The Map

Just a quick heads up that this hasn’t been proof read. Apologies in advance for many numerous and in mur murderous mistakes.

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Nell could smell the rotten odour from the cooped up soldiers in the brig opposite her. Tristan D’Mornay was stood just inside the bars; Norrington and Bryant were tied and gagged in front of him.

“Now then Helen. What will it be?” asked Tristan cheerfully, seemingly unaware of the stench of sweat, effluent and death that pervaded the brig. “You can come with me now and tell me everything I want to know or I’ll kill these good men where they kneel?”

“I’ll come with you.” She shouted time and again. But her voice wouldn’t work; no sound came from her mouth. “Please don’t…” she screamed but to no avail. Her body wouldn’t obey her as she tried to make herself heard.

She watched in mute horror as Tristan brought a dagger to Norrington’s throat and drew a long line from ear to ear slowly. The dagger moving as easily as a knife through butter; the skin opened and blood began to pore through. She heard Norrington give a gargled groan as his blue eyes fixed on her and it was easy to see the blame that he laid at her feet. It was her fault that he was aboo dio die…

“NELL!” she heard her name and her eyes flew open, still seeing images of Norrington bleeding to death in front of her.

She looked around her wildly, her eyes taking in the sheets of the bed and then the arms that were clasping her shoulders and shaking her.

“Elizabeth?” she sank back onto the pillows as she stared up at her with sweat running down her terror stricken face.

“You’re safe now.” Elizabeth said, pushing the hair out of her face. “It was just a dream.”
“I was dreaming.” Nell stuttered and brought her hand up to cover her eyes. “What time is it?”

“It’s morning.”

“I slept here all night?” she lowered her hand, still breathing heavily and shaking from her nightmare. “What of Jack?”

“Jack slept with the crew.” Elizabeth said softly, her face kind as she looked at her.

Nell took a deep breath and moved to sit up.

“I’ve brought you some breakfast.” Elizabeth said as she got up to cross to the table where a tray was set.

Nell licked her dry lips and gingerly swung her legs over the side of the bed, glad that her stomach didn’t complain too much.

“Thank you” she whispered and getting up slowly made her way over to the table. Using the table as support she sat down slowly, aware of Elizabeth watching her the whole time.

Nell looked around and then up at Elizabeth.

“Is there any clothes I can put on? I’d like to go out.” She desperately needed to get out of the confines of the cabin. She needed to feel the sunlight and air on her face, try and rid herself of the dreams that were still clinging to the edges of her mind.

Elizabeth nodded noting the paleness of her face and the haunted look in her eyes. For one moment she thought that maybe Norrington was correct in saying that Nell shouldn’t be taken any further. She crossed to the chest of drawers and drew out some of Jack’s clothes for her.

“I’m afraid it’ll have to be Jack’s clothes again.” She said turning to see Nell picking at a banana unhappily.

Nell looked up and forced a bright smile onto her face as Elizabeth handed her the shirt and trousers.

“Unless you’d like to wear one of your habits?” Elizabeth saw the look of disgust in her eyes and grinned “Only joking.” She said and looked down at where Nell had one hand resting protectively over her stomach.

“Do you wish for me to help you dress?”

Nell shook her head and swallowed her mouthful of banana. She felt awkward with Elizabeth, awkward and uncomfortable.

“No, thank I’ I’ll be fine; it’s not so bad since Mister Benjamin put the stitches in.”

Elizabeth nodded and placed her hands on her tiny waist and pursed her lips.

“Do you want to talk?” she asked, her brown eyes showing her concern.
Nell looked up at her again and frowned in puzzlement.

“What about?”

“You were dreaming.” Elizabeth stated “I thought it might help if you could talk through what happened on the Relentless.”

Nell paled even further and shook her head.

“Nothing happened really.” She denied and finishing her banana, stood up taking the clothes across to the bed.

“I am here if you need me.” Elizabeth said simply.

Nell turned and looked at her over her shoulder. Elizabeth was dressed in one of Lady Clarence’s dresses, her own having been destroyed on the Ardent. Her hair was dressed neatly on her head with tiny ringlets falling prettily either side. Her face showed her concern but still Nell felt uncomfortable with her. She was on another level somehow. It wasn’t just that she was more beautiful that Nell, or that she seemed to be so unflappable, if Nell was completely honest she wasn’t sure what it was about Elizabeth that made her uncomfortable, but she did realise she was being unfair to the other woman.

“Thank you.” Nell said quietly and half smiled at her trying her best.
Elizabeth nodded and walked to the door.

“I’ll be outside if you need me.” She said softly and went outside shutting the door behind her quietly.

Nell looked down at the clothes in her hand and carefully began to dress. Boots were completely beyond her as it required bending, so when she left the cabin she went barefooted.

Elizabeth was out on deck talking with Norrington and Bryant when Nell came out of the corridor walking slowly, one hand still holding her stomach.

Bryant was the first one to see her and he moved forward offering his arm to her.

Nell looked up at him and smiled.

“Thank you.” She said “Are you well?” she asked both him and Norrington as she stopped beside them letting go of Bryant’s arm.

“Very well thank you miss. And yourself?” Norrington inclined his head respectfully at her.

“Fine thank you.” She replied and stood there, the awkward feeling came back ten-fold as she looked at the three of them. They all stood there in a semicircle, no one talking and Nell got the distinct impression she had interrupted a conversation she was not included in. Self-consciously she looked around her and suddenly spotted Jimmy perched on the Capstan talking with his father who was sitting with his arm in a makeshift sling.

“Excuse me.” She muttered before moving as quickly as she could to the two pirates.

She stood looking at them and was most humiliated when tears came to her eyes.

“I am so glad you’re well. Both of you.” She said and her face flooded with colour as her voice hitched and a tear ran down her face.

Soames began to struggle to his feet but Nell hurriedly stopped him.
“Please don’t get up.” She said and hastily wiped her face grinning at them, her heart feeling lighter than it had in awhile.

“I was so worried.” She confessed.

“We be ‘arder than that Miss Nell.” Soames said grinning up at her “I was just annoyed that ‘e got me boy and ye. Should’ve seen that one coming.” He looked at Jimmy briefly and Nell saw the love in his eyes for the boy.

She looked at Jimmy before stepping closer to him and pointing to his shoulder.

“How is it fairing?” she asked him.

Jimmy grinned and ran his free hand through his hair.

“Just great Miss.” He chuckled “Mister Daniels was right impressed.”

Nell nodded and bit her lip, casting a glance over her shoulder at where Norrington and Bryant were still stood with Elizabeth watching her.

She leaned forward towards Jimmy and Soames and lowered her voice.
“I bet it was a surprise to hear who stitched you up.” She whispered and winked at them, a little devil sitting on her shoulder.

Soames chuckled with laughter while Jimmy nodded frantically.

“Fair nearly upped and tipped over when ye told me who done it.” He grinned “And there was me finking they’d ‘urt ye.”

“They were very kind to me.” Nell said and remembered with clarity being we tig tightly between the two men to keep her warm. She remembered feeling safe enough to fall asleep on Norrington’s shoulder, and then loosing that safety when the pirates had come down for her. She remembered feeling completely helpless when Bryant had been knocked to his knees with a pistol to his head while Tristan threatened Jimmy. Her dream came back to her and she shivered despite the sun shining down before realising that Jimmy was talking again and she blinked and looked at him quickly.

“Pardon?”

“I was just saying that yer safe now.” He said watching her carefully, the cheeky grin gone from his face.

Nell smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes this time.

“Yes, of course.” She nodded and couldn’t help her eyes straying to the hatch that she knew lead to the hold and the brig below. “We all are now.” She said vaguely and stepped backwards.

She became aware of them looking behind her and she turned slightly to see Jack stood behind her, face watchful as he quite clearly listened to her.

“Jack!” she blinked, surprised at how she hadn’t heard him coming up behind her.

“Nell.” His face lost its intensity as he suddenly grinned at her.

“Gentlemen.” He grinned down at Soames and Jimmy “Excuse me for a moment but I be needing the young miss elsewhere.”

Soames grinned up at them as Nell frowned at Jack.

He slung his arm around her shoulders, careful not to put any extra weight on her.

“How are you feeling darlin’?” he inquired as he drew her away from the pirates and towards the corridor that would lead them back to his cabin.
“Quite well.” Nell replied “Thank you.” She spoke stiffly and held herself rigidly under his arm. She wanted to ask him why her guardian was aboard. Wanted to scream at him for letting them live. But if she was honest, she already knew that he had kept them alive for his benefit… and that was something she had to remember; that no matter what he did, he always had an ulterior motive and one that would ultimately benefit him. She had to remember that the tiny glimmer of good that she had seen in him was just that, a glimmer and nothing more.

“I’m glad to hear it luv. There’s something we need to be talking about.” Came his cocky, self assured response and Nell stiffened even more.

He opened the door to his cabin with his free hand and then stepped back away from her sweeping his arm forward to indicate that she should go ahead of him.

“Sparrow!” she heard Jack sigh as she looked up to see Norrington bearing down on them, his face clearly etched with displeasure.

“Something you be needing?” Jack asked calmly, “Besides a ship all of your own?”

Norrington stiffened with the jibe and so did Nell.

“That was unkind Jack.” She said quietly “And uncalled for.”

“Unkind?” Jack turned to stare at her ignoring Norrington “Uncalled for? Nell darlin’, there’s obviously something that’s not clear to you; he’s tried to hang me, twice I might add, where in that does it mean I have to be nice to him?”

“But it doesn’t mean that you have to rub his nose in it either.” She replied and walked into the cabin. She wanted to sit down and had no urge to watch the two men argue.

Jack followed her, his hands stuck forward slightly as he frowned at her.
“I was not rubbing his nose in it.” He turned to see Norrington coming towards the door he leaned out poking his fingers into Norrington’s chest stopping him from coming in.

“This is between Nell and I, you are neither required nor wanted in here, savvy?” Jack eyebrow’s rose as Norrington began to disagree but he cut him off by pulling back and shutting the door in his face, turning the key in the lock and grinning to himself.

He turned to face a surprised Nell.

“Jack!” she frowned at his actions.

“Clearly you have no idea how good that just felt.” He remarked before pushing himself away from the door and swaggering towards the bed.

“Clearly you have absolutely no manners.” She retorted turning to glare at him. She folded her arms and winced quickly unfolding them when it pulled at her stomach.

“Your point being?” he slurred lazily and grinned at her.

Tiredness washed over her and she slumped slightly before sitting down cautiously at his table.

“What are you doing Jack?” she asked wearily “What game are you playing now?”

“Game?” he asked and his voice was deadly serious now “Why would I be playing a game with you Nell? To what point and purpose would that take me?”

Nell looked at him as he swaggered towards her; he stopped and leant on the table with one hand while he removed his hat with the other. He inspected it briefly before throwing it down on the table.

“Where do all the things that you do take you Jack but to gold and treasure?” Nell avoided his eyes and concentrated on the dice hanging from his hair.

“Circles.” He sighed and his hands copied his words “We always go in circles don’t we?” he gripped his chair and yanked it across to sit down so close to her that his knees were pressed against her own.

She still avoided his eyes and found herself watching his mouth as his head moved in time with his words.

“I am playing no game with you Nell. I doubt whether you’ll remember this but you told me about your rosary…” he watched as it dawned on her that she had forgotten all about the rosary. “I have said beads in my possession and…”

“Then why keep him on aboard too?” she demanded sharply and looked him directly in the eyes this time. He knew who she was talking about; she could see that clearly in his startled expression. But she could also see that he had been hoping to keep it quiet from her, and that angered her even more.

Jack pulled a face and leant back in his chair, one hand going to the braids in his beard.

“Ah so someone has informed you…” he started to speak.

“You’ve made a deal with him as well haven’t you?” she demanded and the tension, fear and anger of the past few days came flooding out with her hot words “Made a pact with him? Offered him what? A share of the gold in return for helping you find it? Am I included in this pact too?”

Jack listened to her carefully, his face giving nothing away of his thoughts or feelings.

Nell glared at him and stood up quickly ignoring the shoot of pain across her abdomen. She moved to push past his knees, not seeing him stick his leg out slightly. She caught her foot on his shin and tumbled forwards. Quick as lightening he caught her wrists, turned her and brought her down on his lap.

“Now then, why don’t you calm down and listen to me.” He kept a firm grip on her hands and easily held her in place as she wriggled to free herself, still extremely angry with him. He held her easily as she desperately wriggled trying to get free.

“Nell quite wiggling like that.” His voice was slightly strangled and his eyes were almost crossing. She stilled in his hold and looked down at him not understanding the slightly pained look in his eyes.

“Now, please; be keeping perfectly still else this conversation may not go as planned.” He brought his head back and looked up at her. Her breathing was hard and her cheeks were flushed with anger.

“Oh what the devil… it’s unlikely you’ll believe nywanyway.” He muttered and letting go of her hands he caught her head between his palms and brought her forwards, his lips crashing against hers. He kissed her possessively, his tongue demanding and gaining instant access. Nell’s hand fluttered around his chest, before she groaned into his mouth and wound them around his neck sinking into his embrace.
Jack moved till she was leaning backwards slightly, her weight supported on his arm. He brought one hand up to hold her chin lightly, conscious of the bruising there. Nell was lost in the sensations his lips and tongue was creating in her. His fingers danced gently along her jaw line before following the curve of her throat and across her collarbone, trailing downwards and into the edge of her shirt, his fingers making quick work of the top buttons. His warm fingers trailed fire across her skin as he slid them back and forth over her collarbone gradually inching lower till his fingers slid down the valley between her breasts. She moaned deep in her throat as his hand drifted up over her breast cupping her, rolling her nipple against his palm.

He lifted his head slightly; allowing them both to breathe again before his lfastfastened to her jaw-line and worked the same line his fingers had taken previously; working lower down her throat while his hand massaged and rolled her breast till Nell thought she’d scream with the intensity of the sensations building in pit pit of her stomach.

His lips crept back up her jaw line nibbling on her ear, his lips and tongue exploring every inch of her exposed ear. Nell was beginning to shake with the reaction, wanting something that she didn’t understand. It felt like fire and ice and need and wanting all roll into one, all battling for supremacy over the over. She squirmed in his lap as his mouth and hand drove her nearly mindless with feelings that threatened to drown her. He groaned into her ear at her movements and his hot breath on her wet ear made her gasp in reaction. She was totally pliant in his arms, totally and completely overwhelmed by the fire spreading through her veins and descending downwards through her body making her squirm even more. His hand slid lower, under her breast and down over her stomach, skipping over the stitches that lay there careful not to hurt her as his fingers dipped low into the hollow between her hip bones and then ventured lower still. His intentions sank into Nell’s pleasure addled brain and the fire in her veins was replaced with fear. This was too fast, too much. She was loosing control of not only her body but her mind and her response to him frightened her. He only had to touch her and she became boneless in his arms. He had the ability to strip her of any and all defences, to have complete control over her reactions. It made her vulnerable and he knew it and was using it against her. She wound her fingers into his hair and jerked back hard.

He yelped and lifted his head in annoyance, his fingers leaving their exploration of her to grip the hand in his hair.

“Now why would you be doing something like that?” he demanded and tugged her hand making her let go of his hair.

“You wanted to know what games pla play?” she lifted her hand to her flushed cheeks and stared at him. “This is one of them Jack and I don’t want to play it.”

Jack closed his eyes briefly before he looked up at her under his lashes.

“Well I have to disagree with your words there, to be sure your body disagrees with your words as well, however that’s entirely besides the point…” he caught her hand before she could slap him although it hadn’t even entered her head “I’m not playing a game with you, not the one you think I’m playing anyway…” he shook his head and took a deep breath, lifting her from his lap and setting her back on her chair.
The sudden loss of his warmth and contact came as a shock to Nell and it suddenly occurred to her that she actually felt right sitting on his lap. Pushing the traitorous thoughts aside she lifted an eyebrow at him.

“Then what are you doing?” she demanded.

Jack lifted a hand and circled it slightly before turning in his seat and lifting his booted feet onto the table, crossing his ankles.

“Well I thought that’d be obvious even to one brought up amongst nuns.” He said quietly “But that’s not what you were asking is it now?”

Nell was getting frustrated with him, she stood up and made certain that this time when she crossed away from the desk that he didn’t trip her up. She crossed to the mullioned windows and sat on the velvet cushions staring out at the blue sea.

Jack sighed and reaching into one of the table drawers he drew out a bottle of rum, he uncorked it with his teeth and spat the cork onto the table before taking a long swig of rum.

“You were deliberately trying to confuse me.” She accused “Trying to avoid telling me about my guardian.”

Jack snorted into the bottle slightly before upending it again. He wiped his mouth across his sleeve and concentrated on the bottle.

“Here’s the rub.” He said quietly but Nell was listening very intently and heard him clearly “Will and Timms caught Beaumont and Tristan as they tried to jump ship.”

Nell turned to look at him quickly but said nothing as he continufterfter another swig of rum.

“They are going to give us the route onto the island, in exchange for not killing them on the spot. They are at present locked in the brig unable to move further than the irons around their wrists will let them… they can’t get out and they can’t get to you. On that you have my word.”

Nell closed her eyes; it had stood to reason they’d be locked up even if it was just to stop the crew from killing them, or Soames for killing them for that matter. But it still made her feel slightly safer to hear him say it out loud.

“So you’ll kill them later instead?” she asked.

Jack shifted slightly and Nell looked back at him eventually.

“They will die.” He promised her, leaving out that arrangement he had made with Norrington. He wouldn’t break his word with the man and kill them himself, but neither would he stop anyone else killing them. It was semantics, this he knew and very close to the line of breaking his word… but then he was a pirate. What did everyone expect? Honesty was not exactly his redeeming quality was it?

“And you really think they won’t trick you?” she asked sarcastically.

“Of course they’ll try and trick me; they wouldn’t be pirates if they didn’t. And if they weren’t pirates then the Tresorta would have made it to the crown, and all that treasure wouldn’t be sitting there just waiting for me to liberate it and we wouldn’t have such a happy little family on board the Pearl.” He slurred slightly as he spoke.

Nell looked at him and watched as he slid his feet to the floor, got up and crossed to sit beside her.

“I’m sorry he caught you.” He said quietly and Nell looked at him, ashamed as she felt the tears well up in her eyes. She winced and shrugged and screwed her face up, desperate not to cry in front of this man again.

She turned her head away and shrugged again, angrily wiping away a stray tear.

“I’ll not make that mistake again.” He whispered and lifted his hand to her shoulder.

The touch of his warm hand on her shoulder was enough to completely undo her. She turned to him, moving into his open arms, her own arms going around his waist as he buried her face in his neck biting her lip to prevent the flow of tears.

“I didn’t think you’d come after us. I thought you’d go onto the island and try and get Jimmy back that way.” Her voice was husky with unshed tears and muffled by his hair but he heard her anyway.

Jack sighed and let his hands caress gently down her back and up again.

“Of course I’d come after you…” he stated and she cut him off.

“I know that now. The Commodore told me at the time that you’d come after me, that you would already have realised there was something else I had that my guardian needed.”

Jack stiffened and frowned, looking down at her bent head. It suddenly dawned on him that her self-esteem wasn’t just lacking it was non-existent. Or was it her faith in him that was non-existent? And if it came to that, why should he expect her to have any faith in him. He was a pirate and had made no bones about it either.

“Nell.” He moved his mouth till it was pressed to her ear and told her the truth “I’d have come for you whether I needed you for the treasure or not, I wouldn’t have left you behind.”

Nell stilled in his arms and he heard her breathing catch.

She pulled back away from him and he let her go, his dark eyes watching her intently as she looked at him steadily.

“Why?” she asked him quietly. He opened his mouth to articulate all the reasons he had and found himself completely unable to think of anything. He was completely lost for words and for the first time in a long time his mind went blank for reasons. He almost panicked, almost. His quick brain kicked in and he grinned slyly at her.

“Who else washes the crew’s clothes so well and without complaining?” he slurred and winked at her.

He watched as it took several seconds for her to realise he was joking.
A tiny grin worked at the corners of her mouth until she was laughing at him.

“You idiot.” She reached forward and pushed at his shoulder gently.

“Aye an idiot.” He grinned back at her, relieved to see her smiling again and relieved that she wasn’t pushing an issue that he had yet to work out himself.

“So you really didn’t sell me to the devil then?” she asked him and he looked at her askance.

“Please!” his hands out-stretched “Captain Jack Sparrow does not need to resort to using humans as leverage.”

Nell grinned again and inclined her head to one side.

“That’s not what Elizabeth says about you and Will.”

“Aye… well Elizabeth talks too much.” He reached out a hand and tucked an escaping curl of hair behind her ear.

“Jack…” Nell stopped and blushed and then looked away. “Why do you kiss me? Really?” she looked back at him quickly, waiting for his laugh, but his grin had faded as he stared at her intently.

“I mean… you don’t find me attractive and I’m not exactly…”

“And just what makes you think I don’t find yttrattractive?”

“But that’s not the point anyway.” Nell bit her lip again “What about Scarlet?”

Jack was floored for several seconds until he remembered what she had said to him days before.

“Well you see there’s been just a little confusion going on there. I have no wife Nell.” He looked at her intently hoping that maybe he could push this, or rather her, further. He wondered if he could finally sweet-talk her into that bed of his… convince her that it was not only the right thing for her to let him do but the natural order of things, which of course it was as far as he was concerned.

He knew she was attracted to him even if she wasn’t completely aware of it herself and that wasn’t just his arrogance thinking. He knew the moment she surrendered to his kisses that she could be his; if he could just dis-engage her brain long enough to get her past the point of no return. Had he’d been a bit more devious he’d try and get her drunk like he had Elizabeth on the island, but then look how that had backfired on him!

But it was more than worrying about consequences; it was realising that he wanted her completely sober and completely with him because she wanted to be, not because her brain was addled with liquor. No matter how attractive the idea might be or how desperate he was getting.
Nell waved a hand in front of his face and he realised that she had been talking to him.

“I was asking who Scarlet is.” Nell said quietly “She must be special for your thoughts to wander when I said her name…”

“Scarlet is not my wife nor is she special. I have no wife and only one mistress.” He grinned, trying to lighten and take the subject as far from marriage as humanly possible.

“Mistress?” she asked quietly raising an eyebrow.

“The Pearl.” He winked at her and received a grin in reply.

He edged closer to her and slung his arm around her neck his fingers crazing against her collarbone seemingly accidentally.

“You want to know why I kiss you, why I touch you?” he asked and seeing her nod took the plunge.

“Because I do find you attractive. Very attractive.” He answered and then added “Tell me honestly you don’t like it and I’ll not trouble your lips with mine again.”

Nell opened her mouth and blinked at his words.

She did like it. All too much in fact and she also realised that not only did she like his kisses she liked his touch on her, liked feeling his arms around her. She swallowed and opened her mouth to deny it.

“I do like it; I like you a lot.” The words were out before she realised they weren’t quite the ones she had been aiming for.

“Aha!” he said triumphantly and knew it was time to back off and leave her hanging “So that’s settled then, your lips have no aversion to having mine pressed against them at any given moment.” He nodded as if he’d just settled a very troublesome debate and stood up. “So then Miss Nell, are you tired? Would you like to rest now or would you like a turn around the deck?”

She blinked up at him as he swaggered across to his bottle of rum and took a long, long swallow before re-corking it and sticking it into the waistband of his trousers.

“I… I’m tired.” She said frowning down at where he had been sat just seconds before.

“I’ll give the word that no one disturbs you till Dwent and Hock cook up something stomach turning to eat… I’ll be glad when Soames and Jimmy are back on grub duty and so will my stomach.” He slurred, picking up his hat and setting it on his head. He crossed to the door and unlocked it, looking back over his shoulder with a wicked grin.
“Having said that I really can’t think of anything quite as bad as having an eye peering up at me from deptdepths of my stew.” He opened the door and went out closing it behind him.

Nell’s fingers went to her lips as it finally sank in that not only did she like him kissing her but she was getting close to needing him to kiss her, touch her.

She sighed. If she was to be damned, which she was fairly sure she was, she could think of no better way to seal it than by Jack Sparrow’s attentions.

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


Norrington sat at the table with Bryant to his left and Will to his right. Lady Clarence was sitting next to Elizabeth who was beside Will, with Nell on her left and Jack next to Nell.

If anyone had told him a few months ago that he would be sitting and eating with pirates he would have laughed in their faces. But he here was doing just that.

The food had been served by Hock and Dwent and Norrington had to admit that it was really excellent stuff. For a pirate ship.

“I had no idea you ate so well Sparrow.” He said as he broke into a bread roll.

Jack smirked before casting a sideways glance at Nell who was picking at the dark bits in her roll oblivious to him watching her.

“There’s a lot about us you don’t know.” Hock said as he sat down between Nell and Elizabeth and helped himself to a plate of food.
Several days had passed since they had been brought aboard and Norrington was surprised that the time had passed so quickly.

Although he knew that the crew viewed his with utmost distrust and even hatred, they had done nothing to provoke either himself or Bryant. With the help of the ladies the few remaining soldiers that had been brought aboard were recovering nicely and would no doubt be well enough to provide some assistance on the island should it be needed. Norrington had heard the rumours about the islands and several nights he had lain awake with Bryant in a small cornered off area of the sleeping quarters quietly discussing what they most likely would find once they landed.

It didn’t come as a surprise that Bryant was expecting something supernatural and he had to admit that after his last excursion with Sparrow he was also expecting something similar. He remembered how it had taken him days last time to get to grips with the fact that he had actually fought skeletal pirates. A shiver ran down his spine at the memory. Bryant tapped his foot discreetly against his own and Norrington realised he was expected to reply to something that he had long since stopped listening to.

He looked up and saw Sparrow smirking at him with amusement clear in his eyes at catching the Commodore miles away in thought. He merely nodded at the pirate and returned his attention back to the roll in his hand.

“This could be the last meal we eat aboard the Pearl so make the most of it ladies and gentlemen.” Jack said before upending a bottle of rum into his mouth.

“Are we that close?” asked Elizabeth as she tucked into her own meal.
“We’ll start seeing the first islands that mark the perimeter tomorrow.” Jack replied “Benedictus is surrounded by a sea fog that never lifts…” he stopped and looked at Norrington before casting his glance back to Nell. She had a small pile of dark coloured crumbs on her plate that she was pushing to one side with the edge of her knife. He frowned and looked back at Norrington, but it was Bryant who caught his eye. He was watching Nell intently a tiny frown between his eyebrows.

“Not more curses.” Elizabeth sighed loudly.

“Those are only tales.” Norrington said slowly his eyes on Lady Clarence “There is little truth in them.”

“That’s what most people said about the curse on the Black Pearl.” Elizabeth said grimly “I for one will believe all manner of things that I once did not.”

Nell looked up and set her decimated roll down on the plate.

“Do you believe the stories Sparrow?” asked Norrington carefully.

“I don’t discount them out of hand.” He replied taking Nell’s plate and swiftly wiping the roll and its crumbs onto the table beside her before placing another roll on it. He grinned at her and inclined his head.

“It’s not old enough to worry about Nell luv.” He whispered loud enough only for ears.

Nell blushed bright red before glaring at Jack.

“There are no such things as ghosts.” Lady Clarence snorted and Elizabeth looked at her.

“Oh yes there is.” She replied “And I’ve seen them, everyone at this table, with the exception of Mister Hock, yourself and Nell have seen ghosts.”

“Not ghosts exactly.” Jack corrected her “More like living dead pirates to be sure.”

Nell’s eyebrows rose and she snorted.

“I haven’t had enough rum to believe that.” She said dryly and lifted her mug of weak beer.

Norrington shifted and looked at Bryant and decided that someone at least aught to prepare her for what might be about to come.

“We both saw them. They were truly cursed pirates. Skeletons that couldn’t be killed, only the light of the moon showed them for what they truly were.”

Lady Clarence looked at Nell disbelievingly and Nell was reassured that they were indeed talking nonsense.

“I for one would only believe it if I saw it.” Lady Clarence said haughtily.
“Then you are a fool.” Hock stated firmly.

Lady Clarence gasped and glared at him.

“How dare you?” she demanded.

“Well it stand to reason woman!” he replied “You can’t see the wind, but you believe in it don’t you?” he said looking directly at her.

Lady Clarence opened and closed her mouth as she thought that one out.

“That’s different.” She snapped

“How so?” he pressed her.

“It just is.” She snapped back and glared at him.

“It was an unholy night.” Bryant said quietly “I swear on all that’s good and right those pirates were no more than rotten skin and bones.

They looked human enough until the moonlight shone on them and then… bones with rotting flesh and clothes in tatters. Eyes protruding from skulls that stank of death and decay.”

The room went silent as everyone turned to look at him. Nell met his eyes and she saw the truth in them. It confused her and frightened her slightly.

“That’s enough.” Norrington spoke sharply and Bryant blinked and realised what he had said.

“My apologises.” He said quickly “I had no intention of frightening the ladies.”

Lady Clarence reached for her mug with a shaky hand.

“I suspect most of the stories about the island are from too many tank of of ale spent in front of a fire.” Will said quietly and Nell realised it was the first time he’d spoken all evening.

She looked over at him and smiled thankful for his voice of reason.
“I think perhaps you are correct.” She replied “There was a story in our convent that was told to me when I first arrived there. A story of a ghostly nun who walked the halls at night moaning and wailing. It was said that she had been walled in alive there for some terrible crime she had committed and her soul haunted the halls.”

She looked up suddenly aware that everyone was watching her she blushed and shrugged her shoulders.

“And why did she walk the halls?” asked Elizabeth fascinated.

“She was looking for other nuns who made the same mistakes as her.

If she found any girls out of their rooms at night she would take you and wall you in too.” Nell replied and frowned “Although it was never clear to me what her mistakes were. When you’re nine and quite impressionable it was enough to convince you to stay in your room at night. Of course that was why the story was spread around. It was an excellent deterrent for the girls who were more… adventurous than the rest of us.”

“So there was never a ghostly nun?” asked Elizabeth.

“Well I never saw one.”

“But did you walk the halls at night?” asked Jack with an amused slur in his voice.

“No. When you have to wake every three hours to pray walking the halls when I wasn’t praying wasn’t high on my list of desires. Sleeping was by far a much better choice.”

“Which would have made an excellent cover for the Friar.” Snorted Hock. Jack laughed while Norrington humped in disgust.

“What?” asked Nell frowning at Hock “Cover for what?”

“Yes! A cover for what Mister Hock?” asked Lady Clarence pinning him with a steely gaze.

He smirked and leant towards her pressing his mouth to her ear.
Nell watched in interest as she listened to what he was saying, Lady Clarence’s face coloured up and she pressed her hands to her cheeks before casting a glance at Nell.

Nell frowned not knowing what was passing between them. She pulled a face at Lady Clarence who dropped her eyes. Hock saw her reaction and roared with laughter.

“I can state now that Miss Nell was never visited.” He said quietly to Lady Clarence who immediately looked very relieved.

Jack raised his eyebrows and looked at Hock.

“And would you care to tell me exactly how you know this?” he asked
Hock looked at him and grinned.

“Tis written all over her capt’n. Nothing nefarious in it, just got eyes in me head is all.”

Jack smirked and nodded in agreement.

“I hardly think it is agreeable to be discussing these things.” Norrington spoke up firmly and Nell looked at him thankfully.

“Indeed.” Jack stated “Hock do you have your dice on you? Perhaps the Commodore would like to play a game of chance of two?” he looked at Norrington as he spoke.

Norrington’s eyebrows rose as he laid his fork down by his plate.
“You know I have nothing on which to lay wager, even if I would consider betting with a pirate.” He said dryly.

“Now mate.” Jack slurred slightly “Tonight is not the night for betting with money. We’re all men of the world here, let’s play for playing sake.”

Hock pushed the used plates to one side and threw his well worn set of dice down on the table.

Bryant reached out and drew the dice towards them, examining them closely.

“A pirate’s set of dice and they’re not weighted?” he looked up with surprise evident on his face “Surely not honour among thieves?”

Jack looked at him and held his hands out wide.

“If a pirate is found cheating against his own mates he’s set ashore at the next port and black marked often not.”

Nell stifled a yawn behind her hand and got up. She was surprised when Norrington, Bryant and Will all stood up. Hock and Jack stayed seated and Norrington rolled his eyes.

“A degree of honour but no manners I see Sparrow.” He said quietly.
Jack grinned up at Norrington before inclining his head to Nell.

“Night luv.” He said and she smiled down at him. She quickly bade good night to everyone and returned quickly to the room she had not far from the galley.

She was tired and she was feeling out of sorts. All the talk of supernatural and ghosts and whatnot had made her feel a little unsure of what was to come. She had, up to now, imagined that Elizabeth had too much imagination when she had told her the story behind her first meeting with Jack Sparrow. But now she wasn’t so sure. Both the Commodore and Bryant had agreed with Elizabeth and she knew Bryant had not been lying when he had described them, she could still see the haunted look in his eyes as he had spoken of them. A shiver ran down her back as she sat on her small cot.

The flames in her lantern doing little to ward off the dark corners of the small room she was in.

Were there things on that island that weren’t natural, weren’t human?
She’d never been frightened of that sort of thing before. Not even when the tales of the ghostly nun had been told to her. No, her mind had been scarred by the evil that men could do. The evil that had haunted her lay in her dreams of pirates and the tales that her guardian and his friend had told her. But, now that it seemed as if Elizabeth fancies about skeletal pirates had been more than just fancies, she felt a ripple of unease slip through her.

Someone knocked on her door and she jumped gasping in fright.
“Nell? Are you in there?”

It was Lady Clarence’s voice that she heard and Nell shook herself for being so foolish.

She went to open the door and let the older woman come in.

“I’ve been trying to talk to you for days now, but I can never get you your own!” Lady Clarence walked into her room with the air of someone who owned the place.

Nell watched her as she settled herself on the small cot. Lady Clarence, out of both of them, had probably come the furthest from what they had been like that first day aboard the Pearl.

Oh was was still unbelievably spoilt and distant at times, but something had changed. Her corners had been softened slightly as she had been forced to view real life and actually make the best of circumstances that at one time she didn’t even know existed let alone live like it.

She was still trying at times, but she had genuinely developed a nicer side. One which Nell imagined had always been there, just buried beneath layers of hurt and betrayal at her husbands hands and years of being spoon-fed that she was better than others. The conversation she had with Jack came back to her, the one just before she’d been…. She bit her lip refusing to think of that.

“Nell?” Ladyrencrence gave a hump of disgust “Have you heard a word I’ve said. You’ve been stood there looking like a half wit for ten minutes now.”

Nell blinked and crossed to sit beside her.

“I’m sorry.” She said and looked at her waiting to hear what she wanted to say.

“I was telling you…” Lady Clarence looked at her closely to make sure she was listening this time “I was saying how that since Captain Sparrow had offered me a little portion of the treasure he seeks I won’t have to rely on your good will towards me.”

Nell sagged slightly and she realised with shock that she had been expecting to hear something entirely different.

“I thought it was Mister Hock.” She said without thinking and blushed almost as much as Lady Clarence did.

Nell arched an eyebrow at her and waited.

“We have come to an understanding.” Lady Clarence spoke carefully “I think Mister Hock was behind Captain Sparrow’s offer actually but I do not intend to call him on it. It’s the least he can do considering the inconvenience he had put me through.” She added sniffing.

Nell grinned, the Lady Clarence she had met originally showing through again.

“And what is your understanding with Mister Hock?”

Lady Clarence looked at her in surprise and then shook her head slowly.
“You saw him kiss me.” She said and didn’t wait for Nell to acknowledge that.

“I was brought back aboard at La Romana with a cut to my head.”

Nell winced as she remembered the events leading to her getting hit on the head.

“Mister Hock tended to me. I think Captain Sparrow asked Elizabeth to see to my head but Mister Hock wouldn’t hear it. I think he felt a little guilty to be honest.”

Nell looked at the other woman and sighed.

“He cares for you.” She stated calmly.

“He says he does.” Lady Clarence nodded and looked directly at her “And I believe he does, almost as much as I care for him. I never expected it to happen. Never expected to feel this way, not about anyone, least of all a pirate. He came back to me that night, after everyone else had retired….” She trailed off and it took several minutes of heavy silence for the penny to drop in Nell’s mind.

“Oh!” she said and blinked “Oh!”“Ind“Indeed. Oh.” Said Lady Clarence and a gleam came into her eyes that Nell had never seen before “He has come to me every night since. I know I should feel terrible but I don’t; it was… he was…” Lady Clarence blushed “I had no idea it could be that way between two people. Henry never cared for my feelings…” she blushed again as she suddenly realised what she’d said and who she was saying it to. She lifted her head defiantly and Nell realised she was waiting for her to condemn her.

“Are you happy?” asked Nell quietly although she didn’t really need to hear the other woman vocalise it. The truth could be seen in the softness in her eyes, the faint blush that covered her cheeks.

“More than I ever thought possible.” She whispered. “And I’m not giving him up because of some man who lays a claim to my body but not my soul or my heart.” Her voice was defiant again.

Nell nodded and reached forward to cover her hand in friendship.

“I’m happy for you. Really happy.” She smiled.

Lady Clarence patted her hand and got to her feet gracefully.

“Sometimes Nell, it’s hard to remember that you were a nun and others it’s hard to forget.”

“What do you mean?” asked Nell confused as Lady Clarence crossed to the door.

She looked back at her and smiled.

“You are so innocent.” she shrugged “Leaving the convent was the best thing you could ever have done Nell. And I don’t mean that badly.
You deserve more than four walls and endless prayers. I hope you find it.” She left the room shutting the door behind her gently.

Nell stared at the closed door for a long time. Her mind in a whirl of thoughts. She was glad that Lady Clarence had found love with Mister Hock. She realised that she should have been surprised, after all it was Lady Clarence. But it seemed a whole life time ago since they had boarded the Rose in Plymouth; and she was a far cry from the spoilt stuck-up prig that had been more irritating than a stone in the shoe. Life aboard the Black Pearl had changed her, changed them both if Nell was completely honest.

She realised that if she was given the chance to go back and erase everything that had happened to her; leaving the convent, sailing aboard the Pearl, meeting Jashe she would change none of it. She couldn’t imagine life any other way now and that thought frightened her immensely.

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

A/N: Thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoyed it.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and that the New Year will bring you all happiness and health and good exams results if you’ve taken them!

Thanks as always to everyone reads this whether you review or not, but especially thanks to you all who’ve taken the time to leave me a review. So a big thank you to:

Wintermoondancer, Liz, Netmain, iamwickedcool, Lady Wolfe, Meg, Rio, Vanessa, Lieke, twistedwords, Pirate, KrissXed, Jess58, Redmond, Milly, Braveheart, lilitaliandragon, Hils, Gale Storm, Daelyn Sandheaver, Twilight Whisper, Spaci and sorry if I’ve missed anyone..

You guys rock and you are all a person needs to keep writing!

Please forgive me not replying to everyone but I am feeling really lazy!

Rio: Thank you for your advice. I was finding it hard trying to find the balance between what she would be like, fresh-faced from a convent, but also didn’t necessarily believe everything she had been taught over the years. She will warm up to Jack considerably. ;-) Thanks again, I loved your review. (And I love your name. It will always remind me of my rather misplaced childhood when I used to LUST after Duran Duran, John Taylor to be exact, in a big way! Rio was one of my favourite songs of theirs! I can still see the underside of my desk lid at school, absolutely covered with pictures! Now that’s revealing my age isn’t it!)

Lieke: I hope what Clarence had to say was good for you. She most certainly enjoyed it anyway!

Pirate: I’m with you! (Bare breasts and ankles all the way with you, in fact!) The scene with Jack showing Elizabeth the truth in his escapades was indeed thought provoking and puts paid to a lot of the “Smooth- tanned and gorgeously un-marked” ideas! The scar down one arm was just frankly, horrible. And yes, I agree with you on the “Two peas in a pod” scene. Definite romantic tension going on there… definitely! As for Jack and Elizabeth, well, if I were her (which sadly I’m not!) I’d have been tossing a coin as to whether to jump ship and land on Norrington’s lap, or jump over the wall and swim to the Pearl with Jack. Nothing against Will, he was just a little too weak for me…. Or is it that I can’t get past Orlando Bloom as Legolas? (Who is just too hot!) *sighs dreamily*

KrissXed: I don’t know if anyone else will bother to read this far down so I’ll type it anyway, but Norrington will definitely warm up to Jack. I’m a firm believer in when two people are thrown together and HAVE to get along to survive, then odds are on that after said events have occurred those two people will still get along. Like a bad road movie really!

Gale Storm: I hope you liked the Jack/Nell scene and if you’re over 16 pop over to adult ff.net for a longer version!

Daelyn Sandheaver: I’m with you on the alcohol anaesthetics for minor injuries; a hang-nail or a broken fingernail, that sort of thing – oh, and the spot that always appears when you could well do without it!

Wherever you are whoever you are: Have a great day!