A PIRATES TREASURE

Disclaimer:- POTC belongs to the Disney Corporation along with it's characters. I have no claim to any of their work and make no money out of my stories. I have introduced some characters that belong to me to fit with the story.

A Pirates Treasure

Chapter 18

They had sat for hours, that night, trying to place the last time Jack could remember having the map, to no avail. Elizabeth had both questioned and encouraged Jack to see if they could come up with any clues. Finally, exhausted, Jack had helped her up the stairs and assisted her in her night-time toilette. Her head had barely hit the pillow before she was asleep.

Jack stood for a while and watched her sleeping peacefully, wishing that he could slip into the bed beside her and hold her close while he joined her in her dreams. Ruefully shaking his head, he reluctantly moved away, descending the stairs and slipping silently to the pantry. Reaching inside, he grabbed a bottle of rum, quickly removed the cork with his teeth, before lifting the bottle to his lips and drinking deeply. Wearing a troubled frown, he returned to the fire and made himself comfortable.

Time passed steadily, the silence disturbed only by the occasional popping of wood on the fire and Jack's raiding parties to the pantry for further supplies.

Strangely, the drunker he became, the clearer his thinking process, until with a flash of clarity, he remembered the night that Elizabeth had woken for the first time.

Cotton had opened the French doors to help cool the room in the heat of the afternoon, Jack recalled, but, the map had been on the table beside the bed, together with the door key. He trusted Cotton implicitly. Knew without a doubt that the old man wouldn't touch anything of his or Elizabeth's, which in itself was strange for a member of a pirate crew. But, he thought, any fairly fit man could scale the wall to the doors…after all, he had done it himself on several occasions, and he knew that others could do it from when he and Elizabeth had been…shall we say…interrupted in flagrante?

As exhausted as he was at that time, would it have been possible for someone to have scaled the wall, entered the room and taken the map without waking him? Logically, he reasoned, Cotton had entered the room and opened the doors without disturbing him, so why not? It made sense – even to him. When he woke that day and, within a matter of a few minutes, had managed to rouse Elizabeth, he hadn't even given the map a thought…hadn't seen it since.

'So…' thought Jack. 'The bloody thing could be anywhere! In t' possession of any filthy bilge rat who'd decided t' hit on an opportunity fer a little thievin'!'

Despite his brave words to Elizabeth about having a plan, Jack was flummoxed. Drifting aimlessly on an endless sea like a piece of flotsam with no destination, no direction, no hope.

"Well, that's that then, Jackie boy!" said Jack out loud, toasting himself with the rum bottle. "The maps gone. Finished. Finito. An' there's no way on God's earth that you'll be getting' it back! Good luck relayin' that one t' her ladyship!"

Slouching back in the chair, he proceeded to get gloriously, rip-roaringly plastered.

JEJEJEJEJEJE

Early the next morning, Jack was rudely woken by the banging in his head. Blearily, he looked about him, quickly realising his mistake as his head started to pound once more. Closing his eyes so the sickening noise would hopefully cease, he was amazed when it continued, now adding a voice to the equation.

"Jack! Jack!"

Jack opened one eye but the pounding continued.

"Jack!"

Glancing around the room, Jack confirmed that he was, indeed, alone.

"Fer the love of God, Jack! Open t' bloody door!"

'That' thought Jack, 'could only be one person!' He staggered to his feet, desperately clutching his head so it wouldn't fall off and, unsteadily, tacked in the general direction of the front door. At the third attempt he managed to connect with the bolt, slid it back and was almost taken off his feet by the force of the door being flung wide.

"At last!!" said Gibbs entering the hallway. "How's Miss Elizabeth?"

Stopping to look about him, he grinned widely at Jack's appearance. "Better than ye at t' moment, I'd wager."

"Aye. She's improvin' ev'ry day. Now, what are ye doin' 'ere, Mr Gibbs? I wasn't expectin' ye back fer a few more weeks?"

"Oh, we ran int' a storm an' need t' do a tad o' work t' the ol' gel." Gibbs quickly held his hands up to hold off Jack's questions. "Nought serious, Jack. Good excuse t' make port. That's all. The Pearl's fine. Jus't' usual storm damage. Now, are ye goin t' leave me standin' 'ere all day, or are ye goin t' offer me a drink?"

Jack was eager to catch up on news of The Pearl, and, after another recce to the 'supply cupboard' the two men holed up in the parlour. The fire was quickly made up as it was chilly in the dawn light and they quickly set about catching up and exchanging news as Mr Gibbs relayed every detail of the trip. Jack, desperately missing his ship, his crew and the sea hung onto every word, imagining himself there with his men as they battled Mother Nature and overcame several merchant ships. He resolved to go to the harbour and check his treasured Pearl at the earliest opportunity.

The two old friends talked for hours, Jack exhausting Mr Gibbs with his constant thirst for information. Finally, Mr Gibbs started to yawn.

"Tis mighty tired I am, Jack. I be thinkin' we'll have t' continue this later. I need t' get back t' The Pearl an' oversee a few things before lettin' the men on shore leave."

"Aye." Agreed Jack, reluctantly. "I'd say they'll b' about ready fer a spot o' wenchin'."

Both men stood and made their way to the door.

"Jus' one thin', Jack." Said Mr Gibbs. "I thought The Empress wer' leavin' fer Singapore?"

"Aye. She left just after ye sailed, Joshamee."

"Well, Jack. It weren't Singapore she was headin' fer. Sailed south, she did, saw her meself off Cuba. Strange that!"

"Mmmm." Replied Jack, deep in thought. "Very strange. Tai Huang definitely said he was headin' home. Now why would…?" Jack shook his head, a perplexed look on his face. This would need some thinking about.

JEJEJEJE

Oh…the plot thickens. What will happen now?

OK guys…you've read it …now review it!

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I don't have the time to thank you all individually but you know who you are!