A/N Ok, ppls!  Here's your new update, and I hope you like it.  I've been working really hard on this story… I hope you'll find that some of the mistakes that were in earlier chapters are gone; however, if you find one or have a suggestion, those corrections are always welcome!  I appreciate both criticism and praise (although, of course, you can guess which one is more welcome.)

Chapter 4

            "We're going to steal a ship."  Will said more than asked as the three of them peered around form behind the bridge.  "That ship?"  He asked pointing at the Dauntless. 

            "Never!  Never steal!"  Raine told him, smiling just a little.  "Really, boy, if you can't get the terms right, then I understand exactly why you don't like pirates so much!" 

            "That's right."  Jack said.  "Commandeer.  We're going to commandeer, that ship.  One question about your business, boy, or there's no use going.  This girl… how far are you willing to go to save her?" 

            "Aye, boy, and this is important, so answer wisely.  Jack won't take your words lightly." 

            Will didn't even hesitate.  "I'd die for her." 

            "Well, that's sweet of you.  Excuse me while I vomit." Raine said, turning her attention back to the Dauntless.  Will looked confused, and he and Jack exchanged a glance behind her back. 

            Raine giggled and straightened back up again, turning to Jack. 

            "So, what this time, Jack?  Distraction?  Kidnapping?  Breathing underwater?  Or perhaps you have some new plan?" 

            Will looked confused, but Jack just grinned.  "You really want to do the underwater thing again, don't you love?" 

            "Oh, please Jack?  That was wonderful fun, you have to admit!" 

            "Alright, darling, underwater it is then." 

            "Yes!  Yes, yes, yes!"  Raine said, jumping up and hugging him.  Will looked totally out of it, and Jack looked nervous, like he desperately wanted her to let go. 

            "Get off me, before I change my mind."  He muttered, and Raine sprang off and began looking around. 

            "What are we doing?"  Will asked, trying to understand. 

            "Having a little fun, mate!"  Raine said, spotting a canoe and running to it.  She lifted up the side and looked underneath.  "Will this do, Jack?" 

            "Well enough love." 

            She grinned at him. 

            "Ye look like a kid who's just been told he could have some… some…"

            "Rum?" Raine asked, still grinning. 

            "Yea." Jack said, sliding under the boat after her and Will.  Raine was in the middle, with Jack in front and Will in back. 

            "So… what exactly are we doing?" Will whispered. 

            "Shhh!" Raine said.  "Wouldn't it be a fine thing if someone walking by heard voices coming from under this boat?"  She had an amused tone to her voice, but neither man could see her expression.  It was always hard to tell Raine's moods. 

            "Jane just loves playing tricks on people." Jack said to Will. 

            "Jane?" Will asked. 

            "I told you to stop calling me Jane, Jack!  One more time, and I'll…"

            "How many times have you threatened me?" Jack asked, amused. 

            "More than I should have to put up with." Raine muttered. 

            "Your name is Jane?" Will asked, still utterly out of the conversation. 

            "Are you stupid, or do you just not understand things when they're laid out right before your eyes?" Raine asked him, turning her head slightly.  Will didn't respond.  But both Jack and Raine were thinking the same thing… maybe it would be a good thing if he was stupid.  He wouldn't catch on. 

            "Alright, let's go." Jack whispered to the other two, and they lifted the boat and began walking toward the waters edge. 

            Walking underwater was a curious sensation… they could breathe, but the shoulders down were soaked completely.  It was something Will hadn't experienced before at all, and no wonder why. 

            "This is either madness or brilliance."  Will said. 

            "It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide." Jack finished for him. 

            "You know, boy, when you're with Jack, it's not hard at all to run into that particular paradox all the bloody time." 

            "I will never get used to a woman swearing." Will told her. 

            "You'd better, boy.  I'm not stopping my habits for you." 

            "Why do you keep calling me boy?  I'm not that much younger than you, I'm sure." 

            Both Raine and Jack burst out laughing. 

            "Would you prefer to be called Eunuch?"  Jack suggested. 

            "What?" Both Raine and Will said. 

            "Never mind…" Jack muttered. 

            "Obviously I missed that one, mate!  Shame too, because it sounded great." Raine told him, slipping just a little on some sand.  You could almost hear Jack beaming with pride at her words, but unfortunately in the position they were in, neither Raine nor Will could see it. 

            "Watch the trap, Will." Raine whispered, stepping over the wooden box. 

            "Too late." Will whispered back sheepishly. 

            "No reason to whisper." Jack informed them.    "Unless you don't want the little fishies to hear what you're saying." 

            When he said this in a rather loud voice, both Raine and Will had to cover their ears.  His voice echoed over the entire inside rim and made it about five times louder than it actually was. 

            "Sorry." Jack said sheepishly. 

            "Am I the only one here who can actually be intelligent at some moments in their lives?" Raine muttered. 

            "Hey, whose idea was this in the first place, the first time we did this?  Shut up, Janie dear." 

            "I'm warning you, Jack…"

            "Yes, darling, we all know it drives you nuts.  We just don't care.  Plus, you were nuts to begin with." 

            Jack waited for some cocky response to come from behind him, but there was nothing. 

            "She's gone!" Will said suddenly. 

            "What do you mean, she's…" Jack turned around and gasped when he realized Will and he were the only ones in the boat. 

            "I just closed my eyes for a second, and then…" Will said, panic stricken. 

            Jack let go of the boat and ducked under it, looking around anxiously with his eyes open.  He suddenly realized that he would have to swim up to the surface to get air, and started kicking, as quickly as he could.  Maybe Raine would be up there. 

            When he surfaced, taking a deep breath, his eyes widened upon seeing the Dauntless sailing toward him, nearly on top of him.  It would have run him over…. He was frozen in shock… but then he was tossed a rope from the deck up on the Dauntless.  Grabbing it, he was hauled aboard, and when he finally stood on his sodden legs, there was will and Raine standing in front of him. 

            "You're such an idiot, Jack." Raine said, offering him her hand. He didn't take it; of course… both of them had a sort of unwritten rule never to take help like that from the other.  "Will and I both noticed when it was the perfect time to get up." 

            Jack mumbled something incoherent and then straightened up to look at her.  He pulled her straight against him and just looked at her for a moment, her brown eyes deep pools, her normally mousy brown hair now a dark brown from the water, and a droplet running down the tip of her nose. 

            "Scared the life out of me, luv."  He said in a low voice. 

            "Consider it your punishment." She said in the same low tone.  "Just remember that next time, that I have the power to run you over with ships." 

            Jack laughed.  "I meant you disappearing like that."  Raine grinned. 

            "I can be invisible if I want to." 

            They were both very aware suddenly of Will standing close by, awkwardly trying to not overhear what they were saying. 

            "Right then, down to business." Raine said, pulling away from Jack."  He had a sort of awkward smile on his face as he silently handed her his jacket.  She took it with slight confusion, before looking at her shirt and turning red, pulling the jacket on quickly.  Wet white shirts are not pleasant things to be wearing in the company of men. 

            Jack hesitated.  "You want to get the rudder, luv?"  Raine scowled. 

            "I always have to get the rudder.  You just don't want to be seen with a female." 

            Jack grinned.  "You know how I hate women, darling." 

            "Oh, I know it better than most people." Raine agreed, sighing and hiding behind a crate.  

            "Alright, Jack, I'll see to the rudder chain after you empty the ship.  Savvy?" 

            "Savvy, darling." He said, giving her a little salute before turning and marching a few steps… then he turned back around and frowned at Will, who was following him. 

            "Uh, actually, Will, why don't you stay with Raine?" 

            Raine and Will both looked at each other with a horrified glance and then turned back to Jack and began to protest. 

            "Just… stay here, savvy?  You don't have to talk or anything, just stay out of trouble." 

            Will looked back at Raine and then back at Jack with a pleading look. 

            "Don't worry about it, mate.  She's perfectly easy to handle.  Just… don't call her Jane." 

            Will took a few steps back and Jack grinned at them both before turning away. 

            Raine immediately turned and hoisted herself up onto a bench, lifting her feet up too, so she disappeared from view.  Will stood around awkwardly, not sure whether he should try and hide or not. 

            "Uh, Raine?"  He asked. 

            "Yes?" She asked him back, with the slightest twinge of irritation. 

            Will bit his lip.  "How did you and Jack meet?" 

            For a moment, she didn't say anything, and Will was afraid that maybe he'd hurt her feelings or something. 

            "We ran away from home together."  She finally said. 

            "Oh." Will said wanted her to continue, but knowing she wouldn't unless he prodded further. 

            But he didn't want to actually hurt her feelings by prodding. 

            "Where did you get your tattoo?  Didn't you tell Norrington that you didn't know?" 

            She peered over the edge of the bench at him, and frowned. 

            "Were you spying, or did you just hear that from someone?" 

            "I just heard it."  Will said, without the slightest bit of awkwardness, just curiosity.  Raine sighed. 

            "Well, boy, I lied.  I do know where I got it, alright?" 

            Will waited for her to continue, but she didn't. 

            Suddenly, they both heard Jack's voice. 

            "Gone!" He called out, and Raine jumped down from the bench with ease and made her way down to the deck, Will following. 

            "What now?"  He asked.  "How are we going to make it out of the bay?  There is a ship following us, in full sail." Will pointed out. 

            "In case you hadn't noticed, boy," Raine said with exasperation.  "We've done this before, and have a plan in mind.  Now, will you just have patience and a little faith?" 

            ***~***

            Jack sat in the galley, across from Raine, and watched her peel potatoes.  He was doing it too, of course, but he couldn't help but notice a thin leather strap around her wrist. 

            "Where did you get that?" He asked her quietly.  She glanced at it and then back at him, and put down her knife for a second, twisting the leather around her wrist a few times. 

            "My mother and brother Toni died in a fire on a boat, and this is the only thing that I have that was theirs.  I didn't want to lose it, and I didn't want to forget them, so I wear it around my wrist." 

            Jack nodded solemnly, understanding that it was hard for her to say.  They had only known each other for a few weeks, and getting her to trust him had been one of the hardest things he had ever done.  But now she trusted him with her life, after he saved her from a dangerous wave during a storm… neither had been swept overboard, of course, but Raine might've if he hadn't snagged her. 

            "You won't forget me, will you?" 

            Their eye's met, and Raine bit her lip. 

            "I don't want to."  She said. 

            The next day, both of them talked to the first mate, and he suggested getting a tattoo, something that they would both recognize in case one of them was so hideously disfigured from torture or something, and they thought that it was a great idea.  Except for the torture bit… it made Raine sick to think about. 

            They took a while in picking out the design… Raine wanted hers on her arm, but Jack wanted him is a less visible place… his lower back… and they decided on two swords crossed in an X.  On the hilt of each blade, in tiny letter, were the initials JS and JR.