𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐃𝐔𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐌, the crew was knocked out below deck. soon enough, darkness fell. the bright moon emerged from behind the clouds, casting beautiful patterns on the water. bella leaned over the railing, staring out at the sea ahead of her.

"most of the crew is asleep," she heard jack step up next to her. "including young william."

she glanced at him, then looked back at the water. "he's had an exciting few days."

bella could feel jack's eyes on her. "have you?" he asked.

she smiled. "i guess so," bella answered. "i can only imagine how my mother reacted to our grand escape."

a pause commenced.

"you tired yet?" jack's gaze on her was unmoving.

she turned to face him, playful smile still on her lips. "i think all those nights sneaking out have caused me to develop an immunity to exhaustion."

jack laughed lightly. "if you change your mind, you should sleep in the captain's cabin."

she furrowed her brows. "the same bed norrington has laid in? i'd prefer the crow's nest."

the look on jack's face suggested that he was enjoying their banter. "suit yourself, love," he said, turning away from her to look out at the ocean. "the bed in the captain's quarters always seems to be more comfortable..."

bella laughed and rolled her eyes in response.

"no, no, but if you insist," he continued. "mr. gibbs is a talented snorer."

"i think i'll manage," bella told him.

"all right," he looked back down at her. "tell me if you need anything."

she eyed him questioningly. "why are you trying to spoil me?"

jack half-smiled. "good question."

bella shook her head and looked back at the ocean. this man was something else.

"i've got a better one," she finally broke the silence. if she was going to sail with jack, she needed to understand his intentions. "why did you become a pirate anyway?"

jack looked a bit taken aback.

"if you don't want to tell me——"

"shhh," jack cut her off. he gazed at her a moment, then grabbed her hand and pulled her with him. cotton was at the helm, and a couple other crew members were standing on the quarterdeck.

jack opened the door to the captain's cabin and led her inside.

"jack, i told you, i'm sleeping with the crew——"

"do you want an answer?" he cut her off again.

"oh. yeah."

"you may want to sit," jack began. bella raised her eyebrows hesitantly, then sat in a nearby chair.

"long story?" she asked.

"intense," jack corrected. he was still wearing that charming half-smile.

"i'm listening," bella leaned forward, somewhat intrigued.

"my father was a pirate, so i grew up in chaos," he said. "the majority of my family were mediocrities, so i wanted to be captain of a ship," a little glow appeared in jack's eyes, and he said this with some gusto. "after a childhood of being a cabin boy, i finally ran away. i had some teenage adventures, one of them including being on your father's crew in the devil's triangle. then, in a feeble attempt to become respectable, i decided to join the east india trading company," he said the last bit with disgust.

"i'm sorry," bella frowned, well aware of the slave trade and monopoly that the company advertised.

"well, i sailed with them for a year, then i was offered to captain a certain ship," he explained. "the wicked wench. one of the company directors had recently bought her." bella looked confused at first, since the wench had been her father's ship, but she understood. "i sailed her for about a year, but then i was ordered to transfer slaves across the atlantic."

bella was sickened by the inhumaneness and cruelty of slavery, which was apparent by her expression of shock and dislike.

"humans shouldn't ever be treated like that," he continued quietly. "so i freed them."

bella nodded slightly at his right choice. "as you should've."

"aye. the company director was a bit put out," jack said carefully. "he... brought me to him, and branded me. then he set the wench up in flames."

she gasped softly upon learning how her father's ship had been destroyed.

bella saw the genuine sorrow in jack's eyes, something she hadn't seen before. without even remembering how she got there, bella stood up and wrapped her arms around jack in a hug. "i'm sorry, jack."

he looked a little surprised at first, but then he gave in and hugged her back. after a moment, jack let go and showed her his right forearm.

bella reached out to hold it, pointing at his sparrow tattoo. "that makes it look better," she grinned.

jack chuckled. "it does, doesn't it? i realized i should just embrace being what i am— a pirate."

"a good one, though."

they stood in silence for a second, then bella decided to say what she was thinking.

"it was cutler beckett, wasn't it?" she asked, a look of concern passing over her face.

jack sighed. "you know him?"

"a bit," bella replied. "though i wish i could say i didn't."

he looked at her curiously. "yeah, it was him."

"ah," she nodded. "in that case, i'm even more sorry."

jack stared at her a little longer, a thousand thoughts about her running through his head. then he put his little smile back on and took bella's arm.

"i think it's time you went to sleep," jack walked her out of the cabin. "let me show you to your quarters."

"oh, thank you, captain," bella rolled her eyes.

"my pleasure."

she and jack quietly walked down the stairs to the crew's sleeping area. bella glanced around. jack was right, gibbs did snore. clearly, a couple others did too. it smelled somewhat rancid, probably the result of poor hygiene.

she stared at the scene for a moment, then turned to jack. "mind if i take you up on your previous offer?" she asked quietly, praying he would say yes.

jack gasped. "but i thought you said——"

"jack, please?" bella looked up at him hopefully.

he laughed softly. "come on," he agreed, taking her back up to the cabin.

"thank you," bella said gratefully.

"here's the key," he handed her a little brass key. "found it earlier. now, i'll be 'sleeping with the crew'," jack said, imitating her.

bella shook her head in defiance, but laughed in spite of herself.

"... unless you'd prefer i stayed here ..." jack proposed, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

for a second, bella thought that there was nothing she'd want more, but she mentally slapped herself.

"no, that won't be necessary..." she trailed off, getting a better view of the cabin and glancing around a bit.

jack smiled. "night."

bella turned around and saw the handsome pirate about to leave the cabin. she walked over to him and lightly hugged him, planting a small kiss on his cheek.

"goodnight," she smiled back. jack slowly closed the cabin door.

bella found herself smiling even after he was gone. locking the door, she sighed. this man was going to either ruin her life or make her the happiest she'd ever been— no in between.

drifting off to sleep in the —she had to hand it to jack, very comfortable— bed, all she could picture was his dashing smile and charming laugh. and she wasn't complaining.