"Jack, I want to go home."
I was standing before Jack Sparrow, the morning light coming through the window of his cabin that looked out at the water. The light only showed half of his face... shameless. I stood before him, tearstains on my face, never having bothered to wash them off, a furious look on my face.
"What?" Jack turned to me, "Why, luv?"
"You know why! And do not call me luv!" I exclaimed, walking over to Jack's closet and pulling my dresses off the hangers, throwing them into the bag that I had used when we first bought my weapons. I looked into the drawers as well, pulling out my pirate clothes and bandana, throwing them in as well. A bag of gold sat on the bottom of the bag, my payment to the crew if it is to be remembered. "Do not pretend that you do not know what you have done!" I threw another shirt into the bag with such force that I hit my hand on the nightstand. I dropped the bag, cursing and put my finger into my mouth. Jack shook his head and walked over, reaching out to take my finger from my mouth. I slapped his hand away, unable to get a good aim at his face. Jack stepped back a few steps, away from my furious muttering to myself.
"Luv," Jack said quietly.
"Do not call me LUV!" I furiously screamed. Jack's eyes still held the look of fake confusion. "I heard you last night with that Eva Shapiro woman! I heard you in here with her in your-our bed!" Jack's mouth dropped and his eyes widened with sudden realization. I picked up a book off the side table and looked at it, tears stinging in my eyes. Once again I looked up at Jack. "I gave you my love! I gave you my chastity!" I lifted the book over my head and threw it at Jack. He ducked to the side, closely avoiding being knocked out with the heavy book that came flying at him.
"I gave you everything I had!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face, "And that still wasn't enough! I LOVED YOU!" Jack's face wrinkled with pain and guilt but I didn't care. "I should have known better than to think a pirate could change my mind. Once a pirate, always a pirate, I guess, right Jack?" Tears were falling and my voice broke. I fell to my knees beside Jack's bed, leaning my head on the side where he normally slept. I looked back up at him, my face wet with tears. "I want to go home." I sobbed, "I want you to take me back to Port Royal. Please..." Jack looked down and back up at me.
"Alright, Christina." He said quietly, "I'll take you home... I'll take you back..." I wiped the tears from my cheeks, only to have more pour down my face. "Port Royal is not but fifty leagues away." He said, "We'll be there in a day or so..." I looked up at Jack, his beautiful face... watching as he walked away.
It was a beautiful... a beautiful lie!
I dumped out my clothes onto the bed again, this time taking the time to fold them as I put them into the bag. I paused when I came to the white dress that I had told Ana-Maria about and set it to the side, as well as a pair of black pants and a red, billow sleeved, shirt to go over the dress. I held a red ribbon in my hand and set it to the side with them as well. She would want to wear her own boots.
All eyes were on me as I walked out of Jack's cabin, all except Jack, who was standing at the helm, and Eva, who was still in the crew's cabin sleeping. I walked through the workers, my head down, pausing only when Glenn put his hand on my shoulder to take it off. I walked to the other side of the deck, a long walk as far as I was concerned and to the door of my old cabin. I pushed it open to reveal the inside of my old cabin, the small uncomfortable bed in the corner and the closet standing in the corner. An empty mirror stand stood on the wall, small bits of glass on the ground in rare places around it. It did not matter. I did not want to see myself anyways.
Multiple times my door was knocked on, mostly by Glenn and Ana-Maria, but also by the rest of the crew as well. Jack never came to talk to me, nor did he look at me when I left my cabin to tend to the kitchen. Tonight was going to be my last night, and I wanted to give the crew something special to eat.
I mixed the spaghetti sauce (their favorite that I cooked) with a large, wooden spoon, my hands working though I could not feel it.
Slowly, I poured the sauce over each plate, making sure I gave Jack enough for his fill. I didn't hate him enough to deny him his favorite food that I cooked... actually I was past that point... more sad and numb than anything.
When the crew filed into the galley one hour later there was a quiet, sadness. I looked at all of them, what good friends they had become to me. I could remember when I first came, as Glenn had been talking about, how they looked at me with an air of distaste, how many of them had thought that I was just a little princess and was going to make their lives miserable. I could still hear the music when I had awoken and was able to walk after I had been shot. I would be sorry to leave the Black Pearl... But I couldn't stay here.
As everyone ate there was an awkward silence. Jack sat at the head of the table like he had before for so many weeks, through the good and the bad... I avoided looking at him. Eva Shapiro did not show up at all.
Finally, I slammed my fork down, earning looks from all the crew. I looked around at all of them.
"Will you quit acting like I'm going to die tomorrow?" I demanded, "I don't want to leave miserable! My task is done and now I need to go home. Please make my last night worth the journey." Glenn and Ana-Maria smiled at each other sadly before launching into conversation with a few of the crew members. Jack looked down at his empty plate solemnly before standing up along with the rest of the crew, standing in the corner. I looked at him repeatedly while I was talking and drinking with the crew, wishing that it could only be different.
That night was one of the best, yet one of the saddest of my whole life.
+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+
I sat at the desk, dipping my quill into the ink bottle once more.
With love, Christina.
My bag was heavily slung over my back, my black dress falling to my ankles, one of the only dresses that I had left. I had actually saved this one for my return home.
Just before I swung myself into the rowboat I had given each and every crewmember a tear filled hug. Glenn's lasting twice as long as any other one.
"Come on, Christina!" Jack's voice called from down on the water and I said goodbye to the crew one last time, their murmurs of "Take care" and "So long" lost behind me as I climbed over the railing and into the row boat. Jack was sitting there as he insisted. He wanted to see Will and Elizabeth apparently.
I sat in the boat, the water splashing over the side slightly and onto my boots and the hem of my dress slightly. Jack sat across from me, watching me fidget under his gaze.
"I wish you would stay..." Jack said finally as the boat came to stop at the base of the cliff. I looked at him.
"I can't." I replied, "Not after what happened..."
"It was one time! The rum got to me!" Jack said, grabbing my arm as I turned to walk away from him.
"One time, yes." I said, gently taking his hand off of me. "But one time will become two... and two will become three... three will become ten! Until I am so used to it that it happens and I don't even notice." A single tear ran down my face as I looked at him. "I can't live like that. I need to go home and forget this ever happened."
"Will you forget me?" Jack asked. I smiled.
"No one can forget you, Jack Sparrow." I said, "I want you to be happy... and if it is with Eva Shapiro then there is nothing I can do." Jack nodded again. I turned and walked through the sand, my boots leaving heavy footprints in the sand. We would go to Will and Elizabeth's first, and bid each other goodbye then. And finally I would be on the way home... perhaps I had even made it back in time for the Phantom of the Opera production. I smiled at the thought of being on stage again.
Few people on the streets recognized and greeted me. Jack walked through the shadows, keeping out of sight from all that came and approached me.
"We heard the most terrible things!" Madam Horana was saying, "Dear John Walker was worried sick when he heard that you were gone!" I smiled as convincingly as I could.
"I will be sure to visit him, Madam." The graying woman smiled and reached into her purse, pulling out a paper. I looked down at it with my black gloved hands, unrolling it to see an advertisement for the Phantom of the Opera.
CANCELED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
The top of it said, and under a painting of John, Karl, and me, all playing out parts in the play. I looked back up at Madam Horana.
"You had better get over there, dear." She said, "You can go when you go see John. But if you don't they're canceling the show." I shook my head. This was the opera that I had been looking forward to playing in for many years. It was not going to be spoiled! I rolled it back up and tucked it into the ribbon around my dress.
"Thank you," I said and curtseyed, walking away. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Jack watching me with a sense of amusement. I refused to look at him.
Finally, I came to the street that Will's blacksmith shoppe sat on. I frowned at the door, which looked like it had been kicked in, splinters hanging and the door off its hinges. Jack and I exchanged the first glances we had since our entry into Port Royal and rushed to the door. Jack took a paper off of the wall as I climbed into it.
"Will!" I cried, "Will! Elizabeth?" There was a rustle and I looked over to the side to see a little boy crawling out from behind a trunk. I recognized him as the young boy who had been in Will's shoppe when I first found my father's room, so long ago it seemed. I could not remember his name.
"You are looking for Master William?" The boy asked. Jack came in behind me, holding a piece of parchment. I took it from him.
In decree of the Port Royal Navy
I looked up at Jack and he motioned with his head to keep reading.
The warrant for William Elizabeth Turner's arrest has led to the corruption of their pardons. The crime is conspiring to aid a man convicted of Piracy and condemned to death. Mr. and Mrs. Turner will be hung on the morning of the 25th of April at dawn as is the punishment.
Signed,
James Norrington
I closed my eyes, letting the parchment drop from my hand. I turned to Jack.
"That's tomorrow." I whispered. Jack nodded. I turned to the little boy.
"Alright, son." I said, "Go on home. I want you involved in this not." I took a few gold pieces from my pouch and handed them to him. "Go home, please." I said. The boy's eyes lit up and he took the gold pieces, running off into the streets. I turned back to Jack. "It seems we have one more thing to take care of before we depart, Captain Sparrow." I said. Jack nodded. I walked forward, reaching into my bag around my shoulder and took out the large bag, filled with gold pieces. I pressed them into Jack's hands.
"My payment for your services, Captain." I said. "And one more is required of you. Go back down to the row boat and wait there. In one hour you will see Will and Elizabeth coming. Take them upon the Black Pearl and get them out of here." Jack shook his head.
"No," he said, "I'll go get them from-"
"You are too easily recognized... besides you're convicted of piracy." I kicked the parchment with my booted foot, "I am not. If anyone discovers me the only thing they will feel is happiness for my safe return." Jack scoffed and I took his arm. "I want you to leave Port Royal today and never come back." Jack turned and put his hands on my neck. For a moment I let go of myself and enjoyed his touch. Jack's face was coming toward me. I lifted up my finger and stopped his lips. He reached down and put something into my hand, closing my hand over it. I looked down at the necklace that he put into my hand, a dolphin jumping on the end of it.
"It's called a dolphin, luv."
"A dolphin... can I touch it?"
I smiled sadly and backed away from him.
"One hour." Was all I said and turned, rushing out of the blacksmith shoppe, running out onto the street.
I was at the prison in nearly no time, rushing through the main office where no man stood and down into the jail, running past every cell, filled with men making cat calls to me. I ignored them and continued to run, looking in each cell for my friends.
They were in the last one. Will sat in the corner, Elizabeth in his arms, leaning against the hay there, trying to keep each other warm. Will looked up with upset and angry eyes at me, before they widened in surprise.
"Christina?" he asked in amazement, "Christina Ricci?"
"In the flesh," I replied and leaned down. Elizabeth looked up. Her fine dress was stained and her face was dirty. I reached out and grasped her hand, hugging her through the bars. Will came over and put his hand on my face, as if to see if I were real and not his imagination. I smiled and embraced him next.
"However did you find us?" Elizabeth asked, "We thought you were still out on the ocean..."
"I was," I said shortly, "Until this morning. I decided to come home." Will smiled.
"So you found your father then. Where is he?" I looked down, trying to hold back a tear.
"He's dead." I said and hurriedly explained the past two months or so to William and Elizabeth Turner, really only telling them short sentences for each event. When I came to the most recent, involving Eva, Will's face was darkening.
"How could Jack do that to you?" Elizabeth asked, hugging me tight. "You love him!" I shook my head.
"It doesn't matter now." I said. Outside, the sun was beginning to move west. I looked at it and figured that it was around three o'clock. "We need to get you out of here. Jack is waiting with a rowboat on the bottom of the cliff to take you away." Will looked at the hinges of the cell and pointed.
"Alright, Christina." He said, "Do you see that bench? Lift it and bring it here." I nodded and walked over, lifting the bench with surprising ease and bringing it over. I could see the men in the next cells watching me with a sense of desperation and curiosity. "Now prop the bottom of the legs onto the bars." I did as I was told, propping it up nice and taught. "Now," William said, reaching through the bars and putting his hands on the bench, "On the count of three we're going to push it and let the hinges loose. Ready? Are you sure you can do this?" I looked at Will.
"Two months at sea can do a thing or two to a person." I said and gripped the bench.
"One... two... three!" With surprising simplicity, I pulled down the bench. There was a terrible creaking of metal and a bang as the front of the cell fell back onto the bench. Will and Elizabeth climbed over it.
"Hurry," I said, "Someone will have heard that. It wasn't exactly-" I froze as we turned around to see two officers, standing there with their rifles on us. Will pulled Elizabeth behind him but I refused his protection.
"Don't move any of you!" The officers exclaimed, holding their guns on us. I reached down, seeming to grab my bag but a shot went off, hitting the ground right under my arm... that was all the time I needed. Swiftly, I reached under my skirt and pulled out my father's pistol, hitting each of them square in the chest. The officers fell to the ground and I blew off my gun, tucking it with the parchment into my ribbon on the side of my dress. Will and Elizabeth looked at me for a few moments, absolutely speechless. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed Will's hand and dragged them out of the jail, rushing off into the trees, oblivious to the shouts behind us.
On and on we ran, through the small forest until we came to the outskirts of town. I turned to the two people next to me, breathing hard.
"Take care of yourselves." I said, "Please." Elizabeth walked over and took me into her arms.
"You know," she said, "You've changed since you left with Jack..."
"Tell him that I love him for me... and to have a wonderful life with Eva." I said. Elizabeth hugged me tightly again.
"I will," she promised and backed away. Will walked forward and put his arms around my shoulders. I smiled and hugged him back, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Take care of Elizabeth," I said. Will smiled and kissed my forehead.
"You take care of yourself." He said... "We'll see each other again. I promise." I smiled as Will, my best friend, wiped the tear from my cheek and backed away. We stood there, staring at each other before I motioned with my hands.
"Go!" I said. Will and Elizabeth smiled and turned, rushing off into the trees toward the cliffs... for the first time, really, I turned and walked toward the city and realized...
I was alone now... truly alone...
- - - - - - - JACK'S POV - - - - - - -
Jack Sparrow's arm was around Eva Shapiro's waist as they sailed away from Port Royal. Will and Elizabeth Turner were in Christina's old cabin, getting settled. Jack smiled distractedly as Eva put her lips to his neck, her hand somewhere where Christina would never put hers. Jack smiled again and took out his compass, opening it.
It pointed back... back to Port Royal...
Back to Christina Ricci...
- - - - - - - END JACK'S POV - - - - - - -