Pirates of the Caribbean 2: The Return of the Aztec Gold

Notes: Okay so here's chapter five…we're not even halfway there so hang in guys!

Chapter Five: The Rock and the Rum

The sunshine beamed down on Anna's face and she opened her eyes. She looked around her and saw nothing but a rocky surface. Elisabeth was sitting in front of her, her knees to her chin, staring out at the ocean.

"They're gone." She said. Anna stared at her back.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The ship was destroyed. We're probably the only ones alive. And Will..." Elisabeth explained. Anna could hear the tears in her voice without even seeing them. Anna stood up and walked around to face her. She crouched down and took Elisabeth's chin in her hand and lifted it up. They looked each other in the eyes.

"There is no way you be certain they are dead. You will not convince me they are unless you have their bodies hidden in your nightclothes...which I doubt." Anna said. A small smile appeared on Elisabeth's face.

"So be glad you are alive. Then we can think about whether Will and everyone else is dead or alive." Anna said. Elisabeth wiped her face and nodded. Ann took her by the arm and led her up the rocky shore into the shade.

"Do you think they are alive?" Elisabeth asked.

"I don't know. It doesn't pay to think about it though. What good would it do?" Anna replied.

Elisabeth nodded.

*Meanwhile*

Will opened his eyes, squinted from the sunlight, and sat up. Jack was sitting on a log not far away with a bottle of rum in his hand.

"Where did you get that?" Will asked.

"Every deserted island nowadays is stocked with hidden troves of rum. It's a pirate's way of staying alive when marooned." Jack replied, taking a long drink. Will stood up and grabbed the bottle of rum from Jack. He poured the contents into the ocean and set the bottle down in the rocks.

"Why have you poured out the rum?'' Jack yelled, standing and grabbing the bottle. He tipped his head back as far as he could and turned the bottle upside down over his open mouth. While he attempted to pour out the last drop of rum, Will ripped a piece of cloth from his shirt and laid it across a rock. Jack put the bottle back on the ground and he looked at Will.

"What are you doing? Message in a bottle?" He asked.

"I'm going to try." Will replied.

"For your trying's sake, it's be more effective to climb into that bottle yourself and pull the cork down with you." Jack replies, taking the bottle up again and walking down to shore.

"Maybe. But at least then I would feel accomplished." Will replied, looking up at Jack as he searched for something to write with.

"The only way you could ever feel that accomplished would be to find something to write with. Of course, you'd still not know how to tie a pirate knot so therefore you'd have to stay ashore with your bonny lass and find something sharp to cut yourself with so you can take note with your own blood." Jack said. Will looked at him with wide eyes.

"I've had to write a lot of messages." Jack said.

Will continued to look for a writing utensil and Jack sat on a rock next to him.

"So what is it you plan on writing? What good you believe it will do?" Jack asked.

"Maybe Elisabeth is still out there. Maybe they're all still out there." Will replied.

"Doubt it. The ship is gone. I'm surprised the two of us survived." Jack said. Will gave no answer but he still searched for something to write with. Finally he stood up.

"I'm going to look around the rest of the island for something." He said.

"Won't do you much good, mate. Most of these islands really aren't that big." Jack said.

"You have a strong confidence level, don't you?" Will said sarcastically.

"We've been marooned on a rock, mate. How confident am I supposed to be? Are you really that confident in your abilities to survive? Or are you just planning on surviving on the idea that Elisabeth is still alive?" Jack replied.

"Suit yourself." Will said angrily. He began to walk away to both look for a writing utensil and get away from Jack.

"If you decide to come back bring some rum!" Jack yelled after him. Will made no motions or noises in reply to him, so Jack stood up and started off to where the rum was hidden. The large rocky cliff towered above as he turned the corner of a cave. He stopped when he heard voices. He took out his pistol, just in case. He peered around the corner and sighed, He put the pistol back and walked around.

"Its funny how small these islands really are." He said.

Anna and Elisabeth stood up.

"Jack! You're alive!" Anna said.

"Of course I am. Are you forgetting who I am, lass? I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack replied.

"Who could forget?" Anna mumbled.

"Is Will alive? Have you seen him?" Elisabeth asked.

"He's fine. In fact he's looking to write you a message in a bottle to see if you're alive." Jack explained.

Elisabeth gave him a puzzled look. She turned when she heard rocks shift from behind and saw Will standing there.

"Elisabeth! You're alive!" Will said.

"Well now that we've established that everyone is indeed alive and breathing, could someone help me with the rum?" Jack announced.

Anna followed Jack towards a small tree by the cliff.

"Is that all that's in there? Rum?" Elisabeth asked.

"Bread and cheese." Jack said.

"How stale is the bread?" Elisabeth asked.

"Like a rock." Jack replied in a sarcastically cheerful tone.

"I'll take it." Elisabeth said. Jack opened a trap door underneath the tree and pulled out a cloth sack. He put his arm in and pulled out a loaf of bread. He handed it to Elisabeth and she took it. Jack handed another to Will and one to Anna. But Anna didn't take it.

"Bread or cheese?" He asked.

"Neither." Anna replied.

Jack shrugged. "Suit yourself." He sat the bag down and went in for the rum. He came out with four bottles and handed one to each person, saving one for himself. Anna held hers close to herself.

"I'm going for a walk." She said.

"Alright. See you in two minutes...maximum." Jack said.

Anna nodded and walked away from them. Once she turned the corner, she dropped the bottle of rum in a bush by the cliff and kept walking.

Elisabeth looked after her as she walked.

"Have you ever seen her eat or drink anything?" She asked, turning to Jack and Will.

"Only once. It wasn't much." Jack said, drinking the rum from the bottle in big gulps.

"And why is it that she knew Barbossa was at the treasure cave?" Will said.

"She's strange. That's my solution." Jack replied, knowing which direction they were taking the conversation.

"And why does she always hide from the moonlight?" Elisabeth said.

"She's afraid of it!" Jack said.

"Why is she afraid of it?" Elisabeth asked.

"I don't know! But its probably for a good reason." Jack said, desperately hoping to change the subject.

"I saw something in her dress once. Something shiny...gold. I think she's been to the treasure cave before. Only she brought back a little something to save for memory." Elisabeth said.

"Aztec gold..." Will said.

"NO! No wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong! Why would she take a piece of Aztec gold in the first place? What makes you think she did? She could just be a little strange!" Jack argued.

"Jack, as much as we want to believe that we can't. She took something from there. I know she did." Elisabeth said.

"Well...Miss I-Know-Everything...tell me this..how is it she came to us from the middle of nowhere-near the treasure cave. We were seas away from it!" Jack said. Elisabeth sat silent, looking up at Jack, who was now standing.

"That's what I thought. Now if you'll be so kind as to not accuse her of anything else while on this island. Oh and by the way...you'll never break the bread. As I said...its a rock." Jack said.

He went off looking for Anna only to turn back and grab his rum bottle from off the rock.

"Forgot my rum." He mumbled. He again set off for Anna.

Anna sat down in the sand and stared out at the ocean. She pulled out the gold coin and stared at it. She remembered Paul. Was he possibly alive? It was possible considering Will and Jack were alive. Then again, Will was with Jack the last Anna remembered, and Jack was a sharp man. Of course he had survived. Anna's eyes filled with tears as she thought about Paul. She remembered how she had hidden from him in the brig. She was cruel to him when he first came on board. She let the tears fall down her cheeks and she placed the coin back in her dress. She pulled her knees into her chest and buried her face in her arms. Jack stumbled upon her and sat down beside her.

"What's wrong, love?" He asked. Anna lifted her head up, her face red and tear-streaked.

"I don't know who I am, Jack." she said. "I'm so lost here."

Jack handed her the rum bottle. Hesitantly, she took it. She shifted her eyes to him.

"Listen, lassy. There's something we all don't know about ourselves. But there's no use pondering over it. You're not going to learn anything. The only way you'll learn something about yourself is if you get yourself drunk." Jack said.

Anna gave him a puzzled look.

"Well...maybe not anything useful. Alright, let's put it this way. If you wan t to know who you really are, ask someone. Simple as that." Jack replied.

"Jack, who am I?" Anna said.

"Now, that's something you have to find out for yourself." Jack answered, grinning.

"But...you just said..." Anna argued.

"I know what I just said. Because I'm dishonest. See I lied to you, and I knew it. I just learned something about myself. I'm dishonest. Savvy?" Jack explained.

"No." Anna replied.

"Oh. Forget I said anything. It doesn't matter. Just remember this..you'll know in time who you are and then...then you can tell ol' Jack Sparrow the first thing, right mate?" Jack said.

"Sure." Anna said quietly.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Jack asked. Anna turned to him.

"Paul. I know he's just a tag along. but he meant something to me without me ever realizing he did." Anna said.

"Hmm." Jack said, nodding slightly.

"Jack...how do we get out of here?" Anna asked.

"I'll think of something, love. Don't worry. You'll see your Paulie-boy once again." Jack replied, taking back the bottle of rum and swallowing the rest of it in one gulp.