Chapter 2: The Captain's Daughter
Jack walked into the Captain's Daughter followed closely by Catherine. A woman cackled in the corner as a man tried to sweet-talk her. A man snored on a table as rum poured out of his tankard spilling onto the floor.
"Here kitty kitty," a gravely voice said by the window, "Have a little tot of rum with ol' Bill here. Come on, be a good pussycat."
Catherine seemed unfazed by everything and nudging Jack towards Teague, she left to change out of her shift.
Jack slid into a chair next to Teague grabbing a tankard of rum from a passing bar maid.
"I heard you were putting together a crew," Teague started.
Jack looked around, "If enough people keep saying it then it must be true."
"I heard where you're headed, the Fountain."
Jack leaned in, trying to keep their conversation somewhat private, "Have you been there?"
Teague chuckled, a dry chuckle that sounded like wrinkled newspaper, "Does this face look like its been to the Fountain of youth?"
Jack leaned back to survey his father's face, it looked more tired than the last time he had seen him, "Depends on the light."
Teague smiled slightly before leaning towards Jack, his face now completely serious, "Son, the Fountain. There be items required for the profane ritual. Two chalices."
"On the map there was a chalice," Jack added thoughtfully.
"Two," confirmed Teague, "Silver, from Ponce de Leon's ship. You'll need both."
"For?" questioned Jack.
"The ritual!" Teague growled, "Don't be a fool Jackie! Find out every detail before you set sail," Teague said more than frustrated with his son's lack of planning.
"Set sail?" Jack asked taking a drink, "I'd love to. But for that I may need a ship."
Teague beckoned toward a group of people in a corner, "They have a ship. They're signing up sailors right now."
Jack turned in his chair to see a rather scruffy looking sailor with a small guitar singing to a group of fawning whores,
'My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold…' they sang.
Jack turned back to Teague, "I'll go get Catherine and we'll be off."
Teague looked at Jack, he was tired, every line in his face showed it, "Be careful Jackie, The Brethren is after you and Catherine."
Jack scoffed at this idea but immediately sobered as soon as it registered that Catherine was involved, "After us? Why?"
Teague smiled sadly, "Do you honestly think that the Brethren Court would let you two alone to enjoy your happy matrimony did you?"
Jack looked past Teague to see Catherine emerging from a back room dressed in her usual garb, her pistol and sword tucked securely in her belt, her hair was loose and a gentle smile graced her face as she caught sight of Jack.
"One last think Jackie," Teague said drawing his attention from Catherine, "The Fountain tests you. Mark my words."
Jack toasted Teague with a small nod before turning back to look at the singing pirate. Jack looked back to find Teague gone and Catherine coming to sit in his place.
Catherine nodded towards the scraggly pirate, "Says he sails under Jack Sparrow. The imposter is here."
"Is he now?" Jack said turning back to observe the scraggly pirate.
'There is nothing can console me, but my jolly sailor bold!'
"Ha ha haaaa!" screeched a woman.
"Keep watch," Jack told Catherine who was rather put off at his order. Jack rolled his eyes; "I'll only be a minute!" he defended.
Jack waited as Catherine settled herself to watch for any suspicious characters before he sauntered his way towards the singing pirate. Jack held a small knife against his throat and the man stopped playing immediately.
"I hear you're recruiting a crew," Jack said softly, but threateningly.
"Aye," she scruffy sailor said swallowing thickly, "That is, Jack Sparrow be puttin' together a modest venture."
Jack stepped out of the shadows looking at the sailor in surprise.
"You've got some nerve ain't ya? Turnin up here, dressed like that?! What are you some kind of imposter?'
Jack's jaw tightened at the fact that there was someone who did not know who he was, "Do you have any idea who I am mate?"
The scruffy sailor burst out laughing no doubt because of the rather generous amount of rum he had been given that night, "Oi! Muckers! Some bloke here forgot his own name!"
The surrounding drunkards and whores burst out in laughter, many not knowing what was so funny but rather enjoyed the act of laughing.
A door burst open behind the crowd causing Jack's head to jerk towards the noise.
"Lads!" a semi sober sailor called, "I'm sailin' with Sparrow! Who'll buy a sailor a drink?"
"AYE!" cheers rang over the jovial crowd. Jack however heard none of it as he noticed a suspiciously shaped shadow lurking out of the pub.
He carefully stepped over fallen drunkards and spilled rum to the back of the pub, looking back quickly to see Catherine sitting in the shadows carefully watching every single person in the pub but completely camouflaged in her surroundings.
Jack stepped into the back storeroom of the pub allowing the door to close behind him silencing most of the boisterous yells from the pub. His hand lightly twitched towards his sword but he resisted the temptation to draw it until he knew something was wrong. Jack took another step past one of the many columns supporting the roof, a board squeaked and Jack quickly turned around drawing his sword as he turned, to come face to face with himself, whose sword was also drawn.
Jack took a moment to study the character before him that was dressed as in in every single way.
"You've stolen me and I'm here to take meself back," Jack stated matter of factly.
The other Jack paused for a moment, before immediately running back behind the column. Jack ran around the other side, his back towards the column, peeking over both sides until both Jack's met each other's eyes and spun out swords clashing as they ran over to the barbecue pit, circling each other and making note of each other's movements, which so happened to be identical. Jack rubbed his beard in thought, the other Jack moved his hand the same way.
"Stop doing that," Jack said frustrated.
The two charged at each other again swords clashing both equally matched as they struggled for the upper hand. Jack deflected other Jack's sword into a roasting chunk of meat. As the other Jack struggled with his sword, his eyes suddenly focused on the simple golden ring on Jack's left hand, and his eyes widened.
The other Jack ripped his sword from the meat and charged at Jack with renewed vigor. Jack was surprised but not for long as he met the other Jack's attacks with equal ferocity. The other Jack roughly kicked Jack in the stomach that doubled over trying to catch his breath. The other Jack ran up a pile of barrels onto the rafters of the ceiling and cut a rope that had secured several barrels of rum. Jack straightened up in time to see the barrels come plummeting down and hit the wagon he was standing on sending him flying to the rafters.
Jack stood unsteady for a moment, as he readjusted his stance, with a smirk, he charged towards the other Jack. The two battled across the rafters before the other Jack gracefully leapt down to the ground and began to run towards the door. Jack, not wanting the imposter to run loose, swung himself down to land in front of him and charged towards the other Jack. The other Jack frustrated spun and slashed towards Jack pointing his sword directly at him.
Jack looked at the sword in a surprised amusement, "Only two people alive know that move, and one of them is sitting in the other room."
Jack quickly sprang forward and disarmed the other Jack, sending his sword across the room.
"Hello Angelica," Jack said flatly tearing off most of the imposter's fake beard.
Angelica sighed, "Hello Jack," she said ripping off the rest of the beard, "Are you impressed? I think I almost killed you once or twice there."
"I am touched at this most sincere form of flattery," Jack answered, using his sword to remove her hat, "But why?"
Angelica removed the bandana and wig, shaking out her hair as she did so, "You were the only pirate I could ever pass for."
Jack grimaced, "That is not a compliment."
Angelica smiled devilishly, taking off the rest of her mustache, "Don't worry Jack. I forgave you a long time ago."
Jack's brows, furrowed, "For what?"
Angelica stood up to her full height, which in reality was still much shorter than Jack, "For leaving me."
Jack stepped back, hands raised as if he had touched something foul, "Let us make one thing quite clear, I was never with you to leave you."
Angelica smiled devilishly, "I can see that now," she said grabbing Jack's left hand, "Which poor unsuspecting person have you conned your way into their heart, hmmm?" she asked.
Jack jerked his hand away, "That is none of your concern. You still haven't answered my question; Why?"
Angelica sighed, "Loo, Sparrow, as long as my sailors get their money, they are willing to put up with any number of peculiarities," she said walking away from him.
"Ah," Jack grumbled, "But there is one peculiarity which I would not put up with. I will be impersonated as "Captain", nothing less.
Angelica scoffed, "Well for that you need a ship. And as it turns out, I have one."
Jack battled with himself for a moment as to whether or not to rely on the conniving wench for anything, "…I could use a ship."
"I hear-tell you've been to the Fountain," she said mysteriously, but looking in Jacks eyes with such a certainty it surprised him.
"There's been a lot of hear telling going on these days."
"The Fountain of Youth," she clarified.
Jack looked at her in a joking examination, "Dearest Angelica, fret not, you still have a few usable years left."
"Haha! Always so charming," she seethed, "You didn't answer me."
"Eh?" Jack asked trying to draw her away from the subject, "Ah, regarding the Fountain. Waste of time."
The door suddenly banged open causing both Jack and Angelica to turn in time to see the same scruffy sailor and Catherine fighting through the door.
"My lady!" shouted the scruffy sailor as he shut the door and started stacking barrels against it, "I see unseamanlike fellows of officious looking nature!"
Angelica turned towards Jack, "Friends of yours?"
Jack shrugged taking out his sword and walking over to drag Catherine away from the door, "I may have unintentionally slighted some King or other."
Catherine pushed Jack away from her as she drew her sword out as well, "Jack, we need to leave now!" she said eyeing the door, waiting for it to burst open at any moment.
Angelica looked towards Catherine, "Ah, so you are the fool Jack has conned-"
Catherine cut off the rest of Angelica's phrase with her sword up against her neck faster than even Angelica could register, "I am no fool," she said calmly, "Angelica."
The door exploded open followed by several gunshots that ended the conflict between the two women.
"Get down!" yelled Jack pulling Catherine down just as a shower of gunshots rang over where her head had been.
"Get out of here," Jack whispered harshly, looking straight into her eyes.
Catherine laughed, "Very funny Jack," she stood up pulling him with her, "you can't get rid of me that easily. I fight by your side remember?" she said drawing her sword and pistol with a cheeky smile.
Jack sighed, since the previous year, he had no wish to see her hurt ever again, "Can't blame me for tryin' love," he said with a small smile as he drew his sword out again.
The two quickly fought their way into the throng of the redcoats that had surrounded Angelica.
"We are at a disadvantage!" Angelica yelled over the fighting.
"Speak for yourself!" Jack said as he was fighting, "unlike some who pretend to be, that cannot infact hold a candle to, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"
Jack turned from his fight to slice open a barrel of rum causing it to come spraying everywhere.
Angelica quickly followed suit and soon rum was spraying so thickly that it was barely possible to see. Jack poked a hole in a barrel as he ran by only to turn around and try to slurp up the very fine wine until Angelica dragged him away from it.
Jack looked up to see Catherine struggling with two soldiers and tried to run towards her just as her ran straight into about twenty pistols pointed straight at him. He was about to fight his way through when the floor suddenly lurched out from under him and he fell into shockingly cold water.
A strong hand pulled him away from the whole and the bullets that now shot through the water towards the pair. Jack reluctantly swam with the current, his lungs felt as if they were about to burst before he finally surfaced and drew in the sweat night air. He turned to see who had ripped him from Catherine to see Angelica lounging on a pile of stones.
Jack pulled himself next to her and ripped out his sword, his eyes ablaze with anger, "You better have an extremely good explanation of how exactly you plan on getting her out of that pub or you will be sleeping on the bottom of Thames."
Angelica stood up just as something pierced Jack's neck. He reached over to pull out whatever was stinging him to find a feathered dart. He looked towards Angelica in pure rage as his vision started to blur before him.
"I'm sorry Jack," Angelica said, with not a trace of regret in her voice as she watched Jack fall to the ground senseless, "We just didn't need her."
Catherine struggled against the two soldiers forcing her towards the prison.
"Let. Me. Go!" she yelled as she pulled away as they finally let go, causing her to fall roughly to the ground on her back, "I swear you'll pay for this," she growled trying to get up, her hand on her sword but the guard quickly shoved her shoulder down with his foot and pointed her gun directly at her heart.
She lay on the ground, panting, and a sneer across her face as she glared at the guard holding her down.
"There's been a mistake!" came a familiar voice from the inside of the prison, " It's a life sentence. Not death, Life!" shouted Gibbs, as Catherine again began to struggling against the guards again, trying to get to Gibbs, as the doors to the prison slammed open.
"Barbossa!" seethed both Catherine and Gibbs.
"Thank you gentlemen," Barbossa said throwing Gibbs some rope while ignoring a struggling Catherine, "I trust you can tie a noose."
"It's a hard thing," said Gibbs throwing the rope back towards Barbossa, "Forcing a man to twist his own hanging rope."
"You must like in your bed the way you made it," said Barbossa with not a hint of pity as he threw the rope towards Groves who began tying it over the scaffolding.
Gibbs looked towards Barbossa with disgust, "What's happened to you?" he asked.
Barbossa ignored him and instead turned to Catherine and dragged her upright, "Where is Jack Sparrow?"
"He escaped," Catherine said with a small smirk.
Barbossa angrily grabbed the front of her shirt, Catherine couldn't help but flashback to Beckett's cabin not even a year ago, and her eyes slammed shut as she tried to shut out the memory.
"I'm on a tight schedule Sparrow. The HMS Providence sets sail at first light, and if you do not care hanging here dead with a mouth full of flies, speak now."
Catherine had opened her eyes, and now stared at Barbossa with a dead expression, "If you kill me, you bring death on yourself, or is your head shoved so far up the King's ass you've forgotten the code."
Barbossa was about to reply when Gibbs pulled out the map that he had stolen from Jack, he wasn't sure what Barbossa would have done to Catherine, but he knew that Jack would not hesitate to kill him if he let Catherine get hurt.
"Barbossa!" he called out, causing Barbossa to let go of Catherine and walk over to Gibbs.
"…Hand it over," Barbossa said threateningly.
Gibbs threw it on the ground and quickly grabbed a lantern from the wall next to him and threw it on the map.
"YOU FOOL!" shouted Barbossa.
"I've just enough time to study those infernal circles, every route, every destination all safe. In here," Gibbs said pointing to his head, very wary of an infuriated Barbossa.
"Welcome back to the King's Navy Mister Gibbs!" Barbossa spat storming off.
Gibbs quickly went to follow grabbing Catherine's hand as he left.
Catherine looked longingly at the map that lay burning to ashes on the ground as Gibbs pulled her away.