Title: First Impressions
Author: SlayersGrl
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original characters from the movie. I'm just "borrowing" them…

Summary: After a fateful encounter with a certain pirate captain, Katherine tries to live a normal life in Port Royal. Her world is thrown upside when pirates kidnap her brother and she must rely on the one person she never expected: Captain Jack Sparrow.

Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of updates… My muse seems to have run off on me again. Also, school has reared its ugly head and I haven't really had much time to work on this story.

But on a positive note, I now have the rough outline of the whole story done.

Reviewer Responses:

Empress Guinevere Sparrow: Glad you liked the "Kitty Kat" line! I found it very amusing myself… I think I was just going through a phase with my writing style. I like it much better now. Especially since I found an old disk with some of my early writings on it…. Scary! Let's just say I've improved much since then.

Talking book: Yay! My Jack is correct? I was having issues writing him at first, but now that I've written a few other stories, I feel more comfortable with my portrayal of him. I realize Elizabeth is a little off… I wasn't sure how to write her at first. I'm trying to address some of those issues at the end of this chapter. But some time has passed since the movie, so I've viewed her character a little differently…

GiveMeTheWind: Yeah, I understand now what you mean about the whole Jack/Katherine thing. And thanks for the encouragement to keep writing. Unfortunately, I'm awful at finishing stories… I've started so many, and only finished like two. But, I will finish this one! It just may take a while.

Cap'n Phoenix: Sorry! I seem to have gotten your hopes up about the whole phoenix thing and have yet to mention anything. It will be a part of the story later… Just not sure when…

Bluelady198: Thanks for the review! I really had planned to update sooner… but I got writer's block and it's taken me like 5 months to get the next chapter done. Pathetic, I know…

Shanelover1: Glad you liked the story!

u-ne-korn: Ok, I admit… the repeating of the movie lines was due to laziness and lack of creativity on my part. But, I have tried to go back and fix them to something more original.

churchpunk42: I love writing Jack and Katherine arguing. It's just so easy to have Jack tease her and then she flips out.

Chapter 5: Formal Introductions

We wandered through the forest for what seemed like hours. My patience had worn thin long ago, thanks to the infuriating pirate captain leading our ragtag band of adventurers. Once we had gotten far enough away from civilization to avoid being discovered, he had started to sing a pirate song. My angry pleas for him to stop only seemed to encourage him, so I gave up and decided to simply ignore his antics.

I was preoccupied with staring up at the sky and pleading with whatever greater power there was to help me shut him up and therefore completely missed the fact that everyone else had stopped walking. I collided with Jack who in turn only seemed to look even more amused.

"What?" I asked, confused. "Are we finally there?"

"Aye, see for yourself lass," the captain replied and gestured with his arm towards the wide ocean before us.

I immediately noticed the large black ship positioned just off shore. I would recognize that ship anywhere. It was the Black Pearl.

"A real beauty, isn't she?" he added before heading off down the shore towards the row boat anchored on the beach.

"Not exactly…" I mumbled, after he was well out of hearing range. Instead of inspiring awe and amazement as the pirate obviously thought it would, it only brought back the painful memories of the attack three years ago. But I knew that ship was my only chance to help my brother. I quickly took a deep breath and hurried after the others. I hopped into the small boat just as Will and Jack were pushing it off the beach and into the warm waters of the Caribbean.

As we reached the ship, I could hear the crew rushing about on deck amidst shouted orders. Ropes appeared over the side of the Pearl and our small group was soon standing on the main deck.

An older looking man quickly approached us. "Jack! Yer back early! At least we didn't have to come rescue ya from the gallows again."

"Aye, an interesting proposition presented itself and I couldn't help but accept."

"I see you've brought some visitors with ya, captain," a female voice called out. I turned and noticed a black woman dressed in pirate garb standing at the helm of the ship. She turned her attention to me and then asked, "Who's the girl?"

"Oh, right. This is Kitty."

"That is not my name you filthy scallywag!" I screamed, my protests falling on deaf ears.

"She and the Turners will be our guests for the time being." Jack then suddenly turned his attention from the woman and addressed the rest of his crew. "Now I want this ship ready to sail in ten minutes! Move it you dogs!" He continued to shout out orders and yell insults at his crew as they scrambled to raise the anchor and ready the sails.

I stood in the center of the deck, completely dumbfounded, until I felt a strong hand grab my arm and haul me down below deck.

"It's probably best to be stayin' out of the crew's way right now," Will said with a laugh. "Wouldn't want to be thrown overboard before we even left…"

I nodded my head in silent agreement.

I spent the next several hours avoiding the crew and its crazy captain while striving to remain as inconspicuous as possible. I had managed to find a secluded area along the starboard side of the ship and stood leaning against the railing. A large pod of dolphins swam alongside, enjoying the waves that were made as the hull sliced through the calm water. For a while, I even forgot I was on a pirate ship and enjoyed the peaceful moment.

I barely registered motion to my right before a voice asked, "Enjoying the view, luv?"

Reluctantly, I turned to face him. "Well, I was…"

"This isn't a free ride ya know. You've got work to do." To emphasize this last statement, he raised one arm which held a mop and pointed with his other to a bucket sitting against the railing.

"Excuse me?" I asked, hoping he was joking.

"Better get started. I expect this whole deck to be swabbed before dinner." Behind the wide smile, I noticed a dangerous glint in his eye as if daring me to object.

So I swallowed my pride and grabbed the mop.

By the time the sun had disappeared over the horizon, I was just finishing the last area of the main deck. I was more than happy to return the mop to the bucket and leave it there. As I leaned backwards to stretch my sore back, my stomach growled in protest of my lack of lunch.

I frowned in annoyance and then hurried below deck to get cleaned up. With any luck, I would be enjoying a nice, peaceful dinner in no time.

Elizabeth was waiting for me when I arrived at the small room we had been appointed to stay in. It was only large enough to hold a small table, a chair, and a few cots, but it was better than having to sleep with the crew.

"I was wondering when you were going to finish. Jack and Will are waiting for us," she said as I started to wash my hands in the basin on the table. She simply laughed at my look of confusion and then added, "We'll be dining in the captain's cabin tonight."

I gave her a small smile while inwardly groaning. "Great… there goes my peaceful dinner."

When we entered the main cabin, I immediately noticed how spacious it was. There was a large table set up for dinner at one end and a separate area off to the side that served as sleeping quarters.

Will and Jack were already seated at the table and were engaged in a lively discussion. I had no intentions of being an easy target so I quickly took a seat beside Elizabeth after she sat next to Will. It was then that I noticed another addition to our dinner party: the pirate woman I had seen when we arrived.

Jack suddenly noticed the presence of the new arrivals. "Ah, good. Everyone's here." He then realized that Anamaria was glaring at Katherine suspiciously. "I suppose the two of you haven't formally introduced yourselves."

Realizing Jack expected one of us to break the ice, I reluctantly offered my name. "Katherine Scott," I said with a small nod of my head in greeting.

The other woman returned the gesture and replied, "Anamaria." After a pause she added, "So, how exactly did you meet the captain?"

I was thrown off by the hostile undertone of the question, but Jack immediately broke out laughing.

"Relax luv! It ain't what you think! This is purely a business relationship!"

I felt my face turn bright red when I finally understood what the other woman had been implying. "You honestly though I might be involved romantically with… with… that!" I pointed toward the object of discussion. "Honestly! Of all the absurd, disgusting things I have ever heard!"

"Hey!" Jack replied indignantly, "I'm not that bad!"

The distinctive sound of giggling to my right caused me to turn to glare at the offenders. The sound stopped immediately as Will and Elizabeth suddenly became fascinated by the plates of food before them.

"Well, since we're on the topic of the romantically involved," Jack said, turning his attention to the young couple. "Why aren't there any little Turners running around yet?"

The two shared a look and then blushed, unsure of how to respond to the unexpected turn in the conversation.

Jack studied the pair for a moment and then proclaimed, "Oh, I see. So you really are a eunuch."

Will choked on the food he had just swallowed. "What?! No! That's not it!"

A small voice beside him added, "It's not like we haven't been trying…"

Four heads turned to look at Elizabeth. She took a moment to notice our looks of shock. Will was looking more horrified by the minute. She clasped a hand over her mouth and then whispered, "Oh God! Did I say that out loud?" She took our silence to mean yes and I cringed in sympathy as her face soon resembled Will's.

"I, uh, didn't know you wanted children," I said after a few minutes. I just couldn't stand the silence anymore.

Elizabeth smiled slightly at my attempt to return to a more normal discussion. "I've always dreamed of having children, ever since I was a small child myself. And that feeling only grew stronger when you and your brother came to visit. I just had this overwhelming urge to protect and care for you two. We just didn't want to say anything until we knew for sure…"

"Don't worry about it," Anamaria suddenly interrupted. "You're both young. There's plenty of time for children." She smiled encouragingly at the couple. Then, as if realizing she had allowed her guard to drop, she shifted uncomfortably in her chair and then cleared her throat. "Well, now that we've gotten completely off topic, it's time for you to answer my question." This last statement was directed at me.

I stared at her blankly for a moment before remembering that question that had ignited this whole mess. "Oh, right, you asked how I met Jack. Well, the Pearl raided the ship I was on while headed to Port Royal with my brother. I invoked the right of parley and negotiated for your captain to leave the ship immediately."

Anamaria smiled at my story. "Hmm, sounds very similar to a stunt someone else pulled not too long ago…" She looked over at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth simply laughed. "Yeah, but at least this captain wasn't part of a cursed crew of the undead."

My curiosity was irreversibly peaked at this point. "So, are you finally gonna tell me how you all met?" I leaned forward anxiously to listen to the amazing story about undead pirates and an ancient Aztec curse…