A/N: How is everyone? Enjoying the story so far? I know it's getting a bit boring at the moment, but it I promise it will liven up a bit within the next few chapters ^_-

It's my birthday today! Whoo! Fourteen years old – and I don't feel any different. Anyway, please review and make my day that extra bit special : ) Thanks!

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Lorraine was suddenly awoken by a sudden lurch in the ship's movement. She could hear the creaking of the wood and a deep, low rumble from somewhere outside. Every few moments there would be a particularly loud boom which made her jump slightly; it sounded a bit like cannon fire. The rain was falling heavily and beating down on the wooden deck of the ship, causing a terrible racket like the dropping of thousands of pebbles; the waves were splashing up against the walls of the ship like wind blowing against a shack and the wind was whistling loudly. Lorraine wondered how she had been able to sleep through all of this so far; it was so loud. She stared into the darkness for the candles had now gone out, and there was no way she would be able to find a match in this blackness. Instead, she lay huddled up in the sheets of her bed, her head beginning to ache with the motion of the ship through the strong waves. She could feel the ship go up and down, up and down, up and down and over the large, stormy waves and she screwed her face up as she tried to ignore the dizziness that was beginning to envelope her.

The ship suddenly swayed violently to the side and Lorraine screamed as the table, chairs and cupboards toppled over, smashing to the floor. The wardrobe hit the end of her bed, narrowly missing her feet. The ship slanted to the side again and then went up, over a wave, then swayed, then went over a wave, wobbled to the side again and then lurched forward. Everything was moving; the heavy furniture was falling and rolling this way and that, and the low, deep rumble outside could still be heard.

The door of the room opened and a figure holding a flickering candle entered.

"What's wrong? Are ye alright? Jesus…" Setting the candle down on a nearby shelf, Captain Sparrow desperately began pulling away at the furniture. "Are ye here? Missy? Missy!"

"I'm fine, I'm not hurt." She called to him as she sat up in her bed and tried to look over the cupboard that was obscuring her view of the other half of the room.

"Ah, there y'are. You okay?" Sparrow asked as he hauled the wardrobe out of the way and stood by her bed.

"What's happening? Are we under attack?"

"What? No, no. Just a storm, love." He sat on her bed and pulled her into a hug, rocking her back and forth as if she was a lost child.

Lorraine felt mixed up and confused. She felt safe here with him. If anything else dangerous fell over, she knew that he'd be able to pull her to safety. But should she feel safe in his presence? He was a pirate, after all. Not exactly the most decent of men in the world.

"D'ye want to come with me until the storm dies down?" he asked her affectionately. It was a reasonable question; Lorraine didn't really want to stay in this room during a storm with loose furniture about the place. She nodded and stood up, once again feeling the captain's gaze on her.

"Could you not do that please?" she insisted heatedly.

"What?" he said innocently, a cocky grin on his face and his eyes wide as he also stood up.

"That! What you're doing now!"

"What? Standing?"

"No! What you were doing before."

"Breathing?"

"No!"

"Blinking?"      

"No!"

"Then what the bloody hell are you on about, woman?!"

"Oh, forget it!" she shouted as she stumbled out of the room.

"An' where do you think you're going in naught but a sheet of linen?" Sparrow inquired as she stood by the light of the candle, shadows flickering on her brooding face. She blushed and grabbed one of the sheets from the bed, which she draped over her shoulders like a cape, as well as grabbing her dress which had now dried after being washed. The captain grinned and then followed her out of the room, taking the candle with her.

*****

Once again, Lorraine found herself sitting on Captain Jack Sparrow's bed, in Captain Jack Sparrow's room, on Captain Jack Sparrow's ship. She was sure she was finding herself in this situation far too often. She had only been in here a few hours earlier, to other eyes it might seem as if she was eager to be in here; trotting to and fro several times a day. The ship was still rocking and she could hear shouts from somewhere up on deck.

"I'm goin' to have to leave you, love. They need me on deck." And with that, he darted out of the room before Lorraine could say a word.

She sat on the four-poster bed, rather bored, and peered around the room filled with items haphazardly filling up the spaces between, on and underneath the furniture. There was an empty bottle standing on the table, and another on the floor near her feet. Nothing seemed to have fallen over here from the strong swaying of the ship.

*****

The rain was still hammering down. The thunder was still rumbling. Sparrow still hadn't come back. What was keeping him? He left ages ago. Lorraine clutched at the linen sheets she was draped in since she was getting quite cold; her hair was still a bit damp from when it washed. She got up and pulled back one of the curtains at the small window, and all she saw was a blur; a mix of pitch blackness, sea spray and rain.

She bit her lip, concerned for the captain. Was he alright? Lorraine went back to the bed and fell into an uneasy sleep plagued with sinking ships, people shouting and screaming as they met their horrific ends, being thrown against rocks in stormy weather, people drowning and she unable to help them. She was just watching on, wracked with guilt and the feeling of inability to do anything, it was awful.

Lorraine didn't get much sleep, and woke at dawn to the sound of a shout somewhere up on deck. Her eyes flashed open and she spun her head around; the captain hadn't come back. Her throat tightened with worry, fearing the worst so she swung her legs around the bed and jumped out, pulling off the linen sheet that was wrapped around her and pulling on her dress which lay folded on the end of the bed. She pulled open the door and sped out of the room as fast her legs could take her; she ran along the corridors and up the stairs into the daylight outside. The brightness made her shield her eyes with her hand as she slowly stepped onto the deck, noting the unusual silence that greeted her. Everything was still and there seemed to be a solemn atmosphere in the air. The crew was gathered at the side of the ship, their heads hung low and no-one spoke as the salty breeze passed across the Black Pearl.

Lorraine pushed her hair behind her shoulders and tried to see what they were all looking at, craning her head and taking steps to the left and then to the right. She walked right around the crowd and pushed her way to the front, and she saw Sparrow. A wave of relief washed over her, yet she still remained curious as to what was happening.

Jack Sparrow stood close to the edge of the ship with his back to everyone, facing out to sea. He slowly lifted a hand up and took off his triangular, weather-worn hat and held it to his chest.

"Here's to you, mate." He spoke clearly, tossing a coin over the side in the vast expanse of ocean before him. A low murmur of appreciation emanated from the crew and they slowly departed to attend to their chores.

Lorraine wandered up to the captain, her brows furrowed as she glanced over the edge of the ship.

"What was that all about?"

"O'Ryel. He fell overboard last night, poor bloke."

"I'm sorry…" she said, trying to sound sympathetic. It's hard to miss someone you never knew.

"No point hanging on to what's 'appened though. Life's like that." He told her rather contemplatively, his deep brown eyes out of focus as he looked out to sea. "Anyway," he breathed "we should be docking in Tortuga any day now…"

Lorraine longed for the feeling of solid land beneath her feet; this constant swaying was annoying her. She could see the captain perfectly at home here though, he didn't mind the rocking of the ship at all.

*****

That night there was a drink held in the lost crewmember's honour, and Lorraine was invited to attend by Jack. She accepted the request and went along.

She sat with her hands resting on her lap as the captain gave a toast to O'Ryel. They ate and they drank and they spoke about the said person, recalling memories and good times. Lorraine didn't pay too much attention to those around her as they conversed and she found herself feeling like a spare wheel.

As the evening wore on, most people left until only the captain and his first mate remained in the room with Lorraine. The two spoke about where the ship was to go next after Tortuga, which was rather boring. She was growing tired, but kept herself awake by nibbling on some crunchy, crumbly rye bread and by sipping some water from her mug.

"D'ye want some more o' that?" The captain asked when she had finished her bread. She nodded and he led her into the next room where the food was stored whilst Barbossa waited quietly at the table.

When they returned soon afterwards Lorraine chewed on the bread, but got some caught in her throat; she coughed and spluttered and the captain patted her on the back and gave her the mug of water. Lorraine gulped it down and immediately felt worse; her head was suddenly attacked with an aching pain and she winced as dizziness came over her.

"God, I can tell ye you're a handful, lass." Sparrow muttered as he once again had the task of caring for an unwell girl.

The last thing she saw was his warm brown eyes before everything disappeared as she fell into unconsciousness.