The Chinese New Year

Chapter Twenty

Jack felt much better now. He was sitting with his friend, Mr. Glibb- excuse, GIBBS, nad was passing a genuine bottle of scotch back and forth. They talked about good time, Jack told a nasty joke, and Gibbs told Jack about Will committing a mutiny against Barbossa (who deserved it). They laughed until the sensitive subject of death came up.

"How was it like, Jack? Being dead?" Gibbs asked, handing Jack the bottle.

"Well, I wazzit actually dead, Joshamee." Jack slurred, and took a deep drink from the bottle."But being close ta it is something... something else."

"How does it feel? Is it scary?" Gibbs took the bottle back, took a drink and handed it back to Jack.

"At first, ye think it is. But there comes this void, and a silence. Surprisingly, it's comforting. And fear doesn't become an issue- ye don't feel anyhting." Jack took a sip of scotch. "The perfect time to think."

Gibbs sat solemly, watching Jack. "Whatcha think about?"

"Woman." Jack took a swig from the bottle, and looked down at the bottle, noticing htat it was almost empty. "Me mum, mainly. I was remembering the times when, even against me father's orders, she would bake my favorote treat. Remembering how she would play with me hair and fight with my grandma about cutting it. She never wanted to, if I didn' want to. How she would tuck me into bed and sing to me when I was upset over an argument with me father- even though I was damn near fifteen." Jack sniffed, and handed the bottle back to Gibbs, who took a greedy sip, remembering Jack's mum. She was a fine woman, that one. "I also thought about ... her."

Elizabeth?" Gibbs said softly.

Jack nodded his head. "Aye." He had taken the bottle and raised it to his mouth to take a drink, but couldn't.

"Woman." Gibbs grunted, making it sound like they were a curse- a curse that they couldn't live without.

"Yeah..." Jack said, and tipped the bottle, allowing the last bit of scotch to fall to the floor. "...woman..."


Jack was now drunk. Really drunk. Like, I- can't- take- a- step- without- falling- down- drunk. The type of drunk that even drunk people couldn't fathom.

After many attempts to climb the stairs, Jack was finally successful and stood up straight, his hand on his hips. He looked around the deck and grinned. So far, he was doing good...

"SPARROW!"

Jack jumped and fell backwards down the stairs, falling in a heap on the floor, laughing. Gibbs, who was sleeping hugging an empty bottle, woke up and saw Jack, then laughed.

"Ye alright there, mate?" he asked, laughing, as Jack pointed up the stairs.

"I was up there... NOW I'm down here!" Jack laughed and took a deep breath, looking around the room. "How'd that happen?"

Will stood at the top of the stairs, fuming, looking down at the site of drunken pirates.

"SPARROW! GIBBS! What the hell are you doing down there?" Will began to stomp down the steps.

"Uh oh!" Gibbs chortled and nudged Jack. "I- I think we's in trouble, mate."

"What gave you that idea?" Jack laughed, confused, and was lifted up off the floor by his jacket collar. He twisted his head and saw that Will was holding him up. "Oh. That." Jack immediately sobered up. "Hey, Will! Whatsa need me fer?"

"Your drunk." Will stated the obvious.

"And yer a eunich, yet I never say anything bad about that!" Jack was greeted, hard, with the floor. Will had dropped him.

"Elizabeth wants to see you." Will said, short and sweet. "Sober up and go see her."

"Aye, captain!" Jack saluted Will, who rolled his eyes and walked up the stairs.

"So he was up here, all night, with you?" Daiyu asked, braiding Elizabeth's beautiful hair.

Elizabeth smiled. "Yes. And he was a gentleman. Unlike Jack, I know, but he was so... sweet."

Daiyu grinned at the look on Elizabeth's face. Everytime she said Jack's name or even heard it, her face lit up. Daiyu continued to pull her hair and tying it.

"I don't know why people say mean things about him. He is a nice man." Daiyu tied off the end of Elizabeth's hair with a ribbon. "One of the few in this world."

Elizabeth smiled, and moved over a bit so Daiyu could sit comfortably next to her. She smiled at her friend and took her hand, looking over her nails.

"Hand me that little kit, over there." Elizabeth pointed at a small black kit on the desk and Daiyu retrieved it.

Opening it up, Elizabeth brought out small medical shears and a stone, used to rub off scabs and dirt off wounds. She grabbed Daiyu's hands and started cleaning up her nails.

"He is a good man." Elizabeth smiled as she rubbed the stone along Daiyu's fingers. "He just made a couple of bad decisions in his life."

Daiyu lightly scoffed. "Don't we all?"

Elizabeth chortled at her, and snipped her fingernails. "I guess your right."

A minute of silence hung in the room, and Elizabeth stopped trimming Daiyu's nails.

"I haven't seen Jack since this morning."

"Do you want to see him?" Daiyu asked, and went to get out of bed.

Elizabeth stopped her. "No- watch." she reached over and grabbed a tiny hand bell, and shook it.

In a matter of seconds, Will was at the door.

"May I help you?" he asked, leaning against the door.

Elizabeth smiled sweetly at him. "I need to see Jack. Can you send him up?" she looked Will in the eyes- he had stiffened up at her request. "Please?" she asked sweetly.

Will nodded, and walked away, in search of the older pirate.

Daiyu looked at Elizabeth and smiled. "So, you ring that bell, and someone comes and gives you whatever you want?"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. "Yes- watch." She rang the bell again, and this time, Ragetti appeared at the doorway, bowing deeply.

"Might I be in service?" he asked, and Elizabeth nodded at Daiyu to make a request.

"May I have a glass of clean water?" Daiyu made sure to add the 'clean' part.

"Certainly, madame." Ragetti disappeared, and reappeared a moment later with a glass of water, then left to go do his duty.

Daiyu looked at Elizabeth and laughed. "Do it again." she nudged Elizabeth, who laughed at her. "Do it again!"

Elizabeth laughed and rang her bell, and Marty, the smallest pirate, answered.

"What do you need, Miss?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. I forgot." Elizabeth smiled sweetly, and saw Marty rolling his eyes as he walked away.

Daiyu and Elizabeth went into a laughing fit, grinning like fools. Elizabeth wiped tears from her eyes and stole a sip of water from Daiyu. Her chest was starting to hurt- she had to calm down.

"That is brilliant." Daiyu said, taking a drink of water.

Will appeared at the door, alone, and Elizabeth's face fell. "Where's Jack?"

"Drunk. Still want to see him?" he asked, and Elizabeth nodded.

"I've seen him drunk before. What does it matter?"

Will nodded, feeling hurt, and turned around, allowing Jack to walk into the room. His old swagger was back, and he held his arms up in the air, smiling.

"Elizabeth. So good ta see ye again." he turned and looked at Will. "It's alright. You don't have to chaperone."

"I'd rather stay." Will said, leaning against the door, crossing his arms. "No telling what you'll do to the woman."

Elizabeth and Daiyu looked at each other nervously. They could feel the tension coming off of Jack and Will.

"You can trust me, mate. I'm completely trustworthy." he put his hands together, and mocked bow.

Will looked at Elizabeth, asking Elizabeth what she wanted. She looked up at them and smiled.

"It'll be alright, Will. It's two against one- I think we'll survive."

Without a word, Will left, closing the door behind him.

"Hmm..." Jack smiled, and walked towards the bed. "Two beautiful woman, and ol' Jack." He climbed up onto the bed and sat in between them, throwing his arms over their shoulders. "What ever will we do?"

Daiyu scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Absolutely nothing." She pointe at Elizabeth. "She's the one that wanted to see you."

Elizabeth smiled up at Jack and kissed his cheek.

"Ew." Daiyu said, and crawled out of the bed, straightening up. "You two are disgusting."

At that moment, Will appeared at the door again and looked at Jack.

"Jack- we need your help. Teng has our old ship, he's gaining on us."