Chapter Five: Of Forgotten Graves and Horrible Memories
A/N: I know the ending! I know the ending to the story!! Hmm... mayhaps I shouldn't be spreading it around that I had no idea what the ending would be before two seconds ago.... I'm sure my parents think I'm more off my rocker than they ever suspected. I spazzed when the idea hit me. I mean it slapped me upside head! Yay.... ::happy Saiko::
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"'allo, Ana Maria," the bartender greeted the pirate woman. "Wha' brings you into Tortuga? Followin' Jack per usual?"
"Followin' orders, mate."
"I 'ere 'e's been lookin' for someone, but no one can tell me who. Maybe you can?"
"Just that 'e's lookin' for an ol' friend on tha' island not too far from 'ere."
"No one lives there, Ana."
"'e's been 'earin' rumors tha' a man does. Comes too and from Tortuga by a small boat."
"Aye, but that was half a year ago. No one's seen him for a good six months. Yer cap'n's got old information, lass."
Ana Maria watched the man with a critical eye. "Thank you very much."
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"What's going on?!" Will yelled as he came from the house.
"We're getting shot at."
"Obviously, Jack, but by who?"
"'ow should I know?!"
Another shot hit close. "Come this way. I've got a place we can go," William said. "Further inland."
Will and Jack nodded, following as best they could behind.
The pirate captain half tripped over something small in the ground. "What on earth...?" he mumbled as he bent to look at it. "A grave?"
"Jack! Watch out!"
Jack looked up just in time to feel the effects of the explosion that had happened a small ways away. He felt slam into a tree and slide down, everything turning black.
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"Worthless brat! Where are you?"Jack knelt down behind the large chair. Richard was on one of his tirades that he threw. Screaming through the house. He wasn't even sure what he'd done this time.
"Jack! Get out here you little-"
"Stop yer screamin'," Jack said as he stood from his spot. "I was just lookin' for somethin'."
Richard's eyes blazed with hatred. "Where have you been? Your teacher contacted me today. She said you took a fist to another student."
"'e deserved it!" Jack argued.
"And what, pray tell, did he say that was so horrible?"
Jack raised his chin. He was stubborn for his fourteen years. "'e said I was no good 'cause me dad was a pirate. Said I didn' belong in London 'cause 'm darker than everyone 'ere. I told 'im to shut it before I punched 'im! I warned 'im fair, I did!"
Richard pulled back and swatted Jack across the face. "I don't ever want to hear you say that again. You will not talk back to me. I am your father now and you shall treat me as such with respect."
"You sure don' act like it!" Jack yelled. The second slap was just as expected as the first. "Stop 'ittin' me!"
"Then act your age and stop wining."
"You wouldn' know wining," Jack growled. "That Harry boy is the one wining. I didn' 'it 'im 'ard! Barely left a mark!"
"You hit Harry Johnston?"
"I did," Jack answered defiantly.
Richard fumed. "You want me to show you something that'll leave a mark?" he growled, taking the lad by his collar and dragging him into the next room. He picked up a broken chair leg. "Remember this?"
"I didn' mean to break it, honest!" Jack said quickly. "I was just foolin'. I already apologized. What more can I do?"
Richard pulled back and rammed it across Jack's skull, sending the boy stumbling back. "THAT will leave a mark, boy," he growled. "You hear me, you little pirate bastard? NEVER will you hit someone like Lord Johnston's son again. EVER."
Jack blinked, shaking his head, trying to clear it and push away the ringing sound. "Tha's it then, in'nit?" he mumbled. He braced himself against the wall. "Tha's why you 'ate me. My mum loved – and still loves – someone else besides you and I'm the product of that staring you in the face every day. Tha's sad, Richard."
Richard pulled back the chair leg again and slammed it into the boy. Jack felt his head slam into the wall behind him and he slid down it, leaving a blood trail behind as he fell lifelessly to the ground.
Jack Sparrow sat up with a start, breath coming in ragged gasps. He leaned forward, trying to catch his breath.
"You all right there, lad?"
Jack looked up to see William standing over him. His head hurt so much, but Richard's club had just been a dream. He hadn't really been hit, had he? He reached his hand up carefully to his head and felt gingerly. "Ow...."
"It's bound to hurt," William stated as he sat next to his younger friend. "You hit it pretty hard on that tree."
"No kiddin'..."
"You dreamin' 'bout somethin', Jack?"
Jack nodded slowly. "Reason I left me folks."
"Ah...."
A small, strange smile spread across Jack's face. "I remember me mum's face when I came 'round tha' night. 'Don' make Richard angry, first rule of the house,' she told me. Bloody stupid me, though, right?"
"You're not stupid, Jack. You're anything but."
"'m always stupid, William."
William shook his head. "No... Crazy, possibly, but in a good way, I assure you."
Jack sat thinking for a moment. "There was something I was going to ask you, but I jus' can't remember now. I saw somethin' right before tha' bomb hit. I jus' can't remember wha' it was."
"Don't worry about it, Jack. Just lay down, ye hit yer head pretty good tonight."
"'sat why everythin's spinning 'round?"
William chuckled. "Could be."
"Where's the lad?"
"Right here," Will answered as he stepped into sight. "How are you feeling?"
"'orrible."
"Sorry."
"Not your fault."
"You were mumbling in your sleep," Will mentioned. "What were you dreaming?"
"Things I'd much rather forget, lad. Let's get some sleep before 'eadin' to the Pearl tomorrow, savvy?"
Will grinned. "Savvy."
"Tha's it then, in'nit? Tha's why you 'ate me. My mum loved – and still loves – someone else besides you and I'm the product of that staring you in the face every day. Tha's sad, Richard."
Jack blinked back tears. He hadn't cried in years. Not since he'd watched his father hang. He had not cried once when Richard hit him, nor even when his ship was stolen. He wouldn't cry now at a long passed memory. He wouldn't give Richard that satisfaction.
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"There's been cannon fire reported, Ana Maria," Gibbs said. "Explosions, right 'round where Jack 'n' Will are 'spose to be."
"I don't like it at all," Ana Maria muttered. "Have we gotten what we need?"
"Aye, lass. Are we goin' to look for a certain trouble-magnate captain?"
"Aye, Mr. Gibbs. Yer readin' my mind."
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A/N: I know I haven't given anyone but kungfuchick time to review, so thank you to those who WILL review! If you do that is.....
Kungfuchick: Mate, nothin' is EVER fine and dandy with me writin'! Ye should know this by now! ::grins:: I'm a Jack torture fan! He's so fun to do this to......