The bullet pierced Jack, slicing below his collar bone and besides his shoulder. It hurt. Jack tried to smother the pain with his other hand. Blood curled and dripped in between his fingers.
Hot-Headed boy remained frozen, shocked that he had actually shot someone. The entire male population of the ship, however, darted towards the scene.
Jack took an involuntary step back. Kathy jumped at him.
"Uncle Jack!" She clung to his sash.
Jack again violently stepped back. The railing pressed into his skin. The crew began to close in on them. Now, literally up against a wall, there were little options to consider. So, he grabbed Kathy and fell over the railing.
Disappointed, the crew watched the pair plummet and splash into the sea.
Never put salt on a wound, or something to that effect. Good time to remember that. The bullet hole screamed in protest. Jack hung onto the girl with his good arm, the other one flailing uselessly. Bullets whizzed through the water trailing delicate bubbles. Jack fought to stay submerged. The water, he hoped, would obscure the pair from the shooters. He kicked madly, trying to put some distance between them. But the dead-weight of the girl dragged him down. His shoulder burned and stung and cramped. Shooting pains caroused all over his protesting body.
Ahead, bobbing on the surface was the faithful, drifting boat. Jack made for it, his lungs screaming for air. He had to surface.
The water churned as Jack popped his head up. He forced Kathy's mouth and nose into the air. Was she even still breathing, anyway? Jack heard shouts from the boat. He risked a glance behind him, only to get a bucket of salt water dashed into his face. The crew was still at the stern and if they had firearms Jack couldn't see them. But, he was in the frothing wake of the boat, very hard to aim through. Jack dived under again as bullets began whizzing too close for comfort.
Somehow, he stayed under for half a minuet. Then, his pain became unbearable. He surfaced again, dragging the girl in one arm. The water rolled and ripped at them. Swimming would've been simple if Jack had been healthy and alone, but now…A very scary thought of drowning entered the pirate's head.
Then, he realized that they had made it out the gunner's range. Mostly because the ship was still traveling forward. Yet, it could be trying to turn and pursue, but Jack would not risk another glance over his shoulder.
The patient little boat bobbed before them. Jack might've kissed it, but instead flung Kathy inside and dragged himself in. The girl was unconscious, but breathing. Quickly, Jack steered the vessel for the shallow waters and camouflage of the rocky shore. A ghastly stream of blood flowed down his shirt and pooled on the deck. By the time he reached the cliffs, Jack shook against himself. He felt an odd floating sensation and his shoulder went numb. Just to fling out the anchor sapped his strength.
With shaking hands, Jack tore a piece of his shirt and tried to wrap it around his wound. He flopped, limp and exhausted, on the deck. If anyone came after them, they would find very little resistance. Jack watched Kathy out of narrow eyes. She had rolled over, catching her breath. Water dripped down her flushed cheeks. She locked eyes with Jack.
"Uncle…Why was…everyone… so mean?" Tears started falling too as she was too spent to wail.
Jack rolled over, "Kathy, it's about time you went back to where you came from."
Jack slept the rest of the day. Obviously, the ship did not pursue them, though the reason remained a mystery. Insurance, maybe? In any case, the boat remained unmolested until Jack felt well enough to pull up the anchor and sail back north.
At first, the girl would not shut up. She wailed and balled and shrieked and griped the entire first morning. Despite being shot while saving her, Jack was sorely tempted to pitch the wailing bundle overboard. The only thing that stopped him was the weight of Jane's letter in his pocket.
"Kathy," he finally gritted out. The girl had been standing by his side and letting out one long, loud, loathsome wail. But she then shut up and looked up.
"Ay'll not take you back to Stuyvie's brig, all right? You can go where ever you bloody care because Ay don't really care. However, you cannot come back with me."
Kathy's eyes went puppy-like, "Why not?!"
Jack's eyes also went wide with innocent astonishment, "Why? Ay got bloody shot yesterday."
"But I didn't shoot you, the ugly man did!"
Jack took a knee to face her.
"You complicate things. Not to say Ay can't work with complications, as Ay can, but they are best in moderation. Simply put, if you hadn't been there Ay wouldn't have been shot. And what's more, you don't know what you getting into, wanting to come back with me. Honestly, Kathy, Ay'm a bloody pirate! It sort of goes for granted that pirates don't have small children accompanying them. Unless they be kidnapped. Which you are definitely not. Therefore, you simply cannot come back with me."
"But why!" she screamed frustrated. It was like talking to a parrot. Or a monkey.
Jack pulled up his sleeve. He showed her the 'P' branded into his skin.
"See here, does this mean anything to you?"
"Yes," she declared.
Jack was confused.
"No, it does not mean anything to you," he said.
"Yes, it does!"
"It does not and Ay'll explain why. If you knew what it meant, you'd be afraid of me. It means 'pirate.' Which consequently says Ay steal and plunder and kill for a living. That brand's going to stay there till Ay is gone and rotten and nothing is going to change that. And Ay'm not your father or ye brother Ay'm ye uncle. Ay have me own life going, and it clearly does not have much space in it for babysitting. To be completely honest, you don't blend into the entire pillage and plunder routine. You come with me and you won't survive."
He let that hang in the air for a moment.
"Savvy?"
Kathy stared at him. Her eyes sparked, and her tiny fists clenched in rage.
"I hate you. I'm glad you got shot."
Before Jack could do anything she darted to the other side of the boat and buried herself in a blanket.
It was far past midnight. The ocean was glorious at night. It just stretched on and on, vast and unconquerable. The ghostly moon ghostly floated in the sky like a ship in the sea. The stars curved overhead, glistening and blinking over the serene ocean. Dark waters lapped against the boat. It swayed softly.
Jack gazed out over the sea, at home and just drinking it in. He could do this for hours. To be without the sea, without a ship, was like being locked in a box without windows. He didn't feel at ease, however. And he didn't really know why. Bringing the little midget along would be absurd. If that were so, why was he unsettled? Probably needed some rum.
Little lights of houses flickered on shore. Jack lazily gazed at them, wondering if he should drop off the girl now or just wait for morning. Well, probably didn't matter so much right now, he was in a dozing and drinking mood. He hadn't been drunk in a week and it was wearing on him.
Jack started dozing. He wasn't prepared when something latched onto his neck and sobbed into his hair. His eyes opened wide and he sat up alarmed.
"Eh, love, what…?" He tried to push her away but Kathy wouldn't let go. She hugged him like a monkey and grasped his hair.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm-"
"Might Ay ask why you be acting like this?" Jack asked the girl clinging to him. He was glad she avoided brushing up against his shoulder. She talked into his chest. Her voice was muffled.
"I didn't mean what I said I think you're the most wonderful person ever but I was just scared and I'm really, really sorry for saying that and I promise I won't ever do anything bad again and I won't be mean and I'll stay put when you tells me to stay put but can I please please please just stay with you?"
Jack sighed. He gently pried her off to look her in the face.
"Listen, love…" but then studied her eyes. He paused. They were dark and sad…but familiar. They blinked.
"Can I please just stay with you? I promise to be good. You are a very nice man. I love you, Uncle Jack. I really do."
Jack studied her and tried to figure out why the devil people called him a good man. He was rather convinced otherwise, after nearly getting hung twice. He was never out to help anyone but himself. Sure, he'd saved that hapless pair Will and Elizabeth. Because it wouldn't have damaged his plan. What did people see in him, anyway? Why would Jane ask for his help after twenty years of absence? He puzzled over it. Either everyone was a completely horrible judge of character or…or they saw something in Jack that he didn't see himself.
Oh bloody hell he needed to get bloody drunk badly.
"Fine. Fine! Ay change me mind. You can come with me. Temporarily. Until a better situation presents itself."
Everything after the first word was lost on the blissful girl.
Jack crawled to the rudder, his niece still hugging him. Turning soft. Gah. Jack wondered what the crew would say, better yet, what Ana-Maria would say. That might be pretty funny, actually. If the girl mainly stayed below decks during raids and learned to follow orders it would work. He was Captain Jack Sparrow anyway. He would make it work and would enjoy the process, bloody hell.
Jack turned the boat and sailed back south into the Caribbean Sea.
Hahahaha! I finished writing it!! You finished reading it!! You get to review it!! Please with lots of treasure on top. Oh, and by the way HOW TALL ARE JOHNNY DEPP, ORLANDO BLOOM AND KEIRA KNIGHTLY RESPECTIVLY!! Reason for this random question? If you ever go to Disneyland visit the Gallery above the pirates ride (find the staircase). Go out into the courtyard and into another room. They have a little shrine to the movie in that room with props and costumes and artwork and the trailer running 24/7…er or at least during park hours. I'm trying to visualize Johnny Depp in that costume and figure he can't be six feet and as far as Keira Knightly goes…but anyway HOW TALL ARE THEY??????