She waltzed into the tavern, and danced her way to the bar. Picking up a few mugs from the barkeep, she tangoed to our table. Her dexterity baffled me as well as her drunken sea legged grace—undeniably like her brother's, but seemingly more unattainable. She smiled a lazy, sly, KNOWING sort of smile; one I oft imagined might cross his face, if he ever stayed sober long enough to smile.

"How are ya, Jackie?" she asked him, my companion, amiably.

"Delightful, no you've brought some rum," he replied. I sipped the drink she'd given me—it was a sort of spiced ale that warmed my soul with more than just the taste of the alcohol. She grew on me automatically.

"Will, darling, I regret that we haven't met before,' she said, responding seemingly to my thoughts. We shook hands. "Unfortunately Jackie tends to not like his friends meeting me too often. I can't imagine why," she supplied with a conspirator's smile. Jack took this in stride.

"My darling, there have simply been none good enough to meet you," he replied.

"ha, you're just afraid my crew will scare them,' she said.

"Hardly. You've given that up anyway, haven't you?" Jack raised a querulous eyebrow; I thought I saw an element of concern flit across his face.

"For a time, at least," she gave, dismissing the notion with a wave of her hand. "They sail without me, for now, though I receive a correspondence, now and again. They really are quite nice, Jack."

"Certainly, but you know I worry," I was surprised by Jack's open honesty, "I'm much more comfortable when we're together. You're a lot smarter than I am."

"No, only in different ways," she said, "My, he must really be important to you, mustn't' he?" she said enthusiastically, indicating me. Jack only shrugged and blushed a little, though I couldn't tell if it was rum or embarrassment coloring his cheeks.

We docked at another port later in the month for supplies, and since I couldn't find jack, I obliged bea's wish for me to accompany her ashore. She took my arm loosely and openly with the companionship of a beloved friend. The closeness I felt at that moment ached in my heart. I wanted more of these moments, but with him; unattainable as that felt.

We walked through the streets looking at the brightness of the window shops contrasting with the mud roads. She was such a warm personality that I fell in line with her happiness and laughed along with her. I realized that I loved her as a deepest friend.

Entering a shop, we looked at brilliant fabrics, dyed so many colors I could not name that my eyes watered. As I got lost within the folds, she escaped my sight, saying she had some business to fulfill and that she would return to me shortly. I heard her buy something from the teller buy didn't see what. She carried home a greatly laden bag of fabrics of unknown hue home with us; as well as some rum, of course.

Over time I grew to know her as well as I knew myself. We were nearly inseparable, and she didn't mind. Jack would spend time with us, but I think he felt odd about it; I often found him with a forlorn look on his face when he watched us together. It broke my heart, but I didn't dare ask why.

I came upon them talking one night, as I was looking for them. Jack was hissing something at her and she was concerned about him from her tone, but there also seemed to be a note of amusement in her voice.

"Why, Jack. You've gotten it completely wrong! That's not what's going on at all. I think you should do what I told you; you'd be surprised," she smiled warmly and gave Jack a one armed hug. "You really have to trust us more. Don't think so negatively, that's my job." She walked away then, towards where I was. I flattened myself against the wall as she came around, but she saw me anyways, and winked at me. I made to follow her, but she flapped her hands at me, telling me to keep going with a sparkle in her eyes. I couldn't do it.

Jack walked around the deck in the morning, sighing. I couldn't think of confronting him, he seemed so sad. I caught him staring at me once, but looked away quickly, embarrassed. He sighed and moved away. I just can't do it, I hate this waiting; I'm going to find Jack.

"Jack?" I called, addressing his back at the bow of the ship.

"Yes, Will?" he said tiredly.

"I, um, wanted to speak with you?" he still had his back turned to me, which made me feel awkward. I needed to say this to his face.

"Sorry, Will, what?" he turned, his face was oddly streaky in the moonlight, the shine was in the wrong places.

"Jack, are you alright? No, I need to say this, I can't get distracted. Sorry, I just need to tell you—I…"

"Look, Will. I want to tell you something too, and I think I might want to go first, in all sincerity. You might change your mind—"

"No! I won't change my mind, I don't care if you hate me, I just need to get it out. You can drop me off at the next port, if it bothers you."

He sighed, "Will, nothing—"

"I BLOODY LOVE YOU!" I shouted at him, angry at his interruption. His face recoiled, eyebrows shooting into his bandana, but not a lot of reaction otherwise.

"Well, that's good. I was gonna say the same thing," he replied.

"W-huhn?" I stuttered, "Eh? Are you serious?"

"Yup, last time I checked, which was about, oh, five minutes ago. Pretty serious, mate."

"Um, okay. Great! I'll just be getting off to bed then," I stated awkwardly, intending to turn and walk to bed, knowing I'd never get to sleep.

"Well, Captain's quarters are probably a little more comfortable, honestly, so you should really try there first, just for comforts sake, seeing as I don't think I'll be getting much sleep there tonight. Not in this stage of the game," Jack said, a little annoyance coating his words.

"Uh, yea, me neither," I stated, rubbing the back of my neck and turning back to Jack.

"Hug?" I smiled, embracing him warmly. We stayed like that for a long while, me with my head buried in his dreadlocks, chest, and shoulder; him with his nose in my hair, or resting his cheek on my skull. I felt him kiss me a few times, gently, and clung tighter.

"I think I can sleep now, time for bed?" he asked me.

"Yes, I think so," I replied, and we walked to his quarters, holding each other by the waist. We disrobed to our night clothes and fell asleep in each other's arms, utterly content.

Outside, a raven cawed. A ship with shadowy sails pulled alongside the Black Pearl, silent as a whisper. Said raven alighted upon a tanned wrist, dropping a roll of parchment on a black robed lap as it was given a morsel to eat up within the larger ship's crow's nest.

"Hello my dear Lenore," Bea addressed the raven, stroking its wing with an index finger. "And how is everyone?" the raven cawed softly, returning her affection.

"Thank you, darling, but I'm staying here for awhile, you'll have to go back without me, but soon, I promise you." The raven looked forlornly at Bea's words, but spread its wings none the less, and flew back to the smaller ship of shadows. The ship seemed to sigh as it pulled off into the darkness, leaving a bittersweet Bea and the Black Pearl in its barely perceptible wake.