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Chapter 4

"'ere we are."

"So this is The Black Pearl," Gin observed, stepping up to the edge of the dock and studying the dark, mammoth ship that loomed in front of them. She barely kept her mouth from dropping open. "It's big."

"This way," Jack gestured toward a rope ladder hanging down the starboard side, crossed the pier and began to climb up it. She watched him, then reluctantly followed. When she reached the top, he stood in front of her, blocking her ascent to the deck.

She looked up at him, her expression quizzical.

"What do we say?" he asked, giving her a lopsided grin.

She sighed and her questioning gaze turned into a glare. She extended a hand for him to take. "Permission to come aboard?"

His smile widened and he grabbed her outstretched hand. "Permission granted."

"Thank you so much," she said, her tone obviously sardonic as she set foot on the ship.

It was colder up this high was the first thing she noticed. The ship no longer blocked the cool night air. It was then that she realized the main reason she must be so chilled. She glanced down at herself. She was still in her nightgown. Her very nice nightgown, but a nightgown nonetheless.

She looked up to find no one else around. If there was a crew on board, they must have been below deck. Jack was already ascending the platform to the large steering wheel.

She hesitated. "Captain Sparrow-"

"Jack," he corrected.

"Jack," she echoed. "I believe I am eventually going to require some other clothing."

At this he squinted at her and she wondered if he was confused. "What's wrong with what yer wearin'?"

She gaped at him. "I'm in my nightgown!" she yelled. "And even if I weren't, I'll be  needing more than one dress!"

"Relax, love," He patted the air with his hands in an effort to calm her. "I'll talk to Anamaria in the mornin'. She'll have a shirt and pants about your size, I'm sure."

Gin stared at him. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Pants? Was he crazy? A woman of her station?

"I cannot," she said, "wear men's attire."

"Why not?"

She rolled her eyes in frustration. "Because…because…it's just not done!"

"Alright fine," he agreed. She felt a wave of relief wash over her. "Next town we come across, I'll send someone to pick up some dresses."

Something didn't seem right about the way he said that. "When you say 'pick up'…" she began.

He grinned at her.

"I'm not wearing stolen goods!" she screamed, wondering why in God's name she had agreed to go with this man.

He sighed in exasperation and walked back down to the lower deck to stand in front of her. "Look, love. Most things on this ship are stolen. Hell, probably the ship itself, didn't have time to check her prior owners. What you prefer is really no concern of mine. You got four choices. One, you shut up and wear what you've got." She opened her mouth to protest, but he didn't allow her to get a word in. "Two," he cut her off, "you can wear Ana's clothes, which, yes, are pants. Three, I can get you some dresses in Tortuga, which aren't quite your stile."

She stared at him, but he didn't go on. "And four?" she prompted.

"You can go naked." With that, he spun on his heel and headed back for the wheel.

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Heehee. More soon!