"I'm so sorry Jack." I sighed as the first rays of morning light rose. Elizabeth's plan would work, and I would never see him again. His breath started to change and he turned over onto his back. When he realized what he was smelling was smoke he shot up, running toward it. There was a loud bang and Elizabeth ducked as the crate exploded.
"No! Not good! Stop! Not good! What are you doing?" He ran toward the fire, "You burned all the food, the shade! The rum!" Elizabeth pulled me down to sit with her.
"Yes the rum is gone." She answered Jack.
"Why's the rum gone!" He yelled.
"One because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two that signal is over a thousand feet high, the entire royal navy is out looking for Arabella and I, do you really think there is a slight chance they won't see it?"
"But why's the rum gone?!" Elizabeth rolled her eyes at him.
"Give it an hour or two Mr. Sparrow and you will see white sails on that horizon." She snarked. He stormed away and I chased after him.
"Must've been terrible for you Jack." He was mocking her, "Must've been terrible for you," He turned around almost yelling in my face, "Well it bloody is now. Oh." He caught sight of me and glared. "Don't tell me you had a hand in this."
"I-I didn't think she would be stupid enough to burn up the food and the shade. Or all of the rum I just thought she would add a crate or two to the fire you had built." He opened and closed his mouth like a fish, my breath caught as I caught a boat approaching, "I'm so sorry, Captain." He turned looking in the direction I was.
"There will be no living with her after this." He grumbled then turned to get his effects and his boots. Elizabeth rushed past me and I turned as well to find my shoes. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't say anything to Jack, why did I help her? I should have stopped her now Jack will be hung and it's all my fault. I felt someone wipe away the tears in my eyes. Jack pulled my chin up so I would look him in the eyes. "Love, I-"
"Jack Sparrow." Norrington. Jack closed his eyes cursing under his breath. Two soldiers stepped forward pulling Jack away and I turned to face the Commodore. He swallowed hard, glaring at me sternly, "Miss. Smith." He indicated where the boat was. And I stomped forward toward it, my boots in one hand. "You should be surprised and happy to note Governor Swann has agreed to grant you clemency." He aided me into the longboat next to Elizabeth, Jack was stuck in between to two imbecile soldiers
xxx
"We've got to save Will." Elizabeth began immediately.
"No, you're safe now we will return to Port Royal immediately, not go galivanting after pirates. And you young lady I am very disappointed in you." Governor Swann waddled his finger in my face.
"Then we condemn Will to death!" She yelled.
"The boy's fate is regrettable but so is his decision to engage in piracy. As was Arabella's."
"Hos efforts were to rescue me, to prevent anything from happening to me, as was Arabella's!"
"If I may be so bold as to interject my professional opinion," Jack stepped forward, "The Pearl was listing near the scabbers after the battle. It's very unlikely she would be able to make good time. Think about it, the Black Pearl, the last real pirate threat in the Caribbean, mate. How can you pass that up, eh?"
"Is he helping us?" Elizabeth asked me. I nodded crossing my arms.
"Trying at least."
"By remembering I serve others and not only-"
"Please Commodore I beg of you, do this for me, as a wedding gift!" Elizabeth charged forward.
"Elizabeth?" Governor Swann said in shock, "Are you- are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?"
"I am." Poor Will. I suppose heartbreak is better than death though.
"A wedding! I love weddings! Drinks all around!" Jack cheered. Everyone was silent. "I know, clap him in irons, right?" Norrington came down the steps slowly toward Jack. I stepped in front of him blocking the Commodore from him.
"Mr. Sparrow. You will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with a barring to this, Isla De Murta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings to the phrase silent as the grave. Do I make myself clear?"
"Inescapably clear." Jack answered. The two soldiers grabbed him dragging him up the steps and I moved to follow after.
"Ms. Smith, with me please. I would like a word." Norrington called after me, I followed him to the starboard side of the ship.
"You want me sir?" He looked at me sharply at my wording, then cleared his throat looking away.
"The Admiral's ship was last seen stopped at port in England, one of his men returned to Port Royal recently and it was told that he and his remaining crew were captured and murdered by pirates." I nodded swallowing hard, freedom, finally freedom. I can be safe in my home again, but did I really even want to stay there? "I understand that you will need some time for mourning… My cabin is at your disposal." He turned from me walking toward Elizabeth. I didn't stray from my spot, the governor came to offer condolences which I ignored and the crew stared at me strangely. Elizabeth came over, briefly, but said nothing.
As we approached the island nightfall came. I was scared, I was starting not to trust Jack any longer. I felt guilty for not trusting him. He came to my side, I noticed Mullroy and Murtogg arguing at the helm. Jack smirked to me muttering, "Too easy." I half heartedly smiled at him.
"You didn't tell Norrington about the curse."
"I noticed neither did you or Miss. Swann, for the same reason I imagine."
"Elizabeth probably believes he wouldn't have risked it. I don't think he would have believed us."
"You could've gotten him drunk." Jack said flamboyant, I looked at him and he faltered, "Love, I admire someone willing to do whatever is necessary.
"I know, you're a smart man Jack." I nodded swallowing hard,
"Peas in a pod, darling." Jack said approaching me. I looked away from him, hoping the darkness covered my blush, when I looked back I caught a devious look in his eyes that hinted it hadn't.
"What's the plan Jack, tell me now so I can-"
"You stay here, out of harm's way." Jack commanded as Norrington approached.
"Jack you know that's not how this-"
"With me Sparrow." Norrington ordered, throwing Jack's compass roughly. I set him with a look as he walked away with Norrington. I waited a few minutes after the long boats pushed off from the ship and slipped over the railing and into the water.
I cursed Sparrow's name six ways from Spain as I climbed out of the water and onto the rocks. I ran quickly through the tunnels to get to Will.
"-I suppose in exchange you'll want me to not kill the whelp?" Barbosa was asking.
"No. By all means kill the whelp, just not yet. Wait to lift the curse until the opportune moment." Jack turned back to Barbossa, snatching up a handful of coins. "For instance," clink, "after you've killed Norrington's men." clink "Every." clink, "Last." clink, "One." the pirates laughed.
"You lying-" I seethed, Barbosa's head snapped up to look at me. "You p-promised!" I spit at him, my voice breaking, Jack's head turned quickly. I felt long arms wrap around my shoulders and someone was holding my hand, "You lied to me, and I trusted you all this time! From the first second we met I've done nothing but defend you and try to help you!" I couldn't place the look in his eyes as I started to wipe angrily away the tears trailing down.
"There, there poppet it's alright." Pintel was saying. Ragetti was rocking back and forth with me in his arms, "He don't deserve your sadness."
"You've been planning this from the beginning." Will spit at him, "Ever since you learned my name."
"Yeah." Jack said simply.
"We can throw him on an island, with tigers!" Ragetti was telling me.
"Or toss him overboard with sharks!" Pintel added, "He can't escape sharks!" I smiled a little at that.
"I want 50 percent of your plunder."
"Fifteen."
"Fourty!"
"Twenty-five. And I'll buy you a hat, a really big one, Commodore."
"We have an accord." Barbosa and Jack shook hands.
"All hands to the boats." Jack ordered. Barbosa gave him a look, "Apologies. You give the orders."
"Gents, take a walk." Barbosa ordered.
"Not to the boats?" I heard Jack ask. Barbosa shook his head no.
"We gotta go poppet." Pintel was telling me, I looked up pitifully at him and sniffled, "We'll be back soon don't cry anymore." Ragetti's cold arms squeezed me tightly before letting go, I guess that was his form of a hug. Jack began to roam around looking through treasure. I hurried up the pile of gold to Will's side.
"I'm so sorry." I whispered to him, "You were right about Sparrow. He's nothing but a lying dirty pirate."
"It's alright Bella." Will whispered. One of Barbosa's crew came and pulled us both down onto a rock. Barbosa yanked me over and sat me down at his feet.
"I must admit Jack, I thought I had you figured." Barbosa was swapping a bright green apple from hand to hand, "Turns out you're a hard man to predict."
"Me? I'm dishonest." Jack tossed a golden sculpture aside. "And a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest, honestly it's the honest ones you want to watch out for-" Three of Barbosa's crew were still with us in the cave, the bearded one, a bald man, and some poor sap skipping rocks, "Cause you can never predict when they are going to do," He stopped at the rock man, catching Will's eye briefly, "something incredibly. Stupid." Jack grabbed the sword and I lunged at the man, shoving him into the water. I heard the swoosh as Jack pulled his sword from his hip and felt as he pushed me behind him to protect me. Barbosa and Jack were battling, I grabbed some sort of gold rod and defended Jack from the pirate who had been skipping rocks as he arose from the water and tried to go after him.
"Sorry." I muttered quickly before swinging the rod and knocking him out. I rushed to Will's side and tried to help him fend off one of the other pirates. Will pushed me back trying to keep me out of the fray and I turned just in time to see Barbosa kick Jack in the face, I winced and hurried toward them. He dropped his sword, throwing his arms out.
"You can't beat me Jack." Jack lept from off the ground, shoving his sword into Barbosa's gut. Barbosa yanked it from himself and plunged it into Jack, twisting it. There was this awful squawk-yelp noise and I tried to shove past Barbosa to get to Jack. He snatched me up quickly.
"NO! LET ME GO! PLEASE LET ME GO!" I watched as Jack stumbled back into the moonlight...and turned skeletal. Barbosa dropped me in shock and I kicked him in shin, hard before scurrying back, he was still looking at Jack and even in this form I could see Jack's prominent smirk.
"Well that's interesting," He twirled the coin through his fingers, "Couldn't resist mate." Jack smiled and Barbosa growled running after him. I grabbed a sword that was sticking out of a pile of junk and chased after the both of them, just in case. Jack ran swinging toward Barbosa at random moments and at one point Barbosa lunged for him hitting his face on the rock instead. Jack grabbed my arm pulling me with him, yelling back a quick, 'Sorry!' I laughed out loud, intertwining my hand in his. Jack turned quickly and I let him go as he and barbosa swung away at each other, Jack shoved him back into a rock and Barbosa paused.
"So what now Jack Sparrow? Are we to be two immortals locked in an epic battle," I realized midway he was trying to mock Jack's way of speaking, "until judgment day and the trumpets sound?"
"Or you could surrender." Jack answered, I ducked as they began battling again. He punched Jack and I winced. Jack ran and Barbosa chased after cackling. There was an explosion and we all turned as treasure flew up into the air. I ran to try and help Will.
"I'm gonna teach you the meaning of pain!" The pirate growled.
"You like pain?" WAAP, "Try wearing a corset." Elizabeth stood over him with the same rod I had been using. She used it to help Will up, and they smiled at each other for a moment before the sound of Jack's battle reached their ears.
"Whose side is he on?" Elizabeth asked.
"At the moment-" Will shrugged.
"The winning side." I answered.
"Is that us?" She asked me back. I shrugged and together we went after Baldy, Beardy, and Skippy. We used the rod to skewer them together and Will shoved one of Beardy's bombs in his stomach before shoving them out of the moonlight.
"No fair." I grabbed Elizabeth pulling her out of harm's way as they exploded, she chased after Will and I ran to Jack, jumping across the rocks. When I looked up Barbosa's gun was pointed at me. Crrshhh BOOOOM! I was in the water, Barbosa was looking at me like he had seen a ghost, and Jack's gun was smoking. Barbosa turned back to Jack after fixing me with a look that I didn't quite understand. I felt Elizabeth pull me up out of the cold thigh deep water.
"Arabella! What was that!" She was asking, I was more focussed on Jack and Barbosa.
"Ten years you carry that pistol and now you waste your shot!" Barbosa lowered his own gun, "And for a lass you knew I couldn't kill." I narrowed my eyes at that, did Barbosa think I had one of the cursed pieces of treasure? Jack looked confused as well but the moment was lost when Will called out over us.
"He didn't waste it!" The world seemed to move in slow motion as Will dropped the blood soaked coins into the chest. Barbosa pulled his overcoat open and blood blossomed across his chest. I rushed toward Jack and he pulled me into him. Barbosa's eyes were bluer and they looked more human.
"I feel...cold." He shivered, then dropped, an apple rolled from his hand and I gripped Jack tighter. He pulled me away from the body as I shuddered in his arms.
"It's alright, Ari." He was rubbing my shoulder, I wrapped my arms around his waist burying my head in his chest.
"Jack, I need a favor." It had been one of the only things on my mind, my last morceau de rébellion, I separated myself from his arm and pulled him back into the shadows from Will and Elizabeth, "I need-" I couldn't quite put it to words, "I have to return to Port Royal. The admiral is dead, murdered, they said, when the admiral was alive I had bargaining room, for obvious and disgusting reasons, and now he's not and with Elizabeth still unwed… but now she's marrying the Commodore and…. Remember that man we spoke about, the man like the sea. I need him to-to do what he does best… It would be the one thing I could give that no one could take. They are just going to auction me off to the highest military man that wants me once we are back at Port Royal." Jack understood my ramblings, and with an intense look he pushed me back gently against the rock efficiently shutting me up. His fingertips grazed the underside of my chin, "I'm not going to chase after you like some lovesick puppy I just need to be able to give this to someone instead of it just being taken from me."
"They would know, love. I would ruin you from all other men." I whimpered as he pulled away from me.
"Jack." I sighed, "What else can I do?" There was this look in his eyes, an unspoken question.
"Come live in the manor, Father will understand he won't force you to marry." Elizabeth said. She was leaning in the front of the tunnel looking bashful, "I'm sorry I wasn't trying to- I only heard the end of it. We need to head back to the Dauntless before they send someone after us." Jack nodded and walked past her.
"If you would be so kind I would be much obliged if you'd drop me off at my ship." I looked down at the ground ashamed.
"I-I understand." Elizabeth stuttered, "Please trust that I do." She hugged me close and led me back to where Jack and Will were in the long boat, as we emerged the Pearl was nowhere in sight.
"I'm so sorry Jack." I whispered.
"They done what's right by them, can't expect more than that."
