Chapter four: Go ahead and sell me out

Will couldn't believe what he'd just heard. His father and Jack (and Jack and Barbossa!) had had relations. He wasn't sure what to say, what to think. So he settled for walking out on deck, and slowly moving toward Jack, the older pirate looked up at him lazily, and Will offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile, and paused waiting for Jack speak.

But Jack's expression changed when he saw Will standing there. It went from disinterested to cold, and Will suddenly felt nervous. And Jack wasn't speaking, and that was making his hard expression even worse, and Will didn't know what to do, so he finally cleared his throat and carefully asked; "What's wrong Jack?"

Jack started slightly, offering a friendly smile, and opening his arms, "William!" he said it almost happily as he moved toward him, pulling his compass up in one hand, to hold it loosely, making sure it was in view as he approached, almost cautiously, "Shall we go after Elizabeth now, then?"

Will was glad Jack had so easily changed the subject, bringing their uncomfortable moment to a swift close before it had started, generously saving him from having to talk with Jack about his father having had relations with the man. It would have made Will awkward around Bill, to say the least.

"Yes. Lets." Will agreed with a grin, taking the proffered compass.

–

The crew was rough with her as they dragged her from the cell, and she made sure to drop her weight, to make it difficult on them. Why should she even bother leaving her cell, she wondered bitterly, if she wasn't planning on talking to Barbossa?

She'd told him the first day he'd asked her that she had no intention of helping him find Jack. And she still had no intention of finding Jack. Despite what he might say to her, because really, what did she have to lose? (Will).

"Ah, Miss Turner, so good of ye to join us." Barbossa was standing at the top of the stairs, and her heart was in her throat because it reminded her of the first time she'd ever set foot on the ship, and she realized she was going to cry again, because this all made her feel like a helpless little girl again.

"I know," Barbossa said as he descended the stairs and walked toward her, "Ye aren't goin' to talk, are ye?" Elizabeth remained silent as he came to a halt in front of her, and he laughed, she sneered and looked away. "Bind her hands." He said casually, and one of them men came forward, and began to tie her hands together, she didn't fight. She didn't see a point in it.

"Are ye familiar," Barbossa asked as he pulled his cutlas from the sheath and looked at Elizabeth, "With the rules of the life Will has accepted?" Oh she was paying attention now (and to Barbossa's surprise, it was nice to see that fire in her eyes again), Barbossa smirked. "I'm sure to save ye he'll tell me where I can find Jack." Barbossa was so casual, that it surprised Elizabeth when he whirled around to cut the man behind hims throat. Elizabeth let out a shrill scream, and the men standing with her looked at her as if she were crazy.

Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut as Barbossa roughly grabbed her by the back of the neck and drew her close, "Stay calm now, Miss Turner." he said softly as he pressed the blade of the cutlass to her throat. Barbossa was watching the water, and she knew what he was waiting for.

And there it was. Breaking the surface, and looking amazing. Because there was Will. And... and Jack,

Elizabeth was weeping now, and Will didn't look surprised to see her, but when he looked at Barbossa he looked murderous.

"Hello boy." Barbossa practically cooed, and he spared Bill a look so full of hate that Will was surprised, but before he could speak Jack did,

"Tha's the Pirate King, mate." Jack said stepping up to the railing and motioning toward Elizabeth, "Let her go." Will could tell by the tone of Jack's voice that he was serious about saving Elizabeth.

"Jack's right. Let her go!" Will demanded grabbing the railing, and leaning toward Barbossa, "Or it's to Davy Jones locker with you!" Will was furious when Barbossa just laughed,

"Tell ye what," he cooed, grinning wider as he took a step forward holding Elizabeth closer, "I'll trade ye." he looked pleased, though no one was sure what he was pleased about. But then his eyes flickered to Jack.

Jack made a face as he took a step back, and to the side stepping, much to Will's surprise, behind Bill. Jack didn't like the way things were going right now. Barbossa had a glint in his eye that he didn't like to see, and Will looked contemplative.

"Trade you for what?" Will demanded after a moment of silence, and Barbossa raised an eyebrow.

"Jack Sparrow." Barbossa drawled as he looked right at Bill, and laughed. "I want Jack Sparrow."

"No!" Bill snapped and Jack looked at him, surprised, and then he looked at Will, and the happiness he'd felt melted at Will's expression, "There has to be another way, William." Bill pleaded as he turned toward Will,

"Ye never did un'erstan' how to talk to yer superiors!" Barbossa snapped at Bill, and the other pirate looked at him, absolutely furious,

"Me?" Bill snapped clutching the railing and leaning forward, "Me? Really Hector? I'm not the one that treated Jack like he was a child! I'm not the one who disregarded his orders, and gave the men orders behind his back!" Bill snapped as he leaned down to sneer at Barbossa, "I never talked down to my captain."

Barbossa just looked at him for a moment, and again Bill saw that silent cold fury in his eyes, and wondered if the man was going to fire on him, "Yer answer, Mister Turner? The wench, or Jack?"

Will swallowed hard as he looked at Jack, again, and then to Elizabeth. Jack had done so much for them, he had saved their son, and he had saved them. But it was Elizabeth, and Will knew he was going to pick Elizabeth. Just like he knew Jack knew.

But it was Jack...

"Jack, I..." Jack looked up at him, pleading, and obviously desperate, and though it was bad enough to have Jack looking at him like that way now his father was looking at him with wide, desperate eyes.

But it was Elizabeth.

"I'll give you Jack." Will heard Jack make a strange noise, but he had turned to face Barbossa, "We'll come over, and I shall leave with Elizabeth, unharmed, or my crew will open fire." Barbossa didn't seem impressed, so Will just sighed, and turned away, slowly, almost hesitantly taking hold of Jack's wrist and leading him away from Bill. "I'm sorry Jack." Will whispered, but Jack just looked at him, and stayed silent. And to Will that was worse then if Jack had yelled at him. Worse then if Jack had hit him.

Because if Jack was silent that meant he was really hurting. And Will was the cause of that pain. And he'd never wanted to hurt Jack.

"I'm sorry." he whispered again.

–

Elizabeth was sitting up to the table with her arms wrapped around herself, and she wouldn't look at him. Wouldn't talk to him.

It was just like the time they'd gone to save Jack. She was mad at him, and he didn't know why.

Seeing her like this he was glad his father had their son, because he wasn't sure how well their son would handle seeing his mother like this.

"Elizabeth." Will whispered as he looked up at her from where he was kneeling on the floor, with a hand nervously stroking her hands, which were clasped together in her lap tightly. "Please talk to me."

"How could you do that to him, Will?" Elizabeth hissed, but still she didn't look up at him.

"I had to. I had to save you." Will wasn't sure why this should even be a problem. The important thing was that he'd saved her... right?

Elizabeth pulled her hands away sharply, as if he were disgusting her, "Please!" she whispered, sounding near hysterics, "Leave me, William!" Will looked slightly affronted, but rose to his feet regardless, and stood looking down at the woman he loved more then anything in the world, and he desperately wanted to hold her, but knew she would rebuke him, so silently he went out to sit on the deck with his father and son.

Only to find that his father didn't want to speak to him.

He would have yelled at the man, told him that what he'd done to Jack had been much worse.

But he didn't want to frighten his son, so instead he took William up to the crows nest, and retold tales of glory, and heroics.

Stories where the hero always won, and always got the girl.

Stories where the hero always got the best ship, and always lived. Always kept his freedom.

Stories where the hero was always a pirate.

Stories where the hero was always named Jack Sparrow.

And when his son slept, Will allowed himself to cry. Because his wife didn't want him, and he'd just given the only man who'd ever truly understood him, to his nemesis, and he knew the older pirate might not live to see the morning, but still he held on to hope.

Because his heroes name was always Jack Sparrow.

–

Jack was silent when Hector had him brought to the cabin, and Hector was beginning to wonder if Elizabeth and Jack had made some sort of pact to be silent with him. He didn't care, where he hadn't been able to make Elizabeth talk, he had a fine idea of how to get Jack to talk.

Once they were alone (finally alone with Jack) Hector walked toward him, extending a hand toward his still silent prisoner, and gently cupped Jack's cheek, "Jaack," he murmured, "We need to talk." Barbossa said it softly, as he stroked under Jack's eye with the pad of his thumb, grinning wickedly at the younger man. Jack just stared at him, as if waiting for Barbossa to start the conversation he wanted to be no part of, yet knew he would participate in.

Jack didn't speak, but continued to stare at him, so Barbossa smiled as he moved his hand down to grab Jack's wrist, and jerked him forward, "Where are my chats, Jaack?" he drawled casually.

Jack snickered and Barbossa rolled his eyes slowly, exaggeratedly, "It'll be easier on ye to tell me now."

Jack chuckled as he jerked his arm away, rubbing his wrist as if Hector's touch had burnt him, "I'll tell ye where yer charts are, Hector. If ye promise to release me." Hector looked contemplative for a moment, but he nodded, and Jack grinned widely, "There's an island, not many have seen it, and returned to tell the tale of it. But I 'ave." Jack swayed forward, raising his hands, and Hector continued to smirk,

"O' course ye 'ave."

"I buried the charts on the island." Jack said shrugging and Hector stared at him, obviously waiting for something,

"And?"

"Oh, right." Jack said whirling on his heel and sauntering to the desk, "Ye want to know what island it is?" Jack casually began reading a map, "It's called Isla del Tiempo."

"Rubbish." Hector snapped, and Jack turned to look at him slowly, as he drew a rolled up, tattered piece of paper, from behind his sash, grinning strangely,

"Is it?" he asked as he sauntered to Barbossa, and offered him the old map, which he took hesitantly, and began to unroll it, "Isn't that what you said about Isla De Muerta? I assure ye mate. It is real. I've been there. Remember?"

Barbossa studied the map with intent eyes, scowling deeply, "Where did ye get this map, boy?"

"I don't right see what it matters, but I found it. As it were." Jack said shrugging casually, "An' as per our agreement, ye have to release me now."

Barbossa looked up at him slowly, before laughing sharply, "Aye. Release ye." Barbossa turned slowly to open the door, and motioned a tall black man into the cabin, "I'll be releasin' ye once I 'ave me charts again, Jaack." Barbossa looked to the deck hand that stood at his side, "Throw 'im in the brig."

Jack closed his eyes, and straightened his spine, obviously angry, but he walked willingly when the man roughly took hold of his shoulder, "Bugger." Jack hissed as he was led past Barbossa.