Disclaimer: I own Swab, her mutt Atticus, and her pirate people, but that's it. The rest to PotC. I hope you guys like this ditty. Please read and review—and as always—ENJOY!

Two

"Shut that blasted mutt up!"

"No! Don't hurt him, please!"

"I said to shut him up!"

When Jack woke he had a headache the size of Bermuda. Even the distant barking from that infernal beast made Jack cringe. The dream he had last night had been the same dream he'd been having ever since Jack came into this territory, so he thought not much of it. Jack tried to sit up. "Come on, boy!" Swab shouted. "There's a storm comin' tomorrow, lad, we've some gathering to do."

Falling back against the hammock bed made from old sails, Jack wiped his hand across his aching face. Jack reached for his gun, but it was gone. Blast, must have lost it in the storm.

Feet shocked the earth as the two rats pounded nearer, matching the slamming of the surf against the beach.

Atticus barked loudly as he followed after his master, who had a bag full of muscles and clams. "Are you awake Captain?"

Jack jumped to alarm, and in the hammock bed lost his balance, flipping over and slamming onto the hard sand beneath him. "Uhhh…."

"Mornin' then," Swab said cheerfully, tossing her bag of muscles aside, "have ya had breakfast yet, Captain?"

Jack did not reply and so Swab grabbed a coconut for him, preparing to strike it open when a hand grasped her shoulder and spun her around. Jack's dark eyes were bloodshot and full of malice. He was truly sober.

Grabbing Swab by her chin, Jack glared at her furiously. "Wake me up like that again, mate, and I'll cut your pretty little tongue out." Releasing her, Jack stood up and gave a sigh. "What's there to eat?"

"Coconuts."

"Blast!"

"You can do it." Swab handed Jack the make-shift hatchet and grinned. "Since you're so good at it."

Before Jack could give the little brat what was good for her, she ran off, her pesky little mutt following after her. Jack mumbled a few curses and looked to the coconut…then he remembered the little conversation about muscles.

Jack turned and went toward the bag. The burlap sack was heavy and wet, but Jack opened it and reached in. "YEOW!"

When Jack brought out his hand a bright blue crab was attached to his index finger. "Blast!" Jack cried out in severe pain trying to shake the bugger off. "Bloody hell!"

Finally Jack was able to kill the crab, by slamming him against the cave wall a few times. "Ahh! Oooh!" Jack blew on his finger, trying to ease the pain.

Giggling emanated from the cave entrance. When Jack turned he narrowed his eyes to see Swab standing there, soaking up the glory of seeing Captain Jack Sparrow being caught red-handed with his hand in the cask. "That'll teach you to touch my muscles."

Jack scowled at her and prepared to attack. "You little—"

A big black shadow leapt up, barking wildly, attempting to lick Jack's face. "ARRGGGHHHH! Off with ye! Blasted hound o hell!"

By nightfall Jack's stomach was aching for sustenance and he daren't reach into the burlap bag again. Swab had made a spit and put some fish on it as Jack stayed near the shadows of the cave, fawning over his poor finger. "How's your hand, Jack?"

Jack just grumbled something rude.

Swab bit back a giggle. "And yer head?"

For a moment Jack considered the thought—his head had not hurt all day, ever since the crab incident—oh wait, there it was. Jack just grumbled again. "Are you hungry then?"

Jack threw a look over his shoulder as if she had just called him 'Jack' again. Slowly, Jack moved toward the turning spit, evading the eager hairy black dog. Swab smiled kindly and handed him a bowl filled with hot, cooked fish. "Careful," Swab warned, "it's hot."

"And this cave's filled with sand."

Yes, Swab was stating the obvious, but only so he did not hurt his finger again—she decided to let it go. Swab gave a bowl to her dog, and then took her own food last, slowly eating at the fish while Jack inspected his for poison.

The waves coming in were rough tonight and the tide was higher than usual. Tomorrow Swab would collect some coconuts and the nets in the nets. Swab's bright eyes were distant as she planned for the next day.

With a fuller belly Jack was thinking straighter and his headache had begun to go away, as did the pain in his finger. He observed the young lass across from him. A cocky look on her, but no doubt it had kept her alive this long on this god-forsaken piece of land. Jack supposed that the young girl had enough silence in three years. "Who's name is that on the cave?"

Swab remained distant. "Oy, lass!" Jack called, getting the youngster's attention. "Oo's name is that on the wall over there?"

Jack pointed to where he had been sulking and the girl observed the cave wall there, where it was dimly lit by the small fire and almost invisible on the wall the name 'Marguerite' was etched deep into the gray rock. Swab stared at the name for a few moments and then went back to her food. "I don't know."

"Odd." Jack raised his brow. "Not very old—"

"It's the name of the cave." The girl said lifting her eyes and gazing at Jack. "It's Marguerite's Cave. It belonged to pirate. This is where he brought all of his things."

"Aye," Jack winked at the girl, "and what other secrets do ye know?"

Standing, Jack headed toward the shadows. "No!"

Jack felt as if he smacked into an invisible wall and when he turned back he saw Swab on her feet, fists clenched, eyes wide with fright. "Don't go in there, Jack—don't go out of the light. You mustn't go any farther."

A tingle went up Jack's spine, the girl's sea blue eyes flashed; a chilling breeze ruffled her dark hair. "Are ya all right, lass?"

"You can't go back there, Captain," the young girl pleaded, "promise me you won't go any father than where the light stops."

Jack hesitated—nobody told Captain Jack Sparrow what to do. Who did this little rat think she was? Swab's eyes were filled absolute terror. The girl knew something and she was warning Jack, but Jack was old enough to take care of himself although he wouldn't tell her that. "Please!" The girl begged as Atticus whined. "Not past the light."

"All right, lass." Jack gave a nod. "All right. You've my word—the word of Captain Jack Sparrow—I shan't go out of the light."

Swab shuttered and then plopped onto the ground, her face white as she hugged herself for warmth. "Awe now, lass, it's all right." Jack assured, walking toward the youngster and sitting beside her as she tried to move away.

Jack touched Swab's shoulder, but he pulled away immediately. She was dead cold.