The Redhead of the Sea (Jack Sparrow x OC)

Chapter 7: Sails, Rumours & The Code

"Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage" she heard Gibbs telling Will as she landed.

It does indeed, she said, mentally agreeing and finding her eyes landing on the Captain of the ship.

Jack was as usual behind the wheel, his left hand on the helm while the right was holding his mysterious compass. He moved the helm a little to the left and then he looked behind him, where Cotton was standing and observing. A few moments later, the Captain put the compass back into his pocket just as Gibbs walked towards her with Will in his tracks.

"How is it that Jack came by the compass?" her childhood friend asked and Artemis found herself following, curious about the answer.

"Not a lot is known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with the mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de la Muerta" Gibbs started to explain while fixing some ropes. "That was before I met him. Back then when he was the Captain of the Black Pearl"

"What?" Artemis and Will exclaimed at the same time, making Gibbs realize he had said something he shouldn't and that almost caused him to choke on the rum he had just put in his mouth.

"He failed to mention that"

"I am sure he has failed to mention a lot of things Will," the redhead said as she folded her hands in front of her chest and leaned on the railing of the bulwark while watching Jack.

A small part of her was very curious to know more about this past, about all those things he kept hidden in his closet. She wondered if she would ever accomplish that since they were already halfway there to save Elizabeth. Halfway there before this amazing adventure comes to an end. Halfway there before she ends up trapped in Port Royal; to be married... to him.

"Well, he plays things close to his chest now. As a hard lesson learnt, it was" the first mate continued, snapping Artemis from her train of thought.

"What happened?" she asked.

"See, three days on the venture; the first mate comes to him and says...' everything is an equal share as should be the location of the treasure too' So, Jack gives up the bearings. That night there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die. But this not before he has gone mad with the heat"

Artemis, who had her full attention on Gibbs and had her back turned on the Captain, felt her heart sinking at the cruelty of this action. She didn't like Jack and she didn't like Pirates, but having your trust betrayed like that. Having your freedom, your ship, your everything to be taken from you. She felt it on a personal level; she felt the pain in her heart.

The world was a cold and shitty place. It took her years to understand that. It was like that for everyone; pirate or not, sailor or soldier, commoner or royalty. No one was an exception.

"So this is the reason why..." Will said and badly tried to mimic Jack's movements, walking and talking which only earned an elbow on the ribs Artemis.

"Reasons got nothing to do with it" Gibbs explained, overprotective and also insulted by how Will didn't take the story with as much importance as he should. "Now, Will, Artemis" he continued again as all 3 of them sat down. "When a pirate is marooned, he is given a pistol with a single shot. One-shot. Well, it won't do much good hunting or be rescued... but after three weeks of starving belly and thirst; that pistol starts to look really friendly" he made a pistol using his thumb and index finger. "... But Jack, he escaped the island and he still has that single shot"

Artemis's eyes widened as she remembered the day Jack saved Liz. When James had captured him and examined his belongings, he had mentioned how his gun held only one bullet. Now she knew why.