Ok, I lied. I know I didn't get the 10 reviews I wanted but I'm posting this now because I want to continue it before I forget anything that may or may not take place later on. Savvy?

Now read! (and don't forget to review :D )

Ava's breath became shorter and shorter as the pair of hard boots slowly (and cautiously) came towards her.

Right when she was about to be revealed, she gulped.

All she had wanted was to live a different life; a better life. Not a life that involved spending possibly the rest of her life in jail with other criminals. She didn't belong there. At that point, Ava started to regret leaving home. It was a stupid idea to leave, she thought. She had a respectable, yet distant, family in England and once word gets out of what she had done, her family name would be ruined, as if their problems with her father weren't bad enough.

Ava sat there, waiting for it to happen. Waiting for the soldier to find her and accuse her of something that she didn't do. She wasn't a pirate or a crook. She just wanted adventure and a life with a meaning.

She was taken out of her thoughts when she heard her "protective" shield being pushed aside.

Ava kept her eyes shut, not wanting to see the face of failure in front of her.

"Get up," said the soldier, surprisingly in a gentler tone than Ava had imagined. Despite the fact that he was being gentle with her, Ava didn't move. She was frozen, unable to move from fear.

"Get up," the soldier demanded, in a more stern voice than before.

This made Ava even more frightened. She wanted to disappear into the wall. She desperately prayed that this was only a nightmare.

The soldier sighed, exasperated. He took his musket and lifted her chin with it. As her head moved up, so the soldier can see her, Ava's eyes slowly opened. Tears were on the verge of falling from her eyes. Her heart was pounding and she felt as if it was going to pop out of her chest any moment. Her breath became even shallower. She felt as if she was going to faint. She actually preferred fainting than to look at her captor.

When she looked at the soldier, she expected to see a face twisted with hate and rage. What she saw was the complete opposite. Ava saw a face that was quiet and in awe.

The soldier's hair was dark and pulled back into a low ponytail with a tri-corner hat atop his head. His eyes were a dark brown and very curious. His build was muscular. His face was tanned and rough but looked as if it used to be soft. He had hints of a beard which were shaved off.

Ava couldn't see him properly because of her hair and tears. Even so, the soldier still looked at her, bewildered.

She started to look away, not wanting to feel any more humiliated than she already felt.

"No," she heard the soldier softly say. Ava looked back, puzzled more than scared.

If the soldier wanted to imprison her, he would have already done it.

"Get up," he demanded in a soft, almost inaudible voice.

Slowly and carefully, Ava stood up, trying her best not to look weak. While still looking at the soldier, she slightly straightened her dress and pushed aside her hair a bit.

The soldier cocked his head slightly, confused. He slowly started to shake his head.

"It can't be…" he said to himself.

Unsure of what to do or say, Ava just stood there, not sure what he meant by 'It can't be'.

"Ava?" he said softly.

Ava pressed her back against the wall, scared that he knew her. She didn't understand how he knew her and how she didn't. She had never come across a soldier in her life. She had hoped to leave it like that.

As Ava backed off, the soldier reached out to her as if to grab her hand.

"I can't believe it…" he muttered.

Ava decided it was time to find out who he was and how he knew her.

"How do you know me?" she asked in a trembling voice.

The soldier smiled slightly. It didn't look like a smile even but Ava was sure he did.

"Coppers and Robbers," he said, shrugging a bit.

Ava faced him completely and raised her eyebrows. Coppers and Robbers? It sounded familiar. Wasn't it a game she used to play with…

"Andrew?" Ava asked.

The soldier smiled and nodded.

Ava put a hand to her mouth and slowly walked closer to Andrew. Once she was within inches from him, she pulled him into an embrace that she had wanted to give since she was a child.

Andrew was startled by the sudden show of emotion. He set down his musket and slowly wrapped his arms around his long lost friend. He held her tight so she wouldn't have to leave him again. Losing her once eleven years ago was unbearable for him. He didn't want to go through it again.

"I can't believe it's you," breathed Ava into Andrew's neck.

It had been so long since she had seen him. He had grown up into a charming and handsome man. He had changed a lot since she had last seen him. Eleven years ago, when he was eight, he had slightly chubby cheeks and brilliant brown eyes. He always goofed off and was proud of it. He wasn't very popular among the other kids but that didn't stop Ava from becoming fast friends with him. He was funny and adventurous. His looks were clearly the opposite eleven years later. He had a sculpted body that had been created from working with the British army, no doubt. He no longer had chubby cheeks but he still had the brilliant brown eyes.

Now, tears were really pouring from Ava's eyes. Not because she was scared, but because she had finally found her friend.

Andrew pulled from their embrace. He held onto Ava's shoulders and looked into her puffy red eyes and smiled, still in shock of seeing her.

"You look wonderful."

Ava looked away, a bit shy. She smiled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She shook her head and looked back at Andrew.

"No. No, I don't. Look at me. I'm in dirty clothes. My hands are filthy. My hair's a mess, I-''

"No. I mean you've grown into a wonderful young woman."

Ava smiled, still embarrassed by her condition.

Unsure of what to say, Ava simply said, "You look amazing yourself."

Andrew smiled and let go of her shoulders. Ava looked around the room, feeling awkward. Her eyes landed on the musket.

"I see you've joined the army, then."

Andrew looked at the musket and looked back at Ava.

"Yes. Not by choice, mind you."

Ava smiled and looked at Andrew. She wished that she was there for those eleven years she had missed.

"Eleven years ago. What happened? You left so suddenly. I never got a chance to say a proper goodbye."

She looked into his eyes then looked away, sighing. She walked over to a table and traced the wooden engravings on it with her finger.

"Father. He lost our money. He sent me to this island in the Caribbean to live. Last I heard of him, he was in bed ill with the plague. Never heard from him or my family again."

Andrew looked at Ava. He looked away and looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry."

Ava shrugged and went back to Andrew.

"It's alright. I never cared for the old bastard after he frittered away our money."

Andrew looked back up at Ava. He touched her arm and looked into her eyes.

"Ava."

Ava wiped her face with her sleeve again and looked up at Andrew.

"How are you?"

Ava glanced around and shrugged. "I'm fine. Apart from the fact that I was scared to-."

"No. I mean, how are you? How have you been keeping up for the past eleven years? Word got around about your departure but no one ever mentioned how you managed to stay alive."

Ava sighed, "I don't know. I lived on father's remaining wages for a short time. Then, I was on my own."

"How did you manage?"

Ava's blood began to boil. She thought about Andrew's privileged life. It was her life, also. Well, it had been. Now, she had been forced to do the labor of a common woman.

Tears began to well up in her eyes yet again.

"I had to work in a pub like a dog. I had to run around, getting orders, being touched by men and being spoken to as if I was worthless. It led me to feel just that: that I'm worthless."

"No, you're not. You're much more than that, believe me."

Ava smiled which made Andrew smile in return. Suddenly, Andrew straightened up and picked up his musket.

"Ava, will you do me a favor?"

Ava nodded, not sure of what he had planned.

"Come with me. I lost you once and I don't want to lose you again. You were an amazing friend. My best friend. I want to start our friendship on a new slate."

At this point, Ava forgot about the Pearl, Jack, Will or anything about a treasure. She just nodded, with a big smile on her face. How could she say no to Andrew?

Andrew returned a smile just as big as hers. Just as they were about to leave, he faced her.

"Act scared and lost."

He turned back around and walked out of the pub with Ava in front of him. Just before they left, Ava looked up at Andrew in confusion. He just whispered, "Just do it."

Right when they got outside, the General and his men were approaching the docks which were not too far from the docks and the pub.

"Soldier Jameson, what is this?"

Andrew stiffened and played the part of a soldier.

"A peasant, sir. I found her in the back room of the pub. She is clean and appears to know no one here."

The General (who also happened to be the captain of The Mighty) eyed Ava suspiciously, his eyes never giving anything away. He never even showed a look of mercy towards her.

"What's your name…woman?"

Ava tried to do as Andrew told her. She tried to act scared.

"A-Ava, sir. Ava B-Benford."

"Mhmm. And what business, Miss Benford, have you in Tortuga?"

Ava's mind raced for an answer. She couldn't very well tell them that she sailed with Captain Jack Sparrow to Tortuga.

"I live h-here, s-sir."

The General nodded.

"And how is it that you live here and yet you know no one, hmm?"

Ava's heart started to race. What could she say? As far as she knew, he got her.

"I don't live in this part of town, s-sir."

"Then what are you doing in this part of town?"

Ava's eyes shifted. Did he see through her lies?

"I w-was taking a walk, sir."

The General gave up. He sighed and straightened up.

"Soldier Jameson, you will accompany Miss Benford to the ship. She shall be in your charge. We will decide what the future holds for her. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well. Men! Back on the ship, immediately!"

The soldiers marched back onto the ship. Andrew walked slowly with Ava. She relaxed, knowing she was safe.

XXXX

Back on the Black Pearl, they had sailed a fair distance away from Tortuga.

Jack was by the helm, making sure he'd stay away from the Navy's ship when Will suddenly ran up from below deck.

"Jack!"

Jack grunted a noise that came out of his mouth when he was snapped out of his daze.

"Jack, Ava's not here!"

Jack suddenly looked worried and stared back out to see.

"Jack! We must go back!"

"I would, mate. Really, I would. Alas, I can't."

Will angrily marched up to where Jack was standing.

"She will be locked up in jail for piracy. She'll be tortured or even hanged!"

"I know that, savvy? What was I supposed to do, hmm? Go back and risk meself getting' shot? I'm a pirate, son, not a bloody hero."

Will sighed and muttered, "And here I was, thinking you were a good man."

Jack took a deep breath and let out a deep sigh. "Look, mate, as much as I'd like to go an' save her, again, I've got a schedule set up. We'll be at the location of the treasure in a few days. We pick up the loot and we scurry back to who knows where and save Ava….again."

Will chuckled without the happiness. "One of these days, Jack, you're going to regret not going back after her."

Jack said nothing but looked unsure of what to do. Will waited for him to give an answer but he got none, so he walked away wishing there was something he could do.

XXXXX

Andrew led Ava below decks into a small room that had enough room for a cot.

"Sorry, it's not much."

Ava went inside and looked around. It wasn't too bad. It needed lots and lots of cleaning but other than that, it was fine. She turned around and looked at Andrew and smiled.

"It's fine."

She went further in her room and sat on her "new" bed. She sighed.

"So, do you have any idea of where they'll put me?"

Andrew walked in and shut the door behind them. He walked over to Ava and set his musket down beside her bed. He saw down next to her.

"No. Nothing bad will happen. You didn't do anything."

Ava nodded. "So, where are we going?"

Andrew shrugged. "I'm not sure. Some island to do business with, probably. Then, I guess we go back to England."

Ava's heart sank when she heard 'England'. She couldn't go back. What would she do? She didn't know where any of her relatives lived and she knew that they wouldn't take her in. She was nothing more than a common girl; not the daughter of a Commodore.

She was right back where she started. Once again, she had no purpose and nowhere to go. While Andrew had a family to go back to, Ava would be on the outside again with no proper home.

Ava knew that she should've left with Will when he left about an hour before the soldiers came in.

Will! She had forgotten all about him. About him, the Pearl, Jack, and the crew! Would they look for her? Probably not, she figured. She hadn't had much of an impact on that ship. But they could; Will and James seemed to like her. They probably pressured Jack into searching for her. But, what were the chances? Jack's the captain and he didn't seem to like Ava the way Will and James did. In fact, it seems as though James was infatuated with her. During the few days they've known each other, Ava and James talked a lot in the galley. Ava would always wonder about the way he looked at her. It was clear to her now that James liked her in a different way, if you will. Will, she supposed, just liked her as a good friend. He was too old for her anyway.

Andrew noticed Ava's upset look.

"Ava, what's wrong?"

Ava sighed, frustrated, and cradled her head in her hands.

"I.. I'm…"

She groaned.

Andrew patted her back gently with his hand. At first, he wasn't sure if he should do that. After all, they hadn't seen each other in eleven years and all of a sudden, he was showing signs of affection towards her.

"Ava?" he asked softly.

Ava jerked back up. She faced Andrew.

"I'm right back where I started from, Andrew! I'm exactly where I left off!"

Andrew raised an eyebrow, confused. "What do you mean?"

Ava waved her hands around, upset. "I left home about a week ago! I left because I hated my life. I was going nowhere. I was stuck in a job that I despised. I was just there, living my life for eleven years as a waitress. That's never changed since I got there. I felt like I was running towards something I could never reach! I was aiming for that hope that something good will happen along the way, a miracle or..or something! I wanted that thing to happen to me but it never did. I got sick of it, Andrew! Completely sick of it! I was going nowhere and I hated it. So, I left home, hoping to find that miracle somewhere else. Then I found you and for a few moments, I thought I found it. You were the only extremely good thing that happened so far. Now, I'm going to be dumped off some island and be left to die or get another job as a bloody waitress. I can't do it, Andrew. I can't! I just can't take it anymore!"

Tears started to pour from Ava's eyes. She felt like a fool, crying or being on the verge of crying so many times. She rested her head on her hands again and just cried, not caring if Andrew thought she was weak.

Something struck a chord in Andrew's heart. He felt deeply sorry for his friend. He figured that she'd be well off after she left. He never knew that she had no money and she was sent with no guidance or supervision.

At that moment, he pulled Ava into a deep embrace, almost protecting her from whatever that bothered her. Ava's arms hung loosely by her side. She slowly put them around Andrew, sobbing even more.

"I can't do it, Andrew. It's..it's too hard," she whispered to him.

"It's ok, Ava. You won't go back like that. I swear."

Andrew pulled her closer to him and kissed her cheek.

Aww… How sweet!

I hope it wasn't sappy, cheesy or anything bad.

Hoped you liked this chapter. Took me about 2 hours to make, I guess.

Don't forget to review! Free cookies if you do!