Author's notes: Also updated. Again: Thanks to my beta-reader, Willow, for finding the words that fail me.
Chapter 2: Renewal
Night fell and dawn rose. And Will still fought against this urge to go out to the sea, to sail again, on the Pearl. On the Pearl..why the Pearl of all places? He hadn't even really been on the ship for longer than a few days, but yet he wanted to sail there. And he couldn't fight it, he knew. His wish got stronger, day by day. So one day, he took the final step.
"Elizabeth..?"
Elizabeth looked up from the drawer, when he stood in the doorframe, feeling horribly sheepish.
"..Will?" she returned and smiled warmly at him, turning around only partly, so she could see his face.
"I..I..." He kneaded the hat he held in his fingers.
"What is it with you, Will, out with it!" she demanded smiling. If only she knew.
"I want to go away. I want to beg for your understanding and your help. I have a plea to the governor."
Elizabeth's mouth now stood open and he already regretted what he'd said. "You..you want to go away? But why? And where?"
He tried a smile, but it vanished from his lips.
"Tortuga," he brought out.
"Tortuga?" she asked and got up. "Wait..isn't that where.. Isn't that where you and Captain Jack Sp.." She stopped abruptly and her eyes widened. "You..you don't want to become a pirate, do you? Tell me you don't."
He kneaded his hat even more and felt like the most stupid man in the world.
"Aye...I want to." It only slipped from his lips, that word, that Jack used to say often.
"And what's got my father to do with that..?" Elizabeth asked, visibly trying to hold herself up.
"I wanted to ask him to let me sail with a merchant's boat to Tortuga, so I can find Jack there."
She gripped a chair standing next to her, swaying.
"Elizabeth!" He hurried towards her, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"So..you..you want to leave me right here and now?!" she sobbed, looking up at him with watery eyes. He turned his gaze down pitifully.
"Not right here and now..but in a few days, surely. I've thought about it carefully and..I just can't stay. The sea, it's... it's calling me like you couldn't understand."
"So it's the sea calling you, sure?" she asked, and her tone had turned bitter for a moment as he had never heard before. He looked up amazed and gazed at her, but she covered her eyes with one hand. "Oh, Will, please..I need to think about all this. Speak to my father yourself, please," she said weakly and sank back on the chair.
"I will, Elizabeth. I..I'm sorry." He only added and then hurried out the door, to find Elizabeth's father.
~
"So you want to leave this fields to sail out in the open sea?" The governor folded his hands, walking up and down his bureau. "But what about my daughter and your wedding?"
Will held his hat in his hands once more.
"I already talked to Elizabeth. It's not that I don't love her, but there's this desire in my heart I want to satisfy first, or I'll never be still. I have to return to the sea for at least some time." He said these words honestly, earnestly, and Governor Swann had to smile to himself.
"Well, you're still a young man, aren't you? Do you have any concrete planes?"
Will lowered his gaze for only a moment, cleared his throat.
"Erm..no. I thought of sailing with a merchant's boat until Tortuga. There I'd find some..ship to hire on."
The governor raised one eyebrow.
"Tortuga..? But you don't think of getting into... unhealthy company?"
Will smirked a little bit. "If I should run into a certain pirate, I'll transmit your dearest greetings." The governor had to laugh, but turned earnest again quickly.
"A pirate stays a pirate, Mr. Turner."
Will smiled knowingly. "I will stay a good man, Governor Swann," he assured the governor, and silently added: 'Like my father was.'
~
It had just gotten night, when the Pearl left the harbour of Tortuga. Nobody noticed the last little creature creeping up a rope, unto the ship. It climbed like a monkey, but was a little bit larger and more human. It slid onboard and disappeared somewhere. The Pearl dashed into the sea, throwing up small waves that altered the picture of the moon in the water somehow strange, making him look more like a white butterfly, that vanished with the Pearl.
It had begun to get lighter, the sun was rising over the horizon, and Captain Jack Sparrow was standing beside his wheel, somehow hiding a small yawn in his eyes, when he suddenly heard noises. He knew Anna-Maria was somewhere out the ship, but it was definitely not her. The noises were frustrated, angry yells, somehow muffled, and the sound of fighting, that came nearer the door that lead to the lower regions of the ship. Anna-Maria stepped out of the door, obviously struggling with something. Jack leant slightly forwards, narrowing his eyes.
Legs that stuck in leather boots and men's trousers, kicked out to all possible sides, searching for hold on the door, scratched on the floor. One, two belts, a white linen shirt and a jacket over that, obviously stolen, because it looked far more clean than the rest of the person. The rest of it - its face, for example - vanished under a heap of black hair, beaded in small Rattails, that were flying around like the legs of it, usable as a weapon for sure, and a black bandana, which had slightly shifted on the head of its wearer.
It looked like a cat, the hands trying desperately to push away Anna-Maria's grip around their body. It hissed and screeched, it struggled, but never came free, until Anna-Maria had dragged it up to Jack, and finally let it loose. It started struggling the very moment, stood indeed very still. It adjusted its bandana with one fast movement, stroking back the beads - small black pearls, looking like glass or porcelains, were woven into them, and they made small sounds by accidentally sliding against each other. And then the thing lifted its eyes up to Jack. Skin bronzed in a way, that showed they had spent more than a few days out on the sea, lips that were swollen, but obviously pouting, a sharp nose, that somehow gave the slim face a strange look, and black eyes piercing his, trying to stare him down mercilessly. Jack cocked his head aside, giving them a careful once-over. By nearer looking, it got clear that he got a girl in front of himself, dishevelled, filthy, boyish, torn, but obviously a girl.
He made a swaying step down to her, closing up the space between them.
"Looky, looky, what kitty we got 'ere," he said in a sweetish, teasing tone and flashed her a charming grin, one hand of his landing on her hips. The next moment, she had slapped him in the face hardly. He slowly turned his face back to her. "..I think I didn' deserve that..."
"Lusty bastard." She was seething, and he lay a hand on his sword. Somehow she irritated him, somehow she reminded him of someone he ought to know, but he didn't have even the faintest idea, of whom.
"Angry kitty, it seems." He still teased, but eyed her suspiciously. Anna-Maria, who'd been standing aside, grabbed one of the girls arms again.
"Parlay!" she had brought out in the next moment and Jack rolled his eyes.
"Ye're no prisoner of ours."
The girl laid her head back.
"She caught me, I therefore am." Now it was her eyeing him cheekily.
"Take me ter yer quarters," she demanded and Jack's eyes narrowed again.
"Do as Kitty says," he made a short movement towards the captains cabin with his head. "And ye leave us alone there." He followed her in a close distance. Shortly after Anna-Maria had closed the door after them, he turned his full attention towards her. She had her arms crossed, showing him she felt quite safe, but not exactly like talking.
"What d'yer think yer doin', Kitty, eh? Ye're on a pirates ship, dunno if ye know, but pirates are vicious men that.."
"Ravish and plunder and kill - think ye can fool me, Capt'n?" She cut out his speech and gazed at him again. "I've been to sea with lads tha' looked far more vicious than you do, Capt'n Jack Sparrow." She dragged the last two words, leaning her head back again, her eyes never leaving his.
"So ye've heard of me." He smiled self-pleased and put his hands together.
"That's why I'm 'ere. I've got somethin' to offer to ye."
Jack smirked at her words, pushed aside a chair and sat down, carefully folding his legs on the table and eyeing her with the charming smile of a true bohemian. "..which is?"
She put her hands on the table, opposite to him, and leant forwards. Out of the decollete of her shirt slipped a golden chain, quite strong, but fine-worked.
"There's been a ring which used ter be on this chain until that dirty dogs of British Navy ripped it righ' off me neck." She turned her head and a red mark became visible on the side of her neck. "This ring holds a secret only I can solve, an' a map only I can read, leading to a treasure therefor only I can find, savvy?"
He looked at her quite puzzled when she ended her sentence like this.
"A treasure, and tha's all?" He raised on eyebrow and made a declining gesture with his hand. "I shall believe li'l pirate-stories of a li'l kitty?"
She bit her lip, obviously angered.
"Ye better believe pirate stories of a pirate-kitty," she snapped harshly and ripped back the sleeve of her shirt, revealing a branded "P" just like he himself had.
"Where ye got that?" Jack leaned forward, suddenly interested, and grabbed her wrist, studying it closely.
"Been.. Unlucky." She said with a small pause Then she pulled back her wrist, but leant in closer to him. "If ye help me getting my goods back, I shall take you to a secret place, and lead ye to the treasure..." She looked at him measuring, and he studied her eyes carefully for any hint of lying.
"Deal?" She held out a hand to him, and he grabbed it with one of his own.
"Deal. Welcome aboard the Black Pearl, Kitty."
~
He had already met all measures to leave Port Royal as soon as possible. It was only one more night he had to spend there, and he decided to spend it with Elizabeth. Of course, he'd leave her as it got time to bed, but as the sun declined and sunk into the ocean, he politely knocked on her door.
"It's open." She returned from inside. He opened the door and slipped inside. She lay aside the brush on the drawer and looked at him from the mirror, her eyes searching for his. "And you're sure you want to leave?" She simply asked and he walked near her, nodding slowly.
"I can't do different than following the call in my heart. If I had to decide whether to fight on the pirates or on the Navy's side, I'd clearly choose the Pirates. Elizabeth, can you understand?" He had his hands laid on the edge of the chair she was sitting on. She thought about it, then lowered her eyes and nodded.
"He said, it was in your blood, didn't he?"
Will sighed. "It's not that, it's just... I adjusted on this ship. It felt right."
Elizabeth lifted her head up again and her eyes gazed at his from the mirror.
"And doesn't it, here?" He gulped at this direct question. In that very moment, he couldn't tell. It didn't always feel homey, like it did when he was out in the ocean, it was just different. But he knew what he had to say:
"Yes, it does, but..." He couldn't finish the sentence, since in the very moment, there was a loud shot ringing in the air, and Elizabeth whirled around, staring at Will.
"Canons." The both of them said in unison.
Will turned around quickly as well, and rushed out of the door, Elizabeth doing her best to try and follow him. He sped down the stairs, out on the street. There was a terrible chaos in the streets, but Pirates were nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, he saw that some of the ships resting in the harbour had been set fire on. Men of the Navy tried desperately to hold it from setting afire the houses near the harbour, but it seemed useless. Suddenly, Will spotted a small boat, turned around, moving half under water. 'He shouldn't always use the same tricks.' He saw something creep up at the shore and he followed silently. The figure, small and slim, a boy perhaps, looked around carefully, but all the men were totally absorbed into the exercises they had.
As the figure dove into the mass of people running around in the city, towards the shore, he almost lost them. He ran around puzzled, trying to spot them again, but it seemed senseless. He stood still , watching around carefully, until he saw light in the office of the Commodore. A short movement in front of the window, disappearing in the shadow of the house. Right. He hurried towards the house.
He stopped in front of the door, panting.
"Commodore..Pirates."
It sounded from inside, and suddenly, there was a struggle, ending with a loud 'Cloink!' and the sound of something falling to the ground with a muffled sound. The light in the room perished. Will thought fast. Whatever was there, it would surely not be stupid enough to run out of the door. So he crept towards the window, and the very next moment, the figure slid out of that window.
"Stand still." He had drawn his sword and pointed it towards the figure, which stood still and then turned around. Small stature, black hair falling around tanned skin, dark eyes glittering in the spare light of the moon. Will hesitated stunned.
"Jack..?" he breathed for a moment, but, wait, Jack was taller and not that slim... but thinking that it already was too late. A foot met his wrist and a sharp ache flashed through him, his sword flying into the grass.
"S'rry, lad." The figure panted, a boys or a woman's voice, and started running off.
Will ran after her only seconds later, down to the shore. There was a fiery fight ongoing. Dozens of Pirates fighting against perhaps as much Navy-men, which were quite uncoordinated without the command of their Commodore. He had now sword, that was a problem. So he picked one up from the ground, using his left hand, since the wrist of his right still ached horribly. He crossed blades with the next Pirate, that came into his sight. They fought a bit, but he couldn't get superior by using his left hand. Suddenly, the moon came out behind a cloud and both of the fighters sank their swords nearly in unison.
"Anna-Maria?" he asked puzzled.
"Will?" She asked back.
"Is Jack here, too?"
~
"I wanna get into the Commodore's house, steal the ring from his finger and make me way off and ye're the one responsible for me getting off, savvy?"
Jack toyed with a bead of his beard, hanging down from his chin and thought about it.
"But tha' it's Port Royal of all places..." Kitty shrugged.
"It doesn' matter ter me in which way the town matters ter ye, me Capt'n." Jack turned around, rolling his eyes and made his way over the ship.
"Come 'ere, I'll show somethin' ter ye."
~
Kitty was amazed that the trick with the overturned boat actually worked.
She heard shootings around herself and cannon balls hitting the ships of the navy lying in the harbour. She bowed down, when the water got shallower, and finally crept out on the beach. She took a look around, but everyone around her was only having eyes for the fire on the ships. A few civilians were screaming, as civilians always did in those situations. She crept up the beach, into the bushes. When the Commodore's house came into sight, she set her feet especially carefully. One soldier, as she had predicted. She drew the pistol Jack had given her from her belt and pointed it on the soldier, while she was still standing in the dark.
"'Kay, and now ye'll just not move here and be all still, righ'?" She said in a low voice, stepping out into the light. The soldier was shocked, letting his sword down immediately.
"Now ye'll go righ' into there and tell yer Commodore there're Pirates in the town. No more or less, nev'r forget that pistol in yer back."
She grinned and grabbed his shoulder hard, turning him around and pushing him forward. He stumbled into the corridor, which was unlighted, then he knocked on the door. Kitty heard footsteps, and she bowed back into the shadow, still holding up the pistol. The Commodore opened the door from inside his bureau.
"...Soldier?" One saw that he had other problems than caring for a single soldier, with all his ships out in the harbour burning.
"Commodore... Pirates." Was all the soldier brought out, and in the next moment, he got hit in his neck. Kitty pointed the gun at the stunned Commodore.
"Ye've got somethin' that's mine, Matey."
He stumbled backwards, towards his desk.
Kitty thought he had to think she was dumb or something, not noticing he searched for his gun. So she just lifted her gun fast, knocking it against his temple. The Commodore fell to the ground as if struck by a lightning. She slipped the ring from his finger, putting the pistol back. She preferred fighting without guns, nevertheless. Then she cut down the light and opened the window to slip out into the darkness.
Jack and the rest of the men waited on the ship for the sign. Right when the light inside the Commodore's house vanished, Jack ordered the men to put the boats to water.
Reaching the beach, they saw themselves confronted with the Navy soldiers, being totally overworked.
"'ere we go, me Hearties!" Jack yelled full of enthusiasm, and with a yell, the Pirates stormed the beach.
Kitty froze, when a voice behind her commanded:
"Stand still." She turned around and saw a young man, his sword drawn, looking determined to stop her. The moment she looked at him, his eyes widened.
"..Jack..?" He whispered and his sword sunk. His mistake, because Kitty wasn't the hesitating one. With a sudden movement, her body whirling, she kicked his sword out of his hand. He hissed, holding his wrist.
"S'rry lad." She panted, then hurried off. But it left her questioning, where the lad did know Jack from?
When she came to the beach, most of the Pirates were already engaged in heavy fights. She caught a glimpse of Jack. 'Good man, after all.." She thought by herself, when suddenly she seemed to be surrounded by soldiers. She held the ring in one hand, so she had to get that free.
With a sudden movement, she put the ring into her mouth, positioning it under her tongue. She tried to fight them off, tried not to come into touch with their sword, but they seemed to get nearer and nearer. "Jack!" she yelled, and was nearly choked by the ring, before the first grabbed her. She hit him, and others grabbed her arms, dragging her off, while she only saw Jack and some others hurrying to help her.This wasn't supposed to go that wrong.
