Author's Note: (My first POTC fanfiction) This fic was a little something that bothered me for some time. I just so wanted to write something between these two. So I've read some fic's there with them having hints of some what friendship in some way. And I thought, 'Yeah friendship! Heck! Why not?' It's fun when these two fight over being the Captain of the Black Pearl. So if they could be rivals, how's about friends? And so to remind you, my beloved readers, just in case you haven't read the summary, this isn't a BarbossaXJack love team fic. Though I find the two cute for each other, it's just that I want Barbossa to be MINE instead. (LOL) I just love Barbossa - damn it - anyway, hope you enjoy reading. And please send me any comments at all. I'd love to hear from you of what ya'all think of the story. So, enjoy!
Disclaimer: "The only thing I own is the fanfic. So I don't own the movie,
nor the characters. Please keep that in mind." 'SANKAGE'
Do You Still Remember Those Times?
Under the moonlight sailed the Black Pearl, with both of its captains outside deck. One was at the stairs of the quarterdeck, holding a bottle of rum in hand which was half empty. The other was looking out to sea, feeling the wind on his face, both hands on the rails. But of course, both captains did not forget their stations. The one with the rum was at port side, the other at the rails was at starboard side. And with such a distance from each other, they had remained silent for quite a time. Nothing but the continuous waves of the sea and the blowing of the wind was heard. But all this silence had made Captain Jack Sparrow uneasy as time wore on continuously. Being at the deck with only his. . .err. . .co-Captain having in company, and with all the silence between them, it just made him uneasy or a bit bored in some way.
"Oi! Hector," Jack finally spoke.
Captain Hector Barbossa turned to face the younger pirate who called to him. But he didn't answer. He kept quiet, stared at Jack, as though waiting for the drunkard pirate to say what he wanted to say. But Jack stared back at him also, and Barbossa, being already used much to the eccentric pirate, just rolled his eyes and resigned to defeat. "What?" he asked with restrained annoyance.
Jack held up the bottle of rum as though a means of offering a drink. "Some rum, mate?"
"I'd rather have me apples," was Barbossa's cold reply, as he turned his back, looking out to sea again.
"Would you like me to get some for you down below then?" Once again, Jack offered.
But Barbossa only glanced over his shoulders and didn't reply. He doesn't seem interested of putting up with Jack on anything that the drunkard was trying to do.
"No?" Jack whispered to himself. "Ah! Caviar then? You always love caviar, don't you?" Jack said with his silly smile on his face.
Still no reply from Barbossa. The older pirate seemed as though deep in thought. Or so that's what Jack was thinking. But Jack wasn't giving up that easily himself. He drank up some rum from his bottle, and said, "It's not like I be putting some poison on anything I'd offer you, mate. Killing you that way would be too easy." He smiled to himself and looked over the older pirate. "Eh?"
It had seemed to work, since Jack had finally got into Barbossa's nerves. And so, once again rolling his eyes, Barbossa turned once again to the younger pirate. "Alright Jack ye got me attention!" he almost shouted. "What is it that ye want from me?"
Jack grinned and feigned an innocent look on his face. "What are ya talking about, mate?"
The reply from Jack only made Barbossa more irritated. And so he gave Jack a look that could kill, that eventually made Jack's smile to falter. Jack then gave in to the older pirate, with his hands held up.
"Alright, so you caught me", said Jack. He then drank some rum from his bottle before he continued. "It's the bloody silence," he said, swaying a drunk hand as to refer to the whole deck. "It's too bloody quiet. With only you to share the deck, I thought of maybe having a little conversation. There's no harm in that, is there?"
"Well ye should've asked in the first place!" came the angry reply from Barbossa.
"And what if I did?" This time Jack sounded annoyed himself. "Would you willingly have a conversation with me?"
"I be talkin' back t'ye now, aren't I?"
The respond made Jack frown, as he drifted into silence for a moment. He decided to turn his attention north of the ship, as though he was eyeing something there. But in truth he was not looking at anything in particular. And very slowly, pictures of long time memories slowly emerged in his rum strucked mind. Memories of a captain and his first mate. Such memories that happened way before the Locker; way before the search for the dead man's chest; before the seek for revenge and of taking back the Black Pearl; before the mutiny even. The memories that came all so suddenly were those times after Jack Sparrow first met the man who became the successor of the Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea. Yes. His memories with Hector Barbossa.
"Do you still remember those times, Hector?" said Jack suddenly.
Though not really wanting to have a conversation with Jack, Barbossa decided to went along with the drunkard pirate to pass time. "What times?" he said, but not entirely interested in any way.
"The times before you mutinied against me."
Jack's statement struck Barbossa like lightning. He was caught off guard. But remembering the rum, he thought of going along with Jack as long as he can. "Be more specific, lad."
"Oh, you know," Jack said, leaning back on the steps. "The times where we'd be at the cabin; sit then drink and get drunk; share a few laughs; talk about things. . .Mostly anything. Those times."
Suddenly, Barbossa became curious of what was going on in Jack's mind. Walking over to the other stairs of the quarterdeck, sat at one of the steps, and having rested his elbows on both his knees, he glanced over Jack and asked, "What about those times?"
Having another drink from his bottle, Jack swallowed hard before answering. "Nothing. It's just that, when I remember those times, I forget why we became enemies in the first place."
"You and me both want the Pearl to ourselves," said Barbossa with a wondering. "That's how we became enemies, Jack."
"I know that," Jack said with a slight frown. "What I meant is, I tend to forget."
Barbossa grew puzzled and more curious at the same time. He looked back to Jack with his brows furrowed. "Why is that?" he asked.
Finally looking towards Barbossa's direction, Jack stared at the old Pirate Lord for a moment. "Don't you remember? We get along just fine back then."
Drunk or not, that was a foolish thing to say to an enemy. That was what Barbossa thought as he looked away. It was then his turn to look towards north, staring at completely nothing. He didn't hear Jack spoke again. Perhaps the fool has given up. And so, there was silence once more on deck. And the silence spared Barbossa some moments to himself for thinking over things.
'We get along just fine back then', yes that was true. But all those were a long time ago. There's the word again - were...was. . .has been. . .used to. All in the past. All buried in the past because of all the other things that followed. All those things that led to becoming enemies. Making friendship vanish without a trace. . . .Until now.
"That was a long time ago." Barbossa finally declared. Unknown to him that Jack was actually waiting patiently for him to make any such reply.
"Now, things between us are different," added Barbossa. Ending his sentence with words that meant something more deep in him.
Savoring each word from what Barbossa said, Jack asked, "Then what's keepin' us from killing each other now? I wonder."
Was it really the rum, or was it that Jack was actually making sense?
"I believe that be a question fer both of us," came Barbossa's reply.
"Alright," Jack sighed. "Then I'll answer the question first." Rocking slightly from side to side, Jack tried to steady himself for as long as he can. Then he continued,"What I want, is having the Pearl all for meself. Being it's only captain. That's what I want." He then had another swig of some more rum. "But gettin' to share, and compete over it, both at the same time, with you", he said pointing a finger to Barbossa. "That's a whole lot o' different thing, mate." Yet again, he drank some more rum from his nearly empty bottle. "And it's fun. Fun in a maddeningly. . .piratey. . .kind of way."
Although not entirely certain of whether he agrees or that he just thinks the same way of it, Barbossa nodded slightly. "Me?" he then started answering the question himself. "Fer me ye're the greatest enemy I ever had. An' I have a feelin' ye be the only one. . ." Pausing but for a moment, he gave out a deep sigh, once again feeling the wind on his face. "But at the same time, ye're also the closest person t'me as though of a friend."
Jack grinned, showing a sparkle of gold that's on his teeth. "Your greatest enemy could be your best friend. . .is that it?"
"'Tis a possibility," Barbossa said. A smile played across his face. "Though I don't quite rely on it too much."
The grin on Jack's face widened, as he looked down on his bottle. "Me neither." He then drank the remaining contents of the bottle, pulling back his head.
Barbossa then spoke once more. "But we did became friends somehow, didn't we?"
"So you remember now?" asked Jack looking towards Barbossa's direction.
"Aye. Like it was only yesterday."
After that, again, none of them spoke. Once again, nothing else was heard but the waves of the sea and the continues breeze of the wind. But that silence was quickly disturbed, as a crashing sound of broken glass was heard. Which made Barbossa look back toward Jack's direction. Only to find Jack having just crashed his bottle on the rails and threw the remaining part of the bottle, that he was holding, to the sea.
"Rum's gone," Jack said in a more drunken tone, as he tried to get up, but failed to stand.
Barbossa rolled his eyes and decided to ask. "How many bottles have ye drank, Jack?"
Rocking slightly from side to side once more, Jack answered, "Three. . ." Then he pointed towards the sea. The direction where he threw the broken bottle. "That was me fourth."
Rolling his eyes once more and letting out a sigh, Barbossa stood up and walked over toward Jack. "Let me help ya," he said, awkwardly offering a hand.
"That isn't necessary, mate," said Jack holding up a hand to Barbossa. "I can help meself."
But Barbossa wasn't taking 'no' for an answer to his offer.
"Ye're too drunk to help yerself. Now do me a favor," said Barbossa more sternly, gripping on Jack's left arm, helping the younger pirate to his feet. "Save me some trouble and let me help ya." He then placed Jack's arm over his shoulders.
The two captains went on with two slow steps. Since the other one can only make small drunkard steps. Then they made a pause at the door. The older captain looked to the other and said, "One more thing Jack. . .We never had this conversation."
Jack beamed a drunk smile. "What conversation?"
Also smiling, Barbossa opened the door. "Very well."
Waking up in the morning with a throbbing head, Jack almost felt sick enough not to go out on deck. Almost. At least he was able to manage in getting up. Out there he saw the whole crew was already on with each of their work. What he saw at the quarterdeck was also expected - Hector Barbossa with his spyglass, looking towards starboard. So Jack decided to go up to the quarterdeck himself on his side of the ship.
"Mornin' Jack," greeted Barbossa without looking away from his spyglass.
"Morning Hector," greeted back Jack over his shoulders.
"How's yer head?" asked Barbossa. This time putting aside his spyglass.
"It was throbbing when I woke up. But I feel fine now," said Jack. Then turned to face the older pirate with great wonderment. "Why?"
"Ye don't remember?" Barbossa also turned, meeting Jack's dark gaze. "Ye hit yer head on the door thrice. I was expectin' ye curse on me but ye didn't. Made sense whan I laid ya t'bed. . .Ye already passed out."
Jack nodded a few times, although the expression on his face made it look like he was still wondering. "Thank you," he suddenly said, a little awkwardly. "For helping me last night."
An awkward silence fell between the two captains before Barbossa looked away towards the deck and replied. "'Ts the least I can do, lad. Ye need not thank fer it."
Footsteps were then heard walking towards the their direction. Mr. Gibbs had come to consult from the two captains. "Heading. . .sirs?" he said looking up to both Jack and Barbossa.
Both captains looked at each other. Glancing a few times from the steering wheel. Suddenly, both of them grabs hold on the wheel, not intending to let go for the other to win.
"Leave it be, mate," said Jack. "I'm much younger than you are."
"Don't insult me age, lad," replied Barbossa. "I can hold on all day."
Mr. Gibbs and the rest of the crew stared at their captains with wondering looks. Seeing Jack and Barbossa fighting over the captaincy of the Pearl has become a usual scene in the everyday, and they got used to it already. But they can't help wondering, why both of the captains are wearing smiles on their faces. That was out of the ordinary. Since the two pirates only smile at each other when they have insulted one another. But on that moment, their smiles to each other was like a smile of a man. . .to his 'friend'.
Suddenly Jack and Barbossa noticed the crew staring at them.
"BACK TO WORK!" they shouted in unison.
The entire crew, including Gibbs, scattered and scurried to their stations.
A/N: "Well hope ya'all enjoyed reading...Please send me any comments." -SANKAGE