Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah. Pirates of the Caribbean = not mine. But if you know a way to change that... lemme know.
Elizabeth huddled in the tiny, damp cave where they had taken shelter, shivering in the cold. She wished there was some way she could obtain a blanket or jacket, but knew there was none. Who knew it could be so cold in the Caribbean? By now it was the middle of the night, and she, Will, Ana, Pintel and Ragetti were camped out in the shadowed security of a small cavern. They had run from the two men for several minutes along back roads that crisscrossed about the island, leading to various buildings and such, before darting into the forest and finally managing to shake off their pursuers. Tireless Ana had insisted that they must return and continue their search for Jack as soon as the coast was clear, but upon seeing how exhausted Elizabeth was, she reluctantly agreed that it was best to find shelter.
Not wanting to be viewed as the weak one of the group, Elizabeth had insisted upon taking her turn keeping watch, and now was doing just that. The slightly selfish part of her wished she had allowed herself to be excused from this duty, but she took comfort in the knowledge that she had no more than a half hour left before she could wake Ana and go back to sleep.
Sighing, she rested up against the cold stone side of the cavern, gazing blankly forwards. Her hand involuntarily came to rest on her stomach, as if to protect her unborn child. If the size of the baby was anything to go by, she was much further along in her pregnancy than she had originally thought. Knowing this, she felt even guiltier about coming along on this trip. Why was she so impulsive sometimes? She simply couldn't help it. The moment she tried to take a break from the nonstop action that was her everyday life, she immediately felt restless, and longed for adventure and excitement. It was a miracle that she had been rescued from a proper marriage to James Norrington, for there was no way she could have survived the restraints of society.
As she was thinking over this, she felt something warm wrap around her shoulders, instantly providing relief from the cold night air. She turned about quickly, wondering what it was, and found Will wordlessly tucking his jacket around her. "You looked cold," he said simply.
"Thank you," she said softly, smiling warmly at him. "What woke you?"
"I couldn't sleep," he admitted. "Too much on my mind, I guess."
"I can't blame you. I'm just so worried about Jonathan." She smiled wryly. "I suppose I'm a little worried about Jack, too, for once in my life."
"Twice," Will corrected bemusedly. "Remember World's End?"
Elizabeth grimaced. "I try not to. I still feel incredibly guilty when I do."
"Don't be. You did what you thought was best, and everything worked out in the end, did it not?"
"True," she conceded. "But still I can't help but think there must have been a better way- and about how much time we wasted-" she trailed off, her brow creased by the pain of the memory.
Hating to see her upset, Will gently pulled her into a warm embrace. She smiled slightly and allowed her tense muscles to relax. "I didn't know you had seen," she said, staring pensively out into the dark sky. It was a beautiful night. Stars were scattered across the vast reaches of space in brilliant splendor, like glittering diamonds strewn over a black velvet cloth. "I thought that if you did, you had seen what I did to Jack. I can't even imagine what you must have thought of me."
Will sighed, involuntarily holding her closer. "I- I guess I really didn't know what I felt. I thought perhaps I had done something to upset you, or that maybe you felt sorry for me and had loved Jack all along- I don't know."
"Well, none of that was true, and what really matters is that we're here together now," she replied with finality, not wishing to relive that difficult time.
"I love you," Will murmured.
Amused, Elizabeth inquired, "Is that so? What brought this on?"
He shrugged. "I haven't told you yet today."
"True," she said with a smile. "How very remiss of you. Well, I love you too, even if you are forgetful sometimes."
Before Will could reply, they were cut off by an exasperated groan from behind them. "Lovely," Ana sighed. "At it again. Keep it down, would ya? I wanna get as much sleep as I can, and ye aren't helpin'."
Grinning, Elizabeth turned to face her friend. "Two heads are better than one," she quipped. Ana muttered something under her breath that Elizabeth could not make out from where she was sitting.
As everyone was settling back down, they heard a strange noise nearby, and all three froze. As they continued to listen, they heard voices as well, speaking in another language, probably Russian. Ana woke Pintel and Ragetti, silencing them swiftly before they could inquire about the reason for their being disturbed. "We gotta move out," she hissed, and the others obliged quickly and willingly. They followed Ana on hands and knees through the undergrowth that covered the side of the cave, leading around and out of sight of the Russian scouts. Upon reaching what seemed to be relatively safe ground, they sprinted away.
Several minutes of hard running later, they found themselves back on one of the paths they had followed earlier that night. "We- we have to get back- to the ship," Ana announced.
"Wot about Cap'n Jack?" Pintel protested.
"Well, we aren't going to be of much help to him this way, now, are we?" Elizabeth said ruefully.
"They're right," Will agreed. After a moment's pause, he pointed out, "Jacob said he knew his way around the area. He might prove to be a great help."
"What's more, we hardly have any provisions left," Elizabeth continued. "But what if something happens while we're gone?" No one replied to this; all silently began to weigh their options. Biting her lower lip, Elizabeth suggested, "What if Will and I returned, while Ana, Pintel and Ragetti stay here?"
All agreed that this would probably be best, and the Turners began the cautious trek back to the Pearl.
"I will do my best," Jacob said earnestly.
"That's a good boy," Mr. Gibbs said jovially, clapping the boy on the shoulder. He had been awakened from a fitful slumber and told that his navigational skills were needed immediately. When he had been awakened, he had still been fully dressed, to the point of still having his hat on, and was ready to return with Will within two minutes.
Elizabeth had reluctantly agreed that she had best remain here and get at least some sleep before plunging back into the perils of the adventure taking place on the island, so Will would accompany Jacob back to the enemy camp.
"Get some rest," Will said softly, hugging Elizabeth before she went below decks.
Elizabeth grinned, returning the embrace. "I will. Go ahead save the day without me," she said teasingly. "And don't you dare die on me again," she added in a far more serious tone.
"I won't, I promise."
As the hatch fell closed behind her, Will strode back to the longboat, climbing in and expertly preparing to lower it into the water. Jacob climbed in behind him, appearing slightly distraught. He carried a worn sack with him, containing four threadbare woolen blankets and assorted other supplies. Will, too, toted a bag containing food and a few spare weapons, all bound neatly in spare sailcloth. In his pocket he carried two of Sarah's hairpins, so as to pry open the lock- that is, if they ever got the chance to do so. They knew naught of how long this expedition might last, and had done their best to carry the proper provisions while still packing as little as possible. Their food consisted mainly of hard, dry bread, and for weapons they would mostly use their own swords.
Anya tried to keep herself from shivering as she sat opposite Will in the longboat, rowing to shore. While she knew her way around the island far better than any of her shipmates, she still had not been here in a long time. She only hoped she did not let anyone down. While Will told her about the events of the past sixteen hours, she felt as though she was aging faster and faster by the moment. At only nineteen years old, she felt as though she bore the weight of her world on her shoulders- which she essentially did. Not only did her new friends rely heavily on her, there were others who did as well, and she could share her burden with no one. No, she couldn't keep thinking like this. She would simply have to do her best and keep going no matter what.
Oh, but the words "easier said than done" never rang so true.
When the bottom of the boat scraped along the beginnings of the sandy beach, Will leaped over to the side, easily pulling it in while she scrambled out and helped as best she could. No conversation took place as they tied the boat to a scraggly tree and hastened down the path. It occurred to her that she would have to try even harder to keep her hat on- it had fallen off so easily when she was asleep earlier that day. She bit her lip, hoping desperately that she would not accidentally reveal her identity to Will as well, though she would certainly rather be discovered by him than by someone like Mr. Gibbs. Sarah was very much like her father; they both were very kind and quiet, and neither could stand to see their friends upset. She wondered- was she considered a friend?
After about fifteen minutes of walking in silence, they reached the first moonlit clearing, and an icy chill ran down Anya's spine, terror gripping her mind and heart like an ice-cold vice. The memories this place brought wreaked havoc on any form of confidence she might have had before arriving here. She could not repeat the mistakes made the last time she was here. She could not allow it. Squaring her shoulders, she gritted her teeth to prevent them from chattering, and strode into the second tunnel.
She refused to fail again.
With this determined thought as her mantra, she continued to follow Will through the all-too-familiar paths, until suddenly he stopped. From where they stood, they could see the second clearing.
"Do you know your way around this island?" Will whispered.
"Somewhat," she replied uneasily.
"Do you know where the mill is?"
She hesitated, trying to visualize the route to his requested destination, before answering. "Yes, sir."
"I'm Will, not sir," he corrected her, smiling slightly. Then he stepped to the side, motioning for her to lead the way.
Friday, October 4th
Dear Diary,
Oh, what have I done? If only I had refused to go ashore in Tortuga, none of this would be happening. Uncle Jack has been captured too, Robin is hurt, Anya is in danger, and no matter what people tell me, I know deep down inside that it's my fault. Kristie feels so very guilty as well, but it doesn't seem to affect her as much as it does me, which, despite the fact that I know she is truly sick with worry, makes me frustrated. On the other hand, I've never seen Robert in such a state. Since his room is next to ours, I can hear him tossing and turning into the wee hours of the morning, and I feel even guiltier. After all, I helped Kristie convince him to come along. The worst thing about this is that I feel so useless. We mustn't go ashore, so we must rely on those who return to the Pearl for any information regarding our families. My mother returned late last night- or would it be considered early this morning?- with my father to fetch Anya. Since she knows her way around the island for some unknown reason, they decided she would be of great help to them. I wonder if she knows Jonathan's kidnappers, or worse, is involved with them? Something inside me tells me I shouldn't trust her, but I want to believe she is on our side.
The crew members have been just wonderful- they're always willing to try to cheer us up, no matter how pointless such an endeavor may be. Mack McCready, one of the other new crew members, has been surprisingly friendly to us, and I feel guilty for being so uneasy about him when I first met him. Despite his intimidating appearance, only made worse by the cloth covering his face, he seems to be very kind. He tells us all sorts of stories from his life at sea, and is the only person who has succeeded in making Robert laugh.
Oh, before I forget- Kristie accused me of being in love with Robert. What would make her say such a thing? I did not deny it, because I don't know if that would be honest. I don't know what it's like to be in love, so I don't know what I feel for him. Besides, he's the only boy my age that I know. I admit I feel very embarrassed when I make an error in front of him, and that I want to spend time with him but am jittery when I do- is it not like that with any boy? I don't know. All I know about that kind of love comes from observing my parents and Kristie's parents. I don't know what to think of this. I want to talk to someone, but who? Anya, perhaps, but she has gone ashore as well. I think I could tell Robin, but I don't know. Normally I would ask Kristie about this, but I have no doubt she would tease me mercilessly. Besides, I don't want to trouble her with such things when she is already so worried. Though she tries so very hard to maintain her strong, tough front, I know she is hurting, and it breaks my heart. The mischievous sparkle is gone from her eyes, and I miss it. I feel like I should be helping somehow, but I can't. What should I do?
Always,
Sarah Turner
The crisp, fresh morning air felt heavenly on Robin's skin as he walked across the deck. His head was feeling much better today, and the purple lump his fall had left on the left side of his forehead, while still very sensitive, no longer throbbed when he so much as sat up. But his thoughts did not involve his injuries. Rather, he was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that "Jacob" had been merely a disguise. He was utterly amazed; he would not have believed such a thing possible had he not seen the real Anya with his own eyes. He had awakened to the sound of voices directly overhead. It had been Kristie and Sarah arguing over something to do with Kristie's family being in danger and someone not caring, but he had heard nothing more. Upon recognizing their voices, he had buried his face in the pillow in exasperation. When suddenly they fell silent, he thought to see if Jacob was still at his bedside, and if he was, to ask him if he knew what was going on. He had been more shocked than he ever had in his life when he saw the beautiful girl sitting in his place, her dark curls falling messily about her face as she dozed. It took him a moment to realize that this was not some stranger, but in fact was Jacob, the "boy" who had taken care of his injuries. He had been so shocked that for nearly ten minutes he could do nothing but stare in amazement. Once or twice he nearly got up the courage to get up and move to where he could get a better view of her face, but did not dare to wake her up and immediately hated himself for considering such a thing. This girl had spent approximately fourteen hours at his bedside, nursing him back to health, and he would dare to disturb her when she finally allowed herself to sleep? He could have slapped himself, he felt so guilty. It occurred to him now that there was no logical reason for the duty of caring for him to fall completely to her. Why had she done it?
He sighed in frustration as he stared out over the rail to the shore. What concerned him even more was the fact that Anya had been sent to shore with Will because of her alleged knowledge of the island's twisting paths. He wondered if they would have sent her ashore if they knew her true identity? He was afraid that she might be hurt somehow; after all, she was only a young girl. He estimated her to be a year or so younger than he; perhaps eighteen or nineteen. Unfortunately, it was this same fear for her welfare that kept him from telling others the truth. For one, he could not bear to lose her trust. She would undoubtedly be furious with him if he told her secret. What's more, this information had the potential to endanger her greatly. He knew the code. No women were technically allowed aboard any pirate vessel. This could be overlooked easily, considering the presence of Elizabeth, Ana, Sarah and Kristie, but how would they react considering that she had lied to them? Come to think of it, he knew he had every right to be angry with her as well. Mr. Gibbs had gone ashore shortly after he fell unconscious in search of Jack, but who knew what more trouble had arisen since then? He let his face fall to his hands, resting his elbows against the weathered wood of the railing, and prayed desperately that she would somehow remain safe.
Ana felt as though the pounding of her heart could be heard from the far reaches of the island as she crawled to the side of the slanted door, hairpin in hand, behind Pintel. He bumped into an empty crate in front of the cellar, and her heart skipped a beat in a moment of panic. "Shh!" she hissed, glaring at him as she shoved the hairpin at him. By the time Will had arrived with Jacob and the tools, daylight had destroyed their hiding places, and they were forced to retreat to their cave and wait for night to fall to come and rescue their friend.
"Awright, awright," he muttered, jabbing at the keyhole moodily with the pin, then removing it and bending the tip slightly. Ana turned towards the clearing to watch for danger, as well as to refrain from yelling at the clumsy old pirate. Her eyes darted nervously back and forth across the open space, daring someone to keep them from freeing Jack. When she heard a distinct clicking noise and realized the padlock was open, a satisfied smirk replaced the steely-eyed stare on her face as she turned to the door. Now for her job. Her pulse quickened as she grasped the brittle wood at the corner of one door, peeling it back ever so slowly, just far enough to allow one person through. Pintel held the door ajar for her while she crawled around to where she could peek inside. Grabbing the lantern she had found and lighting it with a stolen match, she wrapped her bandanna securely around the it, allowing just one side to emit light. Heart pounding in trepidation, she lowered the light to the door, peering inside. The sight that met her eyes nearly caused her to laugh.
Jack had originally worn only cuffs for his hands and feet, bound together so he could not stand upright. All around him, displaced dust and dirt evidenced a struggle. Evidently, he had only succeeded in moving so that his hands and feet were tied behind him. Two curving tracks- knee prints, she could only assume- led to the door and back again. She noted with a grimace that they had taken his affects. Now they would probably have to spend extra time here to retrieve them.
"Jack," she whispered loudly. When he did not respond, she whispered his name again, louder this time, but still there was no response. Her eyes widened in fear- he couldn't be dead. Nothing could honestly kill Captain Jack Sparrow, could it? "Jack!" This time she spoke his name much louder, abandoning the plan of whispering entirely. Relief flooded her when he sprang awkwardly to his knees, staring up at her with some unidentified expression on his face.
"Anamaria! Took ye long enough," he remarked.
She wanted to smile, glad that he was still the same old Jack, but refrained. "Ye could've rescued yerself," she retorted. "After all, ye are Captain Jack Sparrow." As she spoke, she motioned for Pintel to keep holding the door and dropped into the miniscule cellar, armed with another hairpin and instructions on how to use it.
He paused before replying. "I figgered if ye came to rescue me, ye'd be worried that somethin' happened to me."
"Ah," she said, beginning to work on the handcuffs. "And what of yer tangled-up chains 'ere?"
"Cruel, aren't they?"
She regarded him skeptically, but said nothing, pulling him to his feet and hastening back to the door. They could not be caught.
They climbed cautiously out of the little room, being certain to remain well within the security of the shadows, and crawled back to that same rock where they had hidden earlier. However, before they could settle down and discuss what to do next with Will and Jacob, they noticed Ragetti's eyes grow wide with terror. "Wot is it, a cat?" Pintel sneered.
Ragetti shook his head vehemently, pointing at the shadow of a man walking towards them on one of the paths at an achingly slow pace, apparently a night guard out on patrol. Jacob glanced around anxiously, looking for a hiding place one could only assume, but as far as Ana could tell, there was nowhere to go. She began crawling towards a stand of trees about thirty feet or so behind them, but Jacob reached out and grasped her arm, shaking his head. She looked at him as though he was crazy. That man was about to catch them, and he wouldn't let her seek out shelter? But then he proceeded to crawl around the boulder about a quarter of the way, brushing some leaves out of the way and moving a thin, oval-shaped stone away, and revealing a tunnel. He glanced nervously about, then beckoned to his friends to follow him, and crawled into the space. Skeptically, Ana and Jack followed, then Will, and finally Pintel and Ragetti, the latter having grown even more nervous by the second and now utterly terrified.
The tunnel was much larger than it appeared, and grew far wider as you crawled into it. Though a bit snug, it fit all six of its occupants shockingly well. Ana stared at Jacob incredulously, wondering how it was that he would know such a thing. She was endlessly grateful for this space at the moment, but she could not help but wonder how on Earth the boy would know of secret passageways and hideaways. It was all very curious. Ana looked to the boy questioningly, but he diverted his eyes and turned to the entrance.
He deftly flipped the stone back over the entrance, effectively sealing them and blocking out the light. Luckily, after a half a minute or so of fumbling in the canvas sack, Will lit a lantern, lighting up the room. He then reached up and pushed the rock slightly to one side and placing the lantern beneath the tiny opening this produced.
It didn't take long for Jacob, Pintel and Ragetti to fall asleep, and Will began idly counting the matches over and over, lining them up in various patterns and such. Anamaria flung her arms around Jack's neck. She embraced him for a few moments, then promptly pulled back and glared at him. "Don't run off like that again!" she whispered fiercely, her dark eyes clearly showing that she meant it. Then she hugged him again, resting her head on his shoulder.
Then, just for good measure, she added, "Don't ye dare leave me again. If ye do, I'll tell everyone Captain Jack Sparrow is a wuss."
(A/N:) Sorry this took so long to finish. Schoolwork and swimming have been crazy, I turned fourteen (yay!), and I hurt my knee, so what used to be writing time is now spent doing rehab stuff. No fun. But I promise to try to get chapter thirteen posted sooner! In the meantime, though, the review button doesn't bite. ;)