Feedback: Would be appreciated and I won't keep writing unless I get some, thanks!

A/N: This isn't meant to be some idiotic Mary-Sue, so if it starts turning into one . . . may a Chinese Fortune Cookie of Doom Haunt my Dreams Forever . . .



Will decided he wanted to find out about the newest member aboard the Black Pearl. Jack Sparrow had refused to let anyone go in the room where she continually slept, going to bring her food and a flask of what Will hoped was water. He usually left the room with the flask empty, but not much food eaten, and spent about an hour with her every day. So one night, about a week after they had found the girl, Will nervously approached the captain's quarters, and gingerly knocked on the door.

"Come in." Jack drawled, as Will opened the door. "Ah, Will. Just the man I wanted to talk to!"

"Really?" Will asked, hopeful that this meeting might not be so bad.

"Actually, no, but now that you're here, what does it matter? Have a seat," Jack gestured to a chair sitting in the corner.

"I'd prefer to stand if you don't mind."

"Suit yousself," Jack mumbled, reaching for a flask and began downing it. Will noticed that Jack was fingering something gold in his hands, and when the captain felt the gaze upon his back, he shoved it back in his pocket and impatiently asked, "You gonna sit here all day or do you have something to say?"

Will swallowed, "I wanted to know about the woman on board."

"What's there to know?"

"There must be something about her if you refuse to let anyone see her." At this Jack turned. He stood up, grabbed the boy's shoulders, and gripped them tightly. The pressure made Will flinch, but he continued to look back into the captain's eyes.

"If I told you . . . How would I know you wouldn't go telling the whole crew everything I say?"

"Jack I wouldn't do that." Damn that boy's honesty

"Fine." Jack took another swig out of a jug of rum, and muttered, "She's not a pirate."

"But . . . I thought . . . "

"Well she don't have a brand, I checked, so she ain't a pirate." Jack sighed and continued to drink.

"So, then . . . what is she?"

"That's what's slightly disturbing about this whole thing." Jack started fingering a piece of fabric coming off of his vest. Before Will could even answer Jack turned to look at him again,



"Have you ever 'eard of a certain gel by the name of Bleedin' Betty?"
Will could not help but laugh, "That ridiculous story about the pirate woman? Who kills all men in cold blood?"

Jack grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and brought him close enough to count his eyelashes. Will struggled, trying to break free from the captain's tight grip, but he couldn't break free. "It's no story mate. She's real. She's got a heart of black and a mind of a killer. She turns men to eunuch's and then kills 'em real slow."

"She's dead." Jack dropped Will, as the two turned to see Carly sitting in the corner, playing with one of Jack's pistols. "I like this one," she continued, admiring the pistol. She aimed it at Jack, cocked it, and then turned it on herself. Then she laughed, and put it down.

"You're not supposed to be up, you know." Jack reprimanded her as she remained sitting lazily in the corner.

She chose to ignore him. Nodding toward Will she asked, "Whose your friend?"

"Name's Will Turner, he's a eunuch," Jack could not help but grin slightly, as Will gave the captain a dirty look.

"A eunuch eh? Pity, he's rather handsome." She said sarcastically and then got serious.



"What is it you want to know about Bleedin' Betty?"

"You know of her?" Will asked.

"Look, I'll make a deal with the lot of ya. First I tell you what you want to know about myself and Bleedin' Betty and in exchange, you take me to Port Jade."

"And just why do you assume I care enough about your life story or some Bleedin' Betty to take you to Port Jade?"

"Because that's all you've been talking about since Mr. Turner here," idly waving her hand at the other man, "came in. Besides, I'm not asking for a bloody escort, all I want is to be dropped off so that I can commandeer a ship."

"Let's hear your story first, and then we can make a deal." Jack challeneged

"Mr. Sparrow do we have an accord, or shall I simply take my leave?"

"Aye, and where would you go lass?"

"I can swim, sir, so if there is no reason for me to stay I shall make my way to the nearest port, good day." Just as she was turning to leave, Jack grinned.

"Aye, alright, for now, we have an accord." They shook on it, and just as Jack finished gulping some rum, she grabbed his bottle, and took a swig.

"Much better . . ." Her pink lips broke into a closed smile as she tossed the bottle back to Jack. Both men watched as she got up, walked back to her corner, and disappeared into the shadows. All they could hear was her mesmerizing voice, "Guess I should start off by sayin' that Bleedin' Betty was as real as the ocean, she was no fairy tale. 'Course the only reason she ever became one was 'cause nobody could believe that some woman was a better pirate than any other man. People thought if they pretended there wasn't a real ship, then it would disappear." She snorted as if the very idea was absurd, "The Glittering Jewel comes and goes as she pleases, she can vanish for as long as she wants, but she'll never disappear."

"So that was the name of it, eh? The Glittering Jewel?" Jack tried to suppress a smile. It was a good thing that Carly had decided to remain hidden in the shadows, because her eyes instantly shone with hatred. But she managed to compose herself enough to continue.

"Ah, ship I was born on, ship Bleedin' Betty was captain of. Only women could be on it, and we had a rule, that no woman or girl could ever be slain on purpose, not even a worthless one. But any boy or man, it was our duty to kill."

"Wait," Will interrupted, his head shooting up. "you don't have a pirate brand, so you can't be a pirate!"

"Who said I was one?" She asked. "Never said I was a pirate. I'm a thief, I steal what I want and won't be branded for nothing or nobody, just like my mom, Bleedin' Betty. And don't ask me if I'm the daughter of Bleedin' Betty, 'cause I just told you I was." After saying that, she took a blue scarf out of her pocket, and began tying it around her head. When she was finished, she continued, "One night, a man came aboard our ship. 'e told us that there was a trap up ahead. That we'd be surrounded, and they were after me mom. She didn't believe him, cut him up and threw him in for the sharks.

"Next day, we were attacked, and the trap worked. My mother was killed. And that's about it." She sighed, and looked away tiredly. She closed her eyes, and then opened them again to see an impatient Jack cross his arms.

"That still does not explain how you ended up on a piece of wood, floating in sea without so much as a ship or companion 14 years after the death of Bleedin' Betty. And while that was a very nice story, I'd prefer to hear about why I had to rescue you."

"Rescue me? I think I would have preferred drowning with those bloody chains." At saying this, she grinned, but then realized that neither of the men knew what she was talking about.

"All right, I'll keep going. Hm . . . " She began to close her eyes. "Yes, I remember now. I was on deck when my friend, Isabella pulled me down below. Stupid bitch hit me over the head with a pistol when I tried to break free. She and a few others escaped in a row boat with me and we rowed to the nearest port we could found. You know the story, we commandeered a ship, were fine for a while. I was captain as 13 years old. Pretty amazing, eh?" She was so thankful she was shrouded in darkness so that the men could not notice the emotion showing on her face. Gaining her composure once more, she continued.

"So one day two ships come at us. We make a deal with one, and attack the other. The captain turned on us, and before I could even escape the irons tied 'round me legs, the ship exploded. Dunno why it did that, musta been one of the gels. Anyway, managed to get out of those damn irons by cuttin' up me boots. Waste of a perfectly good pair of boots, too." A mirthless laugh followed this statement. "And I climbed aboard the piece of wood, and you found me." She fell silent, and Jack pressed on,

"What about the captain and the ships? That's not very detailed!" When no response came both Will and Jack stood up and moved toward her. Will moved close to her and felt her gentle breathing against his face.

"She's asleep," he whispered to Jack.

"Fine, carry her to her room then." Jack ordered, and as Will leaned in and was about to scoop her up, she kicked him in the gut.

"Mmm . . .no . . . I can walk . . . " she groaned, half-awake. " 'N I don't like the way you call me Carly, jus' call me Ashley, okay?" Slowly she got to her feet, and then stumbled out the door. Will was clutching his stomach in sheer agony. Nice shot, but better make sure she gets to her room alive.

So Jack exited the cabin, promising Will he'd be back, and followed the girl. She was unaware that she was being followed and first went to the edge of the ship. Jack watched as she stood on the edge and barely made out bits and pieces of what she was saying. "Dead. Promises. I'll get you. Kills me." Then she got off, and headed back to her quarters. She slammed the door behind her, and Jack could not help fingering the gold and silver anklets. At least she wasn't a total loss. He grinned and re-pocketed the trinkets