Twenty-one Bells: [ACTION/VOICE]

[simplestgift]

[Archie has barely been around town lately, but he does appear in town this afternoon, dashing about to various shops and stores and picking up various one-use items and lots and lots of groceries. He seems to have one thing on his mind.

Later, he'll sit at the fountain and send out the voice message:]

This is Mr. Kennedy. If anyone is in need of me, I shall be at the beach house for most of the week. You can reach me there or on the journals.

Moreover, Mr. Hornblower and I are wondering if anyone would be interested in helping to build a ship. A sloop-of-war, to be specific, with room and ports enough for eighteen or twenty-two guns. I cannot claim we have a practical use for itm besides exploration, but it would be something to do. We have the plans drawn up, and all we need is enough hands to make it possible. We would be grateful for any help at all.

[After this, he'll be walking back to the beach house, where he's been babysitting Jack Sparrow since yesterday.]

Comments

[all7seas]

"Doubts. Doubts? She doubts my love for her. Oooor my faithfulness to her? Or does she doubt..."

[simplestgift]

"She doesn't want you trying to kill Angel at the drop of a hat. Reckless, Jack."

[all7seas]

"I never tried to kill him."

[simplestgift]

"You sent an untried Slayer against him, didn't you?"

[all7seas]

"Pfft. I didn't send anyone anywhere. I told the girl there was a vampire here. A highly annoying bore of a vampire. Then I told her I wouldn't shed any tears if he were to snuff it. And then I reminded her that slayers are supposed to slay. It's what they're bred for. Destined for. That is all. Any choices she made? Were her own."

Though now he is a tad worried about Melaka. He hadn't known she was untried.

[simplestgift]

"...Jack. Tell me the difference between what you told me and what I said."

[all7seas]

"Didn't send her."

[simplestgift]

"No, you didn't. You simply told her her duty and where her duty can be done. No blood on your hands whatever."

[all7seas]

"None whatsoever." Fake smile carefully in place. "What would you have done in my place, Kennedy, hmm? Curious about that."

[simplestgift]

"In your place, I would not have over-reacted."

[all7seas]

"Mmhmm. To my mind, it was an opportune moment, not an overreaction. What do you think of Angel, eh? Curious, me."

[simplestgift]

"He helped me get home after the draft and has at least a decent sense of humor. Other than that, I do not know him."

[all7seas]

"....Sense of humor? Are we speaking of the same fellow? Because thus far, the only thing I have heard out of him are threats and long, boring speeches about himself."

[simplestgift]

"And that merits a murder, does it?"

[all7seas]

"First off, it's not a murder. Vampires. Already dead. You cannot murder them. Secondses, that's not at all why I want him to be deader. I already explained it to you, Kennedy. He did somethin' to her that night--what, I do not know. Made her all different and spun. She wouldn't come near me afterward. He's a threat.

And here's a question, eh? Here's a question for you, Kennedy. What does Buffy think of Angel? What does he think of himself? I'll tell you what they both of them told me: that he's good. Good and a Champion and better than the rest. So what if this tiny shaver of a slayer followed him about? She tries to stake him, keeps him on his toes. Why on earth would her blood be on the hands of this good and holy and sainted champion, eh?"

[simplestgift]

"Something he said brought back a bad memory, Jack. It can happen whether he means it or no. I had bad dreams after something you did without even knowing you did it, and I'm not sending assassins after you. You can't tell me this has never happened to you."

[all7seas]

"He did. Something. To her. Just because she don't own up to it does not mean it's not true. Don't you think I know her, Kennedy?!

...You had bad dreams about something I did, eh?"

[simplestgift]

He should have known not to mention that. "I know the difference between a fresh wound and an old one reopened, Jack. She wasn't lying when she said he didn't do anything. I know what those lies look like."

[all7seas]

"And I taught her how to lie better. And I know when she's lying to me."

[simplestgift]

"She didn't tell everything, but he did not do anything. If he did, she would be more upset about it than she is. Good God, Jack, you won't believe anything but what you'd like to believe, will you? All it takes is a word for her to act the way she did that night."

[all7seas]

The pirate stares at Kennedy for a long, considering moment. He knows what he saw, heard, and felt the night of the spar. He knows how she reacted afterward---very much like after the fight with Derek.

"You remember when she fought Derek? Did you see her after that fight, Kennedy?"

[simplestgift]

He shook his head. "No."

[all7seas]

"I saw her three days after that fight with Derek. It nearly ruined her--was like tending a wounded wild animal to be with her. I took her home after her spar--" he spat the word--"with Angel. It was the same broken woman. The very same. Said he'd shoved her against the wall and pulled his 'Angelus' whatever-it-is on her. Said he'd tried to teach her a lesson. Said she didn't know there were lines to be drawn." Jack shrugged. "That's not very nice, is it? What if Dawn had been treated such? Would you be so sanguine about her, hmm?"

Now he was almost inviting a punch in the face.

[simplestgift]

No. He wasn't. Archie watched him through narrow eyes, trying to figure him out. Between this and the Grell situation, the inconsistency was glaring. He spoke softly.

"This isn't about you trying to be a good man, Captain Jack. You're protecting what's yours. Claiming what's yours. You wouldn't give a damn if it were Dawn or anyone else but Buffy. Grell came after me with a knife and nearly cut you in half and you were the first to tell us all to forget it happened. Angel gave Buffy a nightmare and you're crying for his blood, wrong or right, against her wishes. You cannot pretend this is out of some sense of justice."

[all7seas]

"Listen to yourself! 'Crying for his blood'? Bloody hell, Kennedy! I've never pretended to be a just man. I'm dishonest through and through. Pirate. I told a slayer-girl he was a vampire. Hardly the same level of blood-crying, that. She'd find out soon enough anyway. And my question, you recall, was whether you'd give a damn if it were Dawn. And I suppose I have my answer, eh?"

He had paled at the mention of Grell, though.

"And if you think I've forgotten what happened with Grell...if you think I liked that plan...you have a great deal to learn, whelp."