More months went by
and Elsa, once again, found herself crossing the streets of Port
Royal to get to the Turner's blacksmith shop. It was early morning,
so luckily the town was practically deserted.
"Oh, Turner!" Elsa called through the shop's door.
When no one answered, she let herself in.
"Hello?" she called.
She made
her way to the spare room in the back of the shop, found nothing but
a pile of clothes, and turned to leave.
"Is it possible she actually slept at the mansion?" Elsa
asked herself quietly.
Before she was
completely through the door, though, someone sighed. But not a
conscious sigh. A sigh only someone would make in their sleep. A sigh
unmistakably made by Danielle Turner.
"So she did sleep here," Elsa said, turning back into the
room.
She took another look at the pile
in the floor and used her boot to look through the garments.
Trousers, a shirt, "those bloody stockings", another pair
of trousers, two pair of shoes-
"What
the hell?!" Elsa yelled, picking up the two sets of pants. The
two sets of different pants. "Holy, holy, holy hell. No she
didn't."
She scanned the room and
in the back corner found a lovely bundle of twisted sheets.
"Aw, damn! Why?"
She walked
over to the bundle and kicked at one of the lumps inside the
mess.
"What?" came the low,
also unmistakable, mumble of Danielle.
"I
am goin' to remain calm, my dear blacksmith, until you explain
yourself fully...And then I'm kickin' your ass! You!" She
directed her attention to the sleeping Jimmy. "Up! Up and out!
Now!"
She kicked him and he
yelped.
"I'm turning around and
you're gettin' dressed. Let's go, let's go!"
Elsa turned her back to the two while they got dressed, not a word
between them. After Jimmy had left, she looked at Danielle.
"You slept with the guy?!"
"Jack-" she started.
"No,
no, no, not this time, my friend," Elsa interrupted calmly.
"What were you thinking, and what could have possibly drove you
to sleep with the guy?"
"We
just got-"
"Carried away. I
see. Anything else?" Elsa had adapted a stern, captain-like
quality and was staring at her friend.
"Jack!" Danielle exploded. "I'm sorry! We love each
other. It would have happened sooner or later."
"Oh, really?" the pirate mocked. "You know what
happens now?"
No answer.
"You tell Will and Elizabeth."
"No, no, no, no, no! Anything but that. Please! Jack!"
Danielle begged.
"Hmm...you're
right, William. We will tell Jack," Elsa concluded and started
for the Pearl.
"What the fu-!"
"Language!" Elsa growled, drawing her sword. "Walk!"
So the pair, Danielle in front, walked
solemnly to the ship.
"I can't
believe you did this," Elsa sighed as they walked.
"It's not like you've never slept with anyone," Danielle
said bitterly. "And I only did it once!"
"Excuse me?" Elsa growled angrily. "You think I wanted
that to happen Will? Do you? Because I didn't!"
After a pause, Danielle started with, "I'm sorry, Elsa."
Saying her friend's true name was incredibly awkward. "I didn't
mean that you were a-"
"Just
stop. It's nothing," she said through gritted teeth.
They walked the rest of the way in silence, and when they reached the
Pearl, they found Jack examining the rigging and sails, Blackbeard
tagging along.
"What happened?"
Jack asked.
"Danielle has something
to tell you, Jack, since she has refused to tell her own father,"
Elsa explained, gently poking Danielle in the back with the sword,
then sheathing it.
Danielle gulped and
stepped forward.
"Jack...I..."
"Yes Danielle?"
"I,"
she paused painfully. "I, uh, slept with Jimmy," she
finished quickly, and cast her eyes to the buckles on her shoes.
Jack remained still. He didn't know how
to respond. His daughter's best friend had just did something very,
very big, something that was irreversible. He knew Will would be
furious if he found out., but what was he supposed to do?
He cleared his throat and said, "Why did you do this,
Danielle?"
Danielle, who was as red
as the devil himself, responded quietly, "We love each
other."
"Does Will know of this
Jimmy and your relationship?"
"No,
sir."
"You have to tell him,"
Jack said. "He has to know. That's that. Go on. You'll be
alright."
"Yes, sir," she
answered dully.
"Come on,
Danielle," Elsa said softly, placing her hand on her friend's
shoulder.
Danielle sighed and they, now
accompanied by Blackbeard, trudged up to the mansion.
On the way, Elsa told Danielle, "Hey, I don't hate you."
"Thanks," Danielle answered miserably. She hugged her and
continued, "Will's gonna kill me, Jack."
"Nah, he won't. Norrington may..."
"Oh, no. No Norrington. I am so screwed."
Elsa laughed. "You're right you have been-I mean...Never mind."
She cleared her throat. She looked at Blackbeard and sighed.
After Elsa insisted on staying outside with Blackbeard, Danielle
found the two inside; Elizabeth was busying herself with some
cleaning, and Will was reading.
"I
have to tell you something," Danielle began...
