Taking over the ship was the easy part. The men thus forced into the rowboat did what Jack and Benj expected and raised the alarm. It wasn't soon before another ship was sailing up to them. This ship was smaller than the one they were on. It was stocked and full of men ready to arrest them.

Jack noticed the approach with a grin. "An, the interceptor. What a beauty".

"They're going to catch us", Will groaned petulantly.

Benj scoffed. "A little more faith. We're pirates. We don't get caught".

"He did".

"Sorry. I don't get caught. Jack is a different story".

"Will you two shut up and follow me", Jack waved at them. Benj smirked at Will and followed Jack up onto the prow of the boat. He untied a rope and wound it around his wrist. Jack and Will did the same, Will wearing a confused expression.

"When they all swing over here, we swing over there. Cut their ropes and make off with that beautiful ship, Savy?"

That was what happened. As soon as the interception drew up alongside and all the men swung over onto the main deck, the three men sneakily swung over on to their unoccupied ship. Jack and Will made for the wheel as Benj walked slowly up deck. His sharpened claws slicing through each rope anchoring the two ships together. Each end making a satisfying splash at it hit the water. The interceptor pulled away smoothly. The shouts of the navel officers echoing behind them. Benj grinned smugly, especially pleased by the face of the stuck up officer. There was nothing like making someone's day miserable.

Under Jack's orders and Benj's skill, the ship sailed out into the open sea. Will helped the two of them as much as he could, but he was unused to a life at sea. After all the sails were unfurled and the ship was moving at a fine speed, Will turned his attention back to the two pirates.

Jack was at the wheel. One hand on the spokes as another held up a compass. He snapped it shut in a decisive motion and tucked the object back into his coat. Across the deck on the prow, Benj sat on the wooden railing. His bare feet dangled over the waves below. The long beam of the prow braced by his knees. Shoulder length dark hair blew in the sea breeze behind him as he stared out at the horizon. No matter how much he looked, Will couldn't figure either of the two pirates out.

They were enigmas. Jack as changeable as the weather. Benjamin as mysterious as the sea.

——

"My mother raised my by herself", Will spoke aloud. The loud scraping as he sharpened his sword on a rock, seemed particularly harsh in the quiet. Jack gave a uninterested hum to Will's words. He was busy walking around deck checking that all the ropes were in place. From his seat on a rickety wooden chair, feet kicked up on the barrel that Will was using as a table, Benjamin watched Will's face. The man seemed angry about something.

Benjamin rummaged in his coat pockets for a moment before pulling out a small whistle. He shook the water out of it, tapping it twice on the barrel lid. Will gave him a annoyed glance. Benjamin blew through it a few times just to make sure he had cleaned it. Then he played a low and slow tune, fingers moving over the holes with skilful ease. The tune drifted round the deck, lifting off out into the water.

"When she died", Will continued. "I left England and came here. Looking for my father".

"So?" Jack asked as he brushed passed. He climbed back onto the upper deck. Will sheathed his sword and stood up, following after him. Benj ignored them and continued playing. The haunting tune slowly picking up speed.

"My father? Bill Turner! Back at the jail, it was only after you learnt my name that you agreed to help me. Since that was what I wanted, I didn't press the issue. I'm not a simpleton Jack! You knew my father". Will stated clearly, eyes blazing. Jack sighed deeply, seeming tired of this conversation. The tune faltered slightly as Benj's breath caught. He didn't see Will's eyes dart down towards him as he noticed.

Jack turned and faced Will head on, eye to eye. "I knew him", he admitted nonchalantly. "Probably one of the few who knew him as William Turner. Most just called him Bootstrap. Or boootstrap bill". He shrugged, turning back to the wheel. "Good man", he called back up. "Good pirate. I swear you look just like him".

"That's not true", Will stated firmly. "He was a merchant sailor, a good respectable man who obeyed the law".

Down on the main deck where the tune still echoed, Benj rolled his eyes. He could practically hear Jack's huff of exasperation.

"He was a bloody pirate. A scallywag".

"My father"- steel hissed as Will pulled out his blade. "Was not a pirate".

Jack seemed even more exhausted now. "Put it away son. It's not worth yu getting a beating".

"You didn't beat me", Will snarled. "If you hadn't ignored the rules of a fair fight, I would have killed you".

"Well that's not much incentive for me to fight fair then", Jack retorted. He must have spun the wheel as Benj felt the ship shift to the side. There was a gasp as the mast swung. Benj stopped playing and tucked the recorder back into his pocket. He stood up and climbe the stairs.

Will was hanging over the water, arm clutched round a wooden beam and legs dangling. Jack snatched up his fallen sword and pointed it at him. "Now while you're dangling there, think about two things. What a man can do and what a man can't do, for example"- he turned and strolled back to the wheel. Benj leaning against the railing to smirk at Will. "For instance", Jack continued. "You can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man".

"You can be both", Benj nodded. "How do laws make you a good man? Just ask all the rich toffs in London. Law abiding and still right cunts". He grinned at Will. Head resting in his palms, elbows on the wood railing. "Pirates in your blood boy. You've got to deal with that someday".

"Or, if you can't do it", Jack added. "I can let you drown. But it would be more difficult for the two of us to bring this boat into Tortoga by ourselves. Savey?" He spun the wheel and the wooden beam swung back over deck. Will collapsed into a heap in the floor. He made to rise but was stopped by the silver of his own blade.

"Now", Jack said. "Can you sail under the orders of a pirate? Or can you not?"

"Tortoga?" Will asked. Jack grinned and flipped the sword around, offering him the hilt.

"Tortoga".

A hand reached down and Will grabbed it. Benj pulled him to his feet and patted him on the shoulder.

"Tortoga".

Unedited