Unforgivable

Hi! Me again....Shocking I know, but there is actually more plot than smut in this one!! Hope you enjoy it anyway....and don't worry the smut will be back!!!
And thanks again to all who have reviewed, here and at Tasty Pirates.....your kind words are my inspiration...

It was inevitable really, Gibbs sighed, watching her lean over the rail. Bound to happen sooner or later, given the amount of time they devoted to it - disappearing into his cabin every chance they got. Even when he wasn’t actually bedding the lass Jack could barely keep his hands off her. Couldn’t walk past without squeezing her waist or touching her fingers or running his hand over her backside! Not that the lady seemed to mind the attention – wasn’t averse to a little groping of her own, truth be told. Gibbs could’ve sworn she’d had her hand in a place it’d no right to be, except in private, when they’d all been sitting out on deck the other evening. Not that he could see for sure, but judging from the distracted look on Jack’s face and the way he was fidgeting….

And then there were the times when the groping and the touching took them further astray, so to speak. Only two days before he’d gone down to the rum locker and found Miss Elizabeth perched on a barrel, long legs wrapped around Jack’s waist. Gibbs had been treated to the sight of his Captain’s nether regions in all their naked glory, muscles quivering with every urgent thrust.

He’d made a hasty exit, the sound of Jack’s triumphant roar ringing in his ears.

All well and good, he thought now, but such pleasurable activity explored so thoroughly and so often came with a price. Although he’d not expected his wily Captain to get caught –at least, not so easily or so soon. Then again, he mused, he’d never seen a man so besotted with a female as Jack was with this one.…


Elizabeth sensed his scrutiny and smiled weakly. As he watched her walk away Gibbs frowned, wondering if the Captain knew yet. Somehow he doubted it. There’d have been….well, ructions if he did. Someone should tell him, if the lass wouldn’t. And as he’d known Jack longest and best out of all the crew, perhaps that someone should be him…..


Several uncomfortable hours passed by before the opportunity arose. Jack had sensed his first mate’s eyes on him more than once and was not unduly surprised when the older man appeared at his side.

Whatever it was, however, Gibbs seemed reluctant to share. Instead he stood fidgeting and clearing his throat until his Captain lost patience.

“Well?” he barked. “What is it man? Out with it!”

Gibbs swallowed nervously. Jack waited.

“It’s erm…its Miss Elizabeth, Cap’n. I’ve been watching her.”

“She makes for pleasant viewing, Mr Gibbs. But is she not a little old for you?”

His first mate groaned and shook his head.

“Captain….this is…..I don’t know how….”

Jack scowled. “If yer have somethin’ to say regarding Miss Swann, get to it.”

“I saw her – this mornin’. Afore you were up. She were…that is…erm……”

“For God’s sake, man!”

“Miss ‘Lizabeth’s got ‘er bellyful o’ you, Jack!”

Jack blinked. He opened his mouth, closed it again, and shook his head.

Gibbs sighed and gave his shoulder a comforting pat.

“Aye, lad. I know. But there’s no denying it.”

He watched the shocked man slump against the wheel, still shaking his head.

“No. She can’t be. Not true. No.”

“True enough, Jack.” Then, cautiously, “Did ye not think to be more careful, lad?”

“I were bloody careful!” He paused. “Mostly.”

“Well there ye have it then. ‘Tis the ‘mostly’ that’ll have done it. Happens every time.”

They stood in silence for a while, both lost in their own thoughts.

Then Jack straightened up and gave Gibbs a look that brooked no argument.

“Keep yer mouth shut, Mr Gibbs. The rest of the crew ain’t to hear of this.”

Aye Captain, ye have me word. But…they’ll know soon enough, even the daftest of ‘em. Soon as ‘er belly starts growin’!”

“I intend to deal with the matter long before that happens!” he growled. “Take the wheel. I’ve some urgent business to attend to!”

Gibbs watched him stalk away, and sighed sadly. Jack was vexed once again – and once again Miss Elizabeth Swann was the cause of it.

It was some time later that he spotted her emerging from Jack’s cabin. Gibbs studied her carefully, expecting reddened eyes and tear-stained cheeks. To his consternation she looked remarkably cheerful – if a little pale.

“I’ve come to relieve you, Mr Gibbs!” she announced.

“Are – are you sure you’re up to it Miss?”

“Up to it?” Elizabeth looked at him, puzzled. “Of course! Why shouldn’t I be?”

“Well – it’s just that – being – er – well – a little indisposed as it were...”

“Indisposed?” Suddenly her face cleared “Ah! You mean this morning! No I’m fine now Mr Gibbs!” She patted her stomach and smiled reassuringly. “Just a little too much of ….”

“Has it happened before, Miss?” Gibbs interrupted hastily, knowing full well what the Captain’s lady had had too much of.

“Well…of course, when I was a ch….”

“It’ll happen again no doubt Miss! But it’ll pass. As yer go on, it’ll pass.”

And Elizabeth watched him hurry away, feeling completely mystified.

In the darkest corner of the hold, the Captain of the Black Pearl finished his fourth bottle of rum and stared blearily at the floor. What had begun as a fortifying few gulps of courage before confronting Elizabeth had quickly become a concerted effort to drink himself into oblivion.

Sadly it wasn’t working. True, the room was spinning nicely and his legs seemed to have mutinied against the rest of his body when he’d last made an abortive attempt to use them, but the voices in his head remained annoyingly sober.

“Idiot!” one berated him. “Stupid, stupid, careless bugger!”

“It weren’t me who was careless!” protested the other. “I was bloody sleepin’!”

“Mightn’t have happened that time. Careless bugger!”

Not my fault. Not ONLY my fault.”

“Totally your fault. She’s a bloody child! An innocent!”

“She didn’t stop me. She wanted it. She bloody well complained when I WAS careful!”

“She didn’t know better. You did.”

“Got carried away. Got careless. It’s all my bloody fault!!!”

“Stupid, careless bugger!”

At least, Jack thought wryly, he agreed with himself on that point. He tried closing his eyes, but the visions that danced through his head were not comforting.

Elizabeth, writhing in agony on his bunk, staring at him with accusing eyes.

Elizabeth, her beautiful body swollen and ungainly, howling in pain as she convulsed and bled.

Elizabeth, her eyes dull and lifeless, slumped before him like a broken doll, the screams of the child she’d died for echoing through the cabin.

“No!” Jack’s eyes snapped open in horror. “No! I’ll not lose you Lizzie!”

Struggling to his feet proved a fruitless exercise, so he settled for crawling on all fours in the general direction of the door.

“Find Lizzie!” he mumbled to the floor. “Talk to Lizzie!”

Elizabeth was worried. Since that wonderful day when she’d confronted Jack in the hold, he’d seldom let her out of his sight. It was now several hours since she’d caught even a glimpse of him. With a sigh she scanned the decks again, but to no avail. Impatiently she drummed her fingers on the wheel and prayed for her watch to be over. Something was wrong. She’d no idea what, but something was wrong.

By the time Mr Cotton finally appeared to relieve her, Elizabeth’s mood was wavering between annoyance and anxiety. She set off to search the ship, telling herself to stay calm, trying to ignore the sick feeling in her stomach.

“Miss Elizabeth?”

Mr Gibbs appeared suddenly at her side, his weathered face creased with concern.

She took a deep breath.

“Do you know where Jack is? I need to…I need to speak to him.” She forced a laugh. “I’m beginning to think he’s avoiding me! I’ve not seen him for hours!”

The reassurance she’d expected was not forthcoming. Instead Gibbs frowned and nodded.

“Aye Miss. Seems ye might think right.”

She stared at him, eyes narrowed.

“Mr Gibbs? What do you know? What has he told you?”

“Not for me to say, Miss. Tis a’tween the two of you.”

Before she could respond he gestured towards the steps.

“I’ll help ye find him. Then ye can ask ‘im yerself!”


When they reached the hold and found Jack’s body sprawled in a damp, ungainly heap on the floor, Elizabeth’s heart stuttered in her chest. She remained frozen to the spot as Gibbs hurried to his side.

“What’s wrong with him? Is he...”

“Drunk, Miss.”

“He’s – he’s what?”

“Drunk!” Gibbs repeated grimly. “Dead drunk and passed out cold!”

Elizabeth erupted.

“Of all the stupid….drunk! I’ve been worried sick and all the time he’s been down here getting drunk!”

A weak moan came from the heap on the floor. She stalked closer.

“You idiot! You thoughtless, selfish, self-centred….PIRATE!”

The heap moaned more loudly.

Before she could scream any more, Gibbs took charge.

He put an arm around Jack’s shoulders gave him a gentle shake.

“Shall we get ye up to yer cabin, lad?”

The sympathy in the older man’s tone was too much. She glared furiously at her lover’s bent head.

“Leave him here, Mr Gibbs! If he finds pleasure in drinking himself to a stupor, who are we to stop him? Let him lay here in the filth, if it makes him happy!”

Gibbs ignored her, avoided her gaze as he gently manhandled his teetering Captain to a more or less upright position.

“Come on Jack! Ye know there be no sense in this….. get to yer bunk and sleep it off!”

Elizabeth made no attempt to help, blinking back angry tears as the two men shuffled slowly towards her.

“Not the cabin!” she hissed as they drew level with her. “I refuse to share sleeping quarters with an inebriate!”

Before Gibbs could protest, Jack nodded – then winced in pain.

“S’okay” he mumbled.

She maintained her rigid stance until they were out of sight, then slumped against the wall, the tears she had held back spilling freely down her cheeks. Jack’s behaviour had angered and disappointed her – but it was worse than that. She knew him well enough by now to realise that something dire must have happened to make him behave like this.

“Why didn’t you talk to me Jack?” she whispered to the silence. “Why didn’t you trust me enough to talk to me?”