Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Author's note: Apologies for the break - thanks for the reviews!

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They found an empty corner in a busy tavern and settled down with tankards of ale for Bill and Jack, and watered-down wine for Anamaria.

"First," Bill said, after a long pull of his drink, "who's this?" He gestured at Anamaria with his mug.

"Remember the new cabin boy?" Jack asked.

"André, wasn't it? What's he got to ... oh." Realisation had apparently dawned. Bill nodded at Anamaria. "How long'd take afore they found you out, lass?"

"A few months," Anamaria said.

"They do say it's terrible bad luck to have a woman aboard ship," Bootstrap mused. "Had any bad luck?"

"Not until Jack got himself captured," Anamaria returned.

Bill turned raised eyebrows to Jack.

"Could've happened to anybody!" Jack protested.

"Ah, but it happened to you," Bill said. "Who caught you?"

Jack ran through the tale for Bootstrap and, glancing round to check that nobody was paying them any particular attention, rolled up his sleeve to show his friend the brand.

"That's what I call unfair," Bill said, examining it. "No call for that."

"Rather that than the gallows," Jack pointed out. "Anyway, it was good fun letting 'em think they had me tamed."

"More fool them," Bill said, and they clinked tankards together. "But, that's not all that's changed, Jack - what's that black stuff under your eyes? Coal dust?"

"Different sort of kohl," explained Jack. "Don't you like it? I put it on just for you." He fluttered his eyelashes dramatically.

Bootstrap laughed. "Nah, I know you better than that, mate. You never cared what anyone thought about you, and I reckon you never will."

Jack drank. "Enough chatter about me, William Turner. What happened with that lass you wanted to woo? Did you marry the lovely lady?"

Bill's face split into a grin. "I did, right enough. She hadn't forgotten me after all."

"Does said adoring spouse have a name?" Jack asked.

"Elsie. Didn't marry her for her name, though, did I?"

Shrugging, Jack said: "It's as good a name as any. Was it her that stopped you going back to sea?"

"No, lad, it was my choice as stopped me," Bill said. "You don't marry someone and then run back to the sea, Jack - you stay with them. Else, you marry the sea." He paused. "'Sides, we'd like children, would me and Elsie, and that won't happen if I'm riding the ocean waves aboard the Pearl, now, will it?" He picked up his tankard and drank.

Jack watched his friend for a moment. "She doesn't know you're a pirate, does she?"

Bootstrap looked around hastily. "Hush a bit, Jack, we ain't alone here. No, she reckons I'm a merchant sailor."

"But why?" asked Anamaria, over the top of her drink.

"Elsie ain't ... Elsie ain't that sort of woman," Bill said, somewhat defensively. "There are lasses ..."

"In Tortuga, for example," put in Jack.

"In Tortuga, for example," Bill agreed, "who like the idea of their man being a buccaneer. Gives 'em a thrill, like."

"Oh," Anamaria said.

"But my Elsie's respectable. Her father's got an honest trade as a fisherman. I told 'em most of the truth - said I'd been away in the West Indies, trading. They didn't enquire too much. I bought us a house with the spoils Cap'n Flint gave me. I'm happy, Jack."

"Away from the sea?" Jack said, bemused. "How can you be?"

"It's there, ain't it?" Bill waved a hand vaguely towards the harbour. "I see it every day."

"But it's not the same," Jack argued. "No deck under your feet, no wind in the sails ... there's land, and all."

"You're just mad," Bootstrap said affectionately.

They drank in companionable silence for a while. Jack looked over his tankard at his friend and registered the changes - a few lines beginning around Bootstrap's eyes when he smiled; shorter, neater hair; tidy and clean clothes. Yet there was still a rogueish glint in Bill Turner's eye, and Jack fancied that if he worked on his friend a little he might be able to persuade him to rejoin the Black Pearl.

"I'm sure the capn'n'd like to see you," he said, accordingly.

"Old Flint? How is he?"

"Same as ever," Jack said. "None of us have changed that much, ye know - O'Connell still thinks we're all English bastards, apart from Joffo who's a French bastard ... Elias still misses his parries and lunges badly, Thornton still plays tough but ain't - you know how it is."

"Well, I get what you mean - but I reckon you've changed, Jack. Started to grow up, or something."

Jack leaned over. "That's what happens, mate, when time passes."

Shaking his head, Bill drained his tankard. "Like I said, mad. Well, I've got to go, Jack - the missus will be fretting."

"You've got all hen-pecked," said Jack. "Any chance we get to meet fair Elsie?"

Bill looked doubtful. "I would take you, Jack, but thing is ... looking like ..."

"A pirate," supplied Anamaria helpfully. Bill looked uncomfortable, but nodded.

"Aye, 'tis that, lad."

"Are you ashamed of being what you are?" Jack asked. "It was you what taught me about being a pirate, Bill - not what a man can do, but what a man does - savvy? And now here you are, giving it up for a lass?"

"Eh!" said Anamaria.

"It's not so simple," Bill said. "Like I said, Elsie's respectable. I love her, Jack. Wouldn't hurt her, not for the world. And it'd hurt her if she knew I'd lied to her."

"You're a pirate," said Jack. "Comes with the territory."

Pushing back his stool, Bill stood up. "I'm late, Jack. I'll call in on the cap'n tomorrow, if I get a chance."

"'Anchor and Chain'," Jack said.

Bill nodded. "You'll understand, when you're older, lad."

He turned. They watched him weave through the other drinkers and go out.

Jack tipped the rest of his ale down his throat. "Could never do that," he said, half to himself. "Will never leave the sea."

Anamaria looked at him thoughtfully. "I think you never will," she said.

It was dusk when they returned to the harbour, and untied one of the Pearl's boats, rowing it back to the ship through the maze of vessels at anchor. Swinging his legs over the rail, Jack ran his hand along it and sighed happily.

Anamaria climbed up after him. "Jack missed you," she told the ship.

"That I did," Jack said. "That I did."

Nobody else came back to the Pearl that evening, and Jack brought his blanket on deck and slept rolled up in it, lulled by the gentle motion of the ship at anchor.

In the morning, Jack woke with a start, as a boat touched the side of the ship. He rolled out of his blanket, grabbed a belaying pin, and peered over the side.

"'Tis only me, lad." Thornton was climbing the ladder. "Guessed you'd be on board. Couldn't stay away from the old lady?"

Jack gave him a hand over the rail. "Didn't fancy staying in town."

Thornton's grey seaman's eyes crinkled in a sympathetic grin. "Nor would I, were this Whitby. Home no longer." He handed Jack a sheet of paper. "But the cap'n wants some errands running, supplies to be ordered and that, so you'll have to venture back ashore. Can you read that?"

Peering at the paper, Jack read out slowly: "Ten ells of rope, thick; five cartons of ship's biscuit; salted meat; sail needles; brooms."

"Excellent, lad." Thornton clapped him on the shoulder. "You know t'cheapest places, no doubt - tell 'em it's for Cap'n Flint's ship. Should they ask what the vessel's name is, find another shop."

Jack nodded.

"And Jack, lad," Thornton said, "try and make yourself look a tad less interesting - no need to draw attention to yourself."

When he tied the skiff up by the harbour, Jack had pulled his hair back and had removed his colourful sash, in an attempt to reduce his profile a little. He soon had his tasks completed, with the merchants promising to send the goods over to the Black Pearl later that day. Jack himself was strolling back towards the harbour when on the other side of the street he spied Bill Turner, arm-in-arm with a very pretty young woman wearing a simple blue dress and bonnet. Both were laughing at something - they looked radiantly happy. Jack grinned to himself and wandered across to them.

"William Turner!" he said, in a surprised tone, as he neared them.

Bootstrap's face was first irritated, then quickly amused, as he took in Jack's current appearance. He raised an eyebrow at his friend, and said: "Fancy seeing you here!"

"Every sailor has to put into harbour now and then," Jack said. "Won't you introduce me to your lovely companion, now?"

"My wife, Elsie Turner," Bill said. "An old shipmate of mine, Elsie. Jack Sparrow."

Jack took Elsie Turner's hand and kissed it with a little bow. "Delighted," he said.

Elsie dropped him a courtesy. "Likewise," she returned, in a voice soft with a Somerset burr. "Were you on the same ship as Bill in the Caribbean?"

"Absolutely," Jack agreed. "Good sailor, your Bill. Taught me a lot."

Bootstrap gave Jack a warning look, but Elsie seemed thrilled to hear the praise of her husband. "I never doubted it," she said. "He tells me so little about his time at sea. "Her face lit up. "Why don't you come and sup with us tonight, Mr Sparrow, and tell me more?"

"Jack, please!" protested Jack. "But no, I can't, Mrs Turner - there's work aboard ship to be done."

Bill looked distinctly relieved. Elsie was more disappointed. Jack decided to put his friend out of his misery.

"Matter of fact, I should go now. Very pleased to meet you, Mrs Turner - Mr Turner."

Elsie smiled, and Bootstrap grasped Jack's hand briefly. "Sly dog, you," he said softly. "Good luck, Jack."

"You too," Jack said. "I'll send the Pearl your regards."

Bootstrap nodded, a touch wistfully. "Yeah. You do that." He glanced over his shoulder to where Elsie had met a friend, with whom she was chatting animatedly. "Take what you can."

"Give nothing back," Jack agreed. "I'll keep an eye out for you in Tortuga. Five years, tops."

"You hope!" Bill said. He smiled. "Until whenever."

"Tortuga," said Jack, and turned away.