Adeena Cole: At World's End

Chapter Seven: Sirens

Jack watched Adeena's peaceful, sleeping face. He had been about to tell her it wasn't even close to night, but she was exhausted, he could tell. He smiled, thinking about the recent highlights of his day, then frowned, his brow furrowing.

He couldn't figure out, for the life of him, why he loved Adeena. What was so different about her? He'd had 'stirrings' for others before, but none quite as strong as the ones he had for her.

She was feisty, she had a temper, she'd made that clear. Jack liked that about her, her fiery personality. The way she just swore for no reason was very endearing. And she was beautiful, no one could deny it. Her bright green eyes, her high cheekbones, her perfect smile, wonderful curves...and, of course, she was that one in a million female pirate.

The thing that made her so different, Jack supposed, was that she drove him mad.

She was so infuriating, they argued all the time. But somehow, in the end, she always ended up back in his arms. He'd nearly gone doubly insane without her in the Locker. He didn't understand, how someone who irritated him so much, could be the one he was seriously considered proposing to.

He'd done it before, gotten down on one knee, and declared his love for another. Jack knew that Adeena expected no such treatment. She knew that he wasn't that kind of man. She did, in fact, know all about his leaving Angelica at the alter. 

He'd chickened out, when he had loved Angelica. It wasn't that he'd not had 'stirrings' for her, it was that he didn't want to face those stirrings.

But Adeena was different. He'd said I love you plenty of times to other women, but when he said it to her, he really meant it. He did love her more than the Pearl. He couldn't say that about any other lady...excepting Angelica. He pushed those nervous thoughts to the side.

Jack was glad that Elizabeth was no longer a distraction. For a while, he had really thought she liked him, but now he knew that she had just been playing him. Getting murdered will really change your view on someone.

He gently removed his arms from around Adeena and slipped out from under the sheets, then hurriedly got dressed. Hector could be doing anything out on deck, running the Pearl.

He sauntered outside; a large amount of time had passed, he smiled slightly at that, and nearly ran head-on with Gibbs. The older man stepped back and respectfully said, "Captain."

Jack nodded, sobering. "Mm?"

"Heading?" Gibbs questioned, following Jack on deck.

"Two degrees starboard," He ordered, all business.

Barboussa seemed to manifest beside them. "I'm captain of the starboard side!" He glared at Jack, then softened his expression and turned to Gibbs. "Two degrees starboard." He repeated. Then, he turned to Jack with a snide look. "The captain will now take the helm."

Jack glared at him for a minute, then the two raced around the masts and to the stairs leading up to the helm.

"Erm...aye, Captains!" Gibbs offered, rolling his eyes as they shot away.

They attempted to shove one another aside, none too gently. Upon reaching the Black Pearl's dark wheel, they pushed Cotten away and each positioned themselves on either side of the helm.

They stood for a moment, ignoring the other's presence. Then, Barboussa casually reached up, grasped a spoke, and turned the wheel two degrees starboard. He dropped his hand and stood stiffly, waiting.

Jack's nose twitched. He took the helm in hand, gently caressing his lady's wheel, and turned her back on the original course.

Barboussa shot him a glare. He pulled the helm back toward him, but this time kept his hand on the blackened spoke.