Crossing Blades (POTC FanFiction)

fifteen➵ time's up

"Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part."

- Glenda Millard, A Small Free Kiss in the Dark

Jack's POV

    Sitting at my desk, half full bottle of rum next to me and a slumbering Evelyn by my side, I try to chart the map. A few minutes later and a few, large sips of rum, and this compass proves to be completely infuriating as it refuses to point in any given direction except for a few obvious stops at the sleeping girl next to me.

    "Bugger," I mumble as I close the lid of the compass and shake it for what seems like the tenth time in a minute. Finally giving up, I slam it back down on the table and go to take another drink of rum when I find no drink pouring into my dried up mouth. Oggling at the bottle for a moment, I wonder where all the rum went.

    "Why is the rum always gone?" Murmuring to myself, I stand to my feet in an attempt to go get another bottle, but when I stumble and have to grab onto the desk to steady myself, I answer my own question. "Oh, that's why."

    Taking one long stride over to Evelyn, so as not to have more stumbles than necessary, I watch her sleeping for a moment before placing a kiss to her unconscious head and make my way out of the headquarters. Heading down to the stores, I wobble past all of the snoring men who fell asleep in their mightily uncomfortable looking hammocks.

    "As you were, gents," I speak to no one in particular and grab one of the lanterns off of the ground, moving into the stores, looking for the world's best drink.

    Just as my day looks a little brighter...or is it night...and I see one last bottle of rum, I realize that it's full of sand. Grumbling to myself, I begin to make my way back out to the headquarters when a voice makes itself known.

    "Time's run out, Jack," A gravelly voice interrupts my searching and using my lantern as light I find none other than Bootstrap Bill emerging from the darkness, a huge starfish across his face and water spilling out of his mouth as he speaks.

    "Bootstrap. Bill Turner?" Even if I wasn't in my drunken haze, I still probably wouldn't believe the sight in front of me.

    "You look good, Jack," His mouth overflows with water once more and I find myself walking closer to get a better look at the man I haven't seen for more than a decade now.

    "Is this a dream?" I wonder how much I actually had to drink.

    "No."

    "I thought not. If it were, there'd be rum." I get ready to take my leave when a bottle of rum emerges from his coat and I hesitantly reach out to grab it. Finally taking it with some difficulty, I take a long gulp, relishing in the familiar taste running down my throat, even though I hardly get drunk off of it anymore. Damn my tolerance.

    "You got the Pearl back, I see," He remarks, literally no emotion in his voice as he barely glances around.

    "I had some help retrieving the Pearl, by the way. Your son." I decide to remind him on his long-lost blacksmith turned pirate son.

    "William? Ended up pirate after all," He sounds disappointed at this and I wonder why everyone in his family didn't want Will as a pirate. Pirates life for me, at least.

    "And to what do I owe the pleasure of your carbuncle?" I change the subject, suddenly reminded of what I have waiting back in my headquarters for me.

    "He sent me. Davy Jones." The name sounds oddly familiar but I'm barely focusing as I think about blue eyes and flowing blonde hair.

    "Ah. So it's you, then. He shanghaied you into service, eh?"