Chapter Eight

Pearl waited until she could no longer heard the cries of the pirates and leapt back over the gap in the ground. She dashed back through the tunnel and blinked as her eyes met the light. Pearl didn't even have to think before she reacted to the scene unfolding before her. A man was standing over her mother with his sword raised, her mother on the her knees, clutching her side, Will shoving his opponent away, and her father yelling.

Pearl's hand shot towards her boot, and she brought up a dagger and tossed it with all her might. The dagger tumbled end over end through the air and stuck into the back of the pirate’s head.

Sally gasped, her torso heaving with her heavy breaths. Her body was tense, having anticipated a killing blow, but the pirate before her fell backwards limply. His sword clanged to the ground, and Sally looked at him with glazed eyes. She felt someone grab her and pull her close. Slowly, her head turned.

“Pearl?”

“I’m here, mom,” Pearl said softly.

“What happened?” Sally asked. “Are you all right? Your father and Will…”

“Shush,” Pearl ordered. “Save your strength.”

Sally nodded and felt herself wanting to sleep, her eyes aching to close. She forced them to stay open and gulped down air as her side flared with a bolt of pain.

Jack stopped the next swing of the enemy captain’s sword with a snarl and pulled back. He slammed his weapon against the captain’s and came back around for another swing with speed and strength that caused the pirate to waver and back up several steps. Jack twirled his weapon and slashed again and again, coming at the captain like a whirlwind. With no energy or bravery left in him from this display, the captain’s sword was hurled from his hand as Jack ran his blade through his opponent’s heart.

Jack raced to Sally’s side, where Pearl and Will already crouched by her, watching her apprehensively.

“Sally?” Jack called, running his hand over her brow.

“I’m still here,” she said, letting out a sharp laugh and cringing at how this made her wound flare.

“We’ll take you back to the ship at once,” Will said.

Jack nodded to the lad, and they both moved to pick her up. Sally put up a hand to stay them.

“Wait,” she said. “Pearl…” The young woman drew close. “Pearly, do you see that light?”

“Mother, no…” She gripped Sally’s arm, fearing she was slipping.

“No, dear,” she said. “Over there. Look.”

"Wha?" Pearl muttered as she stood up and walked over to were her mother was looking. She brushed away some dirt and pulled up a gold piece.

"That's a Sparrow for ye! Even when she's close to dyin, she spots gold," Jack said, laughing lightly.

She brushed a little more dirt away and saw the start of a huge chest.

"Will... come here and help me bring this up." Will stood up and walked over to her and the two worked together, digging and soon pulling up a huge chest.

"Well, shall we open it?" Pearl asked, looking at her mother and father.

“Aye,” Sally said, wincing as she tried to sit up for a better view. “Feel free, girl.”

Pearl and Will worked at the rusted latches until they gave. Pearl threw back the lid and was nearly blinded by the pile of gold within.

“This is more loot than even I have ever seen!” Pearl said.

“It’s a hefty prize, that’s for sure,” Jack said, grinning wickedly.

“Worth the wound,” Sally said with a laugh. “Now help me and that chest up. I’d like to be able to spend that loot in the near future.”

Jack slid his arms underneath her and lifted her off the ground, carrying her carefully out of the tunnel. He turned to glance back at the chest, giving Will and Pearl a look that told them to be extra careful with it.

"Aye dad, we'll only drop a few pieces," Pearl said, grinning.

Jack turned quickly and nearly knocked Sally's head into the wall.

"Easy Jack!" Sally said, wincing.

"Sorry, dear..." He shot a glare at Pearl who burst into a fit of giggles.

The trip out of the tunnel did not seem near as long as it did when going in. Maybe that was because everyone stayed together and no one got lost.

Jack carefully set Sally down in one of the dinghies and took the chest from Pearl and Will. They rowed back to the ship and climbed up the ladder. Pearl's heart lurched at the site before her. The crew that has stayed behind was laying dead on the deck of the Black Pearl.

Sally leaned against Jack as he set her on her feet. She hobbled a bit but remained steady with his help. She looked out over the way they’d just come and saw the men that had gone searching for Will and Pearl wandering around scratching their heads. She rolled her eyes and pointed them out to Jack.

“Oy!” he called out. He flipped his hand in the air and sighed when they waved back ineptly. “Good for nothings…”

“At least they can clean this mess,” Sally said, clutching her side.

“Come on,” Jack said softly. “I’ll dress yer wounds.”

Sally nodded as he led her below deck and into someone’s empty quarters. He laid her onto a cot and went searching for some strips of fabric or bandages to put about her wound. As he exited, Pearl entered.

“Happy birthday, Pearly,” Sally said with a smile.

“What?” Pearl asked gently. Understanding dawned on he face. “I almost forgot!”

Sally nodded with a smile. “My girl is all grown up,” she said. “Seventeen-year-old. I can hardly believe it. We’ll need to celebrate tonight. We definitely have the means to now.” She grinned as gold coins glittered in her mind’s eye.

"Mum, we don't need to celebrate... It’s enough that we are all together.. Besides, you need to rest," Pearl said, sitting down on the edge of her mother’s cot.

"No, Pearl, it's not everyday your little girl turns seventeen." Sally took a deep breath, "Besides, I'll be fine as soon as your father dresses these wounds." She frowned. "Where is he? Shouldn't take this long to find dressings…"

Pearl grinned. "I bet he stopped for rum. Ye only told him he couldn't have any until we found the treasure."

Sally grunted with anger. “I might as well tend my own wounds.”

She hoisted herself up just as Jack strode back in.

“Whoa, whoa,” he called out, dropping the dressings in Pearl’s lap as he gently urged Sally to lie down again. “Tenacity and bravery aside, you’re badly hurt. Stay down.”

Sally glanced at Pearl who shrugged, astonished at her father’s care and sense of responsibility.

“You didn’t take a nip into the rum?” Sally asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m aghast at such an accusation,” he said calmly.

Jack, with Pearl’s assistance, helped cover and properly wrap the gash in Sally’s side. Then, they tended the cut on her arm. When they were done, they left her to rest and went above deck.

The father and daughter made their way onto the deck of the Black Pearl and looked around. The crewmembers that had went looking for Pearl and Will were now aboard the ship and were helping Will prepare the dead to be buried at sea.

Will walked over to Pearl and Jack when he saw them come up.

"How’s Sally?" he asked, wiping his hands off on a cloth.

"She's fine," Jack answered. "Little bit of rest and she'll be as good as new." He grinned. "Now if you'll excuse me..." He turned and strode off.

Pearl looked at Will with a raised eyebrow. "Probably off after the rum," Pearl said, shaking her head.

* * * * *

Sally closed her eyes, ready to drift off. But she didn’t want to do that. It was Pearl birthday, and that only came once a year. As much as she knew the girl would scold her (a mother being scolded by her daughter. Imagine that!), she had to get up and get on deck. Maybe there was still time for a proper party, even if it was just a small thing.

She groaned and rose to her feet steadily, taking her time up the steps. She paused when she saw her daughter and Will sharing a lengthy stare. She grinned when she thought she had held that same look when she had looked at Jack when they were first in love. She probably did manage the same look from time to time.

Wistfully, Sally stayed back and smiled at the two youths, watching the tension build between them before their lips finally met. Will took Pearl into his arms, allowing her no escape even though the thought had never entered her mind. Sally shook her head and sighed, moving back below deck. Her daughter would need no party. Will was more than enough.

Pearl and Will finally pulled away from one another. Pearl looked up and deep into Will's eyes. Something inside her, at that moment, clicked. She had the most wonderful feeling inside her, something she had never felt with Sam or any other boyfriend she had. It was true love, a love that ran deeper then any of the seven seas.

"Will..." Pearl started but Will gently put his finger to his lip. The two stared at one another for a moment more, before Will pulled Pearl into another kiss.

The End

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