WILLOW ━ Jack Sparrow

chapter eight.

CHAPTER EIGHT
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blue and gold

          𝓦hen the group got back to the Dauntless, they found the once-cursed crew had been captured after trying to take the ship over. They would have achieved it if it wasn't for the curse being broken making them mortal again. Jack was arrested soon after he got onto the ship, and put in the cells in the hold along with the once-cursed pirates who had surrendered. He didn't argue or fight against it, he just let it happen.

All that was left to be done now, was to head home.

The journey back to Port Royal should have been a relief for Alice. Instead, it was anything but.

Guilt. That's all she could feel throughout the journey home. Many times she tried to fall asleep, exhausted after the past few days, but she would fail. She tossed and turned on the floor of the captain's quarters, trying thoughts of happy memories, and even counting sheep. But no matter what she tried, and despite how tired she was, she could not fall asleep. The guilt she felt about Jack wouldn't go away. It felt like a sickness deep in her stomach. Like she was to puke over the sides of the ship at any moment.

She tried to convince herself that because Jack was a pirate, it was fine for him to end up at the gallows. After all, it was expected for pirates. But deep down she knew it was wrong; that although Jack was a pirate, he had acted in a way only a good man would. He had saved her life, along with many others, albeit in a long way rather than a short one. He didn't deserve to be hanged. And that only made the guilt worse for Alice.

Soon enough she sat up from the floor, fed up of continuously failing to fall asleep. She pulled her feet up to her chest and rested her chin in between her knees. Her mind was whirring and her stomach was churning. She felt the need to get something off of her chest, so quietly and slowly - to not wake Elizabeth and Will who were asleep in the same room - she got up from the floor and headed out onto the ship's deck.

It was the dead of night, the ship only lit by a few lanterns and the moonlight. Alice looked around and spotted James standing alone near the foremast at the front of the ship. She walked up to him, wrapping her jacket around her as the cold wind had picked up.

"James?" Alice spoke up as she got close enough to him, gaining his attention.

"Alice. You should be resting." James turned to her and said.

"Believe it or not, I'm finding it hard to." She replied. "Being exhausted isn't enough, apparently."

"Something on your mind?"

"You could say that."

"Nightmares?"

"No. No nightmares." Alice said. She then paused for a moment. "It's about Jack."

James sighed and he himself felt some guilt. But not for Jack. "I know I should have done better in keeping your secret safe, and for that, I am truly sorry. I assure you, you won't have to worry about him saying a word. Even if he does squawk before tomorrow, no one will believe him. I'll make sure of it. I promise I will." James reassured with a strong and meaningful voice. "Though I can't say anything about the other pirate crew. But whose to say anyone will believe them either? I am truly sorry for letting your secret get out and for putting you in a position you never should have been in."