Chapter 8

Being walked through the HMS Endeavour was overwhelming as Lena was led across the ship, shackled and escorted by armed guards. Granted, she was sure all the precautions were because Jack walked right beside her, but his close proximity did nothing to calm her nerves. She knew in reality that they hadn't walked very far, but it felt like an endless parade passed countless East India Trade Company crewmen.

As they left the open area of the deck, they were escorted through what she could only assume was the front room that somehow connected to the captain's quarters. She had little time to dwell on the thought or take in much of what was in there before their journey halted at a set of double doors.

Finally with their wrists free again, they were ushered through the door with it shutting behind them, leaving the pair to look towards the figure who stood staring out the window, back to them. As Lena took in the man before them, she was quick to realize she had no idea who this person was, meaning that it must have been Jack who had a connection with him.

She watched as Jack rubbed his wrist lightly before grabbed Lena's hand and pulled her flush against his side the second the stranger started talking.

"It's curious. Your friends appear to be quite desperate, Jack. Perhaps they no longer believe that a gathering of squabbling pirates is enough to take down the Flying Dutchman." As the man spoke, Jack seemed to hardly pay attention as he began moving through the cabin, opening every little thing that could possibly hide something inside of it. If it weren't for the tight grip he kept on her hand, she would have actually believe that he cared little for what was going on around them.

"And so despair leads to betrayal. But you and I are no strangers to betrayal, are we, Jack?"

At his words, Jack paused, glancing towards the P that was branded on his wrist. Feeling his hesitation, Lena gripped his hand tightly, hoping to provide comfort. "Jack?" she whispered quietly, though it seemed enough to still draw attention to the pair.

"Miss Palmer, I presume. Apologies for not introducing myself. I'm Lord Cutler Beckett, and I do believe the Rear-Admiral will be here soon for you. So don't worry. You will have plenty of time to catch up with your father while… Jack and I catch up as well."

She was sure the ship was tipping over as she listened to his words, feeling like she was losing balance as dread filled her. Unconsciously, she gripped Jack even tighter as she placed her other hand on his arm. "It's… pleasure to meet you," she said meekly, barely giving him another glance as her mind spiraled with her thoughts.

For all she had heard about Beckett, she knew she should be worried about standing before him. But compared to her father, he seemed like a little threat. It wasn't until Jack pulled his arm away and slung it over her shoulder, casually dragging her to his side that she realized how difficult breathing seemed.

"By the way, it's not here, Jack," Beckett added offhandedly, clearly having noticed Jack's earlier search of the room.

"What? What isn't?" Jack asked with false cluelessness.

"The heart of Davy Jones. It's safely aboard the Dutchman, and so unavailable for use as leverage to satisfy your debt to the good Captain."

"By my reckoning, that account has been settled," Jack countered, to which Lena had to agree. She didn't want to think about the possibility of Davy Jones still coming after Jack. The conversation was paused however as a knock fell on the door briefly before it was opened up.

All eyes turned to see the latest guest. As Lena's eyes fell onto the familiar figure that she hadn't seen in a year, she couldn't stop her heart from racing as she felt cornered.

"Sorry for the interruption, Sir," Samuel Palmer said as he addressed Beckett, ignoring Jack and Lena as if they weren't even present. "Everything has been taken care of now. I'll be taking Caroline now, if you have no need for her at the moment."

The smirk on Beckett's face was enough to confirm every terrible thought that had passed her mind since they set foot at that ship. This wasn't something she was getting out of.

"Certainly," Beckett said as dismissal.

And then she was being yanked out of Jack's arms, given little option but to follow through as the officers by the door stood inside, weapons ready if they were needed. Desperately, she turned back to look at Jack, wide eyed as she was walked away from him. The dark look that passed over his face was the last thing she saw as the doors shut between them.

Lena took one breath as if it were her last before she finally turned around. She didn't know what she actually expected to see, but the man standing before her felt nothing like a father as he stood tall, looking everything that a Rear-Admiral should look like as he looked down at her like the criminal she knew he saw her as. The cold indifference was almost painful as she thought of a time from years before when she could almost admit that they had been family.

"It has taken quite a long time to track you down, Caroline. Too long," he said with a deceivingly calm voice.

Unsure what to say, Lena stood silently before him. Words seemed like a waste of breath when she hardly had enough in her lungs as it was. She doubted if any words existed that could get her out of the fate that awaited her.

Samuel Palmer scoffed at her silence and stepped closer, towering over her. "You had much to say last time we saw each other. Suddenly you have nothing?" As Lena continued to stand in silence, she was starting to wonder just what he was feeling. He almost seemed proud as he stood before her, despite the temper she saw simmering just under the surface.

"Leaving my own station and chasing you all over the earth could have ended my career if it weren't for Lord Beckett. Why you chose to run around with Sparrow is beyond me but at least you were useful in that choice at least. In fact, it might have even helped in the end."

Clenching her fists, she glared as she felt her face heating up. It was always the same. Everything always came down to his career. It was the same thing he had been worried about a year ago. It was the same thing ten years ago. It was always his career. Always how he could advance. Always how his family could get in the way of it. "I chose him because he cares," she finally muttered as she slowly looked up at him.

"He's a pirate. The only thing he cares about is himself," Palmer scoffed as he belittled her. "You are still a foolish child if you truly think he cares. No doubt you've already given yourself to him. I'm sure he's only kept you around to use as warm body."

Before she could even think about what she was doing, she was swinging her arm, furious that he would dare say such a thing. However, the second his hand wrapped around hers, stopping her strike from landing, she realized just how bad of a mistake she had made. "For the last year, I've dealt with endless ridicule because of your vulgar behavior!" His fist tightened as he pulled her even closer, causing her to cry out in pain. "You had the opportunity to make the right choice and yet here we stand. You've forced my hand."

"I did no such thing!" Lena cried as she tried to free herself, only causing more pain as panic set in. "That life you wanted me to live was always suffocating, even to Mother!"

The Rear-Admiral jerked her arm, sending her tumbling sideways just as the floor beneath them rattled as a thunderous crack carried across the air. Forced to let her go in order to maintain his own footing, he immediately turned to the crew just within the doorway to assess the situation.

Lena didn't know what was happening but she was thankful for the reprieve as she fell slightly against the wall, allowing it to hold her up as she felt her feeling suddenly swell up on her. Struggling to keep her heartbeat steady and her lungs filled with air, she almost didn't notice Jack as he stumbled through the door.

Lena watched him in confusion as he did a quick sweep of the room before his eyes landed on her. With a swagger like he owned the place, he walked over to her. "Time to go," he grinned and proceeded to lead her out of the room. As they crossed the deck, men were running about, shouting orders and replies as chaos surrounded them. It wasn't until the next crack was heard, making her flinch and jump towards Jack that she realized just what was happening around her. In her daze, she hadn't connected the sound to cannons.

But now she was stood beside Jack, watching with growing alarm as she watched him load a cannon and grab a rope, seeing the outline of his crazy plan.

"Jack, you can't expect me to go along with this," Lena mumbled as she took a small step back, looking around in hopes of a better way.

"Trust me, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow," he said as he gave her that winning smile she could never resist.

Just then, Beckett spied them from below, seeing what Jack was setting up. "You're mad!"

"Thank goodness for that, because if I wasn't, this would probably never work."

Then without warning, he grabbed Lena tightly. Bracing for what was to come, she clung to him, eyes closed as she pressed her face to his chest. A burning filled the air as she held her breath. And then the cannonball blasted out, crashing into the Endeavour and then they were airborne.

Everything flew by quickly as the wind hit them, pushing them across the gap between the ships. As she dated to peer below her, Lena saw their crew looking around just a s she watched the Pearl get closer.

As the upper end of the stern got closer, Jack release his hold on the rope and they dropped down. The brunt of the fall fell on Jack as he caught not only himself but Lena as well before the tumbled into the ocean.

One look at her sent Jack laughing as he brushed her hair out of her face. Even with his laughter though, she didn't let go of her grip on him, instead giving him an uneasy smile in return.

With her as his side, they walked around the statues currently hiding them and leaned against one. The crew were huddled together, looking all over the ship and into the ocean, clearly looking for them to Jack's amusement. "And that was without a single drop of rum."

As Jack let go of Lena, she watched him jump down to the lower deck. While she could have used a few more minutes to calm her racing heart, she followed after him anyway. The crew were thrilled to see them both as she was greeted by a few people, excited by both their escape and the successful attack.

As she stood back with them, she watched Jack close in on Will.

"Send this pestilent traitorous cowhearted yeasty codpiece to the brig."

Clearly no one would be forgetting his betrayal any time soon.


A/N: Oh my goodness! I was super excited about this chapter. I've had this trouble between Lena and her dad planned out since I first decided to continue this story as a series, though I must say their conversation almost turned out worse while writing it if you can imagine that... Hopefully you enjoy drama as much I do! Coming up, Jack and Lena will finally have some time together and will have plenty to talk about. Let me know what you think and leave a comment if you want. Until next time!