Lord Knows I Can't Change
Chapter Eight
Nearly two and a half days at sea with the man and he had not killed him.
Had not spoken to him; had not made any sort of contact with him.
All he had done was stare at him.
When he was not staring at him, he was staring through him, staring at the yesterdays, at the memories. Memories that had never left Bootstrap, had been with him every second of everyday for the past twelve years. But Barbossa's memories were different from his, held something different, something that Bootstrap's, not any of their twelve years, never had.
Barbossa's memories, his yesterdays, were not streaked with red, they did not ache with pain.
They were merely hollow.
This frightened Bootstrap to no end.
Bootstrap broke his eyes away from the callous man behind the wheel and let them roam around, trying to figure out where he was. He didn't recognize his surroundings, hadn't for about a day now. He didn't like not knowing where he was, not knowing where the nearest Port was. It made him feel uneasy, extremely uneasy. The one person he despised more than anyone or anything else steering the ship didn't help matters.
Seconds had turned to minutes… Minutes to hours… Hours to the nearly two and a half days.
Bootstrap had found himself faintly wondering why neither one had killed the other.
A matter of leverage, he had decided earlier.
His eyes stopped their senseless journey and settled on the eerily calm water. There was no sound what-so-ever, other than the wind, but even that was growing silent. The mocking silence was all that he had heard over the course of two days and it was driving him insane. Those voices wouldn't shut up, those memories and those yesterdays would not leave him alone. No matter what he did, no matter what he thought about, they would not quiet down, they would not dissipate. Bootstrap shut his eyes tightly, willing himself to open his mouth, daring himself with a series of stony threats to say one word, to communicate with the man behind that wheel.
"You stabbed Jack." He blurted it out before he could even try to hold it in and he shuddered, running a hand through his damp hair. Sure, the fact that Barbossa stabbed Jack had been running through his mind, hiding in the back, but he hadn't meant to voice it. He knew Jack was alive, Barbossa had said so, and so there was no need to voice it.
"Aye." Bootstrap rolled his eyes at the man's easily spoken reply. The heartless bastard. "Made the mistake of stabbin' him too soon, though, and I'll not be makin' that mistake again." Bootstrap raised his eyes to the man, one eyebrow rising slightly.
"Too soon?"
"Ye know more 'bout the curse than I do, William Turner, ye don't need to be askin' me questions about stuff ye already know." Bootstrap shook his head.
"I'm not familiar with that part, Barbossa."
"Who am I to inform you?" Barbossa turned around, stealing a quick glance at the man; grinning when Bootstrap narrowed his eyes in absolute detest. "We'll be arrivin' at Port Royale soon." He turned back around. "Just thought I'd let ye know."
"Good," Bootstrap replied as he stood to his feet. "The sooner the better."
Barbossa chuckled. "Do ye think I'm a simpleton, William?" Bootstrap bit his lip to keep from answering. "Ye outsmarted me then, ye won't be doin' it now." He crossed his arms.
"And how do you plan to stop me?" Barbossa chuckled again and turned around, his grin spreading from ear to ear.
"Because you are a good man." Bootstrap's expression took on a look of bewilderment. With the grin still smeared across his face in a most cunning way, Barbossa rose a hand and pointed a smudgy finger towards the left of their boat. Bootstrap followed the finger.
Three pirates hung by rope, all three long gone and long decayed.
Bootstrap's eyes ran back to Barbossa, who just smiled.
"You're a good man, and a good man wouldn't want to see their misfortune," he gestured at the fallen pirates with his hand again, "happen to their son and best friend." Bootstrap just stared at him, the fear that he'd actually harm one of the two men or both for that matter, growing stronger than he had hoped. The man had gotten to him again, had frightened him again.
Bootstrap was stuck.
Stuck like he had been stuck twelve years ago.
Anger bubbled through his veins.
"Son of a bitch!" He spat heatedly. "I swear one day I will kill you, Barbossa, I promise you that! I promise you that!" Barbossa merely smirked it off, unfazed by the man's promise. Bootstrap furiously kicked the side of the boat, cursing loudly at no one in particular. He hated that man, hated him so much it terrified him. Never did he think he would come to loathe someone as much as he did that man. Words could not describe the anger, the frustration, the hate… -They could not pinpoint the emotions running through his veins; they could not describe the amount of pain that he would cause this man… -Twelve years worth of pain he would cause him… -Words could not describe it; could not!
"Much as I love watchin' ye suffer, there's something that might be of interest to ye just up ahead." Throwing his hands to the sides in aggravation he stormed up to where Barbossa stood, hands still sitting contentedly upon the wheel, face still holding no panic caused by Bootstrap's angry promise and words and actions. This only made him more heated, if possible.
"What is it now you bastar-" He stopped short when his eyes caught sight of what Barbossa was talking about. He lowered his hands and did nothing but stare at it. Barbossa grinned.
Bootstrap could do nothing nor say anything as Barbossa steered to the Black Pearl.
* * *
"I caught up with Ana Maria earlier today, lad," Jack whispered. He followed Elizabeth to the main entrance of the Governor's house and waited until she nodded, meaning that there was no one around that would be of danger to Jack, or to Will, being that Elizabeth had snuck both the pirate and the blacksmith overnight. Seeing her nod, he rose his tone. "She's gatherin' up the crew and will meet us at the Pearl later." Will stole a quick glance around as well before hurrying to catch up and stood beside Elizabeth.
"Then why are we leaving now?" The younger man asked, looking over at the pirate captain. "Shouldn't we wait until they are ready?" Jack shook his head.
"No. She's been down there alone for three days, mate, we gotta make sure everything's still there and what not. Savvy?" A memorable voice hummed behind them and all three silently groaned. Elizabeth ushered Jack and Will into the bushes, leaning back out briefly before looking back at them.
"I'll handle Commodore Norrington and catch up with you as soon as I can."
Jack grinned. "Nice to see your bonny lass playin' hero, mate. That's rare in a lassy." Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the pirate and kissed Will on the cheek before turning on her heel and jogging back in the direction that they had come towards Norrington. Will and Jack watched mutely from the bushes as she started a conversation and turned the man away, allowing Jack and Will to make a break for the Pearl. Looking around momentarily, trying to figure out the quickest and quietest way, he ushered for Will to follow him out of the bushes and to the left. They ran in silence, both glimpsing back every couple seconds to make sure that they were not being followed. Jack reached the docks first and hid behind a tree and looked around, sighing with relief when he saw that everybody was busy going about their own thing. Turning around he signaled at Will with his hand and ran to the left where the Pearl was hidden amongst a patch of tall trees. Jack smiled when he saw his ship and immediately climbed aboard, Will catching up and doing the same a few seconds later.
Apprehensively he asked, "Does Elizabeth know how to get here?" He watched the pirate nod his head as he was inspecting the wheel of his freedom. Will nodded as well, leaning against the railing of the ship. "That was certainly a nice little run, eh?"
Jack chuckled and walked down the stairs, looking at him. "I'm gonna check on me quarters, lad, you check around up here." Upon seeing Will nod and push himself up from the railing, following Jack's orders, the pirate captain started off to his cabin. The door opened with a soft click and he pushed it ajar, thrusting his head inside and looking around, making sure everything was as it had been when he had docked it three and a half days ago. Jack pushed it open further and slipped inside, inspecting everything closer and more carefully. He picked up a book Elizabeth and Will had given him and opened it, flipping through the pages with a small smile. That book meant a lot to him and it was always either beside his bed or on it. No one on the crew, besides Ana Maria, was allowed to touch it. Jack gently set the book back down.
That's when he heard it.
That voice… -That voice he hated with a passion so thick…
The voice that he had killed two years ago.
Jack blinked. He had to be hearing things; it had to be Will playing some sort of a joke… -That man was dead… He had watched him die… He was the one who had killed him!
Jack slowly turned around, telling himself that it wasn't him, that it couldn't be him…
He was wrong, though.
"Hello, Jack." That deceptive smirk drawn across his conniving face was nearly enough to make Jack stumble back in both shock and fear. How the bloody hell was this man alive?!
Jack frantically blinked his eyes shut, and then open, and then shut again; praying that he would disappear, that his mind was only playing a joke on him… A cruel demented joke…
He opened his eyes.
Barbossa was still there.
He was alive, Barbossa was fucking alive!
"How…" Jack started but couldn't finish, the confusion that was lacing his tone drowning his words and he could do nothing but stare at the man who he had shot two years ago. Barbossa chuckled, clearly amused with the captain's perplexity.
"I told ye that I could not die, Jack Sparrow, did ye not believe me?" Jack didn't answer, he couldn't answer. He wouldn't be able to say anything logically at the moment if his life depended on it. All that was running through his mind was how. He watched as Barbossa's smirk grew into a rather large grin. "But he can." Jack narrowed his eyes.
"Who?" He managed to get out, surprising himself when the word came out clear. A little wobbly, but clear nonetheless. Barbossa stepped back into the shadows where he had obviously been hiding at, knowing that Jack would not see him when he entered the room. He reemerged seconds later, dragging something or someone by the arm. Jack squinted, his eyes focusing on the face of Barbossa's newest toy.
The man rose his head.
Jack's mouth hit the floor.
Bootstrap. William Turner. He was alive, he hadn't died, he was alive… -And bound by the wrists and gagged at the mouth.
But he was alive!... -And Barbossa's evident bait.
"He can." Jack didn't break his eyes away from Bootstrap's face to look at Barbossa as the man started to speak. "And if ye don't do as I say, he will."
Jack stared at the man's eyes.
"What are…-What're your terms?" Slowly, he raised his eyes to Barbossa. He wouldn't let the man hurt him again, not again.
Barbossa paused for a moment, clearly searching for the correct words. "A life for a life. Give me back what I lost." Jack's eyes narrowed in apparent confusion and Barbossa rolled his. "The Pearl. Give me the Pearl, and Will and Elizabeth. Plus yourself, Jack. You'll be me crew, just until I get a new one that is, a better one, and then… Well… -You'll get to meet Davy Jones, and it will be my absolute pleasure to introduce you."
"What?!" Jack yelled in response. "Barbossa, are you mad? You're not getting the Pearl, or them." Barbossa unsheathed his sword and held the razor-sharp tilt to Bootstrap's throat and Jack immediately froze. He stared at the tilt.
"Do we have," he pressed the sword slightly. Jack watched in fury as Bootstrap winced. "An accord?" He finished, grinning at the man. Jack shook his head.
"I won't let you harm Will or Elizabeth, Barbossa. Do as you please with me, but you will not touch them."
"You always were so incredibly stupid, Jack, that's why we marooned you." Jack just stared at the man. "Being so incredibly stupid, this should be incredibly easy. Now choose. Your ship, your life and the lives of your two friends? -Or…" He pressed the sword forward, a trickle of blood running down from where it bit Bootstrap's neck. Jack watched it in disbelief. "The life of your equally as stupid mate?" He continued to just look at the man. His head was overflowing with so many thoughts and so many how's that he could barely think straight… -He just knew that his friends were in danger, that Barbossa meant harm to them, to all of them… -He couldn't agree, he couldn't hurt Will and Elizabeth, the Pearl… Those three were his life… They were all that he had.
He locked eyes with Bootstrap, who was a part of his life as well.
Jack shook his head, a wave of anger washing over him. Unsheathing his sword he lunged at Barbossa and practically embedded the object in his stomach. Jack stared disbelievingly as Barbossa merely sighed in annoyance and cocked his head to the side, easily pulling the sword out and holding it to Jack's throat, his right hand holding his sword to Bootstrap's throat.
He was cursed. Jack felt like running out of the cabin.
He couldn't kill Barbossa.
"Jack? Jack, are you alright? I heard voi-" Will stopped short when he saw Barbossa. He heard Jack growl his name and he backed up, bumping into the pirate in the process. "-ces…" He breathed, finishing, his eyes still locked on Barbossa. He finally broke them away and let them wander to the man next to him.
His breath caught in his throat.
It was Bootstrap, it was his father… He was alive… In Port Royale…
As was Barbossa.
"Jack?" Will sing-songed, continuing to stare at his father. "What the hell is going on?" Jack slapped the sword away from his throat, ignoring both Will's question and the sharp sting of pain that invaded his palm.
"How the bloody hell are you still cursed, Barbossa?" He shouted. "We broke it!" Will made a small gasping noise and looked back at Barbossa, who just chuckled.
"That's not important."
"Then let us go you bastard! Have the bloody Pearl, I don't care, but we are of no value to you!" Barbossa drew back Jack's sword and let it glide across his shoulder, tearing the shirt sleeve and leaving behind a large gash. The pirate captain gasped at the sudden pain and grasped his shoulder, looking down and hissing as the pain intensified. Bootstrap yelled loudly against the cloth that gagged him and tried to kick at Barbossa, stopping rapidly when the older man held Jack's sword to Will's throat.
"Like I said, Jack, you are incredibly stupid." The pirate captain looked up, his eyes burning with hate. Barbossa merely chuckled. "And to answer your question, let's just say that things are not always as they seem." Grinning, he raised the gold Aztec coin. It shimmered in the dying sun in an almost eerie way. Jack just stared, at a loss of words. How had he gotten that thing?! He was dead!
It seemed as if Will was reading Jack's mind, for he asked, "You were dead, Barbossa… -How did you get that coin?" Barbossa opened his mouth to answer but shut it abruptly, hastily turning around and growling. Elizabeth stood behind him smirking and holding the shimmering coin. He raised his sword to her and started to walk towards her, but she merely stepped backwards, her hand dangling the coin out of the small window that Jack, thank God, had opened.
Barbossa stopped.
"Let them go or I drop it," she warned, her voice layered with ice.
"Give it to me or I kill them." His tone matched hers, but unlike him, she wasn't fazed.
"Kill them and I drop it and you will be condemned to hell, Barbossa, just as you were before." Barbossa's infinite smirk slowly started to fade. Elizabeth smiled. "Remember? You feel nothing, you taste nothing, you can not die of starvation nor of thirst, nor can you fill or quench it. Need I go on?" Silence fell over the cabin. Barbossa stared at the woman, wanting to slice her bloody neck open, but knowing full well that he couldn't. She was right. Jack lowered his bloody hand from his shoulder and winced slightly when he jostled it. He knew that this was the opportune moment and he had to jump at it.
"Well then," he started, and four pairs of eyes locked on him. "Seems to me that we have a situation here, eh?" He smiled, gold teeth revealing themselves. "You have something of ours that we obviously won't get back so easily, Barbossa, and we have something of yours that you won't get back any easier. You lose yours, you're condemned to hell, we lose ours, and we're condemned to hell." Barbossa rose an eyebrow at the man.
"And what do you propose we do, Jack?"
"That's the thing," he answered. "We won't leave this ship without Bootstrap, and you won't leave without your bloody coin. Neither of us are going to just give the other what he wants, oh no, it doesn't work that way."
It was Elizabeth's turn to speak up. "Jack, what are you getting at?" Jack grinned again.
"I'm getting at that, in order to settle this, we sail back to Isla de Muerta, and settle it there. Savvy?"
"Ah, survivor takes the prize." Barbossa nodded, his eyes gleaming. Will and Elizabeth exchanged a frightened look.
"And how exactly do we determine who the survivor is, Jack?" Will asked the pirate, not wanting to really hear what his answer would be.
"The winner, William, is whoever survives the voyage and survives each other… -If we are all still alive when we reach the island…-We'll settle it then." He turned back to Barbossa. "So, we don't drop your coin and you don't harm Bootstrap. Do we have an accord?" He held out his hand and, grinning, Barbossa grasped it, sealing their fate. Barbossa untied the cloth that gagged Bootstrap and cut the rope that bound his wrists. Bootstrap sighed loudly and looked at Will and then Jack. Elizabeth locked eyes with Will, silently asking who the man was. They widened when she got it and she looked at Bootstrap.
"Oh, and Jack?" Jack looked at Barbossa. "Your crew stays here. That was not part of our agreement." He said nothing as Barbossa walked out of the cabin and up to the deck, preparing them to cast off. Bootstrap shook his head, looking hard at Jack, who returned his gaze.
"I hope you have a plan, Jack, I really do." Jack merely grinned.
Of course he had a plan!
… A plan for other situations that is.
"Don't worry, William." Was all he could say, all he could manage.
His words were an effort to try to convince himself as well as his friends.
To Be Continued…
AN: I hate school. I really do. I have no time to type. Again, I've had to work on this chapter bit by bit each day and I hate doing that. Blah.
*prays* Oh please have this chapter make sense!! I rewrote parts of it like 25 times!! *prays*
Thanks to everyone who has read&reviewed, or just read; ya'll rock!!! 41 reviews, yey!!!
Chapter nine will be up ASAP. Damn school. Mleh.