Elissa Worthington screamed as a gloved hand clamped over her mouth. It was the middle of the night and Elissa could see her window was open by the light of the full moon. She looked over to see her 17 year old brother being hauled bodily from his bead. She could see a man trying to force a sack over her brother's head. Another man was coming toward her with another sack. She lashed out violently and it worked. She was released from her captor's grip and didn't waste a second as she rushed that man holding her brother. He didn't see the attack until it was too late and as toppled over. Reginald Worthington grabbed his sister's arm and hauled her to the door. They left their tiny house and ran into the bawdy streets of Tourtouga. No one slept at this hour, at least none of the pirates did, and Elissa and Reggie lost them selves in the bar. Riggie hailed the bar tender and said only "They've come" before going into the cellar. Elissa sat down heavily on an upside down bucket and sighed.

"Where's Jack when you need him" Reggie swore. He was turning into a man, with broad shoulders and a straight back. Elissa was not exactly the picture of a modest young lady in cut off pants and a thin linen shirt. Her long hair was braided into tiny braids, her brown hair setting off her tan nicely. She had just gotten back to Tourtouga after a stint in the South China Sea. She loved being a sailor, and didn't mind pirating, so long as it paid the bills.

"It could take him a while to get here, if he even got the massage."

Jack was Reggie's uncle by marriage- his mother had married Jack's brother- but Elissa wasn't related to Reggie or Jack. She was Jack's brother's best friends child. Both of her parents had died by that hand of the English government. 'A short drop and a sudden stop' she'd heard it put once. It had been Jack's brother (Edward by name) who had saved her from being branded as a child. They had wanted to mark her as the spawn of pirates, with a skull and crossbones, but it was Edward's silver tongue that had saved her. He had taken her in and raised her as his own since she was six, and Elissa loved him dearly. 'Uncle Jack' had constantly been a source of consternation for Edward in many ways, being that he was a pirate and his daughter was infatuated with him. Reggie had teased her mercilessly for a long time, but once her had found his own girlfriend he had stopped. They stayed in the cellar for three weeks, waiting and hoping Jack would come.

The small door opened and Jack's face appeared above them. A hand replaced the face and Reggie grabbed it.

"We'll be back soon, Lisie, don't worry." She head Jack's voice.

"What the bleeding hell do you mean! I'm coming too!"

"It's too dangerous" Jack said simply and shut the trap door.

"Oh no you don't" Elissa muttered to herself and grabbed her pistol. She fired a shot into the trap door.

A muffled "Bleeding Christ!" came from above and Elissa stood, feet apart and gun pointed at the trap door, when it opened.

"What the hell d'you think you're doing!" Jack's angry yell came.

"I've sailed from the straights of Magellan to The South China Sea, I'm as able as any man, and you are not leaving me here!" Jack considered her and the gun, as well as the cutlass slung on her hips, and stuck his arm into the pit. He felt her calloused hand grab his and was surprised at it. After she had gotten her footing he turned her hand over.

"Bloody hell" he whipered, "What've you been doing?"

"I'm a pirate, Jack. Like you."

"No, you're a girl"

"And sometimes I'm both" she retorted. Jack considered her for another second. Nothing was lost on him. He was going to have trouble if he took her- and if he left her. Might as well take her, he mused. She had gotten a bit taller since had had last seen her, when she was 12, and there was no mistaking that under her man's clothes she was a woman. He puller her close and hugged her.

"You've changed, Lissie" he laughed. She smiled and shrugged.

"And you haven't"

They laughed and made their way out of the bar. Jack put a finger to his lips as they got to the door. They were all silent as they made their way to the Pearl. They slipped silently aboard and the ship pulled out, not making a sound as it crept through the waters.