Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the umm...whatever else it is
that I could lose my non-existent money over.
A/N: Wow, haven't updated this story in a while. *Looks around sheepishly* I kind of got caught up in another one of my stories and well, everyone knows what happened. Hopefully I haven't lost any readers or lurkers.
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Dawn light shone brightly on the ocean, lapping against the hull of the Black Pearl as it sailed into Port Royal. Well, it didn't sail directly into Port Royal, mind you, but rather to a more discrete and safer harbor. Jack would not risk his precious ship being discovered, as his own neck had been recently in the noose far more than he preferred. Breathing in the fresh morning salt air blowing on his face, Jack watched as the island of Jamaica became larger and larger in his view. Distracted momentarily, but senses still acutely aware of everything surrounding him, he heard heavy footsteps approach him from behind and turned to regard the newcomer.
"Tell me again, Jack" Gibbs spoke to his captain and long time friend while warily gazing at the land becoming steadily closer to the ship. "why we be returnin' to Port Royal so soon after your last warm welcome. It don't seem ta be the brightes' thing ya ever did do." Gibbs reached down and took a quick swig of rum from the flask hanging around his neck, while turning back towards Jack. Jack simply grinned in response and turned around to face the view of Jamaica before speaking.
"Because, Captain Jack Sparrow isn't one to welch on a bet. Besides, I think I have the better chances in this one, aye?" Jack drummed his fingers on the wood before him and made a slight change in the Pearl's course of direction. Gibbs took another quick swig of rum, such a healthy breakfast, before almost nervously giving Jack an answer.
"Well, ta be fair, Jack...I wouldn't go callin' that a bet. More of a small guess that it wouldn't work out wit' Will and Elizabeth that happened to include a little bit o' money." Once again, Jack smiled largely as the salty ocean breeze blew his hair around his face and made his pace quicken.
"Bet or no bet, there's still that minute amount o' money at stake that I intend to claim. So, I must be finding Will and Elizabeth, therefore, we must go visit Port Royal and me starched friend Norrington." There was a moment of silence before Jack heard the footsteps moving slowly away from him, preceded by a ragged sigh of concession. Jack was sure to have the absolute last statement in the conversation, so he was just had to comment to Gibbs before he was out of earshot.
"And Captain Jack Sparrow never loses a bet."
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The sun had barely risen in the sky by the time Jack had sauntered onto the streets of Port Royal, Jamaica. Everything looked exactly normal to him, well, except for the fact that there weren't any pirates sacking, pillaging or looting like the last time he had had the good fortune to visit. Jack smirked in memory of his barely escaping the hangman over a year ago as he stealthily made his way towards the blacksmith shop. He could only assume that wherever the happy couple's house was, it was near Will's work and passion. Too bad, thought Jack as he walked up to the door of the shop, Will would have made a damn descent pirate.
Looking up at the sign over the door before entering, Jack saw that changes had indeed occurred in his sizable absence from Port Royal. The old wooden sign that used to say "J. Brown" was now proudly displaying the name "W. Turner" for everyone to see. Smiling inwardly at his own personal joke, Jack opened the door and stepped carefully inside. The shop would have been exactly how he remembered it, save the one incredibly drunken man, if everything had not been scattered around the floor and knocked off of the walls.
Examining his surroundings, Jack saw the still smoldering fire and hammer resting on the anvil. Immediately Jack knew that something was awry, Will would never leave his tools out like that; he cared to much about the order of things in his shop. Looking down at the dirt floor, footprints could be seen everywhere. Not just one size or type of shoe either. Following the footsteps of the men who had occupied the room earlier, Jack deduced that it had been some sort of ambush. All the footprints led straight to one spot--the anvil and glowing coals in the fireplace. Stepping closer, he could see where a body had fallen and been dragged out of the room by the intruders. Without even thinking Jack knew that Will was in danger...and if Will was in danger then surely....
Following the new train of thought, Jack ran out of the back door, following a small path to a little house not too many steps away. Seeing that the front door had been almost demolished, Jack pushed it aside with little effort. Glancing inside there were objects broken and fallen on the floor. Windows were shattered a rug or two was pulled up and a cabinet door was smashed. 'At least Elizabeth put up a good fight.' Jack thought while slowly walking to the next room, examining every bit of his surroundings.
Leaning down slowly to pick up a broken picture of Will and Elizabeth, no doubt on their wedding day, Jack heard a small groan coming from the room to his left. Someone was alive. Running through the doorway and quickly searching the room, he found nothing but more broken and torn furniture and furnishings. But taking another look, he saw a slightly bloody white garment lying in a bundle on the floor. When he walked towards it, Jack heard more small groans and noises emanating from the shaking cloth.
Turning over the small figure, Jack drew a sharp breath as he saw the face of the person who had put up such a good, strong fight. Elizabeth. The bottom and arms of her nightdress were ripped and torn with blood decorating it in several places. She had a bloody, split lip and a newly forming black eye. Jack reached down very carefully; afraid she might break, and lifted her into his arms. In response to this motion, Elizabeth moved her head weakly and regarded Jack with a despondent look.
"Where's Will?" she mumbled tiredly through her split lip. "Where's Will?" Jack began walking out of her house, Elizabeth still in his arms as he looked down over her with concern.
"Shhh....don't worry. I'll find Will, I promise. It'll all be all right, just rest. Shhh....just rest." Elizabeth wouldn't listen to his concerns, however, and held her head up, looking Jack in the eye. "Will...Will." she spoke softly before her head fell back down to Jack's shoulder and her breathing slowed to signify sleep.
Jack just looked back down at her as he kicked the front door to the house open. "I promise." He repeated, holding her carefully.
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Yes, I know, short chapter. But considering what I've been doing on this story lately (nothing!) this is better. Oh well. Review Please!
A/N: Wow, haven't updated this story in a while. *Looks around sheepishly* I kind of got caught up in another one of my stories and well, everyone knows what happened. Hopefully I haven't lost any readers or lurkers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dawn light shone brightly on the ocean, lapping against the hull of the Black Pearl as it sailed into Port Royal. Well, it didn't sail directly into Port Royal, mind you, but rather to a more discrete and safer harbor. Jack would not risk his precious ship being discovered, as his own neck had been recently in the noose far more than he preferred. Breathing in the fresh morning salt air blowing on his face, Jack watched as the island of Jamaica became larger and larger in his view. Distracted momentarily, but senses still acutely aware of everything surrounding him, he heard heavy footsteps approach him from behind and turned to regard the newcomer.
"Tell me again, Jack" Gibbs spoke to his captain and long time friend while warily gazing at the land becoming steadily closer to the ship. "why we be returnin' to Port Royal so soon after your last warm welcome. It don't seem ta be the brightes' thing ya ever did do." Gibbs reached down and took a quick swig of rum from the flask hanging around his neck, while turning back towards Jack. Jack simply grinned in response and turned around to face the view of Jamaica before speaking.
"Because, Captain Jack Sparrow isn't one to welch on a bet. Besides, I think I have the better chances in this one, aye?" Jack drummed his fingers on the wood before him and made a slight change in the Pearl's course of direction. Gibbs took another quick swig of rum, such a healthy breakfast, before almost nervously giving Jack an answer.
"Well, ta be fair, Jack...I wouldn't go callin' that a bet. More of a small guess that it wouldn't work out wit' Will and Elizabeth that happened to include a little bit o' money." Once again, Jack smiled largely as the salty ocean breeze blew his hair around his face and made his pace quicken.
"Bet or no bet, there's still that minute amount o' money at stake that I intend to claim. So, I must be finding Will and Elizabeth, therefore, we must go visit Port Royal and me starched friend Norrington." There was a moment of silence before Jack heard the footsteps moving slowly away from him, preceded by a ragged sigh of concession. Jack was sure to have the absolute last statement in the conversation, so he was just had to comment to Gibbs before he was out of earshot.
"And Captain Jack Sparrow never loses a bet."
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The sun had barely risen in the sky by the time Jack had sauntered onto the streets of Port Royal, Jamaica. Everything looked exactly normal to him, well, except for the fact that there weren't any pirates sacking, pillaging or looting like the last time he had had the good fortune to visit. Jack smirked in memory of his barely escaping the hangman over a year ago as he stealthily made his way towards the blacksmith shop. He could only assume that wherever the happy couple's house was, it was near Will's work and passion. Too bad, thought Jack as he walked up to the door of the shop, Will would have made a damn descent pirate.
Looking up at the sign over the door before entering, Jack saw that changes had indeed occurred in his sizable absence from Port Royal. The old wooden sign that used to say "J. Brown" was now proudly displaying the name "W. Turner" for everyone to see. Smiling inwardly at his own personal joke, Jack opened the door and stepped carefully inside. The shop would have been exactly how he remembered it, save the one incredibly drunken man, if everything had not been scattered around the floor and knocked off of the walls.
Examining his surroundings, Jack saw the still smoldering fire and hammer resting on the anvil. Immediately Jack knew that something was awry, Will would never leave his tools out like that; he cared to much about the order of things in his shop. Looking down at the dirt floor, footprints could be seen everywhere. Not just one size or type of shoe either. Following the footsteps of the men who had occupied the room earlier, Jack deduced that it had been some sort of ambush. All the footprints led straight to one spot--the anvil and glowing coals in the fireplace. Stepping closer, he could see where a body had fallen and been dragged out of the room by the intruders. Without even thinking Jack knew that Will was in danger...and if Will was in danger then surely....
Following the new train of thought, Jack ran out of the back door, following a small path to a little house not too many steps away. Seeing that the front door had been almost demolished, Jack pushed it aside with little effort. Glancing inside there were objects broken and fallen on the floor. Windows were shattered a rug or two was pulled up and a cabinet door was smashed. 'At least Elizabeth put up a good fight.' Jack thought while slowly walking to the next room, examining every bit of his surroundings.
Leaning down slowly to pick up a broken picture of Will and Elizabeth, no doubt on their wedding day, Jack heard a small groan coming from the room to his left. Someone was alive. Running through the doorway and quickly searching the room, he found nothing but more broken and torn furniture and furnishings. But taking another look, he saw a slightly bloody white garment lying in a bundle on the floor. When he walked towards it, Jack heard more small groans and noises emanating from the shaking cloth.
Turning over the small figure, Jack drew a sharp breath as he saw the face of the person who had put up such a good, strong fight. Elizabeth. The bottom and arms of her nightdress were ripped and torn with blood decorating it in several places. She had a bloody, split lip and a newly forming black eye. Jack reached down very carefully; afraid she might break, and lifted her into his arms. In response to this motion, Elizabeth moved her head weakly and regarded Jack with a despondent look.
"Where's Will?" she mumbled tiredly through her split lip. "Where's Will?" Jack began walking out of her house, Elizabeth still in his arms as he looked down over her with concern.
"Shhh....don't worry. I'll find Will, I promise. It'll all be all right, just rest. Shhh....just rest." Elizabeth wouldn't listen to his concerns, however, and held her head up, looking Jack in the eye. "Will...Will." she spoke softly before her head fell back down to Jack's shoulder and her breathing slowed to signify sleep.
Jack just looked back down at her as he kicked the front door to the house open. "I promise." He repeated, holding her carefully.
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Yes, I know, short chapter. But considering what I've been doing on this story lately (nothing!) this is better. Oh well. Review Please!