Title: Time Cannot Erase

Characters: Grapple, Mallot, Jacoby, Sara (OC), Allen Hobbs (OC), Molly (OC)

Disclaimer: The song lyrics that inspired this story are from Evanescence's 'My Immortal'. All characters not seen in the POTC:TCOTBP movie belong to me.

Summary: An unconscious biography of a character that is marked with death, angst, violence, love and blood. As he ponders his past and contemplates the future, memories plague him of his highest and lowest moments in life.

Author's Notes: Very short chapter, just to let you all know I'm still alive. I had planne don it being longer, but this little ditty also makes up for me loosing chapters 14, 15, and 16 to Swimming Above the Sharks. No worries, I'll have 'em back by the weekend.

We got back to the Black Dragon at sunup. Most of Tortuga was still quiet at this time, it's inhabitants either passed out or still in bed with someone. The only people awake and about were the fishermen and store and bar owners, getting their stalk ready for the morning. We came inside and Sara darted off to her room to pretend to be sleeping incase somebody came to wake her. She was a heavy sleeper, though, and I suspect somebody that day did indeed have to wake her up. Molly came down the stairs and didn't even bother looking at us or asking for an explanation. She knew we had been gone the entire night.

"Didn't keep my Sara up all night, did you, dear?" she said, her usually loud and booming voice suddenly very quiet. She gave me a wink and carried on with her business, dragging the bundle of bed sheets in her arms out back where they would no doubt have to be washed. I didn't get a chance to rest until around midday, and I wasn't going to use the all-nighter I had pulled as an excuse for some of my more sloppy work that day. I carried on, as best I could, like any other day.

At around one o'clock in the afternoon, my head was pounding and I had nearly gotten into four fights from accidentally crashing into angry patrons. That was the least of my troubles though. The door the tavern opened and there was a sudden hush. Hobbs let out a squawk that sounded as though somebody had run him through. This, of course, meant he was pleased to see somebody. The two men from the docks had indeed kept to their word, and had showed up at the Black Dragon.

"Hector, Kade! I say, jolly surprise to see you two buckos up here so early in the afternoon, eh, wot wot! Good on you two for showing up here, come in, come in!"

Hobbs called to me and I found myself serving them their drinks. I was wondering why he hadn't gotten any of the maids or even Sara to do it, when Hobbs whispered to me, "Watch out for Barbossa. He's a sly fellow, Grapple ol' boy ol' bean, and I don't want any trouble. God only knows he's probably got company waiting for him outside. Used to be a captain, until his ol' ship got captured when he was sick, you know, wot. Lucky to escape and all, eh, but I'll tell you later. Off you go now."

I dropped back and eyed the three old men talking together like old friends, which no doubt they were. Occasionally, Kade would point at somebody and make a comment (he pointed right at me when I was watching, to, and said something that must have been highly amusing) and they'd all nod their heads in agreement or laugh. Mallot passed by and muttered, "Worse'n you an' Sara, Grapple," as he wandered by, almost making me cuff him upside the head. Instead, I told him his annual 'Yore an idiot' and left it at that. I had no intention of giving anybody any clue what so ever that I was secretly courting Sara. Making a commotion might have given Barbossa a motive to inform Hobbs of my little secret, and that wouldn't have been good. At all.

Hours passed by, patrons came and went, but the three gentlemen still conversed as though they had just started. Kade was very sloshed at this point, Hobbs a little off his rocker as well, but Barbossa was sober as a horse. My worry increased, and I kept trying to tell myself he wouldn't dare, but Hell. Of course he would! Never the less, I still had a few jobs to take care of and let my worry escape me. Somewhere along the way, Sara and I snuck downstairs for a quick slick, and when I went back upstairs, Molly was telling me I had to move a few barrels of rum around somewhere, but I wasn't paying attention.

Collin Glencairm had just walked into the inn. He was a nervous thing, looking this way and that, even though he had a few of his mates with him. He spied Hobbs caught up in something else, and seemed to calm down. When Mallot crossed the room with Isabel (one of the whores that had sold herself to Allen so she could stay at the Tavern for no rent except a tax on what she earned) on his arm and thus not noticing Collin, his smirk grew. I couldn't believe he had dared bring himself back.

He and his mates took a seat near the back of the bar where they wouldn't be easily noticed. A small scrap between six pirates had broken out in front of their table, which was even better for them. I didn't mention Collin to Molly, knowing she'd start hollering about him and want him out, thus causing a raucous that would result in Collin and his crew causing even more trouble then Tortuga already had. I kept an eye on him while I kept my other eye on Hector and Greggs. It was not an easy feeling.

It only lasted less then ten minutes.

Kalimac: Thanks for the review! I appreciate your comments. I do strive for realism, eh.