Title: Jack Sparrow
Author: Stephanie M
Rating: Pg-13 may become an R
A/N: My first attempt at a potc fic, hopefully I've not made him too out of character though I'm looking at him form a child rather than an adult. This is purely a work of my twisted imagination and a want to explore a possible past for our beloved Jack. If you don't like it don't waste your time complain unless it's actually constructive pleas.
Summery: What first inspired Jack to become a pirate?
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for that which I do.
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~ Of William Turners Friends and Family ~
A boy, tall and far to skinny for his nine years of age, ducked and weaved through the crowd of the busy London street, clutching his hard won prize tightly in his hand a small self satisfied smile crossed his face as he ducked in to a nearby all, tucking his trinket safely in to a tatty pocket.
From the shadows provided by the ally walls, clever dark eyes stalked the occupants of the street, hunting their persons for anything of worth, spotting his pray, an oddly dressed young woman, with several gold rings and necklaces, the scruffy dark haired youth ducked back out of the ally and began his hunt.
It did not occur to the boy, as he gave chase that this woman, though looking like a high society lady, moved with a comfortable familiarity and ease through the poorer part of the city that one only acquired through living just like any other pauper. Nor did he take in to account her finely tanned skin and hard eyes that watched everything knowingly.
It was probably for that reason that he gave a startled cry when he found himself against a back ally wall with a deathly sharp dagger held against his throat. At some point the two had left the street and when he had reached for her purse, hung so temptingly at her side, she had spun with feline grace and attacked, no noble ladies could do that, could they?
"Give us the purse lad n I'll not spill ye' guts"
The boy blinked at the accent and comprehension dawned, and anger at his stupidity bubbled up inside of him, She was a pirate she'd known he was their all along, she'd lead him in to the ally, and to make it worse he'd let her. Grinding his teeth together he fished in to his pocket and pulled out the woman's purse. "You're a pirate ain't ye?" he enquired bravely failing to hide the small amount of awe in his voice, refusing to come away from this encounter empty handed.
She snatched the purse from his hand, and pulled her weapon away from his throat, the intricate dagger disappearing in to the fold of her skirt, though she flashed an approving smile at the young lad, revealing two gold teeth. "Aye. That I am." She replied slowly reattaching her purse to her belt.
Turning her sea green gaze back to the boy who had dared to try robbing her, she quirked a thoughtful eyebrow at him, he could practically see the coughs turning. "What's ye name lad?"
He stood up to his full height and puffed his chest out importantly. "Jack, Jack Sparrow Miss."
She nodded approvingly and held up a gold coin, her speech suddenly switching from that of a pirate to upper class British. "You know someone called William turner?" the boy nodded his head vigorously. "Good, I want you to pass on a message to him. Tell him Emily Blacks looking for him and that the Heartless is just off shore." With that she passed the now wide eyes boy the gold coin and took a step back, young sparrow turned to leave clutching the gold greedily, but stopped as the Piratess spoke again. "If you bring him to me you'll get two more coins like that, if you snitch on me I'll hunt you down and cut ye bleeding tong out, understood?" not turning the boy nodded his head and slipped out of the ally, he didn't doubt she would.
Jack had heard of female pirates they were uncommon but well known of, there were few of them, but those women respected as pirates were well known for being as ruthless as their male counterparts, and just as blood thirsty, they were not to be toyed with. Miss Emily Black was one of the better known women of the sea, though not so famous or important that the military gave her any cause for concern, simply well known enough to inspire fear in the poorer folk, of course that was all about to change
Emily Black watched the small form of the boy slip out of the ally as agile as a cat and vanish from her sight a small smile playing on her face, few people caught her interest as easily as this boy had. She glanced down at a tatty letter, one that had clearly been handled often, and chewed her lip in thought; fate could be a strange thing some days.
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Jack turned the gold coin over and over in his grimy hands, his quick mind racing, Emily Black was known for being rather ruthless and cutthroat and he'd herd that she never forgot a debt owed to her, so it was no wonder that the young lad worried for his dear friend. Frowning slightly, Jack tucked the coin away in to his pocket with his newly acquired trinket, scratching his head absently. following the path he'd walked over a thousand times in the past three years, his legs would take on a life of their own and he was left free to think over the events of the last half hour or so, as he wandered. It wasn't long before he'd reached his desired destination, a back ally undistinguishable from any other back ally in London.
Without the slightest hesitation, he pushed open a battered wooden door, granting him access to a back yard, so small there was barely enough room for the privy and himself. Paying it, nor the smell emanating from the creaking privy any heed Jack pushed open yet another door, this one leading him in to a small kitchen, where two young women worried over their tasks. He paid them little attention as did they, save a small nod of the head, the only respect he'd ever really been taught, before making his way in to the more lived in area of the tiny house.
Said house was rather quiet at this particular time of the day, as most of the youths inhabiting it's filthy walls were out either stealing or begging for money and food to help see them through the next few days, and up coming winter. In fact the only other occupants beside him and the two girls from the kitchen were three young lads, sat around a table playing some card game, the eldest, Peter Collins, twice Jack's age, the youngest 16 year old William Turner. It was he who watched the younger boy curiously as he entered, arching a curious eyebrow. "Your back early lad, what's the matter, not enough pickings for the mighty sparrow, or do you grow lazy in your old age?"
Jack fished in his pocket for the gold peace and flung it on to the table, knowing he'd get a flogging if he didn't pay his way like every one else in the poor excuse for a home, though he knew Turner wouldn't see him thrown out. "Neither good sirs! The pray has learned to bite back, and it sends a message!" he smiled rather shyly at the surprised looks on the boys faces, Jack may have been young but he was an excellent pick pocket, and rare was it for him to make a bad choice of victim, they seemed however more interested in the message and the origins of the gold peace.
"And what is this message?" asked the middle man of the trio, Joseph knot.
As he had done earlier when asked his name, Jack puffed out his chest importantly before relaying the message of the well known Piratess. "Miss Emily Black's looking for Will Turner and she says 'The Heartless' is just off shore." The reaction was amusing to say the least, clearly Knot and Collins had heard of the Piratess, for their reactions were what Jack had expected of Will, wide eyed fear and ashen faces, as they glanced wearily at Turner. The teen in question however was betraying no sign of fear, indeed his eyes were wide, but in shock rather than fear, and slowly, to the surprise of the other three, he slowly grinned and nodded, shifting in his chair slightly so as to address Jack better. "You sure 'twas her? Describe her to me."
"She ad green eyes, n' blond hair."
Realizing this was all he'd get from the nine year old; Will nodded his approval, seemingly satisfied that Jack was not lying. "Sounds bout right." He replied a small mysterious smile spreading across his lips.
Peter's eyes seemed to bulge at this and the sandy haired lad finally spoke, for the first time since Jack had entered the room. "I always said you were mad turner, but I never though you were stupid. The lad tells you a Piratess, known for her less than kind ways might I add, is looking for you, and you just sit their grinning, were you dropped on the ed as a babe? Or is stupidity just a trait in your family?" Joseph snorted at his outburst, the intelligent lad already guessing Will must know the Piratess somehow, Williams grin only seemed to widen.
"Well I wasn't dropped on me "ed, but you'd half to ask me Aunt Emily about family stupidity." To this statement the three boys simply replied with surprise, imitating fish with their mouths as they tried to put the peaces together in their heads.
Knott was the fastest to recover "A-aunt Emily? As in Black?"
Will nodded his head in response, having the decency to look a little sheepish about his well kept secret; never had he mentioned that he had any living kin, let alone that they were well known pirates. " Guess I should have mentioned it a long time ago, but I never though I'd see her again. Did she say anything else Jack?"
Jack, beginning to wonder if he had been forgotten snapped his head up and shook his head. "Only that I would get two gold coins if you showed up." He replied, both himself and Will trying to ignore the sputter of indignation protruding from Peters mouth.
Finally the eldest boy took a moment to breathe and put his thought in order, before speaking again. "So just why didn't you care to enlighten us of your rather interesting lineage?"
Will shuffled a little uncomfortably under the three gazes now boring down upon him. "It never seemed important, I mean like I said, I never though she'd come back, last time I saw her I was six, an' she weren't that important back then."
The other boys nodded their heads, excepting the explanation however lacking in detail it was, though Knott did have one last question. "So what changed, why's she ere now?"
This was answered with a half hearted shrug. "Dunno, probably came when she got me letter about Rachel, I sent it just after she died."
"That was two years ago!"
It was Peters turn to role his eyes at Jo, and play the know it all. "She's a Pirate you daft twat! A Caribbean Pirate! It'd of taken moths to get out there and longer for her to go an' get it no doubt."
"He's right Jo, it will of taken her a fair few moths to come here n all." Will chimed in, though his gaze forgiving of his friends laps in to stupidity.
"So what you gonna do then?"
Will looked at the two of them this time, as though they were stupid and the answer was quiet obvious, "I'm going to go of course."
"But their pirates!" came Peters scandalized cry, beggar and pickpocket he may have been, but piracy was an entire different league in the young mans eyes, William pitied him, and so did nine year old Jack.
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The many clocks in the city of London began to chime, as night reached its 11th hour, and Jack sparrow glared at the black ceiling from his makeshift bed on the floor, of his poor excuse for a home. Numerous other boys surrounded him, all of them curled up in rags of varying shades of grime, all of them sound asleep after their hard day of begging, and stealing. All of them except young Jack, he had been restless since will had proclaimed earlier that he was going to go and meet this Emily Black, somehow the nine year old knew if he did, the boy who he had come to admire, almost as a brother, would walk out of his life for good. Yet someone else he cared for, and trusted was abut to turn their back on him, grinding his teeth together he turned over under his sheet, barely more than a rag, and let sleep take him.
It wasn't long however when he heard movement from outside the room, someone moving quietly, though not quietly enough that Jack couldn't hear the rustle of clothes in the dead silence of night, or miss the occasional random creek from their old decrepit house.
Curiosity, alas a trait he would probably never shake, caught young Sparrow and he slid from his 'bed' to investigate the source of the noise. He was not surprised in the slightest to see Will creeping between the sleeping boys in the next room, a tightly wrapped bundle in his hand, and a resigned look to his face.
So he was going, well if Will was so was he! Quickly as possible and silent as a mouse, he crept back to his space, grabbed the few belongings that hadn't been stolen from him, or lost during his nine short years, and crept back out in time to see the door to the street being closed softly. He hesitated only for a moment as he remembered his friend's earlier words.
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Will pulled Jack aside as they walked down the street, looking for easy victims who were in need of lighter purses, Jack looked up surprised, but held his tong when he saw the serious look on Will's face. "I'll tell you this once and only once, don't follow me." At the confused look he sighed. "If I go, Jack, a pirates life, it's not the adventure the boys 'ill make it out to be k? It's not for you, stay here with knot and Collins, they'll see you right." And with that he stepped back out the ally they had hid in and engaged a middle aged woman in conversation, within a matter of minutes will had been shooed away, his pocket considerably fuller and hers considerably lighter, grinning as though he had never pulled jack aside in the first place.
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With a nervous beat of his heart Jack pushed the memory aside, tightened his hands around his pitifully small bundle, and followed young turner out on to the street, stalking him like a cat, through the various ally's and streets that lead to the docks, all the time the hunted blissfully unaware of his hunter.
It was not until he reached the docks that Jack realized his dilemma and stupid mistake, the pirate ship he had assumed would be their, was not, as Emily had said, it was just off shore. There was however a small row boat with two rather shifty looking characters, no doubt pirates, handling two oars each and watching Will with curiosity as he came closer to them.
"You turner?" asked one, William nodded albeit a little nervously.
"ain't much to look at is he?" this earned the other pirate, a broad shouldered man with a hefty chunk missing from one ear, a fiery glare from young Turner. His companion chuckled, at the lad's spunk and was rewarded with his very own glare that only served the broad shouldered one to laugh.
"Now, now lads, don't be teasing the boy." The sultry voice seemed to come from no where, as did the rather unorthodox woman it belonged too, she was dressed in men's clothing, shirt, pants, boots and coat, a sash tied around her waist with pistol and short sword tucked safely in to it. Jack recognized her instantly for the woman whom he had made the mistake of trying to rob earlier that day, something about Emily Black was just simply unforgettable, and under the cloak of night, and in the clothes of her trade she looked even more formidable than she had earlier when she had glared down at him.
The two men stopped sniggering at turner almost instantly and nodded, sitting themselves a little straighter in their boat.
Satisfied, they wouldn't interrupt with more laughter, Emily turned to face young William and smiled slightly at him, an action that seemed even to Jack who did not know her, strange upon the Piratess tanned face. "Emily Black, presuming your young will, though not quiet so young anymore" She offered him her hand, and William wisely took it, shaking it as he would any mans, treating her as an equal not as a woman.
"I didn't know if you'd come or not." The statement was a simple one, with no other intent but to state the obvious rather than dreg up old memories.
Emily nodded her head slightly at the comment. "Aye well, Louise's son or not, your still me nephew, and am sorry to not of met Rachel before she passed." Will, looked a little sad at the mention of his younger sister's name, but brushed it off, after all it had been two years since she had died, no point lingering over what ifs. Seeing the boys face change from cautious to that of evident pain, she sighed. "Dunn' be dwelling on the past lad, it cause's naught but pain for the soul." Will nodded, but said nothing, as she moved towards the waters edge, and climbed in to the small boat, with the practiced ease of a pirate. Before he took another step she spoke again. "You sure this is what you want lad? "'Tis your last chance to change your mind, ye know." William Turner looked up and hard brown eyes met knowing green ones . "'tis all I want!" he replied simply, no hint of hesitation in his voice, Emily Black smiled "Good!", Jack sparrow panicked.
Without another though Jack ran out from the shadows he had cloaked himself in and right up to the boat, calling out, just as Will sat down. "Liar! You said you'd not leave me, not like the rest!" The woman's head snapped up, and she was amused to find the young boy from earlier, stood at the very edge of the dock, practically shooting daggers at her nephew.
"I told you not to follow me Jack, you'll only get hurt."
The boys glare, if possible, became more venomous. "Don't care, no one else ever looked out for me, found e an 'ome you did, but it ain't 'ome unless there's someone who cares 'bout you there."
Will groaned when he looked up and saw the set jaw of the stubborn young boy, his face sporting the, 'I'm not giving in' look that will hated, though it was better than his puppy dog expression that had him agreeing to just about anything. He had to admit, in the past three years Jack had become his brother, if not by blood in every other way, and it hurt just as much to be leaving him behind, as it did for Jack to be left behind.
Glancing sidelong at his aunt he grit his teeth before looking back to Jack, whom was still staring stubbornly at him, damn him. "It's not my choice to make Jack, do as you pleas."
Jack seeing the nod towards Emily from Will, nodded and swallowed a little nervously as he turned his gaze towards the Piratess. "If you'd 'ave me miss, could I join your crew?"
An eyebrow was raised at the request, as the only woman present, bought a little time to think, having her nephew join her crew was all very well and fine, but to let a nine year old aboard, who had no need to be would only loose her respect among her crew. It looked however as though William would hate leaving his young friend behind, and she didn't want to start letting him down from their first proper meeting. Furrowing her brow, an idea occurred to her and she gave a slight wrinkle of her nose as she nodded her head at him. "You seem like an intelligent lad, tell me can ye read Sparrow?" she asked tuning green eyes back to the small lad before her.
His face seemed to light up and he nodded vigorously. "A little!" he proclaimed, hope bubbling up inside of him. Seeing the light in his eyes, she barreled on not wanting to build up his hope to much. "Don't get to excited, ah don't need crew that can read an' write, but I know a man who dose, if ye can read, then ye can write and if ye can't then he'll just half to teach ye. Now 'hurry up and jump in before you catch the dock masters eye, can't be doing with being chased away from England again."
Obediently Jack jumped in, he didn't know who it was Emily planed to send him to, but for now he didn't care, he had just escaped his retched life, for something far, far more exciting.
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It was maybe half an hour rowing before the shape of a ship in the distance came in to focus, and Emily black found herself wondering not for the lat time if taking Jack aboard had been the wisest cores of action. The boy whom she had caught her interest from their very first meeting, had begun talking within ten minutes of the long row, and had not since, shut up, babbling about everything from every day crime, that was his living, to family ties, and the similarities between the two distant relatives. It seemed that the boy was quiet intelligent for a nine year old thief, and quiet the chatterbox to boot, in fact he only truly shut up when a shadow fell over them causing him to look up and he saw for the first time, the ship that was soon to become his and Will's home.
The two boys felt a shiver run up their spines, both from eerie chill and excited nerves as they took in the magnificent site of the grand ship, Emily Black grinned with pleasure, as she realized things were defiantly about to get interesting. Behind her in red writing against ebony wood the ship proclaimed itself. 'The Heartless'
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A/N: who knows why but my original posting of this story has mysteriously vanished, I think a 'friend' deleted it by accident, but anyway, here's the improved 1st chapter for you all.
Steph~