A change in the winds

Chapter twenty-four: Explanations


Jack thought he had seen Kenna standing by the rail when he walked out of his cabin, but he couldn't be sure. He decided to test his theory and saw that he had been right, and that she was talking to Christian. Of course that snake had used the opportunity to harass her since they were fighting and therefore she would be an easy target. He shouldn't underestimate her though; she was too stubborn and independent to get tricked by him. He didn't believe she would give Christian a chance even though they were going through a hard time; she seemed to genuinely despise that man.

He caught her eye and saw her looking away quickly. Was it out of shame? Did she feel bad for being caught talking to Christian? This puzzled him greatly, forming wrinkles on his forehead.

''Are you all right?'' Kenna asked as she approached the wheel. Jack snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her startled.

'' I'm sorry if I startled you,'' she apologized. '' I wanted to talk to you, but if it's a bad time…''

'' What did ye want ta talk ta me about?'' he asked, trying to keep his voice light. Having her beside him made it so easy to just forget everything that happened and go back to things as they were, but he couldn't do that. He had to be strong and think rationally.

'' I think we should take this to a more private area,'' she said and Jack nodded in agreement.

'' We can talk in me cabin.'' He signalled Gibbs to take the helm and walked towards his cabin with Kenna following.

Kenna closed the door behind them and looked up at Jack who stood by his desk.

'' I noticed that you saw me talking to Christian and I wanted to tell you that I haven't forgiven him for what he did, I just didn't have the strength in me to send him off. He can be very persistent.''

'' Why are ye tellin' me this?'' Jack asked with a sigh.

'' I don't want you to think that I've changed my mind about him. I still love you.''

'' So what were ye two talkin' about?'' he asked, trying to sound uninterested but under the calm mask he was burning with curiosity.

'' You, actually…'' she said with a small chuckle and scratched her ear nervously.

'' Me? Why were ye talkin' about me?'' he asked stunned.

'' He wanted to know how we were and to give me some advice.''

'' Advice? On what?''

'' Us, our relationship...''

'' So ye be friends now?'' Jack asked with a hint of frustration in his voice.

'' No, we are not friends. Apart from you and my father, he's the only one who knows my secret.''

'' He knows yer secret? Why? Did ye tell him?'' Jack asked shocked.

'' No, of course not. He found out on his own. He caught me with my wings out.''

'' When was this?''

'' A few weeks ago.''

'' So he has known that ye're an angel for all this time?'' Jack couldn't believe his own ears. He had known the truth about his woman all along. No wonder he seemed so smug.

'' He threatened to tell you my secret if I wouldn't stay away from you. I had no choice. I knew that it would only make things worse if you heard the truth from him instead of me so I did as he asked.''

'' I don't believe this…'' Jack mumbled as he sat down in his chair by the desk and pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.

'' That's why you thought I was avoiding you. I tried to ignore his threat but he was always there to keep an eye on me. Then I found out about my powers and could fight him off. The burn mark on your door is evidence from our last encounter.''

'' Why didn't ye just tell me the truth? Why all this secrecy? How can ye expect me ta trust ye after all this time?''

'' We were doing so great. I didn't want to ruin it. My father kept pushing me to tell you but I was a coward. I knew it would be hard on you and I didn't want to hurt you.''

'' Ye don't think bein' lied to hurts? The fact that ye kept this from me hurts me more than the realisation of what ye truly are,'' he said, hurt evident in his eyes.

'' I'm sorry. I know I should have told you the truth as soon as I knew what I was. Every day I prayed for the strength to tell you the truth but when I saw your smiling face and felt your loving embrace I just couldn't destroy that happiness.''

'' How long have ye been keepin' this from me?'' Jack couldn't even look at her now and hid his face in his hand.

'' A few weeks. When my father joined us, he noticed the signs and told me what I had become. The transformation is supposedly activated on your eighteenth birthday.''

'' So you've only been an angel for a few weeks?'' He looked up from his hand surprised.

'' Yes. Well, actually I'm only a half angel. My mother was human.''

'' And these symptoms?''

'' It's supposed to start with a deep sleep and then you'll start hearing voices. I can understand every language in the world, including animals.''

'' So ye're not insane…that's good ta know,'' Jack said more to himself than her.

'' Later I found out that I had wings and could light a fire in my hand. I might also acquire other powers later on. I've not awoken the true angel in me yet.''

'' So how will that happen?'' Jack inquired curious.

'' I have no idea. I trust my father to help me with that when the time comes. He has been a great help in all of this. He knows how it is to love a human and how hard it is to be accepted. My mother didn't believe him at first, just as you did, but she soon realised that she loved him too much to let him go. I'm hoping that you will see that as well.''

'' It's complicated. This be a big bite ta swallow,'' Jack said with a pained expression.

'' I know. I'm ready to wait as long as you need. This was a great shock for me too so I understand what you're feeling. I don't want to lose you.''

'' How will I know any of this be real. I don't know how angels are. Maybe ye're just feedin' me lies ta get me ta keep ye on the ship.''

'' Why would I do that? What good would it do me? I don't care where you are as long as I can be with you. I love you. My mind hasn't changed though my body has. You felt my love for you last night. You felt my body close to yours. I'm just as human as I was the day I met you. My inner angelic heritance has nothing to do with my love for you.''

'' I'm still not sure I can trust ye. I feel like even after all this time I don't know ye at all.'' He shook his head with a sad frown on his face.

Kenna kneeled down beside the chair. '' But you do. You do know me. I haven't changed at all. I'm still the same person. My personality is the same, my love for you is the same, I even look the same - if you don't consider the wings.''

'' Ye're not the same. Ye're an angel now. Ye can fly, light fires in yer hand…''

'' I don't care. I would do anything to be human again. I don't want the wings or the other special powers. I just want to be with you.''

'' Ye don't get ta chose. Ye'll always be an angel,'' Jack said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

'' Why can't you be with an angel? What's so repulsive about it?'' Kenna asked, trying to conceal the hurt his words were causing.

'' It's not that. I may not be an expert on angels but from what I've heard, ye don't age. I don't want ta be old and gray and see ye realise that I be too old for ye. I couldn't stand it if ye left me.'' He couldn't conceal the hurt in his voice and Kenna felt her chest ache with him.

'' Is that what you're so afraid of? You think that one day I will just pack my things and go? Jack, I would never do that. I want to grow old with you, whether I'll be physically able to or not. Even if my body won't age, I will never leave you. You'll be just as handsome in your old age as you are now. Your heart will still be as kind and as loving as it is now. I will never stop loving you, not even if you'd loose a leg or an eye. I don't love you for the way you look, I love you for who you are.''

'' I know…I'm just not used ta bein' vulnerable. Ye've brought out a different man in me and I'm scared. I've never needed anyone until ye came along.''

'' It's all right to need someone. It doesn't make you weak. Everyone needs someone to take care of them, to love them and be there for them when needed. It doesn't make you less of a man. You can still terrorize the whole world and be on top, as long as you come back to me in the end,'' she said with a smile as she took his hand in hers.

Jack reached out to brush his hand over her cheek. ''How come ye be so wise? Ye always seem ta know what ta do in any situation.''

'' That's not true. I know nothing about sailing and pirating,'' she pointed out with a smirk.

Jack chuckled. ''How could I ever let ye go? Ye're the only person I know who can always make me smile.''

'' You don't have to. Give us a chance. If it won't work, we will feel it right away. I won't force you to stay with me if your love for me fades but I beg you to at least try to make it work out between us.''

'' I don't think I have a choice. Ye've swept me off me feet,'' he said in defeat as he reached out to raise her chin and leaned forward so their lips could meet in a soft kiss.

'' Ye'll have ta start at the beginning and tell me all ye know about yer heritance and how it works. There will be no secrets between us from now on,'' Jack said firmly but gave her a sweet smile as he rubbed his thumb over her cheek.

---

Christian turned back to his work when Kenna went to talk to Jack. He didn't like it but according to the look on Jack's face, he was not ready to forgive her yet. Maybe he never would. If that happened, she might change her mind about him. Jack, the perfect man in her opinion, wouldn't be as open minded and generous as she had always believed him to be. If Jack would disown her, she would fall apart. Then he could act as a comforting shoulder to cry on and perhaps convince her that he was the right man all along. This thought gave him great pleasure; nothing would taste as sweet as stealing the Captain's girl. No, not stealing, rescuing her from the pain inflicted by Jack himself. He had her but in his stupidity decided to be a wimp and chase her away. She would come running into his arms and his Captain couldn't do a thing about it.

Christian was grinning so widely that he was starting to scare his fellow crewmates. They didn't understand why he was so happy all out of a sudden and when a short laugh escaped his lips they gave him a concerned look and shook their heads.

Jack left the helm with Kenna following. They walked over to his cabin and closed the door. They didn't return and Christian was starting to grow inpatient. What could they possibly be doing in there? Jack couldn't have made up with her, he was far too angry for that to happen. Maybe she was bewitching him into thinking that everything was all right between them. Maybe they were having hot make up sex on his bed…

Christian shook the image out of his head. That couldn't happen. This was his time to shine. Jack was supposed to reject her and she would come running to him for comfort. Why do things never turn out as they should? Why was he always on the losing side? His sudden joy had now turned to flaming hatred, scaring the crew even more than the good mood had. No one changed moods so quick, not even their Captain.

---

Inside Jack's cabin, the lovebirds were talking.

'' I think that's all,'' Kenna said with a smile.

'' It's quite a lot I have ta admit…and there's more ta come?'' he asked stunned.

'' Yes, this is only the beginning. I can't say how much more I have yet to discover about myself but I'm hoping it isn't much. I haven't gone through any training and hardly ever used any of my powers so I'm far from knowing everything I can do. That's something my father can hopefully help me with.''

'' Well he should, considering that he also be an angel. There must have been someone there ta teach him,'' Jack pointed out.

'' He seems to know a lot about how this nephelim thing works so I count on him to be able to guide me.''

'' I have one question though, somethin' that ye haven't explained,'' Jack said with a thoughtful look on his face.

'' What is it?'' Kenna inquired curious.

'' Remember when I told ye about the time Christian swore he saw yer eyes glow in the dark?''

'' Yes, I do.'' Kenna said puzzled, not knowing where he was going with it.

''Well, I was just thinkin'…is that an angel thing?''

Kenna thought about it for a moment and then answered. '' I have no idea. My father hasn't mentioned it being possible. Why are you asking?''

'' Just curious…I want ta know everythin' about ye and how it all works.''

'' I'll be sure to ask him,'' she said with a smile. ''Anything else you want to know?''

Jack's face became troubled and Kenna raised a brow. ''What is it?

'' Last night, when we made love…'' Jack begun.

''Yes, what about it?'' Kenna inquired worried.

'' Well, ye see…ye sort of glowed.''

'' Glowed? I glowed? I didn't notice that I had…'' Kenna said shocked.

''At first I thought I was only imagining it but now that I know ye're not completely human I started ta wonder if it really happened.''

'' I guess my father could explain that too me as well…''

Her mind was still dazed with shock when Christian barged into the room, throwing the door into the wall.

'' What's goin' on here?'' Jack asked as he stepped closer to Christian with a hand on his sword.

''Ye've had yer chance and ye blew it, she be mine now.''