Honor Among Thieves || Book Two

~2~

Chapter Two

"'Ah Seraphina, how very nice to see you.' No." Jack Sparrow's brows knitted together as he continued to murmur to himself. "No, that won't do. 'Seraphina, my lovely little flower, how-- Nope, can't do that. She's liable to lop me head off. Let's see. . ." He closed his eyes and tapped his temple as if to coax his thoughts out of his brain. "Think, Jack, think. You need somethin' that's not too friendly, but somethin' that let's 'er know you're not just a heartless--"

Knock, knock, knock. 

"One moment!" He grabbed ahold of the bouquet of roses he had carefully selected out of a cathedral's courtyard and smoothed the wrinkles out of his shirt and straightened his shoulders, taking a moment to make sure his moustache was as it should be before opening the door. "Seraphina, how--"

A pistol was placed between his eyes.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow your brains out."

"Hot." His hissed, wincing as he moved the barrel aside. "Still hot."

"You have five seconds."

"It's good to see you too." He retorted, looking hurt as he offered her the bouquet. She swatted it out of his hands and started counting. "Five. . .four. . .three. . .two. . ."

"Alright!" He held out his hands. "I'm sorry!"

She chewed the inside of her jaw and crossed her arms. "For what?"

He frowned. "You know bloody well 'for what'!"

"You're damn right I do!" She shouted, shoving her pistol back in its holster. "Jack, I gave you everything! And what did you do? You left!"

He held up a finger. "For the record, darlin', you knew I would be leavin'."

"In two days!" She exclaimed, taking a step toward him. "You abandoned me, Jack. You left me when I was the most vulnerable and. . ." Her voice quivered. ". . .and I don't think I can forgive you for that."

Though he did not let it show, those words hurt him. They hurt him badly. He cared about Sera, he really did, but he just couldn't bring himself to--

"So many things have gone through my head since then." She continued, dropping her gaze to the floor. "I thought you were just using me, I thought I wasn't good enough for you," she shrugged and snickered in spite of herself, "I thought that maybe you were put off by the fact it was my first time. . ."

"Oh no." A smile threatened to form on his lips as memories of that night came surging back. "There was not a thing wrong with that, love. Best night o' me life."

Her piercing eyes met his. They were swirling with emotions: pain, confusion, anger, and, if he was not mistaken, he spied that same little spark he had seen that night. "Then why did you leave?"

That's a bloody good question. . .

"I let me ambitions get the best o' me." He forced himself to look away from those enchanting eyes. "I should've stayed to give you some assurance, to let you have the piece of mind that you so desperately crave but I didn't. An' for that, from the very bottom o' me sinful heart an' me inky black soul, I apologize."

He looked to see if his words had any effect. She narrowed her eyes. "You're drunk, aren't you?"

He swayed slightly. "Only a little."

She rolled her eyes and held out her arms. "Well, out with it."

"Beg pardon?"

"Tell me why you called me up here. It obviously wasn't to give me a sincere apology," she hissed as she crossed her arms. He sighed. "Sera, darlin', I'm--"

"Nope." She held up her hand. "And don't call me 'darlin''."

He started to apologize again but stopped himself as he pulled a yellowed piece of parchment out of his pocket. "'Member that piece of paper I showed you?"

"The one with nothing on it? Yes, I think you showed it to me the same day you added me to your list of 'conquests'."

He glared at her and held the paper over a candle. "Anyway, I noticed that if you hold it up to a light source, it has a little message written on it. It says, 'Only true power belongs to. . ." He squinted as he struggled to make out the crudely-written words, ". . .to he who holds the key.'" He looked at her expectantly. "Any idea what that may mean, love?"

"Don't call me--"

"Sera." He corrected. "Any idea what that may mean, Sera?"

She reached out and took the paper from him, holding it over the candle as well. "This has to be at least a hundred years old. . ."

"Yes, yes, but what does it mean?" He asked anxiously. Her brow creased as she continued to study it. "I. . .I don't know. 'Only true power. . .'"

Her voice trailed off and her eyes grew large, a reaction Jack knew well.

"Do you know what it means?" He asked hopefully, steepling his fingers under his chin. She furrowed her brow and shoved the paper in his hands. "It's talking about the key."

He raised his eyebrows. "Yes, I know that but what key is 'the key', exactly?"

"The only key, Jack. The one that rules the seas." She replied. He perked up at the prospect of such a poweful object and looked at the blank paper as if it were a gold bar. "Explain."

She ran a hand through her hair. "I can't. I just know that it exists."

"Well that's no bloody help at all. . ."

"What? You weren't planning to look for it, were you?" Sera asked, a hint of concern in her voice. He eyed her suspiciously. "I was. Why? Perhaps your unyielding love an' adoration for me is threatening to break through all of that angry exterior and warn me of a threat that may come with this mysterious key?"

She shot him a deathly glare. "Don't you try to play--"

Someone knocked on the door.

"Cap'n Drake? We've got a problem!"

Gritting her teeth, she jerked open the door to find One-Eyed Sam slumped over his 'walking stick'. "Thar's a man just come 'n here an' said that someun' saw some 'splosions on the Destiny. Think we should head back."

"Aye." Sera sighed. "Probably Calico and his men. I told Wolfie not to make that damn bet. . ."

"Calico?" Jack piped up, weaseling his way in between the two. "You mean as in Calico Jack Rackham?"

She nodded and he narrowed his eyes. "Do you two know each other?"

"Yes. I mean, I know of him but--"

"Oh, don't give me that!" He sneered, "He never just 'knows' a lass like yourself, he 'knows' them. Don't think for one minute that--"

"Are you seriously suggesting that I let that insufferable, slimy, arrogant, waste-of-space--"

"You let me. Why not let 'im?" He quipped. Sera let out a frustrated growl and drew back to slap him in the face.

"Cap'n with all due respect," Sam interjected, "We need t' get back t' the ship. There's liable t' be nuttin' left by the time ol' Rackham's through with it."

Sera glared at Jack a moment longer. "Let's be off, then."

"I'm coming too." He said, putting on his overcoat. She rolled her eyes. "No you're not."

"Yes I am." He put on his hat. "Gotta make sure Calico minds his P's an' Q's."

"I'm more than capable of--"

He held up a finger. "I'm coming. End of story."