Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, though I do aim to own Johnny some day…dangles dog collar over the unsuspecting celebrity Yup.

Note: Some of the characters in this story are the product of history (Mary Reid and Anne Bonnie, who will come into play later on) and some have been created be me.

Alrighty then. Read if you must; I actually don't like this story very much, but hey! I gotta start somewhere…

The sun was rising over Tortuga. The entire city was silent, either asleep with the previous night's 'pleasant company,' or passed out drunk in the streets and stables.

Only Jack Sparrow, or rather Captain Jack Sparrow as was his preferred title, was awake. He had been up since dawn, spending the early hours of the morning marveling at every inch of his precious ship; the Black Pearl. He walked here and there, touching odds and ends in deep felicity of remembrance, at times smiling and randomly mumbling small parts of old sea chanteys.

It wasn't until she was right behind him that Jack realized he wasn't alone.

"Allo, luv."

"Cripes!" Jack jumped and spun around to see an attractive and quite familiar woman.

Her skin, once fair, had browned from many years in the sun. Her green eyes, ever bright, shown with a different light now…one of maturity and the pains of reality.

She smiled, her browned cheeks dimpling as she looked around, as if seeing the ship for the first time.

"Oi Jack! Still can't take care of ye own ship I see." She grinned again, and Jack returned the look, shaking his head in disbelief.

"An-"

The pretty pirate's face turned severe as she made to correct his near mistake. "It's Sheila, Jack. Captain Shelia. Or it was…but my ship sank back in Sydney a few months ago. I had to hitch a ride on a Brit's cargo ship…very unpleasant."

"So you've come to steal my ship, eh? Right. Well, I'm sorry love, but your going to have to start right back at the beginning, saavy?" Sheila stared at him, a look of wounded pride in her bright eyes, but had no chance to reply.

"Saavy what?" The crew was gathering, all with swollen faces and tired eyes, yawning and stretching as they came up on deck. All of them stopped when they saw the two captains conversing. The speaker was Captain Jack Sparrow's first mate, Mr. Gibbs. As the scruffy man realized who was talking to his Captain, his jaw dropped in disbelief. At the same time his daughter Marie, a fairly recent addition to the crew, glared at the two with a hint of jealousy in her pretty but intense expression. Marie assumed that this newcomer was yet another of Jack's many vengeful past 'loves'…

Sheila smiled at Jack, a weary sadness dominating her pretty features.

"No Jack. Nothing like that. I was just wondering if…if…if I cold stay on board ye ship awhile." Discomforted by the many eyes watching her, Sheila shifted her weight, her thick brown hair brushing away from her right shoulder to reveal a roughly wrapped and bloodied bandage.

Squinting his eyes into a curious scowl, Jack gently brought his calloused hand to the bandage, brushing back the woman's dark hair to see the wound better. By now the crew were all mumbling, but any gossiping statements fell on deaf ears.

"Wat's this?" Jack questioned seriously in a tone that was hardly above a whisper. Sheila's avoided his searching gaze and laid a gloved hand over his rough one. A few feet away Marie sighed in frustration, though she was unheard.

"Things've been hard mate. I can't dodge the Britt's guns as well as you…"

Jack's entire demeanor changed instantaneously. He stared at the wound and at the woman with unfocused eyes, as if remembering something…

"And in the same place as Mary…" He said softly.

"Aye."

Suddenly Jack recovered his senses. He drew back his weathered hand and straightened, trying to appear calm.

"I'll see what I can arrange, Captain Sheila. We can talk more privately in my cabin. Meanwhile," At this he turned to the crew "I want you all to go about your usual duties. Saavy?" there was a monotonous mumble of "ayes" and Jack nodded, swaggering towards his cabin and disappearing behind the heavy wooden door.

Most of the crew went about their business as instructed, but Marie continued to stare in disbelief and repulsion at the door. Her father startled her as he lay a hand on her lean shoulder.

"What's goin on in that pretty little head of yours?" Maries eyes did not leave the door.

"Who was she." It was not a question.

"Who?"

"She. Her. That…woman that just walked on board and demanded a position on this ship."

"Oh! Sheila. Aye, she's a feisty one. Haven't seen her for about…10 years I s'pose. She used to be Jack's first mate I hear. Course they went their separate ways when Barbosa came on. Sometin bout the man didn't sit to well with Sheila…

She's appeared here and there, but for awhile there's been no news. Poor Jack. I think he half believed her dead…and to meet her again in this condition? It's a pity. Real pity."

"Huh. That's all very nice…but who is she? A mistress? Some tramp that provided the captain 'pleasure' for awhile?" There was no hiding her scorn.

To her surprise, Gibbs laughed.

"What?" She asked angrily, finally turning away from the door.

"She's his sister, luv."

Marie gaped. "His…s-sister?"

"Aye, lass."

"Oh. What did you say about Barbosa?"