Don't own anything. . . Absolutely nothing. . . Besides the story. . . Which means I don't own Jack Sparrow. . .

Chapter Four

Captain Jack Sparrow stood grand and majestic behind the wheel of his ship, watching as three of his crew headed his way, carrying with them three teenage girls. Finally some worthy cargo. . . He was getting tired of the measly excuses for food and lack of money they had been finding for some time now.

The only odd thing about them was the way they were dressed; they wore clothes and shoes he had never seen before.

They were brought up to him, feverishly trying to break away from the men who held them.

"Look wha' we got, Cap'n," Byron said. "Foun' 'em on the otha' ship."

The girls that he and Malachi held seemed much more fiery than the third, who was mildly calm compared to the others. But the brunette that Byron held caught his attention. He grinned.

"Well. I thought we might find something on the ship, but I certainly did not expect this. Very nice work, gentlemen."

It was apparent now that this was after the movie, since Jack was the captain and none of the crew was recognizable; the realization that they couldn't have been pulled in before the movie anyway, or else they wouldn't have been pulled in at all, hit Ariana at the same time.

Byron looked down at Ariana and grinned, then asked Jack, "Can we 'ave 'em?" Grins slowly spread across Malachi and Troy's faces as well.

"Now, now, there's no haste. I think, that since I am the captain, that I should get first privileges, eh? You can wait a bit, can't you?" The grin was still on his face.

"Aye," Byron answered reluctantly, disappointed.

Jack took a few swaying, graceful steps forward and reached out, beginning to play with Ariana's silky hair, twisting it around his finger. She felt a shock run through her, and he looked into her emerald eyes.

"Leave them in my quarters," he told the three pirates, maintaining eye contact with her until Byron pulled her away.

Eventually The Black Pearl sailed away from The Fearless, having won temporarily, and boasting a prize.


Jack Sparrow opened the door to his cabin and saw the three captives sitting on the floor talking, though they stopped as he walked in and shut the door, staring at him.

He took them in for a few seconds, then said, "So. Let's get ta know each otha, shall we? Let's start by telling me your names." He walked over to them and say down next to Ariana, giving her another rush.

All three of them looked at each other for a moment, and then Ariana said her name.

"Ariana." He let it hang in the air for a moment, looking at her. Then he nodded. "I like it."

"I'm Julie."

Jack turned to face her.

"Kelsey."

He looked at the third one, then asked, "Where do you come from?"

There was a dead silence for a minute, none of them sure of what to say.

Ariana decided on evasiveness. "We're from far away. Very far away."

"I see. Is that all you're planning on telling me?"

"Depends on what you ask."

"All right then. What are you wearing?" His brow furrowed as he looked down at their clothing.

"Clothes from where we're from."

"I've neva seen clothes like that before."

"Well then you've obviously never been there."

"And where is there, exactly?" He was hopeful that he would get an answer. . .

"Far away."

His face fell. "I see. I take it you weren't on that other ship because you wanted to be, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"Well. . . Do you prefer this ship to that one?" He raised his eyebrows in interest.

Ariana waited a few seconds before she spoke, looking at her friends. She had no idea how he'd take knowing they preferred his ship; he might take it too personally, and she wasn't sure how good an idea it was to get personal.

"Can't really say yet." That was a good answer, at least she thought so.

"Well. . . What exactly would – help you with your decision?" His voice was low.

"Sleep," she told him.

His face fell again, and a few seconds later he grudgingly said, "All right then. It'll be dark soon. You three can sleep here tonight." He stood and left the room without looking back.

A minute or two of silence, and then Ariana brought them all back to reality by announcing that there wasn't enough room for three people on the bed.

"I'm surprised he didn't try anything," Julie said.

"Yet. Didn't try anything yet," Ariana corrected her. "You think there's cots or something in here?"

"Why don't we check?" Kelsey said, looking around the room.

"Who's sleeping on the floor, or cot, or whatever?" Ariana asked.

"Not me," they all said in unison.

"Hold on, I think I have a quarter," Kelsey told them, reaching in to her pocket. She withdrew her hand. "Call it." She flipped the quarter up into the air.

"Heads!" Julie said.

Kelsey caught the quarter in her palm and flipped it onto the back of her hand. "Heads. You get the bed."

"Yes!" Julie smiled triumphantly.

"Now we do it again to see who else gets the bed," Kelsey said, flipping the quarter into the air once more.

"Heads!" Ariana said as it fell back into Kelsey's palm.

Again she flipped it over and said, "Tails. You get the floor. Haha."

"Or the cot, if we find one."

"Key word: 'if.'"

Ariana raised her eyebrows. "Shut up."

"No." Kelsey grinned at her friend's irritation, then began searching the room to help find a cot.