Disclaimer: No, I still don't own PotC, or Jack, or any of the characters
or places associated with it. Although I found out Tortuga was actually a
real place in the Caribbean, so maybe I'll buy it one day. :-)
Heaven is a Place in the Caribbean
Chapter Two-Escape from hell
" So, Alexander, why don't you play some music for us? You always play so well!" Nicola's father suggested after dinner.
Nicola felt like she was being tortured during the entire meal, and she knew she would not be allowed to leave for another two hours at least.
"I would be delighted, sir! I greatly enjoy playing to such a supportive audience!" Alexander answered, a perfect grin on his perfect face.
What did I do to deserve this? Nicola thought to herself. She was only just resisting the urge to scream.
Alexander was now sitting at the grand piano and playing a fast, joyful piece of music. The sound made Nicola want to slam her head in the piano repeatedly.
When he had finished, everyone clapped cheerfully except Nicola, who looked like she wanted to rip Alexander's head off his body. She stormed out of the room, and retreated to the peaceful haven of her bedroom. Before she knew what she was doing, she was packing her most treasured possessions into a small canvas bag. She picked up the letters from her sister, the drawings her grandfather had done of her and the rest of her family, the necklace she had been given on her thirteenth birthday.
"This is it. I'm finally going to do what I want, for a change." She muttered as she crept into the library where her father hid their savings. Behind the encyclopedias was a large box containing the emergency money and her inheritance. Tempted though she was to take everything, she only took he inheritance, so technically she was only taking what was hers. Next, she ran downstairs, and made her way to the back door, making sure to avoid the dining room.
As she closed the door behind her, she heard Alexander's father say, "Was your daughter alright, Charles? She seemed a little fiery earlier."
Fiery? Ha! I was far more than fiery, Mr. Worthington...
With those thoughts, she continued down the stone path towards the harbour, where she knew she could get a ride to Tortuga. If anyone could help her at this time, it was her sister Juliette.
~~~***~~~
Jack pulled his hat down to cover his face. The last thing he wanted to deal with was being recognised, whether it was by friend or foe.
"Hey, Cap'n!"
Jack almost jumped out of his skin, before realizing it was only Gibbs.
"What?" He snapped.
"When are we leaving, Cap'n?"
"When the moon reaches its highest peak."
~~~***~~~
Nicole had run as best she could in her long, waist-restricting dress down to the harbour. She needed to leave the island tonight, and she didn't care what she had to do.
There were around five or six large ships in the harbour, some of them being loaded with cargo, others simply floating silently, waiting to leave in the morning. The most noticeable one was very dark brown, almost black in colour, and had extremely raggedy sails. Nicole was surprised the ship was even seaworthy, but clearly the members of the crew were preparing to leave. She decided to take a chance and see if she could get a ride.
"Excuse me, sir," She began politely, "Where might your ship be headed?"
The man she was talking to looked at her puzzled, but also suspiciously. "What does it matter to you, young lady?" He answered, stroking his greyish- white beard.
"Well, you see, I'm looking for a ride off of this rock," She casually fiddled with some money, making it obvious she was ready to pay, "And I was wondering if you would be willing to help. But if you're not going to tell me your destination than I suppose I shall have to request it of someone else..."
"Wait!" He had seen a glitter of silver and gold, and like any pirate, he was now open to any suggestions. "The Captain's over there. Tell 'im Gibbs sent yer." He told her, pointing at the Tavern. Nicola nodded, and started towards the tavern. A queasy feeling overtook her for a moment; she had never been in a tavern before, and all she knew about them is that if a man entered sober he would leave drunk, and if he entered drunk he wouldn't leave at all. Or so her father said, anyway.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the rotting, wooden door and entered the tavern. An overwhelming smell of beer, rum and other alcoholic drinks took over her senses, and for a moment she was dazed. Once she had got used to the smell, however, she was back to normal, and she hastily looked around to find the Captain of the ship. He was easy to spot. Wearing a tricorn hat and trying to look inconspicuous (which, ironically enough, made him look more so), it was clear he owned the ship and did not want anyone to realize.
She confidently walked over. "Excuse me, sir."
He looked up, startled. "Um, yes?"
"Sir, are you by any chance the Captain of a ship out there?" she smiled politely, unnerving him even more.
"Uh, yes, actually I am."
"Well, I spoke to a man called Gibbs and he sent me to you and I was wondering..."
"Stupid Gibbs, I told him I wanted to relax for a while..."
"...If I could have a ride on your ship. I am of course willing to pay..."
"When I get hold of him, I'll kill 'im!"
"...And I will work if you need any help on deck, or even with the cooking..."
"What's he up to anyway? He's supposed to be on the ship, not hanging around talking to women."
"...All I need is a ride to Tortuga, savvy?"
The last word made Jack listen at last. He hadn't heard anyone ever use his word other than him.
"What did you just say, love?"
"I said, all I need is a ride to Tortuga."
"No, not that, the last word. Savvy. Where did you learn that?" Nicola blushed a little. "My uncle told me a story about a pirate captain who used to say it a lot, and I have been saying it ever since."
"Really?" Jack realized this was no ordinary woman who was asking for a ride. She was the niece of someone whom he knew well...she could even be the niece of Will Turner! However, he decided not to ask for now and simply listen to her request.
"A ride to Tortuga...well lucky for you, love, I just so happen to be going to that Godforsaken rock myself..."
"How much are you charging?"
A grin formed on the Captain's face.
Heaven is a Place in the Caribbean
Chapter Two-Escape from hell
" So, Alexander, why don't you play some music for us? You always play so well!" Nicola's father suggested after dinner.
Nicola felt like she was being tortured during the entire meal, and she knew she would not be allowed to leave for another two hours at least.
"I would be delighted, sir! I greatly enjoy playing to such a supportive audience!" Alexander answered, a perfect grin on his perfect face.
What did I do to deserve this? Nicola thought to herself. She was only just resisting the urge to scream.
Alexander was now sitting at the grand piano and playing a fast, joyful piece of music. The sound made Nicola want to slam her head in the piano repeatedly.
When he had finished, everyone clapped cheerfully except Nicola, who looked like she wanted to rip Alexander's head off his body. She stormed out of the room, and retreated to the peaceful haven of her bedroom. Before she knew what she was doing, she was packing her most treasured possessions into a small canvas bag. She picked up the letters from her sister, the drawings her grandfather had done of her and the rest of her family, the necklace she had been given on her thirteenth birthday.
"This is it. I'm finally going to do what I want, for a change." She muttered as she crept into the library where her father hid their savings. Behind the encyclopedias was a large box containing the emergency money and her inheritance. Tempted though she was to take everything, she only took he inheritance, so technically she was only taking what was hers. Next, she ran downstairs, and made her way to the back door, making sure to avoid the dining room.
As she closed the door behind her, she heard Alexander's father say, "Was your daughter alright, Charles? She seemed a little fiery earlier."
Fiery? Ha! I was far more than fiery, Mr. Worthington...
With those thoughts, she continued down the stone path towards the harbour, where she knew she could get a ride to Tortuga. If anyone could help her at this time, it was her sister Juliette.
~~~***~~~
Jack pulled his hat down to cover his face. The last thing he wanted to deal with was being recognised, whether it was by friend or foe.
"Hey, Cap'n!"
Jack almost jumped out of his skin, before realizing it was only Gibbs.
"What?" He snapped.
"When are we leaving, Cap'n?"
"When the moon reaches its highest peak."
~~~***~~~
Nicole had run as best she could in her long, waist-restricting dress down to the harbour. She needed to leave the island tonight, and she didn't care what she had to do.
There were around five or six large ships in the harbour, some of them being loaded with cargo, others simply floating silently, waiting to leave in the morning. The most noticeable one was very dark brown, almost black in colour, and had extremely raggedy sails. Nicole was surprised the ship was even seaworthy, but clearly the members of the crew were preparing to leave. She decided to take a chance and see if she could get a ride.
"Excuse me, sir," She began politely, "Where might your ship be headed?"
The man she was talking to looked at her puzzled, but also suspiciously. "What does it matter to you, young lady?" He answered, stroking his greyish- white beard.
"Well, you see, I'm looking for a ride off of this rock," She casually fiddled with some money, making it obvious she was ready to pay, "And I was wondering if you would be willing to help. But if you're not going to tell me your destination than I suppose I shall have to request it of someone else..."
"Wait!" He had seen a glitter of silver and gold, and like any pirate, he was now open to any suggestions. "The Captain's over there. Tell 'im Gibbs sent yer." He told her, pointing at the Tavern. Nicola nodded, and started towards the tavern. A queasy feeling overtook her for a moment; she had never been in a tavern before, and all she knew about them is that if a man entered sober he would leave drunk, and if he entered drunk he wouldn't leave at all. Or so her father said, anyway.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the rotting, wooden door and entered the tavern. An overwhelming smell of beer, rum and other alcoholic drinks took over her senses, and for a moment she was dazed. Once she had got used to the smell, however, she was back to normal, and she hastily looked around to find the Captain of the ship. He was easy to spot. Wearing a tricorn hat and trying to look inconspicuous (which, ironically enough, made him look more so), it was clear he owned the ship and did not want anyone to realize.
She confidently walked over. "Excuse me, sir."
He looked up, startled. "Um, yes?"
"Sir, are you by any chance the Captain of a ship out there?" she smiled politely, unnerving him even more.
"Uh, yes, actually I am."
"Well, I spoke to a man called Gibbs and he sent me to you and I was wondering..."
"Stupid Gibbs, I told him I wanted to relax for a while..."
"...If I could have a ride on your ship. I am of course willing to pay..."
"When I get hold of him, I'll kill 'im!"
"...And I will work if you need any help on deck, or even with the cooking..."
"What's he up to anyway? He's supposed to be on the ship, not hanging around talking to women."
"...All I need is a ride to Tortuga, savvy?"
The last word made Jack listen at last. He hadn't heard anyone ever use his word other than him.
"What did you just say, love?"
"I said, all I need is a ride to Tortuga."
"No, not that, the last word. Savvy. Where did you learn that?" Nicola blushed a little. "My uncle told me a story about a pirate captain who used to say it a lot, and I have been saying it ever since."
"Really?" Jack realized this was no ordinary woman who was asking for a ride. She was the niece of someone whom he knew well...she could even be the niece of Will Turner! However, he decided not to ask for now and simply listen to her request.
"A ride to Tortuga...well lucky for you, love, I just so happen to be going to that Godforsaken rock myself..."
"How much are you charging?"
A grin formed on the Captain's face.