"It's not as simple as you'd hoped, is it?" Reagan woke to the sound of Annamaria's voice.

"What?" she mumbled, rolling over to face the older woman.

"Getting in with Jack, it's not as easy as you thought it would be."

"What makes you think I assumed it would be easy?"

"Surely you didn't plan on getting shot, or killing a man, or finding the great Jack Sparrow a drunkard."

Reagan smiled, "You really don't know me at all, do you Anna?"

At this Anna only shrugged and began to undress and inspect Reagan's wound, frowning at what she found.

"You're going to have to dig it out."

"I know. Do you think you can take it?"

With a laugh the girl closed her eyes and forced herself to relax, "I'm Reagan Sparrow, mate."

Anna rolled her eyes and drew her knife out of its sheath, almost hesitant about the action she had to execute. "You are most definantly your father's daughter."

Jack froze in mid-gulp as a small cry issued from his cabin. Anna had told him she would have to dig the bullet out. Absent-mindedly he wondered if it would have been better to have left Reagan in Tortuga. After all, since she had appeared he had nearly been shot, his ship had been burned, and they had been attacked by another buccaneer crew. It was as if every enemy he had ever made knew of Jack's "Achilles' heal". "Apparently there's more than one curse aboard this ship." Quickly he finished off the rum as Annamaria exited the cabin. In seconds he was in front of her, only to find that he didn't want to ask what he was thinking.

"She'll be fine far as I can tell," she said sparing him any show of vulnerability. Without a word he nodded and went inside. Reagan was staring at him; eyes filled with pain and renewed fury.

"I know men who couldn't have remained conscious for that."

"I'm no man."

Slowly he grinned at the intended stab, "As feisty as ever."

Reagan only huffed and turned her gaze toward the ceiling.

"Why'd you come here, Blackbird?"

"Because you invited me."

"I meant…"

"Why did I come looking for you?

Sitting at the foot of the bed he nodded.

Slowly she forced herself to sit up, ignoring her father's withering glare. "Jack, I grew up hearing stories, pirate stories, before I even knew who I was. I never understood why I loved them until I found out it was in my blood."

"Who told you all those tall tales anyway?"

"Elizabeth Turner, though you know her as Miss Swann. Other than Tio, the Turner's are the only one's who know who I am. I didn't find out until I was fifteen and pushed Tio about the tattoo."

"I see. Were the Turners the ones who taught you what you know about life at sea as well?"

At this Reagan laughed, "No, I spent a good amount of time at the docks. The only thing Will taught me was sword fighting and that was only because I grated his nerves about it."

"A self-taught Sparrow, that's nothing new. I still don't understand how you made it to Tortuga, though."

"What matters is that I got there."

Smiling, Jack stood. He had more on his mind but now didn't seem the time for it. "Fair enough, Reagan." Before turning to leave he reached down to pull the blanket over her feet, which had managed to shun their covering. He frowned at the sight of the "P" burned into her leg. That was another thing that had bothered him about her. The brand was a mark given by the East India Trading Company. Finally he gave into his curiosity, "Where did that come from, Blackbird?"

"I think you know already."

"Yes, but I don't understand how you managed to get it."

"The same way I got to Tortuga."

"No more riddles, Reagan."

"Can't you just accept that there are some answers you'll never know?"

"Most times, yes. But not when they're concerning you."

"Quit trying to play father!"

"I'm not playing, girl. You're the one treating this like a game."

"That's how you've treated life, Jack!"

"I was hoping you were smart enough to break the habit!"

"So now it's 'do as I say, not as I do'? You're impossible."

"How did you get the brand?"

"Why do you care?!"

"Because I'm your father, Reagan! Don't you understand that?"

Reagan was about to comment but stopped as she looked at the man in front of her, Jack was dead serious.

"No, Jack, I don't," her voice was little more than a whisper. It pained her to watch his face fall. "I can't understand, I have no children."

Making for the door the older Sparrow sighed and shook his head, "I hope you live to see that change."