Chapter 19: Celebrations
"We're free!" Jack said.
There was never a happier moment aboard the Pearl. Both families were reunited and their loved ones were safe and sound.
"Jack, my darling, I thought I lost you," Guinevere sighed.
"You have not, and you shall not lose me again," Jack declared.
Jack leaned in for a kiss, but suddenly, Guinevere slapped him across the face!
"OW! Darling, what was that for?" Jack asked in shock, rubbing his cheek, "I don't think I deserved that."
"That was for scaring me half to death," Guinevere said pointedly.
"Mrs. Sparrow, I am here now, and I will never leave you again on my honor as Captain Jack Sparrow the Immortal," Jack promised.
"Say it again," Guinevere commanded.
"I promise never to-" Jack began.
"No, say my name again," Guinevere interrupted.
"Mrs. Sparrow," Jack repeated.
Guinevere grabbed Jack by the collar of his shirt and pressed her lips against his.
"What was that for, if I may ask?" Jack commented. "I think I deserved that."
"That was for calling me my name and making that promise," Guinevere replied.
"Do I have to go through this every time I die or nearly die?" Jack asked.
"Yes," Guinevere answered. "I can't know that you will never leave me unless you tell me so in advance and keep your word."
"Right, so the next time I am about to die, I should remember to do this, eh?" Jack said.
"Precisely," Guinevere answered.
"I apologize for nearly dying," Jack said.
"You will be forgiven if you shut up and kiss me," Guinevere said slyly.
"You are my pearl, Mrs. Sparrow," Jack said in content.
Will and Elizabeth looked on and rolled their eyes.
"Sparrows," Elizabeth groaned.
"Pirates," Will groaned.
Juliet set her brother and sister down in the basinet and faced James and William.
"I missed you both so much," she said sincerely.
Suddenly, she smacked William and James across the face.
"Juliet!" Guinevere said in a scolding tone.
"Hey, I took a knock on the head, and I walked the plank for you!" James said indignantly.
"I helped you escape, and I was beaten up for you," William added.
"That was for being naïve enough to believe I could die by disease," Juliet said.
"And I thought her mother's way was bad," William said, rolling his eyes.
Just then, Juliet embraced them.
"What was that?" James asked.
"That was for all you did and for believing in me," Juliet said.
"Well, you're welcome," William and James said.
Jack and Guinevere as well as Will and Elizabeth rolled their eyes.
"Sparrows," Will and Elizabeth said.
"Turners," Jack and Guinevere said.
Jack then made an announcement. "Right, now that everyone has slapped each other, kissed, and made up, we shall celebrate our victory."
"And how shall we celebrate?" Will asked.
"The pirate way, William," Guinevere answered smartly.
"I had to ask," Will groaned.
Jack and the others then climbed up to the main deck.
"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack called.
"Cap'n," Gibbs replied dutifully.
"Break out the rum stores!" Jack announced. "We're all thirsty after winning a battle!"
"Aye, aye, Captain!" Gibbs said.
Gibbs and the rest of the crew immediately went about cracking open every store of rum they could find. The pirates seemed in their element as the rum was emptied and quaffed.
"Does everyone have a drink?" Jack asked.
"Aye!" the crew cheered.
"Let us drink to honest pirating!" Jack toasted, raising his rum bottle.
"To honest pirating!" everyone cheered.
"Let's here it for our Captains and the crew!" Gibbs shouted.
"I'm bored with toasts and speeches, let's drink like honest pirates we are!" Guinevere shouted.
"Drink heartily, men!" Lucia added.
"Well, you heard the ladies!" Barbossa said.
"Drink up me hearties, yo ho!" Jack exclaimed, taking a big swig of rum.
There was a roar of approval and soon, the scent of rum was all over the Black Pearl.
Only Elizabeth, Will, and Rose remained without bottles of rum.
"You three call yourselves pirates and yet you do not drink like us," Guinevere said, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.
"I may be a pirate, but I'm also a doctor, Guin," Rose replied. "What kind of example would I be setting?"
"And what's your excuse?" Guinevere demanded, her eyes on Elizabeth and Will, "Especially you, Mrs. Turner. You are the Pirate King, and rum rarely touches your lips."
"You know that rum is such a vile drink," Elizabeth jested. "Just because I am the Pirate King does not mean I have to drink like one."
"Right. I forgot that you can't be trusted with rum," Guinevere replied. "Come on, Will, can't you loosen up this once?"
"Sorry, Guin," Will said with a smile. "I'm afraid I must be the stick in the mud about this."
"Besides, we must set an example, too," Elizabeth added.
"And why is that?" Guinevere wanted to know.
"Because we plan to be parents again," Will explained.
Guinevere's eyes widened. "Well, why didn't you say so before?"
"Say what before?" Jack interrupted.
"Mr. and Mrs. Turner here are planning to add to their treasure trove," Guinevere explained.
"Well, let's drink to that!" Jack said, raising his glass.
"A brother or sister, really?" William asked incredulously.
"Yes, we promised that once you were safe, we'd give you a brother or sister," Elizabeth told her son.
"Well, good for you, William," Juliet said, patting William on the back.
"Congratulations, William," James said.
As the celebration went on, Guinevere strutted up to Lucia.
"Might I challenge you to a friendly drinking contest?" Guinevere asked.
"You think you can challenge me, Sparrow?" Lucia said competitively.
"Well, if you are too afraid to challenge a great Sparrow like me," Guinevere said in jest.
"Let's drink, Sparrow," Lucia said determinedly.
The two women began their drinking game. Drink after drink, both of them grew intoxicated by the minute.
"I feel dizzy," Guinevere said. "Quit spinning around, Lucia!"
"You stop playing tricks, Sparrow, wherever you are," Lucia countered.
Both women collapsed to the ground.
The next morning, Barbossa and Lucia awoke back at Tortuga.
"My head," Lucia moaned as she awoke, "Some drinking game."
Suddenly, Lucia looked around her. She realized she was on a dock at Tortuga, not the Black Pearl. She turned to find her Barbossa snoring next to her.
"Father, get up!" Lucia exclaimed, jabbing Barbossa with her elbow.
"What is it?" Barbossa moaned.
"In case you didn't notice, we're not on the Pearl," Lucia said pointedly.
"The Pearl's gone!" Barbossa shouted, snapping awake. "What did you do?"
"Nothing except a drinking game," Lucia said.
"A drinking game?" Barbossa asked incredulously.
"It looks like the Sparrows left us some transportation," Lucia said, pointing to a small dinghy in the harbor.
"There's a note," Barbossa said, pointing to a piece of paper on the mast of the boat.
Lucia snatched the note and read it to herself.
"What does it say?" Barbossa asked.
"It says, 'I won, ha ha. Happy travels, your dearest friends, Guin and The Immortal Captain Jack Sparrow.'" Lucia replied.
Barbossa and Lucia rolled their eyes. "Sparrows."