Still stuck on Pirates...

[dwgm]

While the rest of the flist is absorbed in the Potterverse, I'm still stuck on Pirates.

This is a follow-up to Not Working. Many thanks to choose2live for the beta help, and to artaxastra, along with apologies, for blatant use of her post-AWE universe.



~ Going Home ~


There was a bump, and a low splash, and Jack started awake, though he managed not to yelp. Then he looked quickly around and had to stifle another yelp: Shipwreck Island, twenty yards off the port bow of his dinghy, which was bobbing gently in the clear sea this fine morning.

"Bloody Hell!" he said aloud, then started again as a gray dolphin with merry eyes popped out of the water. She flicked Jack with a fan of droplets and chattered. Jack scowled at her. "And just what're you laughing at?"

The dolphin glided by the boat, circled, then arched playfully, right out of the water, half soaking Jack's coat on reentering her element.

"All right, all right!" Jack shouted, and struggled up, seating himself upon the thwart and grabbing the oars. "Bloody managing FISH!"

She surfaced again, scolding, then, with a final splash, took herself off.

"Good riddance."

Fine, defiant words, but quite at odds with his feeling of abandonment.

Shipwreck Island. Wherein lay Shipwreck Cove, infamous Shipwreck City, and all the many problematic inhabitants thereof, including Captain Grant Teague and, presumably, Jack's beautiful nemesis, Captain Elizabeth Turner, King of Pirates.

Will's words came back as Jack rowed, clear as the morning air. "Jack, when you see Elizabeth, tell her... tell her... oh, God! Just tell her I love her. And that I miss her. Will you do that?" You'd have thought he was yet that green lad Jack had confronted in Brown's smithy nearly three years back, rather than Calypso's immortal Ferryman.

"Dunno where she is," Jack had protested, muzzily.

"I'm sending you to her. Don't worry!" There'd been other words, and Will's sweet smile, but they'd faded as Jack had tumbled into dreamless, restful sleep -- a spell of some sort, no doubt, for how else had the whelp been able to magick him here, three hundred miles from where he'd been picked up? Three hundred miles from where he wanted to be!

He stopped rowing for a moment. Keeping an eye out for that nagging cetacean, he checked to see what Will had left him. The chart, in its waterproof case. An unopened bottle of that excellent rum they'd shared the night before. But that was it.

Jack gave a huff of annoyance, and then reached for the rum. He took a swig, washing the stale taste from his mouth. Then, aware that he was pretty much stale all over, he dabbed a bit here and there, on his coat, his breeches...

He stopped and burst out laughing. Mad Jack Sparrow. "Well, who wouldn't be, eh?" he said, aloud.

His da would shake his head over it. And Lizzie... well, it was her own damn fault, wasn't it?

Wasn't it?

Tell her I love her...

These were some deep waters they were getting into here. Didn't Will know of his ill-advised but apparently unavoidable dreams? He rather thought he'd mentioned it, sometime after they'd broached the second bottle.

I'm sending you to her. Don't worry! I'm sending you home!

Home. That was what he'd said.

"Don't do me any favors," Jack muttered, lying to the ambient air.

Home.

Such as it was.

He carefully corked the bottle and tucked it away, and picked up the oars again. Captain Jack Sparrow was going... home.


~.~

Comments

[erinya.livejournal.com]

Eeee! A sequel!

...lying to the ambient air Ooh, like that little phrase.

I like the dolphin, and suspect her to be in the employ of Calypso. And he perfumed himself with rum...LOL!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

There had to be a dolphin. I can just see it. I grew up watching Flipper, you know. *G*

Thank you for commenting -- I'm very happy you enjoyed the sequel!

[ditte3.livejournal.com]

Good story.Write more please.

[farnathia.livejournal.com]

I´m soooo happy that you are still stuck on pirates!!!
I just hope you´ll stay that way for awhile.....
Thanks for the sweet dolphin, I grew up with Flipper, too!

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

I'm still stuck on Pirates too, and I'm loving this! Your Jack is great. Love the little hints of drunken conversation with Will - oh to hear more of what he 'rather thought he'd mentioned'! Can't wait to see him with Teague and Elizabeth. And I love the way it fits into Artaxastra's stories, which I adore.

[torn-eledhwen.livejournal.com]

Nice. Very nice. :)

[yoiebear.livejournal.com]

Have I told you how I love your writing?

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I daresay I might. ;)

[desiring-me.livejournal.com]

This was wonderful! Would there be more?

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Most of my flist has gone nutty for HP, which is only natural considering the recent advent of the 5th movie and 7th (and last!) book. But I'm still in the midst of Pirate!love, and must finish my WIP's in any case. Very happy you enjoyed this (yay for dolphins -- they are such wonderful creatures). Thank you for letting me know. :))

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I'm still stuck on Pirates too

I'm soooo happy to hear it! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

You have, but it is always so amazing and encouraging to hear. Thank you!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It's possible there might be more, though I have a couple other irons in the fire right now, too. Nothing like multiple WIP's to keep one from getting bored. *G*

[desiring-me.livejournal.com]

Ah, I know that feeling lol. There is always something to do!

[captaintish]

I, too, am still stuck on Pirates. It rather saddens me how so many have jumped ship already, over to Harry Potter. It's only been 2 months since AWE came out!

Again, lovely writing, and like the rest of your reviewers, I loved the dolphin. Who doesn't like dolphins? :)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

One can't really blame the HP fans for being ecstatic, what with the release of the 5th movie, and the last book, both in one glorious month. I was never into HP, really, though I do love the movies (and have recently acquired the audiobooks). But even if I was inspired to write, I'd hesitate, what with the enormity of that fandom.

Very happy you enjoyed this. I don't know who wouldn't love dolphins -- they're so beautiful and intelligent. I could really "see" the scene above, so I had to write it. You know how that is. :D

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

Dolphin - wheee! (made me think of Flipper as well)

Love Jack's muzzy denial of knowledge about Lizzie's location, adore his daubing rum about his person, and the magical transportation (however it was accomplished) is delightful. And "... home" - there's a wistful quality there that's just lovely.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

So glad you liked this! I hope Jack's ambivalence about "home" came through -- it's apparent he has an interesting history with the denizens of Shipwreck Cove, including his father.

I need a dolphin icon. *G*

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

I hope Jack's ambivalence about "home" came through
What it sounded like to me was that the whole concept seemed rather strange to him and he couldn't decide whether he liked it or not. So yeah, I guess "ambivalent" fits. ;)

[artaxastra.livejournal.com]

It's Rodney! My wonderful Dolphin muse who has been begging to be in a story with Jack! Lobbying for any dolphin, porpoise or cetacean parts! *waves at Rodney* No, really I'm sane. sionnain knows Rodney too!

OK. Calming down now. I love Jack dabbing himself with rum, and his chagrin at finding himself homeward bound after all. Will really does care about him. And he makes a strange and unlikely Cyrano for Will.

Lovely story, as always!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

How good to have a Dolphin muse! If it's he that inspires you to write Outlaws and Inlaws, we have a lot for which to thank him!

I'm so happy you enjoyed this little gap-filler. Makes me happy to imagine stories in that 'verse, which is what writing fanfic is all about, of course.

he makes a strange and unlikely Cyrano for Will.

He thinks so, but I have a feeling Will feels he's the perfect man for the task. Still, I hope that one of these days we'll find out what happens now that Will knows he can take the Dutchman to Shipwreck Cove, if the Potter!verse hasn't abducted your fanfic muse as it has so many others'.

[awickedwench.livejournal.com]

"All right, all right!" Jack shouted, and struggled up, seating himself upon the thwart and grabbing the oars. "Bloody managing FISH!"

Jack has such a way with all manner of creatures! Glad to see that you continued this. It's delightful! :-)

[artaxastra.livejournal.com]

I'm enjoying your stories in this so much! And no, Harry has not kidnapped my pirates -- work has. I hope I'll be creative again once we get past Aug. 6 and work calms down a little. I really want to do the Dutchman at Shipwreck Cove. And more of Elizabeth's reactions to the pirate demi-monde.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed Jack's Dolphin Encounter. *G*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Work can really cut into your day, no? I (and dozens of other readers) are hoping for more, whenever you get a chance. Not to mention American Revolution. And choose2live and I were just talking about Blood on the Water. When you get some spare time. No pressure.

That's the trouble with being a great writer. *G*

I am truly thrilled that you are enjoying my stories, and I thank you most sincerely for being willing to share your lovely post-AWE universe.

[ophelivia.livejournal.com]

So very glad this is being continued! You have a flare for this

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it.

[tanith75.livejournal.com]

Only Jack would sprinkle a little rum on his nether regions :P

I love his slight bitterness mingled with his feelings for Lizzie.

I'm glad you've continued this and hope you add another part to it.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

I'm actually writing one more part, as we speak.

I love his slight bitterness mingled with his feelings for Lizzie.

I think he would be, you know?

Very happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for reading and commenting.

[hereswith.livejournal.com]

"Bloody managing FISH!" *giggles* Loved that! I really liked the dabbing of rum, as well, and the phrasing of this: Wherein lay Shipwreck Cove, infamous Shipwreck City, and all the many problematic inhabitants thereof, including Captain Grant Teague and, presumably, Jack's beautiful nemesis, Captain Elizabeth Turner, King of Pirates. Great work, as usual :-)

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. :))

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's funny how one can just picture him doing this stuff. I'm very glad you enjoyed it!

[stellar-dust.livejournal.com]

Oooh! I just followed artaxastra's links over to these stories - I love them! They fill in the gaps really well! *snuggles Jack*

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reading and commenting! I'm so happy you enjoyed these. :))