Ch. 8 – Just a Nightmare
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"Luv, luv!" Jack gave Elizabeth a good shake, causing the girl's eyes to flutter open immediately. "Tis just a nightmare is all!" Elizabeth took a shaky breath, nodding as she sat up slowly.
"Nightmare. Right. J…Jack, what are you doing in here?" Her eyes went huge before shrinking back to normal size as Jack ran a hand through her hair.
"Ye were screamin'! I came t'see who was attackin' ye…none but a dream, luv." He sat down on the bed beside her, pulling her close in a gentle hug. "Nothin's happenin'…ye'r safe here, aboard the Pearl, and none of yer nightmares are true. A'right?" Elizabeth smiled a bit, nodding slightly.
"It…it just seemed so real, Jack. I was there…everything was happening right there in front of me! And….and they didn't even realize…"
"Shhhh…" Jack smoothed her hair a bit more. "What 'appened?"
"I…they…"
"Take yer time, luv." Elizabeth nodded.
"I wasn't there…but I could see everything… there was a woman… her ship had just reached Port Royale and a boy had brought a chest for her, saying it was a gift from her husband…" Jack listened attentively, still gently stroking Elizabeth's hair. "As the woman knelt to open the chest-" she suddenly stopped.
"Aye…?"
"The…the boy shot her! And then he apologized…" Elizabeth turned to Jack, her eyes laced with fear. "Jack, the woman looked like me. Or my mother." Jack sighed.
"Was only a dream, luv! B'sides, I have no plans to steer us in to Port Royale anytime soon. So ye'r safe 'ere wiff me." Elizabeth smiled slightly, but it quickly faded.
"But…but Jack… what if it really was my mother? Wh…what if it really happened?"
"Well then… what was your mother's name?"
"…what?"
"Her name, luv! I'll find out fer ye!"
"Jack…" she bit her lip, almost embarrassed. "I…I'd rather not." Jack blinked in confusion. "I'd just rather not know."
Jack nodded. "Well…er…I'll let ye get back to sleep, then." He smiled briefly before heading back on deck. "Bill!" he called out, causing a head to rise up from amidst the rigging. "I need a word!"
Bootstrap nodded, and Jack joined him in the crow's nest. "What troubles ye, Captain?" Jack sighed slightly.
"I know ye've met a great many people, Bootstrap. Elizabeth. She seem familiar to you?" Bootstrap nodded.
"Aye. Too familiar." Jack arched an eyebrow. "Her mother – it was her ship I jumped when I broke the gold piece."
"So…she…" Jack spoke slowly, putting things together.
"So her mother has one of the pieces." Jacks eyes swelled to the size of saucers.
"Well where is she now?!" Bootstrap shrugged.
"Hell if I know."
"We need that piece. If Norrington came all the way out to the middle of nowhere to get her, there's got to be a good reason why… and I bet ye it has to do wiff that piece." Bootstrap shook his head.
"Good luck, mate. If I knew where to take you, I would. But I've not got a clue, an' theres naught in it for me."
* * *
Some time later, Anamaria knocked lightly on Elizabeth's cabin door, poking her head in. "Anyone awake?
"Aye." Elizabeth looked up from her spot at the window momentarily before gazing back out at the sea. Anamaria quietly slipped in, taking a seat on the edge of the empty bed.
"Ye'r really worried about 'im, aye lass?" Elizabeth nodded.
"Aye… I've just got this horrible feeling that something's wrong… even though I don't know what."
"Ah… I know the feeling." A long pause. "But…one question for ye. Reason why I came, in fact." Elizabeth looked up. "That man on the beach… I've not seen ye so…violent, before!" Anamaria laughed as Elizabeth went slightly pink.
"Oh….I knew him was all…"
"Knew him?" Anamaria's eyes went wide, and Elizabeth blushed profusely.
"Not like that…! He was just Norrington's little crony, is all. His gillettte."
"Ah…"
"Yes." She nodded. "I never was too fond of the man. However, I didn't even notice it was him through his disguise until you had him crying mercy…"
Anamaria just grinned broadly. "We'll make a pirate out of ye yet, Lizzie. We'll make a pirate out of ye yet."