Thank you to those of you have read the first chapter, or reviewed. This one is short :)

~Nowhere Closer~

I wait patiently for everyone to clear the cabin before leaving myself. Jack can't seem to collect all of his rings and Dorian flicks one at his face before saluting and walking out. Ching leaves to consult with her crew who are drinking in a tavern thirty minutes away, leaving behind the crew members who had been guarding the Empress.

Jack smoothes the brim of his hat before setting it firmly over his bandana. The lantern flickers as the door closes, a rush of evening air surrounding us.

"We need to talk Elizabeth," he says, hands fishing in his pockets creating a metallic orchestra of keys and rings clashing together.

"I don't think there's much to say right now," I speak quietly.

"You're tired," he comments. "We'll leave it for a few days."

"Ching and I will be over in the morning to go over Dorian's charts. Will you stay on The Enigma tonight?"

He shakes his head, brow furrowed. "No, I'll wait 'til we leave to board that ship," he cracks his nose, his eyes lost in some deep thought. Then he straightens and makes for the door. "'Night, Elizabeth."

"Goodnight Jack."

I wait for the quiet click of the latch before walking to the desk in the cabin and sinking into the chair behind it. I rest my head against the smooth wood, sheets of paper blowing onto the floor as I sigh.

I feel nauseous, the slight bumping of the ship against the dock making my vision blurry. I breathe deeply, trying to calm my body.

~*O*~

There is a strange atmosphere aboard The Enigma as I walk across her deck to the cabin beneath the quarterdeck. The women in Dorian's crew drop everything they are doing and rush below decks, leaving discarded cloths, mops, and pales of water. I glance at my crew, wondering if they are that intimidating. Behind us coming up the ramp is Jack and his crew, carrying heavy barrels and boxes of all sizes. Ragetti clutches a chicken, trying to keep the bird's wings folded and its feet in his hand.

I gesture for my crew to move off to the side and make room, then walk to the cabin.

I knock on the window and stand back to watch Jack take charge of the ship, pointing at barrels and people. I sigh quietly, remembering when I myself had been part of that crew. So much less responsibility...

Marty and Gibbs lift a heavy barrel and half drag half roll it across the deck and down below. What I wouldn't give to just sit down and talk to one of them, to feel connected to something again.

"Lizzie?" The door opens behind me. Dorian steps aside, allowing me to come in.

Jack follows several moments behind.

The three of us stand awkwardly in the room, looking at various places on the wall while we wait for the fourth party to show up. I wander over to the set of black leather chairs in the center of the room and sit, relaxing as the rolling motion in my stomach subsides.

Jack walks over to the desk and pokes at the various instruments with Dorian watching him across the room.

There is a shout at the door and it swings open for Ching to enter, two of her men standing by.

"You have the compass?" She turns immediately to Jack, who sits down in the chair beside mine.

"I have it," he says, undoing his belt buckle to slide the compass string off. "How exactly is this going to work? If we have my compass, we don't need Dorian's charts."

"I am not certain, Sparrow. Let us first find a heading."

Everyone agrees.

"Who's going to open the compass?" I ask eventually, seeing that nobody goes for it.

"Mistress Ching should open it," Jack suggests.

"I can hardly see the needle," she objects.

"Well someone else can look at it," I volunteer.

"Sometimes that affects the direction in which the needle points," Jack frowns.

"So why don't you do it?" Dorian asks, looking at me.

"I'm not sure it's what I want most," I say honestly. "Why don't you do it?"

"I know it isn't what I want most," he replies.

"Why do you not use your own compass, Sparrow?" Ching says.

"I'm positive it's what I want least of all things."

"This is great," I say.

"Your negativity is doing us no good," Jack comments.

"Your pointing it out isn't either," I scowl.

"I think we need to come back to this later, once we've all had time to think of what we want," Dorian suggests, speaking slowly. Jack continues to stare at me, gritting his teeth. I look back at him.

"Alright," Ching agrees.

I'm out of the cabin before anyone moves.

I rush down the ramp and nearly run down the dock. The Empress is tied off to the one next to it and once I'm around the corner of it I vomit into the water, one hand against the ship to support myself. I feel no better. Before anyone sees me, I straighten and hurry on deck, slamming the door of my cabin behind me.

I hope to get this out of my system before we leave.

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