For starters, I want to thank the Acadamy... . . . err. The reviewers. Hehe. *blushes, embarrassed* But yeah, anyway, I hafta thank you guys (and/or girls, I'm not being sexist here...), cuz you rock. So rock on. :-P Hmmm...I should dedicate this story to someone... some... on... anyone... I pick... *does eeny meeny miney mo* YOU! I pick Jack Sparrow, cuz hes my alter-ego and my muse. Yurp, didn't you know he was a muse? I did. That's why he's my alter-ego. We understand each other.

In all actuality, This story is dedicated to the many faces of Memory Untainted for being the bestest greaser/pirate friend any personality-confused greaser/pirate could ask for. Hehe. Oooh, btw, I REALLY think I need my eyes checked, Miss Memory Untainted. I woke up this morning and sat down at the computer, and could hardly see... I feel like someone took my eyes out, dipped them in Elmer's glue and stuck them in my head, and when I blink it keeps the glue from drying so they are constantly glazed over. (I just realized I could have said "glazed over", and you'd have known what I was talking about but no.... I hafta be dramatic. lol)

Oooooowwwiee. Cinnamon gum. Painful.

ON WITH CHAPTER FIVE!!!!


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As was her custom, Novialeigh woke as the sun began to rise from it's sleeping state, and she sat straight up in bed. At first she didn't know where she was, and gasped, but she quickly remembered what had happened the night before, and looked around the room.

Jack and Will were gone.

As fast as her body would move, she jumped straight up out of bed, and tripped almost immediately on her skirts. She landed hard on the floor, chin first, her legs still entwined in her many layers of clothing and twisted in the blanket she had been covered with in the night. Just then, the door opened, and Nova screamed, terrified of who was coming in.

Of course, it was the two pirates, but she couldn't tell that from where she partially lay on the floor. Trying to offer her a bit of respect, Will turned around as soon as he saw how high her skirts had come up on her legs, but Jack was none for modesty, and marched over to her.

"Miss, wot is it you're doing?"

She pushed herself up, trying to wiggle free of the blanket and pull her skirts down at the same time, but to no avail, and Jack chuckled. "See, Will? That's EXACTLY why I would've made a terrible woman. Alright then, up ye go." He grabbed Novialeigh under her arms, and gave her a good yank, and the blanket fell limp at her feet as she was stood upright. "My... deepest gratitude, Captain..." She curtsied briskly to him as she tried to fix the jumbled mess that had become of her dress, and glanced from Jack's face to Wills, her own quite deeply flushed. "Oh, come off it, lass, we'll be seein' more than that of ye if you're intendin' on sailin' off with us!" She looked to the floor, as quiet as could be, hardly nodding her head. Jack sighed. "Y'know, ye thoroughly annoy me. Ye'd get on fantastic with young Will, right there." he told her, and pointed to where Will stood.

Glancing at the younger of the two men quickly, she had to admit he was attractive. Not nearly as roughish or charming as Jack, it was true, but he wasn't at all a painful sight to behold. Will, after a moment or two of silence from Nova, turned his head to her, and caught her looking, and her eyes went wide again as he sneered at her. "Jack, I'd be ever obliged if you'd stop trying to 'find me a girl'!" He mocked Jack's words, finger quotes and all, buckling at the knees as he walked. Will did a fantastic impression of Jack, and it was all Nova could do to supress a giggle. Jack rolled his eyes. "And you, dear William, annoy me just a tad bit more." He stated as matter-of-factly as he could muster, and walked out of the room. Nova watched him go, still fumbling with her skirts, and Will cleared his throat impatiently. "Miss, we haven't all day to wait for you, you know..." He said quietly, holding the door open as he waited for her to leave first. She quickly grabbed her father's journal from the floor where it had fallen, and thanked Will under her breath as she followed Jack out and down the stairs.

Walking as quickly as she could between the two men, she looked around, trying to catch glances of everything before they reached the docks. She had never been this far into town, not since she'd come from the docks when getting off the ship she sailed from England on. This time, she wanted to be at the docks. Before, she had not.

From nowhere, a man, short, skinny, and as disgustingly smelly as any poor soul to be dragged up from Davy Jones' Locker before a week has passed, dashed out from the alley Captain Jack and his company had just passed. He practically charged into Novialeigh, bowling her over, and she hit the ground hard. "Oh, Miss, my apologies!" He said, helping her up, and then carried on along his way.

Shooting daggers at the mans back with her glare, she brushed herself off, until it hit her. She had dropped her father's book when the bum had knocked her over. "He took my book!" she shouted after scanning the ground around her, not finding it.

Jack spun around, wary eyes falling upon the girl's face. "Miss, wot in bloody hell are you on about now?" Shrieking, she could hardly contain herself. "That man, that man, he took it, he took my book! Oh, please, you must help me get it back!" She grabbed Jacks hand, making an attempt to pull him down the opposite alley, but he stood firm. "Why'dya care so much? All we really need it this map, luv!" She stared at him, shocked he could be so dense, and turned quickly to Will. "Won't you help me, please?!" He eyed her cautiously. "Miss Jennings, if I were you, I'd forget the book ever existed. As much as I'd like a good sword fight right now, I doubt that man, or any of the croonies he may have with him, fight fair." Will muttered, shooting Jack a look in rememberances of the first time they met, and somehow Jack felt his glare on the back of the neck, because he chuckled. "Aye, miss, exactly... an' we'll get ye good an' drunk on the Pearl, too! You'll forget about th'book in no time at all..."

She felt as though she could cry, but opted to look at her feet instead of arguing with the Captain or his cold hearted sidekick. Brushing her eyes with the back of her hand, she could only follow the both of them to the ship.


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Uh-oh... her book is gone... what is she gonna do without her book? And why on earth would some no-good smelly scallywag want it? Hmmmmmmm? HMMMMMMM?! lol Gotta love foreshadowing. Thank you M.U. for this fantabulomastic idea. I don't know what I would do without you. *smacks Jack for not being a good muse* *Jack deserved it* Ha. r/r pllleeeeeaaassseee! I know this chapter was shorter than most, but I hafta watch PotC again before I introduce Novialeigh to all of our dear rogue pirates. Yes. %_^

And when the wind hits my sails...I'm gone

~Bonnie Pirate Lass~