Aftermath
By: L'Morgan
Disclaimer: I guess I really do need to remind you all that anything and everything related to Pirates of the Caribbean, their characters and settings are all the property of Disney - Disney - Disney - nobody - but -Disney ---- I-just-borrowing-to-play-with-and-giving-back. Only Disney can make money on anything to do with Pirates of the Caribbean. NOT ME!
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Summary: Port Royal lies in ruins.. The battle has been waged... The lost captain has been recovered, so what else could possibly go wrong?
Chapter 20: Plans and Pilferings
Commodore Norrington walked along side the Governor down the hall of the official residence. He had come to give his report of the area they had spent the last 4 days scouting out on the other side of the bay. Not only was there fresh water - which Port Royal had never had in itself - but the land was solid rock - not sand that could liquefy beneath their feet at the slightest quiver. The earthquakes had ceased finally, but the land left was much too small to be restored as it had been before and so the main part of the town would be relocated!
Norrington heard a familiar laugh from a side room and the Governor smiled at the sound and detoured through the doorway. The Commodore followed, entered the room, and then stopped at finding Jack Sparrow himself - sitting on the carpeted floor with some sort of a large nautical chart spread out before him. The man seemed to freeze as he looked up and their eyes met.
Norrington quickly took in the fact that the pirate was clad in a sleep shirt and baggy pants not his own, barefoot and minus his hat. For the first time since Norrington could recall meeting him, the pirate appeared remarkably clean and dirt free. Even his hair had been brushed into some semblance of order, even though all his trinkets and such still hung scattered though his hair. The kohl was missing from around his eyes, but the pirate seemed to have finally shed the grayish cast to his edges. His eyes seemed bright although not with fever and the military man could not help but see a strong hint of his former adversary - and be glad of it.
Elizabeth and Will both looked up from the chairs they sat in, as did Mr. Gibbs from his position on the floor near his captain. "Holy Mary!" the older man reacted with in dismay, reaching over to a large black leather bound book that rested beside Jack and he slammed it shut with a loud thud.
Jack abruptly coughed, whether nearly choking or from pure need the Commodore could not tell, but the sudden wariness in the pirate's eyes was very clear as his hand went to rest heavily on the volume. It was the good doctor who entered from a different side room and did a strong double take at the pirate on the floor and the other two there.
"Jack - what are you doing with that on the floor?" he asked in an unhappy tone.
"Yes Captain Sparrow, what ARE you doing?" the Governor asked, sounding unhappy as well but for a much different reason.
"The Captain here needed to see a few of his charts. Jack would have much preferred to go to the ship, but Doc Cook doesn't seem to trust him that far just yet." Mr. Gibbs quickly interceded, discreetly moving in front of his captain in a subtle gesture of protectiveness.
The Governor looked at the doctor who smiled mildly. "Give a pirate an inch and he'll take ten miles, at the very least." He said, winking at Jack who sat back, his legs crossed before him Indian style.
The Governor frowned mildly. "You aren't planning out which British shipping routes you intend on - patrolling - now are you, Captain Sparrow?" he asked as he moved around to better see the man and Jack gave him an extremely innocent look.
"Actually, no I'm not," Jack drawled, with a gesture at the chart, and then after a beat added with a one handed flourish, "I much prefer the French."
Mr. Gibbs beside him choked suddenly, and Jack gave him a sly smile and quick wink.
"The French, ah - how.. Interesting. We are at war with the French, you realize that of course?" the Governor asked and the pirate tilted his head at him mildly with a winning smile as one hand came up and casually poised in mid air.
"Is that so? Well then, perhaps I should reconsider. They might take my efforts the wrong way!" He said easily and the Governor sighed.
"I would much appreciate it if you would not make any plans while you are here. Not ones that involve - well - the sorts of things you engage in." He said. Jack nodded, looking over to find the Commodore, in all his official uniform, considering him very intently.
"I never realized you practiced any kind of particular preference for those you - 'chose to encounter' at sea? A recent turn of events?" The Commodore asked, wondering if the man would admit it, and the pirate shrugged with a definitely mischievous look.
"Well, to be honest with you Commodore, I've rarely passed by anything that looked particularly, easy, shall we say? But we do try to be discriminating. You can't just go around interfering with the ships that only come from one country and one country alone. Tends to get them rather upset with you mighty fast. No one likes to feel picked upon. Especially not the Spanish." He said as one hand fluttered briefly. Now Gibbs seemed to laugh silently, and then started coughing, and quickly repressing it. Jack smiled at him more.
"No, Captain, if the Spanish be looking for you here recently, its' not to give you a medal for good conduct is fer sure," the older man told him and the pirate seemed pleased.
"The feeling is mutual, mate, I can assure you." He said, one pointing finger to emphasize as he leaned forward to claim a tea cup from the edge of a spindly-legged table.
"Do I want to ask what you did to the Spanish recently that they might be a bit upset about?" the doctor asked, trying to look severe. The pirate gave him an utterly innocent look.
"Actually, I didn't do a thing to them - was them that was chasing ME." He said quickly, but seemed to suddenly be avoiding the doctor's eyes.
"Not a thing Jack? Not even - on accident?" the doctor asked
"Well, I suppose they were rather upset about the treasure galleon - they probably don't even know it was the Pearl. But that was really not my doing. I won't say I wouldn't have loved to - but one accompanied by a man o' war? Nah, no amount of gold is worth that. I told them to clear out of those waters. If the stupid idiot wants to laugh at me and end up on the shoals - well, not much I can do about that." He said, hands up in a gesture of surrender and the others all blinked hard at him.
"You took a treasure galleon?" Norrington asked a bit stiffly and the pirate shrugged.
"Just a bitty one." He said, holding up two fingers to show a very small size, eyes scrunched as if such a small amount would be hard to see at all. The blacksmith across from him tried very hard to conceal his grin behind his cup.
"And does this little bitty treasure galleon have a name?" Elizabeth asked, smiling, and he nodded brightly.
"Aye, she was a truly pretty little thing lass - the Santa Bello Maria." He told her, and Norrington abruptly coughed and sputtered and quickly repressed it and stared at him, eyes wide.
"Little 'thing' you say, do you, Jack? I'll have you know it was over 1000 tons in size and carrying an estimated 8,000 British Sterling pounds worth of gold, jewels, and coin! You - you can't have taken it! Its' reported to have gone down in a storm last fall! Off the Bahamas somewhere! And the man o' war with it!" the military man blustered at him.
Jack looked at him, eyes mirthful, but expression earnest. "And as long as you say that Commodore, and they believe that - then I am completely and utterly delighted mate - I'll agree with whatever you wanna say happened to the thing. Fine by me really." He said quickly with a hand over his heart, in an effort to placate.
The military man arched an eyebrow while staring at the pirate intently.
"So what happened to the man o' war?" Will asked in a low tone, and now the pirate made a face of dreaded dismay and swayed back a bit, grimacing at his quartermaster who tried very hard to be serious for a moment.
"Wellllllll - "the pirate drew out in a definite attempt to stall.
Gibbs coughed suddenly, obviously attempting to cover his extremely large grin at his Captain's tone of voice and look of dismay.
"Jack - the Pearl only has16 guns. A small man o' war has what - 50? I'm amazed you're still alive! You're lucky you could run fast enough -" Will started, noticing as Gibbs started shaking his head.
"No? You didn't run? So where IS this man o' war?" the blacksmith asked and the pirate captain sighed with a resigned look as he tilted his head at him.
"Actually - I have it up for sale at the moment lad. No big fuss, all right?" he said very honestly, and Norrington abruptly choked loudly, as Governor Swan abruptly grabbed for the back of a chair to steady himself in his surprise.
"You - are currently - selling - a Spanish Man o' War - that you captured from our ALLLIES?!" the Governor asked, getting louder and the pirate gave him a wary look.
"Umm - they might be your allies Governor - I can assure you they aren't mine. Why? Do you want it for Port Royal? I have a few people I'd have to contact first - I promised when I got the next one -" he said with one floating gesture, and abruptly left off, eyes wide in an 'oops, shouldn't have said that' look as Governor Swan practically gaped at him as his eyebrows crept up towards his wig.
Jack leaned away some, giving him a narrow eyed look, head tilted and hesitating for a moment. "Finders keepers?" he offered smoothly and the Governor sputtered, his face growing rather reddish and his knuckles white.
"All right - enough!" the doctor said suddenly in a very loud boom, and they all froze and looked at him with surprise as he came to the center of the room. He pointed to the set of chairs farthest from the Governor and Commodore.
"Jack - Mr. Gibbs - the two of you miscreants - over there. And Jack, not another word - please! And take your chart and log book with you." He said sternly, and to his surprise they both moved, although the pirate did so with assorted grumblings under his breath as he moved gracefully to the appointed chair.
Now the doctor turned to the young Mr. Turner and his wife.
"You two - keep an eye on THOSE two! And no more discussion of what he's been up to - at any point in time! Not even sinking boats in the bathtub!" he said and they both nodded with wide eyes. Now he turned to the Commodore.
"Now, trouble maker number one - he's still my patient and despite what he may like you to believe, the man is not what you would call well by any means yet. He's allowed downstairs under supervision - but that's it. Trouble maker number two there helps in a generally supervising type of role. Now I trust you realize you're not going to be putting anyone in irons, I don't care who has who's ship?" He asked gravely and the military man sighed rather petulantly.
"If you insist" he agreed in an unhappy tone but while barely concealing his smile, and the doctor nodded and now turned to the Governor.
"Governor Swan, a word please? If I may?" he asked politely, and the man looked uncertain, but at the doctor's reassuring smile he agreed and the two left the room and were gone.
Norrington clasped his hands behind his back and casually and slowly strolled over to the chair nearest the pirate. Jack leaned away with a wary look as the Commodore sat down beside him.
"Oh would you relax Sparrow? Haven't we already had THAT discussion?" the military man reacted with and the pirate arched an eyebrow at him.
"Aye - but that doesn't mean you won't be changing your mind whenever it pleases ye'" he said and the Commodore sighed and half rolled his eyes.
"I am not going to change my mind Jack. You'd have to do something extremely severe to lead us down that road - and I don't think that's a place you want to go to anymore than I do. You're not intent on slaughtering the population of our good town I take it." He observed and the pirate considered him with a rather puzzled look.
Norrington seemed pleased at causing the pirate of moment of uncertainty and then did a double take as movement outside the window caught his eye. Outside on the edge of a window box fluttered a rather large blue and yellow parrot with a small scroll tied to its breast. Jack looked back himself and grinned.
"Well, well, if it isn't the feathered fiend himself!" he exclaimed, happy for the distraction. It was Gibbs who rose and went to the window and soon returned with the large blue and yellow macaw perched on his arm. He sat down nearby his captain who eyed the bird as it considered him with interest, bobbing its head.
"Mornin' mail Capt'n Jack! Mornin' mail Capt'n Jack!" it said loudly and the pirate arched an eyebrow at it a bit imperiously.
"Yes, well - mornin' mail to you as well, Feathered Fiend. Although I if I might point out it's a bit late in the day for my morning mail?" he asked it and Gibbs smiled at him.
"Be awhile before we be teachin' the parrot to tell time Jack." He said and the pirate gave him a wary look.
"Lets' not. Him saying 'Mornin' mail' in the afternoon I can live with. But I have to warn you - any bird telling me its time to do this or do that is gonna end up bein' fricasseed." He said and Gibbs grinned and chuckled.
"Now I know you wouldn't be eatin' Mr. Cottons little friend here sir. Here, put yer arm out so I can get that scroll off him. " He said and Jack leaned back with a rather alarmed and skeptical look, suddenly pulling his arm to his chest.
"I'm not letting that vicious thing take chunks out of me! You hold him, I'll untie it." He insisted and Mr. Gibbs did so quite confidently, cooing to the parrot and petting its breast feathers as the pirate gingerly tried to undo the knot that met over its' back.
"How can the poor thing even fly with this on him like this? He needs some other way of carrying these things Gibbs. The wings are kind of an important part of the job. Can't have him rubbing his feathers off. They're the nicest part of the blasted beast." He said as if to himself as the knot undid and the scroll fell off onto the floor.
The older sailor nodded and at a motion of his hand the bird gently extended both of its wings and Jack smiled genuinely at it as he ran a gentle finger over its tail feathers and it tolerated his touch.
"You're not going to try to take me hand off? Oh you must be a very sick bird indeed - sicker than me even! Better not sneeze fiend - I promise you'll regret it if ye' do. Good doctor will ground ye faster than you can lay eggs - if yer even the type that does such a thing." he said and Gibbs smiled at him as the pirate claimed the scroll and undid it and considered it.
"See now Capt'n, he can be a properly mannered beastie - when he wants t' be." Gibbs said, in a croon to the bird that now let him scratch the top of its head and the pirate smiled from him to the page.
"Not bad news I hope?" Norrington asked with an amused look as he had watched this entire proceeding and the pirate seemed not to hear him for a moment as he stared from the scroll to the chart on the floor.
"Something up Jack?" Gibbs asked and the one shrugged.
"Marcus Bellamy sent a message to the Pearl. Wants to know if everything's all right or would we 'be wantin' to be rescued from the hands of the good Commodore' here. He saw us sitting' in the bay on his way out and on his way back and wonders if something unpleasant is afoot." He said and Norrington bolted upright in the chair and turned to the window with an alarmed look.
"Bellamy? Oh good lord no! Where is he?" he reacted with and Jack smiled as if amused.
"Relax Norrington, he's sitting off the coast waitin' for a reply." He told him and Norrington turned to him, eyes alarmed but obviously schooling himself.
"There is another pirate ships sitting off my coast? He's come to sack Port Royal hasn't he! Just like Cutter!" he said as he started up with a very dark look and Jack reached over and abruptly sat him back down.
"Would you calm down? He's a friend. He wanted to see if I'm interested in a little fun and games on the high seas is all - and make sure we're all right since we seem to have taken to parking ourselves in your bay for an inordinate amount of time." He said, leaning forward with an earnest look, all 'normal façade' gone.
Norrington stared at him, then swallowed dryly, but seemed to relax a bit.
"You certainly have 'illustrious' friends Captain. You have to realize that I have good cause to be a bit concerned with such an event. You - well it was bad enough to have you sitting in the bay when I had no idea why you were here. But at least I've had some interactions with you. Marcus Bellamy is just as infamous as Jack Sparrow - although I've never seen the names associated with each other. Never had dealings with him myself. But - since when do pirates come to the rescue of each other?" he said, trying to recover a bit and the pirate smiled, not noticing as the doctor returned, but now alone.
"He's also a member of the Brethren of the Coast. And your Port isn't exactly known for the friendly hosting of pirate ships Commodore." He said and the military man nodded.
"And I can't afford for that to change Jack. If he isn't here to cause trouble, will he just go away if you tell him you're alright?" he said and the one made a bit of a face.
"Well normally yes. But right now, Bellamy wants to see me in person. He's making sure you're not holding me prisoner is most likely the reason why. If I don't go, then they might assume the worst. He isn't here to cause trouble, mate. If he were, he'd be sitting in your bay this instant." He said and the Commodore nodded and looked up at the doctor.
"Where's the Governor?" he asked quickly and the doctor sighed.
"I managed to convince the poor man that Jack here tends to greatly exaggerate his claims, especially when it means he can hope to impress an authoritative figure like a Colonial Governor such as himself. He's decided to take his tea with Banker Khon and thus not present our resident pirate with the temptation to be telling any more tales." He said and Jack grinned broadly as the doctor came up before him.
"Quick thinking doctor! Good man!" he said happily, and the one frowned at him, shaking a finger, making the pirate lean back some with an arched eyebrow and one hand raised at his side.
"Next time, lets' think before we say something quite so inflammatory please Jack? Political alliances may mean little to a pirate, but to normal people they mean a great deal. Governors take such things even more seriously. Now what's this about pirates wanting to see you out on the water? You're not going out there." He stated, the last in extreme firmness.
The pirate looked from the finger, up to the man and gave his most winning smile, one hand tracing a delicate path absently through the air.
"You think the governor wants to invite yet another well known pirate up for dinner and drinks? Here? You think the man is upset about me having a man o' war stashed someplace - wait until he sees his newest dinner guest!" he suggested in a smooth purr, leaning forward, then shook his head abruptly as he backed off.
"It would not be wise to be trying to tell Marcus there are conditions by which he can see me or not at all. The man would absolutely think something was up. He's been a very good friend for a good many number of years. He wouldn't just go away." He said seriously now and the doctor looked at Norrington.
"You're going to have to let him go Doctor. I know you say he's ill, but - well look at him. Surely one little boat ride and dinner with a friend won't hurt him. You can trust him to come back." Norrington said quickly, and Jack whirled around to him with a frown and one hand rising as if in objection.
"He can?" he reacted first, then blinked. 'OH! Yes of course you can!" he agreed now at the doctor, who raised an eyebrow at him. The pirate chose to ignore him.
"Do you have ink and a quill?" he asked instead of the blacksmith who nodded and left to get them, soon returning with a concerned look of his own.
"Jack - maybe we should go with you." He said as the pirate wrote quickly on the back of the page he'd received. Jack paused as if considering, then shook his head with a firm look.
"Gibbs, can the Pearl go out, or is Marcus coming in?" he asked as the man pet the bird.
"Oh we can go out all right Sir - far as you want." He said and the one nodded with a thoughtful look, stroking the bird's breast with the end of the quill and smiling as the creature seemed not to object.
"Now wait a minute here Jack.. There is no way you're fit to go out and run around to do much of anything. You get dizzy going up the stairs still! At least have him come as far as the entrance to the bay - now isn't that a reasonable compromise? He won't feel trapped here - you can assure him the balls from the fort can't reach him. You sat there yourself for a day as I remember. Then you take the Pearl out and have your little reunion and come home and all is well." the doctor suggested and the one smiled mildly.
"I'm just not sure which is the best way to handle all of this." He said and Gibbs smiled at him.
"You could always try telling Marcus the truth Jack," He said and the one nodded with a thoughtful look.
"Probably safer to anyway. You know how Bellamy can get. He's got the worst streak of honor and honesty I've ever seen in a pirate. Not wise to try to put one over on ol' Marcus," He said to Gibbs who nodded.
"Arwkk! Dead men tell no tales!" the bird suddenly exclaimed - and Jack and Gibbs both suddenly looked at it with obvious surprise, and then burst out laughing.
"Neither do dead parrots mate - ye' best keep that in mind." Jack told it, shaking one finger at it in a mocking scold, jerking his hand back quickly as the parrot made a swift move as if to bite him.
~ * * ~
Doctor Cook paced the parlor of the Turner's house, looking out the window every so often at where the two equal sized ships sat in the middle of the bay, only visible now due to the brilliant moon. He looked over at the clock on the wall and scowled.
"He promised he'd be back by 10:30 - and it's what - well after midnight?" he growled anxiously. Commodore Norrington sat minus his wig and uniform, looking equally uneasy as he chewed on his lower lip.
"As long as we can see them out there. Are you sure the Pearl is still there? That thing is almost impossible to see in the dark." He observed with a decidedly unhappy tone of his own.
"Glad to hear you say so, mate," came a familiar voice from the doorway of the darkened kitchen and they all looked over to see Jack standing there in his familiar long coat, but with his gun drawn and aimed out towards them, and their eyes all widened at his extremely suspicious glare.
"Jack, what's wrong?" Elizabeth reacted with and he narrowed his eyes.
"A few friends of mine have spent the last few hours telling me about a man named Reynolds? Sound familiar to any of you?" he asked in low and rather dangerous growl and they all exchanged very close to guilty looks.
"Ah - I see you have met the gentlemen then? Is there any particular reason no one felt inclined to even tell me this man was here looking for me?" he asked rather coldly and the doctor sighed at him as he went over, ignoring the pistol that automatically swiveled his way.
"Put that thing away. Do you always pull a gun when you get annoyed?" he demanded as he met the man's hostile stare with confidence.
"We didn't tell you just yet because A - you have been extremely ill, and B - we told the man you were dead. I wouldn't let them tell you. It wasn't exactly an urgent matter. It could wait until you were doing a little better. I thought perhaps this weekend, the next few days - if this little venture tonight doesn't set you back again that is. Where the hell have you been? It's way past the time you said you'd be back, you bloody pirate." He said, reaching for the man and feeling at his cheek and neck with one hand as he pushed the gun away with the other and the pirate let it lower to his side.
"That fellow had better well be the bloody doctor you were tellin us about Jack or I'm gonna put a round right through his head," came a very deep and more threatening voice from close behind the pirate. The doctor looked up and past Jack and his eyes widened as he backed up several steps.
Another man stepped out beside Jack, being very tall and extremely broad and massive looking, with a large dark beard and long dark semi-curly hair. He stood clad in a black coat and black pants and black boots, a white shirt with leather gun straps criss-crossed across his broad chest. His icy blue eyes were wary and his features extremely tanned as he looked from one of them to the other around the room. He saw Elizabeth and gave her a long look as a smile came to his lips.
"Evening m'am" he said in sincere politeness and Jack seemed suddenly amused as the man moved away from him somewhat.
"She's taken Marcus. Married to Bootstrap's boy." He said and the taller pirate looked around the room, spotted Will and grinned.
"Well I'll be damned! Nathan, come look at this lad! He's the spittin image of his pa!" he exclaimed back towards the kitchen and now another man came forward, just barely taller than Jack and with reddish hair tied back with a black bow.
This one was clad in a long grey velvet coat with gold embroidery on the cuffs and clean shaven. He followed Marcus's gaze and grinned with a low chuckle and looked back at the kitchen.
Two more men came out, one in brown with a small goatee and another with dark hair and in a red velvet coat. Norrington slowly rose with a very dark look as the last two drug between them a very limp looking Mr. Gillette clad in his uniform and wig.
"Now just relax folks. All of you." Marcus drawled in a low growl, staring directly at the Commodore as the doctor backed up clear across the room now.
"John, Daniel - put him on the floor in front of the fireplace. Gently." Jack instructed as he finally holstered his gun and the last two did so, actually being quite easy with the limp form.
"Sparrow -" Norrington growled harshly as he went over to the still soldier and the man in brown stayed nearby, seeming amused.
"Hey I know you - Marcus this is the fellow! Commodore Norrington himself!" he said as if amazed and the Commodore looked up at him warily.
"Yes I know Saxon - leave him alone." Jack told him and the man grinned at him.
"Aren't you going to introduce us Jack?" the doctor asked over as he seemed to have recovered from his surprise and the pirate smiled mildly at Elizabeth as he went and took her hand and brought her back with him. She looked at him uncertainly.
"Mi'lady - straight out of your books, may I present Captain Marcus Bellamy, his ship is called-" "The BonAmiee!" she said before Jack could and Marcus chuckled as he bowed and kissed her hand.
"You flatter me m'dam" he said silkily and Jack chucked and guided her to the man with the red hair and she smiled at him.
"Captain Nathan Howard, I presume?" she said and he smiled broadly.
"En'chante mademoiselle" he purred as he kissed her hand as well and she blushed mildly. One by one Jack introduced her to each of the Captains in turn. She seemed extremely pleased by the time they had finished and he had let her return to Will's side.
"May I ask what happened to my officer?" Norrington asked gruffly and the pirates all grinned at each other. Marcus parked one hand on his hip as he strolled forward as if very much at home now.
"Well, I'll tell you good sir. By good brothers here, we were perfectly agreeable when Jack sent the message and suggested we all come on one ship, instead of sailing all 4 of our ships int' yer bay here. I can be reasonable after all. Well, I'm afraid your man there was intending to spy on myself and Captain Sparrow - which I rather expected to tell you the truth. My quartermaster caught him on the docks and brought him in as I had instructed. Not a hair harmed on the lad's head up t' that point." He told them, and the others all seemed sincere as they nodded in agreement.
"But, well, I'm afraid just the sight of all of us sittin' at the table getting ready to take dinner and a spot of spirits must of startled the poor man. Passed out and hit his forehead on the table edge on the way done. Bit embarrassing to tell you the truth man. We're not exactly the son's of Satan here. My ship's physician said he'll live, just have a bit of a headache when he wakes up. No way Sparrow could bring him back alone though, so we decided to take a little walk and accompany him." He said and Norrington looked doubtful and the man grinned.
"All by myself I probably would have just thrown him overboard. Let the water wake him up - but Jack's laid claim t' the bugger, so we had to bring him home." He said as if a bit disappointed and Norrington raised an eyebrow at Jack and the one smiled and shrugged.
"Be glad we're all members of the Brethren man - I have a feeling Sparrow will be a lot more merciful with that one than any of the rest of us would be. VERY annoying little man! My quartermaster hauls him up onto my ship and he up and proceeds to inform my guests that they are under arrest in the name of the King?" He said with a chuckle and Jack grinned.
"Well I never said the boy was brilliant, just that I know him and no you can't go makin' fish food out of him just because the man is a royal pest. If anyone gets to make fish food out of Mr. Gillette, its' gonna be me. Man doesn't even have a ship yet at this point." He said with a gesture at the still limp form.
"Give him a year or so after he gets one before ye' blast 'im outta the water Jack. Not fair, man like you pickin' a little junior Commodore and all before he's been on the water long enough to know when its best to turn tail and run like the devil himself is after him!" the one in the red velvet coat said, and the others all laughed. Jack turned and gave the man a solemn look with his hand over his heart and his head tilted slightly as if in deference.
"Aye, ye' have my word on it Dan Landers - just fer' you." He said very piously, and now the others laughed even harder and longer. Marcus clapped Jack on the back strongly and hard, and the pirate started coughing some, quickly trying to stop and then seeming breathless for a moment. Now the one in the brown frowned over at Doctor Cook.
"You there sir - did you know this man has the wet lung still? You're supposed to be his doctor and you let him out? On a ship no less? In the night air?" he demanded and the others all looked a bit surprised. The other pirates all seemed amused as Jack scowled at the man in brown.
"Now behave yerself John Saxon - just because y' have a medical background doesn't mean y' have the right to be telling another doctor what to do." Marcus told him and the man raised an eyebrow right back at him.
"Considerin' that we lost Nichols just last spring to the wet lung and he'd been 3 weeks since his ship went down and he nearly drowned - yes I do have a right. Ye' can feel the water still in Sparrow when he gets to coughing hard." He said as he stepped over to Jack and leaned forward with a pointed finger.
"YOU belong in BED! And if you had a ship's doctor like you should, that's exactly where you'd be Sparrow." He told him and the pirate smirked at him.
"Then now you know why I don't John - so leave it. Reynolds is more likely to be back to try to kill me before a cough will anyway." He said casually and the man made a face of dismay as he turned to the others beyond in the room.
"And the all of you didn't even bother to tell him? If Jack here hadn't spent the last bit tonight telling us about that gone on around here, I'd think you weren't telling because you're just waiting for Reynolds to come back and relieve you of him. And I'm still not sure that I'm wrong about that." He said, and now Marcus frowned deeply and nodded, as did the rest of the pirates.
"Now wait gentlemen - This man Mr. Reynolds is looking for a Lord Stuart. He wants Captain Sparrow so he can be questioned and help them find this missing Lord. Yes - he said if he takes Jack back to England, they would hang him. Well, why can't he question Jack right here and leave him here. He's not really after Jack at all. He can't take Jack if Commodore Norrington says no." Elizabeth told them all and the group of pirates all exchanged very skeptical looks.
"Begging your pardon ma'am - but the 4 of us don't believe for a second that this man is after any missing lord. We think he's no more than another bounty hunter after Sparrow. That's why we're here making sure your Commodore isn't just holding him until Reynolds comes back for him. It's the bloody French that want his head. Considering that Reynolds is an Englishman, him being a bounty hunter for the French is downright treason in my book." said the man in the red velvet coat and the others all frowned deeply.
"I can assure you no one is taking Sparrow anyplace." Norrington said gravely as he rose to face them, looking them in the eye and the pirates all considered him intently, the tension in the room practically palatable between the single military man and the group of pirates.
"What proof do you have that Reynolds IS a bounty hunter? He showed us circulars he'd had made up to help him find this lord. Jack's name isn't even on them. Not at all. When Jack went to Santiago de Cuba and Lord Stuart came and helped him buy supplies to bring here to us - that's when Reynolds decided he needs to talk to Jack. Do the rest of you know this Lord Stuart as well?" Will asked and while three shook their heads with mild frowns, it was Marcus who smiled as if amused by the question.
"Aye - I knew him. Hasn't been around very much in ages boy. Seems to me if a man wants to walk away from someplace or something, he ought to have the freedom to do so. Even if the man's family would like to see him - even if they do hire someone to look for the fellow - since when does this privately hired investigator of theirs now have the power to be capturing people? Is this man Reynolds some kind of appointed authority? Who gives him the power to arrest anyone? Or take anybody anyplace for questioning?" he asked demandingly, and the blacksmith looked a bit puzzled.
"You - you know this Lord Stuart as well?" Norrington asked of Marcus, with a quick look at Sparrow who he noticed was nodding as well.
"Oh aye! Tell you what Norrington - this man Reynolds shows up and wants to talk to someone about Lord Stuart, you tell him to forget Sparrow and come see me. I've known the man for close to nigh on 20 years here soon. You tell him last time I spoke to Stuart was a lot more recent than when Jack brought you your supplies. I've had the man over to dinner and drinks and a game of cards on my ship real, real recent here like! I'd be delighted to talk to the gent. Guarantee him free passage - the whole 9 yards." Marcus told him and Norrington looked rather surprised.
"You tell Mr. Reynolds to come see me. I'll be glad to help him contact Jackson. If he shows up anytime in the next 30 days, you tell him to come over to Tortuga and just ask at the wharves for Marcus Bellamy or the BonAimee. But you know what Commodore? I'll wager you your weight in gold that he won't be interested. He'll still be after Sparrow. And when he's after a member of the Brethren - for a bounty - he's got trouble with the lot of us." Marcus added almost menacingly and Norrington looked at Jack to find him looking rather amused as he watched Gillette now trying to sit up.
The younger military man seemed rather confused, looked around, saw the group of pirates and gasped loudly. Then he noticed the brown clad man who was immediately at hand and his eyes widened to a near-to-terrified extreme.
"BOO!" the pirate said, moving fast as if to grab him and Gillette scrambled backwards quickly, causing the group of outlaws to laugh soundly.
"Saxon! For the love of god man -" Jack exclaimed in exasperation then coughed for a bit and the one gave him a wink and an evil chuckle.
"Couldn't resist mate," he said as he made his way over to Jack who made an effort to wave him off as he stopped coughing finally. The man in brown stood very, very close before him, watching him with a rather imperious look.
"What?" Jack asked and the one gave him a mock-evil grin.
"I still say I should just kidnap you for - oh about another 3 weeks ought to do it. Then you won't have to worry about Reynolds in the least. We'll let Marcus play with the little rat. He likes to play with his food before he eats it." He said and Jack arched an eyebrow at him sharply.
"Don't even try it John Saxon. Don't even try it." he growled back sternly and the other sighed at him.
"Alright Sparrow - but I swear if anything untoward happens, I am going to come back and whoever is responsible is going to wish to god they had been given to Marcus. There are enough pirates dying either in unwise raids or due to the military folk, without ones like you doing it from such a preventable cause. We don't need you doin' something stupid on us." He said and Jack rolled his eyes and sighed at him with his head tilted to one side.
"I'm not goin to" he said and the one gave him a narrow-eyed look.
"Well just see you don't my friend. Now isn't it a bit past your bedtime? I do believe I heard the doctor objecting to the hour - oh, a good 20 minutes ago now?" he asked in a silky purr, and Doctor Cook quickly nodded as he came over.
"Yes it is - much, much past. My name is Edmund, sir. Edmund Cook. I don't think I've heard of a man of your occupation coming from a medical background." He said and the brown clad one smiled mildly.
"John Saxon. Aye, I'm a bit rare in my profession - but you'd be surprised I think. Too much attention is given to perpetuating the image of the ignorant, evil, rampaging pirate. Of course that makes it a bit easier for us types. Fire a few balls and more often than not they'll surrender on the spot and even be ready to hand you their cargo manifests.. But I can't say I object to that. How did you come to be in Port Royal?" he asked conversationally as they moved away a bit. Jack rolled his eyes as he moved over nearer to Marcus who seemed vastly amused.
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Disclaimer: I guess I really do need to remind you all that anything and everything related to Pirates of the Caribbean, their characters and settings are all the property of Disney - Disney - Disney - nobody - but -Disney ---- I-just-borrowing-to-play-with-and-giving-back. Only Disney can make money on anything to do with Pirates of the Caribbean. NOT ME!
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Summary: Port Royal lies in ruins.. The battle has been waged... The lost captain has been recovered, so what else could possibly go wrong?
Chapter 20: Plans and Pilferings
Commodore Norrington walked along side the Governor down the hall of the official residence. He had come to give his report of the area they had spent the last 4 days scouting out on the other side of the bay. Not only was there fresh water - which Port Royal had never had in itself - but the land was solid rock - not sand that could liquefy beneath their feet at the slightest quiver. The earthquakes had ceased finally, but the land left was much too small to be restored as it had been before and so the main part of the town would be relocated!
Norrington heard a familiar laugh from a side room and the Governor smiled at the sound and detoured through the doorway. The Commodore followed, entered the room, and then stopped at finding Jack Sparrow himself - sitting on the carpeted floor with some sort of a large nautical chart spread out before him. The man seemed to freeze as he looked up and their eyes met.
Norrington quickly took in the fact that the pirate was clad in a sleep shirt and baggy pants not his own, barefoot and minus his hat. For the first time since Norrington could recall meeting him, the pirate appeared remarkably clean and dirt free. Even his hair had been brushed into some semblance of order, even though all his trinkets and such still hung scattered though his hair. The kohl was missing from around his eyes, but the pirate seemed to have finally shed the grayish cast to his edges. His eyes seemed bright although not with fever and the military man could not help but see a strong hint of his former adversary - and be glad of it.
Elizabeth and Will both looked up from the chairs they sat in, as did Mr. Gibbs from his position on the floor near his captain. "Holy Mary!" the older man reacted with in dismay, reaching over to a large black leather bound book that rested beside Jack and he slammed it shut with a loud thud.
Jack abruptly coughed, whether nearly choking or from pure need the Commodore could not tell, but the sudden wariness in the pirate's eyes was very clear as his hand went to rest heavily on the volume. It was the good doctor who entered from a different side room and did a strong double take at the pirate on the floor and the other two there.
"Jack - what are you doing with that on the floor?" he asked in an unhappy tone.
"Yes Captain Sparrow, what ARE you doing?" the Governor asked, sounding unhappy as well but for a much different reason.
"The Captain here needed to see a few of his charts. Jack would have much preferred to go to the ship, but Doc Cook doesn't seem to trust him that far just yet." Mr. Gibbs quickly interceded, discreetly moving in front of his captain in a subtle gesture of protectiveness.
The Governor looked at the doctor who smiled mildly. "Give a pirate an inch and he'll take ten miles, at the very least." He said, winking at Jack who sat back, his legs crossed before him Indian style.
The Governor frowned mildly. "You aren't planning out which British shipping routes you intend on - patrolling - now are you, Captain Sparrow?" he asked as he moved around to better see the man and Jack gave him an extremely innocent look.
"Actually, no I'm not," Jack drawled, with a gesture at the chart, and then after a beat added with a one handed flourish, "I much prefer the French."
Mr. Gibbs beside him choked suddenly, and Jack gave him a sly smile and quick wink.
"The French, ah - how.. Interesting. We are at war with the French, you realize that of course?" the Governor asked and the pirate tilted his head at him mildly with a winning smile as one hand came up and casually poised in mid air.
"Is that so? Well then, perhaps I should reconsider. They might take my efforts the wrong way!" He said easily and the Governor sighed.
"I would much appreciate it if you would not make any plans while you are here. Not ones that involve - well - the sorts of things you engage in." He said. Jack nodded, looking over to find the Commodore, in all his official uniform, considering him very intently.
"I never realized you practiced any kind of particular preference for those you - 'chose to encounter' at sea? A recent turn of events?" The Commodore asked, wondering if the man would admit it, and the pirate shrugged with a definitely mischievous look.
"Well, to be honest with you Commodore, I've rarely passed by anything that looked particularly, easy, shall we say? But we do try to be discriminating. You can't just go around interfering with the ships that only come from one country and one country alone. Tends to get them rather upset with you mighty fast. No one likes to feel picked upon. Especially not the Spanish." He said as one hand fluttered briefly. Now Gibbs seemed to laugh silently, and then started coughing, and quickly repressing it. Jack smiled at him more.
"No, Captain, if the Spanish be looking for you here recently, its' not to give you a medal for good conduct is fer sure," the older man told him and the pirate seemed pleased.
"The feeling is mutual, mate, I can assure you." He said, one pointing finger to emphasize as he leaned forward to claim a tea cup from the edge of a spindly-legged table.
"Do I want to ask what you did to the Spanish recently that they might be a bit upset about?" the doctor asked, trying to look severe. The pirate gave him an utterly innocent look.
"Actually, I didn't do a thing to them - was them that was chasing ME." He said quickly, but seemed to suddenly be avoiding the doctor's eyes.
"Not a thing Jack? Not even - on accident?" the doctor asked
"Well, I suppose they were rather upset about the treasure galleon - they probably don't even know it was the Pearl. But that was really not my doing. I won't say I wouldn't have loved to - but one accompanied by a man o' war? Nah, no amount of gold is worth that. I told them to clear out of those waters. If the stupid idiot wants to laugh at me and end up on the shoals - well, not much I can do about that." He said, hands up in a gesture of surrender and the others all blinked hard at him.
"You took a treasure galleon?" Norrington asked a bit stiffly and the pirate shrugged.
"Just a bitty one." He said, holding up two fingers to show a very small size, eyes scrunched as if such a small amount would be hard to see at all. The blacksmith across from him tried very hard to conceal his grin behind his cup.
"And does this little bitty treasure galleon have a name?" Elizabeth asked, smiling, and he nodded brightly.
"Aye, she was a truly pretty little thing lass - the Santa Bello Maria." He told her, and Norrington abruptly coughed and sputtered and quickly repressed it and stared at him, eyes wide.
"Little 'thing' you say, do you, Jack? I'll have you know it was over 1000 tons in size and carrying an estimated 8,000 British Sterling pounds worth of gold, jewels, and coin! You - you can't have taken it! Its' reported to have gone down in a storm last fall! Off the Bahamas somewhere! And the man o' war with it!" the military man blustered at him.
Jack looked at him, eyes mirthful, but expression earnest. "And as long as you say that Commodore, and they believe that - then I am completely and utterly delighted mate - I'll agree with whatever you wanna say happened to the thing. Fine by me really." He said quickly with a hand over his heart, in an effort to placate.
The military man arched an eyebrow while staring at the pirate intently.
"So what happened to the man o' war?" Will asked in a low tone, and now the pirate made a face of dreaded dismay and swayed back a bit, grimacing at his quartermaster who tried very hard to be serious for a moment.
"Wellllllll - "the pirate drew out in a definite attempt to stall.
Gibbs coughed suddenly, obviously attempting to cover his extremely large grin at his Captain's tone of voice and look of dismay.
"Jack - the Pearl only has16 guns. A small man o' war has what - 50? I'm amazed you're still alive! You're lucky you could run fast enough -" Will started, noticing as Gibbs started shaking his head.
"No? You didn't run? So where IS this man o' war?" the blacksmith asked and the pirate captain sighed with a resigned look as he tilted his head at him.
"Actually - I have it up for sale at the moment lad. No big fuss, all right?" he said very honestly, and Norrington abruptly choked loudly, as Governor Swan abruptly grabbed for the back of a chair to steady himself in his surprise.
"You - are currently - selling - a Spanish Man o' War - that you captured from our ALLLIES?!" the Governor asked, getting louder and the pirate gave him a wary look.
"Umm - they might be your allies Governor - I can assure you they aren't mine. Why? Do you want it for Port Royal? I have a few people I'd have to contact first - I promised when I got the next one -" he said with one floating gesture, and abruptly left off, eyes wide in an 'oops, shouldn't have said that' look as Governor Swan practically gaped at him as his eyebrows crept up towards his wig.
Jack leaned away some, giving him a narrow eyed look, head tilted and hesitating for a moment. "Finders keepers?" he offered smoothly and the Governor sputtered, his face growing rather reddish and his knuckles white.
"All right - enough!" the doctor said suddenly in a very loud boom, and they all froze and looked at him with surprise as he came to the center of the room. He pointed to the set of chairs farthest from the Governor and Commodore.
"Jack - Mr. Gibbs - the two of you miscreants - over there. And Jack, not another word - please! And take your chart and log book with you." He said sternly, and to his surprise they both moved, although the pirate did so with assorted grumblings under his breath as he moved gracefully to the appointed chair.
Now the doctor turned to the young Mr. Turner and his wife.
"You two - keep an eye on THOSE two! And no more discussion of what he's been up to - at any point in time! Not even sinking boats in the bathtub!" he said and they both nodded with wide eyes. Now he turned to the Commodore.
"Now, trouble maker number one - he's still my patient and despite what he may like you to believe, the man is not what you would call well by any means yet. He's allowed downstairs under supervision - but that's it. Trouble maker number two there helps in a generally supervising type of role. Now I trust you realize you're not going to be putting anyone in irons, I don't care who has who's ship?" He asked gravely and the military man sighed rather petulantly.
"If you insist" he agreed in an unhappy tone but while barely concealing his smile, and the doctor nodded and now turned to the Governor.
"Governor Swan, a word please? If I may?" he asked politely, and the man looked uncertain, but at the doctor's reassuring smile he agreed and the two left the room and were gone.
Norrington clasped his hands behind his back and casually and slowly strolled over to the chair nearest the pirate. Jack leaned away with a wary look as the Commodore sat down beside him.
"Oh would you relax Sparrow? Haven't we already had THAT discussion?" the military man reacted with and the pirate arched an eyebrow at him.
"Aye - but that doesn't mean you won't be changing your mind whenever it pleases ye'" he said and the Commodore sighed and half rolled his eyes.
"I am not going to change my mind Jack. You'd have to do something extremely severe to lead us down that road - and I don't think that's a place you want to go to anymore than I do. You're not intent on slaughtering the population of our good town I take it." He observed and the pirate considered him with a rather puzzled look.
Norrington seemed pleased at causing the pirate of moment of uncertainty and then did a double take as movement outside the window caught his eye. Outside on the edge of a window box fluttered a rather large blue and yellow parrot with a small scroll tied to its breast. Jack looked back himself and grinned.
"Well, well, if it isn't the feathered fiend himself!" he exclaimed, happy for the distraction. It was Gibbs who rose and went to the window and soon returned with the large blue and yellow macaw perched on his arm. He sat down nearby his captain who eyed the bird as it considered him with interest, bobbing its head.
"Mornin' mail Capt'n Jack! Mornin' mail Capt'n Jack!" it said loudly and the pirate arched an eyebrow at it a bit imperiously.
"Yes, well - mornin' mail to you as well, Feathered Fiend. Although I if I might point out it's a bit late in the day for my morning mail?" he asked it and Gibbs smiled at him.
"Be awhile before we be teachin' the parrot to tell time Jack." He said and the pirate gave him a wary look.
"Lets' not. Him saying 'Mornin' mail' in the afternoon I can live with. But I have to warn you - any bird telling me its time to do this or do that is gonna end up bein' fricasseed." He said and Gibbs grinned and chuckled.
"Now I know you wouldn't be eatin' Mr. Cottons little friend here sir. Here, put yer arm out so I can get that scroll off him. " He said and Jack leaned back with a rather alarmed and skeptical look, suddenly pulling his arm to his chest.
"I'm not letting that vicious thing take chunks out of me! You hold him, I'll untie it." He insisted and Mr. Gibbs did so quite confidently, cooing to the parrot and petting its breast feathers as the pirate gingerly tried to undo the knot that met over its' back.
"How can the poor thing even fly with this on him like this? He needs some other way of carrying these things Gibbs. The wings are kind of an important part of the job. Can't have him rubbing his feathers off. They're the nicest part of the blasted beast." He said as if to himself as the knot undid and the scroll fell off onto the floor.
The older sailor nodded and at a motion of his hand the bird gently extended both of its wings and Jack smiled genuinely at it as he ran a gentle finger over its tail feathers and it tolerated his touch.
"You're not going to try to take me hand off? Oh you must be a very sick bird indeed - sicker than me even! Better not sneeze fiend - I promise you'll regret it if ye' do. Good doctor will ground ye faster than you can lay eggs - if yer even the type that does such a thing." he said and Gibbs smiled at him as the pirate claimed the scroll and undid it and considered it.
"See now Capt'n, he can be a properly mannered beastie - when he wants t' be." Gibbs said, in a croon to the bird that now let him scratch the top of its head and the pirate smiled from him to the page.
"Not bad news I hope?" Norrington asked with an amused look as he had watched this entire proceeding and the pirate seemed not to hear him for a moment as he stared from the scroll to the chart on the floor.
"Something up Jack?" Gibbs asked and the one shrugged.
"Marcus Bellamy sent a message to the Pearl. Wants to know if everything's all right or would we 'be wantin' to be rescued from the hands of the good Commodore' here. He saw us sitting' in the bay on his way out and on his way back and wonders if something unpleasant is afoot." He said and Norrington bolted upright in the chair and turned to the window with an alarmed look.
"Bellamy? Oh good lord no! Where is he?" he reacted with and Jack smiled as if amused.
"Relax Norrington, he's sitting off the coast waitin' for a reply." He told him and Norrington turned to him, eyes alarmed but obviously schooling himself.
"There is another pirate ships sitting off my coast? He's come to sack Port Royal hasn't he! Just like Cutter!" he said as he started up with a very dark look and Jack reached over and abruptly sat him back down.
"Would you calm down? He's a friend. He wanted to see if I'm interested in a little fun and games on the high seas is all - and make sure we're all right since we seem to have taken to parking ourselves in your bay for an inordinate amount of time." He said, leaning forward with an earnest look, all 'normal façade' gone.
Norrington stared at him, then swallowed dryly, but seemed to relax a bit.
"You certainly have 'illustrious' friends Captain. You have to realize that I have good cause to be a bit concerned with such an event. You - well it was bad enough to have you sitting in the bay when I had no idea why you were here. But at least I've had some interactions with you. Marcus Bellamy is just as infamous as Jack Sparrow - although I've never seen the names associated with each other. Never had dealings with him myself. But - since when do pirates come to the rescue of each other?" he said, trying to recover a bit and the pirate smiled, not noticing as the doctor returned, but now alone.
"He's also a member of the Brethren of the Coast. And your Port isn't exactly known for the friendly hosting of pirate ships Commodore." He said and the military man nodded.
"And I can't afford for that to change Jack. If he isn't here to cause trouble, will he just go away if you tell him you're alright?" he said and the one made a bit of a face.
"Well normally yes. But right now, Bellamy wants to see me in person. He's making sure you're not holding me prisoner is most likely the reason why. If I don't go, then they might assume the worst. He isn't here to cause trouble, mate. If he were, he'd be sitting in your bay this instant." He said and the Commodore nodded and looked up at the doctor.
"Where's the Governor?" he asked quickly and the doctor sighed.
"I managed to convince the poor man that Jack here tends to greatly exaggerate his claims, especially when it means he can hope to impress an authoritative figure like a Colonial Governor such as himself. He's decided to take his tea with Banker Khon and thus not present our resident pirate with the temptation to be telling any more tales." He said and Jack grinned broadly as the doctor came up before him.
"Quick thinking doctor! Good man!" he said happily, and the one frowned at him, shaking a finger, making the pirate lean back some with an arched eyebrow and one hand raised at his side.
"Next time, lets' think before we say something quite so inflammatory please Jack? Political alliances may mean little to a pirate, but to normal people they mean a great deal. Governors take such things even more seriously. Now what's this about pirates wanting to see you out on the water? You're not going out there." He stated, the last in extreme firmness.
The pirate looked from the finger, up to the man and gave his most winning smile, one hand tracing a delicate path absently through the air.
"You think the governor wants to invite yet another well known pirate up for dinner and drinks? Here? You think the man is upset about me having a man o' war stashed someplace - wait until he sees his newest dinner guest!" he suggested in a smooth purr, leaning forward, then shook his head abruptly as he backed off.
"It would not be wise to be trying to tell Marcus there are conditions by which he can see me or not at all. The man would absolutely think something was up. He's been a very good friend for a good many number of years. He wouldn't just go away." He said seriously now and the doctor looked at Norrington.
"You're going to have to let him go Doctor. I know you say he's ill, but - well look at him. Surely one little boat ride and dinner with a friend won't hurt him. You can trust him to come back." Norrington said quickly, and Jack whirled around to him with a frown and one hand rising as if in objection.
"He can?" he reacted first, then blinked. 'OH! Yes of course you can!" he agreed now at the doctor, who raised an eyebrow at him. The pirate chose to ignore him.
"Do you have ink and a quill?" he asked instead of the blacksmith who nodded and left to get them, soon returning with a concerned look of his own.
"Jack - maybe we should go with you." He said as the pirate wrote quickly on the back of the page he'd received. Jack paused as if considering, then shook his head with a firm look.
"Gibbs, can the Pearl go out, or is Marcus coming in?" he asked as the man pet the bird.
"Oh we can go out all right Sir - far as you want." He said and the one nodded with a thoughtful look, stroking the bird's breast with the end of the quill and smiling as the creature seemed not to object.
"Now wait a minute here Jack.. There is no way you're fit to go out and run around to do much of anything. You get dizzy going up the stairs still! At least have him come as far as the entrance to the bay - now isn't that a reasonable compromise? He won't feel trapped here - you can assure him the balls from the fort can't reach him. You sat there yourself for a day as I remember. Then you take the Pearl out and have your little reunion and come home and all is well." the doctor suggested and the one smiled mildly.
"I'm just not sure which is the best way to handle all of this." He said and Gibbs smiled at him.
"You could always try telling Marcus the truth Jack," He said and the one nodded with a thoughtful look.
"Probably safer to anyway. You know how Bellamy can get. He's got the worst streak of honor and honesty I've ever seen in a pirate. Not wise to try to put one over on ol' Marcus," He said to Gibbs who nodded.
"Arwkk! Dead men tell no tales!" the bird suddenly exclaimed - and Jack and Gibbs both suddenly looked at it with obvious surprise, and then burst out laughing.
"Neither do dead parrots mate - ye' best keep that in mind." Jack told it, shaking one finger at it in a mocking scold, jerking his hand back quickly as the parrot made a swift move as if to bite him.
~ * * ~
Doctor Cook paced the parlor of the Turner's house, looking out the window every so often at where the two equal sized ships sat in the middle of the bay, only visible now due to the brilliant moon. He looked over at the clock on the wall and scowled.
"He promised he'd be back by 10:30 - and it's what - well after midnight?" he growled anxiously. Commodore Norrington sat minus his wig and uniform, looking equally uneasy as he chewed on his lower lip.
"As long as we can see them out there. Are you sure the Pearl is still there? That thing is almost impossible to see in the dark." He observed with a decidedly unhappy tone of his own.
"Glad to hear you say so, mate," came a familiar voice from the doorway of the darkened kitchen and they all looked over to see Jack standing there in his familiar long coat, but with his gun drawn and aimed out towards them, and their eyes all widened at his extremely suspicious glare.
"Jack, what's wrong?" Elizabeth reacted with and he narrowed his eyes.
"A few friends of mine have spent the last few hours telling me about a man named Reynolds? Sound familiar to any of you?" he asked in low and rather dangerous growl and they all exchanged very close to guilty looks.
"Ah - I see you have met the gentlemen then? Is there any particular reason no one felt inclined to even tell me this man was here looking for me?" he asked rather coldly and the doctor sighed at him as he went over, ignoring the pistol that automatically swiveled his way.
"Put that thing away. Do you always pull a gun when you get annoyed?" he demanded as he met the man's hostile stare with confidence.
"We didn't tell you just yet because A - you have been extremely ill, and B - we told the man you were dead. I wouldn't let them tell you. It wasn't exactly an urgent matter. It could wait until you were doing a little better. I thought perhaps this weekend, the next few days - if this little venture tonight doesn't set you back again that is. Where the hell have you been? It's way past the time you said you'd be back, you bloody pirate." He said, reaching for the man and feeling at his cheek and neck with one hand as he pushed the gun away with the other and the pirate let it lower to his side.
"That fellow had better well be the bloody doctor you were tellin us about Jack or I'm gonna put a round right through his head," came a very deep and more threatening voice from close behind the pirate. The doctor looked up and past Jack and his eyes widened as he backed up several steps.
Another man stepped out beside Jack, being very tall and extremely broad and massive looking, with a large dark beard and long dark semi-curly hair. He stood clad in a black coat and black pants and black boots, a white shirt with leather gun straps criss-crossed across his broad chest. His icy blue eyes were wary and his features extremely tanned as he looked from one of them to the other around the room. He saw Elizabeth and gave her a long look as a smile came to his lips.
"Evening m'am" he said in sincere politeness and Jack seemed suddenly amused as the man moved away from him somewhat.
"She's taken Marcus. Married to Bootstrap's boy." He said and the taller pirate looked around the room, spotted Will and grinned.
"Well I'll be damned! Nathan, come look at this lad! He's the spittin image of his pa!" he exclaimed back towards the kitchen and now another man came forward, just barely taller than Jack and with reddish hair tied back with a black bow.
This one was clad in a long grey velvet coat with gold embroidery on the cuffs and clean shaven. He followed Marcus's gaze and grinned with a low chuckle and looked back at the kitchen.
Two more men came out, one in brown with a small goatee and another with dark hair and in a red velvet coat. Norrington slowly rose with a very dark look as the last two drug between them a very limp looking Mr. Gillette clad in his uniform and wig.
"Now just relax folks. All of you." Marcus drawled in a low growl, staring directly at the Commodore as the doctor backed up clear across the room now.
"John, Daniel - put him on the floor in front of the fireplace. Gently." Jack instructed as he finally holstered his gun and the last two did so, actually being quite easy with the limp form.
"Sparrow -" Norrington growled harshly as he went over to the still soldier and the man in brown stayed nearby, seeming amused.
"Hey I know you - Marcus this is the fellow! Commodore Norrington himself!" he said as if amazed and the Commodore looked up at him warily.
"Yes I know Saxon - leave him alone." Jack told him and the man grinned at him.
"Aren't you going to introduce us Jack?" the doctor asked over as he seemed to have recovered from his surprise and the pirate smiled mildly at Elizabeth as he went and took her hand and brought her back with him. She looked at him uncertainly.
"Mi'lady - straight out of your books, may I present Captain Marcus Bellamy, his ship is called-" "The BonAmiee!" she said before Jack could and Marcus chuckled as he bowed and kissed her hand.
"You flatter me m'dam" he said silkily and Jack chucked and guided her to the man with the red hair and she smiled at him.
"Captain Nathan Howard, I presume?" she said and he smiled broadly.
"En'chante mademoiselle" he purred as he kissed her hand as well and she blushed mildly. One by one Jack introduced her to each of the Captains in turn. She seemed extremely pleased by the time they had finished and he had let her return to Will's side.
"May I ask what happened to my officer?" Norrington asked gruffly and the pirates all grinned at each other. Marcus parked one hand on his hip as he strolled forward as if very much at home now.
"Well, I'll tell you good sir. By good brothers here, we were perfectly agreeable when Jack sent the message and suggested we all come on one ship, instead of sailing all 4 of our ships int' yer bay here. I can be reasonable after all. Well, I'm afraid your man there was intending to spy on myself and Captain Sparrow - which I rather expected to tell you the truth. My quartermaster caught him on the docks and brought him in as I had instructed. Not a hair harmed on the lad's head up t' that point." He told them, and the others all seemed sincere as they nodded in agreement.
"But, well, I'm afraid just the sight of all of us sittin' at the table getting ready to take dinner and a spot of spirits must of startled the poor man. Passed out and hit his forehead on the table edge on the way done. Bit embarrassing to tell you the truth man. We're not exactly the son's of Satan here. My ship's physician said he'll live, just have a bit of a headache when he wakes up. No way Sparrow could bring him back alone though, so we decided to take a little walk and accompany him." He said and Norrington looked doubtful and the man grinned.
"All by myself I probably would have just thrown him overboard. Let the water wake him up - but Jack's laid claim t' the bugger, so we had to bring him home." He said as if a bit disappointed and Norrington raised an eyebrow at Jack and the one smiled and shrugged.
"Be glad we're all members of the Brethren man - I have a feeling Sparrow will be a lot more merciful with that one than any of the rest of us would be. VERY annoying little man! My quartermaster hauls him up onto my ship and he up and proceeds to inform my guests that they are under arrest in the name of the King?" He said with a chuckle and Jack grinned.
"Well I never said the boy was brilliant, just that I know him and no you can't go makin' fish food out of him just because the man is a royal pest. If anyone gets to make fish food out of Mr. Gillette, its' gonna be me. Man doesn't even have a ship yet at this point." He said with a gesture at the still limp form.
"Give him a year or so after he gets one before ye' blast 'im outta the water Jack. Not fair, man like you pickin' a little junior Commodore and all before he's been on the water long enough to know when its best to turn tail and run like the devil himself is after him!" the one in the red velvet coat said, and the others all laughed. Jack turned and gave the man a solemn look with his hand over his heart and his head tilted slightly as if in deference.
"Aye, ye' have my word on it Dan Landers - just fer' you." He said very piously, and now the others laughed even harder and longer. Marcus clapped Jack on the back strongly and hard, and the pirate started coughing some, quickly trying to stop and then seeming breathless for a moment. Now the one in the brown frowned over at Doctor Cook.
"You there sir - did you know this man has the wet lung still? You're supposed to be his doctor and you let him out? On a ship no less? In the night air?" he demanded and the others all looked a bit surprised. The other pirates all seemed amused as Jack scowled at the man in brown.
"Now behave yerself John Saxon - just because y' have a medical background doesn't mean y' have the right to be telling another doctor what to do." Marcus told him and the man raised an eyebrow right back at him.
"Considerin' that we lost Nichols just last spring to the wet lung and he'd been 3 weeks since his ship went down and he nearly drowned - yes I do have a right. Ye' can feel the water still in Sparrow when he gets to coughing hard." He said as he stepped over to Jack and leaned forward with a pointed finger.
"YOU belong in BED! And if you had a ship's doctor like you should, that's exactly where you'd be Sparrow." He told him and the pirate smirked at him.
"Then now you know why I don't John - so leave it. Reynolds is more likely to be back to try to kill me before a cough will anyway." He said casually and the man made a face of dismay as he turned to the others beyond in the room.
"And the all of you didn't even bother to tell him? If Jack here hadn't spent the last bit tonight telling us about that gone on around here, I'd think you weren't telling because you're just waiting for Reynolds to come back and relieve you of him. And I'm still not sure that I'm wrong about that." He said, and now Marcus frowned deeply and nodded, as did the rest of the pirates.
"Now wait gentlemen - This man Mr. Reynolds is looking for a Lord Stuart. He wants Captain Sparrow so he can be questioned and help them find this missing Lord. Yes - he said if he takes Jack back to England, they would hang him. Well, why can't he question Jack right here and leave him here. He's not really after Jack at all. He can't take Jack if Commodore Norrington says no." Elizabeth told them all and the group of pirates all exchanged very skeptical looks.
"Begging your pardon ma'am - but the 4 of us don't believe for a second that this man is after any missing lord. We think he's no more than another bounty hunter after Sparrow. That's why we're here making sure your Commodore isn't just holding him until Reynolds comes back for him. It's the bloody French that want his head. Considering that Reynolds is an Englishman, him being a bounty hunter for the French is downright treason in my book." said the man in the red velvet coat and the others all frowned deeply.
"I can assure you no one is taking Sparrow anyplace." Norrington said gravely as he rose to face them, looking them in the eye and the pirates all considered him intently, the tension in the room practically palatable between the single military man and the group of pirates.
"What proof do you have that Reynolds IS a bounty hunter? He showed us circulars he'd had made up to help him find this lord. Jack's name isn't even on them. Not at all. When Jack went to Santiago de Cuba and Lord Stuart came and helped him buy supplies to bring here to us - that's when Reynolds decided he needs to talk to Jack. Do the rest of you know this Lord Stuart as well?" Will asked and while three shook their heads with mild frowns, it was Marcus who smiled as if amused by the question.
"Aye - I knew him. Hasn't been around very much in ages boy. Seems to me if a man wants to walk away from someplace or something, he ought to have the freedom to do so. Even if the man's family would like to see him - even if they do hire someone to look for the fellow - since when does this privately hired investigator of theirs now have the power to be capturing people? Is this man Reynolds some kind of appointed authority? Who gives him the power to arrest anyone? Or take anybody anyplace for questioning?" he asked demandingly, and the blacksmith looked a bit puzzled.
"You - you know this Lord Stuart as well?" Norrington asked of Marcus, with a quick look at Sparrow who he noticed was nodding as well.
"Oh aye! Tell you what Norrington - this man Reynolds shows up and wants to talk to someone about Lord Stuart, you tell him to forget Sparrow and come see me. I've known the man for close to nigh on 20 years here soon. You tell him last time I spoke to Stuart was a lot more recent than when Jack brought you your supplies. I've had the man over to dinner and drinks and a game of cards on my ship real, real recent here like! I'd be delighted to talk to the gent. Guarantee him free passage - the whole 9 yards." Marcus told him and Norrington looked rather surprised.
"You tell Mr. Reynolds to come see me. I'll be glad to help him contact Jackson. If he shows up anytime in the next 30 days, you tell him to come over to Tortuga and just ask at the wharves for Marcus Bellamy or the BonAimee. But you know what Commodore? I'll wager you your weight in gold that he won't be interested. He'll still be after Sparrow. And when he's after a member of the Brethren - for a bounty - he's got trouble with the lot of us." Marcus added almost menacingly and Norrington looked at Jack to find him looking rather amused as he watched Gillette now trying to sit up.
The younger military man seemed rather confused, looked around, saw the group of pirates and gasped loudly. Then he noticed the brown clad man who was immediately at hand and his eyes widened to a near-to-terrified extreme.
"BOO!" the pirate said, moving fast as if to grab him and Gillette scrambled backwards quickly, causing the group of outlaws to laugh soundly.
"Saxon! For the love of god man -" Jack exclaimed in exasperation then coughed for a bit and the one gave him a wink and an evil chuckle.
"Couldn't resist mate," he said as he made his way over to Jack who made an effort to wave him off as he stopped coughing finally. The man in brown stood very, very close before him, watching him with a rather imperious look.
"What?" Jack asked and the one gave him a mock-evil grin.
"I still say I should just kidnap you for - oh about another 3 weeks ought to do it. Then you won't have to worry about Reynolds in the least. We'll let Marcus play with the little rat. He likes to play with his food before he eats it." He said and Jack arched an eyebrow at him sharply.
"Don't even try it John Saxon. Don't even try it." he growled back sternly and the other sighed at him.
"Alright Sparrow - but I swear if anything untoward happens, I am going to come back and whoever is responsible is going to wish to god they had been given to Marcus. There are enough pirates dying either in unwise raids or due to the military folk, without ones like you doing it from such a preventable cause. We don't need you doin' something stupid on us." He said and Jack rolled his eyes and sighed at him with his head tilted to one side.
"I'm not goin to" he said and the one gave him a narrow-eyed look.
"Well just see you don't my friend. Now isn't it a bit past your bedtime? I do believe I heard the doctor objecting to the hour - oh, a good 20 minutes ago now?" he asked in a silky purr, and Doctor Cook quickly nodded as he came over.
"Yes it is - much, much past. My name is Edmund, sir. Edmund Cook. I don't think I've heard of a man of your occupation coming from a medical background." He said and the brown clad one smiled mildly.
"John Saxon. Aye, I'm a bit rare in my profession - but you'd be surprised I think. Too much attention is given to perpetuating the image of the ignorant, evil, rampaging pirate. Of course that makes it a bit easier for us types. Fire a few balls and more often than not they'll surrender on the spot and even be ready to hand you their cargo manifests.. But I can't say I object to that. How did you come to be in Port Royal?" he asked conversationally as they moved away a bit. Jack rolled his eyes as he moved over nearer to Marcus who seemed vastly amused.
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