Disclaimer: I don't own POTC

Chapter 50: The Catch

For the next several nights they continued this pattern, and every time Gabriel became a little more experienced. Other than that, the two of them were merely friends.

Priscilla and Gretchen continued throwing their tantrums, but whenever Camille was present a strange silence would be cast around them and all of the petty bickering and yelling would cease until she was out of the room.

As for Camille, she had been enjoying herself these past few weeks. The days putting fear into everyone's hearts, the nights spent with young Master Gabriel, and the unexplained absence of Master Thatcher were all too perfect. But with this perfection came a perfect loneliness, as well.

As time passed, an emptiness just welled up inside her. She longed for the Pearl, for the chores, the sea, and Jack. Most of all she wanted the daring, backstabbing, yet entertaining captain to be by her side once more. She wanted to fall for him, to be used by him; and she hated herself for it.

She could not take it anymore. The rain was falling hard, and the lightning was flashing. But she couldn't take the confinement of the house anymore. She put on her trousers and blouse, made sure the key was safely in her pocket before lacing up her boots, and made her way downstairs. She didn't have to worry about leaving any kind of note. Gabriel would understand. She had confided her emptiness to him alone.

As she tied her bandana on, she heard a harsh knocking downstairs at the door. Making her way downstairs, she could see one of the maids, Jocelyn, approaching the door to answer it. But something wasn't right. It was much too late for any visitor to be calling on the house.

"Jocelyn, don't!" she called out, but the door was already open. One gunshot later, she was lying face down in a pool of her own blood. Camille clapped her hand over her mouth to avoid shrieking, creeping stealthily back up the stairs as the men made their way into the house.

Everyone had heard the noise, and servants and Thatchers alike were all waking up and coming out of their rooms. Maximilian was the first one out. "What's all this noise?" he demanded, making his way past Camille as she tried to stop him. "We are trying to sleep!" he said boldly, making his way downstairs.

Priscilla and Gretchen came out of their rooms next. "What's going-" Gretchen asked before Camille put her hand over her mouth.

"Sh!" she said. She could see Gabriel at the other end of the hallway, coming with loaded pistols. The girls looked at him in surprise, and then leaned over the banister as their father finished descending the staircase. "Oh, my God," she whispered.

The house was dark, and Maximilian made his way to the front hall. The gentlemen, she could now see clearly by their behavior that they were pirates, paid no attention to him as they continued through the doorway. And before dear Maximilian Thatcher could find his deafening voice, they shot him in the head.

Gretchen and Priscilla screamed, and Gabriel jumped. The pirates looked up as Camille pulled them away towards the nearest room. Servants were now screaming and running everywhere, and more gunshots could be heard ringing out.

"Father!" Priscilla screamed. Gabriel picked her up and carried her with them as Camille locked the door and pushed heavy furniture against it.

"The window, onto the roof!" she directed as she followed them. She made it past them, climbing steadily out the window and outside into the pouring rain.

Gretchen hesitantly followed her, shaking with fear. Next, Gabriel made his way out with Priscilla, who was still crying. Camille looked for a low place in the roof where they could easily reach the ground. She could hear the pirates in the room now, and leaped gracefully across the top of the house like a cat. She was finally able to find a spot that dropped just behind the house as one of the pirates made his way out the window and onto the roof.

Gretchen shrieked, but Camille leapt off and signaled for her to follow. Gretchen did so hesitantly, but Camille was able to catch her. Priscilla was next, and she closed her eyes as Gabriel dropped her into the redhead's arms. He jumped down with minimal difficulty.

They were now behind the house. Camille ducked beneath some bushes, looking inside. She could see no movement, and waved them in as she locked the door behind them. Gretchen was shaking and shivering, and Priscilla was trying her best not to cry. Camille searched the house, as focused as ever. "All right, here's the plan. There's no escaping unless we eliminate some of these pirates. So hide somewhere until I give the signal."

Gabriel nodded and led his sister away, as Camille took Priscilla to the dining room. There was a space between a very large cabinet that was filled with china and other breakable objects. That would do perfectly. She and the little girl squeezed back into the small space.

Priscilla's breathing was rapid and shallow, and Camille tried hard to listen for anyone who reentered the house. She put her hand on Priscilla's shoulder. "It's all right, Priscilla. I won't let anything happen to you, dear," she promised the small child.

Priscilla was still scared, but she swallowed and nodded, starting when the two of them heard rough voices.

"I think they was in here, wasn't they?"

"Better check all of the rooms again."

Camille could hear footsteps approaching, and listened very carefully, placing her hand over the child's mouth. Priscilla went rigid as the voices got so close, they sounded like they were just in front of the girls.

Camille released Priscilla and put both of her feet on the back of the cabinet, pushing with all of her might. It came falling down on top of the two men with a loud crash that erupted throughout the house. After that, she heard a gun go off and prayed that it had been Gabriel's. She took Priscilla's arm and led her out of the dining room where three more men stood. "Don't look, child," she commanded as she took out her cutlass and killed all three of them easily.

She again took Priscilla's hand gently and led her back into the main hall, closing the door. "Gabriel?" she called. "Gretchen? Where are you?"

No reply. Camille felt like panicking. Priscilla followed her silently up the staircase as she continued to call out. "Gabriel? Are you still in the house?" She kept the girl close behind her, shielding her from any person who decided to suddenly jump out among them.