Chapter Two

Thank you all for your kind reviews! I am glad that you seem to like this story to be honest, I wasn't completely sure how it would go down, but since it seems to have caused quite a good reaction I shall continue with it! Thank you once again for taking the time to review, please continue to review! Please be warned that there are some scenes of violence in this fiction, so if that sort of thing upsets of offends you, don't read any further.

Chapter Two

By the time Jack had managed to dock at Tortuga he was ready to pass out from a combination of pain and exhaustion, plus the steady flow of blood from his newly reopened bullet wound. He breathed a huge sigh of relief when he caught sight of his ship nearby. Yet the memories were too much for him to face at the moment. He clambered unsteadily from his new ship and landed on the dock side, swaying more so than usual, he was in two minds about what to do next. Should he head straight to his ship, or should he try and get drunk in order to face it? After a moments hesitation he allowed his feet to carry him to the only home had ever known, his Pearl. As he climbed up the gangplank, he closed his eyes as memories once again assailed his mind. Before the Pearl had induced feelings of pride and grandeur, now all he felt was sick. This deck was where he had lost the vast majority of the best crew he had ever sailed with, all because of a gross miscalculation on his part. Was he really cut out to Captain this ship any more? He lovingly ran his hand against the smooth word of the railing, lost in thought, it was true that he loved this ship with all his heart, and at one time would have done anything to get her back, to feel her deck beneath his feet, his body naturally following every movement of her at sea, his hands guiding the wheel to perfection and moving in perfect synchrony to her. Yes Captain Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl went together exactly like a horse and carriage, you shouldn't have one without the other, yet was it too high a price to pay? Marty and Cotton had both been good men. Loyal to the last, they had respected the Captain, probably more that he deserved, and it had cost them their lives. He closed his eyes once more, the sound of cannon balls and gun shots echoing in his mind, his thoughts unable to drown them out, and with a sob Jack sank down to the deck beneath him. Now he was alone, and back on the Black pearl, he could cry for his friends. Now he was home he could fall apart, the Pearl would understand. So it was that Captain and Ship mourned for the loss of their crew, as the rain poured down on the two sorrowful figures in the darkness.

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"Will shh! They are going to hear you!" Elizabeth hissed at the young blacksmith. Will turned around to face her.

"I am being as quiet as I can, please excuse me if I am not the professional sort of ship thief that you are used to!" he whispered back at her harshly, and she shot him a reproachful grin. The two of them were currently walking along the edge of the dock, trying to find a small enough ship that the two of them, amateur seamen that they were, would be able to sail to Tortuga without help.

"This is no good!! We're never going to find a ship small enough, let alone steal it!" Elizabeth told her fiancé in frustration, they were so desperate to get to their friend as quickly as possible, yet neither of them possessed the capabilities of the pirate Captain, who evidently had had no problems in finding a ship suitable to his needs and sailing off in to the night, even though he was seriously wounded.

"Commandeer Elizabeth, that's the nautical term" Will replied quietly sadness in his tone as he recalled the words jack had spoken to him as they stood at this very dock the first time that they met. Oh but that seemed an age ago, yet Will would do anything to have that Captain Jack Sparrow back rather than the injured and emotionally wrecked man that had recently vacated their home. Elizabeth understood his meaning and smiled weakly, before squeezing his hand, she was equally as worried about their friend. Jack had saved her life more than once, and now he was somewhere out there, alone and in pain, and they had to find him.

"Maybe we should barter passage" she suggested, bringing up one of their original ideas.

"Yes, but you have seen the shipping schedules, none of these ships are heading anywhere near Tortuga until three days at least, I don't want to wait that long" Will responded, then stopped before he continued as he finally spotted a little ship bobbing up and down in the water before them. No one was around it, and no one was on board. Will excitedly gestured at the lonely ship and Elizabeth felt her heart leap as they had finally found their vessel for their journey. Newly encouraged Will took the lead, with his fiancée following closely behind. The two boarded and set sail with no difficulty as nobody was anywhere near that end of the dock, not even the ever present red coats. Neither of the youngsters relaxed until they had been out to sea for a couple of hours, with no sign of being followed, then they seemed to breathe a simultaneous sigh of relief.

"Will, did you happen to notice the name of this ship?" Elizabeth asked when she felt sae enough to speak above a whisper. Will turned to look at her and shook his head to the negative. "It's called 'Sparrow's Flight'" she told him, and he smiled at this news, perhaps fate was on their side after all.

End Chapter Two

Well what do you think? Please review because this story really has me nervous!