"Captain Sparrow?"
The voice was small, but he heard it. It was just beginning to lower; the Captain could tell it belonged to a young boy. But he didn't know any young boys. In fact, he wasn't very young anymore himself. Even the notorious Jack Sparrow; despite having cheated death on more than one occasion, could not escape the aging process. Jack spun on his heel to face the boy; a little slower than usual. The Captain's eyes widened as he looked over what appeared to be a ghost from his past. The boy was hauntingly familiar, but he knew they'd never met. Jack raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?" he said quizzically. The boy smiled.
"I thought it was you." This only served to confuse Jack further.
"Always has been," he confirmed. The boy laughed. Jack pursed his lips. "I don't mean to be rude boy, but what exactly is it you want from me? We're casting off soon." The boy nodded, his sandy hair bobbing about his almost olive cheeks that still held onto the last bit of baby roundness.
"My mother said I could trust you."
Jack frowned.
"Your mother was wrong, boy. I am not a particularly trustworthy man. Ask anyone else that knows me." The child's face fell a bit; enough to bother the Captain in the slightest. Jack groaned internally. Age has softened you, he thought to himself. You old sap.
"What do you need?" he asked the boy. The child looked up at him; hope and innocence in his eyes.
"A home. A job. She said you could help me."
"Who did?"
"My mother." Jack sighed in frustration. "Who's your mother?"
"Her name was Elizabeth."
The Captain's breath caught in his throat.
"And your father?" he inquired, almost a whisper.
"William Turner," the boy replied. That's why the kid's face was so familiar. When he remembered to breathe Jack asked:
"How did you find me?"
The boy laughed at that.
"She said to look for you in Tortuga first. You look just like she said you would," he explained; smiling. Jack grinned and gazed fondly beyond the child at his beloved haunt. He kneeled; with some difficulty, to the boy's level.
"Looks like your mother knew me pretty well," he said wistfully. "You said you need a home, kid? Well, the Pearl's as good a home as sails the seven seas, mate. I promise you that. Mr. Gibbs!" the Captain shouted. His first mate came running, or as close as he got to running.
"Yes, Cap'n?!" Gibbs cried. Jack beamed, gesturing to the boy;
"This is the offspring of William and Elizabeth Turner." The first mate's eyes grew to saucers.
"Are you sure, Jack?"
Jack shot him a look.
"Of course I am. He's the spitting image of them; don't you see it?" Mr. Gibbs tilted his head to one side and squinted for a moment before declaring:
"By God, you're right!"
Jack snorted.
"I know that. Now find a bed and a job for the kid, quickly! It's time to go."
Gibbs gave a swift nod;
"Yes sir," and was off.
Jack looked back to the boy and motioned to the Pearl.
"Anyone with the name of Turner's a friend of mine." He led the child up the ramp and onto his beloved ship.
"Welcome aboard, mate." The boy's eyes were wide with wonder as he drank in every inch of the Pearl, the crew, the ocean, and the horizon. Jack couldn't help but chuckle.
"How old are you, kid?" He remained engrossed in the hustle and bustle of casting off and didn't look at Jack when he answered:
"Thirteen, sir." The Captain remained silent for a moment; lost in thought. Thirteen. Not a bad age. I was about the same when I started this life. Jack looked at the boy and smiled. I've been looking for a worthy apprentice. And who is there worthier than this? He reflected. Jack leaned down and whispered in his ear;
"Come, it's a better view up here." The boy followed him up the stairs to the wheel where Gibbs was standing. The child ran to the edge and stood marveling at the whole scene.
"Mr. Gibbs," Jack whispered; "I think this is the one." Gibbs nodded and said with a smile:
"I agree, Jack. He's bound to be."
Once they were far enough out to sea to be able relax a bit the Captain called for everyone's attention. Jack pointed to the child.
"This," he announced to the crew; "is Will and Elizabeth's son." There was a collective gasp. "Young Mr. Turner will be staying with us for a while, so I thought you should know. Now, back to your posts." There was silence and stillness.
"Well go on!" Jack shooed them. Everyone scrambled back to their places. Everyone except a tall, skinny man with an eye patch and a shorter, stout man who was balding at the top of his head but had long hair in the back.
"Pintel, Ragetti, what is it?" Jack muttered impatiently. They were focused on the child.
"What happened to your parents?" asked the tall, one-eyed man gently. The boy looked up at him and answered;
"Father came a month ago to the island where I lived with Mama. I had only ever seen him once before, almost three years ago. But this time he took Mama with him. He said it was time to ferry her soul to the other side. He said where they were going I couldn't come with them. Mama told me to come find Captain Sparrow; that he could help me." He turned to look at Jack. "So that's what I did," he finished. The two men in front of them nodded in respect.
"Your parents were brave and strong," the shorter pirate told the child.
"We'll miss 'em," the taller one added. Jack nodded and they went back to their posts. He led the child once again to the wheel and this time took it himself.
"I'm sorry about your mother," Jack managed somewhat awkwardly. The kid didn't seem to notice the small amount of tension. He simply nodded silently. Jack cleared his throat.
"If you're going to Captain this ship one day, you're going to have to learn to navigate, and steer, and all kinds of things." The boy brightened instantly, and the joy was contagious. Jack smiled.
"Can you do that?" The boy nodded enthusiastically, and Jack laughed. He began to show him how the wheel worked, and what all the other crew members were doing. Then he stopped. The Captain turned to the boy.
"What's your name, son?"
"My name's Jack."