Jolly Sailor || Elizabeth Swann

06

It was only once the two of them had gotten Norrington onto his feet and thrown a bucket of water over him that the man was able to sober up a little. His walk was still stumbling and swaying but that was probably more due to the concussion than the drink. Benj ignored the man as he led then through the town and down to the docks where the Black pearl was anchored. It was there that they finally caught up with Jack. From a distance, he seemed fine but as they got closer Benj could feel the sea about him and smell a familiar rot that he hadn't smelt in years. Jack was paler than normal and more fidgety. Something was wrong. 

Elizabeth pushed past him as they stepped onto the wood of the pier. "Captain Sparrow!" she called out. Jack and Mr Gibbs glanced back but kept walking, not recognising them in the gloom of night. 

"Come to join my crew lad? Welcome aboard". 

"I'm here to find the man I love". 

That made Jack stop still. Benj chuckled as he grew closer. Mr Gibbs turned and he waved at the man in greeting. The older man nodded and grinned back before pointing to Jack. "I am deeply flattered son but my only love is the sea", Jack replied. Behind Benjy, Norrinton threw up loudly over the rails and into the water. 

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Meaning William Turner, Captain Sparrow". Benjamin burst out laughing. Jack whirled around. 

"Elizabeth? Hide the rum". The second part was muttered to Mr Gibbs under this breath. Then his eyes landed on Benj and a wide grin formed on his face. "Benjamin Bennet. And I though I had seen the last of you when I left you with that witch". Benj stepped closer and held his arms out to clap Jack on the back. "What are you doing with little miss swan?" 

"Well Miss swan here is looking for our jolly sailor bold", Benj replied. "She did not leave me alone until I brought her to you". 

Jack turned his attention back to Elizabeth. "I say, those clothes are very unbecoming on you. It should be a dress or nothing. And I happen to have no dress in my cabin". 

"What are you saying about my clothes?" 

"Your clothes Benjy? You sly dog, both the wife and the groom. How could you?" 

"Jack!" Elizabeth's snap interrupted the two pirate's conversation. Her tone dropped and her face saddened. In the weak light, she seemed small. "I know Will came to find you. Where is he?" Jack glanced between her and Benj. The merman was waiting patiently for his answer, black eyes reflecting the orange glow of the lanterns. 

The older man sighed and took a step closer to Elizabeth. "Darlings, I am truly unhappy to have to tell you this, but thought unfortunate and entirely unforeseeable circumstances that had nothing whatsoever to do with me, poor Will has been press ganged into Davey Jones' crew". Ben's hissed intake of breath was loud in the sudden silence. Jack flicked nervous eyes at him but the black haired man was quiet, face unreadable. 

"Davey Jones?" Elizabeth repeated in confusion. Norrigton vomited loudly behind them. 

"Oh please", the ex-commodore groaned. "The captain of The Flying Dutchman?" 

Jack pulled a face. "You look terrible. What are you doing here?" 

"You hired me". The hatred in the words was almost visceral. "I can't help it if your standards are lax". 

"You smell funny", Jack retorted like the five year old he was. 

"Jack". Benjy snapped. Jack jumped and flapped his hands at him. 

"Jack", Elizabeth spoke softer. "All I want is to find Will". 

Jack narrowed in on that like a homing pigeon. "Really? Are you certain? Is that what you really want most?" 

"Of course". 

"Cause I would think that what you'd really want is a way to save will the most". 

Elizabeth eyed him skeptically. "And you'd have a way of doing that?" 

Jack paused, eyes flicking at Benjy again. "Well, there is a chest". 

"Oh dear", Benjy sighed. 

Jack continued. "A chest of unknown size and origin"- 

"That contains the still beating heart of Davey Jones", Benjy interrupted in a drawl. He gave Jack an unamused, we shall talk alter, stare as he mimed ripping his hear from his chest. Fingers clenching to mimic it's beats. "Boom bump. boom bump". Elizabeth wasn't impressed. 

"Whoever holds the heart possesses the leverage to command Jones to do whatever he or she wants, including saving brave William from his grim fate", Jack finished.

Norrington finally straightened and wobbled unsteadily towards them. He glanced between Elizabeth and Jack with a disbelieving  frown. "You don't actually believe him do you?"

Elizabeth tilted her head. "How would we go about finding this chest?" 

Jack grinned and pulled out his compass only to have it snatched from his open hands. "Oi!" He snapped at Benjy as the younger man flicked it open. He gazed inside, watching the arrow spin. For a second it pointed out to sea, to where he knew Will was somewhere, then it spun to point ahead of him. Right at Elizabeth. Benjy sighed and snapped the thing closed.

"This compass doesn't point north", he began. 

"That's because it's broken", Norrington muttered. Then he dived back to the rails and threw up for the third time. 

"As I was saying", Jack snatched the compass back. "It is unique". 

"Where does it point?" 

Benjy swiped the compass out of Jack's open hand. The pirate captain smacked at him like a cat but the man merely stepped aside and around him. With a flick of his wrist the compass was open and held out to Elizabeth like an offering. "It points towards what your heart desires", he stated, looking at her from under his lashes. Elizabeth's lips parted as she met his gaze. Her slim hand reached out and took the compass from his grasp. "Show us the way to the chest", Benjy muttered as the needle spun. Both pirates peered over her shoulder as the compass needle slowly stopped. 

"We have a heading!" Jack crowed up to the ship. "Make ready to set sail!" He swung round to stroll up the ramp onto deck but was stopped by a hand grabbing his shoulder. Benj walked up to his side and Bega to steer the captain forwards, his grip tight on the other man's shoulder. 

"Where are you going Jack?" Benjy's smile was sharp toothed and dark eyed. "You have some explaining to do. Like how you visited my grandma and why you were recently cursed with the black spot". The last two words came out a whisper that made Jack shiver at the memory. "Also",  the grip on his shoulder tightened, "why you left our Will Turner on that man's ship". 

"Yes, I suppose I do owe my first mate some semblance of explanation", Jack muttered. "Let me just clarify that your family is crazy mate". 

Benjy threw his head back in a laugh. "Tell me something I don't know". 

unedited