A/N: I'm back yet again with another thanks to my lovely lovely reviewers! Thank y'all a whole bunch! I just wanted to let y'all know that I won't be able to update again till about Tuesday night. We're going on our senior beach trip and unfortunately, there will be absolutely no computers there. Oh well, I'll have to live without my pirates fanfiction for a few days. can already feel myself going into withdrawal! Hopefully y'all will enjoy what I've got now though (and review! ( )!

1. Oh yeah! I've noticed that italics on my computer don't show up on
fanfiction.net (If any of ya'll know how to make that work please
let me know!!) For now I've decided to use dashes to represent
thoughts.
/../ denotes thoughts
* * * * denotes a flashback

Disclaimer: I don't own PotC or any of its characters. The only thing I own is Celeste and any other random characters that pop up for a scene or two.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Deja Vu ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Celeste swore the cursed crew of the Pearl could here her think, she was so close. She took a deep breath trying to calm herself. How many times had she stolen aboard a ship? Plenty. How many times had she stowed aboard a ship crewed by the damned? Never. She fingered the gold piece in her pocket. Not like the could kill her now. Yes, that part of the plan had gone off well. She was cursed as well as them and the medallion she had stolen was safe back on Isle de Muerta hopefully well hidden by Will. She was banking on the fact that Barbosa knew none of this. Now all she had to do was wait for the ship to turn back toward the island, free Jack and make their escape. Should be easy, right?
She tensed and her heart leapt into her throat as she heard footsteps coming her way. She squeezed herself tighter into the dark recess she had found scarcely daring to breathe. The footsteps passed quickly without stopping. She had been working her way down towards the brig all night hopping quickly from hidden niche to dark corner. The Pearl hadn't left at dusk as planned but had been delayed by its greedy crew until past midnight. She listened carefully for anybody and, hearing nothing, darted out towards the stairs. Last level. But before one foot had touched the top stair a loud screech rang out behind her.
Quick as a cat, she spun around and dove at the screaming monkey. And missed. She landed loudly on top of a crate and just barely had time to duck behind it as the clattering of boots came to her ears. The monkey, however, had seen her hide and with wild signals and screams, pointed directly to the crate. Celeste was hauled roughly to her feet by two pirates, one short and one with only one eye. The short one grinned lewdly at her. "Well, well, if it ain't a purty little poppet! What'dya think, mate? Think the cap'n'd like a look at 'er?"

"I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole if you promised me all the rum in Tortuga!" Celeste yelled. For the past three hours, she had been tied to the mast on the upper deck vainly trying to slap away the wandering hands of crewmembers. Her only consolations had been that dawn had arrived by the time she was brought on deck so her game wasn't given away and, the Pearl had turned back toward Isle de Muerta. Finally, her "little chitchat with the cap'n" as the crew called it, had begun.
"Now, now, is that any way to be talking to the captain o' the Pearl?" asked Barbosa almost purring with satisfaction.
"You ain't the cap'n of the Pearl, Barbosa, and never will be!"
"Oh that's right. And I had almost forgotten. You were one of the few loyal to Jack. So was Bootstrap Bill. Did anyone ever tell you what happened to him?"
Celeste spat at Barbosa for answer. "Well then, " he continued, "Perhaps you'd like to ask him yourself." An evil grin split Barbosa's face and Celeste swallowed. Time to play her cards, now or never.
"Ye'll never find that missin' coin if'n ye kill me."
"Missin' coin?"
"Aye. Remember my parting message from Tortuga? Guard yer pockets more carefully Barbosa. That musta been a nice imitation ye had made."
"We have no need of yer help, lass. We can feel the gold."
"Even on Isle de Muerta, with that whole chest full o'medallions?"
"Aye! That we can!" Barbosa was getting angry now and he turned to his men. "Lads! Let's send our lady friend on a nice swim, shall we? And drag up that mangy excuse fer a pirate from the brig to go with 'er. Watchin' 'er die, will hurt Jack more'n we ever could!" Two pirates instantly leapt off to do his bidding.
Celeste was too shocked to speak. Perhaps her plan would work after all. The island was just becoming visible on the horizon and in a matter of minutes, she'd be with Jack, free of Barbosa. Jack. Instinctively, she gulped. *"Ten years can change a person a lot. Look at me. Bar singer to pirate captain. Perhaps.perhaps there's someone else now. I couldn't hope that after all this time."* Her thoughts were interrupted by the jeers of the as they slowly made way for the two pirates and their prisoner. All she could do when she saw him was stare. He hadn't changed. Oh, sure, he was a little older, a little darker, and his walk was definitely a bit more affected but it was him. It was her Jack. She wanted to run to him, to make sure that this wasn't some crazy joke, that he really was alive but the ropes tying her to the mast didn't budge. Besides, she didn't want to give Barbosa that satisfaction anyhow. So she satisfied herself with winking and speaking in as flip a tone as she cold manage, "Fancy meeting you here. Greta place fer a reunion, ain't it?"

Jack appeared to shake himself out of some sort of reverie before answering, "Aye, that it is, luv. A reunion for all sorts."
Before she could reply, Celeste was roughly untied and shoved toward the plank. Realizing what was happening, Jack attempted to break away from his guards but they held him tightly. "Don't worry," one snickered, "Ye'll be joinin' the lass soon!"

Celeste had to dive deep to avoid the Pearl's keel as it swept by. When she surfaced, its wake had almost died away. She kicked off her heavy boots and treaded water looking around. Blue ocean surrounded her except for the rocky island looming ahead. Suddenly, something caught hold of her leg and pulled her under. Spluttering, she surfaced a moment later to face a grinning Jack Sparrow.
"Couldn't resist, luv. Had to get ye back for drownin' me first cap'n's hat."
Celeste nearly growled in anger. "You mangy cur, you bloody asinine pig! You let me think you're dead for ten bloody years and this is how you treat me when I finally find you? To think I risked my neck sneaking aboard that damned ship to help you!" Shaking her soaking wet hair out of her face, she made to swim off to Isle de Muerta but she was stopped by a hand on her arm as Jack pulled her towards him. Drawing her close he kissed her as well as he could while still trying to keep both of them afloat.
"Now luv, was that the greetin' ye expected?"
"You haven't changed, Jack Sparrow. Ye're still a scurvy seadog, but a loveable one," she said with a laugh, kissing him.
"Lovable ain't exactly the type o' word I usually want in me description."
"How 'bout daft? shameless? cavalier? roguish?"
"I like that last one, luv. Keep listin' 'em."
"I 'ave no intention of feeding yer oversized ego, Jack. Specially not when we should be swimmin' to that island." She pulled away from him and began stroking towards the island. Jack followed.
" 'Tis a fair distance to the island. Ye sure ye can make it?" he asked.
"Sure? 'Tis you I'm worried about slowing me up! Why? You worried if'n ye can make it?" she retorted, grinning.
"Na, luv. I've got insurance ye might say."
"I know about the curse, Jack. I more than know about it. I'm in on it."The sun flashed on the gold medallion as she held it up.
"Ye've gotten yerself cursed too?"
Aye." Quick as she could, she gave him the bare bones of her adventure from her shipwreck to now, "Biggest mistake Barbosa ever made was tossin' me to the fishes."
"Now lemme get this straight, luv. Barbosa's headed back to Isle de Muerta because ye left the piece of gold ye stole from him there?"
She nodded.
"But even if he finds that piece it won't end the curse cause ye've got this one?"
Another nod.
"And Will, Elizabeth and Ana-maria are waitin' for the Pearl to show back up?"
Again a nod.
"And we're supposed to be on my ship?"

"Which means we better get swimming if we're gonna get there in time."
"I still don't believe ye took the ship from the redcoat and his whole damned crew."
"Well, I did have some very convincing collateral to bargain with."
"Ye've learned from the best."
"Ye flatter yerself all to much Jack Sparrow."
"Captain, luv, Captain. And I do believe I 'ave reason t o flatter meself. I've jest come up with a brilliant plan to get my revenge on Barbosa."

A/N: Remember, please review! Any and all comments are rejoiced over!