Disclaimer: I own Pirates! ...In my dreams...

"Jonathan!"

"Jonny?"

"Jonathan Sparrow, where are you?" The trio was frantically seeking the the missing toddler, as they had been for the past two and a half hours. In their panic, they had started off by running about in a frenzy of terror, but after an hour or so, they had finally slowed down and taken the time to look carefully. They all knew that yelling for him would likely get them nowhere, but not one of them was willing to admit how hopeless their search was. They had been combing every street, every path, every alleyway for the boy, but to no avail. Sarah flopped down on the side of the road and let her head fall to her knees, hardly caring anymore how soiled her clothes became.

In an uncharacteristic display of sympathy and remorse, Kristie dropped to her knees beside her friend and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "This was all my fault."

"No, it was my fault. I never should have set him down," Robert said, his voice full of regret.

"Well, ye did make a mistake thar," Kristie replied, eager to take even the slightest bit of the blame off of her own shoulders. However, she realized that this whole adventure was originally her own doing. "But I was the one who dragged ye 'ere," she mumbled, still reluctant to admit her mistake.

"The blame goes to all of us," Sarah cut in, halting the argument that was simply waiting to happen. "Kristie shouldn't have suggested this, I shouldn't have agreed, Robert shouldn't have set Jonny down, and none of us should have even considered bringing him in the first place. But that doesn't matter right now." Finally, she lifted her head to look at the twins. Drawing a shaky breath and willing herself not to cry, she said, "All that matters now is finding Jonathan." She hesitated, reluctant to say that which must be said next. "We must tell our parents."

"Are ye crazy?" Kristie exploded. "We can't let 'em find out about this! If we go back now, we're as good as dead!"

"They'll be upset, that much is certain," the older girl observed. "But we deserve whatever punishment they might give us. We must accept the consequences of our actions."

Kristie rolled her eyes. Sometimes Sarah's quiet goodness irritated her. Granted, she had shown her more independent, adventurous side in agreeing to come here this morning. However, nearly any time she did something such as this, she ended up deeply upset with herself and her actions. Heavens, could the child not live with herself if she did just one naughty deed? How did she ever expect to be a proper pirate?

"The longer we search and do not find him, the less likely we are to find him at all," Sarah reasoned. "If we hadn't brought him to- to Tortuga-" she spat the word out as though it were poisoned- "he would still be safe and sound on the Pearl. He does not deserve to be endangered further simply because we won't swallow our pride and tell our parents."

Kristie bit her lip. Although she loathed to admit it, her friend had a point. "I don' get much choice in this matter with ye around, do I?" she muttered, her words more of a declaration than a question.

Sarah managed a ghost of a smile. "Not really." Taking a deep breath, she straightened herself out from where she sat crumpled on the ground, futilely attempting to brush the filth from her wrinkled garments and squaring her shoulders. Robert glanced halfheartedly into a nearby alleyway, still harboring a vague hope that they might locate the stray child, but found the area disappointingly empty, save for a mud-covered tabby cat strutting by. Kristie, too, scanned the street for the youngest Sparrow, but to no avail. She sighed. Though it pained her to admit it, Sarah's premonition had been correct. This was truly a foreboding place, even when it was only nine in the morning. Even Kristie shuddered to consider what it must be like when night fell.

"Well, then, wot are we waitin' for? Let's go," Kristie muttered. Even if she had intended to appear upbeat, her sagging shoulders made her true feelings apparent. To be honest, Sarah too felt queasy at the prospect of confessing to her parents about this journey. What might they think of her, their obedient, well-mannered daughter, when they learned of this rash exploit? She bit her lip, attempting to silence such dreary thoughts, but failing to quiet her anxious mind.

Suddenly, something occurred to her that certainly put a twist in their plan. Her head snapped up as the foreboding realization struck her. "Kristie," she began, her brow furrowing as she considered this new obstacle, "Our parents aren't on the Pearl. They shan't be back until past noon, remember?" At her friend's words, Kristie came to an abrupt halt. Of course. Anamaria had estimated their time in Tortuga today at roughly seven hours, had she not? They had scarcely been gone three as it was.

Rather than letting herself droop at the thought, Kristie stood taller. "Well, then, looks like we gotta find em," she stated boldly.

"Here? In Tortuga? 'Twould be like finding a needle in a haystack!" Sarah protested, dumbfounded.

Kristie spun around, haphazardly balanced on one heel, to face her companion. Leaning slightly to her left, she shrugged one shoulder and lifted her hands in front of her, flashing a sideways grin. "Hey," she replied easily. "I'm Kristianna Sparrow."

Nearby, in Ole Finnegan's Tavern, Jack and a few crew members lounged about, tarrying over their rum. Some wandered aimlessly about the ramshackle building, a few sat at tables, others lounged about on whatever stationary object was most convenient. Captain Sparrow himself leaned lazily against the wall, bottle in hand. He had found replacements for those who had left the Pearl's crew, and as far as he was concerned, was done for the day. After being mercilessly berated by Ana about something to do with bargains and quality, he had given up helping with the purchasing of supplies.

The door made a creaky groan as it swung open to let people in. Through the throngs of people and the dirty haze filling the room, probably aided by the alcohol coursing through the pirate's system, Jack could barely make out the newcomers' faces. From what he saw, they seemed far younger than the other customers here at Finnegan's. Wait- were they coming in his direction? It certainly seemed so. But what would they want with him? Ah, yes. They must just want to meet him, or perhaps they would request a signature. After all, he was Captain Jack Sparrow.

As they cautiously wove their way through the maze of people, he recognized the one closest to him as his daughter, then he spotted Sarah and Robert trailing close behind her.

It registered in his dazed mind that there was something amiss about Kristie's presence here in the tavern, but he couldn't quite recall what was it was. So he simply decided to forget the matter and greet the little munchkins.

"Krissie!" he slurred, stepping forwards with open arms but staggering slightly. The girl leaned in for a halfhearted embrace, but pulled back just a moment later.

"We- we need to talk to ye about somethin'," she started. "Uh..." Sarah nudged her from behind, urging her to spit out the words and get the ordeal over with, although she was not entirely sure her friend's father was sober enough to be of any help in their predicament. "I think Sarah's got somethin' to tell ye," Kristie finished.

Sarah bit her lip. She should have expected that. She shot a look at Kristie that clearly demonstrated her annoyance before turning to face Jack. It was clear from his jumbled speech and the fact that he was even clumsier than usual that he was too far gone to fully grasp the urgency of their situation, but she figured she might as well tell him anyways. Still, it was hard to admit. Taking a deep breath, she blurted out, "We came ashore after everyone was gone because we wanted to see Tortuga and now Jonathan is gone."

The dazed captain struggled to absorb this information, the fog in the room and in his mind clouding his ability to think clearly. Squeezing his eyes shut, he forced himself to think this over. They came ashore. Well, yes, that's how they got here. They wanted to see Tortuga. Well, who could blame 'em? After everyone was gone? Ah, yes, now he was able to faintly recall Ana ordering that they remain aboard the ship. How boring. Now, what was that last bit? He knew it was something about Jonathan. Jonathan was- what was the other word? Oh, gone. Yes, that was it.

Gone?

The word had dropped innocently into his head, then exploded like a cannon and shattered any sense of peace and contentment. Though he prided himself on remaining stoic, on rarely succumbing to emotion, he loved his children dearly and could not live with himself if he ever let anyone or anything harm them. Doing his level best to fight back the lingering effects of the alcohol he had recently imbibed, he ditched his bottle and, motioning for the children to follow his lead, hastened off to find his son.

Saturday, September 28

Tortuga

Dear Diary,

It has been a long, trying day, and it is only midday. As I write this, I am sitting on the cold ground in an alleyway, writing by the light of a streetlamp. Kristie sits with her back to the wall, her legs drawn up to her chest and her forehead resting on her knees. Robert sits against the same wall a few feet away from his sister, writing something in a little book quite similar to my own. I never would have thought he kept a diary. I wonder what he might write in it?

I'm afraid I've drifted from what I meant to write about. You see, Mum and Father and Ana all told us to remain on the Pearl. They told us that this was no place for children. Now that I am here, I fully understand what they spoke of. I have seen things here that I am too disgusted by to even write of them here. However, I knew not what Tortuga held this morning, and was curious to see it. Apparently, so was Kristie. She convinced Robert and I to come ashore with her. After thirty minutes or so of exploring, we managed to get Kristie to head back to the ship. We were about to do just that, when Robert realized that Jonathan was no longer on the crate where he had set him down.

We figured that a two-year-old could not have gotten very far, so we started searching for him. But after two and a half hours of combing the streets, we still could not find him. We found Uncle Jack and told him the whole story, but he was little help, as he had had a couple of bottles of rum already. As I write this, he is standing with his shoulder pressed to the wall, allegedly keeping a weather eye open for any sign of Jonathan, but I think he has dozed off. Soon, we will return to the ship to tell Mum and Father and Ana. I shudder to think what they might say. We directly and knowingly disobeyed them, then were irresponsible enough to lose track of a helpless toddler! I feel terrible- I never should have let Kristie convince me to come ashore with her. At first I was angry with Robert, but that passed quickly. Who could blame him for wishing to rest his arms for a moment? Jonathan must weigh thirty pounds or so. My anger quickly went to Kristie, for even suggesting this crazy adventure. Then I was angry with myself for agreeing to come. Oh, I don't know what to think.

It is time to go back and face our parents. I shall write more soon.

Always,

Sarah Turner

A few minutes later, the foursome boarded the Pearl, their hearts full of regret. While Jack settled down on a nearby stairwell to await the others' return, the three children stood anxiously at the railing of the ship, dreading the adults' arrival, yet wishing for the agony of waiting to end. Every few moments, they would exchange nervous looks, but not a word passed between the solemn trio.

After what seemed like hours, but in all likelihood was no more than a few minutes, Elizabeth and Will could be seen making their way, hand in hand, through the street towards the harbor, and Sarah gulped. Her parents were talking and laughing as they had not a care in the world. She hated herself for letting them down, for disobeying them, for being so foolhardy. She would almost definitely lose their trust, which was a precious gift that she should have clung to and guarded carefully. She heaved a sorrowful sigh, already feeling alone and unworthy. Just one moment of carelessness could bring about heavy consequences.

As they approached the ship docked at Tortuga's shore, Will wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder and drew her closer to his side, allowing a contented sigh to escape as she slipped her own arm about his waist in response. It had been a productive day, even in this pigsty of a town. They had acquired three new crew members who appeared to be trustworthy, but seemed to be as mysterious and multifaceted as their shipmates, if not more so. Robin, who was yet a stranger to the sea, had agreed to work as a crew member in exchange for the older pirates' guidance as to the ways of a sailor. So far, Will had discovered that he had been born and raised here in Tortuga, had previously worked as a carpenter's apprentice, and was obsessed with horoscopes and astrology. Mack McCready, who they presumed to be in the neighborhood of about sixty years of age, kept a cloth tied about his head so as to cover his nose and mouth. Some said he had been in some unspeakably horrid accident, others believed that he had been born terribly disfigured, and still others imagined that he wished to conceal his identity due to a complication from his past. The third new crew member, Jacob, replaced Tim as youngest worker aboard the ship, as he was only seventeen years old. Will had observed him to be unusually shy, especially for a pirate. He usually kept his eyes fixed firmly on the ground before him, and wore a wide-brimmed hat that kept his face all but hidden from view. Will had a feeling this would be an interesting voyage.

With every step the couple took, the Pearl became easier to see, and as their view grew clearer, he spotted something that caused him an instinctive uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Sarah, Kristianna, and Robert stood together at the rail, gazing pensively in his direction. As far as he could tell, no conversation was taking place. For his daughter and her friends to be in such close proximity to each other and not say a word was something he had jokingly called an impossibility. Surely something was not as it should be. Apparently Elizabeth had noticed this peculiarity as well, for she paused briefly, craning her neck in an attempt to achieve a better view of the children. Thinking as with one mind, the two exchanged a look as if to say, "What now?"

Arriving upon the deck of the ship, the Turners were met by three remorseful-looking children, who acted thoroughly culpable, though Will and Elizabeth knew naught the reason for their guilt. Will hesitated slightly before breaking the silence. "What's wrong?" he inquired tentatively.

Sarah nudged Kristie, who shook her head vehemently and nudged her friend right back. Suddenly, Robert spoke up. "It was my fault," he declared, shame and regret apparent in his tone and across his features.

Thoroughly intrigued now, Elizabeth asked, "What are you talking about? What's your fault?"

Taking a deep breath, and knowing what must be done, Sarah poured out the whole story, from the adults' departure to finding Jack to combing the streets and alleyways of Tortuga.

By the time she had finished her account of the day's events, tears were spilling freely down her cheeks. Her parents had been taken aback when they first learned that she had agreed to go ashore against their wishes, but had taken the news admirably. They were devastated to learn of Jonathan's kidnapping, and determined that they must begin trying to retrieve him that very instant, and, exhausted though they were, both physically and emotionally, the three dutifully followed the adults back into the din of the town.

"Mum, come here!" Sarah exclaimed, her tired voice laced with excitement. Moments earlier, while pacing nervously back and forth, Jack had subconsciously jammed his hands into the pockets of his coat. An instant later, however, he paused, and pulled a piece of paper from where his left hand had just been. The first thought to occur to Sarah was he possibility of it being a ransom note of some sort. She was an avid reader, and she knew that in all the best adventure novels, if someone was kidnapped, their abductor would leave a brief note for the victim's family or friends to find. Though the thought had briefly passed through her mind in their desperate search, she had not yet seriously considered that Jonathan may have been kidnapped. If such a thing were true, though, it was certainly a most dangerous crook they were dealing with. They had scarcely been two feet from the child at the time of his disappearance! And yet, if someone had managed to slip it into Captain Jack Sparrow's pocket without being noticed, it was certainly feasible.

Sarah shook her head in an attempt to clear the cobwebs from her overworked mind. She and Kristie exchanged dubious glances, but nonetheless, Sarah took the paper from Jack's hand and carefully unfolded it.

When her gaze alighted on the parchment, Sarah's brow furrowed and she tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. Yes, it was very curious indeed. A note she could understand, but a map? She knew from her geography studies that it was a representation of the Caribbean, and she recognized Jamaica and knew where Port Royal was located. A large red "X" was marked off on a small cay near Isla de Muerta. Abruptly, her head snapped up from its sideways position to look at her mother, who had by now made her way over to where the girls stood and was anxious to see for herself what they had found. Holding up the map out to Elizabeth, with a hint of satisfaction in her voice, she asked, "What do you think of this?"

Elizabeth carefully examined the paper, then flipped it over to appraise any markings that might be found on the back. There was, in fact, a message hastily scrawled across the back of the page. It read, "Go here if you ever want to see your son again!" Will, who had sauntered over to see what was so fascinating to everyone, gently took the map in his own hands and turned it over to pore over the front of the parchment.

After a few moments of silence, Kristie piped up. "Well, we're obviously not gonna find 'im 'ere, then," she observed.

"I wonder if it's a trap," Robert mused. The children witnessed the two adults exchange a concerned look. Sarah said not a word, but decided she must somehow find passage to the little cay. She had to find Jonathan.

That night on the ship, Sarah lay awake on her bed, staring at the bottom of Kristie's bunk above her. Though her energy had been completely spent, she simply could not relax and succumb to sleep. Through the wall, she could hear her parent's muffled voices in the other room. From what she could hear, they were discussing whether or not to sail to the cay, and even her father, who would typically pounce on any clue in a situation such as this, had a tendency to suggest that they not. She knew by the quiet tone the couple spoke in that she was not meant to hear this conversation, but she had to know more.

Setting her jaw determinedly, she decided that first thing the next morning, she would do her very best to persuade the adults to sail towards the island indicated on the map. And if she had to find another way to get there, so be it. Having decided this, she rolled to her side and closed her eyes.

(A/N): Like it? No? Maybe? This one's a lot longer than the first four and it took me forever to write. So you'd better love it! Just kidding, be honest in your reviews. :)

Sorry it took me so long to post this, I was really busy this Christmas and didn't have much time to write, especially since my mom doesn't know I'm writing this (it's going to be a surprise when it's finished). So chapter six shouldn't take nearly as long to post as five did.

Hakuna Matata! :D

~inkyfingers999