Fear makes some men rush. "They've taken her! They've taken Elizabeth!"

It makes others still. "Mr. Murtogg, remove this man."

And I? All I can think of is my daughter.

My precious, headstrong, adventurous daughter.

Gone.

Taken.

Last night I was prepared to celebrate her engagement to a man worthy of her. She'd nearly been snatched from me, but fate had been kind and spared her.

But had she been saved only to be taken by murderous pirates hours later?

I refuse to believe that. Refuse to even consider it. She didn't escape an inadvertent death only to be run to ground by it hours later. Not my little girl. Not my only link to my darling Catherine.

"We have to hunt them down. we must save her."

What does the boy think we've been attempting to do? "And where do you propose we start? If you have any information concerning my daughter, please share it." My precious girl, never afraid of anything. Even when she should be.

"We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot. Drink up me 'earties yo ho!"

Young again, singing an inappropriate song undoubtedly learned from sailors on leave when she was lurking near the rails while we were in some long forgotten port. But I never had the heart to scold her for it. She was the lone girl amongst many men, the only women she had to visit with were serving women and her governess. Needless to say that she hadn't wanted to spend her entire day with Mrs. Darby, and she'd made the serving women nervous. The ship was small, and Elizabeth had hated living in the darkness of below decks.

I despaired. Not just because of her childish infatuation but for her safety. Then Lieutenant Norrington came to me, willing to keep a spare eye on her when she was flitting about, watching anything and everything her eyes could take in. Much as he has been doing for many years now. Giving him her hand, seeing them join their lives together . . . it only seemed logical. He is a man I can trust, for even if he did not risk his life for hers yesterday – which might very well have brought about the death of both – he kept a cool head. He knew what to do to rescue her from the clutches of that dreadful pirate. He didn't rest until he'd tracked Elizabeth's assailant down.

I can trust him to lend that same tireless devotion to finding her now.

"Mr. Turner, you are not a military man, you are not a sailor. You are a blacksmith and this is not the moment for rash actions. . ."

A blacksmith who has encouraged Elizabeth's own penchant for rashness – for she has a streak as wide as the bay the fort looks down on – but who may understand her better than either of us. I have always secretly wondered if that impulsiveness is the basis for Elizabeth's character.

"I think it'd be rather exciting to meet a pirate."

I wonder if her duty and sweet behavior are products of teaching and civility. If they are due to an eagerness to please me . . . as if she could have ever done otherwise.

"Think again, Miss Swann . Vile and dissolute creatures, the lot of them. I intend to see to it that any man who sails under a pirate flag or wears a pirate brand gets what he deserves – a short drop and a sudden stop."

The violence she could be facing now. Greater than Norrington's frankness that horrified her. It wouldn't have kept her from debating the point, of course. She has always been one to speak well for herself and her convictions. Always so sure with the certainty of youth that she must be right. That she has enough knowledge to negotiate her way out of anything; a danger of having a diplomat and politician for a father I'm afraid. She hasn't yet learned the traps her own words can set for her.

" Lieutenant Norrington , I appreciate your fervor, but I'm, uh, I'm concerned about the effect this subject will have upon my daughter."

Oh, for the days when that's all I had to safeguard her from. I should have sent her back to London long ago. Not just so she could experience the full life she was born to, not just so she could be inundated with suitors desperate to learn her name for the exotic scents she trailed in her wake and her wide-eyed interest with all that went around about her. But for her safety.

"Actually, I find it all fascinating."

Yes. That's what concerns me.

Author's Note: well, apparently I wasn't as empty of these as I thought I was. Perhaps it's because I'm starting to work through a new PotC, that one about Meredith I promised to write. And if I don't do it before PotC2 comes out, I never will. Of course, maybe none of you are interested. I do have another four or five of these one shots up my sleeve though. Enough to keep me posting semi-regularly for the next month or so.


Also, I just want to thank everyone who's kept running across these and reviewing them. You do urge me to write just a bit more if for no other reason than so I can thank you.