A/N Thanks for the reviews, here is the long awaited chapter. Hope Jack's motives have become clear.

Chapter Thirty Three.

"Me?" I stuttered. I felt Gibbs on my right, staggering in surprise. He was about to protest but was stopped by a rather piercing look from Jack.

"Me?" I repeated, almost begging him to deny it, to tell me it had all been a joke. Why would he send me away? I certainly wasn't ready to take over captaincy of a vessel, I'd be overthrown and mutinied within ten minutes. Jack knew that, he didn't have his head in the clouds on that respect, he knew what I was, what I could do, and what was beyond my skill range.

Jack nodded, but did not supply me with an explanation for his choice.

"Why?" I dared to ask.

He shrugged. "You're the only one I'd trust wit' 'er." He said, calmly. And with a gentle smirk, he walked away, shouting orders to a few of the fisher lads who were helping reload the Pearl. I felt Gibbs staring at me, and turned away. I was in no mood to answer his questions. Instead I chased Jack like the puppy I am, barking and running around his heels.

"Jack, if you leave me in charge of the 'Fantasma' it will sink!" I insisted.

"He stared at me in surprise, eyebrows raised.

"Jack, I can't take control over a vessel like that, not only will the crew completely ignore me, I'd miss you too much. I can't go, but I'll help you find a good captain."

"You're goin' Dora."

"What? I don't even get a choice in the matter?" I demanded. "Jack, Jack, look at me, look at me!" I said, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to face me.

"I know you like I know the back of my hand, so don't think you can get away with lying to me." I said, softly. "This is bullshit, Jack, and you know it."

He didn't offer a reply, so I filled up the silence for him.

"You're hoping the ship does sink, and that I die with it?" I accused him.

"Not quite, but ten outta ten for originality." He said, sarcastically. "Oy, you boy, you missed a box, now be very careful wit' this one, it's got me odds an' ends in." He called to one of the fisher boys.

My feet shuffled uncomfortably on the ground.

"Jack…"

"Look, I'm really busy now, Dora, we'll talk later." He took one last look at me and walked away. I'd never thought of Jack as a coward before, but in that moment he truly was a chicken. So for the rest of the day I wondered round Tortuga, trying to figure out what I had done wrong. I'd given Jack everything he'd ever asked for, I'd tried my hardest to please him, giving up my entire life for him. And what happened, he refused to give up one woman for me!

Surely he wasn't worth it then, I was best rid of him, I should take his poxy ship, leave and never return. There was just one problem, I loved him. I love him. And I wouldn't leave him without a fight. I hadn't shot Annamaria just to give up again at the next hurdle. Jack and I would come through this, stronger then we were before, because that's what couples did. Jack and I could work this out, surely he'd never let me go. He wouldn't sit back and watch me sail away over that horizon. All I had to do was play along, and he'd soon stop me. Jack loved me, I was sure of that. He'd wouldn't let me go through with it.

And so that night, I returned to the docks and found Gibbs. He shoved me a couple of shillings and told me to find a bed for the night.

"For two shillings, I'll be lucky if I get a drink let alone a room." I grumbled. But he gave me no more money, and I felt miserable having to rely on Gibbs' generosity.

"Where's Jack?" I asked, coldly.

Gibbs shrugged. "He went off bout an hour ago."

So I stumbled back through the streets of Tortuga and eventually found a bar that would take me for two shillings. The greasy haired woman cackled as I handed her the shillings and her husband's roving eyes looked over my body. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well that night, and my eyes stayed fixed on the door. It was certainly a house of ill repute, and the noises from the other rooms scared me witless, as my arms reached out for Jack.

The next morning I clambered down the stairs eager to leave the place. The bar was still as grubby as ever, but my footsteps stopped at the sight of a naval officer by the reception area. He was about medium build with dark brownish hair. And even from the back I recognised him, even after all those years. It was Roberto. I wanted to move backwards, up the stairs, but my feet wouldn't let me. My brain screamed run, but my legs failed to comply and I was glued to the spot. Then the officer turned round to face me. I gasped, and he stared at me for a few moments, with a rather crooked smile.

"Can I help you miss?"

My heart thudded in my chest, it wasn't Roberto at all, his eyes were different, his voice was too low, and his hair too dark. It had all been my imagination.

I shook my head, quickly.

"Oh, she's not one o' ours." The haggard witch said, shrilly. "No, we's got a much better selection o' girls for you, sir."

I took that as a sign to leave, and shakily slipped through the bar and out into the open air. As I walked to the docks, I chided myself bitterly for my stupidity. What would Roberto be doing in Tortuga? Especially in a grotty, dingy little pub like that. No, he was a commodore, he wouldn't be seen dead in a place like that. But come to think about it, what was a navy officer doing there? Damned hypocrites, the lot of them, I thought, just as I reached the harbour. We were due to set sail that day, and I was to take over captaincy of the Fantasma. Well, until Jack stepped in at the last minute and saved me, as I knew he would.

I stood on the dock side, watching the 'Fantasma' as it bobbed just off shore. There was some activity going on onboard, I could just make the tiny figures of Jack's crew as they started to replenish the food and water supplies. The Black Pearl was not far off, dominating the bay. It stood so proudly on the waves, it floated so majestically, that I could hardly bare to take my eyes away from her. But I had too.

There was a hive of activity on the Pearl, far more then on the 'Fantasma', it was preparing to sail.

My shoulder was touched gently, causing me to start in alarm. I turned round and came face to face with a flamboyant Jack once more.

"Jack?!" I exclaimed.

He smiled, apologetically.

I turned away and stared at the sand. His hand, to my surprise, remained on my shoulder.

"I'm gonna miss you Dora." He said, softly.

I nodded, but didn't turn to face him, I couldn't. "Me too." One, two, three…he'd have to change his mind soon, I thought.

"But there's no other way." He reminded me.

"I could go home to Roberto and Bobbie. I could go home to my family, I should, I should go home." I told him.

He shook his head, and pulled me round to face him. "Dora. . ."

"I know, I know, they're not my family any more, because I chose you instead of them."

"That's not what I was gonna say." He said, with a glint of his gold teeth.

"No? What were you gonna say?" You were going to ask me to stay, you were going to apologise.

"You couldn't go back to that, even if yer wanted too. Look the 'Fantasma' is yours, take 'er an' look after 'er."

I nodded. "You've taught me well, Jack."

"Aye, I'm sure you'll make a great captain, plus you won't be stoppin' at every port to pick up a whore or two."

I smiled, it was the first time I had smiled since I had learnt my fate. "I wish it didn't have to come to this."

He looked down to avoid my avid gaze, mumbling something that sounded oddly like 'I'm sorry'.

"But we were good together, weren't we Jack?" I begged him. "We had some good times?" It was a question, and I was searching for an affirmative answer, I needed some assurance that Jack had actually cared.

He grabbed my shoulders and stared intently into my watering eyes. "Course we did." He slurred, as one hand reached up to wipe a tear away.

"I love you, Jack." I said, biting my lip, and turning away, trying to sniff the tears back up to my face.

He shook his head. "Don't part like this, Dora. I want to remember you smilin'."

"How can I smile when you have made me miserable?" I demanded, pushing him away angrily. I turned and started to walk away, hiding my face in my once soft hands. When I had told him 'I love you', I had expected him to reply the same, and beg me to stay, to tell me that I didn't have to go, to throw his arms around me, and promise never to leave me. But he did nothing but make a stupid remark that just reiterated that I had to leave. I hated him for laughing at me.

He didn't reply, or chase after me, he just let me go.

"It won't be for long." He said, softly.

"You're sending me away, because you can't bear to look at me." I accused.

He shook his head, as he walked slowly towards me. "Because I need to think, that's all. Besides it will be good experience for you."

I sniffed up a laugh.

"We'll be back here in fourteen days."

"Jack, I can't manage a vessel on my own, not even one the size of the 'Fantasma'. Give the job to someone else, because I'm not interested."

"What? You're gonna stay 'ere in Tortuga, become a hooker, let men use you?"

"You used me, and now you've had enough, you're casting me aside. Well, I don't care what happens any more, Jack, I really don't care."

"Now who's bullshitting?" He asked. "Look Dora, you'll make a great Captain, savvy?"

"I did what I did because I love you, and I hope one day you can find it in you to forgive me." I said, softly, as I walked away.

He wasn't going to ask me to stay, he wasn't going to change his mind. He wanted me to go, because it made it easier for him not to see me, not to have to look at me. I was rowed out to the Fantasma, and the crew were getting ready to sail. It was a test run, Jack had explained, to see how well she fared in the open seas. We were to meet up with the Pearl again in Tortuga, in just fourteen days. But for some reason, as we began to pull away from the docks, my heart sank, I never expected to see Jack again.

A/N Okay, I don't like this chapter, because not much happens! But I'd love to hear what you guys think?