Sorry for the bit of a longer wait this time. Bloody school always gets in the way of everything... nonetheless! I want to give a big thanks to lovelyxxfreedom, Rwy'n-Y-Blaidd-Drwg, Lightwolfheart, and Eva Sirico for reviewing! You have no idea how encouraging your reviews always are to read! :)

And without further ado...

Chapter Eleven: Confessions and Hope

Throughout the next day at sea, Garner tried to entertain and comfort Kate, but nothing he did seemed to work. She refused to eat, refused to talk, refused to do anything but sit on her bunk in her room. Bolton would not allow Kate to see Jack, and while she wanted to check that Jack was okay, she really just wanted to spend some time with him. He was her friend after all. She was sick of being alone.

She appreciated Garner's efforts to cheer her up, but the thought of going to Port Veridian to perhaps face her own death hung over her head. She could not get it out of her mind. Was it really worth dying for the protection of another murderer? Kate still did not even know all the answers to the situation to begin with, so how was she supposed to answer the ultimate question?

Garner poked his head into Kate's room. "Katherine, you should eat." He said, looking pointedly at the untouched plate of food that resided by her bed on a table, exactly where Garner had set it that morning.

Despite Kate constantly reminding Garner to call her Kate, not Katherine, Garner consistently proceeded to call her Katherine.

"I'll die either way, from starvation or from hanging." She said despondently.

Garner had to stop himself from rolling his eyes as he entered the room. Women had to be so dramatic. He stood in front of the door and tried to think of something, anything, to say that would make the dejected woman feel the least bit better.

Kate sat, her back straight as a board, looking forward at the space in front of her, seeing but not seeing at the same time.

Garner suppressed a sigh. "Is there anything I can do for you?" He asked hopefully.

Kate pursed her lips but did not respond immediately. "Can I just see Jack just for a few minutes?" She asked hopefully.

Garner hesitated, "I'm sorry, but no. I can't just disobey Bolton." He sat down next to her. "As much as I want to though sometimes…" He added.

Kate raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

Garner shrugged. "What it sounds like I suppose."

Kate was silent as she thought that over. "You believe that I didn't kill Willows, right?" She asked.

Garner nodded. "Of course I believe you."

"So what do you think did happen?" She asked curiously. Kate figured if she couldn't see Jack, she could at least try to make a new friend to keep her company.

Garner leaned back against the wall. "I'm not sure honestly. I'm confused as to how you are involved. The scream I presume was you, so either you found Willows already dead, or you saw the murder."

"And which do you think happened?" Kate prompted.

Garner shook his head. "I don't know."

It was silent for a moment. "I saw who killed Willows. That's why I screamed." She said, barely audible. Kate closed her eyes. Garner did not ask who it was nor did he ask any other questions. He remained silent.

"It was Jack." Kate finally said. She opened her watery eyes to look at Garner in the face.

"You don't have to te—"

"Let me continue before I changed my mind." Kate's voice was low. "I heard a noise from behind the tavern. We have dogs and beggars that always get in our trash—I thought that it was one of them. So I went to look and just as I turned the corner, Jack… he pulled the trigger and shot Willows. Dead." She took a shaky breath. "I was mortified, scared, I couldn't move. I screamed and they saw me. They knocked me out and took me aboard the ship." She closed her eyes again, remembering what she hadn't told anyone yet. "They did not hurt me. They fed me, gave me clothes, and I helped the cook." Her voice was growing softer, less harsh. "Jack gave me sword fighting lessons. I still can't use one very well, but he did try." She gave a small smile.

Kate finally looked up at Garner and tried to read the undecipherable expression on his face. "I don't know why Jack just didn't kill me and dump me in the ocean." She said, but then quickly corrected herself. "Actually, I do. Because he's really not that bad of a person. He's a good guy, sweet, nice... I guess not what you would expect in a pirate."

She fiddled with the cuff on her shirt. She looked over at Garner's garb and her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my gosh," she stood abruptly, backing away from Garner.

A bewildered look crossed Garner's face. "What's wrong?"

"You—you're, you, I can't—I just…" Kate couldn't seem to speak. Garner stood up quickly and came closer to her.

"Are you feeling ill?" He asked concernedly, starting to hold up his hand to feel her forehead.

Kate shook her head and pushed on his chest, making him take a step back. "I just told you—Jack will hang!" Kate's throat felt tight and she felt tears prick the corner of her eyes again. "I swore I wouldn't—I just—"

"Forgot." Garner finished for her. He genuinely looked concerned and he went and sat back down on the chair beside her bed. "Why would you defend him? Risk you own life for someone who ruined yours?" Garner asked.

Kate was silent, still trying to hold back tears.

"I just don't underst…" Garner didn't finish his sentence but looked back at Kate, realization dawning on his face.

Kate sniffled. "What?" She asked hesitantly.

"Er, nothing." He said quickly. He stood, pacing back and forth in front of her, his hands tucked behind his back.

Kate didn't understand what he was doing. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Thinking," he said vaguely.

"Earlier, you asked if you could do something for me," Kate stated.

Garner stopped pacing to look at her. "Yes?"

"Don't tell Bolton anything I just told you." She said meekly. "Please," she added, almost pleadingly.

"I wasn't planning on it." Garner said.

Kate and the Navy captain just looked at each other.

"You…you weren't?"

"No."

Kate let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you." She murmured, sliding down the wall into a sitting position.

Garner started to pace again. The next few minutes passed in silence until Kate spoke again. "Do you have any chocolate?"

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Kate held the steaming cup of hot chocolate in her hands, little wisps floating from the chocolaty goodness inside of it. Kate followed Garner down the hallways of the navy ship carefully, not wanting to spill the drink.

Garner flipped a key in his hand, then looked down the deserted hallway and back. He placed the key into the hole and turned the door handle. Just as he pushed open the door, a leg kicked violently. If Garner wouldn't have paused before entering, he would've been kicked in the groin.

"Jack, calm down! It's Kate," she glanced over at the Navy captain, "and Garner."

Kate pushed open the door with her hip, still holding the hot chocolate, and entered the little room. Kate gasped, almost dropping the hot chocolate as she took in Jack's ragged and beaten appearance. His hands were cuffed to a chain that connected to the wall, leaving them hanging over his head. The slight discoloration that was appearing earlier was now dark, circling his eye and almost swelling it shut. There was dried blood on his lip that ran down his chin. Kate tried not to stare.

"I thought I looked pretty good today, too." Jack joked, the corners of his mouth lifting.

"I…I brought you hot chocolate." Kate said quietly. Jack wiggled his hands in the cuffs in response.

Kate turned to Garner. "Can you unchain him?" She asked. Garner hesitated. "He won't harm you." She gave a pointed look at Jack who seemed to give on back to her that said I make no promises. She tried not to smile.

Garner pulled out the ring of keys again and stopped at a small silver one. He squatted down next to Jack and unlocked his left arm and then his right. As Jack's arms fell from the chains, Garner stepped backwards a few paces nearer to the door.

"Relax, mate." Jack grinned at Garner, rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had irritated and inflamed his skin, turning it from tan to bright red.

"Here," Kate murmured, sitting down next to Jack and handing him the hot chocolate.

"Rum?" He asked hopefully, taking a sip.

"I'm afraid not." Kate smiled softly.

Jack took a long drink. "It'd be better with rum, but it's good." He blew on it. "You make it?"

Kate nodded.

"I could tell." He said, sipping it slowly.

Kate looked up at Garner, biting her lip. "Is there no way that you can talk to Bolton about this?" Kate motioned at Jack.

Garner hesitated. "I don't know. It depends on how angry he is…" He trailed off, moving his focus from Kate to Jack.

"Angry?" Kate asked, confused.

"I said a few things he might not have liked." Jack said vaguely, tipping the cup back and draining it of its contents.

"Was it necessary?" Kate asked.

Jack's face lost its jovial lightness and darkened, his eyebrows lowering and his gaze dropping. "Depends who you ask. I am a pirate, after all." He spit out the word pirate.

Kate took the cup from Jack's hands.

"If you won't talk to him Garner, I will." Kate said finally as she stood.

"Sorry," Garner mumbled as he took one of Jack's arms and cuffed his wrist. He took the other and cuffed it as well. "I'll have to leave you cuffed, but I can extend the chains so your arms aren't hanging." He offered. Jack nodded, so Garner unlooped the chains so they hung farther down the wall. Jack's arms, while still somewhat constricted, could at least rest on the ground now, reducing the pain and stress on his wrists.

"I'll be back with something for your cuts," Kate said to Jack. Garner had left the room and was standing in the hallway waiting for her.

"I told Garner." She said quietly, her hand on the door knob.

"Told Garner what?" Jack asked slowly.

"Everything," Kate's voice was barely audible.

Jack did not respond.

"I think he can help, honestly Jack." Kate said. "Our sentence would be to hang from the gallows either way. There's nothing to lose." She pleaded after she saw the instance of anger flash on his face.

"So you're saving yourself while you can?" He asked, a hurt look crossing his face.

"No! I think Garner can help."

"He's a captain of the Royal Navy! He'll help get our necks around a noose!" Jack's voice was rising.

"Jack, just trust me. You ruined my life and somehow managed to fix it. I'm ruining yours, now let me fix it." Kate pleaded.

"Just because you slept with him before doesn't mean he'll do everything you ask!"

Kate felt like she had been slapped in the face. "Maybe I should just let you hang." She said angrily. She didn't wait for a response but walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her. She did not look up at Garner; she simply walked down the hallway to the galley, hoping she could somehow straighten this mess out.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Kate had been wandering the navy vessel, exploring the different hallways and rooms. Whether she was supposed to or not, she didn't care. Garner had left to discuss some "things" with Bolton. He wouldn't be specific. Kate just hoped that Garner was honest and would not reveal what Kate had confessed to him.

Kate didn't know what it was about Garner, but she felt comfortable around him. She was embarrassed of her past with him, but somehow it made them feel like old friends. Kate had no feelings of interest for him now, but she did like him as a companion. That's why she had confessed to him what she did. She wasn't thinking of Garner being a Navy Captain, just a friend.

As much confusion that telling Garner had created, oddly, Kate did not regret it.

Kate climbed the stairs to the main deck and smiled as the ocean breeze tossed her hair around her face. She walked to the railing, overlooking the gentle waves and the bright blue sky. She didn't realize how much she had grown to love the sea. Kate imagined in her mind Nate or Brandon calling out to her in her mind, saying "don't fall over the edge!"

Kate smiled, looking down at her hands and then sighed. "I guess I won't be seeing them again." She said quietly to herself.

"Seeing who again?" Garner stepper forward, greeting her.

Kate started, not expecting the tall man. "Oh, just a few friends aboard the… Pearl."

"You don't know that." Garner said optimistically, patting her hand.

Kate knitted her brows. "Jack will hang once we reach Port Veridian. I will too, for being involved with pirates and for withholding information." Kate said softly, turning her gaze back to the ocean. She did not know how long it would take to reach Port Veridian, but she wanted to enjoy what she could now.

"Not if you two don't reach Port Veridian." Garner said in a barely audible voice. He did not turn to her when he spoke, but kept his gaze focused straight ahead.

"What are you proposing?" Kate asked quietly.

Garner shifted his weight to the other foot. "I don't have a full plan yet, but…" He trailed off taking off his hat and running his hand through his thick, brown hair. "I want to help you escape."

Kate felt like her heart had stopped for a moment. "Do not make jokes, Captain Garner." She said coldly. "Doing that would ruin your career. You would hang with us."

Garner waited a few moments to respond. "Not if they didn't know it was me."

Kate jerked her gaze from the waves and the horizon and turned to Garner, not speaking.

"They won't know it was me." He placed his hat back on his head and with a small grin, headed below deck.

Kate just stood, staring at the spot where Garner had been standing, trying to understand what he was doing. There was no way that they could escape from this alive. There was no way that Garner would not be caught.

Kate raced across the deck, attracting some odd looks, and down the stairs after Garner. "Captain Garner!" Kate yelled, not knowing which direction he had gone in. She heard footsteps from her left and turned.

"Yes, Katherine?" He asked in a manner that suggested they had not just spoken previously.

Kate looked back and forth, making sure no one was around, and grabbed Garner's shirt, pulling him into the nearest vacant room and shutting the door quietly.

"Katherine! I can't see a th—"

"Shh!" Kate hissed.

"Where the devil are you?" He took a step forward, following her voice and bumped right into her. Kate stumbled backwards as her feet tripped over various objects that littered the floor. She managed to catch herself, but only after a bucket fell off of a crate with a loud crash.

"Stay still, will you! How would it look if someone were to pass and here and find us like this?" Kate whispered furiously.

Garner stopped moving at her command. "What is this about?" He whispered back.

"How in the bloody hell do you think you will help us escape without getting caught?"

"I told you, I haven't figured out the details yet." He answered quickly, a little bit of irritation catching in his voice.

"I just want you to realize what you're getting yourself into. If you are caught—"

"I fully understand the consequences Katherine." He interrupted.

"Yes, but—I don't think this is possible. Not without other help." Kate reasoned. "Who will—do you have a match? This dark is rather cumbersome."

Kate could hear rustling as the captain dug into his pockets. After a moment, there was a hiss and a little flame illuminated Garner's face. Kate looked around, finding a lantern behind her and took it, holding it out for Garner to light.

The lantern provided enough light to show that they were in a storage room. Garner's face looked eerie in the dark before her and Kate shivered.

"Are you cold?" He asked concernedly.

"No," Kate replied quickly. "As I was saying before, you will need outside help—"

"I've considered this." Garner interrupted her for the second time.

"And who the bloody hell do you think will help two pirates escape their fate at the gallows?" She whispered, almost angrily.

Garner was silent for a moment. "Do you consider yourself a pirate?"

"I don—wait, what? Well, I just, I just suppose I might as well be considered one. I've been a part of a pirate crew for little over a month now." She was silent for a minute. "I just sort of…said it."

"Do you want to be a pirate?" Captain Garner asked, slowly, anticipating her answer.

"I, well, I don't know. I don't think I could ever go back to living life the way I did after this." Kate said. "I don't know if I could handle attacking other ships, stealing from innocent people, watching individuals die. I can't think that that would be the life for me."

"But you'd like to stay aboard the Black Pearl, yes?" He prompted.

"Yes," Kate did not hesitate to answer. "Yes, I would. But, to be a pirate! I don't know… I just— why are we discussing this? It's all irrelevant!"

"Not if you escape, Kate." Garner said so softly that Kate leaned forward to hear him. That was one of the first times that Garner had called her Kate, not Katherine. It sounded odd coming from the polite and chivalrous captain.

"I have to escape first." Kate reminded him. "And so do you. Who do you think will help you? Your officers under your command? They respond to you, but more so to the commodore. They will not disobey the law to help you Garner, no matter how much they respect you."

Garner shook his head, the light flickering. "I would not ask them. You seem to forget about the crew of the Black Pearl, Katherine." Garner now reminded Kate. "If they have any respect for their captain, Sparrow, they will return for him."

Kate was silent, thinking. "Nate and Gibbs were able to get back to the ship." She stated. "They were there when we were captured. They will know that they are taking us back to Veridian." Hope alighted in her eyes.

"Now you're thinking like me," he joked.

Kate playfully stuck her tongue out at him. "What did Bolton want from you, earlier?" She asked.

"He wanted to know if you revealed anything more to me." He replied. "I told him that you said you did not kill Willows, and that was all."

Kate couldn't restrain herself from hugging the captain as she threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Garner!"

Garner awkwardly patted her back, not knowing whether that was appropriate or not. "Of course."

Kate pulled back. "You should be going before they wonder where you are and find you in a closet with me." She grinned. "I don't think that would be good for your reputation, captain."

Garner smirked. "I think they'd understand with such a woman as yourself."

Kate raised her eyebrows at him. Was he complimenting her?

He leaned past her and put his hand on the door, opening it. Before he walked out though, he dug into his pocket and pulled out something small and silvery. He dropped it into her hand. "To check on your captain," he simply said, leaving the storage room.

Kate opened her hand to see the key to the room Jack was imprisoned in. She smiled softly at his thoughtfulness and her fingers closed around the cold key. Maybe there was some hope after all.

Aw, I love Garner. He's such a gentleman and so... awkward. xD What do you guys think of him? And of the chapter? I'd love to hear your opinion and any tips you have to give. I'm here to improve-and have fun. As always, reviews make my day! :)

-Becca