Pirates of the Carribbean 4-Ever

Chapter 1: The Wreck of the Mighty McCrary Stag


All legends started somewhere. Jack Sparrow and The Black Pearl is no exception. We all know the Pearl was stolen and her rightful Captain marooned. We know he managed to escape the tiny island, but what of the journey that followed? Who else knew Captain Jack before we met him? Hearken to the tale that follows and learn more about the man destined to go from Davy Jones' Locker and back again and about the one woman that could be his equal.


5 months after Barbossa took the Pearl and left Jack Sparrow for dead, a merchant ship sailed from the coast of Scotland making its way to Port Royal. The night grew foggy and the crew of the McCrary Stag grew nervous.


"Captain, the fog's too thick and the clouds are blocking the stars. Should we drop anchor for the night?" the first mate spoke up.


"Aye, no sense in risking losing course." the captain nodded and called out, "DROP ANCHOR!"


A Lady and her 14 year old daughter stood on deck as the crew moved about in the lamplit night.
"Will it take longer to get there Mother?" the girl asks.
"Not much longer, this way we won't get lost in the fog Jilly my pet. We'll reach Port Royal soon enough and then you'll get to meet your Father again." The Lady said patting her daughter's shoulder.
"How old was I when he was home last?" the girl asks.
"Ah love, you couldn't have been more than 5. The Navy is a harsh place for a man, and he's changed, but I hope when we find him he might change his ways." The Lady said with a sad note in her voice.


The night wore on and all but a few of the crew settled in to sleep. Midnight came and a shout came from above deck.

"SAILS! ship approaching!" came the word from the crow's nest.

"What's she sailin'?"

a moment passed and the shout made the men jump,.."PIRATE COLORS!"


Below deck the crew were waking and running. The first mate shouted for the men to take their stations and ready the guns. The Lady woke when her daughter shook her in the dark of the cabin.
"Mother! Mum! Wake up, there's Pirates..we have to hide!"
A Crewman stood by the doorway and nodded.
"Aye Ma'am, you'll go to the Captain's Quarters and the girl will go below deck, safer that way."
The girl's eyes went wide and she shook her head, "NO! Mum, please come with me!"
The crew knew best and the pair were separated in the rush to prepare for the fight.
"Be a good girl Jilly love, do as they say." The Lady said as she saw her daughter ushered far below deck.


The crew stowed the girl among the empty barrels and bilge rats.
"Stay put and keep very quiet, no matter what." a crewman said as he rushed up to join the battle.


Angelina, or Jilly as her Mother called her, listened in horror to the sounds from above. The blasts of the cannons roared and the timbers shivered with the force. Water began leaking into the hull. The sounds of shouts, swords, gunfire, stomping boots all over her head. Angelina was too scared to move, seeing small bits of light from cracks in the floor over her head, she heard bits and pieces.

"what about the food Captain?"

"Leave it, we don't need it. Where's the Gold?"

"A whole pouch in the Captain's quarters, and a Lady.."

"Good lad Ragetti, hand it over."

"o'course Captain Barbossa."

"See that the wench tells no tales.."


Angelina clasped her hands over her mouth in horror. They were going to kill her Mother! She dared not move as she heard scuffling above deck. She clenched her eyes shut tight and felt a rat move across her foot, she bit back a gasp. Being so far below deck saved her from hearing the last sounds of her Mother's life. She listened as the last of the footfalls faded, praying they would hurry as the water below deck was rising towards her knees. She chanced to move towards the stairs and stayed there until the water reached her ankles again before moving upward.


She reached the deck and saw the black ship moving away in the fog, tattered black sails in the moonlight. The fog had barely lifted and Angelina stepped around the deck, over the bodies of fallen men. She moved like a ghost as the ship listed and settled in the water. She prayed it would sink no further. Not a living soul was left aboard. The Captain and his crew lay here and there, and then she saw her Mother lying near the door of the Captain's quarters. She rushed to her side, her wet dress clinging to her legs.

"Mother! no.." Angelina fell to her knees, cradling her mother's head in her lap. She wept bitterly and finally turned her eyes toward the direction where the ship had parted and screamed into the night, "Bloody Murderin' PIRATES!!"

Angelina realized the next morning that she was utterly alone and that she did not want to be wearing a nightgown on a ship full of dead bodies should she be rescued. The thought of dying never crossed her mind. She busied herself with heaving bodies overboard for most of the morning. Her trunk had been taken so she scavenged clothes from the crew before disposing of them. She spoke to herself to have noise other than the occasional gull cry overhead. She couldn't be that far from land if there were sea gulls. It was noon and she was resting in the shade when the first mate's parrot, Lord Byron, finally appeared from the crow's nest. Angelina was glad of the company and shared a ration with him. At least the parrot could talk to her and she wasn't stuck talking to herself anymore. Together they survived on the tilted ship for 5 days.

On the 5th day, the Parrot woke her squawking to high heavens.

"Awk! Awk! Sails a'sea!" he trumpted, batting his wings and flying up the mast.

"Wait for me!" She threw on the Captain's coat and hat, wrapping fabric around her palms, she climbed the rigging high enough to get a better look.


Beautiful white sails were coming closer. She'd tied pots and pans to the rigging and began jumping on the ropes to make noise.

"Ahoy There!" she shouted.

"Awk! Pirates! Pirates!" the bird cried and ducked for cover, diving toward the deck. Angelina rolled her eyes at him and took a closer look. There..the flag on the ship..black with some sort of symbol she didn't recognize.

"of for the love of...gah..Bugger!" She'd picked up the language from the crew of course. She scrambled down the rigging and ran for cover herself. Hoping they wouldn't come any closer.


Aboard the ship, the Captain looked at the half-sunken vessel with the dead bodies floating all around it. He wrinkled his nose at his most recent crewmate.

"You sure you saw someone alive on dat ting? It looks ta be dead in de watah." he spoke with a deep Jamaican accent.

"I know I did. I'm sure of it. Besides, the sails are in good shape. We could at least salvage them while we check. After your charitable rescue of myself, I couldn't see you not wanting to help another lost soul, aye Captain?" the dark haired man with the sharp witty eyes said with a smile.

"Very well Sparrow. Pull along side 'er Men, Mister Sparrow will go aboard first."


Jack Sparrow blinked, "Me?"

"Aye, you."


Jack sighed and climbed to the side of the ship, swinging over to the wreck. No one followed him, but he tied his line to the railing just in case. Hand on his sword hilt, he went to explore. He found signs of life aboard and heard fluttering of wings. He followed the sound and was dive-bombed by a screeching parrot.


"Oi! ruddy bird,..where did..ah.." Jack smiled and saw the bird dive below deck. He went down the steps carefully, sword drawn. At the bottom of the steps, it hit him, or rather someone hit him.


"Bloody Pirate!" a girl's voice growled at him as he was tackled to the floor. Jack hit and wrestled to get free of the pummeling frantic fists and heard the clink of a dagger hitting the floor. He struggled to reach for the weapon as he'd lost grip on his own sword when he went down.

"Ack! get off!" he grunted.

"No! Yer not gettin' me without a fight!" the girl grunted back, kicking him in the back of the thighs as she reached for the dagger as well.

Jack grabbed the hilt as her hand slipped and touched the blade. It sliced open her palm and she cried out in pain. Jack felt terrible and dropped it again.

"Lass, lass, c'mon now, I'm not here to hurt you, just steady on,..eh?" Jack rolled to his side and looked at her. She was young and dirty faced. Her thick reddish brown hair was braided to keep it out of her face, her skin was a little sun burned and she looked a bit thin. She stared at him with dark suspicious eyes.

"You..you're not going to kill me?" she asked, cradling her wounded hand against her chest.

"No,..you want off this rig don't you?" Jack asked.

"Aye, but you're pirates. I think I'd rather die here than.." she bit at her lower lip and scooted away from him into the shadows again.

Jack got to his feet and picked up the dagger. She recoiled and he shook his head, laying it against his palm, he made a cut there and showed her the blood.

"Take my hand Lass, I give you my word, I won't let anyone hurt you. A Pirate's word is often questioned, but a blood oath is a blood oath."


Above them the other crew members of the ship started coming aboard. Angelina's eyes widened and she shivered. Jack leaned down towards her and kept his voice low.

"Trust me. I will protect you. One word, parley...and let me do the talking. Savvy?" Jack smiled. Angelina nodded and took his bloody hand with hers. He closed his nimble dark fingers around her hand and grasped it to pull her up. He wrapped the wounds with fabric from her shirt, which was far too big and led her up to the deck.


The Captain of the Rum Runner looked at Jack carefully as he lead the girl over.

"Captain, the only survivor and thus..Captain of this vessel,..Miss.." Jack looked at her and arched his eyebrow.

"Jill." she says and then murmurs, "Parley"


The Captain of the Rum Runner looks amused and shakes his head, "Been talkin' to Mister Sparrow already 'ave you? Very well then,..what are your terms Young Captain?"


Jack stepped up and gave a little bow, "If I might Captain,..the Lady has fallen victim to Pirates and is willing to serve a term aboard your ship in return for safe passage to the port of her choosing. Shorten the term by the value of items salvaged from her ship, and with the word that none of your men are to bother or molest her in any fashion."


Angelina looked at this Mister Sparrow character with wary eyes and then at the dark skinned Captain. The Captain regarded her carefully and nodded.


"Agreed. 6 months aboard, and Mister Sparrow shall be your guard. Welcome to de crew, Jill." He extended his hand and she shook it. Jack stepped to her side with a nod to the Captain.


"Take her back aboard, we'll follow with the sails and what we can salvage."



this is a work in progress, more to come as soon as I have time to do more typing. for now enjoy the teaser. reviews always welcome