Author's Note:

Jackeline: Hello! Thankyou for reading this far. Please review.

Jack: But why is the rum gone?!

Jackeline: You're mad, you know that?

Jack: And you're my sister.

Jackeline: What's that supposed to mean?!

Chapter 9: One Goal

Jackeline was right. Jack was in Tortuga. He insisted on sailing back as soon as he discovered Jackeline had stolen almost all of the rum. He was still puzzled over his sister's letter and daren't mention it to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth felt exactly the same way about her letter, and wondered if they would indeed see Jackeline again soon. And who was that mysterious person Jackeline had mentioned?

She was beginning to doubt that Jackeline would show up again, but they barely had time to step off the dock in Tortuga when –

"Jackie!" Jackeline P. Sparrow walked up to them followed by a pretty young woman with blonde hair. "I was beginning to doubt whether I'd find you again." She added, voicing Elizabeth's thoughts.

The blonde woman finally caught up and stopped next to Jackeline. She stepped forward to speak to the man she assumed was Jack. Her pretty face was slightly crumpled with a frown. She had a bone to pick with him. But when she saw him properly all she did was stand there with her mouth hanging open. He had changed drastically since the last time she saw him.

Of course he has, Colette, the last time you saw him he was seventeen! She told herself in annoyance.

He wore the proper outfit of a pirate captain; much like the imaginary one he always liked telling her and Jackeline about when they were children. His hair was longer and knotted into dreadlocks, and his dark eyes were lined with kohl.

Colette was about to come to the conclusion that this man was not Jack but someone else, when his eyes widened, and he said, "Colette?"

--

Two young girls were arguing.

"I'm captain," said the dark-haired one.

"But I want to be captain," said the blonde one.

"Jackie! What do you think?" the dark-haired one called out to her brother.

"I think you should let Colette have a go," the dark-haired boy replied. "You're always captain, Linnie."

The dark-haired girl pouted. "Why do you always take her side?"

--

"I know why he always agrees with you!" The dark-haired girl was about twelve by this time, and the blonde was thirteen. "It's because he likes you!"

"Of course it isn't!" squealed the blonde girl. "It has nothing to do with –"

"Lettie's trying to deny it!" squealed the first. "She likes him! She likes him!"

"I don't! I don't!" shrieked the blonde girl, almost in tears. "I don't like him!"

The dark-haired one spotted her brother walking up to them, and called out, "Do you like Colette, Jackie?"

The sixteen-year-old boy gave her a confused look, and said, "Excuse me?"

The blonde girl's face was cherry red, and she exclaimed angrily, "Shut up, Jackeline! You don't know anything! I don't like him! I DON'T LIKE HIM!"

It was only then that she noticed that the boy looked hurt.

--

"I don't want you to leave!" yelled the dark-haired girl, now thirteen. "Don't leave! I don't care about your stupid ship! Don't leave!"

"I'm leaving, Linnie, and that's final."

"Are you just going to leave without even telling Colette?"

The boy stopped for a second, but then said, "You can tell her."

"Why am I telling her? I'm not the one that likes her!"

"I don't like her, Linnie! Stop saying that!"

"I won't stop saying it! I won't! Not unless you stay!" shrieked the dark-haired girl.

"What is going on?" asked the blonde girl, suddenly rushing up to them.

"He's leaving! He's leaving! He's leaving!" the dark-haired girl burst into a high-pitched chant.

"What?" asked the blonde girl.

"HE'S LEAVING, COLETTE!" yelled the dark-haired girl. "I told you I wasn't lying!"

"Is this true, Jack?" asked the blonde-haired girl timidly.

He looked at her, almost... sadly. "Yes," he said brusquely, and walked away.

--

"Hello? Are you all right, Jackie? Asleep on your feet?" Jackeline's voice penetrated Jack's thoughts.

He shook his head violently and said, "Lettie! I haven't seen you since you were fourteen!"

"My name is Colette," she said coldly. "I am not a lettuce."

He frowned. "Colette? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she replied.

"It is nice to see you again, Miss Swann," Jackeline said to Elizabeth who was still trying to figure out who Colette was. "Shall I make introductions?" Jackeline added cheerfully. "This is Colette Bridger, Elizabeth."

It was only then that Colette noticed the other person there, a pretty young woman with honey-coloured hair. Who is she? Colette wondered. And why is she here?

"Colette, this is Elizabeth Swann," Jackeline said to her friend. For some reason, Elizabeth didn't correct her with 'Turner'.

"Nice to meet you," Elizabeth said.

"Same to you," Colette replied, but her mind was thinking something else.

Why is she here? Why is she with Jack? Is she just a friend? Colette bit her lip. He wouldn't invite just any woman onto his ship, would he? But... she can't be anyone important, of course not, she's probably just one of the fifty Tortuga women Jackeline told me about... But something told Colette that she wasn't.

If she was who she thought she was, then as of this moment Colette Bridger had but one goal.

Kill Elizabeth Swann.

Author's Note:

Jackeline: Oooh, cliffhanger!

Jack: I'm not surprised that two women are fighting over me.

Jackeline: You're terrible.

Jack: And you're my sister.

Jackeline: Quit saying that!!