"Liam, it's getting dark. Come inside."
Elizabeth Turner was calling her eight year old son into the house because she didn't like him being out very late. Also, they were currently living in a pirate port so really; she didn't want her son to be exposed to all that so soon. Elizabeth had taken an odd job here and there ever since her son was born. She figured that once he was old enough then they can make for sea again.
"Why don't you help me finish dinner?"
She ruffled his hair as he walked by and together mother and son either stirred a pot over an open flame or peeled some potatoes respectively.
He had only been in town for about an hour or two. He went to a local bar in search of information. The last thing he heard on the last island was that she was to be found here. Now all that was necessary was the right man to get the right information.
Elizabeth was just serving herself and her son when there was a knock on the door. "Liam, stay down alright."
The boy crawled under the table and Elizabeth pulled a pistol off of the top of a very high shelf. Taking a deep breath, in one smooth motion she pulled the door open, cocked the pistol and held it out in front of her.
"Elizabeth, love, trying to kill me again I see."
Her arm slowly fell as she got a good look at the man before her. "Jack?"
"Ah so you do remember me name. Might I enquire as to passage into your house?"
She got her wits about her and nodded with a slight smile and the wave of her pistol. "Of course, we were just sitting down to dinner," she said putting the pistol back in its proper place.
"We? Did ye know I was coming?"
A light shuffling of feet and Jack's head spun around to see the small boy come out from under the table.
"Liam, wash your hands again and then come over here please."
"Yes Mum."
The boy took one more, much longer look at this man and went over to the sink.
Jack turned to look at Elizabeth with a smirk. "Mum?"
"Yes, I have a son."
"Is he..."
The boy came over and stood next to/almost on top of his mother.
"Son, don't be shy," Elizabeth said kneeling next to him and looked into his eyes smiling.
"Remember the stories I'd tell you. The ones about your father and Captain Jack Sparrow."
The boy nodded and Elizabeth looked up to Jack.
"This is Captain Sparrow."
The boy almost did a double take and his mouth was wide open. He walked over to Jack and lifted his head high to get a full look at him.
Jack looked down and tried to smile. "Hello," he said with a slight wave of his hand.
"Mum, can he stay for dinner?"
After being well fed and being stared at for twenty minutes, Jack was beginning to get a little bored and nervous. "Do you have any sort of dessert?"
Elizabeth stood and rolled her eyes before beginning to take the dishes off the table.
Jack, to her immense surprise, stood and helped her.
"You don't need to do that," she said.
"Let me help you lass."
Elizabeth knew better than to argue so she let him do it. Little Liam also took a few things off the table and together they all cleared everything off. Elizabeth put a bowl of fresh fruit on the table and took a few grapes herself. Jack took an apple and Liam took another as well.
"Captain Sparrow," Liam asked unsurely.
"Aye," Jack asked taking a bite.
"Can you tell me a story?"
"A story you say. How about I tell ye the tale of how I came to know your mother and father. What say you to that?" Jack looked uncertainly at Elizabeth but at her smile and nod he got a smirk on his face and began.
"And that is how I singlehandedly escaped from the confines of Barbossa's ship and went after your mother just so she wouldn't be alone. Little did I know she would burn me rum the next morning."
"Jack!?"
He gave her a look but she just turned her head to show him that the boy was dozing in his seat.
"I think it's time for someone to go to bed."
"But Mum."
"Don't but Mum me. Now come on, I'll tuck you in. Say good night to Captain Sparrow."
"Good night, Captain Sparrow sir. Fair sailing and winds be on your back."
"Mighty wise words from a child. Same for you young Master Turner."
Jack shook the boy's hand and went into a back room where Jack could just see a bed before the door was shut. Rather suddenly a few minutes later, Jack could hear singing from within.
"Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me. We pillage and plunder and rifle and loot. Drink up me hearties yo ho. We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot. Drink up me hearties yo ho. Yo ho yo ho a pirate's life for me." It was Elizabeth who had done the singing and it brought a smile full of memories to his face.
When Elizabeth left the child's room, Jack was still sitting at the table as though he was waiting for her.
"Jack, you didn't have to stay. I would've been fine by myself."
"I know love but I didn't want to go without saying goodbye."
Elizabeth gave him a smile and sat down again.
"Are you alright here love?" Jack asked.
"For now Jack. For now we're alright."
She smiled into his face before the tears appeared in her eyes. She wiped them away and Jack gave her a half smile pretending not to notice.
"How have things really been Jack? I haven't heard from you in eight years and suddenly you show up on my doorstep one night."
"snothing personal 'Lizabeth. I just wanted to visit an old friend. Oh, I also found this and wanted to make sure you received it," he said reaching into his pocket.
He handed her a piece of paper and she looked quizzically at it.
"Guess I should be off then."
"Wait, you don't have to leave so soon. I've got a bit of extra space."
"Thank you, but no thank you. I have places to go and people to be with."
Elizabeth nodded because it was the truth. "This won't be the last time..."
"I'll visit again when the husband is around. I think we all want to know what happened for such a long time, eh?"
"Then I bid you adieu Captain Sparrow."
"And the same to you Captain Turner," Jack said tilting his hat to her.
When he was gone, Elizabeth remembered the piece of paper he gave her. She carefully opened it and almost had to gasp. It was a simple drawing of a heart with the letters W and E written within it in handwriting she hadn't seen in years. At the blacksmith shop no less. Elizabeth bolted to the door but Jack was nowhere to be found. She looked to her left and right before looking down. There sat a small satchel. She opened it to find some gold coins and at the very bottom were two gold wedding bands. One for her and one for Will.
"Thank you Jack," she whispered.
Little did she know that Jack was hiding behind a tree out front. "Welcome."
Elizabeth awoke the next morning with a slightly heavy heart and to the sound of someone moving around in another room. She left the comforts of her bed to find her son moving about the room with a stick held out in front of him.
"Liam, what are you doing?" she asked putting her hands on her hips.
"Getting ready for when Papa comes home. If he's as great a swordsman as Uncle Captain Jack said then I want to show him what I can do."
Elizabeth smiled and walked over to him. "Well then I suppose, if you'll let me, perhaps I can show you a bit of what your father taught me. Would that be alright?"
"Pleaseee," he said holding out on that last letter as long as he could.
"Alright then, the first thing you need to know is balance and footwork."
Liked it? Questions? There is already a sequel in the works which might be up within the next few days. Hope you liked it though.