They had almost made it back to Port Town. The land could be seen over the horizon as just a line drawn between the sea and the sky. Riley was in the crow's nest sitting and watching the land come into view with a pair of binoculars. Jack, on the other hand, was at the wheel, steering the ship, thinking of a way to tell the others about Riley. No one had ever known Jack had had a child. He kept it secret, because he had thought that she had died along with her mother, only the body had never been found.
Jack knew this would not be an easy task. Telling the people he had known forever, and not kept any secrets to, would probably never trust him again. What would they think when he told them this? How would they react? He hoped they wouldn't ask questions about it. Then he would have to tell of Riley's mother, how he meet her, and about her death. How he had been away when it happened on a trip.
Although, he knew Will would be the first to ask about the story. He would probably ask more questions than Jack wanted to answer. Jack figured that would be true. He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't realize that they were almost to the docks. He looked up from the wheel in surprise. Finding himself again, he called Riley down from the crow's nest.
"Riley! We're near port! Get down here and help dock!" he yelled up to her. He could see her lean over the side and yell. "On my way, Captain."
She grabbed a hold of a rope used for the main sails, and swung down them to the main deck. She swung out high and far on her way down. She landed on the main deck with a slight thunk.
"Lookout Riley reporting for duty, captain." she said putting her hand on her forehead and saluting. She laughed at the look Jack gave her.
"Help Gibbs and the others with the anchor." he said after looking at her for a while.
"Yes, sir!" she said running off to help.
Jack let out a small laugh and grinned. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a child. After all, Jack thought, free labor on the ship. He laughed at the thought. Riley enjoyed helping on the ship, and didn't mind the dirty work either, like some. Most pirates were used to it also.
The ship was docked, and the fees paid for by Will. They stopped at the old man's house to drop off the gold and jewels that they had gathered for him. As promised, the man let them keep half of it. Next, it was to Wills house where they would stay there for a few nights before leaving. Jack knew he had to tell them about Riley as soon as they go there. Will and Elizabeth would be the first he would tell. He would tell the crew later, or never. However, he would tell Gibbs, even if he didn't tell the others. Gibbs would do it for him.
They neared Will's house, and Jack took a deep breath. Riley looked up at him. Knowing exactly what he was thinking. She took a deep breath also. She didn't know how people would react either. She was frightened, because if people reacted in the wrong way, she was afraid Jack would get rid of her. Send her to somewhere else to live, or leave her somewhere.
Will greeted Elizabeth with a kiss when he walked through the door.
"I saw you coming up the drive." Elizabeth said looking over to Jack. "You were successful?"
Jack showed her the treasures. Her eyes lit up, and she put the stuff on in a box that she had picked up for the treasures. "Let's go in the parlor for some tea." she said. "You must have much to talk about."
Jack looked at Riley. "We do."
Riley looked over at the others who had no clue what was going on. Elizabeth lead them into the parlor. They all sat down while Elizabeth poured the tea. Jack shifted uncomfortably. When Elizabeth was done, he decided it was time to tell them.
"Will, Elizabeth." he looked over to them. "I, umm, we have something to tell you." he said acknowledging Riley.
Will and Elizabeth sat up straight. They were ready to listen to whatever Jack had to say, but had no idea what it was. They certainly were not prepared for what it was.
Jack thought of a way to start it. Then he decided. He would tell them the whole story. From begining to end. Sighing, he began. "A long time ago, I met a girl named Daniella. We fell in love and got married, and had a child. A daughter. I left them when I had to go to Port Royal for some supplies.
While I was gone, our village fell under attack to pirates. They were looking for the map to a treasure that had been handed down to Daniella's family for years. She tried to out run the pirates, but was unsuccessful. She was killed. Our child went missing, and was thought to be dead. I gave up trying to find her after 6 years. I thought she was dead."
Riley began to cry. It was the first time she had cried. Even when Scott had died, she hadn't cried. Will and Elizabeth looked at her strangely.
Jack continued on. "On the way back to Port Town, I found my child again. Riley is my daughter."
Will and Elizabeth looked at him, then to Riley, who had stopped crying by now.
"How did you find that out?" Will asked.
Jack was about to speak, but Riley cut him off. "With this." she said handing Will the Seeing Stone. Him and Elizabeth looked at it. "What is it she asked.
"It's called a seeing stone. It shows people the past and the future. I asked it about my parents and it told me who they were. It told Jack about me." Riley explained.
"How do you know if it's true?" Will asked looking up at her.
Riley now had the normal cocky look back on her face. "Ask it yourself." she said.
Will looked at the rock and back to Riley for a few minutes, then decided just to try it. Sure enough, it showed Jack and Daniella, then Riley, Daniella's death, and Scott's death, their journey, and then stopped at the very moment they were at. Will looked over at Jack.
"She is your child." he said amazed.
"Yes." Jack answered.
The rest of the remaining three days were used to catch up. Jack told about his adventures, and how he had meet Will and Elizabeth, while Riley told of her childhood. When at last the time came for Jack and Riley to leave Will and Elizabeth, an old man came up to Jack and Will with a map. One that must have been a thousand years old. It told of a treasure hidden in a lost world. The map told them how to get there, and about the great treasure. The old man made a deal with Jack to return a lost possession of his that was hidden with the treasure. Now, I'd tell you of that adventure, but that would be another story.
Jack knew this would not be an easy task. Telling the people he had known forever, and not kept any secrets to, would probably never trust him again. What would they think when he told them this? How would they react? He hoped they wouldn't ask questions about it. Then he would have to tell of Riley's mother, how he meet her, and about her death. How he had been away when it happened on a trip.
Although, he knew Will would be the first to ask about the story. He would probably ask more questions than Jack wanted to answer. Jack figured that would be true. He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't realize that they were almost to the docks. He looked up from the wheel in surprise. Finding himself again, he called Riley down from the crow's nest.
"Riley! We're near port! Get down here and help dock!" he yelled up to her. He could see her lean over the side and yell. "On my way, Captain."
She grabbed a hold of a rope used for the main sails, and swung down them to the main deck. She swung out high and far on her way down. She landed on the main deck with a slight thunk.
"Lookout Riley reporting for duty, captain." she said putting her hand on her forehead and saluting. She laughed at the look Jack gave her.
"Help Gibbs and the others with the anchor." he said after looking at her for a while.
"Yes, sir!" she said running off to help.
Jack let out a small laugh and grinned. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a child. After all, Jack thought, free labor on the ship. He laughed at the thought. Riley enjoyed helping on the ship, and didn't mind the dirty work either, like some. Most pirates were used to it also.
The ship was docked, and the fees paid for by Will. They stopped at the old man's house to drop off the gold and jewels that they had gathered for him. As promised, the man let them keep half of it. Next, it was to Wills house where they would stay there for a few nights before leaving. Jack knew he had to tell them about Riley as soon as they go there. Will and Elizabeth would be the first he would tell. He would tell the crew later, or never. However, he would tell Gibbs, even if he didn't tell the others. Gibbs would do it for him.
They neared Will's house, and Jack took a deep breath. Riley looked up at him. Knowing exactly what he was thinking. She took a deep breath also. She didn't know how people would react either. She was frightened, because if people reacted in the wrong way, she was afraid Jack would get rid of her. Send her to somewhere else to live, or leave her somewhere.
Will greeted Elizabeth with a kiss when he walked through the door.
"I saw you coming up the drive." Elizabeth said looking over to Jack. "You were successful?"
Jack showed her the treasures. Her eyes lit up, and she put the stuff on in a box that she had picked up for the treasures. "Let's go in the parlor for some tea." she said. "You must have much to talk about."
Jack looked at Riley. "We do."
Riley looked over at the others who had no clue what was going on. Elizabeth lead them into the parlor. They all sat down while Elizabeth poured the tea. Jack shifted uncomfortably. When Elizabeth was done, he decided it was time to tell them.
"Will, Elizabeth." he looked over to them. "I, umm, we have something to tell you." he said acknowledging Riley.
Will and Elizabeth sat up straight. They were ready to listen to whatever Jack had to say, but had no idea what it was. They certainly were not prepared for what it was.
Jack thought of a way to start it. Then he decided. He would tell them the whole story. From begining to end. Sighing, he began. "A long time ago, I met a girl named Daniella. We fell in love and got married, and had a child. A daughter. I left them when I had to go to Port Royal for some supplies.
While I was gone, our village fell under attack to pirates. They were looking for the map to a treasure that had been handed down to Daniella's family for years. She tried to out run the pirates, but was unsuccessful. She was killed. Our child went missing, and was thought to be dead. I gave up trying to find her after 6 years. I thought she was dead."
Riley began to cry. It was the first time she had cried. Even when Scott had died, she hadn't cried. Will and Elizabeth looked at her strangely.
Jack continued on. "On the way back to Port Town, I found my child again. Riley is my daughter."
Will and Elizabeth looked at him, then to Riley, who had stopped crying by now.
"How did you find that out?" Will asked.
Jack was about to speak, but Riley cut him off. "With this." she said handing Will the Seeing Stone. Him and Elizabeth looked at it. "What is it she asked.
"It's called a seeing stone. It shows people the past and the future. I asked it about my parents and it told me who they were. It told Jack about me." Riley explained.
"How do you know if it's true?" Will asked looking up at her.
Riley now had the normal cocky look back on her face. "Ask it yourself." she said.
Will looked at the rock and back to Riley for a few minutes, then decided just to try it. Sure enough, it showed Jack and Daniella, then Riley, Daniella's death, and Scott's death, their journey, and then stopped at the very moment they were at. Will looked over at Jack.
"She is your child." he said amazed.
"Yes." Jack answered.
The rest of the remaining three days were used to catch up. Jack told about his adventures, and how he had meet Will and Elizabeth, while Riley told of her childhood. When at last the time came for Jack and Riley to leave Will and Elizabeth, an old man came up to Jack and Will with a map. One that must have been a thousand years old. It told of a treasure hidden in a lost world. The map told them how to get there, and about the great treasure. The old man made a deal with Jack to return a lost possession of his that was hidden with the treasure. Now, I'd tell you of that adventure, but that would be another story.