Treasures of Silver and Gold

Treasures of Silver and Gold

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the movies.

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"A treasure is like a mysterious woman. You have to be worthy of her or she'll slip through your fingers."-Balthier(FFXII)

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"Despite your bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one. Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the fleet…and you're completely obsessed with treasure."

Will glared at the older man. "I am not obsessed with treasure."

Jack looked back, the kohl-rimmed brown eyes mysterious and reflecting a deeper meaning. "Not all treasure's silver and gold mate."

It was what he truly believed. For years, ever since before he had first joined the EITC, he had believed in more than money. Sure, he liked having a lot of it. Growing up poor, he like having money at his disposal, but the treasure that he had always truly wanted was the freedom.

He believed in it for others as well. That had been why he'd freed those slaves. They deserved the same chance at freedom that he had. They were people too after all. That git Cutler Beckett never got it. People weren't things to be bartered, sold, borrowed or lent. Jack could sympathize. He knew they most likely felt exactly as he did in a jail or a cage: claustrophobic, trapped and (though he wouldn't admit it) panicked.

"A ship's not just a hull, a keel and a bunch of sails…that's what a ship needs. But what a ship is…what the Black Pearl really is…is freedom."

Those had been the words he had spoken to Miss Swan. Most people never really realized that he spoke his heart quite a lot of the time. When Barbossa had come up to him and told him that everything was an equal share, including the location of the treasure… that had been his beliefs shining through again. Everyone was equal and no one was better than anyone else.

Jack stared out at the powerful waves he loved so much. A nasty voice in his mind whispered, "Yeah, well look where that got you. Marooned on an island for three days, watching the Pearl sail away in possession of another man."

Jack quickly stifled that voice.

"One day, there will come a time when you will have a chance to do the right thing."

"I love those moments. I like to wave at them as they pass by."

It was true. He could have been a good man in hundreds of peoples eyes by now, but something inside him instinctively shied away from people. (Getting marooned will do that to you)

Jack studied the pirate brand and the tattoo of the sparrow soaring over a setting sun on his arm. He smirked a little at the irony. He'd sworn to himself back when he was a lad that he would never become like his father. He would be and honorable man, maybe a merchant. He had still wanted to live his life on the seas, that part was instilled in his blood. And look where he was now: one of the most famous pirates out there.

He looked out at the sinking Pearl and he mentally berated himself harshly for even considering leaving the Pearl, his freedom, and his crew behind. He wouldn't give up his treasure so easy.