I'm so sorry this took so long! I had a little trouble getting my ideas in sequence! This chapter didn't make sense for the longest time! I hope it does now. I have a lot of thanks to catch up on, so here they are! Hugs to everyone! And cookies, too!

(Not the Usual: Chapter fourteen)

Cornishxxxpixie- Yes, work some on your sequel! Lol. You like Alex even more? Great! My work is done . . . almost.

(Not the Usual: Chapter fifteen)

Queen.Bowie.Jack.Sparrow.Lover- I'm glad you got so happy that there was a sequel, and I'm really glad you checked it out! Lol.

Klxzz- Hopefully I don't suck too bad . . . Yes, the chapter was, as you probably have already noticed, longer. Thank you so much for reviewing!

Cornishxxxpixie- Suspense is good . . . sometimes! Thank you so much for calling my story great! And, just to let you know, I wasn't really trying to play mind games, it sort of just happened.

(Do Unto Me)

Cornishxxxpixie- You think it was well written? Thank you! And I'm so glad you love it! I was worried it was too serious for the beginning . . . Thank you, again!

Queen.Bowie.Jack.Sparrow.Lover- Jack didn't just leave her . . . there's a twist! Jack's unpredictable, but he's not going down that road in this story, at least not yet. I had you hooked? Yippee! (I had a moment there for a second!)

Spirit of the Sky- You know, I'm a bit anxious to see how it turns out, too. Lol. I'll have to play this one by ear. I have a general idea, but . . . Thanks for reviewing!

FreshlyGroundBlackPepper- I'm so glad you liked it! I was worried it was a bit rough . . . But Alex needed it to evolve a bit. I'm glad to hear from you and I hope to hear more! (Well, not 'hear' exactly . . . read, more like. Lol)

Lixiepixie- Hey! Thank you so much for reviewing, and I'm glad you like it! I like not having to worry about what happened in the movie . . . I'm glad you liked 'Not the Usual,' too!


Chapter two: One Last Thing

Carolyn mumbled something and snored, and Alex tried, unsuccessfully, to roll over. Hurston looked over the two and then left, quietly closing the door. The instant the lock clicked, Alex's eyes flew open. She listened carefully as his heavy footfalls slowly died away, and then glanced at Carolyn, who was also awake.

'Ready?'

'No, but I'll only get worse if we wait longer,' Carolyn stated, sliding her hands out of her bounds, which she had been straining forcefully against for a week until she could move her hands. She crawled on hands and knees to Alex's side, helping Alex break the wood. 'This seems too simple.'

'He's younger than I am – he probably never figured we'd try this,' Alex stated, pushing herself to her feet. It had been a long time since she had walked, and the moment she took a step, she realized the extreme pain Hurston had caused her. Carolyn, too, struggled to her feet, and with a grimace, nodded slightly. The stumbled towards the end of the bed, where Hurston kept his clothes, and dressed in pants and shirts, covering up the best they could.

'Should we try the window?' Carolyn muttered. Alex glanced around at the window – she had hardly thought of that. Surely it was blocked? But, no, it was clear.

'Maybe this is too simple.'

'We still have to get a ship, Alex.'

'Yes, well . . .' She slid the window open, trying to be as quiet as possible, and looked out in both directions. Fighting, bickering, yelling – perfect. They'd easily get lost in the crowd. Getting through the window, though, was a different story. Alex's muscles protested strongly, and she ended up merely throwing herself onto the ground, crumbling into a groaning heap.

'Alex, watch out!'

Alex moved just in time – seconds later, Carolyn fell from the window with a muffled yelp, crumbling onto the ground. They both stood, leaning on each other for support, and set off at a limping run to the docks. Carolyn tripped and fell, panting with exhaustion and pain, and Alex leaned down to help her to her feet, when-

'Alex!' Carolyn screamed, her off-white shirt now stained with crimson blood. Alex clutched side, looked down at her suddenly bloody hand, and then crumbled to the ground.


Carolyn smiled gently as Alex opened her eyes finally, and placed a bottle of rum in her hands. 'Where are we?'

'Port Royal.'

'What!' Alex cried out in shock, trying to sit up, but the pain in her stomach stopped her, and she groaned instead.

'Well, you had talked about Port Royal . . . you said you had friends here . . . I just figured . . .'

'You're amazing!' Alex declared, smiling. Carolyn froze.

'I am?'

'Yes!'

'So you're not mad?'

'Mad? You saved my life, you got me to Port Royal . . . alone?' Carolyn shuffled, looking suddenly uncomfortable.

'Ummm . . . no . . . I ran into someone at the dock . . . I was trying to get you there too, and he said he knew you . . . he gave us a lift . . .' Alex felt a freezing sensation cover her . . . surely not . . . but who else did she know? Who else could it be?

'Wh-who? Who helped?'

'J-Jack Sparrow.'

'WHAT!'

'I'm sorry! But you were hurt, you were losing a lot of blood . . . Don't give me that look, Alex, it was for your own good . . .he told me the whole story about what happened, you should really consider forgiving him . . .'

'How long have I been out?'

'Three weeks.'

'And is he still here?'

'Y-yes.'

Alex pushed herself out of bed, letting the rum bottle fall to the floor, shatter, spill its contents all over the ornate, and looked around her room. Without a word, she grabbed her pistol, cocked it, and walked out of the room, Carolyn at her heels. 'No, no, no, no, no . . . Alex, this is a mistake . . . I big mistake. Alex . . . STOP!'

'Shut up, Carolyn,' Alex growled, trotting down the stairs as fast as her injury would allow her. She could hear voices . . . she followed them and found herself at the end of a long, deep cherry table, where several people sat eating. Elizabeth and Will were there, sitting side by side, and across from them was the one person Alex was not in the mood to see.

'Alex, you're – OH MY GOD!' Elizabeth squealed as Alex aimed the pistol at Jack's forehead. Jack froze, his fork clattering into his plate. He hadn't changed the least bit in looks . . . yes, he was a bit tanner, and his shirt was crisp white . . .

'Alex, no, don't do this,' Carolyn whispered, horrorstruck.

But Alex had frozen. She was staring straight into Jack's chocolate brown eyes, and he was staring back. 'Yeh don't wanna be doin' this, Alex,' he murmured quietly.

'Why the hell not?' she asked, but her voice, instead of sounding angry, sounded weak, vulnerable.

''Coz we need t' talk 'bout what happened . . . alone,' he stated. She advanced towards him, her finger on the trigger, but he grabbed her wrist as he stood and twisted her arm behind her back. She was too weak to struggle. 'Don't make me 'urt yeh, love. I don't want t' 'urt yeh.'

She made a move to pull away and he let her go; the pistol now in his possession. He handed it to Will, and the blacksmith carefully tucked it away. 'What do you think you've done then?'

'I've searched fer yeh,' he said calmly.

'Then why didn't you find me! I went through hell and you were supposed to be there! You were supposed to be there that morning, and you weren't!' She dissolved into tears, and he cautiously placed a hand on her shoulder, slowly wrapping his arms around her and bringing her closer.

'I know I wasn't, love . . . 'n I'm sorry,' he whispered. As if coming from a trance, she pushed him away and then strode back up the stairs, seeking out the warmth of her bed.

Jack sighed heavily and sat down at the table once more, and Elizabeth reached across the table to place a comforting hand on his arm, but he shook her off. 'She'll come around, Jack,' Elizabeth soothed. 'She's been through a lot. She'll need you . . . She needs you right now, but she hasn't realized it.'

'This is me fault.'

'No, it's not.'

'I shouldn't 'ave left 'er.'

'You were going to get breakfast for her and you were shot, Jack, what were you supposed to do?' Will asked. 'You almost died. You're lucky Gibbs got you out of there!'

Carolyn sighed gently and hesitantly reached out and tapped Jack's shoulder. He turned to her. 'She talked a lot about you. Hurston hated her because she'd talk about you so much. Once she calms down, and she knows what really happened, things will change.'

'Thank yeh, Carolyn,' he muttered, though he still felt miserable.


Alex sat huddled on the stairs, listening to the conversation going on below. She pressed her hand to her mouth and sniffled . . . He hadn't left her after all.

Or was that a convenient excuse? Had he just messed up and found a story to make him seem innocent? He was a pirate . . . she began to cry again as she realized that if he had left her . . . it would mean he had wanted to give her to Barbossa, also . . .


Jack's back! But . . . will it work out? Is he telling the truth? You'll have to wait and find out! Again, sorry for the long wait, and sorry this chapter's so short!

Alyssa