I'M BACK!

I've figured out why it takes so long for me to update! Along with being a work in progress, AND along with having an unbelievable amount of homework each night, I write the chapters in longhand, then type them on a typewriter, then type them into the computer. I'm going to try and eliminate the typewriter step; hopefully it will make things shorter. But I wouldn't count on it.

And I'm VERY proud of this chapter. I hope you like it as well.

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Chapter Five

Reunion

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Groaning, Weatherby Swann fought through a clinging darkness and regained consciousness. His head throbbed violently, and when he opened his eyes the light of a single candle shot through to his brain in a blinding agony. He impulsively squinted, letting his eyes grow used to the light as an unfamiliar room swam into focus.

The room was gently rocking back and forth. Thinking it was a side effect of his unconsciousness, he stared forward, disoriented. It almost felt like a ship.

Blinking blearily, the governor of Port Royal tried to remember what had happened, where he was.

"Glad to see you're up," purred a soft voice from behind him.

Swann jumped from his chair in surprise. He whirled around to face the voice, realizing that he was unrestrained. The movement made his head throb even more. Reactively, he shook his head slightly in a motion that caused even more pain.

When he was able to think coherently once again, he found himself facing a woman with red hair and a dangerous smile.

Finally, memories came flying back. Founder's Day – the carriage – oh God, the carriage, the soldier, the blood –

Swann looked down. Blood had dried in a brownish crust over his patent leather shoes, flaking off when he moved his legs.

The woman watched him, still smiling. "We're honored to have you on board," she said. "I'm Captain Desdemona Blake, and you're in the finest cabin aboard the finest ship of criminals, corsairs and cutthroats that sails the Caribbean – the Deception!"

She leaned in close. "But please, call me Captain Demon. I find it much more fitting. It's the middle of my name, y'see. The middle tells all – everyone knows that." Swann stared at the woman in open-mouthed shock. She was obviously far from possessing a sound mind.

Demon continued to talk. "What's the middle of your name, Governor Swann?" Her grin widened, red stone glinting in her tooth. "The middle of your name is 'wan,' Governor." Demon stood up. "It fits you."

"What do you want with me?" Swann whispered, his voice cracking with panic. He was the prisoner of clearly unstable female pirate captain.

The woman reached out a hand, caressing his cheek. Swann flinched and jerked away, and she laughed. "Oh, you'll see yet, my friend. You have a grand purpose among us" she whispered the word, "pirates." She laughed again when he flinched again.

She kicked the chair again, turning him around once more. Swann groaned with the movement.

"I don't know why you're in such pain," she said, disgusted. "All you did was faint." The governor sputtered shamefully.

"If there's anything you need" she began, staring at him with commonplace gray eyes as she walked backwards to a door surrounded by tapestries. "Think about how much you wish you had it. Oh, and if you try anything well, we have people that can carry you." She reached behind her and opened the door, then slid out with a predatory grace, pulling it tightly shut with a click.

Swann watched the door, unsure whether she was truly gone.

"She won't return," came another disembodied voice. This time it was in front of him. "Not for some time."

"Who's there?" Swann cried. "Show yourself!" Not more pirates, please, he thought despairingly.

Movement drew his gaze to a spot not four feet in front of him. What the governor had taken for a pile of clothes unfolded and revealed itself as a young man.

"A prisoner," the governor breathed. Relief washed over him.

"I don't suppose you'll untie my ropes," said the boy, his voice raspy. Sure enough, his hands were bound with ropes that had rubbed his wrists raw. They connected to the wall but allowed him some freedom.

Swann shook his head. "She'll punish me," he said, looking away.

The man smiled, his chapped lips cracking and bleeding. "She'll punish you anyway."

The governor was not a courageous man. He stayed where he was, sitting in place. "Are you a prisoner of that Demon-woman as well?"

"A prisoner of sorts, I suppose."

"Speak clearly, boy! What the devil does that mean?" Swann's impatience fed his temper, combining with his expectation of obedience from others.

"Prisoners are allowed to leave. They are released, or escape, or are killed."

Swann stared at him. "And that won't happen to you?" The boy shook his head. "And what of me? Do you know what she intends with me?"

"You have a purpose. And then you'll be released."

"She'll let me go."

The boy smiled.

Swann frowned. Clearly this was a ship full of lunatics. "What's wrong with you?"

" 'Tis been three days since I last drank," the boy rasped. "She feeds me salt pork and hardtack and drinks water in front of me."

Governor Swann shuddered convulsively. "What did you do?" he whispered.

"Hard to say. But you are the one, aren't you? The King of Port Royal. It's you. You're a king. You have to be."

Swann blinked at the sudden change of subject. "I'm only the governor. I'm not a king." He chuckled. "If anyone, 'twas–"

He broke off, staring at the boy. "How– What are you–"

"You're the one with the key. The King of Port Royal."

"Holy Mary, mother of God," Swann breathed. "Who are you? How do you know what it is that you know?"

"I found the manuscript. You must know of it." The boy's voice had been steadily weakening. He looked close to passing out again.

"It was a tale he made up" Swann whispered, lost in memories. "But who are you?"

"James," he said weakly, head lolling back. "James Burbank."

"Not– not the son of Charles Burbank–" Swann stammered.

"The very same," said James Burbank, son of Charles, and promptly passed out.

***

"Elizabeth, we must stop! This is madness!"

Elizabeth ignored Will's voice from behind her. She strode forward resolutely, pushing past the crowd.

"Elizabeth!" Will's hand gripped her elbow and spun her around to face him. "We must stop!"

She pulled free, defiantly glaring up at him. "I refuse–"

Will cut her off by clamping his blacksmith's hand over her mouth. "No. You need to listen. You need to stop looking. It's almost full dark, and I don't trust this crowd, not with the amount of liquor they've consumed. They won't even recognize the governor's daughter, and I can't protect you forever if someone takes a mind to take you. Jack Sparrow, wherever he is, refuses to be found, at least tonight. And are you forgetting that almost the entire Royal Navy stationed in Port Royal is keeping an eye out for him? They will be able to track him down much better than we ever could."

Will withdrew his hand. "Do you understand?" he asked gently. "This is not a task for you or I."

"Will, I can't just stop looking, can't you understand that?" Elizabeth said vehemently, the words sounding like they were wrenched from her chest. "My father is missing! I can't just stop! I can't leave him! I can't!"

To her shame she felt tears trickle down her cheek, the first she had allowed. Angrily wiping them away, Elizabeth continued her tirade. "The one man who may know something, anything, is in this city, and I must find him! I must!" The tears kept coming.

She looked up and saw her pain mirrored in Will's eyes. He reached out and brushed a tear from her face, then hesitantly drew her into the circle of his arms. Elizabeth finally allowed herself to be comforted, and they stood together on a dusty street in their Founder's Day finery while she sobbed silently, her fears and frustrations ripping themselves free.

Finally, she finished crying, taking huge gulps of air in hiccuping breaths. Pulling away, Elizabeth left behind a damp patch on Will's coat, discolored where her makeup had been smeared.

"Let's get you home," Will said gently.

The thought of her house caused another sob to tear free of her. To be in that house, without her father safe in the next room she couldn't do it.

"I can't," she said, shaking her head. "I can't stay at home. Not tonight."

"Elizabeth, you must–"

"Not tonight!"

Will hesitated, then jerked his head in acquiescence. "Very well. Where will you stay?" He began walking. Elizabeth stared off to the side numbly as she began to walk, watching a woman help her drunken friend down an alley.

"Take me— take me back to the shop," she said quietly.

"Elizabeth, are you sure—" Will broke off at the sight of her face's adamant lines. Will, sighed and resumed. "Fine," he said tightly. "You may use the bed. I'll sleep on the floor."

Elizabeth slowed, then stopped completely, causing Will to stop with her. Slowly, she raised her eyes to his. "Will, I—" she whispered haltingly, looking into his eyes. She didn't continue.

"Yes?" Will inquired, his voice dangerously neutral.

"Did you notice those two ladies?" she asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"What?" he stammered, startled. "Oh. Yes. The drunk woman and her friend."

"That's what I saw, too," Elizabeth said triumphantly. She turned, pulling free of Will's hand and taking off down the street, peering down every side street as she sought the alley the women went down.

After a few seconds of surprised silence Will ran after her. "What are you doing? What matter do they make?"

"Will, the drunk one was wearing boots!" Elizabeth shouted. She suddenly gave a shout of success and disappeared from view, down the alley.

Her voice floated back to Will. "Oy! Come out, you!"

Will hesitated but a few seconds before chasing his love as she hurtled down the very dark alley.

Running headlong down the shadowy way, Elizabeth tripped multiple times over piles of refuse. She heard fabric tear and a sudden rush of air blew against her upper leg.

A hand shot out of the darkness and grabbed her, violently pulling her to the side. Elizabeth yelped in surprise, then froze at the sudden feeling of cold metal against her neck.

"Wot's a lady like y'self doin' seekin' out two Jennys?" asked a low feminine voice over her right shoulder.

Elizabeth swallowed, feeling her throat move against the metal.

"Where are you, Elizabeth? Have you fallen?" Will came running down the alley, unexpectedly crashing into Elizabeth and her unknown captor and knocking them both to the ground.

Elizabeth felt the metal dig into her throat and managed a small cry before her head snapped back and cracked against the cobblestones.

The woman shoved her limp body to the side and sat up, annoyed. "Bloody hell, boy!"

Will jumped to his knees and went to Elizabeth. "Are you all right? Oh God, what have you done to her?"

The woman snorted. " 'Tis wot you did, mate. You pushed me straight over."

"She's knocked out," Will said accusingly.

Shrugging, she retorted, "Better'n dead."

A voice rang through the alley. "You down there! We heard a shout; is everything all right?"

"Shite!" swore the woman. She stood and started running down the alley. She slowwed and turned, looking at Will as he still knelt by Elizabeth. Frustration and decency showed themselves in her face. She finally said, "Fine, then, follow me."

"What?" Will was incredulous.

"I can't jus' leave you t'be found by 'hoever 'tis up there with you standin' over an unconcious woman, and your lady obviously wanted t'speak t'me. So follow me." She moved off, muttering, " 'Alfwit."

Will manouvered Elizabeth's slack body into his arms and stood up clumsily. He struggled for a second before finding his balance and striding after the woman.

After a short time the woman moved to the side and knocked on the door, then opened it.

"We've company!" she singsonged. "Ja— Jacqueline, a couple o' children followed us 'ome, can we keep'm?

"Look," Will began, appropriately upset, "you invited me to follow you; I wanted nothing more to do with you! You're the one that knocked out Elizabeth. We'll be out of here just as soon as she wakes up, so until then, hold your tongue!"

"Bless me, is that the dulcet voice of young William Turner?"

Will's jaw dropped.

Captain Jack Sparrow sauntered out of another room. His saunter was slightly less smug than could be expected due to the fact that he was dressed in a lacy pink dress and matching bonnet.

The woman stared at Jack, but not for the same reasons Will stared. "You know this man?"

"Aye, but of course. Here, Will, you can put your lady love in the bed until she wakes," Jack said, moving aside to reveal a small bedroom. His skirts brushed the doorframe.

Will's mouth opened and closed several times, but nothing came out. Finally he shook his head and walked into the other room, muttering, "Whatever the explanation is, I don't want to know it." He laid Elizabeth lovingly on the bed and returned to the other room, and the company of two dubious characters.

"It's easy enough to explain, innit?" Jack remarked. "The sailors are lookin' for a fairly distinctive male, not an inebriated female. Hence the dress," he explained with an expansive gesture.

" 'Twas a miracle 'e fit," added the woman.

"Who is she?" Will asked, glancing at the woman. "Because most of the women you seem to know like slapping you more than helping you," he added smugly.

"She's Juliana," said Jack. "She's"

"And what is she?" Will asked, ignoring the dirty look Juliana shot at him.

"She's" Juliana quirked an eyebrow. "Juliana," Jack finished lamely.

"It's time for some explanations, Will," he went on. "Why is everyone and their uncle searching for me as if I've committed a crime?" Will looked at him. "A significant crime committed recently, and here in town," Jack amended.

"I'll tell you right now, Jack: If you've any part in this, at all, if you knew about it beforehand or helped in any way, I will turn you over to the Navy myself," Will told him quietly.

Jack was silent for a moment. "Not an idle threat, comin' from you. But I swear on me honor, I know nothin' of this uproar; the only thing I've done today is petty fraud."

Will studied him carefully, then nodded abruptly. "I believe you. But if I ever find out differently, I will hunt you down and kill you myself."

Jack frowned. "What the devil is going on, Turner? You're in such a mood as I've never seen, not even when Elizabeth was taken."

"Can you trust your Juliana?" Will asked, glancing at her.

"With my life," Jack answered. "More than once."

Juliana smirked. "Lucky for you lads, I don't want t'be in on the secrets. I'll go wait with the lady, help calm 'er down when she wakes." She walked into the other room.

Will moved closer to Jack. "The governor is missing, presumably kidnapped. As of now, Jack, you're the most likely suspect, what with you having kidnapped his daughter the last time you were in town."

Jack's eyes had widened as Will spoke. "Why?" he asked.

"Why what? Why was the governor kidnapped? No one knows. There's been no ransom so far, no murder that we can tell, just the governor gone."

All at once a shriek sounded in the other room. "Someone save me!" Elizabeth cried. "I'm–" Her voice was suddenly muffled, as if someone had thrust their hand over it.

Will jumped to his feet and ran into the bedroom. Elizabeth lay where he had placed her. She glared at him over Juliana's hand, silenced thus for the second time that day.

"Can you hol' back th' bellows?" Juliana asked caustically. Elizabeth nodded, and she removed her hand.

"What is going on?" Elizabeth exploded. "Someone bett–"

Juliana sighed and replaced her hand. "I tol' you t'cork up."

"Elizabeth, it's all right," Will assured her. She burst out in muffled shouts.

Jack rolled around the doorframe, showing himself to her for the first time. Elizabeth's eyes widened, but then a smug look stole over her eyes.

"I think she's all right now," Will told Juliana, and she removed her hand once again. They could see that the smugness extended across her entire face.

"I knew it was you!" she proclaimed triumphantly. "I knew it!"

"Did you, now!" Jack said, visibly impressed. "And how, exactly, did you reach that rather strange conclusion?"

"I saw the way you walked, and I guessed. And then I saw your boots, and I knew."

Jack looked regretfully down at the worn leather toes of his boots that poked out from under his skirts. "I knew they were visible," he admonished Juliana.

"Your feet are too big to fit into any of my shoes," she retorted, shrugging.

Jack nodded ruefully, then turned his attention back to Elizabeth. "I hear your pater has gone missing."

"Will told you." Her eyes flashed. "Sparrow, if you have played any part in this, any part at all, I will see you hang for it, I promise you now."

"Tonight is a night for death threats, innit, love?" Jack said aside to Juliana.

"Don't call me love," she answered, in such a way that it was clear she had said it many times before.

"I called you love when we were in the tavern."

"That was an exception. We were playing roles."

"Jack!" Elizabeth yelled.

"Right, now, Miss Swann. As I have already informed your dutifully overprotective and outraged blacksmith, I knew nothing of it. I give you my word."

Huffily, Elizabeth began, "The word of a pirate—"

"—is not given lightly, and should be honored as if it were that of a governor's daughter, or that of a noble blacksmith," Jack finished, his eyes flashing in a rare show of temper. "Just because we cheat, lie, and steal does not mean we have no sense of honor."

"Well, excuse me for thinking otherwise," Elizabeth responded sardonically.

"An honorable pirate," Will said, with just a touch of scorn in his voice.

"There are some about, Mister Turner. And before we go valuing honor and loyalty, let's not forget who cracked me over the head with an oar during our last adventure," Jack shot back.

Will colored.

"When 'e gives 'is word, 'e means it," Juliana put in. "You can trust 'im."

"And you!" Elizabeth shouted. "You were trying to kill me! You had a knife!"

Juliana sighed. " 'Twas the 'andle of a spoon, miss." She produced said spoon. "I carry a knife, but not for misguided young ladies." Elizabeth flushed.

"While I did not have a part in it, Elizabeth, I may know something that could help you," Jack continued slyly.

"Don't toy with me right now, Jack, do not."

"There was a woman floating about town this afternoon who matched the description of the pirate ship Deception," he said simply.

Elizabeth's jaw dropped. Will blinked. Juliana groaned. "Not Demon Blake."

"The very same," Jack said grimly.

"She laid waste to my father's friend Charles," Elizabeth said dazedly. "Razed their manor to the ground, sowed salt in their plantation fields, killed everyone there – even the mistress of the manor, even the four year old daughter, even the servants. The bodies of his son and his maidservant were never even found."

"It's too big of a coincidence that she's here to make me believe it's coincidence," Jack said plainly.

Will nodded. "I agree. But the problem is convincing the Navy. It's also a coincidence that you're here, Jack."

"I wish you good luck," Jack said, saluting.

Will rolled his eyes and helped Elizabeth from the bed. "Do you believe him?" he asked her, one last time.

She nodded, her eyes never leaving the pirate's. "I do. Now let's go convince the Navy."

They walked to the door. "Ta," said Jack. Juliana waved.

Will pulled open the door.

"I wondered when you'd be leaving, Mister Turner," said Commodore Norrington from the street.

***

Yes, a cliffhanger. I'm sorry! I just wanted to get this chapter posted SO BADLY.

And reviewer replies next chapter. (see explanation above.)

Hope you enjoyed!

-Lydia