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Captain Jack Sparrow steered the Lively almost lazily. She was making good time as the wind and waves were favorable. Jack knew the exact bearings of the Pearl's location. He never forgot the spot where his worst loss took place. Only now it would never happen. Jack smiled happily at the thought of the look on his young version's face when he saw himself. It would be quite a good story to tell if he ever got back to his own time.

Jack looked through a spyglass and saw the Black Pearl in the distance. He unfurled the sail and watched as it swelled up with sea wind. The tiny vessel skimmed across the water like a knife through butter. She easily gained on the stationary pirate ship. A sudden warning shot was fired from the Pearl across the Lively's bow. Jack quickly ran up a white flag of truce on his single mast. The grimy faces of his old crew peeked out from the decks of the Pearl. They could not see him clearly, so they were not yet shocked at his similarity to their captain.

Jack shouted to them, "Permission to come aboard, mates! I have a business proposition for ye!"

One of the men possessed a shrill voice that carried well. "Permission granted! We'll throw ye a rope!"

Jack took care to pull his hat over his eyes before he accepted the rope and was hauled aboard. He did not want to cause the unavoidable panic before even starting negotiations. "I would like to speak to your captain, gentlemen," he said smoothly. "I'll only make deals with him."

A couple of crewmen went up to the poop deck and returned with a very young version of Jack at their heels. He was slightly leaner and shorter then the older Jack and his kohl-lined eyes did not carry the seasoned look of his elder.

"Captain Sparrow," said the older Jack, head bent slightly downwards to hide his face. "I heard you're holding a young lad hostage."

"That's right. And who are you to be inquiring on our dealings?"

"Oh, I'm just here to negotiate his release, that's all," said the older Jack seriously.

"What's your name, pirate?" asked the younger Jack with his hand on his cutlass.

The other Jack removed his hat and looked himself in the eye. "Remember me?"

"What the--," gasped the younger one, nearly falling backwards into the rail. "It's not possible."

"Not probable," said the other. "My mast was struck by lightening and I fell back twenty years. Now, listen up, because there isn't much time. Two ships of the Royal Navy are coming here to rescue the boy. I suggest you give him to me before you face a defeat that will haunt you the rest of your life. Trust me, I should know."

The younger Jack gaped for a moment before answering. "I can't just give him up. We could get quite a lot of money for him."

"Those ships aren't coming to pay for him. Now cough him up," said his elder impatiently, tapping his foot.

"First prove your story to me," said the other with an air of offended dignity. "Then I'll turn over the admiral's lad."

"If you insist," said the older Jack. "Let's see. Do you remember that one night in Tortuga where you…"

"All right, I believe you," said the younger hurriedly, drowning out the last words. He then turned around and nodded at another crewman. He went below decks and brought up the prisoner. The older Jack carefully cut his bonds and they both went back to the Lively. But before they sailed away, Jack shouted to his younger self, "Be sure to watch out for traitorous first mates!"

The bemused look on the other satisfied him immensely. Young Norrington was quite eager to help with the upkeep of the boat, so Jack gave him the bearings to Port Royal and let him steer himself. Soon after breaking up with the Pearl they met a ship of the Royal Navy with the admiral in command. Jack and James were both brought on board. But storm clouds were brewing and the air was getting heavier. The admiral was worried about getting caught in a gale before getting back to the port. Jack suggested they heave to and wait out the storm.

The ship was surrounded with dark clouds. Rain lashed against the hull and water splashed onto the deck. A bolt of lightening burst from the sky and Jack purposely backed up into the main mast. The lightening hit the mast and, in a flash of light, Jack was nowhere to be seen.

Jack awoke to bright sunlight and blue skies. He could see Cotton and Anamaria standing close by. Slowly he sat up and Gibbs pulled him to his feet. "What happened?" Jack asked once he identified his surroundings.

"Lightening hit the mast and you fell overboard. We fished you out before you floated away," Gibbs answered. "Took us an hour to wake you up, though. Were you having a nice dream or something?"

"Just dreaming of a past life," said Jack, laying a hand on the helm.

-The End-