A/N: Again sorry for the delay. Oh and to bjackw: I wasn't too sure what you meant by don't make Lia all eww but if you meant don't make her a damsel in distress then my answer would be hell no. Lia is a fighter but I'm trying to make it in a realistic way. If I'm wrong about what you meant then let me know.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from POTC or Disney. My made up characters and the plot are fiction and anything similar to other fanfics is simply coincidence.

Chapter 9: A Past Discovery:

Will's POV:

"Awrk! Arwk!"

"Whaaa…" I jumped up, spun around, got twisted up in the sheets and fell out of the bed, slamming face first onto the floor. I groaned as I sat up, recovering from my fall. I turned my head to the sound of flapping at the window.

Mr. Cotton's parrot sat with its talons perched on the sill. It squawked as it moved side to side.

I shook my head exasperatingly as I glared at it, "Why you little…"

"Awrk! Ahoy matey! Arwk! Ahoy!" he flapped his wings vigorously. I jumped up toward it in a threat causing the bird to fly off and up to the deck of the ship.

Out the window, the sky was turning orange and pink and the sun was slowly sinking below the horizon.

I let out a yawn as I closed the window. I was in Jack's cabin. It really hadn't changed at all from three years ago except there was a second bed across the room from Jack's, which belonged to Lia. The desk was very messy with maps and such. Scattered in various spots around the room were both empty and half empty bottles of rum, which didn't surprise me.

Since leaving Port Royal, Jack had the crew working all night and day. He was persistent in getting to Tortuga as quickly as possible. I was lucky enough to slip away for some sleep around dawn.

I quickly slipped on my boots and left the cabin in a hurry. The crew was still hard at work, keeping the ship sailing. I turned and walked up the stairs to the helm. Jack was at the rudder, looking very grim. For a second I felt my eyebrows wrinkle in confusion since I had never seen him looking like that before. I quickly relaxed my face as I approached him.

"Are we making good time, Jack?" I asked

His grim expression quickly dropped and he smiled as his eyes fixed on me.

"Ah Will, you couldn't 'ave picked a perfect time to ask."

"Why?" I asked.

Jack pointed straight ahead. I turned to see the familiar place that was Tortuga. I walked back down the steps, past all the working pirates and stopped at the stern. Placing my hands firmly on the railing, I watched the city get closer. Slowly the sound of gunfire and shouting cut through the peaceful night silence.

"Why the face, Will?"

I looked over my shoulder and there was Mr. Gibbs, looking very tired.

I sighed heavily, "Oh nothing. I just forgot how much I hate this place."

"Ay, its not that bad, Will. Ye get used to it after a while." He stood next to me leaning his elbows on the railing, "Besides they've got the best rum around."

I forced a laugh. I forgot how much Mr. Gibbs fancied rum as well, "Yes but we aren't here for the rum, are we?"

Mr. Gibbs's smirk disappeared, looking very serious, "Aye that yer right, boy," he looked towards Jack who still hadn't left his place on the rudder, his grim expression returned. Mr. Gibbs sighed piteously, "The young Sparrow."

I nodded in agreement. I felt a small ache inside at the mention of Lia. A part of me was still a bit confused by it. She was Jack's daughter and a good friend but I felt as if there was more to it. I looked back to Jack. He also puzzled me. This was a man, who sailed halfway across the Caribbean and risked his life for a ship. The same man whose only passions were plundering, sailing, piracy and of course rum.

I couldn't really picture him loving a woman let alone a daughter. When it came to admitting feelings, Jack was very stubborn.

Jack's POV:

"Prepare to dock!" I shouted.

Mr. Gibbs left his position at the stern and Will followed to go help with the gangplank. The anchor was quickly lowered as we steered into the port.

"Mr. Gibbs!" I called. He let go of the ramp causing Will and a few others to heave from the sudden add of weight. He came running up the stairs.

"Yes, Cap'n?"

I let go of the rudder, "Yer in charge, Gibbs. No one leaves the ship, except for Will and meself, savvy?

Mr. Gibbs nodded, "Aye Jack."

The ramp was set and Will was already halfway down. As I stepped on I heard Gibbs shouting behind me.

"All right ye 'eard him! Everyone stays on board! Unless ye wanna lose a limb or two!"

I continued to walk down the ramp and onto the dock. I walked briskly to catch up with Will.

"How do we even know if she is here?" Will asked.

"JACK!"

The urgent shout caused me to freeze. Will and I exchanged a look and darted back up the ramp. Gibbs was staring at the ships tied up on the neighboring dock.

"Yes, what is it?" I asked immediately.

"There it is, Jack"

He pointed to an abandoned schooner that was tied up on the dock, a ramp was set up leading into it, "There's the boat I saw leave Port Royal last night."

I looked at the boat and back to Gibbs, "You certain?"

Gibbs nodded, "I bet me life on it."

"Gibbs, yer comin' with us. We'll search it down to the keel."

I patted Gibbs on the shoulder as I headed toward the ramp. Anamaria, who was sitting on a barrel near the ramp, stood up.

I put my hand up, "No Anamaria, Yer in change now. No one leaves this ship."

Her eyes told me she was disappointed. She wanted to help as much as she could but she was a real toughie and had to be in charge.

Without argument she nodded her head, "Aye Cap'n."

Will, Gibbs and myself ran down the ramp and onto the next dock, approaching the schooner as quickly as we could. We ran up and into the ship. I turned to Will and Gibbs.

"Ye both search around below deck." I ordered.

"Aye." Gibbs said. Will nodded and they both disappeared down the hole. I walked around the main deck. A few ropes lay around but nothing important. My eyes set on the captain's cabin. I walked toward it, hoping I would find something in there. I was also hoping that this was the right boat.

I opened the doors to the cabin. Inside were only a bed, a desk and a table. As I walked in I felt something soft under my boot, I looked down and saw that I stepped on a small loaf of bread. The bed sheets were pulled back and there was a spilled tankard lying at the foot of the bed. I walked over to the desk and noticed the desk drawers were pulled out and on the floor. Papers and such were scattered around the desk on the floor. It looked like someone trashed the place.

"What a bloody mess." I thought out load.

"Jack!"

I turned around to see Will standing at the doorway. His right arm was tucked behind him.

"Did ye find anything?" I asked.

Will nodded. He pulled out his arm from behind him. In his hand was a sword in a scabbard, the belt part was coiled and tied around the sword.

"It's hers." Will said, holding it out to me. I grabbed it by the hilt and held it up.

"It was in the storage room" Will confirmed

I felt my heart rise a bit. She was here! She had to be…

"At least we found something." I flipped the sword and caught it by the blade. I held it down to my side, "If the boat is still here then she has got to be in the city somewhere."

I walked out of the cabin, slipping the belt-coiled sword into mine. Gibbs was standing by the ramp, leaning against the rail. We went down the ramp, off the docks and made our way into the city.

Normally the screams and shouts of the drunks along with their gunfire and the lovely looking women staring and winking at me would excite me but it was different this time. I walked past everything as if nothing were there. Gibbs and Will stumbled behind me, trying to keep up with my fast pace but quickly fell behind in all the uproar.

I stopped in front of a tavern I knew very well. Everyone who comes to Tortuga goes to it so I was hoping I could find some info inside.

The tavern was pretty busy. A fight had already broken out by two men who were savagely punching each other. All the tables were filled and most were watching the fight, cheering and shouting. I walked up to the counter, almost tripping over a drunk passed out on the floor.

"Hey Jack! It's been a while," said the man behind the counter. He extended his hand to me; I shook it as I sat down, "So what will it be? The usual?"

"Not tonight, Gabriel. I'm tryin' to find someone who was possibly in here earlier."

"And who might that be?" he asked.

I leaned in closer, "It's probably a waste of time considerin' its been two years but do ye remember the girl I was in here with last time. She was sixteen at the time?"

He made a face, absently rubbing the facial hair on his chin as he thought hard to remember. After not saying anything for a minute, his mouth slowly opened indicating the memory probably came back.

"Yes…I think I know who you might be talking about" he said slowly, "She was your daughter, I remember you telling me that. She left shortly after you and Gibbs sat down but I don't remember why and you went out looking for her and never came back."

I listened attentively, nodding once in a while as he continued.

"She had your eyes and she was about this high, right?" He held out his hand showing me the height.

"Yes. Well now she is about this high." I pushed his hand up about two inches, "She turned eighteen two weeks ago."

"Well a man came in here earlier with a girl. She had her hands tied and was really filthy looking. I figured he was a slave trader. We get a lot of those from time to time."

I almost fell off my chair. I looked at him, completely lost for words.

"Listen mate, I need to know what exactly did she look like?" I demanded almost suddenly. I had to be sure.

He went back to thinking, "The height you gave me was about right. She wore a white shirt with brown breeches and boots, thick brown hair with a braid on the right side of her head with beads…."

I jumped up, reached out and grabbed him by his shirt. He had hit every single detail of Lia. He had seen her and did nothing!

"That's her! Where is she? Why didn't ye stop them?" I was getting angry.

"Like I said, I thought he was a slave trader. I didn't recognize her!" He struggled to get loose, "If you calm down, I can tell more. It might be of help."

Slowly I calmed down and let him go as I sat back down. Gabriel sighed in relief.

"His name is Mr. Richards. I sent him into that room right there." He pointed to a door that was by the counter. "He was meeting somebody. They were in there for about a half hour before they came out and left pretty quickly."

"Who was he meetin'?"

"Earlier before Richards came in with your daughter, a pirate came in asking to sit in the backroom and to be expecting a Mr. Richards to come within the next hour looking for him."

"Do ye know who this pirate is?"

He nodded "Captain Mateo."

I knew that name; "Ye don't mean Captain Mateo from The Mystic, do ye?"

Mateo was not very known pirate. He has been a pirate for years but wasn't really much to the pirate's life. He stole mostly but nothing too extreme, more of a landlubber then a pirate if you asked me.

"Yes. Captain Mateo Viramontes." Gabriel confirmed.

I raised my eyebrows. Why did his name sound so familiar?

"Viramontes?" I questioned.

"His brother was Adriano Viramontes," he said, "Captain of the White Osprey."

"What?"

"Well, if it isn't Captain Jack Sparrow."

My eyes averted from the glory that was the treasure. Over near the entrance of the caves stood a figure, completely enveloped in the shadows. All but his outline was visible. But I knew who it was.

"Viramontes,"I addressed," Ah but what a shame."

Walking out from the shadows, his lips curled into a defiant sneer. His amount of pride was enough to prickle my amusement.

"Shame? Only a shame to see you stealin' me treasures."

The corners of my lips pulled into a smile, "No. Actually what I meant to say was its such a shame to see you here about to watch me take me treasures."

With my sword, I tapped on a chest that sat among piles of gold and other valuables.

"Now if ye'd be so kind, I'll just take me loot and be on my way."

"Not if I can help it." He pulled out his sword.

Captain Adriano Viramontes was never a man of reason. He paced forward, sword pointed at me. I approached him and prepared to fight….

"Argh!" The shouts of the brawl cut through my reminiscence and pulled me back to reality. Gabriel was gone from his spot in front of me, occupied with serving pints to some sailors a few seats down.

I didn't care though. He had fed me enough information.

How could I have not known?

I kicked the counter, "Viramontes, that bloody bastard!"

"What's wrong, Jack?" a voice said from behind me, causing me to jump in surprise. Will and Gibbs had found me, looking very concerned. I had completely forgotten about them.

Will looked really confused and Gibbs was as shocked as I was, "Viramontes, it can't be!"

I stood up and looked at Gibbs, "She is still alive."

With that, I marched out of the tavern. I stopped once I got outside. I clenched my fists, my fingernails dug into my palms. My agony plummeted deeper. I took a couple deep breaths. Everything seemed to hit all at once.

"Its me he wants. Not Lia." I said as soon as I heard the pair of footsteps behind me.

"Do ye think Mateo is anythin' like his brother?" asked Gibbs.

"We have nothing but to just hope." I said, realization dawning on me. I knew deep down that Lia wasn't safe at all but even that was a mystery since I had never met Mateo. But if he was anything like his brother…

But I kept my cool. I knew I couldn't lose it.

"C'mon, we got to get back to the Pearl." I started walking.

"Jack, what was that all about?" Will asked. He looked completely lost.

I ignored him as we walked out of the town and back to the Pearl.

"Do you even know where to look?" Gibbs asked.

I exhaled slowly, "Nope."

As Gibbs and Will boarded the Pearl, I stared absently out at the ocean, thinking of what could possibly happen next, or better yet, if it could possibly get any worse!

Lia's POV:

I felt my knees buckle as I descended down into the brig. Richards simply acted like nothing happened and just dragged me the rest of the way. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to bear with the pain caused by his tight grip on my arm

The sounds of Mateo and his crew up above gradually diminished as the silence began to take over. Oddly, a small feeling of comfort crept through my veins, knowing I was through with the nightmare that occurred earlier.

Richards dragged me down a flight of stairs and dumped me at the bottom. I pushed myself up on my forearms, raising my head up only an inch. I was suddenly panting very heavily. My body felt so heavy that I just wanted to fall asleep and never wake up.

Richards pulled out a pair of keys from his pocket and unlocked a door to one of the cells. He walked back to me, roughly pulled me to my feet and shoved me inside the cell.

I felt my loathe for him grow inside me. I narrowed my eyes, giving him an impious glare.

"Here," Richards pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, balled it up and tossed it at my face. I grabbed it before it could hit me, "Let's not ruin that pretty face."

A small chuckle escapes his mouth as he goes back up the stairs, leaving me all alone in the cell. I took a step and felt my foot kick something. I look down to see a tray with a water-filled tankard and a few slices of bread. I dropped to my knees in front of the tray, grabbed the bread and greedily stuffed it in my mouth. I felt my body relax and I let out a slight moan. I hadn't eaten in a while and the bread was just what I needed.

I dropped the piece of half eaten bread and grabbed the tankard with shaky hands. I brought it to my lips and leaned my head back. The cool liquid felt so soothing against my raw throat. Some of the water escaped and trickled down my chin and neck as I continued to drink up, only stopping to get air.

I lightly put my finger to my lip. It was a bit swollen and a little blood flowed. I guess that's why Richards gave me his handkerchief.

I softly cursed as I pressed the handkerchief lightly against my lip. I must have looked like hell. My hair was completely messed up and my face felt like I smashed it against the wall. As I continued to tend to my wounds, I took notice of my wrists. There were red marks and burns all around them from the ropes that were roughly removed during my struggles earlier.

I sat back against the wall, softly rubbing my wrists. As my eyes began to close, they quickly opened as the sound of a small thud caught my attention. Right next to where I was sitting was the penknife, which fell out of my pocket. I scooped it up and clenched my fingers around it like it was a treasure

They didn't notice! They did not bother checking my pockets.

I couldn't help but laugh. Those stupid blokes.

Of course it was still dull but no problem when you are locked in a cell with metal bars. I waddled on my knees to the metal bars of the cell and began grinding it against the metal.

I had an idea. I knew what I had to do. As I continued to sharpen the knife, Jack's familiar words came into my mind. His first words of advice to me that have been chiseled in my brain for so long.

Wait for the opportune moment.

A/N: Cliffhangers again! Jack's little flashback and everything done during his POV will all come together. I just love making you guys suffer Bwa ha ha ha… COUGH HACK COUGH! Kudos to Mr. Cotton's parrot for his first appearance in my fanfic! I was sure you guys would enjoy that. Well also I would like to say chapter 10 shouldn't be long (hopefully) but we will just have to see. Enjoy!