"Can I help you Miss?" Gibbs didn't recongnise the elegant young lady who was making her way up the secluded pier to board the Pearl.

"Gibbs, is Sparrow around." It registered that this was Tudor, her wild red curls flying freely corroborating the fact, as she climbed on deck an hour or so later.

Will, also curious to who this unfamiliar person was, came up behind Gibbs, his jaw dropping when he recognised her. "Miss Smith - Jack's in his cabin, but –uh, I wouldn't bother him, he's in a foul mood."

She ignored him with a smile and headed for the cabin door, turning back for a moment. "Oh, Will, I won't be down tomorrow morning. Elizabeth and I will be busy preparing for the Governor's homecoming ball. I'll come find you in a bit for a talk." She said, then swung open the cabin door without ceremony.

"I thought I told ye I'm busy! Now get back to . . ." Jack bellowed, then his head whipped around, his dark brown eyes glinting black. "Oh, it's you, is it?" He said as she entered. "Do ye ever knock?"

She snorted derisively. "You're not exactly a paragon of politeness yourself."

"Ye drank all of me rum!" He said, testily.

A smirk crossed her face as she pulled out a heavy bottle from the sac she carried and held it to him. "I bring you reparations."

He immediately recognised the fancy seal, and did a double take. "Is that . . .?" He couldn't even finish the question he was that stunned.

"Aye – best brand of rum ever made." She nodded. "Ten times better then that second rate hooch you drink." She offered the bottle to him again.

He took the bottle reverently and cradled it in his hands. "Ye know I can't be bought." He looked up from the bottle for a moment. "But I'm sure we can arrange something." He shot a grin her way.

"I thought we might. Enjoy with my complements." She said motioning to the bottle. "Truce?"

"Aye." He agreed and extended his hand towards her.

She clasped his large hand in her tight grip for a moment, then remembered what she came for. "Oh, mind if I hang around the ship for a few hours?"

"Do what you will." He said offhandedly, by now completely absorbed in his new treasure.

"My don't I feel special." She quipped sardonically. "Second fiddle to a bottle of rum." She opened the door to go, then turned. "Oh, are we still on for tomorrow night?" She asked and he nodded casually and waved her off like a pesky fly distracting him from his alcohol. She didn't notice the crew looking up in sync towards her standing in the door, but as soon as soon as she closed the door behind her, she paled frantically. "Oh shit! That's tomorrow too!" She moaned, thinking of her busy schedule for the next evening as she leaned against the door at her back for a moment.

Suddenly, the cool wood soothing her aching neck and supporting her weary body was wrenched away from her and she was left leaning on nothing but air. Her reflexes dulled by her stress left her no time to react before she found herself colliding with a hard chest and surrounded and supported by warm, strong arms. "Falling into me arms not, are ye Miss Smith?" Jack remarked down at her bewildered face.

She sighed, glad she had not toppled over onto the floor. "I just find myself swept off my feet by your very presence." She said, not bothering to move right away. "You saved my life." She said in an intentionally drippy tone as she stood. "You are my hero." She stood on tiptoe and pecked his cheek, continuing in the same manner.

Jack touched his cheek. "Well, this is a change. I usually receive more blows from women then kisses."

Tudor snorted. "Probably deserved every one of them too. Don't worry, we can arrange the other very easily." She playfully punched his arm. "I'm off to find Will.

"You are back again." Will stated the obvious as she approached him.

"Well, I'm hiding for a few hours." Tudor shrugged. "I have so much planned for tomorrow that the stress is driving me insane. I needed some down time and I sure as hell wouldn't be able to do that spending the next few hours with Elizabeth. Oh – sorry." He assured her that he wasn't offended, and she continued. "Just told her I had some family business to attend to at my own home and that I would meet her at the docks to greet her father."

"The governor returns tonight?" Will asked, surprise and concern crossing his handsome face, to which Tudor nodded. "I wonder if Jack knows. We thought he was arriving home tomorrow and planned to set sail soon after.." He said, regret lining his voice.

Tudor shrugged at this, then eyed him up. "You don't want to leave, do you?"

"I do but I don't." He said wistfully.

"Will, even if you do manage to patch things up with Elizabeth, then what? What's the plan? I realise planning isn't very popular with young people in love, but it would save a lot of trouble."

He quirked his brown brow at her. "What do you mean?"

She shook her head dismissing her comment. "Forget it, it's nothing. It's just that maybe Elizabeth has some better reasons for jilting you then just a bad case of cold feet - And maybe she's just being rash and childish! I don't know! Why do people come to me for advice! Me, who's never had a functional relationship in my life!" She gave a short, choppy laugh. "Think of the irony."