Disclaimer: Me no own, you no sue.
-Before Terrence could react, he pointed a pistol at her.-
Her grey eyes narrowed and she said harshly, "Do it. I dare ye. Jack'll kill ye after he tortures the bloody hell out of you."
Drake's grin widened. "I'm not afraid o' Sparrow, lass." And he pulled the trigger.
Gallagher squinted her eyes, thinking this had to be the end, but all she heard was the click of his pistol. It wasn't loaded.
"You stupid imbecile!" she snorted, "I would think that you're old enough to realize not to make that mistake."
His eyes widened as he stared at his pistol in shock before she kicked it out of his hands, sending it flying through the air and into the nearest thorny rose bush. Drake grabbed her petticoats and pulled her against him, placing his fingers around her throat in desperation, squeezing mercilessly.
She choked on air as she tried to think up a plan. She slowly collapsed onto the ground, making Drake think he was killing her instantly, and retrieved the dagger lying in the grass. He was on top of her, snarling viciously, and he didn't even notice when she closed her eyes and swiped at his head with the jagged knife.
Gallagher opened her eyes again when she felt something warm and wet at the base of her throat and heard his carnal screams.
His ear was lying on her chest. She had cut off his ear.
Drake was still screaming in pain as he jumped off of her, holding the now bloodied side of his head, and hobbled away as fast as he could, shouting for vengeance.
Gallagher's chest heaved as she swiped at the fleshy ear and sent it to the grass. She stared up at the night sky, calming her nerves. Blood covered her corset and bosom like war paint.
She got off of the damp ground, brushing off her skirts when she noticed Jack running towards her from the other side of the garden, his coat billowing in the wind and his dreads flying around his face. When he reached her, he stopped dead in his tracks, staring at her. "What in hell happened to you?!"
Terrence said simply, "Drake wouldn't listen to me." And kicked the bloody ear on the ground towards him with her boot.
"Aw, fuck!" Jack cried in shock, letting out a girlish shriek as he jumped about a foot in the air to dodge the body part.
They stared at each other in silence for a couple moments before Jack massaged the back of his neck and asked, "Did ye say Drake? As in Tortuga Drake?"
"Yes. He told that Malvado fellow about the key, and we are in trouble, savvy?"
"When are we not in trouble?" Jack questioned in frustration, rolling his eyes heavenward, "Jesus Christ…"
"And there's more," she said, shaking some leaves out of her hair, "Malvado knows that we have befriended the Turners. They are in danger."
Jack's gaze suddenly turned even grimmer, if that was possible, and he immediately checked his pistol for shot. Something Drake should have done beforehand. "We have to find the Turners, now," he stated urgently, "Let's go. We have to check on that key."
They broke into a dead run.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I don't understand why we had to leave early," Elizabeth said with a frown as she tried to keep up with Jack and Terrence, "Would you please tell us what's going on?" She cradled wailing Michael to her chest as she jogged along, the baby bouncing in her arms.
"Yes, I think we have a right to know why you yanked us out of Mister Swann's household without so much as a reason why!" Will said sternly.
"Explanations come later, me boy!" Jack replied with a glare, "This is urgent and of upmost importance!"
Terrence stopped in the middle of the road, causing Jack to slam into her from behind with a protesting yelp.
"Oh dammit…" she breathed, staring at the Turner's house in front of her.
The front door was ajar.
"Will…" Elizabeth whispered. She stepped up to her husband, whose brow furrowed in anger and alertness. He hesitantly took a step forward but Jack shook a finger at him, silently placing it to his lips and getting out his pistol. He walked quietly up the steps, them creaking with his movements and slipped through the door.
Minutes later, he reemerged. Terrence let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, and the Turners looked utterly confused and upset.
"No one's still hidin' out inside," Jack said tiredly, "I checked everythin'. But I don't think you're going to like the look o' this…"
Will instantly stormed into the house, followed by an alarmed Elizabeth, and their jaws dropped. Everything was ruined.
The chair cushions had been torn apart with what seemed like knives…the cupboards were thoroughly searched and emptied, all of their contents strewn about the floor. Vases were smashed, dresser drawers were overturned. Chairs were knocked over and pillows ripped apart. Mirrors were smashed, paintings were thrown off of the walls. It was as if a raging tornado had flown in and destroyed everything.
Elizabeth uprighted a chair and slowly slumped into it, looking devastated. Will kicked a piece of furniture and ran a hand roughly through his hair, trying to calm himself.
"Will…" Terrence said softly, "Where did you hide that key Jack gave ye?"
He was silent for a moment, flushed, and then replied, "In Elizabeth's knickers drawer."
Jack threw up his hands and said in a crazed voice, "Are ye MAD?! That's the first place they look!"
Terrence ran to the bedroom and found all the drawers on the floor, their contents lying on the destroyed mattress or the wood floor. She searched desperately for the key, throwing things about, glancing under the bed, but it was no use…it was gone.
"Damn it all to HELL!" she cried, falling to the floor and holding her head in her hands. And that's exactly what she had just done: damned them all to Hell. They were done for. Terrence had failed. The key had fallen into the hands of the enemy.
Jack slowly swaggered into the room and crouched down next to her. After a while, he commented, "The world's not over, me bonny lass. Now you're not cursed anymore! Ain't that lovely?"
She hadn't told him about the Prophecy. "The world IS over," she mumbled.
"Cheer up, Miss Grumpy Face!" he said cheerfully, playfully knocking his knuckles against her chin. She didn't respond and that playful smile was slowly stripped from his face.
Jack sighed and sat next to her, running his fingers along his moustache. "We've screwed up, haven't we?"
"Yes," Terrence replied miserably, "Yes, I did."
"Aw, come on, luv! There's no 'I' in 'team'!"
"Jack…" she whispered, "I have to tell ye something very important. Something very relevant to what's happening right now."
"Go on, Terrence."
"Drake is working with Malvado. He used us, getting the information from us he wanted and selling it to Captain Malvado. He wants the key for its power."
"The power to raise the Devil?"
"Supposedly. The Malvados have been searching for that key for generations on end. And in each generation there's a Protector…someone who has to keep them from getting their grubby mitts on it."
Jack, always quick-minded, said slowly, "And you're this Protector?"
She nodded before saying angrily, "Yes, at least until I failed to do me duty. Dammit, Jack…how hard was it to watch over a measly key? I'm sending our world to Hell in a handbasket!" Glancing up, she noticed something glinting silver out of the corner of her eye. Casting her gaze towards the back of the bedroom door, her eyes widened.
There was a piece of parchment hanging from a knife, which was lodged into the white wood.
Terrence got up quickly and yanked the paper off of the door. Jack read over her shoulder as her eyes skimmed the words:
My beautiful Terrence,
Do not feel like a failure, my love. I have won the battle, but it is still undetermined who will win the war. I have a yearning to see what you're capable of. I want to fight you to the death. After all, it isn't much fun to steal things right out from underneath your nose. I want to see some dead bodies along the way.
Come to Madrid. I'll be waiting.
E.M.
"Malvado…" Jack shook his head, "What a crafty son of a bitch."
Will walked into the bedroom, took one look at the knife in the door, and with one fluid movement, slammed Jack against the wall.
"You told me my family would not be in any grave danger!" he hissed as Jack struggled against him.
"Will! Come now, lad! Control yourself!" Jack stammered, his brown eyes chock full of surprise.
Terrence grabbed Will by the back of his shirt and yanked him off of Jack. "Now's not the time for this!" she shouted. Will stared at the ground as Jack adjusted his coat, glaring at him.
"Will," she said through clenched teeth, "No one would have dreamed that this was going to happen. I mean, look at me…one moment I'm dancin' with Jack…the next I'm cuttin' off some bloke's ear who's spittin' shit about Prophecies and Devil worship!"
Elizabeth walked in, adding in an exhausted tone, "She's right, Will."
Silence swirled around the room until Will finally broke it, saying in a cold tone, "Just promise me two things, Jack."
"What, whelp?"
"One, if you find the man who did this to my house, please shoot him."
Jack nodded. "All right, lad. And the second thing?"
"Don't ever ask me to hide anything for you ever again."
Jack grinned and stuck out his hand, which Will took and offered a weak smile back as they shook on it.
"Terrence? Are we headin' to Madrid, then?" Jack questioned with a wink.
With a nod of her head, she said spiritedly, eyes flashing, "If Malvado wants a fight, then we'll give him a bloody fight."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
DON'T FORGET! PineAppleLint is having a contest! To partake in the contest, readers must submit a poem/short story about Jack and Terrence (It can be about anything you want, me dears! Let your imaginations run wild!) and it doesn't necessarily have to pertain to Trade with the Devil. The winner with the best poem or short story will have their work posted in the last chapter after the ending of Trade with the Devil, so that people can admire them for the fantastic writer they really are! And, dare I say it…they will receive the beginning chapter of the third installment of Terrence's and Jack's adventures before it's even posted on The contest shall go on until Trade with the Devil is completed. So get to it, mateys! Send your completed poem/short story to:
DayDreamr1 at aol Title your emails as "Jack/T contest"
Good Luck!
Quick A/N: If you all want something else to read, go read "Never Been to Singapore?" by French Connection. I've been helping co-write her story and she's a very creative lass! So go read after you review, savvy?
Now on to responses! I'm sorry if they're a bit shorter than last, but it's getting awfully late! Even pirates need to sleep some time! )
Twilight-la-fae: Aw, thank you so much! If I ever have the urge to kick major ass, I'll definitely keep a pad of paper and a pencil handy. (winks) You are awesome, gal.
Katie: You are the wind beneath my wings. Haha! I didn't have writer's block, fool! BIG EGO! BIG EGO! Mwahahahaha!
VagrantCandy: I have a feeling a lot of arse kicking is on the horizon! Just have to see whose arse is going to get a kick, though. (grins evilly) Cliffhangers rule!
Plateado: Thank you so much, bud! I always thought what's a story without a back story, hmm? : ) That's why your story is so well developed, dearie…it has a past. An interesting past at that!
The DuTchess of Doom: I hope you have fun on your holiday! I got to read the chapter (thank you and Linnie so much for giving me a chance to read it!) and I loved it immensely. Especially the…well, don't want to give anything away to other reviewers. I'll be sending Linnie a long email about it and I hope to get your email or maybe she'll share it with you. Have fun, lass!
LuckySparrow: Cliffhangers, woot! Now the thing about losing someone she cares about…patience luv, patience. ;) It will all be revealed in due time.
ShadowStar21: Hehee, hope you liked the quick update, luv! Gotta keep ye on your toes!
Goth Princess: Haha the Jack Sparrow video…with him eating the grapes…(drools) You are such a silly goose. I can picture Jack gowned in flowers and screaming like a girl over a volcano. (shakes head) How will I get rid of THAT mental image?
Louisefamesavvy: I wish you the best of luck with your chapter! Yeah, Drake or Jack…hmmm…..(strokes chin in thought while smiling) I wonder….
Pirate Gyrl: Whoa…if the giant peaceful turtles were peaceful…would they really come out to get me? (shakes head) I feel insecure right now. Now as for Jack's life being threatened by this Prophecy? (grins) I'm not revealin' nothing! Like you won't say how your ending is going to go! (sticks out tongue) Neener neener neener!
Delly: (winks) More twists and turns on the way, dearie! Thank you so much for always reviewing. I appreciate it!
Carolinus Took: (thumbs up) Yay, you remembered! I think you get a cookie…in the shape of Jack's knickers! (stops to ponder) Wait, he doesn't wear knickers…
Ethelkidd: Yay! A new face in the reviewing world! (review hug) Thank you so much for telling me what you really think of the story. I really hope it lives up to its expectations during chapters to come. Love hearing what you think, me dear!
FieryGrl0491: Woot! Hope this was updated fast enough for you dearie! I never like waiting for updates either. I'm a very impatient person. Thank you so much for reviewing.
DarkGoddessLuna: (cheers) Another contest submission! Luv, I absolutely loved it. I almost started crying. Seriously. I was covering my mouth with my hand or waving it in front of my face. It was so symbolic, so ironic…you'll get an email from me soon telling you what I liked about it in detail!
Whew. (wipes sweat from forehead) Sleepytime now. And this was updated fairly fast so anyone who reviewed after this was posted…(salutes) Thank you so much. needs more reviewers like you!