Chapter 6 - Sound of Silence

The sticks were raining down on his body and Jack didn't care. He was hurt in places that he didn't even know they exist and he still didn't care. He was passed that state. His mysterious 'mate' in the corner and shut his mouth as soon as the 3 pirates entered Jack's cell and he was already starting to doubt if he had heard a voice in the first place. Maybe he really was a fool.

Just before the three had entered his cell he had been singing. Singing the song that Elizabeth had taught him when he was marooned on that godforsaken spit of land once again. Once he had known the entire song. Now he only remembered 2 or 3 lines from it, which he repeated endlessly after each other. Until the three had appeared.

Now he was muttering to himself, but what he was saying he didn't know. Not that it mattered in the first place. The three around him were laughing at him, laughing at the weak human he had been reduced to. Laughing at the man who betrayed his crew and his roots as a pirate, only because he didn't want the Pearl to get heard. Or was that not true? Had he really set his Pearl above the lives of 'his' pirates? Or was it the other way round? He really didn't remember. And he really didn't care.

Normally he would have fought for his freedom, for his friends. This, however, was a whole different occasion, one he never had imagined to get stuck in.

Toomey.

Who would have thought that somebody would keep his hatred for such a long time? Who would have believed that Toomey once would manage to have his own ship and crew? Who would have believed that? He certainly hadn't. Strange world, isn't it?

The good old hand & foot work replaced the sticks and blows & kicks were going over his entire body. Jack didn't even bother anymore with protecting himself. It was no use anyway.

The moment one of the pirates' feet came in contact with Jack's left arm, he gasped. Suddenly everything became painfully clear. The beating and more important: the pain. He felt his cracked ribs, the pain in his neck, the screaming of his muscles and the broken bones in his left arm. Jack knew how his body looked like at the moment: skinnier than ever before and covered with a colorful collection of bruises. However, he didn't know how his left arm looked like. He didn't dare to look, afraid that if he would do that he would finally completely go insane.

He bit on his lip hard to avoid screaming and he felt how blood slowly start to flow. He was not going to scream. Not again. He may not care anymore, he still was a very stubborn person.

No screaming. That was the key. Not. To. Scream.

Two minutes later Captain Jack Sparrow learned another new lesson the hard way. It was possible to scream your lungs out.

~*~

 Will and Elizabeth had no idea where they were anymore and how on earth they were supposed to get back out again. Most of the guards they had met so far had been asleep or drunk and therefore they hadn't had encountered a large problem yet.


That is, if you count out the screaming. The screaming that had started not that long ago. The screaming that sounded an awful lot like Jack.

Will and Liz both were affected by this new sound in the background. First they had vaguely heard some singing and Elizabeth and recognized it with a smile as a pirate song she had taught Jack. Will definitely much preferred the hoarse singing voice above this new sound.

Elizabeth looks pale in the darkness of the corridors and Will notices how she shivers all over her body. He would have loved to comfort her right now, but he isn't totally sure if he can hide his shivering for his future wife.

Than they notice a new guard. The first one who is widely awake. He is bent over a chessboard and his other mate obviously is gone away for the moment so that this guard can take his time to think. And to replace some of his mate's chess pieces.

Softly Will sneaks up behind the concentrate guard and using all the anger that flows through his body right now he knocks him right on his head, making chess pieces fly all over the place. Will and Elizabeth exchange a look before carefully pushing the guard back into a sitting position with his head on his arms before hiding away in the shadows. Luckily they don't have to wait that long.

"'ey! Marty! What ya doing? Ya ruined our game and I was winning!"

The other guard shuffles toward his sitting friend. "Marty! Ye bloody bastard! What 'ave you done?!?"

This time it's Elizabeth with a little help from Will who knocks the guard unconscious.

"What a bunch of idiots!" mutters Elizabeth. "These people are not used to be a guard in a fort."

Will looks at her. "You think these are all…?"

Elizabeth nods her head. "All pirates! Let's go further to find the only pirate we care about at the moment!"

On that moment the screaming stops.

~*~

Jack was lying on the ground with his back to the only door in his cell, a position he normally never would have taken. But, of course, this time he didn't care. The three pirates were gone, which was a good thing, and he had screamed, which was bad. Very bad. That would seriously damage is image of legendary pirate captain if it ever became a public item.

"Not that ye care."

Jack closed his eyes. This was just great. The three were gone, but that voice was back. That voice from what he wasn't sure if it was real or not. Than his eyes snap back open. What did he just think? Damage his image?

"That is not true," whispers Jack, not able to speak any louder even if it would mean his escape.

"It is, mate. Ye do not care anymore, why bother? Why fight? Yer a betrayer! The deepest circle of hell is awaiting ye, remember?"

"It is not true."

Very slowly Jack tries to sit up again, ignoring the pain and ignoring the voice. He only concentrates on this one thought. He did care. He wanted to get out, free his crew and his ship and become the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow again, pirate extraordinaire.

"I have not betrayed my crew."

"Would ye save them if it would cost ye the Pearl then?"

"Yes." Even Jack is surprised that he doesn't hesitate before he answers. It is true what he is saying. Maybe these days in this cell had made him realize it. His freedom and his friends, that was all he cared about. He could have freedom, even without his Pearl. Although, of course, he would make damn sure he would try everything first to get her back before giving in.

"No ye would not."

Jack doesn't bother anymore to reply. He knows he would and that's the most important thing! He hears a strange sound outside his cell that he cannot place and suddenly he notices something odd. Besides the voice, that has just decided to talk him to dead, and the sea it's almost deadly silent around him. No snoring or talking people. No anything. That was really interesting.

"Jack!"

Too quickly Jack turns his head towards the door and a moment he only sees black spots jumping around in front of his eyes, teasing him. The voice in the corner only continues talking as if he hasn't heard anything at all.

"William?"

"Jack!" this time it's two voices that hiss his name. Two very familiar voices. And Captain Jack Sparrow, pirate extraordinaire, is lost for words.

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YAY! They are together! It was about time ;) But don't you think that this story is anything near an end yet, there is still a lot of things going on.

Reviewers: THANK YOU SO MUCH! I don't have time to react on you all at the moment since my train is about to leave in 15 minutes, but please know that I love ya!