A/N: Hey! Sorry everyone for taking long with updating this story, I have had loads of homework and projects and also writing my batman fic too, has kept me busy! Anywho here is more. Thanks to all who review!! And thanks to "DazzledInDarkness" for her help on this chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 25: Two Months Later

The black diamond docked in Tortuga for fresh supplies. After the successful attack on Port Royal, the crew needed a good reward. Captain Damian Mcdunon walked down the gang plank, smirking as he saw all the comforts this island had to offer him and any pirate. Of course the only comforts it offered were endless bottles of rum and eager wenches. Damian looked around the docks and noticed a familiar ship with black sails. The most infamous ship in the Caribbean and the same ship Admiral Norrington had failed to capture after so many years. Why Norrington was still regal in the royal navy, Damian had no idea.

Damian shook his head and headed into the local tavern.

"Give me yer best rum! On me lads! We must celebrate!" Damian yelled with great triumph to fit a king.

"And wot are we celebratin' love?" One of the whores slithered up to Damian and pushed her hand into the crook of his elbow.

"I put Admiral Norrington's port into ruins!"

The pirates in the tavern erupted into cheers.

"Ye just threw on yerself another chase by the bloody royal navy, mate. Ol' Norrington will hunt you down until he sees yer body dangling from a noose." A voice hidden away warned the young Captain.

"Who do ye think are, warning me?" Damian's piercing eyes looked around the tavern. Everyone had gone still wondering where the voice was coming from. Suddenly, to his surprise, emerged none other than the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.

"Sparrow, I thought ye were dead!" Everyone, including Damian, gasped. They didn't think the famous pirate would be alive considering that battle against the East India Trading Company many years ago. But they were proved wrong. But what was odd was that Jack looked the same, the same handsome charming pirate he used to be.

"Sorry to disappoint. Funny wot the fountain of youth can do to a man, isn't it?" Jack grinned deviously, content with the reactions he got from the crowd. "It took me a ten bloody years to find it!"

"It certainly did ye good Captain Sparrow. Ye look swell." Damian was still astonished by Jack's appearance.

"Of course I do! I always bloody look good. Shame I can't say the same about ye." Jack jested as he patted Damian's back. "Come, wot's this of this Port Royal business?" Jack led Damian to table hidden in a dark, quiet, corner where there was a bottle of rum already waiting.

"Let me tell ya, it will take years for Norrington to put it back together." replied Damian with a grin.

"Well then I raise a toast!" Jack raised his mug as Damian did and they both crashed their mugs together in victory. "But wot of his wife and children?" Jack asked wondering what had become of Isabella and her other children, along with the one she had in her belly when she left them to meet up with James after the battle.

"The Duchess — ravaging as always. But wot caught my interest was their little jewel, Miss. Brenna Norrington." The men began to mumble unintelligible and crude things about Brenna but quieted quickly to hear what Damien had to say. "Ye 'ave heard of her?"

Jack's eyebrow rose in curiosity. "Can't say that I 'ave. Why?"

"Virtuous to the core, pretty little thing she is. Somethin' I would like to 'ave by me side." Replied Damian.

"Is she fiery like her mum?"

"Far worse." Damian chuckled remembering the night he had her and her mother cornered. "But I failed in destroying Norrington completely. I was goin' to kill his wife or even better him, but to my dismay he was at the fort. I only killed his son's fiancée."

"Wot a waist of time if ye didn't get to kill yer ol' enemy." Jack shrugged not really caring about Damian and his terrible plans.

Damian smirked and leaned in closer to Jack so that no one would be able to hear. "Captain Sparrow I came 'ere with a purpose, to strike a bargain. And I am sure ye won't be able to resist."

"Humor me, Capitan Mcdunon." Jack replied sarcastically, waiting to hear the proposition.

"I cannot go back to Port Royal, for that bloody Norrington might catch me this time. Instead I want ye to go and fetch me the little flower the dwells upon that island." Damian wanted Brenna, mostly to make James and Isabella suffer greatly, this was revenge and there was to be no mercy. "Besides, no one'll miss her, she's the last child."

"Wot's in it for me?" Jack asked showing no emotion other than what he expected to get.

"Another ship and other riches. And of course the treasure of a Greek god I managed to snag many years ago on a voyage to Greece." Damian smirked, knowing he had Jack in the bag.

"Aye, done. But I need collateral first mate."

"Done, I will give it to ye when ya set sail on the morrow." Damian stood and left the tavern.

Jack watched him leave, shaking his head. "This lad is lookin' for trouble."

"Will ye betray the duchess like that captain? I mean she helped ye avoid Norrington's noose many times, including Beckett's." said Gibbs as he came to stand beside his very clever captain, who by the look on his face was already plotting something.

"If it's trouble Mcdunon wants, then trouble I will make sure to give him."

James stood from his desk and went out on the balcony that faced the ocean. He looked down as he saw Nickolas walking with a few men in tow, giving orders here and there. That's all Nickolas did these past two months, bury himself in work to avoid the pain of loneliness. James hated seeing his son this way, but there was nothing he could do to help. Nickolas would refuse help from everyone around him. It's as if a part of the Nickolas died with Georgianna that night.

James was still pondering when he heard a knock at the door.

"Admiral, you have a visitor." Announced one of the guards.

"Send him in." James had a feeling of who it was. He was surprised that Christian didn't come sooner with his great torment of Brenna.

"Admiral." Christian bowed to him and offered a kind smile.

"Christian, how is you mother and father?" James gestured for him to sit down as he took a seat behind his desk.

"Very well sir, and the duchess? Your children?" Christian asked eagerly hoping to hear from Brenna, if she even was alive. He hadn't heard one word from her, except that she was often seen painting in Duke Beckett's gardens. Everyone saw her there, drenching herself in the sun and ignoring the women's whispers of her tanning skin.

"They are well. What did you wish to discuss with me." James asked curiously.

"Well, I think it is time for Brenna and me to marry. She is of age and I cannot press it further." Christian said sternly determined to get what he wanted.

James looked at him straight in the eyes. "I agree she is of age. But there is one thing that I love in this world and that is my family. I will not force my daughter into anything. She is old enough to make her own decisions. I want her to choose the person she loves. It would not be fair for us to choose for her because her mother and I married freely. The wealth and our titles was something there by luck. That is why everyone accepted it. But I loved her and that was all that mattered. I am sorry to say I cannot help you on that matter. The only thing you could do at this moment is talk to Brenna yourself."

"I understand Admiral; I apologize for wasting your time." Christian's tone was defeated but he would not go down without a fight.

"You didn't waste my time. You are besotted with her and just want to be with her." James stood and led him out the door.

"Not just besotted. I love her."

Brenna was at Beckett palace, to her dismay, but she wanted to be away from home where depression and tension lingered. Isabella was pressing her to chose a husband, Robin was constantly nagging her about not speaking to Christian, her brother wouldn't even look at her and her father was so consumed with guilt that he would rarely see her.

She sat under the grand oak tree, sketching the ship out on the horizon. She was so concentrated that she didn't hear the approaching footsteps.

Jude leaned over her shoulder to examine her sketch. In one swift motion he took it and tossed it aside. "Do it again."

"What?!" Brenna's anger flared. She wanted to punch him hard.

"You are not paying attention to detail, there is so much more."

"I am paying attention to detail."

"No, you're not. You drew what looks like a child's interpretation of a ship. Do it again."

"I wish I were still a child. No responsibilities, no obligations, and no arrogant men expecting me to be like Da Vinci!" Brenna stood then, to face Jude full on, her breath being caught by the man before her.

"Fine, you wish to be a child? Go inside and paint in there. Young girls shouldn't be outside for the sun to soak their skin."

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"Yes, I can. You're the child and I'm the adult."

"Really?" Brenna was now far off her reasonable side. "I would test that. Do adults disappear and not say goodbye? I think not."

Brenna gathered her instruments, most of them falling back onto the ground. She decided to forget them and grabbed her sun hat that she never wore.

"Where are you going?"

"Home…to speak to Christian."

"Child."

"Arrogant bastard!" Brenna yelled back at him.

At home she was in no mood for anyone's antics. Jude had been like that for the past two months, always telling her what to do, always treating her like she wasn't good enough for anything. Inside the foyer her mother waited impatiently. "Where have you been? Christian is here again and he wishes to speak with you on a matter of urgency!"

Brenna was already bounding the stairs when she answered. "I accept his proposal. Now, don't bother me I'm tired."

Isabella was stunned into stillness. After all these months of endless decision making and fruitless persuasion, it took her one minute to answer yes. Isabella turned and stalked back into the parlor where Christian waited impatiently. Was this really what Brenna wanted? No, it couldn't be. Her body and mind screamed for Jude…but was it Christian who held her heart?

"Duchess Norrington! I take it she's home?"

"Yes, yes, Christian please calm yourself." Isabella went over to Christian and took his hand like a loving mother. Christian waited for the rejection he often got from Isabella that Brenna didn't want to see him. But he had to try, he had to.

"I have some happy news for you." Isabella continued. "Brenna has accepted your proposal."

Christian's face was nothing short of relief mixed in with excitement. He looked like a little boy, the little boy that Isabella remembered, and that made Isabella forget her doubts about Christian. He was Brenna's match in this life of simplicity, though Brenna wouldn't have it. "Now, I know you didn't get to kneel and give her a ring like you wanted, but at least you have the knowledge of her acceptance."

"That is more than enough. Thank you, Duchess Norrington, thank you."

"Why don't you stay for dinner? I'm sure Brenna will be down shortly."

Christian beamed at this and accepted at once. Now all Isabella had to do was convince her daughter of coming downstairs for a celebration with the family…