Chapter Thirty-One: Secrets Revealed

Jack grinned as he strode through Port Royal. People were stopping and staring at him, their mouths gaping open. He knew they were surprised to see him there. So was he.

He had convinced Ana Maria to drop him off and head to Tortuga for a few days. He wanted to know how things were now that the entire Turner family knew all the secrets that had been kept from them since Elizabeth had died.

Turning the corner he saw the familiar brick house of the Turners. 'Hope Alaina doesn't mind the company,' he thought wryly as he saw the door open and the twins come out. They began to walk down the road toward him, but they walked right by him, too absorbed in their conversation to take note of the dark man.

"Jack! James!" he heard someone yell from inside the house, and Carrick immediately came out the door and ran after them, also taking no notice of the pirate.

'Do I really blend in that well?' he asked himself, looking at the people around him, then analyzing himself. He dismissed it and walked to the door, which was still standing wide open.

"Should I?" he asked himself aloud as he stood there a few seconds, debating on whether or not to enter. He made up his mind and stepped inside.

"Hello?" he asked as he came into the main hall. "Is anyone home?" His voice echoed through the entire house. "Guess not."

Quickly he shut the door behind him and stood there for a moment, evaluating the house, or what he could see of it. "Not bad, Will," he said aloud, noting the carpentry and wondering if Will had done that himself.

He shrugged and wandered into what appeared to be Will's office. "Hmm," he murmured aloud, seeing all the papers on the desk and beginning to leaf through them.

"Junk," he said, tossing a paper that had a lot of numbers and letters on it. "Junk, more junk." He sifted through more of them. It appeared Alaina had taken over Will's office for her studies in the week she'd been back.

"Now, what is this?" he asked, seeing a small leather-bound book. He picked it up and looked behind him to make sure no one was there before he opened it.

He skimmed through a few pages. "Very interesting," he mused to himself as he came upon a page with a small sketch of Elizabeth.

Jack checked the writing and noticed it wasn't Will's. 'Must be Alaina's,' he figured, remembering the time Alaina had slapped Carrick because he'd been reading it.

He knew those two had been becoming increasingly better friends and wondered how Will was dealing with it. Or even if he was at all.

He looked at the clock and decided he had enough time to read one or two entries. Jack placed himself comfortably in the chair furthest from the door and decided to randomly pick a spot. Shutting the book, he opened it again and began to read. Coincidentally enough, the date was that when he and Alaina had met a few weeks back.

'Well wouldn't you know it. The man the boys have been telling me they've seen around Port Royal is the one I happen to send over the railing today. And as luck would have it, it's none other than the famous Captain Jack Sparrow.

'You know, he wasn't at all like I'd pictured him. I thought he'd be some wild-eyed, crazy man with a goatee. Well, I guess I was right about the goatee, though.'

Jack frowned at her misconception on his appearance. 'What had Elizabeth and Will told her about me?' he wondered, continuing.

'But when Dad told me who he was, I was absolutely bewildered. He was actually somewhat good looking, in a rugged sort of way.'

Jack grinned.

'But it was actually kind of interesting. There in front of me stood the pirate that I'd heard and read about my entire life, and all I could do was gawk at him.'

Jack shook his head and decided to skip to the last entry.

'I've been home nearly a week and all I can do is worry about Dad and whether he's dead or dying. Or whether he's found Captain Partuse or not. I can't help thinking that if I'd only told him earlier, none of this would have happened.

'Although, I guess things have a way of turning out all right. After all, Carrick is one of the few good things to have come from this whole ordeal.

'I know Carrick and I have been fooling around—'

Jack's jaw dropped.

'—but it's not serious.'

Jack's eyes grew wide.

'I know he's older and a lot more mature than I am. Good god, he's so responsible, but we haven't done anything serious. If we did, Jack and James would kill him in an instant.'

Jack gave a sigh of relief, though he didn't know why, and continued to read.

'It's just though, I feel safe with him. I don't trust him completely, no, but I feel secure, like nothing can happen and that things are all right. I feel that way around hardly anyone else, save my father and my brothers. And oddly enough, even around Captain Sparrow.'

Jack was about to continue when the door opened and a voice called out. "Alaina," it said, and Jack sat up and waited for whoever it was to enter the room.

"Come on, you can tell me," Jill assured, coming behind her friend and gently gripping her arm. Alaina turned and just looked at her red-haired friend. "We've told each other everything. What makes me suddenly not trustworthy?"

Jack's ears perked as he wondered if Alaina would tell her about Alex.

"Jill," Alaina said, sighing and rubbing her temples. "I just can't."

Jill turned and shut the door, then looked back at her friend. "Alaina, I'm not leaving until you tell me."

'No wonder where Alaina gets her persistence,' Jack thought wryly.

Alaina sank down on the bottom stair and motioned for Jill to join her. Jill slowly made her way over and sat next to her.

"Do you remember that day a few months back when I got caught in that storm?" Alaina asked, looking at her hands. Jill nodded, wondering what that had to do with what was going on now. "Well, Alex and I…we, ah…" Alaina began, hardly able to say his name without crying.

"What?" Jill asked, leaning over so she could see her friend's face. "We, uh…kissed each other," Alaina said meekly, sneaking a glance at her.

Jill's eyes were wide with shock. "It finally happened and you didn't tell me?" Jill almost screamed at her friend.

Alaina was confused. "What do you mean 'finally'?"

Jack almost snorted. Alaina really was slow when it came to some things.

Jill just stared at Alaina disbelievingly. "You two have probably liked each other for about four years now. And don't deny it," Jill warned, shaking a finger at her.

Alaina sighed and bit her lip in distress. "What?" Jill asked, knowing that Alaina was contemplating on whether to tell her something or not.

"Alex," Alaina began slowly, knowing that she was going to have to tell Jill. Jill scooted closer to her and waited anxiously for her to continue. "He sold me out," Alaina whispered, putting her face in her hands.

"Wait, what?" Jill asked, confused.

"He joined up with the pirates that killed my mother, and he told them everything," Alaina sobbed.

"Alex? Our Alex? Alex Holden?" Jill asked in astonishment.

Alaina nodded and lifted her head. "He let them kidnap Jack and James, and then helped them kidnap me," she told Jill.

Jill's entire body began to go numb and her eyes started to water. "Alex?" she asked again, hoping that it was all just some lie. Alaina nodded and a sob escaped her.

"Oh, God," Jill whispered, resting her elbows on her knees.

Alaina nodded and ran her hand around her face and rested it on the back of her neck. The two girls sat there on the steps for a long time just listening to the ticking of the grandfather clock and the muffled sounds of the street.

"I have to get home now," Jill said hastily, getting up.

Alaina nodded. She knew Jill was embarrassed to cry in front of people and needed the solitude of her own room. Jill quickly went out and shut the door tightly behind her, leaving Alaina alone.

Or so they both thought.

***

A/N: Yes it's a little long I know and my apologies, but I'm just now filled with ideas and story lines and stuff. And my Will/Elizabeth scene I changed so, yeah it should be up in a few days.

Sorry to all those of you (RORY 4) that I confused with finishing the story. I decided not to yet and so its going to be longer. SORRY!!!

And My editor did not edit this chapter either, she's really busy and I'm bored so yeah!! Sorry hon!!!

Oh well off to find the next chapters on my laptop. I love it so much, but I think my next two chapters (32 & 33) are on the disk I gave her so I might not be able to post those during this week.

Hope your all enjoying your time off from school! Unless you go to an all year round school, than I pity you! To all those who are in school right now, sue! Sue someone!!!

Okay I'm done now so have a happy new year and if I die before than, like a friend predicted than one of you can finish the story!!

BYE!!!