Thank you my kind reviewers! They make me feel good, confident and eager to write a new chapter. I appreciate it!

Thanks to those who answered the Mary Sue question. For those others who wanted to know also, it's a character that's too perfect. A story where the characters are unflawed. Or as one reviewer put "a pathetic little person with no personality and is a terrible main character. or she's a protagonist who's gorgeous, perfect at everything, and all the men are in love with her."

Chapter 16

"Angel!" Lord Charles Gold exclaimed and managed to pull himself from the floor.

Elise launched herself at him and threw her arms around his neck as she sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm sorry daddy. I'm so sorry." She choked out.

"Sorry? What ever for?" Lord Gold asked.

"Everything. This is all my fault. I've been a horrid and ungrateful daughter." She sniffled.

"That's ludicrous. I see more than ever now what an excellent judge of character you are. You saw in Andrew Devereaux what I did not. I should be apologizing." Lord Gold said.

"You never have to apologize. You knew it was Andrew?"She asked incredulously.

"I'm not supposed to but Captain Little is quite careless when he gossips to the other crewman."

"There's much more to it I'm afraid." She replied and began tugging at the rope tying his hands together. "Oh daddy, what have they done to you? How long have you been down here?"

"They've kept me bound and in the dark brig for three weeks." He answered as he rubbed his freed wrists. They were almost bleeding where the rope had rubbed them raw.

"You look so thin. Have they been feeding you?" She demanded as she fussed over him.

"Twice a day. Mostly sandwiches." He answered as he ruffled her hair tenderly. "Enough about me. What about you? What happened to you? Captain Little told me that you were on board the ship and then he made me stand on deck and watch as they fired upon it until it burst into flames. I've never seen such an explosion. I thought..." He cleared his throat, his voice suddenly rough "I thought you were dead. I didn't sleep for a week with the guilt."

Elise's own eyes began to prickle and she grabbed his hand reassuringly. "It was the same here. I was afraid they had killed you. I couldn't eat, I barely slept. I felt it was my fault. When I got my memory back and realized that I hadn't even tried to save you I was so angry with myself."

"Memory back? What happened to you Elise?" Lord Gold asked as he straightened with worry.

"You better sit down. There is much to tell you." She replied and pulled him down with her.

Elise launched into the story about losing her memory and the commodore finding her drifting at sea. Her father listened wide eyed as she related having sailed past the wreckage and having the amnesia wear off. How James had seen her to Andrew's for any information surrounding the attack and her father's disappearance.

"Commodore Norrington dashed off in a hurry after we left Andrew's. He looked like he had idea on how to rescue you but he didn't mention anything to me about it. I was packing so that we could leave straight away but then Andrew kidnapped me from Netherfield." She finished, deliberately leaving out the part where she went to steal from her fiancé. Happily, she had just found her father and she was in no mood to be lectured for the recklessness of her actions.

"Netherfield?" He asked.

"Commodore Norrington's home." She explained not thinking.

"His home? Elise, is that entirely proper? An unmarried woman of your status staying at a man's..."

"I had no money, no contacts, no where to go. The commodore was seeing to my safety." Elise interrupted to defend herself.

"I'm relieved Commodore Norrington found you. He sounds like a fine man." Lord Gold allowed.

"A gentlemen to the core. He's the very best of men. He watched over me when I felt alone in a world gone mad. Naught but honor and decency. I owe him so much. More than any amount of money could satisfy." Elise replied with more fire in her voice than she intended.

Lord Gold noticed the light in her eyes that seemed to animate her entire face when she spoke of the commodore and managed to repress a smile. "Where do you suppose Commodore Norrington is now?" Lord Gold asked instead.

"I don't know daddy. I just don't know." Elise answered, trailing off as she peeked out of the porthole. "But I have faith in him."

"Murdoch! Keep a watchful eye. I know it's hard seeing through the downpour but do your best!" James yelled from his station on deck.

He was guiding the Mercenary through some of the most torrential rain he'd ever sailed through. He and his crew were soaked to the bone and were being tossed about at breakneck intensity as the waves rolled and lurched the ship.

They'd been at sea for four days now. Each day filled James with new dread and new fear. Was Elise alive and unharmed? What did Andrew intend to do with her? What was Sparrow going to do to her? Had she found her father? Selfishly he also wondered if she thinking of him.

His level of worry had hit a whole new level he'd never experienced.

He could barely remember his life before she had entered it but now that she was missing from it it seemed quite lacking. Her bright eyes. Her angelic smile. Her vivacity and spirit. Her openness and complete abandon. She had given him something to live for besides his job. He living for her now. For her happiness. For her comfort.

She was certainly not the pampered princess one would expect from someone of her upbringing.

She'd robbed Andrew and she'd stole from James himself when he wasn't looking. But she'd taken something far more valuable than money from him.

She had plundered his heart. For the first time in his life he had lost his control over it. He'd fallen utterly and completely in love with her. And it wasn't nearly as terrifying as he had expected.

The only thing that scared him about it was that he wouldn't be able to rescue Elise and tell her his true feelings. He wanted to plan his future with her but in order to plan a future he needed to focus on the present. The fact of the matter was that James needed to clear his muddled head.

One didn't attempt to negotiate with Jack Sparrow with a fuzzy mind. The man was wily and deceptively cunning. As a high ranking officer in the royal navy it was in his nature to distrust pirates but Sparrow was unlike any other pirate he had come across. James had enough dealings with Sparrow to know he could leave you discombobulated with one conversation, you could never be sure if he was telling you the truth or lying to you. He did both with equal frequency.

James wondered if Sparrow had met Elise yet. He would no doubt try to seduce her. He pursued anything in a skirt. A beautiful heiress would be a great temptation indeed. One that would not be missed. James felt his extreme distaste for Sparrow increase and tried to push those thoughts away.

"Commodore! Ahoy!" Murdoch yelled over the storm.

James forced his gaze to the watchmen to see what he was pointing at. He pulled his spyglass from his coat pocket as he swung around and squinted into dark rainy night, finally finding a ship about five hundred yards away. He tried to locate the ships colors but the wind was making it difficult as it whipped the flag around until there was no mistaking the skull and crossbones on the black fabric.

"The jolly roger." James whispered under his breath as both fear and anticipation crept in.

"All hands on deck!" He shouted loudly and his men snapped into action.

"Prepare the long nines." James ordered as he clasped his hands behind his back.