Chapter Thirty-Eight: Off to the Pearl

"I don't think we should try here," Jill told Carrick, taking his arm and making him stop before they reached the entrance of the tavern.

"Why?" Carrick asked, turning to face her.

"We'll only get in trouble," she told him, trying to pull him away.

"Since when has that ever stopped you?" he asked curiously.

"You know what I mean," she said, narrowing her eyes at him as an obvious drunk ran past chasing a woman.

"Oohhh," he said, realizing what she meant. "Look, nothing's going to happen, I promise."

Jill looked at him disbelievingly, but nevertheless followed him in. "Now what?" she asked, looking around the whore-infested tavern.

"We talk to Gibbs," Carrick said, seeing the man drinking at a table in the corner with other crewmembers of the Black Pearl. Jill shrugged but followed closely as he made way over to the other end.

"Hello, Gibbs," Carrick greeted, pulling up a chair and sitting at the table.

Gibbs almost choked at seeing the young man and blinked a few times before he set down his mug. "I thought Will left you at Port Royal."

Carrick grinned. "He did, but where's Alaina?"

Gibbs gave a small cough and looked at O'Brien, who began twiddling his thumbs. Neither one wanted to tell what happened.

"Well?" Jill asked, leaning on the back of Carrick's chair, wondering why they all had guilty expressions on their faces.

"She and Jack got marooned on an island a few days back. They were trying to find someone Alaina saw on the beach and the Gray Morning attacked while they were on shore. We had to retreat," Gibbs explained after a moment.

"You left Captain Sparrow and Alaina on an island together, alone?" Carrick asked, leaning on the table and staring hard at the man.

"Aye, we did. But we're heading back to get them in the morning," O'Brien piped up.

"Didn't I tell you Alaina wouldn't stay in Port Royale?" Jill asked Carrick with an exasperated sigh.

"Well how the hell was I supposed to know?" Carrick asked, looking up at her and beginning to get angry.

"Because I told you so," Jill answered, lightly slapping the back of his head.

"Uh," Gibbs said, not sure what else there was to say.

"Sorry, I'm Jill," Jill offered, mentally slapping herself for being so stupid as to not introduce herself before.

"I be Gibbs, and this is O'Brien," Gibbs said, motioning to the blonde-haired man sitting next to him.

"Hello," O'Brien greeted politely, nodding his head. Jill smiled at them; she couldn't help it: they just looked so comical.

"So Gibbs," Carrick began, giving a small glare directed towards Jill, "you said you're going to get them in the morning?"

Gibbs nodded and frowned as a man walked by and eyed Jill.

"Do you mind if we tag along?" Carrick asked, turning and glaring at the man, warning him to back down.

"Is she worth her salt?" Gibbs asked, looking skeptically at Jill.

"Yes," she said, answering him herself. "Look Mr. Gibbs, I might be a girl, but I can do more than needle point and look pretty," she told him.

"She's a younger version of Ana Maria, 'cept she wears dresses," Carrick offered, not wanting to leave her here.

"Well then, that you are," he agreed, noting that Jill was wearing pants. "But where be the two younger ones?"

Jill and Carrick shared an uncomfortable look. "They're, uh, safe," Carrick said finally, not wanting to admit that he and Jill had locked them in a small shed.

"Well then, go get 'em and meet us back at the Pearl in a few hours," Gibbs said, taking his mug and chugging it.

"All right then," Carrick agreed, getting up and motioning for Jill to follow as they began to make their way out of the building.

"'ow 'bout you keep me company 'onight, love," a man slurred as he grabbed onto Jill.

Jill began to panic but wrenched her arm free and smiled sweetly at him. "How about you go find yourself someone you can actually afford," she offered, shoving him toward a heavy set woman.

Turning back around, she saw Carrick standing by the door smiling. "So who took after who?" he asked as she got closer.

Jill shrugged. "I don't think we have time to think about that one. We'd better go get the boys."

Carrick nodded and they hurried out.

***

Jack immediately slammed his small fist into Carrick's stomach as soon as they were out of the small shed.

"Why the hell did you lock us up?" he asked angrily as Jill backed away from them.

"You would've gotten in trouble," she told them, trying not to laugh as Carrick tried to catch his breath.

"And you didn't?" James asked unbelievingly.

"No," Jill lied, not wanting them to have anything to shove in her face.

"So now what?" James asked after a moment, trying to get Jack to quit glaring at Jill.

"We're going to meet Gibbs at the Pearl," Carrick told them, moving away as a young woman ran past shrieking—or laughing, he couldn't tell—with a man right behind her.

"When I get a hold of Alaina…" Jack muttered, clenching his fists. He still couldn't believe she'd left them at Port Royal with a note telling them not to bother going after her.

Jill glanced at Carrick who was looking at her, and they both shrugged. "Ah, well, you see," Jill began with a nervous laugh, "Alaina's not on the Pearl,"

Both boys' eyes narrowed dangerously.

"It seems she and Captain Sparrow got stranded on an island a few days ago," she tried to explain, but stepped away from them, knowing that she could very well get hit.

"Whose bloody idea was that?" Jack yelled, taking a step towards her.

"Jack, calm down," Carrick told the boy. "I don't like it anymore than you do, but we're heading back to get them in the morning,"

"If he did anything, I'm going to kill him," Jack said to himself, expressing his twin's private thoughts.

"But we're going to have to go now in order to find the Pearl in time so they don't leave us here," Jill said with a slight yawn.

"Lead the way," James said, motioning for them to direct where to go.

***

A/N: Well, so I'm hoping your all enjoying this. I'm not sure its going all that well (Still thinking its getting progressively worse) but if you like it well than kudos to you!!!

And I changed my Will and Liz scene so its better!!!

Pippa: HAHA!!! You'll never know!!! Its all up to the readers mind as to weather they slept togther or SLEPT together. Thanks for reviewing hon!!

Roxxy9: Well thanks very much!!! I appreciate you actually sitting and reading it for that long!!

Rizz: I don't know how you can sit there and read this bloody thing for that long. Must have quite a long attention span. Well thank you for your review and yes I will tie it up later so you understand it all.

MarsMoonStar: Well thank you!!

Argentinean Beauty: Well, I don't know what to say rather than you make me want to cry!!! I'm glad you like my OC's as well as Jack and Will.

Ta. And as Keara Knightly says WAYY to many times in the commentaries. "Its lovely," The it's referring to all you and your very nice comments!!!

Oh oh and GIVE MUCH THANKS TO MY EDITOR!!! WHO ROCKS MY SOCKS!!! MY MONKEY TOE SOCKS TO BE EXACT!!!