Okay guys, here's more!

Chapter 7

"Long time no see, lass," Jack said, stepping past her into the foyer and forgetting to wait for a reply to his previous question. "Where's the whelp?" he asked, glancing around. "I need a minute."

Elizabeth quickly shut the door, looking into the next room herself to ensure that Will was keeping Richard occupied. "What," she began when she saw that neither was in ear shot, grabbing onto his sleeve angrily, "are you doing here?"

"Now, now, relax," he advised, brushing away her grip as a courtier might an insect. "What's all the fuss about?"

"I-" she started before her eyes fell on her husband and Richard again and it occurred to her that sharing too much was probably not the best idea. "Nothing…it's nothing."

He studied her for a moment and she got the distinct impression that he did not believe her, but he shook his head dismissively. "I'm sure it is. Now, where's dear William?"

Sighing, she walked past him, heading for the parlor, then stopped when he began to trail after her. "No, no," She turned, bringing him to an abrupt halt. He arched an eyebrow at her in silent question. "You…wait here."

He gave her a look that she knew meant he preferred following her, but she ignored it since for once he seemed compliant enough to stay put. When she was sure he wouldn't move, she started toward the sitting room again, praying that Richard wouldn't have the sudden urge to leave the manor again and that Gin wouldn't come downstairs.

"Will?" she ventured, trying not to be too obvious in her interruption of his conversation with Richard. Both men turned to her. Her gaze flicked to her friend's husband momentarily, then back to her own. "Um, we have a slight…problem."

Will's brow furrowed and he politely excused himself, allowing Elizabeth to lead him back into the front hall. "What is it?" he inquired. By the time they reached their destination, he required no response.

"Ya both look so worried," Jack observed, glancing back and forth between the two. "So…just one quick question and I'll be on me way."

"And what's that?" Will demanded.

"Well," Jack began, hesitating, as if trying to think how to word what he wanted to say. "You both remember the Pearl, yes?" He received no reply, but he hadn't really been expecting one. "'Course ya do. Wonderin' if you had seen it 'round these parts in the recent…present."

"You came all this way," Elizabeth took a step forward. "To ask us about a bloody ship?"

"Tsk-tsk." Jack shook his head disapprovingly at her. "Such language." Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but he ignored it. "I didn't just decide to drop by. Alright? I had a reliable source." He paused, thinking to himself. "Well, a source anyway," he added as an afterthought.

The front door burst open then, this guest not so polite as Jack had been to knock and they all jumped, Will pulling Elizabeth partially behind himself protectively. Gibbs stepped inside, brushing himself off from the rain that had begun to fall since he had been separated from the Captain.

He looked up, nodded at the younger two, then spoke to Jack. "You were right 'bout the girl," he informed him. "And McKinley was right about the Pearl. Barbossa's 'ere alright." By Jack's expression, and Will and Elizabeth's as well, it was clear that they were all waiting for him to continue. "Followed 'er all the way back to the docks. Pintel and Ragetti took 'er."

Elizabeth's grip on her husband tightened. "Took who?" she prompted.

"Ah, young lass," Gibbs explained. "'bout so high," He held a flattened palm level with his shoulder. "Dark hair."

Elizabeth looked urgently up at Will.

"I left her in her room, she was fine then," he insisted.

"'Scuse me?" Gibbs broke in. "Was this girl o' yers named Katy…o' Katherine? Somethin' like that?" Both nodded, staring at him questioningly. He raised his chin defiantly. "Now, I may not be the wisest among men, but I'm smart enough to stay and learn 'er name when she told it to 'em."

"She told them her-" Will stopped himself, shaking his head. "Never mind, we have bigger problems at the moment." He circled back around to go back and speak with Richard.

"Well!" Jack exclaimed, allowing a crooked grin to grace his features. "Looks like our missions mesh once again!" Elizabeth did not say anything to this. "So," he said, glancing at her and Gibbs. "Who's this girl?"

* * * * *

Heehee.