"What are you doin' mamma?"  A little six year old asked her mother who was standing on the beach, close to her house.  To the six year old girl, the woman looked like a tower, strong and fearless, never wavering in the wind.

          "Thinking pumpkin…thinking about what has been and what could've been."

          "Huh?"

          She looked down and smiled, "Nothing to worry about dear.  Just promise me that you won't sell yourself short with what you can have."

          "Momma I don't understand…"

          The woman paused, "Don't settle for less than the best."

          Elizabeth suddenly bolted up in bed.  She looked around her room and remembered she was on Antonio's ship.  The dream she had just woken up from was one of the many memories she had of her mother.  Sense she had only died three years ago, Elizabeth had quite a few stored in her head, those memories were more precious to her than anything, but now she was starting to doubt her mother and their life together.

          Everything that Antonio had said this morning was getting to her all day.  But the thing was that he wouldn't give her anymore information about her mother and what he knew about her.  So she had all these questions but no one to answer them.  But she wasn't so sure that she wanted Antonio to answer them.  He seemed fine expect for the fact of his peg-leg dog that followed him around and made a 'plinking' sound every time he walked, and for the fact that his eyes seemed to always be on Elizabeth- giving her a soft expression.  Not quite creeping her out, but giving her shivers down her back, like she was supposed to be someone else, or she reminded him of someone else.

          The sudden talk of her mother had generated dreams and memories of her mother.  Her father had refused to talk about it to anyone, saying that it hurt too much.  Elizabeth and Nathan completely understanding said nothing about her.  But this complete stranger knowing about her mother was too weird.

          How did he find out about my mother?  She's lived at home her whole life.  And what would she have to do with anything dealing with pirates?  Sure, she was always interested in them, which sparked my interest, but why?

          A sudden knock on the door interrupted Elizabeth's thoughts.  One of the crew members came in and said, "The Captain would like to see you."  She followed him to the captain's quarters then he left her in there. 

          Antonio had his back to her, sitting in a chair.  He turned around and smiled, "Señora, I need to talk to you about something very important…" he motioned for her to sit and she did.  "We are coming very near to a port soon.  Trinidad…ring a bell?"

          "Should it?"

          He nodded, "Sí, it should…"

          "Well it doesn't.  I've never been off Jamaica except when I went to Isle of De Muerta."

          "You've been there?"

          She nodded.  He shook his head, trying to stay on task, "Trinidad señora, you don't have anything relating to that?"

          "Señor, just tell me."

          He stood up and put his hand on his desk which was covered with maps and compasses. "A map, Mrs. Swann.  A map for the island of Trinidad."

          "It's Mrs. Turner if you have forgotten,"

          "The map."

          She searched her brain.  Did Will ever give me a map?  Talk about a map? I don't think he did.

          "I don't know what you're talking about."

          The honest look on Elizabeth's face told Antonio all he needed to know.  She didn't have it.  But they had killed the son and the father.  Then who had the map?  Antonio looked at Elizabeth with fire in his eyes, which told Elizabeth that she had given the wrong answer.

          Sea enveloped the Pearl as she made her way towards the island of Trinidad.  The ship was alive with noises and action by early morning.  Jack wasn't lying when he told everyone he wanted them up and alive and on the ship at dawn.  Gwyneth didn't emerge from her captain until later that morning.  She hadn't heard Ana get up and leave, but when people started working on deck, she was awoken easily.  She yawned and went straight to the galley to get her daily cup of coffee. When she went down she found no one.

          "Roberts…?  Roberts are you here?" Now that she was alone down here she thought the place looked a little eerie. She figured he was up doing something for the captain so she shrugged and try to get the feeling out of her system.  She went to the bar to get some coffee but heard a muffled sound.  She turned around and scanned the room, nothing.

          She bent over the counter to get a mug only to be met with a silver, shiny dagger in her face. She stood up slowly and with wide eyes looked at the man who was now pointing at her with the dagger.  He was a few inches taller than her, about five-foot eight, no hair, mid thirties maybe.  He was grungy and dirty.  She wanted to scream for help, but two things stopped her: the dagger that was currently resting on her neck and the fact that the scream would fall on deaf ears.

          Then she saw Brenda, tied up, in the man's arms, with fear in her eyes.  Gwyneth tried to give her comforting looks, but she wasn't sure she was doing that good of a job since she was scared out of her mind to.  "Sit down," he grunted.  She nodded and backed to a chair that was near by.  She sat down and tried to figure out a way that she could beat this man. 

          Her eyes darted to the hatch, it was open but the men on board wouldn't be able to see him because he was in the shadows.  He was looking there to and she silently stood up and grabbed a mug from behind the counter.  She bit the inside of her lip and whacked him on the head with it.  The cup only made him loosen his grip on Brenda, causing her to drop and Gwyneth caught her before she hit the ground.  She darted around the man and yelled for Jack.  She started to run up the stairs but the man caught her by one of her legs and forced her to fall down. 

          She turned quickly and shielded Brenda with her body, the stairs hit Gwyneth right in the back and the noise seemed to echo off the walls.  She let go of Brenda when he started to pull her down.  He smacked her across the face and said grabbing her by the neck, "Where's the lad wench?"  With the strength she had left she kicked him in his abdomen and screamed one last time for Jack. 

          The faint call of Jack's name over the hustle and bustle of activity going on made Jack pause.  That was the second time he heard his name, he wasn't imagining things.  He drew his sword and motioned for Will to follow him.  With both swords drawn, they went down to the galley but didn't have to go far to see what the problem was.  In the middle of the stairway was Brenda's whimpering little figure.  Jack immediately scooped her up and handed her off to Will.  If someone was on his ship, he needed to deal with it.  He walked all the way down and then saw against the far wall, Gwyneth and someone behind her. 

          His hand was over her mouth and his other hand with a dagger in it, pointed at her neck.  Her cheeks were red and so was her neck.  He abused her…well that's a SURE ticket off me ship.

          "Stop hidin' behind a woman and face me like a man you coward."

          "My problem ain't with neither of you…It's with the lad.  I want him."

          "Why?"

          "He goes and messed around- findin' out things that he shouldn't have.  That kind of info'mation needs t'be permanently destroyed."

          Jack cocked his eyebrow, "He told me mate, now c'mon and fight."

          The man seemed to get a look of determination but shook his head.  "I ain't fightin' no body.  Either kill me with a gun or throw me in yer brig."

          A man willingly asked to go into my brig…that's something I don't get everyday.

          Jack eyed him carefully, "Fine.  Push the lass over t'me."  The man did as he was told and Gwyneth was launched into Jack's arms.  She was frail and weak as Jack held her.  "Will m'boy," Jack called, Will came and wrapped one arm around Gwyneth's waist as Jack carefully handed her off to him.  He supported her while carrying Brenda up the stairs, as Jack pulled out his gun along with sword.  He got behind the man, putting the point of the sword against this back and the gun at his head.      "Don't make any swift moves mate…I've got a loaded pistol a foot away from yer head."  After the man was escorted to the brig Jack went to his cabin to find Brenda curled up against Will's chest.  He looked at Jack when he came in.

          "She fell right into my arms, the man didn't do any physical damage as far as I can tell…but she's pretty shaken up."

          "I'll be right back- I'll go check on the other one."  Will nodded and Jack quietly shut the door behind him and walked to Gwyneth's cabin.  He knocked and walked in.  She was huddled in the corner of her bed with one hand against her slapped cheek.

          She made eye contact with Jack and said, "Is Brenda okay?"

          He nodded, "Thank you…for what you did…defendin' her an' all."

          She nodded, "There was no other choice…I couldn't let him hurt her…"

          "But are you okay?"

          Tears welled up in her eyes as she shook her head.  Jack took a slow steps toward her as she started to cry, "My back…he slammed me against the stairs…and my neck, and he slapped me…that was the first time I've ever been slapped…does it usually burn this much?"

          Jack's heart went out to her as he reached the cot and sat down.  She winced when he did, "Luv, I'm not gunna hurt you…but I'm gunna need to see yer back…"

          She nodded and scooted up to him.  She gave him permission to lift her shirt up in the back, but she held it down firmly in the front.  Her corset was ripped in the back and there was blood scratches across her back, not that deep, but they were bleeding.  He frowned.  That was going to need to be cleaned.  He'd send Ana Maria to come clean her up.  He put the shirt down and she turned toward him.

          "I'll get Ana Maria in here to help you with your back…your neck- the finger marks will fad by afternoon…let me see yer cheek."

          She slowly took her hand and put it down.  There was a large red mark on her face.  "Well it's not going to bruise," He said lightly running his fingers over her face.  She shuddered and he stopped.  He looked at her and said, "Are you alright?"

          She shook her head, "I'm not important…Brenda was the one who was down there all alone."

          "So were you."

          "Yes, but I'm the adult, I can handle it."

          Jack nodded, not agreeing with her since he saw tears coming down her face but decided this wasn't the best place to pick a fight. "Thanks again."

          She nodded and he got up to leave but right before he disappeared out the door she said, "Captain!  Uh…thanks for rescuing me…"

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Author Thanks:

          PED-Sarah: Right on.  I like my story with a plot too.  It's more…interesting.  But I dunno about the Gwen/Jack thing…subtlety is a tricky thing.  Jack isn't exactly prone to not being attracted to woman who are beautiful…I mean, he's a guy right?  And I am a VERY chick flick person, yer right.  So it'll be hard but I don't really want it to go too deep.  I'm trying REALLY hard not to make it like the movie- trust me.  But it has a lost map and actual Spaniards. So Yea- it's all up in my head- don't worry.  And I liked yer long review.

          Amy85- I know, I don't like crying over my own story and graphics of people getting beat up is not a pretty sight…to read or see.

          PinkPanther- YEA!  FOUR MORE DAYS! YAH!

***And I might do a one shot thing later- but it's in the process of being made…so yea- just wanted to tell you just in case you might want to read it.