Oh yes, also thank-you to Smithy, if you haven't given up on this story yet. My first review, it really made my day. I was grinning so much it was scary, nearly cracked the mirror... Anyway, on we go...
A few hours later
"Is that it?" Johnny said, suddenly. He had not spoken much in the last hour, choosing not to waste his energy on speech, when he had to tip water out of the boat continuously.
"Aye," Jack answered, with a grin. "That's Tortuga." They sailed up to the dock and tied the boat. "We probably wont need it but just to be safe we'll keep it here. If we don't need it, we'll see if we can sell it to some drunk." Jack said as they stepped out. Johnny's arms were aching.
"In here." Jack pointed to a nearby pub. "What?" He added, catching the look on Will's face. "I need a drink."
They walked into the pub and up to the bar.
"Give us a rum," Jack said, throwing a coin onto the bar. "And you'll be 'aving?" He turned to Will and Johnny.
"Do you have anything non-alcoholic?" Will asked. The barman looked at him as though he was mad. "Ok, no." Will answered himself.
"You 'aving anything or not?" Jack asked impatiently.
"A small rum, then." Will told the barman. He nodded and disappeared for a moment, then reappeared holding two mugs. He thrust them at Jack and Will and took the coin.
They made their way to a table, out of the way of all the drunks fighting. Johnny was looking around gleefully. He had never been anywhere like this before. He thought it was fantastic.
Once they had sat down, Will started staring into space, evidently remembering the last time he was here, and why. Jack took advantage of this to offer Johnny some of his rum.
"Quickly, mate, before your father notices." Jack whispered. "And don't spit it back out… yeh know, if yeh don't like it."
Johnny took the mug and took a sip. It burnt all the way down his throat and made him cough and splutter. Will looked round to see Jack laughing his head off and Johnny frantically fanning his tongue.
"Jack!" Will said, annoyed. Jack looked sheepish, and wiped his eyes.
"Sorry mate…" Jack said, grinning, as Johnny continued to splutter.
"Need water…" He said, his eyes streaming. Jack started to laugh again, as Johnny spat at the wall. Will raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, as he took a gulp of his rum.
He coughed; "Yuck." And drank some more.
"You actually like the stuff?" Johnny said as Jack finished his rum, and was looking at the bar, as thought contemplating whether or not to go up and get another one. Jack looked round.
"Great stuff, rum," He said. "Absolutely great… though yeh have to be careful not to drink too much, else you'll end up falling over everywhere." He got up and went to the bar. Will rolled his eyes.
Jack came back and sat down.
"So, first things first, we gotta find Gibbs. He'll be here somewhere," Jack said, looking around. "Then we gotta find my mate, Jimbo. He'll be easy. Just go to the dock. Always stealing ships that one…" Jack trailed off in thought.
"Well, hurry up and drink that so we can get going." Johnny said impatiently. Jack took a swig of his rum and wiped him mouth.
"I feel too clean." He said, rubbing his nose.
"Well, I can't imagine you'd be used to it." Will said absent-mindly. Jack frowned, and took another swig.
"Right, I'm done." Jack set down his mug and stood up. "See? Perfectly steady." Jack said. He led the way out, swaying very slightly.
"Where to?" Johnny asked.
"Eh? Oh, we'll check round the boats a bit, might find Jimbo." He snatched the stick off a drunk man about to fall over. "Over 'ere" He pointed with the stick towards the dock. Jack gave a low whistle. Another whistle answered him from a nearby ship. "This way."
"Jack Sparrow!" A man swaggered down the gangplank and greeted Jack with a hug. Will frowned, he thought Jack hated hugging people.
"Jimbo, this is Will, and his son, Johnny." Jimbo shook hands, grinning. "Will, Johnny, this is Jimbo. Me brother."
"I never knew you had a brother." Will said.
"Musta slipped me mind." Jack said airily. "Anyway, formal introductions over, where's the rum?" Jack pushed past his brother and climbed on deck. Jimbo, Will and Johnny flowed him. Suddenly a small whirlwind streaked past them and attached itself to Jack.
"Uncle Jack!" A young girl, no older then 12 or 13, though quite small for her age, grinned up at Jack, who was trying to regain his breath. She looked wild, her brown hair was filthy and unkempt, and she looked badly in need of a bath. Like most pirates really. What surprised Will and Johnny was that she had the pirate brand on her right arm, underneath a tattoo of 'Ruby' etched in red.
"This is Ruby." Jack said, pushing the girl away from him and grabbing a bottle of rum from the cupboard closest to him. "How yeh doing, gal?" He added looking at the girl still grinning in front of him.
"I'm ok, who are those?" She indicated her head to Will and Johnny.
"These are me friends. Will Tuner and his son, Johnny." Jack said. Ruby walked promptly up to Johnny and pulled out her sword from her belt.
"How good at fighting are yeh?" She demanded, pointing her sword at Johnny's throat. Johnny studied her.
"Not bad," He said, pulling out his own sword. "Yeh wanna fight?" Ruby glanced at him.
"Nah, you ain't a proper pirate." She said simply, and re-sheathed her sword.
"Not a proper pirate?" Jack repeated. "Ruby, this is the grand-son of Bootstrap Bill." Ruby's eyes widened.
"Really?" She asked. "Well, come on then!" She pulled out her sword again. Will smiled as the two children began parrying.
"So, are yeh gonna tell your brother what we're doing here?" Will asked Jack.
"Oh aye." Jack said, turning to his brother, taking a swig of the rum. "Me ship got stolen-"
"Again?" Jimbo cut in. Jack frowned.
"Aye, again." He answered. "But, I want it back."
"Naturally." Jimbo said. "Oi! Ruby, that's cheatin'!" Ruby put down the pistol with a grin.
"Pirate!" She said, and returned to her fight.
"Kids." Jack said. "Anyway, I was wondering, could we use your ship?" He asked. Jimbo studied his brother, clearly growing up with him, he was wise to all his tricks.
"Who took it?" He asked.
"Well, Scarr did." Jack said, watching his brother for a reaction.
"Scarr, cap'n of The Steal Snitch?" He asked, suddenly looking suspicious.
"Aye." Jack said slowly. "But I just want me ship…"
"You do know that this guy cannot be killed?" Jimbo said, frowning.
"He's human, course he can be killed." Jack said. Jimbo thought for a moment.
"Okay." He said. "Oi, Ruby?"
"What?" Ruby replied, still fighting Johnny.
"Your gonna 'ave to stay at your aunts for a few days, savvy?" Jimbo said. Ruby dropped her sword and ducked under one of Johnny's oncoming blows.
"No that is not alright" She jumped up the stairs to where her father was, hands on her hips, and a look of fury on her dirty face. "He's not being left behind, so why should I?" She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder to Johnny, who was re-sheathing his sword and coming to join them.
"'Cause his father seys 'e could go. An' I'm your father an' I'm sayin' no." Jimbo said.
"I'm a better fighter then 'im!" Ruby argued. "You said yourself I was gettin' good!"
"Yeh, but Ruby, if there's a fight-" Jimbo began.
"I ain't scared of fighting!" Ruby cut in. Jimbo frowned; clearly he hated being cut off, same as Jack.
"What I'm trying ta say is that the pirates you'll be fightin' will be twice as strong and twice as big as yeh. So no." Jimbo said. He reached over, picked her up and tucked her, screaming and scratching, under one arm and carried her below deck. Jack grinned.
"Little fighter that one," He said. "She'll be one o' the best when she'll older."
"I'm sure she will," Will said. "Why did you never say you had a brother or a niece?"
"Musta slipped me mind," Jack said. Then, catching Will's eyes, hastily added, "But it wasn't important. I never thought you'd be meetin' 'im. Come on, let's go find Gibbs."