Princess-Maiden: Thx for reviewing again. No, it's not going to follow the second or the third movie plots. However, as you have noticed, I have used some characters from them, as for example Cutler. I just like this character and writing him. I cannot help it, I just like the way he is cruel and malevolent. Sorry :) As for the love triangle… if you mean Jack, Liz and Chris, I guess it is a kind of a love triangle. But considering it from Jack's POV, it's always more lust than love, isn't it? But as I don't have the story planned out, we will just see where it takes me next, chapter after chapter. That's also why it's going so slow now… Enjoy
Jack agreed with Gibbs and then disregarded them both, turning back to his thoughts about Chris and Elizabeth on the stairs. Will put on an angry and offended look when Jack told him that Gibbs was right, and stormed off like a little schoolboy. Jack saw him out of the corner of his eye.
Still like a whelp.
Gibbs noticed Jack's look, directed at the two women, smiled knowingly and whispered.
"You should marry her, Jack, you know…"
"Aye, I know." Jack said absent-mindedly, and Gibbs left quickly, before Jack realized what he had just said.
"What? No! Gibbs? I don´t… Wait! Bloody Gibbs." Jack turned back to where Chris and Elizabeth were sitting.
Which one did he mean, anyway?!
But he wasn't given much time to think about it.
"Cap'n, Cutler is on our tail again, gainin' fast!"
Bloody hell! How come this git has a faster ship?! Ain't. Bloody. Fair.
But then it dawned on him. The Pearl was loaded with loads of barrels with powder and cannon balls, by the order of Cutler himself, when he wanted to blow the Pearl to pieces before the hanging.
"Load the cannons, fire at will!" The crew rushed to obey. Jack saw even Norrington rush below decks to man a cannon.
Will lighten me ship, and slow yer down, yer git.
Elizabeth and Chris ran up the stairs to the helm to Jack. The Pearl's cannons were soon ready and a shot after shot being fired was heard. Jack and Chris watched as some hit the target and some just whizzed harmlessly by the Triumph, as Elizabeth ran to find Will. The Triumph wasn't returning fire. Chris raised her eyebrows at Jack in surprise, but Jack looked as surprised as she did. However, the Triumph was still faster than the Pearl, and still gaining. Some of the holes that could be seen on the approaching ship didn't appear to do much damage, as none seemed to be below her water line.
Once again in very few days, the Triumph ended up next to the Pearl, towering above her, being a few decks higher. Once again, the Pearl's crew fought a lost battle. Once again, all the crew that escaped being killed were captured and brought on deck the Triumph. Once again, Cutler appeared before them with a triumphant smile. He walked past the lined-up prisoners, including Will, Elizabeth, Norrington, some others and of course Chris and Jack. He stopped before Jack, who fought the urge to kill this man on the spot.
"As you have probably noticed, I did not fire on your ship, Sparrow."
"Is that so?" Asked Jack sarcastically. Beckett rolled his eyes and continued.
"As sad as it sounds, I am inclined to negotiate with you."
Chris, Will, Elizabeth and Norrington were all shooting surprised glances at each other.
"Is that so?" Asked Jack again, seemingly unsurprised.
"Yes. I would not negotiate with you, of course, but unfortunately, I learned news in the morning, that forced me to do so."
Jack raised his eyebrows for Beckett to continue.
"I learned, from a very reliable source, that the treasure I want from Isla de Muerta can be claimed from the cave by a branded pirate only and therefore I need someone to get it for me."
Jack did his best to hold the laughter that was quickly building up inside of him. From a reliable source, of course. This whole only-a-branded-pirate thing was nothing but a rumor that Jack himself made up and spread after he got back from nearly being hanged in Port Royal, because he wanted to have the treasure to himself and this was a sure way of securing it. After all, pirates were superstitious and cowardly, and the punishment he thought up for any not-branded pirate who would try to take it was quite severe. However, Jack wondered how it could have gotten to Beckett. But after all, pirates were worse gossipers than old Tortuga whores.
Anyway, nice move, Jack, now yer have something to bargain with. Let's see.
"Alright, let's say I'd get it for yer, what's in it for me?" Jack grinned but everyone else shot him a dangerous look. "I mean us." Jack wildly gesticulated with his hands to all his fellow prisoners.
"I will not hang the lot of you." Beckett said, not meaning to fulfill a single word of it. "You will leave the Caribbean waters, go pirating somewhere else, settle on land and start a family, I do not care, but if I catch any of you pirating in the Caribbean again, then you will hang. Fair deal, is it not?" Beckett asked with a smile.
Jack considered his options.
He very likely will not fulfill these terms. Our hanging is still too tempting for him to just let it drop. But still better than nothing. Besides, I can always also not fulfill the terms. That's against the Code. Never mind. I can just take the gold and disappear with the whole crew, the Pearl. Aye, I always find a way. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow.
"Well?" Beckett asked impatiently.
"Very well then." Answered Jack and held out his hand for Beckett to shake it. "Release us and we'll be on our merry little way to find yer little treasure, as it were." Jack turned around, not waiting for Beckett to shake his hand anymore and succeeded in taking two steps before he was stopped by two guards.
"Not so fast, Sparrow, do you really think I am that stupid? Of course I will keep one of your precious crew with me. So that you return with the treasure." Beckett smiled coldly and Jack pursed his lips.
"You can choose who you want to leave with me, Jack. Elizabeth, or Chris?" He asked innocently.
Jack spun back around. Will started to wriggle in his guards' hold and shouted, "Elizabeth is not part of any bargain!", Elizabeth just froze cold, Norrington gaped and Chris snorted.
"What?" Asked Jack meekly.
"You heard me very well. Choose, Jack." Beckett wore a wicked grin now.
"But…" Tried Jack, but Beckett cut him off.
"Now, Jack, or I choose for you."
Jack looked desperately from Elizabeth to Chris, then to Will, who wore the most dangerous and killing look ever. Jack knew exactly what it meant. Choose Elizabeth and you will not be alive to even get back aboard the Pearl, let alone get the treasure. But I can't choose Chris, just simply can't, Beckett'd…
"I am waiting, Jack."
"Alright, I choose, after yer give me yer word that yer will return her completely unharmed."
"You are in no position for such a demand, Jack. The only word I will give you is that she will be alive when you get her back."
Jack scowled. He didn't like the sound of "alive".
From bad to worse, as usual.
He looked at Elizabeth, who had a terrified look on her face now.
I just can't give him Lizzie. She's so…so…fragile. But Chris…
Jack's eyes darted to Chris. She was calm; she knew that Jack would never give Elizabeth to Beckett. She looked into his eyes and gave him an encouraging little nod and a small smile. Jack cringed when he thought of what Beckett would probably do to her. But still, he can't give him Lizzie.
"Jack?!"
Jack didn't know what to do. For the first time in his life, he felt utterly helpless.
"Jack?!"
"Chris, keep Chris with you."
Jack said, barely audible and closed his eyes. Beckett smiled widely, the first real content and complacent smile Chris saw on his face since that day she was promised to him. She looked at him with the same disgust she did that day, so long ago.
"How do I find you when I have the treasure?" Asked Jack. Beckett tossed him his compass.
"With this. By now the thing you want most in this world is me… dead." Beckett answered, then shook hands with Jack, who did so very reluctantly, and the rest of the crew started to return to the Pearl. Jack turned his head before stepping onto the gangplank that was joining the two ships to see Chris's hands being shackled behind her back. He gave her his best I-am-very-sorry look, cursed under his breath and swore to all sea gods to kill Beckett slowly and painfully.
--------
as always, I am eagerly awaiting any reviews. thx for reading