Book Five - Chapter Five: The End
Jack had his men prepare the ship. He renewed his vow about never returning to New Orleans. He wanted out of the harbour, but he also had no intension of following the Black Pearl south again. He had said his goodbyes to his love, blaming himself for her fate yet again.
"You sure you're ready to push off, Captain?" Gibbs asked.
"I'm ready to have pushed off yesterday," Jack said. "Let's not waste another day."
"Aye, Captain."
The gangway was being lifted, but as it was being so, a desperate voice called out, "Wait!"
It caught the attention of the men. It was that same little urchin-boy, running at full speed down the dock. The crew called the captain. When Jack saw he told them to lower the gangway once more.
"What are you doing here, urchin?" Jack said, trying not to give off any hint of being affected by the events of the day.
"Captain Sparrow," the boy said in between breaths, "you knew my mother. You knew my father."
"Listen, lad, I don't think now's the time to –"
"Her ring," the boy interrupted. "She'd never take off her ring. She doesn't have it on. You took it." The boy's accusation was not delivered in an angry tone. It was more inquisitive.
Jack took the ring from his finger and held it out for the boy to take. He dropped it in his hand.
"Used to be mine. Long time ago," Jack said.
"I know," the boy said. "Mum said it was my father's."
Jack was silent.
"You probably didn't even know that she had a son," Tristan continued. "Mum said you had died at sea before I was even born."
"I'm sure that's what she thought," Jack replied. "I knew. I wasn't dead. Not then, least ways."
"Then why didn't you stay with her?"
"I wanted to. It's a long story. I fought hard to get to her. Took me two years of crossing the Caribbean without a penny or a ship before I managed to find her."
"And then?"
"She was engaged to be married to a lord. I showed up ready to shoot the bastard - the day she married him. She looked absolutely beautiful. She looked happy. That's when I first saw you. Practically just a baby. You looked right up at me. I'll never forget that. She didn't know I was there. She had everything she could have ever wanted - or so I thought. I couldn't take that away from her. From you. I thought that you'd have a chance to have a real father. No one ever said that I was good at making the right decision."
"So you are my father," Tristan said.
"Not that Barbossa knew, mind you. Least I doubt he did."
"Can you tell me what she was like? Back when she went pirating?"
Jack smiled.
"Ah, lad, there's no quick way of doing that. I can tell you this much, she was born for the sea. The ship was her world, she didn't just live in it, she ruled over it. It was her kingdom. You should be asking Barbossa about these things. I suspect that he'll want to sail out soon."
"At sunrise, he said."
"Well, then. I hope to be off before then."
"Take me with you," Tristan begged.
"What's that?"
"Take me with you."
"You don't even know where this ship is going. I don't even know where it's going."
"Yes I do," Tristan said. "North Florida. You said so when you first found me."
"That was before."
"Before you found out that you were my father? I have no where to go. I can either sail with my grandfather or…"
"Look, you can stay if you want, but I know for a fact that Barbossa will be breathing down my neck looking for you again."
"Then I guess that gives you another chance to reclaim your ship then," the boy said.
Jack laughed. The boy's wit was much like his mother's.
"Alright, then," Jack said. "North Florida it is then. I hope you can keep up, little urchin."
The boy's eyes shined out. He suddenly felt a burst of freedom in his soul.
"Lead the way, Captain."
The End.