Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, but I do own Sheila Sparrow. Marie Claudie is a character I stole from a friend... Love you delia!
Chapter One
The sun was rising over Tortuga. The entire city was silent, either asleep with the previous night's 'pleasant company,' or passed out drunk in the streets and stables.
Only Jack Sparrow, or rather Captain Jack Sparrow as was his preferred title, was awake. He had been up since dawn, spending the early hours of the morning marveling at every inch of his precious ship; the Black Pearl. He walked here and there, touching odds and ends in deep felicity of remembrance, at times smiling and randomly mumbling small parts of old sea chanteys.
It wasn't until she was right behind him that Jack realized he wasn't alone.
"Allo, luv."
"Cripes!" Jack jumped and spun around to see an attractive and quite familiar woman.
Her skin, once fair, had browned from many years in the sun. Her green eyes, ever bright, shown with a different light now…one of maturity and the pains of reality.
She smiled, her browned cheeks dimpling as she looked around, as if seeing the ship for the first time.
"Oi Jack! Still can't take care of ye own ship I see." She grinned again, and Jack returned the look, shaking his head in disbelief.
"An-"
The pretty pirate's face turned severe as she made to correct his near mistake. "It's Sheila, Jack. Captain Shelia. Or it was…but my ship sank back in Sydney a few months ago. I had to hitch a ride on a Brit's cargo ship…very unpleasant."
"So you've come to steal my ship, eh? Right. Well, I'm sorry love, but your going to have to start right back at the beginning, saavy?" Sheila stared at him, a look of wounded pride in her bright eyes, but had no chance to reply.
"Saavy what?" The crew was gathering, all with swollen faces and tired eyes, yawning and stretching as they came up on deck. All of them stopped when they saw the two captains conversing. The speaker was Captain Jack Sparrow's first mate, Mr. Gibbs. As the scruffy man realized who was talking to his Captain, his jaw dropped in disbelief. At the same time his daughter Marie, a fairly recent addition to the crew, glared at the two with a hint of jealousy in her pretty but intense expression. Marie assumed that this newcomer was yet another of Jack's many vengeful past 'loves'…
Sheila smiled at Jack, a weary sadness dominating her pretty features.
"No Jack. Nothing like that. I was just wondering if…if…if I cold stay on board ye ship awhile." Discomforted by the many eyes watching her, Sheila shifted her weight, her thick brown hair brushing away from her right shoulder to reveal a roughly wrapped and bloodied bandage.
Squinting his eyes into a curious scowl, Jack gently brought his calloused hand to the bandage, brushing back the woman's dark hair to see the wound better. By now the crew were all mumbling, but any gossiping statements fell on deaf ears.
"Wat's this?" Jack questioned seriously in a tone that was hardly above a whisper. Sheila's avoided his searching gaze and laid a gloved hand over his rough one. A few feet away Marie sighed in frustration, though she was unheard.
"Things've been hard mate. I can't dodge the Britt's guns as well as you…"
Jack's entire demeanor changed instantaneously. He stared at the wound and at the woman with unfocused eyes, as if remembering something…
"And in the same place as Mary…" He said softly.
"Aye."
Suddenly Jack recovered his senses. He drew back his weathered hand and straightened, trying to appear calm.
"I'll see what I can arrange, Captain Sheila. We can talk more privately in my cabin. Meanwhile," At this he turned to the crew "I want you all to go about your usual duties. Saavy?" there was a monotonous mumble of "ayes" and Jack nodded, swaggering towards his cabin and disappearing behind the heavy wooden door.
Most of the crew went about their business as instructed, but Marie continued to stare in disbelief and repulsion at the door. Her father startled her as he lay a hand on her lean shoulder.
"What's goin on in that pretty little head of yours?" Maries eyes did not leave the door.
"Who was she." It was not a question.
"Who?"
"She. Her. That…woman that just walked on board and demanded a position on this ship."
"Oh! Sheila. Aye, she's a feisty one. Haven't seen her for about…10 years I s'pose. She used to be Jack's first mate I hear. Course they went their separate ways when Barbosa came on. Sometin bout the man didn't sit to well with Sheila…
She's appeared here and there, but for awhile there's been no news. Poor Jack. I think he half believed her dead…and to meet her again in this condition? It's a pity. Real pity."
"Huh. That's all very nice…but who is she? A mistress? Some tramp that provided the captain 'pleasure' for awhile?" There was no hiding her scorn.
To her surprise, Gibbs laughed.
"What?" She asked angrily, finally turning away from the door.
"She's his sister, luv."
Marie gaped. "His…s-sister?"
"Aye, lass."
"Oh. What did you say about Barbosa?"
In the Captain's cabin, Jack was pacing uneasily back and forth, peering every now and again at his sister, who was sitting uncomfortably in a state of mock coolness and ease.
"So you say…" Jack began at last, turning to face her. "You say you couldn't dodge it?"
Sheila rolled her emerald eyes, one which bore a pink stripe that spanned from eyebrow to the middle of her cheek; another sign of the hard life of a pirate.
"Are you still on about that?" Jack, I'm not a child anymore. I can take care of myself, so stop acting like I'm a babe caught playin with daddy's pistol."
Dissatisfied, Jack shook his head and leaned back on his desk in thought. "Well, you say that…but apparently you're still bloody terrible at lying." Before she could protest, Jack leaned towards her, a scowl on his face. "Ye came to me for help lass, and if Sheila wants help, help Sheila gets."
To his dismay, the tanned lady pirate giggled. "Ye never change, Jackson."
Jack paled slightly and glanced nervously around to make sure no one else was peeking in.
"Told you not to call me that…"
"You almost called me Annabelle. So I called you Jackson." Sheila replied playfully. The too shared a much needed laugh together, only to be stopped when Sheila gasped in pain. "Couldna get the bullet out…" She whispered and Jack's face became pale once more, this time with fear.
It was in this state of alarm that Mr. Gibbs found the two in.
"Mary mother of God, Jack! Ye be lookin like ye've seen a ghost!"
With the same drunken swagger Jack had always had, he turned quickly around to face his first mate. Getting nearer to him, and eyeing Sheila wearily, he whispered "No…not yet anyhow. The bullet's still in her shoulder."
Gibbs swore again and glanced at Sheila.
"Like I said before, love, I'm not a child. There's no need to keep secrets." Spinning around once more, Jack swaggered towards his sister.
"Course not love. But once again, you've proved yeself wrong. Mr. Gibbs and I have merely been speaking of the duties the crew it to attend to today. No secrets involved."
Sheila cocked an eyebrow, but there was no need to reprove Jack for lying. They both knew what had to happen, and while neither one was looking forward to it, there were bother fully aware of the consequences of not going about the days… 'duties.'
"Honestly Jack, I'm not afraid to do it meself." Sheila said helplessly as she lay on her brother's bed, shirt off and the strings of her old corset slightly loosened. Her brown hair had been pulled back from her shoulders and bound with leather bands. Jack did not bother to answer; Sheila knew quite well how stubborn her brother could be when it came to taking care of her.
Marie, who had decided it was best to put her first impression of Sheila behind her, sat in the corner of the room, hovered over a porcelain crucible full of water mixed with rum that she was using to clean a few sharp knives; the only thing close to medical supplies on the ship. She concentrated hard on the task at hand; one mistake could cause a nasty infection in Sheila's wound.
The wound itself had been uncovered from the bloody bandages that had done more harm than help .
"Better get that cleaned up before stickin it, Jack." Again Jack did not answer. He was preoccupied with assessing the wound before making his first incision. When he fought his enemies, it was easy enough to cut through them without a thought. But this was entirely different.
"Honestly Jack, I really can-"
"Marie, love, are ye finished with my knives?" Sheila rolled her eyes and sighed. There was no way around it; Jack was determined to play surgeon.
"Aye captain. All finished." Marie said, carefully bringing the tray of different shaped and sized knives. "Jack…you really ought to-"
"Shh."
Marie shrugged, annoyed at being cut off, and backed away. Gibbs sent a reassuring wink in her direction, knowing all too well it was best not to talk when Jack was so deep in concentration.
"Anna-Maria, hand me that rag over there." Jack said at last, not looking up from Shelia's wound. The dark woman obliged wordlessly. "Alright then, lass. Jus' like old times, eh?" As if remembering something long gone, Jack grinned. Gently, almost as gently as he had been earlier with his beloved ship, Jack began cleaning the gun shot wound.
Dried blood came off in layers, revealing brown skin and various other scars. Shelia hid any pain she felt, though her face did become quite still and fairly pale. After what seemed like hours, Jack put down the rag and picked up two knives of about the same size.
Sheila was unable to suppress a gasp of pain and shock as Jack cut into her flesh. Becoming even paler, she closed her eyes as her brother carefully felt around inside the wound for the small piece of led. At last, a grin of satisfaction appeared on his face, and he put the other knife into the small incision to help pull the bullet out. By this point Sheila had begun bleeding profusely, and beads of sweat were appearing on her face. All was silent as Jack very carefully pulled the bullet out. With a small clink, the piece of bloodied led dropped into the metal tray; the operation was over.
Sheila sighed with relief and began cleaning and rewrapping the new wound herself. There was an uneasy silence as the others watched her, and she them. Pulling her shirt back on, Sheila stood, unwound the leather band from her hair, and made for the door. Jack stepped in front of her.
"Jus' where do you think you're goin'?" He asked her, half scolding.
"Ye've fixed me up. I'm getting out of you're way now, Jack. I suppose I'll find me own ship…sail it around abit and-" She stopped as she glanced at Jack's stern face. "What?"
"You're stayin' on the Pearl, lass. You got away from me once, and that didn't turn out very well now did it? No. You're stayin' here as an honorary crew member." Behind them, Gibbs nodded approvingly.
"She'd like it, Jack. She'd be proud."
Jack glared his first mate into silence.
"Who would? Who would like it?" Sheila questioned her brother.
Jack searched her face, and gave in.
"Mary, love. Mary. She made me promise to watch you. So you see…we're stuck together."
"Mary?"
"Aye."
Sheila bit her lip momentarily as she took in the gravity of what Jack had said. Mary Reid was the closest thing Jack and Sheila had ever had to a mother. A fellow pirate, she had died many years before; shot the in the chest. Sheila had always regretted not having been there with her surrogate mother. Jack had been the only one to see her before her painful demise, and hear her death wish.
At last, Sheila conceded. "Alright. Alright Jack. I'll stay."
"Good. Now then. Gibbs, Anna Maria, you take-"
"I'm not finished, Jack." Sheila interrupted him, her Sparrow pride regained and a clever smirk on her pretty face.
"Oh?"
"No. I have one condition."
"And what's that? A nice dress for ye, lass? Or perhaps breakfast in bed? I know how lasses like yeself enjoy being pampered…"
"Very funny, Jack. No. I want something a bit bigger."
"What's that?"
"Revenge. I want you to take me to Barbosa, so I can kill him." The look of sheer hatred in Sheila's hazel eyes was so fierce it sent shivers up Jack's spine.
Jack smiled sadly at his fierce sibling.
"To late, love."
"What?"
"He's dead."