Disclaimer: I tried to lure Jack into my house with rum, but Disney got in my way, so he's not mine.

AN: Okay, so Rose didn't make a huge "event" happen during the tea party. Of course, why would she want to ruin a mere tea party when she can ruin things during the big bash in her honor? And yes, Hastings is an ass, but don't worry; Rose has got it covered. Enjoy the chapter, and please review!

Chapter 25: The Process of Recovery:

I was ill for less than a day, but managed to pretend otherwise, putting my pirate skills to the test and acting far sicker than I actually was. As my co-conspirator, Molly made a grand show whenever she brought me my meals, all of which were thin soups and toast. At night, she smuggled me real food when no one was awake, and for a while, I primarily ate cold meat, cheese, bread, and water.

While I was 'ill,' my parents avoided my room at all costs, instead turning to Molly for daily reports about my health. Never in my life was I ever so thankful to have a maid serve me, as Molly was helping me escape the horrid social plans of my parents. She was also happy to be as much of an actress and pirate as I was. She frequently said that whenever she was pressed for answers by my parents, she always shook her head and put on a sad and concerned expression, looking as though I were dying of something horrid instead of having a small stomach ailment.

Once, as she brushed my hair on my second day of pretending to be sick, Molly whispered to me her joy at playing this particular game. "It's so much fun, Miss! If this is what pirates do, I envy them the ability to get out of all sorts of things! No wonder you enjoy your new life so much!"

I had giggled at that, and afterwards, the two of us began to practice our acting skills on one another, if only to pass the time. We read books to each other or played a few quiet games, and when all else failed, Molly forced me to tell a few stories about Jack and his amazing adventures. Before the first full day of my 'sickness' was over, I was certain that I had a true and wonderful friend in Molly.

When three days had passed, Molly and I felt that I could no longer hide how well I was really doing. Besides, I was beginning to lose my mind after being stuck in my room for so long, and even the fresh air coming through the window could no longer sustain me. As a pirate, the open sea air was something I desperately needed, so on the fourth day in bed, I told Molly to bring me a real meal instead of the watered down soup she usually brought up. She nodded, and when she returned from the kitchens, Molly presented me with a lovely bowl of porridge with honey and milk. There was also a good strong tea, slices of toast, and some jam for sweetening, which I ate all of.

Once the food was gone, Molly returned the tray to the kitchens. As I was getting ready to get up, she came flying back to my room, almost as if she were in a panic. "Miss, that Mr. Hastings is here to see you!" she frantically whispered to me as she began searching for a dressing gown for me to wear. "Oh, I hope he doesn't force his way in here like he did before!"

I frowned. "What do you mean, 'like before,' Molly?" I asked, keeping my voice as void of anger as I could. After all, I didn't want to frighten the girl, but I wanted answers.

Molly froze where she stood at my closet, swallowing hard before turning around to face my direction. She was quiet for a moment, her eyes dropping to look at the ground. "I didn't want to upset you, Miss Rose," Molly quietly answered. "I know how much you despise the man, and if I'd told you that he came in here while you were sleeping, you'd be angry with me."

I felt my eyes narrow. "He was here while I was sleeping?" I said, my voice turning cold. "Did he do or say anything while he was here?"

She hesitated for a moment. "Well, after he barged inside, Mr. Hastings bent over to check your coloring," Molly replied, not making eye contact. The sudden quiet that followed proved that she was hiding something that she didn't want me to know.

"Out with it, Molly," I ordered. Normally, I didn't like ordering anyone (except the Pearl's crew) around, but this was important. If Hastings had done anything to me while I slept, then I would certainly tell Jack, which would lead to my husband severely harming the bastard once he got his hands on him.

Again, Molly shifted uncomfortably, but still answered. "He kissed you, Miss," she said, her eyes still avoiding mine. "On the forehead, and very quickly. Then he left, but not before looking at your lovely wedding rings."

My hand immediately went to my forehead and rubbed, hoping to get of any horrid trace left behind. I could not believe that Gerard Hastings had forced himself in my bedroom, hovered over my unconscious form, and kissed me on the forehead. It was unbelievable, and I immediately felt sick to my stomach all over again.

"I don't want him in this room ever again, Molly," I ordered, my voice turning harsh. "If he demands to be admitted, tell him that I will not hesitate to scream or call the guards on him!"

Molly frantically nodded her agreement. "I'll try, Miss, but I can't refuse the demands of a noble," she said with a curtsey as she turned and left. "But I'll do my best."

Remembering that Hastings was actually here in the house right then, I tried to think of a way to avoid seeing him, just in case he forced his way in again. I quickly went to the wardrobe and pulled out a dressing robe, tugging it on just as the sound of footsteps filled the hallway outside my door. One set was light and hurried, but the other was heavy and full of purpose. The light steps were probably Molly's, and I could easily guess who the other belonged to…

Rushing towards my bed, I jumped in and pulled the covers up over my lap, leaning back onto the pillows in an attempt to look weak, or at least a bit tired. I had just settled into place when the door flew open, and in walked Gerard Hastings, an arrogant spark in his eye as he paused in the center of the room. Molly scurried in after him, then took her proper place before him to curtsey.

"Lord Gerard Hastings, Miss," she announced, her voice straining to be polite as her grey eyes sparked with anger.

"That will be all," Gerard declared, wanting to dismiss the annoying maid as soon as possible. He very much wanted to be alone with Rose for a while, hopefully before her parents came back from their visit to town. To his annoyance, the maid stood there, her back to him as she waited for her mistress to send her away.

'Insolent girl,' he thought, barely holding back a sneer. 'How dare she defy an order from me, instead waiting for Rose to send her away!'

When Rose looked towards the waiting servant, he hoped that a dismissal for the maid would leave her lovely lips. Instead, he was angered and frustrated to see Rose smile at the blonde girl.

"Thank you, Molly," Rose said, her voice pleasant. "Would you please find a book to read to me? I'm afraid that I'm too tired to do so myself."

"Yes, Miss," the blonde replied, going to the bookshelf. A few moments later, she selected a text and took a seat next to the bed. "Shall I read it to you after your guest leaves?"

Gerard bit back a growl. How dare they speak about him as though he weren't in the same room as them! He was on the verge of making a retort when he saw the fiery glimmer in Rose's eyes. That beautiful rebellious spark took his breath away, and he found his anger melting beneath her gaze. She looked like a proud noble, one full of spirit and life.

"Actually, I was hoping that you would be leaving shortly, sir," Rose declared, her brown eyes glaring at him with spite. "I am rather tired, and have not yet fully recovered from my illness."

"Of course, my dear Miss Nelson," Gerard replied, a smile on his lips. "But please allow me to kiss your hand before I go."

Before she could refuse, he walked over to the side of the bed, grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to it. He glanced up towards her face and almost grinned at the disgusted expression on her face. Rose looked as though she might become ill just from his lips pressing against her skin. It was rather amusing, but also irritating, which were an odd combination of emotions that he'd never felt before.

"I have hopes of achieving another kiss of your hand when I next return," he commented as he pulled away from the bed.

Rose merely glared at him. "Thank you for your consideration, Lord Hastings," she replied in a cold tone of voice. "It is much appreciated."

Bowing his head, Gerard turned and left the room, grinning to himself the moment he was alone in the hallway. Behind him, he heard the door close and lock as the maid turned the key, hoping to prevent any more intrusions. Rose's defiance of him and his wishes was rather interesting, as it was something he had never encountered in a woman before. Most of the females he had met in his life had been timid, sweet, flirty, obedient, or a combination of some or all of those traits. To have a lovely woman openly defy him and go against his wishes was rather…refreshing.

'Perhaps having her as a wife won't leave me as bored as I thought it would,' he thought, giving the butler a polite nod as he left the house and headed towards his ship.

When he'd first thought of Rose as a wife, the most that Gerard had hoped for was a pleasant young woman to have a decent conversation with. Since Jack Sparrow wasn't known for staying with dim-witted women for too long, Gerard knew that any woman known as Mrs. Jack Sparrow would have to have at least some common sense in her head. When he'd first seen Rose on the Pearl, Gerard had known from the intelligent look in her eyes that she would be at least a good conversationalist.

'Of course, I had also known from James' letters that she was his missing aristocrat fiancée.'

James' information had led Gerard to the idea that capturing Rose and taking her in place of his mother's necklace would be a good one; he'd been right. He couldn't remember a time where he felt that a woman might just be more than a pretty piece to decorate his home in Scotland. Perhaps having a wife with a mind of her own wouldn't be such a bad thing after all…

Once I was sure that Hastings was gone, I heaved a sigh of relief and threw back the covers of my bed. My little encounter with him spoke volumes about what Hastings thought about me, and needless to say, I was growing more and more fearful at what he was capable of. I had to get in contact with Jack, and right now, there was only one way to do that. Hopefully my new friend would be able to help me carry it out and not try to dissuade me from what I was about to do.

"Molly, I need you to do something for me," I whispered to my maid as she rose from her chair.

"Of course, Miss."

Walking over to my desk, I pulled out a piece of paper, a wax seal, a quill, and ink, and began to write a brief message to Jack. He had to know how troubled I was, and hopefully that would help nudge him to rescuing me sooner. No doubt Will and Elizabeth would see the note and want to help with freeing me as well.

In a few minutes, the note was completed, signed, sealed, and in Molly's hands. My maid looked at me with a questioning glance, silently asking me if this was a good idea and if I really thought she could do what I was asking of her. I gave Molly a warm smile, hoping to comfort her.

"Molly, I need you to take this to the harbor the moment it gets dark outside. You must take it to a ship called the Horizon's Flame and give this to her captain, William Turner. Whatever you do, do not leave until you have a response to bring back to me," I ordered, my voice firm. "If Captain Turner is not onboard, ask for his wife, Elizabeth. This note must not be put into anyone's hands but theirs. Don't worry, there is nothing incriminating written here, just in case you are stopped and are asked to give the note to authorities for one reason or another."

"But Miss Rose, what if I cannot find the Horizon's Flame?" Molly asked, though there wasn't a trace of fear in her voice. She just wanted to be sure that she gave the message to the right person.

"Ask around for the ship if you must, but do not draw attention," I replied. "Ask the harbormaster, as he has a listing of which ships are where, and I am sure he will help you."

I paused, thinking carefully. "Just in case, when you ask him for help, it might be best for you to have tears in your eyes," I advised. "Men always feel sympathy for women who are weeping, and are always ready to help, if only to get them to stop crying."

Molly laughed and gave a curtsey. "I won't fail you, Rose," she said with a smile.

A grin tugged at my lips. "You called me 'Rose,'" I whispered. "Please, do so more often, at least in private. I would much rather be your friend than your mistress and employer."

"As you wish…Rose."

With a smile and a nod, Molly went to get my afternoon tea. Afterwards, we read and played a few games until supper, and after we'd both eaten, I gave Molly a reassuring smile before she vanished out my bedroom door, heading for the docks with my precious message in her hand.

Muttering to himself, Jack looked down at the maps of the port and town, pondering how in the world they were going to rescue Rose. He knew that the solution to his problem was staring him right in the face, but he had yet to figure out what it was. Meanwhile, the maps provided a distraction, something for his eyes to rest on while he thought out a plan.

Three days ago, Elizabeth had dressed herself in a fine gown, told William to follow her, and walked into a decent part of town. When she arrived there, she had somehow managed to obtain the maps by asking a local innkeeper to make them for her, fluttering her eyelashes and claiming that she could get lost by merely going around a corner. Charmed by the lovely young woman, as well as sympathetic to her cause, the innkeeper had been happy to help, even asking his employees if he were forgetting something or someplace important to a young lady. When Elizabeth had left the inn, it was with a well-drawn, detailed map of the town in her hand.

Meanwhile, the Whelp had merely stood there and kept silent, his expression blank as he watched his wife work. Though he hadn't said anything to Jack about it, the pirate captain knew that his friend had been quite impressed with Elizabeth's work. Personally, Jack thought that Will shouldn't have been surprised at Lizzie's course of action, given that the Whelp was married to her.

'Then again, love is blind, and all that,' Jack thought as he stared blankly down at the sheets of parchment before him.

Normally, Jack would have objected to Elizabeth doing such a thing on her own, but Elizabeth was a strong woman and she could take care of herself. Also, since Rose possessed the same strength as her friend, Jack figured that he shouldn't worry as much about his wife as he already did. Then again, getting away from a man like Hastings would be a difficult task for anyone, much less a noblewoman-turned-pirate, so perhaps he had every right to worry.

Sighing, Jack closed his eyes, longing for the one thing that could make he pain go away. He wanted Rose safely here with him. Actually, he'd prefer her in his arms and on the Pearl, sailing for the horizon leading towards the Caribbean.

"Then again, as long as she's with me and whole in spirit, mind, and body, that's all that matters," Jack muttered to himself as he reached for the rum bottle.

Just then, a crewmember of the Flame burst into the room. A tall, bald man, thin as a rake but tough as steel, entered the cabin, an envelope in his hand. Without saying a word, the man known as Pole walked over and set the note in front of Jack with a slight bow before turning and leaving. Puzzled, Jack picked up the envelope and turned it over. There was no mark in the blue wax seal, nor was there a name on the front. Since curiosity was part of the nature of a pirate, Jack pulled a dagger from his belt and slid it underneath the seal. A sheet of paper lay there, and after pulling it out, Jack flipped the folded note open, his eyes widening at the sight of the familiar handwriting. It was from Rose.

Dearest,

You must come soon, as I do not know how much longer I can last without you. I know that you are occupied with work, but certain events are coming, and I do not think that I will be able to live through them without knowing that you are there. Please write to me soon. My messenger bird awaits for your reply.

Signed,

Your Loving Flower

A knock on the door sent Jack bolting from his chair and to the door, flinging it open. There stood a timid-looking young woman, blonde hair pulled up under a white cap and grey eyes looking around in a mixture of fear and awe. When she saw him standing there, she grinned.

"Hello, sir," she said with a curtsey. "I believe you'll soon have a message for my lady Rose?"

AN: Aw, isn't that sweet? A coded message from Rose to Jack. Please review!