"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: 13 years after POTC.

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

CHAPTER: 17.

Catherine's eyelids fluttered open as she lowly pulled herself up, trying

not to make a sound. As she looked around, no one else appeared to be awake but her.

This was the way she liked, she thought to herself. According to the window, it wasn't

even dawn yet. Shifting around to a more comfortable position, she sat up and looked

down at her hands. Now she would have some time to think about things and what had

been going on in her life recently.

It seemed just yesterday that she and her Father went out and collected

large bundles of pineapples. They would sit out on the beach and eat them with their

hands, laughing and watching as the tide swept over the tips of their toes. It was then that

the winds changed and brought a mysterious ship, one that had large looming sails. That

night, her father told her to go down into the cellar. She obeyed and listened as Father

began talking to what sounded like a girl.

She stayed then tight in the cellar, trying to keep quiet. Never had anyone

visited them on the island. Catherine had only hoped it was a visit though. Father had

told her that some men were looking for her and that they had to keep isolated, away

from anyone that might give them away.

The next morning, she remembered hearing someone pry open the door of

the shack. Just after her Father had left. Staying as still as a mouse, she watched as puffs

of dirt came out from the planks of wood as someone walked above her. She heard voices

as more men piled into the shack. "Here poppet! We know you're in here!" one of them

called as she shrank into the shadows of the cellar. "Come out, come out. Or we'll come

get you."

Catherine waited, holding her breath, as someone walked stood directly

over the cellar, blocking out all light. All that she could remember next. ,were the many

hands that pulled her out of cellar, binding her hands as they placed a gag in her mouth.

They led her out the door where he met her Father and another girl. They bound and

gagged them as well, and led them out to some boats, were they rowed to a larger ship;

apparently belong to the British Navy.

It was here that she was introduced to her Aunt and cousin, whom she had

never met. She didn't really like the daughter, Charlotte. She was the talking type, which

was something Catherine didn't not like. Catherine liked keeping to herself, always

thinking before she did or sad anything. She was able to observe others and things this

way, and she did a good job at it. Since she was so trained in this skill, she was able to

observe certain things about this Sparrow character.

He was obviously a man of cleverness. He really was able to trick your

mind, whether you knew it or not. He could make you think one thing, so you did

something else, where it should have been the other way around. Jack certainly was a

good a judge of others, though he didn't judge himself that well.

Being a true pirate, he seemed to stagger about, and had a wonderful

interest in rum, as she found out last night. He was skilled with the sword, or so she had

heard, and always kept a sharp eye out, never letting himself wander. If there was

anything Catherine observed, it was that she needed to get to know this Jack Sparrow

much better.

Awaking from her thoughts, Catherine watched as the Charlotte girl woke

up. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, looking around when she saw Catherine. "Oh, hello!"

she said, not finding much interest. " 'ello," Catherine said dully. "Is it true that those

men want you as a blood sacrifice?" Charlotte said, leaning forward, eager for

Catherine's answer. "I suppose." Catherine said, looking at the ground. "How does that

make you feel, are you scared?" Lookin up at the girl she simply said, "No." Charlotte

lost interest as she turned back to her half-eaten apple and began to finish, staring at Jack

who kept rolling over and mumbling to himself.

Everyone was soon awake, mainly due to Jack who managed to get on the

other side of the room, though no one knew quite why. As Elizabeth woke up to Jack at

her feet, she kicked him in the gut, which sprang a yell form Jack who immediately rose.

"I swear.I didn't kill 'im!" he mumbled, his eyes still half-closed. Raising her

eyebrows, Elizabeth watched in disgust as Jack tried to stand up, only falling back down

again. He rubbed his head as he muttered, "Bloody headache." Will awoke too as he

pulled Elizabeth out of his arms, stretching out his arms.

Jack soon managed to fully wake up as Bill came over to the couple and

sat down next to Will. "So, do ye' all want to hear how ol' Bootstrap Bill Turner

managed to escape near and almost sudden death?" Will smiled as he pulled Elizabeth

closer. Jack scurried over and planted himself next to Charlotte, who could only groan

about hearing this story 'a million times already.' It was Catherine who remained in the

corner, watching the others as she thought about the mysterious man with the dark brown

eyes.

* * *

Shaking his head, Will whispered, "I still can't believe all of this. How can

you know for sure Catherine is what Barbossa really wants." Scratching his brow, Bill

said, "Well, it be that conversation that gave me reassurance. How else would he have

known though that Catherine was in the cellar? It would be his senses that be leading him

to her, or instinct." "Still," Will said as he thought about this. "It just does not all add up.

Why would he want another chance? What is it that he wants more than his very soul?"

Shaking his head, Bill said, "I don't know son. But we'll find out." Jack,

still having repercussions from his 'few drinks' of last night, joined in on the

conversation. "Well, if ye' ask me, it seems that we should be thinking of our escape

plan. I have some ideas, but." Bill laughed as he said, "Jack, ye be the same. Still

thinking ahead, always having a plan."

"Well, that be the way I work, mate. I always have, I always will."

Smiling, Bill laughed again as Elizabeth spoke up. "Do you have any ideas Catherine?"

Elizabeth felt sorry for the poor soul. She'd been tormented all her life, and now she was

in danger of dying. The girl looked up, only to shake her head. Jack turned towards her.

"Why the long face, love?" The girl raised her head again and watched Jack in

amusement. "It's not like ye'll be dying' on us. Ol' Jack here always has a few tricks up

his sleeve!" Lightly laughing, Catherine still said nothing as the others continued on in

conversation.

The rest of day wore on, yet only once, a few men came to the cell and

threw scraps off food beneath the bars. The rest shared while Catherine refused to eat

anything, despite the effort of Bill and Elizabeth. Darkness soon came and the wax on the

candle melted away, leaving only a small trail of smoke behind. All talk had died down,

except for Jack, Bill and Will, who had been conferring about Barbossa and his plan.

Charlotte had fallen asleep while Elizabeth sat next to her, playing with

her daughter's hair. Catherine was able to tell that Elizabeth was a good woman. A

woman who had been through a lot and knew what her daughter need best. It was sad that

her daughter did not realize this. All calamity of the cell was broken when the familiar

sound of footsteps came from the deck above. Clunk-clunk-clunk-clunk. Down the

wooden stair's they came, until the sound soon ended at the hall. The room was darkened

as Barbossa and three other men came in. Throwing a collection of keys at the men,

Barbossa said, "Bring 'em up. All of 'em!"

Barbossa walked back up the steps as the three men opened up the cell

door and were joined by five others who handled of the of the captives, leading them up

the stairs. Will tried to struggled out of the man's death-tight grip on his arm as he hissed

in Jack's ear, "Your escape plan would come handy now!" Jack turned to Will with a

non-reassuring smile as he nervously laughed. "Ummmmm..right!"