My eyes flew open suddenly.

My first thought was of Elizabeth.

My next thought was of how much my head hurt.

I sat up and rubbed it as I looked around.

I was sitting on a flattened bush of lavender, which had obviously broken my fall last night. It was morning now, birds were chirping loudly at the new day and I heard the distant crow of a rooster.

I had to find Elizabeth.

Except, I remembered hastily, she had been taken onto the pirate's ship. And since I could not see any pirates lurking around or trying to blow up the house anymore, I guessed they were long gone.

Without the medallion.

And where was it now?

A tremor of fear for Elizabeth passed over me and I groped around in the dirt for the round, golden coin.

My fingers connected with the cold metal and closed with relief around it. I almost laughed at the irony of nearly losing it. I examined it once more in the bright sunlight, the skull grinning at me as it stared blankly. How had I known that this was what the pirates were after?

Everything I could remember had come in flashes, and as general instincts rather than actual memories, yet I felt no doubt that they were correct.

And now, I had the medallion, and I needed to get it to Elizabeth, before the pirates discovered that she didn't have it.

Unless they already had…

No. I couldn't think like that. I needed to stay positive. Elizabeth seemed smart… She would be able to look after herself until I could get the medallion to her… wouldn't she?

I pushed the image of the butler falling to the ground out of my head and got to my feet hastily. I flung the medallion's chain around my neck and stuffed it down the front of my dress.

I needed to tell Governor Swann what had happened to Elizabeth, then maybe I could get on the boat that would be going after her… And then I would give the pirates the medallion, and everything would be ok.

I knew deep down that it seemed too simple, but it was that or break down completely.

I pulled up my skirts and began to jog in the direction of the front gate, now looking half crushed and beaten. I didn't bother looking inside the house, it appeared to be too much in shambles to be used as a military office or such. There were huge, gaping holes in the walls where the cannons had blasted through, and some sections of the house seemed to have collapsed completely.

I headed instead down a hill towards the centre of town. Where the remnants of the pirates' destruction could be seen everywhere.

It was chilling looking at how much damage could be caused in a few hours, I almost felt glad I had been knocked out and out of their way for most of the night.

Bodies were lying unconscious on the street, alive or dead I did not know, and men were hurriedly carrying stretchers somewhere. Animals roamed free and there were many windows or buildings with holes smashed through them, or even reduced to charred rubbles.

As I made my way through the town, my eyes fell upon a maid who was sweeping her front porch with a dismal expression while the whole town lay in near ruins. Why on earth was she concerned with the dust on her doorstep while the town had been nearly destroyed? I wondered in amazement.

I wound my way through the madness, stepping over the people who lay on the streets, making my way towards a huge fort-like structure where I guessed the Governor would be most likely to be.

There was a guard standing outside, but he only glanced at me as I made my way up to where I could see Governor Swann deep in conversation with some official looking officers.

They were standing around a small table covered with maps and I marched up to them boldly.

"Governor Swann," I called, and the group of men turned to look at me with amazed faces and hasty bows.

"Miss Gateau!" The Governor cried in a relieved tone. "Thank the heavens you're alright, child."

I ignored this.

"Elizabeth, she was kidnapped!" I announced loudly. "The pirates came and they took her… I have to find them, we need to get her back…"

I trailed off as I realised that my pronouncement was not creating any shock among the crowd of men. It seemed only to generate tediousness.

They already knew of course.

 A tall man wearing a blue coat and the same white, curly wig that I was seeing a lot of here, stepped towards me. "Miss Gateau, I understand that you have been through a lot in the past twenty-four hours," He said in a bored, official tone. "But please understand, we are currently taking all the measures we can to get Miss Elizabeth back, safe and sound. I think it would be better if you remained somewhere out of the way until we can arrange for another ship to escort you back to Haiti."

I stared angrily at him. "What, you're just going to tuck me away in a corner until it's convenient for me to be shipped out? Is that it?" I demanded indignantly. "I am not going to be pushed aside that easily, mate. I need to get to Elizabeth!"

Who the hell does this man think he is? Am I, or am I not meant to be the daughter of a Governor?

"Commodore Norrington is only thinking of your safety…" Replied the Governor, diplomatic as always.

I placed my hands on my hips and stared at the man. "I can take care of myself, thankyou."

"No doubt, but nevertheless it would be more appropriate for you to take some rest before your trip home. You are undoubtedly anxious to reunite with your father, but I'm afraid it must be delayed for a time, as the Interceptor is needed."

"I'm afraid I do not feel the same way, Commodore!" I protested. "Perhaps you do not understand… I am going with you to help Elizabeth! I need to speak to her."

Laughter from the group of men met these words and I flushed a deep red.

"Commodore, Governor… Please," I implored, "I need to get to Elizabeth… Before it's too late, its very important."

"I am sure whatever it is can wait," The Commodore replied gently. He motioned to two red coated guards who were standing by, watching the scene with mounting interest. "Mr Murtogg and Mr Mullroy will escort you to my office and see that you are comfortable until another passage to Haiti is available."

My hands set themselves firmly on my hips as one of the guards offered his arm.

I glared at the Commodore. "I refuse to be shoved out of the way like some child incapable of doing anything for myself."

Before he was able to reply, the sound of someone rushing up the stone steps was heard.

I turned around to see Will running towards the meeting.

"They've taken her!" It was Will, he was panting slightly and he had a fierce look in his eyes. "They've taken Elizabeth."

Déjà vu?

The Commodore sighed impatiently. "Mr Murtogg, remove this man." The guard who had offered his arm to me started towards Will.

For a moment I felt grateful that I hadn't been dismissed quite as quickly as Will had and I felt a wave of sympathy towards him.

Will's attention was fully focused on Norrington. Unsure of whether he was still resentful towards me, I decided this was a good thing.

"We have to hunt them down, we must save her!" He cried passionately.

With a start I realised I hadn't even thought about how Elizabeth's capture would hit him. They had seemed rather… close.

"And where do you propose we start?" Shot Governor Swann. "If you have any information concerning my daughter, please, share it."

"They weren't after her."

The group turned to look at me. Will's eyes widened as he noticed me.

"They were after…"  Some instinct warned me not to mention the medallion, so I lied quickly. "…They were after me."

"But that does not change the fact that they have Miss Swann." Replied Commodore Norrington.

Murtogg and looked thoughtful for a moment. "That Jack Sparrow. He talked about the Black Pearl."

That didn't surprise me…

The other guard, a plumper, shorter version of the first, hastily stepped forward. "Mentioned it, is more what he did."

Will's eyes lit up at this bit of information. "Ask him where it is!" He demanded fervently. "Make a deal with him, he could lead us to it!"

And while we're at it, why don't we ask the devil for his advice on the matter…

"No…" Came the bored voice of Norrington. "The pirates who invaded this Fort left Sparrow in his cell, ergo, they are not his allies." He turned back to the map on the table. "Governor, we will establish their most likely course…"

I was beginning to dislike that man.

Will ready to explode with anger. "That's not good enough!" He cried forcefully, bringing his hatchet down in the centre of the map to reiterate his point.

I jumped a little at this sudden action, but the officers barely blinked an eyebrow.

Commodore Norrington straightened up and drew in an aggravated breath. He pulled the hatchet out of the table, leaving a large dint in the centre of the map and turned to Will.

"Mr Turner," He started as he walked around the table towards Will. "You are not a military man, you are not a sailor. You are a blacksmith, and this is not the moment for rash actions." He lowered his voice as he held out the hatchet to Will. "Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only man here who cares for Elizabeth."

Will glared at him for a moment before taking his hatchet and storming off the way he had come.

Norrington sighed impatiently and turned back to the map.

Murtogg's arm was once again offered to me, and grudgingly I accepted it. I was getting nowhere here.

I glared at Norrington.

"Commodore, it has been enlightening meeting you and seeing the effectiveness of the King's Navy in action," I said scathingly. "I just hope that your judgement in this matter is not listening to something other than your head." I glanced down briefly as I said this, eyebrow raised, and I nearly laughed at the look he gave me as his gaze left the map before him. "Good day, Governor." I said cheerily as I allowed myself to be ushered away from the meeting.

The two guards walked on either side of me as they escorted me through the streets, I wondered whether this was for my protection, or to stop me from running off onto a ship.

They offered no conversation and so we walked in silence. I was glad for an opportunity to think how I was going to get myself aboard a ship that was after Elizabeth. The Interceptor had been the one Norrington had named…

My thoughts were interrupted suddenly by a familiar voice…

"Come on… Please…" The voice growled and I turned my head, searching for it's source.

It was coming from inside a large, stone building; from a large hole in the building, to be more exact.

I stopped walking, and after a few steps, the guards realised that their charge was no longer keeping up with them and turned around.

Murtogg frowned. "We were told to take you to the Commodore's office, Miss."

I smiled sweetly. "Of course. I'll be along in a few minutes, you can wait here." I paused, then added with a smile; "That's a new order, and as Governor's daughter, I'm pretty sure I outrank you…"

Mullroy stepped towards me, looking unconvinced, but before he could say whatever it was he was going to say, I cut him off.

"Look, I'll just be over there." I said, pointing to the hole in the wall. "I'll be five minutes, honest."

With that, I hitched up the front of my skirts, strode over to the hole and peered into the dim interior.

It was a prison; dark, damp, with a sandy dirt floor. There were two cells in this room that I could see, for one of the cells the hole made an easy exit, but it barely touched the other cell, supplying only a narrow window for the occupant to stare longingly out of.

In this cell was Jack Sparrow.

He was crouched at the far end before the lock, seemingly trying to pick it with a bone. I could hear his low growls at it to open.

I leaned into the hole and rested my elbows on the floor of the prison, which was fairly high above ground level, and watched him.

"You don't think a key might work better?" I asked sarcastically.

Gold teeth were revealed as he gave a small, half grin. "It appears to have ran off..."

"Such a pity." My voice was unsympathetic.

Jack turned with attention away from the lock to face me. He raised an eyebrow at me as I stared at him, then his grin widened. "Luv… Good ta see ya again."

I glared at him and he frowned.

Lips pursed, he raised a finger and pointed it knowingly at me. "You're mad."

"Should I not be?" I shot indignantly, feeling my temper rising. "Am I wrong, or did you not threaten to kill me?"

"Ah, but I didn't, did I?"

"Didn't get a chance, more like it."

" 'ave it your way, luv."

I wanted to hit him. I think he knew it too, because his dark eyes glinted with amusement.

I could feel the two guards watching me from where they stood and knew I did not have much longer until they came to see what I was doing.

"Look, Sparrow," I started, pushing down my anger with difficulty.

"That'd Captain Sparrow, luv."

"Captain," I reiterated through gritted teeth. "Tell me, do you know where the pirates are heading?"

"And which pirates would you be referring to?"

He's only trying to bait me. I told myself, taking a deep sigh of annoyance, trying desperately to keep myself from yelling a long string of uncivilised language at him.

The effort made my voice cold when I answered him. "The pirates that invaded the fort last night. The pirates who kidnapped Elizabeth."

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ah, yes, big, ugly… very loud."

I rolled my eyes. "So where are they going?"

He began to innocently study his nails. "Why ask me?"

The words left my mouth without thinking. "Because you're a pirate."

"Aye, and you'd be thinking of turning pirate yourself, taking on the crew single-handed, eh?"

"Do you know or not?"

"What makes you so keen to know?"

"Why always answer questions with questions?" I snapped.

He laughed. "You're audacious, luv, I'll give you that."

I jumped as I felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned around to see that Murtogg and Mullroy had come over.

They were staring suspiciously from me to the pirate, and Jack was grinning wickedly back at them.

"Jus' reminiscing, Gentlemen." He crooned.

"You, Sparrow," Said Mullroy, "Are not meant to be reminiscing, it's against protocol for one in such a position as yours, especially with those well above your own status."

Jack raised an eyebrow at this and looked at me questioningly.

"Come along, Miss Gateau." Said Murtogg. "We'd best be getting you to the Commodore's office now."

"Oh, that's where you're going!" Cried Jack, receiving stares from the officers and myself. "Just from the way you were talking it sounded as though you were thinking of commandeering a ship and sailing off in pursuit of the pirates, and that wouldn't do for a Governor's daughter, now, would it?"

My left hand clenched into a fist. Bloody pirate. Bloody doublecrossing pirate.

"Why would Miss Gateau be wanting to do that?" Mullroy asked him.

Jack turned to look at me, an expectant look on his face – waiting for an answer. I glared angrily at him.

It was Murtogg who answered Mullroy's question. "Because, she told Commodore Norrington that she needed to get to Elizabeth. To tell her something important."

Jack's eyebrow's raised. "Oh she did, did she? That's interesting… Care to share it with the group, luv?"

"Care to go to hell?" I retorted sharply, before pushing past the officers and walking swiftly away from the prison.

"You Gentlemen had best keep a sharp eye on that one," I heard Jack say to my guards. "I expect she'd be waiting for the opportune moment to slip off…"

I was silently fuming.

How dare that pirate sabotage my plans like that? Not that I actually had any plan as to how I was meant to be getting aboard one of the ships, but now any chance that I might have had was shrunk to minute sizes.

The red coats caught up with me and once again began to lead me through the streets.

"I feel I must inquire as to the nature of your conversation with the pirate, Miss Gateau." Mullroy said formally as we walked.

"Why?"

"Because it ain't right for a proper lady to be chatting with some pirate." Replied Murtogg.

I sighed heavily. "It was hardly a chat… I was merely inquiring as to the pirate's opinion of whether my friend, Miss Swann, would still be alive."

"Not the impression that the pirate gave us."

"Well he's a pirate, isn't he?" I said annoyed. "'Not only is he dishonest, but he is most likely thick headed and incomprehensively stupid.  No doubt he misinterpreted my concern for Elizabeth."

I wondered if they bought it. They didn't seem to be over intelligent, but then again, it wasn't a very good lie.

Nevertheless, they stopped walking abruptly outside a tall, whitewashed building and knocked on the door.

It was answered promptly by a tall, grey faced butler and once more the image of the butler at the Swann's mansion falling to the ground flashed through my mind.

I shuddered. I had never seen anyone die before that. Nor had I ever expected to be witness to a murder. It had left me with something like a bitter taste in my mouth.

The urgency to get to Elizabeth before anything happened to her flared up once more.

I considered running away from Mullroy and Murtog there and then, but at that moment I was led inside. Then the door closed and I felt trapped.

The interior of the building was tastefully decorated, not over fancy, yet not humble either.

I only half listened as my guards explained the purpose of the visit to the butler.

I had never felt claustrophobic before, well, not that I could remember, but this building made me feel …closed in. I didn't like it.

The Interceptor could be leaving port right this minute, and I was stuck here with two bumbling idiots acting as nursemaids.

After a short discussion between the guards and the butler, I was led up a steep flight of stairs and shown into a room. I assumed this to be the Commodore's office that I was expected to spend my remaining time in Port Royal in.

There was a few bits and pieces of furniture scattered around the room, a large desk with two stiff backed chairs in before it and a larger, comfier looking chair behind it, a couch, and a few leather arm chairs situated near an open fireplace.

There was also a large window behind the desk.

"I could get you, Miss Gateau?" Mullroy asked. 

"A drink of water would be nice, if you please." I said politely, and the large man nodded and left the room to go attend to it, leaving me alone with Murtogg.

I moved over to the couch and sank down into it, staring out of the window wistfully. I could see a patch of blue sea through the buildings…

My stomach grumbled.

"Actually, Mr Murtogg…" I began, turning to the tall red coated man. "I am really hungry and it seems as though I am to be here for a while. I don't suppose you would mind going down and sending up some food?"

He looked doubtful.

I put on my most charming smile. "Please? I haven't eaten anything since yesterday morning… You don't have to worry about my safety, this building seems very well guarded."

I think we both knew that it was not concern that I might get attacked that was making him keep an eye on me, but he relented.

"I'll just be a minute, though." He said as he exited the room.

I did not waste any time.

Moving quickly towards the window I flicked the latch and peered down to the street below.

I cursed my luck for finding myself, once more, on the second floor of the building. Still, the bricks in the outside of the wall seemed to stick out, leaving gaps with a depth of at least an inch in between them.

It would be hard climbing down, but not impossible.

Except for the fact that my right hand was still partly hindered from when it had been cut by Will's sword.

I gingerly twitched my fingers. A bit of pain at the movement, but I suppose I would have to deal with it.

There was no other option.

I climbed out of the window and swung my legs down.

The slipper-like shoes that I was wearing had pointy toes, thankfully, so I was able to get some sort of hold in the wall, even if it was small.

I would have preferred a nice gentle slope with lots of deep footholds and bits that I could grasp tightly with my hands, but desperation pushed me to make best of what I had, and I gingerly began to climb down.

I was absolutely terrified as I half felt my way down the down the wall. When I was about half-way down, I gave up and let myself jump the remaining few meters, landing in a crumple of skirts.

I got up and hastily brushed the dirt off my dress before hitching up the front of my skirts and sprinting through the streets in the direction of the docks.

I must have looked crazy to the people of Port Royal, but all I could think of was getting to the Interceptor before it began to make way.

I turned a corner and a strong breeze blew into my face with a strong smell of salt.

A voice called out from behind me, and I paused and turned my head to see who it was.

"Miss Gateau!"

Estrella Brown, the maid from the Governor's household, was standing outside a building marked with a hanging sign of a hammer hitting an anvil. The smithy.

"Estrella," I cried in shock. "What are you doing here?"

She pointed at the building. "My father…" She paused and gave me a confused look. "Why on earth are you bolting through the streets like one possessed? Where is Governor Swann, and Miss Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth was kidnapped." I said quickly. "Listen, you have to help me, can you show me where the Interceptor is docked?"

She opened her mouth ask why but I cut her off.

"Please, Estrella, it's important."

She bit her lip as she thought about it, but at length she nodded. "Follow me, it's this way."

She led me through an assortment of side streets and across a narrow, stone bridge which had a section of it's wall blown off.

We reached the docks and she pointed out a small ship (which could have been described by some as a large boat…) with men busily carrying crates and boxes aboard. Preparing it to leave no doubt. On the bow, painted in large and bold, white letters, were the words; 'The Interceptor.'

"I need to get aboard it." I told Estrella without turning my gaze away from the ship.

"Why? What's so important?" She asked.

"I need to help Elizabeth."

"But surely the Commodore is already doing everything he can to help her…"

"No." I turned to look at her, desperation showing in my eyes. "Please, you have to trust me on this…"

She hesitated before nodding; her face was set.

I breathed a sigh of relief and a smile sprung onto my face. "I'm telling Elizabeth to give you a raise."

She laughed, though it was short and nervous.

Then she undid the bonnet and the cape she was wearing and handed them to me. "Put these on, then go wait behind those crates, I'll distract the guards."

I gave her a quick hug before flinging the tan coloured cape around my shoulders and pulling my hair into a bun and placing the bonnet over it so that its colour could not be seen. "Thankyou."

She smiled wanly and waved at me to go.

Head bowed, I walked briskly over to the wharf and slipped behind the crate as Estrella had suggested.

There was a little black boy sitting with his feet dangling over the edge of the wooden planks. He held a fishing rod in his hands and he looked around as I crouched down.

I held a finger to my lips and smiled reassuringly. 

His eyebrows raised but he said nothing. After a moment he turned back to his fishing and his head cocked to one side in curiosity as his gaze followed something in the water.

I glanced down to see the object of his attentions and was surprised to see a barrel floating past the wharf as though pulled by some magnetic source.

The familiar feeling of déjà vu floated over my mind as I watched it and I felt like screaming with annoyance. For a minute I wondered what was pulling the barrel along, but a loud scream followed by a splash cut into my thoughts and I poked my head around the crate.

I could see people rushing from all over towards a spot on the pier where a crowd had already gathered and were looking worriedly into the water.

One of the redcoats pulled off his jacket and dove gracefully into the water.

With a smile I realised Estrella must have 'fallen' into the water as a diversion. I quickly whipped out from behind the crate, sped up the wharf and clambered over the wooden gangplank onto the deck of the interceptor.

I kept my head bowed, but everyone who was still on the ship was crowded around the railing and peering anxiously into the water.

Without wasting any time I made my way over to where I could see the hatchway pulled open, revealing access to below deck.

I climbed down into it with a quick prayer, to any deity that was listening, that there was no one below the deck.

It was deserted and I quickly thanked the Gods before finding a nice spot to hide for what I hoped would not be the entire length of the journey. I chose a large, empty chest and climbed into it, leaving it slightly ajar so I would not suffocate. Hopefully they were not planning on putting anything in here…

I wrinkled my nose. The chest stank. Maybe I would be able to get out once we were well out of port. It would be unlikely that they would turn the whole ship around just to take me home.

I undid the strings to the bonnet and pulled it off, figuring I may as well be comfortable while I waited.

I froze as I began to hear movement once more on the deck above, but no one came down through the hatch.

I heard a voice cry out. "Commodore!"

For a moment I was terrified I had been discovered… How would I explain why I was squished into a chest?

Then heavy footsteps thudded on the deck past the hatch and stopped not far from the opening. The low voice of Norrington floated into the cabin. "Rash, Turner, too rash… He is without a doubt, the worst pirate I have ever seen."

My mind did a mental back flip. Will wasn't a pirate… what on earth was he talking about?

Someone shouted orders and all off a sudden I felt the boat begin to move.

Naturally, I could not remember whether I had been on a ship before, but I found I did not like the feeling of being rocked back and forth whilst crammed into a trunk.

There was a lot of shouting going on aboard deck and after a few minutes which seemed to drag out over eternity, the ship stopped moving.

Another flurry of movement was heard up on deck, and I heard Norrington's voice sound, only it was from much further away. "Search every cabin, every hold, down to the bilges."

After a moment, I heard two heavy thuds on the deck, one after the other, and the sound of ropes being cut.

The ship began to move once more and I wondered what was going on.

"Sailors, back to the Interceptor! Now!" Came Norrington again in an urgent voice.

I began to get an uneasy feeling, only this time it had nothing to do with the ship's movements.

A cry and a loud splash were heard, then a laugh and a familiar voice rang out.

"Thankyou, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way." Called the voice of Jack Sparrow to my astonished ears. "We'd have had a hard time of it by ourselves."

Abandoning caution I decided I needed to find out what was going on. I flung open the lid of the chest, relishing for a moment the abundant supply of oxygen, and climbed the ladder out of the hold.

A breeze caught my dark hair and blew it around my head, and I lifted a hand to flatten it.

All of a sudden, the blade of a sword appeared at my neck and I froze.

"Oh." I muttered.

*** *** *** *** ***

And thus ends the longest chapter of this series so far… I was going to include a brief interlude aboard the Black Pearl in this one, but, ah, it's not quite written yet. And this chapter is already really long. And it's 12:20AM. And I want to get this up before I go to sleep.

Sorry this chapter took so long to finish, I just haven't had any time to write during the week. Blame my teachers.

Anyway, thankyou for everyone who reviewed, you guys made my day(/s). Seriously.

PeleAmelika: Thankyou, yes, something hit Jack causing him to be sent to jail. I think I might put an explanation about that in the next chapter.

Completeopposites: Thankyou!! I shall try to add more soon.

Bluesky: I know I wish I was… thanks, glad your enjoying it.

Majikqueen: Sorry, I've given you another cliffy, *grins* it's just such fun leaving people hanging…

Ricciondel: Wow, thankyou. :), hopefully I will get the next one up soon…

Amythest-angel: *grins*, thankyou… gotta love blunt honesty. I shall try to keep it up.

Urebriviel: kool.:) Thanks for your review.

Elvish-dream: Thankyou, I am having lots of fun fiddling with the plot.. (mwa ha ha).I was in Sydney earlier this year… nice city. :) I hope your exams go(/went) well …who needs maths anyway? Lol. That dream would have been very nice… I would have hated waking up if it were me…

Morph: lol, thankyou, mighty good, eh? Wow. There wasn't a lot of Jack in this chapter, regrettably, but we'll see about that in the next one. :)

Wobbly Chick: Thanks :). No, this is not abandoned.. and most likely wont be as long as the reviews keep rolling in… *grins* . No, I've never read the "Outlander" books, never heard of them in fact.. must be just a coincidence, cool though :)

And one last thing… Ricciondel gave me a good idea, if you want me to email you when I update, mention it in your review and leave your email. Or you could email me and ask me: alim11000@hotmail.com

Yes, it's probably just a cheap way to get more reviews, but what the hell, I don't care.

Now click the little button and make me happy!!