bisexualpirateheart:

                                    A Constant in the Dark

Anne’s not going to make a move on her own. Jack knows this. The
question is what he will do with it. In between worrying over finding Flint and
possibly dying and pondering what lie to tell Lady Guthrie when it became apparent
that no one was dying, he had thought of that.

On the one hand, he doesn’t have to do anything of course. On
the other, that’s such a poor lie he can’t even stomach it.

So when it’s evening and Anne is curled up on her side beside
him, her hand on his stomach, like she can’t believe he’s really come back,
Jack pulls away from her touch.

“What is it?”

“Give me a moment.” Jack kisses her hair, knowing
things are going to charge yet again for them. But that’s life, one eternal
change. But there are certain constants, and they must be held onto, especially
in the face of change.

He goes out into the hall and pauses, and then quickly before he
loses his nerve and changes his mind, he raps on the door.

Max answers quickly. “What is it?” She looks past him,
“Is Anne well?”

“No.” Jack says.

At her worried look, he takes her hand reassuringly. “Sorry
shouldn’t have put it like that, but it’s the truth and we both know it.”

Max licks her lips, haltingly, taking her time with her words
and for that he is grateful. “You returned to her. She will be herself
soon enough.”

“If you actually believe that, then you don’t know her half
as well as I thought you did.” Jack said. “Look, just come with me.” He leads her by the hand through the
hall and into the other room.

Ann’s sitting up in bed. “Jack, what is it?” She looks
from him to Max with worried eyes.

He nods at her. “It seems rather silly to me, to waste any
more time pretending you two don’t still care for each other. So if you could.”
He gestures vaguely between them. “Simply make up and get into bed so we can
get some sleep, I’d appreciate it.”

“We did make up.” Anne mutters without looking up at him.

“Then why are you here?” Jack asks, dumbfounded.

At that she looks at him. “Because I weren’t gonna just
leave you for fuck’s sake.”

“I know that, but what’s stopping you from being in there
with her?”

“I am standing right here, you know.” Max crosses her arms
over her chest.

“Yes, and why is that again?” Jack’s hands are on his hips
as he stares at her. “Ah yes, because I went in there and got you. That was not
in any way my responsibility, but the two of you won’t see sense and I, for one,
am tired of it.” He sinks down on the foot of the bed. “Do you even realize how
unbelievably lucky it is that I came back at all from that little excursion?”

Anne looks at him sharply.

“If I were dead.” Jack trails off. “I like to think the two
of you wouldn’t continue being so fucking stupid.”

Max eyes him. “Bullshit. You’d want us to be drinking in
your memory and telling fantastic stories about your glorious deeds and
adventures.”

“Well, that too,” Jack agrees, chewing on his lip. “I just…
Stay, go, decide whatever. But I am going to bed.” He looks at Max. “You’re
more than welcome to stay. That’s all I’m trying to say here.”

With that he kicks off his boots and crawls back into bed,
pulling the blankets over him. Anne settles back beside him, but he can feel
the tension in her, the hard line of her body holding and waiting and wanting.

“Do you want to me stay?” Max asks quietly.

Jack buries his face in Anne’s hair as he listens to the
soft catch in her throat.

“You know I do.”

“Then I will stay.”

Jack closes his eyes. The bed shifts and Max joins them. He’s
only mildly surprised when a hand is placed over his and given a small stroke
of her thumb.

He opens his eyes to see Max smiling at him. “More than
welcome, you say?”

“I do tend to elaborate.” He murmurs, but his mouth twitches
slightly in return, his thumb pressing against hers briefly. “Now if you would
be so good as to blow out the candle, we can all get some sleep.”

The room settles into darkness as she does. Jack lies beside
Anne, feeling the warmth of her, the softness in her body now that she’s held
safely between the people who love her.

It wasn’t a hard decision in the end. When you love someone
you want them to be happy, and sometimes, if you’re lucky enough, that happiness
includes you. Change is inevitable, perhaps, but love is a constant in the
dark.