~Chapter 2. The Calling~

            Disclaimer- Again, in this chapter, NOTHING IS MINE!!! Sigh….all of it belongs to Disney…

            AN-Thank you thank you thank you to Beads, Aeris Tiniel Mirime, PeachDreamer, and Ruki the Sake Fairy!! Your reviews meant a lot to me :D…. and thanks a million Beads for bringing the fact that I spelled Elizabeth SWANN's name wrong to my attention…lol...and just to alert you all that I wont be able to post the next chapters until next Monday at least.

            Right! Now……

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\ ¸.~**~ PotC~**~.

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            Clear blue water swirled around me, foaming where my body hit the water. I highly doubted that the Commodore had perceived that I had just plummeted off an extraordinarily high cliff, feet away from him. Weighed down by my dratted petticoats, I gradually drifted to the bottom of the bright azure ocean. Thankfully I could not inhale any much water, but there certainly wasn't any air filling my lungs either.  I closed my eyes, shutting the salty liquid out, but they still burned and stung. I could not feel at all, the cold was numbing my entire body, under the bulk of my clothes.

            I was only aware that I hit the sandy bottom. My head lolled to the side, my long hair swirling, and dancing with the gentle current of the waves. The golden chain around my neck brushed past my chin as it rose upwards. The gold seemed to be pulsing, and a great force erupted from it, giving off a wave of its own. I felt empowered, as if it had given me a breath of the air I was so desperately calling for.

            Strong hands were beneath me. I tried to open my eyes, but found I had no strength. We were moving up, to the surface of the bright blue, and finally, my face was stung by cold, clean air. My rescuer was gasping for breath, but my lungs were still empty. My head fell onto his shoulder, but he seemed to be struggling. He spluttered, and I felt my head sink under the water again. Had he released me? No, I could feel his tight grip on my waist. He was kicking furiously, holding me by one hand while the other found the clasp on my petticoats. I felt him shred them from me, and they floated down to the icy depths that were almost my new home. We broke the surface again, and this time we stayed up. He was a good, fast swimmer, so I mentally ruled out the Commodore as my savior.

            I soon felt wood brush my bare arm, and knew he had towed me to the port. He grunted as I was hoisted onto his shoulder, and through partially opened eyes, I saw a hand frantically motioning for assistance. More hands took hold of me, and I was gently placed on the hard wood. The bulky figure of a man hovered over me, a slimmer man by his side. I still could not breathe. I gasped for air, but the demand would not pass through my lungs. They were squeezed into an airtight compartment. A pudgy hand touched my cheek; they weren't doing anything to help me.

            "Move!" A gruff voice grunted. I heard water-filled boots slopping their way quickly over to me. Someone was bent over me; droplets of water splattered on my face. This was the man that rescued me; I tried to speak, but nothing escaped me. My senses were drifting away. Through a haze I felt rough hands on my chest. There was a tearing sound, and I felt the corset ripped from my body. A stream of balmy, brackish water escaped from my mouth, and I gulped the air down. The feeling in my body was coming back, the air, warm minutes ago was now chilly, and stung my bitter, wet face. With every breath I took, my lungs ached, but my lungs welcomed them to the highest degree. My head was pounding, and blood was rushing through my ears and brain. My vision was clearing, and I looked up into my rescuer's eyes.

            For one, fleeting, joyful moment I thought it was Will. His eyes were the same chocolate brown, but there was a certain depth to them that Will did not posses. They were outlined heavily with coal, smudged and smeared from his swim. He was very tan, and although he was young, his face was slightly worn with experience, and too much sun.

            "How'd you know to do that?" Came the amazed voice of the slimmer guard, holding my corset tightly against him. The man's eyes were traveling across me, making me feel more than a bit uncomfortable.

            "You've obviously never been to Singapore," He joked, in his gruff, somewhat intoxicated voice. As he spoke, I saw the glint of gold teeth covering a quarter of his mouth. His dark hair was matted into a mass of dreadlocks and braids; tucked behind his left ear was an assortment of various precious stones, strung onto a section of sopping ebony hair. A roughly cut mustache lined his upper lip, and a tuft complimented his bottom. His beard was parted into two braids, giving off an almost comical air. His clothes were torn and tattered, but the many rings on his right hand, which rested on my shoulder, gave off the notion that he wasn't a poor man. He was a pirate. I flicked my eyes back to his, but they were fixed upon the medallion, that was perched inadvertently atop my bodice. With incredulous eyes, he gently lifted it, "Where did you get that?" He mumbled, more to himself than to me.

            I was too awed with this man to notice that a third of our National Guard army was upon us. Who was he? He was too kind to be a pirate. And while he was certainly not being very gentlemanly, if he were a Pirate, the two guards would be dead, and I would still be at the bottom of the ocean. The commodore's voice snapped me from my thoughts. I suddenly became very aware that I was lying flat on my back, with nothing on but my undergarments, which were clinging to my soaked body, with a Pirate perched atop me, fingering something near my chest. I was also very aware of the commodore's eyes boring into me.

            The pirate too seemed to realize this, because he got to his feet, and attempted to slowly back away. But, smirking profusely, the commodore cornered him. To my great surprise he extended a hand, as if to thank the pirate. Dark eyebrow raised, eyes narrowed with suspicion, he slowly took the commodore's hand. In a swift motion, the commodore pushed the tattered sleeve of his right hand up. I could make out the white faded scar of a 'P' as well as a tattoo featuring a bird flying over a sunset.

            "The brand of a pirate…Sparrow? Jack Sparrow?!" The commodore demanded, sounding very pleased with himself. Jack looked indignant,

            "Captain Jack Sparrow," He growled, jerking his arm from the gentleman's grip. The commodore was speaking insults as I expected, and I let my eyes take in this extraordinary sight. Looking bored, Jack was looking away from the commodore, into space, nodding with each insult, as if he had heard them time and time before. "….You must be by far the worst pirate I've ever heard of!" Commodore Norrington finished triumphantly. Jack swiveled his head back to face him,

            "Ah, but you have heard of me," He retorted, one finger pointing between the commodore's eyes, his own eyes squinting, as if nothing was in proper focus. I found myself working rather hard not to giggle. He made another attempt at escape, but was grabbed roughly by the men standing by. By now I was safely wrapped in a blanket, surveying this scene eagerly. Suddenly not wanting any harm to come of this pirate, I stepped in.

            "Certainly you do not wish to harm my rescuer," I turned my eyes to the commodore, praying I was touching a soft spot. The commodore turned a sympathetic face to me.

            "Elizabeth…" He started, but I narrowed my eyes. His tone was exasperated, as if he were speaking to some naive child; his expression was the same way, "One good deed is not enough to rid a man of a lifetime of mischief,"

            "Though it does seem enough to condemn him," Jack mused. I forced a laugh down my throat, at these words, and turned to him. My eyes never leaving the commodore, I slowly walked around him, so I was in front of Jack. The commodore sighed,

            "Fine, fine, to the gallows then," He announced, nodding at his men. The guard finished handcuffing Jack, and was immediately at Commodore Norrington's side. I heard a soft laugh behind me,

            "Oh, finally," Jack whispered to himself. There was a clinking of metal, and I could feel cold, rusting chain around my neck. As one, the guards all made a movement as if to step forward. Commodore Norrington held up a hand. "Elizabeth? It is Elizabeth isn't it?" Jack's coarse voice was in my ear, his warm breath caressing my neck. I tried my best to mimic the commodore's look of deep disgust.

            "It's Miss Swann," I corrected him. My father looked horrified, but I found it very arduous work to keep the excitement out of my expression.

            "Miss Swann….if you will," He jerked one chained hand in the direction of the heavy guard, who was holding his hat and weapons.

            "You despicable…" I started, but he cut me off.

            "Sticks and stones, love," Biting my lower lip I held my hands out. With a quick glance at the commodore the guard tentatively moved forward to deposit the items in my arms. I whirled around, the chain catching on my hair as I did. As if seeing this, Jack stretched his arms out, so his cuffs would not hurt me. Working my face furiously, forcing it into an angry expression, I fitted his hat and artillery on. He gave me a knowing smile, and, before my brain could register, I was free of his bind, and he was at the edge of the dock, smirking exultantly at the guards. "Ladies," He began with a glance at me, "And gentleman. You will always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain," He emphasized the word with a meaningful look at the commodore, "Jack Sparrow."

            AN—thanks to you guys that reviewed, I hope you enjoy!!! I'll type up a long one for ya when I get back on Monday….R &R!