A/N- I know, I know . . . Queen of short chapters . . . but it's more suspenseful this way! Tee Hee . . . plus, I have to go watch "From Hell" now, so I can't do anymore at the moment . . . Savvy? Enjoy!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Savvy?" – speaking
*Savvy?* – thinking
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Will walked over to the door, "Why is it, no one knows how to knock properly anymore?"
He pulled open the door, and saw Roxanne hunched over on his doorstep, sobbing and mumbling incoherently.
"Roxanne! Are you alright? Come inside!" Will picked her up off of the ground, and pulled her inside as gently as he could.
She chocked on her words as she spoke them, "Will . . . father! P-Pirates . . . Help!"
Elizabeth rushed into the room at the sound of the ruckus, "Will, what in god's name is . . ." she saw Roxanne huddled against Will, "Roxanne! Good lord Will! What has happened?"
Will shook his head, "That is what I'd like to know, but, she's so distraught, I cannot make out what she's saying."
"I'll make some tea to calm her down," Elizabeth turned towards the kitchen, nearly knocking into Jack, "Pardon me Jack."
Jack vaguely noticed Elizabeth; his eyes fixed on Roxanne's shaking body, he knelt down next to her, "Luv? What t'is it that's be ailin' ye?"
Her response was only more pitiful sobs. Will gathered her in his arms and carried her to the sofa, where she laid, and sobbed softly into Will's chest. Elizabeth rushed back into the room, holding a cup of tea, "Here, Roxanne, drink this. It will calm you down."
Will pushed her up slowly, and Elizabeth handed her the cup. Roxanne brought it shakily to her lips, and took a long sip. She sat a few moments, and took some deep breaths. Jack leant against the doorway of the living room, and watched the scene quietly.
Will laid a hand on Roxanne's leg, "Alright, can you tell us what happened?"
Roxanne nodded and sniffled back more tears.
*God woman! Be strong, father didn't raise you this way! . . . f-father . . .*
"F-father, he's, he's . . ." she thrust out the crumple paper on the table, and clutched onto her knees tightly, rocking back and forth slowly.
Will reached out for the paper, but Jack beat him to it. His eyes scanned over the words, but what caught his interest the most, was the quickly drying "P" at the bottom. He looked from Roxanne to Will, to Elizabeth, and then his gaze set back on Roxanne. He dropped the paper back on the table in his haste to make his way over to her, "Luv, is wha' I'm readin', is yer fatha' . . ."
His words trailed off when he saw more tears stinging her eyes, he knelt down next to her and said in a hushed voice, "Luv, yer not safe here."
Elizabeth picked up the note off the table and gasped, "Pirates! Oh god! Roxanne, did they hurt you?"
"N-no . . . they didn't hurt me," she stared up at Elizabeth, and stifled a cry, Elizabeth looked so much like her mother when she was worried, "B-but father! The note, it was . . . it was . . ."
Jack set a hand over hers, "I can finish luv."
He straightened up and, furrowed his brow a moment, trying to articulate the words properly, "Wha' we 'ave 'ere, is some bloody impatient pirates wantin' their debts paid up. Lemme ask ye Roxanne . . . the place was in a ruins, Aye?"
Roxanne nodded her head slowly.
"An', all of th' money gone, Aye?" he began pacing slowly.
She nodded again. Jack pursed his lips a moment before continuing, "An', yer fatha . . ." he heard her trying to stifle back her cries, "Ye found th' note . . . attached to yer fatha . . . wit' a dagger, Aye?"
He took her broken sobs as a yes. Elizabeth gasped, and Will's eyes nearly popped. Jack ruffled through his pockets and pulled out a small bottle of Rum, "If eva' there was a time t' drink . . ."
Elizabeth snatched the bottle, "This would not be it!"
Jack was so surprised about her outburst; he backed up, only to trip over a sitting stool, "Bloody 'ell woman! Couldn' ye 'ave been a bit gentler?"
Elizabeth glared at him, turned about abruptly, and marched off into the kitchen with his Rum, no doubt going to hide it. Jack shook his head, and sat on the floor, brooding over his lost Rum. Roxanne looked around, and sighed.
*What am I going to do? I-I'm all alone now! With the store in ruins, and f-father gone . . .*
She let a few more tears escape before she quickly brushed them away; she hated to cry. Will looked up, and noticed Elizabeth wasn't back yet, "Roxanne, would you be so kind as to let me up? I must go see what is taking Elizabeth."
"Oh, of course Will." Roxanne replied, in a cracked shaky voice.
*Dammit! I even sound pathetic!*
Roxanne slid away from Will, allowing him enough room to get up. Will stood, brushed his clothing a bit, and then walked out of the room, in search of Elizabeth. Roxanne slid back against the cushions and closed her eyes, trying to block out the memories.
*Pirates! God father . . . why did you have to have debts with pirates?! . . . I hate pirates, I hate pirates . . .*
Roxanne hissed under her breath hoarsely, "I hate pirates!"
"Not all of us?"
Roxanne jumped at the soft whisper so close to her ear. She opened her eyes to see Jack sitting in front of the sofa, grinning at her. As horrible Roxanne felt inside, nothing could stop her from smiling back at Jack, "No, I suppose I don't hate all of you."
"Well thas good," he grinned again, leaning closer to her, "Now luv, I've got a proposition fer ye."
Roxanne raised an eyebrow at his comment, "A proposition? And what would that be?"
Jack rested his arm on the edge of the sofa, "Well luv . . . ye must 'ave thought about it . . . yer not safe 'ere. Them blokes that went afta' yer fatha' . . . Yer next."
Roxanne took in a sharp intake of breath, "I-I know . . . but I don't know what to do . . ."
Jack grinned, "Lucky fer ye, I do!"
Roxanne grabbed his arm, "What do I do?!"
"Calm down luv," he pried her hand away from his arm, and took it in his hand, "Yer commin' wit' me."
Roxanne's eyes widened sufficiently at his comment, "With . . . with you?"
Jack nodded, "Aye."
"And where is it I would be going with you?" She raised an eyebrow at him.
Jack brought a hand to his chest, "Why, aboard the Pearl o' course!"
A very large scream bubbled into the conversation, "WHAAAAT?!"