EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED

Author: EmeraldShadow
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: You/Jack
Categories: Humor, Romance, Angst

Disclaimer: I do not own anything here at all except maybe a tad bit of the plot. I also own no songs I may or may not use. Please, do not sue.

Summary: You are a loner-ish girl who just had her sixteenth birthday. What did you wish for as you blew out the candles? For a more exciting life with an unexpected twist. Did it come true? Well, you did land on The Black Pearl and met the unpredictable Captain Jack Sparrow. Takes place right before the movie.

* * * * *

Prologue

No one remembered your sixteenth birthday at school. You sighed. Well, you really didn’t expect anyone to know, did you? You didn’t have many close friends; no one to have long conversations with on the phone every night, pissing off your parents with the monthly phone bill, no one to go shopping with on the weekend and end up not getting anything but not really caring, no one to confide into when something important was going on with you. But that didn’t mean you didn’t have any friends. Quite the contrary; you had many acquaintances who you’d talk to during class. But, no one knew the real you. The person you were inside. The secrets, the feelings, the opinions that made up the goddess who was you. Now, you weren’t the loner in school, but during break or lunch, you usually preferred your own company, enjoying the quiet time. You either had your head in a good book, or a pencil in your hand, writing a story, poem or song that seemed to reflect your mood at the current time. People deemed you as quiet, but if you felt passionately about something, you would put your heart into standing up for your beliefs.

Now, back to this birthday. Sixteen is the coming of age. It’s supposed to include stupid mistakes, blissful times, and moments you just want to cringe at. Sixteen means you get to drive, along with more responsibilities. Sixteen is supposed to be sweet, hence Sweet Sixteen. But people forgetting your birthday wasn’t exactly sweet, now was it? You thought about this as you clutched your Algebra 2 book in your arms on your way home. You were not one to wallow in self-pity but it hurt you that not even your closest acquaintance had remembered. You remembered you had told her once… or so you thought. The park which you walked through was quiet, which was slightly unusual. Usually, kids played in the sand, people and teenagers walked their dogs, and elders sat on benches realigning the newspaper, feeding the birds, or watching what was going on around them. But it was empty for a Thursday.

You sighed. Even locals forgot your birthday. You clutched you book tighter to your chest, staring at the ground. Life is too boring, you thought, kicking a stray rock down the sidewalk and watching it bounce randomly. You had a wild imagination, always thinking of something better than what you already had. People called you a dreamer, one for dramatic events happening to everyday people… in other words, you. If you saw a tall, thick tree, you envisioned someone was behind it, holding a gun, waiting for a random person to walk by… or you thought that one day, on your way from school, you’d run into a guy and he’d turn out to be your soul mate. Your mind was always thinking of something knew, even if reality was standing still.

Turning a corner, you walked a few more yards, and then into your one-story house. Your mother was home, already cooking dinner. You breathed in the scent and smiled. She was cooking your favorite dinner . At least families remembered birthdays. That was always a good thing. You smiled at your mother, placing your book upon the white-tiled bar and taking off your backpack. “Smells good, Mom.”

Your mother smiled a smile that was identical to yours. People always thought the two of you looked quite alike, and it was true. You had her height, standing at five foot eight at sixteen, as well as her breasts, filling out nice and evenly through-out the years. Your high cheekbones resembled hers as well as the identical face shape and the shape of the eyes. But you had your father’s eyes. That was the one thing that separated you from her- the eyes. She said it was your most striking feature (besides your smile), that men would literally drop in the streets if they could see your eyes up close. You always believed her too. You loved your eyes. You had your father’s thick hair but clearly had your mother’s wavy style.

“I’ve got a cake in the oven,” she replied, winking. “My baby is sixteen.” Tears started forming in her eyes as you rolled your eyes. “She’s growing up right in front of me.”

“Oh, Mom,” you said, extending your arms out to give her a hug. “No matter how old I’ll get, you’ll always think of me as your little girl.”

She smiled. “You know it.” She turned, her back away from you and began stirring the heated pasta once again. You smiled and walked out of the kitchen, picking up your things and headed toward your room. Your house was one story, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, a dining room, living room, and kitchen, accompanied with a big backyard. Your room was the first to the left in the hallway, and you walked inside, dropped the book on your smooth, white desk and your backpack at the foot of your twin-sized bed. Posters filled your walls, not only of people like Colin Farrel and Eminem, but of people you respect and admire. A Simpson calendar adorned your wall, as well as pictures of you, your family and friends, and places you wanted to visit. A big one was Ireland as well as England and Scotland and the Caribbean. Inspiring places, timely and historical places… any place but here.

You plopped yourself on your bed, deciding to save homework for later. You were too tired to concentrate, as well as too hungry, too hurt, and too thoughtful. You closed your eyes, and found that you could not reopen them, no matter how much you tired. You did not realize how tired you were, but did not resist when sleep overtook your senses and you fell asleep…

* * * *

Celia, or Cece, walked into the house, her backpack slung over her one shoulder. Her dark, messy hair was in pig tails, and she had dark freckles caressing her fair cheek. Her matching eyes look slightly aggravated, her body slumped as she threw off her backpack and plopped onto the couch. “Hey Mom.” She picked up the remote, flicking off her black sandals carelessly and lounging into the grey-leather couch. Flicking through the channels, she silently murmured, “There’s something I’m forgetting, isn’t there?” She furrowed her eyebrows, crossing her legs and stopping at MTV. “But what could it be?”

“Ce?” her mother, Arah, glanced in the living room from the kitchen, over the bar. “You remembered your sister’s birthday, right?”

“Oh yeah…” Cece replied, an epiphany flashing through her head. “Oh, shoot…” Realizing she had indeed forgotten her older sister’s birthday, she jumped up, scratching the back of her head and staring at her mother, her brows knitted. People always said she had her father’s mind, which was a compliment except for lack of focus as well as forgetfulness. However, she was incredibly bright for a thirteen year old in the eighth grade. She was in all honors and had a broad social circle. She loved being the center of attention, whether it be school, sports, or performing arts. Her and her sister were quite opposite, but complemented each other quite well.

“Do you think I can jet to the shopping center down the street and grab her something there?” she asked curiously. Despite being completely different, Cece got along very well with her sister. “Where is she anyways? She gets out, like, forty minutes before me.” The top of her ears turned slightly pink from speaking so fast.

Arah smiled and studied her youngest daughter. Cece had her father’s color and but, like her older sister, had been born with her mother’s natural waviness. She had Arah’s dark eyes, with flecks of gold and grey in them, the almond shape making them look larger and exotic. She also had her mother’s body, the three females in the house with a natural hour glass figure. However, unlike her sister, she did not have a natural tan . “I somehow knew you were going to forget, Ce, so I got you something to give to her.”

“Oh?” Cece quirked an eyebrow out of curiosity. “What did I get her?”

Arah smirked, tossing her hair over her shoulder, walking back into the kitchen and starting to stir the pasta again. “You’ll just have to see, now won’t you?”

* * * *

You woke up, the scent of your favorite dinner now stronger than ever. It’s almost done. You smiled at this thought, and was just about to get out of bed when you realized something. This was just like every other birthday you had. You furrowed your brow and leaned against the headboard, pondering silently. Ever since you could remember, whenever you got home for school on your birthday, your mother would be in the kitchen, fixing your favorite dinner as well as baking a cake in the oven. The cake was chocolate with cream cheese whip cream, spelling out, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Your sister Cece would forget, as she does with everything, but your mother would know this, and already have a gift set aside from her. Right when dinner was placed on the table, you father would walk into the house, tired from work but a bright smile on his face. Then, you would eat, speaking of your day and joking. Next, once dinner was finished, your mother would shut out the lights, and bring out the cake, the family would sing Happy Birthday, very off-key, but still meaningful. Then, you would take the honor of cutting the cake, while Ce would hand out milk, and then you would resume conversation over cake. Finally, presents were distributed, one from each family member and then a big one from all three. Then, the day was over and another day would begin.

You scrunched your nose, shifting your back to accommodate your comfort level. Where was the fun in that? No mystery surprises. No wondering how many gifts your getting this year or what kind of cake your mother might be making. No special little thing to set this day aside from the rest of the birthdays you already had. How long would this go on for? you wondered. How long must each similar day pass… There must be more to life than watching the days go by. Not that you didn’t appreciate your family, you knew you had more than most. But, you were bored. The family got along so there wasn’t much fighting, and your family wasn’t that keen on change. You got that from your grandmother, or so your father said. She had passed away two days after you were born, so you didn’t really know her. But there was a connection between the two of you.

“(your name)!” You heard your mother’s voice call from the kitchen. “Dinnertime!”

You got up out of bed and walked out of your room and sat down in the dining room. Your mother smiled widely, her full lips curved upwards and put the hot pot into the center of the rectangular table. You sat in the seat where the custom colorful balloons were tied and, sure enough, your father walked into the door. His thick light hair was slightly out of place, and his eyes held a tiredness in them only someone with age and the burdens of growing older would carry… but he still smiled, despite of it. You couldn’t help but smile back. You were Daddy’s girl, and everyone knew it. From the fact that you looked like him, acted like him, and thought of him made you two peas in a pod. Cece was more like her mother; very feminine, shopping crazed, swooning over boys. And not that you weren’t that either, you just had a better balance of level-headed thinking to wistful dreaming.

“My baby’s turning sixteen!” he said, dropping his briefcase in the den and walking back into the living room. He breathed in the strong scent and grinned. “And lucky for me, her favorite dinner his my favorite dinner!” He sat down next to you, smiling, which revealed a slight dimple in his left cheek. He was an attractive man for someone who was forty, his body fit, his teeth strong and white. Yes, your family was quite an attractive one, both sides having healthy, strong and just plain good genes. You suddenly realized how thankful you were for it as well.

Dinner went by rather quickly. The pasta was delicious, and you immediately grabbed at the opportunity for seconds. It was cooked perfectly, slightly hot, so when you began talking, it would cool. You hadn’t realized how hungry you were until you took your first bite. Then, forgetting about manners and proper table etiquette, you dug in, downing your pasta in less then ten minutes. Once your mother offered seconds, you held up your bowl and downed the second one as well. You kindly declined thirds, but was thankful for the extra pasta so you had a scrumptious snack tomorrow after school. Then, cake was distributed and milk was passed out.

“Okay, honey,” your father said, squeezing your shoulder. “Make a wish… but be careful because it might come true.”

You rolled your eyes at your father’s slight superstition. “Oh Dad…” However, that didn’t stop you from making a wish. I wish life was more exciting… with an unexpected twist. You blew out the candles, and suddenly, everything went black.

* * * * *

CHAPTER 1 - A Dream In A Reality

The light from dawn shone brightly upon your face, making you groan loudly. School already? You sat up, suddenly feeling a sharp pain on your backside. Another groan escaped your lips as you reached out to rub it. A cold chuckle stopped you, making your body tense and your eyes open. A man with a scraggily white beard and ice blue eyes was staring down at you, amused. He had a slight bulge in his belly and his face dropped from age. He grinned a slightly toothless grin when he realized that you were studying him intently. “An angel fell from the sky,” he stated, winking at you.

You scrunched your nose in disgust at the suggestive mannerism this old person gave you. Suddenly, you realized you weren’t in your house with your family. Quickly glancing around, you took in dark wood on both sides of you, coming together behind you. You suddenly realized that waves were crashing against… the boat? that you seemed to be currently on.

A noise caught you off guard as well as the old man. Your head snapped to the sound and your eyes came in contact with two chocolate orbs. He was inescapably tan and had a unique sense about him. A long, faded navy blue coat was draped over his body and ended where his tan boots reached his calves. A dirty white tunic and black pants were the clothes that he was wearing, but what caught you off guard was his face, due to the fact it was so striking. Heavy black eyeliner adorned his eyes, making them more bigger as well as intriguing. His dark hair was wild, full of dreadlocks, with beads twisted in here and there. He was rugged, a small beard on his chin braided into two smaller ones, beads running through them as well.

“’Mornin’ Capt’n,” the icy old man greeted as warmly as warmly as someone like him could possibly muster, then repeating, “An angel fell from the sky, Sir. Was watchin’ from me post an’ I ‘eard a sound an’ found ‘er decorating the deck. What should we do ‘ith her?”

You could feel this captain stare intently at you and you stared back, trying exactly to comprehend where you were and how, exactly, you got there. A slight blush adorned your cheeks but you had no clue as to why. Suddenly, you realized what the old man said. “What to do with me? I didn’t exactly ask to drop on your boat-”

“It’s a ship, luv,” the captain said to you. You noticed his voice slurred yet his accent articulate. It was unusual, but after seeing the captain, you expected nothing but unusual from him. “And we didn’t exactly make you, now did we?” At your silence, he smirked and glanced at the perverted old man. “Now, Barbossa, do you have any idea as to how a girl happened to fall on my ship?”

“No clue, Capt’n,” Barbossa said, then glanced at you, a sickening smile spreading on his face. “Not that I mind much.”

Wait, you thought, knitting your eyebrows together. Perverted old man, captain, ship… “I’m on a pirate ship?!” you exclaimed, interrupting to two conversing men. They immediately looked at you, the captain smirking, a coy look in his dark eyes. “Very good, luv. I’m glad that after your fall you still have the ability to see.”

You rolled your eyes at the dry sarcasm and, since no one was offering a hand, you stood up, rubbing off your backside. Turning, you leaned your elbows on the side of the ship, watching the clear, blue waves rolling and crashing onto the side of the ship. Your heart was beating at the thought of being away from your stable life back home, but you couldn’t deny the beautiful scenery on the ship. What you wanted to know was how you got here. How did you end up on a pirate ship, where life was dangerous and unpredictable… An epiphany crossed your mind. My wish… It actually came true. Holy shit…

“Somethin’ come over you, luv?” a voice asked, tickling your ear. You turned and came face to face with the said captain. It seemed the perverted old man had somewhere else to be. You blushed, slightly embarrassed at the lack of personal space between the two of you. He grinned, realizing the same thing as well. “Red’s a very becoming color on ye.”

You scrunched you nose and rolled your eyes, pushing passed the captain and crossing your arms over your chest. “I’m not your love, Captain. I do have a name.”

“And that be…?”

You quirk an eyebrow, deciding whether or not to give him your name. Finally, you decide to give it to him, only because he was the captain and you wanted to get on his good side. He seemed nice enough, although his cockiness was quite annoying. You tell him your name, with reluctance, and then ask for his. He grinned, and flashed a breath-taking smile, gold teeth sparkling. “Knew you’d warm up to me. The name is Captain Jack Sparrow and this is me ship, the Black Pearl.” You glanced around, trying to keep your excitement contained. Your wish came true! You were on a pirate ship! “Now that I know yer name, I need to figure what to do with you.”

Your eyebrows rose. In all your excitement, you forgot that the captain decided whether to let you stay aboard or not. You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye, and found that he was studying you. You weren’t wearing anything that interesting, just tight jeans and a tight but long black shirt with black converses. Suddenly, you began going through a list of what you could do in your head, so, when the captain asked, you were ready to tell him. Well, you could read and write, and were pretty good with numbers, and, if needed, you could clean. The one thing you could not do, however, was cook. Anything you touched, burned. You liked eating much better.

“Now, tell me, luv, why should I keep a woman on board especially since some think it be bad luck?” the captain asked, scratching the back of his head but keeping a steady gaze on you. Smiling, you replied, “Because I can read, write, and am extremely good with numbers.”

“But you’re a woman!” the captain exclaimed, then smirked. “Not that anything’s wrong with that, but ye might prove to be a distraction. And ye can’t fight.”

“But you could teach me! Or, someone could teach me!” you replied. “And I’m very good at mending wounds. My grandmother was a nurse, from what I hear… or remember…” Great, you were babbling now, and you didn’t want the eccentric captain to downsize your ego. You dropped your arms and stared at the floor. “Whatever… just drop me off at the next port or something, if you want to get rid of me that bad.”

The captain grinned and you rolled your eyes. The only reason you gave up so quickly was because you hated to get your hopes up for something and then become disappointed when things didn’t go your way. If the captain said no now, at least your heart wasn’t crushed. “Well, I can’t let ye off at the next port cuz that be Tortuga and Tortuga ain’t really a place for a young, pretty thing like you.” Noticing your confused look, he went on. “It’s a pirate’s haven, but a dangerous one at that.”

“Then why do you go there in the first place?”

“Like I said, luv, it be a pirate haven,” Jack replied. “It also has the best rum in the Caribbean!”

You scrunched your nose in disgust. “Rum?” Before he could begin on a long lecture about the greatness of the vile drink, you asked, “So I can stay?”

The captain nodded. “Now, since ye be of the opposite sex, I cannot let you board with the crew of me ship. Now, I on the other hand, will allow you to share with me the comfort of me bed.” He wiggled his eyebrows under his red bandana for effect and you rolled your eyes, replying stubbornly. “I’m not rooming with you or your crew.”

“Look, luv, this is my ship and I get to make the rules,” the captain replied. “You have no option to argue with me. Now, since I have an extra room, and since I’m the understandable captain before you, you may stay there. There is a cot set up for sleeping. However, you have to work for yer stay. Just cuz yer pretty don’t mean ye can’t do nothing’… especially when yer quite capable of doing so.”

“So, what are my duties, Captain?” you ask mockingly, saluting him. He grinned and threw a casual arm around you. “You are to go below deck and into our storage room and write all that be there. That way, when we arrive in Tortuga, I know what we need and what we don’t.” You forced a smile and nodded. That wasn’t exactly what you were hoping for, not when you were on a big, beautiful ship, sailing the ocean. So much scenery… and you, assigned below deck. “Aye Aye!”

* * * *

After introducing you to the crew and threatening to castrate anyone who touched you, Jack led you down into the storage room. It was bleak, the only light coming through the small window. The smell was dusty and old, and you immediately coughed while entering it. The captain grinned and said, “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it luv.” He turned to the boxes, throwing his arm out. You rose your brows at his accented gestures. “Now, Timbill counted everything we had and marked them on the side of the boxes. What I need you to do is add up everything and tell me what we’re lackin’ in, aye?”

You nodded as he handed you a parchment and a quill. He grinned as you sat down on an old chair, patting your back comfortingly. “When you be finished, feel free to come up.” Again you nodded, and you heard him leave. You finished adding everything up rather quickly. The ship needed a little of everything. What was surprising to you, however, was the fact that there was the most rum you had ever seen. Well, you had never seen rum, but any alcoholic beverage you’d ever seen. However, instead of going aboard, you decided to take time to think about everything that had happened to you.

Okay, you began, placing the parchment and quill on a broken desk. Yesterday was my birthday and I made a wish. You glanced around, still slightly bewildered. And, unless I’m dreaming, it apparently came true. Okay, I’m aboard a pirate ship, with sexually frustrated men and one, however good looking, sexually frustrated captain. And… he let me stay aboard. You let a small smile adorn your face. Granted, I have to work for my stay, but at least he didn’t throw me in the dungeon, rape me kill me, the list goes on… Another thought came over you. But what’s going to happen? Where are we going, after Tortuga? Are there any other pirates sailing the Caribbean? What happens if we fight? You grinned as you lost yourself in thought, creating another fantasy world, straying from the one you were already in.

“Sleepin’ on the job, luv?” a voice said. You snapped your head in his direction and he swayed in. Quirking an eyebrow at his sensual hips, you handed him the parchment without a word, plopping your feet on the desk and leaning back, relaxing. “I wasn’t sleeping on the job, I was relaxing after a job well done.”

His eyebrows rose as he read through your work, a surprised look dawning on his tan, chiseled features. He shot you a look and held up the parchment, pointing it. “Yer good, luv.” He glanced down at the parchment. “And fast.” He winked back up at you. “Just the way I like it.”

You rolled your eyes and stretched. “It was easy. I’m pretty good at math.”

Jack pursed his lips together. “Where, exactly, do you come from, luv?”

You grinned at him dryly, then replied, “From the future. It’s a great place where people are literate and can do math. There are cars, television, and other great stuff.” You made sure that you pronounced every word and exaggerated as much as you could. “I’ll tell you about it sometime.”

Jack rolled his eyes at your sarcastic manner and tipped his hat. “I’m so glad you ‘ave a sense of humor ‘bout you, luv, but please remember I am yer captain and shall be respected.”

You rolled your eyes and saluted him. “Aye aye, Captain!” You stood and grinned a lopsided grin. “Now that I have accomplished such a great job at performing the task you appointed me, may I ask the humble captain a favor?”

Jack grinned. “There. I am a captain and shall listen to your so-said request, and then I shall respond ‘ith what I see fit.”

You snorted, Humble, my ass. “Well, since I’m going to stay here on this ship for a while, I’d really appreciate learning how to fight. Maybe you could teach me whenever you have the time?”

“Snorting is not a becoming feature, but luckily, you are of the few people who can pull it off and still look beautiful.” You roll your eyes but can’t help a small smile on your face. “Now.” He threw an arm carelessly around your shoulders, leading you out of the storage room. “About this fightin’… I’d be happy to teach you. You should be lucky to receive such teachings from a fearless, famous Captain Jack Sparrow. About the time, I’d be delighted to start you now, savvy?”

You scrunch your nose. Savvy? What the hell did that mean? Despite your confusion of the world, however, you smile genuinely, and play with your hair, suddenly shy. He said yes. You turn to him, blushing at the close proximity between the two of you, and replied, “Thanks, Jack.”

Jack extended both his forefingers, staring at you intently. “Captain Jack.”

* * * * *

CHAPTER 2 - Decisions, Decisions

The eccentric captain led you back on deck of The Black Pearl, the sun now high in the sky. You blinked a few times, trying to get used to the light. Jack chuckled and you shot him a look, shrugging his arm off your shoulder. More of the crew were on deck, either scrubbing the deck, keeping watch, or doing other things pirates usually do on a ship. You followed him to an opened part of the ship, where few men were, moving crates around. Jack quickly stopped and turned; you almost ran into him. He stared hardly at you for a few moments, then glanced to his side. “Oy, Barbossa! Get me an extra cutlass, will ye?” You scrunched your eyebrows. Cutlass?

Barbossa walked over to Jack, his face mirroring yours. He handed Jack the weapon, despite that fact that Jack had one hanging on his side. He stared at it, running his calloused fingers along the edges of it, almost as if inspecting it. He blinked, then handed it to you, butt first. You took it in your hand, getting used to the feeling of having a cutlass in your hand. It was slightly heavy but it felt comfortable, and you glanced up at Jack, half-smiling, as if telling Jack that you were all right with this. He grinned at your reaction and took out his. “Now,” he began. “Before we begin on the actual fightin’, we should go o’er the parts o’ a cutlass.” At your nod, he pointed to the short, broad blade. “T’is is a blade. The blade is ideal for fightin’ onboard a ship cuz a longer sword woul’ get tangled in all the riggin’.” You nodded, soaking in all the information this pirate was giving you. Jack pointed to the end of the cutlass. “I call this the butt of the cutlass. T’is is where ya hold it ‘n’ control it.”

You glanced down at the weapon, and smiled, then glanced up at Jack. Now that he was closer, you noticed he was a head taller than you, and you, yourself, are of average height for a sixteen year old. He was smart, for a pirate. You just thought pirates were drunk, stupid, perverted men who killed whoever they wanted, took whatever they wanted, and slept with whoever they wanted. Now, you weren’t excluding Jack from every category, but he wasn’t stupid. Maybe slightly out there, but definitely not stupid.

“Now,” Jack said, putting his own cutlass away. “I’ll teach ye how ter stand properly.” Without waiting for your consent, Jack swayed behind you and bent down, spreading out your feet so they were shoulder length apart. Taking his right hand, he tapped the back of both of your knees so they bent slightly. Ignoring your protests, he placed both his hands on the back of your sides and pinched so you stood up straight. Then, he placed his hands gently on your shoulders and pushed down, so you looked more relaxed. Finally, he walked in front of you and took your chin within his fingers, and brought it up. “That’s ‘ow you stand when you fight,” he murmured, studying you.

Again, you blushed at the close proximity and Jack grinned, taking a step back. “There we go.” He smiled in pride at your stance, then said, “Now, that ye know how ter stand, we’ll work on yer footing. After that, I’ll teach ye how ter defend, attack, and all the other good stuff that comes along with fightin’.”

You snorted. “I know how to fight,” you murmured, shrugging your shoulders. “Just not with a weapon.”

Jack rose his brow. “Oh really. With what, then?”

“My fists.”

“And how would a pretty girl like you know how to do tha’?” he asked keenly, tilting his head to the side and waving his hands around.

You smirked, getting back in your stance. “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me, Captain.”

After a few hours, Jack had taught you the basics of how to fight with a cutlass. You were very good at blacking an attack, and okay at attacking. However, the thing you needed to work on was your footwork. Not very graceful, you tripped a few many times, getting bruises on your backside, thighs, and elbows. During that time, you had learned that despite the fact that Jack thought he was God’s gift to the world, he had a good heart. It seemed that killing would be his last priority in anything, and that he would never lay a finger on a woman in a violent way. Unless, of course, that was the way she liked it. He was crude, egocentric, and tipsy but you found that, not only were you attracted to him, you admired him as well.

“’s surprising,” he said, as he began to take off his shirt. You couldn’t help but let your eyes linger on his toned torso. It’s so flat I could eat off it… You also noticed the scars and bullet wounds and pouted your lips, not being able to help the sympathy that flooded over you. “What?” you asked, fighting with your eyes and was able to meet his chocolate eyes. He seemed to know that you were studying him and his eyes danced with mischievousness, to which you rolled your eyes at.

“You’re a fast learner, luv,” he said, then got into stance. “Now, try and disarm me, savvy?”

You nodded, getting ready, your brows furrowed with determination. “Savvy.” You stepped forward, trying to remember everything Jack had taught you, especially about footwork. Jack imitated you, keeping his eyes locked on yours. You circled a few times, then chose to attack him. Jack easily dodged your attack, clanging his cutlass with yours. Again you circled and again you attacked, only to have the same thing happen. Jack’s grin was cheeky, and seriously began to annoy you. You wanted to slap it off his face. Again, you attacked but Jack blocked you and disarmed you so fast that you lost your balance, tripped over yourself, and fell flat on your back. Jack and the onlookers chuckled with amusement. You turned red as Jack walked up to you. “Don’t get blinded by emotion, luv. Emotion cuts into you deeper than a cutlass. Emotion will blind you so ye think ye can achieve anything. Emotion will be the death of ye.” He offered you a hand but you got up yourself, blinking back tears of pain. Your neck ached, your back ached and your head ached, all like a mother. You breathed a deep breath, let it out, and turned to face Jack, grabbing your cutlass and getting into a stance.

Jack chuckled, putting away his cutlass. “Not now, luv. Yer too angry. Maybe tomorrow once you’ve cooled off.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Why don’t you go and make yer room all nice? Get acquainted with it?”

Anger flooded within you and you burned with rage. You bit your tongue hard, restraining yourself from going off on him. You were sixteen now, you were mature. He was your captain, he deserved respect. You dropped your shoulders and glared daggers at Jack, turning around and stalking, although mildly, off to your new room. Once there, you slammed the door, placed the cutlass in a corner, grabbed the pillow that was tossed carelessly onto the forest green cot, and pushed it up to your face, screaming into it. You sat on the cot, almost losing balance again, and slammed the pillow down. Kicking off your shoes, you leaned back into the cot, and without warning, began to cry. Maybe it was the fact that Jack and the crew was annoying you, maybe it was because you were frustrated at the lack of respect you were receiving from everyone… or maybe… maybe it was because your wish came true. I get this life isn’t for me! you thought as silent tears ran down your hot face. I just wanna go home! I won’t take it for granted anymore…

A knock made you immediately wipe your tears away with the back of your hand. You sat up slightly as soon as the door opened. Jack walked in, his shirt on, his cutlass hanging from his side. His look wasn’t cheeky but slight curious. Shutting the door, he turned, walked over to where you were lying, and kneeled down, silently staring intently at you. You stared back, knowing he knew you’d been crying. Pirates don’t cry, dammit, you thought bitterly. Not that I intend to become one, but you’ve gotta learn to be tough. With this life, you’ve gotta work for things. “I’m sorry,” you said through clenched teeth. “You’re right about the emotion thing, and I’m sorry I stalked off.” You forced a half-grin, folding your hands over your stomach. “I appreciate you teaching me how to do that.”

Jack smiled at your sincerity. “You can’t always get yer way, luv,” he murmured to you, idly playing with your hair. You let him, silently enjoying the feeling his fingertips through your hair made you feel. “’Specially not on me ship. Looks can only get ye so far.” You softly smiled, shutting your eyes. “Tortuga’s coming up in a few hours, and the closest port is Port Royal. I need ye ter tell me now, if piracy is the way ye want yer life. Now, I understand if you object ter it, and I’d be happy ter drop you off at Port Royal. However, if you choose to stay aboard my ship, I need yer respect, yer trust, and yer loyalty. Would you like time ter think about it?”

You opened your eyes, glancing at him. After a moment of staring into his eyes, you shook your head. You knew you had to stay. Jack was the first person you met here that you admired. You didn’t trust him yet, but your loyalty for him was growing do to adoration. You wished for this life… not a predictable life at Port Royal. Piracy was your miracle. It was unpredictable and thrilling, with so much to learn. And thinking about the scene you had caused, you needed to shape up your priorities. To tone down your high-maintenance. To make you strong. To grow you up. You smiled at Jack. “No, I actually don’t, Jack. I’d like to stay aboard and learn the ways of a pirate.”

He grinned. “I knew you’d say tha’.”

You furrowed your brow. “How so?”

“Cuz yer different (your name),” he whispered, almost huskily. “Ye seek the adventure when all the women I know are runnin’ from it.” He grinned, then added, almost to himself, “Either that or they try to come as close to adventure as they can with me.”

You laugh. “Must I hear about your love life?”

“Who said anything ‘bout love?” Jack asked. “Bein’ a pirate on the sea leaves men a lil’ unsettled in… tha’ area…”

“No more!” you exclaimed, laughing. “Okay, I get it. You and your crew have your little sexcapades, I get it. I don’t need the details!”

Jack chuckled, untangling his fingers from your hair. “Now that yer cooled down, would ye like to try and disarm me again?” You nodded, following Jack out of your new room.

* * * *

Soon, you were much better at controlling your emotions, as well as your attacks, defends, and footwork. Granted, you weren’t the best at fighting, but you were getting there. You treated Jack with the respect that he deserved, despite the fact that he was being annoying and a complete egomaniac. After a few hours, the sun was slowly setting and you, and even Jack, were beginning to tire. “Oy, Capt’n!” a voice called out. “Supper’s ready!”

Jack grinned, putting away his cutlass. “That be Bootstrap Bill. Cook’s the best food in the Caribbean.” He glanced at you and smiled, seeing your breathing slightly rapid. “Good ‘ork today, luv. Come a long way from the high class girl I met this morning.”

You grinned and stuck out your tongue. “I’m still that high class girl, Jack. I just know how to fight now.”

* * * * *

CHAPTER 3 - A Pirate's Haven

After a scrumptious dinner, Pintel announced that Tortuga was in sight. You grinned. You couldn’t help that you were excited. Jack threw you a look and you stuck your tongue out at him when his back was turned. A chuckle made you turn your head, and your eyes came in contact with deep brown eyes. Your face broke out into a smile, as you recognized your only other comrade besides Jack. “Hey Bill.”

“Call me Bootstrap,” Bill replied, then winked playfully. “Wanna keep me rep threatening in fronta all these pirates.”

You grinned and nodded. “Yessir, Bootstrap.” Bootstrap was probably the kindest yet fiercest pirates you’ve ever known. He was courageous, dedicated, and loyal as well as sweet, articulate and literate. He was the only pirate that you knew of who had fallen in love, and currently had a young son, a few years younger than you. “So… tell me about Tortuga,” you asked him as the two of you gazed across the see and at the small but wild isle.

“Tis a pirate haven,” he began, leaning against the side of the ship. “They have the best rum in the Caribbean. Tortuga is the most unpredictable town that I have been to, and I have been all over the world. The men here-” he jutted a finger at Jack’s crew- “come for the drinks and the whores and the supplies. Men and women come to Tortuga to start a new, adventurous life. It can be great for people who choose to live there… but for people who were born there, it’s not as grand.”

“How so?” you asked, furrowing your eyebrows.

“Once you’re born in Tortuga, there’s no escaping’ it,” Bill replied. “You’re too poor, and for lads, that usually means stayin’ around drinkin’ all day, become a thief, or become a pirate. For the lasses, they could either be whores or barmaids. Some stow away onto ships, hoping they’ll never be found. Y’see, if you were never born in Tortuga, you can leave with no worries. But if you were born in Tortuga, you simply can’t leave…”

You sighed, letting all that Bill said sink in. To you, Tortuga was an amazing, unpredictable place where anything was bound to happen and usually did. But, to anyone who lived there, it was like a prison one could not escape… and even if they could, there would always be a Tortugan hold on them. Wow, you thought. It’s almost bittersweet. “Don’t worry about it,” Bill said, standing up straight and smiling slightly. It seemed you were so deep in thought that you hadn’t realized the ship was in the harbor and was in the process of being docked. “You were not born in Tortuga and should not carry the burden for those who were.”

Jack came upon the two of you, grinning like a madman and you could probably guess why. He was about to get the best rum in the Caribbean, load up on supplies and see the colorful whores all in one night. “Now,” he said, glancing at Bootstrap. “Y’should pro’ally stay as close to me as ye possibly can, luv. Tortuga may look exciting’ an’ whatnot, but drunks like to grope at anything’ movin’… ‘specially one as young and as pretty as you.”

You nodded in response, following him off the ship and onto the wooden dock. It creaked and felt slightly unstable but it held your weight, and soon, you were on the streets. Jack was right about everything he said about Tortuga, as was Bootstrap. First, whores of all different shapes, sizes, and color dressed in the brightest possible reds, yellows, greens, and blues decorated the streets, with too much powder on the face and rogue on their lips. You almost felt sorry for some, because it was almost like they had no other choice but to go into this business. Drunk men chased after them, their eyes glazed over, a half-full bottle in their hands and a goofy smile upon their face. You scrunched your nose in disgust, and glanced down. You weren’t wearing anything revealing, just tight, so although people could not see your bare flesh, they knew you had some goodies.

“Me, the lass, an’ Bootstrap will go an’ get the supplies,” Jack called to his crew. “Ye ‘ave an hour to do as ye like, but I wan’ ye all in the Faithful Bride by then, savvy?”

The crew nodded and dispersed all in different directions. You noticed Pintel and Ragetti followed Barbossa down the winding streets of Tortuga. Ragetti was a tall, lanky man with one real eyeball, and one wooden one. He lost most of his teeth and usually followed Pintel wherever he went and did whatever Pintel told him to do. Pintel was quite the opposite of Ragetti, being short and squat. He also had lost many teeth, and seemed to dominate over Ragetti. However, the two seemed utterly loyal to Barbossa which was odd because Barbossa was just the first mate while Jack was the captain.

“C’mon, luv!” Jack exclaimed, his chocolate eyes filled with excitement. “Let me show the heaven that be Tortuga!” Bootstrap chuckled as Jack threw an arm around you and led you through the streets. Bootstrap was behind the two of you, observing you with amusement. Jack pointed out the best bars and the worst bars, for both rum and whores. He pointed out where one should buy items and where one should stay away from. You almost laughed at Jack’s anticipating face, the way his words slurred together because he was so eager. You also noticed the two of you were attracting looks from both men AND women. It seemed Jack was very popular with the ladies, and you, being the newest damsel on his arm, did not please them at all. Also, the men looked at you like a stray dog looks at a chunk of meat. They were seemed awed, intrigued, drunk and horny all at the same time, and you felt quite uneasy. You glanced at Jack, who seemed to be chatting away, not noticing his audience, so you followed his lead, thankful for his arm around your shoulder.

The three of you turned a corner and walked into a shabby yet cozy warehouse. A man greeted Jack by name, his brown hair half grey and his blue eyes twinkling. He had a slight, protruding belly and was almost as tall as Jack. You estimated him to be somewhere in his forties. He glanced at Bootstrap, and greeted him as well, but when his eyes looked upon you, they held question. “And who might this be?” he asked Jack, slight mischievousness in his blue eyes. “Not another one, hm?”

Jack chuckled at his friend’s insinuation. “No, Gibbs, not her. She actually is apart of me crew. I found her stowin’ away today and I couldn’t exactly kill her, now could I? She said she be wantin’ freedom from Singapore, where she comes from, I assume, and wanted to start the wonderful life o’ piracy.”

You rose your eyebrows in surprise at Jack’s quick but logical lie. You felt Gibbs’ eyes on you and Jack’s arm slip from your shoulder down into his pocket. “You know what I say about women, Jack. They be nothing’ but bad luck, even one as pretty and young as she. What exactly do you do onboard, missy?”

You swallowed, but quickly replied, “Well, the Captain figures if there was a woman onboard, it would look less like a pirate ship. So… whenever there are Navy ships around, I just put on a dress, stand out on deck, and make sure the navy sees me, so they won’t get suspicious.”

Gibbs seemed to ponder this idea when Jack thrust the paper at him. “She’s also good with numbers. She figured this is what we need. She also calculated, with the help of myself, the price of what this all costs.” Bootstrap reached in his pocket and gave Gibbs a sack full of gold shillings as Jack said, “The Pearl’s at the dock. I’m hopin’ to leave in three hours, aye?”

“Got another plot up your sleeve, Jack?” Gibbs asked with amusement. He opened the sack, took out a shilling, and bit it. “Seem real enough though I know you’d never cheat me. Aye aye, then. I’ll have yer ship stocked up before three hours. You go explore all that Tortuga has to offer.” He glanced at you. “Firs’ time ‘ere, lass?” At you nod, he smiled, showing his yellow teeth. “Yer in fer quite a treat. Nice seein’ ye all again. Come back alive, I hope?”

After exiting the warehouse, you glanced up at Jack. “What did he mean by ‘Come back alive’?”

You rolled your eyes at the lack of answering your question, and muttered, “Like that makes me feel better.”

Jack glanced sharply down at you. “I ’eard that.”

You stuck your tongue out at him playfully. “Well, I said it loudly.”

Bill laughed at the two of you, and soon, Jack lead you into the Faithful Bride, or Bride for short. It turned out to be a bar. It was very homely, where everybody seemed to know everybody. The barmaids all had on old but revealing dresses on, and the customers were all pirates. Whores also decorated the inside of the Bride, hoping to have a hot and heavy night with a pirate. To you, it seemed entertaining and mystical, almost as if it was a movie while you were an audience member. Suddenly, you felt a hand groping your bum. You turned, staring at an old, perverted man. You shot him a look that you had been meaning to perfect, but he just laughed and squeezed it. “’ello, lass. An’ why would a thing like you be in a place like this?”

“Why would a thing like you think you could get away with touching my ass?” Now, when you were pissed, you were not that sweet angel everybody thought you were.

“A spitfire you be,” he said, his dark eyes dancing with amusement. “I like tha’…”

“Well, I don’t like you,” you shot back. “Now get your hand off my ass before I cut them off.”

The man’s eyes darkened and his hand released your bum and grabbed onto your wrist, his long nails seeping into your bare skin. Your eyes widened in pain but you did not scream out. You were a pirate trainee and would not break when you were weak. He tugged on you, but something tugged you back, making the man release you and the other to wrap a protective arm around your waist. “Tha’s not very nice.”

You recognized the low, scruffy voice as Jack’s and glanced up to see his face rigid and stern, the mischievous spark in his eyes washed away by the darkness of his nearly-back eyes. His arm gripped your waist almost territorially, like a dog protecting his bone. The look on his face would make any man think twice before doing something stupid. You almost smiled at the sight for two reasons; one, the man looked utterly scared and two, Jack was being protective which meant he wasn’t hallow but had a secret caramel filling. “Jack… Sparrow?” the man asked, his lips quivering.

“That be Captain Jack Sparrow, and this lass is mine… savvy?” Jack replied, his voice cold. The man nodded, then quickly turned and ran off. Jack then looked at you, his face becoming bright and the unique sparkle returning to his eyes. “I told you to stay close.”

You rolled your eyes but threw the back of your hand over your forehead and dramatically replied, “My hero. Who knows what would’ve happened if you hadn’t shown up?”

Jack rolled his eyes and put his hands on your shoulders, stepping behind you. He led to the back of the bar where most of the crew was, drinking beer and wooing whores. You took a seat next to Bootstrap, and Jack sat across from you. The barmaid came over, and took orders. She had dark hair and dark skin, her eyes tan, her body slim. There was something you noticed about her, however… She had something in her eyes that made you think she could take care of herself here, that she knew how to fend for herself. However, it would seem that she took a strong liking to Jack, you noticed, always glancing at him when she thought no one was looking. Everyone at the table ordered a glass of rum (Surprise, surprise, you thought dryly) while you ordered water. Before she left to go place our orders, Jack asked her, “Are you knew ‘ere? I’ve never seen ye before.”

Trying not to smile at Jack’s observation, she replied, “Yes, I am. The name’s AnaMaria.”

Jack nodded and she left. You quirked a curious eyebrow and Jack shrugged. “Tis like a second home to me,” he said of the bar.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” you murmured back.

Soon, the crew had their rum and you had your water, drinking it down thirstily. Whores surrounded the table like tigers, looking for anyone who would give them a second glance to cast out as prey. Jack himself had two whores in his lap while one was massaging his back. It was almost sickening to you. Screw being sorry for them, you thought bitterly. It would seem that you (obviously) and Bootstrap were the only two with free necks and free laps. AnaMaria also flared her nostrils at the sight, and when you caught her eye, you rolled your eyes. She smiled slightly, and the two of you began to talk. She was twenty-four, working to save up for a boat to sail the Caribbean in. She didn’t want it big, only big enough for her and maybe a companion. You wished her luck, and sincerely meant it.

After an hour, Jack stood up abruptly, the whores nearly falling off his lap. You almost laughed at the scene, but caught yourself. “C’mon men,” Jack said, then glanced at you. “And lady, let’s start off now, aye? It must be nearly eight at night, and I want ter start off as quickly as we possibly can.”

The men nodded in agreement, downing the rest of their drink and bidding their company farewell. You waved goodbye to AnaMaria and walked outside, lagging behind the crew slightly. You glanced at Bootstrap, and was glad to see he was so loyal to his wife and son. You thought he might stray, because so many whores were trying to get upon his lap, but he politely declined. You wondered if any other pirates were like Bootstrap, but could not come up with anyone in particular. Jack, you were not quite sure of because you had not yet witnessed him in love yet. Granted, you only knew of him for a day, but he didn’t seem like the type to settle down.

You glanced up, and realized you could not make out anyone from the crew. You turned, your heart beating slightly faster, but looking for them was all in vain. What if they left without me? You thought suddenly. Would they? They have no emotional connection with me; they’ve only know me for a day. Oh my God. Oh my God! Suddenly, you heard your name being called and turned sharply, your eyes meeting bright, emerald green ones.

TBC...

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