part 4
He gazed out of the window. He could see the harbour at Tortuga but the rest of his view was filled with the wide open sea. Suddenly he frowned and leaned forward slightly, his good hand automatically going up to hold his shoulder. He knew that ship.
With a gasp that skirted the edges of pain, he recognised the Interceptor. There was only one reason that he could think of for the Interceptor to be heading for Tortuga - to rescue her commodore. Pushing back the covers, he slid from the bed and reached for his breeches. Whatever happened, he had to be ready. If nothing else, this might divert Jack long enough for him to escape. If he jumped overboard the Interceptor would be bound to pick him up - and that would end the battle. Whatever his faults, Jack would take no chance of harming his Guide; he would realise the sense in withdrawing and making another attempt to kidnap James again another time.
Once he was dressed, he had to stop and lean his head against the wall for a while. He felt as weak as a kitten! James shoved back the fatigue with determination. He could take all the time he needed to rest later.
Footsteps caught his attention and he listened intently. The Interceptor had been spotted; he could hear the pirates on deck hurriedly making ready to cast off, and someone was coming to check on him...or keep watch over him. Half-panicking at the thought of it being Jack, he reached for the chamber pot and reeled towards the door. If this were his only chance, he was determined to take it.
The door opened and Gibbs stuck his head in. "Commo-" The rest was lost as the brass chamber pot connected smartly with a loud 'BOING', and Gibbs collapsed in a heap on the floor.
James dropped the mercifully empty pot with a smile and reached for the pirate's sword. He would have liked to take the pistol too, but that was in the front of Gibbs' belt and James did not have the strength to roll him over.
Swaying with the ship's motion, he made his way into the passageway and aimed for the stairs. He had to get to the deck before -
"Goin' somewhere, Jamie?" Jack smiled down at him from the top step.
"I'm leaving this ship, Jack." He backed up as the Sentinel descended the stairs with a feline grace, and gulped as fear curled up from his stomach to wind itself around his heart.
"You're not goin' anywhere, mate. You're my Guide." His eyes flicked to one side. "What did you use to take down Josh?"
"The chamber pot."
"Ah. That was the noise I 'eard." Jack nodded, looking pleased. "Smart move, Jamie, I'm impressed."
"Regardless of how impressed you are, I'm leaving." James waved the sword slightly. "Move aside."
"Jamie, I can't let you do that. The Interceptor is bearin' down on us and although my crew are good, your determined lieutenant might catch up with us. I can't risk losin' you."
James voice was harsh. "You've already lost me!"
"No, mate, we're almost out of time but we're not there yet. All we 'ave to do is bond before the Interceptor arrives and there's no chance that you'll be taken from me."
"I won't let you do that. Find yourself another Guide."
"I can't do that, Jamie. You're my Guide." The Sentinel smiled, his grin predatory, "I've been lookin' forward to this since I first scented you." He moved forward, then stepped back as the business end of Gibbs' sword was waved in his face. "If this is the way you want it, Jamie, this is the way it'll be." He slid his sword free of its sheath and flicked it at James' blade.
James moved back. He wasn't fool enough to think that he could defeat Jack right now - his shoulder was aching and he was having to fight with his left hand - but if he could hold him off long enough, maybe Gillette could board the ship.
"There's nowhere you can go, Jamie. You'll 'ave to fight me sooner or later...or put up your sword now."
James gritted his teeth and made a lunge at Jack. Still grinning, the Sentinel parried the thrust and knocked his blade aside. Recovering, James made another pass but that met with the same fate. His blade scratched the wall of the passageway and Jack frowned.
"Mind, Jamie! We don't want to damage the Pearl."
If he'd had the breath to spare, James would have pointed out that he didn't care if they sank the Pearl as long as it stopped Jack, but he didn't, so he lunged forward again, hoping that this time his thrust would break through Jack's guard.
It didn't. The lunge was blocked and James almost lost his sword with the shock of it. Stepping back, he took the time to take a few breaths. All of Jack's fencing had been on the defensive side so far, and he doubted if that were about to change.
"Gettin' tired, Jamie?"
There was an alluring sympathy in the Sentinel's voice but James shook it off and used it to fuel his anger. He knew he was tired. His breathing was noisy, his arm shaking with fatigue, but he was determined to avoid submitting and his anger was the only thing he had to keep him fighting longer.
For a second, Jack's attention was caught by a noise from above and James took the opportunity to thrust forward once more. Jack's attention snapped back just in time, and he caught James' blade with his, turning it aside at the last second and stepping in close to grab his Guide's wrist and force it down between them. Panicked, James stepped back, but the iron grip on his wrist never faltered and he couldn't go far.
"It's time." The Sentinel's tone was harsh and determined.
His sword was taken from his hand with an ease that suggested Jack had been playing with him before and there was a clang as the other sword was discarded. James began to struggle, but Jack's wiry strength had not faded while his was all but gone. If Jack hadn't been holding him up, James was sure he would have fallen to the floor by now. Therefore, he was barely able to resist as he was forced backwards down the passageway and into another bedroom.
His panicked gaze registered the change in locale before settling back on the feral Sentinel in front of him. "Jack, don't do this!" Staring into the Sentinel's face, he wondered if there was anything of the man left. The devilish gleam in the eye was gone, leaving them darkly intent, and the mocking smirk had disappeared, leaving the teeth bared in what could only be described as a feral smile. "Jack, please!"
The nostrils flared and the smile widened as the Sentinel pushed him down onto the bed and followed him down with a growl of, "Guide!"
"No!" James writhed as much as he could as he tried to escape. His good arm was pinned above his head, leaving only his weaker arm free. Frantically, he ignored the pain shooting from his shoulder and threw his arm out trying to find something, anything, to use as a weapon, but his searching fingers found only the blankets.
Jack's free hand grasped his jaw with hard fingers and pushed his face to one side, leaving his neck exposed and vulnerable. James jerked away as he was scented there, shouting out in anger and fear. His incoherent protest turned into a moan, however, as the Sentinel caught the soft flesh with his teeth. He wasn't biting down, not yet, but James hovered on the edge; his thoughts were still rational and reeling from the immensity of what was happening, but a flush of heat was filling him, luring him into letting go.
Trapped between the two emotions, he froze, overwhelmed with confusion, then cried out as the teeth bit down and Jack's mind plunged into his, shattering his barriers beyond repair. He tilted his head further back as his mind tumbled happily into the bond, and felt lost in the swirling storm of memories and emotions that were pouring in from Jack's mind. The room spun around him, seemingly caught up in the maelstrom that was filling his brain; he snapped his eyes shut to avoid the spinning sight and fell into the darkness.
~'~
"Jamie?" Jack patted his Guide's face gently then smiled. He didn't think Jamie would be waking up any time soon. Carefully, he moved his Guide up the bed and opened up his shirt to check on the shoulder wound. He peeled back the edge of the dressing and smiled again. It hadn't broken open. That had been the one thing he had worried about during bonding as he had not supposed that Jamie would give in without a fight.
Scowling suddenly, he leapt off the bed and stood between the door and the bed, tuning out the murmured protest from his Guide. Whoever it was could not be allowed to approach his sleeping Guide.
The handle turned, the door opened, and Joshamee staggered in, one hand clutching his bruised head.
Jack relaxed slightly although he kept his place. "'Ow's the 'ead?"
"Bloody sore - what did 'e 'it me with?"
"The chamber pot."
"Charming." Josh rubbed his head ruefully. "I'd expect better from a commodore, you know."
"At least it was empty. Be grateful." Jack smiled, gloating over his Guide's quick wits.
"That's a point." A thought seemed to strike him and Joshamee looked around, "Where is 'e?"
Jack indicated the bed behind him with a jerk of his head. "Sleeping."
"At a time like thi - you bonded?"
"Just in time too. It sounds like the Interceptor are about to board us. C'mon!" Jack hustled Josh from the room then came back and covered Jamie up carefully, shushing the sleepy distress. "I'll be back as soon as I can be." Then, pausing only long enough to lock the door securely, he grabbed his sword and followed Joshamee up on deck.
As he had expected, the Interceptor had caught up with them and the boarding ropes were already being tossed across.
"Pirate!"
Jack grinned at Gillette. "Lovely afternoon, isn't it, mate?" he called across. "Come to visit my Guide, 'ave you?"
The frantic race to board the pirate ship stilled.
"That's right. We're bonded." Jack smiled, glorying in the beauty of the day. "Now, you're more than welcome to come aboard and see my Guide - but I'd prefer it if you didn't use boardin' ropes to do it with. 'Ell on the woodwork, you know." He watched as the other officers looked towards Gillette, waiting for orders as to what to do next.
"How can I take your word that you're bonded? You might be lying!"
"It's entirely possible, mate, but Commodore Norrington wouldn't lie, would 'e? So you'll just have to come aboard and ask 'im yourself. Although you'll 'ave to wait to speak to 'im - 'e's sleepin' right now."
There was another pause, then Gillette moved forward.
Jack held up one hand. "Unarmed, if you please. Not that I don't trust you."
After a few seconds' hesitation, Gillette discarded his sword and pistol, then scrambled up and jumped lightly across to the pirate ship.
Smilingly triumphantly, Jack led him below deck and unlocked the door. As he'd suspected, his Guide was fighting the exhaustion that was keeping him under, needing to wake up in order to search for his Sentinel.
Gillette made to step forward but Jack stopped him. "You can see 'im when 'e wakes up. Joshamee! Take good care of our guest." With that, he stepped into the room and shut the door firmly before locking it. Dismissing everyone else from his mind, he made his way to the bed and settled down, sliding his mind into his Guide's in order to shelter him from the crew's emotions. "It's all right, Jamie. Go back to sleep."
The fretful lines faded from Jamie's face and Jack smiled as he felt his Guide slip back into unconsciousness. Jack stretched out on the bed and curled one arm possessively around the sleeping figure, then murmured, "I'm sorry about that, mate; I know you needed me 'ere. Seems your lieutenant was anxious to know that you're all right." He tightened his arm slightly and breathed in his Guide's scent, allowing it to soothe him. "You'll be fine once you've rested up for a bit."
~'~
This time when James awoke, it was to the knowledge that no escape plan could help him now; he was bonded. Oddly enough, he didn't mind it as much as he'd thought he would. Jack's profession, if piracy could be called a profession, was the source of much concern but being bonded to Jack himself did not bother him in the slightest.
"Evenin', Jamie."
He turned his head to look at his Sentinel. "Good evening, Jack." He frowned. "Was I dreaming or is Lieutenant Gillette on board?"
He got a grin for that. "'E's on board, mate, and agitatin' to know 'ow you are."
"Oh, dear." James supposed he would have to face him sooner or later.
"If you don't want to see 'im, you just say the word."
"I'll have to see him. He'll never believe you that we've bonded." He gave Jack a straight look and got another grin in return.
"You sayin' my word isn't good enough, Jamie?"
"Lieutenant Gillette definitely believes that!"
"All right, then, Jamie. You want to face 'im, you can. But if 'e says the wrong thing, I'm throwin' him off the Pearl, savvy?"
"Savvy, Jack."
"All right, then. 'E's in your cabin." Jack smirked. "I didn't like to leave an officer of the King's Navy wanderin' around the Pearl; 'oo knows what kind of trouble 'e'd get up to?"
"Jack?"
"Yes, Jamie?"
"I'm an officer of the King's Navy, remember?"
"'Ow could I forget, mate?" Jack replied, indignantly. "I'll 'ave to lock you in your cabin every time I board a ship!"
James sat on the edge of the bed and regarded his Sentinel steadily. "Seriously, Jack, this is going to be a problem."
"I know, Jamie, but what can I do? I'm a pirate - it's what I do, it's what I know!"
"You could become a privateer instead."
Jack frowned. "What's the difference?"
"A privateer doesn't attack English ships - only the ships of her enemies."
He rolled his eyes. "So far, mate, that just sounds like a way to cut down on my profits with no benefits to me or my crew!"
"You and your crew wouldn't be pirates, you wouldn't be hanged for being pirates." He had Jack's attention now. "Officers of the King's Navy would not be obliged to arrest you upon sight!"
Jack thought about that for a second, then, "Because we'd be workin' for the King?"
"Unofficially, yes."
"Unofficially?"
"Well, if you were captured boarding a Spanish frigate, the Navy wouldn't be sent in to rescue you."
The grin flashed out again. "Mate, if I can't rescue myself, I'd allow them to 'ang me!"
Something he'd wondered about came back to James at that point. "Jack, how did you get out of that cell?"
"At the fort?"
James nodded.
"Bloody great cannonball came through the wall. Nearly took my 'ead off."
"Good God!"
"That's what I said, mate. Or words to that effect. Now, we goin' to tell Gillette the good news about me and my crew becomin' privateers?"
James laughed at the thought of it. "Jack, I hope you disarmed him. He'll probably want to shoot you for it!"
"Don't worry, mate. Your Sentinel already thought of that one."
~'~
James lifted his face to the breeze as the Black Pearl neared Port Royal. Gillette had taken the news badly but he had accepted it in the end, and now the Interceptor was escorting the King's latest privateer ship into Port Royal. He glanced over at his Sentinel who was happily steering his ship. This was not the life he would have chosen, he was, after all, very happy being a Naval Officer, but Jack could never give up the Pearl. And it wouldn't be a bad life. He smiled suddenly. At least with Jack there'd be no paperwork. He suspected that Jack would throw him overboard if he tried to make him write a report.
Moving to the side of the ship he smiled as he saw Captain Ellison and Mr. Sandburg waiting for them. So they had bonded after all.
"Glad to be back, Jamie?"
He didn't bother to turn his head. Even if he hadn't recognised his Sentinel's voice, there was only one person who called him 'Jamie'. "It'll be good to see Port Royal again. Maybe meet my replacement."
"Whoever 'e is, 'e won't do as fine a job as you did, Jamie. Port Royal was gettin' quite a reputation for 'angin' pirates."
James grinned and looked his Sentinel in the eye. "I can only think of one pirate I failed to hang, Captain Sparrow. It seems I had to settle for reforming him."
"Reformin'?" That devilish gleam was back in his eye. "Well, we'll 'ave to see about that, won't we?"
~finis~
19th December 2004
I am positive that Susan's wonderful Sentinel Pirates crossover had an influence on this story - it definitely showed me (in times of despair) that it is possible to reconcile two very different universes.
If you're looking for a story that features Elizabeth, Will, Barbossa or the monkey, please look elsewhere. In this story, Jack is Captain of the Black Pearl, Elizabeth appears as a minor character, Barbossa and his monkey do not appear at all (hopefully Barbossa's visiting a good dentist), and Will gets to stand on the street and smile. Once. Sorry, Will!
Thanks: This was originally posted on Susan and Eileen's fabulous site, and I thank them hosting my AU stories for me. I also thank Susan for the inspiration she provided in creating the Cascade Clan/GDP universe, which has had a deep effect upon all of my AU stories. I'd also like to thank Nancy for the constant encouragement (harassment) she provided, and Georgie for taking the time and trouble to beta my story, replace my mislaid commas and generally point out when I was writing total gibberish. Thanks, guys!
