DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything POTC related.
NOTE: Thank you to Dawnie-7, Ani Sparrow, and MissJackieSparrow for being faithful reviewers. Authors need opinions. Follow their example. Please don't make me beg, but I will if I have too. PLEASE REVIEW!!!
A Night in Tortuga
After parting with Mr. Gibbs, the three headed back to Interceptor on board a long boat. Will and Jack did the rowing and Hope sat fuming. All the way to the dock Jack had been a major annoyance, not to mention that men kept approaching her. She got in a verbal battle with one of them, which Jack found very amusing.
"Now don't be cross, love. The next time we come ashore it will be to meet me new crew,"
"Comforting," she said sarcastically. Will smiled to himself. When they reached the boat Jack climbed up first, followed by Will, then Hope. When she neared the top a hand appeared before her. Looking up she saw it was Jack.
"May I be of assistance?" Hope looked at him for a moment confused before she allowed him to help her up. When up on deck she walked off without a word or a glance. Jack turned around. "You know, Hope." She stopped with her back to him. "I'm going to get you to smile for me at least once before this adventure is over," Jack said grinning as he continued to pull the boat up. She turned her head part way and looked at him for moment before she smiled and headed below deck. It was small, but it was a smile.
Later that night, Will lay up on deck, huddled by some barrels trying to sleep when Hope walked up on deck. She saw him and walked over.
"Mind if I sit?" he looked up at her.
"Not at all." Sitting down beside him they stayed there in silence for a few moments. "What are we doing, Hope?"
"What do you mean?"
"This. Chasing after Elizabeth. Since we left I have thought of nothing but if she is all right. And then I ask myself why I'm doing this. The commodore is right. I'm not military, and I'm not a sailor, I'm a blacksmith, what can I do?"
"Since when has William Turner ever doubted his abilities?"
"Every day. I've been a blacksmith apprentice since I was twelve. When I learned to make swords properly I never thought they were good enough when orders came."
"And this coming from a man who taught a lowly, minister's daughter to sword fight with the best of them. The same man who had the courage to stand up to the Commodore of the Royal Navy. Will, it's not that you feel like you can't do anything. You feel like that because the woman you're in love with is sailing around with pirates and you don't know where she is. And the only clue is a pirate who outwitted the Royal Navy, who you think much less, can't be trusted." Will looked at her surprised.
"You could tell?"
"Will, Elizabeth is my best friend. I see how you react whenever you see her."
"It's strange. I'm not one who normally…"
"Takes rash action?" He nodded. "What's rash about all this? You're in love with her and when we're in love, we always tend to do crazy things."
"Have you?"
"Actually I did once. When I was seventeen, the governor threw a party in honor of Elizabeth's sixteenth birthday. Edward was my escort, although he stayed by my side almost the entire night I caught him staring at a girl across the room several times. She was one of those girls who flirt a little too much. She was proper in every thing she did and all the boys were flocking around her. When I went to talk to Elizabeth he took the chance to ask her for a dance. Of course she accepted, who wouldn't? To dance with an officer of the Royal Navy was a thrill for most girls. It wasn't just one dance, it was several. Angered I left without telling him anything. A few days later he came to see me but I refused to speak with him. I didn't want to talk with him. I was afraid he was having second thoughts about our courtship. So, jealous, in the way I was, I began acting like that girl. When I finally did see him he looked at me in a way I had never seen before. Finally after two weeks or so of that behavior he pulled me aside and asked why I had changed and why I had ignored him for the post few days. So I brought up that girl. And the moment I did, the look on his face was all I needed to see that he did love me. He looked so upset, like he committed the biggest sin. He asked for my forgiveness and when I accepted, it was like the day we met all over again." Will was silent. "No matter how much you tell yourself you shouldn't here, don't let that cloud your mind. If you do, then Elizabeth doesn't have a chance."
"Thank you, Hope."
"Anytime. Of course, it does help when your father's a minister." Will laughed. The two continued to talk until they both fell asleep.
SCENE CHANGE:
The next morning the bright sunlight awoke Will and Hope. Stretching as they stood up the sight of Tortuga welcomed them.
"It doesn't look so bad in daylight," Hope said surprised.
"Where's Jack?" Will asked as they both looked around the ship. Hope saw the boat still where Jack tied it off the night before.
"He's probably still sleeping," Hope said.
"I'll go wake him."
"No. That's okay, I'll go. Besides, if he tries anything I can slap him. He seems to get a lot of that," she said heading towards the cabin and knocking.
"Jack?...Jack!..." she said knocking on the door several times. She sighed before she walked into the cabin and sure enough Jack was on his back passed out on the bed.
"Jack!...Sparrow!" he didn't move. "So help me if you are doing this on purpose," she grumbled to herself as she walked to the side of the bed and shook him. He didn't move so she leaned down by his ear.
"Jack!"
"Just one more, love," he said, still sleeping, as he pulled Hope down to him and kissed her. She was caught completely off guard and didn't really have time to react before, still sleeping, he rolled over her and continued to kiss her. What happened next she didn't know why but she allowed him too for a few seconds before she pushed him off onto the floor. The impact woke him.
"How dare you!" she yelled. He looked at her in a confused gaze.
"What did I do?"
"You kissed me!" His head shot up as he realized what had happened.
"I can explain!" She quickly turned on her heels and walked out, Jack running after her.
"I cannot believe you!" Will heard Hope shout as she left the cabin with Jack running right behind her in a drunken state.
"I didn't mean it. It was completely honest. Haven't you ever dreamed about something and then did that something while in that dream that you couldn't control?"
"No! I have not!"
"Okay. Hope just calm down, calm down. What happened?" Will asked.
"He kissed me!" Will stared at him.
"Yes I did. But it wasn't you it was someone else!"
"Who? Scarlett? Giselle? Or what ever other woman you've been with!"
"Hope, please. It didn't mean it. I was dreaming. I'm sorry." She was silent as she slowly calmed down.
"All right. I'll forgive you this one time." Jack placed his palms together and bowed. "But so help me. If you try anything like that again I'll…"
"Turn me into a eunuch?" Hope gave a small laugh as she shook her head smiling. Jack brightened. "You just smiled. I got you to smile and laugh."
"Don't look too much into it." Hope said still smiling a bit. Suddenly back to his old self again he jumped up.
"So. Let's go get me crew!"
SCENE CHANGE:
Hope, Will, and Jack slowly walked down the line of sailors Mr. Gibbs had gathered. So far they seem civilized enough. Each of them nodded their head at Hope when she past by them.
"You sailor," Jack said catching sight of an elderly man with a blue and yellow parrot.
"Cotton, sir," Gibbs informed him.
"Mr. Cotton. Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death? Mr. Cotton! Answer man!"
"He's a mute. Poor devil had his tongue cut out." All three grimaced when he showed his tongue. "He trained the bird to talk for him."
"Mr. Cotton's parrot. Same question."
"Wind in the sails, wind in the sails!" the bird squawked and the faces on Will, Jack, and Hope were priceless.
"This place keeps getting more and more interesting," Hope said.
"And what's the benefit for us?" a feminine sounding voice called out. They looked down the row at a figure with their head leaning forward and a brown hat covering their face. Jack approached cautiously and lifted the hat.
"Anamaria!" The woman slapped him hard causing his head to snap towards Will and Hope. Hope very amused spoke.
"I suppose you didn't deserve that either," he frowned defeated.
"No. That one I deserve." Hope watched in amusement as the woman slapped him again and then proceeded to give him a good tongue lashing.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Will asked Hope.
"How'd you guess?"
"You'll get another one," Jack said in a high pitched voice.
"A better one!" Will added. Jack turned to him.
"A better one!"
"That one!" Hope said pointing to the Interceptor.
"What one?" Jack said as Hope and Will motioned towards the Interceptor.
"That one?" Jack growled. Hope nodded.
"Aye, that one! What say you!"
"Aye!" All yelled in unison and left.
"It's frightful bad luck to bring a woman on board, sir."
"Actually it will be two women." Jack said pointing to Hope who waved at Mr. Gibbs. He started to protest again but Jack cut him off. "There is no choice for two reasons, one: I'm not leaving Miss Danforth here, and two: it would be far worse not to have her, both of them." Jack said looking upward before heading towards the crew.
SCENE CHANGE:
The Interceptor set out to Isla de Muerta. Along the way
they ran into a storm. The waves were so
fierce it knocked the sailors back and forth as they struggled to tie off the
sails. Hope was at the helm along with
Jack tightening ropes. She looked behind
her and saw him holding his broken compass.
"Why do you bother with that thing? It doesn't point north!" she yelled over the storm.
"Aye." She went over to him.
"Don't you think we should take in the sails?"
"No. She can hold a bit longer!"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Trust me."
"Trust you?" she yelled just as a wave came over the side and pushed her into Jack. He caught her just as Gibbs came up.
"We should drop canvas, sir." Jack still had his arm around Hope.
"You see. Even he agrees with me," Hope protested as another hit by the waves pushed her again.
"As I said before, she can still hold!" he yelled.
"For a woman, you sure know much about ships, lass," Gibbs said.
"When you're engaged to a marine you learn a few things." She would have pulled away from him but the ship kept getting hit so she stayed where she was.
"Captain. What's in your head that's put you in such a fine mood?"
"We're catching up!"
SCENE CHANGE:
After the storm the Interceptor sailed over calm waters. Jack stood at the wheel as always and Hope, surprisingly stood with him her back turned to him watching the course they had passed.
"You are looking the wrong way. The adventure is on the horizon." Hope smiled a little.
"Maybe for you, Captain. But for me there is no horizon. By now my father has found out what I have done and when I return to Port Royal the consequences will be great."
"He can't be all the bad can he?" Hope turned to him.
"He's a minister. Enough said. In ways I think he is worse than Norrington and the governor put together."
"You still be his daughter. He loves you."
"You know for a pirate you seem to well versed on the matters of family and presume much."
"I wasn't born a weasely, black gutted pirate, love. I became one on my own accord" Hope laughed a little and this made Jack smile.
"Fair enough," The two starred at each other for a few moments before Hope turned away. Jack looked down at the wheel after another few moments of silence then back over at Hope.
"Come." Hope turned to him confused.
"Excuse me?"
"Come here." Jack said gesturing to him.
"And why may I ask?"
"Just come here. I promise I will do nothing. I want you to see something." Hope was hesitant. Jack sighed and grabbed her arm.
"No! Let go of me!" Hope said as he positioned her in front him, her back to his chest. He took both her hands and put them on the wheel all the while keeping his hand on her wrists.
"Look out to the sea in front of you. Put your mind at ease and let your senses guide you. What do you feel?"
"The wood of the wheel and your cold hands."
"Would you please try harder and be serious." Hope sighed.
"I don't feel anything Jack."
"Close your eyes."
"What?"
"Please?"
"Very well." Hope closed her eyes.
"Now. Let you senses take over. What do hear?"
"The waves."
"Very good. Now. What do you feel?"
"Peaceful. Relaxed."
"You're close. That is how you feel. What do you feel?"
"Freedom."
"Exactly. Nothing holds you down. Every time you set sail it's a new adventure. That be the main reason for me becoming who I am. A ship is freedom." Hope turned to Jack.
"I never thought of it that way." Will looked up to the helm and saw how close Jack and Hope were.
"Mother's love. Would ye look at that now." Gibbs said walking to Will. "Don't believe I have ever heard of Captain Jack Sparrow letting anyone touch the wheel of his ship. You could be blind but still see that something be growin between those two." Will's face took on an angered look before he marched up the stairs to the helm. "And that your feelings aren't completely set for one woman." Gibbs said quietly to himself before continued on with his duties.
"Hope!" She ducked under Jack's arm and went over to Will.
"What is it Will?"
"I need to talk to you about something." He said leading her away with him. Before descending the stairs he glared back at Jack and who smiled at him.
SCENE CHANGE:
As the storm the journey continued and soon enough they passed through the graveyard of ships just beyond of Isla de Muerta. The crew was intrigued and a little uneasy. Hope and Mr. Cotton were up on the helm as Jack stood behind the wheel holding his compass. Cotton looked at him strangely, not knowing what Jack's issue was with the compass. Hope tore her attention from the graveyard and saw this. She went over to him and grabbed the compass.
"Would you put that thing away for heaven's sake!"
"No, no, no, no. Don't do that!" Jack said reaching for it.
"Will you put it away?"
"Yes, yes. Now let's have it." Hope reluctantly gave it back to him. He faked putting it in his pocket until her back was turned and then he pulled it back out. She quickly turned back knowing he would try something.
"You're hopeless!" Hope said as she proceeded to the main deck, passing by Will and Gibbs talking.
"Back when he was Captain of the Black Pearl." Hope stopped and turned.
"What?" she asked. Gibbs looked at her and Will, knowing he had just said a big mistake.
"Mr. Gibbs. You know more than you are letting on. Tell us right now. Who is Jack Sparrow?"
"Like I was telling the kid. Not much is known about Captain Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta. He plays things closer to the vest now. And a hard-learned lesson it was. See three days out on the venture the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure, too, so Jack gives up the bearings. That night there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."
"So that's the reason for all the…" Will said acting like Jack.
"Reason's got nothing to do with it. Now Will and Miss Hope. When a man is marooned he is a given a pistol with a single shot – one shot. Well it won't do much good hunting or to be rescued. But after three weeks of a starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol will start to look real friendly. But Jack – he escaped the island, and he still has that one shot. Oh, but he won't use it, though, save for one man. His mutinous first mate.
"Captain Barbossa," Hope said realizing everything as Gibbs nodded in truth. "How did Jack get off the island?" Will asked.
"Well, I'll tell ye. He waded out into the shallows and there he waited three days and three nights till all manner of sea creature 'came and acclimated to his presence. And on the fourth morning, he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, lashed 'em together and made a raft."
"You have to be kidding. Will, you don't actually believe this do you?"
"It be true."
"Yes, for the mythical Captain Jack Sparrow. But not the real one.'
"Believe what ye want, Miss Danforth." Gibbs said looking to Will.
"He roped a couple of sea turtles?"
"Aye, sea turtles,"
"What did he use for rope?" This caught Gibbs off guard.
"Can't say can…" Hope started but was cut off mid-sentence.
"Human hair…from my back," Jack said coming up. Hope shook her head disapprovingly. "Let go of the anchor! Young Mr. Turner and I are to go ashore,"
"What? You and Will. What about me. I will be damned before I stay here and do nothing."
"It is for your own safety. Wouldn't want that bloody fiancé of yours to be heartbroken if something were to happen to you."
"I don't care, Jack. I'm coming with you."
"No you're not." Hope pulled her sword and raised it to his neck.
"Yes I am and that's final."
"You think this wise?"
"I don't know. It would depend on your definition of wise." Hope stood in front of him like a stone wall. Jack saw this and the determination in her eyes.
"Have it your way then, love. You may come," Jack said walking to the boats.
"Captain! What if the worst should happen?" Gibbs asked.
"Keep to the code."
NOTE: I know some of you might not like this, so I apologize for putting other character lines in someone elses mouth especially if that character was not in the movie. I just felt that a couple lines helped the scenes better with the addition of a new character. So, forgive me. Other than that. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!
ArianaielNightstar