Alriiiiight… next chapter.. thanks for the reviews, I love you guys, you know who you are! ;)

Over the next few weeks, Isabelle's ribs healed and she began doing physical labor right along with the rest of the crew. She learned fast and was amazingly efficient. She was no longer the cook, even though on the off occasion she would prepare the meals when asked. Isabelle repaired broken ropes high in the rigging, or mended wood in the sparrow's nest or crow's nest. She was very close to the crew, and as the time went on, she considered them her family. Jack was closest to her, and she loved being around him, but didn't understand the feeling she got when she talked to him. Jack helped her with her daily chores at first, but as the days passed her by, Jack gave her harder things to do and less time to break. Soon, she was considered one of the crew.

Jack watched from the helm as Isabelle climbed her way to the top of the rigging. She had mastered the foot holes and now had no trouble scurrying quickly up to the top. There was something about her. Some spark that didn't ignite when he was around the women in Tortuga. Some kind of feeling that was never there when he talked to Ana Maria. He watched her climb, higher and higher and he decided he would take a break and join her. He handed the wheel to Litler and made his way over to the rigging.

Isabelle looked down, thinking she would only see the hard wooden deck beneath her but she didn't. What she did see was Jack Sparrow climbing the rigging right up after her. "Good evening to you, Jack Sparrow!" she called down to him. He looked up at her and smiled. Jack quickened his pace and Isabelle helped him up to the top. Jack sat and rested while Isabelle repaired what was needed to be repaired and then some. "What brings you up here, Jack?" Isabelle asked, not taking her eyes off the ropes.

"Ah, nothing but curiosity. Just looked like you needed a little company," Jack said and looked out across the ocean where the sun was just starting to set. "Beautiful, inn' it?" Jack asked and pointed when Isabelle finally looked up from what she was doing. She sat down next to Jack, her feet dangling off the edge, bumping into his every now and then.

"Yea, it is," she said, mesmerized by the sunset. "And you get to see this everyday?" Isabelle said and looked at Jack, who had been looking at her the whole time. She smiled, but didn't blush.

"Everyday, love," Jack said.

"You shouldn't have kept be locked up in that cabin for so long," Isabelle said smiling.

"Me?" Jack asked pointing to himself. "You! You could barely walk out of the cabin, Elle!" Jack said and laughed when she furrowed her brow. "How are they feeling though, better I hope," Jack asked, placing a hand on her side. She didn't flinch or look down. She had learned to trust his touch.

"They are thank you, Captain," Isabelle said warmly, leaning into his touch. They sat for a little while, looking out onto the horizon, but Jack had shut his eyes and was leaning against Isabelle. She narrowed her eyes when she saw something on the horizon that looked like a ship. A very familiar ship. A naval ship! Norrington, the HMS Valiant! Isabelle shook Jack. "Jack, a ship, the HMS Valiant!" Isabelle hissed in his ear. At once, Jack was up and looking out to the horizon. He leaned over the edge, letting a river of curses flow from his mouth.

"Gibbs! Litler! HMS Valiant off port side, coming in quick like!" Jack shouted and at once the whole crew was in a flurry. Jack turned back to Isabelle. "Thanks, love. What would I do without ye!" Jack shouted and kissed her deeply on the lips. Isabelle kissed back and followed Jack down the rigging. No time to think about what just happened, they had to get their heads in the fame. Jack jumped on deck first and pulled Isabelle off the rigging, running to the helm with her still in his arms. Gibbs, Litler, and Ana were already there, looking at the ship through Jack's spyglass. "What's the word," Jack demanded, lowering Isabelle to the ground.

"They're probably lookin' fer the lass, Jack," Gibbs said. Even Gibbs, who was the most superstitious of them all took a liking to Isabelle and would be damned if they took her away again. Jack winced at the thought of giving Isabelle back to James. He furrowed his brow and looked out to sea. He had a plan. Granted, it sucked, but there was one and that was all that mattered.

Isabelle watched in horror as the HMS Valiant pulled up alongside the Black Pearl. She grabbed Jack's hand and squeezed tightly. "Please, Jack. Don't let them take me back," she pleaded. Jack nodded and kissed her of the forehead. He pushed her in the direction of his cabin and she went willingly. Jack composed himself, fixing his tri cornered hat and strolled toward the railing where he met James Norrington's glance.

"Ah, Commodore! What a pleasure!" Jack said in mock humor.

"Always, Mr. Sparrow," James said, coldly. Jack saw James' eyes and nodded.

"What d'ye want, Commodore?" Jack asked, clasping his arms behind his back like James.

"Permission to board," James grumbled. Jack looked up to the sky, as if he was asking someone up there to give him an answer.

"Permission granted," Jack said. He saw four or five redcoats move in behind him and James looked at Jack quickly. "But yer little…friends stay behind," Jack said, picking up the hint. James looked as though he too was contemplating Jack's reasoning. He swatted his hand lightly behind him, telling the men to back off. They did as they were told and James swung himself over. Gibbs took the rope from him and held out his hand. James undid his sword belt and gave Gibbs his pistol. "Thank ye, James," Jack said quietly.

"I will be back shortly, men," James said over his shoulder and Commodore and Captain disappeared. "Where is she, Jack?" James demanded once they were out of earshot.

"What, no hello, no how are you doing Jack?" Jack asked, James cocked an eyebrow at him. "I'm fine, Jimmy, thanks." James shook his head and gave up asking questions.

"Jack have you seen her?" James asked finally. Jack sighed.

"Look, Jimmy. I can't let you take her back. I promised I would keep her safe and by givin' her back to ye and her father, that's not keepin' her safe!" Jack said in a raised voice. James blinked a couple of times and looked at his old friend.

"Jack, you can't keep her hostage for the rest of her life!" James complained.

"She's not a hostage, Jimmy. She's a working, eating, efficient part of me crew," Jack said and smiled proudly. James gaped at him for a moment but then regained his composure.

"She's part of the crew of a pirate ship?" James asked calmly. Jack paused wondering if he wanted to deal with the outburst he knew James would throw at him after he gave him the answer.

"Yep," Jack said and turned around and started to walk off toward his cabin. James stood dumbfounded for a moment before following Jack, deciding following Jack would lead him to Isabelle. Jack opened the cabin door and Isabelle was sitting on the bed, but she shot to her feet when she heard someone come in.

"Jack," she breathed a sigh of relief. James came in after him. "James!" Isabelle squealed and leaped into James' arms, suffocating him with her kisses.

"Never were very lady like were you, Isabelle?" James asked her between kisses. When she pulled herself away from James, she walked over to Jack and sat down, looking into his eyes, asking him a silent question.

"I'm not going to make the decision for ye, Elle," Jack said ruefully. Isabelle looked into his deep brown eyes and smiled.

"I'm staying," Isabelle said and kissed him on the lips. James watched and a small smile crept upon his face. He nodded, knowing there was nothing he could do. Well, technically, he could. He had direct orders, but nothing a little lie wouldn't solve. "But how are Will and Elizabeth?" She asked James. Jack smiled at the familiar names.

"They will be fine now, they're on the ship awaiting news. But I must warn you, your father, he is onboard and set on getting you back," James said.

"Yes I am." Isabelle's blood ran cold. She was afraid to look behind her. She was afraid to move, blink, and breathe. Her father was there. She turned her head slowly and looked at him. Nothing about him had changed. There were no new worry lines on his face; there wasn't a single soft emotion in his eyes. In two long strides, Richard was over to Isabelle and grabbed a hand full of her hair in his hand. He acted so quickly that James, nor was Jack fast enough. Richard charged his daughter out the door and on the main deck where every pirate of the Black Pearl drew their swords and made it known that this man wasn't taking Isabelle. James and James ran out of the cabin and stopped dead when they saw a pistol pointed at Isabelle's head.

James watched as Jack clenched his fists and bit down hard on his jaw, just barely containing himself. His fingers tapped the hilt of his sword and so did James'. Will and Elizabeth's faces appeared at the railing of the Valiant. Elizabeth screamed and Will leapt over to the Black Pearl. Richard backed up with his daughter, slowly.

Isabelle felt the hair from her head being tugged until her whole head was numb. She could barely think. She saw every pirate draw their swords and saw Jack and James stop mid step in a futile attempt to save her. She didn't cry out. She knew she had to do something if she ever wanted to be with the Black Pearl. If she ever wanted to be with Jack. In one swift, daring motion, Isabelle elbowed her father in the stomach and ducked, setting off the pistol. Isabelle didn't have time to look and see who was shot; she turned around to face her father. Litler yelled her name and tossed her his pistol. She pointed it at her own father and he dropped to his knees from the pain. Isabelle stared at this man with cold, unforgiving eyes.

Richard reached for his dagger and pulled it out, throwing it at Isabelle. It caught her directly in the shoulder and yet, she didn't flinch. She pulled it out with her free hand, and dropped it to the deck behind her, out of his reach. "What's in your head girl?" her father asked her.

"As far as I'm concerned, your life is over, just like mind was years and years ago when my mama died," Isabelle said, tears welling up in her eyes, though her pistol never wavered. "You killed me, do you know that, father?" she said fiercely. Her father looked at her with no sympathy. "I never understood why. Why I was being hit, why my own daddy wouldn't look at me with the same love and compassion in his eyes like he used to. I didn't know! I was a little girl, and you tossed me aside like a sick puppy! How could you do that to me!" she demanded, looking to her father for answers he could not give her.

"Because you were a worthless little nothing that didn't deserve to live under your mother's roof," Richard spat. In an instant, Isabelle's tears were gone. The scare, terrified look in her eyes was gone wand replaced with hatred and passion.

"How could you say that to me? You put me through hell and back, father. You kept me in line with the back of your hand. And to think that I love you. To think that I still love you. I never stopped believing that once day you would wake up and everything would be back to normal. And that you would look at me like you used to when I was a child. I know better now." She took a deep breath. She searched her father's eyes for something, but they were nothing but cold. "You will never call me worthless again. You will never, ever strike me again." Isabelle felt Jack, Will, Elizabeth, and James behind her and suddenly, she knew that everyone was. The crew of the Black Pearl and the crew of the Valiant.

"You wouldn't dare, do you know why? Because you're a coward, Isabelle! You always were and always will be," her father said and rose to his feet.

"I want you to know one thing before I kill you. I love you. I will never stop even though you are an evil man." Isabelle smiled crookedly and stared at her father's confused expression. Her father took a step closer to her. "And father? I am not worthless." As he was coming toward her she pulled the trigger and watched her own father hit the cold, hard deck below them. Jack turned her around quickly by her shoulders and she buried her head in his shoulder, dropping the spent pistol to the ground and wrapping her trembling arms around him. She sobbed in Jack's arms and drooped against him, causing Jack to drop to the deck. He cradled her back and forth while she calmed down. Will helped Elizabeth over and the couple knelt next to Jack and Isabelle. James tapped Jack on the shoulder.

"Jack, we need to get you cleaned up," James said and Isabelle looked up at Jack, her eyes searching his face She looked in over and her eyes rested on his left shoulder. Her father's pistol must've hit Jack. Jack watched as her eyes swelled up with tears again and he pushed them away before they could spill.

"No, love. Don't ye think fer one second that this is yer fault, do you hear me?" Jack said to her as James and Will lifted him to his feet. "I would have gladly taken a bullet for you, Elle. Know that," Jack said as James and Will led him away to get the wound cleaned. Isabelle wanted to run after him and hug him, kiss him, love him, but Elizabeth tapped her gently on the shoulder. She spun around and a grin spread across her face.

"Lizzy!" Isabelle shouted and fell into Elizabeth's arms, the two women hitting the deck as they hugged.

"I thought you were dead, Isabelle," Elizabeth scolded. "Don't you scare me like that again!" Elizabeth yelled, hugging her best friend tightly.

"How is Katie?" Isabelle asked, curious about her friend.

"She is still working at your home. She said not to worry about your death, it won't happen." Elizabeth paused and looked around. "How did you end up on the Black Pearl?" Elizabeth asked. Isabelle smiled sadly and began to tell her the long tale.

Litler rushed on the deck with the doctor that had been treating Jack. Elizabeth and Isabelle looked up at Litler and the doctor, Harry, confused. "Elle, what are you doing?" Litler asked, looking down at the two women.

"What are you talking about, Litler?" Isabelle asked, looking to Harry and then back to Litler. Litler laughed and knelt next to Isabelle, his green eyes flashing.

"Your father hit you with that dagger," Litler said and touched her shoulder where she was still bleeding.

"Oh, shit," Isabelle cursed casually. Elizabeth laughed a little and Litler took her by the hands to help her stand. Isabelle climbed to her feet and stumbled against him.

"Well, you sure have picked up a colorful vocabulary while aboard the Pearl," Elizabeth said and laughed as Isabelle smiled slyly. Litler looked at her and smiled himself.

"You can thank Jack for that much," he said and winked at the two ladies before leading Isabelle and Harry into Jack's cabin. Isabelle walked in and Jack smiles on seeing her then furrowed his brow.

"When did this happen?" Jack asked and pulled her over to him.

"My father. No one really noticed. Not even me," Isabelle said and Jack smiled a little. Harry came over and sat Isabelle down on the bed so he could treat her as well. Jack came and sat next to her, holding her hand while Harry cleaned off the painful looking entry wound the little dagger had created. She squeezed Jack's hand tightly as Harry applied a burning liquid to her shoulder. Jack laughed and winced at the same time while Isabelle let out a string of curses, openly expressing what she thought about the horrid liquid.

Isabelle couldn't be happier that it was Jack holding her hand and not someone else. He had stood next to her while she finally bested her father. It was something she thought she would never be able to do, and Jack had helped her achieve it. Being able to feel his presence behind her helped her move forward and do something she almost couldn't do. With Jack there, she felt like she could do anything because he would be with her every step of the way. And for this, she was very thankful.

--Okay, chapter like.. seven, man I'm flyin!

Next chapter soon my loves- - - - here's my quote of the day. Sometimes the best way to deliver a punch is to step back. But if you step back too far, you ain't fighting at all. Don't know who wrote that, but I loveeee it. Reviews rock my world, do me a favor and continue to rock it

-Desperado