Happy Birthday Fic for hendercats!!!!!!!

[dwgm]

Dear jenthegypsy reminded us that May 2nd is hendercats' natal day!!! Wheeeeee!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday hendercats!!!!!!
May your day be one of pure delight, and your year bring unadulterated happiness!!!!!!!

And with that sentiment in mind, I present Birthday Fic -- The 'World's End' end many of us are hoping for!!!



~ Denouement ~


She’d lit our way through the storm, the fire of her spirit and courage warming us like the rays of the Caribbean sun, but that was past. Her Will was gone, gone with the Dutchman, gone along with so many others, and though she was surrounded by the Pearl’s crew, Miss Elizabeth stood alone, bedraggled and battle-weary, and bleak with grief.

“It would never have worked between us,” she replied to Jack’s query, not really meeting his eye.

Jack wore that cat-in-cream smirk of his, but there was an odd, soft expression in his eyes. “Keep tellin’ yourself that, darlin’.”

She focused, and tried to smile. “You told me that.”

Jack rolled his eyes some. “Aye, but you know how I am with the truth.” He’d been leaning on the rail, but now he straightened, taking up his compass. “Look here.” He flipped up the lid and showed her.

She stared, her brow furrowed. Glanced up, but he silenced her with a lifted finger. He began to move around her, paying no mind to the muted chuckling of the crew at this odd performance. The lass turned as he did, watching the compass work, seeming more and more surprised, until Jack was back at the start and she frowned up at him, a spot of color blooming in her cheeks. “How long has that been happening?”

He snapped the lid shut. “Too long!” He glared at her.

She stiffened a bit at his tone, and flushed more. “How long? Is that why you gave it to me before?”

Jack hesitated, but finally growled, “Yes! So you see, Miss Swann – or Mrs. Turner, rather – we need to have a bit of a parlay, you and I. We’ve things to discuss. Points to raise. Conclusions to reach. You owe me that.”

There was a light returned to her eyes, but it was hard to tell if it would warm or burn. “Is that right?”

“That’s right. Now, if you’ll step into my cabin—“

“Where you still have ‘no dress’, I suppose?”

That took the wind out of Jack’s sails, and he almost smiled again. “No dress. No. However, even that is open to negotiation.” And then he picked up her hand, like he meant to kiss it, though he ended by just giving it a squeeze. “Will you come with me, love?”

That squeeze, and the “love”, did the trick, it seemed. There was a tremor in her voice as she replied, “Very well.”

She glanced about, lips fighting a smile of her own at the interested faces all around her, but Jack grinned outright, suddenly merry as a grig. “Mr. Gibbs!” he says to me. “What the devil are we waiting for? Set sail at once, tout suite, savvy?”

“Aye, Captain!” I said, and as the two made their way aft to his cabin, I called out to the crew, “You heard ‘im! We've fair weather, and a new day. Let’s lay on sail and head for home!”

And I had to grin meself at the shout that went up. A fine new day, indeed!



~.~




Many thanks to hereswith for editing and suggestions. Submitting this for the potc_dogwatch prompt #29, too, A Change in the Weather.

Comments

[erinya.livejournal.com]

Eeee! Wouldn't that be something.

I have to confess I have a drabble that echoes that compass moment. :-) Wrote it before I read this, though.

She focused, and tried to smile. “You told me that.”

Jack rolled his eyes some. “Aye, but you know how I am with the truth.”

I can see her saying that to Jack, and him replying in kind, in the movie. *dreams*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Have you posted that drabble? I don't remember reading it. I'll have to go searching...

Very happy you enjoyed the moment!

[hjsnapepm.livejournal.com]

I've never seen 'tout suite' spelled out. I feel like such an idiot. And I can't explain why.

I enjoyed that very much. Loved Jack showing her the compass.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

So happy you enjoyed! And don't feel like an idiot-- I had to google the spelling myself. ;)

[felaine.livejournal.com]

Love your ficlet.
Maybe you are a Seer as well, and this is how AWE will end.
It is still Beltane after all, at least where we are.
Felaine

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

We'll know in less than a month. *bounces* Very happy you enjoyed this! Thank you for letting me know.

[moonlight-mile.livejournal.com]

MMMMmmmm, lovely. It should be that easy. *g*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

It really should be that sweet and easy. No Scarlett and Giselle needed AT ALL, thank you.

Glad you enjoyed it!

[hope27.livejournal.com]

Hi, I've don't think I've commented on one of your stories before, but I have seen your stuff through hereswith...

Anyway, I love this, and can only dream that this would happen in the movie...

I really liked this part: She stared, her brow furrowed. Glanced up, but he silenced her with a lifted finger. He began to move around her, paying no mind to the muted chuckling of the crew at this odd performance. The lass turned as he did, watching the compass work, seeming more and more surprised, until Jack was back at the start and she frowned up at him, a spot of color blooming in her cheeks. “How long has that been happening?”


For some reason, I picture him doing a "silly" walk around her-one like his island walk...

Thanks for the wonderful read! :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

For some reason, I picture him doing a "silly" walk around her-one like his island walk...

Me too! And the dialog was supposed to be funnier -- I'd thought of a couple of really good lines when I was showering this morning (my muse lives in the shower) but I lost them before I could get them written. Oh, well.

Very happy you enjoyed this! And hereswith is just the best, isn't she? Thank you for reading and commenting!

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I have been trying to get a particular drabble loose from my head for several days with no luck, and you inspired me. I can't think of a higher compliment than that for a piece of writing. :-D

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

So happy to have inspired you!

[jenthegypsy.livejournal.com]

*bounce* What a wonderful birthday ficlet! hendercats is blessed to have such gifted friends as yourself in her life. I'm technically "spoiler free", but I'd have to be dead and stupid to boot to not have picked up on the extreme unrest circulating throughout the fandom over the reported ending of AWE. Wish it would go your way instead of whatever way ya'll think it is going to go.

As always, your Jack is utter perfection, and thankfully not the buffoon we saw in DMC. Oh, how I long for a return to the Jack of olde!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I think Jack will be much more his old self in AWE.

So happy youu enjoyed this one -- hardly spoilery at all really, and probably very A/U, unfortunately. 23 Days!!

[purely-distel.livejournal.com]

Eek! Wonderful! Feels just perfect and right *smiles smugly* great work, love :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Feels just perfect and right

I would TPTB thought so.

Very happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know.

[cmgacrux.livejournal.com]

She focused, and tried to smile. “You told me that.”

Jack rolled his eyes some. “Aye, but you know how I am with the truth.” He’d been leaning on the rail, but now he straightened, taking up his compass. “Look here.” He flipped up the lid and showed her. -- I can see him doing that.

Great fic. I love their banter, and Gibbs's POV is simply perfect for recounting how they resolved the compass problem. ;)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I tried doing it from E's pov, then J's, and it wasn't working -- needed an exterior view, so to speak.

Very happy you enjoyed it!! Thanks for letting me know!!

[torn-eledhwen.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! I really like the image of him walking around her - and the crew watching!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks -- I could just picture him doing that. If only the filmmakers could!

Very happy you enjoyed!!

[sparrows-lass.livejournal.com]

"There was a light returned to her eyes, but it was hard to tell if it would warm or burn."

I think this line's beautiful!
All in all wonderfully written, luv! Enjoyed it very much!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I'm very happy you enjoyed it.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Colours to the mast: if AWE ends like that, I'll be livid.

But I like your story. Yay for Gibbs pov, and yay for Jack exposing his compass.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

LOL! I take it you're not a J/E fan. Well, if it ends with the Jack Being Slapped and Losing the Pearl Yet Again scene, I'LL be livid -- and we know they've filmed that one.

*shudders*

Actually, I'd change more than just the end, if I had my drothers. Norrington! *sobs* But who knows what changes they've made and can still make in editing?

I'm very happy you enjoyed the story anyway, and Gibbs' pov -- he's fun to write! Thank you for letting me know.

[whitemunin.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! You have a great combination of seriousness and humor here. I love Gibbs' POV.

“That’s right. Now, if you’ll step into my cabin—“

“Where you still have ‘no dress’, I suppose?”

Best comeback ever.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

The serious/humor thing is the best thing about PotC -- that's what I look for in fanfic, and that's what I try to write. So happy you feel I succeeded! Thank you for reading and commenting.

[versifico.livejournal.com]

I loved it- very sweet! A scene like this would be so lovely in the movie...*sighs*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I'm interested to see what they do with that J/E exchange in the trailer. If it ends on a positive J/E note I will be so ecstatic.

Very happy you enjoyed. :)

[wapiti-baris.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is wonderful! I was laughing with joy until the end. (And, yay for Gibbs' POV.) If only AWE would end this way. Thank you so much for sharing with us!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Yes, if only! Well, that's what fanfiction is for, right?

I'm very happy you enjoyed reading! Thank you so much for letting me know.

[chibi-kitsune06.livejournal.com]

Ooh!!! I love it!!!!! Ever since I saw the trailer I've always wondered what Jack's response would be after she said 'It would've never worked between us'

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I too have wondered, and got tired of waiting. I really hope TPTB don't disappoint us. :))

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

You know I think it's great :-) I love that she finds out about the compass, because she really, really needs to know that, and it works so well from Gibbs's pov. Wonderful! Now, if only it could end like this...

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I love that she finds out about the compass, because she really, really needs to know that

You're right. I hope that's one of the loose ends they clear up in AWE. I am so anxious to see how the actual movie compares with that script.

Thank you for all your help, and for commenting here, too -- I'm so happy you enjoy my work, as it is much MUCH better for your input. :))

Sweet dreams!

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. Oh yes yes yesyesyes! I can see every bit of it so clearly. That is absolutely the way it should end, with a long, sweeping pulling back of the camera as the music swells. No more canon to follow, just leave us at that point to write the horizons for them ourselves. Completely wonderful, the perfect finish.

She’d lit our way through the storm ... and though she was surrounded by the Pearl’s crew, Miss Elizabeth stood alone, bedraggled and battle-weary, and bleak with grief
Poor, dear Lizzie. You know, I believe, that I've *never* disliked her, but I think this makes me love her more than ever, this fragility. And here her face is more bleak and haunted than it was in Tia Dalma's hut.

She stared, her brow furrowed. Glanced up, but he silenced her with a lifted finger. He began to move around her, paying no mind to the muted chuckling of the crew at this odd performance. The lass turned as he did, watching the compass work, seeming more and more surprised, until Jack was back at the start and she frowned up at him, a spot of color blooming in her cheeks. “How long has that been happening?”
(yes, I know that's the entire paragraph; I couldn't bear to snip any of it away) I love his ignoring the mirth and muttering of the crew as he makes his point so eloquently.

And then he picked up her hand, like he meant to kiss it, though he ended by just giving it a squeeze. “Will you come with me, love?”
It's always marvelous when you write Jack being tender - he's so lovely that way.

A fine new day, indeed!
Hear the music come up? (silly question, of course you do) T&T should be taking notes. And its being from Gibbs POV is the icing on a most delicious cake.

One of these days I'll find a J/E icon that (a) I really like and (b) forty other people aren't already using.

Thank you for my beautiful present. Thank you so very, very much! *hugs you tight*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. Oh yes yes yesyesyes! I can see every bit of it so clearly. Completely wonderful, the perfect finish.

That's what I think, too, of course. We can only hope the filmmakers see it that way. I have to say, the advertising etc. seems pretty focused on J/E -- and did I hear that Orlando said something about not getting the girl in some interview? But that may be out of context.

I'm so very happy you enjoyed your birthday gift! Just goes to show, even if the movie disappoints, there's always fanfic.

I hope your day was beautiful!

*hugs*

[erinrua.livejournal.com]

Just a note from lurkage to say how very much I love your use of words, your dexterity with voices, your knack for painting lovely pictures with just the right strokes of language. Hendercats is a very lucky pirate to have gotten a prezzie like this. :-)
Cheers ~

Erin

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

*Bows to the Captain*

Thank you so much! That's such a wonderful compliment, coming from you. I'm so happy you enjoyed this. :))

[gott1172.livejournal.com]

I love it!!! Oh, how I wish all of you wonderful Sparrabeth writers had TnT's ear.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I just want it to end happily, and well for all of them. We'll know in a few weeks.

[just-a-dram.livejournal.com]

I love that moment of him moving around her with the compass, and that he says it has been happening for 'too long'. It's very visual and I imagine Jack might be more of a show, not tell, kind of chap :)