"Is everything ready?" Jack asked Gibbs, "The instant the bloody navy spots us, we'd better already be on out way." Gibbs nodded,
"Aye Cap'n," He said, grimly, "Everythin's packed for Miss Rosaline's return, and the canon's are primed just in case." Jack gave a sharp nod and returned above deck, where Ana was currently giving Rosaline a friendly hug goodbye.
"Stay in touch," She begged, "Some how. I'll come to England as soon as I get me own ship, and I promise t' try and pilfer close enough to yer home to visit." Rosaline laughed,
"Can't wait." She said, sarcastically. Rosaline looked up at Jack and stopped smiling. He tried to look brighter than he felt, and he had prepared for the moment by imbibing vast amounts of rum. Rosaline stepped up to him.
"I suppose this is it then." She said, quietly, "I'm going back to England."
"Yer goin' home luv." Jack's words were slurred, but he was feeling the effects of the situation as if he was sober.
"No I'm not." She whispered, determined not to cry. "I'll miss you, Captain Sparrow."
"Not half as much as I'll miss you Miss Jones." Jack said, in a low voice. Rosaline grabbed his coat and pulled him close to her. Their lips met, but the kiss was unlike any they had shared before. Each party savouring every second, knowing it was their last. Finally, Jack pulled away, and held onto her shoulders firmly for a moment,
"Jack, they've spotted us!" Marti yelled down from the crows nest. Jack's face changed, and his eyes left Rosaline's.
"Mister Clay, help Miss Jones to the jolly boat, Bill, Cotton, lower the bloody thing carefully for once." The crew did as they were told, and Jack's eyes landed on the two navy ships headed in their direction, "Get a move on!" He yelled, "Lift the anchor!" The ship began to move, leaving Rosaline's boat in the path of the on coming navy vessels.
The crew did not look back, and Jack kept his eyes fixed on the horizon.
Every one on board was silent, until the ships had faded into the fog, and Rosaline was no more than a speck. Jack stood at the helm, and no one wanted to ask what their orders were to be. Finally, Marti plucked up the courage,
"Jack… what now?" Jack let go of the helm, letting her take it.
"Tortuga." He said, gruffly, "You know the bloody way." Ana stepped back as her Captain barged past her, slamming the door to his cabin as he went.
Jack had to walk past every crew man on his way to his door, and every one of them saw something they never thought they'd see on their Captain.
Ana was still for a moment, but the spun round and followed Jack into his cabin.
"You're being an idiot." She told him, sharply, as he sat down on this chair, hard. "Can't you see what this is doing to you? You're Captain Jack Sparrow, and this woman, this English woman, had reduced you to this. You are making the biggest mistake of your life Jack. If loosing her is enough to reduce you to tears, then you can still get her back, because for a love as strong as that, there is always hope."
"I can't make her leave her home." Jack protested, "You know I can't Ana,"
"This is her home." Ana insisted, "She said so. Look at Will and Elizabeth. Liz is happy living out here because Will is. Not because it's where she's from, or that it's what she's always wanted, but because she loves him. Go back Jack. We don't care about bein' late for Tortuga."
"Enough," Jack insisted, "Rosaline is not Elizabeth. She is not, and never has been, fascinated by pirates, she is repulsed by them. It's too complicated to work out." Ana frowned, and proceeded to glare at him,
"You're unbelievable," She accused, "You're throwing everything away." She left his cabin, slamming the door on her way out.
Jack's eyes shut in time with the slam of the door, and he felt himself not wanting to open them.
"Well?" Will stopped Ana, who was fuming. She threw up her hands in despair,
"The idiot!" She said, exasperated, "He won't even try! I'm not crazy am I Will? He is being stupid?"
"He is." Marti agreed, joining them. "And he probably won't back down now, him bein' so bloody stubborn." Ana nodded, still enraged. "Ana, you can't leave us with a moody captain, you have to stay!"
"Why don't you just come with me?" Ana suggested, knowing perfectly well that Marti wouldn't leave Jack. Not when she knew that he was so upset.
"Leave the Pearl?"
"You only just got here, it's not like you've got a personal attachment to the ship." Ana argued, amused at the look on Marti's face. "We're goin' t' Tortuga." Ana sighed, "If Jack wants to be miserable, it's his own business." Marti reluctantly agreed.