Not All Treasure Is Silver and Gold

Robin found herself by the railing to look over out at the ocean. Never had she ever been on a cruise before, or even seen the ocean this closely. Yet, here she was. After being in the ocean and seeing it from the shore, she was now sailing on it. The sky was brightly lit and made the waves shimmer with each break as the Interceptor moved through.

After marveling at the blue around her, Robin’s thoughts wandered. It was only a day ago that she was in her grandmother’s home, now she was aboard a ship with two men she had thought were only fictional. There was nothing fictional about her current circumstance.

Robin glanced over her shoulder to watch William and Captain Jack Sparrow. “This is really happening.” She muttered to herself. Robin again glanced out at the ocean, her lips pulling down to frown. A question that had been at the back of her mind since she set eyes on the familiar Port Royal town began to surface.

‘How am I going to get back home?’

Robin sighed and pushed the thought away once more. She moved from the railing and headed towards their pirate companion to ask to be of some assistance, mainly to keep her body busy, which would in turn keep her mind busy, or so she hoped. As she neared him, she noticed Will was sitting and sharpening his sword whilst talking to the Captain. It was a very one-sided conversation that had Robin abruptly stopping in her tracks to listen.

“After she died, I brought Robin with me out here, looking for my father.”

Robin’s eyebrows scrunched together as Captain Jack Sparrow replied quite flippantly, “Is that so?”

“Our father, Will Turner,” Will ceased his sharpening and stood up to follow the Captain. Robin followed behind Will, waiting for the chance to speak up and offer her assistance to the pirate. “It was only after you learned my name that you agreed to help. Since that’s what I wanted, I didn’t press the matter. I’m not a simpleton, Jack, you knew my father.”

The Captain paused, clearly exasperated. Robin quickly decided that she didn’t much care for the argument she knew would happen to ensue between the two men, so she strode in front of William in an attempt to get the pirate’s attention.

“Hey Captain!” Robin said in a cheery voice, the pirate stood up. “Um, I was wondering if I might be able to help -”

Captain Jack Sparrow didn’t so much as glance at Robin, “Not now, lass, don’t you see men are talking.”

Robin scowled and scoffed, seriously taken aback by his comment. “Excuse me!”

“I knew him.” Captain Jack Sparrow quickly said before William could interject, though Will was clearly scowling as much as Robin from the way the pirate spoke to his ‘sister’. “Probably one of the few who knew him as William Turner. Everyone else called him “Bootstrap” or “Bootstrap Bill”.” He then proceeded to move away from the supposed siblings.

“Bootstrap?” William muttered to himself. Robin still had her glaring eyes on the pirate as she marched up to him once more.

“Hey!” She said again, not as pleasantly as before, “You owe me an apology, pirate.”

William strode to her side, showing as much annoyance on his face as Robin, although confusion mixed with his expression. “How do you know my father?!”

Captain Jack Sparrow rolled his eyes and straightened up. He glared at the pair and pointed a finger at each of them, “Your father,” his eyes met Robin’s, “I’m assuming he’s your father as well, although you look nothing like him… maybe your eyes… anyway!” He pointed his finger at William, “You are the spitting image of ole Bootstrap and let me tell you, your father was a good man, and an even better pirate.” With that, he turned back around, returning to manning the steer, leaving Robin and William to continue glaring at his back.

“It’s not true.” Will spat at The Captain, “He was a merchant sailor. A good, respectable man who obeyed the law!”

Captain Jack Sparrow turned over his shoulder, “He was a bloody pirate, a scallywag!” And then again turned away.

Robin crossed her arms, still slightly fuming from the way the Captain spoke to her, but again distracted by the fact that her favorite movie was playing out before her eyes and in the flesh.

“My father was not a pirate!” William pulled out his sword furiously. Robin’s eyes widened at the abruptness of the motion.

“Put it away, son. It’s not worth you getting beat again.” Robin rolled her eyes, as she always did when watching the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow mutter those words ever so nonchalantly to William Turner.

“You didn’t beat me.” Robin’s eyes again widened as William spoke, realizing what was going to happen next. She glanced at the sail wearily and made an attempt to move out of the way, walking quickly behind Will, “You ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I’d kill you.”

“That’s not incentive for me to fight fair is it?” The pirate replied. Robin was not quite out of harms way and felt a hand clasp around her torso and bring her down as Captain Jack Sparrow gave the steer a quick tug in the same direction. The sail went overhead and swung Will out over the open ocean. His sword dropped onto the deck and Will was hanging on with all of his strength. His face clearly showed the effort that took. Once straightening up, with Robin still in his arms, Captain Jack Sparrow picked up Will's sword and held it pointed towards William. Exasperated, yet slightly thankful, Robin attempted to pull away from the Captain. His grip on her tightened and Robin again found herself scowling at the pirate.

“Don’t you touch her!” William shouted angrily at the Captain.

Robin felt a tug at her heartstrings. Once again, William was showing her how much of a brother he thought he was to her. “Don’t worry about me!” Robin called out to him, “You just hang on!”

“And as long as you’re just hanging there, pay attention.” Captain Jack Sparrow added, striding a step forward and moving Robin with him. “The only rules that really matter are these. What a man can do, and what a man can't do." Robin tried once more to pry his arm off, but he didn't even budge. She thought about kicking him where the sun don’t shine but figured it wasn’t so bad being this close to the pirate, however angry she may be at him. "For instance, you can accept that your father was a Pirate, and a good man, or you can’t. But Pirate is in your blood, boy. Both of you.” He said, shaking Robin for emphasis. She gritted her teeth in dismay. “So you'll have to square with that someday. Now, me, for example, I can let you drown. But I rather have more hands than your sister’s dainty ones to bring this ship into Tortuga, savvy?” Robin scoffed as Captain Jack Sparrow finally released her and moved back towards the steer.

With one swift movement, Will was brought back over onto the deck, where he landed with a loud grunt. The Captain pointed his sword over Will's chest. Will didn't move. "So can you sail under the command of a Pirate?" He flipped the sword so he was holding the blade and the handle was outstretched towards William. "Or can you not?"

Will grasped onto the handle and looked up at the pirate questioningly, “Tortuga?”

Robin watched Captain Jack Sparrow grin and felt her anger towards the pirate subside.

“Tortuga.”