The next morning, when Jack woke them it was dark out. It wasn't until Katrina and Brizy stepped outside that they realized that it was so dark because of the clouds.
"Welcome to the eye of the storm." he said, gesturing. "I need ye to batten down the barrels in the hold, and make sure nothin's rollin' around in there."
Katrina nodded and Brizy followed after her just as a few drops of rain began spilling down. Using heavy ropes, they tied down anything that seemed unsteady. When they went up on the deck, the rain was coming down hard.
"Everyone needs to watch their step!" Jack yelled from the helm. "We don't need anyone going overboard."
The ship dipped dangerously, and Katrina and Brizy could understand Jack's warning.
"Secure the mainsail!" Jack ordered, pulling hard at the wheel. The rain was coming down in sheets, and everyone was running to follow orders. Katrina held a hand in front of her to try and see inches in front of her, and Brizy continued to drop the things she held. The ship lurched from side to side, spilling even more water onto the deck.
"Everyone below deck!" Jack bellowed, being sent sprawling across the deck by a large wave. He ran for the anchor cable, and with a strong jerk, dropped anchor. He then shoved the last crewmember into the hull, and bolted the door closed. He stood in the room and began squeezing the water out of his hair.
"Is everyone accounted for?" he called.
"Aye," called Mr. Gibbs. "Everyone."
"Good," said Jack. "Bring out the rum. It'll be a long night."
One of the crew brought out a fiddle, and another had an accordion. Together, they began churning out an old shanty, and the men picked up with the words. It didn't take long for Katrina and Brizy to join in the song, eventually even improvising their own verses in.
Then the mood of the song changed, and Jack began to sing a song about a pair of forlorn lovers.
After the song, the crew went back to their old song, but Brizy and Katrina were impressed.
"Where did you learn that, Jack?" Brizy asked.
Jack shrugged. "Enough years at sea, you learn a lot of songs."
"It's beautiful." Katrina sighed.
"Me mum used to sing it to me in the cradle." Jack reminisced.
"Who were your parents, Jack?" Brizy asked.
"Tha' is quite a question. Me da' was the Dread Pirate Reed. He pillaged and plundered and there was not a one who hadn't heard of him. Mummies used to scare their children with tales of him." he grinned. "Quite a pirate."
"What happened to him?" asked Katrina.
"Well, the crew threw him overboard one day. Seems as though one of the crew had convinced the others that me da' had the devil in 'im. They let me and me mum stay, though." explained Jack.
"Well, what about your mother?" asked Brizy.
"Ah, me Mater. Beautiful lass, she was. Rather plump, but not heavy. I give all the compliments on me looks t'her. Anyways, her name was Katharine Beautadé, before me da' married her an' made an honest woman o'her."
"So how did you end up with the name of 'Sparrow'?" Brizy asked.
"That would be because of Gibbs. He believed as well as the rest of the crew that the devil was in me da'. He felt it would be best to change the name to make sure that he," he pointed downwards, "was gone for good. He named me Sparrow."
"So where is your Mater now?" Katrina continued to question.
"Probably down there with me da', giving him a hard time!" He laughed, sending rum flying out of his cup.
Brizy pondered for a moment. "But why didn't you just go back to the name of Reed when you started pirating? People were already terrified of your father, so why not just change it back?"
"Cause 'Captain Jack Reed' doesn't sound as nice as 'Captain Jack Sparrow', savvy?" He winked.
"Right." Brizy sighed. "Vain as ever."
"Just because I know I'm incredibly dashing doesn't make me vain." Jack protested, taking another swig of rum. "Mm, wait. Yes it does. Oh well." he took another drink and held it out to them. "Want some?"
Brizy took it and drank some, and then handed it to Katrina, who did the same.
Jack looked into the cup, "Hey, you drank it all!"
"Take what ye can." the girls said simultaneously.
"Ye learn quick, lassies." he smirked. "Now get yer own mug, an' ye'll learn how to drink."
Brizy and Katrina laughed at each other, then went off to do so. When they returned, Jack filled their glasses to the brim.
"So much?" Katrina looked at hers with a worried expression.
"What's wrong with that? Fine, spill a little back in, if ye feel the need." Jack shrugged.
"No, it's okay." she sighed, biting back a grimace after she tried a sip.
"It's not that bad," Brizy comforted her. "Plus, it does make you feel warmer."
"True. And, I feel happier."
"Aye! A pirate's best friend, it is!" Jack cheered, toasting her with his own glass.
Katrina and Brizy went off to join in with the crew's songs again. They were lively and easy to catch onto.
Hours later, the ship started to become steadier. "The storms ending!" A drunken Jack yelled.
"Hooray!" the crew hollered, and a random pirate swung Brizy around by the waist.
"Drinksh all arounds!" Jack called drunkenly.
"No, Cap'n, ye've had quite enough." Gibbs said cautiously, taking the bottle from Jack's hands.
"No I…" he began before falling back into his chair. " I haven't."
"Yesh ye 'ave!" Brizy slurred, falling into the chair beside him. "We all 'ave, right, Ka-Khry-oh hang it! You!" she said, pointing at Katrina.
"Yeah," she yelled, flinging an arm out. "Waaay too much." She grabbed Mr. Gibbs by the arm. "I want you to know, I thinks you are a wonderful man, and I'll always write."
"Sit down," he said, gently pushing her into a chair. "Are you happy, Jack? Look what you've done."
"An'" he swallowed. "An' wha' would tha' be?"
"Getting these girls good and drunk." Gibbs scolded.
"Aye, I takes full credit for that." Jack grinned.
"I'm not drunk!" yelled Brizy.
"Yes you are," yelled Katrina. "We all are."
"See?" said Gibbs again.
"That t'was all my doing?"
"Aye." Gibbs nodded.
A grin crossed Jack's face, then he replied, "All the doing of the amazing, undefeatable—"
"Amazingly drunk." Gibbs added.
"—Amazingly drunk Jack—Captain Jack Sparrow!" He began to break into song. "Oh, the Black Pearl is a very fine ship, with a very fine captain, too…"
"Somebody put this man to bed." Gibbs rubbed his temples. Two of the more sober pirates grabbed him under his arms and began dragging him off, still singing.
Elizabeth came up to where Katrina and Brizy sat, tutting under her breath. "I can't believe he let you drink all that rum," she said. "Come with me, I'll get you to bed as well."
"But," sputtered Katrina, "It's early still."
"Yes, but, you've gone and drunk too much rum, and the best way to get over it is to sleep it off. Try and sleep the evening through if you can." she reasoned.
"Okay." they both said.
Elizabeth escorted them safely to the kitchen, and hid all the objects they might injure themselves with.
"Goodnight." Elizabeth called softly, shutting the door and locking it behind her. Will came up behind her, and asked, "Are they alright?"
"They'll have quite a hangover in the morning, I'm afraid." she smiled. "And how's the Captain?"
"Locked in his own cabin. Knowing him, it will be mid-day before he gets up tomorrow." Will supposed.
"It would serve him right if he was horribly sick afterwards, too." she added.
"Now Elizabeth," Will chided softly, "he is our friend."
"Of course," she reassured. "But even good friends sometimes need a reminding."
"What do you think this adventure holds in store for us?" asked will wistfully, looking out at the water.
"I don't know, William, I honestly don't know." she sighed, looking at a fleeting seagull.
