Pirates of the Caribbean – Blood is thicker than Rum

By Princess-Pirate

Email: lz_iceprincess@yahoo.co.uk


Summary: What if Jack and his friends got betrayed by someone they thought they knew. An old friend returns to help and they must rely on a woman and superstitious crewmate to save them. But the question is – Will they be in time to keep someone from death?


Disclaimer: All the characters, ships and places in the Caribbean belong to Walt Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, I don't own any of them. Some of the new characters are my own creations and therefore I have some ownership over them.

A/N: This is my first fic, so cut me some slack. But reviews and ideas on coming chapters are most welcome.

The fic starts somewhere in the middle of the journey. But the characters have flashbacks about what happened to give it an interesting twist.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Chapter 10 – Back To Port, Back To Reality

"Take her out to sea Kat" said Jack as he set foot on the deck. She nodded and started shouting orders. Jack looked at her and after a nod walked to his cabin to get some sleep. He had been up for two days now and felt as if he was going to give in any moment if he didn't get some sleep soon.

Ana smiled at him as he entered their cabin. He sat down on a chair, taking off his coat and boots. She made some space for him as he sat on the bed next to her.

"Tired luv?" she asked as he yawned and then nodded. She pulled him down next to her and wrapped him in her arms. She kissed him on his head and then allowed him to drift off to sleep. Then she allowed sleep to take her as well.

Together the couple slept, unaware of anything around them. They only felt the presence of each other and the bond they shared.

******

Meanwhile Elizabeth was sitting wide-awake, watching over Will as he slept. His fever had grown in the past hour and she was beginning to fear for his life. She took his hand in hers and softly kissed it.

"Remember our first meeting?" she whispered and she ran her hand over his cheek as she had done the first time she had laid eyes on him.

~~~~~~

A young Elizabeth was standing at the bow of a ship, singing.

"We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot. Drink up me 'earties yo ho! We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot. Drink up me 'earties yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me. We extort, we pilfer, we filch and sack. Drink up"

A hand suddenly covers her shoulder and she spins round to face Mister Gibbs.

"Quiet, missy! Cursed pirates sail these waters. You don't want to bring them down on us, now, do ya?"

She looked at him surprised but luckily, Lieutenant Norrington intervened. "Mr. Gibbs, that will do!" he said as he walked towards them.

Mister Gibbs looked offended and turned to the young lieutenant. "She was singing about pirates. Bad luck to be singing about pirates with us mired in this unnatural fog. Mark my words."

"Consider them marked. On your way."

He stalked away. "Aye, Lieutenant. It's bad luck to have a woman on board, too" he said as he secretly took a sip from his flask "… even a miniature one."

"I think it'd be rather exciting to meet a pirate" Elizabeth remarked as she looked at Norrington.

Norrington walked past her to stand at the bow. "Think again, Miss Swann. Vile and dissolute creatures, the lot of them. I intend to see to it that any man who sails under a pirate flag or wears a pirate brand gets what he deserves" he turns and looks down at her "a short drop and a sudden stop."

Elizabeth glances back at Mister Gibbs who mimes a hanging. She draws in her breath.

"Lieutenant Norrington" said Governor Swann as he appeared on the deck with them "I appreciate your fervor, but I'm, uh, I'm concerned about the effect this subject will have upon my daughter."

Norrington nods and looks down. "My apologies, Governor Swann."

Young Elizabeth however looked at her father with mischief shining in her eyes. "Actually, I find it all fascinating."

Governor Swann smiled at his young daughter. "Yes. That's what concerns me."

Elizabeth turns back to the bow to gaze over the ocean again. Some colour catches her attention and she leans over to see a parasol floating in the water. When she looks up, she notices a piece of wood drifting at the starboard side of the ship. Upon closer inspection, she realised that it was a person lying on the piece of wreckage. "Look!" she said pointing to the wreckage "A boy! There's a boy in the water!"

Everyone jumped to the side to see what she was talking about. It was indeed a young boy lying unconscious on the wreckage.

"Man overboard!" Norrington shouted as the men sprang to action "Man the ropes. Fetch a Hook! Haul him aboard." They managed to drag him aboard. Mister Gibbs laid him down on the deck and Norrington examined him. "He's still breathing," he said.

Mister Gibbs whom was hanging on to the rigging spots a burning ship. "Mary, Mother of God!" he exclaimed.

Governor Swann looked terrified. " What happened here?"

Norrington looked disgusted at the sickening scene in front of him. "It's most likely the powder magazine" he replied "Merchant vessels run heavily armed."

Mister Gibbs looked at them. "A lot of good it did them. Everyone's thinking it. I'm just saying it. Pirates."

Governor Swann paled. "There's no proof of that. It was probably an accident" he stuttered.

Norrington went to alert. "Rouse the Captain immediately! Heave to and take in sail. Launch the boats."

Boats were launched and they took off to see if they could find any survivors between the burning remains of the ship.

Soldiers picked up the boy and Governor Swann turns to his daughter. "Elizabeth, I want you to accompany the boy. He'll be in your charge. Take care of him." She nods and walks over to the young Will.

For the first time, she looks down at him. Dark hair framed his pale face and he looked almost angelic. She reached down and wiped the hair from his cheek.

Will awakes, grabbing her wrist, breathing heavily.

"It's ok" she comforted him "My name's Elizabeth Swann."

" W-W-Will Turner" he managed to stutter, completely exhausted.

"I'm watching over you, Will" she says and smiles at him. Will faints, and she notices the gold medallion around his neck and examines it. "You're a p-pirate" she gasps. She quickly hides it when Norrington approaches her.

"Has he said anything?" he asked.

Elizabeth swallowed. "His name is William Turner. That's all I found out."

Norrington nodded and motioned to two sailors. "Take him below."

Elizabeth studies the medallion closer and upon looking up sees a ship with the black flag flying at its mast.

~~~~~~

"We were meant to spend our lives together," she said as she looked at him, his unconsciousness reminding her of that day.

"I rescued you from the ocean, and you in turn rescued me from a boring life as Commodore Norrington's wife. I love you so much Will. Please don't leave me here all alone."

"He'll never leave ye alone lass," said a voice behind her and she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.

She smiled at William and nodded. Her eyes were full of tears and she looked back at Will, whose face was covered in sweat. She took a wet cloth and wiped his face clean again, flinching at the heat she felt.

"He's growing hotter," she said as she held her hand against his neck "And his pulse is weakening."

William slowly nodded. "The antidote is beginning to take effect. It's starting to move into his blood and fighting the poison. Isabelle said he may be sick and weak from the drug but he's going to make it. He's a fighter and with you encouraging him from here he'll be back with us in no time."

"Thank you" said Elizabeth as she threw her arms around Will's father and hugged him. "I need another favor," she said as she looked at him.

"Ask away lass" he said.

"Me and Will want to go with you and Jack" she said, "We can't go back to Port Royale, even though I miss my father and all our friends. I know Will longs for the ocean. He barely sleeps at night and I find him staring out the window many times during the night. My husband longs to be free and I don't want to be the one who holds him back."

"So you want me te talk to ole Jack and ask him rethink from taking you back home?"

Elizabeth nodded and looked at William. She slowly looked down and then smiled.

"I'll do it lass" said William "Besides, ye are me daughter-in-law and I owe ye for saving me son's life."

She smiled again and then they got busy tending to Will.

******

Jack's thoughts wandered as he looked at his beloved Pearl. She was his first, but is now his second love in his live. Ana filled the number one slot now.

~~~~~~

Gibbs had gathered a crew for the Interceptor and Will and Jack were looking them through. They were just about to leave when a familiar voice sounded from the end of the line.

"And what's the benefit for us?"

Jack cringes and walks over to the sailor. He gingerly takes off the sailor's hat, revealing a woman. "Anamaria" he smiles and she slaps him.

Will looked at him. "I suppose you didn't deserve that one either."

Jack shook his head. "No, that one I deserved."

Anamaria moved towards Jack and he backstepped. "You stole my boat!" she fumed.

Jack tried to stop her with his hands. "Actually" he began and she slaps him again "borrowed. Borrowed without permission. But with every intention of bringing it back to you."

"But you didn't!" she replied.

"You'll get another one" Jack covered.

Anamaria points her forefinger at him. "I will," she said.

Will got an idea and looked at the woman. "A better one" he said.

Jack followed his lead. "A better one!"

Will played his trump card. "That one" he says and points to the Interceptor."

Jack looks shocked. "What one?" he asks and looks at Will. "That one?! Aye, that one. What say you?"

"Aye!" the crew agrees.

Cotton's Parrot flaps up as they get bust loading the supplies. "Anchors aweigh."

Anamaria gives Jack a death glare and grabs her hat from him. Putting it back on her head, she heads off after the rest of the crew.

Gibbs quickly walked up to Jack. "No, no, no, no, no, it's frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir."

Jack sighed and looked at him. "It'd be far worse not to have her."

~~~~~~

Jack smiled and he unconsciously rubbed his cheek. At first, he and Anamaria had despised each other, but after they rescued him the disgust grew to respect and he made her first mate on the Black Pearl.

The respect later grew to friendship and soon love bloomed between the two of them. Now they were awaiting the arrival of a child and he couldn't be happier.

"Yo ho. Yo ho. A pirates life for me" he sang as he steered his ship towards freedom.