A/N: Welcome to the last chapter of this story. I hope you like it.
A huge thank you to all those who have been reading and reviewing this story from the very first start! I am so grateful for your support and kindness. Thank you!
This chapter took some time because I was reluctant to let this story go and because I wanted the last chapter to be good.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.
Chapter 34
Josette gulped when she saw Downer's ship approaching. Her hand shot out and grasped Jack's. He blinked and looked at her.
"Love?" he murmured as he coiled his fingers around her smaller hand and pulled her closer.
"Now what?" she whispered and he did the unexpected; he smirked.
"Now we do what I am best at!" he said as he started walking back to the Pearl.
Josette frowned and tried to catch up with his long strides.
"Which is?" she asked, fearing the answer.
"We run!" he exclaimed as he propelled her forwards.
Josette gaped at his back, "He'll just come after us!"
"Love, the Pearl's very fast. They don't have a chance." He told her and by the time they had reached the ship Josette was breathless.
"Jack, maybe we should talk to him." She said as she followed him to the helm.
"All hands on deck!" he barked and the crew looked up from their spots, "Don't just sit there! Set sail. Now!" he glared at them.
"Master Gibbs!" he exclaimed as he removed his coat and went to stand behind the helm.
"Captain?" Gibbs looked up from the mast.
"Full canvas. Downer's behind us." Jack told him as he removed the rope that held the helm still and grasped it in his hands.
"Downer?" Gibbs muttered before he hurried away, barking orders.
Josette climbed up the stairs to the helm and came to stand next to Jack.
"Jack, this is insane. He will catch us. Sooner or later, he will catch us." She told him quietly.
He turned and looked at her, "Josh, have faith." He winked as he turned the helm to starboard.
She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, wincing as she did so, "You never listen to me."
He chuckled, "Darlin', I do listen. I just choose not to agree." He winked and she frowned.
"That's the same." She objected.
He held a finger up, "No, it ain't. I do listen, for my hearing is excellent, but I choose not to follow your opinion."
"What if he catches us?"
"Well-…"
"I was not finished." She cut him off and he quirked an eyebrow, "If he catches us he will force you to lead him to Hawk."
"Aye." Jack nodded somberly.
"Then we have to make ourselves useless to him." She said and this time Jack turned his full attention to her, really looking at her.
He narrowed his eyes, "You're on to something…" he murmured before he grinned, "Let's hear it." He leaned against the helm and smiled at her, his chocolate eyes dancing with amusement.
"Stop pulling my leg!" she exclaimed with frustration.
"I am not pulling your leg, love. Although I'd really love too…And soon." He winked and smirked lustfully.
She flushed three different shades of crimson and cleared her throat, "As I was saying…"
"Yes? My little cabin boy." He laughed and reached out to tug on her braid.
"The only thing that ties us to his purpose is your compass." She said quietly and Jack paused with his hand on her hair.
"Of course. Aye, that'd be true." He nodded his head and narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "So what's your plan?"
"Well, the way I see it, the only chance we have of getting rid of him is either giving him the compass-…"
"Out of the question!" he cut her off with a sharp wave of his hand, "I ain't giving the compass to a bloody navy man who can find pirate ships or any other kind of ships and sink them at will. That'd be a disaster to every sailor that sail these seas." He said with a shake of his head.
"Well, I agree. That's why I have another suggestion." Josette said as she stepped closer to him. He snaked his arm around her and pulled her to his chest as he looked down into her eyes.
"Is it as crazy?" he smirked.
She bit her lip and he groaned softly when he saw her. She slapped his chest and he focused on her eyes again.
"It probably is…Worse. You might throw me overboard." She said and he laughed.
"Not a chance. I ain't letting you go. So, spit it out then."
"We destroy it." She said after taking a deep breath.
Jack leaned back a bit, "His ship?"
"No. Your compass." She winced and his eyes widened.
"Destroy my compass? My compass?" his expression was horrified.
"What if it's the only way?" she asked and he bit the inside of his cheek.
"Love, he'll figure it out. Then he'll have our heads." He murmured as he placed a hand protectively over his hip where his compass was.
"Not if we plan it out and make it seem like an accident." She replied and he looked at her in surprise.
"Josh…I think you have finally started thinking my way, love." He chuckled as he removed his compass from his hip and slowly, reluctantly handed it to her.
"Alright then. If he catches us, we shall use your plan. Take it for now. I know these waters."
Josette took the compass and held it in her hand, "Who gave you this then?" she asked him curiously and he paused.
"This?" he murmured as he ran a finger over the lid of the compass, "Let's just say that this was a gift from the sea herself." He told her and with a lopsided grin.
Josette frowned, "What do you mean? You found it or…?"
He flicked her chin with his fingertip and smiled, "That's a story for another day, lass." He leaned down and kissed her lips deeply, his mouth closing over her lower lip.
She tried not to stiffen because of the fact that they were out in the open and everybody was watching.
When he pulled back, he licked his lips and caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. She shivered.
"Go and plan your scheme then." He winked and Josette nodded before she turned and headed for the deck in search of John and Dave.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Josette placed the tray on the desk just as Jack entered the cabin. He shut and locked the door.
Josette frowned, "What about Downer?" she asked as he removed his hat and sword and placed them on a chair.
"He ain't close…So far." He muttered and his eyes widened when he noticed the tray of food.
"Have you eaten?" he asked as he took a seat and uncorked the bottle of rum.
"Yes…" she replied with amusement as he took a sip, "Water is good too, you know." She noted.
"Ah, but since we are short on that here, I choose the rum." He grinned and then picked up the bread.
"Why did you lock the door?" she asked him as she leaned against his desk.
He popped a carrot in his mouth and shrugged, blinking innocently.
"I do it every time we go to bed." He said nonchalantly.
Josette narrowed her eyes, "I may need to go out." She told him.
He leaned back and propped his feet up, taking the bottle with him, "Why would you want to leave when everything you need is in here, love?" he quirked an eyebrow, "Food, bed, shelter, rum…me." He winked and took a long sip.
Josette chuckled, "Alright, fair enough." She touched her arm briefly and he frowned.
"How's the arm?"
"It still stings." She sighed.
Jack let his feet fall down and patted his knee, "Come here." He murmured and Josette gulped, "Gibbs is at the helm. He'll let us know if they see anything. Calm down." He murmured soothingly as he patted his knee again.
Timidly, she released a small breath and approached him. When she was close he coiled an arm around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. He placed the rum on the desk and used his freed hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes at the touch. He leaned forward and kissed her jaw, his moustache tickling her skin as he dragged his mouth up to her lips.
She wrapped an arm around his neck and pressed closer to him, sighing into the kiss.
Jack closed both of his arms around her and suddenly stood up, knocking the chair to the ground as he did so.
He blindly led them over to the bed and pushed her down onto it. She fell on it with a gasp and her amused chuckle was muffled by his eager lips. His hands went quickly to her shirt and he un-tucked it from her breeches. Josette moaned softly into his mouth when his warm hands caressed her stomach and slid upwards.
Jack tilted his head and deepened the kiss as his hands found her breasts. She jerked under his touch and he groaned. Pulling his mouth away, he looked down at her, his eyes alight with desire and emotion.
"Josh." He murmured as he pressed his lips to her neck and sighed.
"Jack?" her hand found his hair and she threaded her fingers into the dark mass, her cheeks flushed as she closed her eyes against his sensual attack.
His hands left her abdomen and slid up to cradle her head as he pulled back and looked down at her, his eyes clouded with a foreign emotion she had only caught glimpses of before.
"We need to find a way to promote you." He breathed and she blinked.
"What?"
"You want to stay my cabin boy forever or do you want to be free upon this ship?' he smirked as his fingers tugged at the strings of her breeches. She looked down at his hand with pursed lips.
"I don't know, Captain. How could I possibly be promoted?" she asked with a small smile as her hands bunched up the material of his shirt. He pulled back to remove it himself and then placed his hands on her breeches. He tugged them down her legs and she swallowed thickly as he threw them on the ground.
"Being good to the Captain will surely help." He jested as he let his body cover hers.
She gasped softly when his skin touched hers, "What if I don't want to be promoted?" she asked as he ran his hands up her legs.
He grinned, "Then you have to convince the Captain otherwise." He replied as he kissed her again, his hips finding the spot between her legs and snuggling between them with a content groan.
Josette pulled back from the kiss and slipped her hands down to his breeches. His muscles tensed in anticipation and when her hand slipped into the material he moaned and threw his head back.
"Gladly." She murmured as she pushed the breeches down his hips.
Jack opened his eyes and regarded her with unadulterated surprise.
"Love?"
"I'd never leave my, Captain. Promoted or not. So don't promote me." She kissed his jaw even as her cheeks darkened with color at her own words, "Give me no leave to get away." She murmured and Jack blinked out of his daze and caught her lips with his own.
He grabbed her hands and slammed them against the mattress, his eyes glimmering.
"We have an accord, love. We have an accord." He grinned before he grasped her leg and hitched it over his hip.
He smothered her soft moan with his mouth and relished in the feeling of her hands as they grasped the flexing muscles of his back.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Josette felt his hand running down her spine and she stirred, slowly opening her eyes.
"Love, I think we are going to need that plan of yours." He told her anxiously as he fastened his breeches with one hand and reached for his shirt with the other.
Josette shot up and reached for her shirt, "Downer?" she asked and he nodded.
"Aye."
She got dressed quickly and then followed him out of the cabin.
"He's coming up next to us, Cap'n." John said breathlessly and Jack looked back at The Defense.
"Bugger." Jack cursed and turned to John, "There is a plan, right?" he asked hopefully and John grinned.
"Oh, aye. No worries, sir. Dave and I have it all under control. Just be sure to act surprised." He said and with a wink towards Josette he ran below deck.
Jack groaned and then pouted, "My poor, poor compass." He muttered before he looked back towards Downer's ship.
"Come on, you git. Let the play begin." He murmured as Josette came to stand next to him.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Oh, it's you." Jack said as soon as he saw Downer boarding the Pearl with four of his men, their pistols already drawn.
"It seems that against all the gloating, your precious ship is not fast enough." Downer said as he walked up to Jack, "You do not keep your promises, Captain Sparrow. That is why your kind is almost gone. Because you are untrustworthy. Because you are not appropriate partners. You have no pride and do not honor your agreement." He spat and Jack grimaced.
"I wouldn't be a pirate otherwise, mate." He replied with an easy grin.
"Is that so? And how is that going to help you in the gallows?"
"I do not intend to go to the gallows." Jack smirked.
"You will if you don't satisfy the rules of our accord."
"Mate, Hawk does not want to be found. If I were you, I'd forget all about the lass and head to Tortuga…With a beckon of your hand you could have the entire island on your feet. The lasses there bring a lot less grief. Trust me." He winked and Downer's cheeks turned red.
"You are not backing down on your word. Or if you do, I shall require your compass. I wonder what the great Captain Sparrow would be without it." Downer narrowed his eyes and checked his person.
"I ain't have it with me." He smiled.
"Where is it?"
Jack paused, "I am not sure." He replied as he rested his hand on his scabbard.
Downer pulled out his pistol and pointed it at Josette, "What about now? Are you sure now?" he cocked his head to the side and Jack looked nervously at her.
"Now that is not-…"
"Now, Sparrow!" Downer growled and Jack licked his lips.
"Very well. Lass, the compass." He outstretched his hand towards Josette who gulped.
"I don't have it." She replied and Downer narrowed his eyes as he watched the exchange.
"What?" Jack asked with his hand still outstretched.
"Gibbs asked for it, sir. I gave it to him." Josette pointed at the man at the helm.
All eyes went to Gibbs.
"I ain't have it, Cap'n!" he exclaimed offended, "I gave it to Dave just a moment ago so he could-…"
"Captain!" John exclaimed as he appeared and looked at Jack with wide eyes.
"Aye?"
"Found your compass, sir! Dave had it. It's destroyed, sir." John said breathlessly as he opened his hand and showed the broken compass. The needle was gone and the lid was folded back in a strange angle.
Jack's nostrils flared as he gazed at it and then he looked up at John, "Where is he now?" he asked through gritted teeth. Behind him, Josette eyed Downer who was staring with wide eyes at the shattered compass.
"In the brig, sir. He was ranting about not wanting to risk his life for the fellow over here. 'Scuse me." John said at Downer who slowly lowered his gun.
"Mutiny." Jack breathed with wide eyes, "Throw him overboard. And soon." He said as he took the compass and looked at it with shock.
"Is it…?" Downer trailed off.
"Broken? Aye." Jack nodded and Downer blinked.
"But…but…"
"But, I might be able to help you. As long as you let us go." Jack said as he tightened his fingers around the broken compass and then handed it carelessly to Josette.
"How? It's destroyed." Downer spat furiously and Jack leaned close, narrowing his eyes while doing so.
"Have you ever heard of Tia Dalma?" he asked and with a wink he led Downer inside his cabin.
John grinned at Josette.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Oi! Oi!" Dave yelled as the Pearl sailed away and Josette looked back.
"Jack!"
He looked up with a grin, "Aye?"
"Pull him up!" she laughed at his expression.
"Do I have to? It's fun listening to his girlish yelps." He leaned over the railing and looked Dave as he flailed his arms about.
"Jack. He helped us. Stop teasing him and pull him up." She smacked his arm and he pouted.
"Fine. Gibbs! Throw a rope! Even though he broke my compass." He muttered petulantly before he walked towards the helm.
Josette shook her head and watched as Dave grabbed the rope and starting pulling himself up.
"What the hell? I thought it was an act, Cap'n!" he exclaimed as soon as his feet touched the Pearl's deck.
Jack shrugged, "Aye, but you broke my compass. I had to get you back. Now, go and dry. You look like hell." He waved him away and Dave rolled his eyes.
Josette chuckled and walked up to Jack, "Admit it."
"Admit what?" he asked innocently.
She narrowed her eyes, "That my plan worked."
"Oh, that. Aye it worked." His lips broke into a smile at her wounded expression, "Come here." He muttered and reached out to her. He kissed her lips and she relaxed into his embrace.
"Now what?" she sighed against his mouth.
He grinned, "Now I have a plan." He winked.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Weeks later…
Josette walked out of the washroom, staring with wide eyes at her cleavage, "Good Lord." She whispered and it was then that she heard a thud.
"Fuck." Jack groaned as soon as he saw her.
She looked up at him with apprehension, "I told you it wouldn't fit." She muttered as she gazed at the dress one more time.
He stood up and approached her, "It does fit." His voice was hoarse as his eyes scanned her figure, "Come here."
She came to stand in front of him and her eyes widened when she saw his trimmed moustache and beard. His hair was pulled back and gathered at the back of his neck with a cord.
"Turn around." He murmured with a grin and she obliged.
As soon as she did so, he placed his hands on the laces of her dress and tugged, tightening the material around her body.
"Ow!"
He smirked, "I know about ladies' fashion." He chuckled as he tied the laces securely.
"Obviously." She blew an auburn lock of her hair away from her face while he leaned into the crook of her neck.
He fingered a curly strand and inhaled deeply.
"Jack, I do not look like a lady." She said and he smiled against her skin.
"You're wrong…" he murmured as he placed his hands on her corseted waist, "You're perfect."
"Alright, but I don't look like a countess." She laughed and he suddenly turned her around to face him.
"Love, it's all in the manners. One can learn how to be a lady or a gentleman." He gestured to himself and she giggled, "But one is born to be a pirate. There's no other way around it." He told her as he put on his dark coat.
She stared at him, "You look like a gentleman." She muttered and he laughed before he bowed.
"Thank you, madam. Now," he grasped her arm and pulled her close, "Ready for the plunder? The carriage awaits along with the gold." He winked at her and then pulled her towards the door, a devious smirk on his handsome face.
Josette laughed and threaded her hand through the crook of his elbow. The governor's house awaited them.
The End.
Author's note: Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it because I had so much fun writing this story!
The ones who have read the new POTC teaser might get the ending…It's sort of a prelude to that story; the only difference is that in TCOL there won't be a Josette. :D
Please review before you go! I really appreciate your comments!
Until next time!
Xxx Lina :)