed with him. Chuckling quietly to himself, he approached the bed and sat at the edge of it for a moment before he moved closer to her. He slid one arm under her back and the other under her knees and slowly placed her on her side so he could slide in next to her. She didn’t wake up.
He removed his shirt and lied down before he quickly rolled to his side, facing her. He sighed and looked at the inviting swell of her breast.
Gather yourself! He scolded himself, but his hand had already reached over to brush over her neck. He had managed once to sleep snuggled up next to her with his head on her chest, but when she had woken up and found him like that she had gotten angry and decided not to speak to him for two days. After that he had avoided going too near her in his sleep. He had difficulty doing so however. Her warmth and softness were more than appealing at nights. He had to admit that it was kind of nice sleeping close to someone.
“What are you doing?” Her sleepy voice almost made him jump.
“Nothing!” He replied too quickly and then looked at his hand which was now on her shoulder, playing with the strap of her nightdress. He took it back jerkily and she blinked at him.
“I meant what are you doing awake so late?” She asked more specifically as she ignored the tingling sensation his hand had left on her shoulder.
“I was just trying to figure out your mother’s map.” He said with a sigh as she turned onto her right and looked at him.
“Any luck?” She ventured quietly as her eyes fell onto one of the many tattoos on his chest.
“Nope.” He muttered tiredly, ignorant of her eyes upon his flesh.
“Can’t you just…” she trailed off as she took her eyes away and looked at his charming profile, “Can’t you just go with it?” She finished quietly and he chuckled as he looked at her with half lidded eyes.
“I would if I knew at what spot of the bloody map to look.” He said as he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.
“You’ll figure it out.” He heard her mumble and he looked at her surprised.
“Will I?” he asked with a smirk and she opened one eye to nod at him. He chuckled and once again let his fingers play with the strap of her clothing before he let it slide down her shoulder. Mary inhaled sharply and then soon after felt his mouth on her shoulder. His hand slid up her neck and sank into her hair as his lips gently nipped at her skin, drawing a gasp out of her.
“Come closer.” He muttered against her skin as his hand slid around her back to pull her into his body. His lips left her shoulder and ran up her neck while she gasped for breath. His lips were inching closer to hers when something made the entire ship shudder. Jack’s hands tightened around her as his head shot up in alarm.
“What the hell-…” He cursed as another loud crush destroyed the night’s silence.
“Canons.” Jack hissed as he pulled back from Mary and reached for his shirt. He hurriedly slid out of bed just as Gibbs started banging on the door.
“Jack! Canons!” He yelled just as Jack opened the cabin door and glared at him.
“Really? Tell me something I don’t know.” He hissed as he walked out of the cabin and looked at the sea. His eyes widened before he turned to Gibbs.
“Order the men to return fire. It seems like we have disturbed someone.” Jack said as he walked back to his cabin for his effects.
“What’s wrong?” Mary asked as she sat up and looked at him alarmed.
“Someone’s attacking us.” He hissed as he checked his pistol.
“W-who?” she stuttered and he looked up her.
“You stay right in here. I won’t have you wandering around the bloody ship right now. Understood?” he hissed at her with a warning glare and she quickly nodded. Seemingly satisfied with her answer, he nodded and walked away, shutting the door behind him.
After that all hell broke loose.

End of chapter 18