Chapter 20: Payback and Family

Jack and Guinevere sailed out of Tortuga feeling very pleased with themselves. Jack finally got his payback for Barbossa ditching him three times before. Guinevere felt pleased that she got payback on Lucia and Barbossa.

"Good on you for thinking of that drinking game last night, Mrs. Sparrow," Jack praised. "If I were to think an idea, said idea would've been the same as your performed action."

"Two great minds think alike," Guinevere laughed. "Clearly, Barbossa and Lucia never have taken their own advice not to trust a pirate."

"And we used their misfortune to our advantage," Jack added. "I've had to watch that man sail away with my ship not once, not even twice, but three times. Feels good to give him a taste of his own medicine, as it were."

"Indeed, it does," Guinevere laughed.

Both of them noticed Will and Elizabeth with stern looks on their faces.

"Oh, bugger, this can't be good," Jack groaned in anticipation.

"You do have to admit that was pretty clever," Guinevere laughed sheepishly to Will and Elizabeth.

"Clever as it may be, but do you realize that you two just sank to Barbossa and Lucia's level?" Elizabeth questioned.

"I didn't know we pirates had levels to sink to," Guinevere joked.

"Didn't you once sink to my level, Pirate King?" Jack questioned. "I believe you did just that when you sent me on me merry way to the Locker."

"And I saved you, did I not?" Elizabeth countered. "I saved you because it was right."

"As poetic and noble as your speech is, you felt guilty, and in said guilty state, you decided to rescue me," Jack replied.

"My point is that I was righting my wrong," Elizabeth concluded.

"Elizabeth is right, and both of you know it," Will said.

"Oh, don't you start, William," Guinevere said, rolling her eyes.

"Barbossa and Lucia are tricksters, and you should've been more decent than them," Will continued.

"Said the hypocrite who tried to steal me ship ten years ago and made a deal with the enemy," Jack countered.

"My hands were forced in those situations, but I did not act maliciously," Will said firmly.

"While both of you feel it necessary to lecture us about Barbossa and Lucia, do you not remember what they did to earn them a marooning?" Guinevere questioned.

"You must've forgotten that Barbossa stole me ship three times, and the first time, he left me to die on a godforsaken spit of sand," Jack said pointedly.

"And Lucia tried to kill all of us and kidnapped Juliet when she was only a baby," Guinevere added.

"And how could you defend Barbossa when he almost prevented your union in holy matrimony?" Jack asked incredulously. "I would expect you to be happy that those two are no longer in the picture."

"Yes, Barbossa and Lucia have done things that they deserve to be punished for," Will admitted. "However, it is all in the past. If it wasn't for Barbossa, Elizabeth wouldn't have been my wife for ten years."

"You seem to forget that it was them who protected Juliet this whole time," Elizabeth said.

"Your point, if you can make one about why I shouldn't have left Barbossa to his well-deserved fate with his viper of a daughter?" Jack asked expectantly.

"Can't you show a least bit of remorse for them, considering what they've done?" Will pleaded.

Jack and Guinevere looked at each other for a long moment. "No."

Will threw up his hands. "Pirates."

Meanwhile, Juliet, James, and William played with Jack Jr. and Elizabeth.

"They're adorable, Juliet," James said.

"Indeed they are," William agreed. "I am so glad that you were able to see them."

"So am I, but what do you mean?" Juliet asked.

"When you were sick, I was so scared. I've never been more scared in my life," William said sincerely.

"So was I," James chimed in.

"Funny," Juliet commented.

"What is?" James asked.

"The likes of you two, strapping lads scared out of your wits," Juliet answered, a sly smile across her face.

"It doesn't matter if we were lads or lasses," William said wisely, "We'd still be scared for the ones we love."

"And we were scared for you," James added.

"I think love is a bit forward of a word, but I see your point," Juliet agreed.

"I hope my brother or sister is as cute as these two," William said wistfully, playing with Elizabeth.

"I only wish that I had brothers or sisters like them," James sighed.

"But you do, James," Juliet said lovingly.

"You've always been a brother to me, James," William said tenderly.

"I feel the same way," James said.

"We don't have to be blood-related to be a family," Juliet said, putting her arms about James and William. "I have three adorable brothers."

"What a strange family we are," William jested.

In the afternoon, Jack was lounging with Guinevere in his quarters. Both of them felt relaxed for the one moment they had without worrying about their lives.

"Where do we go from here, Captain?" Guinevere said. "Now that we've faced pretty much every enemy there is out there."

"Every enemy?" Jack gasped. "I think not. There'll always be someone out to get us."

"You say that with such nonchalance," Guinevere said flatly.

"After everything we've been through, it's nothing," Jack said. "However, I am beginning to think about what you said, you know, considering our little pearls and all."

"You're right," Guinevere said thoughtfully. "Do you think we should hang up our swords and put into port?"

"I only said I thought about it, but if you want to," Jack said, awaiting Guinevere's approval.

"Nah," Guinevere giggled.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Jack said in relief. "What would the seas be like without Captain Jack Sparrow the Immortal?"

"Dreary and sad, indeed," Guinevere said brightly. "Especially when there's no Guinevere Sparrow the Unsinkable."

Just then, Gibbs came down to the quarters. "Cap'n."

"Mr. Gibbs, what brings you?" Jack asked.

"Do we have a heading, sir?" Gibbs asked.

"Ah, a heading," Jack said, fumbling in his pockets. "We do have a heading. It's somewhere in here."

"Jack, where's your compass?" Guinevere asked dubiously.

"Darling, I'm truly unhappy to tell you this, but by some unfortunate circumstances, that I cannot find out, my compass is gone," Jack said shamefacedly.

"But who would take it?" Guinevere asked.