Ch 11

Jack flopped down onto his hammock after putting Cotton at the wheel. His body was more than ready for the rest but his mind was abuzz. He told himself it was the fact that he wasn't in the captains bed that he was used to. That thought led to the person he gave up his room for. He had a sneaky suspicion that she was the true reason behind his free running thoughts.

After what must have been hours of laying in the darkness, listening to the breathing of his crew, darkness finally claimed him.

Jack's eyes shot open a few hours later. He was sure he had heard a creaking board. He lay still for a moment. When he didn't hear anything else, he started to relax. It was a simple shifting of weight above, that was all. Perhaps it was the fact that the movement was up in Elizabeth's cabin that spurred his senses and worry.

Despite the reassuring thought, he found that sleep still wouldn't come. His instincts told him something was wrong.

He pulled himself out of the hammock and walked to the steps at the end of the room. He tuned out the snores of his crew as he focused all his attention and senses on what was above. His right hand came to rest on the hilt of his sword as he made his way up the stairs. The closer he got to the deck, the more sure he was that they weren't alone. The cry of Cotton's pirate alerted him a moment before a gun shot rang through the air.

Stealth forgotten, Jack vaulted up the stairs, his crew stirring behind him as he shouted "On deck all hands! Men to guns!"

When he reached the deck, he was speechless. Cotton lay on the ground, motionless. Startled but still cautious, he crept toward Cotton's body. Motion to his right caught his eye.

"Run out the cannons! On Deck ye scurvy dogs!" Jack hollered as he looked out onto the sea. Half the crew was there, staring open mouthed at what he, too, saw. A ship with the name the Sea Lass was preparing to sail away from them. Grappling hooks disconnected from the Songs rail. Only one remained. Jack turned below deck and prepared to give the order to fire on Mikan's ship. It was right before him and was an easy target. It seemed too easy.

Jack turned and froze with his mouth open in preparation to shout the order to fire. Mikan stood before him, gun in his hand pressed threateningly against Elizabeth's temple. "I wouldn't give that order if I were you Jack."

Elizabeth's eyes were full of fear, all too clear to Jack even through the darkness of night. She gripped the arm around her throat fiercely. "I was just stopping by to pick up something you owe me. I know how bad you are at repaying your debts. So I figured, why trouble you. I shall just drop on by and leave without any trouble."

Jack's eyes went to where Cotton lay. Mikan followed his gaze. "Don't worry Jack. He is only sleeping, complements of my man on the inside." By this time, Mikan had reached the rail.

In one swift move, Jack pulled out his pistol. "You should know never to try and take treasure from a pirate."

"Oh, risky move Jack." Mikan scolded. "Can you trust that your shot is faster than mine?" Mikan's finger tightened dangerously on the trigger. "Besides, what treasure am I stealing?"

Jack nodded his head at Elizabeth. Mikan looked down at her with mock confusion. "Oh, you mean Miss. Swann?"

"It's Mrs. Turner," Elizabeth spat. It was then that Jack could tell just how tightly Mikan had his arm wrapped around her throat. She could barely choke out the words.

Mikan chuckled. "Not for long my dear."

"Then you and I have different ideas about what treasure really is mate. Not all treasure is silver and gold. That's what I say. What is it about all of Port Royal that thinks pirates only have a love of jewels and gold, trinkets and things that shimmer?" Jack took a step toward Mikan. "Not that these are bad treasures. Give me a gold doubloon any day. But we do love the company of a beautiful woman or the freedom of the sea. Oh, and rum. "

Mikan was caught off guard once again, but recovered quickly. "Pirates are scum. It would be a shame to have such a well bred wench such as Elizabeth wasted on the likes of you. So I repeat, I will take Elizabeth back to Port Royal where she belongs, out of these ridiculous clothes." The look of lust in his eyes made Jack's fingers itch for his sword. "I give you my word as a Lord to cause no harm to your despicable ship and crew."

"What, the legendary Captain Jack doesn't bring in a large enough reward for you? If I recall, a day ago you wanted me too."

"I am not a fool Jack. You have many men with you now, only held back by the fact that my crew has guns trained on you from the Sea Lass. It would be a pointless waste of time to fight for you when Elizabeth seems more than willing to go."

Jack was dumbstruck. He didn't even try to hide it as he glanced at Elizabeth's face for conformation. She wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Ah, so she has not told you?" Mikan asked, amused. "You must not have treated the lady well while she was with you. She fought me little and simply nodded when I told her she was coming with me."

"That is why you have your arm about her neck and a gun to her head, eh?" Jack sneered.

"That is nothing but a precaution and it seems to keep you at bay quite well. I don't exactly trust the wench. After all, she has spent a lot of time in the company of you lying vermin. Why, I cannot imagine." He smiled as one of his crew men climbed onto the rail next to him. "Now, we bid you leave."

Jack's scowl deepened and his crew gasped as they saw the ships cook, Marty. Jack heard mumblings of "He is the traitor?!" and "I loved his food" erupt behind him at the sight.

Marty grabbed Elizabeth and swung back to the Sea Lass. With the threat of Elizabeth being shot taken out of the situation, Jack cocked his pistol and prepared to shoot. Mikan shook his finger at Jack. "Have you forgotten about the ship full of men with their guns aimed directly at the heads of your crew?" He tucked his pistol into his belt as he grabbed his own getaway rope. With a fake bow, he swung away, leaving a very angry, very confused and very plan less pirate Captain.

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Gibbs shifted in his seat. The flickering light of the candles about him seemed depressing and void of warmth. The rum that he loved remained untouched in his mug. It, too, seemed cold and unpleasing. He glanced up at Jack who sat across from him at the table, his lips having just dropped from the flask of rum clasped in his hand. He obviously felt differently about it.

For what must have been the fifth time in the past hour that the two had sat in the now empty captain's cabin of the Song, Gibbs opened his mouth to speak to Jack and abruptly closed it again. Never before had he seen his captain so quiet and distraught.

Gibbs had knocked on the door an hour or so ago after Mikan had left with Elizabeth. Jack had stood in his place for a moment on deck, gun shaking in his hand ever so slightly. That was when Gibbs knew Jack was shaken more than he showed. The legendary captain was always so sure of himself and his shot. So he knew that he had to help when he saw Jack storm off into the captains quarters after giving the order to continue to sail on course. Jack had not answered when he knocked. When he walked in he found Jack sitting, staring but unseeing at the bottle clasped in his hand.

Jack set his bottle down with a bang. Gibbs eyes shot up to face his captain and friend as his mind came back to the present. An hour of nonstop drinking Gibbs had never witnessed from Jack. And for all of the times he had seen Jack drink plenty, never before had he seen him look so drunk.

By some method that Gibbs could not grasp, Jack never seemed to get drunk. Well, never truly drunk. He was always aware and alert even though he always acted intoxicated, rum or no. Gibbs knew it to be part of Jack's ruse to keep his enemies unawares. But this was no ruse. Whatever method he used was not in play here. The man before him was utterly and completely drunk.

"Jack. This be the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Surely we could catch the Sea Lass," he ventured slowly. Jack seemed not to have heard so he ventured further, sure he knew what plagued his friend. "We could have Miss. Elizabeth back with us within the night."

Jack's glassy eyes snapped up to meet Gibbs own. Gibbs couldn't not decipher whether it was the drunken state or tears that made them look so. He realized that the latter may be the more likely when Jack spoke, his voice hollow and void of emotion. "She left without a fight."

"That is what Mikan claims but what do we trust of…"

Gibbs winced as Jack spoke again, even though his voice was soft and defeated. "I could see it in her eyes, Gibbs."

The two sat together as silence enveloped them once again. Jack lifted the bottle again and took a big swig. After a moment, Gibbs spoke again, afraid and unsure. "You must believe you love her now Jack."

He literally shrank back into his seat a bit, awaiting the wrath and denial of Jack. The piercing and blank stare he received unnerved him more than the verbal assault he expected to have to endure. Through the sadness and fear, confusion and hurt reflected in the deep brown eyes, he saw the wheels turning.

Gibbs knew it was true. He could see it in every glance he ever sent her way. The whole situation reminded him of a horrible fairy tale told to children, filled with heroic deeds and victory. There is always the hero winning in the end and there is always a happy couple reunited. Where did that leave the remaining, forgotten characters?

The truth in the matter was that there was always sadness in the end. The evil stepsisters end up alone. The witch ends up dead. The knight makes off with the princess. Where does that leave the other side, the 'evil' side, the man who fought alongside the main character? Alone.

The fact of the matter, Gibbs thought, was that pirates were evil in the world's eyes, end of story. Speak the word and people go running. We pillage, we plunder, blah blah, blah. But Jack was the most noble, good hearted, honest man he knew, despite the bandanna clad man's attempts to hide it. This was one big story and in the end, the pirate sails on alone and the gentleman gets the girl.

Blast it all, Gibbs thought. Jack never did anything by the rules. He was a pirate that didn't kill unnecessarily. He didn't rape. He avoided battles as much as possible. And now he has gone and fell for the one woman he couldn't have. Gibbs shook his head as Jack lowered his eyes. He is attempting to rewrite the fairy tale we are currently in. Everyone knows the hero wins in the end. The question was, was Jack trying to change the very way fairy tales were to be written or just become the hero himself?