Disclaimer: I don't own POTC.

SHE WAS A PHANTOM OF DELIGHT

Chapter 20: Denial

The next day the three of them were hurrying through the streets. "Did you say that you lived at sea now, Camille?"

"I did. I got into a disagreement with my father about the whole marrying Gillette thing, and since then I've just been traveling," she said as she led them through the bustling square. "There's the ship!" she said as they made there way up to the dock where dozens of ships were.

"Uh, Camille," Will said, stopping just before the gangplank. "You failed to mention that you were a pirate aboard the Black Pearl," he said, switching Cadence to his other side.

She grinned, looking up against the sun. "Did I? Trifles, love."

"How did I possibly miss that? You're even starting to sound like him," Will said.

The wee man stuck his head over and yelled down at Camille. "Oy! Quartermaine! Cap'n's not too happy with ye!"

"Oh, he'll get over it," she said, waving her hand about. They started up the gangplank.

"Camille, about this promised safe journey aboard a ship commandeered by Jack…" Will began.

"Will, if that man thinks he is going to put this ship in any kind of danger with a baby aboard, I will personally feed him to the sharks," she assured him as they set foot on deck.

"The only one who's going to be fed to the sharks is you, woman," Jack said making his way up to them. "Where the bloody hell do you think-William!" he exclaimed, shaking his friend's hand and embracing him. "And who is this?" he questioned, looking at Cadence.

Camille cleared her throat. "I believe that you two gentlemen have a little catching up to do. I'll take Cadence, Will." Cadence was handed to her and the two of them walked off. "Cadence, do you remember how to say Camille?"

"Camy!"

Jack crossed his arms and leaned against his desk, looking at his friend. Something was definitely wrong with this picture. Will looked like he hadn't eaten in weeks. His skin was pale, there were large purple shadows over his eyes, and he could tell that Will was exhausted. And where was Elizabeth? That was the second thing that didn't make sense.

"Jack, it's great to see you again. It really is. But Camille has gotten into her head this crazy idea that I need to come back to Port Celebros," he said, trying to laugh. "Cadence and I are perfectly fine, and she doesn't see that."

"Over the years, I've learned to trust that woman's judgment," Jack explained, eyeing Will. "What's going on, mate?"

Will sighed. "I really don't want to talk about it. I'm just…I'm really tired is all," he lied.

"Tired and smelling of alcohol before noon?" Jack probed. "Will, if you're not going to tell me anything than Camille will. Why not just save her the trouble, eh?" he urged.

Will looked really irritated. He put his head in his hands. "She's dead, Jack. And I have turned into an alcoholic, all right? Are you satisfied?"

"Who's dead? Elizabeth? Will, what happened?" Jack asked sincerely.

A half-full glass of rum sat on the edge of Jack's desk, and Will grabbed it, downing the rest. He slammed it down. "You see? See what I've become? I'm hopeless, Cadence doesn't deserve a wretch like me for a father," he said dejectedly.

Jack sighed. He was still trying to put all of this together in his head. How could Elizabeth be dead? She was so young. And Will was really, really depressed. This was going to be quite a challenge for him.

After offering his sympathies for a bit and convincing Will to go down to one of the rooms and get some sleep, Jack made his way back up on deck where Camille and Cadence were counting. His spirits were lifted a little when he saw them. He could never get over how excited Camille always looked when talking with children.

"…five, six, seven, eight, nine…what comes after nine? Ten, that's right!" Camille said, clapping her hands along with the little girl. She looked up to see Jack looming over them. "Jack, she is so smart. She can count to ten, and she already knows almost half the alphabet. I'm very impressed."

He smiled and looked at Cadence. "Is that so odd for a child?"

"It is for her age. Did you speak to Will?"

"Yes, Camille and I think you may have found him just in time."

"Is he that bad?"

"The man's a mess; it's plain to see. He's completely in denial about anything."

Camille stood up, leaving Cadence to babble and crawl around. "Jack, we've got to help him."

"Well I intend to, love. But how is the question."

"I told him that I would ask Annie in my father's house if she would be willing to take them in."

"Back in Port Celebros! And I suppose you want me to turn this bloody ship around and go halfway across the world again to drop them off?" he exclaimed.

"Not if you're going to react like that. I can always write to her, and they can always get off at the any port we pull into. I just thought that it would be safest for them to travel with us."

Jack took a deep breath. "I suppose you're right, he's just as helpless as the little lass."

"Oh, no Cadence! No, we don't eat rope!" Camille said, swooping up the baby and taking it out of her mouth. "No darling, that's icky. Are you hungry for lunch, Cadence?"

Cadence nodded. "Yes."

"All right then, well we'll have to find you something to eat. Do you have any teeth?" she asked, gently opening the baby's mouth. She had a number of them. "Good, I don't have to mash anything."

"Camille darling, as hard as you are trying I don't think you're going to have a decent conversation with the infant," Jack called wittily.

"Perhaps you'd like to join us then, Captain?"

"Delighted you asked. And by the way, I don't think we've had a proper introduction," he said, making his way over.

"That's right. Cadence, this is Jack Sparrow. Jack Sparrow."

"Dak Barrow."

Jack lifted up an eyebrow. "She's good."

Camille laughed. "Isn't she, though? She's been raised very well," she said, standing up for Will. Jack agreed, leading them into the galley.

"That she has, lass."