-As We Were-
Chapter 2
Hello Again
Indeed the world was a bit less bright. Even with all of his obvious flaws, none present could deny the feeling of emptiness brought by Jack's death. He'd been one of a kind, and the lack of his presence was felt. It was too still, too quiet. Even the surrounding swamp was silent through the candlelit vigil outside. Inside Tia Dalma's shack, there was an overwhelming feeling of the world breaking apart. Jack and the Pearl were gone, and with them went all they represented.
Will had lost any hope of freeing his father. After finally being reunited with the man, he was needlessly torn away again. Without the Pearl how would he ever catch up to let alone defeat Davy Jones and the Dutchman? Strangely he didn't blame Jack for anything; he'd only been doing what was right by him. He'd already paid for his mistakes anyway. Then there was Elizabeth. It seemed he'd lost her as well. He'd dragged her into all of this, hadn't put her first. Perhaps he never even deserved her; he certainly never wanted to see her look so heart-broken.
It was not only heartbreak though. Only she knew what had really happened on the Black Pearl. Only she knew what she had done. She had given in to the seductive pull of piracy. She had thought she was tasting the freedom she'd heard about in stories since she was a child. As it turned out, this little adventure hadn't been nearly as freeing as she'd imagined. In the course of all this, she'd destroyed everything she'd ever really wanted. Will was so far away now; he looked at her like he didn't know her anymore. Who could blame him? She didn't really know herself. She'd drowned her doubts and killed what she thought stood in her way, but all that was left was guilt.
After all he'd seen Jack get out of, Gibbs had hardly expected it to end like this. There was something wrong about it all. It just didn't sit right. This was Captain Jack Sparrow! Besides, he'd never figured the man for a down-with-the-ship type. Surprising till the end, Jack was. The end seemed to fit the general feeling. Without Jack what would become of him? Of any of them? There was no Pearl and no piracy. Without piracy, Gibbs had no life. This was all he'd ever known. They'd all felt the trade companies closing in, but this all just put the nail in the coffin.
As they all raised their glasses to the fallen Captain, the groups thoughts wandered. Even Pintel and Ragetti knew it was a damn shame to lose such a fine pirate, or man as Elizabeth had put it.
It was a surprise when the crazy woman who had provided Jack's beloved jar of dirt suddenly demanded to know what they would do to return Jack. Her large eyes bore into theirs, knowingly. Her dark features and eccentric appearance were hard not to associate with Jack.
"What would any of you be willing to do? Hmm?"
Her heavy accent and commanding presence grabbed hold of each of them. She knew something. She knew what they felt, but she had knowledge of something beyond all of them. With the captain gone, whom else did they have to believe or follow? Were they willing to take the journey she spoke of?
As they all called out, "Aye," none of them really knew what she was insinuating. They only knew they wanted Jack to return. They had nothing left to lose anyway.
"But if you go an' brave de weird and haunted shores at world's end," Tia Dalma grinned and turned towards her stairs. "Then, you will need a captain who knows dos waters."
She only gazed calmly at the descending figure while what was left of the crew jumped to their feet and openly gaped. Eyes widened and a collective gasp echoed throughout the cramped quarters.
In his raspy voice, the dead man called out, "So, tell me. What's become of my ship?"
With a crunch of that apple and the shriek of the monkey, the daze was broken.
Will's voice barely came out above a whisper. "Barbossa…"
Barbossa chuckled and swung his hat off his head. "No, lad. It be Santy Claus."
"By the stars-" Gibbs crossed his heart and hopped in a circle of his left foot before leaning against thewall. He closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Huh." Barbossa, looking quite alive, shrugged and handed the remainder of the apple to his monkey, who shrieked and jumped across the room.
"I think I feel faint." Elizabeth bawked at the looks she received. "No, really."
She grabbed Will's shoulder for support, but his eyes never left Barbossa.
Barbossa leaned against the railing and eyed all those before him."Well, you all are the sorriest bunch I've seen. And considering where I've just come from, that's quite an accomplishment. I assume all ye were this sorrowful upon my passing?"