Disclaimer:  hmmm . . . if I owned Jack-I mean PotC- I would be extremely happy, but I don't, so I'll try to get over it.

AN:  AH HA!  Chapter three is up!  Whoohoo!  Sorry it took so long, but I was busy writing it, plus I had school and work and all that fun stuff.  But here it is!

PineAppleLint:  thank you so much for the review!  I greatly appreciated it!

Now on to the story!

Sui Generis

Chapter 3: Saved

            Jack Sparrow stood at the helm of his ship, the Black Pearl.  His hands trailed over the knobs on the wheel, a small smile playing over his face.  "Drink up me hearties . . . yo ho!" he whispered to himself, his gaze wandering across the vast ocean searching for the horizon that he so longed for.

            The wind whipped at his beaded and braided hair, blowing the dark strands into his kohl lined eyes.  Jack's head swayed in time to the music that played in his mind.  "Da da da da da da da . . ."

            "Jack!"

            Jack jumped slightly.  "Captain," he whispered.  "It's Captain Jack."

            "Smoke signals!  From that island!"  AnaMaria shouted up at him from the deck.  She pointed to her right, and Jack followed her action with his eyes.  A few miles away from the Pearl lay an island.  Coming from the island was a tall cloud of smoke.

            Jack's eyes grew distant for a moment as he recalled the events of three years past when a certain woman had lit an island on fire in hopes of being saved.  His thoughts turned back to the present as AnaMaria ran up the stairs to the helm.

            Jack held out his hand and seconds later AnaMaria placed his telescope in his hand.  He opened it quickly and placed the end to his eye, looking out over the ocean to the smoking island.  At first he noticed nothing, and then, as he followed the shoreline, he noticed a group of men standing on the beach, waving their arms frantically in hopes of getting noticed.

            He pursed his lips in thought.  Obviously, the men had either been shipwrecked or left there to die like he had been thirteen years earlier.  Although this was a different island.  "Weigh anchor," he said softly, knowing AnaMaria would hear him.  "We'll send a boat after them.  Bring the poor sods to the Pearl."

            "Aye, Jack," she replied, then turned around quickly and shouted to the men down on the deck.  "Weigh anchor!  Prepare to launch the boat!  Scottie, Martins, Bones, head for that island.  Slim, take an extra boat.  Bring those men back!"

            "Aye, aye!" the men all called out in chorus and scrambled to do as they were commanded.

            Jack stood silently at the helm, his hands still gripping the handles on the wheel, waiting patiently for his crew to bring back the men from the island.

            Jack stood on the deck of his ship, his arms crossed over his chest, watching silently as ten men clambered out of the two boats that hung at the side of the Black Pearl.  AnaMaria stood just behind him, her hand on the hilt of her sword, prepared to protect her Captain if the need arose.

            An elderly man stopped in front of him.  The man nodded to Jack slightly.  "'Ello mate.  Name's Conroy, sir.  I thank ye fer allowin' us on yer ship."

            Jack raised his chin slightly.  "Yer welcome.  I'm Captain Jack Sparrow," he gestured behind him.  "This is my first mate, AnaMaria."  He opened his arms wide, as if to encompass the entire ship.  "This here's the Black Pearl."

            Conroy nodded slowly.  "Yes, I've 'eard of it.  It be a pleasure ta be on board."

            Jack watched as a young man, who couldn't have been older than fifteen, tugged at the old pirate's shirt.  "Mr. Conroy, what about the Captain?" he asked softly, his eyes wide with worry.  "They may still have her!"

            Jack's eyes narrowed slightly.  "Captain?  They?  Her?"

            Conroy nodded again.  "Aye, sir.  Our Cap'n may still be 'eld captive on 'er ship.  Skinner an' 'is crew left us on that island an' sailed off wit' our Cap'n an' 'er ship."

            Jack's eyes darkened slightly and he felt AnaMaria's hand touch his shoulder.  "This man, Skinner, mutinied?"  

            "Aye, sir.  Don't know what 'e planned ta do wit' our Cap'n."

            "Please Mr.-I mean Captain- Sparrow!" Skids cut in.  "You must help us find her!"

            "How long has it been, boy?" Jack asked.

            "About three days, sir.  That was when Skinner left us on the island."

            Jack was silent for a moment, and then turned around quickly.  "Hoist the anchor!  Ready the sails!  We set sail immediately!"

            The deck became overrun by pirates following their Captain's orders.  Sails were raised quickly and the anchor was raised from the ocean floor.  Jack turned back to Conroy.  "And you, gentlemen, may join me for a bite to eat.  While you do, you may enlighten me on your current situation."

            Jack turned around again and walked quickly to his quarters, Conroy and the others following him.

            Jack sat at the table in his quarters, his hat lowered over his eyes and his feet propped up on the table.  His chin rested against his chest as he listened to the two pirates recounted the events of the last few days.  He lifted his head slightly to look out from under his three cornered hat as they finished their tale.

            "So," he said moments later.  "Your Captain is Lor Adams?  Daughter to Captain Black Adams?"

            "Aye, sir," Conroy replied.  "You've 'eard of 'er?"

            Jack nodded, and then took off his hat, revealing the bandana that he wore.  "I've 'eard of 'er.  And 'er father.  Knew him once.  Long time ago.  Before I had the Pearl."

            Conroy nodded.  "I've known the Cap'n since she was sixteen.  She's a good lass. 'As a good 'eart, just like 'er father."

            Jack nodded again, then stood up slowly and stretched.  He looked down at the two men that sat in front of him.  "Finish eating, mates, then find AnaMaria, she'll show you to a place for you to sleep," he said, walking towards his cabin door.

            "Thank ye, Cap'n," Conroy said.  "We will 'elp on yer ship, sir.  Just give us orders, an' we'll follow 'em."

            Jack nodded slowly, and then exited his cabin, his mind traveling to a time long past.

            The sun was just rising over the rolling sea as Jack exited his cabin.  He watched as the sun's rays splashed over the water creating a sort of horizon.  Jack stretched out an arm, his hand outstretched as if to reach for the horizon.

            He lowered his arm and allowed his eyes to glance over the men, and woman, that walked around his deck.  He watched as AnaMaria stopped what she was doing to look at him.  As their eyes met, she nodded in acknowledgement and he raised his chin slightly.

            He continued looking over the men on his deck until his eyes settled on the young boy that had come aboard three days ago.  The boy was a good worker, never arguing when Jack gave his an order.  In fact, the boy rarely talked at all.  Jack figured that the boy was extremely upset about his Captain.  He was about to call out to Skids when one of his crew, Bones, called out.

            "Cap'n!  Rocks ahead!  I think there's someone tied to 'em!"

            Skids dropped the mop that he had been holding and ran to the front of the Pearl, looking at the little cluster of rocks ahead of them.  Jack walked up behind him, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.  "You think that's 'er, lad?" he asked.

            "Who else could it be, sir?"      

            Jack nodded and then turned around to issue orders to his men, his long hair and coat blowing in the wind.

            Lor's chin rested against her chest, her eyes closed.  She had watched the sun rise and set three times knowing that some day soon, the sun would set on her last day.  But all she could think about was her crew and she prayed that they got saved.

            Her red hair hung in wet, tangled strands around her face.  Her clothing clung to her skin and the ropes that were wrapped around her arms and legs burned her skin from all the times she had tried to break free.  Skinner had tied her to two separate rocks, her arms and legs spread out wide.  She thought that Skinner was afraid that she would have been able to get away if he hadn't tied her up.  Although where she would have been able to go, she had no idea.

            The sound of wood hitting water caused Lor to lift her head and open her eyes.  The swelling in her left eye had gone down just enough so that she could see out of it.  She tilted her head slightly to look to her right and noticed a small boat filled with men heading towards her.

            Lor licked her dry, chapped lips and then closed her eyes again.  For all she knew, the men could be Skinner and his crew, having finally figured out where the map was, coming back to get her.  She wouldn't give up without a fight, she knew.  Just as soon as she gained her strength back.

            She listened as the oars settled down into the water as the boat stopped in front of her.

            "Well, well.  If it isn't young Lor Adams," a voice said, causing Lor to open her eyes and look up.  She knew that voice.

AN: So?  How was it?  Was there enough Jack?  =)  Next: Chapter 4: Port Royal.  You learn a little about how Jack knows Lor and her father.

Plz R/R!