Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates or anything associated with it (though if whoever does own it--Disney, I guess--wants to get rid of it, I'm very willing to take it off his hands...). I'm not making any money off of this story (because if I were I would be in the Caribbean, not posting a fanfic about it).
Chapter 8, Black Pearl, 2 bells into second dog watch
The days went by excruciatingly slowly, but they did eventually pass. Elizabeth couldn't control her restlessness, although she knew it was agitating the whole crew. She tried to fill the empty hours by talking to Bill and Jack, but it wasn't enough. Never far from her mind was the thought that, after nearly two years, she would finally be home.
So when Port Royal came into sight, Elizabeth was waiting on deck, packed and ready to go. She didn't even wait until the ship was ready before she rushed off. She told Bootstrap and Jack that she'd meet them on the docks at sundown and raced for home.
"Hey, there, missy, where're you running off to so quick?" a rough voice demanded from behind her. A gnarled old hand grabbed her shoulder and whirled her around, revealing a drunken old sailor who probably should have retired decades ago.
"I have a very important meeting," she said, "and I'm running late."
The sailor shook his head sadly. "Ah, miss, I'm sure that can wait while you earn a few extra coins, eh?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and flashed her a smile full of rotted teeth.
Grimacing, Elizabeth tried to extract herself from his grip, but it was like iron. "I'm terribly sorry, sir, but I'm just not that kind of lady."
"Now, miss, there's no need to be playin' games wit me. Ladies like you all look the same--I know. Besides, I know I don't look like much, but I still got it where it counts." He tried to drag her away, but she resisted. "Look 'ere, miss, I won't be long. I'm just gettin my two cents in before the younger gents take all the good'uns."
Elizabeth, disgusted at the thought of being considered a "good 'un," realized too late that her tattered, once-fine dress made her look a bit like a tart. "Really, sir, I can't."
But he wasn't going to give up until he got what he wanted, and he was getting impatient. "Listen, miss, in your line of work you'd better learn to take what you can get. And tonight, you can get me."
"That's not my line of work!" she answered, bringing her knee up to connect anywhere it would--and her aim was true.
"Why, you little--" he moaned, clutching his injured parts. Elizabeth bolted. "Oh, no you don't!" He hobbled after her, seething. "If you won't have me one way, you'll have me t'other!"
Elizabeth ran, not daring to look back or anywhere but straight in front of her. Suddenly, she tripped on her skirts and fell headlong into the mud. She struggled to get back up, but the old sailor had caught up to her.
"Not so fast!" he barked, shoving her back down. "You've made it a bit difficult to do what I'd originally intended to do with ye, so I'll teach you why you don't argue with your clients." He raised his fist to hammer down on her, but someone came up behind him and whacked him over the head, sending him sprawling in the mud, unconscious.
"Will?" Elizabeth asked, hoping against hope that perhaps her rescuer was her husband, or at least somebody who could lead her to him.
But the man shook his head. "No, I'm afraid it's just me," he said gently.
"Bill," she sighed. After all that, and she'd been so close... she squeezed her eyes shut against the tears.
"What was that all about?" Bill asked as he helped her to her feet. "Here I come looking for a nice drink to pass the time, and instead I find you lying in a muddy ditch at the mercy of this ancient jack-tar."
"Don't remind me," she muttered. "He mistook me for a whore. And when I refused to go with him, he tried to beat me."
"You're lucky I found you when I did," Bill answered. "He coulda done you good, and you could catch cold lying in the mud like that."
She frowned. "I tripped over my skirts. At least nothing feels broken. Mind if we go back to the Pearl and let me change?"
Bill nodded and offered his arm, which she gladly took. "I'm sorry, by the way," he said as he escorted her back to the ship. "That you got held up again. This time, I'm going to see to it personally that you make it home."
Elizabeth smiled at him. "Thank you."
Bill smiled back. "You're my daughter-in-law, remember? That's my job." He paused, then grinned mischievously. "Actually, technically, it's Will's job, but seeing as how he's not around to do it, I'll gladly accept the honor until we find the lad."
Elizabeth smiled again, and they hurried back to Jack's ship.
Okay, that was just slightly on the short side, but it was either extend it to there or end it when old mister sailor man was getting ready to beat on dear Elizabeth, and I figured that was way too short of a chapter to leave you with, so I gave you a bit more.
As always, don't forget to review!
--JSK
