Ash didn't know how long she was left chained in the darkness, but it felt like an eternity. After an indeterminable amount of time, the door opened, and a man dressed in the uniform of the Royal Navy entered. He went straight to her and ran his hands along her arms, legs, and body, finding each of her hidden knives and taking them from her. He was brusque and efficient, and left with her knives after only a minute. Once he was gone, Fitzwilliam entered the room with a lantern, and closed the door behind him. Ash said nothing as he stared at her. She was willing to bet she was far more stubborn than he was. She could wait.

"So beautiful," Fitzwilliam said softly, then shook his head and added, "And so wicked."

"You don't know anything about me," Ash said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Why don't you tell me then?" Fitzwilliam asked, setting the lantern down, "What are you doing with Sparrow?"

"Captain Sparrow," Ash stressed, "Is a good man."

Fitzwilliam chuckled at that.

"Good God, don't tell me you've fallen in love with him."

Ash lifted her brows slightly.

"Why does that matter to you?"

"It matters," Fitzwilliam said tightly, "Because you deserve better than him."

A slight, mocking smile tugged at Ash's lips.

"Like who?" she cooed sweetly, "You?"

Fitzwilliam glared at her.

"I... no. No, you shall not tempt me, enchantress. I will not fall prey to your seduction."

Ash shook her head. She made absolutely no effort to ensnare any man, Jack, Fitzwilliam, or any other. Why were they constantly accusing her of casting love spells on them? She only walked around and lived her life as normal. Apparently the simple acts of breathing and existing were enough to make men want her. It was getting to be exasperating.

"Good," she said shortly, bitingly, "I'd hate to think you came to visit me just to get me to betray him in favor of you, a man I barely know."

Fitzwilliam gave her a haughty look.

"I came," he said stiffly, "To save you. It would be a shame to have to hang a woman, especially one as lovely as you. But... perhaps it would be for the best. You are dangerous. More than him, I'm certain of it."

Ash wrapped the chains that held her arms above her head around her wrists before grasping them firmly in her fists. She stared at him, wide eyed and unblinking. If Jack had been there and seen her face, he would have known Fitzwilliam was walking a fine line, as Jack had privately dubbed that expression her I want to hurt you face.

"Oh yes," Ash said softly, "I am dangerous. And there's something you've forgotten."

"What is that?"

Holding onto her chains, Ash leaned back as her right leg shot straight up into the air in the steepest, highest kick she had ever done in her life. Her boot caught Fitzwilliam on the chin, and his head snapped back as he fell to the deck. Ash stared down at his unmoving body coolly.

"You've neglected to restrain my feet," she said.

Then she frowned, curious. He still wasn't moving. He must have hit his head on the deck and gotten knocked out. Ash wasn't planning that part, she just wanted to knock him off his high horse. But him going unconscious was an added bonus, as well as an opportunity. Thinking quickly, Ash removed one boot by stepping on the heel of it with her other foot and pulling her leg out. She did the same with the other boot and then used her toes to roll down the stocking on her right foot. Once that was off, Ash used her bare toes to poke through Fitzwilliam's pockets, finding a ring of keys. That was lucky. It seemed this was her day. Her tongue poked from between her teeth as she frowned in concentration, holding the ring of keys between her big toe and the second one. She brought her foot up and flicked the ring of keys into the air as close to her left hand as she could. To her utter surprise, she caught the keys.

Now came the difficult part. Ash held the keys with the tip of her fingers and bent her wrist in on itself as much as she could, struggling to get the first key into the lock of the cuff on her wrist. She turned it by grabbing onto the end with her teeth. Or rather, she tried to turn it. It was the wrong key. Worried that her luck was running out, she tried another key. Then another. And another. It was a long, laborious process, and her senses hummed with anxiety as she tried different keys. Finally, she got the right one, and her left hand was free. Sighing with relief, Ash unlocked her right wrist and was freed at last. But Fitzwilliam was stirring. Ash hurriedly grabbed a handful of his hair and slammed his head back onto the deck, knocking him out for the second time in the past few minutes. But she wasn't out of trouble yet. Ash put her stocking and her boots back on, then took Fitzwilliam's coat and hat off him. She put on his coat and stuffed her long golden hair up into the hat, then grabbed the key ring.

Her heart was in her throat as she silently stepped out of the room and closed the door, keeping her head lowered. She was quite a bit shorter and smaller than Fitzwilliam, but hopefully the coat and hat would protect her against a fleeting glance from one of the crew. It was night, thankfully, and only two sentries looked to be on duty. Keeping to the shadows, Ash ducked below deck and tried to find the brig. The layout of this ship was unfamiliar to her, and it was full of enemies. She stepped light as a feather down the passageways, staying as close to the walls as possible, where the floorboards would be strongest and less likely to squeak under her slight weight. After a couple wrong turns, she found the brig, where the crew and Jack were locked up. But they were guarded, and Ash was unarmed.

She stood in the shadows, biting her lower lip as a dozen options went through her head. She had no weapons, the guard did. He was bigger and stronger than her, but she might be faster, and had surprise on her side. How best to take him down? She could... no that wouldn't work, he was too tall... on the other hand, everyone was taller than her, and it wasn't like she hadn't been able to deal with that problem before. But if she stepped out and got his attention, his first move would likely be to shout for the men on watch up on deck. Their best chance at getting away was doing so unnoticed. She had to silence him quickly. And every second she stood here deliberating put them in more danger. So she took a deep breath, came to a decision, and sent out a prayer to whichever God caught it that this would work.

She darted over to the guard while his back was to her and kicked him in the back of the knee as hard as she could. This made him stagger, then drop to his knees. Ash grabbed the sides of his head fast and twisted it to one side, snapping his neck. She grimaced at the sickening crunch as his body collapsed to the deck with a dull thud. She felt like saying sorry, but that would not strictly be true. He was her enemy. Anyone that got in her way she would destroy without mercy. That was how she fought, both in the past and for the future. Likely the regret and impulse to apologize came from those pesky things called morals that her adoptive father and her old master had tried to instill in her. It was strange, she felt like she should be sorry for killing him while his back was to her, but couldn't quite muster the energy to truly care. In life or death situations like this, chivalry went out the window. Only the one that lived had the luxury of feeling guilty about it later. Besides, how was it any better when she killed her enemies from far off with her rifle? In each situation, she gave them no opportunity to defend themselves. Which was why she kept living to see another day.

She rifled through the dead man's pockets and found a ring of keys, which she used to unlock the cell doors of the crew who had been silently watching her. There was a small room adjoining the brig, within which they found their weapons. Ash gleefully found her daggers among them and restored them to their hidden locations on her person.

"Fitzy?" Jack whispered.

Ash's mouth twisted in an irritated grimace.

"He's lucky they took my daggers before he came in," she whispered back fiercely, "Otherwise I would have slit his throat before I came down here."

"So he's prowling around looking for you?"

"Probably not yet, we'd have heard them shouting by now. He's likely still knocked out. Come on, let's get out of here. Everyone as quiet as you can, stick to the shadows. Better yet, just follow me and try not to make any noise."

Ash led them above deck with no incidents, where they quickly and silently killed the men on watch. Then they all rushed to the stern of the ship, where a long line stretched into the night, towing the Black Pearl. Ash almost danced with anxiety as crewman after crewman hoisted themselves up, wrapped their legs around the line and hung upside down as they used their hands to pull themselves across.

"Would you really have slit Fitzy's throat on the way out?" Jack asked conversationally as they watched the crew escape, seeming to be completely at ease with their situation.

Ash gave him a level, unflinching look.

"One does not give an enemy a second chance if one can help it," she said coldly.

Jack shrugged. Fair enough, his demeanor seemed to say. He gestured at the line as the last crewman started to get across.

"Your turn, love. Go."

Ash shook her head.

"No. You next."

"You've got us this far. Let me take it from here."

"No. I can't rest easy until we're back on your ship. So you go first."

"Don't make me order you."

A smirk spread across Ash's face.

"As if I'd listen. Besides, technically we're not on your ship yet. So technically, do you really have authority here?"

Jack raised a finger and pointed at her seriously.

"You're going to get it later," he promised.

"Oooooooh, I'm so scared," Ash sniggered.

Grumbling, Jack lifted himself up and started to make his way across. Ash was right behind him after a quick glance over her shoulder to be sure no one was following them. After a few tense minutes, they were across, and the crew was helping them aboard. They cut the line once Ash's feet touched the deck.

"How did you escape?" Renzo wanted to know.

"I'll tell you all later," Ash promised, "For now, let's get out of here."

"Right," said Jack, putting on his hat, "Everyone to stations. Don't light the lamps."

The crew scattered, and Ash went to retrieve her rifle from the crow's nest. She stayed up there for a while, watching the Navy ship as Jack steered their own ship away. With the lanterns out, the Black Pearl slipped away as silent an unnoticed like a thief into the night. Once it seemed they had gotten away safely, Ash climbed down from the crow's nest and went to make a belated dinner in the galley. When she had something decent prepared, she took a couple portions to the men that had been selected to stay on watch on the main deck, then returned to the galley for her own meal. She decided to have some rum with her dinner. She deserved it, after pulling off a stunt like that. Which of course, the crew had not forgotten about. They asked her about it again, and Ash grinned as she pulled up a stool and sat in the semi-circle they had formed.

"Listen up, this is no shit," she began.

Ash launched into the story of how she escaped. How she had kicked Fitzwilliam in the face and how it was mostly luck he hit his head on the deck when he fell down. Then she looked at Jack, smiling. She was already a little tipsy and was practically glowing from the attention her story was getting.

"You know how I walk around our quarters picking up garments with my toes because I'm too lazy to bend over and get them with my hands?" she asked him.

The confused looks on the crew's faces almost made her burst out laughing. But Jack smiled and nodded his head.

"Aye."

"Well," she said, turning back to the crew, "Here's to being lazy, because the practice has saved all our asses. But first I had to get my boots off, didn't I? Not easy without hands, but I've worked at it, so it went rather smoothly. Then I got his keys with my toes and threw them up in the air near my hand so I could grab them."

The crew called bullshit on her being able to pick things up with her toes, until Ash removed her boots and demonstrated. They all exclaimed and shouted in surprise and protest, and Ash was laughing as she put her boots back on and drank more rum, then continued her story for another minute or so, going through the process of getting her hands free, then having to knock Fitzwilliam out, and her idea to go as unnoticed as possible before she left the room.

"...which is why I'm wearing this nonsense," she gestured at the hat and coat.

"Aye, was wondering why a tiny ass Navy lad waltzed in and started kicking that other lad's ass," Carver commented.

The crew roared their laughter.

"And you know the rest," Ash said, smiling.

"That outlandish yarn is up there with the nonsense escape stories told about ye, cap'n," Gibbs shouted over the hubbub.

"Aye, sea turtles, bullshit!" Gunnar shouted, setting them all off to laughing again.

Ash laughed so hard she almost fell off her stool, which only made her fit worse, and soon her sides started to ache. She downed the rest of her rum and hopped down from her seat, wanting to get clean up finished before bed. The crew continued their carousing for another few minutes before dispersing, and Ash completed her cleaning. She went up on deck and saw the crewmen on watch were still attentive and on alert, then stepped into the captain's cabin. The captain himself was waiting for her, dark eyes glittering in the candle light as he looked over at her.

"Take that off," he said.

Ash knew what he meant, and gladly shed the wig and coat she'd stolen off Fitzy. But Jack wasn't satisfied.

"All of it."

Smiling now, Ash undressed and left her clothes where the fell until they were all off her. Jack got to his feet.

"Come here."

Ash' smile faded slightly at his tone and the look in his eyes. He seemed so serious, something was off with his energy... was he... was he...angry, with her? She frowned up at him as she slowly moved toward him, unsure of the reason for the change. He had seemed fine before. What happened? Was it what Gibbs said about her starting to get a bit of notoriety?

As soon as she reached him, Jack put a hand on her and swiftly bent her over his desk. She only had time to gasp in shock before she was pinned down by his hand on the back of her neck. She was opening her mouth to ask what was going on when he spoke.

"You flagrantly disobeyed your captain tonight," he said ominously.

Ash's mouth fell open. He was serious when he said she'd get it later? What was he going to do? She wiggled uncomfortably and began to protest.

"Jack – "

Whack!

Ash heard the slap before she felt it, but a second later, fire spread across her bare backside. Her mouth opened and closed in shock. Did he just – ? She tried to turn her head to look at him, outraged, but couldn't thanks to how he had her in place.

"Jack!"

Slap!

Ash squealed at the sharp pain.

"You are not to ignore an order from your captain again," Jack said, and his hand came down once more.

Thwack!

Ash whimpered at first, but as he rained blow after blow upon her bottom, she was soon writhing and panting, caught somewhere between wanting it to stop and continue at the same time. He stopped at last, and she shivered, her toes curling. Her head spun and her behind was on fire, but she felt... good. This was strange. She jumped when she felt his fingers brush against her entrance.

"Oooh, naughty," Jack said, "That was supposed to be a punishment, not a reward."

"And?" Ash gasped.

"And..." Jack leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "The sails aren't the only thing at full mast."

Ash's eyes widened, and she began screaming inside as the full impact of what he meant hit her. That was so... ahhhhh! She felt the air leave her lungs as he slammed his length into her suddenly. Ash moaned, her fingernails scraping the wood of the desk. Yes.

"Oh," she moaned, "Captain, yes. Please – mmmmm..."

Jack growled behind her and grabbed her hips tight at the word captain, the ferocity of his thrusts increasing instantly. He drove into her, grinding out every last moan and gasp that he could out of her. His eyes rolled back in his head and he tilted his head back as he fucked her over his desk. Her skin was so soft, she was so tight around him, and no smart remarks were coming out of that pretty mouth now. No, he took her until there was naught but his name on her lips, nothing but him in her mind. A few things might have gotten knocked off the desk in the process, but he couldn't spend an instant to give a damn.

Ash sighed as they collapsed into bed together later, both of them sweaty and spent. Well, she thought, smiling sleepily, If that's how he reacts when I call him "captain" in bed, I'll have to do it more often. She snuggled up to him, throwing one leg over him and resting her head on his chest as she closed her eyes, still smiling. Breathing in the scent he gave off, that mix of spices and the sea, hearing his heart beat, lulled her to sleep quicker than anything ever had in her life before.

His dark brown eyes were practically burning in anger.

"Tie this one to the mast," he ordered, his voice cold as frost.

She begged and pleaded as she protested, but her arms were hauled roughly above her head and her wrists tied to the mast. Her breath was ragged, and she heard the blood pounding in her ears. For a moment, all was still and silent... then fire erupted across her back. She arched her back, a scream tearing from her throat. But it wasn't just her back that was on fire. It was getting dark, and she could swear smoke was rising all around them. The ship! The ship was burning! She screamed in fear now as she struggled to get free, her wrists rubbed against the ropes until they were raw, then bleeding.

"Jack!" she screamed, "Jack! Go! Run! The ship is on fire!"

No one answered her. Coughing, choking on the smoke, she looked around. Everyone was gone. Not a crewman was in sight. Jack himself was no where to be seen.

"Jack!" she yelled, "Please! Please don't do this!"

Her eyes watered as the smoke stung them. She whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut, coughing until her head spun and she got light headed. The darkness and flame swallowed her whole.

"NO!" Ash shouted, sitting bolt upright in bed.

She looked around wildly for a few seconds, until she realized she was in bed, the sun was shining. There was no fire. She was safe, and unharmed. Ash closed her eyes and heaved a sigh of relief. It was fine. It was just a dream... and yet, it had been real, too. The door burst open suddenly, and Ash jumped as her head snapped over to look. Jack stood in the doorway, eyes wide.

"Ash, what's wrong? What happened?"

Ash shook her head, and Jack went over to her quickly.

"What's the matter, love?"

She tried to swallow, but her mouth and throat were paper dry.

"Nothing," she said roughly, "I'm fine. It was just a bad dream."

Jack frowned as he sat on the edge of the bed, putting a hand to her back. Ash flinched and jerked away. She didn't mean to, it was just an impulse reaction, but seeing the look in his eyes made her feel like the biggest bitch on the face of the earth. She squeezed her eyes shut and hung her head, unable to look at him. There was a moment of long, tense silence.

"What was it?" he asked at last, his tone hard and heavy.

Ash's mouth made a thin line and she shook her head. No. She would not tell him. He would only beat himself up about it. It was in the past now, better not to mention it ever again.

"Ash!" Jack snapped.

"Nothing," Ash protested, opening her eyes to look at him, silently begging him to let it go, "I swear. It's fine."

"It's not fine!" Jack shot back, his face twisting in anger, "Not when you wake up screaming and you won't let me touch you!"

Ash grabbed his hand and immediately put it to her breast. His expression shifted instantly, somewhere between shocked, amused, aroused, and regretful.

"That's not what I meant," he said hoarsely, "It's cruel of you to divert me like that."

His hand was already moving, massaging her breast and rolling the peak of it between his fingers, his eyes shifting downwards to look at her pale skin against his tanned hand. Ash smiled weakly.

"Yes," she whispered huskily, her eyes filling with lust, "I am cruel, and selfish. And I don't give a damn. Because you're mine, Jack. And I'm going to have you."

She leaned forward and kissed him heatedly. Jack made a strained noise in the back of his throat. Ash pushed off his hat and coat, shifting her body to cover his and push him down onto the bed so she could kneel over him. He propped himself up with one hand, the other hand on the back of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair as he kissed her and she fumbled with his belt. When she yanked his pants down far enough, she pushed on his chest so he fell backwards onto the tangled blankets.

Her hand wrapped around his already hardened length, stroking a few times before guiding him inside her. She hissed as she slid onto him slowly, and Jack groaned in appreciation. Ash looked down into his eyes and rolled her hips slowly, his length sliding in and out of her easily. Her fingernails dug into his chest as she put her hands on him to steady herself, and he hissed slightly but otherwise made no protest. She rode him sinuously until he lost his patience and grabbed her hips so he could make her move faster, groaning out how she was cruel for teasing him. Ash grabbed his wrists and pinned them against the mattress beside his head as her hips moved faster. She sighed and leaned her head back, then sat up again and rode him even faster, using him to find her own pleasure.

His hands now free, Jack used one to toy with her nipple again, the other rubbing her clit in quick, rough circles. Ash cried out as she felt the explosion in her skin, and Jack groaned low in his throat at the sight of her come undone on top of him, spending his seed deep inside her. She was so beautiful, she was his very own goddess, beautiful and cruel and deadly. He would love her until his heart stopped beating. Which, if their sex kept up being this vigorous all the time, might happen sooner than he expected.

Author's Note: I do not own Fitzy.