A/N Thanks Paaje, for reviewing… : D I was beginning to think that everybody else had forgotten this story even existed.  And thanks to Jessicagreenblue… new reviewer!  Glad you finally got around to reading this one. 

Once again… I do not own any of the characters in this story that belong to… somebody else. 

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            Anamaria took the helm that morning because Jack had locked himself in his cabin and spent the morning getting rid of the extra rum that was lying around.  Getting rid of it in the only way he knew how.  Anamaria recognized his condition and the fact that he was unfit to sail, and she took charge. 

            Jack, while having a wonderful ability to be able to hold his alcohol, was quite drunk.  Mumbling to himself about beautiful redheads that kept screwing him over, his crew left him alone.  He only came out to drunkenly stumble to the head or to the galley to find something to eat, only to discover that eating made him sick because they hadn't stopped to get more food since Anne made them stop at Nassau. 

            After about three days of this drunken stumbling around, Gibbs decided that Jack needed some cheering up… after all, there were plenty of fish in the sea, and Jack was known for swimming around from fish to fish.  Gibbs did his best with what food was left to make the best meal he could come up with… then he dragged Jack down to eat with the rest of the crew. 

            Jack was sullen and picky while eating, and Gibbs was slightly disappointed… all efforts to cheer the captain up had been in vain.  Anamaria patted his back. 

            "It was a good plan, Gibbs, it just didn't work.  We all appreciate you for trying." 

            But the meal was actually pretty disgusting, so nobody ate it anyway. 

            Some of the crewmen even tried teaching cottons parrot to say "look on the bright side" in an effort to crack a smile with Jack. 

            But nothing worked. 

            Anamaria was frustrated and she finally stomped up to Jack cabin to try and yell some sense into him. 

            "Jack, if you don't shape up, the crew will mutiny!"

            Jack didn't answer.  Finally, he just sighed in response. 

            "Alright then, Jack, are you honestly going to make me drag Anne back here to talk some sense into you?  You are pathetic, Jack Sparrow!" 

            "Captain."  Jack replied meekly. 

            "No."  Anamaria replied, storming out. 

            "Captain!"  Jack said, sticking his finger up in the air matter of factly, but halfheartedly, and then sighing and lowering it again. 

            What are you doing, Jack?  Why are you just sitting there?  Am I honestly going to have to come back and mutiny against you again? Jack heard Anne's voice inside his head, and he tuned it out.  Maybe it would be better if she came back. 

            Stop being selfish, Jack.  It was his own voice this time.  She deserves her chance to try and get her ship back, so stop trying to mess it up for her. 

            Jack sat up straighter in his chair.  He understood what he had to do, of course. 

            Standing up and opening the door, he squinted into the sun. 

            Anamaria was standing at the helm, and when he came out, she turned to look at him, the sun behind her head making her outline glow. 

            Jack walked over to the helm, finding his sea legs again on the way, and grinned a cheeky grin at Ana.  He kissed the top of her head faintly and then started to speak. 

            "Thank ye fer holding on while I was unable to… never mind.  Thank you for keeping yer head while I was bein' a bastard." 

            Anamaria did not smile.  "Yer welcome." 

            "Did uh… Anne tell ye where she was goin'?" 

            "Yea."  Anamaria stepped away from the helm and started to walk across the deck. 

            "Well?"  Jack called to her retreating figure. 

            Anamaria turned around. 

            "Jack, do you know how long I've been keeping this ship on track?  Three days, Jack.  I'm tired and haven't eaten in awhile… and I need to get some rest.  So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to sleep.  It's not my problem if you miss yer girlfriend.  She's gone, Jack, of her own free will.  Can't you just leave her alone?"

            Jack walked up to her and grabbed her arm. 

            "Look, luv, I don't want to make this hard.  You don't understand why we need to find her… but it's important.  Ye can sleep and all that after she's found, or at least after ye tell me where she is." 

            Anamaria scowled. 

            "Why should I?" 

            "Because if ye don't I'll throw ye in the brig.  You just try to sleep in there." 

            "Don't bother."  Anamaria said, turning and walking toward the brig.  "I'll go there meself." 

            Jack caught her arm. 

            "Leave me be, Sparrow!"  She spat at him. 

            "Oh, down to last names, are we?"

            "That's right." 

            "Well, then, please tell me where she is?" 

            Anamaria pouted when she realized she had no choice.  The gun that Jack was pressing to her forehead was loaded. 

            "You have changed, Jack." 

            "Yes I have.  I never got a chance to thank Anne fer changing me, so that's what I intend to do.  The revenge is her ship, after all." 

            "Yer crazy, Jack."  She paused.  "Alright, I'll tell ye.  But I think that it would be obvious… you seemed to come to the right conclusion before, when trying to find her." 

            "Tortuga?" Jack gaped. 

            "Tortuga." 

            Anne sighed when she arrived at the dock.  She didn't check any of the other ships in the harbors… she was confident she could find one. Here goes, she thought.  The first day of the last of my life. 

            She didn't hesitate to head down to The Faithful Bride to get some food and some news… what ships would be available for the money that she had, and what crew would go with her.  And what sort of adventure should she aim for next. 

            She found herself wondering if somehow she could arrange a bit of a drop in with Jack…

            But reminded herself that it probably wouldn't work too well.  

            Please forgive me, Jack.  Stay away from me, don't try to find me.  Because the next time I might not be able to let go. 

            She ignored the brawls around the whole of the bar, and just headed straight to the bartender. 

            "On the menu for today?"  She asked him, setting down and plopping three coins onto the counter. 

            The bartender made a face. 

            "You'll need more than that if you want a meal." 

            She was about to open her mouth to argue, when the coins were pushed back at her by a man sitting next to her.  He put eight coins down on the counter and grinned at the bartender. 

            "I'll take care of this one.  Get her what she wants, and I'll have the same thing.  Remember, you owe me." He said all of this to the bartender, and then turned to Anne, who got up and walked toward the door. 

            "Wait!"  He called after her, getting up and following her.  He grabbed her arm before she could leave. 

            She shrugged him off. 

            "Thanks for the offer, but I don't need to be paid for, thank you very much.  My business is my own, and it does not include you." 

            "What?  I was just trying to get to know you a little better!  What about the food?  Aren't you hungry?" 

            "I don't need you to pay for me!  I would be willing to bet I have more money than you have ever had in your whole life!"

            The man frowned. 

            "Just… how much money?" 

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Anne sat at a table in the back of the faithful bride, staring at the very same man who was sitting across from her. 

            "So let me get this straight…" The man started to say.  "You want a ship, and a crew, and in exchange, you'll pay me what you have, and fifteen percent of your plunder."

            Anne hesitated. 

            "Yes." 

            The man laughed. 

            "Why would I let little lasses like you captain my ship?  I would say it's likely that my ship would be sunk within a few weeks.  I'm not going to risk it.  What proof do you have that you can captain a ship?"

            "I vouch for her."  Said a man from behind Anne.  Anne recognized the voice and groaned inwardly. 

            "Dammit, Jack."  She muttered, standing up and staring at him.  "Why are you doing this?  I'm through with you, okay?  Thanks a lot for all you help and everything but I'm doing it on my own now."

            "I know you want the revenge back and I want to help you get it."  He said quickly, before she could leave.   

            "So you want to help me get the revenge back?"  She said, raising an eyebrow and watching him closely.

            "Aye." 

            "How?" 

            "Well …"

            She sighed and turned around and kept walking.  Jack ran after her. 

            "What?  What's wrong?" 

            "I'm tired of coming up with the plans, okay?  You know very well that just attacking their ship isn't going to work at all.  They won't just surrender… it'll be dangerous!  You come up with a plan, something that might actually work, and then we'll go get my ship back, savvy?" 

            Jack thought about this for a moment. 

            Then he grinned. 

            "Okay.  I have a plan." 

            Anne turned around and stared at him again. 

            "What?" 

            "You'll see."