"Not All Treasure is Silver and Gold"

Chapter 22

Jack was feeling guilty that he had blatantly lied to his wife. He wanted to tell her the whole reason for sailing to Tortuga, but he couldn't because she'd be so angry. And it wasn't that he was completely lying to her. Jack really did need the real map. He did have the exact replica, but the original would be much more better.

The ship was being stocked and Jack was "supervising". Jack's untruth involved the whole crew of The Adventurer now. And somehow Elizabeth had let Will go with them.

Dani had told Elizabeth that Jack was leaving for Tortuga. And as much as it killed her to let him go, she knew Will had to. Someone had to go and be the voice of reason. So that morning, Elizabeth was a mess.

Dani watched her sniffling as the ship was stocked. She marched straight over and shook her by the shoulders. "Cheer up, love," Dani tried to make her smile. "We'll be fine."

"I haven't been without him in so long."

"Jack was telling me the other day how you fought off Jones' men."

"So…?" she sniffled again. That was such an annoying sound.

"So…you've proved you can survive. He's only going to be gone for couple weeks."

"But…"

"No buts. You will be fine. No more crying, savvy?"

Elizabeth nodded to the slightly older woman. She made that snuffling noise once more and brushed the hair out of her face.

"That's more like it," Dani smiled. If Dani was going to survive this with just Elizabeth she was going to have to make nice.

Waving good-bye3 to Jack was actually harder than kissing him good-bye. Danielle didn't know when he would return and that was very difficult for her.

But she knew that Jack was being himself because he was still trying to get her into bed right up until he was walking up the gangplank.

Danielle suppressed her own sniffling and walked back to the children who were with Bella at the base of the dock.

James Norrington had walked up to say goodbye.

"I would like to have you stay at the fort until Sparrow returns," he told her.

"Pardon?" Dani said back.

"You, I think, would be more comfortable at the fort. We could keep an eye out on you."

"Jack put you up to this, didn't he?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny," James Norrington smiled.

"Lying is not your strong suit and neither is being evasive. Stick to your day job," Dani smiled back. "But Rosemary and I will be just fine in our home. I promise I won't be a bad pirate."

"I'm supposed to trust a pirate's word?" he smiled back.

"I think you should be concentrating on Elizabeth over there. She's trying to be strong, but I think she's going to collapse."

"I'll check on her. But she already had guards posted on the property. At least let me post one guard at your door."

"Do you really think someone is going to come after me since Jack is gone now?" Dani asked, getting serious.

"I want to do everything I can to ensure the safety of you and your daughter, Danielle," Norrington told her.

"Is there something going on? Something you aren't telling me?" she asked.

"Well…please just let me post some guards."

"James Norrington, what is going on?"

A/N: Geez! I can't believe that I actually have to put "Please Review" in every chapter or no one will. I've had a very bad day and would greatly appreciate a couple more reviews. And thanks to Chicaga and Captain Uschi for being so nice and reviewing without me asking.