Evangeline McKenna has won Jack Sparrow's heart. Now, as she joins him again on his beloved Pearl, outside forces threaten to tear them-and everyone else-apart. The crew teams up with new and old forces to defeat a wealthy man in London who wants no...
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Evangeline stood outside the Teague home, drumming her fingers against her leg as she waited for Jack in the humid night air. The streetlamps had been lit, and for the first time since arriving, she saw people out and about, milling around the shipwrecked shops and houses. What would it be like, she wondered, to live here? Would there be the constant threat of attack, of fights in the streets between crewmates or Lords, or would it be a quiet existence knowing that you were raising a family in a fortress? Geline saw a woman, not much older than herself, walking past with two young children on each side of her, two boys holding her hands and giggling as they skipped every other brick in the street. That could be me, she thought, I could be that mother in another life. And yet she so loathed the idea. She had never felt a maternal desire. To be in charge of and care for another human being in such a world...
Her thoughts were broken when she saw Jack walking towards her from around the corner. He had not yet seen her, however, and instead saw the young boys skipping earnestly in his direction. He smiled and said something to the mother as he lowered himself to the children, playfully ruffling their hair and allowing them to pull their wooden swords from their belts to attack him.
Geline could hear his deep laugh dance into the night as the boys overtook him, their mother lightly reminding them to be careful. Jack stood up, one boy over his shoulder, the other smacking him repeatedly in the thigh with his weapon. The mother must have announced that the game was over, as the boy attacking Jack stopped and pouted, slinking back to his mother's side. Jack handed the other boy over, gently swinging him from his shoulder to the ground, and when he looked up from the family, he caught Geline's eyes.
Jack gave her a nervous smile; he had been caught in the act. Again, he ruffled the boys' wild hair and then gave the mother a light kiss on the cheek, sending them on their way. He had known them, and Geline wondered how often the boys had tumbled around the city with Jack, playing and giggling. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked towards her, smiling wide.
"Sorry," he said once he reached her, "Didn't mean to get caught up."
He was dressed down, more than half his effects had been discarded and he had come to her nearly bare. A clean, white cotton shirt, half unbuttoned, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Dark breeches and an understated belt.
"You do not have to apologize. You look handsome."
He smirked and looked her over, his eyes gleaming from the lamps.
"Are ya ready? I'd like to show ya something."
She nodded eagerly.
"Alright," he whispered, taking her hand. "Come with me."
Jack quietly guided her through town and every so often, his thumb would graze hers gently. He was there with her and she with him. They didn't need words for now. Geline used to have nothing but words to say to him, floating around in her head all day long, part of her hoping he could hear them and the other part terrified that he would hate them if he did. Then they were walking past the town center, the lights fading behind them, into the dark, and towards the water.
