ZOMG! Mates...my goal for this fic, seeing as how it's my first, was 150 reviews. Imagine my joy at finding 153 when I next checked my stats! And 16 reviews for this chapter! That's the most ever. EVER! Oi... -swoons- Hmm...two chapters and prologue(s) left...Is two hundred over-shooting? Let's wait and see. o.o

Anywho, replies and praise will come at the end of this chapter, so that the people who didn't review can get on with the chapter. Mean. -sticks out tongue-

Enjoy.

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Chapter Twenty: Mysteries solved, Hannah's Diary Unlocked

The sun rose, casting a gentle glow through the windows of the kitchen. Elizabeth walked to the dining table with a tantalizing tray of breakfasts. Normally, the cook would have taken care of this instead, but, being the do-it-yourself kind of woman she is, Mrs. Turner had given the other woman the day off. Amy, Will, Jack and James sat around the table. The girl smiled her thanks up at the older woman, a smile which lit up her face.

Will leaned in with the other men at the opposite end of the table and murmured, "She looks like a little angel when she beams like that."

"An angel she may be, but don't let it fool you," James replied.

"Bit of a crooked halo, if ye know what I mean, mate. She's got a set of horns hidden in that mane."

"Ah."

It had been two days since the 'incident,' and the girl finally seemed to have settled. She, herself, was personally glad her mind had detached itself from the events. She didn't want the memories to be as vivid. Besides...with less real detail, she would have more room to stretch the truth when she told one of those life stories and such. Heh. She sent up a simple yet meaningful 'thank you' in grace before eating a forkful of the eggs. She sighed. She hated to ruin the moment with unwanted memories, but things had gone unsaid and unasked since that day, things which were of relative importance. I smell an opportune moment, she thought to herself. She felt something stir in there with some air of agreement, and knew Jack had been reading her thoughts again. He'd been doing this often for the past couple of days, so that he would know when she needed comforting and when she needed to be alone. Their gazes met, and he blinked understandingly. "So, Jack...I've been curious..."

"That's never good," he grinned lopsidedly at her. "About what?"

"How did you get your voice back?"

"I..." he fell silent, pondering. "It was when I truly needed speech that it returned. It wasn't until I—" he cleared his throat "—until I spoke through my heart instead of my cunning that I could speak again—," he stopped dead at such words tumbling from his own lips as rain streams from the roof in a downpour. "...And what of you?" he quickly changed the subject. "You said you had solved the mystery of Hannah's diary?"

"Hannah? Was that her name?" Her voice hushed at this.

"Aye," he answered softly, eyes darting to James' a moment.

The man knows almost too much about my mother...the latter thought to himself.

"Yes," she regressed back to the question, "I think I may have, as a matter of fact. James, may I see your mother's locket, please?" He nodded, unclipping the silver chain from around his neck and handing it gently to her. She studied it a moment as it gleamed in the sunlight. It was a silver, heart-shaped locket, about an inch by an inch, with delicate etchings of a sunset over the sea. A sunset that looked very...very familiar. "J-Jack?" He looked away. "This...this is the sunset from your tattoo." All motion or thought toward eating stopped, and the room became still and silent, every eye trained on the 'accused.'

"So it is," the pirate whispered, still not looking at anyone.

James' brows came together. "But...how?..."

All eyes silently looked back to Jack. "Hannah adopted me when I was...naught more than a tot, really...I had gotten separated from my own parents, and she and her husband came across me one morning and took me in. I stayed with them for a couple of years," his tone became almost sarcastic. Standard, "until one day, lo and behold, me parents saw fit to find our little town and we were reunited at long last. James, here, was not much younger than I—maybe three, four years old—when I left."

"Really?" she asked.

He gestured vaugely with one hand. "Something like that."

"So...then that solves the mystery of the boy from some of my earliest memories, doesn't it," James nodded. "...But...why did you use the sunset from her locket?"

"It was the first thing that came to mind whenever I thought about her. She never went anywhere without it. When I got me tattoo, I thought back on what freedom was to me, and my first thought was the sea, and my second was..." his voice suddenly hushed, as if he were afraid for anyone to hear...almost as if he himself was afraid to hear these words as he hesitated to speak, "...the second was the love of a family. And that little locket symbolized both to me."

"So then you two were almost like brothers, way back when," the lass whispered reverently. James' jaw dropped, and he fell back in his chair, expression becoming that of clear skock and unease. Seeing this, she veered their conversation back on track. "Have you ever opened it, James?" He shook his head detachedly, mouth still agape, eyes unfocused. She reached forward and closed it for him. He blinked and flushed slightly, a ghost of a smile passing across his face like a shadow. "Well...here goes..." She carefully pried open the locket.

Out fell a folded piece of parchment. Her eyes widened, and she set the locket on the table to examine said parchment. Picking it up and unfolding the tiny triangle with utmost care, she scanned her eyes over the almost-familiar handwriting, noting as she did so that it had been written around the creases, as if the writer had anticipated that it would be a long time before the folds would be undone. Amy closed her eyes, placing the note back on the table, and was silent a moment. She looked almost as if she were about to cry before her face split into a large grin, eyes blinking open to glint at her friends across from her. "What is it?" Will asked the question on everyone's tongue.

"It's...it has instructions on how to travel from one world to another. I can finally go home!"

Jack and Norrington both shared her excited grin, but the smiles and laugher did not reach their eyes. Was she really so eager to be rid of them? And even if not, they were still sad to see her go. "You'll come visit, if you can?"

She laughed and hugged them close. "Only of course!" She released them, returned to her place, and, nibbling on a piece of bacon, carefully refolded the parchment.

Jack blinked his confusion. "Luv, won't you be needing that in order to go home?"

"Yes."

"Then why put it away?" enquired James.

"Unless ye have something else in mind...Eh?"

She grinned. Will almost looked worried. "You do plan on leaving, don't you?"

"Yup."

"And when exactly might that be?"

"The day after tomorrow. I want another day with my boys before I go, savvy?"

Jack and James exchanged faux-nervous expressions, eyebrows raised. Boys? She referred to them—two fully-grown men at least twice her age—as a parent might of offspring. She was definitely getting used to the 'big happy family' idea. There was an almost excited silence, which James broke in answer to the unasked question: "I can always take a day off tomorrow."

"You rock, James. Like a headbanger," she grinned.

"Rave."

"Rave."

"Rave!" the three finished in unison.

And in the amused silence of Elizabeth, and that bewildered of Will, they returned to their breakfasts. The Governor strolled in minutes later. "Good day, everyone."

"Good day," the room replied. Even Jack. Yet the Governor seemed somehow indifferent to the fact that a notorious pirate had taken up temporary residence in his mansion, and was now eating breakfast in his kitchen.

"And how are we feeling this morning?" he asked Ames cheerfully. "Better, I should hope."

"Much. Thank you so much—for everything, Gov'ner Swann, I appreciate it a lot." He smiled at this. The man really was a good person, she decided. She had expected him to be some pompous, stuck-up, tight-laced powderpuff, but some expectations are made to not be met. And for this once, she was glad for it.

X

The day passed slowly, everyone taking a break to breathe—save for James who, while still breathing a breath of relief like everyone else, had work what needed doing for this day. But even for him, it was a relief to get back to somewhat of a 'normality.' For the next day would definitely prove to be out of said norm.

...Or so everyone correctly assumed...

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Oki, review praise:

Jess is a pirate: One of those, but not the one I showed you. Wait, what? Nevermind, anywho, it's not THAT bad a cliffie, gawd! Lol xD

SamanthaSparrow: Ack. See the last sentence for Jess is a pirate. Serisously, people, it's not that bad. Oy. Ahh, confetti! -shoots back- CONFETTI WAR!

Noyesgirl: Same here, same here. Had a nightmare about it after I posted it. Guess I'm a bit too into this, eh? Thanks for the sweet review!

Authoressinhiding: Somehow, I think that just by updating, you're outdoing me. Cuz now that I've got the climax out, I have a super case of block on this story.

Estel Ashlee Snape: As you can see, the answer lay in the chapter. Thanks for the review!

marauder4ever: Yeah, he is. Lol.

Steel Plated Bambi: Yeah, whenever I add words in 'edit' mode, they always run together when it gets posted. Guess I should start double spacing those words, eh? Thanks for the lovely review!

ArmoredSoul: It was well worth the effort! Thanks for the review!

obbits14: As I said, I'm glad to review your story! Thanks for the wonderful review, it madeth me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

Kei-Ookami.kara.mori: Glad you like it! Thanks for the review.

pirateobsessed: Well, I can't give you Jack, but I can give you the next best thing: Congratulations! -confetti shoots- -fireworks- By the powers not invested in me but nonetheless commandeered, you now have your own, personal JackSparrowheadvoice, to talk to in your head and to make rude comments at life. And also to quelch your fangirliness. Yesh. Just like mine, only yours. xD

Little Miss Sparrow: Yes, a pun. 'Couldn't resist, mate.' And to answer your question: I hope you paid attention while reading, lol! Yeah, you did sound a bit like a critic, but that's oki, cuz it was positive! Squee!

Stormwake: Yayy, a new reviewer! Squee! Here's your update!

passionatepirate: Mate, it's not about are you good or not, it's about the writing. If you truly enjoy writing, then writing is for you. If not, then, well, I guess it would be a no. hope that helps a bit, and thanks for the review.

Molly: As a matter of fact I did email you. It's a matter of whether or not you checked your email, savvy? And I emailed you for this chapter, too, savvy? I take it you were riding Grace. Nice! And yes, he's an absolute dream. He. As in the one in your review. Go reread it if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

ReapectTheSporks: It's fine, moving is always an issue, I understand perfectly. SQUEE rum, cookies, and gold! Perfect! ...but where's teh Coke? Lol, thanks for the review!

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All right, you reviewed, and now I ask you to review again. Even you shadowers (nautical term!), savvy?

P.S. Next chapter may be subject to shortness. Only two chapters left, people, review while you can!