Disclaimer: I don't own POTC. Happy?

Forgive me if the name 'Jack' isn't capitalized. My computer has a weird shift key.

Will was anxious. He hated waiting. Especially when Elizabeth was ill and he didn't know what he could do to help her. He tried to distract himself by looking around the sitting room, but except for noticing a few burn marks on the table, there was nothing interesting to take his mind off of Elizabeth. Thankfully, there was a sudden knocking on the door. Whoever it was, he'd be glad for the distraction.

When he opened the door, he immediately changed his mind. The man standing in front of him was a sure sign of trouble. His body was dark from the sun, and his face was almost hidden behind his wild, raven hair. Captain Jack Sparrow was back in Port Royal.

"Will! Thank goodness you're home!" The pirate shuffled inside, closing the door quickly behind him. Will heard running and shouting from the other side of the door. He looked at Jack. "It appears the navy still doesn't like me," he said in his usual slurred speech.

'What, what are you doing here? Did you come alone? What happened to…to Bootstrap?" he said the last part quietly. After learning that his father was alive, it had been rather hard for him to accept. During their brief adventure with Jack, he had bonded to the father he had never known. With the appearance of Jack, he was worried that Bootstrap Bill had met the hangman's noose.

"Is this how you treat every man you invite into your home?"

"I didn't invite you," Will retorted, just as there was a dull thudding on the stairs. The doctor stepped around the corner, and turned towards Will. At the sight of Jack, he kept on turning and walked out the door. Jack looked from the door to Will, an eyebrow raised.

"You invited him in. And look, he's run off. Bad hospitality Will. Who was he?"

"A doctor. Elizabeth wasn't feeling well," he said, clearing his throat.

"Rum?" Will gave him a look but Jack simply shrugged. "Hey, it could happen." After Will gave him another look, he continued. "The Pearl is anchored at the bay, but I rowed here alone. So yes and no there mate. Your dear old dad went off on his own. By now he's probably plundered the whole Spanish Main. As to why I'm here," he paused, listening to the officers still outside. "I had to find a place to hide. Not that I need to hide from anyone. Body."

"Jack, why are you in Port Royal?" For a moment, Jack looked just like a stubborn child.

"No reason. Except," he looked at Will and sighed, "people don't like me. Us. As much of a people person that I am, those that aren't living don't seem to enjoy the fact that we're breathing right now. You are breathing, right?"

"What did you do Jack?" Again, he looked stunningly like a child, albeit one that was caught stealing.

"What we did. We, plural. I happened to gather some information, about Barbossa being alive," Jack said. He pulled an apple from the folds of his jacket, and started eating.

"Impossible, you shot him."

"But somehow, there is a pirate sailing the seas yearning for my head on a plate. As nice as a center piece I would make, I'd rather not die in the process."

"What has this got to do with me?" Will asked.

"Do you only ask questions?" After a withering look from Will, he sobered up. "Appears that whoever it is, Barbossa or not, I'm accused of killing him, which I won't deny. But you are accused of ending the curse, which I don't think you can deny either. If you hadn't put the medallions back then Barbossa would have survived the shot I gave him. Like clockwork, although I have no idea how a clock actually works."

"So, this fraud blames both of us?"

"Exactly. Some people sharing your surname have been killed on accident, and my aunt was killed. Nobody kills my aunts but me." Jack paused. "Should something happen to you, I will gladly take care of your bonnie lass."

"In your dreams Jack," a voice said softly. Elizabeth was standing at the bottom of the stairs. Will quickly got up and walked over to her. There was a confused look on her face, and it was easy to tell that she only caught the part about something happening to her love.

"You're always in my dreams love," Jack said, getting up and giving a little bow. "But Will, back to business." He waited for them to get seated before continuing. "I suggest you leave Port Royal, before he gets here."

"Who gets here?" Elizabeth asked, her voice strangely soft.

"You are an inquisitive couple. Barbossa, or someone claiming to be him," he added, seeing the look on her face. Elizabeth raised a hand to her mouth, disbelieving. She felt Will put her hand into his, and was slightly comforted.

"We fear that he has tracked you down here. You should go with us." Will looked across the room, staring at the burn marks on the table. It was a tough choice. Fight or flee. But Elizabeth was in danger as well, by simply sharing his name. He would never let harm come to her.

"Will, go with them. If you're in danger, I…" But she stopped, looking into her husband's eyes. "I'm going with you."

"No, you can't!" Will exclaimed. She put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"I'll be fine. The doctor said--" she cast a sidelong glance at jack, who was pretending not to listen. To anyone that didn't know him, he looked like a man very intent on his apple. "He said I'm okay." She would tell him later, when Jack wasn't around. "Besides, there's no way you're able to stop me."

Will allowed a smile to come across his lips. Perhaps it was best that she come. Ever since their first encounter with pirates, she had become a skilled swordswoman. She could defend herself. But the image of her fainting came into his mind. Still, she would find a way to get on board, whether he liked it or not.

"When do we leave?"

A short time later, Will found himself on the Black Pearl. Except for a few members of the crew, everyone was the same. No one was missing, except for his father. His thoughts were distracted when he realized that the ship was already moving. Obviously they weren't weighing anchor for the night. He looked at Elizabeth. She was standing with Anna Maria and a young girl, probably a little younger than them. In the setting sun and her crisp white Navy uniform that she had kept, she looked radiant. He wondered what it was that the doctor had said.

Walking around, he spotted Mr. Gibbs, guzzling some drink from his water skin. Will walked over.

"Where are we headed?"

"My guess would be Tortuga," Gibbs burped. "There, we can learn more about this other Barbossa. But it's bad luck to say a dead man's name at sea, especially if he not be dead when he should be."

"So you believe that it is him? Brought back somehow?" Will inquired.

"Anything can happen. Certainly possible, but even I'm doubting' it," he leaned in, getting very close to Will. "I'm not sure if ya heard, but I'm the most superstitious bloke of the bunch. Save the cap'n, but he's just Jack." He looked at the darkening horizon. "Looks like we'll be eatin' soon. Cotton turns out to be a good cook. But we never get to eat chicken. Always pork or beef. I dunno why."

Overhead, Mr. Cotton's parrot squawked.

Please R. And if you feel like it, do the second R as well. And I know my first chapters sucked. I hate my intros.