Chapter Twenty-Seven: Deepest Circle of Hell

Alex sat alone in his room, wondering what would be in store for him. He had betrayed Alaina, who had been an extremely wonderful friend. He had taken everything that they had ever had and traded it in.

'You're a real smart one,' he thought to himself with a sigh. Just as things were finally starting to go somewhere between them, did he have to go and join up with a gang of pirates? Not just any pirates—the pirates that had almost destroyed Alaina and her family. The family that had been like another family to him. He was collaborating with the same man who had shot Mrs. Turner just for the fun of it. A woman who had treated him with as much kindness and compassion as she had her own children.

He deserved to die. He deserved not just to die, but to die in the cruelest and most inhuman way possible, and spend the rest of eternity in the deepest circle of hell. What he had done to the Turners could never be undone; even if they somehow did forgive him, he would still have to live with the guilt of knowing he'd sold them out. And that guilt could never be repressed.

"What have I done, God?" he asked, looking up at the ceiling, wondering if there was a God up there, a God that would listen and forgive him, even now.

***

Will stood at the end of the hall, waiting for Alaina to come out of her room.

He needed to talk to her; James had just told him about Alex and Captain Partuse. He needed to make sure she was all right.

He waited a few more moments, and was surprised to see her come out with

Carrick. 'Lord, I swear,' Will promised, his eyes narrowing at the boy. Enough had happened that afternoon with Jack and Alaina, and he didn't want anyone else to be on her either.

Alaina looked up and saw her father standing there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, glaring at Carrick. She looked at Carrick, whose face had started to lose its color.

"Dad, are you all right?" she asked, confused at the silent exchange.

Will nodded and uncrossed his arms. "I need to talk to you," he told her, and Carrick immediately began to walk faster, passing them.

Alaina glanced back, puzzled at Carrick's retreating figure, but shrugged and leaned against the wall. "About what?"

"About Alex," Will told her in a low tone.

Almost immediately Alaina's eyes began to fill with tears. "I don't want to talk about him," she said, lowering her eyes and biting her bottom lip.

"We need to," Will disagreed. He didn't want to force the issue, but he needed to know what she told him. "Alaina," he said, grabbing her arm as she tried to walk away. "We have to talk about—"

"No," she said, a sob escaping her as she tried to wrench from his grasp, but he still held onto her. Finally she just gave up and held onto him and cried. "He sold me out," she sobbed onto his shoulder.

"I know," Will said, holding onto her tightly, his own eyes watering at seeing her so distraught. "I'm sorry," he said sympathetically, kissing the top of her head.

"I want to go home," she cried, clinging to him, just wanting to pretend none of this had ever happened.

Will nodded. "We will, I promise." He knew that telling her he would return home with them was pointless.

But he would. He was going to drop them off back at Port Royal, inform Governor Swann what had happened, then head out in search of Captain Partuse—the man he had been longing to find since the beginning.

And once he found him, he was going to kill him.

***

A/N: Okay first off. Kudos and rum to my editor!!! She reposted all my chappies after 14, so they're better now. And it's all because of her!! *Does Irish jig in happiness* So THANK YOU HON!!!

Second off. I forced myself to write this chapter so I'm sorry if it's off.

Thirdly. I am OUT, I repeat, OUT OF IDEAS TO GO NEXT!!! So if you would pleeze give me some sort of vocational advice, or would like to see something happen. Let me know, cuz again, I'd be more than happy to write it for you.

And lastly. Thanks to all you reviewers! You all are so nice to me *Wipes away tears* I LUV YOU ALL!!!

P.S. I don't know what vocational means, I just like it cuz it sounds cool. So please don't rain on my parade and review and tell me I'm a confounded idiot for using it, savvy?