Coming Along

For any curious, or wanting to see this fic elsewhere; or just out to be good samaritans: I'll post this at FF.net when they put up a PotC category, rather than in the 'misc. movies' section. The only way they'll put up such a category, is if they get requests. Maybe others would be inspired to write for PotC too.

Nita: Thank you so much! I wish I could go see it everyday. Only once so far, but working on a second. I am a writer for a few other fandoms, but mostly Lord of the Rings. I've written for Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Fushigi Yuugi, a Buffy fic that will never see the light of day (no pun intended ;P), Nightmare Before Christmas, and PotC of course. I love the history to the romanticism of pirates, just really cool stuff to know. I'm planning to put the parrot in it, I love that bird! Notice that it would say the same thing and they got different meanings? And all it said were the stereotyped pirate sayings. It's just too cute. This one's for you, just 'cause you hugged me! :D

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The month was nearly at an end, and Jack could not be more pleased with how well Will was suited to this life. On one of the ships, one of the merchants had swallowed the key to a chest, rather than slicing the man open (though that was done too), the chest was turned over to Will. It wasn't long before the young man's training as a blacksmith had the chest opened. They had taken the first of the large merchant ships on the list just today and Jack could only watch as his crew celebrated the success.

He had known that the larger ships would have better guards, and while he was confident in Will's skills as a fighter, one such guard had almost gotten behind the younger man. Jack frowned, Anamaria had taken care of that quickly enough, but it was still a slip that made him wonder if Will was ready. He hated to admit that he was attached to the boy, but there was no other term for it.

As a sparring partner, Will had equally taught and learnt. Jack was impressed with the quick learning as well, it had taken less than a week for Will to learn the basics of life on the Pearl, little longer to learn the finer details. Aside from helping, regardless of where it was needed, Will had taken to learning each duty, not just the ones he would be expected to preform. In a fight, Will was fast and resourceful, his style had improved since last year. But still Jack had to wonder.

Taking a long draught of his rum, Jack left the half empty bottle on the rail of the wheel's dias, sure that someone else would pick it up. He made his way to where Will was, watching the rest of the crew divide up what they had pilfered. Gibbs was in charge of that, rather, he had taken it onto himself. Both Jack and Will knew that they would have their share untouched and in their rooms by the end of the day. Even when the plunder was only a small amount, everything could be divided to the satisfaction of everyone apparently. The only 'fight' had been when Cotton's bird had stolen a coin that had caught it's eye from Crimp.

Jack settled next to Will on one of the barrels on deck. The barrels were tied together in sets of four, and the ones currently being used as seats had yet to be brought below deck to storage.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Will smiled and nodded in response. Jack felt something stir in him. He knew he cared about what happened to Will, but was uncertain if it stopped there. Will had long since broken through Jack's intentions to keep him as only a part of the crew. Their friendship was starting to mirror the one Jack had held with the boy's father. He honestly cared about what happened to Will, and percieved him as a close friend, a dangerous perception in such risky work.

"Come," Jack pulled lightly on Will's sleeve before standing. "I don't recall you having anything to eat today."

Will followed, "True. But neither have you."

Jack smiled, "Well, I'm certain that there is something left over. At least bread and cheese."

Finding suitable food, the two took a seat at one of the smaller common tables. After a few minutes of companionable silence, Will sighed.

"What's troubling you?" the younger man asked.

Jack smiled, "You, actually."

Will furrowed his brow, "What did I do?"

"It's what you didn't do. You left your back open today. If it wasn't for Anamaria, you most likely would have had a sword in your back."

"Buton'ton't," Will said. "I'm fine."

"But you need to be more careful," Jack insisted. "You were distracted then. Where was your mind?"

Will studied a crack in the wooden table, "I don't know."

"Will..."

"I really don't. I wasn't thinking. Just fighting."

Jack frowned but knew that there was little else he would get from his friend on the matter. "Just be careful. I won't be able to look after you."

Will smirked, "Since when have you looked after me?"

Jack smiled, "You've always needed my help, boy."

"Oh? Like when? Because I distinctly recall saving you from being hung."

"And I saved you from having your throat slit."

Will smiled and thought. "When you had taken one of the medallions, and fought Barbossa, who's side were you on?"

Jack looked surprised, "There were sides?"

Will grinned and Jack chuckled, both eased by the banter. In the month of having come, Will had proven himself quite well; the crew liked him, Jack liked him, and he hadn't held back when it came to the actual piracy.

"What's on your mind?"

Jack snapped his mind back to the present, "Just thinking."

"I would have wondered if that was a foreign concept to you."

Before Jack could retort, Will went back to the little kitchen area and found one of the bottles of rum. Returning to the little table, Will put the bottle in front of Jack. The Captain grinned.

"I could kiss you right now."

Will smiled and uncorked the bottle, taking a drink before passing it to his captain.

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"What is it?" Anamaria asked when Cotton had waved her over. The man pointed to a dark spot on the horizon and handed the looking glass over. Anamaria trained the magnifier on the spot.

"Oh shit."

"Shiver me timbers!" Cotton's parrot piped. Anamaria handed the looking glass back and ran across the deck to find where Jack and Will had been.

She found them in the commons dining area, passing a bottle between them and talking. "Cap'n. There's an H.M.S. on the path. I think it hasn't seen us yet, but it's in a way to intercept us."

Jack stood, "How far out?"

"A few hours, at best."

Jack and Will followed Anamaria out to where Cotton was, the small crew gathering to hear what Jack would decide on the matter. Jack took the offered telescope and scanned the ship in the distance for a name.

"The...'Helion'. , ha, have you heard of this one?"

The younger man nodded, "It was in Port Royal when I left. At least twenty on it, all seasoned."

Jack frowned, his crew was strong, but tired from the earlier take. "We leave it alone for now. If they're going to see us, they already have. Anamaria, change course just enough to put us out of cannon range."

The woman nodded and went to do as told. Jack turned to face the rest of the crew, "Go about your duties, but keep weapons close at hand. We don't make the first move right now."

There were collective nods and a parrot squawk as the crowd disperssed.

"Wouldn't it be better to just change our course completely?"

Jack shrugged, "Yes, but there's a port city in this direction, and it's about time the crew had a rest. We're still close to the Americas, and after a little rest, I want us to get started on the trip to Europe. The second of the merchant ships will be about a week behind us, so we can just wait for it."

Will frowned, "I've seen the captain of this one, he may attack, just for the sake of it."

Jack smirked, "Then we'll just have to show him what the Pearl can do."

Will followed Jack up to the wheel, Anamaria handing the control over to the captain. The woman left the little dias and went to check the rigging for the cannons, pulling Gibbs along with her.

There was an uneasy air on the ship while the crew waited to see what would happen. Just to break the silence, Jack askedl abl about the possible threat.

"Helion has a sister ship, the Pendulum. I've only seen the Helion's crew at Port Royal, but the Pendulum is said to be stronger."

"Privateers?"

Will shook his head, "No, Buccaneer. They work for the British and only attack the Spanish and unliscenced."*

Jack sighed, "That may be a problem then. Not much of one."

Will smiled slightly, "It's the Pendulum we need to watch for. The stories of it are almost as bad as your own."

"val val eh? You'll have to tell me some of these."

"Over a bottle at dinner."

Jack grinned, "We have time now."

"They say the Pendulum is captained by one of the most feared former pirates. Apparently you had a rival for that title too."

Jack frowned, "I'll have to put an end to that one."

Will smiled, "There are some actual stories too. But they can wait."

"You owe them too me, I need to know whih parts of my reputation to defend."

Will grinned and bit honguongue to prevent himself from saying anything. Jack gave him a sidelong look before turning his attention back to the task at hand.

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I don't know if I really like this chapterThe The next one will have some action in it.

*Buccaneers (I prolly spelt that wrong) are the ones hired by one country to sack the ships of another. Britain is the best known to haone one this, having a fleet ultimately larger than the Royal Navy. Privateers were freelance, hired by any country to pirate for that court. Pirates were completely freelance, and not for hire. A lot of Privateers and Pirates were navy officers that left their posts in favour of better pay and other reasons. There were even reports that some Pirates would give crews of the ships they took the choice to join the new crew.