One Night

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ hey, guys! Thanks for getting this far! I just wanted to say: Elizabeth was young, scared, and drunk. We're all only human, and she just gave into temptation once. And what kind of man would Will be if he stopped loving Billy or Elizabeth, because of a mistake she made a whole ten years ago? So if you're looking for that kind of poetic justice, don't read anymore, because I'm not going to have Will find comfort in the arms of another woman. He loves the one has, even though (and maybe because) she is human and has made mistakes. The whole story is about forgiving, right? Where would Jack be if Will had never forgiven him for being a pirate, eh? We can be good and make mistakes too. Pirates can be good men. Let Elizabeth be a good lady. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Jack was grinning. They were practically there. He loaded the boats, set himself out. He was practically twitching with the promise of a good time. When they got on shore, he breathed in deeply, remembering. Then he and his good men set forth, cutting pirate throats as they went, but keeping any gold they found on the dogs. No sense in returning that. And stealing from thieves wasn't really stealing, was it? Not that they had any real scruples about that.

Jack was walking rather quickly through the fray, picking his way carefully to avoid fights. He really only wanted the captain, there was only real pride in bringing down Gunther himself. That and he did want to have a word with Will, who was sure to be out fighting, if he was still able. It had been ten years, after all.

But what he found was much more startling.

It was a boy, at first glance, only a boy, nothing special. But he had a fierceness in his eyes and a keen intelligence on his face that was overriding even the paleness of his terror. He was waving a huge sword in the face of the Captain Gunther himself, and the Captain was smiling. Not a good sign. Jack was about to push the boy aside and step into the fight, when he saw something that nearly made his blood run cold.

The boy looked exactly like him. He had no beard, of course, he was just a boy, but his eyebrows, his cheekbones, his lips, his chin, the particular gleam of maniacal brilliance in his identical eyes.

"What devilery is this!?" he cried hoarsely, and both the Captain and the boy turned to look at him. The boy's face positively lit up and for a moment he completely forgot his fear.

"You're Jack Sparrow!" he cried, clapping his hands in delight and nearly poking his eye out with the sword.

"Eh? Cap'n Jack Sparrow?" said Gunther, who lost the smug grin on his face immediately. Jack grinned again, and Gunther trembled. Most men did, upon seeing that particular look on the Captain of the Black Pearl's face. It was then Jack knew this wouldn't be a fight to be proud of, and that Gunther was a yellow bellied coward who couldn't walk the talk, so to speak. Jack sighed and put away his sword. He nodded towards one of his men and they flipped Gunther over the stone wall and into the sea. Neat and efficient.

Jack then approached the boy and slung a friendly arm over his trembling shoulder. "Now, boy." but he got no further. A huge, burly Canadian had quite suddenly restled the boy away, much to Jack's surprise.

"Hey! Wot-" but he got no further. His own men had given chase to the burly pirate with the boy and in the scrabble Jack was knocked down. He didn't get up for some time.

When he finally did, it was to the sounds of quiet, restrained sobbing. He got up slowly, gingerly. He checked himself. No broken bones. A splitting headache-but he woke up with one of those often enough to hardly notice. Nothing else seemed wrong. Except his hat was missing and that blasted cur wouldn't stop crying.

"Hey- where's me hat?"

Elizabeth sat up abruptly, her eyes red, a soaked hanky hovering near her face. "Oh, Jack, you're awake," she whispered, her voice cracking. Jack put his head in his hands.

"Elizabeth, love, how're ye? It's been a while, eh, lass?" She nodded, and something bitter came into her face. But then she smiled and picked up a tray, with a water jug and a slab of meat balanced somewhat precariously on it. Jack practically attacked it.

"What's this, now. No rum?" He asked, only half joking. But instead of smiling, Elizabeth scowled.

"There is never rum in this house, Mr. Sparrow. I suggest you get used to it." With that she left, and slammed the door.

"It's Captain!" he called out after her. There was no reply, or indeed, sign that she had heard him.

"Captain Sparrow," he muttered to himself.