Disclaimer: I don't own pirates. Or Jack, sadly. But if I had his compass, I know just where it would point...know how Elizabeth feels...and I don't mean the chest.

Thank you so much for reviewing! Please continue!

Chapter 17: Hiding Pirates

"'Ow much longer till we get t' Port Royal?"

"Cap'n, it's only been about half an hour."

"Oh," said Jack, raising his eyebrows slightly, "feels more like a few hours."

"Tired o' wearin' them clothes, Cap'n?" asked Ana Maria.

"Not really," he replied, smoothing his Navy uniform, "This isn't the first time I've dressed as other people. I'm used to it."

Jack, Gibbs, and Ana Maria were sitting against the wall while Elizabeth had fallen into a doze, being so exhausted. Will had come down to check on them all earlier, then had gone on deck again so as not to draw attention to the stowaways.

"There any food on this ship?" asked Gibbs.

"There might be," said Ana Maria, "But we can't exactly walk up on deck and ask for some."

Gibbs frowned. Jack looked disappointed as well.

Elizabeth turned over in her sleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mr. Turner," called Commodore Norrington. Will walked up to him.

"Yes, sir?"

"I get the feeling you weren't being entirely truthful when you said Jack Sparrow was not your comrade any longer," said the Commodore quickly, watching Will very closely as he said it. Will was quick, though.

"Why, sir?" he asked. "It's the truth. It sickens me that he ever was my comrade. Pirates only betray you." His eyes searched the water as he finished.

"If it is the truth," said the Commodore, "then tell me the full story. What happened with you and Miss Swann? How did you come to be on that island?"

Will began to explain the story. He told it just as it had happened, but with a few things changed, making Jack seem much worse than he really was. Then, when it came to the island, he said that he had taken care of Elizabeth, and Jack had left them. He tried to seem convincingly angry as he told this, though he feltsomewhat ashamedfor making Jack sound so evil and treacherous. He left Gibbs and Ana Maria out of the story entirely. When he finished, he looked at the Commodore to see if he'd bought it. The Commodore looked back at him, his expression serious.

"You think he is dead, then?" he asked Will.

"I don't know, sir," said Will, "but where else could he be?"

Norrington was silent for a moment.

"Very well, then," he said, and Will took this to mean he was excused.

So, Sparrow is dead then, thought Norrington. It seemed odd to think it. Jack Sparrow…Captain Jack Sparrow. Well, he had been a noble pirate. But wasn't that an oxymoron of sorts? And had Jack been noble after all? Will and Elizabeth seemed to think he was a horrible man. That didn't seem right. When Will had saved Jack from hanging, he had called him 'a good man', and now he was just some evil pirate? James Norrington didn't know what to think.

After a few hours, the Governor began walking toward the stairs. Will saw him and followed him quickly.

"Going to check on Elizabeth, sir?" he asked.

"Yes," said the Governor, continuing to walk.

"Allow me, sir," said Will.

"That's quite all right," said Swann, smiling at Will and walking down the steps. Will was right behind him.

"Really, sir," said Will, "It's no trouble. I'll check on her."

The Governor stopped to look at him.

"Is something wrong with me checking on my own daughter?" he asked Will suspiciously.

"No, of course not," said Will hurriedly, "I just thought…yes, of course you should check on her." Will was talkingratherloudly now. "I'll just go back up on deck while you check on her." He then walked up the steps. The Governor stood for a moment, a bit concerned about the boy, then continued to his daughter's room.

"Did you hear that?" Ana Maria asked. The men looked at her.

"Wot?" asked Jack.

Then they all heard Will say, "Of course you should check on her. I'll just go back up on deck while you check on her."

"Someone's coming!" said Ana Maria. "Hide!"

The pirates didn't hesitate. Ana Maria dived under Elizabeth's bed while Jack grabbed Gibbs by the arm and led him, stumbling, into a small closet. The commotion woke Elizabeth up, but before she could ask what was going on, Governor Swann walked in.

"Hello, darling," he said, smiling.

"Hello father," said Elizabeth, blearily glancing around to make sure her friends were fully hidden.

"Getting some rest?" he asked.

"Oh yes," Elizabeth replied.

"Hungry at all?"

"Um, yes, actually."

"I'll go and get you something. I'll be right back."

"Thank you, father." He left, closing the door behind him.

Elizabeth got up. "It's safe," she hissed. The others came out of their hiding places.

"That was close," said Gibbs, as he and Jack stepped out of the closet.

"Too close for comfort," said Jack, raising an eyebrow and obviously not referring to the close call, but to the cramped amount of space in that closet with Gibbs.

"He'll be coming back," said Elizabeth. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?" asked Ana Maria as Elizabeth ran to the door and opened it.

"You're hiding in another room," she said, "I don't want to take any chances."

The three looked at each other, then followed Elizabeth. She led them into another room nearby, told them to hide, and closed the door behind her as she left.

"Here you are," said Governor Swann as he handed Elizabeth some food.

"Thank you father," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm glad we found you," he said, "but it would really be a lot less trouble for all of us if you'd stop gallivanting with pirates."

Elizabeth looked properly ashamed, then changed the subject. "How did you know where to look anyway?"

"It was lucky," said the Governor. "We had been searching for a few days. James and I were discussing possible places that pirate might've taken you. Then we saw your signal, and James said, 'you don't suppose they're on that same island…' I didn't think it was possible, but it was worth a shot, so we went, and it's a good thing we did."

Elizabeth smiled. She really wanted to mention how much help Jack had been on the island, and that he wasn't such a bad man, but that would've given everything away, so she stayed silent. The Governor walked out.

Swann was about to walk up the steps when he heard a noise. He stopped. He walked slowly along the rooms, listening. It sounded like voices. He came to a door and stood very still next to it, listening hard.

Yes, that was definitely someone whispering. But weren't all the soldiers on deck? Swann knocked on the door. The whispering stopped.

"Hello?" he called. Nothing. He opened the door.

"Is someone in here?"

Still nothing. The room was dark. Had he imagined it? He walked farther into the room, straining his eyes in the dark. Then he heard it.

"Afternoon Gov'na."

Well, there you have it. Tell me what you think.