Another, erhm day, another chapter-

Erica, we will try to make the chapters longer, but most of the time we have to end them whenever it seems to fit the story. But watch out for our next chapter, it'll probably be our longest yet! (or so we hope!)

Warning: this chapter contains lots and lots of RUM!

Fifteen men of 'em good and true
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Every man Jack could ha' sailed with old Pew
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum

- Robert Lewis Stevenso

Will once more headed for the door, but stopped. Someone had to be here if Doll came home. The pirate - or not pirate, as it was - girl had told him to stay, and he had barely had time to object before she was gone. Maybe she had just run off? With that mark she wasn't safe anywhere. Where were they - his precious Doll and this entrancing girl, with a spirit reminding him of Elizabeth in a way that, strangely, didn't hurt.

Was he starting to lose it? Suddenly the walls around him seemed too close... how long had it been since he had been out of this house for other reasons than to visit Elizabeth's grave? That girl had broken into their dreary days like a fresh ocean wind - and now she might be gone, and Doll migh be... no. No, he couldn't think like that. He had to go out, but he couldn't, had to stay...

Suddenly, there was a hesitantly knock on the door, as if made by someone who was unsure of what she was doing. Will ran to it and opened.

"Doll!" he exclaimed, before he had even had time to see who was outside. Then he froze dead in his footsteps, staring at the man outside. Twenty years seemed to rush away, years that hadn't made a dent in the memory of the man who stood before him.

"Evenin', Will," Jack said cheerfully. "Found something of yours, thought ye might want it back."

Jack looked at the boy standing before him, his mouth slightly open in shock. He mentally shook his head. Not boy, man. The Will Turner he had gotten a glimpse of all those years ago was standing on front of him, looking a bit like a fish caught in the net. He didn't seem to know what to do, so Jack did it for him. "Here ye go." He placed Doll gently into the arms of her father, noticing the loss of her warmth immediately. He felt like he'd lost a part of himself. Shaking off the feeling he raised an eyebrow at Will and smiled. "Well? Are ye going to invite me inn?"

The weight of Doll in his arms immediately made Will snap out of it. "Of course, do come in!" He called for the servants, who eventually came running more or less in their night clothes. In the chaos that ensued, Will barely noticed where his guests went, but when Doll was safe in her bed Lijah came into the bedroom.

"I can look after her," she said, and added with a small smile: "Seems like you and dad have some catching up to do."

Reluctant to leave his daughter, even though she was fine apart from being exhausted, Will finally agreed and went downstairs. He found Jack in the kitchen; he seemed to have found most of the more expensive parts of the cupboards, and was just finishing the meal. He got up when Will entered, walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry t'hear 'bout Elizabeth, son," he said sadly. "She was a one-of-a-kind that one. Though she seems to have left behind a decent copy," he added with a small grin and a nod towards the stairs.

"Yes. Yes, she did. Doll is..." He stopped and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess you can stay the night, if you take that chance. Lijah didn't seem like she wanted to leave. The guestrooms are..."

Jack moved so he was next to Will and slapped him amiably on the back. "The lasses can do the sleeping, m'boy. Ye look like ye need s'me rum inside ye."

The light was pleasantly dimmed in the mansion that night. In the light of a single oil lamp two figures were sitting at a table, sharing a bottle of rum. Every now and then there could be heard laughter, something that was rare in the Turner household these days.

"Oy, come on lad, 'ave some more of this fine rum!" Jack was trying to fill up Will's glass while Will desperately tried to hide it under the table.

"No more, you know I can't hold my liquor." Will was desperately trying to stay in control, he was already pleasantly buzzed. The world was swimming gently, reminding him of the time he'd spent out at sea with the pirate. He tried to focus on Jack, but failed. "You're blurry." he stated which started off another laughing-fit in Jack.

"I guess ye'r right. Still a land lubber, eh?"

Will glared. "I am not! I am a pr… pia… pirate!" He tried to stand up and failed miserably, falling on his ass. He shook his head and looked up at Jack with a dazed expression, as if asking how he ended up on the floor. Jack laughed softly, grabbing his friend with an arm around his chest and hoisting him up.

"Come on mate, I'll get ye to bed."

A new day looming over our 'heroes'. But now that they're safe and sound within the mansion, nothing can possibly go wrong, right? ;D