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thesparrowspearl · 1 year

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Chapter 5 of "Return to the Sea"

"Hey, guys, I know you probably have like a million questions right now. And I want you guys to be able to ask them. That's why I'm going to ask you all to take cover in the Captain's quarters," she quickly added "if that's okay with you, Jack." He glanced at her and responded "Of course, love. Besides, it's your room too." At that statement, Laila slightly blushed and Will noticed. He stifled a laugh, to which he received a punch in the shoulder.

"Okay, but where is it?" Aunt Flora spoke up, the first member of Laila's family who'd said anything to her after the collapse of her double life.

"Right this way" Laila walked quickly towards the quarters, trying to avoid becoming a fried kebab. Just as they populated the room, Pintel and Ragetti returned to the Pearl with several bags in their arms; they seemed to be struggling. Cotton and Cremble helped them out and brought them over to where her family was taking cover.

"These are all the bags we could find. I hope they're the right ones." Ragetti sheepishly said. She smiled gratefully at both of them and thanked them. As the men left the room, Laila walked past the bags and her family.

"You guys should get comfortable, you'll be here a minute. Or, as comfortable you can get in the midst of a battle" she chuckled to herself. However she found no one else sharing her reaction. Instead, she was met with concerned and puzzled looks.

"Laila, what is all this?" Her mom started up.

"I'll answer all your questions, I promise. But it'll have to wait" Laila responded as she opened and rummaged through the closet she and Jack shared. She was looking for her old belt, sword, and guns.

"What are you even doing?" Cameron chimed in.

She looked back at him once she held her belt in her hand. As she put it on herself, she said "Just grabbing some of my old things before heading out again." Click. Her belt was officially on her waist where it was meant to be. As she loaded her belt with weapons, another voice spoke up.

"Are you crazy? You'll get killed out there. You're not going anywhere." Her mom said, and more protests rose up.

Laila shut the closet behind her and leaned against it for a moment before saying, "Guys, I know what I'm doing. I'll be fine and I'll prove it to all of you by showing up here after the fight is over. Try not to worry."

In response to her reassurance, she saw tears well up in her mother's eyes and even more distress in the faces of everyone else. Before she could be persuaded to stay, Laila headed for the door. Before she left for good, she let out a small but sincere "I'm sorry."

As she turned to shut the door she heard May's voice break the silence. "Laila, was that your boyfriend?"

Good God. Only May would think about something like that in the middle of a sentimental moment. "Who?" Laila asked. "The guy with the cool hair and beard. From the cruise." She looked at Laila knowingly, indirectly telling her I saw your kiss ;)

"Jack? Yeah, we're together." Laila said as her face turned a cute peach color, forgetting the dramatic tone from 30 seconds before. She heard a small snicker escape Zack's mouth. To that, she snapped out of it and glared at him quickly before sticking her tongue out at him. On that sarcastic note, she slipped out the door and locked them in. She shook her head to herself and whispered "idiots" and let out a small giggle before switching to battle mode.

As she turned towards the scene on the main deck, she saw at least a dozen swords slashing through the air and men falling down left and right. One of those men being Will. She swiped out her own sword and attacked the soldier that had Will pinned to the ground. She stabbed his back and poked her sword through him. Once she pulled out and he hit the ground, Laila held out her hand to help Will up. "Thanks. Knew it was good to have you back." He gave a small smile. She returned his playful energy and teased "Only reason you're happy to have me back?" Before he could respond, Laila used her sword on incoming soldiers. Will was also occupied with them.

She slashed one across the face and kicked him in the nuts. As he forfeit his position, another came to take his place. This one was taller and seemed angrier. As he grunted, he cut with his sword pretty damn fast. It was hard for Laila to keep up since she was out of practice, so she sticked to blocking his attacks until her battle reflexes refreshed. As she grew accustomed to his fighting style, she struck back on an unprotected spot. As he aimed for her left arm, she moved it out the way and stepped forward with her right foot and thrusted her sword towards his chest.

He mirrored her defense as he moved out the way and pushed his sword towards her face in attempt to slice it. He came dangerously close to stabbing her eye, which riled her up. She grabbed his arm with her free hand and pushed it down as she twisted it behind his back and kicked him down. Before she could end him, his partner charged at her from the left. And now another came from the right.

As she kept her sword out in front of her, she took cautious but quick steps behind her away from them. The one from the left reached her first and they engaged in a fight. Their blades met countless times; finding an easy point on his body was nearly impossible. She was reminded that it was about to get even more difficult because the other soldier from the right jumped in.

As she struggled to stay atop the swordfight, she heard a fourth sword clang. Good God I'm gonna die. As she kicked down the soldier from the left down, she turned ready to attack whoever this fourth person was.

She stopped her hand in its tracks before she could hurt the beautiful soul before her. Jack had just sent the soldier from the right swimming like Laila had on the cruise. He noticed her looking and smirked "Careful, don't look too hard."

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Never said I was."

"You literally-"

"AHHHHHH! Bloody hell!"

Both of them paused and looked at each other in confusion before turning to the source of the scream. Laila saw Will back on the floor clutching his stomach, and there was blood. A lot of blood.

"Oh my God Will..." Laila gasped with shock and covered her mouth with her blood stained hand. Jack stared at the scene with widened eyes but he places his arms around Laila to comfort her.

She pet his hand before running towards Will and crouching next to him. "Will what happened? Oh my God you're losing a lot of blood. I'll have to stitch you up." Her voice was firm but slightly quivered from shock. Footsteps approached her from behind; Jack's.

"You'll not be stitching anyone up today, love" he looked at Will, "nothing personal."

"Are you mad?! If we don't help right now we could lose him!" Laila shot back.

He understood her concern but at the same time he seemed to feel a tint of jealousy. "Of course we're going to help him, you just won't be doing the stitching." He gave her a charming smile hoping it answered all her questions and would shut it.

"Still doesn't-" Laila was cut off by a moan from Will.

"See? No time!" Jack put Will's arm over his head and hurried him towards Will's quarter.

"He is not getting rid of me that easily." she grumbled to herself before following them.

Right before Jack shut the door, he was met with an angry Laila. Before he could say anything, she pushed against him and marched inside.

"I love you Jack, but you can't keep me away that easily."

"Love, only reason I didn't want you around for this was because of infection" He stated confidently.

"Jack."

"Hm?"

"Are you serious?"

"When am I not?"

"Right now, as it seems."

"What?" He seemed genuinely bamboozled, which wasn't a rare look from him.

"Babe. I can't get an infection. I'm not the one getting stitched up."

There was a moment of silence. Jack looked astonished before snapping back into character, "I knew that." Laila rolled her eyes at this and taunted, "Right then. I'm still staying, so go on Doctor. Stitch my friend up." He looked back at her and gave her a light smirk.

"Aye, Patient's friend."

As he cleaned the wound with rum, pained sounds escaped Will's mouth. Laila walked over to his side and clenched his hand with pressure. "You can squeeze my hands to ease the pain. It's going to be okay. Try to stay still."

He nodded at her through the agony and he squeezed her hand throughout the surgery, most of the time it was so hard to the point her hand felt numb. Jack didn't like that they were holding hands but tried to ignore it since it was just to ease the pain.

But of course, the captain of the Black Pearl had to get some revenge before he moved on. So he poked the wrong place with the needle before actually stitching him up the right way. Laila seemed to have noticed but she bit her tongue down and stayed silent for Will's sake.

___________________________________________________________________________

Hours after the battle ended, the crew had finally cleared the deck as much as they could. Laila's family was scattered across the deck as they explored. Meanwhile, Laila and Jack were in their room refreshing before leaving. Jack had pulled out her pirate clothes from the closet and she took them to put on.

"Y'know love, you don't have to go to the bathroom to change. Nothing I haven't seen before."

"Yeah, except we wouldn't be leaving the room as soon then, would we?"

"Good point. But would that be such a bad thing, love?" He whined but in a cute way.

She chuckled and walked out of the bathroom in her clothes.

"How's it look?" She gave him a full 360 turn of her outfit.

His face softened and a tiny smile appeared on his face. He took in every angle of her in and felt genuinely happy to have her back. Something about her and the pirate's life combined really enchanted him.

"Well?"

She snapped him out of his thoughts and he uttered "Turn around again for me, I think I saw something."

She raised an eyebrow but obeyed nonetheless. "Do you see it?"

"Aye. Don't move."

"Is it a bug?"

Smack.

As she spun around to see his pleased face, she couldn't help but share his smile as she took her hat off and placed it on a nearby table. He wrapped his hands around her; one just above her waist and the other around her midback. He pulled her to his chest and he placed his chin over her head. Laila unstiffened her body and returned his affections. She poked her arms from under his and hooked them to his shoulders as they swayed slowly.

"I missed you so much" Laila said as she deepened her face in his chest.

In response he kissed her hair and smoothed it with the hand that was around her midback before.

"Let's stay like this a little bit longer."

"Aye."

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