Beyond Boundaries

[Jacky]

"You're new choice of life did make me wonder." I admit, leaning with my back against the desk so I'm more comfortable. "I thought those few months you spend on sea with me had made quite the pirate of you. But here ye are, a few years later, finding yourself in the same mansion as before with the same sort of people as before." I pause thoughtfully, "...so aye, maybe ye would be glad to avoid any fights." I make a vague handgesture in her direction. "Then again, you don't act like any proper lady in my perspective.."

I smile slightly at that. "You puzzle me, Scarlett. Again." I confess.

[Lana]

I freeze at the threshold, listening to his quite long and quite sincere monologue that came so suddenly and unexpectedly, shocking me. If I had any plans - these plans were holding my masks and walls around for as long as possible, the longer - the better, staying neutral and trying not to discuss anything private, but now... Slowly, I make a few steps backwards, turning around from the door to face Jack again. I bite my lips slightly and sit down onto the corner of the bed, straightening the skirts of the dress.

"Jack", - I take a breath, - "I did not make any choices of life", - I say slowly, finding proper words for the next phrases. What does he know? What the HELL can he know about my life after he left me? - I think bitterly and a cold shudder goes down my spine as I remember the very first days, weeks and months that were as close to hell as only earth-life could be. But he sounded strange, as if... offended somehow; these words about the same mansion and the same sort of people almost sounded as an accusation of betraying the world of piracy for the world of gold, but how can he judge without knowing anything?

"For a woman, Jack, making choices is much more different", - I say, looking at a spot on the wall, - "and the ways our life goes are unpredictable, they don't necessarily depend on us, not only our wishes determine our future and I bet you know it", - my voice becomes firmer, - "the time I spent on sea with you", - damn, why is he talking about it! I was trying so hard not to pull these memories out..., - "this time changed everything, and you know it as well", - I sigh and finally look at him, my eyes slightly narrowed.

"I'm not glad to avoid fights, I'm not glad to act like a proper lady, and I puzzle you not because I have it as my goal. I am not a lady. I am not a pirate. I am no one now, in-between", - my voice sounds a bit hoarse, - "and I puzzle myself".

Especially now, when I, like a stupid fool, open up! WHAT the hell am I doing?..

But Jack puzzled me as well, I hadn't expected him to start talking about our lives and about our choices. But... somehow I was pleased hearing that I could puzzle him .

Maybe I said too much.

[Jacky]

I glance at her with slight curiosity for another while.. not sure what to say.
There hasn't been much people since Scarlett that I talked with like this. There's some people close enough to me to have good conversation with, bu' feelings? Confessions in a matter of life and death? That's not my thing - I'm not very good with that. In fact, I like to avoid it as much as possible.
Yet here she is, answering my question honestly. Brutally honest, in fact.
And I'm not running away from this conversation just yet.

I pick up a half-full rumbottle from the desk and saunter over to the bed, sitting down as well and offering her a swig.
I give her a roguish grin when she glances at me. "I won't get ye drunk, I promise." I say, a hint of teasing in my voice.

[Lana]

And it surprises me, shocks me to the utmost - as far as I remember, Jack'd better meet a hundred pointy ends of blades than one crying woman on his way; he'd easier kill a hundred officers than say "I love you" and mean it; and now, when he started this conversation and when he's not eager to disappear into thin air as soon as possible - I don't believe my own eyes. Ten years change people. They do, after all.

But I've said enough, and I don't know what else I could tell him even if he asks... I'm shaking slightly, not because of being cold, but because of having had too much during these days, all the change of life - it doesn't pass unnoticed. Moreover, here I am, talking to the man that once... stop right here.

"No", - I shake my head slightly. - "Never trust a pirate", - I refuse the rum, because... I am too tired and I know alcohol will make me absolutely uncontrollable, which I definitely don't want.

[Jacky]

I chuckle at that, "I'll drink to *that*." I state easily enough, and I take a big swig of rum. Almost a quarter of the bottle disappears with that swig, and I lazily hold it in my hand after I drank, glancing at Scarlett.
"How about yourself, if you would be one...?" I wonder though, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

[Lana]

I watch him drinking the rum and feel like standing up right now and leaving the Quarters as soon as possible, right now. It's impossible, I almost can't stay calm anymore - everything is like it used to be, and still, we're no one to each other now. I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt. It does.

"I... was".

[Jacky]

"Well," I raise the bottle to a height that she has it in her view, "Did you trust yourself, back then..?" I ask. There's a boyish twinkle in my eyes, giving the illusion of some innocence to my features as I regard her. The real question is - if your rule is not to trust a pirate, would you not trust *any* pirate..?

[Lana]

Did I trust myself?.. Do I trust myself now?.. Have I ever trusted my intuition, wishes, desires?.. Geez, why is he asking all that! And this twinkle in his eyes is driving me crazy, because it reminds me too much of the old Jack, of *my* Jack.

"Your games again", - I smirk, though, hiding my real mood, because it's not that smirk-y at all. - "And I thought I would never be involved in them anymore".

[Jacky]

"Ah.. well I guess our rendez-vous is just a bit of rotten luck on your account then, darlin'." I give her a slight grin before taking another deep swig.
The rum is helping. It makes this conversation a whole lot easier for me, specially on an empty stomach. But despite that, I suppose I'm just.. testing. Testing the both of us individually, and testing us together. I want to know where talking would lead us to, how we'd both act, what would happen. I want to see where we stand, and the only way to see that is by pushing one's limits, innit?

[Lana]

"No, Captain Sparrow, you're wrong here. Our rendez-vous is a unique coincidence, because the Governor needed namely your help in their situation", - I smirk slightly and shrug innocently, - "and somehow it happened so, that I appeared to live in that very same mansion. Funny ol' world, innit?" - I say with a slur, on purpose, watching his reaction.

Pushing the limits.
I've been telling myself I would never see him again for years.
I've been telling myself we'd never sail again - for years.
Here we are, aboard one ship - nothing in impossible.

I've lost myself so many times that I have nothing to lose anymore.

"Why did you agree to help the Navy?"