Lost at Sea II: Five Years Later

Chapter 7

"Gibbs, how far are we from the slaver," Jack demanded.

"Not far Cap'n. We should engage her by morning," Gibbs assured him, standing at the helm.

"Good," Jack nodded as he watched the rest of the crew playing cards and drinking rum on the deck, the fires from the lamps flickering across the barrels.

"We'll get her back, Cap'n," Gibbs added, clapping him on his shoulder before joining the rest on the deck.

Jack nodded and flicked open his compass, glancing at the spinning arrow. It pointed off into the darkness and he smiled, knowing that's where Keira was sure to be.

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"Sir, the Black Pearl is on our tail," Hamza reported as James stood in his study the next morning.

"Stay calm, Hamza, we will take care of them." James said in a monotone as he stared out over the open ocean.

Hamza nodded and left the room, leaving James in silence once again. He placed his hat on his head and turned to the door, only going a few steps before he stopped in front of the cabin Keira was in. He heard whispers and leaned close to listen.

"When will father come for us?" James asked quietly, playing with a strand of his mother's hair.

"Soon, darling. The sea brings him closer every moment," Keira smiled, kissing the top of his head.

"Will Norrington hurt you again?" James asked, looking up at her.

"I don't know, James. He is not the man I once knew. He used to be a man of respect and dignity. Now he is a savage. There is no telling what he will do."

Norrington pressed his forehead to the door with a sigh, "Why can't she see I changed for the better?" he muttered.

"Because it is not for the better," Keira swung the door open, her green eyes flashing.

Norrington straightened and they stared at each other, Keira seeing a glimmer of the old James she had once agreed to marry. She placed a hand on his cheek, trying to see some recognition of who he used to be. He leaned into her touch, closing his eyes and she slid her hand away, looking away from him.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you," James whispered. "I was not myself."

"How many times did I tell you that and you still refused to listen?" Keira snapped, closing the cabin door behind her so her son would not hear their conversation.

"Keira, I have learned a new culture, I apologize," he looked down at the floor.

"I knew you were a good man, James. But I have a family now, you need to find happiness without becoming a savage. You are not meant to be a pirate, you are a noble man. I saw that when you set my crew free on the Dutchman. I am forever indebted to you for that."

James smiled and shook his head, "No, you owe me nothing."

"Sir, the Pearl has leveled with us, should we fire?" Hamza strode over to the two, both turning to look at him.

"Make ready the guns, I'll be on deck in a moment," Norrington nodded as Hamza quickly strode away.

"Jack," Keira smiled and turned to retrieve her son. "James, come, father has come for us."

"You are going to stay bellow," Norrington grabbed her arm, stopping her. "I don't want you hurt, stay here."

"Are you mad? My husband has come to rescue me. I cannot stand here and wait for him to board the ship. I am going to return to the Pearl and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

Norrington waited for Keira to take her son's hand and lead him from the room. Just as the boy past him he grabbed him, drawing his sword, "Now you will listen to what I say or I will kill your precious boy."

Keira narrowed her eyes at him and smirked, "You are not that type, James. I can see the fear in your eyes. You would never hurt me like that."

"Mother, make him let me go," James pleaded, his eyes large with fear.

Keira pulled a sword from the sleeping guard a few steps away and pointed it at his throat, "Let my boy go, James. I do not fear killing you."

Norrington grinned, pressing the sword closer to James' throat, "Lower your sword, Keira. Jack will not be here to save you this time."

"That's not very nice," a familiar voice said behind Norrington.

Keira grinned and James spun around, letting her son go as he came face to face with Jack. James rushed into his mother's arms as she watched her husband glaring at Norrington.

"Hello Norrie, nice to see you again," Jack grinned, drawing his sword. "Too bad this is the last time."

Jack looked up at his sword and smiled, thrusting it in James' face, only giving him a moment's notice to parry and jump away.

"Keira, go!" Jack yelled and she scrambled out of their way.

"James, come," Keira held her hand out to her son and they fumbled out onto the deck where the crew of the Pearl was fighting with Hamza's crew.

"Miss Keira, glad you could join us," Gibbs nodded as she stumbled onto the deck.

"Hello Gibbs," she waved and pulled her son into her arms, quickly grabbing a rope and swinging over to the Pearl.

Jack and Norrington burst through the door onto the deck, both men throwing blow after blow at each other. Jack ducked under a thrust from James and they moved away from the battle on the deck and up toward the helm.

"James, stay here, okay," Keira said hastily, carrying her son into Jack's study. "Stay here, mother will be right back."

"Where are you going?" he demanded.

"To help your father. Stay here, all right?"

James nodded and Keira grabbed her pistol from the desk in the bedroom before moving back out onto the deck to find the rope she'd swung over on. Her eyes flicked to Jack and James and she clenched her jaw, knowing what she had to do. Keira swung back over to the ship, landing with a thud and ran off toward her husband.

"You cannot match me, Sparrow," James breathed, avoiding another lung from Jack.

"Jack can't, but I can best you," Keira growled behind him and a shot rang out, making both men stop moving.

Jack looked stunned and his eyes fell on Norrington who had pulled open his coat, his eyes on the trickling blood from the bullet wound.

"This is the last time you try to ruin my life, James. Goodbye," Keira whispered as he fell to his knees.

"Keira," James muttered before crumpling to the deck in a heap.

"This time, he is dead," she growled, checking to make sure there was no pulse.

Jack helped his wife to her feet as the fighting died down on the deck. Hamza dropped his sword at Keira's feet, not knowing what lese to do. The rest of the crew followed him, dropping their weapons at her feet as the crew of the Pearl gathered rope and began to tie them to the mast.

"Don't," Jack ordered. "These people have to go back to Africa, we cannot leave them to die. Keira will Captain this ship, the crew must stay alive until we reach Africa's shores.

"Jack, are you sure?" Keira asked softly as he pulled her into his arms.

"Yes, I need you to do this. Just follow me," he muttered, kissing her long and passionately before nodding at Gibbs to return to the Pearl.

Keira watched them go before turning to her new crew with a stern look, taking the whip from the Bo'sun, a new fire in her eyes.

"Back to Africa, you disobey my order once, you'll get lashes courtesy of your captain!"

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Here's another, This story is going to be significantly short as opposed to Lost at Sea one. I have a large amount on my plate at the moment so this story will end quicker than usual, mostly because I really don't have a plot line for it like I did the last. Sorry, but I hope you enjoyed it while it's still going.

Sadie