Author's Note: Another chapter of considerable length (for me at least). I'm going to see DMC again tomorrow, YAY. Anyway, it's starting to get dramatic in this chapter now. Review!

Chapter Five: A Ball In The Mist

"Ouch!" Tears stung Carmen's eyes as she gripped the bedpost tightly. Behind her, Aunt Josephine laced her tightly into a corset, pulling the strings as hard as she could.

"Beauty is painful," her aunt replied coldly, giving the strings a final tug. She twisted her thin lips into a grim smile. "The Commodore is showing clear signs of attraction to you. Look good tonight, Carmen, and he may propose."

Carmen was silent. Her aunt began dressing her in the beautiful gown she had chosen for that night. It was midnight blue, low-cut, with short sleeves and a full skirt, with black lace over the top. Carmen had to admit, she looked beautiful. Commodore Norrington, and indeed any man, would be attracted to her now- though she knew she only wanted one man.

Her hair was curled on top of her head, with a silver tiara. She looked at her own pale face before her aunt handed her a mask- a mask that would cover her whole face, a beautiful white one with silver flowers painted on it. She put it on and smiled.

"James Norrington is an excellent match, and since there's a lack of royalty to marry, he will make an excellent husband. He's a Commodore, so he will make a good King," Aunt Josephine burbled, yellow eyes bright.

Carmen didn't force a smile. Her aunt couldn't see her face anyway. "Quite," she said. How she wished she could be the Princess they all wanted her to be... She slipped on her shoes and followed her aunt down to the carriage.

A few girls from the institution were attending the ball that night, so there was a line of carriages there. Outside, it was dark, and the air promised a storm. Something else that Carmen found strange was the thick, green mist over the sea. It was slowly drifting inland. She didn't have time to dwell on it. Her aunt bundled her into a carriage, and after a few final pointers- "Look up at him underneath your lashes!", "Talk softly and slowly!" and "Cock your head at him!"- the door was closed and she was on her way.

Carmen leaned back against the hard seat. If she hadn't met Jack again just hours before, she probably would have been looking forward to this. But he was messing with her head, like he always did. She needed to forget him. He had said he would see her again, but there was no way he could attend a social event in Port Royal. So he wouldn't be bothering her tonight, which meant she should be able to concentrate on seducing Commodore Norrington. This was excellent logic, but she couldn't just forget Jack. She remembered the way he had said he'd missed her, the way he had held her... Jack Sparrow was amazing. Compared to Jack, James was more than a little bland.

The carriage came to a bumpy stop outside the town hall. Trying to get into the right frame of mind, Carmen exhaled before climbing out as elegantly as possible. Outside the town hall, many people in masks were standing around talking. Carmen couldn't spot the Commodore, and since there was nobody else she could really talk to, she headed inside to try and find him.

Inside the large, grand room, there were many hundreds of people. Most of them were standing around the edges in little groups, but a few couples were dancing to the slow, rich music of the orchestra. It was quite a sight to see so many gorgeous dresses in wonderful colours, and such beautiful masks on everybody's faces.

"Good evening, your High- Carmen, I should say," said a gentle voice beside her, and she turned to see James standing there. He had left off his powdered wig tonight, and his dark brown hair was pulled back neatly. He was smiling at her kindly from beneath a white mask that covered the top half of his face.

"Commodore," she said, inclining her head. "I mean, James."

"You look beautiful tonight," he smiled. "Er- may I have this dance?"

"It would be a pleasure," she forced herself to say. He took her gently into his arms and they started to dance slowly, stiffly. She forced herself to hold his gaze, looking up into his eyes from under her eyelashes.

"Your- Carmen, that is, I feel I should ask you about Jack Sparrow." Her cheeks started to burn at the mention of Jack's name. She tore her eyes away from the Commodore's, felt her heart start to race. Surely James would notice... but he didn't. "You said he told you who you really are?"

"Yes," she said in a small voice, "he told me who I really am. He took me away from my old life and... brought me to my new life." She missed out the middle part- the part where she had been truly happy, with Jack.

"I understand why you think he is a good man. But he is a pirate, Carmen."

Carmen didn't argue. She couldn't argue. Instead she said quietly, "Excuse me, James, I'm going to go and get a drink."

He kissed her hand. "Thank you, Carmen." She could easily read the look in his grey eyes at that moment. James Norrington had fallen in love with her.

Her aunt would believe this to be a good development. An excellent one, in fact. But it wasn't, not to Carmen. She knew she could definately never love James. She would never have feelings for anyone other than Jack. As she headed over to the side of the room, her eyes were bright with tears.

It hurt to admit it, but it had been so much easier when she and Jack hadn't seen each other. When she saw him, he made her think all these strange things.

"May I have this dance?" said a male voice behind her, in a perfect impression of James Norrington. She turned around with the intention of declining, when her jaw dropped.

The man was taller than she, but only just. He was wearing a black suit, and he had a brown beard, trimmed neatly, perfectly close to his face. He was wearing a black and gold mask that covered the top half of his face. Long, thick brown hair was pulled back neatly with a golden clip. His eyes were chocolate brown.

"Your hair!" Carmen lamented without thinking. "Your beard!"

"Calm down, m'lady," Jack said in a mock formal voice. "The trinkets I assume you are referring to are safely back on the Pearl. I will reattach them later." He smiled, not opening his mouth- of course, there would have been no way to take out his golden teeth. "Anyway, may I have this dance?"

He took her into his arms and they danced in the middle of the dancefloor. Unlike James, Jack held her right up against himself, and he was a great dancer.

"What are you doing here?" she asked softly. "If Norrington sees you-"

His eyes showed amusement. "Princess, I already walked past Norrington. He didn't even blink, luv. And as for why I am here... I wanted to talk to you. I said I would, did I not?" At her nod, he continued. "I heard about the Ball tonight and figured you would be attending. So Ana and Elizabeth got me ready." Another pause. This time he looked uncomfortable. "When I got here, you were dancing with Norrington."

Carmen raised an eyebrow. "Are you jealous?"

"He's not right for you, luv."

"Well who is?" Carmen asked. She was feeling a little angry. Jack was the one who had said they couldn't be together. He had left her to be a princess, and princesses have to marry wisely.

Jack didn't answer, he just looked away. Carmen sighed.

"I think he's in love with me." She was trying to provoke him into a response. She wanted him to say he wanted her, and that he didn't want anyone else to have her.

"I wouldn't blame him," Jack said with a heavy sigh. She waited with baited breath but he just twirled her.

"You really ought to leave," she said. "I don't want to see James hang you."

"What would you do if he tried it, luv?" he asked, sounding a lot more like his usual self. There was a smouldering look in his eyes now.

She smiled behind her mask. "I'd persuade him not to."

"Persuade?" Jack asked. He grinned. "I wish you'd tried persuading me when you were on me ship."

"Not like that!" she replied, trying to sound scandalised. But she liked it when he flirted with her. "Jack, please- please leave. I don't want to see you hurt."

"And leave you?" he asked.

Her heart skipped a beat. "You must," she replied, but inside she was begging him to take her anyway.

He exhaled slowly. "One night, luv- just me and you." He paused. "I really do miss you, Carmen."

Carmen's heart was thundering in her chest. How could she say no? She wondered what he had in mind. "Alright," she breathed, and without saying a word, he had taken her arm and they were walking to the back exit. He pushed it open and they stepped out into the warm, hot air. A light rain was falling now. The green mist was all around.

They walked a little way in silence until the reached a quiet, secluded back alley. Then Jack pulled her close and started to dance with her again.

"I had forgotten how beautiful your eyes looked in the moonlight," he whispered.

She reached up and removed his mask, revealing his wonderful face. It was for once without any make-up. Then she reached up and removed the little clip from his hair, letting it tumble around his face. It was so soft... so silky. She had never imagined it would feel like this when it was straight, free of dreadlocks and beads. Her eyes filled with tears. She was touching what she could never have.

Jack lifted her mask off gently, and smiled. Then he saw her tear and gently brushed it away with a calloused finger. He didn't speak. Instead, he kissed her, long, hard, passionate, and deep. It had been months since she had felt his kiss, and she returned it with equal hunger. She had longed for this.

"Carmen..." he whispered as their lips parted. He pulled her hair free, letting it blow in the wind.

Tears mingled with the rain rolling down her cheeks. She hugged him tightly, needing to touch him. Who knew how long they would have together? She was so scared that she wouldn't be able to let him go afterwards.

"Jack!" she sobbed. "I- I-" She wasn't sure what she was going to say, but Jack cut her off.

"Darling, please be happy," he whispered.

"I can't be happy without you," she said, shocked she had actually said it to him. She looked at him, and saw his chocolate brown eyes were surprised. The rain got heavier in that moment.

"I-" he started, but lightning flashed at that moment. Suddenly his expression changed completely. It was one of panic. "Carmen- you must get home, luv. Now!"

"Why?" she demanded, heart racing. Something terrible must be wrong for Jack to look so scared.

"He's comin', luv," Jack said, already pulling her to the end of the alley. "Aron Chiltingham."

"Wait! Who on earth is Aron-?"

"It's a long story, luv," Jack said. "Just go home, and lock your doors." He paused before kissing her briefly. "I've got to go," he said.

She watched him start to run down to the caves. "Jack!" she screamed after him, but he didn't reply.

Sighing, confused, crying, she turned away and headed back to the institution. In the alley, two masks lay on the ground together, raindrops falling on them heavily.