AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for the short chapter, next one is nice and lengthy.

CHAPTER FIVE: THE SEARCH

Annabelle fingered the copper compass, the only token given to her, as she gazed up longingly into the stars. A part of her wished to disappear into the heavens themselves; at times this troubled life was too much for her. There was just too much chaos, almost like a never ending hurricane that she was trapped in and all she could see was water on the horizon and never a sign of shore. The waters were never still in her life and she was a fool to be tricked in the façade that they were.

Her natural talent in reading the stars was the sole reason she was bound in this life and in the beginning she sought adventure. The years had passed quickly and her childish dreams and innocence with them. The world was a cruel place, the sea should of taught her such.

"Annie…"a familiar voice drawled, "We're almost at the port."

"Thank you Gibbs." She smiled at him and couldn't comprehend a man like him being a close companion of Jack's. All the while she herself couldn't deny the pull the great Captain Jack Sparrow had on her.

"I should warn you, Jack and Will, they uh, didn't end on good terms." Gibbs chuckled nervously.

She rolled her eyes, "I can't imagine what could have drawn the two apart." Elizabeth. The name flashed instantly in Annabelle's mind.

"Jack was wantin' you to talk to Will about the map."

Her laughter filled the night, "This really is extraordinary. He attacks me, steals my ship, holds me hostage and demands I repair his relationships. Jack never ceases to amaze me."

"That's Jack for ya."

"Indeed."

Gibbs left her, he didn't wait for her answer and she knew the only one was that she was obedient to Jack's orders. At least for the moment until Jack slipped up, and he always eventually would.

The room Jack had lent her, away from the rest of the crew's hammocks was a prison cell that no longer locked. Jack was still trying to punish her, but she didn't mind the solace and the fact it didn't lock made it seem like a crude room. For the most part of the trip to Tortuga, the crew had left her alone. All besides Gibbs who was the messenger between her and Jack, he refused her company and in all honesty she preferred it that way. If pushed she knew she was weak to his advances, the night he had taken control had showed her such.

She returned to her barred room after the conversation with Gibbs to ready for the arrival to Lockney. It shocked her when she knew Will was there, the villa wasn't well known as a honeymoon vacation for newlyweds. There was no doubt in her mind though, wherever Will was Elizabeth, the beautiful daughter of a Governor, was by his side.

Annabelle was never given such a luxury in life of even knowing who her parents were. Abandoned at birth at an orphanage was what she was given instead. To avoid the constant loneliness she absorbed all her time in the limited books in the orphanage's library about stars and navigating. A tool she picked up rather quickly and could read the stars as if they were clearly written directions.

This gift was all she had, and it had been nothing but a curse. She couldn't help the jealousy that filled her whenever Elizabeth's name popped into her head. The woman had such a blissful upbringing and threw it all away and somehow was fortunate enough to end up with a man who loved her wholly, even if she wasn't faithful.

Will deserved better, but she knew that you couldn't help who you loved. The thought sickened her at the realization that she still had feelings for Jack. A part of her knew he would always own a part of her, and she couldn't help the conflicting emotions of hate and love she bore for him.

"Stupid, foolish, idiot," Annabelle huffed as she pulled her hair up angrily trying to tame her long locks, "I can't believe I'm stuck in this situation again." She didn't know if she had been referring to Jack or herself.

Annabelle felt the shift in the ship and the yells above letting her know that they had finally arrived after weeks of being a prisoner. Lockney was as bad as Tortuga but more remote which made it less of a stop for pirates. It was still a place that she knew being unarmed was asking for trouble. Since her capture by Jack she had lost all her weapons but had managed to steal a small dagger from the pouch of one of his unsuspecting crew. She tucked it into her left boot and could only imagine how she looked. Tired and disheveled. The grace of beauty was another gift she had missed out on.

'Elizabeth the goddess of beauty,' the thought came to her like a striking viper and left her with an overwhelming jealousy.

She was disgusted with herself. Was she so low to be jealous of a woman like Elizabeth? The answer hung in the back of her mind, obvious.

Though it was darkened outside the stars shone brighter than the lamps that engulfed Lockney. They called to her, almost beckoning and she let the comfort it brought surround her and spit out the jealousy she had felt beforehand.

"Ah! Look who has finally made an appearance," Jack's voice dispelled her momentary sense of tranquility. He wasn't wearing his hat and his long dreads were longer than she had ever seen them. The red headband he once worn was gone, replaced with a black one that was hard to spot against his dark hair. A stab of hurt hit her, she had given him it and he had replaced it but she knew deep down there was no reason for him to wear it any longer. They were not together anymore. It was hard to even say they had ever been anything but a quick fling.

"Yes, yes you're welcome." She replied back letting the annoyance show in her voice trying to hide the pain she felt, "Now where are we headed to?"

Jack looked around confused, "WE? I remember distinctly telling Gibbs it was going to be just you. I have a ship, unlike you, that I must captain."

"How am I to know where he is? I've never even visited this bloody place before I've only heard about it."

"That's your issue, not mine. Let the stars guide you, you never get lost." He shrugged and forcefully grabbed her wrist.

The touch sent her heart racing and she hated herself for it. She prayed he couldn't feel her pulse racing. The effect he had on her was something Annabelle wanted to be rid of.

"Let me guide her highness of the boat." He practically threw her off the plank that lay on the dock.

Annabelle caught her footing though and knew he had been trying to throw her hard enough to make her fall.

"You have until tomorrow night." He grinned at her, "You better hurry it on up. We'll be waiting and if I have to come after you again," his smile grew bigger, "I won't be so nice as the first time we met. Plus I have this!" Her copper compass dangled from his dirty finger tips that had smudged themselves all over her once polished trophy.

"How da-"Annabelle started before he cut her off quickly.

"We've had this conversation before, 'how dare you, you evil vile man, give me back my ship' now it's a cheap compass. Just do what I say and this should be over as quickly as we both want it to be." He tossed the compass in the air and caught it, his smile had disappeared.

Her heart lurched as she watched him chucking it in the air the only memento she had of whatever life had been robbed of her from infancy.

"Fine! Fine! Tomorrow night, I'll have that bloody map for you." She growled through clenched teeth.

"Good. Now hurry off, go on." He turned his back to her and walked back towards his cabin on the Black Pearl. "When you return if I'm not here, you can find me at the brothel."

With only his shadow for her to see she felt her heart lurch one last time at his words as she headed into town. Annabelle needed to find Will quickly, the villa didn't seem that large, how hard could it be?