Yet again, usual disclaimers apply throughout this tale. If you recognise it, it probably belongs to the Mouse – else it is mine!

Chapter 42 – Doorstep Surprise

Jack and Theodore wove their way back home from Will's house, where they had been invited to dinner, intent on a quiet nightcap before Jack headed back to the Black Pearl Will's son, named William too for his father, was a bonny six months old and growing well. The evening had been a welcome distraction, though depressing to Jack, for it made him think of Catherine. He knew how much she loved children and how it hurt that she could never have any. She had explained to him how she had been badly injured as a twelve year old child in an explosion at the Naval Dockyards. Only the intervention of the Admiral's own surgeon had saved her life, but at a terrible cost. He staggered, slightly tipsy, up the steps to the front door, silently yearning for his lovely…

"Kitty!" Jack dropped the bottle of rum he had been cradling in surprise, glass shattering on the steps.

At the sound of her name, Catherine woke, hand automatically going for the small knife that the fishermen had given her. "Jack…"

Jack was instantly on his knees, heedless of the puddles of rum soaking into his breeches, luckily missing the shards of broken glass. He held her, clinging to her as if he feared she would disappear. Theodore, astonished and fumbling the key, managed to open the door. "Inside!"

Jack picked her up, carrying her despite her adamant protests that she could walk. He strode to the settee in the lounge, turned and sat down still clutching her tightly, unwilling to let her out of the protection of his arms, but whether this was for her sake or his, he could not say.

"Wha… how… who…" he tried to ask, but she just held him, falling asleep before she could reply, her head tucked under his chin, snuggling against the warm security of him.

Theodore saw that Jack could not move. "I'll go tell Will, the Pearl and the Commodore. Keep the door locked!" he warned, worried that whoever had abducted his sister might be chasing her. He dashed from the room, locking the door behind him, and sped down the hill with the good news.

Jack carefully stood up with Catherine in his arms and carried her easily upstairs to their more comfortable bed, placing her gently so as not to wake her. She did not stir, but clung with a grip he could not loosen. He gave in, lying beside her on the bed as she slept, holding her and he could not get enough of simply looking at her.

She had changed. If it were not for her hair and eyes, now shut, he would hardly have recognised her. Although she had lost weight she looked well enough, but she was tanned as a native. She was also filthy dirty. He frowned at some small white marks on her skin – scars?

Eventually Theodore returned alone, letting himself in through the back door. "I told everyone she was asleep so not to bother until the morning," he explained.

"Theo, what d' yer make of these marks?" Jack pointed to the small white lines. "Scars?"

Theodore looked closely. "Looks like it… but from what?" He was baffled, but answers would have to wait until she woke.

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Jack realised she was awake only when her grip tightened.

"Don't worry Kitty, I ain't a' letting you go." She relaxed slightly. "But you do need a bath!" Disentangling himself from her he ran to sort out a hot, soapy bath for her.

Theodore helped, knowing that Jack would not let her talk to anyone until she felt ready. "Welcome home Cat!" He smiled as he carried yet another pail of water through to the bathroom.

Jack helped her through to the bathroom, gently peeling her clothes off - all that Aunt May and the fishermen had been able to give her was a threadbare shirt and old breeches, but she had been grateful to them for their kindness. As she climbed into the bath he noticed that the small white scars covered her body, some quite intimately, but he bit his tongue and gently helped her wash, trying not to be concerned by her continued silence. Only when she was wrapped up in a thick, soft robe did she speak.

"It was DeWitt…" she said quietly.

"Wha…" Jack gasped in shock.

"He wasn't on the Santa Rosa that day. He'd left to meet somebody before we caught the ship." Jack traced his finger along one of the fine scars. "His knife…" she explained.

"He what!" Jack exploded. "He took a knife to you!"

"Jack, please… I'm back. Leave it for now…" She started to cry, overwhelmed by the reality of her safe return home, frightened by his anger.

"But…" he protested.

"I need to be home Jack, normal home and not off on some trail of vengeance." She looked at him, begging for him to understand her. "Please…"

Jack sighed heavily, wiping the tears from her eyes, realising he could deny her nothing for the moment. "Well, you're staying on the Pearl then. It's the safest place!"

He was relieved when Catherine did not argue and she found herself escorted guardedly across to the Black Pearl as soon as she was dressed.

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James Norrington knocked on the door, waiting for Jill to let him in. "Is Mistress Sparrow at home?" he asked.

"No Commodore, she is on the Black Pearl, but Captain Groves is in the lounge," Jill replied, opening the door wide.

He entered the hallway, walking through to the lounge. Theodore rose on seeing him enter. "Commodore."

"I came to see your sister, but I understand she is aboard the Black Pearl," James Norrington explained.

"Cat will not wish to see anyone, Commodore," Theodore apologised.

"I need to know what happened," the Commodore sighed regretfully. "If I am to send my ships searching for a man to hang then I need to know the crime…"

Theodore slowly nodded, realising the inevitability of it. "All right," he sighed. "You had best come out to the Black Pearl with me then."

Theodore led the way to the docks, grateful to see Joshamee Gibbs with a number of crew by the dockside, taking on supplies. He looked up. "Theodore," he acknowledged. "Commodore."

"The Commodore needs to speak with Cat," he explained. "Can you row us out?"

Joshamee looked awkwardly at the Commodore, remembering a time that he had served under the man on his first journey to the Caribbean. Eventually he nodded, turning to two men nearest him. "Kree! Dalton! Take Theodore and the Commodore out to the Pearl,"

Lonan Kree and Charles Dalton looked at Joshamee in surprise, but put down the packages they had been carrying and climbed down into the ship's boat, holding it steady whilst the two naval officers followed them. They picked up the oars, rowing out to the black-sailed ship.

"You're leaving?" Theodore frowned, for Jack had said nothing to him.

Lonan shrugged. "Captain hasn't said," he evaded, turning to shout to those on deck as the boat bumped against the hull of the Black Pearl. "Visitors for the Captain!"

Jack peered over the side rail, his eyes narrowing with displeasure at seeing the Commodore.

"I need to speak with…" James Norrington began.

"I know what you want," Jack snarled.

"May we come on board?" Theodore asked, torn between his duty to his sister and to the Commodore. He looked up at Jack's continued silence. "Please?"

Jack slowly nodded, throwing a line down to help them ascend. The two naval officers quickly climbed up, scrambling over the rail to stand before him.

"I am sorry," Theodore explained. "The Commodore needs to speak with Cat so that he can send ships after DeWitt…"

"What…" James Norrington began, shocked for he had not heard until then who had been responsible for the abduction.

"It was Robert DeWitt. He wasn't aboard the Santa Rosa when we sunk her. He's been running a slaver from Africa though he'll probably disappear now Kitty's escaped." Jack paused. "He kept her naked in a cage, beat her, cut her and raped her more times than she can remember."

James Norrington was shocked. "How…"

"She jumped out of a window just before a storm hit the ship. Washed up on a beach in the Grenadines. Some fishermen helped her an' she spent the rest of the time making her way back, island by island." Jack's voice was emotionless, flat, his eyes dark.

"I will still need to see her…" Norrington ventured. He held up his hand, forestalling Jack's objections. "I will need her to confirm her story before I can act…" he sighed. "I'd rather spare her this too, but…"

Jack merely nodded, visibly not happy but understanding. "You'd best speak with her now then," he replied. "We'll be heading out soon…"

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