Jack stared out at the ocean before him, eyes fixed intently on the small dark smudge they were headed for.
"Land ho!!!" the look out yelled for the third time.
"We KNOW!" Jack yelled. What a whelp. But even he couldn't ruin his good mood. Nothing could. Well, alright, maybe the fact that Kris was most likely going to kill him when they got around to Trawe (which was the next stop, if all went well), but he tried not to think about that too much.
"So, what's the plan?" Anna-Maria asked him. She hadn't exactly been nice to him (jack somehow doubted she could be nice to anyone) but since the whole cursed skeleton incident, she at least hadn't mentioned that he still owed her a ship.
"We have a wedding to crash, Love."
Will's wedding. And why shouldn't he come? After all they've been through. But still, he wasn't about to expect a warm welcome. Especially not from Norrington. No doubt he'd still be mad about not being able to catch Jack. But what can he say? No one can catch the Captain Jack Sparrow. Well, not more than twice, anyway.
Once the ship was anchored (not at a dock, of course, couldn't have the navy spotting it, could they?) Jack turned his crew loose and headed off towards the governor's mansion. No doubt most of his 'able bodied crew' had headed straight to the pub, where he would have gone if he didn't have other plans.
He easily snuck past the single guard standing outside the courtyard and into the midst of the party. Typical Port Royal; never suspecting anything.
Looked like he missed the wedding. No worries, the reception was where all the rum was anyway. And, hopefully, Will.
Jack pushed through the over-dressed crowd of what was no doubt Port Royal's finest, ignoring the stares and mumbled comments. Since when did the rich do anything about, well, anything? Never.
As it turned out, Will wasn't all that hard to find. Elizabeth's gigantic wedding dress took care of that. Long, white silk skirts, puffed sleeves, the whole bit. Jack didn't even want to know how one would walk in a thing like that. But, despite the dress, Elizabeth seemed overjoyed. They both did; hey, they were finally married. Good for them. Maybe Jack shouldn't ruin their special day; maybe he should just leave and let them live their lives out happily together….. But what fun was that?
Instead of heading straight towards them, Jack found it in his heart to head for the rum first. The least he could do was let them enjoy themselves…
"Jack!"
Too late.
He tuned around and saw Will heading towards them. Funny, he didn't look too upset to see him.
"Will!" Jack through his arms open in welcoming. "Congratulations!!"
Will first looked around to make sure no one was listening then turned back to Jack.
"What are you doing here?" he whispered angrily.
"What, you're not happy to see me? On your wedding day?!"
"I'm not happy to see you because it's my wedding day." Will replied. He obviously had not forgotten that Jack had almost killed, hit on, and held his beloved Elizabeth for hostage.
"Can't we forget about the past, mate? Move on. Catch the horizon. Look to the future." Jack said.
Will looked back at Elizabeth, who was currently conversing with some of the livelier guests.
"Well, hurry it up! Before she sees you. Why are you here?" he asked.
"What? A man can't ask an old friend's son to join him for a little sail on his ship?"
"No!" Will replied. "You came all the way here for that? Go! Before she sees you!"
Jack grabbed a bottle of rum. "But mate, the party's just started! What about the rum?!"
"Take it!" Will said hastily. "Now get out of here!"
Well, Jack thought as he trudged down the path leading from the mansion, rum in hand. That went well.
* * * *
"You gotta get out of this house, Kris." Mia said from the doorway of her room.
"And why's that?" Kris asked her little cousin. Cocky thing, Mia was. Seemed to think she could do anything she wanted, at any time. Thought she was invincible. Next ship to come to port, Mia would probably jump onto to get away from this place. Reminded Kris of herself at 14, actually.
"Because you've been sitting at that windowsill for so long you're going to get bedsores." Mia replied. "Go out, get some rum. Do something!"
Kris shook her head, but headed out the door anyway and started downstairs and out the door anyway, leaving Mia still standing at her doorway.
God, I hate that man. Mia thought. She couldn't stand having Kris in the house in the first place, but it was worse to see her happy-go-lucky older cousin like this. She was never this down, never.
Meanwhile, Kris headed to her favourite pub at the outskirts of the small town. She never ventured too far into town, not with the whole Navy wanting her head on a silver platter. These people did not take kindly to pirates, especially home-grown ones.
She ventured into the pub and managed to find an empty table. 'The official pub of Trawe' was probably the worst pub in Trawe. Full of outlaws, strange smells and dirt, it was absolutely disgusting. Not that she minded.
A commotion behind her caused Kris to look up from her untouched drink. Two soldiers had burst into the pub, trailing a young boy behind them.
"You!" one of them yelled to the bartender. "This your son?"
"Uhh… yes…" the bartender replied.
"We caught him sneaking into the governor's house. Again." The second soldier said, shoving the boy into the bartender's arms. "I suggest you keep a better eye on him."
While the second soldier was talking, the first one began scanning the dimly lit pub. He locked eyes with Kris and headed over in her direction.
"Oh crap…" Kris muttered, hiding her face. Don't let them know who she is… please…
"Hello Lassie." He said. "This isn't entirely a friendly place to be."
"No, really, I'm fine." Kris replied, not looking at his face.
"Just doing my civic duty, Miss. Wouldn't want you to get hurt."
"I appreciate the gesture." Kris said, relieved that the soldier obviously didn't suspect her of anything. She picked up her drink and took a sip as if to prove she was fine. The collar of her oversized shirt slipped off her shoulder in the process, revealing a small tattoo of two crossed swords with the Latin words 'the Notorious Captain Shorty' scrawled underneath. She didn't notice, but the soldier did.
"This place could be crawling with… Pirates. Wouldn't want to run into one of those…"
He grabbed her arm and shouted to the other soldier, who was still lecturing the bartender. "Smith!! Smith, I've got her! I've got her!"
"Got who?!" the other soldier said, rushing over.
"That girl! The girl pirate! I've got her!!"
"What girl pirate?!"
"The one everyone's looking for! Karri… Kristine… Oh, I know this… Err…."
"Kristalle?" Kris offered.
"Yes! That's the one! Kristalle Kayte! I've caught her, Smith, I've… Where'd she go?!" He said, looking around the pub. "I had her here a minute ago!!"
"That way!" Smith yelled, pointing at Kris as she sprinted out the door. "Get her!"
Kris ran as hard as she could, pushing through the crowd deeper into town. They were right behind her! She caught the outstretched pole supporting a sign for a weaponry and swung overtop of it, landing on the roof.
"Where did she go?!" the soldier yelled as they passed underneath the sign. Kris flattened herself against the roof, attentively watching them.
"That way!" the other soldier yelled, and they ran off.
Once Kris was sure the coast was clear, she stood up and brushed herself off.
"That was a close one…" she said as she hopped down off the other side of the building. Right into the midst off three other soldiers.
* * * *
Less than a week later, Will approached Jack in an old, filthy inn.
"Knew you'd come back." Jack said when Will came up to him, not even bothering to look up from his drink. "The sea calls you. It's in your blood, mate."
"How do you know that's what I came to you about?" Will replied, grabbing Jack's rum and forcing him to look up.
"Because." Jack said calmly. "You've got the girl, you've got the money, you've got respect and you've got a really big hat. Honestly, there's not much left."
Will was silent for a moment. In truth, he wasn't all that sure why he had come to Jack. Elizabeth was already off visiting family in England, right after their wedding. Why he hadn't gone with her, he couldn't say.
"Well, maybe I do miss the sea. What could you do about it? You're taking a great risk even coming here. I could inform the Navy of your whereabouts anytime."
"Exactly." Jack said. "But you're not going to tell them, are you? Honestly, you're a bit of a stick, aren't you?"
"A bit of a what? Wait, never mind, the point is…." Will's shoulders slumped, defeated.
"We're leaving tomorrow." Jack continued. "Me ship's anchored just off the southern shore. Be there, and be early."
They had set sail early the next day. Without fail, Will had showed up just as Jack said he would. God, Jack loved being right.
"Where are we going?" Will asked, after hours of Jack seemingly steering the ship aimlessly through the crystal blue waters.
"We've got treasure to find. But first, we've got a map to steal. And I've got to pick something up off the coast of Trawe."
"And what would we be picking up?"
"My own bit of treasure, Mate."
For days they headed straight into the horizon. Nobody asked questions about where they exactly they would be going once they left Bermuda, everyone knew it wasn't likely Jack would give them a straight answer. Even if they did ask.
"So." Will finally plucked up the courage to ask. "What's she like?"
"And who's this she you talk about?" Jack had replied, concentrating on his compass.
"Your 'treasure'. Never thought someone so…well, gruff could manage to fall in love."
Jack sighed impatiently, looking out at the waters before them. "You're too smart for your own good, Mate."
After a few moments of silence, he softly began to speak again. "She's… different. She's as beautiful as the glitter of gold; her touch is as soft as a summer breeze. She's fierce, she's gentle, she's… amazing. And her laugh….."
That had pretty much left Will in awe. Who was this man, and what had he done with Jack Sparrow? Sure, he acted the same, but…. Lets just say, he no longer stared at every woman who passed by.
About a week later, they reached Trawe. Beautiful place, really. White beaches, blue waters, palm trees, even a quaint little town. But the docks weren't all that easy to maneuver through.
"Where are we going?!" Will yelled as Jack steered the ship past the port. "The docks are that way!"
"Not our dock, lad." He replied, steering the Pearl past a small cove and around a cluster of rocks jutting out from the waters. They turned once more, and a small dock coma into view. Behind it, a small house rested among the sand dunes and palm trees.
"This is our dock."
Once they had tied up the pearl, an old man hobbled out of the house, followed by a sultry looking girl.
"Hey!!" the man yelled. "What do you think yer doing?! Can't you see this is a private port? Get off my land before I skewer your guts!!!"
"Benjamin!!" Jack yelled, hopping down off his ship and onto the dock. Will followed.
"It's me!!"
The man stared angrily for a moment, before his eyes widened in recognition.
"Jack!" he said.
The girl who had followed the man out of the house narrowed her eyes and stepped forward. "You! You weasly little no good son of a-"
"Mia!!" Benjamin yelled. "Mind your manners!" he turned to Jack.
"What brings you back to Trawe?"
"Surely you know what I came back for." Jack said.
Benjamin smiled and nodded. "aye, I know. Come on in, your crew can rope up your ship at my port anytime."
"Isn't she a little young for you?" Will whispered to Jack as Benjamin led them into the house.
"Who, Mia? No, she's not the one, Mate." Jack had replied.
"So, Ben, where's Kris?"
Benjamin turned to face Jack. "Err… Mia, would you mind getting our guests something to drink? They must be thirsty."
Once Mia had left, Benjamin sighed. "I'm afraid this is the last time she will be caught."
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
"She's… err, how can I put this… she's being executed today."
"WHAT?!"
"Jack, there's nothing I can do!" Ben said hastily. "I'm old! I can't even make it into town, let alone save my own niece! And I can't send Mia there, Jack! I can't let her watch Kris die…"
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Jack yelled. "C'mon Will, we're going."
"Don't do anything rash!!" Benjamin said as Jack dragged Will out the door. "The whole town will be there!"
"Where are we going?!" Will asked, struggling out of Jack's grasp.
"Where do you think we're going? We're saving Kris."
"Who?!"
"Kris!! The girl! My girl! Now hurry up Mate, we don't have much time!!!"