The Map

A/N: Usual disclaimer.

Chapter 35

Ruined And Completely Undone.

Jack knew he had about an hour before he would need to put some sort of appearance on deck; he also knew how much damage could be accomplished in an hour. He was half kneeling beside her, but he was in serious danger of banging his head if he knelt up straight and he wanted nothing to stop this now it had started. He slid his hands up her sides, watching her face, grinning as she caught her bottom lip between her teeth at the sensations his hands caused; leaning forward he caught her lip between his teeth, tugging at it gently before plundering her mouth with an intensity that grew with each second that passed.

Nell was breathing hard when he finally lifted his mouth from hers and she clutched the material of his shirt as his mouth once again descended, his lips nibbling along her jaw line and down her throat until he was nuzzling the skin under her ear. Her reactions were instant and completely beyond her control; she wriggled under him gasping as fire raced through her veins. She felt his hands smooth over her hips and up her stomach till his fingers could deftly undo the ties that held her shirt together; he lowered his mouth to her collar bone, kissing and licking he worked his way down onto her breast. Nell cried out as his teeth found her rosy nipple and tugged, his tongue flicking out to caress as his teeth nipped her.

“Jack!” Nell was shocked at the sensations that spread downwards making her move against him. Her hands went to his hair, clutching against the cloth that covered the top of his head as his other hand moved and covered her breast and Nell thought she’d die. Her skin was on fire and her brain was shutting down, only the feelings that were building in her registered; the feel of his mouth and hands on her. She moved her hands from his head onto his shoulders, trying to slide under his shirt to touch his bare skin, wanting to feel him, to touch him as he was touching her. Jack lifted his head at her touch; moving so he could take his shirt off, his dark eyes watching as she nibbled on her lip again, her eyes heavy with desire and her cheeks flushed.

“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he breathed and in that moment he truly meant it. “You take my breath away, Nell.” He lowered his head and kissed her lips gently as his hands found their way to the top of her britches, and he made short work of the ties but made no move to take them off or open them. He moved slightly until he was straddling her, his hands braced on her hip bones as he leaned over her.

“Jack…” Nell couldn’t form any other word than his name as she lifted her hands to touch his chest tentatively. She could see several scars on his chest and her fingertips found one, running gently over the round dark mark, feeling the rough dead skin. He jerked under her touch and leant down, his hair brushing against her skin as his mouth went to her breasts again, making Nell buck upwards, a cry leaving her lips, as he worked his way down over her stomach, raining tiny kisses along the still pink scar that ran across her belly. His fingers were feather light as they followed the path his mouth had taken sending butterfly wings dancing in her stomach. She lifted her head slightly; her hands on his upper arms, running up and down his skin. He scooted down the bed using one hand to nudge her legs apart before he moved between them and leaned forwards, his dark eyes catching and holding hers as his mouth hovered over her stomach. She saw him grin wickedly at her just before he plunged his tongue into her belly button, making her cry out in shock and delight at the feelings that shot straight to her core. His eyes glittered as he watched her from under his lashes as he kissed and bit the sensitive skin in and around her belly button. She was leaning back on her elbows, her face a picture of desire that he’d take to his grave with him - she was shocked, he could see that quite clearly, and it amused and delighted him.

Jack lifted his head and blew on her wet skin watching as she shivered and wriggled under him. “Shocked Miss Nell?” he teased her gently, his eyes gleaming wickedly.

Nell gave a strangled cry, her head falling back as once again his lips and tongue assaulted her belly button. She felt his hands on her britches and realised with a sudden stab of fear that he was pulling them down and off her legs, not even mindful of where they landed as he tossed them. He looked up and saw the edges of fear in her eyes and it centred him slightly, it didn’t dampen his desire for her but it would make him careful with her.

“Nell…” he lifted himself slightly and she realised that he was sliding his own britches off. “Nell, don’t think, just feel,” he crooned as he settled against her again, and her eyes widened even further when she felt how hard he was against her thigh. His eyes watched her as he drew a finger down between her breasts, dipping into her belly button briefly before sinking between her legs. Nell arched upwards at his touch; the sensations threaten to overwhelm her as his fingers traced over her core gently stopping at her entrance. He resisted the urge to rub himself against her, he didn’t want to do anything that would frighten her too much, but his desire was building past the point of no return and he had no intentions of jumping the gun so to speak.

Her hands flailed slightly before clenching in the sheets beside her as his fingers remained perfectly still against her. She moved under him, the throbbing was turning into an ache that made her move in ways she didn’t know she knew.

“Jack, please…” she looked into his eyes; they were hooded, almost black with desire and need.

“My pleasure and yours,” he muttered and slid his finger into her. It wasn’t what she was expecting; the low scream that left her throat sent a bolt of lust straight to his loins. He watched her ragged breathing, her eyes closed, her head thrust back slightly and he groaned; leaning forwards, bracing his other hand on the bed, he kept his finger inside her, not moving, as he bent his head and caught her nipple between his teeth loving the low keening noises she was making in her throat. She was moving now, moving in a way that made him want to thrust himself into her until he was spent completely, but he hoped he had more finesse and more self-control than that, although at this point he wasn’t sure. He groaned low when she lifted her hips against his hand, rubbing her leg against his need.

“Don’t…” he growled, lifting his head as she slid her leg against him again. “I can’t…” he shook his head and began to work his finger inside her, his other fingers playing over her heated, wet flesh until she was shaking with intensity and crying his name over and over as he built her up, took her right to the edge. He watched with male pride as she exploded under his hand, shaking, and bucking against him as he sent flying over the edge. He didn’t wait for her to come down before he swiftly drew his hand away and settled himself against her entrance, straining against just plunging into her. He waited for some resistance from her, but she was so far gone she only lifted her hips in need, begging him with her eyes, words and body.

“So be it…” he ground out and slid himself into her slowly, stopping when he reached the barrier of her maidenhood. “Nell...” Jack lifted his head, the strain of holding himself back showed clearly on his face as he looked down at her and Nell lifted her head and kissed him fiercely, her teeth catching at his lips, making his control break and he thrust past her barrier, hearing her sudden cry of pain. He braced himself either side of her head on his elbows and held himself still, but she was so tight and hot that his eyes were almost crossing with the instinct and desire to sheath himself time and again inside. But he waited, watching her eyes at the sudden pain that replaced the desire in them. “I’m sorry,” he muttered dropping a kiss on her nose. “I can’t… I can’t…” Jack couldn’t stop – he would die if he didn’t have her now but he didn’t want to cause her any more pain. He felt her move beneath him and was taken aback when she lifted her hands and ran them lightly over his shoulders and down over his back to clutch his hips moving her own hips under him and Jack shuddered and began to move inside her slowly, feeling the tension in her as her body struggled to accommodate him.

Nell clutched at his hips, the pain than resonated from her insides out was beginning to ease; until he began to move, then she gasped at the tendrils of pain that spiralled outwards as he withdrew from her only to sheath himself into her again. She could feel him restraining, holding himself back and realised it was taking him a huge amount of self-control. A wave of love for him washed over her and she tentatively moved her hips under him, rising to meet his thrusts; she could feel her body begin to adjust to his size, the pain easing as each thrust brought him closer to the edge. She lifted her arms and brought her hands up to his neck, her fingers stroking his skin and Jack lowered his head to hers, kissing her lips before moving to kiss her ear and throat with unrestrained passion as he began to move faster, thrusting into her as his hands slid into her hair, bracing himself on his elbows as he drove faster and faster. The last tendrils of pain eased from Nell to leave her catching her breath as each thrust caught at her, sending a wave of pleasure through her. She could feel every inch of him in her, could feel the warmth from his breath on her ear, the weight of him and it felt right. She felt his hands at her knees, bending them upwards; she wrapped her leg round his waist and cried out as he began to move faster inside of her, she clawed at his back as he once again built sensations in her that threatened to blow her away again.

Jack could feel himself tighten, ready to explode in her and he shifted slightly, moving his weight. Needing to know she had come first, he rubbed against her as he thrust in and Nell keened, her finger nails raking his back.

"Nell!" he cried her name as he exploded in her, dimly aware of her own release as her muscles clamped down on him, milking him of his seed. He slumped down heavily onto her, still joined with her, burying his face in her neck as he came down from the incredible high she’d sent him on. Her breathing was as fast as his own and her hands were stroking lazily up and down his back, her legs still locked around his waist.

“Nell,” he lifted himself onto his elbows and looked down at her, his eyes searching her face for any lingering signs of pain. “Hold still…” he lifted himself away from her and rolled, taking her with him till they were lying face to face. Nell winced slightly at the stinging sensation that followed from him pulling away from her, but it passed and she reached up to stroke his face. He gathered her close, his mouth searching and finding her own as he stroked her hair gently.

“Aye, Nell you’ve completely undone me,” he sighed and slid his hand to cup her bare hip pulling her in close to him.

“And you’ve completely ruined me,” she replied quietly, loving the feeling of her legs entangled with his.

“Aye,” he lifted himself propping his head on one hand and looked down at her. He lifted his hand from her hips and traced a lazy pattern up and down her arm as she pillowed her head on her hands. “How do you feel?”

“Tired,” she sighed, her eyes wanting to close against the lethargic feeling that seemed to evade every inch of her. “Happy…” she peeped up at him. “I’m glad, Jack.”

“Glad?” he questioned as he traced his finger over her eyebrow, watching as her eyes drifted shut in sleep.

“Glad it was you, Jack, only you…” she mumbled as sleep claimed her completely.

Jack smiled gently and leant forward to kiss her forehead before shifting slightly and climbing out of the bed. He needed to clean up and go out onto the deck, despite his desire to curl against her and just hold her while she slept.

It took him a few minutes before he came to stand beside her; reaching down he drew the blanket over her naked form before standing straight. He grinned down at her and turning left the cabin, walking confidently down the dark cabin; the sun was beginning to creep over the horizon and the sky was lit with false dawn, but it did little to remove the shadows from the corners. He stepped out on to the deck and stretched, yawning, God he felt good and it had little to do with the harbour lights that surround the moored Pearl.

“Mornin’ Capt’n.”

Jack turned and saw Gibbs coming towards him, a grin on his face. “Sleep well, Capt’n?”

“You already know, you nosey bloody scoundrel!” Jack slurred good-naturedly, doubting that anything could ruin his mood today; until he saw the tousled head of Norrington appearing through the hatch. “Bloody idiot!” He crossed to his quickly and forced him back below following him down. “What are trying to do? Show your face up there and you’ll have half the village and every pirate docked fighting to have a piece of you. Stay below deck and don’t you dare show as much as your nose or I’ll cut it off, savvy?”

“We’re dressed like pirates,” Bryant cut in. “Who would know the difference if we go up for fresh air.”

“You stand out like a whore in a church!” Jack snorted, not in the least amused. “You fairly shout Navy and you certainly holler ‘Officers’ due to the stick that’s stuck up your arses!” He shook his head in exasperation, his beads swinging wildly. “You may want to pick a fight here, but I don’t. I have too much riding on what’s on this ship for you to throw it all away for me by having us attacked!”

Bryant snorted. “You’re a rich man by all accounts, you still hold the bearings to Isla De Muerta - what’s in the hold doesn’t even compare to half what’s in your caves there!”

“I wasn’t talking about what’s in the hold!” Jack snapped back and shoved him back forcibly with one hand. “Go back to your bunks, stay there till I say you can come out. You will be watched, if you make one move towards the deck you’ll be tied and thrown in the brig, savvy?” He didn’t wait for a reply, he turned on his heel, hands out-stretched and went back up the steps to the deck above.

“Bloody git!” Bryant snorted. “Ordering us around, what is it about the infuriating bastard that has you close to liking him one moment and hating his every breath the next.”

Norrington looked in surprise at Bryant’s words and he indicated with his head to go back the way they had come. “He’s a contradiction and now he’s also a person.”

“What?” Bryant looked back at him briefly in puzzlement.

“When he was aboard the Dauntless, he was annoying and mostly out of sight - he was a pirate and a devious one at that. Now… he’s more than just an image, he’s a person. He saved our lives more than once and in his own unique, truly annoying way he’s proved himself semi-honourable. How many other pirate captains in these waters would have saved us from the sea when Beaumont cut us free?”

“Sparrow does nothing unless he sees an advantage to himself. He probably was hedging his bets by rescuing us,” Bryant said as they entered the stuffy, cramped room that they’d bunked down in. He wrinkled his nose at the smell and shrugged as he sank into the hammock that was strung from the wood above his head.

“Of that I’ve no doubt,” Norrington agreed stretching out into his own hammock. “But he tried to save as many of my crew as he could, he had no reason for that. He’s dangerous, no doubting that, but sometimes I’d much rather have him beside me than half of my crew.”

“So I’m not alone in liking the bastard then?” Bryant said ruefully.

“No, you’re not,” he spoke quietly and looked across at him. “You don’t have to answer this, despite being your commanding officer.” Norrington waited a beat. “What are your true feelings for Nell?”

Bryant sighed heavily, staring at the ceiling. “Hopeless I’d say,” he replied softly.

“So you do like her?”

“More and more.” He turned on his side. “I wouldn’t say I’m in love with her, but I if I’m to marry then it’s very easy to envisage Nell at my side. But her heart lies with the bastard, doesn’t it?” he snorted in dry amusement but Norrington heard the pain there anyway and realised that Bryant was trying to fool himself about loving her.

“What is it about pirates that women seem to fall for?” he smiled gently, thinking over Elizabeth and his proposal and her rejection in favour of Will.

“Well…” Bryant laughed and the pain was no longer apparent. “I don’t suppose we can compete when it comes to caves of treasure.”

“Two excellent, admirable women and they both fall for pirates, and no matter how hard Will denies it, he is a pirate!”

“Make that three, sir,” Bryant said dryly and seeing Norrington’s look of confusion added, “Have you not seen the way Lady Clarence looks at Hock? That started before we went onto the Island.”

Norrington groaned and covered his face. “At this rate, when we arrive at Port Royal, we’ll have the clothes on our back and nothing else. Perhaps it’s time to retire to some plantation somewhere and spend my days sitting in the sun.”

“You despise slavery,” Bryant pointed out. “You’d free all the slaves and have to do all the work yourself.”

“No, I wouldn’t,” Norrington returned with a little bit of his humour surfacing again. “I’d have you to do all the work.”

Bryant snorted and turned on his side, careful not to upend himself onto the floor. “We could always stay with Sparrow and make his life a living hell.”

“While that appeals above all else, he’d maroon us before we could blink,” Norrington waved his hand.

“Then we’ll use the ten percent to build the fastest boat in the Caribbean and capture Sparrow.”

“Which, sadly, brings us back to our present occupations; I think we’ll stay with the Navy,” Norrington sighed. “Except the previous desire of seeing Sparrow swinging from a gibbet no longer holds the same obsession.”

“No,” sighed Bryant heavily. “We’re buggered aren’t we?”

“Indeed.”

A/N: Well there you go; they’ve got it together, please let me know what you think.

Thank you so much for your reviews, and for your emails, they keep me going. Thanks also to Hils and AniSparrow for continuing support.

About the Jolly Rodger flag…. There are lots of ideas out there about how it got it’s name… the general consensus is that it comes from the Jollie Rouge or Pretty Red which was their battle flag and stood for no mercy, no quarter given and was the most feared flag (even more so than the skull and crossbones as no prisoners would be taken if flying the red).

There is also a theory between the Templar Knights and red flag, being used when they were sailing on the open seas…. But then just about everything is attributed to this Catholic band of fierce monks so no surprise there really. Who here remembers the ITV version of Robin Hood (With Micheal Pread (sp?)) and the episode of the Knights Templars? I had a major thing for the main Templar…. Had to be the French accent… Goes off into fanciful day-dreams…

But the meaning I had Gibbs tell Nell is also a recognised theory… but they are all that… a theory. But this one fitted with Jack putting her at ease…. Sort of.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this. Have a lovely day!