AN: Y'all are awesome, I can't say how much I appreciate the comments you've left re: this story...but I'm really enjoying it myself :-D

Chapter 6

Aboard the Wicked Wench, 20 years earlier

Wine. Wine was certainly the drink of the evening, the drink of celebration!

"The old fool!" She snickered, toasting herself in the air. "He'll never track me down! Did he think me an idiot Jacky?"

"Clearly darlin', clearly!" Jack found himself responding to her amusement with his own enthusiasm. "He should have known better than to think he could outsmart one of ours!"

"Oh but Jacky," her voice became soft and sweet. "I'm simply the daughter of misfortune, forced into this life by circumstances beyond my control."

He leaned over her and laughed in her face. "Yes, sweetness and innocence embodied you are, you heartless tart."

She threw a roll in his face. "John Marcus Teague Junior you will respect your elders!"

He hushed her, looking around the room in astute paranoia. "Jack Sparrow!" he hissed. "Captain!" he amended after a moment. "Can't let them be thinking I'm related to a pirate now can I?" He grinned at her.

The raven-haired beauty beside him touched his hand gently. "Jacky..."

He stood abruptly and offered his hand to the woman. "My dear lady, if you will honor me with a dance?"

"John Teague..." her voice held a note of warning.

"Jack!" he insisted again, his voice beginning to slur. "Darlin', sweetie, pumpkin nose, puddin' pie, and any names I elsewise want to call you, dance with me!"

She pursed her red lips and frowned from khol-lined eyes. "Jacky, sit down. Don't be foolish."

He pouted a bit but sat. "Pardon me, Mrs. Richter," he grumbled. "Thought you wanted to celebrate."

"Well I do Jacky," she grabbed his hand and held it tight in both of hers. "But look honey, I've got to talk to you. You are the first person Matthias will look to for finding me, and you have to help him – lead him away. I'll hide at Shipwreck Cove for a bit until he stops looking, but you have to be careful and distract him."

He nodded slowly. "Aye. Claudette...I can't take you there, you know that. That's pirate land, and I'm an honest sailor. If I set foot there me crew would know me as a pirate. I'll - I'm going to have enough problems after this...setback."

She nodded, her chocolate-colored eyes filled with regrets. "I'm so sorry sweetheart. I wish it could be like the old days, both of us young and aboard Le Moineau, but it can't be anymore."

"No, no it can't," he let out a sigh, then grinned impishly. "But this means you don't get to slap me anymore, and without old Teague's interference I can smack you around if you get smart. I am Captain you know."

Her expression darkened and before Jack knew what had happened, his ears were ringing from a sound boxing. "Threatening to harm a woman! Captain Sparrow," she spat his moniker at him. "How dare you! And your elder! One who practically raised you!" She stood and went to his window with a scowl on her lovely face.

"Oh come now Claud...I was only foolin'." Jack rubbed his head with a wince. "You needn't have hit so hard either. S'not your job to keep me in line anymore." He shot a look to the cot in the corner, where her infant son lay surrounded by enough blankets to – hopefully – immobilize him and protect him. "You just worry about that thing over there."

She whirled on him, waving a finger under his nose. "Listen here John Teague or Captain Jack Sparrow or whatever else you call yourself, no matter who you are or what you do I am always going to be your big sister and I am not unwilling to wallop you to prove the point! Do not think that motherhood has changed my ability to box your ears as well!"

"Clearly," Jack sank back into his seat with an annoyed grunt. "Drop you off at the next port I will. Let Teague come and get you."

"And furthermore!" He started at her suddenly shrill tone. "What's with this 'Teague' nonsense? It's disrespectful Jack! He is Father or some form thereof – the only respectful way to speak to one's parent!"

"Well I wasn't speaking to him was I?" Jack made at face at his sister and moved toward the door. "I'm going to go to the helm. Stay here and go to bed, unless you feel like being more entertaining and less like a...like a...town girl."

Claudia threw another roll at the back of his head, and did not follow. "Little boys should not play with fire!" she shouted through the door. "Do not anger your big sister Jacky!"

He solidly ignored her. In fact, he turned and locked the door. "Good night Claudia!" he chirped through the cracks. "Enjoy your rest." He chuckled a bit as he walked away, swinging the keys on his finger and whistling.

When they were fired upon in the early morning, by an East India Company ship, Jack naturally forgot about everything except defending his precious ship. When he was captured and 'clapped in irons' as it were, then subsequently brought to face his 'judge, jury and executioner', he didn't actually process what was going on around him. His primary thought was 'well this is it then' and a vague idea that his father would be disappointed.

It was after Cutler Beckett explained his intentions that Jack fully understood, that he saw they intended to sink his Wicked Wench – and all hands aboard who had not immediately turned against their captain. He had only a few moments to fight his shackles before a lucky cannon hit the powder store, and she went up in a blaze of glory.

It wasn't until his eyes lit on his cabin window that he remembered exactly whom had been locked and waiting inside. He thought he saw through the glass to a pair of eyes too much like his own for a split second, and then the upper deck of the ship was no more.

"Claudia," he said to himself, as if trying her name out for the first time. He paused, staring at the remnants of his beloved ship. "CLAUDIA!" His voice was snatched away in the salt wind, and he resisted a sudden and powerful urge to turn animalistic – scream, cry and fight those around him tooth-and-nail.

His ears were still ringing from a long-ago slap when Cutler Beckett bid him taken to the brig, where a hot fire and familiar brand awaited him.

He could think of nothing but a beautifully dark woman and her infant son, and the eyes he had seen through his own porthole.

Claudia Teague was gone, and to Jack, the world seemed a much smaller place.

Aboard die Süsse Liebe, present...

Her heart was in her throat. She thought idly that they must be able to hear it, it sounded like a drum beat in her ears.

She was very glad she had played the role of damsel in distress so very, very well. Three weeks with no real signs of fight, and Richter had finally got careless. When he retied her ropes, his knots slipped and he didn't notice.

Within an hour she had untied herself and slid out the window, sidling along a tiny ridge until she reached a small ledge to crouch and regain her strength. She had to keep moving though – she was sure he would discover that she was gone soon, and then the search would be on.

The sun was setting behind her, and in the dim light left she could see the two islands they had been circling for the last few days. They were both a long way off, more than a mile either way. She already felt weak – but she had no real choice.

With a deep breath, she braced herself and pushed against the ship, diving into the water. She held close to the stern for a few moments, waiting for any reaction from above. Hearing no rush of pounding footsteps, she began the long swim toward the closer of the two islands.

Three hours later she collapsed, exhausted, on the beach. She could have easily passed out then and there, allowing herself to slip into oblivion until her body could rest – but first she had to get into the woods, find a shaded hidden corner to curl up and pray she wasn't found in.

The next time she swam towards consciousness, she was sitting on the beach, held tightly in the arms of someone who felt altogether too familiar. 'Just a dream,' she thought sleepily. 'I'm back on the island...hmm some rum would be nice.'

A voice whispered in her ear, and she slowly came close enough to waking to understand it. "Open those eyes Bess, open those beautiful eyes and look at me...come on love, just once..."

He sounded so desperate, she decided to put forth the effort that his request would require. She opened her eyes and met the frantic stare of her pirate captain. "'Lo Jack," she mumbled.

He pulled her close and pressed his forehead to hers. "Lizzie love," he breathed her name as if it were a prayer – and she supposed, to him it was. "I've got you now," he told her softly. "And whatever they've done to you – they'll pay."

She blinked slowly at him, still trying to clear the cobwebs from her mind. "They?" It suddenly became quite obvious to her that she was not dreaming, because in the many dreams she'd had of that night, she was not covered in cuts, bruises and burns in any of them. "Oh. No they," her voice was too scratchy, it hurt. "Just him." She reached up and stroked his beard with a small smile, which too quickly turned to a frown of confusion. "How did you find me?"

He pulled something from his pocket, and held it up in the moonlight. She saw his compass and frowned. "It's been useless to me for years love," he said quietly. "Never pointed at anything but you."

"Oh," she was far too tired to wrap her mind around that idea. She leaned her head on his chest and felt the black creeping up on her again.

"There love, just sleep," he stroked her hair gently. "Ol' Jack Sparrow has you,"

"Captain," Elizabeth mumbled. He kissed the top of her head. "Love you too," she slurred into his shirt.

He only held her tighter.

Aboard the Black Pearl, the same night...

The newest member of the crew was keeping watch. Technically, he was keeping watch along with Ragetti, but since the one-eyed crewman was currently indisposed – a blow to the head with a large stick will do that – the younger man was the only one actually conscious on the deck. They were running with only half a crew, the rest had gone to search the island for the captain's ex-lover.

The boy was not terribly impressed by their 'ruthless pirating', which somehow included saving damsels in distress and entertaining five year old girls who just stare at man until they know all his secrets.

It was that particular tidbit that had led to Ragetti's unfortunate and unexpected nap. Specifically, the fact that the boy on deck was currently carrying said little girl unconscious in his arms to the longboat he had previously lowered into the water. He wasn't worried about being caught, even if the girl woke up – who could hear a girl that didn't speak?

He grinned with some unnatural pride at his 'accomplishment' as he rowed toward dieSüsse Liebe. He knew Richter would appreciate this bargaining chip.

And back on the island, Jack Sparrow watched his former lover sleep, thinking to himself how glad he was that the nightmare was over.