Title: Reclaiming Glory

Pairings: JS/OC, WT/ES

Overview: When your entire world is taken from you, will you sit still and watch it sail away? What is worth the cost of Reclaiming Glory? (Part Two of the Kindred Spirit Series – Continuation of Send Her My Love)

Disclaimer: So, I was thinking about getting off my butt and putting some paperwork through to try and own POTC. Then I checked the price tag. It's so not mine. Not even if I won the lottery.

A/N: Hello hello to all my faithful readers! Isn't it wonderful that I haven't completely forgotten about this story? Right now, I feel absolutely miserable – sick, exhausted from work, stressed out, missing my guy, and generally just unhappy. However! What better way to improve my mood (and vent a bit) than to post a new chapter?!
I couldn't think of a better way either. Though chocolate comes pretty damn close.
First, to my wonderful reviewers, cookies! -throws randomly flavoured cookies into the small group-
Princess-Maiden, I certainly hope that everything works out for them too. I love this pairing sooooo much! As for the island, my recommendation is wait and see. It'll be at least after this chapter, so I know I have you hooked for that long, lol.
HeavenlyKitten, yeah, I'm disliking Calico. But, due to the evilness of my mind, you'll soon find out that he's not actually the worst of the bunch. And sorry about not updating very soon, but I was on a Boondock Saints tangent. Still am to be honest. Ah well. -grins-
Yes, Nelle07, it's depressing, but I'm glad you have faith in Jack's abilities. He'll hafta get off the island otherwise the plot won't progress, and we can't have that, now can we?
Sirenne Claire, I had no idea that this story had so much sway. I'm glad you missed it, and I'm glad that putting up the next part has made you this happy. Just… don't kill me, kay?
And now, to chapter two.

Chapter Two: Loathing
Stuck a world apart, sometimes you can only watch the tide of time.

Payton groaned as she woke to find herself battered, bruised, and surprisingly enough, in a soft bed. With a wince, she closed her eyes, then opened them again. The surroundings did not change. This did not bode well. It meant one thing – after last night's "activities", Calico had not sent her back below deck as was his custom. No, instead he kept her in his spacious cabin. She felt icy fear shoot from her head to her toes as she drew the blankets closer around her nude body. No, this did not bode well in the least.

Jack was ruminating while staring at a coconut that sat defiantly in the sand. It was defiant only for it's refusal to be broken, and that was something that Jack Sparrow – Captain Jack Sparrow – would not have. Not to mention that there were plenty more coconuts on the island. Not to mention that he was already tired of eating them. No, this was personal. It refused to break. So it would pay.

There were obvious benefits to remaining in the captain's quarters. For one, the view from the aft window was phenomenal, but that gave Payton little comfort as she could not spot the island where Jack had been left. The illusion of privacy was nice as well, Payton had rushed to clothe herself as soon as she felt able to leave the bed. There was food left invitingly on the large wooden table, but she was hesitant to touch it. She had always been a quick study, and she had seen that Calico had a mean and often quite sudden temper. That thought alone stayed her hand from what lay upon the table. Another obvious perk was the luxury and comfort of the room. Windows were draped with velvet cloth, tables were inlaid with gold, crystal decanters stood in a locked armoire, a plush carpet rested on the floor, and down filled pillow of all colours and sizes bedecked nearly available space on the seats and bed. But even amidst the pretext of comfort, Payton could only feel like she was back in her crate below deck. A gilded cage was a cage none the less.

Then there was the problem of crew. There were few who were decent men onboard – Payton had yet to meet the women, though she had seen a beautiful blonde staring at her when she was first dragged aboard. The majority of the crewmembers appeared to be the lowest scum of the earth – evil men with evil pasts that were best not recounted. She shuddered each time she passed each leering face, covered in scars or tattoos. Often pinching, ghostly hands would reach out and touch her while she was being escorted – far too nice a word for how she was dragged to Calico's chambers. Of these men, it was Gilles who frightened her the most. He never spoke to her, never once touched her. All the same, he had stared at her, and that stare had felt of things she never wished to experience, things she did not even want to think of, things she couldn't possibly think of. And he had smiled that oily smirk, enjoying her squirming, and then he left. This happened every time he had come to see her. She was more than slightly glad that the clothes she wore from the Pearl had not been taken from her, or damaged. She doubted that a dress would be enough fabric to make her feel safe.

However, there was one benefit she noticed as the day passed agonizingly slowly. The crew liked to gossip. Loudly. Frequently. While they worked right outside the door of the cabin. Payton allowed herself a small smile. Perhaps there was something that she could do in all of this mess, something that would amount to something in the grand scheme of things.

There were benefits to insanity. Gibbs had called him daft, and the man was not far off the mark with that one. The longer Jack stared at the offending coconut sitting before him, the further away from plans to destroy it his mind wandered. And as his mind wandered, he found the need to drag it back, kicking and screaming, and rein it tightly in, again. Perhaps that's why he was thought of as daft.

A breeze stirred his hair, damp with his own sweat, as Jack continued to look at the coconut, which, being a coconut, did not budge. It made for a good distraction, for a while. Then his mind would cycle back, with flailing arms and loud curses, to the solid fact of the matter – here sat Captain Jack Sparrow, marooned, alone, desperately lonely, and terribly afraid. A man who many claimed did not feel fear, was sitting beneath the shade of a palm tree, frightened beyond what he could cope with. Which is why he sat staring at the coconut while his mind churned disagreeably.

Well, I could always shoot it…

The problem with being marooned was that often times, the island you were stuck on was either, a) not populated, b) populated by cannibals, c) unmapped, or d) dreadfully boring. This island covered three of the qualifications in one go.

Three outta four ain't bad…

He stretched, looking heavenward at the empty expanse of blue sky. A solitary bird flew overhead, crying out in the barren expanse of air. Jack turned his eyes earth-ward, angrily cursing the bird for having wings, cursing it for being free to fly where it pleased, to do as it wish, to go where it wished. But mostly he cursed it for being free. His gaze returned to the coconut. As it was a coconut, it did nothing, serving only to irk Jack further. He picked up the rock that he had been using earlier to try to bash the coconut open, and threw it at the offending fruit.

It split neatly in half, leaving Jack staring at it, mouth agape. Then he laughed, picking up the two pieces and eating what he could from it. Well, if that was a sign, then I suppose that the Powers That Be are telling me to be patient. Again, he turned his morose gaze to the horizon. Let's hope Payton has that sort of time.

Calico had returned late in the evening, taking what he wanted from Payton with not a word, no warning. She lay on the floor now, shivering, looking out at the sea while the waxing moon shone on. Wincing, she stood, and found her clothing in the dark, stealing past her captor on silent feet. The night was late, and few crew members were about on deck, and the captain's quarters were unguarded. Carefully, quietly, she slunk below the deck, making her way to the brig, hastily hiding to avoid any of the crew seeing her while they waiting for their turn with the other women aboard. Quickly, softly, she found the room she wanted, grabbing a key from the hook where the prison guard slept on, unaware. She winced when she heard the rust hinge scrape, but the guard did not stir, and she slipped into the room, eyes adjusting to the near pitch black inside. She could hear whispered words in voices that she recognized, and she made her way towards them, blind hands reaching out in front of her so she wouldn't bump into anything.

"Payton?" Hissed a female voice from one of the cells.

Payton blinked, then moved to the cell with a smile on her face. "Anamaria? Thank God you're okay!"

"I'd be better if I was out of here." The other woman grumbled. Gibbs interjected. "Did Jack come back?"

"No, no he isn't back. I managed to get away…" She smiled wistfully. "I've got the key. Who's in there with you?"

"Me an' Gibbs obviously, these two morons," Anamaria gestured to Ragetti and Pintel. "Also Mister Cotton, Abraham, Joesph, and Brian."

"Do you think that you could retake the Pearl?" Payton asked nervously.

Gibbs spoke up. "Probably. Why, d'ye have a plan lass?"

"Well, not much of one." She admitted bashfully. "Ye can swing over to the Pearl on one of the ropes here, an' then kill the resistance. From what I heard from the gossiping pirates earlier, the Pearl's only got a skeleton crew at best. They plan on selling you in Nassau, so most of the crew is in the brig over there." She unlocked the cell. "Follow me up. I know when it's safe." Dutifully, the pirates fell into step behind her. They moved passed the still sleeping guard, and Payton felt a twinge of pity for the man. She knew that what Calico would do to him for falling asleep on duty would be extremely painful, and could even involve an abrupt end to the man's life.

Then voices up ahead made her flatten herself to the wall, the pirates following suit. She peered down the dimly lit corridor to find two pirates at the junction of the hallways ahead. She cursed, then whispered back to those following her. "They're changing shift. This will make things difficult."

"Then we need to get movin' faster." Anamaria hissed, and Payton nodded.

"As soon as this guy is gone." She promised. Up ahead, the conversation ended, and the man moved down the hall. Payton could hear her heart pounding in her chest, and she watched, muscles tense as he got closer and closer. Then the man disappeared into one of the rooms along the corridor, and she breathed a breath of relief. "Let's get outta here." She guided the pirates up through the bowels of the Helio until they reached the open air of the deck. They paused in the shadows of the staircase, all eyes directed toward the path to freedom, looking for any obstacles. After several minutes of agonizing waiting, Payton decided the way was clear and they quickly moved across the deck to a secluded section by the rail. "Over there is the Pearl. We'll use this rope to swing across." She handed the rope to Gibbs. "Try not to make too much noise when you get over there, alright?"

He nodded curtly, sweating slightly. Gibbs climbed up on the rail, and gulped when he saw the murky waters below. Steeling himself, he pushed off from the Helio, and landed, with minimal difficulties on the deck of the Pearl. Payton let out a sigh of relief.

"Next?"

They passed across fairly easily, with little noise, and soon all that remained were Abraham, Anamaria and Payton. Unexpectedly, Abraham snatched the rope from Anamaria's hands, and sneered at Payton. "You'll be next ta go whore. First Jack, then ye, mark me words." He swung across and started shouting orders to the remaining crew who was alive on the Pearl. The noise from the other ship made the crew of the Helio come to the realization that something was terribly amiss, and alarm bells were rung. Payton cursed, and grabbed another rope, thrusting it on Anamaria. At her dubious expression, Payton sighed. "I'll be right behind you. I promise." Still not pleased, Anamaria took the rope anyway, swinging across to the Pearl to help the pirates.

Payton was waiting for the rope to return so she could swing back across when an iron hand latched onto her shoulder, making her cry out.

"So this's where ye went. What a naughty naughty little girl." Payton turned to see Gilles standing over her with the most disturbing smirk she had even seen on his face. She gulped, wishing she could get away. "Come now girly. Let's see what the Captain has to say about your mutinous behaviour." He dragged a struggling Payton away from the railing.

Please review! I look forward to knowing what you think. After all, review is to reader as updating is to writer, if you catch my drift that is.