Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Disney and the Pirates of the Carribean franchise. 

Coming To Terms

He still did not understand why she wanted her own ship. Yes, he owed it to her, but he didn’t think being under his command was so terrible. Who wouldn’t want to be abroad the infamous Black Pearl under the Captain Jack Sparrow? Apparently, Anamaria didn’t by the looks of it.

Jack watched as she ordered her new crew about getting ready to separate from them and while part of him swelled in pride that she was so capable, the other part was filled with dread at the inevitably parting. Whether it was because he was losing his first mate or something more he didn’t care to mentally dwell on it.

They never talked about their…arrangement. He supposed that’s what it was called. It happened once then occurred time and time again whenever convenient though he promised himself he’d put a stop to it. It was all causing him to begin to think very un-Jack like thoughts. However every time she looked at him with those large brown eyes under long dark lashes and full lips that curled into that dark smirk…well he was a man after all, he’d have to be batty to resist it.

Now though he was beginning to notice things he shouldn’t have been taking notice too. Like the way she threw her head back and released unrestrained laughter, or the way she always slept with her mouth in a slight pout making him want to…Jack shook his head lightly to clear himself of unfamiliar territory. It was merely because he hadn’t been to port in a good while and she was the only female around, he rationalized.

Now that she was going on her own ship these ridiculous thoughts would vanish. He would admit he’d miss her though…as a crew member of course. She could measure up to the best of them and he knew she’d make a fine and formidable captain.

He noticed that she had vanished from his line of sight from the helm. So far gone in his thoughts he failed to notice that both her crew and his had gone below. He could hear them singing obnoxiously loud, more than likely drinking rum before their new friends sailed off for the first time under Anamaria. Jack made move to join them but was stopped by the soft steps of another. Glancing to his side, he found Anamaria standing not to far off from him looking out fondly over the Pearl. She turned her head towards him with a smile, genuinely happy.

”Thank you for the ship, Jack. I honestly didn’t think you’d come through.”

“Now I said I’d get you a new one, I keep my word. Besides you slapping me over it was getting rather old, not that I didn’t enjoy the kinky twist my dear.”

Anamaria rolled her eyes at his innuendo but said nothing in response, more than pacified by the fact she finally had her own ship. They settled in silence, enjoying the salty winds, blue seas, and setting sun. He watched her eyes bounce back and forth between her own ship and the Pearl, though hers was a bit smaller it was still a good ship if he did say so himself. It was quite an easy steal from the Royal Port, it was meant to be the Interceptor II, but under Anamaria it was now the Rojo Dama or Red Lady in English.

“The Pearl will miss you love,” he murmured.

“I will miss her too, she truly is one of the best,” she responded, the adoration ringing clear in her voice.

Jack watched her for a moment longer, the setting sun causing her silhouette to dark with only light outlining her form. When he found he may have been staring for a little too long, he diverted his gaze out towards the desk.

“The crew too will miss you Anamaria.”

Anamaria’s eyes brightened as she released a laugh, a sound that seemed to touch more than just his ears now. She shook her head and waved her hand as though to brush his words away. Then her eyes took on a mischievous look.

“It’s Captain now, Captain Anamaria,” she teased, “but in all seriousness Jack, I’m not dying or anything. I just got my own ship. Now let’s go join the crew before they drink all the rum.”

She turned on her heel ready to make leave but something possessed him to stop her. He slipped his hand around hers as nimble as a thief applying enough pressure to make her pause. She glanced back at him expectantly with an arched brown and for once Jack’s quick wit failed him. Maybe he should have had some more rum before now. What exactly did he want? Well rum and the Pearl were a given but was there nothing else?

“Why don’t you stay around the Pearl love? That’s more of an honor than captaining your own ship.”

Anamaria snatched her hand from him as though he had burned her. She appeared disgusted by him even uttering those words.

“What are you saying Jack?” she hissed, her eyes narrowing in her fury. “You, of all people, should know how it feels to be Captain, to have your own ship that you understand and understands you in turn, to feel the life beneath your hands as you steer her.”

The worst part of it all was that she was completely right. He did know better than anyone. How many times had he chased after the Pearl, his heart aching to be reunited with her and once again feel her under his hands? In a moment of seriousness, he sobered up choosing his next words carefully and playing them close to the chest.

“Anamaria…it won’t be the same without ye.”

He was almost surprised when her expression almost immediately melted into softer expression. Her lips curled into a fond smirk and she took a step towards him, a bit closer than he’d like, and placed a firm hand on his shoulder looking into his eyes.

“Jack, ya know you’re one of me greatest mates. It’s not like this be the last time we see each other.”

And while the words should’ve been reassuring, they weren’t. He didn’t like the way she touched him as though they were just mates. They weren’t just mates. What they had was something deeper. A deeper understanding of each other that almost rivaled that understanding they held of their own ships. A frown began to knit his brows as he was hit with all the feelings he had been pushing aside. Jack was fond of Anamaria, more than fond. It was more than his usual fleeting infatuation. It wasn’t because she was only the female around. It wasn’t because they had become sexual partners. It was because she was her. He almost wanted to curse himself out loud for allowing these feelings to penetrate. When did she become so close?

“Perhaps while you watched her sleeping mate,” whispered a voice that never seemed to leave him even after Davy Jones’s locker.

”Or when she dragged you to bed every time after you got utterly smashed,” injected yet another.

“Jack.”

Anamaria’s voice reached out interrupting whatever mental argument that was ensuing in his head. He focused back at his current situation and found much to his dismay after realizing his feelings Anamaria looked completely different in his eyes. Her hand had fallen from his shoulder back to her side and she was looking at him with a slight frown. When he said nothing to her inquiry, a scowl made its way to her lips.

“Well fine, be a baby then you daft man. You have got-“

“Anamaria,”

“What!?” She snapped.

He closed the gap between them even further to the point where Anamaria had to tilt her head all the way back to see him. Even though her irritation with him was strong, she couldn’t help the curiosity that filled her eyes. Jack flashed a grin, unpracticed and completely real before wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her up into a searing kiss, completely different from the playful and lust-filled kisses from before. Anamaria weakly pushed against his chest in protest but he refused to let her go only reacting by placing his other hand behind her head tangling his fingers through her hair. After a few moments he finally released her lips, only parting slightly. He watched her through half-lidded lids as her closed-eyed expression. Slowly she opened her eyes and uncertainty stormed through them.

“What was that…?” she whispered clearly confused on how to handle to the situation.

“If you can’t figure it out, love, perhaps I should show you a bit more,” he murmured huskily and went in for the kill once more.

He’d never admit his feelings outloud, but he knew she knew him well enough to understand what he was trying to convey to her. When they part again she could reveal she didn’t have similar feelings for him, or she could confirm that she did but still walk away for her ship. Regardless, she was here now in his arms, his alone, and he’d enjoy it for every moment and not think about the impending future.