The Marauder

"Tell me your name."

The pirate before Jack wasn't who he expected at all. Surely this was a grand mistake. Gibbs had informed him only moments ago this person had snuck into the tavern, got the older sea dog intoxicated by free rounds of rum and managed to smuggle just enough information from him to sneak the current bottle-cursed-ship in Joshamee's possession. If Jack hadn't given up sweet talking the blonde Giselle (who definitely didn't slap the Captain) and run into the pirate before him… The Pearl could have been lost yet another time.

Before the thief could smuggle out the bottle covered in a ragged sheet Jack caught the collar of the shirt the pirate and after a few moments struggle saved his precious Pearl. Gibbs snapped to attention only when Jack had called for him over the crowd of the tavern and the duo managed to drag the kicking and screaming heister to their rented room.

"Yeh know me name!" The younger one half yelled, hands struggling to get free from the bonds Jack had put on himself. The pirate's attire was cleaner than most you'd see in Tortuga. Which to Jack was another give away; and the larger-then-needed shirt and vest was yet another clue to who this was.

Gibbs was out of his drunken stupor enough to be able to aim his pistol at the prisoner, scowling at himself for allowing it to happen. "Captain told you to state your name!"

Jack Sparrow's expression changed from disbelief to annoyance in a sudden intake of breath. The young one was about to spit something out but instead the Captain spoke up first. "Mister Gibbs, this dear little pickpocket be family. Unfortunately for those involved."

The candlelight in the tavern's room was low. While still half-drunk but fully curious the longtime friend and ally of Jack Sparrow blinked his eyes a few times and inched closer. "Family?" A squint of his eyes and Gibbs started to really notice a few things from their moonlighter.

Darker skin; not very different from Jack's own; tanned by days at sea. Two eyes that seemed a lighter shade of brown then the Captain's but nothing spectacular. Prominent cheekbones and slender face hidden under a large brown hat. Features that while looked more and more like Sparrow; were increasingly more… feminine. A slight draw back and Gibbs was slack jawed in surprise. The smaller pirate gave the first mate an odd stare- "What, yeh never see a lass before?"

Jack Sparrow would normally find a mild amusement in seeing his friend in shock over a female version of the erratic Captain but the matter on hand was the woman tried to steal his beloved Pearl. "Leona, my sweet. You have-"

"Nellie! It's Nellie Paige and yeh know it, -Sparrow-!"

"..trifle fact. You were born Leona Teauge."

The woman raised her chin in a mocking fashion. "Just like yeh were born Jack Teauge?"

Gibbs watched as the two argued, his eyes wider than before. Who would have known this could be true? Jack Sparrow had family other than his father? It was easy enough to determine they looked alike; but how come Jack never mentioned her before?

"Let me out of this before I get mad, Sparrow!"

The Captain strode closer. "My dearest sis-"

"Stop playin' that card! I gave up on yer sweet words when I was eight!"

"Come come, why did you leave?"

The woman raised her leg quickly, trying to kick upwards. Jack cursed himself for always forgetting to bind the legs. Fortunately for the two men the space was still long enough that all she managed to do was scare Gibbs to stumble backwards. Sparrow moved his hand out to grab at her boot and used some leverage to shove her back and balance the chair on its back legs. Squirming in his grip Nellie grumbled loudly. "..bloody man wanted more gold! Or other payment... stupid bloke, messin' with the daughter of Teauge.."

"…Man? Payment?" Gibbs looked exacerbated by now, the rum almost fully out of his system. "Can one of you explain all this to me?"

Both set of eyes glanced to Gibbs, then back to one another. Nellie was no longer struggling so Jack used the moment to lower the chair back to all its legs. To make sure the woman didn't attempt to do much else he was soon on his knees to tie off the last bit of rope and secure her ankles. By now Nellie was just leaning her head back; a scowl placed firmly on her lips.

Standing with a hand sweeping over the female pirate, Jack spoke. "Mister Gibbs, I'd like to introduce you to my beloved little sister; whom I haven't seen in... my..."

"Ten years... not long enough, if yeh ask me."

"Right, that. Ten years! No wonder it took me a moment t' recognize yeh." With a grin Jack reached out and placed a hand on the ratted brown hat that Nellie wore. Soon it was off her head; displaying her short ebony hair. "Hoped yeh would have let that grow out."

"Gets in the way." She hissed. Her head jerked up to emphasize this as a few longer bangs were now closer to her eyes. "Unless yeh intend me to make a rat's nest like yeh got goin' on…"

Jack's face crinkled in distaste. "Rat's nest? This is fine fashion, dearie."

"Fashion or not yeh look a hot mess."

Joshamee Gibbs tucked his pistol away before looking behind the lady pirate. "Too much goin' on here... need to sleep off this rum I'd say…" The siblings didn't seem to pay him mind as the older man wandered to the closest bed to collapse in. Only a few seconds later did snoring erupt from him.

"And I'll have you know that this look has been imitated by many of pirates after I gained a bit of fame!"

"Aye, by all the mindless idiots no near suited to be suitin' themselves!"

Mouth open to retort; Jack Sparrow instead gave a look of resentment and turned on his heel. Taking a moment the Pirate Lord paced in front of his younger sibling, either thinking of something to say or just putting himself put in a different mood.

Nellie herself seemed a bit less annoyed; but not at all happy to be where she was. Watching Jack her shoulders rolled around and she bit back a gasp as the rope burned her wrists. "…Jackie." Sparrow turned, eyes narrowed at her. "We both know yer goin' to let me go… how about we make it easy and just get on with tying me loose?"

This seemed to trigger something in the man. He leaned in, shoving the hat harshly back on her head. Closer to him Nellie could smell the brine from the sea mixed with rum. "I think to keep you in your place for the evening I'll leave you right there. Cross me not, little marauder. I know who can keep you in line."

That was it for Jack. Taking a few strides out of the room he shut the door behind him before her voice could carry over the sounds of drunken brawls down below. Rubbing his chin as he strode over to the stairs; Jack Sparrow was lost in thoughts of why the woman wanted the Pearl and where she had been over the years.

Nellie woke up with a start. It had been a very long night, the cramps in her legs and arms from being tied up starting to cry in pain. With a faint groan she regretted ever coming here, even if she knew that this was all for the best. She needed The Black Pearl, it was one of the fastest ships on the sea and the so called 'owner' of it was less fit for it then a monkey.

Her boots were rubbing against skin as she tried to move her legs, shooting a painful cramp up her thigh. "..damn!" She hissed and then took to looking around the room.

The voice behind her made her jump- just barely. "If I free you my dear, can you please explain yourself?"

The lady pirate gave a soft exhale. She had no choice now, Jack had a watchful eye on her and while she could be a little more nimble then her brother, he could easily out match her in combat. "I told yeh. I left because that bastard of a man wanted more ransom money from our Pa. I ain't one t' cater t' sailors who think they can hold me."

"I had no idea you had been kidnapped, little Leona." His tone made her scowl. Jack always liked to talk to her like she was some child- and not a fellow pirate.

"Oh aye! I suppose yeh wouldn't have. Yeh been off killing Davy Jones and takin' on that beastie of his. Oh! Also heard yeh managed to get rid of Blackbeard... how yeh talked yer way outta that one is a curious tale indeed." Jack came from his spot behind her, looking down at the younger sibling. "Jack, I don't care for yer concern nor did I ask for it. I did what I needed done without the help of anyone- includin' ya."

"Then why did you show up here?"

"What, Tortuga ain't a free port no more?"

"I meant here- to take The Pearl."

For a very long minute Nellie stared right back at her brother; the woman's copper eyes narrowing. It was going to be hard to explain to him without giving up all of her secrets but at this point she really had no one else to confide in. "Is yer mate still sleepin'?"

"Gibbs was incapacitated from a roarin' headache. So I sent him off to find us a boat."

Rolling her head back at forth the woman managed to knock off her hat. It fell with the top on her lap and her head jerked towards it in a motion for Jack to take it. "Look inside; inner ring there. Tucked behind that little flap…"

Perhaps a bit too cautiously Jack took the tri-corner and fiddled with the tiny flap. Watching him circumspectly Nellie felt her second regret this morning. Maybe she could have figured this out on her own. Maybe trusting Jack Sparrow, even if he was blood, was a huge mistake. Maybe he'd just leave her here for the scum of Tortuga to have their ways with her. Not that she couldn't handle them if she had a cutlass.

His face changed to a similar look a child would get when examining a bug. A very puny roll of parchment, no longer then a pinky finger was produced from the hidden compartment of Nellie's hat. He dropped that without a care making her suck air between her teeth. "My hat! Pick that up yeh codpiece!"

"Momentarily." Jack murmured, too enamored by the parchment. Slowly as if not to damage it Jack started to u roll… and unroll… and unroll. The length seemed abnormal for how it looked before. The print inside was a scribble of words and letters, hardly readable. It seemed to go on and on down the long length until Jack's exploring eyes paused on one etched splatter of ink. "…how interesting."

Nellie huffed as her stomach gave an echoing growl. "Aye, it's a surefire way to El Dorado. Now can yeh let me outta this?"

A/N: Another story, yay~ I know whats going to happen with this story don't worry. Reviews please! It helps me get motivated to continue. :)