2. The 21st Century

Disclaimer: I do not own POTC or its characters. I do own my own characters and storyline! Thank you to my two reviewers!! Hope you enjoy this chappie!

"I'll be right there, I'm just getting off the train now," I say into my phone as I step off the green line train.

"Hey bitch!" Matt greets me, slapping his phone shut and putting it in his pocket.

"Hey!" I greet him as I run up to him hugging him. He picks me up and twirls me around.

"Um, you look fucking amazing," he says as he puts me down.

"Um, you look fucking amazing!" I retort as I eye him up and down, "it' been WAY too long! How was Europe?!" I screech as we walk through the streets of Boston.

"Um Europe was ridiculous. I got a couple tentative record deals like the first tow weeks I was there, then when I went to Italy, I was introduce to a really great agent and he signed me on to a European record label and is getting me to open up on tour with Josh Groban!" Matt exclaims. I scream with him and we hug again.

"OH MY GOD! Josh Groban?! AHH!!" I scream. Matt and I had always loved Josh Groban growing up in high school.

"And how about you, little missy? Or should I say nurse!" He asks me, raising an eyebrow.

"Haha, yeah I got my nursing degree and I've been working for about a month now over at Dana-Farber!!" I pause for a moment, "I told you all about my adventure over the phone, right?" I ask as we arrive at my apartment building.

"Yes! I wish you could take me to the Caribbean!" He exclaims.

"Well, now that you are gonna be touring with Josh Groban, you can travel there yourself," I laugh as we walk up the stairs.

"No, I mean to the 1700s," Matt says as we stand outside the door to my apartment. I unlock the door and we walk in.

"Well, maybe you can come when you get some time off," I say as I throw my bag on the table in the kitchen.

"And besides, I wanna meet this Jack Sparrow you talked so much about," Matt raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Jack's immortal too," I say.

"So what does this Jack look like? Is he hot?" Matt asks, sitting down with me on the couch.

I laugh and then sigh, "yes, he's…"

"Charmin', sexy and witty, t' say the utter least!" Jack emerges from the other room as he walks into the main room of my apartment.

"JACK!" I exclaim as I jump up from the couch and run over to hug him.

"Um, Linz?" Matt's voice echoes in my ear from the couch. I slowly turn around, bright red.

"Sorry—sometimes I get these images and I can hear his voice when he's not really here," I say dejectedly sitting back down on the couch next to Matt.

"Aw, you wicked miss him, don't you?" he asks with a half pout half smile.

"Yeah, I do. What can I do? I gotta just hang tight and wait," I reply.

"Don't worry—I'm sure he'll come soon," Matt assures me, "but in the mean time, what does he look like? What's he like?"

"He's a pirate," I laugh, "he drinks rum, swaggers, sword fights, wears eyeliner and has dreadlocks," I explain, chuckling at my physical description of Jack, which to Matt, doesn't sound all that flattering. Matt scrunches his nose.

"Eyeliner?! Is he a drag queen or what?" he exclaims at my horrible taste in men.

"Well, it's not really eyeliner—it's called kohl—protection from the sun I guess," I reply laughing.

"Well, good luck with that," he replies, raising his eyebrows and looking down at the ground. I laugh at his disgust of Jack.

"I bet you'd think Will is wicked hot," I reply with a grin.

"Oh, Will—what's he like?" Matt asks, his interest heightened.

"Will has longish dark brown hair—no dreads!—dark brown eyes, really handsome," I say with a grin.

"Oh, let's meet him!" Matt exclaims excitedly.

"He's getting married to Elizabeth," I say finally.

"Oh. Well fuck that," he replies. I laugh and shake my head.

"I'll get you to come back with me once Jack gets here," I say finally.

"That'd be wicked awesome," Matt states, his eyes glowing.

"Now if only Jack would get his ass into this century," I mutter while shaking my head, "so what should we eat for dinner?" I ask suddenly.

"I don't care! I'm up for anything!" Matt replies.

"Wanna order Thai?" I ask with a sly grin.

"Oh my God yes!" he exclaims jumping up from the couch. I join him in the kitchen as we finger through old take-out menus until we finally find the Thai food one.

"An order of pad Thai and two orders of chicken satay?" I ask familiarly.

"Oh yes," he responds with a smile, "I've missed this!"

"Me too," I say with a smile as I pick up my cell phone and dial the number and place the order.

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That night after many laughs and stories shared over Thai with Matt, we retire for the evening.

As I lie in bed staring up at my ceiling, I can hear Matt in his room talking to someone on the phone. I turn over on my side and look at the picture on my nightstand of my father and myself from the Red Sox game we had gone to a few weeks ago. I sit up in bed and take it from its place and look at it carefully. We both look so happy—no one would have ever guessed that we had quarreled for such a long time after my parents' divorce back when I was in high school.

A lone tear falls down my cheek. I wipe it away and put the picture back on my nightstand. How could I have been so stubborn so to not talk to my father—to just try and cut him out from my existence all because of something between my mother and him? His love for me never changed and neither had mine for him.

I had been blinded by what I perceived on the outside—my family torn—the three of us no longer a family unit all because he had to leave. Had I only talked to him about my feelings none of the deafening silence between us would have happened.

At least things are back to as normal as possible for the two of us. Things will never be exactly the same since my parents will always be divorced, but I at least now have the relationship I had with my father back in my life.

I lie back down in bed and stare at the ceiling once again, this time thinking of Jack and where he could be at this very moment in time. I wonder if he will ever come back for me like he said he would.

My qualms with home are no longer present—I managed to fix the things I left Jack's century to do and now all I am doing is waiting for him.

"Jack—please come and get me—I'm ready to join you again. My work here is done," I whisper aloud in my bed. I turn over on my side once more and close my eyes. I see Jack's face clear as day in the blackness. His eyes, his gold teeth, his hat, overcoat, his hair—are all as vivid as though he is standing right before me. I quickly open my eyes.