New chapter! Thanks to everyone who's still reading this, you guys are awesome and amazingly patient. Sorry this chapter is so short, but I'll have another one up soon, I promise.

"I found her belowdecks. Some men seemed to be tryin' to take advantage o' her, if you take my meaning, Cap'n," said Elliott in a low voice. She glared at them. She didn't like being talked about in the third person, like a piece of cargo. Besides, it was better to be angry than frightened.

"Ah." His eyes flashed slightly and he turned to her, his beads swinging. He surveyed her with his head tilted to the side, considering.

"Think you and I ought to have a little chat, ay?" he said. He took her by the arm and gripped her rather tightly, as if he thought she might run off—to where, she hadn't the foggiest idea. She looked up at him wide-eyed, and he smiled down at her—slowly, a smile full of dark secrets. She looked away.

"To the Pearl!" he proclaimed to his crew, and immediately they began swinging over the railings and back on board their ship. Gibbs, apparently the First Mate, stayed behind with Jack a moment.

"What are we going to do with this ship, Cap'n? Blow 'er to smithereens?"

"Be a shame to lose her," he said off-handedly, looking around. "Pretty little boat, innit?"

"Aye?" Gibbs looked puzzled.

"Why don't you keep it?" asked Jen suddenly, recklessly sarcastic. She felt doomed anyway; these pirates would never set her free. Nothing she said or did mattered anymore. "Start your own little pirate fleet."

Instead of silencing her, Jack turned to her, bemused, cocky. "And who do you propose should captain her?"

She matched his stare. "I could."

He broke into his smile again. "Tempting as it is—" his expression suddenly changed completely into dead seriousness, as if imparting a great secret, "pirates don't usually travel in fleets." He turned to Gibbs.

"We'll take the ship back to Tortuga and leave 'er for some wanderers who want to make a fortune. A little money on the side wouldn't 'urt. Anamaria!" She turned, having already boarded the Pearl. "Come back here and help Gibbs sail behind us to Tortuga. And as for us," he said, turning back to Jen, "I think we should be getting over ourselves."

The plank connecting the boats had already been drawn up, and the only means of crossing it were ropes. Anamaria swung over and landed lightly on her feet, tossing the rope to Jack. Jack passed it to Jen.

"Can you swing?"

She took it determinedly in both hands and climbed to the top of the railing. Then she made the mistake of looking down.

Rippling blue water lapped at the sides of the boat, surprisingly steep and high. She suddenly felt disoriented and began to sway, losing her balance—then she began to panic, picturing herself plunged into endless blue, lost—

A steadying hand caught her around the waist and lifted her easily off the railing and back on deck. Jack Sparrow grinned at her, his head cocked slightly to one side, gold teeth flashing, his kohl-lined eyes a little too self-satisfied.

"Afraid you'll just have to hold on, love."

She tried to be defiant, but she was still too shaken. She drew a shuddering breath.

Jack looked at the petite girl, so obviously frightened to death behind her bravery. He admired her courage. I should stop fooling with her, he thought, a little surprised that he was feeling compassion towards a captive.

"There, arms around me neck," he said, putting an arm around her waist and lifting her off her feet. She did so, reluctantly, hesitantly. At least he wasn't touching her wantonly, showing off his power over her. She noted that he smelled of salt and warm sun and lingering rum, not at all what she had expected.

He hoisted himself onto the railing, so quick and surefooted that she gasped at his sudden movement and involuntarily tightened her hold. He grinned, his face alarmingly close to hers.

"Alright there, love?"

She nodded.

He kicked off powerfully, and for a moment she felt she was flying. A rush of exhilaration, and then it was over. He made firm contact with the deck of the Pearl and set her down, and she realized with a shock that she was still holding to him. She let go quickly, but he gripped her upper arm again.

"Welcome aboard the Black Pearl. I believe you owe me a chat."