Disclaimer: I still don't own anything except Sandra. As always, I wish I did though.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"To Tortuga!" Captain Jack yelled from the front of the ship. A cheer went up from the crew. Sandra looked up from where she was learning basic knots supervised by the captain.

"What's Tortuga?"

"Ah. Tortuga is a pirate's haven. No naval officer has ever dared set foot in Tortuga. It's good place to stock up on rum and sell off yer plunder as well as finding a fair bit of pleasurable company," he said with a wink to her. "We will be partaking in all of them, but we mainly need to sell off the result of the last pirating excursion."

"And will I be coming ashore with you this time?" Sandra had not been allowed to come on land since she had joined with the crew.

"Aye, that you will. Ye cannot be a good piratess without having set foot in Tortuga."

Sandra set about her work again. Picking up knots and rigging since she had come aboard.

After a day's work and indescribable food. She settled into bed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sandra jolted awake. She looked around at her quarters, shared with AnaMaria. She tried to fall back into dreams, but found herself unable to. She got up and dress, the sun would be up in an hour or two anyway. She grabbed the sword Jack had permitted her to keep. She had taken up practicing before work of the day, but never this early.

Emerging onto a deck she unsheathed her sword and made sure the area around her was clear. She ran through her standers warm up and stretching. She began with simple thrusts and steps, working up to more advanced steps.

She twirled around into a step she had been working on and was jolted when her blade met another. She looked at her opponent to see Jack. He was grinning as he thrust at an opening in her defense. She got over her shock and met his blade. Sandra soon got used to fighting against someone, as she rarely did, and began to take advantage. Jack was strong, but she was quick and nimble. She was starting to get an advantage when suddenly Jack broke off and walked to the side of the ship. Sandra pulled back a strike to avoid harming him.

Sandra walked over sheathing her sword and stood beside her Captain.

"You're a fair good swordswoman," Jack said with no emotion in his voice.

Sandra was startled by his tone by gave a reply, "Well I could hardly make a good product if I didn't know what people were looking for in it. I used to practice at least a few hours every day."

Jack did not acknowledge the answer but moved onto another topic, "I wanted ta thank ye for the painting set," he then moved on in a slightly embarrassed tone, "I was wondering if ye could pick up some more when we reach port."

"Why?"

"I've used it all."

"All of it?! There was enough there for a ton of work!" she sighed, "I will, but I get to see how my set was put to use."

Jack considered and agreed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jack gave her the old sketchbook and the better one she gave him to flip through to see if she deemed it worthy to buy him more. She could always make him buy it himself, but it would look kind of odd, a pirate and art supplies.

Sandra flipped through his old book. In the beginning most of the drawings were sketchy, mostly depicting a black ship and a…bottle…? She'd have to ask him about that one. The coal rubbing drawings got progressively better. They were great as she finished that book and switched to the one she gave him. The paper was thicker, so different materials could be put to use on it. Flipping through she saw there was a greater variety of subject matter in this one. Still the black ship and the strange bottle. But now, in addition, there were pictures of all her swords. Now in color there was a beautiful sunset in purples, blues, and pinks. In the middle there was a picture of a figure that had been scratched out in coal. The last page before they stopped was a picture of a pirate medallion.

Sandra gasped and ran to her possessions. She rooted through them. She owned one of these. Elizabeth took it from her when she was found to keep her from being persecuted as a pirate. She returned a few years later. She never wore it but kept it with her. Elizabeth had not packed it for her.

She ran out on deck and up to the captain, who was steering staring out at the horizon.

"Captain! What is this!?" she said, showing him the drawing, "I used to have one. What is it? I never found out."

The Captain looked at his drawing and looked at her curiously, "I never asked your family name, luv."

She did not see how it was important, but graced him with her name, "I'm Sandra O'Reilly."

"O'Reilly is it. How about that. How did ye come across one of these?"

"Do you know of it?"

"That wasn't me question, now was it." He said with a grin, eyes still fixated on the horizon.

Sandra sighed in defeat, "When I was found by Elizabeth and her precious Commodore, I had a medallion and a ring on me," she pulled the pearl ring from under her shirt, "Elizabeth took it and returned it when danger was past."

Jack tore his gaze away from the ocean and refocused on her ring. His eyes widened, "Now aren't you just full of surprises."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After coming into to port a week later, Sandra was beginning to wonder if she was going to want to leave the ship in this particular location. Jack had said that she would be coming with him. She didn't think Jack would let anything happen to her, but she never could tell with him.

"All right, you boys know what to do! You have till noon tomorrow, or we're shipping out without ye!" Jack yelled over docking preparations.

Jack threw his arm over Sandra's shoulder and dragged her off the ship, "Now we'll be off to see about your ring. You have not put it on correct."

"Not since I was found eight years ago."

"Good. Now off to The Drunken Noble and one William Turner!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

If you want to send or leave a list of the ship terms so I can quit calling it the steery thing, it would be greatly appreciated. Mechawashu2@mailcity.com. I'm also looking for a pre-reader editor type person. I like knowing where incontinuities in my work are.