'P' IS FOR PIRATE
By : mirkwood-elf-2931 & Thala

CHAPTER 11

They sailed for no more than half an hour, before sight was caught of another vessel.

"There!" Shouted Jenny, pointing an index finger due south. "I think I found it, Iron!"

Quickly, Charity climbed up to the small crow's nest to take her spyglass back from her. After getting a good look and making sure, she brought it down, smiling. "It's mine alright."

"Good, cause someone's gonna pay." Sliding a hand down the smooth barrel of her gun, Jenny looked on wickedly toward the ship of men, who had stolen her new friend's rightful property.

"It's my ship alright!" Charity called back down.

"Take her south." Ordered Jack.

"Turning ninety degrees to port!" Announced Ana Maria, spinning the wheel sharply to the left.

"So, they aren't going to Tortuga after all." Jack stated, mostly to Will, who stood by with Elizabeth.

"Where else is there?" Wondered the daughter of Port Royal's governor.

"Well, there's nothing else like Tortuga, that's for certain." Said Jack. "I'm not sure what's close out this way. But we better catch up before they get there, or we'll certainly to have trouble on our hands."

For the rest of the hour, Charity stood at the circular railing, once and a while bringing up her handy magnified tool, allowing her to see in all amplitude of what was ahead, as she kept tabs on the ship that seemed they would never catch up with and wishing the Pearl would go faster.

Meanwhile, Jenny was relaxing nearby on the nest's floor, her back against the pegs of the railing, her head reclined on it's rim. The warm sun and soothing wind made her drowsy, but now and then she opened an eye to see if Charity was still doing the same thing. But there soon came a point when the boredom of waiting came to an end, as Charity spoke with the words and tone of something gone wrong.

"Oh, no...no, no, no!" She brought down her spyglass and turned to slam the side of her fist into the mast's top that came up through the middle of the crow's nest, then leaned on it, covering her eyes against her forearm.

"What?" But she didn't answer, so Jenny stood, taking the telescopic lens from her other hand, having to take a look for herself.

In the nearing distance, one could see the beautiful blue sky and calm sea fading into the beginnings of gray. A thin fog settled in front of the scene and the water raged high. Above, the clouds darkened letting no rays escape down from the bright sun.

"Ah...a storm."

"Yeah," Came the soft answer behind her, followed by a sigh. "I have to talk to Jack."

Jenny nodded and stayed up on the lookout, while her friend lowered herself down to the main deck.

"Jack, please," She begged, when at last she'd found him. "We can't turn back now...I'll lose my ship for good."

The captain stared strangely back at the girl, as if the heat had gone straight to her head. "Who said we were turning back?"

"That storm." Charity thrust a thumb over her shoulder.

Jack leaned to the side to look past her, following the way it pointed out. "Oh," His mouth soon gaping as it formed this word and from what he was seeing. "Uh...no, we will ride it out." He finally made his decision, remembering he owed her and couldn't let her down now, not when they were so close.

"Ride it out!" A younger crewmember, which had more recently joined the Black Pearl now came up to Jack, Will, Charity and Elizabeth's little circle. "Captain, do you know what your getting us into!"

"I know very well what I'm getting us into! Do not question me just do what I say! We will not lose that ship because of...that." He too pointed out the menacing scenery. "Savvy?"

The warning flash in his superior's eyes told the sailor clearly that he shouldn't have interfered and returned quickly back to his duties.

Charity never thought she would say this to Jack, but it was said low and sincere. "Thank you."

He nodded, the corner of his mouth barely turning up, as he watched her turn her back to go for the deck's railing, to merely watch and wait for what danger lie ahead of them.

After only ten minutes, the vessel began to rock; swaying in the fierce waves as the wind picked up more and more with every passing second as they sailed closer and closer to the middle of the chaos.

"Jenny! You might wanna come down from there!" Called Charity above the howling.

Her fellow maid gave a salute that she understood and made her way down to join the others.

Meanwhile, Jack gave orders left and right, preparing his crew for the worst. With no other choice, they hastily went about their roles as loyal members with no further complaint.

Nearly ready to enter the full blast of the storm itself, those who were not in the middle of a task, braced themselves. And Jack prayed for no more damage to his precious black beauty or that any came to Charity's ship for that matter. It was still a good hundred yards ahead of them and getting harder to see all the time. He only hoped that after all this, they would not lose it to whatever fool controlled it now.

It went smoothly for a time, but they soon hit dead center. Heavy sheets of rain poured upon the decks of the Black Pearl and the Drifter both. The large vessels could be managed more easily in such weather, if one knew just how to go with the wind and waves, but only a few of either crews' members were veteran sailors and their parts seemed not to go very far.

It was rough riding for all of ten minutes, then things suddenly began to settle down. Meaning that they were passing through the second wall of the storm back into a world of sunshine and calm waters. And by now, nearly an hour had passed since they took their secret leave of Port Royal. But even having been that long, it was still open sea on all sides.

"Is everyone all right!" Shouted Jack. "Everyone accounted for!"

It seemed man and woman was there in good shape; nothing more than a little shaken, cold and completely drenched from head to toe.

Expecting the Drifter to be changing course, it instead stayed straight, sails dropping now that it was safe to again. And eventually the wind picked up from the opposite direction and slowly it was forcing it back toward the Pearl.

"Does it look like we're getting closer?" Said a puzzled, but excited Elizabeth.

Sure enough, to those who were about to give up, fortune had just shown that today it was on their side. Coming up along side their target, they could see the men working to do everything they could to beat the lost cause of regaining their speed.

"What are waiting for?" Jenny eyed her friend, awaiting her or anyone else's word.

Charity shook her head. "We're still too far..."

"I can cross it." Grabbing firmly onto a rope with both hands, Jack took a running start and swung toward the parallel ship.

And through a set of emerald eyes, someone saw this as this their chance to get revenge and as a gun sounded, a rope severed, and down a man went into the deep dark sea.

"Jenny!" Exclaimed Charity, before running to hang over the railing to see where Jack had went.

"What! He actually shot me!" She retorted.

"I know, but...can we just please stop trying to kill each other for one minute! I thought you were helping me get my ship back? Because it's not helping when you might kill the man that's helping us all by lending his transportation."

"Sorry, I am, really." But she couldn't keep a straight face, beginning to break up in chuckles at the sight and sound Jack had made. "I just couldn't help myself." Now it was just a plain burst of laughter and even Will and Elizabeth were grinning.

Charity, who could certainly see the humor, snorted a laugh, then also broke out and joined her companion.

Immediately resurfacing, Jack squinted up at them as he gasped for air. He didn't think it was very funny and scowled at their behavior. He was helping out and this is how he was repaid? Then again, he did deserve it somehow. Charity had convinced him of this with what had happened to her and he'd unfortunately developed a conscience toward it. So the most he did was sigh and continue for the Drifter's side.

The Pearl was moved closer and the rest of her crew came aboard and the stolen ship was raided at last. From both sides, there was shouting, guns going off, swords clanging together, and bodies being thrown into the sea. It was an all out battle to reclaim what was taken, and even if they just outnumbered the Pearl's crew, the thieves were the ones who were losing. At long last, the fighting quieted and everyone took a deep salty breath of relief.

After all was in order, Jack and his crew crossed back to their own ship with the unsurprising news that they would not be returning to Port Royal with their four friends.

Seeing the last man board the Black Pearl, Jenny traipsed to the back of ship to throw off the grapling hooks from the railings that bound it to the Drifter. And just as the last one was released, she turned midway around to hands coming over her head and a rough fibered rope burning against her neck.

TBC ...

mirkwood-elf-2931 :
Oh no! What's gonna happen to Jenny! LOL So, hope everyone have a good St Patty's Day and Easter! Really really sorry this chapter took so long to come out! First of all, I've had carple tunnel in not one, but BOTH of my wrists! Proves that one should not play too many video games or write too many fics at once! LOL! And I also kinda had writer's block before I got that, but then I still didn't write very much for this part, did I? Oh well, the next chapter will be longer and out soon! Sorry again!