AN: Yes, yes I know. Long time, no see. This isn't a romance but hopefully it makes up for something? My muse has finally decided to make an appearance. Hope you like!

Fire Sky

It was one of those nights. One of those rare nights when all was calm, all was good, and the wearied crew of the feared Black Pearl could alas relax and spend the hours doing whatever their hearts desired. Tortuga wasn't always this quiet, but for once they appreciated the slow atmosphere that surrounded them as they awaited the ship's repairs. It had been a tiresome few months at sea. There had been more attacks on the Pearl than a certain captain would have preferred to have in such close intervals, and they managed to shift off course not once but twice because of his miscalculations. He'd guided the Pearl into the harbors of Tortuga more times than one could count, so the fact that he was too tired and too irritable to think straight when steering the helm were not acceptable excuses in his book. He would never apologize to the crew, though, they didn't need an answer as to why they were taking longer than usual to make port, they just needed to know that it was going to be a little while but they would get there. He was the bloody captain for goodness sake. He answered to no one.

Now that the Pearl was docked it was time to put all cares aside and get their land legs back for a bit. Anamaria watched curiously as her captain b-lined in the opposite direction of the pubs and brothels. That was unusual. For as long as the pirate woman had known Jack Sparrow she'd known that he could resist the company of women but not his prized liquor. It was practically all his bloodstream consisted of. There were only two things that would lead him to decline Tortuga's finest entertainment: something very exciting, or something very lethal. Either way her curiosity was getting the best of her and she had to admit that she wasn't exactly in the mood for drinking herself into a stupor anyway. Quickly she looked around her to make sure that the rest of crew had walked ahead of her. The last thing she needed was for someone to be following her following Jack. When the coast was clear Anamaria leisurely walked the same path that her captain had walked, making sure to keep a good bit of distance between the two of them. She knew that Jack hated being followed, especially by his crew. Even if it was to save his own hide all he heard was "nosiness" and "patronizing" in his head if he caught someone tagging along behind him. That's an argument she'd much rather save for another occasion, so she was going to stay as far back as she possibly could.

The journey seemed to last forever before Jack made it to his destination. Down the road, through a few alleys, into a cave, and past the forest led the two of them to a lush, green clearing that nearly took Ana's breath away. The open field had but one large tree that had a beautiful, floral-studded canopy that appeared to be big enough for every bird in the world to make a nest in. Ana stayed in her spot and watched as the tree appeared to grow taller and taller with every step that Jack made toward it. The sky was marbled with red, orange, and purple dyes that looked like strokes of paint neatly smeared all over a canvas. The wind blew softly against her face and through her loose hair, the crickets hid within the tall blades of grass, chirping a beautiful song to her that only nature could make, and what appeared to be little specks in the sky kept lighting up in random intervals. She had never seen such a display in all her life. Little blinks of light just floating around? What magical place had Jack led her to?

They mesmerized her. One of them glided right in front of her face and she couldn't help but reach out to try and touch it. As soon as she moved, however, the light stopped… as if she had scared it away. Her hand slowly recoiled back and she proceeded to move deeper into the field, her eyes never leaving the light show that the specks of the sky were putting on for her. The scent of honeysuckles filled her nostrils and placed the hint of a smile on her face. Oh how she loved the smell of flowers. Sometimes she wished she could smell as sweet as flowers, look as beautiful as them, move as gracefully and delicately as them… but that was for ladies. She wasn't a lady. She was a pirate. A pirate with womanly features, but not a lady. It saddened her a little sometimes but not for long. A life of piracy on the high seas was a life that she decided she wanted long ago. The first half of her entire life had been spent dedicated to joining a pirate ship, and the second half was spent perfecting her skills and proving her worth. Jack was the only one who had given her a shot at living her dream. Sure there were a couple of times when she thought she had had enough of living with filthy men, killing filthy men, and having to fight filthy men for her keep, but in the end she found it bearable. It was too late to change her mind anyway. After all that Jack had done and all that he had went through for her, it would be a slap in the face for her to throw in the towel… especially since that would make her the first to leave the crew after being the last to join.

Alas she thought she had walked close enough to enjoy the beauty before her without Jack noticing so she stopped and sat on the ground. She stretched both legs out in front of her and kicked her shoes off, wiggling her toes in the grass. Slowly she lay down on her back and dug her fingers in the dirt, playing with cool soil as she gazed at the lights against the backdrop of the dusky sky. She had never seen a masterpiece so beautiful. Time seemed to stand still for a while as thoughts buzzed through her mind and daydreams surfaced. Her heart filled with joy at the memories she was replaying and the visions she was seeing of her future. Who knew that such lovely scenery could open the door and lead to such wonderful feelings? She'd have to thank Jack for this one day. Thank him for being adventurous enough to find this place, thank him for being inquisitive, thank him for being… him. Now all she had to do was close her eyes and dream. Let the earth blanket her and let the music of the grass sing her a lullaby. She just had to close… her…

"Ahhhhh!" she screamed, a piercing shriek that would make even the strongest man fall to his knees in distress.

Oh wait, he was on his knees.

"Shh, Ana. Ana!" came the soothing voice. "Calm down, it's only me."

Anamaria yanked her foot out of Jack's grasp, as he had decided it a wise decision to play with her big toe without telling her that he had approached her. She shot her captain a string of looks. First she was angry, then annoyed, relieved, and finally relaxed. She slowed her breathing as she reached a hand up to her chest to feel her pounding heartbeat. "You could've given me a heart attack! Thought you might've been one o' those wild beasts." she cried.

Captain Jack Sparrow sat on his knees in front of Anamaria with a half smirk on his face, "Well that's a first. I've been called everything under the sun but no one's ever called me a wild beast before."

"Well don't take it as somethin' to fancy," she replied, "Had you really been one I'd of skewered you."

He couldn't help but chuckle, "Oh I'm sure. All of that squealing was just to scare it off first, hmm?"

Ana sighed and rolled her eyes. After a brief moment of silence Anamaria let her voice drop into a more sullen tone as she looked off into the distance, avoiding his gaze the best she could, "If you're to berate me you might as well get it over and done with, Captain, aye?"

Jack looked off into the same direction that Anamaria was. It took him a moment to answer her but when he did it wasn't anywhere near what she was expecting. "Nah," was all he said.

At this Ana looked at him out the corner of her eye, "What do you mean, 'nah'?"

Jack adjusted his position so that he was seated with his legs cross Indian-style and he looked down to examine his nails, "I don't see the point in it," he said plainly.

"What do you mean you don't see the point in it?" By now Ana was facing Jack fully with an expression of disbelief written in big bold letters across her face.

Jack looked up at her with a grin, "Love, you make it sound like you want me to scold you."

"Well… well…" Well truth be told she had done so much in trying to keep him from finding her out and she knew that he didn't take snooping well any other time so yes, yes she wanted to be yelled at. She hadn't expertly dodged him for nothing. "I suppose not."

Again he laughed at her before turning his attention to the sky, "You know what those are? Those little lights flashing around us?"

Anamaria also looked back at the show being displayed around them and shook her head 'no'. Jack's sudden behavior was strange but she wasn't going to push the matter. Obviously he was in a giving mood today, no need to ruin in.

"They're fireflies," came his remark, which sounded nearly as drenched in awe as his face appeared, "I only ever see them around this area on some nights. I try to make my way over here to see 'em and even catch a couple of 'em before it gets too dark."

Again Anamaria reached out and tried to touch one. This one was obviously more friendly than the last because it seemed to welcome her gesture, "What do you do when you catch them?" came her quiet, almost whispered question.

Jack watched the display between Ana and her newfound friend as he answered, "I wish on them. Little buggars are hard to get in your hand sometimes, but when I get 'em I make a wish on every one that I catch and then I release it."

Jack had never seemed to be the wishing type of man. He made his own destiny. It surprised and almost frightened her to know that the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow might have a soft side. She furrowed her brows again and looked at him, "Do they ever come true?"

"Eh," he said with a lazy toss of his head from left to right, "Sometimes. I don't really do it to see the manifestation of whatever I ask for, I do it for release. There's a lot more to captaining a ship than I lead you or the rest of the crew to believe, it's actually pretty daunting to say the very least. I keep that kind of emotion in my quarters, though. When I'm on deck it's a whole different game. I can't bring the rest of you down with me when I'm miserable and beat down, the Pearl would never last. When we make berth here in Tortuga sometimes I'll go for a drink but when I'm really down, when I've really hit rock bottom at the time I come here. No amount of alcohol can give me what I get when I come here to unwind."

Anamaria blinked, a little unsure of how to take the new information that was just given to her. She knew that Jack had an important job but she was completely oblivious to what he went through behind closed doors and when all the hustle and bustle of the day had died down. She almost felt, dare she say it, bad for him. He'd never accept that type of concern, though. It'll be an ice-cold day in Hell before Captain Jack Sparrow allowed anyone, especially his crew, to think him weak enough to need pity.

"Is that why you're not down my throat for following you?" she asked. Why not ask? He was in a good mood and she wanted answers.

He nodded, "Partially. The wonders of nature have calmed my nerves, but I wouldn't have gotten onto you anyway."

"Why… not?"

Jack couldn't help but smile slightly at her apprehension, "I'm not a bitter, cold-hearted heathen, you know. I don't blow up on you and the crew all the time, only when it's necessary, and I do it for your protection not for spite. Besides, if I didn't want to be followed I would've made sure that none of you saw me leave. I was the second one off the ship."

"Oh," came her answer. She blinked a few times, surprised by all that she was learning about her captain tonight. Another brief moment of silence passed between the two before Ana spoke up again, "What makes them light up like that?"

Jack shrugged, "Couldn't tell you exactly. Although, I have heard stories of them eating fairy dust. Sounds reasonable, don't you think?"

His signature smile reappeared and Ana couldn't help but give him one in return with a half-hearted roll of her eyes, "If only fairy dust existed."

"But it does!" he exclaimed, "Right here." Jack took a handful of dirt from the ground and sprinkled it all over the place, "The fairies leave this out for them and then the little creatures eat it all day every day until POOF!" Ana startled at the sudden outburst and Jack continued, "They turn into twinkly things."

"You sound like you've been eating it too, Captain," she replied, "And a whole lot of it at that. I've never heard such foolishness."

"Hmph," Jack mocked as he childishly crossed his arms over his chest, "You just wish you'd thought of it first."

Ana laughed, "Oh really?"

"Aye, really."

"Well again and as always when it comes to me, you are highly mistaken. You can have your 'fairy dust', Captain Twinkly, I prefer rum," Aanamaria laughed.

Jack thought about that for a moment as he stroked his beard, a grin creeping onto his face as he thought about her words for a moment. "You're a tough one, lass, that's a mighty big problem you've left ol' Jack. I think I'd rather go for the rum as well, to be completely honest."

They chuckled between each other once again before a silence fell between the two. After a moment, Anamaria spoke up, "Can I ask you something?"

"Aye."

She glanced back and forth between the top of his head and her lap, appearing almost nervous to ask the question. A slow-forming smile broke out at last, however, and she lifted her gaze to lock eyes fully with him, "Do you mind… if… I wear your hat?"

Jack's brows shot up into his red bandana, having not expected such a question. He had expected far worse but was greatly relieved by the result instead. He removed his tri-cornered hat from his head and handed it to Anamaria, "Sure."

Ana placed her captain's hat atop her head and marveled at not only the weight of it, really though how did he hold that thing up all day, but also by how much it made her feel like a captain herself. She stood up and placed her hands on her hips, "Aye listen here, you mangy mongrels," she began, taking one finger to point at the few fireflies that were left around them, "Captain Anamaria Salvadorez is here and it's about time you worthless excuses for men do a better job of working on my ship or it's to the plank with all of you!"

Jack stayed on the ground and looked up at her with mirth in his eyes and a grin on his face, "Not the whole crew!"

"Aye the whole crew!" she retorted, turning her attention from the fireflies to Jack, "And I'll tie you to the hull for the gulls to peck your eyes out if you dare question me again!"

Jack held his hands up in self-defense and turned away from her, "Aye, Captain. Sorry, Captain, won't happen again."

"That's more like it," she said, tossing the hat back to him as they both broke out into fits of laughter.

"You might be able to be a captain after all, Ana, you've certainly got the spirit," Jack complimented as he rose to his feet and positioned his hat back on his head.

"You think?" she asked enthusiastically.

Jack grinned charmingly at her, "No."

Ana's jaw fell and Jack couldn't help but laugh at her expression. That delight ended as soon is surfaced, however, for he was once again without his precious hat. Anamaria snatched it off of Jack's head and ran back in the direction from where they came, shouting back to him, "Well if I can't be a captain, neither can you!"

"Get back here, Anamaria! That's my hat!" Jack cried as he took off into a sprint to catch up with her, "ANAMARIA!" She was a lot faster than he thought.

As the beauty of dusk fell to the darkness of night the crickets slowly began to cease their chirping, the vibrant colors of the tree dimmed and seemed to blend in with the leaves of the canopy, the waft of honeysuckle and other flowers died away as the breeze calmed for the night, and the fireflies finished their final dance before they put out the lights and ended the show.