"Treasure Can Be Misleading"

"A Family Business"

Chapter 5

Once aboard The Dauntless, the four were each dictated as to how they were going to be dealt with.

Elizabeth, being the Governor's daughter, wasn't punished in the least and was immediately whisked off into the care of her father.  Will was let off as well, in light of his service in rescuing Elizabeth and aiding in the defeat of the pirates.  Arcelia was commended as well for her brave efforts, no real punishment being served, and was then taken to the Swann's cabin for her injuries taken care of.  And Jack… well, it was pretty obvious what was to happen to Jack.

*~*~*~*~*

         Jack sat in his cell down below deck, staring at the bars with a blank stare, and Will was in a chair next to the cell keeping him company.

         "I'm sorry, Jack," he apologized.

"Alls I can say is that I better be accredited as a captain at the hanging," Jack responded.

Will shook his head, a little smile appearing on his face.

         Just then, there came a creaking of the steps that lead to the top deck.  Both men looked over to see Arcelia making her way down.  She came over, taking stance beside Will.

         "Thank you," Will said, without look up.

He did look up when he felt a hand clap down on his shoulder.  Arcelia heaved a sigh, gazing down at her brother with an almost parental gleam in her eye.

         "I should be thanking you," she said. "If you and that Elizabeth hadn't come when you did, I'd have been dead."

         "How touching," Jack broke in, getting both Arcelia and Will to acknowledge him again. "Why don't you go off and find your strumpet. I'd like to talk to your sister alone for a bit," he said to Will, waving his hand as a signal for Will to run-along.

Will looked to Arcelia for confirmation of his departure, then left to head above deck to search out Elizabeth as Jack has suggested.

Jack then turned his grinning face to Arcelia.

"What've ya got to say to the whelp, Sparrow?" a gruff voice chuckled.

Jack and Arcelia then remembered that almost the whole crew of The Pearl was in the cells across from them.  But Jack didn't seem to mind, for he then went about pursuing his intended conversation as if the other pirates weren't even there.

         "What precisely did you mean by 'us' going back to the ship? Well, before- you know…" Arcelia asked him, wanting her question answered first.

         "Exactly what you think, dove.  'Us' meaning you and me on The Pearl, like the old days," Jack said with his trademark drunken grin.

Arcelia couldn't help but smile as well.  It would've been nice to have been back on The Pearl again, like before, but it wouldn't have been the same good times as it was when her father had been around.

         "That is fine by you, right Arcie?" Jack asked her.

Arcelia's smile then reverted to a frown.  Her father had been the only one to call her by that name, and would be the only one.  Moreover, she didn't like the way Jack was most likely using it for.

         Jack could sense Arcelia was becoming upset, though he wasn't sure for what reason.

         "S' all right.  No harm done," Jack said, sneakily putting his hand upon Arcelia's knee.

*~*~*~*~*

         Will had discovered the whereabouts of his beloved Elizabeth, but was told she was taking a nap at the moment and was not to be disturbed (under the orders of, who else, Commodore Norrington and Governor Swann).

So, having nothing else better to do, Will took retreat at the bow of the ship, leaning against the back railing and simply watching the waves made by the ship's path.  Only upon hearing the sound of boots on wood, Will turned around to find Arcelia walking up the steps to where he was.

"Dirty lecher," she muttered under her breath, dusting off her hands as she glanced behind her.

"Is everything all right, Arcelia?" Will asked his sister.

Arcelia looked up.

Judging by the expression on her face, she hadn't expected anyone else to be up there.

         "It's only Jack," she said.

         "Oh, what's he done this time?" Will looked at her, rolling his eyes as he tried to imagine what Jack had done to offend Arcelia.

         "You don't want to know," she recommended.

         "I suppose he deserved it then?" Will said, knowing Jack had most likely gotten another slap in the face (as was the greeting from many of his female acquaintances).

         "And then some," Arcelia nodded.

The two siblings came to stand beside one another at the railing, both watching the sea dance for the sunlight.

         "What was father like, Arcie?" Will inquired.

Arcelia looked over at him, her face at a new calm it hadn't been in for some time now.  She didn't even feel a twitch of discomfort when Will called her 'Arcie'.  It felt just as warm and cute to the ears as when her father had said it to her.  Not like the sneaky perverted way Jack had unfittingly used it.

         "Well, he was very brave.  He didn't take anything he didn't like from anybody.  But he was always managed to be patient with me, which I still ponder over to this day," Arcelia then got a far-away look in her eyes. "He was the best father any one could every ask for.  I didn't care if he stole or killed people… he was my father," she spoke the later part at a whisper, a faint resemblance of teardrops glinted in the corners of her eyes.

Will nodded with understanding.  She casually, but quickly, wiped the slight tears away.

"You look so much like him, you know, it's eerie!" she recovered, sniffling occasionally as she forced on a smile. "The Turner children! Just think of it, Will! Back together and destined to become the greatest, nay, the most feared pirates The Caribbean has ever―" Arcelia broke off, the lump in her throat becoming too great for her to bear any longer.

She then busted down, at least on the inside.  Outside, she was as stiff at wooden ornament that adorned the bow of The Pearl, and her eyes as hollow and deep as the dankest of caverns.

         "Arcie?" Will looked at her, a brotherly worry trickling into his already soft features.

Arcelia slowly turned to face him, desperately trying to keep her tears at bay.

         "Don't let that girl out of your heart yet, lad!" she scolded him, this new mention of Elizabeth coming completely at random. "She's a good lass, and you both deserve each other!" Arcelia yelled, on the verge of crying, then dashing from his side and back down to the main deck.

Will knew she really needed him right then, but knowing the type of person she was… he decided against it and sided with letting her be by herself for the time being.

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Author's Note ::  And so end's the fourth chapter of my fanfic!  Liking what you're reading so far?  Then goodie-goodie gumdrops if you are :) , and too flippin' bad if you're not XP .  Sorry if it's getting too sappy, but you can imagine how emotional this could get for a woman with Arcelia's background. :(  Well, it'll get better in the next chapter.  Haven't written it yet, but I do know it's gonna start back in at when Jack's hanging is taking place (like in the movie).  Ok, it's all the normal routine now.  Read/Review/Flame (keep it helpful criticisms), savvy? ;)