Chancing Fate - Jack Sparrow x OC

Part 1 - Chapter 3

Grief and despair filled the streets of Port Royal. Caroline tried not to dwell on some of the sights around her, though it was difficult to ignore the splatters on the ground that were surely blood, or the shattered glass and broken wood from homes. Smoke still lingered faintly in the humid morning air, clinging stubbornly to the streets no matter how far she walked. After waiting out a night from hell, she had finally found the will to move, and after changing into something less hindering, though surely more socially condemned, she left the house to help where she could.

Helping where she could, Caroline spent the morning searching for those who were missing, tending to those with minor injuries, and cleaning up whatever damage she was able to manage. It wasn’t much, though. Every time she stopped to help, she found herself ushered away by whichever soldier happened across her path, though she wasn’t entirely sure if it was more because of her gender or her family name. More than once she caught people staring briefly at the breeches beneath her blouse before quickly looking away again. Normally she might have cared. Today she found she didn’t have the energy.

Giving up on her latest area after spotting another Navy officer making his way up the street, Caroline moved further into town. She had just turned the corner when she collided with another person, stumbling hard enough she nearly lost her footing before hands latched onto her arms to steady her.

“Sorry,” the man said before a brief pause. “Miss Palmer?”

Caroline snapped her head up at her name, straightening her blouse automatically as recognition flickered across her face. “Will? What are you doing running through the streets?”

His brows creased immediately as he peered down at her. “Elizabeth is gone.”

The words hit hard enough to drain the color from her face. Her stomach dropped so suddenly it nearly made her dizzy. “What? Are you sure?” she asked despite herself, though she desperately wanted him to be mistaken.

“I wouldn’t lie about this,” he snapped. “Something needs to be done, but Norrington is wasting time.”

“I’m sorry,” she said automatically, already losing herself in the thought. She had been with Elizabeth just the night before. Only hours earlier Elizabeth had been safe in her bedroom, speaking in hushed excitement over pirates and rescues as though those things belonged safely inside stories. Caroline suddenly felt sick remembering it. What if she had stayed later? Would she have been able to help, or would she simply be missing as well? Forcing the thought away before it could settle too deeply, she looked back toward Will. “If there’s anything I can do, please let me know. I can’t believe I’ve been running around all morning without even knowing.”

Thinking over her words, Will seemed to consider the offer before finally nodding. “I have a plan, but it’s not exactly...” He trailed off, searching for the right word.

“Conventional? Or are we breaking laws?” Caroline questioned, already having a fairly good idea where this was going considering Norrington would never allow Will near any official search efforts. “Whatever it is, I’ll help. I don’t care. Elizabeth matters more than appearances right now, and you know I’m not exactly the most conventional person around anyway,” she finished, gesturing toward her shirt and breeches.

Nodding once, Will finally said it. “Jack Sparrow. He can help.”

A strange mixture of apprehension and reluctant relief settled low in Caroline’s chest at the name. She still didn’t know what to make of him, and somehow that uncertainty bothered her even more now than it had on the docks yesterday.

~

The entire walk to the jail cells was spent getting caught up on exactly what had happened the night before. Caroline could hardly believe it had truly been the Black Pearl that attacked the town. She had heard countless stories about the ship over the years, especially from Elizabeth, but she had never expected something like that to happen here. Especially not to a town filled with the Royal Navy. It seemed pirates cared very little about that, however.