Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I will try to update as much as possible! Also, I considered the request for including Elizabeth + her son into the story and I have an idea of how to incorporate them into the story. I can't promise anything though, since I am not entirely sure myself as of where this whole thing is going :) Again, thank you for reviews! I am waiting for your opinion on this chapter! Feel free to offer your ideas :)
Chapter 1. Tortuga.
Slowly, Jack reached out to the glass standing on the table in front of him. The music was loud in the pub, and the rum was working its way through his body, making his blood thicker and his movements slower. The images swam before his eyes, and his ears were ringing. He missed the cup by about an inch. He tried again, this time steading himself on the chair, and holding onto the table with his free hand. He wrapped his fingers around the glass, and was about to bring it to his mouth when another hand yanked the glass away from him. Jack jumped on his feet and almost lost his balance. He rocked from side to side, but thanks to his sea legs didn't fall. Finally, his eyes focused on the intruder. Mr. Gibbs already halfway emptied the glass.
"Gibbs!" Jack exclaimed falling back onto his chair. "Where've you been?"
"Me, I've been ne...nag…negotiating! Negotiating a ship?" Gibbs finally managed to say.
"How did't go?" Jack seemed unbothered by the choice of Gibbs's words.
"Well…I got the fellow drunk, had a drink myself, and…"
"And?" Jack frowned.
"And then I drifted away for a while…"
"And the fellow?"
"Turns out he already lost the ship to some other unfortunate captain," Gibbs finished.
"Hey!" Jack waved his hands in the air. "I ain't unfortunate. It's not my fault the ritual didn't work and we didn't get the Pearl out of the bottle!"
"Who'd ye even know about the ritual?" Gibbs asked.
"Angelica told me."
"Ye can't trust that one, Jack, " Gibbs frowned. "She's a woman!"
"A female, indeed," Jack repeated. "But a smart one."
"A smart woman is even worse than the devil himself," Gibbs whispered. "Mark my words."
"Well then," Jack's eyes followed a man with a bottle in his hand passing by their table, not paying attention to Gibbs's words. "Shall we have another drink?"
"Aye!" Gibbs tried to get up, but instead fell off his chair onto the floor. Jack, a bit faster than Gibbs, and less drunk, got a grip on his arm and dragged him to the bar. However, they didn't make it. About halfway Gibbs slipped on something of undistinguishable color and origin and fell down again. Jack, who maintained his balance, was helping Gibbs up when he felt sharp pain in his chest, as if someone just squeezed all the air out of his lungs. His body folded in half; Jack opened his mouth gasping for air.
"Jack," Gibbs called from the floor. "Ye okay?"
Jack couldn't answer. His vision started to blur and he slowly dropped onto his knees.
"Jack!" Gibbs finally managed to get up and was now making it towards Jack.
"I…can't…" then suddenly the pain disappeared as if it was never there. Jack loudly inhaled, his head clearing a little. He grabbed a bottle from the nearest table and drank.
"Mother's love! Jack! You looked like you were about to make it!"
"I bloody sure was!" Jack exclaimed still breathing heavily. "Let's get outta here. I need some sea air!"
"Aye," Gibbs agreed and pushed his way to the door.
"That was interesting," Jack mumbled looking down on his chest where a fade outline of a mark Blackbeard's knife left on the chest of his voodoo doll - and therefore his own chest, was still visible.