A/N: Wow, I got reviews, I got 8 votes for a sequel and none against, and I finally made it through my second Sparrabeth alphabet - all is good in the land of Ultra! lol You are all fab, and yes indeed, the Annabella sequel will come, just give me a little time to make the plans into some actual story. In the meantime, I leave you with 'Z' for the second time :-)
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
26. Z is for Zoom
"What do you see, lad?" asked Captain Annabella Sparrow as she stood at the helm of her ship, the Black Pearl, two hands firmly on the wheel.
"Land, Cap'n" her faithful first mate and brother answered as he peered through his telescope, "Tortuga is in sight"
"Aye, Tortuga" Captain Bella smiled, "There we shall gather men that shall be the fiercest of crews, and sail the seven seas as the scourge of... the seven seas" she ended rather less dramatically and poetically than she had begun.
Johnny rolled his eyes as he turned to look at her.
"You're a bit rubbish at rousing speeches, Bel" he declared, hopping down from the railings and pocketing his telescope as he wandered over to his sister, "And your hat's wonky"
"So is your face" said Bella, sticking out her tongue in a childish manner, their game now over apparently and their personas shifting back to the norm for siblings aged twelve and ten, "One day, I shall be Captain of the Pearl" said Bella definitely, "All this will be mine... Alright, ours" she conceded as her younger brother looked indignantly up at her.
"Ah, now, maybe so and maybe not so, or neither as the case may be" said Jack, suddenly approaching from behind and startling both his children, "Though time has moved on, and grown you shall be before your dear mother can blink an eye, I am still Captain of the Pearl" he told them both, gently moving Bella aside and taking his rightful place at the helm.
"But it'll be our turn one day, won't it, Dad?" asked Johnny in earnest.
"One day, son" his father nodded absently, eyes flitting from his children to the horizon, or perhaps just to his dear Lizzie who lingered at the ship's bow, staring out into the distance, their shared future which had so far proved so bright.
"I'll be thirteen in two weeks" Bella reminded him, "Practically grown up" she insisted.
"When the time comes, Bella, darlin', you will be a Captain" he assured her, leaning down and putting a hand to her cheek, "and not just any, but a Captain Sparrow, the very best of Captains there ever was or will be" he promised, "but until then, you'll mind your manners and take heed of your mother, savvy?"
"Aye aye, Cap'n" both children agreed loudly, before chasing each other off to Lizzie who smiled widely as soon as they reached her.
Perhaps time moved on too quickly, Jack considered, but the life he had and the future he could see laid out before him, he would not trade for all the treasures of the world.