Open Seas

Title: Open Seas
By Orial
Summery: Sequel to Mists of Insanity. Jack and James are back on the Pearl, Hector gets competitive, James reveals his duty to Calypso for resurrecting him, Jack and Hector get into an argument over whose captain of the Black Pearl, and all on their way to the Fountain of Youth.
Rating: NC-17
Author’s note: Same as the last one, uber spoilers for the third movie etc. etc. Enjoy!
Pairings: Jack Sparrow/ Hector Barbossa, Jack Sparrow/James Norrington

Chapter One

It was three days before the Black Pearl was sighted on the horizon by Jack and James.

“Are you sure this time Jack…?” asked James looking up at the other man doubtfully. Jack looked back at him and sighed.

“Yes I’m sure! I know my ship, James.”

“That’s what you said the last time, Jack, and it ended up being a French fishing boat.” Jack sulked at him and climbed down from the palm tree he had set up as a watch post.

“I’m positive, Jamie…take a look for your self.” Jack handed the man his telescope. James got up from his seat next to the fire and took the telescope looking out over the horizon. Putting the telescope up to his eye he looked at the massive black shaped that was slowly moving closer towards the island. He smiled slowly and nodded. The massive black ship with the tattered and patched black sails could only be one ship.

“It’s the Pearl…” he said smiling. He gave Jack back his telescope and chuckled at the smug look on his tanned face.

“Course! It’s my Pearl after all.” Jack blinked and watched as James began to put more wood on the fire, and picked up the last bottle of rum. “What are you doing…?” he asked, his heart dropping to his knees.

“Making a signal fire, Jack…” James said flatly. Jack’s face went pale and his eyes widened as James went to throw the bottle in.

“What?! No! James! No that’s my rum! It’s the last bottle!” Jack ran towards him and grabbed his arm with large onyx colored pleading eyes.

“Yet, if the crew on the Pearl sees the signal you’ll be back on the ship with more rum.” Jack blinked and ran that thought over in his head and sulked.

“I don’t like you…wasting good rum like that…” Jack sulked and went over sitting on the beach near the water pulling his knees up to his chest. James rolled his eyes and tossed the opened bottle into the fire and backed away as the fire leapt up, catching the trees around on fire. James blinked and frowned.

“Maybe not the best idea to have a fire under a bunch of palm trees, in hindsight. Jack! Keep an eye on the Pearl; I need to grab something from the other side of the island real quick!” Jack waved his hand to James and watched the black spot on the horizon grow larger.

“Wasting rum…sin against nature that is,” Jack huffed under his breath watching the dot shape itself into a ship. He listened and blinked as he heard a blank shot sing over the open water, a signal that they saw the fire on the island.

“Back on the ocean again, eh captain?” said Jack one smiling. Jack glared at him and went to get his effects.

“You and your pals need to go away. Once we get to the Fountain of Youth, I don’t want to have to deal with you hallucinations talking to me for eternity!” Jack put his hat on and strapped his sword around his waist. Jack walked back to the shore and watched the ship as it came as close as it could to the shallow water without beaching.

“You’re no fun, Jack…” Jack two said pouting. Jack rolled his eyes and gave him a glare.

“Deal with it…”

“Talking to yourself again, Jack?” James asked coming through the small patch of forest again. Jack jumped and turned giving James a disarming smile.

“Can’t help it love, the locker does that to you. What’d you have to get?” he asked raising an eyebrow. James pulled the sword from its sheath.

“William gave it back to me. The only thing I have left of being an Admiral in the Royal Navy. More for sentimental value than anything else I suppose.” James sheathed his sword and walked over to Jack near the shore, watching as a rowboat was deployed from the great pirate ship.

“Sure that’s a good idea? That thing’s been bad luck for you, y’know, and for Will.” James shook his head.

“I don’t believe in bad luck, Jack. If I did I wouldn’t be sleeping with the captain of a ship. Either way, I’ll be glad to be on the open seas again.” Jack nodded in agreement as the rowboat came closer to the sandy island.

************

“Why do we have to row?” complained Murtogg to his companion. Mullroy shrugged and rowed along.

“Because we’re the newest to the ship, that’s why. After all we deserted the navy and all, they probably don’t trust us,” Mullroy said rowing towards the small island where a signal fire had been spotted. Murtogg looked flatly over at him.

“Right, but then again how can any pirate’s be trusted? They all deserted something or other…”

“True…” Mullroy frowned and thought about this but looked over as the island got closer, taking a double take. “Murtogg…Murtogg!” he elbowed the other man and gaped.

“What?” Mullroy pointed at the two figures on the beach.

“Don’t one of them look like the Commodore…I mean Admiral…?” he asked his eyes wide. Murtogg looked closely and paled.

“Yes…but…he died! Stabbed by the fish men on the Flying Dutchman!”

*************

“Jack…can I see your eye piece?” James asked looking at the two figures in the boat. Jack handed over the telescope and watched. James put it up to his eye and looked at the two men, their eyes wide, and faces pale.

“Who are they? They don’t look like Pintel and Ragetti…” Jack tried to see through the telescope as well but couldn’t sulking at being left out.

“It’s…its Lt. Mullroy and Murtogg! The two men you pulled a fast one over…twice.” Jack blinked and tapped his chin in thought.

“Oh! Those two! Ahoy boys!” Jack waved his hand and shouted to the two men in the boat. The two blinked and looked at each other before finishing rowing to the island.

“What have we gotten ourselves into…?” muttered Mullroy. Murtogg swallowed and shrugged, dragging the boat up onto shore, looking at Norrington nervously.

“Well then, let’s go Jamie!” Jack grinned and jumped into the boat looking back as Murtogg and Mullroy tried desperately to get away from James as he was walking closer.

“Are you a ghost…?” Mullroy finally asked pale as a sheet. James sighed and shook his head.

“No. I’m not. Calypso gave me life again, to look after Jack and Barbossa. And I’ll even show you proof.” James undid the top three buttons of his shirt and pulled it to the side, showing the scar that took his life before. The two looked carefully and then back at each other. James sighed and rolled his eyes with a smile.

“All right you two, if you won’t listen to him, you’ll listen to me. He’s alive, very much alive. That’s all the proof you need.” Jack grinned and crossed his arms over his chest, standing up in the boat. Mullroy and Murtogg looked at each other and then back at Jack.

“I suppose so…”

“After all Jack came back from the dead and all…”

“So did Barbossa…” James looked at Jack as the two men started to argue and discuss the reason for the revival of three men, two pirates and one navy admiral. Jack shrugged and sat down letting James sit next to him.

“Well I’m no longer a member of the Navy, you know. I’ve decided to join Jack on his adventures, like you two. How about we go back to the Pearl?” the two men snapped to attention and smiled.

“Course! C’mon then!” Mullroy got in and grabbed the one paddle as Murtogg pushed the boat back out to the sea and then got in. The two began to row back to the massive black ship anchored just a short boat ride away.

“So…you’ve decided to become a pirate then too Admiral?” James chuckled and nodded.

“Yes. More freedom than in the Navy and you can just call me James. I don’t have a title anymore. Besides…my first taste was unfortunately cut short by my own ignorance. How are you two fairing so far?” The two shrugged and continued to row.

“Hard work, but Pintel and Ragetti are helping us get the hang of it,” Murtogg said rowing closer to the ship.

“But it’s pretty exciting,” Mullroy added. Jack grinned and leaned back.

“Course it is! So, I hope Hector’s been treating me Pearl right…” Jack looked up at the massive side of the ship and looked it over with a critical eye. James shook his head and grabbed the latter that was thrown down to them and began to climb up.

“Come on Jack…” James climbed up and took the offered hand to help him up on deck.

“Well now Jack, are ye going to…yer not Jack,” Barbossa said raising an eyebrow. James shook his head and bent down to help Jack onto the deck.

“No he’s not. James here is joinin’ the crew again! Now thank you Hector for rescuing me from that little island, and now I’ll just be taking me ship back.” James sighed and shook his head at Jack before helping the others out of the dingy and pull it back on board.

“No, I don’t think so Jack…” Hector followed Jack up to the wheel, letting the rest of the crew deal with Norrington and the rest of their jobs. “This be my ship right now. I’ll let you take the Pearl back, though, if you give me the map.” Jack blinked and looked at him, already behind the wheel.

“What map?” Hector glared and tried to keep his temper.

“You know what map, Jack. The map that Sao Feng so graciously gave us, the one that shows the way to the other side, the one that shows the way to the Fountain of Youth…?” Hector smiled at Jack who continued to stroke his chin in thought.

“Nope! Not ringing any bells!” Jack smiled. “Besides, my ship first and foremost, so therefore you cannot make a deal with me to give me back my own ship.” Hector’s eye twitched and he gritted his already horrible teeth together. He wondered why he even dealt with Jack sometimes. Jack continued to smile at Hector, leaning up against the repaired black wheel.

“You are completely out of your mind, Jack! You know very well what map I’m talking about. The map that you cut out! Therefore, you have something I want, and I have something you want. I’m sure we can come to some sort of agreement…” Hector smiled at Jack, leaning closer. Jack leaned closer as well and smiled.

“Well…let’s look at the last agreements we had. You first made me agree to share the direction to the Isle de Muerta, and then marooned me on a little island in the middle of nowhere. The only saving grace there was the rum. THEN, we made the agreement to tell you who Bootstrap Bill Turner’s child was, and you left me on the SAME little island, this time with Elizabeth Swann, who, although dashing and quite entertaining, BURNED ALL ME RUM! Let’s see, oh yes there is more…then after killing you and then you coming back to life, you came to rescue me from the locker, then TOOK my ship over, then you finally let me have my ship back, then of course you stole it from me and left me a dingy, which crashed on an island with no rum, and no company until James came. Really now Hector why do you think I’d want to make a deal with you?” Hector frowned and nodded slowly.

“All true Jack, all very true. But the fact remains that you have the map, which I want. And the plan to leave you behind was agreed upon by the entire crew, not just me. I have the Pearl you have the map. We’ll make a fair trade.”

“But you see that’s where you have a bit of a problem…” Jack smiled slyly, making Hector nervous.

“What problem…?” he asked glowering.

“You don’t know if I even HAVE the map. It might have gotten blown away, or I might have sold it. After all I don’t need a map if I have my compass…” Jack held up the small black box and grinned. Hector blinked and huffed glaring at the crafty Jack Sparrow. It was true after all that he didn’t know where the map was, or if Jack had it.

“You would throw away a map,” he began slowly, watching Jack carefully. “That showed places that pirate lords from far behind our time horded their loot, possible mass treasures, and such…?” Jack continued to smirk.

“Course! If I know where they all are, or what they are, then I can very easily find the direction with my compass. Really now Hector you’re just going to have to come up with something better. I’m two years older and wiser!”

“And a bit loonier…” muttered Hector under his breath. Jack put his compass back on his belt and grinned.

“Well then, I guess it’s my ship! Thanks for looking after her for me. All right you bunch of scurvy sea dogs!” Jack cried his hands on the wheel of the Pearl. “Full sail! Way the anchor and make way! James, get up that rigging and get those sails loose!” James nodded and quickly scrambled up the rigging after handing Murtogg and Mullroy his jacket and sword. Jack sighed deeply and turned the Pearl back out to sea, knowing the general direction of the Fountain of Youth already. Hector glared and sulked, leaning on the railing watching as monkey Jack tormented Pintel and Ragetti yet again. He glanced over at Jack and gave him a look over. He knew Jack still had the map, he just needed to get it.