Collector of Odd

XIV |Bonded Without Knowing|

Hold the pieces, you'll need them more than me.

          Late that night, when most the crew had stumbled below deck to either sleep or gamble, Mirela sat on top a barrel to stare out across the water. For once, the gypsy was relaxed, her walls were down, and her eyes played her thoughts like a movie. Mirela had come to realize she wouldn't be able to leave these pirates, she had grown too close, grown to love the life once again. She had missed this type of life, missed the years of being aboard with Bensik, and later on Nicu. This was her home, the sea life had always been alluring to her, but something was different this time. This time she knew she would have nowhere else to go, Tia would be gone after this, her shack would simply be a reminder of her disappearance. Mirela couldn't stay there.

          "I don't believe I ever see ye sleep." The rumbling voice that Mirela had grown oh so familiar with still made her jump, her guard had been down, she hadn't expected anyone to speak with her. Tilting her head toward Jack, Mirela simply lifted her shoulders in response to his words, a small, sad smile on her lips. "Tis a dangerous thing to sleep. The ghosts of the past act when ye most vulnerable." Her soft spoken words caught Jack off guard, the spitfire of a gypsy he saw on deck every morning was gone, now before him was a woman lost within herself.

          "Even with the aide of your mumbo drink, ye still need sleep." Jack's lips lifted in a half smirk, his words were teasing in an attempt to ease the gypsy back into her wild attitude. Mirela shook her head slightly, a frown pulling her lips downward while her gaze turned back toward the water. The water was fairly calm tonight, allowing the stars reflection to twinkle without interruption. "I see them." Speaking barely above a whisper, Mirela's face darkened, a haunted look taking over her features. "They haven't moved on, only floating without peace..." A shiver ran across Mirela's spin, nipping at the base of her skull in an almost painful way. Her cringe didn't go unnoticed by Jack's watchful eye.

          Silently, Jack observed the woman before him. Her face was pale, a weariness etched into her features he hadn't seen before. Her arms were wrapped around her torso in a way he assumed was barely holding her together, she looked tired, and not just from a lack of a sleep. She seemed to be tired of life, tired of the riddles, and tired of the pain her eyes clearly reflected. "I miss them... I do... But I want them to move on. I can't take seeing them.." Pausing, the usually strong gypsy broke before Jack when her eyes met his. "It hurts, Jack.." And with that, Mirela crumbled. Years of playing the strong card, playing the "I'm alright" face, had finally begun to crack, and Jack was the one to watch as the tears streaked down her face.

          Without a word, Jack extended his hand to her, urging her with a sad smile to take the offered limb. After a few sniffles, an attempt to pull herself together, Mirela placed her small hand within Jack's. She allowed the man to pull her to her feet, and lead her off of the deck and toward his quarters. Normally, Mirela would have a flirty comment to make about him taking her to his chambers, or maybe they would have been heading toward his room for an entirely different reason. However, Mirela wasn't herself at the moment, she was a broken shell of her former self. She followed Jack without hesitation because the gypsy knew each turn she made would only get her lost.

          Jack didn't speak as he led her toward his bed, just urged her to sit down and turned to go fetch something. When he returned, he held a bottle of rum in his hand and was dragging a wooden chair behind him. Placing the dark wooden chair in front of Mirela, Jack took a seat and sent a small smile toward the gypsy as his knees brushed against her own. "Ye know, ye shouldn't beat yourself up over the past.." Jack paused in his speaking, his teeth pulled at the cork in the rum bottle before he offered said bottle toward the teary-eyed woman. Jack wasn't sure if he was helping if he was comforting in any way, but something inside him urged him to try, and try he would.