Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or plotlines of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl." If I did, I wouldn't be sitting here writing fanfiction; I'd be off making money. Which I am not doing with this work. I do, however, lay claim to the characters of Genesis Wolfe and Rosalyn O'Brien, and would be pleased as punch if you did not use them without my permission. Thank you, darlings.
Author's Note:I'd like to apologize to anyone who took offense to my original summary in which I referred to the "monotony" of the romantic fics around the site. It came out in a far more negative way than I had meant it to. I adore romantic fictions, and I meant that my story was a step away from that, just a bit of fun, light fluff instead of a more dramatic story. So I apologize, and have changed my wording.
Chapter 8: In Which Will Gains Some Brownie Points
The sound of waves and seagulls woke her up. Genesis groaned, mumbling something about not wanting to go to work. She heard, or rather felt, a chuckle beneath her. She scowled, opening one eye to look up at the barred window, sunlight pouring in.
Barred?
She moaned again, trying to remember if she had been drinking the night before, and if she had done anything that would send her to jail. Then she remembered. And cursed.
Her pillow chuckled again.
She slowly turned over to see a handsome face surrounded by a mass of dark hair.
"Welcome to the realm of consciousness, lass," Jack said in a low, rumbling tone.
"Ugh."
"Well, not what I usually hear from the women I wake up with, but good morning to you too," he said with a grin.
She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"
"I'd say around 11:00 in the morning," Jack replied looking out at the sun. "We hang at noon."
"Oh," Gen replied shortly. She sat up, turning to look at him seriously. "Jack, there's something I have to tell you before we're hanged."
"What's that, love?"
"You were the best pillow I've ever had."
Jack chuckled. "You're not such a bad blanket yourself, Miss Morgan."
"Gen."
"Pardon?"
"Call me Gen."
Jack smiled, watching her stretch out the kinks of last night's sleep. "Gen it is, then."
Gen leaned against the wall, looking out the window, as Jack picked up the bone of the previous night's activities and began to rub it quickly against the bars of their cell, sharpening it to a point slowly. She raised an eyebrow as he finally got it to the shape he desired and stuck it into the lock.
"Oh," she said. "Sophisticated."
"Well, your ability to sit there and look good enough to eat, while fascinating, is hardly going to get us out of here."
"Thank you, I think, and I'm waiting for the opportune moment, I'll have you know."
The sound of footsteps descending the stairs kept Jack from responding. Gen gave him a rather superior look and smile, then took to braiding a small lock of her hair.
"'Allo, love," she said as Will approached, not even looking up. Jack had dropped the bone, laying back on the cell floor innocently.
"You!" Will said. "Sparrow!"
"Aye," Jack said, looking up as if he hadn't noticed Will practically falling down the stairs in his haste.
"You are familiar with that ship, the Black Pearl?"
Jack cast a glance at Genesis, then looked back to Will. "I've heard of it."
"Where does it make berth?"
"It gets me so hot when you go all nautical," Gen teased Will flushed furiously, and Jack smirked.
"'Where does it make berth?'" he repeated. "Have you not heard the stories?" He sat up. "Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sail from the dreaded Isla de Muerta. It's an island that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is."
By this time, Genesis had begun whistling the X-Files theme.
"The ship's real enough," Will said, furrowing his brow. "Therefore its anchorage must be a real place. Where it is?"
"Why ask me?" Jack asked, studying his nails.
"Because you're a pirate?"
"Well, that's awfully rude," Gen piped up. "Just because he's a pirate means he knows where the Island o' Death is? That's like assuming all black people like fried chicken and malt liquor." She gasped. "You're racist!"
"What is racist?" Will asked, confused.
"Never mind, whitey."
"So you want to turn pirate yourself, is that it?" Jack asked, interrupting the two.
"Never!"
"RACIST!"
"I'm not racist!" Will said, clearly still unsure of what it was. He sighed, defeated. "They took Miss Swann."
Jack brightened. "Oh, so it is that you've found a girl. I see." He propped his head up with his hands casually. "Well, if you're intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue, and so win fair lady's heart you'll have to do it alone, mate. I see no profit in it for me."
"I can get you out of here."
"How's that?" Jack asked. "Key's run off."
"Who's fault was that?" Gen asked. Jack glared at her.
"I helped build these cells," Will said, examining the door. "These are half pin-barrel hinges." He pulled a bench over and wedged it tightly against the cell door. "With the right leverage and proper application of strength, the door will lift free."
Jack tilted his head at Will. "What's your name?"
"Will Turner."
"That will be short for William, I imagine," Jack said absently, clearly mulling the name over in his head. "Good strong name. No doubt named for your father, eh?"
"Yes," Will said slowly, clearly suspicious of this new line of questioning.
"Uh-huh," Jack said, hopping to his feet. "Well, Mr. Turner, I've changed me mind. If you spring us from this cell, I swear on pain of death I shall take you to the Black Pearl, and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?"
"Why her?" Will asked, nodding towards Genesis.
Jack turned to his companion, shrugging. "Yes, Gen," he said. "Why should our valiant Mr. Turner break you out as well?"
Gen narrowed her eyes at Jack for leaving her hanging, then smiled at Will. "Because there has to be someone around with breasts to distract Jack from ravishing your dear Elizabeth," she said matter-of-factly. "He is a pirate, after all."
Jack turned to Will. "See?" he said. "She's sure to come in handy."
Will wrinkled his nose, and stuck his hand through the bars. "Agreed."
"Agreed," Jack said, shaking Will's hand briefly. "Get us out."
Will grunted as he pushed the bench against the bottom of the cell door, lifting it free. "Hurry. Someone will have heard that."
"Not without our effects," Jack said, hurrying toward the pegs on the wall that held his belongings and Gen's bag. He tossed the bag her way, and she caught it, looping it over her shoulder.
"Why bother with that?" Will said, eyeing Jack's pistol. "You could've escaped if you'd killed me before but you weren't willing to use it."
"Are you advising me that was a mistake?" Jack asked, cocking the pistol and pointing it at Will. It was the second time Will had stared down its dark barrel in the past two days. Gen was rather impressed that he seemed to take it in stride. Jack cocked his head as Will slowly reached for his sword. "When you've only got one shot, it's best to wait for the opportune moment. That wasn't it."
There was a moment of silence, and Genesis wondered fleetingly if Jack was actually going to shoot the blacksmith. He wasn't supposed to…but she didn't remember this in the movie. What if something had gone wrong.
"Don'tshoottheeunuchdon'tshoottheeunuchdon'tshoottheeunuch…"
"Neither is this," Jack finished, putting his pistol back to half-cock and slipping it into his belt.
"Miss Morgan."
Gen spun on her heel to look at Will. He held a sword. A copper filigree hilt, and flame-covered blade. Her sword.
He tossed it her way, and she caught it carefully, a bit clumsily, making sure not to touch the sharp blade. She gave it a quick spin, and glanced back at him.
"Thought you might need it," he said simply. "It's one of my lighter swords."
"Thanks, Willy," she said with a grin. "Maybe you're not so bad after all."
He frowned at her nickname. "We'll see if the same goes for you."
"Leaving!" Jack's voice echoed down the stairs. Will threw Gen a sheath with a buckle, and she attached it to her belt, sliding the sword into its new home at her hip, before they both took off, following the pirate captain.
Jack, Will, and Genesis made their way stealthily out of the gaol, finding themselves underneath a bridge, looking out at the Dauntless.
"We're going to steal a ship," Will asked absently, as if he couldn't believe what he was about to do. "That ship?"
"Commandeer," Jack corrected. "We're going to commandeer that ship. Nautical term." He grinned at Gen, in regards to her previous sarcastic statement of the effect Will's nautical language had on her. She shook her head.
"No effect on me at all, Captain Sparrow," she said cheerfully. "You're no blacksmith."
Will grimaced a bit, causing identical snickers from Jack and Gen. Jack peered out at the ship, then turned to Will. "One question about your business, boy, or there's no use going. This girl…how far are you willing to go to save her?"
"I'd die for her," Will replied, his tone icy and passionate. Gen raised her eyebrows. Jack turned to her.
"And you, love," he said. "What reasons do you have for joining us?"
"I've always wanted to go on a cruise."
"Oh, good. No worries, then."
Minutes later, the trio were underneath an overturned boat, treading water.
"This is either madness or brilliance," Will said from behind Genesis.
"It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide," Jack quipped. Gen snickered, which turned into a round of stifled giggling as she stepped over a lobster trap, and Will failed to do the same.
They reached a rope hanging down from the Dauntless, climbing up as quietly as possible. Gen went last, knowing the two men would have an easier time of it. Her arms burned as she ascended the rope; her upper body strength really sucked. She'd have to work on that.
Will silently pulled Gen aboard by the wrist, and Jack pulled out his sword, walking straight into the throng of armed soldiers.
"Everyone stay calm!" he announced. "We are taking over this ship."
"Aye!" Will cried dramatically. "Avast!"
The men laughed and Jack looked disgusted.
"I hate you," Gen said. "I hate you so very much."
"This ship cannot be crewed by two men," Gillette said. Gen snorted indignantly, but he ignored her. "You'll never make it out of the bay."
Jack pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Gillette's nose. "Son, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?"
The other soldiers began to aim their guns, but paused when two blades, held by Gen and Will, made their way to the lieutenant's throat as well.
"Commodore!"
Commodore Norrington looked up from his map on the deck of the Interceptor to see his second-in-command waving his arms wildly in a longboat. Gen watched him from her spot near the helm of the Dauntless as he looked up to see her. She waved, blowing him a kiss.
"Here they come," Will said as the Interceptor began to give chase. Jack smiled from behind the helm, not attempting to flee.
The soldiers were distracted by the quick departure of the Interceptor, giving Gen, Jack, and Will plenty of time to climb up to one of the higher points of the Dauntless. They gripped three ropes, ducking down so that they weren't seen.
The Interceptor pulled up next to the Dauntless, and soldiers, including Norrington, climbed aboard the larger ship. Gen swallowed a lump in her throat as Will and Jack pushed off from the platform they were on, swinging to the Interceptor. She followed, holding her breath until she dropped down onto the fast ship's deck. Will flew to the helm, making a sharp turn away from the Dauntless, and Jack took the opportunity to gloat.
"Thank you, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way," he said with a grin. "We'd have had a hard time of it by ourselves."
Norrington turned to his men and began shouting orders, desperate to catch them. Gen grinned. She'd helped Jack disable the rudder herself; they'd never be able to catch them in time.
"See you later, handsome," she shouted to Norrington, who looked about to burst. She smiled and jumped down from the platform she was on to help Will tie down the sails.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Theodore Groves sidled up to Commodore Norrington, dark eyes trained on the retreating form of the Interceptor. Norrington's head was bowed in exasperation, but Groves, as per usual, paid little heed to his superior officer's (and friend's) dour mood.
"Those have to be the best pirates I've ever seen."
Norrington released an irritated sigh and raised his head. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Sparrow seemingly instructing the girl on working the sails. The scene caused a fleeting look of curiosity flicker over the commodore's face before it once again fell into an expression of annoyance.
"So it would seem."
Reviewer Responses:
Jilly – Please see the above author's note, if you are indeed reading this story still. However, you're clearly under the impression that is a purely self-insert story, which it is not. Genesis and Rosalyn, while based on real people (and each are really more of a mixture of multiple persons), are entirely fictional. I apologize if I offended you, but please do not demean my work simply because you thought I was slamming other authors' choices of genre.
Verity Strange – I'm glad that you like it, darling! And yes, Genesis and Rosalyn have both seen CotBP before, so they ultimately know most of what will be happening. However, I imagine that if I were sucked into the movie, I'd have a sense of disorientation and not always know exactly what was going to happen. I try to show this in Genesis, such as when she first met Norrington and forgot he was coming, let alone about to hold a sword to his throat. For the sake of keeping her true identity safe, she also pretends not to know; she knows certain things have to happen, even if she doesn't like them. Rosalyn, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care much about sharing her knowledge of the future; she just claims to be psychic. LOL.
Queenofinsanity – Hello again, my dear! I knew you'd be among the first reviewers. And here are some more chapters; not quite as quick as you'd been hoping, but hopefully you still approve. XD