Next morning Jack sent word to Teague's house for Teague, Agatha, and Elizabeth to all come out to the Pearl. Will had been as good as his word, and her hold was full of chests of gold coins and jewels. The four of them held a quick conference in Jack's cabin and decided to spread out the treasure in several locations, so as not to tempt thieves. To that end, only part of it was unloaded there in Shipwreck; Agatha agreed to take some of it with her back to Port Royale when she went; Jack and Elizabeth decided to bury some of it in two other locations that only they would know about.

Teague and Elizabeth went down into the hold, while Agatha stayed behind to speak to Jack for a moment.

"Thank you, Captain Sparrow, for your efforts on my niece's behalf," she told him. "I do hope that Mr Turner arranged for you to get a proper portion of this treasure as well, in payment for delivering it to us."

"Well... no, not exactly," Jack replied. It was true; Will hadn't arranged to give him any of this treasure. Agatha hadn't asked him about any others.

"Oh, that dog!" Agatha fumed. "Well, let me give you this, then, until Eliza and I can sort out something more." She unclasped her long strand of pearls, every single one large, white, and perfectly round, and handed it to him.

Jack opened and closed his mouth a few times, and finally took the necklace. "Unnecessary, Auntie, but appreciated," he finally managed to choke out.

She smiled at him, one eyebrow raised. "I daresay you can add it to your ever-growing collection of my jewelry, eh?"

Jack didn't know what to say, and he felt an uncomfortable sensation of prickling heat in his face. He hadn't realized that she knew how much of her jewelry he'd lifted so far.

Agatha laughed and patted his cheek. "Oh, now, I didn't mean to make you blush. Come, let's go join the others and get this treasure divided up, shall we?"

Was that what blushing felt like? Jack didn't like it. He nodded and followed her out of his cabin, down the stairs, and into the hold.

After they got the division of the loot sorted out, Elizabeth went up on deck to visit with Mr Gibbs, while Teague and Agatha lingered behind for a moment. Jack drew Agatha aside with a hand on her arm. "Auntie, I must ask you something. How on earth did you ever manage this? I mean, all you did was ask him for it, and lo! Here it is. How did you do that?"

"I simply appealed to his sense of duty. And guilt. And honestly, isn't this much easier than all that sailing and fighting and taking ships?" She blinked at him innocently.

"But you got the entire treasure... simply by asking for it? Dear, you must give me lessons! I thought I was a pretty good pirate, but I marvel at your superior expertise. Eh, Dad?"

Teague nodded his agreement, remarking in his understated way, "Figure the Pirate King must've got her talent somewhere." He offered his arm to Agatha in a courtly way, and Jack raised his eyebrows as he watched them leave the ship together. He didn't blame his dad for wanting to keep that one close! She was the most dangerous pirate he'd ever met!

"...Just by asking for it," he muttered, shaking his head in wonder.

Note: A reader asked me if I had read the Disney-approved novels about the young Jack Sparrow's life, or if I was going to incorporate them at all. The answers are no, and no. I have created a completely different background for Jack in this story, so if you are expecting familiar characters such as Araballa, they will not be showing up. Sorry if this engenders any disappointment; however, I am using just the films and deleted scenes as canon for this (and some of the writers' comments as well, if they fit).