List of Love concluded

[soleilpirate]

Title: The List of Love
Author: Soleil Compeau
Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean
Rating: We'll say R for now, and see how it goes
Characters/Pairings: Jack/OFC, mentions of previous, various Jack/OFCs, implied Jack/Elizabeth UST
Summary: Sarah asks Jack about his past women. Jack answers her.
 

continued "What about Elizabeth then, Jack?" The question derailed him most effectively.

"What, exactly, about Elizabeth, luv?" he replied cautiously. concluded

 

"Gibbs said that you wanted her. Was she one that you loved?"

Jack rolled, set his bare feet on the floor, and towered barechested above the bed. "Let's get one thing straight, my pet. Are you as cunning and savvy as I am, or did yonder baby remove a portion of your brain when he emerged?"

Teague, starled by the sudden motion and the stern voice, began to cry. Sarah automatically laid a comforting hand on his tummy, but her eyes were riveted to her husband. "You've not seen enough examples of my intelligence?"

He paced, and she found him as changing and colorful and beautiful as a child's kaleidoscope, and as dizzying. "I was beginning to wonder. You asked me about women I've loved, and that's a very narrow definition. Answering it means I don't have to tell you about the men who've touched me, or that I've touched. Means no mention of the many friends, lovers, acquaintances or enemies I have had.

"All of whom I remember, oh yes, some I can't forget though I wish to. The twins of Sao Feng, Liam and Park, they stick in my mind. Very memorable was my association with the, though I can't say I loved them, but they did me. Or the man who was my lover when I first captained my Wicked Wench, but who willingly beat me during the mutiny. So let us not pretend you don't know exactly what you're asking when you want me to weave you pretty tales of romance and love lost."

Her baby had calmed beneath her soothing touch, but his rosebud mouth made sucking motions, and very soon she'd have to answer that need. First things first though. Also rising to her feet, she stalked Jack, yet he stood his ground. "It's a fair question, isn't it?"

"I suppose you could construe it that way, so I will answer forthrightly. No. Elizabeth is not a woman that I loved."

"But you can't deny that you wanted her."

Jack barked laughter. "Deny it? Why should I? I've wanted many, and bedded many as well. Told you that. Tumbling a wench doesn't mean I love her. Yes I wanted Elizabeth. Tried to get her for myself."

She drew closer yet, he swayed back on his heels. "Elizabeth is the one who killed you, Jack Sparrow. Sent you to the Locker. How many have tried and failed? How many times have you eluded capture, death, only to die at the hands of a young aristocrat? One you introduced as your dearest friend?" Sarah's voice was a dangerous purr.

"'The serpent tempted me, and I did eat,'" Jack quoted. At her bemused expression he clarified, "Liz'beth's a pirate, my sweet. Like meself. Took advantage of my lustful distraction to arouse me, then chain me to my own ship to bring me helpless into the maw of the terrible beastie."

Sarah's eyes turned thoughtful and she chewed her lip. "A pirate, is she. I can see that. Though her background is priveleged and she's now a wife and mother; still she's bright and hard, like a blade. Sharp edged."

"While you, my sweet, are a dagger with a velvet sheath." Jack could not resist this compliment. "As to friending and protecting her, well someone needs to. She's no one left to care for her. 'Sides, I owe Will. I'm the reason she's unprotected." His eyes were hooded and Sarah had a swift revelation. Will Turner was a man Jack loved, very much.

"You're a good man Jack Sparrow." She reached for him, brushed her hands along his waist to clasp him in a hug. Jack swept his hands up and down her back longingly. "And I'm very tired and sore and the baby will no doubt wake us several times this night. I want to sleep while he's asleep. 'Fraid it will be like that for many weeks."

Jack heard the phrase 'many weeks' and suffered keen disappointment. Manfully swallowed his displeasure and smiled agreeably, kissed his wife goodnight. While she settled into slumber, Jack gazed out the window for a time. He was due to put to sea again, very soon. Not quite yet though, he wanted to see Sarah and wee Teague settled a bit first. It was frightening to have love like this, but it was a fine thing as well. Though the sea would scrub him clean and wild, still he knew she'd never truly be gone from his heart. Not one of them was; not Mary Johnson nor Eleanor Sparrow, nee Smithson, nor Serafina Martinez. And now there was Sarah Margita Sparrow. He'd return to her as long as she welcomed him.

The End!
 

Comments

[mary684.livejournal.com]

Well, he always scares the hell out of me when he gets all bristly with her. I like how she gets out of bed (ouch, BTW) to stand her ground with him.

Lots of good vulnerable moments for both of them. Yep, he knows she knows exactly what she's asking and he's willing to admit the truth of it and then some. She's good for him, no question, but he is also good for her. Not many women would handle the truth so well -- a mark of how much she craves knowing him inside and out. And probably most men of Jack's type would be off to sea even before the babe was born, nevermind waiting until the family was well settled.

On a personal note, it is interesting to see how you weave the random questions and conversations of our chats into the story. Very fine stuff.

It was a wonderful story. Thank you so much!

[soleilpirate.livejournal.com]

Scares you does it? I love it when he gets all piratey with her! Mmmmyes. It was a bit of an ouch for her to literally stand up to him, but needful at that moment. Jack dared question her intelligence and comprehension of him!

It doesn't take them long to learn each other inside out. They both want it badly. Trust deeply and love hard. Funny about Jack sticking around- I see hints throughout the movies tvat ve regards women very well. Behaves gentlemanly *cough* towards them, prrotects them whe he can, and ees them as intelligent beings in their own right instead of just objects, as most men of that time did. It's a very fun aspect of him to explore, along with his swashbuckling.

I am so pleased you enjoyed it! And yes, the things we sometimes chat about do influnce how I write the stories, very much. You make me think about how I see the characters interacting. Thanks for the comment!