Author's Note: I am so sorry about the serious lack of updates! I have been very busy recently (I am, in case you didn't know, in the middle of exams). I hope you're all still interested! Please leave a review, I appreciate them all!

Chapter Ten: Edward's Plan

"Wake up!" Hands shook Edward's shoulders, not roughly, but firmly. He jolted to consciousness suddenly, his green eyes snapping open to see brown ones floating inches from his own. It was the brown-haired man who he had seen before he was knocked out. Edward blinked. He was on the floor, his arms behind him, tied to a post.

The man stepped back, and Edward could see he was in the brig of a ship. He and the man weren't alone in the brig... his sharp eyes found Jack Sparrow, who looked positively evil, his brown eyes fixed on Edward. Sparrow's hand was clenched tightly on Lainey's arm. Lainey looked beautiful and terrified.

"Edward!" she cried, breaking free of Sparrow and flying over to Edward, collapsing on the ground beside him, embracing him.

He inhaled her sweet scent, but glared at Sparrow. "You bastard."

Sparrow chuckled. "That's what she said, mate." He addressed Lainey instead. "I promised yer you could see 'im, luv, so me and Will'll leave yer for a few minutes." He gestured to Will, and the pair of them went up the stairs, disappearing.

Edward focused on Lainey. Some of her hair was coming free of it's braid. "Are you alright?" he asked her. "Did they hurt you?"

Her eyes sparkled with tears. "No, no. I'm fine. I-I'm sorry, Edward. This is all my fault."

"Of course it isn't, Lainey," Edward said bracingly, smiling at her. "Don't cry, honey. We have to-" He paused, then shuffled uncomfortably. "Do you think you can steal Sparrow's sword?"

Her dark face was stretched in shock. "I- what? Are you crazy, Edward?"

Edward licked his lips. He knew his plan was the only chance they had. He had to get Lainey off this ship, away from Sparrow. He threatened everything. He rested his head fondly on Lainey's, quiet for a moment.

"This is like the time when we were twelve," Lainey said softly, suddenly. "You had been caught stealing fruit from Mr Baker's stall, and you wanted me to throw myself into the river to distract everyone so you could escape."

Edward smiled fondly, remembering. "And you ruined your best dress in the water, I remember."

"I nearly died," she said seriously.

"I wouldn't have let anything happen to you," Edward said, smile gone. He chewed his lip. "I will never let anything happen to you, Lainey, I promise."

She sniffed but said nothing, apparently lost in her own thoughts.

"I mean it," Edward said, a little more sadly than he meant it to come out.

She shuffled, and for a moment he thought she wasn't going to answer. Then, she raised her amber eyes to his green ones, and smiled. "I know."

Edward stroked her hair clumsily with his nose. "So... do you think you can steal Sparrow's sword?"

She rolled her eyes. "And what do you propose I do with it once I have it? I certainly can't use a sword, Edward."

"You cut me free, simple," Edward replied, grinning. "I'll deal with it from there. We'll take the Pearl, Lainey, we'll be safe, you'll be safe..."

Lainey looked terrified at this idea. Her thick eyelashes were full of tears as she nodded slowly. "Very well, I'll try."

Edward nodded, his stomach tightening in dread at what they were about to do. They lay together in silence a little while longer, thoughts spinning around his head so fast he could hardly grasp them. It was Lainey's next words that summed up how he felt.

"I can't believe we're going to try to take the Black Pearl."