A/N: ''Tis my first fanfic for Pirates of the Caribbean, savvy? So please
be kind! I tried to keep the characters as much in character as I could.
Any types of reviews really brighten my day and constructive criticism is
especially appreciated. Oh, and, as far as my knowledge goes, this is not a
Mary Sue. Also, this first chapter is a prologue of sorts. I promise Jack,
Will Elizabeth et al will appear in he next chapter which will (hopefully!)
also be appearing soon! Hope y'all like it!
Disclaimer: I don't own PotC or any of its characters. The only thing I own is Celeste and any other random characters that pop up for a scene or two.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Deja Vu ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It was midnight. In the pleasant seaport of Port Royale, the warm Caribbean night deepened as the townsfolk slept peacefully. Tortuga, however, was a different story. Tortuga was alive with movement and noise. Pirates abounded, getting drunk and fighting. Pretty girls laughed and cavorted in the streets. All the taverns, bars and pubs were doing a bustling business but none more so than The Mermaid. This was because Celeste was singing there that night. She was a pretty woman, but certainty not a lady in the eyes of polite society. Her wavy blonde hair fell down past her shoulders and her blue eyes sparkled, sometimes with happiness sometimes with mischief more often with both. She stepped up on stage wearing a dress, not something that she usually did. She preferred the feel of baggy, worn-in pants and her favorite white shirt but performances were different. Though not high society, her audiences did have some expectations and she had to admit, the midnight-blue dress did bring out her eyes. She was greeted wildly by the array of pirates and a few scattered women. Celeste appreciated the crowd's enthusiasm but she inwardly sighed, as her scanning eyes didn't find the one pirate she was looking for. She shook her head and focused back on her job.
"Who's gonna' by me a drink when I get tired?" she yelled out above the noise.
A middle-aged drunken pirate with a gray beard answered, "I'll by ye a hundred drinks if ye'll do more 'n sing to me, lassie!"
She rolled her eyes and laughed, "You can only dream, Gibbs. I'll hold you to just the one." There were a few more ribald comments and then she got on with her performance. After several of the pirates' favorite songs, she stopped and nudged the man, Gibbs, with her foot. "I'm ready for that drink, Gibbs." There was no answer. The old pirate had fallen into a drunken stupor.
"Any other buyers?" she called out. A dozen or more voices shouted "Aye!" in return and the bar was flooded with drink requests. Celeste grinned happily. There would be many free drinks tonight she could tell. Even though she wasn't particularly fond of the raw beer brewed in Tortuga, it did take her mind of the one thing missing right now in her life. Just then her best friend, Gwen poked her head of fiery red hair in the doorway of the tavern.
"Celeste!" she called. She said more but Celeste couldn't make it out over the raucous atmosphere in the room so she beckoned Gwen to come closer. Elbowing and kicking the drunken pirates out of the way, Gwen made it to the middle of the room and shouted again. This time Celeste could hear what she said and could have kissed old Gibbs she was so happy.
"Celeste! The Pearl's weighin' anchor!"
"The Pearl?!"
"The Pearl. Hurry Celeste! I think I can see the crew walking onto shore now."
Without another word, Celeste copied her friend, shoving the pirates out of the way and dashed out the door. Two of the older and less drunk pirates laughed as the two women left.
"Wonder which of 'em the lass favors? I'll bet me life it's the one they call Bootstrap. 'E's all my woman ever talks about when she gets disgusted with me." He imitated a woman's voice in a high falsetto, "Bill's so nice and handsome. Not like you, you old cur!"
The second one chuckled, "No. It ain't Bootstrap. It's rumored 'e's got 'imself a respectable wife anyway. Fancy that! No, our Celeste's got ambition, mate."
"Really? Who's she fancy then?"
"Aye! She got 'erself the cap'n, she does, Jack Sparrow. You recollect 'im don't ya?"
"Aye, that lazy seadog always did get all the luck!"
Celeste ran with Gwen down to the dock, eager to see Jack again. He'd been away for a few months now. Normally she would have gone with him - she was as good at sailing a ship as any pirate in Tortuga - but rather unfortunately, another of her friends had fallen ill when he had been setting sail and, though Gwen had protested that she could handle it herself, Celeste had decided to stay. She stumbled and almost fell as the heel on one of her shoes broke and she cursed soundly whoever had thought up heels and dresses. She was still reaching down trying to yank off her shoes and still remain upright when a man walked up to her. Startled, she jumped upright and almost back into Gwen.
"Ja-!" she began and stopped. Several more men circled round. Her eyes widened as she realized the identity of the man standing before her. "Barbosa." she said softly.
"Yes, my dear. I must say, I'm surprised you remember me. You never paid much attention to the rest of the crew,"
She stared back at him, "Where's Jack?"
"Ah!" Barbosa cried, and gestured to the other men whom Celeste recognized as the Pearl's crew, "Boys, the lass wants to know where the Peal's old captain is. Anyone care to volunteer?"
One of the crew, a short scruffy pirate spoke up, "Well, we don't really know."
"Yes," purred Barbosa evilly, "You see dear, the island we made him governor of wasn't on our maps."
"Yeah!" put in another pirate, this one tall and skinny with a fake eye, "And Cap'n Barbosa forgot to put the coordinates in the ship's log!"
Celeste thought quickly trying to put all this in order, "They've left Jack on an island! That means.mutiny? Aboard the Pearl? I never did like Barbosa. How could this happen?" Emotionally, she was reeling from the information she had just received; outwardly, however, Celeste tried to maintain a strong stance. She glanced around her at all the crewmembers standing around her and Gwen.
"Barbosa you pig!" she spat out, "You black-hearted scum! I have only this to say to you: rot in hell!" Barbosa gave a low laugh, "Who do you think you are, missy, to be telling me where I'll rot?" He reached up and stroked her cheek with his hand. Swiftly she shoved it away with a loud slap and glared at Barbosa.
She hissed, "You killed the only man I'd ever let touch me, Barbosa! You can only dream!"
Growling, Barbosa grabbed her arm and twisted it cruelly. "I'll teach you to talk that way to the captain of the Black Pearl!"
"You'll never be the captain of the Pearl to me!" With that she twisted around and kneed Barbosa straight in the stomach. He gasped and before the crew could react, Celeste was off, grabbing Gwen's arm and yanking her along. They didn't stop running until they had reached the rooms where Celeste lived above one of the few stores in Tortuga.
"Wow, Celeste!" cried Gwen, "I can't believe you stood up to Barbosa and the whole crew of the Pearl like that! It was amazing! I mean, I know I'd never..Celeste?"
Gwen, getting no response, turned and watched her friend staring out the window. Moving a bit closer she could see the tears streaming down Celeste's face. Bustling over to her, Gwen gathered her in her arms and clucked like a mother hen.
"Oh God, hun! I'm so sorry! It'll be ok though. You'll find someone else. You'll see!"
"No Gwen," replied Celeste quietly, "It won't be ok. He's dead, Gwen. Gone. Jack's gone. I'll never see him again." She buried her head in Gwen's shoulder and cried until she fell asleep from exhaustion.
Golden rays of sunlight fell across Gwen's face in the morning, waking her gently from where she slept. Grumbling, she sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Stupid me. Forget to close the blinds again. I'll never get back to sleep!"
Then she opened her eyes fully and remembered where she was - Celeste's rooms - and what had happened the night before. She looked around quickly but saw no Celeste. However, her eyes fell on a piece of folded parchment on the dresser with her name on the outside. She unfolded it and began reading.
Gwen,
By the time you read this I will probably be long gone. There's no reason for me to stay here on this rock anymore. I'm sorry I had to leave without saying goodbye face to face but I knew if I tried to, you would convince me to stay. I don't know where I'm headed, just away from here and the memories. I know you're probably wondering why I'm leaving. After all, like you said, there are always more fish in the sea. I don't blame you for not understanding, Gwen. I don't think there are many that would on Tortuga. I said I don't know where I'm going, but I do know what I'm doing. Gwen, I'm going to find myself a ship and the best damned crew in the Caribbean! Someday maybe I'll be able to keep my promise to Barbosa. I'll make him rot in hell! If you happen to see him around town though Gwen, give him a message for me. Tell him that he should guard his pockets more carefully - either that or not fall asleep drunk in the streets! Good luck Gwen, in everything. Here's to our friendship! Maybe someday you'll see me cruise back into Tortuga.
Best Wishes,
Celeste
A/N: Remember, please review! Any and all comments are rejoiced over!
Disclaimer: I don't own PotC or any of its characters. The only thing I own is Celeste and any other random characters that pop up for a scene or two.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Deja Vu ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It was midnight. In the pleasant seaport of Port Royale, the warm Caribbean night deepened as the townsfolk slept peacefully. Tortuga, however, was a different story. Tortuga was alive with movement and noise. Pirates abounded, getting drunk and fighting. Pretty girls laughed and cavorted in the streets. All the taverns, bars and pubs were doing a bustling business but none more so than The Mermaid. This was because Celeste was singing there that night. She was a pretty woman, but certainty not a lady in the eyes of polite society. Her wavy blonde hair fell down past her shoulders and her blue eyes sparkled, sometimes with happiness sometimes with mischief more often with both. She stepped up on stage wearing a dress, not something that she usually did. She preferred the feel of baggy, worn-in pants and her favorite white shirt but performances were different. Though not high society, her audiences did have some expectations and she had to admit, the midnight-blue dress did bring out her eyes. She was greeted wildly by the array of pirates and a few scattered women. Celeste appreciated the crowd's enthusiasm but she inwardly sighed, as her scanning eyes didn't find the one pirate she was looking for. She shook her head and focused back on her job.
"Who's gonna' by me a drink when I get tired?" she yelled out above the noise.
A middle-aged drunken pirate with a gray beard answered, "I'll by ye a hundred drinks if ye'll do more 'n sing to me, lassie!"
She rolled her eyes and laughed, "You can only dream, Gibbs. I'll hold you to just the one." There were a few more ribald comments and then she got on with her performance. After several of the pirates' favorite songs, she stopped and nudged the man, Gibbs, with her foot. "I'm ready for that drink, Gibbs." There was no answer. The old pirate had fallen into a drunken stupor.
"Any other buyers?" she called out. A dozen or more voices shouted "Aye!" in return and the bar was flooded with drink requests. Celeste grinned happily. There would be many free drinks tonight she could tell. Even though she wasn't particularly fond of the raw beer brewed in Tortuga, it did take her mind of the one thing missing right now in her life. Just then her best friend, Gwen poked her head of fiery red hair in the doorway of the tavern.
"Celeste!" she called. She said more but Celeste couldn't make it out over the raucous atmosphere in the room so she beckoned Gwen to come closer. Elbowing and kicking the drunken pirates out of the way, Gwen made it to the middle of the room and shouted again. This time Celeste could hear what she said and could have kissed old Gibbs she was so happy.
"Celeste! The Pearl's weighin' anchor!"
"The Pearl?!"
"The Pearl. Hurry Celeste! I think I can see the crew walking onto shore now."
Without another word, Celeste copied her friend, shoving the pirates out of the way and dashed out the door. Two of the older and less drunk pirates laughed as the two women left.
"Wonder which of 'em the lass favors? I'll bet me life it's the one they call Bootstrap. 'E's all my woman ever talks about when she gets disgusted with me." He imitated a woman's voice in a high falsetto, "Bill's so nice and handsome. Not like you, you old cur!"
The second one chuckled, "No. It ain't Bootstrap. It's rumored 'e's got 'imself a respectable wife anyway. Fancy that! No, our Celeste's got ambition, mate."
"Really? Who's she fancy then?"
"Aye! She got 'erself the cap'n, she does, Jack Sparrow. You recollect 'im don't ya?"
"Aye, that lazy seadog always did get all the luck!"
Celeste ran with Gwen down to the dock, eager to see Jack again. He'd been away for a few months now. Normally she would have gone with him - she was as good at sailing a ship as any pirate in Tortuga - but rather unfortunately, another of her friends had fallen ill when he had been setting sail and, though Gwen had protested that she could handle it herself, Celeste had decided to stay. She stumbled and almost fell as the heel on one of her shoes broke and she cursed soundly whoever had thought up heels and dresses. She was still reaching down trying to yank off her shoes and still remain upright when a man walked up to her. Startled, she jumped upright and almost back into Gwen.
"Ja-!" she began and stopped. Several more men circled round. Her eyes widened as she realized the identity of the man standing before her. "Barbosa." she said softly.
"Yes, my dear. I must say, I'm surprised you remember me. You never paid much attention to the rest of the crew,"
She stared back at him, "Where's Jack?"
"Ah!" Barbosa cried, and gestured to the other men whom Celeste recognized as the Pearl's crew, "Boys, the lass wants to know where the Peal's old captain is. Anyone care to volunteer?"
One of the crew, a short scruffy pirate spoke up, "Well, we don't really know."
"Yes," purred Barbosa evilly, "You see dear, the island we made him governor of wasn't on our maps."
"Yeah!" put in another pirate, this one tall and skinny with a fake eye, "And Cap'n Barbosa forgot to put the coordinates in the ship's log!"
Celeste thought quickly trying to put all this in order, "They've left Jack on an island! That means.mutiny? Aboard the Pearl? I never did like Barbosa. How could this happen?" Emotionally, she was reeling from the information she had just received; outwardly, however, Celeste tried to maintain a strong stance. She glanced around her at all the crewmembers standing around her and Gwen.
"Barbosa you pig!" she spat out, "You black-hearted scum! I have only this to say to you: rot in hell!" Barbosa gave a low laugh, "Who do you think you are, missy, to be telling me where I'll rot?" He reached up and stroked her cheek with his hand. Swiftly she shoved it away with a loud slap and glared at Barbosa.
She hissed, "You killed the only man I'd ever let touch me, Barbosa! You can only dream!"
Growling, Barbosa grabbed her arm and twisted it cruelly. "I'll teach you to talk that way to the captain of the Black Pearl!"
"You'll never be the captain of the Pearl to me!" With that she twisted around and kneed Barbosa straight in the stomach. He gasped and before the crew could react, Celeste was off, grabbing Gwen's arm and yanking her along. They didn't stop running until they had reached the rooms where Celeste lived above one of the few stores in Tortuga.
"Wow, Celeste!" cried Gwen, "I can't believe you stood up to Barbosa and the whole crew of the Pearl like that! It was amazing! I mean, I know I'd never..Celeste?"
Gwen, getting no response, turned and watched her friend staring out the window. Moving a bit closer she could see the tears streaming down Celeste's face. Bustling over to her, Gwen gathered her in her arms and clucked like a mother hen.
"Oh God, hun! I'm so sorry! It'll be ok though. You'll find someone else. You'll see!"
"No Gwen," replied Celeste quietly, "It won't be ok. He's dead, Gwen. Gone. Jack's gone. I'll never see him again." She buried her head in Gwen's shoulder and cried until she fell asleep from exhaustion.
Golden rays of sunlight fell across Gwen's face in the morning, waking her gently from where she slept. Grumbling, she sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Stupid me. Forget to close the blinds again. I'll never get back to sleep!"
Then she opened her eyes fully and remembered where she was - Celeste's rooms - and what had happened the night before. She looked around quickly but saw no Celeste. However, her eyes fell on a piece of folded parchment on the dresser with her name on the outside. She unfolded it and began reading.
Gwen,
By the time you read this I will probably be long gone. There's no reason for me to stay here on this rock anymore. I'm sorry I had to leave without saying goodbye face to face but I knew if I tried to, you would convince me to stay. I don't know where I'm headed, just away from here and the memories. I know you're probably wondering why I'm leaving. After all, like you said, there are always more fish in the sea. I don't blame you for not understanding, Gwen. I don't think there are many that would on Tortuga. I said I don't know where I'm going, but I do know what I'm doing. Gwen, I'm going to find myself a ship and the best damned crew in the Caribbean! Someday maybe I'll be able to keep my promise to Barbosa. I'll make him rot in hell! If you happen to see him around town though Gwen, give him a message for me. Tell him that he should guard his pockets more carefully - either that or not fall asleep drunk in the streets! Good luck Gwen, in everything. Here's to our friendship! Maybe someday you'll see me cruise back into Tortuga.
Best Wishes,
Celeste
A/N: Remember, please review! Any and all comments are rejoiced over!