I was awoken when Jack suddenly sat up.
"Oof." I hit the sand and spluttered as some got to my mouth. My head was slightly pounding as I sat up to see Jack staring at the trees.
I turned around and my mouth fell open. There was a large pile of rum amongst the trees, the leaves were on fire and about the entire sky was filled with grey smoke. Maybe this would work.
Elizabeth threw more contents onto the fire and then ducking when it exploded. Jack's eyes grew wide and he began to shake his arms around
"No! Not good! Stop! Not good!" Jack ran towards her "What are you doing? You burned all the food, the shade! The rum!" he complained. Elizabeth walked forwards right past him as I stood up, looking out to the ocean as Jack turned back to follow her.
"Yes, the rum is gone."
"Why is the rum gone?" Jack questioned standing right behind her. Elizabeth spun around angrily to face him
"One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two, that signal is over a thousand feet high." she looked up to it "The entire Royal Navy is out looking for me, do you really think that there is even the slightest chance that they won't see it?" she questioned
"But why is the rum gone?" Jack asked again. Elizabeth turned and sat on the sand to look out to the horizon.
"Just wait, Captain Sparrow. You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye out and then you will see white sails on that horizon." she promised. Jack reached to his belt and pulled his pistol out in anger. He raised it and stopped for a second before he put it back. He turned and stalked off from Elizabeth.
"I'll go bring him back." I decided
"Why?" Elizabeth wondered
"Because if the navy does get here and you want to save Will, Jack's the only one who knows how to get there, ergo, you need him." I shrugged simply. She didn't argue but turned her head from me.
I ran after Jack, staggering a few times in the sand as I followed him, as he was stalking off it wasn't difficult.
"If it makes you feel any better we have a 98% chance of getting off this island." I said walking next to them
"And what about the other 2%?" he questioned
"Again with the negativity." I rolled my eyes
"Did you know about this?" Jack asked, he stopped walking and pointed to the rising smoke. I glanced at it
"Um…" I dragged out the word
"Why would you let her do that?!" he raged waving his hands about
"Hey I kept some of the rum just in case." I said shrugging. He waved his hands around some more before turning to keep going. I rolled my eyes and followed
""Must've been terrible for you to be trapped here, Jack. Must've been terrible for you." Well it bloody is now!" Jack shouted back towards the beach. I saw sails over the ridge and jogged past him to see a long boat making it's way towards us.
"Huh." I said, Jack stopped next to me as he spotted it too.
"There'll be no living with her after this." he muttered.
"Nope." I nodded before grabbing Jack's arm and pulling him back to the beach "We don't want to leave our boots." I said simply and he let me drag him.
We reached Elizabeth and she watched us as I dusted off the sand from my feet and pulled the boots on, Jack pulling his vest, boots and putting on his effects.
"What is it?" Elizabeth asked
"The Dauntless." I pointed to where it had been. She stood up to look just as a few officers appeared over the ridge. She waved her arms and began to move towards them.
"Time to bare the punishment." I said with a sigh before following.
I found Norrington talking to Elizabeth when I arrived.
"Commodore." I greeted with a slight tip of my imaginary hat.
"Miss Langford." he said, almost sneering it
"Told you we'd bring her back in one piece." I gestured to Elizabeth. Jack then arrived behind me
"Commodore, what a pleasure." he said sarcastically. James glared at him for a second before he turned back to Elizabeth, his expression much happier.
"Come, we need to get you to the Dauntless, your father will be very pleased to see you." and he escorted Elizabeth to the long boat.
"Great, cold shoulder from the Commodore." I muttered to Jack. He nodded as two soldiers flanked him and began to move him towards the long boat also.
"Hey." I tapped one of their shoulders "It's alright, he's not exactly going to stay here." I said indicating to the island. I took Jack's hand and pulled him with me "Soldiers." I muttered. I preferred pirates, at least them you could shoot and not many would care.
Wow, that wasn't something I'd ever expected to say.
I sat next to Jack in the long boat as Norrington sat next to my cousin.
"Oh Elizabeth!" the Governor enveloped her in a hug "Thank goodness."
"Christine." I turned around and saw my father walking towards me
"Father?" I said surprised as he hugged me also
"Are you alright?"
"Yes." I said still surprised "What are you doing here?" I wondered
"Looking for you." He said simply. I blinked
"You're not mad?" I asked, biting my lip
"That you risked all to save your family?" he smiled and hugged me again "No." I glanced at Jack who looked slightly impressed, but confused at the same time. I raised my hands in a shrug.
"Hang on though, if you and the Governor are here, who's looking after Port Royal?" I removed myself from my father's arms.
"Your mother." he said simply. My eyebrows shot up
"You left mother in charge?" A women was never in a high ranking of authority, they were just… decoration. I sneered slightly at that.
It was surprising though, the Governor was all about social status and power to the right people, he wouldn't give such a job to a women and my mother, being the same, would never accept it.
"She took a while to convince however." the Governor admitted. Yeah that was my mother.
"Where be Mr Turner?" Norrington asked
"He's been kidnapped by the same pirates that took Elizabeth. He sacrificed himself to save us and if we don't do anything he'll be dead before morning." I explained simply. Everyone looked at me "What?" I shrugged
"Commodore arrange to set sail for Port Royal." the Governor ordered
"No!" I said quickly "We can't leave Will to die after what he did for us." I disagreed looking at both the Governor and Norrington
"After releasing a prisoner and stealing a ship?" Norrington asked. He seemed somewhat disappointed to not be able to arrest the boy.
"I held part in that too, in fact I'm the one who removed the guards so that Will could get to Jack, yet I do not see myself in chains." I held my wrists up in proof.
"Miss Langford, are you suggesting we hang you too?" James wondered
"I'm saying that if Will and I hadn't done anything and just left you to 'determine the possible course' you would have never found Elizabeth, Port Royal would be under attack again and you'd be sailing the seas for the rest of your life looking for your daughter who probably would have ended up dead." I aimed the last part at my uncle. My father placed a hand on my shoulder but I was over all this higher class business.
"Thanks to us Elizabeth is safe, I am safe, you have Jack back in your hands," I pointed to the pirate who gave me an annoyed grin "And yet you're going to leave Will to die for his heroic actions?"
"Christine." my uncle stepped forward "You will learn to hold your tongue and respect the decisions made by…"
"Those of a higher ranking then me?!" I asked enraged. The governor glanced at me and then at my father before turning
"Commodore?" the Governor asked. I wanted to shoot him, even though he was my uncle
"Oh no." Jack grabbed my arms as I balled my fists. "That wouldn't be smart now would it, love?" I gave him a look. Elizabeth was on my side and refused to give up either, maybe her father would listen to her.
"But we've got to save Will." she argued
"No. You're safe now. We will return to Port Royal immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates!" her father disagreed
"Christine?" my father placed a hand on my cheek
"I'm fine. Just heavily disappointed." I said to him, the glare fixed to my features.
"That's a strong girl you've got there sir." Jack grinned, I think Jack was expecting to be put down by my father as the Governor and James would have done, but he only smiled.
"Thank you." Jack looked surprised as my father left me to go after the governor
"That was strange," Jack muttered
"He's not like most people, he let his six year old daughter learn to fight and use a sword and only moved to Port Royal so that I'd get to stay with Elizabeth." I smiled, proud of him.
"Quite a father." he thought. I nodded
"To rescue me. To prevent anything from happening to me." Elizabeth reminded her father and Jack and I turned to look at them.
"If I may be so bold as to inject my professional opinion." Jack said walking up to Norrington. The commodore exasperated. "The Pearl was listing near to scuppers after the battle. It's very unlikely she'll be able to make good time." he assured as Norrington waited for him to finish, not caring. "Think about it. The Black Pearl. The last real pirate threat in the Caribbean, mate. How can you pass that up?" Jack glanced at the governor a few times and plastered a smile on his face.
"By remembering that I serve others, Mr. Sparrow, not only myself."
"Leaving a man to die so you can keep your possible finance safe?" I asked angrily. Norrington gave me a look before he turned to walk to the helm but Elizabeth wasn't finished as she followed him, the rest of us following her.
"Commodore, I beg you, please do this. For me." she took a deep breath "As a wedding gift." Norrington stopped and looked at her surprised
"What?" I asked surprised. She couldn't marry Norrington, this trip had just thrown her more head over heels for Will!
"Elizabeth. Are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?" Governor Swann asked appearing next to her.
"I am." Elizabeth answered not taking her eyes off of the Commodore.
"A wedding! I love weddings… drinks all around!" Jack cheered. I hit his shoulder and gave him a stern look as Norrington pursed his lips and looked at the pirate annoyed. Jack's smile faded and he extended his arms, exposing his wrists.
"I know. "Clap him in irons," right?" he said. Norrington sighed and walked a few steps towards him.
"Mr. Sparrow, you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to Isla de Muerta." Norrington instructed, indicating to the soldiers standing behind him "You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase "silent as the grave." Do I make myself clear?" he asked
"Inescapably clear." Jack said before he was then forced up the stairs to the helm.
I grabbed Elizabeth's arm and pulled her closer to me
"Are you sure about this, I'm sure we could have just knocked a few crew members out during the night and steered the ship to Isla de Muerta." I said. Elizabeth gave me a look "What, Jack would help." I assured her
"He's a bad influence on you." she hissed
"I've noticed." I mumbled nodding. I then shook my head "This isn't about that, are you sure about using your marriage to James to save Will? It's not something you can back out of."
"It doesn't matter if he said yes or no, I still would have said yes, I can't exactly decline his request." Elizabeth thought
"Well you can, just a lot of people would disagree with your choice." I nodded
"Exactly." she said glancing at the commodore who was keeping an eye on Jack. "If I'm going to say yes anyway then I might as well save Will in the process." she said. I sighed and released her arm shaking my head.
"I still like my idea." I admitted. She sent me a mock glare and I grinned.
I then turned and headed towards the helm where Jack had his compass.
"So how long do you think we'll take Captain?" I asked him, Norrington gave me a look as I stood next to him
"Few hours." He answered. I nodded and looked at Norrington, he was glancing at us for the corner of his eye
"Commodore, any chance I can have a moment and talk to our navigator?" I asked him. Jack glanced at me and then to James. He looked completely against the idea and I rolled my eyes
"Come on James, what's he going to do to me?" I demanded annoyed. He sighed and nodded his head to Mullrey and Murtogg. The two followed him and I turned back to Jack who immediately placed a hand around my waist and pulled me closer as he watched me expectantly.
"Now what could be so important that you didn't want any prying eyes?" he asked
"Prying ears Mr Sparrow." I corrected "I know you have some plan in your head, now for once can you tell me what it is?" I questioned "Because I know you're not going to send Norrington and his men into the cave full of immortal pirates and I know you're not going to pass up this opportunity to possibly get back you Pearl and kill Barbossa." I listed
"Have I ever told you your a smart girl?" Jack wondered. I rolled my eyes
"I've just grabbed an understanding as to how that mind of yours rolls over." I tapped his forehead "So, are you going to actually trust me for once?" I asked
"You're right. I'm going to get Will out, kill barbossa, lift the curse and then get the pearl." Jack smiled
"No, you're going to lift the curse, kill barbossa, get Will out and then get the Pearl." I corrected. He looked at me confused "If you're going to have a plan at least put it in order." I said simply "You can't get Will out until you lift the curse and you can't kill Barbossa until the curse is lifted, you also can't get the Pearl…" he placed a hand over my mouth.
"I get it." He assured me. I rolled my eyes and he removed his hand.
"What are you going to do about the crew of immortals through?" I asked. Jack grinned
"That's where these people come into it." He indicated to the Dauntless
"You're going to send the navy into a fight with immortal pirates to by yourself some time?" I asked
"Exactly." he nodded
"What about Elizabeth and I?" I wondered "If you're sending the pirates out, we're going to get caught in the cross fire."
"Easy, you hide, love." He ran a few fingers over my cheek to brush my hair from my face
"That sounds terrible." I crossed my arms with a huff. I didn't want to sit here and do nothing. Then again, James would never let me leave the boat, being the weak girl he thinks I am. If I wanted to help, I had to sneak off the boat.
"Miss Langford." I turned as Norrington came back up the stairs "I hope you're finished."
"Not that it would matter if I was." I replied and Jack grinned. Norrington shot him a look, his eyes darting to Jack's arm, the pirate just held me closer as I stared across the boat to the waters in front of us.
I couldn't take a long boat if I wanted to sneak off, everyone would see me, I'd never make it. The only other way to get to the island, would be to swim.
I pulled a face, night was already approaching, the water would be freezing. And what about sharks? It was the island of dead after all.
Maybe I could take a long boat while they were all preparing to leave for the island. Everyone would be to busy to notice… hopefully.
This might be a little more difficult then anticipated.
"Jack," I whispered, he glanced at me as I leaned slightly closer to him "How exactly are the pirates immortal?" I asked "There has to be something bad about it or it wouldn't be a curse. Immortality on it's own doesn't sound too bad otherwise." I muttered. Jack turned his head to my ear and Norrington glanced at us
"They turn to skeletons." he whispered. My eyes widened
"As in, living skeletons?" I asked
"Yes."
"Yeah that sounds like a curse." I muttered
"Miss Langford, would you please accompany Miss Swann." Norrington said. It was an order more then a request. I sent him a glance and placed my hand on Jack's, removing it from my waist.
"Can't handle watching the close proximities, Commodore?" I asked as I walked past him, I winked at Jack as he grinned and saw Norrington give him a death stare as I approached Elizabeth.
"The more he orders me around the more I hate him." I muttered as I stood next to her
"Well when you allow a pirate to roam his hands over you what do you expect?" Elizabeth replied
"He's not roaming his hands over me." I said simply "He's just holding me close." It was more comfortable that way "Stopping me from punching these soldiers who think I'll allow them to boss me around."
"It's respectful to listen." Elizabeth scolded
"Not to those who abuse it." I said simply and I left her side.