A Pirate and His Wolf (Pirates of the Caribbean)

Chapter 18

Will rolled his eyes as Jack followed the two, "Now, if you'd be so kind." he said, dropping the bag into the only remaining longboat and sitting next to Zachary, "I'd be much obliged if you drop me at my ship." He threw an arm over Zachary's shoulder.

Zachary looked up at him, "The Black Pearl is gone, Jack."

Jack moved his arm, looking down at him, "what?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath before explaining, "I saw the boat you left, and I rowed over to the Pearl to free the others. But when we tried to get them to come here and help you, they stuck to the Code." She looked up at him, waiting for his response.

"Any man who falls behind is left behind," he muttered, looking thoroughly downcast.

"I'm sorry Jack," said Zachary, looking at the pirate who'd gone all this way to help them, but had gotten no recompense.

Will began to row them out to the Dauntless, which stood high against the moonlight.

Jack spoke, looking at the water as though he wished nothing more than to jump in and drown, "They have done what's right by them. Can't expect more than that," he said dully.

Will cast Jack a look over his shoulder that read, "you should expect more than that."

When Zachary felt a shot of pain in his side, he hissed and wrapped an arm around his left side where the bullet wound was at, "What wrong, Zachary?" Will said worried as he saw his best friend was in pain. "I'm fine...I just need to take it easy.....I haven't made my body fully healed properly." He said as he slowly was panting from all the pain that was going around his body. When he felt a hand wrap an arm around his waist. Zachary looked to see Jack giving a concerned look on his face. Zachary hesitantly placed a head on his shoulder and closed his eyes.

They neared the Dauntless. Jack placed his head on top of Zachary's, and somehow, his hand found his. "You would have been a good co-captain," Jack whispered into his ear. "From what I've seen, you'd have made an excellent pirate."

"If being a pirate means having a sense of morality, I'd sure as hell be the best one," Zachary said, remembering all the times he'd had to guide Jack around the crew.

Zachary sighed as he climbed aboard, knowing that they would immediately return to Port Royal where Jack would be hanged and his brother would crumble down as they would watch Elizabeth and Norrington getting married.

When they reached the Dauntless, Elizabeth found herself immediately in the hands of both her father and Norrington. "You should get cleaned up." her father said, attempting to usher her into the room she had shared. Elizabeth turned and watched as Norrington regarded Will, Zachary, and Jack.

He looked to Will first, "Mr. Turner. While you have engaged in acts of piracy, I cannot deny that you have returned Miss Swann to us without any harm. On that and the Governor's orders, you can remain a free man."

Will nodded, "Thank you Commodore." he said, before stepping aside, as Norrington watched Jack and Zachary with a smile.

"Mr. Sparrow? Where is your ship?" he asked, gloatingly. Zachary's hands curled into fists, while Jack looked at Norrington with distaste.

"I left it in the command of my crew. Temporarily," he added, with a smile.

Norrington nodded to Gillette, who began to fasten one pair of irons around Jack's hands once more. Jack had already known this was going to happen so he placed the bag of gold down and rolled his eyes, sticking out his arms.

Suddenly, Zachary found his wrists being shoved into the second pair of irons. "What is going on?" He asked the man, as he locked them tightly. The man said nothing.