Disclaimer: Disney owns all characters 'cept Diana and shtuff. Oh yeah, I also own Jack. =P just kidding. heh, you shoulda seen the look you your face XD

Notes: Thanx for all the reviews guys _^.^_ I feel all fuzzy inside. =D

I'm trying to stay away from the cliche Mary-Sue, so stop me if I drift to close into the corny realm. o.o

Anyways, on to the next chapter!

Chapter 7: The First Sign

The sky was a dark violet with a swirl of deep blue speckled with a thousand stars, illuminated by the pale blue moon. It was an oddly clear night, beautiful in all it's majesty and array of colors. The Milky Way streaked across the sky like a stroke of paint on the dark canvas that was the sky. Jack, turning the helm delicately, gazed up at the heavens. Each star was an angel glittering brilliantly in the sky.

'Yes...it would be shame to deprive heaven of such a celestial and beautiful angel...' The pirate thought distantly. He found himself thinking about Diana more often than not. Jack had often considered telling her how he felt, but quickly dismissed the idea. She wasn't to fond of him, and he couldn't let the crew think he had gone soft.

Giving the helm a slight turn to the right, he pulled out of his pocket a small rugged cloth map. To any other person, it would have made no sense; on it was drawn a large crescent island, adorned with several cryptic runes. Surrounding the island at the edge of the map were drawings of the lunar phases. Jack had won the map in a card game from an old scallywag a few months before hand. It supposedly led to the treasure of Willy Rose on the Isle Puerto de Luna. According to legend, the island was only visible during the full moon. Certain signs, such as vanishing islands, cyclones and land formations, appeared during other phases of the moon, acted as a trail to find the island.

Jack's eyes scanned the sky. The first sign, found on the first phase after the full moon, was supposedly found in the sky. He checked the map again. Varies notes were scribbled along the corners. He squinted at a few lines.

'Musta been drunk when I wrote this...' He mused, 'Can't read a bloody thing...' Finally, he folded the map up and concluded that it was some sort of shooting star falling in the direction he needed to go. Looking back up at the heavens, he rested his chin on the helm. Falling stars were rare this time of year. He could be there all night. And if they were in the wrong part of the Spanish Main, they'd have to wait a whole other month before the sign would appear again. This would be a long night...

~*~

Diana rolled over on her side. She couldn't sleep. The lack of emotion Jack showed her when she admitted everything came as a shock to her. She had expected something-- Anger, happiness, anything. But the way he just looked at her blankly made her stomach tingle uncomfortably.

Sitting up, she gazed out the window of her cabin. The sky was remarkably clear. She gazed at the moon vaguely. It was very unlikely that Jack didn't know about the signs-- the trail markers to the Isle Puerto de Luna. It was a common story; sailors had often gone searching for them. However, the cunning pirate, Wilhelm Rose, had purposely confused the signs, making them impossible to understand, or to notice without the proper knowledge; the knowledge of his heir.

Turning to her stomach, Diana's mind wandered to Jack. Why not tell him how to get to the island? He'd probably ask for her help anyways, and if she refused, he'd most likely do something rash to get it out of her. Besides, as long as she was of value he'd keep her alive and comfortable.

Diana thought of the first sign. 'The heavens' lanterns blaze and direct the traveler towards the Moon's harbor.'

Diana could only imagine how Jack interpreted the phrase. A common myth was that of a shooting star. No, Wilhelm wasn't fool enough to speak of something as obvious as that. Thinking that the sooner Jack found his bleeding treasure, the sooner she would be free.

Slipping out of her bed, she pulled on her clothes and clambered up deck.

~*~

"Jack..."

Oh, what he would do to hear her utter his name a thousand times again! The simplicity of the single syllable gently rolling off the girl's tongue nearly made Jack tremble.

"What is a fine strumpet such as yourself doing out of bed this time of night?" He asked gently, attempting to appear as calm as the breezes that gusted by. Diana wandered up to the helm silently, avoiding Jack's gaze.

"Mercedes, it is well past midnight..."

"Diana, if you please." She interrupted curtly. "My father only called me that when he was angry with me, or sometimes when he was worried." She chuckled softly, a hint of despondency lingered at the edge of her breath. "I couldn't sleep."

Jack's eyes flashed in the direction of the sky, then back down at Diana, giving her a small smile.

"Then wander, as ye will, lass." He replied warmly, swaying ever so slightly with the gentle rocking of the Pearl.

Diana continued to approach his slowly, glancing first at him, then averting her gaze to the sky.

"Beautiful night." She said softly.

"Aye." Jack responded, raising his view to the starry heavens. "A night as clear and vivid as this is a rare occurrence in these parts, a spectacle that shouldn't be taken advantage of."

"Looking for anything...in particular?" Diana prompted. Jack glanced at Diana a moment before speaking.

"You know what I'm looking for, love." He said calmly. Leaning on the helm, he waved his hand vaguely at the sky. "Only question is, am I looking for the right thing?" He turned to Diana, a melancholy expression on his sun-kissed face. Diana turned away, unable to keep eyes contact for more that a couple of seconds.

"What are you looking for?" She asked guardedly.

"Some variety of stars, I expect. Falling, perhaps?"

Diana shook her head, the corners of her mouth turning slightly up into a sly smile.

"You are quite off beam, Captain Jack Sparrow." She snickered. Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Am I now?" He asked, slightly surprised. "Then what exactly is the sign of which I seek?"

"Look at the sky." Diana ordered. She stood behind Jack as he looked up. Then, pointing over his shoulder, she directed attention to a small group of stars.

"The Little Dipper." Jack whispered. She was so incredibly close; he could feel her delicate breath pulsing over his ear...

He glanced at her profile, her curved lips and long black lashes. She was close enough to kiss...yet so far from his reach...

"Yes, the Little Dipper, Captain." Diana replied in a very quiet voice. Her eyes, locked onto the night sky, did not feel Jack's gaze.

"But watch the stars, Jack." She urged. He was taken back a bit by the use of his first name. But obeying her request, he looked back at the sky.

"Here we shall witness the first sign."

Faintly at first, but soon growing in brightness, three new stars flickered into view at the end of the Dipper's handle. Stretching like a giant arrow the stars reached to the east. Slowly the stars glowed more brilliantly, turning a shocking shade of scarlet.

Diana's hand that pointed to the constellation fell slowly to Jack's shoulder unconsciously. Jack glimpsed at it momentarily before returning his gaze to the spectacle. The stars were glittering vibrantly, as if pointing evidently to the East.

"Is that...?" Began Jack, astonished at the vision they beheld.

"Yes." Diana whispered in his ear. "We head east."

Jack quickly turned to the girl, his kohl-lined eyes drinking in her figure. He raised a hand to her jaw softly.

"Diana..."

For what seemed like eternity, they stood silent, Jack's thumb brushing her cheek tenderly. But before he could react, she quite suddenly pulled back, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I'd best retire for the night, Captain Sparrow." She said rather stiffly. Jack swallowed, feeling quite flushed and grateful it was dark.

"Of course, Miss Rose. You must be exhausted." The pirate replied quickly. Diana opened her mouth as if to say something, but changed her mind and closed it. She quickly retreated to her cabin without another word.

'Blast it all!' Jack cursed inwardly. He hadn't meant to go that far...it was an accident. 'If the bloody dame hadn't been so.... attractive...Argh, I think she's doing it on purpose to torture me....' Jack slammed the palm of his hand on the helm, and brought his forehead down to rest on it.

"I'm a bleeding fool." He said out loud. "Allowed myself to get in to deep, and now I'll pay the price."

Pressing a finger to his temple, he stood straight. "I got to keep me head clear. Forget her, Jack. She doesn't love you." He told himself bitterly.

~*~

That was embarrassing. Diana scolded herself for being so naive.

'He's leading you on, and you are falling into his trap without so much as a fight.'

Throwing herself onto her bead, she buried her face into the soft pillow.

'Does this mean I care for him?' She thought with disbelief. 'No! Only slight infatuation. It will pass. Besides, he doesn't care about you. To love a pirate is pointless. They don't know what love is.'

She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.

'The sooner I get out of here the better...'