A/N: All right! Here is chapter 17, new and improved! I HATED how it turned out before so I know I had to add to it. Okay, I know I said I was holding all thank yous and credit until the end but this one cannot be passed. A BIG MEGA THANK YOU to Michelle for helping me so much with the improvements and editing. I couldn't have done it with out you. I love you, my fellow vampire queen and pirate wench, lol!

Chapter 17: An Uncertain Fate

Lia's POV:

I closed my eyes fleetingly. I was hoping that this was a horrible nightmare or that Jack was just doing this as some kind of trick.

He stepped forward and held his arms out high, confirming his surrender.

I felt pain surge through my scalp as Mateo pulled me away from the ledge by my hair (or what was left of it) and threw me to the floor.

"Smart move on yer part, Jack." Said Mateo with a sadistic smile.

Jack looked around at his men, ordering with his eyes. One by one everyone put their hands up, a clattering sound of guns and swords hitting the wooden deck filled the air.

Jack put his arms down as two pirates grabbed him. They pushed him forward and kicked his sword aside. The sword skidded off to the side and got tangled in some ropes that were lying in a small pile.

Everyone remained calm and collected as they were all grabbed and lead to the stern. I smiled inside as I saw Anamaria not coming quietly.

"Bastards!" She cried out as she kicked and screamed. Jack turned around and glared at her. She got the message and immediately shut up, keeping an angry glare on the men holding her.

Mateo's crew bunched everyone around the mizzenmast and awaited their captain's orders.

I lay limp on my side, not believing my eyes. We were defeated.

I lifted my head to look at Mateo. He jerked his hand in a signal to his men.

"Take them all to the brig!" He ordered, "But leave Jack in my quarters. We've got some business to discuss."

"Richards!" he called. A few seconds later, Mr. Richards was running up the stairs.

"Yes, Cap'n?" He asked.

Mateo pointed to me, "Take the little wretch below. Don't put her in the brig."

I suddenly felt light as a feather as Mr. Richards hoisted me up and pushed me down the stairs. I watched as one pirate who was holding a gun to Jack's head was leading him into Mateo's quarters. He looked at me for a second, his eyes filled with an empty sadness for me.

This wasn't Jack! How could he surrender like that! I felt my heart sink to my feet as my mind kept racing through the many frantic thoughts that were in my mind.

I suddenly couldn't take it anymore. I had to do something! I sprang loose from Mr. Richards's grasp and ran to Jack. Mr. Richards quickly grabbed me again as I started screaming.

"NO! You son of a bitch! Let him GO! Son of a bitch!"

As soon as Jack heard my cries, he too began to resist. He swung his fist at the pirate who had him. He ran to me but before he could get Mr. Richards off me, he was hit in the face by a fist that came out of nowhere. I yelped at the sudden assault.

Two pirates were now on him, trying to hold him down. Jack was angry and wouldn't stop fighting. His teeth were gritted and his face was red as he swung his fists around at the pirates.

Hot tears of anger welled in my eyes as I struggled and fought to help him. My hands were bound but I didn't care.

"STOP!" Mateo appeared at the bottom of the steps with his pistol pointed at Jack. Mateo looked at Mr. Richards and I. I was on my knees of the deck, breathing really hard. Mr. Richards had one hand clutched in my hair and the other on my shoulder.

Mateo nodded once in a signal to him. I wrinkled my brows in confusion but for only a second because a hand suddenly flew across my face. I cried out in pain and fell to the floor.

"Jesus! Lia!" Jack tried to move towards me but he had three pirates on him.

"Think of what more I could do to your precious daughter." Mateo sneered, advancing on Jack.

He approached him, pressing the barrel of his gun under Jack's chin, "Don't do that again."

They glared at each other. Their eyes were clouded from the evident hatred they felt for each other. The pirates pulled up Jack and led him into Mateo's quarters. He tried to turn around to see me but they pushed him inside and shut the door.

Mateo stood still, looking at me, "Your padre is stronger than he looks."

Now it was my turn to glare.

Mateo raised his eyebrows mockingly, "Not to worry Ms. Sparrow. I will see to it that Jack won't go peacefully."

I stiffened at his words. Mr. Richards laughed.

"I'll see to it that you don't either." I threatened.

Mateo's eyes went wide in mock shock before looking at Mr. Richards.

"Take her away." He ordered. I lunged at him but was immediately held back. Mateo opened the door to the quarters and disappeared inside.

I was pushed down the hole that led back to the room. I didn't see anyone from The Black Pearl pass me on the way. They must have taken a different way.

Mr. Richards opened the door and threw me back in the room I was in before. Before he left, he walked to the desk and pulled out a rope from the drawer.

"Just so ye don't try nothin'," he said.

He grabbed my ankle and tied one end of the rope around it. He bent down at the foot of the cot and tied the other end around one of the legs. I yanked my foot but it was tied rather firmly, preventing me from getting off the cot.

Richards laughed as he left the room. I heard a click as he locked the door. Leaving me alone.

I began to twist and writhe, hoping to get the ropes off, the silence being interrupted by my cries and growls.

I stooped as I suddenly remembered of the dirk in my boot! Why didn't I think of that before!

I mentally kicked myself for not remembering as I started to wriggle my untied foot from my boot.

Slowly my boot began to slide off revealing the dirk. That dirk alone was my reassurance, my way out.

It fell out of my boot and onto the bed. I kicked off my boot that was barely hanging on my foot. It slid across the cot and fell to the floor.

I planted my foot on top of the sheathed dirk. Slowly and carefully I grinded it against the cot and dragged it up to my hands.

I barely got my leg bent when the ship dipped forward. I jumped in surprise and held onto the cot with my tied hands. I heard a small thud as the dirk fell off the cot and onto the floor!

I looked up and saw the dirk had slid away from the cot and was resting by the desk.

I kicked my tied leg. I knew then I couldn't get out to help in anyway.

I pressed my head on the pillow, not moving. Just staring at the bitter nothing of the air and room around me.

I simply stared at the ceiling. To an onlooker I may have been casually studying the woodwork of the ceiling, but inside I was beginning to die. The room before me began to fade, and all I could see was Jack's face, just before the kidnapping, and the fight we had had. Realization began to dawn on me...

This was my entire fault. I'm responsible; I'm to blame...

Jack loved me so much he came, risking death, and perhaps even finding it in the end to save his ungrateful wretch of a daughter. The realization sank into me like a block of ice, slowly sucking the warmth of life out of me. I deserved to die.

The word love made my mind halt for a minute. Jack and I knew it for each other but we had never said it. The simple love of a brother and sister but it began to feel more than that at this time.

The light in my eyes began to fade, and my breathing slowed so much that I could have passed for dead. Physically my heart was still beating, but the guilt, the absolute weight of what I had done had killed my soul. I lost all the will to live. All I saw now was Jack's face, smiling at me lovingly, and even that too was fading from my sight...

Jack's POV:

"So if this whole time you wanted revenge by killing me, then why seize Lia?" I asked calmly, "I'm pretty damn sure ye didn't know about her. Not many do."

Mateo was sitting at a dining table looking very fierce as I paced around the room. A pirate stood at the door, watching me. His arms were crossed in front of him holding a pistol, my pistol to be exact.

Mateo chuckled, "Kidnapping yer daughter was never my intention actually. She just turned out to be an added bonus, " he said, "And yer right. I didn't know ye had a child. What ye failed to realized was me first mate, Mr. Richards had been trackin' ye down for six bloody months."

I turned around sharply at his words, causing me to knock over a few charts on his desk.

"Ye probably think ye would have seen his schooner tailin' yer precious Black Pearl. Unfortunately for ye, Mr. Richards knows how to keep a low profile. When you sent that letter to Port Royal from Hispaniola, he was there. He left for Port Royal immediately thus arrivin' before ye."

"But how…?" I began.

"Everywhere ye were, Richards was watchin'. He knew about Lia then. He got his chance when she was all alone by herself in the middle of the night. Of course where would ye expect a young girl to be with a stupid, irresponsible scallywag for a father?"

I felt my expression drop and my fists clenched at my sides. Mateo laughed at my reaction to his insult.

"But now that I got ye, we don't need the brat anymore." Mateo looked to the pirate guarding the door, "Ye may go now, Fowler. I alone will escort Mr. Sparrow to the brig."

The pirate nodded and left the room. Mateo stood up and grabbed me roughly

He led me out of his quarters and down below deck. I could hear everyone clamoring as we approached the brig. Everyone in my crew took up all the cells. Only one remained empty and the man known as Richards was standing in front of it looking baffled. In his grasp was Will who looked just as baffled as him. They both looked at us as we walked in.

"Jack!" Will cried out.

"What in the bleeding hell is going on, Richards!" Mateo demanded as he shoved me inside a cell that held Anamaria, Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Cotton.

"This cell won't close." He let go of Will and walked over to the cell. He shut the door but it didn't close, "It's all that little brat's fault when she tried to run that one night."

I hid a smile. So Lia tried to escape.

"There is no more goddamn room here for this boy!" Richards said, pointing to Will. How right he was. Everyone in their cells were so bunched up that they couldn't even sit. All cells were full except for the cell with the broken door.

Mateo pondered this for a moment, "Bound him. Lock him with the brat."

Will tried to run for it but Mateo kicked him away from the steps. Richards grabbed him and shoved him against the wall. Will grunted in frustration as his hands were forced behind his back. Richards tightly bounded his hands together with a rope; a gag was tied around his mouth as well.

Will stumbled as Richards shoved him up the stairs, his hair flew around wildly. I sighed and pressed my forehead against the cell door.

"What happened up there, Jack?" Anamaria asked.

I sighed heavily, "I don't know. I know he is planning somethin' for us all. I don't know what it is."

Anamaria nodded.

"He said he didn't need Lia anymore."

Anamaria and Mr. Gibbs both looked concerned so suddenly.

"Exactly my thoughts. I know for a fact that he is not going to just let her walk off this ship."

"What is he going to do?" asked Mr. Gibbs.

"I don't know." I said at almost a whisper.

Will's POV:

I was dragged out of the brig and down a few halls before reaching a door. Richards opened it and threw me in.

"Get in there, boy!" he growled.

I stumbled and fell to the floor. I grunted in pain as I fell on the floor, falling on something that just happened to be lying there.

Richards shut the door and locked it behind him.

I tried to pull out one of my hands from the binding but it was too tight. I lay on the ground breathing hard. I could feel beads of sweat trickling down my face.

I rolled to my side trying to catch my breath when I saw something. On the ground near a desk was a knife.

I pushed myself up and waddled on my knees to it. I sat behind it and picked it up with my hands. As I looked ahead I saw a boot sitting on the floor where I was before.

I figured that was what caused my pain when I fell.

I cursed under my breath as I dropped the knife. I scooped it up again with my fingers and carefully turned it upside down.

I began to grind it against my ropes. Little by little I felt the rope become loose around my wrists.

I gritted my teeth together and yanked my hands apart. I heard a rip as the rope tore apart. I reached behind my head and quickly removed the gag as well.

As I sat up I heard a small groan. I turned and saw Lia. She was lying on a cot, curled on her side. She was very still and not breathing.

I ran over to her and sat next to her. I put my hand under her nose.

I sighed in relief when I saw that she was breathing. It was very shallow and slow.

"Lia?" I shook her a bit but she didn't move. Her wrists were bound behind her back. I took out the knife and cut her loose. Then I went down and cut the rope that held her to the cot.

She still didn't move. I stuck my fingers in the cloth wrapped around her mouth and pulled it away from her face so it dangled around her neck.

I moved up again and put my hand on her hip. She immediately brought her hands in front of her, cradling herself and curled up tighter.

"Lia, are you okay?" I put my hand on her shoulder.

She suddenly turned around.

Sitting up she threw my hand off her. Her eyes were dark and filled with a powerful rage.

Lia's POV:

"Get away! Don't touch me! DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Will quickly jumped on top of me. He clamped his hand over my mouth and held me down as I struggled against him.

"Lia! Be quiet!" he hissed.

I knew someone would be running in to see what was all the noise but I didn't care. I struggled and fought, trying to scream.

I suddenly felt a surge of strength and managed to push Will off of me. He sat up quickly as I stood up.

I began to pace around the room.

"Lia, what is wrong?" Will asked with frustration thick in his voice.

I whirled around, "Wrong? Wrong? Everything is wrong. I'm wrong. Everything is wrong because it's all my fault. He's going to die, and its all my fault. Because of me he is going to die."

My voice rose and I felt tears stinging my eyes. Will just stared at me with such concern as I continued.

"All because of me, Jack surrendered to Mateo! I've been through hell so wanting to get out but now I feel like I deserve it!"

As I talked Will stood up and walked over to me. He wrapped his arms around me; I wrenched out of his grasp but he held on.

"No! Let go of me! Will! Don't hold me! Get off!"

I pulled away but he grabbed my shoulders. As I pulled, I sank to my knees as Will pulled me to him, my back pressed against his chest.

"Don't! Get off me, Will!"

My sobs overpowered my speech as I tried to push him off.

"Don't hold me…!"

My yelling subsided as I rested my head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm across my chest and his other around my stomach. His loving tenderness set off my tears.

I put both hands on his forearm as he began to rock me gently, softly stroking my hair. He whispered soothing words of comfort as my tears soaked his shirt.

"It's not your fault." He whispered. I could feel his warm breath against my hair as he spoke.

I turned my head and buried my face in his neck as I continued to sob. I didn't want to let go.

I felt him pull me away gently from his strong, comforting arms. He tilted my chin up to him so he could look at me.

"We may not know what will be in store for us later," he reassured, "But that doesn't mean we have to give up."

I nodded slowly as he leaned in and kissed my forehead. I mentally sighed as he pulled away, wanting more. He softly brushed away my fallen tears with his thumbs.

He stood up and took my hand, helping me up.

I hung my head, "I'm sorry, Will."

"What?"

"For all this. I didn't mean to lose it."

"It's alright."

"No, it's not alright. I was being a baby and I didn't mean to. It's just with everything that happened. I felt like…"

I was interrupted suddenly as Will slipped his hand around my neck and pulled me into him. His lips softly brushed against mine. I let out a moan of surprise but slowly sank into the kiss.

He pulled away slowly. My eyes were closed and I opened them to see Will, his eyes were closed as well.

I let out a deep sigh, pushing back the small flame that sparked in my very core, sending warm waves through my body. I didn't know a small kiss could be so powerful.

Will opened his eyes, a smile played on his lips.

His face dropped and his eyes became wide all of a sudden. He looked down, his cheeks flushed from embarrassment.

"I'm sorry." He said softly, "I didn't mean to do that."

I didn't know what to say. We remained standing there. Will stared at his feet as I stared at him, completely at a loss for words.

I knew this was wrong but I didn't say anything. We continued to stand in silence. I wanted so badly to break it.

"Tomorrow it will be done…"

"Arrrrr! Can't wait to see the look on Jack's face."

Will and I exchanged a look before walking slowly to the door. I pressed my ear against it hoping to hear more.

"Neither can I."

"Soon we will be rid of all of them."

Footsteps were heard as the voices trailed away, going up on deck.

I looked to Will. I must have looked scared because he put his hand on my shoulder.

"We will be alright." I knew this wasn't true and I was sure Will knew it too.

I guess he didn't want me to lose it again. I arched my back and stretched my arms up as I yawned.

"We should go to sleep." Will said as he looked out the window.

I followed his gaze. Already the sun was down and the silver light of the full moon streamed into the room.

"I don't think they will be bothering us tonight." He said, stilling looking out the window.

I nodded as Will put his arm around me, leading me to the cot.

I sat on the cot and scooted toward the wall, making room for Will. I curled on my side, tucking my hands under my chin.

Will laid next to me, bringing me into his arms. I rested my head against his chest. His chin rested above my head.

I could hear the slow steadiness of his heart, beating softly in his chest.

"Don't leave me Will…" I whispered, half asleep.

I felt his cool hand gently stroke my cheek and nestled in my hair.

"I promise, I won't:

Will's POV:

After a few minutes, Lia's breathing became stable and I knew she was asleep.

I brushed her hair away from her eyes. Her face and neck glistened with sweat and her hair was damp.

It was sad to see her like this. I ran my index finger softly over a fresh cut that ran across her cheek. I pulled my hand away as she stirred but she didn't wake up.

I ran my fingers down her neck, her shirt collar moved to the side as I did that and I frowned when I noticed something. On her neck near her collarbone was an unusual marking. It was a faded bite mark with a bruise covering it.

"How dare they do this to you." I whispered softly as I pulled her closer to me. There was no way I was going to let those bastards get her again. I would keep her safe.

I held her hand that laid on the pillow in front of her face; I brushed my thumb softly back and froth across it, stopping as I noticed fresh blood staining her sleeve.

Softly so I didn't wake her, I pulled down on her sleeve to see. There were red markings, dirt and fresh cuts on her wrist.

I rolled her sleeve up gently so not to hurt her.

I ran my fingers through her hair; she stirred as a small smile appeared on her lips.

Soon my eyelids became heavy and I allowed myself to drift away into a deep sleep.

I slipped slowly into a peaceful dream, my mind forgetting of the uncertain fate that awaited us tomorrow.

A/N: Ok! I'm so proud of the changes in this chapter and I hope you enjoy them too.