Lauren got off the activity bus and started home. Working on the Clarion was so cool. Walking home alone on Thursdays, without anyone calling her names, was good too. As she headed up the street, though, she saw that Shari and one of her friends were sitting out on Shari's stoop. Oh, no. The day had been going so well, too. Figures. As she approached, Lauren felt the familiar knot tighten in her stomach.

"Look, here comes the loser."

Lauren was twenty feet away. She tried to ignore the girls. She felt sick to her stomach.

"Gothic bitch."

She was even with the sidewalk that ran up to Shari's town house. Lauren squared her shoulders. Shaking, she turned and walked right up to the two girls. I don't need to be afraid of you, she thought, defiantly. A pirate tried to cut my throat just last week. Compared to that, you're nothing.

"Hey. Look, I'm tired of you calling me names." The two gaped at her, then exchanged looks. She ran on before they could reply. "I've never done anything to you. So you don't like the way I dress, or whatever. So what. I don't particularly care for the way you dress, either." She looked from one to the other. Her hands were balled into fists at her sides. Consciously, she relaxed them. "If you really want a fight, I'll give you one." She waited, raised one eyebrow at them, a perfect imitation of Captain Jack Sparrow. They looked down, suddenly interested in the toes of their shoes.

Lauren backed away to the main sidewalk. "Just leave me alone, and I'll leave you alone," she said quietly. "No problem." She spun and walked away. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. To her surprise, there was silence. No taunts followed her up the street.

Lauren grinned, skipped a couple of steps. They'll probably go right back to picking on me tomorrow. It didn't really matter. Knowing she could defend herself was enough. She arrived on her own stoop, reached for the house key. Aah ! Not again. I am so stupid ! She slumped on the stoop. The air was chilly. Mom'll probably be late, too.

———————

Rumble.

Lauren didn't look up the first time. Leonard rolled by again. She looked at him through her bangs. The third time, he rolled up to the stoop. He sighed loudly, pulled out a key ring. Stepping past her, he unlocked the door. Silently, he turned to go.

"Wait," she held out her hand. "Thanks."

He hesitated, then let her take his hand and pull him down to sit beside her. "No problem." They sat quietly for a minute. His brown eyes slipped sideways, looked into her blue ones. "I miss you," he said, simply.

"Me too." She smiled at him, tentatively.

"Um, you know, I'd really like it if you would... like, go with me," he blurted, blushing. "Or, just be friends, that's ok too," he amended.

She smiled but did not reply. In public ? Or just in private ? She really did like him. She waited.

"There's a dance tomorrow. Duh, you knew that." He blushed again, glared at his feet. "Do you want to go with me ? Not to dance," he added. He grimaced. "You know, just to hang out ?"

She smiled brilliantly at him. A school dance is very public. "I'd love to." He grinned at her. She slouched, just a bit. You really ought to kiss me now, she thought. To her surprise and delight, Leonard did.

———————

Lauren gathered up her courage. She had to know if Eddy was all right. I know he's all right. I'm fairly sure he's all right. She imagined Captain Jack Sparrow snapping his fingers and returning to kill her if there was anything wrong with his crew. No, he wouldn't, really... I don't think.

She got two cans of coke out of the refrigerator. She passed the living room. Her mother looked up from the tv. "Everything ok, honey ?"

Impulsively, Lauren went over and kissed her on the cheek. Her mother's arms came up,hugged her. "I love you, mommy."

"I love you too." Her mother's hand brushed her bangs away from her face. "You're growing up so fast."

Lauren grinned, headed for the stairs.

"Two cokes ?" her mother called after her. "You're not hiding a boy in your room, are you ?" she teased.

Lauren smiled at her. You have no idea.

Poof.

Captain Jack Sparrow jumped, staggered to one side. It had been months since the girl had last appeared in his cabin. Really wasn't expecting that, he thought, righting himself. "Hello, love."

"Hi." She waited, looking expectantly from him to the table and chairs.

He took the hint. "Ah. Have a seat," he offered, slumping in his accustomed chair and reaching for a bottle of rum. There was something different about her.

"I brought us both a drink. It's coke," she explained, sliding a can across to him. He watched as she took the other one, popped the tab. "I can, like, legally drink this."

Jack took the can, examined it with interest.

"Go ahead, it's good," Lauren urged. "You can mix it with your rum, actually. Rum and coke. It's a famous drink in my world."

He popped the tab the way she had done. A faint fizzing sound rose up. Tentatively, he took a swallow. The liquid was icy cold, sweet. It burned, not unpleasantly. "Interesting." Jack poured some into his glass, watched bubbles rise and pop. He added a healthy portion of rum. He smiled at the girl, raised his glass to her.

She raised her can. Jack leaned forward, and they clinked the containers together. "To the Pearl," he said, his customary toast.

"To the Black Pearl," Lauren echoed. They sat silently for a time, sipping their drinks.

He looked sidelong at the girl, appraising her from beneath his lashes. There was definitely something different about her. She seemed at ease. She grinned, her eyes meeting his. Still has that look in them. No, wait... The look was there, but Captain Jack Sparrow was no longer its focus. His teeth flashed in return, a roguish grin.

"You got Eddy back all right ?" she asked, rhetorically. Jack nodded. "Is he...doing ok ?"

Jack laughed. "Drank me under the table, last month in Tortuga."

She gaped at him, amazed. "You're kidding !"

"No, really, he did." he insisted. "Our Eddy. I was surprised meself, when I came to."

She grinned from ear to ear, immensely pleased with her creation. Jack couldn't help but grin back. He took another drink of the rum and coke, looked at her seriously. "Ye won't be writin' any more stories about me world, will ye now, Lauren ?"

Blue eyes gazed steadily into his. "No." She smiled. "Actually, I'm pretty much sticking to non-fiction. I'm writing for the school paper now." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "And occasionally, I write some poetry."

He recoiled, eyes wide. "Limericks," Lauren added. She giggled.

Jack threw back his head and laughed out loud. She's joking. "Got me," he admitted, giving her a jaunty salute. The pirate nursed his drink as the girl rambled on about her life. He let the words wash over him as he savored the taste of the rum and coke. Most of what she said made no sense to him. She's happy, that's what it all means.

"Who's the boy ?" he asked, leaning toward her. She hadn't mentioned the boy yet.

Lauren blushed. "Leonard. He goes to my school."

"Not a pirate, then ?" he grinned.

"Skateboarder," she replied.

Jack remembered the boy on the plank. The one who looks like Eddy. He swirled his drink, looked over at the girl. Her eyes definitely have that look in them now. But not for me. For Leonard. God help him. He smirked. It had all turned out rather well, he thought, despite all she had put him through. She never slapped me, not even once.

"Well, it's getting late," she said, without regret. She rose from the table, meticulously collecting the empty coke cans.

Jack set down his glass, rose to his feet. He sketched a bow to her. She grinned. Her hands were filled with cans.

"Allow me, love," he said, gallantly. Captain Jack Sparrow raised his hand, fingers poised. He saluted her smartly.

Snap.

———————

Author's note: Thank you to all who took the time to review the work in progress—Aristea, Pen D. Fox, SparrowSavvy, Elderberry, midnights shadow, PhilosopherCat, Satan's Sidekick, Skimbleshanks, the Railway CAT, XxSablexX, Bulletproof Dork, Child Of The Gods, country pirate, Dalas, Dreamality, Erinya, Lurker, Golden Horizon, intriKate, Kelsey, Kitty the drunken butterfly, Layla Sparrow, lemluvspirates, lem68, Lordlanceahlot, lovely moon, Luinecu, Marahootei, Medea's Lullaby, remnants-2011, sophie, Spyro, and visiouscobain.