Chapter 3

Kate slowly opened her eyes. She took notice that Jack was no longer by her side. She sat up and brushed her long blonde hair with her fingers. She pulled a crimson ribbon from her pants pocket, and tied back the unmanageable locks. She pulled on her boots. Kate then walked to the door. She hesitated at the knob. Kate finally the knob, surprised to find it unlocked. She walked on deck, and saw Jack standing at the helm. He had a smile on his face, as he guided the ship. Kate walked up to him; but before she could say anything Jack spoke up "Good morning, love. Did ye sleep well?"

"Yes I did. . . Jack please tell me what the inscription on my pendent means." Kate pleaded.

"All right. I'll tell ye this." Jack said turning on his heels, and put a rope on the wheel to hold it in place. "Legend says that the inscription on that bloody pendent of yours leads you to the key to the chest of Broken Dreams."

"Oh." Kate said, "But what does that have to do with my parents?"

"What do ye mean your parents?"

"My parents sent this to me when I was 16."

"Oh yeah. . . It's got nothing to do with your parents." Jack mumbled.

"Yeah right. Jack I want to know the truth. Everything. Now!"

"I don't know anything." Jack said walking off. Kate followed Jack. She pulled one of the crewman's guns and pointed it at Jack, "That's a lie! You're going to tell me! I may not be a pirate, Jack, but I've got them chasing me for some dumb reason that I don't even know! Tell me Jack! Or else I'm gonna . . . kill you!" Kate cocked the gun to prove that she meant what she said. Jack spun on his heels to face Kate, "Ok." He said holding his hands up in surrender. "How 'bout we talk about this . . . when I'm not looking at a gun?" Kate slowly lowered the gun and uncocked it. She gave it back to the crewman. "Thanks for letting me borrow it." The man took his gun dumbfoundedly. Kate turned back to Jack "So?"

"What?" Kate glared at him,

"Oh right. Your parents are said to be some of the best pirates in the Caribbean. Before they died they buried their treasure in the Cove of Lost Souls. That is where the chest of Broken Dreams lays. It was said that they never came out of the cove. Many men and pirates have tried to reach the treasure but none have ever come out."

Listening to the legends of her parents sent shivers through Kate's spine.

"Wait if they didn't get out how could my mom have died in a fire?"

"What did you say?" Jack asked now interested.

"My mom died in a fire." Kate repeated in a confused tone.

"Where?!" Jack asked. Kate thought to herself You know I could get a part of the treasure, after all it should be mine.

"Where?!" Jack asked shaking Kate by the shoulders.

"I want fifty percent of the treasure." Kate replied calmly. Jack let go of her stunned. He snapped himself out of shock and replied,

"35."

"40. Final offer."

"Done." Jack offered Kate his hand. Kate gladly took it and they shook hands to finalize their deal. "And don't ye be tryin' to cheat me Jack." Kate smirked. Wait did I just say 'ye'? 'Oh my god I'm turning into a pirate." She murmured to herself.

"Aye, that's a good thing mate." Jack whispered back to her. "Now how about telling me where that lovely clue may be?"

"Port Royal."

"Gibbs!"

"Aye sir?"

"New heading! Set sail for port Royal."

"Aye, aye sir!" Gibbs skillfully guided the ship.

"Man overboard!" A crewman shouted. Every one rushed to the railing of the ship. Jack pushed through the crowd. "Well? What are you all standing around there for? Get him out!"

Pirates began to bustle about the deck. The pirates slowly pulled the man out of the water. The laid him on the deck. Jack walked over and inspected him. "He's not dead." Jack announced cautiously, "but he is unconscious."

"Well what should we do with him?" Gibbs asked his eyes never leaving the man. By now all the pirates were crowded around the unconscious man. Kate had somehow been pushed to the outside of the crowd. She tried several times to move inward but the pirates wouldn't budge. Kate was becoming frustrated. "WOULD YOU MOVE!!!" she screamed. It became suddenly quiet. Pirates eyed Kate and slowly parted the way for her.

"Finally, freaking deaf bloody pirates." Kate murmured.

"Aye, but you also might be well on your way to becoming one." Jack commented to her as she walked up next to him.

"What's wrong with him?" Kate asked indicating the man on the floor. Jack noticed the hint of concern in Kate's voice.

"He's unconscious." Jack replied flatly.

"So your just going to leave him there?!" Kate's tamper began to flare.

"I wasn't planning on it but none of us know what to do!"

"Oh my God!" Kate kneeled next to the man. She pushed his head up so he faced the shy. Kate put her lips to his and blew a steady breath into him. All the while keeping his nose plugged.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Jack asked. Kate simply kept on with performing CPR. After about the third time the man coughed and spit out some water. a smile spread across Kate's face.

"Where did you learn that?" Jack asked. The man sat up and coughed some more.

"Are you ok?" Kate asked her voice soft.

"I am now." He answered. Jack scowled at the man's tone.

"What's your name?" She continued on.

"Josh Brown. What about you?"

"Kate." She looked at Jack, "Can he stay?"

"Why?" Jack said firmly. Kate stood up and walked in front of Jack.

"Because he could help out around the ship. Just look at him; young and muscular, he can't be completely useless." Jack rolled his eyes,

"Only to a woman."

"What?!" Kate's short fuse broke again.

"What? Oh yeah he can stay; but if you think he's not completely useless, he better keep up on it." Jack glared at Josh. Kate flashed a grin Jack's way. She looked back at Josh, "Do you need help?"

"No.' Jack said sternly before Josh could answer. "I think he can make it." Jack leaned across and put a hand over Kate's shoulders as if claiming her. Josh got up and walked off. Kate struggled to get out of jacks grip. "What it your problem?!"

"Did you here his tone?! I just don't trust his is all."

"Loosen up Jack. You need to give people a chance."

"I don't trust strange people."

"What about me!"

"Well . . . you're a woman."

"So now it's about my GENDER!"

"Well . . . uh . . . it's kinda hard for a man to turn up a woman."

"So the only reason I'm still alive is because I'm a WOMAN?!"

Kind sorta, love" Jack mumbled. Kate's face grew dark with anger. Jack held up his hands in surrender.

"That was supposed to be taken as a complement, love."

"Didn't sound like one." Kate said through gritted teeth.

"I meant it to sound like one."

"Then what is it supposed to mean?!" Kate put her hands on her hips.

"It's supposed to mean . . . uh that you're a very beautiful woman?"

"Oh that makes me feel so mush better to know that I'm on this bloody pirate ship for your as such 'pleasure'!" Kate made quote marks with her fingers as she spoke the word pleasure.

"Hey you been on this ship one night and not one of us has tried anything!" The men nodded their heads as Jack spoke for all of them.

"Oh my! One night! I feel so safe!" Kate yelled sarcastically. "Besides." She went on putting a smirk on her face, "I can think of one man who has tried." Jack blushed,

"Need I remind ye that ye were the one in my bed!" He snapped back.

"Oh! I'm sorry it wasn't my fault that I was locked in your room!" All of the crewmembers turned to Jack.

"Well . . . uh . . . you see it's a funny story."

"Right Jack. I'll leave you to tell your so called funny story." Whit that Kate turned and left down below to visit Josh.

"Bloody woman." Jack muttered.