Jack smiled.
“No one with the name Barbossa’s gonna put an’ end t’ Jack Sparrow,
love.” Cordelia forced a smile in
return. “Ready then?”

“As I’ll ever be.”
Cordelia and Jack left The Pearl and made their way into Lyon’s
busy streets.

Lyon was a bit of a cross between Poryal yal and
Tortuga. It was a beautiful port in the
daytime, but a soon as the sun set, violence and drunkenness were in
abundance. Being day at the moment,
Cordelia wasn’t as uncomfortable as she could have been. If it weren’t for the fact that someone
could have been out for Jack’s blood at any moment, she would have enjoyed the
town immensely.

Jack aimlessly roamed the streets, Cordelia never
out of his line of sight. He spotted no
crew, neither his nor Barbossa’s, and no signs of Barbossa himself. I’m sure Ana saw something…maybe they’ve
turned in until nightfall… After
checking in a few more places, Jack smiled and said, “No immediate threats,
love. How ‘bout some grub?”

“Sure.”

Jack and Cordelia went into a tavern called “The
Deep Well.” It was moderately crowded,
but still had plenty of room. Jack
ordered food and drink for the both of them and then found a table in the back
corner where they could talk.

Jack’s dark eyes sparkled in the dim light as he
spoke. “Cordy, I t’ t’ get t’ the
things tha’ I said could wait before.”

Cordelia waved her hand dismissively. “Jack, there are more important things to be
worried about right now and…”

“No, there aren’, love. Wha’ if I die tonight an’ didn’ tell ye any o’…”

“Jack, why would you put that thought into my head?”

Jack took Cordelia’s hand. “T’ make ye understand tha’ things can’ always wait. In this kind o’ life, ye need t’ say wha’s
on yer mind as soon as ye think of it.
If ye don’, ye may ne’er say it at all.”

Cordelia’s eyes watered, but she didn’t let any
tears fall. “What do you want to say to
me?”

“I feel a bit daft sayin’ any o’ this, Cordy. I…I feel like I’m Will – but it’s clear that
I’m no eunuch.” Cordelia laughed. “Thing is, love, I ne’er cared about a woman
before, well, not like I care about ye.
Yer a rare lass an’…”

“Rare?” Cordelia interrupted.

“Yeah,” Jack said, smiling. “Aside from how I found ye, yer someone who
can’ take care o’ herself, but yer not one o’ those emotionless bein’s
either. Yer a mix o’ everythin’
an’…” Jack shook his head. “I’m not making a bit o’ sense am I?”

Cordelia smiled.
“I have a vague idea of what you mean, Jack. You can, um, move on if you were planning too.”

“Aye, I was.
I love the sea, I love me ship, an’ tha’s all I ever planned on
lovin’. I don’ know why I found ye in
Tortuga. I don’ know why I wasn’ me
usual philanderin’ self with ye – not tha’ I regret anythin’ in the least –
an’…an’…ye know, this would be easier if I had a bottle o’ rum in me hand…”

“Why are you acting so nervous with me, Jack?”
Cordelia asked.

“I haven’ the foggiest, love.”

Cordelia placed her hands on the side of Jack’s face
and kissed him deeply. She felt Jack’s
body, as well as her own, relax as the kiss lingered. Cordelia forced herself to pull away and said, “Better?”

“Much.”

Jack continued talking, Cordelia
continued to try and understand what he was saying, and the couple continued
being watched by a man on the other side of the tavern. Tha’ can’‘er…‘er…Looks so much like ‘er
though…Cap’n…I gotta tell ‘im. Either
way, Sparrow’s ‘ere…