FicWad

I woke up the next morning feeling very ill. Blinking, I rolled over onto my back and stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out what was wrong with me. Suddenly, I felt a rising feeling in my throat and decided that now would be a good time to get away from sleeping Cutler before I threw up all over him. Stumbling to my feet, I started wobbling towards the corner.

Thump! My foot slipped and I ended up on the ground. Shit. I had to puke like right now! I did my best to crawl to the corner on my hands and knees and then vomited. My stomach churned within me. Hm, maybe I had drank a little too much wine last night. Or perhaps I was getting seasick. After all, I had been on the Endeavor quite some time now.

From across the room, Cutler let out a low groan. Without opening his eyes, he put a hand to his head and groaned, "Oh my, I do feel dreadfully awful this morning. I feel like a thousand horses ran over my head. What happened last night, darling?" Not in any mood to explain, I sat in the corner looking ill and muttered, "You got drunk. Really drunk."

"Oh, did I?" Cutler asked blankly, obviously having no memory of that. Nodding, I replied, "Yes, you did. See that empty bottle next to you? You drank that whole thing." Cutler cracked an eye open and looked at the empty bottle next to him. Frowning, he picked it up and crawled to his feet, "Oh really? So funny because I don't remember getting drunk at all."

Leaning against the bedpost, Cutler looked around for me and eventually noticed me holding my stomach in the corner. Cutler stumbled towards me and raised his eyebrows, "Are you sick again?" I nodded and managed to get to my feet as well. Cutler frowned and put an arm around my shoulders before he suddenly turned a slightly greenish color. Oh fuck...

I got behind Cutler and grabbed his hat as he vomited into the corner as well. He leaned heavily against the wall and groaned, "God, I do feel ill." Nodding, I took his hand and tried to lead him over to the bed. It didn't work and we both ended up on the floor again. I managed to bring myself into a sitting position and yawned widely. For some reason, I was still tired.

Cutler crawled over to me and put his head in my lap. He moaned softly and closed his eyes. I stroked his cheek and commented, "Don't drink so much next time." Cutler nodded, looking very miserable. Feeling pretty bad for him, I leaned down and kissed up and down his neck. Cutler smiled up and me before falling back into a deep sleep.

Before I knew it, I was asleep as well. A loud knock later woke me up immediately. Cutler slept right through it. Rolling my eyes, I went ahead and answered the door without getting it, calling, "Yes?" Someone called through the door, "The Brethren Court has made their decision. Lord Beckett and Mr. Turner are to go ashore and talk to the pirate king."

"Okay, okay, we're coming," I muttered, trying to get to my feet. After the footsteps faded, I tapped Cutler's shoulder. He didn't wake, so I started shaking his shoulders instead. I wasn't usually so rough with him, but this sounded pretty important like something he absolutely couldn't miss. Cutler blinked up at me, his eyes no longer glazed and foggy.

"Hello, dear, how long have you been awake for?" Cutler asked, sitting up. He looked a thousand times better than earlier. Rolling my eyes at him, I said, "Not long. I wouldn't have woken you up, but you have to go meet with some 'pirate king' apparently. Who's this pirate king? Do you know him?" I had to admit that this perked my curiosity a bit.

"Pirate king...? Oh, right," Cutler responded. He immediately got up and started digging through the wardrobe for something to wear. He selected black pants, one of his usual white shirts, and a dark green jacket. As he dressed, he explained to me, "No, I don't know the pirate king, but the king will be one of the pirate lords. The meeting is to see if they will fight or surrender."

I nodded, thinking that if they knew what was good for them, they would just surrender. Cutler straightened his coat and looked down at me still sitting on the floor. Grabbing his hat, he put it on his head and asked, "Are you coming with me? Davy Jones will be present. I know you dislike him, but I'll be there to protect you as always. What do you think?"

I was kind of surprised at Cutler's question. Usually, he did whatever he could to get me not to go with him. For him actually to invite me meant that something was definitely up. Cutler had been acting a bit strange lately, especially with getting so drunk last night. That wasn't like Cutler at all. I didn't even remember the last time he had gotten drunk.

Trying to figure out the reasoning behind why he wanted me to come so bad, I raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "Do you want me to come?" Cutler pulled out a pair of shiny black boots and looked up at me with his deep blue eyes as he nodded and replied, "Of course. Why, don't you want to come?" I nodded, still giving Cutler a funny look. Since when had he wanted me at meetings?

Cutler, distracted by his new boots, held one up and asked, "What do you think? I had these specially brought from England." I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I mean, here we were about to decide whether or not we would be going to war, and here was Cutler worried about his new boots! Trying not to sound too sarcastic, I replied, "They're beautiful."

Hearing the sarcasm in my voice, Cutler frowned up at me and asked, "What? You don't like them? I thought they were rather nice myself." Trying to drop my sarcastic side, I nodded and said, "Oh yes, they're nice. But don't you think we have more important things to be worrying about here? We could be going to war for god's sake!" I sounded more worried than I was to be honest.

Seeing the alarm etched in my features, Cutler finished tugging his boots on and helped me stand up. Leaning down so that he was looking in my eyes, Cutler said, "Baby, it's alright. Nothing is going to happen to you, alright? We'll win the war with ease and crush the pirates from the universe for eternity. Now then, will you come with me?"

I nodded and Cutler went off to fetch me a dress. I didn't even bother to look at it as Cutler pulled it over my head and tied the strings in the back together. He kissed my neck and then suddenly sniffed the air, nose wrinkling. Looking around, he asked, "What is that? Something smells quite dreadful, don't you think?" I nodded, looking at the pile of vomit in the corner.

Cutler crossed the room and looked at it, making a face. Putting a hand on my lower back, he asked in concern, "Did you get sick again? Hm, maybe you should stay here after all..." Before he could consider leaving me here all alone while he was off with some dangerous pirate king, I shook my head and replied, "No, no, I'm fine. I'm coming. Now let's go!"

Cutler and I stepped out of the cabin and onto the deck. Davy Jones was already standing there. When he saw Cutler, he bellowed, "If Sparrow will be there, I will too." Cutler sighed, but decided it was best not to argue with him. Turning to an officer, Cutler said, "Very well. Now go and fetch a bucket with some water in it." I figured it was for Davy to stand in since he couldn't stand on land.

"Turner? Where's Turner?" Cutler asked, looking around a bit anxiously. Will appeared to my right and smiled, replying, "Right here." Cutler smiled and said, "Good. Come along now. I don't expect a long wait from those squabbling pirate lords." Cutler, Davy, Will, and I climbed down the ladder to the little island. It was actually quite beautiful with clean sand and blue water all around.

Cutler sat the bucket of water down to his right for Davy to stand in. Will stood on his left. A little scared of these pirate lords, I decided to stand behind all three of them. It gave me a rather nice look at Cutler's backside. As if he sensed me staring at him, Cutler looked over his shoulder to find me staring. I blushed and he returned my gaze with a smirk.

From off in the distance, three tall figures appeared. Well, two of them were tall. The one in the middle was female. Wait, she looked familiar. Oh my god, it was Elizabeth! The tall man to Elizabeth's right was wearing a big hat and looked like the typical pirate. He stared right and Will and growled, "You be the cur that led these wolves to our door!"

Still smirking, Cutler replied, "Don't blame Turner, he was merely the tool of your betrayal. If you wish to see its grand architect, look to your left." Both Elizabeth and the tall pirate looked to the left. To their left was none other than Jack Sparrow. Not wanting him to see me, I hid behind Cutler's shadow. Jack seemed like the kind of man who wanted to fuck anything with a skirt.

"My hands are clean in this....figuratively," Jack comment with an uneasy smile, looking down at his hands that were stained with dirt. My nose wrinkled; pirates were so dirty! Standing across from Jack, Will said, "My actions were my own and to my own purpose. Jack had nothing to do with it." Jack grinned widely and added, "Well spoke, listen to the tool."

For the first time, Elizabeth spoke directly to Will, "Will, I've been aboard the Dutchman, I understand the burden you bear, but I fear that cause is lost." Looking between the two, I wondered if they were still in a relationship. I remembered that they had wanted to get married, but now it appeared as if they were on opposite sides. I wondered what had happened.

"No cause is lost if there is but one fool left to fight for it," Will said firmly. I didn't exactly agree with him, but I decided now was not the time to state my perspective. I mean, look at it this way. If only you are fighting against one hundred people, the cause is obviously already lost, right? Oh well, Will's calculation problem was not mine to worry about.

"If Turner was not acting on your behalf, then how did he come to give me this? You made a deal with me, Jack, to deliver the pirates, and here they are. Don't be bashful, step up, claim your reward," Cutler said, holding up Jack's compass. Cutler looked so cocky and confident in front of all the pirates. I was glad I was on the winning side since it was obvious the pirates would fall.

"Your debt to me is still to be satisfied. One hundred years in service aboard the Dutchman. As a start!" Davy growled, looking at Jack furiously. Looking nervous, Jack motioned to Elizabeth on his right and contradicted, "That debt was paid, mate, with some help." Davy was so not going to accept that. He slitted his eyes at Jack and stated the obvious, "You escaped!"

"Technically..." Jack started out and then faltered, unsure of what else to say. From his right, Elizabeth was starting to smile, obviously getting an idea. Looking directly at Cutler, she proposed, "I propose an exchange. Will leaves with us, and you can take Jack." Cutler looked thoughtful, but didn't answer right away. He looked between Jack, Will, and the third pirate carefully.

"Done," Will nodded, smiling at Elizabeth. Ah, so they were still together after all. Jack looked at Elizabeth and Will with horror and shook his head, replying, "Undone!" Cutler's smug look grew and he closed the deal with a firm, "Done." The third pirate looked down at Elizabeth in horror and said, "Jack is one of the nine pirate lords! You have no right!"

"King," Elizabeth smirked, rather defiantly. Oh wait...did she just say king? Oh my god, so Elizabeth was the pirate king! I stared at Cutler to see if he had picked this information up, but he just continued staring in front of him. Suddenly, Jack and the other pirate got into a fight and Elizabeth stepped forward and got a good look at me. Her eyes widened.

"Jenna!" she called, stepping around Cutler to get to me. "What are you doing here? You're not honestly going to fight with them, are you?" She pointed in Cutler's direction. I hesitated, watching the two pirates behind her fight while I answered, "I'm not going to do any fighting, but I am on their side if that's what you're asking." Their meaning Cutler's side pretty much.

Elizabeth held out a hand to me and I could tell that under all our recent hate, she still considered me a friend. Looking anxious, Elizabeth begged, "Come with me. Please, Jenna? I don't want you to be on the losing side...or end up getting yourself killed!" Killed? Did Lizzy really think her pirate ships could defeat Cutler's armada? My stomach dropped and I suddenly felt sick again.

"I'll be fine," I told Elizabeth, not feeling so fine at the moment. Lizzy shook her head at me. It was clear that she obviously didn't think I was making the right decision. Jack and the other pirate had finished fighting and Jack smirked, "First to the finish then?" Cutler motioned for Jack to stand next to Davy and took a step forward to speak directly to Elizabeth, "Advise your brethren, you can fight and all of you will die, or you can not fight in which case only most of you will die."

"You murdered my father," Elizabeth said in a deadly voice, staring daggers at Cutler. My stomach twisted again. That decision was one I hadn't agreed with. Even now I still didn't feel too good about it. Shrugging, Cutler murmured, "He chose his own fate." Elizabeth glared and said murderously, "And you have chosen yours. We will fight, and you will die."

Still looking very smug and very confident, Cutler merely said, "So be it." He turned around and motioned to Jack and Davy to follow him. Cutler took my arm and started leading me back to the ship. Cutler may be feeling confident, but I certainly was not. For the first time, I was really worried. What if Lizzy was right? What if we did die?