Chapter 5

~*~ Jack's PoV ~*~

Instead of 'earin' the crack of a neck like I expected, I 'eard the swish an' thud of an ax an' a yelp from Kelly. Me eyes flew open an' I stepped forward involuntarily before I heard a grunt be'ind me. I whirled around an' felt a sword hit me ands, cuttin' the bonds keepin' them together an', at the same time, slicin' a deep cut in me palm. I looked up sharply an' saw a guilty-lookin' William Turner.

"Sorry, Jack," 'e squeaked as 'e pulled out a slightly smaller knife an' cut the noose from me neck.

"It's all right, lad. Just be more careful next time ye need to slit a sword between me only two 'ands!" I shouted as I pulled Will's extra sword form his belt an' struck out at a chargin' officer. "Where's Kelly?" I called over me shoulder to Will, who was fightin' fiercely. "What happened to her?"

"Don't worry!" Will replied, stumblin' round be'ind me from a blow that 'ad caught him off-guard. "Daniel's got her!"

"Aye, that won't make me worry at all," I mumbled to meself, thinkin' of what I was like as a sixteen-year-old lad. I grinned as me thoughts drifted off Kelly an' the fightin' at 'and to all the mummies an' daddies just waitin' fer me t' return so they could throttle me fer corruptin' their precious little lasses. A blow to the top of me 'ead from the blunt edge of a sword brought me crashin' back t' reality. I stopped dead in me tracks, droppin' me sword to me side, an' glared furiously at the now- tremblin' young officer that 'ad dealt me the blow.

"That was a lovely shot," I complimented 'im. "But, see, now, I'm really mad," I told him frankly before lashin' out with renewed vigor. After a few moments, I managed to knock him out.

"Pity," I mumbled to meself. " 'e was a good adversary."

I turned an' swung me sword at a much older commodore, if his uniform could be trusted to tell his position. The commodore blocked me thrust at the last second an' furiously, we began parryin', dancin' an' weavin' our way through the chaos. All around us were the sounds of sword-on-sword fightin' an' of ladies screamin' as they tried t' get their 'usbands an' "significant others" away from the danger of the fightin'.

"Jack!"

"Aye!" I shouted back as I tried me best t' slice the plume off the 'at of this pompous, lazy, bossy, show-offy, bragging son of a -

"Jack!"

- I swear I was going t' say wench.

"Jack, let's go!" Will called again.

"Bit busy at the moment!" I replied, giving me opposin' officer a rather nasty blow to the 'ead. I heard a shriek I immediately recognized as Kelly's begin an' trail off. I swung an' knocked the officer's sword from 'is 'and even as I looked around to see where me illegitimate daughter was (although I really do love 'er like a legitimate one!). Suddenly, I felt me 'at being lifted from me 'ead.

"Whoa!"

I spun around, jumpin' an' searchin' for me 'at. I spotted Will dartin' away with me 'at.

"William!" I shouted before stalkin' angrily after 'im. I reached the lad just after 'e made a very 'asty decision: 'e threw me 'at over the battlement wall!

"Ye threw me 'at! Over the wall!" I turned t' Will, a furious look on me face. "Why the bloody 'ell did ye do that?! Why?!?"

"Because if I didn't, you would've been killed!" Will defended 'imself, shrinkin' slightly away from me. "Jump!"

Before I could respond t' the command, the bloody idiot grabbed me by me shirt an' threw me over! 'E threw me over the wall! After me 'at!

The cold ocean water shocked me back to me senses. I came up sputterin' an' chokin'. I 'eard a splash next to me an' I turned t' see Will pop out of the water an' shake 'is 'ead like a dog, sprayin' water everywhere, includin' me. I growled at the foolish lad an' dunked 'im back under the water before I began swimmin' back t' me beloved Pearl. She was still all prettily dressed up in 'er English colors, but I could tell from all the commotion up on top of the battlement that they 'ad figured out that she wasn't an English merchant ship, but indeed the Black Pearl.

"Jack!" Will shouted, 'is powerful strokes through the water matchin' me own. "Where are you going?"

I rolled me eyes at the lad's thickness even as I swam.

"We are goin' to the Black Pearl," I replied. After swimmin' another few yards, I slowed an' caught Will by 'is shirt when 'e drew up beside me.

"What is it?" 'e asked, tryin' an' failin' t' follow me gaze.

"Tell me, William, why aren't our two lovely children swimmin' fer the Pearl?"

"I have no idea," Will replied honestly, 'is brow creasin'. "Let's go."

"Aye."

An' so we two set out t' catch up with Kelly an' Daniel. Before we could, 'owever, they decided to abandon whatever they were doin' an' make fer the Pearl. After about ten more minutes, Will an' I reached me lovely ship an' were tossed down ropes. First Will, then I was 'auled t' the deck, where we were greeted with cheers, blankets, and - me favorite of all - rum. Kelly an' Daniel stood a few feet from me, teeth chatterin' madly.

"Kelly, what were the two of yeh doin' out there when ye stopped swimmin'?" I asked curiously, after takin' a few long pulls from me bottle of rum. She turned to me with a furious look on 'er face, makin' me jump at the sight.

"He made me lose an earrin'!" she exclaimed, jabbin' a finger at a shiverin' Daniel. One of me favorite earrins' an' 'e lost it!"

"H - H - H - How did I l - lose it?" Daniel asked, puzzled and stumblin' over 'is words from 'is 'ypothermia. "You were the one wearing it."

"Yes, but if ye 'adn't thrown me over the bloody wall, I wouldn't 'ave bloody lost it, now, would I?" Kelly asked sarcastically, 'er eyes wide an' rather scary.

"Relax, Kelly. I'll buy yeh another earrin'," I told 'er. Everyone took an involuntary step back as Kelly's eyes narrowed an' ''er face grew dark.

"Ye can't buy me another bloody earrin'!" she shrieked, throwin' 'er 'ands up an' flailin' 'em around madly. "Those were me favorite earrins'! Ye can't just buy me another pair of favorite earrins'!" She yanked 'er 'air up away from 'er face an' pointed at one ear, then the other. "Yeh see? It looks just a bit odd if I've got only one bloody earrin'! I've got one 'ere, but not one 'ere! I - give me the rum."

She reached out for me bottle of rum as I tried to 'ide it from 'er. In the end, she (some'ow, I 'ave no idea, I 'ad the bloody rum in a vise-like grip) managed t' snatch it from me.

"Kelly, you can't drink that," Will protested, steppin' forward as Kelly spat out a mouthful of rum ont' the deck. "You're too young," 'e added as 'e tried t' pull the bottle away from 'er. 'e finally succeeded an' threw it overboard. I thought I was goin' to 'ave an 'eart attack right then an' there. Me eyes bugged out an' fer a moment, Kelly even gave 'er tirade about 'er bloody earrin' a rest.

"Ye threw the rum overboard," I said, completely shocked. "Why the bloody 'ell did ye throw the rum overboard?!" I shouted, getting' upset now.

"Don't worry, Jack. It went bad," Kelly assured me, wiping a dribble of rum from 'er mouth.

"Bad . . . It went bad . . . " I repeated suspiciously, lettin' it sink into me system.

"Bad . . ."

"I went bad . . ."

"Very bad."

"Very bad . . ."

"Yes, Kelly affirmed. "Very bad."

The entire ship was silent as I thought about this. Then, Kelly spoke.

"Now. Back t' me earrin' -"

Will picked up an empty rum bottle an' looked at it fer a moment before interruptin' Kelly.

"Kelly, I hope you can forgive me for what I'm about to do."

Kelly broke off mid-sentence an' looked at Will funny.

"Wha -"

She didn't even get t' finish 'er question before Will brought the bottle up and whacked Kelly upside the head with it. Kelly swayed an' dropped to the floor, where Daniel barely caught 'er before she 'it the deck. Everyone stared from Will an' 'is empty bottle t' me t' me unconscious daughter on the deck. It seemed they were waitin' t' see what I was goin' t' do. Finally I spoke.

"May the rum bless ye, William Turner," I told 'im, me eyes never leavin' Kelly's still form. I saluted 'im with a new bottle of rum that me first mate Gibbs 'ad 'anded me and took a long drink.

A/N: So, what did you think of the chapter??? If it totally sucked, then please tell me!!! I didn't particularly like the end, but I thought the beginning was okay!!!