A/N: Sorry about the weirdness of the Tia-speak. It's relatively understated, but I think it's not the worst i've ever seen. Enjoy!-Ai
Jack was not happy.
Not happy at all.
He had gone home expecting welcome-- perhaps a little reprimand on Adelaide's part, that was unavoidable, certainly-- but a happy home, the bright, lime-scented Pernambucan refuge that he had left ten years ago.
He watched Adelaide chase Celia around the ship, dodging his crew and supply boxes. Ten years-- Celia had been barely a year old, the last time he had seen her. His goddaughter. Now, she was eleven and more, not much older than Jack was when he had first met Addy and Sam.
Sam.
Sam had been his brother-- his rival, perhaps, and his greatest frustration, but his brother nonetheless, and they had promised each other their lives. Jack had promised to return-- to be a part of Celia's life, to stop the running and the lying and the constant dodging. But that too, turned out to be a lie, and now Sam was dead, and Jack wouldn't be able to apologize for all the wrongs that he had committed, all of the awful things he'd done that Sam never would know.
And the women. Addy. He wasn't sure there was an expletive that could describe what he knew she was feeling. Sam had been her soulmate; Jack had been as well, in another time and in a different way, but not like Sam was. There was always a... sameness of thought that Addy and Sam had, a sameness that had eventually stifled Jack enough to make him flee.
And now he was back, but Sam was dead, and Adelaide was... different. Celia was the only one who had stayed even remotely the same, and that was only because Jack had barely known her when he left.
Change had been chasing Jack ever since he'd left, and now that he'd returned, he could taste it; a bitter, salty spray without the wind and sun to dry it.
Disgusting, really. How something he loved could turn into his worst enemy.
As he turned towards the inlet that held the power, the one witch that could help, Jack couldn't help but remember the last time he'd visited her, and he sighed, readying himself for contact with the outside world.
He had spent a very, very long time running away from the decisions he'd made.
No longer.
The Black Spot was growing stronger, Jack could feel it-- could see the recognition and fear in the jungle people's eyes as they held the candles that would ward off the deep sea magic. He let himself savour the small moment of peace before turning to Gibbs.
"Mind the Boat."
"Mind the Boat."
"Mind the Boat."
"Squawk, Mind the Boats."
Jack grinned as he walked into the dark, dank hut, the musty smells of dried herbs and decaying flesh lacing the damp air. The equally dark woman looked up through her lashes at him, smiling coyly.
"Tia Dalma, love."
"Jack Sparro'. I always knew de wind would blow ya back to me one day," she said with a curtsey, and Jack winced.
"Here I am."
Her eyes suddenly flashed to Will, recognition sparking as she glanced back to Jack, and he groaned inwardly. She knew now.
"You!" She seized the young man, searching his face quickly, desperately. She would find what was there. "Dere is a touch of destiny about you."
"Do I know you?" Jack almost smacked his head. The impertinence.
"Do you want to know me?"
Jack seized the moment to divert her attention, attempting to play the jealous ex-lover (a part he knew well), but a quick barrage of hushed Portuguese ruined it; Tia's eyes flicked to the two woman standing in the back. Her eyes flashed.
"Adelina."
"Tia Dalma. Lovely to see you, as always."
"I wish I could se de same. You dere to come back after refusing my help?" Tia's chest was heaving, indignant; Adelaide thrust forward her daughter, who was looking up at the foreign woman unabashedly.
"Who is de girl?"
"My daughter. Celia. Jack needs my assistance, and we were wondering-- well, more hoping-- that you would watch over her while we're gone."
"Your 'usband cannot do dis?"
"My husband is dead, Tia."
Tia blinked for a moment, staggering back into the table as the entire room watched, intrigued.
"I am sorry, chil'. De stars did not show me dis tragedy. How old is de girl?"
"I'm eleven-and-a-half, Senhora."
Tia looked down at the tiny blond girl, giving her a small smile.
"Of course, chil'." She looked up at Adelaide.
"I will take dis one. I only ask dat I may teach her what I could not teach her fadder." Tia Dalma grinned up at Jack and Adelaide; the woman sighed, obviously reluctant.
"Agreed."
"Fantastic! Agreed! Now on to the real problem." Jack steered the river priestess to her seat, shaking his head as she gave him an admonishing glance.
"I demand pement. De girl is for charity."
"And payment we have brought, Tia." He bowed, flapping his hand behind him to get the pirates to bring the cage. "There you are, love. An undead monkey. Top that."
Everyone held their breath as she inspected the cage, the monkey alternately glaring and squeaking in protest. She gave a satisfied half-nod before letting the monkey go amid protests from the crew; she turned back to Jack.
"Now I will see." She held out her hand, and Jack fumbled around in his layers of clothes before finally drawing out a worn, folded cloth. She raised her eyebrow.
"Your compass cannot show you dis?" She asked, grinning with blackened teeth; Jack's silence affirmed her answer.
"Jack Sparra' does not know what he wants. Or does he know... but is loat to claim it as his own?" Her eyes flickered, barely, towards the woman and child behind him, and he sighed.
He would never claim it as his own.