Okay, here we go. First, the updates will very likely not be coming quite as rapidly as they did this weekend. Seven bloody chapters in three bloody days....I think I've earned a few days rest. Y'know, maybe I can work on my assignments and readings and stuff? Bah. In any case, I will certainly be updating, because there's no bloody way that I'm giving this story up, but whatever the case, I want a couple days rest. Expect lots more chapters next weekend, or something.


Yes. I am tired. Sitting at a computer for three days straight will do that to you.


Anyways, yes. I have reached my 50 comments goal, for which I am eternally grateful. However, reviewers, get out your reviewing buttons, cause there's a new goal - 75! Yes, that's right, can you all reach 75? I have faith in you!


Andi Horton: Aww....Andi, I love you! And I managed to get so many chapters up this fast because this weekend, I had no life. :D


Aiyh-Sa: *happy rum dance* Whee! You like! Really! Thank-you!!!


Quicksilvermad: Personally I think it's creepy and really cool too! Glad to hear that you want me to keep updating!


Lyssa2: Aww....dear! You need a big hug! *huggles* Whoot! I am not a bloody idiot, either? Yay! But really, we are all anxiously awaiting your last chappie (*cries when she realizes that it's the last chapter*) and those Disney type people need to hurry up and release the sequel so we can see Rebecca again! Thank you forever and ever!



Oh, c'mon, people. I do not own any pirates. Not even one. Not even Pintel or Ragetti, and certainly not Jack. *sobs in a corner* I own nothing!



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One does not sleep particularly well when in a pirating town like Tortuga, when the 'leader' of your particular expedition decides to rent only one room in a small inn.


"And just where am I supposed to sleep?!" I demanded, hands clenched into fists at my side.


Gibbs had settled into a chair in the corner, Will had stretched out on the rug on the floor, and Jack had settled onto the end of the lone bed to remove his boots. I stood at the door, almost shaking with not-so-silent fury. Jack raised an eyebrow, and then looked rather pointedly at the bed. "There's plenty of room, luv."


"Oh, no you don't," I pointed at him with a slightly shaking finger. "You are not going to pull something like that over on me!" I gave him the best death glare I could manage. "Why couldn't you just be descent and rent more than one room?!"


He smirked. "I thought you didn't like being by yourself in this city? Something about 'not feeling safe'?"


My face turned quite red. I hated it when people threw my own words back at me! "Could you not have at least rented two rooms, so we wouldn't have this....problem?" I was, suffice to say, not very impressed at the moment.


Jack lay back on the bed, hands behind his head. "Doesn't seem like a problem to me, luv."


"Why, you..." Will jumped as I stepped over him, and marched directly to the bed, grabbed Jack's hat off his head and smacked him with it.


"Now, now." Jack sat back up. "Was that really necessary?"


I glared at him. "It sure as bloody hell was." For good measure, I hit with his hat again. "You're a stubborn," another whack, "obstinate," another hit, "utterly despicable," a whack across his shoulder, "pirate!"


Will looked properly scandalized, Gibbs was watching Jack warily as if to see just what his captain was going to do, and Jack just stared at me for a very long moment.


And then he started laughing at me. I just stood there, flabbergasted, as he grabbed the hat from my hand, and plunked it back on his head. Still chortling, he stood, and pulled that foppish, half-bow again. "My deepest apologies, luv. The bed is, of course, yours, and I wouldn't dream of forcing my company upon you." With that, he turned, still laughing, and plunked himself into the chair besides the bed, propped his feet up on the bedpost, leaned the chair back on two legs, and pulled his head over his face.


Jaw hanging, I stood there for a very long moment, utterly at a loss. At last, Will propped himself up on one elbow, and said softly, "Perhaps, Heather, you might lie down? I daresay you'll need your sleep if you are to continue dealing with Jack."


Letting out a sigh of disgust, I threw myself onto the creaking bed, pulling the flimsy blankets over myself, still clothed. I was certainly not going to undress with them in the room.


Just as my eyes were finally closing to let me sleep, there was the softest of sounds beside me, and my eyes flew open as I felt breath in my ear. Jack's voice whispered, "And next time you try to insult me, luv, try finding something a little worse than 'pirate'."


No, one does not sleep well in those conditions at all.



***



Slightly grumpy and not all that well-rested, I followed the three men as Gibbs led the way to a dock with a lineup of rather disreputable gentlemen. And gentlewoman, but of course, I wasn't going to say anything about that now, was I?


"Feast your eyes, Captain." Gibbs seemed pretty proud of himself. "All of them, faithful hands before the mast. Every man worth his salt." And then, in a lower voice, "And crazy to boot."


"So this is your able-bodied crew?" Will asked.


Jack looked slightly less than sure. "You, sailor!"


"Cotton, sir." Gibbs supplied.


Jack nodded. "Mr. Cotton. "Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?" There was a moment's pause, then Jack demanded, "Mr. Cotton! Answer, man!"


"Seems to be a mute, to me." I said calmly, knowing full well why Mr. Cotton wasn't talking.


"Aye, she's right." Gibbs nodded. "Poor devil had his tongue cut out, so he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured how..."


Cotton opened his mouth, proudly displaying his missing tongue, and I'm pleased to note that I think Jack's expression of disgust was even worse than mine. "Mr. Cotton's....parrot." Jack swallowed. "Same question."


"Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!" the brightly colored bird squawked.


"Mostly, we figure, that means 'yes'."


Jack nodded, as though he was convincing himself. "O' course it does." He turned back to the skeptical pair of Will and I. "Satisfied?"


"Well, you've proved them mad." Will answered.


From down the dock, another voice called, "And what's the benefit for us?"


An involuntary grin spread across my face as I followed Jack down the dock. No more 'the only female allowed on board'!


Jack followed the voice, then, hesitantly, reached out to lift the flap of the sailor's hat, revealing a cold woman's face. Blinking, he swept the hat off. "Anamaria!"


She smacked him.


Will looked down at him, and said calmly, "I suppose you didn't deserve that one either?"


Jack groaned. "No, that one I deserved."


"You stole my boat!" Anamaria pointed at him.


"You stole her boat?!" I demanded, trying to sound scandalized. It actually wasn't as hard as I would have thought.


"Actually...." Jack started, but Anamaria slapped him again. Biting his lip, he continued, hands held up. "...borrowed. Borrowed without permission. But with every intent of bringing it back to you."


"But did you?" I demanded.


"Exactly. But you didn't." Anamaria snapped.


"You'll get another one," Jack said, trying to placate.


Anamaria pointed at him sternly. "I will."


"A better one." I said firmly.


"A better one," Jack agreed, bobbing his head.


"That one." Will pointed out over the water at the Interceptor.


"That one." Jack suddenly realized what he'd agreed to, and turned a pleading gaze on Will. "That one?!" When Will nodded firmly, Jack smiled, weakly. "Aye! That one! What say you?"


The entire crew chimed, "Aye!"


"No, no, no, no, no, it's frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir." Gibbs protested.


I jabbed a finger into the older man's chest, drawing him up short. "And there's no bloody way I'm not coming, got it?"


Jack groaned as he walked away. "It'd be far worse not to, however."



***



I decided that I was not a big fan of sailing. Waves and wind crashed down on our fine ship, and despite the fact that I was wrapped up in some fine British sailor's red coat that had been left behind, I was drenched, cold and quite miserable.


I was crouched on the quarter deck again, back where I was before, and Jack was again beside at the wheel, compass in one hand, looking like a madman.


Will shouted something about islands that no one could find and compasses that didn't work before Gibbs fought his way through the wind and rain to Jack's side. He side-stepped me carefully, then yelled, "We should drop canvas, sir!"


"She can hold a bit longer." Jack seemed in no way fazed by the wind, and in fact, was grinning.


Struggling to stand despite the pitch of the ship that made me feel quite decidedly sick to my stomach, I yelled, "Why are you in such a blasted good mood?!"


He laughed. "We're catching up."