Chapter Three
The Tortuga Escapades
Jack Sparrow stirred unwillingly upon feeling the rays of sunlight touch his weathered face. The warm body nestled against him was a bit of a surprise at first, (how long ago was it since he had curled up with his goddaughters?) but he quickly adjusted to it. He felt guilty at having to leave her and go to the helm, but his Pearl was calling to him. He had regained part of his treasure, but the other part was still out there. Gently he shifted the girl out from under him and lay her next to Will and Arlen. Instinctively, Liash crawled closer, but couldn't find a way in. Arlen remedied this by reaching over and pulling her close. At this point Will awoke.
"Jack." He whined, pointing to the girls.
"Like you don't love it." Jack snorted, going to the helm. They had drifted off course in the night, but he could find his way to Tortuga from anywhere in the Caribbean with a blindfold on and pieces of wax stuffed in his ears.
"Jack, make them go away! They're irritating little brats who want to take over the world!" Will whined.
"They very well did, once upon a time. They had all our hearts, our whole world, right in the palm of their hands." Jack whispered, his back to Will. Will frowned and lay his head back down, trying to figure out how Jack knew those two girls and why he seemed so fond of them. This contemplation proved to be a little much for him, and he lay his head down and went back to sleep without even knowing it.
When Jack looked over at them an hour later, when he was sure they were back on course, he smiled. Will had drawn the girls closer to him, and had his head lying on top of theirs. His arms were securely and protectively around them.
"What can I say, dear William? They grow on you very easily." Jack said softly, knowing Will would be mortified and would spend the rest of the day in hiding after he awoke and saw how he was cradling the girls. "As sweet as this scene is, I can't run this ship all by me onesies. Time to wake up the crew." He left the helm and went to them, kneeling. He could not resist the urge to brush the wayward hairs from the foreheads of his girls, but even that slight movement awakened them. They blinked owlishly at him and the sunlight.
"Bright." Liash muttered thickly.
"Sunlight generally is at noon." Jack said with a smile.
"Annoying." Liash continued.
"Noon? Noon late. Half day. Can we sleep rest of day?" Arlen muttered.
"Rest of THE day." Will chided gently.
"Bugger off, Will." Li muttered.
"That's not a nice thing to say to your pillow." Will said airily, standing up so fast that the girls crashed to the deck.
"OW! Deck hard!" Arlen whined, covering her eyes.
"Yes, yes, so far we have established that sunlight is bright and annoying, noon is late, you want more sleep, I need to bugger off, and the deck is hard. Bloody brilliant, aren't they?" Will said his hands on his hips.
"Be nice to them, Will. That's major progress for them. And they must've got their bloody brilliance from sleeping on your chest all night, cuz it sure as hell wasn't there yesterday," Jack said lightly, going back to the helm.
"That was just cruel, Jack." Li said, sitting up.
"Progress towards what?" Will asked, confused.
"Don't let the sun fry your pretty brains, William. What's left." Jack smiled. "Now you and the girls get to work. I want to arrive at Tortuga by nightfall."
"Aye aye captain." They murmured lazily.
"But we aren't going back below deck again, are we Jack?" Li asked nervously. She had a bad feeling about going below deck, especially after that bad dream she had last night. She wasn't even sure how she came to be sleeping on Will's chest.
"No, I need you up here all day. No worries, love." Jack said gently and soothingly. He knew why she was afraid, and why Arlen's eyes mirrored the same concern.
All day, Arlen and Li were pensive. The day was bright and warm, the sunlight was so bright almost as to hurt, and yet those bizarre scars that showed up in the moonlight still would not go away. And there was the deal with the dream. It had been all too vivid, all too familiar. (A/N Get used to their freaky dreams: half of book two IS their dreams!) Much to Jack's surprise, Will followed them most of the day, watching them carefully. At last he arrived at the conclusion that he was probably just trying to figure the two out. He shook his head, knowing Will's quest to be pointless. He had known those girls their whole damn lives and still only understood half of what they did. At least, he hoped these were the same two girls he had known from birth. It would crush him more than words can say if he went on so long believing them to be Black Wolf and Lone Star, then discovered that they were not. He did not think his heart could stand losing them a second time.
The ship was unusually silent all the day, and Jack half considered giving an order for someone to say something, then, realizing what the girls might see fit to say, decided that that was a far scarier prospect than that of silence. Getting on towards night, he looked up to see Will climbing to the crow's nest. Upon reaching the crow's nest, he handed in two apples, which were taken eagerly. Once Will was on the deck again, Jack called to him.
"Mister Turner! Where be the lasses?" He called.
"In the crow's nest, eating their apples. They were sleeping a couple minutes ago." Jack nodded.
"They had a rough night last night, God knows they deserve it." He said. Will stood there silently for a moment and considered asking Jack how he knew the girls, then decided to back off. They seemed to be a personal matter to Jack and, pirate or no pirate, William Turner respected a man's private thoughts.
Once Tortuga was on the horizon, it was well into night. The stars winked and glittered in welcome above them, laughing at some private joke of theirs. Arlen and Liash trooped down from the crow's nest and tripped over their feet as they reached the deck.
"Why can't decks get softer?" Arlen whined.
"Yea, why do the Navy have to have such nice ships? The wood is all hard!" Li chimed in. "I remember the Pearl: nice, soft wood. Perfectly worn from years of people running to and fro across the deck, laughing as they went..."
"I remember... the Running, wasn't it? We always had such smooth, polished, well kept decks. We used to go sliding across them in our stockings and father would let us carve designs in the floor and on the railing." Arlen said softly, almost dreamily.
"D'you remember the Wolf? We kept our decks prime for swordplay. They were well worn too." Li continued. Jack crept over to them, leaving Will at the helm.
"How do you know these things?" He asked carefully, not wanting to frighten or anger the girls. "How do you know of these ships? Have you seen them?" He asked, hoping beyond hope that they would remember...
"So... those ships ARE real? Not just in our imaginations?" Li asked in a voice filled with soft bewilderment.
"Yes. Very real. Do you remember them from somewhere?" He probed. Li shook her head.
"Not really... I just... know about them." Arlen said uncomfortably.
"Ah." Jack said softly, turning away. "Well, off to Tortuga then!" He said brightly.
"Joy." Li said darkly as she and Arlen walked to the prow.
"What! Tortuga is a beauty to behold, the Eighth World Wonder! It is a place of magic and love and, of course, RUM! You should feel blessed to be looking upon it!" He cried, feeling scandalized.
"Why should we be happy? You're just going to leave us there. What use will you have for us after you have picked up a crew?" Li continued in the same tone. Arlen merely stared off into space.
"Who said we were leaving you behind?" Jack asked mysteriously.
"You aren't leaving us!" Arlen cried happily.
"Why would I leave you?" Jack said, disgusted. "I thought you knew me better than that."
"Well, considering we only met a couple days ago, we don't even know you very well at all." Liash said simply. Jack hid the pain that he felt lance through him with those words. Cruel, clever Fate, giving them only a precious few of their memories and withholding the rest. He made up his mind then that Fate would not win. He would have his girls back; nothing could stop him.
"So where are we going Jack? Oh wait, that's right, we're going after the Pearl!" Arlen chattered.
"Can we sample some of the food in Tortuga?" Li asked eagerly.
"Will we meet some friends of yours there? Why are we going there, Jack?" Will asked suddenly.
"What sort of a crew will we get, Jack?" Arlen asked.
"Will you know the people in the crew?" Asked Will.
"Can we exchange Will for some more food?" Li asked.
"Can we just leave him there with a sign that says 'pillow for sale?'" Arlen asked.
"Wait, Arlen, do we really wanna sell our pillow?" Li asked.
"Nah." Arlen agreed.
"Why don't we just leave you two there?" Will said in a sulky voice, obviously not happy with the turn this conversation had taken.
"Because Jack said he's not leaving us there!" Li beamed.
"ALL RIGHT! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Jack bellowed. He pointed to Will. "You. Shut the hell up." He pointed to Arlen and Li. "You. SHUT THE FREAKING HELL UP." With cries of indignation, Arlen and Li clasped their hands over their hearts.
"JACK!" Li cried.
"We're so hurt!" Arlen continued.
"Come on Jack! Tortuga awaits! We shall go to that pub there!" Li said, pointing to a pub just off starboard.
"Yes, and there is where we will leave dear William with his sign!" Arlen chirped, pointing to a dock just off of port.
"I do so love how you two have decided to start leading this expedition. Pray tell, can you even write?" Jack asked sarcastically.
"Why, yes dear sir. Thank you for asking." Arlen said in her sweetest voice.
"Knowing that I feel that my safety is compromised." Will gulped.
"So sorry loves, but he's NOT for sale." Jack admonished.
"But Jaaaaaacccckkkkkkkkk..." Arlen whined.
"Don't 'but Jack' me. I may have a cute butt but I do not need to be reminded of it constantly, it irritates me." Jack said tiredly.
"But Jack, I've never seen your butt." Arlen said innocently. Jack shuddered.
"Thank god you don't have THAT memory back yet." Jack muttered in relief.
-x-
While Jack went off to talk to Joshamee Gibbs, (who the girls recognized from SOMEWHERE, but couldn't remember EXACTLY where from) Will was charged with keeping an eye on the two. The second they entered the pub, Will clapped his hands over their eyes.
"Arlen! Did you see that couple in the far corne- WILL! What was that for?" Li howled.
"For your safety!" Will said fervently.
"Our safety? You actually care about us?" Li asked, shocked.
"Wow. We should be dying of shock right now." Arlen mused.
"No! Please don't! If you do, Jack will kill ME!" Will cried.
"Well... if you don't want us to die... some ice cream would be good!" Li said slyly.
"All right, as long as we put it on Jack's bill." Will said in an icy tone. He had just seen Jack and his new friend looking over at them and had heard something about 'leverage.' Well, they could have their leverage. Ice cream sounded much more enjoyable.
-x-
When Jack and Gibbs had an accord and Gibbs was busily rustling up a crew, Jack went over to the bar. He was suspicious, since Will was sitting there with the two girls and all three were laughing hysterically. As he came over, he was shocked to find at least a dozen bowls spread out around the three, all covered in the remnants of ice cream.
"Erm..." He said, unsure of what was going on.
"Oh, hello Jack!" Li grinned like the maniac she was.
"Erm?" Jack said again.
"Oh, the ice cream? Looks good, doesn't it?" Will grinned.
"Yes, that's all fine and good, but how much have you had and who's paying for it?" Jack asked weakly.
"How many have we had? Let's see... around a dozen." Li said.
"Apparently, the bar keeper knows you. Said you had an account already. So we just added the bill to that." Arlen said in between mouthfuls of ice cream.
"WHAT! I have worked for years, pillaging and plundering and raiding to get enough money to honestly pay off the debt I still have left over from that party Caylyn and Hank and I threw! And you added to it!" Jack cried.
"In a general manner of speaking..." Will looked at the two girls next to him.
"Yea." All three said at once, digging into their bowls of ice cream.
"Well can I at least have some?" Captain Sparrow asked weakly.
"Hell no!" Arlen and Will cried, hugging their bowls to themselves.
"Don't be so selfish!" Li chastised. "it's not like we can't get more for the dear Captain here..." She trailed off.
"No! On that thought, I'm not hungry anyway." Jack said quickly. He sighed. "C'mon ye idiots. Let's get going."
"Idiots? What idiots? Who are you talking to, Jack?" Li asked, confused. There was a muffled cry of rage from somewhere outside; grinning and high-fiving each other, the three accepted the extra bowl of ice cream the bartender offered and followed Jack into the cool night air.
-x-
The cool night air had strange affects on the girls, who felt suddenly drowsy. They began to stumble and lag behind, until at last Will and Jack turned and scooped them up in their arms. Soon, they were asleep. Upon reaching the docks, Jack turned and began to walk a different way.
"Jack! Where are you going?" Will called quietly, not wanting to wake the little Starre asleep in his arms.
"Te get somethin'. Don't worry yerself, Mr. Turner." Jack replied quietly.
"Black Wolf? Where're you going?" Arlen muttered.
"With Jack. Don't worry, Lone Star." Li muttered back, waving sleepily.
"Oh. See you when you come back to sleep." Arlen continued. Jack and Will were shocked; they had been asleep the whole time! Shaking their heads, they went their separate ways.
Jack went towards the back of town, through places that people seldom went anymore. Old pubs, old brothels, all silent and windowless, memories forgotten by all but a few. This had been where the crews of the Pearl, the Wolf and the Running (better known as the Deadly Trio when they sailed in convoy) had come in their glory days to celebrate a successful raid. After that terrible battle with Captain Barbossa and the Pearl that left the Trio bereft and shattered, they had come less and less. Eventually, what had once been one of the loudest, most fun places in all of Tortuga had died. Jack sighed, remembering the times he, his friends and their daughters had enjoyed while there.
"Jack?" Li asked.
"Yes love?" He replied.
"Why's
it so quiet?"
"They're all waitin' for you, Black Wolf.
Party can' start with out ye, 'S a shame too; we been waitin' so long
for the party to start, we've drank all the rum." Jack said half
quietly, half jokingly.
"My father will be so mad. So will Caylyn." She murmured,
"Aye, but you and Lone Star will charm me out of trouble, won't ye darling?" Jack laughed.
"Maybe if you give us some rum too, Jack." Li continued. Jack laughed.
"Maybe in your dreams." He grinned.
"Mm, dreams... dreams are good... I shall go catch one right now..." Li reached out one hand and closed her fist, as though catching something then drew that something to her chest. Then she was still and silent as the abandoned streets.
Jack went to a house at the farthest part of town. It was more of a facade then a house; it was much too small for the crews, families and captains of three notorious pirate ships. But it was not for living in; after a raid, they would dock their ships in a nearby cove that no one else entered. They'd then carry their gold, silver and jewels as well as the other spoils that they could not use or sell and go through the house. In the very back was a fake shelf unit with a display of weapons. If you pulled the trigger of the second pistol from the left on the top shelf, the shelves would swing open and lead to a grotto deep in the rock. If one would light the torches all along the room, one could see one of their numerous caches. Jack knew he would need a little more gold to take care of his new crew, and there was something far more personal that he needed as well.
When he reached the grotto and managed to finally light the torches, he went about his business as quietly as he could, leaving Li curled up against the wall but within his sight. Despite his quiet movements, Li awoke.
"Look at all the pretty gold..." She murmured.
"It's not for you, Liash." Jack said warningly.
"Oh, but it's my dream and I want the damn gold." She whined.
"Why don't you go catch another dream then?" Jack suggested, filling a sack with gold.
"Okay... I'll take... that one." She murmured, reaching out her hands and ensnaring something invisible. She was soon fast asleep. Jack couldn't help but smile. Moving her closer so he could still see her, he went to the very back of the grotto.
There, in a natural alcove in the rock, was a small shrine to Black Wolf and Lone Star. There were their first wooden swords, their first pairs of shoes, an old hat, Lone Stars old star pendant and her favorite pair of earrings, Black Wolf's hat and her jeweled dagger that she had stolen from an officer of the Royal Navy. It was a small treasure trove of the things that had made them, them. In the weeks after their death, Jack had found himself there when he'd awaken in the morning, an empty bottle of rum at his side. No matter how hard he'd try to escape it, he'd always be drawn back to that place, drawn back to them. With a smile, he reached for the two backpacks in the very back. They had left them on the Wolf two nights before the battle, which was strange because it had some of their most prized possessions. When they discovered them on the Wolf, they had searched in vain for every last trace of them they could find, but they had never recovered the two journals they had kept semi-religiously. But that didn't matter anymore, he had the real thing. He also reached for two things that had not been touched in a long time: a violin and a flute. Long into balmy summer nights, Black Wolf and Lone Star had entertained the crews with their music. He wondered if Arlen and Li could play, and decided to lug those two along.
Jack's muscles were burning with the effort of carrying both the fourteen year old and all his other spoils, but he eventually made it to the Interceptor. Seeing that Will and Arlen had fallen asleep together during watch, he left Li by them and, still smiling, went into his cabin.
-x-
"Feast yer eyes on em. Finest crew on the island, all of them faithful hands before the mast, every man worth his salt. And crazy to boot." Gibbs said to Jack.
"This is your able-bodied crew?" Will asked skeptically.
"Part of it, anyway. We're still missing the crucial members... ARLEN AND LIASH IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR ASSES DOWN HERE-" Jack shouted.
"We're coming already, Jack!" Arlen hollered back. Soon the two girls were standing beside Will and Jack, who began to prowl the crew.
"You, sailor!" Jack cried suddenly, pointing to a man with grey hair and a parrot on his shoulder.
"Cotton, sir." Gibbs supplied, following Jack.
"Mr. Cotton. Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?" Jack asked rapidly. There was no answer. "Mr. Cotton! Answer me!" Jack barked.
"He's a mute sir. Poor devil had his tongue cut out," Gibbs said. Mr. Cotton stuck out what was left of his tongue to prove the point. Jack, Arlen and Li cringed at the sight. "So he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured how."
"Mr. Cotton's... parrot. Same question." Jack said reluctantly.
"Oh god, he's talking to the parrot..." Arlen groaned.
"Let's just hope Gibbs doesn't get any smart ass ideas about parrot stew once the cabin fever sets in." Li muttered.
"Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!" The parrot chirped happily.
"Mostly we figure that means yes." Gibbs said sheepishly.
"Of course it means yes! The parrot knows what he's talking about!" Arlen cried.
"Will... Jack's gone off his rocker to be hiring this crew..." Li muttered in Will's ear.
"We already knew he was crazy, Liash." Will muttered back.
"But he's more crazy than usual!" Li hissed back.
"Point made." WIll replied.
"Satisfied?" Jack said to Will, gesturing to the crew. Will had been doubtful from the moment Jack had hired Gibbs to get a crew.
"Well you've proved they're mad." Will muttered.
"And what's the benefit for us?" Came a slightly feminine voice from underneath a huge hat. Looking suddenly fearful, Jack approached the speaker and lifted the hat, eventually taking it off as he recognized who it was; a colored woman who had tucked her hair into her hat and hid her face with its brim.
"Anamaria." Jack said calmly. Without warning, Anamaria slapped him!
"I'm guessing you didn't deserve that one either?" Will asked Jack.
"No, THAT ONE I deserved." Jack said fervently.
"You stole my boat!" She cried. Arlen and Li began to laugh hysterically, remembering the previous night in Tortuga when Jack had been slapped by a couple of whores.
"Borrowed. Borrowed without permission. But with ever intent of giving it back to you-" Jack winced.
"But you DIDN'T!" Anamaria cried.
"Ana-" She slapped Jack AGAIN! This time, he had no comeback.
"You'll get another one!" Will said suddenly.
"Another one!" Jack said cheerily.
"A better one!" Will supplied.
"A better one!" Jack continued in the same tone.
"That one!" Will said, pointing to the Interceptor.
"THAT ONE!" Jack shouted, wheeling on Will. He turned to look back at Anamaria. "Aye. THAT one." Jack said through gritted teeth. 'That whelp is soo dead.' He thought to himself. "What say you?"
"AYE!" The whole crew shouted, rushing to get ready. In the midst of it all, Arlen and Li were still laughing hysterically.
A/N Dang, Jack must be strong to be carrying Li around all the time! LOL! Anyways, sorry for it being so long and I think we should apologize in advance for all the unrealistic things in these stories! As always READ AND REVIEW! WE'RE STILL BEGGING YOU!And THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE REVIEW, Alori Kesi Aldercy, soccerchic91588, Freedomfighta6, and Arlen And SORRY for how long the chapters are but there are so good.