[A/N- another short one, but somehow the next chapter just doesn't seem to belong here. Thank you for all your reviews, all your love, I need it! Make me finish this before I start on the next story! Which I hope will be half as good!]

Jack hauled himself on the deck just as the Death Flight began pulling out of the harbor, looking around at the hustle and bustle of the crew. He made a leisurely walk toward the helm, covering Alinnya's hand with his own, guiding her steering of the ship. She turned to face him, but his eyes were scanning the horizon, shaded by that silly hat from the dance, somewhat dingier than it had been two weeks ago.

"Take me to Madagascar, love. He'll be behind us soon."

She spun the wheel, her eyes turning to measure the angle from the sun, stopping the wheel at a rough guess. "Sorry to be such a bother to you."

"Quite the contrary," he smiled at her, the pearl swaying from it's chain, wrapped around his wrist. "Bit of a blessing, really. I always wanted leverage over the man."

"Explain."

"My parents quarreled often. Mostly about my father's mistress. There were times it would… get a little rough." He winced at the memory. "My mum threatened to leave, and take me with her. The next morning, we were on board that ship, and I was staring into the bastard's face." He turned to look at her. "He was Captain of the Red Dagger, then. That's why I didn't realize." His grip was nearly crushing her hand, but she knew better than to move. "I've lost one woman to that ship. I will not lose you to it."

"Pray," she replied, looking back at the horizon and adjusting the wheel, "that you never have to make that decision."

***

Madagascar was a good week's worth of sailing, and the crew was grumbling a bit by the time they got there. The cove was treacherous to maneuver- Jack could see why Brady liked it. "Drop the anchor," he yelled at the men, scanning the distance and measuring the depth of the water. The clean outline of a very… large… shark swam underneath of the boat, and he swallowed, praying for no mistakes.

"It's worth what's in there," it seemed as though she'd read his mind, but she was staring at the rock face, where a metal cage hung off of a thick chain, the bottom suspended a few inches in the water. He suppressed the urge to hold her and the shudder that was wracking her body. "Let's go. We might just be able to take it all."

She hopped into a rowboat, holding the oars as it slid down into the water with its crew, and rowed to the gaping black maw of the dreary place.

Jack looked around the horizon one last time. For a moment, he thought he saw a pair of sails in the distance- but no, they were gone.