A/N: Guys, I'm sorry, I realize this has taken me an eternity to write, but life has just been very… hectic. There we go, that's a good word. And "blah" would suffice as well, I would think. This is not to excuse the delay, but to show you guys that I'm not purposely abandoning y'all! :-P Ah yes, and Will and Liz are bloody near impossible to write unless you watch the movie over and over while writing them (at least for me), so that was another factor… Tell me what you think, eh? Personalities and all.
A/N2: Wowzers! SO MANY REVIEWS!!!! *head spins* *Gives out cheezits and the movie "The Road to El Dorado" to everyone… ah yes, and the promised T-Shirts, as well. ;-)*
***Special thanks to Kizume for betaing!
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"They what?" Leah gulped, her heart a thundering in her ears.
"Leah, I'm sorry, there was nothing-"
"Just, just give me a moment to absorb this, Will," she said softly, her head swimming. How…. How…? Almost unconsciously, she grasped Jack's hand, still on her shoulder, and felt herself backing into his comforting embrace, his arms wrapped around her front.
"Leah, Jack, I'm so sorry," Elizabeth said fervently, "It was completely my fault. If I hadn't-"
"It wasn't your fault," Will argued with equal passion.
"It doesn't matter whose fault it is, does it?" Jack interrupted. "What matters is, what exactly happened?"
And that was when, with "contributions" from Will, Elizabeth, Commodore Norrington, and even Governor Swann-but mainly Elizabeth-that the truth came out.
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It was a fairly clear night. A few clouds, a few stars covered here and there, a moon not-quite full. Leah and Jack had already been expected for a day, and though all parties were used to the two of them showing up late, it still managed to worry Will, Elizabeth, and the good ol' Governor of Port Royale. To take their minds off of matters, Elizabeth stayed up later than usual with Thomas, and Claire and John as well, of course, and Will worked late at the smithy… When Port Royale was attacked that night, the two of them were just getting ready for bed, Will still in his blacksmith's garb, even, Elizabeth already in her nightgown. The first shot from a cannon, though, that caused them both to stop whatever it was they were doing and freeze. The same thought entered their minds at the very same instant: the Black Pearl. But, no, Jack would never do this… and even if, somehow, he did get the notion into his head… Leah would never let him.
"Elizabeth, you stay here. I'll be back," was the first thing out of Will's mouth the moment he'd recovered from the shock of hearing canon fire. He then moved for the door, but Elizabeth, stopped him, grabbing his arm.
"Will, you cannot go out there alone. If you're going, I'm going."
"Elizabeth…" Taking her head into his hands, Will looked deep into his beloved eyes, their faces mere inches apart. "Please, stay in here where it's safe. For me. I swear I'll be back."
After a long pause, she nodded. "All right… but if you don't come back, Will, I'm coming after you. I swear that. So get back here."
"I will. I promise," was his reply, and after exchanging a lingering kiss, Will left the room to, of course, play the hero and fight off any pirates that might have come ashore and were terrorizing the citizens of the port. And this was when Mrs. Elizabeth Turner remembered something, something about two rooms, both containing unguarded toddlers…
"The children!" she exclaimed, and dashed out of the room as fast as her legs could carry her, her skirts billowing behind her. First, she came to Thomas's room and took him out of bed, the groggy two-year-old burrowing into his mother's hold with a slight groan. Next, she carried this child in her arms to the room that Claire and John shared, so that she could keep an eye on all of them at once. Upon shutting the door tightly behind herself, it took a moment for Elizabeth's eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room, the only source of light a thin stream of moonlight from a slit in between the curtains. The very first thing she noticed was, of course, the fact that Claire was wide-awake, sitting up in bed. Her flaming red hair, going just past her shoulders, glistened in the eerie silver glow falling down directly upon her, but her cerulean eyes were lost in shadow. The freckles on her pale, pale cheeks were just visible, and the effect was almost like that of a ghost, especially with the pure white nightgown she wore.
"Aunty Liz, what's goin' on?" she asked, her voice barely betraying her drowsiness
"Nothing at all, Claire. Go back to sleep," Elziabeth said softly, moving closer to the bed. In the next bed over, sleeping soundly was John, almost a perfect miniature of Jack if not for the lighter skin. He wasn't as tanned, obviously, as he had spent practically the past three months in Port Royale and consequently out of the sun, but other than that, from the raven hair, little beads and braids actually already in it, to the deep brown eyes, he was just like his father. If not for certain mannerisms the two-year-old had already developed, it would have been near impossible to determine who his mother was. Ah yes, and there was the fact that Leah had given birth to him in Port Royale…
It was just then, only moments after Elizabeth had assured Claire that nothing ill was about, that cannon fire once again hit Port Royale, very close to the mansion they were in.
"That's a cannon!" Claire let out, and then slammed a hand down on her mouth, the sound of her own outburst shocking even her in the otherwise dead silence of the room. Another shot rent through the air, a sound both Claire and her brother, now stirring, both knew very well. The majority of their time was spent on a pirate ship, after all, and not just any pirate ship, no, but the legendary Black Pearl. It was only because the latest planned looting had been so dangerous that the two of them had been left with their aunt, uncle, and grandfather. Otherwise, neither Leah or Jack would ever have let the two out of their sight.
"Claire, stay right there, darling. Don't get out of bed," Elizabeth directed gently, sitting down on the edge of the mattress and lying her son down next to his cousin. He was more or less awake now, and sat up with a yawn, eyeing his mother warily.
"Sleepy…"
"Shhh, Tom, shhh," was her reply to the boy, placing a finger on his lips. At just this moment, John finally sat up.
For the next fifteen or so minutes, Mrs. Turner spent her time trying to keep the children calm and entertained-though Claire was not at all scared and merely curious, and John and Tom only felt a tiny bit of fear-and also trying desperately to get them all back to sleep. The latter wasn't working in the least.
Fairly quickly, all of the toddlers were gathered on Claire's bed, sitting up both attentive and alert, at least as far as children their age could get.
As she spoke, Elizabeth had felt the strongest anxiety over Will's well-being and almost went after him at least seven times throughout this little sit-down. Nevertheless, her common sense got the better of her every time. She could not take these three outside, nor could she leave them alone and unattended under the current circumstances. So, she had to stay.
Just as she her eyes flicked back from the door, Elizabeth opened her mouth to answer one of Claire's many inquiries, but when muffled screaming and footsteps rushing down the hall were heard, she shut it again. Tensing up, she motioned for the children to stay quiet, which, strangely enough, actually worked, and began to move slowly towards the door, yearning desperately for any sort of weapon. Hesitantly, she opened the door and peeked out, but at what she saw, she shut it tight immediately, putting the full weight of her back against it.
"Mum, wha-"
"Shh, Tom, shh," she urged yet again, though this time with far more urgency. There was a group of at least five pirates in that hallway, terrorizing the servants and most likely having killed a few men and women. With any luck, they would not come in there. And, of course, Elizabeth had no such luck… With a sharp pounding on the door, she was thrown forward as the smooth wood crashed forward. The moment she regained her footing, Elizabeth careened about, standing as erect and fearless as she could before the bed.
"Aunty…" John said, but Elizabeth said nothing, facing the entrance as three men crossed the threshold into the room. One came in front of the other two, a tall man, just under 6 feet, with short jet black hair and piercing green eyes, a scar clearly visible along his left cheek starting just below the eyes and going all the way down to the jaw line. He was dressed in simple faded blue breeches, a white cotton shirt with a golden vest over it, and the trademark coat any self-respecting captain seemed to wear. Naturally, he also had the belt and the like to hold all of his belongings, i.e. a compass, weaponry, maps, etc., and there was a fierce glow in his eyes, not that Elizabeth could really see the latter in the darkened room. Yes, he was most definitely the leader of the three. The scraggily men behind him, both fairly short with grimy long brown hair, both far more filthy than he was, seemed to await his command.
"So this'd be the room then, eh?" the apparent leader grinned victoriously, revealing remarkably well-kept teeth and even some gold-capped ones. His speech was strangely smooth, and his voice not at all gruff.
The men behind him grinned maliciously, moving further in with their swords held before them. His own pistol extended, the leader stuck out his left arm, motioning for the two of them to stay put. Begrudgingly, they did.
"You, who're you?" the man asked, his weapon poised at Elizabeth. She was either a maid… or not, and he wanted to know. He wanted to know now. "Speak, girl, or those fine children 'hind ya get a nice taste o' blood."
"I-"
But before she could continue with whatever it was she was about to say, something happened that, well, wasn't exactly the best thing that could have happened.
"Don't hurt Mum!" Tom yelled, jumping in front of Elizabeth.
"Yeah!" seconded John, joining his cousin, his elder by two months. Claire was the only one still in the bed, her legs in what would later be called "Indian-style". Strangely calm, she watched the events unfolding before her appraisingly.
"John, Tom, no!" she said quietly, but it was too late. The damage was done.
"So if this is your son," he began, motioning to Tom with his short light-brown locks and similar eyes, "and as this be one of the finer rooms in this here place… I take it you're Elizabeth, and those two [more brandishing of his pistol] are the young Sparrows."
"Take it as you please," she countered.
Sighing with exaggerated impatience, he cocked his pistol, the barrel pointed straight at her head. "Are you Elizabeth Turner, or ain't ya?"
"And if I am?"
"Well then you're just the lady we've been wantin' to see." His two partners chuckled.
"Should I feel honored?" she asked sardonically.
"But of course," he assured her, and began to approach…
"Parley!" Even this man had to follow the Code, did he not? And it had worked four years ago… to a point.
"Want to see the Captain, eh…? Well, sorry, darling. That'd be me. And I know exactly what I want."
"But… what are you doing onshore?"
"Why this is a personal matter, Ms. Turner! 'Sides that, I got the ship in good hands." Turning his head to face the man to his right, he spoke again. "Take the boy. Sparrow's boy." Then, to the other, "You get the girl." Finally, he turned back to Elizabeth. "And you, Ms. Turner… I get you."
It happened very quickly, the men going for their targets without pause. Elizabeth tried to pick John up to safety, but one of the brutes pushed her backward, and the other one, the one after Claire, shoved her over to her left. Tom was also pushed roughly to the side, and scared senseless, ran to his mother, who instinctively picked him up, glaring daggers at the men. If looks could have killed… all three men, the leader in particular, would have been dead three times over in every single way imaginable.
Before she could do anything else, she was grasped barbarously by the arm, but her struggling did her absolutely no good. Nor could she do anything more with Tom held in her arms, and she wasn't about to put him down.
"Come on," the leader snarled, pulling her along with him. From behind her, Elizabeth could hear John's cries and Claire's ear-shattering screeches. Neither of them were about to take this calmly.
"Where d'ya have a writing desk?" he asked, dragging Elizabeth down the hallway in the direction of her room… not that he knew this was where he was taking her, of course.
"What? Why?"
"Let's just say I wanna leave dear ol' Jack Sparrow a little note, eh?" His two crewmembers would have laughed at this, but… they were too busy trying to contain the struggling toddlers without hurting them.
"Sir!" one yelled, "These two're impossible ta hold!"
"Bloody tramp," the second one growled, waving his hand in the air. The little redheaded demon had bitten him1
Rolling his eyes, the leader suddenly stopped and turned, still gripping Elizabeth's arm fiercely. Tom was in tears now as well, and trying to break out of his mother's grasp so that he could get to John. Elizabeth was having next to no luck quieting him. "Get yourselves back to the ship, and if I hear anythin' happens to those two… Ya'll both wish you were caught and swingin'. Am I understood?"
"Aye, sir," the one holding John returned, and quickly, the two made their exit.
"You can't do this," Elizabeth protested, trying her best to wrench out of the man's grasp, but it did no good.
"Oh, but I can, and I am, darling. So come on," he ordered, and dragged her further down the hallway and into the first set of doors he found… her rooms. And, lo and behold, there was a writing desk, paper and all. "Siddown," he said curtly, throwing her down into the chair.
"You're a despicable scoundrel," she said vehemently, brown eyes cold as she looked at the man, bouncing Tom on her lap almost absentmindedly.
"But of course," he sneered, and then his emerald gaze moved to the howling child. "Shut him up… now."
"I'm trying," she said, and now did her best to somehow stop Tom's cries. If anything happened to him…
Getting steadily more and more annoyed, the pirate turned his head to the doorway and saw a maid running down the hall. "You!" he called out, his gun poised at her but his right hand gripping Elizabeth's shoulder tightly… painfully.
Freezing, the maid turned slowly, her face an unhealthy pasty hue. "Y-yes?" she choked.
"Get ova here now, or your brains'll be blown out all over that pretty hallway." Swallowing, the maid, by the name of Kate, approached tentatively. Elizabeth used this distraction to shoot up, but angrily, he took out his sword and put it to her neck, his pistol still squared at the maid. "I suggest… you sit." Her wrathful gaze never once leaving his face, Elizabeth got back into the seat, holding Tom close.
The maid had briefly considered running during that little debacle, but as the weapon was still poised at her person… Her breathing fast and shallow, her heart pounding at her ribs, Kate finally entered the room.
"Give 'er the kid," the man commanded, his sword still at Elizabeth's throat. And then, to Kate. "You, get him outta my sight. I don't need a little brat distracting me."
"Kate… here, take him," Elizabeth said at last, sliding out of the chair, away from the sword, and walking over to one of the mansion's many servants. Silently, the pirate watched.
"Nonononono!!!" screamed Tom, latching onto his mother, but Elizabeth pried him away, whispering words of comfort into his ear, and finally handed him to Kate.
"Don't let anything happen to him," Elizabeth told Kate, her face stern. The maid nodded, holding Tom closely and doing her best to keep the wriggling two-year-old from escaping. In her best attempt to calm him, Elizabeth stroked her son's hair, speaking very softly. "It's all right, Tom. Go with Kate. Mother will see you soon, I promise." I promise… Suddenly, Elizabeth remembered: Will! Where was he? Was he all right? Was he hurt? But… she couldn't worry about that now. At least, she could try not to worry about that now.
Before long, Kate and Tom were gone, the latter only slightly calmer. Sternly, Elizabeth turned and walked back to the writing desk, sitting down in the high-backed, highly polished chair.
"Very good," the man smirked, and subsequently sheathed his sword, his remaining weapon pointed at the young woman's head. "Now, get out a piece of paper, and write."
"I'm not writing anything for you," she practically hissed, her hands not even moving to the desk but firmly at her sides.
Digging the pistol into Elizabeth's temple, the pirate spoke again. "Write what I say now, else you're dead, and I'll find yer boy and get rid o' him too, understand me? And don't do anythin' funny like writing something different than what I say, else your darling sister's kids'll be swimming with the fishies."
Oh, where was Will? Why had he left? He, at least, had a weapon. But… and she knew this well, he wasn't there now. She didn't know that he was out there, saving a few "innocent" townspeople from the pirates. She didn't know that the Commodore was doing his best to sink the enemy ship. She didn't know that her father was trapped in his rooms. She was on her own.
"Fine," Elizabeth snapped tersely, and took out a piece of paper and writing utensil, beginning the man's ransom note to Jack Sparrow. This is what it said:
Well, Jack, as you've probably noticed by now, we've swiped your precious Claire and John. Really, you'd have to be a fool not to notice, wouldn't you, but then again, you are you. Ah yes, getting to the point… you know what we want, Jack Sparrow. You know perfectly well. And you know that this is all your fault, completely and totally.
In case you really are just far denser than I think, I'll tell you what we want in exchange for your children's lives. Wait, you know what, I won't. Think back, Jack. Think of what you stole from us? Think of how long we've had to formulate plots of revenge, and think of how well they're working/ You know we won't hesitate to kill the brats, so I suggest you hurry up, Sparrow. All in all, I'd say it's a fair trade. You and the Pearl, you and your wife and the Pearl, and what you stole from us, for the lives of your children. In 3 days' time, come to the island, you know which one. We're waiting, Sparrow.
Sincerely,
Eric and SwansonOh, and yes, before I forget… you'll pay before this is over. That, I personally can swear, and I'm absolutely certain Swanson can as well.
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Riley: Hehe, yes, the whole "Miss Swann" bit annoys her SO much, but there not much she can do about it, eh? ;-) I'm glad ye enjoyed AgoL, mate! And that you're liking this! Once again, I apologize for the long delay! Promise there won't be anymore this long, pirate's honor. ;-)
Melrose: Oooh, ya can? Gippal!!! (Gippal=Yay in my strange lil world) Glad ye're enjoying, mate!
TriGem: Teehee, I luvle suspense. It's so much fun. XD And yeah, I feel bad for lil ol' Leah… But she does get a happy ending… more or less… Anywayz, I'm glad you're liking the sequel, mate! Enjoy!
Keira: *has updated* And I luvvle cliffies!!!! Sryz, I know they're evil, but they work, eh? ;-)
Ipzy: Yessums, he was really tweaked when he heard about that… Especially since Elizabeth and Will helped to arrange it. *giggles* (Yes, most likely a flashback eventually.) And sacrifice to gods…. Hmmm… *ponders* ;-)
Jeyke: It's interesting? Yay!!!! *does a wee dance* Gippal!
Vagrant: Yupperz… mucho angst, but I can't help it! For some odd reason, my mind has to make everyone suffer! O.o @.@ But there's a happy ending! Sorta… Maybe…
Kizume: *steeples hands and bows* I'm glad you luvvle this chappie so much, mate! And that you beta, for which I am eternally grateful. ^_____^ As for how Claire isn't technically Leah's… all good things come in time, eh? Ye'll fine out! As for parentheses, I think I'll leave those in. I like 'em there. :-P
Angel: Yupperz, it's he-ere! XD Nope, the Gov. would never let Leah hang, I don't think… And Leah would never let Jack hang, so they're both pretty much safe as long as they don't make a spectacle of themselves and pretty much stay sorta hidden every time they come. ;-) And dontcha worry, lil Tom is fine. I luvvle that boy. *pinches Tom's cheek*
Cirith: Ye'll find out in the next chappie just where Tom is, eh? I guarantee he's not hurt, though. :-D Glad you're enjoying!
Chaos: Hehe, yes, that would be amusing. Really amusing. But the two of 'em actually went to a Church, if you can believe it. Lol And I'm glad I'm getting Jack right. Sadly enough, not that much o' him in this chappie, eh, but I promise loads and LOADS of our dear pirate captain in the next chapter… and much annoyance with him on Leah's part. ;-)
Sarra: ROFL!!!!! All right, you are officially awesome, mate! (Not that the rest of ye aren't awesome! NO JEALOUSY!!! *hands out truckloads of rum*) NOT to mention certifiable! (Just like MEEEEEE!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) *joins in with her own picket sign, but this one says "Free the Murple Purple Elephants!!!!"* :P Seriously, I do feel horrible for making Leah suffer as much as she does, I do… but it's what comes to me. O.o I swear Fred is sadistic… But Leah DOES have happy moments! She has Jack, eh? Anywayz, I'm really glad ye likes, mate! Tell me watcha think of this latest installment!
Leah: Thankies!!! And keeping y'all in suspense 'bout what happens next fun…. ;-) :P
Dream: WOWZERS!!! YOU DID?!?! O.o I'm bloody HONORED you liked it so much, and that you're reading me sequel as well! Hopefully I can keep this fic up to thy standards.
Soccer: I'm really glad ye enjoyed AgoL, mate. And that you're liking this one. :-D Once again, SO sorry for the long update. I swear, no more this long if I can help it.
Jinxd: Eh, I'm evil. :-P And more cliffies! MUAHAHAHA!!!!
Gwyn: Hehe, glad you like, mate! And I emailed ye the chappie, so nah! *sticks out tongue* ;-)
