Author's Note: An unusually long chapter today. Thanks to the readers who have talked to me on MSN again. You all rock! Remember to review!

Chapter Four: An Unlikely Meeting

There were no lessons that day, but Aunt Josephine had insisted that Carmen use it to her advantage, sending her up to the fort.

Carmen was dressed up like something in a china fashion plate, laced so tightly into a corset she thought she was going to pass out, dressed in a long, hideous cream-coloured dress with a matching hat tied with a bow around her neck. Of course, her aunt had hoped Norrington would be at the fort, but he didn't seem to be, and even if her did turn up, Carmen doubted her ability to talk with the corset on.

She was bored, and it was very hot. She was standing looking down at the sea crashing on some rocks below. One of the other women in the institution had told her that Norrington had once proposed to the Governor's daughter here. Carmen wondered what had gone wrong.

She fanned herself. Behind her, she could hear the clanging of swords. The marines must be practising. How very boring this was.

Then, she heard the fluttering of wings, and a colourful bird flew up. It landed on the wall beside her, and she stared at her, hardly daring to believe what she was seeing. A parrot. Cotton's parrot. That meant... no, the Black Pearl couldn't be here. Because if it was, then Jack Sparrow was here...

She heard a sudden commotion behind her- voices shouting, real fighting. She didn't even have time to turn around.

Strong arms tackled her around the waist from behind. She cried out in shock as she fell from the wall, falling in the arms of another person, falling down, down, down... she was too horrified to scream or move... she was going to die... Funny how she felt so at peace suddenly. Funny how things were starting to go black...

She hit the water hard, sinking like a stone because of the weight of her dress. Water was filling her mouth, nose, lungs... things were blurring...

Chocolate eyes outlined with kohl. They appeared suddenly before her own, and Carmen knew she must be in heaven now.

Then the same strong arms as before lifted her upwards.

As Carmen broke the surface, she choked and coughed, gasping, tasting sweet, wonderful air again. She had almost died. How fantastic it was to be breathing again, supported by-

Her eyes took him properly and she froze. Golden skin, brown dreadlocks and facial hair. There was a red bandana on his head, and bone and trinkets tied into his hair. Beads adorned the ends of his beard. Beside him floated a tri-cornered hat. His mouth was open in surprise, revealing a few golden teeth.

Jack Sparrow. So many feelings rushed around inside of her that she felt like she was drowning again. She was so shocked to see him again, feel him again. For a moment she just gaped back at him, before reaching up and removing her ruined hat. "Aunt Josephine's going to kill me," she said simply, because she didn't know what else to say.

Jack swallowed. "Er, sorry about that, luv."

Carmen blinked. "What are you doing here, Jack?"

"It's wonderful to see you too, Princess," he said, composing himself. "And I rather think I have more reason to ask you that. I left you in Evaneta."

Carmen didn't answer right away. Instead she pulled his wet body closer and hugged him. She had missed him so much. Tears were prickling her eyes. She breathed in his scent. He held her tightly in return, and for a moment it was as though they had never been seperated. Then she drew back, realising she couldn't be seen hugging a pirate. "I'm at an institution here, ran by my aunt, to try and improve me. Make me more like a woman."

"You're all woman, luv," Jack said, in a way that made her blush and tingle nervously. Then he swallowed. "There's going to be trouble when we reach shore, but I've got to take you back."

Part of her longed for him to take her with him. The stupid part, she told herself. But she was still so attracted to Jack, still cared for him. She had wondered if those feelings had faded. It seemed they had grown. "Did you miss me?" she asked quietly.

He smiled, tenderly this time. "Of course I did, luv."

Slowly, they started to make their way back to the shore. Jack had to support Carmen most of the way. Swimming in this huge dress was hardly possible. She wondered how terrible she must look, with her wet hair plastered to her dress and her dress ruined. The pair of them must look pretty funny.

Carmen couldn't quite believe he was beside her, touching her. It had been so long. She had longed for him every day and every night. Again, she forced down tears.

They reached a wooden dock. Jack leapt onto it nimbly, and pulled Carmen up. For a moment they just stood looking at each other. Jack was wearing his long brown coat over a black waistcoat and his white shirt, which were open low to reveal scars on his muscular body. Carmen looked at it for a moment before realising she shouldn't be staring at his body. He was wearing his usual boots, his trousers tooked into them. Various weapons were around his waist. He plonked his hat back on his head.

"Nice view, luv?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

Carmen blushed. "I'm sorry for staring. I just... haven't seen you in a while."

Jack opened his mouth to reply, but there were sudden footsteps running down towards them. It was a group of marines, dressed in their red uniforms, with Commodore Norrington in his blue uniform leading them. They stopped on the deck a few feet from Jack and Carmen, as though Jack would try something if they got too close.

"Step away from her Highness," Norrington said, glaring at Jack with hatred in his green-grey eyes.

"Commodore Norrington," Jack said, clasping his hands together in a prayer-like motion. "Apologies. I didn't realise she was your property, now." Norrington stepped forward, but Jack whipped out his sword suddenly and held it to Carmen's throat.

"Jack!" Carmen squeaked out in horror. She could feel its cold tip pressing into her throat. She didn't honestly believe he would hurt her, but it was still a little cold of him to threaten her.

"I suggest you let her go, Sparrow," James said slowly. "I will see you hang for this."

"Hopefully this time around you'll be more successful, hm?" Jack grinned. He stepped behind Carmen, so he was holding her to him with one arm around her waist, and the side of his sword flat against her throat.

"Do you know who she is?" James asked. "That is Princess-"

"Spare me, Norrington," Jack replied, his voice tingling Carmen's ear. "I already know."

Norrington could not, apparently, think of anything else to say. He licked his lips nervously and rolled his eyes. Carmen guessed he and Jack must have met before, and Jack had come out with the upper hand- like he probably always did. She was actually quite relaxed. Jack didn't have a lot of choice, really. He'd already be in jail if he hadn't put his sword to her throat.

"I want all of your men to bugger off," Jack said, and Carmen knew he would be smiling.

"Not on your life," snarled James back.

"No, not on mine. On the life of lovely Princess Carmen." Jack was definately grinning now. "Do you want me to let her go, James?"

"It's Commodore Norrington to you." James looked like he would like nothing more than to see Jack eaten by a giant squid. Carmen decided she was going to have to find out what had gone on between them.

But for now, she might as well try and help Jack. "James," she begged, making her eyes large. "Please, help me..."

He looked at her with care etched in every line of his face. "I promise it will be alright, your Highness."

"Do what he wants, please," Carmen whimpered.

James sighed. Carmen knew how he felt about her, and knew she was using it to her advantage. "Alright, then, Sparrow. What do you want?"

"Move off the dock. Move fifteen paces to the left of it." Jack's voice was barking, an order. He knew he had the upper hand once again.

Norrington rolled his eyes but he moved all his men back, and then fifteen paces to the left. From there, they blocked all means of escape except one- a flight of stone steps that wound up to the top of the fort. Carmen wondered why on earth Jack wanted to go back into the fort.

Once Norrington and his men stopped moving, Jack started to move Carmen slowly forward, towards the end of the dock. Under the veil of his hair, he murmured into Carmen's ear, "We have got to talk about your choice in men, luv." Carmen realised for the first time he was jealous of James!

Finally, she was standing before Norrington and his men, Jack still behind her.

"Gentlemen," Jack announced in a booming voice, "My lady, you will always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow!" He pushed Carmen forward suddenly, and James caught her. She turned around to see Jack start bouncing up the stairs lightly.

"Open fire!" James roared, still holding Carmen.

Carmen knew her heart must have stopped as she watched the marines start to shoot at Jack as he ran up the stairs. Bullets were chasing his feet up the stairs, but overall the marines were not good shots. He escaped, disappearing around the corner.

"After him!" James roared, releasing Carmen. He began to run up the stairs with his marines, but Carmen had to know Jack's fate. What on earth was he playing at, running back into the fort? Gathering her skirts, she began to hurry awkwardly up the stairs after them, heart racing.

When she reached the top, she found the marines standing with their guns aimed at Jack, who was standing at the place where he and Carmen had originally fallen. His expression was unreadable. Carmen's eyes widened in horror. Now what would happen?

"Well, well, well," Norrington purred, stepping forward towards Jack. "Jack Sparrow-"

Jack raised a finger. "That's Captain Jack Sparrow, if you would, mate." He didn't look remotely frightened.

"- Jack Sparrow," Norrington continued, ignoring Jack, "you fool. You escaped the noose here once before. What on earth possessed you to return?"

Jack shrugged. "You know me, the call of gold and all. Couldn't resist, mate." He grinned.

Norrington was unfazed. "Indeed. Clap him in irons!" he ordered.

"No!" Carmen had shouted without thinking. Suddenly she found all of the eyes in fort on her, including Jack's and Norrington's. She blinked, and forced out her next words. "Pirate or not, Jack Sparrow- Captain Jack Sparrow, that is- is a good man."

"Your Highness," James began delicately, "I am afraid- never mind. Clap him in irons!" he repeated.

Two marines stepped forward to clasp Jack's hands together with the irons. Carmen wasn't finished though- before they could disarm him, she had pushed her way forward, standing between them and Jack. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, but she couldn't let anything happen to Jack.

"Jack Sparrow is the only reason I am standing here today!" she snapped.

"Don't do anything stupid, luv," Jack murmured in her ear. Then he cleared his throat before suddenly wrapping a hand around Carmen's. He wasn't holding it tightly, and she knew she was quite safe. "I suggest you step back, gentlemen. And lower your weapons, savvy?"

The marines looked at James for orders. He hesitated, then snarled, "I suppose you'd best step back. Lower your weapons!"

All of the guns were lowered at once. Carmen felt Jack's hot, pleasant breath on her neck as he leaned into her ear to murmur, "You and I are going to have a little fight, savvy? You're going to push me from this fort. They'll all think I've drowned, but I'm going to swim underwater to the Pearl, which is in some caves. You must not worry about me, Carmen. We'll talk again soon." He paused. "I'm sorry for getting you involved in this. Now, pretend to want to hurt me, Princess."

She remembered the first time she had really hurt Jack Sparrow. She had punched him. She tried to recall the white-hot anger she had felt towards him then. Then they were fighting. She was shoving him, trying to get him off her. She noted he wasn't hurting her, just trying to make it look like he wanted to maintain his hold on her. She gave him one last, final shove, and he leapt back, pretending to stagger.

Then he fell.

Carmen rushed forward, staring at Jack falling to the water. Even though he had told her not to panic, how could she not? All around her, marines were laughing at Sparrow. He hit the water and disappeared. They all waited with baited breath. Jack did not resurface.

"And so the end of the great Jack Sparrow," Norrington said. He was standing beside Carmen. "I feel I must congratulate you, your Highness. Whether you knew it or not, you have just rid the Caribbean of a most terrible man."

Carmen did not argue with him. She was slightly worried about Jack, but she knew she had to remember she was still Princess Carmen, and she was still supposed to be charming James, even though she felt so uninclined to now she had seen Jack again. He had said they'd talk soon- that meant she'd see him again! But she needed to focus for now. "I feel I must apologise, Commodore," she said softly, looking at him with her most innocent look.

"James, please," he said softly, taking her arm. "Come, your Highness, let me escort you back to the institution."

"James it shall be, so long as you agree to call me Carmen," she replied coyly as they headed off together. She thought back to Jack. Hopefully he would be able to swim with his hands 'clapped in irons'. But of course he would. He was Captain Jack Sparrow.

"Carmen," he repeated. "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

Carmen sighed as they reached a carriage. Wrong as it was, as much as she knew she should be perfectly content with the life of a princess, as much as she knew she should long for Norrington as her husband, a small part of her couldn't help but wish Jack would sweep her away for a life on the high seas- with him.