AN: I LIVE!!!!! Wow. I am so sorry that it's been so long since I last updated this story! It's crazy! It's been so hard to find out where to go from the last chapter, but I finally broke through the writers block for this story! Yay! I have some new ideas for this story as well! But, don't worry, the storyline isn't changing (much!) and everything is going to be the same, but I think I'll tweak the ending a little! It's going to be completely different than what I had originally planned! I hope you all enjoy!

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 14: Family Relations

"You have lost your sister! How in the hell could you have possibly done that?"

Michael looked down, refusing to meet his father's heated eyes. "There was more to the situation than you know, sir," he replied quietly.

"And just what else is there that I do not know?! What else is there that I need to know?" Robert yelled, slamming his fist on the desk top, causing Jack to cringe slightly at the thought of his poor desk being beaten up.

Michael stood before his father steadfastly, refusing to look up into his father's eyes. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain everything to his father. He wouldn't understand, he couldn't understand how much Michael was killing himself over the loss of Ashleigh.

"I would say the other things dealing with the situation would be the other dozen pirates we 'ad ta deal with," Jack replied, sitting down in a soft, high-backed chair.

Robert didn't even turn to him. "Did anyone ask your opinion, Mr. Sparrow?" Jack remained silent. "I did not think so, so if you would stay out of this conversation, it would be much appreciated."

Jack's eyebrows rose slightly, his eyes flicking over the man in front of him, wondering how long it would take for his sword to slide through the man's thick waist.

"Father, Captain Sparrow is correct. There were other pirates that we were forced to deal with. One of them, a Captain Alexi Templeton caught us by surprise, capturing Ashleigh and kidnapping her."

"And you allowed this to happen?"

Michael looked up quickly, his eyes narrowed in confusion. "I did not allow anything to happen, sir. As I said before, she caught us by surprise."

"Ashleigh should never have been put in that situation in the first place!"

"She went searching for her friends under her own volition!" Michael yelled. "She would not have stood idly by and allowed them to be injured further!"

"You should have protected her! She is your sister and you are the one who was supposed to watch out for her! That is the only reason I allowed her to go to Port Royal!"

Michael shook his head. "No, father, you wanted her out of London so that you could find someone willing to marry her!"

Robert's eyes narrowed menacingly. "How dare you. You are still my son and a part of this family. You will not speak to me in such a tone."

Michael stared back at him, anger threatening to explode out of his eyes. "Do you deny it?" he asked quietly.

"How dare you ask me a question like that? My one care is for the safety of my daughter."

Jack stood up quickly, holding his hands up in the air before Michael could reply. "Enough," he said, the tone of a captain entering his voice. "I won't have any more of yer petty arguing on me ship."

"I thought I told you to stay out of this conversation, Mr. Sparrow," Robert replied, turning his angry gaze to Jack. Jack didn't flinch, didn't even turn away, merely stared into Robert's eyes.

"I don't care what ya told me, this is me own bloody ship and I won't take orders from a pompous windbag such as yerself," Jack answered defiantly.

"I beg your pardon . . ."

"As you should. It wasn't yer son's fault that Ash got taken, it was mine. Templeton was after me an' she took her ta provoke me, ta see what I would do."

"And what are you planning on doing?"

"I'll find Templeton an' I'll kill 'er," Jack replied simply.

"And then you will go to jail."

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Ashleigh wasn't sure what she was going to do. God, it had been days, no weeks, since she had seen the sun, or the moon for that matter. She couldn't even tell what day it was, nor could she tell if it was morning or night. Everything had blurred together for her. She had prayed, over and over, that someone would come for her, that someone would find her and take her away from this hell that she found herself in.

Ashleigh laughed bitterly. And she had thought the first few days on a pirate ship had been hard. At least there she had been treated with respect. Even if it had been as a fellow pirate.

"God what I wouldn't give to be out of here," she whispered.

"Do you mean that lass?" a sharp voice said out of the gloomy darkness.

Ashleigh jumped. "Captain Templeton. How nice to see you again."

Templeton smirked. "I'm sure," she paused for a moment, her knowing gaze flickering over Ashleigh. "Ya love 'im. I can see it in yer eyes an' I've 'eard ya call 'is name in the night. Ya really expect 'im ta return yer feelin's? Jack Sparrow cares fer no one and nothin' but 'imself. I wouldn't be surprised if 'e left ya ta yer death."

Ashleigh stared unflinchingly into Templeton's eyes. "I know what you are trying to do Captain Templeton and it will not work."

Templeton laughed. "And what is it that I'm tryin' ta do?"

"You are trying to make me lose hope. You believe that telling me these things that I will believe that he will not come for me. I think I know him better than you, Captain, he will come for me."

"Keep believin' that, my dear."

"That's what you are hoping for anyway isn't it? You hope he comes to find me so that you can exact your revenge on him."

"Aye. But there is so much more to it than that."

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He sat huddled over, cradling the limp form of a young woman, her long black hair tumbling over his arms and legs.

"I told you this would happen. I told you that this would be your future. Do you see what will happen?"

He didn't move, didn't turn his head to acknowledge her. "What have you done?"

"If you don't stop your hunt, then you have to stop her. Alexi will kill her. She will not hesitate to hurt her. You know that. She already kidnapped your friends and now she has your lover."

Jack let go of the limp form slowly and then jumped to his feet, turning around quickly. He grabbed the front of her shirt roughly, pulling her to him. "What have you done?" he repeated.

"I have only showed you what will happen. Please, Jack. This can only end in tragedy. Nothing good can come of this my love."

"Where is she?"

Daveigh gave a half-hearted smile. "Go to our place, Jack. Go there."

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Templeton stood silently at the helm, her eyes gazing out into the black night. They would be there soon and then the rest of her plan would be complete. She wouldn't have to worry about anything every again. She wouldn't have to carry the guilt around with her anymore.

"Cap'n," Markson called. "Cap'n, ya alright?"

"Aye, I'm fine. There somethin' I can do fer ya?" she asked, her eyes never leaving the moving seas.

"Jus' wonderin' how much longer."

"Jus' a few more weeks, Markson. Jus' a few more weeks."

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Dawnie-7: I hope you liked it! It took me so long to write this chapter! I was about to go insane from it!

NazgulGirl: Wow. I think that those penguins and rattlesnakes got to me and did something to me cuz I had no idea what to write until a couple of days ago! Sorry it took me so long!

PineAppleLint: I'm glad that you liked it! Boy, let me tell you, I agree. Poor Jack. He can never get a break it seems. And you thought it was getting interesting now? Just wait! I've got a great twist coming at the end! Yer gonna love it!

Gwenneth: Thank you! I'm glad that you liked it! And I love your story as well, I hope you keep updating!