Dual Escape

Nettie didn't look up as two guards removed Jack from the cell - which was probably because they were near Isle De Muerta and he would be told to show Norrington the entrance. And she didn't look up when they took away her shackles. She just sat there for the longest time. Staring at the cot. Trying to stop the tears that tried to escape and roll down her cheeks. The screams that wanted to escape from her tight chest. The questions.

Like why? Why would he do a thing like that that?

"Damn it." Leaning back, Nettie let her head hit the wall behind her. She didn't understand. Lifting her head, she let her head hit the wall again, and again, until the back of her head was throbbing. She groaned and rubbed the sore spot. She didn't understand anything at all.

Why had he done that?

Taking her hand away from her head, Nettie gently touched her lips, as if she could still feel the warmth from a second pair of lips. Jack had kissed her. It wasn't a long kiss, a passionate kiss, or a deep kiss, or any kind of fancy kiss that she had heard women gossiping about. It was just a kiss. Just a kiss... from Jack. Her captain. Her rescuer. That tasted like rum, who smelled like gunpowder, and whose facial hair was scratchy. From the man she might love - she still didn't know if she really did.

But why did he do that?

And why did it make her feel so ... strange? That was why Nettie had pulled away. Because she'd never felt like that before. Warmth that filled her body, and her heart beating so out of control that she felt dizzy for a split second. And then she'd...

Even as she ran the scene through her mind, Nettie still couldn't believe what she'd done it. She'd slapped him. And screamed at. And cried. It had all happened so fast, she didn't even realize what she'd done at first. Maybe it was because she hadn't wanted to believe that Jack had really kissed her. Because why would he do that?

Well, he had said she was beautiful...

Shaking her head, Nettie frowned. No, he had said he was sure that he thought others thought her as beautiful.

But she didn't care what others thought about her. She just wanted to know what he thought about her.

And then Jack had said it was because he wasn't sure he'd defeat Barbossa and live. Why she was frightened of the thought of him dying, Nettie wondered if he did it because he couldn't stand the thought of dying without... she couldn't even think it. Would he really just use her like he did with those other whores?

Tears falling without her permission, Nettie quickly wiped them away. She didn't have time for stupid tears. Especially since she wasn't sure how much time had passed with her just sitting around. No, now it was time to figure out how to get out of this blasted cell and go help Jack. Because she wasn't going to let him die, not like that while she just sat there. Not until she talked with him about that bloody kiss and her bloody feelings.

Reaching down, Nettie held up her right foot while she felt along the short heel. It took her a minute, but she had to grin when she held her hand up, the thin piece of metal in her hand glinting in the dim light. Her own skeleton key, embedded in the heel of her boot. It had helped her and Jack get out of quite a few situations.

Her hand going through the bar, Nettie slipped her pick into the lock, frowning as she shifted it subtly, waiting to feel the right spot...

'Click.'

"Gotcha," Nettie whispered a minute later as she pulled her arm back, slipping the pick back into her boot before she gently pushed at the metal door. It swung open with a tiny creak, and she stepped out, glancing around. Now all she to do was get off this ship without alerting anyone she was escaping -

Footsteps coming towards the cell made her jump, and Nettie cursed under her breathe. "Shit." She looked around, wondering what she could do. Thinking fast, she stepped back into her prison and grabbed the door, silently swinging towards her and making sure it didn't close properly. It would be a pain to pick it again when all she had to do was hold it closed with her hands.

To her displeasure, it was Welch.

To her delight, it was only Welch. A plan quickly came to mind, and Nettie held back a grin. Perfect.

The officer marched over with a large grin on his face. "Hello, you bloody bint," sneered Welch.

"Hello, bilge rat," Nettie shot right back. She really hated this man.

"Where did your precious captain go?" asked Welch, and chuckled when Nettie refused to answer. "Ah, it looks like he don't tell you everything. Doesn't matter though." He reached to his side and pulled up a pair of keys. It was only then that she noticed a pair of shackles in his other hand.

Alarms went off in Nettie's head. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked lowly.

"Most of the men have gone with Commodore, so I've been assigned to the brig until further notice." His grin got even larger. "So, I've decided to have some fun while I'm stuck down here. How about it? I'm sure you do it all the time with that captain of yours."

"I am not a bed warmer," hissed Nettie. Oh, how she wanted to rip that little man's throat out.

"Oh, come on," said Welch with a laugh, and Nettie let him reach through the bars and grab her by the chin, jerking it up so he could look into her eyes. "Just a kiss."

Snarling, Nettie grabbed Welch's wrist and gave it a sharp twist, causing him to cried out in surprise and yank his arm back as he dropped the keys and shackles to the ground with a clatter. Then, she pushed the door forward with all her strength, letting it slam into Welch's face. The man gave a howl of pain, his good hand going to his nose as he glared at her, fire in his eyes as blood started to drip down his nose. "You little bitch -"

"Piss off," Nettie snapped, punching Welch in the nose before kicking him hard in the stomach. He stumbled backwards, and not being able to control his balance, he couldn't stop his head from hitting the wall with a 'crack'. Groaning painfully, Welch slid to the floor, seemingly unconscious.

Sliding her knife out of her boot, just in case Welch decided to wake up, Nettie knelt next to him and pushed his shoulder. He fell sideways to the floor without a sound. "Perfect," she muttered. She'd found a way to get out and gotten rid of Welch at the same time. Two birds with one stone.

About ten minutes later, Nettie shoved a none responsive Welch into the cell she once occupied, now only in his undergarments and cuffed with the very shackles he brought for her. Closing the door with a satisfied smirk, she looked herself over again. To get out, she had to blend with the other guards. So she had taken Welch's clothing. It was a good thing he was just a little taller than her. They might look a little baggy, but they would do till she found a rowboat and got out.

Adjusting the wig on her head - she wondered how could they wear these itchy things all the time - Nettie took a deep breath before turning towards the stairs that would lead to the deck.

No one noticed her as Nettie marched onto the deck, keeping her head high but the hat down keeping her face in the shadows. She kept a hand on her knife, which she had slipped into her sleeve, and tried to keep an eye on everyone without it being too obvious. At least it was dark, with only the stars and dim moon as her light, and if she was careful, no one would notice her scar. Fortunately, she'd had a lot of practice doing this short of thing. Jack got into a lot of trouble that forced her to sneak into places, even going as far to being forced to change her appearance, and break him out.

It was then that Nettie saw the Commodore's private quarters, which she had been in only a few hours ago. A guard was standing near it, meaning he was watching over someone. Could it be Jack? She'd have to find out, because if it was she had some questions to ask him.

The only problem was getting rid of that guard.

Strangely enough, it didn't take that much for her to get rid of the guard.

"Oi, you!" called out the guard, and Nettie forced herself not to stiffen. "Watch the Commodore's quarters for me while I go take a leak?"

"Sure," forced out Nettie in a low voice, so it sounded more like she was grumbling in protest. The guard then nodded at her before going off. "That was almost too perfect," she mumbled to herself as she went to the door, turning the key with the flick of her wrist and slipping inside after making sure no one was watching her.

It was more out of sheer and possibly dumb luck that the thick book thrown missed her head by a few inches and hit the wall with a loud 'thunk'. "Shit!" hissed Nettie as she leapt aside, and she felt her wig go askew. "What the bloody hell?"

"Nettie?" Elizabeth blinked before dropping the book she had in her other hand. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to escape, not get bloody murdered by books." Nettie frowned. "And what are you doing here, Swann? I thought you'd be... well... not here."

Huffing, Elizabeth plopped into a nearby chair - the same one that the Commodore had forced her to sit in earlier. "I tried to go along when they took Jack, but the Commodore insisted I stay behind. And then later, some of the men return, and Gillette tells me that Commodore Norrington has ordered for me locked in his quarters. "For my own safety," he said." She shook her head. "I tried to tell them that those pirates were cursed, but they didn't believe me."

"Some people don't listen to the truth until its staring them right in the face. Or maybe in this case, stabbing them with swords." Pulling off the wig and hat, Nettie sighed as she ran a hand through her own short hair. "Jack is gonna get himself killed," she muttered. "I gotta go after him. Somehow."

"You're going to go help him then?" said Elizabeth. When Nettie nodded, she stood up. "I want to help."

"Let me guess - Will?" Nettie couldn't help but laugh a little when Elizabeth's cheeks flushed a bright pink. "I hear you. I'm just not so sure though... Can you really be able to defend yourself?"

"I'm decent with a sword," Elizabeth answered. "And you have one at your side. And if not that one, there's some in here I can use."

Groaning, Nettie held her head in her hands. "I'm not sure how much that's gonna do against a bunch of pirates that can't be killed. But it doesn't look like I really have much of a choice." She lifted her head. "Do you have any idea on how we can get out of here without being seen?"

To that, Elizabeth grinned, and she waved a hand towards a nearby window. It was open, and hanging out of it was a rope made of torn sheets, which was tied to the nearby bed, which like most furniture, was nailed to the ground. "I was just about to leave when you arrived. There's a boat sitting underneath it."

"How in the world did you get a boat without anyone seeing you?" asked Nettie in amazement.

"I got it set up before I was locked up," said Elizabeth with a shrug of her shoulders. "Wasn't that hard, actually. Now are you coming?"

"Hell ya," said Nettie, smirking. "Just let me get out of this uniform. It's damn itchy," she said, scratching the side of her neck. She was really glad that she was still wearing her usual clothes underneath.

"How did you get that uniform, anyway?"

Nettie sighed. "I'd rather not talk about that..."

Not much later, Nettie and Elizabeth were in the rowboat, each taking an oar as they tried to reach the Black Pearl without alerting the Commodore and his men, or the pirates on board, since Elizabeth had decided the first thing to be done was rescue the others. But Nettie was preoccupied, and it seemed that Elizabeth noticed it.

"Is something wrong, Nettie?" asked Elizabeth, startling Nettie out of her thoughts so badly she jumped. "You seem... distracted. And we can't have you being that when we're about to fight some very nasty cursed pirates."

Her first reaction was to lie, like she usually did. But then Nettie sighed as she stopped rowing. "Swann, do you... do you think I'm pretty?"

Elizabeth blinked, pausing in her own rowing. "That's a rather strange question to ask..."

"Ugh, I knew it. Just forget I asked if you don't want to answer," Nettie said, trying to brush it off with a wave of her hand.

"...You really want me to answer truthfully?" Elizabeth gave a little sigh when Nettie nodded in answer. "I think you could look beautiful if you wore a dress once in awhile, or had longer hair. Or maybe didn't have that scar. But if you're pretty right now? You're... you're alright. Not bad looking, if that's what you're asking. Why are you asking?"

"I just... I just wonder why anyone would want to kiss a girl like me," answered Nettie slowly and in a mumble she hopes Elizabeth wouldn't understand. That question had been in her mind ever since Jack kissed her. Along with what felt like a million others, but that one was at the forefront of them all.

"Kiss you?" said Elizabeth, clearly excited. There went her hope. "Someone kissed you? That's wonderful, Nettie! It was Jack, wasn't it?"

"I-I didn't say that!" said Nettie with a bright pink blush spreading across her cheeks. "I never said it was Jack!"

"But it was Jack, wasn't it?"

Still blushing, Nettie took a moment before she nodded in answer. "Yes. He... he kissed me earlier. It was just a kiss, though, a peck."

"See, I knew it!" said Elizabeth happily. "And what did you do, mm? Did you kiss him back?"

"Well... I kind of slapped him," admitted Nettie with a wince. She regretted it already.

"Slapped him? You slapped the famous Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirate Lord of the Caribbean, over a kiss?" said Elizabeth with astonishment.

"What? Pirate Lord?" said Nettie with confusion. "When did that happen?"

"You didn't know?"

"No, he didn't tell me - as usual. Ugh, Jack, you have some explaining to do," grumbled Nettie. It seemed there was more he had to tell her.

"I don't understand," said Elizabeth with a frown. "I would think you'd be happy about a kiss from Jack. You do love him, right?"

"That's the thing," Nettie said quietly. "I don't really know if I love him or not. I have... feelings for him, I'll admit that. But love him? I just don't... I don't know."

"Ah," said Elizabeth with understanding. "And the slap? What was that?"

"'Cause I thought he was just trying to... you know." Nettie went on with another blush, and was glad when Elizabeth nodded so she could go on." I... I thought he was just using me. Like he used all those women in Tortuga," Nettie ended in a whisper. "Because earlier, he said... he said I was beautiful."

"Oh," was all Elizabeth said at first, and for awhile, the only sound was the slapping of waves against their rowboat. "He said you're beautiful?"

"Yes. And I thought he was lying, trying to make me feel better. And then, all of the sudden, he just..." Nettie shrugged. "Well, I've already told you that part."

"Nettie - have you ever thought that maybe he didn't kiss you because he wanted... well... sex?" Elizabeth said, choking a little on the last word. "Maybe he just kissed you because he wanted to?"

"And why would he want to do that?" asked Nettie in confusion.

"Maybe because he had feelings for you?"

"Feelings?" Nettie sputtered out. "For me? Not likely, Swann. He'd always liked those big chested women in Tortuga, not a flat girl like me. And I'm covered in scars, and have short hair, and, and..." She shook her head. "I'm not pretty," she said firmly.

Waiting a moment to answer, Elizabeth said softly, "Then did you ever think that maybe he likes you, not for your body, but for you?"

"What is there to like about me?" Nettie said frowned. "I'm more like a boy then a girl, I'd rather punch someone then talk about bloody feelings. I drink rum instead of tea." She could go on and on about how she was too much like a boy, and therefore not right for Jack. "And for all I know, I could be dumb as a rock crab!"

"Rock crab?"

"Don't ask," Nettie groaned. It was something she could have sworn one time, but when she tried to point it out to Jack, it was gone. "And I'm crazy! I already know that! You wouldn't believe the messed up history I have, and I don't even know how Jack can deal with me!"

Elizabeth had let her rant on for quite awhile before she stopped her with a wave of her hand. "Are you even listening to yourself?" she asked in a snap, making Nettie jump slight. "All you're doing is pointing out things you think are flaws! Maybe Jack likes those things about you! I can't see him settling with some girl from Tortuga, or even from Port Royal, who only care about their make-up and acting lady-like. I can see him being with you - a girl who can take care of herself! Who can defend herself from him and others with either a sharp tongue or knives! Who isn't afraid of going after treasure, or fighting cursed pirates. Who's smarter than she thinks! And who isn't afraid of going to the hangman's noose with him!"

Taking a deep breath after her own rant, Elizabeth went on in a much gentler tone. "And besides, do you really think you can live happily knowing the man you have feelings for is with another woman?"

"How can you say that when you're about to go and marry the Commodore even though you love Turner?" Nettie hissed back.

"I'm doing it because I love him!" Elizabeth cried out. "Do you really think I could live with himself, knowing that Will is going to be killed? I'd rather live the rest of my life with a man I don't love then watch my real love die at the hands of Barbossa. So it's not the same!" She glared at Nettie, who for once, flinched under her gaze. "And I still want an answer. Do you think you could live happily while Jack is with another woman?"

"...No, I wouldn't," admitted Nettie softly. She'd feel awful.

"Then I think you need to admit your feelings to Jack."

"But what if you're wrong?" Nettie ran a hand through her short hair. "What if he doesn't love me like you think?"

"I still think you should tell him anyway," answer Elizabeth. "I think he should know how you feel towards him."

"I think... I think... Bloody hell, I don't know what I think," Nettie forced out. "What if this ruins our relationship, the one we have now? I don't think I could lose that with only the hope that it becomes something... more. I just don't know..."

Elizabeth sighed. "Then maybe you should wait until you think the time is right."

"Yeah... Although I'm still gonna have to talk to him about being a Pirate Lord," Nettie said angrily as she picked up the oars again.

"...Rock crabs?"

"Ugh, just forget it!"