A/N: Heyla! Welcome to the next chapter of HT!!! Whoo Hoo! I would like to inform you all that regrettably, the chapters for this fic will be slightly short, at least in comparison to my other works. But, due to the fact that I tend to suffer from extreme Writer's Block, I would like to keep my updates relatively fast, so therefore, the chapters will usually be only a scene or two. Regrettable, but true! Sorry all!

Anyways, I also wanted to thank my wonderful reviewers!

Elf-Pilot: Aye Cap'n! Arigato!

ChelseaBloom: Thanks for the great review!!

Saxgirl-15: Boo! How ya doin' girl? E-mail me! I actually wanted to write a story about dear William, but I always start with OC romances, and I adore W/E too much to split them up… ^.^ heh! After I finish HC (or when I come up with a plot (whichever comes first)) I plan to write a W/E!!! MWAHAHAHA!!!! And I must protest! There are good stories out there about Will! No bashing of Will in review! Just for that, I'm putting him in the story!!! HAH! ::coughs:: Sorry. It's WAAAAAY too late for Greta to be up, even with caffeine… -_-;; ttyl girl!

Mari: Arigato gozimasu! And yes, this is a Jack romance… even tho there will be W/E fluffness much later… (at least I think so…)

DarkAngelB: Well thank you! This has been my most enthusiastic review yet! And I like you already, even if it is just because you said 'bloody hell', and liked my story… heh! I'm shallow… I'm glad you liked it! Arigato mas!

Gilimirin: Fank ew vewy muff! Hehe… too much caffeine… Thank you!

Emily: My first review (albeit short)!! Makes me feel all mushy inside! ::sniff:: Thank you so much!

Now, enjoy the next chapter, and review when you're finished. Savvy? ^.^

Love and kisses,

Fallenangel

"Are ye positively absolutely completely sure you want to do this?" Meg asked Carmina for the millionth time.

Carmina nodded resolutely. "It has to be done."

Meg made a face. "Couldn't ye jist wear a hat?"

Carmina shook her head, watching her long black hair swish with the movement. "I'd have ta wear one everywhere. Like ta bed and stuff. And besides, it's windy on the ocean. What if it got blown off? No, I have to take as much caution as possible. And I wish you wouldn't stand here sniffling about it, Meg. You're making it harder!"

Meg sighed, and regarded the long shears mournfully. "I guess it'll grow back…" she took a handful of hair. "Well, here we go…"

Carmina surveyed herself in the mirror. "I don't look like Nicholas Sharpe! I just look like Carmina Ramirez with a haircut!" Indeed, her long black hair, which had formerly brushed her lower back, was now just touching her shoulers.

Meg sighed. "That's because yer still dressed like Carmina!" she reached onto the bed, and grabbed the boy's outfit lying there.

Carmina slowly shed her dress and petticoats, and donned the dirty white shirt, worn brown breeches, beaten boots, and brown leather vest. She walked to the mirror and turned back and forth, surveying herself. "Something's still not right…"

Meg pursed her lips. "That's 'cause ye still got somethin' that boys ain't." she gestured to her chest. "But I kin help with that!" she dove over the bed and opened a small trunk in the corner. After much rifling around, she held up a small corset. "Don't ask how I got this, jist be thankful." She helped Carmina shed the shirt and vest. "Now this goes only over yer chest, and ye kin adjist how tight 'er loose ye want it." She showed her friend how to fasten it, knowing the girl would need to do it herself on the ship.

Carmina pulled the shirt and vest back on, and turned sideways in the mirror. "It works! Thank you so much, Meg! You're a true friend!" She grabbed a leather string and tied her hair back into a queue. "Hullo, Captain," she bowed slightly to the mirror. "M'name's Nick Sharpe. I hear yer lookin' fer crew?" She turned to Meg. "And who might ye be, miss?" she grabbed her friend's hand and pantomimed kissing it.

Meg giggled. "Mina, yer such a loon!" sobering, she plopped morosely onto the bed. "I'll sure miss ye…"

Carmina sighed and sat next to her friend. "No worries, Meggie dear. As soon as me feet hit land, a writin' ye I'll be. Savvy?" she clasped Meg's hand in both of hers.

Meg gave a watery chuckle. "Savvy. Ye sure do sound like ya belong on a ship, though. I'm sure ye'll fit right in."

Carmina scratched her head. "I hope so…"

At exactly 3 o'clock the next day, the door to 'The Fox and Hound' opened, and a young man strode in. He was of middling height, looked to be between 16 and 18 years of age, with worn clothes and utterly unremarkable features.

He walked slowly through the noisy common room, clearly looking for someone. His path took him over two overturned tables, past a trio of prostitutes, and through a communal brawl. The lad traversed these obstacles with practiced ease, barely even mussing his dark hair.

He stopped at a table in the far corner of the room, occupied only by a figure half in, and half out of shadow. "Captain Sparrow? M'name's Nick Sharpe. I hear yer lookin' fer some replacements in yer crew? M'sister said ye wanted ta meet me…"

The figure in the shadow leaned forward, and indeed it was Jack Sparrow, from his weathered tricorn and bedecked hair, to his rough boots and mended greatcoat. "Y'heard right. You think yer up to't?"

The lad took a seat across from the Captain. "Never been on a ship afore, but I'm quick learner."

"You mind cookin' and cleanin'?"

The boy shook his head. "Naw. Gotten used to't over th' years."

"What about bein' in life-threatenin' situations?"

He shrugged. "Never been in anythin' too horrible, so I suspect I'll jist have ta find out. I mean, they ain't too diff'rent from anythin' else, 'cept ye can't do anythin' stupid."

Captain Sparrow smiled. "I like ye already!" he leaned forward. "Now. Me ship's 'The Black Pearl', as I'm sure ye know. We lost a few crew, and I've been lookin' fer some replacements. Kersar and Duncan took sick, scurvy I'd reckon. Ana Maria had ta go an' get herself pregnant, and Rootie wanted ta visit 'is wife. If ya sign wiv us, yer bound ta th' Pearl fer an amount of time specified on yer contract. Th' pay is cut down from th' Captain. 'E gets 25%, th' first mate gets 25% a what's left, and so on and so forth. Th' Captain is in no way held responsible fer any injury ye may sustain while sailin' wiv us…" Jack droned for a few minutes, legal dealings and such. After a minute, he noticed the boy's attention slipping. "…anyways, if ye still want aboard, I'd be glad ta have ye."

Nick grinned. "Sounds good ta me! Where do I sign on?"

Captain Sparrow reached in to one of the hidden pockets of his voluminous greatcoat and pulled out a rolled document. He unfurled it on the table, and passed it to Nick. "Are ye sure ye want ta do this? After all, a good lad like you should have nothin' ta do wiv pirates, let alone signin' on wiv 'em."

Nick let a wry smirk creep across his face. "I been trapped in Tortuga fer almost four years. I ain't such a 'good lad' no more. And I'm willin' ta do anythin' ta get out of this godforsaken town. Even join up with a pirate crew." He scanned over the contract in front of him. "Where do I sign?"

Captain Sparrow sighed good naturedly. "Kids these days…" he pulled a quill from one sleeve.

Nick accepted it, and took a deep breath. He knew what he had to do. He took the quill in one hand, and swiftly pricked the pad of his pointer finger. A single drop of blood rose from the cut. Nick dipped the nib of the quill in the blood and quickly signed his name. Nicholas Sharpe.

Captain Sparrow rolled the paper up with a snap. "Well, that's done. Now, what're you doing about being apprenticed to the baker? I don't want no angry mob comin' after me fer kiddnappin' you… I learned me lesson the first time!"

Nick stood. "Nah. He's glad ta be rid a me. That is, if'n he notices I've buggered off…" He looked to Captain Sparrow. "What now?"

The man stood as well. "How're ye situated with belongins? Got anyfing ye'll be wantin' ta bring along? Not much, mind you."

Nick shook his head. "Nothin' but the clothes on me back. I'd rather not remember this place."

Captain Sparrow nodded. "I think we got an extra set a clothes yer size on board somewheres. Won't have no one sayin' I'm a skinflint." He dropped a couple coins onto the table and cracked his back. "Well I think that's it. C'mon then. Let's have a peek at the Pearl, shall we?"

Nick grinned up at the man. "Aye, Cap'n!"

A/N: Well? Like it? Hate it? Tell me!