Troubled Waters || Book One

~22~

The Final Chapter :(

"So," Jack leaned against the railing of the newly-restored Pearl next to Sera and looked out over the endless sea. "What's next for Seraphina Drake?"

She smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear to prevent it from blowing in the wind. "I don't know, really. Now that I have a ship, I suppose I need a crew and the best place to get a crew is--"

"Tortuga."

"Tortuga." She agreed, gazing at her ship as it lay anchored in the bay several hundred yards away. Jack knitted his brows. "How exactly are you going to pull that off? By yourself an' all?"

She grinned and opened her mouth to reply, only to realize that she didn't have one. How was she going to make it to Tortuga?

"Uh...Miss Drake?"

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Mange standing behind her. "Yes?"

He wrung his hands anxiously and cast his gaze downward. "M-Me an' some o' the others were wonderin' if. . .if maybe we could, uh. . ."

"We want t' join yer crew."  Wolfie interjected, joining his pal with Mongol and Chef in tow. Sera raised her eyebrows and looked over at Jack, who flashed a toothy grin. "No worries, darlin'. They've already been dismissed by their captain."

Her eyes widened as she looked at the faces of the men standing before her, each earnest and expectant. "Are you certain?"

"It would be an honor to sail under your flag, Keeper." Mongol answered, bowing his head. Chef nodded in agreement. "I vould love nussing more than t' cook for you, Madame Drake."

She broke into a dimpled smile and looked over at Jack, who called out the order for a longboat to be lowered. "This is where we part ways, I suppose."

"Aye." He stuck his thumbs through his belt loops. "I suppose it is."

They gazed at each other a moment before Sera cleared her throat and turned to her newfound crewmen. "Wait in the longboat. I'll be down shortly."

Once they dispersed and the two were alone, Sera returned her attention to Jack. "Listen, I really don't know how to thank you. If you hadn't sought me out and followed your father's orders," she paused a moment, "there's no telling what would have happened."

He puffed his chest out. "It was nothing, really. I was just doin' what any honorable pirate would do."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Honorable?"

"Yes 'honorable'." He retorted, crossing his arms in a defensive manner. "Why? Do you not think I'm an honorable man?"

"Irritating? Yes. Honorable," she shrugged her shoulders, "not so much."

He maintained a stern expression for several moments before breaking into a broad smile and pulling her into an embrace. "Never thought I'd say this, but I think I may just miss you."

"Will you, now?" She pulled away from him but left her hands on her chest. "How much?"

"Not too much. Maybe just a tiny smidge."

"A smidge?"

He shrugged and lowered his eyes. "It's nice to have some decent company for a change, and you do make for a lovely change in scenery."

"So I'm scenery?" She questioned, cocking her head to the side.

"Nothing more than a pretty face." He teased. She glared at him, briefly considering whether or not she should clock him in the face, before breaking into a smile and throwing her arms around his neck. "I think I may just miss you too," she pulled away from him and gazed into his dark brown eyes, "Goodbye, Jack."

He smiled weakly. "G'bye, darlin'."

Much to his surprise, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodbye."

A surge of warmth flooded his body at the unexpected gesture as he was rendered motionless. She smirked and patted his shoulders. "We'll meet again, Sparrow. I promise..."

THE END.