Author's Note: Hello everybody! Sorry about the long absence but my computer is not totally reliable and it would not let me update the day before we left for vacation so you had no fore warning and no new chapter. Thank you all for your patience. I was busy while away and have this new fic up and am almost done with a second one. In addition I have new chapters to add to my current stories. Hope you all enjoy!

Two Weddings and a Funeral

Deidre stood eyes downcast as Father Williams said some words she didn't hear over her mother's body. She had been horribly sick two weeks before her death but Deidre was still surprised it had actually killed her. The body was lowered into its grave, the simple wooden cross reading 'Rebecca Brown' was driven into the ground at the head of the grave and the two men waiting with shovels made quick work of burying her.

Deidre walked silently home to the room they...she had above the dressmaker's shop. Mr. Stone greeted her as she entered the shop, but he saw she was not in the mood for a chat so he let her continue in silence. The realization that her mother was actually dead and gone finally hit her and she collapsed onto her bedroll sobbing. In the shop below Mr. Stone set aside an extra day's wages for the poor motherless girl.

Deidre dried her eyes and crawled under the blankets of her mother's bedroll. She had always found comfort there, since she was a little girl. As she lay there she noticed some thing she hadn't before: a pink hatbox lodged between the wash stand and the wall. Deidre sat up and pulled it out, untying the ribbon that held it shut. The hatbox contained letters, coins, some childhood toys and a compass and diary. Deidre took out the diary and looked at the most recent entry: it was a few weeks old, but the first entry was from before she was born! Rebecca had never told her daughter much about her life before motherhood. All Deidre knew was that she had been born in Tortuga and she had stayed there all her life. She turned to the first entry and began to read.

Deidre felt much closer to her mother when she closed her diary. Her mother had recorded her progress as she grew, especially her likeness to a man called Jack, who Rebecca, and now Deidre, believed to be her father. She had loved him greatly but due to her former...occupation, she had never been sure if her lover her back. There were many mentions of him but after Deidre was born the mentions trailed off and became very rare. The compass in the hatbox was also mentioned a few times; Jack had left it the last time her had seen her. She took out the compass and opened it. It did not point north. Instead it pointed the direction she had come from earlier, the direction of the cemetery. Deidre put it back in the box; it was obviously broken.

Jacob Barrett walked to the dressmaker's, a cloth bundle in his hand and a spring in his step. He knew Deidre's mother had just passed away but he was always happy when he got to see her.

"Good day, Mr. Stone," Jacob said happily as he entered the shop. "Is Deidre in today?"

"Aye, that she is m' boy. It'll do her good t' see you too, I'll wager," he said winking at Jacob.

Jacob hopped over the counter and climbed the stairs that led to the rooms above.

"Deidre? It's Jacob. May I come in?" he asked knocking on the door.

He heard a chair move and a moment later the door open revealing Deidre, who had recently been crying. She looked better now and was very happy to see him.

"How nice of you to come, Jacob. Please come in. Shall I make us some tea?"

"Oh, don't trouble yourself, I'll make the tea. I brought some of my mother's biscuits to cheer you up," Jacob said, offering her the cloth bundle of biscuits and busying himself with the tea.

Deidre sat back down at the small wooden table. She had been re-reading the diary. Jack's compass sat next to it and was now spinning wildly. When Jacob sat down across from her with the tea she told him the whole story.

"Do you have any idea of how to find him?" Jacob asked when she had finished.

"No. But I did read in the diary that she could have found him if she really needed him. Seems to me that the compass would show her, or me, where to find him."

"You do realize that sounds crazy don't you?"

"Yes I do but it's all I have."

"So do you know anything else about your father besides his name?" Jacob asked.

"Not for sure but I can guess he's a sailor from the compass, though this being Tortuga it's more likely he's a pirate."

"And you really want to find him? Even if he's a bloodthirsty pirate who abandoned you and your mother?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course I do, he's my father," Deidre said biting into a biscuit. "And besides, now that my mother is dead there's nothing keeping me here. If I can't find my father I can at least settle somewhere nice. Maybe I can get a job with a rich family, watch their children or something."

Jacob looked troubled by this.

"If you're set on finding your father then I'm coming with you. I'll feel much better if I'm with you and we do have a ship. She's just a one-masted clipper but she's fast and she's yet to fail us."

"Your father would let you?"

"I'll run home and ask him right now. We could leave with tomorrow's tide. Pack what you want to take" Jacob said, getting up and heading for the door.

"Thank you so much Jacob," Deidre said, following him to the door. She kissed him on the cheek; he flushed red. "I'll see you later, thank you again."

"It's no problem at all," he managed to say before descending the stairs, exiting the shop and walking home with a big smile on his face.

The compass stopped its wild revolutions to follow the direction Jacob walked. Deidre smiled to herself as she moved about the room gathering her things.

Deidre had quite a bit more money than she had expected tucked safely in her bodice. She had sold most of her mother's things and as she left that morning Mr. Stone had pushed two extra days' wages on her. She had promised to write him as soon as she had news. Dear old Mr. Stone was the closest thing she had had to a father, until now that is.

Now she sat on a pile of rope at the base of the Marlin's single mast as Jacob maneuvered her through the water. They had a reliable map and the compass was pointing resolutely towards Jamaica.

"I'm so incredibly grateful for this Jacob, thank you so very much. Truth be told I'm glad you're coming; I'm a bit nervous."

"Really Deidre, it's nothing. I'd do anything for you." He said that last part much more quietly.

"Oh but isn't there anything I can do to repay you?" she asked persistently.

Jacob was silent for a moment, staring out at the open ocean with a strange look on his face.

"Marry me, Deidre Brown. I love you more than anything and nothing in the world would make me happier than to have you as my wife," he said. Jacob looked a little surprised that he had actually said it.

Deidre stared at him open mouthed. Jacob was usually very guarded and not at all impulsive; she didn't know what to say.

"I...I don't know what to say."

"Please, say 'yes'."

She smiled. "Alright. Yes, Jacob Barrett I will marry you."

Deidre wound her way through the many well dress guests at the party. She did not know what the party was for or who was throwing it, but the conversations she overheard suggested a happy couple by the name of Turner, all she knew was that she was not invited, not dressed to fit in and the compass had pointed to this house. But the party seemed lively enough that no one noticed her not fitting in.

"Excuse me there, but have you see Miss Ashbury?" inquired a man in a white wig and navy uniform that had far too much gold brocade and buttons. He seemed a little drunk and disoriented.

"I'm terribly sorry sir, but I can't say I have. Try looking near the punch, that's always a good place to start, everyone likes punch."

"Yes. That does sound like a good idea. That Miss Ashbury certainly is a ravishing creature but I never can seem to lay my hands on her," he said deviously.

"Well I wish you the best of luck with that sir," Deidre said, thinking that was not at all how she had expected a high ranking officer in the Royal Navy, albeit a drunk one, to behave. She waved to him as he slunk off to accost Miss Ashbury.

Deidre made her own way to the punch and poured herself a glass, which she discovered had been spiked with rum. This at least explained the inebriated man in the wig.

"Oh dear me, I'm so terribly sorry," said a lovely brunette as she bumped into Deidre.

"It's no problem," Deidre said, turning to leave.

"Wait! Have you seen Commodore Norrington by any chance? I can't find him anywhere," the woman, who had also had her share of punch, pouted.

Deidre thought back to the officer in too much brocade. Could he be a commodore?

"The one with all the brocade on his jacket?" she asked.

"Yes. That would be him. No one has more brocade on his uniform than James. Did you see him?"

"Yes, I believe I did. He was over there. You wouldn't be Miss Ashbury by any chance?" Deidre asked the woman, now looking frantically in the direction she had pointed.

"Yes, that's me. Oooh, there his is," Miss Ashbury said giggling and hurrying through the crowd.

Deidre smiled and made her way to an empty table. She checked the compass and continued her search.

An hour later found Deidre in a conversation with a very interesting man who also did not appear to fit in with the rest of the guests but who insisted that he was the one who had gotten the present Mr. and Mrs. Turner together.

Captain Sparrow was a well traveled man and he was recounting tales of his global adventured for her over many glasses of the spiked punch. It was he, in fact, who had added the rum. He said it added life to the party and it seemed to be doing the Commodore some good.

"Aye, the good Commodore is not me favorite bloke in the world, nor I his," he said raising his finger to his lips and pulling back his sleeve to reveal a pirate brand. "Didn't want him spending the whole party breathing down my neck. He needs to lighten up a bit."

Deidre's eyes widened.

"They know me here luv, and I won't steal anything from you, promise."

"Oh, I don't mind pirates so much, I'm from Tortuga myself. I'm just surprised you'd come to a party like this."

"Well Elizabeth insisted and you don't make her angry. Tortuga you say?" he said looking at her shrewdly. "Now, you wouldn't be here uninvited, would you luv? I don't recall the Turners knowing anyone in Tortuga."

Deidre was feeling uncomfortable now and it showed on her face.

"Don't fret, I won't say a word. But what's a girl from Tortuga doing at a high toned and fancy to do all the way over here in Port Royal?" he asked.

"I'm looking for someone."

"Well I'd say you found someone luv."

They were sitting on a bench under a large tree and had forgone the punch for some straight rum which Sparrow had produced from a pocket.

"My father," Deidre clarified.

"And what makes you think he'd be here?"

Deidre giggled, feeling giddy with the effects of the alcohol. "I have a magic compass. My mum's diary told me what to do with it. Now I'm here," she said.

She took the compass from where it hung at her waist. "See?" she said, opening it and watching it spin.

The pirate captain's eyes widened as Deidre's brow furrowed and she looked up at him. The little arrow was pointing at him and he was looking back at the compass with a look of amazement.

"Where'd you get that? That's the compass I lost years ago."

"It was with the diary, you left it accidentally...father." Deidre said, trying out the word.

The use of the word startled Jack, for that was what Deidre knew his name to be.

"Erm...what was your mother's name? Sorry to say I can't remember," he asked.

"My mother was Rebecca Brown. She died four days ago."

The look of recognition on his face saddened.

"That's a shame. I remember her, she was a wonderful woman. But I can't say I ever knew you existed. Are you sure I'm your father?"

"Yes. I found her diary after she died. She was sure of it and so am I. Plus, isn't that what the compass does?"

He looked thoughtful. "In a manner of speaking."

They sat in silence. Then Deidre threw her arms around him and began to cry. He comforted her as best he could.

"Er...did I do something wrong luv?" he asked concerned.

"No," she said, withdrawing her arms and wiping her eyes "I've just had a stressful few days. Mother died, I found you and I'm getting married."

"What? To who? How old are you anyway Deidre?"

Deidre grinned. "Being protective already Jack?"

"Why not?"

"I'm seventeen, nearly eighteen, and I'm marrying Jacob Barrett. I've known him all my life and he's back at the inn. You can meet him after the party. He took me here, to help me find you."

Jack looked satisfied with this. He stood and offered her his rum free hand. "Would you like to meet the Turners? I'm sure they'd love to meet you."

"Even though I broke into their party?"

"Well you're here with me and I was invited. They're pretty easy going, don't worry."

"Yes, okay."

They started towards the house.

"There you are!" a voice said.

Deidre turned.

A very disheveled Commodore Norrington was making his way towards them followed by an equally disheveled Miss Ashbury. They were both grinning and Miss Ashbury was trying not to laugh.

"What ever happened to your wig Commodore?" Jack asked with mock concern.

Norrington frowned. "Sparrow I don't know why you're here or why you're asking but I'm going to leave the state of my appearance to your own perverse imagination."

Miss Ashbury giggled.

"Did you need something from me, Commodore?" Deidre asked, also smiling.

"What? Ah, yes. Thank you ever so much for finding Miss Ashbury," he said overdramatically, sweeping Deidre into his arms and kissing her. She struggled away and slapped him wit ha resounding smack. It was followed by a second from Miss Ashbury a moment later when he turner around. She lifted her skirts and ran off with a bewildered Commodore following after her. As they watched Jack and Deidre saw him catch and then they bother turned and ran off in the other direction laughing. Jack pointed out the stables a ways ahead of them.

"Now maybe he won't have such a stick up his arse every time we meet."

Deidre had her hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"I have to say, my peek into society has been an interesting one," she mused.

"Oh, believe me luv, without that rum in the punch this would be the most boring place you could imagine. There certainly wouldn't be any commodores running around kissing young women and going for romps in the hayloft. Although, and I don't mean to be crude or offend you, but if you hadn't brought up the compass that could've been us and I definitely would have kissed you."

Deidre looked disgusted at this revelation. Jack put up his hands in defense.

"I'm a philandering pirate, I'll admit it. But that's probably the only reason I met your mother in the first place," he said.

The Commodore and Miss Ashbury disappeared into the stables.

"Come, I see Elizabeth now and Will is bound to be nearby."

Deidre and Jacob got married in a small church in Port Royal. Jack, Will and Elizabeth were the only other people in attendance. Jack took them around the Caribbean on the Black Pearl for their honeymoon and when they returned to Port Royal they found that another happy couple was getting married and wanted them to attend.

Commodore Norrington and Miss Ashbury did not have a small simple wedding. Theirs was in a large beautiful church and all the wealthy citizens of Port Royal attended. Elizabeth said that the wedding was so soon because Miss Ashbury, now Mrs. Norrington, was with child, undoubtedly from all the cavorting in the hayloft. Either way they were both extremely happy, happy enough to actually invite Jack, but maybe that was just so he wouldn't crash the party.

Deidre wrote all this in a letter to Mr. Stone. She also wrote that she and Jacob were very happy and had found a little house in Port Royal where they had decided to stay. They were also expecting a child.

Thank you for all your kindness, I promise to visit soon.

Sincerely,

Deidre Barrett