Silent Sparrow

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Allright. This is the final chapter of Silent Sparrow. Twenty-seven chapters…This makes me sad. I’m happy because thisis the first story that I have worked on till the end, but I’m also sad that this is the end. A lot of you reading have stuck with Jaquline and I till the very end, and for that I thank you. You know who you are!

Any who, I want to say…enjoy the end of Silent Sparrow! Not much else to say except that I don’t own Jack, Bootstrap, Will, Barbossa, the Flying Dutchman, or the Black Pearl. I do own the soundtracks however! I’ve figured it out: Kidnap Hans Zimmer, then work your way up to Jerry Bruckheimer!

MWAAHAHAHAHAHA!!

…No…I don’t even own the soundtracks. Just Jaquline and Yoko….sigh

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Bootstrap squeezed into the tavern, frowning at the enclosed space. The fighting bar patrons stared at him as he walked in. He gave them a quick glare.

"What're you looking at?" He growled. They resumed fighting. Bootstrap walked over to the bartender, who didn't seem too bothered that a rum bottle flew into the wall behind his head and shattered.

"Well, look who's back from the dead. It's old Bootstrap Bill. Haven't seen you in years." The bartender ducked as another bottle went flying. Bootstrap rolled his eyes.

"Have you seen Jack recently?" He asked, looking around nervously. The bartender nodded.

"He's over there," He said pointing to the furthest corner of the tavern. "He hasn't moved since he came in yesterday. Good luck trying to talk to him. I tried, but all he did was mumble something 'bout a heart and cruelty or opportunity."

Bootstrap shuddered before he carefully walked over to Jack. He sat down across from him, and frowned when Jack didn't move. His eyes looked like they were focused on something far away, and they were clouded over with pain. He quietly sipped his rum as Bootstrap ordered his own.

Why didn't I listen to Yoko? If I would've put Jaquline on her ship, she would still be alive... Jack thought sadly. The fight was only yesterday, but it seemed like it had just happened again, and again, and again...The scene kept repeating in his eyes, kept sounding in his ears...

...Don't you wish you would've stabbed it now?...

Tears started to run down his face. He wiped them away slowly. He wasn't sure why he was bothering. They would simply come back.

Bootstrap's heart ached to see his oldest friend in so much pain because of him, even if he didn't know it. I'm going have to tell him... Bootstrap thought. He cleared his throat.

"Jack?" He asked softly. Jack didn't respond.

"Jack...I'm sorry for what happened."

Jack looked up slowly, then shook his head.

"Why are you sorry? It's my fault she's dead...I should've put her on Yoko's ship..." He said quietly. Bootstrap gulped, thinking carefully about what to say next.

"No...It's my fault. She swung over to the Dutchman and took down a good majority of the crew. I...I didn't know what I was doing. I just reacted. She was fierce...she went down fighting..." Bootstrap rubbed his shoulder where her sword had sunk down to the bone as she died. He shuddered as he remembered the way her eyes softened as she realized who he was. Uncle Bootstrap?...It was a moment that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Jack furrowed his eyebrows as he finally looked at Bootstrap.

"The way you're putting it sounds like that you were the one to kill her." He said slowly. His eyes widened as Bootstrap didn't answer, he simply averted his gaze. Jack started to shake as his pain transformed into anger.

"You...you did kill her, didn't you?" He whispered hoarsely. Bootstrap looked at Jack, tears in his eyes.

"Jack, I didn't know what I was doing! I had no control..." He stood up as Jack stood up, and he started backing away. Jack jumped at him, grabbing his shirt and throwing him up against the wall.

"Why did you come? Just to tell me that you, my friend, killed my daughter? Is that why you came?!" Jack growled angrily, hot tears starting to run down his face. Bootstrap shook his head.

"No, I came to tell you that Will wants to talk to you. I thought...now would be the best time to offer my apologies. I swear Jack..."

"Shut it. I don't want to hear your voice anymore," Jack snapped as he let Bootstrap fall to the floor. He turned around. "What does Will want to talk to me about?"

Bootstrap shrugged.

"I don't know. He wouldn't tell me. He just said it was urgent, and that you have to hurry."

"I hope you rowed over, because I let Barbossa take the Pearl. It's of no use to me anymore..." Jack sighed, walking out of the tavern and into the night.

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Will stood on the deck of the Flying Dutchman next to Jack, overseeing his crew work to repair the ship. Jack looked around blearily, not really listening to Will's idle chatter about the ship. Finally, Jack raised a hand and placed it over Will's mouth.

"What did you want to see me for?" Jack asked, keeping his hand over Will's mouth. Will lowered Jack's hand.

"Well...I saw that Barbossa had stolen the Pearl again..."

"I let him take it." Jack interrupted. Will raised an eyebrow.

"Oh...I also wanted to see how you were faring." Jack's eye twitched.

"How I'm faring? My daughter, my reason for life is gone and you have the nerve to ask me how I'm faring?!" Will took a step back.

"I was just wondering."

"I'm wondering if a bullet passing through an immortal will injure them." Jack said, pulling out his pistol. Will's crew put their hands on their weapons and stepped closer to Jack. Will shook his head.

"I'm sorry Jack." Will apologized. Jack lowered his pistol.

"I want to show you something."

"I really don't want to be here any longer. It was nice talking to you, but I really must go." Jack said, holstering his pistol. Will's eyes widened.

"Wait! You need to see what I have!" He said, taking hold of Jack's shoulder. Jack sighed.

"Fine. But the minute you're done, I'm leaving." Jack mumbled. Will smiled.

"Come on."

Will brought Jack to his cabin and opened the door. They walked in. The walls and floor were a deep mahogany color, and the pipe organ wasn't covered in seaweed. Jack looked around. There was a small cot nestled in the corner next to the pipe organ. Jack eyed it.

Do my eyes deceive me, or is that cot moving?

Will walked over to it, and uncovered the bed. There was a person laying on it, torso covered in bandages.

Jack took a step closer, heart beating hard. His heart jumped in his throat when he saw a pirate brand, and a dark tattoo on the person's left wrist. He walked slowly over to the cot, almost as if he was in a trance. He looked closer at the tattoo. It was of a sparrow, flying over water during night. A small crescent moon and several stars littered the dark background behind the bird.

Jack dropped to his knees as the person stirred and opened her eyes. She looked around, her vision blurry.

"Father?" She said, focusing on the blurry face next to her. She blinked, and her vision cleared. She started to cry.

"Papa!" She jumped off of the cot and into Jack's arms. Jack had tears running down his face too.

"Jaquie!" He buried his face in her hair. Will left the room, so that father and daughter could have some privacy. Jack took Jaquline's face in his hands, wiping the tears away with his thumbs.

"I thought you were gone forever!" Jack whispered. Jaquline chuckled.

" I thought I was gone too. I...I got in over my head during the battle. I wanted to help you." She replied, wiping her tears away. Jack shushed her, putting his thumbs over her mouth.

Jack sat down on the cot, putting Jaquline next to him. He put his arm around her.

"I'm so glad that Turner brought you back sweetie. I'm not sure I would've survived much longer." He murmured. Jaquline nestled her head against her father's chest, closing her eyes and breathing in and out in time with his heart beats.

"So, what's the plan now Father?" Jaquline asked quietly. Jack narrowed his eyes, thinking hard.

"...I don't know. What do you suggest?"

Jaquline smiled. She pulled away from Jack and lifted up her trouser leg, revealing a small wooden chart tied around her calf. Jack blinked as she untied it and unrolled it.

"You up for a trip to Florida?" She asked, pointing to the peninsula. Jack peered at the writing next to it.

"Las Aguas De La Vida Eterna?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"The Waters of Eternal Life." Jaquline translated. Jack grinned as he stood up and took the charts.

"Florida it is."