Hello again! First of all, a big thanks go out to everyone who has kindly reviewed this story, and I hope you've enjoyed this story line so far. Some of you may think that the lead OC in this story is starting to sound like what I've heard described as a "Mary Sue"...however, there is much more to Linnet than meets the eye, and I ask that you give her a little more time to develop before you write this story off.

As always, I do not claim ownership of any character of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean, just the ones I think up in my own sick little mind, savvy?

That being said, it's time to find out what Linnet had in mind when she pulled a pistol on the sexiest pirate to ever sail the Spanish Main...so, on to the next chapter---enjoy!


Chapter 3: Consequences

It had taken every ounce of Linnet's willpower not to fly down off the top of the wooden bed canopy when the pirates returned to the cabin and found Miranda's hiding place. She would have to take the time to explain to her charge why she hadn't been there to protect her, but her main concern was getting the both of them to safety.

Once the trio had left the room, she waited for what felt like hours but was actually just a few scant minutes before climbing down from her dusty hiding place, clutching the small flintlock revolver that was one of the few of father's possessions she'd managed to keep. Cautiously she poked her head through the door and looked around before easing her way toward the deck. She could hear bits of conversation and Miranda's sobs. From her vantage point she could see the rest of her fellow passengers huddle at the bow of the ship, surrounded by pirates who appeared to be collecting their valuables.

Directly ahead with his back to her was the man who seemed to be in charge. He stood several inches taller than her, but seemed even taller with his mass of dark braided and dread locked hair and tri-cornered hat. His dark blue coat hung halfway to his knees, and he wore dark gray leggings tucked into well worn brown cuffed boots. Then she spotted Miranda, being dragged by the arms toward the other passengers, and her fury at seeing the young woman treated in such a way overrode her judgement.

Not stopping to think about the consequences, Linnet slipped up behind the man and cocked the delicate looking but deadly gun in his ear, just as he was advising the other passengers not to do something stupid. When he raised them slowly to just above his shoulders, she saw that his hands, while incredibly grubby, were covered with many jeweled rings.

"Tell them to let her go, or it will be your brains the crew will be mopping up, Captain….?" Despite the trembling in her hands, her voice was steady if a bit low as she pressed the barrel of the pistol against his head.

"Jack Sparrow, Captain of The Black Pearl…..and might I know the name of the person who has me at a slight disadvantage at this particular moment?"

"That, Captain, is none of your concern. What should concern you, however, is what is going to happen to that mush-filled head of yours if you don't do as I asked in the next five seconds. Now, if you don't mind?" She nudged him with the gun.

"Boyle, Jonas, send the lass back to me." Jack turned his head casually to the side, trying to catch a glimpse of the person holding him hostage, but all he caught was a glimpse of white before the gun was moved from the back of his head to his ear, forcing him to turn his head forward once more.

"Linnie!" Miranda's shout of relief finally answered his question as to the identity of his captor, and he was not unhappy about the fact that the girl's chaperone didn't sound like the old, withered crone he had imagined. Despite his nefarious occupation, Captain Jack Sparrow was not a cruel man, and hoped that whoever had charge of the young handicapped woman was kind to her. Evidently the woman would go quite far to protect the girl from anything that threatened her, even if it meant risking her own life in the bargain. The captain's thoughts would later prove to be almost prophetic as the next few moments unfolded.

Miranda had almost skipped the entire distance across the deck when she stopped up short and began giggling. "Linnie, you're all over dirt, and where are your clothes?" Despite the gun to his head, Jack couldn't resist tipping his head up and catching a quick peek at the woman behind him. He only had time to note that she was brunette, not overly tall but nicely rounded in the camisole, corset and bloomers she wore, and that she was covered from head to toe in a large quantity of dust. It was just at that same moment that the unthinkable happened.

One of the other passengers in the back of the group, who had yet to be searched, decided to use the young woman's distraction to his advantage and pulled a pistol of his own. Moving fast, he shoved his way to the front and aimed his gun at Jack and was about to squeeze the trigger when one of the Pearl's crew began to wrestle the gun from his hand. All that stood between him and his target was Miranda.

Seeing the situation unfold from over Jack's shoulder, Linnet was momentarily frozen in horror as she saw her cousin right in the line of fire. She saw the man shake free of the pirate holding his arm and aim the gun. Instinct took over and without any hesitation she leaped from her position from just behind and to the right of the captain.

It is said that just before a person dies, their life flashes before their eyes. In Linnet's case, time simply appeared to be moving in slow motion, like a grotesque play gone horribly wrong. She felt rather than heard the crack of the gun and saw the puff of white smoke as it rose in the wind….the shocked look on Miranda's face as Linnet shoved her to the deck….the looks of horror on the faces of her fellow passengers as her body jerked with the ball's impact…the burning pain which stole her breath as she fell…the warmth of the smooth wood of The Goliath's deck beneath her cheek before urgent hands rolled her over…and finally, the bright blue Caribbean sky being blocked out by a pair of kohl-lined eyes of the deepest brown she had ever seen as she slipped into the darkness……

(Author's note...Dontcha just hate cliffhangers?--til next time!)