Chapter 10
"Dead men tell no tales!" Cotton's parrot squawked.
What a way to cheer everyone up, Grace thought as she passed Mr. Cotton and the bird to take a place next to Will at the railing.
Slowly they sailed through a dense fog. From the rail, everyone looked solemnly at the vast number of ships that had sunk around Isla de Muerta. The mast of a submerged ship scraped the bottom of the Interceptor and Grace looked down. In the water she could see not only ship's remains but numerable hammerhead sharks following them, just waiting for the ship to sink.
"Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage," Gibbs said.
"I hope Jack knows what he's doing," Grace murmured to no one in particular.
Turning to look at Jack, Will asked, "How is it that Jack came by that compass?"
He, Grace, and Gibbs stepped away from the rail.
"Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta," Gibbs answered. "That was before I met him, back when he was Captain of the Black Pearl."
"What?" Will was quite surprised. "He failed to mention that."
"Well, he plays things closer to the vest now. And a hard-learned lesson it was. See three days out on the venture the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure, too, so Jack gives up the bearings. That night there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."
"Ah. So that's the reason for all the . . ." Will began mimicking Jack's moves and facial expressions making Grace laugh.
"Reason's got nothing to do with it. Now, when a man is marooned he is a given a pistol with a single shot. One shot. Well it won't do much good hunting or to be rescued, but after three weeks of a starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol will start to look real friendly. But Jack, he escaped the island, and he still has that one shot. Oh, but he won't use it though, save for one man. His mutinous first mate."
"Barbossa," Will realized.
"Aye."
"But how did Jack get off the island?" Grace wanted to know.
"Well, I'll tell ye. He waded out into the shallows and there he waited three days and three nights till all manner of sea creature came and acclimated to his presence. And on the fourth morning, he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, lashed 'em together and made a raft."
"He roped a couple of sea turtles?" Will said skeptically.
"Aye, sea turtles."
"What did he use for rope?"
"Yeah," Grace chimed in. "If he only had a pistol with one shot, what did he use?"
Gibbs opened his mouth to speak, but frowned, realizing he had no idea. Suddenly, Jack's voice was heard.
"Human hair, from my back."
"Human hair," Grace repeated disbelievingly. "from your back."
"Yes, love."
Will looked at Grace in amusement, waiting to see what she'd do. As Jack walked away, Grace quickly followed him.
"Oh, Jack," she called.
Jack stopped and turned with a grin. "Yes?"
"No hard feelings."
"What?"
She didn't slap him as hard as Anamaria had, but it still shocked him.
"What did I deserve that for?" he demanded.
"I said I'd slap you the next time you called me love," Grace told him.
"I never heard that."
"You were too busy taking in the scenery of Tortuga to notice."
Grace turned leaving Jack gawking at her. She grinned when she saw Will chuckling quietly.
"Let go the anchor!" Jack ordered, snapping out of his daze. He walked over to Gibbs. "Young Mr. Turner and I are to go ashore."
"Captain, what if the worst should happen?" Gibbs asked.
"Keep to the code," Jack ordered.
"Aye, the code."
Jack and Will walked over to where a rowboat was being lowered. Grace quickly stopped Jack before he climbed down to it.
"I want to go with you."
"No," Jack said without looking at her.
"Come on, Jack, this isn't because I slapped you is it?" Grace asked.
Jack looked at her smugly. "Maybe."
Grace sighed. "Would it help if I apologized?"
"Perhaps." Jack grinned. "Try me."
Grace wasn't really that sorry, but she apologized anyway. "I'm sorry I slapped you."
Jack thought it over for a long moment. Making a face, he said, "I don't know if that was sincere enough."
Grace sighed in exasperation. "What do you want me to do? Get down on my knees and beg you for forgiveness?"
Jack grinned. "Now there's an idea."
"I wasn't serious."
"Well then, I guess you'll have to stay."
Before Grace could protest, Will spoke for her. "Just let her come, Jack."
"Oh, all right," Jack agreed grudgingly.
Grace smiled at Will in gratitude and he smiled back making her heart flutter. She quickly looked away before she could blush.
Thanks for the reviews! I planned for this chapter to be longer, but with Christmas coming I haven't had time to write and I wanted to get something up since I haven't updated in a while. Luciferian, I want to get away from the movie more, but I haven't been able to take as much time planning this as I would like. If anyone has any ideas for me, feel free to PM me. :o)
