After Jack threatened to throw Jessie back into the water, she decided it best to calm down a little. After all, he was a pirate; and Jessie didn't doubt for a minute that he wouldn't do it.
She tried her hardest to appear calm on the outside, though she was definitely not calm on the inside. She was partly panicking, but mostly she was still in awe that Jack was standing in front of her, a flesh-and-bone Jack.
She wished Amber were here. Amber had always been able to keep her head in crazy situations, whereas all Jessie could do was freak out.
Jessie was certain that Amber was here somewhere, perhaps in Port Royal. And so far, everything was going as planned, just as it had in the movie.
But Jessie was worried. What if having two extra characters in the movie messed things up? Would the series of events that were supposed to happen still happen? Or would everything be screwed up? And what would become of the extra characters? Jessie sighed and leaned back into the water. She didn't know the answers to any of those questions.
Jack held onto the mast and was letting the wind blow at his hair and clothes. He had given up on trying to empty the boat of the cold Caribbean water and was letting it sink. It wasn't his boat, anyway. Though Anamaria probably wouldn't be too happy…
When Jessie sighed again, Jack glanced over at her. Jumping down off the mast, he landed in front of her. "What's your name, girl?"
Jessie blinked and looked up at him. "Jessica Montgomery."
"Well, Jessie, care to explain to good ole' Captain Jack why you were in the water?" Jack eyed her skeptically and repeated his earlier question, "And what in the devil are you wearing?"
Jessie sighed again. She seemed to be sighing a lot lately. Standing up she told Jack, "Merchant's clothing." Trying to think fast, she spit out quickly, "Commonly worn in…St. John."
St. John? Jessie asked herself. Oh, well. It was better than the truth. How could one really be expected to believe that she had traveled through time? Especially when she wasn't sure of it herself.
Jack wasn't convinced. "St. John?"
Jessie nodded firmly. "Yes. St. John is the name of the tiny island that I live on. I…" Jessie racked her brain for an excuse. "…ran away from home and was…shipwrecked." Jessie nodded, as if every word were true. "That's why I was in the water…. My boat sunk." Jessie was amazed at how quickly she was making this up. Normally she was a terrible actor and worse liar. Was she could enough to fool Jack?
At first appeared as if she weren't, because next he asked, "Am I to believe that you were on this ship alone?"
"Uh…" Jessie stuttered. Then she had an idea. Sniffling, she mumbled, "God bless their souls." When Jack looked at her questionably, and cocked an eyebrow, she went on. "You see, my shipmates all drowned. A terrible hurricane. The boat went down, and took the crew with them. I was only able to survive by clinging to a piece of driftwood."
It was Jack's turn to sigh. He didn't believe one bloody word coming out the girl's mouth, but why should he even care? All he had to do was reach Port Royal and then the girl could be on her merry way. Jack would probably never see her again. And that didn't bother him in the slightest.
The entire boat, with the exception of the mast, was completely underwater. The boat, that had been previously sinking very slowly, was now sinking at a considerably higher pace.
Jack grabbed hold of the mast and climbed on the tiny crow's nest. He called down to Jessie, "Climb on up, lass."
Jessie obediently climbed up the mast, placing her hands exactly where Jack did.
-------------------------------
They floated up to the docks in such a way- Jack clinging to one side of the mast, Jessie to the other. When they were close enough to do so, Jack stepped off the boat's mast -which was level with the dock- and onto the docks. He turned around and offered Jessie his hand. "Step off, luv."
Taking Jack's hand –I'm touching him again! - Jessie jumped from the mast of the little boat to the docks.
Jack made his way down the docks, swaggering back and forth as he did so. Jessie followed.
When Jack and Jessie passed the harbormaster, he turned and called out, "Hold up, there, you two!"
Jack halted and swiveled around on his heels. He sauntered his way over to the man, but said nothing.
"It's a shilling to tie up your boat at the dock."
Jack and Jessie both shot looks and the 'boat.' All that was visible of it was part of the crow's nest and the small flag.
Jack furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips before looking pointedly at the harbormaster.
But the wig-headed man was unfazed. "And I shall need to know your names."
At that Jack reached down in his pocket and tossed three coins onto the harbormaster's record book. "What do you say to three shillings…and we forget the name?"
When the little black boy standing next to the harbormaster raised his eyebrows so they disappeared under his hat, Jessie did the same. She didn't know how much a shilling was compared to present-day American money, but by everyone's reactions, it had to be a lot.
The harbormaster looked with raised eyebrows at the money, Jessie, then to Jack, and finally back to the money. Closing the book, with the shillings inside, he said, "Welcome to Port Royal, Mr. Smith." Jack clasped his hands together and gave a tiny bow in thanks. He nodded politely at Jessie. "Miss Smith." He turned then and walked away, the boy following him.
Jack turned around and began walking in his original direction. He walked past the spot where the harbormaster's money pouch was sitting and lifted it up. Upon shaking it, he heard the satisfactory clink of coins hitting coins and he slid it into his pocket.
"'Ata boy, Jack." Jessie mumbled, walking by his side. "What's our next plan of action?" She, of course, knew exactly was he was planning on doing, but why couldn't she ask just so she could hear him talk to her?
Jack halted and looked down at the girl by his side. "Our?" He asked, "When did we become an 'our'?" He shook his head. "I'm going to go an attend to some very important business and you are going to go…" He paused and gestured wildly with his hand, hoping it would help him think. "…somewhere else."
Jessie crossed her arms stubbornly. "I'm going wherever it is you're going."
Jack sighed and shook his head. He told her, almost apologetically, "I work alone, mate." He turned around and walked away, down the wooden path that Jessie knew led to the Interceptor.
Watching him go, Jessie mumbled to herself, "You're not getting rid of me that easy, Jack Sparrow."
--------------------------
As Jessie went into the direction she knew Jack was, she heard the trumpets and other instruments playing down by the fort.
Commodore Norrington's promotion ceremony. Jessie remembered, wondering if that was where Amber was. She knew it was possible, but she didn't have time to go and see.
When Jessie reached the docks, she was surprised that Jack hadn't gotten there yet. But then she remembered that in the movie, Jack had taken his time; looking over his shoulder often, making sure he wasn't be followed. Jessie had just ran carelessly here.
She was just about to go down there and begin the chat between Murtogg and Mullroy when she heard a startled voice behind her.
"What in the devil…?"
Turning, Jessie spotted Jack behind her. "Oh, hi, Jack," She said brightly.
Jack scowled. "What are you doing here?"
Jessie fought back a laugh. "I could ask you the same thing."
"Jessie, is it?" Jack asked. Jessie nodded and Jack continued, "Well, Jessie, whatever it is you wish to do; it'll have to wait until I'm finished."
Jack swaggered carelessly down the ramp, straight for the Interceptor. Murtogg and Mullroy raced to cut him off.
"This dock is off limits to civilians." Murtogg said, standing between him and the ship.
"I'm terribly sorry, I didn't know." Jack said. "If I see one, I shall inform you immediately."
Jessie fought back another bark of laughter as she came to stand beside Jack. When again he tried to walk past the redcoats, Jessie followed.
Before Jack could walk past, however, Murtogg and Mullroy cut him off again.
Cocking his head, Jack tried a new tactic. "Apparently, there's some sort of high-toned and fancy to-do up at the fort, aye?"
When Mullroy looked over his shoulder, in the general direction of the fort, Jessie cut in. "How could it be that two upstanding gentlemen such as yourselves did not merit an invitation?"
Jack looked over his shoulder at her and Jessie thought that she saw a hint of a smile play across his lips.
"Someone has to make sure this dock stays off limits to civilians," Murtogg explained.
Jack nodded. "It's a fine goal, to be sure." He walked over to the edge of the dock. " But it seems to me-e-e" Jack had to draw out the word when Murtogg and Mullroy stepped in front of him. "That a ship like that," Jack gestured to the where the Dauntless was floating out in the bay. "Makes this one seem a bit superfluous, really."
Murtogg and Mullroy looked over their shoulders at the Dauntless. Turning to look at them again, Murtogg told Jack, "Oh, the Dauntless is the powers in these waters, true enough; but there's no ship as can match the Interceptor for speed."
"I've heard of one; supposed to be very fast, nigh uncatchable…The Black Pearl."
Mullroy chuckled. "There's no real ship that can match the Interceptor."
"The Black Pearl is a real ship." Murtogg told his fellow redcoat.
"No." Mullroy shook his head. "No, it's not."
"Yes it is, I've seen it."
"You've seen it?"
"Yes."
"You haven't seen it."
"Yes, I have."
As the conversation went on, Jack pursed his lips, looking bored. Jessie sighed and watched the conversation play out exactly as she remembered it.
"You've seen a ship with black sails, that's crewed by the damned and captained by a man so evil that Hell itself spat him back out?" Mullroy looked quizzically at his friend.
"No." Murtogg said simply.
"No." Mullroy nodded, turning away from the other man. He had made his point.
"But I have seen a ship with black sails."
Jack gestured for Jessie to follow and took one long sidestep and went around the two arguing men and onto the Interceptor.
"Oh." Mullroy turned to face Murtogg again. "And no ship that's not crewed by the damned and captained by a man so evil that Hell itself spat him back out could possibly have black sails; therefore couldn't possibly be any other ship than the Black Pearl. Is that what you're saying?"
Murtogg smiled stupidly. "No.""Like I said, there's no real ship that can match the Interceptor..." Mullroy trailed off, noticing that Jessie and Jack were no longer there.
Turning, he saw Jack at the wheel, smirking proudly and saw Jessie standing next to him, laughing at the expression on his face.
"Aye!" Both Jessie and Jack turned when Mullroy yelled at them. Rushing onto the Interceptor, he kept yelling. "You! Get away from there!" He came to a stop next to Mullroy and raised his gun. "You don't have permission to be aboard there, mate."
"I'm sorry. It's just, it's such a pretty boat."
"Ship." Jessie immediately corrected, shooting Jack a glare.
Mullroy stared at Jessie, "What's your name?"
"Smith." Jessie answered smoothly.
"Or, Smithy, if you like." Jack told Murtogg.
"What's your purpose in Port Royal Mr. Smith?" Mullroy turned to face the pirate.
"And no lies." Murtogg shook his gun threateningly at them.
Oh, I'm really scared. Jessie thought to herself as Jack answered the redcoat.
"Alright, I confess. It is our intention to commandeer one of these ships, pick up a crew in Tortuga, raid, pillage, plunder, and otherwise pilfer our weasely black guts out."
As the guards looked at Jack as if he'd suddenly grown to heads, Jessie shouted out, "Ah ha!"
When Jack –and the guards- turned to look questionably at Jessie she told Jack, "You said our." She smiled up at him innocently, "Looks like you've got yourself a partner."