Chapter 12 - The Key

Louise felt the ship shudder as the pearl returned fire, she was worried about what was going on, and she was understandably scared, which at least distracted her enough that she had forgotten about being angry. Now she just had to get out of this room.

Jack stood on deck barking orders, the ship had fired a warning shot and continued to advance. This was almost going to be too easy, the ship was impressive but nothing compared to his pearl. Those of his crew that weren't at the guns were waiting with the grab-hooks but it was clear the other crew were ruthlessly waiting to fight. The other ship glided alongside the pearl.

"Come on lads" Jack ordered as his crew swung over to the other ship, they may have opened fire but Jack intended to finish the fight. He followed his crew and quickly found himself fighting a burly man with more muscles than brains. There was fighting everywhere, on both the pearl and the mystery ship but from the looks of things the pearls crew had the upper hand. Jack quickly ran his opponent through, and looked over to the pearl, casting a swift eye over the deck he noticed Gibbs fighting with a older man but he couldn't see Louise meaning she was still safe where she should be.

Louise may not have been on deck but she was far from safe. She had heard footsteps in the hallway and had stopped attempting to force the door open so she could listen. Whoever they were, they had stopped at each door and opened it, she could hear them discussing it calmly, apparently looking for something of great importance. Her heart leapt in her throat as she heard them approach her door, she scrambled across the room, which was some effort in her dress, and looked around frantically as they tried the handle.

"It's locked", she heard a deep voice say.

"Well get in there", apparently the second voice was commanding the other one as suddenly a heavy weight, which Louise assumed was his body, was thrown against her door in a effort to knock it down. She reached for her sword, her fingers trembling, she inwardly prayed that she wouldn't have to use it. There was a significant difference between fighting Jack while drunk and fighting two men who may not take kindly to finding her, or worse they would see a obvious profit in finding a woman alone. She stood as the man continued to ram the door with all of his strength, then she heard the other voice sigh, bored.

"Move outta the way ye fool", the pounding stopped, she breathed a sigh of relief that was cut short as a pistol shot the lock off the door. The now unlocked door swung easily open revealing what could only be described as a pair of pirates. One was large, hairy, burly, everything you imagine a pirate to be and one was bald, slightly shorter and holding a smoking pistol.

"What 'ave we got 'ere then?" the larger one asked, smiling evilly.

Louise straightened her back, trying to gain a littler more height, "Stay away from me, I wouldn't want to have to hurt you". He laughed despite the serious look on her face, she hadn't forgotten one of the best weapons was a good bluff.

"A little lass like ye, hurt me?", his words evoked the same anger in her that Jack had started when he doubted her ability because she was a woman, but his face was almost in disbelief as she raised her sword ready to fight.

"You scared of being beaten by a girl?", he again laughed at her as she glanced at the other pirate who had now taken out his sword.

"Both of you against poor little me? That's not a fair fight is it?" she said faking a pout. The shorter man backed up only slightly as Louise began to parry with the taller.

"Think it's her?", he asked motioning to whom he was fighting.

She was moving quickly, taking every chance she had to attack, it was harder for her in her dress but she wasn't allowing it to slow her down. The shorter man observed her, her mannerisms, the way she fought. "Could be, she seems it"

Louise ignored whatever they were saying as it was no matter to her, she had found herself in a fight, a real fight, and it was kill or be killed. It was blindingly simple yet still she feared having to kill a man, even though it was obviously her or him and right now she didn't feel like dying.

"What's your name?" the shorter asked, as she she ran her sword across her rivals arm leaving a deep gash. He hissed at the stinging but continued to parry, she wasn't letting up and it seemed the girl could actually fight.

"And why should I tell you?" she spat at her observer. Louise's eyes quickly returned to her opponents face like they hadn't left it, he swiped at her side leaving his own mark across her waist. She bit back the pain and took her chance, moving swiftly she mustered all her strength behind her sword and ran it through his chest. She heard the sickening crack of his ribs, knowing she had caused that noise, his face contorted horribly in a endless pain, she pulled back her sword and watched with a guilty horror as his body seemed to take a lifetime to hit the floor landing with a resounding, echoing thud.

Louise looked up at the other man only to be faced with the barrel of his pistol, "It's only fair I know the name of the devil who killed me mate".

Meanwhile Jack was still fighting on deck, only now he was fighting who he had found out was the ships captain.

"So Cray what makes ye wanna attack the pearl, she's the most feared ship in the Caribbean?" Their swords clashed in the sun. Jack had his back to the pearl, he didn't see Louise being dragged across the deck bound and gagged. Cray however saw her and a cruel glint lit up his eyes, Jack almost turned to see the distraction but Cray kept his focus.

"Was looking for something Sparrow, but seems to me ye probably haven't got it".

Jack raised a eyebrow, "what exactly ye looking for, and what makes ye think I have it?".

Cray almost missed Jacks swing, "a key, to a great treasure, word around Tortuga is you 'ave something fittin the description".

Jack grinned as he knocked Cray's sword from his hand and held his blade to Cray's throat. Using his free hand he patted his pockets mockingly, "ain't got any keys mate, best I can do is let ye go with your life". Cray stiffened, knowing full well it wasn't a key it the literal meaning of the word but it was more than his life's worth to tell Sparrow that part. He glanced at his deck, Jack's crew outnumbering his own, he looked back to the pearl, Louise was gone, obviously taken below on his ship. He nodded at Jack.

Jack whistled signaling for his crew to return to the pearl, he glared at Cray, "I wouldn't suggest trying to take the pearl again aye mate?". Cray watched him go with a sort of satisfaction, as long as Lewis had got it right then Cray had what he needed, or more specifically who he needed.

On the pearl Jack shouted out the orders to get back on course and away from Cray's ship. The whole encounter had been trying on a unsuspecting crew and he knew some of them wondered why he allowed them to walk away. Jack only partially knew himself, a part of his reasoning being that it wasn't worth the hassle, Cray's ship probably didn't have anything aboard of real value and he also knew what it was like to lose a ship and a treasure.

Gibbs waited until they were back on course for a few minutes before walking up to Jack sporting his fresh black eye, "Captain?".

Jack grinned at him, it was a impressive bruise, "Aye?"

"Should I go let Miss. Roberts out now?", Jack took a moment to register the name. He sighed knowing the argument he was about to face.

"No, I'll go see to 'er", he took the keys back from Gibbs and made his way below deck, as he made it down the hall he noticed the open doors. Instinctively he speed up and even though in his mind he expected it, he was still surprised to see the door open. He stepped over the man lying on the floor his eyes desperately scanning for any sign of Louise still being in the room. It was a hopeless search as it was obvious she was gone, he saw Louise's sword lay on the floor covered in blood he hoped belonged to the man and not her. That's when it hit him, there was only one place she could be and he had just sailed away from it. He rushed back to deck barking out more orders as he looked through his spyglass and to his dissatisfaction saw Cray's ship a spot on the horizon.

Louise meanwhile was sitting in the brig, her gag and ties removed, she curled herself into the corner of the cell head in hands. So many things were racing through her mind, but strangely enough the main one wasn't about being kidnapped. Her main thoughts were about the look on the pirates face as he had fallen to the floor. The sound of her sword plunging into his chest was ringing in her ears, she had killed someone, pirate or not she had taken his life, he would never breathe again because of her. The guilt was weighing up inside of her, she didn't feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She sat there for a while, not really knowing for how long, feeling the invisible hold of her conscience. 'It was me or him' her brain told her, 'he would have killed me'. It made the situation slightly better but she still felt deep remorse.

"Captain wants to see ye" she looked up into the face of her captor, the man who had dragged her from her cabin. Quickly she wiped her face and straightened up, he opened the cell door and placed a iron grip on her shoulders, leading her through the ship to Cray's cabin. Her eyes took in her surroundings, the ship was smaller than the pearl no doubt. Reaching the cabin doors she felt a foreboding, remembering her first day of the pearl she remembered being in this situation but then she had been excited, and had anticipated meeting her idolized captain. Now however she was scared with a twinge of curiosity. Cray opened the door and smiled delicately at Louise, he had a aura about him of authority, he was in control and he knew it.

He motioned for her to come in, "please sit down". She sat in a chair opposite his desk which was more organized than Jacks.

"What am I doing here?", she spoke for the first time and it seemed to surprise him how strong her voice was, any fear she did have she wasn't showing it.

"First I'd like to know who exactly ye are?", he sat opposite her and she took a moment before answering, the gleam in his eye made her suspicious.

"My name's Louise Roberts, I'm from London", she noticed him observe her, obviously looking for the lie.

"What's a girl from London doing aboard a pirate ship in the Caribbean?".

She smiled jokingly, "You tell me captain, you brought me aboard". She saw a flush on his face of either anger or embarrassment.

"Ye know what I mean Louise-"

"It's miss Roberts" she cut in.

"Me apologies, miss Roberts" he nodded his head, "what I mean is what were ye doing aboard the pearl?".

"I was sailing to Port Royal on a merchant ship that stopped in Tortuga, that's when I met some of the pearl's crew and I asked if I could sail with them", she hoped it was believable , she had no idea what sort of lie would work.

He raised a eyebrow, "and Sparrow just let ye aboard?".

"Well he was in need of someone in the galley and I happen to be a excellent cook", she kept her eye contact but already she could see suspicion in his eyes. She didn't wait for him to doubt her, "and who are you?".

For the moment he surprisingly seemed to accept her story, "Me name is Captain Cray". Louise raised a eyebrow waiting for him to continue, she wanted to know why she was here, he didn't get the hint.

"I'll ask again captain, why am I here?", she had now folded her arms, all fear lost, she wanted some answers.

He too sat back, arms folded, "Well miss Roberts I believe ye are not what ye say, I think ye are central to me next adventure".

"What are you talking about?", she shifted slightly, uncomfortable with being found out.

"Ye know what I mean, ye were never sailin' to Port Royal, and I don't know how you got on the pearl but you're more important than Sparrow knows". She frowned, wondering, she was important?

"I really don't know what you mean, there's nothing special about me".

"We'll see, but for now make yerself comfortable with me crew, they haven't seen a woman in weeks".

Her eyes grew wide, "what? You...you can't..." she trailed off.

"I can do what I like, and I think it's only fair since ye killed McKinney", she gulped and lowered her eyes to the floor, visually showing guilt for her actions. It was only as he grabbed her arm, maneuvering her to the door, that she began to struggle, he shoved her through the door and she screamed as many hands began to grab at her.

Cray turned back to his cabin, "mind that pretty dress boys".

--Authors Notes--

Hey guys.

Sorry for the long delay. Since the last chapter I have had to pack, move and unpack. Very stressful. Anyway I know this chapter goes a little fast, and the end isn't happy but I think it'll work. Trust me. Oh yeah and I haven't forgotten the Abrey/treasure hunt plot but needless to say there's something to deal with first.