CHAPTER 9: Tension Rises…

Not very long after Romeo saw his father's ship appear to be nothing more than a speck in the distance, he heard sounds of waves crashing behind him. When he looked around, he saw a massive ship, bigger than any he'd seen before. It was large, and a deep-brown color. The ship began to approach, when someone on-board spotted him.

"SOMEONE'S FALLEN OVERBOARD SIR!", he heard someone yell out from the ship. Romeo instinctively waved his hands signaling he wasn't dead. He saw the ship's anchor fall into the water and quickly slow down about 30 feet away from him.

Romeo then saw a small rowboat be lowered into the water, along with a woman and 2 men. He tried his best to swim over, but couldn't manage. The rowboat was at him in no-time, and quickly pulled him in. As he looked up, he saw the woman, who had a long pony-tail of gray, and the two men, who were very meager, but well-toned.

The woman smiled at Romeo and covered him with a blanket. "Ye'll be alright now lad… don't ye worry…", the strange woman said to Romeo, making him feel a little bit more at ease. Romeo's body began to shiver underneath the blanket, but he didn't think about it, as he looked at the woman, noticing how strangely familiar she looked.

As they reached the ship, the small boat was pulled up onto the deck. The three adults jumped out, while Romeo continued to sit in the boat. The woman looked at him then smiled. She then walked over to him and picked him up, carrying him in her arms to what Romeo thought, was the Captain's cabin.

As they entered, Romeo looked around at all the different paintings and artifacts around the room. It was a MUCH larger cabin's than his father's… and he thought that cabin was massive. There was a large burgundy desk to the side of the cabin, surrounded by chairs. The bay windows around the room, let the sunset shine through the window, giving the room a warm glow.

The older woman put Romeo down on the Captain's bed, and smiled. She then took another blanket and wrapped it around him. She bent down in front of Romeo, looking him in the eyes. "Are ye scared?", she asked, very sweetly.

Romeo looked at her sternly, "No", he said, his eyes not moving from hers. Suddenly he heard the door open, and a tall-ish man came striding in, as if he was drunk. He was wearing dark blue breeches, a cream-colored blouse, and a large brown coat, topped off with a brown tri-corn hat that hat a feather protruding from it.

Romeo stared at the man as he walked over to Romeo. The older woman continued to look at Romeo, not paying attention to the man that walked into the room. As the man walked closer to Romeo, he was about to speak, when Romeo cut him short.

"Are ye the Captain?", the older man nodded. Romeo couldn't see all of his hair, but it was un-kept, with some dreadlocks, and some loose hair. His hair was a dark brown, mixed with some gray. He was clean-shaven, and had dark brown eyes.

"Well then…", Romeo began, "Ye should know that if ye dare hurt me, me father with slice yer throat!", Romeo told the man through clenched teeth. The older woman gave Romeo a smile, and the older man laughed heartily.

"Is that right lad?", the man said. Romeo nodded, giving the man his best "I'm-A-Mean-Pirate" face. "What's yer name lad? And how are ye?", the older man asked Romeo with a smile. Romeo stared at him for a moment, then decided to answer.

"Almost 6 years, and me name is Romeo Jackson Sparrow", he said firmly, straightening his back, just like his father. The faces of the two pirates in front of Romeo fell, and the woman stood up slowly. They both edged back from Romeo slightly, as if they were examining him. The older man put his hand to his chin and began to think. Suddenly he spotted the small trinket that was dangling from Romeo's hair. His hand fell from his chin, and his eyes widened.

"That can't be…", the man said, almost in disbelief. The older woman spotted it also, and then gave each other an "Oh-My-God", look. The woman crouched down in front of Romeo once more, and looked him in the eyes.

"What's yer father's name lad?", she asked him, very seriously, her eyes glistening. Romeo looked back and forth between the two people, and then his gaze fell back to the woman's eyes.

"Captain Jack Sparrow… and if ye hurt me, he'll hunt ye down!", Romeo said, seriously, almost trying to scare the two. The woman began laughing merrily, and the man rubbed his head while chuckling. Suddenly the woman wrapped her arms around Romeo and began planting kisses all over his face. Romeo squirmed until he got free, and looked at the woman as if she were insane.

"Yer father is REALLY Jack Sparrow?", the older woman asked, then shaking her head, "I mean… Captain, Jack Sparrow?", she finished with a laugh. Romeo nodded again, earning himself to be picked up by the older woman and spun around in her arms while she laughed.

Romeo didn't understand what was going on, but he somehow felt quite warm in the woman's embrace… he felt safe. The older man walked over to Romeo, and looked him in the eyes, studying them almost. He then began to nod in disbelief. "He looks just like 'im darling…", the Captain said to the woman.

"Now… ye obviously know me father, but… who are ye?", Romeo asked, as the old woman placed Romeo back on the bed. The old woman looked at Romeo once more with an expression of disbelief.

"I'm yer grandmother… and this is yer grandfather…", she said, almost nervously. Romeo's eyes widened, and he looked at the two old pirates staring at him. He looked back and forth between the two for a short while until it finally registered in his head.

"Yer me what?", he asked, slightly in disbelief himself. The older man began to laugh, and took a seat at the table, facing Romeo on the bed. The man looked at Romeo for a moment…

"Yer father… is me son…", the captain said, looking Romeo in the eyes. Romeo's eyes widened even more at the fact that these two people were the ones who raised his dad, the person he thought was the most powerful in the whole ocean. Romeo looked at the skeptically for a moment, then looked at the floor.

Romeo could feel tears slowly forming in his eyes. He bit his lip, and tried hard for the tears not to flow, but it didn't work. His grandmother ran over to him and hugged him, rubbing his shoulders.

"What's the matter lad?", she asked, sincerely. Romeo hugged her tight, and began to weep more. He missed his parents and sister too much. The thought of possibly never being able to see his dad again, made him sick, and the fact he would probably never smell his mom's hair, or feel her gentle kisses on his forehead, made him want to sleep and never wake up.

"I…. miss me mum and dad…", Romeo cried, holding on tightly to his grandmother's shirt. The woman didn't quite know what to say, and just continued to hug Romeo tightly. Romeo's grandfather, walked over to where the two sat, and crouched down in-front of them.

"It's alright lad… we'll get ye back to them… besides, the good thing is yer with family, eh? Now… tell me Romeo… how'd ye end up out in the ocean?", he finished with a confused face, matching the numerous Romeo had seen adorn his father's face.

"There was a storm, and me mum and dad were 'elpin' secure the lines or somethin', and I wanted to help, so I undid me safety line, and fell overboard…", he paused, "…then they left without me…", he finished, looking at the floor. His grandfather smiled a sincere smile, and hugged Romeo.

"We'll get ye back to yer parents… or me name ain't Captain Grant Sparrow…", he finished with a grin. Romeo giggled at how much he looked like his father. The old woman rolled her eyes however, and shook her head. Grant didn't look to happy, and shrugged, sitting down in his chair.

"Oh, and me name lad, is Mary Sparrow…", she finished, kissing Romeo's cheek. "Now…", she began, standing up with her hands on her hips, "What ye need is a bath, and some dry clothes… so come on, I'll get ye all set…", she finished with a smile, shooing her husband out of the cabin.

oooooooooo

Meanwhile, on the 'Black Pearl', tension was so thick, it could be chopped with a sword. It was past sunset now, and the moon was in the sky.

Raven had fallen to sleep with her mother, but was left a lone a little while later, as Phoenix got up slowly and left the cabin. She walked over to the side of the ship, and began to sob quietly. She then felt Jack's strong hands wrap around her waist, and press her close into his chest. Phoenix turned around quickly and pushed jack away from her, almost disgusted.

"Don't ye dare touch me…", Phoenix said, walking away, straight into Jack's cabin. She slammed the door behind her, and sat on the edge of Jack's bed, her face in her hands.

Jack barged into the room shortly after and slammed it twice as hard behind himself (waking Raven…). Jack clenched his jaw and looked at Phoenix… she stood up in-front of him, standing her ground.

"If it weren't for ye, my son would still be 'ere!", she yelled at Jack, earning herself to be backhanded by Jack. He face whipped to the side, but she clenched her jaw, and looked back at Jack in the eyes.

"I hope ye drop de---", and before she finished, she felt Jack's fist collide with her stomach, causing her to fall to her knees. Phoenix moaned for a second or so, but kept her jaw clenched. Phoenix began to say the same thing again, making Jack kick her while she was down.

"If it's anyone's fault… it's yers! Yer the bloody one who made us go in the direction to see yer bloody father! And fer what?", Jack yelled at the top of his lungs. He began to kick her hard in the side, "Fer a soddin'… (kick)…bloody…(kick)…BLESSING! (kick)", he finished, and Phoenix feeling as though she couldn't breathe.

Jack stood over her, breathing heavily, tears in his eyes… he knew what he was doing to Phoenix, but he couldn't help it. Jack saw blood come out of Phoenix's mouth, as she spit it on the floor. Jack kicked her once more and then sat on the edge of his bed, watching Phoenix writhe on his cabin-floor.

"Yer… a fuckin' liar… wretch!", Phoenix shouted at Jack. Jack's jaw clenched as he stood up. Phoenix crawled over to the wall, and slowly raised herself up to lean on the wall, her muscles and ribs sore.

oooooooooo

Raven heard her mother shouts, and she jumped out of bed quickly. She then walked across the deck towards the yelling. When she reached her father's cabin, she gently opened the door, to see her mother bleeding, propping herself up on the wall, and her father looking more angry than she'd ever seen in her life.

Raven felt her tears stream down her face. She never imagined her father could frighten her like he was doing right now. She wanted to run to her mother and help her, but was too afraid of what her father might do to her.

oooooooooo

Jack slowly approached Phoenix, his nostrils flaring and his face red with anger. "I'm a liar?", he asked, attempting to stay as calm as possible. Phoenix looked at him in the eyes… as tears began to stream.

"Ye promised… nay, ye SWORE, that ye'd never hurt me again… did ye not?", Phoenix stated, looking Jack in the eyes as she slowly approached him.

Jack clenched his jaw and straightened his back. "Ye brought it on yerself…", he said through clenched teeth. Phoenix approached him even more, and laughed in his face, only inches away.

"Ye've always been a bloody no fer good---", Jack backhanded her again, interrupting her. "… nor fer good liar! Who should rot in the caverns of hell!", she yelled at him.

"SHUT UP!", Jack lashed out, pushing Phoenix down as hard as he could. Phoenix stumbled back and hit the floor with her bum first, then her head hit a sharp edge of the wall, knocking her unconscious. Jack watched her fall with a clenched jaw, and then his expression somewhat fell when he didn't see her moving.

Suddenly he saw Raven crying, and running across the room to Phoenix. Raven didn't care anymore… she wanted her mother to be ok. And to see her be thrown back like that, made her instinctively rush to her side. Jack felt instant guilt as he saw his daughter crying beside her unconscious mother. He never meant to make her lose consciousness.

He slowly approached the two, but Raven yelled at him. "Stop hurtin' her!", she cried, shaking Phoenix to wake up, but she didn't move. Jack stood idle for a moment, before he walked over to Phoenix's side, ignoring his daughter's screams directed at him.

He quickly checked her pulse, which he was relieved to find. He then picked her up in his arms, and carried her to his bed. He placed her on the bed, and covered her with a light sheet. Raven climbed atop the bed, and laid in her mother's arms, until she fell asleep, somewhat happy that she could still feel her mother's chest rise and fall.

Jack watched the two on his bed, and cursed himself over and over again as he exited the cabin, walking up to the helm.