The Captain's Treasure

Jack's Rescue

The Fort at Port Royal

It is morning and Charlotte is standing next to her father still furious about the night before.  When she had made it to the Fort the blasted Commodore and her father had locked her in a office and refused to let her return to look for Elizabeth, who it turns out had been kidnapped by the pirates!  They had found no sign of her yet and she was pacing frantically with worry while Norrington and her father looked over charts to plan a search.

The governor kept looking in confusion at his youngest child. Charlotte had always been very obliging and proper, but since showing up escorting the maids from the house to safety last night she had seemed different.  She had to be physically restrained to keep her from returning to the mansion last night, she had refused to leave and go find proper attire and was still pacing in her night gown and heavy dressing robe and she had snapped at both him and Commodore Norrington several times. Weatherby Swann had decided to chalk the odd behavior to stress from recent events, he could only hope.

Just then Will stormed up to the table where Norrington was planning. "They've taken her! They've taken Elizabeth?"  He demands.  Charlotte rushes up to him from behind her father and the two quickly embrace and look each other over for injuries. "Lottie, you're all right?" He asks. She nods to him even as her father frowns at the display of familiarity.

Norrington frowns as well, "Mr. Murtogg, remove this man." As the soldier takes a step towards Will Charlotte physically places herself between the two and blocks Murtogg's path. 

"We have to hunt them down." Will insists.

"We must save her." Charlotte agrees.

Governor Swann looks at his daughter and then addresses Will, "And where do you propose we start? If you have any information concerning my eldest daughter, please share it."

Murtogg suddenly joins the conversation, "That Jack Sparrow. He talked about the Black Pearl."

Mullroy pipes in as well, "Mentioned it, is more what he did."

Charlotte looks to Norrington and demands, "Ask him where it is."

"Make a deal with him. He could lead us to it." Will suggests.

Norrington dismisses their suggestions, "No, the pirates who invaded this Fort left Sparrow locked in his cell, ergo they are not his allies." He turns to Governor Swann, further dismissing them, "Governor, we will establish their most likely course..."

Will buries the hatchet in his hand in the table. "That's not good enough!"

Norrington jerks the hatchet from the table and looks at the two standing defiantly before him. "Mr. Turner, you are not a military man, you are not a sailor. You are a blacksmith and this is not the moment for rash actions. Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only man here who cares for Elizabeth." He hands him back his hatchet and turns to Charlotte.  "Miss Swann, do please try to remember you are a lady and rest assured more qualified and suited minds are committed to finding you sister."

Will can see that Charlotte is almost vibrating in anger and reaches out to grasp her arm. "Lottie," he says to get her attention. She turns to him and he gently tries to distract her. "Let me escort you home." She can see in his eyes that he has a plan and nods in agreement allowing Will to pull her away with out even a glance to her shocked father. Apparently, the only thing greater than her need to be the perfect daughter is her need to protect her sister. 
.....

In his jail cell Jack is trying to pick the lock with a bone until he hears footsteps and he leaves the bone in the lock and lies down on the straw covered floor.

Will storms down the steps and motions Charlotte to keep watch. "You. Sparrow!"

"Aye." Jack calls from the floor and glances up from under his lashes to notice the blacksmith from last night at his cell door, and behind him watching the stairs is the sweet little form of the Governors daughter from yesterday. 

Jack catalogues several things at once in his mind. The boy looks uncannily familiar as he had thought yesterday. The two seemed very comfortable with each other and he remembered how angry the whelp had been that he had threatened "Miss Swann". But foremost in his senses was that "Miss Swann" seemed to be clad in her night clothes.  The fine linen nightgown was unfortunately covered with a heavy brocade dressing gown but her hair was hanging in loose riot all down her back and to her small waist.  Jack had the most wonderful vision suddenly of what the mass of deep brown curls would look like spread across his pillow.. but the boy interrupted his imaginings with another stupid question. 

"You are familiar with that ship? the Black Pearl?"

"I've heard of it." Jack responds.

"Where does it make berth?"

"Where does it make berth?" Jack scoffs, "Have you not heard the stories? Captain Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sail from the dreaded Isla de Muerta. It is an island that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is."

"Isla of Muerta, The island of the dead?" Charlotte asks in disbelief, causing Jack's gaze to return to her and she blushes very prettily when she realizes he has noticed her lack of proper attire.

"The ship's real enough." Will insists, "Therefore its anchorage must be a real place. Where is it?"

Jack looks down and studies his nails, "Why ask me?"

"Because you're a pirate."

Jack nods, "And you want to turn pirate yourself, is that it?

Will glares at Jack "Never! They took Miss Elizabeth."

Jack nods "Oh, so it is that you've found a girl." He comments and once again glances at Charlotte, "Personally I would have picked the other one." He smirks at Charlottes shocked expression and then pouts as Will steps in his line of sight to push Charlotte behind him. "I see. Well, if you're intending to brave all, hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart you'll have to do it alone, mate. I see no profit in it for me."

Charlotte slides out from behind Will to address Jack herself, crouching down next to the cell to speak to him, "He can get you out of here."

Without even realizing it Jack moves closer to her. He wraps his hands around the bars to stop himself from reaching out to touch her hair but judging from the soft little smile she gives him he suspects she knows the effect she has on him.

"How's that?" he asks even as he can't take his eyes off her big golden brown eyes and plump lips. "The key's run off."

"He helped build these cells." She glances up at Will and he nods.

"These are half pin-barrel hinges." Will picks up a bench and places the legs at the bottom of the cell door. "With the right leverage and the proper application of strength. the door will lift free."

Jack eyes finally leave Charlotte to properly focus on Will for perhaps the first time. "What's your name?" he asks.

"Will Turner."

Charlotte notices the sudden light in Jack's gaze and she and Will share a look that expresses a lot with no words. "That will be short for William, I imagine. Good, strong name. No doubt, named for your father, eh?"

"Yes." Will quietly agrees.

"Uh-huh. Well, Mr. Turner, I've changed me mind." Jack suddenly springs to his feet. "If you spring me from this cell I swear on pain of death I shall take you to the Black Pearl and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?"

Will looks down at Charlotte and she nods, they don't have much choice. "Agreed." He shakes Jack's hand.

"Agreed. Get me out!" Jack excitedly says.

Will lifts the door free with a grunt and the door falls off with a bang. "Hurry. Someone will have heard that."

"Not without my effects."