"Why d'ye suppose they call it Rudder Bay?" Gibbs asked as he and Anamaria rowed ashore. Jack sat at the tiller, dark eyes sweeping over the tiny harbor watchfully. Black Pearl had dropped anchor on the far side of the cove, artfully hidden behind a grove of trees. Assuming Gerrarrd took the usual route to the harbor, he would be quite convinced that Jack Sparrow and his merry bunch were nowhere to be seen. So far, he saw no sign of Wickedry.

"Some poor sod lost 'is rudder and hadta set up shop for ten years," Anamaria said. "Seems he got rescued on the same day the rudder fin'ly floated ashore, pristine as th'day he lost it."

Gibbs clucked his tongue. "Now that thar's just plain bad luck. Cap'n, you've taken us to a bad luck 'arbor."

"I make my own luck," Jack said primly.

"Aye, an' if it doesn't hold, tha' little girlie of yours is gonna be makin' the luck for Gerrarrd, I can assure you o'that," Anamaria said, pulling at the oar with just a little bit more force. "He's no gentleman pirate."

"There are no gentleman pirates, dearie, just gentlemen pretending to be pirates." Jack eyed her. "You know him?"

She smirked at him. "Ye don't mince yer words, Jack Sparrow. 'E tried to get biblical with me on the Nefarious 'nigh six years ago. I ripped him a hole in his chest 'fore all was said n'done, and 'es had it in for me ever since. Though I hear he goes after... easier targets now." The lean muscles in her arms strained as she worked the oar. "Though he may be surprised with what Miss Lizzie dishes out for him."

"Tha' girl's brain moves too fast for 'er body. She's bad luck, I tell ye," Gibbs said. Jack rolled his eyes and adjusted his hat. "What're we t'do when we spot 'er, anyway? If the ship comes."

Jack drummed his fingers together. "If Gerrarrd follows his typical pattern, he'll come ashore and spruce up a bit before wooing the strumpet. That's our chance."

"Our chance to what?" Anamaria asked.

Jack shrugged.

"Ye fully intend to spring Miss Swann and 'er bonny boy from the Wickedry and you haven't even a plan?"

Jack smiled at her. "Isn't it a beautiful night?"

"'Course he's got a plan, Anamaria! He just ain't gonna share it with us yet, is all, right Jack?"

"Of course." Jack swept the hat off his head and bowed deeply. "I must retain some shred of decency, after all. My mother always taught me to be humble."

"No need to be humble," Anamaria growled as she hauled on the oar. "You're not that great."

The rhythmic rocking of the ship had eased, drawing her from the fitful sleep she had slipped into. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she could hear shouted orders and knew the ship had dropped anchor - but why? Where? She opened her eyes, and the captain's cabin aboard Wickedry came back into focus. Elizabeth remained still as the door swung open, her eyes tracing over the fine form of Gerrarrd in the doorway. "Evenin', lassie," he drawled. "Did ye have a nice nap?"

"Where are we?" First things first: establish location. Gerrarrd smiled at her, pouring a glass of wine.

"We are in Rudder Bay, sweets, and here we'll stay until we decide what to do with ye - keep ye on, send ye to yer father, let ye visit Davy Jones..." He smiled widely at her shudder. "Perhaps the first option is most tempting right now? Wickedry keeps on none who canna' pull their own weight, love, so ye'd best think long n'hard 'bout what it is ye want." He left the wine where it was, flashing another smile at her. "Last lady I had complained long n'hard 'bout how dirty I was, so I'll be ashore to wash up and attend t'some... other things. Drink up the wine, love... makes things easier." Another smile, another wink, and the door shut - and locked. Elizabeth sat on the bed for a full minute before pushing herself up, swinging her legs out, and walking right across to the wine.

She sniffed at it. Berries. Not bad. Berries could be used to cover other scents, though... scents of potions. Potions that would make her sleep, or make her quiet, or at least make her silly. No, that would not do. Picking up the corked bottle, she turned it over in her hands, appreciating its weight. It would make a handy weapon, were she to smash someone over the head with it. It might even be able to break through the glass-plated windows on the captain's door.

But there are many pirates, and few of me.

She looked toward the gallery of windows at the back of the cabin, and a smile tugged at her lips. Gerrarrd had thought of nearly everything when he had locked her away; why bother sealing off windows? If someone jumped overboard while at sea, they'd just drown, or be eaten by sharks. Anchored in a bay, though...

She opened one window and poked her head out. Wickedry lay with her head pointed toward shore, and Elizabeth's smile widened. Father had always been dismayed by her swimming skills, though they had served her well in the past. The drop from stern to water turned her stomach more than she would have liked to admit, but one had to do what one had to do, after all. She hiked her skirt up, snatched the bottle, and placed one foot onto the frame.

Am I daft? She had never even heard of Rudder Bay, and if it was anything like the other sheltered Caribbean towns she'd heard of... but it had to be better than here. She couldn't get to Will with things as they were, but she might be able to find one of Corwin's dispatches. He had posted troops in every known town the second Jack Sparrow had escaped, but whether or not they'd found their way to Rudder Bay was a question she would have to answer for herself. Elizabeth took one last look around Gerrarrd's cabin, clutched the bottle against her chest, and leaped out the window. She pushed the glass back into the closed position as she fell.

SPLASH! The water, cold and clear, closed over her head. She came to the surface again in the shadow of the rudder, and she promptly hid beneath it, glancing upwards at Wickedry's overhanging stern. At least one pirate had been on duty, and she heard him calling to his companion. "Wot's that, d'ye suppose?" He sounded as though he were directly above her; certainly they were scanning the water.

"I hears they got flyin' fish in this here harbor. Might be that."

"Ain't this the place where the dead crawl out on full moons?"

Elizabeth chanced being seen and peered around the side of the ship. Only a half-moon. Good.

"Naws, that's half-moons..." The voices faded. Elizabeth took a breath, slid under the surface, and began the long swim towards shore. She tried to follow along Wickedry's hull, pulling away only when the bulk tapered down to the bow. An outcropping of land reached out into the water not far away - if she could scramble to the shore, if she could keep hidden in the foliage, maybe, maybe...

Shore! Her waterlogged shoes caught hold of sand, and she stumbled onto the beach. Taking a moment to shake the most immediate droplets from her person, she tucked the wine bottle beneath one arm and began trudging further inland. The twinkling lights of the Rudder Bay settlement beckoned to her, and the warm Caribbean breeze lifted her hair and pushed dampness away from her face. With the breeze came a boost of confidence: she, Elizabeth Swann, had engineered a dashing and effective escape from a pirate ship! It was the stuff of novels, really - everything a real hero would do, leaping, swimming, taking stock of situations.

Stopping to survey the town, she planted one hand on her hip, cupping the bottle in her other. "Damn, I'm quite good, aren't I?" If things kept up at this pace, she'd have no trouble rescuing Will and getting back to Port Royal before morning. She might even be able to convince her father it had all been a horrible dream.

Elizabeth forged into Rudder Bay.

"Wickedry dropped anchor a half-hour ago, Jack. Gerrarrd just came ashore."

Jack turned toward the bay, smiling. "Right on time..."

Gibbs fell into step beside him as Anamaria faded back into the hubbub. "Captain, what are we plannin' on doing?"

"You are going to get Gerrarrd a few too many bottles of rum, Gibbs."

Gibbs stopped. "Wait, why me?"

Jack draped an arm around his shoulders, gesturing widely with his free hand. "Why, Gerrarrd knows what I look like, after all! You've been wanting to join up with him for years, an' here's your big chance! Dazzle him, Gibbs, dazzle him. And then dazzle him s'more, while Anamaria and I... have a bit of fun wi' his boat. Ship."

"What if he don't be buyin' it?" Gibbs peered at something over Jack's shoulder - something wearing a sodden lavender gown and stalking toward them quite menacingly. "He ain't a stupid man, says I."

"Then hit him with a... what are you looking at?" Jack turned around just as Gibbs began backing away. The lavender creature had lifted a rather large-looking bottle over her head and made a dive just as the captain grabbed at her wrist. "What in--"

"You despicable creature!" Elizabeth used her free hand to crack Jack Sparrow not once, but twice across the face. Sparrow's mouth had fallen open upon seeing her with the bottle, but only when she spoke did he seem to truly recognize her.

"Miss... Swann?"

"Let go of my wrist so I can pummel you!"

Sparrow looked back and forth, clasped both her hands in his, and soundly pushed her up against the nearest brick wall. The bottle dropped to the ground as he twisted one of her legs up around his hip, grabbed at her battering hands and effectively pinned her between himself and the wall. "Aye, lassie," he said loudly, "iffin' it's me you're wantin', it's me you're havin'! Ye like that better?"

Is this it, then? I go from the bed of one pirate to the lust of another? "You devil, you son of a--"

"Miss Swann, truly it's lovely to see you again," he whispered, and her struggles ceased instantly. "Mind that I had no idea it was your ship we fired on, else we would have come to your aid."

She smiled winningly at him. "Will you let go of my hands?"

"Are you going to hit me?"

"Probably."

"Then, m'lady, I fear you're rather... stuck. Gibbs, the bottle, if you will; shan't let such a drink go to waste." As Gibbs knelt to pick up the bottle, Sparrow reached down, feeling her thigh beneath the gown. "You swam? How did you get away?"

"I jumped out the window. After Gerrarrd left."

He looked mildly impressed. "My dear, your bravery borders stupidity. Now, love, I'm going to tell you what to do, and I want you to do it. I'm going to be lettin' go of your hands, and you're going to put them 'round me neck, and we're going to playact a very good time, s'that understood? Gerrarrd came ashore not long ago, and unless you'd like to go back..." When she shook her head, he released her hands, and she draped her arms about his neck. The sudden contact between them quieted her thoughts but startled her body, and she unconsciously drew him closer, the memory of something fresh upon her skin. The scent of smoke and sea-air clung to him, and when he again spoke, his voice had dropped further. "We must all learn to play parts from time to time, Elizabeth, if we are to survive in this world. Tell me what happened, and swiftly."

"Will is still aboard Wickedry," she whispered. "He has been locked away in the brig, I don't know why, but Gerrarrd--" Her voice caught as Sparrow made a move with his hand. Must play the part, after all. "--fancies he shall turn him into a true pirate. He sees something in him, something..."

"Curse all," Sparrow growled. He turned to Gibbs and jerked his head in the opposite direction. To the local gawker, he might well have instructed the man to give them a bit of privacy; Gibbs bowed his head and hurried away, setting the bottle back down. Sparrow set her back on her own two feet and picked it up, a thoughtful look crossing his face. Elizabeth leaned back against the wall, boneless as his warmth left her. "Would you really have hit me with this?"

"Yes."

"Remind me never to anger you too greatly." Sparrow patted her head before turning to survey the road, hair-beads jangling. "Have you been hurt, love? Are you all right?"

"Aside from being soaking wet, I'm fine." She realized how warm he had been when he stepped away, and she reached up to rub the wet fabric of her dress. "And a bit cold..." Sparrow did nothing. "Rather cold, in fact... and wet... and..." She stared at his jacket, and the pirate grinned at her.

"Ah, silly me." Sparrow tugged his jacket off and slipped it about her shoulders. "Can't have you returned to your papa with pneumonia, now can I? He'd probably hang me."

"That's not all he'd hang you for... you're bringing me to my father?" She followed him into the streets, sniffed when he plunked his old hat on her head. "Is he here?"

"No, he an' his Commo-dore are trying to get your little ship back to port. My lady, you look simply smashing in that hat. Can't have you being spotted. I'll drop you at Port Royal and none will ever be the wiser. Unless, of course, you fancy a jaunt about the Caribbean first? Step lively now, I've a place you can stay until we find your dear Will."

"It's good to see you again, Jack," she mumbled. He smoothed his hand down her shoulders. He looked exactly the same as he had when he'd botched his leap to the Pearl - save a new pair of rings and even more of the charcoal smeared around his eyes. Will had changed. Her father had changed. Corwin had changed. She had changed. Yet here was Jack Sparrow, spry and bright as ever. How does he do it?

"'Tis good to see you again as well, lass. Though I'm beginning to wish we could meet under more auspicious circumstances." The captain chuckled low in his throat. "And perhaps for once in dry clothes!"

(Ooooh, I've never gotten so many reviews. Thanks all! I hope you enjoy the story - it's a trip to write it. Because ff.net has been having... hiccups... I've put up a page for it. ff.net will not let me put said page into this document. Therefore, it will go in my profile. However, since profiles are inaccessible due to upgrades it will have to wait. As soon as the upgrade is done, I'll plunk it in and remove this irritating message. Dude, can you believe it? Now I'm 'Elemental Evil1' - I guess that's interesting sounding. I didn't know there was another Evil. Grrrr. Ah well. I am not sure why Chapter Two is MIA, but I'm guessing it fell into some kind of abyss. It is alive and well at the site I set up for it, and I'll try re-uploading it to ff.net. Give 'em a couple days before asking "Uh... where'd it go? Drink up, me hearties!)