Chapter 6

By the time Jack had gotten back to Will and Gwen's house it was dark out and everyone had heard of the king's death. After he left the mansion Jack walked down to one of the taverns down by the docks. He sat there for an hour or so until he realized what he had promised his father. He thought about going against it but decided not to. He had disappointed his father once; there was no way he was going to do it again. With that he grabbed his hat and walked out of the tavern.

Anamaria was the first one to greet him when he walked through the door. She didn't realize it was him until he spoke.

"'ave Gwen an' Will heard yet?" he asked his lover.

Ana blinked then answered him. "Aye. One of the servants came by earlier and told them. Jack, wha's happened to you?" she asked him when she noticed his beard was missing and in its place a small goatee. His hair was also much shorter than it had been when he left and it was free of the beads that he had collected over the years.

Jack ran his hand over the area where his beard had been. "I decided ta stop by the barber's on the way 'ere is all luv." He told her.

"Are you okay?" Ana asked him moving closer to him and wrapped her arm around his waist since no one was close by to see them.

"I'll be fine. 'm Captain Jack Sparrow." he said grinning a bit but it lacked the cheerfulness and bit of smugness that was normally there. He saw Will coming down the stairs. "Is Gwen up there?" Jack asked his brother-in-law.

"Yes. She just put Aaron to bed." Will told him coming to stand next to Ana. "What happened to you?" he asked repeating the question she had just asked him.

Jack rolled his eyes and headed up the stairs. "Can' a man get a bloody haircut?" he muttered to himself as he came to Will and Gwen's bedroom door.

"Gwen?" he called knocking on the door. As soon as he heard her grant him permission to go in he opened the door. "How're you 'oldin' up?" he asked gently as he sat down next to her on the bed.

"I know he raised us to be ready for this day, Johnny but it still hurts." she replied with tears streaming down from her eyes. Her brother nodded and pulled her into his arms, ignoring the fact that she had called him Johnny.

"I know luv." he said rubbing her back.

"Did you get there in time?" she asked clinging to her brother tightly.

"I go' there a few minutes 'fore he died." Jack told her remembering the last few minutes with his father.

"What are we going to do?" Gwen asked looking up at him and wiping the tears from her eyes.

"'ve got it covered. Ye don't have to worry 'bout it." He said not ready to tell her what he was going to do. Besides he wanted to talk to Anamaria about it first.

Gwen smiled slightly. "Thank you Jo..Jack. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Jack smiled back at her. "Ye won' ever have to, darlin'." It was then that Gwen got a good look at him.

"Jack what happened to you?" She asked raising an eyebrow. Jack rolled his eyes at his baby sister.

"I need to talk to Ana first bu' then I'll give ye the reason fer the new look." he told her kissing her cheek. Then he got up off of the bed and headed back down stairs.

"Luv can I talk ta ye for a bit?" he asked walking into the room where Ana and Will had been talking. They had sent Gibbs back to the ship while Jack had been at the mansion.

"Wha's wrong Jack?" she asked him as she came into the hallway.

"I spoke wit' my da' before he died and I promised 'im something." Jack told her calmly hoping she wouldn't slap him after he told her what it was. "I told 'im I woul' stay and take the crown."

Ana stare at him as if he had grown a second head. "What?" she asked him.

"Yer lookin' at the next king of England." he said backing away from her still hoping she wouldn't slap him.

"What about yer ship?" Anamaria asked him. After fighting to get back his prized ship she didn't think he'd want to just get rid of it.

"Gibbs is a capable man. 'e can handle 'er." Jack said running his hand through his hair.

"What about me Jack? I don' wan' to say here." she said stepping closer to him.

"Please, luv, I have to do this." Anamaria seen the look of determination in his eyes, it was the same look he had when he had gone after Barbossa, and knew there was no way he wasn't going to do this. She silently nodded her head in agreement.

Jack grinned slightly and they both headed into the living room to join Will and Gwen in making the last few arrangements for their father's burial.

TBC...