The Map

A/N: Usual Disclaimer. Many thanks to AniSparrow for her undaunted work in correcting this….
Not much happens in the way of action, but I hope you still enjoy it….

Chapter 30

Confusion, Confessions and Lies

“Nell? I’m sorry,” Bryant’s voice sounded far away as Nell’s brain tried to comprehend all she had seen. The villagers in the clearing faded to leave nothing but empty space and leaving Nell feeling stunned and confused.

“Nell?” Bryant tugged on her hand and the shaft of pain in her abused muscles brought her round slightly. She looked at her him, her mind busy working over everything she now knew or at least what she thought she’d known. There was only one way she could clear this up and that was to talk to Beaumont. But how could she do that without bringing attention on herself; and how would she know whether what he was saying was the truth. And there was the rub – somewhere truth had been muddied, kicked about, until Nell thought there wasn’t any left at all.

“Nell, tell me what you’re thinking,” Bryant’s voice soft and persuasive cut into her thoughts and she looked at him sharply.

“Thinking?” She tried to keep her voice level and calm.

“It might help, if you let me know what you’re seeing or feeling here,” he said and squeezed her hand gently. “I know you’re finding it hard and I haven’t distracted you well enough this time. Maybe talking about it will,” he spoke softly and sincerely.

“Actually I was trying hard not to think,” she replied quietly; the relief from leaving the village was dulled by the knowledge that lay in her mind now.

They crossed the boundaries of the village and once again went past the many traps set by the islanders. Nell frowned as they walked still holding his hand, taking comfort from his presence beside her.

“Mister Bryant,” Jack’s slur came from directly behind them making them both turn to look at him. He half bowed to Bryant, his palms pressed together against his chin. “Give me a moment with Nell.”

Bryant nodded and looked at Nell, smiling briefly before he moved on to walk with Norrington who was up ahead with Dwent. Jack placed his hand on Nell’s back and urged her to carry on walking with him.

“What’s wrong?” she asked him, aware of Hock walking close behind them.

“Nothing,” he grinned at her before moving his hand away from her back and resting it on the handle of his pistol. They were almost back at the river where they would have to walk single file and he had things to say and ask before they were forced to part. “How’s your shoulder feeling?”

“Sore,” she replied. “But not nearly as sore as before Hock put it back in for me. I don’t want to repeat that again though.” She shuddered, but it wasn’t the pain that made her shudder but the thought that Jack had nearly dropped to his death.

“Yes, well, it would appear that I’m not as invincible as I thought, eh?” he grinned again and his voice held its usual slur but his eyes were sharp as he glanced at her expression.

Nell coloured up at his words, remembering her earlier outburst. “I’m...”

“Don’t say you’re sorry, Nell.” He shook his head, his beads swinging around his face. “To be sure, I’ve told you before, I like your sharp tongue and when you go all hot and fiery on me…” he shrugged. “But that’s not where I’m wanting to go at the moment. Nell, I’ve spoken to Will and Elizabeth about Beaumont and De Mornay. I just wanted to hear your side of it, sometimes another perspective helps.”

Nell faltered every so slightly. “What about them?” she asked carefully.

Jack flung his hand out in front of him, his wrist circling as he spoke. “Well, whatever you saw really, or remember, or…” he frowned and pulled at the braids on his chin. “Well, whatever it is you can do now.”

Nell was floored. She had no idea what they had said about Beaumont. She was fairly certain that they didn’t know about Beaumont, or at least she thought they didn’t. She hadn’t seen anything that first night, it wasn’t till they’d shown her more, or at least that was how she remembered it. She lifted her free hand and rubbed at her forehead, worry puckering the skin between her eyes. She was becoming more and more confused.

“They… they saw? I mean they told you about Beaumont leaving the island?” she asked him carefully, fully aware that the man beside her knew exactly when she was lying.

“Hmm,” he pulled at the braids and looked sideways at her briefly before gesturing with his hand again. His sword still gripped in the other. “They stopped at the same place you did, Norrington spoke to Elizabeth and Bryant spoke to Will and then we compared what we’d heard. I’ve spoken again to them but not you.” He waited a beat and lowered his voice slightly. “I know it’s hard for you; having to remember what they showed you, but it is essential if we’re to survive this place.” He looked at her briefly, careful not to make eye contact with her. “I am sorry and if I could just rely on what the Turners told me I would, but I can’t.”

Nell nodded; she brought her free hand to her mouth and began to nibble on her thumb nail. What could she tell him? What could she say?

“I don’t think you should rely on what they showed us, Jack.” Nell’s voice was low and hesitant but it made him drew closer to her. They were nearing the river bank and his time had almost run out.

“Now why would you be saying that I wonder?” he slid his arm around her waist, his hand seeking a way underneath her shirt to find the bare skin of her side. Nell hitched her breath as his fingers curled into her skin, hugging her close to him. “I thought you thought they were helping us. Have you changed your mind, Nell?” His voice was a slow slur that made Nell shiver as his fingers began gently caressing her.

“Jack, I… I can’t think when you do that,” she muttered and rubbed at her forehead quickly before biting again on her nail.

“You don’t need to think surely, just talk, just tell me what you saw; your version and I’ll do the thinking when I compare it to the Turners version.” His voice was low and persuasive, gentle and caring.

There it was again, the reference to Will and Elizabeth having seen Beaumont and De Mornay in the memories. Maybe, just maybe they’d been given different memories, but if that were so, surely Jack would have noticed the discrepancies and mentioned it before now. Or maybe he had noticed and he was just waiting for his bloody ‘opportune moment’ again. Nell sighed in frustration and forgetting her shoulder she shrugged, wincing as it jarred with pain.

“Easy now, Nell,” he muttered and his fingers curled into her skin protectively. “Just talk, Nell, I know it must be hard to see it again in your mind. Elizabeth struggled, I know she did.”

“I don’t know, I really don’t know,” she said and her voice rose slightly, making Bryant look back suspiciously. He eyed Jack’s arm around her waist before looking at his face. Jack grinned, showing gold teeth, half inclining his head before breaking eye contact.

“Nell, ssh. ‘Tis all right y’know. Just nice and gently, from when the Monks left the island.”

“They didn’t - oh you mean the five that made it off alive,” Nell tugged on her nail with her teeth, talking around her thumb. “Well, there wasn’t much else really, just what Beaumont did.”

Jack held his breath and stroked her side gently. “Which was…” he prompted quietly when she hesitated.

“Well, he made… why don’t you tell me what Will and Elizabeth told you and I’ll tell you if there’s a difference.” Nell said suddenly and Jack crossed his eyes in frustration. “It’ll be easier that way,” she said firmly, pleased with her brainwave. This way she could work out what had been left with them, without giving away too much to Jack; and then she could quietly compare everything she’d learnt.

Jack stopped walking and looked over his shoulder at Hock. Hock had heard everything and knowing what Jack was up to, mouthed the word ‘women!’ and rolled his eyes.

“Listen, Nell,” he turned her to face him, aware of Hock stopping and keeping an eye on their surroundings. “I’m a very patient man, very patient, especially when patience is called for. But see, we have a problem here, I don’t know how much longer the top’ll stay on the volcano, I don’t know what else we’ll face here before we leave, I don’t know if they are going to try and stop us from leaving. But what concerns me at the moment is that you do know. And what really, really concerns me, and for some reason I can’t fathom, you won’t tell me.”

Nell blinked as his words registered and she realised once again Jack had been playing her. “You were trying to trick me. So much for being honest with me,” she whispered, anger hot and sharp burst through her, along with betrayal and disappointment.

“I wasn’t tricking you, you jumped to conclusions and honesty works both ways, Nell. You assumed they’d mentioned something because that’s what’s going through your mind at the moment, that’s what’s making you feel guilty. Because you do know something about Beaumont and this place that none of us do,” he said and his voice reflected his own anger and disappointment. He shook his head and stepped back from her sharply; knowing that if he gave in to the urge to shake her he’d really hurt her. “You left me with no option. You seem to think I’m a fool, you think I’m just a feeble minded pirate that is permanently drunk and incapable of thinking clearly, don’t you?”

“No I don’t!” Nell was shocked at his words and reached out to him, but he backed up sharply again, not letting her touch him. “Jack, you’re the most intelligent man I’ve met.”

“Lies, Nell, its all lies.” Jack saw Norrington start to double back and it annoyed him. He turned his head sharply and held out his hand to the Commodore. “Keep going, don’t wait for us!”

“But…” Norrington frowned, not liking the obvious distress coming from Nell.

“GO!” ordered Jack, his eyes cold and hard as he looked at Norrington. “Go, we’ll be along presently.”

“No.” Norrington shook his head. “We’ll wait, we’ll give you privacy, but we stick together, Sparrow.” He turned away from Jack and motioned the others to move forwards till they were out of earshot.

Jack turned back to Nell and arched an eyebrow at her. Tears were filling her eyes but he refused to let them affect him. He narrowed his eyes at her and circled his wrist for her to talk. “Go on, Nell, tell me another lie. You’re bloody useless at it, but you do so like to try.” His voice was low and mocking.

Nell blinked the tears away, determined not to crumble under him. He was angry with her, she could see it clearly and it struck her that he had a right to be. She shook her head and lifted her free hand to scrub at her cheek before turning to follow Norrington. Jack reached and caught her hand stopping her from going. “Why won’t you help us?” he frowned at her. “I can’t believe you don’t want to - I won’t believe you don’t want to. This leaves me with only conclusion, for some reason you don’t think you can.” He tightened his hold on her hand when she made to move away from him. “I don’t understand, Nell, tell me what’s going on. Why won’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know!” Nell’s hold on her composure failed and she rounded on him hotly. “You think I know, but I don’t. I don’t know anything and I thought… I was…” she stopped and shaking slightly, took a deep breath. “I don’t know what I know, I’m not sure what I think, what I think I know or don’t know” she said helplessly. He let her pull her hand away to wipe at the tears that had leaked from her eyes.

“Nell,” Jack threw his hands up in frustration. “You’re confused, that last statement made absolutely no sense, while it made perfect sense at the same time; now I’m not making sense,” he shook his head muttering under his breath. “Nell, let’s start with something easy then, what happened in the room? Just bloody tell me what happened!” Jack clawed back his temper and took a deep breath. He stood in front of her, his hands on his hips, booted feet wide apart, head thrown back slightly as he looked down at her. “Tell me, Nell, tell me NOW!” he ordered her, using the same tone of voice he used on errant crew members.

“I thought it was you,” Nell shook her head. She was caught, he had trapped her and short of bare faced lying, which she couldn’t carry off anyway, there was nothing she could do except tell him. “I heard a noise and I turned around and the candles were lit. I thought you put your hand on my shoulder… but it wasn’t you.” She faltered and stepped back when he tried to touch her. “I thought you’d come back, I looked down…” she looked at her shoulder and shuddered before looking away quickly. “He wore a ring and I knew; I knew it had been the one who held my hand in the cave. I was so scared, I tried to call for you, for anyone, but I couldn’t make a sound.” She raised her hand to mouth and bit hard on her thumbnail, tugging on it as her eyes concentrated on the buttons on his waistcoat. I pulled away, turned and he was stood there, his hood down. His face… he… was… he looked…” Nell looked up at Jack, concentrating on his hair and the beads strung through it. “Well, he looked normal, like a real person but his eyes…” she hesitated again. “They were black, solid black and so sad, so very sad. He put his hand on my head and I fainted. The next thing I knew, you were leaning over me.” She stumbled to a stop and ran her hand over her hair.

“What else?” whispered Jack.

“That’s it,” she croaked unable to look into his eyes.

“Nothing else? No visions? Memories - anything at all?” he inquired, frustration evident in his voice.

“No,” her voice cracked and she cleared her throat, looking away at where Norrington and the others were waiting impatiently.

“Again with the lies,” Jack muttered. “You do know; you know far more than you’re saying.”

Nell didn’t reply, didn’t look at him. “We should keep moving,” she muttered and this time, when she went past Jack, he let her go.

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The tension between Jack and Nell was tangible and it tainted the entire trip back to the others. Nell was silent and edgy and didn’t respond at all to Bryant’s attempts to find out what was wrong. In the end he gave up and walked instead with Norrington who merely watched Jack with a worried expression. When they finally arrived back at camp, Jack was irritated and annoyed and barked orders, organising everyone ready to leave. Nell kept out of his way, and avoided eye-contact, knowing full well she was the cause of his bad mood. She hated being back at the monastery again and was anxious to move on. But she also knew she had to find a way to talk to Beaumont.

Eventually the small group made their way through the trees, the chests organised between the crew. Jack had also instructed them to take the boat and six of the crew were carrying it awkwardly between them. It made for slow progress as the crew carrying the chests had been halved. It was decided that Will would use the litter until it was impossible and then he would walk with the aid of Benjamin and Elizabeth. This made things even harder as pulling the litter through the dense undergrowth was more difficult than they had imagined, but it gave Nell more time to creep back in the line till she was in front of De Mornay. She looked back over her shoulder, taking in the ropes around his hand, with Beaumont behind him and Timms watching them both. The sailors carrying the boat were behind Timms and then bringing up the rear was a single, nervous looking red-coat called Stephens. Nell slipped back behind Beaumont and De Mornay and fell into step with Timms. She gave him a bright smile.

“How are you? I heard about your close encounter with the flies?”

“I be fine, Missy.” He grinned at her and seemed pleased to have her company. Nell began chatting easily with him and wasn’t surprised when Hock made his way back along the group till he saw where Nell was. He nodded at Timms and made his way back up the line to where Jack was at the front with Norrington and Bryant.

“I suppose you’ve been given orders to watch me as well,” Nell tried to laugh it off but wasn’t successful.

“They be worried about you, they be worried about us all, but they can’t loose ye again, Miss, cut the Capt’n up right good, that would.”

“Inconvenience him, you mean,” Nell snorted softly. Timms gave her a strange look but didn’t reply.

“What’s wrong, Helen?” Beaumont turned his head slightly and Nell saw the hatred burning in his eyes. “Sparrow had enough of you already?”

Timms growled at him and whacked him with his pistol handle, but Nell had been waiting for such an opportunity and she inched forwards slightly ignoring his taunting.

“I saw…” she stopped, trying to keep the amount she gave away to a minimum. “I saw what you did.” She kept her voice low knowing Timms could hear, but realising there wasn’t much she could do about that.

Beaumont looked back at her in surprise and slowed enough to allow her to walk beside him.

“Ere, Miss, I don’t knows as if the Capt’n would like you taking to ‘im, e’s a bad ‘un, that ‘un.” Timms was uncertain but Nell smiled at him over her shoulder.

“I know he’s a bad one, thank you, Mister Timms, I’ll be careful and I’m sure you won’t let anything happen.”

Timms narrowed his eyes, knowing full well when he was being buttered up. “You just be careful, young Miss.”

De Mornay didn’t turn, although the fever had been mostly purged from him, the gag remained in his mouth. But Beaumont looked questioningly at her arm in the sling.

“It popped out of joint,” she said carefully, aware that soon they’d reach the river they had to cross. “Did you really leave him here?”

“Ah, so the lass has come looking for answers,” Beaumont mocked her. “Did the great Captain Sparrow send you? Or are you searching for yourself?”

“Just tell me,” she whispered reddening under his probing glances.

“Why should I?” he replied. “You say you saw it, you should already know.”

Nell felt a new kind of fear creep over her. “What? Tell me, did you really leave the boy behind? Did they show me the truth?” It struck her that she was now in much the same position as Jack, and if he was feeling half the fear and confusion she was now, then it was no wonder he was annoyed with her.

“Try and work it out for yourself, Helen. Surely all that convent education hasn’t gone amiss. Use it!” Beaumont said casually. “I’m a little disappointed,” he carried on quietly. “Tristan’s blood runs through your veins, but there’s obviously very little between your ears, my dear Helen; idiocy comes from your grandfather I can assure you.”

Nell narrowed her eyes, the reference to her family had piqued her interest but she knew she couldn’t allow herself to be distracted. “I will work it out,” she said. “Just tell me if I was shown the truth.”

“Tell Sparrow everything you’ve discovered and let him work it out; for heaven knows, Helen, you’re being remarkably slow,” Beaumont mocked. “You never exactly excelled in your studies did you? You should have stayed where you were, you’re not suited for anything mentally challenging; it’s just too much for you.”

“Why didn’t you use this bay?” she demanded ignoring his taunting despite the stab of pain it caused.

Beaumont shook his head in disgust. “We didn’t know about it! We weren’t as fortuitous as you were in having their memories given to you! And you still can’t work it out, or maybe that’s the problem…” he pulled a face.

“Then how did you know what to do? How did you know to leave the boy?” Nell’s voice rose slightly in exasperation.

De Mornay turned and looked at Beaumont, catching his eye. He indicated his head towards Nell and tried to mumble around the gag. Beaumont’s eyes burned with anger at seeing him unable to speak, although after a lifetime together he knew what De Mornay was asking him to do without the need for words.

“It seems as if your uncle wants to help you,” Beaumont sighed when De Mornay nodded his head in agreement to his words. “But then he always did a softer heart than I did. All right, Helen, listen, and if it’s not too hard for you, try and use what little brain you have. Three of us made it back to the boats, thirty died here. Swords and pistols don’t work on them, on any of them and here’s your help, Nell, listen well,” he stopped and bent his head close to hers. “We were in the caves when they chose to divulge their reasons for helping us. The monks and the islanders have similar but different tales; don’t allow it to distract you. The monks are helping us, they are protecting us, but at a price. You think you know what that price is; we knew what they said the price was. My cabin boy didn’t, at least not till it was too late by which time we’d realised the truth behind what lies on this island. We used a distraction and made it off alive, it’s how we tricked them.” He grinned at her.

“What truth? What about the island?” she asked quietly, anxiety clear in her voice and her face.

“You tell me,” he laughed at her. “You have to work that out for yourself and then you have to work out how to tell Jack you’ve sold your soul to the devil for something that doesn’t exist. It’s all a game, Nell, just a game to them. You saw what they did, we were only told; do you really think they can be redeemed? Do you really think they want to be? It’s ironic really, marvellously ironic!” He grinned nastily at her. “I’m going to have so much fun watching this pan out. It couldn’t have gone better than if I’d planned it.”

Timms surged forwards, pistol raised, annoyed that they had stopped. “Keep moving. Miss, don’t stop ‘em, keep going!”

Beaumont began moving again; still chuckling quietly and once again she heard the strains of insanity in his voice. “Well, you are stupid, Nell, I’ll give you that. Trust a female to let her heart rule her head.”

Nell looked at him sharply, and saw quite plainly that he had worked out exactly what she’d done. “At least I have a heart!” she snapped and gripping his arm pulled him to a stop, despite Timms growl of anger. “You used him didn’t you; pretended he’d be willing to stay here. And if you ever came back again with me, you were going to use me in the same way weren’t you?”

Beaumont leant forwards and gripped her chin sharply, bringing his face in close to hers so that their noses were nearly touching. His dark eyes bored in to hers as he sneered at her. “You still haven’t worked it out have you? It doesn’t matter if you are willing to stay here, they don’t care - they just like playing the game. They’ll take your soul and everyone who’s stupid enough to let them. You were going to be a distraction, Nell; you were and are - bait. That’s all your worth! Most of my crew were half dead anyway, this island took their minds, so we let it take their lives. They weren’t worth saving and neither are you! If Sparrow has to choose between you and saving his and his crews skins, he’ll choose himself every time and you’re a fool if you think otherwise. You’re worthless, useless, so you might as well die here for him, but don’t expect him, or anyone else, to shed any tears for you, despite how much you fawn over him. You have nothing to offer he can’t find somewhere else and with less emotional mess too!” His voice was low and hate filled; his nose almost against hers, his dark eyes boring into hers as she stared up at him. He was jerked back suddenly by Timms, but he merely smirked at her.

“Stay away from him, Miss!” Timms snapped at her, as he pulled Beaumont back. Beaumont was watching Nell from under lowered lashes, a half smile on his lips that made her blood boil more than his words did.

“You’re a monster!” she spat, totally ignoring Timms. She stepped forwards and slapped Beaumont hard on his cheek, sending his head snapping sharply to the side. “This island may be evil, but it doesn’t come close to what you are!” she hissed at him raising her hand to slap his face again when he just laughed at her, but her wrist was caught in an iron grip and held fast.

“Now what’s going on here I wonder?” came Jack’s casual slur. He looked from Nell’s angry red face to Beaumont’s amused one.

“You’ve got spirit, Helen,” Beaumont replied ignoring both Timms’ painful grip on the back of his shirt and the slightly swaying form of Jack. “I’ll give you that, you’ve got spirit. I’d feel proud of you if I didn’t know it’s only because you’re such a simpleton,” he laughed. His laugh quickly turned into a wince as Timms jerked him backwards again.

Nell bristled again, her wrist still held in Jack’s tight hold. “You’ll die here,” she hissed at him. “Because if they don’t kill you, I will!” She tried to free her wrist but Jack wasn’t letting go, so she did the next thing possible. She lashed out with her foot, cracking him hard on his shin, making him yelp in pain from the contact. Jack jerked her back, pushing her behind him in anger.

“Brave words from a silly little girl,” Beaumont sneered, still ignoring Jack. “We should have drown you on the crossing to England, sanctimonious little bitch!”

“That’s enough!” Jack hissed gripping a handful of Beaumont’s hair and yanking his head back. “One more word and you’ll loose your tongue!” he spat in Beaumont’s face and then snatched his hand free, glaring at Timms. “Move them on!” he ordered. He waited till they were all moving along again, with Timms using his pistol to prod Beaumont and De Mornay in the back, and then he turned to where Nell was standing, her breathing heavy and a faint flush covering her cheeks. Her eyes were still sparkling with anger and adrenaline.

“What was all that about Nell?” His voice was clipped and angry still. “Why were you talking to him?”

She looked at him and shook her head, moving forwards to follow the others, aware that the sailors carrying the boat were watching her in interest. Jack fell into step with her, casually slipping his arm around her waist, careful not to jar her shoulder.
Nell looked at him, her injured arm pressed into his side. She could feel the warmth from him; smell the unique scent of salt, rum and sweat that was Jack. She thought carefully over what Beaumont had said and realised that, for once, he had told her the truth. She had allowed the islanders visions of innocence to distract her from the truth, it didn’t matter whether the islanders had attacked the monks first or whether they hadn’t. It was all an elaborate game to them. They had made it clear that no one could leave and she had lost sight of that with promises of safety. They had no intentions of letting any of them leave; they had seen her love for Jack and used it against her. It was like a cat playing with a mouse, teasing it, making it think it could get away just before it pounced. Nell felt physically sick as the realisation that she had to tell Jack filled her. She had to tell him what the monks had led her to believe and she had to tell him the truth. Or did she?

Nell wasn’t naturally devious, but desperation and the sudden overwhelming knowledge that she was as stupid as Beaumont told her she was, was enough to make her try and deceive Jack. The monks had chosen her because she was the one that was the easiest to manipulate; her love for Jack and the fact she was so obviously silly enough to fall for it. She screwed her face up in disgust, certain that Elizabeth or any of the others would never fall for it, but her? Simple, stupid, unworldly, Nell? She had been ripe for the fall.

“Nell?” Jack’s voice was gentle in her ear. He could easily see the emotions crossing her face and it worried him. She was desperate about something and he was desperately trying to work out what it was. “Nell, just tell me what’s going on.”

“We’ve been… I’ve been fooled,” she replied and began to choose her words carefully. “They won’t let us go; there is no difference to when the original monks tried to leave. They are one and same as the thing in the cave, we’re just seeing it differently. They might be appearing to help us, but it’s just an elaborate game and I fell for it.”

“The monks are not helping us?” Jack spoke carefully. He didn’t add that he hadn’t trusted them anyway because he could see it had shaken Nell considerably.

“Well, no,” she frowned and her thumbnail went to her mouth as she nibbled on it. “There is no difference between the fog that came into the room and the monks who stood in front of it; they are one and the same. They just appeared to be helping us, to make us drop our guard, because it amuses them.”

“So we’re on our own for leaving the island then?” he asked casually. Nell looked up at him in surprise making him sigh. “Nell, it’s not in my nature to trust something that’s given for nothing. It just doesn’t happen, to be sure, especially when the something is offered by things that died long before I was even born. We were undecided whether they were helping us or not; well Bryant and Norrington were undecided. Me? I trust very few people and the ones I do are still alive and kicking. ”

Nell felt worse; it was fast becoming apparent that she was even sillier than she had thought. She’d been certain that the monks were good, that they were trying to help. She hadn’t been able to see what everyone else could see, but that obviously took more brains than she had.

“I’m such a fool!” she hissed, biting hard on her thumb.

Jack shook his head and squeezed her tighter. “Not a fool, just gentle. You see the good in things that sometimes, just isn’t there. That’s not being a fool; it’s being optimistic and slightly naive. But there’s a world of difference between naivety and foolishness, Nell,” he spoke gently in her ear, but Nell couldn’t resist the snort of disbelief.

“No, Jack. I’ve been an idiot. Do you want to know how Beaumont and De Mornay made it off here?”

He arched an eyebrow at her before looking back around him, alert not only to Nell, but their surroundings and any danger. “Go on…”

“He said swords and pistols don’t work on them so they used their crew to distract the monks. Bait, I think he said. He brought thirty onto the island and only three of them left.”

Jack considered her words carefully. “Well, obviously that’s not an option open to us.” Nell didn’t reply.

They reached the section of river where they had to walk single file and Jack reluctantly let her go, but not before he bent his head to hers and placed a kiss on her ear. “One day I’d like to know everything that you’ve had to think about here. But it’ll wait till we’re safely on the Pearl.”

Nell felt a lump fill her throat, making talking impossible. She nodded frantically as tears filled her eyes – she wasn’t so sure she’d ever see the Pearl again.

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Jack waited till they had arrived at the crossing in the river and Nell was occupied with helping Hock divide the rations, before he slipped quietly towards Timms. He indicated for him to follow him, waiting till they were out of anyone else’s hearing.

“Word for word, Mister Timms, please.” Jack said quietly, one hand on his chin as he pulled at the braids there, his other hand resting on his pistol handle.

Timms sighed and scratched his head, knowing that Jack wasn’t going to be best pleased.

“Well, Capt’n….”

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A/N: Well….. I hope you enjoyed it… Please let me know either way if the urge takes you.

Thanks to everyone who has already reviewed or emailed. It means a lot to me.

Have a great day/night wherever you are.