Book Four - Chapter Six: The Die Cast

Jack paced around and around the table in his cabin. He feared that time was going both too fast and not fast enough. He had asked for Amelia to meet with him. He said that it was urgent. The captain had no idea how long ago it was that he asked, so all the while he was pacing he was wondering if she would even show up or if it was already too late.

A light tapping could be heard at the door. Jack stopped pacing and stood motionless in his tracks. He knew that it must be her but he feared what was to come next. The tap was heard again.

"Come in," Jack said in barely a whisper, choking on the words as they left his mouth. He cleared his throat and said it again. This time his voice was loud and authoritative. He almost even fooled himself into confidence.

The door opened. Amelia entered slowly. She nodded her head to greet her captain and Jack returned the gesture. Amelia shut the door behind her. Jack let out a sigh.

"Is everything alright?" Amelia asked.

Jack leaned his hands on the back of a chair and looked down at the seat.

"Amelia…" he said hesitantly, "I don't know how to say this…" He took a deep breath. "Amelia, I don't know if you realize how things are about to change. I mean, for you…not just for you, but for all of us…"

Amelia stopped breathing for a moment. Her eyes widened. She too took hold of the back of a chair to support herself. Jack took notice of this.

"I didn't realize that you knew," Amelia said in confession.

"I'm the captain, love, it's my job to know. And…" he began to say, but couldn't finish the thought aloud.

"Of course. Besides, I'm sure that you have more experience with this sort of thing," Amelia said downwardly.

"I wouldn't say that," Jack said. "I just need to know how you feel about it. I don't know how prepared you are for what's to come."

"I'll admit, Jack, that I have been worried. I've been frightened. But not so much for myself as…I was afraid what you would think, what you would do if you knew."

"Amelia," Jack said trying to comfort the girl, "you never need be afraid of me."

"I know, Jack, but I'd hate to be the cause of ruining everything."

"What could you possibly ruin? Amelia, everything that I'm doing now is in hopes of making things better. I want what's best for you…for us…"

"And the baby," Amelia added.

Jack was stunned into silence. He heard the words but his brain was incapable of processing any further thought or action thereafter. The awkward silence would have made Jack's ignorance of the subject obvious had a loud knock at the door not interrupted it. The noise caught Amelia's attention immediately. Jack remained motionless. Amelia went to the door and opened it. The crewmate on the other side said that there was an important matter for the captain on deck. Amelia left Jack to tend to the messenger. Jack saw her leave. He saw the crewmate and heard the call, but he could not bring himself to function. It was like he was watching himself but was not at that moment himself. His conscious self was screaming at the top of his lungs, trying to tell himself to say or do anything at all, but his physical self remained silent and still.

The messenger had left and the cabin door was still open. Jack could hear the voices on deck. It had begun. Jack had to stop it. Amelia shouted. Jack darted his eyes towards to the door and soon after his body followed. He rushed onto the main deck and saw his men gathered, ready with hands on hilts and fists clenched - ready to pounce upon the strangers who had arrived.

Four brawny men had come aboard saying that they were here to fulfill an accord with the captain. They took hold of Amelia who tried to fight them off. The crew was ready to defend her but the first mate told both his men and the strangers to hold until the captain presented himself.

"You Sparrow?" one of the men asked.

Jack could say nothing.

"We have an agreement with Feersen," the man said.

Jack could say nothing.

Barbossa stepped beside the captain and whispered to him, "Captain, it be too dangerous now to be doin' anythin' rash."

Jack nodded absently.

The men took that as a sign and took hold of the girl again.

"Captain?" Bootstrap Bill shouted to Jack, waiting for an order to retaliate.

Nothing.

Amelia put up such a struggle that it took three out of the four men to hold her.

"Captain? Orders?" Bootstrap cried again impatiently.

"Jack!" Amelia cried as she was being lifted off of her feet.

As she struggled, one of her captor's fingers became entangled in the gold chain around her neck. The necklace broke and the golden teardrops scattered on the deck.

"Captain?"

The men reached the gangway. Time was running out to take action. Each crew member waited more and more intensely to begin the attack, waiting for the go-ahead from their captain. It never came. Amelia was out of sight and soon out of range of sound. The crew watched until they would no longer hear her cries. They all turned attention to their captain who still remained solemn and silent.

"Orders, Captain?" Barbossa whispered.

Jack said nothing. He turned, re-entered his cabin and slammed the door shut behind him.

Barbossa barked out orders to raise the anchor and press onwards. There was nothing left to do in these parts. The men followed their orders grudgingly but swiftly. Bootstrap alone did not stir into action. He knelt down and picked up a few of the teardrops he could find. He clasped them in the palm of his hand. Bootstrap walked over to the captain's door. He did not knock, he entered it directly.

"Captain?" Bootstrap said, shutting the door behind him.

Jack was sitting at his table, looking harshly at nothing in particular.

"What have you done, Jack?" Bootstrap asked.

"There was an accord," Jack replied coldly.

"With who?"

"It doesn't matter," Jack said sternly.

"Don't be a fool, Jack – "

"I a fool? Did you not tell me to be rid of the wench?" Jack shouted.

"Jack, you love her."

"If I loved her I wouldn't have done it. I would have done something…anything" Jack mumbled to himself.

"We're going back for her, aren't we?" Bootstrap asked.

"That was the plan."

"And now?"

"I'm not sure."

"You don't mean to go back for her?"

Jack looked up as his crewmate and said, "Of course I do. We were going to get the gold and turn right round again. I can't leave her now," Jack said.

"Then let's go, we can still turn around and follow them up," Bootstrap urged.

"It's too late now. We're in no position to take on Feersen. Bimbly said –"

"And who does Bimbly think he is? Do you trust him, Jack? Do you really trust him?"

"He's got no reason to be dishonest with me," Jack said.

"I'll not doubt you, Captain. I owe you my life. But we can't leave her in unknown hands."

"She'll be back in Stone Chapel before the month's out. Feersen will see her home. It's for the best," Jack said.

"Then why don't I see it in your eyes, Jack?"

"She…She said she…"

Jack didn't need to finish his sentence. Bootstrap could read it in his eyes. He had been there before himself.

"Is she certain?" Bootstrap asked.

"I don't know. She only just said it and then –"

Bootstrap put his hand on his captain's shoulder.

"We'll get her back, Jack," Bootstrap said and then he placed the jewels on the table in front of his captain.

As Bootstrap Bill left the room, Jack stared at the teardrops and began to trace them with his fingertips.