A/N A year since my last update sighs where does the time go? Ok it is exactly 9:29 P.M. on Christmas Eve, I'm trying to get this done so it can be around for Christmas, I hope you guys like reading it, and possibly even take something away from it, well that's that, away we go!

Jack stumbled back into his cabin. He had put the mattress back on the bed and still allowed himself to believe that he had accidentally knocked it over himself, even thought this was getting harder and harder to believe.

Whatever he had just experienced, whether it be a dream drunk-induced hallucination, or it actually happened, had made him remember things he would rather have forgotten.

He collapsed on his bed and after laying there for a minute or two, staring at the ceiling, he decided that the answer to all of this was, as always, rum. After seeing that his own private stock had run dry he went down to the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets.

"That stuff will kill you one of these days you know," said a matter of fact voice out of no where.

Jack jumped back and had his sword pulled and ready in his right hand, and a bottle of rum in his left. He was looking at a man that he would guess to be in his twenties, with blonde hair and green eyes. All of the crew was on shore getting their fill of drink, fights, and women. No one was supposed to be on board.

"Who the bloody hell are you?!" Jack screamed.

"That sword won't do you any good, it's rather pointless fighting something that can't die, you of all people should know that," said the man, never once loosing his calm. If anything he looked bored.

"Who are you?" Jack repeated, this time a bit more calmly, he had lowered his sword, but only slightly.

"I, sir, am the ghost of Christmas present," he said taking a deep bow, "and you are Captain Jack Sparrow."

"What are you doing here?"

"That's a good question, what are we doing here? What are we doing here, when we have so many other places to be? I like the way you think! Well let us get a move on then." The ghost seemed to be getting happier, more sprightly and playful, by the second.

He walked across the kitchen, linked his arm in Jacks, yanked the rum bottle out of Jack's hand and placed it down on the table, and walked out the door arm-in-arm with Jack. There was a bright flash of light, and they were no longer on the ship.

Inside the Swan Manor

"Oh Miss, please let me help you with that!" A maid said to what looked like a slightly older, yet still highly attractive, Elizabeth Swan.

"Yes, sweetheart, that is their place in this life, let them clear the dishes and you can relax," said what appeared to be Commodore Norrington.

"No dear, I like doing this," said Elizabeth as she finished clearing the dishes and carried them out of the room.

"Elizabeth? Why is she calling Norrington dear?" asked Jack.

"When you convinced Will to become a pirate and your first mate he left Elizabeth to a life of loneliness, after a while she got tiered of it and the good Commodore took her as his wife," explained the ghost who had seated himself on a table and was swinging his legs back and forth.

"But what about Will? He loved her! He was coming back for her this Christmas!"

"Ah yes but dear William did leave her, and it doesn't look like he'll be coming back for anyone anytime soon," the ghost pointed out.

Jack turned away from the ghost and followed Elizabeth into the room she had just entered.

"You really don't have to do this miss," a maid was saying to Elizabeth, who was drying and putting away dishes.

"I like to Mary, it lets me have a piece of a life I wish I had," said Elizabeth staring out the window dreamily.

"With all due respect miss, you wish to have the life of a maid?" asked the maid, obviously intrigued.

"No, I wish to have the life of a black smith's wife," said Elizabeth, obviously saddened.

The young maid was about to inquire further, but one of the older maids, knowing exactly what Elizabeth was talking about, took the newer maid by the shoulders and led her out of the room.

"You led her to this life Jack, you led her true love to the path of a pirate, and away from the path of an honest blacksmith with a lovely wife, he was supposed to be your best friend Jack, and you took him away from his life and to a life that finally killed him."

"Yer sayin this like it's my fault! Bill chose that life and he chose everything that came with it!"

"Will," the ghost corrected.

"What?"

"The lad's name was Will, his father was Bill, his father was the one who chose that life and everything that came with it, his father was your best friend, and his father is who you tried to bring back to life through Will."

Jack stared at him, but before he could let any of this information sink in he was blinded by some light and found his way out of the Swan home.

Inside a Beggar's Home

"Who are these people?" Jack asked looking at a family consisting of a man, woman and three children, one of whom seemed to be handicapped.

"You don't remember? Well no, I didn't really expect you to. These are people you stole from Jack, they once had a beautiful home and very fine things, but they had to sell those fine things to pay for the lad's medical needs," the ghost said motioning to the boy with the disability, "many people suffer from pirating, and this is a mere example of what happens to the people who can't get back on their feet after wards."

"Father, can you give me another blanket?" the boy with the disability said.

"Of course Tim," the father said, taking the blanket that he had wrapped himself in and putting it around his son, "do you want some more tea? It's rather cold tonight."

"No, I'm just tiered; this day has worn me out. It's been the most wonderful one of the year!" Tim said with a light all his own shining in his eyes.

"Wonderful? How can it be wonderful? They've nothing! I don't even see any traces of food left in the garbage! No bones from turkey or sauce from salad, nothing! And the lad's not even got a proper bed to sleep in, he shares with his brother and sister. Add to that he's a cripple! How can any day be wonderful for him?" Jack asked in complete disbelief of the child's ignorance.

"Well Jack, he's realized that money isn't what makes for wonderful days, love is. And if nothing else, this lad has all the love in the world. It's just too bad he can't have more, like a decent doctor."

"Why can't he?"

"Because you robbed him of that Jack, after taking the money he needed for medical reasons and spending it on a hooker that later slapped you in the face, he has this."

"I never took money from anyone's home," Jack argued.

"True as that may be, your crew did, where did you think they got it from Jack? Working like honest gentlemen? You turned your back on it and for that this boy must suffer!"

Jack looked at the boy, he opened his mouth to speak, but the light blinded him again and they were gone.

Jack's Relative's House

"A toast! To the infamous Jack Sparrow, who has yet to grace us with his presence."

"Oh don't toast him! Have you forgotten how he ran out on his family just when we needed him the most all those many years ago? Right when Tatiana died, he ran away like a coward!" A strict woman said.

"Oh Aunt, you mustn't be so hard on him, Tatiana's death was so difficult for him, he did adore her so," the man defended.

"Who is this?" Jack asked.

"This is Tatiana's brother, Frederick, do you remember him? He adored you."

"Yes, yes I do remember him; oh my little Freddie's grown up to be quite an impressive man!" Jack said impressed.

"Jack has followed his dreams and I hope one day his dreams will lead him here, home, where he will find love in a world that he thinks holds only hate. To Jack!"

"To Jack!" replied everyone else.

"Ah bless his heart; he always had such a good one," said Jack, obviously touched, "I wish I had been there to watch him grow up."

"So does he jack, so does he."

The light was back and Jack found himself back on his beloved boat.

"Jack, I must leave now, but I do hope I haven't come all this way for nothing. You can change Jack, it's never too late to change."

With that he faded away, leaving Jack to some memories, regrets and hopes.

A/N Well there it is, I know its kinda serious and the next one will be too, but the last one will perk up a bit, promise!