Fic: 'A Beautiful Morning'

[dwgm]

I wrote this in celebration of dressagespirit's natal day. She doesn't hold with the sequels, and wanted something with Jack and the Pearl and Freedom, so I've written a short, post-CotBP story that is the fourth in a series I started a long time ago...

A Change in the Weather, A Fine Day, A Word in Private, and now...



~ A Beautiful Morning ~

On Jack's first morning back on the Pearl, he rises at the first hint of dawn, having fallen into a postprandial stupor at an unconscionably early hour the night before (he winces, very much afraid he remembers Anamaria pulling off his boots and tucking him up after he'd managed to stagger from the table to his cot) and slept like... like an extremely tired pirate. Not dead tired, no. Not dead anything, praise Heaven. Lord, only twenty-four hours ago...

He shoves the thought aside. Not that it won't be good (eventually) to recall how Will risked everything for him, and how Elizabeth had supported him (that girl was full of contradictions, berating him one minute, stealing treats for him the next), and old Weatherby and Norrington electing to stand amazed as ol' Jack took his leave. Yes. It will be good to remember. Just... not now.

He dresses quickly (the process made easier by the fact that he'd slept in everything but the boots), but carefully, too, applying his kohl just so, turning his several rings upright on his fingers, putting his hat on at the proper angle. Captain Jack Sparrow: strong and rested and ready to greet the new day.

Except then he goes outside and as he leaves the shelter of the quarterdeck overhang he slows and stops, awestruck as dawn slowly explodes across the cloudy sky in a welter of flame, every red, orange, and pink ever conceived by the mind of God coming into play, and just for him. Just for him!

He's seen plenty of dawns break over the Caribbean. This one is unique. It's as though the angels are singing, the elements rejoicing: Welcome home, Captain Jack Sparrow, luckiest, most blessed of pirates, the Black Pearl and Freedom are yours!

He makes his way forward, to the bow of the ship, overwhelmed by the beauty of nature, the beauty of the Pearl, beautiful freedom, the beauty of life. His life. Yesterday at this time...

He fetches up against the rail and grips it, trying to get a grip on himself for there are tears stinging, even welling, good God this will never do—

"Pretty mornin', ain't it, Captain?" says Gibbs from directly behind him.

Jack's hands are suddenly white-knuckled on the rail. He clears his throat. "Aye!" he agrees, his voice sounding gruff rather than quavering as he'd feared it would. He takes a deep breath as Gibbs comes to stand beside him and looks out over the water.

Gibbs says, "Would you like some coffee and biscuit, by way of breakin' yer fast?"

Coffee? Hmmm...

"Aye," he says aloud. "But put a dollop of rum in it. A nice big one."

"Rum fer breakfast?" returns Gibbs, uncertainly. "You sure that's wise, Captain?"

Jack nods. "Indubitably. Indisputably. A hair o' the dog, don't you know."

"Ah! I see. Well, in that case maybe I'll have a bit meself. If ye don't mind."

"Not at all."

"I'll fetch it."

Gibbs starts off, but then Jack has a thought. "Gibbs!"

"Aye, Captain?"

Jack glances over his shoulder. "No need to tell Ana. Savvy?"

"Oh, no. No worries!" Gibbs assures. "No use in spoiling a beautiful day. Mornin' like this makes ye feel right glad to be alive."

He goes, and Jack turns away again, to the bright sea and glorious skies, and something uncoils inside him that manifests as a smile.

~.~

Comments

[compassrose7577.livejournal.com]

A beautiful day is when we get a bit o' something from geek_mama!

It's all soooooo...Jack! Thinking the morning--and God's hand in it--would all be for his benefit. Especially liked the bit of preening before he would allow himself to be seen by the day!

It seems ashame there isn't more Anamaria these days. She could have been such a suitable foil for Jack.

Your descriptions of morning seem to indicate someone who has been on the water and watched a few of them. Over the wather is unique...as even Jack has discovered.

A 'thank you' to whomever inspired this and a big 'thank you' for sharing....Kerry

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I am very happy you enjoyed this. Thank you so much for reading and commenting, and from your remote vacation hideaway, too! *is envious*

It seems ashame there isn't more Anamaria these days. She could have been such a suitable foil for Jack.

Yes, she and Jack made a great pair in quite a number of stories that were posted after CotBP came out (including some of my own). Maybe Jack's compass would have kept working properly if she hadn't gone off and gotten a ship of her own. *G*

[dressagespirit.livejournal.com]

Let me try this again...

I LOVE it!!! {clap, clap, clap} Thank you SO much for the wonderful birthday gift. It's just perfect. :-) I can practically see that sunrise. And I have to say that as I sit here today, remembering our wildfire last year, starting a year ago yesterday, evacuating a year ago today...you captured Jack's feelings at remembering his almost-fate just perfectly. Wow.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of that wildfire when I wrote it, actually. That was far too close for comfort. I'm glad everything is OK this year, so far.

I was inspired, too, by your pictures -- so beautiful!

I'm very pleased you enjoyed this. Again, Happy Birthday!

[dressagespirit.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked the pictures. I thought of the sunrises around here when I read your description. :-)

Thanks again!

[salr323.livejournal.com]

Lovely. I do adore Jack and the Pearl - they simply have to make a fourth movie, if only to reunite them!

Gorgeous descriptions in this, makes me want to set sail. :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

makes me want to set sail.

Me too!

Thank you for reading and commenting. So happy you liked it. :))

[virgo-79.livejournal.com]

Oh, geekmama, lovely! *This* is what comes on the heels of CotBP; I don't care what the writers say. ;) (I'm afraid when the final tally's taken, I have to agree with dressagespirit -- I much prefer fandom to the sequels.)

I love your descriptions of the sunrise, but even more than that, I love how you've written Jack's reaction to it. Exhilaration probably doesn't even come close to summing it up. It's got to about take his breath away, realizing he has his lady back and the whole world before him. There's a sense of joy that's verging on painful to this.

And I somehow get the impression Gibbs has seen more of Jack's reaction than Jack realizes, and his offer of breakfast is his own subtle way of giving Jack a gentle tug back to the here and now.

Really, really wonderful, geekmama!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

No reason one can't ignore the sequels, though this actually isn't A/U, being so close on the heels of CotBP. But I agree, it was criminal that Jack ended up without the Pearl again.

Gibbs is such a good First Mate for Jack. Not perfect, but his obvious fondness for Jack makes up for it.

So happy you enjoyed this. Thank you for stopping by and commenting.

OT: Are we ever going to see how Beneath comes out? *pokes you*

[virgo-79.livejournal.com]

"Beneath" has actually been extremely cooperative today (in between fits of rummaging in preparation for our yard sale, which probably should have taken precedence, but has the handicap of being tedious and aggravating).

I see your point about the questionable AU-ness of this piece. Denial, however, is a marvelous thing, and in my happy pirate bubble, the lovely day you've created here doesn't have in its future a Flying Dutchman, a Calypso, or a viciously screwed-over Jack, James, Liz, or Will. ;)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

in my happy pirate bubble, the lovely day you've created here doesn't have in its future a Flying Dutchman, a Calypso, or a viciously screwed-over Jack, James, Liz, or Will. ;)

That's certainly one way of looking at it, and we all have at one time or another, I think.

Very glad to hear Beneath is being cooperative. That was quite a cliff-hanger you left us with!

[torn-eledhwen.livejournal.com]

Awww. Lovely. :)

(Am too tired presently to write deep comments, but I did like that lots.)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Very happy you enjoyed! Thanks for letting me know.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

What a day that must have been for him, eh? Very happy you enjoyed it!

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Not that it won't be good (eventually) to recall how Will risked everything for him, and how Elizabeth had supported him (that girl was full of contradictions, berating him one minute, stealing treats for him the next), and old Weatherby and Norrington electing to stand amazed as ol' Jack took his leave. Yes. It will be good to remember. Just... not now.
That is so Jack! (And I love the glimpses of Elizabeth here.)

Trust Jack to appreciate the morning quite so keenly, and Gibbs to understand.

The Pearl is going to need a designated driver or things could go badly wrong. Hell, they might even end up sailing to some improbably Turkish Prison... Just... not now.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I love the glimpses of Elizabeth here.

Elizabeth's feelings about Jack have always been conflicted. *G*

The Pearl is going to need a designated driver or things could go badly wrong. Hell, they might even end up sailing to some improbably Turkish Prison

Yeah, what was with that, anyway? But if Norrington was hot on his trail from the following day, maybe it threw him off, somewhat -- not to mention the realization that the 13 year clock was ticking down. I must say, I prefer the competent, roll-with-the-punches Captain Sparrow from the Impverse, which is the way I always wrote him, too.

Thank you, again!

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

I prefer the competent, roll-with-the-punches Captain Sparrow from the Impverse, which is the way I always wrote him, too.

Me too! But there's lots to love in DMC and AWE.

My own compromise seems to be writing a Jack who's a superbly competent, roll-with-the-punches pirate, but really a bit crap as a captain. The downside is losing wonderful Captain!Jack (but there's always the Impverse for that). The upside is getting to run with DMC and AWE, added comedy scenes, and Jack really needing someone with more, erm, shall we say... 'command' to, erm... stand behind him and erm... You get the picture.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I prefer the competent, roll-with-the-punches Captain Sparrow from the Impverse, which is the way I always wrote him, too.

Me too! But there's lots to love in DMC and AWE.

Very true, and for better or worse the slightly flaky, occasionally brilliant CJS from the movies is canon. He's an amazing creation.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Yay Johnny!

[captaintish]

Excellent. I like how Jack doesn't want to think about the whole escape from hanging thing just now he just wants to enjoy having his Pearl back.

It really was the perfect ending. I wish AWE could have ended with him on the Pearl. I have no doubt he can get it back again, but it would have been nice to see it! I guess that's left for us in fanfiction!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I was extremely upset when I found out about many of the elements in the ending of AWE, although I did enjoy the movie throughout, when I was in the theater. But yeah, he should've been able to keep the Pearl. Maybe that will be remedied at the beginning of PotC4. In any case, thank goodness for fanfiction.

I'm very glad you enjoyed this slice of post-CotBP Jackliness. Thank you for reading and commenting!

[captaintish]

Ooooh, Jackliness! Good word!

[sunshine304]

Awww that was so beautiful! <3

I'm back from my holiday and find such a lovely story as some sort of welcome.^^ Very well done! I always adore Jack/Pearl, because it's just so right!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Very happy you enjoyed it! Jack/Pearl is indeed right. Good thing we can rectify that in fanfiction.

[sharklady35.livejournal.com]

Brilliant!

In every sense.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[mary684.livejournal.com]

I think Jack's emotions take him by surprise at times. This took my breath away to see him with tears in his eyes as he welcomes back his life. All bravado pushed aside for a moment and he just stands vulnerable before the beauty of nature.

And god love Gibbs for knowing him well enough to not mention the emotion he's either seen or certainly suspects.

Enjoyed all four glimpses into the night before and the morning after: The Trap Springing.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Sailors were a tough breed, but they are an observant and sentimental lot, too. And Jack may be pragmatic most of the time, but there are moments...

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow! I'm so tickled. I'll stop soon, actually, no this is all your fault, you know--your fault entirely that you are getting all these belated comments I haven't made becos you had written these before I found the stories. So...not my doing!

I think that this will be one of my forever favorites becos there are a couple of lines here that sound like me, didn't realize I had any Jack in my (by my estimate anyway) nature.

"awestruck as dawn slowly explodes across the cloudy sky in a welter of flame, every red, orange, and pink ever conceived by the mind of God coming into play, and

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Oh, wow! I'm so tickled. I'll stop soon, actually, no this is all your fault, you know--your fault entirely that you are getting all these belated comments I haven't made becos you had written these before I found the stories. So...not my doing!

I think that this will be one of my forever favorites becos there are a couple of lines here that sound like me, didn't realize I had any Jack in my (by my estimate anyway) nature.

"awestruck as dawn slowly explodes across the cloudy sky in a welter of flame, every red, orange, and pink ever conceived by the mind of God coming into play, and <just for him. Just for him!>

He's seen plenty of dawns break over the Caribbean. This one is unique. It's as though the angels are singing, the elements rejoicing: Welcome home, Captain Jack Sparrow, luckiest, most blessed of pirates, the Black Pearl and Freedom are yours!

He makes his way forward, to the bow of the ship, overwhelmed by the <beauty of nature, the beauty of the Pearl, beautiful freedom, the beauty of life. His life.>" The beauty of nature, his life, just for him, swear to Pete that's how it feels sometimes. This is also so compelling becos he's on that shaky edgy high of near death, if he thinks about it too much he'll just sit down and possibly never get up again, or like Jack does, he's working to turn it to a useable tool for his life. It's touching that he's concerned about how he sounds when he answers Gibbs, the thought of Jack white knuckled, nearly ill from weight of his adventures. Helluva story and I'm so happy to have some of yours ahead of me to read. (home today cos I have a Godzilla size sinus infection).

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I sincerely hope the sinus infection is much better today. Thank you so much for reading and sending me such a wonderful comment, you made my Friday so happy! I'm very glad you thought this worked.