Stuck in a Storm by A Bit Closer, Johnny

Disclaimer: Do not/cannot obtain ownership of POTC...

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The waves crashed droningly upon the shore; the ocean's mist gently wafting through the air and touching the bare, tanned skin of a woman. She sat upon the sand, her knees tucked under her. Goosebumps appeared on her arms as the sea breeze swept past her, her cotton blouse and billowy skirt reaching just past her knees, offering no warmth.

She looked out to the vast ocean. It looked rather calm to her—surely it could be safe to set sail again? No, however. He had said that a storm was coming. She sighed. She still had much to learn from him, despite living with him on a ship for 7 years. She delighted in the fact that her heart still fluttered whenever she thought of him. Not to mention when she came face to face with him—then she simply grew faint with love and desire for him.

She tucked a curl of brown hair behind her ear that had fallen loose and sighed. Perhaps he was right. She glanced up at the darkening sky.

"Jade!"

The sound of her name caused her to nearly jump out of her skin in surprise as she broke out of her reverie.

"There ye are! Have ye seen my bloody...?"

She stood, smiling a greeting.

"Is tha' my compass?" the pirate asked, looking at the old trinket in her hands.

"Oui." Jade handed it to him. "It's working perfectly now."

"Is it?" he raised an eyebrow, filled with skepticism. He had reluctantly allowed Jade to "take a quick gander at it", and the whole hour of the compass being in her possession, Jack had been itching in anticipation, overcome with a feeling of loss at missing one of his most valuable effects.

Flicking his thumb under the latch, he opened the compass.

"Well?" Jade murmured after he studied it with a look of concentration across his features for a few moments.

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed, snapping it shut. "How did ye get it to point south?"

She placed a hand on her hip. "C'est une de mon talents, monsieur."

"Really?" Jack strode close to her. "What other talents have you, mademoiselle?"

Jade's breath quickened as she felt his breath against her neck.

A crack of thunder and a sudden sprinkling of rain suddenly broke them apart. Jack grabbed her hand, pulling her further up shore just in time to miss a monstrous wave from crashing onto the sand and carrying her into the water's depths.

"Here, love, get inside." Jack ushered her into the abandoned bamboo shack. He was thankful that the fire had kept burning.

He shut the door to the wind which blew more fiercely, and the rain which now fell more steadily.

Jade sat next to fire and attempted to warm her cold, slender hands before wringing the wetness from her long tresses.

Jack came to sit in a chair behind her, placing his hands upon her shoulders.

"Mmm", she murmured. She stopped tending to her hair and placed her hands near the fire again.

Jack breathed in, his senses filled with the aroma of her fragrance that radiated from her body like the rays of the sun. He pulled her hair back, loosening it from its clips, and teased his fingers through the luxurious curls.

"Jack", she giggled. "What are you doing?"

He responded with a kiss to her neck. She sighed, leaning her head back against his chest, surprised when he suddenly stopped.

"What's the matter?" she asked breathlessly.

"Rain's stopped", he answered as he got up.

"Oh", Jade replied, trying to sound cheerful, but she couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed.

"It's still light", Jack continued, opening the door a bit. "So we could head—" He winced as a wave loudly crashed. "Ehem...head...off now." He glanced back at Jade. "Unless of course, you have any objections. Ignoring the merciless wrath of Poseidon."

She laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "Well..."

Jack came over to her, catching her about the waist as he placed a kiss on her lips, preventing her from saying any more.

"Couldn't resist, love", he murmured. "You were saying?"

"Perhaps one more night here would be safer", she replied, unable to hide her smile.

"How do we always think alike?" Jack asked, bewildered, and he scooped her up in his arms.

She laughed again, her peach-colored lips meeting his as she wrapped her arms around his neck, all the while, the thunder echoing through the skies.