Sorry this is so incredibly late, I've been very sidetracked and have only just got the chance to pick this fanfic up again. Also I feel a bit mean leaving it on a cliffhanger, so anyway, here's the next chapter, I might have another chapter up sooner than this update has been.
DISCLAIMER: You know the business, the characters I use linked to Pirates of the Caribbean belong to Disney and not me. Life is cruel, I know. So that means that Jack, Bootstraps and any other pirate dude/dudette I use belongs to them and I'm just playing around with them for a while. :P
It was awfully boring in the sick bay, there was nothing to do but feel sick, and Jack wasn't finding that all too easy. Apart from the numb throbbing pain in his chest and the slight ache in his right arm, there was nothing wrong with him. If that were to leave out the headache. He wasn't sure if it was the glare of the sea, the loss of blood, or the sickening fear moving in a torrent inside him, that made his head throb so. But all the same, it did.
He looked around the room, and almost found himself marvelling at the sheer simplicity of it all. Four walls, three single beds, a chair and a chest of drawers. Boring to nearly all extents.
Letting out a long sigh, Jack wondered what Barbossa had been talking to his uncle about.
Not a moment after he had thought this, the door burst open. His uncle appeared at the door, and had somewhat the expression of surprise on his face as he stared down at his nephew. He certainly hadn't expected the boy to do what he had told him to, something had to be wrong.
"You're here." He stated, as if he couldn't believe it.
"Am I?" Jack patted himself up and down in mock confusion.
"Alright, no need to get clever with me now." The Captain snapped. "It's just not like you to do what I say…you alright?"
"Fine." Jack replied all too quickly, still very jumpy from the day's events. The Captain paused a while, doubting the sureness of his nephew's reply. Then deciding the boy was playing with him, as he always did, he continued with his message.
"Very well, I just came to tell you we'll be at Dieppe harbour in a matter of minutes, and that you are to stay on the Pearlfor tonight. If you're a bit better you can leave tomorrow, but I have organized your staying here with Barbossa."
"Barbossa?!" Jack cried out, unable to control himself. His uncle eyed him suspiciously; he winced at the foolish reaction.
What's with yer, Jack? His thoughts groaned at him. Yer gotta calm down otherwise yer plan will be ruined.
"Yes, Barbossa." The Captain continued slowly. "He'll be staying on the ship with a few crew members to stop you from escaping like you do so well."
The two pirates exchanged glances at that point, they both knew what the Captain meant. But behind the memories, the alarm bells in Jack's mind were going crazy.
Barbossa…staying here? Jack could only come to one conclusion. He knows…
"I know you won't listen to me, you never do." The Captain sighed gloomily. "But please… just stay here for the night and don't get yourself into trouble."
Jack was barely listening, he already had his plans of escaping. Though this time it wasn't for excitement, it was for fear of his life. There was no telling what Barbossa was thinking.
His dark eyes looked up at his uncle that still stood at the door and his first plan came to mind: beg.
"You know a way to stop me getting myself into trouble? Let me go to shore." He grinned, making as big a thing he could about getting up. The Captain frowned. "That way, I would be just where you could see me, then there's no possible chance of me getting myself into trouble."
"No, there's plenty a chance for you to get into trouble, the only difference will be that I have to get you out of it. I'm not having this discussion with you Jack, have a good evening." The Captain turned angrily and made to throw the door shut behind him, but Jack caught it.
"No listen, I'll make a deal with yer!" Jack cried after him, he kept on walking as if he hadn't heard. Jack anxiously followed him all the way up to the deck. He was taken aback to see it was now just past dusk, but carried on after his uncle anyway.
"Please, let me come ashore just fer tonight!" Jack called out from three paces behind his uncle.
The Captain then spun around to face Jack, his face now distorted in anger.
"You'll not be coming ashore tonight and if I find you with one foot off this ship, I'll see to it that I personally skewer your worthless little body and be done with you once and for all." He spat, his face inches from Jack's.
Jack stood motionless, he was used to his uncle's threats, though most had seemed much emptier than this one. He then noticed that the entire crew was gathered on the deck and that every eye was on him and his uncle.
"GET THIS SHIP INTO THE HABOUR!!" The Captain roared, furious to be caught bickering with his nephew. A stunned silence filled the ship and no one moved.
"Captain Sparrow, we're already there." A quiet voice came from the surrounding crew, and just so happened to be Barbossa. He stepped up to the Captain and set his eyes on Jack. "Don't worry Captain, your nephew won't be leaving this ship."
Jack felt his stomach flutter with fear.
"Err… Right, well… everyone is free to leave." The Captain's face flushed red at his mistake. A great cheer of approval went up from the crowd and they all made their way to the dinghies. "Just lock him up and don't let him out." The Captain ordered quietly to Barbossa, who nodded his confirmation.
Jack stood stock still as everyone around him slowly disappeared, Barbossa stared at him like a vulture, grinning, waiting for the right time to strike.
"Jack!" A voice cried out, Jack desperately traced it, his hopes for salvation rising. He found the person who cried out, and was shocked. Bootstraps stared at him with a sullen face from the other side of the ship, a bruised and sullen face. A dark patch surrounded his right eye and already there were yellow and purple tinges to the bruise, his bottom lip was cut and swollen.
Jack stole a fleeting glance at Barbossa and saw his wary expression, and the way his yellowing eyes flickered to something besides Bootstraps. Jack followed his gaze and watched as two pirates grabbed Bootstraps in a friendly manner and took him to the dinghy at the edge of the ship.
Jack suddenly felt angry as Bootstraps departed, what was the point of him calling out his name if it weren't to accomplish anything but showing Jack what was likely to happen to him?
The dinghy was lowered, and eventually the only people that remained were Barbossa and himself along with three other pirates. Two he recognized as Bo'sun and Koehler, the third he didn't know the name of.
"Well Jack, looks like it's just us five." Barbossa said gleefully, Jack backed away as best he could. "Let's get you back to that sick bay of yours." The first mate grinned as he wrapped an arm around Jack's shoulder and led him to the door from which he had come.
As Jack returned to the dark hull of the ship, not sure of the fate that he would receive, he could only think one thing. And though he felt guilty for repeating the words over and over in his mind, the chant would not stop.
Bootstraps, I hate you.
The dinghies slowly made their way across the black harbour, from the ship anchored alone in the bay, to the dizzy array of lights at the docks. Pirates whooped with the thoughts of large amounts of rum and willing women. Though it had only been a few days since they had last been on dry land, the excitement of new places and new women seemed to fill all of them. The chill night air seemed to bother no one, the only one that was not overjoyed, was Bootstraps.
He stared bleakly at the dark sea ahead of him, a torrent of guilt, fear and valour swirled within him. The thought that Jack was trapped alone on that ship with Barbossa and his bodyguards chilled his bones. He wanted to rip at his clothes and cry out in frustration. It seemed that there really was nothing that he could do, and yet he knew he had to do something. He had brought Jack into this mess, and if it was only to get him killed, he knew he would go mad with guilt.
He looked across to the other two pirates in his dinghy, their backs were turned to him as they rowed in unison towards the shore. Their dinghy had been the last to leave the Pearl and all the other pirates were now well out of earshot. It sickened him to think the entire crew were willing to let the mutiny take place. He felt dirty just to share a boat with the two mutineers.
Grimly, he clasped his hand around the cutlass at his waist, testing his grip for only a moment. Slowly he dragged it out of place, the ringing sang on the still sea air. The pirate rowing in front of him turned around.
Quickly, Bootstraps slammed his cutlass back into its holster.
He leapt to his feet. He gave the pirate one sharp shove.
They cried out and fell onto the other pirate. Oars slipped into the water. The pirates started bickering.
With one final glance at the fallen pirates, Bootstraps leapt off the boat into the water. He closed his eyes. The cold water engulfed him as he began swimming in what he thought was the direction of the Pearl.
He kept on swimming, his only goal to put as much distance between him and the pirates in the dinghy as possible.
Soon his breath ran out. His chest tightened. Pushing with all his might, Bootstraps swam on. His eyes stung. His mouth begged to open. Reluctantly, Bootstraps came to the surface.
Sweet, glorious air flooded into his lungs. He gasped. And gasped again.
Still breathing heavily, he looked around him, trying to navigate the ship. Whilst treading water, he turned around and around. He saw the dinghies heading to the lighted bay, the pirates now searching for him, ships anchored in the bay. And then eventually the Pearl.
Taking one last gasp of air, he sank once again to swim underwater to the black sailed ship. He knew he couldn't chance the pirates see the splashes he made whilst swimming. He only hoped he could hold his breath all the way to the Pearl. He also hoped upon hope that nothing had yet happened to Jack.
Comments from author: Yeah, hi. Jack isn't in for a fun next chapter.