Disclaimer:  I think I'd like to own the monkey. . .

AN:   okay, so here it is.  The ninth chapter.  Sorry it took so long, but I had a little bit of writers block to deal with.  Anyway, make sure you read the author's note at the end because there is an important question in it!

PineAppleLint:  in answer to your question, Jack is about ten years older than Lor.  So when she was seven, he was seventeen and so on.  Hey, those were my cookies. . .

Oil Pastel:  about the ring, well, we'll see. . .

AN2: and for anyone else who was wondering, Bootstrap was not the same age as Jack.  I'm not sure how old he was, but I tried to make it where Will was two when Lor knew Bill.  Sorry if what I just said confused you. . . I'm beginning to confuse myself.

"The past is the past. The only things you should regret are the things you know you can still change.  Then someday you'll regret them no longer."

Kiare's Jack Sparrow,

We'll Always Have Tortuga

Sui Generis

Chapter 9: Attack on the Port

            Lor rolled over on the large mattress that she slept on.  Her eyes moved beneath her eyelids, revealing to the world that she was dreaming.  She was dreaming dreams of a time long past, dreams of a simpler life where she held not the conscious of a captain, but the understanding of a child.

            She rolled over again, her fingers grabbing hold of a fistful of the sheets.  Her eyes bolted open as sleep was stolen from her by a loud boom.  Lor jumped out of the bed quickly, running over to the window that looked out over the sea.

            Lor ran to her bedroom door and threw it open, slamming the door into the wall.  "Elizabeth!" she cried, running down the hallway.  "Elizabeth!  We need ta leave!"

            At the sound of crying, Lor ran into the living room to see Elizabeth sitting on their sofa, holding her two children in her arms.  The children were crying, their tear stained faces hidden in the folds of their mothers dress.  "You have ta get ta some place safe," she started.

            Elizabeth nodded.  "I know.  There is a cabinet in the next room with some swords that Will made.  We will need them if we run into any pirates.  We can go to the fort; Norrington will allow us to stay there."

            Lor rushed out of the room and entered the sitting room.  She threw open the cabinet doors and took two swords, placing one in her belt.  She tucked a knife into the back of her belt and then left the room.  Elizabeth and her two frightened children waited in the hallway.  "Where are Jack and Will?" Lor asked.

            "Will is at the smithy, and Jack . . . well Jack is wherever Jack goes.  To a tavern most likely."

            Lor shook her head, handing one of the swords to Elizabeth and walked towards the front door.  "He'll know you're going to the fort?  Will, I mean."

            "Yes.  We've made it a sort of rendezvous point in case of an attack."

            "Good.  I want you to go there.  I'll find Will and Jack," Lor replied, placing her hand on the door handle.  She opened the door quickly and turned to step outside when a voice stopped her.

            "'Ello poppet."

            "Oh, bugger."

            Will ran through the streets of Port Royal, trying to make it back to his home and family.  Pain exploded in his head as something sharp hit him in his face.  He fell down on his hands and knees, closing his eyes as tiny bursts of light started to dance in his vision.

            "'At's a right good shot, mate," a rough voice said in front of him.  "Think ya missed a lit'le though.  Shouldn't that a blown 'is 'ead off?"

"Sorry ta disappoint ya, ye blighter," a second voice replied.  "S'not like I was waitin' fer 'im."
            Will shook his head, trying to clear his vision.  He opened his eyes slowly, hoping to ease the pain.  He pushed himself up with his hands and then stood up straight to look at the two pirates that had spoken.  He drew the sword at his side quickly, holding it up in front of him.  The pirates stared at him and started laughing.

"Look at 'im!  Drawin' 'is sword at us!  You think you'll beat us, eh, mate?"

Will said nothing, slipping into a defensive position.

"'E's got balls, I'll give 'im that," the second pirate said.

Still, Will said nothing.  Without giving the two men a chance to say anything else, he pushed off with his feet, lunging at them.  The first man stepped back, drawing his sword to block Will's weapon.  The second man withdrew his sword as well, attacking from the side.

Will's hand went to his side and pulled out the hidden dagger that he kept there, blocking the man's sword.

"'At's no way fer a proper man ta fight," the first pirate exclaimed.

Will kicked the man in his knee, sending him to the ground and then pushed back with his other hand, making the other pirate fall back.  "I'm not proper," he replied.  "My father was a pirate."

Jack grinned wildly; smoke billowing out around him from the burning tavern behind him.  Cannons sounded in the distance, those of the pirate ship attacking and the returning fire from the fort.  The men in front of him stared at him as if he was crazy, and of course he must look it.  His wild brown hair blew about his face.  Soot was smudged on his face and neck.  His white shirt was torn at the shoulder where a small cut could be seen.

The three men pulled out their swords and started to advance on him.  His grin widened slightly.  "You think that wise, mates?"

They stopped walking for a moment, and then continued on.  The first man to attack attacked from the right.  Jack dodged to his left before drawing his sword.  The next man to attack was met with a kick to the ankles from Jack, and then a punch to the throat as he fell.  The man fell to the ground gasping for breath. 

The third man attacked from behind, swinging his sword at Jack's neck.  Jack ducked and before he could turn around to retaliate, a shot rang out.  The man behind him fell to the ground, blood oozing from a gun shot to his back.  The first man attacked again, only to get struck down by Jack's sword being sliced across his throat.

Jack turned around slowly to find three of his crew and two of Lor's standing behind him.  "'Bout time you showed up," he said, sheathing his sword.  "The Pearl an' the rest o' the crew still safe?"

"Aye, Cap'n," AnaMaria replied, reloading her pistol.  "The other ship caught us unprepared; otherwise we woulda come ta find ya an' the others."

"Where's Cap'n Adams?" the old man, Conroy, asked.

"With Elizabeth.  She should be safe," he answered, then turned his attention back to AnaMaria.  "What ship is it?"

"The Sui Generis."

Lor parried the sword that was thrust at her and then lunged forward and punched the man in his face.  She twirled around him, smashing her elbow into the back of his head.  The pirate crumpled to the ground, an unconscious heap.

She spared a glance over at Elizabeth.  The woman had hidden her children behind her skirts and was currently doing her best to fight off a pirate one handed.  Lor slashed the man across the back making him fall face first on the floor.  She wiped the blood off of her cheek from a small cut and looked at Elizabeth.  "Get out of here Elizabeth!  Get your children to safety!"

Elizabeth nodded, and then started to push her children down the hallway towards a back door.  They had made it halfway when three pirates jumped out of the living room, their guns and swords drawn.  One of the men punched Elizabeth in the face with enough force to knock her unconscious.  She crumpled to the floor, her eyes closed, the sword falling from her limp hand.

The other two men grabbed Alex and Emily, holding the struggling kids close to their bodies, making sure that the little children didn't get away from them.  "No!" Lor cried, running at the three men.  A hand grabbed her arm roughly and turned her around.  She swung her arm around, hoping to catch the person who grabbed her with her fist, but hesitated when she saw who it was.

"Hello, dear.  I've been lookin' fer you."

"Skinner."

"Aye, lass.  That be me.  Now, it be time ta come wit' me.  I think ya 'ave somethin' I want."

"Let them go, you bastard.  They 'ave nothin' ta do with this."

Skinner smirked. Lor tried to raise her arm up to stab him with her borrowed sword but Skinner knocked the weapon from her hand and then kicked at her legs with his booted feet.

Lor's knees started to buckle under her but she forced herself to stay upright.  Skinner laughed and then in one push, threw Lor into the hallway wall, cracking the wall behind her.  She fell to the floor, a fallen heap.

Will stepped over the fallen bodies of the two pirates that had attacked him, wiping the small trickle of blood off of his forehead.  He sheathed his sword and started to walk towards his house again.  A hand touched his shoulder and he swung around, ready to attack whoever had grabbed him.

"Easy lad," Jack said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture.  "Just me an' some simple pirates."

"Who're ya callin' simple, Jack?" AnaMaria asked.  "It's good ta see ya again, Will."

"You as well, AnaMaria.  But, I need to get home.  Elizabeth is home with Alex and Emily.  If the pirates attack them. . . "

"Easy lad.  Lor's there with them.  She'll protect them."

"I hate ta say this Cap'n, but the Sui Generis is the one that attacked," Conroy said, interrupting them.  "Skinner's on board an' he'll want the Cap'n.  She still 'as the map."

Jack looked at him, the information slowly sinking in.  He turned around quickly and ran down the road, Will and the rest of the pirates following suit.

Jack stepped into the ruined hallway, his eyes taking in the crumbled wall and the broken pictures lying on the floor.  He looked up slowly, glancing at the entire floor, looking down at the two fallen bodies of pirates, and then his eyes fell on Elizabeth's prone body.  "Oh, no."

"What?" Will asked.  "Jack what is it?  Let me see."

Will pushed past Jack to find out what he was talking about.  His eyes widened slightly as he took in his wife's form.  He ran to her side, lifting her head up to lie on his lap.  "Elizabeth, love, wake up," he whispered, the words barely audible to anyone else's ears.  "Come on, my love, open your eyes."

Jack held his breath as he watched Will touch her face gently, leaning over her, his forehead touching hers.  He started to say something when a voice interrupted him.

"Jack Sparrow, I should have known."

AN: Next: Chapter 10: Lies and Truths.

AN2:  okay, so this part of the story is almost over, although there are more than a few chapters left.  I know exactly how I'm going to end it, but I just don't know when I'm going to.  BUT!  But I have an idea for a sequel and maybe even a sequel to the sequel!  The only thing is, is that I cannot figure out a name for the second part to this story.  I don't want to call it "Sui Generis 2", so I would like you to help me out.  Send me ideas for names, and I will pick the best one!  See ya next time!  ;P

Plz r/r!