"We've got two more chances." Hannah said quietly as she chewed on her
thumb. Her eyes were red and puffy from the crying she had done most of the
night. Now she was in an almost catatonic, speaking only a few words at a
time. Nina leaned up against the doorway, resting her head against the cool
wall and closing her eyes. Will was sitting on the other side of the
waiting room, staring at the wall and off in his own thoughts. The last
anyone had seen of Jack, he'd been off to discover the miraculous miracle
of coffee.
They'd been in the emergency room all night. Both Jack and Will had required stitches for the injuries sustained during the fight and Emma had been taken in for tests. Nina doubted that the doctors would believe them if she told them that the little girl was fine except for the fact that her soul was gone. She rubbed her forehead and walked over to sit beside Hannah, putting an arm around her shoulders. Hannah leaned against Nina's shoulder, closing her eyes.
"I know." Nina said softly, kissing the top of her head. "And you know what? We've seen what these pirates can do. Jack and Will and the two of us will be ready this time. We'll defeat them and everything will be fine again." She wished she could believe her own words, but there was so much apprehension in her heart. What chance did the four of them stand against a cursed crew? She rubbed Hannah's shoulder, but didn't voice what she felt. She couldn't do that to the young woman now.
The door of the waiting room opened and two men walked in. The first looked a little overcaffinated and jumpy while the second watched him with a certain amount of suspicion and curiosity. Nina wondered just how much coffee Jack had drank before they cut him off. The doctor was regarding him as if he were someone worth sending to the psychiatric ward. Hannah got up from her seat, more interested in what the doctor had to say than anything else. He held up a hand, motioning for her to sit down.
"Mr. and Mrs. Turner?" He asked, addressing Jack and Hannah. Jack's head shot up and he shook his head quickly, pointing at Will. Will got up from the chair, coming to stand at Hannah's side. Without thinking, she slipped her hand into his for a brief second before yanking it back, remembering that it wasn't her husband at the moment. She tried to cover it up by putting her hand in the pockets of her jeans. Will also looked slightly uncomfortable, crossing his arms across his chest. "We did a few tests on your daughter. Blood work ups, MRI, Catscan, and so on. There's nothing wrong with her. You have a perfectly healthy little girl and we're honestly stumped as to why she won't wake up." Hannah closed her eyes, tears coming again as Will looked away.
"Thank you." Will said quietly. The doctor nodded, leaving the family alone in the waiting room. "We have to find a way to stop that captain and his crew." He said as soon as the door had closed.
"But the question is how." Nina said, running her hands through her hair. "Most of the men you cut healed themselves and by the amount of bandages on you, you obviously weren't as lucky. We're out of our league here, so we're going to have to bring them into ours." She stood up. "It's going to take all four of this and we have to leave now. They're going to attack the next island soon, and we need to be there."
Jack watched her, for the moment missing Anamaria. This woman reminded him so much of her with her commanding nature and graceful beauty. He wanted this to be over so he could go back and lie in her arms in their cabin, not a care in the world. But until the pirates were defeated and the souls restored, he wasn't going anywhere.
"The captain is the man we need to be lookin' for." Jack said and was granted everyone's full attention. "Unlike his men, he can be harmed. I'm thinkin' if we can kill him, the rest go with him." Jack got to his feet, crossing his arms. "Accordin' to the story, the crew was cursed because of him. So, the man to blame has to be him." He smirked. "Now we just need a plan."
---------------------
Ben crouched down, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. The card game they'd been playing with three of the others trapped in the room had ended quickly after the phantom attacks on Danny had begun. Most of them were convinced that he had angered the captain in some way and none wanted to be guilty by association. They'd moved back to the other side of the room, shooting glances his way and whispering.
"How are you feeling?" Ben asked, sitting down beside him. Danny opened his eyes and looked up at his father.
"I feel like I got into a fight with a tiger. It's not supposed to feel like this if we're just spirits, right?" He asked quietly. Most of the wounds had been reduced to dull aches and had quit bleeding. He'd been surprised to find he still bled. His father had said it was because the soul was the body in a way. What happened to the physical body happened to the soul as well.
The door into the cabin swung open. The woman who had brought Danny to the cabin, who he had found out was named Mary, shook her head. "More souls stolen away." She said quietly. "Those poor people." They watched as the souls shuffled in. Danny guessed they had come from a nightclub by the way they dressed in. One of the girls broke into hysterical sobbing and dropped to the floor. The man who had been standing beside her dropped to his knees and took her into his arms, trying to comfort her. The others bypassed her, looking around them in fear at the odd assortment of souls that filled the room. They stayed close together, forming their own group in the corner. Two guys made up the end of the group, with a little girl standing between them.
Danny's breath caught in his throat as he saw her and he shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "No. It can't be. Please, no." He whispered. Ben gave him a strange look and glanced over his shoulder then back at Danny. Danny got to his feet quicker than he had since the strange attacks and ran over, dropping to his knees in front of her.
Emma threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He could feel her little body shaking in terror in his arms and felt the tears come to his eyes. She held tightly to him, burying her face in his shoulder. He was her comfort and a familiar presence. He held tightly to her, rubbing her back and talking to her quietly. After a few moments she calmed down but still clung tightly to him. He got to his feet, picking her up in his arms and headed over to his father.
"Dad, I'd like you to meet your granddaughter." He said quietly. "This is Emma Marie Turner. Emma, this is your other grandfather, Ben." After hesitating a moment, she looked towards Ben. Danny plucked the few stray hairs that were sticking to her tear soaked face and gently tucked them back behind her ear. Ben smiled gently at her.
"It's nice to meet you, Emma." She regarded him, studying him as if she couldn't decide as if he was one of the bad guys or not. Finally she relented and gave him one of her special smiles. She lifted her head from Danny's shoulders and held her arms out towards Ben. Danny handed her over to him. "You know, I might never have an idea of what your wife looks like. You daughter is all Turner." He said with a laugh. Emma planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Emma, sweetie, do you remember what happened?" Danny asked gently as both he and his father sat down on the floor. Emma sat in Ben's lap, leaning up against him.
"I was on the beach with Grandpa Jack and Will and then I saw something so I went to go see what it was." The tears reappeared in her eyes. "A scary man came after me but I couldn't run away and there was lots of screaming and angry evil people and then I fell asleep." Ben kissed the top of her head and tried to keep her calm.
"Wait, Grandpa Jack?" He asked suddenly. "Will? Who are these people?" Ben watched as his son looked away, as if trying to figure out the best way to tell his father the story.
"Well, it all started the night the horses got loose from their fence..." Danny started and for the next hour told his father the story; of Jonas Smythe the pirate captain and Cecilia, of Captain Jack Sparrow and William Turner and the fate that befell them. He spoke about Jack and Will's rescue of Anamaria and Hannah and Jack's defeat of Smythe. Throughout the whole story, Ben stared at his son, not sure whether to think him insane or to believe his story.
Once Danny had finished, there was a moment of silence between them. "Well, that was...interesting." Ben finally managed. Emma had fallen asleep in his arms, curled up with her head against her chest. He didn't quite know what to think. On one hand immortal pirates had kidnapped his soul and it wasn't a nightmare. He was quite sure of that. But on the other hand, he was still quite wary of the supernatural world and wasn't quick to believe everything. "So you're saying there's the spirit of a dead blacksmith running around possessing you while you aren't home and Mike isn't Mike but a dead pirate captain. And these two are ancestors?" Danny nodded in response. "Oh good. Just checking." He still looked reluctant to believe, but didn't say anything more.
Danny watched Emma sleeping. "I never wanted this to happen to her. Our only hope is that Jack and Will can stop these pirates or else..." He drifted off, thinking about Hannah. First she would lose a husband, and then she would lose a daughter. He wasn't ready to leave the mortal coil just yet anyway. There were so many joys of fatherhood and being a husband that he hadn't experienced yet, and he loved being a teacher. His life was so full and good right now to leave it behind. And Emma. His dear, sweet little girl. There was so much to life she hadn't experienced yet.
------------
"Never, ever again." Nina said, rubbing her forehead. "Never will you two be in charge of getting our transportation." Her anger was focused on the two men in front of her. Everything had been going along well. They'd found another private airfield to charter a flight to the next island and had arrived with time to spare. Jack and Will had offered to go get the boat for their plan. Then as the sun was setting on the horizon, they'd left the marina to go out into the bay.
Which was when Nina had found out why the rental had been so cheap. Jack had commandeered it. She pointed a finger in his face, trying to think of something to say to him but coming up with nothing for a moment. Jack crossed his arms, almost challenging her. It'd been that way on the Pearl too. She'd challenge something he'd said and he'd returned the challenge. It all worked out when later that night she would drag him into the cabin for 'spending time' together. A small smirk graced his lips at those memories.
"What are you smiling at?" Nina demanded. Seeing that look on Mike's face excited her. The only thing that kept her at bay was knowing that it wasn't Mike making that expression, but Jack. "Stop smiling at me." She growled, clutching at the rail off the small boat they'd rented. "Hear me?" But Jack had suddenly quit paying attention to her.
"It's time." Hannah whispered from behind her and Nina turned to see what they were all looking at. The ship barely stood out from the dark sky, moving silently through the waters towards the bay. Jack turned from the sight and headed back to the wheel.
"Raise the sails. It's time we paid a little visit."
They'd been in the emergency room all night. Both Jack and Will had required stitches for the injuries sustained during the fight and Emma had been taken in for tests. Nina doubted that the doctors would believe them if she told them that the little girl was fine except for the fact that her soul was gone. She rubbed her forehead and walked over to sit beside Hannah, putting an arm around her shoulders. Hannah leaned against Nina's shoulder, closing her eyes.
"I know." Nina said softly, kissing the top of her head. "And you know what? We've seen what these pirates can do. Jack and Will and the two of us will be ready this time. We'll defeat them and everything will be fine again." She wished she could believe her own words, but there was so much apprehension in her heart. What chance did the four of them stand against a cursed crew? She rubbed Hannah's shoulder, but didn't voice what she felt. She couldn't do that to the young woman now.
The door of the waiting room opened and two men walked in. The first looked a little overcaffinated and jumpy while the second watched him with a certain amount of suspicion and curiosity. Nina wondered just how much coffee Jack had drank before they cut him off. The doctor was regarding him as if he were someone worth sending to the psychiatric ward. Hannah got up from her seat, more interested in what the doctor had to say than anything else. He held up a hand, motioning for her to sit down.
"Mr. and Mrs. Turner?" He asked, addressing Jack and Hannah. Jack's head shot up and he shook his head quickly, pointing at Will. Will got up from the chair, coming to stand at Hannah's side. Without thinking, she slipped her hand into his for a brief second before yanking it back, remembering that it wasn't her husband at the moment. She tried to cover it up by putting her hand in the pockets of her jeans. Will also looked slightly uncomfortable, crossing his arms across his chest. "We did a few tests on your daughter. Blood work ups, MRI, Catscan, and so on. There's nothing wrong with her. You have a perfectly healthy little girl and we're honestly stumped as to why she won't wake up." Hannah closed her eyes, tears coming again as Will looked away.
"Thank you." Will said quietly. The doctor nodded, leaving the family alone in the waiting room. "We have to find a way to stop that captain and his crew." He said as soon as the door had closed.
"But the question is how." Nina said, running her hands through her hair. "Most of the men you cut healed themselves and by the amount of bandages on you, you obviously weren't as lucky. We're out of our league here, so we're going to have to bring them into ours." She stood up. "It's going to take all four of this and we have to leave now. They're going to attack the next island soon, and we need to be there."
Jack watched her, for the moment missing Anamaria. This woman reminded him so much of her with her commanding nature and graceful beauty. He wanted this to be over so he could go back and lie in her arms in their cabin, not a care in the world. But until the pirates were defeated and the souls restored, he wasn't going anywhere.
"The captain is the man we need to be lookin' for." Jack said and was granted everyone's full attention. "Unlike his men, he can be harmed. I'm thinkin' if we can kill him, the rest go with him." Jack got to his feet, crossing his arms. "Accordin' to the story, the crew was cursed because of him. So, the man to blame has to be him." He smirked. "Now we just need a plan."
---------------------
Ben crouched down, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. The card game they'd been playing with three of the others trapped in the room had ended quickly after the phantom attacks on Danny had begun. Most of them were convinced that he had angered the captain in some way and none wanted to be guilty by association. They'd moved back to the other side of the room, shooting glances his way and whispering.
"How are you feeling?" Ben asked, sitting down beside him. Danny opened his eyes and looked up at his father.
"I feel like I got into a fight with a tiger. It's not supposed to feel like this if we're just spirits, right?" He asked quietly. Most of the wounds had been reduced to dull aches and had quit bleeding. He'd been surprised to find he still bled. His father had said it was because the soul was the body in a way. What happened to the physical body happened to the soul as well.
The door into the cabin swung open. The woman who had brought Danny to the cabin, who he had found out was named Mary, shook her head. "More souls stolen away." She said quietly. "Those poor people." They watched as the souls shuffled in. Danny guessed they had come from a nightclub by the way they dressed in. One of the girls broke into hysterical sobbing and dropped to the floor. The man who had been standing beside her dropped to his knees and took her into his arms, trying to comfort her. The others bypassed her, looking around them in fear at the odd assortment of souls that filled the room. They stayed close together, forming their own group in the corner. Two guys made up the end of the group, with a little girl standing between them.
Danny's breath caught in his throat as he saw her and he shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "No. It can't be. Please, no." He whispered. Ben gave him a strange look and glanced over his shoulder then back at Danny. Danny got to his feet quicker than he had since the strange attacks and ran over, dropping to his knees in front of her.
Emma threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He could feel her little body shaking in terror in his arms and felt the tears come to his eyes. She held tightly to him, burying her face in his shoulder. He was her comfort and a familiar presence. He held tightly to her, rubbing her back and talking to her quietly. After a few moments she calmed down but still clung tightly to him. He got to his feet, picking her up in his arms and headed over to his father.
"Dad, I'd like you to meet your granddaughter." He said quietly. "This is Emma Marie Turner. Emma, this is your other grandfather, Ben." After hesitating a moment, she looked towards Ben. Danny plucked the few stray hairs that were sticking to her tear soaked face and gently tucked them back behind her ear. Ben smiled gently at her.
"It's nice to meet you, Emma." She regarded him, studying him as if she couldn't decide as if he was one of the bad guys or not. Finally she relented and gave him one of her special smiles. She lifted her head from Danny's shoulders and held her arms out towards Ben. Danny handed her over to him. "You know, I might never have an idea of what your wife looks like. You daughter is all Turner." He said with a laugh. Emma planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Emma, sweetie, do you remember what happened?" Danny asked gently as both he and his father sat down on the floor. Emma sat in Ben's lap, leaning up against him.
"I was on the beach with Grandpa Jack and Will and then I saw something so I went to go see what it was." The tears reappeared in her eyes. "A scary man came after me but I couldn't run away and there was lots of screaming and angry evil people and then I fell asleep." Ben kissed the top of her head and tried to keep her calm.
"Wait, Grandpa Jack?" He asked suddenly. "Will? Who are these people?" Ben watched as his son looked away, as if trying to figure out the best way to tell his father the story.
"Well, it all started the night the horses got loose from their fence..." Danny started and for the next hour told his father the story; of Jonas Smythe the pirate captain and Cecilia, of Captain Jack Sparrow and William Turner and the fate that befell them. He spoke about Jack and Will's rescue of Anamaria and Hannah and Jack's defeat of Smythe. Throughout the whole story, Ben stared at his son, not sure whether to think him insane or to believe his story.
Once Danny had finished, there was a moment of silence between them. "Well, that was...interesting." Ben finally managed. Emma had fallen asleep in his arms, curled up with her head against her chest. He didn't quite know what to think. On one hand immortal pirates had kidnapped his soul and it wasn't a nightmare. He was quite sure of that. But on the other hand, he was still quite wary of the supernatural world and wasn't quick to believe everything. "So you're saying there's the spirit of a dead blacksmith running around possessing you while you aren't home and Mike isn't Mike but a dead pirate captain. And these two are ancestors?" Danny nodded in response. "Oh good. Just checking." He still looked reluctant to believe, but didn't say anything more.
Danny watched Emma sleeping. "I never wanted this to happen to her. Our only hope is that Jack and Will can stop these pirates or else..." He drifted off, thinking about Hannah. First she would lose a husband, and then she would lose a daughter. He wasn't ready to leave the mortal coil just yet anyway. There were so many joys of fatherhood and being a husband that he hadn't experienced yet, and he loved being a teacher. His life was so full and good right now to leave it behind. And Emma. His dear, sweet little girl. There was so much to life she hadn't experienced yet.
------------
"Never, ever again." Nina said, rubbing her forehead. "Never will you two be in charge of getting our transportation." Her anger was focused on the two men in front of her. Everything had been going along well. They'd found another private airfield to charter a flight to the next island and had arrived with time to spare. Jack and Will had offered to go get the boat for their plan. Then as the sun was setting on the horizon, they'd left the marina to go out into the bay.
Which was when Nina had found out why the rental had been so cheap. Jack had commandeered it. She pointed a finger in his face, trying to think of something to say to him but coming up with nothing for a moment. Jack crossed his arms, almost challenging her. It'd been that way on the Pearl too. She'd challenge something he'd said and he'd returned the challenge. It all worked out when later that night she would drag him into the cabin for 'spending time' together. A small smirk graced his lips at those memories.
"What are you smiling at?" Nina demanded. Seeing that look on Mike's face excited her. The only thing that kept her at bay was knowing that it wasn't Mike making that expression, but Jack. "Stop smiling at me." She growled, clutching at the rail off the small boat they'd rented. "Hear me?" But Jack had suddenly quit paying attention to her.
"It's time." Hannah whispered from behind her and Nina turned to see what they were all looking at. The ship barely stood out from the dark sky, moving silently through the waters towards the bay. Jack turned from the sight and headed back to the wheel.
"Raise the sails. It's time we paid a little visit."