Disclaimer: Still don't own it (damn it). I wish that I did.

AN: I got three reviews for my first two chapters! THREE! I'm so happy! A big "thank you" to those who reviewed! I'll love you forever! Oh, and I'm really leaning toward a Jack/OC romance because.well, it's Jack, need I say more? (I doubt it!) Also, I've only seen the movie twice, so forgive me if it doesn't go exactly to movie script, okay? Besides it's an alternate universe!

Okay, on with the story!

Chapter 3: The Real Story Begins:

Four years had passed since that night on the beach, and Lara couldn't be happier. Her friendships with Will and Elizabeth were still growing strong, and Lara would do anything for them (which was good, especially when Elizabeth tended to sneak food in the middle of the night, or go for secret overnight talks with Lara when she was supposed to be in bed).

One morning, after one of her midnight talks with Elizabeth, Lara was awakened by pounding knocks on her door, followed by a somewhat pale and barely breathing maid.

"Miss Lara, you should have awakened an hour ago! Your presence is needed in Miss Swann's room at once!"

Lara immediately leapt out of bed and quickly reached for her favorite blue dress. The maid stopped her before she put it on.

"I'm sorry, miss, but not today. They are promoting Captain Norrington to Commodore today, and the Governor sent a dress for you to wear," she pointed to a crème and white dress at the end of the bed, "and when you are done, you are to help Miss Swann dress."

"Very well." Lara sighed as the maid left the room. She had never liked Norrington; he always made her feel insignificant in front of Elizabeth. She was glad that Elizabeth was willing to stand up for her and get Norrington to treat her decently (though only when Elizabeth was around). Lara slipped into her gown and went into Elizabeth's room, where her father was babbling on about how wonderful Norrington was. She slipped behind the dressing screen, only to find two maids fastening some sort of bodice on Elizabeth, who looked like she couldn't breathe.

"Lizzie," Lara whispered so the Governor couldn't hear, "what is that thing? It looks terrible!"

"It is," Elizabeth gasped as the strings were pulled tighter. "It's called a corset, and father bought it because all of the women in England wear them!" She gasped again as the strings were pulled even tighter than before. "He says they're fashionable!" By now she looked like she could barely breathe.

Lara shook her head at the idea, and helped her friend into her new dress. She then did up Elizabeth's hair, placed a hat on her head to keep the Caribbean sun off, and sent her downstairs, saying that she had forgotten something. When Elizabeth had left, Lara quickly began checking her pockets for things to help Elizabeth, grabbed a shawl from her room, and raced downstairs, only to bump into Will.

"Lara! How are you?" he asked, though his voice seemed strained.

"Will! Oh, I'm fine, but I'm running late for Norrington's promotion," she explained. "I'll see you soon!" She raced to the waiting carriage, and jumped in, settling down beside Elizabeth just as the carriage began to move. She looked out the window and saw Will mouth Elizabeth's name, smiling at the thought of the two of them getting together.

"What are you smiling about, Lara?" asked Elizabeth.

"Oh, nothing," Lara smirked.

Norrington's promotion was quite possibly the most boring thing Lara had ever seen. The soldiers marching in sync was impressive, but that was about it. Meanwhile, Lara was making sure that Elizabeth didn't fall over from boredom, so she whispered jokes, trying to keep Elizabeth amused. Norrington looked over and saw Elizabeth smiling at one of Lara's jokes, and smiled back, seeming to think that she was smiling at him. Lara ducked behind her friend and rolled her eyes at the thought of Norrington liking Elizabeth; the idea made her insides churn.

After the ceremony, Norrington asked for a private word with Elizabeth. Lara didn't like leaving her alone with him, but she couldn't say 'no' to a man of a higher position than her. She watched the two walk toward the edge of the cliff, and had turned her back for only a moment before she heard a 'splash' and Norrington crying Elizabeth's name. Lara immediately raced to the edge, where several soldiers were crowded around Norrington, preventing him from jumping in. Lara looked to her left and saw a man wearing a red bandana jump off the nearby docks and swim toward where Elizabeth had fallen, then drag her unconscious friend toward the docks. Lara raced down to help.

Arriving at the docks, she saw the man cut off the dreadful corset. Lara sped to Elizabeth's side. The man in the bandana looked at her quickly, then did a double take, staring intently at her. Lara met his dark brown, kohl lined eyes with her own dark brown eyes, and smiled a 'thank you' before reaching for some smelling salts and reviving Elizabeth. The response was typical, with her coughing up water and clinging to Lara, who helped her to her feet.

"What else do ya have in tha' dress?" the man asked, looking her up and down.

Lara looked at him in surprise. "Everything a lady needs and nothing that you want."

The man smirked. "I wouldn't too sure of that."

Lara rolled her eyes. "Anyway, thank you very much for saving her. She means a great deal to me, Mister..."

"Uh, Smith, or Smithy to my friends," he replied, reaching for her hand and kissing it. "And it's always a pleasure helpin' a lady."

Lara smiled. "I'm no lady, I just work for one."

By this time Norrington, the Governor, and his soldiers had reached the docks. The Governor grabbed Elizabeth in a tremendous hug, and the newly dubbed Commodore glared at Mr. Smith. He then grabbed "Mr. Smith's" hand, and pulled up his sleeve.

"Well, well...Jack Sparrow. Gillette, clap him in irons!" The order was quickly carried out, with Elizabeth protesting throughout the whole thing.

Following behind a protesting Elizabeth, Lara couldn't believe her luck. Captain Jack Sparrow, her favorite pirate, was here in front of her and had just saved her friend! She had so many questions, but she doubted that the Commodore would like her asking them. Suddenly, before Lara could blink, she was grabbed by Jack and held hostage.

"No!" cried Elizabeth. "Let her go!"

"Not before I get my effects!" he said. "And my hat!" he added. Lara looked and saw two officers holding his effects.'

"Give them to..." He stopped when he realized he didn't know her name. "What's your name, luv?" he whispered.

"Lara...Lara Storm," she whispered back, both frightened and thrilled to be next to her favorite pirate.

"Miss Storm," he said aloud. The guards handed her his possessions. "Now, me bonny lass," he continued, "If you would be so kind." He stood still as she placed his belt on him, smilingwhen he sawher blushing at having to 'dress' him. "Easy on the goods, darling," he said, watching her blush even redder. "Like what you see?" he whispered, winking at her. She blushed even redder, and he smirked before winking at her again. Her jaw dropped before he suddenly grabbed her and turned her toward the guards.

"Gentlemen, lady, and," he looked at her, "fair lass, you will always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow!" He shoved Lara at the Governor.

The last several hours were a blur for Lara as the Governor rushed the two of them back to the mansion. The next thing she knew, she was in her room, being tended to by several maids who fluttered around, saying how terrible it was to be held by such a terrible and wanted pirate!

After they had left, Lara snuck over to Elizabeth's room, wanting to check on her. They smiled at each other.

"Are you alright, Lizzie?" Lara asked. "That was quite a stunt you pulled, though I would have done it better." She grinned.

Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at her. "Funny, Lara. Besides, I thought it was a rather good stunt! Not to mention getting out of that proposal Norrington was making to me."

"Proposal? Norrington proposed to you? What did you say?"

"Nothing, I was too busy drowning," Elizabeth replied.

"Well, what would you have said if you hadn't fallen?"

Elizabeth's answer was cut short by the blasting of cannons coming from the port. Lara raced to the window to find a tall, black ship blasting the hell out of the town.

"Lizzie, the town is under attack!" she cried. Pounding could be heard from downstairs. People were in the house! Elizabeth leapt out of bed and grabbed Lara by the shoulders.

"Lara, you have to get out of here!"

"Lizzie, they're after you, you're the Governor's daughter! They'll want to ransom you off! I can't leave you!"

"Lara, I know I rarely do this, but I'm ordering you to get out now. If it's me they want, that's what they'll get. I don't want you hurt!" With those final words, Elizabeth shoved Lara into a secret passage in the wall of her room, and locked the entrance behind her.

Not knowing what to do, Lara immediately raced toward town. Maybe Will would know what to do!

Hours later, Lara was still weaving through the destroyed streets of Port Royal. With so much destruction, Lara had a hard time trying to find her way to the blacksmith's shop. When she got there, she saw an unconscious Will lying in the street and raced toward him.

"Will! Will, are you alright?" she cried while shaking him.

"I will be if you stop shaking me!" he groaned.

"Will, we have to do something! They've taken Elizabeth!"

"What?"

Obviously Will had been hit on the head. When it came to Elizabeth, his reaction was usually much more dramatic than that. Lara sighed.

"Pirates...have...taken...Elizabeth..." she said slowly, hoping Will would catch on. It worked.

Will sat straight up. "You're right! I saw them with her, heading toward their ship! We have to find the Governor at once and tell him!" He grabbed Lara by the arm.

"Uh, Will?"

"What?"

"As much as I'd like to rush over there, I'm not appropriately dressed. I'm in my nightgown.do you have any clothes I could borrow?" she asked. They both looked at her attire. Will smiled.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Everything I have is too big for you, but you still have some spare gowns at my place remember? In case you got dirty practicing your sword fighting techniques with me?"

The two went inside where Lara quickly changed her clothes in his room, while Will shouted through the door the story about fighting with a man named Sparrow after learning that he had threatened her. Lara was touched by Will being so protective of her and thanked him.

"How did you know he threatened me?" she asked, coming out of the bedroom.

"Word travels fast, remember?" They headed outside.

"But you fought Captain Jack Sparrow and lived, Will!" she exclaimed. "He's a wanted man, and he's known for his fighting skills and his ability to escape from punishments."

"Not this time," said Will. "Norrington has him locked up in the jail."

Lara was shocked. "Well, let's go see him! He can tell us how to rescue Elizabeth! After all, he is a pirate."

Will gave it some thought. "We should see the Governor first. He might have a plan."

"Will, as much as I love the Governor like my own father, he is a bit.dense when it comes to really important things. I doubt that he'll want us to barge out to sea and rescue Lizzie. And don't you dare mention Norrington because he'll just follow British Royal Procedure and not do anything dramatic."

Will opened his mouth to deny it, but he knew she was right. The Governor and Norrington wouldn't help, so they would just have to do things on their own. He sighed and nodded.

"Alright, let's go talk to Sparrow and see what he can do to help us."

The two headed toward the jail and Captain Jack Sparrow.


That's it for now! Please review! It keeps the story flowing in my head!