AN: I'm still going by how I remember the movie goes (with a little help from some fanfiction on the website), so of course it's not exact, but I think it's close enough, don't you?
Chapter 5: Storms and Rescues
As they boarded the ship, Mr. Gibbs pulled Jack aside.
"Is it right havin' women aboard, captain? One is bad enough, but two."
"Mr. Gibbs, it would be far worse to leave those two women on shore, trust me," Jack replied as he gazed at the two women who were busy chatting up a storm.
(Speaking of storms)
Later that day, a huge storm blew up. Lara had been ordered downstairs to the captain's quarters and told not to move, if she valued her life (at least, that's what Jack said, she wasn't sure if it was a threat, or an indication that she might fall overboard).
The next morning, they were at the Isle de Muerta. Mr. Cotton's parrot was singing as they entered, "dead men tell no tales," as the crew looked over the hammerheads that swam underneath hungrily.
"Puts a chill to the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage." Mr. Gibbs muttered.
"Aye," whispered Lana.
Lara had joined everyone on deck, enjoying the sun after last night's storm. She overheard Will talking to Mr. Gibbs, and decided to join them. She sat down on a barrel behind them, listening to Gibbs tell a story about how Jack got off an island after being marooned.
"So he stood in the water for three days and three nights, until all of the sea animals gathered around his legs. Then, he fashioned a raft out of sea turtles and floated away on it!"
Will looked at him intently. "Sea turtles? What did he use for rope?"
That's when all three of them noticed Jack standing close by, listening.
"Human hair," he said. "From my back!"
Lara immediately started laughing. Jack looked at her as though she were insane.
"What's so funny, lass?" he asked, cocking his head to one side.
"What you just said!" she choked out between giggles. "I was thinking that, with your hair, you probably did use hair from your back!" She started to laugh harder before she went across the deck to talk to Annamaria, who was also snickering. Jack just shook his head, and turned toward Will.
"Is she always like that?"
"Lara? Of course she is. Sometimes she's worse," Will said, grinning.
"Hmph," was Jack's only reply before turning to the crew.
"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack said, loudly. "Mr. Turner and I will be going ashore for his bonny lass."
"Aye, Captain! Uh, what if something should happen to ye on the island?" asked Mr. Gibbs.
"Stick to the code," Jack said.
"Aye, the code," Gibbs said grimly.
Jack and Will rowed out to the island as Lara turned toward Gibbs.
"What code are you talking about, Mr. Gibbs?" she asked.
"Pirate's Code, missy: anyone that falls behind, stays behind."
Lara stared in shock. Little to her knowledge, a small part of her wished for both Jack and Will to be alright, and for them, with Elizabeth, to get back safely.
It was not long afterwards that her wish came true; well, mostly. Will came on board, pulling Elizabeth along with him. She was wearing a black dress Lara had never seen before.
"Lizzie!" she cried before launching herself at her best friend.
Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise as she hugged her friend and companion. "Lara!" She then looked around. "No, not more pirates!"
Mr. Gibbs came up next to her and tipped his head at her. "Welcome aboard, Miss Elizabeth." "Mr. Gibbs?" she said in surprise. Lara blinked at her. "You know him?" Elizabeth smiled. "I met him on the way over from England." She turned toward Gibbs. "It's nice to see you again." That was when Lara noticed that Jack was missing.
"Will, where's Jack?" she asked worriedly. Now it was Elizabeth's turn to blink in surprise.
"Jack? Jack Sparrow? Captain Jack Sparrow?"
Will looked at Lara, his eyes narrowed. "He fell behind." He then led Elizabeth down below deck. The entire crew looked shocked. After a long pause, Gibbs spoke.
"Well," he said, "stick to the code: weigh anchor and hoist the sails!"
Lara couldn't help but stand on deck in shock. 'Oh, Jack,' she thought. 'What happened to you?' She went below deck to tend to Elizabeth, only to find Will one step ahead of her; he was wrapping a cut on Elizabeth's hand. Lara hid outside the door, listening and letting the two have some time alone.
"You said you gave Barbossa my name as yours. Why?" "I don't know," she said, wincing at the bandage before pulling away.
"I'm sorry. Blacksmith's hands, I know they're rough."
"No.I mean yes, they are but. but don't stop." Lara smiled at Elizabeth's words. Perhaps love would finally bloom? She peeked inside.
"Elizabeth..." Will whispered, leaning into a kiss, but was stopped by Elizabeth.
Lara saw her take out Will's medallion and give it to him.
"It's yours." Oh, no. Will stared at it in surprise.
"I thought I'd lost it the day they rescued me." Will stopped talking and stared at her. "It was a gift from my father, he sent it to me. Why did you take it?"
Elizabeth hung her head in shame. "Because I was afraid that you were a pirate; that would've been awful. I thought they might hang you." Will continued to stare at the medallion. "It wasn't your blood they needed...it was my father's blood...my blood...the blood of a pirate."
'Blood? For what?' Lara thought.
Elizabeth stood up and turned to leave. "I'm so sorry, please forgive me."
Will slammed the medallion on the table and Elizabeth fled to another cabin, tears in her eyes. Lara was torn between helping one or another of her best friends, but since Will seemed the most hurt, she went there first.
"Will, what happened?"
That single question opened open Will's mouth and the whole story poured out; about Jack being betrayed, marooned, Barbossa and the mutinous crew being cursed, and how only Will's blood or that of his father was needed to end the curse.
"It was my blood they needed, Lara!" He paused before asking another question plaguing his mind. "Why would Elizabeth steal from me?" He buried his head in his hands.
"Because she cares about you, Will," Lara replied, her hand on his shoulder. "She did what she thought was right, and you can't hate her for that."
"No, you're right. I can't."
"I'll go talk to her. You should go on deck and help the crew," Lara quietly suggested. "It might be good for you, then the two of you can talk about this later, alright?" He nodded, then left. Lara turned toward Elizabeth's cabin. This was going to be a long night.
The next morning, Lara was awakened by shouts of panic, and hurrying feet on deck. She grabbed her sword and raced up the stairs to find the crew loading the guns. "What's going on?"
"The Black Pearl's gaining on us!" Annamaria shouted from the helm.
"Impossible! This is the fastest ship on the Caribbean!" Lara exclaimed.
"That's what I said!" said Elizabeth. The ship suddenly jerked hard.
"What's happening?" screamed Lara as she grabbed onto the railing.
"We're swinging around to fight them!" Will shouted.
"Fire!" shouted Elizabeth. Cannon fire raced between ships.
"Anymore bright ideas, lass?" Gibbs asked Elizabeth.
She shook her head. "Your turn," she replied before they noticed grappling hooks being tossed on board. She reached under her collar. "The medallion!" she cried. Will did a double take before racing down below.
Then whole battle was a blur for Lara. She remembered fighting, seeing Jack climb over from the other ship, winking at her, then climbing back to the other ship. The next thing she knew, she was on the Black Pearl, tied to the mast and seeing the Interceptor being blown apart.
"No!" screamed Elizabeth. "Will!"
Will? He had still been onboard? Tears streamed down Lara's face as she looked around the Pearl. She saw Jack being held by a large black man, then saw him look at her, pity in his eyes.
"Barbossa!" called a voice from the railing.
"Will!" cried Lara and Elizabeth.
Will waved a pistol at Barbossa. "The ladies go free."
Barbossa raised an eyebrow. "What's in your head, boy?"
"The ladies go free!" he demanded.
"You've only got one shot and we can't die," Barbossa said, smirking.
"Don't do anything stupid," Jack said to Will, waving his hands around.
"You can't...I can." Will pointed the gun at himself.
Jack groaned and covered his eyes with his hand. B
arbossa looked Will over before asking, "Who are you?"
"No one!" Jack quickly exclaimed. "He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though. Eunuch."
"My name is Will Turner. My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins."
Jack smacked his hand to his forehead at Will's comment.
"He's a spitting image of ol' Bootstrap Bill come back to haunt us!" whimpered a pirate in fright.
Will cocked the trigger. "On my word do as I say or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker."
"Name your terms, Mr. Turner," Barbossa said.
"Elizabeth and Lara go free."
"Yes, we know that one. Anything else?"
Seeing Jack point at himself, Will added, "And the crew, the crew is not to be harmed!"
"Agreed."
(Moments later)
The entire crew was cheering, "Go on! Walk the plank!"
Lara and Elizabeth were together on a plank over the water. Will was bound, and yelling at Barbossa.
"You lying bastard! You swore they'd go free!"
"Aye, I agreed they'd go free, but it was you who failed to specify when or where. Gag him!" commanded Barbossa. He paused for a moment to glance over at Elizabeth."Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads? So I'll be having that dress back before you go, missy," he said, pointing at Elizabeth's dress.
"It goes with your black heart," Elizabeth said, throwing him the dress.
"Ooh, it's still warm." He grinned.
"Off you go! Come on!' the crew jeered.
"Too long!" exclaimed the Bo 'sun.
He jumped on the plank, and the two fell in. Moments later, Jack was swimming along side them, heading for a nearby island. The three of them walked up the beach, dripping. Lara was helping Elizabeth, and Jack was muttering about watching Barbossa sail away with his ship for the second time.
"But you escaped before, didn't you?" asked Lara, hopefully.
Jack winced. "Aye, I did."
"Well?" Lara said expectantly. She settled Elizabeth on a patch of grass, then followed Jack up the beach, watching him knock on trees, then jump up and down on a patch of sand. She grabbed his shoulder. "Well? Are you the pirate I've read about or not? How did you escape last time?"
"Alright, you want the truth, lass?" he asked, looking her in the eye. "Last time.I was here a grand total of three days, alright? Last time," he said, opening a secret cellar door, "the rumrunners used this island as a cache. Came by and I was able to barter a passage off. From the looks of things, they've long been out of business. Probably have your bloody friend Norrington to thank for that." He climbed out with two bottles of rum in his hands. He handed Lara one, then sank back on the sand, downing half a bottle of rum in an instant.
"That's it?" Lara exclaimed. "You sat on a beach, for three days, drinking rum?"
"Welcome to the Caribbean, luv!" he said before he chugged some more rum, then winked at her.
Lara looked at the bottle in her hand. Then she and Elizabeth exchanged a look, each knowing what the other was thinking. They both knew the British Navy had to be looking for Elizabeth, and all they needed was a signal to guide them. One of them had to get drunk, then actually light the fire once Jack was out. Lara pointed to the bottle, then to herself, not wanting Elizabeth to suffer the hangover afterwards.
It wasn't long before she and Jack were prancing around a fire, singing a pirate song before collapsing in a heap together. Elizabeth was further inland, under the trees, watching them and smiling. Lara settled her head on Jack's shoulder.
"Jack, it must be really terrible for you to be trapped on this island."
He looked down at her, and admired her thick, soft hair, which was flowing over her shoulders and over her back. He began stroking it carefully. "Aye, me bonny lass, but the company is infinitely better than last time, I think. And the scenery has definitely improved."
Lara tilted her head up toward him. "Do you think we'll ever get off the island, Jack?"
He leaned in closer. "It's possible. You never know." He leaned even closer. Before he could kiss her, she jumped up and began walking toward Elizabeth. "I think I'll go to bed. Good night, Jack."
Jack stared after her. "Damn, I was so close, too!"
He then finished off his bottle of rum before falling unconscious. Elizabeth and Lara looked at each other, then settled down to sleep. They had to wake up early to start the signal tomorrow.
Jack woke up just as the last crate was being tossed onto the fire. "What are you doing! You burned all the food, the shade, the rum!"
"Yes, the rum is gone," said Lara calmly watching it burn. Jack looked ready to collapse.
"Why is the rum gone?"
"For one," Lara began, "it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels."
"Two," continued Elizabeth, "that signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for Lara and for me. Do you really think that there is even the slightest chance that they won't see it?"
Jack looked ready to hurt something by that point. "But why is the rum gone?"
Elizabeth sat down to stare at the horizon. "Just wait, Captain Sparrow. You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye out and then you will see white sails on that horizon." Jack looked at Lara, who was smirking at him. He looked like he wasn't sure whether to kill her, or kiss her. He took out pistol, but seeing Lara glare at him, he put it back and stalked off, only to return later to inform them that the Dauntless was on the other side of the island. The two girls smirked at him, then walked over to the opposite side of the island. They frantically signaled to the ship, and were soon met by Commodore Norrington and several guards. They took the three into the boat, and onto the Dauntless.
Whew! Another long chapter done. I think I'll take a day or two off and not update. What do you think? ;) Please leave a review and make my muse (and my ego) happy!
