After taking a moment to gather himself, Sparrow lay his own sword down and, not allowing himself another look at will, followed his daughter from the room.

Though the house was of a considerable size, finding Sarah was simple. Her sobs resonated throughout the house, working as well as a trail of bread crumbs to lead father to child.

When he reached the washroom door he could hear bathwater from earlier in the evening, freezing cold now, splashing.

"Sarah?" he called tentatively, rapping his knuckles against the door. "Sarah, what are you-"

"Washing you out of me!" she screamed in reply, and he swung the door open to reveal a girl come tragically undone, scrubbing vigorously at her flesh in a desperate attempt to get the Jack part out.

Without saying a word, Jack dove at the sopping mess on the floor and wrapped his arms around the shivering figure. To his shock, instead of fighting him, Sarah slumped in his arms and proceeded to sob. She cried for a long time, rocking back and forth in her fathers' arms, rocking until she had exhausted herself. Until she slept.

She slept as if her mother were not dead. She slept as if them man she addressed as 'father' did not lay dead, murdered in her own house, by the man who was truly her father. She slept as if all the world were her cradle.

She slept, Captain Sparrow decided, as an innocent.


AN-One chapter left, kids! This will be posted directly, and you can take me to the bank on that. It's a fair bit longer than the others have been lately, so I really hope you enjoy!