The Map

Usual Disclaimer: Not mine but soon the DVD will be!!!!

No warnings on this lot, although it will soon be earning its PG-13 rating in future chapters. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it.

A very big thank you to Betsy for beta-reading this one for me.

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Norrington was completely floored by the sight of Elizabeth stood between Jack and Will. Bryant, stood beside him, was equally taken aback but neither man let it show on their faces. The only indication that Norrington gave when he saw Elizabeth was the slight hesitation before he addressed Jack.
“Captain Sparrow.” Norrington was at a complete loss as to how to proceed. Beaumont had said nothing about Sparrow having the Turners aboard. He closed his eyes briefly and drew a deep breath. This wasn’t how Beaumont said it would pan, tr, trust Sparrow to be totally unpredictable and muck up plans. Not too mention putting Elizabeth in danger.
“Elizabeth, Will, what are you doing aboard?” he demanded. He knew he was in full sight of Tristan, stood on the Relentless. And he knew that if he made one false move, his entire crew would be killed instantly, for they had told him that for every solider down there a pirate was holding a pistol to their head. Frustration crept into his voice.
“What on earth are you doing here?” Norrington glared at Will. He had long since realised that he loved Elizabeth as nothing more than a friend and that he hadn’t been broken-hearted, just had his pride dented. He had even formed a friendship with the pair, despite knowing that they still held Sparrow as a friend. But now, he could quite gladly have Will whipped for bringing Elizabeth into danger.
“We had no choice!” Elizabeth said and stopped when Will’s hand tightened on hers.
“We were attacked by another ship and Jack saved us. The Ardent was destroyed,” Will added firmly, his head lifting slightly to look up at the much taller man.
“Another pirate ship?” Norrington’s eyes narrowed.
Elizabeth nodded her head and Jack stepped forward standing slightly in front of her. He placed his hands together and looked up at the taller man.
The clouds above were gathering and Jack was certain that at any minute they would be facing some pretty bad weather. It would be early for the time of year but not unheard of.
“You won’t believe me when I say a merchant vessel fired upon the Ardent while running a white flag, will you? But to be sure, it did happen.”
Norrington sighed heavily and clasped his hands behind his back; he very well would believe Jack and he knew exactly who had fired upon her. He just couldn’t for the life of him figure out why. What threat had the Ardent posed for goodness sake?
“Well it was just as well you were there to rescue them wasn’t it Captain Sparrow?” he replied dryly. The solider stood behind him shuffled his feet and Norrington knew he was being told to hurry up by the pirate masquerading as one of his soldiers.
“Most fortunate,” Jack replied, his liquid black eyes danced between Norrington and a pale faced Bryant beside him. “Most fortunate indeed.”
Suddenly there was a high-pitched whistle from the Relentless and Norrington looked up in surprise. The signal had come sooner than he expected. His face went blank again as he stepped back from Jack.
“You’ve earned yourself another reprieve Captain Sparrow, congratulations.” He moved towards the plank that was placed between the two ships and jumped back up on to the plank with Bryant behind him. Rain began to fall softly making the plank slippery almost immediately.
“Return them safely, Sparrow.” Norrington turned suddenly on the plank and looked directly into Sparrow’s eyes. “I wouldn’t want them to get harmed if we were to start firing upon you as we leave the harbour,” he said quickly. The soldier behind Bryant pushed forward and mumbled a hasty apology as he knocked Bryant forward almost knocking Norrington into the water.
Bryant gripped hold of Norrington and the Soldier caught Bryant’s arm to stop him from tumbling into the choppy waters.
Norrington shook Bryant’s arm off and glared at the soldier before carrying onto the Relentless.

Jack Sparrow watched with narrowed eyes and the moment Norrington and Bryant landed on the other ship; he turned to where a silent Gibbs stood behind him.
“Ready the Cannons, and get the sweeps out, turn her so we’re facing her and get Timms and Dwent to retrieve the ladies,” he said quickly and firmly.
He turned to Elizabeth and Will and raised an eyebrow at their puzzled expressions.
“What was that all about?” asked Elizabeth, the rain plastering her hair to her head, but she ignored it.
“A warning,” Jack said. “They will fire on us as soon as they are out of the harbour.”
“But why? He knows we’re here,” She cried out. “Why didn’t he take us with him if he knows he’s going to fire on the Pearl?”
“Because, and here I’m fairly certain to be sure I think, it won’t be Norrington that opens fire on us.”
Will nodded his head quickly and stepped forward, his hand going to Jack’s shoulder.
“You think Beaumont has managed to overrun the Relentless and taken command?”
“Well when have you ever heard Norrington give me my correct title?” muttered Jack as he nodded, glad to feel the ship starting to move beneath his feet. “He’s either taken leave of his senses or his ship.” Jack mused quietly to himself. “ven ven both perhaps.”
“To what purpose did they board us then? Why not fire on us straight away?”
Jack’s face went blank and then his eyes widened as something registered with him.
He cursed and strode past them to the other side of the ship.
“We should have kept them aboard,” he said quickly. “He’s got them.”
“Jack?” Will followed Jack. “Jack?”
Jack turned to him with impatience written over his face.
“They must have planned on coming aboard, sneaking up on us as they obviously did Norrington, but they didn’t have to as I practically handed Nell to him.”
Will’s eyes widened as his words sank in.
“Capt’n!” Jack could hear the hollering of Timms and he crossed quickly as Timms came aboard helping Lady Clarence over the bulwarks. She looked as white as death as blood seeped down her face. Hock moved forward just as her legs gave out, he caught her and lifted her easily into his arms.
“Take her to my cabin,” Jack ordered and stepped forward as Timms and Dwent lifted the inert body of Soames from the boat. He was laid on the deck as Jack dropped to his knees beside him.
“He’s alive but only just. Get him into your cabin Will.” Jack sat back and looked around. He spotted a burly looking pirate who was moving forward through the crowd of pirates gathered around.
“Benjamin! Fix him up.” Jack ordered.
“Jimmy! They shot my boy!” Soames began to cough and Jack was dismayed to see the blood trickle from his lips.
He leant over Soames and rested his hand on his heart as he took the hat from his head despite the rain that poured down.
“They took him so he’s still alive, Peter, and we’ll get him back. I promise you we’ll get him back with us,” he said quietly, his dark eyes finding Soames as he looked up at his Captain. Soames nodded once and closed his eyes as darkness took him.
“Aye.” Soames coughed and the trickle of blood became worse as pain racked his body. Benjamin, with the aid of another pirate lifted him carefully and Jack looked at the solemn face of Timms.
“Nell?” he asked and his voice held none of the usual slur.
Timms just shook his head, none of his usual jovial cheerfulness present.
“They were gone afore we got there,” he said quietly and the grief could be heard in his voice. “They didn’t even make it up the beach, they must ‘ave been seen leaving the Pearl.”
Elizabeth stepped forward and laid her hand on Jack’s shoulder.
“We’ll get them back,” she said quietly.
Jack got to his feet in one movement shaking her hand from his shoulder. He turned to where the crew had gathered around to stare down at Soames. Hats had been removed and even scarves were pulled from heads as they stood there.
Jack looked round at all of them.
“Aye,” he said firmly. “We’ll get them back and we’ll avenge this on every last one of them.”
A roar of approval went up just as the rain worsened and a clap of thunder and lightening broke open the sky above. The storm quickly escalated as the wind picked up and the temperature dropped drastically.
Jack smashed the hat back on his head and pulling his coat on closer he indicated for Elizabeth to go below.
“Take us out Mister Gibbs!” roared Jack over the noise of the heavy rain as he made his way over to where Gibbs stood behind the wheel.
“We can’t give chase in this!” Elizabeth cried out. “Surely they’ll anchor somewhere safe and then we’ll give chase when this stops.”
Jack ignored her as he took the wheel from Gibbs.
“Jack!”
Will came over and took her arm; he was as drenched as the rest of them.
“Elizabeth, get under cover!” he roared at her and pulled her away from Jack.
“It’s just a little rain,” she yelled back at him. “If we can sail in it I can stand in it.”
“It’s going to get a lot worse!” he shouted over the noise of the escalating winds and rain “It’s going to get rough once we get past the harbour walls. I’ll not have you swept overboard, now for once do as you’re told and GET BELOW NOW!”
Elizabeth looked at Will, her face screwed up against the rain that washed over her.
She clamped her mouth shut and without another word made her way to the hatch that lead to the relative safety of below. She slipped and slid her way over and Will relaxed only when she gave him one last glare before going below.
“Never knew you had it in you lad!” Jack shouted at him, but the gleam wasn’t present in his eyes as the younger man came to stand beside him.
Will rolled his eyes at him and peered out through the gathering clouds at where the Relentless was making good progress despite the worsening sea conditions.
“Will they fire on us as soon as they can?”
“Aye.” Jack nodded, fighting to keep hold of the wheel as they cleared the safety of the harbour.
“Will you fire back?”
“Not now this storm has broken, he’ll give up once he realises he won’t get a clear hit.”
“Is he going to keep going in this?” asked Will.
“I don’t know,” Jack admitted.
“Well, what are you going to do?” Will inquired above the howling of the wind.
“Sail,” Jack replied. “Best get yourself tied down to something.”
Will looked at him as Jack fought to keep hold of the wheel. Gibbs had joined the rest of the crew in trying to keep the sails up and not torn to pieces with the driving rain and howling winds.
Will nodded and taking some rope tied himself to the railings that were behind the wheel and then he reached forward and took a hold of the wheel with Jack.
Jack looked at him and a grin found its way to his lips.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The door to the brig was opened and Norrington and Bryant were thrown inside. They landed heavily on the floor and rollackwackwards as the door was slammed shut and the pirate still in soldier’s uniform spat inside the bars and laughed before leaving the hold.
“Sir!” The brig on the other side of the hold was crammed to burst with soldiers that had been stripped and left in nothing but their underwear. The smell was terrible as it stuck Norrington that they had been left like that for two days.
Norrington struggled to his feet and helped Bryant up. They pressed close to the bars and looked across at the men.
“Is everyone holding up?” Norrington demanded and the tone of authority was enough to keep the panic from flowing through the soldiers at the sight of their only hope being imprisoned as well.
Several ayes and murmurs could be heard and then Norrington turned to pace about the brig. He knew it would be impossible to escape this; there was no way out of a naval brig except through the door; which was locked quite securely.
The motion of the ship told them they were not only at sea but that they were in the middle of a raging storm.
“Will he put to anchor somewhere?” Bryant asked him as he was once again knocked from his feet. He gave up and propped himself against the bars and looked up at Norrington.
Norrington came to crouch beside him and he shrugged.
“The man is insane.”
“They didn’t even board the Pearl so what on earth was all that about?” Bryant whispered.
“They obviously got what they were looking for quicker than they thought,” Norrington replied, racking his brains to think what it could possibly be.
A commotion from the hatch brought Norrington to his feet as two pirates came stomping down the steps. One of them held a young lad over his shoulder while the other one was gripping a soaking wet girl. The door was unlocked and they were literally thrown in with Norrington and then the door was banged closed again.
The pirates growled and went back out slamming the hold shut again.
Norrington moved to where the girl was huddled in a heap on the floor, sobbing miserably. Bryant was examining the lad that was motionless on the floor. The light from the lanterns outside the brig didn’t give out much light, but it was enough to see the boy had been shot.
Norrington crouched down in front of the girl and, reaching out his fingers, he lifted her chin. A black bruise was forming above her right eye and she was bleeding from a cut on her hairline. He shrugged out of his still mainly dry topcoat and placed it around her shoulders.
“Who are you?” asked Norrington quietly, realising that the ward did indeed exist and this was she.
“Nell, Helen Montilice. Is he going to alright?” she crawled over the floor towards the boy. She took Jimmy’s hand in hers and looked down at him.
“He shot him. He just shot him.” She sobbed and more tears crept down her cheeks.
“It’s not too deep but it needs tending, the shot is still in there,” Bryant stated. “I can take it out but I need a dagger.”
Norrington reached for his boot but before he could get there Nell was holding out a small dagger.
“I took it from him in the water,” she said vaguely, she was starting to shake now. “Please help him. They shot his father.”
Bryant took the dagger and ripped open the shirt to reveal the mangled flesh where the shot had entered the skin.
Nell shuddered and Norrington slid his arm around her shoulder.
“Bryant knows what’s doing. Come over here and tell me what happened.”
Nell s her her head and instead moved to sit behind Jimmy. She drew his head onto her lap and stroked his forehead gently.
“He’s my friend,” she said quietly and looked at Bryant.
It suddenly sank in that they were dressed in naval uniforms. She looked around her with wide eyes and suddenly spotted the other brig that was filled with the soldiers. Most of them were watching carefully, silently. Nell frowned; it didn’t make sense to her still numb mind. “Who are you? What happened?” saidsaid quietly.
Norrington’s face sharpened and he fought back an urge to curse.
“I’m Commodore James Norrington. We were outnumbered,” he said shortly and Nell could easily see the anger in his eyes and face.
“You know whom he is, don’t you?” he demanded and Nell found her eyes caught by his. His grey eyes were stormy but she could see the kindness lingering in their depths.
She dropped her eyes and watched as Bryant worked at Jimmy’s shoulder. The boy felt light and frail in her grasp and a wave of hatred went through her for Beaumont. She could still see the sheer horror and desperation in Soames when he saw his son shot. And then Beaumont had shot him too. She remembered Lady Clarence fall to the sand, the blood already seeping down her head. She gritted her teeth and looked back up at the man in front of her.
“Sir James Beaumont,” she said quietly but the bitter tone was easy to hear. “He’s my guardian.”
“And what’s his business with Jack Sparrow?”
“Me,” she said quietly. “Captain Sparrow attacked the ship I was travelling on. He didn’t mean to take us, didn’t even know we were there, but he had set fire to the Rose and had he left us there we would be dead now.” Nell was unaware that she was defending Jack’s actions slightly but it wasn’t lost on Norrington who regarded her with narrowed eyes.
“So, Sparrow didn’t attack the Heron,” Bryant murmured from where he was still bending over Jimmy, his hands covered in the boys’ blood.
Nell blinked down at the dark haired man; he looked up at her quickly and offered a lop-sided grin.
“We’ve been surmising about a lot of things,” he said softly. “But it would be safe to say you can fill in a lot of gaps for us.” He ducked his head back down and pressed a cloth to the open and bleeding wound before glancing back up at Norrington.
“I need to stitch him up sir.”
Nell looked at Norrington and watched as he thought rapidly about what they could use to stitch him back up.
“I don’t suppose Sparrow left you with any valuables that we could make use of?” he asked her quietly.
Nell frowned and using her free hand she reached into her pocket and drew out her rosary and crucifixes.
“He didn’t take these, or my ring.” She saw comprehension cross his face.
“You’re a nun,” he said and a low murmur went up from thldieldiers in the other brig, giving testament that not only could they hear everything that was said, but that they were listening as well.
Nell found herself blushing as she nodded at him.
“I was,” she admitted. “That is part of the reason my guardian was following me. I left the convent I was in. I no longer…”
Norrington’s eyes narrowed and Nell shrugged.
“He put me in the convent when I was nine. I had no choice in the matter, so when I could I left.” She avoided his eyes waiting for the same judgemental reply that Lady Clarence had given her.
“You do not have to explain yourself to me Miss Helen,” he said softly and she lifted her head to meet his eyes. They were still stormy but the kindness was more apparent. He smiled and Nell found herself smiling back.
Norrington looked down at the Rosary in her hand and taking it from her; he hesitated slightly before using the knife to cut the line the beads were strung on. He let the beads slide off into her hand.
“Well now all we need is a needle, or something we can make a needle from,” Bryant said quietly, his eyes caught on the smooth beads in her hand.
“Sir!” one of the soldiers from the other brig held out his hand through the bars and Norrington saw a long strip of wood.
“A loose bit from the hull sir,” he said.
Norrington took it from him and, taking the knife, began to whittle it down till he had a long needle shape. He made a small hole in the end and threaded the line through.
“Will this become infected?” Nell asked and averted her eyes as Bryant began to sew the wound together unevenly with the crude needle.
“Probably,” he admitted as he finished tying off the end and then cut the line with the knife. “But at least he won’t bleed to death. A good helping of rum over this would help,” he said and Norrington shook his head. They had nothing that they could use.
Norrington waited till Nell had made Jimmy as comfortable on her lap as she could, the swaying of the ship had eased considerably.
“I think he has put to anchor somewhere to sit out the storm. We may not have much time.” Norrington moved to sit beside her so he could see her eyes.
“If he cares for you so much that he would take on Sparrow for you, why are you down here?” he demanded and his tone brooked no room for procrastination even though his eyes were still kind.
Nellked ked at him and made her mind up instantly. He looked trustworthy, they both did and they had helped Jimmy, despite knowing he was a pirate.
Nell smiled weakly at them and drew a deep breath.
“My guardian is, as you prly kly know now, a pirate. I had no idea of this until Jack Sparrow told me. I had been led to believe that he was a courtier…” she faded out as she remembered her conversation with Jack over thip tip that had been attacked by Beaumont.
Bryant suddenly slapped his thigh in recognition.
“James Beaumont. BlackBeau,” he said and Norrington’s own eyes cleared with acknowledgement.
“BlackBeau?” Nell frowned.
“It was his pirate name. Didn’t Sparrow tell you that?” asked Norrington quietly.
Nell shook her head and looked down at Jimmy her hand stroking his shock of ginger hair back from his face.
“No, Jack never mentioned anything about any nicknames; he just told me what he’d done. Attacked the Spanish ship Tresorta, stole the gold, hid it and then turned Privateer.”
Norrington’s eyes went wide as he heard her words.
“But he went down with his ship,” Bryant stated, trying his best to wipe the blood from his hands onto a piece of rag torn from Jimmy’s shirt.
Nell shook her head again and looked back at Norrington.
“No. He didn’t die; he just made it seem as if he’d died. He hid the gold and then returned to England to wait it out.”
“And you stole the map and ran away with it and that’s what he’s chasing you for?” Norrington said quietly and for the first time Nell saw a hint of censor in his eyes.
“Not exactly.” She hedged and sighed, knowing there was little she could do but tell him.
She leant forward over Jimmy, careful not to disturb him although he was still deeply unconscious.
“Lift up my shirt,” she said quietly.
Bryant and Norrington exchanged confused glances.
“I really don’t see…”
“No you won’t, unless you lift up my shirt, and then you’ll see,” Nell cut him off, agitation showing her in voice. She was getting cold, her clothes drying on her made her very uncomfortable, her head was throbbing and the cut above her eye was stinging. The smell of the brig and the closeness of the bars were making her agitated and now, having to relive her past yet again for Norrington was getting too much.
Norrington shifted forward and moving his topcoat he lifted the bottom edge of her shirt gingerly. At the first hint of the blue lines that traced her back he sucked in his breath and drew the shirt up further, allowing Bryant to see.
“What is it?” Bryant gasped.
“It’s the way to get to where he hid the gold. He had it tattooed onto my back when I was nine. I had no idea what he had done, I’d fallen from a horse and taken a bad tumble, he told me I had to have a surgeon work on my back to help me heal. I didn’t know what he was doing. As soon as I was well enough he had me entered into the convent, where I stayed until I could stand it no more.”
“And Sparrow knows what’s on your back,” Bryant replied and Nell glanced at him accusingly as Norrington covered her back and draped his coat around her once more.
“I got wet and Mister Hock saw the lines through my shirt….” She was defending herself again, knowing what they imagined.
“Of course, Miss!” he hastily backtracked “I never meant for any other meaning.”
“Regardless,” Norrington spoke up. “Sparrow knows what that is doesn’t he?”
“Yes,” she saidetlyetly. “And he knows which island the gold is hid upon.”
Norrington looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
“Benedictus,” She replied and Bryant sucked in his breath.
“It is folly to sail near there. He would never survive!”
“Well he did and he’s going back there now,” she said firmly.
Nell took her crucifix from her pocket and carefully threaded the beads onto the gold chain before redoing the clasp. She found herself saying her prayers silently as she worked her beads onto the chain. Maybe she hadn’t lost her faith after all, although it didn’t seem to be doing her any good. She looked down at the rosary and reaching forward wound it around Jimmy’s fingers. It might do him more good than her. She laid the crucifix on his chest all the while aware that they were watching him.
Norrington opened his mouth to speak when the hatch was thrown open. He looked up quickly and saw two pirates coming down.
“You haven’t told us anything,” he hissed to Nell as they approached the brig and unlocked the door.
“Come on Missie.” One of them smiled nastily at her “Capt’n wants to see ya!” the door was thrown open and Nell was surprised to see Bryant and Norrington move in front of her defensively.
“Ah now aign’t swe sweet Joe,” laughed one of them as he stepped forward and backhanded Norrington with a hard crack to his face. His head shot sideways and blood flew from his mouth.
Nell gasped and moving Jimmy gently to the floor she stood up.
“Don’t!” she stepped around Bryant. “I’ll come with you.”
One of them grinned at her and reaching out snaked his arm around her waist and yanked her forwards into his embrace.
“Such a pretty maid. Capt’n says you’re all ours when he’s finished with ya. I’d lay my entire share on getting’ ya first.” He leered at her and smashed his lips to hers in a brutal and disgusting kiss.
Nell gagged and fought against him. Bryant jumped to his feet but the other pirate shoved him roughly backwards and he fell onto Norrington.
The pirate let go of Nell and she staggered slightly, whipping her mouth with the back of her hand.
Fear plummeted through her as he caught her wrist and dragged her from the brig, the door slamming shut behind her.
She looked behind her at the brig full of sailors, they were quiet as they watched her being dragged up the stairs, but she could see the fear in their eyes and it struck her that they were frightened for her, not themselves. She looked back at where Bryant and Norrington were, stood by the bars, holding onto them as they watched her go. She could see that they were all fairly certain they wouldn’t see her unharmed again and that thought sent chills down her spine.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Nell stood shivering under the Commodore’s topcoat. It had done little to protect her from the storm as she had been dragged from the brig to where Beaumont and D’Mornay were inside the Commodore’s office.
They were looking at her now and the anger and hatred were barely disguised.
“What did you think you were doing?” demanded Beaumont, his voice was icy cold and restrained.
Nell lifted her head slightly and tried very hard to be brave but desolation was fast washing over her, now the reality of where she was, was sinking in.
“I couldn’t stay there any longer,” she said and was ashamed and dismayed to hear her voice shaking.
Beaumont advanced on her and gripped her chin roughly; he lifted it up and turned her face sharply looking at the now fading bruises on her neck.
“So he told the truth,” he mused and let her go making her stumble backwards.
Nell wanted to ask who had told the truth, wanted to ask what he would do with her now. But fear had rendered her unable to speak up.
“I assume you know what’s on your back?” he asked her coldly.
Nell nodded mutely, her tongue just wouldn’t co-operate with her brain.
“And I assume Sparrow does too?” he folded his arms and arched his eyebrow as he looked down on her.
She nodded miserably and willed herself not to give into the tears that threatened to fall.
“So he wouldn’t let his crew have you but he had you himself,” he laughed nastily.
A sudden rolling wave almost sent Nell tumbling to the floor but she managed to gain purchase by clutching at the desk and hanging on. She watched as Beaumont changed his stance slightly but otherwise was unaffected by the rather violent movements of the ship.
“I take it he made a copy of the map on your back? And was he able to work out the name of the island I wonder?”
Nell found her voice and looked up at him.
“He couldn’t read the map but he took a copy,” she said truthfully but was determined not to let him know anymore.
He gripped her chin again and leant in really close to her.
“Do you still remember the stories we told you on the crossing to England about what pirates do to their captives?”
Nell nodded her eyes wide with fright. She could feel her knees starting to shake and buckle under her.
“We didn’t make up those stories just to entertain you. They were all true and I might add each one was something that we did on the Dormant at one time or another. Every last one of them.” He stepped forward, walking her backwards till her back hit the wall.
“If I’m correct; the one that gave you nightmares the most was where we tied the men to the mast and amused ourselves with a little target practise with broken bottles; before we tied him to a line and suspended him in the water for the sharks to nibble on.”
Nell’s eyes closed in sheer horror as she remembered well his words to her. She tried to swallow but her mouth had gone dry.
“If I find out you’re lying to us in any way at all Helen, dear. I’ll see to it that you gain first hand knowledge of that little nightmare. Do you understand?”
Nell opened her eyes wide, tears brimming over as she stared up into the dark, cold, hard eyes of her guardian.
“I don’t hear you?” he whispered the words by her ear. “Speak up.”
“I…Understand,” she stammered, her entire body shaking now.
“Good.” He stood back from her letting her go. Her legs folded under her as she sank to the floor, her arms going around her in an effort to comfort herself.
“So then, where were we?” Beaumont looked back at D’Mornay and raised an eyebrow at the man who was watching Nell with an amused smirk.
“He has no idea which island he is looking for?” D’Mornay spoke up still looking at Nell.
Nell looked up at him and shook her head.
“He couldn’t ..didn’t…couldn’t w..w.. work out.. I mean he didn’t… wasn’t able to…” Nell stopped, she was shaking so badly now she could hardly speak.
D’Mornay stood up and shook his head sadly.
“James, old chap!” he came closer to Nell and knelt on the floor beside her, placing his arm around her shoulders. “I do believe you’ve frightened the little thing so much she can’t say anything, let alone lie to us.”
Nell wanted to shrug off his heavy arm from around her but any semblance of bravery had long since left her.
“Just nod for old uncle Tristan. Did he work out the map?”
Nell shook her head, dismayed to find that the heat that was seeping from his body was soothing her body.
“Did he mention any islands to you at all?”
Nell shook her head again and prayed to Mary that he wouldn’t see through her lie.
“Does he think it’s anywhere near here?” Beaumont asked crouching down in front of her but quickly giving it up as a bad idea when the movement of the ship almost made him fall.
Nell took a deep breath and digging her fingernails deeply into her palms hoped she could lie better with them that she had with Jack.
“He didthinthink it was a map of this area.” She managed to get out in a husky tone. “He thought it was somewhere he hadn’t been before.”
Tristan smiled at her and leaning tos hes her kissed her cheek gently.
“Now that wasn’t so hard was it?” he stood up and Nell was torn between being glad he had let her go and sorry to loose his body heat.
Beaumont slapped D’Mornay on the shoulder.
“So much more a way with the women than I have,” he muttered and turned to face him, ignoring Nell completely.
“So we may still have an advantage over him,” he spoke to D’Mornay and then suddenly turned back to Nell.
“I’m wondering if I should return you back to the brig or whether I should put you in one of the rather nice cabins.”
Nell hoped he would send her back to the brig with the Commodore but she remained silent.
“Tristan? Any preferences?” and with a sinking heart Nell realised that she was being offered to the other man if he so desired her.
Tristan eyed her up and down and shook his head.
“Let her stay in the brig for the time being. I’m not certain I fancy having at her since Sparrow got her first, if he’s as bad as you said then who knows what he’s given her.”
Beaumont watched the colour flood her face as she looked down at the floor and he took it to mean she was ashamed.
“Not a nun anymore in more than one meaning then Helen.” He laughed crudely and stepped towards her. “Tell me this Helen dear. When Sparrow was getting familiar with you did he liberate you of your things? I see you’re still wearing the ring? Did he let you keep your other articles?” he narrowed his eyes at her “Do you still have your rosary?”
Nell shook her head and opened her mouth to tell them Jimmy had her rosary but something about his expression made her say something entirely different.
“He took my rosary, crucifixes and other things but he didn’t take my ring.”
Beaumont’s eyebrows shot upwards and Nell tht het he had realised she was lying. She braced herself trying to keep her eyes locked with his. She could feel the sweat break out on her forehead despite the cold that was invading her body.
“And why would he leave you with your ring?” he drawled.
Nell looked down at the ring and then back up at him.
“When I asked him why he didn’t want it, he said that some things were not meant to be purloined.” Nell held her breath waiting for his reaction. He stared into her eyes for several minutes before nodding.
“Sounds like an asinine thing that he would do. I’d wager the man’s a bigger dame than Count Roderick and that’s saying something.” He stood back from her and turned to D’Mornay.
“We may have the advantage over him, but he holds the key even though he doesn’t know it. Without them there’s not a lot we can do. Let’s just see if the boy is enough to bring him after us.” He looked back down at Nell. “And I wonder if he won’t play the knight in shining armour with you, my dear. Although if you really have been warming his bed I doubt he’ll bother too hard. He’s got what he wanted after all and heaven knows you’re hardly keeping material are you dear?” Beaumont looked back at Tristan and grinned cruelly.
“There’s nothing about you that he can’t get in any port,” Beaumont said coldly looking back at her. He crossed to the door and beckoned the pirate called Joe back in.
“Take her back down to the brig.” He looked back at Nell and a feral smile crossed his face. “No one has her just yet… she may still be useful to us.”
Joe sent Nell a glare and crossing to her he gripped her arm tightly and hauled her to her feet. He dragged her back out into the slightly easing storm and back down to the brig.
Norrington caught her this time when Joe threw her back in making him laugh as he shut and locked the door before going back up the steps to the hatch above.
Nell clung to Norrington as the full horror of her situation threatened to overwhelm her.
“Tell me what happened,” his voice was firm and authoritative and Nell clung to it as she struggled to get herself and her breathing under control. She took deep breaths and pulled herself away from him and sank down to sit on the floor. He knelt in front of her and moved his head till he was looking into her eyes.
“Miss Helen?”
“Nell,” she said bitterly. “My name is Nell.” She hunched over and Bryant just managed to thrust a pot under her nose as she was sick, bringing up what little remained in her stomach.
Nell groaned as she moved back away from him, her hand going to wipe her mouth as she stared at the pot in his hand. It struck her it was the pot for reliving oneself but she was beyond caring.
“I’m sorry, thank you.” She managed and looked around for Jimmy, careful to avoid looking at any of the sailors in the other brig. She realised now that there were worse things than living behind stone convent walls and she was living it.
Jimmy was propped against the ship side, his eyes still closed. Not looking at either man she crawled forwards till she was beside Jimmy. She drew him into her arms and then looked back at them.
“He doesn’t know that Jack knows which island he’s headed for.” She looked down and noticed that the rosary was missing.
“Where’s my rosary? He was very interested in my crosses and ros”
N”
Norrington watched as her body was racked with shivers as she tried to keep Jimmy as warm as she could. He looked at Bryant who was looking at her with sympathy in his eyes.
“Let’s try and stay warm and we’ll tell you what we found out while you were gone,” Norrington said and tried hard to sound positive. But he wasn’t used to being positive; he never had a cause to sound positive dealing with grown hardened men and certainly not when he was locked in his own brig.
Bryant cast him a look that plainly told Norrington he was worried that his commanding officer was finally losing it.
He rolled his eyes and scooted in beside Nell, pressing as tightly to her as he could. Bryant the the message and drawing Jimmy half onto him and half onto Nell he sat on her other side and pressed in closely.
The warmth from both of them started to seep into her straight away and she sighed as she stroked Jimmy’s forehead.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Norrington cleared his throat and held out his hand to her.
She reached out and he let the crucifix with the beads trickle into her hand.
“That’s no ordinary rosary,” Bryant spoke up quietly. “Jones over there spotted it. The beads should be a plain brown and not marked the way yours are.”
“It’s the monasteries markings.” She sighed. “Each bead has a different mark corresponding to a prayer.”
“No.” Norrington shook his head and Nell let her head thump back against the side behind her.
“I’ve been deceived again haven’t I?” she sighed, wondering just where it would all end and if she’d survive it.
“It’s some sort of code of direction that will make it possible for Beaumont to find his gold. And he now thinks Sparrow has it?”
Nell nodded her head and turned to look at him, their warmth and the relative safety in knowing she wasn’t alone was making her relax.
“I told him he took everything except my ring.”
“Good girl,” Norrington replied absently as he digested everything that had happened.
“Do you think Sparrow will come after us?” asked Bryant quietly.
“He’ll not let Jimmy be taken,” Nell replied. “Hecomecome for his own and for revenge on Jimmy’s father.” She closed her eyes as an image of Jack’s cocky face came to mind. His black eyes dancing, his hands moving strangely as he staggered about.
“And he won’t want to give up the gold so easily.” She couldn’t help herself as a small smile found its way to her lips.
Norrington closed his eyes and let his head lean back against the wall.
“I never thought I’d live to see the day where I would be glad to see Sparrow’s cocky prancing self again,” he murmured in disbelief.
Nell took the beads and crucifix and looked at Bryant.
“Would you put them into my boot please, I don’t want to move Jimmy again.”
Bryant nodded and taking the beads he moved down till he could slip her down slightly. He fed the beads down the side and then slid her boot back into place.
“Is it too uncomfortable?” he asked her and she looked down at his bent head, his face cast into shadow now his back was to the lantern.
She shook her head and tried to smile at him. He came back up to sit beside her and settled himself down.
“What do we do now?” asked Nell.
A low moaning from the other brig caught their attention and Nell glanced across as the men were shifting restlessly. One of them caught Norrington’s eyes.
“Hislop is down, sir,” he spoke softly, his eyes danced between Norrington and Nell.
“Down?” she looked at Norrington who brought his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.
“They’ve been down here awhile,” Bryant explained. “And they haven’t sent any food or water down yet.”
Nell closed her eyes and shook her head, the situation was so hopeless. They were trapped and although Nell hadn’t said anything, there was fear in the back of her mind that Jack wouldn’t try to rescue them before looking for the gold. He would head straight to Benedictus and wait for Beaumont to get there.
Maybe that would be the wisest course of action, giving Jack the element of surprise if he could hide the Pearl before Beaumont realised he was there. But would they last that long? Jack had said it would take fourteen days of constant sailing to get there anat hat hadn’t been allowing for storms…
“Take heart Miss Nell.” Came Norrington’s soft voice from beside her. “I’ve come to learn one thing these past few years. Jack Sparrow is probably the best pirate I’ve ever seen, including your guardian up there.”
She looked at Norrington and gave voice to her doubts.
“And if he doesn’t bother? What if he assumes Jimmy is dead, or what if he thinks he’ll go to the island first and then try to rescue Jimmy? He said it would take fourteen days of solid sailing to get there…” she stopped when he looked directly at her, his arm came around her shoulders and he pulled her in tighter to him.
“He will come for both Jimmy and you. He will realise that you’re important far more than just the map upon your back.”
Nell frowned at him and shook her head, glad of the closeness of him and Bryant as she began to feel warm again.
“Benedictus is such a dangerous island it’s unlikely that your guardian would have forgotten where he hid the gold. Why would he need to tattoo a map to your back to remember something that is nigh on impossible to forget? Sparrow is nothing if he isn’t intelligent, although it pains me to admit it.” Norrington grimaced and then shook his head. “He’ll have realised that there is something else about you that Beaumont needs. Now, we know it’s your rosary, but Sparrow doesn’t. But in knowing there is something he’ll have to come for you.”
Nell realised his logic was sound and relief flooded through her. He was right, Jack would realise that he still needed Nell and he’d come for her as well. She looked down at Jimmy, wondering why the relief she felt was peppered with pain that he wouldn’t come just for her and not because of the gold.
Bryant began to whistle lowly between his teeth and she found the sound comforting. Hung dng down closer to them both she let her eyes close drifting into an exhausted uneasy sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: Thanks for getting this far and still reading! I hope you enjoyed it and I can promise that now I’m moved in (not completely unpacked yet, but I’ve been told that can take years!) my updates on both stories will be a lot quicker.

A big thank you to everyone who wished me well with the . I. I am officially moved now so hopefully updates will be more regular and not so spasmodic.

Thanks to everyone who has read this and enjoys it, whether revireview or not, although reviews are good and a special thank you to everyone who has taken the time to leave reviews.
Couldn’t keep going if it wasn’t for your reviews…. Well I could, but I feel so much happier about it knowing that someone eleadseads it too.

GylzGirl: I hope you liked this and I’m sorry it’s still a bit of a cliffhanger. I’ll remember that you’re a sucker for a rescue. I must admit that I am too. Although Nell will be standing up for herself once she discovers she has a little backbone of her own… but I can’t say more else you won’t need to read the chapters. Thanks for your lovely revind Ind I can safely say ( I hope!) that I am never moving again!

Lilitaliandragon: Hides in shame… I will review your story I promise. I’ve actually read as far as chapter three, and I like what I’ve read so far but I just haven’t had the time to stop and review it properly. But I will, I promise. Thank you for your reviews… I hope you like this one too.

Pirate: Thank you! You cheered me up properly. As for Jimmy dying… have to wait and see… But I promise not to be too angsty. I don’t write angst, the newspapers do that all too well for us. By the way the repeating “I am not old” is working. Anyway, I hope you like one too.

Istalindar americrana: I hope you like this one too and thank you for your lovely review.

Iamwickedcool: It does take forever to get settled in. It’s weird, it took us two weeks to pack up but it’s going to take a lot longer to unpack! I hope you enjoy this chapter too.

Big-brat: Thank you for your review. I just hope you continue to enjoy it. I have two login names which can be confusing for me… on ff.net I’m (imaginatively) called Starlight8 and on aff.net I’m Boshomengro. I should use just one I suppose, but there you go, mad as a hatter, that’s me!

Hils: Thanks for your reviews and I have to say thanks for all the information you’ve sent my way, very helpful indeed! Keep writing! Hope you like this chapter too.

Daelyan Sandheaver: Thanks for your lovely review. You made me laugh when you spoke about Rod Stewart… onto missies number one million and don’t they all look the same? He should do what Claude Van Damme does and get girls that not only look the same but have the same name; there can be no confusion when the lights go down then! Aren’t I nasty! I hope this chapter has answered all your queries about her ring, I can safely say No, it’s not her ring, but her Rosary, now you know why I could say you were so close! Anyway, I’ve rambled through my reply… as usual. Thanks again and I hope you like this one too.

Eradwyn: Thank you! Blushes madly. I’ve never considered screenplay writing and I’m still waiting for inspiration to write a novel, Jack and Snape keep getting in the way. Thank you again and I hope you like this one too.

Sophie: I hope this is quick enough for you and I hope you continue to read it. Thanks for making me smile. And keeping me on my toes!

Hellyn: Well we moved and now I can sit back and relax! HAHAHAHA! I still have unpacking to do, but I’ve shoved it all under the stairs and just hope no one opens the cupboard door or she’ll be snowed under by the boxes that will come tumbling out. I hope you still like Beaumont, he’s going to get a lot more evil D’MoD’Mornay will be running a close second. Beaumont will be what true pirates were really all about, not the Disney’d version… I just hope I can fit it into a PG-13 without going over that rating… but I really don’t want it to be an R. Maybe that’ll be a chapter for Aff.net… thanks for your review.. made me happy. Oh and happy munching your way through the days… and there’s always more than one calendar out there if it doesn’t last…

KrissXed: Thank you. I think you’re right about Sparrow dancing around the room it just kinda leapt off my fingers as I was writing. Originally it was going to lead to an ‘incident’ but I changed my mind… As for Norrington; I love the man. And I’m quickly finding that I want him to have a bigger and bigger part in this story… Oh happy thoughts about a sequel… I hope they include Norrington again… Jack and Norrington on the same screen… goes off into swooning fantasies.

Braveheart: Thanks! You made me blush and smile and happy! The action is on its way… if you’ve read my other stories you’ll probably see a pattern… slow…slower…slowest…quick…quicker…quickest…stop. Sounds like a dance! I try to even it out a little but my fingers do the tapping and I just obey! Hope you continue to enjoy this…


Thank you again and hope you all keep well and happy.
Take care of yourselves.

Oh and I just had to add this:

Reality is merely an illusion; albeit a very persistent one.

Albert Einstein.

I think he was writing about all future fan-fiction authors don’t you?