Chapter Twenty-One: Confession

"You go first," Carrick said between gasps for breath as he caught hold of the rope extending from the Pearl's deck.

"No, you. You're tired," Alaina disagreed as he still held onto her.

"Both of you grab on and we'll pull you up!" Will yelled down at them as he, Jack, Robinson, and the boys all grabbed onto the rope and began to pull. Alaina quickly grabbed hold of it with both hands and Carrick secured his other hand as they were slowly inched out of the cold, unfriendly water.

Jack let go of the rope and O'Brien quickly came to replace his captain's spot. Jack leaned over the railing and grabbed onto the Carrick's hand and pulled him over and onto the deck. Carrick lay there on the deck, glad for the rest, trying to catch his breath.

Jack leaned over the railing again and caught Alaina as she almost let go of the rope. "Wouldn't want to have to jump in after you, luv," Jack teased, lifting her over the railing as he had done with Carrick. And, just like Carrick, Alaina lay on the deck and closed her eyes, just trying to keep breathing.

"Alaina," Will breathed, getting on his knees and clutching onto her tearfully as she sank into his embrace.

"I'm so sorry," she cried, resting her head on his shoulder, knowing that she had to tell him now.

"Sorry about what?" he asked softly, kissing the top of her head.

Jack and James slowly backed away from them, toward Robinson. They knew that she was going to admit to their father that Alex had betrayed them, though they didn't understand why she was sorry for that.

Alaina slowly lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him, scared to death about what she was about to admit. "I saw him," she whispered fearfully.

"Saw who?" Will asked, suspicion and fear growing inside him.

"Back to work!" Jack yelled to his crew from where he stood next to Carrick, who was still lying on the deck trying to catch his breath. Immediately the crew sprang to life and began to work again, trying their best to ignore what was going on between Will and Alaina.

Alaina swallowed and took a deep breath. "I saw him." Will's heart almost stopped and he tried to steady himself. "I saw him when it first happened," Alaina told him. Will froze stiff. "I saw him when mom was first killed," she continued. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you a long time ago," she apologized, her voice dropping so only Will could hear her.

The twins stood motionless, their eyes wide with shock. They understood everything now, from her locking herself up in her room to her waking up screaming in the middle of the night.

Jack stood with a dumbfounded look on his face; nothing had prepared him for that. "I'll go now," he said, pointing his fingers at the helm and walking quickly away, leaving the four Turners to themselves.

Carrick knew all too well that Alaina had seen Captain Partuse long ago. It was part of what made him so mad at the captain in the first place, that he and his crew had tormented her with it. But he didn't know that her father didn't know she had seen him.

Will let go of her as his entire body became numb, slowly backing away from her, his eyes becoming cold and hard. He turned quickly and moved to the other end of the ship, not able to stand looking at her anymore.

Alaina lowered her head and looked down at the deck, her lower lip quivering. He hated her. She knew that now. She hated herself, and she deserved whatever treatment he gave her.

"Come on, Alaina," Ana Maria said softly, coming up beside her and gripping her arm. Alaina didn't move. She didn't want to. She wanted to jump over the railing and drown herself. She deserved nothing less than that.

"You're going to freeze to death if you don't get changed," Ana Maria said, trying to pull her toward the stairs that led below. Alaina still wouldn't move. Finally Ana Maria began to drag her forcefully.

Jack tried not to watch anything, instead trying to focus on getting far enough away from the Gray Morning. But he couldn't help but notice Ana Maria dragging Alaina down the stairs. 'That girl's stubborn,' he thought, shaking his head. 'But Ana Maria's even worse,'

Jack and James stood on the deck for a few moments after Ana Maria and Alaina departed, forgetting everything, including the fact that they were both wet and cold. Neither one fully understood what was going on, neither understood that they were standing on the ship that they had pretended to be on so many times, or understood that their favorite pirate captain—and their father—was watching them at that very moment.

A sudden flapping sound snapped them from their brain fog, but it was merely the sails. Jack suddenly remembered Carrick and looked down to see the man sitting on the deck, watching them intently.

"Are you two all right?" he asked with genuine concern. James shook his head—'no'—but went up to him and offered him his hand. Jack reluctantly went up as well and helped Carrick up. "Thanks," Carrick said gratefully, then shivered in the sudden breeze.

"Let's see if we can find something to eat and get changed in to," Carrick told them, noticing that they were both shivering. They nodded immediately.

"You'll find some stuff in my cabin," Jack hollered at them from the helm, and the twins almost fell backwards at seeing him. Fortunately Carrick was behind them and led the two awestruck boys toward the door to the captain's quarters.

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A/N: Sorry if this is fast, confusing, and choppy. I'm not good at writing the whole action stuff. Well this really isn't action but anyhoo! Thanks to every single one of you for reading this!!! How do you like my new 'pirate' guy?