An encore to the prior night's song he never asked for or expected, but had silently wished to hear her voice again. This time though, something had definitely been different. He enjoyed her songs, but had not been able to lose himself in the tone in the same way as before. Perhaps it was the noise and atmosphere of the bar that disrupted his concentration. When she sang in the night, her words could have been just as well mystified from echoing off the ocean waters. There was no other cause he could think to explain the matter.

Still, Wills felt joyous to learn that Ms. Morse would be joining them afterward. Despite his friends in the crew, he did not quite enjoy partaking in the drinking games and foolish actions. They could destroy their honor and dignity, but Wills refused to be dragged down as well. His decision, he had smugly noted, had not gone over to well with Sparrow, earning him several long looks throughout the night. Wills tried his hardest to ignore them, and by sheer luck stayed successful so far. He was not going to end up like over half the lot, dishonestly chasing after woman or holding anyone in his lap and pining for lecherous touches.

Wills spoke to soon though on the matter.

The sudden bang on the table in front of him, almost toppled his mug into his lap, causing it to teeter precariously. Wills barely noticed the rolling booze until after it had settled, too startled by the ungraceful entrance of the very girl he had been pondering. This time, she appeared much more dressed up and prepared for their meeting. Her hair had been braided along her forehead and pulled back into a loose bun. Her skin sparkled in a translucent layer of glitter, and her lavender dress had yet to soak up the smell of booze. She grinned at him, wide and cheerily oblivious to the accident she had almost just caused or the rude interruption of her crash in front of him.

She was so close that he see every feature clearly, providing Wills with a more complete picture than he had been able to make out in the dark. The girl's skin, though still kissed by the sun, was much fairer than he had estimated. It could have been no darker than beige, and there were grainy brown freckles at the corner of her eyes. She was skinny, as he had already noticed, but not bony, her arms and face were smoothly rounded. And her eyes were a striking grey.

"Hello William IV Turner, and crew of the Black Pearl." She stated sweetly, casting a sweeping glance over the crowd beside him. He waited for her gaze to return before saying a word. He kept his face calm, but inwardly he felt glad she had sat close, although it bordered on too close. When he finally had her attention, his confidence suddenly seemed to disappear.

"Hello, Ms. Morse. That was a great performance." He said quietly, not quite sure what else to say, and counting on the girl to keep the table's attention on herself.

"It's Nora, and thanks. I see you haven't touched your mug." She said casually peering over his half empty beer unabashed. She did not even give him time to protest. "Here, I'll help. We'll race, you with your current mug, I with this one. Anyone else want to join in?" She asked plucking a full pint glass off the tray of a friendly server. Six other men decided to enter as well. Not quite enthralled by the situation, but not willing to leave just yet either, Wills forced himself to go along. The blonde friend counted them down, and he tossed his mug's liquids into his throat in two large gulps. Will was not surprised to beat the other men, having only a half full mug to begin. He was shocked to pull the metal cup away from his face just a fraction of a tick after Nora removed hers.

From Gibbs' smug laughter and the display he himself witnessed, Wills concluded that Nora was an impressive drinker. The thought took him a moment to really process, and even then seemed unrealistic. She was female, and still a girl, but she outdrank the men like it was as easy as tying a knot. After finishing their round, she took on two more rounds immediately afterward. Wills had respectfully declined on the third.

"Quite a skill my lady." Sparrow spoke up as Nora and friend, Corrine, laughed over a loser penalty the last man completed.

"Aye Captain!" Nora cheered. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She nodded.

"So ya know me then, dear?" Wills rolled his eyes at Sparrow's mock modesty.

"You're stories make their way round." Suddenly the blonde girl decided to reinstate her presence.

"We've heard so much about you from the sailors that pass through, especially about what occurred over a decade ago with Davy Jones and the King's Fleet. Jack, Nora and I have been overwhelmed all day thinking about meeting you person!"

"Have ya, my dear?"

"Actually, tis true." Nora's next sentence caught the ears of the whole crew. "Captain, I was wond-rin' if you would take me on board on your journey."

She had said it. It was out. There was no taking the words back now.

The context had not been exactly as planned, but the chance had risen and her lips had slipped before she could realize what was on her tongue. The dead silence, and few choking sounds told her that the group had been as ill prepared as she was to hear the question. Captain Sparrow seemed least affected thankfully, with an inquisitively raised eyebrow, but no utter shock present. Corrine on the other hand, appeared as though she had just learned about the death of her mother from a wagon man in the streets. Her eyes gaped in utter confusion over whether to berate her for the tacky joke or take the words as true. Nora had never lied to Corrine before, but obviously her friend could not quite wrap reality around this step.

"Have you any experience working on a ship?" Sparrow asked, and Nora felt the blood run from her face.

"No."

"Have you any experience pirating?" Again, she felt ashamed, but fought to appear confident.

"No."

"Can you handle a sword or weapon?"

"No"

"Are there any qualities that would make you useful?"

"Nora why would say something so half brained! You can't even swim!" Nora cringed; Corrine really was not helping her position. The pirates had been incredulous before, but now were the point of outright laughing. Wills too had his face frozen in a concerned expression.

"I work hard, and don't care for any job you give or possibility of death…although I would prefer not to die." She stared hard at Sparrow and delivered her vow sternly, tagging on the last part so she didn't just seem suicidal. The Captain toiled oddly with his fingers dancing in the air as he seemed to reflect.

"Women are bad luck on ships, and she would have no inkling of the ropes Cap'in." One of the crew members added opinion. Her heart skipped a beat when others grunted in agreement. Sparrow though seemed not to mind the objection when he finally answered. Well, actually Gibbs spoke, but Sparrow focused on her response.

"And what be ye purpose in travel-in to unsafe waters?"

"I am lookin' for someplace in the region, and was hopin' to use your boat to vessel in the right direction."

"Nora what about your contract here?" Corrine cried, still refusing to accept the seriousness of the situation.

"Captain, if you pay off my contract fee, once I have found what I seek, I will return the payment and more, I promise." With stilled breath, Nora awaited the Captain's response, hoping he would give her a chance. He squared her up a few times, but Nora held fast against her rapidly thudding heart, and the crippling tension. She tried to look brave, hoping he overlooked the sweaty hands, and slight twitch in her knees. Finally Sparrow sighed deeply, baiting her. Nora felt the crush of the gavel before it struck.

"That's a big proposition luv. Ya seem like a tough girl for yer age, but I have no real clue who you may be, and there isn't much a bargain..."

"You don't take me, and I send word of your course to the soldiers first thing in the morn." The threat hung heavy in the air, turning menacing faces in her direction. It was a last resort, one she had never intended, and certainly did her no favor.

"Aye, would be a terrible thing, but the soldiers already be on our course. It's catchin' us that's the problem."

Thoroughly embarrassed now, and desperate, Nora nearly pleaded her last attempt.

"As the repayment, I can get you the treasures of the Lady Cornelia; some years ago, she sank in shoals with some of England's highest nobles aboard and a plentiful portion of their wealth. I know the shoals and ship lie near the location I wish to visit." This time, the crew did not laugh or snarl. The Captain kept her feeling antsy, stroking clanking brown ringed fingers through the braided hair of his chin. Pirates loved treasure, and held more greed for it than their love for their families. Her proposition had to tempt him, even if he found it hard to believe.

"How would you be able to reach her?" Wills' interjecting unconvinced voice took her by surprise.

"If I told you, I'd lose my advantage." Nora lost the ability to breath. It was a detail she would plan later, imagining the uproar that would occur if she told them her intention to swim to the wreck. When the Captain cleared his throat, Nora instantly locked onto his gaze. If he was a true pirate, she told herself, the offer could not be refused, and from what she had heard of him, he sounded professional enough. Dragging out the sentencing, Sparrow fiddled with his rings, clinking their metal bands and keeping his head bent. Nora felt her patience strain, the pressure of the unsaid words hovering above her. She did not like the game he played, did not like his toying. The Captain looked up, pulling a crafty smirk upon the baited crowd.

The pronounced verdict came swift and straight.

"Damn, wench!"

"Twas not my fault!"

"Was' yer' job to dump the fish guts!"

"And I was…"

"dropin' em on the deck."

"Lower ye' hand Mallot! T'would be wrong to strike a girl."

"She's crew, no exceptions to punishment."

"Don't fend me Mr. Gibbs! I can take a hit!"

Nora was beside herself trying to keep up with the argument and her words. No, she did not want the slap, but she would not let the crew think any less of her for using gender to get special treatment. Besides, the crew already thought little enough of her on account of her numerous screw ups. And compared to some of those mistakes, the pool of putrid fish skins and bones scattered over the deck was nothing.

Mallot contemptuously sneered once more, making a final judgment between her and Gibbs. He cast a stern glance across to the other witnesses aboard deck, and for a second seemed like he would walk away from the incident. Nora had mistook his turn for a departure, while Mallot, in contrast, was just assuring that he had all eyes.

She never saw him come at her, but the next instant an abrupt force struck her cheek. The impact was enough to topple her, sending her down into the slimy mess. Nora stayed there, in full submission to the quartermaster, hoping that would be the extent of his brutality. The area of the strike stung like hell. Daring to gently touch it, she winced, the inflamed skin was definitely going to swell, and would make it painful to talk or chew for the next few days. At least, she had shown courage in taking the hit; nobody could fault her for cowardice.

The show having finished, Mallot and Gibbs sullied back to their other tasks, allowing her to clamber back to her feet. She needed to clean the mess, and herself, and tend to the swelling cheek. However, the latter two tasks she doubted she would have time for before supper. Cook was being ruthless again with the amount of chores for her, though she much preferred working on meals than floundering with ropes on deck. Sighing, she lowered onto her knees, proceeding to pick up the rotting fish organs and bones, returning them to the bucket they had spilled from. As she did so, a sudden thought came to mind, causing her to grimace. The deck would now need swabbing, another couple hours' of work to tack onto her list.

"Causin' more trouble luv? Be straight overboard soon if you don' shape up." Pintel, the rotund man from the first night at the tavern approached, taking a leave from tying sails. Nora kept her face to the deck, hiding a shameful blush, though it probably was already masked by her puffing cheek. A second set of lighter steps had also come with Pintel, doubtlessly his buddy Ragetti. Nora cringed. Although the two had been quite chummy a week ago in Madame Charlotte's, she now knew just how vicious they were and dared not cross them. They were some of the few aboard to have seen all the Pearl's adventures, boastful of their hardiness, but with the scars and tales to prove it. She had held nothing to contend with them.

"Been rethinkin' the choice ye made yet?" Pintel continued. She kept quiet. Truth was, Nora had been regretting the decision for the past couple days. It was pitiful, as they had only spent a week out of port, but demanding to come aboard had turned out a far different experience than she could have ever imagined. She was angry at Captain Jack Sparrow and disappointed in herself.

Sparrow had taken her aboard knowing she had no experience, but offered no means of training, sticking her right in to fail at every task assigned. Hoisting sails, pulling anchor, swabbing decks, cooking, mending rope? Nora had either stood like an idiot, or floundered trying to assist in the orders. No one would help or instruct her on the tasks until after she had started, and by then not only was her time wasted, but she would have to undo all prior work before correcting the mistakes. It was aggravating that everything took twice as long as it would have taken had she been given clearer guidance the in first orders. Not only were her nerves on edge, but Nora could feel the rest of the crew growing impatient as well. It was too late when she actually thought hard about the dangers of eloping with a lawless crew of cutthroats. Frankly, she was now scared they would simply decide to slit her neck and be done with her troubles. Half the crew sneered blatantly to her face, a quarter she caught whispering, and the remainder barely seemed to tolerate her. It had been her folly thinking she could handle pirates outside of the bars. Nora was desperate to get off ship, and would have begged Captain Sparrow for release if they had been anywhere near land.

"Oye, what be the problem you two?" Nora's heart sputtered in the relief at the voice that had finally stepped in to save her. She didn't usually let herself act so helpless, but terrified of upsetting the pirates further, her tongue held fast.

"Just chattin bout how helpful the li' miss is."

Thankfully Pintel took his leave then, Ragetti following behind like a loyal pup. Only when their footsteps indicated the two were a distance away did Nora lift her head from the slick fishy wood. Wills was looking down at the scene, somewhat a mixture of sympathy and displeasure. With a leather boot, he kicked gently at one of the fish spines, turning his head to a slight angle to avoid the smell. She could tell it was just for show, as the cabins below deck smelled far worse than a few ripe fish.

"Thanks for standin up for me." Nora said politely, but quietly so that no others would overhear. Again, she did not want them to have any reason to think her weak. Whenever Wills, Gibbs, or anyone else assisted her, she pretended not to care in front of the rest; she asked for no such kindness. However, she did give her saviors appreciation for the acts afterward and in private, selfishly hoping they would aid in future mishaps.

"They are mongrels for treatin' a maiden so harsh."

"Aye, but I'd be useless if I wept any tears."

"True." For a second they just stood in silence, Nora contemplating how to respond to Wills abrupt honesty, and Wills waiting for her. More than not their conversations found such awkward states. As Nora had come to realize, Wills was a gentleman in his soul, but also an honest man. It was needless to say, those two characteristics often conflicted, for he found trouble bolstering her spirit when she had so many flaws to point out.

Proceeding on with the clean-up, and avoiding the standstill, Nora picked herself and the refilled pail up off the deck and moved to dump the contents over the rail. The gooey mess slid out in one chunky puddle. It fell fast, splattered into the white crested swirling waves and drifting toward the stern. There in the ship's wake, uninvited guests of the sea voraciously accepted the morsels as a meal. Tiny fins broke the surface now and then, letting Nora know their guests continued on with the ship even after the fish guts were far behind. She expected it, they had been with the ship for a few days now.

"The sharks still follow." Nora broke the silence, unable to handle the impending weight of the ominous predators' presence. She felt partially responsible for them.

Wills stepped close to see for himself, and Nora could only imagine that he was thinking the same thoughts Gibbs had about the sharks. Gibbs, the most superstitious sailor Nora had ever met, firmly ranted that sharks were the angels of death, sending signs that soon tragedy would befall upon them. He also seemed irked to have a maiden on board, even if just a low class tavern girl. Nora had quickly made the assumption that Gibbs probably linked the two miserable omens. Unlike Gibbs, Wills did not reveal his thoughts to Nora, but he was uncomfortably solemn on the matter.

"They take the scraps we toss, and wait for more, least they're not creatures any worse."

"Like mermaids?" The two slight words slipped from her lips before she thought of what was being said. Nora tensed, hoping the accident was casual enough to pass as conversation. They were sailing toward mystical waters after all. For all her sudden worry, Wills raised not a speck of brow or made the slightest change in face.

"Aye." She hoped him to leave it that, but he then decided to delve into a chat. Chatting and cards were some of the only ways to pass the time on ships. Nora would not have minded as much except for three issues: her cheek still stung, she had a unrealistic amount of work left to do, and Wills immediately brought up subjects she wished to avoid.

"Are you afraid of them?"

"Only what they are said to bring." He nodded, but still scrunched his face as though unsatisfied by something.

"You cannot swim, or sail, but joined up with Pirates, on a fatal journey no sane sailor would fathom: why?"

"Wills, we are hardly acquainted enough for me to part all my secrets." She replied, trying to brush off his question. She still maintained that her reasons for getting out of the Caribbean were personal, and as long as she swore Sparrow his treasure, it was fine that she had a murky past. Nor was it uncommon, most sailors kept parts of their lives hidden, for both safety and privacy.

"I thought we were somewhat of friends."

"I suppose we are."

"And…"

"And that hardly means I should provide what you ask."

"but I'm interested in you." Nora stood shocked for a second, her eyes opened at the unexpected declaration, but then she caught Wills horrified face and realized his mistake. Wills, in his usual awkwardness, had not meant as it sounded, he was just conveying pure curiosity. From what she had seen of his serious personality, the boy was not of the type to pursue a crush. Even so, Nora enjoyed knowing that she was at least 'interesting', and was going make good use of the comment. Plus, he was the only pirate of the Pearl that did not terrify her, and with her smarting cheek and the rage she withheld against the others, Nora felt right in the mood to tease.

The first mock was on the tip of tongue when Wills instantly recovered.

"I didn't mean.."

"Of course."

"Just that you're strange." Nora could have laughed at this second offense, but chose to feign hurt instead. Dropping her jaw and sending a forlorn look out to sea; Wills reeled in as easy as guppy. He was being wrecked by shame, fumbling with the ends of his tunic, and quickly averting his gaze. Nora this time did laugh, knowing that she was the only one on board who held this power over him. Amongst the guys, Wills was never one to back down, but her being a lady, forced him to struggle to be a gentleman.

"You're a tender boy for a pirate, scrawny and always staring into space."

"You're worse."

Nora just scoffed, retorting that she never intended to stay a pirate for long. She did not care for her pirating skills, except to get her to her destination.

"Where is that again?"

"Nowhere you know about." Nora covered, dismissing his advance once more. Wills grunted, aggravated.

"How bout a bargain?" He paused to see if she was interested. She was, and so tilted her head. "I will tell you exactly why and how we plan to free Davy Jones, in exchange that you tell me your past." The offer was tempting, for currently she was blind as to the direction of Captain Sparrow's mission. The crew seemed to have an understanding of it, but had yet to talk openly about it below deck. Most likely, the superstitious sea men feared bringing on bad luck by doing so. Yet, neither had the Captain or anyone else said anything of the course to her; it was another aggravating instance where she was starkly uninformed.

Still, Wills bartered at a high price, one that she could not pay, despite her longing for his knowledge. Nora mustered all her discontent into her face, telling her friend how much she loved having bait dangled in front of her. Wills grinned, a smile she read too well. Yes, he had decency, but he could also use business tactics to achieve his means.

"I'll tell you how I ended up in the tavern." Nora said, wondering if she could get away with only revealing that unexciting story.

"Fine, scrap telling me your past, tell me where you are going instead." He countered. She couldn't, that was the one area she could not broach.

"No." Nora relented. "Final offer. I'll reveal to you how I came to my journey, nothing more." Wills pondered for second, but Nora knew that he knew that final offer, meant final offer. She had so far kept to every word she uttered while on board, and by now he had to realize that she was no liar.

"Dea.."

"Also, you tell me why the Captain likes you so much." Nora quickly shot in before he could close the bargain. The query was something she had been interested in for a while, seeing the sparing between Sparrow and Wills, their numerous walks together on deck, and hearing the Captain's intimate taunts about Wills' childhood.

"And you have to sing for me again!" She stared in shock. There, masked behind his eyes she could see yearning, a slight addiction she had never thought would have developed after the night she sang to him. Her voice was hypnotizing, but severely weakened by the years kept from sea. It came as an utter shock, and slight unsettling, that the mystical tune could have been still so impressive. Unknowingly, she must have flinched or widened her eyes, for Wills caught onto the surprise immediately.

"Something wrong?"

"No, just thought it was a strange request."

"but a deal?" He pressured hopefully.

"Aye, a deal." Both returned to their respective works, but Nora's mind never wandered for the rest of the day, fixed about Wills' fascination.