Curiosity

Unthinkable

Everything was going according to my plan.

We had finally escaped the Locker and I had just managed to persuade Jack and Barbossa to go to the nearby island for fresh water...thereby leaving the Pearl in my command and giving Sao Feng time to catch up.

As the crew hurried around, preparing the boats, I unrolled the ancient charts and scanned them, glancing up warily at Jack. He was standing by Elizabeth, their hands almost touching. Although I now knew that she didn't love him, my stomach still churned with nauseating jealousy when I saw them together. I turned away, my head spinning, and almost stumbled as I made my way up to the helm, where Barbossa stood.

He looked as sick as I felt.

"Ready to go ashore?" I asked, noting with sudden concern the startling greenish tinge of his weathered skin.

"Aye," he muttered, gripping the helm tighter. I shrugged and turned away towards the shade of the cabin, following the direction of his unflinching gaze from the corner of my eye.

He was watching Jack and Elizabeth.

My heart leapt as I studied his reaction...with every glance, each touch, that passed between them, his mouth grew thinner and his frown darkened.

Below us Elizabeth ran a hand through her hair as she helped secure the boats, Jack watching her with lazy interest, his dark eyes running over her body. Resisting the overwhelming temptation to leap down onto the deck and cut his filthy throat, I watched as Barbossa's entire body tensed and his blue eyes narrowed...as if he too was fighting with his emotions.

As if he wanted to do the same thing.

My head was spinning even faster...what did this mean?

Did Barbossa want Elizabeth too?

Suddenly Jack turned and grinned up at us, recieving a stony glare from me and a ferocious scowl from Barbossa as he sauntered up towards us. "Nearly ready fer the off," he declared, caressing the smooth wood of the helm with a dirty, bejewelled finger. Barbossa grunted, his eyes on Jack's hands, and I watched from the shadows, seemingly invisible to the pair of them.

"How long are ye gonna continue ignoring me Hector?"

Jack's voice was shockingly tender and my eyes widened as Barbossa smiled slightly.

"Fer as long as ye continue to torment me lad."

Torment? What did he mean?

Jack moved like a jungle cat, fluid and lithe, slinking to his rival's side. Barbossa didn't move, only stared down at the commotion below them as a sly hand trailed down, unseen, to cup his...

I gasped silently, backing further into the darkness.

Jack was touching Barbossa's...he was touching his privates!

And Barbossa was letting him!

Jack seemed to find the older pirate's behaviour just as strange as I did, voicing his concerns in a hoarse whisper, "What's this then? Not complainin' now, are ye? Not like last night..."

Barbossa growled lowly, speaking from the corner of his mouth, "Ye hurt me last night Jack...thought it was my job to make ye squeal..." His own hand - larger, stronger - shot down to grip Jack's wrist, and he watched, his blue eyes shining with perverse pleasure, as pain twisted the younger man's features.

"You bastard..." Jack yanked his arm away from the iron grip and sauntered away with exaggerated sensuality, his rival's eyes glued to the liquid motion of his rolling hips.

Barbossa waited for a few moments, sighing heavily as he finally made his way down to the deck, leaving me wondering what the Hell I had just seen.

Barbossa and Jack?

Together?

How?

I blushed, thinking of them sharing a bed...I knew little of the human body and did not understand how they could possibly be lovers. I thought myself a tolerant person but the idea of them being intimate, like Elizabeth and I, was so alien...so frightening.

So unthinkable.

I shook my head and stumbled down to the boats, willing myself to act normal...but when I saw them, standing together, images of what I had witnessed at the helm began to flash through my mind furiously.

It was disturbing, unthinkable...and yet...

I was curious.

"Mr Turner," Barbossa's voice chook me roughly from my thoughts and I glanced up in undisguised relief, "Take good care of me ship...or there'll be the devil to pay!"

Jack coughed pointedly, "I think ye mean MY ship!"

Barbossa rolled his eyes, "No, I know exactly what I mean...now shut up!"

I choked back a laugh...

Perhaps they were perfect for each other!