Right Here Waiting

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Romance/Drama

Summary: Jack's only love has always ever been the Black Pearl. She was all the beauty and freedom he desired. In fact, had she been as real as Jack made her out to be, jealously would have roared through her veins the day the vivacious Jade Johnson invaded her planks… the day Jack's heart made room for another.

Disclaimer: Nothing from POTC is mine… and neither is the cheese. shifty eyes

A/N: This is set right after The Curse of the Black Pearl and Pre-DMC. I actually began this a long time ago, butafter seeing the second movie, I hoping that somehow I could tie that into my story as well. I'm not sure, but we'll see how it works out.

I'm also extremely nervous posting this because the going back in time thing has been done, but I thought it might be fun to write one anyway. We can all dream, can't we? If your answer was yes, then PLEASE read and review! As always, all your lovely comments are greatly welcomed!

Nique

Chapter One: It's a Dream to Meet You

Jack's gaze shifted to the violent splash of pink and orange, setting the sea with a purplish glow. It was his favorite part of day… the morning's events fresh in his mind, all the time with a peaceful contentment that the Black Pearl was still in his grasp.

A gold set of glimmering beads were weaved through his fingers as he absently rubbed their silky surfaces. As a ray of gold glinted across his face, Jack's thoughts drifted back to the night when he successfully outwitted Norrington's men once again. The fact that one month had passed since his last little escapade and the Commodore had not yet made another attempt for his capture caused the mischievous Captain Sparrow to become a bit anxious.

And so, he planned a silent attack, carefully docking the Pearl out of reach of the soldiers at Port Royal, for which he would steal this particular set of beads from Norrington's quarters personally. Gibbs, of course, tried to persuade his captain otherwise, claiming that they had enough plunder to buy the entire royal navy.

Jack, however, couldn't resist the chance to exert yet another tale of the infamous Jack Sparrow unto all of Britain. If there was one thing he feared, it was to be forgotten.

It has been a year since Captain Sparrow's second narrow escape and he decided it was about time to risk returning for the benefit of visiting two dear old friends by the names of Will and Elizabeth Turner.

"Argh!" Jack yelped as something solid collided into his back, causing him to almost stumble off the side of his ship.

He looked up expectantly to see what hit him and was met with a mass of thick, black curls, which opened to reveal two terrified, violet orbs and a long, thin face.

The odd girl jumped at the sight of him and quickly scurried to her feet, breathing heavily.

"Oh!" was all she managed before having to grab a nearby rope in order to keep steady. "You're… I mean, but you can't be… unless…"

Suddenly, the girl wildly threw her hands to her face, causing Jack to jump back, giving her one of his slightly scared half-smiles. Slowly, she lowered her arms and looked up at him. "Jack Sparrow?"

"Aye, and it's Captain Jack Sparrow if yeh don' mind," he said, scanning her up and down, beginning with the frizzy, misplaced strands of hair popping from her head to her weird, skimpy choice of clothing and finally to her unprotected, polished toes.

Her large eyes widened to the point of popping out as she ran to a deserted corner of the ship and held tightly to the sides, muttering something along the lines of, "Of course, it's captain! Captain bloody Jack Sparrow."

She laughed to herself as Jack approached her, "Who the bloody hell are you and how'd ya get on me ship!"

She turned to face him and began to stutter.

"I-I don't…" then her face twisted from shock to excitement and back to shock again before she said quietly at first, "It was real… it worked! I-I can't believe it!"

"Excuse me?" said Jack, the girl practically dancing with giddiness.

"I'm actually back in time on what must be the Black Pearl, standing right beside the most famous, and might I add sexiest, pirate in the world!" she exclaimed, but then added to herself, "Wow, that sounded cheesy… and crazy."

Nice going, Jade. Scare him away right off the back! She thought, watching as he smirked at her with both confusion and amusement.

"Luv," he began, placing a hand on her shoulder, which immediately made her squeak in surprise and delight. "You must either be completely mad or so drunk ya can' even think straight."

She smiled and crossed her arms as Jack dropped his hand. "I promise you I've never so much as touched an alcoholic beverage in my life… and I'm still deciding whether I've gone mad yet."

Jack stared as she looked thoughtful after the last statement and took note of her accent.

"Jack, you have to believe me! You, of all people, know what bizarre things happen in this world!"

He eyed the desperate look in her eyes and said, "But I've ne'er met ya in me life! How would you know?"

"Because where I come from, everyone knows everything about you, including your encounter with the Commodore and his ex- fiancé, Elizabeth, who left him for Will…. By the way, whatever became of them? Did they have a big wedding?"

Jack bit his lip to keep his jaw from dropping and let go with a small laugh. "You, m'lady, have got to be the strangest lass I've ever met."

When he turned to strut away, she snatched his hat and clutched it to her chest. He whipped around, hands frantically waving above his head.

Before she even let him utter a word of dispute, she begged, "Please listen to me, Ja- I mean, Captain Sparrow! If you would just let me explain, in somewhere a bit more private, then everything will be clear."

Jack smiled at the awkward girl before him, who carried an air of obscure beauty that was yet to show through her pale face, peaking through the dark curtains of which it was framed. Had he been any other pirate and her state of hopelessness any less dramatic, then she would have been sent on her way and possibly tossed off the ship for such a display of madness.

"Aye, I'll bring us into me cabin where ye can explain yerself, but for now… " he trailed off, checking to see if anyone had spotted them. Then he swooped down in one fluid motion to grab a full, wooden bucket and abruptly dump it on her head.

She shrieked in shock, lifting her shoulders in fury, but Jack quickly cut her off.

"Sorry, luv, but I had to. Even if ya get me convinced that yer little adventure really happened, it doesn't mean anyone else will be. In case me crew asks, lets just say I found yeh lost at sea and yer boat was sinkin'."

Jack waited for her to nod in agreement and motioned for her to follow him below deck. Once they arrived at the captain's cabin, Jack noticed her shivering and handed her a dry rag that was clean enough considering a pirate's way of living.

Apparently Jack was right to get her wet because no one questioned them as the pair made their way through the halls. Although one pirate with very prominent sideburns, who she immediately knew to be Mr. Gibbs, gave Jack an alarmed stare.

At seeing Jack's bedroom, the girl's face lit up with glee and curiosity, muttering, "Never saw this part of the Pearl before. Didn't show it in the movie… "

"You seem to do that a lot," commented Jack with raised eyebrows.

"Hmm?" she said, glancing back at him.

"You mutter to yerself."

"Oh, yeah," she said with a smile, "Just a habit, I guess."

"So, are ye gonna explore me room all day or do ya wanna tell me who ya are?" he asked, leaning on the bedpost and crossing his feet.

"Right!" she said, blushing. "I'm Jade Johnson… originally I'm from America and this is my first time being out of California, although that's probably pointless information to you because you have no idea where that is."

Jack's brows furrowed as he gave a small smile. "What's this talk about bein' back in time, Miss Johnson?"

"Well… ok, just hear me out on this 'cause it's going to sound really strange. But you already think I'm crazy, so here it goes. My friend, Autumn, and I were exploring this little store near my house that carried ancient collectables. They actually had what looked like an old pirate medallion, you know."

Jade paused to watch Jack's face and continued, "Anyway, we found this small item that had lots of little digits on it behind this other really old, weird-looking trinket. It had a confusing inscription on the back right below what Autumn made out to be 'Time Capsule.'"

Jack's mouth was in the shape of an 'o' when she looked up and said, "Forgive me. I'm not great at describing things, but here! You can see it for yourself!"

Jade held out a curious-looking triangular object that Jack examined very closely.

"Never seen anythin' like it," he whispered. "And I've seen a lot."

She smiled, happy with his comment and said, "Autumn and I laughed at the fact that someone would pay for this rubbish and decided to set a date just for the fun of it. We headed to the back of the store for a deserted little cove and Autumn suggested I set it for sometime in the 1600s. 'That way you might get to meet a pirate and maybe even your lo- Jack Sparrow,' she told me in her usual sarcastic voice. Obviously she wasn't so sarcastic when we set it and I really disappeared!"

Jack grinned as she finished her story, flopping down on his bed as if it was a lot to take in, which was true.

Can't believe I almost let that slip, she thought, biting her lip. He definitely doesn't need to know how I felt about him before I'd ever even met him! Actually, I never even knew there was a person to meet…

Before he opened his mouth to respond, she cut in, "If you still don't believe me, take a look at my clothes! I doubt that even whores wore pink tank tops and skirts as short as this in your time. But I assure you… I am not a whore."

He laughed at her pointed look and replied, "Don' worry, Miss Johnson. No one will lay a hand on ye under my orders, but I'm not sure how long I could deny them when a pretty lass like yerself goes walkin' around deck in the likes of that!"

As Jack gestured to her exposed skin animatedly, Jade snorted, both amused and flattered that he had referred to her as "pretty."

"I don't suppose that you have something here that would be more appropriate then, would you?" she asked, lifting her chin.

"When we're done here, I can have Anamaria get ya somethin' decent," he said.

"Then, this means you believe me, right?" she asked hopefully.

"Well, I guess I have no choice but to take yer word for it," he said a little hesitantly.

She grinned and jumped gleefully as something bounced between her breasts, "My cell phone!"

Jack's eyes widened as the girl pulled a small, silver device from the 'v' of her shirt, of all places, and when she held it out, saw what looked to be a picture of him peering out of it.

Jade giggled and took it back. "Like my background?"

She gazed at it fondly and whispered, "It's a dream to meet you, you know. Any girl from my time would kill to be in my position right now… "

Jack raised his eyebrow in a look of surprise, which was quickly replaced with his usual cocky smirk. "Of course they would, luv. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?"

A/N: How'd you like chapter one? It gets better, I promise. Now, it's time to click the little button right down there and tell me what you think! Lol.