Thanks for the reviews!! Interesting chapter. . .
Chapter Twenty Eight.
"I wish I could have been their Jack, to see my daughter wed. It would almost have made up for all those lost years."
"Nothing can make up for that." Jack replied, taking a swig from his rum.
Rosie picked up a bottle, and gulped half of its contents down. "I've lost both my chillun now Jack. You don't know how that feels."
He shook his head. "No I don't."
"It feels like I've lost part of myself."
Jack grabbed her arm. "You don't want no more."
"Yes I do." She said, dredging the rest of the bottle.
"What's this thing you've got with havin' a family?" He demanded.
"You 'member when we were kids Jack?" She asked.
He nodded.
"I ne'er had a family." She shook her head, miserably. "I mean I had my aunt, and I had you and Bill. And that's it."
"It were enough then." He replied.
"Do you 'member when we sat by the ol' fort, and we watched the sunset?"
He nodded, slowly. He took another swig from his bottle, and stared at the wall, the floor, his bunk, anywhere but at Rosie.
She fingered her bottle and smile. "You talked about freedom, just stepping over the cliff and that would be it, everything would be over. An' it would stop hurtin'." Her eyes began to water, she sniffed back the tears, and placed her empty bottle on the table.
"Don't cry, Rosie." Jack said, meeting her eyes.
"I'm not."
"You don't wanna step over that cliff, Rose."
She laughed. "And whys that? I'm Rosie I have a perfect life!"
"No one has a perfect life." Jack replied.
"Don't they?"
He shook his head. "Yer jus' have to make the most o' it. We'll get Alex back."
"Oh Jack don't." She said, picking up another bottle of rum. "He's lucky if he's still alive."
"So where shall we go now?"
"To the stars." She grabbed Jack and pulled him closer to her. He stroked her soft sun burnt cheeks. She responded by kissing his hand, and throwing her arms around his neck.
That night they spent together passionately making love, in the Captain's cabin, not emerging until past day break.
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The next morning Jack stood sleepily by the wheel, he pushed it lazily as he gazed out across the ocean. Rosie was below decks, probably crying her eyes out, and not wanting Jack to glance upon her weak state. Whatever Rosie had done in the past, no matter what she had slept with to succeed, she was a good girl. She truly cared about her family, and at one time must have loved both Edward Swann, and Hector Barbossa. Both of which were now out of her reach.
But somewhere along the way, along the path, she had loved her children, but seemed to forget herself. She was insecure about being without them. Leaving Elizabeth was one of the hardest things she had ever done, leaving her again, on the very eve of her wedding was far worse. Rosie had seen Liz as a small helpless child, and then she had seen her as a fully grown, mature and independent woman. But she had missed the years in between. She had missed her daughter growing up.
"Liz forgave you, it's a bout time you forgave yourself." Jack said.
She knew he meant well, but he didn't know what she was going through. She sat alone beside the rum and weevily biscuit barrels, supping a bottle once more.
A hand reached down and snatched the bottle, she looked up shielding her eyes from the light.
"Yes?" She demanded, reaching for the rum.
It was held out of her reach. She stood up, and through her blurred, sun filled eyes she made out an outline of the person before her.
"You better come up top young missy." Gibbs said. "There be a ship coming."
"I'm sure Jack can deal with it," She said, reaching for her bottle, once again.
"Nay, you best come see." Gibbs led her up to the top deck, where Jack stood with his telescope staring out at the distance. All Rosie could see was a small ship just off the horizon, it was too far away to tell whether it was military, merchant or pirate.
"Jack what's the problem?" She asked.
He passed her the telescope. She gasped. "Their Barbossa's colours." She said.
He nodded.
"Alex." She said, but her face was not graced by a smile.
Jack looked at her dubiously, and snatched the gold telescope back. "I won this." he said, looking through it once more.
"Stole it more like." She replied. "Look Jack about last night. . ."
"Rosie I don't think this is the time to be talkin' bout that. . ."
"No listen, I want to say it now."
"Why?"
She shrugged. "Well, you might be dead later on."
He grinned. "Thanks."
"Look Jack, it meant nothing, I just needed comforting and you were the only one there. It meant nothing, right?" She said, looking down.
He stared at her for a moment or two. "It meant nothing." He repeated, slowly. He turned back to the ship that was fast approaching. "Load the cannons." He shouted to his crew.
"Load the cannon?" Rosie questioned. "But what if Alex is aboard."
"We're sinkin' 'em, not killin' 'em." Jack replied, as he stepped out the way of Gibbs and Cotton as they hurried past carrying a chain ball between them.
Rosie still looked concerned as she stared across the brief stretch of water between the two ships. She turned to Jack. "If you kill my son, I'll kill you." She said, with such seriousness and determination in her shining eyes, Jack knew she meant it.
He nodded.
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Jack was a noble man, well as near as a pirate can come to being noble. He offered the rival ship a warning first, deliberately mis-aiming the cannon shot to just go broad of the ship.
Rosie watched, nervously. This wasn't right this wasn't how it was supposed to be. As a child she had sat by the old fort dreaming of her grown up years. She was a beautiful woman married, and ecstatically in love with her husband. Their children played nosily in their enormous green garden. But surely that is what everyone dreams when they are little?
A sudden jerk, as the ship was tossed brought her back to her senses. Her tired eyes caught sight of Jack as he roared orders, and dodged his men as they scuttled around like rats. She sighed, she had dreamed of a perfect life, she wished she could be more like Jack, he seemed ready to accept anything.
But she couldn't, she couldn't face being absent from her daughter's wedding, she couldn't accept Alex was gone.
It seemed the other ship did not heed the warning, they replied with a shot of their own, this time on target. Jack threw himself down as the cannon ball whipped through the air towards them. Jo screamed as one of the sails smashed and hurtled down onto the deck.
"Ella, you shouldn't be up 'ere, go to your cabin at once." She said grabbing the urchin and pulling her to the ground.
Ella stared at her defiantly. "If the ship sinks, I'll be no safer down then up." She replied. Her fingers closed against the cold hard metal in her pocket. She was in no danger at all. And with that assurance resting against her leg, she had no fear as she strolled the war stricken deck.
"Fire!" Jack yelled. This time he aimed directly for the other ship. He pulled out his gun, and loaded it, watching the rivals the whole time.
Annamaria had taken the wheel, not that the ship needed much direction being now involved in open warfare. But she managed to steady it against the capsizing waves.
The cannons released their balls, hurtling them over the open sea. They hit on target but did little damage compared to what the Pearl had already received.
Jack tried shooting, but the distance was too far, and aiming was near impossible. He reloaded the gun, but didn't try shooting again.
The cannons were loaded once more, grape shots, chain balls, and even crushed glass and scrap metal were fired at the other ship.
Jack watched, a serious expression gracing his face.
And Rosie watched Jack, as he stood proudly overseeing the fight.
"Ella, please go below." Jo pleaded. But Ella was enjoying herself, she had no reason to duck when the cannon fodder hit, crashed and destroyed. She had no reason to hide from the attack, as the enemy got closer, no reason at all. She walked casually over the deck, as though she was taking a morning stroll in the park. If the pirates had stopped long enough to notice her, they would have been shocked indeed, but Jack's crew did not delay.
Jo screamed as the enemy's shot hit on target, pummelling into the ship. She threw herself down, and crawled across the timber deck, dodging from the running men, scuttling like ants from the rain.
"Jack!" She screeched. But Jack was too busy to pay attention to the ex- harem girl. He drew his sword, and ordered the cannons to be fired again. Other men who weren't loading the guns drew their cutlasses, and watched as the ship approached. It was certainly a powerful vessel, slightly larger in size to the Black Pearl, and carrying more cannons, but Jack noted, that slowed it down.
Ella grinned as it got closer. She recognised the colours, her eyes gleamed with malicious mirth. "You're all dead." She muttered.
Rosie closed her eyes, she didn't want to see the ship. But in her mind the sights were worse. Barbossa, Barbossa as he once was. The three of them were sat in the bar, Jack was boasting about his newly acquired vessel. They argued over captaincy, Jack won. Barbossa looked daggers, in his thoughts he had already decided to kill the man sitting before him. Her eyes snapped open.
"You gonna go below?" Jack asked her, as he stood beside her.
"I'm gonna fight." She replied.
He shrugged. "Do what you like." He walked away, leaving her bewildered.
"Jack!" She shouted, he didn't look back.
The ship had arrived and was anchoring on the portside, the cannons loaded ready to destroy the Pearl. Jack stood, one foot leaning on the cannon, staring defiantly, as though daring them to sink his ship.
Ella laughed merrily, gripping the medallion in her pocket. The other ship was simply called Death. The black sails pulled in the wind, and the flag waved madly.
Jack smiled, grimly. "Death?" He read slowly.
"Death comes to us all." Rosie whispered.
Jo had managed to struggle down to her cabin, where she sat on the bunk and tried to regain her breath. Where was Ella? She groaned slightly. The little tear away had stayed up top. Surely she would be killed? She stared at the door, as though arguing whether or not to go back for her. She shook her head, Ella was on her own now.
The ropes were knotted, the boarding hooks thrown, and the rival crew began to swing across. A fight ensued.
Jack launched at the nearest and cut him down. Rosie too was fighting, but not with swords, she was quite a fierce woman really. Ella walked amongst them, unnoticed, untouched. As Rosie tossed one of them overboard she looked around frantically for her son. She stared across at Jack, who had just reloaded his gun. He nodded at her pleading face. He grabbed a rope, and swung across to the Death.
The sound of the swords clinking filled the air. Jack's crew fought, the cannon balls dropped, and forgotten on the floor. Forgotten until the fight pirates tripped over them.
Gibbs grabbed a cutlass and cut down one of the men carrying a barrel of gunpowder. He picked it up and tossed it into the sea. Annamaria had left the wheel. The currents weren't strong enough to take the ship. The crew were fighting.
Jack, once over on the other ship, and having fought off several men, he ducked down descended the ladder and landed with a plop on the floor. He began to search the cabins for Alex, or for any sign of life. He could hear the fighting above, and deeply regretted leaving his ship.
Chapter Twenty Eight.
"I wish I could have been their Jack, to see my daughter wed. It would almost have made up for all those lost years."
"Nothing can make up for that." Jack replied, taking a swig from his rum.
Rosie picked up a bottle, and gulped half of its contents down. "I've lost both my chillun now Jack. You don't know how that feels."
He shook his head. "No I don't."
"It feels like I've lost part of myself."
Jack grabbed her arm. "You don't want no more."
"Yes I do." She said, dredging the rest of the bottle.
"What's this thing you've got with havin' a family?" He demanded.
"You 'member when we were kids Jack?" She asked.
He nodded.
"I ne'er had a family." She shook her head, miserably. "I mean I had my aunt, and I had you and Bill. And that's it."
"It were enough then." He replied.
"Do you 'member when we sat by the ol' fort, and we watched the sunset?"
He nodded, slowly. He took another swig from his bottle, and stared at the wall, the floor, his bunk, anywhere but at Rosie.
She fingered her bottle and smile. "You talked about freedom, just stepping over the cliff and that would be it, everything would be over. An' it would stop hurtin'." Her eyes began to water, she sniffed back the tears, and placed her empty bottle on the table.
"Don't cry, Rosie." Jack said, meeting her eyes.
"I'm not."
"You don't wanna step over that cliff, Rose."
She laughed. "And whys that? I'm Rosie I have a perfect life!"
"No one has a perfect life." Jack replied.
"Don't they?"
He shook his head. "Yer jus' have to make the most o' it. We'll get Alex back."
"Oh Jack don't." She said, picking up another bottle of rum. "He's lucky if he's still alive."
"So where shall we go now?"
"To the stars." She grabbed Jack and pulled him closer to her. He stroked her soft sun burnt cheeks. She responded by kissing his hand, and throwing her arms around his neck.
That night they spent together passionately making love, in the Captain's cabin, not emerging until past day break.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x- x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
The next morning Jack stood sleepily by the wheel, he pushed it lazily as he gazed out across the ocean. Rosie was below decks, probably crying her eyes out, and not wanting Jack to glance upon her weak state. Whatever Rosie had done in the past, no matter what she had slept with to succeed, she was a good girl. She truly cared about her family, and at one time must have loved both Edward Swann, and Hector Barbossa. Both of which were now out of her reach.
But somewhere along the way, along the path, she had loved her children, but seemed to forget herself. She was insecure about being without them. Leaving Elizabeth was one of the hardest things she had ever done, leaving her again, on the very eve of her wedding was far worse. Rosie had seen Liz as a small helpless child, and then she had seen her as a fully grown, mature and independent woman. But she had missed the years in between. She had missed her daughter growing up.
"Liz forgave you, it's a bout time you forgave yourself." Jack said.
She knew he meant well, but he didn't know what she was going through. She sat alone beside the rum and weevily biscuit barrels, supping a bottle once more.
A hand reached down and snatched the bottle, she looked up shielding her eyes from the light.
"Yes?" She demanded, reaching for the rum.
It was held out of her reach. She stood up, and through her blurred, sun filled eyes she made out an outline of the person before her.
"You better come up top young missy." Gibbs said. "There be a ship coming."
"I'm sure Jack can deal with it," She said, reaching for her bottle, once again.
"Nay, you best come see." Gibbs led her up to the top deck, where Jack stood with his telescope staring out at the distance. All Rosie could see was a small ship just off the horizon, it was too far away to tell whether it was military, merchant or pirate.
"Jack what's the problem?" She asked.
He passed her the telescope. She gasped. "Their Barbossa's colours." She said.
He nodded.
"Alex." She said, but her face was not graced by a smile.
Jack looked at her dubiously, and snatched the gold telescope back. "I won this." he said, looking through it once more.
"Stole it more like." She replied. "Look Jack about last night. . ."
"Rosie I don't think this is the time to be talkin' bout that. . ."
"No listen, I want to say it now."
"Why?"
She shrugged. "Well, you might be dead later on."
He grinned. "Thanks."
"Look Jack, it meant nothing, I just needed comforting and you were the only one there. It meant nothing, right?" She said, looking down.
He stared at her for a moment or two. "It meant nothing." He repeated, slowly. He turned back to the ship that was fast approaching. "Load the cannons." He shouted to his crew.
"Load the cannon?" Rosie questioned. "But what if Alex is aboard."
"We're sinkin' 'em, not killin' 'em." Jack replied, as he stepped out the way of Gibbs and Cotton as they hurried past carrying a chain ball between them.
Rosie still looked concerned as she stared across the brief stretch of water between the two ships. She turned to Jack. "If you kill my son, I'll kill you." She said, with such seriousness and determination in her shining eyes, Jack knew she meant it.
He nodded.
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Jack was a noble man, well as near as a pirate can come to being noble. He offered the rival ship a warning first, deliberately mis-aiming the cannon shot to just go broad of the ship.
Rosie watched, nervously. This wasn't right this wasn't how it was supposed to be. As a child she had sat by the old fort dreaming of her grown up years. She was a beautiful woman married, and ecstatically in love with her husband. Their children played nosily in their enormous green garden. But surely that is what everyone dreams when they are little?
A sudden jerk, as the ship was tossed brought her back to her senses. Her tired eyes caught sight of Jack as he roared orders, and dodged his men as they scuttled around like rats. She sighed, she had dreamed of a perfect life, she wished she could be more like Jack, he seemed ready to accept anything.
But she couldn't, she couldn't face being absent from her daughter's wedding, she couldn't accept Alex was gone.
It seemed the other ship did not heed the warning, they replied with a shot of their own, this time on target. Jack threw himself down as the cannon ball whipped through the air towards them. Jo screamed as one of the sails smashed and hurtled down onto the deck.
"Ella, you shouldn't be up 'ere, go to your cabin at once." She said grabbing the urchin and pulling her to the ground.
Ella stared at her defiantly. "If the ship sinks, I'll be no safer down then up." She replied. Her fingers closed against the cold hard metal in her pocket. She was in no danger at all. And with that assurance resting against her leg, she had no fear as she strolled the war stricken deck.
"Fire!" Jack yelled. This time he aimed directly for the other ship. He pulled out his gun, and loaded it, watching the rivals the whole time.
Annamaria had taken the wheel, not that the ship needed much direction being now involved in open warfare. But she managed to steady it against the capsizing waves.
The cannons released their balls, hurtling them over the open sea. They hit on target but did little damage compared to what the Pearl had already received.
Jack tried shooting, but the distance was too far, and aiming was near impossible. He reloaded the gun, but didn't try shooting again.
The cannons were loaded once more, grape shots, chain balls, and even crushed glass and scrap metal were fired at the other ship.
Jack watched, a serious expression gracing his face.
And Rosie watched Jack, as he stood proudly overseeing the fight.
"Ella, please go below." Jo pleaded. But Ella was enjoying herself, she had no reason to duck when the cannon fodder hit, crashed and destroyed. She had no reason to hide from the attack, as the enemy got closer, no reason at all. She walked casually over the deck, as though she was taking a morning stroll in the park. If the pirates had stopped long enough to notice her, they would have been shocked indeed, but Jack's crew did not delay.
Jo screamed as the enemy's shot hit on target, pummelling into the ship. She threw herself down, and crawled across the timber deck, dodging from the running men, scuttling like ants from the rain.
"Jack!" She screeched. But Jack was too busy to pay attention to the ex- harem girl. He drew his sword, and ordered the cannons to be fired again. Other men who weren't loading the guns drew their cutlasses, and watched as the ship approached. It was certainly a powerful vessel, slightly larger in size to the Black Pearl, and carrying more cannons, but Jack noted, that slowed it down.
Ella grinned as it got closer. She recognised the colours, her eyes gleamed with malicious mirth. "You're all dead." She muttered.
Rosie closed her eyes, she didn't want to see the ship. But in her mind the sights were worse. Barbossa, Barbossa as he once was. The three of them were sat in the bar, Jack was boasting about his newly acquired vessel. They argued over captaincy, Jack won. Barbossa looked daggers, in his thoughts he had already decided to kill the man sitting before him. Her eyes snapped open.
"You gonna go below?" Jack asked her, as he stood beside her.
"I'm gonna fight." She replied.
He shrugged. "Do what you like." He walked away, leaving her bewildered.
"Jack!" She shouted, he didn't look back.
The ship had arrived and was anchoring on the portside, the cannons loaded ready to destroy the Pearl. Jack stood, one foot leaning on the cannon, staring defiantly, as though daring them to sink his ship.
Ella laughed merrily, gripping the medallion in her pocket. The other ship was simply called Death. The black sails pulled in the wind, and the flag waved madly.
Jack smiled, grimly. "Death?" He read slowly.
"Death comes to us all." Rosie whispered.
Jo had managed to struggle down to her cabin, where she sat on the bunk and tried to regain her breath. Where was Ella? She groaned slightly. The little tear away had stayed up top. Surely she would be killed? She stared at the door, as though arguing whether or not to go back for her. She shook her head, Ella was on her own now.
The ropes were knotted, the boarding hooks thrown, and the rival crew began to swing across. A fight ensued.
Jack launched at the nearest and cut him down. Rosie too was fighting, but not with swords, she was quite a fierce woman really. Ella walked amongst them, unnoticed, untouched. As Rosie tossed one of them overboard she looked around frantically for her son. She stared across at Jack, who had just reloaded his gun. He nodded at her pleading face. He grabbed a rope, and swung across to the Death.
The sound of the swords clinking filled the air. Jack's crew fought, the cannon balls dropped, and forgotten on the floor. Forgotten until the fight pirates tripped over them.
Gibbs grabbed a cutlass and cut down one of the men carrying a barrel of gunpowder. He picked it up and tossed it into the sea. Annamaria had left the wheel. The currents weren't strong enough to take the ship. The crew were fighting.
Jack, once over on the other ship, and having fought off several men, he ducked down descended the ladder and landed with a plop on the floor. He began to search the cabins for Alex, or for any sign of life. He could hear the fighting above, and deeply regretted leaving his ship.