Chapter 21: Coco's Island to England and Spain

An island in the Caribbean wasn't exactly hard to find, but an uninhabited one is; even the smallest islands were likely to have one or two families settled. Ducky was in the brig, and had been for almost three weeks before an island was found. It was, by way of marooning islands go, a luxury. There were fruit trees, and fresh water, along with caves for shelter, but it was off the beaten track by several days, and the possibility of someone rescuing the murderous cook were slim to none.

Jack stood at the bow of the ship; something was nagging him about the island, but he couldn't for the life of him think what it could be. Gibbs was looking over a map, hardly surprised to find it mapped, as were most of the islands. He carried the map to Jack, and pointed out the tiny dot against the background of the sea. "'Tis called 'Cocos Island', Cap'n. 'Tis where many men have lost more'n their lives, an' no one can figure out why."

Jack nodded, satisfied. "*That's* what's been buggin' me, Gibbs. Get the plank set fer walkin', savvy?" he yelled to the crew, and the jumped to action. It wasn't long before Ducky was standing on the end of the plant, hands bound, and a pistol ready to throw to him in the water. It was shallow enough for Ducky to reach the bottom and retrieve the pistol, but deep enough for the Pearl to sail unhindered.

"Ye won't get away wi' this, Jack," Ducky called from the end of the plank, and Jack sighed. "It's *Captain* Jack to you!" he called. "Why do they all say that?" he asked Isabelle, who was standing next to him. She shrugged, and Jack shook the end of the plank, dumping Ducky into the water. Isabelle threw the pistol overboard, and glanced at her father. "There is a chance he'll get off, Da - ye do realise that, aye?"

Jack laughed, "Aye, p'raps he might. But I'll be a damned man afore I let a simple cook get the better of me." Isabelle nodded, and walked with her father to the helm. Jamie and Louisa watched from the bow. "Why is it that Isabelle and Jack are so close?" she asked, and Jamie shrugged. "I've ne'er been able to figure that bit out, myself. Ma'ma thinks it's because Da was the first person she ever saw, but she has said it was because Da taught her how to live on the sea, how to survive without land."

Louisa nodded, "They're closer than Da an' I ever were. It's as though they're linked...." Jamie nodded, "Aye. Isabelle told me once, when she was younger, that she could feel whenever Da was hurt. I heard Da tell ma'ma the same thing, not so long ago. When Isabelle cut her foot open on a sword that had been left lyin' 'round, Da told ma'ma that he'd felt it. It were true - Da was limping for just as long as Isabelle were."

Louisa dropped her gaze, and looked over the ocean. "It's almost like that with Will an' I, but not to the same extent. If he gets hurt, then I know, but I cannae feel it - you know what I mean?" she asked, and she felt Jamie nod beside her. "Aye - I know when ma'ma's hurt - ye can hear her from a mile away!" Louisa laughed, and punched her friend in the arm. "That's not what I mean, ye fool!" Jamie nodded, "Aye, I know, but I thought I'd liven the mood, savvy?" Louisa nodded, "Savvy. Now, what do ye say we try an' take o'er the watch in the crow's nest, aye?"

She didn't give Jamie a chance to answer, as she jumped from the edge and ran towards the mast. She didn't bother to check with either of the captains, just climbed up, and told the man at the top that she was taking over. He didn't argue - he preferred the deck anyway. Jamie was only a half a second behind, and the pirate glanced at them sharply, and climbed down with a smug grin on his face.

Jamie leaned on the edge, and Louisa stood opposite. "Well, we're up 'ere now, so what did ye have planned?" Jamie asked, rasing his eyebrows in an imitation of his father. Louisa laughed, and crossed over to him. "Nothin' really... just to see if ye'd follow me or no!" Jamie leaned closer to her, until they were less than an inch apart. "Really? And if I hadn't followed ye...?" he began, and trailed off. Louisa laughed softly, "Then I'd have had t' drag ye up by your feet, savvy?"

Jamie laughed, and started to lean ever so slowly towards her. Louisa felt she was melting in his eyes - they were so dark, so strong, so... him. Indeed, everything about him yelled strength, but at the same time, she knew he was a gentle person when he needed to be. She barely felt his hand cup the side of her face, was hardly aware of his other hand at her waist. He was offering a challenge, that much she knew, and she'd already begun to respond when a shout from below sent them apart faster than a loose sail in strong winds.

Will (Sr.) was directly under the mast, "What flag is the ship flyin'?" he yelled up, seemingly oblivious to what he'd interrupted. Louisa was closest to the spyglass, and called out, "The English, Cap'n." Will nodded, and called back to Jack, where he was steering at the helm. He nodded, and called something back, but it was lost in the sudden gust of wind that shook the ship. Jack the monkey jumped out of the shadows near the stern of the ship, and perched on top of the wheel.

The conversation in the crow's nest no longer existed - both were too busy watching the ship to worry about their encounter. If the ship were to be attacked, or they to attack the other ship, then they were needed as lookouts, not layabouts.

On the deck, Isabelle was still standing near her father, though their topic of conversation had turned to the ship in the distance. "If it is an English ship, Da, then won't they notice the Jolly Roger an' pursue us with the intention of arrest or attack?" she asked, and Jack shook his head. "Not always, Bella. Sometimes the English try t' get the hell away from pirates, 'specially if they ain't armed, savvy?" Isabelle nodded, and reached out to scratch the monkey's head.

"I savvy, Da, but don't ye think it's a little unlikely that a passenger ship is this far out of it's way? More'n likely it's a Navy ship, or a privateer, with the order to attack all pirate vessels it comes across - am I right?" Jack laughed, "Aye, ye have more brains than most at your age, Bella. But we'll have a while to wait afore we see which of us is right, aye?" Isabelle nodded, and dropped her hand from the monkey's head, "Aye, Da. But I bet ye a fiver that we'll either have to run, or fight." Jack laughed and shook his daughter's hand, "Aye, 'tis a fair bet, Bella. But I do warn ye, there is a ver' big chance ye'll be down a fiver by dinner." Isabelle laughed, "Then we'll see at dinner, Da."

Isabelle wasn't usually a betting person, but with her father she barely had to give any money away anyway - she had the famous Jack Sparrow wrapped around her little finger so tightly that it was a wonder he hadn't suffocated.

It wasn't long before the outcome of the bet was determined. The ship was headed towards them, and though it kept the English flag flying, it also added the Spanish flag to the second mast. Jack and Will exchanged glances, and Jack turned to see Isabelle with her arms crossed, a smile on her face. Jack glanced upwards and muttered, "T'ain't right, lettin' her have all the luck, ye know," before swinging the Pearl around to look straight upon the other ship.

Jamie and Louisa leaned on the edge of the crow's nest, staring at the ship. "Why does it have both English an' Spanish?" Louisa couldn't help but ask. Jamie shrugged, "Couldnae tell ye, Cannonfire, but I'm willin' t' bet that it be a privateer arrangement between England an' Spain - with them sharin' the spoils." Louisa didn't look away from the ship, "What are they doin?" she asked hurridly, after a momentary pause. The other ship was turning, changing course though still heading towards them.

Jamie took one last glance, then moved quickly to the other side of the crow's nest, "Cap'n! They be comin' round on the starboard side!" he called down to Will (Sr.), who relayed the message to Jack. Jack only grinned, and kept the same course. "Fool," mumbled Jamie under his breath, though Louisa heard it clearly. She raised her eyebrows, and he laughed. "He *is* my father, so I have the right t' criticize anything he does, aye?" Louisa laughed, turning back to look at the other ship. "Aye, well, I doubt that an encounter with a privateer ship will help us in the trip, no matter how well it's all pulled off," she said, and Jamie laughed, "Aye, ye be right there, Cannonfire. Ye be right there...."

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