Hey! I'm getting quicker at reviewing, eh? Well, I've been working on my
second fic and may post soon, not sure so be sure to check it out. Enough
babbling though, lets get to what you came here to do, read, not listen to
me talk away... THIS IS MY FAVORITE CHAPTER SO FAR SO I HOPE YOU LIKE IT
TO!!!!!!!!
Ch. 6- Not a cleric
Bill Turner woke suddenly. He wasn't sure what had woken him and sat up, almost bumping his head on the bottom of Jack's bunk. Around him men slept, snoring loudly, many in a drunken stupor. They'd be in Port Royal tomorrow for supplies so many of the men had partied hard, drinking the rest of the rum.
Jack's hand was hanging over the edge of the bed. Bill stared at it, trying to get his vision back in focus. He'd drank to much and his head had a dull pounding ache. He stood up and slipped into his shirt that lay on the floor. Glancing at Jack, the only one who hadn't had any rum, who was sleeping with the book he carried around rising up and down with his breathing on his chest, he left, wobbling up the rickety staircase.
It was a starry night. Five or six men stood on deck, talking and laughing with each other, tankards in their hands. Bill refused a few of the offers of drinks and took a place at the wheel beside Roger and captain Delore. They had been talking quietly and stopped when he reached them. Roger leaned on the wheel lazily and turned his gaze to the Caribbean waters. Joshua smiled and hopped up to sit on the side of the ship, watching him.
"What's wrong lad?" Joshua asked. Bill shook his head and sat down, leaning against the side of the ship facing Joshua. "Did you have enough to drink?" Bill nodded.
"It's just, I'll need..." Bill didn't want to ask for a favor and stopped quickly. Joshua was a good man but he was a little worried about what he'd say about Bill leaving the loading area and running a personal errand.
"Go on Turner, what's up?" Josh urged. Bill rubbed his eyes and sighed.
"I need to take a few hours...to see someone." Joshua looked thoughtful and played with his beard. Finally he nodded.
"Alright, take Sparrow with you, he needs to get away for a while." Bill smiled. "And only for three hours, we don't want to stay in Port Royal to long." Bill nodded and stood up. "We have an accord?"
"We have an accord." Bill said quietly, relief sweeping through him. He made his way back to the crew quarters with out another word. Joshua was a fair man. This would also be a very good time to introduce Jack, his best friend on the Catherine and one his best friend on land.
He lay down again on his bed, the snoring around him lolling him back to sleep. Meanly, he kicked the bottom of Jack's bunk hard and turned towards the wall so when Jack looked over the edge groggily to tell him off, Bill's smiling face wasn't visible.
**
"Take a good look at Port Royal Jackie." Roger said happily, his arms open wide. They were docking half way out in the harbor like usual, the men lowering the rowboats. Jack was going over in the first wave with Bill, Joshua and Roger.
His eyes searched the town and he swept a hand across his face to move a few stray hairs that weren't held down by beads. Adjusting his red bandana, Jack sighed when he saw a large white house on the hill over looking the bay and the town. It looked like his old one in Britain.
"That's the governor's house." Bill said quietly, taking a place beside Jack. He leaned on the rail and looked into the crystalline waters rippling below. "I wonder how deep it is." Jack smiled mysteriously.
"Well, lets find out." He grinned. Bill looked at him funny and Jack grabbed him, pulling him over the edge of the ship. Bill yelled as they hit the water, sinking beneath the waves. Jack held onto Bill's arm as the other tried to swim to the surface. Underwater everything was so peaceful. Jack often wished he didn't have to breathe so he could stay under the ocean's surface all the time. Through the gloom around him, he caught sight of the anchor and above him was the haul of the Catherine and the bottom of two rowboats.
Bill yanked on his arm hard and Jack finally let go, watching Bill float to the surface. Taking another few seconds, Jack turned in a full circle looking around and then surfaced, spitting out a mouthful of salt water. He grinned at Bill who was climbing roughly into a lifeboat with Joshua.
"Guess it's deep." Jack called merrily. Bill glared and Roger waited in the second lifeboat, tapping his foot impatiently on the bottom and Jack slowly made his way over.
"Geeze lad." Roger said huffily as Jack climbed in and grabbed the oars. "We'd thought you and Turner 'ad fallen. Don' worry us again." Jack grinned and began rowing as the older man leaned back and closed his eyes. Ten minutes later they were tying the boats to the dock.
A middle-aged harbormaster and his assistant came over. The assistant eyed Jack suspiciously and Jack added a special wobble and a roguish smile for entertainment making Bill roll his eyes. Joshua smiled, watching his son and then turned to the harbormaster as the man opened his notebook and held a quill suspended over it.
"That'll be two shillings to tie up each of your boats, I'll need all of your names and the name of your ship." He said strictly. Jack's eyes roved the man's wig, which was that ugly gray color. Why men wore those were beyond him. They weren't pretty. If anything they made you look bloated with all their fake curls. Uncontiously, he scratched at the hair under his bandana, which was starting to dry from his dunk in the ocean.
"My name is Joshua Delore." Joshua said properly. Jack smiled and wondered how fast guards could be summoned if they knew that Mad Hawk was in town. "And that, out there is the Maryanne." The Harbormaster nodded and took down the names. "This is Roger Gibbs, William Turner and Jack Sparrow." Joshua said, nodding to each man. The master's assistant seemed to straighten at Jack's name but he ignored it. The kid was obviously troublesome and he would welcome a fight any day.
"Four shillings." The harbormaster said properly. Joshua reached into his pocket and extracted four coins. The harbormaster took them and they were about to walk away when he grabbed Joshua's arm. "And eight for the ship." Joshua turned to look at the Catherine and then at the man holding his arm.
"We didn't tie it and you never said anything about the ship, only the rowboats." He replied coldly.
"Well, maybe I should make myself clear. Pay or I'll call the navy." Joshua sighed and handed over eight more coins. The man smiled and took them merrily, dropping them into a leather pouch. "Welcome to Port Royal Mr. Delore, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Turner and Mr. Sparrow." He smiled. Jack suddenly got an idea. As the other men began to walk away, he swayed closer to the harbormaster, glorying in the obvious unease the man felt at his proximity.
"Thank you mate." Jack said easily. He placed his right hand close to the man's face, waving it about as he spoke. With his left hand he reached carefully into the sash around the man's waist and pulled out the coin pouch. "We'll be good, I promise." He leaned in closer and smiled as the man backed off and almost fell of the side of the pier.
Catching up with the others he handed the pouch to Joshua, grinning. "Here you go mate, compensation. The good harbormaster decided he'd been unnecessarily cruel about his taxation and gave this to me."
"Unwillingly I imagine." Bill said flatly behind them. Jack smiled and turned to face his friend, walking backwards and wobbling a little because he was a little uneasy on land after all the time on the ship. Jack looked at Bill, hurt.
"My dear William!" Jack cried, "Why would I, of ALL people, steal from a member of the Royal Navy? That would be just wrong." Bill smiled and grabbed Jack's arm as he stepped in front of a horse and rider. The man swore at them and continued. "Maybe I should watch where I'm goin' eh?"
Bill raised an eyebrow and turned to Joshua and Roger. "Well, we have an appointment." Bill said. Jack was staring at a woman in a shop with his mouth hanging open and wasn't listening. Joshua nodded and continued up the street while Bill dragged Jack down a dingy side street. "Where did you learn that trick?" Bill asked. Jack looked at him funny.
"What walk backwards?" He asked. Bill clenched his teeth as Jack purposely misconstrued his question. Sarcastically, Jack continued, "It's easy. You move the same way you do on land only you can't see where you're going. See?" and the annoyance of Bill, Jack proceeded to demonstrate the 'fine art' of backward walking.
Swiftly, Bill raised a hand and smacked the younger man over the back of the head. "You know what I mean." Bill hissed. Taking a deep breath he grabbed Jack's upper arm, turned him around and marched him a couple of steps. "I mean, how and when did you learn pick pocketing?" Jack stopped, looking in a store window at a bunch of necklaces set up on a display. His eyes were focused on a stone one in the front that was in the shape of a heart seemingly cut in two. Bill repeated his question but Jack simply waved a hand dismissive and entering the shop. Bill growled and followed.
The smell of woman's perfume wafted around him and he breathed deep, remembering the scent of the woman he had left in Britain. He let his eyes adjust to the darkness inside and then spotted his friend in the corner with a woman. He seemed to be purchasing something. Looking into the cases, Bill eyed a beautiful diamond necklace on a plush purple cushion and dreamed about giving it to Rebecca next time he saw her.
Suddenly Jack was at his side, holding a bag and gazing down at the necklace also. When Bill noticed, he grabbed the young man's arm and yanked him from the store. "Now," He said, turning down a long winding cobble stoned street, "When are you going to tell me about that whole pick pocketing thing?" Jack shrugged and Bill rolled his eyes.
Bill led him into the residential areas and Jack's eyes were once again drawn to the house on the hill that the governor owned. "Nice eh?" He asked. Bill looked at him curiously and Jack pointed to the mansion.
"Yeah, until ye have to pay for it." He said. "I wish I could afford a home like that. If I could, I wouldn't be on a ship." He laughed deeply. "What about you, where'd you grow up?"
"Britain." Jack replied. Bill laughed again and rolled his eyes, really not worrying if Jack told him or not. Jack wasn't really interested in talking about his past. It wasn't exciting enough and he had learned that Bill had grown up poor. He probably would have looked at Jack differently if he'd said; 'I grew up rich and was about to be sent off to an expensive boarding school outside London.'
"Here it is, the Blue Lamp." Bill said, stopping outside a shabby pub. Jack took in the nauseating smell of alcohol and wondered if he really wanted to go in.
"Maybe I'll..." But he wasn't able to finish as Bill shoved his way through the door past some drunks. Sighing, Jack followed, tucking the necklace he bought into his sash. The men around him were either passed out at tables or knocking back large tankards of rum. One man passed him a glass full of the disgusting substance before he passed out cold, face first on the floor.
"I'll take that you little cur." Growled another man, yanking the glass from Jack's hand and spilling rum on the floor.
"First time in a bar Jack?" Bill asked, grabbing Jack's attention from two dingy looking men who were eating blood-dripping meat, watching him. Jack nodded slowly. "Stick with me, we won't be long." He instructed. The bar man came over and Bill ordered himself a rum before leading Jack to a dark table in the corner. There was only one other occupant.
The person turned out to be a woman, who Bill hugged briefly, smiling. "Kaaren, this is Jack Sparrow, Jack, this is Kaaren. She's Rebecca's sister." Kaaren smiled and shook Jack's hand. Glancing down, he saw a number of rings and a mark on her arm in the shape of a branded 'P'. Pirate! Jack started, he'd never seen a female pirate before, save for his mother.
"You're a cute kid." She said, grinning. She let go of Jack's hand and turned to Bill. "He looks like Joshua." Bill glanced at him over the top of his tankard and nodded before Kaaren sat. Jack followed their lead. Kaaren still watched him for another half an hour while Bill and her talked about home and Rebecca.
"How's Will?" Bill asked. Kaaren took a piece of bread from the plate on the table and bit into it.
"He's good." She said through her mouth full, washing it down with rum. "He's taken an interest in becoming a merchant sailor like he thinks you are." Bill smiled. "He's pretty good with sword making though, 'ol Ross has been teaching him the technique."
Bill sat back in his chair and swirled his tankard around, watching the liquid inside. "A blacksmith? That would be great." He drained his glass and stood so suddenly that Jack started. "Well, we should go, I'm sure the captain will be expecting us back." Kaaren's face fell suddenly but she nodded just the same. As Bill made his way to the door, Jack bowed to her and turned to leave, only to be stopped by a her hand on his arm. He turned and stared into her green eyes, inches from his.
"You know, Jack, you have the most beautiful eyes but they don't stand out enough." Jack's eyebrows furrowed and she ran a finger under the lids of his eyes as if tracing them. "Outline them with kohl, I swear it'll look good." Her lips brushed his and suddenly she was gone, approaching the bar.
"Get over here Sparrow!" Bill called from the door. Jack tore his eyes away from Kaaren and passed drunks, finally gaining the freedom of the open air once more.
"That was interesting." He said finally as they turned up the main street and flattened against the wall to allow some navy soldiers to pass. "Kaaren eh? Does Becky look like that?"
Bill poked him with his index finger hard in the chest. "Don't even begin thinking about Rebecca, okay?" Jack threw up his hands in a sign of surrender and they walked in silence again. Finally Bill said, "Rebecca is beautiful though." Jack smiled and raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah? Like Kaaren?" Bill grinned wickedly and nodded. Jack let out a low long whistle and was just thinking about the whole kohl thing when his eyes were caught by a disturbance down the ally.
A man was backed against the wall of a shop as soldiers surrounded him, cutlasses and pistols raised. Jack threw out an arm and caught Bill in the chest, holding him at a stop. "Wha..."
"It's Josh." Jack whispered. His father had blood running down his face. Jack could see his sword lying on the ground at his side.
"What's going on? They think Josh's a good respectable merchant." Bill said, "Where's Roger?" Jack didn't answer and started forward, drawing his cutlass before Bill stopped him. "No! Jack, we need help!" Jack spun around to face Bill, a thought formulating in his head.
"Go, tell the crew." Bill nodded and turned to leave when Jack stopped him with his next sentence, "Don't send for a rescue." Bill spun to face his friend.
"What?"
"I have a plan. Don't send rescue, that will get us all in trouble. Go to the ship and if we're not back in three hours, then come but only then!" Jack turned and could tell Bill was still behind him. "Don't make me hurt you Turner. Go!"
**
Jack followed the soldiers down the streets, keeping a far enough distance that they wouldn't notice him. They'd knocked Joshua out and were carrying him to what Jack could only assume was the prison in the fort, he could see the structure growing larger and larger.
Jack couldn't help but wonder what he was going to do, he'd lied to Bill, he didn't have a plan...not a full plan anyway. One person would be easier to enter the fort unnoticed but he knew he couldn't just waltz in and out. Maybe he could knock out the soldiers? No, that was stupid. He could knock out a solider, take his uniform and...and what? Jack cursed his brain. Why did it have to fail him now? Why?
A church stood beside the fort, it's high steeple seeming to touch the sky. Jack was just moving onto another plan when a cleric stepped out and began walking down the street. Jack grinned.
**
Bill paced the deck, his eyes watching the town. The crew had abandoned loading supplies and was now readying the Catherine to set sail. All they were waiting for now was their captain and their deck washer. Roger, who had been mounting a rescue team when Bill had arrived, now stood beside the man, cursing under his breath.
Finally he snapped, "And you!" Bill jumped as the older man rounded on him. "Letting him go! What were ya thinkin'?" Bill opened his mouth but was interrupted; "The boy is sixteen years old! How old are you?"
"Twenty one." Bill replied. Roger took off his cap and wiped at the balding patch on his head. He growled.
"Old enough to know that a sixteen year old will never pull this off." He yelled. Crewmembers were now looking at them.
"I trust Jack." Bill snapped. "I trust his judgement, he's smart. He'll think of something!" Roger slammed a fist on the side of the deck.
"For their sakes, I hope your right. And, we're not waiting three hours! He'll have one and if he's not back by then, we're going in." Many of the men nodded, some looked as if they didn't know what to say. Bill glared at them all.
"Jack'll have the captain out long before then." He replied coolly. His panic deep down betrayed him. He had to think of something, fast, anything to give Jack more time.
**
Martin walked peacefully down one of the cobbled streets of Port Royal, humming a song from morning mass under his breath. He was at one with himself and was very proud of it. He'd been a cleric for a few years now and happily nodded to people as he walked by on his way to the market on his daily errand.
A call for help down a dark ally between to shops caught his attention. It was a young boy, dressed rather strangely with sailor cloths. His dark hair was held back by a red bandana low over his brow and beads clinked and clanked softly as he staggered into a wall, clutching his stomach and moaning in pain.
There was not even an uneasy thought in Martin's head as he made his way to the boy who cried out and slid down the wall to lay in the dirty street on his front.
Praying silently to God for help, Martin kneeled down, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Are you alright? What's your name?" He asked. "Is there anything I can do." Silently, the boy answered but Martin didn't catch it. He leaned closer. "Pardon?"
"I said, 'can I have your cloths, your rosary and you forgiveness?'" Martin didn't understand until the boy swiftly brought his sword up and hit him over the head with her blunt end. Martin crumpled to the ground, uncontious. The boy sat up and grinned, turning the man over and making sure he wasn't dead. Satisfied, he began stripping off Martin's cloths, finally leaving him in only his underclothes.
Donning the brown robes and pulling the hood over his head while adjusting the beads around his waist, the boy said, "Oh, and my name's Jack Sparrow." He placed his hands together in a kind of prayer and bowed. "I am sincerely sorry. May God forgive me but, I have somewhere to be." And with that, Jack walked out of the ally, leaving Martin.
The robes were a little big on him but that was probably a good thing as it hid the cloths he still had on beneath it. By the time he was approaching the fort he was already panting, sweat running down his face. No one had said these things were so hot. "Or itchy." Jack muttered as he scratched at his neck where the material poked at his skin.
The guard watched him wearily. "What business do you have here cleric?" He asked. Jack pulled the cloak lower over his head to hide the bandana and beads.
"I've been sent here with instructions for the Commodore. Is he here?" Jack asked, trying to deepen his voice. The guard bent his knees a little as if to look into Jack's face but he lowered his head further.
"Yes, he's here. I think he's with a new prisoner now. Should I get someone to take you to him?" Jack shook his head and silently cursed the sun.
"No, I can find it thanks, my son." He crossed the air and walked past the guard slowly. He could feel the man's eyes on him. The fort was cool and Jack looked around, wishing he could explore more. Stopping a passing guard, he asked, "The dungeons?" The man didn't speak but pointed down a side passage and Jack thanked him, moving on.
There were stairs at the end of the passage that led down. He followed them and came to a large stone room filled with straw-floored cells and small barred windows. There were four guards here, all of them in their fancy new redcoats and holding shinny polished guns. Jack hated them instantly, knowing he could have been one of them. Shivering at the thought, he made to approach the cell with Josh before a man stopped him.
"You can't proceed mate, until you tell us your business." Jack nodded and pointed to the cell.
"I have to talk to him. I've been sent by my superior."
"Oh yeah?" The man asked sarcastically. The other men grinned. "And that would be?"
"God." Jack said simply raising a hand and pointing to the ceiling. "God and the Commodore of course, your superior. I have to give this man confession and..."
"Do you now? Well, by all means," The man stepped over and went to unlock the door. Before he knew what had happened, Jack had hit him and one of his buddies over the head with the blunt end of his cutlass and they were both on the ground. Both the other soldiers charged at him and Jack knocked one of them out, stopped the other one by hitting him over the head with a bucket. The man grinned and then met the floor with his face.
"Jack!" Joshua yelled, running to the bars. Jack made a motion of silence and pulled down the hood on the robes to show his face. Fumbling with the keys, he opened the cell. "How did you...how are we..."
"I don't know but we have to move fast." He glanced at one of the guards he'd knocked out. The man was around his age. "Here." He began to strip off the brown robes as a sudden cannon shot split the air. "That would be our que to exit." Joshua grinned and took the robes as the Catherine shot another cannon ball at the town.
"Why are they firing?" He asked, donning the robes. Jack shrugged and looked around frantically wondering who's uniform to take.
"They must be trying to distract the fort so we can get away." He said simply. "Probably sending men in to get you."
"Then we gotta go." Joshua said. Jack nodded, eyebrows raised and Joshua ran to the stairwell, looking up at the landing above. "Looks like their busy." He looked back at his son who was stripping down a guard hurriedly. He waited but Jack glared at him suddenly.
"Well, go while you can, I'll be fine." Joshua hesitated but Jack waved him on. "Go, I'll catch you up. Your old, I can run faster. Meet me there, let them know we're coming." Joshua hesitated then left. Jack suddenly felt alone and began undoing the uniform's golden buttons faster, his hands shaking as he heard shouts.
The guard was finally unclothed except for his underclothes. Jack stripped off his own and donned the uniform, which was almost a perfect fit for him. Grinning, he looked down at himself, running a hand over the bright red jacket and bundling up his own cloths. The beads in his hair he pulled off along with the bandana and tucked them into on of his pockets. The guards were stirring. He dragged the one who's cloths he's stolen into Joshua's empty cell and closed the door.
A shout above startled him and he suddenly remembered the peril he was in. He leaped over three of the moving soldiers and raced up the stairs, two steps at a time. Above men raced around in panic and no one made any move to stop him as he left the fort, sprinting down the path to the beach.
He slowed as he reached the sand and joined Joshua who was waiting for him. "I thought I told you to go ahead." Jack said as they ran down the beach, his breathing coming in sharp gasps and a stitch starting in his side.
"Hey, Sparrow." Joshua panted. "Who's the captain?" Jack smiled. They were almost at the docks when a sudden shout startled them. At first his eyes moved from the Catherine who was out in the water firing cannon balls to back up the beach in the direction of the fort. He turned and a shot whizzed past him.
A young navy man stood there, gun raised and smoking. It was one of the ones he'd knocked out, the one hardly older then himself. He was reloading his gun. Joshua pulled out his own gun and fired back, his shot hitting the sand at the man's feet and making the kid drop his gun. "Come on." Joshua said, making his way to the edge of the beach and pushing a spare boat into the water.
"I'll catch up, I'm a good swimmer. Just let me take him out, I don't want him shooting me in the back."
"Hurry, there'll be more of them." Joshua said without argument. Jack nodded and raced back towards the soldier. The man blanched and dived for his gun but Jack kicked it away.
"Sorry mate." He said calmly, "I can't let you have it back." The man pulled out his sword and swiped clumsily at Jack, loosing his balance. "Rule the first, don't fight a pirate."
"Mangy cur." The man growled, standing up. Jack looked at him in mock hurt.
"No, you can call me Jack Sparrow." The man growled and lunged for his gun again. Jack pulled him away and was wrestled to the ground. They rolled around on the beach, receiving and returning blows until finally Jack's fist connected with the man's face and the went limp. Jack sat up and spit out blood on the sand, rubbing his jaw. There was a tooth in his hand, one of his back ones. "You bast..." he didn't finish his sentence and stood up shakily, making his way to the water.
As the sea met his knees another shot ran out and a burning pain ran up and down his shoulder sending him into the water.
**
"Jack!" Joshua screamed as his son pitched forward into the water. He pulled out his gun and reloaded it, intending to shoot the young navy man on the beach. The man fell to the sand again though and Joshua threw the gun to the bottom of the boat, turning it around and rowing back.
His eyes roved the water as he made his way back to the beach, all the while calling out his son's name and praying he wasn't about to loose his son. More navy men were rounding the corner on to the beach. Joshua cursed.
"Jack!" He screamed, fear building inside him as the soldiers got closer. "Jack! Where are you?" A splash in the water made him turn. Jack was there, part way to the Catherine. Joshua turned the boat around and rowed fast as shots hit the water around him from the cannons and the guns.
He reached his son and held out a hand for him, helping the boy climb into the boat. Jack's arm hung limp at his side, the bullet had entered the back but there seemed to be no sign of an exit. Joshua shoved him gently into a laying position and told him to stay still as he rowed fast back to the Catherine. The crew attached the rowboat and began pulling it up to the deck with Joshua and Jack still inside. Once they were safely on deck, Roger called to the man at the wheel.
"Okay, careful, careful." Joshua whispered as they lifted Jack from the rowboat and carried him to the captain's cabin. Bill met them at the door and Joshua held him back until Jack was settled in the large bed. "Turner, were you the one who was responsible for the use of all those cannon balls?" He asked. Bill paled but Joshua squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "Thank you, it helped a lot." Roger came over to them and looked in the room at Jack who was sitting up and talking to one of the men.
"Alright, he'll need hot water, rum and bandages." Joshua said, taking the initiative. "Bill, in the chest over there you'll find the rum, Roger go to the kitchens and Peter, you grab the bandages. I want to be left alone with Jack." Jack leaned back on the pillows and watched his father uncork the rum. When everyone was gone, he pulled out a knife and instructed Jack to lean forward.
"This'll hurt but I have to get the bullet out." He said. Jack took a deep breath and did as he was instructed. Joshua began digging at the wound, finding the bullet just inside. With a disgusting squelch and a spurt of blood the object was free and Jack let out an involuntary gasp. Joshua smiled behind his son's back, proud of how he took the pain. Pouring some rum on it to disinfect, Joshua wrapped it up and helped his son lean back. Jack closed his eyes to let a wave of dizziness pass.
"Umm." He moaned, opening his eyes again. "Well that was a trip." Joshua laughed and held out the rum bottle to the kid. Jack shook his head and moved the bottle away from him, the smell making him sick.
"Suit yourself Sparrow." Joshua said, taking a swig, "It'll help though." When Jack shook his head again, Joshua went to the door and called Bill over. "Hang Sparrow's bundle of cloths somewhere to dry, he can't run around a pirate ship in navy cloths." Bill nodded, glanced at Jack and left. Josh closed the door again silently and went to his wardrobe, pulling out cloths similar to Jack's, only a lot bigger. "Here, your all wet. You can change into these when you're ready, of course." He sat down at his desk and placed his head in his hands sighing.
Jack sat up, wincing as his shoulder burned, the pain emanating down his arms and across his chest. "Are you alright captain?" He asked. Joshua nodded and turned in his seat; arm over the back, his gaze focused on Jack.
"We'll be stopping in Tortuga soon. I guess it doesn't matter what name I use now, eh? Mad Hawk's a pirate name, Joshua Delore's a pirate name..." He trailed off sadly. Jack played with the cloths he was supposed to be wearing and looked at the red blankets of the bed.
"What happened there?" He asked. Joshua shrugged.
"Someone recognized me, one of Peg-Leg's men." Jack's head snapped up and he scrambled out of bed, ignoring the pain that made him sway as he headed for the door. Joshua's hand suddenly gripped his bare shoulder and he shivered, turning to face him, hand on the doorknob.
"Jack, you can't...we've already left port." Jack growled and pulled his arm away, falling over and hitting the door. Joshua kneeled down next to him when he slid down the frame and came to rest sprawled on the floor. "I know Jack, Peg-Leg probably wasn't there. Now come on, I'll help you up, you'll get dressed and lye down for a while. You're released from your duties." He helped Jack up and brought him to the bed. As he reached the door to give the child some privacy, Jack's quiet voice stopped him.
"Who shot me?" He asked. "Do you know?"
"A navy man." Josh answered with out turning around. "They called him over when they brought me in. I think his name was James Norbert or Norton." He paused. "Norrington, that's it. Some kid named James Norrington." Then he left.
Jack pulled off the pants he'd taken from the soldier and threw them in the corner of the cabin with the bullet ridden red coat and the monk's cloak. Pulling on Joshua's pants and shirt, Jack jumped into bed and positioned himself so he wasn't in so much pain. He dreamed of Lily that night along with revenge.
**
Bill hung up his friend's cloths carefully on the side of the ship. There were a few small speckles of blood on the back of the white shirt but they were hardly noticeable. As he Unraveled the black sash he usually wore around his waist, a bag fell out.
Curiously, Bill opened it and found a necklace inside. Jack had bought something in the store, he remembered. The necklace was like the one he'd seen in the window of the shop, the one that looked like a heart cut in half and carved from stone. Looking around quickly, he stuffed in his boot and tightened the straps so it wouldn't fall out.
Leaving the deck, Bill entered the crew quarters and walked over the bunk in the corner. Crawling up on Jack's, Bill pulled out a small box and opened it, intent on putting the necklace in there. There were a few beads inside along with another necklace, this one a sparrow. He smiled, placing the other beside it. Closing the lid, he jumped down as a drunk Roger stumbled down the stairs.
"Turner, we're going to Tortuga." He hiccuped.
To my reviewers:
Alteng: Hey, thanks for the review! Again, I luv you. I don't think mune will be 95 pages but...you never know...hehehehehehehe. I wanted to set the rosa/jack conflict for later and trust me, it will be good. Josh does want peg leg but he loves his son and josh kinda has a calmness about him that I love, his son kind got it to with the opertune moment. It's okay with the death thing, I understand. I wanted to do a lot more but that didn't work either. I'll read your story when I have time, it sounds good it's just I have so much work to do and I'm putting these up during computers so...oh and my friend dyed her hair purple, I just threw that in for fun. 5 kids huh? Sux to be him...headaches. See ya and keep reading!
DragonHunter 200: I love irony to, it's always great. Jack may or may not get Fritz in the end, I haven't decided but Fritz will pay...I swear to god because I hate him so much!!!!!!!!! I've got chapter one done and have three lines for chapter two in my new story. It's called Fated Partings so look for it. I'll tell you when it comes up. I already like it. See ya! And I love hearing from you.
Dshael: Back again? That's awesome, I love you to, even though I hardly know you yet. Thanks for reviewing, I'll make it worth your while, I promis. Oh, and rosa and lily will come back, they have to...women are the best!
Holliday1081: Don't worry, Jack will start to change more...you kinda see it in this chapter. He's getting' daft and thinking on his feet...keep reviewing!
Ch. 6- Not a cleric
Bill Turner woke suddenly. He wasn't sure what had woken him and sat up, almost bumping his head on the bottom of Jack's bunk. Around him men slept, snoring loudly, many in a drunken stupor. They'd be in Port Royal tomorrow for supplies so many of the men had partied hard, drinking the rest of the rum.
Jack's hand was hanging over the edge of the bed. Bill stared at it, trying to get his vision back in focus. He'd drank to much and his head had a dull pounding ache. He stood up and slipped into his shirt that lay on the floor. Glancing at Jack, the only one who hadn't had any rum, who was sleeping with the book he carried around rising up and down with his breathing on his chest, he left, wobbling up the rickety staircase.
It was a starry night. Five or six men stood on deck, talking and laughing with each other, tankards in their hands. Bill refused a few of the offers of drinks and took a place at the wheel beside Roger and captain Delore. They had been talking quietly and stopped when he reached them. Roger leaned on the wheel lazily and turned his gaze to the Caribbean waters. Joshua smiled and hopped up to sit on the side of the ship, watching him.
"What's wrong lad?" Joshua asked. Bill shook his head and sat down, leaning against the side of the ship facing Joshua. "Did you have enough to drink?" Bill nodded.
"It's just, I'll need..." Bill didn't want to ask for a favor and stopped quickly. Joshua was a good man but he was a little worried about what he'd say about Bill leaving the loading area and running a personal errand.
"Go on Turner, what's up?" Josh urged. Bill rubbed his eyes and sighed.
"I need to take a few hours...to see someone." Joshua looked thoughtful and played with his beard. Finally he nodded.
"Alright, take Sparrow with you, he needs to get away for a while." Bill smiled. "And only for three hours, we don't want to stay in Port Royal to long." Bill nodded and stood up. "We have an accord?"
"We have an accord." Bill said quietly, relief sweeping through him. He made his way back to the crew quarters with out another word. Joshua was a fair man. This would also be a very good time to introduce Jack, his best friend on the Catherine and one his best friend on land.
He lay down again on his bed, the snoring around him lolling him back to sleep. Meanly, he kicked the bottom of Jack's bunk hard and turned towards the wall so when Jack looked over the edge groggily to tell him off, Bill's smiling face wasn't visible.
**
"Take a good look at Port Royal Jackie." Roger said happily, his arms open wide. They were docking half way out in the harbor like usual, the men lowering the rowboats. Jack was going over in the first wave with Bill, Joshua and Roger.
His eyes searched the town and he swept a hand across his face to move a few stray hairs that weren't held down by beads. Adjusting his red bandana, Jack sighed when he saw a large white house on the hill over looking the bay and the town. It looked like his old one in Britain.
"That's the governor's house." Bill said quietly, taking a place beside Jack. He leaned on the rail and looked into the crystalline waters rippling below. "I wonder how deep it is." Jack smiled mysteriously.
"Well, lets find out." He grinned. Bill looked at him funny and Jack grabbed him, pulling him over the edge of the ship. Bill yelled as they hit the water, sinking beneath the waves. Jack held onto Bill's arm as the other tried to swim to the surface. Underwater everything was so peaceful. Jack often wished he didn't have to breathe so he could stay under the ocean's surface all the time. Through the gloom around him, he caught sight of the anchor and above him was the haul of the Catherine and the bottom of two rowboats.
Bill yanked on his arm hard and Jack finally let go, watching Bill float to the surface. Taking another few seconds, Jack turned in a full circle looking around and then surfaced, spitting out a mouthful of salt water. He grinned at Bill who was climbing roughly into a lifeboat with Joshua.
"Guess it's deep." Jack called merrily. Bill glared and Roger waited in the second lifeboat, tapping his foot impatiently on the bottom and Jack slowly made his way over.
"Geeze lad." Roger said huffily as Jack climbed in and grabbed the oars. "We'd thought you and Turner 'ad fallen. Don' worry us again." Jack grinned and began rowing as the older man leaned back and closed his eyes. Ten minutes later they were tying the boats to the dock.
A middle-aged harbormaster and his assistant came over. The assistant eyed Jack suspiciously and Jack added a special wobble and a roguish smile for entertainment making Bill roll his eyes. Joshua smiled, watching his son and then turned to the harbormaster as the man opened his notebook and held a quill suspended over it.
"That'll be two shillings to tie up each of your boats, I'll need all of your names and the name of your ship." He said strictly. Jack's eyes roved the man's wig, which was that ugly gray color. Why men wore those were beyond him. They weren't pretty. If anything they made you look bloated with all their fake curls. Uncontiously, he scratched at the hair under his bandana, which was starting to dry from his dunk in the ocean.
"My name is Joshua Delore." Joshua said properly. Jack smiled and wondered how fast guards could be summoned if they knew that Mad Hawk was in town. "And that, out there is the Maryanne." The Harbormaster nodded and took down the names. "This is Roger Gibbs, William Turner and Jack Sparrow." Joshua said, nodding to each man. The master's assistant seemed to straighten at Jack's name but he ignored it. The kid was obviously troublesome and he would welcome a fight any day.
"Four shillings." The harbormaster said properly. Joshua reached into his pocket and extracted four coins. The harbormaster took them and they were about to walk away when he grabbed Joshua's arm. "And eight for the ship." Joshua turned to look at the Catherine and then at the man holding his arm.
"We didn't tie it and you never said anything about the ship, only the rowboats." He replied coldly.
"Well, maybe I should make myself clear. Pay or I'll call the navy." Joshua sighed and handed over eight more coins. The man smiled and took them merrily, dropping them into a leather pouch. "Welcome to Port Royal Mr. Delore, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Turner and Mr. Sparrow." He smiled. Jack suddenly got an idea. As the other men began to walk away, he swayed closer to the harbormaster, glorying in the obvious unease the man felt at his proximity.
"Thank you mate." Jack said easily. He placed his right hand close to the man's face, waving it about as he spoke. With his left hand he reached carefully into the sash around the man's waist and pulled out the coin pouch. "We'll be good, I promise." He leaned in closer and smiled as the man backed off and almost fell of the side of the pier.
Catching up with the others he handed the pouch to Joshua, grinning. "Here you go mate, compensation. The good harbormaster decided he'd been unnecessarily cruel about his taxation and gave this to me."
"Unwillingly I imagine." Bill said flatly behind them. Jack smiled and turned to face his friend, walking backwards and wobbling a little because he was a little uneasy on land after all the time on the ship. Jack looked at Bill, hurt.
"My dear William!" Jack cried, "Why would I, of ALL people, steal from a member of the Royal Navy? That would be just wrong." Bill smiled and grabbed Jack's arm as he stepped in front of a horse and rider. The man swore at them and continued. "Maybe I should watch where I'm goin' eh?"
Bill raised an eyebrow and turned to Joshua and Roger. "Well, we have an appointment." Bill said. Jack was staring at a woman in a shop with his mouth hanging open and wasn't listening. Joshua nodded and continued up the street while Bill dragged Jack down a dingy side street. "Where did you learn that trick?" Bill asked. Jack looked at him funny.
"What walk backwards?" He asked. Bill clenched his teeth as Jack purposely misconstrued his question. Sarcastically, Jack continued, "It's easy. You move the same way you do on land only you can't see where you're going. See?" and the annoyance of Bill, Jack proceeded to demonstrate the 'fine art' of backward walking.
Swiftly, Bill raised a hand and smacked the younger man over the back of the head. "You know what I mean." Bill hissed. Taking a deep breath he grabbed Jack's upper arm, turned him around and marched him a couple of steps. "I mean, how and when did you learn pick pocketing?" Jack stopped, looking in a store window at a bunch of necklaces set up on a display. His eyes were focused on a stone one in the front that was in the shape of a heart seemingly cut in two. Bill repeated his question but Jack simply waved a hand dismissive and entering the shop. Bill growled and followed.
The smell of woman's perfume wafted around him and he breathed deep, remembering the scent of the woman he had left in Britain. He let his eyes adjust to the darkness inside and then spotted his friend in the corner with a woman. He seemed to be purchasing something. Looking into the cases, Bill eyed a beautiful diamond necklace on a plush purple cushion and dreamed about giving it to Rebecca next time he saw her.
Suddenly Jack was at his side, holding a bag and gazing down at the necklace also. When Bill noticed, he grabbed the young man's arm and yanked him from the store. "Now," He said, turning down a long winding cobble stoned street, "When are you going to tell me about that whole pick pocketing thing?" Jack shrugged and Bill rolled his eyes.
Bill led him into the residential areas and Jack's eyes were once again drawn to the house on the hill that the governor owned. "Nice eh?" He asked. Bill looked at him curiously and Jack pointed to the mansion.
"Yeah, until ye have to pay for it." He said. "I wish I could afford a home like that. If I could, I wouldn't be on a ship." He laughed deeply. "What about you, where'd you grow up?"
"Britain." Jack replied. Bill laughed again and rolled his eyes, really not worrying if Jack told him or not. Jack wasn't really interested in talking about his past. It wasn't exciting enough and he had learned that Bill had grown up poor. He probably would have looked at Jack differently if he'd said; 'I grew up rich and was about to be sent off to an expensive boarding school outside London.'
"Here it is, the Blue Lamp." Bill said, stopping outside a shabby pub. Jack took in the nauseating smell of alcohol and wondered if he really wanted to go in.
"Maybe I'll..." But he wasn't able to finish as Bill shoved his way through the door past some drunks. Sighing, Jack followed, tucking the necklace he bought into his sash. The men around him were either passed out at tables or knocking back large tankards of rum. One man passed him a glass full of the disgusting substance before he passed out cold, face first on the floor.
"I'll take that you little cur." Growled another man, yanking the glass from Jack's hand and spilling rum on the floor.
"First time in a bar Jack?" Bill asked, grabbing Jack's attention from two dingy looking men who were eating blood-dripping meat, watching him. Jack nodded slowly. "Stick with me, we won't be long." He instructed. The bar man came over and Bill ordered himself a rum before leading Jack to a dark table in the corner. There was only one other occupant.
The person turned out to be a woman, who Bill hugged briefly, smiling. "Kaaren, this is Jack Sparrow, Jack, this is Kaaren. She's Rebecca's sister." Kaaren smiled and shook Jack's hand. Glancing down, he saw a number of rings and a mark on her arm in the shape of a branded 'P'. Pirate! Jack started, he'd never seen a female pirate before, save for his mother.
"You're a cute kid." She said, grinning. She let go of Jack's hand and turned to Bill. "He looks like Joshua." Bill glanced at him over the top of his tankard and nodded before Kaaren sat. Jack followed their lead. Kaaren still watched him for another half an hour while Bill and her talked about home and Rebecca.
"How's Will?" Bill asked. Kaaren took a piece of bread from the plate on the table and bit into it.
"He's good." She said through her mouth full, washing it down with rum. "He's taken an interest in becoming a merchant sailor like he thinks you are." Bill smiled. "He's pretty good with sword making though, 'ol Ross has been teaching him the technique."
Bill sat back in his chair and swirled his tankard around, watching the liquid inside. "A blacksmith? That would be great." He drained his glass and stood so suddenly that Jack started. "Well, we should go, I'm sure the captain will be expecting us back." Kaaren's face fell suddenly but she nodded just the same. As Bill made his way to the door, Jack bowed to her and turned to leave, only to be stopped by a her hand on his arm. He turned and stared into her green eyes, inches from his.
"You know, Jack, you have the most beautiful eyes but they don't stand out enough." Jack's eyebrows furrowed and she ran a finger under the lids of his eyes as if tracing them. "Outline them with kohl, I swear it'll look good." Her lips brushed his and suddenly she was gone, approaching the bar.
"Get over here Sparrow!" Bill called from the door. Jack tore his eyes away from Kaaren and passed drunks, finally gaining the freedom of the open air once more.
"That was interesting." He said finally as they turned up the main street and flattened against the wall to allow some navy soldiers to pass. "Kaaren eh? Does Becky look like that?"
Bill poked him with his index finger hard in the chest. "Don't even begin thinking about Rebecca, okay?" Jack threw up his hands in a sign of surrender and they walked in silence again. Finally Bill said, "Rebecca is beautiful though." Jack smiled and raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah? Like Kaaren?" Bill grinned wickedly and nodded. Jack let out a low long whistle and was just thinking about the whole kohl thing when his eyes were caught by a disturbance down the ally.
A man was backed against the wall of a shop as soldiers surrounded him, cutlasses and pistols raised. Jack threw out an arm and caught Bill in the chest, holding him at a stop. "Wha..."
"It's Josh." Jack whispered. His father had blood running down his face. Jack could see his sword lying on the ground at his side.
"What's going on? They think Josh's a good respectable merchant." Bill said, "Where's Roger?" Jack didn't answer and started forward, drawing his cutlass before Bill stopped him. "No! Jack, we need help!" Jack spun around to face Bill, a thought formulating in his head.
"Go, tell the crew." Bill nodded and turned to leave when Jack stopped him with his next sentence, "Don't send for a rescue." Bill spun to face his friend.
"What?"
"I have a plan. Don't send rescue, that will get us all in trouble. Go to the ship and if we're not back in three hours, then come but only then!" Jack turned and could tell Bill was still behind him. "Don't make me hurt you Turner. Go!"
**
Jack followed the soldiers down the streets, keeping a far enough distance that they wouldn't notice him. They'd knocked Joshua out and were carrying him to what Jack could only assume was the prison in the fort, he could see the structure growing larger and larger.
Jack couldn't help but wonder what he was going to do, he'd lied to Bill, he didn't have a plan...not a full plan anyway. One person would be easier to enter the fort unnoticed but he knew he couldn't just waltz in and out. Maybe he could knock out the soldiers? No, that was stupid. He could knock out a solider, take his uniform and...and what? Jack cursed his brain. Why did it have to fail him now? Why?
A church stood beside the fort, it's high steeple seeming to touch the sky. Jack was just moving onto another plan when a cleric stepped out and began walking down the street. Jack grinned.
**
Bill paced the deck, his eyes watching the town. The crew had abandoned loading supplies and was now readying the Catherine to set sail. All they were waiting for now was their captain and their deck washer. Roger, who had been mounting a rescue team when Bill had arrived, now stood beside the man, cursing under his breath.
Finally he snapped, "And you!" Bill jumped as the older man rounded on him. "Letting him go! What were ya thinkin'?" Bill opened his mouth but was interrupted; "The boy is sixteen years old! How old are you?"
"Twenty one." Bill replied. Roger took off his cap and wiped at the balding patch on his head. He growled.
"Old enough to know that a sixteen year old will never pull this off." He yelled. Crewmembers were now looking at them.
"I trust Jack." Bill snapped. "I trust his judgement, he's smart. He'll think of something!" Roger slammed a fist on the side of the deck.
"For their sakes, I hope your right. And, we're not waiting three hours! He'll have one and if he's not back by then, we're going in." Many of the men nodded, some looked as if they didn't know what to say. Bill glared at them all.
"Jack'll have the captain out long before then." He replied coolly. His panic deep down betrayed him. He had to think of something, fast, anything to give Jack more time.
**
Martin walked peacefully down one of the cobbled streets of Port Royal, humming a song from morning mass under his breath. He was at one with himself and was very proud of it. He'd been a cleric for a few years now and happily nodded to people as he walked by on his way to the market on his daily errand.
A call for help down a dark ally between to shops caught his attention. It was a young boy, dressed rather strangely with sailor cloths. His dark hair was held back by a red bandana low over his brow and beads clinked and clanked softly as he staggered into a wall, clutching his stomach and moaning in pain.
There was not even an uneasy thought in Martin's head as he made his way to the boy who cried out and slid down the wall to lay in the dirty street on his front.
Praying silently to God for help, Martin kneeled down, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Are you alright? What's your name?" He asked. "Is there anything I can do." Silently, the boy answered but Martin didn't catch it. He leaned closer. "Pardon?"
"I said, 'can I have your cloths, your rosary and you forgiveness?'" Martin didn't understand until the boy swiftly brought his sword up and hit him over the head with her blunt end. Martin crumpled to the ground, uncontious. The boy sat up and grinned, turning the man over and making sure he wasn't dead. Satisfied, he began stripping off Martin's cloths, finally leaving him in only his underclothes.
Donning the brown robes and pulling the hood over his head while adjusting the beads around his waist, the boy said, "Oh, and my name's Jack Sparrow." He placed his hands together in a kind of prayer and bowed. "I am sincerely sorry. May God forgive me but, I have somewhere to be." And with that, Jack walked out of the ally, leaving Martin.
The robes were a little big on him but that was probably a good thing as it hid the cloths he still had on beneath it. By the time he was approaching the fort he was already panting, sweat running down his face. No one had said these things were so hot. "Or itchy." Jack muttered as he scratched at his neck where the material poked at his skin.
The guard watched him wearily. "What business do you have here cleric?" He asked. Jack pulled the cloak lower over his head to hide the bandana and beads.
"I've been sent here with instructions for the Commodore. Is he here?" Jack asked, trying to deepen his voice. The guard bent his knees a little as if to look into Jack's face but he lowered his head further.
"Yes, he's here. I think he's with a new prisoner now. Should I get someone to take you to him?" Jack shook his head and silently cursed the sun.
"No, I can find it thanks, my son." He crossed the air and walked past the guard slowly. He could feel the man's eyes on him. The fort was cool and Jack looked around, wishing he could explore more. Stopping a passing guard, he asked, "The dungeons?" The man didn't speak but pointed down a side passage and Jack thanked him, moving on.
There were stairs at the end of the passage that led down. He followed them and came to a large stone room filled with straw-floored cells and small barred windows. There were four guards here, all of them in their fancy new redcoats and holding shinny polished guns. Jack hated them instantly, knowing he could have been one of them. Shivering at the thought, he made to approach the cell with Josh before a man stopped him.
"You can't proceed mate, until you tell us your business." Jack nodded and pointed to the cell.
"I have to talk to him. I've been sent by my superior."
"Oh yeah?" The man asked sarcastically. The other men grinned. "And that would be?"
"God." Jack said simply raising a hand and pointing to the ceiling. "God and the Commodore of course, your superior. I have to give this man confession and..."
"Do you now? Well, by all means," The man stepped over and went to unlock the door. Before he knew what had happened, Jack had hit him and one of his buddies over the head with the blunt end of his cutlass and they were both on the ground. Both the other soldiers charged at him and Jack knocked one of them out, stopped the other one by hitting him over the head with a bucket. The man grinned and then met the floor with his face.
"Jack!" Joshua yelled, running to the bars. Jack made a motion of silence and pulled down the hood on the robes to show his face. Fumbling with the keys, he opened the cell. "How did you...how are we..."
"I don't know but we have to move fast." He glanced at one of the guards he'd knocked out. The man was around his age. "Here." He began to strip off the brown robes as a sudden cannon shot split the air. "That would be our que to exit." Joshua grinned and took the robes as the Catherine shot another cannon ball at the town.
"Why are they firing?" He asked, donning the robes. Jack shrugged and looked around frantically wondering who's uniform to take.
"They must be trying to distract the fort so we can get away." He said simply. "Probably sending men in to get you."
"Then we gotta go." Joshua said. Jack nodded, eyebrows raised and Joshua ran to the stairwell, looking up at the landing above. "Looks like their busy." He looked back at his son who was stripping down a guard hurriedly. He waited but Jack glared at him suddenly.
"Well, go while you can, I'll be fine." Joshua hesitated but Jack waved him on. "Go, I'll catch you up. Your old, I can run faster. Meet me there, let them know we're coming." Joshua hesitated then left. Jack suddenly felt alone and began undoing the uniform's golden buttons faster, his hands shaking as he heard shouts.
The guard was finally unclothed except for his underclothes. Jack stripped off his own and donned the uniform, which was almost a perfect fit for him. Grinning, he looked down at himself, running a hand over the bright red jacket and bundling up his own cloths. The beads in his hair he pulled off along with the bandana and tucked them into on of his pockets. The guards were stirring. He dragged the one who's cloths he's stolen into Joshua's empty cell and closed the door.
A shout above startled him and he suddenly remembered the peril he was in. He leaped over three of the moving soldiers and raced up the stairs, two steps at a time. Above men raced around in panic and no one made any move to stop him as he left the fort, sprinting down the path to the beach.
He slowed as he reached the sand and joined Joshua who was waiting for him. "I thought I told you to go ahead." Jack said as they ran down the beach, his breathing coming in sharp gasps and a stitch starting in his side.
"Hey, Sparrow." Joshua panted. "Who's the captain?" Jack smiled. They were almost at the docks when a sudden shout startled them. At first his eyes moved from the Catherine who was out in the water firing cannon balls to back up the beach in the direction of the fort. He turned and a shot whizzed past him.
A young navy man stood there, gun raised and smoking. It was one of the ones he'd knocked out, the one hardly older then himself. He was reloading his gun. Joshua pulled out his own gun and fired back, his shot hitting the sand at the man's feet and making the kid drop his gun. "Come on." Joshua said, making his way to the edge of the beach and pushing a spare boat into the water.
"I'll catch up, I'm a good swimmer. Just let me take him out, I don't want him shooting me in the back."
"Hurry, there'll be more of them." Joshua said without argument. Jack nodded and raced back towards the soldier. The man blanched and dived for his gun but Jack kicked it away.
"Sorry mate." He said calmly, "I can't let you have it back." The man pulled out his sword and swiped clumsily at Jack, loosing his balance. "Rule the first, don't fight a pirate."
"Mangy cur." The man growled, standing up. Jack looked at him in mock hurt.
"No, you can call me Jack Sparrow." The man growled and lunged for his gun again. Jack pulled him away and was wrestled to the ground. They rolled around on the beach, receiving and returning blows until finally Jack's fist connected with the man's face and the went limp. Jack sat up and spit out blood on the sand, rubbing his jaw. There was a tooth in his hand, one of his back ones. "You bast..." he didn't finish his sentence and stood up shakily, making his way to the water.
As the sea met his knees another shot ran out and a burning pain ran up and down his shoulder sending him into the water.
**
"Jack!" Joshua screamed as his son pitched forward into the water. He pulled out his gun and reloaded it, intending to shoot the young navy man on the beach. The man fell to the sand again though and Joshua threw the gun to the bottom of the boat, turning it around and rowing back.
His eyes roved the water as he made his way back to the beach, all the while calling out his son's name and praying he wasn't about to loose his son. More navy men were rounding the corner on to the beach. Joshua cursed.
"Jack!" He screamed, fear building inside him as the soldiers got closer. "Jack! Where are you?" A splash in the water made him turn. Jack was there, part way to the Catherine. Joshua turned the boat around and rowed fast as shots hit the water around him from the cannons and the guns.
He reached his son and held out a hand for him, helping the boy climb into the boat. Jack's arm hung limp at his side, the bullet had entered the back but there seemed to be no sign of an exit. Joshua shoved him gently into a laying position and told him to stay still as he rowed fast back to the Catherine. The crew attached the rowboat and began pulling it up to the deck with Joshua and Jack still inside. Once they were safely on deck, Roger called to the man at the wheel.
"Okay, careful, careful." Joshua whispered as they lifted Jack from the rowboat and carried him to the captain's cabin. Bill met them at the door and Joshua held him back until Jack was settled in the large bed. "Turner, were you the one who was responsible for the use of all those cannon balls?" He asked. Bill paled but Joshua squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "Thank you, it helped a lot." Roger came over to them and looked in the room at Jack who was sitting up and talking to one of the men.
"Alright, he'll need hot water, rum and bandages." Joshua said, taking the initiative. "Bill, in the chest over there you'll find the rum, Roger go to the kitchens and Peter, you grab the bandages. I want to be left alone with Jack." Jack leaned back on the pillows and watched his father uncork the rum. When everyone was gone, he pulled out a knife and instructed Jack to lean forward.
"This'll hurt but I have to get the bullet out." He said. Jack took a deep breath and did as he was instructed. Joshua began digging at the wound, finding the bullet just inside. With a disgusting squelch and a spurt of blood the object was free and Jack let out an involuntary gasp. Joshua smiled behind his son's back, proud of how he took the pain. Pouring some rum on it to disinfect, Joshua wrapped it up and helped his son lean back. Jack closed his eyes to let a wave of dizziness pass.
"Umm." He moaned, opening his eyes again. "Well that was a trip." Joshua laughed and held out the rum bottle to the kid. Jack shook his head and moved the bottle away from him, the smell making him sick.
"Suit yourself Sparrow." Joshua said, taking a swig, "It'll help though." When Jack shook his head again, Joshua went to the door and called Bill over. "Hang Sparrow's bundle of cloths somewhere to dry, he can't run around a pirate ship in navy cloths." Bill nodded, glanced at Jack and left. Josh closed the door again silently and went to his wardrobe, pulling out cloths similar to Jack's, only a lot bigger. "Here, your all wet. You can change into these when you're ready, of course." He sat down at his desk and placed his head in his hands sighing.
Jack sat up, wincing as his shoulder burned, the pain emanating down his arms and across his chest. "Are you alright captain?" He asked. Joshua nodded and turned in his seat; arm over the back, his gaze focused on Jack.
"We'll be stopping in Tortuga soon. I guess it doesn't matter what name I use now, eh? Mad Hawk's a pirate name, Joshua Delore's a pirate name..." He trailed off sadly. Jack played with the cloths he was supposed to be wearing and looked at the red blankets of the bed.
"What happened there?" He asked. Joshua shrugged.
"Someone recognized me, one of Peg-Leg's men." Jack's head snapped up and he scrambled out of bed, ignoring the pain that made him sway as he headed for the door. Joshua's hand suddenly gripped his bare shoulder and he shivered, turning to face him, hand on the doorknob.
"Jack, you can't...we've already left port." Jack growled and pulled his arm away, falling over and hitting the door. Joshua kneeled down next to him when he slid down the frame and came to rest sprawled on the floor. "I know Jack, Peg-Leg probably wasn't there. Now come on, I'll help you up, you'll get dressed and lye down for a while. You're released from your duties." He helped Jack up and brought him to the bed. As he reached the door to give the child some privacy, Jack's quiet voice stopped him.
"Who shot me?" He asked. "Do you know?"
"A navy man." Josh answered with out turning around. "They called him over when they brought me in. I think his name was James Norbert or Norton." He paused. "Norrington, that's it. Some kid named James Norrington." Then he left.
Jack pulled off the pants he'd taken from the soldier and threw them in the corner of the cabin with the bullet ridden red coat and the monk's cloak. Pulling on Joshua's pants and shirt, Jack jumped into bed and positioned himself so he wasn't in so much pain. He dreamed of Lily that night along with revenge.
**
Bill hung up his friend's cloths carefully on the side of the ship. There were a few small speckles of blood on the back of the white shirt but they were hardly noticeable. As he Unraveled the black sash he usually wore around his waist, a bag fell out.
Curiously, Bill opened it and found a necklace inside. Jack had bought something in the store, he remembered. The necklace was like the one he'd seen in the window of the shop, the one that looked like a heart cut in half and carved from stone. Looking around quickly, he stuffed in his boot and tightened the straps so it wouldn't fall out.
Leaving the deck, Bill entered the crew quarters and walked over the bunk in the corner. Crawling up on Jack's, Bill pulled out a small box and opened it, intent on putting the necklace in there. There were a few beads inside along with another necklace, this one a sparrow. He smiled, placing the other beside it. Closing the lid, he jumped down as a drunk Roger stumbled down the stairs.
"Turner, we're going to Tortuga." He hiccuped.
To my reviewers:
Alteng: Hey, thanks for the review! Again, I luv you. I don't think mune will be 95 pages but...you never know...hehehehehehehe. I wanted to set the rosa/jack conflict for later and trust me, it will be good. Josh does want peg leg but he loves his son and josh kinda has a calmness about him that I love, his son kind got it to with the opertune moment. It's okay with the death thing, I understand. I wanted to do a lot more but that didn't work either. I'll read your story when I have time, it sounds good it's just I have so much work to do and I'm putting these up during computers so...oh and my friend dyed her hair purple, I just threw that in for fun. 5 kids huh? Sux to be him...headaches. See ya and keep reading!
DragonHunter 200: I love irony to, it's always great. Jack may or may not get Fritz in the end, I haven't decided but Fritz will pay...I swear to god because I hate him so much!!!!!!!!! I've got chapter one done and have three lines for chapter two in my new story. It's called Fated Partings so look for it. I'll tell you when it comes up. I already like it. See ya! And I love hearing from you.
Dshael: Back again? That's awesome, I love you to, even though I hardly know you yet. Thanks for reviewing, I'll make it worth your while, I promis. Oh, and rosa and lily will come back, they have to...women are the best!
Holliday1081: Don't worry, Jack will start to change more...you kinda see it in this chapter. He's getting' daft and thinking on his feet...keep reviewing!