The evening was brisk. Dusk on the island was always beautiful to Nerissa. They trailed down her lane and into the streets that were still bustling with several people running hither and thither. The two waked in silence until they came upon a familiar building.

"This is my schoolhouse," Nerissa pointed out.

Jack looked up at the edifice which seemed to be no more than a one room house with a vaulted ceiling. "It's nice," he said, having nothing better to offer.

"I don't like it at all." Jack arched an eyebrow at her, clearly startled by her statement. "My parents make me go, but I don't enjoy it because my classmates like to make sport of me since I am the governor's daughter. They call me spoiled and aristocratic."

"They are fools for not seeing you for who you are. And I must admit, while I have not known you for quite a whole evening, I don't think you're spoiled at all."

Nerissa smiled at Jack's attempt at comfort. "Were you really a pirate?" she blurted out.

Jack's eyes widened with shock of the straightforwardness of her question. "I honestly don't know, but I should hope not."

"Why? I should think it would be terribly exciting and--"

"And dangerous and unlawful. Nerve-racking, I would imagine as well, what with having to evade authorities all the time." Nerissa sighed dully. "What?"

"You sound like my mother. She's always to scared to try anything new for fear of, well, anything she can come up with. You should hear the things she says about the New World." Jack chuckled to himself while Nerissa guided him away from the schoolhouse and down some more streets. "You can't remember anything?"

"Nothing more other than the last fifteen years. I just woke up one day with a hammering headache and no memory."

"I heard mother and father say that you are as old as they."

"Indeed?" Nerissa nodded. "What do they think of these curiosities?"

Nerissa flushed visibly. "Well, I can't say, really, since I only overheard their discussion."

Jack smiled as Nerissa lead them back to the lane leading up to the Turner Manor. "I really enjoyed the fresh air, young Miss Turner."

Nerissa flinched at his formality but reciprocated. "It was my pleasure, Captain Smith."

Elizabeth was standing in the entrance of the manor with her hands propped angrily on her hips, obviously awaiting their return. "Nerissa!" she scolded. "You could have told us you were going out."

"Sorry, mother."

"Do you have any idea who could take advantage of the governor's daughter walking about unsupervised--"

"If I might," Jack cut in. "She wasn't unsupervised, I was with her the whole time."

"--with a man of no recollection, no less!"

Elizabeth shooed her daughter into the house while Jack followed them in while Will emerged from the parlor.

"I hope she wasn't disturbing you, Jack."

"No, it's quite alright, I--"

"Nerissa I think you should call it a night," Will said.

"But--"

"Don't argue, dear, after all, you were disobedient."

"Very well," Nerissa said through gritted teeth and retreated to her room. Jack followed her exit with visible concern.

"Don't worry yourself about her, Jack," Will said, slapping him on the back and leading him into the parlor. "She'll be married off soon enough. That's what I keep trying to tell myself, at least, but her mother is so dissenting to most suitors that I fear she'll die an old maid and remain here the rest of her life, no less." Jack looked unsurely at him as he took a seat. Will laughed uproariously, reassuring Jack of his joke. Jack nodded in acknowledgment and smiled, still uncertain of Will's choice of humor.

Will took a seat on the divan and peeked around the corner of the parlor in attempt to espy any onlookers. He turned straight in his seat and reached into his coat pocket. From there, he retrieved a small flask. "What do you say we make this evening a little more delightful?"

"I don't really think-" Jack began, but Will cut him off.

"Nonsense, this is like mother's milk to you, I assure you." Will took a swig and passed the flask to Jack.

"Well, if you put it that way . . ." he said before taking a sip. He smacked his lips audibly and smiled. "This likens to a pleasant reunion."

"And that's what we're celebrating." Will walked over to the buffet and poured himself a glass of brandy.

Jack took a deeper swig from Will's flask. His eyes widened in amazement. "It's as if I've found a part of myself."

The two gentlemen glutted themselves on drink after drink. Will explained to Jack how he came to be a governor and reminisced the good old days of Jack's shaky memory. Jack recounted some of his more recent misfortunes and they laughed it up until they got so loud that Elizabeth had to come down and protest. She took the liquor away from the men, shooed Will upstairs, and urged Jack to do the same. Soon, all was quiet in the mansion and everyone slept 'til morning.