"The Return"

AUTHOR: Melissa (otherwise know as, JohnnyDee)

RATING: PG-13 for later chapters.

EMAIL: melismelli_101_@hotmail.com

DISCLAIMER: I do not own POTC, blah, blah, blah.

TIMELINE: A year after the end of POTC.

DISTRIBUTION: johnnydeppzone.com, fanfiction.net, and other sites.

CHAPTER: 5.Eavesdroppers

Charlotte shook herself from her reverie as she turned from the farewell

scene of the life she once knew. She did not have to think about that anymore. Her new

life was ahead of her, waiting for her to enter it. In fact, her parents probably did not even

give care that she had left. Charlotte only wished that she could have seen the look on

their faces when they realized that she and the rowboat where gone. She chuckled softly

to herself when someone tapped her shoulder.

Charlotte quickly turned to see a boy, around her age, staring back at her.

"Well, it seems like we've got a new mate on board. Your name, miss?" he questioned as

he looked deeply into her chestnut brown eyes. Charlotte, somewhat startled and

embarrassed, recovered from her humility and replied, "Charlotte. Yours?" She batted her

eyelashes with this and lightly swung her hair. She had her fair experience of wooing the

teenage boys in the town, though most were so goggle eyed, they never said anything.

He paused, as if reflecting upon what she said. Charlotte took this time to

notice hi physical features. He had a strong build; he stood tall and was three of four

inches taller than her. He had soft blue eyes with sun-streaked dirty blonde hair that

tousled at the slightest breeze. The sun had tanned his skin and gave him a swarthy,

pirate-like appearance. Obviously, he noticed her roaming eyes as he quickly responded,

"Charles." He outstretched his hand and Charlotte took, feeling a connection between

him and her.

Their eyes locked for a moment until he broke the contact. "Are you

chartering passage?" She lightly laughed at this and replied, "Oh, no. In fact." she added

with a twinkle in her eye, "I happen to be running away." Charles seemed somewhat

appalled at this and questioned, "A well, respectable girl like you, running away from

home? I don't believe a word!" Charlotte laughed. His voice had such a smooth

continuation to it. It drawled on, like the lapping of water and was so appeasing to her

ears.

"I wanted to get away from my caged up life. I wanted to see the world, be

on my own," Charlotte said dreamily. Charles laughed again and replied, "Well, miss.

There's one thing in common between us." Charlotte looked at reprovingly and said,

"Now Charles, please call me Charlotte." Again, she batted her eyelashes and stared back

at him, catching eye contact. Charlotte loved this; it was like a game to her, a chase of cat

and mouse.

She walked off, leaving him standing there, wondering about this beauty

that just came into his life. Meanwhile.Jack had been listening in on the whole

conversation. As he saw Charlotte coming his way, he jumped out in front of her and

drawled slowly, "So, I see you've found yourself a little friend, eh?" Charlotte stopped

with her hands on her hips, "Mr. Sparrow." Jack who waved his hand nonchalantly and

said, "Captain.Sparrow, quickly cut her off. "Captain," adding extra emphasis on the

Captain.

Charlotte glared at him and said, "All right, Captain. First of all, I would

greatly appreciate it if you would stop eavesdropping on my conversations. Secondly, he

is not my friend. I was simply making conversation with him." She jutted her chin out in

defiance, hoping she had won him over. Unfortunately, her hopes were dashed when he

replied, "Well, young missy. Do not consider me an eavesdropper yet. Eavesdroppers

often hear highly entertaining things, that of which, I did not. Secondly, if you haven't by

chance made yourself a friend, what was with all of this." Jack, doing the best he could,

batted his eyelashes and twirled his long dreds that fell on his shoulders.

Not ready to let him win, Charlotte had an idea. She clasped her hands

behind her back and looked up into Jacks' eyes, sticking out her lower lip, giving him her

best puppy face. "Captain Sparrow, you're breaking my heart," Charlotte said

coquettishly. Jack stared for a while and replied, "All right miss, you get your way."

Charlotte smiled a smile that would make the cows come home, but Jack was still not

satisfied. "But.I need to know something. Are ye parents going to be looking for their

little gem. If so, I'll be not taking ye any further. I have enough bloody Englishmen

hunting me each day," Jack said twirling his beard.

Charlotte looked him back in the eye and replied, "You have nothing to

worry you're little head about, Mr. Sparrow." She left him leaning against the mast

walking towards the bow of the ship. Jack quickly turned on his heel and stumbled after

her as he yelled, "Captain, its Captain!"

************************************************************************

Will paced the room, waiting for Elizabeth to wake. It wasn't like to faint,

but under the circumstances, he was surprised he didn't do so himself. It seemed like just

yesterday that he held Charlotte in his hands; the way she looked up at him with those

little blue eyes that soon turned brown, the way her tiny fingers grabbed at his chin. Yet

here he was, pacing his bedroom wondering why that same girl just ran away on a boat,

most of all, with Jack Sparrow. He clenched his fists in anger when he heard Elizabeth

stir. Will rushed to her side and picked up her hand. "Elizabeth, are you awake?" he called,

feeling like he was talking to nothing. Elizabeth fluttered her eyelids as they slowly

opened, scanning the room and Will. "What-What happened.where's?" Will slowly

lifted her up into his arms and cradled her against his heart. "Everything will be okay, I

promise. We'll find her soon, if it's that last thing I do," Will whispered, burying his head

in her hair, trying to hide from all that was happening.

Elizabeth clenched his shirt in her hands as she muttered in between sobs,

"How could-how could she do this to us?" Will held her closer as he replied, "I don't

know." Will tried to think of how to calm Elizabeth down. "Just think, she's in the hands

of Jack!" Elizabeth sniffled at Will's attempt of humor to the situation. She wrapped her

arms around his neck and inhaled the scent of his shirt. "What will we do?" she asked,

sniffling again. Will closed his eyes and said, "Whatever we can."

NOTE: Sorry this is taking forever. I have to lead you up to the MOST important part in

the story, when you find out who's who!! Thanks for all of the replies!