AN at the end, my lovelies :)

The Damsel and the Distressed

Chapter Ten

"I must say love, I'm impressed."

My heart thundered at the familiar voice and I jumped over the fallen bars to see if I was correct.

"Jack?" I asked, not trusting my vision. The captain of the Black Pearl was not dressed in his usual uniform of tattered clothes but instead that of the British Navy. The jacket was dark blue and the shirt beneath it looked frilly and cleaner than his usual fare. Then there was the matter of his dreadlocks which appeared to be stuffed under a hat somehow though a trinket was peeking out of the left side. He was a strange sight indeed but the smile on his face could not have belonged to anyone else. I launched myself at him, surprising him when I wrapped my arms around his sides and squeezed tightly.

"Oh Jack Sparrow I am so happy to see you!"

"Cahhhhh fan!" Jack said, his air constricted by my embrace. I loosened it.

"What?"

"I said Captain!" he said, looking almost embarrassed for a brief moment, before grinning and patting my lower back. And by lower back I mean ass.

I was too relieved at being rescued to even pretend to be outraged.

"Happy to see ol' Captain Jack, are we? Did you really think that just because you gave me that key meant I was going to abandon you to the horrors of an untimely death at the hand of ol' what's 'is name? Tsk, tsk."

"I did!" I was too tired to not reply honestly. In fact, the lie was what was making me tired. I had started out this mess with the intention of saving myself and in the course of the lie had done nothing but cause trouble for everyone, myself included. I wanted to tell Jack the truth, and I thought he deserved to hear it. After all, he had proved himself by coming after me when he didn't need to right? Wasn't his saving me now proof that it was me he was rescuing and not the treasure?

"Jack, I know this is a stupid time for me to tell you this but..."

The door at the top of the stairs flew open, cutting my words off mid-sentence. Pale moonlight flooded in from the open doorway, before being blocked out by a person wearing a similar uniform to Jack's. I knew right away it was an officer in the British Navy. Without even blinking an eye, Jack grabbed my arms and pulled them behind my back with such a rough jerk that it surprised me.

"Ow! What the..."

Jack put his hand over my mouth and turned to the approaching officer. I couldn't help noticing that he held me tightly back against his chest.

"I've got a prisoner," Jack said, in a surprisingly good British accent. Still, who in their right mind would believe Jack Sparrow was an officer in the navy, uniform or not?

The officer nodded.

"Bring her onboard. Commodore Norrington's orders. And if you see Jack Sparrow..." I could actually feel Jack's body go tight as he held in the urge to correct him with a self-righteous CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow!... "Do not kill him. Take him straight to the Commodore."

"Yes, sir," Jack said, and I was amazed by the sight of the officer as he turned and walked away. Jack removed his hand and whirled me around to give me a smile. See? It seemed to say. Piece of cake!

Cake. I thought in return. Christ I'm hungry.

"I'd give my left breast for something to eat right now," I said, sighing as I leaned my weight against a damp wall. Jack lifted an eyebrow.

"Make it two and you've got a deal. But first..." he put out his hand, giving me a mock bow in the process. "Might I suggest we escape?"

We stepped out onto the deck, Jack in front with me following behind, and I was shocked by the sight that greeted me. Dozens of pirates were locked in sword fights with officers from the navy, and the ones that weren't fighting were running around and screaming at the top of their lungs. Gunshots went off around us and the noise of cannon fire was followed by the splintering of wood as the shots connected. I screamed as a sword slashed out at us and Jack was pulled into a fight with a pirate, swords clanging as each moved to meet their opponent. A rough hand grabbed my arm and turned me and I was shocked to see the pirate who had been leering at me earlier doing so again.

"Buenas noches, senorita," he said, and grinned harder. Beside me Jack was backing his opponent against the railing of the ship and didn't seem to notice my plight, distracted as he was. I remembered my pathetic attempt at escape from the pirates earlier and suddenly felt filled with anger from my own uselessness. I didn't need any strange Mary Sue powers, physical or otherwise. I knew just the move that would work on this nasty jerk.

I kicked him squarely between the legs.

He fell over just as Jack was knocking his sparring partner off the ship. I looked at the groaning man lying on the floor and I couldn't help it... I kicked him again.

"I'll say it again, love. I'm impressed. But I do believe what you've just done is against the pirate code." Jack said, coming up beside me. He winced at my choice of attack.

"Forget the pirate code!" I hissed. "From now on we follow my code! Rule number one of the Mary code: screw everyone else, I'm saving my own damn neck!"

Jack nodded, thoughtful.

"Come to think of it, that's the first rule of the pirate code as well. Carry on."

I got one more heartfelt kick in before I allowed Jack to pull me away. Sick and sadistic though it might have been, I was smiling hard for the first time in what felt like forever.

Jack led me to a row boat that was attached to the side of the ship and helped me inside. Two ropes connected to pulleys lowered the small boat, and it was as Jack was using these to lower the boat to the water that my conscious came suddenly roaring back into play. He had done so much for me: he had saved me from a pirate he himself was terrified of. He had risked losing his ship, his life, his freedom even. He had put up with my tears and my whining and my one million annoyances. And for what? For a lie. For nothing.

"Jack, I have to tell you something..."

Above us a pirate was leaning over the railing, smiling at us. We had been discovered.

"Now might not be the most opportune moment for confessions of the heart, Mary," Jack said, yanking at the rope faster to let more out. I nodded forlornly.

"I know! I shouldn't even tell you at all, I know that too! It's stupid of me, but I can't help it. I hate lying and I..."

I cut myself off as I noticed the grinning pirate pulling on the ropes. Did he really think he could pull both of us and a boat back up?

The boat jerked and I screamed as I realized that not only could he do just that, but that he was planning on doing so.

"Bugger," Jack muttered and nonchalantly, almost as if bored, pulled out his gun and shot the pirate in the chest. The rope was dropped and we jerked back down a foot or so.

"You were saying?" Jack asked, the barrel of the gun still smoking. I swallowed thickly.

"Nevermind."

Plenty of time to tell him later.

When there were no weapons around.

We dropped finally into the water and rocked for a few moments before Jack pulled out the oars and began rowing us away to safety. I was too scared to even ask where we were going to, and somewhat amazed that we were doing so well thus far. Apparently, both the pirates and the navy were so consumed in their fight that they didn't even notice us escaping. Looking up, I saw why. They had every right to be self-absorbed, seeing as how both ships appeared to be sinking.

I watched the Dauntless and Tortono's ship rock on the ocean, both leaning as water rushed in the holes the cannons had left behind.

"Guess that's the last of Tortono," I said matter-of-factly. Jack grimaced.

"Wouldn't count on that," he said, the tone in his voice implying that he knew better. Conversation dropped off after that.

Our little trip through the water became foggier as we went along until finally we could barely see a few feet from the front of the row boat. After what felt like forever though, Jack stopped rowing and tilted his head to the side to listen, looking more like a dog on the trail of someone than a serious pirate. Then he smiled.

Like clockwork I saw the Black Pearl rise out of the fog, sliding towards us as gently as a marble sliding across the floor. My mouth fell open. I just couldn't believe it.

"That's it?" I asked, looking at Jack. "You've got to be joking! I can't catch a break to save my life- literally! -and here you just sail up, jump on the ship and back off a few minutes later and that's it? No trouble whatsoever?"

Jack smiled back at me, now rowing again towards the ship.

"There's just one thing you left out there, love. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?"

I huffed to myself a few minutes and vowed to not speak again until safely on the ship, a vow which, like most of my vows, was broken less than a minute or so later.

Jack threw the ropes up onto the ship and the men grabbed at them, ready to pull us over. He looked back at me and grabbed my arm to hold me steady and suddenly there it was again: that same overwhelming feeling of gratitude and emotion. I wanted to tell him the truth so badly this time that tears actually filled my eyes. Good Lord, what was this? PMS of the Caribbean?

"Jack, I have to tell you the truth about something."

He sighed heavily and turned to me. It was so disconcerting to see him in the officer's uniform that for a moment I nearly lost my words.

"Um, yes, well... the truth is... see, well... honestly..." I looked at him and swallowed. "I'm not her, Jack," I whispered, when the words finally came out.

"Captain," Jack said, and that was it. I looked at him.

He said nothing else.

"Captain," I gritted out, already regretting my decision. "Did you hear what I said? I'm not her. I'm not Marie."

Jack waved his hand at me and said simply, "I know."

I stared at him in open mouthed shock, unable to speak or question. I wasn't even sure I had heard him correctly. In that moment, all because of two words uttered from an impossible man, I worried that I had forgotten how to speak or understand the English language. I shook my head, trying to clear it.

"Heave men!" Gibbs screamed above us, "Heave as if you're pulling up a boat full of rum!"

"Did someone say rum?" Jack asked, head jerking up. I pinched myself, watching the skin redden as it should and flinched from the pain that I knew I should feel. Ok, so the dream within a dream theory was out.

When we reached the top Jack stepped out first, and then offered me his hand to help me over. I might have floated over for all I knew. I was in a daze from disbelief. My secret was out (the same secret that I thought would get me killed) and no one seemed to care.

"I'll be needing a word with you in my cabin, Marie," Jack said, ignoring my open mouth and surprised eyes. "Please escort her to my cabin, Anamaria. Mr. Gibbs, I'll be needing you to sail us out of this inimitable situation."

"Aye, Cap'n," Gibbs said, but Anamaria just nodded her agreement and grabbed my arm. My heart beating fast, I allowed her to pull me to the Captain's quarters and shove me inside, but she hesitated before shutting the door. For a moment she looked grateful and kind, like a friend. The face quickly fell away to a more guarded one, but I could tell her heart wasn't completely in it.

"That was stupid of you, turning yeself over to that man," she said.

I couldn't help but smile.

"Your welcome."

She shut the door in my face but she smiled as she did so, and I didn't take it badly. My smile dropped from my face though as I realized I was alone again and Jack would be in soon to talk with me. I sighed and thumped down onto the bed, feeling weak and overcome. Without the adrenaline from earlier coursing through me, my body was forced to recognize the fact that it still had not eaten in several days and I was rather the worse for wear because of it. My head felt heavy and my mouth felt dry. I ended up lying on Jack's bed with my eyes closed to avoid the feeling of nausea that was sweeping through me in sea-like waves.

I dropped off into sleep almost immediately.

I awoke to the sound of the door rattling but kept my eyes closed. I'm not sure why, but I've always loved to pretend to be asleep when I'm not (playing possum, we called it when I was little). There's something so secretive about it, even when you're not doing it for any particular reason other than your own amusement.

I waited for a few moments before slowly cracking open one of my eyes. Jack was in the corner, his back to me, and he was taking off the British uniform. My eyes opened a little wider but I didn't call out to stop him as he slipped off the blue jacket and began working on the shirt underneath it. I could remember an incident very similar to this one on my first day in this world and almost smiled at how differently I was reacting now. I had changed, and those two moments seemed to work as bookends to accompany that change. Within them was held every hope, ever fear, every worry I'd had during my stay. The thought almost made me sigh out loud.

The shirt slipped from his shoulders and revealed a tan and lean back, dotted with small scars. Despite this, however, his skin appeared smooth and soft, and I found myself yearning to touch him. It had been easy to dismiss my fangirly feelings for him so far with his pirating and double crossing and, well, smelliness... but this... this was hard to dismiss. He was beautiful.

"Love," he said, not even bothering to turn around. "This is the second time I've caught you watching me undress when you think I'm not looking. I'm beginning to wonder if you might be harboring deep romantic feelings for me."

Deep? Romantic? No, that wasn't true. They were superficial and undeniable and that was all.

I sighed heavily and sat up in the bed, feeling weary still but not at all embarrassed like I knew I should. Spending a few days with Jack Sparrow did something in the way of eroding a person's moral center. He just had that kind of effect on people.

"Jack, we need to talk." That must have been the one hundredth time I had said that sentence to him today but he didn't argue, just stepped towards me. I swallowed.

"Put your shirt on please."

He looked down at his chest as if concerned.

"Why?"

"I can't concentrate," I said honestly, deciding that might be the path of least resistance. Wrong again. He gave me a smile that made me feel like my boots were melting off my feet and joined me on the bed, shirtless. I sighed again and forced my eyes away.

"Ok. Fine then. What I was needing to ask you, I mean, what I was trying to find out..."

"What you're wanting to know was how I knew you weren't the lass Marie. And after that, resulting from that, you're wanting to know why I saved your life if I knew you were not the lass Marie." I stared at him.

"Yeah," I blushed. He probably thought he was being clever but, truth be told, it was a little overwhelming having him sit on the bed beside me without his shirt. "That."

"Actually love," he was looking pleased with himself now, which never boded well for me. "I can't tell you nothing."

"Nothing?" I asked, flustered. This conversation felt eerily familiar and I knew Jack was paying me back for being so annoying.

"What?"

"You can't tell me nothing?"

Jack smiled, gleaming teeth and all.

"Anything, love. I can't tell you anything. Nothing would be a double negative and is therefore..."

"Jack Sparrow, say one more word and I will reenact my version of the code on your manhood."

Jack gave me a wounded look and readjusted to protect himself. Then he surprised me by moving closer to me on the bed and I was amazed at his ability to change so much from one moment to the next.

"I will not be answering that first question but in regards to the second one..."

He shifted even closer and I scrambled to move only to find myself with no room to do so. I had a half-naked (beautiful but smelly) pirate on top of me an eroded moral center which had been previously diminished by said pirate. I was close to losing complete control.

"You have something I need," he said with a smile so wicked that it made me wonder what exactly it was that he needed. I blushed even harder at that thought. Then he lowered his eyes to my chest and that was it. I melted underneath him as shameless as one of those lusty busty Harlequin women and had to fight the urge to croon out loud. I couldn't help it. It was just more than a girl like me was meant to take. Looking back on it, my self-restrain up until that point was incredible. Any lovers of Mary Sue would have known it couldn't last.

"The way to the treasure is through her heart," Jack whispered, suddenly more serious. His hand brushed down over my collarbone, calloused fingers tracing a path down my flushed chest. I held my breath as they moved, looking like a traveler exploring new lands as they slipped down the world of my aching skin... down, down... my thoughts muddled and incomplete until he touched my...

locket.

I looked down, just to be sure.

Yup. He was holding my damn locket.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I groaned, dropping my head back into my pillow. Jack gave me just enough of a smile to let me know he had been intentionally torturing me and turned the locket over in his hand.

"Where'd you get this, Mary?" he asked me, examining the front and back of it. I tried to shove him off of me but I might as well have been trying to move a brick wall. He wasn't going anywhere.

"My father," I answered finally when I saw I wasn't going to win.

He opened it, taking forever without the aid of nails, and when he finally accomplished that he was rewarded with a small slip of yellow paper from inside the locket. I watched him in confusion as he unrolled the paper. In cursive script was written:

Isla Mataceros

"What the...?" This wasn't my locket! My locket had been empty inside! Unless... I remembered the seperated link and could clearly see the girl, my "twin," as she handed me my locket. But no, not my locket. HER locket. She had switched them!

The way to the treasure is through her heart.

The heart locket. This Isla Mataceros was the island that hosted the treasure that everyone was after.

"That is so freakin' cheesy," I muttered, but had to admit it sounded like something I would write. Jack didn't say anything. Only smiled that large, pleased smile.

Amazingly though, I wasn't scared. I mean, it wasn't like it could get any worse...

Right?

AN: First of all, thank you so much to everyone that has been reviewing so far. I know I haven't replied to the reviews with the past few chapters but I will do so again from here on out. An extra special thank you to Sunshine, laitaine-r, and elzebrook who helped me with my Spanish. :) I tried to make the adjustments but can't figure out how to edit the chapter without uploading it all over again. Help anyone? Oh yeah and I need to point out that I was trying to match this up with the beginning of DMC but there is already some major discrepancies and there's not much I can do about it. Of course, James Norrington follows Jack into a hurricane in canon and that is how he loses the Dauntless. Forgive me but a hurricane just didn't figure into my plot. lol. There will be more of these small differences as we go along unfortunately but a lot of it does still match up though.

So, without absolutely begging for reviews... please let me know what you think about the story and where it's going:)