Chapter 4: A Dauntless Interception

"Timmy! Oh Timmy thank goodness!"

Peggy Blake sighed with relief as a young woman, not much older than herself and round with child, rushed forward to take the now smiling, happily squealing toddler from Peggy's arms.

It was already an hour after dawn, a few hours after the pirates of the Black Pearl had left Port Royal. Peggy's head was still reeling from the shock of it all. After ten years in hiding, she never would have ever dreamed of seeing any of those men again.

She was surprised she did not recognise some of them as they attacked the town. Then again, the Pearl always did have such a large crew and it had been so long since she'd seen them.

Koehler and Twigg were not faces she'd forget in a hurry, not when they were the ones who had bound those ropes around her all those years ago.

Bastards…utter bastards the lot of them. She cursed inside her head, though the savage thoughts were quick to fade as little Timmy's mother quickly swept her into a tearful hug.

"Oh, thank you miss! Thank you! I had thought the worst I had. I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay you."

"Please no need to repay me. I could not leave him at the mercy of those pirates." Peggy blushed to the roots of her coppery curls as the young man behind the woman, whom she recognised as an apprentice carpenter from near the docks, stepped forward and wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders as she pulled away from Peggy.

"Nonsense miss, ye saved our son's life. If ever, you or your family need anything, please let us know, we will only be too glad to help."

"Sir there's no need-"

"Thank you Benjamin that's very generous." A male voice suddenly spoke, and Peggy jolted as a rough hand closed around her shoulder.

"Will!" She sighed, clutching at her heart from the shock.

"Ah! William! I am glad to see you're alright." Mister Brandon's smile brightened as he reached out to grip Will's forearm in comradely greeting.

"And I you Ben." Will returned the smile with a tired one as he politely bobbed his head to Joseph's wife. "Missus Barker"

"Mister Turner." Missus Barker nodded flashing a small oddly knowing smirk at Peggy as her husband said:

"We were just thanking your friend for taking such good care of our son last night."

"It was nothing, truly." Peggy tried to protest "I-I was just doing what any other would have done."

"Nonetheless, as I said, if you or William need a favour you need only ask. Though I doubt anything will be enough to repay you for saving such a life so precious to us." Mister Barker nodded.

"Well, I…" Peggy gulped doing her best to avoid Will's amused smirk in her direction "Thank you Mister Barker I will keep that in mind. But truly it was no trouble at all. Little Timmy truly is a brave lad."

"Like his father." Missus Barker kissed her son's head as he snuggled his nose into her neck. "Please, don't be a stranger. You are both welcome anytime. Indeed, why don't you join us for breakfast, I know things are a bit chaotic, but I am sure I should be able to-"

"That's very sweet of you Mam but I am afraid we must return to the smithy." Will cut across gently. "Make sure everything is in order."

"Of course," Mister Barker nodded at Will. "Goodness knows how much damage those Pirates caused. I wouldn't be surprised if I went down to my workshop and found it empty of stock."

"But that can wait until later." His wife swatted him sternly. "right now we have a son that needs feeding and a bruise of yours to treat."

"Only too true love. Forgive me William, Miss, but you know how it is. Can't argue with the missus." Mister Barker chuckled. With a smile, he tipped his hat to William and Peggy as he wrapped an arm around his wife and son. Both mother and son smiled and waved at the pair warmly as they were led down the street.

"Well, that's one thing sorted." Peggy smiled as the little family walked safely out of earshot, little Timmy waving another goodbye at her over his mother's shoulder.

"I'm glad you're both alright." Will sighed, his smile falling as his body sagged with exhaustion against her side.

"Will!" She cried out as he swayed where he stood but he was quick to steady himself.

"S'nothing. Just a small bump to the head." He grunted as she reached out to hold him by the elbows.

"Yes, and I'm the captain of the Flying Dutchman." Peggy rolled her eyes. "God Will, what happened to you? You know what, that can wait, I'm getting you home right now!"

"Peg-" He tried to protest but he was too tired to struggle against her dragging him back up the street towards the Smithy and their home. "I'm fine Peg, I'm fine."

"I'll be the judge of that William Turner." Peggy spat as she unlocked the front door to their home and hauled him inside.

She swiftly pulled him over to sit on a hair by the sink, yanking his now dirty brown locks free of their low ponytail so she could run her hand over his scalp and the small hard lump on the back of it.

Had it not been for the occasional painful tug of a knot Will might have enjoyed the sensation of her fingers running through his hair, but he could not. Not when his mind was burning with what he had seen last night.

"They took her."

"Took who?" Peggy turned his head to the side so she could further inspect the lump. Thankfully it didn't seem to be that large.

"Elizabeth." Will winced as her fingers grazed the painful lump. "The pirates, I saw them take her captive. Just after you made it to the fort."

Peggy swore loudly. This…this was not good.

But hold on did that mean what she thought it meant? She'd have to check…but only after she tended to Will's thick head!

"Hmm…I don't feel a cut. Still, I'm going to clean it just to be safe." she said grabbing a bar of soap and a small bucket filled with water she had collected the night before.

"Peggy it's fine. Look, I'm not dizzy any more. I've got to tell the Commodore and the Governor; we must work on saving her-" Will tried pulling himself up straight only to get pushed back forcibly.

"Not yet! I'm cleaning this wound. You can't save Lizzy if you get an infection that kills you along the way."

"But every minute we waste they're getting further and further away-" he tried to push against her again only to get pushed back once more, this time with the added pressure of a tight grip at the top of his scalp tipping his head back into the sink to start viciously scrubbing at it.

"Will, the Black Pearl is one of the fastest ships in the Caribbean. Chances are they're nearly halfway to Tortuga by now. That's if they have a North Easterly behind them. If they're beating upwind against a South Westerly then perhaps the Interceptor has a chance at catching up-"

"B-Black Psha!" Will sputtered, cringing as she accidentally tipped some water into his eye.

"Sorry," Peggy murmured wiping at his eye with a cloth to help him clear it only to stiffen as his hand suddenly gripped her wrist firmly.

"Peg." Will cracked open his good eye to narrow it at her. "How do you know which ship those pirates came from?"

Peggy gulped. Ah damn, she'd been so relieved to see him alive and so preoccupied with her task she'd forgotten to filter herself again. This was…not good.

"I saw it from the fort." She muttered, not quite meeting his eye. "And I've heard many stories about it from the sailors. A black ship with black sails, it's pretty distinctive even by pirate standards."

"I see." Will shut his eyes and frowned letting go of his grip on her. There she was again, hiding something just like yesterday. Everything she said made complete sense while at the same time almost sounding like a complete lie. Jack Sparrow, the Black Pearl and to top it off she was talking like one of the sailors at the docks with such confidence.

Peg, why won't you tell me what's going on? Don't you trust me? He winced as she finished rinsing his hair and began towelling it out with a cloth.

"Alright. No blood came out in the water, so you're good to go." She quickly swiped the wet cloth over his face to clean it of all the sweat and grime. "You're so lucky you didn't get killed."

"As are you." Will pulled himself up to sit shaking off the cloth. As he blinked away a trickle of water from his eye he suddenly became aware of a strange dark stain on Peggy's arm. His eyes widened in alarm. "Your arm-"

"It's nothing." Peggy tried to step out of reach, but Will was too fast. Within the blink of an eye, she was seated in the chair while her friend ripped her sleeve even further to get a better look at her injury.

"It's just a scratch." She mumbled, cheeks flushed with embarrassment as Will traced a small patch of grazed, slightly burnt skin surrounded by dark bruising. "The sleeve took most of the damage."

"Those blasted-" Will shut his mouth to stem the flow of curses that he wanted to snarl even as he reached into the cabinet under the sink for fresh bandages. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I…I forgot." She tensed as he made a swipe at the wound with some of the leftover soapy water.

"hmph!"

"Seriously Will, I completely forgot. I was carrying a child up a slope while being pursued by pirates. What was I going to do? Ask for a pause so I could patch myself up before continuing the pursuit?"

Will paused, cotton strip in hand.

"No…I know you could not," he muttered, though he was a little less rough as he made to wrap the injury. "That should hold for now."

"Thanks," Peggy mumbled, dropping her arm and tutting at the state of her clothes. Not only was there a tear on her sleeve but her hemline was ripped, and the front of her dress was completely covered in dust and dirt. "Ugh! Bloody pirates. Sheesh!"

"You're sure you're not hurt anywhere else?" Will frowned as he stood to his feet.

"I'm sure. Maybe a little bruised and sore but that's to be expected." Peggy shrugged.

"Good then come on!"

"Wait, Will! What the-? WILL! Will at least let me get my bag!"


I don't believe it. I'm back here again. Peggy sighed as she hiked her skirts to follow Will through the open gates of Fort Charles, a small leather satchel hoisted on one shoulder.

By the sea gods, how many times was she going to run up and down this steep slope? She was not carrying anything heavy in her arms this time, but fretting about Will's sanity did not make the climb any less stressful.

She knew the young man was stubborn and pigheaded when he got an idea in his head, and yes she understood his concern for Elizabeth's plight. Peggy wanted nothing more than to save her friend too, but Will's recklessness was going to get them both killed or worse.

"Will! Will slow down!" She quickly caught herself slipping just in time, cursing her worn shoes to hell and back. Oh, what she would give for a pair of breeches and boots, but unfortunately Will had not given her any opportunity to change her clothes at home, so she had to make do.

Despite his worry, he did manage to spare a small, worried glance back at her as he paused to let her catch up. But no sooner was she by his side did he grip her uninjured arm and drag him along to match his pace.

"Forgive me Peg but the faster we move-"

"Yes yes I know, the faster we move the faster we can save dear Lizzy" Peggy puffed as she did her best to match his longer strides as they crossed the fort's courtyard. Gods, why was he always taller than her? It was not fair!

"They've taken her! They've taken Elizabeth!" he cried as they reached a small platform. There, Commodore James Norrington and Governor Swann were both urgently holding council with other officers and sailors as they poured over various maps and reports.

"Mister Murtogg remove this man," Norrington grunted not taking his eyes off the map before him on the table.

"We have to hunt them down we must save her!" Will cried out, jerking Murtogg off him as the officer tried to grab his arm.

Mullroy then tried to bring Peggy to the side but she shot him a cold look and the man instantly backed off.

"And where do you propose we start?" Governor Swann sighed at Will, and Peggy felt her chest sting with pity at the sight of the older nobleman's desperation. "If you have any information concerning my daughter then please share it."

"T-that Jack Sparrow." Murtogg gulped as he did his best to maintain professional composure "He talked about the Black Pearl"

Just like Peggy said. Will glanced at Peggy whose face seemed to have hardened to stone upon hearing the ship's dreaded name.

"Mentioned it is more what he did" Mullroy coughed.

"Ask him where it is." Will proposed eagerly "Make a deal with him he, could lead us to it-"

"No!"

There was a pause as all the men's eyes turned to look at Peggy, who shut her mouth with a snap.

Not again! She shut her eyes in dismay at her foolishness. All Norrington needed was to know about her conversation with Jack last night and she would be facing the gallows by sunset.

The questioning look the Commodore was giving her was so piercing she almost wanted to shrivel in a corner and hide.

"Quite right, allying with Sparrow would be rather foolish." He clipped coldly, turning back to his map, but Peggy saw the small hand gesture he had given his officers and could feel their footsteps close in behind her. "The Pirates who invaded this fort left Sparrow in his cell, ergo they are not his allies. Though you already knew that didn't you Miss Blake? Indeed, you seemed quite familiar with his effects when I confiscated them from him yesterday. Which just begs the question. How does a young woman who is such good friends with Miss Swann, also familiar with such a deplorable man?"

The silence around the table was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Not a soul moved as all eyes slid to Peggy with either suspicion or confusion.

"Peggy?"

Peggy could feel Will's bewildered gaze on her but could not bear to look at him even as the Commodore straightened up and looked her up and down waiting for an answer. Behind him, the Governor was looking just about as baffled as the rest of the officers, all of whom knew Peggy from seeing her collecting laundry around the fort.

Peggy sucked in a deep breath as she steeled herself. This was going to be tricky, but if she played her cards right she might just get through it by a hair's breadth.

"First thing you must know Commodore was that I was very young. Only eight years of age." She bit her lip but did her best to meet Norrington's eyes head-on. "I…I got lost at sea. M-my father was a merchant. I was travelling with him back to England when one evening I fell overboard. I couldn't catch up to his ship, so I ended up stranded at the nearest port. I tried searching for his ship, but I couldn't find him. With no money and no family for protection, it was hard to find a job that provided food and safe lodgings, especially in such a dangerous place. The only options available that offered such opportunities to someone of my sex were those that would require me to open my legs for men triple my age." She paused as she felt the men around her shift uncomfortably on their feet. "And indeed, many men did try to nab me from the streets and sell me to such institutions. As you can imagine, I quickly realised I could not stay in that hellhole. So, I did the only thing I could. I cut my hair, put on some breeches and stowed aboard the first ship I could find. From then on I hopped around the ocean taking work where I could find it for two years until I washed ashore here at Port Royal after getting caught in a hurricane."

There was a silence as she finished her story. The Governor and William looked most distressed, the latter's fists clenching by his sides as he tried to process the horrors she spoke of. Norrington too seemed to soften slightly at the revelations, though he kept his cool and professional mask in place as he clipped:

"I take it Sparrow tried causing mayhem on one of the ships you served?"

Peggy nodded her head carefully. "Yes sir. He was a wildcard even then."

"And would you trust him to honour his deals if one were to be made?"

"Not in the slightest." Peggy snorted bitterly.

That made Norrington smirk almost smugly at Will, as he folded his arms behind his back and straightened up all prim and proper.

"There you have it, Mister Turner. Proof straight from the horse's mouth. Jack Sparrow is not someone we can trust with our lives, let alone Miss Swann's. Miss Blake," He nodded graciously to Peggy "I thank you for your candour, and I sincerely apologise for asking you to divulge such painful memories under such dreadful circumstances."

"You are quite forgiven sir; I am just happy I could help." Peggy nodded, doing her best to hold herself straight and not sag to the floor into a pile of terrified goo.

Oh my god, I'm not going to hang! I'm not going to hang! She shut her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Somewhere in the background, she could hear the Commodore start to address the Governor on another course of action, only to have his words interrupted by a loud:

KATHUNK!

"That's not good enough!"

Peggy's eyes jolted open, and she gaped as she saw Will looming over the table, his small hand axe that had once been in his belt now buried deep into one of the maps.

Oh, Will you idiot. She pinched the bridge of her nose as Norrington turned a stern glower towards the young blacksmith, tugging the small axe out of his map.

"Mister Turner. You are not a military man; you are not a sailor. You are a blacksmith. And this is not the moment for rash actions!" he snarled, his calm mask slipping for just a moment as he took Will by the arm and pulled him away towards where Peggy stood. "Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only man here who cares for Elizabeth."

And with that he handed Will back his axe and stalked back to the council table, barely even glancing back as he called out:

"Miss Blake, please see to it that Mister Turner does not do anything foolish."

"Yes sir." Peggy gulped taking Will by the hand before he could object and dragging him away down the stairs.

Neither noticed Norrington's cold gaze upon her back, as they walked out of sight.

The Commodore had seen the young woman around the Fort plenty of times, and even a few times during her tenure at the Governor's private washhouse. It had not been uncommon to spot her and Elizabeth walking through the estate and talking in the afternoons as they waited for the clothes to dry. Perhaps it was a little unbecoming for Elizabeth to consort with someone of such a lower class, but Miss Blake had been the only girl around her age on the estate so he had supposed it was natural they would gravitate towards one another for companionship.

Indeed, Elizabeth had spoken rather fondly of her friend to Norrington during his visits and given how protective she had proven during their confrontation with Jack Sparrow yesterday, it would seem Miss Blake valued their friendship similarly

But to think that such a friend of Elizabeth's would have such an association with piracy…but then again, if Miss Blake's story of her youth was true, then perhaps she could be forgiven. She had been just a child after all. Since her arrival at Port Royal, she had never, to his knowledge, broken the law. She had also assisted in Sparrow's capture without hesitation. Indeed, she seemed to be quite eager to get him arrested.

That gave Norrington pause.

Why did Miss Blake seem to care so much about being associated with a pirate like Jack Sparrow? If she only had a passing acquaintance with the man as a child, she would not have to fear the hangman's noose.

Now that he thought about it, there were a lot of holes in Miss Blake's story that she had left blank. Oh, she had spoken the truth, Norrington could sense that, but she had left out a lot of details.

Like which ship she had met Jack Sparrow on? And how long they knew one another.

Just how well did Peggy Blake know Jack Sparrow? And why was she so eager to let him hang?


"Why did you lie to him?"

The words cut into Peggy's chest like a knife as she and Will stopped in the middle of a set of stairs near the base of the fort.

Luckily for them, they were all alone. All the officers were too busy cleaning up the debris of stone and cannon fire at the top of Fort Charles or tending to their wounded in the infirmary.

Still, Peggy felt her heart hammer with fear as she glanced around like a frightened rabbit.

Sensing her fear, Will steered her down the stairs and into a small alcove, half hidden by a clump of bushes.

"Why did you lie to Norrington?" he repeated, and though his voice was softer, Peggy could still feel his anger bubbling beneath the surface.

"I did not lie." She muttered.

"But you did not tell him the whole truth." Will folded his arms. "You did not tell him about how that Sparrow hurt you."

"He did not need to know." Peggy bit her lip. "Besides that's not what happened-"

"Oh, so what? Did you lie to me about that as well?" Will glared at her and she sighed running a hand over her face.

"No Will, I-Its-it's…it's…it's complicated. If I told anyone the truth I could have ended up on the gallows."

"Why? It's not like you were a pirate like that Sparrow-" Will stopped quickly, his eyes widening as he glimpsed her now guilty expression. "Peg…you…you were- no. No-no-no!" he took a step back in horror.

"Will-please I can explain-" Peggy grabbed desperately at her friend's vest to stop him from leaving the safety of their hiding place.

"You were a pirate Peg?!" he hissed.

"Will please not so loud-"

"A pirate?"

"No! I mean yes I was but no…not anymore." Peggy hung her head, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "Look, nearly everything I told Commodore Norrington was true alright! Except perhaps the end. I didn't hop around from ship to ship…I just stuck with the one. Jack's ship, for two years while he was captain."

She peeked up at Will anxiously. He was still upset but was waiting patiently for her to continue.

"I heard the crew plotting to throw a mutiny and I tried to warn Jack about it, but he would not listen. The next day I…I don't know what happened. One minute I was in bed about to fall asleep, the next I was bound and gagged and getting tossed overboard...again." she added bitterly. "I was lucky enough to get picked up by another ship within a few hours but then that one got caught in that massive hurricane and well...that's it. That's why I'm here."

"Truly?" Will raised his eyebrows sceptically and Peggy nodded. "And what did Jack do that was so terrible?"

"Nothing Will." Peggy chuckled though the sound was hollow to his ears. "He did nothing. He just watched them toss me overboard and did nothing. The same way he did nothing when I tried to warn him. You'd think after two years you'd earn yourself some trust but no. He just sat back and let me drop into the drink like a rotten sack of potatoes."

Will opened his mouth to speak but shut it hastily.

From how she spoke, she seemed to have been rather close to the pirate, hell, maybe even cared about him. Peggy, friends with that slimy knave?

The thought almost made Will's stomach turn and twist on itself in a vice.

There must have been more to the story but clearly, that was all she was willing to divulge for now.

"I…I understand that you're angry Will." She murmured; gazed still fixed on the ground in shame.

"I am," Will admitted, though even as he said it he felt his fury ebb slightly. For all her hiding and deceit, the pain in her eyes was real. "Ten years Peg. Ten years! Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I was scared." She mumbled. "When I washed up here I…it was like a miracle. Like I was given a second chance at having a good clean life. If I had told anyone the truth about my past and they had told the officers, I might have…" she trailed off her hand rubbing at her throat.

Will watched the action and sighed.

She was right. If Norrington or anyone else heard the full truth, they would have had her clapped in irons and hung within the hour. Or if by some miracle she had gotten a second chance in Port Royal, no one would have hired her or given her a place to stay, not even Mister Brown. She would have been blacklisted and forced to work the docks as a prostitute or become a beggar on the streets.

"I…I understand why you wouldn't want anyone to know." He said quietly "But that still didn't answer my question. Why didn't you tell me Peg? You know I'd keep it a secret for you-"

"That's exactly why I couldn't tell you!" Peggy groaned, her face falling into her hands "If anyone found out that you were knowingly harbouring a pirate you'd get the hangman's noose too! Also, you always said you hated pirates and would kill one if you had the chance!"

Will shut his mouth again as his stomach almost flipped inside out with disgust and horror. God, he had said that hadn't he? How many times had he said those sorts of things all those times she sat with him in the forge in the evenings or during their conversations at mealtimes?

Will remembered her tears at the dinner table last night, how scared she had been to answer his questions then. Were those tears not because she feared the pirate's presence but because of her fear of his retaliation? Was she afraid he would hurt her or kill her on the spot because of her past?

Then again, what else was she to think after seeing him fight Jack Sparrow and watching him kill those pirates last night? Even now she was probably afraid of what he might do to her.

The thought almost made him sick. Upset or not, she still was his friend, and she had been with him loyally through thick and thin for ten years.

Slowly and carefully, he pried her hands away from her face with gentle hands. She was not crying again, but her eyes were shut as she winced in anticipation of his next words.

"Look, Peggy." He coughed, doing his best to sound much calmer than he felt. "I'm sorry I said those things-"

"Don't be." Peggy shook her head eyes still shut. "And don't apologise. I chose not to tell the truth; I chose to lie about my past. Whatever the consequences of those actions are, I'll take them without complaint. Even if it means you may hate me and never forgive me."

"I don't hate you," Will muttered, feeling his ears burn as she glanced up at him with surprise and a little hope. "I don't. I'm still angry with you for lying but I don't hate you. I just… I just wished you could have told me everything before someone like Norrington forced it out of you."

"So do I...And maybe one day I might tell you everything."

"There's more?" Will raised his brows, but Peggy was relieved to see the small smirk.

"Yes. There's more." She sighed. "But…"

"But you're not ready." Will finished softly and she shook her head.

"No…I'm not."

"Then I'll wait till you are ready to tell me. Just like I promised." He gripped her hands tight in his as he leaned forward.

"Oww! Hey!" she winced as she felt his skull knock gently into hers. "I thought you said you'd stop doing that?!"

"I said I'd stop doing that if you stopped doing stupid things." He grinned as he pulled away, satisfied with his work. "And now you have a bump to match mine. We're even."

"Speaking of stupid things, what the hell are we going to do about helping Lizzy? Norrington is not in a hurry to leave soon." Peggy whined, rubbing the spot where their heads collided, and Will grimaced.

"I have an idea…" he muttered darkly. "But I don't think you're going to like it."

Peggy met his gaze, and her face fell.

"No"


There we are, almost, almost ghah! Dammit! Jack Sparrow cursed softly to himself as he tried twisting his wrist around at an odd angle.

He had been trying to pick at his lock with a broken piece of bone for God knows how long and all he had achieved was a locked cell with a bone sticking out of the lock.

"Please, come on please" he murmured as he twiddled again with the broken shard to angle it slightly down-

The thudding of footsteps thundered in his ears and instinctively Jack leapt back from his task, hands flying out on his side as he landed on the floor on his back.

Gods if it were any of those bloody red coats coming to do him in that would be the giddy limit.

But it wasn't.

Now what have we here? Jack's eyebrows rose in surprise as he glimpsed a familiar cloud of copper curls descending the stairs, followed closely by that dark-haired whelp from the smithy, what was his name again?

"You Sparrow!" The boy called.

"Aye!" Jack raised his head to look at the lad. Good Lord that scowl of his looked mighty familiar.

"You're familiar with that ship the Black Pearl."

"I've heard of it." Jack leaned back with a small suggestive grin at Peggy. But to his surprise, she did not look as tense as before. Something was different, something had changed.

"So where does it make berth?" the boy asked.

"Where does it make berth? Hasn't your friend here told you the stories?" Jack sat up and grinned at Peggy. "'ello again love. I see you traded back the little whelp for the big one."

"Jack please answer his question." Peggy folded her arms.

"Oh, so it's Jack now? My, my, you must be desperate." He raised his eyebrows coolly at her. So, she had told the lad then huh? Now that was surprising.

But I'll bet she hasn't told him everything.

He grinned as he turned back to said lad, "Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants, sailed to the dreaded Isle de Muerte. It's an island that cannot be found except, by those who already know where it is."

"The ship's real enough." the whelp glanced at Peggy who nodded, then quickly turned back to Jack "Therefore it must be a real place where is it?"

"Why ask me?" Jack reclined and started picking at his nails.

"Because you're a pirate."

"So is dear Pegsy. Why don't you ask her? No wait, I forgot. You gave up on this way of life, didn't you Pegs." Jack chuckled at Peggy, his eyes glinting wickedly. "Unless… hehe, unless you want to come back, is that it? One sight of ol'Jackie after ten years and it's enough to have you crawling back for a taste of the good old days?"

"Don't flatter yourself." Peggy snarled, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder to stop him from lunging at the bars.

Jack watched as the whelp took a second to calm himself with a breath before exhaling:

"They've taken Miss Swann."

"Oh, so it is that you've found a girl. Though I can't imagine why you'd be looking at another lass when you've got this exquisite specimen here. Good news for the rest of us real men ey?" Jack waggled his eyebrows.

"Bold of you to assume you qualify as a real man." Peggy shot back, and the lad had the nerve to smirk with amusement at the jibe.

"Cheeky brat." Jack muttered as he rose to his elbows "All jokes aside, if you're intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart…you'll have to do it all on your own mate. I see no profit innit for me." He leaned back and looked up at the ceiling.

"Really?" Peggy smirked, "Not even if we could get you out of here?"

"And how'd you do that? The key's run off." Jack grumbled pointing at the stairs next to his cell that went down deeper into the fort.

"Because I helped build these cells." The whelp drew back, looking at the bars up and down. "These are half-pin barrel hinges. Quick, move Peg." He shooed Peggy to the side as he reached to pick up the wooden bench opposite Jack's cell. "With the right leverage, and the proper application of strength-" the lad grunted as he wedged one of the legs of the bench against the vertical bars. "- the door will lift free."

He smiled at Jack, who felt himself freeze.

Oh, he had seen that smile before, he knew he had. For some reason, the image of a shorter man with similarly dark hair came to mind. Decent bloke and very loyal till the bitter end. And what a bitter end it was.

"What's your name?" he frowned up at the lad.

"Will Turner."

No…no that couldn't be…oh this is just too good. It took everything Jack had not to let the victorious grin spread across his face as he sat up fully. He still had to make sure.

"That'd be short for William I'd imagine. Good strong name. No doubt named for your father ey?"

"Yes." The lad, Will, paused glancing at Peggy who likewise looked just as confused.

"Uh-Huh" Doesn't she know? That's odd. I would have thought she of all people would have figured it out. But Jack kept that titbit to himself. Many men went by nicknames when on the sea, she might never have figured it out if no one ever mentioned it. Well, he'd have to figure it out when they got out of here wouldn't he?

"Well mister Turner, I've changed me mind. If you and darling Pegsy spring me from this cell, I swear on pain of death, I'll take you to the Black Pearl and your bonnie lass. Do we have an accord?" He reached his hand out through the bars and was pleased when Will took it firmly, though not without a little hesitation.

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

"And you Pegsy? Are we agreed?" Jack offered his hand to Peggy, who shook it briefly, before pulling her hand back quickly and dusting it off.

Ah, still peeved at me. I'm going to have to work on that. Jack smiled as he stepped back. "Alright, now, get me out."

Peggy backed out of the way as Will maneuvered the bench to the next rung down. There was the groaning and squeak of metal scraping metal as with a massive push down on the bench, the lad levered the iron bars right off their hinges and tossed them aside.

Peggy winced as the door clanged loudly to the floor, but Jack was already on his feet bounding over the threshold like a dog let out of the kennel for the first time.

"Hurry, someone would have heard that!" Will set the bench aside and looked up the stairs that led up into the fort where he could hear a few footsteps moving overhead.

"Not without my effects!" Jack quickly dashed over to the hooks on the wall and snatched up his belongings, including his long coat and hat. Oh, thank heavens they kept the hat.

"Down here!" Peggy hissed from the bottom of the stairs by Jack's cell where she was peeking through a small wooden door. "All clear." She whispered as Jack and Will followed her through.

"You know where you're going, love?"

"Of course I do, I work here." Peggy hissed as she led them outside into the open air. To Jack's surprise, they were outside the fort walls in a wide patch of grass littered with large mounds, each marked by a white-painted wooden cross.

"Quickly this way." She hitched up her skirts and darted across the graveyard towards a clump of tropical trees.

Jack and Will were quick to follow her, glancing nervously up at the walls of the Fort above them. Fortunately, there appeared to be no soldiers keeping a lookout but still, it eased both men's nerves when they reached the safety of the dense foliage on the other side.

"You sure they won't see us?" Will muttered as he accidentally bumped into Peggy's back. Despite being surrounded by such dense foliage, she seemed to know her way through quite easily.

"Quite sure. I use this shortcut all the time. Just keep a watch for low branches." She added as she ducked to avoid said, low-hanging branch. Will and Jack followed her lead, having to duck far more than she did due to their height. "If we stick to the path we should make it to the washhouse. Once there I can get a change of clothes and we can head to the beach. I hope Missus Berry is not in today. That old bat really could screw things up."

"Change?" Will frowned.

"Yes, Will, change." Peggy sighed. "There's no way in hell I'm going to be able to sail in this getup."

"Hmm, well that's a shame." Jack huffed as he almost stumbled over a loose stone. "That skirt is rather flattering for your rear."

"Bloody pirate," Peggy grumbled keeping her gaze dead set ahead on the path before her as Jack was treated to a glower from Will.

"What? Come now lad, you can't tell me you haven't thought about taking a cheeky peek at what's under those skirts."

"No!" Will answered perhaps a little too quickly, his ears burning bright pink.

"Jack stop teasing him," Peggy called back irritably, and Jack shook his head.

"That lass, still as bossy as a bloody mother hen."

"You should see her at home," Will muttered unable to help himself even as Peggy snapped:

"I heard that!"

They quickly found the washhouse, a small single-floored building with many washing lines out on the eastern side while smoke rose out the chimney up top. Since it was clearly in use Peggy had to sneak around the outer walls and steal some clothes from one of the lines. Jack had to admit she was very calm and collected about the theft, barely even flinching an inch when a woman's voice called out through the window:

"Peg dear, is that you? By God, you gave me a fright."

"Oh, hi Clara. Sorry I didn't see you there." Peggy smiled in relief her eyes darting nervously "Is Missus Berry in yet?"

"You just missed her," the woman, Clara replied, and Jack smirked as he saw Peggy's shoulders sag with relief. Whoever this dreaded Missus Berry was, she must be a nightmare to invoke that reaction.

"That old bat is up at the Fort with the girls delivering fresh sheets for the infirmary. Well, I say delivering. Honestly, the day that hag does any work will be the day hell freezes over." Clara snorted and Peggy chuckled.

"True, too true."

"So, what are you doing here?" Clara asked and Jack and Will caught sight of a pale elbow and hand and a lock of blonde hair peeking out the window. "I heard from Lu that you were quite the hero last night when you saved that little Timmy Barker from them pirates."

"Yeah, I just delivered him back to his parents." Peggy sighed. "They were very relieved as you can imagine. As for now, I'm just picking up something fresh for Will. The idiot tried challenging the pirates if you can believe it."

"Oh dear, is he alright?"

"He's fine." Peggy waved Clara off, uncomfortably aware of Will and Jack's gazes peeking out just from behind a bush. "Thankfully all he ended up with was a ripped shirt and a small bump to the head."

"I hardly see how a ripped shirt on that lad qualifies as such an emergency that you'd steal the officers' clothes?" Clara said slyly and Jack had to smirk. Oh, he liked where this was going.

"It's hardly stealing when they're his clothes I added to yesterday's lot." Peggy sighed as she tugged a pair of breeches down from the line and Will was surprised to see that it was his clothes she was taking, along with those that belonged to a much shorter man.

"Still, I suppose it would be a bit too much of a temptation even for you." Clara ignored Peggy's statement with a knowing smirk "I mean, think about it, letting a strapping lad like him run around that forge all bare-chested and gleaming with sweat as he hammers away at that anvil," Clara smirked. "Though we both know that if you had the chance you'd have the lad hammering away at your-"

"CLARA!" Peggy shouted, the sound just loud enough to mask the small snort of laughter that escaped Jack as he clapped a hand over his mouth to muffle the sound.

HA! This was just priceless. It was well worth the capture by those red coats yesterday. Peggy's face was as red as her hair, and poor William beside him was looking stunned like a dead mullet, his crimson-flushed ears utterly scandalised by the other woman's lewd commentary.

"Oh come now Peggy," Clara chuckled at her fellow woman's mortification. "All jokes aside he's a fine lad with a stable, respectable job and he's always looking after you so well-"

"Clara, how many times do I have to tell you? Will and I are just friends! Now I really must hurry and get back." Peggy turned on her heel to walk away, only to pause as Clara called back to her:

"Wait-wait Peggy!"

"What?" Peggy turned around for one last look.

"I'm glad you're alright."

"I'm glad you're alright too Clara. Stay safe."

There was the sliding of wood against wood and then silence as Peggy quickly dashed back to Jack and Will's hiding place, her face positively seething with unbridled embarrassed rage even as she spat through gritted teeth.

"Not. A. Word."

"My lips are sealed, love." Jack put his hands up in mock surrender, still grinning widely with mirth. "though if you'd like we could make a stop at the smithy. Buy you and dear William here some extra time to hammer things out between you two-oof!" he doubled over as she retracted her elbow from his gut.

"Come on!" Will coughed, avoiding both the pirate's and his friend's eyes. "We should get a move on."

"Half a moment, I still need to get changed," Peggy mumbled as she stepped behind a nearby tree.

She quickly shed her dress, grateful that Clara had not noticed her sneaking the smaller clothes from the line or the hat and pair of men's boots left by the door for brushing and polishing. She kept her pair of stays on over the top of her short shift which she tucked into the pants as best she could. Then she donned one of Will's spare shirts she had snagged and slipped a blue sailor's vest and matching jacket on top. The shirt might have been a bit long in the arms for her but so long as she kept the sleeves rolled up around her wrist she could make do. She also quickly tied her back in a ponytail which she pulled up under the hat she swiped along with the boots. Then, as a finishing touch, she fastened her belt around her waist, along with the scissors that she kept in her holster on her hip.

All in all, it was not the best disguise, but she doubted no one would think her anything more than one of the young lads just starting on his first voyage.

"We're losing daylight lass" Jack called out as she finished stuffing the last of the spare clothes she had stolen into her satchel on top of her copy of Tales on the Deep. She was not sure why she took the book, but she had a feeling it would come in use soon enough if only to keep her entertained on a windless day.

"Ready!" She stood up and almost squeaked as she came nearly nose to nose with Jack who quickly put a hand over her mouth to silence her.

"Yeesh! Not so loud lass, you'll bring the whole navy on us." He rolled his eyes as she yanked his hand off her. "Well, ain't this a sight for sore eyes." His grin softened slightly as he looked her up and down.

"Where's Will?" she muttered, clearly not in the mood for reminiscing like he was.

"Oh the whelp, he's fine. He's still back there trying to be a gentleman and resisting the urge to sneak a peek." Jack waved her off airily, enjoying her scowl of annoyance "And speaking of peeking, I need to know. How well do you know the layout of that lovely lady down in the harbour? You know, the ship those two dullards were supposed to protect from my handsome self?"

"You mean the Interceptor?" Peggy quirked a brow as she straightened up. "Fairly well, I've done the laundry for the captain's quarters a few times."

"And what about the cargo hold or the brig? How well do you know them?"

"You want me to stow away and hide until you give the signal." Peggy folded her arms.

"Just like old times ey?" Jack smirked, pleasantly surprised. So, she had not forgotten everything. Little scamp.

"What about you and Will? How will you two get on board?" she asked.

"We'll find our way. You focus on getting yourself on board safe and sound and we'll figure it out on our end."

"Why don't we all just go at the same time?"

"Too risky love, it's much harder for three people to sneak aboard one ship without detection. Besides you're still small, you can fit into more hidey holes than me or that lummox."

"…fine. But I'm warning you, Jack, if you dare double cross Will or I-"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure you shall bring down the full power of your unbridled wrath upon my poor bedraggled soul." Jack cut across her waspishly. "Now come on, we're losing the light."


William Turner stared at the back of Jack Sparrow's dreadlocked head.

The last twenty-four hours had been the strangest of his life.

He had helped aid in the arrest of a pirate by duelling him and had discovered his best friend was once a friend and fellow crewmate of said pirate. He had survived a raid on Port Royal led by even more pirates who had kidnapped the woman he had loved from afar for nearly ten years. And now he was helping the first pirate he had ever met and helped apprehend escape prison and steal – no wait – commandeer a ship so he could save her, all while his best friend snuck aboard another ship on said pirate's orders.

And now somehow, all of this insanity had culminated in perhaps one of the maddest schemes he had ever been roped into.

He could not believe this plan was working.

Who would have thought that two men dragging a small rowboat to the bottom of the sea floor would be the perfect way to sneak undercover onto a moored ship?

"This is either madness or brilliance." He said as he briefly readjusted his grip on the sides of the small vessel.

"It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide," Jack grunted.

Will opened his mouth to ask something, but the crunch of something wooden under his foot was so surprising he almost let go of the boat.

He looked down and silently swore under his breath as he realised he had gotten his foot caught in a lobster trap.

Great, just my luck. He tried to shake the damn thing off, but it would not budge no matter how hard he shook his head.

"Just keep moving lad! Or we'll run out of air down here" Jack rolled his eyes irritably.

Why-oh-why did he bring this whelp along? Oh yes, that's right, because he was his only ticket to getting his beautiful Pearl back.

Still, he'd much prefer it if little Pegsy was here with him instead, if only for the better company. But no. He needed her on the other ship for his brilliant plan to work, and he'd much rather entrust that job to someone who possessed more brains than poor lovesick William.

I just hope she hasn't lost her touch. He thought sucking in a deep breath as he and William let go of their boat and swam back up to the surface.


"TURNER AND SPARROW HAVE TAKEN THE DAUNTLESS! THEY'VE TAKEN THE DAUNTLESS!"

Commodore James Norrington glared daggers as he lowered his telescope from the harbour.

He was not quick to anger, but today even he was pushed to his limits.

After a sleepless night fighting pirates and an even more restless morning planning the rescue attempt for the woman he loved he was in no mood for any delays or shenanigans. It was bad enough that the Turner's and Miss Blake's interruption this morning had rankled his already worn nerves till they were threadbare.

While he understood and even empathised with the younger man's desperation to find Elizabeth, Norrington was still a man of honour. He had a responsibility to his men to set an example for them, to put duty before the matters of the heart. While it pained him that he could not simply dash out there and throw caution to the wind to save her, Norrington was sure that Elizabeth would understand. She was the Governor's daughter after all, she understood what it meant to be a pillar of responsibility towards Port Royal.

She surely would not approve of a reckless blacksmith and a lousy excuse of a pirate messing with the navy, endangering lives and hindering any rescue attempt made in her name.

"Rash Turner. Too rash. That is without doubt the worst pirate I have ever seen." He muttered between gritted teeth as he gestured for Officer Groves to join him back on the Interceptor, which thankfully, was ready to set sail and pursue the criminals.

Many men were dashing aboard the ship, unfurling the sails and preparing to set out. Upon his command to hurry to aid the Dauntless, the action sped up tenfold.

Most men who carried lighter supplies dropped their cargo to help secure rigging and set out or went down into the hold to collect weapons and guns from below for themselves and their fellow crewmates. One young man carrying a small barrel of gunpowder almost dropped his cargo as Norrington accidentally bumped into him on his way up to the helm.

"Sorry sir!" the youth scrambled to catch the barrel before it could fall and smash. Norrington glanced down at the lad. He wasn't that tall and seemed no more than a boy in age what with the roundness of his cheeks. His clothes, while clean, were a bit too big for his slender wiry frame and his boots a bit too long. He had tanned freckled skin and a small floppy fringe of bright red that peeked out from under his hat to hang over his eyes.

Hmm, they'd have to do something about that. He couldn't have an officer or a sailor running around with an unkempt appearance in his service. Then again everyone had been in such a rush to get ready to leave this morning.

Must be one of the new cabin boys. Grove did say they were a bit green. Norrington grimaced with pity at the lad who kept his eyes averted down to the ground seemingly in shame.

"You boy! Go to my office and fetch my gun and my sword!" Norrington barked and was impressed when the boy nodded dutifully and said in a clear, yet slightly broken voice:

"Yes sir!"

The lad quickly set aside his barrel and dashed into his office behind him. It did not take him long to find his commanding officer's effects and he had even filled a little bit of gunpowder from his previous barrel into a small pouch for Norrington to use.

Good lad. He took the gunpowder and ordered the boy to help his fellow sailors prepare the grapples for boarding. As the lad dashed off, Norrington kept watch on his progress. Despite the chaos on deck, the youth wove smoothly through the officers and sailors like a fish in water, not stumbling once as the boat took a rather hard rock from the waves.

He must be one of the fishermen's sons. They tend to be more at home on the water.

Norrington nodded approvingly and turned on his heel to stalk to the portside railing. At least something good was coming from this debacle.

It was not often he accepted fresh recruits on such important voyages like these and he liked to keep an eye on their progress if only to catalogue their usefulness in future campaigns. The last cabin boy he had been saddled with had been a rather dim-witted and clumsy bootlicker. At least this one knew how to listen to orders.

If this boy did well, it may prove a valuable stepping stone in his future career.

Speaking of stepping stones, there was one annoying one Norrington had to cross as he took out his telescope. The Interceptor was approaching the Dauntless fast, it would not be long till they were side by side and able to board.

He could not see Sparrow nor Turner on deck anymore, but since they were already so far out in the water the commodore doubted either man would be mad enough to jump overboard now.

"Prepare to board!" Officer Groves barked beside him as a long, boarding plank was raised at the ready.

"Search every cabin, every hold, down to the bilges!" Norrington commanded as he clambered up the plank and onto the bigger ship.

The boarding was swift, and all his men were well-prepared and eager for combat as they flooded onto the deck of the Dauntless, not a man was spared. Like Jack Russell Terriers trying to sniff out rats in a barn, they ran hither and thither searching for the two miscreants, but no one saw them.

Everyone was so busy delving into the massive hull and checking every nook and cranny that they did not notice two shadows that swung from the bow of the Dauntless to the Interceptor's upper deck, where a smaller figure stood alone with his sword drawn waiting for them.

But instead of striking at the two intruders, the smaller person began slicing at all the ropes that secured the boarding party's grapples and plank as their fellow thieves made their way to the ship's wheel and began steering the vessel away.

There was the grinding of wood as the boarding plank tumbled down the side of the Dauntless, scratching the starboard side of the hull before crashing into the waters below with a loud resounding SPLASH!

Norrington wheeled about in alarm at the horrible sound, his gut falling like a stone as he saw three figures standing at the Interceptor's helm. It was Sparrow and Turner, and…the cabin boy?!

What on earth? What was going on?!

"Sailors back to the Interceptor NOW!" he roared but already his officers seemed to have noticed their mistake and were scrambling to grab at ropes in a feeble attempt to stop their vessel from leaving.

One brave sailor dared to try swinging from a rope to get to the Interceptor's stern only to land hard in the blue wet below.

As the poor man splashed about trying to right himself a strong gust of wind picked up and blew away the hat of the cabin boy still on the Interceptor, releasing a long ponytail of copper curls into the wind and revealing a distinctly feminine face.

MISS BLAKE?! What on earth is she doing with Turner and Sparrow?! How did none of us notice her boarding?! Norrington's nostrils flared with wrath that grew as Sparrow swept off his hat and shouted gleefully:

"Thank you Commodore for getting us ready to make way. We'd have had a hard time of it by ourselves!" The pirate dared to give Norrington a mocking bow even as the officers on board the Dauntless made to shoot at them with their muskets.

Turner, Sparrow and Miss Blake quickly ducked under cover of the railings, but Norrington was in no mood to watch them anymore as he turned on his heel to join the sailors at the helm.

The Interceptor might be a fast ship, but the Dauntless would eventually catch her up, and even if she could, she could always shoot her down once the cannons were in range.

"Set topsails and clear up this mess!" he snapped at Officer Grove who was bustling behind him like a frantic bee.

"With the wind a quarter astern, we won't catch them!"

"I don't need to. Just get them in range of the long nines."

"Yes sir!" Officer Groves nodded and began giving the orders to the men, though not without a small grimace of discomfort. "We are to fire on our own ship sir?"

"I'd rather see her at the bottom of the ocean than in the hands of a pirate" Norrington growled. It felt wretched giving the order but what choice did they have?

"Commodore" A sailor called from the helm wheel. "He's disabled the rudder chain sir!"

Norrington was about to open his mouth to answer but was interrupted by the loud shouts of Gillette far below telling his men to abandon ship as their tiny rowboat came in the way of the Dauntless' bow.

There was the crunching of wood and several splashes as men dived for the safety of the water to avoid getting crushed to death.

Norrington groaned in dismay as the Interceptor sailed away. He scowled as he saw Sparrow waving at him from the helm while Miss Blake hung off one of the shrouds and delivered a mocking salute, her coppery curls billowing in the wind behind her. The only one not bidding an insulting goodbye was Turner but that was only because he was too busy checking over the ship's rigging at the orders of his new pirate captain.

Bloody pirate...

Norrington growled.

To think in two hours, a Pirate, a blacksmith and a washerwoman had stolen one of the finest ships in the Royal Navy from right under his nose.

"That's got to be the best pirate I have ever seen." Officer Groves said admiringly.

"So, it would seem." For now. Norrington finished in his head. Once he and his men repaired the Dauntless and saved Elizabeth, he was going to hunt down that blackguard Jack Sparrow and ensure he made it to the hangman's noose.

Even if he had to drag him there with his own bare hands.


There we have it, Chapter 4 up and running. I would have uploaded it sooner but was delayed because of the DNS issue a couple of days ago (yikes what a mess that was). Still, it worked out in the end as it bought me extra time to edit a few things.

It was fun writing from Norrington's perspective. As for why he did not notice Peggy on board, she was in disguise and I don't think even he was expecting her to do something so rash. After all, as everyone in the POTC fandom knows, she was so honest and it's the honest ones you've got to look out for ;)

Anyways, as always, if you enjoyed then please review, follow or fave (or do all three!).

Thanks,

FuzzyBeta