A/N: Huge thanks to all of my reviewers. I'm a bit iffy on this chapter. Some feedback would be great! Love you guys.

Chapter Four: Explanations

Ally lay in bed for hours. She was well past crying. She had shed all of the tears that her body could handle. She stared at the ceiling and as the wind blew through her drapes, her wet face felt cold. The sun was rising and the sound of the town bustling to clean up last night's mess filled her room.

Jack and his mate were now in the barracks of Kingston, thanks to Ally. Brother or not, he killed her father. She could never forgive him.

A soft rap on her door broke her from her depressing reverie. "Alison, Dear, it is Aunty Evelyn."

"Come in," Ally's soft voice called.

Ally did not look at her aunt, or the tears she could not afford to lose would fall.

"Ally, I am so sorry about your father."

Ally finally brought her gaze to her Aunt's face. She looked so much like Alison's mother.

After staring at her Aunt for an eternity, she rested her eyes upon the ceiling again. She had no words for the woman before her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her Aunt drop her gaze to her fidgeting hands. They had never been close, and Ally knew that this must be uncomfortable for her.

Still gazing up to the ceiling, she asked the question that had been prodding her mind all day. "How did my father die?"

She needed to know how Sparrow had killed her father. She had to know what type of man he actually was. If he shot him, than he was a coward. If he used his sword, than at least he gave her father a fighting chance. Either way, her hatred would not falter.

"They well-informed me that he was shot by a soldier of Kingston by mishap. It is unknown whether he died by the bullet, or from the fire that he was trapped in." Her Aunt's voice was sorrowful.

Ally's anger was intensifying. "Shot by a soldier by accident? That's impossible. He was shot by a pirate!"

"The soldier that shot him came forward. Out of guilt, I suspect. He declares that his gun was imperfect. He is to be hanged at sunrise on Tuesday."

Ally looked at her Aunt Evelyn with fire in her eyes. "I do not believe it!"

Evelyn was shocked by her accusations. "Why are you so adamant that he was shot by a pirate?"

"Because Jack Sparrow admitted to me that he killed my father!"

"That is impossible, Alison."

Alison sat bolt upright "How? How is it impossible that a savage killed the Governor of the town he was invading?" She was growing more and more infuriated by the moment.

"Because residents of the town witnessed the incident!" It was apparent that her Aunt was becoming annoyed with Alison's ignorance.

Alison was speechless. Why had Sparrow told her that he murdered her father? Alison held her Aunt's gaze. "No. I will not believe that my father died at the hands of his ally! It was his enemy that killed him!"

"Ally, there were others who claimed to have seen a pirate try to pull your father from the fire. Maybe, this 'pirate' feels guilty for not being able to save him? Perhaps it was his guilt speaking?"

"No pirate feels for anything or anyone except themselves, rum, and riches. No pirate would sacrifice their well-being for a man trapped in flames!"

"Well, we may never know the exact circumstances. But, it is a thing of the past. Your father is in a better place. We should be mourning him, not bickering over how he died."

"How can you be so thoughtless? Have you no sense of justice? If that man dies for a crime he did not commit, it will be murder!"

"He chose his fate by coming forward. But, even still, you should rest at ease; the pirate you speak of is to be killed also."

"He is to be hanged?"

Evelyn nodded.

A million thoughts and emotions coursed throughout her. "I wish to see him." Alison's voice was meek. If her Aunt's recollection was correct, she wished to hear it from Sparrow. She needed to speak with him before he died.

"I'm sorry, Alison, but I cannot let you do that."

"Why not?"

"Because we have not the time. We have matters to address. That is why I am here."

"What matters? Father's funeral is already being handled by Uncle Benjamin. What other matters can there be?" Alison's tone was cold.

"The matter of you being betrothed." Evelyn stood up and walked over the window and watched the people of Kingston flurry about.

Alison's mouth and eyes were opened wide in an unpleasant shock. "Betrothed? You are surely kidding."

"I am afraid not. Before your Mother died, your Father arranged for you to marry a man of Port Royal. He was to inform you on Saturday. But, under the circumstances, the plans are going to fall through earlier than expected." Evelyn paused and waited for Ally to speak. She remained silent.

Evelyn pointed a finger at her and it cruelly reminded Alison of her late Mother. "A woman of your age cannot live under her own rule. You are to pack the heirlooms you wish to keep, take your father's fortune, and sell the estate. A ship, sailed by the British Navy, comes for you in the morning. I will be accompanying you, seeing as how your Mother has passed on, and will help you with wedding details. Your fiancée has yet to set a wedding date." Evelyn waited again, expecting the worst.

Alison could not believe a word she was hearing. How could her father do this to her? He, who cherished love so much, had the capability of marrying off his Daughter for personal gain? That was what arranged marriages were all about, weren't they?

"No." Alison was blunt and completely serious.

Aunt Evelyn sighed. "You haven't a choice. I will leave you to sort through your things. Be ready by sunrise."

And with anger still hanging in the air, she stalked out of the house and made for her own. She left Alison with a million thoughts racing through her mind.

Alison woke again. The past would not evade her mind. Every time she closed her eyes, she soared through that horrible time.

Alison had been so angry with her Father and her Aunt. Marrying and moving were the last things that she wanted to be doing. But, when her fiancée had met her at the dock, holding a single red rose, her stomach swooped and her heart melted. He was extremely handsome, powerful, and kind and exactly the kind of man she could fall head over heels in love with. At least for that day. For the next morning, he had gotten word of Elizabeth Swann's death. It seemed that she had been very important to him, because from that day forward, he had been nothing but cold and distant with Alison. And Alison, being stubborn and raised by her Mother, was cold and distant in return.

Ally thought of the day's events. If he had wanted to recant the proposal before today's events, he seriously desired it now.

Alison sighed and lay back down in her bed. She was timid to fall asleep. She did not want to think about the past anymore. But her body was screaming for dreamland, and giving everything she had to resist, she fell into a slumber once more.

Alison grabbed a lantern and her robe. She made her way silently to the front door. She had requested the night guard of the barracks let her visit with Jack Sparrow. And the night guard, who always fancied Alison, was happy to oblige.

"Good Evening, Lady Claire," whispered the night guard as she approached. He had a boyish grin plastered to his boyish face.

"Good Evening, Joseph," she whispered back.

His grin grew wider. "Take as much time as you like, Milady."

"Thank you." Alison left her lantern at the top of the steps and made her way down. She grew more nervous with each step. She was going to face her Father's killer. Well, if that is what he was. But beyond that, he was her brother.

She peered in each cell as she passed. Most of the prisoners were asleep. But one, who had his tri-corner hat pulled over his eyes, spoke to her as she walked by. She jumped. She had only seen his cellmate. Jack was sitting up against the wall, hidden in the shadows.

"Come to kiss me goodbye, love?" He called.

Alison stood before the iron bars, sending him the deadliest look she could muster. "Did you kill my father?"

"Why is it ye need to hear it twice?"

"Because I was informed otherwise."

"Aye, I killed Claire."

"Was he already dying when you finished him off?" Alison spat.

"Someone got to him before me. I lit the place on fire." Jack came out of the shadows and Alison backed up. He was intimidating in the dim light.

"Do you dare lie to me?"

"I don't lie." He gave a quirky smirk.

His grin did nothing to falter her anger. "So you did not shoot him, then?"

"No, love."

"A peasant claims that a pirate tried to rescue him from the burning building. Was that you?"

"I don't run into burning buildings, I make 'em."

The other man in the cell grumbled in his sleep. Alison recognized him as the man that entered her house with Jack.

"Did my father say anything to you before he died?"

Jack stared at Alison and remained silent. He seemed to be mentally deciding whether he wished to say anything more at all. "Aye."

Alison waited for him to continue, but he did not. "Well?"

"If I told ye, ye wouldn't believe me." Jack took out his compass and glanced at it. It was beyond her why he would look at his compass at a time like this.

"Try me."

"He told me to light the place on fire."

Alison just stared at him, incredulously.

"I told ye, ye wouldn't believe me."

"Well it is a rather hard thing to believe. Why would my father ask you to light the building on fire?"

"Said he was dying anyway. Said he didn't want the man that shot him to get caught."

"You're a liar."

"I may be a lot o' things, love, but a liar ain't one o' them." Jack turned his back to Alison.

Alison just stared at his back for a while. She began to look around. She spotted a dog, asleep on the floor with keys in his mouth. She made for him and yanked the keys from his mouth. The dog did not wake. She wondered if he was dead.

Ally walked over to Sparrow's cell and unlocked it. "Go." She said softly.

"What?" He asked, turning around.

Alison nodded her head in the direction of the exit.

"Go. Leave."

Jack's brows furrowed. He decided that she was very serious and nudged his mate awake. "Gibbs, let's go."

"Don't ye know its bad luck to wake a man when he's sleepin'?" Gibbs asked, his eyes squinted in exhaustion.

"Don't ye know ye going to be hanged unless ye wake up now?"

Gibbs stood up straight, all signs of fatigue wiped clear off his face. "How did ye-"

Jack pointed at Alison as they passed her. Before they bounded up the stairs, Jack looked back at her. "I'll pay ye a visit someday. Hopefully one where I don't end up behind bars? Maybe, if the time is right, I'll bring Dad."

It was odd hearing him say those words to her. She was still very confused as to whether she hated him or not. But the thought of her meeting her true father fluttered her stomach.

Alison's thoughts drifted to tomorrow and her excitement fell. "Don't bother. I won't be here as of tomorrow."

"Where ye goin', love?"

"Port Royal."

Jack's eyes widened. "Why in the bloody hell would ye go there?"

"I'm to be married." Alison said softly.

Jack seemed to be in deep thought. "I'll come see ye there."

"Jack, are ye mad?" Gibbs asked, shocked.

"Not mad, just a pirate."

Again, Alison woke. This time, it was the sun upon her face that stirred her. She was relieved that it was morning. She was sick of reminiscing in her dreams.

To this day she was still shocked that she had let Jack go. But, she trusted him somehow. She was relieved at what he had said about her father. She believed him.

Alison jumped at the soft rap at her door. "Who is it?" She called.

"It's James."

Alison quickly grabbed her robe and walked over to the door. "What is it?" She asked as she opened it.

"Will you join me for breakfast?"

"I'd love to."

"Great. I wish to discuss the wedding with you."

Curiosity piqued her. "What about it?"

"I received a letter from your father. He requests that we postpone the wedding so that he may walk you down the isle? I would like an explanation."

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