(A/N- forgot disclaimer on past chappies…

Disclaimer, all PotC characters belong to Leo the lion, Aries the ram, Taurus the bull, Mickey da Mouse—yeah, ok.  There it is.  Laters!!!!!!)

Chapter Four

Jack woke Brizy and Katrina the next morning by flinging the door open, shining light into their eyes.

"Go away!"  Katrina yelled, burrowing deeper into her blanket.

"I hate t' have to do this, but if needs be…"  Jack shrugged, picking up a bucket of water.

"Ack," Katrina jumped out of bed, "I'm awake!  Don't dump water on me!"

"Ah, she's up, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!"  Jack grinned.

Brizy got up and stood with them.  "Wha's g'wan?"

"You'll go to the topmast mainsail, and splice the broken ropes there, then you'll cook us a hearty meal."  Jack commanded.

Brizy blinked sleepily.  "Splice?  What?"

"Oh no, you're lubbers."  Jack said, shaking his head.  "Can you cook?"

"Some."  Katrina replied.  "I'm good with potatoes."

Jack groaned again.  "Today, follow Annamaria around.  She'll teach you how to be on a ship."

"Why do I always get stuck with the new ones?"  Annamaria said, walking past the door.

"Because you're my favorite, love."  He smiled, spreading his arms and bracing for a slap.

"Sodding wanker."  Annamaria growled, kneeing him in the groin.  Jack fell to his knees.

"Wench!" he yelled.  "Tha's tender, y'know!"

"No, I don't know."  She said coyly, patting him on the head before stalking away.  "It's one of the benefits of being a 'wench'."

"I'll kill 'er."  Jack groaned, getting up slowly.  "Write me own code an' make 'er sign it."  Jack whirled to face Brizy, who was trying unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh.  "That's funny, is it?  It's the second time she's done it, the…" he sighed heavily.  "Oh well.  It's a change from gettin' slapped, I suppose.  Not sure if it's and entirely welcome change, but a change nonetheless."

As he left, Brizy and Katrina looked at each other and started laughing.

"He deserved it."  Brizy said pointedly, rolling up her blanket.

"Lesson number one," Annamaria stated, taking Brizy's oddly shaped blanket, "This is how it's done."  She laid the blanket flat and folded it into a small space, then set it in the corner.  She threw them Katrina's blanket.  "Na' ye try."

Brizy and Katrina struggled with their own blanket, finally getting it to resemble the first.

"Good."  Annamaria stated.  "Now I'm gonna show you how to splice a rope."

Hours later, Katrina and Brizy had begun to get the hang of the piratical work when Jack called them over to him.

"Now be time for the meal ye promised."  He said, pushing them towards the kitchen.

"Promised?"  Brizy rolled her eyes.  "You told us to do it!"

"Even better!"  Jack pointed to the food.  "There's what ye have to work with.  You'll need to make enough for the whole crew."  He slammed the door behind him.

"I hate him," Brizy stated, going through the various foods.  "I bloody hate him.  He thinks he's so— I don't know.  He's infuriating!"

"None of this food looks edible."  Katrina said, holding up a piece of semi-green meat.

"Make salmagundi."  Annamaria shrugged, picking up a large pot.

"Salma-what?"

"Put all the meat in here, cook it down with a lot of salt and pepper, and serve it with potatoes."  Annamaria explained, sniffing a piece of meat and grimacing.

Brizy pulled out her knife again and began cutting off some of the better-looking pieces of meat.

"No, put it all in the pot!"  Annamaria said, quickly catching the falling pieces of meat.

"But it's disgusting!"  Brizy complained.  "It'll taste better without it!"

"We'll be without food in nary a week if we don't."  Annamaria argued.

"Fine," Brizy gave in, tossing the meat in.  "There."

"I hope we don't get sick."  Brizy commented to Katrina.

"There are worse diseases that you could catch from Jack, I suppose."  Katrina shrugged.

"Jack is a disease."  Brizy complained, making Annamaria laugh.

"Don't mind Jack," she said.  "He's only breakin' ye in, gettin' ye used to the sea life.  Plus, he always gets overexcited at the beginning of a new treasure hunt.

"But one thing," she warned.  "Watch his hands.  At all times."

"You don't think he'd actually try anything, do you?" asked Katrina.

"He's a pirate, true, but part of him's a gentleman."  Annamaria answered.  "But he'd never admit to it."

The water began to boil around the various meats and the three of them got busy peeling potatoes.

"Good morning!"  Elizabeth said, entering the kitchen briskly.

"Morning?" asked Katrina.  "Have you just gotten up?"

"Um, yes.  I, um, overslept."  She stuttered quickly.

Brizy handed her a potato.  "Peel."  She ordered.  "Lucky for us, we have an alarm clock."  She thought bitterly of Jack.

After a while, there was enough going that they were able to take a break.

"Elizabeth, how did you meet Will?" asked Brizy.

""I found him," she stated simply, "floating in the water."  She proceeded to tell them the rest of the tale of how the two of them and Jack overcame the curse.

"So maybe that contributes to why Jack is so strange."  Katrina supposed, wiping her hands on a towel.

"Well," Elizabeth stated.  "I'm not sure.  He was that way before I met him, anyway."

"I've always been that way."  Jack said, his head suddenly between them.  "Nearly done?"

"How do you do that?"  Brizy yelled, wiping off the spilled water that she had dropped.

"Do what?"  He questioned.

"That thing!  That …" Brizy gave an exasperated sigh.  "  Nevermind."

"We're done" Annamaria said, stirring one of the pots.  "Tell the crew t'get ready"

Jack turned smartly on his heel and grabbed a bell off the shelf.

"Chow time!" he yelled, running up on deck like a madman.

Katrina covered her ears from the banging.  "Jack!" she yelled.

Jack stopped.  "Yes, love?" 

Katrina motioned for him to come closer.  "I have a question."

Jack came no closer.  "Well, ask it then!"

Katrina sighed and walked forward.  She pulled his head down and whispered into his ear. 

Jack grinned as he pulled away.  "There are no bathrooms on this ship, lovie!" he shouted.  "You just go overboard."

Katrina flushed, "That's…but…"

Annamaria rolled her eyes, and walked up to Jack.  She jabbed him hard in the groin again, then slapped him.  "For good measure."  She explained.  "This way."  She grabbed Katrina's arm.

"Here's the thunder-jug."  Annamaria informed her, opening the door to a small room.  In it sat a medium sized pot, with a handle and a lid.  "Now, do I have to explain what you do, or do ye think ye can figure it out for yourself?"

"I've got it."  Katrina replied.

After Katrina and Brizy had finished with the pot, they went to go eat the food they had prepared.  They piled the salmagundi on the plate and tasted it nervously.

"It's not so bad."  Brizy shrugged.

After they had eaten, they sat at the table.  Will walked up behind them.  "Ready to learn fencing?"

"As ready as we'll ever be."  Brizy grinned, looking at the swords he held in his hands.  She had always wanted to swordfight, and she could hardly wait.

He gestured them to follow him and they entered an empty room.  He handed them each a sword.

"First of all, we'll learn how to hold our swords."  He said, looking at their hands.  "First off, you hold it with one hand."

"But it's heavy."

"You'll learn."  He said with a sigh.  "Part of the problem is the way you stand.  Now, allow me" he said, taking the sword from Brizy.  He stood with one knee bent, feet at an angle, and the arm that was not holding the sword to the side in a cautionary stance.  "You try."

He handed the sword back to Brizy.  She held it up awkwardly, nearly losing balance with the weight in one arm.  Katrina tried to imitate the stance.  Very quickly, Will swung at them with his own sword, causing Brizy to hastily block his attack.

Their swords clanged together and Brizy dropped hers abruptly in surprise.  "Hey!" she yelled.  "I actually blocked it!"

"Good" said Will.  "But next time, try to hold onto it."  He struck suddenly towards Katrina who put her sword into a block.

"Okay, good."  Will said again.  "You've got the reflexes for it.  Now we'll learn to do it right."

For the next few hours, Will continued to instruct them in the precise movements of fencing.  After a while, Will finally stopped them to let them take a break.

"Thank God," Brizy exclaimed, letting her sword clatter to the ground.  "My arm is bloody tired."

Katrina rubbed her shoulder.  "Bloody tired doesn't even begin to describe it."

"It gets easier.  Try practicing three hours a day."  Will commented.  "But, be forewarned, I taught you how to fight fair, but not all pirates fight fair."

"Like who?"  Katrina asked.  Just then, Jack poked his head in the door.

"How's the training going?"  He asked impishly, swaying as he walked towards them.

"Speak of the cheater."  Will smiled.

"I've never cheated!"  All three of them looked at him in disbelief.  "Or maybe once or twice."

"We'll pick up again, tomorrow."

"No, no ye won't."  Jack said simply.  "There will be a storm tomorrow.  I'll need them."

Brizy rolled her eyes.  "The sky is clear.  There won't be a storm."

"I've been pirating since before ye were born."  Jack pointed out.  "I know when there will be a storm."

"Aye," Will added.  "Tis always calmest before the storm."

"That's the catch of the deal I made."  Jack sighed, shrugging.

"What deal?  With who?"  Brizy asked, trying to get more information about the captain.

"Rumor has it that I've made a deal with the devil for my soul.  Depending on who you ask, in trade for my soul, I got the Black Pearl."  Jack grinned wryly.  "He got gypped, in my opinion."

Brizy turned to Katrina, "and here I thought he had some real story.  It's just one of his made up stories."

"There's usually some truth in rumors."  Jack smirked, leaning in close to Katrina.  "Want to hear more?"

"Actually," she shrugged.  "They're kind of interesting."

"Oh good."  He said smugly, settling between Brizy and Katrina.

"Once upon a time," he started, draping an arm around the girls.  "There was a pirate named Jack."  He trailed a finger down Brizy's arm.  Brizy shifted slightly and Jack traced the hand back up.  "This pirate," he continued, "was new on his ship.  Just a cabin boy, actually, his first time sailing without his da'."

"But," he hugged them in closer.  "What Jack didn't know was, the ship was haunted."

"Haunted?" said Katrina.  "Please.  There is no such thing as—"

"Are ye forgetting" Jack interrupted, "the curse I only recently got over meself?  Such things are real, girlies."  he sighed.  "Too real."

"Have you really been pirating since before we were born?" asked Brizy.

"No," Jack said.  "I'm barely nearing the lesser half of the first part of me thirties.  I was on a ship, but nowhere near the pirate I am now."

"I see." she said.  "Please continue."

"Jack didn't believe the story.  Ghosts were part of the images of a drunken mind," he continued.

"Believe him, he should know." commented Will, seating himself on a barrel.

"Quiet, whelp."  Jack grunted.  "Now, where was I?  Oh yes, ghosts.  I didn't—I mean—Jack didn't believe in ghosts, so one night, after all the crew was asleep, young Jack slipped out on deck, all by his onesies, to see if the stories were true."

Katrina scooted closer.  "Were they?"

"Don't interrupt, love.  He stepped out on deck at death-hour—"

"Death-hour?"  Will questioned.

"Hour before midnight and after 11."  Jack snapped.  "Now quit asking questions."  He re-settled himself, wrapping his arms back around the girls' waists.

"At first, the deck was deadly silent.  Suddenly, Jack began to hear a noise of a chain being dragged.  The noise got louder, and louder, when suddenly!"

A crash rang through the room making Brizy duck her head onto Jack and Katrina grip Jack's arm tightly.

"Sorry," Will apologized.  "Dropped a sword."

Jack looked at the girls and winked at Will before continuing.  "Suddenly, a shot rang out and the captain told me to get to bed.  Turns out, a crew that was made up of ghosties would prey on any livin' soul on board.  I got below deck, but before I did, the Cap'n told me that iffin' anything should happen to the cap'n, the last person he talked to is the new captain."

Even Will shuddered involuntarily at the haunting tale, and Jack raised an eyebrow at him.

"So's, I woke up one o' the crew an' told him what happened.  He looked at me, heard the death-shriek from above deck, and told me 'G'night, Cap'n'

"Well," he continued, "there I was, cap'n of a ship an' only nigh 16 years old.  An' I wasn't captain of any ship; I was the captain of a haunted ship.  I knew me duty as cap'n meant I had to be rid of the ghosties.  Lord knows how."

Jack caressed Brizy's shoulder and pulled Katrina even closer.  "And that meant, I had to face the ghostie meself, in a duel."

"But wouldn't the ghost prey on your living soul?"  Katrina asked.

"You're getting ahead of me."  Jack said.  "Let me continue."

Katrina nodded mutely.

"Well, I found a good book about ghosties the next time I docked, and got rid of them by using an Irish charmed piece of iron."

"That's it?"  Brizy asked, pulling away.  "One piece of iron got rid of the ghosts?"

"We were sailing off the coast of Ireland, and it turns out tha' the Irish ghosties can't stand iron."  Jack shrugged.  "If we ever got any other ghosts, I might have to try something different." he grinned madly, tugging on a piece of Brizy's hair.  "Maybe tha' duel."

The three of them sat in silence, Jack slowly tugging and moving the girls closer, when Will cleared his throat abruptly.

The sudden noise brought Brizy and Katrina back to reality and they realized just how Jack was holding them.  They both stood up suddenly.

"No more stories?"  Jack asked.

"More like no more 'fun time' for you."  Will corrected.

"Shame on you, Mr. Sparrow!"  Brizy scolded.

"Take what ye can.  It's in the Code."  Jack grumbled.

Brizy rolled her eyes.  "Code, shmode.  You won't catch me of guard again."

"I'd catch ye any day, love."  Jack leered.

"Oh?" she said.  "I think not.  Don't forget I'm learning fencing."

Jack only grinned.  "We have to prepare for the storm tomorrow.  We might end up cooped up under the docks all day.  I can't let you out into the storm."

"Remind me to bring my knife."  Brizy said to Katrina.

"Oh, come on now, I'm not that much of a rascal."  Jack pleaded.

"Oh really?" she said.  "I wouldn't put it past you."

Jack stood up readily and grabbed her around the waist.  "I don't know…" he said, "you seemed pretty…comfortable."

"Get away!" she said, pushing him off.

"You're no fun." he pouted.  "I'll have to see if Annamaria would ever consider something."

""No," she shouted from outside the door.  "I wouldn't.  Now, I need the girls, we still have work to do."

"Till later loves." he said, swishing past Katrina and swatting her on the rear.

"Jack!"

"Take what ye can."

Annamaria shrugged.  "I told you to watch his hands.  Now that he's had one success, he'll only keep trying.  But anyway, back to work."

"We'll have to watch him closer now."  Katrina warned, as she and Brizy followed Annamaria to the deck.