Nevercomeback
Ch. 1
She kissed him with all she had. She'd loved him since they'd first found him; since she'd been put in charge. Now she had to watch him go. And she did. The ship sailed into the sun. A green flash. And gone. Gone for ten more years.
"What now?" She asked out loud wiping a tear from her eye. The voice of one Captain Jack Sparrow resounded in her head though he wasn't about. You've a ship to run now mate. "Aye." Elizabeth Turner hefted the chest containing William's heart and took off down shore. Singing, "yo ho yo ho… humhumhum humhum."
"What are our bearings Mr. Tolt?" Captain Turner shouted at the man at the ship's bow. A grubby man of average height turned about and replied. "On course Captain… but…"
"But what Mr. Tolt? I haven't all day."
"There's a dingy in the water."
"This far from land?" She shouted running towards him. "She flying any colors?"
"Negative Cap'in. Black sails though."
"What?" She pushed the man out of her way and leaded over the bow. A dingy was floating just off starboard sails limp and full of holes. "Can't be," she muttered.
"Wa'sat Captain?" Tolt inquired.
"Nothing to worry about Mr. Tolt. Reel it in. Bring any survivors to my cabin at once." She turned.
"Aye-aye, Cap'in."
"Oh and Mr. Tolt?"
"Yes, Ma'am?"
"Have Bill in the riggings immediately. He'll never learn otherwise." She rushed off without even waiting for his 'Aye-aye'.
When you're on a ship as long as Elizabeth had now been you forget about being a woman; especially when you're the damn Captain. So her quarters were admittedly a bit out of sorts. Clothes were strewn about, makeup lay forgotten in drawers, and she could hardly account for every map and candle with a ship to run now could she? But now with Jack showing up out of no where 8 years into the curse she couldn't help but feel she should have some kind of dress. Negative. Still she tried to calm herself.
She paced the length of the floor muttering. "Can't be. Where's the Pearl? He'd be dead if he's been out here long. Could be anyone really. Oh Damn it all!" She swiped up a bottle of rum and took a swig. Then she made a twisted face. It really was awful stuff. Still… She took another swig.
The door swung open and she turned abruptly to face Mr. Tolt and the man he was holding aloft. "'Ere he is ma'am." He dropped the man to the floor. "Bill's in the riggings with Sam now."
"Very good Mr. Tolt. You may leave us."
"Aye Aye." As he left the man he had ceremoniously dropped to the floor lifted a hand.
"If I'm not quite dead yet, and I believe I am not as the afterlife can hardly be so cruel as to drop me onto yet another ship, would you be kind enough to give a mate a drink?" He looked up and Elizabeth gasped.
"Jack," she shouted dropping to her knees by him and bringing the bottle with her. She lifted his head and looked into his eyes for the first time in years. "Jack, are you alright?"
"Rum…" he said grasping at the bottle. "Rum… it… it's not all gone is it?" Elizabeth laughed and it was music to his ears… though he'd never tell the woman as much. "No Jack. No it's quite full." She handed it to him and let him take only one swig before removing it and herself to get a cup of water. She propped him up against the wall and handed it to him.
"Jack," she asked as he sipped the water. Clearly he'd been a man dying of thirst often enough to ignore it. "What are you doing out here?"
"Interesting thing, that." He said waving his hand drunkenly. "After Barbosa took off with my ship… again… I decided I would sail out after the Aqua de Vida. I had the presence of mind to steal that sacred map your predecessor gave us… well part of it. Anyway I hugged the shore for a long while but the damn thing is across an ocean. So here I am." He slumped a bit.
"I'm so glad to see you Jack," she said flopping down beside him.
He smiled at her. "I thought you said it would have never worked out with us, luv?"
"Too true. But if it's a business proposition you have for me I'm all ears. Tell me about this Aqua de Vida."
End Ch1 of Nevercomeback