Well, I am just loving the reviews! Thanks for all the support so far. This is my first fanfic and I was nervous no one would like it. Anywhat, this chapter establishes a few things and will help quench your curiosity after that last cliffhanger. Mostly just talking, I hope it doesn't bore you too much. Don't mind me, read on!

Through the Winds of Doubt: Chapter Five- A Plan Unfolds

I'm sorry Elizabeth. It won't be for very long, I promise. Just a few weeks and I'm yours for the keeping.

No matter what level of decency you're… ravishing.

First, the dizziness and that painful push in the back of the eyes. Then, the tossing and turning to rouse the body from dormancy. Now, the confusion. Elizabeth forced her eyelids open, her brain pulsing in agony. She rose steadily from her comfort zone and rubbed her eyes.

Have I slept in? Father won't be happy….

Realization is always the worst part of waking from sleep.

Elizabeth sat studying her surroundings with wide-eyed disbelief.

Jack, she thought blankly. Jack kidnapped me and now I'm in his cabin on the Black Pearl, probably miles from home.

Quickly she rose from Jack's cot and stomped to the door, rattling the knob forcefully. "Locked," she muttered. As she stood there, her mind flashed an image of Will, handsome, kind, loving Will.

And that was that.

"JACK SPARROW!"

Elizabeth jumped at the power of her own voice and waited, her temperature rising every second. Slowly, the door to Jack's cabin creaked open. Jack stepped in leisurely, a half-lidded expression of delight etched in his face.

"Elizabeth, ye finally woke up. I thought maybe I slipped you too much of…"

If looks could kill Jack would have dropped dead right there.

"Ye all right? You look a bit flushed. Ah, I know, yer just-"

Jack couldn't have stopped the strike even if he hadn't been completely clueless. He stumbled back a few paces out of the cabin from the impact of her palm, his dreadlocks covering his face. Elizabeth rushed out of the cabin and mauled Jack to the ground. She pinned his shoulders down onto the deck, his head slamming into the woodwork. He looked up into her face in shock.

"Jack Sparrow, if I knew I could get completely away with it, I'd kill you right here with my bare hands!"

Jack stared at her in trepidation, "Yer too strong for yer own good, ye know tha'?"

"And you're despicable," she yelled and reached for his neck.

She felt the strong hands of the crew barrel down on her and pull her off of Jack forcefully. She ripped away from them and backed up against the railing. Jack rose from the deck and crossed his arms, a scowl upon his face as the crew watched her warily.

"I might be pointin' out the obvious, but I believe yer outnumbered Miss Swann."

Elizabeth glared at him as his expression altered from mild annoyance to confusion. "Didn't think ye'd be this fired up."

"What do you want me to say Jack? That I like being kidnapped out of my own home, in broad daylight, by someone I thought I could trust?"

Jack's face fell, but Gibbs spoke out first. "She's righ' Jack. We've got some explainin' ta do. Cotton, fetch Miss Swann some water, will ye?" Cotton nodded, his parrot squawking as he stalked off.

"Thank you Mr. Gibbs," Elizabeth nodded her head in gratitude. "

Jack?...," Gibbs looked to his Captain expectantly.

Jack pouted and rubbed the back of his aching head and his cheek indignantly before saying, "Come on then, I'll explain everythin'."

He staggered characteristically back into his cabin. Elizabeth, shocked at his humble attitude, followed. Once inside, she took the time to truly study Jack's cabin. Still looks just as messy when I last saw it, she thought. When Barbossa was captain. Foreign objects hung from the ceiling, trinkets and bits of anatomical parts of far-off species dangling back and forth in rythym with the ship. The large oak table was still there, along with all the cabinets and shelves filled with old musty books and maps hanging off the ledges. But one thing she noticed about the cabin now compared to when Barbossa had been captain, was the flamboyancy and altogether garish feeling of the room. She could feel the glint of jewelry reflect on her skin, the colorful array of strange baubles tempting her to reach out and feel them. She was roused from her thoughts from the burning gaze of Jack's eyes. He was sitting at the table, his feet sitting idly on the tabletop. She sat down in the rickety chair next to him, smiling as Cotton placed a mug full of water and placed it in front her.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, gratefully.

"Pretty lady, pretty lady," Cotton's parrot squawked as Cotton left the room.

She lifted the cups to her lips and Jack watched in amazement as he proceeded to drink every last drop in two gulps. She wiped her mouth, blushing as she remembered her manners.

"I'd hate to play a drinkin' game with you," Jack said, his lip curled in mild disbelief.

Elizabeth turned to Jack and raised her eyebrows expectantly. Jack narrowed his eyes at her before he spoke.

"First off," he started, "I migh' be despicable, but you forget that I'm a pirate, so I have damn good reason ta be so." Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but kept quiet. "Second of all," he went on,"I can be trusted. When have I ever led you astray?"

Elizabeth smirked and opened her mouth to give reason to Jack's statement when he said quickly, "Ye know, I'd prefer if you didn't give yer opinion on that."

Elizabeth scowled, "Enough of this! Obviously you don't plan on taking me back to Port Royal any time soon-"

"Glad you got that part of it, I didn't want to have ta tell you meself-" Elizabeth glowered and he fell silent.

"You want me to help you find your precious treasure, correct?" Jack nodded. "Well, what's the plan? The sooner we find this accursed treasure, the sooner I see home and Will again, according to our deal."

Jack grinned, rubbing his hands eagerly. "Glad we can get right to business-"

"But first," she interrupted, "you tell me three things: why didn't you take me with you when I first saw you, how did you manage to capture me, get me through Port Royal without notice and stow me away on the Black Pearl?"

Jack counted on his fingers deliberately, "Now tha's four things righ' there, not-" Jack nodded quickly at Elizabeth's dark look. "Right then, why didn't I take you the first time. At tha' time, I still had no clue as to what my plan was. Didn't know wha' I wanted I s'pose." Here he paused and looked as Elizabeth closely before moving on. "The answer to yer second question is quite simple: yer gullible." Elizabeth fumed at Jack's grin, but she said nothing. "Seducin' you didn't take much time, which is surprisin'. I thought for sure I'd have to get ye bloody drunk first..."

"You did not seduce me," she snapped, loudly. "You caught me off-guard is all."

Jack scoffed and said mockingly, "Please, Jack, please. Pfft...I seduced ye that's all there is to it. You couldn't resist me. It's okay to admit it love," he added lustily.

Elizabeth scowled menacingly, her face turning red, "Would you like another bruise on your left cheek to match the one on your right?"

Jack crossed his arms, nervously. "Managin' to get ye through Port Royal was much easier than I'd originally thought," he said ignoring her threat, "but with the entire military after Ana Maria, that's to be expected."

"So, Ana Maria was the screaming woman then. Not surprising," Elizabeth sniffed, "no one else could have attracted the entire British Navy with their mouth alone."

Jack laughed and Elizabeth joined him. "I'm terrible, I shouldn't say such things," Elizabeth admitted guiltily.

"There's truth to yer words so don't be ashamed," Jack chuckled.

Elizabeth loosened up a little and asked, "How did you get past that servant? Tell me everything."

Jack smirked, "That old fool? Pfft-," he waved his hand in disdain, "he couldna heard me if I was standin' two inches from 'im. No, I just threw ya over my shoulder and hopped out the window. Followed the road all the way ta the back trail. Thrice those bloody guards almost got me though," he grinned, "but I gave 'em the slip. Knocked one bloke off his mount-,"

"Jack," Elizabeth said scornfully, half-laughing.

"It was either me or them, mate," Jack shrugged, grinning, "and I needed that horse. Yer heavier than ya look."

Elizabeth shook her head smiling, "Well Jack, your luck never seems to run out."

Jack nodded, "Lucky for me." He rose from his chair and walked to his shelves.

"What's my role in all this though? I'd like to know now if you don't mind."

"Righ' then. You're probly not goin' to believe me, but it's worth a shot I s'pose." Finally, after rummaging through three shelves, Jack pulled a very large and very dusty map to the table. "Ah! Here we are." He laid out the map on the table. Elizabeth stared at the map, incredulously. It showed the entire Carribean and a large part of the Spanish Main. Every island was excruciatingly detailed, down to every last tree.

"Where did you get this? I've never seen anything like it."

"Eh, an old friend of mine," Jack shrugged. "We're here," he went on, pointing to open sea a few miles out from Port Royal. "This is where we're going," his finger moved over the map a few inches to another island.

"Tortuga," Elizabeth read the label scrawled across the image of the pirate's haven. "I've never been there, but Will told me about it," she said scathingly. "Where to after that?"

Jack grinned mischievously, his brown eyes twinkling. "Here," he whispered and his finger floated to a very small island west of Tortuga.

"Isla de Fuego," Elizabeth whispered. She turned slowly to Jack, "Island of Fire!"

"Aye," Jack grinned.

"Sounds inviting," she said sarcastically. "So the treasure on Port Royal was a lie?"

Jack smirked, "Sorry mate. Had to tell ye somethin'."

Elizabeth sighed, "Keep going."

"There's a treasure rumored ta be on Isla de Fuego, deep in the volcano. No one's ever reached it before-"

"Of course, " Elizabeth muttered.

"But," Jack went on, "that's only because they never knew what the key was to get in."

"What's the key?"

Jack gazed at her for a few moments, a sly grin tugging at the edges of his mouth. "You."

Elizabeth reeled in her chair. "What! Hmph, I should've known. I've never even heard of this place-,"

"Only a person pure of heart, body and soul can open the doors," Jack said. "And that be you, love," he paused and studied her for a moment, "…you are a virgin right?"

"OF COURSE! What do you take me for," she snapped, angrily.

Jack smiled, his eyes half-open. "You know, ye really turn my crank when ya get angry, love."

Elizabeth glared at him disgusted. "Thank you for that useful piece of knowledge," she said sarcastically. "I can't believe you'd ask me such a thing…"

"Well I had to make sure," Jack scowled, "otherwise it'd all a been for nothin'. Now have I answered all yer questions?"

"No. Is there anything special I have to do. I mean, how do I get us in there," she said, looking distastefully at the Isla de Fuego on the musty old map.

Jack shrugged, "All I know is tha' you stand in front of the doors and wait to see if they'll accept you."

"Who's they?"

Jack grinned, "The fire gods of course. They rule the damned island."

"I'd expect there'd be volcanoes," she said blandly.

"Aye. Lots of them," he smiled.

"Well nothing makes sense," she grumbled.

"Once we get to Tortuga, everythin' will be cleared up."

Elizabeth let out a weary sigh. "Why did you pick me," she asked quietly.

Jack's expression turned to one of sympathy and he put his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders. Elizabeth sighed tiredly and looked to him, his touch making her body break out in shivers. "If it makes ya feel any better, I was goin' to take Will until you told me he was gone. Honest, I was, mate."

Elizabeth glared at him, and shook his arm off of her. "I'm tired Jack. Where will I be sleeping?"

"In here o' course," Jack said indignantly.

Elizabeth looked at him, surprised. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Mmm," Jack replied indifferently, "I'll send Ana Maria to give ye some proper clothes…or improper I s'pose is the correct term." He rolled the map up and placed it on a shelf carefully. Elizabeth went and laid down on the cot, closing her eyes. She could feel Jack's eyes moving over her body, but at the moment, she couldn't give a damn.

I feel like I haven't slept for a week, she thought. It's just all so confusing…

He came and kneeled by her side and she opened her eyes. He looked at her, apologetically it seemed but maybe she'd imagined it. And as he kneeled above her like that, they just stared at on another, not saying anything but taking in the other's presence. Suddenly, she felt compelled to pull him down to her, to wrap her arms around his neck. I wonder if he even realizes how handsome he is, she thought, genuinely curious.

Suddenly he grinned and whispered, "Don't worry, love. It'll all be worth it in the end."

She gazed at him, his words seeming completely selfish. He squeezed her arm gently and left the cabin, closing the door quietly. Too weary to protest his touch, she looked at the door and thought, unknowingly, Maybe it will.

She closed her eyes once again, as sleep befell her.