Fic: The Moral Advantage (2/? - J/E - PG)
Sep. 20th, 2009 01:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dwgmShould be doing homework, but had to write something yesterday for "Talk Like A Pirate Day" (arrrr!), and ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
phoenix_9664's recent J/E series, the lovely three-part Firsts proved inspirational.
ETA: There's a prequel to this, now, though this works fine on its own.
ETA: The story seems to be growing, so this is 2/?.
~ The Moral Advantage ~
“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?” Teague looked as genuinely saddened as Elizabeth had ever seen him in the few months she’d known him.
But, “No,” she said, though more gently than usual. “If I’m going to go I need to go now, so I’ll have time to get settled in England before the baby comes.”
“England,” Teague scoffed. “You’ll never be happy there, lass. And a King is a King for life. Jackie….”
“I’ve served my purpose for Jack,” Elizabeth said, trying to sound matter-of-fact. “When you see him again, wish him well.”
*
A month later, as dawn began to show in the east, the watchman in the main top of the Fancy shouted, “Sail ahoy!” to those on deck.
Five minutes later Captain Chevalle emerged from his cabin, struggling into his coat, and five minutes after that Elizabeth stumbled up the companionway, electrified by the news.
It was the Black Pearl.
“They’re less than a mile away! How did they get so close without being spotted?” But even as she said it she knew: unlit, the entirely black ship could not be seen at night.
Chevalle confirmed. “They must have been close enough to identify us at dusk, and you know that she is preternaturally swift.” Chevalle lifted his spyglass and peered out at their pursuer.
“Is it Barbossa? We know that he took the Pearl.”
“That may be,” said Chevalle, slowly. “But… I can’t see clearly yet, but I do not think it is he.”
*
Jack shouted some order and a puff of smoke issued from one of the Pearl’s guns, the shot whizzing over the Fancy’s bow.
“The devil!” Elizabeth exclaimed, furious.
Chevalle swore too, but then shrugged philosophically and called out orders that would end the chase and allow the Pearl to come alongside.
“You’re not going to simply take that from him?” Elizabeth demanded. “It’s outrageous!”
Chevalle fixed an amused eye on her. “I have no quarrel with the so beautiful Jack, cherie, but I suspect it is not my good self with whom he seeks… eh, how do you English say... intercourse?”
Elizabeth flushed, quite sure Chevalle knew of the word’s double meaning. She snapped, “That’s absurd. There’s nothing between us. There can be nothing between us!”
He raised a brow in patent disbelief, but said only, “Then you have nothing to worry about, hein?”
He turned away to go take the helm, and Elizabeth looked out at the Pearl again. At her captain.
...the so beautiful Jack...
And he was beautiful, his black eyes locked on hers for a long moment, making her heart thud most uncomfortably. “The devil!” she said again, aloud. What did he want? She wondered briefly if there was some news from the Cove, perhaps… Teague? But no. Chevalle was right, Jack wanted her. But why?
*
“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, even as his boots thumped on the deck.
He tossed aside the line and came toward her, his eyes flashing. “I might ask you the same thing, Miss Swann. What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?”
“You have no right—“
“I have every right!” he snapped. His hand closed on her arm. “Come with me.”
“I will not!” She jerked her arm from his grasp, not without difficulty. “Are you mad?”
“So they say,” he growled, glaring. But he seemed to gather himself, and bowed sardonically. “May I have the honor of addressing your piratical imperiousness in private?”
“I—“
“Feel free to use my cabin,” Chevalle put in.
Elizabeth glared at the Frenchman, but Jack gave him a nod and a “Thanks, mate,” as he took Elizabeth’s arm again. “This way, your nibs.”
Elizabeth seethed, but decided that it would be undignified to protest further. Chevalle’s crewmen were grinning, and Mr. Gibbs was giving a wave from the Pearl’s helm. She allowed herself to be escorted aft to Chevalle’s cabin, though once inside she jerked her arm from Jack’s grasp. Or would have if he had not immediately let her go to secure the door. Her hands clenched into fists. “I could hit you!” she hissed as he turned to face her—to stalk her. And she cursed herself for a coward as she backed away.
“Now that’s not fair, seein’ as I can’t return the favor with you all enceinte.” He grimaced, and waggled his fingers in the direction of her middle.
She stiffened. “Did Teague tell you?”
“Of course he told me. And that you were headed back to England to set up housekeeping like some underbred dowd of a sailor’s wife. Bloody hell! Did I give up immortality for that? Make you Pirate King so you could chuck it all at your first sight of a lee shore?”
“You made me Pirate King for your own ends! That story’s finished!”
“Oh, is it?”
She felt the edge of the table against her backside and halted, straightening, glaring. “You left. For Tortuga and… and your whores.”
“For the Fountain of Youth!”
“Oh, really? And did you find it?”
“In spite of Barbossa’s continued treachery, yes, I did.” And he drew a carefully stoppered vial from his pocket.
She stared at it. Swallowed hard. Raised her eyes to his. “You mean it's real? Did you drink any?”
“Not yet.” He thrust it back into his pocket. “Brought enough back for you and me, though.”
She stared at him now. “I thought you hated me.”
His mobile face showed a fierce internal struggle, and at last he said, “I wish I could.” And then his hands were on her, pulling her close, and he bent and kissed her.
She was horrified. Terrified. Tried to push him away, but the form under her hands, the solid, wiry strength of him, the familiar smell of him… the taste of him! And then it was too late to repine.
But she trembled when he ended it, clung to him shamelessly, fearfully.
Still so close she could feel his breath on her lips, he whispered, “That’s what you need, isn’t it, Miss Swann?”
She drew in a shuddering breath. “Jack…”
“No worries, love. I have it on the best of authority your kiss can’t kill me again.”
She frowned. “Authority? What authority?”
“Calypso. And Will, too, for that matter. God, I’m tired of immortals. You sure you want to do it?”
“Y-you’ve seen them?”
“Aye. There was a bit of difficulty sorting out the Pearl’s captaincy, as you may’ve heard.”
“You almost died?”
“No—“
“How else would you have seen them?”
“I’m Captain Jack Sparrow!”
She shoved at his chest, exasperated. “Jack—“
“Now don’t scold, I’m the one who's doing the scolding here. England. Bah! You’re coming back to the Cove, where you belong.”
“But I don’t belong there!”
“You’re King, and your child’ll be pirate lord after you’re gone, like as not. And more than all that, you owe me.”
“I owe you?”
“Aye.”
Elizabeth frowned, unwilling to admit as much, but unable to deny it, either. She said, reasonably, “I would never have ended up where I am if it hadn’t been for you. You and your bargain with Davy Jones. You and your Aztec gold.”
“Well, it’s Beckett’s fault I had to bargain with Jones. Do you want to know what happened between us?”
“I know what happened,” she said, “Tia Dalma told us, after… after…” She lifted her hands and plucked at his coat as the memories surfaced... the Kraken taking Jack and the Pearl to the depths... the day, weeks, months of torturous second guessing.
To her surprise, he drew her close.
“Don’t think of that now. But as I said, you owe me. I’ve a distinct Moral Advantage, which is nice for a change, hardly ever happens, really. And since it's apparent I can’t forget you, I've decided to keep you by me and enjoy holding your feet to the fire.”
…can’t forget you…
She pushed back a little, staring. Then, narrowing her eyes, she said, “Is that right? And for how long?”
“As long as it takes," he replied, eyes alight, and kissed her again.
~.~
phoenix_9664's recent J/E series, the lovely three-part Firsts proved inspirational.ETA: There's a prequel to this, now, though this works fine on its own.
ETA: The story seems to be growing, so this is 2/?.
~ The Moral Advantage ~
“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?” Teague looked as genuinely saddened as Elizabeth had ever seen him in the few months she’d known him.
But, “No,” she said, though more gently than usual. “If I’m going to go I need to go now, so I’ll have time to get settled in England before the baby comes.”
“England,” Teague scoffed. “You’ll never be happy there, lass. And a King is a King for life. Jackie….”
“I’ve served my purpose for Jack,” Elizabeth said, trying to sound matter-of-fact. “When you see him again, wish him well.”
*
A month later, as dawn began to show in the east, the watchman in the main top of the Fancy shouted, “Sail ahoy!” to those on deck.
Five minutes later Captain Chevalle emerged from his cabin, struggling into his coat, and five minutes after that Elizabeth stumbled up the companionway, electrified by the news.
It was the Black Pearl.
“They’re less than a mile away! How did they get so close without being spotted?” But even as she said it she knew: unlit, the entirely black ship could not be seen at night.
Chevalle confirmed. “They must have been close enough to identify us at dusk, and you know that she is preternaturally swift.” Chevalle lifted his spyglass and peered out at their pursuer.
“Is it Barbossa? We know that he took the Pearl.”
“That may be,” said Chevalle, slowly. “But… I can’t see clearly yet, but I do not think it is he.”
*
Jack shouted some order and a puff of smoke issued from one of the Pearl’s guns, the shot whizzing over the Fancy’s bow.
“The devil!” Elizabeth exclaimed, furious.
Chevalle swore too, but then shrugged philosophically and called out orders that would end the chase and allow the Pearl to come alongside.
“You’re not going to simply take that from him?” Elizabeth demanded. “It’s outrageous!”
Chevalle fixed an amused eye on her. “I have no quarrel with the so beautiful Jack, cherie, but I suspect it is not my good self with whom he seeks… eh, how do you English say... intercourse?”
Elizabeth flushed, quite sure Chevalle knew of the word’s double meaning. She snapped, “That’s absurd. There’s nothing between us. There can be nothing between us!”
He raised a brow in patent disbelief, but said only, “Then you have nothing to worry about, hein?”
He turned away to go take the helm, and Elizabeth looked out at the Pearl again. At her captain.
...the so beautiful Jack...
And he was beautiful, his black eyes locked on hers for a long moment, making her heart thud most uncomfortably. “The devil!” she said again, aloud. What did he want? She wondered briefly if there was some news from the Cove, perhaps… Teague? But no. Chevalle was right, Jack wanted her. But why?
*
“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, even as his boots thumped on the deck.
He tossed aside the line and came toward her, his eyes flashing. “I might ask you the same thing, Miss Swann. What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?”
“You have no right—“
“I have every right!” he snapped. His hand closed on her arm. “Come with me.”
“I will not!” She jerked her arm from his grasp, not without difficulty. “Are you mad?”
“So they say,” he growled, glaring. But he seemed to gather himself, and bowed sardonically. “May I have the honor of addressing your piratical imperiousness in private?”
“I—“
“Feel free to use my cabin,” Chevalle put in.
Elizabeth glared at the Frenchman, but Jack gave him a nod and a “Thanks, mate,” as he took Elizabeth’s arm again. “This way, your nibs.”
Elizabeth seethed, but decided that it would be undignified to protest further. Chevalle’s crewmen were grinning, and Mr. Gibbs was giving a wave from the Pearl’s helm. She allowed herself to be escorted aft to Chevalle’s cabin, though once inside she jerked her arm from Jack’s grasp. Or would have if he had not immediately let her go to secure the door. Her hands clenched into fists. “I could hit you!” she hissed as he turned to face her—to stalk her. And she cursed herself for a coward as she backed away.
“Now that’s not fair, seein’ as I can’t return the favor with you all enceinte.” He grimaced, and waggled his fingers in the direction of her middle.
She stiffened. “Did Teague tell you?”
“Of course he told me. And that you were headed back to England to set up housekeeping like some underbred dowd of a sailor’s wife. Bloody hell! Did I give up immortality for that? Make you Pirate King so you could chuck it all at your first sight of a lee shore?”
“You made me Pirate King for your own ends! That story’s finished!”
“Oh, is it?”
She felt the edge of the table against her backside and halted, straightening, glaring. “You left. For Tortuga and… and your whores.”
“For the Fountain of Youth!”
“Oh, really? And did you find it?”
“In spite of Barbossa’s continued treachery, yes, I did.” And he drew a carefully stoppered vial from his pocket.
She stared at it. Swallowed hard. Raised her eyes to his. “You mean it's real? Did you drink any?”
“Not yet.” He thrust it back into his pocket. “Brought enough back for you and me, though.”
She stared at him now. “I thought you hated me.”
His mobile face showed a fierce internal struggle, and at last he said, “I wish I could.” And then his hands were on her, pulling her close, and he bent and kissed her.
She was horrified. Terrified. Tried to push him away, but the form under her hands, the solid, wiry strength of him, the familiar smell of him… the taste of him! And then it was too late to repine.
But she trembled when he ended it, clung to him shamelessly, fearfully.
Still so close she could feel his breath on her lips, he whispered, “That’s what you need, isn’t it, Miss Swann?”
She drew in a shuddering breath. “Jack…”
“No worries, love. I have it on the best of authority your kiss can’t kill me again.”
She frowned. “Authority? What authority?”
“Calypso. And Will, too, for that matter. God, I’m tired of immortals. You sure you want to do it?”
“Y-you’ve seen them?”
“Aye. There was a bit of difficulty sorting out the Pearl’s captaincy, as you may’ve heard.”
“You almost died?”
“No—“
“How else would you have seen them?”
“I’m Captain Jack Sparrow!”
She shoved at his chest, exasperated. “Jack—“
“Now don’t scold, I’m the one who's doing the scolding here. England. Bah! You’re coming back to the Cove, where you belong.”
“But I don’t belong there!”
“You’re King, and your child’ll be pirate lord after you’re gone, like as not. And more than all that, you owe me.”
“I owe you?”
“Aye.”
Elizabeth frowned, unwilling to admit as much, but unable to deny it, either. She said, reasonably, “I would never have ended up where I am if it hadn’t been for you. You and your bargain with Davy Jones. You and your Aztec gold.”
“Well, it’s Beckett’s fault I had to bargain with Jones. Do you want to know what happened between us?”
“I know what happened,” she said, “Tia Dalma told us, after… after…” She lifted her hands and plucked at his coat as the memories surfaced... the Kraken taking Jack and the Pearl to the depths... the day, weeks, months of torturous second guessing.
To her surprise, he drew her close.
“Don’t think of that now. But as I said, you owe me. I’ve a distinct Moral Advantage, which is nice for a change, hardly ever happens, really. And since it's apparent I can’t forget you, I've decided to keep you by me and enjoy holding your feet to the fire.”
…can’t forget you…
She pushed back a little, staring. Then, narrowing her eyes, she said, “Is that right? And for how long?”
“As long as it takes," he replied, eyes alight, and kissed her again.
~.~
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-09-20 09:44 pm (UTC)Owing Jack Sparrow might prove an exquisite burden indeed :-)
Jack with the Pearl and the Fountain's water, a glimpse of Teague and Chevalle, "I can't return the favor with you all enceinte" (loved that), and lovely J/E - perfect. I was so happy to see this post from you ♥
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Date: 2009-09-20 10:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-21 04:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-21 04:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-21 05:00 am (UTC)One can learn some technique from them, for sure... I love the off-stage events, that you only hear about from someone who was there-- or the ones that you only get hints of. he doesn't need to explicate everything. I wish i didn't!
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Date: 2009-09-21 05:08 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-09-20 10:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-20 10:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-21 12:55 am (UTC)“I have no quarrel with the so beautiful Jack, cherie, but I suspect it is not my good self with whom he seeks…intercourse?” Does everyone on the planet know that these two are a combo act?
“That’s what you need, isn’t it, Miss Swann?” What a sweetie thing to say--gonna take care of his woman indeed he is.
"...you owe me. I’ve a distinct Moral Advantage, which is nice for a change, hardly ever happens, really. And since it's apparent I can’t forget you, I've decided to keep you by me and enjoy holding your feet to the fire.” Oh, what a wonderful little tirade from himself...he's too cute for words when he's being all righteously snitty. Made me laugh so hard.
Yep, word's out! You do good--you make good fic--you give much pleasure. Thank you, more please.
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Date: 2009-09-21 01:01 am (UTC)Thank you very much for, again, leaving such lovely, thoughtful comments. I truly appreciate it!
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Date: 2009-09-21 04:34 am (UTC)Thank you, I feel sooo refreshed now.
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Date: 2009-09-21 04:40 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-09-21 01:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-21 02:28 pm (UTC)As usual, you perfectly capture the chemistry between J/E (the one that keeps us "tuning in" to this pairing!)
She jerked her arm from his grasp, not without difficulty. “Are you mad?”
“So they say,” he growled, glaring.
Ha! What a perfectly perfect Jack line! You actually made me "hear" JD's voice in my head! (or it could just be that I am mad!) ;-)
She stared at him now. “I thought you hated me.”
His mobile face showed a fierce internal struggle, and at last he said, “I wish I could.” And then his hands were on her, pulling her close, and he bent and kissed her.
*sigh* *melts* Simply marvelous! Love Jack's "fierce internal struggle", and how he follows up his answer with action...like an exclamation point, emphasising his true feelings towards her. (May I *sigh* again?) *sigh* ;-)
I'd like to also add my voice to the chorus clamouring for more! (And, yes, unfortunately, I understand the obstacles to creative output ... I'm also victim of that time-eating monster called "Real Life", so I know where you're coming from!) :-P
But thank you so much for this delectable morsel! Wonderful way to start out a dreary Monday, with a little GeekMama J/E romance to warm the cockles ...
-- Cat
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Date: 2009-09-21 07:47 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2009-09-22 09:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-22 01:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-22 01:37 pm (UTC)http://community.livejournal.com/cutler_beckett/426061.html#cutid1
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Date: 2009-09-21 05:49 pm (UTC)yours, Nan.
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Date: 2009-09-21 07:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-21 06:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-21 07:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-23 12:21 pm (UTC)- Elizabeth feeling she should go back to England, partially because of the baby but mostly because she seemed to be heartbroken
- Chevalle's cheeky use of "intercourse"
- Jack being Jack
- Jack having met up with Calypso and Will who confirmed his immortal status (to be)
- seeing (and being able to imagine) yet another one of Jack's grand adventures (reclaiming the Pearl) just from the small hint he gave here
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Date: 2009-09-28 04:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-28 04:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-19 03:28 am (UTC)That's one of the best lines Jack has ever spoken in any fanfic.
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Date: 2010-07-19 04:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-13 08:14 pm (UTC)Hehe...love the double meaning!
Keep her and hold her feet to the fire...and other things, I imagine.
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Date: 2010-11-03 04:15 am (UTC)Precisely. *g*
Thank you again for reading and commenting!