Hello and welcome to my new fic! If you like it please comment down below if you have any suggestion/opinions.
Happy reading!
It was a still night tonight, as if the world held its breath in anticipation.
Jack Sparrow sat in the dark inn, looking at the sputtering candle on the heavy wooden table: his coffee eyes glazed over in remembrance.
"Captain" a clear voice interrupted him, Jack looked up too see a woman of exceeding beauty; with heavy dark eyes, a strong face and golden hair. A jagged grin spread across his face
"Elizabeth" he said boldly before getting up and giving a frivolous bow. The woman laughed
"You look different" Jack's hair was tucked up in a plain black hat, his beard was un-braided and he wore plain clothing
"'ave to keep hidden m'dear, incognito n' all" he said, winking before sitting down, Elizabeth sat across him with a groan, her hand resting on her ever-larger stomach. "Little one givin' you trouble?" Jack asked while the bar maid handed them two ales.
"He never wants to sit still" she sighed
"Takes after his Pa then" he joked, Elizabeth laughed but there was a distinctive sadness in those strong eyes. Jack squeezed her hand "Chin up, love" he said with a sympathetic smile. The two talked for a time, Jack joked and Elizabeth answered with her usual wit. Despite their differences the two had stayed connected, maybe because they were the only people who truly felt the gap that had been left by Will Turner. Even though Jack would never admit it- he missed the man.
"Come up with any names yet?" he asked
"Yes" Elizabeth's hand rose to her belly and she gave a soft smile "William if I have a boy" Jack nodded and gave a grunt of approval "and Catherine if I have a girl" Jack froze
"Catherine?" he repeated "Why Catherine?"
"It was my mother's name" Elizabeth said confused "Is something the matter, Jack?" Jack coughed and straightened himself
"Nothin', love" he gave a grin. "Anyways" he continued "I brought a mate over for you"
Elizabeth raised a thin eyebrow as Jack whistled at a nearby table, a grey haired man with mutton chops of about sixty approached.
"Gibbs!" Elizabeth exclaimed before hugging the barrel-chested man
"Mrs Turner" he responded politely
"We'll have none of that Gibbs" Elizabeth commanded "It's Elizabeth to you" Gibbs chuckled and nodded before joining them.
"Well" Jack said "now that we're all good n' settled how 'bout I get us some drinks then?" the two others nodded and Jack motioned at one of the barmaids
"Get us some drinks, love" he said "Rum"
"Yessir" she said before walking off
"So how long until your little one decides to make an appearance?" Gibbs asked
"The midwife tells me two months or so" she said "At this point I just want to be over with the whole thing"
"Birth in the hurricane season, eh?" Gibbs commented
"Oi, nothin' wrong with being born in a storm" Jack interjected "Children born in storms are lucky, you know" he continued
"Bollocks" Gibbs retorted "you're only saying that cause ye was born in a bleeding typhoon, Jack"
"That has nothing to do with it mate, it is the truth"
"Oh, indeed?" Elizabeth asked sarcastically
"Not at all" He responded "When 'ave I ever lied to you?"
"Do you want me to answer that?" Jack laughed.
They were interrupted by a smack and a yelp
"Fucking bitch!" a low drunken voice yelled. Jack turned and saw a tall blonde man standing over a thin woman in a marigold dress, he then grabbed the woman by her red hair and dragged her outside.
. Elizabeth stood up and followed them, Jack caught her in a firm grip
"What are you doing?" he asked hastily
"What does it look like?" Elizabeth responded sarcastically "I'm going to help her"
"In your condition?" Jack responded bemused "What can you do? You ain't Pirate King no more, love"
"Well, unlike some people, I like to do the right thing "
"Well, unlike some people, I like to avoid having my face smashed in"
They were distracted by another yell from outside and Elizabeth marched forward
"Gibbs" Jack called "I may need your assistance- this could get ugly" he said before following her
Elizabeth was standing in front of the man, her face coldly set in stone determination. The woman was sprawled out on the floor, her red curls covering her face.
"Fuck do you want?" the man slurred "this is none of your business"
"You'd raise your hand to a woman?" Elizabeth asked impudently
"don't start with me" he retorted "I got plenty left in me". Jack grabbed Elizabeth
"Let me deal with this" he said to her strongly
"I'm not helpless," she protested
"You ain't, but that baby inside you is" she nodded reluctantly and marched out of the drunkard's reach. Jack gritted his teeth and breathed
"Now, mate" he said smiling "what might the matter be?"
"She owes me money" the man grunted "won't pay back, I offered her another form of payment" he spat "and the bitch whacked me"
"How much money we talkin' about, mate?"
"Dozen shillings"
"Jesus" Jack muttered as he reached for his purse. He looked inside the leather pouch and counted out some coins "Should be enough there, and I'll give you more if you leave right now, savvy?"
"Why the fuck should I?" the man spat "I don't have to listen to you" Jack reached for his gun
"Because, mate" he said as he held to weapon to the man's pink forehead "if you don't a shiny little bullet is going to find a new home in that thick skull of yours" The man eyed the weapon and swallowed, trying to continue his façade of power, he smirked and said
"Like you'd actually do such a thing" sweat beads appeared on his face
"Oh, I would, mate" Jack said as he lifted his right hand, showing him the scar on his wrist.
"You're a pirate, and?"
"Not just a pirate, mate" Jack grinned and clicked his gun "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, you may 'ave heard of me"
The man looked at Jacks hand, then his gun and back to his face. Assessing his options, the man snatched the coins, looked at them, and satisfied he shuffled out into the street.
Elizabeth helped the woman up and asked her
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine" came an oddly familiar voice
"You're bleeding" stated Elizabeth as she pulled out a white handkerchief spotted with roses and held it to the woman's temple.
"You really got yourself into some trouble, love" Jack said as he walked over to Elizabeth's side to face the woman.
Two pale green eyes sat in a square freckled face, a short nose, two thin pink lips and a tumble of light red curls; in that moment Jack swore his heart stopped working. Looking in her eyes, Jack felt all the blood drain from his face.
"Cat?" he asked unbelieving. She blinked at him, her eyes burning into him
"Jack?" Elizabeth interrupted "who is this?"
"Cat?" Jack asked as he saw her body disappear in the street.
His legs moved before his mind did as he ran after her, as he ran in some boxes and tumbled. He regained balance and continued the chase. It was a clouded night and his eyes strained to follow her, despite her petite frame she was fast. He chased the hollow sound of her feet smashing against stone cobbles through the dark allies of Port Royal.
"Cat!" he called into the shadows "Don't you run from me!". Silence answered him.
Fate, however, seemed to be on his side as she ran into a dead end of grey brick wall. She stopped and turned to face him, Jack slowed and walked towards her as she looked at him, blankly.
"Cat?"
"Cap'n" she said softy. And her breathing hitched, her eyes rolled back and she collapsed on the stones. Jack tired to reach out and grab her, but he was too far away and her head smashed into the brick.
Back in the Inn the awkward silence that had followed the encounter had ended and the usual bustle of drunken voices continued. Elizabeth turned to Gibbs, who had been quite pale for some time now.
"Gibbs" she said and the man snapped out of his trance "who was that girl?"
"I don't know" he responded
"Why did Jack know her name then?" she questioned harshly
"That wasn't Cat… it can't be" he stammered
"Who was Cat?" Elizabeth quietly
"She was… well, Cat" he shrugged "I can't describe her, you'd understand if you could meet her."
"Did Jack love her?" Gibbs jumped at her words
"How did you-"
"You saw that look Jack had" Elizabeth cut in "and Jack wouldn't chase after just any woman"
"He did…" Gibbs said looking at his hands
"And why can't that girl be who Jack thinks she is?"
"because Cat has been dead for ten years."