Summary: "Son, there's a time in every lads life where he has to make a career choice….Whatever he decides he needs the talk…the talk is most essential in making a choice. And he often needs a most prestigious like person to give him the talk. Now with parents like yours son you have to count your lucky stars that I decided to visit when I did."

"Of course Oncle Jacq," Tommy said wearily, finding Jack's helpful talk not helpful at all.

Jack gives one of the Turner children rather reluctant advice on choosing their career. Connected to my story Changing and the one shot Someday, though can be read on its own.

The Talk

"I just thought I'd talk to you because I kind of…well I'm in trouble to say the least," a young lad said to the unconscious figure lying upon the floor in his family parlor. The lad sat upon the edge of a chair looking down upon the figure. He had found Oncle Jacq lying upon the parlor floor when he had risen in the early hours of the morning, thoughts bothering him and made his way down there. His Oncle appeared to be drunk and passed out, one of the windows was wide open; the lad assumed his Oncle had jimmied it open. His Oncle was often apt at popping up at odd times and then leaving a few hours later, always unannounced in both aspects and often they wouldn't realize he had left at all as he made vague excuses to leave the room, not to return for a while even years. The Turner family was quite used to it, but they always welcomed him, because he was their Oncle Jacq.

Beside his Oncle lay the golden clock which usually graced the mantle within the parlour, apparently it had caught their Oncle's eye like many things did in the Turner household and like many things he had decided to relieve them of it. Obviously in his drunkenness he had not been very successful and had appeared to have fallen into a slumber in the middle of pilfering it. As Tommy talked he carefully picked it up, scrunching up his face at his Oncle's heavy rum smell and carefully tip toed and placed it back upon the mantle. To his relief he found it was not broken though it had evidently suffered a fall. He then returned to his chair and sat back down, proceeding to pour his soul to his unconscious Oncle Jacq.

"You see papa…well I think he wants me to follow him you know in the business of a black smith…but I don't really want to become a black smith. First of all I'm not really very good at it…I'm not even good at it…plainly put I can't make anything out of metal. Anyway that's not the least of it, I just find it so…mundane. I don't know but I'd rather talk to Uncle Norrington about politics then make a sword with Papa when it comes to it. The thing is I don't really want to hurt Papa, so I was wondering if you could maybe…think of some way I can convince him I don't want to be a black smith while not hurting his feelings."

The man upon the floor groaned slightly and rolled over, his moustache twitched a bit but then his snoring was steady once more, and loud, the lad sighed.

"Why am I asking you," he sighed, "I don't even think you like Papa. You're always calling him a eunuch."

"That's because he is one," the boy started as the rough and hoarse voice of the pirate captain sounded out. The Captain grinned showing his shining gold teeth and looked lazily up at the lad his eyes open. "Usually son when you want to puzzle over a particularly tiring problem you got to preoccupy yourself." He said, as if he had been sitting their listening to Tommy's problems all along and having a conversation with him and not lying appearing asleep. "It makes you feel a whole lot better lad."

"You were awake all that time?" Tommy queried scowling somewhat at his Oncle's ability to startle him.

"Usually when I appear to be deeply asleep I'm wide awake. Ask Lizzy and she'll tell you." He grinned obviously finding it highly amusing that he startled a lad of ten and fifteen years, just a sprite compared to him.

"Why do you assume Mamma knows so much about you Oncle Jacq?" the lad queried curiously quickly recovering from his surprise as young ones are apt in doing. Despite himself he found himself being distracted.

"I've told you lot to stop bloody calling me that," Jack scowled but Tommy ignored him, every visit without fail Jack said that when one of the children first called him the name they had dubbed him, well really apparently Rosy and Tommy had dubbed him back in France when they were small. The children just ignored him and continued calling him what they thought of as their affectionate title for him, and Jack let it rest after that one protest, knowing which battles were already lost causes. "

"Well Lizzy an me we go way back." He answered Tommy's earlier question at the boys expectant look, "Course you probably know the story where we went off to find bloody Will…not your brother the older one. During the Spanish war, which I ended solely by my onesies of course." He finished off grandly. Tommy grinned he was used to his Oncle's fabricated stories and it was often difficult to find the truth in them but that was what always made them interesting and the children often had heated discussions after one of his short visits on what was the truth and what was their Oncle trying to use to make himself appear more grand.

"I haven't," he said settling himself upon the chair hoping his Oncle would provide him with another interesting tale. "Mamma and Pappa never talk much about the Spanish war."

He had been under the impression he had heard all their parents stories, from the very first one with the skeleton crew, to their last escapades in France before the children were born. They had heard all the stories from their parents own mouths and another more flamboyant version from Oncle Jacq accompanied by actions which often dragged in Elizabeth, Will, one of the servants or even the children at times. Their Oncle Jacq was very resourceful especially when it came to portraying one of his many adventures.

But Tommy and Rosy had both noticed that a bit of their parent's time was missing, from their last adventure at worlds end to many years later when they were in France with Jack. They had queried their parents, wondering how they had met up with Jack after their marriage but they had brushed these questions aside and were very vague about the war, quickly changing the subject especially Elizabeth.

"Understandable s'pose," Jack suddenly said, his voice unusually grave. "Not an excellent time on all accounts…" a shadow seemed to pass over his usually light face, but then seeing Tommy's curious and worried look he grinned once more. "Course the story only brightens when yours truly manages to save the day."

With that he went on to spin a tale of how he had managed to trick the Spanish and English kings, pillaged all their money apparently and ended the war all by his onesies. Of course Elizabeth and Will did feature in it occasionally but only had minor roles. Anyway the magnificent tale ended with much celebration and the day of the end of the war being proposed to be named after Jack, until he convinced them to name it Peace Day.

"I just knew everyone would be forgetting the Captain bit of my name if they did call it after me," Jack explained his decision, "Leastways a man likes to keep his name to mean his person only and not a day."

"Oncle Jacq," Tommy asked after the silence which accompanied Jack's stories as Tommy was awed by his Oncle's ability to spin a yarn, and simultaneously puzzling how much of it was real and how involved his uncle had really been.

"What happened during the war though? No one ever talks about it, not even Uncle Norrington, they always say that me and Rosy are too young." Tommy shrugged at Jack's look, "It's just we'd like to know everything we can about Mamma and Papa and what they did. Sometimes the lad in the town talk about how their papa's fought and I was…I was just wondering."

"Your Papa fought in it too," Jack finally said contemplatively after a long silence, taking a swig of rum. "In a far better way then being a soldier. He played an important role in it son, so did your mother for that fact. Quite brave for two young naïve whelps."

"Did you fight too Oncle Jacq?" Tommy queried eagerly, "Were you a soldier then."

Jack almost appeared to shiver; he shook himself and rose looking down at Tommy. "No son," he said rather quietly, "I would never fight in that way, nor would your parents. We fought to stop the war, because war just feeds on soldiers. Men killing other men and being killed in turn, it's unnatural like. But that's what war feeds on until theirs no one and nothing left alive anymore." Jack's hand went to his neck where there was a faint white scar, he had always been vague when they had asked him the story behind it and the children hadn't really persisted. It resembled a noose too much for their liking and no one could dispute that they loved their Oncle Jacq, it would have disturbed them too much to think of him slowly choking to death….it just wasn't thought of that he would ever allow anyone to hurt him in that way.

Tommy found the bravery to ask now, despite his Oncle's sudden uncharacteristically grim disposition. "How did you get that scar Oncle Jacq? Was it in the war?"

"Your parents, their right, I'd never say this for anything before or after this Tommy me lad, on pain of sounding like a stick. But you are too young for that particular story, maybe one day when you're ready…" Jack trailed off and Tommy was rather under the impression that Jack wasn't ready to tell it either.

"So what is it you want to be," he said suddenly bright and cheery again, swigging his rum and slapping Tommy rather hard upon the back. "Anything but a black smith I think you just told me, thinking of following in Captain Jack's boots and turning pirate lad?"

"No," said Tommy, "Rather I was thinking of…well…" he blushed he had never revealed his aspiration to anyone yet, not even his twin sister Rosy. But Oncle Jacq…well he wasn't really trust worthy but he wasn't around very long so Tommy doubted he would have enough time to tell anyone any way, or even remember, with that Tommy glanced at his rum bottle which was rather empty. "Of becoming a politician of sorts….maybe even a governor one day like grand papa."

Jack roared with laughter and made Tommy blush harder, the worst had happened but somehow it seemed a relief to reveal what he was seriously considering pursuing. He hadn't expected any better a reaction from his Oncle Jacq anyway. Jack took any opportunity to tease anyone around by the last name of Turner and anyone without too.

"Going to wear one of em large wigs too?" Jack asked his laughter subsiding to chuckles.

"No," Tommy growled at his Oncle. "But I just think it would be good to be in parliament to have some say on how the country is run, what happens in the world…"

"Aye," Jack said he had stopped laughing and he looked as if an idea had struck him, stroking his goatee in his usual manner. "Highly beneficial to be having representative in parliament an all."

"I hardly think Oncle Jacq that I'd be able to pass some crazy legislation…such as making pirating legal." Tommy pointed out, rather worried that his Oncle would take it in to his head that it was rather beneficial.

"Aye, one can dream though lad," Jack said coming to himself and grinning.

"Uncle Norrington thinks that the parliament is going to the dogs ever since the war. And talking about it with him I think he's right. Everything's so corrupt…I just I want to be able to affect change in the world Oncle Jacq, not just be a black smith." Tommy found himself spilling out what he really felt on the matter; Jack looked slightly awkward at the boy's revelation not being very used to providing life advice and inspiration.

"Aye is that so son," he said airily, he had an uncomfortable feeling he should say something in a sort of way to stand up for poor Will who's profession was obviously not favored by his son. Jack had undoubtedly followed his father's footsteps but that was more of a coincidence seeing as his father was barely around. Jack had never had any dilemma such as the young lad, not being one to map out his life but just live it and he doubted his word on this particular matter would be of any use. Leastways he had lost interest in the lad's dilemma somewhat, despite the amusing factor, after the boy had revealed he wanted to be a politician, seeing as Jack was only concerned with the pirate's way of life and not some disgusting upstanding and respectable post. But he felt he had to put his two penny's worth in, after all if he could sway the lad to do something then he could take credit and most importantly call on favors later in life when the lad was of actual use to him.

"Son, there's a time in every lads life where he has to make a career choice. Whether it be to become an upstanding and legendary pirate, or a stick in the mud parliamentary member." With this Tommy rolled his eyes, Jack expertly ignored this though. "Whatever he decides he needs the talk…the talk is most essential in making a choice. And he often needs a most prestigious like person to give him the talk. Now with parents like yours son you have to count your lucky stars that I decided to visit when I did."

"But Oncle Jacq you aren't exactly visiting, you were just laying on the floor unannounced. No one but me knows you're even here," Tommy couldn't help pointing out.

"Details son, it hardly matters," Jack said waving them away. "What matters is, and is the essential part of choosing a career, which you seemed to have missed somehow is that we all must remember one essential detail.

"But Oncle I thought you said details didn't matter," Tommy couldn't help interrupting again, he rather found it amusing to annoy his Oncle sometimes and felt it only right he pay him back for laughing.

"Do you want to hear it and make an informed decision or not?" Jack snapped rather grumpily, a headache was beginning to come on after drinking so much rum last night. Tommy kept silent, finding despite himself, that he was curious as to what detail his Oncle thought was so essential.

"The thing is when choosing a career lad is that you have to remember that every man, no matter how disgustingly respectable he is, counts. To tell you the truth a black smith can change the world too. Son…It pains me to say this, but your father I suppose did do a tad more then just help me a little bit to end the war. Course it wouldn't have been ended without me wonderful personage." He quickly added ensuring his reputation and importance were upheld.

"Of course Oncle Jacq," Tommy said wearily, finding Jack's helpful talk not helpful at all. "But I don't know, do you think it's even possible for me to ever get into parliament?"

"Well your grand father has connections no doubting that," Jack said, "And I s'pose it ain't that bad a job, better en the navy, becoming like bloody Norrington."

"He's actually Admiral Norrington Oncle Jacq," Tommy couldn't help correcting cheekily.

"I see he's been grooming you up in respecting navy officers," Jack said casting Tommy a dark look. "Bloody shame, you may have turned out half decent."

"Do you think I'll ever change the world Oncle?" Tommy queried.

"S'pose so," said Jack absently, "One man can affect a lot of change let me tell you. Course if you get into parliament and go of wearing one of em funny littly wigs me lad," Jack said. He ignored Tommy's scowls and beginnings of protest about the wigs. "If you do, just make sure there ain't no more wars will you."

"Why's that Oncle Jacq?" Tommy asked searching for answers.

"I'm sure you'll understand when you're older. Just promise me you won't" he turned to Tommy looking at him seriously. "Just promise me lad, there's gotta be someone with the semblance of sense up there."

"I promise," Tommy said sincerely, he hadn't seen his Oncle so sober in his whole ten and fifteen years. He was haunted by ghosts past it appeared on this matter.

"It's just I don't know if I can be bothered to end another one," Jack said turning all vague and airy once more, "After all I'm a busy Captain."

"Oncle," Tommy suddenly queried a thought striking him, "Why didn't you ever think of entering something like politics. You're more then clever enough, and you can lead people?"

Jack looked at him as if he was mad, "Son," he said in the tone Tommy knew well.

"I know, I know Oncle," he said wearily, "Your Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy."

"Right you are," Jack said grinning and drowning down his rum. Despite himself Tommy couldn't help a smile creeping over his face, for all his oddities and his sudden change of moods his Oncle Jacq did know how to get ones mind off ones problems and make them feel better about them.

It appeared that preoccupying ones self did work and Tommy found that he was no longer fretting over telling his papa, it would come when it came and he'd deal with it he was sure. He'd decided upon the matter, and he knew it would come out one day, telling someone had just made it seem more real and possible. He had made a promise to Oncle Jacq too after all.

He looked at his Oncle and smiled finding himself welling with affection for the man, Jack looked at him and then quickly turned away, he was obviously finding it awkward to have someone admiring him, after all he felt quite bad when the kiddies did look at him like that, cause he found them just a bit of amusement while at port. He didn't like to get too attached and he certainly didn't want them getting too attached to him, or heavens help us actually thinking of him as reliable and ready to help them. Connections were a problem Jack liked to avoid, he liked to be self caring and self involved, not fluttering an eye lash if he was forced to sell one of them for his own life. The problem was that kiddies didn't understand that all too well.

Suddenly Jack made his unsteady way to the parlour door.

"Where are you going Oncle Jacq?" Tommy asked, watching from the chair.

"To get more rum," Jack said waving airily. As he made his way through the door Tommy called after him.

"Good bye Oncle Jacq," Jack waved his hand after pausing for a moment, damn it the children were getting to know him too well.

"A good pirate never says Goodbye," Jack called behind his shoulder.

"But I'm going to be a politician remember Oncle Jacq," Tommy called back. Jack merely waved his hand once more in dismissal and shook his head as if in disgust, then he was gone.

Tommy grinned, and then rose whistling a familiar tune he made his way out of the now bright parlor too, thinking he would wake up his brother Willie, maybe he'd try the bucket of water again like his Oncle had once suggested. The tune became fainter within the sunny parlor as Tommy made his way up the staircase. The golden clock upon the mantle ticked merrily away and almost seemed to keep in time to the faint tune of A Pirates Life for Me.

La Fin

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