In the Hands of Fate III: Secrets of the Heart

Chapter Fourteen

Luna looked up at the diamond studded sky as shy lie alone on the sandy sea cliffs overlooking Shipwreck Cove. It was absolutely stunning. She often came up here to think. It helped clear her mind of everything and relieved a lot of the stress caused by her involuntarily piratical life. She must have dozed off because the next thing she knows is she's being shaken awake by Jack.

"Did you sleep out here, love?"

Luna yawned and took in his concerned face. She mumbled something under her breath that was probably "Wouldn't be the first time," but sounded more like "Wanna piece of pie."

Jack smirked. "No time for pie, love. The Pearl's setting sail. Should've been gone an hour ago, but spent that precious time searching for me first mate's daughter."

Luna rolled her eyes at his teasing. With great flourish she stood and began making her way to the ship.

"What do you do up there all the time?" Jack inquires.

She shrugs. "I dunno. Look at the stars mainly, and think… I write music sometimes."

Jack smiled at the petty things. "Must be nice, ey? To get away from the pressures of this place."

She shrugged again. "I don't really have much to deal with here," she lied. "I'm sure you do. What, with your father making you captain and Pirate Lord of the Caribbean and all that."

Jack snatched her wrist and pulled her to him. "Don't be so snide, love. Sooner or later you'll have to deal with the Brethren. Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea, you'll be."

Luna sighed. "And when my father finally decides to give that up I'll be greatly honored."

"You're lying."

"Yes, I am. Because if I am still here when my father finally gives up his title, then I'll be severely disappointed, love."

He frowned. "What do you mean "if" you'll still be here? Where else could you go?"

Luna shook her head and shrugged out of his embrace. "And where will you be, Jack? When I have that life we always talked about? Where will you be?"

His silence spoke volumes. They both knew the answer. Either he was dead, serving on Jones' ship, or in the Locker. However, she would be gone.

"That's not fair," he argued.

"I'm a pirate. Savvy?"

It was the faint guitar music that had roused Luna from her light sleep. How she heard it over the crashing waves, she hadn't the faintest idea. But nonetheless she found herself on deck by the figure head as Jack strummed on his old guitar.

"Who wakes you in the morning comes?

Who calls you every late night?

Who comforts you when you're in need?

Who always tries to treat you right?

Who gives you all he has to give?

Who would dedicate his heart to you?

Who fulfills all his promises?

And who sees the good in you?"

His deep, smooth voice caused her to stop. In all her years spent in such proximity to him, she'd never heard him sing anything other than a few sea shanties beneath his breath.

"Tell me what you gonna do when I'm gone

Oh and where you're gonna go when there's nobody home

And who's gonna love you when you're all alone

Tell me whatchya gonna do when I'm gone

Yeah whatchya gonna do when I'm gone

I just wanna know

Who cries knowing you don't care

And Who worries what the future holds

Who fears the road ahead

And Who's heart is turning into stone

Who prays for your safe return

And who misses you when you're away

Who's tired of empty promises

And who's tired of all the games you play

Tell me whatchya ya gonna do when I'm gone

Oh and where you're gonna go when there's nobody home

And who's gonna love you when you're all alone

Tell me whatchya gonna do when I'm gone

I just wanna know whatchya going do

What you're gonna do when I'm gone

Tell me whatchya gonna do"

Luna couldn't think properly. The raw emotion coming from Jack's voice startled her. She knew he wasn't a heartless wretch, but still he never showed anyone this kind of emotion, if any at all. There was a few time when he'd let his walls fall when with Luna but that was only after she did first. Still, he was always holding something back.

"Tell me whatchya gonna do when I'm gone

Oh and where you're gonna go when there's nobody home

And who's gonna love you when you're all alone, when you're all alone

Tell me whatchya gonna do when I'm gone

Oh whatchya gonna do when I'm gone

I just wanna know, when I'm gone

When there's no one home and you're all alone

Will you be just be fine alone or will you cry when I'm gone

Wanna know wanna know

Oooohhh whatchya gonna do when I'm gone

Tell me whatchya gonna do when I'm gone"

In the back of her mind, as she snuck away, she had a rather maddening thought.

What if that was to me?

She tried to push the thought away, not bothering to even answer it in the deep recesses of her mind. It unnerved her to see Jack so vulnerable. She'd always been her rock, her confident. She liked to pride herself on knowing a side of Jack that most never saw. But this…?

That was something no one got to see. A ping of guilt lit her stomach and she wished heavily that she'd never seen it. What if Jack found out?

Luna sat unmoving in the garden leaning against a tree. She didn't remember that. And thought perhaps that it was something she'd dreamt up. But the reality of it proved otherwise.

Approaching footsteps alerted her to Henrietta and Lieutenant Groves.

"Missus Church," Groves says, "I'm here to take you to visit your family."

Luna simply nodded, too entranced by the hallucination to ask why James wasn't escorting her, though it bothered her heavily.