Chapter 16

Barbossa knew the trail. He had visited it on rare occasions when he could, memorizing everything about it, the turns, the stone that lined it, the trees that grew over it, and, of course, where it led. He pushed a bush aside and found the graveyard. He breathed in and out, spying one mound, lying down on one grave. He stood before it before kneeling down. He heard mutterings from it.

"Sparrow," he asked, putting a hand on her, "what are you doing?"

"Listening. I think I can hear her turning in her grave here." Jewel said, pushing herself up to look at him. Some of her hair fell into her face, making her push the locks behind her ear.

"A simple 'I'm sorry, now lets be friends' shouldn't work, but it is. After what you've done, it's working." Jewel said, turning back to her mother's grave. "She's not even buried here. Or did Tia tell you that already."

"It didn't seem right here being thrown into the dirt. You had her body wrapped in a sail, weighted with cannonballs, wearing her pirate clothes with her own sword at her side, then row her as far out to sea with Gibbs..." Barbossa stopped. Jewel took in a shuddering breath, recalling that day. He reached a hand out to give her shoulder a squeeze. She glanced at it and he took it off.

"What will bring you peace?" he asked

"You know what." she said, her voice low and deadly.

"So that's how it'll be then." he said, standing up. Jewel stood too, the two pirates facing each other.

"Aye." she said. She drew her sword, shortly after Barbossa drew his own. They stared, waiting for the other to make a move. At once, they attacked, striking their swords against each other. Jewel was the first to strike again, giving her the upper hand and making Barbossa defend from her moves. He parried a blow and sliced at her. Surprised Jewel stepped back, her heels touching a tombstone behind her, to quickly defend. Their fight continued like this of attack and defend.

"You've a talent Sparrow, a talent for fighting." Barbossa remarked

"That's something I didn't learn from you, in case you were curious." Jewel responded, switching sword hands to hold her cutlass in her left. She spun around and attacked, managing to grab the guard on Barbossa's in the process. She kicked him in the shins, and dropped her sword to punch him in the face. As soon as he let go of his sword. Jewel jumped back to headbut Barbossa in the gut. He fell and rolled in the dirt. Jewel picked up her sword and held both aimed at Barbossa, holding them like scissors in front of his neck.

"Feel any better?" Barbossa wheezed

"Only a little." she said. A determined look was on her face. Barbossa sighed.

"Be done with it then." he said, closing his eyes. Jewel moved the sword closer to his neck. It was one simple move, one simple cut, one simple twitch of her hands.

Her swords fell to the ground, before Jewel followed, landing on her knees.

"I can't do it." she said, "I just can't." She pushed herself up to her feet hastily. Barbossa stood up.

"What are you doing Sparrow?" he asked

"I need to... to do things. Just find the Fox and Hound and say to John 'You owe Jewel Sparrow a sailing vessel'. If he tries to turn away mention him chimney-sweeping in England if it weren't for me. I just, I need to go think." And with those words, Jewel had vanished once more.

The Fox and Hound pub, previously owned by The Black Rose of the Caribbean, was on the edge of the great town of Tortuga, in the slums where people lived. The crew of the Black Pearl walked inside and were greeted by a tall skinny man with balding red hair who stood behind a counter cleaning a mug.

"What's this then, a storm bring you lot in?" he asked, not used to having so many customers at once. Looking around the tavern, it was empty except for them.

"Are you John?" Will asked

"Who's asking?" The man asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We're friends of Jewel Sparrow." Will said. There was a thud beneath the counter. A young man stood up with shaggy black hair and a short beard.

"J-Jewel Sparrow?" he asked

"Aye," Barbossa said, walking forward, "And she told me to remind her, that you owe her a vessel what floats."

"No!" John said, walking out from behind the counter to the crew, "No, the Damsel is my ship, she's got me through rough times, I don't care if she stole it for me, it's mine now!"

"She stole a ship?" Ragetti asked

"For you?" Pintel finished

"Yes. Ms. Sparrow was kind enough to assist in mine and many of my friends escape by stealing that ship for me." John said

"And if it weren't for her, you'd be a chimney-sweep in England, is that right?" Barbossa asked. Elizabeth stepped forward.

"Please, we need the ship. It will help us get to Singapore." she said

"What good is sailing now?" John asked, sitting down at a booth. "Haven't ye heard? These waters are too dangerous even for pirates. What ever the reason for your going to Singapore, you'll not be using my ship." It was Gibbs' turn. He sat down across from John.

"Please understand this. Should succeed in our venture, we may have a chance a'stopping the carnage happenin'!" he said

"We're venturing to World's End." Tia said

"Definitely not!" John said

"To retrieve Jewel's fader." Tia added, "You nevah had one, but do not make Jewel suffer. You love her too much... You still love her." John glared at Tia. He stood up and pace in front of the booth and the pirates. He inhaled and exhaled several breaths, considering and thinking of everything. He stopped and stared at Tia.

"But she doesn't love me." he said, "She never even mentioned me until now." Looking over the crew and their expressions confirmed this fact for him. She forgot him until she needed him. John sighed and took a seat once more, running a hand through his hair. He looked away from them, before saying three words.

"The Damsel's yours."