"Not All Treasure is Silver and Gold"

Chapter 23

"What's going on, James?" she asked again.

"Has Jack ever mentioned anything about a trip to India? Any events that were abnormal?"

"There was a trip to Singapore…never India."

"What about that time you were living in Port Royal? Did Jack ever go to India?"

"How should I know, James? Besides, that was fifteen years ago," she answered quickly. She wasn't sure where this was going, but she wasn't all that excited about it.

"Well, all right. How about seeing a rather large ruby on board once you had met up with Jack again?" James asked.

"How large?"

"As big as your fist, if not bigger."

"No such thing exists," Dani answered.

"Wrong. And I just got news that Jack has it. Indian Authorities are after him."

"What took them so long?" Dani asked, dumbfounded that Jack could have stolen something so incredibly expensive and they just figured it out.

"They needed a name to put to the crime. They decided the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow was the only one clever enough to do it. It was a guarded room, only one way in and the guard never left the doorway. They claim it had to be Jack and now there is a bounty on his head," he finished.

A concerned look was on James' face. He could see the disbelief in Dani's eyes and wanted to do something to fix it, but couldn't he. He could only protect her from what could potentially be after her.

"Where would he have put such a thing?"

"I suppose he hid it," James answered her.

"Why would he not tell me?"

"You're his wife, you should know the answer to that question."

"That doesn't mean I understand him."

"Where was this guarded room?"

"The Royal Museum in India. It's called the Heart of India. It's extremely important."

"But why are you putting me under house arrest?" she asked.

"In case they decide they want to take something of value to Jack," he answered her in a low tone.

"Why would they want me? I don't know that he has it nor if he even stole it," Dani sighed.

"Just let me post a guard for you and Rosemary, please?" he asked her.

Dani nodded to the man. He had become something like a brother to her and trusted his judgment. She would let him post a guard.

TORTUGA

Jack hadn't been at Tortuga for more than half an hour before he sauntered into a tavern. The Faithful Bride was busy, but his table was empty. Will was behind him, but he was not happy about it.

"Jack, let's get the map and re-stock the ship. I want to go home to my wife."

"Sit down and have a drink, boy," Jack ordered him.

A couple hours later, Jack and Will were still sitting at the table. Jack was listening intently to a conversation about himself.

"I heard he fought off a bunch of natives who were about to eat him," one man said. Jack's grin grew wide.

"I heard he stole the Heart of India right from the sultan's bed chamber, while the sultan was asleep in that very room, in the palace in Calcutta," another said.

"What's the Heart of India?" the other man asked, leaning forward.

Jack did the same. If he stole it, he'd remember it, right?

"The Heart of India is a ruby, size of your head. It's so valuable that it is worth more than ten ships."

Jack didn't remember it. He had no clue.

"They say the only person who could have stolen it was ol' Cap'n Jack."

Jack didn't like the 'old' comment either. Will and Gibbs also started to listen and looked to him expectedly.

"When did it go missing?" one man asked.

"About fifteen years ago."

Gibbs looked at Jack. He knew Jack couldn't have stolen that ruby, but Will was a tad upset.

"You stole that expensive ruby?" Will said in a loud whisper.

"No, I don't suppose I did," Jack answered him.

"You couldn't have," Gibbs said.

The men, however, were continuing their conversation.

"And now the Indian government is coming after him. They want it back."

Jack's eyebrows were raised so far it almost looked as though his eyes would fall out.

"We have to go," Jack said quickly and stood to run out off the tavern.

Will and Gibbs caught up shortly.

"What now?" Will asked.

"The Indian Government sent people out after me. We need to return it."

"You said you didn't have it," Will said.

"I don't," Jack answered. "But I think I know who has it. Singapore Steve."

"Singapore Steve?" Will asked. "That is the most ridiculous name…ever."

"He was once one of Jack's crewmembers. He tried to mutiny on me before Barbossa did. Jack decided the best thing would be to leave him in Singapore and from thence we called him Singapore Steve."

"Thank you, Gibbs, for that lovely story, now we have to be on our way…" Jack said, running towards his parents' home.

Jack didn't even try to make a distraction. He just barreled into the house and started throwing things off the shelves in the dark sitting room.

His father just sat at the table drinking his rum while his mother started shrieking.

"Shut up, you bloody woman!" Jack shouted back.

"You're messing up my house!" she shouted right back.

Jack found what he wanted and tossed everything else. He tiptoed through the mess he had created and gave his mother a particularly dirty look.

"Jack Sparrow, you did not just look at me like that," she scolded.

"I did, mother. That was for Dani," he said, sticking his tongue out. "And that was for me."

The three men rounded up the drunk crew and ran back to The Adventurer.

"Where to, Captain?" Gibbs asked.

"Singapore," he said, clutching the map.

"Singapore!" Will shouted. "Singapore? I want to go home to my wife. Not run off on a silly adventure with you!"

"How responsible of you, young William. But tough, boy, you're coming with me!" Jack said, trying to look like he was sure of himself. But he turned away from the men as quickly as he could. His head was on the line…again.

A/N: So very sorry that it took me soooo long to get this up. I spent a week or so with the idea and fleshing it out and I hope everyone likes it. Let me know if you do, or don't, savvy?

Thanks no matter what!

Manda