Sick

It was actually peaceful as morning rose over the sea. The Pearl glided through the waters with not a care in the world. Even the crew on board were cheerful and optimistic about their day ahead. Some of them, like Jewel, decided to sleep in and relax in their hammocks.

Then came a strange sound. One they've not heard in a long time. It came from their captain's cabin and was almost as loud as a cannon shot.

"AAAAAAAH-CHOOOO!" Jack sneezed loudly. Jewel suddenly woke up, falling out of her hammock. She ran out of her room and on deck, sword in hand.

"What's happening? James here?" she asked

"No no no Jewel," Gibbs said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "It's just your father." Jewel seemed slightly disappointed, but let go of her sword.

"Oh," she said, "But what was that-"

"He sneezed." Gibbs explained

"That was a sneeze?" Somebody asked

"Rawk, ready the guns!" Cotton's parrot said

"Sneezed?" Jewel asked. Gibbs nodded.

"Aye," he sighed, "sneezed." He walked over to Jack's cabin and opened the door. With Jewel right behind him, he slowly walked in. Jack moaned, lying in his cot, looking worse than he had ever looked before. His nose was red and runny, His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked a bit pale.

"I feel like Jones has me in his grip." Jack moaned

"Oh dad," Jewel shook her head

"You are most definitely not fit to be Captain a anything today." Gibbs said, crossing his arms.

"Don't be so sure. I'm the picture of health." Jack said, before coughing.

"You are staying in bed until you're well again." Gibbs said, "Jewel will captain the Pearl until you're well."

"What?" The Sparrow's asked

"She can't steer," Jack said, pointing at her.

"I can't captain a ship!" Jewel said

"She's too young!" Jack said

"Wait I can steer a ship." Jewel said, looking at Jack.

"And ruin a dock and the side of said vessel." Jack retorted

"The Interceptor's at the bottom of the ocean now, so it shouldn't matter." Jewel said

"It does. Especially when it's my ship and you've never captained anything." Jack said, crossing his arms and pouting.

"Yes I have! I can be captain!" Jewel yelled before stomping out of the cabin. Gibbs sighed, not wanting to be in the middle of a Sparrow feud. He pointed at Jack.

"I'll have Marty make some of his 'miracle brew'. Should cure anything what ails ya." he said before walking out of the cabin. Jack climbed up and reached under his cot, feeling for something he thought he'd never have use for.


Jewel stomped up to the wheel. Her glare startled Cotton, making him back away quickly when she grabbed hold of it.

"Abandon Ship!" The parrot said

"Never captained anything, peh. I'll show him." Jewel grumbled. A loud ringing came from Jack's cabin. Jewel raised an eyebrow before going to it.

"What is it dad?" she asked

"I'm making sure of the safety of my ship. And I also wanted to know if this old bell worked." Jack replied with a smirk. Jewel rolled her eyes.

"You are not to ring that bell while I'm busy." Jewel said. Jack smirked and did ring it. The loud noises seemed to reverberate through her skull, making Jewel cover her ears in pain.

"Stop, stop!" she yelled, the ringing stopping, "I'll come when you ring, alright? Savvy?"

"Savvy luv," Jack said, blowing on the end of the bell as if it was a smoking pistol. Jewel growled before running out of the cabin. As soon as she set foot on the stairs leading to the wheel, Jack rang his bell. Jewel turned on her heel and ran back to his cabin.

"Yes dad?" she asked

"Are all of the guns tied tightly to their holes?" he asked

"I'll look." Jewel groaned

"By the way," Jack said, stopping her, "A good captain personally ensures everything is shipshape." Jewel rolled her eyes closing the door. She ran to the lower deck to check those cannons first. The ropes all were good and tight on every gun. She checked even the guns on the upper deck, nothing wrong. She returned to her father's cabin.

"Everything is shipshape." she said

"Good." Jack said. Jewel closed the door and hurried up to the wheel. Leech was nearby and walked forward.

"Do we have a heading?" he asked. Jewel opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the ringing bell of Jack. Jewel closed her mouth and hurried to his cabin.

"You rang dad?" she asked

"How are the sails? I think a storm's coming, and they need to be all secured." Jack said

"Aye dad." Jewel groaned, running from his cabin. She almost ran into Marty, who was carrying a mug of something. Jewel scurried up the ratlines and personally checked each sail to make sure every piece of fabric was secured to their masts. As soon as she was done, she swung down to the deck on a rope and went to her father's cabin.

"All secured and ready for whatever may come." Jewel said. Jack held up a finger as he was drinking from the mug Marty brought him.

"Thank you luv." he said when he was finished. Jewel ran up to the wheel, grabbing onto it before anything happened. Leech stared at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Do we have a heading?" he asked slowly.

"A heading?" Jewel asked, unsure of how to answer, "Yes well, um, I say... we go..." Jack rang his bell, "to my father's cabin. Just a moment!" She ran back into Jack's cabin.

"What is it dad?" she asked, the annoyance finally showing in her voice.

"Our heading." he said, "It's seven degrees starboard." Jewel froze, and visibly calmed down.

"Oh. Thank you dad." she said. She walked out of his cabin and sighed, then went up to the wheel.

"Seven degree's starboard." she said to herself, turning the wheel. The ship faced an western direction, giving them all a chance to watch the sunset. When it almost reached the horizon, Jewel kept staring at it, waiting... watching... hoping...

Nothing.

She groaned and leaned on the wheel.

"Green flash get you down?" Gibbs asked

"No!" Jewel said quickly, "yes... Maybe... why?" Gibbs chuckled and put an arm around her shoulders.

"You think I didn't know. You've always watched for it, wanting Rose to come back." he said

"I just want to apologize to her. It was all my fault she died." Jewel said

"You shouldn't blame yourself," came the sore voice of Jack as he climbed up to the helm.

"Dad? You should be in bed." Jewel said

"I'm feeling much better luv. You should always drink Marty's brew when your sick. It truly is miraculous." Jack said, taking the wheel.

"It seems my day as captain is over." Jewel shrugged

"Aye, but you were good enough to help sail this ship." Gibbs said

"Thanks Gibbs." she said, hugging him.