"Hey, guys, I know you probably have like aย millionย 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.ย
"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.ย
"What are you even doing?" Cameron chimed in.ย
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."ย 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.ย
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."ย
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.ย "Who?" Laila asked. "The guy with the cool hair and beard. From the cruise." She looked at Laila knowingly, indirectly telling herย I saw your kissย ;)
"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.ย
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.ย 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."ย
"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.ย
"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.ย
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.ย
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.ย
"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.ย
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.ย
"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.ย
"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."ย
"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.
The sight gave her a morale boost as she slashed her stolen sword with more strength than before. She shouted at her family, who was trying to stay out of the fight since they were unarmed, unexperienced, freaking out, and handcuffed. Perfect combo.
"Guys we're getting some back-up! Hang in there!" Laila pointed towards the incoming ship.
Confused by what she meant, the British that were away from her looked up only to find the Pearl within 20 feet. The confusion soon turned into panic, as they had to recapture Laila before Captain Jack Sparrow could get his hands on her. Because once he does, they all knew she'd be even harder to catch.
Even faster than before, and somehow with even more strength, they all ganged up on Laila. She tried to fend off as many of them as she could, but they were freakin' British soldiers. With professional training. All of seven of them since she pushed three off the cruise. Badass, I know.
Just as her arms were about to give out on her, she heard different loud, masculine voices soar several feet above her head. Laila soon recognized them to be the crew. As the soldiers became distracted, she made a run for it. As she ran towards her family again, she saw crew members swinging onto the cruise to cover for her.ย But where is Jack?
Right before she reaches them, someone swings into her and grabs her waist! At this point, Laila was annoyed at the fact she couldn't get to her family, so she elbowed them before looking at who it was. As she turned, her fury turned into tenderness and her eyes softened at the sight of Jack holding her. He smiled at her, "I've missed you, love. Are you alright?"
It took her a minute to gather herself. She was at a loss for words. Without thinking, she cupped his cheeks and pulled him into a hard, passionate kiss. He gasped slightly at the unexpected act of affection but then tugged her closer by her hips. For a moment, she allowed herself to become lost in the kiss. Allowing the memories to come flooding back; the feel of his beaded hair against her fingers, the taste of his rum-soaked lips, the briny smell of the sea, and the sound of his heart beating against her chest. As they pulled away, his stubble tickled her chin.ย
As they came down from the clouds, the sounds of thrashing swords and battle cries grounded them. "Jack, Beckett wanted to use me as leverage to get to you. I have no idea how he found me. My family is on this cruise. Please, help me get them to safety." Her eyes were pleading even though she knew he wouldn't say no.
When he heard about Beckett trying to hurt her, something glimmered in his eyes.ย Anger. But he quickly snapped out of it as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Love, get on the Pearl and send the longboat. Turner and I will help them board. I'll come back for their things. Don't worry, just get to safety." He ordered softly as he used his thumb to caress her cheek in a downwards motion.ย
Laila nodded and said "Thanks babe. And by the way, I missed you, too." She gave a small smirk as she hurried off to one of the Pearl's ropes tied to the railing by a crew member. Before she swung, she looked back at her mother and shouted over the brawl "I'm getting you guys to safety! Give me like five minutes!"ย
She swung across to the ship and headed straight for the helm. "Oi! Get the longboat! To the cruise!" The crew complied and Pintel and Ragetti jumped down into the boat to row it towards the cruise.ย At least they'll be safer now.
As the knuckleheads went to retrieve her folks, she steered the ship around the cruise and next to where the Interceptor was stationed. It seemed as though they had dropped anchor, which was pretty stupid considering it's a full blown battle at this point. No pun intended.
"Prepare the cannons!"
"Aye!" Came from all different directions.
As Laila barked out orders, she saw people climb onto the side of the Pearl. First she saw May, Cameron, then Zack and Ethan, then her elders, and then came the pirates. She saw Ragetti and Pintel clumsily stumble onto the main deck only to return to the longboat. Jack entered and behind him came Will. She hadn't seen her friend in what felt like decades. As she noticed him, she caught Will's attention too.
"Laila!" He ran up the stairs to the helm to meet Laila halfway and trapped her in a bear hug. They laughed as they pulled away. "It's been so long, Will!"ย
The reunion was cut short as Gibbs shouted across the deck, "Can we bloody fire yet?!!"
Jack and Laila both yelled in unison "Fire!!" Jack looked at her with that cute toothy grin of his as he probably thoughtย that'sย my girl.
Once again, it was cut short thanks to the sound of cannonballs flying over to the Interceptor. As the enemies opened fire as well, debris spread everywhere. Everyone on deck ducked. It then occurred to Laila that her family still wasn't safe on board.ย
The Interceptor was finally close enough to set a sturdy board to transport themselves to the cruise. To buy more time, she hid behind a pillar. Like that would do much good. She could hear multiple heavy footsteps step on deck when she hears a smug voice. "Bring me Miss Ali." The footsteps then scattered in different directions, mostly away from her.
Mostly.
She could hear someone approaching the pillar that was hiding her. She mentally prepared herself to throw a punch or two.
The footsteps stopped right behind her. And then she could see the boots slowly make their way around the pillar so that they may face her directly. "We meet again, Miss Ali." She heard that same voice from before call out. Laila looked up to meet his eyes.
"Beckett. What do you want?" She responded coldly.
"Isn't it obvious? You." He began walking around her for dramatic effect.
As she rolled her eyes at him being extra, she felt a cold cuff clasp around her wrist.ย Snap.
Laila was caught off guard, she attempted to resist. "I haven't been on the sea for a year, why are you punishing me now? Take these off."ย
"These cuffs aren't the punishment. The real punishment is watching as your carefully constructed life of lies is demolished." He smirked. She stood there puzzled for a moment.ย What does that even mean?
And then it hit her.
As the sounds of footsteps remerged on the deck, Laila looked to where Beckett's eyes were stationed. She saw that only ten soldiers were actually on the cruise, and that all eight of her family members were in cuffs. The sight caused her blood to boil.
"Beckett you musty bastard!! Let my family go! They didn't do anything!" She tried pulling away from his grip on her arm. As a result, two of the soldiers walked over to hold her back, even though Laila was cuffed.ย
Beckett walked away from her , unfazed, and towards the center of the deck. He held a document in his hands. "Now that everyone is present, I am here to arrest a Miss Laila Ali."
She could see her family exchange confused and worried looks with each other. And then a bunch of voices broke out.
"Let my kid go! That's my daughter, asshole!" Laila's mother spoke up, she looked infuriated.
"Boys don't wear wigs, fruit!" Chimed in Cameron.
"Let us all go!" Aunt Flora and Uncle Leo yelled in unison.
"Under what charges?" At last, Aunt Sarah asked.
"Ah, so glad you asked. I actually have the warrant right here" he motions to the paper "the charges are as follows: escaping arrest, commandeering a ship of the fleet, arson...."
As he reads the long list, Laila tinkers with her cuffs. She remembered she had a bobby pin clipped to her scrunchie. She had to be extra careful since there were two guards on either side of her though.ย ย
She stopped when she heard Beckett take a pause. He turned towards Laila. "I'm sure you're familiar with a pirate named, I believe it is, Jack Sparrow. Yes?"
Out of habit, Laila corrects him coldly, "Captain." She looked over to her family to see how they were holding up. Every one of their faces was painted with horror as they heard about her misdeeds.
Beckett smirks at this. "Right. Well as a matter of fact he's more wanted than you. No offense. He's also more likely to get away."
"Okay? Where are you going with this?" She was genuinely confused as to what he was implying.
"Jack will come to rescue his damsel in distress and exchange his life for yours. Quite simple, really."
She could feel her cheeks flush red from anger. "That's if you have me."
"Arrogance isnโt a flattering look on you Miss Ali. I already have both you and your family in handcuffs. I have the upper hand!โ He started to sound annoyed, which gave Laila a boost.
"Do you though?" He looked bamboozled as she smirked at him. Then she pounced out of the cuffs and pushed one guard overboard. As he fell back, she swiped his sword.
The other guard that stood next to her reached for his sword but was soon kicked down, as was she by another soldier. She slashed his thigh with her sword as she stood back up to kick the otherย guard down again. Laila blocked another sword as she ran towards her family, where she was greeted with more swords. As she engaged, she caught a glimpse of the sea.
The unknown speck gradually moved closer into view. It wasn't a shark, and it definitely wasn't a helicopter.ย
It was the worst out of all options; the Interceptor.ย
Laila's face turned pale and eyes widened in shock.ย Did I manifest this or am I psychic? Tia Dalma might have competition.ย She knew those sails anywhere. Her heart skipped a beat and sweat began pouring down her forehead. Her oldest cousin, Ethan, diverted her worry temporarily.
"You were both wrong, punks. It's a ship."
The bickering between May and Cameron was reignited, and so Laila was free to reexplore her thoughts.ย What the hell is about to happen? How do they know I'm here?? Is the Pearl okay?ย She paused for a second before whispering to herself, "Is Jack okay?"
Laila jumped as her uncle snuck up behind her. He seemed confused since he wasn't intending on spooking her. He took one look at her eyes and he knew something was wrong.
"Why are you paranoid?" Laila could spot a tint of concern in his voice.
"Don't worry about me, everything's okay." She tried to fake her best smile in hopes it would work. Because in all honesty, what was she gonna tell him?ย I'm a criminal and currently most wanted in England, proud of me?ย ย I thought not.
"Your face tells another story. You've been jittery ever since we got on here, even more so once we spotted a ship." Laila turned her head back towards the sea so that the Interceptor was in view.
Shit. The Interceptor is headed in our direction. If I tell him, he a) won't believe me or b) will think I snuck into the wine cellar...again. But I'm running out of time. I need to decide.ย
Now.
After a moment of silence, Laila finally turned back to him and spoke up. "Fine. I'm going to summarize this very quickly, and before you ask, no I'm not drunk." That statement made him raise an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.
She took a deep breath. "I'm a pirate. A bloody scallywag. And that ship you see over there? That belongs to the British navy, it's called the Interceptor. I have no idea how they found me here. My best guess is they gave a pardon to a witch in return for a locator spell. That bit's irrelevant , but-"
He raised his hand to stop her from continuing. "Wait wait wait. Is this one of your dumb pranks? Because your acting seems too real and your story seems too fake."
Laila was half-expecting him to not take her seriously, so she wasn't that offended. "No, it's not a prank. I'll explain later, but I need all of you to go into hiding. Like now." Her expression suddenly turned more serious.
"Wait no I'm so lost right now. Wha-"
This time, Laila raised her hand to stop him.
"Stop. Get away from the deck. Get inside and spread the word. Savvy?"
He finally read the room, even if he didn't know the full story. Leo turned to look at her again, a grim expression painted on his face, and said "I'm staying with you. If anyone comes for you they have to go through me."
Touched by the sentiment, she paused for a second before responding. "Thanks, but I don't want you to put yourself in danger because of me. I'll handle it. You need to head inside though."
Laila kinda wished she didn't isolate herself completely. She wasn't afraid of the navy, she feared what would happen when she became tired. She's one person, and there's probably like half a regiment on that ship.
Leo nodded at her and turned to head inside, but he stopped after a few steps. "Laila - do you know that ship, too?"
At the mention of another ship, she snapped out of her thoughts right away. "Where?"
"There, on the other side." He pointed to the left side of the cruise.
Laila walked over to the other side to get a better look.ย Black sails, black hull....Black Pearl?ย A glimmer of hope sparkled in her eyes as she realized that she won't be alone for long.
She turned back to her uncle and to where the Interceptor was floating. "I do. Good news, they're here to help me out! Go and stay off the deck, the Brits should be here in like ten minutes. Iโll be fineโ She enthusiastically informed him of the good news; this is the most relaxed she's felt since she step foot on the cruise.
He gave her a subtle smile and wished her luck. Only Laila remained on the deck now.
this is your daily reminder to write that fic! who cares if itโs a dying fandom, bring it back to life! who cares if you only have a sentence, youโll get there donโt give up! who cares if itโs a self indulgent fic, we love to see it! who cares if itโs an overdone trope, youโre making it unique in your writing style! who cares if it takes you a month to write a fic and then you dip, youโre still writing and sharing your work and thatโs what matters! who cares if you write for yourself and never post it, youโre still writing and getting your ideas down and that matters just as much as if you posted it! just keep writing, you got this <3
ย โNot this oneโฆNope, not this eitherโฆ.Why is this even in my closetโฆI literally have nothing to wear!โ I say, as I scan through my wardrobe. I need to look stunning for Andreaโs birthday party tonight. Itโs going to be epic. Alexa, my twin walks in. She is also going. โWoah-โ Alexa tripped over one of the millions of hangers on the floor. โWhy are there a gazillion hangers on the floor?โ Alexa asked as I helped her up. โI have no clue what Iโm wearing for tonight. A little help would be nice.โ โJust wear the blue dress mom got you last month, and Iโll lend you my white heels.โ Alexa advised me. Honestly, it wasnโt a bad idea. โI think thatโs exactly what Iโm going to do. Thanks for the help!โ
ย Finally here, I thought to myself. We met up with our friends and we danced like there was no tomorrow. Alexa was performing the dance she practiced for a week. I danced, and I tripped one of the snotty cheerleaders unsurprisingly. โUgh! Youโre so annoying!โ Charlotte said. โSorry, Charlotte!โ โYeah, you better be!โ I didnโt dance for the rest of the night. This time, she bumped into me. โSeriously? Watch where youโre going!โ She flipped out on me. The audacity. โExcuse me? Maybe you should use your eyes for once!โ I replied fast. โWhat did you just say?!โ She said back. โYou heard me.โ She had nothing else to bark, so she tried throwing her juice at me. I walked away just in time. She left since her royal Highness was insulted.
ย Everybody left, except those who were invited to the after-party. We played games, cracked jokes, ate, watched a movie. We were all staying the night, so we did whatever came to mind. It was all fun and games until, Jonas, Andreaโs boyfriend, brought out the Ouija board. I still wish I went to sleep before this happened. It haunts me every time I remember. I was peer-pressured, so was Alexa. We sat there, on the cold marble floor. They ripped up the rules into tiny pieces, no amount of glue could repair it. They threw the pieces into the fireplace. We put our fingers on the cold wooden planchette. Our fingers went numb. It felt as if the room had darkened, even though her tube light was brighter than the sun. The room started freezing. We asked the board if anybody wanted to talk. The guys kept laughing and taunting. They didnโt take any of it seriously.
It answered. All the giggling stopped within the second. It turned into shock. We all asked each other who pushed the planchette, silently hoping that someone would fess up. Nobody.
ย They asked for the name. She answered with B-E-R-T-H-A. I asked where she was. She spelled out B-E-H-I-N-D Y-O-U. I felt my stomach drop. "Alright guys, joke's over. Which one of you idiots is pushing the damn thing?" Everybody denied it. Deep down, I knew they weren't lying.
Alexa asked, โif youโre real, then whatโs Maya wearing?โ Bertha answered with B-L-A-C-Kย J-E-A-N-Sย R-E-D S-H-I-R-T. I was horrified. I could feel the color fading from my face. My eyes were wide from what I just felt. Chills. Goosebumps everywhere. As if somebody just opened the window. I knew it was real and I knew it was true. We decided it was time for bed. We said bye, didnโt wait for a bye back. Biggest mistake EVER. I could barely sleep. I woke up Alexa and we drove home around 5am.
ย I tried forgetting what occurred at Andreaโs last night. Alexa was making breakfast for us both. She yelled my name from downstairs. I wonder what she burned this time. I ran downstairs and I was shocked by what I saw after. All the cabinets, oven, and microwave were wide open. โDi-did you do this?โ She asked me in a shaky voice. She looked so pale. Her hands were trembling. โNo. Forget breakfast, Iโll just take you to iHop.โ I told her to reassure her. We left again.
ย I was showering. The warm water always calms me. Creak. I heard the door open, though I clearly remember locking it. I thought it was little Hector. He is my 2-year-old brother. I said โYo, go to mommyโ in an annoyed tone. Whoever I was speaking to clearly didnโt appreciate that. SLAM! The door slammed shut and I felt the same tingly feeling I felt last night. This is all connected somehow, I can feel it. Suddenly, I hear a faint, creepy whisper in my left ear. โYou are stuck with me.โ I gasped and I could feel my heart pounding in my throat. My eyes were so wide, I bet you could see the whites of my eye from 20 feet away. I ended my shower right then and there and ran out with my towel. So much for a peaceful afternoon.
ย I went for a walk, Beats Headphones in my ears. I was jamming to my music. I was walking on the track of my former middle school. It was ยผ mile long. I was on my second lap when I felt like I was being watched. I looked around and saw nobody. No cars in the parking lot. No pedestrians. I was the only one here. Thatโs what I thought. I picked up the pace and started jogging. After about a half an hour or so, I took a break and walked up to the nearest bench. I sat down to take a little break. I had a โsipโ of water, and accidently drank half of my bottle. I had been outside since 2pm. I didnโt have a reason to be out. To be honest, I didnโt want to walk any longer, let alone jogging. I just didnโt want to go back home. Not yet, at least. I wanted to be somewhere open, and that just so happened to be on a track.
I looked up to relax my head and saw a dark figure sitting on the tree. I couldnโt see any face features. I was absolutely spooked. I blinked, and it was gone. I got up and ran home faster than my legs wanted to.
Nightโฆ
I saw the full moon outside from my window. It looked reminded me of cheese. I realized I hadnโt left my room in a few hours and I was starving. I rushed downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed something out the cabinet. โHey, turn the lights off when youโre done!โ Mom called to me. โOkay!โ I yelled back. I grabbed my chips and water and shut the kitchen lights. Now, it was time to shut the lights of the main room. My daily routine, shut, run. I shut the lights. It felt a little darker than usual, I shrugged it off. I ran up the stairs, as usual. To this day, I still run up the stairs after I shut the lights. Except this time, it was there when I turned to check. Slowly and steadily, I turned towards the darkness. I saw a woman. Her shape resembled the figure I saw on the tree. It all made sense now. There I stood, facing her, Bertha. It felt paralyzed. She let out a sinister cackle. โYou are stuck with meโ she said in a deafening voice, and an even louder cackle. So loud, I could hear echoes. This was it. If youโre reading this, learn from my mistakes. Donโt look behind you.
***A/N: Heyy. This was a one shot I made in honor of spooky season about three years ago with a bit tweaking. Hope you guys liked it!
So I realized that I didn'tย actuallyย introduce Laila's family, so that's what we're gonna do [insert smiley face]
***Laila's uncle and aunts are all siblings with her mother***
I think I'm either going to merge this with Laila's intro or make this a separate thing.
Here we go!
โขย Evelyn Ali - Mother
Status: Divorcee + Single (Laila's father is absent in this book)
Sign: Gemini
Age: 48
Relationship with Laila: Pretty strong
โข Leo Ali - Uncle
Status: Single
Sign: Leo
Age: 32
Relationship with Laila: Strong
โข Flora Locke - Aunt
Status: Married
Sign: Taurus
Age: 44
Relationship with Laila: Get along well, not very close
Kids: Ethan, Zack, Cameron Locke
โข Sarah Ali - Aunt
Status: Divorcee + Single
Sign: Sagittarius
Age: 38
Relationship with Laila: Close
Kid: May Laughlin
โข May Laughlin - Cousin
Status: Crushing on a curlyhead
Sign: Aries
Age: 13
Relationship with Laila: Looks up to her
Mother: Sarah Ali
โข Cameron Locke - Cousin
Status: Crushing on a TikToker
Sign: Pisces
Age: 15
Relationship with Laila: Looks up to her
Mother: Flora Locke
โข Zack Locke - Cousin
Status: Taken, secretly gay
Sign: Aquarius
Age: 23
Relationship with Laila: Love-Hate relationship; heated arguments but if on the same side, they'll win the case.
Mother: Flora Locke
โข Ethan Locke - Cousin
Status: Single
Sign: Virgo
Age: 25
Relationship with Laila: Not close, tease each other though
Mother: Flora Locke
Chapter I
Swish. swish.
Laila could hear the waves crashing against the bottom of the cruise ship. Normally, the thought of the sea would be relaxing. However she had other matters on her mind. How could she possibly feel calm while knowing her family was here, and her enemies out there?ย
She let out a conflicted sigh and let her head droop down, her hands gripping the railing for support. At least the sun was warm, the clouds providing a balanced shade.ย Whatever,ย I am not gonna let this ruin my vacation. I doubt the British navy would be out looking for me anyway. It's been a year for God's sake, she thinks to herself.
Laila made her way towards her uncle Leo, who was in fact a Leo. As she made her way over to him, she overheard him whispering to himself "Well shit, I'm actually here." He has a fear of the open waters, but of course no one but Laila knew; they're very close.ย
She leaned against the railing to face him. "How's it feel to be in the middle of the ocean?" Laila smirked.
"Just like a dream, but the opposite. All good though. What's up?"ย
"Nothing, just enjoying the breeze."
"Nature is always a sweet thing. Did you get another nightmare last night?"
She froze.ย Yes.ย
Laila had been getting these dreams about being captured by the British navy, and that they caught her friends, too. Her uncle obviously didn't know the truth. All he knew was that she was getting repetitive nightmares about being kidnapped at sea.
"Helloooo? Earth to Laila?" He waved his hands in front of her face to pull her out of her trance.
"Yeah, sorry. Nah I didn't get anything last night."
"You sure? You seemed kinda lost there for a second" he said with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah I'm sure." That being said, she walked away to avoid further questioning.ย
~ The Next Day ~
It was sometime around afternoon; the sun was shining bright, the number of clouds significantly less than the day before. There was nothing but the deep, blue sea within view for miles. That was, until she noticed a small dot off near the horizon. She saw her mother pointing there and her aunts squinting to get a better look at it.
"Laila look! Is that a shark??" Piped her younger cousin, May.ย
"No you fruit! It's probably a helicopter." Chipped in her other cousin, Cameron.
"Helicopters don't get that close to the water, donkey!"
"Oh yeah? Well if it's a shark I hope it bites off your hair!"
"If it's a shark I hope it bites off your face!"
"Yo knock it off! Behave yourselves, it's a freakin' vacation." Stepped in May's mother, aunt Sarah.
"She started it!"
"Did not!"
"Did to!"
And you can imagine how much longer that went on for. Laila wasn't bothered by their incessant bickering though. The "dot" kept her mind occupied with plenty of negative scenarios. She silently prayed it wasn't what she thought it was.ย
Laila Ali, a 22 year old girl, starts off her summer by going on a vacation with her family on a private cruise across the Caribbean Sea. This would be a marvelous vacation except she has one too many skeletons in her closet. Will this trip go smoothly, or will Laila be forced to reunite with her past? Will her double life collapse into one?
** If that sounds interesting to you, read the first chapter on Wattpad @Rimi_b0red
** Itโll be on Tumblr on 10/08 5pm EST+ OC list & intros. Happy reading!
Jack paced back and forth on the ship as he kept looking at the docks, waiting for you to appear. You had been gone far too long already, and should have returned by now. If it had been anyone else he would have left by now. But because it was you, he couldnโt bring himself to do it. Even as the rest of the crew mumbled and asked why they hadnโt fled, because surely you had been captured.
โJack! Jack.โ Gibbs said breathless as he ran onto the boat, causing Jack to turn around quickly.
โGibbs! Finally, what took you so long!?โ He asked perplexed and annoyed as his eyes flicked to behind Gibbs, where he had assumed youโd be โWhereโs Y/n?โ He asked as he looked back at Gibbs.
โThereโs been a ...hiccup in the plan, so to say.โ
โHiccup? What hiccup? Whereโs Y/n?โ He asked again as he stepped past Gibbs and looked around at the crew.
โThatโs the hiccup Jack.โ Gibbโs began. And as Jack turned and looked at him Gibbs lowered his voice and took a step closer to Jack โIโm sorry Jack but...Y/n was captured...and...well sir, theyโre taking them to be hanged.โ
Jack stared emotionless as Gibbs for a moment as he processed his words. โCaptured?โ
โYes.โ
โTo be hanged?โ
โYes. To set an example.โ
Jack felt an almost unbearable pain fill his chest as he thought about you dying because of the plan he set up. The task he sent you for. He knew it was risky, dangerous, but now he was truly weighing the consequences.
โWhen?โ He asked Gibbs suddenly.
โWhen? Uh, well, best I could tell...now?โ
Jack turned suddenly and faced the crew โHow many of you have had your necks saved by me?โ The crew looked from one to the other, only one or two raising their hands, slowly. Jack frowned โOkay..well...how many of you have had your necks saved my Y/n?โ Jack let out a small โAh.โ As most of the crew raised their hands. โGood. Now, how many of you would like to repay that debt?โ
- - - - -
*Your POV*
You looked down at the metal shackles around your wrists before looking up at the two guards outside of your cell. You then looked around your cell, trying desperately to find some way out. But as you failed to do so, you felt your heart sink as the fear of what was about to happen filled your head.
You thought of Jack. If he learned what was happening, would he come for you? Or would he think it too late to do anything and flee? You hoped that he cared about you enough to save you, but part of you was afraid he didnโt care enough to risk it. Sometimes you doubted he cared about you at all.
It was hard to tell with Jack. Sometimes he was sincere and told you things that made you feel special. Did things that made you think he might even love you. But they were nothing more than possibilities. He never said it. Never proved it. Never even kissed you or held you in his arms. And now as you looked out of the cell windows, and saw them strapping up a noose, you doubted if youโd ever find out.
As the cell doors opened, you leaned against the back wall. And as the guards began to pull you out of the cell, you tried to fight back, but failed as they held you down and practically drug you out of the prison and towards the hangman's noose.
The closer you got, and the louder the chanting of the lynch mob became, the harder your heart pounded, filling your ears with a loud ringing as you realized truly, that you were about to die.
They had removed your shackles and replaced them with rope as you were now standing at the top. As the hangman began to adjust the rope and place it around your neck, you felt hopelessness take over. You were going to die.
As you shut your eyes tightly, taking a few deep breaths, your ears caught onto a sound within the crowd. Something familiar. A song you knew. As you opened your eyes quickly, you looked around the crowd for the source of the noise. It was whistling, whistling of a tune Jack would sing on the ship.
Your eyes catch onto a familiar face, one of the crew, face peeking out from under a large hat. Looking around more, you spot another, and another. And just as you look up, you see a familiar figure standing on top of the fort walls. Jack.
But suddenly, the lever was pulled, and you fell.
Within the second of you falling towards the ground to your death, you hear a shot, followed by screaming. And instead of you hanging by your neck, you land roughly on the ground. It takes you a second to figure out what happened before you look up, seeing the rope snapped, broken by the shot. As you look up again at the fort walls your eyes catch on Jack. He smiled at you and bowed his head before jumping down and disappearing.
You smiled and let out an incredulous laugh before seeing the guards running towards you. Quickly standing you begin to run through the crowd, spotting the back of one of the crew, you follow quickly. A few more of the crew appear in the square and begin firing at the guards and armed men that came rushing in.
As you exited the square, you see a dead guard lying on the ground, and beside him, his sword. Crouching down, you cut your binds away, before grabbing the sword, as well as the pistol lying nearby. Hearing someone yell out, you spin around to see a guard aiming at you. Quickly firing the pistol, you hit the guard in the shoulder before turning and running.
Climbing up some artillery barrels, you climb over a wall, jumping and landing on your feet. As you continue to run, you round a corner and stagger to a stop as you see two guards pointing their rifles as you. Turning to run the other way, you stop as two more guards appear. Backing up, you hit a wall, now cornered.
โStand down, pirate.โ One of the guards spit out maliciously.
You took a deep breath, knowing that fighting was pointless. But just as you were about to lower your weapons, you spotted a figure step out behind the guards.
โAm I interrupting?โ
As two of the guards turn to look at Jack, you quickly raise one hand and fire your rifle at one of the guards before unsheathing your sword and fighting the other. As you did this Jack quickly began to fight the two guards facing him.
As you both finished off the guards, you turned back to Jack with a smile โYou came to rescue me?โ
Jack stood up a bit straighter โOf course I did. Why wouldnโt I?โ
You let out a short laugh. โI can think of a few reasons.โ
Jack seemed to ponder that for a moment before letting out a โtskโ sound โI canโt.โ He said before quickly grabbing your hand โLetโs go.โ As he began to pull you along, you stared at the back of his head in surprise, before a large grin spread across your face.
After running down some alleys and onto the docks, you dodged some gunfire as you barely made it onto the ship with the other crew members. As some of the crew fired at the guards at the docks as you pulled away from the dock, and back into the sea. You let out some relieved breaths as the adrenaline continued to run through you.
After successfully escaping back into the open water, you followed Jack into his quarters. Closing the door behind you, you watched him for a moment before finally speaking. โI really thought I was going to die today.โ You admitted.
Jack sat down in his chair and looked up at you โAlmost did.โ
โYeah. A few seconds too late and I would have been. Thank you Jack.โ You said with an honest and grateful smile.
He smiled at you. โAnything for you, love.โ
You let out a chuckle and shook your head โI wasnโt sure you were going to come you know.โ You said as you walked over to his table, sitting on the corner and looking down at him. โI wasnโt sure you cared enough.โ
Jack watched you silently for a moment โDidnโt think I cared enough ay?โ
You shook your head lightly โYouโre a hard man to read.โ
Jack stood up from his chair, now right in front of you, looking down at you, merely a couple inches away. โWell, read this.โ He said before suddenly leaning down and kissing you, catching you off guard.
You leaned away for only a moment out of shock before moving back in, as he brought his hand up to cup your face. A few more seconds passed before he pulled away, smiling down at you โI may not always have the words to express my feelings, love, but believe me. Iโd sail to the end of the world to save you if need be.โโ His voice was uncharacteristically soft as he said this, as was the gaze he held as he stared into your eyes.
โI never thought Iโd live to see the day.โ You muttered out in surprise, as Jack smirked.
โYou almost didnโt.โ He reiterated, making you smile before he moved in closer to you again. Bringing his finger under your chin, he tilted your face up a bit as he got closer, his lips almost touching yours โLetโs not risk it again shall we?โ He asked before kissing you again, this time, you set your hand on his chest as you fell into the kiss. Glad you finally knew how he felt about you, and relieved you had the chance to return it.
Xx End xx
I suck at endings lol, but I hope you liked it nonetheless.
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