AN: I can't believe how many reviews I got for the last chapter! You guys are absolutely brilliant. Thank you soooo much tahitiankisses, The Last Clan, Jessizoid, Cap'n Jade Sparrow, lovelyxxfreedom, lightwolfheart, bookworm125, Eva Sirico, and Rwy'n-Y-Blaidd-Drwg! I cannot thank you all enough!

Also, my other story, Not As Easy As It Seems, is no longer under hiatus! WOOHOO! I uploaded a new chapter a couple days ago and the next chapter should be posted shortly. If you like this story, I think you will like that one as well. :) So if you all would go check that story out as well and perhaps leave a review, it would mean the world to me!

Now, without further ado! Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Fifteen: Betrayal

It had been three comfortable months for Kate. Edith had taught her the ins and outs of working the dress shop and she had grown better at sewing and mending. She had even started to make her own dress. It was a nicer one, one that she could wear for a formal occasion if one ever arose. She didn't know what she would wear it for, but it would be nice to have one all the same. Kate had acquired numerous work dresses since she had been working and taking care of Edith, so this new dress would be welcome.

Kate realized suddenly one day that she was actually growing fond of these clothes, of such materialistic things. Things change so quickly…

Edith was currently working on a wedding dress for one of the wealthy elites in town. It was coming along beautifully, and though she asked Kate to help more with it, Kate was afraid she would ruin it. She was much more content with just sitting and watching Edith's nimble fingers fly across the material while her slower, indolent fingers struggled with the stitches on a work dress. Kate was snapped out of her reverie when Edith asked her to get some more white lace, which she had run out of. Kate quickly offered to go out and buy some more for her.

Kate's happiness to get out of the dress shop showed through the pep in her step. While she had grown to love the old lady, working often became tedious and suffocating. It was good to get out and get some fresh air. She soon arrived at the store that Edith had instructed her to go to, a quaint little shack really across town, and picked up ten yards of the material. Kate paid the shopkeeper the amount and left the store with her purchase in hand.

As Kate made the trek back to the dress shop, she grew increasingly hot. It was mid-afternoon and her mouth was parched. It would be another ten minutes before she would return to the shop, so she decided to make a quick stop at one of the taverns to get something to drink. She couldn't remember the last time she had had a good mug of rum. Except for on the Black Pearl… but those thoughts weren't allowed. They brought up too many painful memories. All the more reason to drown them away with a good pint of alcohol.

Kate shook her head to clear it and stepped into the tavern. It wasn't very noisy and there weren't many customers, so she headed straight to the bar and ordered a mug of rum. She laughed to herself, wondering what Edith would think if she saw her there now.

The barmaid brought Kate her drink and went off to attend to two men sitting in the corner. Kate took a large draught of the drink and smiled. The liquid burned as it sloshed down her throat; it was a feeling she had missed and she continued to sip the drink slowly, savoring and relishing it.

"Another rum, will ya lass?" A voice called out in the tavern. A note of recognition went off in Kate's mind and her mind tried to connect the voice to the face. Bells of alarm rang inside her head, blocking out any other noise. Kate stood and turned, fearing who she would see. She froze, her hands cramped and she dropped her mug of rum. It clanged and spilt across the dirty floor of the tavern as her eyes connected with none other than Jack Sparrow's.

She almost didn't recognize him without his pirate attire. His face was one of shock and bewilderment. He was expecting her just as much as she was expecting him.

The two stared at each other for a moment, and only then did Kate notice the man sitting next to him. He was wearing the navy guard attire with a captain's hat. It took her a second to recognize him because she had never met him, only had seen drawings and heard the description of his appearance from others.

It was Captain Clarke.

The tavern was quiet as the three locked eyes. Then, several things happened at once. Jack stood abruptly to his feet, sending his chair clattering behind him. Kate had grabbed a mug nearby and tossed the contents into his face and then started to sprint towards the tavern door. Clarke seemed to have regained his senses with Kate's motion and lurched forwards.

"What the hell Sparrow — get her!"

Kate knocked over stools and people that stood in her way. He mind was racing and she knew not where to hide, so she just ran. Ran as hard as she could. She risked a glance behind her and saw Jack and Clarke racing out of the tavern behind her.

"Thief! Stop that woman!" Clarke shouted.

People did not heed Clarke's command, but simply stepped out of the way of the chase. Kate rounded a corner, and saw the dress shop up ahead. If she could get in and lock the door, she and Edith could escape out the back entrance. Jack and Clarke would think she was still trapped inside.

Kate's feet pounded on the ground, and she could hear Jack and Clarke's footsteps close on her heel. She reached out her arm, stretching to reach the handle of the door. Almost there, just a few more inches — there! Kate thrust the door open and slammed it quickly behind her, locking the door.

She felt a bang on the other side of the door and she was still, just pressing her back against it for a moment to catch her breath.

"What on earth!" Edith emerged from the back of the store, taking in Kate's disheveled appearance and starting towards her. Kate was breathing hard, trying to catch her breath but she held out her hand to stop Edith.

"They've come for me!" She cried out. She ran forward, taking Edith's hand and pulling her towards the back entrance. "I've not time to explain, Edith! But we must run!" Despite being rather old and frail, Edith could stand her ground. Edith planted her feet and stopped; Kate's arm tugged free of hers.

"Edith! What are you doing?" Kate said exasperatedly. Did she not understand they didn't have time to dawdle before Captain Clarke and Captain Sparrow broke into the store?

"This is not my business, Katherine. I will stay here at my store." She said in a surprisingly calm voice.

Kate just stared at her, dumbfounded. "You can't! They will kill you, Edith!"

"They may, and they will face the law." Edith started to head towards the storefront again.

"No! They're pirates!" Kate cried. She just wanted the old lady to listen and understand. "They will escape! There will be no justice! Edith listen to me!"

Edith turned and clasped Kate's cold, shaking hands. "I'll be just fine."

Despite knowing what Clarke was capable of doing, Kate calmed at her words. "I don't think I'll be able to come back." Kate whispered, afraid that if she said the words any louder, it would make them truer.

"I'll still be here either way." Edith smiled at Katherine. Kate wanted to believe those words. She closed her eyes.

Kate leaned forward and placed a kiss on the old lady's cheek. "Thank you." That was all Kate knew to say for the kindness and compassion that Edith had given her. All Kate knew that she might give Edith in return was a fatal blow from Clarke.

There was the sound of splitting wood and then a crash that shook the whole shop. "Go!" Edith whispered fiercely, shoving Kate towards the door. Kate hesitated. She couldn't just leave Edith behind, but with another shove from the old woman, she knew she had no choice but to and she ran to the door. She flung it open and raced out. With shaking hands, she managed to shut the door quietly behind her. She paused, listening for any noises from inside and then turned, ready to run. But there was someone blocking her way.

Captain Jack Sparrow.

A small shriek escaped Kate's lips. Jack's lips were moving, speaking to her, but Kate's ears seemed clogged. She couldn't hear a thing as her mind repeatedly was shouting at her to get out of there, to run. Kate kicked Jack in the groin, and this time he was not expecting it. He fell to his knees and Kate dashed past him, just not quickly enough. Jack's fingers grasped around Kate's ankle and she fell. Her shoulder slammed against the ground, taking part of the blow, but her head hit the cobblestone street with just as much force.

Kate gave a cry of pain and clutched her shoulder. A trickle of blood was forming around her temple and she just lay there, knowing that she could not try and flee in her condition. Yet she still tried to move. She tried to crawl forward, but her vision started to fade and she grew dizzy. She knew if she moved anymore she would lose consciousness.

So she waited, waited for the worst to come. What would he do? Kill her?

Instead, Jack's face hovered into her vision. Kate couldn't seem to see straight; everything was so blurry. Were those tears in her eyes or was it from the blow to her head? Jack's lips were moving again, hurried and frantic, but Kate couldn't understand him, couldn't make out what he was saying. She tried to speak, opened her mouth but nothing would come out. She shook her head, trying to make it clear that she didn't understand what he was saying. Agitation flickered across his face and he abruptly stood to his feet.

Kate turned her head and saw Clarke heading around the corner of the shop towards them. Jack glanced furtively down at Kate. "Fell and hit her head. She's unconscious." The words that Jack spoke wafted slowly towards her, but they seemed far away. She closed her eyes, acting if she was unconscious like Jack had said. Perhaps Clarke would show her some mercy. Jack too. They had been friends. Hadn't they?

Kate felt gentle arms lift her off of the ground, and she lay limp as they carried her. Her ears seemed to unclog themselves and a rush of noise greeted her.

"I don't understand why we need her. The Navy wants her, but it's no use in framing Garner."

Kate could not believe the words she had heard. Was that really Jack speaking? Frame Garner? After all he had done for the two of them?

"She'll be extremely instrumental in framing Garner. Instead of making it look like Garner killed Willows, we can have him house her. He'll be charged for helping a pirate, as the navy considers her now. He may not hang, but he'll be put in jail." Clarke's confident voice sickened her.

After that, Kate tuned out. She wished she wouldn't have heard anything they had just said. She was just stunned. From Clarke, she would expect that. But for Jack to be working with Clarke? Her stomach began to churn at the betrayal. Kate leaned over and vomited onto Jack's chest. She heard a groan, but they did not stop.

The next thing Kate knew, she was waking up in a dark room, her hand shackled to the wall. Kate's head was pounding from where she had hit it on the stone and her shoulder felt like it was on fire. She felt the blood smear from her head wound when she laid her head against the wall. It was still bleeding. Her mouth was dry and her throat scratchy. Trying to see through the darkness, the room looked similar to the one Jack was imprisoned in before. How the tables have turned, she thought bitterly.

A surge of anger flew through her body. The pain seemed to be like a distant memory and she started to make as much noise as she could: kicking her feet, beating her arms and shackles against the wall, screaming at the top of her lungs. They would come eventually. They needed her for their plan. They wouldn't let her kill herself.

And eventually, Clarke did come. The captain burst through the door and his eyes burned as he took in Kate in her even bloodier and more ragged state. "What are you doing? Stop!" Clarke shouted, grabbing her arms and stopping her from hurting herself further. Kate stared defiantly back at him.

"Why should I?" She spat. Clarke raised his hand and she braced herself for the blow. But it never came. When Kate opened her eyes, Jack was holding Clarke's arm, his eyes ablaze.

"Not necessary," he said, his voice strained. He held up a rag as an alternative and Clarke understood, stepping back. Kate stared up at Jack in hatred. Before she could decide her next move, what she wanted to say, the reason she made so much noise in the first place, Jack had pressed the cloth over her mouth and nose.

Kate opened her mouth to speak in surprise, but as she inhaled, a sickly sweet scent overcame her. She coughed and tried not to breathe, knowing they were drugging her. "No," she managed to croak out, but it was only a whisper. Kate lifted her arms to push away Jack's hand with the cloth, but they lifted only a couple of inches before they fell back down. The next thing that started to go was her vision. Jack's face wavered before her. She thought she saw Jack mouth a word, but she was already too far disoriented to know what it was. Maybe a word of consolation? Of spite? Of apology? Before she could think about it any further, she drifted into a deep sleep.

Oh my goodness, Kate is a prisoner again! :( Tell me what you all thought of the chapter-reviews make my day! :)

-Becca