Chapter 4

It was Christmas night. Meg, Regina, Jack, Will and Elizabeth were all sitting around the fire in the Turner's parlor. Elizabeth had just given the girls their gifts; new dresses. Meg's was dark forest green trimmed in black lace and Regina's was a deep purple trimmed in gold.

"Oh Elizabeth!" Regina exclaimed "It's absolutely beautiful!"

"I love it!" Meg exclaimed hugging Elizabeth "Thank you."

"I'm glad you like them," Elizabeth replied "and thank you for the hairpin, its lovely."

"You're welcome," The girls replied smiling happily.

Over the past few days the Regina, Meg and Elizabeth had been able to get to know each other very well. The girls found that she was nothing like the Elizabeth in the movie. She was far more pleasant and feminine without being the least bit prissy. Also, she loved Will very much and would never dream of loving anyone else. (Not even Jack.)

At that moment, Will rose and handed Meg and Regina each a long box.

"Merry Christmas girls," he said with a smile.

Both girls gasped as they saw his gift.

"Swords!" Regina exclaimed "Oh Will," she grabbed her cousin into a hug "You're the best!"

"Yes, thanks a bunch!" Meg said. "But Will, we don't know…"

"Jack and I will teach you," Will cut in.

"You will?" Meg cried excitedly.

"We will?" Jack added incredulously.

"Of course we will!" Will laughed. "Why else do you think I made these for you?"

"Oh you…" Regina grinned

"Thank-you Will!" Meg smiled.

"You're welcome girls," Will answered. "Now I believe Jack has something for you as well."

Jack came forward and handed them each a small box.

"Here you are ladies," Jack said with a grin "Merry Christmas."

"A bandana!" Meg exclaimed wrapping the red and gold cloth around her head.

"Matching bracelets!" both girls squealed and placed the jewelry box of colored gems around their wrists.

"Oh Jack, thank you!" Meg grabbed him into a hug.

"All right you're welcome!" Jack laughed brushing her arms off of him.

"Thanks Jack," Regina smiled. She didn't mind that Jack had given Megan an extra present. After all, she was his niece.

"You're welcome 'luv," Jack answered.

Then he turned to Will.

"William," he said a bit more seriously.

"Yes Jack?"

"I have somethin' for you as well."

"You have a gift for me?" Will asked a bit surprised.

"More like…I have a favor to ask you."

"Jack…it better not be another drawing of another bloody key!"

"William James Turner!"

"Oh, sorry dear." Will turned back to Jack "Is it?"

"No," Jack replied "It's something a little different." He threw a worn out diary with leather binding onto the small coffee table.

"A journal?" Meg asked.

"No just any journal 'luv," Jack said "It…" he sighed "it belonged to me dad."

"Your father!?" Regina gasped rather shocked.

"Aye, that's what I said!" Jack answered a little annoyed. "Every shipment me dad received he wrote down; every last gold coin." He sighed. "The very back pages listed the last items that he ever got. But they never delivered it. They hit a reef during a storm and were killed. The ship, along with the merchandise, or treasure you could say, sunk."

"And you want to find your father ship," Will said knowingly.

"And you want us to help you," Elizabeth added.

"But you don't know where it is!" Regina finished.

"Ah!" Jack spoke up. "That's where yer wrong!"

"You know where your father's treasure is?" Meg asked.

"Uh…no," Jack admitted "but there is a map that one of the survivors drew, that happens to lead to the exact location of the shipwreck. Unfortunately," he added, his voice filled with angry annoyance "it has fallen into the hands of me stepfather Richard who I am not lookin' forward to see again…"

"So," Will asked uncrossing his arms "You want us to help you find this map that will help you find your father's treasure?"

"That I would promise to share with all of ye!" Jack said. "Considerin', that is, if you are willin' to help."

"I will!" Meg cried and ran over to Jack.

"Me too!" Regina exclaimed running over to her friend's side.

"Count me in…" Elizabeth finally said with a smile.

All four or them looked at Will.

"All right!" he sighed in utter defeat "You win!" He rolled his eyes and walked over to Jack "I'll go."

Meg and Regina grinned and giggled excitedly.

"Wonderful!" Jack said "We'll start making the preparations in the morning."

"But first," Regina reminded him, "You and Jack have to teach us how to sword fight."

"Oh right." Jack sighed.

Elizabeth laughed. "Come on girls. Help me get chestnuts and then we'll all get to bed."

"What do we need chestnuts for?" Meg whispered to Regina as they left.

"We're going to roast them on the fire." Regina explained.

As they entered the pantry, Elizabeth bumped one of the shelves and knocked jar over. Regina immediately bent down to retrieve it. As she did so her necklace, which had been carefully tucked in her blouse, came out. It caught Elizabeth's eye as she stood up.

"Where did you get that necklace?" asked Elizabeth, "It looks familiar."

"Oh, Will gave it to me." Regina answered blushing and hastily putting it back into her blouse.

Elizabeth nodded but said nothing.

Meanwhile Meg had found the bag of chestnuts and the three of them returned to the parlor. Regina was uneasy and remained quiet for the rest of the evening. Meg flashed her occasional reassuring grin but she still worried. Even though Elizabeth seemed at her ease, Regina worried that she would start to see her as a rival for Will. 'If only I could tell her that he's just my cousin and nothing else!' she thought. Regina did not sleep well that night.