Ana: (reads over review) Thanks, Chii-Chii. I think... Anymahosit.

Hanah: OMG, guess what?

Ayu/Ana: ?

Hanah: So, I was walking down the street yesterday and the ice cream truck came by and I bought some Shots but then I realized something. I had no money! :)

Ana: (anime fall) What the hell kinda-? x(

Ayu: -.-' That had absolutely nothing to do with the story... Speaking of which, let's get it started :) P.S.- Ana doesn't own PotC

Chapter 2: En Route to Singapore

Gibbs was at the helm, steering them towards Singapore. In less than three days, they would reach their destination. Barbossa was standing not too far off with monkey Jack sitting upon his shoulder as the two overlooked the ship. Jack tilted his head towards the lower deck and cooed, abruptly jumping from his master's shoulder and scrambling down there, obviously with a purpose in mind.

Barbossa raised an eyebrow as he watched his pet scurry across the deck, and jump up onto Jeanne's shoulder. Jeanne, who had been mopping quietly for the past few minutes, flinched in surprise. Then she saw Jack on her shoulder and giggled as he played with her hair while she continued working. "He's very fond of that child." Barbossa thought out loud.

Gibbs chuckled as he kept the steady heading. "She prefers to be acknowledged as a woman." He nodded, chuckling again as he remembered how she had protected him when they tried to retrieve him from her. "But, aye. The two of them became fast friends on our last voyage."

Barbossa stared down at her, raising an eyebrow as she was as she kicked the mop repeatedly and detached it from the shaft. She then proceeded to splash the water from the bucket beside her over the deck. She tossed the shaft to the side and took a few large paces back, then ran back in the direction she had come, hopping onto the mop and sliding across the deck with a giggle. Jack chattered excitedly, clinging to her head as she repeated this process in the opposite direction again. And again. And again. She looked over the deck, satisfied with her work. She stood at the bow and looked to the upper deck, saluting at Barbossa. "Deck's been swabbed, Barbossa!" She shouted across the deck and picked up the shaft, twirling it in her hands like a baton. "Oh, and, we should pick up a new mop soon."

She climbed onto the rail and used the shaft to balance herself as she walked along it. It was Barbossa's turn to be amused. "She certainly has her own way of doing things." He noted as he watched her antics.

"Jeanne is a free spirit. Always has been." Gibbs also took a short glance at her. "As untamable as the waves and as unpredictable as the breeze. And as unmovable as a mountain when she needs to be."

A corner of the captain's mouth turned upwards, forming a half-smile. "Jack would often carry on about the girl that he had in Tortuga." He took another look at her, "But I must say, seeing her for myself is a rather enlightening experience..."

Will was sitting in the galley, his expression unreadable. Since the start of this new adventure, he and Elizabeth had not said two words to one another. Every time he looked at her, the image of her and Jack kissing haunted his mind. A number of feelings were eating away at his insides. Anger. Depression. Disappointment. Envy. These constantly mixed, but the oil among the water of his emotions was confusion. The two had often proclaimed their love to one another in Port Royal. He had nearly been killed by the Pelegostos and the Kraken to ensure her safety. On Isla Cruces, she had been overjoyed to see him, saying how she had come to find him. Knowing all of that, seeing Elizabeth kissing Jack was a slap in the face.

Lost in thought, the palm of Will's hand went over his face as he lowered his head.

A very quiet pair of feet made their way down the small flight of steps, but the creak of the last step summoned Will's attention. Standing there was the very person who would not leave his thoughts. That image replayed itself in the back of his brain again. Time seemed to stand still as the two locked eyes, a heavy silence between them. In an instant, Elizabeth wordlessly turned away and dashed back up the steps. Will stood up quickly. He ran up the steps, taking them two at a time.

By the time Will reached the deck, Elizabeth seemed to have disappeared into thin air. "Elizabeth?" he called out to her, practically jogging across the deck, "Elizabeth?"

"Somebody's rather lively." Will turned to see Jeanne walking along the edge of the rail like a tight roper, Jack hanging from the shaft turned staff by his tail. "Hey."

The two had become so close as of late that he had developed a sort of protective brother instinct; then again, who wouldn't after seeing the danger this woman would willingly put herself in. He was prepared to scold her on how dangerous it was to do what she was doing and that she could fall into the sea, but pushed that aside for later. It was highly likely that she would not listen anyway. "I take it you've been out here awhile." He said.

"Aye, almost all day." She replied, now hopping across the rail on one foot.

Will nearly gave in to the impulse to snatch her off of the rail and back onto the deck, but took a breath, calming himself. "Did you happen to see Elizabeth out here?" he asked, rubbing one of his temples with two fingers.

Her warm, hazel eyes suddenly darkened a shade, like the hardened sap on a tree in the fall. "I don't know. What do I care?" She suddenly found the wood beneath her feet more interesting, "Do I look like a traitor's keeper?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "So I take it that's a no."

Jeanne leaped from the rail and landed rather stylishly in a sitting position atop an array of crates and nets, Jack seating himself in her lap. "Take that as a definite no." She hissed, tickling the monkey under his chin.

Will's head hung once again as he walked back towards the galley. Jeanne's eyes stayed on his back until he was completely out of sight. She hated being mean to him, but he had brought up a rather touchy subject. She kicked the crate she was sitting on a couple of times, sighing. "He's gone."

Elizabeth's head arose from behind the crates beside Jeanne. She sighed with relief and turned to the brunette, trying to avoid looking her into the eye. The chill in Jeanne's stare made her feel as if she had been eternally condemned by the goddess of winter. "You owe me, lady." Jeanne reminded her.

Elizabeth nodded and turned to leave, but stopped for a moment to cut a glance at Jeanne. "Thank you." She said with a small smile.

Jeanne glared at her. "Don't take it to heart." She snarled. "It won't happen again."

Elizabeth slowly backed away, turning on her heel and trotting off. Jack cooed softly, nuzzling Jeanne's stomach. She looked down to see him looking back up at her with wide, glassy eyes. "Oh, please don't look at me like that, Ja... Monkey mate." She set him down, allowing him to scamper across the deck, "It's her own fault..."

Night had fallen and a majority of the crew had retired to the forecastle to rest. Gibbs was still at the helm, guiding the ship across the Andaman Sea.

Ragetti, Pintel and Marty were below deck, playing with a pair of dice they had found. Ragetti was rocking them in his hands vigorously. Pintel and Marty's faces had twisted into scowls. Pintel groaned. "You've been rocking them too long! They'll be dust by the time you're through!"

"I can't help it!" Ragetti argued, shaking them harder as he glanced at the pile set between the three of them. "I need to win it!"

In the pile there were three pistols, a money pouch, some hand grenades and Ragetti's wooden eye. Another minute went by and Ragetti was still shaking the dice. "Just roll 'em!" Marty and Pintel shouted.

Being the naturally skittish pirate he was, Ragetti flinched, sending the dice flying through the air. They hit the floor with a click and flipped over to reveal a six and a one. "Seven!" Ragetti cheered, drawing the wagering pile closer to him. "Yes!"

"'Ey! You cheated!" Marty protested, rising to his feet, which would have been more menacing if he were a few feet taller.

Ragetti was putting his false eye back into its socket as he spoke. "You can't cheat in a game of chance!"

"You can if your name is Ragetti!" Pintel joined into the argument.

Marty's eyes suddenly went wide and he put a finger to his lips. "SHHHH!" His finger was then pointed towards the cabin behind the staircase, Jeanne's cabin.

The three men were suddenly cautious, seeing as Jeanne announced her retirement for the night. According to Jack, she was not the most forgiving in regards to awakening and they didn't want to be in the position of the last man to wake her. Since none of them were brave enough to see if she had stirred from the noise, Ragetti simply gathered his winnings and they all made quiet haste for the forecastle.

Really, they had nothing to fear.

Jeanne sat on her cot with her back against the wall, one knee drawn up to her chest, one hand resting lazily at her side. Her other hand, draped over her knee, was closed around the neck of a bottle of rum that she had been steadily drinking out of. Her face seemed to have become more mature as of late, robbed of the carefree joy she once possessed. It was devoid of emotion, but those bright hazel eyes of hers, shining in the dim light of the oil lamp above her head, were ringed with sadness. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a sigh.

Then, her eyes swiftly opened again and she raised the bottle to her lips, taking a big, long swig. A painful, hollow feeling gnawed at her insides and her head ached. She wanted so badly to go to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes, Jack's face would come into her mind. Since they'd reunited after so long a time, she had unknowingly become very accustomed to the fact that they were always side by side again. Whether she wanted to admit it or not—and her pride tried its best to keep her from doing so—him not being there was tearing her apart. Even holding her monkey mate would weigh heavily on her heart because Barbossa had told her what his real name was.

Now that she actually had some time alone with her thoughts, she had realized some things. Whenever Jack had been around her, she had always struggled with an inner turmoil. Sure, he would aggravate her, but secretly she would enjoy every minute of it. She would argue with him, but usually continued it just so they would be talking. And she had always felt the most comfortable around him. It was not until after Elizabeth kissed him that these realizations really hit her and now that he was gone, depression, grief and, most of all, heartbreak was her lot. To conclude, she unfortunately realized that she loved him, and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

"You bastard…" she whispered as she took another drink.

Barbossa was in the captain's cabin with Tia Dalma. The two were sitting at the large desk while Tia Dalma gently rocked her crab claws in her hands, muttering to herself, with Barbossa looking at her expectantly. At last, she tossed them onto the table, examining them carefully. She frowned at the pattern she saw before her. "Something wrong?" Barbossa asked her.

She looked up at him. "Gettin' to Sao Feng will not go as you may've hoped." she warned him, raising her hands for emphasis, "Beckett's troops will be linin' the streets of Singapore. Things bein' the way they are, t'will be difficult to manage there." Barbossa stroked his beard as he eyed the claws laid down by the voodoo priestess. Tia Dalma folded her arms over her chest, "What are you goin' to do, Barbossa?"

The next morning, the small crew had assembled on deck, having been summoned by Barbossa. He and Tia Dalma stood at the upper deck. "As you all know," Barbossa began, "In two days time, we will have arrived in Singapore. However, according to Miss Tia Dalma's foresight, it will not be so simple a task."

Will scanned the small group and found one face missing. He stepped back and slipped below deck, gliding around the corner and behind the stairs to Jeanne's cabin. He lightly tapped the door with one of his knuckles. "Jeanne?" He received no reply from the other side of the door. He pounded on it. "Jeanne, the crew is on deck. Time to wake up." Still no reply. "Jeanne?"

Will pushed the door open, stepping inside the small room. Jeanne was asleep in the cot tangled up in the blankets, one arm hanging over the side. He wrinkled his nose for she smelled of alcohol. He looked down at her hand and saw her fingers enclosed around the neck of a half-empty bottle of rum. Another bottle, this one empty, was on the floor. Clearly, she had drunk herself into slumber the night before, as she had the past few nights he had visited her.

A crooked, sympathetic smile came across Will's face as he knelt in front of her, gently shaking her. "Jeanne, wake up."

The brunette's eyes opened. She blinked to adjust her foggy vision, focusing on Will. "Are we in Singapore?" She asked slowly, lifting the bottle to take a swig.

Will shook his head, stopping her from putting the it to her lips. He then reached down to pry her fingers from the bottle, setting it under the bed. "We're having a meeting on deck. All crewmen—and women are required to be there."

She simply yawned. "Mm-hmm." She closed her eyes again.

"All crewmen and women—" He repeated, a bit louder than before.

"I haven't gone deaf, William. And as much as I'd love to join your little party..." She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him, "I can't get up, as I've no feeling in my legs."

Will chuckled and turned his back to her. Her blurred thoughts made her a bit unsure of what he was doing. Then, as if two flint stones had sparked in her brain, she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. He rose to his feet and lifted Jeanne onto his back, supporting her legs with his forearms. As he carried her up the stairs, he noticed that she was much lighter than she looked, despite the fact that she was a walking stomach and something of an alcoholic. Her figure did not show either one, though.

When he reached the top step they were still discussing the obstacle of the East India Trading Company. "Is there any among us that knows how we can avoid this?" Barbossa challenged them.

Jeanne was only half-awake and was still a bit confused about the situation. "What's going on?" she asked in a whisper.

"The Company is in Singapore." Will told her, "It is a bit of a hindrance in getting to Sao Feng."

"Ah..."

"Anyone?" Barbossa asked again.

"Actually," Elizabeth spoke up, "There is a way." All eyes were on her now, including Jeanne's, which were clouded with disdain. "I saw the map that Jeanne brought to us. There is a network of waterways running through the city that lead towards Sao Feng's fortress. We can ride the currents there."

Barbossa raised his eyebrow, his interest piqued. The crew began to whisper amongst themselves. "Knowing Sao Feng, there will most likely be guards as we get closer to his fortress, and many inside it."

"What if there is more than one movement in this situation?" Jeanne's slurred voice joined in the debate, "If we are to get into the fortress, we must be prepared for anything." She used her hand to illustrate the movement of a boat, "While some travel directly on the water in a boat," She dipped her hand below the invisible water, "Others can travel below it on the same path, in case there's trouble."

Elizabeth nodded in agreement to the idea. Barbossa tapped his fingers to the rail. He had also seen the map and was mentally setting things in motion as the speaking progressed. "Aye, aye. Some could travel through the sewers that lead below his floorboards." He turned to the voodoo priestess beside him, "What say you, Tia Dalma?"

The woman's eyes closed and from her mouth came an inaudible chant. The crew stood still, silent tension in the air. She opened her eyes, "Expect obstacles along the way, but do not lose hope." She told them, "Jack's freedom is not far off the horizon."

Barbossa smiled a grey smile, holding his hands out toward her. "And there you have it." He chuckled, then frowned, "Now back to work, ya bilge rats!"

The crew dispersed and went back to their stations to begin the day's work. Jeanne, still sitting on Will's back, rested her head in the curve of his neck and closed her eyes. "Meeting adjourned. Now, may I please go back to bed?"

He laughed at the childish whine he heard in her voice. It made her seem like a four-year-old in a twenty-four-year-old's body. He turned and made his way towards the lower deck. "Master Turner!" He turned around again as Barbossa's voice boomed over the deck. A sly smile was plastered on his face as he looked at the buccaneer. "I have a special assignment for you..."

Will nodded his head towards the semi-conscious woman on his back as he boosted her higher, as if telling Barbossa to wait. He then resumed his walk to Jeanne's cabin, laying her back down gently, for she had already fallen asleep again, and covered her up.

He walked out of her room and back onto the deck to Barbossa, standing in front of him. "What sort of assignment do you have in mind?" he asked.

Ayu: Well, that was coolio!

Ana: It was just a filler, Ayu-chan.

Hanah: Yeah, but we all know what's coming after this. Heck yeah!

Ana/Ayu/Hanah: Ja mata ne!