FANFIC: Sea Turtles (3/6) For potcfest challenge
Author's notes: Written for potcfest
Prompt # 102. A non-sexual adventure that happens to Gibbs, Scarlett, and Giselle after they wander away from the docks at the end of AWE - anytime after.
Special thanks goes to compassrose7577 for her diligent beta-reading and overall advice.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2
Sea Turtles - Chapter 3
****
Giselle did not mention the bois bois doll to Scarlett or Gibbs as they made their way back through the crowed Port-de-Paix market, and down to the waterfront. Gibbs had pre-arranged an early afternoon meeting with AnaMaria, in order to assure sufficient daylight for their return passage to Tortuga. No need to be worrying them none, Giselle rationalized. Besides, it would take more explaining than she was ready to give, as to why she wanted a love charm that resembled Jack Sparrow, in the first place. Silly, really. A woman in her profession didn’t have time for such frivolities as love. The ones she’d known to have fallen for one of their customers had found themselves regretting it, in the end. No, that wasn’t going to happen to her. The doll was just a novelty, a trinket, a souvenir of her adventures. Silly, really.
A day that had begun sunny and clear now bore a bank of dark clouds sitting low over the water, the sun fitfully appearing and disappearing in the ragged sky. Small whitecaps had formed on the bay as the wind picked up. As it gusted through the marketplace, the brightly colored canvas, shading the booths, began to flap and snap.
Scarlett struggled to keep one hand on her hat, while holding her basket filled with bottles of tonics and balms. A sudden gust caught her arm, spilling the basket and its contents onto the street.
“Oh!” Scarlett hurried to retrieve her purchases, amid the shuffling feet of the crowd, the rolling bottles startling and scattering chickens that were in their path.
Giselle stooped to help, following one wayward bottle like a bloodhound, weaving her way through the maze of legs and skirts, intent on her quarry. She finally caught up with it as it skittered to a stop against the toe of a very familiar boot, one she knew well, having helped remove it on numerous occasions. Be-ringed fingers reached down and plucked the bottle from the ground just ahead of Giselle getting her hand around it.
“Lose something?” That gravelly, rough velvet voice could only belong to one man. Looking upward, Giselle found an amused smirk and kohl rimmed eyes awaiting her reaction.
“Jack!” Giselle stood and flung her arms around him, ignoring the startled looks of the passersby.
“Easy on the goods, darlin’,” he growled, wincing slightly at her hug.
Giselle furrowed her brow in worry. “Something the matter, Jack? You hurt or something?”
Jack patted her arm and smiled. “’T’ain’t nothing. Just a bit of an ache here and there.” He squinted one eye at her. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, t’ be sure. But, what brings the fair and winsome Giselle to this town?”
“Came with Scarlett and Mister Gibbs.” Giselle giggled and tucked her arm in his. “We’ve been shopping!”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Gibbs? Shopping?”
Just then, Gibbs and Scarlett caught sight of them.
“Jack!” Gibbs hurried to give Jack an enthusiastic handshake. “Saints above, Jack! Yer a sight for sore eyes!”
Jack winced again, hissing slightly as he extracted his hand from Gibbs’ grasp. “Was just tellin’ Giselle here that exact same thing.” He turned and smiled. “Scarlett!”
Scarlett took one look at him and promptly slapped him across the face.
“You!” she screeched. “How dare you ‘Scarlett’ me!” She glared at him, hands on hips. “You lied to me! You told me you loved me, just so you could get me to…” She was working up to another good slap, when Gibbs held up a warning hand.
Still bent over, Jack had not recovered from the blow, eyes screwed shut and gasping for breath.
“Jack?” Giselle leaned down to try to see his face that was hidden by his mane of hair. “Jack, are you all right?” She brushed aside his dreads and found his face clammy to the touch. “I think he’s sick or something!” She looked up at the others in alarm.
A chilling wind blew up the street as the sun disappeared behind the clouds. The three of them looked on in horror, as if on cue, Jack crumbled in a heap at their feet.
****
The threatening skies opened and the rain poured upon the town, shutting down the market and delaying the departure of Gibbs and the others. Having revived Jack long enough to move him out of the rain, they now sat, wet and bedraggled, huddled together at a local tavern’s corner table.
Jack was propped against Giselle’s shoulder, his eyes closed, pale and feverish. “What do we do now?” she asked, looking around at the unlikely group of stranded travelers.
“Not much we can do,” Ana said, swallowing some rum from the bottle they shared. “Seas are too rough to leave port.” She frowned as she glanced at Jack. “And he’s in no shape to be traveling.”
Gibbs nodded, concern etching his face, as well. “Wonder how he came t’ be here in the first place?” he mused. He too a drink and passed the bottle to Ana’s cousin André “Didn’t see the Pearl out in the harbor.”
“Don’t right matter why he’s here,” Ana said. “What matters is he’s sick and needs a doctor.”
“But where do we find a doctor around here?” Giselle asked, worried.
Scarlett, obviously upset, hadn’t said a word all evening, instead sat huddled alone in the opposite corner, twisting her handkerchief and dabbing her eyes. She now ventured a word. “Perhaps that healer I bought the tonics from could help.”
“Aye, worth a try.” Gibbs agreed. “But where’d we find her, now that the market’s closed?”
Ana spoke up. “She’s got a place near here, in the hills.” At their inquiring faces she added, “Her name’s Mamie; her and my auntie go way back. My cousins know where she lives.”
The two brothers nodded. “Tante Mamie. We can take you. Best we go, before dark, though.”
“You never mentioned you knew her!” Scarlett narrowed her eyes at Ana, who returned the look.
“Don’t remember you asking me none, either,” Ana warned. “Don’t remember you asking for anything, but a way here and back.”
“You were paid for that,” Scarlett pointed out.
Ana gave her a cold smile. “Exactly. You only get what you pay for.”
“Well, here I thought we were doing you a favor. I certainly won’t do that again.” Scarlett sat back in a huff.
Ana sat back as well and crossed her arms. “Good.” She gave everyone at the table a defiant glare. “Don’t think Jack needs any more favors either.”
“Why I never!” Scarlett flushed in indignation.
“Now, now ladies,” Gibbs hastily intervened, only to get glared at by both parties. “We all need t’ be worryin’ about Jack, not squabbling over trifles.”
“Now Letty, be reasonable,” Giselle begged. “No need to get all upset, we know you didn’t mean it.”
Scarlett whirled on her friend. “I did mean it, every word!” she shrilled. Then she burst into tears and ran out the front door.
Gibbs, a slight shade of red, mumbled something about dangers, and hurried after her.
Ana just rolled her eyes at the ceiling and sighed. “Your friend is rather touchy,” she said finally to Giselle.
“Letty? She’s just upset,” Giselle explained. She shifted slightly allowing Jack more room, brushing a lock of hair from his face. “You see, the last time we saw Jack, well it were just after he’d returned from the big battle, and we’d thought him dead, and all, and well…” She blushed and glanced at the feverish pirate slouched heavily on her bosom.
Ana waved a hand in annoyance. “Well, what?”
Giselle glanced between the two brothers and Ana “Well, you see,” she began, lowering her voice. “We were all so happy to see Jack and well,” she paused, and stared for a moment at the table, suddenly uncomfortable admitting it to the others. Finally, finding her resolve, she held her head high. “We decided to let Jack have that threesome he’d been wanting for so long.”
Ana snorted and rolled her eyes again.
Giselle ducked her head, fiddling with the doll in her pocket, and remembering the night in question. It weren’t like we’d done anything wrong, allowing that we’d done just about everything else with Jack before. Weren’t that what we were supposed t’ be doin’? Weren’t like Jack promised us anything, well exceptin’ that ride on the Pearl. And that weren’t his fault either, how was he t’ know that awful Barbossa would sail off with his ship? Well, maybe Jack did tell Scarlett he loved her, but that was just to reassure her she weren’t doin’ anything wrong. Her being all old-fashioned about them things. Not that it seemed wrong at the time; I mean how wrong can it be to be…
Giselle’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud groan from Jack. She felt his head and looked up, her concern deepening. “He’s burning up!”
“We must get him to Mamie’s before sundown.” Ana stood and took charge, nodding towards Jack. “André, you and Marcel will need to help get Jack on his feet. Perhaps we can find a wagon to borrow.”
The two brothers did not waste any more time. Working together as a team they hoisted up Jack, slung his arms over their shoulders, and half-carried, half-walked him outside. The rain had by then tapered off to a drizzle and the sun was low on the horizon. A rainbow arced across the sky above the green hills, and it was in that direction that the group headed.
“What about Scarlett and Gibbs?” Giselle asked, looking around for them. “Shouldn’t we wait?
Ana whirled around. “For what? So that she can watch Jack die like a dog in the street?” She pointed a finger at Giselle and hissed, “I should be leaving both of you behind.”
Cramming her hat on her head, Ana turned and, without another word strode away down the muddy street. With one more look around, Giselle followed the others as they headed out of town, grasping her little doll in her hand, and hoping they weren’t too late.
****
Go to Chapter Four
Prompt # 102. A non-sexual adventure that happens to Gibbs, Scarlett, and Giselle after they wander away from the docks at the end of AWE - anytime after.
Special thanks goes to compassrose7577 for her diligent beta-reading and overall advice.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2
Sea Turtles - Chapter 3
****
Giselle did not mention the bois bois doll to Scarlett or Gibbs as they made their way back through the crowed Port-de-Paix market, and down to the waterfront. Gibbs had pre-arranged an early afternoon meeting with AnaMaria, in order to assure sufficient daylight for their return passage to Tortuga. No need to be worrying them none, Giselle rationalized. Besides, it would take more explaining than she was ready to give, as to why she wanted a love charm that resembled Jack Sparrow, in the first place. Silly, really. A woman in her profession didn’t have time for such frivolities as love. The ones she’d known to have fallen for one of their customers had found themselves regretting it, in the end. No, that wasn’t going to happen to her. The doll was just a novelty, a trinket, a souvenir of her adventures. Silly, really.
A day that had begun sunny and clear now bore a bank of dark clouds sitting low over the water, the sun fitfully appearing and disappearing in the ragged sky. Small whitecaps had formed on the bay as the wind picked up. As it gusted through the marketplace, the brightly colored canvas, shading the booths, began to flap and snap.
Scarlett struggled to keep one hand on her hat, while holding her basket filled with bottles of tonics and balms. A sudden gust caught her arm, spilling the basket and its contents onto the street.
“Oh!” Scarlett hurried to retrieve her purchases, amid the shuffling feet of the crowd, the rolling bottles startling and scattering chickens that were in their path.
Giselle stooped to help, following one wayward bottle like a bloodhound, weaving her way through the maze of legs and skirts, intent on her quarry. She finally caught up with it as it skittered to a stop against the toe of a very familiar boot, one she knew well, having helped remove it on numerous occasions. Be-ringed fingers reached down and plucked the bottle from the ground just ahead of Giselle getting her hand around it.
“Lose something?” That gravelly, rough velvet voice could only belong to one man. Looking upward, Giselle found an amused smirk and kohl rimmed eyes awaiting her reaction.
“Jack!” Giselle stood and flung her arms around him, ignoring the startled looks of the passersby.
“Easy on the goods, darlin’,” he growled, wincing slightly at her hug.
Giselle furrowed her brow in worry. “Something the matter, Jack? You hurt or something?”
Jack patted her arm and smiled. “’T’ain’t nothing. Just a bit of an ache here and there.” He squinted one eye at her. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, t’ be sure. But, what brings the fair and winsome Giselle to this town?”
“Came with Scarlett and Mister Gibbs.” Giselle giggled and tucked her arm in his. “We’ve been shopping!”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Gibbs? Shopping?”
Just then, Gibbs and Scarlett caught sight of them.
“Jack!” Gibbs hurried to give Jack an enthusiastic handshake. “Saints above, Jack! Yer a sight for sore eyes!”
Jack winced again, hissing slightly as he extracted his hand from Gibbs’ grasp. “Was just tellin’ Giselle here that exact same thing.” He turned and smiled. “Scarlett!”
Scarlett took one look at him and promptly slapped him across the face.
“You!” she screeched. “How dare you ‘Scarlett’ me!” She glared at him, hands on hips. “You lied to me! You told me you loved me, just so you could get me to…” She was working up to another good slap, when Gibbs held up a warning hand.
Still bent over, Jack had not recovered from the blow, eyes screwed shut and gasping for breath.
“Jack?” Giselle leaned down to try to see his face that was hidden by his mane of hair. “Jack, are you all right?” She brushed aside his dreads and found his face clammy to the touch. “I think he’s sick or something!” She looked up at the others in alarm.
A chilling wind blew up the street as the sun disappeared behind the clouds. The three of them looked on in horror, as if on cue, Jack crumbled in a heap at their feet.
****
The threatening skies opened and the rain poured upon the town, shutting down the market and delaying the departure of Gibbs and the others. Having revived Jack long enough to move him out of the rain, they now sat, wet and bedraggled, huddled together at a local tavern’s corner table.
Jack was propped against Giselle’s shoulder, his eyes closed, pale and feverish. “What do we do now?” she asked, looking around at the unlikely group of stranded travelers.
“Not much we can do,” Ana said, swallowing some rum from the bottle they shared. “Seas are too rough to leave port.” She frowned as she glanced at Jack. “And he’s in no shape to be traveling.”
Gibbs nodded, concern etching his face, as well. “Wonder how he came t’ be here in the first place?” he mused. He too a drink and passed the bottle to Ana’s cousin André “Didn’t see the Pearl out in the harbor.”
“Don’t right matter why he’s here,” Ana said. “What matters is he’s sick and needs a doctor.”
“But where do we find a doctor around here?” Giselle asked, worried.
Scarlett, obviously upset, hadn’t said a word all evening, instead sat huddled alone in the opposite corner, twisting her handkerchief and dabbing her eyes. She now ventured a word. “Perhaps that healer I bought the tonics from could help.”
“Aye, worth a try.” Gibbs agreed. “But where’d we find her, now that the market’s closed?”
Ana spoke up. “She’s got a place near here, in the hills.” At their inquiring faces she added, “Her name’s Mamie; her and my auntie go way back. My cousins know where she lives.”
The two brothers nodded. “Tante Mamie. We can take you. Best we go, before dark, though.”
“You never mentioned you knew her!” Scarlett narrowed her eyes at Ana, who returned the look.
“Don’t remember you asking me none, either,” Ana warned. “Don’t remember you asking for anything, but a way here and back.”
“You were paid for that,” Scarlett pointed out.
Ana gave her a cold smile. “Exactly. You only get what you pay for.”
“Well, here I thought we were doing you a favor. I certainly won’t do that again.” Scarlett sat back in a huff.
Ana sat back as well and crossed her arms. “Good.” She gave everyone at the table a defiant glare. “Don’t think Jack needs any more favors either.”
“Why I never!” Scarlett flushed in indignation.
“Now, now ladies,” Gibbs hastily intervened, only to get glared at by both parties. “We all need t’ be worryin’ about Jack, not squabbling over trifles.”
“Now Letty, be reasonable,” Giselle begged. “No need to get all upset, we know you didn’t mean it.”
Scarlett whirled on her friend. “I did mean it, every word!” she shrilled. Then she burst into tears and ran out the front door.
Gibbs, a slight shade of red, mumbled something about dangers, and hurried after her.
Ana just rolled her eyes at the ceiling and sighed. “Your friend is rather touchy,” she said finally to Giselle.
“Letty? She’s just upset,” Giselle explained. She shifted slightly allowing Jack more room, brushing a lock of hair from his face. “You see, the last time we saw Jack, well it were just after he’d returned from the big battle, and we’d thought him dead, and all, and well…” She blushed and glanced at the feverish pirate slouched heavily on her bosom.
Ana waved a hand in annoyance. “Well, what?”
Giselle glanced between the two brothers and Ana “Well, you see,” she began, lowering her voice. “We were all so happy to see Jack and well,” she paused, and stared for a moment at the table, suddenly uncomfortable admitting it to the others. Finally, finding her resolve, she held her head high. “We decided to let Jack have that threesome he’d been wanting for so long.”
Ana snorted and rolled her eyes again.
Giselle ducked her head, fiddling with the doll in her pocket, and remembering the night in question. It weren’t like we’d done anything wrong, allowing that we’d done just about everything else with Jack before. Weren’t that what we were supposed t’ be doin’? Weren’t like Jack promised us anything, well exceptin’ that ride on the Pearl. And that weren’t his fault either, how was he t’ know that awful Barbossa would sail off with his ship? Well, maybe Jack did tell Scarlett he loved her, but that was just to reassure her she weren’t doin’ anything wrong. Her being all old-fashioned about them things. Not that it seemed wrong at the time; I mean how wrong can it be to be…
Giselle’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud groan from Jack. She felt his head and looked up, her concern deepening. “He’s burning up!”
“We must get him to Mamie’s before sundown.” Ana stood and took charge, nodding towards Jack. “André, you and Marcel will need to help get Jack on his feet. Perhaps we can find a wagon to borrow.”
The two brothers did not waste any more time. Working together as a team they hoisted up Jack, slung his arms over their shoulders, and half-carried, half-walked him outside. The rain had by then tapered off to a drizzle and the sun was low on the horizon. A rainbow arced across the sky above the green hills, and it was in that direction that the group headed.
“What about Scarlett and Gibbs?” Giselle asked, looking around for them. “Shouldn’t we wait?
Ana whirled around. “For what? So that she can watch Jack die like a dog in the street?” She pointed a finger at Giselle and hissed, “I should be leaving both of you behind.”
Cramming her hat on her head, Ana turned and, without another word strode away down the muddy street. With one more look around, Giselle followed the others as they headed out of town, grasping her little doll in her hand, and hoping they weren’t too late.
****
Go to Chapter Four