Chapter Four: Catching up Part Two

Continuation of Flashback to the Battle...

"What happened?" Captain Sparrow asked, moving aside the distraught father as he tried to get a look at Gwen.

Between hitching sobs, Bill Turner spoke. "She...save me...saw the Captain wound me and she saved me." He buried his head in his hand. "The captain's son fought her."

Jack was silent, looking at the bloody girl on the cot, watching the trickle of crimson leaking from her mouth and seeing the barely perceptible rise and fall of the little girl's chest.

"Bootstrap, Barbossa will watch over her, we need to have someone look to your wound." Grabbing the man by the shoulders he forcefully dragged him from the cabin, gently closing the door behind him.

After seeing the man was being seen to, Jack returned to the room and entered again. He sighed wistfully. Gwen was young, a good sailor and a good fighter. He hated to see her dying.

"Well, what do you think Barbossa?" he asked, brushing stray strands of hair from Gwen's face.

"Ain't gonna make it Captain, no way she will."

"S'what I thought," he answered, wiping the blood from Gwen's chin. He noticed that the stomach wound barely bled now, the flow ebbing as her heart failed.

"Shame, Cap'n, she was aweful cute and funny."

Jack looked up and nodded. "Yes, she was. I leave Gwen in your charge, Barbossa. And...as much as it pains me to do...I... I don't want Bootstrap to see her like this. He doesn't need to remember his daughter like this, bloody and lifeless."

Barbossa nodded. "Aye, sir."

Turning on his heel, Jack left the room and headed up to the helm. Gazing out at the burning remains of the merchant ship and the small lifeboat floating away, he sighed. Had it been worth it?

"Not bloody likely," he muttered. "All we got was some meat and ale." Shaking his head now he sighed again. "And Gwen will lose her life because of it."

He wasn't aware of how much time had passed before Barbossa touched his arm. "Captain? I have something to relay to you from the crew and myself."

Jack looked at him, his eyes narrowing. "Yes?"

"Well sir. The crew and I think that if everything is an equal share among pirates, that ought to mean the location of this treasure we seek." Barbossa waited with baited breath for the answer. He was banking on Sparrow's heart-sick mind to not be clear.

"All right, I guess that's fair enough," jack answered. And he gave up the bearings to Isla de Muerta.

Sighing as she twiddled her thumbs, Gwen looked up for the first time since she began her telling. "You know what happened when Captain Sparrow gave up the bearings, Barbossa and the crew mutinied and left him marooned on that island."

Will had been deathly silent since Gwen had told him of her injury and the saving of their father. He looked closely at the young girl in front of him, unable to believe she had survived such a terrible wound.

"Gwen, you didn't die obviously, but why didn't anyone know you were alive? Why did everyone think you dead...tell me what Barbossa did." He held his breath, hoping she'd continue.

Frowning, Gwen fidgeted in her seat, again fingering the pendant on her neck. "Barbossa told everyone I had died during the night, than he had hidden me on the lowest deck where only the first mate would have reason to go. Course, the first mate was loyal to him and wouldn't go if he asked him not to."

She didn't venture any more information and Will had to prompt her. "And why?"

Gwen looked into Will's eyes and replied simply, "Barbossa liked kids. Not women."

Her dark-brown eyes were glittering and it looked like she was ready to cry. Will, unsure what to do to help her, leaned forward and gripped her hands. "Please tell me he didn't do anything to you...please."

For a moment, Gwen just stared at Will, surprised by his emotions. He seemed to genuinely care for her, was really frightened that Barbossa had done something to the girl. A small smile crossed her face. "I was far too ill for him to do anything, Will. And when I was well, he had already murdered father and I was not about to let him anywhere near me without kicking, punching, heck even biting him."

Relief coursed through Will. He slumped and smiled wanly. "Thank the heavens for that. So you finally pissed him off enough that he marooned you on an island and left you to die."

"Yes," Gwen answered, leaning back again. "I was still very very weak though. Barbossa had made his advances too early and my fighting back had prolonged recovery. I'm lucky Captain Davies found me when he did. I've been with him ever since."

Will knew that Gwen had seen their father murdered. With her own eyes. But he was afraid to ask her to tell him about it, no matter how badly he had to know. Looking up, he saw her eyes on him.

"You want to know something more, don't you Will?"

"Yes. Yes, I do."

"What?"

Breathing deeply, he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Tell me of father's murder. I know somehow that you saw it happen."

Gwen nodded mutely. "I should start with marooning Jack though...that led to father's murder."

"Hush...keep talkin' that loud and he'll hear you, you idiot!" the man he had been scolding frowned as he whittled at a ball of wood in his hand.

"No...you keep yellin' at me and he'll hear you!"

Rolling his eyes, the heavier of the two, with both eyes still in his head, leaned his ear against the door. "I don't hear any movement, let's go!"

Easing the door open, the two crept in, pistols at the ready. The captain's quarters were always off-limits, strictly forbidden to any but the first mate. But it was under the first mate's orders that these two men had entered.

Flat on his back, his arms crossed across his chest, the captain was fast asleep, snoring contentedly, oblivious to the approaching threat.

"Just like a baby..."

"Shut up you one-eyed boob!"

"Right, sorry..."

They reached the bed side and the one-eyed boob placed his pistol against the captain's temple. Two previously closed eyes snapped open, then widened in surprise.

"What are you doing in my quarters, holding a pistol to me head, mates?"

"Orders of Captain Barbossa. You're to come with us!" The heavy man answered, smiling and showing his full mouth of rotten teeth.

"Barbossa...Captain? What in blazes is going on on my ship?!" Surging to his feet, Captain Jack Sparrow knocked the weapon aside and strode toward the door to the cabin.

The one-eyed man shrugged. "Well, we got'em to go on deck."

His comment was met with a frown as the two men hurried after the angered captain.

Will chose to interrupt for a moment. "How do you know the details? Were you conscious then?"

Gwen shook her head no. "Barbossa liked to boast. He told me ALL about it. All about everything...so what I didn't see with my own eyes and even some things I did see he would tell me about."

"Oh, right. Please, go on."

"Right..."

"Barbossa, how dare you send two sailors into my room in the middle of the night, tell them to put a gun to my head and summon me under the orders of Captain Barbossa?"

To say Jack was angry was an understatement. He was livid. Livid with rage but underneath the rage was great unease. Mutiny on a ship was a delicate thing. If the crew followed Barbossa, he was at the mercy of them and could do nothing to stop what they planned.

"Jack...you're such a softy. Did you honesty think the crew here wanted a sap for a captain?" he smiled, clasping Jack on the shoulder. "It's time for a change of management, Jack. Out with the old, in with the new so to speak."

Jack was at a loss. "You know the deepest, darkest, fiercest circle of hell is reserved for traitors and mutineers Barbossa and you are bound for it now."

"Tie him up."

Unable to do anything about it, Jack soon found himself tightly bound. His thoughts were muddled. He had never expected a mutiny. He had been captain of the Pearl for years and never heard any complaints. Barbossa must have planted the idea in their heads. I should never have taken that man aboard my ship.

He heard a commotion from the rail behind him. "This ain't right; we shouldn't be maroonin' noone. It's murder...why don't we just drop him in some port and leave it be?"

Jack recognized the voice as that of Bill Turner. "Bootstrap," another answered. "Don't let Barbossa be hearin' you talkin' like that. He'll have you stripped and strapped to a cannon in no time."

Bootstrap didn't answer. He locked eyes with Jack, pleading forgiveness. There was fear in the man's eyes. And sorrow.

An hour later found the once Captain Jack Sparrow, now Prisoner Jack Sparrow, seated in the brig. He was leaning against the metal bars when someone splashed through the inch or so of water on the deck to the door of the cage.

"Cap'n?"

Jack turned to face Bootstrap Bill. "You shouldn't be down here, mate." He was about to tell the man to return to his duties and avoid a conflict when he saw the tears streaming down his face. "Gwen..."

"She's dead, Sir. Barbossa said it. An he won't let me see her! I just wanted to say goodbye to my daughter!"

Pain ran through Jack at that last bit. He had been the one to give Barbossa the order to keep the man from the room. "You don't want to be seein' her like that Bill. Remember her up in the mast or pestering the crew. Not lifeless and bloody."

Wiping tears from his eyes, Bootstrap straightened up. "You're right, Cap'n. I'm right sorry I can't let you outta there. I only hope you get picked up off that island. This ain't right."

Jack smiled wanly. "At least one of you is still loyal. But one against the whole crew won't do it, Bill. I'm sorry about Gwen. She was a swell girl."

"Aye, she was, Cap. She was."

"The next day," Gwen said, standing, "Barbossa sent Jack over the side with naught but a pistol, single shot and his cutlass. Left him for dead. And father...he knew all along about father bein' against it, but he didn't do anything at first."

Will waited, his breath frozen in his throat. "After the crew returned from the island, babbling about treasure, I overheard Barbossa talking about father. And I knew he was in trouble. But I could barely move; I didn't know how to help him."

"What did you do?"

Smiling, Gwen turned to him. "I made myself get up and I worked on moving about with the injury. That way, if I was needed, I'd be mobile." She frowned. "It wasn't long before I was needed. But even then, there was nothing I could do."

"You've been against me the whole time, Bill Turner. For that traitorous act you will pay with your life. Let it be known to all that Bill Turner will visit Davy Jones Locker tomorrow at dawn!" turning to the men holding the pirate he added. "Take him away."

Gwen was mortified. She didn't really understand why her father had not been in to see her, why she hadn't seen Jack in a while. All she knew was that the crew had found the treasure.

Determined to see her father, Gwen put her work to use. Pushing herself to the edge of the bed she slid to her feet and wavered until she was sure she could let go and not fall. Her injury pained her, but she was determined.

It was late at night and most of the crew was asleep so the trip to the brig was relatively uneventful. She was glad to see that no guard had been posted either. It wasn't like Bill had anywhere to go if he did escape. They were in the middle of no where and his fate was sealed. But Gwen would see him one last time.

"Father?"

"Why does my mind torment me!"

Gwen was surprised at the outburst from her father. She tried again. "Father? It's me."

Bootstrap covered his ears and shook his head. "This is horrible. You're gone...dead."

Then she knew. She realized just how wicked Barbossa was. Her own father thought she was dead. Reaching through the bars, Gwen put her hand on his shoulder and pulled him.

Turning at the touch, the man's eyes locked on the figure outside his prison and he jumped back, breaking the contact. "Gwen? You can't be real, you are dead."

Shaking her head and grimacing at the pain in her stomach, Gwen struggled to remain upright. "No, father. Barbossa lied. I'm not dead, I'm alive...healing."

Regaining some composure, her father reached through the bars and caressed her face. "I wish circumstances were different Gwen. I'm so glad to see you alive...if only for a few hours more."

"He can't kill you...he just can't. I won't let him!" She cried. "I can't do this alone any more, father. It just hurts too much!"

How he longed to hold his baby girl. But he couldn't. As much as he was ashamed of the circumstances of her birth, he loved this child so much. It pained him to be away from Will, who he wanted nothing more than to be with, but he didn't want the boy to live a pirate's life. He hadn't had a choice with Gwen, he had no where to send her.

"I love you, Gwen. I am proud of you. For surviving, for being who you are. Don't ever forget that."

"I won't father. I love you too. I love you so much."

And father and daughter cried the last hours of their lives together.

Will, speechless already, looked at the girl and couldn't believe she was holding in her emotions. But she was, no tears threatened to fall, no barely restrained sobs of sorrow. It seemed like she had detached herself from reality in order to relay the story.

"Gwen? Are you sure you want to go on? If you don't want to speak of father's murder, don't do it. I would hate myself for causing you needless pain." Will still had a hold on one of Gwen's hands and was dismayed to feel her trembling.

"No," she whispered. "I have to, I've kept it locked in too long, Will. And you have a right to know, he was your father too."

Elizabeth had been listening from nearby, stopping when she had heard the tail end of the story, before Will had asked Gwen if she could continue. I can't join them now, she thought. It would ruin the atmosphere. I will speak to Will later.

That solved, she went back up to find Captain Davies and tell him the Gwen was going to speak as Gwen began to tell Will of their father's death.

"William Turner, you have been accused of being a traitor, I hearby sentence you to death by drowning and order you to relinquish any and all treasure you possess on your being or in your belongings," Barbossa said, stepping in front of the condemned.

He was unaware that Gwen was hiding in the ropes, nearly the same ropes she had waited for that fateful battle behind. Her breath caught in her throat and she saw her father's eyes flicker to where she was.

"I have nothing to relinquish," the man answered, squaring his shoulders, intending to take his murder like a man.

Barbossa frowned. "We all know you have a piece of that Aztec gold, Mr. Turner. We'll be having it now." He held out his hand.

"It's long gone, Barbossa. As soon as we took it I sent it off."

Gwen was shocked. Sent it off? Where in the world would he have sent it? To his wife? She knew he had a wife somewhere, but he had never mentioned more then her existence to the young pirate.

Barbossa was fuming. "Tie him to the cannon, boys. We have a killing to be getting along with."

Gwen watched with tears streaming down her face as her father, her only family in this world, was tied to a cannon and maneuvered to the edge of the ship.

"Any last words?" Barbossa asked, smiling.

William Turner spoke forcefully. "Cap'n Sparrow was right, you will all go to the darkest circle of hell for your mutiny. I love you Gwen and I always will!"

The cannon was thrust off the side of the ship and the crew scrambled over to the rail, guffawing as the man was dragged out of sight, never to be seen by mortal eyes again.

Between her tears, Gwen gazed with murderous eyes on Barbossa. I hope you rot in hell, Barbossa. My father's death will be avenged, even if I am unable to do it.

"I dunno what happened to Barbossa, he got fed up with me awful quick," Gwen said, relieved that she was through telling Will of the murder.

Will's head snapped up. "You do not know?"

Gwen looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "Know what?"

"Barbossa is dead, Gwen. Jack Sparrow killed him a few years ago."

Gwen was speechless. "Cap'n Sparrow killed him? How, when!?"

Will looked closely at her. "Did you not know of the curse? The curse on the crew because they stole the Aztec treasure? Surely you heard rumors?"

Nodding she replied, "I did. But I had not heard what finally became of them all. We have been away from the area for a long time, over in Singapore."

Sighing, Will slouched. "Yes, the Pearl's crew was cursed and in order to break that curse they needed to repay the Gods by returning the gold and giving blood. Everyone who took one had to return it with their blood."

"Everyone?" Gwen asked, thoughtfully. "But that would mean that father's piece would have had to go back?"

Will nodded. "Yes. It meant that."

Gwen suddenly understood. "He sent it to you!"

"Yes," Will said, smiling ruefully. "And I, in turn, lost it when our ship was attacked on the crossing from England when I was a child."

"Lost it...so how did they break the curse?"

"That, Gwen, is quite a story." Elizabeth smiled from behind the girl, waiting until she had recovered from the woman's surprise entrance. "Would you care to hear it?"

"YES!" she laughed, motioning for Elizabeth to take a seat where she had been. Gwen, standing now, wrapped her hands in a bit of rope hanging from the overhead and leaned on it, effectively holding herself up.

"Well, I was on the ship that found Will..."

A/N: Pretty please r/r this! I hope this was an interesting chapter...I have always wanted to tell a bit more about Jack's marooning and Bootstrap's death. (I obviously took tying him to the cannon VERY literally!!)

-Gwenneth