The Turning Tide

[Daz]

As soon as I hear him mention her name I frown a little, wondering whether he's seeing things. But when I turn around to follow his gaze I see the unimaginable.
Maybe if I keep on lying like this a lot more truth will come of it. This wasn't a lie that I would rather be truthful, though - in fact it'll probably ruin my plans completely.
I scowl at the woman, she looks barely any different or any older, instead she just has a loss of ignorant bliss and innocence about her. Now, when I turn my attention back to the child again I feel an even deep surge of dark emotion that I don't allow to show on my features, I try to ignore it by quickly attempting to calculate a new route in this situation, and if in any way Rae could turn out to be a help rather than a hinderance. Maybe shes grown a little wiser against the likes of Jack, though I tend to doubt it.

I look between the three of them and there is an awkward silence, apart from the obvious noise of the folk around us.
"Well this is a particually nostalgic evening for you, isn't it?" I tell Jack, 'accidently' kicking him under the table as I cross my legs over one another.

[Nikki]

"Hello, Jack," I say, looking him in the eye. I've spent so many years dreaming of him that the moment is surreal, but I don't let him see this. Neither do I look upon him with any contempt. A slight, unapologetic smile.
And then waiting.

[Jacky]

"Nostalgia doesn't come close t' describin' it," I mumbled vaguely at Cassandra's words, while I lean back in my chair and run my fingers over my goatee, a slight frown on my face. Any alarm is perfectly hidden under an air of contemplation. And true enough, I'm wondering about a few essential things. I want to know whether this is coincidence, her appearance so perfectly timed with Cassandra's, after ten bloody years. Moreover, I want to know whether I should fear my life; whether any thoughts of revenge may have crept to the surface. But I ask neither. Instead, my dark eyes once again flicker to the little girl by the table.. wondering.
Eventually, I'm the one who breaks the silence.
"Is tha'...?" I pause mid-sentence, nod at the little girl, and simple cock an eyebrow as I look at Rae for an answer.

[Nikki]

"This is Cora Jade," I say, placing a hand on her shoulder. She crowds closer to me but still stares up at Jack with fierce fascination. "And yes. Yes, she is."

[Daz]

"Oh this is bloody beautiful." I roll my eyes in sarcasm, "I'm weeping with emotion."

I stand up and go to look them both up and down, rather inspecting what sort of environment they'd been living in, the girl looks a lot paler than most of the scrubby street-rats you get around Tortuga, "Where 'ave ye been hiding? In a brothel?" I finally conclude because it's hard to gather where she could have found home in these waters, unless shes been living an easier life, which I don't mention do to my annoyance over such an option.

[Nikki]

"We've been staying at an inn here for awhile," I say, ignoring her remarks. It surprises me how her comments seem so insignificant now. "Cora's getting a little...uhm...impatient being cooped up."
I see her eyeing my child and watch her with a little more reproach. I'm not concerned with any insults she phrases, but if she comes anywhere near Cora with a nasty intention, I will not hesitate to kill her. Things have become a lot simpler for me, as I've had all this time to reflect upon that venture of ten years ago. The mistakes I'd made and the times I should have spoken instead of hidden away. How, though Cassandra came at you with all her certainty of the horrible, it didn't mean she was right. Because I'd survived, and so had my beautiful girl.
And that I dared her to try to take away from me.

[Daz]

I frown heavily, "Really? How very dull of you. I don't blame her." I smirk, "I'd be bored out of my mind spendin' so much as a day in a room with the likes of you."

I glance back to the man responsible for the situation, who I can tell is analysing it as much as I am. This whole drama is becoming more and more interesting.

"All these ladies around you, Jack and you're short of words? That's unlike you."

[Jacky]

I've been analysing indeed. It soon became apparent that the two women truly didn't know about each other's presence in Tortuga, which I suppose is favourable. But still, it is difficult not to reflect on the coincidence of the situation. That, and that little girl (Cora Jade, I remind myself), is staring at me intently, like I'm about to burst into flames or do a magic trick. If that doesn't render you speechless, I don't know what will. However, I raise my eyebrow again when Cassandra speaks and finally shrug, making an undefined hand gesture in the air, "Hm. The whole modus operandi is rather unconventional, as it were," I pause, my eyes fixing on Rae again, "Take a seat. I daresay we could all use a drink," I tell her, while I gesture a barmaid over for a round of drinks.

[Nikki]

The sweet and spicy taste of rum brings back a flood of memories.
Cora doesn't want to sit in my lap so she pulls up a big hulking chair, almost too big for her. I'm used to it. She loves me and wants to be near me, but her gut reaction is to do things for herself. She tries to take a swig out of my glass, but I pull it away from her.
"Water for the likes of this one," I say to the smiling barmaid. Cora smiles mischievously.

[Jacky]

A part of me distractedly observes the pair, even as I bring the mug of rum to my lips and take a deep, long swig. Eventually I lean back in my seat and look Rae in the eye, curious and investigating. "So what brings you to Tortuga, luv?" I finally ask her, unable to help but idly wonder whether she's in any sort of trouble.

This would be easier without Cassandra's disturbing glare. A decade ago, I was almost used to that hateful look. Now I'm somewhat less accustomed to it, and therefore more aware of her presence than I would like to be.