The Map

We are Pirates, Sparrow...

A/N: Many, many thanks to the great and indeed patient AniSparrow. She made this chapter readable, any errors still remaining are all mine. Nothing too graphic ahead, mentions of torture but nothing anyone over 13 should have problems with.

Hope you enjoy it....

Chapter 20

"Wake up!" a gentle hand on Nell's shoulder was shaking her insistently. "Wake up, Nell." She cracked open sleepy eyes and saw Jack's face level with hers. He was crouched with his head close to hers.

"G'way," she mumbled and closed her eyes.

"You need to eat and then we can be moving on our way, Nell." Jack shook her gently again, resisting the urge to kiss her nose. His men were watching and he didn't think they needed to see that this early in the day.

His words penetrated her sleep addled brain and with them the events of last night came hurtling back to her. Her eyes flew open and she sat up so fast she head butted Jack, catching his chin and making him fall backwards with a yelp of pain.

Nell gripped her forehead, frowning against the pain as she looked around her in fear.

It was daylight and the crew were sitting, eating some of the rations they had brought with them. Every one of them was watching her and it sent shivers down her back.

She looked down at herself to see if she was indecent, not understanding why they stared so.

She rubbed her head and looked at Jack. He was sitting back, one hand on his chin, the other holding out an apple. She looked around her again, Hock winked at her, and she blushed before grinning at him.

"Morning, Miss."  He grinned.

"Is it?" Nell looked towards the entrance, the coats had been removed, and the early sunlight poured through the gap, showing the specks of dust that danced in the light.

"It is!" She looked back at Jack, the crew forgotten. She took the apple with a grin.

"Thank you. I take it we survived last night?"

"Indeed," Jack replied and looked back at De Mornay. "Thanks to your quick thinking."

"Never thought I'd need it again," Nell said quietly, looking down at the cross in her hand.

"Some things are meant to stay with a person," he slurred nodding his head in agreement with himself. Jack got to his feet and stood there swaying slightly as he looked down at her. "Eat up, lass." He smiled as she began to munch on her apple staring down at the beads in her fingers.

Jack clapped his hands, turned on his heel, and swayed his way over to Beaumont and De Mornay. He was surprised to see De Mornay was looking his normal self. The blank wild-eyed look he had last night was gone and he was now looking up at Jack with hatred on his face.

"Which way do we go, up or down?" Jack asked them, his voice blank of emotion but with a trace of the perpetual slur.

Beaumont arched an eyebrow at De Mornay before looking up at Jack.

"Which way do we leave the cave?" Jack repeated himself, a dangerous edge to the slur now.

"No need," replied Beaumont.

Jack arched one eyebrow at him and moved forwards towards him, bending sideways at the waist slightly as he eyed Beaumont. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could speak, Norrington had approached.

"Explain," Norrington demanded, his voice low and dark.

Jack sighed as he turned to Norrington; he circled one wrist and indicated himself with his other hand.