Disclaimer: I don't own POTC. Simple as that.
A/N: This is just a short oneshot, but I will warn you, there is no talking so if you're not into those stories, don't read. However, if you read and like and wish me to make this longer lemme know, and I will do my best to write a few chapters.
Jack's Daughter
There were a few simple rules that I learned while I was growing up. The first and most important one was my Momma wasn't the only woman in Jack's life. Jack may have loved her, but he never truly understood the meaning of the word. My Momma grew to accept this as well.
For me, any person with a permanent father was officially labeled as 'odd' and 'I'm never going to talk to you.'
The other rule was that Jack wasn't home often. He loved the sea, almost more then women. He would be gone months, years, we never really knew when he was going to show up, but when he did it was special. I was probably not his only child, but I'm sure I was the only child he knew and cared about.
When he'd come home though, he'd bring gifts, mostly stolen articles but we never minded. Momma didn't like most of the gifts he gave me because they involved swords or books.
Jack learned of my natural taste for swords when I was two, clumsy and accidentally stabbed him in the foot with one, or that's how Momma's version of the tale goes. Jack's version is quite different and more embellished. Knowing Jack though, Momma's is probably more right.
My last rule in growing up was quickly learning to hold my temper. Even in Tortuga people laughed and shook their heads at my Momma for holding on to Jack. They didn't think much of him, mostly because over half of the island's women had probably slept with him and didn't like how he made his rounds.
After the first few fistfights, broken bones and bleeding noses, my Momma told me what I was doing wasn't helping. Nothing was going to change how we were regarded. Tortuga was literally lawless, but I learned fast after the lecture that there was one firm rule that they made as a whole. Momma and I were outsiders, and we were to be treated with scorn. Fistfights didn't matter so much then, nothing would change.
It wasn't until many years after that though and through some hard work that I gained a measure of respect in the community. It was easier to persuade the drunks, but the drunks eventually became sober, and even if they became drunk later, when they were sober still they raised hell when they found I had been nice and worked them well with the drink. Eventually they warmed up to me, because of my stubbornness and unwillingness to back down. The whores themselves backed down after they learned that I wasn't about to step on their turf and that I wanted nothing to do with their business.
My Momma was a different story though. She seemed to accept that no one would ever talk to her without shaking their heads and commenting about Jack and her behind her back. She was happy for me, happy that I had the resilience to stand up and push through everything.
She wouldn't admit though that my resilience was needed, which it was. Jack's treasure couldn't last forever, and as a rule he never brought anything too shiny in case we got into some real trouble. But when Momma broke her ankle and it never healed properly I had to find work to bring in money. Of course, my Momma being herself, told me it had to be honest, and being me I listened, though I picked a few pockets on my way to being respectful.
I was just sure that the broken ankle furthered her excuse in staying in the shadows and out of Tortuga's gossip. I didn't agree, but I couldn't argue.
It was simply the life of being Jack's daughter. A life, I felt, was quite normal.