Disclaimer: no, PoTC is not mine! Now get off my back! Kat, and other people you don't know, are mine, and I don't share!

Jack: luv, what say ye to three shillings and ye share Kat with me, savvy?

Kat: hey, I heard that you bloody pirate! punches jack

Me: Kat! Jack has a bigger role is this chapter; don't hurt him yet!

Paul: Besides, you don't get the girl in this one, mate.

Me: OI! Start the chapter already! hits Paul

Finding Happiness Chapter Three

In the dark alleyway two men stood there observing the trio as they walked along the street, particularly watching one girl.

"Is that her? It cannot be the daughter of Mrs. Berlin, you must be joking. While she is beautiful, they look nothing alike!" The younger man stated mater-of-factly.

"Well, she does have a bit of her father in her, not just her mum." A voice replied.

"And, why would a lady of her stature be walking around with…. People like that?" His raspy voice was deep and hollow; yet he hardly seemed to be twenty-five.

The other man glanced at the people walking with Katherine and shrugged his shoulders, "One can only guess."

"Goodness," he stated. "Someone that beautiful should not walk around outside either, why was it that we could not meet indoors Thomas?"

Thomas looked at the man with him and then back over to Katherine, "Because, Anne and I thought it best that we didn't start a war."

"A war? Is she really that terrible?" He asked curiously.

"Well, yes and no; you see she listens to her mother because she knows that her mother is over her. But, to others she can be very uncooperative. I can hardly get her to take any mind to what I tell her as it is, but I do know that when I'm married to her mother that she will take heed to my knowledge."

"Yes, well, by then she will be under my authority, and if she doesn't like it, there will be ways of making her…. submissive." The man responded coolly.

They watched the trio for a moment longer when Thomas motioned to the other man,

"Kenneth, my good man, I believe now is a good time, shall we go and meet your future bride?"

Kenneth simply nodded and they began walking towards the happy trio.

Inopportune Moments

Crystal was showing Kat some very nice silk that she had found; it was a pale while and kind of transparent.

"Would you like this, I could get it for you."

"Oh no Kat, this is too expensive, I could never pay ya back for it."

"I don't care if you pay me back! It could be a wedding gift from me to you…. Crystal, I know you like it; I can tell by the look in your eyes." Kat didn't even wait for a response, but went over to the sales tender and paid for it for her friend.

"Kat, ya surely are a great friend, I can never thank' ya enough." Crystal gave her a hug as she held the silk in her arms.

"Katherine? Is that Thomas?" Taylor asked quietly. Noting the two men walking towards them.

"Yeah, it is, I wonder what he's doing over in this part of town… Well, I apologize a head of time just in case."

Kat walked up to Thomas and greeted him with a small smile, glancing at his companion.

"Kat dear, fancy seeing you here today. How are you, and how is your mother?"

"She's fine, just as boisterous as usual, may I ask how you are?" She replied blandly.

"I'm well, thank you. Might I introduce you to a friend of mine? This is Kenneth Rodriquez, he owns a sugar plantation in Jamaica." Kenneth stepped forward and took her hand, "It is a pleasure to meet you; Thomas says nothing but good things about you." He kissed her hand lightly and then let go.

"Oh, does he? Well, I wish I could say the same." She said as she rubbed her hand.

Taylor, noting her discomfort stepped up to Kenneth, "I don't believe we've been introduced; I'm Taylor, I've known Kat sense she was crawling. This is Crystal, my fiancé." He held out his hand and Kenneth reluctantly shook it, Taylor made sure that it was firm. Kenneth only retaliated with words.

"Yes, well, shouldn't you go milk a cow or something? I'm sure you have to work all the time to provide for your family, right? I mean, we don't want to keep you from putting bread on your table tonight."

Taylor's grip only tightened, Kat saw this and jumped in. "Taylor, remember what we were talking about earlier? It may be best if you two head on without me, I need to be getting home soon anyways." Kat completely ignored Thomas and Kenneth as she said this, pleading with Taylor's eyes for mercy.

Reluctantly, Taylor lifted his hand and motioned to Crystal, "Yer right Kat, we need to be going anyways. I'll come over to yer place tomorrow morn'in so we can continue where we left off." He gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, and then Crystal did the same, and then they started off, back towards the beach.

"He seams like a nice boy." Kenneth said mockingly. Kat had had enough of this man,

"Boy? BOY? He looks the same age as you, further more he actually acts like a MAN! Something I daresay you are not!" She couldn't control her tongue at this point. "And this boy, happens to be my best friend, and when you insult him, you insult me! Thomas, I must be going! I do hope to never see this BOY, again!" Saying that she stormed off, not even glancing back at the two astonished men.

"Well, that could've gone better." Thomas said glaring at Kenneth.

"Oh no Thomas, that went very well. I will be most pleased to see her reaction at dinner when she finds that she will be marrying a boy within a week."

Anger Management

'Bloody men, think they can walk all over anyone they please, stupid bloody rich men. I hate them all, each one should be sent to Jones Locker, should do away with all the rich men. OI! I hate em!' Kat thought to herself as she stormed down the street. She could hardly feel the tears forming in her eyes, ' Bloody men, insulting my best friend, right in front of me too!' Crash

Before she could even realize it Kat and some other unfortunate soul were laying on the ground surprised at what happened.

"Bloody ell', what's wrong with ye woman! Can't ye see people walkin' here?" The man looked at her somewhat shocked and somewhat angered, but as soon as he saw her face it all melted away. Tears were streaming down and she was sobbing uncontrollably now.

"uhh…. Miss, are ye really hurt that baldy?" He stood and helped her up, sensing that they were causing a scene. She continued to sob, mumbling words to herself. The only words the man could hear was Bloody and men.

There were a few people watching them now and he was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Lets go miss, we can talk all about bloody men at the tavern."

Leading her away, she walked with him silently and didn't even realize that he had pulled her chair out for her to sit down in, she didn't even realize that she sat down in it. Time seemed to stand still as the man ordered some ale and rum for the both of them, and it seamed to stop as she started to pour her heart out to him, her life story. She just told it to a complete stranger. Yet the whole time he was looking in her eyes, listening, and she felt peace. It seamed like he cared. One person who cared was all she felt she needed at the moment.

"Well," he started, "It seams you have quite a dilemma, 'ave you thought of running away, perhaps?" She just looked at him oddly.

"Of course I have, but where would I go? I have no other family and if I went to Taylor's home, my mother would know where to find me, there would be no point in just running away without some destination in mind either."

Kat just looked down, her eyes filled with sadness,

"Its hopeless, I may as well give up and become her puppet, that's all she wants anyways."

The young man just looked at her and then his eyes brightened, "Miss, I have an idea that ye may like, ye could come with me on my ship, I would help you find a place of yer own, or ye could become one of my crew… Only on one condition though, ye must work for yer livin' there."

Kat looked up at him surprised, "What? You mean to tell me that you'll just take me on yer ship like that? No strings attached?"

"That's right."

"Well, what kind of ship is it?" She inquired.

"Uhh… were.. a merchant ship, just deliver regular goods to other towns, that's about it miss.. what was yer name?"

"Oh, I'm sorry about that; it's Katherine Angelina Berlin. And you are?"

"Paul. My name is Paul. May I ask, was yer father a merchant? Stephen Berlin?"

Kat felt a bit shocked by the mention of her fathers name.

"Yes.. How do you know him?"

"Oh, I didn't know him per-say, but I've 'eard a good deal about him, he was most likely one of the best merchants there has ever been. A friend of mine on the ship new him, quite well, they were actually very good friends."

Kat's green eyes lit up with excitement, "Really? Does he talk much of my father?"

"Oh, bits and pieces," He said taking a drink of his rum. "Here and there, it just depends on where we are at the time."

Kat sat there thinking for a moment, 'What a great new life I could have! I could make my own decisions, go where I please! And best of all this stranger is willing to take me aboard his ship---'

"Wait a minute, your joking right?" Kat said in a tone of don't-mock-me. "I've never seen you before and already your willing to help me out, a woman? And let me stay on your ship. You must be daft, or playing a cruel joke."

"Ye can think what ya want, but the invitation is still open, that is if yer not scared of me." With that he drained his cup, and stood to go.

"Miss Kat, it 'as surely been a pleasure, but I 'ave things I need to get done in town so I must be off. If ye decide ye want to join me, come to this tavern tomorrow 'round this time." He held out his hand to hers and helped her to her feet. Then he did something Kat wasn't sure of hoe to respond to, he pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed it lightly, the warmth of his flesh on hers was enough to make her shiver with enjoyment. Why did he make her feel this way, it perplexed her so.

"I do hope to you see you tomorrow Miss."

And with that he walked off, leaving her to her thoughts; she wondered why she didn't just run after him that moment seeing as she really did want to go with him. Honestly, her common cense was getting lost in a fantasy, she sighed and then composed herself and prepared to walk home.

Paul, she thought, tomorrow I do hope you will see me.

Note: heehee, ok, im soooo sorry. I cut this one short, but I was like the perfect ending, non? Anyways I hope you like it, there was some Cutesy stuff and some bloody man action, but really what do you think will happen? Eh? How come Paul knows about her father? Eh? Hehehehe R&R and let me know! MUAH!

Finding happiness