Chapter 9

The next morning I woke up and noticed that I had beaten the sun. I slid out of bed, got dressed, left my hair down, and went to see if Jack was up. Once I opened the door to my room, I was greeted with the smell of bacon, eggs, and orange juice. I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes, following my nose to the kitchen.

"Oh man! That smells so good!" I breathed, eyes still closed as I stood in the middle of the kitchen.

"Well, it's ready when you are," Jack replied, kissing the top of my head and walking to the table with two plates. I grabbed the o.j. and followed him to the table.

"Is this fresh-squeezed orange juice?" I asked, taking a sip. I didn't need to hear the answer. It was, I could taste it. I knew the orange wasn't native to the Caribbean, so I started wracking my brain, trying to figure out where Jack could have gotten them.

"In case you're wonderin', the oranges were imported from America," Jack said. It was as if he'd read my mind, because I had almost asked. We finished breakfast without a word and I washed the dishes. While I did, Jack got his sword and pistol and began rummaging around in a drawer looking for something.

"Jack, what are you doing?" I asked, half laughing.

"I'm looking for powder and shot."

"Ah, have fun lookin'. You could be at it a while in that drawer," was my only response. Once the dishes were clean and put up, I went and pulled my hair up, put my dusty boots on, put my sword and pistol on my belt, and headed for the front door. Jack was already there, holding our long coats.

"What do we need these for?"

"It's a bit chilly this mornin'. Don't want you gettin' cold." I didn't argue and pulled my coat on and buttoned it. I grabbed my hat from the hall tree by the front door and we were off.

When we arrived, the Turners (all three of them, sadly) were waiting for us. The first rays of sunlight were beginning to appear as Jack and I reached the docks.

"Right on time," Jack said, looking to the sky. I looked over at the Pearl and saw the crew busy cleaning. I caught site of Anamaria and started off toward the ship. I walked up the gangplank and stepped onboard. When I did so, everyone looked over at me, as if awaiting orders.

"As you were," I called out to the crew. They returned to their work and I grabbed a bucket filled with soapy water and a brush and headed for the stairs leading to the helm. I was just finishing them when I heard people coming up the gangplank. I turned and saw Jack, Will, Elizabeth, and that good-for-nothing brat Alexandra on the main deck. I smiled at the adults, but when Alex's eyes met mine, I turned away. I filled the bucket with clean water and tossed it onto the stairs, rinsing them clean just as Jack ascended them to the quarter deck. He made his way over to the helm and Will and Elizabeth followed. Just as I was about to go up the stairs, Alex pushed passed me, saying "Ladies first," to which I replied, "which is precisely why I'm going up the stairs before you." Her mouth opened in shock and she was about to protest when we started moving. She freaked out and ran to her parents' side. I took my rightful place at Jack's side, my arm round his waist, his arm across my shoulders. A strong wind came up and filled our sails, pushing us out of the harbor and into the Caribbean Sea.

About two hours into our journey, Alexandra was complaining about this and that (and had been for longer than I would've liked) and I was getting sick of it, so I decided to go up to the Main Royal Yard.

"Hey Jack. Lil Miss Bratty Pants back there is gettin' on my last nerve. I'm goin' up into the rigging," I said as my arm fell from his waist. He gave me a quick one-arm hug and I set off. Halfway to the mainmast ratlines, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned and there was Alexandra.

"What do you want," I said, exasperated.

"Where are you going?" she asked, sounding just as exasperated as me.

"I'm going somewhere you won't follow me so as to escape your annoying whining and complaining," I replied, turning back around and setting off once again for the mainmast. Apparently, she was still following me because I heard her feet behind me. I didn't turn around, but instead ignored her and grabbed the ratlines. Hand over hand, I climbed up the ratlines until I finally made it to the Main Royal Yard. From the yard itself, I had strung a hammock that had a pillow resting at its head. I walked out onto the beam and carefully lowered myself into the hammock. The wind was still blowing, so my hammock swung gently. I was so comfortable, I nearly fell asleep. Suddenly, I heard cannon fire. I sat upright so quick, I whacked my head on the beam above me.

"Oh shit!" I cursed in frustration. After recovering from my encounter with the low beam, I looked out to sea, scanning the water below me. After about a minute of searching, I blew it off as nothing, but then I heard it again. This time closer. Now I was getting nervous, so I grabbed a nearby rope and swung down to the deck below.

"Jack!" I yelled, running toward the helm. I stood on the deck below him and looked up into his eyes. He looked down at me and undoubtedly saw the worry written all over my face.

"What's the matter, love? You look like you've seem a ghost."

"I heard cannon fire! It sounded close." I was getting increasingly nervous. I hadn't seen any ship, but I sure as hell heard a cannon. I'd know that sound anywhere.

"Did you see a ship?" Jack asked, scanning the sea.

"No, but it had to have been a cannon," I replied.

"Come up here and stand by me and help me find the ship," Jack offered. I didn't hesitate and ran up the stairs to his side.

Boom!

A huge explosion echoed across the water. Out of instinct, I grabbed for my sword, but Jack grabbed my arm and I sheathed my sword. All hands were now standing on the railing and Jack told me to make for the bow spar. Before I did, I made my way down to the Turners' cabins. I knocked on Will and Elizabeth's first.

"Will! Elizabeth! It's Angel!" I called, knocking. Will opened the door and looked at me curiously.

"Where's the fire?" Elizabeth asked from behind Will.

"No fire except for cannon fire. And its being directed toward us I think." I responded. "I advise you, your wife and daughter stay here below deck unless instructed otherwise." Will nodded and I took my leave. I returned to the deck and ran to the bow spar. I grabbed a rope to keep my balance and I walked out to the end. The crew was silent, eyes hard at work looking for the source of the cannon fire. There. Right ahead of us, coming out of the fog. A ship, about our size and headed our way. Another cannon was fired, and this time, I saw the smoke from the cannon. I quickly walked back to the railing, jumped onto the deck and began shouting.

"JACK! SHIP DEAD AHEAD! THEY'RE FIRIN' ON US!" I sprinted back to him, to safety. I may be a pirate captain's daughter, but at 16, the thought of someone attacking my ship terrified me to my very core. The rest of the crew by now had seen the ship and were coming toward us, awaiting instructions. Jack saw the ship and called out orders.

"Load the guns! We won't fight unless we have to!" He turned to me and looked me square in the eyes. "I don't know what's going to happen, but if anything happens to me, get yourself, Will, Elizabeth, and Alexandra to safety." Terror racked my body. I couldn't let anything happen to Jack, and I swore to myself that I would protect him to the best of my ability. Hey, the guy was my dad. I had to do something.

As the ship drew nearer to us, Will arrived on deck, sword drawn and pistol on his belt. Elizabeth, I figured, was below deck with Alex.

"Will! What are you doing here? I told you to stay below!" I yelled.

"I'm not just gonna stay below and risk the lives of my family! I'm here to defend my wife and daughter. And there's nothin' you can do about it!" I had never heard anyone use that tone of voice in my presence, but I didn't argue. I grabbed my sword and prepared to fight. I didn't know who the barbarians were, but, like Will, I wasn't going to let them endanger the lives of the ones I loved. Cotton grabbed the helm and Jack arrived at my side down by the railing, sword drawn. The other ship was nearly on top of us when Will called out.

"That's a Royal Navy ship! Jack, don't fire! They're probably from Port Royal!" Sure enough, the ship was the Dauntless. I was relieved. Will knew this ship and the crew were probably friends of his. I looked over at Jack, but I saw fear in his eyes.

"Ah, Jack Sparrow. I've been looking for you." a voice said from across the

water. I looked over and saw a man standing on the deck of the Dauntless dressed in a blue uniform, sword at his belt. He swung over along with a bunch of red-coated men.

"Arrest him." I looked at Jack. With his sword drawn, he stepped forward.

"This is my ship, Norrin'ton. And I'm not going anywhere with the likes of you." That was a challenge. Norrington's glare moved from Jack and landed on me.

"Who do we have here? A female pirate? She looks like you, Sparrow," Norrington said, walking over to me. My sword was still drawn and I wasn't afraid to use it.

"That's because I'm his daughter," I spat. I had never met that man until that very moment, but I didn't like him one bit. His men wanted my dad and I knew he wasn't about to go quietly. When I revealed my identity to Norrington, he looked shocked.

"His daughter? I guess that makes your mother the late Isabella von Tassel then," Norrington replied.

"Isabella Sparrow." I hissed. Norrington moved back over toward Jack, I followed him with my eyes. His men surrounded Jack, slowly closing in. I wasn't about to let them take him, so I ran to his side.

"I will kill you if you touch him!" I shouted, sword up in defense.

It all happened so fast. First, one of Norrington's men lunged forward, but I blocked his sword. Then all of his men lunged. I couldn't hold them all off alone, so Jack began fighting as well. One of the soldiers knocked me to the ground with the butt of his musket. I looked up and saw the men grab Jack's sword out of his hand, tie his wrists and take him back to their ship. I was screaming and Will was trying to get Norrington to release Jack. But Norrington wouldn't listen and before I knew it, they sailed away. I was screaming and crying, struggling to stand, but the gash on the side of my head was so painful, I couldn't rise. I lay on the deck, bleeding and screaming until Will came over and picked me up in his arms. We remained anchored where we were, and Will carried me over to the stairs leading to the helm. I was so dizzy, I couldn't see straight. But I kept screaming Jack's name, hoping against hope he would somehow come back.

"Angel. He's not comin' back. I'm sorry. We did everything we could to save him," Anamaria's voice said from somewhere beside me. I heard no more. I passed out.

An hour later, I awoke in a very large room. I couldn't tell where I was at first, but after looking around, I recognized that I was in Jack's cabin. Not only that, I was lying on his bed. I sat up slowly and looked around to see if anyone was in the room with me. My eyes landed on the couch where I saw Will and Elizabeth asleep.

"Will? Elizabeth?" I called softly. Both of them woke with a start and looked over at me.

"Angel. How are you feeling?" Elizabeth asked.

"Better. Where are we?" I wanted, no needed to know.

"We haven't left yet," Will informed me. With that, I rose from the bed and headed for the door, stumbling as I did, wracked with dizziness like I had never felt before. If I didn't have a concussion, it would be a miracle.

"Wait, Angel! Where are you going?" I headed for the deck ignoring everyone and everything, Will and Elizabeth at my heels. I ran into Alexandra on my way out.

"That was really stupid, what you did. You didn't stand a chance against those soldiers," Alex said. I was so angry with her and everything else, I couldn't hold my tongue any longer.

"SHUT UP YOU WRETCHED LITTLE WENCH! IF YOU HATE BEING ON THIS SHIP SO MUCH, WHY DON'T YOU JUST JUMP OVERBOARD AND DROWN? SAVE EVERYONE ON THIS SHIP FROM YOUR WHINING!" I didn't care that Will and Elizabeth happened to be standing right behind me, I stormed off in a rage and made my way to the helm. Once I reached it, I began barking out orders, my voice cracking every so often.

"ALL HANDS ON DECK! RAISE THE ANCHOR! HOIST THE SAILS!" Will came up to my side. I was expecting him to yell at me for the way I had spoken to his daughter, who was with Elizabeth and in tears, but instead he asked, "What's your plan?"

"We're goin' to Port Royal and we're gonna free my father, that's what."

Author's Note:
Now Jack's life is in Angel's hands. If she doesn't get to him and free him, he could be hung. And it's a few days journey to Port Royal with the Dauntless a good half-day ahead of them. Will Angel reach her father in time? Reviews are welcome – Artemis