Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis, by Hellborne (the_ferret_mom@yahoo.com)
Pirates of the Caribbean – NC-17

Copyright: Characters, not mine, See the Mouse. Story, mine, but I make no money. He does, but not on this.

Typing convention. / and * are used for thoughts. * - * - * is used for scene or perspective changes, and elapsed time.

Summary: When checking out a port he’d never seen before, Jack runs into the WRONG woman. G/B, N/C, M/F, J/W, Slash, Lemon.

A/N: Hit that REVIEW button and let me know what you think of the experiment.

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Chapter 7 – Men and Menses

“Look here, James, no doubt they’re laughing at our expense.”

“True, but seeing Elizabeth laughing at all makes me happy. Jackie, how on earth did you manage it?”

Jack stifled her laughter. “Girl talk, you might say.”

Will raised an eyebrow at Jack. Elizabeth nodded. “Yes. Girl talk.” She could barely suppress her giggling long enough to speak.

James nodded thoughtfully, then smiled. “You’re right, Will. It IS at our expense.” He turned to Elizabeth. “It’s nice to see you two as friends, Elizabeth.”

“Jackie, my love, you’re going to have to let me in on the joke later.”

Jack shook her head. “This one’s too funny, William. Sorry. Perhaps if you were a woman, I’d let you in on it.” Both ladies started laughing hysterically again. Will and James looked at each other and shrugged, not understanding what could be so funny.

The rest of the evening went quite well; both ladies having good dispositions and rather talkative, giggling every once in a while at various random words as the men mostly listened, trying to make heads or tails out of what was being discussed. When the visit was over, everyone was tired, but happy.

“I’ll be over to your office by eight o’clock, James, for those orders. Thank you for keeping them for me.”

“Not at all. It’s my pleasure. Your work is extraordinary, and Jackie’s presence has made it even more so.”

* - * - *

“Jack, what were you and Elizabeth laughing about?”

“Just girl talk, William.”

“But you don’t know much about being a girl, Jack.”

“True. It was mostly about the differences between men and women.”

“You mean you told her who you are?”

“Yes. I also reminded her that we’ve been friends a lot longer than she thought. I convinced her I was not her enemy, and put her straight about your disposition.”

“What ‘disposition’ is that, Jack?”

“That I’m taking you with me on the Pearl once I get my body back.”

“Jack, I just received a large order from several admirals, four dukes, and King George himself, and those are just the important ones. I have over forty swords and daggers to make. I can’t just up and go.”

“So finish your orders, and THEN we’ll be on our way. I’m a patient man...er...woman.”

“Jack, these orders are going to make me a rich man.”

Jack batted her eyelashes at him. “I’ll make you richer. Rich beyond your wildest dreams, young William.”

Grinning, Will sauntered smugly up to Jack and removed her dress with practiced ease. Jack watched, enthralled, as Will bent in and took her nipple between his teeth, his hands cupping her breasts.

“Now STOP that, whelp! You do that every time I mention...ahh...mention...ahhhhhhh...William...make love to me.” Jack melted completely as Will reached one hand down and pushed two fingers into her moist heat.

Will’s eager mouth replaced his hand on her breast, his arm encircled her shoulders, bending her backwards, taking her weight, and continued kissing and sucking the sensitive nipple while he lowered a now wanton Jack to the living room rug. “I love you, Jack. Don’t leave me.”

Jack moaned as Will suckled one breast, grasping and fondling the other with his hand, plunging his manhood inside her. “Pirate...” she breathed.

Will didn’t spill until Jack was floundering beneath him, twitching uncontrollably and screaming his name in ecstasy.

* - * - *

Will heard the scream, sitting straight up in the bed. Jack was missing, but he wasn’t sure from which direction the scream came.

“William! Quick!” The panicked voice came from the water closet.

Will ran to the water closet, flinging the door open to see Jack with a great deal of blood on her hands and down her legs. “Jack! What happened?”

“I don’t know! I’m bleeding, hard. It keeps going, and my gut hurts. Get the doctor, quick!” Her hand went to the opening of her womanhood to try to stop the bleeding.

Will pulled his clothes on and flew down the stairs and out the door in a rush to find the doctor.

When the doctor, at last, saw her, Jack looked truly frightened. “Doctor, I’m bleeding and it won’t stop!”

The doctor looked her over, and shook his head in amazement. “Have you never experienced menses before?” Jack shook her head. “I find that difficult to believe, young lady. Nothing to worry about however. It is unusual, but not unknown. It’ll go away within a week. Get yourself some rags to use to staunch the blood. It’ll go away within a week.”

“A WEEK?! I’ll be dead by then!”

“Hardly. Women go through menses every month.”

“But it hurts.”

“Yes, I’ve heard it does. Just try to ignore the pain. If it gets too bad I’ll give you some laudanum.” He turned to Will. “Look out for mood swings. She can be your best friend one minute, and try to kill you the next. I don’t know if she’ll be affected that way, but it’s highly possible. I’m just surprised that she doesn’t recall having menses before.”

“I don’t remember her having it before.”

“Women rarely tell men of it. Generally they merely claim a week-long headache, hiding and washing the rags so that nobody knows about it.”

“I see. Thank you Doctor. I was afraid she was dying.”

The doctor chuckled. “Sometimes the women think they are, though it’s usually from the cramp pain, not just seeing the blood.” He left.

Will looked at Jack. “Apparently this is normal, Jack.” Jack groaned, cradling her stomach as Will rummaged in the cupboard and brought her some rags, as well as fresh underclothes. He then reminded her that he had to go to the fort. He didn’t bother telling her he’d be sending Elizabeth, who must surely know more about these “menses” than the little the doctor mentioned. Will kissed her on the forehead and almost ran out the door, leaving her pouting.

* - * - *

“William Turner! You promised me that you’d be home by nightfall! I made dinner for you; it’s cold now!” Jack was definitely not herself; screeching like a banshee had never been her (or his) method of showing anger.

Will tried to stay calm, be apologetic, but her tone of voice was quite shrill and decidedly getting to him. “I’ll eat it cold, Jack. I’m sorry I stayed late, but it couldn’t be helped. Twenty of the orders were already finished, thank God, but the other twenty-five are all custom orders, and each of them specifically requested to be made before all the others. The Commodore suggested they be done by rank, starting with His Majesty’s.”

“But I expected you home four hours ago! You didn’t come home! You didn’t send word! You just don’t care that I slaved over a hot stove in this sticky weather! You just don’t love me, do you?!”

“Of course I—“

“All you care about is that bloody smithy!” She grabbed a plate of food from the cupboard above the stove. “You want your dinner?!” She threw it at Will’s head. “Here’s your bloody dinner!” She glared icily at him; her eyes narrowed and Will’s grew large as she picked up a rather large butcher knife.

Will ducked the flying dinner just in time, looked at his lovely wife’s demonic mask, her ominous grin, the knife in her petit hand, and, choosing discretion over valor, ran screaming into the night, slamming the door behind him.

* - * - *

“Do you mean to say that’s normal?!” Will Turner held his head in his hands, elbows on the Norringtons’ kitchen table.

Elizabeth laughed. “Well, for some women, yes...though by Jackie’s age it isn’t usually so violent. She’ll get used to it eventually.”

James was confused. “You two talk about Jacqueline as if she were born yesterday! She’s a grown woman, Will...and quite petit as well. I don’t understand why you aren’t able to handle her.”

“James, she’s a dead-eye shot with pistol and knife, and every bit my equal in swordsmanship because she cheats. I’ll not face her with a weapon in her hands when she’s like this.”

“Again, though, when it comes to every day women’s behaviors, you speak as if she were born yesterday. Certainly she should be able to cope with this if it is such a regular occurrence.”

Elizabeth intervened, giving Will a meaningful look. “James, dear. There is something you don’t know about dear Jackie.” Will looked alarmed, but Elizabeth paid him no mind. “James, do you remember the Aztec curse from the Isla de la Muerta?”

“I don’t think I shall EVER forget that, my dear, but what does that have to do with ‘our dear Jackie’?”

“Darling, as you observed at the time, curses are very real.”

“Then Jackie is cursed?” James was incredulous.

Will interrupted. “No, Commodore. Jack Sparrow is cursed.”

At first, Norrington didn’t understand, then the light dawned on him. He was horrified. “That lovely woman you married is Jack Sparrow? How long have you known?”

“Only since the end of the wedding. That was when her—his—err...well...his memory came back to her. She didn’t remember being Jacqueline Smythe at all. That’s why I rushed her out of the church so fast.”

“And I kissed his hand!” James was appalled.

“I’ve done much more than that, James. But though she’s IS Jack INSIDE, he is still quite the beautiful lady outside.”

Norrington steepled his fingers, considering. “In light of the information you’ve just given me, I can understand why you ran.”

“Then you won’t hang her?”

James chuckled. “No...I think not. I believe that Jack Sparrow is getting punished quite enough the way he—err—SHE is.” He laughed. “However, if you so choose, I could have her put in the gaol until she can behave herself.”

“Thank you, but no. I’ll just sleep in my old bed at the smithy during these...’attacks’. Thank you, Commodore and Mrs. Norrington, for all your help. I’d thought either she or I were going crazy.” He shook James’ hand, kissed Elizabeth’s, and left, his nerves much calmer now that he understood what was happening.

* - * - *

Will woke to the soft caresses of his lovely wife giving him butterfly kisses on his eyelids. He smiled, opening his eyes and reaching for her; pulling her down on top of him and holding her tight. “I missed you, Jack. I pray you’ve recovered from last night?”

Jack looked at him with tears in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, William! I couldn’t help myself! I don’t know what’s wrong...” She started sobbing into the blacksmith’s tender embrace.

Will was confused. “First you try to kill me with dinner, and now you’re crying about it. This menses thing is a worse curse than the Aztec gold.”

“I KNOW!” Jack started wailing, clinging tightly to Will. “I don’t WANT to cry; but I’m SOOO sorry, I couldn’t help what I did!”

Will rubbed her back, moving his hand in circles. “Don’t worry, Jack. Whatever else this menses thing does to you, we’ll handle it together.”

“You’re too good to me, William. I wish there was a way to pay you back for all you’ve done for me!” She was crying so hard that her face was red and her nose was stopped up.

Will held her away far enough to see her face. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, my love. That’s more than paying me back for anything I could ever give you or do.”

She wiped her nose and eyes with her sleeve, still sobbing. “You’re only saying that so that I’ll stop crying!”

Will hugged her tightly. “No, I’m not, my darling Jack. I love you and HAVE loved you since the day I met you. Longer, as I’ve loved YOU since you gave your life to save mine.”

Jack bawled, weeping into Will’s shirt, “but I hadn’t planned on giving my life for ANYONE! All I wanted was my Pearl back!” She blew her nose on Will’s shirt. “I’ve been a greedy whore for so long that I don’t know HOW to be any other way! You don’t know how many times I almost came to Port Royal to steal you away from Elizabeth whether you wished it or not.”

“Jack, I love you. I wish that you HAD come to get me.” Will took her head between his hands and held it very close to his own face. “Jack, listen to me. You are the woman of my dreams. You are one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. You are equal or superior to me in every way. And in addition to all that, you’re beautiful. No matter how crazy this menses thing makes you, I’m not letting you go.”

“What about when I get my own body back?”

Will didn’t want to think about that. “Then I’ll give up the smithy and will go wherever you want. But what about if you DON’T get your own body back?”

Jack started sobbing again. “I don’t know what I’ll do if that happens!”

Will smiled. “Then you’ll stay with me until you get tired of me or one of us dies.”

“But I don’t want you to die!” Jack blubbered, the tears flowing relentlessly and her body began to shake.

Will pulled her to his side on the cot and held her as she cried into him, waiting for her sobs to subside.

* - * - *

That evening, Will walked in and found Jack at the vanity, washing her womanhood, streaming silent tears. She was totally naked, her face was bruised and her lip bleeding. When Will noticed she had several cuts of various sizes and what appeared to be bite marks on her breasts and shoulders, he wanted to weep. “Jack! What happened to you?”

Jack glowered at him, spitting some blood into the rag she was using. “Why are you here? You weren’t supposed to be home for another hour at least!” Her anger broke into sobs. “William, you have no idea what kinds of monsters there are around here!”

Jack’s entire demeanor was different, strangely unsettled, vulnerable as Will had never seen her, man or woman. She seemed skittish, downright jumpy; almost scared to death, but obviously trying to cope with whatever happened. “Jack, who did this to you? What all did they do?”

Jack shuddered as she started wailing. “It was horrible, William!” Sniff. “There were five men...” Sniff. Sniff. “They were in the alley I use to get home...” Sniff. “When I tried...” Sniff. “To get around them...” Sniff. “They...” Wail...Sniff sniff. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Hiccup.

She flinched away when Will tried to grasp her shoulders. “NO!”

Will pulled back as if his hands were on fire. “What’s wrong, my darling? I want to comfort you. Please calm down. Tell me what has happened.”

Jack reeled back, hurt and hatred in her eyes. “Calm down, is it? After five men take me by force?! It took ten guardsmen to arrest them! They all saw me! Everyone saw me! Even Commodore Norrington saw! How can I go out of this house and face anyone ever again?! How can you even want to touch me?! When I am this? When I’ve become filthy!” Her voice ended in a shriek.

Will wanted to vomit. His beautiful wife had been attacked and raped by thugs and it seemed that she thought the whole town had witnessed it! “My love, I’ll always want to touch you. I love you! So the men were all caught?”

Jack started crying again. “Yes. Then James put his coat on me and walked me home. Oh William! Everything was so simple as a man!”

“What do you mean?”

“When a man gets taken by force, he gets over it quickly, his main emotion being anger. Believe me, my darling...I KNOW. But being taken by force as a woman makes you feel so helpless and weak; it’s a horrible feeling, William. I’ve never felt weak in my life! Now, like this, I feel weak all the time. I couldn’t even defend myself against those ruffians. I’ve GOT to get my body back! This body is driving me mad!” Her tears fell freely.

“Don’t worry, my darling Jack. I’ll go talk to James and find out what will happen to those thugs. You just finish cleaning yourself and rest in bed. Do you want me to fetch a doctor?”

Jack shrieked. “NO! Not another man to look at me!”

Will put his hands up in a calming position. “Don’t worry, Jack. I won’t call on him then. Just calm yourself and rest till I get back.” He kissed her wet cheek and left.

* - * - *

“It was a horrible scene, Will. She was screaming and crying when we arrived. They had exposed themselves and one was forcing himself upon her, biting her on her shoulders and neck. From the looks on the guards’ faces, those brigands won’t be alive by morning. However, if they are, they’ll see the magistrate upon waking, and with my testimony and the guards who were with me, we shall no doubt have a first class hanging by the next morning. Jack has endeared herself to the guardsmen at the fort.” He smiled weakly. “I’m afraid they are all mildly jealous of you. Admittedly, even I’ve become smitten by her, though personally, I do suspect that at least part of it has to do with the curse, as her effect on men is most unnatural.”

Will nodded. “James, she doesn’t want to speak to the doctor because he’s a man. She won’t let me touch her, and she’s injured badly enough that I believe she SHOULD see a doctor.”

“I know a midwife that works with Dr. Edwards when she’s not delivering babies. I can have her sent to your home if you wish.”

“Thank you, James. That would be wonderful. Please do warn her that Jackie has the menses. Maybe she can help Jack with both problems.”

James considered. “Perhaps that’s why she’s behaving so oddly. I’ve never known Jack Sparrow to admit to ANY weakness, let alone using the word ‘helpless’. If he has, I’ve not heard of it.”

Will nodded. “Me neither. This menses thing seems to have tapped into her soul, drained all Jack’s strength of will.”

James sent Elizabeth to fetch the midwife and to do whatever else she could. They must help Jack.

* - * - *

TBC

A/N: Hey, remember to hit that REVIEW button on your way out!