He had lost track of time many years ago. After the first few years, the
attempts to keep track of time had seemed fruitless and he had given up.
How many years had it been now since that night? Hundreds or just a few?
The world around them had changed so quickly that it was hard to tell. Each
time he and his crew went on land, he was surprised by how things had
changed. The strange metallic carriages that had replaced horse drawn carts
sped up and down the streets, the dress was much more different and
sometimes in the ladies' cases, improper almost, and the attitudes people
had towards situations were different. For a moment, he wondered what it
was like to live in those times.
Captain Harper made a move to scratch the back of his head and hissed at the pain that shot through his arm. That damnable man who claimed to be Jack Sparrow had cut his arm deeply and unlike the rest of his crew, he didn't heal as quick. It confused him as to why he was so different from his men. Wasn't he supposed to suffer as they had? Apparently not as he could still be wounded like a mortal man and perhaps even die of a mortal wound. If he had wanted to, he could end his life right now. Maybe his men would go free then, able to find their rest. But he wasn't going to do that. Harper and his men had lost their souls to the hell that they lived in. They didn't have a caring thought for anyone now and the only pleasure they ever received was to build up the collection of souls that were kept in the forecastle.
They hadn't seen the light for years. The ship was always caught in that moment of time when Jane Travers had cursed them. For a moment he reflected on what it felt like to feel the warmth of the rays against his skin and feel it penetrate his soul. But that was gone. The ship had also taken on a more frightening aspect. It showed men as they truly were. A few of his crew had become so lost in the darkness that their faces had taken on demonic qualities, truly frightening to behold. Harper touched the side of his face, wondering when his own would become demonic in nature.
Not that he cared any longer. He had resigned himself to the fact that this was his life now. He had not only accepted it, but also embraced it fully. The pain and suffering imposed on others had washed away his pining for his own mortality long ago. His crew had stepped up and become the most hellish crew he had ever had the pleasure of captaining. This was his life now, and he loved it.
------------------
Jack checked the knot of the rope on the grapple and stepped back a few paces. "Everyone out of the way." He whispered. "Give me some wind up room." He had managed to pull the small boat up beside the ship with the aid of the thick layer of fog that lay on the ocean. Unfortunately it just made things a bit harder to see and he didn't want to hit anyone upside the head in his attempt to get the grapple up on the deck. Hannah had stayed by the wheel, grasping it tightly as if it were some life support, and Will had moved out of range. But Nina stood firm in front of him, crossing her arms. Jack gave her a dark look. "Move it, luv."
"Move it? You're going up there and you think I'm just going to let you? Tough luck." She stared him down. "I'm not some child you can order around, Jack. I can fight and I will to get my family back." She watched as Jack dropped the grapple on the deck and came over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders.
"Aye, but do you know how to fight cursed pirates?" He asked. Nina stared at him for a moment before responding.
"No." She said. "But it's fighting all the same. That I can do." Jack gave a weary sigh and slowly moved her to the side.
"Just let me and Will do some reconnaissance and then you're free to come help should trouble happen." He said, letting go of her and going back to the grapple. Nina stared at him for a moment. He wasn't going to let her go now, but once the two were aboard, she'd be free to do as she pleased. She wasn't planning on sitting down on the job while they risked their lives. That was not her and never was. She wasn't helpless. Staying quiet, she sat down on the ground, waiting for her moment to strike.
After a few attempts that consisted of the grapple hook missing the rail and nearly falling down on top of Jack while the pirate cursed and swore, the hook finally struck it's mark. Jack pulled on it a few times, finding it steady. With a nod of his head, he motioned for Will to come over and started climbing up. After he had gotten a few feet up, Will followed behind him.
Nina stayed sitting where she was until she saw them climb over the railing above her and then quickly got to her feet. She reached for the rope, only to find that there was another hand already there. Hannah peered through the fog at her and for the first time that day smiled, however slight it was.
"I guess you're not one for staying behind either, are you?" She whispered. Nina smirked and nodded.
"People don't tell me what to do. I tell me what to do." She responded and motioned to the line. "After you." Hannah grabbed the rope and began her descent upwards, Nina not too far behind. The climb up was tense, the women not wanting to be caught sight of by the pirate on watch or Jack and Will for that matter.
Hannah slid under the rail and held a hand out for Nina. Nina grasped the hand and pulled herself up on the deck, brushing herself off. "Now, lets see if we can find the lost ones." She whispered back. Hannah nodded and pointed towards an entrance.
"There's as good a place as any." She said quietly. Suddenly she felt a hand grasp her shoulder and turned quickly, gasping. She backed away from the pirate while Nina grabbed at the gun she had grabbed on the boat and aimed it at the pirate. There was something oddly familiar about him. He was a little taller than her, dark hair in dreadlocks around his face, a few beaded. The red bandana around his head kept most of it out of his face. His beard was braided into two little braids. The longer Nina studied him, the more familiar he became.
"Jack?" She asked in shock, eyes growing wider. It looked as if there was more to the ship than they had originally thought if the Jack the pirate was making his appearance.
"Aye. Who else would I be?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Nina gestured at his clothing with the gun and he glanced down. A look of shock crossed his face and he reached up to finger one of the braids, as if to make sure it was really there. "Oh." He smirked. "Reverting to true form, luv."
Nina shook her head and looked away as she stuffed the gun back into the hem of her pants. Part of her wondered if it was so wrong to be turned on by a dirty pirate like him, not knowing that he was looking at her and missing Ana.
"Nothing over there." Will appeared by Jack's side. He too had gone back a few centuries. His hair was longer and pulled back at the nape of his neck with a worn ribbon. His clothes were simple, the same that he had worn as a blacksmith so many years ago. Hannah cocked her head to the side slightly, looking him over. "They came?" Will asked, watching her strange reaction. Jack nodded.
"I didn't think they would stay." He said, looking pointedly at Nina, who smiled sweetly back at him. "I think we're going to have to..."
"Well bless me heart, it really is Captain Jack Sparrow after all." Jack spun, staring into the fog and trying to figure out the direction from which the voice had come in.
"Aye." He drawled. "I told you, Harper, but you didn't seem to believe me." His hand rested on the butt of the pistol in his sash. Harper laughed.
"Well, it did seem a little strange." He replied, regarding Jack through slightly narrowed eyes. "But here you are. The legend of the Caribbean." He looked past Jack. "And Bootstrap's son. If he doesn't look just like his father." He looked thoughtful. "I thought I took snatched his soul up."
Jack shook his head. "No, that's Daniel Turner, his descendant. We want him back and that little girl of his. Bastards taking a little darling like that. I think you need to learn some manners mate." Quickly he drew the pistol and aimed at the pirate captain. His finger had just tightened when another body slammed into him and he went flying to the deck. The shot went off, but came nowhere close to it's intended target. Upon hitting the deck, it slipped from Jack's fingers and went skidding across the deck.
Will was already moving to come to Jack's aid when he was grabbed by the shoulder and thrown against the bulkhead. It gave way and he fell inside, skidding across the floor. Around him, the lost souls stood up and backed away. Many of them hadn't seen a mortal in their presence for years. Will got to his feet, looking for something to use as a weapon. He spun around, only to find himself face to face with none other than Danny. Danny's jaw dropped open and Will's eyes grew wider. For a moment, neither one could look away.
Ben looked between the two, amazed at how nearly identical they were. "Well I'll be damned." Emma, who had been curled up in his arms, looked from the strange sight to her grandfather, frowning.
"It's not nice to curse." She pinched him hard. "That's what mommy does every time daddy curses." Ben was properly chastised and looked back to the scene. Emma wiggled in his arms, trying to get down. He finally put her down on the ground. She hurried over and stood between the two, looking up in confusion. "Daddy?" She looked from Danny to Will.
Danny slowly shook his head. "You must be Will." Will nodded.
"And you're Danny. Wouldn't happen to have a weapon around here, would you?" He asked. One of the souls waved at the blacksmith.
"Over here!" He moved away from the wall to show him the fire poker. "It's not much, but it'll do for what you need it for." Will jogged over, grabbing the poker and hefting it, getting a feel for it.
"It'll have to do." He said, just as the pirate entered the room, boots falling heavily on the ground. He raised his cutlass and charged at Danny, mistaking the man for Will. Danny's eyes widened and he snatched up Emma, falling backwards onto the floor and out of the way. Like a charging bull, he came to a stop and turned for another attack when the poker came whistling through the air. He snarled in pain as it crashed into the side of his neck, the small hook on the edge embedding itself into his neck. With a quick movement, he turned and the poker was jerked from Will's hands, lodged in the pirate's neck. "That didn't work." He jumped back as the pirate swiped the cutlass at him.
"And now you're dead boy." The pirate smirked at him, showing teeth that had nearly rotted away. Unable to stop himself, Will's nose wrinkled up as he caught a whiff of his breath. He assumed that was what rotting corpses smelled like. It was quite disconcerting to see the pirate standing there with the poker lodged in his neck.
"I'm sure this was a great misunderstanding." Will put his hands up, trying to stall for time. "We just came to bring home some friends. Nothing against you, good sir."
"I ain't a sir." The pirate snarled and swiped at him again. This time Will wasn't quick enough and the blade sliced through his shirt and broke a few of the stitches on his stomach from the last encounter. He grunted in pain as Danny did the same across the room, crossing his arms over his stomach. The pirate looked between them. "Well ain't this just interesting..."
------------------
Jack dug his fingers into the two hands wrapped painfully tight around his neck. The pirate winced but held tightly to him. Jack was beginning to see stars dancing around in his vision and air was becoming scarce. His lungs were burning, demanding more oxygen. He brought his knee up into the pirate's privates and rolled, throwing him off. Coughing, he got to his feet and started searching for the cutlass that had been lost early on in the fight. He picked it up, turning back around to face the pirate, who was already sprinting in his direction. The blade slid into his stomach and came out the other side. Howling in pain, the pirate stepped back, hands tugging on the hilt. Using the moment to his advantage, Jack grabbed a hold of one of the loose rigging lines and launched himself at the pirate. Both feet hit him in the chest and he cried out as he fell overboard with a loud splash.
Two more arms wrapped around his middle and lifted him into the air. The next thing he knew he was hurtling onto the deck and bouncing painfully. The air left his lungs and he groaned, trying to catch his breath again. The large pirate, who reminded him very much of the bosun on the Black Pearl when she had been under Barbossa's control, grabbed him by the back of his shirt and hoisted him into the air. The toes of his boots just barely dragged on the ground. Making a fist, he swung out and hit the man across the jaw with as much strength as he could muster. The pirate stumbled, accidentally dropping Jack. He landed on his feet, shaking his fist and cursing. He was pretty sure that that was what hitting a brick wall was like.
Nina pulled the gun out, taking aim. "I don't care if it just stuns the ass. I'm not letting him walk all over Mike."
"Jack." Hannah said.
"I meant Jack." Nina squeezed the trigger in rapid succession. The pirate jerked as the bullets hit him. Suddenly the gun was snatched from her hands and an arm wrapped around her neck.
"What have we got here? Been a long time since there's been a solid pretty little thing like you in this ship." Nina's nose wrinkled up in disgust as the breath wafted in front of her. A hand suddenly found it's way onto her ass and her blood began to boil.
Her elbow shot back into his gut, followed by her foot slamming down onto his instep. Her fist shot up and smashed him in the nose before she made a double fist and hit him in the groin. The pirate collapsed onto the deck, whimpering. Nina looked down at him with a satisfied expression. "S.I.N.G. Works every time."
Hannah looked over her shoulder. "'Miss Congeniality?'" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Nina crossed her arms and nodded.
"See, the media is good for something?" As she turned to face Hannah, she caught sight of another pirate coming up behind the young woman. "Duck!" She put a hand on Hannah's head and pushed her down while throwing a punch with the other. It was just enough to knock him off balance and allow Hannah to rush into his stomach. He toppled over the rail and landed in the water below.
Jack stumbled over to the rail beside them, looking a little ruffled. "That's it? I thought he'd throw a lot more at us than this." He said, leaning up against the rail. Nina shot him a dark look.
"Do you like getting hurt?" She growled, ready to give him hell. He held up one finger and pushed away from the rail, looking around. He finally found his pistol resting next to a pile of coiled ropes and bent down to grab it.
Hannah's scream echoed over the deck, startling him. He got to his feet, looking around. "What?" He shouted. Nina's face had grown pale in the moonlight and one hand covered her mouth. Hannah broke out into a sprint, running towards the forecastle. Jack turned to see where she was running. "No..." He took of running as well, Nina right behind him.
The young woman came to a stop by Will's side, falling to her knees and carefully turning him over. He cringed in pain, holding his hands to his side as the dark crimson stain spread on his shirt. Jack stood just behind her, looking down.
"I don't think it's..." He was cut off as the poker suddenly came down across his neck and he was yanked backwards by the pirate Will had been fighting earlier. Harper appeared beside Nina, wrapping hand around her arm and putting the pistol to her head.
"Enough with this." He growled angrily. "You four have made enough trouble tonight." Nina winced as his grip tightened on her arm, but still managed to give him an angry scowl.
"Claw, take them to the brigs and lock them up. And if anything happens along the way, the boy will be the first to die and you'll all follow after. Are we clear?" There were a few mumbled responses and a gagging sound from Jack as he struggled against the poker held across his neck. "Claw, let the man go before you choke him to death." Claw grunted and did as he was told, letting Jack slid to the deck, coughing. Hannah clung tightly to Will's hand, refusing to leave until he was brought with her.
"Don't be a silly fool, girl. He'll be fine." Harper snapped at her as Claw finally pulled her to her feet and threw her easily over one shoulder. She swore and slammed a fist down against his back, which barely seemed to faze him.
Nina grabbed Jack's hand and squeezed it. More than ever she wished Mike was back so she could curl up in his arms. If he was back, then it meant that this was all over and nothing more than a horrible dream. To her surprise, he squeezed back. He was missing Anamaria at the moment, wishing that she was her. But at the moment, all they had were each other.
-------------------
Most of the lost souls were still in shock, whispering amongst themselves at what had just taken place. The young man who had barged in here had taken on the pirate and quickly found out that the harm he did lasted barely a moment. It hadn't taken long for the pirate to gain the upper hand and stab him in the side. Blood droplets trailed back to the bulkhead and outside, but also deviated on another path to the far side of the room.
Danny groggily insisted that he was fine, but Ben was having none of it. His son's head rested against his shoulder and his eyes kept fighting not to close. "Dad, I'm just tired. Honestly." He yawned. Danny's concern rested with his daughter and everything she had seen the past few days. He was worried about how she would react to it. She had watched her father's soul be stolen, two dead ancestors had come back, her own soul had been taken, and now she had seen someone stabbed.
He pulled away from his father and pushed himself to a sitting position, pushing away the groggy feeling. "Come here, babe." He called to her. She crawled over Ben's legs and into his lap, resting her head against his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his neck. He bit his tongue to keep from crying out in pain as her knee knocked up against his injured side, feeling slightly light headed. There was a tiny sniffle, and then he felt the warm tears soaking into his shirt. He nodded towards his coat lying by Ben and held up his hand for it. Ben handed it over and Danny draped it over her shoulders, putting his arms around her again.
"It's ok, little one. Soon we'll be out of here and back with Mike and Nina and your mother." He told her softly, resting his chin on her head and closing his eyes. She continued crying quietly and he felt her shaking in his grasp. His heart broke as he listened to her, wanting to make everything all right again. Against his will, his eyes started to shut again, his eyelids feeling too heavy to keep open. The wound at his side pulsed, sending pain up and down his left side. He bit his lip, pushing it away to concentrate on Emma, but one thought remained firm.
They had to get out of there soon.
Captain Harper made a move to scratch the back of his head and hissed at the pain that shot through his arm. That damnable man who claimed to be Jack Sparrow had cut his arm deeply and unlike the rest of his crew, he didn't heal as quick. It confused him as to why he was so different from his men. Wasn't he supposed to suffer as they had? Apparently not as he could still be wounded like a mortal man and perhaps even die of a mortal wound. If he had wanted to, he could end his life right now. Maybe his men would go free then, able to find their rest. But he wasn't going to do that. Harper and his men had lost their souls to the hell that they lived in. They didn't have a caring thought for anyone now and the only pleasure they ever received was to build up the collection of souls that were kept in the forecastle.
They hadn't seen the light for years. The ship was always caught in that moment of time when Jane Travers had cursed them. For a moment he reflected on what it felt like to feel the warmth of the rays against his skin and feel it penetrate his soul. But that was gone. The ship had also taken on a more frightening aspect. It showed men as they truly were. A few of his crew had become so lost in the darkness that their faces had taken on demonic qualities, truly frightening to behold. Harper touched the side of his face, wondering when his own would become demonic in nature.
Not that he cared any longer. He had resigned himself to the fact that this was his life now. He had not only accepted it, but also embraced it fully. The pain and suffering imposed on others had washed away his pining for his own mortality long ago. His crew had stepped up and become the most hellish crew he had ever had the pleasure of captaining. This was his life now, and he loved it.
------------------
Jack checked the knot of the rope on the grapple and stepped back a few paces. "Everyone out of the way." He whispered. "Give me some wind up room." He had managed to pull the small boat up beside the ship with the aid of the thick layer of fog that lay on the ocean. Unfortunately it just made things a bit harder to see and he didn't want to hit anyone upside the head in his attempt to get the grapple up on the deck. Hannah had stayed by the wheel, grasping it tightly as if it were some life support, and Will had moved out of range. But Nina stood firm in front of him, crossing her arms. Jack gave her a dark look. "Move it, luv."
"Move it? You're going up there and you think I'm just going to let you? Tough luck." She stared him down. "I'm not some child you can order around, Jack. I can fight and I will to get my family back." She watched as Jack dropped the grapple on the deck and came over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders.
"Aye, but do you know how to fight cursed pirates?" He asked. Nina stared at him for a moment before responding.
"No." She said. "But it's fighting all the same. That I can do." Jack gave a weary sigh and slowly moved her to the side.
"Just let me and Will do some reconnaissance and then you're free to come help should trouble happen." He said, letting go of her and going back to the grapple. Nina stared at him for a moment. He wasn't going to let her go now, but once the two were aboard, she'd be free to do as she pleased. She wasn't planning on sitting down on the job while they risked their lives. That was not her and never was. She wasn't helpless. Staying quiet, she sat down on the ground, waiting for her moment to strike.
After a few attempts that consisted of the grapple hook missing the rail and nearly falling down on top of Jack while the pirate cursed and swore, the hook finally struck it's mark. Jack pulled on it a few times, finding it steady. With a nod of his head, he motioned for Will to come over and started climbing up. After he had gotten a few feet up, Will followed behind him.
Nina stayed sitting where she was until she saw them climb over the railing above her and then quickly got to her feet. She reached for the rope, only to find that there was another hand already there. Hannah peered through the fog at her and for the first time that day smiled, however slight it was.
"I guess you're not one for staying behind either, are you?" She whispered. Nina smirked and nodded.
"People don't tell me what to do. I tell me what to do." She responded and motioned to the line. "After you." Hannah grabbed the rope and began her descent upwards, Nina not too far behind. The climb up was tense, the women not wanting to be caught sight of by the pirate on watch or Jack and Will for that matter.
Hannah slid under the rail and held a hand out for Nina. Nina grasped the hand and pulled herself up on the deck, brushing herself off. "Now, lets see if we can find the lost ones." She whispered back. Hannah nodded and pointed towards an entrance.
"There's as good a place as any." She said quietly. Suddenly she felt a hand grasp her shoulder and turned quickly, gasping. She backed away from the pirate while Nina grabbed at the gun she had grabbed on the boat and aimed it at the pirate. There was something oddly familiar about him. He was a little taller than her, dark hair in dreadlocks around his face, a few beaded. The red bandana around his head kept most of it out of his face. His beard was braided into two little braids. The longer Nina studied him, the more familiar he became.
"Jack?" She asked in shock, eyes growing wider. It looked as if there was more to the ship than they had originally thought if the Jack the pirate was making his appearance.
"Aye. Who else would I be?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Nina gestured at his clothing with the gun and he glanced down. A look of shock crossed his face and he reached up to finger one of the braids, as if to make sure it was really there. "Oh." He smirked. "Reverting to true form, luv."
Nina shook her head and looked away as she stuffed the gun back into the hem of her pants. Part of her wondered if it was so wrong to be turned on by a dirty pirate like him, not knowing that he was looking at her and missing Ana.
"Nothing over there." Will appeared by Jack's side. He too had gone back a few centuries. His hair was longer and pulled back at the nape of his neck with a worn ribbon. His clothes were simple, the same that he had worn as a blacksmith so many years ago. Hannah cocked her head to the side slightly, looking him over. "They came?" Will asked, watching her strange reaction. Jack nodded.
"I didn't think they would stay." He said, looking pointedly at Nina, who smiled sweetly back at him. "I think we're going to have to..."
"Well bless me heart, it really is Captain Jack Sparrow after all." Jack spun, staring into the fog and trying to figure out the direction from which the voice had come in.
"Aye." He drawled. "I told you, Harper, but you didn't seem to believe me." His hand rested on the butt of the pistol in his sash. Harper laughed.
"Well, it did seem a little strange." He replied, regarding Jack through slightly narrowed eyes. "But here you are. The legend of the Caribbean." He looked past Jack. "And Bootstrap's son. If he doesn't look just like his father." He looked thoughtful. "I thought I took snatched his soul up."
Jack shook his head. "No, that's Daniel Turner, his descendant. We want him back and that little girl of his. Bastards taking a little darling like that. I think you need to learn some manners mate." Quickly he drew the pistol and aimed at the pirate captain. His finger had just tightened when another body slammed into him and he went flying to the deck. The shot went off, but came nowhere close to it's intended target. Upon hitting the deck, it slipped from Jack's fingers and went skidding across the deck.
Will was already moving to come to Jack's aid when he was grabbed by the shoulder and thrown against the bulkhead. It gave way and he fell inside, skidding across the floor. Around him, the lost souls stood up and backed away. Many of them hadn't seen a mortal in their presence for years. Will got to his feet, looking for something to use as a weapon. He spun around, only to find himself face to face with none other than Danny. Danny's jaw dropped open and Will's eyes grew wider. For a moment, neither one could look away.
Ben looked between the two, amazed at how nearly identical they were. "Well I'll be damned." Emma, who had been curled up in his arms, looked from the strange sight to her grandfather, frowning.
"It's not nice to curse." She pinched him hard. "That's what mommy does every time daddy curses." Ben was properly chastised and looked back to the scene. Emma wiggled in his arms, trying to get down. He finally put her down on the ground. She hurried over and stood between the two, looking up in confusion. "Daddy?" She looked from Danny to Will.
Danny slowly shook his head. "You must be Will." Will nodded.
"And you're Danny. Wouldn't happen to have a weapon around here, would you?" He asked. One of the souls waved at the blacksmith.
"Over here!" He moved away from the wall to show him the fire poker. "It's not much, but it'll do for what you need it for." Will jogged over, grabbing the poker and hefting it, getting a feel for it.
"It'll have to do." He said, just as the pirate entered the room, boots falling heavily on the ground. He raised his cutlass and charged at Danny, mistaking the man for Will. Danny's eyes widened and he snatched up Emma, falling backwards onto the floor and out of the way. Like a charging bull, he came to a stop and turned for another attack when the poker came whistling through the air. He snarled in pain as it crashed into the side of his neck, the small hook on the edge embedding itself into his neck. With a quick movement, he turned and the poker was jerked from Will's hands, lodged in the pirate's neck. "That didn't work." He jumped back as the pirate swiped the cutlass at him.
"And now you're dead boy." The pirate smirked at him, showing teeth that had nearly rotted away. Unable to stop himself, Will's nose wrinkled up as he caught a whiff of his breath. He assumed that was what rotting corpses smelled like. It was quite disconcerting to see the pirate standing there with the poker lodged in his neck.
"I'm sure this was a great misunderstanding." Will put his hands up, trying to stall for time. "We just came to bring home some friends. Nothing against you, good sir."
"I ain't a sir." The pirate snarled and swiped at him again. This time Will wasn't quick enough and the blade sliced through his shirt and broke a few of the stitches on his stomach from the last encounter. He grunted in pain as Danny did the same across the room, crossing his arms over his stomach. The pirate looked between them. "Well ain't this just interesting..."
------------------
Jack dug his fingers into the two hands wrapped painfully tight around his neck. The pirate winced but held tightly to him. Jack was beginning to see stars dancing around in his vision and air was becoming scarce. His lungs were burning, demanding more oxygen. He brought his knee up into the pirate's privates and rolled, throwing him off. Coughing, he got to his feet and started searching for the cutlass that had been lost early on in the fight. He picked it up, turning back around to face the pirate, who was already sprinting in his direction. The blade slid into his stomach and came out the other side. Howling in pain, the pirate stepped back, hands tugging on the hilt. Using the moment to his advantage, Jack grabbed a hold of one of the loose rigging lines and launched himself at the pirate. Both feet hit him in the chest and he cried out as he fell overboard with a loud splash.
Two more arms wrapped around his middle and lifted him into the air. The next thing he knew he was hurtling onto the deck and bouncing painfully. The air left his lungs and he groaned, trying to catch his breath again. The large pirate, who reminded him very much of the bosun on the Black Pearl when she had been under Barbossa's control, grabbed him by the back of his shirt and hoisted him into the air. The toes of his boots just barely dragged on the ground. Making a fist, he swung out and hit the man across the jaw with as much strength as he could muster. The pirate stumbled, accidentally dropping Jack. He landed on his feet, shaking his fist and cursing. He was pretty sure that that was what hitting a brick wall was like.
Nina pulled the gun out, taking aim. "I don't care if it just stuns the ass. I'm not letting him walk all over Mike."
"Jack." Hannah said.
"I meant Jack." Nina squeezed the trigger in rapid succession. The pirate jerked as the bullets hit him. Suddenly the gun was snatched from her hands and an arm wrapped around her neck.
"What have we got here? Been a long time since there's been a solid pretty little thing like you in this ship." Nina's nose wrinkled up in disgust as the breath wafted in front of her. A hand suddenly found it's way onto her ass and her blood began to boil.
Her elbow shot back into his gut, followed by her foot slamming down onto his instep. Her fist shot up and smashed him in the nose before she made a double fist and hit him in the groin. The pirate collapsed onto the deck, whimpering. Nina looked down at him with a satisfied expression. "S.I.N.G. Works every time."
Hannah looked over her shoulder. "'Miss Congeniality?'" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Nina crossed her arms and nodded.
"See, the media is good for something?" As she turned to face Hannah, she caught sight of another pirate coming up behind the young woman. "Duck!" She put a hand on Hannah's head and pushed her down while throwing a punch with the other. It was just enough to knock him off balance and allow Hannah to rush into his stomach. He toppled over the rail and landed in the water below.
Jack stumbled over to the rail beside them, looking a little ruffled. "That's it? I thought he'd throw a lot more at us than this." He said, leaning up against the rail. Nina shot him a dark look.
"Do you like getting hurt?" She growled, ready to give him hell. He held up one finger and pushed away from the rail, looking around. He finally found his pistol resting next to a pile of coiled ropes and bent down to grab it.
Hannah's scream echoed over the deck, startling him. He got to his feet, looking around. "What?" He shouted. Nina's face had grown pale in the moonlight and one hand covered her mouth. Hannah broke out into a sprint, running towards the forecastle. Jack turned to see where she was running. "No..." He took of running as well, Nina right behind him.
The young woman came to a stop by Will's side, falling to her knees and carefully turning him over. He cringed in pain, holding his hands to his side as the dark crimson stain spread on his shirt. Jack stood just behind her, looking down.
"I don't think it's..." He was cut off as the poker suddenly came down across his neck and he was yanked backwards by the pirate Will had been fighting earlier. Harper appeared beside Nina, wrapping hand around her arm and putting the pistol to her head.
"Enough with this." He growled angrily. "You four have made enough trouble tonight." Nina winced as his grip tightened on her arm, but still managed to give him an angry scowl.
"Claw, take them to the brigs and lock them up. And if anything happens along the way, the boy will be the first to die and you'll all follow after. Are we clear?" There were a few mumbled responses and a gagging sound from Jack as he struggled against the poker held across his neck. "Claw, let the man go before you choke him to death." Claw grunted and did as he was told, letting Jack slid to the deck, coughing. Hannah clung tightly to Will's hand, refusing to leave until he was brought with her.
"Don't be a silly fool, girl. He'll be fine." Harper snapped at her as Claw finally pulled her to her feet and threw her easily over one shoulder. She swore and slammed a fist down against his back, which barely seemed to faze him.
Nina grabbed Jack's hand and squeezed it. More than ever she wished Mike was back so she could curl up in his arms. If he was back, then it meant that this was all over and nothing more than a horrible dream. To her surprise, he squeezed back. He was missing Anamaria at the moment, wishing that she was her. But at the moment, all they had were each other.
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Most of the lost souls were still in shock, whispering amongst themselves at what had just taken place. The young man who had barged in here had taken on the pirate and quickly found out that the harm he did lasted barely a moment. It hadn't taken long for the pirate to gain the upper hand and stab him in the side. Blood droplets trailed back to the bulkhead and outside, but also deviated on another path to the far side of the room.
Danny groggily insisted that he was fine, but Ben was having none of it. His son's head rested against his shoulder and his eyes kept fighting not to close. "Dad, I'm just tired. Honestly." He yawned. Danny's concern rested with his daughter and everything she had seen the past few days. He was worried about how she would react to it. She had watched her father's soul be stolen, two dead ancestors had come back, her own soul had been taken, and now she had seen someone stabbed.
He pulled away from his father and pushed himself to a sitting position, pushing away the groggy feeling. "Come here, babe." He called to her. She crawled over Ben's legs and into his lap, resting her head against his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his neck. He bit his tongue to keep from crying out in pain as her knee knocked up against his injured side, feeling slightly light headed. There was a tiny sniffle, and then he felt the warm tears soaking into his shirt. He nodded towards his coat lying by Ben and held up his hand for it. Ben handed it over and Danny draped it over her shoulders, putting his arms around her again.
"It's ok, little one. Soon we'll be out of here and back with Mike and Nina and your mother." He told her softly, resting his chin on her head and closing his eyes. She continued crying quietly and he felt her shaking in his grasp. His heart broke as he listened to her, wanting to make everything all right again. Against his will, his eyes started to shut again, his eyelids feeling too heavy to keep open. The wound at his side pulsed, sending pain up and down his left side. He bit his lip, pushing it away to concentrate on Emma, but one thought remained firm.
They had to get out of there soon.