A/N: Once again, anything in bold is from About a Boy. Thanks so much for your reviews. I hope this chapter doesn't seem too out of place. Enjoy, and plz let me know if you do!
Jack followed the dark girl up the stairs, drunkenly humming to himself. "So, have you got a name, luv?"
"They call me Bleak," the girl said opening up a dark room.
"That's cheerful enough." Jack smiled and walked through the door Bleak held open. She followed in closely behind. Jack jumped as the candle seemed to light itself. "You should be glad I'm not as superstitious as me mates."
"Shut up and sit down," Bleak barked.
Jack arched an eyebrow and sat on the bed. He started to remove his boots but stopped quickly, thinking better of it. Bleak shook her head. "By all means, get comfortable." Jack smiled sheepishly as he began to undo his pants. "That won't be necessary," Bleak snapped.
"It is where I come from." He placed his belt with his gun strapped to it carefully beside the bed. Bleak shot him an angry look to which Jack had to ask, "What did you bring me up here for, then?"
Bleak pulled a chair from underneath a vanity table. Positioning it in front of Jack, she sat facing him. "What would you say if I were to offer you immortality?"
"I'd say, 'Bloody hell, you've had more than me!' Don't you know that I narrowly missed being cursed only years ago?"
"This isn't a curse, Jack."
"Right, and I s'pose I could pillage, plunder, rifle, and loot my filthy black guts out for eternity and not have to pay even the smallest for it?" Bleak nodded. "What is it they say about things that are too good to be true?"
"Seize them at the first opportunity."
"Now you sound like a trustworthy lass!" Jack smiled; and then, in thought, arched an eyebrow curiously. "S'pose I get caught and hanged, hmm?"
"Then you feign death because you won't die." She spotted Jack's sword. "Ah, may I?" she asked, reaching for it.
Jack looked warily at her for a moment then finally yielded. She took his sword and plunged it into her chest to which Jack screamed like a frightened little girl. As Bleak removed the blade, the open wound sealed itself. Jack gulped, finally finding his voice. "I guess that's proof enough. I bet I don't age either, eh?" Bleak shook her head. "What's the catch, then?"
"Well, you will only be lifted of it if you fall in love or find another to willingly take the burden from you."
"Find another to willingly take it from me? Say, how is it that you knew I'd be interested?"
Bleak smiled. "You see, selfish people who lead pointless lives find the offer irresistible. And who's more selfish than a pirate?"
"Bloody hell. Well, you're probably right. There's no point to my life, but thanks for bringing that up. But why would I want to be lifted? Sounds dandy to me. Say, I'll still have me feelings, right?"
Bleak looked confused, "Uh . . . yeah."
"Alright then, let me have it!" At that, Bleak stood up, picked up her chair, and struck Jack across the head with it. After a brief "That smarts," the drunk captain collapsed onto the floor.