Disclaimer: Sadly, I still do not own Jack or anyone else, though Jack is the only on I care about seeing that I have now destroyed the Pearl.
Author's Note: 7/3- Lost the chapter, I have to start over (In fourth hour), and by 8:50 I have finally found it! Need to finish writing it so I hope it's done soon!
11/7- Okay I finished it…hope you like it…had to change a few things but it should be good still, nothing you know has been changed heehee just was to lazy after writing something to go back and delete it so I changed a few words, in my mind I made it better. Oh and since I doubt I will have a new chapter by then, HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! Don't forget to wear green
Dance of a Dead Man
"Papa, papa," called a little voice as the young boy ran into a small home not far from the blacksmith. An older Will Turner turned with a smile at his little boy who ran to him, wrapping his arms around his leg, looking up into his father's soft, warm brown eyes. Five years had passed since Will or Elizabeth had last heard of Jack, and their son, now the age of four, was about to tell them something they didn't want to hear. "Guess what I did today," he boasted.
Will smiled ruffling the hair of the young boy. "What did you do today Nate?" he asked as the boy tried to straighten his hair again as he glanced over to his mother who had just entered the room. A child like smile played across his face, eager to tell his parents what he had helped with earlier this morning.
"I was at the beach," he muttered, "and I saw these two people…one like mummy and the other like you, but not happy. They had been hurt, but they be pirates," he nodded, putting his hands on his hips. "And I ran to tell Commodore Norrington," he said. "Said I was a good boy for telling him," he smiled, beaming with pride like he had done some good for the port and his family. Upon this news Will shot a nervous look to Elizabeth as a knock came to the door. Will picked up Nathan who kept asking him if he was proud of him as Will had yet to answer and opened the door. Speak of the devil, he thought to himself.
"Ah, Mister Turner," Norrington said as a wicked grin played at the corner of his lips. "I am guessing your son already informed you, but as Commodore, I feel that it is my duty to inform you that your young boy here has helped in the capture of two dangerous pirates. One name, I believe might ring a bell. Jack Sparrow," he said as if he had been the one to catch him, and soon destroy the last true threat of the Caribbean. "If you are still unaware of recent events, tomorrow he, along with the other shall be hung at the celebration," he chuckled. "Good day," he said with a bow and turned on his heel and left.
Will turned to Elizabeth who was still left with an open mouth as she looked at her son. Did Jack recognize the boy? If so, he wouldn't be on good standings with them. "Will, what are we to do?" she asked nervously, not wanting to see their dear friend hang. But come to think of it, why was he laying on the beach in the first place? Why wasn't he on the Pearl? And if he was that drunk, how did he manage to get himself and another caught by lying on the beach? "Nathan, was anything around them?" she asked.
The boy looked at her, raising an eyebrow, and then put his hand on his chin, looking much like an inspector as he tried to recall what he saw. "Yep. Wood…bits and pieces," he nodded.
It had only been an hour since they had been tossed in jail. No one had been down to check up on them but then again there was no point, the two had put up no fight when they were caught, so they figured there would be no plan of escape.
Kate was now curled up by the front of the cell. She had been watching the animal under the wooden desk sleep. It appeared to be sleeping with the keys in his mouth. "Jack, I can see the keys," she stated, trying to sit up a little straighter.
Jack looked up at her from the ground, he hadn't moved since he had first lay there on the cold floor and had no intention as of yet to move. "Unless it be right by ye love, ye ain't gonna ge' it," he said with his usual slur.
"The dog has them," she informed him. "If I could wake it up I could grab them," she said with a hint of hope in her voice. "Ye 'ave something I could throw?" she asked as she looked over to him.
"It ain't going the come love. That dog-" he was cut off by the sound of guards footsteps clunking down the stone steps. He looked up at Kate who was staring at the stairs as the guards appeared out of what remaining sun light there was.
The guard headed over to the cell grinning. He watched as Kate's gaze went from the dog to the guard. "No use in getting that dog pirate. Been dead since last night," he chuckled, watching her hopes fall once more. "Even if he weren't, those ain't the keys," he muttered.
She glared at him and sunk back to the floor by Jack. She looked up to find the guard speaking again.
"Came down to inform you two about your hanging, seeing that in two days would be a centennial of our first hanging. The governor has decided you both will be saved for that."
Kate rolled her eyes in disgust. Who in their right mind would celebrate anything by hanging people? "So are we the main entertainment then?" she asked with slight hints of sarcasm in the tone of her voice.
"Don't flatter yourself pirate," he spat. "But needless to say, watching your necks snap shall be enough entertainment for all."
She glared at him but she could not, for the life of her, find anything to come back at for the comment he had just made. The guard nodded to her in his victory of the conversation, as an evil smirk graced his face. "Good day pirate, enjoy your stay," he said, laughing as he and the others left, letting the thick oak door slamming behind him.
Morning of the celebration; the sun poured into the cell of Jack and Kate as it forced the two awake. Now with the morning sun flooding their cell, Kate slowly rose. She groaned as she moved, her already aching muscles were not helped by the cold stone floor she had spent the past two nights on. Rubbing her eyes to help herself wake up fully she glanced over to Jack who was staring up at the ceiling with a blank expression. She drew in a slow shaky breath as she extended a trembling hand to his motionless body and shook his arm.
"Jack?" she whispered, her stomach churning, as she got no reply. She repeated it again, louder, moving her hand away quickly as his head rolled to the side facing her, his eyes staring up at her.
"What love?" he asked hiding any pain he felt, never being one to show it if he was hurting unless he needed help immediately. He refused to show pain to a crewmate, no matter who it was unless it was a doctor and even then, that was rare.
A sigh of relief escaped her lips. "I just thought ye were.."
"I was what?" he asked looking at her questionably. She looked at him and then to the floor feeling rather stupid for thinking what she had been moments ago. "Well?" he persisted, letting his eyes set on her, watching her twitch under his stare uncomfortably.
"Dead." She said in a whisper; as if she said it any louder death would come and take him just to spite her. He fell silent again. If he were in a better mood he probably would have said something to lighten the mood, but with their current situation, he didn't find it exactly fitting.
About a half hour passed and the guard checked up on them again, putting a bucket of warm, old water just inside their cell and tossed two pieces of stale bread in their direction.
"This is all you get for the day," he warned, "I suggest you make the most of it." With that he turned on his heel, his sword coming away from his side as his jacket flared out a bit as air filled it, and left.
Kate felt the bread hit her in the stomach and looked over to Jack whose hand was in mid air with his bit of bread clenched between his fingers. He quickly and yet gracefully brought his hand down and looked at the item, inspecting what his hand had caught.
"They wouldn't have poisoned it Jack, not if they wish to hang us tonight," she pointed out as she took a small bite from her own, finding it to be as hard as a rock.
"I know but it doesn't mean they wouldn't mind giving us a poison that would torture us until tommoreh night," he said looking at her as she stopped chewing what little she had been able to break off and looked at the bread. He gave a small smile and took a bite. "Kate, I was joking," he laughed as she gave him a small scowl and placed her chunk of remaining rock hard bread on a pile of hay.
The rest of the day was conducted at a slow rate, which dragged it on much more than it really should have lasted. The two seemed to be talking more, and once, just before sundown, two guards had come to remove the dead dog, and put the keys by the pirates' effects.
Around ten or so that night four guards came down the stairs and stood outside the cell glaring, yet grinning menacingly at the two sleeping pirates. The cell door was opened and two guards entered forcing the two awake and shook them to add a little to their already rude awakening. Their hands were bound by strong hemp rope in front of them roughly and were now prepared to leave the jail.
"Come on you two, time for the fun to begin," one guard muttered as they kicked the two in the back of the legs to get them moving. The remaining two guards prepared their rifles, ready to fire if either tried anything.
The night sky was cluttered with stars and the moon washed the island in a white light. The streets were illuminated by fired up lanterns and littered with people who now were gathering around the scaffold. Two nooses were hanging loosely from the wooden beam, waiting for their counterparts to complete them. As Jack and Kate were dragged up onto the scaffold a roar emerged from the crowds. The four guards that had brought the two from the cell now stationed themselves out on the base of the scaffold. A man in a black hood placed the noose first around Kate's neck and then around Jack's. The two were standing over their own doors so neither knew who would drop first. The cheers of the crowd grew louder as the drum roll quickened. Suddenly it stopped and all eyes fell silently upon the two in front of the crowd.
The two looked at each other nervously wondering if they would be dropped together or one by one by the short drop and sudden stop. The black hooded man soon pulled a wood lever as Kate's eyes widened as she the door below her fell. A gasp escaped from the crowd as they watched the young woman kicked and swung around, struggling to keep her breath. It appeared the sudden stop had not snapped her neck like it had with anyone else.
"Guess we get to watch her struggle and choke to death," one guard said with a chuckle to another who nodded in agreement. Kate was still struggling as Jack watched her helplessly from above. He glanced up at the rope that was holding her still and his own that would be doing the same soon once she was dead. Looking back at her rope, he noticed that it was slowly breaking. With a few more seconds of her struggling and flailing moves, the rope actually snapped and Kate fell to the ground. The crowd stared at her in awe when she hit the ground. The look of confusion swept over the crowd as the looked upon her wondering if she were still alive.
Kate lay still on the ground bemused by her own situation as well. Just a moment ago she had been hanging by her neck trying to hold on to her last breath as long as she could, and now, some how, as if Lady Luck had been right at her side and cut the rope, she was alive, and on the ground, breathing. Soon she began coughing and gasping for air, another gasp went through the crowd as she showed signs on life. Jack looked upon her in amazement and relief, but now it was his turn.
Cannon fire could be heard in the distance as splintering wood soon followed. Bells from the fort soon echoed throughout the town as the large crowd around the scaffold looked around nervously as another cannon went off. Panic stricken, the crows began to scurry about, forgetting about the two pirates at the noose and worried about their own lives.
Will, Elizabeth, and Nathan all ran out of their home as the bells rang. They didn't want to see Jack hang at all even though it was their 'civic duty'.
"What is going on?" Elizabeth asked as she tried to spot the trouble through the rushing crowd.
"I don't know, but I think it may have something to do with that," Will pointed out the firing pirate ship just outside of the docks.
"Not more pirates," she muttered, remembering the first time those words had crossed her lips, and the first time pirates had come to Port Royal. She held Nathan close as the boy watched the people rush by. Will ushered the two back indoors and took up a sword he had recently finished, and left.
He went against the crowd towards the gallows, pushing men and women who were running away from it, to the side. He was now close enough to see a form laying on the ground and Jack still standing up, messing with his rope bound hands, He ran over to the two, reaching Kate first as she gave him a rather odd look.
"Its aright Kate," Jack told her as she looked up at him silently and then back to Will. Those had been the only words he had really said since the bread incident. She nodded slowly and stood up as Will cut the ropes off her and she dusted herself off and walked up the stairs quickly and tried to help untie Jack as Will followed.
"We don't have much time," he informed the two since the guards seemed to be taking care of the attacking pirates. He took his sword and cut the ropes Kate had been unable to undo, which freed Jack's hands and wrists, and the rope that would have ended his life had Kate died and the pirates not attacked. "You two come with me," he ordered. Jack and Kate nodded in turn and followed Will through the town at a quick pace so they wouldn't get caught, as the cannon fire from the pirates became more erratic.
The door burst open and three figures rushed inside the home jolting Elizabeth and Nathan who were sitting towards the back of the house. Will headed towards them as his son grabbed onto his leg, smiling nervously and quickly darted behind his mother as he saw the pirates.
"Don't worry Nathan," his mother said in a calm gentle manner as she stroked his hair. She looked at Jack and the woman next to him and raised on eyebrow as to who she was. Kate had recognized the boy straight off and shot a warning glance to Jack as he nodded to her.
"Your son," he mumbled, not sure what he was really going to say, if anything at all so he let the sentence die.
"Yes we know." Will informed him. "Norrington seemed mighty pleased to tell us. I'm sorry Jack," he said looking down at his son, wondering why he hadn't come to him first but went to Norrington instead. "Had I known earlier, I would have brought you two here sooner, but I-"
"Quiet," Jack hissed as he moved away from the door cautiously as Kate slowly followed at the sound of footsteps nearing the home. Will fell silent and looked at the two and then headed for the door, opening it and poking his head out to see what was going on. Indeed there were guards, but it appeared that they held a few badly wounded captives from the attacking ship, none of which seemed happy. Will stepped back into the house and looked at them all. "Appears that they caught the other pirates. They don't appear to be looking for either of you two," he said as he sat down in a chair. "Jack, you and your-"
"Kate, the name is Kate," she cut in.
"Alright. You and Kate need to get off and away from Port Royal, the sooner the better. Elizabeth and I will help you as much as we can, but there is a limit as to what we can do."
"I can't," Jack said sadly. "The Pearl is gone. She's at the bottom of Davy Jones Locker." Will looked at him in disbelief. It explained a few things, but still it was hard enough for him to believe that the Pearl was gone, and he thought about how hard it would be for Jack to deal with it.
"You can take one of the ships from the dock," Will said as he ushered them towards the backmost room of the small house. "You just need to get away Jack. But I need to talk to you as well. Meet me in Tortuga a month from today, and I will tell you what-"
Rushing of footsteps once more was heard outside, but this time headed straight for the Turner home. The front door flung open and guards with their rifles ready to fire as Norrington stood between them and the doorway and entered, looking around. Will ran to them in hopes of getting them out of the house, and also to ask the meaning of the intrusion but was pushed aside as Elizabeth sat calmly while holding Nathan in her lap.
Reviews:
Nomoreplease: I have no idea at what you meant by MS! But thanks for reading my chapter
NCL: Heehee sorry it took so long to get it up but I was confused on how to get this up in the first place
And no sadly he won't be getting the Pearl back. I was in a horrible mood for like a week when I was writing about ruining the Pearl, my friend was asking me why I did and I have no idea, but I was so mad at myself, but hey it gave me something to go off of didn't it? Well I hope you like this chapter too. And thanks for the brownie. Look, look, I am getting better at the word just.
Fred: Yes I know but as I told you I have a habit of writing a lot of metaphors when I can think of nothing else to write sometimes those come easier to me then real words. But thanks for reading it, and these are chapters, remember that, I may just leave you hanging to tick you off later on But thanks for reading it anyway, hope you like this one. And yes, I did write this, I would have told you if it wasn't mine Ffany (sorry couldn't resist)drunken smile.
Youknowme: I know, sorry I keep forgetting whom I sent it to and stuff. Well thanks for leaving a review, I love them, I am so happy to read them. And yeah, I try and be descriptive cause it helps me too, but I also like to see what the author is trying to tell me so I try and write like that.
Mystic Moon Maiden: I will update as soon as I can but sometimes I tend to forget or writer's block will set in and I end up staring at my paper forever looking like a zombie or drunk, sort of like my lunch today really. But I don't know if he will get another hip or not, guess you'll have to keep reading to find out huh?
Lovely Raven Sparrow: Yes well part of destroying the pearl was I sort of bored and didn't want to come up with another ship's name. This wasn't even supposed to be a story, just something that got my anger out and I loved the Pearl but I needed to ruin something and well here we re now, chapter two. And I don't think he is exactly mad, just a little confused that he wasn't the first his son ran to.
Karibbean: First of all love the name, or well the spelling of it at least. Well I'm glad I got your attention, and I'm glad you found this interesting. I don't know if I will have Jack settle down. It's doubtful but hey I'm full of drugs right now from being sick so who knows! I appeared drunk today at lunch so you never know what may come out of my writing when I'm like that. And well I'm not sure about how elaborate my writing is but I thank you for it anyway and plan to read your stories too, always fun to see what other's write.
Megan: Yes, yes I know grammar errors, but no one's perfect, and it doesn't help much when you don't tell me what they are But thank you, it was good now that I actually read it again. So yeah enjoy this one.